Some recent events haven’t been featured, due to the press of domestic political issues and developments regarding the novel coronavirus. Here are three particularly noteworthy items – two serious, one not – that deserve some attention.
North Korea is believed to have successfully developed miniaturized nuclear warheads and missiles capable of striking the United States mainland, according to an interim UN report leaked to Reuters.
The panel creating the report is comprised of independent experts from multiple countries. They have determined that North Korea’s activity, as indicated from known material usage and video evidence, demonstrates that the country has continued production of highly enriched uranium and at least one reactor geared toward generating weapons instead of power. They believe North Korea has been actively pursuing these goals and violating sanctions, including during the time when President Trump was making concessions to them in pursuit of summit meetings.
Israel has been facing weeks of large protests, often numbering thousands of people, under the banner of the “black flag” movement. The main thrust of the group is to protest the continuing leadership of Benjamin Netanyahu, whose popularity has plummeted across the last two months.
The protests have resulted in clashes with police, but most of the issues have been related to permits needed for demonstrations and proper maintenance of social distancing requirements. At the recent peak of the protests, where tens of thousands were in the streets and more than five thousand outside of Netanyahu’s home, water cannons were deployed by the police to disperse the crowds. That usage has since been questioned by the Knesset.
While there have been simmering complaints about potential criminality by the Prime Minister, who is currently facing corruption charges, the discontent seems to be directly resultant from his handling of the novel coronavirus. Israel was originally seen as responding very well to the disease, which provided Netanyahu a political boost. The decision to open schools resulted in a widespread outbreak which has since allowed the virus to spread throughout the country and has greatly damaged the economy. With Benny Gantz of the Blue & White party prepared to take leadership duties because of a power-sharing agreement, Netanyahu is under significant political pressure to step down.
In a less serious news item – but still something worth recognizing – the Mayor of Itajai, Brazil has been recommending an alternative treatment for covid-19. Mayor Volnei Morastoni, a licensed doctor, is promoting rectal ozone therapy for the disease.
“It is a simple, fast application of two, three minutes a day. It will probably be a rectal application, which is very easy, very fast, [with] a thin catheter and this gives an excellent result, […] it helps a lot in positive cases of coronavirus.”
Folha International
The story is noteworthy for two reasons. First, it demonstrates that demonstrably bad science can be embraced by licensed physicians. Second, it shows why arbitrarily using other locations’ actions, rather than medical research, as guidance is unwise…. something which should be remembered by those touting Sweden’s movement toward herd immunity or the embrace of hydroxychloroquine by many African and South American countries.
