Will The Covid-19 Coronavirus Pandamic Force Countries To Reevaluate The Security Paradigms?

Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx, two of President Donald Trump's key coronavirus advisers and public faces of the crisis, donned masks and were shown into "the tank" which is the Pentagon's secure conference room. They were there to meet with Gen. Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Miodrag Soric, DW: Coronavirus forcing countries to reevaluate security paradigms

While global arms expenditures have been rising annually, many militaries have been caught off guard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Will governments start to reframe their security agendas?

The US military is well-equipped to repel conventional threats, but it's certainly not up to the task of containing biological hazards like the coronavirus pandemic, according to Christopher Preble of the Cato Institute, a Washington-based libertarian think tank. Neither the US military nor the Navy are safe from the pathogen, as a recent COVID-19 outbreak aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier, with its crew of 5,000, made clear.

As the outbreak continues to spread in the US, the health care infrastructure in many states is unable to cope. "Americans are now warming to the idea of investing more in the health care system," Preble, Cato's vice president for defense and foreign policy studies, told DW. But he believes this attitude could change once the pandemic passes.

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WNU Editor:  To me it is a given that governments will be re-framing their security agendas to counter biological threats like the coronavirus pandemic. The shape and form of it will probably be determined in the coming months and/or when this pandemic has been vanquished.

The Face Mask Has Became The World's Most Coveted Commodity

Illustration: Getty/Guardian Design

Samanth Subramanian, The Guardian: How the face mask became the world's most coveted commodity

The global scramble for this vital item has exposed the harsh realities of international politics and the limits of the free market.

If Ovidiu Olea is astonished by the fact that he’s gone from being a finance guy to a mask mogul in four months, he shows no sign of it. The transition started innocuously. Late in January, when the coronavirus spread beyond Wuhan, Olea decided he would buy masks for his staff. He lives in Hong Kong, where he runs a payment technology firm. His staff isn’t large – just 20 employees – but finding even a few hundred masks proved hard. Part of the problem was that last year, after protesters in Hong Kong used masks to hide their identity, the Chinese government restricted supplies from the mainland. Before the pandemic, half the world’s masks were manufactured in China; now, with production there shifting into overdrive, that figure may be as high as 85%. If China isn’t sending you masks, you likely aren’t getting any at all. We have no masks, local pharmacies told Olea, but if you find some, we’ll buy them from you.

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WNU Editor: I read somewhere that 53 billion face masks will be needed worldwide in the coming year if the Covid-19 pandemic does not dissipate. My gut tells me that this is a low-ball number.

Pentagon Declassifies 3 Leaked U.S. Navy UFO Videos

Daily Mail: Pentagon declassifies and officially releases three UFO videos - including the infamous 'Tic Tac' clip - taken by US Navy pilots and confirms the aircraft are 'unidentified'

* Pentagon released footage showing 'unexplained aerial phenomena' on Monday
* 'The aerial phenomena observed in the videos remain characterized as 'unidentified',' the Department of Defense said in a statement
* One video shows 2004 'Tic Tac' incident that was recorded over Pacific Ocean
* A second video was captured off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida, in 2015

The Pentagon has officially released three videos taken by US Navy pilots that reportedly show 'unexplained aerial phenomena'.

The footage that had been previously acknowledged as real by the Navy, capture what pilots recorded on their video sensors during training flights in 2004 and 2015.

Two of the clips were first published in 2017 by the New York Times and the third by the To The Stars Academy in 2018 - a group that specializes in unexplained phenomenon and was founded by Blink-182 guitarist Tom DeLonge.

'The Department of Defense has authorized the release of three unclassified Navy videos, one taken in November 2004 and the other two in January 2015, which have been circulating in the public domain after unauthorized releases in 2007 and 2017,' said Susan Gough, a Defense Department spokesperson in a statement.

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WNU Editor: You can see the videos below. Makes you wonder what they have that has not been leaked. And then there are the other services like the US Air Force. What do they have that has not been leaked?

More News On The Pentagon Declassifying 3 Leaked U.S. Navy UFO Videos

Navy Declassifies its Notorious 'UFO Sighting' Videos -- Military.com
Pentagon declassifies three UFO videos taken by Navy pilots -- CNBC
Pentagon officially releases videos of 'unidentified' flying objects -- The Hill
Pentagon releases three UFO videos taken by US Navy pilots -- The Guardian
'Unidentified aerial phenomena': Pentagon declassifies 3 leaked US Navy UFO videos -- USA Today
Pentagon declassifies Navy videos that purportedly show UFOs -- ABC News
Pentagon officially releases UFO videos -- CNN
Navy Officially Releases Controversial UFO Videos -- Warzone/The Drive
Navy releases three videos that showcase “unidentified” objects -- Ars Technica
US Military Confirms Authenticity of 3 UFO Videos From 2004, 2015 -- Sputnik
Declassified: Pentagon officially releases three UFO VIDEOS to ‘clear misconceptions’ -- RT
The U.S. Navy Just Released Three 'UFO Videos'. What Can They Tell Us? -- National Interest
Here's Why The Pentagon Officially Released UFO Video Footage -- Forbes

Global Defense Spending Hit $1.917 Trillion In 2019. Biggest Spike In A Decade

The #USA🇺🇸 remained by far the largest spender in the world in 2019, spending $732 billion and accounting for 38% of global military spending. The USA spent almost as much on its #military in 2019 as the next 10 highest spenders combined.

Read more ➡️ https://t.co/bANe7CQMmg pic.twitter.com/oWAeSSszZT

— SIPRI (@SIPRIorg) April 27, 2020

Defense News: Global defense spending sees biggest spike in a decade

WASHINGTON — Global defense spending hit $1.917 trillion in 2019, a 3.6 percent increase over previous year figures and the largest increase in one year since 2010, according to the annual report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

The United States remains the world’s largest defense spender in 2019, with its $732 billion representing 38 percent of global military spending, SIPRI has reported. That was followed by China ($261 billion, at 14 percent of global total), India ($71.1 billion, at 3.7 percent), Russia ($65.1 billion, at 3.4 percent) and Saudi Arabia ($61.9 billion, at 3.2 percent).

All told, the top five nations accounted for 62 percent of overall military spending.

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WNU Editor: I am not sure about this .... Global Arms Spending Is Rising, but COVID-19 Will Trim Budgets (The Economist). What I see is a lot of instability because of Covid-19, and even bigger defense budgets in the future.

Update: The rise in defense spending in India is what caught my eye .... In a first, India among top 3 military spenders in 2019: SIPRI report (Money Control).

More News On Global Defense Spending Hitting $1.917 Trillion In 2019

Global defense spending sees biggest spike in a decade -- Defense News
Military spending surged to US$1.9 trillion in 2019, biggest increase in a decade -- SCMP/AFP
US still world's biggest military spender as global expenditures approach $2 trillion -- Stars and Stripes
Cold War Foes U.S., Russia, Spark Biggest Military Spending Jump In A Decade -- RFE
Annual global military spending hits highest point in a decade – SIPRI -- RT
Global military expenditure sees largest annual increase in a decade, reaching USD1917 billion in 2019 -- Army Recognition
By the numbers: Military spending around the world -- Axios
The Biggest Military Budgets As A Share Of GDP In 2019 [Infographic] -- Forbes
China and India Top Asian Military Spending, Figure in World Top 3 With US -- The diplomat
Russia Returns to Top 5 Defense Spending Countries Worldwide – Think Tank -- Moscow Times
SIPRI: Germany significantly increases military spending -- DW
Military spending hits highest level in a decade: Study -- Al Jazeera

Rafale Fighter Performs An Incredible Landing In Front of Mountain Backdrop At A Swiss Air Base (Video)

Warzone/The Drive: Watch This Rafale Fighter Drop Like A Brick During Crazy Approach To A Mountain Airport

The French jet makes an incredibly steep descent before it comes zooming in low and touches down.

We here at The War Zone are always on the lookout for cool and otherwise intriguing military aviation videos. Today, a clip appeared online of a French Air Force Rafale making a spectacular landing last year at Mollis Airport in Switzerland.

The video in question, from ARithner Photography, shows the jet making an extremely rapid descent on its approach to landing at the mountain airbase. The pilot pulls up at tree-top level and then soars to a smooth landing amongst the clear jubilation of plane spotters and other onlookers on the ground.

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WNU Editor: That is one cool video!

U.S. Air Force Wants To Replace The Engines On Its B-52s

Flight Global: US Air Force issues draft request for proposal to replace B-52 engines

The US Air Force (USAF) released a draft request for proposal to replace the engines of the ageing Boeing B-52H Stratofortress.

The notice brings the B-52H re-engine programme one step closer to kick off.

The service plans to buy 608 commercial engines – plus additional spare engines and support equipment – enabling it to operate the heavy bombers until at least 2050, a 23 April notice says. The USAF plans to award a contract in May 2021. The engines are to be delivered over 17 years.

The service’s fleet of B-52Hs have flown with Pratt & Whitney TF33-PW-103 engines since the early 1960s. The TF33 is based on the commercial JT3D that powered the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8. Each bomber has eight engines.

The USAF wants a military derivative of a commercial engine to replace those turbines.

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WNU Editor: The B-52H currently has an unrefuelled range of 7,650nm (14,200km). So depending on the engine selected, the aircraft’s range could be increased by 20% to 40%. In my book that is quite an incredible achievement.

Tweets For Today

For the latest developments around the coronavirus outbreak, follow @Reuters Liveblog https://t.co/cEBwkoEQ5P pic.twitter.com/RGX9tRisBr

— Reuters (@Reuters) April 28, 2020

More than three million cases of coronavirus have been confirmed around the world

Of those, more than 840,000 have recovered so far, while 210,000+ have diedhttps://t.co/XZbxHrNZTx pic.twitter.com/o6lT1T9F7h

— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) April 28, 2020

Brazil edges toward being next big coronavirus hot spothttps://t.co/5Mw7Bt7mJ8

— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) April 28, 2020

VIDEO: Muslim worshippers pray while respecting the social distancing restrictions next to the Kaaba in Mecca's Grand Mosque. Saudi Arabia partially lifted its curfew but said it would maintain a round-the-clock lockdown in the holy city of Mecca pic.twitter.com/P8foIXRSax

— AFP news agency (@AFP) April 28, 2020

Over three-quarters of the world’s schoolchildren are currently out of school, according to UNESCO https://t.co/CVVH5qGqEc

— The Economist (@TheEconomist) April 28, 2020

Right groups condemned El Salvador’s president for releasing photos of hundreds of jailed gang members stripped to underwear and pressed together in formation, part of a punishment for an outbreak of violence https://t.co/bzyDKr821q

— Reuters (@Reuters) April 28, 2020

Global defense spending sees biggest spike in a decade https://t.co/lxw87lnBsb pic.twitter.com/MaULlC4Qon

— Defense News (@defense_news) April 27, 2020

Picture Of The Day

Gang members are secured during a police operation at Izalco jail during a 24-hour lockdown ordered by El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele in Izalco, El Salvador. El Salvador Presidency/via REUTERS

WNU Editor: The above picture came from this photo-gallery .... Top Photos of the Day (Reuters).

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- April 27, 2020

Shi Jiangtao in Hong Kong/Beijing and Wendy Wu, SCMP: Coronavirus infects China-US relations as blame game over pandemic intensifies

* The global health crisis has killed tens of thousands of people, battered economies and put a severe dent in Beijing’s relations with other countries
* In the face of a possible global backlash, Chinese President Xi Jinping said the country must be prepared for unprecedented external adversity and challenges

This is the second in a series of five stories exploring the global backlash that China may face as a result of its actions and rhetoric during the coronavirus pandemic. This story examines the outlook for China-US relations, including the risk that the pandemic’s impact and the responses of China and the US to it will push the two largest economies in the world into a new Cold War.

The new coronavirus has caused a global disease epidemic and all but turned the lights out on much of the world’s economy. The next ripple effect could be a new Cold War, this time between China and the United States.

The world’s two biggest economies are still trying to grasp the unprecedented scale of the pandemic’s consequences.

Global growth forecasts have been ripped up and job losses are running into the millions and counting, while governments are pulling together rescue packages worth hundreds of billions of dollars that dwarf those of the financial crisis 12 years ago.

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- April 27, 2020

Coronavirus: how will China’s role in the global economy change when faced with pandemic backlash? -- Zhou Xin, SCMP

Coronavirus crisis has highlighted a critical juncture as China dominates the West -- Stan Grant, ABC News Online

Coronavirus: they’re only answering Xi Jinping’s call but are China’s ‘Wolf Warrior’ diplomats doing more harm than good? -- SCMP

Weapons don't fight pandemics -- Miodrag Soric, DW

Is Persian Gulf heading toward a new confrontation? -- Kersten Knipp, DW

Coronavirus: China faces fight to hang onto foreign manufacturers as US, Japan, EU make Covid-19 exit plans -- Finbarr Bermingham , Mark Magnier in United States and Sidney Leng, SCMP

India’s new bridge in Himalayas could potentially reignite China border dispute -- SCMP/Bloomberg

Is comparing Covid-19 death rates across Europe helpful? -- The Guardian

EU puts positive spin on coronavirus rescue package disunity -- Bernd Riegert, DW

What would happen to North Korea if Kim Jong-un died? -- SCMP/AFP

Questions over Kim’s health highlight intelligence limits -- Kim Tong-Hyung, AP

Murder, power and army on the streets: Lesotho's deepening crisis. -- Al Jazeera

What growing epidemic in China killed 843,000 people across the nation in 2017? -- Eric Cheung, SCMP

The global economy was shattered before the coronavirus -- Kate Ferguson, DW

COVID-19 may increase risk of miscalculation and conflict with traditional adversaries -- Shawn Snow, Military Times

World News Briefs -- April 27, 2020 (Evening Edition)

Reuters: Global coronavirus cases pass three million as lockdowns begin to ease

BEIJING (Reuters) - Global confirmed coronavirus cases surpassed 3 million on Monday, as the United States neared 1 million cases, according to a Reuters tally.

It comes as many countries are taking steps to ease lockdown measures that have brought the world to a standstill over the past eight weeks. [nL3N2CF2RN]

The first 41 cases were confirmed in Wuhan, China, on Jan. 10. The 3 million confirmed infections in less than four months are comparable in number with the roughly 3-5 million cases of severe illness caused by seasonal influenza around the world each year, according to the World Health Organisation.

An average of 82,000 cases have been reported per day in the past week. Over a quarter of all cases are in the United States, and over 43% have been recorded in Europe.

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MIDDLE EAST

Yemen's separatist southern forces announce plans for self-rule, jeopardising Riyadh peace deal. Saudi-led coalition calls for end to escalation in south Yemen.

Turkish Army suffers casualties in Idlib after latest jihadist attack: report.

Rocket attacks hit near Syrian capital; 7 dead.

Food prices across Syria double in a year: WFP.

In twist to press arms ban, US asserts role in Iran deal.

Pentagon downplays Iran military satellite as 'tumbling webcam'.

Saudi Arabia ends capital punishment for minors.

Demonstrators block roads in Lebanon protest over dire economy.

Lebanon offshore drilling finds no commercially viable gas: minister.

Netanyahu 'confident' US will allow West Bank annexation soon.

US says would recognize Israel annexation.

Israel Memorial Day events held in small groups, online amid pandemic.

ASIA

Three Beijing activists 'disappear after saving backup copies of censored coronavirus-related reports'.

U.N. report: 1,300 civilian casualties in Afghanistan in first 3 months of 2020. UN report notes drop in number of Afghan civilians killed.

Kim Jong-un is ‘alive and well’ and staying in Wonsan, says top South Korean official.

‘I just wish him well’: Trump says he has ‘good idea’ of Kim Jong-un’s condition. Trump appears to confirm that NKorea's Kim is alive.

Moon Jae-in on North Korea policy: 'Small tasks to be pursued relentlessly'.

Fijian military leader defends government's right to 'stifle' press during Covid crisis.

Former South Korea president denies helicopter attack in Gwangju.

Vietnamese woman sues Seoul for 'wartime massacre'.

Ramadan bazaars go digital in Southeast Asia amid pandemic.

AFRICA

European states urge 'humanitarian truce' in Libya.

Libya's Haftar claims 'mandate from the people'. Haftar dismisses UN Libya unity deal as 'thing of the past'.

Dozens killed in eastern DRC attacks: Officials. DR Congo attacks kill 43: officials.

Ethiopian forces occupy parts of Sudan border zone.

COVID-19 worsens South Sudan hunger crisis.

Burundi gov't using fear, repression ahead of election, watchdog says.

Rwandan police chief accused of sexual assault of child refugee at UN centre.

EUROPE

Europe continues to ease lockdown as Switzerland re-opens shops and Norway restarts primary schools while masks become mandatory on public transport in Germany

Coronavirus: Europe takes cautious first steps to reopening amid threat of new outbreaks.

UK says it won’t extend EU talks despite virus upheaval.

Back at work, Boris Johnson urges patience over UK lockdown.

Prague mayor under police protection amid reports of Russian plot.

Poland: Opposition slams presidential election by post.

Coronavirus in Russia: Anti-government protests go online.

Millions take part in Belarus civic labor day amid coronavirus.

Builders back at Paris's Notre-Dame after Covid-19 shutdown.

AMERICAS

Trump faults China for coronavirus' spread, says U.S. investigating. Trump says US may seek damages from China over virus.

White House adviser Navarro lashes out at China over 'fake' test kits.

Trump says never considered delaying election.

US Congress set to reopen, but new virus aid faces divisions.

U.S. House committee launches probe of Trump WHO aid cutoff.

U.S. imposes new rules on exports to China to keep them from its military.

Virus spreads fear through Latin America’s unruly prisons.

Brazilians divided on impeachment of President Bolsonaro: poll.

Canada begins staggered lifting of pandemic lockdown.

Argentina, Chile defuse spat, vow united fight against pandemic and recession.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

How the Islamic State feeds on coronavirus.

U.S. says 2 civilians were killed in 2019 Somalia airstrike.

UN finds ‘disturbing increase in violence’ following U.S.-Taliban deal.

Taliban lauds Mullah Omar for defending Osama bin Laden after 9/11.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

Asia stocks set to rise as Wall Street jumps on lockdown easing hopes.

Questions swirl as US Fed meets amid deepening economic crisis.

Exclusive: Oil traders book expensive U.S. vessels to store gasoline, ship fuel overseas in sign of desperation.

Ships filled with jet fuel to petrol wait in Singapore Strait amid slump in oil demand.