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November
WHO's Ryan sees progressive control of COVID-19 in 2021, cautions on Christmas
Written by Nur YasminThe World Health Organization’s top emergency expert said on Thursday the introduction of a COVID-19 vaccine should allow the world to gain progressive control over the disease next year.
“Life as we used to know it, I think that’s very, very possible but we will have to continue with the hygiene, physical distancing. Vaccines do not equal zero COVID. Adding vaccines to our current measures will allow us to really crush the curve, avoid lockdowns and gain progressive control over the disease,” Mike Ryan told RTE television in his native Ireland.
“We need to be absolutely aware that we need to reduce the chance that we could infect someone else in just organising households carefully around the Christmas festivities. The usual thing in Ireland of 15 people in the kitchen peeling potatoes and basting turkeys, that’s not what we should be doing.” (Reuters)
November
South Korea, China top diplomats vow to work on North Korea, COVID-19
Written by Nur YasminThe foreign ministers of South Korea and China pledged on Thursday to work together to advance bilateral ties and tackle regional and global issues including stalled nuclear talks involving North Korea and the coronavirus pandemic.
South Korea’s Kang Kyung-wha held talks with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi who arrived in Seoul late on Wednesday, after spending two days in Tokyo amid talk of a trip to Seoul by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Wang said his visit was to highlight the importance of bilateral relations as the two countries cooperate as “strategic partners” on defending regional peace and stability and promote global governance.
“The COVID-19 crisis could not defeat the citizens of our two countries,” he told Kang at the start of the meeting, through an interpreter.
“The bilateral ties have overcome the COVID-19 ordeals and are showing their strength and ever more vigour.”
Kang thanked Wang for the visit, expressing hopes for an exchange of views to deepen cooperation on issues including North Korea, the pandemic and economic recovery ahead of the 30th anniversary of the bilateral relations in 2022.
“I am also looking forward to discussing ways to stably manage the fluid situation on the Korean peninsula and to foster conditions to move forward our efforts to build lasting peace,” she said.
The ministerial talks come as both countries explore the possibility of Xi visiting Seoul, just as the United States is gearing up for a new administration under Democratic President-elect Joe Biden. Xi’s trip had been expected early this year but was postponed by the pandemic disrupting the diplomatic calendar.
Wang is also scheduled to pay a courtesy call on President Moon Jae-in, among other officials.
Wang is the second senior Chinese diplomat to visit South Korea since the coronavirus emerged in China late last year, following an August trip by Yang Jiechi, a member of the Communist Party Politburo. (Reuters)
November
Global coronavirus cases surpass 60 million infections – Reuters tally
Written by Nur YasminThe global tally of confirmed coronavirus cases hit 60 million on Wednesday, with the pace of new infections accelerating and the United States reporting record numbers of hospitalizations, according to a Reuters tally.
Officials in the United States, the worst-affected country in the world, urged Americans to stay home for the imminent Thanksgiving holiday as soaring numbers of COVID-19 patients pushed medical professionals to the brink.
The United States has reported 1 million new COVID-19 cases in less than a week, taking its total reported infections to over 12.5 million and its death toll to 260,000, according to the Reuters data based on official statements.
Globally, infections stood at 60.005 million and deaths at 1.4 million. (Graphic: tmsnrt.rs/3q38VSH)
An analysis of the Reuters data showed the rate of new infections picking up globally. It took just 17 days to go from 50 million cases to 60 million, compared with the 21 days it took to go from 40 million to 50 million. Around 580,000 cases have been reported each day over the past week and around half of all cases since the start of the pandemic were reported over the past 70 days. (Graphic: tmsnrt.rs/366qPfc)
In Europe, 1 million new cases were recorded over just five days, for a total of more than 16 million cases, including 365,000 deaths.
Governments across Europe are struggling to impose restrictions on public life while allowing families to celebrate Christmas without further fuelling outbreaks.
While a national lockdown in England is due to end next week, Germany, Spain, and Italy have all announced restrictions over the holiday period, including limits on house guests.
The Latin American region has the highest number of reported deaths in the world, representing about 21% of all global cases and over 31% of all global deaths reported. (Graphic: tmsnrt.rs/33cHDzp)
Brazil last week joined the United States and India as the only countries to have recorded more than 6 million infections. With almost 170,000 confirmed fatalities, Brazil has the world’s second-highest death toll.
While India remains the second-worst affected country in the world with almost 9.2 million cases, it has continued to report a slowdown in new cases in recent weeks. It has reported an average of around 44,000 cases a day over the past week, well down from a peak of just under 97,900 cases in mid-September.
Asia-Pacific countries such as China, South Korea, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand had shown how rapid, local, and intrusive steps can be effective in extinguishing outbreaks. (Reuters)
November
OIC urges measures to protect women from violence
Written by Nur YasminSecretary general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr. Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen, has urged OIC member states to continue taking necessary measures and actions to ensure the protection of women against violence.
“[Preventive measures are necessary] Especially in light of the global escalation of the phenomenon of domestic violence, as one of the social repercussions of the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19),” Dr. Al-Othaimeen said in a statement received here on Wednesday.
He made the statement on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of All Forms of Violence against Women.
As a result of the necessary precautionary measures taken by countries against COVID-19, including lockdowns and home quarantine which have been imposed over long periods, family income has been adversely affected and the economic situation has deteriorated, a matter that has led to increased tension and psychological pressure, he observed.
Highlighting the need to address the growing cases of violence against women, the secretary general called on member states to focus on enacting laws to protect women and to take procedural and security measures to eliminate violence against women in the Muslim world because of its negative impact on the development and prosperity of society.
Al-Othaimeen also stressed that the issue should be among the main concerns of member states and urged them to intensify efforts to strengthen national policies and procedures against domestic violence and violence against women, and to strengthen the work of national community institutions working in the field.
The secretary general indicated that the commemoration of the International Day to Combat All Forms of Violence against Women this year comes at a time when the OIC is celebrating the operationalization of the Women Development Organization, headquartered in the Arab Republic of Egypt, as the first specialized organ of the OIC concerned with women's affairs and on advancing their status and building their capacity in member states.
One of the most important issues that the organization will take care of is to follow up the implementation and development of the OIC Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women in the Member States (OPAAW), which prioritizes combating violence against women, among other things.
It is worth noting that the first session of the ministerial meeting of the Women Development Organization was held virtually on October 21-22, 2020. The meeting was hosted by the Arab Republic of Egypt in coordination with the OIC General Secretariat. (Antaranews)
November
Unified ASEAN can avert South China Sea conflict - Philippine minister
Written by Nur YasminTensions in the South China Sea will increase due to a U.S.-China rivalry that could be kept in check, if only Southeast Asian countries took a united stand to influence the status quo, a top Philippine security official said on Wednesday.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was caught up in the battle for regional influence but it could do more to ensure stability and should take a common approach, Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told a security forum.
“Where is the ASEAN in this superpower rivalry? Despite its avowed ASEAN centrality, it is anything but,” Lorenzana said.
“ASEAN would exert considerable influence on issues and events in the South China Sea if only it could act as one.”
Lorenzana’s remarks are unusually blunt for a minister from within the 10-member bloc, which rarely speaks up as a group against militarisation or perceived acts of aggression, with some states worried about angering Beijing or Washington.
The Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam have overlapping claims with China and all but Brunei have been involved in standoffs this year with Chinese vessels.
China says it has historical sovereignty over nine-tenths of the South China Sea. It does not recognise a 2016 international arbitral ruling that invalidated those claims.
Lorenzana said the issue was front and centre during discussions since May with counterparts in Japan, China, Australia, France and the United States.
“What do this tell us? That the South China Sea is important to a lot of nations,” he said.
“That the tension in the South China Sea will continue to rise as China will continue to accuse the U.S. and other nations of provocation and destabilisation ... that the West is trying to contain the rise of China.”
China has stepped up its coastguard presence and military drills this year, including near islands also claimed by Vietnam, while the United States has deployed warships to demonstrate freedom of navigation. They accuse each other of deliberate provocations.
Lorenzana said Southeast Asia worries the risk of armed conflict is rising.
U.S. ally the Philippines, he said, “will be involved whether she likes it or not.” (Reuters)
November
New Zealand to steer APEC's work towards recovery
Written by Nur YasminNew Zealand, one of the twelve founding members of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), plans to steer APEC’s efforts towards recovery in a time of unprecedented health and economic crises as the grouping’s host in 2021.
New Zealand has taken over the leadership of APEC from Malaysia, the host of APEC 2020, as noted in a written statement issued by the APEC Secretariat and received here on Wednesday.
The host year will be completely held online, as announced in June this year, demonstrating New Zealand’s leadership in digital diplomacy amidst the global pandemic, according to the statement.
"As we plan for recovery from COVID-19, it is economic cooperation through APEC, the most dynamic region in the world’s economy that will help us all rebuild," said New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in a video introducing New Zealand’s APEC year, presented at the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting last Friday.
Prime Minister Ardern, who will chair the 2021 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, acknowledged the extraordinary scale of the challenges the world faces today and stressed the need for member economies to work together for the greater good.
She explained that New Zealand will create an environment where connections can be made and APEC’s important work can continue, including progress on sustainability, widespread adoption of digital tools to drive productivity, and development of inclusive plans to create opportunities for all people.
"The way we respond as a region to today’s challenges will be felt for generations to come," stated Prime Minister Ardern.
"APEC 2021 New Zealand will be the start of reigniting growth, continuing trade, and setting a plan for long-lasting recovery across the entire region," she added.
Speaking at a virtual briefing on Monday, Vangelis Vitalis, 2021 chair of APEC Senior Officials and deputy secretary of trade and economic affairs at New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, emphasized the importance of greater cooperation in times of crisis, noting that trade is "an absolute vital part" to the journey of recovery.
"We are hoping to take a closer look at the trade and economic policies that we need to drive recovery and to take us forward. We would also like to propel more discussion on not only how we can build back better, but to build back greener and more inclusively, so that the recovery will be much more resilient and sustainable," he explained.
Vitalis, who will be leading the technical discussions next year, also highlighted the importance of the digital and innovation aspect in driving recovery, improving productivity and efficiency, and keeping engagement and connectivity alive during periods of border closings and lockdowns.
"We look forward to a successful virtual APEC year as New Zealand continues the successful work laid by Malaysia this year, including to develop a work program for the implementation of the APEC Putrajaya Vision 2040," said executive director of the APEC Secretariat, Rebecca Sta Maria.
"We stand ready to fully support New Zealand in its vision to pave the way for a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable APEC region," she remarked.
New Zealand will begin its host year with a symposium and the Informal Senior Officials Meeting in December, 2020, followed by the first formal gatherings of senior officials early next year. (Antaranews)
November
China calls launch a success as robotic spacecraft heads to moon
Written by Nur YasminChina hailed as a success its pre-dawn launch on Tuesday of a robotic spacecraft to bring back rocks from the moon in the first bid by any country to retrieve lunar surface samples since the 1970s, a mission underscoring Chinese ambitions in space.
The Long March-5, China’s largest carrier rocket, blasted off at 4:30 a.m. Beijing time (2030 GMT on Monday) in a launch from Wenchang Space Launch Center on the southern Chinese island of Hainan carrying the Chang’e-5 spacecraft.
The China National Space Administration (CNSA) called the launch a success and said in a statement that the rocket flew for nearly 37 minutes before sending the spacecraft on its intended trajectory.
The Chang’e-5 mission, named after the ancient Chinese goddess of the moon, will seek to collect lunar material to help scientists understand more about the moon’s origins and formation. The mission will test China’s ability to remotely acquire samples from space, ahead of more complex missions.
State broadcaster CCTV, which ran live coverage of the launch, showed images of CNSA staff in blue uniforms applauding and cheering as they watched the spacecraft climbing through the atmosphere, lighting up the night sky.
If the mission is completed as planned, it would make China only the third country to have retrieved lunar samples, joining the United States and the Soviet Union.
Upon entering the moon’s orbit, the spacecraft is intended to deploy a pair of vehicles to the lunar surface: a lander and an ascender. The landing is due to take place in about eight days, according to Pei Zhaoyu, a spokesman for the mission. The probe is due to be on the lunar surface for about two days, while the entire mission is scheduled to take around 23 days.
The plan is for the lander to drill into the lunar surface, with a robotic arm scooping out soil and rocks. This material would be transferred to the ascender vehicle, which is due to carry it from the surface and then dock with an orbiting module.
The samples then would be transferred to a return capsule for the return trip to Earth, with a landing in China’s Inner Mongolia region.
“The biggest challenges ... are the sampling work on the lunar surface, take-off from the lunar surface, rendezvous and docking in the lunar orbit, as well as high-speed re-entry to Earth,” said Pei, also director of the space administration’s Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering Center.
“We can conduct sampling through circumlunar and moon- landing exploration, but it is more intuitive to obtain samples to conduct scientific research - the method is more direct,” Pei added. “Plus, there will be more instruments and more methods to study them on Earth.”
November
Netanyahu met Saudi crown prince, Pompeo in Saudi Arabia: Israeli minister
Written by Nur YasminPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu travelled to Saudi Arabia and met its crown prince, an Israeli official said on Monday, in what would be the first publicly confirmed visit there by an Israeli leader as the countries close ranks against Iran.
Earlier, Israeli media said Netanyahu had secretly flown on Sunday to Neom, on the Red Sea, for talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Reports of the meeting between the crown prince and Netanyahu were denied by Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.
“I met Pompeo at the airport and went with him to the meeting. I then took him back to the airport. Saudi and American officials were the only ones present throughout,” he said.
Saudi Arabia, Islam’s birthplace, has long championed the Palestinian cause and shunned official contacts with Israel.
Netanyahu, speaking publicly after the Saudi denial, was circumspect about any clandestine travel.
Asked at a meeting of his right-wing Likud faction about a Saudi visit, Netanyahu replied: “Are you serious? Friends, throughout my years I have never commented on such things and I don’t intend to start doing so now.”
Spokesmen for Pompeo declined comment.
But asked about the Israeli media reports, Yoav Gallant, a member of Netanyahu’s security cabinet, told Army Radio: “The very fact the meeting happened, and was outed publicly, even if half-officially right now, is a matter of great importance.”
Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz, in a speech, condemned “the irresponsible leak of the secret flight to Saudi Arabia”. (Reuters)
November
G20 to extend debt relief to mid-2021, pushes private sector to help
Written by Nur YasminLeaders of the world’s 20 biggest economies on Sunday endorsed a plan to extend a freeze in official debt service payments by the poorest countries to mid-2021 and backed a common approach for dealing with their debt problems.
In a joint statement, Group of 20 leaders also strongly encouraged private creditors to take part in the initiative on comparable terms and said they were keeping an eye on the special challenges facing African and small island states.
The G20 debt relief initiative - launched shortly after the start of the pandemic in the spring - has helped 46 of 73 eligible countries defer $5.7 billion in 2020 debt service payments, freeing up funds for countries to fight the pandemic and shore up their economies.
But lack of private-sector participation and countries’ concerns about marring future access to capital markets have limited the success of the debt freeze, which was initially projected to generate some $12 billion in extra liquidity.
Some big creditor countries, including China, also failed to include all state-owned institutions, such as the China Development Bank, in responding to requests for debt relief.
The COVID-19 crisis has exacerbated concerns about high debt levels affecting not just low-income countries, but some middle-income states as well.
International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva called for prompt and effective implementation of the debt treatment framework to provide permanent debt relief to the poorest countries, but said other countries also needed help.
“Going forward, we must also help those countries not covered by the framework to address debt vulnerabilities so that their economies can become more resilient,” Georgieva said in a statement after addressing G20 leaders.
Eric LeCompte, a U.N. adviser and executive director of Jubilee USA Network, said the new framework would push the private sector to get involved because it made G20 debt relief contingent on countries asking for similar treatment from private creditors, but offered no guarantees.
He said the G20 initiative also left out countries that needed urgent help.
“Six of the 12 countries with the highest COVID death rates are middle-income countries, which remain outside the scope of the G20 debt process,” he said.
The United States has said it is open to expanding the framework to include middle-income countries and small island states, but U.S. officials said that view was not currently shared by all G20 members. (Reuters)
November
UNICEF says to ship two billion COVID vaccines to poor nations in 2021
Written by Nur YasminNearly 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines will be shipped and flown to developing countries next year in a “mammoth operation”, the U.N. children’s agency UNICEF said on Monday, as world leaders vowed to ensure the fair distribution of vaccines.
UNICEF said it was working with over 350 airlines and freight companies to deliver vaccines and 1 billion syringes to poor countries such as Burundi, Afghanistan and Yemen as part of COVAX, a global COVID-19 vaccine allocation plan with the World Health Organization (WHO).
“This invaluable collaboration will go a long way to ensure that enough transport capacity is in place for this historic and mammoth operation,” said Etleva Kadilli, director of UNICEF’s Supply Division, in a statement.
COVAX - co-led by GAVI vaccine group, the WHO and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations - aims to discourage governments from hoarding COVID-19 vaccines and to focus on first vaccinating the most at risk in every country.
At a G20 summit this weekend, leaders of the biggest 20 world economies pledged to ensure the equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, drugs and tests so that poorer countries are not left out.
Even before the pandemic hit, access to vaccines was unequal with around 20 million babies not receiving vaccines that could save them from serious diseases, death, disability and ill health, according to the WHO.
“We need all hands on deck as we get ready to deliver COVID-19 vaccine doses, syringes and more personal protective equipment to protect frontline workers around the globe,” said UNICEF’S Kadilli, who is working with the Pan American Health Organization and the International Air Transport Association.
UNICEF’s role with COVAX stems from its status as the largest single vaccine buyer in the world.
It said it procures more than 2 billion doses of vaccines annually for routine immunisation and outbreak response on behalf of nearly 100 countries.
Drugmakers and research centres worldwide are racing to develop COVID-19 vaccines, with large global trials of several of the candidates involving tens of thousands of participants well underway.
Pfizer Inc and BioNTech could secure emergency U.S. and European authorisation for their COVID-19 vaccine next month after final trial results showed a 95% success rate and no serious side effects.
Moderna Inc last week released preliminary data for its vaccine showing 94.5% effectiveness.
The better-than-expected results from the two vaccines, both developed with new messenger RNA (mRNA) technology, have raised hopes for an end to a pandemic that has killed more than 1.3 million people and wreaked havoc upon economies and daily life. (Reuters)
