Chinese ambassador calls for cooperation among scientists, gov’ts in COVID-19 origins-tracing
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Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-20 11:02:09|Editor: huaxia
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BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) – COVID-19 origins tracing is a scientific question that requires the collaboration of scientists around the world and joint efforts and cooperation of governments and people of all countries, Chinese Ambassador to Denmark Feng Tie has said.
Feng made the remarks in an article published Wednesday on the website of The Copenhagen Post after Denmark’s TV2 television channel aired a documentary on origins tracing.
“This documentary, full of specious assumptions and vague inferences, is not based on facts but presuppositions and aims to smear China and politicize the origin studying issue by misleading the audience,” the Chinese ambassador said in the article.
Attaching great importance to the study into the origins of the virus, China has actively participated in global cooperation with an open and science-based attitude, and has been firmly supporting and coordinating with the World Health Organization (WHO), said Feng.
The WHO-China joint report “has been proved to be a valuable and authoritative report that can stand the test of science and history,” said the ambassador. “Any attempt to overturn or distort the conclusions of the joint research report is a result of political manipulation and disrespect to science and scientists from different parts of the world.”
Meanwhile, the article noted that Peter Ben Embarek, head of the WHO origins-tracing mission to China, said the relevant media distorted his views by publishing his words out of context online.
Embarek “has been always upholding the China-WHO joint mission report on origin study,” said the article. Enditem
Ambassador: UK wants to invest in Libya
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The ambassador of the United Kingdom (UK) Nicholas Hopton expressed his country’s desire for investments in Libya by cooperating between the Libyan National Oil Corporation (NOC) and British energy companies.
Hopton visited the Chairman of the NOC, Mustafa Sanallah, on Thursday at the headquarters in Tripoli ahead of his departure from Libya as his tenure as ambassador ended.
The British ambassador said the current stability in Libya owes a lot to the consolidation of work by the oil sector that is the main revenue source for Libya’s economy.
Sanallah hailed the major role of the UK ambassador in supporting the NOC and its firms to help them achieve stability in the oil sector and circumvent smuggling, praising at the same time the efforts of the Government of National Unity to support the NOC, which will continue to work unbiased to receive national economy.
The Chairman of the NOC said they had been working on developing more cooperation with British oil and energy firms to help upgrading the Libyan oil sector, especially through investment.
Ambassador Hopton will leave Libya and be replaced by Caroline Hurndall, at the end of August.
International Avenue launches grassroots ambassador program
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With bright purple jackets, red first aid kits and naloxone in hand, International Avenue’s ambassadors hit the street, greeting anyone who stops to talk.
The outreach program launched this summer. It’s a collaboration between the International Avenue BRZ and 12 Community Safety Initiative, inspired by the City of Calgary’s 9 Block Program downtown.
The goal is to activate spaces in the community, make relationships with people and businesses while ensuring those who need help get connected to relevant services.
“They’re out there as eyes and ears,” BRZ executive director Alison Karim-McSwiney said. “It’s really about just making the Calgary East experience so much better.”
With federal funding, there is enough money for two ambassadors. Carmen Poon and Ivan Osorio are busy behind the scenes creating training materials to build a foundation for the program’s future.
But getting out to community events and making connections on the street is a key part of the role.
“If there’s a business owner out in front of their business, we stop and chat with them and just walk around the avenue looking for people to help, greeting people,” Poon said. “I think the main thing is listening, listening to what people have to say, you know, what their concerns are, what their needs are, and making everybody feel welcome.”
International Avenue ambassadors are equipped with first aid and naloxone kits and have mental health and other training. (Helen Pike/CBC)
Part of welcoming people in East Calgary includes speaking the language. Osorio and Poon are fluent in Spanish. If they come across someone with a language barrier, nearby businesses are a phone call away.
“It’s a very close-knit community,” Osorio said.
Executive director Larry Leach with the 12 Community Safety Initiative said the program is a way to help get to the root of disorder through relationships, instead of relying on police to respond to things like mental health calls or overdoses.
“Instead of people just trying to move people along or get rid of them, it’s about helping them access services and trying to connect them to places that can help,” Leach said.
International Avenue is home to hundreds of businesses and restaurants. (Helen Pike/CBC)
International Avenue has a lot to offer, Karim-McSwiney said, noting this program helps highlight the nearby shops and restaurants.
The ambassadors can answer questions and point visitors to hidden gems, she said.
“Often people don’t come east of Deerfoot,” Karim-McSwiney said. “The businesses here are extremely unique — you’re going to find a lot of mom and pop shops and a lot of really cool cuisines, places that have huge food shops and different restaurants.”