A synergistic role of convalescent plasma and mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of severely ill COVID-19 patients: a clinical case report -…

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Stem Cell Res Ther. 2020 Jul 16;11(1):291. doi: 10.1186/s13287-020-01802-8.

ABSTRACT

Acute respiratory distress syndrome virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection, which causes global public health emergencies, has sped widely for more than 5 months and has the risk of long-term transmission. No effective treatment has been discovered to date. In the cases we report, the patient continued to deteriorate even after administration of antiviral drugs such as lopinavir/ritonavir, interferon-, and ribavirin, as well as intravenous injection of meropenem, methylprednisolone, and immunoglobulin. So, we infused the patient with convalescent plasma (CP), and the absolute lymphocyte count increased the next day and returned to normal on the fourth day. Followed by intravenous infusion of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), bilateral infiltrates were absorbed and the pulmonary function was significantly improved. We note that the intravenous infusion of CP and MSCs for the treatment of severe COVID-19 patients may have synergistic characteristics in inhibiting cytokine storm, promoting the repair of lung injury, and recovering pulmonary function. We hope to provide a reference for the research direction of COVID-19 clinical strategies.

PMID:32678017 | DOI:10.1186/s13287-020-01802-8

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A synergistic role of convalescent plasma and mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of severely ill COVID-19 patients: a clinical case report -...

Global Stem Cell Banking Market 2020 Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updated Analysis By Product (Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cell, Embryonic Stem Cell, Adult…

Global Stem Cell Banking Market Report Industry Analysis, Market Size, Historical-Current-Future Trends, Competitive Landscape and Forecasts to 2026

The markets growth and development depends on the factors such as the modernization and the current technological advancements. This research study on the Stem Cell Banking market has considered all these aspects and the information provided is based on the current market trends. TheStem Cell Banking marketreport includes all the minute and important information about the Stem Cell Banking market which aids the clients to rethink on their current market strategies and implement new ones as per the market standards. The major data points that are mentioned in the Stem Cell Banking report includes the growth factors, limitations of the market, future market opportunities, market challenges, and others. All these facts about the market are explained in detail so as to the client understands the market condition easily.

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The major market players that are operating in the Stem Cell Banking market areCCBC, CBR, ViaCord, Esperite, Vcanbio, Boyalife, LifeCell, Crioestaminal, RMS Regrow, Cordlife Group, PBKM FamiCord, cells4life, Beikebiotech, StemCyte, Cryo-cell, Cellsafe Biotech Group, PacifiCord, Americord, Krio, Familycord, Cryo Stemcell, Stemade Biotech. The market has been segmented based onUmbilical Cord Blood Stem Cell, Embryonic Stem Cell, Adult Stem Cell, Other. The market segmentation is not only restricted toDiseases Therapy, Healthcarebut also includes the sub segments which also contributes to the market growth and development. The geographical prominence of the Stem Cell Banking market is categorized into Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. Again the market data is not restricted to regional presence but every prominent country-wise data is also included for understanding the Stem Cell Banking market in-depth.

Certain conditions that were considered while making Stem Cell Banking market data analysis include the current market situation, if any kind of restrictions were imposed by any of the regulatory bodies that would have impacted the market growth or development in any kind, the investments that are being made for the market development, for instance, the research and development activities, among others. This extensive data on the Stem Cell Banking market will prove constructive for all the existing industry players and the new market entrants to improve their decision-making skills to improve their position in the global Stem Cell Banking market.

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Significant aspects of the Reports and Main Highlights:

A detailed look at the Stem Cell Banking Industry Changing business trends in the global Stem Cell Banking market Detailed market bifurcation analysis at different level such as type, application, end user, Regions / countries Historical and forecast size of the Stem Cell Banking market in terms of Revenue (USD Million) Recent industry development and market trends Competitive Landscape and player positioning analysis for the Stem Cell Banking market Key Product Offerings by Major players and business strategies adopted Niche and Potential segments (ex. types, applications, and regions/countries) anticipated to observed promising growth Key challenges faced by operating players in the market space Analysis of major risks associated with the market operations

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Global Stem Cell Banking Market 2020 Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updated Analysis By Product (Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cell, Embryonic Stem Cell, Adult...

Global Biologics Safety Testing Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.2% during the forecast pe – PharmiWeb.com

A new research report published by Fior Markets with the titleBiologics Safety Testing Market by Product Type (Instruments, Services, Kit and Reagents), Test Type (Bioburden tests, Endotoxin, Sterility, Cell Line Authentication, Adventitious Agent Detection Tests, Residual Host Contamination Detection Tests, Characterization Tests and other), Application ( Vaccine Development, Blood Products, Tissue and Tissue related Products testing, Cellular and Gene Therapy and Stem Cell Research), Region, Global Forecast 2020-2027.

Theglobal biologics safety testing marketis expected to grow from USD 3.08 billion in 2019 to USD 7.62 billion by 2027, at a CAGR of 12.2% during the forecast period 2020-2027. Asia-Pacific is expected to increase at the highest CAGR. The rise is healthcare spending, and increasing awareness among the people has anticipated the market growth of the biologics safety testing market. Although, currently North America holds the largest market share as high investments in biotechnology and cancer research has increased the demand for the products. Also, development of vaccines, & drugs and increasing number of R&D investments by many companies has contributed to the market demand. Additionally, increasing number of chronic diseases is anticipated to increase the usage of advanced technologies accelerated the market growth.

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Key players in the biologics safety testing market are Toxikon Corporation, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Pace Analytical, Lonza Group, MilliporeSigma, Sartorius Stedim BioOutcome Limited, SGS SA, Merck KFaA, Cytovance Biologics Inc., WuXi Apptec, Charles River Laboratries and others. The companies have been tying up with the research centres in order to adopt the technical advancements and increase the sales margin.

The product type segment includes instruments, services, kit and reagents.Reagents constitutes for the largest market share among all. They can be classified into antibiotics, biological buffers, attachments & matrix factors, etc. The reason for their large market share is the rapid technical advancements and modifications. The test type segment includes bioburden tests, endotoxin, sterility, cell line authentication, adventitious agent detection tests, residual host contamination detection tests, characterization tests and other. Endotoxin dominates the market demand out of all the segments. The rise in use of these tests in sectors such as manufacturing and production of drugs has been the contributing factors. The application segment includes vaccine development, blood products, tissue and tissue related products testing, cellular and gene therapy and stem cell research. Vaccine constitutes of the largest market share as of now in the application segment as because vaccines are made necessary by almost every state. The growing vulnerability to possess disease has increased the use of vaccines over the years which have accelerated the market demand of the biologics safety testing market.

Biologics safety testing prevents bacterial contamination. The products contain serum and blood. The objective of the biologics safety testing devices is to ensure safety of vaccines and biopharmaceuticals by eliminating any bacterial presence. The growing advancement in healthcare sector and continuous innovations in the product have increased the market demand of the product. Also, growing awareness for hygiene among people is the reason why its application has increase over the years.

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About the report:The globalbiologics safety testing market is analyzed on the basis of value (USD Billion), volume (K Units), export (K Units), and import (K Units). All the segments have been analyzed on global, regional and country basis. The study includes an analysis of more than 30 countries for each segment. The report offers in-depth analysis of driving factors, opportunities, restraints, and challenges for gaining the key insight of the market. The study includes porters five forces model, attractiveness analysis, raw material analysis, and competitor position grid analysis.

Customization of the Report:The report can be customized as per client requirements. For further queries, you can contact us onsales@fiormarkets.comor +1-201-465-4211. Our executives will be pleased to understand your requirements and offer you the best-suited reports.

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Global Biologics Safety Testing Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.2% during the forecast pe - PharmiWeb.com

Latest Report on Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market to Grow Significantly With Increasing Advancements in Technology, Says QYR – Owned

LOS ANGELES, United States: QY Research has recently published a report, titled Global Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Size, Status and Forecast 2020-2026. The research report gives the potential headway openings that prevails in the global market. The report is amalgamated depending on research procured from primary and secondary information. The global Cancer Stem Cell Therapy market is relied upon to develop generously and succeed in volume and value during the predicted time period. Moreover, the report gives nitty gritty data on different manufacturers, region, and products which are important to totally understanding the market.

Key Companies/Manufacturers operating in the global Cancer Stem Cell Therapy market include: AVIVA BioSciences, AdnaGen, Advanced Cell Diagnostics, Silicon Biosystems

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Segmental Analysis

Both developed and emerging regions are deeply studied by the authors of the report. The regional analysis section of the report offers a comprehensive analysis of the global Cancer Stem Cell Therapy market on the basis of region. Each region is exhaustively researched about so that players can use the analysis to tap into unexplored markets and plan powerful strategies to gain a foothold in lucrative markets.

Global Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Segment By Type:

Autologous Stem Cell TransplantsAllogeneic Stem Cell TransplantsSyngeneic Stem Cell TransplantsOther Cancer Stem Cell Therapy

Global Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Segment By Application:

HospitalClinicMedical Research InstitutionOther

Competitive Landscape

Competitor analysis is one of the best sections of the report that compares the progress of leading players based on crucial parameters, including market share, new developments, global reach, local competition, price, and production. From the nature of competition to future changes in the vendor landscape, the report provides in-depth analysis of the competition in the global Cancer Stem Cell Therapy market.

Key companies operating in the global Cancer Stem Cell Therapy market include AVIVA BioSciences, AdnaGen, Advanced Cell Diagnostics, Silicon Biosystems

Key questions answered in the report:

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TOC

1 Report Overview1.1 Study Scope1.2 Key Market Segments1.3 Players Covered: Ranking by Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Revenue1.4 Market by Type1.4.1 Global Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Size Growth Rate by Type: 2020 VS 20261.4.2 Autologous Stem Cell Transplants1.4.3 Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplants1.4.4 Syngeneic Stem Cell Transplants1.4.5 Other1.5 Market by Application1.5.1 Global Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Share by Application: 2020 VS 20261.5.2 Hospital1.5.3 Clinic1.5.4 Medical Research Institution1.5.5 Other1.6 Study Objectives1.7 Years Considered 2 Global Growth Trends2.1 Global Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Perspective (2015-2026)2.2 Global Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Growth Trends by Regions2.2.1 Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Size by Regions: 2015 VS 2020 VS 20262.2.2 Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Historic Market Share by Regions (2015-2020)2.2.3 Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Forecasted Market Size by Regions (2021-2026)2.3 Industry Trends and Growth Strategy2.3.1 Market Top Trends2.3.2 Market Drivers2.3.3 Market Challenges2.3.4 Porters Five Forces Analysis2.3.5 Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Growth Strategy2.3.6 Primary Interviews with Key Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Players (Opinion Leaders) 3 Competition Landscape by Key Players3.1 Global Top Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Players by Market Size3.1.1 Global Top Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Players by Revenue (2015-2020)3.1.2 Global Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Revenue Market Share by Players (2015-2020)3.1.3 Global Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Share by Company Type (Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3)3.2 Global Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Concentration Ratio3.2.1 Global Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Concentration Ratio (CR5 and HHI)3.2.2 Global Top 10 and Top 5 Companies by Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Revenue in 20193.3 Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Key Players Head office and Area Served3.4 Key Players Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Product Solution and Service3.5 Date of Enter into Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market3.6 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion Plans 4 Market Size by Type (2015-2026)4.1 Global Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Historic Market Size by Type (2015-2020)4.2 Global Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Forecasted Market Size by Type (2021-2026) 5 Market Size by Application (2015-2026)5.1 Global Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Size by Application (2015-2020)5.2 Global Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Forecasted Market Size by Application (2021-2026) 6 North America6.1 North America Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Size (2015-2020)6.2 Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Key Players in North America (2019-2020)6.3 North America Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Size by Type (2015-2020)6.4 North America Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Size by Application (2015-2020) 7 Europe7.1 Europe Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Size (2015-2020)7.2 Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Key Players in Europe (2019-2020)7.3 Europe Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Size by Type (2015-2020)7.4 Europe Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Size by Application (2015-2020) 8 China8.1 China Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Size (2015-2020)8.2 Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Key Players in China (2019-2020)8.3 China Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Size by Type (2015-2020)8.4 China Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Size by Application (2015-2020) 9 Japan9.1 Japan Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Size (2015-2020)9.2 Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Key Players in Japan (2019-2020)9.3 Japan Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Size by Type (2015-2020)9.4 Japan Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Size by Application (2015-2020) 10 Southeast Asia10.1 Southeast Asia Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Size (2015-2020)10.2 Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Key Players in Southeast Asia (2019-2020)10.3 Southeast Asia Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Size by Type (2015-2020)10.4 Southeast Asia Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Size by Application (2015-2020) 11 India11.1 India Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Size (2015-2020)11.2 Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Key Players in India (2019-2020)11.3 India Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Size by Type (2015-2020)11.4 India Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Size by Application (2015-2020) 12 Central & South America12.1 Central & South America Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Size (2015-2020)12.2 Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Key Players in Central & South America (2019-2020)12.3 Central & South America Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Size by Type (2015-2020)12.4 Central & South America Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Size by Application (2015-2020) 13 Key Players Profiles13.1 AVIVA BioSciences13.1.1 AVIVA BioSciences Company Details13.1.2 AVIVA BioSciences Business Overview13.1.3 AVIVA BioSciences Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Introduction13.1.4 AVIVA BioSciences Revenue in Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Business (2015-2020))13.1.5 AVIVA BioSciences Recent Development13.2 AdnaGen13.2.1 AdnaGen Company Details13.2.2 AdnaGen Business Overview13.2.3 AdnaGen Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Introduction13.2.4 AdnaGen Revenue in Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Business (2015-2020)13.2.5 AdnaGen Recent Development13.3 Advanced Cell Diagnostics13.3.1 Advanced Cell Diagnostics Company Details13.3.2 Advanced Cell Diagnostics Business Overview13.3.3 Advanced Cell Diagnostics Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Introduction13.3.4 Advanced Cell Diagnostics Revenue in Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Business (2015-2020)13.3.5 Advanced Cell Diagnostics Recent Development13.4 Silicon Biosystems13.4.1 Silicon Biosystems Company Details13.4.2 Silicon Biosystems Business Overview13.4.3 Silicon Biosystems Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Introduction13.4.4 Silicon Biosystems Revenue in Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Business (2015-2020)13.4.5 Silicon Biosystems Recent Development 14 Analysts Viewpoints/Conclusions 15 Appendix15.1 Research Methodology15.1.1 Methodology/Research Approach15.1.2 Data Source15.2 Disclaimer15.3 Author Details

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Latest Report on Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market to Grow Significantly With Increasing Advancements in Technology, Says QYR - Owned

Vertex hires BMS vet Atkinson to shore up manufacturing for bustling cell and gene therapy pipeline – FiercePharma

Vertex has long been known for its cystic fibrosis brand, including fast-growing triple-combo med Trikafta. But Vertex has its eyes on much more than cystic fibrosis with a bustling cell and gene therapy pipeline, and now the company's found the manufacturing chief to help it get there.

Vertex has tapped Bristol Myers Squibb veteran E. Morrey Atkinson, Ph.D., as its senior vice president and head of commercial manufacturing and supply chain to help take the drugmaker into its next phase.

Atkinson is the first major C-suite hire under new CEO Reshma Kewalramani, who took the helm earlier this year after switching from the chief medical officer role. His hiring will add an experienced hand in cell and gene therapy manufacturing as Kewalramani steers Vertex's growing and diversified pipeline to the commercial stage.

Until June, Atkinson was senior vice president of global manufacturing operations at Bristol and helped lead the manufacturing integration team for Bristol's $74 billion Celgene merger that closed in November.

In his previous roles at Eli Lilly and Cook Pharmica (now Catalent), Atkinson specialized in biologics manufacturing and led clinical production for some of the earliest viral vectors used in cell and gene therapies. Atkinson also spearheaded the building and qualification of commercial production facilities in the U.S. and Ireland, Vertex said.

RELATED: Vertex plans major Boston expansion to support gene, cell therapy ambitions

In June 2019, Vertex unveiled its plan to build a new cell and gene therapies research site in Boston after putting down $420 million to acquire ExonicsTherapeutics and expand its existing partnership with CRISPR Therapeutics for multiple Duchenne muscular dystrophy candidates.

Vertex followed that investment up with its $950 million buy of Semma Therapeutics in September, adding the biotech's stem-cell-based diabetes treatments into the mix.

In November, Vertex was reportedly in advanced talks to lease a 256,000-square-foot facility in Boston's Innovation Square to house the drugmaker's planned cell and gene therapy unit. Vertex reportedly scoured the greater Boston region for a new foothold, including sites in Cambridge, Waltham and Watertown, but picked Innovation Square because its one of the most advanced projects in the neighborhood, on track to open in 2021.

So far, Vertex hasn't publicly announced the future home for its advanced therapies unit, though. The drugmaker is also runninginvestigational candidates in APOL1-mediated kidney disease, beta thalassemia, sickle disease and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency through clinical testing.

RELATED: Vertex CEO Leiden touts gangbusters Trikafta launch in 'mic drop' earnings call

In the meantime, Vertex currently houses its entire continuous manufacturing center for its cystic fibrosis portfolio at a south Boston facility that employs 100, the drugmaker said.

That site has been running at full speed with sales for Vertex's latest CF launch, Trikafta, blowing past analyst consensus on its way to blockbuster status.

In the first quarter, Trikafta hit $895 million in sales after just five months on the market. Those sales are higher than Vertex's three established CF meds combined and put the drug well on track to hit SVB Leerink analyst Geoffrey Porges' prediction of $4.6 billion in annual sales by 2023 and $6.6 billion in 2025.

Trikafta's gangbusters launch came as a fitting sendoff for CEO Jeffrey Leiden, who moved over into the chairman role in favor of then-CMO Kewalramani.

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Vertex hires BMS vet Atkinson to shore up manufacturing for bustling cell and gene therapy pipeline - FiercePharma

Biological, clinical and epidemiological features of COVID-19, SARS and MERS and AutoDock simulation of ACE2 – Infectious Diseases of Poverty – BioMed…

Biological, clinical and epidemiologic features of COVID-19

The comparison of features among COVID-19, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV is summarized in Table1.

With high-throughput sequencing, researchers announced the sequencing of SARS-CoV-2. The genome of SARS-CoV-2 consists of 6 major ORFs that are common to coronaviruses, and the sequence of SARS-CoV-2 has almost 70% similarity to that of SARS-CoV and nearly 40% similarity to that of MERS-CoV [5, 6, 11, 12]. The main differences among SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV are in ORF1a and the sequence of gene spike coding protein-S [5], which was identified as a key protein that interacts with target cells.

In terms of electron microscopic morphology, SARS-CoV-2 virions are generally spherical, but some are polygonal. The diameter is between 60 and 140nm. The virus particles have prominent spines that are approximately 9 to 12nm, which cause the virus to have a coronal shape. According to the virus morphology observed under the microscope, the virus is consistent with other in the coronavirus family, including SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV [5, 13].

The receptor on the target cells is the factor determining how the virus enters the cell and which tissues are susceptible, and the spike protein initiates the merging of the viral envelope with the host cell cytomembrane. Existing experimental studies have shown that ACE2 is likely to be the cell receptor of SARS-CoV-2, and SARS-CoV-2 does not use other coronavirus receptors. The main receptors of SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV are ACE2 and hDPP4 (human dipeptidyl peptidase 4 or CD26), respectively [1, 5, 14].

Although the study of COVID-19 is still in progress, our summary and comparison of coronaviruses can be useful for further research and clinical applications. The clinical symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to those of SARS and MERS, including fever, cough, myalgia and fatigue. Almost all of the patients have pneumonia, and their chest CT examinations are abnormal [1, 4, 15,16,17]. However, those who are infected with SARS-CoV-2 rarely have significant upper respiratory signs and symptoms, including nosebleed, sneezing or sore throat, which indicates that the target cell may exist in the lower respiratory tract. This is consistent with the autopsy reports of patients with COVID-19 that show that SARS-CoV-2 infection mainly causes deep airway inflammatory reactions and alveolar damage. Some patients may also have headache, hemoptysis, diarrhea, dyspnea and lymphocytopenia, but patients are less likely to have gastrointestinal symptoms [4]. Complications include acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute heart injury, and secondary infections. COVID-19 patients can be divided into those with asymptomatic, mild and severe cases. For most patients, the incubation period of the virus is generally 714days. Typically, COVID-19 gradually progresses and worsens. Thus, each patients condition becomes more serious in the second week.

COVID-19, SARS, and MERS have different mortality rates. Among them, MERS had the highest fatality rate, and COVID-19 has the lowest fatality rate. It is worth noting that watery diarrhea is common in almost 60% of patients who suffer from SARS, and there is a typical biphasic clinical course [10, 18, 19]. In MERS, most patients have symptoms that include dry cough fever, malaise, myalgia, sore throat, headache, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, which are similar to the symptoms of SARS, but MERS has an unpredictable and erratic clinical course [19,20,21,22]. Fibrosis and consolidation in COVID-19 are less serious than the lesions caused by SARS, revealing that in COVID-19, the chest lesions are not primarily serous inflammation but rather are exudative reactions. Whether damage to the brain, myocardium, epicardium, kidneys, spleen and digestive organs is associated with viral infection needs further research.

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) and electron microscopy technology play critical roles in the early diagnosis of COVID-19, but their diagnostic values have been weakened by the use of specific nucleic acid detection technology [11, 23]. At present, clinically confirmed patients are usually diagnosed by collecting throat swabs and then detecting the nucleic acid of SARS-CoV-2.

Diagnosis based on clinical manifestations can be an early and rapid screening method. Patients with mild symptoms may not present positive signs. Patients in severe condition may have shortness of breath, moist rales in lungs, weakened breath sounds, dullness on percussion, and changes in voice, and the physical examination can help identify these symptoms. In addition, CT imaging plays an important role in the diagnosis. The imaging features of lesions show characteristic (1) distribution (mainly subpleural, along the bronchial vascular bundles); (2) quantity (often more than three lesions, occasionally single or double lesions); (3) shape (patchy, large block, nodular, lumpy, honeycomb-like or grid-like, cord-like, etc.); (4) density (mostly uneven, crazy-paving pattern mixed with ground glass opacity and interlobular septal thickening, consolidation and thickened bronchial wall, etc.); and (5) concomitant signs (e.g., air bronchogram, rare pleural effusion and mediastinal lymph node enlargement). However, these are not enough. COVID-19 needs to be distinguished from other known viruses that cause pneumonia, such as influenza virus, parainfluenza virus, adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, rhinovirus, human metapneumovirus, SARS-CoV, etc. and from Mycoplasma pneumonia, Chlamydia pneumonia, and bacterial pneumonia. In addition, COVID-19 should be distinguished from noninfectious diseases, such as vasculitis, dermatomyositis, and organizing pneumonia.

Research on identifying effective drugs has started, and there have been many in vitro and in vivo experiments being conducted [24]. Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 are currently in development, and there are at least two kinds currently ready for testing. There are approximately 15 potential vaccine candidates in the pipeline globally using a wide range of approaches (such as messenger RNA, DNA, nanoparticle, and synthetic and modified virus-like particles). The vaccine candidates will be developed by a number of organizations using DNA, recombinant and mRNA vaccine platforms109. On 23 January 2020, The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) announced that they will fund vaccine development programmes with Inovio, The University of Queensland and Moderna, Inc., with the target of testing the experimental vaccines clinically. It will likely take approximately a year for most candidates to enter phase 1 clinical trials except for those funded by CEPI. For SARS, the vaccines in development include viral vector-based vaccines, DNA vaccines, subunit vaccines, virus-like particle (VLP)-based vaccines, inactivated whole-virus (IWV) vaccines and live attenuated vaccines, and the latest findings for these vaccines are based on the review by Yong et al. (2019) in August 2019 [25]. There was one SARS vaccine trial conducted by the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Both Phase I clinical trials reported positive results, but only one will proceed to the Phase 2 trial. For MERS, there is only one published clinical study on a vaccine developed by GeneOne Life Science & Inovio Pharmaceuticals [26]. For therapeutics, there are nine clinical trials registered with the clinical trials registry (ClinicalTrials.gov) investigating therapeutic agents for COVID-19. Five studies on hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir plus ritonavir and arbidol, mesenchymal stem cells, traditional Chinese medicine and glucocorticoid therapy usage have commenced recruitment, and the other four are on antivirals, interferon atomization, darunavir and cobicistat, Arbidol, and remdesivir [24].

COVID-19 patients admitted to a qualified hospital are given chemotherapy, including antiviral treatment, antibiotic therapy, corticosteroid therapy and other medications, such as ibuprofen as an antipyretic, nutrition support treatment, H2 receptor antagonists or proton pump inhibitors for gastrointestinal bleeding, and selective (M1, M3) receptor anticholinergic drugs for dyspnea, coughing, wheezing, and respiratory distress syndrome. Although -interferon atomization inhalation and oral lopinavir/ritonavir can be considered, the effectiveness of the combined use of antivirals is still unknown, given the lack of evidence from a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Given the high risk of adverse effects, there are limitations on the use of corticosteroids. Traditional Chinese medicine has shown a good effect with regard to both prevention and treatment. Fumigating rooms with moxa and wearing perfumed Chinese herb bags can help prevent community transmission. Huoxiang Zhengqi capsules are recommended for hypodynamia accompanied by gastrointestinal upset caused by COVID-19. For hypodynamia and fever, Jinhua Qinggan granules, Lianhua Qingwen capsules, Shufeng Jiedu capsules and Fangfeng Tongsheng pills are recommended [23].

Nursing care is important for isolated and critically ill patients, as classified according to the guidelines. Isolated patients at home should monitor their body temperature and breathing regularly. Patients are given oxygen therapy via a nasal catheter or a mask, antiviral drugs, antibacterial drugs, symptomatic treatments, nutritional support and psychological counselling. Critically ill patients are monitored with regard to their vital signs, water-electrolyte balance, acid-base balance, and the functioning of various organs. In addition to nutritional support and psychological counselling, they need oxygen therapy and some special treatments. For example, if a patient develops moderate to severe ARDS, invasive mechanical ventilation with the patient in a prone position needs to be initiated [23, 27].

According to Yang et al., the case fatality ratio (CFR) during the first weeks of the epidemic ranged from 0.15% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.120.18%) in mainland China excluding Hubei t 1.41% (95% CI: 1.381.45%) in Hubei Province excluding the city of Wuhan to 5.25% (95% CI: 4.985.51%) in Wuhan City based on data from the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission and the China and National Health Commission of China [28]. Chen et al. systematically described 99 cases of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China. Critically ill patients died of severe pneumonia, septic shock, respiratory failure and multiple organ failure (MOF). The authors reached a speculative conclusion that SARS-CoV-2 is more likely to infect older adult males with chronic comorbidities as a result of their weaker immune systems. In patients with severe coinfections, immune function is important in addition to the virulence of the pathogens. Old age, obesity, and the presence of comorbidities might be associated with increased mortality. In addition, a substantial decrease in the total number of lymphocytes indicates that SARS-CoV-2 consumes many immune cells and inhibits the bodys cellular immune function; therefore, a low absolute value of lymphocytes could be used as a reference index in the diagnosis of new SARS-CoV-2 infections in the clinic [29].

It is essential to analyze the infection source, transmission route, susceptible population and replication rate, especially the intermediate host and the exact route of transmission, to find the best measures to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.

The infection sources include patients, virus carriers, and infected animals that serve as viral reservoirs. Searching for the hosts of the virus, or for the infection sources, is a vital process in understanding the viral dynamics. SARS-CoV-2 has 96.2% genetic sequence similarity to the previously identified BatCoV RaTG13, suggesting that bats are most likely to be the host of SARS-CoV-2 [1, 3, 30, 31]. The cluster of cases in the seafood market was comprehensively analyzed, and sequence comparison revealed that pangolins are the most likely intermediate host for SARS-CoV-2 [30]. However, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV were also identified as having zoonotic origins, and the animal reservoirs seemed to be bats [9, 32]. Although bat coronaviruses are genetically related, the intermediate hosts are involved in cross-species transmission, after which human-to-human transmission developed. In contrast to SARS-CoV-2, the intermediate host of SARS-CoV was mainly palm civets [9, 33, 34], and the intermediate host of MERS-CoV was thought to be dromedary camels [22, 35]. All three coronaviruses can be traced to bats, while there are different intermediate hosts involved in cross-species transmission. These three viruses have caused widespread epidemics that originated in animal reservoirs; the high morbidity and mortality levels have caused panic and substantial economic loss.

Viruses can directly infect people but can also infect one or more kinds of animals. Although these animals themselves do not cause disease, they can act as vectors for the virus and transmit it to humans; during this process, some viruses may mutate and evolve new characteristics. According to the experimental results of Peng et al. [5], SARS-CoV-2 can be transmitted through respiratory droplets and direct contact, confirming that while the main transmission route of SARS-CoV-2 is aerosols, other routes of transmission may exist. Moreover, a recent experiment conducted with recovering patients found that SARS-CoV-2 can also exist in the patients stool, suggesting that the fecal-oral route may be a route of transmisson [36]. Li et al. investigated cases of SARS and found that SARS was spread mainly by respiratory droplets [19]. By analyzing case data, Hui et al. also found that direct person-to-person transmission through close contact can also spread SARS-CoV [18]. MERS-CoV was mainly transmitted through close contact with infected family members or infected individuals in the hospital. Xiao et al. identified seven hypothesized transmission modes based on the three main transmission routes (long-range airborne, close contact, and fomite), and the infection risks associated with each hypothesis were estimated using the multiagent modeling framework. This showed that transmission occurred via both the long-range airborne and close contact routes [22]. Based on the available data, all three coronaviruses can be transmitted by breathing respiratory droplets that contain virions, which indicates that wearing masks is an effective means of protecting susceptible people. All three coronaviruses are transmitted from animals to humans and from humans to humans.

There is no evidence that people with certain characteristics are not susceptible to COVID-19. The available data suggest that people of all ages who have close contact with patients can be infected by SARS-CoV-2 [36,37,38]. The general public is susceptible, and the data are still being updated daily. The elderly population and patients with basic diseases are more susceptible to severe illness after infection, and children and infants can also be infected by SARS-CoV-2 [39]. SARS-CoV had a tendency to affect healthier and younger persons, with a mean patient age of 39.9years (range 191), and the male to female ratio was 11.3, with a slight female predominance. MERS-CoV had a tendency to affect the elderly and frail populations, especially males, with a mean age of 56years (range 1494), and the male to female ratio was 3.31 with a male predominance [8, 10, 40].

A commonly used measure of infectivity is the basic reproduction number (R0), which is the average number of people infected who pass the virus on to others without intervention. In other words, the value is equivalent to how many people can be infected by an average patient. The larger the R0 is, the harder it is to control the epidemic. Researchers have estimated the R0 to be in the range of 2.83.9, assuming extreme cases, which means that on average a COVID-19 patient passes the virus on to 2.83.9 healthy persons [28, 41]. In comparison, the R0 of MERS has been reported to be less than 1, and the R0 of SARS is estimated to be 3. Considering that the disease is now widespread around the world, the R0 of COVID-19 may change and could be higher than those of SARS and MERS.

As of May 24, 2020, there were caused 84536 confirmed cases of COVID-19, 4645 deaths and 79757 cured cases in China. A total of 5490640 cases have been diagnosed, and 346328 deaths have occurred worldwide. SARS infected more than 8098 people in 29 countries and caused 916 deaths, with a mortality rate of approximately 10%. MERS was first found in the Arabian Peninsula and infected approximately 2254 people (from 2012 through September 16, 2018) in 27 countries; MERS caused 800 deaths, with a mortality rate of approximately 35%. SARS was characterized by superspreading events, while COVID-19 is unique for its indiscriminate transmission among the general public. However, MERS seemed to be less aggressive [8, 10, 42].

Epidemiological changes have been monitored, taking into account potential routes of transmission and subclinical infections. The official platform updates the public daily on the number of newly diagnosed cases, deaths and cures in each administrative region based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and hospitals at all levels. Since the outbreak, many emergency measures have been taken to reduce person-to-person transmission of SARS-CoV-2. For example, public services and facilities provide disinfectants on a routine basis to encourage appropriate hand hygiene, and physical contact with wet and contaminated objects is considered when dealing with the virus, especially fecal and urine samples that can potentially serve as an alternative route of transmission. China and other countries have implemented major prevention and control measures, including screening travelers, to control further spread of the virus [43]. There are many people donating money, vegetables, medical supplies, etc. to the areas affected by the epidemic. In Wuhan, two hospitals, Vulcan Mountain Hospital and Raytheon Mountain Hospital, were built within 10 days, which can contain 1000 and 1300 patients, respectively. According to the Peoples Daily, the National Health and Fitness Commission reported that there are more than 11000 critical care workers and more than 2000 intensive care unit nurses, and there will be more pooling of medical resources in places where they are most needed. The Chinese government has shut down schools and closed businesses to reduce transmission [44].

The outbreak has also caused widespread public concern. Husnayain et al. studied the potential to use Google Trends (GT) to monitor public restlessness regarding the COVID-19 epidemic, and they found that searches related to COVID-19 and face masks increased rapidly [45]. With the advent of 5G and the rapid development of the information age, it may be more convenient for the masses to obtain the latest news from the Internet; thus, Internet-based risk communication is becoming an appropriate strategy. There are many disease control organizations and medical institutions that have played an official role in this outbreak and provided accurate and reliable information to the public in a timely manner. For example, laboratory confirmation of COVID-19 was performed in five different institutions, namely, the China CDC, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Wuhan Institute of Virology, and Academy of Military Medical Sciences, and Chinese Academy of Sciences [29]. According to the CCTV news, with scientific progress has enabled the use of advanced technologies to control this epidemic. In addition, the health code divides the public into three health situations, namely, green, red and yellow. This provides an effective method of facilitating crowd tracking and monitoring. Furthermore, the geographic information system (GIS), which has long been used by many health professionals when tracking and combating contagion, also plays an important role in the geographical tracking and mapping of epidemics. A range of practical online/mobile GIS and mapping dashboards and applications have come into use for tracking the COVID-19 epidemic [46].

Some treatments have been adopted in clinical practice, and a few have been successful [24, 47]. According to Prashant Pradhan, the first case cured in sevendays in the United States showed that the antiviral medication remdesivir may become one of the specific medicines for COVID-19; however, this remains to be verified through clinical trials [16]. According to the research by Wang, XF, et al. about the clinical manifestations and epidemiology in children with COVID-19 treated with lopinavir and ritonavir and without glucocorticoids and immunoglobulin, all 20 patients improved and were discharged from hospital. This may lead to the conclusion that childrens clinical symptoms of COVID-19 are nonspecific and milder than those in adults, which has significant clinical value [48].

Future research priorities may be focused on biological research on SARS-CoV-2 and clinical research on COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment. According to Pradhan et al., there are four unique insertions, which have similarity to HIV, in the S-protein in COVID-19, which may explain its contagiousness. The gene binding site may become a new target of therapeutics to prevent transmission of the virus [49]. Specifically, virus particles are found in the feces, which suggests that there may exist other routes of transmission, such as fecal-oral transmission. Previously, we focused on cutting off transmission routes mainly by limiting contact and preventing respiratory droplet transmission. This finding emphasizes the significance of dealing with the feces of the patient. Therefore, for patients who already have COVID-19, careful disposal of their feces is an important concern with regard to reducing viral transmission [36]. On the basis of the research by Hongzhou Lu, lopinavir/ritonavir, nucleoside analogs, neuraminidase inhibitors, remdesivir, peptide (EK1), Arbidol, RNA synthesis inhibitors (such as TDF, 3TC), anti-inflammatory drugs (such as hormones and other molecules), Chinese traditional medicine and so on could be therapies for COVID-19, but the effects and safety remain to be tested in clinical trials [27].

3D structures of remdesivir, chloroquine, ciclesonide, niclosamide, and lopinavirus were obtained from NCBI PubChem. The crystal structure of ACE2 (PDB code: 6M17) was obtained from the Protein Data Bank. The ligands within the crystal structure complex were extracted by PyMOL software (San Carlos, CA, USA). AutoDock 4.2 was used for the docking system test. AutoDock tools initialized the ligands by adding gasteiger charges, merging nonpolar hydrogen bonds, and setting rotatable bonds. The ligands were rewritten into PDBQT format, which can be read by Autodock software (AutoDock 4.2, San Carlos, CA, USA). AutoDock Tools were used to add polar hydrogen to the entire receptor. The grid box was set to contain the entire receptor region. The receptor output was also saved in PDBQT format. AutoDock Vina was set with the macromolecule held fixed and the ligands flexible. Affinity maps for all the atom types present, as well as an electrostatic map, were computed, with a grid spacing of 0.375. The structural models were collected from the lowest-energy docking solution of each cluster of autodocks. It is evident from the findings of Fig.2 and Table2 that combinations of antiviral agents are more successful than a single drug.

AutoDock calculations were performed to determine and compare the binding affinities of remdesivir, chloroquine, ciclesonide, niclosamide, and lopinavirus to ACE2. LEU: Leucine, PHE: Phenylalanine, MET: Methionine, VAL: Valine), ILE: Isoleucine, TRP: Ttryptophan, TYR: Tyrosine

The outbreak of SARS renewed interest in this family of viruses and resulted in the development of new drugs, among which remdesivir, chloroquine, ciclesonide, niclosamide, and lopinavirus are the most promising [50,51,52]. In addition, as mentioned above, ACE2 plays a vital role in the development of COVID-19 [53]. With regard to testing the effectiveness of previous medicines used by scientists for the treatment of diseases caused by coronaviruses, AutoDock calculations have been performed to classify specific binding amino acids and thus to determine the likely common cure targets for ACE2. As shown in Table2 and Fig.2, we found that chloroquine and ciclesonide share similar binding amino acid residues (MET124, LEU127, ILE472 and VAL589). Likewise, remdesivir and niclosamide also possess MET124. Taken together, we might therefore hypothesize that MET124 plays a key role in the efficiency of these drugs targeting ACE2. MET24 appears to be a potential target for COVID-19. However, there is no similar amino acid for lopinavir, suggesting that further studies are needed to elucidate the molecular mechanism of lopinavir treatment of COVID-19.

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Fate Therapeutics Announces Exclusive License Agreement with Baylor College of Medicine for Rejection-resistant iPSC-derived Cellular Therapies -…

License Covers First-in-class Alloimmune Defense Receptors Designed to Protect Allogeneic Cells from Rejection in Immunocompetent Recipients

Preclinical Data Published in the Journal Nature Biotechnology Demonstrate Allogeneic CAR T Cells Overcome Immune Rejection and Exhibit Durable Tumor Eradication

SAN DIEGO, July 14, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fate Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: FATE), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of programmed cellular immunotherapies for cancer and immune disorders, today announced that the Company entered into an exclusive license agreement with Baylor College of Medicine covering alloimmune defense receptors, a first-in-class approach that renders off-the-shelf allogeneic cell products resistant to host immune rejection. Preclinical studies published in the journal Nature Biotechnology (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41587-020-0601-5) demonstrate that allogeneic cells engineered with a novel alloimmune defense receptor (ADR) are protected from both T- and NK-cell mediated rejection, and provide proof-of-concept that ADR-expressing allogeneic cell therapies can durably persist in immunocompetent recipients.

Allogeneic cell therapy requires a patient to endure systemic lympho-conditioning to suppress the immune system and mitigate cellular rejection, often resulting in severe blood cell deficiencies and related toxicities. There is great interest in strategies that enable allogeneic cells to overcome host immunity and evade immune rejection while maintaining a patients functional hematopoietic system, said Scott Wolchko, President and Chief Executive Officer of Fate Therapeutics. The published preclinical data provide compelling evidence that allogeneic cell therapies armed with novel alloimmune defense receptors can effectively abrogate both T- and NK-cell rejection responses and can persist and remain functional in immunocompetent patients.

ADRs are synthetic receptors that selectively recognize cell surface receptors, such as 4-1BB, that are uniquely expressed on activated lymphocytes, which are responsible for host immune rejection. The published preclinical findings show that the arming of allogeneic T cells with an ADR selectively eliminates alloreactive T and NK cells, while sparing resting lymphocytes. Importantly, in in vivo preclinical models of cancer, allogeneic T cells expressing both an ADR and a CD19-targeted chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) demonstrated increased expansion and persistence, resulting in sustained tumor eradication and a long-term survival benefit compared to conventional CD19-targeted CAR T cells.

There is tremendous promise for the use of off-the-shelf allogeneic cells as replacement therapy. One of the most significant barriers to overcome is host immunity, which can prevent the engraftment of allogeneic cells and the long-term replacement of a patients damaged or dysfunctional cells, said Maksim Mamonkin, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine and the senior author on the Nature Biotechnology publication. We are excited for Fate Therapeutics to explore the use of alloimmune defense receptors in the development of rejection-resistant, iPSC-derived cellular therapies.

About Fate Therapeutics iPSC Product PlatformThe Companys proprietary induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) product platform enables mass production of off-the-shelf, engineered, homogeneous cell products that can be administered with multiple doses to deliver more effective pharmacologic activity, including in combination with cycles of other cancer treatments. Human iPSCs possess the unique dual properties of unlimited self-renewal and differentiation potential into all cell types of the body. The Companys first-of-kind approach involves engineering human iPSCs in a one-time genetic modification event and selecting a single engineered iPSC for maintenance as a clonal master iPSC line. Analogous to master cell lines used to manufacture biopharmaceutical drug products such as monoclonal antibodies, clonal master iPSC lines are a renewable source for manufacturing cell therapy products which are well-defined and uniform in composition, can be mass produced at significant scale in a cost-effective manner, and can be delivered off-the-shelf for patient treatment. As a result, the Companys platform is uniquely capable of overcoming numerous limitations associated with the production of cell therapies using patient- or donor-sourced cells, which is logistically complex and expensive and is subject to batch-to-batch and cell-to-cell variability that can affect clinical safety and efficacy. Fate Therapeutics iPSC product platform is supported by an intellectual property portfolio of over 300 issued patents and 150 pending patent applications.

About Fate Therapeutics, Inc.Fate Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of first-in-class cellular immunotherapies for cancer and immune disorders. The Company has established a leadership position in the clinical development and manufacture of universal, off-the-shelf cell products using its proprietary induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) product platform. The Companys immuno-oncology product candidates include natural killer (NK) cell and T-cell cancer immunotherapies, which are designed to synergize with well-established cancer therapies, including immune checkpoint inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies, and to target tumor-associated antigens with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs). The Companys immuno-regulatory product candidates include ProTmune, a pharmacologically modulated, donor cell graft that is currently being evaluated in a Phase 2 clinical trial for the prevention of graft-versus-host disease, and a myeloid-derived suppressor cell immunotherapy for promoting immune tolerance in patients with immune disorders. Fate Therapeutics is headquartered in San Diego, CA. For more information, please visit http://www.fatetherapeutics.com.

Forward-Looking StatementsThis release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 including statements regarding the advancement of and plans related to the Companys NK and T-cell product candidates and preclinical research and development programs, and the scope and enforceability of the Companys intellectual property portfolio. These and any other forward-looking statements in this release are based on management's current expectations of future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risk that the Company may cease or delay preclinical or clinical development of any of its product candidates for a variety of reasons (including requirements that may be imposed by regulatory authorities on the initiation or conduct of clinical trials or to support regulatory approval, and any adverse events or other negative results that may be observed during preclinical or clinical development), the risk that results observed in preclinical studies of its product candidates may not be replicated in ongoing or future clinical trials or studies, the risk that its product candidates may not produce therapeutic benefits or may cause other unanticipated adverse effects, and the risk that any of the patents owed or licensed by the Company may be challenged and that such a challenge may be successful, resulting in loss of any such patent or loss or reduction in the scope of one or more of the claims of a challenged patent. For a discussion of other risks and uncertainties, and other important factors, any of which could cause the Companys actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see the risks and uncertainties detailed in the Companys periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to the Companys most recently filed periodic report, and from time to time in the Companys press releases and other investor communications.Fate Therapeutics is providing the information in this release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contact:Christina TartagliaStern Investor Relations, Inc.212.362.1200christina@sternir.com

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Fate Therapeutics Announces Exclusive License Agreement with Baylor College of Medicine for Rejection-resistant iPSC-derived Cellular Therapies -...

Nootropics Brain Supplements Market Size By Product Analysis, Application, End-Users, Regional Outlook, Competitive Strategies And Forecast Up To 2026…

New Jersey, United States,- Latest update on Nootropics Brain Supplements Market Analysis report published with extensive market research, Nootropics Brain Supplements Market growth analysis, and forecast by 2026. this report is highly predictive as it holds the overall market analysis of topmost companies into the Nootropics Brain Supplements industry. With the classified Nootropics Brain Supplements market research based on various growing regions, this report provides leading players portfolio along with sales, growth, market share, and so on.

The research report of the Nootropics Brain Supplements market is predicted to accrue a significant remuneration portfolio by the end of the predicted time period. It includes parameters with respect to the Nootropics Brain Supplements market dynamics incorporating varied driving forces affecting the commercialization graph of this business vertical and risks prevailing in the sphere. In addition, it also speaks about the Nootropics Brain Supplements Market growth opportunities in the industry.

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Nootropics Brain Supplements Market Size by End-user Application:

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The report of the Nootropics Brain Supplements market is an in-depth analysis of the business vertical projected to record a commendable annual growth rate over the estimated time period. It also comprises of a precise evaluation of the dynamics related to this marketplace. The purpose of the Nootropics Brain Supplements Market report is to provide important information related to the industry deliverables such as market size, valuation forecast, sales volume, etc.

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USANA (USNA) to Report Q2 Earnings: What’s in the Cards? – Yahoo Finance UK

USANA Health Sciences Inc.USNA is scheduled to report second-quarter 2020 results on Jul 21, aftermarketclose.

The company flaunts a mixedearningssurprise history, having surpassed expectations in three of the trailing four quarters by 63.14%, on average. In the last reported quarter, the company delivered an earnings surprise of 115.79%.

Shares of USANA have gained 12.9% in the year so far against theindustrysdecline of 5.6%.

Let's see how things are shaping up for this announcement.

Factors to Consider

USANA develops and manufactures high-quality nutritional supplements, healthy foods and personal care products that are sold directly to associates and preferred customers throughout the United States, Canada, and many more countries.

USANA expects the COVID-19 pandemic to affect the operational results for the entire year. The results were also affected by the same in the first quarter and the trend most likely prevailed in the second quarter.

For the second quarter, the company had projected sales in the range of $250 million. The ongoing pandemic has most likely impacted both sales and earnings in the second quarter.

In July 2020, USANA received another seal of approval from third-party tester,ConsumerLab.com, for its flagship supplement,USANA CellSentials.This is the highly regardedseal of approval from the ConsumerLab.com. USANA CellSentials is unlike any other nutritional supplement inthe market because of its unique ability to activate the cells' innate natural responses to protect and renew themselves. The seal is likely to have ledto increased sales for the company in the second quarter.

In the same month, USANAs CopaPrime+study, which was conducted in collaboration with Deakin University in Australia and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, showed that the study supports three cognitive measuresworking memory and accuracy, attention speed and response time, and brain efficiencyonly 45 minutes after participants took a single dose.

The CopaPrime+ study showed that participants who took the supplement had significant differences in working memory and accuracy, speed of attention and response time, and brain efficiency over those who were given placebo. With these results, the company reiterated its decision to formulate CopaPrime+ with three nootropics American ginseng, bacopa monnieri, and coffee-fruit extract.We expect an update on this in the second quarter.

USANA Health Sciences, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise

USANA Health Sciences, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise

USANA Health Sciences, Inc. price-eps-surprise | USANA Health Sciences, Inc. Quote

What Our Model Indicates

Our proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for USANA this season. The combination of a positiveEarnings ESPand a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. But that is not the case here as you will see below.

Earnings ESP:USANA has an Earnings ESP of 0.0%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with ourEarnings ESP Filter.

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USANA (USNA) to Report Q2 Earnings: What's in the Cards? - Yahoo Finance UK

COVID-19: The Hidden Majority in India’s Migration Crisis – Chatham House

The World Bank estimates that the magnitude of internal migration is about twoandahalf times that of international migration. Within India, an estimated 40 million internal migrant workers, largely in the informal economy, were severely impacted by the governments COVID-19 lockdown.

With transportation systems initially shut down, many had no recourse to travel options back to homes and villages, resulting in harrowing journeys home. Those who were able to make it home found, in some instances, villages refusing entry because of fears of transmission.

The shocking images of migrants forced to walk in desperation showed the enormity of the crisis as well as some of the challenges posed by an extended lockdown in India where so many people live hand to mouth and cannot afford not to work.

The complete failure of the government to anticipate the needs of this group, and the subsequent distress caused, has made visible a large workforce who experience precarity of work and often live hand to mouth.

One key challenge is the lack of robust data on the scale of internal migration. While estimates abound, there is no proper data collection system in place to accurately record temporary, seasonal and circular migration patterns. However, it is estimated that more than 90% of working people in India are engaged in the informal economy, with states such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar accounting for more than 80% of workers in this sector.

A recent government labour force survey estimated that more than 71% of people with a regular salary working in non-agricultural industries had no written job contract. Nearly half of workers are not eligible for social security benefits.

Daily-wage workers are particularly vulnerable, with limited or no access to social security and most living in poverty. Living hand to mouth, their loss of livelihoods has led to a lack of money to pay rents or pay for food. Women are impacted whether because of their gender, responsibilities as caregivers, or as members of disadvantaged castes and communities.

COVID-19 has massively impacted this group of workers. Stranded Workers Action Network found that 50% of workers had rations left for less than oneday; 74% had less than half their daily wages remaining to survive for the rest of the lockdown period; and 89% had not been paid by their employers at all during the lockdown.

According to Supreme Court proceedings, relief camps are housing some 660,000 workers; some 2.2 million people also rely on emergency food supplies. Job losses, and home and food insecurity have left this group highly vulnerable.

In March 2020, in response to COVID-19, the Indian government instituted the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKB), a $22.6 billion relief package. The World Bank announced $1 billion funding to accelerate social protection support, in part through the PMGKB.

This support would work alongside pre-existing initiatives such as the Public Distribution System (PDS), which covers 800 million people, and Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT). This cash injection could help address one of the key challenges facing Indias piecemeal and uneven social protection programmes inadequate funding. Indias spending on public social protection excluding health is just 1.3% of the GDP.

However, there are still other challenges to overcome. One is how to ensure coordination and coverage within, and across, differing states. The second is how to transition multiple schemes into one integrated system that can be accessed anywhere within the country, particularly important when many workers are on the move. There is an urgent need for a comprehensive system, which is adaptive and flexible to needs and provides adequate social and income support.

Another coverage issue relates to the use of direct cash transfers (DCTs) to support people impacted by the loss of livelihoods, where funds are deposited within bank accounts. Such measures fail to consider the significant numbers of people who do not have access to banks and will not be able to access this support.

There is a risk, with extended lockdown and risks of further waves of infection, that labour shortages could negatively impact the economy. There is a wider need to support re-entry back into the workforce and support livelihoods. National Survey Sample data shows that between 2007 and 2008, internal remittances amounted to US$10 billion. These domestic transfers financed over 30% of all household consumption in remittance-receiving households.

But future migration for work is likely to be severely impacted. As restrictions begin to ease, employers and businesses cannot necessarily rely on cheap available labour. Having faced destitution and hardship, many may wish to stay closer to families and local support networks.

As Irudaya Rajan notes in The New Humanitarian, it is likely there will be a reduction in long-distance migration in India after this, as many migrants will be wary of being stranded again. This would be hugely detrimental to stimulating the economy as reverse migration could push down wages and subsequently demand.

Another issue may be returning migrant workers, who have been working overseas, over half of whom work in the Gulf. It is unclear if, or when, migrants will be able to return to work, with the World Bank estimating that remittances from this group could fall by about 23%.

However, what is striking has been Indias support for this group - the Vande Bharat Mission has deployed flights and naval ships to help return migrant workers, especially vulnerable groups -in marked contrast to the lack of preparation and care for internal migrants.

One factor for this may be the volume of remittances these migrant workers bring to the Indian economy, but it overlooks the contribution of internal remittances, on which there is far less robust data.

But the current challenges can also be an opportunity. The scale of the migrant crisis has made visible an often-overlooked population of workers. With political will, and investment at federal and state levels, this could be an opportunity to transform livelihoods.

As thoughts will turn to how to stimulate economies and get people back to work, it is imperative that those in authority turn their minds to how to create a more just society, that invests in healthcare, and has a social protection system that supports the most vulnerable in society.

Migrants are not just objects of charity that need support. Internal migrants are key income generators that play a vital role in Indian society and should never be overlooked again.

This article was originally published in Routed Magazine.

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COVID-19: The Hidden Majority in India's Migration Crisis - Chatham House

The Forgotten Victims of COVID-19 Amid Migration Crisis – IDN InDepthNews | Analysis That Matters

By Jacqueline Skalski-Fouts

As the Coronavirus pandemic sweeps the globe, closing cities and shutting borders, migrants fleeing violence, persecution, and seeking a new life are stuck in the midst of a health and economic crisis. In this article, Jacqueline Skalski-Fouts investigates how current conditions could affect the future of migrants impacted by the pandemic and what NGOs and governments can do to help. She is a Global Studies undergraduate student at the University of Virginia.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia, USA (IDN) - As Europe closed borders and suspended flights in early March to combat the spread of COVID-19, undocumented migrants and migrant workers remained stuck in Spain for two months. Many were without living spaces or sources of income after the shutdown, leaving some to take shelter in gyms or out on the streets, some even attempting to swim into Morocco from Ceuta as a last resort.

With most countries closing borders and issuing some form of stay-at-home orders, safety and services dedicated to asylum seekers and refugees has dramatically decreased. The result is many migrants in Morocco and around the world facing dangerous health situations and increased economic insecurity.

Migrants in Morocco, even those with proper documentation, cannot reap the benefits of accessible state aid. For many, income and livelihood depend on mobility. The majority of migrants work in informal jobs (street vendors and uncontracted work such as cleaners), which contribute to 20 per cent of Moroccos economy. With closures, many have no source of income and cannot qualify for any financial support by the government.

Without a source of income, some do not eat every day, and others skip meals. In the current situation, asylum seekers, refugees, and immigrants are more vulnerable to permanent job loss and deportation as movement is restricted.

What does this mean for the future?

Stigmatization, misinformation, and discrimination have led to further restrictions for migrants. False claims and reports spread rumours that migrants carry the virus and spread it throughout communities. In Lebanon, Syrian refugees are targeted with curfews that do not apply to other foreigners or citizens despite the low number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 among Syrian refugees (only 1.3 per cent).

New restrictions on migration suggest longer-term impacts on mobility and an increase in social exclusion, leading to issues like discrimination and even global divides as production shifts locally and economic isolation grows.

Limited mobility increases dangerous and illegal migration, forcing more to turn to smugglers, increasing vulnerability to human trafficking and abuses in the exploitation of peoples desperation. This includes further potential restrictions to migrant workers and migrants seeking refuge in third countries, like Spain or Italy.

Migration in a Moroccan Context

Traditionally an emigration country, Morocco has quickly become the safer migration route into Europe, with land access to the border in the Spanish enclaves of Melilla and Ceuta. Although the number of illegal border crossings into Spain has halved since 2018, the majority (28 per cent) of migrants entering into mainland Spain last year came from Morocco.

Morocco has begun to reduce the number of illegal border crossings into Europe, but once caught, migrants can end up in a deportation loop. Arriving at the Spanish border, they are arrested and bussed back to Southern Moroccan cities far from smugglers who could offer them passage. As authorities continue to restrict movement, migrants and smugglers are pushed to seek out new routes, such as by sea, which is often more dangerous.

Since 2014 the Moroccan government has run two major regularization campaigns, giving residency permits to 50,000 migrants within the country. However, the UNHCR reports that gaps in accessing documentation and employment persist.

With tighter migration restrictions on popular destination points, such as Spain, France, and Italy, Morocco could see larger populations of migrant workers stuck indefinitely in migration centres such as Rabat.

What will come next?

Organizations like the High Atlas Foundation (HAF) offer some solutions. Beginning in 2020, law school students at the University Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah in partnership with HAF will provide pro-bono legal aid to migrants in the Fez region, in particular victims of trafficking, young people, and women.

Fez is estimated to house tens of thousands of migrants, many of which come from Sub-Saharan regions of Africa and live within the new districts of the city. These districts are often modest or poor, and with limited legal access, migrants have trouble finding work. In a study of migrants in Fes, only 53 per cent of respondents reported that they are or had been engaged in paid employment since their arrival.

Providing legal aid to migrants reduces the potential of trafficking networks and smugglers from taking advantage, while also offering law students the chance to gain valuable experience in the field and connecting migrants and women to CSOs to develop skills and build their cooperatives or businesses, which can reduce youth unemployment. With a stronger legal and economic support system, migrants are more likely to establish roots rather than risk irregular migration to Europe.

Developmental and human rights organizations are increasingly offering support to migrants around the country, yet it is important that organizations take further steps at the local level. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has repeatedly warned that specific quarantine measures and restrictions on free movement must meet international human rights standards. Rather than delaying asylum claims, they can be processed remotely, where restrictions prevent face-to-face interviews. Extending residency permits to those in-need can increase health access to migrants in areas affected by the pandemic.

In May, in partnership with the Moroccan government, the UNHCR and the National Council of the Medical Association teamed up to provide increased health care access and medicines for asylum seekers and refugees in Morocco.

Moroccan migration policies support a humanitarian approach and prohibit manifestations of racism. However, the limited accessibility of resources for migrants and legal obstacles persist.

Further steps can include greater health and legal accessibility for vulnerable migrant groups, including access to psychosocial support, emergency accommodation, pre-school education, childcare, mediation, and occasional emergency aid (such as in the case of a lockdown). October has historically been the most active month for migrants crossing from Morocco to Spain, so it is important to adopt these steps to prevent a surge in dangerous, irregular border crossings. [IDN-InDepthNews 14 July 2020]

Photo: Law students of USMBA, the university named after Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah, a 18th century Sultan of Morocco, participate in skills-building workshops in preparation for opening a law clinic. February 2020, High Atlas Foundation.

IDN is flagship agency of the Non-profit International Press Syndicate

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The Forgotten Victims of COVID-19 Amid Migration Crisis - IDN InDepthNews | Analysis That Matters

Hosting Refugees and Migrants Is a Global Public Good – Fair Observer

On June 20, we celebrated World Refugee Day. This was an opportune time for us all to pay attention to the challenge of forced displacement today. Strikingly, the world is facing the largest forced displacement crisis since World War II, with nearly 80 million people having fled their countries because of persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations or events that have seriously disturbed public order. All continents now face forced displacement crises, and migratory problems cross state and community boundaries.

Forced displacement has hit Latin American and Caribbean countries particularly hard, highlighting existing vulnerabilities such as increased levels of violence and, more recently, the COVID-19 pandemic. Latin America is now home to one of the largest forced displacement crises in the world. As of March 2020, more than 5 million Venezuelans were reportedly living outside of their country, with 4 million of them in other Latin American countries: Colombia (1.8 million), Peru (1 million), and Ecuador and Chile (for a total of 1 million).

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Since the beginning of the Venezuelan crisis, most Latin American nations have tried to accommodate these recent arrivals, providing migrants with basic education, emergency health care services and legal status. These neighboring countries have provided a global public good by hosting millions at the risk of overwhelming their services and systems. But how will these nations be able to withstand the pressure?

Hosting countries face the new challenge of integrating larger numbers of migrants and refugees while dealing with the effects of the coronavirus outbreak. When taking into account that more than 60% of Venezuelan migration in Latin American countries is irregular and targets the most vulnerable populations, this crisis is now becoming a question of public health and safety and, ultimately, of regional security. It is time for the international community to provide a collective response that matches the magnitude of the crisis.

A first step was taken on May 26, with the virtual livestreamed on YouTube pledging conference for Venezuelan refugees and migrants that helped raise $2.79 billion in total commitments. This included $653 million of grant funding for the Refugee and Migrant Response Plan, which is a United Nations appeal to largely address the emergency needs of the migrant population.

The situation in Latin America calls for enhanced international support across the humanitarian-development nexus. In other words, the response should address pressing immediate needs such as temporary shelter and emergency medical services as well as the medium and long-term imperative of economic and social development through institutions, resilient local systems and service delivery. This is precisely what Colombian President Ivan Duque called for when advocating the shift from emergency response to medium and long-term development and integration.

To help countries mitigate the impact of the crisis and charter a pathway to growth and stability, there are five development priorities to focus on.

First, new ways should be explored to provide regular status to refugees and migrants, including through targeted regularization or employment-based programs. There have been several efforts to provide regular status to recent refugees and migrants arriving from Venezuela.

Colombia, Peru and now Ecuador stand out for their ambitious regularization programs for hundreds of thousands of irregular refugees and migrants. Amid rising public anxieties over migration in some countries, it may become harder to implement such mass regularization programs or offer regular status to most who seek to enter. The approach followed by Colombia in providing regular status to those who have employment in specific sectors may provide another alternative. Similarly, Peru has been trying to regularize students in the countrys educational system another strategy that Colombia and Ecuador seem likely to adopt in the future and one that may prove more politically viable in some countries.

Yet these approaches risk leaving out the vast majority of recent refugees and migrants who do not attend school or work in the formal economy, or the families of those who do benefit from such measures. Policymakers should, therefore, be thinking about the medium and long-term effects where providing legal status to refugees and migrants would produce optimal labor market outcomes for themselves and the country overall. The details of implementation in each case will matter enormously, but there is room for reiterative efforts that focus on specific different groups over time.

Second, health care barriers should be tackled through clear policies on access and financing. Almost all countries in the region, at least in theory, offer emergency health care to immigrants regardless of regular status. Still, specific policies are often unclear, and measures are not always implemented effectively at the local level, which means that migrants often have difficulties accessing health care in practice. In countries where local and regional governments pay part of health-care costs, financial burden sharing is also often unclear, leading local hospitals to cover costs that may never get reimbursed.

Creating clear policies and procedures defining both the services offered and what amount of costs will be covered and by whom are critical. In some countries, such as Colombia, Peru and Costa Rica, where residents need to enroll in the health care system to be eligible for benefits, it is vital to find agile ways of ensuring that new immigrants can register and sometimes to find ways of covering the costs of their care.

Third, access to education should be improved through flexible enrollment practices and ongoing support. One of the most critical decisions of countries has been to offer primary and secondary education to all students regardless of their status. In some countries, this was already embedded in the constitution, but others have more recently adopted these measures.

This helps avoid a generation of young people growing up without education and supports receiving countries to take advantage of the potential human capital of immigrant children who will likely grow up in their territory. In many places, however, strict registration requirements involving documents that are difficult for migrants and refugees to obtain can prevent some from enrolling their children in school.

There is also an urgent need to work with schools on policies, procedures and curricula to facilitate the integration of Venezuelan children, who may face challenges adapting to their new schools and need additional support to develop critical skills (e.g., history, culture and other country-specific knowledge). In several countries, access to college, graduate education and trade schools is also restricted for those who do not have adequate documentation, which risks wasting the human capital of immigrant youth who aspire to enter professional and technical careers, including in fields that are in demand in their new countries.

Fourth, migrants skills should be unlocked to boost labor market integration and local economies. The majority of Venezuelan adults suitable for paid work in countries across the region were already working before COVID-19. In fact, more than 90% of Venezuelan migrants in Peru and 8 in 10 Venezuelan migrants in Colombia were employed before the pandemic. While recognizing that the labor markets of many countries in the region are characterized by a high degree of informality, care should be taken to ensure that immigrants do have pathways to better-paid and more stable employment in the formal economy and to avoid creating conditions where employers can pay immigrants less than the prevailing wage, to the detriment of both newcomer and native-born workers.

There is no more important determinant for long-term positive labor market outcomes than ensuring regular status, which helps immigrant workers improve their wages over time and also helps avoid unfair wage competition between native-born and Venezuelan workers. Refugees and migrants tend to be relatively well-educated, which means that there is a wealth of highly skilled human capital that could benefit receiving countries.

To effectively leverage this potential, countries will need to create agile ways for immigrants to get professional and technical degrees earned in their home countries validated and recognized by employers. Argentina has done this through provincial universities, which has allowed the country to encourage professionals to leave the capital and settle in other provinces where their skills are in demand. Creating expedited credential recognition pathways for applicants willing to settle in an area of the country where their skills are most needed could also help fill labor market gaps.

Fifth, constructive narratives about immigration should be developed to highlight opportunities while not ignoring its challenges. There is no question that the sudden outflow of 5 million Venezuelans constitutes a migration crisis, and one that host countries are keenly aware of. But this migration is also an opportunity for host countries, as illustrated by increased predictions by the World Bank of regional future economic growth as Venezuelan immigration drives labor market expansion.

Immigrants, when they have access to legal status, education, health care, financial services and pathways to validate their studies, tend to become net contributors to innovation, entrepreneurship and economic growth over time. Several governments in the region have gone out of their way to maintain their focus on these long-term opportunities, even while dealing with the challenges that the sudden arrival of so many people creates for already overburdened public services. Policymakers require assistance to orient the public debate on migration by keeping an eye on the medium and long-term benefits (and designing policies to help attain them). Still, they must also acknowledge the real strains involved in dealing with sudden, large-scale inflows.

Multilateral support will be critical in helping countries in the region meet these policy challenges. While migration from Venezuela holds the potential to enhance economic growth in the long term, it is also creating real and tangible short-term costs for already overburdened schools, hospitals and infrastructure. Multilateral support can help countries of the region overcome these challenges and reap immigrations benefits.

This requires moving from emergency responses to long-term development and integration. While there is still a critical need for emergency services for recently-arrived migrants from Venezuela, as crises in these countries stretch on, it is also important to plan for the medium and the long term. The most important question in the future will be how to support inclusive development that can help host communities and immigrants build connections and improve their livelihoods together. Enhancing access to and quality of schools, health care facilities, housing and urban infrastructure in areas where migrants settle is vital. This is the key to successful integration and also an opportunity to turn a migration crisis into a net benefit for host societies.

While there is some need for temporary shelter and emergency medical services that international actors could help meet, the greatest needs for support have to do with building local capacity for integration and service provision both to new arrivals and long-time residents. For this, multilateral organizations like the World Bank should continue to be actively engaged in helping better manage the forced displacement crisis, in support of its mission to reduce poverty and contribute to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

*[The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect the views of The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work.]

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Fair Observers editorial policy.

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Hosting Refugees and Migrants Is a Global Public Good - Fair Observer

The Gulf’s migrant workers are being exploited amid the coronavirus crisis, rights groups say – CNBC

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates The controversy surrounding cheap migrant labor in the oil-rich Gulf states has intensified during the coronavirus pandemic, amid reports of workers going without food and water and being deprived of pay.

"A massive issue not being discussed is that some of the (workers) are going home without their paid wages," Rothna Begum, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch told CNBC on Thursday. "This is thousands of dollars of wages that are not being paid because unscrupulous employers and agents realize this is an opportunity to allow workers to go home (to their home countries) without having to pay them."

Migrant workers are also being fired in their thousands. In the UAE alone, for example, more than 50,000 Pakistani workers have been laid off and repatriated, according to Pakistan's ambassador there. Workers from Pakistan make up 20% of the UAE's population.

Nationals from India, Bangladesh, the Philippines and Nigeria, among others, also make up the roughly 35 million-strong migrant workforce that's been crucial to every sector of the GCC economy.

Rights advocacy group Amnesty International said that the coronavirus pandemic had worsened conditions for many of these workers. The group cites salary delays and layoffs as a major risk plaguing the community right now, in addition to overcrowded living conditions, a lack of support, detentions and deportations, and problems with healthcare and sick pay.

Residents hang their laundry off the railing on their balconies at their apartment building, to disinfect them under sunlight, in the city of Dubai on May 17, 2020, during the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Karim Sahib | AFP | Getty Images

Some workers still in the UAE also say they have not been paid. More than a dozen foreign taxi drivers in Dubai, for instance, who spoke to CNBC over the course of 12 weeks,have told CNBC they were not paid during the emirate's coronavirus lockdown, and had to rely on friends and relatives for food and money.

If they tried to protest, the drivers said, their employers threatened to revoke their visas. "They are paying us zero money," one taxi driver, speaking anonymously out of fear of reprisal, said of his employer in late April. "But what will we do? If we say anything they will cancel our visa, send us back to Pakistan."

The UAE's Ministry of Human Resources did not reply to a request for comment.There is no region-wide body that oversees migrant labor.

Governments need to create mechanisms to ensure that workers are paid before they return to their home countries, Human Rights Watch's Begum said. So far, none of the GCC states have implemented this.

"Right now we're not seeing governments come through with that mechanism, so now we're seeing many of the (workers) going home destitute, potentially going back to debt, or even worse off than when they left the country," she said.

There also remains the problem of workers trapped in their host countries and unable to return home, with some having become undocumented before the pandemic who now fear arrest if they tried to leave, rights advocates said.

"They're still finding themselves destitute, they still need access to food, housing and health in particular, a lot of them are not coming forward because they're scared of authorities catching them as undocumented workers," Begum added.

She noted some good practices in place, however, including recent decisions by the UAE and Bahraini governments, among others, to extend visas to ensure workers are not becoming undocumented during the pandemic.

Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have also said that undocumented workers can still receive healthcare. But the problem remains that many workers are simply too afraid to get care, believing they will be arrested, revealing a "trust deficit" between workers and their host governments, Begum said.

As economies in the Gulf slowly reopen, some workers have hopes that things will get better. One Dubai taxi driver from Egypt, who had not returned home to see his family in more than two years, said that while he misses home, he knows his job prospects aren't good there. When asked how he managed without pay during Dubai's several weeks of strict lockdown, he replied: "It's only thanks to God."

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The Gulf's migrant workers are being exploited amid the coronavirus crisis, rights groups say - CNBC

UN agencies call for the protection of Pacific migrant workers – RNZ

Pacific states have been urged to ensure migrants can access basic healthcare and essential income support amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) say the situation of temporary seasonal workers is concerning.

In a statement, the UN agency said migrant workers risked slipping into situations of irregularity if they could not or did not wish to return to their home countries.

It said border closures, restrictions on departure and re-entry, expired working visas and loss of employment for many temporary visa holders across the Pacific had left many of them with limited access to alternative livelihood options, adequate food and shelter.

It said these also had implications on the workers' physical and mental health.

The World Bank has called for more jobs to be made available for women in New Zealand and Australia under their respective Pacific labour mobility schemes. Photo: RNZ Pacific/ Koroi Hawkins

The OHCHR said an estimated 330,000 Pacific-born people resided overseas with 2.7 million more temporary visa holders living in Australia and New Zealand.

Thomas Hunecke, the head of OHCHR in the Pacific, said his office continued to track human rights issues across the region.

Mr Hunecke said human rights-based responses to the health crisis were vital in ensuring all "migrants, regardless of their status, have access to basic social security such as healthcare and essential income support".

He said these should be an integral element of the pandemic response in the Pacific.

"In particular, we are concerned that the lack of inclusive income security measures means that many migrants and their families with little reserves would be hardest hit by unemployment and rising prices.

RSE workers from Samoa working in Bostock orchard, Hastings. Photo: RNZ / Anusha Bradley

Meawhile, the IOM Pacific Coordinator Pr Liljert said migrants had played a vital role in supporting countries during the Covid-19 crisis and that safe migration should be part of the recovery process.

Mr Liljert said this could be a potential solution for Pacific countries that received significant GDP contributions from remittances, but equally for countries of destination by filling critical labour market gaps including in essential services like food production.

"At the heart of addressing Covid-19 and building back better are policies and programmes that guarantee the health and safety of migrants, with inclusive public health responses and socioeconomic recovery packages."

Mr Hunecke said as the long process of protecting and rebuilding economies adversely affected by the pandemic got underway, there was a need for Pacific states to ensure their response effectively addressed the disproportionate impact the crisis had on people and communities who were already marginalized and vulnerable.

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UN agencies call for the protection of Pacific migrant workers - RNZ

The Forgotten Victims Of The Pandemic: An Ongoing Migration Crisis – The New Dawn Liberia

As Europe closed borders and suspended flights in early March to combat the spread of COVID-19, undocumented migrants and migrant workers remained for two months, many without living spaces or sources of income after the shutdown, leaving some to take shelter in gyms or out on the streets, some even attempting to as a last resort.

With most countries closing borders and issuing some form of stay-at-home orders, safety and services dedicated to asylum seekers and refugees has dramatically decreased. The result is a large number of migrants in Morocco and around the world facing dangerous health situations and increased economic insecurity.

Migrants in Morocco, even those with proper documentation, cannot reap the benefits of accessible state aid. For many, income and livelihood depend on mobility. The majority of migrants work in informal jobs (street vendors and uncontracted work such as cleaners), which . With closures many have no source of income and cannot qualify for any financial support by the government.

Without a source of income, some , and others skip meals. In the current situation, asylum seekers, refugees, and immigrants are more vulnerable to permanent job loss and deportation as movement is restricted.

What does this mean for the future?

Stigmatization, misinformation, and discrimination have led to further restrictions for migrants. False claims and reports that migrants carry the virus and spread it throughout communities. In Lebanon, Syrian refugees are targeted with curfews that do not apply to other foreigners or citizens despite the low number of of COVID-19 among Syrian refugees (only 1.3 percent).

New restrictions on migration suggest longer-term impacts on mobility and an increase in social exclusion, leading to issues like discrimination and even global divides as production shifts locally and economic isolation grows.

Limited mobility increases dangerous and illegal migration, forcing more to turn to smugglers, increasing vulnerability to human trafficking and abuses in the exploitation of peoples desperation. This includes further potential restrictions to migrant workers and migrants seeking refuge in third countries, like Spain or Italy.

Migration in a Moroccan Context

Traditionally an emigration country, Morocco has quickly become the safer migration route into Europe, with land access to the border in the Spanish enclaves of Melilla and Ceuta. Although the number of illegal border crossings into Spain has halved since 2018, the entering into mainland Spain last year came from Morocco.

Morocco has begun to dramatically reduce the number of illegal border crossings into Europe, but once caught, migrants can end up in a deportation loop. Arriving at the Spanish border, they are arrested and bused back to Southern Moroccan cities far from smugglers who could offer them passage. As authorities continue to restrict movement, migrants and smugglers are pushed to seek out new routes, such as by sea, which is often more dangerous.

Since 2014 the Moroccan government has run , giving residency permits to 50,000 migrants within the country. However, the UNHCR reports that gaps in accessing documentation and employment persist.

With tighter migration restrictions on popular destination points, such as Spain, France, and Italy, Morocco could see larger populations of migrant workers stuck indefinitely in migration centers such as Rabat.

What will come next?

Organizations like the High Atlas Foundation (HAF) offer some solutions. Beginning in 2020, law school students at the University Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah in partnership with HAF will provide to migrants in the Fez region, in particular victims of trafficking, young people, and women.

Fez is estimated to house of migrants, many of which come from Sub-Saharan regions of Africa and live within the new districts of the city. These districts are often modest or poor, and with limited legal access, migrants have trouble finding work. In a study of migrants in Fes, only of respondents reported that they are or had been engaged in paid work since their arrival.

Providing legal aid to migrants of trafficking networks and smugglers from taking advantage, while also offering law students the chance to gain valuable experience in the field, and connecting migrants and women to CSOs to develop skills and build their own cooperatives or businesses, which can reduce youth unemployment. With a stronger legal and economic support system, migrants are more likely to establish roots rather than risk irregular migration to Europe.

Developmental and human rights organizations are increasingly offering support to migrants around the country, yet it is important that organizations take further steps at the local level. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees () has repeatedly warned that certain quarantine measures and restrictions on free movement must meet international human rights standards. Rather than delaying asylum claims, they can be processed remotely, where restrictions prevent face-to-face interviews. Extending residency permits to those in-need can increase health access to migrants in areas affected by the pandemic.

In May, in partnership with the Moroccan government, the UNHCR and the National Council of the Medical Association to provide increased health care access and medicines for asylum seekers and refugees in Morocco.

Moroccan migration policies support a humanitarian approach and prohibit manifestations of racism. However, limited accessibility of resources for migrants and legal obstacles

Further steps can include greater health and legal accessibility for vulnerable migrant groups, including access to psychosocial support, emergency accommodation, pre-school education, childcare, mediation, and occasional emergency aid (such as in the case of a lockdown). October has historically been the month for migrants crossing from Morocco to Spain, so it is important to adopt these steps to prevent a surge in dangerous, irregular border crossings.

Jacqueline Skalski-Fouts is a Global Studies undergraduate student at the University of Virginia. USMBA Law students participate in skills-building workshops in preparation for opening a law clinic. February 2020, High Atlas Foundation.

By Jacqueline Skalski-Fouts

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The Forgotten Victims Of The Pandemic: An Ongoing Migration Crisis - The New Dawn Liberia

I love my job Supriya Sule On Being A Top Performer In The Parliament – Feminism in India

6 mins read

MP with a vision and a progressive outlook towards issues Supriya Sule is a veteran at her job. The two-time top performing member of the parliament, Sule may belong to a family crowded with political leaders but she is far from being understated. She has created a distinct name for herself through her push towards the betterment of her constituency from which she has been an MP since 2009.

In this interview, Sule opens up about her views on womens safety, migrant crisis, queer community being vulnerable, her work as an MP and how she has tremendously managed COVID-19 in her constituency, even though Maharashta is struggling as a state..

You have been the MP of Baramati for the last three terms, how do you distinguish this term going different from the others?

Supriya Sule: Clearly COVID-19 is a challenge in itself but it has nothing to do with my term. It is a global issue and it doesnt matter which profession one is in.

How is Baramati tackling COVID-19?

Supriya Sule: Baramati Lok Sabha Constituency is handling the situation very well. People along with the administration are helping each other amidst the coronavirus crisis. We implemented stringent lockdown even after the national lockdown was reopened. The local administration did effective crowd prevention and management and contact tracing efforts, earning the district the tag of corona-virus free.

(Since the interview, few positive cases have come up in the district. In the last 15 days, Baramati record six cases of coronavirus and one death.)

In this interview, Supriya Sule opens up about her views on womens safety, migrant crisis, queer community being vulnerable, her work as an MP and how she has tremendously managed COVID-19 in her constituency, even though Maharashta is struggling as a state.

As a parliamentarian, how challenging is it to contain it in your constituency when entire Maharashtra is struggling?

Supriya Sule: I dont think Maharashtra is struggling in isolation, the world is struggling. It isnt about being a member of parliament, it is about being a human. Human misery is far more painful. Your profession doesnt matter when the whole world is going through such a miserable time. I cant be so selfish and insensitive to just view Maharashtra as battling the infection.

You have been the best performer in the parliament consecutively, this time for tackling the pandemic effectively. What are your thoughts on it and how have you made it possible?

Supriya Sule: It is a job that I love to do and I try to the best of my abilities. It is not about where I stand in politics but about how I work with the other MPs as a good team player and thats all that matters to me.

What are some of the other challenges that Baramati is facing?

Supriya Sule: The biggest challenge is to tackle the economic depression that will arise due to the coronavirus crisis. But everybody has challenges in the world and the beauty of it is that you have to rise above them. Thats why, as representatives, we have to find solutions to them and make peoples lives better with the legislation we make in parliament.

The biggest challenge is to tackle the economic depression that will arise due to the coronavirus crisis. But everybody has challenges in the world and the beauty of it is that you have to rise above them. Thats why, as representatives, we have to find solutions to them and make peoples lives better with the legislation we make in parliament.

But what are some challenges specific to your constituency that you want to do better in?

Supriya Sule: I want to completely eliminate malnutrition in the top-performing constituency that Baramati is. Secondly, I also want to tackle anaemia in my constituency and I want all these illnesses like TB, malaria, dengue, COVID-19 free constituency.

There has been a rise in domestic violence against women across the world, have you seen a spurt of such cases in your constituency and how are you dealing with the rise?

Supriya Sule: We have taken this proactive step to prevent similar cases from occurring in the Pune rural region. Vigilance committees consisting of women from three agencies the Women and Child Department, Anganwadi workers from Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and panchayat samitis are visiting houses in each ward of a gram panchayat. The tormentors would be transferred to an institutional quarantine facility, which could mean a town hall or a village lodge or any other public facility in villages.

How do you think this pandemic is impacting the queer community as you have always shown your support to them and have always pushed for gender-neutral laws in the Lok Sabha?

Supriya Sule: One doesnt have to wait for a pandemic to realize that the LGBTQ+ community is vulnerable; they have always been marginalized. We have to take care of our queer community round the year whether there is a pandemic or not.

With the current situation and the migrant crisis, how is your leadership ensuring to deal with it?

Supriya Sule: We have done a lot of work in sending people from our constituency to other parts of the country by ensuring them train tickets, water, food and other such relief material. In our district, it happened flawlessly and I am very grateful to the local administration who made sure that relief work happens smoothly.

We have set up camps across the Pune District on highways for people traveling to their homes to provide them with a safe place to rest and stay, with nutritious food, necessary medical care, toilet and registration for transport being arranged. Moreover, till May 21st, 50 shramik special trains have departed from Pune district. Around 62,000 people have traveled in these trains.

2,689 buses have departed to various places outside Maharashtra. Around 41,000 people have left for their homes in these buses. 3,238 buses and minibuses have left for different districts of Maharashtra with students and labor heading to their homes. We are helping migrant workers by providing them kits with essential commodities and hot meals.

(We conducted this interview on 28 May so the number may vary now.)

We have set up camps across the Pune District on highways for people traveling to their homes to provide them with a safe place to rest and stay, with nutritious food, necessary medical care, toilet and registration for transport being arranged. Moreover, till May 21st 50 shramik special trains have departed from Pune district. Around 62,000 people have traveled in these trains.

Also read: Political Apathy During The Pandemic Traumatized Me: Karur MP Jothimani

Do you think this pandemic has shown a very classist side of the society with the migrant workers being pushed to walk their way home?

Supriya Sule: It has always existed but the brutal truth is that we all have to face classism again and again because of some decisions that we have radically taken in the past. I dont want to blame anyone in these challenging times as it would be unfortunate.

How does a typical day look like in the times of coronavirus in the life of an MP?

Supriya Sule: We get up and we are on the phone the whole time to cater to distress calls. To help people deal with the crisis, we have to be connected with the administration at the state level and local level. It begins with having a review of the issues not only in the constituency but across the state. Some of the tasks include coordinating with the administration, conducting meetings on digital platforms with policy makers, legislatures and representatives from each sector. Apart from this, we have to take feedback from the constituents and streamline things accordingly and we believe in interacting with people across the state on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram too. My Team and I are available 24*7 to help people who need help.

Like everybodys mental health is impacted by the intense fear around coronavirus similarly, MPs must be affected too mentally. How is it like in your case?

Supriya Sule: Giving up is so easy and this is not the first challenge all of us are going through. We have seen so many challenges, but we learn from each other and evolve accordingly.

Do you think the ongoing political discourse of communalism is having an impact in your constituency? Tell us more about it.

Supriya Sule: We are all working extremely hard in helping every individual who needs help to be distracted by these things.

Also read: Amravatis Independent MP, Navneet Rana On Politics, Misogyny And COVID-19

Finally, how has the experience of being a female MP been for you? Were asking this in the context of women being a minority in the parliament and politics being a highly misogynistic workplace.

Supriya Sule: I come from a very liberal Maharashtrian society which is not gender-biased at all. Maharashtra is very gender-equal. I dont see gender in parliament. An MP is an MP no matter what gender they belong to.

All pictures have been taken from Supriya Sules Facebook profile.

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I love my job Supriya Sule On Being A Top Performer In The Parliament - Feminism in India

In Yemen, thousands of Ethiopian migrants stranded, COVID-19 likely widespread – UN News

The alert from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) follows reports that an airstrike on Sunday in Washhah District, in north-west Hajjah Governorate, killed seven children and two women.

Another two children and two women were reportedly injured and taken to Abs Hospital for treatment Hajjah Governorate in north-west Yemen.

Condemning the development, theUNs Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen,Lise Grande, said in astatementthat it was incomprehensible that in the middle of the COVID pandemic, when options for a ceasefire are on the table, civilians continue being killed in Yemen.

The country has long been a steppingstone for migrants seeking work in the oil-rich Arabian States to the north of Yemen.

But landing points across from the Horn of Africa have become increasingly dangerous since conflict escalated in March 2015, between the forces of President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi - supported by a Saudi-led international coalition and mainly Houthi militia, for control of the Arab nation.

Today, widely described as the worlds worst humanitarian crisis, fears that COVID-19 has already gained a strong foothold in Yemen have been compounded by a potential famine alert last week from the World Food Programme (WFP), as some 10 million people face acute food shortages.

For nearly six years, Yemen has been an extremely unsafe place to be a migrant, said IOM spokesperson Paul Dillon. COVID-19 has made this situation worse; migrants are scapegoated as carriers of the virus and as a result, suffer exclusion and violence. In addition to the forced removals, fears about COVID-19 have led to migrants in Yemen experiencing verbal and physical harassment, increased detention and movement restrictions.

COVID-19 restrictions have reduced the number of migrant arrivals in Yemen by 90 per cent in recent months, while also leaving tens of thousands of Ethiopians in limbo, according to IOM.

Transportation through the country has been blocked and at least 14,500 migrants have been forcibly transferred between governorates, it said in a statement, with at least 4,000 people stranded in Aden, 2,500 in Marib, 1,000 in Lahj and 7,000 in Saada governorates.

In 2019, an average of 11,500 per month arrived in Yemen from the East African ports, according to IOMs Displacement Tracking Matrix, in search of work in Saudi Arabia.

In May 2019, 18,904 people made the crossing, while this year, only 1,725 arrivals were recorded.

Although more than 1,460 cases of new coronavirus infection and 418 deaths have been reported in Yemen, the IOM official noted that the agency and the broader humanitarian community in Yemen, are working under the assumption that the virus is widespread.

With most migrants sleeping outdoors or in unsafe abandoned buildings, they are at greater risk of exposure to COVID-19, Mr. Dillon continued.

They have little access to basic services like food, clean water or health care, a worrying situation given how pervasive the virus is believed to be in Yemen.

After being stranded in Yemen, a group of Ethiopian migrants return to Addis Ababa with the support of the International Organization for Migration. (July 2019), by IOM Bole Addis Ababa International Airport

In an appeal for continued access for humanitarians throughout the country, the IOM official highlighted grave concerns about virus transmission in places where migrants are being held.

Prior to the emergence of COVID-19 in Yemen and elsewhere, we know that many of these - many of these detention centres - are not particularly sanitary, Mr. Dillon said. Theres no access to some of the basics that one would need to address public health concerns such as COVID-19.

Last year, IOM reached nearly 60,000 migrants in Yemen with shelter support, health care, voluntary return assistance and psychosocial support.

According to Ms. Grandes Office, nearly 1,000 civilian conflict-related casualties have been reported in Yemen in the first six months of 2020.

Yemen cant take much more, she said. There isnt enough funding, health and water programmes are shutting, famine is stalking the country again, and people all across the country are being hit hard by COVID.

At a pledging event in Riyadh on 2 June, donors pledged only $1.35 billion of the $2.41 billion requested to cover essential humanitarian activities until the year end, leaving a gap of more than $1 billion.

Since mid-April, 31 of 41 of critical UN programmes have been reducing or closing down for lack of funding, Ms. Grandes Office said.

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In Yemen, thousands of Ethiopian migrants stranded, COVID-19 likely widespread - UN News

Exponential Covid Rise In India – To Deal With the Crisis, First Recognise It – The Citizen

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan publicly acknowledged on Friday that community transmission of coronavirus has begun in certain coastal regions of the state. In essence, Pinarayi declassified what must be a top secret at the all-India level. The chief minister has chosen to be upfront on a sensitive issue, when his peer group is playing safe and is in denial mode.

But how can a pandemic be fought when the rulers are in denial mode? The fact of the matter is that community transmission began quite some time ago in our country and has begun appearing lately in Kerala, too. Pinarayi has been personally conducting the daily briefings on the march of the pandemic in his parish to educate the public opinion.

Indeed, how do you fight a pandemic unless the public is aware of the gravity of the crisis? In Kerala, community transmission is limited at present to the fishing villages where social distancing norms are difficult to enforce, as fishermen also happen to be migrant workers who go wherever there is good catch available. So, triple lockdown has become necessary in select coastal areas to prevent the fishermen from travelling to neighbouring states where the pandemic is raging.

Hasnt the time come for PM Modi to announce that community transmission has begun? Of course, it is unpleasant news. But the number of infected people crossed the 1 million mark in India on Thursday.

At this rate, how can one take lightly the prognosis by the hugely prestigious Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore that the number of infected cases will exceed 3.5 million by 1st September and could rise as high as 12 million (over 3 million active cases and half a million fatalities) by 1st November?

The IISc study by a group of noted scientists says that by the New Year on 1st January 2021, India would have possibly reached close to 30 million infected cases (over 6 million active cases and 1 million fatalities). The pandemic is not expected to peak before March next year.

This is an apocalyptic scenario. The international community anticipates a massive crisis spiralling out of control and is closely watching India, which accounts for one-sixth of humanity. The Newshour programme yesterday on BBC Radio World Service gave top billing to the pandemic ravaging India. The highlights of the discussion were as follows :

-The rate at which the infection is going up in India is worrisome.

-There are many more infections that are to be counted beyond the official figures.

-Vast cities like Mumbai and Delhi are the worst hit but the pandemic is spreading to other cities and towns too and lockdown is being reimposed in some areas.

-The situation is absolutely bad in Delhi where alongside the pandemic-related issues, there is also the collateral effect on peoples lives. The migrant labourers who are trying to get back to their homes are hard up, as once again the government has stopped the transportation, the trains as well as the bus services.

-The number of migrant workers has only increased in Delhi. Most of them want to go back to their homes. The unemployment rate has drastically increased and many industries are refusing to take back their employees.

-The grim reality in Delhi is that massive unemployment is leading to hunger, and this is posing a graver challenge than the Covid-19 situation. The government has announced huge schemes and everything, but on the ground those schemes are yet to reach. If the help doesnt reach the people within the month, it will become very difficult to handle the situation.

-Overall, there is a sharp increase of cases all over the country and the epidemiologists and scientists are of the opinion that the government needs to take a strong stand and admit there is community transmission so that steps are taken to see that the epidemic can be brought under control.

-Given the number of cases, community transmission is surely happening. The active states are concentrated in a few states and although there is a steady increase of cases all over the country, the alarming increase is happening at present in a few states and there too, confined to a few districts. Perhaps, the government does not want to scare the public by admitting there is community transmission and this could be one of the reasons behind this denial mode.

-The fatality rate has not been high compared to other countries. But this is changing, as more tests are being conducted and more cases come to light and there is also an incidence of acute cases. Plus, the hospitals are getting flooded and are increasingly unable to handle the severe cases. Therefore, the fatality rates are going up.

-Proportionately, the number of infected cases is relatively low as of now, as compared to the United States and Brazil. But the reality is that India is facing a very precarious situation. Since the infection cases are going up at a very alarming rate, the situation can go out of control at any point from now onward.

-One problem is that people are not taking social distancing seriously in the far-flung regions of India. Therefore, it is small comfort that India is doing relatively better than the US or Brazil as of now. The truth is that India is in a very precarious position and needs to be very, very careful to make sure that the situation does not explode. Things are going to get a lot worse before they get any better in India.

If this account is anywhere near the truth, our leadership is behaving like an oligarchy twiddling their thumbs, revelling in videoconferences and Twitter exchanges and politicking at a time like this. Who are they kidding? The world community must be aware that the Indian people are grappling with an existential crisis and for a foreseeable future, Indian economy will be in doldrums, and its capacity to perform on the global commons is severely restricted.

To my mind, the leadership needs to put all other government business aside and begin to work on controlling the pandemic and saving human lives. All the resources available with the Central Government must be deployed to this end.

Indias credibility as a democratic country is at stake here. The IISc study becomes a benchmark to judge the performance of the government. Searchlights are going to be held by the world community in the weeks and months ahead as the fatality rate starts shooting up and people die like flies.

Cover Photograph Reuters

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Exponential Covid Rise In India - To Deal With the Crisis, First Recognise It - The Citizen

Captain to face trial in first Italy ‘migrant pushback’ case – Arab News

DUBAI: When Egyptian, Ethiopian and Sudanese officials meet to resolve their differences on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) that Addis Ababa is building on the Blue Nile, they instantly run into many thorny issues.

These disputes run deeper than technical matters and the sharing of water, experts and analysts say. Because they are also legal, historical and trust-related, a tripartite agreement has proved elusive. An eventual deal could take longer because major differences persist, mainly between Ethiopia and Egypt.

Officials from the three countries concluded two weeks of talks on July 13, supervised by the African Union (AU) and observed by US and European officials, but came no closer to an agreement. Officials were quoted as saying that the three countries would submit their final reports to the AU and that a mini-African summit would be held on Tuesday.

The talks were the latest in a decade-long effort by the three African countries to resolve differences over the GERD. Ethiopia hopes the 6,000-megawatt dam will turn it into Africas top hydropower supplier. Egypt and Sudan fear the dam being constructed less than 20 km from Ethiopias eastern border with Sudan will substantially reduce their water share and affect development prospects.

While Addis Ababa insists the dam will benefit all Nile river basin states, the three countries are stymied by technical issues on how and when to fill the reservoir and how much water it should release, along with procedures for drought mitigation.

Experts and analysts from Africa and outside say the differences are fundamental and require sincerity. Vital national interests are at stake, particularly on the Egyptian and Ethiopian sides, said William Davison, a senior analyst on Ethiopian affairs with the Brussels-based International Crisis Group.

Ethiopia considers the project important for development and thus named it the renaissance dam, he said, adding: It is also seen as vital to overcoming injustices from past treaties that excluded the country and denied it water allocations.

Egypt, which relies heavily on the Nile for agriculture, industry and drinking water, worries that such a large dam will reduce water supplies in a problematic way in the future, Davison told Arab News from Addis Ababa.

Satellite images released recently showed water pouring into the reservoir, prompting Seleshi Bekele, the Ethiopian water minister, to assuage Egyptian anxieties by insisting that the process was the product of natural seasonal flooding and not direct action by the government.

Egyptian analysts say Ethiopia is ignoring its neighbors interests. The talks have failed because of continuous Ethiopian obstinacy, said Hani Raslan, an expert on African affairs at the Cairo-based Al-Ahram Center for Strategic and Political Studies. Ethiopia has been buying time to impose a new reality on the ground . . . they dont intend to reach an agreement.

INNUMBERS

$4.8 billion Estimated cost of GERD.

15% Cost as share of Ethiopias 2012 GDP.

20,000 People in need of resettlement.

Source: International Rivers Organization

Other experts say that a positive attitude by the parties would help. There is a tendency on each side to see the other in a more threatening manner, which I think is the key issue here, said Mulugetta Ketema, managing director of the US-based Cogent International Solutions, a research and analysis center.

Instead of starting negotiations based on who can dominate over which country or region, I think you should start by saying How can we work together to utilize his river.

Ketema, who is Ethiopian-American, added: I am sure everybody is doing their best, but there is a historical issue also at play here. For centuries Egypt and Sudan didnt have anybody saying they could do this or that . . . they have been using the river for their own advantage.

However, now the basin countries . . . are also growing and saying Hey, we have to use or share something with our brothers and sisters up north and harvest the river. Apparently, this is where the problem starts.

The Nile basin includes Ethiopia, Egypt, Sudan, Congo, Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan and Sudan. Most were not part of the agreements signed during the British colonial years that gave Egypt and Sudan a big share of the Nile waters, Ketema said. Except for Ethiopia, those countries were under British control.

Apart from the legal differences over the term of references consultants use in their reports, drought mitigation remains a major obstacle. Egypt and Sudan seek Ethiopias commitment to a safe minimum release of water in dry seasons.Addis Ababa has been unwilling to do so, according to Davison.

More recently, in the negotiations, there has been a series of legal disputes or disagreements. Sudan and Egypt would like a process of binding third-party arbitration as a last resort to resolve any future dispute (but) the Ethiopians . . . are not willing to sign up to that, he told Arab News.

Ethiopia insists that Africa needs to solve African affairs. Historically, Africans have been solving their own problems and did a better job than outside interference, Ketema said. Europeans and the UN tried to mediate in some issues, but it really never worked. Should the AU fail to reach a solution on the GERD, other developing nations could extend their hands, he said.

To many Egyptian analysts, Ethiopias insistence on African solutions aims to keep the negotiations going in a vicious circle until the dam is completely full and then there will be no meaning for negotiations, Al-Ahram Centers Raslan told Arab News.

A practical solution is available already, he said, referring to a US-drafted agreement that emerged from talks in Washington DC earlier this year. Egypt initialled the document, while Ethiopia declined.

The ministers agreed on a schedule for a staggered filling of the dam and mitigation mechanism, according to the document, but still needed to finalize details on safety and ways of handling future disputes. Praising Egypts readiness to sign the agreement, the US noted that Ethiopia sought internal consultations.

Davison said that the parties need to focus on specific disagreements on hydrological and legal issues without being sidetracked by the current controversy over the act of filling (water) and . . . by the historical and geopolitical disagreements.

If the lawyers and engineers are allowed the space to reach a compromise on these technical issues, that will not solve everything, he said.

But that will allow some sort of agreement (so that) the parties can move on and build trust. Eventually, they will be able to address some of the large issues over water sharing and ultimately this historical rivalry over the river.

__________

Twitter: @jumanaaltamimi

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Captain to face trial in first Italy 'migrant pushback' case - Arab News

COVID-19 crisis risks reversing gains made against c..arriage in India; legal revisions alone arent solution – Firstpost

Despite legal interventions over the years, India has the largest number of child brides in the world, according to a 2019 report published by UNICEF; one-third of the global total.

Across 10 villages in Rajasthans Udaipur district, for two hours every day, open fields are converted into makeshift classrooms. Rows of young boys and girls, children of returnee migrant labourers, are seated two feet apart. Chart papers have been taped on the side walls to serve as a blackboard for the class. It has been nearly four months since government-run schools shut down and turned into quarantine centres. Ever since the lockdown was announced, the children, particularly the girls, have been largely home-bound,said Yogesh Vaishnav from Vikalp Sansthan, an NGO that has been running these open-air learning centres in its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. With schools shut down and very poor access to technology [to avail of online classes], we fear that most of these girls will permanently drop out of the education system. Coupled with the economic downturn, loss of livelihoods and reduced access to childcare protection and social support, the district has also been recording a steep increase in cases of violence against girls and women, as well as early and child marriages.

Vaishnav is among the 41 signatories of a pan-India memorandum submitted last week to the task force constituted by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development to examine and provide recommendations on issues including age of motherhood, maternal health and child mortality in India. The formation of the task force is in line with the statement made by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during the Budget Speech in February, where she recalled that womens age of marriage was increased from 15 to 18 years in 1978 by amending the Sharda Act of 1929. Thus, as a potential solution to tackling poor maternal health outcomes and child mortality, the 10-member task force is examining whether to raise the legal age of marriage for females from 18 to 21 years. The report is expected to be submitted at the end of this month.

While the government's age-centred move is publicly being lauded as empowering and progressive, frontline workers, child rights activists and advocates (signatories of the memorandum) have advised strict caution against this move, particularly at a time when various state officials and activists have been reporting a spike in child marriages amid the lockdown. How can this be a moment to add further to the burdens of families struggling for their very survival? questions the memorandum. Poverty, not early marriage, is the main cause for the ill-health of mothers and their children. On 9 July, an additional submission was also put forward by members of the National Coalition Advocating for Adolescent Concerns (NCAAC), a group of civil society organisations, academics and activists in the country. In response, on Friday, the task force participated in an online exchange titled Youth Voices with 20 adolescent girls and young women leaders from various states to listen to their first-hand experiences.

Despite legal interventions over the years, India has the largest number of child brides in the world, according to a 2019 report published by the United Nations International Children's Fund (UNICEF); one-third of the global total. While the National Family Health Survey 4 data indicates a 20 percent decline in the prevalence of the practice in the past decade, the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to reverse the gains made over the years. And the revision of age at marriage, activists believe, could sound the death knell for the girls and young wives.

All images via REUTERS

The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 (PCMA), which mandates the minimum age at marriage, for instance, was framed to replace the Child Marriage Restraint Act to forbid child or underage marriages, appoint Child Marriage Protection Officers to implement the law and penalise those that participate in the act including the adult party to such marriages. Yet, several field-based studies have pointed out the ways in which the Act is used punitively against girls who marry against parental wishes, rather than protecting girls from forced marriage. While it is true that the law must be aspirational, it wont mean too much on the ground considering very few child marriage cases actually get reported. Even when they do, most of the success that we have achieved is when we stop the wedding before it actually takes place, said Nicole Rangel Menezes, co-founder of Leher, a child protection organisation working closely with women and girls in Bihars Madhubani district. Those who marry off their children underage, traffic child brides are well under the radar of the law enforcement.

In fact, the use of PCMA by parents often leads to the girl being put in shelter homes, and the boy being imprisoned or sent to juvenile homes. The strict lockdown measures, closure of schools and the inability to access mobile phones, have made it additionally difficult for girls trying to prevent or escape a forced marriage. The girls are unable to seek even informal support from their friends, neighbours and school teachers. The accused [a family member], then, is often the girls only access to justice, said Sherin Bosco, co-founder of NGO Nakshatra that provides counselling and legal support to victims of sexual violence and trafficking across Tamil Nadu. At such a time, any legal amendment has to be coupled with adequate psycho-social support and enabling measures to empower the children. In fact, Bosco and her team have been receiving most of their tip-offs over the past few months over missed calls. It is quite challenging for the children to call and lodge complaints, there is also an increased fear of getting caught, said Bosco, adding that based on the missed call, the local team of counsellors find ways to provide support.

Advocate Varsha Deshpande from the Dalit Mahila Vikas Mandal (DMVM) said the pandemic has mainly exposed the existing institutional and policy gaps in state responses. In Maharashtras drought affected Marathwada region, where DMVM works with migrant sugarcane cutters and brick kiln workers, child marriage has, for years, been a common practice. When families migrate to the neighbouring states for work, they usually take their sons along for the farm work. The minor girls, who are left behind in the village with the older family members, are at such times, at a very high risk of sexual violence, said Deshpande, adding,Parents also get their daughters married in the fear that she will fall in love with someone of her own choice in their absence. Given the lack of government-run hostels, safe access to schools and adequate child protection schemes, marriage then becomes the only way out to ensure their safety and security.

The memorandum cites field-based evidence to suggest that child marriage is the consequence, and not the cause of girls dropping out of schools. Rather than to raise the legal age of marriage, we must ensure that the right to free and compulsory education is extended beyond 14 years, said Nishit Kumar from the Centre for Social and Behaviour Change Communication. Even national data shows that the reasons for high drop-out rates amongst girls are a combination of demand and supply side factors, primarily the availability, affordability and quality of schooling. While the Right to Education Act 2009 has led to a significant improvement in the enrolment of girls at primary and elementary levels, the drop-rate at the higher secondary levels remains alarming from a net enrolment ratio of 91.58 (elementary) to 31.42 (higher secondary). This figure, reported by the National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration, falls by a further 15 percent for girls from Scheduled Tribe, Scheduled Caste and Muslim communities. Amid the current crisis, Kumar added, To delay girls age of marriage, it will be far more important to improve overall access to education and also invest in better infrastructure. A legal revision alone cannot solve the problem.

Reetika Revathy Subramanian is a journalist and a PhD scholar at the University of Cambridge Centre for Gender Studies, UK. She writes on gender, informality and labour migration.

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COVID-19 crisis risks reversing gains made against c..arriage in India; legal revisions alone arent solution - Firstpost