| Rishi Sunak accidentally votes against Government Posted: 13 May 2020 05:17 PM PDT  The Chancellor accidentally voted against the Government last night amid teething issues in Parliament's new electronic voting system. Rishi Sunak was among a group of MPs to vote the wrong way in an amendment on the Agriculture Bill. In response to the coronavirus crisis, a "virtual Parliament" has been set up, allowing MPs to question ministers via video link and to vote remotely. The voting system was formally rolled out on Tuesday with a "test" question, asking whether or not MPs believed the House had considered Covid-19, following a two-day debate. Yesterday Mr Sunak mistakenly lent his vote to a Tory rebel amendment to the Agriculture Bill. The amendment was an attempt by Simon Hoare, the Conservative MP, to guarantee post-Brexit food imports will match the UK's high food and environmental standards. The division list showed 22 Conservative MPs voted in favour of the rebel amendment, including Mr Sunak. A source close to the Chancellor said "online teething problems with the system" were to blame, adding: "The Chancellor did not intentionally vote against the Government. He called the chief whip straight away to explain." His error did not make any difference to the overall outcome, as the amendment was defeated by 51 votes. Dame Eleanor Laing, the Deputy Commons Speaker, said after the vote: "I have been informed that there are a number of members [...] who have inadvertently cast their votes by electronic means in the opposite way to the way in which they had intended to vote. "I'm informed that their use of technology was not quite as good as they felt that it ought to be and that a few members have made a mistake. "There is no provision under the current temporary system by which a member can change their vote once it has been cast." The Agriculture Bill went on to clear the Commons and will now go to the House of Lords.
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| Somalia's coronavirus khat bans leaves chewers in a stew Posted: 13 May 2020 04:34 PM PDT  Somalia's government curbs the use of khat after raising concern that it could help spread Covid-19.
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| 7 UN agencies urge Libya cease-fire to contain coronavius Posted: 13 May 2020 03:31 PM PDT |
| Editorial Roundup: US Posted: 13 May 2020 03:11 PM PDT |
| Cats with no symptoms spread virus to other cats in lab test Posted: 13 May 2020 03:01 PM PDT  Cats can spread the new coronavirus to other cats without any of them ever having symptoms, a lab experiment suggests. Scientists who led the work, reported on Wednesday, say it shows the need for more research into whether the virus can spread from people to cats to people again. The American Veterinary Medical Association said in a new statement that just because an animal can be deliberately infected in a lab "does not mean that it will easily be infected with that same virus under natural conditions."
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| Stranded Crew Crisis Is Ticking Time Bomb For Global Trade Posted: 13 May 2020 02:59 PM PDT  You may have read those Kafkaesque stories about seafarers marooned on cargo ships month after month, unable to go home at the end of their work contracts due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.You may have thought, "How unfortunate," then turned your attention back to your own pressing business problems amid the pandemic.A crisis for an Indian seafarer stuck on a Liberian-flagged ship because Indonesian authorities won't allow passage to the airport may seem distant from the challenges of a U.S. cargo shipper struggling to restock his or her shelves with goods from China and Thailand as social distancing eases.But it's all connected. The plight of international seafarers is a ticking time bomb for the U.S. supply chain because ship crew cannot be forced to keep working forever and there are only two ways this impasse can end: Either governments finally ease travel restrictions, allowing crew to get home and replacement crew to restaff ships, or ships will start to be removed from the trading fleet.If seafarers with expired employment contacts decline contract extensions — or their unions do not agree to extensions under collective-bargaining agreements — on-duty crews will fall below the minimum number of seafarers set by safe-manning requirements, at which point vessels may be considered unseaworthy.Time is running outLabor leaders representing seafarers want to start seeing evidence of progress just a few days from now, beginning this Saturday, and they want to see this issue on its way to resolution by June 15."Most of the countries of the world are trying to get back to normal, whatever normal looks like, and restart their economies, but if the ships aren't able to carry what they normally carry, the countries of the world will not be able to restart," warned Fabrizio Barcellona, assistant secretary of the seafarer section of the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF), the union that represents seafarers globally and coordinates with affiliated regional seafarer unions.Barcellona said in an interview with FreightWaves, "There have been delays [since the outbreak], but the ships have continued to carry cargo. If the governments do not take this opportunity to allow seafarers to be repatriated, the ships will need to stop, and countries will not get what they need. "We're not talking about not getting the latest model of the iPhone. We're talking about not getting the iron ore needed to make steel and not getting the fruit from Latin America needed in places where there is no fruit. Like it or not, with globalization, no country is self-sufficient."Seafarer labor interests agreed to not stand in the way of one-month extensions to employment contracts on March 15 and again on April 15. The extension on May 15 is different. "We reject calling this one an extension; this is not an extension, it's a transition," asserted Barcellona."Starting May 16, we need to see companies replacing their crew and governments allowing crew changes to happen, starting with those who have been on board the longest. We need to see something changing on the 16th of May, not the 15th of June," he stressed, adding that if no progress is made by June 15, "there won't be another extension [or transition] after this one."Coronavirus still blocks shore accessPrior to the coronavirus, about 100,000 crewmembers were repatriated per month; employers are required to fly them home at no charge at the end of employment contracts. Crew tours of duty are limited to no more than one year by international labor convention, although different companies have different multimonth schedules. The outbreak halted virtually all repatriations, so crew have kept working beyond their original terms. Governments have also barred crew from shore leave. In fact, fear of COVID-19 has become so intense that a Russian seafarer who had a stroke while working on a ship off Indonesia was recently barred from going to an Indonesia hospital, said Barcellona.Because cargo-ship crew have been stuck out in the ocean, almost none have been infected with COVID-19. "The number of cases on board [cargo] ships are minimal. For us, the concern is that if seafarers become very ill or there is an accident, they're not even allowed access to a [shoreside] doctor and medical facility," he said.Industry pushes for a solutionThe ocean shipping industry has been working aggressively to solve the crew-repatriation issue, urging governments to designate seafarers "key workers" and allow them to transit regardless of nationality. The ITF meets frequently with delegates of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), which represents the ship operators; the World Health Organization; the International Maritime Organization (IMO); and the International Labor Organization (ILO).Appeals have been made at the United Nations, the largest public shipping companies have been vocal on the urgency of resolving the issue, and industry forums are focusing on the crisis (a Capital Link forum scheduled for June 15-16 will feature the secretary general of the IMO, among others, right at the deadline cited by the ITF).International groups coordinated to put out a 12-step roadmap on May 5 detailing how governments can end the "crew lockdown." At the time the roadmap was released, its authors estimated that 150,000 crew needed to be repatriated by midmonth to comply with the one-year regulatory limit on employment contracts.According to Barcellona, "We are mindful that we have the goodwill of most of the shipowners in trying to replace the crew. We are mindful of the problems. No one expected the scale of how many countries would impose lockdowns. We originally agreed to extending [employment] contracts to give governments a chance to come up with [policies on] easing restrictions. But we are of two minds on this, because it might give the impression of: 'We're just postponing the decisions and there will just be another one-month extension so why bother [fixing it]?'"All of the steps that the industry and the regulatory bodies could do have been done. Everything has been explored and put forward. But until the governments lift the restrictions, the crew changes won't happen," he said.It has been three months since the crew-repatriation issue first arose and despite a major lobbying effort on the part of the shipping industry, there has been remarkably little progress in terms of actually getting crewmembers home.The U.K. government allows crew passage and China is allowing crew transfers for Chinese crew aboard Chinese ships. Singapore had previously been cited as a solution, a potential hub for crew changes, "but with the increasing number of cases in Singapore lately, it seems the situation there is not ideal," said Barcellona.Restrictions on international crew air travel remain so extreme that Carnival Corporation is using nine of its own cruise ships to bring over 10,000 of its crewmembers home by sea.The tragedy of the commonsIn the best-case scenario, governments relaxing restrictions via multiphased approaches and becoming less fearful of COVID-19 risks would finally be more open to crew transits and allow passage — and do so within the next month.It seems more likely that this is a "tragedy of the commons" in the making. Economic theory defines a tragedy of the commons as a situation involving a shared-resource system (in this case, the seafarers who enable global ocean trade), wherein independently acting individual resource users (in this case, governments representing cargo shippers) act in their own self-interest (seeking to protect their citizens from COVID-19), and in doing so, collectively behave contrary to all users' common good by depleting the shared resource (seafarers and, by extension, ships to move goods across the oceans).Most crew on non-Chinese ships are Filipino, Indian or Indonesian, with Chinese crew predominating on Chinese ships. Most ships are not registered or "flagged" to the home country of the owners, but rather, to a so-called "open registry," primarily Panama, the Marshall Islands or Liberia.Excluding Chinese shipping, which is allowing crew changes for its own nationals and its own ships, there are no nations involved in the crisis powerful enough to force the issue (India is the largest among them). According to Barcellona, "As a trade union, we are always accused of being critical and cynical about flags of convenience [open registries], but the reality of this crisis has highlighted the issue, because if half the world fleet had been under the flag of the USA, something would have happened by now."Worst-case scenariosWhat happens on June 16 if the governments don't do anything, particularly given that international bodies like the IMO and ILO have zero authority to enforce their decisions on member countries?If governments don't act to restart crew repatriations and crewmembers stop agreeing to contract extensions, who would declare a ship unseaworthy and unable to sail if it does not have the minimum number of personnel on employment contracts? The master? The flag state? The port state the ship is calling at?"As you can imagine, we spend day and night thinking about Plan B if nothing moves," said Barcellona, who argued that if governments do not remove crew-transit restrictions, "the flag state is ultimately responsible.""The master has the overall responsibility to evaluate whether the ship and its workers are safe and secure," said Barcellona. "But we are very much concerned that the master would be placed in a very awkward position of putting the ship offline. If the crew take the decision not to sail, the crew could be criminalized."FreightWaves asked Barcellona whether there could be an action — potentially through crew covered under collective-bargaining agreements — that could render ships without the minimum required crew aboard with active employment contracts after June 16."We are looking at options and plans on how to respond, should the restriction and the industry efforts to ease them fail," he replied. "There are a number of legal implications and regulatory instruments that could be looked at. I cannot reply directly to your questions as we are still looking at things as we move along."If not the master, would flag states declare ships unseaworthy and prevent them from sailing if there were insufficient crew with employment contracts aboard? "Should this scenario arise, it will be addressed on a case-by-case basis, always taking into account the safety of the crew, the ship and the environment," answered Laura Sherman, director of marketing and communications for International Registries Inc., the administrator of the Marshall Islands flag.In other words, maybe, maybe not. The only thing clear about the endgame is that it's going to get messy if crew repatriations don't start soon, creating disruptions across container, tanker and dry bulk supply chains.And cargo shippers are not the only ones at risk, added Barcellona. "Crew who have exceeded their tour of duty are stretched, tired and stressed. There is depression and anxiety. This creates a serious risk of increased marine accidents and pollution," he warned."What we're concerned about is that we wake up tomorrow and see on the news that because the crew is overstretched and overtired, two ships have collided off Tokyo or the U.K. and there is a massive environmental disaster." Click for more FreightWaves/American Shipper articles by Greg Miller Photo Credit: EuronavSee more from Benzinga * Another Fundraise, As Self-Driving Startup Waymo's Investment Hits B In 2020 * North American Passenger Airlines Expand Cargo Flights In May * Investor Conference Highlights Trucking Headwinds, Tailwinds As Economic Restart Looms(C) 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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| Financial Forecasts Bleak as World Weighs Reopening Risks Posted: 13 May 2020 02:43 PM PDT  As the world weighs tough decisions on how to balance fighting COVID-19 and preserving economies, a couple of grim financial forecasts rolled in Wednesday. First: A United Nations report projected the world economy will shrink 3.2 percent this year due to the virus. On Wednesday, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned the coronavirus pandemic could bring a prolonged recession to the U.S. He also called on the U.S. government to take more steps to avoid further economic damage.
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| Financial Forecasts Bleak As World Weighs Reopening Vs. Virus Risks Posted: 13 May 2020 02:43 PM PDT As the world weighs tough decisions on how to balance fighting COVID-19 and preserving economies, a couple of grim financial forecasts rolled in Wednesday. First: A United Nations report projected the world economy will shrink 3.2 percent this year due to the virus. On Wednesday, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned the coronavirus pandemic could bring a prolonged recession to the U.S. He also called on the U.S. government to take more steps to avoid further economic damage.
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| Emails: Trump nominee involved in shelving CDC virus guide Posted: 13 May 2020 02:32 PM PDT  A former chemical industry executive nominated to be the nation's top consumer safety watchdog was involved in sidelining detailed guidelines to help communities reopen during the coronavirus pandemic, internal government emails show. Now the ranking Democrat on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee is questioning the role played by nominee Nancy Beck in the decision to shelve the guidelines. Beck is not a medical doctor and has no background in virology.
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| Whistleblower: US could face virus rebound 'darkest winter' Posted: 13 May 2020 12:58 PM PDT  America faces the "darkest winter in modern history" unless leaders act decisively to prevent a rebound of the coronavirus, says a government whistleblower who alleges he was ousted from his job after warning the Trump administration to prepare for the pandemic. Immunologist Dr. Rick Bright makes his sobering prediction in testimony prepared for his appearance Thursday before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Aspects of his complaint about early administration handling of the crisis are expected to be backed up by testimony from an executive of a company that manufactures, respirator masks.
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| FBI: Charges in weapons sting follow anti-Semitic posts Posted: 13 May 2020 12:37 PM PDT |
| Pompeo visits Israel on eve of new govt amid West Bank violence Posted: 13 May 2020 12:35 PM PDT  US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Israel on Wednesday, a day before its new government was to be sworn in, to discuss plans to annex much of the occupied West Bank into the Jewish state. President Donald Trump's top diplomat also voiced fresh condemnation of their common arch foe Iran, accusing the Islamic republic of promoting terrorism during the coronavirus pandemic. Pompeo was headed back to Washington after talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his rival-turned-ally Benny Gantz, who are set to form a unity government on Thursday to end a year of political gridlock.
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| US report indicates broad risk of COVID-19 at wildfire camps Posted: 13 May 2020 12:25 PM PDT  Outbreaks of the coronavirus could sweep through large camps where crews typically stay as they fight wildfires across the U.S., according to a federal document obtained by The Associated Press, and the problem is likely to get worse the longer the fire season lasts. The U.S. Forest Service's draft risk assessment suggests that even in a best-case scenario — with social distancing followed and plenty of tests and protective equipment available — nearly two dozen firefighters could be infected with COVID-19 at a camp with hundreds of people who come in to combat a fire that burns for months. "The Forest Service is diligently working with partners to assess the risk that COVID-19 presents for the 2020 fire season," the agency said in a statement Wednesday.
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| Sudan clashes kill 26, including paramilitary forces Posted: 13 May 2020 12:25 PM PDT |
| Netanyahu reaches threshold for forming government Posted: 13 May 2020 12:16 PM PDT  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Wednesday he has cobbled together enough lawmakers to form a government, a step that will send him back to the premiership after three inconclusive elections. Netanyahu's Likud Party and the ultra-Orthodox Shas faction came to a coalition agreement Wednesday. Netanyahu submitted a letter to Israel's ceremonial president announcing his achievement, setting the stage for the government to be sworn in Thursday.
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| Kremlin spox has virus-induced double-sided pneumonia Posted: 13 May 2020 11:42 AM PDT  Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that he has been diagnosed with double pneumonia caused by the coronavirus and that he hadn't met in person with Russian President Vladimir Putin for a month. Peskov, 52, a key aide of Putin's, revealed Tuesday that he was hospitalized with the virus but didn't give details about his condition.
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| Israel's AG complains to police about threats, harassment Posted: 13 May 2020 11:30 AM PDT  Israel's attorney general has filed a police complaint over threats he said he has received over the past day, the Justice Ministry said Wednesday. A statement from the ministry said Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit received threats in messages sent to his cellphone. "These threats and harassment, which appear to have been coordinated, continued during all hours of the night and morning," the statement said.
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| Virus restrictions fuel anti-government 'boogaloo' movement Posted: 13 May 2020 11:23 AM PDT  They carry high-powered rifles and wear tactical gear, but their Hawaiian shirts and leis are what stand out in the crowds that have formed at state capital buildings to protest COVID-19 lockdown orders. The signature look for the "boogaloo" anti-government movement is designed to get attention. A leader of the Three Percenters militia movement who organized a rally in Olympia, Washington, last month encouraged rally participants to wear Hawaiian shirts, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
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| US adds Cuba to blacklist on counterterrorism Posted: 13 May 2020 11:22 AM PDT  The United States said Wednesday it had added Cuba to a blacklist of countries that do not fully cooperate on counterterrorism, denouncing the presence of Colombian leftist guerrillas. Cuba joined four US adversaries -- Iran, Syria, North Korea and Venezuela -- in failing to be certified for 2019 under a US counterterrorism law that affects defense exports. It was the first time that Cuba was not certified since 2015.
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| Amid pandemic, world economy projected to shrink 3.2% in 2020 -U.N. Posted: 13 May 2020 09:30 AM PDT  The world economy is projected to shrink by 3.2 percent in 2020 after the coronavirus pandemic sharply restricted economic activity, increased uncertainty and sparked the worst recession since the depression, the United Nations said on Wednesday. A report by the U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs said there would likely only be a gradual recovery of lost output in 2021. In January, the department had projected world economy growth of between 1.8 to 2.5 percent this year.
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| Coronavirus: Tanzania hospitals overwhelmed - US Posted: 13 May 2020 08:58 AM PDT  President John Magufuli says the crisis is being exaggerated and has stopped publishing case numbers.
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| Trump ramps up expulsions of migrant youth, citing virus Posted: 13 May 2020 08:36 AM PDT  The young migrants and asylum seekers swim across the Rio Grande and clamber into the dense brush of Texas. Many are teens who left Central America on their own; others were sent along by parents from refugee camps in Mexico. Under U.S. law they would normally be allowed to live with relatives while their cases wind through immigration courts.
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| Poll shows a partisan split over virus-era religious freedom Posted: 13 May 2020 08:07 AM PDT  As the nation's houses of worship weigh how and when to resume in-person gatherings while coronavirus stay-at-home orders ease in some areas, a new poll points to a partisan divide over whether restricting those services violates religious freedom. Questions about whether states and localities could restrict religious gatherings to protect public health during the pandemic while permitting other secular activities have swirled for weeks and resulted in more than a dozen legal challenges that touch on freedom to worship. President Donald Trump's administration has sided with two churches contesting their areas' pandemic-related limits on in-person and drive-in services — a stance that appeals to his conservative base, according to the new poll by The University of Chicago Divinity School and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
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| Pandemic piles new pressures on foster children, caretakers Posted: 13 May 2020 07:57 AM PDT |
| Global Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Industry Posted: 13 May 2020 07:30 AM PDT  Cockpit Electronics for Automotive market worldwide is projected to grow by US$26.5 Billion, driven by a compounded growth of 8.2%. HUD, one of the segments analyzed and sized in this study, displays the potential to grow at over 9.1%. The shifting dynamics supporting this growth makes it critical for businesses in this space to keep abreast of the changing pulse of the market. Poised to reach over US$4 Billion by the year 2025, HUD will bring in healthy gains adding significant momentum to global growth. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05798179/?utm_source=PRN - Representing the developed world, the United States will maintain a 6.9% growth momentum. Within Europe, which continues to remain an important element in the world economy, Germany will add over US$915 Million to the region's size and clout in the next 5 to 6 years. Over US$783.4 Million worth of projected demand in the region will come from Rest of Europe markets. In Japan, HUD will reach a market size of US$236.7 Million by the close of the analysis period. As the world's second largest economy and the new game changer in global markets, China exhibits the potential to grow at 12.3% over the next couple of years and add approximately US$7.5 Billion in terms of addressable opportunity for the picking by aspiring businesses and their astute leaders. Presented in visually rich graphics are these and many more need-to-know quantitative data important in ensuring quality of strategy decisions, be it entry into new markets or allocation of resources within a portfolio. Several macroeconomic factors and internal market forces will shape growth and development of demand patterns in emerging countries in Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East. All research viewpoints presented are based on validated engagements from influencers in the market, whose opinions supersede all other research methodologies. - Competitors identified in this market include, among others, Alpine Electronics, Inc.; Clarion Co., Ltd.; Continental AG; Delphi Automotive PLC; Denso Corporation; Garmin Ltd.; HARMAN International; Magneti Marelli SpA; Panasonic Corporation; Pioneer Corporation; Robert Bosch GmbH; TomTom International BV; Visteon Corporation; Yazaki CorporationRead the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05798179/?utm_source=PRN I. METHODOLOGYII. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY1. MARKET OVERVIEW Global Competitor Market Shares Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Competitor Market Share Scenario Worldwide (in %): 2019 & 2025 2. FOCUS ON SELECT PLAYERS 3. MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS 4. GLOBAL MARKET PERSPECTIVE Table 1: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Global Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2018-2025 Table 2: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Global Retrospective Market Scenario in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2009-2017 Table 3: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Share Shift across Key Geographies Worldwide: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 4: HUD (Product) World Market by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2018 to 2025 Table 5: HUD (Product) Historic Market Analysis by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2009 to 2017 Table 6: HUD (Product) Market Share Breakdown of Worldwide Sales by Region/Country: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 7: Information Display (Product) Potential Growth Markets Worldwide in US$ Million: 2018 to 2025 Table 8: Information Display (Product) Historic Market Perspective by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2009 to 2017 Table 9: Information Display (Product) Market Sales Breakdown by Region/Country in Percentage: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 10: Infotainment & Navigation (Product) Geographic Market Spread Worldwide in US$ Million: 2018 to 2025 Table 11: Infotainment & Navigation (Product) Region Wise Breakdown of Global Historic Demand in US$ Million: 2009 to 2017 Table 12: Infotainment & Navigation (Product) Market Share Distribution in Percentage by Region/Country: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 13: Instrument Cluster (Product) World Market Estimates and Forecasts by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2018 to 2025 Table 14: Instrument Cluster (Product) Market Historic Review by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2009 to 2017 Table 15: Instrument Cluster (Product) Market Share Breakdown by Region/Country: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 16: Telematics (Product) World Market by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2018 to 2025 Table 17: Telematics (Product) Historic Market Analysis by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2009 to 2017 Table 18: Telematics (Product) Market Share Distribution in Percentage by Region/Country: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 19: Other Products (Product) World Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2018 to 2025 Table 20: Other Products (Product) Market Worldwide Historic Review by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2009 to 2017 Table 21: Other Products (Product) Market Percentage Share Distribution by Region/Country: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 III. MARKET ANALYSISGEOGRAPHIC MARKET ANALYSIS UNITED STATES Market Facts & Figures US Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Share (in %) by Company: 2019 & 2025 Table 22: United States Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Product: 2018 to 2025 Table 23: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market in the United States by Product: A Historic Review in US$ Million for 2009-2017 Table 24: United States Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 CANADA Table 25: Canadian Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Product: 2018 to 2025 Table 26: Canadian Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Historic Market Review by Product in US$ Million: 2009-2017 Table 27: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market in Canada: Percentage Share Breakdown of Sales by Product for 2009, 2019, and 2025 JAPAN Table 28: Japanese Market for Cockpit Electronics for Automotive: Annual Sales Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2018-2025 Table 29: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market in Japan: Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2009-2017 Table 30: Japanese Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Share Analysis by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 CHINA Table 31: Chinese Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Growth Prospects in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2018-2025 Table 32: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Historic Market Analysis in China in US$ Million by Product: 2009-2017 Table 33: Chinese Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market by Product: Percentage Breakdown of Sales for 2009, 2019, and 2025 EUROPE Market Facts & Figures European Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market: Competitor Market Share Scenario (in %) for 2019 & 2025 Table 34: European Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Demand Scenario in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2018-2025 Table 35: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market in Europe: A Historic Market Perspective in US$ Million by Region/Country for the Period 2009-2017 Table 36: European Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Share Shift by Region/Country: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 37: European Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Product: 2018-2025 Table 38: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market in Europe in US$ Million by Product: A Historic Review for the Period 2009-2017 Table 39: European Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 FRANCE Table 40: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market in France by Product: Estimates and Projections in US$ Million for the Period 2018-2025 Table 41: French Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Historic Market Scenario in US$ Million by Product: 2009-2017 Table 42: French Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Share Analysis by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 GERMANY Table 43: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market in Germany: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2018-2025 Table 44: German Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Product: 2009-2017 Table 45: German Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 ITALY Table 46: Italian Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Growth Prospects in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2018-2025 Table 47: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Historic Market Analysis in Italy in US$ Million by Product: 2009-2017 Table 48: Italian Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market by Product: Percentage Breakdown of Sales for 2009, 2019, and 2025 UNITED KINGDOM Table 49: United Kingdom Market for Cockpit Electronics for Automotive: Annual Sales Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2018-2025 Table 50: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market in the United Kingdom: Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2009-2017 Table 51: United Kingdom Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Share Analysis by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 SPAIN Table 52: Spanish Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Product: 2018 to 2025 Table 53: Spanish Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Historic Market Review by Product in US$ Million: 2009-2017 Table 54: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market in Spain: Percentage Share Breakdown of Sales by Product for 2009, 2019, and 2025 RUSSIA Table 55: Russian Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Product: 2018 to 2025 Table 56: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market in Russia by Product: A Historic Review in US$ Million for 2009-2017 Table 57: Russian Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 REST OF EUROPE Table 58: Rest of Europe Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Product: 2018-2025 Table 59: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market in Rest of Europe in US$ Million by Product: A Historic Review for the Period 2009-2017 Table 60: Rest of Europe Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 ASIA-PACIFIC Table 61: Asia-Pacific Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2018-2025 Table 62: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market in Asia-Pacific: Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Region/Country for the Period 2009-2017 Table 63: Asia-Pacific Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Share Analysis by Region/Country: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 64: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market in Asia-Pacific by Product: Estimates and Projections in US$ Million for the Period 2018-2025 Table 65: Asia-Pacific Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Historic Market Scenario in US$ Million by Product: 2009-2017 Table 66: Asia-Pacific Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Share Analysis by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 AUSTRALIA Table 67: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market in Australia: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2018-2025 Table 68: Australian Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Product: 2009-2017 Table 69: Australian Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 INDIA Table 70: Indian Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Product: 2018 to 2025 Table 71: Indian Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Historic Market Review by Product in US$ Million: 2009-2017 Table 72: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market in India: Percentage Share Breakdown of Sales by Product for 2009, 2019, and 2025 SOUTH KOREA Table 73: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market in South Korea: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2018-2025 Table 74: South Korean Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Product: 2009-2017 Table 75: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Share Distribution in South Korea by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 REST OF ASIA-PACIFIC Table 76: Rest of Asia-Pacific Market for Cockpit Electronics for Automotive: Annual Sales Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2018-2025 Table 77: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market in Rest of Asia-Pacific: Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2009-2017 Table 78: Rest of Asia-Pacific Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Share Analysis by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 LATIN AMERICA Table 79: Latin American Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Trends by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2018-2025 Table 80: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market in Latin America in US$ Million by Region/Country: A Historic Perspective for the Period 2009-2017 Table 81: Latin American Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Percentage Breakdown of Sales by Region/Country: 2009, 2019, and 2025 Table 82: Latin American Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Growth Prospects in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2018-2025 Table 83: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Historic Market Analysis in Latin America in US$ Million by Product: 2009-2017 Table 84: Latin American Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market by Product: Percentage Breakdown of Sales for 2009, 2019, and 2025 ARGENTINA Table 85: Argentinean Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Product: 2018-2025 Table 86: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market in Argentina in US$ Million by Product: A Historic Review for the Period 2009-2017 Table 87: Argentinean Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 BRAZIL Table 88: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market in Brazil by Product: Estimates and Projections in US$ Million for the Period 2018-2025 Table 89: Brazilian Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Historic Market Scenario in US$ Million by Product: 2009-2017 Table 90: Brazilian Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Share Analysis by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 MEXICO Table 91: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market in Mexico: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2018-2025 Table 92: Mexican Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Product: 2009-2017 Table 93: Mexican Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 REST OF LATIN AMERICA Table 94: Rest of Latin America Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Product: 2018 to 2025 Table 95: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market in Rest of Latin America by Product: A Historic Review in US$ Million for 2009-2017 Table 96: Rest of Latin America Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 MIDDLE EAST Table 97: The Middle East Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2018-2025 Table 98: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market in the Middle East by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2009-2017 Table 99: The Middle East Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Share Breakdown by Region/Country: 2009, 2019, and 2025 Table 100: The Middle East Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Product: 2018 to 2025 Table 101: The Middle East Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Historic Market by Product in US$ Million: 2009-2017 Table 102: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market in the Middle East: Percentage Share Breakdown of Sales by Product for 2009, 2019, and 2025 IRAN Table 103: Iranian Market for Cockpit Electronics for Automotive: Annual Sales Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2018-2025 Table 104: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market in Iran: Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2009-2017 Table 105: Iranian Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Share Analysis by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 ISRAEL Table 106: Israeli Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Product: 2018-2025 Table 107: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market in Israel in US$ Million by Product: A Historic Review for the Period 2009-2017 Table 108: Israeli Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 SAUDI ARABIA Table 109: Saudi Arabian Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Growth Prospects in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2018-2025 Table 110: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Historic Market Analysis in Saudi Arabia in US$ Million by Product: 2009-2017 Table 111: Saudi Arabian Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market by Product: Percentage Breakdown of Sales for 2009, 2019, and 2025 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Table 112: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market in the United Arab Emirates: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2018-2025 Table 113: United Arab Emirates Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Product: 2009-2017 Table 114: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Share Distribution in United Arab Emirates by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 REST OF MIDDLE EAST Table 115: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market in Rest of Middle East: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2018-2025 Table 116: Rest of Middle East Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Product: 2009-2017 Table 117: Rest of Middle East Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 AFRICA Table 118: African Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Product: 2018 to 2025 Table 119: Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market in Africa by Product: A Historic Review in US$ Million for 2009-2017 Table 120: African Cockpit Electronics for Automotive Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 IV. COMPETITIONALPINE ELECTRONICS CLARION CONTINENTAL AG DELPHI AUTOMOTIVE PLC DENSO CORPORATION GARMIN HARMAN INTERNATIONAL MAGNETI MARELLI SPA PANASONIC CORPORATION PIONEER CORPORATION ROBERT BOSCH GMBH TOMTOM INTERNATIONAL BV VISTEON CORPORATION YAZAKI CORPORATION V. CURATED RESEARCHRead the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05798179/?utm_source=PRN About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Contact Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001
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| Ramadan Lights to pick Detroit area's best-decorated homes Posted: 13 May 2020 07:24 AM PDT  Detroit-area Muslims who've had to socially distance themselves from the more communal aspects of Ramadan because of the coronavirus pandemic are instead celebrating the holy month in lights. During last year's iteration of Ramadan, in which worshippers fast daily from dawn through dusk, pharmacist Hassan Chami organized the Ramadan Suhoor Festival.
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| Merkel urges virus vigilance; Germany loosens border checks Posted: 13 May 2020 07:16 AM PDT  Chancellor Angela Merkel urged Germans to be "courageous and vigilant" Wednesday as the country emerges from its shutdown, calling on them to avoid a relapse into tougher restrictions even as officials set out plans to relax border controls. Germany started loosening coronavirus restrictions on April 20, about a month after they were introduced.
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| Yemen reports first coronavirus case in Marib province Posted: 13 May 2020 06:49 AM PDT |
| WHO stresses need to find source of coronavirus Posted: 13 May 2020 06:42 AM PDT  Pinning down the source of the coronavirus pandemic should help in working out how COVID-19 has "invaded the human species" so quickly, a senior WHO official told AFP. The outbreak has triggered a fierce diplomatic spat between China and the United States -- with the World Health Organization at the centre of the row. In late March, US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping struck an informal truce in the war of words over the origin of the deadly disease.
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| Paul Manafort released from prison due to virus concerns Posted: 13 May 2020 06:00 AM PDT  Paul Manafort, Donald Trump's onetime presidential campaign chairman who was convicted as part of the special counsel's Russia investigation, has been released from federal prison to serve the rest of his sentence in home confinement due to concerns about the coronavirus, his lawyer said Wednesday. Manafort, 71, was let out Wednesday morning from FCI Loretto, a low-security prison in Pennsylvania, according to his attorney, Todd Blanche. Manafort, jailed since June 2018, had been serving more than seven years in prison following his conviction.
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| What you need to know today about the virus outbreak Posted: 13 May 2020 05:56 AM PDT  The United Nations is forecasting that the coronavirus pandemic will shrink the world economy by 3.2% this year, the sharpest contraction since the Great Depression in the 1930s. The U.N.'s mid-year report released Wednesday said COVID-19 is expected to slash global economic output by nearly $8.5 trillion over the next two years, wiping out nearly all gains of the last four years and likely pushing an estimated 34.3 million people below the extreme poverty line in 2020. Here are some of AP's top stories Monday on the world's coronavirus pandemic.
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| Immigrants With Work Visas, Suddenly Jobless, Must Leave U.S. if They Aren't Rehired Posted: 13 May 2020 05:21 AM PDT  Like millions of American workers, an Indian software engineer, a British market researcher and an Iranian architect lost their jobs amid the coronavirus pandemic. Unlike Americans, they are not entitled to unemployment benefits, despite paying taxes, because they are on foreign work visas. And, if they fail to find similar jobs soon, they must leave the country.Rejish Ravindran analyzed data for a national footwear retailer, helping make sales projections and investment decisions. After hiring him on an H-1B skilled-worker visa nearly two years ago, the company recently sponsored his application for legal permanent residency, a process that takes several years to complete."It was going good. I thought I would be in Michigan forever. We were going to buy a house and settle down here," said Ravindran, 35, who lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan. His wife, Amrutha, a nurse, was finishing a course and hoped to put her training to use soon.But battered by the coronavirus outbreak, the retailer furloughed Ravindran last month, which is not allowed under the terms of his visa. So two days later, the company terminated him."Everything came crashing down," said Ravindran, who arrived in the United States in 2012.Now, he is scrambling to find another job before the 60-day grace period for transferring his visa to another employer expires early next month. He is not optimistic.The lives of tens of thousands of foreign workers on skilled-worker visas, such as H-1Bs, have been upended by the economic fallout from the COVID-19 crisis. Many have been waiting in a backlog for several years to obtain permanent legal residency through their employer, and now face the prospect of deportation.The Trump administration is also expected within the next few weeks to halt the issuance of new work visas such as the H-1B, for high skilled foreigners, and the H-2B, for seasonal employment. The new measures under review, according to two current and two former government immigration officials, would also eliminate a program that enables foreign graduates of American universities to remain in the country and work.The tightening work rules come as unemployment in the U.S. soared last month to 14.7%, the highest level on record, and as calls escalated in Congress for Americans to be given priority for jobs."Given the extreme lack of available jobs for American job-seekers as portions of our economy begin to reopen, it defies common sense to admit additional foreign guest workers to compete for such limited employment," a group of Republican senators said in a letter last week calling for a suspension of new visas to guest workers who have not yet entered the country.For those already rooted in the U.S., the consequences of canceling the existing visas are "life-altering," said Shev Dalal-Dheini, director of government relations for the American Immigration Lawyers Association."They have been thrown into limbo. It's not like they can go and just find any job, like at a pizza place," said Dalal-Dheini. A new job must meet specific criteria for the visa, such as by paying a certain salary and requiring at least a bachelor's degree.Dalal-Dheini's association of 15,000 lawyers has asked U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to extend the grace period, giving H-1B holders at least 90 days after the public health emergency has ended to find employment.An agency spokesman did not address whether an extension was under consideration. He said the agency would continue to monitor the coronavirus and "assess various options related to temporary worker programs."Since taking office, President Donald Trump has thrust immigration and job displacement onto center stage, introducing a series of policies to curtail both legal and illegal immigration. More recently, his administration has cited the pandemic to justify even stricter restrictions.On April 22, Trump suspended the entry of new immigrants for 60 days. Less noticed in his proclamation was the order to the secretaries of labor and homeland security for a speedy review of nonimmigrant work visa programs.As of Jan. 21, there were 421,276 people in the United States on H-1B visas, three-quarters of them Indians, and many of them technology workers. About 220,000 people were enrolled in the 2018-19 academic year in the Optional Practical Training program, which allows foreign students to work after completing their studies.The strong economy had fueled brisk demand for foreign workers in recent years, with H-1B applications by private companies far outstripping the annual supply of 85,000, a situation that prompted the government to resort to a lottery to award them.But proponents of limiting immigration say that if there was ever a time to prioritize American workers, it is now."If an H-1B visa holder is terminated from their job and is unable to find another employer willing to sponsor them, they should go back home," said Kevin Lynn, executive director of Progressives for Immigration Reform, which advocates for American technology workers.U.S. citizens with foreign partners on visas are also affected.Andrew Jenkins and Krista York of Minnesota began more than a year ago to plan their wedding. The couple had settled on getting married Aug. 22 at the majestic Cathedral of St. Paul, where York's grandparents were married decades ago and she was confirmed in the church as a teenager. Then the coronavirus struck.York was furloughed. Jenkins, who is British, lost his job as a market research analyst. Because he is on an H-1B visa, Jenkins is not eligible for unemployment. "It's far from ideal to not have any income when you're planning your wedding," said Jenkins, 27.What's worse, the couple said, is that Jenkins is in a race against time to find another job before his visa expires in July.Unless he succeeds, they may have to hurriedly get married at a courthouse so that Jenkins can salvage his immigrant status -- by filing an application for a green card through a spouse. If that happens, the couple will not be allowed to hold a religious ceremony at the cathedral."Everything is ready to go for the cathedral. But if we have to get married on paper, we'll have to find another church," said York, 27.Bahar Shirkhanloo of Iran completed a master's degree in architecture two years ago and used the Optional Practical Training program to get a job at a firm in Chicago, where she is part of a team that designs high-rise residential buildings.Early this year, the firm decided to sponsor her for a green card. But she was abruptly terminated in early April when projects came to a standstill, leaving her with 60 days, under the terms of the program, to find a new job."I'm applying every day, everywhere in the U.S. you can think of," said Shirkhanloo, 28. Most often, she hears the same thing: "They are interested, but, for now, there's a hiring freeze."In Michigan, Ravindran is contemplating selling his 2013 Honda Accord to make the rent and pay outstanding bills, including $6,000 for a hospital visit by his wife last year.The son of a tea stall owner and the first to attend college in his family, the software engineer said that if he ends up having to return to India, "I want to clear all my debts. I need to make a smooth exit from the U.S."But there is a wrinkle: Commercial flights to India have been suspended since that country went into lockdown in March. While the government recently started repatriating some Indians stranded abroad, it has stipulated that pregnant women, older people and those with medical conditions will have priority.That could put someone like Ravindran at risk of overstaying his visa, which could jeopardize his ability to live in the United States in the future."If I don't find a new job, I can't stay here," he said.This article originally appeared in The New York Times.(C) 2020 The New York Times Company
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| AP Courtside: Supreme Court hangs up on phone arguments Posted: 13 May 2020 05:01 AM PDT  The Supreme Court has held two weeks of arguments by telephone because of the coronavirus pandemic, hearing cases about President Donald Trump's tax records, contraceptive care mandates and religious education disputes, with audio available live to audiences around the world. The court heard several days of arguments that had been postponed because of the coronavirus. The Supreme Court has hung up the phone.
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| Angela Merkel says Germany has 'hard evidence' Russia hacked her emails Posted: 13 May 2020 04:49 AM PDT  Angela Merkel threatened Russia with consequences yesterday on Wednesday as she accused Vladimir Putin's intelligence services of hacking her emails. "We always reserve the right to take measures, including against Russia," Mrs Merkel told the German parliament. Germany has "hard evidence" Russian intelligence was behind a 2015 hacking attack in which her emails were compromised, she said. It was the first official confirmation of claims that have been extensively reported by the German press in recent days. "I can honestly say that it pains me," Mrs Merkel said, voicing her frustration at what she called Russia's "outrageous" behaviour. "Every day I try to build a better relationship with Russia, and on the other hand there is hard evidence that Russian forces are doing this." The allegations centre on a 2015 hacking attack on the German parliament's internal computer system in which several MPs' email accounts were compromised. It emerged last week in a report in Spiegel magazine that one of Mrs Merkel's email accounts was among those affected.
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| Lebanon to reinstate total lockdown amid spike in infections Posted: 13 May 2020 04:33 AM PDT  Lebanese rushed to food stores to stock up on vegetables and basic items, hours before the government reinstated a nationwide lockdown Wednesday, following a spike in reported coronavirus cases. The government called on the public to stay home for four days starting Wednesday evening and until dawn on Monday, reversing measures that were gradually implemented since last month that phased out restrictions imposed since mid-March. The new shutdown is a rare reversal and comes as many countries have started easing restrictions despite grave concerns of a setback as they seek to balance economic and health care needs.
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| Saturday classes? Schools mull ways to make up lost time Posted: 13 May 2020 04:27 AM PDT  When students return to school after a lengthy pandemic-induced absence, the consensus is they will have lost significant academic ground. In California, the governor has suggested the next school year could begin as soon as July. "First and foremost, we need to recognize that we have young people in front of us who have gone through a traumatic experience," said Andres Perez, a Chula Vista, California, high school teacher who warns against moving too fast to get back on track.
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| Norway's top military official in Iraq says virus helps IS Posted: 13 May 2020 04:09 AM PDT |
| Death toll from attack on Kabul maternity clinic rises to 24 Posted: 13 May 2020 03:33 AM PDT  Officials on Wednesday raised the death toll from a militant attack on a maternity hospital in Kabul to 24, including mothers, nurses and two babies. As the gunfight raged, Afghan security forces carried out babies and frantic mothers. The clinic in Dashti Barchi, a mostly Shiite neighborhood in Afghanistan's capital, is supported by international aid group Doctors Without Borders.
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| Germany aims for free travel in Europe by June 15 Posted: 13 May 2020 03:12 AM PDT  Germany will start to ease some of the border controls introduced to slow the spread of the coronavirus from Saturday with the aim of having free travel in Europe from June 15, Interior Minster Horst Seehofer said. Seehofer said that general border controls agreed with France, Switzerland and Austria due to end on May 15 would be extended until June 16 but as many crossings as possible would be reopened. "The goal is that from mid-June we want to have free travel in Europe," he said, adding that controls could be re-imposed if there are new outbreaks. The government in Vienna also announced that Austria and Germany plan to open their border in mid-June after it was closed for two months in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. "From June 15, the opening of the border between Germany and Austria will be possible," Tourism Minister Elisabeth Koestinger told state radio station O1. Restrictions on crossing the border will begin to be eased from May 15, enabling business trips and family visits to take place, she added. The German and Austrian chancellors, Angela Merkel and Sebastian Kurz spoke Tuesday and "agreed on a gradual opening" of the border", the minister said. Both nations consider they have the virus under control and were among the first in Europe to start lifting the measures taken to halt the spread of the pandemic.
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| Justices fear 'chaos' if states can't bind electors' votes Posted: 13 May 2020 02:25 AM PDT  Supreme Court justices invoked fears of bribery and chaos Wednesday to suggest they think states can require presidential electors to back their states' popular vote winner in the Electoral College. The justices heard arguments on an unusual voting issue that could have important consequences for the 2020 presidential election in an era of intense political polarization. A focus of the questions was whether states can replace electors who decide to vote for someone other than the state popular vote winner.
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| Trump, GOP launch broad attack on Russia probe foundations Posted: 13 May 2020 02:16 AM PDT  President Donald Trump and Republicans are launching a broad election-year attack on the foundation of the Russia investigation, including declassifying intelligence information to try to place senior Obama administration officials under scrutiny for routine actions. The effort has been aided by a Justice Department decision to dismiss its prosecution of former Trump administration national security adviser Michael Flynn, an action that rewrites the narrative of the 3-year-old case in a way that former federal law enforcement officials say downplays the legitimate national security concerns they believe Flynn's actions raised and the consequences of the lies he pleaded guilty to telling. The DOJ decision comes as Trump and his Republican allies push to reframe the Russia investigation as a "deep state" plot to sabotage his administration, setting the stage for a fresh onslaught of attacks on past and present Democratic officials and law enforcement leaders.
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| Global trade seen cut by more than a quarter in Q2 - UN agency Posted: 13 May 2020 02:00 AM PDT |
| Neo-Nazis, Qanon Nuts, and Hardcore Vegans Unite to Protest Germany’s Lockdown Posted: 13 May 2020 01:57 AM PDT  BERLIN—Some of the German protesters sat cross legged on the pavement, eyes closed. They were meditating against the coronavirus. Other demonstrators sang songs from the Fridays for Future ecology movement created by Greta Thunberg. And some who claimed they were demanding their civil rights shouted, "We are the people," a slogan favored by Germany's right-wing extremist and anti-immigrant groups as if we and only we, the whites, are The People.Football hooligans and neo-Nazis were arrested, journalists beaten up and bottles thrown, while neighbors on the sidelines discussed how a Satan-worshipping clique of millionaires had planned the coronavirus pandemic, and how Germany was now a medical dictatorship. These were some of the scenes at nationwide anti-lockdown demonstrations in Germany over the weekend, attended by an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 people. Politically, it appeared a wild mash-up. But who exactly were these people?Unlike in the U.S., where protests have mostly originated on one side of the political spectrum, the demonstrators' signs didn't offer many clues at first. One man held up a hand-written paper saying, "I'm not right wing, I'm not left wing, I am for free expression, constitutional rights and democracy." Another sign said, "Don't give [Bill] Gates a chance! No enforced vaccinations." Yet another wore a mask nearby decorated with the words "Merkel's muzzle," and there was at least one with a T-shirt reading, in English, all caps: Q ANON - DO YOU BELIEVE IN COINCIDENCE? The demonstrators call themselves "the corona-rebels," or "alternative thinkers" or part of the Querfront, a venerable German political term that suggests different social and political subgroups drawn to one plan of action. In this case, they include anti-vaxxers, hard core vegans, neo-Nazis, members of the Reichburger sovereign citizen movement, which rejects the legitimacy of the modern German state, and politicians from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, plus a sprinkling of their sometime allies the Free Democrats. HYBRIDSLocal experts talk about an emerging "hybrid ideology" because despite other political differences, there are a number of things that many of those protesting do have in common. It's not just opposition to anti-COVID measures, it is a fascination—for some a kind of enthrallment—with conspiracy theories, which meshes with their mistrust of established information sources such as the mainstream media or their government. Americans know this as a familiar pattern, one that has found something like its ultimate expression in the QAnon phenomenon, where every refutation of an implausible theory about the "deep state" is twisted into an affirmation. Given the nearly apocalyptic atmosphere brought on by the pandemic, this is not surprising, but it is potentially dangerous, especially when it makes fighting the spread of the disease that much harder."Conspiracy theories tend to transcend political ideologies," Jason Reifler, a professor of political science at Britain's Exeter University, told The Daily Beast. Reifler says the overriding principle here might be similar to populism. "There are core tenets that populists have in common but no policy positions, per se," said Reifler, an expert in political psychology. Sociologists have already spoken about pandemic populism where protesters believe it's all about "us against them," or the common people versus controlling elites. Jan Rathje, who leads a project debunking conspiracy theories for the Berlin-based Amadeu Antonio Foundation, which opposes anti-Semitism and extremism, describes protesters being motivated by "a conspiracy-theory-based ideology expressed by action." "It's not an overly complicated ideology," he explained. "You don't have to think about it too much. It's more about saying these are the conspirators, they are responsible for all the evil in the world and we should act against them."Believing in conspiracy theories usually has more to do with emotion and identity than anything else, Rathje told The Daily Beast. Believers see themselves as good people, fighting evil. "And that's hard to argue with," he concludes. "A lot of these things have been bubbling under [the surface] in our society," Berlin-based researcher Miro Dittrich, who monitors online extremism for the project de:hate, told local media. "They're now rising to the top and are achieving a kind of reach we've never seen before. I've been monitoring this scene for over four years and I believe that we are seeing … people completely lose touch with reality." HI QCertain social media channels and messaging groups, many of them private, have been seeing huge membership gains since the pandemic began, Dittrich added. He believes the pandemic makes locals more vulnerable to conspiracy theorists because they're stuck at home, most likely on their computers. In something of a first for Germany, as Dittrich points out, a number of high-profile figures have been spreading this kind of disinformation. Athletics star and fashion model Alexandra Wester broadcast a video to almost 63,000 followers on her Instagram feed, hashtagging the video Q, as in QAnon. Germany has its own colorful versions of the group's fraught conspiracy theories that tend to be more passionately defended as they prove more highly improbable.Some German QAnon believers think pandemic lockdown measures have been a cover for the rescue of children held captive by a network of pedophiles, others believe a popular local tabloid, Bild, is sending them secret messages. The most recent example involved a major U.S.-European military exercise. German QAnon groups—as many as 73,000 follow one major proponent of QAnon theories on just a single channel carried by the encrypted Telegram app—thought American troops headed to the continent for the Defender-Europe 20 maneuvers earlier this year were actually going to free them from the Satan-worshipping "Deep State" they claim is in charge behind the scenes in Germany. Celebrity vegan chef Attila Hildmann, whose products are sold in supermarkets around the country, accused Germany's minister of health on Instagram of being a member of a conspiracy to establish a new world order. Hildmann told over 65,000 followers he was ready to take up arms to prevent this. And popular musician Xavier Naidoo posted an emotional video on his Telegram channel, weeping as he told his 54,000 followers about an international pedophile ring that tortures children. ACCELERATIONISTSMany of the protesters also share a desire to "re-set" contemporary society—that is, to improve the global order according to the rules of whatever version of utopia they prefer. For some, that means no migrants, guns, and motorcycles. For others, it's about the end of capitalism, a return to nature, or even anarchy. In fact, this "accelerationism" toward a supposedly better world, as it's often described, was at the heart of the first of these protests in Germany. The notion behind accelerationism is that you attack a system you hate by bringing out the worst in it, thus speeding its destruction. Murderous white supremacists have used the term when attacking mosques and synagogues around the world, hoping to provoke crackdowns and race wars. But in Germany the connotation is more anti-capitalist: let the one percent so abuse their power that the people rise against them. Americans saw some of this as well in 2016 when an accelerationist current of anarchists came out for candidate Donald Trump. The Daily Beast dubbed their strategy the "politics of arson."In Germany about six weeks ago, a group named Nicht Ohne Uns (Not Without Us) organized a small demonstration outside a theater in central Berlin. During this first outing—illegal at the time because of the lockdown—the organizers handed out their newspaper, dubbed Democratic Resistance, to 30 to 40 people. Their objective: To stand up for civil liberties and to improve the capitalist system after the pandemic ended. Since then, various other groups have joined in. Alexandra Wester, the Q enthusiast, also hashtagged NichteOhneUns. Others who heeded the call included the anti-virus meditators as well as neo-Nazis, and even Germany's far-right party, the AfD. As those who monitor right-wing activity have noted, this happened partly because the original protesters never made it clear that racists, anti-Semites and other extremists were not welcome. If they didn't let those people speak, some felt, then they might be considered as fascist as the state they were criticizing. HERDING THE CATSThe protests have also seen the formation of a new would-be political party, Resistance2020, which aims to herd all these anti-anti-COVID cats together."A little while ago I said that, up until now, the dissatisfied and the frustrated, the conspiracy story tellers, the esotericists, anti-vaxxers, anti-Semites and right wing radicals here hadn't yet managed to create a collective—which meant that the danger wasn't great," tweeted Matthias Quent, director of the Institute for Democracy and Civil Society based in the north-eastern city of Jena. "But all that changes with Resistance2020." The best-known face of the almost-three-week-old party is Bodo Schiffmann, a doctor from the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg, who helped organize the protests in Stuttgart on the weekend. His live streams, during which he often argues that COVID-19 is not as dangerous as authorities say, get close to a quarter of a million views and his own channel has over 140,000 subscribers. So far, Resistance2020 only has a handful of policies: apart from being animal lovers and mainstream media sceptics, they would also like to rewrite the German constitution and scrap the current German parliament. The party has ambitions to compete in next year's federal elections. Sceptics have also pointed out Resistance2020 a potentially troubling link to the AfD: when it was first launched, its registered address was a local AfD office. Putting aside the physical danger of infection in crowds of demonstrators, this growing connection to the German far right is the main problem many people have with these protests. This week, a number of senior politicians expressed concern. They worry that the protests will grow in the same way that anti-immigration protests did during the country's refugee crisis of 2015. The AfD is infamous as a successful party of far-right outsiders in opposition, and won its place in the Reichstag, but has been losing public support as German communities unite against COVID-19 and behind German Chancellor Angela Merkel. A new opposition movement offers the AfD new opportunities. "They [the right-wing extremists] sense a chance as dissatisfaction in the population brews," an expert on the scene, Judith Rahner, told local TV channel, SWR. "The populists are very good at taking people's fears, provoking them further for political reasons and then setting themselves up as the leadership of a movement. That's the biggest danger I can see currently." 'DON'T BE DIVISIVE' There's a dangerous dynamic building, says Berlin-based organization MBR, a mobile team of counselors who support anybody speaking out against, or victimized by, right-wing extremists. Participants in these demonstrations are positioning themselves as the only "democratic opposition," the counsellors wrote in a report published earlier this month after spending five weeks observing the Berlin protests. "In the current, exceptional circumstances, that kind of narrative has the potential to mobilize people and go way beyond the usual audience for right wing extremism," they concluded. For the Amadeu Antonio Foundation's Rathje, the dangers of this hybrid, conspiracy-based ideology are more abstruse. "If you can't accept ambivalence or contradiction, or not knowing what will happen in the future, that's where conspiracy theorists can step in and really influence your worldview," he argues. "And if that kind of thinking—where it's always about an apocalyptic scenario and eliminating the evil—becomes a larger minority belief, or even a majority belief, then that is critical for society."Despite the noise they made on the weekend, the intersectional front remains a minority for now. A recent survey found the majority of Germans—67 percent—are satisfied with the government's crisis management. Six out of 10 say they're not concerned if rights must be curtailed for longer. And Angela Merkel's party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), continues to be the most popular in the country, with 39 percent saying they would vote for the CDU; that's the most popular the party has been since 2017. Meanwhile, another opposition group has been evolving along with the protests. In Berlin, a network of left-wingers tried to protest the protests."Please warn your colleagues, friends and neighbors about these protests," the campaign group, Stand Up Against Racism, wrote in a letter last week that was widely shared on social media. "It is legitimate to criticize coronavirus politics and to warn of a potential threat to our democratic rights," the campaigners argued. "But anyone who takes part in these campaigns is letting themselves be manipulated by neo-Nazis."The producers of the original Democratic Resistance in Berlin may also have figured that out over the weekend. A video posted by the group shows one of their chief organizers, Hendrik Sodenkamp, insisting mid-protest Saturday that he never intended to include neo-Nazis and that he was no fascist. Several in the crowd yelled back at him. "Stop being divisive," they cried. "We are united." Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. 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| As Europe reopens, key virus protections are still elusive Posted: 12 May 2020 11:56 PM PDT  Italy's virus reopening was supposed to be accompanied by a series of measures to limit infections in the one-time epicenter of Europe's pandemic: the distribution of millions of inexpensive surgical masks to pharmacies nationwide, a pilot project of 150,000 antibody tests and, eventually, the roll-out of a contact-tracing app. None of these is in place as Italy experiments with its second week of loosening restrictions and looks ahead to Monday's reopening of shops and, in some regions, bars and restaurants. Italy's commissioner for the emergency, Domenico Arcuri, went on the defensive Tuesday to respond to mounting criticism of his Phase II roll-out.
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| Pompeo in Israel for talks on West Bank annexations Posted: 12 May 2020 10:46 PM PDT  US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Israel Wednesday for talks on regional security and the country's plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank. The talks were also expected to cover common arch foe Iran after Israel is believed to have launched strikes against Iranian bases in neighbouring Syria in recent weeks, and the Jewish state's trade relations with China. Pompeo wore a red, white and blue protective face mask when he landed at Ben-Gurion airport near Tel Aviv for his first trip abroad in nearly two months amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
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| Despite virus, Pompeo talks West Bank annexation in Israel Posted: 12 May 2020 10:40 PM PDT  U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met Wednesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the country's plans to annex parts of the West Bank, as Israeli troops shot and killed a Palestinian teen in a clash with stone-throwers in the occupied territory. Pompeo's brief visit to Israel came at a tense time, as Israeli troops searched for the killers of a soldier killed a day earlier by a rock dropped from a rooftop during an army raid of a West Bank village. With President Donald Trump facing election in November, Netanyahu and his nationalist base are eager to move ahead quickly with annexing portions of the West Bank.
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| The World Won’t Endorse Israel’s Annexation Plan Posted: 12 May 2020 10:30 PM PDT  (Bloomberg Opinion) -- It's looking more and more likely that the new Israel's government agreed between Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party and Benny Gantz's Blue and White coalition will proceed with a plan to annex large parts of the West Bank. In Israel and the U.S., much discussion has focused on when exactly the land-grab might occur, and how the Trump administration would react to it.President Trump, remember, has already blessed the idea of annexation. But, as I have suggested before, he may not want it to happen before presidential election in November. Netanyahu and Gantz will undoubtedly be expecting some guidance from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo when he arrives in Jerusalem today.Little attention is being paid, however, to how annexation will be perceived by other actors. In much of the world, there is already growing unease over the future Israel will be imposing on the Palestinians. If the five million Palestinians living in the territories occupied in 1967 are deprived of more land without even the basic rights of citizenship, it may become impossible for Israel to escape the stigma of an apartheid state.Nor will the international community fail to notice that the Israelis are unilaterally abrogating solemn treaty commitments. In the 1993 Declaration of Principles it agreed with the Palestinian Liberation Organization—under the sponsorship of the U.S. and Russia—Israel promised not to annex occupied territories. Breaking that word, even with American approval, will cause serious and lasting diplomatic damage.How would the world react to annexation? Among the major powers, Russia and China will likely issue formal expressions of regret, but do little else: Moscow and Beijing will not risk their strong ties to Israel over this issue. Europe is another matter, however.More than likely, European governments will regard the newly-annexed areas illegitimate, as they do many other Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Although there is little they can do to actually prevent the annexation, they can impose an economic cost on Israel. Members of the European Union are already considering punitive measures, ranging from restrictions on trade agreements and the denial of grants.Many European countries have laws distinguishing between goods and services produced in illegitimate settlements—which are labeled to show their origin or excluded from advantageous trade terms—and those produced in Israel proper. Israelis setting up businesses in annexed land could struggle for access to European markets.There will be a political price, as well. Over time, Europeans will increasingly view a greater Israeli state as fundamentally illegitimate because it has been rendered indistinguishable from settlements. This view will inform the policies European governments adopt toward Israel.Most emerging countries will likewise take a dim view of annexation: they have a stake in an international system that prohibits land-grabs by war. India could conceivably regard it as vindication of its own policies in Kashmir, but will at least express pro-forma disapproval. South Africa, Brazil, Mexico and others will be more forceful in their criticism—especially in the United Nations and other multilateral bodies—and will resist the normalization of an expanded Israel. The same goes for the Islamic nations, even distant ones like Indonesia and Nigeria. In the Middle East, annexation will deepen hostility toward Israel from a wide range of actors, from Iran and Turkey to Islamist groups. And if Hezbollah and Hamas step up attacks on Israeli targets, they will have a ready-made justification that many Muslims around the world will find persuasive.Annexation would virtually rule out diplomatic recognition of Israel by other Arab countries, even those that have recently been cultivating closer strategic relations, such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. It would even threaten relations with Arab states that do recognize Israel: Egypt and Jordan.In the longer term, the reactions of Arab and other Muslim states will be governed by what the Palestinians do. The annexation plan leaves them marooned an autonomous area in the West Bank, entirely surrounded by the expanded Israel. Netanyahu, who calls this a "state-minus," is calculating that Palestinians will have no option but to take whatever they can get.This is wishful thinking. Palestinians will not surrender their historic claims and national aspirations in exchange for a West Bank enclave with limited self-rule within a greater Israel. A violent new uprising may be inevitable, requiring a military response from the Israeli Defense Forces—in turn risking more international opprobrium.Even without a conflagration, Israel will essentially be suppressing the basic human rights of millions of people—and there won't even be a pretense of this being a temporary situation, pending an eventual peace agreement. No amount of support from the Trump administration can erase that stain.This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.Hussein Ibish is a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinionSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Exhaustion, uncertainty mark coronavirus survivors' journeys Posted: 12 May 2020 10:10 PM PDT  "It makes things a bit complicated, given my profession," Antonelli said sadly. "The short answer is that we're still learning," said Dr. Jay Varkey, an infectious disease specialist at Emory University in Atlanta. "What we know has been gathered mostly by anecdotal reports from COVID-19 survivors."
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| UN council tries again to agree on COVID-19 resolution Posted: 12 May 2020 10:10 PM PDT |
