Covid-19 in Vietnam — the fear, the tears, the pride and the debt

medium.com

FollowJun 21 · 5 min read

A friend elsewhere in Asia has an elderly parent in the UK. Chatting online she told me she’d read about this “slow-motion grief” affecting people as a result of the Covid-19 situation.

She told me she went on runs and cried through them. I admitted too I wasn’t sleeping. The smallest thing would make me emotional. I couldn’t think too far into the future because it all seemed too dark.

After Wuhan, things moved pretty quickly in Vietnam. Our little one’s nursery closed. Masks became compulsory. Track and trace was in full swing. An app was launched that offered various features. Most significantly, you could basically press a button and people in hazmat suits would appear.

Infected people were hospitalised. People who had come into contact with infected people were remotely quarantined. People who had come into contact with people who had come into contact with infected people were quarantined. People who had… well you get the picture.

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Israel’s Annexation of the West Bank Would be a Gift to Iran

Beleaguered by regional tensions, the COVID-19 pandemic, and economic woes, Tehran could use anti-Israel sentiment to restore its reputation.

Iranians step on the U.S., Israeli, and British flags during a parade marking al-Quds International Day in Tehran on May 31, 2019.

Iranians step on the U.S., Israeli, and British flags during a parade marking al-Quds International Day in Tehran on May 31, 2019. STR/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

Starting July 1, Israel may take the first step toward annexing territory in the West Bank, in line with U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace plan for the region. Discussions about the potential annexation have mostly focused on its implications for the two-state solution and renewed violence. But it would also have significant effects on Israel’s rivalry with Iran and on U.S. efforts to isolate Tehran. Although many Israelis view annexation as a strategic gain, the move would be a strategic gift for Tehran. Tiếp tục đọc “Israel’s Annexation of the West Bank Would be a Gift to Iran”