Our live blog on the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on the world is on every day from 1200-1600 Central European Summer Time (equivalent to 1400-1800 in Tbilisi and Dubai).
This blog is compiled by our team of journalists and researchers based in The Hague in the Netherlands and in Tbilisi, Georgia, working with partners and associates in a number of different countries. You can also follow us on twitter @commonspaceEU. We are happy to hear from you wherever you are. Please send us your comments, stories and suggestions by email to editor@commonspace.eu
This live blog has been running daily since 19 March. You can read earlier blogs here
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Monday, 13 April 2020
1600 CEST (1800 Tbilisi/Dubai)
We are now pausing this blog for today
News of deaths across the world leave us all sad and sorrowful. But stories of how the human spirit is fighting on from one end of the world to another, fill us with hope.
We will be back tomorrow Tuesday, 14 April at 12.00 noon CEST (1400 Tbilisi/Dubai). Till then, from our team in The Hague and in Tbilisi, a good evening to all. Be safe! Be Healthy! Be Happy!
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1550 CEST (1750 Tbilisi/Dubai)
And if you cannot say it with music, you can say it with painting. Noman Ahmed reports about how young Arab artists are adapting to covid-19 in this report based on a story in Arab Times 
(read more here)
1545 CEST (1745 Tbilisi/Dubai)
Those of you who watched Andrea Bocelli's half hour concert from the Duomo in Milan must surely have been left emotionally touched and uplifted. It was a magnificent performance in an amazing setting. The rendition of Amazing Grace at the end left the millions watching breathless.
In this dark hour for the world, the beauty of art and music become particularly more touching
You can still watch the full concert here
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The Netherlands
Our colleague Maximiliaan van Lange is reporting on a row that has been brewing in the Netherlands after 200 retired medical professionals in the country, who offered their services to the Dutch Health authorities in the current emergency. The medical professionals were qualified in third countries, and their qualifications are not immediately recognised in The Netherlands. So far their offer has not been accepted though the Ministry of Health now says it is considering the matter. The country has reported nearly 27000 cases of coronavirus and 2823 people have died.
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1520 CEST (1720 Tbilisi/Dubai)
Kyrgyzstan
In this blog we have been trying to keep an eye on Central Asia, even though information from this region is not always easy to come by. Our colleague Noman Ahmed has been following things in Kyrgyzstan
Vice Prime Minister Kubatbek Boronov proposed to President Sooronbay Jeenbekov to extend the state of emergency as the number of infections continue rising in the region. The president is likely to extend the measures, but no details are provided yet. The decision is also to be approved by the parliament which is due to meet on Wednesday.
According to the Kyrgyz constitution, it is they who must approve or repeal the presidential decree on whether the state of emergency will be extended.
Meanwhile, hundreds of Kyrgyz Labor migrants in the Turkish city of Antalya are not able to return home due to suspended flights. They have issued an appeal to the President as they run out of supplies.
Workers filmed their message, see it here
In the meantime, social media critics came out in support of the medical doctor who was forced to apologize via video for alleged false information. You can watch the video here:
Social media supporters made this portrait in support of the doctor:
Posted by: Nurbek Nas
This came after a Kyrgyz doctor complained about the quality of the mask issued to him on Twitter. In total, 70 doctors were infected with #COVID19.
Deputy Minister of Health, Nurbolot Usenbaev, commented on the video stating that "There was a situation where a medical professional somewhere expressed his opinion about the problem and the next day he was forced to apologize on camera. It is not right. Now we are conducting exploratory work,"
He added that the agency is working with coordinators and that there is no need to put pressure on medical workers.
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1515 CEST (1715 Tbilisi/Dubai)
Billions of people throughout the world are in some sort of self-isolation as the world tries to combat the covid-19 virus. This situation is particularly difficult for children, and not least for their parents. Keeping the children amused and confined is difficult. William Murray has been looking at some advice on how parents can make this time at home as manageable as possible. Read it here
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1445 CEST (1645 Tbilisi/Dubai)
Turkey - Armenia
Despite the enormity of the coronavirus crisis, yesterday's problems are far from solved, and sometimes reflect themselves even as countries try to interact in the present situation.
A few days ago, a Turkish official said that his country had extended assistance to Armenia in the present crisis. Armenia and Turkey do not have diplomatic relations and their relationship frought with tensions.
This monring the Armenian Foreign Ministry made its comments in the issue. It said:
We have already stated that Armenia undertakes consistent efforts to organize the return of its citizens facing difficult situations to their homeland, especially from countries severely hit by the COVID19 pandemic. In this context, I should note that last Friday 73 of our citizens upon their request already returned from Turkey to Armenia. For this purpose, the Foreign Ministry of Armenia through its representatives interacted with relevant authorities of Turkey and Georgia. The cooperation with the Turkish side occurred exclusively within this framework, and out of this framework Armenia has not asked for any other assistance.
It is noteworthy that the framework of possible cooperation between the two countries is significantly limited, as a result of the ongoing land blockade imposed on Armenia by Turkey and of the absence of diplomatic relations, and thus it requires genuine goodwill and trust building. Unfortunately, some statements made by the Turkish side in the context of fighting against COVID19 do not contribute toward creating a depoliticized and humanitarian environment of cooperation. It is particularly regrettable, that these statements targeted the assistance provided by the third country to Armenia by unnecessarily politicising and showing disrespect for the friendship between the peoples and their national symbols.
The latter part of the statement is related to a message written on a shipment of Chinese aid to Armenia a few days ago which had a reference to Mount Ararat - which whilst being an Armenian symbol, lays in Turkey.
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1415 CEST (1615 Tbilisi/Dubai)
Ukraine
A Ukrainian cleric who was infected with coronavirus has died in the Pechersk Lavra complex in Kiev. At the same time there are reports that 63 priests were infected in a monastery complex located in the capital Kiev. Churches in the country are not closed, but mass religious events are prohibited.
According to the latest data, 93 people died in the country, 3102 people were infected.
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1330 CEST (1530 Tbilisi/Dubai)
Countries in the Middle East-North Africa (MENA) region are dealing with the pandemic in different ways. Their capacities to deal with the virus and with its economic impact also varies considerably. Noman Ahmed from our research team has been looking at some of the latest from across the region:
Israel
The Israeli government says it will tighten quarantine in several areas of Jerusalem including the historic Old City. A ministerial committee approved the measures in and out of several predominantly ultra-Orthodox areas of the city. Since yesterday, residents of the four areas of Jerusalem would not be permitted to leave their neighbourhoods except for essential work and medical services.
The measure faced resistance from ultra-Orthodox ministers in the cabinet. A large percentage of the #COVID19 cases are among the ultra-Orthodox community, who for weeks did not adhere to government orders.
News is also coming in that the former Sephardic chief rabbi Bakshi-Doron has succumbed to coronavirus, aged 79.
Jordan
Medical teams in Jordan are ramping up the testing capacities of the country. More than 1000 are expected to be carried out in all governorates in Jordan. The medical teams used rapid testing devices and PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) at authorized laboratories.
Assistant Secretary-General for Healthcare Affairs at the Ministry of Health assured the quality of the testing devices which were sourced from Germany and China.
Jordan has recorded 389 infections, 7 deaths, and 201 recoveries.
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
The UAE launched an online marriage service for couples aiming to marry amidst restrictions. The Justice Ministry said that citizens and residents can set a date for an online wedding ceremony after their paperwork is submitted and approved. A religious leader will confirm the identity of the couple before issuing a marriage certificate.
An online wedding in UAE (picture courtesy of Reuters)
Iran
Iranian lawmakers refused to be quarantined in the parliament building for the next few months. The proposal came as dozens of lawmakers tested positive. Lawmakers, however, voted down the proposal and decided sessions will continue until May when the newly elected parliament convenes.
The parliament was shut down in early March as cases grew across the country. A session was held last week with the majority of lawmakers attending. Three Iranian lawmakers have so far died of the virus. Others remain hospitalized.
The overall cases in Iran stood at over 70,000 yesterday.
Sudan
Sudan's Health Minister says that the country needs an urgent $120 million to fight the new coronavirus due to a shortage of equipment.
Sudan has reported 19 cases, 2 deaths and 2 recoveries only but the crisis comes at a time of an economic crisis.
"We are preparing a strategy to face coronavirus that extends until the end of June, but to execute it we urgently need $120 million to provide protective equipment for health care workers and to prepare health care facilities and advanced lab testing equipment," said Health Minister Akram Ali Altom.
The current capacity for beds with ventilators was just in the "hundreds," he said.
The government closed borders and imposed a 12-hour curfew. All non-essential services are closed. A major barrier to complete lockdown is the large number of people who work in the informal economy.
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1300 CEST (1500 Tbilisi/Dubai)
Russia
Back in Russia, where new regulations kick in on Wednesday where people will only be able to travel in Moscow and the Moscow region with a digital pass.
The Russian newspaper Izvestya this morning commented on the measure:
Starting Wednesday, people will only be able to travel around Moscow and the Moscow Region only after acquiring a digital pass, Izvestia writes. The reason for the tougher measures is a substantial increase in the number of people who have contracted the novel coronavirus. According to experts, that was, to a certain extent, the result of some people's carelessness who continued to actively visit public places. Therefore, the newly-imposed restrictive measures are vital.
In general, the authorities' actions are aimed at preventing morbidity, prominent Russian attorney Anatoly Kucherena told the paper.
"The task of the police now is to explain to people how formidable the danger is. If a person believes that he or she was fined unreasonably, the decisions on the fine can be appealed. The most important thing is to refrain from actions aimed at resisting the police. It is essential to explain to police officers that there were good reasons for going outside," he explained.
Meanwhile, health professions are certain that tough restrictive measures in Moscow and the Moscow Region are absolutely necessary.
The growth of the number of coronavirus cases cannot be avoided in the near future, said experts interviewed by Izvestia. The situation could deteriorate within the next two weeks because of the irresponsible behavior by some people, stressed Chief Physician of the Lider Meditsiny medical center Yevgeny Timakov.
"The two next weeks will show the true effectiveness of the quarantine measures. It will be clear whether it is worth toughening them further. The increase in the number of cases, which we see now is far from the limit yet," Ivan Konovalov, associate professor of the Department of Infectious Diseases, warned.
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1245 CEST (1445 Tbilisi/Dubai)
European Union
China's behaviour during this pandemic is likely to be the subject of discussion and scrutiny for many years to come. In the meantime however there are some issues that need to be dealt with promptly. European Commissioner Margrethe Vestager has warned against business acquisitions from China during the COVID-19 pandemic. This report was prepared by Maximilian van Lange of our Research Team.
In Brussels, acquisition attempts from China in Europe are continuously monitored. In an interview with the British business newspaper Financial Times, EU Commissioner Margrethe Vestager warns that the COVID-19 pandemic makes European companies vulnerable to acquisition attempts from China. As a result of strict lockdown measures in all EU member states, economic activity is at a standstill. Vestager fears that Chinese rivals see their chance to gain more European market share as a result. In response, Vestager calls on European governments to buy shares in key companies if necessary, in order to prevent acquisitions from China. State participation can serve as a solution to avert that risk, according to Vestager.
Vestager emphasized in the interview that acquisitions from abroad are not necessarily harmful. However, according to Vestager, parties such as Chinese state-owned companies must be prevented from gaining an unfair advantage over European companies.
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1230 CEST (1430 Tbilisi /Dubai)
Turkey
Noman Ahmed from the commonspace.eu research team has been following events in Turkey over the last twenty four hours. here is his report
Turkey's Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said on Twitter yesterday that he was resigning due to the decision to implement a two-day curfew in major Turkish cities to tackle the coronavirus outbreak. He is the second minister to resign after the Transport Minister resigned two weeks ago amid criticism for holding a tender during the outbreak to build a canal on the edge of Istanbul. President Erdogan, however, rejected the resignation.
Turkey announced the weekend lockdown late on Friday, which has led to panic buying and chaos in some areas.
The move was welcomed in general even by critics who were earlier upset by the government response to the spread of #COVID19.
Istanbul's mayor, however, was shocked by the sudden announcement and claimed that such a decision may cause panic and fear.
People in Turkey have obeyed orders and stayed home after a 48-hour curfew was announced by the government for the weekend. The lockdown, which applies to all residents and businesses except those carrying out essential services, covers 31 of the country's 81 provinces including Istanbul and the capital, Ankara.
Coronavirus cases in Turkey have now reached 57,000 and there are 1198 deaths
An empty Taksim Square in Istanbul during a 48 hour lock down
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1210 CEST (1410 Tbilisi/Dubai)
Now for an update from across the Caucasus Region
Georgia
In Georgia, which has so far been hailed as having conducted an exemplary containment campaign against covid-19 the fragile consensus between government and opposition seems to be diluting. Some opposition figures have now indicated they will not support a continuation of the state of emergency unless the government explains how it is going to deal with the adverse impact that it is creating on the economic situation of people.
Georgia has had a tight lockdown, including through a night curfew. Figures show that Georgia has one of the lowest contamination rates in the world so far - with 266 cases and 3 deaths.
Armenia
The Armenian parliament will meet this afternoon to consider a government request to extend the state of emergency by a further 30 days. The Cabinet of Ministers agreed the move this morning.
Azerbaijan
The government this morning released information in the Autonomous Republic of Nakhichivan It says there are 71 cases and 1 person died. There are 1915 people under quarantine.
Nation-wide the Azerbaijani authorities appeared to have had some difficulties ensuring the population abides with the drastic lockdown measures and police reports say hundreds of people were fined.
Nagorno-Karabakh
In the meantime in the self-declared Nagorno-Karabakh Republic six cases of covid-19 have now been registered.
The de-facto authorities have imposed a state of emergency over the weekend.
But the second round of presidential elections are scheduled to take place as planned tomorrow Tuesday, despite some criticism. The current de-facto president Bako Sahakyan said it was important to ensure a continuation of the constitutional order and that strict measures will be taken at polling stations.
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1201 CEST (1401 Tbilisi/Dubai)
Russia
Russian official media was until recently playing down the impact of the covid-19 virus on Russia, focusing more on the problems world-wide. But images of queuing ambulances circulated widely on social media over the weekend, coinciding with a spike in the number of cases.
This report was posted on the website of the independent radio station Echo Moskovsky Watch it here
The Russian Orthodox Church has also moved to support the process of self-isolation. Over the weekend Patriarch Kirill issued instructions to the clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church to conduct services without a congregation. "Let's pray loudly in our homes, spend time with the TV when there will be a Divine Liturgy," the Patriarch said.
Patriarch Kirill at a Palm Sunday Service in Moscow on 12 April 2020 (picture courtesy of Moscow Times)
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Welcome to the commonspace.eu live blog on the coronavirus pandemic and its global impact.
It is 12 noon Central European Summer Time, equivalent to 14.00 in Tbilisi and in Dubai, on Monday 13 April 2020.
Deaths from coronavirus continue to increase world wide, now exceeding 114,000.
One country where the virus appears to be making a rapid spread is Russia, which in the last twenty four hours reported 2558 new cases. There have been reports over the weekend of long queues of ambulances in hospital car parks waiting to deliver their patients to overwhelmed hospitals.
Our cover picture today, from TASS news agency, shows a lone man in a gas mask sitting on Red Square, with the colourful Kremlin domes behind him. The Russian government still plans to do a huge military parade on this square on 9 May. We will be covering developments in Russia and more on this live blog for the next four hours.
