Selasa, 31 Agustus 2021
Singapore to send 500000 Covid-19 vaccines doses to Australia in swop deal | THE BIG STORY - The Straits Times
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2021-08-31 10:10:24Z
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China calls for US to be investigated for civilian deaths in Afghanistan - South China Morning Post
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- China calls for US to be investigated for civilian deaths in Afghanistan South China Morning Post
- China holds firm on Xinjiang as neighbouring Afghanistan poses security concerns Yahoo Singapore News
- Chinese foreign minister tells top United States diplomat world must “positively guide” Taliban TODAYonline
- Afghanistan's neighbours brace for a grim future: Statesman columnist The Straits Times
- China urges nations to ‘actively guide’ Taliban government The Guardian
- View Full coverage on Google News
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2021-08-31 04:00:20Z
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U.S. Military Releases Haunting Image Of Last Soldier To Leave Afghanistan - Yahoo Singapore News
The Defense Department on Monday released an image of the last American soldier leaving Afghanistan, signaling the end of the nation’s longest war.
That distinction goes to Maj. Gen. Christopher Donahue, commanding general of the 82nd Airborne Division, who was photographed boarding an Air Force C-17 in Kabul:
The official time of departure was 3:29 p.m. EDT Monday, or 11:59 p.m. in Kabul.
Marine Corps Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, who leads U.S. Central Command, said more than 123,000 civilians had been evacuated from Afghanistan by the U.S. and its allies since Aug. 14, one of the largest airlift operations in history.
“Tonight’s withdrawal signifies both the end of the military component of the evacuation but also the end of the nearly 20-year mission that began in Afghanistan shortly after Sept. 11, 2001,” McKenzie said.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that 100 to 200 U.S. citizens remain in Afghanistan who wish to leave and that diplomatic efforts are underway.
“The military phase is over, but our desire to bring these people out remains as intense as it was before,” Blinken said.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.
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2021-08-31 03:42:29Z
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Senin, 30 Agustus 2021
Australia to receive 500000 Covid-19 vaccine doses in swop deal with Singapore - The Straits Times
CANBERRA/SINGAPORE - Australia will receive 500,000 doses of Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine from Singapore this week, with Canberra returning the same quantity later in the year, the leaders of both nations said on Tuesday.
The vaccine swop deal will allow Australia, which is struggling to contain a surge in Covid-19 cases, to accelerate its vaccination programme.
"We need to vaccinate the whole country and we need for those doses to go from one end of the country to the other and for them to be taken up," Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.
"This will greatly assist the national vaccination program as it brings in two important age groups into the program — the 16- to 29-year-olds, which have already begun this week — and, of course, the 12- to 15-year-olds," Australian Broadcasting Corp reported him as saying.
Mr Morrison thanked Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong for helping facilitate the swop.
Mr Lee, in a Facebook post on Tuesday, said: "Our two countries enjoy a warm and long-standing friendship, and this is another example of our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership."
"Glad to support their efforts to get Australians vaccinated as soon as possible. Countries must be united in the battle to quell the pandemic, so that we can all move into the new normal. Singapore is ready to do our bit."
Singapore's Covid-19 vaccination rate reached the milestone of 80 per cent of the population having received two doses as at Sunday (Aug 29).
In a statement, Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: "This arrangement will enable both countries to support each other in optimising our respective schedules for vaccinating our populations against Covid-19."
MFA noted the benefit Australia providing the same quantity of vaccines back to Singapore at a later date, "after we have drawn down on our existing supplies vaccinating the rest of our population, including new incoming long-term pass holders as we open up our society and economy.
"These returned doses would come in more useful for Singapore then, potentially as booster doses for specific segments of our population that could benefit from such boosting."
"Throughout the pandemic, both countries have been sharing best practices in our respective efforts to combat Covid-19, and have been working together to keep markets open and supply chains functioning globally."
With just under 28 per cent of Australia’s population fully vaccinated, compared with 80 per cent in Singapore, several states and territories have had to implement strict lockdowns as cases soared, hitting businesses and the domestic economy.
Capital city Canberra on Tuesday extended its hard lockdown by a further two weeks, and Victoria, the country’s second most populous state, is expected to soon follow suit.
Canberra has been in lockdown for three weeks after a spate of cases believed to have spread from New South Wales, the epicentre of Australia’s Covid-19 outbreak.
Earlier this month, Australia secured 1 million Pfizer doses from Poland, which were directed to Sydney to help vaccinate younger age groups in hotspot areas, ABC said.
“We are bending the curve down and are getting on top of the outbreak. However, it is a slow process and it will take more time,” Australian Capital Territory Chief Minister Andrew Barr told reporters in Canberra.
On Tuesday, Canberra reported 13 new cases in the past 24 hours. New South Wales reported 1,164 new infections, down slightly from a record 1,290 cases the day prior.
Victoria, which has been in lockdown for five weeks, on Tuesday reported 76 new locally acquired coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, up marginally from 73 cases reported the previous day.
State Premier Dan Andrews said too many people remain unvaccinated to significantly ease restrictions, but that Victoria would outline a plan on Wednesday to reduce curbs as vaccination levels rise.
Australia has recorded nearly 54,000 Covid-19 cases and 1,006 deaths since the start of the pandemic, still lower than the caseload and death toll in most comparable nations.
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2021-08-31 03:12:55Z
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Last US forces leave Afghanistan after almost 20 years - The Straits Times
WASHINGTON/KABUL (REUTERS/AFP) - The United States on Monday (Aug 30) said it had completed the withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan following a chaotic airlift nearly 20 years after it had invaded the country in the wake of the Sept 11, 2001, attacks on America.
A senior Taliban official said on Tuesday (Aug 31) the the Taliban had "made history", as celebratory gunfire was heard across the Afghan capital after the last US troops pulled out.
"We made history again. The 20-year occupation of Afghanistan by the United States and Nato ended tonight," said Mr Anas Haqqani, a senior official in the hardline Islamist movement, in a tweet.
"I am very happy that after 20 years of jihad, sacrifices and hardship, I have this pride to see these historic moments."
Taliban spokesman Qari Yusuf said: “The last US soldier has left Kabul airport and our country gained complete independence”, Al Jazeera TV reported on Monday.
US President Joe Biden said in a statement after the withdrawal that the world would hold the Taliban to its commitment to allow safe passage for those to want to leave Afghanistan.
“Now, our 20-year military presence in Afghanistan has ended,” said Mr Biden, who thanked the US military for carrying out the dangerous evacuation. He plans to address the American people on Tuesday afternoon.
The operation was completed before the Tuesday deadline set by Mr Biden, who has drawn heavy criticism from both Democrats and Republicans for his handling of Afghanistan since the Taliban took over Kabul earlier this month after a lightning advance.
More than 122,000 people have been flown out of Kabul since Aug 14, the day before the Taliban - which harboured the Al-Qaeda militant group blamed for the 2001 attacks on New York and Washington - regained control of the country.
The chief US diplomat in Afghanistan, Mr Ross Wilson, was on the last C-17 flight out, Marine General Frank McKenzie, the head of the US Central Command, told a Pentagon news briefing.
“Every single US service member is now out of Afghanistan. I can say that with 100% certainty,” General McKenzie said.
Two US officials said “core” diplomatic staff were among the 6,000 Americans to have left. Gen McKenzie added the final flights did not include the fewer than 250 Americans who expressed a desire to leave but could not get to the airport.
“There’s a lot of heartbreak associated with this departure. We did not get everybody out that we wanted to get out. But I think if we’d stayed another 10 days, we wouldn’t have got everybody out,” Gen McKenzie told reporters.
The emergency air evacuation came to an end before a Tuesday deadline set by Mr Biden, who inherited a troop withdrawal deal made with the Taliban by his predecessor Donald Trump and decided earlier this year to complete the pullout.
The US and its Western allies scrambled to save citizens of their own countries as well as translators, local embassy staff, civil rights activists, journalists and other Afghans vulnerable to reprisals.
The evacuations became even more perilous when a suicide bomb attack claimed by Islamic State - enemy of both the West and the Taliban - killed 13 US service members and scores of Afghans waiting by the airport gates on Thursday.
Mr Biden, who faced intense criticism at home and abroad over his decisions, promised after the bloody Kabul airport attack to hunt down the people responsible.
The departure took place after US anti-missile defences intercepted rockets fired at Kabul’s airport.
A US official said initial reports did not indicate any US casualties from as many as five missiles fired on the airport. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the rocket attacks.
In recent days, Washington has warned of more attacks, while carrying out two air strikes. It said both hit Islamic State targets, one thwarting an attempted suicide bombing in Kabul on Sunday by destroying a car packed with explosives, but which Afghans said had struck civilians.
The US said on Saturday it had killed two Islamic State militants with a drone attack. On Sunday, US officials said a drone strike killed a suicide car bomber suspected of preparing to attack the airport.
Most of the more than 20 allied countries involved in airlifting Afghans and their citizens out of Kabul said they had completed evacuations by Friday. Britain, closely involved in the war from the start, said on Saturday it had finished evacuations and withdrawn the last of its troops.
The chaotic scenes outside the airport for the past two weeks, where thousands thronged every day to try to get past the gates, were a bitter coda to the West’s two-decade involvement in Afghanistan.
While the Taliban have sought to present a more moderate face to the world and erase memories of the harsh fundamentalist rule they practised in the 1990s, the desperation by many Afghans to flee the country showed clearly the fear of the Islamist group.
Their seizure of the city on Aug 15, after the Western-backed government collapsed without a fight and President Ashraf Ghani fled, completed a rapid campaign that saw them sweep up all the country’s major cities in a week.
It is unclear whether the US pullout represents the end of American military involvement in Afghanistan – given Washington’s interest in punishing Islamic State for the airport attack and keeping the country from becoming a haven for militants.
Now in full control of the country, the Taliban must revive a war-shattered economy but without being able to count on the billions of dollars in foreign aid that flowed to the previous ruling elite and fed systemic corruption.
Cut off from some US$9 billion (S$12.11 billion) in foreign reserves and missing thousands of educated specialists who have joined the exodus, the inexperienced new administration must deal with a collapse in the Afghani currency and rising food inflation.
Banks remain closed, despite promises they would reopen, and the economic hardship facing those left behind has worsened dramatically.
At the same time, the population outside the cities is facing what UN officials have called a catastrophic humanitarian situation worsened by a severe drought. The UN refugee agency says up to half a million Afghans could flee their homeland by year-end.
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2021-08-30 23:45:21Z
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US military completes withdrawal from Afghanistan - CNA
KABUL: The US military has completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan to end a brutal 20-year war - one that started and ended with the hardline Taliban in power, despite billions of dollars spent trying to rebuild the conflict-wracked country.
Celebratory gunfire rang out in Kabul in the early hours of Tuesday (Aug 31), and elated senior Taliban officials hailed the event as a watershed moment.
The withdrawal came after the fraught final days of a frantic mission to evacuate tens of thousands of Americans and Afghans who had helped the US-led war effort - and which left scores of Afghans and 13 US troops dead in a suicide attack last week.
That attack - claimed by the Islamic State's Afghan offshoot - gave edgy urgency to the risky US-led international airlift from Kabul, and also revealed the possible troubles ahead for Afghanistan as the Taliban move to form a government and actually rule.
The withdrawal came before the end of Aug 31, the actual deadline set by President Joe Biden to call time on America's longest war - one that ultimately claimed the lives of more than 2,400 US servicemembers.
"I'm here to announce the completion of our withdrawal from Afghanistan and the end of the military mission to evacuate American citizens," US General Kenneth McKenzie told reporters Monday Washington time.
"Tonight's withdrawal signifies both the end of the military component of the evacuation but also the end of the nearly 20-year mission that began in Afghanistan shortly after September 11th, 2001."
The final flight left at 1929 GMT Monday (3.29am Tuesday Singapore time) - just before the start of Tuesday in Kabul, he said.
Biden said he would address the nation on Tuesday in Washington.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Afghanistan had "gained full independence" with the US withdrawal, and Anas Haqqani, a senior Taliban official, said he was "proud" to witness "these historic moments".
AFP correspondents in the city heard celebratory gunfire from several Taliban checkpoints, as well as the cheers of fighters manning security posts in the green zone.
EXODUS CUT SHORT
The return to power a fortnight ago of the Taliban movement, which was toppled in 2001 when the United States invaded in retaliation for the carnage on 9/11, triggered a massive exodus of people who fear a new version of hardline Islamist rule.
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2021-08-30 22:38:52Z
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S'pore's Covid-19 travel lane: Where next after Germany and Brunei? - The Straits Times
SINGAPORE - So you have been to Germany, and Brunei's borders remain shut.
Still, the prospect of quarantine-free leisure travel finally beckons.
The Straits Times talks to industry experts who weigh in on popular destinations that may be future candidates for the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL).
However, they all caution the same thing - keep an eye on changing restrictions that may affect travel plans.
Expedia Brand's Apac head of communications Lavinia Rajaram says: "As the travel landscape evolves, and more destinations are carefully considered to be introduced under the VTL, it is crucial for travellers to be flexible, purchase travel insurance and research the local situation when planning for future or upcoming trips."
The Covid-19 situation and border measures are dynamic, and information is correct as of today.
The hopeful candidates
For an ideal VTL arrangement, a few factors must come together. The country or region must be deemed safe, welcome travellers from Singapore and be served by direct, designated flights.
Canada
Singapore is likely to partner with nations that have vaccinated a sizeable population with approved and internationally recognised vaccines, says aviation expert Simin Ngai from Cirium, a global travel analytics company.
Falling into category two, with almost 67 per cent of its population fully vaccinated and declining Covid-19 cases, Canada looks like one such moderate-risk destination.
The country is looking to open its borders to all fully vaccinated travellers from next Tuesday.
International flights can land at selected airports in cities such as Quebec and Ottawa. However, there are no direct flights between Singapore and Canada, which is currently one of the VTL requirements.
New Zealand
Dreaming of a road trip in crisp country air? New Zealand might just be on the cards. It has won plaudits for containing Covid-19 transmission with one of the lowest death rates in the world, though it saw an outbreak of the Delta variant of the virus last week.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said there are plans to allow quarantine-free entry to vaccinated travellers from low-risk countries from early next year. It remains to be seen if Singapore will make that list.
New Zealand intends to move from an elimination strategy to a risk-based one by the end of the year. It has administered at least one dose of the vaccine to about 40 per cent of the population and is looking to ramp this up.
Australia
Australia's four-phase pandemic recovery plan is good news for those missing the laid-back life Down Under.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison last month announced that once 80 per cent of the country is fully vaccinated, it will gradually reopen to fully vaccinated international travellers from safe countries. It is aiming to achieve this by November.
And with flag carrier Qantas looking to resume international flights to Singapore by the end of the year, this is one destination worth keeping an eye on.
Denmark, Switzerland
What about countries already allowing in travellers from Singapore?
Of the nine category three countries, Denmark, Switzerland and Italy all appear likely candidates, with Singapore Airlines operating direct flights.
Of the three, Denmark looks the most promising from a public health standpoint. It has the highest vaccination rate, with at least 70 per cent of its population having received both doses. New cases have remained relatively low since the start of the year.
The country allows quarantine- free leisure travel for fully vaccinated people travelling from Singapore. Travellers from Singapore who are not fully vaccinated will have to take a Covid-19 test before departure and upon arrival.
Switzerland, meanwhile, has fully vaccinated about 51 per cent of its population and also allows quarantine-free travel for people from Singapore.
Italy, however, still has some restrictions in place. It requires non-European Union citizens from Singapore, without family or long-term residence status there, to self-isolate for five days. About 62 per cent of its population is fully vaccinated.
Independent aviation analyst Brendan Sobie says Singapore is likely to take a measured approach, using the VTL with Germany as a pilot, and possibly making adjustments to the scheme.
He adds that it would make sense for Singapore to eventually open up to the European Union as a whole, especially since its borders are porous.
Taiwan
It is among four destinations that Singapore has classified in category one, with the lowest risk of Covid-19 transmission.
These destinations have the least stringent requirements for arriving travellers, who do not have to serve stay-home notice.
Taiwan, once a popular choice for weekend jaunts, said in June that it is in talks with international bodies about Covid-19 vaccine passports.
It has administered one dose of the vaccine to at least 40 per cent of the population.
While this makes it an ideal VTL candidate, independent aviation analyst Brendan Sobie points out that Taiwan, along with other category one destinations such as Macau and China, have not reciprocated with quarantine-free travel for visitors from here.
"The issue with the category one regions is that none of these are currently open to Singapore, so any VTL wouldn't have much of an impact," he says.
As with many Asian territories taking a zero-infection strategy, Taiwan remains cautious about relaxing border restrictions.
Japan, South Korea
What of Japan and South Korea, which are destinations on the wishlist of many? Both category three countries, their borders remain largely closed.
They have seen a spike in Covid-19 cases over the past month, making them less likely possibilities.
Still, those hankering for a cherry blossom holiday can take heart. Vaccinations in both countries are gathering pace, recently crossing the 50 per cent mark for first doses of the vaccine.
The wait-and-see
United States
Currently a category four country with the most stringent health measures for arriving travellers, there is hope yet for leisure travel to the United States.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong last week said Singapore has come to a point where it can contemplate "vaccinated, safe, quarantine-free travel" with countries, and is looking to "pursue these conversations" with the US. He was speaking at a joint press conference with US Vice-President Kamala Harris at the Istana.
Although 57 per cent of the US population is fully vaccinated, the Delta variant has caused spikes in Covid-19 cases in states such as Florida, Texas, Alabama and Tennessee. Bringing these numbers under control would bode well for a VTL.
Britain
Independent aviation analyst Shukor Yusof notes Britain's willingness to accept visitors from countries that have kept the pandemic under control, adding that the flag carriers of both countries have daily flights linking London and Singapore.
A vaccination rate of about 63 per cent is encouraging, though scientists in Britain have criticised the easing of most coronavirus restrictions last month. These include no longer mandating face masks in most locations and allowing venues such as nightclubs and sports stadiums to operate at full capacity.
In the middle of last month, Britain recorded its largest spike in new cases in six months. With the Delta variant and the public health system under strain, it remains to be seen if the country can bring cases under control.
Those that fizzled out
Hong Kong
Hopes were high for the Hong Kong-Singapore air travel bubble, which was called off this month. The failed pilot demonstrates the importance of compatible Covid-19 strategies, says Cirium's Simin Ngai. "Hong Kong is pursuing a zero-infection strategy to eliminate Covid-19 while Singapore is working towards becoming Covid-19-resilient."
Bintan, Batam
Earlier this year, Indonesia announced a plan to establish a travel corridor that would allow quarantine-free entry for people from Singapore into the Riau Islands, including Bintan and Batam.
However, travellers would still have to serve a stay-home notice upon their return, making the weekend trip far less enticing.
Regardless, the plan has been shelved due to rising infection rates in the country.
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2021-08-30 12:00:00Z
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