Johnson's plan to defeat Putin while Israel, Turkey try to mediate peace
Research, editing : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA
News on UK, Ukraine, U.S., Russia, Israel, Turkey, disease control
News (1) to (3) / Editors : Glen Owen etal., Daily Mail
News (1)
Johnson's six-point plan to defeat Putin
Image courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
Boris Johnson has drawn up a six-point plan to defeat Vladimir Putin as he moves to assume leadership of global efforts to end the horror of war in Ukraine.
The Prime Minister led the condemnation of Russia and said the world must unite under his plan to thwart the aggression.
In his action plan, Mr Johnson called for: the creation of an international humanitarian coalition for Ukraine; a boost to Kyiv's military self-defence; a ratcheting up of sanctions on Moscow; concerted diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the crisis; and "a rapid campaign to strengthen security and resilience across the Euro-Atlantic area".
In addition, Mr Johnson wants to combat "the creeping normalisation of what Russia is doing in Ukraine" as he fears that the shock value of Putin's actions will start to fade.
Johnson has transformed from beleaguered leader, assailed by endless allegations about lockdown parties, to burgeoning international statesman – defusing the pressure from rebel backbenchers for a leadership challenge.
Even previously sceptical Tory MPs have speculated that the crisis could prove to be Mr Johnson's "Falklands moment" – a reference to the 1982 war which transformed Margaret Thatcher's political fortunes.
The analogy is enhanced by the fact Johnson has moved his daily 8.30am briefing from his No 10 study to Thatcher's old office on the floor above.
It means that Johnson and his inner circle of six key advisers are dissecting the conflict under the steely painted gaze of the Iron Lady.
The war has also pleased many of Johnson's aides by pushing to the margins issues such as the "woke agenda" which, in the words of one source, 'are now realised to be as trivial as they always were'.
The Prime Minister said on 5 March 2022, "Putin must fail and must be seen to fail in this act of aggression.
"It is not enough to express our support for the rules-based international order – we must defend it against a sustained attempt to rewrite the rules by military force. The world is watching. It is not future historians but the people of Ukraine who will be our judge".
News (2)
Leaders of Canada, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia meet with Johnson
Johnson will cement his place at the centre of the international diplomatic effort this week with a series of Downing Street meetings.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte will be welcomed to No 10 tomorrow, followed by the leaders of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia – the countries on the front line of the humanitarian crisis caused by the conflict.
News (3)
Russian captives condemned Putin
In another remarkable development on 6 March 2022, Putin came under pressure from his own soldiers to stop the war.
At a press conference in Kyiv, captured Russian troops condemned the mission and called on their fellow citizens to rally against the conflict.
News (4)
Russia suspended imports of many Chinese foods, alleging genetically modified ingredients
The Russian Federal Service for Consumer Protection and Public Welfare Supervision (Rospotrebnadzor) issued an announcement to suspend the import of a variety of Chinese-produced foods because they contain genetically modified ingredients. The content is seriously exceeded.
According to the Russian "Kommersant" report on Monday (11 October 2021), the Russian federal regulator issued an order to stop the import of certain types of corn noodles, corn noodles, corn chips, chocolate eggs, desserts and other foods from China.
The Russian Federal Service for Consumer Rights Protection and Public Welfare Supervision said in an announcement published on its official website that banned genetically modified DNA from corn and soybeans were found in these Chinese food products. Some food samples contained levels of banned ingredients that were four times higher than the standard.
The announcement said that from 11 October 2021, imports of goods that have been suspended include: dried noodles produced by Yanbian Alali Food Co., Ltd., Anhui Wang Renhe Rice Noodle Food Co., Ltd. Co., Ltd.) corn noodles, Hong Kong Pocky Food Co., Ltd. (HK Pocky Food Co., Ltd.) corn flakes, Guangdong Fanwei Food Co., Ltd. (GUANGDONG FUNWAY FOOD CO.) cookies and chocolate eggs etc. Russian regulators said none of the products had information on the GMO content on the labels.
The Russian Federal Service for Consumer Rights Protection and Public Welfare Supervision stated in the announcement, “In order to prevent widespread non-communicable diseases (poisoning) among the Russian people, according to federal law, the entry of the above-mentioned foods into the Russian Federation will be suspended from 11 October 2021 until otherwise instructed."
News (5)
Bayer Executive says mRNA vaccines are gene therapy
Reporter : Meiling Lee, The Epoch Times PREMIUM
A speech of a Bayer executive in 2021 mentioning that messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines are gene therapy is gaining traction on social media for the second time since it was initially posted online in October 2021.
Stefan Oelrich, a member of the Board of Management of Bayer and head of the Pharmaceuticals Division, gave a speech at the World Health Summit focused on biotechnological innovation. He said his company is “really taking that leap … in cell and gene therapy.”
“Ultimately, the mRNA vaccines are an example for that cell and gene therapy,” Oelrich said at the event’s opening in Berlin.
“I always like to say, if we had surveyed two years ago in the public—‘would you be willing to take gene or cell therapy and inject it into your body?’—we probably would have had a 95 percent refusal rate,” he added.
The pandemic has given the pharmaceutical industry innovation opportunities that may have not been possible before, Oelrich said.
“I think this pandemic has also opened many people’s eyes to innovation in the way that was maybe not possible before,” the Bayer executive said. “But it’s not just the industry that has to innovate, it’s across all the value chains starting with the academia and university, and again, the World Health Summit.”
Bayer did not reply to The Epoch Times’ request for comment by publishing time.
Fact-checkers argue that Oelrich’s speech was taken out of context and distorted, claiming Oelrich was pointing out that “mRNA-based vaccines are an example of technological innovation, just as the gene and cell therapy proposed by Bayer is an example of technological innovation.”
Skeptics of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines contend that they are gene therapy and not what true vaccines are since they do not protect against infection, viral replication, or transmission. Rather they work more like a medication that prevents severe disease and death.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has revised the definition of a vaccine as “a preparation that is used to stimulate the body’s immune response against disease” in September 2021. The federal agency told The Epoch Times that the new definition was more transparent and would not be “misinterpreted to mean vaccines are 100% effective.”
Anyone calling the novel COVID-19 vaccines gene therapy or questioning their safety and effectiveness continues to get censored on social media.
A pioneer of the mRNA vaccine technology, Dr. Robert Malone, who calls the COVID-19 vaccine a genetic vaccine was de-platformed from all major social media sites, for raising concerns over the safety of the vaccines and the mandates.
The government and vaccine makers deny the claim that the mRNA vaccine is a gene or cell therapy and say there is no risk of the vaccines integrating with our DNA or entering the cell’s nucleus that houses our DNA.
Yet a Swedish study—conducted outside a living organism, or in vitro—has shown that the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine can enter human liver cells and convert the mRNA to spike DNA within six hours. In addition, these spike DNA were found in the nucleus. More studies are needed to examine whether the spike DNA integrates into our genome.
Pfizer says its mRNA COVID-19 does not alter the DNA.
“Our COVID-19 vaccine does not alter the DNA sequence of a human cell,” a Pfizer spokesperson told The Epoch Times via email. “It only presents the body with the instructions to build immunity.”
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Scholz: Ukraine's NATO membership will not take place
Reporter : Allen Zhong, The Epoch Times PREMIUM
Image : Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images
Ukraine’s membership is not on The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)’s agenda, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Friday (4 March 2022).
“I also made it clear in Moscow and in my visit that this option [Ukraine’s membership of NATO] is not on the table and will not take place,” he said during an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF.
“I said publicly that we all know that Ukraine’s NATO membership is not on the alliance’s agenda today,” he added. “That was understood by the American president, that [was] also understood by the French president.”
Scholz said he shares Russian President Vladimir Putin’s security concern and clarified to Putin that Ukraine will not be allowed to join NATO.
“The Russians were worried about the control issue of their security. [Putin was worried] that NATO has a military setup and rockets in Ukraine targeting Russian territory. That is why we tried to make it clear that this will not occur,” he elaborated.
Ukraine’s pursuit of NATO membership appeared to be one of the core disputes that caused the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
In February 2019, then-Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed a constitutional amendment committing the country to becoming a member of NATO and the European Union after the parliament passed the bill.
Poroshenko told the leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine days after he signed the amendment that joining NATO was a guarantee of security for Ukraine.
On the Russian side, Putin says Russia needs to lay down “red lines” to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO saying that Ukraine’s growing ties with the alliance could make it a launchpad for NATO missiles targeted at Russia.
The United States and other Ukraine alliances have tried to avoid war by deescalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine.
However, the Kremlin criticized the United States and NATO for failing to address the fundamental security concerns of Moscow, demanding that NATO stop its eastward expansion and that strike weapons not be deployed near Russia’s borders.
Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February after the efforts to deter war failed.
Russian armed forces made rapid progress and had reportedly encircled several Ukrainian cities or facilities in the first week.
They also reportedly gained control of Kherson, a port city in Ukraine’s south.
However, the Russian forces were met with strong resistance from the Ukrainian military, especially on the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.
The resistance from Ukrainian forces and Russia’s own logistical difficulties have slowed down the Russian military’s speed of the advance, the UK’s Ministry of Defense said.
News (7)
Japanese scholar: Putin is in danger of launching a "World War II-scale" military aggression
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has entered its 11th day. Since the war has not slowed down, many experts have also begun to analyze the purpose and future trends of Russian President Vladimir Putin's war. Professor Satoshi Fujii of Kyoto University in Japan pointed out that Russia may launch a larger-scale military aggression, and the situation is precarious.
On the 5th, Japan's "ABC TV" invited many experts and scholars to discuss the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Professor Ichiro Nakamura of the University of Tsukuba, who specializes in Russian politics, said that Putin originally planned to establish a puppet regime in Ukraine but he did not expect that this plan would not go well. He also pointed out that although Putin is now launching an offensive against Ukraine, he may have not figured out the purpose of doing so, and he does not know what he wants to do.
Japanese scholars believe that the Russian army originally only wanted to attack Ukrainian military strongholds and not harm civilians, but the situation did not allow it.
Professor Fujii of Kyoto University also analyzed that Russia originally wanted to quickly invade Kyiv and establish a new regime, only destroying military strongholds and trying not to hurt civilians. However, Ukraine's fierce resistance prevented them from doing so. Now that the war has started, they cannot afford to give up the battle.
As a result, Russia is now obsessed with winning the war, even if the world condemns them for ignoring human rights issues. Fujii also warned that the current situation may allow Russia to launch a larger-scale military aggression, approaching the level of World War II, and it must not be taken lightly.
The largest increase in refugee flow in Europe after World War II. UN officials: more than 1.5 million Ukrainian refugees fled the war in Europe in 10 days
UNHCR official Filippo Grandi tweeted that in the past 10 days, there have been more than 1.5 million Refugees from Ukraine entering neighbouring European countries in the "fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II" .
News (9)
WHO confirms attacks on medical facilities in Ukraine "causing many casualties"
World Health Organization (WHO) Secretary-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed on 5 March 2022y that the WHO has confirmed "multiple attacks on health-care centers in Ukraine, resulting in multiple casualties". Tedros did not name the attack by the Russian military in his post, saying further reports were still under investigation. He noted that "attacks against medical facilities or staff violate medical neutrality and violate international humanitarian law."
News (10)
Putin defends "special operation" in Ukraine, NATO refuses to participate directly
Reporter : Thu Hoài, VOV
While Putin staunchly defends the operation in Ukraine and urges neighboring countries not to escalate tensions, NATO refuses to be directly involved in the conflict, including the establishment of a no-fly zone.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on 4 March 2022 once again defended the special military operation in Ukraine, and urged neighboring countries not to escalate tensions. The statement came as the 30 member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) met in Brussels, Belgium to discuss possible assistance to Ukraine. All diplomatic efforts to date have failed to achieve a breakthrough.
Speaking on television, President Vladimir Putin said there was no reason to worsen or aggravate relations between Moscow and surrounding countries. According to him, all of Russia's actions are only in response to actions in bad faith or against Russia:
"We have fulfilled all of our obligations and will continue to fulfill them. We see no need to aggravate or worsen existing relationships. All of our actions, if any, were only in response to some unfriendly and anti-Russian act.”
The same day, the Kremlin said that what happens next in the peace process between Russia and Ukraine will depend on Kiev's response to the bilateral talks that took place last week. According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Ukraine needs to listen to Russia's position in the negotiations and this is one of the conditions for ending Russia's special military activity in Ukraine.
Regarding the case that the Zaporizhzhia plant, Europe's largest nuclear plant in Ukraine, was hit and exploded, Mr. Peskov denied the accusations of Russia's attack on this plant, saying it was false information. He added that the situation was under control and there was no security threat.
The statements came in the context that the leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) meeting yesterday in Brussels, Belgium issued a joint statement affirming their support for Ukraine to fight against Russia's military action, but rejected the request to establish a no-fly zone for the country.
According to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the military alliance is not ready to participate directly in the conflict, including the establishment of a no-fly zone:
“NATO is a defensive alliance. Our core mission is to keep 30 allied nations safe. We are not part of this conflict and it is our responsibility to ensure it does not escalate and spread beyond Ukraine. Because such a scenario is even more ingenious and dangerous.”
In the past, NATO has imposed a no-fly zone over non-member countries, including Bosnia and Libya. However, this has always been a controversial move because it means a direct NATO military involvement in the conflict. For Russia, this amounts to an act of war and has the potential to escalate the conflict.
Moscow has long been displeased by NATO's relentless approach to Russia's borders by admitting more Eastern European countries that were once part of the Soviet Union. Most recently, in February, the Russian leader asked NATO to narrow its borders before 1997 when the Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia joined the bloc.
Vinntsia Airport was also bombed, Zelenskyy again called on the West to set up a no-fly zone
Image : Web Screenshot
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the airport in Vinntsia, a big city in central and western Ukraine, was completely destroyed by the bombardment of Russian missiles, and again called on the West to set up a no-fly zone in Ukraine.
"I just received a notification of a missile strike in Vinnitsa. Eight missiles ... the airfield has been completely destroyed," Zelensky said, according to Agence France-Presse.
The Russian Defense Ministry later confirmed that they had struck Vinnitsa Airport.
On 6 March, an airfield of the Ukrainian Air Force in Vinnitsa was destroyed by long-range precision weapons," Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said at a briefing. Since then, many cities and airports in Ukraine have been bombed or shelled, but Vinnitsa, located in the central and western Ukraine, is far from the border with Russia or Belarus.
Zelenskyy also took the opportunity to once again ask the West to set up a no-fly zone in Ukraine to prevent more and more Russian military attacks. He said, "We say it again and again every day: shut down Ukrainian airspace, don't give any chance to Russian missiles, combat aircraft. If you don't do anything, you won't even give us the fighter jets that at least allow us to protect ourselves. The only conclusion is that you want us to be slowly killed." (Central News Agency)
Poland and the U.S. under negotiations to send fighter jets to Ukraine
Plans for Poland to send fighter jets to Ukraine have been given the "green light" by the US amid warnings from Russia that countries hosting Kyiv's military aircraft could end up being involved in an armed conflict.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said today that the country was in talks with Poland in order to orchestrate a deal that would allow Polish fighter jets to be flown by pilots from the Ukrainian Air Force in order to combat Russia's air superiority.
The deal would see Ukraine take Poland's 28 Russian-made MiG-29 warplanes, which would in turn be replaced by a fresh set of F-16's by the United States.
Mr Blinken told CBS's Face the Nation host Margaret Brennan, "That gets the green light. In fact, we're talking with our Polish friends right now about what we might be able to backfill their needs if in fact they choose to provide these fighter jets to the Ukrainians. What can we do?
"How can we help to make sure that they get something to backfill the planes that they're handing over to the Ukrainians?"
News (13)
Russia defense minister warns NATO member countries hosting Kyiv's military aircraft could end up involvement in war
It comes as Russia's Defense Ministry today warned countries, including NATO member Romania, against hosting Kyiv's military aircraft, saying they could end up being involved in an armed conflict.
News (14)
Some Ukrainian combat plans were redeployed to Romania and other Ukraine's neighbours
Defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a video briefing that some Ukrainian combat planes had redeployed to Romania and other Ukraine neighbours he did not identify.
He warned that if those warplanes attacked the Russian forces from the territory of those nations, it "could be considered as those countries' engagement in the military conflict".
Mr Konashenkov said, 'We know for sure that Ukrainian combat aircraft have flown to Romania and other neighbouring countries.
"The use of the airfield network of these countries for basing Ukrainian military aviation with the subsequent use of force against Russia's army can be regarded as the involvement of these states in an armed conflict."
The spokesman also claimed that "practically all" Ukraine's combat-ready aircraft had been destroyed.
News (15)
White House working on allowing Ukrainians use the Polish fighter planes
Earlier today US army general Mark Milley visited a training centre in Pabrade, Lithuania, amid the escalating crisis in Ukraine.
Ukraine fears an attack from the air may soon be the go-to choice of tactics by Russia after their ground offensive appears to be making far slower progress than the Kremlin had anticipated.
The White House is now working out the practicalities of carrying out a deal, including the crucial question of how the Ukrainians would physically be able to get their hands on the planes.
'There are a number of challenging practical questions, including how the planes could actually be transferred from Poland to Ukraine.
'We are also working on the capabilities we could provide to backfill Poland if it decided to transfer planes to Ukraine,' a White House spokesperson said to the Financial Times.
News (16)
Poland does not want to be seen as supporting the war, says deployment of planes subject to NATO's decision
Poland, which is a member of NATO, would need to play the situation delicately and not be seen to overtly supporting the war unilaterally.
However the Polish government is concerned Russian President Vladimir Putin would see the Ukrainian's being given warplanes as a direct escalation or even NATO interference.
"Poland is not in a state of war with Russia, but it is not an impartial country, because it supports Ukraine as the victim of aggression. It considers, however, that all military matters must be a decision of NATO as a whole," a Polish official said.
Polish president Andrzej Duda has previously brushed aside the entire idea noting that supplying the planes would be seen as essentially interfering in the conflict.
News (17)
Zelenskyy delighted at the idea of supplying Ukrainian Air Force with fighter planes
But the idea of Poland tacitly allowing Ukraine to borrow its fighter jets was given the thumbs up by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba, who both argued that if NATO were refusing to set up a no-fly zone over Ukraine, then it could at the very least supply the Ukrainian air force with fighters.
News (18)
Putin's troops are committing war crimes in Irpin
The latest warning from Russia comes as devastating images and videos today laid bare the horror of Vladimir Putin’s lawless invasion of Ukraine, as Russian troops unleashed heavy gunfire and missiles on local residents.
Heartbreaking footage, taken in Irpin, located on the outskirts of the besieged capital city Kyiv, confirmed that Russian forces were attacking heavily populated civilian areas.
One image depicted a mother and her two children lying dead on the pavement after they were killed in Irpin as they tried to flee the city, whilst their father was wounded by a mortar shell as hundreds of civilians sought safety.
U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on 6 March 2022 said there are "very credible reports" that Russia has committed war crimes during its invasion of Ukraine - particularly in attacking civilians.
It came as a second attempt to evacuate refugees from Mariupol was scuppered again on 6 March 2022 after the city was shelled just minutes into an agreed ceasefire.
Some 400,000 residents were hoped to be evacuated from 12pm today, with an initial agreement in place until 9pm, but residents are now having to take cover in bomb shelters without electricity and water.
It followed similar attempts on Saturday when plans to evacuate refugees were halted when shelling recommenced 45 minutes into a ceasefire.
On Saturday, Putin said he would see any institution of a no-fly zone by a third party as "participation in the armed conflict".
Republican Senator: No-fly zone over Ukraine would spark World War III
Foreign affairs leaders are foiling Ukraine's desire to develop a no-fly zone over the country in the midst of Russian invasion with Senator Marco Rubio claiming the move would lead to World War III.
"A no-fly zone has become a catchphrase," the Florida Republican senator told ABC's This Week host George Stephanopoulos.
"I'm not sure a lot of people fully understand what that means," he said, adding, "It's not some rule you pass that everybody has to oblige by. It's the willingness to shoot down the aircrafts of the Russian Federation, which is basically the beginning of World War III."
He explained that establishing a no-fly zone above Ukraine would mean the U.S. would be agreeing to "shoot down and engage Russian airplanes in the sky" in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus.
"So basically a no fly zone, if people understand what it means, it means World War II. It means starting World War III," Rubio said.
Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, who is on the Foreign Relations Committee, said on Sunday, "If I were President Zelensky, I would be asking for a no-fly zone."
"The problem is, there is no such thing as a no-fly zone over Ukraine," he added.
The comments come the day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked the U.S. Congress to help him establish a no-fly zone over the former Soviet nation.
However, lawmakers, politicians and NATO are hesitant the move could spark World War III after Russian President Vladimir Putin said any country that takes action to help Ukraine with a no-fly zone would be considered "participants in a military conflict.'
News (20)
Haley: The U.S. should hit Russia with oil sanctions instead
Trump-era ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said Sunday that she is not in favor of the no-fly zone route, insisting instead that the Biden administration should hit Russia's energy to give Putin a 'punch in the gut.'
News (21)
Poland dismisses plan to send fighter planes to Ukraine's military
Reporter : Jack Philipps, The Epoch Times PREMIUM
A report from the Financial Times, meanwhile, quoted an anonymous White House official as saying the United States is working with Polish officials to send the jets to Ukraine’s military, but Poland’s government disputed those reports as false.
Image : Thick smoke rising beyond vehicles blocking a road in Enerhodar, Ukraine, on 3 March 2022. (AP/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)
“FAKE NEWS! Unfortunately you are spreading misinformation with quotation from 27/02/22. Poland won’t send its fighter jets to #Ukraine as well as allow to use its airports. We significantly help in many other areas,” the Polish prime minister’s office wrote on Sunday morning in a Twitter post to the pro-Kyiv news outlet NEXTA, which repeated the claim that Poland and the United States are trying to get fighter planes to Kyiv.
Mediating Russia-Ukraine War, Israeli Prime Minister shuttles between Moscow and Berlin
Image : The picture shows, on 22 October 2021, Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) speaks during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Bennett in Sochi. (Yevgeny Biyatov/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images)
Russia's invasion of Ukraine intensifies, the Israeli Prime Minister stepped in as a mediator on 5 March 2022 after the United States agreed to coordinate with France and Germany. He had a three-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin, and then called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
French President Emmanuel Macron briefed on his conversation with Vladimir Putin before Naftali Bennett flew to Moscow, the Élysée said. "They will stay in touch and hope to reach a ceasefire, which is coordinated with German Chancellor Schotz," an official at the Elysee Palace said.
Israeli officials said the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden was given advance notice of the meeting and expressed support. A senior official said the move was also coordinated with Germany and France and "in constant communication" with Ukraine.
Before his visit to Moscow, Bennett had repeatedly spoken by phone with Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Bennett was accompanied by Ukrainian-born minister Ze'ev Elkin, national security adviser Eyal Hulata and senior political adviser Shimrit Meir in the early morning of the 5th, Bennett's office said. They went to the Kremlin.
News (23)
Bennett flew to Moscow on Sabbath (Saturday)
Israel's Channel 12 reported that Bennett flew to Moscow in the morning of the 5th in complete secrecy on the private jet of Israel's intelligence agency Mossad to meet with Putin without notifying his cabinet. The meeting is said to have been finalized a few days ago.
Israel's Haaretz newspaper reported that Bennett and Putin talked for three hours, then flew to Berlin for an hour and a half with Olaf Scholz and had two phone calls with Zelensky in the evening. (click to watch related video)
News (24)
Israel has close ties to Ukraine and Russia
About one-fifth of Israel's population has a Ukrainian or Russian background, and it has close ties to Ukraine and Russia, and the Israeli government has said it is mediating the conflict between the two countries, although officials in the prime minister's office have previously played down hopes of a breakthrough.
Image : People take part in a protest against Russia's military invasion of Ukraine outside the Russian embassy in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv on 5 March 2022. (Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images)
News (25)
Israel urged to sanction Russia and accept more Ukrainian refugees
Before news of the Kremlin talks became public, dozens of people protested outside Bennett's home in the central Israeli city of Ra'anana, calling on the government to join Western sanctions on Russia and accept more of Ukrainian refugees.
But because Russia has a large troop presence in Syria, Israel's northern neighbor, Bennett has so far not condemned the Russian invasion as strongly as other Western leaders, instead emphasizing that Israel, Russia and Ukraine have strong ties.
Michael Oren, a former Israeli ambassador to Washington, told AFP, "Bennett's actions are bold and risky, and a lot depends on Putin's mindset."
Oren said that Putin refused to engage in heavyweight diplomatic contact before launching the invasion, but "the situation in Russia is different now. Putin may be looking for a step for his predicament, and Bennett may have provided this step."
Bennett called Zelenskyy after the talks with Putin and then traveled to Germany to meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
News (26)
Bennett discussed Iran nuclear deal with Putin, made three demands
In addition to discussing the Ukrainian crisis at this meeting, according to Israel's Channel 12, Bennett also discussed the Iran nuclear deal and the Syrian issue with Putin, and made three demands to Putin related to Israel: 1. Allow willing Ukrainian Jews to emigrate Israel. 2. Urge Iranian troops to leave Syria. 3. Continue the coordination between Israel and Russia in Syrian airspace.
When the Israeli and Russian leaders met in Moscow, Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamiya said on his Facebook page that Russia and Ukraine will hold a third round of talks on ending hostilities on the 7th .
News (27)
Putin wants assurance sanctions on Russia will not harm Russia's cooperation with Iran
"Ha'aretz" reported that when Bennett visited Moscow, Russia made a new request, insisting that the United States provide written assurances that in the future, after the Iran nuclear deal is signed, the sanctions imposed by the West on Russia due to the conflict in Ukraine will not harm Russia's cooperation with Iran.
Starting last year, Tehran and Washington have been engaged in intensive indirect talks in Vienna for months to rebuild the Iran nuclear deal established under President Barack Obama in 2015 but withdrawn by the U.S. in 2018.
Just as the talks are entering their final stages and Tehran and the United Nations nuclear watchdog have reached some consensus, now Russia's demands could undo months of efforts.
News (28)
Russia claims it has evidence of U.S. funding Ukraine to develop biological and chemical weapons
Image : Konashenkov, spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry. (Photo: Russian New Satellite News Agency)
The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that the United States funded the development of biological and chemical weapons in a Ukrainian laboratory, and pointed out that after the outbreak of the war between Russia and Ukraine, the relevant laboratory urgently destroyed the evidence to prevent the research content from being exposed.
According to Russia Satellite News report, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Konashenkov said, "We received information from Ukrainian biological laboratory workers on February 24 regarding the urgent destruction of plague, anthrax, tularemia, cholera and other particularly dangerous disease pathogens.”
"The documents are now being analysed by experts from Russia's radiation, chemical and biological protection forces."
Konashenkov also said that the experimental work was funded by the Pentagon. On the day of the Russian-Ukrainian war, Ukraine urgently eliminated the research documents of these military biochemical projects.
"Obviously, the Pentagon is particularly afraid of the disclosure of secret biochemical experiments in Ukraine," Konashenkov added.
Russia has frequently launched information warfare in the past year, pointing out that several laboratories in Ukraine are linked to the United States and are mainly responsible for researching chemical weapons.
The U.S. media "USA Today" earlier reported that the laboratory and the U.S. embassy in Ukraine denied the Russian side's statement, believing that the Russian side deliberately spread rumours, and also quoted the Interfax News Agency, referring to the Ukrainian National Security Agency, which has been emphasizing that the laboratory in question "is funded by Ukrainian state funds and is affiliated with the Ministry of Health and the State Department of Food Safety and Consumer Protection".
News (29)
Affected by the war, Ukraine's main agricultural exports require licenses
Reporter : Li Xin / Editor : Li Yuan / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/22/3/6/n13626513.htm/ Image : In view of the Russian invasion, Ukraine decided to implement an export licensing system for key agricultural products. The picture shows a combine harvester working in a sunflower field on the outskirts of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine on 20 September 2014. (Philippe Desmazes/AFP via Getty Images)
Ukrainian media sources said that in response to the shortage of supplies caused by the Russian invasion, Ukraine has implemented export licensing system of its main agricultural products wheat, corn and sunflower oil.
Ukraine's Interfax-Ukraine News Agency reported the news on Sunday (6 March 2022), citing a government resolution, Reuters reported. Traders also need a license to export poultry and eggs, the document said.
Ukraine is one of the world's leading producers and exporters of grains and vegetable oils.
The world's largest exporter of sunflower oil has also said it could export more than 60 million tonnes of grains in 2021-22, including 33 million tonnes of corn and 23 million tonnes of wheat.
In the face of the Russian invasion, Ukraine earlier on Sunday suspended exports of several agricultural products, including rye, oats, millet, buckwheat, salt, sugar, meat and livestock.
Meanwhile, the state-run Ukrainian Railways said it was ready to organize agricultural exports by rail as a matter of urgency after the country's Black Sea ports were closed by a military invasion.
Ukraine has traditionally exported grains, vegetable oils and other food products by ship.
Ukrainian Railways said it could potentially deliver grain to the country's borders with neighbouring countries such as Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland, from where it could be delivered to ports and logistics centres in European countries.
Ukraine's Agriculture Ministry said that as of 23 February 2022, the country had exported 43 million tons of various grains for the 2021-2022 season.
Ukraine's grain production in 2021 increased by 32% to 85.7 million tons.
News (30)
Turkish president calls for ceasefire, Moscow offers conditions
Reporter : Li Yannian / Image : The picture shows Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) chatting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after their meeting at the Russian Presidential Residence in Sochi on September 29, 2021. (Mustafa Kamaci / Turkish Presidential Press Service / AFP)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on 6 March 2022 urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to declare a ceasefire in Ukraine, open humanitarian corridors and sign peace protocol. But Moscow says this requires certain conditions to be met.
Reuters reported that Turkey shares a maritime border with Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea. As a member of NATO, Turkey maintains good relations with Russia and Ukraine. Ankara (Turkey's capital and political center) has called Russia's invasion of Ukraine unacceptable and has offered to preside over peace talks, but opposed sanctions against Moscow.
On 6 March, the Turkish president had a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin for more than an hour. Tayyip Erdogan told Vladimir Putin that Turkey was ready to contribute to a peaceful resolution of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, the Turkish presidency said in a statement after the conference call.
“President Erdogan said that an immediate ceasefire would not only alleviate humanitarian concerns in the region, but would also provide an opportunity to find a political solution, and he reiterated his call for ‘let us pave the way for peace together’,” his office said.
"Erdogan stressed the importance of taking urgent measures to achieve a ceasefire, open humanitarian corridors and sign a peace agreement."
Putin told Erdogan that Russia would only halt its military operations if Ukraine stopped fighting and Moscow's demands were met, the Kremlin said, adding that the operation was proceeding as planned.
On 24 February, Putin said that he would carry out a "special military operation" in Ukraine, which has achieved the "demilitarization" of Ukraine. So far, more than 1.5 million Ukrainians have been displaced from their homes. The United Nations has called it the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.
Turkey said it was "naive" to expect Ukrainian-Russian talks to yield results as the war continued to burn. Turkey's defense minister said on Sunday that an emergency ceasefire was needed so that Ankara could evacuate its citizens from Ukraine.
Erdogan, who called Putin a "friend", last spoke with the Russian leader on 23 February, the day before the Russian invasion.
Turkey has strong ties with Russia in defense, trade and energy, and receives millions of Russian tourists every year but Turkey also sells drones to Ukraine, much to the chagrin of Moscow. Turkey also opposes Russian policies in Syria and Libya, as well as Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.
The military strongman Khalifa Haftar in eastern Libya is backed by Russia and other countries, while the other side of the conflict, the National Unity Government, is backed by Turkey and the Syrian rebel forces sent to Libya.
Turkey said it hoped to convene Ukrainian and Russian foreign ministers for talks at a diplomatic forum in southern Turkey next week. Both countries have welcomed the offer but it is unclear from Ankara (Turkey's government) whether they will be able to attend.
Ukrainian and Russian delegations will hold a third round of talks on 7 March, Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia said on his official Facebook account on Sunday.
Russian negotiator Leonid Slutsky confirmed in a live broadcast on YouTube channel Soloviev Live that the third round of talks will take place on 7 March, Russian state news agency TASS reported on Sunday.
Neither side has disclosed the location for the third round of talks.
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The third round of negotiations Ukraine seeks: Willing to not join NATO in exchange for territorial integrity
Russia's invasion of Ukraine is in full swing, and the two sides are scheduled to hold the third round of negotiations on 7 March. A Ukrainian negotiator told Fox News on the evening of the 6th that Ukraine was unwilling to compromise territorial integrity in peace talks with Russia, but was open to discussing a future "non-NATO model".
Ukraine has long sought to join the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and has faced strong opposition from Moscow, the Central News Agency reported. Russian President Vladimir Putin also cited Ukraine's possible membership of NATO as evidence, describing the move as "NATO aggression against Russia".
According to comments published by Fox News, Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia said on the evening of the 6th, "The response we got from NATO countries is that they are not even ready to discuss the possibility of Ukrainian joining NATO. The problem, there is no chance in the next five or 10 years."
"We're going to discuss some 'non-NATO' models. For example, there may be different countries that can provide direct assurances, such as the United States, China, the United Kingdom, and perhaps Germany and France. We are open to a broader discuss these issues within the scope of the discussions, not just bilaterally with Russia and other partners.”
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February, and European leaders were mum about Ukraine's membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
"We're forced to fight alone to defend our country," he said. "Who's going to fight alongside us? I don't see anyone."
NATO becomes a fuse for Ukraine tensions
After the Ukrainian crisis broke out in 2014, NATO has deployed multinational combat troops in Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, with a total force of about 5,000 troops, led by the United States, Britain, Canada and Germany, and other NATO member states rotate their forces. According to statistics, NATO can mobilize nearly 3.5 million troops. The United States also sent more troops to countries such as Poland and Romania.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously stated that only joining NATO can "guarantee national security", and has made joining the EU and NATO the basic policy of the country into the constitution but Putin warned that if Ukraine joins NATO, Russia will not rule out military action to defend national security.
Because 40% of the EU's natural gas demand depends on Russia's imports, it has become Putin's bargaining chip to contain European powers, and it also tests the unity among NATO allies.
Russia-Ukraine war intensifies, U.S. aids Ukraine weapons list exposed
Image : A Ukrainian soldier carries a Javelin anti-tank missile during a military parade in Kyiv, Ukraine, 24 August 2018. (Genya Savilov/AFP via Getty Images)
Since the start of the war between Russia and Ukraine, Western countries have vigorously aided Ukraine. A declassified U.S. weapons list shows that the United States has supplied Ukraine with a large number of lethal weapons.
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List of U.S. aid weapons revealed
The Washington Post reported on March 6 that a declassified list of weapons showed that as early as December 2021, when the United States warned Russia of a tendency to invade, the Pentagon equipped Ukrainian soldiers with weapons and weapons for fighting in cities. equipment. These include the M141 shoulder-fired bazooka, the M500 shotgun, the Mk-19 grenade launcher, the M134 minigun typically used for launching from helicopters, and protective clothing for handling explosives.
The list also confirms that the Biden administration has shipped Stinger-portable air defense systems, anti-tank Javelin missiles and more to Ukraine over the past few days. The weapons help Ukrainian soldiers target Russian aircraft.
In addition, in the list, the materials provided by the United States to Ukraine also include anti-mortar radars, security radios, electronic equipment, medical equipment, vehicles, etc. The United States provided Ukraine with at least nine island-class patrol boats and five Mi-17 transport helicopters.
Image : U.S.-supported anti-tank missiles arrive in Ukraine on 11 February 2022. (Sergei Supinsky / AFP via Getty Images)
U.S. military aid to Ukraine totals as much as $1 billion. About $240 million of the $350 million in U.S. military aid approved in late February has gone to Ukraine, a senior defense official said. All shipments are expected to be completed around the next week.
The report said that the types and quantities of weapons aided to Ukraine demonstrated the level of U.S. support for Ukraine.
Since the Russian invasion, 14 countries have provided military aid to Ukraine. The United States also agreed to the transfer of military equipment previously provided by the United States to Ukraine.
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Inventory of Western aid to Ukraine's weapons exposed
At present, the weapons that the West assists Ukraine are mainly light weapons and individual missiles. Among them, individual missiles, including portable air defense missiles, anti-tank missiles, and rocket launchers, have become the "star weapons" in the hands of the Ukrainian army.
Weapons used by Ukrainian soldiers include the American "Javelin" anti-tank missile, the Polish "Thunder" shoulder-fired missile, the British NLAW anti-tank missile, the Swedish "Carl-Gustav" rocket launcher and the German "Tekken 3" rocket launcher.
In addition to the United States, the European Union broke with convention and agreed for the first time to aid 450 million euros (about 480 million US dollars) in arms to Ukraine. The EU also said some countries would send fighter jets to Ukraine.
Germany also broke the long-standing taboo of not exporting weapons to warring countries, announcing the aid of 1,000 anti-tank weapons, 500 "Stinger" surface-to-air missiles, and 9 howitzers to Ukraine, as well as donating 14 armored vehicles and 1 million metric tons of fuel.
Sweden also broke neutrality and shipped 5,000 anti-tank weapons to Ukraine; Denmark provided 2,700 anti-tank weapons; Norway shipped helmets, body armour and up to 2,000 M72 anti-tank weapons.
Neutral Finland made a "historic" decision to supply Ukraine with 1,500 rocket launchers, 2,500 assault rifles, 150,000 rounds of ammunition, and 70,000 field rations.
The United Kingdom provided Ukraine with a batch of "anti-armour weapons systems" and said it would further support Ukraine, but gave no details.
Canada will deliver lethal military weapons and provide a $500 million (about $390 million) loan to assist Ukraine in self-defense.
France has shipped air defense and digital weapons and fuel to Ukraine.
Poland provided Ukraine with a large amount of light ammunition, artillery shells, light mortar systems, reconnaissance drones and Polish-made Thunder surface-to-air missiles.
Australia has provided 70 million Australian dollars (about 52 million U.S. Dollars) of lethal defensive weapons to Ukraine, including missiles and ammunition.
The Czech Republic will send 4,000 mortars, as well as 30,000 pistols, 7,000 assault rifles, 3,000 machine guns and 1 million bullets.
The Dutch Ministry of Defense said it would send 200 stinger missiles, sniper rifles and helmets to Ukraine as soon as possible.
Belgium said it would provide Ukraine with another 2,000 automatic rifles and 200 anti-tank weapons, as well as 3,800 tons of fuel.
Portugal will provide Ukraine with night vision goggles, bulletproof vests, helmets, grenades, ammunition and G3 automatic rifles.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba met on 5 March on Ukraine's border with Poland, where Ukraine wants the West to provide fighter jets and anti-aircraft weapons.
Expats in Hong Kong: Hong Kong is now like a prison
Image : On 4 March 2022, the epidemic in Hong Kong worsened and schools were closed. (Dale de la Rey/AFP via Getty Images)
Hong Kong adheres to the CCP's "zero-covid" policy and strict control and isolation measures, making it unbearable for more and more people, especially foreigners, who have to give up this global financial center and choose to leave. Some people describe Hong Kong as a prison now.
Hong Kong had a net outflow of more than 71,000 people in February, the most since the outbreak began, compared with 16,879 in December 2021, government data showed.
Senior Western diplomats said they had received a flood of visa applications from Hong Kong spouses of foreign nationals, while some travel agencies said they had received a flood of flight bookings, Reuters reported.
Mixed messages from the government and policies that are being tweaked almost daily have sparked a backlash from many residents.
Children are hospitalized alone without family members; some schools have early summer vacations, which has also prompted many expat families to plan to leave Hong Kong early.
Most major employers have reinstated requirements for employees to work from home, following government advice, as Hong Kong has reported nearly 60,000 daily confirmed cases for three consecutive days.
"Hong Kong is like a prison now," an investment banker at a Western company told Reuters. He declined to be named because he was not allowed to speak to the media.
As a global financial hub, the normally bustling Hong Kong is now surprisingly quiet on its streets, with restaurants closed or empty, supermarket shelves empty and people panicking for fear of a city-wide lockdown.
Separated expat families are becoming more common as one expat parent stays at work while the other takes the child home, and many fear that if they return to see their children and family, they will have to be forced into a government quarantine centre when they return to Hong Kong .
"In Hong Kong, every time you have to leave and come back, you have to be in a hotel room for two weeks or more, which is unbearable," said one lawyer, who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the name issue.
"My wife and kids are in Australia and they want to come but they can't. You can't have a family life here."
For someone like Ileanna Cortes Martinez, who has lived in Hong Kong for more than a decade, strict rules, including restrictions on global travel and a ban on gatherings of more than two people, keep her life unbearable in Hong Kong.
"They (the government) made it impossible to live here," said Cortez Martinez from California, adding that she and her husband, pilots in the private jet industry, were in the city last year. They bought an apartment because they thought it was their home, but now they decided to leave.
"What's going on is ridiculous. It's like the blind giving directions to the blind... the rules are changing every day."
Some people are quick to sell their furniture and cars in a hurry to leave.
"A lot of people just left with their clothes. Personally, that's what I'm going to do," said Cortez Martinez, who will leave Hong Kong with his 12-year-old daughter at the end of the month. Her husband left Hong Kong in November last year.
"You see footage of children being separated, lockdown is coming, schools are going online for the foreseeable future, there is nowhere for kids to go now," a banker at a foreign bank told Reuters.
Nine countries, including the United States, Britain and Australia, imposed flight bans on Hong Kong until 20 April 2022, preventing some Hong Kong residents temporarily stranded there from returning to Hong Kong.
Hong Kong remains one of the few places in the world with a mandatory two-week hotel quarantine for incoming travelers.
A mother-of-two who took her children to Australia while her husband was working in Hong Kong said she left for fear of being hospitalized or sent to an isolation centre.
"We're more afraid of treatment than COVID-19. The community center looks like something out of a horror movie," she said, referring to the isolation center.
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Belgium lifts almost all covid restrictions from 7 March 2022
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said on 4 March 2022 that Belgium will significantly ease covid restrictions starting 7 March 20227. De Crew speaks during a meeting of the Defence Committee of the Federal Parliament in Brussels on March 2, 2022. (Benoit Doppagne/AFP via Getty Images)
Belgium will start lifting almost all covid restrictions starting Monday (7 March 2022), ending the requirement to wear masks in basically all places and removing the requirement to show covid passes in indoor venues from cafes to gyms.
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said Belgium had eased measures significantly for the first time in nearly two years since the outbreak hit.
"I think this is an important page that we're turning. It's mostly a symbol of our resilience and perseverance in the face of a pandemic that has given us little chance to rest," he told a news conference.
From Monday, Belgians who want to dine in restaurants, drink in bars, visit museums or cinemas will no longer need to present a covid pass, proof of vaccination, recent recovery from infection or a negative test. Neighboring France also plans to start easing restrictions on March 14.
Beginning Monday, masks will be mandatory only on public transport, hospitals and nursing homes. Capacity restrictions on indoor venues will also be lifted.
Belgians returning from other EU or non-EU countries where the outbreak has been brought under control will also no longer need to fill out a special covid form.
The number of covid infections has fallen from a record level of more than 75,000 at the peak of the Omicron mutation surge on January 24 to an average of about 6,000 per day in the week to February 28, one of the lowest per capita infection rates in Europe one.
Hospitalizations, intensive care patients and deaths also fell sharply, not reaching the peaks of the previous wave.
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Thailand's public hospitals add COVID-19 clinics to ease medical pressure in Bangkok
The number of confirmed covid cases in Thailand has increased rapidly in recent days. In particular, more than 100,000 people in the capital Bangkok are quarantined at home or in community centres. The Thai government has set up specialized clinics in public hospitals in various provinces around Bangkok to ease the pressure on Bangkok's medical resources.
Thailand on 4 March reported 54 new covid deaths and 23,834 confirmed cases of nucleic acid testing, while the number of rapid screening cases reached 31,571, the Central News Agency reported.
Thailand is expected to declare that COVID-19 has turned from a pandemic to an endemic within 4 months. The government allows asymptomatic or mild patients diagnosed by rapid screening to go directly to the hospital outpatient clinic for medical treatment and return home to take medicine for recuperation. People with symptoms or mild symptoms can also call 1330, the outbreak line set up by the National Health Security Office, to request medical resources during home isolation.
Due to the rapid spread of the variant virus Omicron, the number of confirmed cases in Thailand has increased rapidly in recent days. Taking yesterday as an example, there were 101,172 people in Bangkok and 26,601 people in community isolation centres.
The Bangkok Post and Thai PBS reported that Kiattiphum Wongrajit, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, said yesterday that there are about 50,000 people in Bangkok waiting for resources for home isolation treatment. To ease the medical pressure in the capital, the Ministry of Public Health has set up acute upper respiratory infection clinics in public hospitals in 14 provinces around Bangkok.
The acute upper respiratory infection clinics in the 14 provinces, which can treat about 18,650 people a day, are expected to ease medical needs in Bangkok within two weeks after launching the program today, Chitip said.
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U.S. waives covid testing for Americans leaving Russia, Belarus
The U.S. State Department said on 3 March 2022 that the United States is waiving the requirement to test negative for COVID-19 for Americans leaving Belarus or Russia.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it will exercise its discretion to allow U.S. citizens, permanent residents and holders of valid immigrant visas in the aforementioned countries to travel to the U.S. before the Feb. 28 deadline.
Earlier, the CDC made a similar waiver for Americans who left Ukraine before 10 February 2022.
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CDC: More than 90% of the United States does not require masks
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on 3 March that about 93% of people in the United States live in areas with a low risk of COVID-19 and people do not need to wear masks indoors.
On Friday, the CDC significantly relaxed its covid guidance on when Americans should wear masks indoors, saying mask orders could be ended in counties with low or moderate risk of COVID-19.
The latest data from the CDC is a sharp increase from a week ago, further suggesting that covid patient hospitalizations continue to decline. The number of hospitalizations is a key indicator of whether the mask order can be ended.
In announcing the revised guidance on Friday, the CDC said that about 70 percent of U.S. counties and 72 percent of the population are in communities where masks are no longer recommended indoors. The CDC plans to update its county-level ratings on a weekly basis.
The agency said Thursday that 85.4 percent of counties are now classified as low or moderate risk, and 92.9 percent of the population lives in those counties.
What remains to be determined is whether a Biden administration will expand mask-wearing requirements for transportation hubs, as well as on planes, trains and buses. The current mass transit mask order expires on March 18, but can be extended. The White House said this week it was evaluating the issue.
The mask-wearing guidelines announced last week shifted from focusing on covid transmission rates to local hospitalizations, hospital capacity and infection rates.
This week, a growing number of federal agencies have told government employees that they can go without masks in federal buildings in Washington, D.C. and other low- or moderate-risk areas of covid, including the State Department, the Pentagon, the Department of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Justice Department Department.
In counties with low community covid risk, federal agencies also do not need to routinely screen unvaccinated employees for covid, the CDC's guidance says.
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Singapore and Vietnam launch Vaccinated Travel Lane
Image : Researcher's Picture
Vietnam will be open to tourists from 15 March 2022 and Singapore has decided to open a "Vaccinated Travel Lane" with Vietnam from 16 March 2022, and implement two-way non-quarantine travel.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) said in an announcement on 4 March 2022 that travelers from Vietnam to Singapore can apply for the Vaccinator Pass (VTP) online from 10 am of 13 March 2022. Only short-term visitors and long-term pass holders are required to apply for a pass before entering Singapore through this tourist channel. Singapore citizens, permanent residents and those aged 12 and below do not need to apply for a pass.
According to the regulations of the VTL channel, short-term tourists from Vietnam must receive enough covi vaccines (at least 2 doses) according to the World Health Organization (WHO) list, and hold a vaccination certificate to go through entry and exit procedures (no need to submit when applying for VTP), provide a negative certificate of Antigen Rapid Test (ART) or Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test within 48 hours before entering Singapore. Infected covid patients do not need to take covi test within 90 days after recovery but they must provide recovery proof provided by medical institutions and must purchase travel insurance in advance of not less than S$30,000 (approximately US$22,000). .
Image : People take part in a protest against Russia's military invasion of Ukraine outside the Russian embassy in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv on 5 March 2022. (Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images)
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