Suga was keen to have his jab in front of the cameras in light of there being some reluctance among the Japanese population about being inoculated…reports Asian lite news desk.
In the last 24 hours, Japan recorded 695 new Covid-19 infections and now Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Tuesday received the first dose of a Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine at a hospital in Tokyo, in a bid to reassure about the safety of the jab.
Suga will head to the US in April for a meeting with President Joe Biden and in doing so making the Prime Minister the first foreign leader to meet the latter in person, reports Xinhua news agency.
Suga will receive his second dose in three weeks.
Initially, the Prime Minister said he would wait until mid-April when the national vaccination stage would reach people aged 65 or older, after all of the country’s healthcare workers had been vaccinated.
After the people aged 65s and older, those with underlying conditions and working in elderly care facilities will be eligible to be inoculated.
The general public will be the last in line to receive their jabs.
People wearing face masks walk on the street in Tokyo, Japan
Suga was keen to have his jab in front of the cameras in light of there being some reluctance among the Japanese population about being inoculated.
A survey conducted by Kyodo News showed that only 63.1 per cent of respondents wanted to be vaccinated.
He also took exception to the postponement of the CCI meeting despite the court order, terming it an insult to the constitutional institution…reports Asian lite news desk.
Several issues have been making discomfort in Pakistan and now Pakistan’s Supreme Court has expressed its displeasure with the Imran Khan government, saying it was incapable of running the country or taking decisions.
Hearing the local bodies case, a two-judge bench, headed by Justice Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justice Sardar Tariq, expressing annoyance over the issuance of an ordinance on delimitation of constituencies by the Punjab government, referred the matter to the Chief Justice, the Express Tribune, Pakistan, reported.
During the hearing, the apex court was informed that the decision regarding the census had not been taken by the Council of Common Interests (CCI). “Why hasn’t the Council of Common Interests met in two months,” Justice Isa asked, expressing his anger, the report said.
“Is it not a priority of the government to release the census results,” he asked.
According to the judge, the government and its allies rule in three provinces, and yet not a single decision had been taken by the CCI. “The government is incapable either of running the country or taking decisions,” he added.
He also took exception to the postponement of the CCI meeting despite the court order, terming it an insult to the constitutional institution.
According to the court, there were no war conditions that could prevent the CCI from holding its meeting. Justice Isa pointed out that nowadays meeting could take place via a video link. He mentioned that four years have passed since the census was conducted in 2017, the report said.
Additional Attorney General Amir Rehman informed the court that the meeting of the CCI would be held on March 24, adding that it was a sensitive matter and therefore the government wanted to take decision with consensus.
At this, Justice Isa asked why the report of the CCI has been kept secret. He observed that if good deeds are kept secret, it would raise doubts in the minds of the people. He further observed that the people should know “what are the provinces doing, and what is the federation doing”, as per the report.
The judge expressed his displeasure over the promulgation of an ordinance for fresh delimitation by the Punjab Governor. According to the Election Commission, the ordinance has created complications, he said. Simply put, he added, the Punjab government does not want local elections to be held.
Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) has cleared Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine amid concerns
One batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine had been temporarily suspended in certain European countries but Sri Lanka had not received that particular batch,said Sri Lankan official…reports Asian Lite News
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxNRbhsDHt0
The Sri Lankan government on Tuesday said it will continue administering the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccin despite its suspension in some countries over fears that it causes blood clots.
Cabinet Spokesperson Ramesh Pathirana told a media briefing that only one batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine had been temporarily suspended in certain European countries but Sri Lanka had not received that particular batch, reports Xinhua news agency.
He urged the public to remain calm as the country continued to administer the AstraZeneca jabs to those in the country’s main Western Province, which health officials had identified as Covid-19 hotspot.
According to the Health Ministry, the vaccines have been administered to over 780,000 people in the Western Province, including capital Colombo.
The vaccines are being administered to those above the age of 60 years and will later roll out to other age groups, health officials said.
The number of Covid-19 cases in Sri Lanka surpassed the 88,000 mark on Tuesday after over 300 new infections were registered, according to the Health Ministry.
According to official figures, Sri Lanka has recorded 88,238 confirmed cases since last March out of which 84,969 patients had recovered and been discharged from hospitals, bringing the active patient count down to 2,737.
The Ministry said 532 deaths have been reported from the virus.
“The expedition team comprising 13 Bahraini nationals and three British nationals will make (an) attempt to summit Mt Everest this spring,”said Sherpa…reports Asian Lite News
A mountaineering expedition team consisting of Bahrain’s Prince Sheikh Mohamed Hamad Mohamed Al Khalifa arrived in Nepal to summit Mt Everest this spring season.
Five months after climbing the 8,163m high Mt Manaslu in October 2020, a 16-member team consisting of Al Khalifa and other mountaineers arrived in Nepal on Monday evening, according to Mingma Sherpa, chairperson of Seven Summit Treks, the company organising the expedition.
“The expedition team comprising 13 Bahraini nationals and three British nationals will make (an) attempt to summit Mt Everest this spring,” Sherpa told Xinhua news agency.
“A chartered flight carrying the mountaineering team consisting of Bahraini Royal family members landed at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu 6.45 p.m.,” a duty officer at TIA told Xinhua.
Deo Chandra Lal Karna, spokesperson at the TIA, also confirmed the arrival of the team.
After landing at the airport, the team had moved to a hotel where they will spend seven days in hotel quarantine as per the Nepal government’s rule, according to Sherpa.
The mostly same expedition team had climbed Mt Manaslu and Mt Lobuche, both in Nepal, as part of the preparation to summit Everest.
According to Sherpa, his company has already initiated the process for obtaining climbing permits from the Department of Tourism.
Myanmar refugees staged a protest against China's support to the new military rule in Myanmar at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Wednesday 03rd March, 2021. (Photo: IANS)
Myanmar is currently seeing some of its biggest and bloodiest protests in years against a military coup. The martial law was imposed in North Dagon, South Dagon, Dagon Seikkan and North Okkalapa townships late Monday…reports Asian Lite News
Myanmar’s military-dominated State Administration Council (SAC) has imposed martial law with shoot-to-kill orders on four more townships in country’s commercial hub of Yangon.
The martial law was imposed in North Dagon, South Dagon, Dagon Seikkan and North Okkalapa townships late Monday, according to the announcement of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services.
The Council gave the administrative and judicial power to the commander of Yangon region to ‘perform security, maintain the rule of law and tranquility’, the announcement said.
On Sunday, martial law had been imposed on the Hlaingthaya and Shwe Pyi Thar townships of Yangon.
The promulgation of martial law followed spiralling violence against Chinese-financed factories and business interests with Beijing calling on the Myanmarese generals to take strong measures to protect Chinese lives and property and punish those attacking them.
Thirty-two Chinese-financed factories and business establishments have been set on fire since Sunday as angry crowds roamed the streets of Yangon, Mandalay, Bago and other cities flaunting placards, saying “Myanmar military coup, Made in China” .
Burmese social media were flooded with anti-Chinese rants with netizens blaming Chinese “backing” for the February 1 military takeover.
Some even threatened to burn down the oil and gas pipeline connecting Yunnan province with the Kyaukphyu port built by China on Myanmar’s Rakhine coast.
“Very concerned”
This has alarmed China with Beijing saying it was “very concerned” for the safety of its citizens in Myanmar on Monday, after the Chinese factories were attacked amid a bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Yangon.
Chinese state media said 32 factories in Myanmar’s commercial heart of Yangon were attacked on Sunday, causing $37 million in damage and leaving two employees injured as security forces launched a bloody crackdown on protesters which left dozens dead.
The Chinese Embassy in Yangon has accused protesters of attacking the factories.
Taiwan, alarmed by these attacks, has asked its businesses to fly the island’s flag and put up identification making clear they are “different China”.
The Taiwan trade office in Yangon said it was in touch with all their businesses after pro-democracy protesters mistakenly attacked a Taiwanese business establishment on Sunday.
Many in Myanmar’s pro-democracy movement believe China has sided with the army since a February 1 coup took out the civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi.
China is a key investor in Myanmar and has bet big on its strategic importance to its Belt and Road Initiative, a sweeping infrastructure project.
Describing the attacks on Chinese factories and businesses as “nasty”, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian urged Myanmar to take actions to “resolutely avoid a recurrence of such incidents”.
China “is very concerned about the impact on the safety of Chinese institutions and personnel… Rhe actions of these outlaws are not in the interests of Myanmar and its people”, he said.
Zhao said Myanmar security forces had reinforced the area around the factories.
“China will continue to urge Myanmar to take concrete steps to stop all acts of violence and bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure the safety of Chinese people’s life and property,” he told reporters in Beijing.
The violence against Chinese interests has rattled because Beijing has invested billions of dollars in projects to Myanmar as a partner in its strategic ambitions for Asia.
Against China!
A natural gas pipeline to a mega-port off Rakhine state is set to give China access to the Indian Ocean.
But a social media campaign by Myanmar’s protest movement has urged citizens to rally against the Chinese pipeline, which crosses the country.
The Myanmar public has pushed back at Chinese investments before, with lingering suspicions over its aims and the conditions under which it employs local workers in Chinese factories.
China has called for a “de-escalation” of the situation in Myanmar, which has left more than 130 protesters dead in several weeks of violent military crackdown.
The international community pleaded for restraint after at least 11 more anti-coup protesters were killed on Monday.
The UN, the US, China and the UK all condemned the violence, which the UN said has claimed the lives of at least 138 “peaceful protesters”, including women and children, since February 1.
“The junta has responded to call for the restoration of democracy in Burma with bullets,” State Department spokeswoman Jalina Porter told reporters Monday, using the old name for Myanmar and labelling the Sunday-Monday attacks “another new low”.
“The US continues to call on all countries to take concrete actions to oppose the coup, and escalating violence,” she added.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also called for the international community “including regional actors, to come together in solidarity with the people of Myanmar and their democratic aspirations”, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Monday.
UN envoy for Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener also condemned Sunday’s bloodshed, while the country’s former colonial ruler Britain said it was “appalled” by the use of force “against innocent people”.
Israel puts forth conditions for arrivals. Passengers will be required to carry out coronavirus tests at the airport….reports Asian Lite News
Starting Tuesday, flights to Israel will be allowed from all destinations, following a decision by the cabinet to enable nationals to arrive ahead of the March 23 general elections.
However, the cabinet decided to keep a quota of no more than 3,000 arrivals per day, reports Xinhua news agency.
Passengers will be required to carry out coronavirus tests at the airport.
Israel had imposed a ban on incoming and outgoing flights on January 24.
It later eased the restrictions, allowing some flights from London, Frankfurt, Paris, Kiev, and New York.
The allowing of flights come about a week before Israel’s unprecedented fourth elections within two years, following three rounds of inconclusive elections.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on a tight race with several rivals, seeking to be re-elected despite a criminal trial over corruption charges.
The receivers of the COV-Iran Barekat vaccine were two lecturers at TUMS….reports Asian Lite News
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8u7vepVfEo
Iran has kicked off the final stage of the clinical trial of its domestic Covid-19 vaccine as two volunteers were inoculated, semi-official Mehr news agency reported.
“Phase 1 was successfully completed with 56 volunteers, and today phases 2 and 3 of the clinical trial began,” director of the clinical trial centre at Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) Hamed Hosseini said on Monday.
The receivers of the COV-Iran Barekat vaccine were two lecturers at TUMS.
Iran has so far reported a total of 1,754,933 coronavirus cases and 61,330 deaths.
At least 1,499,301 Covid-19 patients have recovered, but 3,839 others remain in critical condition, according to official figures.
Syria is the biggest internally displaced population in the World
The UN envoy’s remarks came as the crisis marked its 10th year on Monday….reports Asian Lite News
UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen has called for more international diplomacy to end the ongoing war, suggesting the need for a new format of international engagement and discussion.
“Yes, the Syrian parties must negotiate a settlement in a Syrian-led process and they need to show the political will to do so. But I am absolutely convinced that they will not progress far if a Syrian-led process is not supported by a constructive international diplomacy on Syria,” he told the Security Council in a briefing on Monday.
“After all, this is among the most deeply internationalised conflicts of a generation, with many of the issues that matter most to the Syrians not even in Syrian hands.”
The UN envoy’s remarks came as the crisis marked its 10th year on Monday.
According to the UN Refugee Agency, there are 6.2 million people, including 2.5 million children, displaced within Syria, the biggest internally displaced population in the World.
Briefing the Council on the atrocities inflicted on the people in the last 10 years, Pedersen said: “The Syrian tragedy will go down as one of the darkest chapters in recent history. The Syrian people are among the greatest victims of this century.
“A living nightmare”
“They have been injured, maimed and killed in every way imaginable — their corpses even desecrated. They have been snatched from the streets, thrown into prisons or abducted, disappeared, mistreated, tortured, paraded in cages, and ransomed or exchanged in prisoner swap deals.”
The world has not succeeded in helping deliver the Syrians from what UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called “a living nightmare”, Pedersen noted.
“I express the profound regret of the UN that we have yet not been able to mediate an end to this tragic conflict.”
The unrest in Syria, which began on March 15, 2011 as part of the wider 2011 Arab Spring protests, grew out of discontent with the Syrian government and escalated to an armed conflict after protests calling for President Bashar al-Assad’s removal were violently suppressed.
A number of foreign countries, including Iran, Israel, Russia, Turkey, and the US, have either directly involved themselves in the conflict or provided support to one or another faction.
According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), at 387,118 people have been killed as of December 2020, among them 116,911 civilians.
There were 205,300 people missing or presumed dead, including 88,000 civilians believed to have died of torture in government-run prisons.
The lockdown, which comes after a gap of one year, will remain in force for two weeks i the cities of Lahore, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Multan, Gujranwala and Gujrat…reports Asian Lite News
Amid the ongoing third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in Pakistan, a major lockdown will be imposed in seven cities in Punjab province starting from Monday onwards.
The lockdown, which comes after a gap of one year, will remain in force for two weeks i the cities of Lahore, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Multan, Gujranwala and Gujrat, Dawn news reported on Sunday.
According to a statement issued on Saturday by the Punjab provincial government, the major lockdown will restrict the movement of the people; there will be a complete ban on gatherings of all kinds for social, religious or other purposes at any place, public or private; marriage and banquet halls, community centres and marquees will remain closed; and also a complete ban on indoor and outdoor dining while only takeaway and home delivery will be allowed.
People wearing face masks walk on a road in Rawalpindi of Pakistan’s Punjab province
The statement also said that there will be a complete ban on all kind of sports, cultural and other activities and events throughout the province.
Also on Saturday, the Punjab government enforced a smart lockdown in 36 more localities of three cities, including Lahore.
The meeting of India-Pakistan Permanent Indus Commission happens after a period of two and a half years. The last meeting was held in Lahore, Pakistan from August 29-30, 2018….reports Asian Lite News
The Indus Commissioners of India and Pakistan will meet on March 23-24 in New Delhi, according to reports.
The meeting of India-Pakistan Permanent Indus Commission happens after a period of two and a half years. The last meeting was held in Lahore, Pakistan from August 29-30, 2018.
According to The Indian Express, Pakistan’s objections on design of Indian hydropower projects on Chenab River will be discussed in the meeting.
Under the provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty, signed between India and Pakistan in 1960, the Commission shall meet “regularly at least once a year, alternately in India and Pakistan”, The Indian Express reported.
This regular annual meeting shall be held in November or in such other months as may be agreed upon between the Commissioners, states one of the provisions of the treaty.
The Commission was scheduled to meet in March last year but it had to cancel the meeting in view of the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. Later, India proposed to hold the meeting virtually but the Pakistan side insisted on holding the talks at the Attari check post. However, the Indian side conveyed to them that it was not conducive to hold the meeting at the Attari Joint Check Post in view of the pandemic, it was reported.
The meeting of the Indus Commission will be the first after the abrogation of the special provisions under Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
Pradeep Kumar Saxena, Commissioner (Indus), will reportedly lead the Indian delegation in the meeting.
