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July
IMF cuts emerging Asia growth forecast on COVID-19 resurgence
Written by Nur Yasmin
The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday cut this year's economic growth forecast for emerging Asia, as a spike in coronavirus cases from new variants and slow vaccinations cloud the region's recovery prospects.
The downgrade, which contrasted with an upward revision in the IMF's forecast for advanced nations, highlights the divergence emerging across countries on the pace of recovery from pandemic-induced strains.
In an update to its World Economic Outlook (WEO), the IMF forecast emerging Asia will grow 7.5% this year, down 1.1% points from its previous projection made in April.
That was a much bigger downgrade than a 0.4 point mark-down for emerging economies across the globe.
"Growth prospects in India have been downgraded following the severe second COVID wave during March–May and expected slow recovery in confidence from that setback," the IMF said.
"Similar dynamics are at work in the ASEAN-5 group...where recent infection waves are causing a drag on activity," it said.
The IMF cut this year's growth forecast for India by 3.0 points to 9.5%. The projection for the ASEAN-5 group consisting of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam was marked down by 0.6 point to 4.3%.
China's 2021 forecast was revised down 0.3 point to 8.1% due to a slowdown in public investment and fiscal support.
For 2022, the IMF raised the growth forecast for emerging Asia by 0.4 point to 6.4%.
Southeast Asia has become a global epicentre for the contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus, forcing countries to impose travel bans and lockdown measures that are dragging on growth. read more
"We expect renewed virus outbreaks and a subsequent retightening in restrictions to delay the economic recovery, particularly in South East Asia," Oxford Economics said in a research note.
"Low vaccination rates outside of China and Singapore also leave many in the region vulnerable to COVID-19 setbacks and the risk that the extent of economic scarring is much greater than we currently project," it said. (Reuters)
July
Philippines' Duterte taunts ICC, saying war on drugs far from over
Written by Nur Yasmin
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday the battle against narcotics is far from over, more than five years after he began a brutal war on drugs that has killed thousands and prompted an accusation of possible crimes against humanity.
Duterte, in his last State of the Nation address, defended the campaign, saying it had brought down crime and improved peace and order.
"We still have long way in our fight against the proliferation of drugs," Duterte said in his nearly three-hour address, which many had expected would focus on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Duterte, 76, is not eligible for re-election, but has hinted he may run for vice-president, which critics see as a possible backdoor to a return to power.
Before his address, hundreds of activists took the streets of Manila despite the threat of the more contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus, carrying banners criticising Duterte's rights record and his handling of the COVID-19 crisis.
Last month, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) sought the go-ahead to launch a formal investigation into the drugs war killings, saying crimes against humanity could have been committed. read more
Duterte, who has dared the ICC to put him on trial, taunted the court again, saying he has never denied that he will kill people out to destroy the country.
"I have never denied, and the ICC can record it: those who destroy my country, I will kill you. And those who destroy the young people of our country, I will kill you. I will really finish you, because I love my country."
Human rights groups accuse Duterte of inciting deadly violence and say police have murdered unarmed drug suspects and staged crime scenes on a massive scale. Police deny this and Duterte insists police are under orders to kill only in self-defence.
"Duterte has nothing to show for his promise years ago to eliminate illegal drugs — nothing to show but dead bodies killed by the police," said Carlos Conde, Philippines researcher for Human Rights Watch.
Duterte, who won the presidency in 2016 on a promise to fight corruption, crime and illegal drugs, remains highly popular despite the criticism of the killings and his pandemic response.
With more than 1.5 million coronavirus cases and more than 27,000 deaths, the Philippines has the second worst outbreak in Southeast Asia.
"We had hoped the president would present a clear roadmap to economic recovery, and how the government is building up healthcare capacity to handle any surges and future pandemics," said Rizalina Mantaring, an officer at the Management Association of the Philippines.
While saying the country could no longer afford more lockdowns, Duterte said he could not completely rule out stricter curbs if the spread of the Delta variant got worse.
He also called on the public to get vaccinated. The Philippines has so far fully immunised only 5.5% of its 110 million population, data shows. (Reuters)
July
COVID-19 curbs to end in Australian state, though cases in Sydney rise
Written by Nur Yasmin
Australia's Victoria state said on Tuesday it will lift a strict lockdown after curtailing the spread of COVID-19, but neighbouring New South Wales faces an extension of restrictions after daily new cases spiked to a 16-month peak.
More than half of Australia's near 26 million population has been in lockdown in recent weeks after an outbreak of the highly infectious Delta variant took hold in the New South Wales capital of Sydney and spread to three states.
New South Wales reported 172 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, up from 145 a day earlier, with at least 60 spending time in the community while infectious.
New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said a decision whether to extend the five-week lockdown will be taken this week. But with less than 13% of the state's population fully vaccinated, curbs are expected to remain.
"We know we've put in the hard yards for five weeks and we don't want to waste all the good work that we've done by opening too early and then having the virus spread again," Berejiklian told a media conference.
In contrast, Victoria state said most restrictions imposed on July 15 will be removed from Wednesday after recording just 10 infections of people already in quarantine.
"All in all, this is a good day," Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews told reporters in Melbourne.
Victoria's 5 million residents will now be allowed to leave home freely and schools will reopen, though households will not be permitted to have visitors.
South Australia said it will also lift a lockdown on Wednesday after it recorded zero COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours.
Lockdowns have raised the prospect of Australia recording its second recession in as many years, though Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said on Tuesday talk of this was premature.
Frydenberg said last week the country's A$2 trillion ($1.5 trillion) economy is expected to shrink in the latest GDP figures, with lockdowns costing about A$300 million daily.
Easing lockdowns will soften the economic toll, but New South Wales is Australia's biggest state economy and accounts for about a third of national output.
VACCINE ROLLOUT CRITICISED
Swift contact tracing, tough social distancing rules and lockdowns have helped Australia to keep its COVID-19 numbers low, with just under 33,100 cases and 920 deaths since the pandemic first appeared in early 2020.
The outbreak in Sydney, however, has seen a wave of hospitalisations and 10 deaths in recent weeks.
New South Wales said 169 people are in hospital with the virus, of which 46 are in intensive care.
Amid heightened concerns about a spate of hospitalisations of younger people, Australia has urged people to take AstraZeneca's (AZN.L) COVID-19 vaccine after struggling to secure enough supplies of Pfizer's (PFE.N) inoculations.
Authorities had previously recommended only over 60s should take the AstraZeneca shot after rare but serious blood clotting cases.
Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told the BBC Australia's vaccine rollout has been "a colossal failure" because the government failed to buy enough vaccines. read more
"It's the biggest failure of public administration I can recall," Turnbull said.
Faced with being unable to secure a Pfizer vaccine until at least September, tens of thousands of people have opted to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine - though many others have said they will wait.
"I'm kind of opposed to getting AstraZeneca due to the information that was provided earlier about the blood clots," said Rebecca Carlisle, who works in human resources in Sydney.
"I'm not willing to get AstraZeneca." (Reuters)
July
Vice President Harris could visit Vietnam, Singapore in August
Written by Nur Yasmin
Vice President Kamala Harris could travel to Vietnam and Singapore in August, even as details of such a trip are not final yet, a source familiar with the matter said on Monday.
The coronavirus pandemic is likely to be on Harris' agenda, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Harris recently visited Mexico and Guatemala with the aim of lowering migration from the region. During her trip she focused on issues such as economic development, food insecurity and women's issues. (Reuters)
July
Pakistan reopens Afghanistan border crossing held by Taliban
Written by Nur Yasmin
Pakistan on Monday reopened a major southwestern border crossing with Afghanistan that is currently under Taliban control on the Afghan side, Pakistani customs officials said, allowing over 100 trucks carrying goods to cross into Afghanistan.
The Chaman-Spin Boldak crossing, a key port for landlocked Afghanistan, had been closed by Pakistan for commercial traffic since fierce fighting for control of the crossing erupted between Taliban insurgents and Afghan security forces earlier this month. read more
"Pakistan has opened its border with Afghanistan at Chaman today and resumed Afghan Transit Trade which was suspended since the last one month," Arif Kakar, a senior official of the Chaman border district, told Reuters.
He said it would remain open six days a week.
Two Pakistani customs officials, requesting anonymity, told Reuters that Spin Boldak and the border town of Wesh were still under Taliban control, and they did not know what arrangements were in place across the border or who was clearing the goods through customs.
They said Pakistani officials were under pressure by traders to let trucks pass through as the goods they were carrying would otherwise perish.
Afghanistan's interior and finance ministries, and the Taliban spokesman, did not respond to requests for comment.
U.S. Marine General Kenneth McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, which oversees American forces in Afghanistan, told reporters in Kabul on Sunday that Spin Boldak was a "contested space" and the Afghan government was looking to regain control of it.
The reopening came hours after 46 Afghan soldiers sought refuge in Pakistan after losing control of military positions further north along the border following advances by Taliban insurgents taking advantage of foreign forces' withdrawal.
The Afghan military commander requested refuge at the border crossing in Chitral in the north, the Pakistan army said in a statement, adding safe passage into Pakistan was given on Sunday night after clearance from Afghan authorities.
Hundreds of Afghan soldiers and civil officials have fled to neighbouring Tajikistan, Iran and Pakistan in recent weeks after Taliban offensives in border areas.
"Afghan soldiers have been provided food, shelter and necessary medical care as per established military norms," the statement said.
Relations between neighbours Afghanistan and Pakistan have taken a sharp downturn in recent weeks, particularly over repeated allegations by Kabul that Pakistan is backing the Taliban - a charge Islamabad denies.
Afghanistan recalled its diplomats from Pakistan after the brief kidnapping of the Afghan ambassador's daughter in Islamabad earlier in the month. read more
Afghan officials did not respond to a request for comment on the soldiers' crossing.
The Taliban has escalated its offensive since the United States announced in April that it would withdraw its troops by September, ending a 20-year foreign military presence.
Washington has said it will continue to carry out air strikes to support Afghan forces facing insurgent attacks. read more
Peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban have failed to make substantive progress since beginning in September last year.
Reeling from battlefield losses, Afghanistan's military is overhauling its war strategy to concentrate forces around critical areas such as Kabul and other cities, and border crossings. read more
The Pakistan army said the soldiers who sought refuge will be returned to Afghanistan after due process, as had occurred in the case of another batch of 35 soldiers earlier in July. (Reuters)
July
S.Korea begins COVID-19 vaccination for chip, electronics workers
Written by Nur Yasmin
South Korea on Tuesday launched COVID-19 vaccinations for workers at key computer chip and electronic businesses to minimise disruptions in the global supply chain amid struggles to keep up with its inoculation schedule.
Major tech companies including Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (005930.KS), Samsung Display Co, SK Hynix Inc (000660.KS) and LG Display Co Ltd (034220.KS) and their suppliers began in-house vaccination for their employees on Tuesday, the companies' spokesmen told Reuters.
The government approved the companies' internal vaccination plans last month. The vaccination program will target over 303,000 workers in about 40 companies with in-house clinics, the Yonhap News Agency reported. read more
The move occurs amid a global chip shortage that has affected manufacturers around the world, particularly automakers. Samsung and SK Hynix are the world's top two memory chip makers.
Samsung, SK Hynix and LG Display said they are vaccinating their workers with the Pfizer (PFE.N)/BioNTech shot.
Samsung and its affiliates had initially planned to offer Moderna vaccines. However, Yonhap reported that the plan is now to offer Pfizer/BioNTech after supply and shipment issues.
South Korea said on Monday that Moderna (MRNA.O) informed the government of an unspecified vaccine production issue and consultations are being held to figure out details. read more
"Moderna has notified there'll be adjustments in supply schedule due to a production issue and we're in discussion with them to confirm detailed plan for delivery and volume," Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said on Tuesday.
South Korea, which expanded its inoculation campaign for people in their 50s on Monday, had to switch to the Pfizer vaccine for some people in the group because of the shipment delays.
The country has a contract for 40 million doses of the Moderna vaccine, of which about 1.1 million have arrived so far.
The specific production issue was not immediately clear and it was not certain how much supply was affected and for how long or whether other countries will be impacted.
Moderna did not reply to a Reuters' request for comment.
South Korea reported 1,365 coronavirus cases for Monday. Total infections across the country of 52 million people are at 191,531 cases and 2,079 deaths, official data showed.
It has inoculated nearly 34% of its 52 million population with at least one dose and 13.5% are fully vaccinated. (Reuters)
July
South, North Korea reopen hotlines as leaders seek to rebuild ties
Written by Nur Yasmin
South and North Korea have restored hotlines that Pyongyang severed a year ago when ties deteriorated sharply, and the two countries' leaders are renewing efforts to rebuild relations, Seoul's presidential office said on Tuesday.
The decision on the hotlines was made by South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un who have exchanged multiple letters since April when they marked the third anniversary of their first summit, said Moon's press secretary, Park Soo-hyun.
North Korea's state news agency, KCNA, also said all inter-Korean communication channels resumed operation at 10 a.m. Tuesday (0100 GMT) in line with an agreement between Moon and Kim.
The hotlines are a rare tool to bridge the two Koreas, but it was unclear whether their reconnection would expedite any meaningful restart of negotiations aimed at dismantling Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programmes. read more
"The two leaders have explored ways to recover relations by exchanging letters on several occasions, and agreed to restore severed hotlines as a first step for that process," Park said in a statement. "They have also agreed to regain trust as soon as possible and foster progress on relations again."
KCNA touted the reopening of the hotlines as "a big stride in recovering mutual trust and promoting reconciliation."
NUCLEAR STALEMATE
North Korea cut the lines in June 2020 as cross-border ties soured after a failed second summit in February 2019 between Kim and former U.S. President Donald Trump, which Moon had offered to mediate.
Then the North blew up a joint liaison office, launched on its soil in 2018 to foster better ties with the South, plunging relations to the lowest ebb under Moon.
Seoul's defence ministry confirmed that twice-daily regular communicationwas resumed via a military hotline on Tuesday," Kim said. (Reuters)
July
U.S. Defense Secretary says committed to stable, constructive relationship with China
Written by Nur Yasmin
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Tuesday he was committed to having a constructive relationship with China and working on common challenges as he laid out his vision for ties with Beijing, which have sunk to their lowest point in decades.
The United States has put countering China at the heart of its national security policy for years and President Joe Biden's administration has called rivalry with Beijing "the biggest geopolitical test" of this century. read more
While Austin's speech in Singapore will touch on the usual list of behavior Washington describes as destabilizing, from Taiwan to the South China Sea, his comments about seeking a stable relationship could provide an opening for the two countries to start to reduce tension.
"We will not flinch when our interests are threatened. Yet we do not seek confrontation," Austin said, according to excerpts of his speech.
"I am committed to pursuing a constructive, stable relationship with China, including stronger crisis communications with the People's Liberation Army."
Austin has been unable to speak with any senior Chinese official despite repeated attempts since starting as defense secretary in January.
Even with the tension and heated rhetoric, U.S. military officials have long sought to keep open lines of communication with their Chinese counterparts, to be able to mitigate potential flare-ups or tackle any accidents.
A top Chinese diplomat took a confrontational tone on Monday in rare high-level talks with the United States, accusing it of creating an "imaginary enemy" to divert attention from domestic problems and suppress China. read more
Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, the second-ranked U.S. diplomat, had arrived on Sunday for the face-to-face meetings in China's northern city of Tianjin.
"Big powers need to model transparency and communication," Austin said.
Austin's speech, which was postponed by a month because of Singapore's COVID-19 outbreak, is being closely watched by regional nations concerned about China's increasingly assertive behavior but heavily reliant on access to its large markets.
He is set to visit Vietnam and the Philippines later this week to emphasize the importance of alliances. (Reuters)
July
Thankful for vaccines, Taiwan praises Czech Republic as democracy partner
Written by Nur Yasmin
The Czech Republic is donating 30,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Taiwan, the island's president said on Tuesday, praising the central European country for taking a step that could irritate China.
"This manifests again that Taiwan and Czech are not only firm partners on the path of freedom and democracy, but also that a friend in need is a good friend indeed," Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said in a statement announcing the vaccine donation.
China, which claims Taiwan as its sovereign territory, had last year condemned the head of the Czech Senate for making an official trip to the democratic island. Czech President Milos Zeman subsequently tried to defuse the row, calling the speaker's trip a "boyish provocation".
Since a rare spike in domestic cases began in Taiwan in May, the government has received almost six million vaccine doses gifted by Japan and the United States, enabling it to speed up an inoculation programme that it said had been hampered initially by China, though Beijing denies playing any negative role.
The Czech Republic's decision to donate vaccines to Taiwan follows similar actions by Lithuania and Slovakia.
Since the pandemic began, Taiwan has donated millions of face masks around the world, including to the Czech Republic.
Like most governments, the Czech Republic has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan although Taiwan is a large investor in the country. (Reuters)
July
Myanmar floods, coup, complicate growing COVID-19 outbreak
Written by Nur Yasmin
Flooding in Myanmar has displaced hundreds of people, residents said on Tuesday, adding to the misery of a nation struggling against a fast-spreading coronavirus outbreak while living through the chaos created by a military coup in February.
Heavy downpours since the weekend caused flooding in several areas, forcing healthcare workers to move COVID-19 patients through drenched streets and alleys in search of someplace drier.
"Hundreds of houses are submerged in water and only their roofs can be seen," Pyae Sone, a social worker in Hlaingbwe in Kayin State said by telephone.
"COVID is spreading in the town. There are so many people who have lost their sense of smell and many who are sick, it's not clear if it's COVID or seasonal flu.
Volunteers and medical workers trundled bedridden patients, still hooked up to oxygen tanks, over murky flood waters in the Kayin town of Myawaddy, Facebook photographs posted by the Karen Information Center (KIC) media group showed.
About 500 residential areas along the Thai border were affected, displacing hundreds of people, the group said.
Bo Bo Win, the head of a charity in the town of Mawlamyine, 120 km (75 miles) away, said at least another 500 people there had also suffered in the floods.
"These floods swamping large areas of eastern Myanmar are the worst in some places for many years and they are causing further misery for people already suffering as COVID-19 surges across the country," said Joy Singhal, Head of Myanmar Delegation, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
He said the IFRC was urgently securing more relief supplies to support thousands of people at risk from further floods.
Infections in Myanmar have surged since June, with 4,630 cases and 396 deaths reported on Monday. Medics and funeral services put the toll far higher. read more
The military has struggled to keep control since taking power in a February coup that triggered nationwide protests, strikes and fighting on multiple fronts in border regions as civilians and ethnic armed groups took up arms against the junta.
Angered by doctors' support for anti-junta protests, Myanmar's military has also arrested several doctors treating COVID-19 patients independently. read more
"The U.N. must act immediately to halt the military junta's attacks, harassment, and detentions in the midst of a COVID-19 crisis," Thomas Andrews, U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, said in a statement, in which he called for a "COVID ceasefire" to tackle the crisis. (Reuters)