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Reopening Europe: Countries Lift Restrictions in Time for Summer

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In Europe, falling COVID-19 death rates and the beginning of summer have resulted in a patchwork of eased restrictions and the lifting of lockdown measures. Some countries saw crowded beaches while others opted to continue to keep citizens indoors as governments eye reopening their economies while being mindful about the possibility of a second wave of infections.

Large countries opt for cautious approach

Europe’s two biggest nations, France and Germany, have opted for a gradual reopening. In Germany, Merkel’s government has seen far-right protesters on the streets as extremists increasingly exploit “lock-down fatigue,” but the government continues to argue for a careful approach.

While Germany has reported 176,551 cases, it has kept its death toll below 8,000. Germany has now reopened schools to allow for exams and small shops are allowed to be open as long as they follow social distancing rules.

France is similarly choosing a measured approach. From May 11, schools have reopened and citizens are allowed to once again travel freely within a 100-kilometer radius. French officials continue to strictly monitor the capital, Paris, wary of another outbreak in the tight confines of the busy metropolis.

France recorded a similar number of cases to Germany, but its COVID-19 death toll is significantly higher at 28,111.

Richest and poorest EU countries

Greece, one of Europe’s poorest countries, reopened its important hospitality sector. Beaches were crowded over the weekend of May 16-17 as internal travel restrictions and school closures were lifted. The country is now in “stage three” of its planned reopening, which will see historic sites, large shopping malls, and high schools reopen.

Greece implemented an early lockdown which appears to have kept cases below 3,000, with 163 deaths. As the Greek government monitors the situation, authorities check citizens for their temperature and face masks remain mandatory.

One of Europe’s richest countries, the Netherlands, opted for a slower reopening of its economy. Between now and September 1, the small European trading nation is hoping to move from small shops reopening to once again organizing sports and large public events at the end of its five-stage roadmap.

The Dutch government has announced it will provide testing kits for anyone who shows symptoms and masks will be required in order to use public transport. The Netherlands has so far recorded 44,341 cases and 5,713 deaths.

Worst-hit countries

Italy and Spain became a global topic of daily discussion as their older populations suffered heavily from the first large outbreaks of COVID-19 in Europe. Both countries have now recorded the fewest daily deaths since March and are cautiously optimistic about the lifting of lockdown measures.

In Italy, restaurants bars and cafes reopened on May 18, following an earlier easing of restrictions on construction companies, manufacturing firms, and restaurants offering takeaway menus. For the first time in two months, Italians are allowed to exercise outdoors and Italy announced it would once again welcome foreign tourists starting June 1. Italy has recorded 225,435 cases so far, with 31,908 deaths.

Spain has faced a similar devastating toll as Italy, with 230,698 cases and 27,563 deaths.

Spain’s major cities have seen few restrictions lifted so far. The government considers its largest urban centers to remain in “phase zero” of a four-stage plan to lift COVID-19 measures. Outside of its large cities, provinces are considered to be in the first phase, allowing gatherings of up to ten people.

Outdoor seating in restaurants and bars are allowed to reopen outside of Barcelona and Madrid, although face masks on public transport are mandatory and small businesses may only open for individual appointments with customers.

Yemeni Government: Houthis Are Hiding COVID-19 Clusters

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The extent of the COVID-19 crisis in war-torn Yemen is allegedly being underreported by Yemen’s parallel governments and the virus is now spreading undetected through the community there, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). 

The Aden-based internationally recognized government called for more international support yesterday amid new warnings from the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) that a “catastrophic” food crisis is brewing in the already distressed nation.  

The Iran-supported Houthi rebels who control some of Yemen’s most populous areas have reported just four cases of COVID-19 and one fatality to date, all located in the militia’s capital Sanaa.  

Yemen’s Minister of Local Administration Abdul Raqib Fath said the rebels are covering up COVID-19 clusters and called on WHO to pressure them into more accurately reporting cases.  

“Reports on the ground indicate a large number of coronavirus cases in areas under the Houthis’ control and hiding this information is completely unacceptable,” Fath said in a press conference.  

Fath’s government has reported 128 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 20 deaths from the virus. On May 14, WHO reiterated that it is not responsible for virus reporting and that it “provides technical, evidence-based guidance and advises the countries it supports,” like Yemen. 

Reuters reports that sources on both sides of the conflict widely believe the disease is being underreported, in part due to a lack of testing facilities.  

WHO says it is “operating on the assumption that community transmission is already taking place across Yemen,” and has moved to rapidly increase testing capacity. The Saudi-backed government has nevertheless called again for the international community to provide more personal protective equipment and testing supplies.

COVID-19 set to exacerbate humanitarian crisis 

Entering into its sixth year of conflict, the UN reports that Yemen remains the world’s worst humanitarian crisis with up to 80% of the population in need of protection or assistance.  Despite the UN-led effort to scale up the country’s capacity to tackle the coronavirus threat, Yemen’s “devastated” health system, which is already grappling with cholera and diphtheria outbreaks, remains woefully underprepared to deal with an additional pandemic. 

Healthcare workers are scared but doing their best to prepare for the onslaught of COVID-19, according to WHO’s Saada hub manager Dr. Mohammed Al Naggar. 

“We have heard about the virus—it is all over the news, you can’t help but be fearful. Here in Yemen, the resources are few, especially in Saada, an active frontline,” Naggar said.

Yemen also faces a high risk of large coronavirus clusters developing rapidly among the almost one million internally displaced people (IDP) who currently live in overcrowded, makeshift accommodation without proper sanitation facilities. 

If COVID-19 takes hold among the country’s IDP, the mortality rates would be very high, Manager of the Yemen Displacement Response Consortium Winnie Mbusya reports.

“This would translate into an unprecedented number of patients requiring intensive care over a very short period of time, which they will not receive,” Mbusaya told the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). 

Millions are reliant on food aid and experiencing malnutrition to varying degrees, further increasing their vulnerability to disease outbreaks such as the novel coronavirus. Over the weekend, senior FAO regional official Abdessalam Ould Ahmed told Reuters that a coronavirus pandemic could plunge even more people into hunger.   

“That situation could be really catastrophic if all the elements of worst-case scenarios come to be but let’s hope not and the UN are working on avoiding that,” Ahmed said on Monday. 

The UN’s World Food Programme and other donors like the US have cut aid delivery to Houthi-held parts of Yemen over concerns the assistance is not reaching those in need and rebels are misappropriating supplies. The rebels have reportedly interfered with UN efforts to ensure aid flows to needy citizens, not just combatants and their supporters, for months. 

Read also: Yemen’s Southern Separatists Declare Independence During Ceasefire 

 

New Israeli Government Promises ‘Glorious Chapter’ in History of Zionism

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After three brutal and inconclusive election campaigns, Israel has finally formed a functioning government—but after Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz laid out their visions on May 17, Israel’s government looks anything but united.

Both Netanyahu and Gantz addressed Parliament, striking very different tones. Gantz proclaimed that the “greatest political crisis in our history is over” and that the time had come “to end the fragmentation and division.”

But even as the prime ministerial alternate spoke about unity, emotional parliamentarians shouted at him from their seats.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the newly sworn-in prime minister that will rule for 18 months, struck an altogether different tone. He started his speech by highlighting the cooperation between him and Gantz during the 2014 Israel-Gaza conflict, when Gantz was chief of staff of the army and Netanyahu was prime minister.

 

The freshly inaugurated prime minister emphasized the difficult path towards the forming of the current government, but struck a more combative tone when defending his actions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. Eliciting shouts from parliamentarians, he compared Israel’s overall death rate to Britain’s daily death rate as evidence of the relative success of Israeli measures taken.

Yair Lapid, leader of the Israeli opposition, said that there is “zero trust between the partners, everything (is done) through lawyers and court debates, overriding the basic laws,” referring to Israel’s de facto constitution.

The opposition leaders had little faith the government could succeed as the partners “do not believe a word the other says.”

Divided on annexation

Tensions were high with only 44 days left until the start of a possible Israeli annexation of large parts of the occupied West Bank. Disregarding unified Palestinian opposition, Israel could be preparing to unilaterally “implement” a peace agreement to which only one side agrees, with support of the United States.

Netanyahu’s reference to his cooperation with Gantz in 2014 appeared to show that he expects his coalition partner to fall in line when hostilities recommence. But the “threat to annex Palestinian territory,” as the UN Security Council called it in February, appears to be real as Netanyahu used war-time rhetoric by promising a “glorious chapter in the history of Zionism.”

Israel’s prime minister invoked the existence of hundreds of thousands of settlers living in the West Bank as justification for annexation, even as the United Nations has declared all of these settlements illegal.

While Gantz appears to favor a delay in the process, Netanyahu, the man that Gantz tried to have convicted, could soon push Israel into conflict with the Palestinians and its eastern neighbor, Jordan.

Fractured opposition

A visit by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on May 13 reiterated the support of the Trump administration for Israel’s annexation plans. Israel appears to be using the unsigned Trump peace deal as legal support for its expansion plans with little protest from Washington, D.C.

Pompeo’s physical visit to Jerusalem, a rare sight amid the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighted the push for urgency from the US.

Israel’s new foreign minister Israel Katz called the Trump peace plan a “historic opportunity to shape Israel’s future” even as the proposal has been dismissed by Palestinians and much of the international community. Israeli and US leadership appear to be benefiting from pressure on both governments.

Trump appears to want a conflict in order to motivate his base ahead of the upcoming presidential elections. Cheered on by Israeli media, Netanyahu appears to want to realize his vision of Israeli expansion before his term ends in 2021.

Rami Makhlouf Refuses to Step Down From Syriatel in New Video

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Syrian telecom tycoon Rami Makhlouf, who is President Bashar Al Assad’s first cousin, released the third in a string of videos today exposing the growing rift within Syria’s ruling Alawite elite. 

Makhlouf, the head of Syria’s largest private company, telecommunications firm Syriatel, said Syrian security forces had started arresting his employees, a move that could lead to the company’s collapse and be a “catastrophe” for war-torn Syria’s economy.  

Normally a reclusive figure who shies away from the media, Makhlouf released the first of three telling videos on May 1 that have helped expose a mafia-style split developing between himself and other factions of Syria’s secretive ruling family.  

In the latest installment, Makhlouf claimed he had been asked to stay away from Syriatel and “comply with instructions while my eyes are closed.” The regime will allegedly revoke the company’s license if Makhlouf does not step down, but he refuses to bow to the mounting pressure on him to resign.  

“Today the pressure began in an unacceptable way, and sadly in an inhumane way. The security forces have started arresting our employees,” said a somber-looking Makhlouf while staring directly into the camera.  

“Who would have expected the security agencies to come for the companies of Rami Makhlouf, who was their biggest supporter?” he asked rhetorically in the Facebook video.  

In an ironic twist, a seemingly bewildered Makhlouf appealed directly to President Bashar al-Assad, saying the regime that has arrested, tortured, and disappeared thousands of Syrians is now arresting Syriatel employees who remain loyal to Assad.  

“These are loyalists, they were with you and are still with you,” he stressed.   

Syriatel employs around 6,500 people and Makhlouf said more arrests “will only lead to the destruction of the company.” The demise of Syriatel, a major government revenue stream, would be a “catastrophe” for the Syrian economy, he warned.   

It remains to be seen how the family feud between Makhlouf and Assad will play out, and what, if anything, can help get him back into the inner circle’s good graces. In the meantime, the public rift offers a rare insight into the dark dealings of the rich and powerful but ultimately destructive upper echelons of the Alawis that control Syria.

Read also: Video Exposes Rift in Syria’s Assad Family

China’s Ambassador to Israel Found Dead in Residence

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China’s new Ambassador to Israel Du Wei died at his residence in the coastal Tel Aviv suburb of Herzliya where police are currently on the scene, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said today.

Aides found Du Wei unresponsive in his bed this morning, May 17, according to police spokesman Micky Rosenfield. Israeli police are investigating his death but based on initial reports it is believed he suffered from a heart attack during his sleep. 

The 58-year-old career diplomat arrived in Israel on February 15 and had not yet been joined by his wife and son due to the COVID-19 crisis. A native of Shandong province, Du Wei previously served as China’s envoy to Ukraine.

Foreign Ministry Director-General Yuval Rotem expressed his condolences to deputy ambassador Dai Yuming and said Israel would “help the Chinese embassy with anything they may need along the way.”

Du Wei made headlines this week when he rejected US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s criticism of Chinese investment in Israel and their handling of the coronavirus pandemic during a visit to Jerusalem. 

 

 

The Ambassador responded to Pompeo’s “absurd comments” through an op-ed in popular English-language daily the Jerusalem Post under the ironic headline of “the real antidote to the epidemic is not segregation, but rather cooperation,” given China’s lack of transparency on the issue. 

Du Wei used the column to “put the record straight” in regard to Pompeo’s claims that “the origin of Coronavirus is China”, that “China hid the information of COVID-19” and that “China’s investments are threats.” 

China and Israel have a friendly diplomatic relationship, and Israel is currently the beneficiary of a number of Chinese-funded infrastructure projects under its “Belt and Road” international aid initiative. 

 Read also: Pompeo Flies to Israel to Discuss Annexation Plans

Jordan Considering ‘All Options’ to Prevent West Bank Annexation

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In an interview with German newspaper Der Spiegel and as the US and Israel appear to accelerate plans to annex large swaths of the Palestinian West Bank, King Abdullah II of Jordan expressed fear of renewed conflict.

“If Israel really annexed the West Bank in July, it would lead to a massive conflict with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,” Jordan’s king said on Friday. The remarks by King Abdullah II highlight the increasing fears that Israel might unilaterally annex parts of the West Bank, including the border region with Jordan.

Israel knows it only requires the support of a single nation to advance its agenda. Even though most of the world remains opposed to Israeli settlement-building, and what the UN describes as Israeli “apartheid methods,” the US can veto any UN Security Council resolution that protests annexation.

Opposition to annexation

While the global community is powerless to stop the US and Israel at the United Nations or its Security Council, many are preparing measures to prevent renewed conflict. The king of Jordan spoke to the German outlet as EU foreign ministers debated their options to stop Israel.

“I don’t want to make threats and create an atmosphere of loggerheads, but we are considering all options,” King Abdullah II told Der Spiegel. Emphasizing the unilateral and illegal nature of Israel’s plans, the king stated, “we agree with many countries in Europe and the international community that the law of strength should not apply in the Middle East.”

International response

The meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers had initially expected to be able to offer its cooperation to the new Israeli government, but Israel postponed the swearing-in of the new compromise cabinet to accommodate discussions on annexation with the US secretary of state, who made a rare physical visit to Israel in a time of videoconferencing.

After the initial postponement, infighting in the party of coalition-partner Benny Gantz led to a further postponement, with the swearing-in ceremony now scheduled for Sunday, May 17.

Instead of welcoming a new Israeli cabinet, the EU announced it would “rally against Israel’s West Bank annexation plans,” according to the BBC. The EU’s head of foreign policy, Josep Borrell, stated the European political bloc would try to prevent annexation through diplomacy.

“We must work to discourage any possible initiative toward annexation,” Borrell stated following the videoconference with the EU’s ministers of foreign affairs. “What everybody agreed is, we have to increase our efforts and our reach-out to all relevant actors in the Middle East,” Borrell told the BBC, as many fear annexation could result from Trump’s presidential reelection campaign.

 

Read also: Pompeo Flies to Israel to Discuss Annexation Plans

 

SEC: Saudi Fund Investing in US Icons, Supermajors

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A Securities and Exchange Commission filing on Friday, May 15 revealed how billions of Saudi dollars moved hands as the Public Investment Fund (PIF), owned by its Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, purchased stakes in iconic American companies and large oil multinationals.

The PIF holds approximately $300 billion in capital and invests in a variety of Saudi large-scale development projects, real-estate, and a large diversified pool of international strategic investments. The fund’s activity is in line with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s “Vision 2030,” the umbrella name for a variety of Saudi activity meant to diversify and modernize the Saudi economy.

American icons

The Saudi fund invested heavily in some of the US’ most well-known companies: Bank of America, Boeing, Citigroup, Disney, Marriott Hotels and pharmaceutical giant Pfizer. The PIF also invested in Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway and Silicon Valley, with large investments in Facebook that complement its existing $2 billion stake in Uber.

The sovereign wealth fund was already investing heavily prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, buying a 15% stake in US mega-developer-related companies just before the crisis hit. The slump in stock valuations has not discouraged the fund from continuing its ambitious investments.

Even as value-driven investors such as Warren Buffet are reluctant to buy, the PIF is increasing its stake in some of the world’s most recognizable firms.

Anticipating consolidation?

It is likely that the world’s supermajors, the largest publicly traded oil and gas multinationals, stand to benefit from weak oil prices. Some have predicted supermajors could suffer from the current oil price slump caused by the pandemic and a major fall in demand. A US shale gas industry in trouble could result in a consolidation of assets by larger oil firms.

The PIF appears to be banking on this as it increased its stake in some of the world’s biggest private oil producers. It already owned stakes in Eni, Royal Dutch Shell, and Total, and increased its stake in recent weeks. The fund now holds a $483.6 million stake in Shell, $222.3 million in French oil giant Total, and a $481 million stake in controversial Canadian tar-sand oil producer Suncor Energy.

With PIF heavily investing, it appears the fund is counting on a consolidation in oil markets that will favor the supermajors. Its investments in some of the US’ most prominent companies could mean the fund is counting on a reversal of fortunes while the Federal Reserve is ensuring that American companies are provided with unlimited liquidity.

 

Read also: Top Investor Warren Buffett Predicts Further Market Trouble

 

London Trader Buys Oil at Negative Price

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On April 19, the unthinkable happened: Oil prices fell below $0 and continued their decline. For the first time in history, purchasers of oil futures would actually pay to get rid of a barrel of oil. West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the benchmark US oil price, fell to negative $37.63. While most oil industry experts looked at the historic event in shock, BB Energy, a London-based oil trading house, spotted an opportunity and was paid to receive 250,000 barrels of oil.

How oil prices could go negative

Traders had earlier purchased “May futures,” which means purchasing oil for the current price to receive delivery of the oil in May. They did so with the intent to trade, instead of actually receiving the oil. As the futures’ expiry date approached, time was running out before traders would actually have to receive the oil that they had no means to store.

These trades are very common. Commodity markets often see people trading resources without the intent to receive the goods, instead selling the futures at a later date when prices have increased. For most important minerals and hydrocarbons, traders commonly exchange massive quantities of the resource merely to earn money from the exchange itself.

This speculation drives up prices. People trade without creating any value, but instead withdraw value from the actual crude in between production and delivery. When oil futures came due in April, these traders suddenly had thousands of barrels of oil due for delivery, with nowhere to store them, prompting the traders to consider paying others to take the oil.

How BB Energy exploited the moment

One company had plenty of space to store oil. BB Energy had probably expected to buy oil at unprecedented low prices. Instead, traders actually paid them to take the oil off their hands. In a moment when most traders could do nothing but stare at their screens in disbelief, BB Energy bought approximately 10% of all barrels of WTI crude futures.

It is unclear if BB Energy sold the oil after it rebounded in the following days. Even without selling the oil the purchases they will have profited, just by receiving it. The collapse of WTI in April came as US oil storage was starting to run out. For the upcoming month there is slightly more storage, but a potential threat could cause another drop into negative prices.

On May 18, the June futures of WTI will once again expire. At the same time, a Saudi fleet of tankers carrying millions of barrels of oil is off the coast of the US, getting ready to unload. If the Saudis flood the US market with cheap crude as futures again near expiry, traders can expect another dip into the negative. This time, others might attempt to copy BB Energy’s winning strategy.

The location of the Shaybah, one of many Saudi Very Large Crude Carriers off the US coast.
The location of the Shaybah, one of many Saudi Very Large Crude Carriers off the US coast.

Latest Drug Trials Find Antimalarials Ineffective Against COVID-19

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Two drugs Trump touted as potential cures for COVID-19 have little to no effect on patients according to new studies by Chinese and French researchers. The studies published in the medical journal BMJ on Thursday examined the efficacy of chloroquine (CQ) and hydroxychloroquine (HQ) to combat COVID-19.  

The studies are part of a growing body of research on CQ and HQ, which are traditionally used as antimalarial drugs. The drugs rose to prominence in coronavirus conversations after some initial small trials and the US president indicated they may help fight COVID-19. 

The Chinese study tested the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine in an open-label, randomized, controlled trial involving 150 patients with persistent mild to moderate COVID-19 infections.

“Data from our trial does not provide evidence to support the use of hydroxychloroquine in this population [patients with persistent mild to moderate COVID-19], particularly considering the increased adverse events,” the Chinese team found.

They did, however, note one study limitation: “Our trial could not assess the antiviral efficacy of hydroxychloroquine at an earlier stage, such as within 48 hours of onset of the illness, the golden window for antiviral treatment in influenza.” 

The French researchers ran an observational study, using data collected from routine care, to assess the effectiveness of HQ in patients admitted to the hospital with pneumonia and who required oxygen. 

“Hydroxychloroquine has received worldwide attention as a potential treatment for COVID-19 because of positive results from small studies,” they noted. The researchers concluded that “the results of this study do not support its use in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 who require oxygen.”

Despite the negative results of these most recent studies, CQ and HQ trials are continuing around the world. 

In the US, where Trump said the combination of HQ and antibiotic azithromycin could be a “game-changer,” a trial is currently underway, sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and headed by Dr. Anthony Fauci. 

“Although there is anecdotal evidence that hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin may benefit people with COVID-19, we need solid data from a large randomized, controlled clinical trial to determine whether this experimental treatment is safe and can improve clinical outcomes,” Fauci said on May 14.

Read also: What is Hydroxychloroquine and Can It Cure Coronavirus?

French Drug Giant Reveals Rift Over Vaccine Distribution

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On May 13, the CEO of French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi sparked a global debate over the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. Its CEO, Paul Hudson, had told Bloomberg News that the US would get first access to an eventual vaccine because of its investment in the vaccine’s development.

Sanofi sparks outrage

Hudson explained that the US would expect to receive the first batches of the vaccines. “The U.S. government has the right to the largest pre-order because it’s invested in taking the risk,” Hudson said. The US government invested in Sanofi in February with the understanding it would get first access to a potential vaccine.

The CEO had made the prioritization public in hopes other countries would similarly invest for preferential treatment. “I’ve been campaigning in Europe to say the U.S. will get vaccines first,” Hudson said, emphasizing that the US “invested to try and protect their population, to restart their economy.”

Hudson’s efforts to start a bidding war for first rights between rich nations backfired, as French outrage over the statement put a spotlight on vaccine distribution. Even after the statement angered French politicians, Sanofi’s French director Olivier Bogillot continued to push Europeans to spend more in order to get preferential treatment.

Private gains

For pharmaceutical companies such as Sanofi, the distribution of vaccines to the highest bidder is a logical part of a privatized health sector. The practice is common in the industry and mirrors many national efforts to produce a vaccine for its own population first.

French politicians on the left and right did not agree with the company as they estimated Sanofi had received $162 in tax credits for research alone. On May 14, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe responded by saying universal access to an eventual vaccine was “non-negotiable,” according to the BBC.

Many countries are in the process of funding research and development of COVID-19 vaccines. The EU headed a global funding drive that secured $8 billion in pledged funding from over 40 countries and donors. The US did not participate in the global initiative, instead opting for its own investments in US and international vaccine research.

Universal access

French President Emmanuel Macron has summoned Sanofi’s top official for a meeting. Speaking to Reuters, a French official said the issue had upset the president and that he was adamant that a potential vaccine benefit the common good.

International charity Oxfam reiterated this standpoint, stating that companies should not have the power to decide “who lives and who dies.” Oxfam has joined with UNAIDS and 140 former and current world leaders and experts to push for vaccines to be made available universally.

While countries such as French fear being left behind the US, developing nations fear they will be left out completely if a vaccine triggers a bidding war between nations. African nations have already struggled to buy testing kits and equipment: Even while bundling their resources, richer countries continued to outbid them.

 

Read also: Prominent MENA Figures Join Call for ‘People’s Vaccine’