Quote of the Day
“Success is very much the intersection of luck and hard work.”‐ Dustin Moskovitz
“सफलता वाकई किस्मत और मेहनत का संगम है।”‐ डसटिन मोस्कोविट्ज
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
Needed: A fellowship of countries to fight Covid-19 | Opinion
Find a way to incentivise innovators developing medicines and vaccines, yet ensure access to the innovation is for all.
“One ring to rule them all, One ring to find them, One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them”.
In JRR Tolkien’s story Lord of the Rings, a “Fellowship of the Ring” was formed to destroy the one ring and its evil powers. The fellowship comprised of representatives of different races of Tolkien’s middle earth: Hobbits, wizards, elves, dwarves and men, who were united in their quest, despite their differences. Tolkien’s remarkable story is about how they succeed by acting together.
The coronavirus disease (Covid-19) is clearly the ring binding humanity in its darkness. Sadly, however, there is no fellowship in sight. On the contrary, the dark powers of the ring appear to be dividing countries more than ever before, with increasing protectionism and the decline of globalisation.
The 73rd World Health Assembly of the World Health Organization (WHO), at its virtual meeting on May 18-19, adopted a resolution that recognised the unprecedented challenges posed by the pandemic, and called for “equitable access to and fair distribution of” all essential health technologies and products to combat the virus. It also recognised that extensive immunisation against Covid-19 is a “global public good”. Ahead of the World Health Assembly, more than 140 world leaders and experts made an unprecedented call that all vaccines, treatments and tests be patent-free, mass-produced, distributed fairly and made available to all people, in all countries, free of charge. The WHO assembly, however, failed to achieve consensus on ensuring how this “global public good” of extensive immunisation will be achieved.
The WHO Assembly was preceded by a United Nations General Assembly resolution emphasising on the need for “equitable, efficient and timely” access to any future vaccines developed to fight the coronavirus, as well as a virtual meeting of G20 countries which emphasised that people’s health and well-being are at the heart of all decisions taken to protect lives, tackle illness and strengthen global health security. None of these initiatives, however, addressed how equitable access to medicines or vaccines for addressing Covid-19 can be achieved.
India and the United States (US) were nowhere to be seen in the May 4 virtual summit, co-organised by the European Union (EU), Britain, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Canada, South Africa and several other countries and non-governmental organisations which collectively pledged $8 billion to research, manufacture and distribute possible vaccines and treatments for Covid-19. The geopolitical tensions between the US and China are threatening any coordinated multilateral response, as well as the continued existence of multilateral institutions which are central to a global effort to find a vaccine. President Donald Trump has announced a freeze on funding to WHO, on the allegations of mismanagement of the Covid-19 pandemic and bias towards China. There are also calls in the US to abolish the World Trade Organization (WTO) whose role in enforcing trade rules have in any event been rendered ineffective by US actions to scuttle the WTO’s appellate body. The US government’s Operation Warp Speed (a partnership between private pharmaceutical companies, government agencies and the military) is focused on the availability of a vaccine, but only for the US while Chinese biotech companies are engaged in similar efforts with their government and the Peoples’ Liberation Army.
Outrage from the French government and the EU has reportedly resulted in the French pharmaceutical company Sanofi withdrawing its plan to give the US priority access to its potential Covid-19 vaccine. Reports on the EU-supported May 4 virtual initiative quote EU officials as stating that while pharmaceutical companies that receive the funding will not be asked to forgo Intellectual Property Rights on the new vaccine and treatments, they should commit to making them available worldwide at affordable prices. This hortatory statement, however, falls flat in the absence of a definitive plan of action necessary to address equitable access.
Who will own, who will have access and on what terms, to the medicines and vaccines that are being developed — this lies at the heart of any real and effective solution to tackle Covid-19. Patents, rights over test data, and know-how, are important economic mechanisms for incentivising innovation and development of new technologies. While dealing with a pandemic of such large dimensions, however, there is a crucial need to balance private profit and the larger public good. In the mid-20th century, both inventors of the polio vaccines — Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin — declined to patent their inventions, an act which ensured widespread access and near-eradication of polio worldwide. This stood in stark contrast with one of the largest lawsuits in 1998, when 39 pharmaceutical companies sued South Africa, alleging patent violations resulting from it importing cheaper anti-AIDS drugs and other medicines. While public pressure led to the lawsuit being dropped after three years, it exemplified the complexities and significant litigation risks that can accompany any effort to implement affordable access to patented medicines.
Covid-19 needs an innovative solution, and this is necessary at the stage of research and development and clinical trials, rather than something which can be addressed after a cure is found. The virus has bound our globally interconnected world like no other, and the utility of any vaccine to fight it can succeed only if there is rapid universal access to the cure. That can happen only if governments across the world develop a pragmatic approach that recognises and rewards innovators, while ensuring that access to the innovation is held in trust for the benefit of humankind. We urgently need a fellowship of countries that can fight off, arguably, the 21st century’s greatest challenge.
RV Anuradha is a partner at Clarus Law Associates, New Delhi and specialises in international economic laws
Source: Hindustan Times, 26-05-20
Economic and Political Weekly: Table of Contents
Vol. 55, Issue No. 21, 23 May, 2020
Activities to do during lockdown that can add up in your portfolio
Once you begin to think about it, there’s no limit to the number of activities that you can participate in during the COVID lockdown and here is a list of activities which can keep you busy and add in your portfolio
Not just marks and applications but a good portfolio is also required to get admission into a varsity abroad. As the entire globe has come to a standstill amid the coronavirus lockdown, what can one do to build their portfolio? The answer is — a lot.
Paint: The internet is brimming with suggestions, tutorials, magical hyper-lapses, paint-along videos. Complaining that you do not know how to paint, or that you wish you had company, is not a good enough excuse for procrastination anymore. Paint on paper, paint murals on walls, paint on newsJournal: Keeping a journal has been key to many breakthroughs of many brilliant minds. You do not have to type out a journal every day. Journaling has been proven to open up your mind to more creative thought in every field. Write in your journal, type it, paint it, make a mind map, do whatever suits your personality. At best, it could get the creative juices flowing and help you with your college essays, or maybe a novella. At worst, you will have a detailed account of your days in lockdown. Ever heard of Anne Frank?
Learn to bake or cook: Learn to be self-reliant. How many of us know how to stitch a button? This might not help in building a profile, but it will definitely help you when you live alone abroad.
Offer virtual companionship for people who are impacted by COVID-19: If you have a course in psychology, this is the time to put it to use. Everyone now is connected to video chat. Offer some time to someone in need, daily. A little company goes a long way in times like this.paper, fabric.
Show commitment for a prior commitment: Do not let the lockdown lock you down. If there is a project that got interrupted by the lockdown, physically being apart from your team should not stop you from completing it. Choose one or two activities that you enjoyed pursuing pre-pandemic. Practicing a musical instrument at a professional level? You could practice with discipline, and connect with your teacher online. Try, and succeed, to maintain a level of continuity in your commitments. Robotics project stuck in the works? Gather your friends, delegate responsibilities, complete it.
Research project: If there is a topic that is always been close to your heart, this is the perfect opportunity for uninterrupted time at your fingertips. It is also possible that some of the elusive experts — who were usually really hard to get a hold of because they were too busy — might have some time at hand. Approach them, write to them, get some invaluable guidance and inputs and make the most of this opportunity.
Self-driven projects study: A number of universities offer free, and paid, certifications, MOOC’s, and courses online. Many are self-paced and are easily available. This would be a great time to upskill yourself. One can also take up online projects and collaborate for an online fundraiser. Participate in digithons, hackathons, or any other kind of challenge that you would have never dreamt of doing because of time constraints. The virtual world is bursting with content right now, and the largest consumer is the young generation. Gather a bunch of friends and start a blog based on a specialisation. How to debate louder, Secret basketball moves, Social Media and how to navigate it.
nce you begin to think about it, there’s no limit to the number of activities that you can participate in during the COVID lockdown. Remember though, first make your bed, help your mom dad with chores, and only then disappear into the world of your new-found project!
Source: Indian Express, 14/04/2020
What is ‘Obamagate’, the theory that Donald Trump is peddling
"Obamagate" rightly takes its reference from Watergate, decidedly the biggest political scandal that ended Richard Nixon's presidency in 1974.
Over the last few weeks, US President Donald Trump has proactively peddled conspiracy theories about former president Barack Obama with #Obamagate that some say is being designed to ramp up support for Trump’s conservative base. The President has also, in equal measure, attempted to portray presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in harsh light to potentially distract from the barrage of bad news from both the health and economic front due to the coronavirus pandemic. More than 90,000 Americans have died from the virus, and more than 40 million have claimed unemployment.
Biden, on his part, warned that those “tasked with enforcing the law are abusing their powers,” indirectly criticising the Trump administration a day after he declined to respond to the President’s attacks directly.
On May 10, Trump had tweeted 126 times, some in all caps, about ‘OBAMAGATE’ without giving any evidence to support his claims. Despite the fact that over 40 million Americans have filed for unemployment claims over the last few months due to pandemic-induced lockdown, Trump has fired many shots at Obama accusing him of conspiracy to topple his early presidency. Over the years, these accusLast week, when Trump was asked by a reporter his reason behind accusing Obama, the President was quoted as saying by The Atlantic as saying, “It’s been going on for a very long time … You know what the crime is. The crime is very obvious to everybody.”ations came to be labelled by Trump and his supporters as Obamagate.Later on May 15, he announced that Obamagate is the “greatest political scandal in the history of the US”.
Trump’s accusations against Obama have frequently bordered on conspiracy and not facts, which are not the same as his differences with his predecessor on health care policies and US’ role in the world order.
Currently, his focus seems to be on the decisions that Obama, Biden, and their national security advisers made during the last days of their administration as they viewed intelligence reports about Michael Flynn. Flynn had a relatively short tenure as Donald Trump’s national security adviser before he was fired for lying to Vice President Mike Pence about his interactions with Russia’s ambassador to the U.S.
Obamagate” rightly takes its reference from Watergate, decidedly the biggest political scandal that ended Richard Nixon’s presidency in 1974.
The controversy had its origins in 2017, when Donald Trump had accused Obama of wire-tapping his political campaign in 2016. Over the years, the claims have stayed with Trump supporters. But very recently, the Justice Department dropped the case against Flynn and this seems to have given Trump another reason to complain about Flynn’s treatment by FBI investigators.
Trump has broadly dubbed the allegations as Obamagate where he has pointed to the legal case of his former national security adviser Michael Flynn, and suggested that the “unmasking” of Flynn’s name as part of legal US surveillance of foreign targets was criminal.
As per the Associated Press, the “unmasking” of people in surveillance reports is a routine, legal activity in government. In 2019, the Donald Trump administration made 10,012 such requests. But they don’t often become public, and in the Flynn case, Trump supporters point to it as evidence that Obama loyalists were out to undermine Trump from the start.
To many, the Obamagate seems to be Trump’s strategy to open up a new front against his political rivals to shore up support for his presidency and boost his reelection bid in the November elections. The President has branded the whole issue as Obamagate despite there being no evidence of wrongdoing against the former president.
Then, over this weekend, Trump’s two sons appeared to spread baseless, online conspiracy theories suggesting other criminal activity by Biden. When Biden was asked by reporters on the online posts, he told AP, “People know me. The good news is the bad news. They know me. They know my faults, they know my talents,” Biden said.
He went on to add: “It’s hard to lay on me some of the things that are just totally out of sync with anything in my whole life that anyone has ever said about me.”
The latest comments by Biden come amid escalating rhetoric from Trump and his allies pushing conspiracy theories and alleging improper behaviour during the Obama administration.
Source: Indian Express, 21/05/20
The first plague in history ended the Byzantine empire, was considered an act of God
The plague “would mark the end of one world, and the beginning of another. Along the way, it would consume at least 25 million human lives.”
A moment is all it takes for the world to change and the way we see it. The first plague of written history had caused the Byzantine Empire to fall. The Black Death of the 14th century on the other hand, ended the practice of serfdom in Europe. In India, the Bubonic plague of the 19th century came as a God-given opportunity for colonial officials to suppress the resident population, while the Spanish flu of the 20th century led to a nationalist awakening. The pages of history are replete with instances when major disease outbreaks have altered and overturned the ways in which societies and political structures functioned.
Many would say the Covid-19 outbreak may change forever the world as we have known it till now. Power structures may be shifted, economic systems remodeled, along with significant changes in the way we touch, behave, and breathe. With the number of cases continuing to surge and the prospect of a vaccine still distant, we are yet to see the impact that the virus will play out in times ahead. Lessons from thIn the year 540 CE, a fleet of ships left the port of Alexandria for some of the greatest trading cities in the Mediterranean region including those in Turkey, Italy and Spain. The Byzantine empire for which it was headed, had for centuries depended on North Africa to meet its requirements of food grain. This time though, along with the food grains, came a disease that would wreak havoc across the empire, and alter the course of its history.
The Plague of Justinian, as it came to be known after Emperor Justinian I who held the throne of Byzantium, is found to have transmitted through black rats that traveled on the grain ships and carts sent to Constantinople. Having conquered large parts of North Africa, and the Italian peninsula, the Byzantine Empire under Justinian I was at its peak when the plague broke out. As historian William Rosen wrote in his book ‘Justinian’s Flea: Plague, Empire, and the Birth of Europe’, the plague “would mark the end of one world, and the beginning of another. Along the way, it would consume at least 25 million human lives.”
A disastrous act of God
The Justinian plague is known to have originated at Pelusium at the Eastern edge of the Nile delta in Egypt, even though the roots of the bacterium causing it was first found at Qinghai in China. From Egypt it spread through trade routes and by 544 CE had spread through Central Asia, Europe, and the Mediterannean.
The plague was caused by Yersinia pestis, the same bacterium that caused the disastrous Black Death in Europe, in the 14th century, and later the third plague pandemic of the 19th century. The Justinian plague itself is recorded to have recurred multiple times in the course of the next two hundred years. While some accounts of it suggest the plague recurred 14 times, others say 18 or 21.e past though can provide some insight into what lies ahead.
The plague resulting from the bacterium took different forms. The Justinian plague was a Bubonic plague that is transmitted by the bite of an infected flea or rodent. In the world of antiquity, however, it was understood as nothing more than a catastrophic act of God.
“To the people of the sixth, seventh, and eighth centuries, only the act of an angry God could explain the colossal disaster of the plague,” writes historian J N Hays in his book ‘Epidemics and pandemics: Their impacts on human history’. Contemporary descriptions of the disease noted that it struck suddenly with a high fever; the buboes, or swellings, appeared in the groin, the armpits, behind the ears or in the thigh. Further black spots might appear in the skin and the victim would slip into a coma and would die soon after.
People traumatised and unsure about the situation, soon resorted to irrational acts hoping the disease would disappear. “There was a deliberate smashing of pots; people making a clamour. This may be an illustration of a population experiencing traumatic shock. It might have been done in panic but also might hWhile it is difficult to ascertain the precise number of casualties left behind in the wake of the Justinian plague, some details put forth by contemporary witnesses might be useful to gauge its magnitude. The Byzantine Greek scholar Procopius in his elaborate eight-volume work, ‘The history of wars’ noted how the epidemic claimed 5000 or sometimes 10,000 lives daily only in the Byzatine capital city of Constantinople. Emperor Justinian himself was struck by the plague but managed to recover from it.
The contemporary historian John of Ephesus, on the other hand, claims to have witnessed “villages whose inhabitants perished altogether’. He described the scene of destruction at Constantinople in the following words — “noble and chaste women, dignified with honour, who sat in bed chambers, now with their mouths swollen, wide open and gaping, who were piled up in horrible heaps, all ages lying prostrate, all staturers bowed down and overthrown, all ranks pressed on upon another, in a single wine-press of God’s wrath, like beasts, not like human beings.”
Ushering the end of the Byzantine empire
The plague of Justinian had a far-reaching impact on the fiscal, administrative and military framework of the empire. The population of the empire was dramatically reduced. While some scholars have noted that 40 per cent of Constantinople’s population had disappeared, others believe that the plague caused the death of a quarter of the human population in the Eastern Mediterannean. For an empire that was primarily agrarian, it meant a shortage of food, as well as a sharp drop in the amount of taxes being paid to the state. The immediate result was famines that occurred in 542, and then again in 545 and 546.
Before the plague arrived, the empire of Byzantium under Justinian had expanded far across North Africa, southern France, Italy and Spain, and was well on its way to re-establish much of the golden era of the Roman Empire. The decrease in the population of the empire also significantly weakened the military. The Empire’s capacity to resist its enemies had weakened.
By 568 CE, Northern Italy was invaded and conquered by the Germanic tribes called Lombards. “Within decades, Rome and Persia were so plague-weakened that the armies of Islam, formed in one of the only parts of either empire to remain plague free, could conquer Mesopotamia, the Middle East, North Africa, Spain, and most of Asia Minor,” writes Rosen.
While historians have noted several other factors that aided in the weakening of the Byzantine empire, including the administrative weaknesses of its monarch, they agree that the plague of Justinian did play a crucial role. While the Byzantine Empire did revive briefly in the 10th-11th centuries under the Macedonians, it could never again reach the same heights. The plague in many ways marked the end of the era of Classical antiquity and marked the beginning of the Middle Ages.
Extra reading: The Burdens of Disease: Epidemics and Human Response in Western History, by J N Hays | Justinian’s Flea: Plague, Empire, and the Birth of Europe, by William Rosen | Economy and Society in the age of Justinian, by Peter Sarrisave been done to somehow disturb and clear the atmosphere,” writes Hays.
Source: Indian Express, 8/05/2020
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