Reports, image (otherwise stated) by : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA
News on covi traceability, aviation management, disease control, CCP Taiwan, U.S., Russia, Afghanistan
News (1)
Wuhan virus appeared in August 2019 and may have flourished earlier
Image of Mercure Hotel receptionists wearing masks to serve guests in August 2019 : Researcher's Picture
The reporter is archiving his pictures shot in Wuhan in August 2019. One of the pictures shows frontliners of a hotel, Mercure Hotel, wearing masks when serving incoming guests. This is rather unusual as the night then was not polluted. The August weather of Wuhan is cool and not really humid. The reporter believes the Wuhan virus outbreak may be at its lowest ebb of transmission in August 2019.
Image of Mercure Hotel in Wuhan : Researcher's Picture
CCP China calls the Wuhan virus "novel coronavirus" and later the renamed disease COVID-19 as "novel coronavirus pneumonia" before it reverted to "novel coronavirus infection" after 8 January 2023.
In September 2019, Wuhan Tianhe Airport announces the airport emergency evacuation exercise of Hubei Province to fight against a novel coronavirus infection case detected among entrants to the airport in preparation for the Wuhan Military Games 2019 in September. That was the time when CCP China starts mentioning "imported case" instead of inbound case of a disease. The world follows this description when covid spread to Macau, Hong Kong and Thailand from Wuhan in January 2020.
As disease cannot be described as a good, entrants that are covid patients should not be described as an "imported case". StayGate has been describing the case as an inbound case since inception meaning the patient arrives from a country with the disease. The patient is an inbound traveller and should not be discriminated as an "imported case".
Covid may have flourished in Wuhan before August 2019. It is so named as the year 2019 is not necessary the year when the covid virus was created.
Research, editing : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA
News (2)
Changzhou=Suvarnabhumi flights officially resume
Image : CARNOC
In the evening of 9 March 2023, the Changzhou-Suvarnabhumi direct flight VZ3591 carrying 227 passengers took off smoothly from Changzhou International Airport, marking the official resumption of flights to Southeast Asia, and Changzhou International Airport became the second in Jiangsu Province to re-open routes to Southeast Asia.
Changzhou=Suvarnabhumi flight schedule is every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, executed by Thai Vietjet Air, using Airbus A321 passenger aircraft, with a maximum passenger capacity of 230 passengers. The outbound flight departs from Changzhou at 5.10 pm, arrives in Suvarnabhumi at 9.50 pm; the return flight took off from Suvarnabhumi at 12 pm, and arrived in Changzhou at 4.10 pm.
Changzhou Airport will resume the Changzhou=Don Mueang flights operated by Thai Lion Air at the end of March. The resumption of the Don Mueang route will re-open the air channel for cultural exchanges and business travel between Changzhou and Bangkok, and will provide more convenient and diverse travel options for local and surrounding citizens to go abroad.
Since 8 January 2023, the "Class B and B Control" policy has been implemented, and the "five ones" restrictions on international passenger flights have been cancelled. Changzhou Airport immediately set up a special team to start the relevant preparations for the resumption of international flights, dismantled and moved the original epidemic prevention and isolation facilities in the international area of the terminal building, renovated and upgraded them, improved relevant functions, organized personnel training, carried out risk assessment, and actively coordinated border inspection, customs and other related units. Up to now, Changzhou Airport has resumed flights to and from Macau, Thailand and re-opened other international (regional) routes. In the future, it plans to gradually resume flights to Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Vientiane and open new routes to other Asian cities to further meet the needs of passengers entering and leaving the country.
Changzhou Airport reminds passengers to insist on health protection during travel and to be the first person responsible for personal health. Pay attention to prevent dengue fever and malaria during travel. If there are symptoms like fever and muscle aches, please go to the hospital for medical treatment in time. According to the latest epidemic prevention and control requirements, travellers should conduct a nucleic acid test or use an Antigen Rapid Testing (ART) kit for testing within 48 hours before a trip to CCP China, carry the ART test certificate along, and report the health status to China Customs in advance.
News (3) to (8) / Reporter : Yi Ru / Editor : Lin Cenxin / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2023/03/09/a103665557.html
News (3)
Crowded Chinese hospitals everywhere, China CDC claims "influenza A" while the citizens worry that covid has rebound
Image : Video Screenshot
Children’s hospitals and fever clinics in many places in Shanghai, Zhejiang, and Beijing are overcrowded. The Xi’an authorities announced an emergency plan for responding to the influenza pandemic, which rushed into the trending searches. It has deepened the worries of the people, who worry about whether the epidemic is making a comeback.
Recently, there has been a sudden increase in flu cases in Beijing, and there are long queues at fever clinics again. Some hospitals lined up more than 400 people in one morning, and the special influenza A drug "Oseltamivir" on the market is also selling well.
The Beijing Municipal Education Commission issued a warning on influenza prevention on March 8, reminding schools and kindergartens and other places where crowds gather to do a good job of health monitoring. It also said, "Patients with respiratory infectious diseases should not go to school with the disease, so as not to infect others and cause the disease to spread." .
Beijing Children's Hospital stated that the number of patients with fever has increased significantly in recent times.
Person on duty at Beijing Children's Hospital: "If you want to see a doctor, bring your child to the hospital to see a doctor and register for treatment on the spot. Yes, there are many people. Recently, there are quite a lot of people here. They are all children with symptoms such as fever and cold. Please wait for details. How long will you go to see how many people there are?"
Mr. He, a Beijing citizen, said that not only children, but also adults are infected a lot.
Mr. He, a citizen of Beijing: "The two sessions are not held now, and there are not many migrants now. On the contrary, isn't the Internet transmission very powerful now? The A-flu in Beijing, I have never encountered children around me, and there are quite a lot of adults. I have a cold and a bad nose. Ventilation, sore throat, and fever, it seems to be over 39 degrees, my friend has a fever, it should be contagious, so I told my parents not to (go back).”
News (4)
The "Influenza Pandemic Emergency Plan" may be the emergency plan mentioned in December 2022
The Xi'an municipal government issued a "Influenza Pandemic Emergency Plan", which divides the emergency response phase into four levels. When the second level response is reached, work, business, and classes can be suspended in the outbreak area.
After the release of the plan, it became a trending search, and netizens were worried about it. Some netizens said, "Why was the influenza A flu not so serious before, and it still feels like covid now?"
Ms. Wang, a resident of Xi'an: "It seems that the peak period of influenza A has erupted in many places, and it is said that some people suspect that influenza A may be the original new crown, but that the Communist Party changed its name, and that's the case."
Ms. Wang, a resident of Xi'an, said that in fact, many people still have sequelae after being infected with covid at the end of last year. The authorities issued an emergency plan at this time, indicating that the situation was serious. As for what exactly happened, the authorities did not say clearly.
Ms. Wang: "He can post this. It must be an outbreak in some district of Chengdu in Xi'an but now that there is no epidemic, the government is covering it up, and he will not tell you about it."
A netizen in Jiangsu said that his child had influenza A and felt more uncomfortable than the new crown. He had repeated high fevers, and the special medicine "Oseltamivir" was useless. His whole body was so painful that he cried. The symptoms lasted for five days.
News (5)
Child in Hangzhou has white lung condition after infected with "influenza A"
The fever clinic of the Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang University School of Medicine was also full this week. Nearly 4,000 people visited the clinic a day, and the waiting hall was full of children and parents. A 9-year-old boy in Hangzhou was infected with influenza A. He had a fever for one day before seeking medical treatment. He was urgently sent to the hospital for CT scan, and large areas of his lungs turned white.
News (6)
High fever and diarrhoea are the main symptoms among children that were infected
Shanghai Children's Hospital is also overcrowded. Some netizens said that the symptoms of influenza A are more serious than covid.
Mr. Hu, a Shanghai citizen: "It's because of this infectious disease. Many children today have high fever and diarrhoea. It seems that not only Shanghai, but also Zhejiang was very serious a while ago. The child next door to me is also the same, and the parents were informed them to bring him back to rest, and no school attendance for a few days."
Mr. Hu, a Shanghai citizen, said that people are now talking about the official statement.
News (7)
It is claimed all children have been vaccinated and infected
Mr. Hu: "The official seems to say that it is not covid but we ordinary people privately discuss that it may have something to do with the vaccination, because basically all children have been vaccinated."
News (8)
The CCP controls information on the covid epidemic, takes advantage of influenza A to cover-up covid cases
Tang Jingyuan, a current affairs commentator in the United States, believes that the last wave of the Omicron virus pandemic was first kicked off by the outbreak in Xi'an at the end of 2021. Therefore, the current "Influenza Pandemic Emergency Plan" issued by the Xi'an authorities will greatly attract everyone's attention.
Tang Jingyuan, a current affairs commentator in the United States: "The two diseases of influenza A and covid, it is impossible to distinguish them based on the clinical symptoms alone. They are very similar, and there is only one way to accurately distinguish them. It is to do antigen detection or nucleic acid detection on it.”
Tang Jingyuan said that influenza A is a high incidence in winter and spring in China, and it will break out to varying degrees every year. The covid virus broke out in the past three years, and there was no topic about influenza, but this year, the epidemic disappeared instantly, and influenza A broke out in an instant, which makes people wonder what the CCP has done in terms of information control.
News (9)
Rats carry covid virus on the streets of New York, experts worry about the possibility of new strains spreading among rats
A new study shows that three different strains of covid virus (covi), including Alpha, Delta and Omicron, have been found in rat populations that are common on the streets of New York City. Experts worry that if these viruses spread among rat populations, new mutant strains may emerge, and said they will continue to understand the role of animals in the covid pandemic to avoid possible secondary transmission of the virus from animals to humans.
According to comprehensive foreign media reports, a recent study published in the microbiological journal mBio, whether there is an infection relationship between the mutant strain of covi SARS-CoV-2 in animals and humans, the research data showed that 13 of the 79 research subjects recovered from Brooklyn were covi-positive, which represented evidence that the variant caused the infection of street rats in New York.
The researchers found that Alpha, Delta, and Omicron can infect mice and highly replicate human upper and lower respiratory symptoms, while susceptibility varies with the type of mutation. Dr. Henry Wan, the leader of the study, said that the purpose of this study is to understand whether SARS-CoV-2 has evolved into a new variant that poses a threat to humans among animal groups, and to understand the role of animals in the outbreak of covid, thus contributing to further protection of human and animal health.
The U.S. CDC stated that cases of human-to-animal transmission have been registered but there has been a lack of direct evidence of animal-to-human transmission; J. Scott Weese, director of the Center for Public Health and Zoonoses at the University of Guelph, Canada, believes that this research cannot change the situation of humans, and the possibility of humans being re-infected by others is far greater than that of transmission from animals to humans.
News (10)
Attention epidemic prevention insurance policy holders! From 20 March 2023, mild cases of the epidemic in Taiwan are not listed as notifiable infectious diseases
Reporter : Wu Liangyi / https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/life/breakingnews/4235425 / Image : After the new system is launched on the 20th, the definition of reported cases will be adjusted. (Provided by Command Center)
In response to the slowdown of the covid epidemic in Taiwan, the Central Epidemic Command Center announced on 9 March 2023 that from 20 March 2023, "mild cases will be exempted from notification and quarantine", which will lead to the definition of confirmed cases. It also made the insurance industry nervous about "how to count as a confirmed person at that time." The command center announced the adjustment of the case definition today. Only when the condition deteriorates to hospitalization can it be included in the case and notified. Generally, patients with mild symptoms are "not included".
According to the "Case Definition Adjustment" announced by the command center, after the new measures are implemented on 20 March, the clinical conditions of confirmed cases will be changed to fever ≧ 38°C or pneumonia requiring oxygen treatment or other complications within 14 days after respiratory symptoms manifest which could result in hospitalization (including emergency bed) or death.
The test conditions for a confirmed diagnosis are also deleted from the "home-use rapid screening and home-use PCR covi-positive", that is, if people with mild symptoms use a home-based rapid test is tested covi-positive, but do not meet the clinical conditions for severe cases requiring hospitalization, they will not be notified, and they will not be included in the list of pulmonary confirmed covid cases.
Many people have insurance for epidemic prevention, but the definition of covid as defined by epidemic prevention insurance includes notifiable infectious diseases, or fourth or fifth notifiable infectious diseases. Mild cases of covid will not be included in the case, which may affect people's insurance claims.
The command center announced yesterday that from 20 March 2023, people who meet the conditions of covid complications (moderate and severe) need to be notified and isolated for treatment. People with mild or asymptomatic symptoms who test covi-positive do not need to be notified or isolated, but it is recommended to carry out "0+n independent health management". During the period of independent health management, if the rapid screening is covi-negative, or the test is not required until 10 days from the date of onset or the date of covi-positive test, the people can be discharged.
News (11)
The CCP’s government debt is equivalent to 90% of GDP, far exceeding the international warning line
Editor : Li Ming / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2023/03/09/a103665562.html / Image : A worker works on an assembly line at a Wuling Automobile factory in Qingdao, Shandong province, China, 1 March 2023. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)
The new team of the State Council of the Communist Party of China will be released, and what this new team will face is a mess of high government debt and a severe recession in the national economy. Some overseas economic experts pointed out that the total debt of the CCP from the central government to the local governments has exceeded 110 trillion RMB, equivalent to 91% of China's GDP, far exceeding the international warning line.
The schedule of the 14th National People's Congress of the Communist Party of China is over halfway. According to the original plan, the General Assembly will vote on the institutional reform plan of the State Council on 10 March, and "elect" a cadre of state leaders such as the President, Vice President, and Chairman of the National People's Congress, and the new Premier of the State Council, State Councilors at the vice-premier level, and ministries. The list of candidates for ministers and other positions will be released on 11 and 12 March respectively.
In view of the current situation in CCP China where government and enterprises are heavily indebted, the national economy is seriously shrinking, and the number of unemployed groups is rapidly expanding, Voice of America interviewed a number of economists living in the United States on 9 March 2023 but they generally did not report to the new CCP government what to expect.
Economist He Qinglian first pointed out in an interview that the high level of local debt is a long-standing problem in the Chinese economy, and this problem has become so serious that it needs to be cleaned up thoroughly.
Li Hengqing, an economist at the American Institute for Information and Strategic Studies, also said that in recent years, the CCP government has consumed and wasted almost all the wealth base accumulated by the country. By 2022, the local debts of the 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in China will already be "astronomical", and now the local fiscal revenue is significantly less than fiscal expenditures, all of which are in deficit. "None of the 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions has a fiscal surplus." , in this case the central government is "difficult".
Previously, Victor Shih, an associate professor at the University of California and an expert on China's economy, pointed out in an interview with the New York Times on 4 February 2023 that the scale of China's local debt should be close to 100 trillion RMB.
In addition, it is widely believed that the economic team of the new State Council lacks the management experience at the central level and lacks a general understanding of the Chinese economy. For example, regarding He Lifeng, who is expected to replace Liu He in charge of China's upcoming financial affairs, economic experts believe that based on his past experience and performance, it is not clear that he has the ability to significantly improve China's economy.
Li Hengqing said that when He Lifeng was the deputy secretary of the Municipal Party Committee and the top person in charge of Binhai New Area in Tianjin, he proposed a big plan to develop Tianjin, claiming to build Tianjin into the Manhattan of the East. However now the high-rise buildings in Binhai New Area are all empty, which is equivalent to building a "ghost town" and leaving a debt of 50 billion RMB.
The report pointed out that in order to solve the debt problem, the CCP government has embarked on the road of "involvement", reaching out to ordinary people and starting to "slash the common people".
Li Hengqing pointed out that recent local governments have taken some actions, such as implementing real estate tax, postponing the retirement age, reducing the reimbursement of individuals in medical insurance, etc., but this has also caused a huge backlash from the public, and the common people have begun to express their grievances through actions. up.
Li Hengqing said: "Everyone either took to the streets to protest, or they stopped buying social insurance. Many freelancers now refuse to continue buying social insurance."
Economist He Qinglian said that when the CCP government does one thing, "as soon as it is implemented, it becomes more vigorous and messes everything up." This is already an old problem of the CCP government, "If it is controlled, it will die, and if it is released, it will be chaotic", and it is still the same until now. I am afraid that this situation will be difficult to change in the future."
News (12)
Financial Times: President Tsai's speech in New York, American think tank to present global leadership award
Image : On March 30, President Tsai Ing-wen will give a speech at an event sponsored by the Washington think tank "Hudson Institute" in New York, and accept the "Global Leadership Award" from the think tank. (file photo)
[Central News Agency] The British "Financial Times" reported that President Tsai Ing-wen will give a speech at an event sponsored by the Washington think tank "Hudson Institute" in New York on 30 March 2023 and accept the "Global Leadership Award" from the think tank. During her visit to the United States, President Tsai will also meet with House Speaker McCarthy.
The Financial Times, citing several people familiar with the matter, reported that Tsai will speak in New York and be awarded the Hudson Institute's Global Leadership Award. Past recipients of the annual award include former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and media tycoon Rupert Murdoch.
According to the official website of the Hudson Institute, the Global Leadership Award recognizes lifetime achievements and contributions to promoting democracy, free markets and economic growth, innovation, national security and strong civil society.
The "Financial Times" recently reported from Washington and Taipei that President Tsai will visit her allies Guatemala and Belize. The itinerary will include a stopover in the United States. She is expected to meet with Kevin McCarthy in California in early April and be invited to visit The Reagan Library in California gave a speech. California is McCarthy's district.
After the report was released, the CCP embassy in the United States stated that it firmly opposes "all forms of official interaction" between the United States and Taiwan. McCarthy "agreed" to meet with President Tsai in California instead of Taipei, the report said, citing Taiwan's concerns about CCP's military response. The Financial Times reported earlier this month that Tsai "convinced" McCarthy to meet in California.
Republican McCarthy, who became the speaker of the House of Representatives in January this year, said last summer that he intends to visit Taiwan after being elected speaker.
McCarthy recently confirmed that he will meet with President Tsai in California but pointed out that this does not mean that he will not visit Taiwan in the future. "China cannot tell me where to go or when to go," he stressed.
The Hudson Institute declined to comment to the Financial Times. Tsai's office has yet to respond to questions about her itinerary in New York.
News (13)
U.S. intelligence chief: CCP insists on unifying Taiwan and will use force if reunification fails
The U.S. Office of the Chief of National Intelligence released the "Annual Threat Assessment". National Intelligence Chief Avril Haines said on 9 March that CCP would prefer peaceful means rather than the use of force on the Taiwan issue to unite but if CCP decides that peaceful reunification is not an option, it may actually try to unify Taiwan through military means.
The U.S. Office of the Chief of National Intelligence released the "Annual Threat Assessment" on Wednesday. Haynes, the chief of national intelligence, attended the hearings of the Intelligence Committee of the Federal Senate and the House of Representatives on Wednesday and Thursday respectively. On Thursday, she said that in the assessment, they do not think that CCP wants to go to war, and pointed out that although CCP wants to unify Taiwan, CCP would rather take peaceful means than use force.
Haynes also pointed out that CCP President Xi Jinping has made it clear that reunification must happen, so they also believe that if peaceful reunification is not an option, CCP may actually try to reunify Taiwan through military means. They are definitely preparing for this.
William Burns, director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), also pointed out at the same hearing that Russia invaded Ukraine last year, and the United States and its allies have been providing support for Ukraine. Xi Jinping saw this situation in his eyes, and at present, in addition to dealing with the epidemic, he is also trying to restore China's economic growth and deal with other global economic entities but he also stressed that he would not underestimate the ambitions of current Chinese leaders in this regard, or their "determination to achieve Taiwan's reunification".
Regarding whether the U.S. should abandon its strategically ambiguous position on the Taiwan issue, Haynes also cited U.S. President Joe Biden’s repeated statement that the U.S. will help defend against CCP’s attacks, and said CCP is well aware of the U.S. position. Haynes also warned that if war broke out, it would have a huge economic impact, especially if Taiwan's semiconductor production is interrupted. Chips from Taiwan are currently found in nearly every type of electronic device around the world, Haynes said.
News (14) to (16) / Editor : Lin Yan / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/23/3/9/n13946782.htm
News (14)
Analysis: CCP strengthens anti-American rhetoric, shirks responsibility for domestic difficulties
Image : The picture shows a newsstand selling newspapers and magazines in China. (Guang Niu/Getty Images)
In recent days, anti-American rhetoric in Beijing has risen again but this time it rose to the top leadership level. CCP President Xi Jinping took direct condemnation of Washington and its allies, throwing aside the shadowy patterns of the past.
Foreign Minister Qin Gang followed closely to complain about the U.S. strategy toward CCP China, saying that it would respond fiercely to the U.S. "suppression".
"Foreign Policy" deputy editor James Palmer (James Palmer) wrote on Wednesday (March 8) that both men have relied heavily on the same theme in CCP politics-everything is the fault of the United States. Washington has become a convenient scapegoat who can be used as a punching bag or a scapegoat for all the CCP's troubles.
For example, on the issue of economic turmoil, Xi Jinping said in a speech during the two sessions that Western countries led by the United States "implemented all-round containment, containment and suppression against us." On the South China Sea issue, CCP says it is Washington who provoked the trouble. On the political issue of public opposition, it is said that the United States is behind the scenes in its attempt to carry out a "colour revolution" in CCP China.
"This mentality is dangerous, not only for international relations, but also for China's domestic problems, if China has a chance to solve it." Palmer said.
He pointed out that there is also anti-communist rhetoric in American politics. But even in a divided Washington, the bashing of Beijing is usually aimed at the other side of the political table. At the same time, domestic media in the United States can easily publish articles or op-eds criticizing the United States for being too harsh on China (the CCP), but doing similar things in China will bring personal risks to the authors.
News (15)
Refusal to take responsibility because domestic problems cannot be resolved can only raise anti-American tone
Anti-American rhetoric has been a staple of the CCP since 1949. Even in the relatively benign 1990s and 2000s, national media editorials frequently used the term "a certain country" when criticizing the United States. But officials and intellectuals at the time were willing to accept that China needed to change, and argued that many of its problems could be rooted in domestic rather than foreign adversary machinations. It was even in favor of learning from foreign practices, especially in science and economics.
By the early 2010s, the CCP had begun blaming the United States for its domestic and geopolitical problems. After the Arab Spring events, the CCP’s paranoia over colour revolutions became more intense, and anti-American propaganda became more frequent. Concerned that the United States is winning the hearts and minds of young Chinese, the CCP has resorted to culture crackdowns and internet censorship.
At the time, the reason Xi Jinping gave for reforms and purges within the party was to combat corruption that had grown within the CCP and the government.
Now that Mr. Xi is entering his third term, the link between the Communist country's failure and his leadership is more apparent but admitting this has become impossible.
Even a hint of a disagreement with Xi could turn into a political disaster, making the already hyperbolic official Chinese language even worse, Palmer said.
The collapse of CCP’s diplomatic efforts during the pandemic, for example, has been retitled a “brilliant achievement” of diplomacy. The total abandonment of the zero-covid policy in health policy has become another major victory for the party in defeating the covid virus.
"When things get too far to cover up, the only one who can be blamed is the United States," he wrote.
News (16)
Anti-American rhetoric worsens the situation, and it is difficult to find a bottom line in U.S.-CCP relations
The article also said that it has become increasingly difficult to find a bottom line for U.S.-CCP relations. Even if the U.S. and CCP engage in backdoor diplomacy in areas of mutual interest, U.S. officials may have to deal with the CCP’s trash talk. At the same time, CCP officials should also understand that it is impossible for the White House to punish American politicians who criticize the CCP because of its anti-American remarks.
The worry is that some Chinese will be carried away by anti-American sentiment, and that eventually these rhetoric will filter into the treatment and regulatory hurdles of American companies in China.
For example, Palmer said that while the CCP government is happy to make exceptions for financial companies with close ties to the elite, lower-level officials will be tempted to take risks for other American companies. For example, many of the Hollywood films CCP has recently allowed to unfreeze imports are likely to be canceled within the next six months.
The article said that the CCP needs to understand that it is easy to blame everything on the United States but it is much more difficult to directly challenge the United States.
"The litmus test for this is whether Beijing is actually arming Russia's war in Ukraine or insisting on complaining about NATO on every nightly news broadcast," Palmer concluded.
News (17)
Independence in the 5 regions of Russia? Polish media: 5.6 million Russians participated in a spontaneous online referendum and overwhelmingly supported exit from Russian Federation
Editor : Shi Fang / https://www.aboluowang.com/2023/0309/1875484.html
Russian President Vladimir Putin's use of national resources to invade Ukraine, which dragged on until the second year, may no longer be acceptable to the domestic public. Polish media "TVP.INFO" reported that after the people of five regions of the Russian Federation participated in a spontaneous independence referendum, the votes were overwhelmingly in favour.
According to "TVP.INFO" quoted by "TVP WORLD", the "Online Referendum in the Republic of the Russian Federation" initiated by local rights defenders was held from 16 to 28 February 2023, and the organizers claimed that 5.6 million people participated.
Kaliningrad, an "enclave" not connected to the Russian mainland, is located on the coast of the Baltic Sea. In the referendum, 72.1% voted in favor of leaving Russia; Ingria voted 66.2% in favor; Ural voted 68.2% in favour; in addition Siberia voted 63.9% in favor and Kuban voted 55.7% in favor of leaving Russia.
Residents of the Urals and Ingria are the most active, the civic group said. Most of them have higher education degrees, which means they know very well where they are headed under Putin, and they do not want to die trying to "feed Moscow".
The organization wrote in a statement that they are afraid of what their will will bring about. This successful referendum is only the first step on the road to self-government. The people i Kaliningrad, Ingria, Ural, Siberia and Kuban will be free.
According to the report, the referendum was held online but the website was blocked in Russia due to continuous monitoring by the "Roskomnadzor" but it can still be cross-regional through VPN to vote.
News (18)
U.S. sanctions five Chinese Companies for supplying parts to Iranian drones
Reporter : Li Xin / Editor : Ye Ziwei / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/23/3/9/n13946832.htm / Image : The U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions on Chinese companies and individuals that supplied components to an Iranian drone manufacturer. The picture shows that on 17 October 2022, a drone approached Kiev, Ukraine for an attack. (CreditYasuyoshi Chiba/AFP via Getty Images)
The U.S. Treasury Department announced on Thursday (9 March 2023) that it would sanction a China-based company consisting of five companies and one individual. network, accusing it of supplying components to an Iranian company involved in making drones that Tehran has used to attack tankers and export them to Russia.
The U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement on Thursday that the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is sanctioning a Chinese network that supported Iran’s drone procurement efforts and was responsible for providing the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company (HESA) sells and ships thousands of aerospace components, including those that can be used in drone applications.
The statement alleged that HESA was involved in the production of the Shahed-136 drone, which Iran has used to attack oil tankers and exported it to Russia.
The five sanctioned Chinese companies are: Hangzhou Fuyang Koto Machinery Co., Ltd (Koto Machinery for short), Raven International Trade Limited, a Hong Kong-based front company of Koto Machinery, Guilin Alpha Rubber Co., Ltd., Guilin Alpha Rubber & Plastics Technology Co., Ltd, S&C Trade PTY Co., Ltd, and Shenzhen Caspro Technology Co., Ltd, a technology company based in Shenzhen.
The sanctioned individual is Yun Xia Yuan of S&C Trade PTY Co., Ltd.
“Iran is directly implicated in Russia’s use of Iranian drones in Ukraine that caused civilian casualties in Ukraine,” Brian Nelson, U.S. Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, said in a statement on Thursday. "The United States will continue to target Iran's procurement systems around the world that supply Russia with lethal drones for its illegal war in Ukraine," it said.
The statement pointed out that since September 2022, the United States has imposed six rounds of sanctions on individuals and entities involved in the production and transfer of Iranian drones.
Iran has acknowledged sending drones to Russia but says they were sent before Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Moscow denies its military used Iranian drones in Ukraine.
Before Thursday's sanctions move, the United States had accused China's government of considering supplying Russia with lethal weapons and warned Beijing against doing so. Western powers have provided Ukraine with billions of Dollars in weapons to fend off Russian aggression against its neighbour.
Also on Thursday, the U.S. Treasury Department also announced penalties against 39 entities it accuses of constituting a significant shadow banking system that allowed Iran to evade financial sanctions and gain access to the global financial system.
U.S. Treasury Undersecretary Wally Adeyemo said Iran had constructed a complex sanctions evasion network, with foreign buyers, money changers and dozens of front companies working together to help sanctioned Iranian companies continue to operate and trade.
News (19) to (20) / https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/breakingnews/4235236
News (19)
Is the target of terrorist attacks shifting to CCP China? ISIS: Liberation of the Uyghurs is one of the greatest goals
Image : The Islamic State Khorasan branch (ISIS-K), a well-known Afghan militant group, has recently released a video claiming that the liberation of China's Uyghurs is "one of its greatest goals". Schematic diagram, the picture has nothing to do with the news event. (Reuters)
The Islamic State, a well-known Afghan militant organization, and its branch in Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) recently released a 48-minute video, in which it claimed that the Uyghurs who liberated China were to them "One of the greatest goals". The video came a day after the group released a 117-page brochure attacking CCP China, its relationship with the Taliban and CCP's human rights abuses against Uyghur Muslims.
According to the "Voice of America" report, in the video shown by the Islamic State in Khorasan Province, it appears that two members of the organization launched a campaign against the Chinese-run "Kabul Laurel Hotel" in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, on 12 December 2022. They also mentioned in the video, "We will not only rise up and kill the Chinese infidels, but also ensure the happiness and freedom of all Muslims in East Turkestan. This is one of our greatest goals." .
Andrew Mines, a researcher at the Extremism Project at George Washington University in the United States, pointed out that the organization's terrorist activities against CCP China are still a relatively new development in the years since its establishment. "These activities did not begin until late 2021. At that time, a Uyghur member of the Khorasan Province of the Islamic State launched the October 2021 bombing attack on a Shiite mosque in Kunduz," and mentioned that the organization later used many languages, including English, and released a series of anti-China propaganda, "especially about China's treatment of Uyghur Muslims and the Taliban's subordination to Beijing".
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ISIS makes the Taliban's relations with CCP tense as they compete for influence among Uyghurs
Then Mynes also revealed that the recent activities of the Islamic State in Khorasan Province against CCP are just the organization's current efforts to make the Taliban's relations with CCP tense and compete for influence among the Uyghurs in Afghanistan and other regions. Among the many activities "they are trying to present themselves as a powerful armed group capable of leading the Islamic State movement in Asia and globally, but the threat of competing with CCP for control of border territories now seems a distant prospect".
According to a report released by the United Nations last month, the organization has positioned itself as the main competitor of the Taliban. "The activities of the Islamic State in Khorasan Province remain a major terrorist threat in Central and South Asia." , and said the group had carried out multiple terrorist attacks against diplomatic missions, including those of CCP China, India, Iran, Pakistan and Russia, with the aim of undermining relations between the Taliban and these countries.
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