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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)
May
Prime Minister Modi's ruling party loses crucial Indian state election
Written by Nur Yasmin
The incumbent chief minister's party in India's West Bengal state has defeated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party in a state election held as the coronavirus pandemic surged to crisis levels.
Modi has been criticised for focusing on the elections instead of making the pandemic his top priority.
Some expert blame the federal election commission for allowing rallies and voting in which large crowds flouted rules on social distancing and mask-wearing. read more
Mamata Banerjee, 66, is set to be the chief of West Bengal for the third time after her Trinamool Congress party (TMC) won a two-thirds majority, taking more than 200 seats in the 294-seat state assembly, election commission officials said. Final counting for some seats was still underway.
Banerjee is now India's only woman chief minister.
Despite the defeat, Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) made substantial gains, making it the main opposition party as its tally in the state legislature went to nearly 80 seats from just three seats won in 2016.
Modi, his colleagues and regional politicians campaigned aggressively in five state elections despite the pandemic. The results are seen as a test of the impact the pandemic's second wave is having on support for him and his right-wing BJP.
Banerjee, a sharp critic of Modi, largely conducted a one-woman campaign to retain power by leading scores of public rallies.
"It is a stupendous performance by Mamata Banerjee because Modi was determined to win Bengal, but it's clear that his entire political machinery and strategy was unable to defeat her," said Diptendu Bhaskar, a political analyst in Kolkata, West Bengal's capital.
In Assam state, the BJP managed to retain political power. In Tamil Nadu, the DMK - the main regional opposition party - secured victory
In Kerala state, the ruling lefist political party was set to form government while the BJP led-alliance won no seats. In the union territory of Puducherry, the All India NR Congress-led alliance was leading in 14 of the 30 seats assembly.
Most of the votes were cast in March, but polling in some constituencies continued through April, just as India started to detect thousands of new coronavirus infections everyday. (Reuters)
May
Indian industry body urges curbs to economic activity to save lives
Written by Nur Yasmin
A leading Indian industry body urged authorities to take the “strongest national steps” and to curtail economic activity to save lives on Sunday as the country battles surging coronavirus cases that have overwhelmed the healthcare system.
The rate of new infections dipped marginally but deaths kept climbing. Authorities reported 392,488 new cases in the previous 24 hours, pushing total cases to 19.56 million. Deaths jumped by a record 3,689, taking the overall toll to 215,542.
Billionaire Uday Kotak, managing director of Kotak Mahindra Bank (KTKM.NS), said a "maximal response measure at the highest level is called for to cut the transmission links", as building healthcare infrastructure will take time.
He was speaking on behalf of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), where he is the president.
"At this critical juncture when toll of lives is rising, CII urges the strongest national steps including curtailing economic activity to reduce suffering,” Kotak said in a statement.
Hospitals have filled to capacity, medical oxygen supplies have run short and morgues and crematoriums have been swamped as the country deals with the surge in cases: more than 300,000 daily cases for more than 10 days straight.
Concerned about the economic impact of shutting down the economy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is reluctant to impose a national lockdown. At least 11 states and union territories have imposed some form of restrictions.
The Indian Express newspaper reported on Sunday that the country's COVID-19 taskforce has advised the federal government to impose a national lockdown.
The eastern state of Odisha and northern industrial state Haryana became the latest to announce new lockdowns on Sunday, joining Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka and West Bengal.
Other states, including Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Assam, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan have either imposed night curfews or weekend lockdowns.
LOCKDOWN FEARS
Modi said last month all efforts should be made be avoid a lockdown. He imposed strict curbs on movement and social and economic activity last year in the early months of the pandemic and economic output fell a record 24% in April-June 2020 compared with the same period a year earlier.
The current devastating second wave has also led to a shortfall in medical staff. Kotak also said healthcare workers may not be able to tackle the influx of patients, given the escalating caseloads, and they need reinforcing.
International aid has been pouring in.
Countries including United States have shipped in critical oxygen equipment, therapeutics and raw materials for vaccine production. On Sunday, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said his country would send more ventilators “very shortly”.
Modi's government has been criticised for not taking steps earlier to curb the spread and for letting millions of largely unmasked people attend religious festivals and crowded political rallies in five states during March and April.
Reuters reported on Saturday that a forum of scientific advisers set up by the government warned Indian officials in early March of a new and more contagious variant of the coronavirus taking hold in the country.
May
Philippines vows to continue maritime exercises in South China Sea
Written by Nur Yasmin
The Philippines will continue maritime exercises inside its 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea, the country's defence minister said on Sunday, despite a call by China to stop actions that it said could escalate disputes.
The Philippine coastguard and fisheries bureau started maritime exercises last month, having boosted its presence in the area to counter the "threatening" presence of Chinese boats. read more
China claims almost the entire South China Sea, through which about $3 trillion worth of ship borne trade passes each year, despite a 2016 ruling by an arbitration tribunal in The Hague that Beijing's claim was inconsistent with international law.
"The conduct of maritime patrol in the WPS (West Philippine Sea) and Kalayaan Island Group by the Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources will continue," Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said in a statement, using the local name for the South China Sea.
"The government will not waver in its position," he said.
The lingering presence of hundreds of Chinese boats in the Philippines' EEZ has revived tensions between the countries, despite President Rodrigo Duterte's friendship with Beijing.
Lorenzana said his comments echoed the stance of Duterte on the issue, citing the latter's "very firm and straightforward" orders for the Philippine military to "defend what is rightfully ours without going to war and maintain the peace in the seas".
While Duterte still considers China as "a good friend", the Philippine leader last week said: "There are things that are not really subject to a compromise ... I hope they will understand but I have the interest of my country also to protect."
Lorenzana said the Philippines "can be cordial and cooperative with other nations but not at the expense of our sovereignty and sovereign rights". (Reuters)
May
Thousands rally against Myanmar junta, calling for 'spring revolution'
Written by nuke
Despite the crackdown, pro-democracy protesters have persisted with their demonstrations against the coup AFP/STR -
Thousands of anti-coup protesters marched in Myanmar on Sunday (May 2), calling for a "spring revolution" with the country in its fourth month under a military regime.
Cities, rural areas, remote mountainous regions and even Myanmar's rebel-controlled border territories have been in uproar since the military ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi in a Feb 1 coup.The junta has aimed to suppress dissent through a brutal crackdown that has seen mass arrests and an escalating death toll.
Demonstrations kicked off early in commercial hub Yangon as activists called for a show of force and a "spring revolution".
Youths gathered on a street corner before marching swiftly down the streets in a flash mob - dispersing soon after to avoid clashing with authorities.
"To get democracy is our course!" they chanted, waving a three-finger salute of resistance.
"To bring down the military dictatorship is our course!"
Central Mandalay region saw hundreds take the streets led by monks in saffron-coloured robes, carrying the flag of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy.
In northern Shan state, youths carried a banner that read: "We cannot be ruled at all."
"He was shot in the head and died immediately," said one protester, who said he rushed to hide his friend's body in case authorities tried to take it away.
"They are asking for his dead body, but we will not give them ... We will have his funeral today," he told AFP.
By midday, local media reported that security forces were chasing protesters down and arresting them.
"They are arresting every young person they see," a source in Yangon told AFP, adding that he was hiding at the moment.
"Now I am trapped."
Bomb blasts also went off across different parts of the city in the morning.
The explosions have been happening with increasing frequency in the former capital, and authorities have blamed it on "instigators".
So far, security forces have killed 759 civilians, according to the local monitoring group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.
The junta - which has labelled AAPP as an unlawful organisation - says 258 protesters have been killed, along with 17 policemen and seven soldiers//CNA
May
14 new community COVID-19 cases in Singapore, including 11 linked to Tan Tock Seng Hospital cluster
Written by nuke
View of Tan Tock Seng Hospital in Singapore on Apr 30, 2021. (Photo: Calvin Oh) -
Fourteen community cases were among the 39 new COVID-19 infections reported in Singapore as of noon on Sunday (May 2), the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in its preliminary daily update.
Among them, 11 cases are linked to the Tan Tock Seng Hospital cluster and were detected from the ministry's proactive testing of patients, visitors and staff members at the hospital.
The remaining 25 cases were imported and were placed on stay-home notice or isolated upon arrival in Singapore, the ministry said.
Among them, 10 are Singaporeans or permanent residents and three are foreign domestic workers.
No new cases were reported in migrant workers’ dormitories.
Details of the new cases will be released on Sunday night, said MOH.
Starting from Sunday, Singapore has stopped entry or transit for visitor with recent travel history to Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the COVID-19 task force also announced on Friday.
The ban covers all long-term pass holders and short-term visitors who have been in the four countries in the last 14 days, including transit//CNA