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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 30-Nov-2013
30-Nov-13 World View -- China vs U.S. air confrontations are now a daily occurrence

Web Log - November, 2013

30-Nov-13 World View -- China vs U.S. air confrontations are now a daily occurrence

Camels in Qatar found infected with deadly MERS virus

This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com

Camels in Qatar found infected with deadly MERS virus
China vs U.S. air confrontations are now a daily occurrence
Netherlands loses its AAA credit rating

Camels in Qatar found infected with deadly MERS virus

Camel farm with Doha, Qatar, in the background (File/Reuters)

Camel farm with Doha, Qatar, in the background (File/Reuters)

MERS-CoV (the Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus) has already infected about 170 people, mostly in Saudi Arabia. The virus is particularly deadly, since almost 40% of those infected have died. Health officials are puzzled because they have not yet been able to identify the "animal reservoir" that is allowing the virus to infect and kill humans, despite the fact that it's not yet being transmitted from human to human.

Active MERS infections have now been found in three camels in Qatar, indicating that camels may be the animal reservoir allowing the virus to spread. The three camels were asymptomatic, meaning that they carried active infections, but showed no external symptoms. Prior tests on racing camels in Oman and animals imported by Egypt from Sudan (for slaughter) signal high degree of infections, indicating that MERS is widespread in camels throughout the Middle East. Recombinomics and Reuters

China vs U.S. air confrontations are now a daily occurrence

The United States military is making daily flights into China's recently declared Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) in the East China Sea, but without complying with Chinese demands to notify Chinese authorities in advance. According to an unnamed Pentagon official:

"It’s very important the U.S. signal to the Chinese that we’re not going to be bullied and that we’re going to adhere to our commitments."

According to a Chinese air force spokesman, two U.S. and 10 Japanese aircraft were monitoring targets in the zone, and that the Chinese air force and navy were scrambling warplanes to monitor them.

According to Liu Jieyi, China's ambassador to the United Nations:

"It is indeed the right of every country to defend its airspace, and also to make sure that its territorial integrity, its sovereignty, are safeguarded. This is a normal arrangement."

Apparently the intention is that warplanes from each of the three countries will be "patrolling" the ADIZ on a daily basis, in order to safeguard its territorial integrity and sovereignty.

However, U.S. administration officials are advising commercial airlines to comply with China's demands when flying into the ADIZ. CNN and Bloomberg

Netherlands loses its AAA credit rating

Standard & Poors ratings agency on Friday downgraded the debt rating of the Netherlands to AA+, saying, "The downgrade reflects our opinion that the Netherlands' growth prospects are now weaker than we had previously anticipated." This leaves only three countries remaining in the 17 country eurozone with an AAA rating: Germany, Luxembourg and Finland. The only other countries still having AAA ratings are: Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Switzerland, Australia, Canada and Singapore. Expatica

(Comments: For reader comments, questions and discussion, see the 30-Nov-13 World View -- China vs U.S. air confrontations are now a daily occurrence thread of the Generational Dynamics forum. Comments may be posted anonymously.) (30-Nov-2013) Permanent Link
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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 30-Nov-2013 30-Nov-13 World View -- China vs U.S. air confrontations are now a daily occurrence

Camels in Qatar found infected with deadly MERS virus

China vs U.S. air confrontations are now a daily occurrence

Netherlands loses its AAA credit rating

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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 30-Nov-2013
30-Nov-13 World View -- China vs U.S. air confrontations are now a daily occurrence