Putin´s pride: Cossacks and the church

Russia - a global power, confident and strong. That’s the image projected by President Vladimir Putin. Decades after the Soviet Union’s collapse, Putin is relying on Russian traditions and values from the tsarist past to kindle patriotism.
Many Russians see Vladimir Putin as the man who has returned pride, glory and honor to their nation. The Cossacks, an ultra-conservative group, are key to Putin's grip on power. They are honored as guardians of traditional Russian values and serve Putin as nationalist paramilitaries. Tens of thousands of Russians identify as Cossacks. They trace their origins to horsemen who formed mounted bands in the Russian steppes during the 15th Century. Over the course of time, they served many masters - including the tsars. After the Communist revolution, they faced oppression and persecution. During World War II, some were active in Hitler's armies. Now, President Putin is capitalizing on their nationalistic priorities. This documentary looks at the role Cossacks play in supporting police in Moscow, including during demonstrations by regime opponents. Another pillar of support for Putin is the Russian Orthodox Church. It has resurged under Putin, and exercises considerable political influence - an alliance that benefits both sides. Article 14, paragraph 2 of the Russian constitution defines the separation of church and state. But the Russian Orthodox Church sees itself as a bulwark against outside influence and supports the Kremlin, for example in its annexation of Crimea. It sees itself as the protector of Russian values, and views homosexuality as a sign of an impending apocalypse. The filmmakers show how nostalgia for "Glorious Russia" and the values of the tsarist period are playing out in modern day Russian politics.

What is Coronavirus / COVID-19 ? Everything you need to know about Coronavirus/COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS coronavirus 2 or SARS-CoV-2), a virus closely related to the SARS virus. The disease was discovered and named during the 2019–20 coronavirus outbreak. Those affected may develop a fever, dry cough, fatigue, and shortness of breath. A sore throat, runny nose or sneezing is less common. Cases can progress to pneumonia and multi-organ failure.

The infection is spread from one person to others via respiratory droplets produced from the airways, often during coughing or sneezing. Time from exposure to onset of symptoms is generally between 2 and 14 days, with an average of 5 days. The standard method of diagnosis is by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) from a nasopharyngeal swab or sputum sample, with results within a few hours to 2 days. Antibody assays can also be used, using a blood serum sample, with results within a few days. The infection can also be diagnosed from a combination of symptoms, risk factors, and a chest CT scan showing features of pneumonia.

Hand washing, maintaining distance from people who are coughing and not touching one's face with unwashed hands are measures recommended to prevent the disease. It is recommended to cover one's nose and mouth with a tissue or a bent elbow when coughing. Those who suspect they carry the virus are recommended to wear a surgical face mask and seek medical advice by calling a doctor rather than visiting a clinic in person. Masks are also recommended for those who are taking care of someone with a suspected infection but not for the general public. There is no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment, with management involving treatment of symptoms, supportive care, and experimental measures. The case fatality rate is estimated at between 1% and 3%.

The WHO has declared the 2019–20 coronavirus outbreak to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). As of 29 February 2020, China, Hong Kong, Iran, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and the United States are areas having evidence of community transmission of the disease.

Austria's Mega Dam - The Kölnbrein Dam

The Kölnbrein Dam is an arch dam in the Hohe Tauern range within Carinthia, Austria. It was constructed between 1971 and 1979 and at 200 metres (660 ft) high, it is the tallest dam in Austria. The dam's reservoir serves as the primary storage in a three-stage pumped-storage power system that consists of nine dams, four hydroelectric power plants and a series of pipeline and penstocks. The complex is owned by Verbund power company and is referred to as the Malta-Reisseck Power Plant Group. The installed capacity of the group is 1,028.5 MW and its annual generation is 1,216 gigawatt-hours (4,380 TJ).

While the dam's reservoir was filling, several cracks appeared in the dam and it took more than a decade of repairs before the reservoir could operate at maximum levels. Currently, the Reisseck II pumped-storage power plant is under construction and will effectively connect both the Malta and Reisseck groups and add an additional 430 MW of production capacity.

Construction
Plans for the dam were already drafted in the late 1930s by the German AEG engineering company, when the Kaprun power plant was built north of the Alpine divide. The project was resumed by the Austrian authorities after World War II with extended exploratory drilling from 1957 onwards, nevertheless the construction of the Kölnbrein Dam did not begin until 1971.

Before cement and other construction materials could be moved on site, an access road had to be constructed. This proved difficult as the steep Malta Valley rises over 300 metres (980 ft) along a 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) stretch and at times has 13 percent gradients. To complete the road, six tunnels were excavated. In 1973, as superstructure construction progressed, cement was transported on site and mixed with aggregate from local sources. To reduce thermal expansion, concrete was poured 30 cubic metres (39 cu yd) at a time and pipes with circulating water were placed throughout the mass. The structure consisted of 30 columns with each joint grouted. Construction conditions high in the valley were not ideal as workers coped with snow and rain along with wind speeds of 80 kilometres per hour (50 mph; 43 kn).


Tourism
The Kölnbrein Dam is the terminus of a 14.3 kilometres (8.9 mi) long scenic route through the Maltatal, the former construction site road, including a restaurant, a hotel and an exhibition on hydroelectricity. Verbund also offers tours of the power plant group and the dam. Tours on the dam are conducted daily while the road is open between 9 May and 26 October each year.

In 2010 a "skywalk", a horseshoe-shaped cantilever bridge, was installed on top of the dam for visitors which is also a popular bungee jumping venue. The dam lies within the High Tauern National Park and is a destination for mountaineers as well. Moreover, the reservoir is used by rowers for altitude training.