A new flu virus found in pigs in China has become more infectious to humans and can become a potential “pandemic virus”, a new study has found. A team of Chinese researchers looked at influenza viruses found in pigs from 2011 to 2018 and found a “G4” strain of H1N1 with “all the essential hallmarks of a candidate pandemic virus”.
As border tensions increase between world’s two most populous nations, India on Monday banned 59 Chinese mobile apps, including the wildly popular TikTok and WeChat. The apps were banned over national security and privacy concerns after several complaints were received by the ministry alleging theft of users’ data and violations of user privacy. It was unclear when the ban would come into force.
Officials in the Chinese capital, Beijing, have highlighted risk of contamination through packaging. In the city which reported 22 new cases on Friday, nucleic acid tests are being carried out on all food and parcel delivery personnel. Officials have been testing people working in catering, including restaurant staff, as well as imported food after virus was found on chopping boards used to handle salmon.
An officer and two soldiers of the Indian army were killed in a “violent faceoff” on the contested Ladakh border with China, the first such incident in 45 years between the two countries. Tension on the border has been rising for a past couple of weeks, and thousands of extra troops have been deployed from both sides in the region.
After a standoff with India at the Himalayan border region of Ladakh, China has said that the overall situation is “stable and under control”. The two countries are capable of resolving border issues through dialogue and negotiations. In a statement on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said that China and India have a sound border-related mechanism and communication channels.
Chinese President Xi Jingping has ordered the Chinese Army to strengthen the training of its troops and “prepare for war”, according to the state media reports. Xi’s speech comes amid rising tensions with the US and escalating clashes with the Indian army at the Ladakh border. Both armies are said to have deployed additional troops in sensitive areas along the boundary with experts predicting a lengthy standoff.
Europe’s top rice producer Italy has seen consumption of the staple rise throughout the coronavirus pandemic, putting even pasta in the shade. It’s not just popular at home either — China itself has even signed a deal to import Italian rice. The Chinese have their eyes on varieties used to make typical risotto dishes. Spread over 220,000 hectares (545,000 acres) and cultivated by 4,200 producers in all, Italian rice production totals an annual 1.5 million tonnes.
India has cancelled orders to import coronavirus rapid testing kits from China after finding them to be “faulty”. The country had placed an order for about half a million kits from two Chinese firms: Wondfo Biotech and Livzon Diagnostic. States in India had refused to use the rapid testing kits, claiming they were only 5% accurate.
The government of China knew that the Coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan could snowball into a pandemic yet they kept the world in dark from for the next 6 days. APNews reported based on retrospective infection data. The report, citing Chinese media, claims there was enough data that COVID-19 was spreading as people yet the Chinese government hid the fact from the public and WHO.
Pakistan has urged China to ease in payment obligations of over $30 billion worth of about 12,000-megawatt power projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). This will help Pakistan minimise its financial and economic difficulties. This is part of the ongoing government efforts to secure discounts and savings on power purchases from independent power producers (IPPs) as circular debt liabilities cross Rs2 trillion.