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March
Myanmar garment workers urge global brands to denounce coup
Written by nuke
Myanmar garment workers urge global brands to denounce coup - yahoo
As international sanctions were dropped in the mid-2010s when Myanmar began shifting toward democracy after decades of military rule and started to set some labor standards, Western brands looking to diversify their sourcing were attracted to the country's cheap labor.
Broad sanctions now would cripple that burgeoning clothing industry, which has been growing rapidly in recent years before the coronavirus pandemic cut orders and eliminated jobs.
Comprehensive sanctions could wreck the livelihoods of more than 600,000 garment workers, but some union leaders say they would rather see massive layoffs than endure military oppression.
The garment industry plays a key role in Myanmar’s economy, particularly the export sector. Roughly a third of Myanmar's total merchandising exports come from textiles and apparel, worth US$4.59 billion in 2018. That's up from 9 per cent, or US$900 million, in 2012 as international sanctions were dropped, according to the latest data from the European Chamber of Commerce in Myanmar.
Myanmar’s apparel exports mostly go to the European Union, Japan and South Korea because of favourable trade agreements. The US accounts for 5.5 per cent of Myanmar's exports, with clothing, footwear and luggage representing the bulk of that, according to garment trade expert Sheng Lu.
But Myanmar still accounts for a tiny share — less than 0.1 per cent — in US and European Union fashion companies’ total sourcing networks. And there are plenty of other alternatives for brands.
Despite this, many are taking a wait-and-see stance when it comes to any long-term decisions. Experts note it’s not easy to shift products to a different country, nor is it easy to return to Myanmar once companies leave.
Furthermore, some argue Western companies play a role in reducing poverty by giving workers in Myanmar opportunities to earn an income while also helping to improve labor standards there.
Factory working conditions were already poor before the February coup, but the labor unions had made some inroads and gave workers hope. And while the National League for Democracy, the party that was ousted in the takeover, wasn’t proactively protecting unions, it didn’t persecute or crack down on them, says Andrew Tillett-Saks, a labour organiser in Southeast Asia who previously was based in Myanmar.
Nearly 70 per cent of the garment factories in Myanmar are owned by foreigners, according to the European Chamber of Commerce in Myanmar, and a good chunk of them are Chinese-owned. International brands using the factories don’t directly hire the workers, often depending on a web of contractors and sub-contractors to produce goods for them.
But companies have “an enormous amount of influence in the industry", Tillett-Saks said. “They hold all the power over the supplier."//CNA
March
Mass evacuations as rains cause record flooding in Australia
Written by nuke
Mass evacuations as rains cause record flooding in Australia - DW
Mass evacuations were ordered in low-lying areas along Australia's east coast Saturday (Mar 20) as torrential rains caused potentially "life-threatening" floods across a region already soaked by an unusually wet summer, officials said.
Police said hundreds of people had flocked to evacuation centres in areas north of Sydney in New South Wales state, and they expected many more to seek shelter as the rains move south down the coast.
The Bureau of Meteorology reported flooding levels surpassing record 2013 floods along the Hastings River outside Port Macquarie, about 400km north of Sydney.
Towns in the area have already seen record rainfall of more than 300mm since Friday morning, the bureau said.It warned the heavy rains were forecast to continue through Saturday "potentially leading to life-threatening flash flooding".
"It's not just the total rainfall amount, it's also how quickly and intensely that rainfall has actually fallen," Agata Imielska, a senior climatologist with the Bureau of Meteorology, said at a televised briefing.
"So today (we) are just really urging the community out there that this is the day to exercise that powerful protective action of staying home and staying safe."
Television footage showed flooded roads across the state, people kayaking through the streets, water engulfing houses up to the windows and rivers overflooding. Video posted on social media and broadcast on local TV showed an entire house being swept away in floodwaters in the state's centre.
The flood and extreme weather warnings stretched from Port Macquarie to areas 500km south of Sydney, where residents were urged to stay indoors due to the flash flooding risk.
Emergency services reported receiving more than 500 calls for help and carried out some 180 flood rescues overnight in the north of the affected area//CNA
March
Turkey's Erdogan quits European treaty on violence against women
Written by nuke
Turkey's Erdogan quits European treaty on violence against women - Reuters
President Tayyip Erdogan pulled Turkey out of an international accord designed to protect women, the country's official gazette said on Saturday (Mar 20), despite calls from campaigners who see the pact as key to combating rising domestic violence.
The Council of Europe accord, forged in Istanbul, pledged to prevent, prosecute and eliminate domestic violence and promote equality. Turkey, which signed the accord in 2011, saw a rise in femicides last year.
No reason was provided for the withdrawal, but officials in Erdogan's ruling AK Party had said last year the government was considering pulling out amid a row over how to curb growing violence against women.
"The guarantee of women's rights are the current regulations in our bylaws, primarily our Constitution. Our judicial system is dynamic and strong enough to implement new regulations as needed," Family, Labour and Social Policies Minister Zehra Zumrut said on Twitter, without providing a reason for the move.
Many conservatives in Turkey say the pact undermines family structures, encouraging violence. They are also hostile to the principle of gender equality in the Istanbul Convention and see it as promoting homosexuality, given its principle of non-discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation.Critics of the withdrawal from the pact have said it would put Turkey further out of step with the values of the European Union, which it remains a candidate to join. They argue the deal, and legislation approved in its wake, need to be implemented more stringently.
Turkey is not the first country to move towards ditching the accord. Poland's highest court scrutinized the pact after a cabinet member said Warsaw should quit the treaty which the nationalist government considers too liberal.
Erdogan has condemned violence against women, including saying this month that his government would work to eradicate violence against women. But critics say his government has not done enough to prevent femicides and domestic violence.
Turkey does not keep official statistics on femicide. World Health Organization data has shown 38 per cent of women in Turkey are subject to violence from a partner in their lifetime, compared to about 25 per cent in Europe.
Ankara has taken measures such as tagging individuals known to resort to violence and creating a smartphone app for women to alert police, which has been downloaded hundreds of thousands of times.
Erdogan's decision comes after he unveiled judicial reforms this month that he said would improve rights and freedoms, and help meet EU standards. Turkey has been a candidate to join the bloc since 2005, but access talks have been halted over policy differences and Ankara's record on human rights//CNA
March
UK PM Johnson gets his first dose of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine
Written by nuke
UK PM Johnson gets his first dose of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine - CNBC
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson received his first dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine on Friday and urged the public to do the same, saying "he did not feel a thing."
Johnson, 56, received his vaccine at the same hospital where almost a year ago he was put in an intensive care unit and given oxygen via a tube in his nose after he contracted the virus and fell seriously ill. He later said he was so sick that plans were drawn up on how to announce his death.
"I literally did not feel a thing. It was very good, very quick," Johnson said after receiving the jab at St Thomas' Hospital in London.
"I cannot recommend it too highly, everybody when you do get your notification to go for a jab, please go and get it, it is the best thing for you, best thing for your family and for everyone else."
Pictures of the occasion showed the prime minister wearing a black mask, a shirt and tie with his sleeve rolled up while a nurse gives him the vaccine.
Britain is on the verge of having given a first COVID-19 shot to half of all adults, making it one of the fastest countries in the world to roll out a vaccine programme.
Johnson received his vaccine as European countries on Friday resumed using the AstraZeneca jab after regulators said the benefits of the shot outweighed any risks following recent reports of blood clots.
Countries including Germany and France reversed their decision to temporarily pause its use after reports of about 30 cases of rare brain blood clots sent scientists and governments scrambling to determine any link.The Astra vaccine, developed by scientists at the University of Oxford, has also been at the centre of tensions between Britain and the European Union, after Brussels expressed anger over the lack of deliveries of the shot coming from Britain//CNA
March
The sports tourism resort Haikou gathers Chinese sailing and windsurfing athletes to receive intensive training
Written by nuke
Windsurfing athletes in training at the Haikou National Sailing and Windsurfing Base. ANTARA/AsiaNet
Recently, more than 300 athletes from the China's national and provincial sailing and windsurfing teams from Shanghai, Zhejiang, Sichuan and other regions assembled in Haikou, Hainan Province, a city surrounded by the warmest cities in China, to start their first training in the new year. They are making active preparations for the Tokyo Olympics and the 14th National Games of China.
Being the only free trade port in China, Hainan also boats a strong sports industry base, a pleasing climate, an advantageous geographic location and convenient transportation. It has broad prospects for water sports and sports tourism. The National Sailing and Windsurfing Base on the Haikou Xixiu Beach is where the national sailing and windsurfing team carries out winter training.
It is also the largest sailing base in Asia. Since 1983, Haikou has become a winter training base for China's national sailing and windsurfing team, attracting sailing and windsurfing teams across the country for winter training here every year.
Three Olympic champions and several world champions were once trained here.At the end of 2018, the public pier project of the National Sailing and Windsurfing Base was completed.
Open to both professional athletes and tourists for sailing, windsurfing, cruise ships, yachts and other leisure services, it is also received by local residents, as well as Chinese and foreign tourists, greatly enriching Haikou's water tourism services//ANT
March
APEC lays basis for sustainable fiscal management to drive recovery
Written by Nur Yasmin
Mar. 19 - Finance and central bank deputies from 21 APEC member economies are laying the groundwork for sustainable fiscal management to boost recovery.
This measure was taken after the extraordinary rollout of policy levers to aid in mitigating the wide-ranging impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the people and businesses in the region, according to the APEC Finance and Central Bank Deputies Meeting in a written statement received here on Friday.
"As member economies have worked to respond to the economic, social, and health impacts of the pandemic, finance ministries around the region have been at the heart of the government’s decision-making," Caralee McLiesh, the chair of APEC’s Finance and Central Bank Deputies’ Meeting 2021, stated.
McLiesh noted that APEC’s commitment to multilateral cooperation and consensus-building make it the ideal platform for finance ministries to share their experiences and take a cue from each other.
At the two-day virtual meeting on Wednesday and Thursday, policymakers discussed the costs and benefits of the stimulus measures put in place by finance ministries and central banks. They also identified the role they can play in encouraging a strong recovery, as well as handling longer-term systemic challenges.
In her opening remarks, McLiesh -- concurrently the secretary and chief executive to New Zealand’s Treasury -- drew attention to the significance of reinforcing supportive macroeconomic and structural policies as well as reassessing the future of fiscal policy and budget systems to drive an inclusive and sustainable recovery.
The pandemic has compelled APEC member economies to change their budgets to respond to the crisis and act promptly to get money where it was direly required.
A reduction in economic activity and the unprecedented fiscal support has also led to a sharp spike in public debt in several economies.
McLiesh pointed to the comprehensive discussion on the significance of policies to support women, youth, the elderly, rural areas, vulnerable groups, and small- and medium-sized businesses through the recovery.
McLiesh drew attention to the criticality of policies for member economies that revitalize consumer demand, revive business confidence and investment, and create and retain jobs.
"The fiscal pressures resulting from the response to COVID-19 and other long-term challenges make effective structural reforms all the more important," she expounded.
"Structural policies are central to addressing the underlying causes of inequality and minimizing long-term damage to human capital," she stated.
Furthermore, policies in support of green growth and the digital economy are also deemed crucial to drive recovery and sustainability.
The discussion arrived at the two-day finance and central banks deputies’ meeting will be brought forward to the APEC Senior Finance Officials’ Meeting scheduled for June this year. Their recommendations will be offered to APEC finance ministers at their meeting later in October this year. (Antaranews)
March
Indonesia to resume use of AstraZeneca vaccine after reviewing blood clot concerns
Written by Nur Yasmin
Mar. 19 - Indonesia’s Food and Drug agency (BPOM) said on Friday it has approved the usage of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine after reviewing reports the vaccine had caused blood clots among some recipients in Europe.
In a statement, the agency said that even though vaccination could lead to “adverse events” following immunisation, “the risk of death from COVID-19 is much higher.”
“The benefits of giving the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine outweigh the risks,” the agency said.
BPOM did caution against the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine for people with a low blood platelet count, known as thrombocytopenia, and blood clotting disorders.
Indonesia had previously delayed administering the AstraZeneca vaccine following the blood clot reports, saying it was awaiting the results of a review by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The European Medicines Agency said this week there were no indication the events were caused by the vaccination, a view echoed by the WHO. AstraZeneca also said its review had shown no evidence of an increased risk of blood clots.
Indonesia has been grappling with one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in Asia – with 1,437,283 cases and 38,915 deaths.
The Southeast Asian nation kicked off its vaccine programme this January, after receiving its first shipment of the CoronaVac vaccine produced by China’s Sinovac Biotech.
Indonesia received 1.1 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine via the COVAX vaccine-alliance scheme this month and is set to receive some 10 million more in the next two months. (Reuters)
March
Seoul ends mandatory coronavirus testing for foreigners after outcry
Written by Nur Yasmin
Mar. 19 - Authorities in the South Korean capital of Seoul will scrap a controversial order for all foreign workers to be tested for coronavirus, they said on Friday, after an outcry sparked complaints by embassies and a human rights probe.
The move came after the headquarters of the nation’s pandemic control effort said it had asked the city to withdraw the order and improve testing policies to eliminate discrimination or rights violations.
“The request is to prevent anti-COVID-19 efforts from causing any discrimination or human rights violations against citizens and foreign nationals,” the headquarters said in a statement.
City authorities still recommended testing for both foreign and Korean workers in “high-risk” workplaces, however.
The reversal came as the National Human Rights Commission confirmed it was investigating if the policies of several local governments for all foreign workers to be tested were discriminatory.
Seoul and the neighbouring province of Gyeonggi are among the local government bodies to have ordered such tests, drawing criticism from South Korean lawmakers, university officials, and foreign ambassadors.
Gyeonggi, where the order is in force until Monday, said it had dropped a separate requirement for negative tests by foreigners being hired for jobs.
Health officials had defended the measures as necessary to blunt a surge in infections among foreign residents, saying they were not discriminatory as tests had also been ordered for those linked to outbreaks in churches, nightclubs, and elsewhere.
On Friday the U.S. embassy said it had raised concerns with senior authorities and was strongly urging fair and equitable treatment of all its citizens.
The independent human rights commission said it launched an investigation after several complaints, such as one from the British ambassador, who said the rules were “not fair, they are not proportionate, nor are they likely to be effective”.
Commission chief Choi Young-ae said she was concerned the policies could lead to discrimination, especially through the use of demeaning language toward undocumented workers.
“This act has made the word ‘foreigners’ look like ‘those suspected of diagnosis for COVID’ or ‘criminals who have done something illegal,’ which led to hate comments online,” she said in a statement.
Seoul National University, one of South Korea’s most prestigious, had threatened to seek an injunction if the city did not drop the policy, Koo Min-gyo, its dean of student affairs, told Reuters. (Reuters)
March
Papua New Guinea orders restrictions as COVID-19 numbers climb
Written by Nur YasminMar. 19 - Papua New Guinea will tighten internal border controls, restrict personal movement and enforce mask wearing in public from next week, as it confronts a steep rise in COVID-19 infections.
The authorities in the Pacific island nation of 9 million people also said they will ban mass gatherings, close schools and may order burials in a “designated mass grave” as part of sweeping measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
PNG has recorded a spike in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks, with hundreds of new daily cases. Total cases stand at 2,658 and deaths at 36, but health experts believe the true numbers are likely much higher.
Neighbouring Australia has pledged 8,000 doses of the AstraZeneca Plc vaccine for PNG health workers, and asked the European Union to release 1 million doses of its supply, as local media reported patients being turned away from overrun hospitals.
New Zealand also said on Friday it was sending PNG enough personal protective equipment kits to treat 1,000 COVID-19 cases.
The social distancing measures being imposed from Monday will remain in force until the end of the declaration of the pandemic, unless revoked earlier by officials, PNG pandemic response controller David Manning said in a statement.
“Authorised officers” would be tasked with enforcing compliance and anybody found breaching the rules could be penalised, the statement added, without providing further detail.
Though far-reaching, the measures do not go as far as the strict stay-home orders and border closures imposed over the past year in parts of Australia, where local transmission has been all but eliminated.
The PNG ban on public gatherings of more than 10 people includes exemptions for religious gatherings of up to 50 if worshippers follow social distancing requirements. Shops can open 13 hours a day and restaurants 15 hours.
Domestic flights are allowed if travellers undertake temperature checks and produce a negative COVID-19 test result. Travel between the country’s 22 provinces can continue for purposes like essential business, healthcare and returning home.
“The outbreak in PNG is rapidly escalating, with hospitals and clinics overwhelmed and many health workers already infected,” MSF Australia Executive Director Jennifer Tierney said in a statement.
“What’s needed is a bigger response, now, before the situation gets out of control.”
State-owned Ok Tedi Mining Ltd on Friday began a two-week suspension at its copper mine in the Western Province, the area hardest hit outside the capital Port Moresby.
The Australian government earlier this week suspended travel exemptions which had allowed fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) mining and energy workers to travel between the two countries. (Reuters)
March
U.S. joined by Russia, China, Pakistan in call for Afghan ceasefire
Written by Nur Yasmin
Mar. 19 - The United States was joined by Russia, China and Pakistan on Thursday in calling on Afghanistan’s warring sides to reach an immediate ceasefire, at talks that showed Washington’s determination to win backing from regional powers for its plans.
Just six weeks before a deadline for the United States to pull out troops that have been in Afghanistan for nearly 20 years, Washington sent a senior official for the first time to participate in regional peace talks convened by Russia.
The Moscow talks were meant to breathe life into negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban in Qatar’s capital Doha, stalled over government accusations that the insurgents have done too little to halt violence.
“At this turning point, our four countries call on the sides to hold talks and reach a peace agreement that will end more than four decades of war in Afghanistan,” a joint statement said after Thursday’s talks.
The statement called on the warring sides to curb violence and on the Taliban not to declare offensives in the spring and summer. It also said the four countries were committed to mobilising political and economic support for Afghanistan once a peace settlement had been reached.
U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad’s presence was a sign of Washington’s increasing effort to attract support among regional powers for its plans for Afghanistan.
President Joe Biden must soon decide whether to keep forces on past a May 1 deadline to withdraw, agreed with the Taliban last year under Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump. Khalilzad has been trying to drum up backing for a proposal that includes an interim government.
Moscow, which fought in Afghanistan in the 1980s, has hosted talks among Afghan sides and regional powers since 2017. Previously, Washington had largely kept its distance from the so-called “Moscow Format”, focusing on its own direct talks with the Taliban and talks between the Afghan parties themselves.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani opposes an interim government, and a Taliban leader has said the group would not join it, although it supports replacing the current administration.
Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of Afghanistan’s High Council for National Reconciliation, wrote on Twitter after Thursday’s Moscow talks that the state negotiation team was ready to discuss any topic with the Taliban.
“We called for an end to targeted killings and a comprehensive ceasefire to begin the next rounds of the talks in a peaceful environment,” Abdullah wrote.
The Moscow gathering will be followed by a meeting of regional players in Turkey next month and a summit that Khalilzad has asked the United Nations to organise. (Reuters)