#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40001651

Tokyo organizers say 10,000 prospective volunteers have pulled out

The Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games have lost more than 10% of their prospective volunteers with less than two months to go before the opening ceremony, the organizing committee said on Wednesday.

About 10,000 of the 80,000 volunteers to be stationed at venues and other Olympic locations have pulled out, said Toshiro Muto, director general of the organizing committee.

Although they were not asked for specific reasons for their withdrawals, Muto said, “In addition to anxiety about getting infected with the coronavirus, it may have been because of changes in their situation, such as a work transfer in the one year that the Games were postponed.”

When the original operational plan was simplified through such measures as barring foreign spectators, the organizers found that some would be able to handle tasks at both the Olympics and Paralympics, so there is no intention of recruiting more volunteers.

“Even with smaller numbers, it doesn’t have a particular effect on operations,” Muto said.

With the decrease in volunteers, the number of people living in Japan who will be involved in the Games is expected to be about 190,000 for the Olympics and about 110,000 for the Paralympics.

■ Omi issues warning

In related news, the head of the government’s advisory panel on the coronavirus stressed what is needed if, against his advice, the Games go ahead as planned.

“Under the current circumstances, it is not normal [to hold the Games],” Shigeru Omi, chairman of the subcommittee on coronavirus countermeasures, said at a meeting of House of Representatives’ Health, Labor and Welfare Committee on Wednesday.

“If they are going to go on, it is the responsibility of the organizers to minimize the scale as much as possible, and to strengthen the administrative system as much as possible.”

Omi also stressed the need for accountability of the central and Tokyo metropolitan governments and the organizing committee, saying, “It is necessary that they explain what risks there are after making a thorough assessment.”

In response, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga told reporters Wednesday night at the Prime Minister’s Office, “We will take thorough measures to prevent infections and hold safe and secure Games.”

Published : June 04, 2021

By : The Japan News/ANN

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40001650

India looks forward to WHO’s approval for Covaxin: Foreign Secretary

India is looking forward to the WHO’s approval for its indigenous Covid-19 vaccine manufactured by Bharat Biotech and is in talks with major vaccine manufacturers like Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson and Moderna about sourcing and possible local manufacture of their jabs in India, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said today.

Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech has applied to the WTO for the Emergency Use Listing (EUL) of its vaccine candidate Covaxin. However, the WHO has sought “more information” from Bharat Biotech on its EUL application.

Addressing the WHO’s “South-East Asia Regional Health Partners’ Forum on Covid-19”, Shringla also stated that India was working with several other countries in the WTO on a targeted and temporary waiver under TRIPS to ensure timely and secure access to vaccines for all.

Pointing out that India was fighting an exceptionally severe second wave of the pandemic, he said the country was simultaneously dealing with unprecedented economic and social disruptions and distress.

”Challenges of this nature require a response at multiple levels. Nationally, it requires not just a whole-of-government approach but a whole-of-society approach. It also requires us to source solutions and capacities on a global basis,” he said.

The Indian diplomat said India has, throughout the pandemic, identified and connected with potential suppliers of essential medicines, raw materials and medical equipment across the world. ”The effort to procure urgently needed medical supplies was reactivated during the second wave. We have been a vital part of a global effort to source Liquid Medical Oxygen, cryogenic ISO tankers, zeolites and essential medicines like Remdesivir, Tocilizumab and Amphotericin B.”

Noting that vaccines have complex supply chains, he said India has worked to ease regulatory disruptions to these supply chains with key partners through diplomatic interventions.

Shringla said India would participate in the process of creating global scale capacities that were needed to deal with pandemic scale challenges. A number of serious global conversations were underway on this in platforms such as the G7, the G20, QUAD, BRICS, the United Nations and the WHO itself.

Every crisis, he observed, was followed by growth. ”The same will happen as the pandemic ultimately wanes. We will participate fully in the international process of regeneration through building newer and more resilient supply chains, by focusing on newer technologies and knowledge-driven opportunities and leveraging India’s strengths and capacities,” he added.

Published : June 04, 2021

By : The Statesman/ANN

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40001620

Vietnam wants to participate in Sputnik V vaccine manufacturing process starting July

HÀ NỘI — Health minister Nguyễn Thanh Long on Wednesday led talks with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) about the deal on supplies of COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V and technology transfer.

Long congratulated Russia on having successfully developed a COVID-19 vaccine, which marked an important milestone in Russia’s fight against the pandemic.

Việt Nam’s health authorities have authorised Sputnik V for emergency use in the country since March, he said, adding that Việt Nam has submitted its intent to order Sputnik V vaccines since August last year but given supply constraints, Russian manufacturers could not meet the demands of many countries, including Việt Nam.

He said Việt Nam has negotiated many times with relevant Russian agencies and authorities to get access to COVID-19 vaccines to use in the mass inoculation programme and, to date, the Russian side has agreed to provide 20 million doses to Việt Nam in 2021.

Other than buying vaccines, to ensure sufficient coverage, domestic production is also important and Việt Nam is eyeing vaccine technology transfer in their talks with Russian partners.

The Vietnamese health minister noted that State-owned Vabiotech (Vaccine and Biological Production No.1 Company) has worked with Russia to be able to start bottling and packaging the Sputnik V vaccine in Việt Nam starting as soon as July with an output of 5 million doses a month.

This is a foundation for further vaccine production technology transfer from Russia to Việt Nam.

The health ministry also requested enterprises and corporations continue to exchange and cooperate closely with the Russian side in technology transfer to be able to set up a capable vaccine factory in Việt Nam to serve domestic demand as well as export purposes in the future.

Long said in today’s negotiations, the Russian side completely supported Việt Nam’s proposals, adding that the proposals would soon materialise to ensure vaccine supply to Việt Nam.

Also today, State President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has sent a letter to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, which includes a request to faciitate vaccine access to Việt Nam as well as production of Russian vaccines in Việt Nam. — VNS

Published : June 03, 2021

By : Viet Nam News/ANN

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40001619

Beijing to dispatch digital RMB to individuals

Beijing will dispatch 200,000 red envelopes worth 200 yuan ($31.33) each to lucky applicants, the Beijing Local Financial Supervision and Administration on Tuesday.

Applications will be accepted from June 5 to 7 via the apps of Bank of China or Industrial and Commercial Bank of China. Individual consumers are welcomed to apply by searching key words: Jingcai or digital renminbi in Chinese as long as he or she is located in Beijing.

The 200 yuan digital renminbi in the red envelope can be spent at nearly 2,000 designated commercial entities in core commercial districts in Beijing from June 11 to 20.

The giveaway is a test to ensure the pilot work for digital renminbi has been carried out in an orderly and market-oriented method, fintech expert Su Xiaorui said.

As of October 2020, Shanghai, Hainan, Changsha, Xi’an, Qingdao and Dalian had been newly added as six pilot zones for digital renminbi in China, Beijing Daily reported from the country’s central bank, adding so far a “10+1” format for digital renminbi testing has taken shape, if Shenzhen, Suzhou, Xiongan, Chengdu and Beijing are included.

China will continue its pilot work in digitalizing its currency by expending pilot areas, forging ecosystems, improving systemic safety and formulating law and supervision systems, according to Li Bo, vice-governor of the central bank.

Published : June 03, 2021

By : Sun Chi/China Daily/ANN

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40001618

No clinical trials necessary for global vaccines in India

COVID-19 vaccines which are globally available can now be administered among the Indian populace without the post-approval clinical trials of every batch of COVID-19 vaccine.

In a notification, the Drugs Controller General of India has stated that vaccines which have been approved for restricted use by US FDA, EMA, UK MHRA and PMDA Japan and under the WHO Emergency Use Listing (EUL) and where millions of individuals have been vaccinated, the requirement of conducting post-approval clinical trials and the requirement of testing every batch of the vaccine by Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL), Kasauli can be exempted.

However, scrutiny and review of their summary lot protocol and certificate of analysis of the batch shall be undertaken by CDL, Kasauli for batch release as per standard procedures and the requirement of assessment of the first 100 beneficiaries for first 7 days for safety outcomes before the vaccine rolled out for further immunisation programme and other procedures for applications will remain the same.

This means that Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will not require clinical trials in India.

India on Wednesday reported 1,32,788 new COVID-19 cases as 3,207 more patients succumbed to the coronavirus in the last 24 hours, Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry said.

India’s overall tally of Covid-19 cases now stands at 2,83,07,832 with 17,93,645 active cases and 3,35,102 deaths so far.

(With IANS inputs)

Published : June 03, 2021

By : The Statesman/ANN

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40001617

Will Moon pardon Samsung chief?

Subtle shift in tone detected during president’s luncheon meeting with chaebol leaders

President Moon Jae-in, who has so far excluded businesspeople when exercising his power to pardon criminals, may be mulling an exception for Lee Jae-yong, the imprisoned de facto leader of Samsung Group.

According to Cheong Wa Dae sources, a subtle shift in the president’s tone was detected Wednesday at a luncheon meeting at the presidential office with the heads of the nation’s four largest conglomerates — Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Kim Ki-nam, Hyundai Motor Chairman Chung Euisun, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo.

He invited the leaders of the so-called “Big 4” groups to the luncheon to brief them on his recent summit with President Joe Biden and follow-up measures to support businesses.

During the meeting, Chey, who doubles as chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, first brought up the issue of a pardon for the Samsung chief as he discussed the difficulties facing businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Samsung’s Kim also stressed the role of a company’s leader in making a huge investment decision in the semiconductor industry.

“I understand your concerns. There are also many people who share that view,” the president was quoted as saying by a ranking Cheong Wa Dae official who wished to be unnamed. “Now, at a time when the business environment is changing in unprecedented ways, I’m well aware that bolder action is required for businesses.”

The possible shift in tone comes amid mounting calls for a pardon for Lee, who is serving prison time for bribery. In recent public opinion polls, almost 70 percent of respondents said they were in favor of a pardon, citing his leadership role in leading the nation’s largest business empire.

Moon, who has maintained a prudent approach to issuing pardons, has also stressed that public consensus was the key consideration even though he can use the power at his own discretion. 

Another senior Cheong Wa Dae official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “It is unclear whether Moon will be using his pardoning power. It is the president’s sole discretion. But I feel the overall atmosphere is changing more recently.”

If the president decides to pardon Lee, it will likely happen on Aug. 15, when South Korea marks Liberation Day. In Korea, it is a tradition for presidents to grant pardons on that day, along with Christmas.

Previously, the four conglomerates unveiled plans to invest a combined 41 trillion won ($40 billion) in the US on the occasion of the Moon-Biden summit in Washington on May 21.

Samsung alone pledged to invest $17 billion to build a semiconductor facility, a timely announcement for the US president, who aims to build a US-led global supply chain for high-tech industries, especially chips.

During the luncheon, Moon reiterated his gratitude over the investment plans.

“Korea may have been a beneficiary of the relationship with the US in the past,” he said. “But now the two countries have become partners sharing cutting-edge technologies like chips, batteries and biomedicines. The four groups (that you represent) have played a key role.”

Published : June 03, 2021

By : Lee Ji-yoon/The Korea Herald/ANN

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40001616

World leaders pledge $3.2 billion at Covax summit in push for Covid-19 vaccine equity

TOKYO -About US$2.4 billion (S$3.2 billion) and 54 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines were pledged by some 40 world and business leaders on Wednesday (June 2) to the Covax facility, which will give lower-income countries a better shot at protecting themselves.

They were led by Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s pledge of US$800 million at the virtual Covax Advance Market Commitment (AMC) summit, co-hosted by Japan and the Gavi vaccine alliance, which coordinates Covax, the facility to ensure the equitable distribution of vaccines.

“To overcome the crisis we now face, we need solidarity and commitment,” Mr Suga said, noting the challenge “cannot be met by one country alone”.

Responding to the rallying call were countries like Australia, the Philippines, Spain and the United States, as well as not-for-profit entities like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Companies such as Toyota Tsusho, the trading arm of Japan’s Toyota Group, and UBS Bank also made donations.

Gavi Board chair Jose Manuel Barroso said with Wednesday’s donations, contributions in total added up to US$9.6 billion for the procurement of vaccines and US$775 million for their delivery.

The total number of doses donated by countries with a surplus now amounts to more than 132 million. Before the summit on Wednesday, the Covax initiative had already raised US$7 billion. The pledges exceed the shortfall of US$1.3 billion estimated by Gavi to secure the 1.8 billion doses needed to inoculate 30 per cent of the population in 92 low-income countries by the end of the year.

The summit noted that more than 80 per cent of vaccines administered thus far have been in developed countries, leaving developing countries in the dust with just 0.4 per cent of vaccines.

“We must not allow a country’s specific situation or economic power to determine its access to vaccines,” Mr Suga said, as he noted the importance of the Covax facility, which has delivered more than 76 million doses to over 120 countries so far.

Japan’s pledge of US$800 million comes on top of a previous donation of US$200 million.

Mr Suga said Japan intends to provide around 30 million doses of domestically manufactured vaccines to Covax, with the research and development of vaccines in Japan set to form a key plank in a national strategy against future pandemics announced on Monday.

Universal inoculation is important given the interconnectedness of the global economy, and the unequal availability of vaccines has exposed a chasm between the haves and the have-nots.

Scientists say an equitable roll-out worldwide is key to ending the Covid-19 pandemic, with the global community only as strong as its weakest link. Covid-19 continues to rage in Asia even as infections have fallen in countries like the US, Britain and Israel, where immunisation programmes have advanced.

But even rich countries may feel the fallout. The International Chamber of Commerce Research Foundation estimated a US$9.2 trillion loss to the global economy – about half of which would be shouldered by major economies – were vaccines not be delivered to low-income countries.

The Rockefeller Foundation said in an action plan issued on Tuesday (June 1): “As Covid-19 circulates freely in the alleys of Old Delhi and barrios of Sao Paolo, it is rapidly evolving into more infectious and deadly variants that could boomerang back onto wealthy nations and sicken and kill those previously vaccinated.”

Ms Eileen O’Connor, senior vice-president for communications, policy and advocacy at the foundation, told The Straits Times that while Wednesday’s commitment was a good start, it was still not enough to reach herd immunity in lower-income countries.

“For the global population to be protected, we need to vaccinate at least 60 per cent of populations. This is critically important to stop variants from spreading, breaking through current vaccines and leading to a never-ending cycle of the pandemic,” she said, noting that the challenge was now to secure funding for next year.

She added that it was also essential to build up R&D as well as manufacturing capacity in lower-income countries to enable them to build self-reliance for future health crises.

Published : June 03, 2021

By : Walter Sim/The Straits Times/ANN

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40001578

[Malaysia] 800,000 civil servants take allowance cut, to contribute RM30mil to Covid-19 fund

PETALING JAYA: Civil servants will contribute to a special disaster relief trust fund through deductions of fixed entertainment allowance (ITK) and the civil service fixed allowance (ITKA), says Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali (pic).

The Chief Secretary to the Government said that contributions from 800,000 civil servants from grades 29 and above for three months will total more than RM30mil.

The deduction is, however, exempted for those on duty as frontliners and those from grades 1 to grades 28.

Zuki said the rate of the ITK deduction for the Jusa A category is 50%, the Jusa B category is 20%, while for the Jusa C category is 10%.

Those from Grades 44 to 56 will get a 5% deduction, while those from Grade 29 to 41 will get a RM10 deduction from ITKA.

“We understand that civil servants especially are the backbone of the government in its efforts to balance lives and livelihoods. These contributions are a show of togetherness from the civil service in supporting the government’s efforts against the Covid-19 pandemic, ” he said in a statement on Tuesday (June 1).

He also urged all civil servants to increase their commitment in giving their best to the people and the country during these trying times.

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had said on Monday (May 31) that all Cabinet ministers and deputy ministers will forego their salary for three months starting June, with the salaries to be channelled to a fund for expenses related to Covid-19.

Published : June 02, 2021

By : RASHVINJEET S. BEDI/The Star/ANN

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40001577

Yangon Int’l Airport extends international passenger flight ban until June 30

Yangon International Airport has extended its ban on international passenger flights until June 30, according to the ministry of transport and communications.

Since the ban due to the Covid-19 global pandemic, Myanmar has been accepting cargo and relief flights at the Yangon airport. 

The airport has allowed 100 cargo flight schedules of IndiGo airlines since the outbreak. 

According to statements released by the ministry of health sports and the civil aviation department, international passenger flights have been suspended since March 30, 2020. 

The ministry of foreign affairs also issued a statement that the visa restrictions on international travellers to Myanmar had been extended until June 30. 

The ministry however stated that for governmental duties or other important matters, foreigners (including diplomats and staff from UN agencies), if they are due to arrive in Myanmar on relief of special flights, can contact Myanmar embassies or consulate general offices in their respective countries for the exemption from the visa restrictions. 

India reported 211,298 Covid-19 cases on May 27 alone bringing the total to 27,369,093. Moreover, 3,847 deaths were reported on that day in India bringing the total death toll to 315,235.  

Published : June 02, 2021

By : Shoon Le Win/Eleven Media/ANN

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40001576

Tiny robot developed by JAXA, toymaker for lunar probe

An ultra-small lunar robot currently being developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, toymaker Tomy Co. and others will land on the moon as early as 2022, JAXA has announced.

The 250-gram robot ball, 8 centimeters in diameter, will be loaded onto space start-up ispace inc.’s lunar lander bound for the moon.

After landing on the moon’s surface, the robot ball expands its two hemispheres to transform into a two-wheeled rover that moves around. An onboard camera can photograph the moon’s surface and send the data back to Earth via the lander.

JAXA is conducting joint research with Toyota Motor Corp. on a crewed rover for future lunar exploration by astronauts.

The moon’s gravity is one-sixth that of Earth, and the surface is covered by sandy regolith. The robot ball is expected to collect data necessary for driving and cruising technology to be utilized by the crewed rover in the future.

The start-up’s lander is scheduled to be launched in 2022 on a U.S. SpaceX rocket that will also carry a United Arab Emirates space rover, among other items.

Published : June 02, 2021

By : The Japan News/ANN