Azerbaijan should strengthen contact tracing and testing to further boost its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a team of WHO experts has recommended after visiting the country. The second team of WHO experts to visit Azerbaijan since the pandemic started, it also noted the country’s achievements in responding to the outbreak.
During a 10-day visit, the team found that most of the recommendations of the first team had been fully or partially implemented. The experts noted substantial investments in human resources, extensive use of digital health tools, and improvements in the care of COVID-19 patients. They suggested that data collection and analysis should also be improved.
“As the pandemic evolves, new challenges arise. Improvements in surveillance, testing strategy and thorough data analysis will help inform evidence-based decisions, including the implementation of public health measures,” said team leader, Dr David Novillo Ortiz, Unit Head of Health Information at WHO/Europe.
WHO/Europe experts in epidemiology and surveillance, data management, health facility management and risk communications visited primary health care centres and hospitals in Baku as well as in the Shamakhi and Ganja regions.
“Six months after WHO declared COVID-19 a public health emergency, this mission allowed us to reflect on Azerbaijan’s response from the epidemiological, clinical and communication perspectives, and to see how we can build on this valuable knowledge in the coming months,” said Dr Hande Harmanci, WHO Representative in Azerbaijan.
Strengthening health partnerships for better preparedness and response
Besides providing technical support through two COVID-19 response missions, WHO/Europe and the Country Office in Azerbaijan have implemented the REACT-C19 initiative. The project aims to facilitate exchange of expertise among health-care workers using digital platforms and innovative solutions.
The WHO Country Office in Azerbaijan is also implementing the European Union-funded “Solidarity for Health Initiative”, which supplies personal protective equipment to frontline responders in health-care facilities and provides technical assistance to the government.
CALI, Colombia — As the pandemic took hold in Colombia, uncertainties about many aspects of life quickly set in. FUNDAEC, a Baha’i-inspired organization in the country, recognizing that the crisis would have long-term ramifications, looked at how it could be of practical service to society at a time of dire need.
Leslie Stewart, the Executive Director of FUNDAEC, explains how the organization swiftly directed its attention to supporting local food production initiatives. “The country’s economy has been severely affected, with more than 10 million people who are now unemployed.
“Given this situation, food production, which is a component of our different educational programs aimed at development, became a central issue at the start of the pandemic. Since March, FUNDAEC has focused on four broad areas in supporting initiatives aimed at food self-sufficiency: creation of home gardens, cultivation of larger farming plots, food processing, as well as distribution and commercialization.”
FUNDAEC (Fundación para la Aplicación y Enseñanza de las Ciencias) was founded in Colombia in 1974 and has been dedicated for over 40 years to developing capacity in people to contribute to the well-being of their societies. In this most recent undertaking, it drew on its decades of experience and research in the area of food production to create online workshops, assisting people to learn about different aspects of agriculture, for example seed selection, soil health, pest and disease management, and the harvest.
Slideshow 7 imagesSelecting seeds of a maize variety to plant at a facility of the University Center for Rural Wellbeing in Perico Negro, Cauca, Colombia.
Ms. Stewart describes how FUNDAEC’s approach to development is inspired by the Baha’i principles of the harmony of science and religion, oneness of humanity, and selfless service to society. “In our efforts to contribute to social progress—in its material and spiritual dimensions—we believe there needs to be a dialogue between science and religion. Agriculture plays a crucial role in the building of civilization. It is important to the processes of community life, and should benefit from insights found in both religion and science.
“However, materialism, which has been directing the development of agricultural systems, has not been able to bring prosperity to all, and the issue of food is becoming central to that discussion. So how can spiritual principles help in the way we understand development and food production? For example, we need to ensure that agricultural practices are based in fairness and cooperation, and that efforts are carried out with humility and appreciation toward the land and the environment.
“We have found that during this period people are naturally discovering a sense of common purpose—seeing that they can take an active role in transforming their adversity into an opportunity to be of service to their fellow citizens—and that our role as an organization has been to try and channel energies in a helpful way.”
Slideshow 7 imagesMembers of a family in Puerto Eugenio, Córdoba, Colombia, plant crops on a “community learning plot” they started together with other members of their community and with the assistance of a group of young people studying FUNDAEC material as part of the Preparation for Social Action program.
In Aipe, central Colombia, a group of people collaborated with the Baha’i Local Spiritual Assembly to begin a small farm. Having developed relationships with the Mayor’s office and a local agronomist, this effort inspired some 13 families around the designated land to start their own gardens, leading to a first harvest that could be shared with over 70 people. In turn those individuals who benefited from the harvest have been drawn into the efforts and are finding great purpose in serving their community through food that is healthy, organic, and fairly distributed.
“The example that people are setting in producing food for their communities is contagious,” says Ever Rivera, a coordinator of FUNDAEC’s programs. “People who have not produced food before have the example, as well as the support and accompaniment, of those around them. Even the daily conversations between neighbors are generating local knowledge about food production.”
Slideshow 7 imagesA family in Riohacha, la Guajira, Colombia, has planted several species of crops on a plot of 40 square meters. Having learned to enrich the soil with natural fertilizers, and plant aromatic species as a biologic control to protect the crop, the family is now harvesting the fruit of their efforts.
Arelys, a participant in the food production initiatives in Tuchín, has been struck by how people have started to connect with the land around them in a different way. She says, “Families have felt motivated realizing that they can produce food in spaces they already own, and people have seen what positivity can come from moments of crisis.”
Yesneyer from Aipe explains how in her town there is no culture of agriculture and food is generally imported from the countryside. However, FUNDAEC’s online courses have been helping people to look at their land differently. “We have realized the potential for planting seeds in virtually any piece of land where there is soil!”
Slideshow 7 imagesA family in Villa Rica, Cauca, Colombia, is using recycled containers to grow vegetables, herbs, and spices on their terrace. Various garden plants help attract bees and repel pests. They have shared their harvest with four other families and are helping others in their community to start growing plants in their own homes.
In addition to the workshops, FUNDAEC has been producing and distributing a monthly bulletin that connects participants across the country to a growing body of knowledge being generated from the local initiatives.
As part of its ongoing efforts, the organization also contributes to a discourse on agriculture among government officials, academics, and civil society organizations. “It is about opening a dialogue between the farmer who has this deep traditional knowledge and the student of agronomy who brings the best practices of modern science”, says Ms. Stewart. “This dialogue avoids, on the one hand, undue romanticizing about a ‘simpler way’ in the past, and on the other hand, uncritical acceptance of modern technologies. Instead it allows for the building of an alternative system that brings together the profound traditions of the farmer and spiritual principles—being thankful to nature and understanding the impact of one’s relationship with the land for future generations—with the insights and best practices from modern agronomy.”
Slideshow 7 imagesA family in Puerto Tejada, Cauca, Colombia made use of limited space by growing herbs and vegetables in recycled containers hung from a wall.
Over 1,500 people across the country have now become engaged in almost 800 agricultural initiatives facilitated by FUNDAEC since the pandemic. Reflecting on the initial harvests from these initiatives, Ms. Stewart states:
“Harvest time is a very special time. It invites reflection and allows people to appreciate that, just as the plants grow, we also grow in our capacities as people and as a community. Participants are seeing how certain spiritual qualities are essential in this effort. Unity is needed for a quick collective response to a need in times of crisis. Faith is needed to trust that the seeds planted will germinate. Patience is necessary to wait for plants to grow and develop, and to face the small setbacks along the way. Love, perseverance, and diligence are required in order to carry out the daily tasks.
“This period has been a time to be thankful for the ‘generosity’ of the Earth, by caring for it and protecting it.”
EFSA has assessed the risks to human and animal health related to the presence of glycoalkaloids in food and feed, particularly in potatoes and products derived from potatoes.
Glycoalkaloids are naturally occurring compounds found in the Solanaceae family of plants, which includes potatoes, tomatoes and aubergines.
Experts identified a health concern for infants and toddlers, considering both mean and high consumers. Among adults, there is a health concern for high consumers only. Glycoalkaloids poisoning can cause acute gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Based on the latest available knowledge, EFSA derived a lowest observed adverse effect level of 1 milligram per kilogram of body weight per day. This equates to the lowest dose at which undesired effects are observed.
Peeling, boiling and frying can reduce the content of glycoalkaloids in food. For example, peeling potatoes can reduce their content by between 25 and 75%, boiling in water between 5 and 65%, and frying in oil between 20 and 90%.
European Commission Press release Brussels, 11 Aug 2020 As of today, the Commission, on behalf of the EU, has agreed Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) on macro-financial assistance (MFA) programmes with eight partners.
Belarus – Protests broke out overnight in the capital, Minsk, and other cities, ahead of preliminary results announced on Monday, which showed longtime President Alexander Lukashenko had won 80 per cent of the vote, thus securing a sixth term in office.
Thousands were arrested in the protests, which continued for a second night, international media reported on Monday.
Speaking later in the day in New York, UN Spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said the Secretary-General continues to follow the situation “with great concern”.
UN chief António Guterres has urged all relevant parties to avoid actions that would further enflame tensions, and to approach the issues in the spirit of dialogue.
“The Secretary-General calls on the Belarusian authorities to show maximum restraint and to ensure full respect for the rights of freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association”, Mr Dujarric told journalists.
Respect citizens’ rights
“He emphasizes the importance of its citizens exercising their rights peacefully in accordance with the law. The Secretary-General urges all relevant actors to avoid actions that would further enflame tensions and to approach the issues in the spirit of dialogue.”
President Lukashenko, 65, has been in power since 1994 and is Europe’s longest-serving leader.
His main challenger, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, accused the vote of being rigged, and has called on the President to step down, according to media reports.
The 37-year-old teacher and interpreter had no prior political experience before the election. She entered the race in July after her husband, Sergei Tikhanovsky, a popular blogger, was arrested before being able to register as a candidate.
“I know many of you are grieving and that this is a difficult moment for the world”, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Monday, in his latest briefing to journalists.
“We all want to see schools safely reopened but we also need to ensure that students, staff and faculty are safe. The foundation for this is adequate control of #COVID19 transmission at the community”-@DrTedrospic.twitter.com/yXwLQG4hJh
“But I want to be clear, there are green shoots of hope and no matter where a country, a region, a city or a town is – it’s never too late to turn the outbreak around.”
Tedros underlined two elements for addressing the pandemic effectively, namely that “leaders must step up to take action and citizens need to embrace new measures.”
He praised New Zealand as a “global exemplar” in the pandemic. This weekend the country celebrated 100 days with no community transmission of the virus, while Prime Minister Jacinda Adern has also stressed the need to remain cautious.
“Rwanda’s progress is due to a similar combination of strong leadership, universal health coverage, well-supported health workers and clear public health communications”, he added.
The UN’s top official also commended nations in Southeast Asia, the Caribbean and the Pacific, which took early action to suppress the virus.
Countries such as France, Germany, the Republic of Korea, Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom, which faced major outbreaks, also were able to suppress the virus to a significant extent, after taking action.
Strong, precise measures
Throughout the pandemic, WHO has been recommending measures such as rapid case identification, contact tracing, physical distancing, mask wearing, and frequent hand washing.
Tedros said countries facing new spikes of the disease “are now using all the tools at their disposal”.
He cited recent stay-at-home measures implemented in the UK, as well France’s decision on the compulsory use of masks in busy outdoor spaces in Paris.
“Strong and precise measures like these, in combination with utilising every tool at our disposal are key to preventing any resurgence in disease and allowing societies to be reopened safely”, he said. “And even in countries where transmission is intense, it can be brought under control by applying an all of government, all of society response.”
‘Suppress, suppress, suppress’
The WHO chief stressed that virus suppression is crucial for societies to re-open safely, including for students to return to school.
“My message is crystal clear: suppress, suppress, suppress the virus. If we suppress the virus effectively, we can safely open up societies,” he said.
Support to Lebanon
WHO has underlined its support to Lebanon following the devastating explosion last week that destroyed large parts of the capital, Beirut, leaving more than 200 dead according to news reports on Monday, more than 6,000 injured, and hundreds of thousands homeless.
WHO has issued a $76 million appeal for Lebanon, while staff are on the ground working alongside Lebanese and other UN partners to assess the impact on the health sector.
The agency is shipping $1.7 million-worth of personal protective equipment (PPE) items to supplement COVID-19 and humanitarian supplies destroyed by the blast.
“We are also working closely with national health authorities to enhance trauma care, including through the deployment and coordination of qualified emergency medical teams,” Tedros told journalists.
“We’re also mitigating the COVID-19 impact, addressing psychosocial needs and facilitating the rapid restoration of damaged health facilities.”
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“We Can Lift This World While Quarantined”: Scientology and the 2020 Pandemic, Soryte chose this quoted part from a Scientology song that was done specifically for the time of the pandemic as a positive hint towards recovering through the assistance of all.
New religious movements are rarely given credit for their humanitarian work. A case in point is the Church of Scientology during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Opponents used the epidemic as an opportunity to accuse Scientology of spreading conspiracy theories and not respecting anti-virus precautions. [The book can be ordered HERE]
“We can Lift This World while Quarantined”: Scientology and the 2020 Pandemic – by Rosita Soryte, (2020 FoRB.PRESS)
In fact, while interpreting the epidemic through L. Ron Hubbard’s theory of “dangerous environments,”Scientologists rapidly adopted state-of-the-art precautions and distributed millions of booklets teaching how to effectively protect hygiene and use masks, gloves, and disinfectants. Scientology’s Volunteer Ministers organized massive humanitarian activities, which were praised by majors and other authorities in several countries. By doing this, they were persuaded that they were not only helping fellow human beings but moving decisively towards a better, “restored” planet.
Rosita Šorytė, who has a long experience on the problems of humanitarian aid delivered in time of crisis by both governments and international organizations, and NGOs, and has studied in particular how religion-based NGOs operate, explores Scientology’s response to COVID-19 through volunteer services, distribution of literature, disinfection, and the production of musical shows that reached millions, aimed at providing a commodity not less essential than masks or disinfectants, hope.
She criticizes the anti-cult interpretation of these efforts as propaganda or proselytization and shows how they are deeply rooted both in L. Ron Hubbard’s theology and the lifestyle adopted by Scientologists throughout the world.
Rosita Šorytė joined in 1992 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania and worked for 25 years as a diplomat, inter alia at the UNESCO in Paris and the United Nations in New York. In 2011, she served as the representative of the Lithuanian Chairmanship of the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) at the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (Warsaw). In 2012-2013, she chaired the European Union Working Group on Humanitarian Aid on behalf of the Lithuanian pro tempore presidency of the European Union.
She takes a special interest in religious liberty and on refugees escaping their countries due to religious persecution and is co-founder and President of ORLIR, the International Observatory of Religious Liberty of Refugees, as well as a member of the Scientific Committee of FOB, the European Federation for Freedom of Belief. She is also the author of several articles and book chapters on religious liberty and religion-based humanitarian initiatives.
The Congress on Sunday said if the need arises the government should drag China to international dispute resolution fora over the formation of a “very dangerous” artificial lake in Tibet which poses a risk to Arunachal Pradesh.
The opposition party hit out at the government over its response on strategic issues, saying all its talk of nationalism, “56 inch chest” and “red eye”, when it comes to specifics, sounds like “empty slogans and hollow claims”.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi cited the danger from the lake on the Yarlung Tsangpo river in Tibet, the “high number of Chinese troops” in Depsang area in Ladakh and Nepal’s move to claim certain Indian territories, and said the government should come clean on such serious issues and resolve them.
“There is a very dangerous artificial lake which has come into existence in the area above of Arunachal Pradesh, in Tibet, on the Yarlung Tsangpo river,” he said, adding it would not be an exaggeration to call it a potential “water bomb”.
“The slightest crack, fisher or a deliberate sabotage would inundate and flood to the great misery of Arunachal and the entire Siang basin,” Singhvi said.
According to officials, an alert has been sounded all along the Siang river basin in Arunachal Pradesh after the Union Home Ministry in a report informed about the formation of the artificial lake in Tibet.
However, Singhvi said the government needs to do much more on the international diplomatic level.
“If necessary, needs to drag China into international dispute resolution fora. You cannot do things in the upstream part, which will endanger the downstream entities, this is a basic principle of international law, but, nothing is spoken, shared or disclosed by this government,” he claimed.
On Depsang area, he said that while military and dilplomatic talks are being held, “the ground reality is that a minimum of 12,000 and more accurately 17,000, it is believed, Chinese troops, additional and fresh, remain there.”
“There is no pull back. They are apparently of the fourth motorised infantry division of China. Again, what are you (government) doing…. No answer, silence, no conversation, no dialogue, complete trust deficit,” he alleged.
Singhvi said the third example was of Nepal which clearly under the malafide influence of China, at its wrongful bidding, had claimed areas like Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura and in drawn them into its own map.
There is a “huge failure” of diplomacy, communication and trust deficit, he said, attacking the Modi government.
“As Indians, as a responsible party, we don’t care except that we care for India. In which manner you can negotiate, talk, scare, pressurise or otherwise solve is something, which you have to work out, but, solve you must, otherwise these are very serious impending and potentially disastrous national security issues,” Singhvi said.
Col Vinayak Bhat for India Today. Read the original article here.
[REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE] File photo of Three Gorges Dam in China’s Hubei, world’s biggest hydropower project (Photo Credits: AP)
Over a period of 10 years, China has managed to construct three dams on the Brahmaputra river in parts of Tibet close to the Indian border. It plans to construct at least eight more such dams.
China’s rapid pace of dam constructions that includes at least eight new ones on the Brahmaputra River in Tibet has sparked concerns about the Chinese attempting to tame India’s water supply. The proposed dams on the Yarlung Tsangpo river in Tibet are close to the Indian border in Arunachal Pradesh.
In this region, the Chinese have managed to construct three dams within a distance of 24 km on the Brahmaputra River over a period of 10 years. This construction of dams at an unprecedented pace and scale has taken place in Tibet’s Sangri Lokha. Construction of a similar ‘triplet dam’ has been observed on the Nyang river near the town of Nyingchi in Tibet’s Nyingchi county.
Lokha, also known as Shanan lies in the northeast of Bhutan and south of Lhasa while Nyingchi is further east, both bordering Arunachal Pradesh.
Satellite image of Sangri Lokha (Photo Credits: India Today)
In order to find out the aim of these massive construction projects, India Today OSINT team investigated them using Google Earth images.
The ability to control India’s water supply in the hands of the Chinese has always been a legitimate concern. China can use this to cause flash flooding or to divert water that could dry up rivers across India.
Zangmo Dam
A comparative analysis of satellite images of the Zangmo dam shows how its width has increased fourfold from 100 m in 2012 when the construction began to 400 m as seen on August 4, 2020, while the water levels have risen almost 150 m.
Thus, the reservoir which spans across almost 10 km can hold more than 600 mn cubic meters of water, an indication that a massive amount of water is under Chinese control in Tibet.
Satellite image of Zangmo dam on Brahmaputra in Sangri Lokha (Photo Credits: India Today)
However, government sources say these dam constructions are being monitored closely. “It is something that has always been discussed between the two governments closely,” a government official tracking developments in this regard asserted. While claiming that the threat of China using these dams to cause flash flooding or block water to Indian territory is not visible, sources said, “For flash flooding, water has to be accumulated but there has not been anything abnormal that has been noticed.”
Amid the India-China military standoff in eastern Ladakh, Chinese activities including dam constructions along the Indian border are under the scanner once again.
New dams proposed on the Brahmaputra
China has proposed to build at least eight more dams on the Brahmaputra River in Tibet. These dams are to be built within the next 10 years at Bayu, Jiexi, Langta, Dakpa, Nang, Demo, Namcha and Metok towns that do not have more than a hundred households each. This has sparked speculation that the aim of these dams is only to build reservoirs and export electric energy from Tibet to mainland China.
Satellite image of new dams proposed by China in Tibet (Photo Credits: India Today)
Need for shared data on dam construction, water flow
Satellite images very clearly indicate that China is not building a large number of dams on the Brahmaputra River for the benefit of the people of Tibet. The area is scantly populated and electricity demands in the region could be met with a single hydroelectricity project like the Zangmo dam.
The Chinese could also aim to use these dam reservoirs such as the Dagu dam to divert Brahmaputra’s water to dry areas in Xinjiang or Central China. Evidence for such diversions is yet to come to light. However, reports have cited locals talking about it in recent years.
The third and perhaps the most worrying explanation for China storing water at eleven dams on the Brahmaputra River could be to control the water flowing into India.
Experts feel China’s dam construction is a key concern and the Chinese dispensation must be more transparent over the issue. Director of the Kubernein Initiative, Ambika Vishwanath tracks water diplomacy and security across the globe. She feels it is not just the quantity but also the quality of water that should be a matter of concern in the long run.
“There needs to be a closer study on not just the quantity of water flow but also the quality which can be extremely detrimental in the long run. It can have an impact on people’s lives in downstream regions. There are very little information and an understanding of the region. The entire Himalayas is a black hole of data,” Ambika says. She further added, “Scientists, researchers need more access to the areas and require more data to understand short and long term impact to aid in better policymaking.”
Ambika also says that one way of ensuring more transparency is joint initiatives, such as data sharing or construction of dams within joint management of river basins, but that does not seem likely anytime soon. “If there are joint constructions, responsibilities are also shared to safeguard installations on either side,” she points out.
Satellite image of Chinese dams on the Brahmaputra (Photo Credits: India Today)
Use of water supply as a weapon against India?
Blocking India’s water supply even for a few days can lead to rivers drying up across the country.
On the other hand, many feel low lying areas in India will be completely inundated if China suddenly releases all this stored up water, as seen in the case of the Three Gorges dam in Hubei province. A purposeful release of water from all the dams on the Brahmaputra can wreak havoc in India, many feel.
As per Indo-Sino bilateral agreements, China is expected to share data with India during the monsoon in order for the latter to keep track of water levels and prepare for floods.
After Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh, the Brahmaputra River expands to almost 10 km in width. Its width varies from 8 to 10 km in Assam. Bridges in these states are surprisingly smaller than the width of the river. During monsoon every year, the bridges get flooded with their abutments almost always underwater.
Careful monitoring of these dams will provide a 15-day early warning since this is the time it takes for river water to travel from Tibet’s Lokha county to Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh.
Zangmo, Gyatsa, and Dagu
There are three dams on the main Brahmaputra River built in unusually close proximity to each other. These dams are located within a very short distance of 24 km. With only the single village of Gyatsa and its population of barely 150 households, having three dams is unprecedented.
While the Zangmo dam has been commissioned, the Gyatsa dam is complete and awaiting commissioning. The third and largest of the trio, the Dagu dam has been under construction since 2017.
Satellite image of Dagu dam on Brahmaputra (Photo Credits: India Today)
Dagu surprisingly has two inlets and two outlets for water to pass through the mountain despite it being a run of the river hydroelectricity dam. Such dams have electricity generators underground, in an area below the dam, and do not require additional tunnels for water flow.
This has led to doubts supported by rumors that Brahmaputra’s water may be diverted to the dry Xinjiang deserts through underground tunnels using the Dagu dam. Once all three are complete, the triplet dams will be able to collect almost a billion cubic meters of water in their reservoirs.
Pagsum, Langsai and Nyang
The three dams in Nyingchi county are being constructed on a tributary called Nyang that feeds Brahmaputra River. The dams at Pagsum, Langsai, and Nyang are much smaller in size but hold enough water to add to the Brahmaputra River flow.
Land barrier dam
Around October and November of 2018, rumor had it that China had clamped down on the Brahmaputra river and water flow had almost come to a halt. Reports of water being unusually muddy at the time had also come to light. Satellite images revealed much later that a large landslide from the southeastern face of Sodong Ri Mountain had blocked the Brahmaputra almost completely.
International obligations dictate that China must seek permission from downstream countries before constructing any dam upstream on the Brahmaputra river. Despite its bilateral agreements with India, China still does not share any data in this regard.
Although New Delhi is paying a hefty sum of Rs 80 lakhs to Beijing for this data each year, the response India gets from the Chinese every time is the same- water in the Brahmaputra river washed the measuring instruments away.
