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January
Hong Kong independent portal Citizen News says to shut
Written by Nur Yasmin
Hong Kong independent online news portal Citizen News said on Sunday it will cease operations from Tuesday in the face of what it described as a deteriorating media environment in the Chinese-ruled city and to ensure the safety of its staff.
When Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997 it was with the promise that wide-ranging individual rights, including a free press, would be protected. But pro-democracy activists and rights groups say freedoms have been eroded, in particular since Beijing imposed a national security law on Hong Kong in 2020.
Hong Kong authorities reject those claims and the city's government denies targeting the media.
"Regrettably, the rapid changes in society and worsening environment for media make us unable to achieve our goal fearlessly. Amid this crisis, we have to first make sure everyone on the boat is safe," Citizen News, which was established in 2017, said in a statement.
In its description on Facebook, Citizen News says it has no party affiliation and aims to promote Hong Kong's core values such as freedom, openness, diversity and inclusion.
The development comes days after two former senior editors of Hong Kong's Stand News were charged with conspiring to publish seditious materials and denied bail following a raid on the online outlet's offices by about 200 police. (Reuters)
January
Omicron-related disruptions cause over 4,000 flight cancellations to kick off 2022
Written by Nur Yasmin
Over 4,000 flights were cancelled around the world on Sunday, more than half of them U.S. flights, adding to the toll of holiday week travel disruptions due to adverse weather and the surge in coronavirus cases caused by the Omicron variant.
The flights cancelled by 8 pm GMT on Sunday included over 2,400 entering, departing from or within the United States, according to tracking website FlightAware.com. Globally, more than 11,200 flights were delayed.
Among the airlines with most cancellations were SkyWest (SKYW.O) and SouthWest (LUV.N), with 510 and 419 cancellations respectively, FlightAware showed.
The Christmas and New Year holidays are typically a peak time for air travel, but the rapid spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant has led to a sharp increase in COVID-19 infections, forcing airlines to cancel flights as pilots and cabin crew quarantine. read more
Transportation agencies across the United States were also suspending or reducing services due to coronavirus-related staff shortages.
Omicron has brought record case counts and dampened New Year festivities around much of the world. read more
The rise in U.S. COVID cases had caused some companies to change plans to increase the number of employees working from their offices from Monday.
U.S. authorities registered at least 346,869 new coronavirus on Saturday, according to a Reuters tally. The U.S. death toll from COVID-19 rose by at least 377 to 828,562.
U.S. airline cabin crew, pilots and support staff were reluctant to work overtime during the holidays, despite offers of hefty financial incentives. Many feared contracting COVID-19 and did not welcome the prospect of dealing with unruly passengers, some airline unions said.
In the months preceding the holidays, airlines were wooing employees to ensure solid staffing, after furloughing or laying off thousands over the last 18 months as the pandemic hobbled the industry. (Reuters)
South Korea's Moon promises final push for North Korea peace
January
South Korea's Moon promises final push for North Korea peace
Written by Nur Yasmin
South Korean President Moon Jae-in vowed on Monday to use his last months in office to press for a diplomatic breakthrough with North Korea, despite public silence from Pyongyang over his attempts for a declaration of peace between the two sides.
"The government will pursue normalisation of inter-Korean relations and an irreversible path to peace until the end," Moon said in his final New Year's address before his five-year term ends in May. "I hope efforts for dialogue will continue in the next administration too."
In his own address on New Year's Eve, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made no mention of Moon's calls for a declaration officially ending the 1950-1953 Korean War, or of stalled denuclearisation talks with the United States.
Moon held multiple summits with Kim, including once in Pyongyang, during a flurry of negotiations in 2018 and 2019, before talks stalled amid disagreements over international demands that the North surrender its arsenal of nuclear weapons, and Pyongyang's call for Washington and Seoul to ease sanctions and drop other "hostile policies."
Moon is pushing an "end of war declaration" as a way to jumpstart those stalled negotiations and his administration has hinted at backchannel discussions.
But North Korea has not publicly responded to the latest push, and the United States has said it supports the idea but may disagree with the South over its timing.
"It is true that there is still a long way to go," Moon acknowledged, but argued that if inter-Korean relations improve, the international community will follow.
Moon said his outreach to North Korea had been enabled by a large military buildup that helped make South Korea safer.
"Peace is possible on strong security," he said.
The COVID-19 pandemic overshadowed the standoff with North Korea, as Pyongyang put the country into an unprecedented lockdown and Moon faced domestic pressure to tamp down the first major coronavirus outbreak outside of China in early 2020.
Since then, South Korea used aggressive tracking and tracing, as well as social distancing rules and a belated but thorough vaccination campaign to keep overall cases and deaths relatively low by global standards. (Reuters)
January
Man who crossed DMZ was previous defector from N.Korea, South says
Written by Nur Yasmin
A man observed crossing the heavily fortified border from South Korea into North Korea last week is believed to be a North Korean who previously defected to the South in 2020 in the same area, Seoul's defence ministry said on Monday.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) had said it carried out a search operation after detecting the person on Saturday on the eastern side of the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas.
"The authorities presume the person is a North Korean defector and are in the process of verifying related facts," the Ministry of National Defence said in a statement on Monday.
A ministry official later told reporters they believe the man, who is his 30s, came to the South in November 2020.
"Footage showed he had a identical look and dress as the person who defected from the North in 2020," the official said.
Investigators are seeking to determine whether weekend movement detected on the northern side of the border was North Korean troops coming to escort the man, but that at this time the South Korean government does not think it is a case of espionage, the official added.
South Korean media have reported the man had experience as a gymnast that helped him scale the fences, but the official said they could not confirm that.
The official said North Korea has acknowledged the South's messages on inter-Korean hotlines about the incident, but has not provided any more details about the man's fate.
The border crossing, which is illegal in South Korea, came as North Korea carries out strict anti-coronavirus measures since shutting borders in early 2020, though it has not confirmed any infections.
In September 2020, North Korea apologised after its troops shot dead a South Korean fisheries official who went missing at sea and burned his remains, in what it said were anti-pandemic precautions.
Two months earlier, North Korea had declared a national emergency and sealed off a border town after a North Korean defector with reported COVID-19 symptoms illegally crossed back from the South.
DANGEROUS BORDER
While thousands of North Koreans have settled in the South, crossings of the DMZ are rare, with most defectors making their way through China.
Defections from South to North across the DMZ are rarer still, with just a handful recorded in recent years.
However, several recent incidents have raised concerns in South Korea over security lapses or delayed responses by troops guarding the border.
When the suspected defector crossed from North Korea in 2020, he was not detained until 14 hours after he crossed the border, prompting a vow from South Korea's military to beef up security.
In Saturday's case, the person's presence near the border went unnoticed for nearly three hours after CCTV cameras recorded the person scaling a fence and tripping alarms, the military said in a briefing on Sunday.
South Korean troops launched a search operation after spotting the person at 9:20 p.m., but could not stop their crossing into the North at around 10:40 p.m.
In June, South Korea announced it would fast-track the acquisition of a rail-mounted robot, and an artificial intelligence-enabled video and audio system, to boost security along the border. (Reuters)
January
S.Korea factory activity quickens but output, export orders shrink - PMI
Written by Nur Yasmin
Activity in South Korea's factories expanded at the fastest pace in three months in December but the economy struggled to gather momentum as rising global coronavirus cases and continued supply constraint weighed on production and overseas demand.
The IHS Markit purchasing managers' index (PMI) for the final month of the year rose to 51.9 from 50.9 in November, remaining above the 50 threshold that indicates expansion in activity for a 15th consecutive month.
The survey on Monday showed output continued to shrink on supply chain constraints, with firms facing semiconductor chip shortages and weak demand, though the pace was the mildest in three months.
New orders - which have the largest weighting in the PMI - grew at a faster pace as domestic demand conditions improved, offsetting sluggish overseas sales.
"Survey data showed new export orders falling for the first time since September 2020, which firms attributed to rising COVID-19 cases globally, congestion at ports and a lack of available shipping containers," said Joe Hayes, senior economist at IHS Markit.
Manufacturers continued to face acute cost pressures, notably in oil, natural gas, ores and electronics prices, which led them to pass higher charges on to clients.
Firms, however, remained optimistic over the coming year that supply chain pressure would ease as global economic conditions improve and on hopes for new product developments.
That led to a pick up in hiring, following two straight months of job shedding, with the rate of growth accelerating to a six-month high.
Still, economist say supply shortages need to show significant improvement for manufacturing to make a solid turnaround.
"Given South Korea's prominence in the automotive and electronics industries, substantial improvements in global supply chains will be required before we see a meaningful acceleration in manufacturing growth," Hayes said. (Reuters)
January
New COVID-19 cases in India rise sharply for fifth consecutive day
Written by Nur Yasmin
India reported more than 27,000 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, with infections sharply rising for a fifth consecutive day, but the chief minister of the capital New Delhi said there was no need to panic, citing low hospitalisation rates.
The country's largest cities, including Delhi and the financial capital Mumbai, have seen a recent spike in COVID-19 cases, including those of the Omicron variant, which has triggered a fresh wave of infections in other parts of the world.
Although the number of active cases in Delhi has tripled in just the last three days, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that hospitalisations had not gone up.
"This means that most people who are coming down with (COVID-19) are not requiring hospital care. They are mild cases," Kejriwal said in an online briefing.
"Cases are going up but there is no reason to worry. There is no need to panic," he said.
Delhi was among hardest hit cities during the second wave of the pandemic in India last year, with hospitals running out of beds and life-saving oxygen, leaving patients gasping for breath.
India has recorded a total of 34.88 million COVID-19 infections, with 27,553 new cases in the last 24 hours, health ministry data showed on Sunday.
The country's total death toll stands at 481,770.
Local government authorities in Mumbai city said thousands of people were conducting COVID-19 rapid antigen tests at home.
"We are noticing that people are self-quarantining if they test positive and at the same time many are also seeking support from the government-run isolation centres if they are finding less space at home to quarantine," said Srikant Deshmukh, a senior health official with Mumbai's municipal commissioner's office.
India is set to launch a vaccination drive for children in the age group of 15 to 18 years from Monday and state governments were gearing up to administer doses at schools, hospitals and through special camps. (Reuters)
Germans see pandemic, pensions as biggest topics for 2022-poll
January
Germans see pandemic, pensions as biggest topics for 2022-poll
Written by Nur Yasmin
Germans want their new government to focus on fighting the coronavirus pandemic and safeguarding pensions in 2022, with fewer people wanting them to prioritise the climate crisis, an opinion poll showed on Sunday.
The survey by pollsters Insa for the Bild am Sonntag newspaper showed that 61% of the 2,004 people questioned think combating the pandemic is the most important task of the government, followed by securing pensions.
Germans also want the government to deal with a shortage of staff in nursing homes, provide affordable housing and limit the rise in energy prices. Dealing with the impact of climate change only ranks sixth in their list of priorities.
"Direct, concrete concern about one's own livelihood comes ahead of the often more abstract concern about the consequences of climate change," said Insa head Hermann Binkert.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in his first New Year's address that Germany wants to use its presidency of the Group of Seven (G7) to develop it into a club that is pioneering in its efforts to achieve green growth and a socially just world. (Reuters)
January
German hospitals hope Omicron - as milder variant - could ease burden
Written by Nur Yasmin
The Omicron coronavirus variant could ease pressure on the German health system if it turns out to produce milder illness, even though infections are rising, the head of the country's association of senior hospital doctors (VLK) said on Sunday.
VLK President Michael Weber said coronavirus would no longer be a threat to the health system if Omicron became as dominant in Germany as it is in South Africa, Britain or Denmark and if the infections are as predominantly mild as there.
"There is a realistic probability that the pandemic will also become endemic in this country," Weber told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper.
As Omicron spreads in Germany, daily infections have been rising again in recent days after falling steadily in December, and the number of beds occupied in intensive care wards has also ticked up.
Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has also expressed optimism that Omicron seems to be less dangerous than previous variants, but he noted that it still posed a risk to older people who are not vaccinated.
"The first vaccination drastically reduces the risk of death after only 14 days. I appeal to people: Get vaccinated!", Lauterbach told Bild am Sonntag newspaper.
The highly infectious Omicron variant has caused a surge in coronavirus cases across the globe. Worldwide infections have hit a record high, with an average of just over a million cases detected a day between Dec. 24 and 30, according to Reuters data. But so far deaths have not risen at the same pace, bringing hope the variant is less lethal.
On Sunday, Germany reported 12,515 new infections, with the seven-day incidence per 100,000 people rising to 222.7 from 220.3 the previous day. Another 46 people died, bringing the death toll in the pandemic to 112,155.
Lauterbach also said wearing face masks remained important.
"The viral load of those infected with Omicron is lower, which is why masks are more effective. Everyone should wear masks when meeting other people." (Reuters)
January
Daily COVID cases in Saudi Arabia above 1,000, continue to climb in UAE
Written by Nur Yasmin
Daily coronavirus cases in Saudi Arabia have climbed above 1,000 for the first time since August, while daily infections in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) haven crossed the 2,500-level.
Authorities in the two Gulf Arab states did not break down the cases by COVID-19 variant. Both countries confirmed their first known case of the Omicron variant in early December.
Saudi Arabia, the largest Gulf state with a population of around 30 million, on Sunday registered 1,024 new coronavirus infections and one death. Daily cases had fallen below 100 in September.
Neighbouring UAE, a tourism and commercial hub now marking its peak tourism season and hosting a world fair, announced 2,600 new coronavirus cases and three deaths.
Daily infections in the UAE rose above 2,000 on Dec. 29, after having fallen below 100 in October. read more
The UAE said on Saturday it would ban non-vaccinated citizens from traveling abroad from Jan. 10 and that fully vaccinated citizens would also require a booster shot to be eligible to travel. read more
The latest daily COVID figures are still below a peak of nearly 4,000 hit in the UAE last January when visitors flocked to the country, and a record of over 4,700 in Saudi Arabia in June 2020, according to Reuters data. (reuters)
January
Unvaccinated U.S. travellers added to French quarantine list
Written by Nur Yasmin
France has put the United States on its COVID-19 travel "red list", meaning unvaccinated people coming into the country will have to quarantine for 10 days.
The rules will not change for fully vaccinated people coming into France from the United States: they still have to show proof of a negative test before boarding their flight.
The move puts the United States, where new infections are topping 300,000 a day due to the Omicron variant, on the same list as countries such as Russia, Afghanistan, Belarus and Serbia.
France is also grappling with record levels of new infections, with 200,000 cases reported daily over the last four days. (Reuters)