India: Rich Flee on Private Jets As COVID-19 Cases Hits Global Record
REMINDS ME OF
Sunday, April 25, 2021
PM Modi says India shaken by coronavirus 'storm', US readies help
25 April 2021
India set a new global record of the most number of Covid-19 infections in a day, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged all citizens to be vaccinated and exercise caution, saying the "storm" of infections had shaken the country.
In this picture taken on April 23, 2021, relatives wait next to a Covid-19 coronavirus patient laying on a stretcher in a hospital complex for admission in New Delhi. Photo: AFP
The United States said it was deeply concerned by the massive surge in coronavirus cases in India and was racing to send aid.
India's number of cases surged by 349,691 in the past 24 hours, the fourth straight day of record peaks, and hospitals in Delhi and across the country are turning away patients after running out of medical oxygen and beds.
"We were confident, our spirits were up after successfully tackling the first wave, but this storm has shaken the nation," Modi said in a radio address.
Modi's government has faced criticism that it let its guard down, allowed big religious and political gatherings to take place when India's cases plummeted to below 10,000 a day and did not plan on building up the healthcare systems.
Hospitals and doctors have put out urgent notices that they were unable to cope with the rush of patients.
People were arranging stretchers and oxygen cylinders outside hospitals as they desperately pleaded for authorities to take patients in, Reuters photographers said.
"Every day, it's the same situation, we are left with two hours of oxygen, we only get assurances from the authorities," one doctor said on television.
Outside a Sikh temple in Ghaziabad city on the outskirts of Delhi the street resembled an emergency ward of a hospital, but cramed with cars carrying Covid-19 patients gasping for breath as they were hooked up to hand held oxygen tanks.
Delhi's Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal extended a lockdown in the capital that was due to end on Monday for a week to try and stem the transmission of the virus which is killing one person every four minutes.
"A lockdown was the last weapon we had to deal with the coronavirus but with cases rising so quickly we had to use this weapon," he said.
A Covid19 coronavirus patient is helped by her relatives as she leaves a hospital in New Delhi on April 24. Photo: AFP
India's total tally of infections stands at 16.96 million and deaths 192,311 after 2767 more died overnight, health ministry data showed.
In the last month alone, daily cases have gone up eight times and deaths by 10 times. Health experts say the death count is probably far higher.
The country of 1.3 billion people is on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe, Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, warned in an op-ed published Saturday in the Washington Post.
"Our hearts go out to the Indian people in the midst of the horrific Covid-19 outbreak," US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on Twitter.
"We are working closely with our partners in the Indian government, and we will rapidly deploy additional support to the people of India and India's health care heroes."
The United States has faced criticism in India for its export controls on raw materials for vaccines put in place via the Defense Production Act and an associated export embargo in February.
The Serum Institute of India (SII), the world's biggest vaccine maker, this month urged US President Joe Biden to lift the embargo on US exports of raw materials that is hurting its production of AstraZeneca shots.
Others such as US Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi urged the Biden administration to release unused vaccines to India.
"When people in India and elsewhere desperately need help, we can't let vaccines sit in a warehouse, we need to get them where they'll save lives," he said.
India's surge is expected to peak in mid-May with the daily count of infections reaching half a million, the Indian Express said citing an internal government assessment.
Covid-task force leader V.K. Paul made the presentation during a meeting with Modi and state chief ministers and said that the health infrastructure in heavily populated states is not adequate enough to cope, according to the newspaper.
Paul did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.
- Reuters
25 April 2021
India set a new global record of the most number of Covid-19 infections in a day, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged all citizens to be vaccinated and exercise caution, saying the "storm" of infections had shaken the country.
In this picture taken on April 23, 2021, relatives wait next to a Covid-19 coronavirus patient laying on a stretcher in a hospital complex for admission in New Delhi. Photo: AFP
The United States said it was deeply concerned by the massive surge in coronavirus cases in India and was racing to send aid.
India's number of cases surged by 349,691 in the past 24 hours, the fourth straight day of record peaks, and hospitals in Delhi and across the country are turning away patients after running out of medical oxygen and beds.
"We were confident, our spirits were up after successfully tackling the first wave, but this storm has shaken the nation," Modi said in a radio address.
Modi's government has faced criticism that it let its guard down, allowed big religious and political gatherings to take place when India's cases plummeted to below 10,000 a day and did not plan on building up the healthcare systems.
Hospitals and doctors have put out urgent notices that they were unable to cope with the rush of patients.
People were arranging stretchers and oxygen cylinders outside hospitals as they desperately pleaded for authorities to take patients in, Reuters photographers said.
"Every day, it's the same situation, we are left with two hours of oxygen, we only get assurances from the authorities," one doctor said on television.
Outside a Sikh temple in Ghaziabad city on the outskirts of Delhi the street resembled an emergency ward of a hospital, but cramed with cars carrying Covid-19 patients gasping for breath as they were hooked up to hand held oxygen tanks.
Delhi's Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal extended a lockdown in the capital that was due to end on Monday for a week to try and stem the transmission of the virus which is killing one person every four minutes.
"A lockdown was the last weapon we had to deal with the coronavirus but with cases rising so quickly we had to use this weapon," he said.
A Covid19 coronavirus patient is helped by her relatives as she leaves a hospital in New Delhi on April 24. Photo: AFP
India's total tally of infections stands at 16.96 million and deaths 192,311 after 2767 more died overnight, health ministry data showed.
In the last month alone, daily cases have gone up eight times and deaths by 10 times. Health experts say the death count is probably far higher.
The country of 1.3 billion people is on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe, Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, warned in an op-ed published Saturday in the Washington Post.
"Our hearts go out to the Indian people in the midst of the horrific Covid-19 outbreak," US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on Twitter.
"We are working closely with our partners in the Indian government, and we will rapidly deploy additional support to the people of India and India's health care heroes."
The United States has faced criticism in India for its export controls on raw materials for vaccines put in place via the Defense Production Act and an associated export embargo in February.
The Serum Institute of India (SII), the world's biggest vaccine maker, this month urged US President Joe Biden to lift the embargo on US exports of raw materials that is hurting its production of AstraZeneca shots.
Others such as US Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi urged the Biden administration to release unused vaccines to India.
"When people in India and elsewhere desperately need help, we can't let vaccines sit in a warehouse, we need to get them where they'll save lives," he said.
India's surge is expected to peak in mid-May with the daily count of infections reaching half a million, the Indian Express said citing an internal government assessment.
Covid-task force leader V.K. Paul made the presentation during a meeting with Modi and state chief ministers and said that the health infrastructure in heavily populated states is not adequate enough to cope, according to the newspaper.
Paul did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.
- Reuters
China offers to help India tackle Covid-19 outbreak after US vaccine snub
APRIL 25, 2021
APRIL 25, 2021
ByRACHEL ZHANGSOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
A funeral service is held in New Delhi as the number of cases in the country continues to rise. Photo: Reuters
CHINA - China has offered to help India battle its Covid-19 outbreak after the United States declined a request to lift a ban on exporting vaccine raw materials.
The olive branch from the Chinese foreign ministry comes as tensions between the two nations continue to run high along their disputed border .More from AsiaOneRead the condensed version of this story, and other top stories with NewsLite.
“The Chinese government and people firmly support the Indian government and people in fighting the coronavirus. China is ready to provide support and help according to India’s needs, and is in communication with the Indian side on this,” foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Friday.
India is currently battling the world’s highest number of cases , with a record 346,786 new cases reported on Saturday, and its hospital system is on the edge of collapse due to shortages of intensive care beds, medical supplies and oxygen.
India is also running low on vaccines and has asked the US to lift an export ban on the raw materials needed to make them, but Washington declined saying it had a responsibility to look after the American people first.
“It is, of course, not only in our interest to see Americans vaccinated, it’s in the interests of the rest of the world to see Americans vaccinated,” said the US State Department spokesman Ned Price on Thursday.
But the Chinese offer to help comes despite the ongoing tensions along their disputed border following a deadly clash last summer and with little apparent progress in the most recent round of talks between the two countries’ militaries.
“India’s supplies of raw materials for vaccine production from the US and Europe are currently restricted. It desperately needs other countries’ help with the pandemic,” said Niu Haibin, deputy director of the Institute for Foreign Policy Studies at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies.
“This is also an opportunity for both sides to mend bilateral relations”.
China has consistently denied that it is using offers to supply other countries with vaccines to extend its geopolitical influence.
However, the United States, India, Australia and Japan – the so-called Quad – recently promised to deliver a billion doses of Covid-19 throughout the Indo-Pacific by the end of next year in a move that was widely seen as an effort to counter Chinese in the region.
Niu said China is not deliberately using the pandemic for diplomatic purposes, but cooperation with other nations would increase its influence.
Raj Verma, an associate professor of international relations at Huaqiao University in Fujian, said that because Chinese vaccines have not been approved for use in India, people there would be reluctant to receive them.
But he said there were other ways China could help.
“India is making efforts to garner oxygen cylinders from across the globe,” he said. “However, the overall bilateral relationship will still be tense and the prevailing mistrust on both sides will continue”.
Li Hongmei, a research fellow at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, said: “China’s statement shows that it does not link the border issue closely with overall relations with India, and that China expects bilateral relations can be improved.
“I think China is willing to help India by substantial actions, rather than making empty gestures.”
A funeral service is held in New Delhi as the number of cases in the country continues to rise. Photo: Reuters
CHINA - China has offered to help India battle its Covid-19 outbreak after the United States declined a request to lift a ban on exporting vaccine raw materials.
The olive branch from the Chinese foreign ministry comes as tensions between the two nations continue to run high along their disputed border .More from AsiaOneRead the condensed version of this story, and other top stories with NewsLite.
“The Chinese government and people firmly support the Indian government and people in fighting the coronavirus. China is ready to provide support and help according to India’s needs, and is in communication with the Indian side on this,” foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Friday.
India is currently battling the world’s highest number of cases , with a record 346,786 new cases reported on Saturday, and its hospital system is on the edge of collapse due to shortages of intensive care beds, medical supplies and oxygen.
India is also running low on vaccines and has asked the US to lift an export ban on the raw materials needed to make them, but Washington declined saying it had a responsibility to look after the American people first.
“It is, of course, not only in our interest to see Americans vaccinated, it’s in the interests of the rest of the world to see Americans vaccinated,” said the US State Department spokesman Ned Price on Thursday.
But the Chinese offer to help comes despite the ongoing tensions along their disputed border following a deadly clash last summer and with little apparent progress in the most recent round of talks between the two countries’ militaries.
“India’s supplies of raw materials for vaccine production from the US and Europe are currently restricted. It desperately needs other countries’ help with the pandemic,” said Niu Haibin, deputy director of the Institute for Foreign Policy Studies at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies.
“This is also an opportunity for both sides to mend bilateral relations”.
China has consistently denied that it is using offers to supply other countries with vaccines to extend its geopolitical influence.
However, the United States, India, Australia and Japan – the so-called Quad – recently promised to deliver a billion doses of Covid-19 throughout the Indo-Pacific by the end of next year in a move that was widely seen as an effort to counter Chinese in the region.
Niu said China is not deliberately using the pandemic for diplomatic purposes, but cooperation with other nations would increase its influence.
Raj Verma, an associate professor of international relations at Huaqiao University in Fujian, said that because Chinese vaccines have not been approved for use in India, people there would be reluctant to receive them.
But he said there were other ways China could help.
“India is making efforts to garner oxygen cylinders from across the globe,” he said. “However, the overall bilateral relationship will still be tense and the prevailing mistrust on both sides will continue”.
Li Hongmei, a research fellow at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, said: “China’s statement shows that it does not link the border issue closely with overall relations with India, and that China expects bilateral relations can be improved.
“I think China is willing to help India by substantial actions, rather than making empty gestures.”
BUT WHAT DID NOSTRODAMUS SAY?!
A book published almost 25 years ago predicted that the 'Next New Deal' would follow a period of great social unrest in 2020 - and that millennials would take the reins after decades of boomer rule
hhoffower@businessinsider.com (Hillary Hoffower,Ben Winc
A generational theory written in 1997 predicted America would see the climax of a crisis in 2020.
As the climax turned toward resolution, a "Next New Deal" would reshape the economy and give millennials a brighter future.
A "gray champion" would usher in this new economic zeitgeist. Could that be Biden?
America is currently in the midst of a millennial vs. boomer showdown - and a "gray champion" is arriving to usher in the "Next New Deal."
So says an eerie generational theory known as the Fourth Turning, which was coined in 1997 by Neil Howe and William Strauss in an eponymous book. The theory proposes that America sees a "turning" every 20 years as one generation displaces another, and that this dynamic between the two creates a crisis every 80 years.
Each crisis is marked by four stages: a catalyst event that sets the wheels in motion; a regeneracy in which people stop tolerating weakening institutions and splintering culture; a climax that "shakes society to its roots," transforms institutions, and redirects purpose; and a resolution that sees the economy entirely restructured for a new set of circumstances.
It's an outlandish theory and the book has also been widely criticized for its lack of scientific support and vague predictions. But it's also resonated among conservative and liberal leaders alike, and bears uncanny parallels to American history.
The last fourth turnings, Howe and Strauss argued, culminated in World War II, the Civil War, and the American Revolution. They wrote that the next crisis-era would involve millennials and boomers fighting over the shape of the world to come, with the catalyst event beginning around 2005, and the climax around 2020, with a resolution by 2026.
Spending big on a new age of American infrastructure
The authors predicted that a key component of the Next New Deal would be a new era for infrastructure: "Fourth Turning America will begin to lay out the next saeculum's infrastructure grid - some higher-tech facsimile of turnpikes, railroads, or highways. Through the Fourth Turning, the old order will die, but only after having produced the seed containing the new civic order within it."
That's exactly what Biden is proposing, arguing explicitly in the rollout of his $2.3 trillion package that now is the time to rethink infrastructure for the first time in decades. It includes funds for nationwide broadband and green energy projects as well as more "traditional" infrastructure such as rebuilding roads and bridges.
"With the 1936 Rural Electrification Act, the federal government made a historic investment in bringing electricity to nearly every home and farm in America, and millions of families and our economy reaped the benefits," reads a White House fact sheet on the plan. "Broadband internet is the new electricity."
"It's big, yes. It's bold, yes. And we can get it done," Biden said as he unveiled the package. "The divisions of the moment shouldn't stop us from doing the right thing for the future." He also called it a "once-in-a-generation investment in America."
That isn't all the administration has on the docket. The president is expected to reveal another $1.5 trillion in spending before he addresses a joint session of Congress on April 28. The plan is set to include funds for child care, universal pre-K, and paid family and medical leave.
These two packages look a lot like the spending on "public works" and "future promises" that Howe and Strauss predicted would make up the Next New Deal, in some ways they even surpass FDR's New Deal programs. Leonard Burman, a professor of behavioral economics at Syracuse University's Maxwell School, told Insider's Juliana Kaplan that compared to FDR, the country has "never done" a package the size of Biden's proposals. Unlike Biden, he said FDR "spent much less than would have been appropriate for the size of the economic downturn at that point."
Read the original article on Business Insider
A book published almost 25 years ago predicted that the 'Next New Deal' would follow a period of great social unrest in 2020 - and that millennials would take the reins after decades of boomer rule
hhoffower@businessinsider.com (Hillary Hoffower,Ben Winc
© Provided by Business Insider Could President Joe Biden be the "gray champion" of the Fourth Turning? Pool/Getty Images
A generational theory written in 1997 predicted America would see the climax of a crisis in 2020.
As the climax turned toward resolution, a "Next New Deal" would reshape the economy and give millennials a brighter future.
A "gray champion" would usher in this new economic zeitgeist. Could that be Biden?
America is currently in the midst of a millennial vs. boomer showdown - and a "gray champion" is arriving to usher in the "Next New Deal."
So says an eerie generational theory known as the Fourth Turning, which was coined in 1997 by Neil Howe and William Strauss in an eponymous book. The theory proposes that America sees a "turning" every 20 years as one generation displaces another, and that this dynamic between the two creates a crisis every 80 years.
Each crisis is marked by four stages: a catalyst event that sets the wheels in motion; a regeneracy in which people stop tolerating weakening institutions and splintering culture; a climax that "shakes society to its roots," transforms institutions, and redirects purpose; and a resolution that sees the economy entirely restructured for a new set of circumstances.
It's an outlandish theory and the book has also been widely criticized for its lack of scientific support and vague predictions. But it's also resonated among conservative and liberal leaders alike, and bears uncanny parallels to American history.
The last fourth turnings, Howe and Strauss argued, culminated in World War II, the Civil War, and the American Revolution. They wrote that the next crisis-era would involve millennials and boomers fighting over the shape of the world to come, with the catalyst event beginning around 2005, and the climax around 2020, with a resolution by 2026.
© Leah Millis/Reuters Political riots, social unrest, and a pandemic resemble the climax depicted in "The Fourth Turning." Leah Millis/Reuters
The 2008 financial crisis can be seen as the catalyst they mentioned, while the pandemic, social unrest, and riots of 2020 and early 2021 sound a lot like the climax. During this climax, they wrote, the economy could "reach a trough that may look to be the start of the depression," and indeed, the stock-market crash of 2020 was the sharpest and deepest since at least the 1930s. The economy will recover, per the theory, but it will fundamentally change after this period.
Enter the Biden administration, whose ambitious social programs and big spending have triggered comparisons to FDR's New Deal. Some leading political experts agree that this era is historic and climactic. For instance, Doug Sosnik, senior adviser to the Brunswick Group, and political director for former President Bill Clinton, released a presentation in April pronouncing that not only is America going through its biggest transformation since the industrial revolution of the 19th century, but "the current period of turmoil and chaos that began in the early 2000s will likely continue throughout this decade."
The challenge, Sosnik wrote, will be the transition from a 20th-century top-down industrial economy to a 21st-century digital and global one. In other words, this period could be a "great gate of history," just as Strauss and Howe wrote.
Forgoing Obama-era rules for a bolder approach
The Fourth Turning predicts the agenda of the Next New Deal will center around young adults, with boomers imposing a "new duty of compulsory service" and millennials recognizing this as a path to public achievement. The government's economic role, per the theory, will shift away from amenities and past promises such as elder care and debt service and toward spending on survival and future promises, such as defense and public works.
President Joe Biden signaled early on that he wouldn't bow to the worries over the national debt that dominated much of the last 20 years (ie, the third turning). The president unveiled a $1.9 trillion stimulus package one week before his inauguration, urging Congress to pass another round of relief checks, extend bolstered unemployment benefits, and fund the distribution of coronavirus vaccines.
The 2008 financial crisis can be seen as the catalyst they mentioned, while the pandemic, social unrest, and riots of 2020 and early 2021 sound a lot like the climax. During this climax, they wrote, the economy could "reach a trough that may look to be the start of the depression," and indeed, the stock-market crash of 2020 was the sharpest and deepest since at least the 1930s. The economy will recover, per the theory, but it will fundamentally change after this period.
Enter the Biden administration, whose ambitious social programs and big spending have triggered comparisons to FDR's New Deal. Some leading political experts agree that this era is historic and climactic. For instance, Doug Sosnik, senior adviser to the Brunswick Group, and political director for former President Bill Clinton, released a presentation in April pronouncing that not only is America going through its biggest transformation since the industrial revolution of the 19th century, but "the current period of turmoil and chaos that began in the early 2000s will likely continue throughout this decade."
The challenge, Sosnik wrote, will be the transition from a 20th-century top-down industrial economy to a 21st-century digital and global one. In other words, this period could be a "great gate of history," just as Strauss and Howe wrote.
Forgoing Obama-era rules for a bolder approach
The Fourth Turning predicts the agenda of the Next New Deal will center around young adults, with boomers imposing a "new duty of compulsory service" and millennials recognizing this as a path to public achievement. The government's economic role, per the theory, will shift away from amenities and past promises such as elder care and debt service and toward spending on survival and future promises, such as defense and public works.
President Joe Biden signaled early on that he wouldn't bow to the worries over the national debt that dominated much of the last 20 years (ie, the third turning). The president unveiled a $1.9 trillion stimulus package one week before his inauguration, urging Congress to pass another round of relief checks, extend bolstered unemployment benefits, and fund the distribution of coronavirus vaccines.
© Provided by Business Insider President Joe Biden signs three documents including an Inauguration declaration, cabinet nominations and sub-cabinet nominations on January 20, 2021. JIM LO SCALZO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
For the first time in a generation, economists and consumers alike have since become worried about inflation, and whether such a large boost was even needed as vaccines started to reach Americans' arms.
Where the Obama administration shrank its proposal to appease Republicans and moderate Democrats, Biden stuck with his plan to "go big" and, for the time being, ignore its impact on the government debt.
"A new resolve about urgent public goals crowds out qualms about questionable public means," Strauss and Howe wrote. "Instead of coaxing people with promises of minimal sacrifice, they summon them with warnings of maximal sacrifice."
This could only be the beginning of the Biden-led resolution. For his second act, could we meet the "Gray Champion?"
For the first time in a generation, economists and consumers alike have since become worried about inflation, and whether such a large boost was even needed as vaccines started to reach Americans' arms.
Where the Obama administration shrank its proposal to appease Republicans and moderate Democrats, Biden stuck with his plan to "go big" and, for the time being, ignore its impact on the government debt.
"A new resolve about urgent public goals crowds out qualms about questionable public means," Strauss and Howe wrote. "Instead of coaxing people with promises of minimal sacrifice, they summon them with warnings of maximal sacrifice."
This could only be the beginning of the Biden-led resolution. For his second act, could we meet the "Gray Champion?"
Spending big on a new age of American infrastructure
The authors predicted that a key component of the Next New Deal would be a new era for infrastructure: "Fourth Turning America will begin to lay out the next saeculum's infrastructure grid - some higher-tech facsimile of turnpikes, railroads, or highways. Through the Fourth Turning, the old order will die, but only after having produced the seed containing the new civic order within it."
That's exactly what Biden is proposing, arguing explicitly in the rollout of his $2.3 trillion package that now is the time to rethink infrastructure for the first time in decades. It includes funds for nationwide broadband and green energy projects as well as more "traditional" infrastructure such as rebuilding roads and bridges.
"With the 1936 Rural Electrification Act, the federal government made a historic investment in bringing electricity to nearly every home and farm in America, and millions of families and our economy reaped the benefits," reads a White House fact sheet on the plan. "Broadband internet is the new electricity."
"It's big, yes. It's bold, yes. And we can get it done," Biden said as he unveiled the package. "The divisions of the moment shouldn't stop us from doing the right thing for the future." He also called it a "once-in-a-generation investment in America."
That isn't all the administration has on the docket. The president is expected to reveal another $1.5 trillion in spending before he addresses a joint session of Congress on April 28. The plan is set to include funds for child care, universal pre-K, and paid family and medical leave.
These two packages look a lot like the spending on "public works" and "future promises" that Howe and Strauss predicted would make up the Next New Deal, in some ways they even surpass FDR's New Deal programs. Leonard Burman, a professor of behavioral economics at Syracuse University's Maxwell School, told Insider's Juliana Kaplan that compared to FDR, the country has "never done" a package the size of Biden's proposals. Unlike Biden, he said FDR "spent much less than would have been appropriate for the size of the economic downturn at that point."
© Provided by Business Insider Biden has framed his American Job Plan as a reimagining of US infrastructure. Alex Wong/Getty Images
Taken together, Biden's proposals place the country on the brink of a new policy regime. The fierce debate over this new regime is where the millennial versus boomer conflict reaches its fever pitch.
"In the Fourth Turning, boomers are likely to occupy the vortex of a downward economic spiral," the authors wrote, as "the truth will dawn on old boomers that the money simply won't be there to support their accustomed consumption." But it predicted that millennials will come out of this with a brighter future, as they come to embody a "new American mainstream."
Helping the millennials along the way will be a particular figure, Howe and Strauss wrote.
Eight or nine decades after his last appearance in a similar gate of history, the coauthors predicted, America will be visited by "the figure of an ancient man," one who combines aspects of "the leader and the saint" to lead the way toward resolution. They called that character the Gray Champion, and said he would be the one to usher in a new economic zeitgeist.
The 78-year-old Biden, who became America's oldest president when he was elected in 2020, has several of these attributes, including devout Catholic faith, a biography marked by perseverance through several personal tragedies, and a distinct sense of empathy in his public remarks. And when he introduced his infrastructure plan last month, he promised a new economic "paradigm" for the country. This could just be the beginning.
Taken together, Biden's proposals place the country on the brink of a new policy regime. The fierce debate over this new regime is where the millennial versus boomer conflict reaches its fever pitch.
"In the Fourth Turning, boomers are likely to occupy the vortex of a downward economic spiral," the authors wrote, as "the truth will dawn on old boomers that the money simply won't be there to support their accustomed consumption." But it predicted that millennials will come out of this with a brighter future, as they come to embody a "new American mainstream."
Helping the millennials along the way will be a particular figure, Howe and Strauss wrote.
Eight or nine decades after his last appearance in a similar gate of history, the coauthors predicted, America will be visited by "the figure of an ancient man," one who combines aspects of "the leader and the saint" to lead the way toward resolution. They called that character the Gray Champion, and said he would be the one to usher in a new economic zeitgeist.
The 78-year-old Biden, who became America's oldest president when he was elected in 2020, has several of these attributes, including devout Catholic faith, a biography marked by perseverance through several personal tragedies, and a distinct sense of empathy in his public remarks. And when he introduced his infrastructure plan last month, he promised a new economic "paradigm" for the country. This could just be the beginning.
Read the original article on Business Insider
WILL GERMANY HAVE THE FIRST GREEN GOVERNMENT
Germany's Greens ahead of Merkel's CDU/CSU in new poll
The Greens have recorded their best polls in history, surpassing the ruling conservatives. The development sparked accusations that the party's candidate for chancellor, Annalena Baerbock, lacks experience.
Five months out from federal elections, the Greens are polling ahead of Merkel's conservatives. GREEN LEADER Annalena Baerbock SPEAKIN G
SPD's Scholz points to Baerbock's inexperience
Baerbock would have a strong chance in a head-to-head battle for the chancellory, according to another survey published by Bild.
Talking to Bild's Sunday edition, however, Scholz claimed the race was still open to him despite trailing the two top candidates.
"Germany is one of the world's biggest and most successful industrial countries. It should be run by someone who has experience in governing, who not only wants to govern, but can actually do it," Scholz said.
"I am the candidate for chancellor who has the necessary experience and knowledge for this task," he added.
Greens welcome new members
Meanwhile, Green party membership has surged, with a record 2,159 people signing up in the past week, according to party officials.
The Greens recently appointed Annalena Baerbock as their chancellor candidate for the September elections
"Recently, the Greens have managed to win over voters from the CDU/CSU, the SPD, the Left party, but also non-voters," Kantar researcher Torsten Schneider-Haase said. "They're taking on topics that are currently booming."
He said Baerbock had also benefited from the weaknesses of her two competitors.
Party official Michael Kellner told the dpa news agency: "Now is the right time for a new departure in this country, to protect the climate, reduce inequality and start a new Europe."
CSU leader Söder said he expects the CDU/CSU to win more than 30% of votes in the September elections.
"It has to be a result that is clearly above 30% — closer to 35%," the Bavarian premier told the Süddeutsche Zeitung.
In the 2017 election, the sister parties won a combined 32.9%.
Germany's Greens ahead of Merkel's CDU/CSU in new poll
The Greens have recorded their best polls in history, surpassing the ruling conservatives. The development sparked accusations that the party's candidate for chancellor, Annalena Baerbock, lacks experience.
Five months out from federal elections, the Greens are polling ahead of Merkel's conservatives. GREEN LEADER Annalena Baerbock SPEAKIN G
Germany's Green party is more popular than German Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU/CSU bloc, according to a new opinion poll published on Sunday.
The Greens polled at 28%, up 6 percentage points, according to the Kantar research group's Sunday trend poll carried out on behalf of tabloid Bild am Sonntag.
The newspaper reported that this was the Green's highest-ever poll rating in the history of the Sunday trend polls.
Watch video00:33 Baerbock: We must make changes to create a fair country
Merkel's conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) and their Bavarian sister party the Christian Social Union (CSU) fell two percentage points to 27%.
The Social Democrats (SPD), who share power in a coalition government with the conservatives, also lost two points, slipping to 13%. This was their lowest result since August 2019.
The socialist Left party polled at 7%, and the far-right, populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) recorded 10% — both down one point.
The pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) remained at 9%.
Kantar surveyed 1,225 people for the poll between April 15 and 21.
WHO COULD SUCCEED ANGELA MERKEL AS GERMAN CHANCELLOR?Armin LaschetCDU chairman Armin Laschet, a staunch supporter of Angela Merkel, heads Germany's most populous state. Conservatives routinely underestimated the jovial 60-year-old, famous for his belief in integration and compromise. But recently, his liberal non-interventionist instincts have led to him eating his words more than once during the coronavirus crisis. PHOTOS 123
New chancellor candidate
The poll results come after the Greens appointed Annalena Baerbock as their chancellor candidate for the September elections.
The CDU/CSU bloc has chosen Armin Laschet to be its chancellor candidate, rejecting Bavarian Premier Markus Söder, who is more popular with voters. The center-left SPD put forward Olaf Scholz, who is currently serving as vice-chancellor.
Germans will head to the polls in five months for national elections to replace Merkel, who has held power for more than 15 years.
The poll results come after the Greens appointed Annalena Baerbock as their chancellor candidate for the September elections.
The CDU/CSU bloc has chosen Armin Laschet to be its chancellor candidate, rejecting Bavarian Premier Markus Söder, who is more popular with voters. The center-left SPD put forward Olaf Scholz, who is currently serving as vice-chancellor.
Germans will head to the polls in five months for national elections to replace Merkel, who has held power for more than 15 years.
SPD's Scholz points to Baerbock's inexperience
Baerbock would have a strong chance in a head-to-head battle for the chancellory, according to another survey published by Bild.
Talking to Bild's Sunday edition, however, Scholz claimed the race was still open to him despite trailing the two top candidates.
"Germany is one of the world's biggest and most successful industrial countries. It should be run by someone who has experience in governing, who not only wants to govern, but can actually do it," Scholz said.
"I am the candidate for chancellor who has the necessary experience and knowledge for this task," he added.
Greens welcome new members
Meanwhile, Green party membership has surged, with a record 2,159 people signing up in the past week, according to party officials.
The Greens recently appointed Annalena Baerbock as their chancellor candidate for the September elections
"Recently, the Greens have managed to win over voters from the CDU/CSU, the SPD, the Left party, but also non-voters," Kantar researcher Torsten Schneider-Haase said. "They're taking on topics that are currently booming."
He said Baerbock had also benefited from the weaknesses of her two competitors.
Party official Michael Kellner told the dpa news agency: "Now is the right time for a new departure in this country, to protect the climate, reduce inequality and start a new Europe."
CSU leader Söder said he expects the CDU/CSU to win more than 30% of votes in the September elections.
"It has to be a result that is clearly above 30% — closer to 35%," the Bavarian premier told the Süddeutsche Zeitung.
In the 2017 election, the sister parties won a combined 32.9%.
VIDEOS
Germany: Greens' Annalena Baerbock urges hard line on Russia, China
The Greens chancellor candidate for the upcoming federal elections has said she wants a tougher stance from Germany to address Russian aggression in Ukraine and China's global ambitions
On the controversial Nord Stream 2 Russian gas pipeline across the Baltic seabed to Germany, Baerbock said that political support for the project must be "withdrawn."
Annalena Baerbock has said she wants a foreign policy based on toughness combined with dialogue
Five months ahead of Germany's federal election, top Greens candidate Annalena Baerbock is arguing for a tougher German stance toward Russia and China.
In an interview Sunday with Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) newspaper, Baerbock said "increasing the pressure on Russia" over its recent military maneuvers near Ukraine should be a priority for Germany.
Baerbock added that that ensuring stability immediately between Ukraine and Russia should take priority over Ukraine's ambition to be included in the EU and NATO.
On the controversial Nord Stream 2 Russian gas pipeline across the Baltic seabed to Germany, Baerbock said that political support for the project must be "withdrawn." The Greens oppose the gas pipeline project, which critics say will weaken Europe and Germany's energy security.
After Baerbock's candidacy for chancellor was announced last Monday, she said that Germany needs a "clearly guided foreign policy" with "authoritarian forces" that focuses on "dialogue" but is "tough" at the sameompetition with China
Baerbock said German and European relations with China are a "competition of systems" that place "authoritarian forces versus liberal democracies." She described China's ambitious "Belt and Road" projects as part of "hardcore power politics."
She added that China is too big to simply cut off ties, but emphasized that liberal democracies must uphold their values.
On security concerns with Chinese technology, Baerbook said she would support Europe limiting cooperation if Beijing were to require Chinese suppliers, such as Huawei, to tap into European data. "We cannot integrate products from such manufacturers into European infrastructure," she said.
On China and the plight of the Uyghur ethnic minority, Baerbock said Europe must ensure that "products from forced labor do not come onto our market."
Baerbock was referring to recent controversy over the sourcing of cotton from China's Xinjiang region, which human rights groups say is harvested using Uyghur slave labor.
The Greens chancellor candidate for the upcoming federal elections has said she wants a tougher stance from Germany to address Russian aggression in Ukraine and China's global ambitions
On the controversial Nord Stream 2 Russian gas pipeline across the Baltic seabed to Germany, Baerbock said that political support for the project must be "withdrawn."
Annalena Baerbock has said she wants a foreign policy based on toughness combined with dialogue
Five months ahead of Germany's federal election, top Greens candidate Annalena Baerbock is arguing for a tougher German stance toward Russia and China.
In an interview Sunday with Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) newspaper, Baerbock said "increasing the pressure on Russia" over its recent military maneuvers near Ukraine should be a priority for Germany.
Baerbock added that that ensuring stability immediately between Ukraine and Russia should take priority over Ukraine's ambition to be included in the EU and NATO.
On the controversial Nord Stream 2 Russian gas pipeline across the Baltic seabed to Germany, Baerbock said that political support for the project must be "withdrawn." The Greens oppose the gas pipeline project, which critics say will weaken Europe and Germany's energy security.
After Baerbock's candidacy for chancellor was announced last Monday, she said that Germany needs a "clearly guided foreign policy" with "authoritarian forces" that focuses on "dialogue" but is "tough" at the sameompetition with China
Baerbock said German and European relations with China are a "competition of systems" that place "authoritarian forces versus liberal democracies." She described China's ambitious "Belt and Road" projects as part of "hardcore power politics."
She added that China is too big to simply cut off ties, but emphasized that liberal democracies must uphold their values.
On security concerns with Chinese technology, Baerbook said she would support Europe limiting cooperation if Beijing were to require Chinese suppliers, such as Huawei, to tap into European data. "We cannot integrate products from such manufacturers into European infrastructure," she said.
On China and the plight of the Uyghur ethnic minority, Baerbock said Europe must ensure that "products from forced labor do not come onto our market."
Baerbock was referring to recent controversy over the sourcing of cotton from China's Xinjiang region, which human rights groups say is harvested using Uyghur slave labor.
Italian star singer Milva dies aged 81
The genre-crossing Italian chanteuse, known for her vocal range and red hair, took Europe by storm in the 1960s and '70s. Her career spanned decades.
Singer Milva passed away aged 81 on April 23, 2021
Milva, an Italian chanson and pop music singer popular in the 1960s and 1970s, passed away Friday at her home in Milan, Italy, aged 81. Born Maria Ilva Biolcati, the singer was often referred to as "La Rossa," meaning "redhead" in Italian, for the color of her fiery red locks.
With an active career spanning decades, Milva was a musical great in her home country. Italy's Minister of Culture, Dario Franceschini, called her "one of the strongest interpreters of Italian songs." Her voice awakened "intense emotions" in entire generations and upheld the reputation of Italy, he said Saturday after news of her death broke.
Yet her fame was not limited to Italy. Her penchant for singing in foreign languages led to her success around the world — she released songs in English, German, French, Spanish, Greek, Portuguese and Japanese.
Milva collaborated with tango music great, Astor Piazzaolla
She had an especially large fan base in Germany, where she gained fame with sophisticated easy listening tracks. Her song "Hurra, wir leben noch" ("Hurray, we're still alive"), was an especially big hit. A fan of collaborations, Milva recorded songs with Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis, as well as famed film score composer Ennio Morricone.
Milva sang with Argentine tango music composer Astor Piazzolla, who died in 1992, and began a long-lasting collaboration with her compatriot, the innovative singer-songwriter Franco Battiato with whom she recorded an album.
A career to envy
Maria Ilva Biolcati was born on July 17, 1939, to a dressmaker and a fisherman in the small town of Goro in Italy's Emilia-Romagna region on the Adriatic coast. As a child, she worked to support her family, which experienced economic hardship.
Eventually, she moved to Bologna, entered a singing competition and received vocal and acting lessons. From then on, her career was enviable. She recorded dozens of albums, went on tours and appeared on the stages of theaters and concert halls around the world. Between 1961 and 2007, she performed 15 times at Italy's most important pop festival in San Remo, but never won it.
Milva sang a variety of musical genres throughout her long career
For over 50 years, Milva worked tirelessly, recording 173 albums that spanned a wide range of repertoire. Her daughter Martina was born in 1963 but Milva had little time for family life and her daughter often had to go without her famous mother.
Milva had no qualms about breaking away from chanson and commercial music. She toured the world's opera houses and theaters with performances of songs by Kurt Weill and Bertold Brecht. Her rendition of the role of Pirate Jenny in Brecht's "Threepenny Opera" helped make her an icon in the world of musical theater. She gave concerts at the Scala in Milan, the Paris Opera, London's Royal Albert Hall and the Deutsche Oper in Berlin. She alsosangin operas by avant-garde composer Luciano Berio and even dabbled in work as an actress. She landed a supporting role in Wim Wenders' 1987 masterpiece "Wings of Desire
Seeing red
The singer was open about her leftist political views and charmed the working-class milieu with her political chansons, including the famous partisan hymn "Bella Ciao," which was a constant in her repertoire. Her nickname "La Rossa" was also an allusion to the color associated with her political commitments.
In 2010, Milva left the stage and said farewell to her fans in a letter posted on social media. "I did my job gracefully and probably well," she wrote. Milva said she decided to take this step because she was no longer able to continue her career "in the best way possible."
Milva is survived by her daughter Martina.
The genre-crossing Italian chanteuse, known for her vocal range and red hair, took Europe by storm in the 1960s and '70s. Her career spanned decades.
Singer Milva passed away aged 81 on April 23, 2021
Milva, an Italian chanson and pop music singer popular in the 1960s and 1970s, passed away Friday at her home in Milan, Italy, aged 81. Born Maria Ilva Biolcati, the singer was often referred to as "La Rossa," meaning "redhead" in Italian, for the color of her fiery red locks.
With an active career spanning decades, Milva was a musical great in her home country. Italy's Minister of Culture, Dario Franceschini, called her "one of the strongest interpreters of Italian songs." Her voice awakened "intense emotions" in entire generations and upheld the reputation of Italy, he said Saturday after news of her death broke.
Yet her fame was not limited to Italy. Her penchant for singing in foreign languages led to her success around the world — she released songs in English, German, French, Spanish, Greek, Portuguese and Japanese.
Milva collaborated with tango music great, Astor Piazzaolla
She had an especially large fan base in Germany, where she gained fame with sophisticated easy listening tracks. Her song "Hurra, wir leben noch" ("Hurray, we're still alive"), was an especially big hit. A fan of collaborations, Milva recorded songs with Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis, as well as famed film score composer Ennio Morricone.
Milva sang with Argentine tango music composer Astor Piazzolla, who died in 1992, and began a long-lasting collaboration with her compatriot, the innovative singer-songwriter Franco Battiato with whom she recorded an album.
A career to envy
Maria Ilva Biolcati was born on July 17, 1939, to a dressmaker and a fisherman in the small town of Goro in Italy's Emilia-Romagna region on the Adriatic coast. As a child, she worked to support her family, which experienced economic hardship.
Eventually, she moved to Bologna, entered a singing competition and received vocal and acting lessons. From then on, her career was enviable. She recorded dozens of albums, went on tours and appeared on the stages of theaters and concert halls around the world. Between 1961 and 2007, she performed 15 times at Italy's most important pop festival in San Remo, but never won it.
Milva sang a variety of musical genres throughout her long career
For over 50 years, Milva worked tirelessly, recording 173 albums that spanned a wide range of repertoire. Her daughter Martina was born in 1963 but Milva had little time for family life and her daughter often had to go without her famous mother.
Milva had no qualms about breaking away from chanson and commercial music. She toured the world's opera houses and theaters with performances of songs by Kurt Weill and Bertold Brecht. Her rendition of the role of Pirate Jenny in Brecht's "Threepenny Opera" helped make her an icon in the world of musical theater. She gave concerts at the Scala in Milan, the Paris Opera, London's Royal Albert Hall and the Deutsche Oper in Berlin. She alsosangin operas by avant-garde composer Luciano Berio and even dabbled in work as an actress. She landed a supporting role in Wim Wenders' 1987 masterpiece "Wings of Desire
Seeing red
The singer was open about her leftist political views and charmed the working-class milieu with her political chansons, including the famous partisan hymn "Bella Ciao," which was a constant in her repertoire. Her nickname "La Rossa" was also an allusion to the color associated with her political commitments.
In 2010, Milva left the stage and said farewell to her fans in a letter posted on social media. "I did my job gracefully and probably well," she wrote. Milva said she decided to take this step because she was no longer able to continue her career "in the best way possible."
Milva is survived by her daughter Martina.
Fact check: 5 myths about the Chernobyl nuclear disaster
Monday marks the 35th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. What happened in the former Soviet Union on April 26, 1986, is no longer a secret.
The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone is off-limits to most people
Is Chernobyl the biggest-ever nuclear disaster?
The 1986 nuclear disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant near the city of Pripyat in northern Ukraine is often described as the worst nuclear accident in history. However, rarely is this sensational depiction clarified in more detail.
The International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES) does classify nuclear events on a scale of zero to seven, breaking them down into accidents, incidents and anomalies. It was introduced in 1990 after being developed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (NEA/OECD). Level seven denotes a "major accident," which means "major release of radioactive material with widespread health and environmental effects requiring implementation of planned and extended countermeasures."
Watch video 01:59 Ukraine still dealing with Chernobyl aftermath
Both the Chernobyl and 2011 Fukushima disaster have been categorized as such. But INES does not allow for nuclear events to be classified within a level.
If the term nuclear disaster is not only used to describe events, or accidents, in nuclear reactors but also radioactive emissions caused by humans then there are many occasions when human-caused nuclear contamination has been greater than that of the Chernobyl disaster, explained Kate Brown, professor of science, technology and society at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
"Let's take the production of plutonium," she told DW, referring to the American and Soviet plants that produced plutonium at the center of a nuclear bomb. "Those plants each issued as part of the normal working everyday order at least 350 million curies [a unit of radioactivity — Editor's note] into the surrounding environment. And that was not an accident.
Some parts of the exclusion zone will continue to be contaminated for some 24,000 years
"Let's look at, even more dire, the issuance of radioactive fallout in the detonation of nuclear bombs during the periods of nuclear testing ground, which were located throughout the world, " she continued. "Those just take one isotope, one radioactive iodine, which is harmful to human health because it's taken up by the human thyroid, causing thyroid cancer or thyroid disease.
"Chernobyl issued 45 million curies of radioactive iodine just in two years of testing, in 1961 and 1962. The Soviets and the Americans issued not 45 million curies, but 20 billion curies of radioactive iodine," she said. And these tests, she added, were by design — not due to an accident or human error.
Are there mutants in the exclusion zone?
One of the most popular questions for tour guides in the , the area around the former nuclear reactor, is whether there are mutants. Computer games, horror films and books have propagated this notion, but it is misguided.
Denis Vishnevsky, head of the department of ecology, flora and fauna of the Chernobyl Radiation and Ecological Biosphere Reserve, reassured DW that he had never seen any two-headed wolves or five-legged rodents.
Monday marks the 35th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. What happened in the former Soviet Union on April 26, 1986, is no longer a secret.
The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone is off-limits to most people
Is Chernobyl the biggest-ever nuclear disaster?
The 1986 nuclear disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant near the city of Pripyat in northern Ukraine is often described as the worst nuclear accident in history. However, rarely is this sensational depiction clarified in more detail.
The International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES) does classify nuclear events on a scale of zero to seven, breaking them down into accidents, incidents and anomalies. It was introduced in 1990 after being developed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (NEA/OECD). Level seven denotes a "major accident," which means "major release of radioactive material with widespread health and environmental effects requiring implementation of planned and extended countermeasures."
Watch video 01:59 Ukraine still dealing with Chernobyl aftermath
Both the Chernobyl and 2011 Fukushima disaster have been categorized as such. But INES does not allow for nuclear events to be classified within a level.
If the term nuclear disaster is not only used to describe events, or accidents, in nuclear reactors but also radioactive emissions caused by humans then there are many occasions when human-caused nuclear contamination has been greater than that of the Chernobyl disaster, explained Kate Brown, professor of science, technology and society at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
"Let's take the production of plutonium," she told DW, referring to the American and Soviet plants that produced plutonium at the center of a nuclear bomb. "Those plants each issued as part of the normal working everyday order at least 350 million curies [a unit of radioactivity — Editor's note] into the surrounding environment. And that was not an accident.
Some parts of the exclusion zone will continue to be contaminated for some 24,000 years
"Let's look at, even more dire, the issuance of radioactive fallout in the detonation of nuclear bombs during the periods of nuclear testing ground, which were located throughout the world, " she continued. "Those just take one isotope, one radioactive iodine, which is harmful to human health because it's taken up by the human thyroid, causing thyroid cancer or thyroid disease.
"Chernobyl issued 45 million curies of radioactive iodine just in two years of testing, in 1961 and 1962. The Soviets and the Americans issued not 45 million curies, but 20 billion curies of radioactive iodine," she said. And these tests, she added, were by design — not due to an accident or human error.
Are there mutants in the exclusion zone?
One of the most popular questions for tour guides in the , the area around the former nuclear reactor, is whether there are mutants. Computer games, horror films and books have propagated this notion, but it is misguided.
Denis Vishnevsky, head of the department of ecology, flora and fauna of the Chernobyl Radiation and Ecological Biosphere Reserve, reassured DW that he had never seen any two-headed wolves or five-legged rodents.
Animals living in the exclusion zone may have a lower life expectancy
"The influence of ionizing radiation may cause some restructuring in the body, but mostly it simply reduces an organism's viability," he explained, giving the example of high embryo fatalities in rodents due to genomic defects that prevented the organism from functioning. Those animals that survive the womb sometimes have disabilities that prevent them from staying alive in the wild. Vishnevsky and his colleagues have conducted research into thousands of animals in the exclusion zone, but have not found any unusual morphological alterations.
"Why? Because we were always dealing with animals that had survived and had won the fight for survival," he said. He added that it was difficult to compare these animals with creatures that scientists had deliberately exposed to radiation in laboratories.
Has nature reclaimed the site of the disaster?
Reports entitled "Life Flourishing Around Chernobyl" and photo series suggesting that the exclusion zone has become a "natural paradise" might give the impression that nature has recovered from the nuclear disaster. But Brown, who has been researching Chernobyl for 25 years, is adamant that this is "not true."
"That's a very seductive idea, that human messed up nature and all they have to do is step away and nature rewrites itself," she said. In reality, however, biologists say that there are fewer species of insects, birds and mammals than before the disaster. The fact that some endangered species can be found in the exclusion zone is not evidence of the area's health and vitality.
Watch video 03:45 Nature is taking back Chernobyl
On the contrary: there has been a significant increase in the mortality rate and a lowered life expectancy in the animal population, with more tumors and immune defects, disorders of the blood and circulatory system and early ageing.
Scientists have attributed the apparent natural diversity to species migration and the vastness of the area. "The exclusion zone comprises 2,600 square kilometers [about 1,000 square miles]. And to the north are another 2,000 square kilometers to the north is Belarus' exclusion zone," said Vishnevsky. "There are also areas to the east and west where the human population density is extremely low. We have a huge potential for preserving local wild fauna." That includes lynxes, bears and wolves which need a great deal of space.
But even 35 years after the disaster the land is still contaminated by radiation, a third of it by transuranium elements with a half-life of more than 24,000 years.
Is it safe for tourists to visit Chernobyl?
The exclusion zone was already a magnet for disaster tourists, but in 2019 annual numbers doubled to 124,000 after the success of the HBO miniseries Chernobyl. The State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management has set up a number of routes so tourists can visit the region by land, water or air. It has also drawn up a number of regulations to protect visitors, stipulating that people must be covered from head to toe. They shouldn't eat any food or drink outside, and they should always follow official paths. It's estimated that the radiation dose received over a one-day visit does not exceed 0.1 millisievert (mSv) — roughly the same dose that a passenger would be exposed to on a long-distance flight from Germany to Japan, according to Germany's Federal Office for Radiation Protection.
Some medical uses might expose a patient to much higher doses. Sven Dokter, the spokesman for the German nuclear safety organization Global Research for Safety (GRS), said that the dose of an effective pelvic X-ray ranged from 0.3 to 0.7 mSv, while a CT scan of the chest ranged from 4 to 7 mSv.
Watch video 05:23 Chernobyl as a tourist attraction
Dokter said a visit to the exclusion zone would not cause any undue harm if visitors paid attention to the rules and took an official tour.
"We're a long way off from the doses needed for a warning against such visits to be issued," he told DW. "On average in Germany a person receives a radiation dose of over 4 mSv per year. Half of this is from the natural radiation that we're always exposed to and the other half comes from standard medical procedures and flights."
The IAEA also has no qualms: "One may certainly visit the Chernobyl area, including even the exclusion zone, which is a 30-kilometer radius surrounding the plant, all of whose reactors are now closed. Although some of the radioactive isotopes released into the atmosphere still linger (such as Strontium-90 and Caesium-137), they are at tolerable exposure levels for limited periods of time," said the organization's website.
Are there people living in the area?
Today, Pripyat, the closed city built to serve the nuclear plant and house its employees, is often described as a ghost town, as is the nearby city of Chernobyl.
However, neither has been entirely empty since 1986. Thousands of people, usually men, have stayed there, often working two-week shifts and ensuring that the crucial infrastructure in both cities continues to function. After the explosion in reactor No. 4, reactors 1, 2 and 3 continued to operate, closing down only in 1991, 1996 and 2000. Special units of the Ukrainian Interior Ministry police the zone. There are also stores and at least two hotels in Chernobyl, which are mainly for business visitors.
There are also a number of unofficial inhabitants, including people who used to live in the area and have chosen to return. They have settled in villages that were evacuated after the disaster. The exact number of people is unknown: when DW asked the State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management how many people lived in Chernobyl, the official answer was "nobody."
In 2016, about 180 people were thought to be living in the entire exclusion zone. Because they tended to be older, this number may well have fallen. Even though these locals are officially only tolerated, the state does support them in their everyday lives. Their pensions are delivered once a month, and every two to three months they are supplied with food by a mobile store.
This article has been translated from German.
CHERNOBYL: THE PEOPLE WHO'VE STAYEDThe contagious optimism of Baba GaniaBaba Gania (left) is 86 years old. She survived her husband who died a decade ago. For the past 25 years, Gania has taken care of her mentally disabled sister Sonya (right). "I am not afraid of radiation. I boil the mushrooms till all the radiation is gone!" she says proudly. Photographer Alina Rudya visited her several times over the past years: "She is the warmest and kindest person I know." PHOTOS 12345678910
Indonesia: Submarine wreckage located on seafloor
Indonesia's military says there is no hope of finding survivors from a submarine that sank last week with 53 people on board. President Joko Widodo has sent his condolences to the crew's families.
The submarine has broken into at least three pieces
Rescue teams located the missing Indonesian submarine on Sunday, authorities said.
Navy Chief of Staff Yudo Margono said the submarine had been broken into three pieces.
"With this authentic proof, we can confirm that KRI Nanggala 402 has sunk and all of its 53 sailors have died on duty," Air Marshall Hadi Tjahjanto told a press conference.
Underwater drone images showed the wreckage on the seafloor. It was found by a Singaporean craft about 1,500 meters (5,000 feet) to the south of where it last dove.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo earlier offered his condolences to the families of those lost in a submarine accident four days ago.
He confirmed that the KRI Nanggala 402 submarine sank, and that the 53 crew members are presumed to have died.
"All of us Indonesians express our deep sorrow over this tragedy, especially to the families of the submarine crew," he said.
He said rescuers were still expending their best efforts to recover the craft and its crew. He offered his hopes and prayers, and wished the families patience and strength.
How did the submarine go missing?
The 44-year-old West-German-built submarine lost contact while taking part in torpedo drills off the coast of Bali on Wednesday.
It failed to surface and only had enough oxygen for the crew to survive up to 72 hours.
Rescue teams announced on Saturday they had found objects such as prayer mat fragments, a piece of the torpedo system and a bottle of periscope lubricant near the submarine's last known location.
This led them to believe that the vessel had broken open.
Watch video 01:15 Indonesia's navy declares missing sub as 'sunken vessel'
Navy Chief of Staff Yudo Margono later announced that sonar scans had detected a submarine-like object 850 meters (2,790 feet) underwater, well beyond the diving range of the craft.
Ships and helicopters from Australia, the United States, Singapore, Malaysia and India are helping in the search effort.
aw/mm (AFP, AP, Reuters, dpa)
Indonesia's military says there is no hope of finding survivors from a submarine that sank last week with 53 people on board. President Joko Widodo has sent his condolences to the crew's families.
The submarine has broken into at least three pieces
Rescue teams located the missing Indonesian submarine on Sunday, authorities said.
Navy Chief of Staff Yudo Margono said the submarine had been broken into three pieces.
"With this authentic proof, we can confirm that KRI Nanggala 402 has sunk and all of its 53 sailors have died on duty," Air Marshall Hadi Tjahjanto told a press conference.
Underwater drone images showed the wreckage on the seafloor. It was found by a Singaporean craft about 1,500 meters (5,000 feet) to the south of where it last dove.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo earlier offered his condolences to the families of those lost in a submarine accident four days ago.
He confirmed that the KRI Nanggala 402 submarine sank, and that the 53 crew members are presumed to have died.
"All of us Indonesians express our deep sorrow over this tragedy, especially to the families of the submarine crew," he said.
He said rescuers were still expending their best efforts to recover the craft and its crew. He offered his hopes and prayers, and wished the families patience and strength.
How did the submarine go missing?
The 44-year-old West-German-built submarine lost contact while taking part in torpedo drills off the coast of Bali on Wednesday.
It failed to surface and only had enough oxygen for the crew to survive up to 72 hours.
Rescue teams announced on Saturday they had found objects such as prayer mat fragments, a piece of the torpedo system and a bottle of periscope lubricant near the submarine's last known location.
This led them to believe that the vessel had broken open.
Watch video 01:15 Indonesia's navy declares missing sub as 'sunken vessel'
Navy Chief of Staff Yudo Margono later announced that sonar scans had detected a submarine-like object 850 meters (2,790 feet) underwater, well beyond the diving range of the craft.
Ships and helicopters from Australia, the United States, Singapore, Malaysia and India are helping in the search effort.
aw/mm (AFP, AP, Reuters, dpa)
AS A STEAM/POWER ENGINEER SUBS OF COURSE ARE IN MY FIELD AND HAVE ALWAYS FACISINATED ME SINCE VOYARE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA AND OF COURSE 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA.
The COVID variant from India: What we know so far
The latest variant of the COVID-19 coronavirus, dubbed B.1.617, was first found in India and then in other countries around the world. It is still unclear how dangerous it is.
There have been at least five major mutations of the COVID-19 coronavirus
The number of new coronavirus infections has continued to rise sharply in India. The country has just recorded the world's highest daily tally of 314,835 infectionsamong its total population of 1.38 billion people.
It's too early to say whether the new variant of the virus, B.1.617, is responsible for the rapid increase in infections, but it is being treated as a possible cause.
What role do virus variants play?
In many other cases and countries, new variants have played a role when infections took a sudden, upward swing.
Some experts are also concerned that the Indian variant may be turning into a type of "super mutation" that will continue to spread across the world.
Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said that he is "deeply concerned" about the situation in India, the WHO tweeted.
A new variant of coronavirus is causing concern in India
Why would the Indian variant become dangerous?
The Indian variant consists of two mutations of the spike protein of the virus.
A spike protein allows a virus to enter the body and infect it. The virus can then spread quickly through the body, if it escapes any antibodies in the immune system or those developed as a result of a vaccine — or, indeed, if there aren't any antibodies.
Experts say there is a risk that people, who have recovered from a COVID-19 infection, or those who have been vaccinated, may not be as resilient against this new variant as they may be against other forms of the virus.
What's special about the Indian variant?
The mutations found in the Indian variant are identified as E484Q and E484K.
They are known in other mutations as well — they are not entirely new. They have been detected in the South African variant, B.1.353, and in the Brazilian variant, P1.
In some cases, the Indian mutations were detected in the British variant, B.1.1.7.
There are other mutations, such as one called L452R, which is detected in a Californian variant of the virus, B.1.429. The same was found in a variant in Germany.
The Indian variant of coronavirus has already reached Europe
Of interest or of concern?
The WHO categorizes the Indian variant as a "Variant of Interest." That means the variant is being monitored, but that it is, for the time being, not of major concern.
Dr Jeffrey Barrett, director of the COVID-19 Genomics Initiative at the Wellcome Sanger Institute in the UK, has commented that the Indian variant has spread at such low levels over the past few months, and that makes it "likely not to be as transmissible as B.1.1.7."
But a number of other experts see the threat differently. And current developments appear to suggest they may be right.
In the Indian state of Maharashtra, over 60% of all coronavirus infections have been linked to the n.ew B.1.617 variant, based on the infections that have been sequenced for their origin.
But local authorities say the number of cases being sequenced is far too low for them to draw any clear conclusions.
As such, it remains unclear whether the Indian variant is responsible for the increase in infections in India
The latest variant of the COVID-19 coronavirus, dubbed B.1.617, was first found in India and then in other countries around the world. It is still unclear how dangerous it is.
There have been at least five major mutations of the COVID-19 coronavirus
The number of new coronavirus infections has continued to rise sharply in India. The country has just recorded the world's highest daily tally of 314,835 infectionsamong its total population of 1.38 billion people.
It's too early to say whether the new variant of the virus, B.1.617, is responsible for the rapid increase in infections, but it is being treated as a possible cause.
What role do virus variants play?
In many other cases and countries, new variants have played a role when infections took a sudden, upward swing.
Some experts are also concerned that the Indian variant may be turning into a type of "super mutation" that will continue to spread across the world.
Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said that he is "deeply concerned" about the situation in India, the WHO tweeted.
And the Indian variant has spread to other countries. Health authorities have detected variant B.1.617 in Germany, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, the US, Australia and Singapore. The British health ministry has reported 77 cases of the Indian variant.
A new variant of coronavirus is causing concern in India
Why would the Indian variant become dangerous?
The Indian variant consists of two mutations of the spike protein of the virus.
A spike protein allows a virus to enter the body and infect it. The virus can then spread quickly through the body, if it escapes any antibodies in the immune system or those developed as a result of a vaccine — or, indeed, if there aren't any antibodies.
Experts say there is a risk that people, who have recovered from a COVID-19 infection, or those who have been vaccinated, may not be as resilient against this new variant as they may be against other forms of the virus.
What's special about the Indian variant?
The mutations found in the Indian variant are identified as E484Q and E484K.
They are known in other mutations as well — they are not entirely new. They have been detected in the South African variant, B.1.353, and in the Brazilian variant, P1.
In some cases, the Indian mutations were detected in the British variant, B.1.1.7.
There are other mutations, such as one called L452R, which is detected in a Californian variant of the virus, B.1.429. The same was found in a variant in Germany.
The Indian variant of coronavirus has already reached Europe
Of interest or of concern?
The WHO categorizes the Indian variant as a "Variant of Interest." That means the variant is being monitored, but that it is, for the time being, not of major concern.
Dr Jeffrey Barrett, director of the COVID-19 Genomics Initiative at the Wellcome Sanger Institute in the UK, has commented that the Indian variant has spread at such low levels over the past few months, and that makes it "likely not to be as transmissible as B.1.1.7."
But a number of other experts see the threat differently. And current developments appear to suggest they may be right.
In the Indian state of Maharashtra, over 60% of all coronavirus infections have been linked to the n.ew B.1.617 variant, based on the infections that have been sequenced for their origin.
But local authorities say the number of cases being sequenced is far too low for them to draw any clear conclusions.
As such, it remains unclear whether the Indian variant is responsible for the increase in infections in India
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