tass--2020-07-24--Russian Foreign Ministry lauds Syrian elections as step towards strengthening stability

MOSCOW , July 24 .
/TASS/ .
The elections to the People ’ s Council of Syria have become an important stage in building up the Arab Republic and a step towards strengthening stability , the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement published Friday .
`` We believe the elections to the People ’ s Council as an important stage in the development of the cordial Syrian Arab Republic and a step towards maintaining and strengthening its internal stability .
We view the preservation of the normal functioning of state institutions based on the current legislation - even amid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreign occupation of certain regions - is in the best interests of all Syrians , '' Russia ’ s foreign service agency noted .
Moscow intends to pursue a firm stance supporting Syria ’ s sovereignty , independence , unity and territorial integrity , and to provide it with all necessary assistance in restoring destroyed social and economic infrastructure and mopping up the remnants of `` rampant international terrorism , '' the diplomatic institution emphasized .
The National Unity bloc once again won the July 19 parliamentary elections and clinched the majority of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Arab Socialist Ba ’ ath Party , chaired by President Bashar Assad .
At the election , turnout totaled 33 % , with over 6 million voters having cast their ballots .

MOSCOW, July 24. /TASS/. The elections to the People’s Council of Syria have become an important stage in building up the Arab Republic and a step towards strengthening stability, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement published Friday.
"We believe the elections to the People’s Council is an important stage in the development of the cordial Syrian Arab Republic and a step towards maintaining and strengthening its internal stability. We view the preservation of the normal functioning of state institutions based on the current legislation - even amid the ongoing armed fight against terrorists and foreign occupation of certain regions - is in the best interests of all Syrians," Russia’s foreign service agency noted.
Moscow intends to pursue a firm stance supporting Syria’s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity, and to provide it with all necessary assistance in restoring destroyed social and economic infrastructure and mopping up the remnants of "rampant international terrorism," the diplomatic institution emphasized.
The National Unity bloc once again won the July 19 parliamentary elections and clinched the majority of seats. The coalition is led by the Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party, chaired by President Bashar Assad. At the election, turnout totaled 33%, with over 6 million voters having cast their ballots.


tass--2020-07-24--Russia at final stage of testing latest heavy flamethrower

TULA , July 24 .
/TASS/ .
The latest TOS-2 ‘ Tosochka ’ heavy flamethrower and ISDM ‘ Zemledeliye ’ remote-controlled mine-laying vehicle are at the final stage of their trials , Head of the state hi-tech corporation Rostec Sergei Chemezov announced on Friday .
`` These vehicles were demonstrated for the first time to the public at the Victory Parade on June 24 , 2020 .
The Tornado-S is already being supplied to the troops .
The Tosochka and the Zemledeliye are now undergoing the final stage of trials , '' the Rostec head said .
As compared to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Tosochka is mounted on the wheeled chassis and needs no transporter-loader vehicle , Chemezov noted .
`` The shells are loaded into the launcher with the help of a loader crane placed directly on the combat vehicle , '' the Rostec chief specified , adding that this technology made the flamethrower more universal and autonomous .
The Tosochka heavy flamethrower is also outfitted with electronic warfare systems against precision weapons , Chemezov said .
The latest Zemledeliye remote-controlled mine-laying vehicle that is also at the final stage of its trials has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the minimum .
As the Rostec chief stressed , the vehicle prepares flight mission assignments and pre-sets munitions , including their self-destruction time , in the automated mode .
`` The vehicle makes an automatic salvo at designated target points and automatically registers mined areas on electronic terrain maps , '' Chemezov explained .

TULA, July 24. /TASS/. The latest TOS-2 ‘Tosochka’ heavy flamethrower and ISDM ‘Zemledeliye’ remote-controlled mine-laying vehicle are at the final stage of their trials, Head of the state hi-tech corporation Rostec Sergei Chemezov announced on Friday.
"These vehicles were demonstrated for the first time to the public at the Victory Parade on June 24, 2020. The Tornado-S is already being supplied to the troops. The Tosochka and the Zemledeliye are now undergoing the final stage of trials," the Rostec head said.
As compared to the TOS-1 and TOS-1A heavy flame-throwing systems, the Tosochka is mounted on the wheeled chassis and needs no transporter-loader vehicle, Chemezov noted.
"The shells are loaded into the launcher with the help of a loader crane placed directly on the combat vehicle," the Rostec chief specified, adding that this technology made the flamethrower more universal and autonomous.
The Tosochka heavy flamethrower is also outfitted with electronic warfare systems against precision weapons, Chemezov said.
The latest Zemledeliye remote-controlled mine-laying vehicle that is also at the final stage of its trials has reduced an operator’s role to the minimum. As the Rostec chief stressed, the vehicle prepares flight mission assignments and pre-sets munitions, including their self-destruction time, in the automated mode.
"The vehicle makes an automatic salvo at designated target points and automatically registers mined areas on electronic terrain maps," Chemezov explained.


tass--2020-07-24--Russian Su-27 fighter intercepts US spy plane over Black Sea

MOSCOW , July 24 .
/TASS/ .
The air defense quick reaction alert forces of Russia ’ s Southern Military District shadowed a US P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance plane over the Black Sea , the National Defense Control Center reported on Friday .
The Russian airspace control systems detected an air target over the neutral waters of the Black Sea on July 24 , 2020 , the Center said .
`` A Su-27 fighter of the Southern Military District ’ s air defense quick reaction alert forces was scrambled to intercept the target , '' the statement says .
The Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a US P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance plane .
After the US plane moved away from Russia ’ s state border , the Russian fighter safely returned to its airbase .
No violations of the Russian state border were allowed , the National Defense Control Center said .
`` The entire flight of the Russian Su-27 plane proceeded in strict compliance with the international rules of using the airspace , '' the Center said .
Russia ’ s National Defense Control Center reported a similar case over the Black Sea on July 23 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to intercept a US P-8A Poseidon spy aircraft .

MOSCOW, July 24. /TASS/. The air defense quick reaction alert forces of Russia’s Southern Military District shadowed a US P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance plane over the Black Sea, the National Defense Control Center reported on Friday.
The Russian airspace control systems detected an air target over the neutral waters of the Black Sea on July 24, 2020, the Center said.
"A Su-27 fighter of the Southern Military District’s air defense quick reaction alert forces was scrambled to intercept the target," the statement says.
The Russian fighter’s crew identified the target as a US P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance plane. After the US plane moved away from Russia’s state border, the Russian fighter safely returned to its airbase. No violations of the Russian state border were allowed, the National Defense Control Center said.
"The entire flight of the Russian Su-27 plane proceeded in strict compliance with the international rules of using the airspace," the Center said.
Russia’s National Defense Control Center reported a similar case over the Black Sea on July 23. A Russian Su-27 fighter was also scrambled to intercept a US P-8A Poseidon spy aircraft.


tass--2020-07-24--Putin told Trump Moscow ‘is doing well’ to counter coronavirus

MOSCOW , July 24 .
/TASS/ .
Russian President Vladimir Putin had a phone call with his US counterpart Donald @ @ @ @ @ ’ s effective measures to fight coronavirus , Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters , @ @ @ @ @ ’ s remarks that Russia is going through some tough times in the epidemic , @ @ @ @ @ Moscow < … > is doing rather well , that ’ s what the Russian @ @ @ @ @ about in their phone call yesterday , '' the Kremlin representative noted .

MOSCOW, July 24. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin had a phone call with his US counterpart Donald Trump Thursday and mentioned Russia’s effective measures to fight coronavirus, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, commenting on the US president’s remarks that Russia is going through some tough times in the epidemic, particularly in Moscow.
"Moscow <…> is doing rather well, that’s what the Russian president informed his US counterpart about in their phone call yesterday," the Kremlin representative noted.


tass--2020-07-24--Business activity recovery unequal across industries, regions, says Central Bank

MOSCOW , July 24 .
/TASS/ .
The recovery of business activity in Russia is generally moderate and varies across @ @ @ @ @ Central Bank says on Friday .
`` The Russian economy will be recovering gradually , @ @ @ @ @ lifted step-by-step .
The revival of business activity is still moderate and uneven across industries @ @ @ @ @ regulatory noted .
`` In June , the decline in industrial production , the contraction @ @ @ @ @ and domestic market , and the growth of unemployment slowed down .
Proxy indicators suggest @ @ @ @ @ activity , '' the Central Bank says .
The recovery is underway in retail trade @ @ @ @ @ `` Consumer demand was supported by the fiscal policy measures , '' the regulator noted @ @ @ @ @ decided to cut the key rate by 25 basis points to 4.25 % per annum @ @ @ @ @ Board meeting is scheduled to September 18 .

MOSCOW, July 24. /TASS/. The recovery of business activity in Russia is generally moderate and varies across industries and regions, the Central Bank says on Friday.
"The Russian economy will be recovering gradually, as the restrictions are being lifted step-by-step. The revival of business activity is still moderate and uneven across industries and regions," the regulatory noted.
"In June, the decline in industrial production, the contraction of orders in both external and domestic market, and the growth of unemployment slowed down. Proxy indicators suggest a slight rebound in investment activity," the Central Bank says. The recovery is underway in retail trade and the services sector. "Consumer demand was supported by the fiscal policy measures," the regulator noted.
The Bank of Russia decided to cut the key rate by 25 basis points to 4.25% per annum earlier today. The next Board meeting is scheduled to September 18.


tass--2020-07-24--Russian Central Bank cuts key rate to new all-time low of 4.25%

MOSCOW , July 24 .
/TASS/ .
Russia ’ s Central Bank has lowered its key rate by 25 basis points to another record low of 4.25 % , according to a statement published by the regulator following its board meeting on Friday .
`` On 24 July 2020 , the Bank of Russia Board of Directors decided to cut the key rate by 25 bp to 4.25 % per annum .
Disinflationary factors continue to exert considerable influence on inflation , '' the regulator said .
If the situation develops in line with the baseline forecast , the Central @ @ @ @ @ @ @ key rate reduction at its upcoming meetings , it noted .
The Bank of Russia Board of Directors will hold its next key rate review meeting on September 18 , 2020 .
The Central Bank also downgraded its inflation forecast for 2020 from 3.8-4.8 % to 3.7-4.2 % for 2020 , whereas in 2021 inflation is expected to be 3.5-4 % .
`` A significant easing of monetary policy since April aims at curbing this risk and stabilizing inflation close to 4 % over the forecast horizon .
According to the Bank of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current monetary policy stance , annual inflation will reach 3.7-4.2 % in 2020 , 3.5-4.0 % in 2021 and will stay close to 4 % later on , '' the Central Bank said .
In the context of prevailing disinflationary factors there is a risk that in 2021 inflation might deviate downwards from the 4 % target , the regulator added .
Medium-term inflation dynamics will be significantly impacted by fiscal policy , in particular , the scale and efficiency of the government ’ s measures towards mitigating the consequences of the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as the speed of the 2021-2022 budget consolidation .
The Bank of Russia expects the economy to be recovering gradually , as the restrictions are being lifted step-by-step .
The revival of business activity is still moderate and uneven across industries and regions , the regulator said .
`` In June , the decline in industrial production , the contraction of orders in both external and domestic market , and the growth of unemployment slowed down .
Proxy indicators suggest a slight rebound in investment activity .
Recovery continues in retail trade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was supported by the fiscal policy measures .
At the same time , weak external demand coupled with restrictions under the OPEC+ deal lead to a drop in exports , causing an adverse effect on economic activity , '' the statement said .
Further economic recovery might be unstable due to a fall in incomes , moderate consumer behavior , cautious sentiment of businesses and external demand-side restrictions .
GDP is projected to decrease by 4.5-5.5 % in 2020 .
The Russian economy is thereafter expected to follow a recovery path with growth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 2.5-3.5 % in 2022 , the Central Bank said .
The Russian economy is gaining support from the Russian government and the Bank of Russia ’ s measures aimed at mitigating economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic , including the monetary policy easing and regulatory measures implemented by the Bank of Russia , the regulator noted .

MOSCOW, July 24. /TASS/. Russia’s Central Bank has lowered its key rate by 25 basis points to another record low of 4.25%, according to a statement published by the regulator following its board meeting on Friday.
"On 24 July 2020, the Bank of Russia Board of Directors decided to cut the key rate by 25 bp to 4.25% per annum. Disinflationary factors continue to exert considerable influence on inflation," the regulator said.
If the situation develops in line with the baseline forecast, the Central Bank will consider the necessity of further key rate reduction at its upcoming meetings, it noted.
The Bank of Russia Board of Directors will hold its next key rate review meeting on September 18, 2020.
Inflation and risks
The Central Bank also downgraded its inflation forecast for 2020 from 3.8-4.8% to 3.7-4.2% for 2020, whereas in 2021 inflation is expected to be 3.5-4%.
"A significant easing of monetary policy since April aims at curbing this risk and stabilizing inflation close to 4% over the forecast horizon. According to the Bank of Russia’s forecast, given the current monetary policy stance, annual inflation will reach 3.7-4.2% in 2020, 3.5-4.0% in 2021 and will stay close to 4% later on," the Central Bank said.
In the context of prevailing disinflationary factors there is a risk that in 2021 inflation might deviate downwards from the 4% target, the regulator added.
Medium-term inflation dynamics will be significantly impacted by fiscal policy, in particular, the scale and efficiency of the government’s measures towards mitigating the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic and overcoming structural constraints, as well as the speed of the 2021-2022 budget consolidation.
Economic activity
The Bank of Russia expects the economy to be recovering gradually, as the restrictions are being lifted step-by-step. The revival of business activity is still moderate and uneven across industries and regions, the regulator said. "In June, the decline in industrial production, the contraction of orders in both external and domestic market, and the growth of unemployment slowed down. Proxy indicators suggest a slight rebound in investment activity. Recovery continues in retail trade and the services sector. Consumer demand was supported by the fiscal policy measures. At the same time, weak external demand coupled with restrictions under the OPEC+ deal lead to a drop in exports, causing an adverse effect on economic activity," the statement said. Further economic recovery might be unstable due to a fall in incomes, moderate consumer behavior, cautious sentiment of businesses and external demand-side restrictions.
GDP is projected to decrease by 4.5-5.5% in 2020. The Russian economy is thereafter expected to follow a recovery path with growth predicted to total 3.5-4.5% in 2021 and 2.5-3.5% in 2022, the Central Bank said.
The Russian economy is gaining support from the Russian government and the Bank of Russia’s measures aimed at mitigating economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic, including the monetary policy easing and regulatory measures implemented by the Bank of Russia, the regulator noted.


tass--2020-07-24--Unabating US protests raise serious questions about Trump’s re-election chances — expert

MOSCOW , July 24 .
/TASS/ .
The protests that have gripped the US since late May undermine Donald Trump ’ s possible success at the upcoming presidential elections , Valery Garbuzov , director of the Russian Academy of Sciences ’ Institute for US and Canadian Studies , said in an interview with TASS .
`` Nobody predicted that there could be such outbursts , explosions , such collective hysteria which has been going on for a while now .
Evidently , it introduces peculiarities to the election campaign and is spoiling the broader picture for incumbent US President Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ favorable .
However , accumulation of new factors linked to the pandemic and the mass protests completely shifted the focus of this campaign for him , primarily , and raised a question about his real chances at the November election , '' he noted .
According to the expert , the protest activity in the US overshadowed the election campaign .
Garbuzov emphasized that Trump is not doing well at taming either the protest or the epidemiological outbreaks .
`` The Democrats are also playing this up , backing this unrest that turn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not just peaceful marches and demonstrations .
We need to realize that the Democrats are not betting on Joe Biden , but before he won the primaries and managed to beat Bernie Sanders , left-wing tendencies were going strong in the Democratic Party , '' he continued .
The analyst noted that the polarization of the American society has been especially evident in the last few years , as the Republican Party shifted a lot to the right , while the Democrats moved to the left .
`` The radicalization of the political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ atmosphere in the US .
It is very electrified now in this sense , '' Garbuzov added .
According to him , leftist slogans at the marches echoes the fact that the US Democratic Party in the last few years acquired a rather strong left wing .
`` This left wing which Sanders spearheaded and will be leading , is quite radical .
This radicalism is present in the American streets and squares .
US Democrats need it to enter November with a hope for victory , but later they won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is certain .
The expert pointed out that the current protests are often compared in scale and influence on the US society to the 1960s riots in black ghettos .
However , according to him , the important difference is that back then the marches were not orchestrated by organizations some of which were ultra-radical and had armed units .
`` The situation was much more explosive then .
However , Lyndon Johnson ’ s administration managed to quell the radicals at that time .
Today , this movement is much more spontaneous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he clarified .

"Nobody predicted that there would be such outbursts, or flare-ups, the sort of collective hysteria which has been going on for a while now. Evidently, it presents peculiarities for the election campaign and is spoiling the broader picture for incumbent US President Donald Trump, which used to look more favorable. However, the buildup of new factors linked to the pandemic and the mass protests completely shifted the focus of this campaign for him, primarily questioning his real chances at the November election," he noted. According to the commentator, the protests in the US are overshadowing the election campaign.
MOSCOW, July 24. /TASS/. The protests that have gripped the US since late May undermine Donald Trump’s possible success at the upcoming presidential elections, Valery Garbuzov, director of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute for US and Canadian Studies, said in an interview with TASS.
Garbuzov emphasized that Trump is not doing well at calming either the demonstrations or the epidemiological outbreaks. "The Democrats are also playing this up, backing this unrest that is morphing into riots practically everywhere. These are not simply peaceful marches and demonstrations. We need to realize that the Democrats were betting on Joe Biden, but before he won the primaries and managed to beat Bernie Sanders, strong left-wing tendencies prevailed in the Democratic Party," he continued.
The analyst noted that the polarization of American society has been especially evident for the last few years, with the Republican Party shifting significantly to the right, while the Democrats strayed to the left. "The radicalization of the political spectrum leads to the radicalization of America’s political atmosphere. It is very electrified now in this sense," Garbuzov explained.
According to him, leftist slogans at the marches echo the fact that the US Democratic Party over the last few years has moved further to the left. "This left wing which Sanders spearheaded and will be leading is quite extreme. This radicalism is present on America’s streets. The Democrats need it to enter November with a hope for victory, but later they won’t need this radicalism," the expert insisted.
Protest prospects
The expert pointed out that the current demonstrations are often compared in their scale and sway on US society to the 1960s riots that swept across America’s urban black ghettos. However, he points out that the key difference is that back then the marches were not orchestrated by organizations some of which were ultra-radical and had armed units. "The situation was much more explosive then. However, the Lyndon Johnson administration managed to quell the extremists at that time. Today, this movement is much more spontaneous and partially organized through the Internet," he clarified.
Garbuzov recalled that the US establishment then tried to respond to the challenge by introducing Great Society, a set of domestic policies, which envisioned social reforms to eradicate poverty and abolish racial segregation. The expert believes that the move was tactically successful but led to an even further disintegration of the black population. "An entitlement culture has overtaken the black community; blacks viewed it as compensation for the past sins of whites. They started seeing it as granted and demanding more, but it only led to them managing to live off these benefits and programs without working," he explained.
to him, such a behavioral problem was copied by community members, which stripped many of the motivation to work and receive an education. "Unfortunately, the US has been trying to solve these issues for decades but hasn’t been able to. The blacks are still not integrated into American society, and as soon as something happens like with George Floyd, the whole black community explodes," the expert added.
Nevertheless, there is no other way out of currently exacerbating protests but to offer new concessions. "This will not address the problem, but it will ease tensions," he concluded.
US anti-racism protests
Widespread unrest has engulfed many US states over the death of an African-American Minneapolis man named George Floyd, who died after a police officer kneeled on his neck and choked him to death during his arrest. To counter the riots, local law enforcement backed by the National Guard was called in. Numerous cities enacted curfews as a response.
In certain cases, protesters directed their anger at statues by vandalizing them, particularly those dedicated to political figures of the Confederate States of America. A few monuments erected to honor Christopher Columbus were toppled as well as statues of first US President George Washington in Portland, Oregon.
On Wednesday, the US House of Representatives approved legislation to take down statues honoring figures who were part of the Confederacy during the Civil War from the US Capitol, along with all monuments to those who advocated for slavery across the country.


tass--2020-07-24--Russia to resume international flights starting August 1

“ It has been decided to resume international flights , whereas we rely on the epidemiological situation , morbidity rates , principles of mutuality , ” he said , adding that flights will be performed from airports of Moscow , Moscow Region , St. Petersburg and Rostov-on-Don starting August 1 .
“ The decision will also allow speeding up the return of Russian citizens from abroad , ” PM noted .
On March 27 , Russia fully suspended regular and charter international flights due to the novel coronavirus spread , with air carriers only able to perform repatriation flights .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Russia will resume air services to London , a number of cities in Turkey and Zanzibar in Tanzania .
`` From August 1 , 2020 , the Russian Federation reciprocally resumes air service with the UK .
I would like to say right away that this concerns flights to the capital of Great Britain , London .
< ... > Two decisions have been made on Turkey at once : from August 1 , air service to such Turkish cities will be resumed as Ankara and Istanbul , and to resort cities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ August 10 .
Finally , this also applies to such an exotic route to Tanzania , Zanzibar , which was also popular with a certain group of our citizens , air service will also be resumed there , '' on the Rossiya-24 TV channel on Friday .

“It has been decided to resume international flights, whereas we rely on the epidemiological situation, morbidity rates, principles of mutuality,” he said, adding that flights will be performed from airports of Moscow, Moscow Region, St. Petersburg and Rostov-on-Don starting August 1.
“The decision will also allow speeding up the return of Russian citizens from abroad,” PM noted. On March 27, Russia fully suspended regular and charter international flights due to the novel coronavirus spread, with air carriers only able to perform repatriation flights.
According to Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova, Russia will resume air services to London, a number of cities in Turkey and Zanzibar in Tanzania.
"From August 1, 2020, the Russian Federation reciprocally resumes air service with the UK. I would like to say right away that this concerns flights to the capital of Great Britain, London. <...> Two decisions have been made on Turkey at once: from August 1, air service to such Turkish cities will be resumed as Ankara and Istanbul, and to resort cities of Antalya, Bodrum and Dalaman from August 10. Finally, this also applies to such an exotic route to Tanzania, Zanzibar, which was also popular with a certain group of our citizens, air service will also be resumed there," on the Rossiya-24 TV channel on Friday.


tass--2020-07-24--Khabarovsk rallies not organized from overseas, Kremlin says

MOSCOW , July 24 .
/TASS/ .
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov is confident that the rallies in the Khabarovsk Region @ @ @ @ @ but they serve as fertile ground to embolden pseudo-opposition elements and rabble-rousers .
`` These @ @ @ @ @ , serve as fertile ground for various quasi-or pseudo-oppositionists and rabble rousers that feed off @ @ @ @ @ course , have flown there , '' the Kremlin representative stated on Friday .
Although @ @ @ @ @ `` on the whole one can not say that it was organized from overseas '' @ @ @ @ @ ’ t talking about that but it is unquestionable that with time those elements joined @ @ @ @ @ noted .
The spokesman assured that `` nobody will allow this [ stirring the pot @ @ @ @

MOSCOW, July 24. /TASS/. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov is confident that the rallies in the Khabarovsk Region were not organized from overseas but they serve as fertile ground to embolden pseudo-opposition elements and rabble-rousers.
"These continued events, of course, serve as fertile ground for various quasi-or pseudo-oppositionists and rabble rousers that feed off it, who, of course, have flown there," the Kremlin representative stated on Friday.
Although, in his opinion, "on the whole one cannot say that it was organized from overseas". "And we weren’t talking about that but it is unquestionable that with time those elements joined these events," he noted. The spokesman assured that "nobody will allow this [stirring the pot from overseas].


tass--2020-07-24--Turkey beefs up security as Hagia Sophia prepares for Friday prayer

ISTANBUL , July 24 .
/TASS/ .
Turkish law enforcement officers are beefing up security as Hagia Sophia , the status of which has been changed from a museum to a mosque , prepares for Friday prayer , TASS reports from the scene .
A hundred law enforcement officers are involved in ensuring security near Hagia Sophia .
Almost all nearby streets are completely closed to traffic , in this regard , one can approach the Istanbul cathedral only through 11 specially prepared checkpoints .
At the same time , the media have access only through the checkpoint on Kennedy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media accreditation took at least two hours .
According to TASS correspondent , representatives of not only Turkish media , but also foreign ones , including BBC , Al-Jazeera , Al-Arabiya , and TBS and others , show interest in Friday prayer in Hagia Sophia .
Currently , hundreds of Muslim pilgrims have gathered near the Hagia Sophia itself , all expecting to be allowed to worship inside the cathedral after an afternoon prayer , in which Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan , members of the government and parliamentarians will take part .
Along @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Sultanahmet Square , there are screens and huge columns through which excerpts from the Koran are now being broadcast .
People will be able to follow the prayer in Hagia Sophia afterwards on those screens , the prayer should start at 13:16 Moscow time .
For the period of Muslim worship , as promised by the authorities of the republic , the interior decoration of the Cathedral of Hagia Sophia , including icons and frescoes , will be hidden from the eyes of worshipers by special curtains .
Hagia Sophia is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constructed between 532 and 537 AD by a decree from then Byzantine Emperor Justinian I .
After the fall of Byzantine Empire in 1453 , the cathedral was converted into a mosque .
In 1935 , under the decree of the Turkish government signed by the founder of the modern Turkish state Mustafa Kemal Ataturk , the building was transformed into a museum .
White plaster covering Christian mosaics and murals was removed .
In 1985 , the building was included on the UNESCO World Heritage ’ s list of monuments .
Hagia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preserved elements of both Christian and Muslim eras .
This building remained the largest religious building in the Christian world for almost a thousand years ( until the construction of the Catholic cathedral in Seville in the early 16th century ) .
The temple is 100 meters long , 69.5 meters wide , the dome 's height amounts to 55.6 meters , its diameter is 32 meters .
The cathedral became the most expensive building of the Byzantine emperors : about 130 tonnes of gold were used during its construction .
The temple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ survived several earthquakes and fires , was repeatedly restored and rebuilt .
Its interior decoration lasted for several centuries and was considered as very extravagant .
During the Ottoman period , the cathedral was supplemented with four minarets , a mihrab ( a niche that indicates the direction of Mecca ) and a marble minbar ( a pulpit in a mosque ) .
During restoration in the 1930s and 1950s , mosaics and frescoes from the Byzantine era were found under a layer of plaster .
Thus , at present , one can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sayings from the Koran on the cathedral 's eight huge shields ( the world 's largest works of art of Islamic calligraphy ) .
In 1985 , the building was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site .
On July 10 , the Turkish Council of State invalidated Mustafa Kemal Ataturk ’ s 1934 decree that had bestowed Hagia Sophia with its museum status .
Later in the day , President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed an order declaring Hagia Sophia open for Muslim worship .
Local Orthodox Churches , including the Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the decision , along with UNESCO .

ISTANBUL, July 24. /TASS/. Turkish law enforcement officers are beefing up security as Hagia Sophia, the status of which has been changed from a museum to a mosque, prepares for Friday prayer, TASS reports from the scene.
A hundred law enforcement officers are involved in ensuring security near Hagia Sophia. Almost all nearby streets are completely closed to traffic, in this regard, one can approach the Istanbul cathedral only through 11 specially prepared checkpoints.
At the same time, the media have access only through the checkpoint on Kennedy Street. The very process of obtaining media accreditation took at least two hours. According to TASS correspondent, representatives of not only Turkish media, but also foreign ones, including BBC, Al-Jazeera, Al-Arabiya, and TBS and others, show interest in Friday prayer in Hagia Sophia.
Currently, hundreds of Muslim pilgrims have gathered near the Hagia Sophia itself, all expecting to be allowed to worship inside the cathedral after an afternoon prayer, in which Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, members of the government and parliamentarians will take part.
Along the perimeter in front of Hagia Sophia in Sultanahmet Square, there are screens and huge columns through which excerpts from the Koran are now being broadcast. People will be able to follow the prayer in Hagia Sophia afterwards on those screens, the prayer should start at 13:16 Moscow time.
For the period of Muslim worship, as promised by the authorities of the republic, the interior decoration of the Cathedral of Hagia Sophia, including icons and frescoes, will be hidden from the eyes of worshipers by special curtains.
A unique architectural complex
Hagia Sophia is a Byzantine architectural monument. The cathedral was constructed between 532 and 537 AD by a decree from then Byzantine Emperor Justinian I.
After the fall of Byzantine Empire in 1453, the cathedral was converted into a mosque. In 1935, under the decree of the Turkish government signed by the founder of the modern Turkish state Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the building was transformed into a museum. White plaster covering Christian mosaics and murals was removed. In 1985, the building was included on the UNESCO World Heritage’s list of monuments.
Hagia Sophia is an architectural complex that has preserved elements of both Christian and Muslim eras. This building remained the largest religious building in the Christian world for almost a thousand years (until the construction of the Catholic cathedral in Seville in the early 16th century). The temple is 100 meters long, 69.5 meters wide, the dome's height amounts to 55.6 meters, its diameter is 32 meters. The cathedral became the most expensive building of the Byzantine emperors: about 130 tonnes of gold were used during its construction.
The temple, built of marble and brick, survived several earthquakes and fires, was repeatedly restored and rebuilt. Its interior decoration lasted for several centuries and was considered as very extravagant. During the Ottoman period, the cathedral was supplemented with four minarets, a mihrab (a niche that indicates the direction of Mecca) and a marble minbar (a pulpit in a mosque).
During restoration in the 1930s and 1950s, mosaics and frescoes from the Byzantine era were found under a layer of plaster. Thus, at present, one can see both the image of Jesus Christ and sayings from the Koran on the cathedral's eight huge shields (the world's largest works of art of Islamic calligraphy).
In 1985, the building was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
On July 10, the Turkish Council of State invalidated Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s 1934 decree that had bestowed Hagia Sophia with its museum status. Later in the day, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed an order declaring Hagia Sophia open for Muslim worship. Local Orthodox Churches, including the Russian Orthodox Church, voiced their regret over the decision, along with UNESCO.


tass--2020-07-24--Press review: US-China diplomatic feud to heat up and Russia, NATO flex Arctic muscles

Izvestia : US-China diplomatic feud far from over China plans to close the US consulate in Chengdu in retaliation for Washington 's shutdown of the Chinese consulate in Houston , according to the South China Morning Post newspaper .
Chances are that other diplomatic missions will also fall victim to the United States ’ full-scale feud with China , Izvestia notes .
According to the American media , China ’ s Houston consulate allegedly sought to cover up attempts by Chinese citizens to access sensitive information , particularly regarding the development of a coronavirus vaccine by the US .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stakes , he is prone to take risks and steps that his opponents can ’ t predict .
The risk now is that in order to improve his chances of re-election , Trump may launch more scathing attacks on China that will prompt tough retaliation .
The risk of unexpected tensions will continue to grow in the coming months , '' said Alexander Lomanov , chief research fellow at the Center for Asia Pacific Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences ’ Institute of World Economy and International Relations .
This diplomatic feud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grim picture of enmity between Washington and Beijing .
Apart from starting a trade war against China , the Trump administration has also been assailing Beijing for its Hong Kong policy and human rights violations in the Xinjiang autonomous region , along with throwing a monkey wrench into the works of Chinese tech giants and accusing China of concealing information on the coronavirus outbreak .
The anti-Chinese legacy won ’ t be easily forgotten even if Trump ’ s Democratic rival Joe Biden wins the November presidential election .
However , in Lomanov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ improve to some extent if that happens because Biden will be able to put the coronavirus blame on his predecessor instead of China .
Besides , economic issues will take center stage next year and it will be difficult for the Americans to resolve them without Beijing .
The Contact Group on resolving the situation in eastern Ukraine has agreed to additional measures to monitor the truce along the line of contact in Donbass .
These measures will take effect on July 27 , Vedomosti notes .
Right from the start of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different approaches to the military and political aspects of the Minsk Agreements , Russian International Affairs Council ( RIAC ) Director General Andrey Kortunov pointed out .
`` The military issues are relatively solvable , but the political aspect turned into a challenge at the very start , particularly for Ukraine , '' he said .
In this regard , the expert mentioned the issues concerning the special status of Donbass , elections and border control .
Ukrainian politicians believe that the political package included in the Minsk Agreements violates Ukraine ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one wanted to change the Constitution [ of Ukraine to ensure the special status of Donbass ] and it became clear when [ Ukrainian President ] Vladimir Zelensky took office and sort of tried to seriously address all these accords , '' the expert noted .
The question now is how far the implementation of the military agreements can go if the political agreements are left aside , the analyst specified .
`` If the political status [ of Donbass ] remains unresolved but stability on the border is ensured , prisoner swaps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the bloodshed comes to an end and weapons are withdrawn - that is , the military package is implemented - this will be an important achievement .
However , the final goal of the Minsk Agreements is not just to ease military tensions but also to find a political solution , reintegrating Donbass into Ukraine ’ s political field without affecting the people of the region .
This is why the current situation is paradoxical : on the one hand , some breakthroughs have been achieved , but on the other hand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only getting worse , '' the expert emphasized .
Apparently , Russia and NATO members are entering into a new round of confrontation in the Arctic .
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pointed to the Russian threat on his recent visit to Denmark .
Washington ’ s accusations of Moscow beefing up its military presence in the Arctic came amid Russia ’ s preparations for its Navy Day parades , which NATO views as Moscow flexing its military muscle , Nezavisimaya Gazeta wrote .
Russia has recently rebuilt its naval bases in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can hardly be called an excessive military buildup because Moscow is simply restoring Soviet military infrastructure in the region .
However , the Americans are shrugging off this reasoning .
In June 2020 , US President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon and other federal agencies to draw up plans to beef up America ’ s presence in the Arctic in order to confront Russia and China .
The main goal is to build at least three heavy icebreakers for the US Navy by 2029 .
However , it takes a long time to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why , for the time being , the US and its NATO allies hold regular military drills in the Arctic .
NATO ’ s Dynamic Mongoose 2020 took place off Iceland 's coast between June 29 and July 10 .
`` One thing to note is that Russia deploys naval and ground forces in the Arctic on its own soil and near its borders , '' retired Colonel Eduard Rodyukov pointed out .
`` At the same time , the United States and some of its allies are active far from their domain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Americans believe for instance that Russia ’ s military base on Franz Josef Land poses a threat to the United States ’ Thule Air Base on the island of Greenland .
But Greenland is not US territory while the Franz Josef Land archipelago is de-jure part of Russia .
Russia has interests to protect in the Arctic zone that is under its jurisdiction .
And this is what Russia does , pursuing research goals along with military ones , '' the expert emphasized .
Airline bookings by business travelers took a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the year , but the industry is beginning to resuscitate .
However , the remaining restrictions on business events and companies ’ desires to save money on business trips hinder the industry ’ s recovery , Kommersant writes .
In the second quarter of 2020 , business trips fell to 11 % of the level recorded in the same period last year , according to Aeroclub .
However , after coronavirus restrictions were eased , the number of business trips started to skyrocket .
In May , the number of bookings rose 54 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ June , it soared 173 % higher than in May .
According to Aeroclub , Moscow is the most popular business travel destination .
It is followed by St. Petersburg , Samara , Irkutsk and Novy Urengoy .
The reason why these cities are at the top is because the majority of business travelers in the second quarter were staff members of mining , processing and energy companies .
Meanwhile , Aeroclub Director General Yulia Lipatova points out that travel restrictions are not the only obstacle hindering the recovery of business travel industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ events that remain banned in most countries .
At the same time , offices have limited opportunities to host meetings due to strict sanitary regulations , '' Lipatova explained .
Aeroclub experts expect the business travel industry to get a boost in the fall , but even if the most optimistic scenario is implemented , the industry may still face a 40-percent decline in revenues compared to last year .
Medical mask sales are on the decline in Russia .
Sales figures more than halved in the second week of July compared to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks had soared , Izvestia wrote , citing research by the DSM Group .
The most obvious reason behind the decline in mask sales is that people have stopped wearing face coverings , DSM Group Director General Sergei Shulyak said .
Even before the easing of restrictions , many were unwilling to use them and now most Russian regions have either waived mandatory mask wearing or allowed people not to wear masks outdoors , the expert elaborated .
Russians have indeed grown tired of the restrictions and the authorities are doing little to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Economics Professor Vyacheslav Cheglov noted .
For instance , only one in five subway passengers in Moscow wear face masks and only one in 20 wear gloves though public service announcements reiterate that the use of personal protective equipment is mandatory , the expert stressed .
Russians are letting down their guard and abandoning safety measures also because the wave of bad news is fading , Alexander Shatilov , who heads the Department of Social Sciences and Mass Communication at the Russian government ’ s Financial University pointed out .
The media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get the impression that the infection has been defeated , he explained .
TASS is not responsible for the material quoted in these press reviews

Izvestia: US-China diplomatic feud far from over China plans to close the US consulate in Chengdu in retaliation for Washington's shutdown of the Chinese consulate in Houston, according to the South China Morning Post newspaper. Chances are that other diplomatic missions will also fall victim to the United States’ full-scale feud with China, Izvestia notes. According to the American media, China’s Houston consulate allegedly sought to cover up attempts by Chinese citizens to access sensitive information, particularly regarding the development of a coronavirus vaccine by the US.
Read also China demands that US shut down consulate in Chengdu
"Trump is clearly poised to raise the stakes, he is prone to take risks and steps that his opponents can’t predict. The risk now is that in order to improve his chances of re-election, Trump may launch more scathing attacks on China that will prompt tough retaliation. The risk of unexpected tensions will continue to grow in the coming months," said Alexander Lomanov, chief research fellow at the Center for Asia Pacific Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of World Economy and International Relations. This diplomatic feud has become another element in the overall grim picture of enmity between Washington and Beijing. Apart from starting a trade war against China, the Trump administration has also been assailing Beijing for its Hong Kong policy and human rights violations in the Xinjiang autonomous region, along with throwing a monkey wrench into the works of Chinese tech giants and accusing China of concealing information on the coronavirus outbreak. The anti-Chinese legacy won’t be easily forgotten even if Trump’s Democratic rival Joe Biden wins the November presidential election. However, in Lomanov’s words, US-China relations may improve to some extent if that happens because Biden will be able to put the coronavirus blame on his predecessor instead of China. Besides, economic issues will take center stage next year and it will be difficult for the Americans to resolve them without Beijing. Vedomosti: Parties to Donbass conflict agree to ceasefire monitoring measures The Contact Group on resolving the situation in eastern Ukraine has agreed to additional measures to monitor the truce along the line of contact in Donbass. These measures will take effect on July 27, Vedomosti notes. Right from the start of the talks on Donbass, the parties demonstrated different approaches to the military and political aspects of the Minsk Agreements, Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) Director General Andrey Kortunov pointed out. "The military issues are relatively solvable, but the political aspect turned into a challenge at the very start, particularly for Ukraine," he said. In this regard, the expert mentioned the issues concerning the special status of Donbass, elections and border control.
Ukrainian politicians believe that the political package included in the Minsk Agreements violates Ukraine’s sovereignty, Kortunov explained. "No one wanted to change the Constitution [of Ukraine to ensure the special status of Donbass] and it became clear when [Ukrainian President] Vladimir Zelensky took office and sort of tried to seriously address all these accords," the expert noted. The question now is how far the implementation of the military agreements can go if the political agreements are left aside, the analyst specified. "If the political status [of Donbass] remains unresolved but stability on the border is ensured, prisoner swaps take place, the blockade is lifted, the bloodshed comes to an end and weapons are withdrawn - that is, the military package is implemented - this will be an important achievement. However, the final goal of the Minsk Agreements is not just to ease military tensions but also to find a political solution, reintegrating Donbass into Ukraine’s political field without affecting the people of the region. This is why the current situation is paradoxical: on the one hand, some breakthroughs have been achieved, but on the other hand, regarding the laws, it is only getting worse," the expert emphasized. Nezavisimaya Gazeta: Russia, NATO drifting towards Arctic standoff Apparently, Russia and NATO members are entering into a new round of confrontation in the Arctic. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pointed to the Russian threat on his recent visit to Denmark. Washington’s accusations of Moscow beefing up its military presence in the Arctic came amid Russia’s preparations for its Navy Day parades, which NATO views as Moscow flexing its military muscle, Nezavisimaya Gazeta wrote. Russia has recently rebuilt its naval bases in the Arctic virtually from scratch. It can hardly be called an excessive military buildup because Moscow is simply restoring Soviet military infrastructure in the region. However, the Americans are shrugging off this reasoning. In June 2020, US President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon and other federal agencies to draw up plans to beef up America’s presence in the Arctic in order to confront Russia and China. The main goal is to build at least three heavy icebreakers for the US Navy by 2029. However, it takes a long time to create an icebreaker fleet. This is why, for the time being, the US and its NATO allies hold regular military drills in the Arctic. NATO’s Dynamic Mongoose 2020 took place off Iceland's coast between June 29 and July 10. "One thing to note is that Russia deploys naval and ground forces in the Arctic on its own soil and near its borders," retired Colonel Eduard Rodyukov pointed out. "At the same time, the United States and some of its allies are active far from their domain and close to Russia’s boundaries. The Americans believe for instance that Russia’s military base on Franz Josef Land poses a threat to the United States’ Thule Air Base on the island of Greenland. But Greenland is not US territory while the Franz Josef Land archipelago is de-jure part of Russia. Russia has interests to protect in the Arctic zone that is under its jurisdiction. And this is what Russia does, pursuing research goals along with military ones," the expert emphasized. Kommersant: Business travel on the rebound Airline bookings by business travelers took a 90-percent nosedive in the second quarter of the year, but the industry is beginning to resuscitate. However, the remaining restrictions on business events and companies’ desires to save money on business trips hinder the industry’s recovery, Kommersant writes. In the second quarter of 2020, business trips fell to 11% of the level recorded in the same period last year, according to Aeroclub. However, after coronavirus restrictions were eased, the number of business trips started to skyrocket. In May, the number of bookings rose 54% higher than in April and in June, it soared 173% higher than in May.
According to Aeroclub, Moscow is the most popular business travel destination. It is followed by St. Petersburg, Samara, Irkutsk and Novy Urengoy. The reason why these cities are at the top is because the majority of business travelers in the second quarter were staff members of mining, processing and energy companies. Meanwhile, Aeroclub Director General Yulia Lipatova points out that travel restrictions are not the only obstacle hindering the recovery of business travel industry. "Many business trips involve mass events that remain banned in most countries. At the same time, offices have limited opportunities to host meetings due to strict sanitary regulations," Lipatova explained. Aeroclub experts expect the business travel industry to get a boost in the fall, but even if the most optimistic scenario is implemented, the industry may still face a 40-percent decline in revenues compared to last year. Izvestia: Russians ditching face masks Medical mask sales are on the decline in Russia. Sales figures more than halved in the second week of July compared to May, when the demand for face masks had soared, Izvestia wrote, citing research by the DSM Group. The most obvious reason behind the decline in mask sales is that people have stopped wearing face coverings, DSM Group Director General Sergei Shulyak said. Even before the easing of restrictions, many were unwilling to use them and now most Russian regions have either waived mandatory mask wearing or allowed people not to wear masks outdoors, the expert elaborated.
Read also Face masks should remain mandatory until vaccination begins, expert says


tass--2020-07-24--Russia committed to full demilitarization of outer space, Kremlin says

MOSCOW , July 24 .
/TASS/ .
Russia has been and continues to be dedicated to the aim of the @ @ @ @ @ , Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday , commenting on claims that Moscow had allegedly @ @ @ @ @ He replied that this issue falls under the jurisdiction of the Russian Defense Ministry and @ @ @ @ @ Russia has always been and remains a country that is committed to the goal of @ @ @ @ @ non-deployment of any kinds of arms in outer space , '' he emphasized .

MOSCOW, July 24. /TASS/. Russia has been and continues to be dedicated to the aim of the complete demilitarization of outer space, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday, commenting on claims that Moscow had allegedly tested an anti-satellite weapon.
He replied that this issue falls under the jurisdiction of the Russian Defense Ministry and the Foreign Ministry.
"Russia has always been and remains a country that is committed to the goal of fully demilitarizing outer space and non-deployment of any kinds of arms in outer space," he emphasized.


tass--2020-07-24--Latest mobile radar arrives for mountainous air defense force in Siberia

MOSCOW , July 24 .
/TASS/ .
A Garmon mobile radar station arrived for a mountainous air defense formation in @ @ @ @ @ Siberia , the press office of the Central Military District reported on Friday .
`` @ @ @ @ @ defense units of a motor rifle formation of the 41st all-arms army .
It is @ @ @ @ @ enemy and control the airspace in the interests of short-and medium-range anti-aircraft missile batteries , @ @ @ @ @ in a statement .
In addition , the radar ’ s team has a radio @ @ @ @ @ five minutes are required for a team of three to assemble the radar and prepare @ @ @ @ @ the statement says .
An operational radar is capable of detecting air targets at ranges @ @ @ @ @ km and at an altitude of up to 10 km .
The radar can detect @ @ @ @ @ speed of 700 m/s .

MOSCOW, July 24. /TASS/. A Garmon mobile radar station arrived for a mountainous air defense formation in the Republic of Tyva in Siberia, the press office of the Central Military District reported on Friday.
"The radar arrived for air defense units of a motor rifle formation of the 41st all-arms army. It is designed to detect an air enemy and control the airspace in the interests of short-and medium-range anti-aircraft missile batteries," the press office said in a statement.
In addition, the radar’s team has a radio station for communications. About five minutes are required for a team of three to assemble the radar and prepare it for operation," the statement says.
An operational radar is capable of detecting air targets at ranges of 1 km to 40 km and at an altitude of up to 10 km. The radar can detect air targets moving at a speed of 700 m/s.


tass--2020-07-24--Intelligent traffic management: helping vehicles to flow through an ancient city

HANGZHOU , China , July 24 , 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Chinese city of Xi'an , known as Chang'an in ancient times , was the center of ancient oriental civilization .
Thirteen dynasties spanning Chinese history have chosen Xi'an as their capital .
Today , Xi'an is not simply a part of history : it 's a high tech hub , renowned across China for its scientific research and education , manufacturing , technology , and transportation .
The challenge : allowing a city to grow and flow within ancient walls In spite of being a modern hub , Xi'an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Tang Dynasty , complete with its border of tall and ancient walls .
Nevertheless , while economic growth has enabled the city to develop , the walls place great restrictions on the city 's daily movement - especially to its burgeoning traffic .
Vehicles can only enter and exit through the city gates , but with some three million vehicles in the city , the limited number of entrances was beginning to cause serious congestion .
What 's more , there are also many ancient ruins in the city , which were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ area .
Plus as of 2018 , the city was home to over 10 million people , while the number of construction projects was steadily increasing .
Managing a growing city while protecting its history presented a serious challenge to Xi'an .
So to address this , Xi'an Urban Traffic Administration turned to Hikvision and its intelligent cameras .
The Solution : an intelligent traffic management system from Hikvision '' Xi'an 's city walls make it impossible to increase the size of the urban area .
So it was only through technology that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grow and develop , '' says Lihu Ma , the Project Manager from Hikvision .
`` A core part of the Hikvision solution involves our AI-powered video technology . ''
The Xi'an traffic police worked with experts from Hikvision , as well as urban planning experts , internet service providers and other technology companies , to design and implement an intelligent traffic management system .
The construction of this system fully utilizes Hikvision 's core advantages in urban transportation intelligence , employing AI-powered video to create a powerful traffic sensing system .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between an intelligent digital world and the physical urban transportation network in Xi'an , '' explains Lihu .
The intelligent traffic management system analyzes comprehensive and detailed data about the movement of traffic through the urban Xi'an area , and uses the insight gathered to make the flow of traffic more smoothly in three key ways .
Xi'an traffic police have installed Hikvision 's Checkpoint Capture Cameras and Intersection Violation Capture Units as part of a monitoring system that can detect illegal vehicle behavior at intersections .
These full view ultra-high zoom cameras @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as running red lights , making banned turns and illegal lane changes - in real time .
What 's more , the latest sonar monitoring equipment is being used to detect illegal use of car horns in banned areas .
Using real-time video streams from Hikvision Traffic Flow Capture Cameras , a number of road condition perception technologies , plus intelligent mobile applications , Xi'an traffic police has created a visual command and control center , coupled with an intelligent police dispatch system .
All data is aggregated and dynamically displayed on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ center .
In the event of a traffic incident , the system generates dispatch recommendations intelligently , according to the location and distribution of traffic police officers throughout the city .
Those closest to an incident receive an automated message to their mobile terminals , enabling them to arrive at the scene quickly .
More importantly , the intelligent traffic management system uses advanced machine learning capabilities to gain insight into typical congestion patterns , in order to actively identify potential traffic events before they happen .
By analyzing large volumes of road @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intelligent video cameras , the system can predict which intersections are most prone to congestion and when , enabling traffic police to put evasive measures in place before serious issues arise .
The Xi'an traffic management team also employs congestion management practices to ease the flow of traffic , largely through the optimization of signal timing .
Using Hikvision intelligent video cameras coupled with augmented reality ( AR ) technology , the intelligent traffic management system analyzes traffic flow data and dynamically alters the timing of signal lights accordingly .
It will monitor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ driving speed in all directions of intersections in real-time , automatically adjusting signal timing to optimize the flow of vehicles .
Benefits : Traffic throughput up by 10 % , journey time down by 12 % The Xi'an traffic management system has now been trained with a wealth of traffic data , including Hikvision video , enabling it to build multiple intelligent algorithms for managing congestion in the city .
First of all , map-based congestion reports suggest that Xi'an 's congestion rankings have improved significantly .
In fact , compared with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system went live , intelligent signal control alone has increased the throughput of traffic by 10 % , while the average vehicle journey time is reduced by about 12 % .
What 's more , driver behavior is improving , and drivers are becoming more compliant with the rules of the road .
Traffic law enforcement data reveals that traffic offenses are generally decreasing , with traffic violations dropping by some 30 % in one short-term observation .
Additionally , thanks to the proactive traffic incident warning function , the incident detection rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % compared to the traditional model .
With the continuous optimization of the system algorithm , plus ongoing installation of monitoring equipment , the accuracy of this identification will only improve .
In the process of urbanization , tackling congestion is not only about improving the flow of the transportation network : it 's also basic governance for building a smart city .
You can find out more about Hikvision 's intelligent traffic solution here .

HANGZHOU, China, July 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Chinese city of Xi'an, known as Chang'an in ancient times, was the center of ancient oriental civilization. Thirteen dynasties spanning Chinese history have chosen Xi'an as their capital. Today, Xi'an is not simply a part of history: it's a high tech hub, renowned across China for its scientific research and education, manufacturing, technology, and transportation.
The challenge: allowing a city to grow and flow within ancient walls
In spite of being a modern hub, Xi'an still retains its 'checkerboard' layout from the Tang Dynasty, complete with its border of tall and ancient walls. Nevertheless, while economic growth has enabled the city to develop, the walls place great restrictions on the city's daily movement - especially to its burgeoning traffic. Vehicles can only enter and exit through the city gates, but with some three million vehicles in the city, the limited number of entrances was beginning to cause serious congestion.
What's more, there are also many ancient ruins in the city, which were further limiting the development of the urban area. Plus as of 2018, the city was home to over 10 million people, while the number of construction projects was steadily increasing.
Managing a growing city while protecting its history presented a serious challenge to Xi'an. So to address this, Xi'an Urban Traffic Administration turned to Hikvision and its intelligent cameras.
The Solution: an intelligent traffic management system from Hikvision
"Xi'an's city walls make it impossible to increase the size of the urban area. So it was only through technology that we could allow the modern city to grow and develop," says Lihu Ma, the Project Manager from Hikvision. "A core part of the Hikvision solution involves our AI-powered video technology."
The Xi'an traffic police worked with experts from Hikvision, as well as urban planning experts, internet service providers and other technology companies, to design and implement an intelligent traffic management system. The construction of this system fully utilizes Hikvision's core advantages in urban transportation intelligence, employing AI-powered video to create a powerful traffic sensing system. "Effectively, we are building a bridge between an intelligent digital world and the physical urban transportation network in Xi'an," explains Lihu.
The technical solution
The intelligent traffic management system analyzes comprehensive and detailed data about the movement of traffic through the urban Xi'an area, and uses the insight gathered to make the flow of traffic more smoothly in three key ways.
1. Comprehensive road traffic violation monitoring
Xi'an traffic police have installed Hikvision's Checkpoint Capture Cameras and Intersection Violation Capture Units as part of a monitoring system that can detect illegal vehicle behavior at intersections.
These full view ultra-high zoom cameras record vehicles making illegal maneuvers - such as running red lights, making banned turns and illegal lane changes - in real time. What's more, the latest sonar monitoring equipment is being used to detect illegal use of car horns in banned areas.
2. Visual integrated command and dispatching platform
Using real-time video streams from Hikvision Traffic Flow Capture Cameras, a number of road condition perception technologies, plus intelligent mobile applications, Xi'an traffic police has created a visual command and control center, coupled with an intelligent police dispatch system.
All data is aggregated and dynamically displayed on a large screen in the command and control center. In the event of a traffic incident, the system generates dispatch recommendations intelligently, according to the location and distribution of traffic police officers throughout the city. Those closest to an incident receive an automated message to their mobile terminals, enabling them to arrive at the scene quickly.
More importantly, the intelligent traffic management system uses advanced machine learning capabilities to gain insight into typical congestion patterns, in order to actively identify potential traffic events before they happen. By analyzing large volumes of road condition data and information from Hikvision's intelligent video cameras, the system can predict which intersections are most prone to congestion and when, enabling traffic police to put evasive measures in place before serious issues arise.
3. Improved vehicle flow capacity with intelligent signal control
The Xi'an traffic management team also employs congestion management practices to ease the flow of traffic, largely through the optimization of signal timing.
Using Hikvision intelligent video cameras coupled with augmented reality (AR) technology, the intelligent traffic management system analyzes traffic flow data and dynamically alters the timing of signal lights accordingly. It will monitor traffic flow, queue length and average driving speed in all directions of intersections in real-time, automatically adjusting signal timing to optimize the flow of vehicles.
Benefits: Traffic throughput up by 10%, journey time down by 12%
The Xi'an traffic management system has now been trained with a wealth of traffic data, including Hikvision video, enabling it to build multiple intelligent algorithms for managing congestion in the city.
First of all, map-based congestion reports suggest that Xi'an's congestion rankings have improved significantly. In fact, compared with the test results of pilot roads before the system went live, intelligent signal control alone has increased the throughput of traffic by 10%, while the average vehicle journey time is reduced by about 12%.
What's more, driver behavior is improving, and drivers are becoming more compliant with the rules of the road. Traffic law enforcement data reveals that traffic offenses are generally decreasing, with traffic violations dropping by some 30% in one short-term observation.
Additionally, thanks to the proactive traffic incident warning function, the incident detection rate has also increased by more than 30% compared to the traditional model. With the continuous optimization of the system algorithm, plus ongoing installation of monitoring equipment, the accuracy of this identification will only improve.
In the process of urbanization, tackling congestion is not only about improving the flow of the transportation network: it's also basic governance for building a smart city.
You can find out more about Hikvision's intelligent traffic solution here.
CONTACT: Kevin Chen, +86-181-0019-5131, chensi9@Hikvision.com


tass--2020-07-24--Russia’s coronavirus cases top 800,000

Russia’s coronavirus cases top 800,000

The daily coronavirus growth rate is about 0.7 % , the lowest level since April 23 .
MOSCOW , July @ @ @ @ @ number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Russia rose by 5,811 to 800,849 in the past @ @ @ @ @ crisis center said on Friday .
The lowest coronavirus growth rates were in the Chukotka @ @ @ @ @ ) , the Moscow region ( 0.2 % ) , Moscow ( 0.3 % ) @ @ @ @ @ 0.3 % ) , the Kabardino-Balkaria region ( 0.3 % ) , the Bryansk region @ @ @ @ @ the Smolensk region ( 0.3 % ) and the Lipetsk region ( 0.3 % ) @ @ @ @ @ new cases were recorded in Moscow in the past day , 248 in the Sverdlovsk @ @ @ @ @ Khanty-Mansiysk autonomous region , 194 in the Nizhny Novgorod region , and 181 in St. @ @ @ @ @ 199,029 active coronavirus cases in Russia .

The daily coronavirus growth rate is about 0.7%, the lowest level since April 23.
MOSCOW, July 24. /TASS/. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Russia rose by 5,811 to 800,849 in the past 24 hours, the anti-coronavirus crisis center said on Friday.
The lowest coronavirus growth rates were in the Chukotka autonomous region (0%), the Moscow region (0.2%), Moscow (0.3%), the Kaluga region (0.3%), the Kabardino-Balkaria region (0.3%), the Bryansk region (0.3%), the Smolensk region (0.3%) and the Lipetsk region (0.3%).
As many as 645 new cases were recorded in Moscow in the past day, 248 in the Sverdlovsk region, 196 in the Khanty-Mansiysk autonomous region, 194 in the Nizhny Novgorod region, and 181 in St. Petersburg.
There are currently 199,029 active coronavirus cases in Russia.


tass--2020-07-24--Chechnya’s Kadyrov announces sanctions against Pompeo

GROZNY , July 24 .
/TASS/ .
Head of Russia ’ s Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov has banned US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo from entering the region , he announced at a meeting in Grozny on Friday .
On July 20 , the US State Department imposed visa sanctions against Kadyrov , his wife and daughters .
`` I invited Mr. Pompeo to visit , but now in front of everyone I am saying that I don ’ t have the right to do it .
< … > That ’ s it , I am revoking the invitation and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him that the region has , including blocking all his accounts .
They did the same thing to me , '' he specified .
The head of Chechnya expressed his outrage at the recent sanctions imposed against his family members .
`` If I committed a crime , what do my children have to do with it ?
Where is it written that married daughters are responsible for their father ’ s sins .
What does my wife , who doesn ’ t get involved in politics or anything , have to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They just began their election campaigning , '' Kadyrov stressed .

GROZNY, July 24. /TASS/. Head of Russia’s Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov has banned US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo from entering the region, he announced at a meeting in Grozny on Friday. On July 20, the US State Department imposed visa sanctions against Kadyrov, his wife and daughters.
"I invited Mr. Pompeo to visit, but now in front of everyone I am saying that I don’t have the right to do it. <…> That’s it, I am revoking the invitation and announcing the imposition of all sanctions against him that the region has, including blocking all his accounts. They did the same thing to me," he specified.
The head of Chechnya expressed his outrage at the recent sanctions imposed against his family members. "If I committed a crime, what do my children have to do with it? Where is it written that married daughters are responsible for their father’s sins. What does my wife, who doesn’t get involved in politics or anything, have to do with it? This is ridiculous. They just began their election campaigning," Kadyrov stressed.


tass--2020-07-24--Colombia documents over 220,000 COVID-19 cases

BOGOTA , July 24 .
/TASS/ .
The Colombian Health Ministry has documented 7,945 cases of COVID-19 , a disease caused by the novel coronavirus , in the past 24 hours , with the total number of people infected reaching 226,373 .
`` On July 23 , we have documented 6,338 recoveries , 7,945 new cases of infection and 315 deaths in Colombia .
In total , the amount of recoveries has reached 107,951 , the amount of COVID-19 patients has reached 226,373 and the amount of deaths 7,688 , '' the ministry informed on Twitter .
The first case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March 6 .
A national emergency has been announced in the country over the coronavirus pandemic , with quarantine measures introduced .
In late December 2019 , Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization ( WHO ) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan , in central China .
Since then , cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe .
On March 11 , 2020 , the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a @ @

BOGOTA, July 24. /TASS/. The Colombian Health Ministry has documented 7,945 cases of COVID-19, a disease caused by the novel coronavirus, in the past 24 hours, with the total number of people infected reaching 226,373.
"On July 23, we have documented 6,338 recoveries, 7,945 new cases of infection and 315 deaths in Colombia. In total, the amount of recoveries has reached 107,951, the amount of COVID-19 patients has reached 226,373 and the amount of deaths 7,688," the ministry informed on Twitter.
The first case of COVID-19 was documented in Colombia on March 6. A national emergency has been announced in the country over the coronavirus pandemic, with quarantine measures introduced.
In late December 2019, Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, in central China. Since then, cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe. On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic.


tass--2020-07-24--CGTN: Xi Jinping inspects NE China's Jilin Province

BEIJING , July 24 , 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Chinese President Xi Jinping , also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee , on Wednesday inspected northeast China 's Jilin Province .
In Lishu County in Siping City , Xi visited the demonstration zone and farmers ' cooperative at a green food raw material production base .
He learned about the area 's food production , protection and utilization of black soil , and how they are implementing large-scale agricultural mechanization .
In 2019 , Jilin 's total annual output edged up 2.45 billion kilograms to reach 38.78 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leading the country by constituting 41.2 percent of its total increase .
Xi later visited Siping Battle Memorial Hall , where he relived the history of the revolution and paid respect to the revolutionary martyrs .
Looking back , Xi visited Jilin Province in July 2015 and September 2018 , respectively .
Read more : Xi stresses on revitalization of northeast China https : //news.cgtn.com/news/3d3d414e7a45544e7a457a6333566d54/index.html In April 2016 , China 's central government rolled out new measures to revitalize the northeastern region , which had been struggling with industry decline , falling investment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carried out , with a series of supporting policies , leading to a streamlined administration and an improved business environment .
During his inspection to Heilongjiang , Jilin and Liaoning provinces in 2018 , Xi called for `` fresh efforts '' to beef up the revitalization of northeastern China .
To make it happen , Xi said the region should deepen reform to tackle contradictions , inspire innovation with strong dynamism , stick to the new development philosophy , enhance the advantages of green development , deeply integrate the Belt and Road Initiative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to improve people 's livelihood .
He asked local governments to continue to support ecological construction , food production and enhance the advantages of green development .
It is of vital importance to make full use of the unique resources and advantages of the northeastern region to promote the development of the local economy , he said .
President Xi noted that farming modernization and food security should be key focal areas .
In the government work report delivered at the 19th CPC National Congress in 2017 , he called issues related to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fundamental to China as they directly concern the country 's stability and our people 's well-being . ''
`` Addressing these issues should have a central place on the work agenda of the Party , and we must prioritize the development of agriculture and rural areas , '' Xi said .
In a letter to experts , teachers and students in over 50 agricultural colleges last year , Xi said China can not become modernized without modernizing its agricultural sector and rejuvenating its rural areas , with science and technology playing a key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help farmers boost agricultural productivity and technological innovation , so as to improve people 's living standards in rural China .

BEIJING, July 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Wednesday inspected northeast China's Jilin Province.
In Lishu County in Siping City, Xi visited the demonstration zone and farmers' cooperative at a green food raw material production base. He learned about the area's food production, protection and utilization of black soil, and how they are implementing large-scale agricultural mechanization.
In 2019, Jilin's total annual output edged up 2.45 billion kilograms to reach 38.78 billion kilograms, with the net growth leading the country by constituting 41.2 percent of its total increase.
Xi later visited Siping Battle Memorial Hall, where he relived the history of the revolution and paid respect to the revolutionary martyrs.
Looking back, Xi visited Jilin Province in July 2015 and September 2018, respectively.
Read more: Xi stresses on revitalization of northeast China
https://news.cgtn.com/news/3d3d414e7a45544e7a457a6333566d54/index.html
Regional revitalization
In April 2016, China's central government rolled out new measures to revitalize the northeastern region, which had been struggling with industry decline, falling investment and daunting business environment. Reforms were carried out, with a series of supporting policies, leading to a streamlined administration and an improved business environment.
During his inspection to Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning provinces in 2018, Xi called for "fresh efforts" to beef up the revitalization of northeastern China.
To make it happen, Xi said the region should deepen reform to tackle contradictions, inspire innovation with strong dynamism, stick to the new development philosophy, enhance the advantages of green development, deeply integrate the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and make more efforts to improve people's livelihood.
He asked local governments to continue to support ecological construction, food production and enhance the advantages of green development. It is of vital importance to make full use of the unique resources and advantages of the northeastern region to promote the development of the local economy, he said.
Agricultural modernization
President Xi noted that farming modernization and food security should be key focal areas.
In the government work report delivered at the 19th CPC National Congress in 2017, he called issues related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers "fundamental to China as they directly concern the country's stability and our people's well-being."
"Addressing these issues should have a central place on the work agenda of the Party, and we must prioritize the development of agriculture and rural areas," Xi said.
In a letter to experts, teachers and students in over 50 agricultural colleges last year, Xi said China cannot become modernized without modernizing its agricultural sector and rejuvenating its rural areas, with science and technology playing a key role.
He asked agricultural experts to help farmers boost agricultural productivity and technological innovation, so as to improve people's living standards in rural China.
Original article:
https://news.cgtn.com/news/2020-07-22/President-Xi-Jinping-inspects-NE-China-s-Jilin-Province-Sl6KNuINQ4/index.html
Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xo0g4ZgvS4Y
CONTACT: Jiang Simin, +86-188-2655-3286, jiang.simin@cgtn.com


tass--2020-07-24--China ready to create favorable conditions for restoring aviation service with Russia

BEIJING , July 24 .
/TASS/ .
The Chinese authorities are interested in restoring aviation service with Russia , expect reciprocal efforts from the Russian side and are ready to create more favorable conditions for international flights , press service of China ’ s Foreign Ministry told TASS on Friday .
`` The Chinese side is ready to create more favorable conditions for mutual passenger flow and restoration of the work [ of airlines ] of the two countries , '' according to the statement provided in response to the Agency ’ s request regarding the current situation .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia in a way that ensures epidemiological safety measures , '' the document said .
The competent departments of China and Russia are discussing respective details now , the Foreign Ministry noted without specifying the current stage of those talks .
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that the Russian authorities are discussing with foreign partners the issue of mutual opening of borders , adding though that there are no specific decisions yet .
On March 27 , Russia fully suspended regular and charter international flights due to the novel coronavirus spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perform repatriation flights .
The government also instructed to temporarily suspend the movement through highway , railroad , pedestrian and other checkpoints to cross the state border starting March 30 .

BEIJING, July 24. /TASS/. The Chinese authorities are interested in restoring aviation service with Russia, expect reciprocal efforts from the Russian side and are ready to create more favorable conditions for international flights, press service of China’s Foreign Ministry told TASS on Friday.
"The Chinese side is ready to create more favorable conditions for mutual passenger flow and restoration of the work [of airlines] of the two countries," according to the statement provided in response to the Agency’s request regarding the current situation. "We are interested in pooling efforts with Russia in a way that ensures epidemiological safety measures," the document said.
The competent departments of China and Russia are discussing respective details now, the Foreign Ministry noted without specifying the current stage of those talks.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that the Russian authorities are discussing with foreign partners the issue of mutual opening of borders, adding though that there are no specific decisions yet.
On March 27, Russia fully suspended regular and charter international flights due to the novel coronavirus spread, with air carriers only able to perform repatriation flights. The government also instructed to temporarily suspend the movement through highway, railroad, pedestrian and other checkpoints to cross the state border starting March 30.


tass--2020-07-24--Hainan makes it to the list of China's key travel destinations

HAIKOU , July 24 .
/TASS/ .
After lifting the ban on interregional group tourism in China , which lasted more than 170 days , Hainan has become one of the most popular travel destinations .
These are the conclusions made by experts from the big data lab of the country 's online travel industry leader Ctrip , according to www.hinews.cn .
According to a study based on a survey of several thousand company 's clients , the majority plan to travel for tourism purposes to other provinces in July , August and October .
In percentage terms , these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 52.6 % , respectively .
On the company 's platform for booking tours , the most popular destinations on the search engine were the provinces of Hainan , Sichuan , Shaanxi , Guizhou , Henan , Yunnan , Zhejiang , Guangdong , Jiangsu and Hunan , as well as the cities of Shanghai , Chongqing and Beijing .
Given the ban on group tours abroad is still in force , 88.7 % of respondents who took part in the study expressed willingness to travel to other Chinese regions .
At the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hainan ) turned out to be the most popular search destination in the Ctrip flight booking system .
The interest in it from the company 's clients has grown by 580 % since the beginning of the restrictions on group tourist trips across the country .
Sanya is followed by the cities of Haikou ( Hainan ) , Kunming , Chengdu , Chongqing , Xian , Zhengzhou , Guangzhou , Shenzhen and Shanghai .
According to a specialist from the Institute of Tourism at Hainan University Meng Kai , after the ban on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus pandemic was lifted , the main criteria for choosing a destination for a trip are good ecology and safe environment for health .
By 2025 , the Chinese government intends to create an `` international center for tourism and consumption '' on Hainan .
In order to do so , the `` Eastern Hawaii '' with their unique natural landscapes , thick rainforests and great climate will establish a developed network of hotels , which blend perfectly with white sandy beaches stretching along the coastline .
The combination of an exotic subtropical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boost tourist inflow to the island from the most distant parts of the world .

HAIKOU, July 24. /TASS/. After lifting the ban on interregional group tourism in China, which lasted more than 170 days, Hainan has become one of the most popular travel destinations. These are the conclusions made by experts from the big data lab of the country's online travel industry leader Ctrip, according to www.hinews.cn.
According to a study based on a survey of several thousand company's clients, the majority plan to travel for tourism purposes to other provinces in July, August and October. In percentage terms, these indicators were 56.4%, 47.4% and 52.6%, respectively. On the company's platform for booking tours, the most popular destinations on the search engine were the provinces of Hainan, Sichuan, Shaanxi, Guizhou, Henan, Yunnan, Zhejiang, Guangdong, Jiangsu and Hunan, as well as the cities of Shanghai, Chongqing and Beijing.
Given the ban on group tours abroad is still in force, 88.7% of respondents who took part in the study expressed willingness to travel to other Chinese regions.
At the same time, the city of Sanya (Hainan) turned out to be the most popular search destination in the Ctrip flight booking system. The interest in it from the company's clients has grown by 580% since the beginning of the restrictions on group tourist trips across the country. Sanya is followed by the cities of Haikou (Hainan), Kunming, Chengdu, Chongqing, Xian, Zhengzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Shanghai.
According to a specialist from the Institute of Tourism at Hainan University Meng Kai, after the ban on interregional group tourism introduced amid the novel coronavirus pandemic was lifted, the main criteria for choosing a destination for a trip are good ecology and safe environment for health.
By 2025, the Chinese government intends to create an "international center for tourism and consumption" on Hainan. In order to do so, the "Eastern Hawaii" with their unique natural landscapes, thick rainforests and great climate will establish a developed network of hotels, which blend perfectly with white sandy beaches stretching along the coastline. The combination of an exotic subtropical nature and a modern eco-friendly infrastructure will boost tourist inflow to the island from the most distant parts of the world.


tass--2020-07-24--Solis wins the "All Quality Matters" award for its inverters for solar energy generation

NINGBO , China , July 24 , 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Ginlong Solis was awarded with `` All Quality Matters '' award thanks to the excellent quality of its commercial inverters `` Solis- ( 25-50 ) K-5G '' that help commerce and industry to generate photovoltaic solar energy to cover part of their energy consumption .
The TÜV Rheinland agency , specialized in certifications and technical tests to ensure the quality and reliability of various aspects of companies globally , held on June 30 in Jiangsu , China , the award ceremony of the Solar Congress `` All Quality Matters '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results obtained from the efficiency of the `` Solis photovoltaic inverter for commercial use of 50kW '' were announced .
This measured are designed to verify the main indicators affecting the power generation of the photovoltaic system through the long-term rigorous test data records of the photovoltaic inverter , which have been recognized and supported by industry experts , authorities , owners and manufacturers The Solis- ( 25-50 ) K-5G photovoltaic inverter has stable input capability , EU efficiency , power quality , output capability , and thermal stability .
On the TÜV @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marks and first place as the `` commercial medium-power photovoltaic inverter '' making it a reliable , high-quality option for the commercial and industrial sector .
This Solar Congress brings together more than 400 industry representatives , experts and academics , focusing on the photovoltaic revolution in Asia-Pacific and in the countries with the largest global economy .
`` We thank TÜV Rheinland for awarding Ginlong ( Solis ) , this is the biggest recognition and praise for our technical innovation .
Our Solis- ( 25-50 ) K-5G three phase series string inverter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more flexible configuration scheme with a smaller environmental impact rate and higher generation efficiency '' , says Lucy lu , general manager assistant from Ginlong ( Solis ) , who was very grateful and excited .
`` For many years , Solis has marched ahead hand in hand with TÜV Rheinland , upholding the mission of build a cooperation and exchange platform for the PV industry .
And now China 's PV industry has successfully completed its upgrade from 'quantity ' to 'quality ' with fair prices and even lower prices to come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and advancement of photovoltaic technologies in China to drive the continued growth of the sector .
This 50kW witnessed Solis 's professional experience accumulated for 15 years in the global PV field . ''

NINGBO, China, July 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Ginlong Solis was awarded with "All Quality Matters" award thanks to the excellent quality of its commercial inverters "Solis-(25-50)K-5G" that help commerce and industry to generate photovoltaic solar energy to cover part of their energy consumption.
The TÜV Rheinland agency, specialized in certifications and technical tests to ensure the quality and reliability of various aspects of companies globally, held on June 30 in Jiangsu, China, the award ceremony of the Solar Congress "All Quality Matters" 2020.
During the ceremony, the results obtained from the efficiency of the "Solis photovoltaic inverter for commercial use of 50kW" were announced. This measured are designed to verify the main indicators affecting the power generation of the photovoltaic system through the long-term rigorous test data records of the photovoltaic inverter, which have been recognized and supported by industry experts, authorities, owners and manufacturers
The Solis-(25-50)K-5G photovoltaic inverter has stable input capability, EU efficiency, power quality, output capability, and thermal stability. On the TÜV test, the overall performance earned excellent marks and first place as the "commercial medium-power photovoltaic inverter" making it a reliable, high-quality option for the commercial and industrial sector.
This Solar Congress brings together more than 400 industry representatives, experts and academics, focusing on the photovoltaic revolution in Asia-Pacific and in the countries with the largest global economy.
"We thank TÜV Rheinland for awarding Ginlong (Solis), this is the biggest recognition and praise for our technical innovation. Our Solis-(25-50)K-5G three phase series string inverter adopt 4 MPPT desing to provide a more flexible configuration scheme with a smaller environmental impact rate and higher generation efficiency", says Lucy lu, general manager assistant from Ginlong (Solis), who was very grateful and excited.
"For many years, Solis has marched ahead hand in hand with TÜV Rheinland, upholding the mission of build a cooperation and exchange platform for the PV industry. And now China's PV industry has successfully completed its upgrade from 'quantity' to 'quality ' with fair prices and even lower prices to come. We will continue to promote innovation and advancement of photovoltaic technologies in China to drive the continued growth of the sector. This 50kW witnessed Solis's professional experience accumulated for 15 years in the global PV field."
CONTACT: Lucy, +86-57465804299, sales@ginlong.com


tass--2020-07-24--China demands that US shut down consulate in Chengdu

BEIJING , July 24 .
/TASS/ .
Chinese officials have demanded that the US shut down the US Consulate General @ @ @ @ @ Foreign Ministry said in a statement published on Friday .
`` The Chinese Foreign Ministry @ @ @ @ @ in China of its decision to revoke the license for the establishment and the activity @ @ @ @ @ in Chengdu .
The ministry has put forward concrete demands to the Consulate General , @ @ @ @ @ activity and events , '' the ministry stated .
The ministry noted that those measures @ @ @ @ @ to the unfounded actions of the US .
According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry , @ @ @ @ @ that Beijing shut down its diplomatic mission in Houston .
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang @ @ @ @ @ the US as a provocation that violates the norms of international law and the principles @ @ @ @ @ with the consular agreement between both states .
The spokesperson added that China would take @ @ @ @ @ does not waive this demand .

BEIJING, July 24. /TASS/. Chinese officials have demanded that the US shut down the US Consulate General in Chengdu, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement published on Friday.
"The Chinese Foreign Ministry has informed the US Embassy in China of its decision to revoke the license for the establishment and the activity of the US Consulate General in Chengdu. The ministry has put forward concrete demands to the Consulate General, calling it to suspend all activity and events," the ministry stated.
The ministry noted that those measures come as a necessary response to the unfounded actions of the US.
According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, on Tuesday, Washington demanded that Beijing shut down its diplomatic mission in Houston. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin blasted this move by the US as a provocation that violates the norms of international law and the principles of bilateral relations, along with the consular agreement between both states. The spokesperson added that China would take decisive countermeasures if the US does not waive this demand.


tass--2020-07-24--Over 30 Russian sailors on board ship in South Korea’s Busan diagnosed with COVID-19

TASS , July 24 .
At least 32 crew members of a Russian fishing vessel stationed in the port of @ @ @ @ @ have tested positive for COVID-19 , a disease caused by the novel coronavirus , Yonhap @ @ @ @ @ citing local health officials .
According to the agency , out of 94 crew on @ @ @ @ @ have tested negative for COVID-19 .
It is reported that in the past 2 months @ @ @ @ @ documented 78 cases of COVID-19 on eight ships sailing under a Russian flag .
On @ @ @ @ @ Consulate in South Korea informed that 22 crewmembers of Russian ships located at the Busan @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
The diplomats urged Russian nationals in the area to follow the anti-coronavirus safety @ @ @ @ @ Korea has documented a total of 13,979 cases of COVID-19 and 298 deaths .
Since @ @ @ @ @ in the country , 12,817 people have recovered from the disease .

TASS, July 24. At least 32 crew members of a Russian fishing vessel stationed in the port of South Korea’s Busan have tested positive for COVID-19, a disease caused by the novel coronavirus, Yonhap news agency informed on Friday citing local health officials.
According to the agency, out of 94 crew on board the vessel, 62 have tested negative for COVID-19. It is reported that in the past 2 months, South Korean officials have documented 78 cases of COVID-19 on eight ships sailing under a Russian flag.
On July 17, the Russian Consulate in South Korea informed that 22 crewmembers of Russian ships located at the Busan port had been diagnosed with coronavirus. The diplomats urged Russian nationals in the area to follow the anti-coronavirus safety measures.
Currently, South Korea has documented a total of 13,979 cases of COVID-19 and 298 deaths. Since the start of the epidemic in the country, 12,817 people have recovered from the disease.