First astronauts arrive at China's space station - CNA

JIUQUAN: The first astronauts arrived at China's new space station on Thursday (Jun 17) in the country's longest crewed mission to date, a landmark step in establishing Beijing as a major space power.

The trio blasted off on a Long March-2F rocket from the Jiuquan launch centre in northwest China's Gobi desert, and their craft docked at the Tiangong station around seven hours later, where they will spend the next three months.

State broadcaster CCTV showed a live feed from inside the spacecraft during the journey, with the three astronauts lifting their helmet visors after it reached orbit as one smiled and waved at the camera.

Another floated a pen just off his lap in zero-gravity as he browsed the flight manual.

Around seven hours after lift-off, space officials confirmed that the craft had docked with Tianhe, the core module of the country's new space station.

The Shenzhou-12 craft has "successfully docked with the forward port of the core module" of the Tiangong station, said the China Manned Space Agency, as state TV showed live footage.

At a ceremony before blast-off, the three astronauts, already wearing their space suits, greeted a crowd of supporters and space workers, who sang the patriotic song Without The Chinese Communist Party, There Would Be No New China.

Chinese astronauts prepare to depart on the Shenzhou-12 mission at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan in northwestern China, Jun 17, 2021. (Photo: AP/Ng Han Guan)

By Thursday evening, the astronauts were shown on television entering the core module, one of them making a 360-degree flip in the process.

The group will be setting up their living quarters and are expected to open the door to the Tianzhou-2 cargo craft - which docked earlier with the core module - on Friday morning.

The mission's commander is Nie Haisheng, a decorated air force pilot in the People's Liberation Army who has already participated in two space missions.

The two other members are also from the military.

SPACE LIFE

The Tianhe module of the space station has separate living spaces for each of the astronauts, a "space treadmill" and bike for exercise, and a communication centre for emails and video calls with ground control.

Huang Weifen of the China Manned Space Program said the astronauts will perform two spacewalks during the mission, both lasting around six or seven hours.

She also said the trio will wear newly-developed spacewalk suits.

Nie Haisheng (C), Liu Boming (R) and Tang Hongbo will be the first crew on China's new space station AFP/GREG BAKER

READ: China to send three astronauts to space, including its oldest

The launch - of China's first crewed mission in nearly five years - is a matter of huge prestige in China, as Beijing prepares to mark the 100th anniversary of the ruling Communist Party on Jul 1 with a massive propaganda campaign.

To prepare for the mission, the crew underwent more than 6,000 hours of training, including hundreds of underwater somersaults in full space gear.

The Chinese space agency is planning a total of 11 launches through to the end of next year, including three more manned missions that will deliver two lab modules to expand the 70-tonne station, along with supplies and crew members.

China's space ambitions have been fuelled in part by a US ban on its astronauts on the International Space Station, a collaboration between the United States, Russia, Canada, Europe and Japan.

READ: Rover leaves 'China's imprint' on Mars

It is due for retirement after 2024, even though NASA has said it could potentially remain functional beyond 2028.

Tiangong will be much smaller than the ISS, and is expected to have a lifespan of at least 10 years.

China has said it would be open to international collaboration on its space station although it has yet to give specific details.

Zhou Jianping, chief designer for the space programme, said "foreign astronauts are certainly going to enter the Chinese space station one day".

"There are a number of countries that have expressed a desire to do that and we will be open to that in future," he said.

Beijing said in March it was also planning to build a separate lunar space station with Russia, and this week the two countries issued a "roadmap" for potential collaboration opportunities.

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2021-06-17 11:26:15Z
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Singapore loses its top spot in global competitiveness study, now ranks 5th - The Straits Times

SINGAPORE - Singapore has tumbled from its top spot as the world's most competitive economy to fifth place, but remains Asia's top performing economy.

The Republic ranked first in the past two years of the Institute for Management Development (IMD) World Competitiveness Ranking, whose latest list was released on Thursday (June 17).

IMD is based in Switzerland and Singapore.

Switzerland topped the league table, followed by Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands.

IMD said: "Singapore managed to top the economic performance factor, one of four factors in the ranking, but fell to ninth in global business efficiency and 11th in global infrastructure.

"It ran into problems with job losses, lack of productivity and the economic impact of the pandemic. Similar to other countries that declined, Singapore experienced a shrinkage in its economic activity, in particular, a sharp decline in employment growth, and a sizeable worsening in public finances due to an increase in both government deficit and public debt."

But Singapore did well with international trade and technological infrastructure, ranking first in both, IMD said.

It also ranked highly in international investment and business legislation.

IMD said Singapore's physical geography worked against it in the 2021 rankings.

"Geography has played a pivotal role for some economies and while Singapore has done everything correctly, its physical geography has caused it to work harder than other economies and therefore it fell in the rankings."

Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong said: “IMD’s ranking shows that we are facing increased global competition and Singapore cannot afford to stand still or take our economic competitiveness for granted. We must continually strive to provide an environment where businesses can thrive and create good jobs for our people. We must also remain an open and connected hub for global businesses and talent.

"Singapore businesses must be able to seek out new opportunities and transform. Workers have to constantly upskill to remain relevant. The Government will review IMD’s report and enhance our competitiveness."

The IMD World Competitiveness Ranking ranks 64 economies, by measuring economic well-being through statistical data and survey responses from executives.

IMD said: "The report finds that top-performing economies are characterised by varying degrees of investment in innovation, diversified economic activities and supportive public policy.

"Strength in these areas prior to the pandemic allowed these economies to address the economic implications of the crisis more effectively."

Among Asian economies, China made the biggest leap up the ranks to 16th place, IMD said.

Mr Arturo Bris, director of the World Competitiveness Centre, which produces the ranking, said: "China, by continuing reducing poverty and boosting infrastructure and education, strengthens the possibility of advancing in the rankings."

Malaysia, ranked 25th, was also one of the economies that rose in competitiveness, thanks to improvements in the business efficiency of its private sector and relatively healthy public finances despite the disruption brought by Covid-19, IMD said.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong ranked seventh because of slight declines in economic performance, business efficiency and infrastructure, but remained in the top spot in government efficiency.

The Philippines also fell in the ranking to 52nd, driven by a deterioration in several indicators related to the domestic economy, the job market, public finances and the productivity of firms in the private sector.

Overall, the report found that innovation is the bedrock of long-term performance, with education and other factors driving both a productive workforce and research.

Singapore, Switzerland and the Nordic economies do well in this aspect, it said.

Digitally advanced economies that have seamlessly transitioned to work-from-home arrangements have also thrived compared with their peers, it added, with Singapore leading in this area.

IMD said: "The global trends seen in the rankings show the importance of innovation, digitalisation of the economy, welfare benefits and social cohesion.

"Competitive economies succeeded in transitioning to a remote work routine while also allowing remote learning. Addressing unemployment has been fundamental."

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2021-06-17 11:02:48Z
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Malaysian government acknowledges king's views, says PMO after palace calls for parliament to reconvene - CNA

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian government has acknowledged the king's views and will take follow-up measures based on the Constitution and the laws, said the Prime Minister's Office on Thursday (Jun 17). 

The King Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Mustafa Billah Shah has said that the parliament should reconvene as soon as possible, after chairing a special rulers' conference on Wednesday.

In a statement, the Prime Minister's Office said Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had previously informed the king during prior audiences on the progress of various efforts, from the pandemic's management to the national immunisation programme and economic aid, as well as the recently-unveiled national recovery plan.

"In upholding the king's decrees, the government will take follow-up measures based on the Federal Constitution and the state laws," the statement read.

The special rulers' conference came after the king granted audiences to 18 key political leaders, who presented their views on the pandemic management and the country's current situation. 

Composite photos of Malaysia King Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah and PM Muhyiddin Yassin. (Photos: Bernama, Facebook)

The king said parliament meetings should be held to enable the emergency ordinances and the national recovery plan to be debated by parliamentarians.

The Malay rulers added that there was no need to further extend Malaysia’s state of emergency beyond Aug 1.

On Wednesday night, de facto law minister Takiyuddin Hassan said that although the king had called for parliament to reconvene as soon as possible, no specific date had been specified. 

“The prime minister has already stated September or October,” Mr Takiyuddin, who is also Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) secretary-general, said during an online interview on the Bicara Harakah talk show. 

The Minister in the Prime Minister's Department added that a parliament sitting would definitely be convened "in three months' time".

On Tuesday, Mr Muhyiddin said in a televised address that the parliament meeting could be held during the third phase of the national recovery plan, which is likely to happen in September or October this year. 

READ: What you need to know about the state of emergency and tightening COVID-19 curbs in Malaysia

In his response to the rulers' statement, the deputy president of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), Mohammad Hassan said that it was necessary for the government to convene parliament sessions as soon as possible. 

United Malays National Organisation's (UMNO) Mohamad Hasan. (File photo: Bernama)

“Don’t dilly-dally with the excuse that His Majesty did not decree which month Parliament should sit,” he said in a statement on Thursday. 

“The government’s announcement in the national recovery plan that parliament can reopen come September or October is not a guarantee,” said Mr Mohammad. 

Such a reopening, he said, was subject to various conditions including drops in the number of daily new cases, and increase in the vaccination rates.

“Whatever excuse to delay the reopening of parliament is not just anti-democratic, but also touches the sanctity and wisdom of the royal institution, which is free and above politics," he added. 

READ: Malaysian king meets party leaders, COVID-19 crisis top on the agenda

The opposition Pakatan Harapan coalition also called on Mr Muhyiddin to advise the king to reconvene parliament at the soonest. 

“If the prime minister continues to dally, or gives excuses to delay parliament session, it does not just mean he has set aside His Majesty’s view. It also gives the impression that the Prime Minister has lost confidence to continue governing," said the PH statement. 

It added that if  the Prime Minister still refuses to advise the king soon, he should take the honorable step by resigning. 

Selanor Chief Minister Amirudin Shari. (Photo: Bernama) 

Among state governments, Selangor chief minister Amirudin Shari announced on Thursday that he would meet with the state assembly speaker to begin plans to reconvene the legislature, including obtaining assent from the state ruler. 

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2021-06-17 10:25:45Z
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Putin and Biden will not be friends but see path together - CNA

GENEVA: There was no talk of gazing into Vladimir Putin's "soul" and the Russian president didn't try to gaslight a rookie US leader.

Instead, Putin's first summit with the fifth US president of his tenure, Joe Biden, was about mutual respect - and the meeting in Geneva could, both of them said, lead to a more predictable, if still tense, relationship.

In contrast to his predecessors, Biden made no suggestion he expected to reset the relationship and he has already piled pressure on Russia over concerns including alleged election meddling, attacks by cybercriminals against the Colonial Pipeline and other US infrastructure and over the poisoning and jailing of dissident Alexei Navalny.

But after earlier remarks that included calling Putin "a killer", Biden on the eve of the summit described the Russian leader as "a worthy adversary" and at a news conference afterward said that they would see where they had common interests.

Putin, who at his 2018 summit with Donald Trump in Helsinki was widely seen as dominating the reality television star turned president, called Biden "a very experienced politician" who was able to speak in rare detail in the "very constructive" more than three hours of talks.

"Biden generally is someone who wants constructive relations. He doesn't consider Putin a friend," said Ian Bremmer, president of the Eurasia Group political risk firm.

Similar to his view of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Biden "doesn't trust them but he does expect Russia will act in its interest and the two countries have some interests that overlap and where we should work together," Bremmer said.

READ: Biden queries China's desire to find origin of COVID-19

Bremmer said the test of the relationship will come afterward.

"I want to see that in the next three months we have materially fewer ransomware incidents and nothing of the scale that we had against Colonial Pipeline that comes from Russia. That's absolutely critical."

GROUNDWORK FOR FUTURE

Putin made no promises at his news conference on cybercrime, appearing to deny Russian involvement, but Biden, signalling that he sent a warning, said that Putin "knows there are consequences" for Russian actions.

The leaders said they would return ambassadors to each other's capitals and that diplomats would work on the release of prisoners.

"I'm not sure how much better it could have gone but it could have gone much worse. This could have been name-calling, posturing, lecturing, talking past each other," said Yuval Weber, a Russia expert at the Wilson Center's Kennan Institute and professor at Texas A&M's Bush School of Government and Public Service in Washington.

Unlike in the Cold War, when US and Soviet leaders would come together to sign accords on major issues such as nuclear weapons, Biden and Putin never expected breakthroughs in Geneva, Weber said.

"What they were looking for was whether they can get along well enough in person to keep the conversation going," Weber said.

READ: Little warmth despite the heat at Biden-Putin summit

Weber said that Putin was "notoriously a very thin-skinned person" who was likely unsettled by Biden's initial comments on him.

By calling Putin a "worthy adversary" and speaking of Russia as a powerful nation, Biden is following a strategy of "saying things that Putin can then latch onto," Weber said.

US PARTISAN DIVIDE

Former president Barack Obama infuriated Putin by calling Russia, which backs separatists in Ukraine, a "regional power" acting "not out of strength but weakness".

But Obama, like previous presidents, took office hoping to restore relations with Russia. George W. Bush famously said after meeting Putin in 2001 that he could "get a sense of his soul."

Trump broke the mould by voicing admiration for Putin. After his 2018 summit in Helsinki, Putin drew criticism even within his own Republican Party when he appeared to take at face value Putin's denial of election interference - even as Putin also openly said he wanted Trump to be president.

Republicans quickly attacked Biden over the Geneva summit, saying he should have been more confrontational.

"Summits are about delivering results," said Jim Risch, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "To learn there was no tangible progress made with Russia on any issue is both unfortunate and disappointing."

But Senator Bob Menendez, the Democrat who heads the committee, praised Biden for "bluntly speaking truth" to Putin.

"This was a necessary reality check for Putin and a welcome departure from the past four years of Trump's coddling of the Kremlin," Menendez said.

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2021-06-17 09:45:00Z
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China mourns passing of heroic pig that survived 2008 quake - CNA

SHANGHAI: A pig that became an unlikely national icon in China after surviving 36 days under rubble from a powerful 2008 earthquake has died at the age of 14, sparking an outpouring of emotion on Thursday (Jun 17).

"Zhu Jianqiang", or "Strong Pig", shot to fame after being discovered alive after the 7.9-magnitude earthquake in south-western Sichuan province on May 12, 2008.

The earthquake left nearly 90,000 people dead or missing, and the pig's miraculous story, subsisting on a bag of charcoal and rainwater, was hailed as an inspiring symbol of the will to survive.

Witnesses said that the young Zhu Jianqiang had lost so much weight by the time it was pulled from the rubble that it looked more like a goat.

A local museum near the city of Chengdu had purchased the famous pig for 3,008 yuan (US$450) and kept it as a tourist attraction while it lived out its days.

Weibo users hailed it as "the most famous pig in history". (File photo: AFP/Johannes Eisele)

The pig was purchased by a museum and became a popular tourist attraction, seen as an inspiring symbol of the will to survive. (File photo: AFP/Johannes Eisele)

It succumbed to "old age and exhaustion" on Wednesday night, the museum said on China's Twitter-like Weibo platform.

In human terms, it was 100 years old, the Global Times said, citing its breeder.

The celebrity porker was named China's animal of the year in 2008 because it "vividly illustrated the spirit of never giving up".

The Weibo hashtag "Strong Pig died" had drawn nearly 300 million views by midday on Thursday and was rising fast.

Weibo users hailed it as "the most famous pig in history".

"It is indeed a strong animal, not just for surviving the earthquake, but also for the 13 years of life afterwards," said one popular Weibo post.

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2021-06-17 08:00:18Z
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Hundreds of Indonesian doctors contract COVID-19 despite vaccination, dozens hospitalised - CNA

JAKARTA: More than 350 Indonesian doctors have contracted COVID-19 despite being vaccinated with Sinovac and dozens have been hospitalised, officials said, as concerns rise about the efficacy of some vaccines against more virulent virus strains.

Most of the doctors were asymptomatic and self-isolating at home, said Badai Ismoyo, head of the Kudus district health office in Central Java, but dozens were in hospital with high fevers and declining oxygen saturation levels.

Kudus is battling an outbreak believed to be driven by the more transmissible Delta variant which has pushed bed occupancy rates above 90 per cent in the district.

Designated as a priority group, Indonesian healthcare workers were among the first to be vaccinated when the inoculation drive started in January.

READ: 'We are worried,' say Indonesian healthcare workers as COVID-19 takes toll on medical system

Almost all have received the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Chinese biopharmaceutical company Sinovac, according to the Indonesian Medical Association.

While the number of Indonesian healthcare workers dying from COVID-19 has decreased significantly – dropping from 158 deaths this January to 13 this May, according to data initiative group LaporCOVID-19 – public health experts say the Java hospitalisations are cause for concern.

"The data shows they have the Delta variant so it is no surprise that the breakthrough infection is higher than before because as we know the majority of healthcare workers in Indonesia got Sinovac, and we still don't know yet how effective it is in the real world against the Delta variant," said Dicky Budiman, an epidemiologist from Australia's Griffith University.

READ: Indonesia warns COVID-19 cases may not peak until July as hospitals fill

A spokesperson from Sinovac and Indonesia's ministry of health were not immediately available for comment on the efficacy of Sinovac's CoronaVac against newer coronavirus variants.

Grappling with one of the worst outbreaks in Asia, with more than 1.9 million cases and 53,000 deaths, there has been a heavy toll on Indonesia's doctors and nurses with 946 deaths.

Many are now experiencing pandemic fatigue and taking an increasingly laissez-faire approach to health protocols after being vaccinated, said Lenny Ekawati, from LaporCOVID-19.

"That phenomenon happens quite often these days, not only within the community but also healthcare workers," she said. "They think because they are vaccinated that they are safe."

But as more cases of the highly transmissible Delta variant are identified in the world's fourth most populous nation, the data is starting to tell a different story.

Across Indonesia, at least five doctors and one nurse have died from COVID-19 despite being vaccinated, according to the data initiative group, although one had only received their first shot.

READ: 'No evidence' inactivated virus vaccines more efficacious against COVID-19 variants than mRNA ones: Singapore expert committee

In Kudus, one senior doctor has died, said the Indonesian Medical Association, although it is understood he had a comorbidity.

In the Indonesian capital Jakarta, radiologist Dr Prijo Sidipratomo told Reuters he knew of at least half a dozen doctors in the city who had been hospitalised with COVID-19 in the past month despite being vaccinated, with one currently being treated in the intensive care unit.

"It is alarming for us because we cannot rely on vaccinations only," he said, urging people to strictly adhere to health protocols.

Weeks after the Eid Al-Fitr holidays, Indonesia has experienced a surge in cases, with the positivity rate exceeding 23 per cent on Wednesday (Jun 16) and daily cases nearing 10,000, the highest since late February.

In its latest situation report the World Health Organization called for Indonesia to implement a stricter lockdown with increased transmission due to variants of concern and a "drastic increase in bed occupancy rates" necessitating urgent action.

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2021-06-17 07:54:01Z
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Hong Kong police raid newspaper Apple Daily, arrest 5 including editor-in-chief - CNA

HONG KONG: Hong Kong police arrested five executives at the Apple Daily early Thursday (Jun 17) morning, including its editor-in-chief Ryan Law.

It was the second time in less than a year that the newspaper's office has been raided. More than 500 police officers were involved in Thursday's operation, which authorities said was sparked by articles Apple Daily had published "appealing for sanctions" against Hong Kong's and China's leaders. 

Police officers were seen sitting at computers in the newsroom after entering with a warrant to seize journalistic materials, including from reporters' phones and laptops. 

The warrant, which police said was aimed at gathering evidence for a case involving the national security law that Beijing imposed last year, raises further concerns about media freedom in the city.

Officials said the five executives were arrested for collusion with a foreign country or external elements "to endanger national security".

"They have overall responsibility for the content, style and principles of news reporting," senior superintendent Steve Li told reporters.

Authorities also confirmed HK$18 million (US$2.3m) in Apple Daily assets had also been frozen under the security law, the first time a seizure order has been made directly against a Hong Kong media company, rather than an individual.

Police officers gather outside the headquarters of Apple Daily in Hong Kong, Jun 17, 2021. (Apple Daily via AP)

Security Secretary John Lee described the newsroom as a "crime scene" and said the operation was aimed at those who use reporting as a "tool to endanger" national security.

"We are talking about a conspiracy in which these suspects try to make use of journalistic work to collude with a foreign country or external elements to impose sanctions or take hostile activities against Hong Kong and ... China," Lee said. 

He did not elaborate on which articles the police action was taking aim at.

"It is your choice whether you will regard them as part of you who go about your journalistic work lawfully and properly," he told reporters.

Senior superintendent Li said the tabloid published dozens of reports dating back to 2019 that "incited foreign countries to impose sanctions", without saying when the most recent articles in question were.

The legislation is not retrospective but prosecutors can use actions from before its implementation as evidence.

'BLATANT ATTACK'

The five people arrested were editor-in-chief Ryan Law, chief executive officer Cheung Kim-hung, chief operating officer Chow Tat-kuen, deputy chief editor Chan Puiman and chief executive editor Cheung Chi-wai.

"This is a blatant attack on the editorial side of Apple Daily. They are arresting editors. They're arresting the top editorial folks," Mark Simon, an adviser to Jimmy Lai, told Reuters.

The tabloid's billionaire owner Lai, 73, was charged with collusion after hundreds of officers searched the paper's newsroom last August. He is currently serving multiple jail sentences for attending various protests.

READ: Future sours for Hong Kong's brazen Apple Daily tabloid

The paper broadcast live footage of the police raid on Thursday on its Facebook account. Officers could be seen cordoning off the complex and walking through the building.

"They arrived around 7am this morning, our building is besieged," an unnamed reporter said in a live commentary with the broadcast. "Now we can see them moving boxes of materials onto their truck."

"Police are restricting us from using quite a lot of our equipment. But we can still keep this live camera on and our website will keep updating," the voice added.

Chief editor Law was seen walking in handcuffs, flanked by police officers. The Apple Daily paper's general news desk told reporters in a text message seen by Reuters to carry on with their assignments outside the building for the time being.

The move is the latest blow to Apple Daily after authorities last month directed Lai's shares in Next Digital, publisher of the newspaper, to be frozen.

The union representing Apple Daily's journalists described the operation as a "wanton violation of press freedom" that "displayed how much police power has inflated under the national security law".

READ: Jailed HK tycoon Jimmy Lai sentenced to 14 months for Oct 1 illegal assembly

In an interview with AFP last month, Law struck a defiant tone. He admitted that the paper was in "crisis" since the jailing of its owner Lai but said his reporters were determined to press on with publishing.

At a recent townhall meeting, staff members asked Law what they should do if the police came back to arrest him.

He had a simple reply: "Broadcast it live."

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2021-06-17 06:45:00Z
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