Why is China, Iran and Italy being strucked particularly hard by Covid-19? Make your own conclusion

[ohmrlobalobayeh]

5 March 2020
Who Made Coronavirus? Was It the U.S., Israel or China?
It might be possible that Washington has created and unleashed the virus in a bid to bring Beijing’s growing economy and military might down a few notches.
By Philip Giraldi
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The most commonly reported mainstream media account of the creation of the Coronavirus suggests that it was derived from an animal borne microorganism found in a wild bat that was consumed by an ethnic Chinese resident of Wuhan. But there appears to be some evidence to dispute that in that adjacent provinces in China, where wild bats are more numerous, have not experienced major outbreaks of the disease. Because of that and other factors, there has also been considerable speculation that the Coronavirus did not occur naturally through mutation but rather was produced in a laboratory, possibly as a biological warfare agent.

Several reports suggest that there are components of the virus that are related to HIV that could not have occurred naturally. If it is correct that the virus had either been developed or even produced to be weaponized it would further suggest that its escape from the Wuhan Institute of Virology Lab and into the animal and human population could have been accidental. Technicians who work in such environments are aware that “leaks” from laboratories occur frequently.

There is, of course and inevitably, another theory. There has been some speculation that as the Trump Administration has been constantly raising the issue of growing Chinese global competitiveness as a direct threat to American national security and economic dominance, it might be possible that Washington has created and unleashed the virus in a bid to bring Beijing’s growing economy and military might down a few notches. It is, to be sure, hard to believe that even the Trump White House would do something so reckless, but there are precedents for that type of behavior. In 2005-9 the American and Israeli governments secretly developed a computer virus called Stuxnet, which was intended to damage the control and operating systems of Iranian computers being used in that country’s nuclear research program. Admittedly Stuxnet was intended to damage computers, not to infect or kill human beings, but concerns that it would propagate and move to infect computers outside Iran proved to be accurate as it spread to thousands of PCs outside Iran, in countries as far flung as China, Germany, Kazakhstan and Indonesia.

Inevitably there is an Israeli story that just might shed some light on what has been going on in China. Scientists at Israel’s Galilee Research Institute are now claiming that they will have a vaccine against coronavirus in a few weeks which will be ready for distribution and use within 90 days. The institute is claiming that it has been engaged in four years of research on avian coronavirus funded by Israel’s Ministries of Science & Technology and Agriculture.


They are claiming that the virus is similar to the version that has infected humans, which has led to breakthroughs in development through genetic manipulation, but some scientists are skeptical that a new vaccine could be produced so quickly to prevent a virus that existed only recently. They also have warned that even if a vaccine is developed it would normally have to be tested for side effects, a process that normally takes over a year and includes using it on infected humans.

If one even considers it possible that the United States had a hand in creating the coronavirus at what remains of its once extensive biological weapons research center in Ft Detrick Maryland, it is very likely that Israel was a partner in the project. Helping to develop the virus would also explain how Israeli scientists have been able to claim success at creating a vaccine so quickly, possibly because the virus and a treatment for it were developed simultaneously.

In any event, there are definite political ramifications to the appearance of the coronavirus, and not only in China. In the United States President Donald Trump is already being blamed for lying about the virus and there are various scenarios in mainstream publications speculating over the possible impact on the election in 2020. If the economy sinks together with the stock market, it will reflect badly on Trump whether or not he is actually at fault. If containment and treatment of the disease itself in the United States does not go well, there could also be a considerable backlash, particularly as the Democrats have been promoting improving health care. One pundit argues, however, that disease and a sinking economy will not matter as long as there is a turnaround before the election, but a lot can happen in the next eight months.

And then there is the national security/foreign policy issue as seen from both Jerusalem and Washington. It is difficult to explain why coronavirus has hit one country in particular other than China very severely. That country is Iran, the often-cited enemy of both the U.S. and Israel. The number of Iran’s coronavirus cases continues to increase, with more positive tests confirmed among government officials last Saturday. There were 205 new coronavirus cases, bringing the government claimed total to 593 with 43 fatalities, though unofficial hospital reports suggest that the deaths are actually well over 100. That’s the highest number of deaths from the virus outside of China.

No less than five Iranian Members of Parliament have also tested positive amid a growing number of officials that have contracted the disease. Iran’s vice president Masoumeh Ebtekar and deputy health minister Iraj Harirchi had also previously been confirmed with the virus.

The usual suspects in the United States are delighted to learn of the Iranian deaths. Mark Dubowitz, Executive Director of the Washington-based but Israeli government connected Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) boasted on twitterTuesday that “Coronavirus has done what American economic sanctions could not: shut down non-oil exports.” An Iranian government spokesman responded that “It’s shameful and downright inhuman to cheer for a deadly Virus to spread – and enjoy seeing people suffer for it…” Dubowitz followed up with an additional taunt, that Tehran has “spread terrorism” in the Middle East and “now it’s spreading the coronavirus.”

So, you have your choice. Coronavirus occurred naturally, or it came out of a lab in China itself or even from Israel or the United States. If one suspects Israel and/or the United States, the intent clearly would have been to create a biological weapon that would damage two nations that have been designated as enemies. But the coronavirus cannot be contained easily and it is clear that many thousands of people will die from it. Unfortunately, as with Stuxnet, once the genie is out of the bottled it is devilishly hard to induce it to go back in.

*

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Philip M. Giraldi is a former CIA counter-terrorism specialist and military intelligence officer who served nineteen years overseas in Turkey, Italy, Germany, and Spain. He was the CIA Chief of Base for the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 and was one of the first Americans to enter Afghanistan in December 2001. Phil is Executive Director of the Council for the National Interest, a Washington-based advocacy group that seeks to encourage and promote a U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East that is consistent with American values and interests. He is a frequent contributor to Global Research.

 

[ohmrlobalobayeh]

Italy throws Huawei a bone and the US a cheap-shot

• Written by Jamie Davies
  
• 23 December 2019 @ 16:23

The Italian Government looks set to greenlight Huawei’s involvement in the market, while simultaneously criticising the increasing protectionist trends around the world.

Speaking to local press, Minister of Economic Development Stefano Patuanelli suggested the right protections are now in place to mitigate any cybersecurity risks involved. Although the US feel this is not an outcome which is possible, many European nations seem to be heading in this direction.

“We have passed legislation that guarantees national security,” said Patuanelli. “With the right defenses, the possibility of (Huawei’s) access is not up for debate.”

Last week, some politicians suggested the Government should review the current dynamic, hinting that the likes of Huawei and ZTE could not be trusted to contribute to such sensitive infrastructure. However, this does seem to suggest there could be profits to be made in the country for the Chinese vendors.

Interestingly enough, this news could drive a bigger wedge between the Italian and US political administrations.

The US Government is attempting to pressurise European administrations to ban Huawei, though there has been little success as of late. In Italy, tensions have been heightened with the Government attempting to capture additional tax revenues from Netflix. The US Government has already fired several warnings towards the country and have also threatened additional tariffs on Italian wine and cheese.

While this is by no means a guarantee of an outcome in Italy, ignoring US cautionary Huawei tales would add more strain to the relationship.

To stir things up further, Patuanelli has also seemingly directed a barb towards the contradictory policies in place in the US.

“One cannot fly the flag of the market with one hand and that of protectionism with the other,” Patuanelli said.

This comment has of course not been officially directed towards any individual or government, though the US under the leadership of President Trump has become increasingly protectionist and isolationist with new policies.

For the telcos, some much needed certainty might be on the horizon. Telecom Italia is already chomping at the bit to name suppliers and pursue the 5G dream, but realistically all the telcos will be craving an absolute decision. With uncertainty as to which vendors will be available in the future, progress will stutter, though these statements do suggest a decision might be just around the corner.

Meet with the entire 5G Ecosystem at 5G World, part of TechXLR8, taking place 9-11 June 2020 at the Excel, London. Click here for more information.

Tags: 5G, government, Huawei, Italy, US


SUN DEC 22, 2019 / 8:37 AM EST
Huawei should be allowed 5G role in Italy: Industry minister

FILE PHOTO: Huawei's first global flagship store is pictured in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China October 30, 2019.
REUTERS/ALY SONG/FILE PHOTO

(Reuters) - Chinese telecoms firm Huawei should be allowed a role in Italy's future 5G network, the Italian industry minister said on Sunday after an influential parliamentary committee called on Rome to block the company.

The United States has lobbied Italy and other European allies to avoid using Huawei equipment in their next generation networks and to closely scrutinize rival ZTE, saying the companies could pose a security risk.

Both companies have strongly denied there is any such risk.

ADVERTISEMENT
"We have passed legislation that guarantees national security. With the right defenses, the possibility of (Huawei's) access is not up for debate," minister Stefano Patuanelli, part of the ruling 5-Star Movement, told La Stampa daily.

Last week, Italy's parliamentary security committee Copasir said the government should consider preventing Huawei and ZTE from taking part in the development of 5G networks.

Italy's biggest phone group Telecom Italia (TIM) is in the process of choosing suppliers to upgrade its network infrastructure and Huawei is among possible contenders.

Cabinet undersecretary Riccardo Fraccaro, also a 5-Star member, said on Friday that the government would not be able to ignore the opinion of Copasir.

But Patuanelli said on Sunday that "Huawei offers the best solutions at the best prices".

"One cannot fly the flag of the market with one hand and that of protectionism with the other," he added.

Research into deadly viruses and biological weapons at US army lab shut down over fears they could escape
Fort Detrick researchers banned from working with anthrax, Ebola and smallpox until procedures improved

• Tim Wyatt
• Tuesday 6 August 2019 13:19

Researchers at Fort Detrick have been barred from working with the most dangerous pathogens after an inspection ( Shutterstock )
America’s main biological warfare lab has been ordered to stop all research into the deadliest viruses and pathogens over fears contaminated waste could leak out of the facility.

Fort Detrick, in Maryland, has been the epicentre of the US Army’s bioweapons research since the beginning of the Cold War.

But last month the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – the government’s public health body – stripped the base of its license to handle highly restricted “select agents”, which includes Ebola, smallpox and anthrax.

The unusual move follows an inspection by the CDC at Fort Detrick which found several problems with new procedures used to decontaminate waste water.

For years the facility used a steam sterilisation plant to treat waste water, but after a storm flooded and ruined that machinery last year, Fort Detrick switched to a new chemical-based decontamination system.

But the CDC inspectors found the new procedures were not sufficient, with both mechanical failures causing leaks and researchers failing to properly follow the rules.As a result, the organisation sent a “cease and desist” order to Fort Detrick, forcing it to suspend all research on select agents.
Although the United States officially abandoned its biological weapons programme in 1969, Fort Detrick has continued defensive research into deadly pathogens on the list of “select agents”, including the Ebola virus, the organisms that cause the plague, and the highly toxic poison ricin.

The army’s Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, based at Fort Detrick, says its primary mission today is to “protect the warfighter from biological threats” but its scientists also investigate outbreaks of disease among civilians and other threats to public health.

In recent years it has been involved in testing possible vaccines for Ebola, after several epidemics of the deadly virus in Africa.


Independent news email
Register with your social account or
I would like to receive morning headlinesMonday - Friday plus breaking news alerts by email
A spokeswoman for the lab, Caree Vander Linden, said despite the CDC suspension order, there had not been any threat to public health or any leaks of hazardous material outside the base.

The US military plan to spread viruses using insects could create ‘new class of biological weapon’, scientists warn

The shutdown of research at Fort Detrick is likely to last several months, she also told the New York Times.

This is not the first time the lab has been temporarily shut down due to failures in handling the dangerous pathogens inside.

In 2009, research at Fort Detrick was suspended because it was discovered it was storing pathogens which were not listed on its inventory.

The regulations on keeping close track of hazardous biological material were tightened after the 2001 anthrax attacks, which saw five people die after spores were posted to several media newsrooms and Democratic senators.

The FBI’s chief suspect in the 2001 case, Bruce Ivins, was a senior biological weapons researcher at Fort Detrick. He killed himself in 2008, shortly before the FBI was planning to charge him with the attacks.

Italy throws Huawei a bone and the US a cheap-shot

• Written by Jamie Davies
  
• 23 December 2019 @ 16:23

The Italian Government looks set to greenlight Huawei’s involvement in the market, while simultaneously criticising the increasing protectionist trends around the world.

Speaking to local press, Minister of Economic Development Stefano Patuanelli suggested the right protections are now in place to mitigate any cybersecurity risks involved. Although the US feel this is not an outcome which is possible, many European nations seem to be heading in this direction.

“We have passed legislation that guarantees national security,” said Patuanelli. “With the right defenses, the possibility of (Huawei’s) access is not up for debate.”

Last week, some politicians suggested the Government should review the current dynamic, hinting that the likes of Huawei and ZTE could not be trusted to contribute to such sensitive infrastructure. However, this does seem to suggest there could be profits to be made in the country for the Chinese vendors.

Interestingly enough, this news could drive a bigger wedge between the Italian and US political administrations.

The US Government is attempting to pressurise European administrations to ban Huawei, though there has been little success as of late. In Italy, tensions have been heightened with the Government attempting to capture additional tax revenues from Netflix. The US Government has already fired several warnings towards the country and have also threatened additional tariffs on Italian wine and cheese.

While this is by no means a guarantee of an outcome in Italy, ignoring US cautionary Huawei tales would add more strain to the relationship.

To stir things up further, Patuanelli has also seemingly directed a barb towards the contradictory policies in place in the US.

“One cannot fly the flag of the market with one hand and that of protectionism with the other,” Patuanelli said.

This comment has of course not been officially directed towards any individual or government, though the US under the leadership of President Trump has become increasingly protectionist and isolationist with new policies.

For the telcos, some much needed certainty might be on the horizon. Telecom Italia is already chomping at the bit to name suppliers and pursue the 5G dream, but realistically all the telcos will be craving an absolute decision. With uncertainty as to which vendors will be available in the future, progress will stutter, though these statements do suggest a decision might be just around the corner.

Meet with the entire 5G Ecosystem at 5G World, part of TechXLR8, taking place 9-11 June 2020 at the Excel, London. Click here for more information.

Tags: 5G, government, Huawei, Italy, US


SUN DEC 22, 2019 / 8:37 AM EST
Huawei should be allowed 5G role in Italy: Industry minister

FILE PHOTO: Huawei's first global flagship store is pictured in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China October 30, 2019.
REUTERS/ALY SONG/FILE PHOTO

(Reuters) - Chinese telecoms firm Huawei should be allowed a role in Italy's future 5G network, the Italian industry minister said on Sunday after an influential parliamentary committee called on Rome to block the company.

The United States has lobbied Italy and other European allies to avoid using Huawei equipment in their next generation networks and to closely scrutinize rival ZTE, saying the companies could pose a security risk.

Both companies have strongly denied there is any such risk.

ADVERTISEMENT
"We have passed legislation that guarantees national security. With the right defenses, the possibility of (Huawei's) access is not up for debate," minister Stefano Patuanelli, part of the ruling 5-Star Movement, told La Stampa daily.

Last week, Italy's parliamentary security committee Copasir said the government should consider preventing Huawei and ZTE from taking part in the development of 5G networks.

Italy's biggest phone group Telecom Italia (TIM) is in the process of choosing suppliers to upgrade its network infrastructure and Huawei is among possible contenders.

Cabinet undersecretary Riccardo Fraccaro, also a 5-Star member, said on Friday that the government would not be able to ignore the opinion of Copasir.

But Patuanelli said on Sunday that "Huawei offers the best solutions at the best prices".

"One cannot fly the flag of the market with one hand and that of protectionism with the other," he added.

Research into deadly viruses and biological weapons at US army lab shut down over fears they could escape
Fort Detrick researchers banned from working with anthrax, Ebola and smallpox until procedures improved

• Tim Wyatt
• Tuesday 6 August 2019 13:19

Researchers at Fort Detrick have been barred from working with the most dangerous pathogens after an inspection ( Shutterstock )
America’s main biological warfare lab has been ordered to stop all research into the deadliest viruses and pathogens over fears contaminated waste could leak out of the facility.

Fort Detrick, in Maryland, has been the epicentre of the US Army’s bioweapons research since the beginning of the Cold War.

But last month the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – the government’s public health body – stripped the base of its license to handle highly restricted “select agents”, which includes Ebola, smallpox and anthrax.

The unusual move follows an inspection by the CDC at Fort Detrick which found several problems with new procedures used to decontaminate waste water.

For years the facility used a steam sterilisation plant to treat waste water, but after a storm flooded and ruined that machinery last year, Fort Detrick switched to a new chemical-based decontamination system.

But the CDC inspectors found the new procedures were not sufficient, with both mechanical failures causing leaks and researchers failing to properly follow the rules.As a result, the organisation sent a “cease and desist” order to Fort Detrick, forcing it to suspend all research on select agents.
Although the United States officially abandoned its biological weapons programme in 1969, Fort Detrick has continued defensive research into deadly pathogens on the list of “select agents”, including the Ebola virus, the organisms that cause the plague, and the highly toxic poison ricin.

The army’s Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, based at Fort Detrick, says its primary mission today is to “protect the warfighter from biological threats” but its scientists also investigate outbreaks of disease among civilians and other threats to public health.

In recent years it has been involved in testing possible vaccines for Ebola, after several epidemics of the deadly virus in Africa.


Independent news email
Register with your social account or
I would like to receive morning headlinesMonday - Friday plus breaking news alerts by email
A spokeswoman for the lab, Caree Vander Linden, said despite the CDC suspension order, there had not been any threat to public health or any leaks of hazardous material outside the base.

The US military plan to spread viruses using insects could create ‘new class of biological weapon’, scientists warn

The shutdown of research at Fort Detrick is likely to last several months, she also told the New York Times.

This is not the first time the lab has been temporarily shut down due to failures in handling the dangerous pathogens inside.

In 2009, research at Fort Detrick was suspended because it was discovered it was storing pathogens which were not listed on its inventory.

The regulations on keeping close track of hazardous biological material were tightened after the 2001 anthrax attacks, which saw five people die after spores were posted to several media newsrooms and Democratic senators.

The FBI’s chief suspect in the 2001 case, Bruce Ivins, was a senior biological weapons researcher at Fort Detrick. He killed himself in 2008, shortly before the FBI was planning to charge him with the attacks.

Coincidentally, US biological weapons lab was shut down barely 3 months(November) before the very first reported cases in Wuhan, China.

Covering tracks?

Make your own conclusions.

 

[Cthulhu]

Because some communist assholes tried to cover up the outbreak of a new virus.

 

[khansaheeb]

https://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/cbwprolif

CHINA
https://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/cbwprolif

Biological Weapons

State declaration: China states that it is in compliance with its BWC obligations and that it has never had an active BW program.

Allegations: According to the United States, China’s BW activities have been extensive and a 1993 State Department Compliance Report alleged that activities continued after China joined the BWC. The 2010 report indicates that little information is known about China’s activities, and that recent dual-use activities may have breached the BWC. Existing infrastructure would allow it to develop, produce, and weaponize agents. The 2017 report does not discuss China’s BWC compliance or noncompliance.

CUBA

Biological Weapons

State declaration: Cuba denies any BW research efforts.

Allegations: A 2003 State Department Compliance Report indicated that Cuba had “at least a limited developmental offensive biological warfare research and development effort.” The 2010 report claimed that “available information did not indicate Cuba’s dual-use activities during the reporting period involved activities prohibited by the BWC.” The 2017 report did not mention any problems with Cuba’s compliance with BWC.

Allegations of BW programs have been made by Cuban defectors in the past.

Other information: Cuba has a relatively advanced biotechnology industrial capabilities.

EGYPT

Biological Weapons

State declaration: Two vague statements alluding to a BW capability were made by President Saddat and one of his ministers in 1972, but Egypt has not officially declared a biological weapons stockpile.

Allegations: There have been various allegations that Egypt possesses biological weapons. Some argue that Egypt’s reluctance to ratify the BWC signals that it does possess biological weapons. The 2014 State Department compliance report notes that Egypt has "continued to improve its biotechnology infrastructure" over the past three years, including through research and development activities involving genetic engineering, as of 2013's end, "available information did not indicate that Egypt is engaged in activities prohibited by the BWC." The 2017 State Department report does not mention any problems with Egypt’s compliance with the BWC.

IRAN

Biological Weapons

State declaration: Iran has publicly denounced BW.

Allegations: The Defense Intelligence Agency alleged in 2009 that Iran’s BW efforts “may have evolved beyond agent R&D, and we believe Iran likely has the capability to produce small quantities of BW agents but may only have a limited ability to weaponize them.”

The 2010 report assesses that there is evidence showing Iran continues dual-use activities, but there is no conclusive evidence showing BWC violations. The 2017 State Department report on compliance with the BWC does not mention any problems with Iran’s compliance with the BWC.

IRAQ

Biological Weapons

State declaration: Iraq admitted to testing and stockpiling BW in the mid-1990s. These stockpiles appear to have been destroyed prior to the 2003 invasion. There have been no declarations about BW after 2003.

ISRAEL

Biological Weapons

State declaration: Israel has revealed little in terms of its biological weapons capabilities or programs.

Allegations: There is belief that Israel has had an offensive BW program in the past. It is unclear if this is still the case.

LIBYA

Biological Weapons

State declaration: Libya announced in December 2003 that it would eliminate its BW program.

Allegations: Between 1982 and 2003 there were many allegations of a Libyan biological weapons program, although later inspections failed to reveal any evidence to support these claims.

NORTH KOREA

Biological Weapons

Allegations: The 2010 State Department report on compliance with the BWC remarks that North Korea may “still consider the use of biological weapons as a military option.” In a 2012 Ministry of National Defense White Paper, South Korea asserted that “North Korea likely has the capability to produce[…] anthrax, smallpox, pest, francisella tularensis, and hemorrhagic fever viruses.”

RUSSIA

Biological Weapons

State declaration: In January 1992, Boris Yeltsin acknowledged that the Soviet Union had pursued an extensive and offensive BW program throughout the 1970s and 1980s. However, since joining the BWC in 1992, Russia has repeatedly expressed its commitment to the destruction of its biological weapons.

Allegations: The Soviet Union’s extensive offensive germ program included weaponized tularemia, typhus, Q fever, smallpox, plague, anthrax, Venezuelan equine encephalitis, glanders, brucellosis, and Marburg. The Soviet Union also researched numerous other agents and toxins that can attack humans, plants, and livestock.

The United States has repeatedly expressed concern about Russia’s inherited biological weapons program and uncertainty about Russia’s compliance with the BWC.

The 2010 State Department report on compliance with the BWC details that Russia continues to engage in dual-use biological research activities, yet there is no evidence that such work is inconsistent with BWC obligations. It assesses that it remains unclear whether Russia has fulfilled its obligations under Article I of the convention. The 2017 report states that “Russia’s annual BWC CBM submissions since 1992 have not satisfactorily documented whether the BW items under these programs were destroyed or diverted to peaceful purposes, as required by Article II of the BWC.”

SYRIA

Biological Weapons

State declaration: In July 2012, a spokesman for the Syrian Foreign Ministry confirmed that the country possesses biological warfare materials, but little is known about the extent of the arsenal. On July 14, 2014, Syria declared the existence of production facilities and stockpiles of purified ricin, although little is known about the continued existence of such facilities in 2017.

THE UNITED STATES

Biological Weapons

State declaration: The United States unilaterally gave up its biological weapons program in 1969. The destruction of all offensive BW agents occurred between 1971 and 1973. The United States currently conducts research as part of its biodefense program.

Allegations: According to a compliance report published by the Russian government in August 2010, the United States is undertaking research on Smallpox which is prohibited by the World Health Organization. Russia also accused the United States of undertaking BW research in order to improve defenses against bio-terror attacks which is “especially questionable from the standpoint of Article I of the BTWC.”

 

[zectech]

China was offering a Chinese reconstruction effects in Iraq, a move that would bring Baghdad into the Chinese sphere and this was the result:

Iraqi Prime Minister Was Forced To Resign After Trump Threatened His Life: Report

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5880 Donate

caretaker Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi

On January 5th, the Iraqi parliament voted on a resolution to expel US troops from the country. In attendance was, caretaker Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi, who, according to reports provided insight into why specifically Iraq was in this situation, and predominantly spoke about threats that came his way from US President Donald Trump and the US policy towards the country.

The following is the summary of reports regarding Abdul-Mehdi’s comments during the January 5 vote of the Iraqi Parliament. These reports have been nor officially confirmed nor denied by the Prime Minister office.

Abdul-Mehdi adressed the US hostile actions against the country. For example, the politician reportedly said that the US refused to complete the infrastructure and electricity grid projects unless it is promised 50% of oil revenues. The Prime Minister refused to make the concession.

Then, when the Prime Minister visited China and reached an important agreement to undertake construction of the projects instead of the US, President Donald Trump allegedly called him, telling him to rescind the agreement with China, otherwise there would be massive demonstrations against him, that would force him out of his seat.

HINT: A 50-person Iraqi delegation visited China in 2019 and that protests began on October 1st, observed a religious holiday, and then ramped up once again on October 25th. The flames of the protests were further fanned by mainstream media outlets.

Then, when massive demonstrations materialized against Adel Abdul-Mahdi, Trump once again allegedly called him. The US President allegedly threatened to position US marine snipers “atop the highest buildings,” who will target and kill protesters and security forces alike in an attempt to pressure the Prime Minister.

Instead of complying, Adel Abdul-Mahdi refused and handed in his resignation and the US still attempt to pressure him in cancelling the supposed deal with China.

Later on, when the Iraqi Minister of Defense publicly said that a third side was targeting both protesters and security forces alike, Abdul-Mahdi allegedly received a new call from Trump who threatened to kill both him and the Minister of Defense if they kept talking about this “third side”.

Furthermore, the Iraqi Pirme Minister revealed that Iranian General Qassem Soleimani was invited to Iraq to take part in reconciliation negotiations with Saudi Arabia when he was assassinated by the US.

On January 6th, Russia and China blocked an anti-Iranian resolution in the UN Security Council, which caused US discontent. Russia and China said any statement by the U.N. Security Council on the attack on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad should also include the latest developments.

“We have seen more events taking place, especially the unilateral action from the United States,” China’s U.N. ambassador, Zhang Jun, told reporters. “If the council is supposed to do something, we should have complete coverage of the whole thing.”

Russian U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia echoed Zhang’s remarks.

“The press statement was nearly ready. It was agreed upon, at least with us and with the U.S.. However then, on 3 January, there was that strike on the airport in Baghdad. To ignore this and not to take this into account in the overall context would be impossible,” Nebenzia told reporters.

The US Embassy in New Delhi in India is closed due to mass protests. Protesters burn flags of the USA and Israel.

The Prime Minister of Malaysia called on Muslim countries to unite to protect themselves from foreign attacks and killings.

Thus, it appears that recent US actions have, once again, undermined its global hegemony and especially may end up reducing its influence in the Middle East, likely counter to its initial plans.

https://southfront.org/iraqi-prime-minister-was-forced-to-resign-after-trump-threatened-his-life/

trump threat to the Iraqi PM was worded in a way that could be taken as both a death threat and/or threat to remove him from being PM. This is how trump has operated for years.

Other examples of trump issuing threats at others:

In 2016, trump campaigns to bring the troops home, and in 2020 Iraq votes that same plan, to kick out the Americans.

However, when push comes to shove, trump never intended to leave Iraq, that was simply to get the 0D Chess playing alt-right to support Oligarch trump's campaign and selection.

Trump threatens to slap sanctions on Iraq ‘like they’ve never seen before’ (for wanting to fulfill a trump campaign promise)

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/06/tru...ns-on-iraq-like-theyve-never-seen-before.html

Iran Hostilities Threaten Trump’s Promises To Get Us Out Of Foreign Wars

On the campaign trail in 2015 and 2016, Donald Trump insisted that as an integral part of his America First platform, we could not afford any more endless wars and that it was time to bring our troops home. He was adamant and unequivocal in his position.

https://thefederalist.com/2020/01/1...rumps-promises-to-get-us-out-of-foreign-wars/

The main goal of this coronavirus is to destroy China as the world's factory, China has been meddling in an area where the zionists don't want China meddling - in Iran and in Iraq.

Terrorizing Iranians with the coronavirus and punishing the Italians is secondary.

These events are tied together, however, a bioweapon used against China and blamed on China was in the plans for over 15 years. These individuals have been waiting for the Chinese to "deserve" the bio-attack. There have been leaks on this.

 

[hirobo2]

Becoz didn't Japan promised to make the Italian plumbers Mario and Luigi their official Olympics mascot this Summer? For all intents and purposes this could b a US BW attack on Japan but making it less obvious by getting it thru China. Those sick fooks in US always plan an attack when its an Asian country hosting an Olympics. Just watch how the world will b in chaos 3x as much in 2022...

 

[ohmrlobalobayeh]

also, Why Wuhan???

1) The Wuhan institute of virology is conviniently located there- and so, it's easy to shift the blame to them, propagated by CIA-directed smearing campaign

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/soc...ch-lab-badly-hurt-rumours-linking-it-man-made

2)It's the first city for China's 5g rollout. Thanks to Trump's efforts, It is being slowed.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/new...-lane-due-to-coronavirus-disruptions-12457456

3)The Huanan market is China's biggest wildlife trading hub. So pathogens can easily be transmitted there and its easy to blame the virus on widlife consumption


Altogether, thx to America's bioterroism efforts, intentionally or ignorantly( https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/05/health/germs-fort-detrick-biohazard.html ), CHina's 5g rollout is slowed.


But it comes back to bite them of cos. what comes around, goes around

 

[Nasr]

Isreal, America, Britain and France!! Zionist states, safe and sound. While Iran gets engulfed in virus outbreak, as it battles along side Russia for Syria. Italy is swarmed by the virus because it is the first and perhaps the only European state to join China's BRI and 5G. China has the largest, fastest naval build-up in the history of humanity.

 

[antonius123]

also, Why Wuhan???

1) The Wuhan institute of virology is conviniently located there- and so, it's easy to shift the blame to them, propagated by CIA-directed smearing campaign

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/soc...ch-lab-badly-hurt-rumours-linking-it-man-made

2)It's the first city for China's 5g rollout. Thanks to Trump's efforts, It is being slowed.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/new...-lane-due-to-coronavirus-disruptions-12457456

3)The Huanan market is China's biggest wildlife trading hub. So pathogens can easily be transmitted there and its easy to blame the virus on widlife consumption


Altogether, thx to America's bioterroism efforts, intentionally or ignorantly( https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/05/health/germs-fort-detrick-biohazard.html ), CHina's 5g rollout is slowed.


But it comes back to bite them of cos. what comes around, goes around

I think it is because Wuhan is a center of PRC technology development for Made in China 2025.

https://www.eetasia.com/news/article/Wuhan-Whos-Been-Impacted

China most advanced lithography tools for advanced semiconductor fab is also being developed there; if it is successful, China wont be dependent from dutch ASML for most advanced chip manufacturing.

Wuhan: Who's Been Impacted?

• 11 February 2020
• Clover Lee

The lockdown in Wuhan is affecting a whole host of local high-tech companies. They range from manufacturers of display panels, memory, fiber optics, auto parts to suppliers of components, bio-medicine and medical devices. Here’s who’s who.

[Editor’s note: During the Wuhan lockdown, the General Office of the State Council issued notices to extend the 2020 Spring Festival holiday by a week.

Most provinces and municipalities in China followed that notice and told businesses not to resume work before Feb. 10 at the earliest.

The Hubei Provincial Government stipulated that various enterprises in the province will resume work no earlier than 24:00 on Feb. 13.

In the context of the Wuhan lockdown and the delay in resumption of business, what’s happening to the companies in Hubei Province? And how will that affect the supply chain inside and outside China? Here’s what our editorial team at ESM China, EE Times’ sister publication, has found out thus far.]

Wuhan skyline and Yangtze River (Image: Shutterstock)
At present, Wuhan, along with most cities within Hubei province, is in a state of lockdown. Obviously, the industries — ranging from transportation to catering and tourism within the province — are significantly affected.

The lockdown is hitting key industrial sectors. According to our database, Wuhan excels in three sectors — telecommunications, automotive, and pharmaceutical. The city also has three world-class industrial clusters. They include making display panels and memory/optical communications; automobiles and parts/components; and biomedicine and medical devices. The region has four national industrial bases or centers of expertise: storage, cybersecurity, EVs/connected cars and aerospace.

Wuhan, the capital of Hubei, is the composite name of the three former cities (and now districts) of Hankou, Hanyang, and Wuchang. The city is located at the confluence of the Han River and the Yangtze River. It is 600 miles from the sea, and halfway between Shanghai and Chongqing.

Its geographical location makes Wuhan a transportation hub in China. But the region is also a hub for many corporations. The province lists as many as 106 companies, 60 of them in Wuhan. Others are based elsewhere in Hubei province.

Look closely: Hubei Province has more than 20 companies in the electronic communications industry, 11 in pharmaceuticals, and four in automotive. The outbreak of coronavirus has prompted related enterprises in Hubei province to suspend production and postpone resumption of work. This is likely to have a ripple effect throughout China.

Who’s who in Wuhan

Our database shows about 20 industrial-chain companies listed in Hubei.

They include Wingtech, San’an Optoelectronics, Techsem, Yingtong Telecommunication, FiberHome Telecommunication, and Wuhan Fingu. These companies are involved in semiconductor components, semiconductor equipment, RF front ends, optical modules, optical communication equipment, and LEDs, among others.

Below, we created a table for “Who’s Who” in Wuhan. While the list is not meant to be exhaustive, we believe this gives a good snapshot of which high-tech companies are located in the region.



FiberHome Telecommunication
Technologies Co., Ltd.

http://www.fiberhome.com/en/default.aspx The company is a globally renowned information and communication network product and solution provider
Wuhan Yangtze Communications
Industry Group Co., Ltd. (YCIG)

http://en.ycig.com/index.html YCIG is one of the backbone enterprises of Wuhan Optics Valley. YCIG is mainly engaged in investment, R&D, and production of communications products, including optical transmission equipment, access network equipment, optical fiber and cable, wireless communications systems and equipment, base station radiofrequency cables, digital video equipment, and others.
Wuhan Raycus Fiber Laser
Technologies Co., Ltd.

http://en.raycuslaser.com Wuhan Raycus is the first Chinese enterprise engaged in the research, development, and scale production of high-power fiber lasers and core devices.
Yangtze Optical Fibre and
Cable Joint Stock Limited Company (YOFC)

https://en.yofc.com YOFC mainly produces and sells a variety of optical fiber preforms, optical fibers, and optical fiber cables, which are broadly installed in the telecommunications industry. YOFC also makes customized specialty optical fibers and optical fiber cables, RF coaxial cables, and accessories.
Wuhan Ligong Guangke Co.Ltd. http://www.wutos.com The company has core intellectual property rights in sensitive fiber optic materials. It offers key core devices, intelligent instruments, and advanced sensing systems. The company has formed a series of fiber optic sensing detection systems and IoT application solutions.
Wuhan Guide Infrared Co., Ltd. http://www.guideinfrared.com/index/index.html The company uses infrared (IR) thermal imaging technology to offer a complete infrared industrial chain, ranging from core component-IR detectors to integrated optoelectronic systems.
Hubei Jiuzhiyang Infrared System Co., Ltd. http://english.hbjir.com The company is engaged in the research, production, and marketing of infrared thermal imagers and laser range finders.
Huagong Tech Company Limited http://en.hgtech.com.cn Huagong Tech was the first laser-based high-tech company to go public in China. The company pools resources to develop intelligent manufacturing solutions by leveraging laser equipment technologies, optical communication devices, laser holographic anti-counterfeiting, sensors, and information tracing.
Wuhan DR Laser Technology Co., Ltd http://www.drlaser.com.cn/eng/ DR laser is specialized in R&D and production and sales of laser equipment. Its products mainly include laser-cutting machinery, laser ablation, PERC battery, etc.
Wuhan Golden Laser Co., Ltd. https://www.goldenlaser.cc Golden Laser focuses on providing intelligent, digital, and automated laser solutions. It manufactures laser systems for cutting, engraving, and marking. The company is a specialist in CO2 laser-cutting machinery and Galvo laser machines.
Accelink Technologies Co., Ltd. http://en.accelink.com Accelink is a leading manufacturer of optoelectronic devices in optical communications. It’s engaged in R&D for key technologies of optoelectronic chips and their mass production.
Wuhan Jingce Electronic Group Co,Ltd http://www.wuhanjingce.com/index.html The company is dedicated to providing products and services for semiconductor, display, new energy, and other testing fields.
Wuhan Fingu Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. http://www.fingu.com/en_index.aspx The company offers a variety of solutions ranging from traditional RF devices to 4.5/5G. Their products include: filter, duplexer; combiner, tower-mounted amplifier (TMA); ceramic material; POI; microwave antenna, radio, and other components.
Hubei DingLong Co., Ltd. http://en.dl-kg.com The company offers color chemical polymerized toner(CPT) in charge control agents (CCA), colorants, and special pigments for both imaging industry and automotive producers.
Wuhan P&S Information Technology Co., Ltd. http://www.icbase.com/psen/ P&S is an electronic component service provider well known in China. The company offers more than 10 product categories, including the microcontrollers, system management devices, communication interface devices, data converters and signal-conditioning devices, power management devices, memory, connectors, discrete semiconductors and passive devices, and others.
Wuhan HC SemiTek Co., Ltd. http://www.hcsemitek.com/en HC SemiTek is the second-largest supplier of LED chips in China and the leading supplier of LED chips for display screens in China. In 2015, it acquired Crystaland Co., Ltd. to integrate the upstream industry resources of LEDs. In 2018, it acquired MEMSIC to form the dual main industry development of LED chips and MEMS sensors in the future.
Yangtze Memory
Technologies Co., Ltd. (YMTC)

http://www.ymtc.com/ The company is focused on design and manufacturing of 3D NAND flash memory.
Wuhan Xinxin Semiconductor
Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (XMC)

http://www.xmcwh.com/ The company is focused on R&D and manufacturing of NOR flash.
Wuhan Hongxin Semiconductor
Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (HSMC)

http://en.hsmc.com/ Founded in November 2017, HSMC is engaged in manufacturing services of wafers with advanced logic technology up to 14–7 nm. The construction of the first phase of the plant is under way.
Wingtech Technology Co., Ltd. http://www.wingtech.com/en Wingtech’s main business includes communication terminal and semiconductor business. Wingtech is an integrated device manufacturer In 2018, the company acquired Dutch semiconductor firm Nexperia, formerly the Standard Products business unit of NXP Semiconductors. Nexperia manufactures bipolar transistors, diodes, ESD protection, TVS diodes, MOSFETs, and logic devices.
San’an Optoelectronics Co., Ltd. http://www.sanan-e.com/en/ The company is engaged in the research and development and application of epitaxial wafers and chips related to new compound semiconductor materials such as gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, silicon carbide, indium phosphide, aluminum nitride, and sapphire.
Wuhan China Star Optoelectronics
Semiconductor Display Technology Co., Ltd. (CSOT)

http://www.szcsot.com/?2 The company produces small and medium-sized displays. One of CSOT’s plants, known as T3 and based in Wuhan, is the largest low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) plant in the world. CSOT’s other plant, known as T4, produces flexible AMOLEDs in Wuhan.
Wuhan BOE Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd. (BOE) https://www.boe.com/en/ BOE is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of LCDs, OLEDs, and flexible displays. BOE has a 10.5-generation TFT-LCD production line in Wuhan, designed to produce 65- and 75-inch high-resolution LCD panels for TV manufacturers.
Corning Display Technologies (Wuhan) Co., Ltd. https://www.corning.com Corning invested $1.4 billion to build a new production facility in Wuhan in order to supply specialty glass for new factory complexes operated by BOE. Corning’s glass substrate project went into production in 2019.
Tianma Microelectronics Co., Ltd http://en.tianma.com/index.shtml The company manufacturers display units, with a strong presence in in the small and medium size displays. In Wuhan, Tianma has TM8 Gen 4.5 Low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) LCD fab, in addition to TM17 Gen 6 OLED fab.
TKD Science and Technology Co., Ltd. (TKD) http://www.sztkd.com TKD, China’s leading player in the quartz crystal industry, makes and exports the quartz frequency control components.
Thalys Medical Technology Co., Ltd. https://www.thalys.net.cn/en Thalys is a company focused on medical integrated business and operation services.
Wuhan Easy Diagnosis Biomedicine Co., Ltd, http://www.mdeasydiagnosis.com/en/ The company is a leading in vitro diagnostic (IVD) manufacturer, specialized in development, production and sales of point-of-care testing (POCT) rapid diagnostic reagents and related equipment.
China Bester Group Telecom Co., Ltd. http://www.whbester.com/?lang=en The company’s business is in communication network construction. It also offers integration of communication and information systems, optimization and maintenance of communication networks, and communication network planning and design.


Industry chain companies are facing challenges

Products made by companies in Hubei will affect both the upstream and downstream supply chains of each industrial sector. This is partly because some companies are operating on a different schedule for restart.

Industrial chain companies, even if their factories return to function, could face unavoidable challenges. Beyond their control are logistics and transportation, as well as the absence of employees who went away for the holiday and can’t get back. Shortages of materials are also a concern.

Moreover, since the coronavirus outbreak, companies must pay closer attention to their employees’ health.

For example, if one employee is diagnosed with a confirmed case of coronavirus, protocol requires either shutdown or isolation of the entire plant. In this light, employee health becomes an issue that could easily affect the entire supply chain.

Industry insiders in China laid out the most optimistic scenario:

The epidemic situation will be completely lifted by mid- to late March, and the industrial chain will gradually return to normal supply in April. By that time, the market demand will pick up and the capacity of the industry chain will catch up quickly.

How are they coping with lockdown?

We reached out to several companies to see how they are coping with the lockdown. Most downplayed the impact of the epidemic. Some explained that, although they might be registered in Hubei, their operations are scattered throughout China or even overseas.

1. Wingtech: Saved by dispersal

Although the original registered address of Wingtech is Huangshi City, Hubei Province, its main factories are scattered overseas and in other cities in China. The company explained, therefore, that Hubei’s closure has not impacted its business.

Wingtech’s overseas factories reportedly did not stop during Lunar New Year. Domestic factories were originally expected to resume work at the end of January. Among them, a factory in Jiaxing was scheduled to resume work on Jan. 30 and a Wuxi factory re-opened on Jan. 31. At present, the company’s R&D and production are operating normally.

1. San’an Optoelectronics: Factories elsewhere

San’an Optoelectronics is mainly engaged in research and development and application of epitaxial wafers and chips related to new compound semiconductor materials such as gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, silicon carbide, indium phosphide, aluminum nitride, and sapphire.

San’an’s factories are concentrated in Xiamen and Quanzhou. A new factory in Ezhou, Hubei province is under construction. With no production in Hubei, the epidemic’s impact on San’an Optoelectronics is minimal.

1. Wuhan Fingu: Ready for a rainy day

On Feb. 3, Wuhan Fingu claimed that it is weathering the epidemic because of its Spring Festival contingency plan, stocking up inventory reserves for production delivery during and after the holiday. During the Spring Festival, a small number of employees worked overtime to handle delivery of urgent orders. Currently, domestic cargo logistics and transportation and highway channels are unblocked, leaving the company unfazed by the virus.

1. CSOT: A short-term lag

TCL Group announced that China Star Optoelectronics Technology (CSOT) has two plants in Wuhan to produce small and medium-sized displays. The epidemic is causing short-term delays in supplying some production materials. The company, however, is doing workarounds with key suppliers to coordinate the logistics that will get the materials it needs. This will require “adjustments” in production and operation strategies.

1. BOE: Wuhan production wasn’t ready anyhow

BOE has a 10.5-generation TFT-LCD production line in Wuhan, designed to produces 65- and 75-inch high-resolution LCD panels for TV manufacturers. However, the line has yet to reach its mass-production phase. So any downstream impact is limited.

1. Corning: Factories to spare

Corning’s glass substrate project went into production in 2019. It already has three factories in Beijing, Chongqing, and Hefei in China. Its downstream impact should be confined to Hubei’s internal panel factory.

1. Yangtze Memory Technologies Co., Ltd. (YMTC) and XMC: All is good

Reportedly, the 3D NAND chips of YMTC and the NOR flash and CIS chips produced by XMC have shipped normally through special channels. The two companies also reported no current shutdown or logistics delays.

However, further spread of the epidemic could pose challenges.

1. HSMC: No machines, no shipments

Wuhan Hongxin Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (HSMC) said it is waiting for new machines. If the epidemic delays delivery of the equipment, R&D and production will feel the impact.

It is expected that during Q1–Q2 of 2020, HSMC machine equipment will enter a “peak period.” New equipment already installed consists mainly of lithography machines. More equipment is scheduled to be in place after March.

1. TKD Science and Technology: Disinfected

On Jan. 31, TKD announced its subsidiary TKD Crystal’s early return to work, as it received an urgent order for epidemic prevention and control supplies from an important medical device company. The company immediately contacted the Suizhou Public Security Bureau. After obtaining permission, the inside and outside of the TKD Crystal plant were disinfected and the company undertook protective measures.

The company completed the work of source allocation, capacity adjustment, warehouse delivery, and delivery of its products within three hours. In the afternoon of the same day, all goods were loaded by 5 p.m. and delivered on time at 9 p.m. TKD has promised to maintain production while the epidemic rages.


https://www.eetasia.com/news/article/Wuhan-Whos-Been-Impacted

 

[Viva_Viet]

Italy throws Huawei a bone and the US a cheap-shot

• Written by Jamie Davies
  
• 23 December 2019 @ 16:23

The Italian Government looks set to greenlight Huawei’s involvement in the market, while simultaneously criticising the increasing protectionist trends around the world.

Speaking to local press, Minister of Economic Development Stefano Patuanelli suggested the right protections are now in place to mitigate any cybersecurity risks involved. Although the US feel this is not an outcome which is possible, many European nations seem to be heading in this direction.

“We have passed legislation that guarantees national security,” said Patuanelli. “With the right defenses, the possibility of (Huawei’s) access is not up for debate.”

Last week, some politicians suggested the Government should review the current dynamic, hinting that the likes of Huawei and ZTE could not be trusted to contribute to such sensitive infrastructure. However, this does seem to suggest there could be profits to be made in the country for the Chinese vendors.

Interestingly enough, this news could drive a bigger wedge between the Italian and US political administrations.

The US Government is attempting to pressurise European administrations to ban Huawei, though there has been little success as of late. In Italy, tensions have been heightened with the Government attempting to capture additional tax revenues from Netflix. The US Government has already fired several warnings towards the country and have also threatened additional tariffs on Italian wine and cheese.

While this is by no means a guarantee of an outcome in Italy, ignoring US cautionary Huawei tales would add more strain to the relationship.

To stir things up further, Patuanelli has also seemingly directed a barb towards the contradictory policies in place in the US.

“One cannot fly the flag of the market with one hand and that of protectionism with the other,” Patuanelli said.

This comment has of course not been officially directed towards any individual or government, though the US under the leadership of President Trump has become increasingly protectionist and isolationist with new policies.

For the telcos, some much needed certainty might be on the horizon. Telecom Italia is already chomping at the bit to name suppliers and pursue the 5G dream, but realistically all the telcos will be craving an absolute decision. With uncertainty as to which vendors will be available in the future, progress will stutter, though these statements do suggest a decision might be just around the corner.

Meet with the entire 5G Ecosystem at 5G World, part of TechXLR8, taking place 9-11 June 2020 at the Excel, London. Click here for more information.

Tags: 5G, government, Huawei, Italy, US


SUN DEC 22, 2019 / 8:37 AM EST
Huawei should be allowed 5G role in Italy: Industry minister

FILE PHOTO: Huawei's first global flagship store is pictured in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China October 30, 2019.
REUTERS/ALY SONG/FILE PHOTO

(Reuters) - Chinese telecoms firm Huawei should be allowed a role in Italy's future 5G network, the Italian industry minister said on Sunday after an influential parliamentary committee called on Rome to block the company.

The United States has lobbied Italy and other European allies to avoid using Huawei equipment in their next generation networks and to closely scrutinize rival ZTE, saying the companies could pose a security risk.

Both companies have strongly denied there is any such risk.

ADVERTISEMENT
"We have passed legislation that guarantees national security. With the right defenses, the possibility of (Huawei's) access is not up for debate," minister Stefano Patuanelli, part of the ruling 5-Star Movement, told La Stampa daily.

Last week, Italy's parliamentary security committee Copasir said the government should consider preventing Huawei and ZTE from taking part in the development of 5G networks.

Italy's biggest phone group Telecom Italia (TIM) is in the process of choosing suppliers to upgrade its network infrastructure and Huawei is among possible contenders.

Cabinet undersecretary Riccardo Fraccaro, also a 5-Star member, said on Friday that the government would not be able to ignore the opinion of Copasir.

But Patuanelli said on Sunday that "Huawei offers the best solutions at the best prices".

"One cannot fly the flag of the market with one hand and that of protectionism with the other," he added.

Research into deadly viruses and biological weapons at US army lab shut down over fears they could escape
Fort Detrick researchers banned from working with anthrax, Ebola and smallpox until procedures improved

• Tim Wyatt
• Tuesday 6 August 2019 13:19

Researchers at Fort Detrick have been barred from working with the most dangerous pathogens after an inspection ( Shutterstock )
America’s main biological warfare lab has been ordered to stop all research into the deadliest viruses and pathogens over fears contaminated waste could leak out of the facility.

Fort Detrick, in Maryland, has been the epicentre of the US Army’s bioweapons research since the beginning of the Cold War.

But last month the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – the government’s public health body – stripped the base of its license to handle highly restricted “select agents”, which includes Ebola, smallpox and anthrax.

The unusual move follows an inspection by the CDC at Fort Detrick which found several problems with new procedures used to decontaminate waste water.

For years the facility used a steam sterilisation plant to treat waste water, but after a storm flooded and ruined that machinery last year, Fort Detrick switched to a new chemical-based decontamination system.

But the CDC inspectors found the new procedures were not sufficient, with both mechanical failures causing leaks and researchers failing to properly follow the rules.As a result, the organisation sent a “cease and desist” order to Fort Detrick, forcing it to suspend all research on select agents.
Although the United States officially abandoned its biological weapons programme in 1969, Fort Detrick has continued defensive research into deadly pathogens on the list of “select agents”, including the Ebola virus, the organisms that cause the plague, and the highly toxic poison ricin.

The army’s Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, based at Fort Detrick, says its primary mission today is to “protect the warfighter from biological threats” but its scientists also investigate outbreaks of disease among civilians and other threats to public health.

In recent years it has been involved in testing possible vaccines for Ebola, after several epidemics of the deadly virus in Africa.


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A spokeswoman for the lab, Caree Vander Linden, said despite the CDC suspension order, there had not been any threat to public health or any leaks of hazardous material outside the base.

The US military plan to spread viruses using insects could create ‘new class of biological weapon’, scientists warn

The shutdown of research at Fort Detrick is likely to last several months, she also told the New York Times.

This is not the first time the lab has been temporarily shut down due to failures in handling the dangerous pathogens inside.

In 2009, research at Fort Detrick was suspended because it was discovered it was storing pathogens which were not listed on its inventory.

The regulations on keeping close track of hazardous biological material were tightened after the 2001 anthrax attacks, which saw five people die after spores were posted to several media newsrooms and Democratic senators.

The FBI’s chief suspect in the 2001 case, Bruce Ivins, was a senior biological weapons researcher at Fort Detrick. He killed himself in 2008, shortly before the FBI was planning to charge him with the attacks.



Coincidentally, US biological weapons lab was shut down barely 3 months(November) before the very first reported cases in Wuhan, China.

Covering tracks?

Make your own conclusions.

then just say No to Hwei, No to CN,then US will give Italy and other nations the antidote.

 

[zectech]

5 March 2020
Who Made Coronavirus? Was It the U.S., Israel or China?
It might be possible that Washington has created and unleashed the virus in a bid to bring Beijing’s growing economy and military might down a few notches.
By Philip Giraldi
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The most commonly reported mainstream media account of the creation of the Coronavirus suggests that it was derived from an animal borne microorganism found in a wild bat that was consumed by an ethnic Chinese resident of Wuhan. But there appears to be some evidence to dispute that in that adjacent provinces in China, where wild bats are more numerous, have not experienced major outbreaks of the disease. Because of that and other factors, there has also been considerable speculation that the Coronavirus did not occur naturally through mutation but rather was produced in a laboratory, possibly as a biological warfare agent.

Several reports suggest that there are components of the virus that are related to HIV that could not have occurred naturally. If it is correct that the virus had either been developed or even produced to be weaponized it would further suggest that its escape from the Wuhan Institute of Virology Lab and into the animal and human population could have been accidental. Technicians who work in such environments are aware that “leaks” from laboratories occur frequently.

There is, of course and inevitably, another theory. There has been some speculation that as the Trump Administration has been constantly raising the issue of growing Chinese global competitiveness as a direct threat to American national security and economic dominance, it might be possible that Washington has created and unleashed the virus in a bid to bring Beijing’s growing economy and military might down a few notches. It is, to be sure, hard to believe that even the Trump White House would do something so reckless, but there are precedents for that type of behavior. In 2005-9 the American and Israeli governments secretly developed a computer virus called Stuxnet, which was intended to damage the control and operating systems of Iranian computers being used in that country’s nuclear research program. Admittedly Stuxnet was intended to damage computers, not to infect or kill human beings, but concerns that it would propagate and move to infect computers outside Iran proved to be accurate as it spread to thousands of PCs outside Iran, in countries as far flung as China, Germany, Kazakhstan and Indonesia.

Inevitably there is an Israeli story that just might shed some light on what has been going on in China. Scientists at Israel’s Galilee Research Institute are now claiming that they will have a vaccine against coronavirus in a few weeks which will be ready for distribution and use within 90 days. The institute is claiming that it has been engaged in four years of research on avian coronavirus funded by Israel’s Ministries of Science & Technology and Agriculture.


They are claiming that the virus is similar to the version that has infected humans, which has led to breakthroughs in development through genetic manipulation, but some scientists are skeptical that a new vaccine could be produced so quickly to prevent a virus that existed only recently. They also have warned that even if a vaccine is developed it would normally have to be tested for side effects, a process that normally takes over a year and includes using it on infected humans.

If one even considers it possible that the United States had a hand in creating the coronavirus at what remains of its once extensive biological weapons research center in Ft Detrick Maryland, it is very likely that Israel was a partner in the project. Helping to develop the virus would also explain how Israeli scientists have been able to claim success at creating a vaccine so quickly, possibly because the virus and a treatment for it were developed simultaneously.

In any event, there are definite political ramifications to the appearance of the coronavirus, and not only in China. In the United States President Donald Trump is already being blamed for lying about the virus and there are various scenarios in mainstream publications speculating over the possible impact on the election in 2020. If the economy sinks together with the stock market, it will reflect badly on Trump whether or not he is actually at fault. If containment and treatment of the disease itself in the United States does not go well, there could also be a considerable backlash, particularly as the Democrats have been promoting improving health care. One pundit argues, however, that disease and a sinking economy will not matter as long as there is a turnaround before the election, but a lot can happen in the next eight months.

And then there is the national security/foreign policy issue as seen from both Jerusalem and Washington. It is difficult to explain why coronavirus has hit one country in particular other than China very severely. That country is Iran, the often-cited enemy of both the U.S. and Israel. The number of Iran’s coronavirus cases continues to increase, with more positive tests confirmed among government officials last Saturday. There were 205 new coronavirus cases, bringing the government claimed total to 593 with 43 fatalities, though unofficial hospital reports suggest that the deaths are actually well over 100. That’s the highest number of deaths from the virus outside of China.

No less than five Iranian Members of Parliament have also tested positive amid a growing number of officials that have contracted the disease. Iran’s vice president Masoumeh Ebtekar and deputy health minister Iraj Harirchi had also previously been confirmed with the virus.

The usual suspects in the United States are delighted to learn of the Iranian deaths. Mark Dubowitz, Executive Director of the Washington-based but Israeli government connected Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) boasted on twitterTuesday that “Coronavirus has done what American economic sanctions could not: shut down non-oil exports.” An Iranian government spokesman responded that “It’s shameful and downright inhuman to cheer for a deadly Virus to spread – and enjoy seeing people suffer for it…” Dubowitz followed up with an additional taunt, that Tehran has “spread terrorism” in the Middle East and “now it’s spreading the coronavirus.”

So, you have your choice. Coronavirus occurred naturally, or it came out of a lab in China itself or even from Israel or the United States. If one suspects Israel and/or the United States, the intent clearly would have been to create a biological weapon that would damage two nations that have been designated as enemies. But the coronavirus cannot be contained easily and it is clear that many thousands of people will die from it. Unfortunately, as with Stuxnet, once the genie is out of the bottled it is devilishly hard to induce it to go back in.

*

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Philip M. Giraldi is a former CIA counter-terrorism specialist and military intelligence officer who served nineteen years overseas in Turkey, Italy, Germany, and Spain. He was the CIA Chief of Base for the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 and was one of the first Americans to enter Afghanistan in December 2001. Phil is Executive Director of the Council for the National Interest, a Washington-based advocacy group that seeks to encourage and promote a U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East that is consistent with American values and interests. He is a frequent contributor to Global Research.

Bats, Gene Editing and Bioweapons: Recent Darpa Experiments Raise Concerns Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

https://www.unz.com/wwebb/bats-gene...nts-raise-concerns-amid-coronavirus-outbreak/