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Senin, 22 Maret 2021

Taiwan loses two fighter jets in apparent collision, third such crash in six months - CNA

TAIPEI: Two Taiwanese fighter jets crashed on Monday in the third such incident in the past half year, at a time when the Beijing-claimed island's armed forced are under increasing pressure to intercept Chinese aircraft on an almost daily basis.

While Taiwan's air force is well-trained and well-equipped, mostly with US-made equipment, it is dwarfed by China's. Beijing views the democratic island as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring it under Chinese control.

Taiwan's National Rescue Command Centre said two air force F-5E fighters, each with one pilot aboard, crashed into the sea off the island's southeastern coast after they apparently collided in mid-air during a training mission.

An air force helicopter, coast guard and other rescue ships have been scrambled to look for the pilots, it added.

Taiwan's Defence Ministry said it was working on a statement, and provided no other immediate comment. The official Central News Agency said the air force had now grounded the F-5 fleet that operates from the Chihhang air base, where the aircraft are based.

The US-built F-5 fighters first entered service in Taiwan in the late 1970s and have been mostly been retired from front-line activities, though some are still used for training and as a back-up for the main fleet.

Another F-5 crashed in October, killing the pilot. The following month a much more modern F-16 crashed off Taiwan's east coast, whose pilot also died.

In January of last year, Taiwan's top military official was among eight people killed after a helicopter carrying them to visit soldiers crashed in a mountainous area near the capital Taipei.

The incidents have raised concern about both training and maintenance, but also the pressure the air force is under to respond to repeated Chinese flights near the island.

Taiwan's Defence Ministry has warned Chinese aircraft, including drones, are flying repeatedly in Taiwan's air defence identification zone, seeking to wear out Taiwan's air force.

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2021-03-22 09:49:34Z
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HSA starts review of Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine - CNA

SINGAPORE: The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said on Monday (Mar 22) it has started reviewing data on China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine.

It has also asked the biopharmaceutical company for additional data and is waiting for it, said HSA in response to CNA queries.

Singapore received its first shipment of the Sinovac vaccine on Feb 23. HSA said then that Sinovac had started submitting initial data, and that it was awaiting the submission of all necessary information to carry out its assessment.

The vaccine developed by China's Sinovac Biotech has been approved for general use in China, and is already in use in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

In Singapore, the Sinovac vaccine is being evaluated but has not yet been authorised for use, said HSA.

"HSA has requested from the company additional data required to assess if it can meet the required standards for quality, safety and efficacy for interim authorisation under the Pandemic Special Access Route, and is still waiting for the company to submit the data," said the authority.

READ: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Sinovac – A look at three key COVID-19 vaccines

On Monday, HSA said that it has also been in talks with various companies, including AstraZeneca, on their submission plans for COVID-19 vaccines.

"All vaccines are rigorously evaluated by HSA on their quality, safety and efficacy before they are approved for use in Singapore," said the authority.

READ: EU, UK drug regulators rally behind AstraZeneca vaccine after safety concerns

More than a dozen countries suspended the use of AstraZeneca vaccines earlier this month, after reports of blood clotting among some recipients in Europe.

Many countries – including France, Germany and Indonesia – have since said they will resume use of the AstraZeneca vaccine, after an investigation by the European Medicines Agency concluded that the benefits outweighed the risks.

READ: AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is 'haram', but permissible due to urgent situation – Indonesia Islamic body

Singapore has so far authorised two COVID-19 vaccines for use.

The country started its vaccination drive in December with the Pfizer-BioNTech jab, the first vaccine to arrive in Singapore.

Moderna's vaccine was approved for use in early February, with the first shipment arriving two weeks later.

BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus outbreak and its developments

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2021-03-22 06:10:01Z
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Asia accelerates AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine roll-outs, even as trust plunges in Europe - CNA

TAIPEI: Many Asian countries are accelerating the roll-out of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine after confidence in its safety was hit, following reports that the shot was linked to rare blood clots in Europe earlier this month.

After briefly halting its use, many European countries have resumed using the shot in their inoculation programmes after a regional regulator said it was safe, while several country leaders are also taking the vaccine to boost confidence.

READ: EU, UK drug regulators rally behind AstraZeneca vaccine after safety concerns

The AstraZeneca shot was among the first and cheapest of the COVID-19 vaccines to be developed and launched at volume and is set to be the mainstay of vaccination programmes in much of the developing world.

But its brief suspension raised concerns that a slowdown in vaccination roll-outs could hurt the global fight against the pandemic, as coronavirus cases surge in some countries, overwhelming healthcare systems and hurting economies.

"I have just finished getting the (AstraZeneca) injection, there is no pain at the injection site, and there is no soreness of the body," Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang told reporters as the island launched its inoculation campaign on Monday.

Thailand's prime minister also became the first person in the country to be inoculated with the AstraZeneca vaccine after its roll-out was temporarily put on hold over safety concerns, while Indonesia began using it on Monday after suspending it last week. But Indonesia's Food and Drug agency has warned against its use on people with blood clotting disorders.

READ: AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is 'haram', but permissible due to urgent situation - Indonesia Islamic body

South Korean President Moon Jae-in, 68, plans to get the shot on Tuesday after the government said it could be used on older people.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson received his first dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, saying he "did not feel a thing".

HEADWINDS

The European Medicines Agency regulator said on Thursday the vaccine is effective and not linked with a rise in the overall risk of blood clots.

Yet a survey released on Monday showed that people in seven European countries were more likely to see the vaccine as unsafe than as safe.

Many Asian countries heavily rely on the AstraZeneca vaccine to end the pandemic, as the shot is being used in inoculation programmes in Australia, South Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand and India.

Some countries could face supply issues.

India, which has the highest coronavirus caseload after the United States and Brazil, is delaying supplies of the vaccine to several countries, as it faces a second surge in cases, said a source with direct knowledge of the matter.

READ: Second COVID-19 surge grips India on first anniversary of lockdown

The Serum Institute of India, which produces the AstraZeneca vaccine, has told Brazil, Saudi Arabia and Morocco that further supplies will be delayed due to surging demand at home, the person said.

Australia, which has inoculated just 1 per cent of its population so far, is also accelerating vaccination after the country's pharmaceutical regulator approved on Sunday the local manufacturing of the AstraZeneca vaccine by CSL.

Within 12 weeks, CSL is expected to produce 1 million doses of the vaccine each week.

BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus outbreak and its developments

Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: https://cna.asia/telegram

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2021-03-22 06:29:39Z
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Australia to evacuate thousands as Sydney faces worst floods in 60 years - CNA

SYDNEY: Australian authorities are planning to evacuate thousands more people on Monday (Mar 22) from flood-affected suburbs in Sydney's west, which is set for its worst flooding in 60 years with drenching rain expected to continue for the next few days.

Unrelenting rains over the past three days swelled rivers in Australia's most populous state of New South Wales (NSW), causing widespread damage and triggering calls for mass evacuations.

"We need to brace ourselves, it will be a very difficult week," NSW state Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters.

Torrential rain which has submerged large swathes of NSW is in stark contrast to the weather conditions in the same regions a year ago, when authorities were battling drought and catastrophic bushfires.

"I don't know any time in a state history where we have had these extreme weather conditions in such quick succession in the middle of a pandemic," Berejiklian said.

Heavy rain, flash flooding batter Australia's east coast — A still image taken from video shows a flooded area following heavy rains in Port Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia March 20, 2021. Alex McNaught, roving-rye.com photography/via REUTERS

Sydney on Sunday recorded the wettest day of the year with almost 111mm of rain, while some regions in NSW's north coast received nearly 900mm of rain in the last six days, more than three times the March average, government data showed.

Authorities said around 18,000 people have been evacuated from low lying areas of the state.

FLOODING STOPS COAL RAIL DELIVERIES

Australia's Hunter Valley coal rail lines have been shut due to flooding in the state of New South Wales, the Australian Rail Track Corp said on Monday, halting deliveries into the port of Newcastle, the world's biggest coal export port.

"High rainfall, potential for more severe flooding beyond the current impacts to the network, strong winds, fallen trees and debris, power failures and fallen power lines and power poles are all concerns which led to operations being halted," said a spokesman at ARTC, which runs the rail lines.

It said tracks would be reopened when conditions are safe and water levels recede.

The Hunter Valley network serves mines run by BHP Group Ltd , Glencore PLC, New Hope Corp Ltd, Whitehaven Coal, and Yancoal Australia Ltd, among others.

The companies were not immediately available to comment on the impact on their operations.

The Port of Newcastle has two coal terminals with a total annual capacity of 145 million tonnes.

Large parts of the country's east coast will get hit by more heavy rains from Monday due to the combination of a tropical low over northern Western Australia and a coastal trough off NSW, the Bureau of Meteorology official Jane Golding said.

"We expect this heavy rain to fall on areas that haven't seen as much rain over the last few days, we expect the flood risk to develop in those areas as well," Golding told reporters.

Some places in Sydney's western regions have seen the worst flooding since 1961, authorities said, as they expect the wild weather to continue until Wednesday.

A severe flood warning has been issued for large parts of NSW as well as neighbouring Queensland.

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2021-03-22 03:36:52Z
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HSA begins review of Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine for use in Singapore, asks Chinese firm for more data - TODAYonline

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HSA begins review of Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine for use in Singapore, asks Chinese firm for more data TODAYonline
AstraZeneca allays Indonesian Muslims' concerns over vaccine, SE Asia News & Top Stories The Straits Times
AstraZeneca counters Indonesian Muslim concerns over Covid-19 vaccine Times of India
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2021-03-22 03:47:31Z
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Minggu, 21 Maret 2021

North Korean man extradited from Malaysia to US in sanctions case - CNA

WASHINGTON: A North Korean citizen was taken into US custody on Saturday (Mar 20) after being extradited from Malaysia to face money laundering charges, making him the first North Korean extradited to the US to face trial.

Mun Chol Myong was in the custody of the FBI in Washington, DC on Saturday, according to documents obtained by the Associated Press. His extradition came after a Malaysian court rejected his assertion that the charges were politically motivated.

The Justice Department declined comment on Sunday.

A federal judge in Washington had issued a warrant for Mun’s arrest on May 2, 2019 on money laundering and conspiracy charges.

Kang Son Bi, wife of Mun Chol Myong, arrives at the Duta court complex in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 8, 2020. (Photo: AFP/Mohd Rasfan)

Mun, who is in his 50s, has lived in Malaysia for a decade and was arrested in May 2019 after the US requested his extradition. Malaysia’s government approved the extradition, but Mun challenged the bid.

READ: North Korean diplomats leave Malaysia after ties cut over US extradition row

His lawyer has said Mun worries he won’t get a fair trial in the US. They have argued that the extradition is “politically motivated” and aimed to increase pressure on North Korea over the nation’s missile program.

Malaysia North Korea — Kim Yu Song (centre), a counselor at the North Korean Embassy to Malaysia, reads out a statement outside the embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Sunday, Mar 21, 2021. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Mun has denied allegations that he was involved in supplying prohibited luxury goods from Singapore to North Korea in violation of UN sanctions before moving to Malaysia in 2008. He has also denied allegations he laundered funds through front companies and produced fraudulent documents to support illicit shipments.

North Korea said it had also terminated diplomatic ties with Malaysia over the decision to extradite Mun to the US in the latest development in growing animosity between Washington and Pyongyang as the North ramps up pressure on the Biden administration over a nuclear standoff.

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2021-03-21 22:56:58Z
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Philippines accuses China of 'incursion' in disputed sea - CNA

MANILA: The Philippines on Sunday (Mar 21) accused China of "incursion" after more than 200 militia boats were spotted near a disputed reef in the South China Sea, in a rare rebuke of its superpower neighbour.

The Philippine coast guard detected the boats "in line formation" at the boomerang-shaped Whitsun Reef about 320km west of Palawan Island on Mar 7.

"We call on the Chinese to stop this incursion and immediately recall these boats violating our maritime rights and encroaching into our sovereign territory," Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said in a statement.

"This is a clear provocative action of militarizing the area. These are territories well within Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone."

READ: South China Sea: Philippines protests new China law as 'verbal threat of war'

Lorenzana said the government was considering "appropriate action" to take to protect Filipino fishermen, the country's marine resources and maintain peace and stability in the area.

Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin said on Twitter he had lodged a diplomatic protest over the ships.

The Chinese embassy in Manila did not respond to a request for comment.

A government task force charged with monitoring the contested waters announced Saturday the detection of about 220 "Chinese Maritime Militia Vessels" earlier this month.

"Despite clear weather at the time, the Chinese vessels massed at the reef showed no actual fishing activities," the agency said.

The United States has previously accused China of using maritime militia to "intimidate, coerce and threaten other nations" over its claims to almost the entire South China Sea.

The resource-rich waterway is also contested by several countries, including the Philippines.

China has ignored a 2016 international tribunal decision that declared its assertion as without basis.

Philippine-China relations have improved under President Rodrigo Duterte, who has tried to steer his country away from the ambit of the United States - its former colonial master - to pursue greater economic cooperation with its giant neighbour and American rival.

READ: Unified ASEAN can avert South China Sea conflict: Philippine minister

But Duterte's shift has failed to stem Chinese ambitions in the sea or unlock much of the billions of dollars of promised trade and loans.

He has repeatedly said conflict with China would be futile and that the Philippines would lose and suffer heavily in the process.

Lorenzana, however, has been more outspoken.

In August he accused China of illegally occupying Filipino maritime territory, saying the nine-dash line used by Beijing to justify its alleged historic rights to the key waterway was a fabrication.

His remarks at the time came amid a fresh row over the disputed Scarborough shoal, which China seized from the Philippines in 2012 following a tense standoff.

In 2019, the Philippines also complained after hundreds of Chinese ships were seen near Pag-asa island, also known as Thitu, which the country branded as "illegal".

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2021-03-21 15:00:00Z
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