Biden says he is 'looking' at Russia retaliation over cyberattack - CNA

WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday (Jun 2) he is "looking" at possible retaliation after the White House linked Russia to a cyberattack against global meat processing giant JBS.

Asked by a reporter if he would take action against President Vladimir Putin, whom he will meet for a summit in Geneva later this month, Biden said: "We're looking closely at that issue."

The ransomware attack on a US subsidiary of Brazilian-owned JBS has again prompted accusations that Russia is at least harbouring cybercriminals.

Similar suspicions were raised after ransomware hackers forced the temporary shutdown of the huge Colonial fuel pipeline in the eastern United States last month.

Asked if Putin is testing him ahead of their summit, Biden said "no".

READ: Hacks force Biden into more aggressive stance on Russia

However, the White House says Biden will bring up US concerns during the summit on Jun 16, as well as at earlier summits with allies in the G7 group, the European Union and NATO.

"We expect this to be an issue of discussion throughout the president's trip," Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters.

"Harbouring criminal entities that are intending to do harm, that are doing harm to the critical infrastructure in the United States, is not acceptable," she said.

"We're not going to stand by that. We will raise that and we're not going to take options off the table."

The White House has not blamed the Kremlin directly, only suggesting that criminal groups are operating from inside Russia. However, Psaki said "responsible states do not harbor" cybercriminals.

"President Biden certainly thinks that President Putin and the Russian government has a role to play in stopping and preventing these attacks. Hence, it will be a topic of discussion when they meet," she said.

For its part, Russia said Wednesday it would be open to any US request for help in investigating the cyberattack.

JBS is a sprawling meat supplier with operations in the United States, Australia, Canada, Europe, Mexico, New Zealand and Britain.

The company said the vast majority of its beef, pork, poultry and prepared foods plants would be operational Wednesday.

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2021-06-02 21:56:37Z
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What next for Chinese vaccines after first WHO approvals? - South China Morning Post

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1. What next for Chinese vaccines after first WHO approvals?  South China Morning Post
2. MOH allows special access to Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine through private healthcare sector  The Straits Times
3. Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine to be allowed in Singapore under special access route after WHO approval  CNA
4. Why Modi must swallow his pride and accept Chinese vaccines  South China Morning Post
5. Some to get special access to Sinovac vaccine in S'pore | ST NEWS NIGHT  The Straits Times
6. View Full coverage on Google News

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2021-06-02 14:19:25Z
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Operations under way to minimise environmental impact of sinking ship off Sri Lanka: MPA - CNA

SINGAPORE: The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said on Wednesday (Jun 2) that operations are under way to minimise the environmental impact of a Singapore-registered container ship at risk of sinking off Sri Lanka.

The X-Press Pearl had caught fire on May 20 in the waters of Sri Lanka after departing from the Indian port of Hazira, burning for 13 days before the blaze was extinguished on Tuesday.

READ: Crippled ship at risk of sinking off Sri Lanka

READ: Sri Lanka facing marine disaster from burning ship: Environment official

"As the flag state, the MPA has been in constant communication with the Sri Lankan authorities, ship operator, and classification society on efforts to stabilise the ship, put out the fire, and put in place measures to reduce the extent of environmental impact," it said.

Sri Lankan navy members pull a sack of debris washed off to a beach from the X-Press Pearl container ship on May 28, 2021. (Photo: Reuters/Dinuka Liyanawatte)

MPA said that it had earlier offered to provide assistance to Sri Lankan authorities, and has directed the ship operator to cooperate fully with the them. 

It has also instructed the ship operator to adhere to measures to minimise the environmental impact, and to continue to deploy resources to clean up the sea as much as possible. 

According to MPA, the ship operator is working with the salvors to continue with the salvage operations.

"MPA further understands that the Sri Lankan authorities are investigating the cause of the incident," said the authority, adding that it has also commenced its own investigation.

Navy personnel remove debris washed ashore from the Singapore-registered container ship X-Press Pearl. (Photo: AFP/Ishara S. KODIKARA)

Based on an update from the ship operator on Wednesday, while the fire on board has been put out, the ship's condition has deteriorated, said MPA.

"MPA understands that the ship’s stern is now submerged, and the ship may be at risk of sinking," it said.

MPA also stated that its records indicate the X-Press Pearl, registered as a Singapore flag in February, had been delivered from the shipyard in the same month with the full set of applicable class and statutory certificates.

READ: Plastics from burning ship cover Sri Lanka beach

READ: Sri Lanka questions crew of burning cargo ship crew after marine disaster

The incident is Sri Lanka's worst marine ecological disaster, with huge volumes of microplastic granules from the X-Press Pearl's containers having already inundated beaches, forcing a fishing ban and a major clean-up involving thousands of troops.

Authorities now fear an even greater disaster should the ship's 297 tonnes of heavy fuel oil and 51 tonnes of marine fuel oil leak into the Indian Ocean.

Officials believe the blaze destroyed most of the 1,486 containers on board.

Eighty-one containers were carrying chemicals, including 25 tonnes of nitric acid which had been leaking since May 11, nine days before the fire broke out.

The 25-strong crew was evacuated last week. One was admitted to hospital with minor injuries.

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2021-06-02 14:29:41Z
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Sinovac COVID vaccine approved for use in Singapore: MOH - Yahoo Singapore News

An employee works on the production line of COVID-19 vaccine at a workshop of the Beijing-based Sinovac Life Sciences, affiliated with Sinovac Biotech, on 1 June, 2021, in Beijing, China. (PHOTO: VCG via Getty Images)

SINGAPORE — Authorities confirmed on Wednesday (2 June) that China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine can be administered in Singapore under the special access route for private healthcare providers, a day after it was approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Under the route, private healthcare providers in Singapore can import and administer alternative COVID-19 vaccines to address unmet medical needs, the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced on Monday. 

Only those on the WHO's emergency use listing will be allowed for use here under the route, including Oxford-AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, and Sinopharm.

Sinovac's CoronaVac is the second Chinese vaccine to be authorised by the WHO for emergency use, following Sinopharm listing, approved about a month ago.

Vaccines imported under the special access route in Singapore will not be subsidised and those taking them will not be eligible for the vaccine injury financial assistance programme for COVID-19 vaccination.

To date, only the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines have been approved for use in Singapore's national vaccination drive. CoronaVac has yet to be approved by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) for such usage, despite Singapore receiving the first shipment of some 200,000 doses of the vaccine in February. 

Health minister and COVID-19 taskforce co-chair Ong Ye Kung on Monday had said that licensed health care institutions can apply to the MOH to draw on Singapore's existing stock of 200,000 Sinovac doses to administer to those who wish to have it.

However, the Health Ministry has since clarified that it is still assessing this. 

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore

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400,000 students in Singapore can register for COVID vaccine from 1 June

'Very unlikely' to resume Phase 3 straight after 13 June: Lawrence Wong

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2021-06-02 12:25:34Z
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Crippled Singapore-registered ship at risk of sinking off Sri Lanka - The Straits Times

COLOMBO (AFP) - A burnt-out container ship that had already caused Sri Lanka's worst maritime environmental disaster was in imminent danger of sinking on Wednesday (June 2) with several hundred tonnes of oil still in its fuel tanks, the Sri Lankan navy said.

The MV X-Press Pearl, carrying hundreds of tonnes of chemicals and plastics, burned for 13 days within sight of the island's coast before rescue workers finally managed to extinguish the blaze on Tuesday.

The operator of the container ship, X-Press Feeders, confirmed in a press release that salvors had reported no visible flames aboard the vessel, though smoke was still emitting intermittently from cargo holds. 

"An inspection team was able to board the vessel on the afternoon of Tuesday, June 1, and reported the engine room flooded. There are now concerns over the amount of water in the hull and its effect on the ship's stability," the press release said. 

A huge amount of plastic debris has already inundated beaches, and the authorities now fear an even greater disaster should the 278 tonnes of bunker oil and 50 tonnes of gas in the Singapore-registered ship's fuel tanks leak into the Indian Ocean.

As tugboats on Wednesday began trying to tow the ship farther out to sea, navy spokesman Indika de Silva said it was "facing an imminent risk of going down".

Fisheries Minister Kanchana Wijesekera tweeted that the salvage company involved in the operation "has indicated that the vessel is sinking at the current location".

An AFP photographer at Sarakkuwa, just north of the Colombo port, said the vessel's stern was underwater.

An official involved in the mitigation efforts said earlier that local experts feared the vessel was unstable.

"The fire-fighting efforts also saw a lot of water sprayed onto the decks. Much of that water has settled in the stern, which is down by about a metre," the official told AFP.

"We can't pump that water out because it is contaminated with oil."

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Tuesday ordered the ship moved to minimise potential coastal damage.

"(The experts') suggestion, then, was to take the vessel to the deep seas to minimise possible damage to the marine environment," his office said.

The Sri Lankan navy helped Dutch salvage company Smit to establish a tow connection with its tug to move the vessel away from the anchorage of the Colombo port, about 15km from the coast.

Smoke billowing from the MV X-Press Pearl as vessels try to douse off the fire on May 30, 2021. PHOTO: AFP

The inundation of microplastic granules from the ship's containers has already forced a fishing ban and prompted concern for the wildlife and environment. 

Meanwhile, contractors continued working with the local authorities for a fifth day to dispose of any debris that had washed ashore. 

The ship was also carrying 25 tonnes of nitric acid, which leaked and then caught on fire.

Officials believe the blaze destroyed most of the nearly 1,500 containers onboard.

Marine Environment Protection Authority chief Dharshani Lahandapura said the ecological damage is still being assessed, but he believed it was the "worst ever in my lifetime".

Members of Sri Lankan navy removing debris washed ashore from the MV X-Press Pearl, off Sri Lanka's Colombo Harbour, on May 31, 2021. PHOTO: AFP

Mr Rajapaksa asked Australia on Monday to help evaluate the ecological damage to the island, one of the most biodiverse countries in South Asia.

Sri Lanka has launched a criminal investigation into the fire and the marine pollution.

Police said that the captain and chief engineer, both Russian nationals, as well as a third officer, have been questioned.

A court had ordered on Tuesday the passports of all three to be impounded, pending investigations.

The ship was heading to Colombo from Gujarat, India, when the blaze started, having previously visited Qatar and Dubai where the containers of nitric acid had been loaded.

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2021-06-02 08:01:59Z
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As COVID-19 cases edge up, Taiwan unveils mass vaccination plan - CNA

TAIPEI: Taiwan reported a rise in domestic coronavirus infections on Wednesday (Jun 2) after six days of falls, and unveiled details of a mass vaccination plan that aims to eventually cover 1.7 million people a week.

After months of relative safety, Taiwan is battling a spike in community infections, placing curbs on gatherings and ordering entertainment venues closed, while urging people to stay at home as much as possible.

Announcing 549 new infections, including 177 added to recent days' tallies in reflection of delays in reporting positive tests, Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said the trend was stable, although it was not falling.

Cases rose rapidly in the past 24 hours in the capital, Taipei, and a neighbouring city, where infections are heavily concentrated, he added.

"It looks like it's not falling, and is sometimes still going up," Chen said. "As much as possible don't go out and wear a mask."

Wednesday's infections were up from Tuesday's figure of 327 domestic cases.

READ: Taiwan struggles with COVID-19 testing backlog amid largest outbreak

READ: Germany says it has been helping on Taiwan's BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine deal

The economic ministry set limits on the numbers of visitors to wet markets, amid concerns that the shops of food and vegetable vendors could become virus hot spots.

Taiwan has vaccinated just about 3 per cent of its 23.5 million people, but has millions of shots on order and has begun preparing for a mass vaccination programme.

Chen said he did not know which further vaccines might arrive before the end of the month, but warned a global supply shortage could be a concern.

Authorities plan eventually to be able to vaccinate up to 1.7 million people a week, and are working to build a simple booking system with lots of vaccination sites, said Chuang Jen-hsiang, an official of the Taiwan Centres for Disease Control.

So far, Taiwan has received only the Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines. It has blamed China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, for blocking a deal for BioNTech doses. Beijing denies the charges.

Taiwan has reported 9,389 cases since the pandemic began, including 149 deaths.

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2021-06-02 10:32:18Z
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WHO approves China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine - CNA

GENEVA: The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday (Jun 1) approved the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use - the second Chinese jab to receive the WHO's green light.

The UN health agency signed off on the two-dose vaccine, which is already being deployed in several countries around the world.

"WHO today validated the Sinovac-CoronaVac COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use," it said in a statement.

The move gives countries, funders, procuring agencies and communities "assurance that it meets international standards for safety, efficacy and manufacturing".

Last month Sinopharm became the first Chinese vaccine to be approved by the WHO.

The organisation has also given emergency use listing to vaccines being made by Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, and the AstraZeneca jab being produced in India, South Korea and the EU, which it counts separately.

WHO's listing paves the way for countries worldwide to quickly approve and import a vaccine for distribution, especially those states without an international-standard regulator of their own.

It also opens the door for the jabs to enter the COVAX global vaccine-sharing scheme, which aims to provide equitable access to doses around the world, particularly in poorer countries.

Currently only AstraZeneca and some Pfizer jabs are flowing through the scheme.

"The world desperately needs multiple COVID-19 vaccines to address the huge access inequity across the globe," said Mariangela Simao, the WHO's assistant director general for access to health products.

"We urge manufacturers to participate in the COVAX facility, share their know-how and data and contribute to bringing the pandemic under control."

The Sinovac jab is already in use in 22 territories around the world, according to an AFP count.

Apart from China, the countries using Sinovac include Chile, Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Thailand and Turkey.

The WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation have reviewed the jab and published their advice on its usage.

"WHO recommends the vaccine for use in adults 18 years and older, in a two-dose schedule with a spacing of two to four weeks," the agency said.

"Vaccine efficacy results showed that the vaccine prevented symptomatic disease in 51 per cent of those vaccinated and prevented severe COVID-19 and hospitalisation in 100 per cent of the studied population."

BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic and its developments

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2021-06-01 15:13:47Z
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