tass--2020-10-22--Diesel-electric sub built for Russia’s Pacific Fleet to enter service on October 24

`` The submarine Volkhov , the second in a series of six ships under construction at the Admiralty Shipyard for Russia ’ s Pacific Fleet , will be accepted for service with the Russian Navy on October 24 in compliance with an order by Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov , '' the spokesman said .
The ceremony of raising the St. Andrew ’ s ( Russian naval ) flag aboard the submarine will take place at the Admiralty Shipyard , he added .
The submarine Volkhov was laid down in July 2017 and floated out in December 2019 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky , was delivered to the Navy in December 2019 .
The Admiralty Shipyard is currently constructing two more submarines of this type for the Pacific Fleet : the Magadan and the Ufa .
Project 636.3 Varshavyanka-class submarines ( NATO reporting name : Improved Kilo-II ) are referred to the third generation of large diesel-electric underwater cruisers .
They are 74 meters long and displace more than 3,900 tonnes .
Due to their strong hull , the submarines have an operational depth of 240 meters and can dive to a maximum depth of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Project have an operational range of up to 7,500 miles .
They are armed with Kalibr-PL cruise missiles that are launched from torpedo tubes from the sub ’ s submerged position .
Project 636 submarines are considered among the world ’ s most noiseless underwater cruisers .
They can develop a speed of up to 20 knots , have sea endurance of 45 days and a crew of 52 men .

"The submarine Volkhov, the second in a series of six ships under construction at the Admiralty Shipyard for Russia’s Pacific Fleet, will be accepted for service with the Russian Navy on October 24 in compliance with an order by Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov," the spokesman said.
The ceremony of raising the St. Andrew’s (Russian naval) flag aboard the submarine will take place at the Admiralty Shipyard, he added.
The submarine Volkhov was laid down in July 2017 and floated out in December 2019. The first sub of this Project, the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, was delivered to the Navy in December 2019. The Admiralty Shipyard is currently constructing two more submarines of this type for the Pacific Fleet: the Magadan and the Ufa.
Project 636.3 Varshavyanka-class submarines (NATO reporting name: Improved Kilo-II) are referred to the third generation of large diesel-electric underwater cruisers. They are 74 meters long and displace more than 3,900 tonnes. Due to their strong hull, the submarines have an operational depth of 240 meters and can dive to a maximum depth of 300 meters.
The submarines of this Project have an operational range of up to 7,500 miles. They are armed with Kalibr-PL cruise missiles that are launched from torpedo tubes from the sub’s submerged position.
Project 636 submarines are considered among the world’s most noiseless underwater cruisers. They can develop a speed of up to 20 knots, have sea endurance of 45 days and a crew of 52 men.


tass--2020-10-22--Supermicro 2U Ultra-E Short-Depth Server -- Now with NEBS Level 3-Certification

SAN JOSE , California , Oct. 22 .
/PRNewswire/ .
Super Micro Computer , Inc. , a global leader in enterprise computing , storage , networking solutions , and green computing technology , continues to deliver market-leading data center server capabilities to global 5G , telecom , and accelerated workloads at the edge .
The 2U Ultra-E short-depth is the latest update to Supermicro 's growing NEBS ( Network Equipment Building System ) Level 3-certified server lineup .
Its deployment and operation in telecom and other edge applications confirm that industry-standard and open server computational power can be found outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changing the telecommunications industry with powerful , feature-rich systems that provide intelligent and seamless connectivity from the edge to the cloud .
Supermicro 's Ultra product line gives customers powerful computing with increased flexibility and joins an extensive family of customizable options with best-in-class features , including all-NVMe , hybrid storage , and low-latency optimizations plus extensive networking and expansion possibilities , including innovative space-saving Ultra riser cards .
`` Increasingly , edge infrastructure is demanding the computational power found in Supermicro 's industry-standard server technologies , '' said Charles Liang , president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ultra SuperServer is ideal for edge applications , and the short-depth 2U Ultra-E delivers enhanced features , including GPU and FPGA support , with faster performance and is optimized for a wide variety of workloads in 5G and telecommunications applications with lower power requirements , and now NEBS certification . ''
The 2U Ultra-E server , available today , targets edge micro data centers and is fueled by dual 2nd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors with up to 205-watt TDP .
The 2U Ultra-E has front hot-swap drives and fan modules in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ server supports up to 6TB of DDR4 memory in 24 DIMM slots and features eight PCI-E 3.0 expansion slots for flexible networking , GPU , and FPGA selections .
This system flexibility and multiple configuration options give customers additional choices for modernizing their data centers and edge infrastructure .
Ultra-E NEBS Level 3 versions will support either AC or DC power supplies .
With short-depth systems , NEBS compliance , and DC power options , Supermicro is proving its ongoing commitment to the telecom segment .
In parallel , Supermicro continues to collaborate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to offer complete solutions .
Supermicro is working with open standards such as O-RAN based solutions , as operators are looking for commercial off the shelf ( COTS ) servers for their new infrastructure rollouts .
For more information on the 2U Ultra-E , watch this SuperMinute .
Follow Supermicro on LinkedIn , Twitter , and Facebook to receive their latest news and announcements .
Supermicro ( SMCI ) , the leading innovator in high-performance , high-efficiency server technology is a premier provider of advanced server Building Block Solutions® for Enterprise Data Center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Edge Computing Systems worldwide .
Supermicro is committed to protecting the environment through its `` We Keep IT Green® '' initiative and provides customers with the most energy-efficient , environmentally-friendly solutions available on the market .
Supermicro , Server Building Block Solutions , and We Keep IT Green are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Super Micro Computer , Inc .

SAN JOSE, California, Oct. 22. /PRNewswire/. Super Micro Computer, Inc., a global leader in enterprise computing, storage, networking solutions, and green computing technology, continues to deliver market-leading data center server capabilities to global 5G, telecom, and accelerated workloads at the edge. The 2U Ultra-E short-depth is the latest update to Supermicro's growing NEBS (Network Equipment Building System) Level 3-certified server lineup. Its deployment and operation in telecom and other edge applications confirm that industry-standard and open server computational power can be found outside of traditional data centers.
Supermicro is changing the telecommunications industry with powerful, feature-rich systems that provide intelligent and seamless connectivity from the edge to the cloud. Supermicro's Ultra product line gives customers powerful computing with increased flexibility and joins an extensive family of customizable options with best-in-class features, including all-NVMe, hybrid storage, and low-latency optimizations plus extensive networking and expansion possibilities, including innovative space-saving Ultra riser cards.
"Increasingly, edge infrastructure is demanding the computational power found in Supermicro's industry-standard server technologies," said Charles Liang, president and CEO of Supermicro. "Our Ultra SuperServer is ideal for edge applications, and the short-depth 2U Ultra-E delivers enhanced features, including GPU and FPGA support, with faster performance and is optimized for a wide variety of workloads in 5G and telecommunications applications with lower power requirements, and now NEBS certification."
The 2U Ultra-E server, available today, targets edge micro data centers and is fueled by dual 2nd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors with up to 205-watt TDP. The 2U Ultra-E has front hot-swap drives and fan modules in a compact 22.6-inch depth. Also, the server supports up to 6TB of DDR4 memory in 24 DIMM slots and features eight PCI-E 3.0 expansion slots for flexible networking, GPU, and FPGA selections. This system flexibility and multiple configuration options give customers additional choices for modernizing their data centers and edge infrastructure. Ultra-E NEBS Level 3 versions will support either AC or DC power supplies.
With short-depth systems, NEBS compliance, and DC power options, Supermicro is proving its ongoing commitment to the telecom segment. In parallel, Supermicro continues to collaborate with industry-leading 5G and telco software providers to offer complete solutions. Supermicro is working with open standards such as O-RAN based solutions, as operators are looking for commercial off the shelf (COTS) servers for their new infrastructure rollouts.
For more information on the 2U Ultra-E, watch this SuperMinute.
Learn more about Ultra solutions.
Follow Supermicro on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook to receive their latest news and announcements.
About Super Micro Computer, Inc.
Supermicro (SMCI), the leading innovator in high-performance, high-efficiency server technology is a premier provider of advanced server Building Block Solutions® for Enterprise Data Center, Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence, and Edge Computing Systems worldwide. Supermicro is committed to protecting the environment through its "We Keep IT Green®" initiative and provides customers with the most energy-efficient, environmentally-friendly solutions available on the market.
Supermicro, Server Building Block Solutions, and We Keep IT Green are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Super Micro Computer, Inc.


tass--2020-10-22--Hainan's GDP growth rate for three quarters of 2020 amounted to 1.1%

HAIKOU , October 22 .
/TASS/ .
The GDP of the southern Chinese province of Hainan in the first three quarters of 2020 exceeded 384.1 billion yuan ( about $ 58 billion ) , which is 1.1 % more than in the same period last year , according to the data of the provincial statistical office , reported www.hinews.cn .
During this period , according to the authorities , the volume of actually used foreign capital in the province increased by 88.2 % in annual terms , which amounted to $ 589 million .
As for the tourism sector , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million tourists .
The sector 's revenues amounted to 45.2 billion yuan ( about $ 6.8 billion ) .
These figures amounted to 65.2 % and 63.9 % of those recorded in the same period in 2019 .
The relevant statistics , the website writes , confirm the effectiveness of the measures taken by the provincial authorities to support economic development amid the coronavirus pandemic .
A special role in this was played by the program of building Hainan 's free trade port and the optimization of the duty free trade policy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ free trade port ’ s development on June , 1 .
In accordance with the plan , the Hainan province will be turned into a special customs zone .
The country ’ s government intends in general to wrap up the creation of the free trade port on the island by 2025 : by this time the island should acquire a system to ensure free trade and investments .
By 2035 , the free trade port and its model will become more solid .
By this time , Hainan intends to ensure the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movement of capital , people and shipping .
By 2025 , the Chinese government intends to create an `` international center for tourism and consumption '' on Hainan .
In order to do so , the `` Eastern Hawaii '' with their unique natural landscapes , thick rainforests and great climate will establish a developed network of hotels , which blend perfectly with white sandy beaches stretching along the coastline .
The combination of an exotic subtropical nature and a modern eco-friendly infrastructure will boost tourist inflow to the island from the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ July 1 , the personal quotas for purchases in Hainan 's duty free shops province were increased from 30,000 to 100,000 yuan ( from $ 4,200 to $ 14,200 ) , and the list was expanded from 38 to 45 positions duty free goods .
Sales in duty free shops in the province from July to September amounted to 8.61 billion yuan ( about $ 1.2 billion ) .
This indicator , according to the Haikou customs service , increased by 227.5 % in annual terms .

HAIKOU, October 22. /TASS/. The GDP of the southern Chinese province of Hainan in the first three quarters of 2020 exceeded 384.1 billion yuan (about $ 58 billion), which is 1.1% more than in the same period last year, according to the data of the provincial statistical office, reported www.hinews.cn.
During this period, according to the authorities, the volume of actually used foreign capital in the province increased by 88.2% in annual terms, which amounted to $ 589 million. As for the tourism sector, in January-September Hainan received more than 36.4 million tourists. The sector's revenues amounted to 45.2 billion yuan (about $ 6.8 billion). These figures amounted to 65.2% and 63.9% of those recorded in the same period in 2019.
The relevant statistics, the website writes, confirm the effectiveness of the measures taken by the provincial authorities to support economic development amid the coronavirus pandemic. A special role in this was played by the program of building Hainan's free trade port and the optimization of the duty free trade policy.
The authorities presented a plan for the free trade port’s development on June, 1. In accordance with the plan, the Hainan province will be turned into a special customs zone. The country’s government intends in general to wrap up the creation of the free trade port on the island by 2025: by this time the island should acquire a system to ensure free trade and investments.
By 2035, the free trade port and its model will become more solid. By this time, Hainan intends to ensure the freedom of trade and investments, trans-border movement of capital, people and shipping.
By 2025, the Chinese government intends to create an "international center for tourism and consumption" on Hainan. In order to do so, the "Eastern Hawaii" with their unique natural landscapes, thick rainforests and great climate will establish a developed network of hotels, which blend perfectly with white sandy beaches stretching along the coastline. The combination of an exotic subtropical nature and a modern eco-friendly infrastructure will boost tourist inflow to the island from the most distant parts of the world.
From July 1, the personal quotas for purchases in Hainan's duty free shops province were increased from 30,000 to 100,000 yuan (from $ 4,200 to $ 14,200), and the list was expanded from 38 to 45 positions duty free goods. Sales in duty free shops in the province from July to September amounted to 8.61 billion yuan (about $ 1.2 billion). This indicator, according to the Haikou customs service, increased by 227.5% in annual terms.


tass--2020-10-22--HUAWEI Sound's new speaker co-engineered with Devialet — A new era for wireless Hi-Fi

SHENZHEN , China , Oct. 22 .
/PRNewswire/ .
Huawei released a new wireless speaker in its HUAWEI Sound Series , a collaboration with acoustics giant Devialet , on October 22 , 2020 .
The two companies had partnered to launch the HUAWEI Sound X in 2019 , which as the first-ever premium wireless speaker has made top-notch audio and acoustics technology broadly accessible to ordinary users and audiophiles alike .
The next-generation HUAWEI Sound is the crown jewel of the fruitful Huawei X Devialet partnership , with all of its loudspeakers adopting Devialet-patented acoustic designs for even greater immersion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than the Sound X , but delivers enhanced full-bodied audio immersion , serving as a testament to Huawei and Devialet 's unique and complementary capabilities .
This latest-generation product adopts an inventive four-speaker acoustic design , the result of Devialet 's unmatched prowess in the field , with a 4-inch 40W woofer and three full-range 5W loudspeakers working in conjunction .
Despite HUAWEI Sound 's remarkably understated appearance , it generates an astounding amount of power , thanks to Devialet 's Push-Push configuration , in which two passive radiators reinforce each other to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the presence of distortion resulting from the diaphragms ' reverberations , and ensures unrivaled stability under high volume settings at up to 90 dB , producing strikingly pristine and distortion-free audio at all times .
Strong bass has been a consistent highlight on the HUAWEI Sound series , and this all-new product only raises the ceiling , by incorporating Devialet 's SAM® 2.0 technology , and a first-ever `` 1 woofer + 2 passive units '' structure .
This highly intricate acoustics model exercises meticulous modeling and displacement controls over the woofer and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vibrations on top of distortion-free low frequencies and a wide dynamic range .
As a result , bass tones are deeper and fuller on HUAWEI Sound .
Advanced SAM® 2.0 technology facilitates heightened immersion , absorbing the listener in a taste of a live concert experience , from the comfort of the living room .
Bolstered by SAM® 2.0 and Push-Push design , HUAWEI Sound generates audio that projects boundless power and authority , while maintaining a stunning degree of fidelity , representing an extraordinary new paradigm for a wireless speaker .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( i.e .
at 120° angles ) full-range tweeters , complemented by Devialet SPACETM Technology , capable of filling a room with lyrical , 360° surround sound , for an in-person listening experience reminiscent of that at a grand concert hall .
SPACE™ confounds the traditional notion that surround sound requires multiple strategically-placed speakers throughout the room , by separating the input signal into direct sound , reflected sound and ambient noise , via a dedicated algorithm .
The three different directionally-oriented speakers then receive signal based on the location of the listener @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effects from a single device , transcending the inherent spatial limitations of any room .
*You need to select Devialet SPACE™ Soundstage mode in HUAWEI AI Life app for this feature .
On top of that , HUAWEI Sound offers four enriching sound effects : Devialet SPACETM Soundstage , Vocals , Hi-Fi , and Bass , which add fresh-new flavors to any piece of music , from symphonies and arias to rock songs !
These settings are remarkably easy to configure in the HUAWEI AI Life app .
More ways to connect , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also offers unmatched convenience , by coming equipped with a diverse array of connectivity capabilities , including Bluetooth ( LDAC ) , UPnP , and 3.5 mm AUX-in connections .
HUAWEI Sound also incorporates a groundbreaking tap-to-transfer feature , through which the user can direct phone audio playback to the speaker in the blink of an eye , simply by tapping the phone against the speaker body .
LDAC is also supported , which allows for high-definition Bluetooth transmission at up to 990 kbps ( theoretical value ) , triple that under standard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supported on Android phones that run Android 5.1.1 or later , with NFC enabled and the phone screen turned on .
It is not currently supported on iOS .
HUAWEI Sound inherits the premium style of the previous Sound X , with a specialized coating that crafts a sleek , shiny surface reminiscent of that on a grand piano .
The lower portion of the body is coated with a glossy fiber grid cloth , for free and easy sound transmission , as well as protection against dust infiltration and splashes .
Music @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of transporting the listener to the scene of a live concert — an intimate but majestic experience .
HUAWEI Sound incorporates Huawei 's unparalleled prowess in communications technology and Devialet 's leading acoustics capabilities , to deliver a listening experience that is as evocative as it is unique .
Its release ushers in a new era for wireless Hi-Fi , in which the emotional resonance of our favorite songs and sounds can be faithfully reproduced by a compact , home-bound Hi-Fi speaker .

SHENZHEN, China, Oct. 22. /PRNewswire/. Huawei released a new wireless speaker in its HUAWEI Sound Series, a collaboration with acoustics giant Devialet, on October 22, 2020. The two companies had partnered to launch the HUAWEI Sound X in 2019, which as the first-ever premium wireless speaker has made top-notch audio and acoustics technology broadly accessible to ordinary users and audiophiles alike.
The next-generation HUAWEI Sound is the crown jewel of the fruitful Huawei X Devialet partnership, with all of its loudspeakers adopting Devialet-patented acoustic designs for even greater immersion. The HUAWEI Sound is markedly smaller than the Sound X, but delivers enhanced full-bodied audio immersion, serving as a testament to Huawei and Devialet's unique and complementary capabilities.
Compact body that packs a wallop
This latest-generation product adopts an inventive four-speaker acoustic design, the result of Devialet's unmatched prowess in the field, with a 4-inch 40W woofer and three full-range 5W loudspeakers working in conjunction. Despite HUAWEI Sound's remarkably understated appearance, it generates an astounding amount of power, thanks to Devialet's Push-Push configuration, in which two passive radiators reinforce each other to counteract backwave vibrations. This substantially reduces the presence of distortion resulting from the diaphragms' reverberations, and ensures unrivaled stability under high volume settings at up to 90 dB, producing strikingly pristine and distortion-free audio at all times.
Strong bass has been a consistent highlight on the HUAWEI Sound series, and this all-new product only raises the ceiling, by incorporating Devialet's SAM® 2.0 technology, and a first-ever "1 woofer + 2 passive units" structure. This highly intricate acoustics model exercises meticulous modeling and displacement controls over the woofer and passive radiators, to ensure maximally-large simultaneous vibrations on top of distortion-free low frequencies and a wide dynamic range. As a result, bass tones are deeper and fuller on HUAWEI Sound.
Advanced SAM® 2.0 technology facilitates heightened immersion, absorbing the listener in a taste of a live concert experience, from the comfort of the living room. Bolstered by SAM® 2.0 and Push-Push design, HUAWEI Sound generates audio that projects boundless power and authority, while maintaining a stunning degree of fidelity, representing an extraordinary new paradigm for a wireless speaker.
Devialet SPACE™ technology, for genuine 360° surround sound
The all-new HUAWEI Sound packs three evenly spaced (i.e. at 120° angles) full-range tweeters, complemented by Devialet SPACETM Technology, capable of filling a room with lyrical, 360° surround sound, for an in-person listening experience reminiscent of that at a grand concert hall.
SPACE™ confounds the traditional notion that surround sound requires multiple strategically-placed speakers throughout the room, by separating the input signal into direct sound, reflected sound and ambient noise, via a dedicated algorithm. The three different directionally-oriented speakers then receive signal based on the location of the listener, and together create astounding surround sound effects from a single device, transcending the inherent spatial limitations of any room.
*You need to select Devialet SPACE™ Soundstage mode in HUAWEI AI Life app for this feature.
On top of that, HUAWEI Sound offers four enriching sound effects: Devialet SPACETM Soundstage, Vocals, Hi-Fi, and Bass, which add fresh-new flavors to any piece of music, from symphonies and arias to rock songs! These settings are remarkably easy to configure in the HUAWEI AI Life app.
More ways to connect, with improved tap-to-transfer audio transmission
HUAWEI Sound also offers unmatched convenience, by coming equipped with a diverse array of connectivity capabilities, including Bluetooth (LDAC), UPnP, and 3.5 mm AUX-in connections.
*The 3.5mm AUX-in cable is a separate purchase.
HUAWEI Sound also incorporates a groundbreaking tap-to-transfer feature, through which the user can direct phone audio playback to the speaker in the blink of an eye, simply by tapping the phone against the speaker body. LDAC is also supported, which allows for high-definition Bluetooth transmission at up to 990 kbps (theoretical value), triple that under standard Bluetooth.
*OneHop Audio Sharing is only supported on Android phones that run Android 5.1.1 or later, with NFC enabled and the phone screen turned on. It is not currently supported on iOS.
Classic, Devialet-characteristic design
HUAWEI Sound inherits the premium style of the previous Sound X, with a specialized coating that crafts a sleek, shiny surface reminiscent of that on a grand piano. The lower portion of the body is coated with a glossy fiber grid cloth, for free and easy sound transmission, as well as protection against dust infiltration and splashes. Music played on HUAWEI Sound has the effect of transporting the listener to the scene of a live concert — an intimate but majestic experience.
HUAWEI Sound incorporates Huawei's unparalleled prowess in communications technology and Devialet's leading acoustics capabilities, to deliver a listening experience that is as evocative as it is unique. Its release ushers in a new era for wireless Hi-Fi, in which the emotional resonance of our favorite songs and sounds can be faithfully reproduced by a compact, home-bound Hi-Fi speaker.


tass--2020-10-23--Number of PCR tests conducted in Moscow surpasses 10 mln

MOSCOW , October 23 .
/TASS/ .
The number of PCR tests for the presence of the coronavirus conducted in Moscow has surpassed 10 mln , as many as 90,000 tests of this type are conducted in the city daily , Deputy Moscow Mayor Anastasia Rakova told journalists on Friday .
`` The total number of tests for the presence of COVID-19 conducted in the capital has surpassed 10 mln .
A quality mass testing is extremely important in the fight against the pandemic , so we constantly work on expanding its volumes .
To date , in Moscow , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on average conduct as many as 90,000 tests for the presence of the coronavirus daily , '' she said .
The deputy mayor noted that currently in Moscow registration for enzyme immunoassay testing and PCR-testing is open to general public .
Additionally , residents with symptoms of acute respiratory infection , patients with pneumonia , and all those cohabiting with a patient with the confirmed coronavirus infection are mandatorily tested for the presence of the coronavirus .
Additionally , the testing for the presence of the coronavirus is a mandatory condition for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitalizations .
Moscow is in the first place in Russia by the number of coronavirus infections , the number of detected cases has been growing recently .
In all , 386,908 cases of the infection have been detected in the city , 5,478 of them - over the past 24 hours .
285,271 patients have recovered with 6,249 fatalities .

MOSCOW, October 23. /TASS/. The number of PCR tests for the presence of the coronavirus conducted in Moscow has surpassed 10 mln, as many as 90,000 tests of this type are conducted in the city daily, Deputy Moscow Mayor Anastasia Rakova told journalists on Friday.
"The total number of tests for the presence of COVID-19 conducted in the capital has surpassed 10 mln. A quality mass testing is extremely important in the fight against the pandemic, so we constantly work on expanding its volumes. To date, in Moscow, city, federal, and private laboratories on average conduct as many as 90,000 tests for the presence of the coronavirus daily," she said.
The deputy mayor noted that currently in Moscow registration for enzyme immunoassay testing and PCR-testing is open to general public. Additionally, residents with symptoms of acute respiratory infection, patients with pneumonia, and all those cohabiting with a patient with the confirmed coronavirus infection are mandatorily tested for the presence of the coronavirus.
Additionally, the testing for the presence of the coronavirus is a mandatory condition for the patients of non-infectious hospitals, including scheduled hospitalizations.
Moscow is in the first place in Russia by the number of coronavirus infections, the number of detected cases has been growing recently. In all, 386,908 cases of the infection have been detected in the city, 5,478 of them - over the past 24 hours. 285,271 patients have recovered with 6,249 fatalities.


tass--2020-10-23--Number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Belarus exceeds 91,000

MINSK , October 23 .
/TASS/ .
As many as 787 more novel coronavirus cases were confirmed in Belarus in the past day , with the overall number of such cases exceeding 91,000 , or 0.96 % of the country ’ s population , the health ministry reported on Friday .
`` As many as 91,167 people have tested positive for COVID-19 , '' it said , adding that the daily tally was 787 .
`` A total of 949 coronavirus patients with a number of chronic diseases have died since the epidemic outbreak , '' it said , adding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the past day .
According to the latest update , as many as 82,136 coronavirus patients have recovered from the disease .
A total of 2,320,856 people have been tested for the novel coronavirus .
The effective reproduction number ( Rt ) , or the average number of people who become infected by an infectious person , for the past eight days is 1.12 .
Belarus did not impose any coronavirus lockdowns , with mass gathering not being banned .
The maximal daily tally of newly confirmed coronavirus cases was reported in April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in one day .
A vaccination campaign as part of post-registration tests of the Russian Sputnik V anti-coronavirus vaccine kicked off in Belarus from October 1 .
Those volunteers who have been inoculated are feeling well .

MINSK, October 23. /TASS/. As many as 787 more novel coronavirus cases were confirmed in Belarus in the past day, with the overall number of such cases exceeding 91,000, or 0.96% of the country’s population, the health ministry reported on Friday.
"As many as 91,167 people have tested positive for COVID-19," it said, adding that the daily tally was 787.
"A total of 949 coronavirus patients with a number of chronic diseases have died since the epidemic outbreak," it said, adding that four such deaths were reported during the past day. According to the latest update, as many as 82,136 coronavirus patients have recovered from the disease. A total of 2,320,856 people have been tested for the novel coronavirus. The effective reproduction number (Rt), or the average number of people who become infected by an infectious person, for the past eight days is 1.12.
Belarus did not impose any coronavirus lockdowns, with mass gathering not being banned. The maximal daily tally of newly confirmed coronavirus cases was reported in April when more than 900 patients tested positive in one day. A vaccination campaign as part of post-registration tests of the Russian Sputnik V anti-coronavirus vaccine kicked off in Belarus from October 1. Those volunteers who have been inoculated are feeling well.


tass--2020-10-23--Russia sees open censorship from Twitter, Facebook — diplomat

KAZAN , October 23 .
/TASS/ .
Russia is facing open censorship from US IT giants daily , spokeswoman for @ @ @ @ @ Zakharova said Friday speaking at the Fifth BRICS Young Diplomats Forum .
`` One of @ @ @ @ @ is monopolization of the online space and domination of only Western and US in particular @ @ @ @ @ of transparency and universally accepted rules , '' she said .
`` We are witnessing @ @ @ @ @ and also see open censorship from Twitter and Facebook for example when Russian media outlets @ @ @ @ @ tagged as allegedly unreliable and when they are deleted from searches and blocked and their @ @ @ @ @ According to the diplomat , the US is engaging in a `` witch hunt '' @ @ @ @ @ and journalists who disagree with Washington ’ s policy are blasted as `` Russian bots @ @ @ @ @ of the opportunity to express their opinions .

KAZAN, October 23. /TASS/. Russia is facing open censorship from US IT giants daily, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said Friday speaking at the Fifth BRICS Young Diplomats Forum.
"One of the dangers in this sphere is monopolization of the online space and domination of only Western and US in particular corporations as well as lack of transparency and universally accepted rules," she said. "We are witnessing this in our work daily and also see open censorship from Twitter and Facebook for example when Russian media outlets without investigation or trial are tagged as allegedly unreliable and when they are deleted from searches and blocked and their accounts are deleted."
According to the diplomat, the US is engaging in a "witch hunt" when ordinary users, experts and journalists who disagree with Washington’s policy are blasted as "Russian bots and trolls" and stripped of the opportunity to express their opinions.


tass--2020-10-23--Erdogan says Turkey has right to take part in Nagorno-Karabakh settlement process

ANKARA , October 23 .
/TASS/ .
Ankara has the same right as Moscow to take part in the process of the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict , Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday .
`` Turkey has the same right to take part in the peace process on Karabakh as Russia .
Azerbaijan ’ s demand is quite fair .
Once Armenia invites Russia [ to take part in the peace settlement ] , Azerbaijan suggests Turkey should also join it .
I have heard no negative reaction from Russia [ on that matter ] , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Armenia erupted on September 27 , with intense battles raging in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh .
The area experienced flare-ups of violence in the summer of 2014 , in April 2016 and this past July .
Azerbaijan and Armenia have imposed martial law and launched mobilization efforts .
Both parties to the conflict have reported casualties , among them civilians .
The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the highland region of Nagorno-Karabakh , a disputed territory that had been part of Azerbaijan before the Soviet Union break-up , but primarily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in February 1988 after the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region announced its withdrawal from the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic .
In 1992-1994 , tensions boiled over and exploded into large-scale military action for control over the enclave and seven adjacent territories after Azerbaijan lost control of them .
Talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement have been ongoing since 1992 under the OSCE Minsk Group , led by its three co-chairs - Russia , France and the United States .

ANKARA, October 23. /TASS/. Ankara has the same right as Moscow to take part in the process of the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday.
"Turkey has the same right to take part in the peace process on Karabakh as Russia. Azerbaijan’s demand is quite fair. Once Armenia invites Russia [to take part in the peace settlement], Azerbaijan suggests Turkey should also join it. I have heard no negative reaction from Russia [on that matter]," Erdogan said.
Renewed clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia erupted on September 27, with intense battles raging in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The area experienced flare-ups of violence in the summer of 2014, in April 2016 and this past July. Azerbaijan and Armenia have imposed martial law and launched mobilization efforts. Both parties to the conflict have reported casualties, among them civilians.
The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the highland region of Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed territory that had been part of Azerbaijan before the Soviet Union break-up, but primarily populated by ethnic Armenians, broke out in February 1988 after the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region announced its withdrawal from the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1992-1994, tensions boiled over and exploded into large-scale military action for control over the enclave and seven adjacent territories after Azerbaijan lost control of them. Talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement have been ongoing since 1992 under the OSCE Minsk Group, led by its three co-chairs - Russia, France and the United States.


tass--2020-10-23--Russia must fight politics built on ‘highly likely’ principle, diplomat says

`` Unfortunately , today , instead of concentrating efforts on finding constructive solutions to our common challenges , certain circles prefer to emphasize the ‘ highly likely ’ principle , i.e .
almost certainly empty allegations .
We are obliged to fight that , '' she said .
KAZAN , October 23 .
/TASS/ .
Russia is obliged to fight attempts to build politics atop almost certainly empty allegations , created under the `` highly likely '' principle , Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at the BRICS Young Diplomats Forum Friday .
One must not allow deliberate distortion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the international law , according to the diplomat .
`` This is particularly important in the year of the 75th anniversary of the Victory against Nazism , and , accordingly , the 75th anniversary of establishment of the United Nations , '' Zakharova underscored .
The `` highly likely '' phrase has become widely known in the international relations after London claimed Russia ’ s involvement in the poisoning of former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal .
These words were used in March 2018 by then-Prime Minister Theresa May .
Russian Foreign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are put forward without full certainty of their validity or any evidence .

"Unfortunately, today, instead of concentrating efforts on finding constructive solutions to our common challenges, certain circles prefer to emphasize the ‘highly likely’ principle, i.e. almost certainly empty allegations. We are obliged to fight that," she said.
KAZAN, October 23. /TASS/. Russia is obliged to fight attempts to build politics atop almost certainly empty allegations, created under the "highly likely" principle, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at the BRICS Young Diplomats Forum Friday.
One must not allow deliberate distortion of truth, rewriting history and substitution of the international law, according to the diplomat.
"This is particularly important in the year of the 75th anniversary of the Victory against Nazism, and, accordingly, the 75th anniversary of establishment of the United Nations," Zakharova underscored.
The "highly likely" phrase has become widely known in the international relations after London claimed Russia’s involvement in the poisoning of former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal. These words were used in March 2018 by then-Prime Minister Theresa May. Russian Foreign Ministry criticized such approach, when allegations are put forward without full certainty of their validity or any evidence.


tass--2020-10-23--Bank of Russia keeps key rate at 4.25% for the second time in a row

MOSCOW , October 23 .
/TASS/ .
Russia ’ s Central Bank kept the key rate at 4.25 % per annum for the second time in a row , noting the fact that disinflationary risks prevail over the medium-term horizon , according to a press release published following its board meeting on Friday .
`` On October 23 , 2020 , the Bank of Russia Board of Directors decided to keep the key rate at 4.25 % per annum .
The epidemiological situation globally and in Russia is worsening .
The situation in external financial and commodity markets remains vulnerable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ persist in the near future , including in view of geopolitical factors .
Although disinflationary risks still prevail over the medium-term horizon , the effect of short-term proinflationary factors has somewhat increased , '' the regulator said .
The recovery growth of the Russian economy is slowing down amid a decline in domestic demand and the worsening of epidemiological situation , the Central Bank said .
`` Flash indicators of economic activity point to a slowdown in the recovery growth of the Russian economy , which is largely related to the dynamics of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negatively influences the sentiment of households and businesses , potentially affecting both demand and supply , '' the press release said .
Meanwhile , the Bank of Russia upgraded its outlook on GDP contraction for 2020 to the range of 4-5 % , which is somewhat less than it was suggested in the July forecast .
That is largely associated with a smaller contraction of exports than expected earlier .
The recovery growth rate of the Russian economy is projected at 3-4 % in 2021 , whereas in 2022-2023 GDP is expected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , respectively .
`` If the situation develops in line with the baseline forecast , the Bank of Russia will consider the necessity of further key rate reduction at its upcoming meetings .
In its key rate decision-making , the Bank of Russia will take into account actual and expected inflation dynamics relative to the target and economic developments over the forecast horizon , as well as risks posed by domestic and external conditions and the reaction of financial markets , '' the press release said .
The next rate review meeting of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directors is scheduled for December 18 , 2020 .

MOSCOW, October 23. /TASS/. Russia’s Central Bank kept the key rate at 4.25% per annum for the second time in a row, noting the fact that disinflationary risks prevail over the medium-term horizon, according to a press release published following its board meeting on Friday.
"On October 23, 2020, the Bank of Russia Board of Directors decided to keep the key rate at 4.25% per annum. The epidemiological situation globally and in Russia is worsening. The situation in external financial and commodity markets remains vulnerable; increased volatility can be expected to persist in the near future, including in view of geopolitical factors. Although disinflationary risks still prevail over the medium-term horizon, the effect of short-term proinflationary factors has somewhat increased," the regulator said.
The recovery growth of the Russian economy is slowing down amid a decline in domestic demand and the worsening of epidemiological situation, the Central Bank said.
"Flash indicators of economic activity point to a slowdown in the recovery growth of the Russian economy, which is largely related to the dynamics of domestic demand. The worsening epidemiological situation negatively influences the sentiment of households and businesses, potentially affecting both demand and supply," the press release said.
Meanwhile, the Bank of Russia upgraded its outlook on GDP contraction for 2020 to the range of 4-5%, which is somewhat less than it was suggested in the July forecast. That is largely associated with a smaller contraction of exports than expected earlier.
The recovery growth rate of the Russian economy is projected at 3-4% in 2021, whereas in 2022-2023 GDP is expected to rise by 2.5-3.5% and 2-3%, respectively.
"If the situation develops in line with the baseline forecast, the Bank of Russia will consider the necessity of further key rate reduction at its upcoming meetings. In its key rate decision-making, the Bank of Russia will take into account actual and expected inflation dynamics relative to the target and economic developments over the forecast horizon, as well as risks posed by domestic and external conditions and the reaction of financial markets," the press release said.
The next rate review meeting of the Central Bank’s board of directors is scheduled for December 18, 2020.


tass--2020-10-23--Parties to Libyan conflict agree ceasefire in Geneva

The mission ’ s statement notes that an agreement on a `` permanent ceasefire agreement throughout Libya was singed . ''
The UN office in Geneva via Twitter lauded it as `` a historic achievement . ''
Good news for the Libyans !
The 5+5 joint military committee talks at @ UNGeneva are culminating in a historic achievement when the Libyan parties sign a permanent ceasefire agreement throughout # Libya .
Watch the live broadcast of the signing right NOW : https : //t.co/TMoKiPmFcw pic.twitter.com/s8WVwGFMGM The agreement was inked by representatives of the warring parties who were holding talks in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the UN 's envoy to Libya and head of the mission .
Speaking at the ceremony , Williams underlined that the document represents `` a first , critical , courageous step to achieve a comprehensive settlement of the Libyan crisis , that has gone on for too long . ''
She thanked the parties for moving forward that allowed them to reach the ceasefire agreement .
The head of the UN mission was also hopeful that the agreement will alleviate suffering of Libyans .
`` I hope that this agreement will help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Libyan people and we hope it will allow the displaced and refugees inside and outside the country to return to their homes and to live in peace and safety , '' she said .
The 5+5 joint military committee talks at the UN office in Geneva were held since October 19 .
On Wednesday , Williams reported that there was a major breakthrough in the negotiations .

The mission’s statement notes that an agreement on a "permanent ceasefire agreement throughout Libya was singed." The UN office in Geneva via Twitter lauded it as "a historic achievement."
Good news for the Libyans! The 5+5 joint military committee talks at @UNGeneva are culminating in a historic achievement when the Libyan parties sign a permanent ceasefire agreement throughout #Libya . Watch the live broadcast of the signing right NOW: https://t.co/TMoKiPmFcw pic.twitter.com/s8WVwGFMGM
The agreement was inked by representatives of the warring parties who were holding talks in Geneva since October 19 and Stephanie Williams, the UN's envoy to Libya and head of the mission.
Speaking at the ceremony, Williams underlined that the document represents "a first, critical, courageous step to achieve a comprehensive settlement of the Libyan crisis, that has gone on for too long." She thanked the parties for moving forward that allowed them to reach the ceasefire agreement. The head of the UN mission was also hopeful that the agreement will alleviate suffering of Libyans. "I hope that this agreement will help put an end to the suffering of the Libyan people and we hope it will allow the displaced and refugees inside and outside the country to return to their homes and to live in peace and safety," she said.
The 5+5 joint military committee talks at the UN office in Geneva were held since October 19. On Wednesday, Williams reported that there was a major breakthrough in the negotiations.


tass--2020-10-23--Bank of Russia notes decline in loan, deposit rates

MOSCOW , October 23 .
/TASS/ .
Russia ’ s Central Bank registers a decline in loan and deposit rates , as well as lending expansion , according to a press release published following its board meeting on Friday .
`` Monetary conditions have generally softened since the previous meeting of the Bank of Russia Board of Directors .
Loan and deposit rates mainly declined ; lending expansion continued , '' the regulator said .
Longer-term OFZ yields declined amid a certain stabilization of financial and commodity markets , remaining close to the levels observed in the middle of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rate reduction , interest rates and lending dynamics are substantially influenced by the preferential programs implemented by the Government and the Bank of Russia as well as by regulatory relaxations .
When making its key rate decisions , the Bank of Russia will assess the impact of cancelling these anti-crisis measures on monetary conditions , '' the Central Bank added .
The board of directors of the Bank of Russia decided to keep the key rate at 4.25 % per annum on Friday .
The next rate review meeting is scheduled for December @ @ @ @

MOSCOW, October 23. /TASS/. Russia’s Central Bank registers a decline in loan and deposit rates, as well as lending expansion, according to a press release published following its board meeting on Friday.
"Monetary conditions have generally softened since the previous meeting of the Bank of Russia Board of Directors. Loan and deposit rates mainly declined; lending expansion continued," the regulator said.
Longer-term OFZ yields declined amid a certain stabilization of financial and commodity markets, remaining close to the levels observed in the middle of this year. "Apart from the key rate reduction, interest rates and lending dynamics are substantially influenced by the preferential programs implemented by the Government and the Bank of Russia as well as by regulatory relaxations. When making its key rate decisions, the Bank of Russia will assess the impact of cancelling these anti-crisis measures on monetary conditions," the Central Bank added.
The board of directors of the Bank of Russia decided to keep the key rate at 4.25% per annum on Friday. The next rate review meeting is scheduled for December 18, 2020.


tass--2020-10-23--Russian Baltic Fleet corvettes hold anti-terror drills in North Sea

KALININGRAD , October 23 .
/TASS/ .
The crews of the Baltic Fleet ’ s Project 20380 corvettes Boiky and Steregushchiy practiced measures to fight notional terrorists while replenishing fuel and fresh water supplies from a tanker in the North Sea , the Fleet ’ s press office reported on Friday .
`` In the process of replenishing supplies in the Skagerrak Strait , the anti-terror squads making part of the crews of the warships and the medium sea tanker practiced all possible anti-terror scenarios during the anchorage in an unsafe roadstead , '' the press office said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tactical group of surface ships earlier conducted electronic missile launches against a notional enemy ’ s carrier group in the North Sea .
The warships delivered missile fire , employing Uran anti-ship missiles , the statement says .
The corvettes ’ crews also carried out a series of shipborne drills for ship damage control and anti-saboteur defense , ships ’ inter-operability and communications , practiced the elements of joint deployment and conducted an anti-submarine warfare exercise involving Ka-27 deck-based helicopters of the Baltic Fleet ’ s naval aviation , the press office said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ developed by the Almaz Central Design Bureau of Marine Engineering ( St. Petersburg ) and designed to accomplish green-water escort and strike missions , patrol coastal waters and provide fire support during amphibious assault operations .
The Project 20380 corvette is 104.5 meters long and 13 meters wide and displaces 2,200 tonnes .
It can develop a maximum speed of 27 knots ( about 50 km/h ) and has an operating range of 3,500 nautical miles ( about 6,400 km ) .
The Project 20380 corvettes carry Uran anti-ship missile systems and Redut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They are also armed with 100mm A-190 artillery guns and 30mm AK-630 small-caliber air defense missile systems .
The corvettes can carry a Ka-27 helicopter .

KALININGRAD, October 23. /TASS/. The crews of the Baltic Fleet’s Project 20380 corvettes Boiky and Steregushchiy practiced measures to fight notional terrorists while replenishing fuel and fresh water supplies from a tanker in the North Sea, the Fleet’s press office reported on Friday.
"In the process of replenishing supplies in the Skagerrak Strait, the anti-terror squads making part of the crews of the warships and the medium sea tanker practiced all possible anti-terror scenarios during the anchorage in an unsafe roadstead," the press office said in a statement.
The Baltic Fleet’s tactical group of surface ships earlier conducted electronic missile launches against a notional enemy’s carrier group in the North Sea. The warships delivered missile fire, employing Uran anti-ship missiles, the statement says.
The corvettes’ crews also carried out a series of shipborne drills for ship damage control and anti-saboteur defense, ships’ inter-operability and communications, practiced the elements of joint deployment and conducted an anti-submarine warfare exercise involving Ka-27 deck-based helicopters of the Baltic Fleet’s naval aviation, the press office said.
Project 20380 ships are multi-purpose corvettes developed by the Almaz Central Design Bureau of Marine Engineering (St. Petersburg) and designed to accomplish green-water escort and strike missions, patrol coastal waters and provide fire support during amphibious assault operations.
The Project 20380 corvette is 104.5 meters long and 13 meters wide and displaces 2,200 tonnes. It can develop a maximum speed of 27 knots (about 50 km/h) and has an operating range of 3,500 nautical miles (about 6,400 km).
The Project 20380 corvettes carry Uran anti-ship missile systems and Redut surface-to-air missile launchers as their main armament. They are also armed with 100mm A-190 artillery guns and 30mm AK-630 small-caliber air defense missile systems. The corvettes can carry a Ka-27 helicopter.


tass--2020-10-23--Putin issued personal instructions to let Navalny be transported to Germany — Kremlin

MOSCOW , October 23 .
/TASS/ .
Russian President Vladimir Putin issued personal instructions to the Prosecutor General ’ s @ @ @ @ @ be flown to Berlin ; that was necessary to override the effective restrictions on the @ @ @ @ @ , Russian presidential spokesman , Dmitry Peskov told the media on Friday .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ the Prosecutor General ’ s Office on the issue , because at that moment there @ @ @ @ @ ’ s right to leave the country .
In that sense , yes , that @ @ @ @ @ the president , '' Peskov said when asked if the Kremlin in reality took greater @ @ @ @ @ fate than it had been mentioned before .
At the same time Peskov said that @ @ @ @ @ the affair were to be left aside , `` the president had nothing to do @ @ @ @ @ to move the patient and the permission for his transportation . ''
`` All that @ @ @ @ @ prerogative , '' he said .

MOSCOW, October 23. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin issued personal instructions to the Prosecutor General’s Office to let Alexey Navalny be flown to Berlin; that was necessary to override the effective restrictions on the blogger’s foreign travels, Russian presidential spokesman, Dmitry Peskov told the media on Friday.
"The president said he had contacted the Prosecutor General’s Office on the issue, because at that moment there existed certain restrictions on Navalny’s right to leave the country. In that sense, yes, that could be done only by the president," Peskov said when asked if the Kremlin in reality took greater care of Navalny’s fate than it had been mentioned before.
At the same time Peskov said that if the legal aspects of the affair were to be left aside, "the president had nothing to do at all with the decision to move the patient and the permission for his transportation."
"All that was entirely the doctors’ prerogative," he said.


tass--2020-10-23--Kremlin hopes Russian, US experts to secure one year for New START negotiations

MOSCOW , October 23 .
/TASS/ .
Kremlin hopes that an experts meeting on extension of the New START Treaty @ @ @ @ @ `` First , we must agree , we must avoid any preconditions ; we hope @ @ @ @ @ will take place shortly and we will be able to at least secure this year @ @ @ @ @ Dmitry Peskov told journalists Friday , underscoring that `` this is very important . ''
@ @ @ @ @ President Vladimir Putin proposed to extend the New START without preconditions for at least one @ @ @ @ @ Russian president , additional time will make substantial negotiations possible .
In addition , the @ @ @ @ @ ’ s readiness to freeze its nuclear arsenals for this one year , if the @ @ @ @ @ preconditions .
The New START has been signed in 2010 .
The Treaty remains in @ @ @ @ @ unless replaced by a new agreement .
It could be extended for a maximum of @ @ @ @ @ sides agree .

MOSCOW, October 23. /TASS/. Kremlin hopes that an experts meeting on extension of the New START Treaty will take place shortly.
"First, we must agree, we must avoid any preconditions; we hope that such an experts meeting will take place shortly and we will be able to at least secure this year for negotiations, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists Friday, underscoring that "this is very important."
On October 16, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed to extend the New START without preconditions for at least one year. According to the Russian president, additional time will make substantial negotiations possible. In addition, the Russian Foreign Ministry expressed Moscow’s readiness to freeze its nuclear arsenals for this one year, if the US agrees to no further preconditions.
The New START has been signed in 2010. The Treaty remains in effect for 10 years, unless replaced by a new agreement. It could be extended for a maximum of five years, if both sides agree.


tass--2020-10-23--Up to 30,000 COVID-2019 patients a day may begin to be identified in Russia — experts

Lately , the daily rate of those infected has been growing .
On Friday , the anti-coronavirus task force reported 17,340 confirmed cases , which is considerably above the previous record-high registered on Tuesday .
MOSCOW , October 23 .
/TASS/ .
The number of newly-identified cases of COVID-19 in Russia may grow to 30,000 a day , but this is not a reason to feel fear , experts say .
`` I said from the outset that the growth will continue .
Moscow is stabilizing , while the regions will continue to catch up .
There will be more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the medical center Leader of Medicine , Yevgeny Timakov , told TASS on Friday .
`` There may be 20,000 , 25,000 or even 30,000 new cases . ''
Professor Anatoly Altshtein , of the Gamaleya Center , which developed the vaccine Sputnik V , remarked that 30,000 patients a day might be an exaggeration , but it should not be completely ruled out .
`` About 1.5 million people have been infected .
That ’ s 1 % of Russia ’ s population .
There will be more , '' he added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agree that no harsh restrictions are required amid the growing disease rates , because they will fail to yield the desired effect .
`` Nothing should be closed down .
The rates will be growing regardless of that , '' Timakov said .
Altshtein attributes the significant growth in infection rates not so much to more frequent COVID-19 cases as to better and thorough testing procedures .
`` It is always up to the authorities to decide whether to tighten restrictions or not .
From the purely medical standpoint there is a reason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will collapse , while the epidemic will continue anyway , '' he explained .
`` There are no reasons for panic .
The situation is bad , but I should not say it is awful . ''

Lately, the daily rate of those infected has been growing. On Friday, the anti-coronavirus task force reported 17,340 confirmed cases, which is considerably above the previous record-high registered on Tuesday.
MOSCOW, October 23. /TASS/. The number of newly-identified cases of COVID-19 in Russia may grow to 30,000 a day, but this is not a reason to feel fear, experts say.
"I said from the outset that the growth will continue. Moscow is stabilizing, while the regions will continue to catch up. There will be more cases," the chief doctor of the medical center Leader of Medicine, Yevgeny Timakov, told TASS on Friday. "There may be 20,000, 25,000 or even 30,000 new cases."
Professor Anatoly Altshtein, of the Gamaleya Center, which developed the vaccine Sputnik V, remarked that 30,000 patients a day might be an exaggeration, but it should not be completely ruled out.
"About 1.5 million people have been infected. That’s 1% of Russia’s population. There will be more," he added.
What measures are necessary
Both specialists agree that no harsh restrictions are required amid the growing disease rates, because they will fail to yield the desired effect.
"Nothing should be closed down. The rates will be growing regardless of that," Timakov said.
Altshtein attributes the significant growth in infection rates not so much to more frequent COVID-19 cases as to better and thorough testing procedures.
"It is always up to the authorities to decide whether to tighten restrictions or not. From the purely medical standpoint there is a reason for that, but then the economy will collapse, while the epidemic will continue anyway," he explained. "There are no reasons for panic. The situation is bad, but I should not say it is awful."


tass--2020-10-23--Putin to hold meeting on economic issues on Friday

MOSCOW , October 23 .
/TASS/ .
Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold a meeting on Friday on how to @ @ @ @ @ pandemic in the economy , Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters .
No need to @ @ @ @ @ in Russia , Putin says '' He [ Putin ] will hold a meeting on @ @ @ @ @ is to assess the situation in the economy , discuss measures that are being taken @ @ @ @ @ to minimize the consequences of the pandemic and to enter the growth trajectory , '' @ @ @ @ @ Peskov recalled that the president regularly holds such meetings .
They are attended by Prime @ @ @ @ @ of the economic bloc of the Cabinet , the Bank of Russia ’ s Chief @ @ @ @ @ as representatives of the presidential administration .
According to the Kremlin official , Putin 's @ @ @ @ @ will be a public part of the event .

MOSCOW, October 23. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold a meeting on Friday on how to minimize the effects of the pandemic in the economy, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
No need to return to non-working days regime in Russia, Putin says
"He [Putin] will hold a meeting on economic issues. The goal is to assess the situation in the economy, discuss measures that are being taken to stabilize the situation, to minimize the consequences of the pandemic and to enter the growth trajectory," the Kremlin spokesman said.
Peskov recalled that the president regularly holds such meetings. They are attended by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, representatives of the economic bloc of the Cabinet, the Bank of Russia’s Chief Elvira Nabiullina, as well as representatives of the presidential administration.
According to the Kremlin official, Putin's opening remarks at this meeting will be a public part of the event.


tass--2020-10-23--Armenia reports fierce fighting in eastern Karabakh

YEREVAN , October 23 .
/TASS/ .
Fierce battles are raging in the east of the contact line in Nagorno-Karabakh , Armenian Defense Ministry Spokesman Artsrun Ovannisyan wrote on his Facebook on Friday .
`` Tough battles are going on in the eastern area .
In some places , we are pushing enemy subversive groups back , '' he noted .
Renewed clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia erupted on September 27 , with intense battles raging in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh .
Moscow brokered a humanitarian ceasefire that took effect at 12 noon local time on October 10 but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ministries of Armenia and Azerbaijan announced plans to declare another ceasefire at midnight on October 18 , but the hostilities continue and the warring parties keep blaming each other for violating the truce .
The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the highland region of Nagorno-Karabakh , a disputed territory that had been part of Azerbaijan before the Soviet Union break-up , but primarily populated by ethnic Armenians , broke out in February 1988 after the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region announced its withdrawal from the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic .
In 1992-1994 , tensions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action for control over the enclave and seven adjacent territories after Azerbaijan lost control of them .
Talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement have been ongoing since 1992 under the OSCE Minsk Group , led by its three co-chairs - Russia , France and the United States .

YEREVAN, October 23. /TASS/. Fierce battles are raging in the east of the contact line in Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenian Defense Ministry Spokesman Artsrun Ovannisyan wrote on his Facebook on Friday.
"Tough battles are going on in the eastern area. In some places, we are pushing enemy subversive groups back," he noted.
Renewed clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia erupted on September 27, with intense battles raging in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Moscow brokered a humanitarian ceasefire that took effect at 12 noon local time on October 10 but was violated. Later, the foreign ministries of Armenia and Azerbaijan announced plans to declare another ceasefire at midnight on October 18, but the hostilities continue and the warring parties keep blaming each other for violating the truce.
The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the highland region of Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed territory that had been part of Azerbaijan before the Soviet Union break-up, but primarily populated by ethnic Armenians, broke out in February 1988 after the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region announced its withdrawal from the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic.
In 1992-1994, tensions boiled over and exploded into large-scale military action for control over the enclave and seven adjacent territories after Azerbaijan lost control of them. Talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement have been ongoing since 1992 under the OSCE Minsk Group, led by its three co-chairs - Russia, France and the United States.


tass--2020-10-23--Kremlin decries Russia-bashing tone of US election campaign

MOSCOW , October 23 .
/TASS/ .
Competition in Russophobia , which has become a common practice in the US @ @ @ @ @ regrettable , Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists Friday .
According to the spokesman , @ @ @ @ @ become a constant in all US electoral processes , regrettably . ''
`` We are @ @ @ @ @ can only express regret , '' Peskov added .
Peskov disclosed that , although the @ @ @ @ @ US presidential debate , it did read numerous media reports about it .
`` After @ @ @ @ @ is the American electorate who is the target audience of these debates , that is @ @ @ @ @ is up to them to decide who won the debate , not us , '' @ @ @ @

MOSCOW, October 23. /TASS/. Competition in Russophobia, which has become a common practice in the US electoral processes, is only regrettable, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists Friday.
According to the spokesman, "competition in Russophobia has become a constant in all US electoral processes, regrettably."
"We are fully aware of this and can only express regret," Peskov added.
Peskov disclosed that, although the Kremlin did not watch the US presidential debate, it did read numerous media reports about it. "After all, probably, it is the American electorate who is the target audience of these debates, that is, common Americans. It is up to them to decide who won the debate, not us," the spokesman said.


tass--2020-10-23--Austria expresses interest in Russian coronavirus vaccine

VIENNA , October 23 .
/TASS/ .
The Austrian-Russian Friendship Society ( ORFG ) is ready to back possibility of holding trials of the Russian coronavirus vaccine in Austria .
New ORFG General Director Markus Stender said in an interview with TASS that members of this networking society have great interest in and desire to get vaccinated with Russia ’ s Sputnik V. Speaking about the interest in the Russian vaccine in Austria , Stender noted that he is unaware whether Austrian medical organizations or virologists studied Sputnik V. `` If there is an opportunity to obtain here samples [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ORFG will naturally support it and will suggest that relevant organizations study the vaccine .
Although , as you know , we have strong regulations for holding trials .
< … > I would welcome that with open arms because there is certain skepticism in the world regarding it [ the Russian vaccine ] , '' Stender noted .
In particular , the general director said that the new presidium of the ORFG approached the members of the society for new ideas and proposals as one of its first initiatives .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members asked the presidium to support the initiative for ORFG members to travel to Russia to get vaccinated or for us [ presidium ] to secure shipments of the vaccine to Austria so that ORFG members and others here could get the shot , '' he told TASS .
According to Stender , it can serve as proof that the ORFG is aware of the Russian healthcare achievements .
`` It demonstrated that there is great interest in the Russian vaccine among our members , which we have 5,000 .
Not everyone can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he added .
The ORFG general director is also certain that the networking society can play a leading role in improving dialogue between Russia and the EU amid sanctions .
`` We have opportunities to facilitate dialogue .
Dialogue to overcome differences due to sanctions , especially between Austria and Russia , '' he underscored .
`` We should strengthen friendship between nations .
It can be developed irrespective of political differences , '' Stender pointed out .
`` Correspondingly , we can contribute to at least lowering obstacles between the @ @ @ @ @

VIENNA, October 23. /TASS/. The Austrian-Russian Friendship Society (ORFG) is ready to back possibility of holding trials of the Russian coronavirus vaccine in Austria. New ORFG General Director Markus Stender said in an interview with TASS that members of this networking society have great interest in and desire to get vaccinated with Russia’s Sputnik V.
Speaking about the interest in the Russian vaccine in Austria, Stender noted that he is unaware whether Austrian medical organizations or virologists studied Sputnik V. "If there is an opportunity to obtain here samples [of the vaccine] for trials, the ORFG will naturally support it and will suggest that relevant organizations study the vaccine. Although, as you know, we have strong regulations for holding trials. <…> I would welcome that with open arms because there is certain skepticism in the world regarding it [the Russian vaccine]," Stender noted.
In particular, the general director said that the new presidium of the ORFG approached the members of the society for new ideas and proposals as one of its first initiatives. "Regarding Sputnik V, one of the members asked the presidium to support the initiative for ORFG members to travel to Russia to get vaccinated or for us [presidium] to secure shipments of the vaccine to Austria so that ORFG members and others here could get the shot," he told TASS.
According to Stender, it can serve as proof that the ORFG is aware of the Russian healthcare achievements. "It demonstrated that there is great interest in the Russian vaccine among our members, which we have 5,000. Not everyone can get vaccinated but the interest is there," he added.
The ORFG general director is also certain that the networking society can play a leading role in improving dialogue between Russia and the EU amid sanctions. "We have opportunities to facilitate dialogue. Dialogue to overcome differences due to sanctions, especially between Austria and Russia," he underscored.
"We should strengthen friendship between nations. It can be developed irrespective of political differences," Stender pointed out. "Correspondingly, we can contribute to at least lowering obstacles between the EU and Russia."


tass--2020-10-23--Press review: Iran, Russia accused of ‘meddling’ and Turkey’s Karabakh gamble irks Moscow

With the US presidential election just less than two weeks away , another election interference bombshell has shaken the presidential race .
Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe said that his department had received information about a scheme to influence the outcome of the November 3 elections involving two external players - Russia and Iran .
The accusations against Moscow were not specified , but in the case of Tehran , Ratcliffe described how Iranian hackers allegedly sent threatening letters to Democrat-registered voters in an alleged effort to discredit Donald Trump .
Russia and Iran categorically deny the accusations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the newspaper noted that the upcoming presidential race in the US will be crucial for Tehran .
`` As far as Russia is concerned , it does n't really matter who wins , since both candidates - Donald Trump and Joe Biden - will pursue a policy of tightening pressure on Moscow regardless of who emerges victorious , only differing in nuances .
For Iran , the situation looks fundamentally different .
Tehran considers this US election to be a critically fateful one , given that it will largely predetermine what will happen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Director of the Center for Political Research Andrey Fedorov told the newspaper .
Chief Researcher at the Institute of the US and Canada at RAS Vladimir Batyuk agrees .
`` There are few countries in the world that would be as directly interested in the outcome of the upcoming US presidential election as the Islamic Republic of Iran .
A Biden victory would open up new political and economic opportunities for Tehran and would create conditions for bolstering the international positions of this Middle Eastern country , '' Batyuk told Kommersant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump administration ’ s unilateral withdrawal from the nuke deal with Iran isolated the United States from its allies , who did not support this step and pushed Tehran to resume its nuclear program .
`` Thus , if Biden wins , Tehran will be able to resume diplomatic bargaining with Washington , '' the political commentator concluded .
Nezavisimaya Gazeta : Tensions in ties between Minsk , Moscow may grow The recent visit by Russia ’ s Director of Foreign Intelligence Service ( SVR ) Sergey Naryshkin to Minsk came as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the visit itself , nor the joint conference of Russia ’ s SVR and the KGB of Belarus was announced .
This gave local observers reason to believe that the Minsk tour was connected with some more intrigue in the Belarusian crisis , Nezavisimaya Gazeta writes .
According to experts , Moscow assessed the situation and intends to push Lukashenko to resign .
According to the newspaper , the trip may be related to Tikhanovskaya ’ s recent ultimatum to Lukashenko , when she demanded his resignation and the release of political prisoners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very complicated , '' political observer Aleksandr Klaskouski told the newspaper , adding that since Lukashenko became too toxic and agreements on deeper integration with him could be later declared null and void , the Kremlin is starting to push for constitutional reform and look for a probable successor .
According to the expert , Lukashenko has his own view of this problem , but he senses Moscow 's position , therefore `` the level of mutual distrust has heightened more than before . ''
`` I predict that there may be serious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since their interests do not coincide now , '' Klaskouski noted .
In this regard , the main goal of Naryshkin 's visit , in his opinion , is to remind Lukashenko of the promises he has made to the Kremlin in exchange for support .
Klaskouski is convinced that `` the Kremlin will use the fact that Lukashenko is in a weak position and will try to put the squeeze on him on a number of issues . ''
Apart from the purchase of strategic assets and a Russian military base in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new interest , generated by the political crisis in Belarus - planned and controlled transit of power through constitutional reform .
Kommersant : Washington has unique chance to negotiate New START deal , says senior Russian diplomat Russia has recently surprised many by offering to extend the New START Treaty with the United States for a year instead of five years and by expressing its readiness to suspend the buildup of all nuclear warheads for the same period .
If the United States confirms its willingness to accept Moscow ’ s proposal to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia would be ready to immediately start work on formalizing such an understanding , said Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov , who heads the Russian delegation at the talks with the United States on strategic stability , in interview with Kommersant .
`` At this stage , we can not say that we are on the verge of [ striking ] agreements , '' the diplomat insisted .
`` We have to admit that the degree of our differences is very serious , even on some essential points .
Therefore , I personally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ optimism , '' he stated .
At the same time , according to Ryabkov , Russia has already shown flexibility , and `` now it is America ’ s turn to take reciprocal steps '' , including on Russia ’ s demand to reach an agreement without any additional attachments that could lead the process to a dead end .
`` Now , Washington has a unique opportunity to come to an agreement on the terms it has been offered .
But this should be only and exclusively the extension of the New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the model of freezing nuclear warheads without attachments , and without any more add-ons or demands for Russia , '' he emphasized , noting that `` a rejection would immediately wipe out any possibility of reaching such an agreement . ''
`` Let me stress that the extension of the treaty itself is not critical from our point of view , '' the diplomat noted , adding that Russia ’ s security can be reliably guaranteed , even if Washington does not support extending the deal .
Nezavisimaya Gazeta : Moscow not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ambitious policy in South Caucasus The backdrop for the visit by Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal to Moscow on October 22 was the harsh statements made in Ankara on Nagorno-Karabakh .
On the eve of the trip , Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay stressed that his country would not hesitate to send regular troops to the conflict zone if required .
The atmosphere of such statements only strengthened the impression of deepening contradictions between Moscow and Ankara , Nezavisimaya Gazeta writes .
The tensions in bilateral relations demonstrate the depth of mistrust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kerim Has , a Moscow-based Turkish political analyst told the newspaper .
According to the expert , Ankara is becoming a problematic partner for Moscow , and it is becoming more and more difficult to interact with it .
The emphasis of the Turkish elite on a military solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict surely irritates the Kremlin , he believes .
Nagorno-Karabakh is not Syria or Libya , where Moscow tolerates Ankara ’ s policy , Has said .
The Turkish expert believes that Ankara 's desire to mediate in the settlement of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the very least , since Turkey can not claim to be objective , as it openly calls Armenia an enemy .
Against the background of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh , the topic of Syria and Libya has faded somewhat into the background , and important events are taking place there for understanding the future of Turkish-Russian relations , the analyst believes .
Thus , a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan may take place soon , the expert believes , otherwise , the rising tide of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China buys Russian helicopters to the tune of over $ 2 bln Rostec State Corporation 's 2019 report published on October 21 states that in the reporting year , Russian Helicopters signed contracts for the supply of sixty-eight Mi-171 helicopters ( including the upgraded Mi-171E ) to China , as well as eighteen Mi-171SHs ( military transport ) , fourteen Mi-171 helicopters with a VK-2500 engine and 21 Ansat helicopters .
A preliminary contract for the supply of Ansat helicopters was signed at the Airshow China exhibition back in November 2018 , Vedomosti @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not disclosed .
According to Konstantin Makienko , expert at the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies , the cost of only one hundred Mi-171-type helicopters could exceed $ 2 bln .
These contracts are the largest known deals with China after the completion of the supply of Su-35 fighters and S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems there , Vasily Kashin from the Higher School of Economics told the newspaper .
China operates about five hundred Mi-8/17-type helicopters - second in the world after Russia - and in fact considers it to be its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent years , there has been a rapid increase in the number of helicopters for the land forces of the People 's Liberation Army of China .
Perhaps , Chinese industry can not cope with production , Kashin presumed .
Therefore , such huge purchases of Russian helicopters , especially given the growing military and political tensions around Taiwan , are quite logical , the expert concluded .
TASS is not responsible for the material quoted in these press reviews .

Kommersant: US rings election meddling alarm bells, pointing to Iran, Russia
With the US presidential election just less than two weeks away, another election interference bombshell has shaken the presidential race. Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe said that his department had received information about a scheme to influence the outcome of the November 3 elections involving two external players - Russia and Iran. The accusations against Moscow were not specified, but in the case of Tehran, Ratcliffe described how Iranian hackers allegedly sent threatening letters to Democrat-registered voters in an alleged effort to discredit Donald Trump. Russia and Iran categorically deny the accusations, Kommersant writes. Political commentators interviewed by the newspaper noted that the upcoming presidential race in the US will be crucial for Tehran. "As far as Russia is concerned, it doesn't really matter who wins, since both candidates - Donald Trump and Joe Biden - will pursue a policy of tightening pressure on Moscow regardless of who emerges victorious, only differing in nuances. For Iran, the situation looks fundamentally different. Tehran considers this US election to be a critically fateful one, given that it will largely predetermine what will happen to the country in the coming years," Director of the Center for Political Research Andrey Fedorov told the newspaper. Chief Researcher at the Institute of the US and Canada at RAS Vladimir Batyuk agrees. "There are few countries in the world that would be as directly interested in the outcome of the upcoming US presidential election as the Islamic Republic of Iran. A Biden victory would open up new political and economic opportunities for Tehran and would create conditions for bolstering the international positions of this Middle Eastern country," Batyuk told Kommersant. According to the expert, the Trump administration’s unilateral withdrawal from the nuke deal with Iran isolated the United States from its allies, who did not support this step and pushed Tehran to resume its nuclear program. "Thus, if Biden wins, Tehran will be able to resume diplomatic bargaining with Washington," the political commentator concluded. Nezavisimaya Gazeta: Tensions in ties between Minsk, Moscow may grow
The recent visit by Russia’s Director of Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Sergey Naryshkin to Minsk came as a surprise to experts and observers. Neither the visit itself, nor the joint conference of Russia’s SVR and the KGB of Belarus was announced. This gave local observers reason to believe that the Minsk tour was connected with some more intrigue in the Belarusian crisis, Nezavisimaya Gazeta writes. According to experts, Moscow assessed the situation and intends to push Lukashenko to resign. According to the newspaper, the trip may be related to Tikhanovskaya’s recent ultimatum to Lukashenko, when she demanded his resignation and the release of political prisoners. "Belarusian-Russian relations have always been very complicated," political observer Aleksandr Klaskouski told the newspaper, adding that since Lukashenko became too toxic and agreements on deeper integration with him could be later declared null and void, the Kremlin is starting to push for constitutional reform and look for a probable successor. According to the expert, Lukashenko has his own view of this problem, but he senses Moscow's position, therefore "the level of mutual distrust has heightened more than before." "I predict that there may be serious friction between Lukashenko and the Kremlin, since their interests do not coincide now," Klaskouski noted. In this regard, the main goal of Naryshkin's visit, in his opinion, is to remind Lukashenko of the promises he has made to the Kremlin in exchange for support. Klaskouski is convinced that "the Kremlin will use the fact that Lukashenko is in a weak position and will try to put the squeeze on him on a number of issues." Apart from the purchase of strategic assets and a Russian military base in Belarus, this may be Moscow's new interest, generated by the political crisis in Belarus - planned and controlled transit of power through constitutional reform. Kommersant: Washington has unique chance to negotiate New START deal, says senior Russian diplomat
Read also US ready to meet immediately with Russia to finalize New START agreement
Russia has recently surprised many by offering to extend the New START Treaty with the United States for a year instead of five years and by expressing its readiness to suspend the buildup of all nuclear warheads for the same period. If the United States confirms its willingness to accept Moscow’s proposal to reach an agreement without any additions, Russia would be ready to immediately start work on formalizing such an understanding, said Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov, who heads the Russian delegation at the talks with the United States on strategic stability, in interview with Kommersant. "At this stage, we cannot say that we are on the verge of [striking] agreements," the diplomat insisted. "We have to admit that the degree of our differences is very serious, even on some essential points. Therefore, I personally do not see any grounds for particular optimism," he stated. At the same time, according to Ryabkov, Russia has already shown flexibility, and "now it is America’s turn to take reciprocal steps", including on Russia’s demand to reach an agreement without any additional attachments that could lead the process to a dead end. "Now, Washington has a unique opportunity to come to an agreement on the terms it has been offered. But this should be only and exclusively the extension of the New START Treaty and the prospect of agreeing on the model of freezing nuclear warheads without attachments, and without any more add-ons or demands for Russia," he emphasized, noting that "a rejection would immediately wipe out any possibility of reaching such an agreement." "Let me stress that the extension of the treaty itself is not critical from our point of view," the diplomat noted, adding that Russia’s security can be reliably guaranteed, even if Washington does not support extending the deal. Nezavisimaya Gazeta: Moscow not going to sit by as Turkey conducts ambitious policy in South Caucasus
Read also Turkey closes airspace for transporting humanitarian cargoes to Armenia — Yerevan
The backdrop for the visit by Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal to Moscow on October 22 was the harsh statements made in Ankara on Nagorno-Karabakh. On the eve of the trip, Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay stressed that his country would not hesitate to send regular troops to the conflict zone if required. The atmosphere of such statements only strengthened the impression of deepening contradictions between Moscow and Ankara, Nezavisimaya Gazeta writes. The tensions in bilateral relations demonstrate the depth of mistrust that has long accompanied Turkish-Russian cooperation, Kerim Has, a Moscow-based Turkish political analyst told the newspaper. According to the expert, Ankara is becoming a problematic partner for Moscow, and it is becoming more and more difficult to interact with it. The emphasis of the Turkish elite on a military solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict surely irritates the Kremlin, he believes. Nagorno-Karabakh is not Syria or Libya, where Moscow tolerates Ankara’s policy, Has said. The Turkish expert believes that Ankara's desire to mediate in the settlement of the Karabakh crisis also looks strange at the very least, since Turkey cannot claim to be objective, as it openly calls Armenia an enemy. Against the background of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, the topic of Syria and Libya has faded somewhat into the background, and important events are taking place there for understanding the future of Turkish-Russian relations, the analyst believes. Thus, a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan may take place soon, the expert believes, otherwise, the rising tide of problems will become unmanageable. Vedomosti: China buys Russian helicopters to the tune of over $2 bln


tass--2020-10-23--Moscow, St. Petersburg report highest numbers of daily COVID-19 cases

A total of 386,908 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the Russian capital so far , with the daily growth rate standing at 1.4 % .
MOSCOW , October 23 .
/TASS/ .
Another 5,478 coronavirus cases were recorded in Moscow in the past 24 hours , this is the highest number since May 11 , as follows from the data provided by the anti-coronavirus crisis center .
The number of coronavirus cases in St. Petersburg grew by 710 in the past 24 hours , which is the highest number since the start of the pandemic .
A day earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city .
In all , 55,378 people have contracted the disease in St. Petersburg so far .
Meanwhile , another 2,779 people recovered from COVID-19 in Moscow in the past 24 hours , 62 patients died .
A total of 285,271 people have been discharged by now , 6,249 patients have died .
Currently , 95,388 people in Moscow continue treatment .
In St. Petersburg , 355 people were discharged in the past 24 hours , 32 patients died .
In all , 35,252 patients have been discharged by now , 3,565 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 16,561 patients are undergoing treatment in the city .

A total of 386,908 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the Russian capital so far, with the daily growth rate standing at 1.4%.
MOSCOW, October 23. /TASS/. Another 5,478 coronavirus cases were recorded in Moscow in the past 24 hours, this is the highest number since May 11, as follows from the data provided by the anti-coronavirus crisis center.
The number of coronavirus cases in St. Petersburg grew by 710 in the past 24 hours, which is the highest number since the start of the pandemic. A day earlier, 697 new cases were confirmed in the city. In all, 55,378 people have contracted the disease in St. Petersburg so far.
Meanwhile, another 2,779 people recovered from COVID-19 in Moscow in the past 24 hours, 62 patients died. A total of 285,271 people have been discharged by now, 6,249 patients have died. Currently, 95,388 people in Moscow continue treatment.
In St. Petersburg, 355 people were discharged in the past 24 hours, 32 patients died. In all, 35,252 patients have been discharged by now, 3,565 people have died. At present, 16,561 patients are undergoing treatment in the city.


tass--2020-10-23--Ukraine reports 7,517 COVID-19 cases in 24 hours

KIEV , October 23 .
/TASS/ .
The number of coronavirus cases in Ukraine grew by 7,517 in the past @ @ @ @ @ s National Security and Defense Council reported on Friday .
`` Another 7,517 coronavirus cases @ @ @ @ @ The total number of cases has reached 330,396 , '' the report said .
Ukrainian @ @ @ @ @ numbers of COVID-19 cases for the third day in a row .
The previous record @ @ @ @ @ 22 when 7,053 daily COVID-19 cases were confirmed .
To date , 6,164 people have @ @ @ @ @ reported in the past 24 hours .
A total of 137,578 people have recovered , @ @ @ @ @ the past 24 hours .
According to the latest statistics , 186,654 people are undergoing @ @ @

KIEV, October 23. /TASS/. The number of coronavirus cases in Ukraine grew by 7,517 in the past 24 hours, Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council reported on Friday.
"Another 7,517 coronavirus cases were confirmed in Ukraine. The total number of cases has reached 330,396," the report said.
Ukrainian doctors have recorded the highest numbers of COVID-19 cases for the third day in a row. The previous record high was reported on October 22 when 7,053 daily COVID-19 cases were confirmed.
To date, 6,164 people have died, with 121 deaths reported in the past 24 hours. A total of 137,578 people have recovered, including 2,680 recoveries confirmed in the past 24 hours. According to the latest statistics, 186,654 people are undergoing treatment now.


tass--2020-10-23--Georgia sees another record number of COVID-19 cases

TBILISI , October 23 .
/TASS/ .
Georgia ’ s coronavirus cases rose by 1,759 in the past day , @ @ @ @ @ the start of the pandemic .
The country ’ s total case tally reached 24,562 @ @ @ @ @ ’ s website informing about the coronavirus spread .
Some 1,595 new cases were registered @ @ @ @ @ October 21 and 1,194 on October 20 .
In the past 24 hours , 350 @ @ @ @ @ number of recoveries reached 9,751 ( 39.7 % of those infected ) .
The number @ @ @ @ @ change in the past 24 hours and remains at 4,408 .
Some 1,848 people are @ @ @ @ @ under medical supervision .
The coronavirus spread rate in the past eight days has been @ @ @ @ @ % of Georgia ’ s 3.7 million population have contracted the virus .
In the @ @ @ @ @ died .
The country ’ s total death toll hit 183 .
A total of @ @ @ @ @ taken in the republic among 22.06 % of citizens .

TBILISI, October 23. /TASS/. Georgia’s coronavirus cases rose by 1,759 in the past day, setting a new record since the start of the pandemic.
The country’s total case tally reached 24,562, according to the government’s website informing about the coronavirus spread.
Some 1,595 new cases were registered on Thursday, 1,351 on October 21 and 1,194 on October 20.
In the past 24 hours, 350 people recovered. The total number of recoveries reached 9,751 (39.7% of those infected). The number of those quarantined did not change in the past 24 hours and remains at 4,408. Some 1,848 people are undergoing treatment in special hotels under medical supervision.
The coronavirus spread rate in the past eight days has been at 1.4. Some 0.66% of Georgia’s 3.7 million population have contracted the virus. In the past day, five people died. The country’s total death toll hit 183. A total of 819,951 COVID-19 tests have been taken in the republic among 22.06% of citizens.


tass--2020-10-23--Armenia registers record high coronavirus growth rate in past day

YEREVAN , October 23 .
/TASS/ .
Coronavirus cases in Armenia grew by a record high number of 2,474 in the past twenty-four hours to 73,310 , the republic ’ s Health Ministry reported on Friday .
`` In the past twenty-four hours , 2,474 coronavirus cases were identified and 489 patients recovered from the illness .
To date , 50,276 patients have recovered from the disease while the total number of the infected stands at 73,310 , '' the statement reads .
On October 22 , Armenia reported 2,306 new coronavirus cases .
A total of 14 coronavirus patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ twenty-four hours , bringing fatalities to 1,145 , the latest data indicate .
To date , Armenia has conducted about 368,000 coronavirus tests , covering about 12.6 % of the country ’ s population .
As many as 5,760 coronavirus tests were taken in the past twenty-four hours , over 42 % of which were positive .
The virus has been identified among about 2.5 % of the republic ’ s population that equals 2.9 million people .
In late December 2019 , Chinese officials informed the World Health Organization ( WHO ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pneumonia in the city of Wuhan , in central China .
Since then , cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe .
On March 11 , 2020 , the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic .
According to the latest statistics , over 42,046,060 people have been infected worldwide and more than 1,143,560 deaths have been reported .
In addition , so far , over 31,208,000 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe .

YEREVAN, October 23. /TASS/. Coronavirus cases in Armenia grew by a record high number of 2,474 in the past twenty-four hours to 73,310, the republic’s Health Ministry reported on Friday.
"In the past twenty-four hours, 2,474 coronavirus cases were identified and 489 patients recovered from the illness. To date, 50,276 patients have recovered from the disease while the total number of the infected stands at 73,310," the statement reads.
On October 22, Armenia reported 2,306 new coronavirus cases. A total of 14 coronavirus patients died at Armenian hospitals in the past twenty-four hours, bringing fatalities to 1,145, the latest data indicate.
To date, Armenia has conducted about 368,000 coronavirus tests, covering about 12.6% of the country’s population. As many as 5,760 coronavirus tests were taken in the past twenty-four hours, over 42% of which were positive.
The virus has been identified among about 2.5% of the republic’s population that equals 2.9 million people.
In late December 2019, Chinese officials informed the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, in central China. Since then, cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe.
On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. According to the latest statistics, over 42,046,060 people have been infected worldwide and more than 1,143,560 deaths have been reported. In addition, so far, over 31,208,000 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe.