tass--2020-02-18--Decision of The Hague Court on Yukos case to be appealed in three months

MOSCOW , February 18 .
/TASS/ .
The Russian side will appeal against the decision of The Hague Court of @ @ @ @ @ recover $ 50 bln from Russia for the benefit of former shareholders of Yukos on @ @ @ @ @ , Head of the International Legal Protection Center representing Russia in the Yukos case Andrey @ @ @ @ @ The period for filing appeal to the Dutch Supreme Court is three months , and @ @ @ @ @ cassation appeal within those three months , '' he said , adding that `` the @ @ @ @ @ the Dutch Supreme Court ) usually takes around 18 months . ''

MOSCOW, February 18. /TASS/. The Russian side will appeal against the decision of The Hague Court of Appeal, which ruled to recover $50 bln from Russia for the benefit of former shareholders of Yukos on Tuesday, within three months, Head of the International Legal Protection Center representing Russia in the Yukos case Andrey Kondakov told TASS.
"The period for filing appeal to the Dutch Supreme Court is three months, and we will file it through cassation appeal within those three months," he said, adding that "the consideration (of appeal by the Dutch Supreme Court) usually takes around 18 months."
On February 18, The Hague Court of Appeal reinstated an order of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, which in 2014 ordered Russia to pay $50 bln to the companies associated with former Yukos shareholders. "Unfortunately, despite the lack of clear and unambiguous consent for such an arbitration proceeding provided by the Russian Federation, The Hague Court of Appeal ignored the opinion of The Hague District Court and recognized validity of the Hague arbitration rulings," Kondakov said.
The Hague Court of Appeal ignored the fact that ex-shareholders of Yukos were not bona fide investors as they had won control of the company’s assets through a number of unlawful actions, including collusion and bribing officials, he noted. "Former majority owners conducted mass tax evasion, siphoning off assets, money laundering and other unlawful acts," Kondakov added.
Press service of Russia’s Ministry of Justice said earlier on Tuesday that Russia would continue to defend its legitimate interests and would appeal the verdict of the appeal court with the Dutch Supreme Court.
The international arbitration created through the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in 2014 obliged Russia to pay about $50 bln to the companies associated with former Yukos shareholders — Yukos Universal Limited, Hulley Enterprises Limited and Veteran Petroleum Limited. The judges ruled that the actions of the Russian Federation with respect to Yukos violated Article 45 of the Energy Charter, which the country signed, but did not ratify. The Russian side appealed that a number of provisions of the treaty could not be applied to the Russian Federation without following the ratification procedure. On April 20, 2016, The Hague District Court declared the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s decisions invalid and dropped the obligations to pay $50 bln Russia.
However, in the summer of 2016, the ex-shareholders appealed to the Hague Court of Appeal to reverse the district court’s decision and restore the arbitral awards to pay $50 bln. At the end of 2017, the Russian party sent a memorandum to the Hague Court of Appeal with a detailed response to the appeal. It put forward the position that the contract could not be applied to Russia, therefore, the arbitration tribunal did not have the purview to consider the claims. In addition, the memorandum expanded the arguments about unlawful acts committed during and after the privatization of Yukos. In particular, examples of manipulation and collusion during mortgage auctions, bribing state managers, creating an extensive network of shell companies to minimize taxes and exporting illegally acquired assets abroad, concealing the true beneficiaries of the supposedly foreign companies that filed lawsuits in The Hague against the Russian Federation are given.


tass--2020-02-18--Kremlin hopes details on clash in Donbass will be clarified soon

He admitted that the Kremlin indeed `` saw the information that in the early hours [ of Tuesday ] a clash occured between Lugansk People ’ s Republic Militia and Ukrainian Armed Forces . ''
`` We hope that we would be able to clarify the details shortly , before jumping to any conclusions , '' he said .
MOSCOW , February 18 .
/TASS/ .
Moscow hopes to get a clearer picture of the recent clash in Donbass before making any conclusions , says Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov .
`` We do not have details of this clash , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clash , [ but ] we have read messages that both sides had casualties , and this is what we express our condolences for , '' the spokesman commented .
Peskov vehemently denied that Moscow might be responsible for what had happened .
`` No , this wording is totally wrong , one must not perceive it like this , '' he told journalists .
Earlier , the People ’ s Militia of the Lugansk People ’ s Republic ( LPR ) reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces attempted to destabilize the situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ According to the People ’ s Militia , early on Tuesday , a subversive group of ten advanced towards the positions near Golubovskoye , but got blown up at a minefield .
Two servicemen reportedly died and three got injured .
Following the incident , `` in a bid to evacuate the dead and the wounded , the command of the 93rd Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces ordered a massive artillery strike on LNR settlements , '' the Militia says .
The Ukrainian Joint Forces Operations HQ reported that one Ukrainian soldier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ front line '' in Donbass .

He admitted that the Kremlin indeed "saw the information that in the early hours [of Tuesday] a clash occured between Lugansk People’s Republic Militia and Ukrainian Armed Forces."
"We hope that we would be able to clarify the details shortly, before jumping to any conclusions," he said.
MOSCOW, February 18. /TASS/. Moscow hopes to get a clearer picture of the recent clash in Donbass before making any conclusions, says Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
"We do not have details of this clash, we do not know what provoked this clash, [but] we have read messages that both sides had casualties, and this is what we express our condolences for," the spokesman commented.
Peskov vehemently denied that Moscow might be responsible for what had happened. "No, this wording is totally wrong, one must not perceive it like this," he told journalists.
Earlier, the People’s Militia of the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces attempted to destabilize the situation on the contact line in Donbass.
According to the People’s Militia, early on Tuesday, a subversive group of ten advanced towards the positions near Golubovskoye, but got blown up at a minefield. Two servicemen reportedly died and three got injured. Following the incident, "in a bid to evacuate the dead and the wounded, the command of the 93rd Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces ordered a massive artillery strike on LNR settlements," the Militia says.
The Ukrainian Joint Forces Operations HQ reported that one Ukrainian soldier died "during a fight at the front line" in Donbass.


tass--2020-02-18--Kremlin not ready to comment on Dutch court’s decision in Yukos case

`` This is new information , I don ’ t know that much about it so I can ’ t comment on it yet , '' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday .
MOSCOW , February 18 .
/TASS/ .
The Kremlin is not ready to comment on the decision of the Hague Court of Appeal , which ordered the Russian Federation to pay more than $ 50 bln in the Yukos case .
Earlier on Tuesday The Hague Court of Appeal reinstated an order of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague , which obliged Russia to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ associated with former Yukos shareholders in 2014 .
Russia ’ s Justice Ministry said that it will appeal against the court ’ s decision .
`` The Russian Federation will continue to defend its legitimate interests and will appeal the ruling of the appeal court to the Dutch Supreme Court , '' the ministry said .
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in 2014 ordered Russia to pay nearly $ 50bln to companies linked to former Yukos shareholders - Yukos Universal Limited , Hulley Enterprises Limited and Veteran Petroleum Limited .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ steps against Yukos could be considered as expropriation of investments in violation of Article 45 of the Energy Charter , which Russia had signed but did not ratify .
On April 20 , 2016 , The Hague District Court recognized this decision as invalid saying that Russia was not obliged to pay $ 50 bln in compensation .
In the summer of 2016 , former Yukos shareholders appealed to the Hague Court of Appeal to reverse the decision of the district court and restore the arbitral award obliging Russia to pay $ 50 @ @

"This is new information, I don’t know that much about it so I can’t comment on it yet," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.
MOSCOW, February 18. /TASS/. The Kremlin is not ready to comment on the decision of the Hague Court of Appeal, which ordered the Russian Federation to pay more than $50 bln in the Yukos case.
Earlier on Tuesday The Hague Court of Appeal reinstated an order of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, which obliged Russia to pay $50 bln to the companies associated with former Yukos shareholders in 2014.
Russia’s Justice Ministry said that it will appeal against the court’s decision.
"The Russian Federation will continue to defend its legitimate interests and will appeal the ruling of the appeal court to the Dutch Supreme Court," the ministry said.
Yukos case
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in 2014 ordered Russia to pay nearly $50bln to companies linked to former Yukos shareholders - Yukos Universal Limited, Hulley Enterprises Limited and Veteran Petroleum Limited. The court decided that Russia’s steps against Yukos could be considered as expropriation of investments in violation of Article 45 of the Energy Charter, which Russia had signed but did not ratify. On April 20, 2016, The Hague District Court recognized this decision as invalid saying that Russia was not obliged to pay $50 bln in compensation.
In the summer of 2016, former Yukos shareholders appealed to the Hague Court of Appeal to reverse the decision of the district court and restore the arbitral award obliging Russia to pay $50 bln.


tass--2020-02-18--Russians from Westerdam cruise ship test negative for coronavirus — embassy

`` On February 18 , the results came in for the medical tests of 406 passengers from the MS Westerdam cruise ship , including four Russian nationals .
All of them have tested negative for COVID-19 , '' the statement reads .
`` These tourists are expected to receive certificates on the matter later today , after which the time and routes for their flights home will be determined , '' the embassy added .
MOSCOW , February 18 .
/TASS/ .
Russian passengers from the Westerdam cruise ship have tested negative for the novel coronavirus , the Russian embassy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook on Tuesday .
On February 17 , a tourist named Alexei Dmitriyev told TASS that the Russians had not been infected with the new coronavirus .
The Westerdam cruise ship carrying 1,455 passengers , including seven Russians , departed Hong Kong on February 1 and was expected to visit a number of Japanese ports .
However , Japan refused to allow the ship to dock for fear that someone on board might have the coronavirus .
The Philippines , Taiwan and Thailand also turned the ship away .
After being stranded at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Westerdam finally disembarked in Cambodia with the permission of the country ’ s authorities .
Under these circumstances , the Westerdam ’ s cruise operator cancelled a cruise set to begin in Japan ’ s Yokohama on February 29 .
In late December 2019 , Chinese authorities notified the World Health Organization ( WHO ) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan , central China .
Coronavirus cases have also been reported in 25 other countries , including Russia .
According to Chinese authorities , about 72,400 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the country .
The death toll is nearing 1,900 , while 12,500 patients have recovered .
The WHO declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus a global health emergency and named the virus COVID-19 .

"On February 18, the results came in for the medical tests of 406 passengers from the MS Westerdam cruise ship, including four Russian nationals. All of them have tested negative for COVID-19," the statement reads. "These tourists are expected to receive certificates on the matter later today, after which the time and routes for their flights home will be determined," the embassy added.
MOSCOW, February 18. /TASS/. Russian passengers from the Westerdam cruise ship have tested negative for the novel coronavirus, the Russian embassy in Cambodia said in a statement on Facebook on Tuesday.
On February 17, a tourist named Alexei Dmitriyev told TASS that the Russians had not been infected with the new coronavirus.
The Westerdam cruise ship carrying 1,455 passengers, including seven Russians, departed Hong Kong on February 1 and was expected to visit a number of Japanese ports. However, Japan refused to allow the ship to dock for fear that someone on board might have the coronavirus. The Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand also turned the ship away. After being stranded at sea for over a week, the Westerdam finally disembarked in Cambodia with the permission of the country’s authorities.
Under these circumstances, the Westerdam’s cruise operator cancelled a cruise set to begin in Japan’s Yokohama on February 29.
Coronavirus outbreak
In late December 2019, Chinese authorities notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, central China. Coronavirus cases have also been reported in 25 other countries, including Russia.
According to Chinese authorities, about 72,400 people have been infected with the virus in the country. The death toll is nearing 1,900, while 12,500 patients have recovered.
The WHO declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus a global health emergency and named the virus COVID-19.


tass--2020-02-18--Kremlin says new data on MH17 crash in Ukraine demonstrates that Russia was right

MOSCOW , February 18 .
/TASS/ .
New revelations about the MH17 crash in Ukraine in 2014 just go to prove that the Russian side was right , Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday , commenting on the leaked document of the Dutch Military Intelligence and Security Service saying that the incident took place in the region where no Buk missile systems were deployed at the time of the tragedy .
`` It once again demonstrates that there are still a lot of questions and these questions call into serious doubt the biased position [ on what caused the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said .
`` Regrettably , Russia has been denied the right to be a member of the international investigative team .
That is why we have always been skeptical and distrustful of these hasty and ungrounded conclusions and this information [ about the absence of Buk systems ] is just more proof that the Russian side was right . ''
He said he could not anticipate possible impacts of the new information on public opinion on the global arena .
`` I don ’ t know , we can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see , '' he said .
When asked why Russia demanded it be included into the Joint Investigation Team , Peskov recalled that immediately after the probe had been launched Russia was accused of `` what it did not do , and we categorically disagree with that . ''
`` It was back then that Russia did not hesitate to offer its services as a full-fledged member of the international investigation team , '' he said , adding that the probe results had been made public before the trial started .
A Boeing-777 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on July 17 , 2014 , when it was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur , in the east of the Donetsk region .
As many as 283 passengers and 15 crew members - citizens of 10 countries , were killed in the crash .
Most of the air tragedy 's victims - 196 people -were Dutch nationals .
The Joint Investigation Team ( JIT ) including representatives of the Netherlands , Australia , Belgium , Malaysia and Ukraine was set up .
In June 2019 , the JIT said it had identified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MH17 crash .
The trial is scheduled to begin on March 9 , 2020 .
Russian officials have repeatedly expressed distrust to the JIT ’ s conclusions , saying it was reluctant to use Russia ’ s data .
Bonanza Media , a platform for independent journalist , on Monday made public a number of documents about the MH17 crash .
Thus , as follows from one of the documents that was sent to Dutch prosecutors MH17 was flying beyond the range of all identified and operational Ukrainian and Russian locations where 9K37M1 @ @ @ @ @ @

MOSCOW, February 18. /TASS/. New revelations about the MH17 crash in Ukraine in 2014 just go to prove that the Russian side was right, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday, commenting on the leaked document of the Dutch Military Intelligence and Security Service saying that the incident took place in the region where no Buk missile systems were deployed at the time of the tragedy.
"It once again demonstrates that there are still a lot of questions and these questions call into serious doubt the biased position [on what caused the crash] that has been repeatedly voiced," he said. "Regrettably, Russia has been denied the right to be a member of the international investigative team. That is why we have always been skeptical and distrustful of these hasty and ungrounded conclusions and this information [about the absence of Buk systems] is just more proof that the Russian side was right."
He said he could not anticipate possible impacts of the new information on public opinion on the global arena. "I don’t know, we cannot say anything. Let us wait and see," he said.
When asked why Russia demanded it be included into the Joint Investigation Team, Peskov recalled that immediately after the probe had been launched Russia was accused of "what it did not do, and we categorically disagree with that."
"It was back then that Russia did not hesitate to offer its services as a full-fledged member of the international investigation team," he said, adding that the probe results had been made public before the trial started.
A Boeing-777 passenger plane operated by Malaysian Airlines crashed on July 17, 2014, when it was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, in the east of the Donetsk region. As many as 283 passengers and 15 crew members - citizens of 10 countries, were killed in the crash. Most of the air tragedy's victims - 196 people -were Dutch nationals. The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) including representatives of the Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine was set up. In June 2019, the JIT said it had identified four persons suspected of being behind the MH17 crash. The trial is scheduled to begin on March 9, 2020.
Russian officials have repeatedly expressed distrust to the JIT’s conclusions, saying it was reluctant to use Russia’s data.
Bonanza Media, a platform for independent journalist, on Monday made public a number of documents about the MH17 crash. Thus, as follows from one of the documents that was sent to Dutch prosecutors MH17 was flying beyond the range of all identified and operational Ukrainian and Russian locations where 9K37M1 Buk M1 systems were deployed.


tass--2020-02-18--Lukashenko to meet with Rosneft CEO Sechin on Tuesday

MINSK , February 18 .
/ TASS / .
President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus will meet with Rosneft 's Chief @ @ @ @ @ on Tuesday , according to the country 's BelTA news .
The meeting will take @ @ @ @ @ difficult negotiations between Moscow and Minsk on the terms of oil supplies from Russia to @ @

MINSK, February 18. / TASS /. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko will meet later on Tuesday with Rosneft chairperson Igor Sechin, the country's news agency BelTA reported on Tuesday.
The meeting will take place against the backdrop of difficult negotiations between Moscow and Minsk on the terms of oil supplies from Russia to Belarus.
Contracts for the supply of Russian oil to Belarus ended on December 31, 2019. Since then, the parties have been negotiating their extension, but have not agreed on the terms of oil supplies to the republic. On January 4, oil supplies to Belarus were resumed by the companies controlled by Russian entrepreneur Mikhail Gutseriev, Russneft and Neftis. The first batch of Norwegian oil was delivered to Naftan on January 26.
On February 7, regular oil negotiations were held with the participation of the presidents of Belarus and Russia, according to the results of which it was announced that Moscow and Minsk would continue to discuss oil supplies exclusively on commercial terms. The authorities of Belarus are still looking for alternative options for oil supplies.
Rosneft is the leader of the Russian oil industry and the largest public oil and gas corporation in the world.


tass--2020-02-18--Press review: EU insists on extending New START and sees Libya’s Sarraj as major headache

Russia and the United States need to maintain dialogue on the future of the New START Treaty , the European Union ’ s Lead Spokesman for External Affairs Peter Stano told Izvestia .
He stressed that Moscow and Washington should push ahead with efforts to reduce their arsenals , both strategic and tactical , and deployed and non-deployed .
Having the world ’ s largest nuclear arsenals , Russia and the United States shoulder a special responsibility here , he stressed .
In order to prolong New START , it is enough to conduct bilateral consultations to agree on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or less ) .
The question is whether the European Union will be able to influence Washington to ensure clarity regarding the future of the accord .
According to the experts interviewed by the paper , Brussels has no real levers of pressure on Washington on this score .
`` The EU made statements that did not coincide with Washington ’ s stance in the past , for example , on the Iranian nuclear deal , which they are gradually abandoning .
Brussels also followed with great concern the developments involving the Intermediate-Range @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which became nullified on August 2 , 2019 at the initiative of the US ] , but could not do anything .
NATO could change the situation , but there are many conflicting agendas within the alliance , for example , financing .
That ’ s why [ Washington ’ s ] allies are unlikely to exert pressure on the US on the issue , '' Petr Topychkanov , a Senior Researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute ( SIPRI ) stressed to Izvestia .
According to the expert , the collapse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an arms race , which could be even more dangerous than the situation during the Cold War era .
`` After the Cold War , despite the ‘ triumph of democracy , ’ the feeling of insecurity persists and even grows .
That encourages the parties to build up armaments in accordance with their budgets .
Today , more than just two powers - from European countries to China and from India to Pakistan - are involved in that , '' the expert concluded .
The first day of the Moscow-hosted Russian-Turkish negotiations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday yielded no results , Kommersant writes .
Ankara continues to redeploy its military equipment to northern Syria and demands the immediate withdrawal of the Syrian army from its positions .
Moscow believes that Ankara has failed to ensure the disengagement of terrorists from the armed opposition , but assures that there is a mutual understanding between the Russian and Turkish troops .
On Monday , Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stressed once again that disengagement was the key to resolving the Idlib issue .
`` The actual disengagement has taken place a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are operating in Idlib .
These are the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham terror group [ outlawed in Russia ] and the armed opposition , united , with Turkey ’ s assistance , into a single unit - the Syrian National Army , '' Russian International Affairs Council expert Kirill Semenov explained to Kommersant .
According to the expert , the opposition and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham have approximately the same number of fighters in Idlib , about 20,000 people each .
On the other hand , the territory controlled by terrorists accounts for 75-80 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seems to be an agreement between Moscow and Ankara , he noted .
It is no coincidence that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave Damascus time until late February to withdraw its forces .
Besides , Turkey is not impeding the Syrian army ’ s advance in the Aleppo area where mainly Hayat Tahrir al-Sham ’ s positions were located .
`` For a long time , Ankara did not interfere with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in idlib , because it viewed that group as a force containing Assad .
Now that Hayat Tahrir @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Syrian army , nobody needs it , '' Semenov added .
Nezavisimaya Gazeta : Libya ’ s Sarraj becoming source of concern for Europe The international community continues to step up efforts to revive the peace process in Libya , Nezavisimaya Gazeta writes .
One of the events on resolving the Libyan crisis occurred on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference on February 16 .
Taking part in it were delegates from the countries that were represented at the Berlin forum .
However , neither representatives of the interim government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Libya National Army nor delegates from the Government of National Accord under Fayez al-Sarraj were present at the meeting .
The participants agreed to set up the International Committee on Libya brokered by the UN , which will hold regular meetings to promote the decisions of the Berlin conference .
Strange as it may seem , there are no delegates from Saudi Arabia among its members .
It is not improbable that this is due to difficult relations between Ankara and Riyadh , the paper quotes Alexander Frolov , a leading research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences , as saying .
The expert noted that Turkey could use all the leverage it had , including blackmail , in order to prevent the presence of influential Saudis .
He recalled that Riyadh greenlighted the Arab militia , which is expected to operate in northeastern Syria to contain Iran on the one hand and Turkey on the other .
Meanwhile , there is a growing understanding in the West that the 2015 agreements , recognizing the Sarraj government , which holds neither confidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out to be a mistake .
According to Mustafa al-Fitouri , a US scholar of Libyan origin , the Sarraj-led government first turned into a hostage of Libyan Islamists and then into Erdogan ’ s obedient and blind tool , who is elbowing the Europeans out of the giant gas reserves in the Eastern Mediterranean .
The number of smartphones in Russia sold via the Internet is growing .
In 2019 , the share of their online sales grew by 3 percentage points up to 17 % individually and up to 20 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data provided by GfK company .
In addition to the fact that the same smartphone models can cost significantly less than in offline stores , consumers are less in need of salespersons ’ services and advice , experts explain .
However , in general , the share of online smartphone sales is low due to the inertia of consumers and their cautiousness towards expensive online purchases .
`` Today , online shopping has become more convenient .
In just a few clicks , a user can find a suitable model , compare prices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a smartphone and home delivery .
In addition , retailers are constantly working to improve the logistics infrastructure , which reduces delivery time substantially , '' David Borzilov of Svyaznoy told the paper .
Russians appreciate the opportunity to save time and effort , ordering not only smartphones online but also household appliances , food , clothes , household goods and more , the paper quotes TelecomDaily CEO Denis Kuskov as saying .
According to his estimates , Russians will purchase about 35 % of smartphones online by 2024 .
At the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in physical retail , because people are accustomed to seeing everything with their own eyes , says Sergei Polovnikov from Content Review .
Online shopping is often uncomfortable for the older generation , he went on to say .
A certain distrust of online stores plays its role as well .
Many potential customers are worried that they could purchase faulty goods or the seller could disappear , the expert explained .
In May , The Hague will host hearings on the amount of compensation that Ukraine ’ s Naftogaz demands from Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ukraine expects the final decision on a specific amount to be handed down by mid-2021 , Nezavisimaya Gazeta writes .
The Ukrainian company said on Monday that the amount of losses plus interest were estimated at about $ 8 bln .
At the end of last year , Russia ’ s energy giant Gazprom paid $ 2.9 bln awarded to Naftogaz by a Stockholm arbitration ruling .
In late 2017-early 2018 , the Stockholm Arbitration ruled on disputes between Gazprom and Naftogaz over gas supplies and transit contracts .
Naftogaz was supposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gazprom , while Gazprom was expected to pay about $ 4.6 bln to Naftogaz .
Meanwhile , Ukraine itself owes a debt to Russia , better known as the so-called `` Yanukovich debt , '' which has grown from $ 3 bln to $ 4.5 bln ( taking into account penalty fees ) .
The return of this money is questioned because of the ongoing discussion regarding the procedure , according to which a decision on paying down that debt should be made .
`` There are several scenarios regarding Naftogaz ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the paper quotes Anna Bodrova , a senior analyst at Alpari Center , as saying .
`` One of them is endless litigation , which can drag on for years and end in nothing .
Another option is to find an intermediate compromise .
For example , one of the parties can cut the amount of compensation , while the other side can withdraw its claims , '' she said .
TASS is not responsible for the material quoted in these press reviews

Izvestia: European Union insists on extending New START Russia and the United States need to maintain dialogue on the future of the New START Treaty, the European Union’s Lead Spokesman for External Affairs Peter Stano told Izvestia. He stressed that Moscow and Washington should push ahead with efforts to reduce their arsenals, both strategic and tactical, and deployed and non-deployed. Having the world’s largest nuclear arsenals, Russia and the United States shoulder a special responsibility here, he stressed. In order to prolong New START, it is enough to conduct bilateral consultations to agree on the extension period (up to five years or less). The question is whether the European Union will be able to influence Washington to ensure clarity regarding the future of the accord. According to the experts interviewed by the paper, Brussels has no real levers of pressure on Washington on this score.
Read also Putin: Russia ready at any moment to prolong New START Treaty
"The EU made statements that did not coincide with Washington’s stance in the past, for example, on the Iranian nuclear deal, which they are gradually abandoning. Brussels also followed with great concern the developments involving the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty [which became nullified on August 2, 2019 at the initiative of the US], but could not do anything. NATO could change the situation, but there are many conflicting agendas within the alliance, for example, financing. That’s why [Washington’s] allies are unlikely to exert pressure on the US on the issue," Petr Topychkanov, a Senior Researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) stressed to Izvestia. According to the expert, the collapse of the previous agreements has ushered in an arms race, which could be even more dangerous than the situation during the Cold War era. "After the Cold War, despite the ‘triumph of democracy,’ the feeling of insecurity persists and even grows. That encourages the parties to build up armaments in accordance with their budgets. Today, more than just two powers - from European countries to China and from India to Pakistan - are involved in that," the expert concluded. Kommersant: Moscow, Ankara searching for compromise on Idlib The first day of the Moscow-hosted Russian-Turkish negotiations on Syria’s Idlib held on Monday yielded no results, Kommersant writes. Ankara continues to redeploy its military equipment to northern Syria and demands the immediate withdrawal of the Syrian army from its positions. Moscow believes that Ankara has failed to ensure the disengagement of terrorists from the armed opposition, but assures that there is a mutual understanding between the Russian and Turkish troops. On Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stressed once again that disengagement was the key to resolving the Idlib issue.
Read also Russia hopes for future contacts with Turkey on Idlib
"The actual disengagement has taken place a long time ago. Now two forces are operating in Idlib. These are the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham terror group [outlawed in Russia] and the armed opposition, united, with Turkey’s assistance, into a single unit - the Syrian National Army," Russian International Affairs Council expert Kirill Semenov explained to Kommersant. According to the expert, the opposition and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham have approximately the same number of fighters in Idlib, about 20,000 people each. On the other hand, the territory controlled by terrorists accounts for 75-80% of the Idlib de-escalation zone. There seems to be an agreement between Moscow and Ankara, he noted. It is no coincidence that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave Damascus time until late February to withdraw its forces. Besides, Turkey is not impeding the Syrian army’s advance in the Aleppo area where mainly Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s positions were located. "For a long time, Ankara did not interfere with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in idlib, because it viewed that group as a force containing Assad. Now that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham was unable to stop the advance of the Syrian army, nobody needs it," Semenov added. Nezavisimaya Gazeta: Libya’s Sarraj becoming source of concern for Europe The international community continues to step up efforts to revive the peace process in Libya, Nezavisimaya Gazeta writes. One of the events on resolving the Libyan crisis occurred on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference on February 16. Taking part in it were delegates from the countries that were represented at the Berlin forum. However, neither representatives of the interim government backed by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar’s Libya National Army nor delegates from the Government of National Accord under Fayez al-Sarraj were present at the meeting.
Read also Russia values contacts with all sides in Libyan conflict — UN envoy
The participants agreed to set up the International Committee on Libya brokered by the UN, which will hold regular meetings to promote the decisions of the Berlin conference. Strange as it may seem, there are no delegates from Saudi Arabia among its members. It is not improbable that this is due to difficult relations between Ankara and Riyadh, the paper quotes Alexander Frolov, a leading research fellow at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences, as saying. The expert noted that Turkey could use all the leverage it had, including blackmail, in order to prevent the presence of influential Saudis. He recalled that Riyadh greenlighted the Arab militia, which is expected to operate in northeastern Syria to contain Iran on the one hand and Turkey on the other. Meanwhile, there is a growing understanding in the West that the 2015 agreements, recognizing the Sarraj government, which holds neither confidence nor prominence among the Libyans, turned out to be a mistake. According to Mustafa al-Fitouri, a US scholar of Libyan origin, the Sarraj-led government first turned into a hostage of Libyan Islamists and then into Erdogan’s obedient and blind tool, who is elbowing the Europeans out of the giant gas reserves in the Eastern Mediterranean. Izvestia: Every sixth smartphone in Russia sold online The number of smartphones in Russia sold via the Internet is growing. In 2019, the share of their online sales grew by 3 percentage points up to 17% individually and up to 20% in monetary terms, Izvestia writes citing data provided by GfK company. In addition to the fact that the same smartphone models can cost significantly less than in offline stores, consumers are less in need of salespersons’ services and advice, experts explain. However, in general, the share of online smartphone sales is low due to the inertia of consumers and their cautiousness towards expensive online purchases.


tass--2020-02-18--Hague Court of Appeal claims Russia should pay over $50 bln to ex-Yukos shareholders

THE HAGUE , February 18 .
/TASS/ .
The Hague Court of Appeal overturned a previous decision of the district @ @ @ @ @ is obliged to pay more than $ 50 bln to former shareholders of Yukos .
@ @ @ @ @ documents published on the court ’ s website on Tuesday .
`` In 2014 , @ @ @ @ @ should pay billions of dollars in compensation for damage to former Yukos shareholders .
Russia @ @ @ @ @ of the Hague and demanded to revoke this decision and the court made the decision @ @ @ @ @ party .
However , the Hague Court of Appeal ruled that the previous verdict was @ @ @ @ @ the decision of the international arbitration will enter into force again , The court added @ @ @ @ @ has the opportunity to appeal against the decision to the Supreme Court of the Netherlands @

THE HAGUE, February 18. /TASS/. The Hague Court of Appeal overturned a previous decision of the district court and announced that Russia is obliged to pay more than $50 bln to former shareholders of Yukos. This is according to the documents published on the court’s website on Tuesday.
"In 2014, international arbitration ruled that Russia should pay billions of dollars in compensation for damage to former Yukos shareholders. Russia turned to the District court of the Hague and demanded to revoke this decision and the court made the decision in favor of the Russian party. However, the Hague Court of Appeal ruled that the previous verdict was erroneous. This means that the decision of the international arbitration will enter into force again,
The court added that the Russian Federation still has the opportunity to appeal against the decision to the Supreme Court of the Netherlands.


tass--2020-02-18--Japanese first responder working aboard the Diamond Princess diagnosed with coronavirus

According to the statement , one of the infected is a first responder brigade employee , who worked at the Diamond Princess cruise ship , which was quarantined over mass coronavirus infection .
The ship left Yokohama on January 20 and returned on February 3 .
A Chinese national , infected with the coronavirus was among the passengers , he stepped ashore on January 25 in Hong Kong .
The Japanese authorities ordered the ship to be put into two-week quarantine .
On February 17 , the Japanese medics registered 99 new infection cases at the ship , while the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , making the cruise ship the largest coronavirus hotbed outside China .
One Russian woman was diagnosed with the coronavirus - the first case among Russian nationals .
Overall , 522 coronavirus cases were diagnosed in Japan .
The Chinese authorities registered an outbreak of the novel coronavirus ( official name COVID-19 ) in Wuhan , a large trade and industrial center in central China populated by 11 million people , in late December 2019 .
Cases of the novel coronavirus were found in 25 other countries and territories , including Russia .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak a public health emergency of international concern .
According to the latest data , the death toll from coronavirus has exceeded 1,800 and more than 73,000 people have been infected .
Nearly 13,000 people have recovered .

According to the statement, one of the infected is a first responder brigade employee, who worked at the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which was quarantined over mass coronavirus infection.
The ship left Yokohama on January 20 and returned on February 3. A Chinese national, infected with the coronavirus was among the passengers, he stepped ashore on January 25 in Hong Kong. The Japanese authorities ordered the ship to be put into two-week quarantine.
On February 17, the Japanese medics registered 99 new infection cases at the ship, while the total number of the infected reached 454, making the cruise ship the largest coronavirus hotbed outside China. One Russian woman was diagnosed with the coronavirus - the first case among Russian nationals. Overall, 522 coronavirus cases were diagnosed in Japan.
The Chinese authorities registered an outbreak of the novel coronavirus (official name COVID-19) in Wuhan, a large trade and industrial center in central China populated by 11 million people, in late December 2019. Cases of the novel coronavirus were found in 25 other countries and territories, including Russia. The World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. According to the latest data, the death toll from coronavirus has exceeded 1,800 and more than 73,000 people have been infected. Nearly 13,000 people have recovered.


tass--2020-02-18--Russia’s Soyuz-5 carrier rocket to use booster developed for Angara-A5 launch vehicle

`` The upper stage for the Angara will also be used for the Soyuz-5 , '' the source said .
MOSCOW , February 18 .
/TASS/ .
Russia will use a new upper stage developed for the Angara-A5 heavy carrier rocket also for the Soyuz-5 launch vehicle to deliver payloads into orbit , a source in the domestic space industry told TASS on Tuesday .
Russia ’ s Energia Space Rocket Corporation is developing the new upper stage on the basis of DM boosters for the Angara-A5 launch vehicle .
In 2017 , the DM-SL and DM-SLB upper stages developed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ programs were considered as options for their operation together with the Soyuz-5 rocket .
As Energia CEO Nikolai Sevastyanov earlier told TASS , the first upper stage created for the Angara-A5 rocket was delivered to the Plesetsk spaceport in northern Russia in November .
The booster underwent ground-based experimental tests , he added .
As was reported in 2015 , the Energia Space Rocket Corporation was developing a new upper stage on the basis of DM boosters for the Angara-A5 launch vehicle .
DM boosters are intended to deliver satellites from the support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and also to departure trajectories .
Last year , DM boosters orbited Spektr-RG and Elektro-L space vehicles .

"The upper stage for the Angara will also be used for the Soyuz-5," the source said.
MOSCOW, February 18. /TASS/. Russia will use a new upper stage developed for the Angara-A5 heavy carrier rocket also for the Soyuz-5 launch vehicle to deliver payloads into orbit, a source in the domestic space industry told TASS on Tuesday.
Russia’s Energia Space Rocket Corporation is developing the new upper stage on the basis of DM boosters for the Angara-A5 launch vehicle. In 2017, the DM-SL and DM-SLB upper stages developed under the Sea Launch and Land Launch programs were considered as options for their operation together with the Soyuz-5 rocket.
As Energia CEO Nikolai Sevastyanov earlier told TASS, the first upper stage created for the Angara-A5 rocket was delivered to the Plesetsk spaceport in northern Russia in November. The booster underwent ground-based experimental tests, he added.
As was reported in 2015, the Energia Space Rocket Corporation was developing a new upper stage on the basis of DM boosters for the Angara-A5 launch vehicle. DM boosters are intended to deliver satellites from the support orbit to the target near-Earth orbit, and also to departure trajectories. Last year, DM boosters orbited Spektr-RG and Elektro-L space vehicles.


tass--2020-02-18--Russia helps Syria counter West’s economic blockade, envoy says

NIZHNEVARTOVSK , February 18 .
/TASS/ .
Russia and Syria have been taking steps to counter the Western-imposed economic blockade of the Arab republic , Syria ’ s Ambassador to Moscow Riyad Haddad told a forum Tuesday in the Western Siberian city of Nizhnevartovsk .
`` It ’ s noteworthy that Russia together with the Syrians is fighting the economic blockade imposed by Western powers and is also providing our people with all kinds of support and humanitarian assistance , '' the Syrian diplomat told a plenary session of the Third International Youth Research and Practical Forum `` Oil Capital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian leadership , President Vladimir Putin and the Russian military , who fought shoulder-to-shoulder with Syrian troops .
Friendship and cooperation between the two countries `` are of a historic nature and have been thriving since Syria proclaimed independence . ''
`` These relations strengthened and were cultivated over several decades and Russia proved that it is a sincere and reliable ally by providing Syria and its people with the necessary support in the war on terror , '' Haddad stressed .
The Third International Youth Research and Practical Forum `` Oil Capital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ February 18-19 .
The event is timed for the 90th anniversary of the establishment of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Region , the production of the 12-billionth tonne of oil in Yugra , and the 55th anniversary of the discovery of the Samotlor field .
The participants are hashing over the rational use of natural resources , safe production technologies , the digital transformation of the oil and gas extracting sector along with the synergy of universities and fuel and energy companies .

NIZHNEVARTOVSK, February 18. /TASS/. Russia and Syria have been taking steps to counter the Western-imposed economic blockade of the Arab republic, Syria’s Ambassador to Moscow Riyad Haddad told a forum Tuesday in the Western Siberian city of Nizhnevartovsk.
"It’s noteworthy that Russia together with the Syrians is fighting the economic blockade imposed by Western powers and is also providing our people with all kinds of support and humanitarian assistance," the Syrian diplomat told a plenary session of the Third International Youth Research and Practical Forum "Oil Capital."
The ambassador also thanked the Russian leadership, President Vladimir Putin and the Russian military, who fought shoulder-to-shoulder with Syrian troops. Friendship and cooperation between the two countries "are of a historic nature and have been thriving since Syria proclaimed independence." "These relations strengthened and were cultivated over several decades and Russia proved that it is a sincere and reliable ally by providing Syria and its people with the necessary support in the war on terror," Haddad stressed.
The Third International Youth Research and Practical Forum "Oil Capital” is being held in Nizhnevartovsk on February 18-19. The event is timed for the 90th anniversary of the establishment of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Region, the production of the 12-billionth tonne of oil in Yugra, and the 55th anniversary of the discovery of the Samotlor field. The participants are hashing over the rational use of natural resources, safe production technologies, the digital transformation of the oil and gas extracting sector along with the synergy of universities and fuel and energy companies.


tass--2020-02-18--ZTE releases industry unique SuperDSS solution for Tri-RAT dynamic spectrum sharing

SHENZHEN , China , Feb. 18 , 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- ZTE Corporation ( 0763.HK / 000063.SZ ) , a major international provider of telecommunications , enterprise and consumer technology solutions for the Mobile Internet , today released its SuperDSS solution , the industry 's unique solution for tri-RAT dynamic spectrum sharing .
It is a big innovation step forward of the Magic Radio Pro solution in the 5G era to achieve multi-RAT spectrum sharing when legacy FDD bands are getting refarmed for 5G .
Capable of dynamic spectrum sharing among both 2G/4G/5G and 3G/4G/5G , SuperDSS is an ideal way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same time offering legacy voice service experiences over 1800MHz or 2100MHz band , so as to maximize spectrum return on investment .
ZTE leverages its cutting-edge technologies and rich commercial deployment experiences in the field of spectrum sharing to launch this tri-RAT dynamic spectrum sharing solution , as a part of its famous Magic Radio Pro solution , in addition to the dual-RAT ones , offering operators with much more flexibility of 5G deployment , leading technology innovation in this field once again .
ZTE 's SuperDSS supports 2G/4G/5G or 3G/4G/5G full dynamic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or 2100MHz band , for use of spectrum also by 2G or 3G on demand while giving as many spectrum resources as possible for LTE and NR , which offers both legacy voice service and 5G service with optimal balance .
Taking 20MHz bandwidth as an example , at least one UMTS carrier is reserved for UMTS users ' voice requirement , so the 4G/5G DSS can only be performed in 15MHz bandwidth , while with ZTE SuperDSS , 3G , 4G and 5G can share all of the 20MHz bandwidth , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in real time according to service requirements .
ZTE Magic Radio Pro solution is the industry 's most comprehensive multi-RAT dynamic spectrum sharing solution , offering dynamic spectrum sharing for up to seven scenarios with five radio access technologies ( GSM , UMTS , LTE , NB-IoT and NR ) .
As a leader of innovation in this field , ZTE has accumulated rich experiences in multi-RAT dynamic spectrum sharing since 2014 , helping operators improve user experiences and market competitiveness and enabling smooth phase-out of legacy technologies and smooth phase-in of new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the operators .
ZTE is a provider of advanced telecommunications systems , mobile devices and enterprise technology solutions to consumers , operators , companies and public sector customers .
As a part of ZTE 's strategy , the company is committed to providing customers with integrated end-to-end innovations to deliver excellence and value as the telecommunications and information technology sectors converge .
Listed in the stock exchanges of Hong Kong and Shenzhen ( H share stock code : 0763.HK / A share stock code : 000063.SZ ) , ZTE sells its products @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

SHENZHEN, China, Feb. 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- ZTE Corporation (0763.HK / 000063.SZ), a major international provider of telecommunications, enterprise and consumer technology solutions for the Mobile Internet, today released its SuperDSS solution, the industry's unique solution for tri-RAT dynamic spectrum sharing. It is a big innovation step forward of the Magic Radio Pro solution in the 5G era to achieve multi-RAT spectrum sharing when legacy FDD bands are getting refarmed for 5G. Capable of dynamic spectrum sharing among both 2G/4G/5G and 3G/4G/5G, SuperDSS is an ideal way of fast 5G deployment and at the same time offering legacy voice service experiences over 1800MHz or 2100MHz band, so as to maximize spectrum return on investment.
ZTE leverages its cutting-edge technologies and rich commercial deployment experiences in the field of spectrum sharing to launch this tri-RAT dynamic spectrum sharing solution, as a part of its famous Magic Radio Pro solution, in addition to the dual-RAT ones, offering operators with much more flexibility of 5G deployment, leading technology innovation in this field once again.
ZTE's SuperDSS supports 2G/4G/5G or 3G/4G/5G full dynamic sharing at the same time over 1800MHz or 2100MHz band, for use of spectrum also by 2G or 3G on demand while giving as many spectrum resources as possible for LTE and NR, which offers both legacy voice service and 5G service with optimal balance. Taking 20MHz bandwidth as an example, at least one UMTS carrier is reserved for UMTS users' voice requirement, so the 4G/5G DSS can only be performed in 15MHz bandwidth, while with ZTE SuperDSS, 3G, 4G and 5G can share all of the 20MHz bandwidth, and the UMTS carrier bandwidth can be adjusted in real time according to service requirements.
ZTE Magic Radio Pro solution is the industry's most comprehensive multi-RAT dynamic spectrum sharing solution, offering dynamic spectrum sharing for up to seven scenarios with five radio access technologies (GSM, UMTS, LTE, NB-IoT and NR). As a leader of innovation in this field, ZTE has accumulated rich experiences in multi-RAT dynamic spectrum sharing since 2014, helping operators improve user experiences and market competitiveness and enabling smooth phase-out of legacy technologies and smooth phase-in of new ones with great improvement of investment efficiency for the operators.
ZTE is a provider of advanced telecommunications systems, mobile devices and enterprise technology solutions to consumers, operators, companies and public sector customers. As a part of ZTE's strategy, the company is committed to providing customers with integrated end-to-end innovations to deliver excellence and value as the telecommunications and information technology sectors converge. Listed in the stock exchanges of Hong Kong and Shenzhen (H share stock code: 0763.HK / A share stock code: 000063.SZ), ZTE sells its products and services in more than 160 countries.


tass--2020-02-18--More than 2.5 tonnes of drugs seized in Russian transport in 2019

MOSCOW , February 18 .
/TASS/ .
More than 2.5 tonnes of narcotics were seized by Russian transport police last @ @ @ @ @ told TASS .
Over 30 kg of amphetamines seized during drug raid in St. Petersburg @ @ @ @ @ transport police ] officers seized more than 2.5 tonnes of drugs , which is 2.6 @ @ @ @ @ before , '' the ministry said .
Throughout the year , the officers escorted more @ @ @ @ @ more than 150,000 inter-regional trains and 400,000 commute trains .
`` As a result , @ @ @ @ @ trains shrank , '' the ministry noted .
Overall , in 2019 , the transport @ @ @ @ @ cases , and identified more than 20,000 perpetrators , '' the ministry added .

MOSCOW, February 18. /TASS/. More than 2.5 tonnes of narcotics were seized by Russian transport police last year, the Interior Ministry told TASS.
Over 30 kg of amphetamines seized during drug raid in St. Petersburg
"In 2019, [transport police] officers seized more than 2.5 tonnes of drugs, which is 2.6 times more than a year before," the ministry said.
Throughout the year, the officers escorted more than 550,000 trains, including more than 150,000 inter-regional trains and 400,000 commute trains.
"As a result, the amount of crime on trains shrank," the ministry noted.
Overall, in 2019, the transport police officers cracked 23,000 criminal cases, and identified more than 20,000 perpetrators," the ministry added.


tass--2020-02-18--Epidemic thresholds for flu and common cold exceeded in 31 Russian regions

MOSCOW , February 18 .
/TASS/ .
Weekly epidemic threshold of flu and common cold exceeded in 31 Russian regions @ @ @ @ @ of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-Being ( Rospotrebnadzor ) says on its website .
@ @ @ @ @ among the population registered in 31 regions of the Russian Federation , and in 11 @ @ @ @ @ watchdog said in a message .
Children aged between 3 and 14 are said to @ @ @ @ @ flu and common cold .
Flu type B is said to be the dominant in @ @ @ @ @ 74 million people , or 50.5 % of population reportedly received flu vaccine , the @ @ @

MOSCOW, February 18. /TASS/. Weekly epidemic threshold of flu and common cold exceeded in 31 Russian regions, Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-Being (Rospotrebnadzor) says on its website.
"Excess of epidemic thresholds among the population registered in 31 regions of the Russian Federation, and in 11 central cities," the watchdog said in a message.
Children aged between 3 and 14 are said to be the most vulnerable to flu and common cold. Flu type B is said to be the dominant in the viral structure.
Almost 74 million people, or 50.5% of population reportedly received flu vaccine, the watchdog says.


tass--2020-02-18--Kazakhstan to continue talks with Russia on Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline

NUR-SULTAN , February 18 .
/TASS/ .
Negotiations between Moscow and Nur-Sultan on possible Power of Siberia-2 gas pipeline route @ @ @ @ @ says Minister of Energy of Kazakhstan Nurlan Nogayev .
`` Implementation of this project is @ @ @ @ @ point ; no concrete parameters have been outlined yet .
There are various options of @ @ @ @ @ .
We offered to build this pipeline through Kazakhstan , if possible , '' Nogayev @ @ @ @ @ Nur-Sultan aims to use this pipeline to provide gas to Eastern Kazakhstan and Pavlodar regions @ @ @ @ @ counterpart Alexander Novak ’ s reaction to Nur-Sultan ’ s initiative , he said Novak @ @ @ @ @ consideration , the work would continue , negotiations will continue - it ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ According to earlier reports , Nogayev proposed to consider the option of building Power of @ @ @ @ @ with a connection to China ’ s West-East pipeline system , during his meeting with @ @ @ @ @ .

NUR-SULTAN, February 18. /TASS/. Negotiations between Moscow and Nur-Sultan on possible Power of Siberia-2 gas pipeline route through Kazakhstan will continue, says Minister of Energy of Kazakhstan Nurlan Nogayev.
"Implementation of this project is still a plan at this point; no concrete parameters have been outlined yet. There are various options of delivering Russian gas to China. We offered to build this pipeline through Kazakhstan, if possible," Nogayev said.
He noted that Nur-Sultan aims to use this pipeline to provide gas to Eastern Kazakhstan and Pavlodar regions. Commenting on his Russian counterpart Alexander Novak’s reaction to Nur-Sultan’s initiative, he said Novak "has taken it for consideration, the work would continue, negotiations will continue - it’s a normal work process."
According to earlier reports, Nogayev proposed to consider the option of building Power of Siberia 2 pipeline through Kazakhstan with a connection to China’s West-East pipeline system, during his meeting with Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak.


tass--2020-02-18--Head of China’s Wuhan hospital dies of coronavirus — media

Liu Zhiming is the first head of a hospital in China , who has died of this disease .
BEIJING , February 18 .
/TASS/ .
The director of Wuchang Hospital in central China ’ s Wuhan , Liu Zhiming , died of the novel coronavirus on Tuesday , the official state broadcaster , China Central Television , has reported .
The news that Liu died broke in Chinese social networks on Monday , but later the post was deleted and a number of Chinese media outlets denied the report on his death .
Early on Tuesday , his wife @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an hour later his death was confirmed .
Liu Zhiming was born in 1969 in the Hubei Province .
In 1991 , he graduated from Wuhan University ’ s medical school and specialized in diagnosing and treating head injuries , intracranial tumors and cerebrovascular problems .
On February 14 , Liu Fan , a nurse at Wuchang Hospital , died of the novel coronavirus at the age of 59 .
According to China ’ s National Health and Family Planning Commission , the number of confirmed coronavirus cases among medical staff has exceeded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
The Chinese authorities registered an outbreak of the novel coronavirus ( official name COVID-19 ) in Wuhan , a large trade and industrial center in central China populated by 12 million people , in late December 2019 .
Cases of the novel coronavirus were found in 25 other countries and territories , including Russia .
The World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency of international concern .
According to the latest data , the death toll from coronavirus has exceeded 1,800 and more than 73,000 people have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recovered .

Liu Zhiming is the first head of a hospital in China, who has died of this disease.
BEIJING, February 18. /TASS/. The director of Wuchang Hospital in central China’s Wuhan, Liu Zhiming, died of the novel coronavirus on Tuesday, the official state broadcaster, China Central Television, has reported.
The news that Liu died broke in Chinese social networks on Monday, but later the post was deleted and a number of Chinese media outlets denied the report on his death. Early on Tuesday, his wife said he was still alive, but an hour later his death was confirmed.
Liu Zhiming was born in 1969 in the Hubei Province. In 1991, he graduated from Wuhan University’s medical school and specialized in diagnosing and treating head injuries, intracranial tumors and cerebrovascular problems.
On February 14, Liu Fan, a nurse at Wuchang Hospital, died of the novel coronavirus at the age of 59.
According to China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases among medical staff has exceeded 1,700 and was "on the rise."
The Chinese authorities registered an outbreak of the novel coronavirus (official name COVID-19) in Wuhan, a large trade and industrial center in central China populated by 12 million people, in late December 2019. Cases of the novel coronavirus were found in 25 other countries and territories, including Russia. The World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. According to the latest data, the death toll from coronavirus has exceeded 1,800 and more than 73,000 people have been infected. Nearly 13,000 people have recovered.


tass--2020-02-18--Mindtech's Chris Longstaff to talk at leading russian conference on AI

LONDON , Feb. 18 , 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Mindtech Global Ltd , are pleased to announce that Chris Longstaff , VP Product Management , will present a talk `` Addressing the Issues of Using 'Real-Data ' for Training Visual AI Systems Through the Use of Synthetic Data '' at the OpenTalks.AI conference , 20-21 February 2020 , in Moscow .
OpenTalks.AI ( https : //opentalks.ai/en ) is a leading conference on AI , bringing together anyone with an interest in AI , from scientists to entrepreneurs .
A broad range of topics are discussed from the technical details through to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Intelligence .
During his talk , Chris will look at a number of the issues we have today in obtaining adequate , high quality , data for training neural networks .
This talk will describe how synthetic data offers a solution to those shortcomings .
An example of the issues are the time and cost of obtaining data samples alongside the difficult issue of accurate and advanced annotations .
The traditional method of gathering real-world data and annotating , can not meet the requirements for training modern AI systems , whereas synthetic data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perfectly annotated data in a short time .
Ethical issues are another example of a key concern around today 's Artificial Intelligence systems , and the training data can be just as important as during the deployment itself .
Synthetic data helps these ethical issues in a number of ways : allowing training data to be created without risk of breach of privacy and the reduction of bias in the real data set by creating additional samples for under-represented groups in the data such as young children , or sufficient ethnic diversity .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ solution to the creation and management of synthetic data for training visual neural networks and is available for immediate licensing .
The Chameleon tools are designed to help anyone implementing an AI based system to be able to generate the required training data in a fast , efficient manner , through its unique Scenario Editor that allows data scientists to immediately set up the required scenarios with a real-time preview of how the recorded data will appear .
The Toolchain is being used today by partners in diverse applications including various Smart City @ @ @ @ @ @ @ please contact chris.longstaff @ mindtech.global , or https : //mindtech.global

LONDON, Feb. 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Mindtech Global Ltd, are pleased to announce that Chris Longstaff, VP Product Management, will present a talk "Addressing the Issues of Using 'Real-Data' for Training Visual AI Systems Through the Use of Synthetic Data" at the OpenTalks.AI conference, 20-21 February 2020, in Moscow.
OpenTalks.AI (https://opentalks.ai/en) is a leading conference on AI, bringing together anyone with an interest in AI, from scientists to entrepreneurs. A broad range of topics are discussed from the technical details through to the ethical and legal side of Artificial Intelligence.
During his talk, Chris will look at a number of the issues we have today in obtaining adequate, high quality, data for training neural networks. This talk will describe how synthetic data offers a solution to those shortcomings.
An example of the issues are the time and cost of obtaining data samples alongside the difficult issue of accurate and advanced annotations. The traditional method of gathering real-world data and annotating, cannot meet the requirements for training modern AI systems, whereas synthetic data is capable of generating vast amount of perfectly annotated data in a short time.
Ethical issues are another example of a key concern around today's Artificial Intelligence systems, and the training data can be just as important as during the deployment itself. Synthetic data helps these ethical issues in a number of ways: allowing training data to be created without risk of breach of privacy and the reduction of bias in the real data set by creating additional samples for under-represented groups in the data such as young children, or sufficient ethnic diversity.
Mindtech's Chameleon toolchain provides a full solution to the creation and management of synthetic data for training visual neural networks and is available for immediate licensing. The Chameleon tools are designed to help anyone implementing an AI based system to be able to generate the required training data in a fast, efficient manner, through its unique Scenario Editor that allows data scientists to immediately set up the required scenarios with a real-time preview of how the recorded data will appear. The Toolchain is being used today by partners in diverse applications including various Smart City and Smart Vision projects
Contact:
For further information please contact chris.longstaff@mindtech.global, or https://mindtech.global
Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/971869/Mindtech_Logo.jpg


tass--2020-02-18--Uninfected quarantined ship passengers to start leaving it on February 19

TOKYO , Febraury 18 .
/TASS/ .
Passengers of the Diamond Princess cruise ship , who did not contract the novel coronavirus during an outbreak on board , will be allowed to leave the ship starting from February 19 , Japanese Minister of Health , Labor and Welfare Katsunobu Kato said on Tuesday .
`` We expect that passengers , whose tests were negative , will start leaving the ship on February 19 .
All of them are expected to leave the vessel by [ February 21 ] , '' he said .
Some 3,700 people from 50 countries , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cruise ship when it left Yokohama on January 20 and returned on February 3 .
Among them was a coronavirus-infected Chinese citizen who left the ship on January 25 in Hong Kong .
In accordance with the decision made by the Japanese authorities , the ship was anchored near Yokohama and quarantined for two weeks .
By Monday , the overall number of novel coronavirus cases on board reached 454 , making it the biggest outbreak of the disease outside China .
Among them is a female passenger from Russia , who became @ @ @ @ @ @ @ citizenship .
In late December 2019 , Chinese authorities notified the WHO about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan , central China .
Coronavirus cases have also been reported in 25 other countries , including Russia .
The WHO declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus a global health emergency and named the virus COVID-19 .
According to the latest data , the overall number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases in China stands at about 72,400 , with almost 1,900 deaths .
About 12,500 patients have recovered @ @ @

TOKYO, Febraury 18. /TASS/. Passengers of the Diamond Princess cruise ship, who did not contract the novel coronavirus during an outbreak on board, will be allowed to leave the ship starting from February 19, Japanese Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare Katsunobu Kato said on Tuesday.
"We expect that passengers, whose tests were negative, will start leaving the ship on February 19. All of them are expected to leave the vessel by [February 21]," he said.
Some 3,700 people from 50 countries, including Russia, were on board the cruise ship when it left Yokohama on January 20 and returned on February 3. Among them was a coronavirus-infected Chinese citizen who left the ship on January 25 in Hong Kong. In accordance with the decision made by the Japanese authorities, the ship was anchored near Yokohama and quarantined for two weeks.
By Monday, the overall number of novel coronavirus cases on board reached 454, making it the biggest outbreak of the disease outside China. Among them is a female passenger from Russia, who became the first confirmed coronavirus patient with Russian citizenship.
In late December 2019, Chinese authorities notified the WHO about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, central China. Coronavirus cases have also been reported in 25 other countries, including Russia. The WHO declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus a global health emergency and named the virus COVID-19. According to the latest data, the overall number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases in China stands at about 72,400, with almost 1,900 deaths. About 12,500 patients have recovered to date.


tass--2020-02-18--Russia’s Vladivostok to keep accepting cruise ships despite coronavirus

VLADIVOSTOK , February 18 .
/TASS/ .
Russia ’ s Far Eastern city of Vladivostok has no plans so far to close its port for cruise ships expected to visit it this year , despite the novel coronavirus outbreak in China , the regional authorities said on Tuesday .
In 2020 , a total of 15 cruise ships from Japan , South Korea and China are expected to make port calls in Vladivostok , including a ship that will serve as a floating hotel during the Eastern Economic Forum ( EEF ) .
The regional government ’ s press service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information about changes in the schedule of port calls in the region . ''
The 2020 cruise season will be opened by the Westerdam cruise ship , due in Vladivostok on April 19 .
Earlier , several Asian nations closed their ports for the vessel for fears of a coronavirus outbreak on board .
The Westerdam cruise ship with 1,455 passengers and 802 crew members sailed from Hong Kong on February 1 and was expected to call at several Japanese ports .
These plans were canceled because of Japan ’ s objections out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contracted the novel coronavirus could be aboard the ship .
Subsequently , Thailand , the Philippines and Taiwan also barred the ship from entering their ports .
The vessel that had spent more than a week at sea trying to reach any Asian port and was ultimately allowed to call at Cambodia ’ s Sihanoukville .
Passengers started to leave the vessel .
On Wednesday , an 83-year-old Westerdam passenger from the United States tested positive for coronavirus , and the captain ordered to put the evacuation of passengers on hold .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members remain on board .
In late December 2019 , Chinese authorities notified the WHO about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan , central China .
Coronavirus cases have also been reported in 25 other countries , including Russia .
The WHO declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus a global health emergency and named the virus COVID-19 .
According to the latest data , the overall number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases in China stands at about 72,400 , with almost 1,900 deaths .
About 12,500 @ @ @ @ @ @

VLADIVOSTOK, February 18. /TASS/. Russia’s Far Eastern city of Vladivostok has no plans so far to close its port for cruise ships expected to visit it this year, despite the novel coronavirus outbreak in China, the regional authorities said on Tuesday.
In 2020, a total of 15 cruise ships from Japan, South Korea and China are expected to make port calls in Vladivostok, including a ship that will serve as a floating hotel during the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).
The regional government’s press service said that it had "received no information about changes in the schedule of port calls in the region."
The 2020 cruise season will be opened by the Westerdam cruise ship, due in Vladivostok on April 19. Earlier, several Asian nations closed their ports for the vessel for fears of a coronavirus outbreak on board.
The Westerdam cruise ship with 1,455 passengers and 802 crew members sailed from Hong Kong on February 1 and was expected to call at several Japanese ports. These plans were canceled because of Japan’s objections out of fears that people who might have contracted the novel coronavirus could be aboard the ship. Subsequently, Thailand, the Philippines and Taiwan also barred the ship from entering their ports. The vessel that had spent more than a week at sea trying to reach any Asian port and was ultimately allowed to call at Cambodia’s Sihanoukville. Passengers started to leave the vessel.
On Wednesday, an 83-year-old Westerdam passenger from the United States tested positive for coronavirus, and the captain ordered to put the evacuation of passengers on hold. At present, 236 passengers and 747 crew members remain on board.
In late December 2019, Chinese authorities notified the WHO about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, central China. Coronavirus cases have also been reported in 25 other countries, including Russia. The WHO declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus a global health emergency and named the virus COVID-19. According to the latest data, the overall number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases in China stands at about 72,400, with almost 1,900 deaths. About 12,500 patients have recovered to date.


tass--2020-02-18--Kazakhstan’s special services unveil terrorist plots, detain organizers

NUR-SULTAN , February 18 .
/TASS/ .
Officers of Kazakhstan ’ s National Security Committee have thwarted several acts of @ @ @ @ @ of a `` destructive religious cult '' who plotted them , the committee ’ s @ @ @ @ @ .
`` On February 14 , The National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan @ @ @ @ @ followers of a destructive religious cult in Almaty and put them under arrest as authorized @ @ @ @ @ press service said in a statement .
`` During investigative measures at their place of @ @ @ @ @ improvised explosive device packed with fragmentation-generating objects , components to manufacture it , edged weapons @ @ @ @ @ video footage of presumed targets , '' the statement reads .

NUR-SULTAN, February 18. /TASS/. Officers of Kazakhstan’s National Security Committee have thwarted several acts of terror and arrested two followers of a "destructive religious cult" who plotted them, the committee’s press service said on Tuesday.
"On February 14, The National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan <…> detained two followers of a destructive religious cult in Almaty and put them under arrest as authorized by court," the press service said in a statement.
"During investigative measures at their place of residence, officers seized an improvised explosive device packed with fragmentation-generating objects, components to manufacture it, edged weapons and smartphones with photo and video footage of presumed targets," the statement reads.


tass--2020-02-18--Ukraine’s notorious doxing website blacklists Munich Conference chairman

KIEV , February 18 .
/TASS/ .
Ukraine ’ s notorious doxing website Mirotvorets has blacklisted Munich Security Conference Chairman Wolfgang Ischinger for being among signatories of the 12-step plan for Ukrainian reconciliation .
The website accuses Ischinger of `` attempting to violate Ukraine ’ s sovereignty and territorial integrity , '' `` participating in Russia ’ s propaganda campaign against Ukraine '' and `` tampering with information of public importance . ''
The statement , headlined ‘ Twelve Steps Toward Greater Security in Ukraine and the Euro-Atlantic Region , ’ was earlier published on the conference ’ s website @ @ @ @ @ @ @ envisages tougher control by Europe over the implementation of the Minsk agreements and the gradual removal of anti-Russian sanctions .
It also calls for vesting national minorities in Ukraine with broader rights .
The Mirotvorets ( Peacekeeper ) doxing website was launched in 2014 to publish the personal data of everyone allegedly posing a threat to Ukraine ’ s national security .
Over the past years , the website has doxed journalists , celebrities and politicians , who visited Crimea , Donbass and angered the authors of Mirotvorets due to some reasons .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ resource , Ukrainian border guards often barred people on the Mirotvorets list from entering the country .
After the murder of journalist Oles Buzina and politician Oleg Kalashnikov , whose personal data , including addresses , had been published on this resource shortly before the crime , an investigation was launched against the website ’ s staff .
The project was temporarily closed following the EU demands .
But later Mirotvorets resumed its work despite numerous protests .
According to media reports , the website was initiated by former Ukrainian MP Anton Geraschenko @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minister .
In Russia , access to the website has been closed under the court ’ s ruling .

KIEV, February 18. /TASS/. Ukraine’s notorious doxing website Mirotvorets has blacklisted Munich Security Conference Chairman Wolfgang Ischinger for being among signatories of the 12-step plan for Ukrainian reconciliation.
The website accuses Ischinger of "attempting to violate Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity," "participating in Russia’s propaganda campaign against Ukraine" and "tampering with information of public importance."
The statement, headlined ‘Twelve Steps Toward Greater Security in Ukraine and the Euro-Atlantic Region,’ was earlier published on the conference’s website. Among other things, the document envisages tougher control by Europe over the implementation of the Minsk agreements and the gradual removal of anti-Russian sanctions. It also calls for vesting national minorities in Ukraine with broader rights.
The Mirotvorets (Peacekeeper) doxing website was launched in 2014 to publish the personal data of everyone allegedly posing a threat to Ukraine’s national security. Over the past years, the website has doxed journalists, celebrities and politicians, who visited Crimea, Donbass and angered the authors of Mirotvorets due to some reasons. Although it is not an official Internet resource, Ukrainian border guards often barred people on the Mirotvorets list from entering the country.
After the murder of journalist Oles Buzina and politician Oleg Kalashnikov, whose personal data, including addresses, had been published on this resource shortly before the crime, an investigation was launched against the website’s staff. The project was temporarily closed following the EU demands. But later Mirotvorets resumed its work despite numerous protests. According to media reports, the website was initiated by former Ukrainian MP Anton Geraschenko, who is now Deputy Ukrainian Interior Minister. In Russia, access to the website has been closed under the court’s ruling.


tass--2020-02-18--No Buk missile systems detected near MH17 crash zone — leaked document

THE HAGUE , February 18 .
/TASS/ .
The July 2014 crash of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 took place in the region where no Buk missile systems were deployed at the time of the tragedy , according to a leaked document of the Dutch Military Intelligence and Security Service .
According to the document , sent to Dutch prosecutors , flight MH17 was flying beyond the range of all identified and operational Ukrainian and Russian locations where 9K37M1 Buk M1 systems were deployed .
Dutch journalist Max van der Werff , who founded Bonanza Media together with his Russian colleague @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , `` the main conclusion is that the Dutch had information about the mobile Buk positions during the conflict . ''
`` This information we had not seen before , '' he told TASS .
`` And the military , the Dutch , conclude that they have no information of any Buk missile systems close to MH17 . ''
In all , four documents have been published .
Apart from the report on Buk positions , the website revealed a transcript of a conversation between German independent journalist Billy Six and Australian police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mentions eyewitnesses who observed Ukrainian fighter jets in the sky on the day of MH17 incident .
Commenting on the information , van der Werff said he knew Six in person .
`` With Billy Six document , I verified [ it ] with Billy , so it ’ s one of the reasons why we are sure the documents are genuine , '' he said .
Van der Werff refused to provide any information about who leaked the documents .
The third document reveals that Australian experts working on the case were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as it turns out , were altered .
For example , in one of the pictures , the date when it was modified is prior to the date when the file was created .
`` Even after a year , the Australians did not have original photographs to test , using , like , sort of social media nonsense , cropped pictures .
That was shocking for me , too , '' he said .
The fourth document is a transcript of a conversation between Dutch police officers and an unnamed eyewitness , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ force fighter jets overhead right before the incident .
A few minutes later , he heard a loud bang and saw the passenger plane coming down .
The Boeing-777 passenger plane operated by Malaysian Airlines crashed on July 17 , 2014 , en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur in the east of the Donetsk Region .
As a result , 298 people , citizens of 10 states , were killed in the crash .
The parties to the armed conflict in Donbass accused each other of being complicit in the tragedy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ not close airspace over Donbass for international passenger flights .
The Joint Investigation Team ( JIT ) was set up to investigate the tragedy , consisting of representatives from Australia , Belgium , Malaysia , the Netherlands and Ukraine .
In June 2019 , the JIT said it had identified four individuals suspected of being involved in the MH17 crash .
They are three Russian nationals Igor Girkin , also known under the nickname of Strelkov , Sergei Dubinsky , Oleg Pulatov and a Ukrainian national , Leonid Kharchenko .
The trial is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March 9 .
Russia ’ s authorities have repeatedly voiced doubt over the JIT ’ s findings , pointing to the lack of evidence and its reluctance to take into account Moscow ’ s conclusions made during the investigation .

THE HAGUE, February 18. /TASS/. The July 2014 crash of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 took place in the region where no Buk missile systems were deployed at the time of the tragedy, according to a leaked document of the Dutch Military Intelligence and Security Service.
According to the document, sent to Dutch prosecutors, flight MH17 was flying beyond the range of all identified and operational Ukrainian and Russian locations where 9K37M1 Buk M1 systems were deployed.
Dutch journalist Max van der Werff, who founded Bonanza Media together with his Russian colleague Yana Yerlashova, said that for him, "the main conclusion is that the Dutch had information about the mobile Buk positions during the conflict."
"This information we had not seen before," he told TASS. "And the military, the Dutch, conclude that they have no information of any Buk missile systems close to MH17."
Three more documents
In all, four documents have been published. Apart from the report on Buk positions, the website revealed a transcript of a conversation between German independent journalist Billy Six and Australian police officers. In this conversation, Six mentions eyewitnesses who observed Ukrainian fighter jets in the sky on the day of MH17 incident.
Commenting on the information, van der Werff said he knew Six in person.
"With Billy Six document, I verified [it] with Billy, so it’s one of the reasons why we are sure the documents are genuine," he said.
Van der Werff refused to provide any information about who leaked the documents.
The third document reveals that Australian experts working on the case were analyzing non primary images/screenshots, which, as it turns out, were altered. For example, in one of the pictures, the date when it was modified is prior to the date when the file was created.
"Even after a year, the Australians did not have original photographs to test, using, like, sort of social media nonsense, cropped pictures. That was shocking for me, too," he said.
The fourth document is a transcript of a conversation between Dutch police officers and an unnamed eyewitness, who says he spotted two Ukrainian air force fighter jets overhead right before the incident. A few minutes later, he heard a loud bang and saw the passenger plane coming down.
The Boeing-777 passenger plane operated by Malaysian Airlines crashed on July 17, 2014, en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur in the east of the Donetsk Region. As a result, 298 people, citizens of 10 states, were killed in the crash. The parties to the armed conflict in Donbass accused each other of being complicit in the tragedy.
Despite active combat actions, Kiev did not close airspace over Donbass for international passenger flights. The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) was set up to investigate the tragedy, consisting of representatives from Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Ukraine.
In June 2019, the JIT said it had identified four individuals suspected of being involved in the MH17 crash. They are three Russian nationals Igor Girkin, also known under the nickname of Strelkov, Sergei Dubinsky, Oleg Pulatov and a Ukrainian national, Leonid Kharchenko. The trial is scheduled to begin in the Netherlands on March 9. Russia’s authorities have repeatedly voiced doubt over the JIT’s findings, pointing to the lack of evidence and its reluctance to take into account Moscow’s conclusions made during the investigation.


tass--2020-02-18--Coronavirus outbreak in China to peak this month

BEIJING , February 18 .
/TASS/ .
The novel coronavirus outbreak in China is expected to peak in late February , Zeng Yixin , vice minister of China 's National Health Commission , said on Tuesday , adding that the epidemiological situation in the country is expected to stabilize by April .
`` According to the existing numerical model and current measures of the government , peak numbers might be reached in the second or third decade of Febraury , '' China ’ s Central Television quoted him as saying .
`` Approximately by April , the epidemiological situation in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official said during a video linkup with doctors working the city of Wuhan , the epicenter of the outbreak .
In late December 2019 , Chinese authorities notified the WHO about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan , central China .
Coronavirus cases have also been reported in 25 other countries , including Russia .
The WHO declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus a global health emergency and named the virus COVID-19 .
According to the latest data , the overall number of confirmed novel coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with almost 1,900 deaths .
About 12,500 patients have recovered to date .

BEIJING, February 18. /TASS/. The novel coronavirus outbreak in China is expected to peak in late February, Zeng Yixin, vice minister of China's National Health Commission, said on Tuesday, adding that the epidemiological situation in the country is expected to stabilize by April.
"According to the existing numerical model and current measures of the government, peak numbers might be reached in the second or third decade of Febraury," China’s Central Television quoted him as saying.
"Approximately by April, the epidemiological situation in the country will stabilize," the official said during a video linkup with doctors working the city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak.
In late December 2019, Chinese authorities notified the WHO about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, central China. Coronavirus cases have also been reported in 25 other countries, including Russia. The WHO declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus a global health emergency and named the virus COVID-19. According to the latest data, the overall number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases in China stands at about 72,400, with almost 1,900 deaths. About 12,500 patients have recovered to date.


tass--2020-02-18--Kiev plans to hold large-scale prisoner swap with DPR, LPR in run-up to Normandy summit

KIEV , February 18 .
/TASS/ .
Kiev is poised to hold a large-scale prisoner swap with self-proclaimed eastern Ukrainian republics of Donetsk and Lugansk before the next summit of the Normandy Quartet on Ukrainian reconciliation , Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadim Pristayko told the country ’ s ICTV channel .
`` We plan to hold a large-scale prisoner swap before the next [ Normandy Quartet ] summit , he said , adding that the event was tentatively scheduled for April .
The minister said that the previous summit , held in Paris in December 2019 , helped to `` make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' `` We carried out an important exchange , brining many Ukrainians home , '' Pristayko said .
According to Pristayko , Kiev also insists that a working group to consider the Ukrainian border control issue should be set up before the next Normandy Quartet summit .
`` Last time , we manage to agree on seven provisions , and the border issue was not among them .
But [ Ukrainian ] President [ Vladimir ] Zelensky raises this question .
The first step , as we had earlier suggested to Russia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to consider the issue of how control over the border can be handed over to Ukraine .
This group has not been set up as of now .
President Zelensky will insist on considering this issue , '' Ukraine ’ s top diplomat said .
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky told the Munich Security Conference on Saturday that his country was in talks for the return of about 200 people , captured by DPR and LPR .
In his words , an agreement on the issue is at hand .

KIEV, February 18. /TASS/. Kiev is poised to hold a large-scale prisoner swap with self-proclaimed eastern Ukrainian republics of Donetsk and Lugansk before the next summit of the Normandy Quartet on Ukrainian reconciliation, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadim Pristayko told the country’s ICTV channel.
"We plan to hold a large-scale prisoner swap before the next [Normandy Quartet] summit, he said, adding that the event was tentatively scheduled for April.
The minister said that the previous summit, held in Paris in December 2019, helped to "make progress in the issue of swaps."
"We carried out an important exchange, brining many Ukrainians home," Pristayko said.
According to Pristayko, Kiev also insists that a working group to consider the Ukrainian border control issue should be set up before the next Normandy Quartet summit.
"Last time, we manage to agree on seven provisions, and the border issue was not among them. But [Ukrainian] President [Vladimir] Zelensky raises this question. The first step, as we had earlier suggested to Russia, could be setting up a working group to consider the issue of how control over the border can be handed over to Ukraine. This group has not been set up as of now. President Zelensky will insist on considering this issue," Ukraine’s top diplomat said.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky told the Munich Security Conference on Saturday that his country was in talks for the return of about 200 people, captured by DPR and LPR. In his words, an agreement on the issue is at hand.


tass--2020-02-18--Chinese Foreign Ministry calls US world’s biggest spy in cyberspace, ‘empire of hackers’

BEIJING , February 18 .
/TASS/ .
The United States has become the `` largest state actor of espionage in the cyber space , '' and `` empire of hackers , '' Chinese Foreign Ministry ’ s official spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters on Monday .
The statement came in response to a question about media reports that US intelligence used the Swiss company Crypto AG 's encoding devices to spy on other countries .
`` Facts have proven time and again that as the largest state actor of espionage in the cyber space , the US is worthy of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
The sky 's the limit with the US when it comes to spying , '' the diplomat said .
`` The US , on the one hand , has been collecting nearly five billion mobile phone call records across the globe on a daily basis , eavesdropping on German Chancellor Angela Merkel 's cellphone conversations for more than a decade , controlling over 3 million Chinese computers and implanting Trojan Horse in more than 3,600 Chinese websites on an annual basis , '' Geng Shuang continued .
`` It is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it keeps playing victim of cyber attack , like a thief crying ‘ stop thief.
’ Its hypocrisy on the issue of cyber security could not be clearer . ''
`` The dust has yet to settle over WikiLeaks and [ former NSA contractor Edward ] Snowden revelations .
Explanations are still owed .
Now the Crypto AG incident adds another to the tally , one more thing for the US to clarify to the world , '' he said .
According to a joint journalistic inquiry by SRF ( Swiss TV ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ZDF broadcaster and the Washington Post , the US Central Intelligence Agency ( CIA ) and the BND ( German Federal Intelligence Service ) secretly purchased a stake in Swiss company Crypto AG in Zug .
At that point , Crypto AG was among the leading global companies manufacturing encoding devices .
But those devices were rigged to give US and German special services an opportunity to crack codes .
As a result , those intelligence agency got an opportunity to spy on more than 100 nations , including Egypt , Libya , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The demand for those devices was high , given Switzerland ’ s reputation of a neutral country .
According to Rundschau , high-ranking Swiss intelligence officers were aware of the role that Germany and the United States played in Crypto AG .

BEIJING, February 18. /TASS/. The United States has become the "largest state actor of espionage in the cyber space," and "empire of hackers," Chinese Foreign Ministry’s official spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters on Monday.
The statement came in response to a question about media reports that US intelligence used the Swiss company Crypto AG's encoding devices to spy on other countries.
"Facts have proven time and again that as the largest state actor of espionage in the cyber space, the US is worthy of the name of "empire of hackers". The sky's the limit with the US when it comes to spying," the diplomat said.
"The US, on the one hand, has been collecting nearly five billion mobile phone call records across the globe on a daily basis, eavesdropping on German Chancellor Angela Merkel's cellphone conversations for more than a decade, controlling over 3 million Chinese computers and implanting Trojan Horse in more than 3,600 Chinese websites on an annual basis," Geng Shuang continued. "It is a tawdry trick that while doing so, it keeps playing victim of cyber attack, like a thief crying ‘stop thief.’ Its hypocrisy on the issue of cyber security could not be clearer."
"The dust has yet to settle over WikiLeaks and [former NSA contractor Edward] Snowden revelations. Explanations are still owed. Now the Crypto AG incident adds another to the tally, one more thing for the US to clarify to the world," he said.
According to a joint journalistic inquiry by SRF (Swiss TV) program 'Rundschau', Germany’s ZDF broadcaster and the Washington Post, the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the BND (German Federal Intelligence Service) secretly purchased a stake in Swiss company Crypto AG in Zug. At that point, Crypto AG was among the leading global companies manufacturing encoding devices. But those devices were rigged to give US and German special services an opportunity to crack codes.
As a result, those intelligence agency got an opportunity to spy on more than 100 nations, including Egypt, Libya, Iran, Argentina and Saudi Arabia. The demand for those devices was high, given Switzerland’s reputation of a neutral country. According to Rundschau, high-ranking Swiss intelligence officers were aware of the role that Germany and the United States played in Crypto AG.