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August
Australia willing to support extension of evacuation from Afghanistan -foreign minister
Written by Nur Yasmin
Australia is willing to assist with evacuations from Afghanistan after Aug. 31 if the United States decides to delay its withdrawal, Foreign Minister Marise Payne said on Monday.
U.S. President Joe Biden last week said U.S. troops may stay in Afghanistan past an Aug. 31 deadline to evacuate Americans. read more
Australia has evacuated about 1,000 citizens and Afghans from Kabul in the past week, and Payne said Australia would be willing to support further rescue flights.
"We are part of those discussions and if they are to be extended, we are absolutely ready to support a continuing operation at Hamid Karzai international Airport," Payne told reporters in Canberra.
Payne did not specify whether the 250 military personnel deployed by Australia would remain if evacuations are extended.
Australia's government is under mounting pressure to expedite the rescue of Australians and Afghans who worked for the country during its two-decade long involvement in Afghanistan.
However, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has warned Australia is unlikely to be able to help all the Afghans who had provided assistance, offering 3,000 visas to fleeing Afghans from Australia's existing humanitarian visa programme of 13,750 a year.
Australia was part of a NATO-led international force that battled the Taliban and trained Afghan security forces in the years after the militants were ousted in 2001.
More than 39,000 Australian military personnel served in Afghanistan and 41 were killed there. (Reuters)
August
Singapore July inflation surpasses pre-pandemic levels
Written by Nur Yasmin
Singapore's key price gauge in July rose by its fastest pace in over two years, surpassing pre-pandemic levels, due to higher electricity and gas costs driven by a hike in global oil prices, official data showed on Monday.
The core inflation rate — the central bank's favoured price measure - rose 1% in July from a year earlier, in line with the forecast from a Reuters poll of economists. The core price increment is the highest since June 2019, when it rose 1.2%.
Singapore's headline consumer price index (CPI) rose slightly to 2.5% in July year-on-year, from 2.4% in June. (Reuters)
August
New Zealand lockdown to be extended until at least Friday - media
Written by Nur Yasmin
New Zealand is set to stay in COVID-19 lockdown until at least midnight Friday, New Zealand Herald reported without giving the source of the information.
Auckland, which is the epicentre of the latest Delta variant outbreak, may be in lockdown for longer, the report said.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is expected to announce a decision shortly on whether she will extend or end the lockdown.
Currently, the country of 5.1 million is under lockdown until midnight on Tuesday. (Reuters)
August
Johor crown prince summons state education director, teachers over COVID-19 vaccine rejections
Written by nuke
File photo of Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim meeting with the Johor Chief Minister on Jul 4, 2021. (Photo: Facebook/HRH Crown Prince of Johor) -
Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim on Sunday (Aug 22) summoned the Johor Education Department director and 779 teachers who rejected COVID-19 vaccinations to meet him as soon as possible.
"I will meet with the Johor education director and the teachers concerned as soon as possible. Our priority is to overcome the pandemic so that the people and the state can return to life as normal," he said in a post on his Twitter account.
Johor Education Department deputy director for learning Shahilon Abd Halim is currently the department's acting director.
Tunku Ismail was commenting on a news report that 779 teachers in the state had rejected COVID-19 vaccinations.
Earlier, chairman of the State Education, Information, Heritage and Culture Committee Mazlan Bujang told the Johor State Assembly that a group of teachers had refused to be inoculated.
He said that efforts were underway through the Johor Education Department and the State Religious Department to brief the teachers on the benefits of being vaccinated.
As of Thursday, 45,448 or 96.26 per cent of teachers in Johor had received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 23,746 teachers had completed two vaccine doses, according to the assemblyman.
In addition, about 6,500 people or 91 per cent of the implementing group members (AKP) had received the first dose of the vaccine, while about 2,800 or 39 per cent had completed two doses.
Another 9,200 or 71 per cent of operational support staff had received the first dose of the vaccine and about 7,000 or 54 per cent had completed both doses.
Johor reported 1,391 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, out of a nationwide daily total of 19,807 new infections//CNA
August
Tokyo Paralympics organisers tighten COVID-19 rules as cases surge
Written by nuke
A security guard takes a break in front of the Tokyo metropolitan building during a Paralympic torch relay event in Tokyo, Aug 20, 2021. (Photo: AP/Hiro Komae) -
Tokyo Paralympics organisers said on Sunday (Aug 23) they were tightening virus rules, including upping testing and further limiting movement, as Japan battles a record wave of infections days before the opening ceremony.
The Games open on Tuesday after a year-long pandemic delay and following the Olympics, which ended on Aug 8 and was hailed by organisers as proof their virus rules worked.
Olympic organisers have reported 547 cases linked to the Games since Jul 1, but there are already 131 cases among Paralympics participants with two days until the opening ceremony.
And Japan has reported more than 25,000 daily cases nationwide in recent days, even with multiple regions including Tokyo under virus states of emergency.
Paralympics participants, like their Olympic counterparts, are governed by so-called playbooks that mandate mask-wearing, daily tests for athletes, and limits on movement.
But Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto said on Sunday "taking further careful measures is necessary".
These will include requiring Japan-based staff at the Paralympic Village - currently being tested every four days - to be tested daily.
And a rule allowing some participants to travel on public transport and move around freely after 14 days of restrictions will be scrapped.
"We ask them to take meals in facilities inside the Olympic venues or hotels they are staying at, eating individually without talking," Muto said.
"As to places they can visit, we ask them to limit that to places on their list of work."
Previously, some participants had been able to use public transport and move around without prior authorisation after 14 days in the country.
Most of those linked to the Paralympics who have tested positive so far are Japan-based Games staff and contractors, though four athletes and 10 media workers have also tested positive.
Japan's overall virus outbreak remains relatively small compared with some hard-hit nations, with around 15,500 deaths despite avoiding harsh lockdowns.
But the country's vaccine roll-out started slowly and officials are now racing to inoculate residents, with around 40 per cent of the population fully vaccinated//CNA
August
Hurricane Henri's outer bands reach US north-east coast
Written by nuke
People disembark from a ferry in Bay Shore, New York, Aug 21, 2021, as it arrived from Fire Island. (Photo: AP/Craig Ruttle) -
Hurricane Henri's outer bands moved onshore in southern New England and Long Island early on Sunday (Aug 22) as the storm threatened the region with high winds, a dangerous storm surge and drenching rainfall.
By 5am (5pm, Singapore time), Henri was located about 125km south-southeast of Montauk Point on Long Island in New York state, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.
It was carrying top sustained winds of 120 kmh and heading north. Henri was expected to make landfall on Long Island or southern New England later on Sunday, hitting land at or near hurricane strength, the centre said.
More than 42 million people in the region were under a hurricane or tropical storm warning on Saturday, the NHC said.
The centre warned that Henri could produce storm surges - when ocean waters are pushed above their normal level - of 1m to 1.5m) in some areas, as well as bringing rainfall of 7.5cm to 15cm.
Parts of Long Island and New Haven, Connecticut, were under hurricane and storm surge warnings. Other parts of New England, such as Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, were under surge and tropical storm watches and warnings.
New York City, the largest city in the United States, was under a tropical storm warning. In a Twitter post on Saturday, Mayor Bill de Blasio urged residents to stay home on Sunday and to use public transport if they need to travel.
Emergency management officials said heavy rainfall and damaging winds could flood roadways and reduce visibility throughout the weekend.
"Secure outdoor objects and make sure you are in a safe location before the onset of wind and rain!," New York City Emergency Management Commissioner John Scrivani wrote in a tweet on Saturday.
On eastern Long Island, in the tiny Hampton hamlet of Amagansett, New York - where celebrities including Paul McCartney, Alec Baldwin and Gwyneth Paltrow have homes - residents packed supermarkets, hardware and liquor stores early on Saturday morning.
At the IGA supermarket, shelves were stripped bare of toilet paper, paper towels and other supplies. Motorists waited in long lines at gas stations while stores ran out of flashlights.
Michael Cinque, the owner of the Amagansett Wine & Spirit, deliberated whether to board up the windows of his store as shoppers streamed in and left with bottles of tequila, vodka and expensive liquors.
"You always have to be prepared," said Cinque, who has owned the store for 42 years and also volunteers as an emergency responder. "You have to take it seriously."
Officials on Fire Island off the south coast of Long Island told residents and visitors to leave or face the potential of getting stuck on the island.
In Newport, Rhode Island, a coastal yachting community of 25,000 people, sump pumps, flashlights and generators were also in high demand.
Eversource, the largest electric utility company in Connecticut, warned residents to be prepared for power outages for up to five to 10 days.
Several airlines issued travel alerts and were offering vouchers for tickets on flights in and out of the region over the weekend. The Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad were suspending Sunday service while Boston's public transportation system said it was reducing service for Sunday.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency on Saturday afternoon, warning people in areas prone to flooding to move to higher ground. Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker and Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont activated the National Guard in their states to help in possible rescue, debris clearing and public safety efforts//CNA
August
US Vice President Kamala Harris arrives in Singapore for official visit
Written by nuke
US Vice President Kamala Harris waves after landing at Singapore's Paya Lebar Air Base on Aug 22, 2021 to kick off her official visit to Southeast Asia. (Photo: Hanidah Amin) -
United States Vice President Kamala Harris landed at Paya Lebar Air Base on Sunday (Aug 22) morning, kicking off a three-day visit to Singapore.
Ms Harris disembarked from the blue-and-white Air Force Two and gave a short wave.
She was greeted on the tarmac by Singapore Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan. The receiving party included Singapore’s Ambassador to the US Ashok Mirpuri and Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs Chee Wee Kiong.
Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Singapore Rafik Mansour was also at the airport to welcome Ms Harris.
In a statement on Sunday afternoon, he said the past 55 years of partnership between the US and Singapore are "just the beginning".
“Through our defence and security agreements, our first free trade agreement in Asia, and the deep ties between our people, our enduring relationship brings strength and stability to the United States, Singapore, and the entire Indo-Pacific region," he added.
Ms Harris chatted with the delegation from Singapore and was soon ushered into one of two armoured sports utility vehicles belonging to the US Secret Service.
The extensive motorcade, comprising vans, buses and a police motorcycle then rumbled off, making a U-turn around Air Force Two before leaving the air base.
This is Ms Harris’ first official visit to Asia, a trip which also includes Vietnam. The White House had said that her visit to Southeast Asia signals US commitment to the region and that it is "part of the Indo-Pacific".
Ms Harris is accompanied on this trip by senior officials from the Vice President's Office, National Security Council and Department of State.
The trip to Singapore, made at the invitation of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, comes on the heels of US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's tour of Southeast Asia, during which he made stops in Singapore, Vietnam and Philippines.
On Monday, Ms Harris will call on President Halimah Yacob and meet Mr Lee, before a joint press conference with the Prime Minister.
Ms Harris will also visit Changi Naval Base, where she will board the US Littoral Combat Ship USS Tulsa.
On Tuesday, Ms Harris will deliver a policy speech and participate in a roundtable with the business community involving Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong, before departing for Vietnam for the second leg of her Asia trip//CNA
August
Tokyo Paralympics to open under shadow of COVID-19 pandemic
Written by nuke
Paralympics officials insist the reach of the event will be "incredible". (Photo: AFP) -
The Tokyo Paralympics open on Tuesday (Aug 24) after a year-long pandemic delay and with the coronavirus continuing to cast a long shadow as Japan battles a record surge in cases.
As at the Olympics, the event will be marked by strict virus rules, with almost all spectators banned and tough restrictions on athletes and other participants.
While a swell of domestic support emerged during the Olympics after months of negative polls, there is deep concern in Japan as the Paralympics approach with the country going through a fifth virus wave.
More than 25,000 new cases were recorded on Thursday, and medics across the country have warned hospitals are at breaking point with serious cases also at record highs.
It is a challenging environment for the most important sports event for disabled athletes, and International Paralympic Committee chief Andrew Parsons has warned participants against complacency.
Despite the backdrop, IPC officials insist the reach of the event will be "incredible".
"Of course the fact that we will not have spectators at the venues is a challenge," Parsons told AFP in an interview.
"But we believe we will reach more than 4 billion people through broadcasting."
Local officials say the Games can be held safely, with athletes and other participants subject to the same anti-infection rules that applied to the Olympics.
Competitors can only enter the Paralympic Village shortly before their event and must leave within 48 hours of the end of their competition.
They will be tested daily and limited to moving between training venues, competition sites and the Village.
The measures are intended to prevent the Games from becoming a superspreader event - and officials say the Olympics proved the restrictions work.
There were 552 positive cases linked to the Olympics reported from Jul 1 until Sunday, the majority among Japan residents employed by the Games or working as contractors.
So far, 138 cases related to the Paralympics have been confirmed, also mostly among Japan-based Olympic officials, though at least four athletes have also tested positive.
But Olympic officials say there is no evidence of infection spreading from the Games to the rest of Japan, where case numbers were already on the rise.
Still organisers acknowledge the worsening environment.
"The infection situation today is different to how it was before the Olympics. It has deteriorated," said Tokyo 2020 official Hidemasa Nakamura on Friday.
"And the local medical system is also in a very tight situation."
The virus surge has caused tensions, with some local regions and schools cancelling planned trips to Games events despite support for the programme from Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike.
The mood among Paralympians remains buoyant though, after the uncertainties of the year-long delay//CNA
August
Australian PM Morrison defends COVID-19 lockdown strategy as daily cases hit record
Written by nuke
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison looks on during a news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron in front of the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, June 15, 2021. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol -
Australia will stick to its lockdown strategy against the coronavirus until at least 70 per cent of its population is fully vaccinated, but after that it will have to start living with the virus, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Sunday (Aug 22).
The country set a record with 914 infections, its highest daily figure, as the southern and eastern states of New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory remain under a strict lockdown.
"You can't live with lockdowns forever and at some point, you need to make that gear change, and that is done at 70 per cent," Morrison said in a television interview on the Australian Broadcasting Corp's Insider program.
Lockdowns are a key element of the federal government's strategy to rein in outbreaks until the 70 per cent level is reached, with borders being re-opened gradually when the figure climbs to 80 per cent.
But in a departure from the zero-COVID strategy adopted since the pandemic began, Morrison said it was highly unlikely for Australia to reach zero cases before curbs can be eased.
"Lockdowns are not a sustainable way to deal with the virus and that's why we have to get to the 70 per cent and 80 per cent marks, so we can start living with the virus," he added.
About 60 per cent of the population of 25 million is now under lockdown. Stay-at-home orders, often lasting for months, have taxed the patience of many.
Police in the most populous state of New South Wales said they handed out 940 fines in the past 24 hours for breaches of public health orders, while media said several hundred people gathered to protest Sunday curbs at the Queensland state border.
This follows hundreds of arrests made by police on Saturday during anti-lockdown demonstrations in Sydney and Melbourne, the capitals of the two most populous states, New South Wales and Victoria, which are under a strict lockdown.
New South Wales saw 830 new infections on Sunday, despite stepped-up efforts, and the Australian Capital Territory, home to the capital, Canberra, had 19. Nationwide, the tally of active cases stands at nearly 12,000.
The south-eastern state of Victoria, in its sixth lockdown since the start of the pandemic, recorded 65 locally acquired cases on Sunday.
"We are throwing everything at this," said Martin Foley, the state's health minister.
Just about 30 per cent of Australians older than 16 have been fully vaccinated, health ministry data showed on Saturday. This is mainly because the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is in short supply and the AstraZeneca vaccine provokes public unease.
Despite a third wave of infections from the Delta variant, Australia's COVID-19 numbers are relatively low, with just under 44,000 cases and 981 deaths//CNA
August
PM Lee congratulates Ismail Sabri Yaakob on becoming Malaysia's 9th prime minister
Written by nuke
In a telephone call on Aug 22, 2021, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (left) congratulated his counterpart Ismail Sabri Yaakob on becoming Malaysia's ninth prime minister. (Photo: Facebook/Lee Hsien Loong) -
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday (Aug 22) congratulated Mr Ismail Sabri Yaakob on becoming Malaysia's ninth prime minister, as he invited his newly sworn-in counterpart to make an official visit to Singapore.
In a telephone call that Mr Lee made on Sunday morning, both leaders affirmed Singapore's and Malaysia's "longstanding, deep, and broad-ranging relations," Singapore's Foreign Affairs Ministry (MFA) said in a press statement.
MFA added that during the call, the two prime ministers also looked forward to working closely together and tackling "shared challenges" like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr Ismail Sabri's handling of the pandemic, as co-chair of the Singapore-Malaysia Special Working Committee on COVID-19, was also highlighted by Mr Lee in a separate congratulatory letter.
Mr Lee noted that Mr Ismail Sabri had "contributed significantly to strengthening bilateral cooperation" by overseeing the continued movement of people and goods across the borders.
"With your wealth of experience in public service and government, including having helmed multiple Ministries prior to your appointments as Deputy Prime Minister and Senior Minister, I am confident that Malaysia will continue to prosper under your leadership as Prime Minister," wrote Mr Lee.
Mr Ismail Sabri was sworn in as Malaysia's prime minister on Saturday, drawing a close to almost a week of political upheaval in Putrajaya.
He replaced Mr Muhyiddin Yassin, who resigned at the start of the week, after losing majority support in parliament//CNA