Blinken casts doubt on methodology of COVID-19 lab-leak report - CNA

WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken cast doubt on Tuesday (Jun 8) on the methodology of a report on the origins of COVID-19 cited by the Wall Street Journal that concluded the hypothesis of a virus leak from a Chinese lab was plausible.

"I saw the report. I think it's on a number of levels, incorrect," Blinken told a Senate committee hearing on the State Department's budget request when asked about the Journal article.

The Journal on Monday cited people familiar with a classified report by a US government national laboratory as saying it concluded that the hypothesis of a virus leak from a Chinese lab in Wuhan was plausible and deserved further investigation.

READ: Why scientists are concerned about leaks at biolabs

The report said the study was prepared in May 2020 by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and referred to by State when it conducted an inquiry into the pandemic's origins during the final months of former President Donald Trump's administration.

Blinken said that to the best of his understanding, the report originated after the Trump administration asked a contractor to look into the origins of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, with a particular focus on whether it was a result of a lab leak.

"That work was done, it was completed, it was briefed, to relevant people in the department. When we came in, we also were made aware of the findings," Blinken said.

"The Trump administration, it's my understanding, had real concerns about the methodology of that study, the quality of analysis, bending evidence to fit preconceived narrative. That was their concern. It was shared with us."

READ: What we know about the origins of COVID-19

Blinken said the report was the work of one officer and a few individuals and not the "whole of government effort" President Joe Biden has ordered, led by the intelligence community, to look into the origins of the virus.

Asked whether he supported declassifying information as to the origins of the virus, Blinken said there should be "as much transparency as we possibly can with whatever information we find" subject to the need to protect intelligence sources.

In announcing his 90-day probe, Biden said US intelligence was considering two likely scenarios - that the virus resulted from a laboratory accident or that it emerged from human-animal contact - but had not come to a conclusion.

A still-classified US intelligence report circulated during Trump's administration alleged that three researchers at China's Wuhan Institute of Virology became so ill in November 2019 that they sought hospital care, US government sources have said.

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2021-06-08 18:56:48Z
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China to offer COVID-19 vaccine to children as young as 3 - CNA

BEIJING: China has approved the emergency use of the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine for those as young as three, the drugmaker confirmed on Tuesday (Jun 8), making it the first country to offer jabs to young children.

Since the coronavirus first emerged in central China, Beijing has mostly managed to bring the country's outbreak under control, and has administered more than 777 million vaccine doses after a sluggish start.

A spokesperson for Sinovac told AFP its vaccine had been approved for use on children.

"In recent days, the Sinovac vaccine was approved for emergency use in three- to 17-year-olds," the spokesperson said.

READ: Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine gains China approval for emergency use in children, adolescents

But he did not confirm when the young children would be able to start receiving the shots, saying the schedule for the roll-out will be decided by the National Health Commission "according to China's current epidemic prevention and control needs and vaccine supply".

The company has completed early phase trials of the vaccine in children and adolescents, with results to be published shortly in the Lancet scientific journal, the spokesperson added.

State broadcaster CCTV reported over the weekend that an unnamed official in the State Council's epidemic response task force had said vaccines had been approved for children, and "the safety and effectiveness" had been proven.

READ: WHO approves China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine

A spokesperson for China's other major vaccine, Sinopharm, said that experts had demonstrated the effectiveness of its vaccine in children, but did not confirm whether it had been approved for use.

Chinese officials have said they are aiming to inoculate 70 per cent of the population of 1.41 billion by the end of this year.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved both the Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines for emergency use in adults aged 18 and older, and both jabs are being administered in several countries around the world.

While the WHO does not currently recommend vaccinating children against coronavirus, the United States, Britain, Singapore and the European Union have approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for those as young as 12.

China reported 33 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, including 19 in southern Guangdong province where authorities have been battling a local outbreak.

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2021-06-08 08:40:50Z
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Chinese students with Covid-19 take university entrance exam in hospital isolation ward - South China Morning Post

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2021-06-08 06:30:36Z
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Australia's Melbourne eyes way out of COVID-19 lockdown as cases ease - CNA

SYDNEY: Australia's Victoria state authorities said plans to ease COVID-19 restrictions in state capital, Melbourne, this week remained "on track" as new locally acquired coronavirus cases fell on Tuesday (Jun 8).

Victoria, Australia's second-most-populous state, was plunged into a snap one-week hard lockdown on May 27 to contain a virus outbreak, forcing its 7 million residents to remain home except for essential business.

The lockdown was extended in Melbourne until Jun 10, while some restrictions were relaxed in other regions in the state.

Two new locally acquired cases, both linked to existing clusters, were reported on Tuesday, down from 11 a day earlier.

READ: Australia's Victoria reports biggest rise in COVID-19 cases in a week

"While we never want to see new cases, it is reassuring that we are again seeing these cases with clear links to existing outbreaks," Victoria state Acting Premier James Merlino told reporters in Melbourne.

Merlino said contact tracers have linked the source of the highly infectious Delta virus variant to an overseas traveller who entered hotel quarantine in Melbourne on May 8.

But officials said that it was still unclear how the Delta variant was transmitted into the community and that further tests would be needed.

Though case numbers remained in single digits on almost all days through the lockdown, the emergence of the highly contagious Delta variant, first detected in India, late last week had stoked concerns of a major spike in infections.

READ: COVID-19: Australian court upholds ban on most international travel 

The Delta variant has been classified by the World Health Organization as among the four COVID-19 variants of concern because of evidence that it spreads more easily, and that it most likely caused the latest devastating wave of COVID-19 in India.

Australia has fared better than many other developed countries in containing COVID-19, largely with snap lockdowns, regional border restrictions and tough social distancing rules. 

It has reported just under 30,200 cases and 910 deaths since the pandemic began.

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

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2021-06-08 02:41:56Z
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Blinken says global pressure may force China to be transparent on Covid-19 - South China Morning Post

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Blinken says global pressure may force China to be transparent on Covid-19  South China Morning Post
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2021-06-07 21:41:54Z
CAIiEPTQlN_HnhaXaPkaWEWRx-gqGQgEKhAIACoHCAowief2CjCJ2dUCMLiWxwU

Retired couple in Malaysia travel 127km to get their Covid-19 shots - The Straits Times

JOHOR BARU (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - An elderly couple drove for almost two hours from Batu Pahat to get their AstraZeneca Covid-19 shots at a mega vaccination centre in Johor Baru.

Retired school principal Idris Ahmad, 67, and his wife Azmah Hairun, 64, were determined to be vaccinated so they went on a 127km journey from their home in Batu Pahat.

Under the ongoing national lockdown, inter-district and interstate travel are allowed for people who have vaccination appointments.

Mr Idris said they left their home after subuh (dawn) prayers just to be at the vaccination centre in time.

"There were not many vehicles along the highway due to the movement control order. It was a nice, slow drive.

"Both of us had looked forward to getting the vaccine, " he said on Monday (June 7).

Mr Idris said he was very happy that both he and his wife got the same appointment dates when their children registered their names through the MySejahtera app.

Ms Azmah, a retired teacher, urged those who had yet to be registered for the vaccine to immediately do so, which would help protect Malaysians against Covid-19.

"I told all my family members to get vaccinated. But if they are still stubborn, then they should not come and see me at all.

"If you really love your family, get vaccinated as there is nothing to be afraid of, " she said, adding that it took them less than half an hour to get their AstraZeneca jabs.

Checks by The Star at mega vaccination centre at the Persada International Convention Centre in Johor Baru found people starting to form a queue as early as 7am.

The presence of army personnel together with police, Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defence Force and People's Volunteer Corps and volunteers from non-governmental groups helped manage the large crowd.

An express lane is also provided for the elderly and disabled.

Vaccine recipients would have to go through five different stations at the centre, with the first for symptom and temperature screening, station two for registration, station three for consultation and authorisation, station four for vaccination, and station five for observation.

The Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) had previously announced that the second round of administering the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine would be held from June 7 to July 27 at mega vaccination centres in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Penang, Johor and Sarawak.

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2021-06-08 01:25:49Z
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'Very slow' progress on resolving Myanmar crisis is 'disappointing': Vivian Balakrishnan - CNA

SINGAPORE: The “very slow” progress being made to resolve the ongoing crisis in Myanmar is disappointing, said Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on Monday (Jun 7). 

The situation in Myanmar was among the issues discussed at Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Chongqing, China.  

“All of us were united on the need for an immediate cessation of violence, on the need for the release of detainees and for meaningful negotiations and dialogue to occur among all parties," Dr Balakrishnan told Singapore reporters over a call from Chongqing. 

“And even the appointment of an ASEAN envoy only makes sense if there is a genuine desire within Myanmar itself for genuine dialogue and negotiations and reconciliation. So this is still a work in progress,” he added.

“To be honest with you, we are disappointed at the slow – very, very slow progress. Unfortunately, we know that there are still civilians who have been hurt or killed. There has been no release of political detainees, there has been no real sign of meaningful political dialogue and negotiation. So we’ll have to watch this space.”

READ: ASEAN summit to address Myanmar's post-coup crisis

Dr Balakrishnan reiterated that ASEAN’s main role is not to interfere, as “in the end, only the people themselves within Myanmar can determine its future”.

“But ASEAN stands ready to help, to be supportive, to facilitate mediation if possible, but we will have to wait. It’s disappointing but let’s not give up hope,” he said.

READ: UN envoy asks Thai leader's aid in ending crisis in Myanmar

SOUTH CHINA SEA CODE OF CONDUCT

The high-level meeting in Chongqing marks the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-China relations.

It also comes amid recent tensions in the South China Sea. On May 31, Chinese warplanes entered Malaysia's maritime zone air space and flew within 60 nautical miles of Sarawak – a move that Malaysia called a “breach of (its) airspace and sovereignty”.

Dr Balakrishnan said the situation in the South China Sea is an example of the challenges in ties between China and ASEAN.

He added that officials have been “working in the last few years" on trying to make progress on the Code of Conduct for the South China Sea.

READ: Pakatan Harapan calls for ‘clear action plan’ after Chinese military planes detected near Malaysian airspace

It was meant to be finalised by the end of the year, but talks have been stalled since the COVID-19 pandemic hit last year.

“This morning the officials met … And all this again is preparatory work for what I hope will be progress in the years to come to a substantive Code of Conduct, which will improve stability, security,peace and opportunity for prosperity across Southeast Asia, and in the South China Sea between us and China," he said.

“NOT THE RIGHT TIME" TO RESTART TRAVEL 

Dr Balakrishnan also acknowledged the “effective cooperation” between China and ASEAN since the pandemic set in - noting China's provision of vaccines and medical supplies to the region.

Beyond this, he said that Singapore and China are looking at how they can restart travel safely, assuming the COVID-19 situation remains under control.

Dr Balakrishnan had said in April that Singapore welcomed China’s proposal on the mutual recognition of health certificates, calling it a "timely initiative" as both countries have begun vaccination programmes.

READ: Singapore, China looking at how to gradually resume travel links: Vivian Balakrishnan

On Monday, he said there have been discussions on bilateral recognition of vaccine certificates and both sides are sorting out the details of protocols for travel.

“So yes, the discussions are ongoing, it’s positive. But like I said, this is not the right time to press the start button yet,” he said.

He added, however, that when the situation improves both in Singapore and in China, the two countries will be ready.

OTHER AREAS OF DISCUSSION

Dr Balakrishnan noted that the past three decades of diplomatic ties have been “momentous” with China and ASEAN’s economic development.

The meetings are thus a chance to “reflect on successes” but also to discuss ways to move forward on challenges confronting China and ASEAN, he said.

Another “fertile” area of discussion, he said, was economic recovery and opportunities for investment – particularly relating tothe Belt and Road Initiative.

Sustainable development was also on the agenda – an area that will provide “ample opportunities for collaboration in the future”, he said.

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2021-06-07 12:21:18Z
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