GENEVA—The number of monkeypox cases reported globally dropped 21 percent in the last week, reversing a month-long trend of rising infections and signaling that Europe’s outbreak may be starting to decline, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Thursday.
The U.N. health agency reported 5,907 new weekly cases and said two countries, Iran and Indonesia, reported their first cases. To date, more than 45,000 monkeypox cases have been reported in 98 countries since late April.
The Americas accounted for 60 percent of cases in the past month, WHO said, while cases in Europe comprised about 38 percent.
In late July, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared monkeypox to be a global emergency, despite a lack of consensus on his expert committee.
The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday the continent had 219 new cases in the past week, a jump of 54 percent. Most were in Nigeria and Congo.
British health authorities said last week there were “early signs” the country’s monkeypox outbreak was slowing. The UK’s Health Security Agency downgraded the country’s monkeypox outbreak last month, saying there was no evidence the once-rare disease was spreading beyond men who were gay, bisexual, or had sex with other men.
Since monkeypox outbreaks in Europe and North America were identified in May, WHO and other health agencies have noted that its spread was almost exclusively in men who have sex with men.
Monkeypox has been endemic in parts of Africa for decades and experts suspect the outbreaks in Europe and North America were triggered after the disease started spreading via sex at two raves in Spain and Belgium.
WHO’s latest report said 98 percent of cases are in men and of those who reported sexual orientation, 96 percent are in men who have sex with men.
“Of all reported types of transmission, a sexual encounter was reported most commonly,” WHO said.
Among the monkeypox cases in which the HIV status of patients was known, 45 percent were infected with HIV.
WHO has recommended that men at high risk of the disease temporarily consider reducing their number of sex partners and refraining from group or anonymous sex.
Energy stocks see double-digit gains on Moscow reopening
Sanctioned lender VTB, Aeroflot suffer falls
Rouble strengthens vs dollar, euro after Putin statement
OFZ benchmark 10-year yield nudges lower to 13.64%
Moscow Exchange to restart trading more instruments
March 24 (Reuters) – Energy and metals firms led a jump in Russian stocks on Thursday as trading resumed after almost a month’s suspension, reflecting soaring global prices for oil, gas and other commodities on fears the Ukraine crisis will threaten supply.
The market was also underpinned by a government commitment to support stocks, leading a senior U.S. official to dismiss the limited resumption of trading as a “a charade: a Potemkin market opening”.
Stocks had not traded on Moscow’s bourse since Feb. 25, the day after President Vladimir Putin sent troops into neighbouring Ukraine, prompting Western sanctions aimed at isolating Russia economically and then Russian countermeasures.
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The reaction has cut off Russian financial markets from global networks and sent the rouble currency tumbling. Stocks had also plunged immediately after Moscow launched what it calls “a special military operation” to disarm and “denazify” its southern neighbour.
Restrictions on trade with foreigners and a ban on short selling remained in place on Thursday as the Moscow Exchange cautiously resumed equities trading. On Friday, more securities, including corporate bonds and Eurobonds will be traded, the central bank said.
“We will do everything possible to open all segments of the stock market soon,” Boris Blokhin, head of Moscow Exchange’s stock market department, said.
STELLAR GAINS
The short session saw energy firms make stellar gains, with gas producer Novatek (NVTK.MM), oil majors Rosneft and Lukoil (LKOH.MM) and gas giant Gazprom (GAZP.MM) up 12%-18.5%.
Brent crude oil , a global benchmark for Russia’s main export, was trading near $120.6 per barrel on Thursday, having jumped more than 20% from a month ago as worries about supply disruptions from the Ukraine crisis drive up prices.
Shares in mining giant Nornickel also gained 10.2% (GMKN.MM).
Novatek and Nornickel pared losses sustained since before Feb. 24 by the session’s close. Fertiliser producer Phosagro (PHOR.MM) closed at a record high.
Reuters Graphics
“Large bids to buy Russian shares have been seen since the market opening,” BCS Brokerage said in a note, adding that a promise Russia’s rainy-day fund will buy shares was also underpinning the market.
“The overall sentiment is supported by the confidence that the finance ministry will buy stocks,” BCS said.
The government said on March 1 that it would use up to 1 trillion roubles ($10.4 billion) from the National Wealth Fund to buy battered Russian stocks, although it was not clear whether any purchases were being made on Thursday.
The finance ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
‘POTEMKIN MARKET OPENING’
An interior view shows the headquarters of Moscow Exchange in Moscow, Russia April 27, 2021. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
A senior U.S. official said Moscow’s commitment to buy amounted to artificially propping up shares, and called the limited resumption “a Potemkin market opening”.
“This is not a real market and not a sustainable model – which only underscores Russia’s isolation from the global financial system,” deputy White House national security adviser Daleep Singh said in a statement.
Trading in Russian companies listed on the London Stock Exchange remains suspended. Prices of some instruments had plunged to almost zero before the bourse halted trading of them in early March.
The Moscow Exchange said 567,000 private investors had accounted for 58.2% of Thursday’s trading volume, with 121 professional participants conducting the remainder.
“Today the first step was made in our new reality,” said Elbek Dalimov, head of equity trading at Aton brokerage, adding that trading orders were limited with non-residents, who hold more than half the free float on the market, sidelined.
“In the morning we saw a huge number of retail investors who on the one hand were closing short positions and on the other were ready to park their roubles in shares, so as to somehow save them from inflation,” he said.
The benchmark MOEX stock index ended the short trading session 4.4% higher at 2,578.51 points, having earlier reached a day peak of 2,761.17 (.IMOEX).
The dollar-denominated RTS index (.IRTS) fell 9% on the day to 852.64, pressured by the weaker rouble, according to MOEX data that was suspended in the Eikon terminal.
The negative impact of sanctions was clear in some sectors, with shares in Russia’s second-largest lender VTB (VTBR.MM) down 5.5%. And with most European airspace closed to Russian planes, flagship carrier Aeroflot (AFLT.MM) sank 16.44%.
Trading apps of major brokerages with leading banks, including Sberbank, VTB and Alfa, reported temporary problems with processing clients’ orders following the restart.
ROUBLE FIRMS
The rouble meanwhile extended its recovery, gaining 1.3% to trade at 96.50 against the dollar in Moscow trade by 1502 GMT.
The currency had hit its strongest level in three weeks at 94.975 on Wednesday after Putin said Russia would start selling its gas to “unfriendly” countries in roubles. read more
Against the euro, the rouble was 2.1% higher at 105.75 , pulling further away from an all-time low of 132.4 it hit in Moscow trading earlier in March, but far from levels of around 90 seen before Feb. 24.
Russia resumed trading of OFZ treasury bonds on Monday with the central bank helping to stabilise the market with interventions, the amount of which it has not yet disclosed.
Yields of benchmark 10-year OFZ bonds, which move inversely to their prices, stood at 13.68% after hitting an all-time high of 19.74% on Monday .
($1 = 96.0000 roubles)
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Reporting by Reuters
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
The benchmark MOEX index gained as much as 10% in early trade in Moscow. Russia’s central bank has banned short sales, and foreign investors are not allowed to dump shares, prohibitions that could help support stocks.
Investors are able to trade 33 stocks during the limited session from 9:50 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in Moscow. Blue chip stocks Gazprom, Lukoil, VTB Bank, Sberbank, Rusal and Rosneft are among the equities that are trading.
Russian stocks last traded on February 25 after President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine caused shares to plummet. The MOEX index had lost roughly 35% of its value this year, while the RTS index — which is denominated in dollars — had plunged 42%.
In the weeks since Russian stocks stopped trading, sanctions imposed by the West have crushed the ruble and put the country’s economy into a tailspin. President Joe Biden is expected to announce additional sanctions during a trip to Europe this week.
Foreign investors are not allowed to sell shares on Thursday under new rules that ban brokers from executing sales on their behalf.
Foreign funds held more than 80% of all shares trading on the Moscow Exchange in the first half of 2021, according to Reuters. The United States and Canada accounted for 54% of the total, with 22% from the United Kingdom and 21% from the rest of Europe.
The Biden administration described the reopening as a “charade.”
“Russia has made clear they are going to pour government resources into artificially propping up the shares of companies that are trading,” deputy national security adviser Daleep Singh said in a statement. “This is not a real market and not a sustainable model — which only underscores Russia’s isolation from the global financial system.”
MITZPE RAMON (AFP) — Inside a huge crater in Israel’s sun-baked Negev desert, a team wearing space suits ventures forth on a mission to simulate conditions on Mars.
The Austrian Space Forum has set up a pretend Martian base with the Israeli space agency at Makhtesh Ramon, a 500-meter (1,600-foot) deep, 40 kilometers (25 miles) wide crater.
The six so-called “analog astronauts” will live in isolation in the virtual station until the end of the month.
“It’s a dream come true,” Israeli Alon Tenzer, 36, told AFP. “It’s something we’ve been working on for years.”
The participants — from Austria, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain — all had to pass grueling physical and psychological tests.
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During their mission, they will conduct tests including on a drone prototype that functions without GPS, and on automated wind- and solar-powered mapping vehicles.
Israeli astronaut Alon Tenzer prepares his spacesuit before starting a training mission for planet Mars at a site that simulates an off-site station at the Ramon Crater in Mitzpe Ramon in Israel’s southern Negev desert on October 10, 2021. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP)
The mission will also aim to study human behavior and the effect of isolation on the astronauts.
“The group’s cohesion and their ability to work together are crucial for surviving on Mars,” said Gernot Groemer, the Austrian mission supervisor.
“It’s like a marriage, except in a marriage you can leave but on Mars you can’t.”
Largest voyage ever
The Austrian Space Forum, a private organization made up of aerospace specialists, has already organized 12 missions, the most recent in Oman in 2018.
This picture taken on October 10, 2021 shows an aerial view of a habitat where astronauts from a team from Europe and Israel will participate in a training mission for planet Mars at a site that simulates an off-site station at the Ramon Crater in Mitzpe Ramon in Israel’s southern Negev desert. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP)
The Israel project is part of mission Amadee-20, which was expected to kick off last year but was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The forum has partnered with Israeli research center D-MARS to construct the solar-powered base.
German astronaut Anika Mehlis, the only woman on the team, told AFP how happy she was to be part of the project.
“My father took me to the space museum when I was little,” she said. “When I saw that the forum was looking for analog astronauts, I told myself I had to apply.”
Mehlis, a trained microbiologist, will study a scenario where bacteria from Earth infect potential life forms that may be found on Mars, saying this “would be a huge problem”.
Technicians assist an astronaut from a team from Europe and Israel to suit up in a spacesuit before starting a training mission for planet Mars at a site that simulates an off-site station at the Ramon Crater in Mitzpe Ramon in Israel’s southern Negev desert on October 10, 2021. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP)
Visually, the surrounding desert resembles the Red Planet with its stony wilderness and orange hues, though thankfully not in terms of atmospheric conditions.
“Over here, we have temperatures of about 25-30 degrees Celsius, but on Mars the temperature is minus 60 degrees Celsius and the atmosphere is not fit for breathing,” said Groemer.
A robotic rover that is part of a team from Europe and Israel moves during a training mission for planet Mars at a site that simulates an off-site station at the Ramon Crater in Mitzpe Ramon in Israel’s southern Negev desert on October 10, 2021.(Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP)
The interior of the base is austere, with a small kitchen and bunk beds. Most of the space is reserved for scientific experiments.
NASA envisions the first human mission to Mars will launch in 2030.
An astronaut from a team from Europe and Israel and dressed in a spacesuit holds a quadcopter drone during a training mission for planet Mars at a site that simulates an off-site station at the Ramon Crater in Mitzpe Ramon in Israel’s southern Negev desert on October 10, 2021. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP)
“What we are doing here is preparing a large mission, the largest voyage our society has ever taken, as Mars and Earth are 380 million kilometers apart at their extreme point,” said Groemer.
“I believe the very first human to walk on Mars is already born and we are the ship-builders to enable this journey.”
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MITZPE RAMON (AFP) — Inside a huge crater in Israel’s sun-baked Negev desert, a team wearing space suits ventures forth on a mission to simulate conditions on Mars.
The Austrian Space Forum has set up a pretend Martian base with the Israeli space agency at Makhtesh Ramon, a 500-meter (1,600-foot) deep, 40 kilometers (25 miles) wide crater.
The six so-called “analog astronauts” will live in isolation in the virtual station until the end of the month.
“It’s a dream come true,” Israeli Alon Tenzer, 36, told AFP. “It’s something we’ve been working on for years.”
The participants — from Austria, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain — all had to pass grueling physical and psychological tests.
Get The Times of Israel’s Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories
By signing up, you agree to the terms
During their mission, they will conduct tests including on a drone prototype that functions without GPS, and on automated wind- and solar-powered mapping vehicles.
Israeli astronaut Alon Tenzer prepares his spacesuit before starting a training mission for planet Mars at a site that simulates an off-site station at the Ramon Crater in Mitzpe Ramon in Israel’s southern Negev desert on October 10, 2021. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP)
The mission will also aim to study human behavior and the effect of isolation on the astronauts.
“The group’s cohesion and their ability to work together are crucial for surviving on Mars,” said Gernot Groemer, the Austrian mission supervisor.
“It’s like a marriage, except in a marriage you can leave but on Mars you can’t.”
Largest voyage ever
The Austrian Space Forum, a private organization made up of aerospace specialists, has already organized 12 missions, the most recent in Oman in 2018.
This picture taken on October 10, 2021 shows an aerial view of a habitat where astronauts from a team from Europe and Israel will participate in a training mission for planet Mars at a site that simulates an off-site station at the Ramon Crater in Mitzpe Ramon in Israel’s southern Negev desert. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP)
The Israel project is part of mission Amadee-20, which was expected to kick off last year but was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The forum has partnered with Israeli research center D-MARS to construct the solar-powered base.
German astronaut Anika Mehlis, the only woman on the team, told AFP how happy she was to be part of the project.
“My father took me to the space museum when I was little,” she said. “When I saw that the forum was looking for analog astronauts, I told myself I had to apply.”
Mehlis, a trained microbiologist, will study a scenario where bacteria from Earth infect potential life forms that may be found on Mars, saying this “would be a huge problem”.
Technicians assist an astronaut from a team from Europe and Israel to suit up in a spacesuit before starting a training mission for planet Mars at a site that simulates an off-site station at the Ramon Crater in Mitzpe Ramon in Israel’s southern Negev desert on October 10, 2021. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP)
Visually, the surrounding desert resembles the Red Planet with its stony wilderness and orange hues, though thankfully not in terms of atmospheric conditions.
“Over here, we have temperatures of about 25-30 degrees Celsius, but on Mars the temperature is minus 60 degrees Celsius and the atmosphere is not fit for breathing,” said Groemer.
A robotic rover that is part of a team from Europe and Israel moves during a training mission for planet Mars at a site that simulates an off-site station at the Ramon Crater in Mitzpe Ramon in Israel’s southern Negev desert on October 10, 2021.(Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP)
The interior of the base is austere, with a small kitchen and bunk beds. Most of the space is reserved for scientific experiments.
NASA envisions the first human mission to Mars will launch in 2030.
An astronaut from a team from Europe and Israel and dressed in a spacesuit holds a quadcopter drone during a training mission for planet Mars at a site that simulates an off-site station at the Ramon Crater in Mitzpe Ramon in Israel’s southern Negev desert on October 10, 2021. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP)
“What we are doing here is preparing a large mission, the largest voyage our society has ever taken, as Mars and Earth are 380 million kilometers apart at their extreme point,” said Groemer.
“I believe the very first human to walk on Mars is already born and we are the ship-builders to enable this journey.”
Learn Hebrew in a fun, unique way
You get Israel news… but do you GET it? Here’s your chance to understand not only the big picture that we cover on these pages, but also the critical, juicy details of life in Israel.
In Streetwise Hebrew for the Times of Israel Community, each month we’ll learn several colloquial Hebrew phrases around a common theme. These are bite-size audio Hebrew classes that we think you’ll really enjoy.
Learn more
Learn more
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You’re serious. We appreciate that!
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we come to work every day – to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Conservative talk radio host Phil Valentine has died at the age of 61 after contracting the coronavirus last month, his radio station confirmed in a tweet on Saturday.
Nashville radio station WWTN, home of “The Phil Valentine Show,” announced his death over the weekend.
“We are saddened to report that our host and friend Phil Valentine has passed away. Please keep the Valentine family in your thoughts and prayers,” the station wrote.
PHIL VALENTINE ‘FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE’ AFTER CONTRACTING COVID-19: BROTHER
Valentine was reportedly “fighting for his life” after he was transferred to a critical care unit in a Tennessee hospital in late July.
“Phil contracted the COVID virus a little over a week ago and has since been hospitalized and is in very serious condition, suffering from COVID Pneumonia and the attendant side effects,” his brother said in a statement at the time.
Prior to his death, the talk show host needed assistance with breathing and was placed on a ventilator.
The long-time radio personality was first recognized for his trademark rants against the state income tax proposed by then-Governor Don Sundquist, the Tennessean reported.
His radio program spanned 12 years and grew into a nationally syndicated show that aired on close to 100 stations, according to the newspaper.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and other Republican lawmakers expressed their condolences on Twitter.
“Phil Valentine was a visionary for the conservative movement, and he made an enormous impact on the lives of many Tennesseans,’ she wrote on Saturday. “My deepest condolences and prayers are with Phil’s wife, Susan, and his family. May they be comforted and surrounded by love during this difficult time.”
Tennessee State Representative Cameron Sexton credited the radio personality for making “a difference in life as a strong conservative voice & leading the fight to stop the state income tax two decades ago. He will be greatly missed by all!” Sexton wrote. “Our heartfelt prayers & deepest sympathies go out to the Valentine family & Phil’s radio family @997wtn.”
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Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee released his own statement on Twitter responding to news of Valentine’s death.
“Maria and I are deeply saddened by the loss of Phil Valentine,” he wrote, sending prayers “for his family as they navigate the difficult days ahead.”
