У Державній прикордонній службі України нагадали, як українські громадяни мають їздити до Росії надалі, починаючи з 1 березня.
Як звернули увагу в ДПСУ, з цього дня українці не зможуть перетинати державний кордон з України в Росію на підставі паспорта громадянина України (так званого внутрішнього паспорта) або свідоцтва про народження – для цього буде потрібен паспорт громадянина України для виїзду за кордон (так званий закордонний паспорт).
Громадянам України, які після 1 березня планують перетинати українсько-російський кордон, Державна прикордонна служба рекомендує завчасно подбати про підготовку необхідних документів, щоб не мати зайвих клопотів під час прикордонного контролю, мовиться в повідомленні, в якому відразу наголошено: не варто розглядати це повідомлення як рекомендацію відвідати Росію.
При цьому громадяни України, які раніше вибули за кордон за внутрішнім паспортом чи свідоцтвом про народження (для дітей до 16 років), зможуть повернутися в Україну за цими документами.
В ДПСУ навели цілу низку переваг нового режиму.
«Такі нововведення позитивно вплинуть на якість і швидкість прикордонного контролю. Вони дадуть змогу запобігти використанню підробок внутрішніх паспортів і свідоцтв про народження з огляду на низький ступінь захисту цих документів. Зменшиться ймовірність незаконних вивезень неповнолітніх українців за кордон, адже відсутність фото на свідоцтвах про народження не дає можливість встановити належність документа конкретній дитині», – заявили, зокрема, в ДПСУ.
Там також звернули увагу: «Під час оформлення особи з внутрішнім паспортом інспектор-прикордонник витрачає значно більше часу, щоб внести у базу даних інформацію про особу (прізвище, ім’я, стать, дата народження, громадянство) і документ (номер, серія, тип). Під час оформлення особи із закордонним паспортом вся ця інформація автоматично зчитується рідерами з машинозчитувальної зони. У внутрішніх паспортах, на відміну від закордонних, відсутня можливість проставляння відміток про перетинання державного кордону, що часто створює проблеми особам, яким потрібно підтвердити перебування за кордоном (наприклад, у відрядженні)».
Рішення перейти на новий режим на кордоні з Росією уряд України ухвалив у середині грудня 2019 року. «Це означає припинення дії положень угод із Росією, укладених іще до початку збройної агресії, які дозволяли перетинати кордон на підставі внутрішнього паспорта або свідоцтва про народження для осіб до 16 років», – заявляв тоді прем’єр-міністр України Олексій Гончарук.
Рішення стосується тільки державного кордону з Росією, але не адмінмежі з окупованими нею територіями України, зокрема з Кримом.
Росія наразі не запроваджувала аналогічних заходів і пропускає громадян України на свою територію (а також на окуповану територію України, яку вона вважає «російською»), і за внутрішніми паспортами чи свідоцтвами про народження для осіб до 16 років. …
У пунктах пропуску, в аеропортах країни, на лінії розмежування в районі проведення операції Об’єднаних сил та на адмінмежі з окупованим Кримом продовжується проведення температурного скринінгу, повідомили в Міністерстві охорони здоров’я.
«Перевірку проводять працівники Державної прикордонної служби та медики. За 3 доби температурний скринінг провели у більше 160 тис. осіб. У випадку виявлення ознак гострих вірусних захворювань у людини проводяться додаткові дослідження», – зазначається на сайті відомства.
Так, зокрема, вранці повідомлялося про перевірку двох людей з Івано-Франківської та Кіровоградської областей, що прибули з Італії, та мають симптоми застуди.
Окрім того, МОЗ повідомило про заплановану на 29 лютого другу перевірку евакуйованих із Китаю українців. Наразі ознак коронавірусу у них не виявлено.
Міністр закордонних справ Вадим Пристайко говорив про плани проведення додаткової евакуації з Китаю громадян України, які наразі там лишаються.
24 лютого Міністерство охорони здоров’я повідомило, що ВООЗ передала Центру громадського здоров’я України 30 наборів реагентів для тестування на новий коронавірус (COVID-19). Повідомлялося, що набори містять приблизно 3000 реакцій, чого має вистачити для дослідження на захворювання більше 950-ти людей. Згідно з повідомленнями, зразки від пацієнтів з підозрою на коронавірус направлятимуться у Київ у лабораторію Центру громадського здоров’я. За даними МОЗ, від моменту отримання зразка лабораторією в середньому необхідно 5-7 годин для визначення результату.
Окрім того, 28 лютого у МОЗ заявили, що очікують на експрес-тести на коронавірус, розроблені у Китаї, які дозволять виявити коронавірус за «15-20 хвилин».
Загалом у світі, за даними міністерства, станом на 29 лютого у світі зафіксували 85 187 лабораторно підтверджених випадків COVID-19, з них 2 924 – летальні; одужало вже 39 545 осіб.
Підтверджених випадів захворювання на гострий респіраторний синдром, спричинений саме коронавірусом в Україні немає. Водночас в Італії на коронавірус захворіла 26-річна українка. Раніше повідомлялось про коронавірусну інфекцію і у чотирьох українців з круїзного лайнера Diamond Princess, одну українку виписали.
2019-nCov (COVID-19) належить до великої групи коронавірусів. У деяких випадках перебіг хвороби – легкий, в деяких – із симптомами застуди і грипу, зокрема з високою температурою і кашлем, у більш складних випадках спостерігається задишка. Це може перерости в пневмонію, яка може бути смертельною. Більшість хворих, однак, видужують. …
Fears of an escalating conflict in Syria grew Friday as Turkish forces pounded Syria’s military in retaliation for the killing of 33 Turkish soldiers.
In the aftermath of the violence, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the country would no longer try to keep migrants from reaching Europe.
Thousands of migrants have gathered at Turkey’s borders with Greece and Bulgaria. Greek police fired tear gas Saturday at migrants trying to cross into the country.
With Turkey already hosting over three-and-a-half million Syrians who fled the civil war, Erdogan has said his country can take no more.
Idlib hosts over 3 million Syrians, the United Nations said this month. Nearly a million had been forced from their homes from recent fighting, many of whom are already on the Turkish border.
In a move seen as putting pressure on the European Union, the spokesman of the ruling AKP Omer Celik declared Friday Turkey is “no longer able to hold refugees,” seeking to enter Europe. Local media reported free buses were being provided to take people to the border or sea crossing points to Greece.
Migrants struggle to board a bus to head to the Greek border, in Istanbul, Turkey, Feb. 28, 2020.
“The Syrian border with Turkey is still extremely porous, and there is no guarantee those people will stay there with Assad breathing down their necks,” said analyst Atilla Yesilada of Global Source Partners. “You are essentially condemning these people to an eternal life of joblessness which offers them no future, and ‘what would you do if Assad tanks moved into these camps?'”
Ankara is looking to its Western allies to support its forces in Syria. “The international community must act to protect civilians and impose a no-fly-zone,” tweeted Fahrettin Altun, communications director at the Turkish presidency.
Turkey called for an emergency meeting of NATO Friday, but while receiving words of solidarity, no concrete measures of support were agreed on.
Russia’s and Turkey’s presidents spoke by telephone Friday but appeared to reach no agreement on cooling down either the rhetoric or the fighting.
The Kremlin said the leaders agreed on the need for “additional measures” to normalize the situation, and that there was the “possibility” of a summit soon.
“The two leaders will meet in-person as soon as possible,” said Altun.
Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin, while backing rival sides in the Syrian civil war, have been working closely to resolve the conflict.
But Thursday’s deadly airstrike is seen posing the biggest threat to the recent Turkish-Russian rapprochement.
People react by the coffin for Emin Yildirim, one of the 33 Turkish soldiers killed on Thursday in a Syrian army attack in the Idlib region of Syria, at his funeral in Hatay, Turkey, Feb. 29, 2020.
“Turkish forces destroyed five Syrian regime choppers, 23 tanks, 10 armored vehicles, 23 howitzers, five ammunition trucks – as well as three ammunition depots, two equipment depots, a headquarters, and 309 regime troops,” Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar told reporters close to the Syrian-Turkish border.
Erdogan has issued an ultimatum for Damascus forces to, by Saturday, give up recent gains and retreat back behind a de-escalation zone agreed between Ankara and Moscow in 2018 in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.
U.S. President Donald Trump also spoke with Erdogan Friday. In a statement, the White House said Trump condemned the attack on Turkish personnel in Syria and “reaffirmed his support for Turkey’s efforts to de-escalate the situation in northwest Syria and avoid a humanitarian catastrophe.”
The statement added that Trump and Erdogan “agreed that the Syrian regime, Russia and the Iranian regime must halt their offensive before more innocent civilians are killed and displaced.”
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States is reviewing options to assist Turkey following the attack.
“We stand by our NATO Ally Turkey in the aftermath of the despicable and brazen February 27 attack on Turkish forces in Idlib, which resulted in the death of dozens of Turkish soldiers,” he said in a statement.
Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigation, responsible for investigating high-level crime in that country, Thursday opened a criminal case concerning alleged pressure by then-U.S. vice president Joe Biden to get rid of Viktor Shokin, then Ukraine’s prosecutor general.
Biden, who served under former U.S. President Barack Obama, is running for the Democratic Party nomination to unseat U.S. President Donald Trump in November elections. Trump has claimed that Biden tried to have Shokin fired in 2015 in order to protect his son from prosecution.
Shokin`s lawyer, Oleksandr Teleshetsky, told reporters Thursday the move to open the case was made under a court order, based on a criminal complaint filed by Shokin.
He said that although the name “Biden” is present in the criminal complaint, the criminal case refers to an unnamed “U.S. citizen.” The lawyer said that based on public statements made by Biden, his client had good reason to believe that the former vice president ordered and instigated Shokin`s removal as prosecutor general.
Teleshetsky referred to a Biden statement at a 2018 Council on Foreign Relations event, when he talked about threatening to rescind a $1 billion U.S. government loan to Ukraine if Shokin were not fired.
Biden’s campaign, Ukrainian anti-corruption activists, and former Obama administration officials have long maintained that Biden`s demand was a part of an international campaign to remove the Ukrainian law enforcement official because he wasn`t actively pursuing corruption cases.
‘Means nothing’
Speaking of the new investigation, Kostiantyn Likarchuk, a managing partner in the Kyiv office of the Kinstellar law firm, told VOA, “Legally, that means nothing. If anybody reports a criminal offense, then goes to a court, and a court makes a decision that the State Bureau of Investigations has to register the probe, it would register it. It doesn`t mean that there are grounds for an investigation.”
“Ukrainian authorities have neither the capacity nor the skills required for the investigation of this kind. But in any event, to assume that Biden interfered with Shokin’s activity is absurd,” said Likarchuk.
Former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine and a witness in the Trump impeachment inquiry William Taylor told VOA that he hopes the probe against Biden will be seen as “a normal law enforcement operation” and would not jeopardize the bipartisan support of Ukraine in Washington.
“What I have told my Ukrainian friends, over and over again, is that the most valuable strategic asset Ukraine has in the U.S. is this bipartisan support. It’s golden. Most issues in this city are in conflict; they are controversial; they don’t have bipartisan support. Ukraine has bipartisan support. And actions that are taken over there should not jeopardize that. Ukrainians don’t want to be involved in our politics, and we don’t want to be involved in Ukrainian politics. That should guide the Ukrainian government to be sure they’re not interfering in our politics,” Taylor said.
Державна прикордонна служба повідомила про доправлення до Бердянська рибальського судна, яке напередодні затримали в Азовському морі російські прикордонники.
«Сьогодні вранці на пост технічного спостереження Держприкордонслужби надійшла інформація, що кораблі БО ПС ФСБ РФ доставлять в район загальновизначеної системи розподілу руху в Азовському морі малий плавзасіб з українськими громадянами, що був затриманий ними 14 лютого цього року. Вже за декілька годин, на відстані майже 10 морських миль від порту Бердянськ, тактична група катерів Маріупольського загону Морської охорони, що несла службу у даному районі, виявила кораблі БО ПС ФСБ РФ, від яких в бік українського берега направлявся малий плавзасіб. Із наближенням він був розпізнаний як ЯЗП-0901, на борту якого перебували 4 особи», – йдеться на сайті ДПСУ.
За цими даними, зараз встановлюються обставини затримання цих громадян російською стороною, за порушення прикордонного режиму та порядку виходу плавзасобу в море кожного з рибалок притягнуто до адміністративної відповідальності,а на плавзасіб накладено заборону виходу в море терміном на 30 діб.
Управління ФСБ Росії в Криму і Севастополі 15 лютого повідомило про затримання в Азовському морі судна з чотирма громадянами України на борту. Підконтрольна Росії омбудсмен Криму Лариса Опанасюк сказала, що команда українського судна в Азовському морі затримана на 48 годин. Пізніше в ФСБ сказали, що капітан затриманого в Азовському морі судна визнав свою провину на допиті.
16 лютого Керченський міський суд заарештував на 10 діб чотирьох громадян України, затриманих російськими прикордонниками в Азовському морі «за незаконний вилов риби».
25 лютого рибалки вийшли з-під арешту.
Українська прокуратура Автономної Республіки Крим 15 лютого відкрила кримінальне провадження України за фактом незаконного захоплення «співробітниками прикордонного управління ФСБ Росії» українського судна з чотирма людьми на борту.
Concern about Iran’s worsening coronavirus outbreak has become so great in China, a key ally, that users of dominant Chinese microblog Sina Weibo have made it a top discussion item for days.
VOA reviews of Weibo’s “Hot Search” feature Friday and Saturday found that at least one Iran coronavirus-related story appeared in the microblog’s top 10 list of trending topics on both days, alongside other popular topics related to Chinese entertainment and domestic news.
Iran coronavirus cases-death toll map
Iran’s health ministry said confirmed coronavirus cases in the country rose to 388 Friday from 245 a day before, while the death toll rose by eight to 34. The latest figures maintained Iran’s status as the country with the second-highest number of fatalities from the virus, after China, where it first emerged in December.
Weibo screen grab, Feb. 29, 2020
Early Saturday, China time, news of Beijing sending medical experts to Iran, its longtime economic partner and major energy supplier, was ranked seventh in Weibo’s Hot Search trends.
Chinese Ambassador to Iran Chang Hua tweeted a photo Saturday morning, Iran time, showing the group of six Chinese experts, five in Red Cross uniforms, as they arrived at Tehran’s airport with a donated shipment of medical supplies.
50000✌✌ اولین محموله چین وارد ایران شد و کمکهای بیشتر ارسال خواهند شد. قوی باش ایران. https://t.co/0oc5D2VIk3
A day earlier, Chang quoted a tweet from the Iranian Embassy in Beijing, in which the Iranian mission posted photos of boxes that it said contained 50,000 Chinese coronavirus detection kits and breathing devices being prepared for a flight from Guangzhou to Tehran Friday night.
“Further assistance will be sent,” Chang wrote in a message quoting the Iranian Embassy tweet. “Be strong Iran,” he added.
China also has sent 250,000 face masks to Iran in recent days. The Chinese government’s gestures of support for the Iranian people appeared to be well received by Weibo users, with many expressing solidarity with Iran.
Weibo screen grab Feb. 27, 2020
A Weibo user responded to a Thursday post by Hong Kong’s Wen Wei Po newspaper about the Chinese medical deliveries by saying: “(Our) #Iran #brothers have to hold on. Last time, Iran helped China and emptied its house for us. This time, it is our turn to support you!”
The man, surnamed Liang, is a verified Weibo user with 97,000 followers and serves as a general manager of Zhongying Building Materials Trading in Guangdong province. His praise of Iran for “emptying its house” was a reference to Tehran’s deliveries of 3 million masks to China by early February, as Beijing battled to contain its own coronavirus outbreak, the world’s most serious to date.
Another major theme of Chinese social media users’ reaction toward Iran’s escalating health crisis has been shock.
Weibo screen grab, Feb. 28, 2020
A screen grab of Weibo’s top trending topics early Friday China time showed the top item was news of Iran’s Vice President for Women’s and Family Affairs Masoumeh Ebtekar contracting the coronavirus. The eighth-highest topic was Iran’s former ambassador to the Vatican, Hadi Khosrowshahi, dying from the COVID-19 disease caused by the virus.
A Thursday Weibo post by China’s state-run Global Times newspaper about Ebtekar’s viral infection drew more than 6,000 reposts, 10,000 comments and 200,000 likes. Fewer than 60 of the comments were visible to the public, with the newspaper blocking the rest. Of those visible comments, most expressed shock that an Iranian official as senior as a vice president was infected with the virus, as well as hope that Iran could overcome the crisis soon.
Some Chinese Weibo users criticized U.S. sanctions that have hurt the Iranian economy as part of a U.S. policy of imposing “maximum pressure” on Tehran to end perceived malign behaviors. They said those sanctions have made it harder for Iran to cope with the coronavirus.
Other Weibo users were critical of Iran, echoing assessments by U.S. and U.N. officials that Iranian authorities have been underreporting the extent of coronavirus cases in the country.
Some users also said weaknesses in the Iranian health care system and shortages of medical supplies appear to have contributed to Iran’s relatively high ratio of virus deaths to confirmed cases.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has said it is ready to provide more aid to Iran through a Swiss humanitarian trade arrangement that is meant to ensure the aid goes to the people who need it. Washington has long accused Tehran of causing medical shortages by corruptly diverting aid to Iranian elites.
This article originated in VOA’s Persian Service, in collaboration with VOA’s Mandarin Service and Extremism Watch Desk.
Офіс генерального прокурора відмовився надавати Радіо Свобода інформацію про перебіг розслідування у провадженні щодо активістів організацій правого крила. У листі, отриманому у відповідь на запит, ОГП заявляє із посиланням на Кримінальний процесуальний кодекс, що на даний час інформацію про стан досудового розслідування у вказаному кримінальному провадженні не може бути розголошено.
11 лютого, активіст об’єднання «Суспільство майбутнього» (куди увійшла, зокрема, праворадикальна організація С14) Євген Карась оприлюднив документ, який містить дані про місце проживання кількох десятків активістів праворадикальних організацій та об’єднань (зокрема, його самого), та заявив, що цей документ фігурує у провадженні від 7 листопада минулого року щодо організації масових заворушень.
За словами Карася, інформація нібито збирається без рішення суду, у його доступі з’явилися тільки окремі його сторінки, а насправді він може містити дані про кілька сотень людей.
Тоді Радіо Свобода надіслало запити до Нацполіції, МВС та ОГП (як імовірного процесуального керівника у такому провадженні). Офіційних коментарів перших двох відомств станом на зараз Радіо Свобода не отримала.
Тим часом, у коментарі hromadske речник МВС Артем Шевченко зазначив, що деякі з цих осіб перебувають під слідством, нібито намагаються видати себе за «жертв переслідування» і нагадати про себе у ЗМІ.
28 лютого до Центру громадського здоров’я МОЗ України надійшли 2 повідомлення про підозру на COVID-19 із Івано-Франківської та Кіровоградської областей, повідомили у міністерстві 29 лютого. Як зазначається, обох випадках особи повернулися з Італії та мають прояви гострого респіраторного захворювання.
«Попередні результати дослідження матеріалу відібраного від захворілих осіб, проведені у вірусологічних лабораторіях обласних лабораторних центрів методом ПЛР, дали негативний результат на віруси грипу. Зразки для подальшого дослідження були надіслані до вірусологічної референс-лабораторії», – йдеться у повідомленні на сайті МОЗ.
24 лютого Міністерство охорони здоров’я повідомило, що ВООЗ передала Центру громадського здоров’я України 30 наборів реагентів для тестування на новий коронавірус (COVID-19). Повідомлялося, що набори містять приблизно 3000 реакцій, чого має вистачити для дослідження на захворювання більше 950-ти людей. Згідно з повідомленнями, зразки від пацієнтів з підозрою на коронавірус направлятимуться у Київ у лабораторію Центру громадського здоров’я. За даними МОЗ, від моменту отримання зразка лабораторією в середньому необхідно 5-7 годин для визначення результату.
Окрім того, 28 лютого у МОЗ заявили, що очікують на експрес-тести на коронавірус, розроблені у Китаї, які дозволять виявити коронавірус за «15-20 хвилин».
Загалом у світі, за даними міністерства, станом на 29 лютого у світі зафіксували 85 187 лабораторно підтверджених випадків COVID-19, з них 2 924 – летальні; одужало вже 39 545 осіб.
Підтверджених випадів захворювання на гострий респіраторний синдром, спричинений саме коронавірусом в Україні немає. Водночас в Італії на коронавірус захворіла 26-річна українка. Раніше повідомлялось про коронавірусну інфекцію і у чотирьох українців з круїзного лайнера Diamond Princess, одну українку виписали.
2019-nCov (COVID-19) належить до великої групи коронавірусів. У деяких випадках перебіг хвороби – легкий, в деяких – із симптомами застуди і грипу, зокрема з високою температурою і кашлем, у більш складних випадках спостерігається задишка. Це може перерости в пневмонію, яка може бути смертельною. Більшість хворих, однак, видужують.
The Trump administration has concluded two days of what was supposed to be the final round of talks on the Grand Ethiopian Dam without reaching a deal and without the presence of Ethiopia after that country said Wednesday that it is walking away from negotiations on the project.
Addis Ababa and Cairo have been at odds in a water war on the issue of the filling and operation of the giant Ethiopian dam that Egypt worries could threaten its supply of water from the Nile.
Instead of meeting with the three countries involved in the conflict, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, host of the negotiations, participated in bilateral meetings with ministers of foreign affairs and ministers of water resources of Egypt and Sudan.
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin testifies before the Senate Finance Committee on Capitol Hill, Feb. 12, 2020, in Washington.
Treasury statement
According to a Treasury statement late Friday, the United States “facilitated the preparation of an agreement on the filling and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) based on provisions proposed by the legal and technical teams of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan and with the technical input of the World Bank.”
“The United States believes that the work completed over the last four months has resulted in an agreement that addresses all issues in a balanced and equitable manner, taking into account the interests of the three countries,” the statement said, adding that the final testing and filling of the dam “should not take place without an agreement.”
The statement noted “the readiness of the government of Egypt to sign the agreement” and recognized that “Ethiopia continues its national consultations.”
Ethiopia leaves
On Wednesday Ethiopia said it would not participate in the latest rounds of negotiations. The country’s ambassador to the United States, Fitsum Arega, said on Twitter that, “Ethiopia will not sign any agreement that gives up its rights on how to use its own Nile water.”
A second statement by Ethiopia’s Water, Irrigation and Energy Ministry, published by Ethiopia’s state-owned media, said it would not take part in this week’s meetings because it has not completed internal consultations.
“They aren’t really talks without Ethiopia,” said Bronwyn Bruton, deputy director of the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center.
Sources tell VOA that Ethiopia has been urging Mnuchin since Feb. 13 to postpone the talks, as well as remind the U.S. of its “neutral observer status.” Mnuchin responded that the U.S. will continue talks as planned.
Mnuchin also disputed Ethiopia’s characterization of his role, saying that the observer status the U.S. agreed to is limited to regional technical negotiations and does not include Washington talks.
Despite the setback, the process may not be entirely lost.
Ethiopia is calling this a postponement, said William Davison, senior Ethiopia analyst at the International Crisis Group.
“They’re not suggesting that the meeting has been canceled forever, but only that they need more time to prepare for it,” he said.
THREAD #Ethiopia decision to skip #GERD meeting is latest twist in windy decade-long process
It indicates U.S. attempts to push parties into filling and operation deal failed – but it’s unlikely to be end of attempts to strike agreementhttps://t.co/0jJdFyQ64O
Final negotiations among Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan on the guidelines and rules of filling and operation of the $4.5 billion mega dam were scheduled for Thursday and Friday. Mnuchin, whom U.S. President Donald Trump had appointed to lead on the matter has hosted several rounds of talks since November, with ministers from the countries and the World Bank.
The Treasury Department has not responded to VOA’s requests for additional comments.
U.S. pressure
There has been widespread concern in Ethiopia that its delegation is being pressured by the U.S. to accept a deal it cannot live with.
On Thursday, a few dozen Ethiopians in Washington protested in front of the U.S. Department of State building, urging the U.S. to stop its pressure campaign against Addis Ababa.
The dam is the centerpiece of Addis Ababa’s bid to increase domestic energy production for its growing population. Ethiopia and Egypt have been negotiating for years, but one sticking point remains the rate at which Ethiopia will draw water out of the Nile to fill the dam’s reservoir. Cairo fears Ethiopia’s plans to rapidly fill the reservoir could threaten Egypt’s source of fresh water.
“It is a hugely important and sensitive issue,” said Mirette Mabrouk, director of the Middle East Institute’s Egypt Studies program. “It’s a matter of life and death for a lot of people, certainly for more than a million Egyptians.”
In the last round of Washington talks last month, Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan agreed on a schedule for staged filling of the dam and mitigation mechanisms to adjust its filling and operation during dry periods and drought.
The parties said at the time that they would sign a final agreement by the end of February. It is unclear whether there will be any follow-up talks after this week’s negotiations broke down.
Trump’s interest
Trump has been interested in the project since he agreed to intervene based on Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s request in September. He has since invited officials from the countries in the dispute to at least two Oval Office meetings, and called Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali to discuss the matter.
Just had a meeting with top representatives from Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan to help solve their long running dispute on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, one of the largest in the world, currently being built. The meeting went well and discussions will continue during the day! pic.twitter.com/MsWuEBgZxK
An administration official told VOA that Trump prides himself in his deal-making abilities and wants to see this agreement achieved. No one from the administration, though, has elaborated on what the U.S. interest is in this deal.
In November, the Ethiopian Embassy in Washington held a press conference during which officials gave a detailed account of their U.S.-brokered meeting and said Trump was planning to “cut the ribbon” after the completion of the dam.
“In the wake of his controversial peace plan for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, President Trump might be keen to strengthen his friendship with Egypt by resolving his thorny issue,” Lashitew said.
Egypt has been a key player in the Middle East peace talks. Last month the Trump administration released its plan to resolve the conflict between Palestine and Israel, without buy-in from the Palestinians.
VOA’s Salem Solomon, Habtamu Seyoum contributed to this report.
Malaysia’s Mahathir Mohamad will stand for the premiership on behalf of the former ruling coalition, the interim prime minister said Saturday, less than a week after he quit and plunged the country into turmoil.
“I am now confident that I have the numbers needed to garner majority support,” Mahathir said in a statement.
That meant that Mahathir, who is the world’s oldest government leader at 94, would reunite with on-off ally and long-term rival Anwar Ibrahim, 72, resuming a pact that swept the coalition to a surprise election victory in 2018.
Pact appears to be back
“Pakatan Harapan states its full support towards Dr. Mahathir as candidate for prime minister,” said a statement from the coalition formed by the two men whose struggle has shaped Malaysian politics for two decades.
Mahathir has thus secured the likely support he needs to return as prime minister full-time, less than a week after he resigned and was appointed as interim leader.
The political futures of both Mahathir and Anwar had appeared in doubt Friday, with Anwar competing as a candidate in his own right and Mahathir finding little support for a unity government that would have strengthened his power.
A new alliance had formed behind former interior minister Muhyiddin Yassin, 72, who had the backing of the old ruling party, the United Malays National Organization (UMNO).
Promise not mentioned
It was that party, tarnished by corruption, that Mahathir and Anwar united to drive from power in 2018 under then prime minister Najib Razak, who now faces graft charges.
Tension had persisted between Mahathir and Anwar over the prime minister’s promise to one day hand power to the younger man. No date for that was ever set, however.
Neither Mahathir nor Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of Hope) made any mention of that promise in Saturday’s statements.
The U.S. State Department has expressed concern after Chinese-ruled Hong Kong arrested publishing tycoon Jimmy Lai, an outspoken critic of Beijing, and two pro-democracy activists.
The arrests come after a period of relative calm following months of anti-government protests over perceptions that China is tightening its grip on the city, something Beijing denies and blames the West for fomenting unrest.
Lai and veteran democracy activists Lee Cheuk-yan and Yeung Sum, were arrested Friday in the Asian financial hub on charges of illegal assembly, drawing condemnation from international rights groups, media said.
FILE – State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus appears on stage with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo as he speaks at a news conference at the State Department in Washington, Nov. 18, 2019.
“We are concerned by the arrest of prominent Hong Kong businessman and publisher Jimmy Lai and two other longtime advocates for civil liberties and democracy,” Morgan Ortagus, a spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department, said Friday.
“We expect Hong Kong authorities not to use law enforcement selectively for political purposes, and to handle cases fairly and transparently,” she added in a statement.
The spokeswoman also called for the rule of law and Hong Kong people’s rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression to be preserved.
More than 7,000 arrests
The police said three local men, aged 63 to 72, were arrested for suspected participation in a nonapproved gathering but did not confirm their names.
Authorities in the former British colony have arrested more than 7,000 people for involvement in Hong Kong’s protests, many on charges of rioting that can carry jail terms of up to 10 years. It is unclear how many are still in custody.
The arrest of the three men was outrageous, said Chris Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong, adding that there was no doubt its government was acting at Beijing’s instructions.
“This decision will send yet another signal to the world that the Chinese Communist Party is intent on throttling decency and freedom in Hong Kong,” Patten said.
Pro-democracy icon
Lai, a self-made millionaire who has made financial contributions to Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement and been a target of criticism by mainland Chinese media, was arrested in 2014 for refusing to leave a key pro-democracy protest site.
After the arrest he resigned as editor in chief of Apple Daily. He has also come under scrutiny from Hong Kong’s anti-graft agency, which raided his home in 2014.
In an editorial Friday, China’s state-owned Global Times tabloid called Lai “a force of evil,” rather than the “hero” of democracy painted by the West. “… He is a traitor, a criminal and a force of evil who has sowed violence and chaos in arguably one of the freest and most prosperous cities in the world,” it added.
As the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues to spread across the globe and countries are reporting new confirmed cases, the United States is closely monitoring and updating travel advisories.
The State Department says when it comes to issuing a travel alert for Americans traveling abroad, it takes into account health risks, including current disease outbreaks or a crisis that disrupts a country’s medical infrastructure, as well as the issuance of a travel notice by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
There are four travel advisory levels: Level 4—do not travel; Level 3—reconsider travel; Level 2—exercise increased caution; and Level 1—exercise normal precautions.
On Feb. 26, the State Department raised the travel advisory to level 3—reconsider travel—on South Korea. The change comes after the CDC issued a Level 3 travel warning for people to avoid non-essential travel for South Korea, and after a U.S. soldier there tested positive for coronavirus.
The U.S. is asking travelers who spent time in South Korea during the past 14 days and feel sick with fever, cough, or difficulty breathing to seek medical advice, and also to avoid contact with others.
Also on Wednesday, while maintaining a Level 4 warning or ‘do not travel’ to Iran (due to the risk of kidnapping and the arbitrary arrest and detention of U.S. citizens), the State Department updated information amid more confirmed cases of coronavirus and deaths in that country.
“Several countries have closed their borders with Iran and/or suspended air traffic to and from Iran. As a result, commercial travel to and from Iran may become severely limited with little or no notice,” said the State Department.
A woman wears a protective masks to prevent against the coronavirus as she sits on a bus in Tehran, Iran Feb. 25, 2020.
The U.S. has advised against travel to Mongolia, a country that neighbors China, due to travel and transport restrictions. The State Department has also allowed for the voluntary departure of non-emergency U.S. government employees and their family members.
The update comes after Mongolia’s government took several precautionary measures, including closing schools until March 30, the mandatory shutdown of restaurants and bars at midnight, and the prohibition of all public events such as concerts. The country’s president, Battulga Khaltmaa, is also in quarantine after returning from a trip to China.
This week, the U.S. travel advisory on Italy was increased to Level 2 — exercise increased caution — after separate cases were confirmed in Tuscany and Sicily. But the U.S. does not recommend canceling or postponing travel to Italy, a popular travel destination.
Italy and Iran are among the countries with the largest numbers of coronavirus cases outside Asia.
FILE – Passengers are seen wearing protective masks as they arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Thailand, Feb. 20, 2020.
On Feb. 22, the travel advisory on Japan was raised to Level 2—exercise increased caution—after coronavirus infections on a cruise ship and an increase in cases confirmed in the country.
Thursday, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe requested all schools to close from March 2 until the end of spring break, in a bid to stop coronavirus spreading.
At the 15th Novel Coronavirus Response Headquarters meeting, PM Abe stated that the government would put health and safety of children first and request all elementary, junior- and senior-high schools and special needs education schools to close from March 2 to the spring break. pic.twitter.com/PdZHLlZ1QK
In another drastic move, Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido, which has seen the largest number of coronavirus cases in the country, declared a state of emergency on late Friday. The island is known for its volcanoes, natural hot springs and ski resorts.
And as for whether the Summer Olympics in Tokyo will be canceled due to the coronavirus, the International Olympics Committee said a decision will be made around May.
The U.S. government already has a check-list for potential travelers to the sporting event set to open July 24 in Tokyo.
The following is a breakdown of travel advisories on countries and areas, as of Feb. 28, according to the State Department.
Level 4: Do Not Travel
COVID-19 outbreak related updates: China, Iran.
Other non-coronavirus risk indicators, including terrorism, kidnapping, and armed conflict: Iraq, Mali, Central African Republic, Venezuela, Yemen, South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Syria, Somalia, Afghanistan, North Korea, Libya, North Korea, Afghan.
Level 3: Reconsider Travel
COVID-19 outbreak related updates: South Korea, Mongolia.
Other non-coronavirus risk indicators, including terrorism, kidnapping, and armed conflict: Pakistan, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, Nigeria, Lebanon, Guinea-Bissau, Chad, Sudan, Honduras, Haiti, Nicaragua.
Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
COVID-19 outbreak related updates: Italy, Japan, Hong Kong, Macau.
Other non-coronavirus risk indicators, including crimes, civil unrest, and arbitrary enforcement of local laws: Ukraine, Guinea, Russia, Serbia, Timore-Leste, Brazil, Costa Rica, Bolivia, Nepal, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Mauritania, South Africa, Belgium, Mexico, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, The Bahamas, Tajikistan, Dominica, Cuba, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Spain, Papua New Guinea, Myanmar (Burma), El Salvador, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Malawi, Ethiopia, Cote d’lvoire, Uruguay, Netherlands, Madagascar, Egypt, Denmark, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sri Lanka, Germany, Kosovo, Guyana, Zimbabwe, Maldives, United Kingdom, Republic of the Congo, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Uganda, Trinidad and Tobago, Philippines, Kenya, Colombia, Cameroon, Bangladesh, Algeria, Morocco, France, India, Guatemala, Turks and Caicos Islands, Eritrea, Antarctica, Belize, Tunisia, Israel, Jordan.
Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions
Thailand, Palau, Solomon Island, Micronesia, Luxembourg, Australia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Poland, Croatia, Canada, The Kyrgyz Republic, Samoa, Armenia, Zambia, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Botswana, North Macedonia, Seychelles, Mauritius, Fiji, The Gambia, Rwanda, Equatorial Guinea, Cabo Verde, Bulgaria, Austria, New Zealand, French Guiana, Djibouti, Tonga, Kiribati, Ireland, Brunei, Belarus, Suriname, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Laos, Finland, Norway, Andorra, Hungary, Cyprus, Romania, Estonia, Slovakia, Latvia, Moldova, Ghana, Albania, Greece, Malta, Czech Republic, Iceland, Lithuania, Portugal, Benin, Togo, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saint Kitts and Nevis, British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Panama, Comoros, Turkmenistan, Saint Lucia, Malaysia, Georgia, Angola, Kazakhstan, Nauru, New Caledonia, Sweden, French Polynesia, Vanuatu, Barbados, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, Montserrat, Antigua and Barbuda, Tuvalu, Grenada, French West Indies, Mozambique, Bhutan, Paraguay, Sao Tome and Principle, Gabon, Sint Maarten, Curacao, Cayman Islands, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, Bermuda, Aruba, Liberia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Singapore, Uzbekistan, Marshall Islands, Argentina.
Nigerian Health authorities are preparing to handle any possible outbreak and urge citizens to remain calm.
“We have enough reagents to do the checking now, there are four laboratories in Nigeria that can test for this particular virus,” Health Minister Emmanuel Osagie said. “We also have a system for sample transport, so samples can be taken from somewhere and transported to a testing center within a few hours. So that is part of the network that we have prepared.”
The effort comes as officials confirmed the country’s first case of the coronavirus. Nigerian health authorities say the patient is a man from Italy — a country hit hard by the virus — who works in Nigeria and returned from the Italian city of Milan to Nigeria’s economic hub, Lagos, days ago.
This makes Nigeria the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to record a case of the virus, which is blamed for more than 2,800 deaths worldwide.
Health minister Osagie says they’re working with airline officials to identify other passengers who may have had contact with the infected patient, in order to prevent further spread.
“We are going to get the manifest and then do a contact tracing and find all the people who were there.” Osagie said. “Usually we get their numbers and addresses and monitor them. We are not going to assume that all of them are OK or will fall sick, but advise anyone who has any symptoms to report and be monitored.”
The coronavirus was first reported in Wuhan, China, in December.
A recent assessment by the World Health Organization named Nigeria as one of 12 countries in Africa at high risk of the coronavirus threat, because of the high level of travel and trade between the West African country and China.
A man wearing face mask walks at the Yaba Mainland hospital where an Italian citizen who entered Nigeria on Tuesday from Milan on a business trip, the first case of the COVID-19 virus is being treated in Lagos Nigeria, Feb. 28, 2020.
At an Abuja public briefing, WHO Health official Dr. Clement Peter, admitted that the coronavirus issue is serious and challenging to contain.
“Indeed globally, the sounding from WHO is very clear,” he said. “We don’t know how this outbreak is going to go. While things should be stabilizing in China gradually, many countries are getting cases that have no link to China.”
The coronavirus has killed more than 2,800 people, and infected more than 83,000 in over 50 countries.
Nigerian health officials are hoping that no other cases turn up in Lagos, one of the largest and most densely populated cities in the world.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo defended the Trump administration’s response to the spreading coronavirus and faced contentious questions from Democrats about an airstrike that killed Iran’s most powerful general.
Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs Committee expressed frustration that the panel was afforded only two hours to question Pompeo, who until Friday had gone months without a public appearance on Capitol Hill.
Rep. Gregory Meeks, a New York Democrat, recalled Pompeo’s “thundering” while in Congress about the need for testimony from one of his Democratic predecessors, Hillary Clinton.
But, “for you, sir, we had to move heaven and earth to get you here for just two hours,” Meeks said.
Rep. Brad Sherman, a California Democrat, asked sarcastically whether Pompeo would return to Congress next week to detail the steps the administration was taking against the coronavirus or whether he would again wait months for his next public appearance.
Democratic committee chairman Rep. Eliot Engel of New York called it an “embarrassment” that the panel had been given such a short time to question Pompeo. The secretary said he had briefed Congress more than 70 times on Iran, rejecting allegations that he had not been accessible.
The hearing was meant to focus on the Trump administration’s dealings with Iran and Iraq, but many of the questions centered on the coronavirus. Pompeo said he was confident that the administration had taken action to reduce the threat.
The COVID-19 illness caused by a new coronavirus that emerged in December in the Chinese city of Wuhan has stretched well beyond Asia. The global count of those infected as of Friday exceeds 83,000, with China still by far the hardest-hit country. Dozens of cases but no deaths have been confirmed in the United States.
Pompeo’s testimony comes three weeks after the conclusion of the Senate impeachment trial against President Donald Trump, who was accused of abusing his office by withholding aid from Ukraine while he was seeking an investigation into Democratic rival Joe Biden. Trump, who denied doing anything wrong, was acquitted by the Republican-led Senate.
The inquiry before House lawmakers featured the testimony of several foreign service officers, including some who’d been enlisted with trying to carry out the Republican president’s wishes and expressed concerns over it.
Though Pompeo was not a central figure to the impeachment inquiry, he’s faced criticism for not doing more to stand up for a workforce that’s been attacked by the president – including Marie Yovanovitch, the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, who was ousted last spring after a push by the president’s allies.
Київська міська рада дозволила безплатно перевозити музичні інструменти в метро в чохлах або іншій упаковці. Рішення підтримали 62 депутати.
«Після прийняття нових Правил користування метрополітеном до депутатського корпусу звертаються викладачі, студенти, музиканти щодо оплати за перевезення музичних інструментів. Для них це не просто особиста річ, а невід’ємна частина викладацької практики та професійної діяльності. Додаткові щоденні витрати на перевезення музичного інструменту в метро – це певний фінансовий тягар. Сьогоднішнім нашим рішенням ми виправили цю прогалину», – розповіла співавторка рішення, депутатка Вікторія Муха.
У листопаді 2019 року Київська міська рада затвердила нові Правила користування Київським метрополітеном.
Відповідно до рішення, у столичному метро заборонено жебракувати, розклеювати рекламу, займатися агітацією, здійснювати підприємницьку діяльність, гучно вмикати музику і грати на музичних інструментах. Окрім того, проведення масових заходів на станціях метро також під забороною. …
A prominent U.S. newspaper reports that a whistleblower claims personnel from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, lacking proper training and protective gear, interacted with American evacuees from Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in China.
The account in The Washington Post says the unidentified whistleblower is a senior HHS official who was “unfairly and improperly reassigned after raising concerns” about the possibility of the workers being exposed to the virus.
She was told, according to the report that she had to accept a new position by March 5th or she would be fired.
The whistleblower’s complaint said the HHS workers found themselves working beside Centers for Disease Control staff who were in “full gown, gloves and hazmat attire.”
The newspaper reported that the whistleblower said in her complaint that the HHS workers were not monitored or tested for the virus during or after their deployment.
The evacuated Americans were quarantined on military bases in California and Texas.
HHS spokeswoman Caitlin Oakley told The Post, “We take all whistleblower complaints very seriously and are providing the complainant all appropriate protections under the Whistleblower Protection Act.”
Global markets continued their downward trajectory Friday amid fear that are spreading faster than the coronavirus.
COVID-19 has disrupted supply chains, caused the initiation of travel bans and essentially wrecked business and trade around the world.
Analysts are predicting this week will be the worst week since the 2008 global financial crisis.
“These are highly uncertain times, no one really knows the answer and the markets are really panicking,” John Lau, SEI Investments Head of Asian Equities told Reuters.
Tokyo and Shanghai slumped Friday by a margin of 3.7%, while Seoul and Sydney also fell by more than 3%. European markets were down 2-3% in early trading.
Fears over the virus and the effects on global trade and manufacturing sent the Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeting Thursday 1,191 points — the largest single-day drop in history. It marks a 4% single-day decline on the value of the stocks on the list, and a 10% decline in the Dow from its record high set just two weeks ago. Another index, the S&P 500 was off 12% from its all time high, just a week ago.
Technology stocks were down Thursday, with such giants as Apple and Microsoft warning that the virus has affected its supply lines from Asia.
Energy stocks also took a beating in part over a recent drop in oil prices and anticipation that fewer people will travel because of the virus.
No one right now knows exactly where the coronavirus outbreak is heading because health experts are still learning about it.
Merrill Lynch financial adviser Andrew Weltlinger says the coronavirus has “spooked” investors and unnerved a market that was due for a correction.
Weltinger’s advice to investors is not to panic, not to sell low, and have a diversified portfolio that includes bonds, which are up this week because people view them as a safer investment when stocks hit a rocky patch.
У семи столичних лікарнях облаштували бази для госпіталізації пацієнтів із підозрою на вірус коронавірус, по три – для дорослих і дітей та одна спеціальна база – для вагітних, повідомив міський голова Києва Віталій Кличко на спеціальних навчаннях в Олександрівській лікарні.
«Участь у них (навчаннях – ред.) взяли медики, рятівники, поліція та представники органів місцевої влади. За легендою, яку відпрацьовували, до столичного медичного закладу звернулися дві людини. Умовні пацієнти повідомили, що нібито тиждень тому повернулися літаком з Італії, де перебували на заробітках. У них, за легендою, виявили симптоми хвороби Covid-19. Умовних пацієнтів одразу доправили до Олександрівської клінічної лікарні, де в інфекційному відділенні облаштована одна з лікувальних баз», – розповіли у КМДА.
За словами Віталя Кличка, метою навчань є послідовне відпрацювання дій кожної служби міста.
«Нова небезпечна хвороба, що отримала назву коронавірус, виявлена в багатьох країнах – і в тих, де рівень надання медичних послуг дуже низький, і в тих, де медицина прогресивна. Люди подорожують різними країнами. Літають у справах та на відпочинок. І гарантувати, що випадків зараження на цю хворобу не буде в нашому місті, ми ніяк не можемо. Тому повинні бути готовими, аби мінімізувати можливі наслідки спалаху хвороби», – Кличко.
За його словами, бази облаштовано у медичних центрах, персонал яких підготовлений до різного виду епідемій.
Повідомляється, що це інфекційні відділення в таких закладах: Олександрівській клінічній лікарні, Київській міській лікарні №4, Київській клінічній лікарні №9, міських дитячих клінічних лікарнях №1 та №2, міській дитячій інфекційній лікарні, у Київському міському центрі репродуктивної та перинатальної медицини. Усього розгорнуто 482 ліжка, із них для дорослих – 237 ліжок, для дітей – 200 і 45 – для вагітних. У структурі інфекційних відділень передбачено 78 боксів.
«У всіх цих лікарнях є необхідний запас засобів індивідуального захисту, витратних матеріалів, дезінфекційних засобів, необхідних для надання медичної допомоги», – запевнив Кличко.
Він повідомив, що столична влада планує найближчим часом закупити та встановити обладнання для проведення експрес-тестів на коронавірус в обох аеропортах Києва.
В Україні наразі не зареєстровано жодного випадку захворювання на новий коронавірус. Водночас в Італії на коронавірус захворіла 26-річна українка. Раніше повідомлялось про коронавірусну інфекцію і у чотирьох українців з круїзного лайнера Diamond Princess, одну українку виписали.
Кількість випадків зараження новим коронавірусом станом на 28 лютого сягнула 83 386, понад 35,5 тисячі одужали.
Туреччина рішуче відповідає на агресію путіна та до чого тут Україна?
Цієї ночі в Сирії російські війська спільно з урядовими військами Башара Асада вбили понад 30 турецьких військових. Туреччина почала реагувати миттєво: скликає екстренне засідання НАТО, відкриває кордони для біженців у ЄС і не тільки. Здавалося б, до чого тут Україна?
Блог про українську політику та актуальні події в нашій країні
Для поширення вашого відео чи повідомлення в Мережі Правди пишіть сюди,
або на email: pravdaua@email.cz
Найкращі пропозиції товарів і послуг в Мережі Купуй!
In Afghanistan, the reduction of violence agreement between the US and Taliban is holding and Afghans are getting a first glimpse of what a peace deal between the United States and the Taliban could look like. After nearly 19 years of war, Saturday’s expected peace deal announcement is being greeted with optimism as well as some reservations. VOA’s Bezhan Hamdard previews the historic deal with contributions from Rahim Gul Sarwan, Jalal Mirzad and Haseeb Mawdoodi in Kabul.
The Russian-backed Syrian government push to capture the Idlib province in northwest Syria has worsened the humanitarian situation as nearly 1 million civilians have been forced to flee eastward to safer locations. VOA’s Zana Omer filed this report from Manbij, Syria.
The former mayor of Baltimore was sentenced to three years in prison Thursday on corruption charges related to sales of her self-published children’s book to companies with close ties to state and local government.
Catherine Pugh, a 69-year-old Democrat who resigned last year, was also ordered to pay around $1 million in restitution, according to a statement from the federal prosecutor for the US East Coast state of Maryland.
She pleaded guilty to fraud and tax evasion in November for raking in hundreds of thousands of dollars by selling her “Healthy Holly” children’s books to local organizations to which she had ties — sometimes without delivering the books.
“I accept total responsibility,” Pugh said in a video in which she expressed regret for tarnishing Baltimore’s image as the city of some 600,000 people grapples with a soaring crime rate, racial unrest and poverty levels that are among the highest in the country.
But Maryland District Court Judge Deborah Chasanow said Thursday, “I have yet frankly to hear any explanation that makes sense.”
“This was not a tiny mistake, lapse of judgment,” she said, according to the Baltimore Sun newspaper. “This became a very large fraud. The nature and circumstances of this offense clearly I think are extremely, extremely serious.”
Book sales
The newspaper revealed last year that the University of Maryland Medical System spent $500,000 to buy 100,000 copies of Pugh’s “Healthy Holly” children’s books between 2012 and 2018, while she was a member of the health system’s board.
After first denouncing an investigation into the matter as a “witch hunt,” the former mayor then called the incident a “regrettable mistake” and returned $100,000 of the sales.
But other sales were uncovered, including to Kaiser Permanente insurance company, which said it paid Pugh $114,000 for “Healthy Holly” books from 2015 to 2018.
Kaiser had won a $48 million contract in 2017 to provide health insurance to city employees from 2018 to 2020.
Pugh, who was elected in 2016, finally quit her position in May 2019 after calls for her resignation intensified.
