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May
WHO chief Tedros plans to seek re-election - Stat News
Written by Nur Yasmin
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, plans to run for a second five-year term as the head of the agency, Stat News reported on Monday, citing a person familiar with the matter.
Tedros, as he is widely known, has been the public face of the WHO's efforts to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic ever since the new SARS-CoV-2 virus emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019.
In 2017, Ethiopia's Tedros became the first African to head the Geneva-based United Nations agency and made universal health care coverage his priority.
A spokesman for WHO said it could not comment on potential nominees. WHO's 194 member states may propose candidates until September, whose names are sent in sealed envelopes to the Governing Board chair - ahead of the election next year.
It is unclear at this point whether others will emerge to challenge Tedros for the five-year term, the Stat report said.
Diplomats told Reuters Tedros' support among African nations would be key to any re-election, while doubting he could count on support from his home country which nominated him last time.
They noted that Ethiopia's military accused him in November of supporting and trying to procure arms and diplomatic backing for Tigray state's dominant political party, which is fighting federal forces. Tedros has denied taking sides in the conflict in Ethiopia.
Tedros, whose global profile has risen dramatically during the pandemic, flew to Beijing in January 2020 for talks with President Xi Jinping to ensure its cooperation and sharing of information, just before declaring a worldwide health emergency.
The Trump administration accused Tedros and the WHO of being "China-centric" - allegations they rejected - and halted U.S. contributions while starting the process of leaving the agency. The Biden administration announced immediately after taking office in January that it would remain a member and fulfil its financial obligations while working on reforms. read more
Tedros distanced himself from the findings of a WHO-led mission this year, written jointly with Chinese scientists, that investigated the origins of the virus. The report issued on March 30 said the virus had probably been transmitted from bats to humans through another animal, and that a lab leak was "extremely unlikely" as a cause.
Tedros said that data had been withheld from the team and that the lab issue required further investigation. (Reuters)
May
U.S. approves massive solar project in California desert
Written by Nur Yasmin
The Biden administration on Monday said it has approved a major solar energy project in the California desert that will be capable of powering nearly 90,000 homes.
The $550 million Crimson Solar Project will be sited on 2,000 acres of federal land west of Blythe, California, the Interior Department said in a statement. It is being developed by Canadian Solar (CSIQ.O) unit Recurrent Energy and will deliver power to California utility Southern California Edison.
The announcement comes as President Joe Biden has vowed to expand development of renewable energy projects on public lands as part of a broader agenda to fight climate change, create jobs and reverse former President Donald Trump's emphasis on maximizing fossil fuel extraction.
"Projects like this can help to make America a global leader in the clean energy economy through the acceleration of responsible renewable energy development on public lands," Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in the statement.
Crimson Solar will create 650 construction jobs but just 10 permanent and 40 temporary jobs in operations and maintenance for the 30-year life of the project, the statement said.
The project will include a battery storage system and will be sited on land designated for renewable energy development by the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan, an agreement hatched between the state of California and the Obama administration that set aside areas for wind and solar projects. (Reuters)
May
WHO seeks to fill COVID-19 vaccine gap left by India suspending exports
Written by Nur Yasmin
The World Health Organization is seeking to fill the gap left in the COVAX dose-sharing programme by India suspending exports of AstraZeneca (AZN.L) doses and is in talks with donors including the United States, senior WHO officials said on Monday.
"In the next few months we do not expect Serum (Institute of India) to be able to supply the kind of (doses) originally predicted," WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan told a news conference.
Bruce Aylward, a WHO senior adviser, said there was no firm date for resumption of Indian vaccine exports amid its COVID-19 crisis. (Reuters)
May
India's vaccinations plummet as coronavirus infections soar
Written by Nur Yasmin
India's daily COVID-19 shots have fallen sharply from an all-time high reached early last month as domestic companies struggle to boost supplies and imports are limited, even as the country fights the world's worst surge in infections.
Daily inoculations have averaged 2.5 million since hitting a peak of 4.5 million on April 5. A quadrupling of coronavirus cases during the period has collapsed the public health system in many regions of the country. read more
India, with the world's biggest vaccine making capacity, has partially or fully immunised only 12% of its 1.35 billion people, according to data from the government's Co-Win portal.
Public forecasts by its only two current vaccine producers show their total monthly output of 70-80 million doses would increase only in two months or more, though the number of people eligible for vaccines has doubled to an estimated 800 million since May 1. read more
India on Saturday received 150,000 doses of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine and the government said "millions of doses" more will come in.
Pfizer (PFE.N)said on Monday it was in discussions with the Indian government seeking an "expedited approval pathway" for its vaccine.
"Unfortunately, our vaccine is not registered in India although our application was submitted months ago," CEO Albert Bourla said. read more
"We are currently discussing with the Indian government an expedited approval pathway to make our Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine available for use in the country."
Pfizer was the first company to seek emergency use authorisation for its vaccine in India late last year. It withdrew its application in February after the drugs regulator sought a small, local safety study for the shot before considering its request.
But as cases surged, India said last month it would fast-track approval for some foreign shots, with companies now required to do a local trial within 30 days of approval, not before. read more
GlobalData analyst Prashant Khadayate said Pfizer will become a "vaccine of choice among people who can afford it" but that its need to be stored in ultra-low temperatures would be a challenge.
India has also invited Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) and Moderna (MRNA.O) to sell their vaccines to the country. (Reuters)
May
Heeding complaints, Biden lifts refugee cap to 62,500
Written by Nur Yasmin
U.S. President Joe Biden said on Monday he has resurrected a plan to raise refugee admissions this year to 62,500 after drawing a wave of criticism from supporters for initially keeping the refugee cap at a historically low level.
A Democrat, Biden formally reversed himself just two weeks after his administration announced it would keep the cap at the 15,000 level set by his Republican predecessor, Donald Trump, an immigration hawk.
In a statement, Biden said his action "erases the historically low number set by the previous administration of 15,000, which did not reflect America’s values as a nation that welcomes and supports refugees."
"It is important to take this action today to remove any lingering doubt in the minds of refugees around the world who have suffered so much, and who are anxiously waiting for their new lives to begin," he said.
Soon after taking office in January, Biden pledged to ramp up the program but then surprised allies when he opted to stick with the lower cap out of concern over bad optics, given the rising number of migrants crossing the U.S. southern border with Mexico, U.S. officials have said.
Biden's flip-flopping drew the ire of refugee advocates and some Democratic lawmakers.
Trump steadily slashed the size of the refugee program during his term in office, and Biden officials say the cuts have made quickly raising admissions more difficult.
But the refugee program is distinct from the asylum system for migrants. Refugees come from all over the world, many fleeing conflict. They undergo extensive vetting while still overseas to be cleared for entry to the United States, unlike migrants who arrive at a U.S. border and then request asylum.
The allocations for the increased cap matched an earlier plan Biden sent to Congress, according to a memo signed by Biden. The memo said there would be 22,000 spots for refugees from Africa, 6,000 from East Asia, 4,000 from Europe and Central Asia, 5,000 from Latin America and the Caribbean, and 13,000 from South Asia. Another 12,500 unallocated spots will also be available.
Biden said it was doubtful the United States would be able to welcome a total of 62,500 refugees by the end of the current fiscal year on Sept. 30, or reach a goal of 125,000 admissions next year.
"The sad truth is that we will not achieve 62,500 admissions this year. We are working quickly to undo the damage of the last four years. It will take some time, but that work is already under way," he said.
A White House official said Biden now wanted to raise the cap regardless of capacity limitations to "send a very clear message that refugee processing is a critical part of America's place in the world," acknowledging the initial lower announcement "did not send the right message."
Delays in Biden's decisionmaking on the issue led to hundreds of canceled flights for refugees already cleared to travel to the United States, often after years of waiting, refugee groups said.
Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, president of the resettlement organization Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, said in a statement that advocacy groups were breathing a "sigh of relief" following the announcement on Monday, even though meeting the high target would be "daunting." (Reuters)
May
Australia defends decision to sanction travellers from COVID-ravaged India
Written by Nur Yasmin
Australia on Monday defended its decision to penalise its own citizens entering the country within two weeks of being in COVID-ravaged India, saying it had "strong, clear and absolute" belief the move was legal.
Health Minister Greg Hunt pointed to the alarming surge of coronavirus cases in India and the pressure on Australia's health system as reasons to pause travel until May 15. read more
Australia's quarantine hotels have seen a 1,500% spike in COVID-19 cases from India since March, raising questions about pre-departure testing in India and leading to this "agonising decision," Hunt said.
"It's a high-risk situation in India," Hunt told a televised news briefing in Melbourne.
"The strong, clear view is that there has been no doubt in any of the Commonwealth advice about this measure or other measures," he said, referring to Australia's emergency biosecurity decision, which took effect on Monday.
Earlier, Prime Minister Scott Morrison told 2GB radio the ban would be in place for as long as it is needed.
The Australian Human Rights Commission lambasted the decision, urging lawmakers to immediately review the restrictions. The Commision will approach the government directly with its concerns, it said in a statement.
The hashtag #DictatorScott was trending on Twitter on Monday as Australians reacted to the strict new policy.
"We should be helping Aussies in India return home not jailing them. Let's fix our quarantine system rather than leave our fellow Australians stranded," Nationals senator Matthew Canavan tweeted.
Australia, which has largely contained the novel coronavirus, closed its borders to non-citizens in March 2020.
Returning residents and citizens must undergo a mandatory two-week hotel quarantine at their own expense. Australia has seen 22,245 cases of community transmission and 910 deaths through the pandemic.
Roughly a quarter of the 35,000 Australians stranded overseas are in India, which reported close to 400,000 cases on Friday and more than 200,000 total deaths. Australia clocked zero cases of community transmission on Monday. read more
Western Australia reported three cases over the weekend after a quarantine hotel security guard and two house-mates tested positive for COVID-19. The state reported zero local cases on Monday.
The country's vaccination programme has moved slowly, administering just over 2 million doses so far, well short of initial government forecasts of 4 million by the end of March.
At its current pace, Australia's adult population will likely be fully vaccinated by August 2023, according to projections by the Australian Broadcasting Corp.
The government has cited a global COVID-19 vaccine shortage and health concerns around the AstraZeneca shot, on which Australia's immunisation programme was based. Australia has imposed age restrictions on the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Over the weekend, the Telegraph reported that Britain secretly allowed AstraZeneca to use its U.K. supply chain to produce vaccines for key ally Australia in return for access to 10 millions doses from India.
Britain received 5 million of the Indian shots in March, though export of the remainder now looks increasingly unlikely with India battling with a sinister fresh wave amid tight supplies. (Reuters)
May
New Zealand’s Ardern says differences with China becoming harder to reconcile
Written by Nur Yasmin
Differences between New Zealand and its top trading partner China are becoming harder to reconcile as Beijing’s role in the world grows and changes, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday.
The comments come as New Zealand faces pressure from some elements among Western allies over its reluctance to use the Five Eyes intelligence and security alliance to criticise Beijing.
In a speech at the China Business Summit in Auckland, Ardern said there are things on which China and New Zealand "do not, cannot, and will not agree", but added these differences need not define their relationship.
"It will not have escaped the attention of anyone here that as China's role in the world grows and changes, the differences between our systems – and the interests and values that shape those systems – are becoming harder to reconcile," Ardern said.
"This is a challenge that we, and many other countries across the Indo Pacific region, but also in Europe and other regions, are also grappling with," she added.
In comments that sparked some reaction among Western allies, Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta said last month she was uncomfortable expanding the role of Five Eyes, which includes Australia, Britain, Canada and the United States.
“This speech appears to be crafted to deflect surprisingly sharp and severe criticism from commentators after Mahuta’s remarks last month,” said Geoffrey Miller, international analyst at the political website Democracy Project.
However, the comments do not change New Zealand's overall shift to a more China-friendly, or at least more neutral position, he said.
"Ardern and Mahuta are selling the new stance as New Zealand advancing an ‘independent foreign policy’ that is not loyal to any major bloc," he added.
SENSITIVE ISSUES
China, which takes almost one-third of New Zealand's exports, has accused the Five Eyes of ganging up on it by issuing statements on Hong Kong and the treatment of ethnic Muslim Uyhgurs in Xinjiang.
New Zealand's parliament on Tuesday is set to look at a motion put forward by a smaller party to declare the situation in Xinjiang as a genocide.
Ardern said New Zealand would continue to speak about these issues individually as well as through its partners, noting that managing the relationship with China is not always going to be easy.
China's Ambassador to New Zealand, Wu Xi, who also spoke at the event warned that Hong Kong and Xinjiang related issues were China's internal affairs.
"We hope that the New Zealand side could hold an objective and a just a position, abide by international law and not interfere in China's internal affairs so as to maintain the sound development of our bilateral relations," she said in her speech.
Beijing is engaged in a diplomatic row with Australia and has imposed trade restrictions after Canberra lobbied for an international inquiry into the source of the coronavirus. China denies the curbs are reprisals, saying reduced imports of Australian products are the result of buyers’ own decisions.
Over the weekend, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said China had recently acted “more aggressively abroad” and was behaving “increasingly in adversarial ways.”
When asked if New Zealand would risk trade punishment with China, as did Australia, to uphold values, Ardern said: "It would be a concern to anyone in New Zealand if the consideration was 'Do we speak on this or are we too worried of economic impacts?'" (Reuters)
May
NGOs call on ADB to end fossil fuel loans amid climate reboot
Written by Nur Yasmin
A group of non-governmental organisations called on the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Monday to end loans to the fossil-fuels sector, as the international lender holds its annual meeting this week with a focus on a green economic recovery.
The ADB, which finances initiatives aimed at boosting economic prospects for Asia's poorest, is also reviewing its lending policies, which its own management has said are not fit for a climate-changed world.
Governments this year have stepped up climate action as U.S. President Joe Biden seeks to reverse measures by the Trump administration. ADB's biggest shareholders, Japan and the United States, recently upped their emissions cuts targets. read more
"It's time to power our communities with clean, renewable energy," Chuck Baclagon, regional campaigner at 350.org, a U.S.-based group focused on the global energy transition, said in a joint statement.
More than 20 NGOs signed the statement sent to media for release on Monday.
"We need financial institutions like the Asian Development Bank to immediately stop lending money for coal, gas and oil projects," Baclagon said.
The ADB hosts its annual meeting virtually this week with the theme "Collaboration for Resilient and Green Recovery".
The groups said the ADB has lent $4.7 billion to gas projects in Asia since December 2015, when about 200 nations signed the Paris Agreement.
The ADB is reviewing its energy policy, which was last updated in 2009, Yongping Zhai, chief of the ADB's energy sector group said in an emailed response to Reuters' questions about the latest call from NGOs.
A draft new policy will be posted for public discussion by June, Zhai said.
The ADB has "invested about $25 billion in the energy sector during 2015-2020," with 45% of that directed to renewable energy and energy efficiency and another 35% to network upgrades to integrate more renewable energy, he said.
The bank supports natural gas projects that provide community access to cleaner cooking and heating fuels, Zhai said, adding the “management agreed with (an) independent evaluation that its energy policy is no longer adequately aligned with the global consensus on climate change.” (Reuters)
May
Australia to spend $1.3 bln on childcare, enticing women back to work
Written by Nur Yasmin
Australia's conservative government will increase childcare subsidies, officials said on Sunday, in a pre-budget announcement that pledges A$1.7 billion ($1.31 billion) to boost female participation in the workplace.
The promised spending comes ahead of a Federal election expected in the next 12 months and follows polls showing Prime Minister Scott Morrison's approval ratings have sunk, amid growing anger over allegations of sexual abuse, discrimination against women and misconduct in parliament.
The spending targets families with more than one child in daycare, boosting subsidies for those with two or more children aged up to five years-old to a maximum 95% subsidy for their second and subsequent children.
"Today's measures... are targeted, and they are an investment in making our economy stronger and boosting female working participation," Treasurer Josh Frydenberg told reporters in Canberra.
Parents who "want to work an extra couple of days. Right now, they have all of that additional income from their wage eaten up in additional childcare cost. This will removthat disincentive," he said.
Before the coronavirus pandemic pushed Australia's A$2 trillion economy into recession, Morrison's government had pledged to bring the budget to black.
But on Thursday, the government provided a foretaste of its spending plans due to be announced in its yearly Budget on May 11, abandoning its "debt and deficit disaster" rhetoric for a focus on jobs. read more
Treasury estimates the additional spending will encourage up to 300,000 in additional work hours a week - equivalent to 40,000 people working an extra day a week and boost Australia's economic output by about A$1.5 billion a year, Frydenberg said.
Australia's government has struggled to placate public anger over claims of sexual abuse, discrimination against women and misconduct in Canberra. read more
In another move designed to regain voter support, it promoted a record seven female lawmakers to Cabinet in March. (Reuters)
May
Cambodia reports daily record of 730 COVID-19 cases
Written by Nur Yasmin
Cambodia reported a daily record of 730 new coronavirus cases, the health ministry said in a statement on Sunday, as the country struggles to contain a wave of infections that emerged about two months ago.
The Southeast Asian nation has recorded one of the world's smallest COVID-19 caseloads, but the recent outbreak that was first detected in late February has caused infections to climb to 14,520, with 103 deaths.
"Covid 19 continues to threaten us. Please continue to be vigilant by practicing hygiene, keep social distancing and don't leave your house as it is spreading severely in the community in our country, our neighbours and the world," Cambodia's Communicable Disease Control Department said in a statement posted on Facebook on Sunday.
The capital Phnom Penh, which has the most COVID-19 cases in the country, is under lockdown until May 5 and has declared some districts "red zones", banning people from leaving their homes except for medical reasons. (Reuters)