	Generational Dynamics
	Forecasting America's Destiny ... and the World's

\| HOME \| WEB LOG \| COUNTRY WIKI \| COMMENT \| FORUM \| DOWNLOADS \| ABOUT \|

Generational Dynamics Web Log for 22-Apr-2014
22-Apr-14 World View -- MERS virus cases surge in Saudi Arabia, spread to Greece, Jordan

Web Log - April, 2014

22-Apr-14 World View -- MERS virus cases surge in Saudi Arabia, spread to Greece, Jordan

China seizes a Japanese iron ore carrier ship

This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com

China seizes a Japanese iron ore carrier ship
MERS virus cases surge in Saudi Arabia, spread to Greece, Jordan
Philippine police will use 'reasonable force' coercing MERS tests
Iran's President versus Supreme Leader on 'gender equality'

China seizes a Japanese iron ore carrier ship

The Baosteel Emotion bulk carrier, seized by the Chinese (MOL)

The Baosteel Emotion bulk carrier, seized by the Chinese (MOL)

The Japanese firm Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) said on Monday, that China has impounded one of its iron ore carriers, Baosteel Emotion, while it was docked in Shanghai. A Shanghai court ruled that the ship could be seized for damages and reparations because MOL's predecessor company in 1936 chartered two Chinese freighters that were later sunk by the Japanese Navy. Japan claims that no reparations are due because of a 1972 agreement with China in which China agreed to renounce "its demand for war reparation from Japan." However, China's foreign ministry says that the claims are solely for commercial losses, and unrelated to wartime compensation.

This incident is sure to frighten Japanese companies from doing business with China, and that may be China's motive in pursuing this. China has threatened economic sanctions against Japan in the past. Japan has just reported its worst annual trade deficit in March, with export growth slowed to the weakest in a year, and this incident will only hurt Japan further. LA Times and Xinhua and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and Business Standard

MERS virus cases surge in Saudi Arabia, spread to Greece, Jordan

One expert explains it this way:

"It took us over a year to get the first hundred cases of this viral infection. Now in just the last two weeks, we've had a hundred cases ... there's a major change occurring that cannot just be attributed to better case detection. Something's happening.
When humans readily transmit [a virus] to humans, that's what will cause a worldwide outbreak. We are very concerned that ... with what we've seen over the last two weeks ... we may be at that point now.""

The fear is that MERS-CoV (the Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus) has mutated in some way that's going to make it easier to spread from one person to another. Saudia Arabia has confirmed more than 50 cases of the virus in the past week, with 13 new cases reported on Monday alone. There have been 257 cases total worldwide since it was discovered in September 2012, with 93 deaths. A new cluster was reported in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) this week. A 69-year old male Greek citizen residing in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, was diagnosed in Greece as having MERS. New cases are reported in Jordan. MERS has an incubation period of 2 weeks, meaning that you can be infected and spread the disease to other people for two weeks before you start to show symptoms yourself. The sudden rapid surge in cases is raising fears that the disease is far more widespread in Saudi Arabia than previously assumed, and that travelers to and from Jeddah are spreading the disease to other countries. CNN and Recombinomics and NPR

Philippine police will use 'reasonable force' coercing MERS tests

All 414 passengers on the April 15 Etihad Airlines flight from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to Manila, the Philippines, are being tested for MERS-CoV (the Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus). At least 100 of the passengers have been tested so far, all with negative results. The need for testing was triggered when a 32-year-old overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who arrived from Riyadh on Sunday (4/20) was suspected of having MERS. Police are tracking down the remaining passengers on the 4/15 flight, and will use "reasonable force" to compel them to submit themselves for a medical examination. The police officers are also being warned to take reasonable precautions to protect themselves.

According to Philippine authorities, most government hospitals in Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries continue to employ Filipino nurses and hospital staff. Around 3,000 OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) are leaving the country daily and many of them are bound for Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries. Philippine Star (Manila)

Iran's President versus Supreme Leader on 'gender equality'

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday that Iran would not accept any form of sexual discrimination.

Undoubtedly, Rouhani was responding to the remarks a day earlier by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, who who criticized the West's view's about "gender equality between men and women." He said, Equality is not always the same as justice; justice is always right, but equality is sometimes right and sometimes wrong." Khamenei emphasized that the most important issue for women is the sense of security and peace of mind that women find within families. Press TV (Tehran) and Business Standard

(Comments: For reader comments, questions and discussion, see the 22-Apr-14 World View -- MERS virus cases surge in Saudi Arabia, spread to Greece, Jordan thread of the Generational Dynamics forum. Comments may be posted anonymously.) (22-Apr-2014) Permanent Link
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Donate to Generational Dynamics via PayPal

Web Log Pages

Current Web Log

Generational Dynamics Web Log for 22-Apr-2014 22-Apr-14 World View -- MERS virus cases surge in Saudi Arabia, spread to Greece, Jordan

China seizes a Japanese iron ore carrier ship

MERS virus cases surge in Saudi Arabia, spread to Greece, Jordan

Philippine police will use 'reasonable force' coercing MERS tests

Iran's President versus Supreme Leader on 'gender equality'

Web Log Pages

Generational Dynamics Web Log for 22-Apr-2014
22-Apr-14 World View -- MERS virus cases surge in Saudi Arabia, spread to Greece, Jordan