Surrounded by Afghan civilians and holding on tightly, human remains found later in the wheel bay of the landing gear after landing in Qatar
Image : A number of Afghan civilians forcibly climbed onto the landing gear of the transport plane, causing someone to fall from a high altitude and died. The US Air Force also stated that human remains were found in the wheel compartment. (Associated Press)
After the Afghan militant group Taliban entered the capital Kabul, many people fled to Hamid Karzai International Airport, where the U.S. Army C-17 was located. When the transport plane was preparing to take off, more people risked their lives to grasp the transport plane wheel frame to escape abroad, and finally fell to the ground and died. When this C-17 transport aircraft arrived at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, it was found to have human remains in the wheel bay of the landing gear. The U.S. Air Force has grounded the aircraft and conducted investigations.
According to comprehensive foreign media reports, the U.S. Air Force stated on Tuesday local time that a C-17 transport plane carrying equipment needed to evacuate civilians landed at Hamid Karzai International Airport on Monday, when the crew was about to unload the plane. The cargo was surrounded and chased by hundreds of Afghan civilians. At the moment, the crew believed that it was impossible to unload the cargo safely, so the C-17 crew decided to leave the airport as soon as possible, began taxiing on the airport runway and tried to take off.
As many Afghan civilians were holding onto the C-17 transport aircraft at the time, the scene was very chaotic. When the C-17 landed at Qadauded Air Force Base on Monday, human remains were found in the wheel compartment of the landing gear.
Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek pointed out in a statement that the Office of Special Investigation (OSI) and the U.S. Air Force Mobility Command are reviewing incidents involving civilian casualties on this C-17 transport aircraft, including inspections of the Internet. Videos and posts circulating. Stefanick emphasized that OSI will thoroughly investigate this to ensure that the Air Force can learn the truth about this tragedy, "Our hearts are with the families of the deceased."
At present, the C-17 has been detained and grounded by the Air Force. Air Force investigators are collecting human remains in the wheel bay for investigation. After the investigation is completed, the C-17 can fly again. "CNN" reported that this C-17 transport plane was not the same as another C-17 transport plane carrying a 640.
News (3)
CCP media threatened Taiwan with changes in Afghanistan, CCP acknowledges itself as the Taliban?
Reporter : Liming / Editor: Lin Qing
Image : On 17 August, 2021, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid (middle) delivered a speech at the first press conference in Kabul. (Hoshang Hashimi/AFP via Getty Images)
Recently, the domestic situation in Afghanistan has changed drastically. After the extremist militant group Taliban occupied Kabul, the Afghan capital, the CCP immediately held a military drill off Taiwan to intimidate Taiwan. CCP media "Global Times" also cooperated with the release of a document, threatening Taiwan’s future will be "Afghanistan's end." This remark was refuted by international public opinion, and some netizens retorted, The CCP has recognized itself as the Taliban?
After the U.S. forces withdrew from Afghanistan, the Taliban immediately launched fierce attacks on major cities and strategic locations in Afghanistan. The Afghan government army has no fighting spirit and retreats steadily, even retreating without a fight in many important cities.
After the Taliban successfully occupied Kabul, the CCP aimed at the opportunity and immediately went into battle with both civil and military intimidation, leading domestic public opinion to accuse the US government of "unreliability" and intensifying its intimidation of Taiwan.
On 17 August 2021, local time, the CCP military held a joint firepower assault exercise in the waters off Taiwan, and publicly claimed that it was aimed at external forces interfering in the situation in the Taiwan Strait and a "response" to the so-called "Taiwan independence forces."
On the same day, the Global Times also cooperated with the CCP military's military exercises and performed another difficult "snap". It published an article entitled "Lessons the Taiwan Authorities Need to Learn from Afghanistan" to further intimidate Taiwan by means of social commentary. .
This editorial stated at the beginning that "the withdrawal of the U.S. troops from Afghanistan led to the rapid destruction of the Kabul regime", and linked the history of the "Vietnam War" and Syria's withdrawal of troops, trumpeted that the United States was "unreliable" and unabashedly told the "DPP authorities" that it should be understood from the incident in Afghanistan that once a full-scale war breaks out in the Taiwan Strait, "the aid of the US army will not come" and "this situation will be certain."
After the publication of the Global Times editorial, it first aroused heated discussion in overseas Chinese circles.
Some overseas Chinese netizens posted, "The determination of Taiwanese to resist the power of the Chinese Communist Party and the determination of Taiwanese soldiers to defend Taiwan’s freedom and democracy can be seen. The Chinese Communist Party media’s comparison between Taiwan and the unscrupulous Afghan government army is pure nonsense. Are Taiwanese people so unaffordable?"
Another netizen posted a comment on the impact of the changes in Afghanistan on Asia. The post said, "What is the impact on Asia? It is positive. The United States is bound to refocus on the Indo-Pacific and invest more in maintaining regional security."
A Taiwanese netizen posted, "The resilience of the Taiwanese people is a hundred times that of Afghanistan. How can it be compared!"
Some netizens posted anti-choking party media, "Comparing Taiwan to the Afghan government army, doesn't the mainland just think of itself as the Taliban? It belongs to the long-term ruling?"
Another netizen followed up in a message and pointed out, "The logic of the CCP is weird", "It seems that the CCP already considers itself to be the Taliban of China. Which social review was written by a pig brain?"
The Epoch Times political commentator Li Muyang analyzed in the "News Insight" program broadcast on the 17th in Asia Pacific time, and pointed out that the editor-in-chief Hu Xijin vigorously promoted that "the United States will abandon Taiwan in a crisis" with two purposes: One is disturb the hearts of the people, make the people of Taiwan feel uneasy, and attack Taiwan’s ruling party and the Tsai Ing-wen government; Second is to sow discord and alienate the relationship between the United States and Taiwan. If there are differences in Taiwan, it will shake whether the United States will protect the Taiwan. The CCP's instigation and divorce succeeded.
Li Muyang said, "Hu (referring to Hu Xijin)'s approach is like wild dogs barking at pedestrians. Taiwanese people don't have to worry about it. If you are in trouble, you are hitting the CCP's conspiracy."
He further analyzed and pointed out that the U.S. ruling and opposition parties have already seen the CCP’s ambitions. Whether it is geopolitical, economic, diplomatic or military, the CCP wants to replace the U.S. as the hegemon. Once the CCP really becomes the world’s leader, the U.S. created it. This international order will be completely subverted, and the world will be in chaos. In such an international context, the US government cannot just let it go.
He said that it is the national interest of the United States to fight against the CCP, and no party in the United States dares to ignore public opinion, and it is one of the rare consensuses of the two parties in the United States to fight hard against the CCP. The geographical location of Taiwan is extremely important. It is on the first island chain of the Anti-Communist Party. Strengthening relations with Taiwan is equivalent to laying the first line of defense around the CCP. Therefore, the security of Taiwan involves not only the national interests of the United States, but also the entire international community. How can the United States abandon Taiwan?
Li Muyang said bluntly, "So I think that Hu Xijin released this statement, it is really a bit of a toad wanting to eat swan meat-wishful thinking, I think it is impossible for Hu Xijin to see this day while he is alive."
Ding Shufan, an honorary professor of National Chengchi University in Taiwan, also pointed out in an interview with Voice of America on 17 August, “From the development of public opinion in the past two days, it can be seen that the situation in Afghanistan has become a weapon for Chinese state media to fight Taiwan.” He said that with his observation the United States will not withdraw from the Asia-Pacific region lightly.
Ding Shufan said, "Because the Asia-Pacific is now the center of gravity of the entire world, whether it is economic or all aspects, or power competition, the United States will not easily withdraw from the Asia-Pacific, which includes Taiwan, and will not easily give up."
News (4)
CCP military engages in aggressive provocation by infringing on US-backed territory
Reporter : Jack Davis, Western Journal
China sent a one-two punch toward Taiwan this week, after a
saber-rattling editorial in its state-run newspaper was followed by a massive
live-fire drill off the coast of the island.
China claims
it is the rightful owner of Taiwan, which became the refuge of the nationalist
government of China after the Communist revolution of 1949.
The
United States has bent to China’s will by not having formal diplomatic
relations with Taiwan, but it has consistently supported Taiwan with
arms sales to ensure the island remains independent.
On Tuesday, China said “warships, anti-submarine aircraft and
fighter jets had been dispatched close to Taiwan to carry out ‘joint fire
assault and other drills using actual troops,'” according to Reuters.
The People’s
Liberation Army issued a statement saying the U.S. and Taiwan had
“repeatedly provoked and sent serious wrong signals, severely infringed upon
China’s sovereignty, and severely undermined the peace and stability of the
Taiwan strait, which has become the biggest source of security risks across the
Taiwan strait,” according to The
Guardian.
“This exercise … is a solemn response to external interference and
provocations by Taiwan independence forces,” the statement said.
Reuters,
quoting an unnamed source described as a “senior official familiar with
Taiwan’s security planning,” said China carried out a “capturing air supremacy”
drill.
“In addition to seeking air supremacy over Taiwan, they have also
been conducting frequent electronic reconnaissance and electronic interference
operations,” the source told Reuters.
Reuters
said that its source believes China’s end game is to “paralyze reinforcing
aircraft including F-35s in a war.”
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said 11 Chinese aircraft trespassed into
Taiwan’s air defense zone in a region between Taiwan and the Pratas Islands in
the South China Sea, “including two nuclear-capable H-6K bombers and six J-16
fighters,” Reuters reported.
The
drills followed a bit of psychological warfare in which the state-run Global Times saw
China use the debacle of Afghanistan as a way to sow doubts about America’s
willingness to stand by Taiwan.
“Taiwan is the region that relies on the protection of the US the
most in Asia, and the island’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities
have made Taiwan go further and further down this abnormal path. The situation
in Afghanistan suddenly saw a radical change after the country was abandoned by
the US. And Washington just left despite the worsening situation in Kabul. Is
this some kind of omen of Taiwan’s future fate?” the editorial said.
The editorial continued Chinese rhetoric that has painted a war to gobble
Taiwan as inevitable.
“Once a cross-Straits war breaks out while the mainland seizes the
island with forces, the US would have to have a much greater determination than
it had for Afghanistan, Syria, and Vietnam if it wants to interfere. A military
intervention of the US will be a move to change the status quo in the Taiwan
Straits, and this will make Washington pay a huge price rather than earn
profit,” the Global Times wrote.
The editorial said Taiwan’s leaders “need to change their course
of bonding themselves to the anti-Chinese mainland chariot of the US. They
should keep cross-Straits peace with political means, rather than acting as
strategic pawns of the US and bear the bitter fruits of a war.”
News (4)
Without the KMT, there would be no Taiwan today? Zhu Lilun was criticized
Image : The Kuomintang chairman candidate Zhu Lilun wrote today (17th) that "without the Kuomintang in 1949, there would be no Taiwan today." (Data photo)
The situation in Afghanistan is turbulent, and many people think of Taiwan's situation. In this regard, Zhu Lilun, who registered to run for the chairmanship of the Kuomintang, wrote an article on 17 August saying, "Without the Kuomintang in 1949, there would be no Taiwan today." A tragic end, after the article PO was published, he was bombarded by a large number of netizens.
Zhu Lilun said today, "Without the Kuomintang in 1949, there would be no Taiwan today. Without the Kuomintang and the National Army in those days who bravely resisted the CCP's aggression, Taiwan was taken by the Communist Party a long time ago. How could there be today's democratic prosperity?" Netizens commented that "Without Taiwan and Penghu, the Republic of China regime has long become a floating corpse on the sea", "When you have never been a soldier? Isn't it the Whampoa legacy of your party that tramples on the dignity of the national army?
In this regard, Zhu Youxun also stated in his Facebook PO post, "Your party came in 1945, don't omit 4 years by yourself. Are you afraid to remember what you did in 1947?" Zhu Youxun also said, if you want to talk about it. "If not," he can also talk about literary things.
If there was no Kuomintang, the genius writer Zhu Dianren, who was known as the "Kiriner" during the Japanese Occupation, would not have been shot at Taipei Main Station; if there was no Kuomintang, he would be known as "Taiwan's No. 1 Talent," who could write novels and scripts. Lu Heruo, who can sing and act in vocal music, would not die in the Lukushan area; if there was no Kuomintang, he would write in Japanese during the Japanese Occupation, and Long Yingzong, who won the Tokyo Literary Prize, would not have been rude by the Kuomintang. Language policy, and was cut off the road of writing.
Without the Kuomintang, Zhang Wenhuan, the literary leader at the end of the Japanese Occupation, could still continue to write, instead of switching to the hotel industry silently because of the language policy; without the Kuomintang, Yang Kui, a staunchly anti-Japanese writer, would not be detained for an article. Two years and decades of obscurity.
Without the Kuomintang, Ye Shitao, who had appeared in the literary world as a genius at the end of the Japanese rule, would not have been imprisoned for three years because of his schooling, and then would have to spend more than ten years of displacement before reluctantly returning to the literary world. Without the Kuomintang, Zhang Liangdian and Li Zhangrui, colleagues of the Windmill Poetry Society who had introduced "modernism" as early as the 1930s, would not have been killed one by one.
Zhu Youxun was finally sour, "What if? I can talk about it until tomorrow morning." He said that if these things are too complicated to be digested, then you only need to think about it a little bit. This is the most feared in the Kuomintang's heart, but it is I dare not admit it. "If there was no Taiwan, where would your Kuomintang be now?"
Image : The writer Zhu Youxun (pictured) counted and pointed out that without the Kuomintang, Taiwanese literary talents would not have had a tragic end. After the article was published, it was approved by a large number of netizens. (Extracted from Zhu Youxun Facebook)
News (5)
The Kuomintang "benefits" Taiwan? Lin Jingyi refutes Zhu Lilun, netizens applaud
Zhu Lilun, the candidate for chairman of the Kuomintang, said on 17 August that "there is no Kuomintang in 1949, and there is no Taiwan today." Regarding this, Lin Jingyi, a former non-district legislator and physician of the DPP, said that it was more correct to change the original sentence to "there is no KMT, there is no current Taiwanese identity disorder and international isolation." This has aroused heated discussions among netizens.
Zhu Lilun posted on Facebook today, saying, "Without the Kuomintang in 1949, there would be no Taiwan today, and without the Kuomintang and the national army fighting against the CCP's aggression back then, Taiwan was taken by the Communist Party a long time ago. How could there be today's democratic prosperity?" Zhu Lilun attributed the development of democracy in Taiwan today to the advent of the Kuomintang.
In response to this, Lin Jingyi posted on Facebook today, changing the original sentence of Zhu Lilun’s original sentence "There is no Taiwan today" to "There is no such thing as Taiwan’s identity disorder and international isolation today", and shouted with a smile, "Help you change it. This is more correct."
Zhu Lilun’s speech aroused heated discussions among netizens. Some netizens said, “If there were no Kuomintang in 1949, Taiwan would be better today!” “Taiwan’s current situation is really brought about by the Chinese Party in 1949. This is an extension of the civil war between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party. "", "I won't be unable to enter the United Nations now"; some netizens believe that Zhu Lilun's speech is "Which pot can't be opened...", "If you lose, you still dare to talk ==", "The old man's mentality will always talk about the past. It’s true that young people look at the future, and it depends on how the future can make Taiwan better."
Image : Lin Jingyi commented that it was more correct to change Zhu Lilun's original sentence to "there is no current Taiwanese identity disorder and international isolation", which aroused heated discussions among netizens. (The picture is taken from Facebook_Physician Lin Jingyi)
News (6)
Zhu Lilun statement "there would be no Taiwan without the Kuomintang" was maddened by netizens
Image : Zhu Lilun said that without the Kuomintang in 1949, there would be no Taiwan today, and it was bombarded by netizens. (Picture taken from Facebook)
The political situation in Afghanistan has changed recently. Some people recall the Kuomintang government retreat from the mainland to Taiwan in 1949. In response to this, Zhu Lilun, the candidate for chairman of the Kuomintang, wrote an article on 17 August to emphasize that "without the Kuomintang in 1949, there would be no Taiwan today." However, this remark was sour by netizens.
Zhu Lilun wrote on Facebook, "Without the Kuomintang in 1949, there would be no Taiwan today, and without the Kuomintang and the Nationalist forces fighting against the CCP's aggression back then, Taiwan was taken by the Communist Party a long time ago. How could there be today's democratic prosperity?" He criticized the DPP for playing lip service to "anti-China and defending Taiwan," on the other hand, trampling on the dignity of the national army during the pension reform. "Of course we do not want Taiwan to become Afghanistan, but this depends on Taiwan's self-reliance, and our own peace must be guarded by ourselves. Not relying on anyone else."
However, Zhu Lilun’s remarks were met with sorrowful sarcasm by many netizens, "Without Taiwan and Penghu, the Republic of China regime has long been a floating corpse on the sea", "When everyone has never been a soldier? Is it expensive to trample on the dignity of the national army? Is the party’s Whampoa legacy and the retreat generals?", "Don’t defeat the Communist Party in 1949, and you won’t have the troubles of today. The descendants of the defeated soldiers dare to speak up.", "Anti-Communist in 1949, and pro-Communist in 2021", "Then please go back, Taiwan will be better.", "But the Kuomintang generals all went straight to clap their hands to the CCP and listen to the CCP's advice."
News (7)
Afghanistan is like the Kuomintang in 1949? Zhu Lilun's anti-acid DPP: First look at yourself in 2008
Reporter : Lin Liangsheng
Image : Zhu Lilun (middle) criticized that the DPP’s inability to govern the country likes to drag the Kuomintang for a day or two. Now it’s not enough "Ma Weila". Is it necessary to pull "Jiang Weila" out for rescue? (Data photo)
Afghanistan has changed. The Kuomintang people compare Afghanistan to Taiwan. The DPP satirizes people reminiscent of the Kuomintang in 1949. The Kuomintang chairman candidate Zhu Lilun criticized today (17th) that the DPP is incapable of ruling the country. It has not been a day or two to drag the KMT. Now it’s not enough "Maweila". Is it necessary to pull "Jiang Weila" out for rescue?
Zhu Lilun criticized the Democratic Progressive Party on Facebook, "Time does not need to go back so long. If you want to compare, there is a closer example. Before 2008 in Taiwan, there was a "trouble maker" that caused headaches and spurned by the international community. That party was called the Democratic Progressive Party. Today there is a corrupt president in Afghanistan, and the plane was full of cash when he fled. Taiwan also had a president who is world-renowned for corruption. The political party is also the Democratic Progressive Party. If the DPP has time to mock the Kuomintang in 1949, it is better to look at itself in 2008."
Zhu Lilun believes that without the Kuomintang of 1949, there would be no Taiwan today, and without the Kuomintang and the national army fighting against the Chinese Communist aggression, Taiwan had been taken by the Communist Party a long time ago. How could there be today's democratic prosperity?
Zhu Lilun criticized that the DPP said that the 823 artillery battle was a war between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party. It has nothing to do with the DPP and does not need to be commemorated. The first half of this sentence is correct, because the DPP’s resistance to China is always limited to using the mouth and the keyboard. The Kuomintang people defend Taiwan and the Republic of China with their blood and body. "I don't know what qualifications the DPP members have today to criticize the national army that fought the Communists on the front line?"
He said that on the one hand, the Democratic Progressive Party was playing lip service to "anti-China and defending Taiwan," on the other hand, it trampled on the dignity of the national army during the pension reform period. DPP legislators once said that the national army is greedy and veterans are national evildoers. Too many DPP political figures humiliate the national army with words. The DPP keeps saying "anti-China and defending Taiwan," but it continues to destroy the sense of glory that should have been given to the national army. If the two sides of the strait really start a war, will it ultimately rely on the broomstick of the Executive Yuan Su Zhenchang?
Zhu Lilun said that of course he does not want Taiwan to become Afghanistan, but this depends on Taiwan's self-reliance, and its own peace must be guarded by itself, not on anyone else.
News (8)
The Green Camp says Afghanistan is like a 1949 copy. The Kuomintang: Gaining political benefits by twisting history
Reporter : Shi Xiaoguang
Image : The KMT criticized that the DPP was still indulging in past history and used biased and misleading historical interpretations to conduct political operations. It is lamented that DPP politicians did not pay attention to the impact of changes in international relations on the safety of the people of Taiwan and wanted to get political benefits by distorting history. The picture shows the Afghan people waiting to flee before the French embassy. (AFP)
The Legislative Yuan’s DPP group pointed out that today’s Afghanistan is reminiscent of China in 1949. The KMT responded that the DPP’s imagination is speechless, and the current world situation should be used as a reference for Taiwan’s future response. However, the DPP is still indulging in past history and using biased and misleading historical interpretations to conduct political operations. It is lamentable that DPP politicians did not pay much attention to the impact of changes in international relations on the safety of the people of Taiwan, and just wanted to get political benefits by distorting history.
The Kuomintang pointed out that in 1949, the national army sacrificed tragically, such as Huang Baitao, Qiu Qingquan and others, leaving behind memorable deeds. After retreating to Taiwan, there were also the "823 Artillery Battle" and other heroic deeds of soldiers and civilians united in resisting the Communist army. Defending Afghanistan, to compare the civil war between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party at that time, was not only nondescript, but also insulted the soldiers and the people of the national army who participated in the war and sacrificed at that time.
The Kuomintang stated that after the government moved to Taiwan in 1949, the Kuomintang demonstrated its strong will to defend Taiwan, Penghu, Jinma, and the spirit of sacrifice of the national army and soldiers. They have won the firm support of the United States with victories. The United Nations and the United States broke off diplomatic ties but the Kuomintang in power at that time made every effort to defend Taiwan’s security, develop Taiwan’s economy, and deepen Taiwan’s democracy, so that the Republic of China could still be deeply rooted and developed in Taiwan despite the unfavorable international situation at the time.
The Kuomintang emphasized that the DPP government should conduct a comprehensive assessment and preventive actions as to whether the current changes in the political situation in Afghanistan will affect Taiwan, rather than indulging in the DPP legislators to use this to discredit and criticize the political struggle and no respect for the national army soldiers who guard the country and the people.
News (9)
Taiwan may become the next Afghanistan? Su Zhifen angrily criticizes Zhao Shaokang: The metaphor is unjust and inexplicable
Image : Su Zhifen emphasized that "Taiwan is not the next Afghanistan that Zhao Shaokang said." (The picture is taken from Zhao Shaokang's Facebook)
The Afghan militant organization Taliban took further control of the capital, Kabul on 17 August, after conquering the city and plundering land for several days. According to the outside world, it was said that Afghanistan is Taiwan’s lesson learned; the Democratic Progressive Party established Wei Su Zhifen disapproved Zhao Shaokang for raging and spreading the words "the United States is not credible", and wanted to describe Taiwan as the next Afghanistan. This is really unjust and inexplicable.
"Afghanistan's enlightenment." Su Zhifen said on Facebook that the biggest international event in recent days was that the Afghan "Taliban" forces entered the capital Kabul and regained power. This matter deserves Taiwan’s attention, but some blue campers, especially Zhao Shaokang, a media person who claims to be a "knowledge blue", has spread the words that "the United States is not credible" and wants to describe Taiwan as the next South Vietnam and the next Afghanistan. This is really unjust and inexplicable.
Su Zhifen said that Afghanistan is an ancient civilization. The ancient Greek Alexander the Great marched east, and the Chinese Tang Dynasty Master Xuanzang went west to learn from this place. As the meeting place of the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent, modern powers from the British Empire, the Soviet Union, and the United States have all been here wrestling for power. However, the complex national structure (more than half of the largest ethnic group Pashtuns), the tribal society of the Middle Ages, and the lack of socio-economic construction have caused difficulties in the governance of Afghanistan, which is why it is called the "cemetery of the empire."
Su Zhifen believes that Taiwan should pay attention to Afghanistan, because the world's powers are still ganging up here, affecting the global situation including Taiwan, and as human beings, we should also observe whether the Taliban abides by its promises and "changes the past violations such as depriving feminist rights, hiding of Al-Qaeda organizations, and blowing up the World Cultural Heritage Bamiyan Buddha."
"Taiwan is not the next Afghanistan that Zhao Shaokang said." Su Zhifen emphasized that the reason why the United States has different parties and three presidents are actively planning to deploy troops in Afghanistan because after 20 years of comprehensive assistance, the Afghan government should be able to govern itself. Instead, the country is continuing to rely on foreign aid, "Taiwan not only has a functioning government, but also continues to develop its economy. What is the intention of talking about Taiwan as Afghanistan?"
Image : Su Zhifen (pictured) is angry with Zhao Shaokang statement "the United States is not credible" and for describing Taiwan as the next Afghanistan. This is really unjust and inexplicable. (Data photo)
News (10)
Executive President Su Zhenchang on the exile of the Afghan President and the lessons from Afghanistan: Taiwanese must strengthen their national beliefs and protect Taiwan by themselves
Reporter : Lin Yichang / Image : Su Zhenchang in Chiayi (Photo by Lin Yizhang, LTN)
Executive President Su Zhenchang visited Chiayi County on 17 August 2021. The media asked the President's views on the exile of the Afghan President. Su Zhenchang said that during the KMT’s authoritarian rule, "we are not afraid of being killed and imprisoned during martial law." Taiwan opens the door to democracy. Today, a powerful country wants to annex Taiwan by force. "We are also not afraid of being killed and imprisoned. We must guard this country." It is not like some people who always dominate the enemy's prestige and reduce their aspirations.
Su Zhenchang said that from the lessons of Afghanistan, it is all internal chaos, and there is no way for the outside to help. Taiwanese must strengthen their national beliefs and protect this land by themselves. No one can attack or swallow it. Only good friends who help themselves and who want to help can have the opportunity and time to help.
Therefore, President Tsai has taken office and attaches great importance to the interaction between Taiwan and democratic countries with the same philosophy. Countries such as the United States and Japan have repeatedly expressed their concern for Taiwan and the Taiwan Strait. Pay attention to peace. If virtue is not alone, there must be neighbours, and Taiwanese will resolutely guard Taiwan.
"We will definitely adhere to Taiwan’s land with all the people of Taiwan," Su Zhenchang said, "Don’t have civil strife, don’t think that Taiwan seems to be chaotic, or that Taiwan is easy to be eaten, and slander yourself. I hope everyone will unite, just like we are united to fight the epidemic. When the pandemic is severe, the epidemic can be stabilized in just 90 days, and the number of confirmed cases is only single digits. This is the miracle of the second successful epidemic prevention. Taiwanese people are united in this way. If you are in chaos, you will also tell foreign forces that want to invade Taiwan, so don't be delusional."
News (11)
Zhao Shaokang compares Taiwan to Afghanistan? The former diplomat analyzes two different criticisms: Extremely absurd
After the U.S. military withdrew from Afghanistan, which had been working for 20 years, the Afghan government was quickly overthrown by Taliban, and the banner of Kabul changed hands. Media person Zhao Shaokang believes that Afghanistan may become a lesson for Taiwan. In this regard, Liu Shijie, a former diplomat and current director of the International Department of Power of the Times, pointed out that comparing Taiwan with Afghanistan is a horrible and ridiculous thing.
Liu Shijie put forward two conceptual analyses on Facebook today. The first is "indispensability." Liu Shijie said that from the Trump era to the Biden era, he emphasized that "the United States will always be the supremacy of national interests." For Taiwan, "How does Taiwan-US relations conform to the national interests of the United States?" In a word, Taiwan must replenish its indispensability in the strategic interests of the United States, such as the chip industry, such as Taiwan’s first island chain, strategic location, Taiwan’s moral high ground for universal values such as democracy and human rights. "To put it bluntly, Taiwan has to work hard so that when the United States discusses whether to defend Taiwan, there is almost no second possibility."
Liu Shijie said, everyone can think about it, is Afghanistan indispensable to the United States? It is not that Afghanistan is not important, but that the Republican and Democratic parties of the United States cannot find a sufficient reason to persuade the people of their own country for the continued presence of the US military in Afghanistan. Therefore, the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan is inevitable. This is because the option of "continuing troops" is not in the best interests of the United States, whether militarily or financially. Of course, it is possible to criticize the embarrassment of the withdrawal of troops. However, the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan is indeed in line with the current US interests and is also the consensus of the two parties in the United States.
Second, good governance. Liu Shijie pointed out that his own government has to pay a lot of responsibility for the reason why Afghanistan has fallen to the present situation. The United States spent more than NT$2 trillion, but a lot of the money was thrown away and wasted. The Afghan government army is corrupt.
The lack of good governance in the Afghan government is one of the main reasons why the United States finally decided to give up.
Liu Shijie said that Taiwan is completely different from Afghanistan. Even though the opposition parties have criticized the ruling party’s governance and many are justified, Taiwan’s government governance efficiency is generally highly praised by the international community. When almost every foreign guest visits Taiwan, he will comment on it. Taiwan’s government governance has left a good impression. Also because of good governance, the United States, regardless of party affiliation, always supports one-sidedly when it comes to dealing with Taiwan.
Finally, Liu Shijie said that many people say that "Heaven helps self-help." This sentence itself is not wrong, but it is too romantic. He believes that continuing to make Taiwan better and stronger, whether it is industrial, economic, trade, cultural, military, etc., "interaction with Taiwan is a good business."
News (12)
Trump piles on the criticism of Biden over Afghanistan and says the chaos in Kabul made "Vietnam look like child's play"
Reporter : Morgan Phillips and Elizabeth Elkind, Daily Mail
Donald Trump tore into Joe Biden again for the chaos unfolding in Afghanistan, saying it made the fall of Saigon 'look like child's play.'
'What took place yesterday in Afghanistan made our withdrawal from Vietnam look like child’s play. Perhaps in World history, there has never been a withdrawal operation that has been handled so disastrously,' the former president wrote in an emailed statement.
'A President who has been illegitimately elected has brought great shame, in many ways, to our Country!'
Trump has been heavily critical of Biden's withdrawal, though his Biden has said he was following his predecessor's peace deal with the Taliban.
'The outcome in Afghanistan, including the withdrawal, would have been totally different if the Trump Administration had been in charge. Who or what will Joe Biden surrender to next? Someone should ask him, if they can find him,' the ex-president suggested on Monday.
'He surrendered to the Taliban, who has quickly overtaken Afghanistan and destroyed confidence in American power and influence,' Trump compared.
A second statement criticized Biden for not evacuating civilians sooner.
Another one read, 'Afghanistan is the most embarrassing military outcome in the history of the United States. It didn’t have to be that way!'
Biden has said his hands were tied by Trump's February 2020 deal with the Taliban, a deal which left out the Afghani government and promised US troops would withdraw if only the Taliban agreed not to attack US forces or harbor terrorists like al-Qaeda.
The Taliban deal was meant to set the stage for a second peace deal, between the Taliban and the Kabul government. Kabul was unhappy with some aspects of the deal, including freeing 5000 Taliban prisoners amid fears they would simply return to the battlefield.
Biden extended Trump's initial May 1st deadline for a full military withdrawal, which the former president also criticized at the time.
Trump has insisted it is not the withdrawal he takes issue with but Biden's strategy for withdrawing.
Trump sent out another statement Monday morning hitting at Biden for 'taking out our military' before Afghan allies and other civilians were evacuated.
'Can anyone even imagine taking out our Military before evacuating civilians and others who have been good to our Country and who should be allowed to seek refuge? In addition, these people left topflight and highly sophisticated equipment. Who can believe such incompetence?,' he in the follow up before again comparing Biden's administration to his own.
'Under my Administration, all civilians and equipment would have been removed,' Trump said.
Ref: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9901727/Trump-says-chaos-Kabul-Vietnam-look-like-childs-play.html
News (13)
The money is so much that the plane can't fit on the runway, the Afghan president fled to the country exposed
Image : President of Afghanistan Ghani claimed to avoid the capital from falling into the flames of war and fleeing. Now his whereabouts are unknown. Some sources broke the news that the Ghani is now in Oman. (Reuters)
The extremist organization Taliban invaded the Afghan capital Kabul and announced the establishment of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The Afghan government has collapsed. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani claimed to avoid the capital from fleeing due to war. His whereabouts are now unknown. Some sources broke the news that he is now in Oman, a Middle Eastern country.
According to the Russian Satellite Network, after the Taliban invaded Kabul on the 15th, Afghan President Ghani announced his resignation as the presidency, saying that he made a "difficult choice" to avoid a large number of bloody conflicts. After he fled, his journey to which country became the focus of attention of the outside world. It was once reported that he was flying to Afghanistan’s northern neighbor, Tajikistan, but Tajikistan refused to carry the Afghan President’s plane to land and diverted it to Oman.
The source revealed, "According to my information, the president is now in Oman." He also bluntly said that the Omani government will definitely deny that Jani is likely to go to the United States in the future.
Regarding the way Ghani left, the press secretary of the Russian embassy in Kabul described it as follows, "The way Ghani escaped from Afghanistan can best explain the collapse of the Afghan government. Jani and his party took four cars full of money to the airport. They tried to put some of the money in a helicopter, but the helicopter cannot hold everything, and they eventually left some money on the runway.
News (14)
Taliban open fire on crowds outside Kabul airstrip
Source : Daily Mail
Western nationals trying to flee Kabul have described being crushed and groped during a stampede of Afghans held at Taliban checkpoints outside the airstrip providing evacuation flights as Afghanistan is taken over by the Islamist terror group.
Armed militants have surrounded the capital's airport and seized control of all access points, meaning they they can decide who stays and who leaves the Middle Eastern state as the Taliban plunge Afghanistan back into what locals and many Western governments fear will be Islamic tyranny.
Ex-Royal Marine commando Paul 'Pen' Farthing described how his wife and pregnant employee, from whom he has been separated, had been "crushed, groped and pushed" by crowds outside the airport - and had been denied entry by British and US troops stationed there.
In videos posted to Facebook, Farthing said they are now in a secure British location, but furiously urged Boris Johnson to "get his s**t together" and slammed "snake" Joe Biden's "absolutely disgusting" withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan following the 20-year Western intervention.
He also took fire at the British troops who allegedly prevented his wife from entering Kabul airport, adding, "They should not be wearing the beret of Her Majesty's British forces if they're not prepared to open that gate for a pregnant woman."
One female student also described how she feared she would be crushed to death by panicking crowds at Kabul airport. Speaking to MailOnline, Aisha Ahmad - who studies in the capital - said: 'People had heard that the Americans were letting people onto the aircraft to get them out of the country.
"I didn't believe it at first, but then I went to the airport and saw that people had been allowed onto the tarmac without any checks, so I thought maybe it was true.
"There were thousands of people inside the airport. Then at one point we were all pushed back by the Taliban police to get us out of the airport and women and children were trampled under people's feet.
"I couldn't breathe in the crush and I really thought I was going to die. My feet are all swollen and covered in bruises. We thought there was a flight going to Germany which we might get on, but in the end they only took German nationals on board."
She added, "From what I can see in the media, the situation inside the perimeter has calmed down a bit, but that has just transferred the problem outside onto the streets. People are so desperate."
Aisha has received "serious threats" from Islamists after changing her Twitter profile image to one of ex-law student Breshna Musazai, who was shot twice by the Taliban in 2016 but survived the assassination attempt and who works with an NGO to help girls receive an education.
She also that Kabul was like a "ghost town" since the Taliban had arrived and most shops were closed as traders worried about the worsening security situation and the possibility of looters.
"People are very conflicted about the future and what kind of Taliban we are facing now. Some think they've changed, and others are not so sure. I personally believe they will be softer for a few months, and then after that they will be the same Taliban of old," Aisha said.
"We're also uncertain about how women will be treated. In some provinces they've told women not to come to work, but we don't know if that's temporary. Whether they will start punishing men for shaving their beard and women for not wearing the hijab, no-one really knows.
"I have lost all hope and I don't think it will be an easy path for Afghan women. My mother used to tell me stories about what the Taliban did and now I fear it will all come true like a bad dream."
Farthing said on Facebook, "If I hear on the radio or the TV one more time that the airport is secure, its not - absolutely not. And for them to try to be evacuated and have to be groped, pushed and crushed to get to the gate and then refused by the British soldiers and the American soldiers on the other side to open it - all those soldiers need to grow a pair.
"Boris Johnson, you get your s**t together. I am absolutely furious. They are now out on the streets of Kabul at night trying to get back here. This is a complete cluster. This is the biggest cluster, and if they get injured or hurt, I am holding you 1000 per cent responsible.
"We will not be leaving, if they get here safely, we will not be leaving here again until that airport is secured and you can get into it. Don't you dare send another expat or any of these innocent Afghans to that airport to try to get them in through the thousands, the thousands of desperate people that are trying to get in there.
"You have not got a grip on this, your military does not have a grip of this.
"Boris Johnson and his government and the Americans, and that absolute snake Joe Biden, you are responsible for this, absolutely responsible. Saying you have no regrets about withdrawal? You have totally f**ked this up."
Streams of people, some clutching immigration documents, have been queuing under the guns of armed Taliban as Apache helicopters buzzed through the air. However, military chiefs have admitted that people wanting to be evacuated will be relying on terrorists letting them through.
At least 12 military flights took off from Kabul Airport today, including three UK planes as the Ministry of Defence aims to ferry up to 7,000 Britons and Afghan allies out of the country. Most are heading to other stable parts of the Middle East, where the passengers catch charter flights back to Britain. A British student who took a holiday to Afghanistan before being trapped by the Taliban takeover today shared a video from inside a military plane as he landed in Dubai after being evacuated to safety.
Some 370 UK embassy staff and British nationals were flown out by the RAF on Sunday and Monday, adding to the 289 Afghan nationals transported last week. A further 350 Britons and Afghans should be taken out of the country in the next 24 hours - but the pace will need to be stepped up dramatically if those at highest risk are to get to safety.
There are at least 56,000 people who need evacuating from Afghanistan - including some 22,000 flying on US special immigrant visas, 4,000 British nationals, 10,000 refugees that Germany has said it will accept, and 20,000 bound for Canada. In reality, that number is likely to be far higher once diplomatic staff from dozens of countries which had relations with Afghanistan's former government are taken into account.
The US said it may issue up 80,000 special immigrant visas to those who helped with combat operations and are likely to face revenge attacks from the Taliban, while 7,500 troops currently guarding the airport - including 6,000 Americans and smaller numbers of British, Turkish and Australians - will also need to leave.
At least 6,000 people have already managed to flee the country on evacuation flights that began on Sunday, with a dozen departing on Tuesday - most of them flying to neighbouring Middle Eastern countries before continuing their journeys west.
Spain, France and India confirmed their diplomatic staff were evacuated on Tuesday. Russia and Indonesia said their embassies will be partially evacuated, while the EU mission said staff including its ambassador Andreas Von Brandt are still in the country and will need to leave.
Mr Johnson hopes to convene a meeting of G7 world leaders at the 'earliest opportunity' as he looks to co-ordinate the international response, as Mr Raab said the UK would have to work with 'challenging' partners on how to deal with the Taliban.
It comes as the Taliban held its first press conference on Tuesday as the regime's co-founder and political chief Mullah Baradar arrived in Kandahar province after 20 years of exile, confirming their grip on power.
During the briefing, a spokesman claimed women would not be persecuted under their Islamist regime - though fears remain of a return to the Taliban's war on women in the 1990s, when female Afghans were beaten in the streets, publicly executed, and denied work or education.
News (15)
Afghanistan today and Taiwan tomorrow? US Security Advisor: A solid commitment to Taiwan
Image : Central News Agency
The United States withdraws its troops from Afghanistan. Some people worry that Taiwan and other allies may also be abandoned. U.S. National Security Adviser Sullivan refuted it today (18 August 2021), emphasizing that the United States had shed blood and tears for Afghanistan for 20 years, and that Afghanistan and Taiwan are different, and the U.S. commitment to Taiwan is as strong as ever.
The United States will withdraw its troops from Afghanistan before the end of August, ending the 20-year war. Before the withdrawal deadline, Afghanistan fell into the hands of the Taliban militia organization on the 15th. A large number of people flooded into the Kabul airport. Some even tried to escape from the Taliban by climbing a US transport plane that was about to take off. Unfortunately, they fell in the air and shocked the international community.
The U.S. withdrawal decision also made some people question the reliability of U.S. commitments. Taiwan began to hear the voice of "Afghanistan today, Taiwan tomorrow." Hu Xijin, the editor-in-chief of the Chinese state media Global Times, also tweeted on 16 August to ridicule that Taiwan should not expect the United States to protect them, but should "purchase the five-star flag from the mainland" to protect itself, attempting to shake Taiwan-US relations.
In the face of doubts, Jake Sullivan said at a media briefing today that the United States has dedicated 20 years of blood, tears and resources to Afghanistan, providing all necessary training and equipment so that they can stand up and fight for themselves. The United States will always tell the Afghan people at some point that you must stand up and defend yourself.
In addition, Sullivan reminded the outside world that the United States said in 2011 that it would withdraw its troops in 2014, but then stayed for another 7 years, far exceeding the promise made more than 10 years ago. He pointed out that President Joe Biden is focused on achieving the core national security goals of the United States. In the face of Afghanistan, the goal is to reduce the threat of Al-Qaeda and capture the leader Osama bin Laden. This goal has been achieved.
Therefore, Biden believes that it is time for the US military to go home. As for whether the United States is likely to withdraw its troops from South Korea and other allied countries, Sullivan said that Biden had no intention of withdrawing troops in South Korea or Europe. The US military faced a long-term military presence not in civil war, but to protect allies against potential foreign enemies. This is similar to the situation in Afghanistan. There are fundamental differences.
Sullivan said that the United States believes that its commitment to its allies and partners is sacrosanct, and has always been so. "We also believe that our commitment to Taiwan and Israel is as solid as ever." He also emphasized that the situation in Afghanistan and Taiwan are different, but because the conversation was interrupted by the media on the spot, he did not give any further explanation.
An unnamed senior U.S. official added to the Central News Agency after the meeting that Afghanistan and Taiwan are completely different.
The U.S. mission in Afghanistan is to deal with the terrorists who launched the 9/11 attacks. After the mission is completed, the U.S. remains stationed in Afghanistan for many years.
The U.S. foreign policy towards Taiwan focuses on peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
Source : Central News Agency
News (16)
Study: Dogs, racoons known to be carrying coronaviruses found sold at Wuhan wet markets in the 2010s
Editor : Mary Kekatos, Daily Mail
A new study that remained unpublished for more than a year found that animals known to be carrying coronaviruses were sold at local wet markets in the 2010s.
Researchers from the Chinese government's Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation, the University of Oxford in the UK and the University of British Columbia in Canada collected data from several markets in Wuhan and photographs from the Huanan seafood market.
Published in the journal Scientific Reports, the study found that several species including civets, dogs, minks, raccoons and more - infected with different types of coronaviruses - were sold for years, reported Bloomberg.
For the past several months, there has been back-and-forth speculation about the origins of COVID-19 and whether it came from wild animals or was manufactured in and accidentally escaped from a laboratory.
The findings seem to support scientists' original theory, which is that the virus occurred in nature before it jumped to humans.
The study was originally conceived as a way to study the origins of a tick-borne illness that had sickened hundreds in China's Hubei province years earlier, according to Bloomberg.
Lead author Dr Xiao Xiao, a virologist at the Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation, collected data from four markets in Wuhan between May 2017 and November 2019.
When doctors began to report in January 2020 that a mysterious pneumonia-like disease was sweeping through Wuhan, Xiao collaborated with other scientists and began combing through his data.
They found that more than 47,000 transactions of 38 species of wild live animals - including mammals, birds and reptiles - during the two-and-a-half year period.
The animals, which were sold for food and as pets, were kept in poor hygiene conditions and were infected with a range of zoonotic diseases, which are infectious diseases that jump from a non-human animal to humans.
Among the disease include influenza, rabies and several coronaviruses including those that originate in birds and in fowl.
One of the infected animals, a masked palm civet, is a species linked to the 2003 outbreak outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), a cousin of the new virus.
The team put together a manuscript and sent the report to a journal in February 2020, but it was rejected, reported Bloomberg.
"We'd imagined that the journal we sent it to would say, 'Fantastic! Of course we want these data out as quickly as we can. The World Health Organization would be absolutely thrilled to receive this information'," co-author Dr Chris Newman of the University of Oxford, told the news website.
"[The journal] did not think [the study] would have widespread appeal."
Newman said the study provided solid evidence that live animals were being sold as food at the center of the outbreak and should have been published in the early days of the pandemic.
Several early reports, including a team from Beijing and WHO researchers sent to China, seem to imply the outbreak originated from the Wuhan market.
However, the Chinese government switched gears in summer 2020, denying that wet markets exist in China and that the virus originated from wild animals being sold there.
"SARS-CoV-2 could not have possibly evolved in an animal market in a big city and even less likely in a laboratory,” researchers from the Chinese Academy of Science wrote in a paper released in July, first reported by Bloomberg.
The Communist Party has since implied that the virus originated from Europe or even the United states.
In the paper, Xiao and his colleagues wrote that in the markets he visited, at least 30 percent of the animals had injuries consistent with gunshot wounds or traps, implying they had been caught in the wild.
None of the 17 shops within the four markets displayed an origin certificate or quarantine certificate, "so all wildlife trade was fundamentally illegal", the paper wrote.
Perhaps, most importantly, seven of the shops were linked to some of the earliest every documented COVID-19 infections, including workers at the Huanan market, reported Bloomberg.
The researchers say they revised the manuscript twice and sent it to a journal, but it was rejected.
The manuscript was revised again and sent to Scientific Reports in October 2020
Springer Nature, which publishes the journal, sent a copy to the WHO, but to a generic email address regarding unpublished research that went unexamined, according to Bloomberg.
A copy was also sent to Maria Van Kerkhove, COVID-19 technical lead for the WHO, but she missed the original email and never received a follow-up.
Since then, a report from The Wall Street Journal, citing a previously undisclosed U.S. intelligence report, detailed how three researchers from China's Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) sought hospital care in November 2019, months before China disclosed the COVID-19 pandemic,
The newspaper said the report - which provides fresh details on the number of researchers affected, the timing of their illnesses, and their hospital visits - may add weight to calls for a broader probe of whether the COVID-19 virus could have escaped from the laboratory.
In late May, President Joe Biden ordered a 90-day review in to the origins of COVID-19, which is set to be published later this month.
News (17)
Hong Kong Airport Cathay Pacific VIP lounge staff diagnosed positive, difficult to track 3000 close-contacts
Image : Central News Agency
Hong Kong health authorities yesterday notified a new local confirmed covid case, a female employee of the VIP lounge of Cathay Pacific at Hong Kong International Airport. It was determined that she was infected by transit passengers. However, in the past week, about 3,000 people used the VIP lounge. Officials admitted that it is difficult to trace the source of the infection. According to the Hong Kong media's position news and Sing Tao Daily, Hong Kong has achieved "zero local diagnoses" for 11 consecutive days, and Zhang Zhujun, director of the Infectious Diseases Division of the Hong Kong Center for Health Protection, notified a new local confirmed case. She pointed out that the patient was a 47-year-old woman who was an employee of the "Huayutang" Cathay Pacific Lounge at the airport. She was responsible for delivering meals to the guests. She last went to work on 14 August.
Due to the regular testing at the airport, the patient tested negative on 30 July, 5 August and 9 August.
Zhang Zhujun pointed out that the patient originally planned to go to a private clinic to get vaccinated on 15 August. When she told the doctor that she had a mild cough in the past month, the doctor advised the patient to take a lung film examination first. The patient tested positive for two subsequent tests and was admitted to the hospital. She had a slight fever from time to time and was treated immediately in the hospital.
Zhang Zhujun pointed out that the patient had the L452R variant virus in his body, which is of the Delta type after analysis by the University of Science and Technology, and was undergoing genetic analysis of the source of infection. She further said that since the epidemic in Hong Kong is not serious, people departing from Hong Kong must be tested for the virus.
It is believed that transit passengers have a greater chance of infection. However, about 3,000 people have used Cathay Pacific VIP lounge services in the past week. So, it is difficult to trace the source of the infection.
According to reports, after the female employee tested positive yesterday, the residential building where she lived was subjected to a "closed area" compulsory testing at night of 17 August. As a result, about 1,600 residents were undiagnosed. (Central News Agency)
News (18) to (21) / Editor : Connor Boyd, Daily Mail
News (18)
End of PCR tests? Researchers develop accurate alternative that gives results in just 10 minutes
A new covi test said to be quicker than a lateral flow and as accurate as a PCR could be rolled out in just three months.
Experts from the University of Birmingham claim they have developed a swab-analysing device that gives an on-the-spot result in as little as three minutes.
Rapid lateral flow tests are currently the fastest on the market, giving a diagnosis in under half an hour, but they are less reliable and cannot be used for foreign travel.
A study of the new test – known as RTF-EXPAR – found its accuracy was "equivalent" to PCR, producing the correct result more than nine in ten times.
In a timed trial, the device spotted covi in eight minutes compared to the 42 minutes it took for a PCR to detect the virus in the same sample.
In reality, a PCR test takes a full day on average to deliver a result because of the time it takes for the sample to be sent to a lab for analysis.
The new method sees a throat and nose swab sample inserted into a machine that scours for the virus' genetic material and amplifies it many times over. It is carried out by a trained professional.
One of the researchers behind the test said it would be "ideally suited" to airports and could be rolled out in three to six months with commercial backing.
While the exact cost has not been disclosed, they have promised it will be "much cheaper" than a PCR test.
The development comes amid ongoing controversy about the extortionate expense of PCR tests required for travellers coming to the UK.
PCR tests typically cost around £65 but some private clinics are charging around £200.
News (19)
Costs of PCR testing to be reduced in the UK
Health Secretary Sajid Javid has acknowledged that the cost of PCR testing can be "a barrier" to people wanting to travel and said consumers and families need to be protected from "exploitative practices".
An internal review of the pricing and standards of service from test providers was announced at the weekend.
On Friday, the Department of Health said the cost of NHS Test and Trace tests for international arrivals would be reduced – going down from £88 to £68 for travellers coming from green list countries, or those arriving from amber list countries who are fully vaccinated.
The cost for people arriving from amber list countries who are not double jabbed was reduced from £170 to £136 for two tests.
News (20)
Birmingham varsity test using EXPAR to detect covi to be reviewed
The University of Birmingham test uses a process known as the exponential amplification reaction (EXPAR) method to detect the virus.
It would need to be reviewed by health officials before being authorised for widespread use in the UK, like lateral flow and PCR tests have been.
Tim Dafforn, professor of biotechnology at the university's School of Biosciences, said, "The simplicity and speed of this new test means that it is ideally suited to environments where a rapid answer is required close to need, like airports and entertainment venues.
"The test works with existing instrumentation, meaning that it could conceivably be deployed in these areas in three to six months with some commercial backing."
At low levels of covi, results were detected in around 8 minutes and 45 seconds, while at high concentrations the detection time was just three minutes and eight second, the researchers said.
News (21)
Birmingham varsity has filed patent application for RTF-EXPAR for near-patient testing
Professor Andrew Beggs, from the Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences at the university, who also worked on the study published in PNAS, said their test should be "much cheaper" than laboratory-based tests and added that they would like to see it rolled out 'as soon as possible'.
He added, "The analysis showed RTF-EXPAR's sensitivity is equivalent to quantitative PCR testing, with a positive predictive value of 89 per cent, and a negative predictive value of 93 per cent."
The full results will be published "in the near future", he said.
Professor Beggs added, "The university has filed a patent application and is talking to commercial partners who would bring the test to market. We'd like to see it rolled out as soon as possible.
"The test is suitable for near-patient testing, so should be much cheaper than laboratory-based tests".
Ref: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9902087/End-PCR-tests-Researchers-develop-alternative-say-just-accurate-faster.html
News (22)
Taliban killed woman for not wearing a burqa
Source : Daily Mail
A woman in Afghanistan was shot dead by the Taliban for not wearing a burqa, hours after they promised to respect the rights of women - provided they respect Sharia law.
The woman was killed in the district of Taloqan, in the northern province of Takhar, 230 miles north of Kabul.
She was pictured on Tuesday lying in a pool of blood as her parents and others crouched around her, Fox News reported.
A pitcher of water was on the ground nearby.
On Tuesday the Taliban claimed that Afghan women will not be persecuted under their Islamic rule, during their first press conference since their sweeping conquest of Kabul.
The Islamists were attacking crowds with whips, leaving women and children bloodied and in tears as they tried to get to Kabul airport and flee.
The Taliban then opened fire to drive the masses back from the site.
Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman, claimed 'there is a huge difference between us and the Taliban of 20 years ago', when female Afghans were beaten in the street or publicly executed, denied work, healthcare and an education, and barred from leaving home without a male chaperone.
The Taliban has also said women will have to wear hijabs but not burkas - despite Tuesday's killing in the north.
News (23)
North Carolina billboard mocks Biden, shows Joe earing ice cream during bungled Afghanistan withdrawal
Reporter : Tom Pappert, National File
Image : A digital billboard in
Wilmington, North Carolina appears to have either been hacked or purchased for
the purpose of showing a manipulated image of Joe Biden eating ice cream with a
bewildered facial expression while the last U.S. helicopter leaves Afghanistan.
According to multiple
reports, the image of Biden eating ice cream while Afghanistan burns is on a
billboard at the corner of Racine and Eastwood Avenue, near a series of
restaurants, hotels, and outlet stores. Another image appears to be an older, viral
image of Biden looking through the White House blinds during the Biden
administration, presumably alluding to Biden’s elusive weekend spent ignoring
the media as the Taliban secured control of Afghanistan.
The billboard is near
the busy Market Street and Eastwood Road intersection, which local media reported sees more than 65,000 vehicles drive through it
per day, making it the second busiest intersection in the city of more than
120,000 people.
The billboard quickly went viral on Twitter, with users
expressing humorous reactions to the new billboard. Some users believed the
billboard to be hacked, while others assumed it was purchased for the purpose
of mocking Biden and his disastrous withdrawal that led to Afghanistan becoming
entirely controlled by the Taliban for what appears to be the first time in
modern history.
Ref: https://nationalfile.com/breaking-north-carolina-billboard-mocks-biden-shows-joe-eating-ice-cream-during-bungled-afghanistan-withdrawal-reports/
News (24)
The least willing round! MVC appointments are closed this afternoon. 200,000 people "disappeared", new appointments open for age group range 20 to 35 years old
Reporters : Ye Weichen, Wu Liangyi
The COVID-19 publicly funded vaccine booking platform has opened to qualified people to make appointments for MVC-COV1901 since 16 August. 400,000 people made appointments, but another 200,000 qualified people disappeared. Command center spokesperson Zhuang Renxiang said that if the quota is not full, it will be opened to younger age groups.
According to statistics from the command centre, as of 5 pm on 17 August, of the 605,000 qualified for appointment, only 398,000 completed the appointment, accounting for only 65.84% of the qualified for appointment. When the platform opened for MVC reservations on 16 August, there was a big crash.
Compared with the statistics of the previous day before the deadline, the third round of AstraZeneca (AZ) reservations was even more enthusiastic as much as 80.4%, and the fourth round was also AZ, which was a slight decrease of 73.5%. As for the fifth round, Moderna was a limited ethnic group. The most enthusiastic, as high as 83.5%, is indeed the lowest in the sixth round of vaccine enthusiasm.
The command centre recently announced that the sixth round of the covi vaccine is MVC COVID-19 Vaccine (MVC-COV1901), which can provide 600,000 doses, including elderly people over 65 years old, people aged 20 to 64 years old (inclusive), and people aged 36 to 64 years old (inclusive) can make appointments.
Except for a traffic jam on the first day when the appointment system was opened on 16 August, the follow-up was smooth. The entire appointment schedule will end at 12 noon of 18 August 2021 today.
Image : Command centre spokesperson Zhuang Renxiang
Zhuang Renxiang, a spokesperson for the command centre, said yesterday that if the number of appointments is not full, in the future it will not be ruled out that the population under the age of 35 will be vaccinated.
Command Centre: Open for MVC vaccination for 20 to 35-year-olds. Appointment starts at 4 pm
The sixth round of vaccination against Wuhan pneumonia (covid, COVID-19) is about to begin. The "COVID-19 Public Vaccine Reservation Platform" has opened MVC COVID-19 Vaccine (MVC-COV1901) reservations since 10 am on the 16th. As of 12 pm of 18 August, a total of about 419,000 people have completed the appointments. The vaccination will be launched from 23 to 29 August 2021.
The command center announced on 18 August that in order to facilitate the effective use of vaccine resources, it will increase the opening of "Registration before 12 o'clock on 13 August for 20 to 35 years old" from 4 pm of 18 August to 12 pm of 20 August (inclusive), that is, people born before 23 August 2001 (inclusive)" make appointments. It is estimated that there are about 298,000 people.
The command centre explained that those who meet the above-mentioned appointment vaccination qualifications can make an appointment during the open appointment period, and will receive reminders after the open appointment. Please remember to make an appointment. The additional open targets are also scheduled to be launched from 23 to 29 August, and the vaccination sessions will be adjusted according to the vaccine supply schedule. People are urged to go for vaccination on time.
The command center reminded that those eligible for appointments announced last time (from 10 am on 16 August to 12 pm on 18 August) include "seniors over 65 years old" and "9th category objects from 20 to 64 years old" and "people aged 36 to 64", according to the original appointment time, the appointment and modification have been stopped at 12 pm on 18 August; only the above will be open from 4 pm on 18 August to 12 pm on 20 August to make appointments.
Image : Taiwan reports 6 local and 5 inbound covid cases on 18 August 2021 and announces MVC-COV1901 vaccination appointments are open to age group range 20 to 35 years old (Image courtesy of the Anti-epidemic Command Centre)
Refs: news.tvbs.com.tw/life/1567485, https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/life/breakingnews/3642344, news.tvbs.com.tw/life/1567744
News (25)
The Japanese food industry prohibits employees from eating natto for breakfast! The Japanese Embassy reveals the "supper bizarre" reason
Image : However, the Japanese food industry has the practice of prohibiting employees from eating natto for breakfast, which makes many people quite puzzled. In response, the Japan Taiwan Exchange Association also revealed the truth behind such regulations. (Reuters)
Japan's representative fermented food, natto, has extremely high nutritional value and affordable prices. However, the Japanese food industry has the practice of prohibiting employees from eating natto for breakfast, which makes many people quite puzzled. In this regard, the Japan Taiwan Exchange Association also revealed the truth behind such regulations, which surprised netizens.
Japan Taiwan Exchange Association pointed out on Facebook on the 16th that in Japan, some food companies will ban employees from eating natto for breakfast, especially fermented food factories such as wine and soy sauce.
However, the reason for this requirement is not because of the "unique smell" of natto, but the "natto bacteria" and "nattokinase" in natto have strong fecundity and tolerance. Even if factory employees wear masks, it is difficult to protect natto. The bacteria will continue to multiply in places invisible to the naked eye.
If the natto bacteria accidentally fall into the food and cause it to deteriorate, the entire batch will have to be discarded, and the entire factory will be shut down to clean up the entire factory. In addition to mobilizing the staff, it will also cause huge losses to the factory.
The post caused netizens to be surprised and cried out "It's so interesting to share, I like to listen to Japanese culture like this." Netizens also share their favorite ways to eat natto, "I like to eat with chopped green onions, it's delicious", "Natto mix" Hot rice... delicious!", "Natto with raw egg yolk is the best thing to mix with", "General natto can be mixed with mayonnaise, but first-timers recommend black bean natto", "Natto + Korean kimchi is healthy and delicious", "Natto" ＋Ice cream = super delicious", "I like sweet and sour Taiwanese kimchi, which tastes right", "Natto cold okra, delicious!".
Ref: https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/breakingnews/3641428
News (26) to (29) / Publisher : Yokogawa View / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/21/8/17/n13169267.htm
News (26)
Afghanistan's changing sky overnight: the strategic and tactical success or failure of the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan
1. As the Taliban entered Kabul, the Afghan president fled, and the power was transferred. The 20-year US involvement in the war in Afghanistan officially ended. On February 29, 2020, the Trump administration and the Taliban reached an agreement. The Taliban Guaranteed not to use Afghanistan as a base for terrorist activities against the United States and agreed to negotiate with the government. The United States will withdraw its troops within 14 months, that is, 5-31. This agreement does not involve the Afghan government.
Biden continued the withdrawal plan and announced a delay, and finally decided to withdraw all on August 31, that is, the end of the war in Afghanistan on the American side. Since the international forces began to withdraw from Afghanistan in May, the Taliban stepped up their offensive. On August 6, they captured the first provincial capital. By the 15th, they occupied the Presidential Palace in just 9 days. The government forces hardly made any meaningful resistance.
There are several reasons for the withdrawal of troops. 1) The original intention of the war was to destroy Al Qaeda, not to transform Afghanistan. The mission has already been completed; 2) The United States consumed too much in Afghanistan, 2 trillion US dollars, and 3,500 allied troops died. Two-thirds are the US military, and 3) Afghanistan does not have much direct interests with the United States in terms of geopolitics, culture, and other aspects.
Biden's reasons for withdrawal at the press conference were all correct. The question is, how to withdraw is what he needs to answer. The level of embarrassment this time is no less than the chaos of the Saigon retreat. It can be said to be a disaster. Few people ask why the troops were withdrawn, but almost everyone questioned why it was withdrawn like this. Even the "New York Times" couldn't help criticizing Biden.
Trump’s withdrawal from the Middle East is quite decent, 1) eliminating ISIS, 2) reaching the Abraham agreement, and 3) eliminating all parties’ attempts to profit from chaos.
Although the withdrawal of the former Soviet Union from Afghanistan was also a major strategic failure, the withdrawal was tactically successful and was carried out in accordance with the Soviet plan. At least it saved face during the withdrawal.
The withdrawal of the United States from Afghanistan does not represent the decline of the United States, but the method of withdrawal is an obvious reminder.
News (27)
The Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Afghanistan War, the lessons of the United States
2. Recall that the United States, as the head of the free world after World War II, has never stopped local wars. Undoubtedly, the most powerful military country has participated in at least the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Middle East (Gulf War). , Iraq War, Afghanistan War, etc.).
In these wars, the United States has won almost every battle and battle, but lost the entire war. The ability to withstand losses in prolonged wars and casualties is not comparable to that of opponents.
The concept of victory is different when fighting an extremist political-religious organization or regime. The United States has to bear various restraints such as domestic public opinion, public opinion, and Congress. The North Vietnam, the Chinese Communist Party, and the Taliban today do not need it. During the Sino-Vietnamese border war, the casualties suffered by the CCP army, according to the concept of modern warfare, cannot be mentioned as victory.
The Chinese Civil War: Strictly speaking, this is completely different from the subsequent wars in terms of US intervention. As early as the Anti-Japanese War, the United States had a good impression of the CCP because of the observation group stationed in Yan'an. During the Civil War, the United States mainly played a mediating role and did not support it. The state government has not been involved in the war.
In the Korean War, the CCP propagated that the United States had suffered a disastrous defeat, but it actually depends on the goal of the war. The short-term goal was to prevent North Korea’s aggression. In the end, North Korea and the CCP’s goal of reunifying North Korea was not achieved and saved South Korea. It should be said that North Korea and the CCP lost. However, in the long run, the North Korean communist regime has been left behind and has been causing trouble to the world. This is a failure of the United States, but it is not a military failure but a failure of political decision-making. The United States has no incentive to change other countries' systems. The restrictions on the power of commanders and the withdrawal of General MacArthur during the Korean War were typical.
The Vietnam War was a hot battle in the Cold War. One side was South Vietnam and the United States, and the other was North Vietnam and China and the Soviet Union. More than one hundred thousand Chinese soldiers participated in the war to help defend North Vietnam and enable North Vietnam to fight in South Vietnam without any worries. The so-called gradual escalation strategy actually adopted by the United States is to shrink its hands. Taking the offensive of the Lunar New Year in 1968 as an example, the Viet Cong suffered heavy losses, but it became fully offensive after a few months. Because the weapons and equipment were supplemented by the Soviet Union, the casualties were also high. Quickly add.
In fact, the United States has known the ending of the sand table during the war. If the North Vietnam crosses the 17-degree line to invade, the United States will have a single army to stop it. North Vietnam’s population base and high birth rate, 400,000 people reach the age of service each year, and as long as 100,000 troops are invested in South Vietnam each year, the American war machine can be completely ineffective. The United States still has a domestic anti-war issue. After the offensive of the Chinese New Year, the domestic anti-war forces in the United States have increased day by day, which is also an important factor in the U.S.'s final withdrawal from Vietnam.
Comparing the three wars, the national army, the South Korean army and the South Vietnamese army were quite capable of fighting. The Chinese army was the most capable of fighting. It alone fought the CCP, which received complete Northeast Army personnel and equipment and received the full support of the Soviet Union.
News (28)
The embodiment of U.S. long-term global strategy in Afghanistan
3. The common point of these wars is that the United States rarely has long-term strategic goals and plans to achieve goals. I see a saying that the British colonial policy (for good or bad) is relatively successful, and the countries of the Commonwealth are generally relatively stable. However, the United States is generally an international police force. Whenever something goes wrong, it will be beaten. Once it goes beyond this category and reaches the historical, cultural and religious level, it will basically be defeated. It is easy to support a regime, but difficult to maintain.
The problem in Afghanistan is very typical. This is a poor landlocked country. Historical religious, cultural and tribal factors are difficult for outsiders to change. It is not unreasonable to be called an imperial cemetery. The former Soviet Union was almost dragged down in Afghanistan. It may not be accidental that the withdrawal time and the disintegration of the Soviet Union were only less than three years away.
In comparison, I think that the Afghan government forces are less aware of sacrifices for the regime than the national army, South Korea and South Vietnam soldiers. The targets of combat are compatriots, and their religious and cultural identity is higher. The corruption of the government has further dampened morale. Maybe this This is one of the reasons why the government forces hardly resisted this time.
News (29)
Taiwan will not repeat the mistakes of Afghanistan
4. Taiwan issue
After Afghanistan changed its days, the CCP issued verbal threats in addition to "Ring Time". The military announced on the 17th that it would conduct military exercises in the waters near Taiwan. The threat of "Ring Time" was not for the Chinese, but for the United States. English: Taiwan Once a war breaks out, Taiwan’s defense will collapse within a few hours, and the United States needs more courage than to intervene in Afghanistan, Syria, and Vietnam (the United States will not help Taiwan). The result is that the DPP will surrender soon.
At the same time, for some unknown reason, the U.S. congressman stated that 30,000 U.S. troops have been stationed in Taiwan. This possibility was unlikely, because 30,000 troops stationed in today's information society, there are so many satellites in the sky to watch, it is impossible not to know.
However, the actual situation is not what "Ring Times" imagined. Taiwan and Afghanistan are completely incomparable. What we are talking about here are the fundamental interests of the United States. From a theoretical point of view, there should be no party issues.
1) The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in the Middle East was originally intended to free up its hands to deal with the threat of the CCP and concentrate its forces on the Indo-Pacific region. Trump once said that those areas have been fighting for hundreds of years. It is true that the U.S. does not need to use its power. where to put it.
2) Taiwan is the center of the first island chain in the Pacific. The Pacific is directly related to the domestic security of the United States. The United States faces two oceans. The Atlantic Ocean is mainly European allies, and the problem is not big. Here is the most powerful one at present. There is no retreat for the CCP in hand.
3) The most important thing is that Taiwan is a democratic government. After the fall of Hong Kong, it was the front line of the free world against the totalitarian regime of the CCP. Moreover, the Republic of China is a traditional ally of the United States, with a history and a foundation of domestic laws. The people of Taiwan have already chosen Democracy, with the country’s army, elected president and officials, Taiwan, from the people to the army, has the will and determination to defend Taiwan, which is completely incomparable with Afghanistan. Afghanistan as a whole is difficult to say whether it chose the government, and the government army is hard to say is the national army, because the history is too short, and even the self-awareness has not yet formed.
4) In terms of tactics, the CCP’s best guerrilla warfare, the tactics of encircling cities in the countryside and even sacrificing its own soldiers are useful in South Vietnam and Afghanistan, but they are not effective in the Taiwan Strait.
News (30)
First batch of emergency supplies delivered to Haiti
Source : Taipei Times / Image courtesy: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan)
On 17 August 2021, Taiwan delivered a
first batch of emergency supplies to Haiti to help its Caribbean ally deal with
the aftermath of a powerful magnitude 7.2 earthquake that devastated the
country on Saturday.
The supplies included oxygen concentrators, personal protective
gear, masks, sleeping bags and food, as requested by the Haitian government,
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, adding that they would be distributed to
earthquake victims by Taiwan’s embassy in Haiti once they arrive.
The two nations are in talks about a second distribution, it
said.
The government has donated US$500,000 in relief funds to help
Haiti, and 50 rescue personnel, a search-and-rescue dog, and 5 tonnes of
equipment, including devices capable of identifying survivors buried under rubble,
could be sent to the country, it added.
Local media reported that an air force C-130 transport aircraft
is ready if needed.
Ministry of National Defense spokesman Major General Shih
Shun-wen （史順文） said
Taiwan’s armed forces are ready to offer “all necessary assistance” to Haiti if
requested, without elaborating.
Local media said that following a strong earthquake in Haiti in
2001, a C-130 loaded with emergency supplies flew to the US, where the cargo
was unloaded and shipped to Haiti by sea.
Ref: https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/focus/breakingnews/3641771
News (31)
The first press conference in Kabul, Taliban urges women to return to school and work
Image : Taliban spokesman Mujahid said at a press conference on the 17th that "Kabul's security and peace are their top priorities," and he also gave an explanation on issues such as women's rights that are of concern to the outside world. (Associated Press)
Taliban held the first press conference after entering Kabul on 17 August. The spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid not only emphasized that “Kabul’s security and peace is their top priority”, but also explain the issues concerning women's rights and interests that are of concern to the outside world.
According to foreign reports, Mujahid said that their current priority is to maintain law and order in Kabul. Taliban have faced many legal challenges after entering the capital, and many unscrupulous elements have tried to breed troubles. Mujahid emphasized that no one, including diplomats from various countries in Kabul, will be threatened. "This country has been liberated, and Taliban do not want to establish any internal or external enemies."
Mujahid also stated that the Taliban fighters have been instructed not to hurt anyone, knock on any doors unless necessary, or stop randomly. Taliban is still working on the establishment of government agencies and hopes to be on track soon.
In response to the concerns of women’s rights and interests, Mujahid stated that women can work in schools, hospitals and other places, and promised that they recognize all the "rights granted to women by Islam" and that women can work in accordance with Islamic laws.
In terms of media activities, Mujahid also stated that Taliban is committed to establishing an independent and free media but media activities must not have any behavior that violates Islamic values and Afghan values.
News (32)
First talk
about Afghanistan! Tsai Ing-wen exposed Taiwan’s "only option": Not
relying on others for protection
Editor : Tsai Ming-gen / Image : From Tsai Ing-wen Facebook
The Taliban
regained control of Afghanistan and announced the establishment of the Islamic
Emirate of Afghanistan. Regarding the changes in the local situation, President
and DPP Chairman Tsai Ing-wen told the DPP’s regular meeting today (18 August)
that Taiwan’s only option is to make herself stronger, unite and defend herself
firmly. She also clearly emphasized that “I don’t act and rely on the
protection of others. It’s not our option!”
According to
the report, Tsai Ing-wen said that Taiwan’s only option is to be stronger, more
united, and more determined to defend ourselves. She said, "We must also
make our existence meaningful, and our persistence in the value of democracy
and freedom is indispensable to the collective security and prosperity of the
international community", and we must work together with partners who
share common values, interests and cooperation, "It is not our option if
we do not act by ourselves, and only rely on the protection of others."
Relying on
temporary goodwill or charity from people who have no value as a foundation and
who do not give up the use of force in Taiwan is not one of the options. Tsai
Ing-wen emphasized that relying only on the protection of others is not an option
for Taiwan.
She also
mentioned that in a few days it will be the 63rd anniversary of the Battle of
823 Kinmen. 63 years ago, in order to defend their homeland, the people of
Taiwan, regardless of whether they came first, and the military and civilians,
finally repelled the threat. This battle was a victory. It is the best proof.
Finally, Tsai
Ing-wen emphasized that "In the face of various challenges and threats, if
this generation of us did not work hard to lay a solid foundation for Taiwan’s
security, freedom and democracy and chose to give up, we would be sorry to
generations of Taiwanese. "As a Taiwanese, as a member of the Democratic
Progressive Party, this is the task of this era, and we all work hard together.”
Ref: news.tvbs.com.tw/politics/1567819
News (33)
WHO is “extremely concerned” about the crisis in Afghanistan
The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that it is "extremely concerned" about the "changing security and humanitarian situation" in Afghanistan and called for "respect and support" for health workers.
“@WHOEMRO (Eastern Mediterranean Office of the World Health Organization) is very concerned about the changing security and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan,” the agency wrote on Twitter on Monday. "We express our sincere condolences to the families of innocent civilians who lost their lives."
The agency pointed out that "the situation is rapidly deteriorating."
"We call on all parties to the conflict to abide by international humanitarian law and human rights law," another tweet said. "The results of the past two decades are irreversible. In this challenging period, the provision of basic health services must be maintained, and health workers must be respected and supported."
On Tuesday, a WHO spokesperson told Reuters that the WHO is also concerned about the spread of covid in the region and how the Taliban’s power will hinder efforts to deliver medical supplies and support to the region.
Earlier this summer, the US Embassy in Kabul issued a health alert warning that hospitals are facing shortages of oxygen, beds and other supplies for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients.
The WHO reported that as of 11 August 2021, Afghanistan had received more than 1.8 million doses of covi vaccine. In July, there was a sharp increase in new cases in the country. Although extensive testing has not been conducted, the number of true infections may be higher than the reported 152,300 confirmed cases.
News (34)
NIH director admits school mask order is not based on data
Image : The Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Francis Collins stated on 17 August 2021 that the youngest students in the United States are encouraged to wear masks in schools out of fear of possible closure of schools, not based on covid data on the impact on children’s health. The picture shows the data photo of NIH Director Collins. (Sarah Silbiger/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), said on Tuesday that the youngest students in the United States are encouraged to wear masks in schools more out of concerns about possible school closures than out of covid data on children's health effects.
In an interview with the American radio station "The Hugh Hewitt Show", Collins talked about the school mask mandate. When the host Hewitt asked about the recent federal recommendation that children from kindergarten to third grade should wear masks, Collins said that although children infected with COVID-19 are rare, students who do not wear masks may cause covid outbreaks in schools, forcing children to return to distance learning.
"If they don't wear masks in the classroom, you know what will happen. (The epidemic) will break out," Collins said. "What will happen then? The children are going home again. This is a terrible result."
Hewitt asked if there are data showing that children in grades K-3 "are at greater risk of being hospitalized or developing serious illnesses because of their masks removed."
"I hope we have those data," Collins replied.
"You are just worried, but you just said that there is no data," Hewitt said, "so you are guessing."
In the latest version of the school reopening guidelines, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that students, faculty, staff, teachers, and K-12 school visitors aged 2 years and older, regardless of their vaccination status, should be “comprehensive” wear a mask" because "the Delta variant that is spreading and highly contagious".
News (35)
American Chinese pharmacist arrested for selling vaccine cards online
Image : A Chinese pharmacist in Illinois, who sold covi vaccination cards on eBay, was charged and arrested by the U.S. Department of Justice. The picture shows the vaccination card produced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)
U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) officials said they accused a Chinese pharmacist in Illinois of selling covi vaccination cards on eBay.
The Department of Justice said in a press release on Tuesday (17 August) that the 34-year-old Tangtang Zhao was suspected of selling 125 copies of the CDC for approximately $10 each vaccine card. Zhao is accused of selling these vaccination cards to about 11 different buyers.
According to officials, Zhao is a licensed pharmacist in Chicago who obtained a vaccine card at his workplace. He was charged with 12 counts of theft of government property.
The special agent in charge of the FBI, Emmerson Buie Jr., said in the arrest statement, “The deliberate sale of COVID vaccination cards to unvaccinated people has caused serious problems for millions of Americans. Risk of injury or death. Putting such a small price on our national security is not only an insult to those who have done their best to stop COVID-19 but also a federal crime with serious consequences. ."
The authorities added that the case is still under investigation. The press release said that if Zhao was convicted, he could face up to 120 years in prison.
United States Department of Health and Human Services (Department of Health and Human Services) agent Lamont Pugh III (Lamont Pugh III) said, "Stealing and selling covi vaccination card is unforgivable. Will not be tolerated. Fraudsters who engage in this illegal act undermine efforts to respond to the pandemic and profit at the expense of the public. The health and safety of the public is our top priority, and we encourage people to take care of their medical management and obtain a vaccination card from the institution."
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Polite Jr. added that the Department of Justice is taking action against all actions that “facilitate mistrust around the vaccine and vaccination situation”, adding that the Department of Justice is “committed to protecting the United States. The people are protected from these crimes in this country’s emergency.”
In recent weeks, as several cities in New York City and California announced that they will implement mandatory covi vaccination, online sales of forged vaccine cards have surged.
Last weekend, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York State Democrat, called on the federal government to crack down on fake vaccination cards. He said it is illegal to buy or sell these cards.
A few days ago, Border Patrol agents in Memphis, Tennessee, seized a batch of fake CDC vaccine cards from Shenzhen, China and sent to New Orleans.
According to local reports, Zhao appeared for the first time in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on 17 August. The Ministry of Justice did not provide other details about his arrest.
News (36)
Lawyer: The detained citizen journalist is in poor health
Image : Zhang Zhan insisted on a hunger strike in prison, insisting that she was not guilty. (The Epoch Times)
Mainland citizen journalist Zhang Zhan was sentenced to four years in prison for reporting on the covid pandemic. According to her lawyer, she has been on a long-term hunger strike and is in poor health.
According to a message sent by Zhang Zhan’s mother to a group on mainland social media, Zhang Zhan was hospitalized on 31 July and now weighs less than 40 kilograms (90 pounds). Peng Yonghe, the lawyer who spoke with Zhang's mother about the visit, said that the authorities notified her family that she was in poor health and told them to come to prison.
Her parents and brother went to Shanghai on 2 August but were only allowed to talk to her on the phone.
"We only hope that she can be released because she is on a hunger strike, which is really worrying." Lawyer Peng said.
Jane Wang, a Humanitarian China activist based in the United States and founded by dissident Chinese, said that prison hospitals in mainland China are generally poorly equipped and the prison authorities have not provided Zhang Zhan with suitable medical conditions.
After Zhang Zhan's situation was disclosed, people sympathized, including Tan Binlin. He held a personal demonstration in his hometown, a town in Hunan Province, on August 4, calling on the authorities to allow Zhang Zhan to seek medical treatment.
A Shanghai court sentenced Zhang Zhan to prison for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” in December last year. This is the accusation commonly used by the Chinese Communist Party in political cases, and the definition is vague.
Wang Jian quoted Zhang Zhan as saying that Zhang Zhan started a hunger strike very early and started to eat something after her health deteriorated.
On Tuesday, calls from the Associated Press to the office of the Shanghai Prison Administration were unanswered.
In May 2020, the authorities detained Zhang Zhan as the CCP stepped up censorship to control speech related to the pandemic. The government is accused of concealing the epidemic and delaying the release of key information that will help slow the spread of the virus.
Shortly after Wuhan was closed down in February last year, Zhang Zhan visited the city. At that time, millions of residents were banned from leaving the city.
She uploaded dozens of short videos taken with her mobile phone to YouTube, which showed that there was no one on the streets of Wuhan during the blockade, which was like a ghost town.
One of the videos recorded her going to a police station to learn about the case. Dr. Li Wenliang, the whistleblower, was admonished here for spreading information about the epidemic.
Another video showed that during the filming, a security guard had an argument with her, repeatedly tapping her mobile phone and threatening her.
News (37)
Zhengzhou epidemic is severe, primary and secondary schools postpone the start of school
Image : A citizen in Zhengzhou undergoes a nucleic acid test. (AFP via Getty Images)
The opening of Zhengzhou schools in Henan Province was delayed. Parents of local students said that parents are required to report to the student's head teacher every day the area where the student is located. At the same time, Shangqiu, Henan has become the fastest-growing area in the province. Eight people including the deputy head of Yucheng County, where the concealment occurred, were dealt with by dismissal and other methods.
Elephant News reported that on August 15, a press conference held in Zhengzhou announced that Zhengzhou was originally scheduled to start school on August 25 to be delayed. During the postponement of returning to school, online registration and online teaching will be implemented. From 1 September, all grades of high school, junior high school, and elementary school grades 2 to 6 will start online teaching.
On 16 August, Mr. Huo, the parent of a middle school student in Zhengzhou, told the Epoch Times reporter that the opening of junior high and elementary schools in Zhengzhou was delayed. The school requires the head teacher to count the positions of the students in the class every day. The teacher in charge of the students’ parents’ WeChat group asks parents to report to them every day whether the student is in a medium-risk area or a high-risk area.
He said, “The Zhengzhou Municipal Education Bureau required two days ago that in addition to medium- and high-risk areas, faculty and staff in other regions must return to Zhengzhou before the 15th. Now suddenly they are asking to postpone classes, and they are notified that classes may be taught online. I think it may be that the epidemic is more serious. The government has not effectively controlled the epidemic. So when the school saw that the epidemic was serious, it believed that some students might be living in areas with medium to high risk."
According to local media reports, the fourth round of full-staff nucleic acid testing in Zhengzhou was launched on August 15.
Mr. Huo said, “Zhengzhou has conducted the fourth full-staff nucleic acid test. The teacher requires every parent to report whether the student has undergone a nucleic acid test. If the student's area has changed, or the student leaves the original area, they should also report it. "
Mr. Huo revealed that all local canteens and restaurants are closed, and the park is basically strictly restricted. All so-called low-risk communities require body temperature measurement and code scanning when entering and exiting.
Mr. Huo also told reporters that there was a phenomenon in the area that made the citizens very strange. "We did three nucleic acid tests before, and when we did the second or third time, there were a lot of people. Each time it took a long time to complete a round, but this time (the fourth time) there were very few people. In half a day, there are not so many people in line. "I wonder if there are fewer and fewer people willing to do it, or something that people don't know? "
News (38)
Yangzhou uses multiple methods to force residents to test for nucleic acid
Image : The epidemic situation in Yangzhou is severe, and the government has forced people to undergo multiple tests. The picture shows on 11 August 2021, firefighters spray disinfectant in a residential area. (AFP via Getty Images)
The covid outbreak broke out in Yangzhou. Frontline anti-epidemic personnel told The Epoch Times reporter that even after multiple rounds of testing, the community still has a potential risk of infection.
The Yangzhou authorities require nucleic acid testing in sealed areas to be tested every two days. Some communities have been tested ten times. The frequent testing has made local people feel very disgusted and worried that testing will increase the risk of infection. The Yangzhou police threatened to include non-nucleic acid testing in the record of dishonesty; some street offices in Yangzhou even set up bonuses to encourage the public to report.
Before, a nucleic acid testing station in Guangling District, Yangzhou had an outbreak of mass infection. Zhou Li (pseudonym), a frontline anti-epidemic worker, told The Epoch Times that the epidemic in Yangzhou was very serious. When he performed the task, he was wearing a full set of protections. N95 mask.
Zhou Li said, "There may be latent and pathogen-carrying patients in the enclosed and controlled community. If you go to do nucleic acid frequently, you are more likely to be recruited and more likely to be infected. When you go to do nucleic acid, you must take care of it. "
He mentioned, “It’s still very, very dangerous now. There are a large number of asymptomatic infections or positives, but he has not yet broken out.” The anti-epidemic personnel also revealed that he personally sent thousands of people to quarantine. His family also lives in the community, and he really doesn’t want him to take away the family himself one day.
Zhou Li said, "One was found to take away one building. The problem is more serious. I sneaked away at night. I won't let you know. I sent away thousands of people in my hands, mostly in the middle of the night. Groups of people."
He mentioned that seeing so many people being taken away sometimes makes him sad, especially when he sees those very young children getting in the car. And now all medical staff are overworked and exhausted physically and mentally.
News (39)
Four generations of 11 people in a family in Shangqiu, Henan, diagnosed, the smallest case is only 2 years old
A total of 11 people from a family in Shangqiu, Henan Province, were diagnosed with covid in four generations. The youngest was only 2 years old.
In the evening of 16 August, the Shangqiu Internet Information Office notified the activity trajectory of 12 confirmed cases, of which 10 cases (case 4 to case 13) were a family with Yin, who was diagnosed on August 13, and 2 cases were among their families and neighbours. So far, 11 people in Yin's family have been diagnosed, a total of four generations, the oldest is 77 years old, including 4 children, the youngest is 2 years old.
According to reports, Yin was a pregnant woman who was diagnosed in Shangqiu on 13 August and was found to be infected during a nucleic acid test that day.
In this family, the people infected by Yin include his 8-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter, an older sister and younger sister of his husband Guo, his father and mother, and his two nephews and one of Guo’s nephews. 2 years old and 3 years old, Guo XX's 74-year-old grandmother and 77-year-old grandfather.
In addition, the confirmed case reported this time, Gao Xyun, is a neighbor of Guo X, female, 69 years old.
On 2 August, Gao Xyun and Guo XX’s father’s family quarreled for more than ten minutes over trivial matters and did not wear masks during the whole process. On 5 August, they went to the village square for nucleic acid sampling and did not wear masks during the whole process.
The confirmed case reported this time, Xu Xmei, female, 35 years old, is also a neighbour of Guo.
With this information on the mainland Weibo, many netizens commented, "This is a man-made calamity, and the official flow is still covering up." "How many people have they had contact with?!"
Some netizens also questioned: According to the official report, Gao Xyun, the diagnosed person, did not wear a mask when he went to the village square for a nucleic acid test. Then where were the government managers at that time? "How big is the psychological shadow of the people who have undergone nucleic acid testing with the confirmed patient? Panic in my heart!"
Some netizens questioned that the local area is still concealing the actual situation of the epidemic.
News (40)
Epidemic rebounds, Hong Kong tightens quarantine requirements for 16 overseas countries
The Hong Kong government announced that due to the rebound of the epidemic in many overseas countries, quarantine requirements for people from 16 overseas regions will be tightened. Among them, 15 regions are listed as high-risk regions and 1 region is listed as medium-risk regions. Related arrangements It will take effect in the early morning of 20 August.
A Hong Kong government spokesperson said that the global epidemic is seriously threatened by the Delta variant virus strain. The number of confirmed diagnoses in many countries has soared in a short period of time. Even after large-scale vaccination in some places, the spread of the virus is still revived, which constitutes a major impact on local epidemic prevention and control efforts. challenge.
After considering a series of factors, Hong Kong raised the risk level of 16 regions, of which 15 regions will be included in Group A high-risk regions, including the United States, France, Thailand, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Greece, Iran, Malaysia, the Netherlands, and Spain , Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Tanzania, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Australia has increased from a low-risk area in Group C to a medium-risk area in Group B.
If the person has been vaccinated, regardless of whether the person arriving in Hong Kong is a Hong Kong resident, he only needs to undergo self-monitoring for 14 days. If the result of the serum antibody test is positive, the quarantine period can be shortened to 7 days, and the person concerned must accept it within 20 days after arriving in Hong Kong for multiple virus detections.
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