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FILE PHOTO: Boxes of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine are seen at a vaccination center, amid the coronavirus disease outbreak, in Ronquieres, Belgium April 6, 2021. REUTERS/Yves Herman Doses of vaccines rejected as countries fine-tune their inoculation campaigns will go to poor countries where possible to counter a “shocking imbalance” in distribution, international health officials said on Friday. Authorities in Australia and Greece became the latest to recommend alternatives to the AstraZeneca vaccine for younger people over fears of possible very rare blood clots, while Hong Kong delayed deliveries, saying it had enough alternatives and did not want to waste these shots while global supplies were short. Australia’s decision effectively put paid to plans to have its population vaccinated by the end of October, highlighting the delicate public health balancing act the issue has created. Giving alternative vaccines to younger recipients will delay inoculation campaigns by around a ... » Learn More about Unwanted vaccines needed to help poor countries catch up, international health officials say

The Iranian flag waves in front of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Vienna, Austria, March 1, 2021. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner VIENNA — The U.N. atomic watchdog on Friday flagged a new breach by Iran of its nuclear deal with major powers on the day those powers met to revive the agreement, a report by the agency seen by Reuters showed, likely raising tensions with Western powers. The International Atomic Energy Agency avoids saying Iran has breached the deal. At the same time, it generally only issues such ad hoc reports to member states in the event of a breach. Two diplomats told Reuters what the report described amounted to a fresh breach. The breach has to do with what counts officially towards Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium, a highly sensitive issue since that stockpile could be enriched further to weapons-grade material suitable for nuclear bombs if Iran chose to do so. It denies seeking such ... » Learn More about UN atomic watchdog reports new Iranian breach of nuclear deal

BEIJING (Bloomberg): Chinese authorities are investigating scores of dead pigs found along a section of the Yellow River, according to a state-backed media report, turning the spotlight back on food and water safety in the country. Dozens of pig carcasses were discovered in the Inner Mongolia section of the country’s second-longest river and some were rotting in the water, according to Banyuetan, a magazine run by state news agency Xinhua. Local authorities are investigating the source of the pigs and checking if they carried any disease, in addition to disinfecting the area. This isn’t the first time China has found dead pigs in its rivers. In 2013, thousands of dead pigs were discovered in Shanghai’s Huangpu river -- some of which were reported to be infected with porcine circovirus disease -- threatening the region’s water supply. A year later, authorities pulled more than 100 dead pigs from the Ganjiang River in Nanchang city. The latest discovery comes as China’s hog ... » Learn More about China probes heaps of dead pigs along Yellow River

* Myanmar junta says to hold elections within two years * At least 10 people reported killed by troops * UN envoy rebuffed by generals YANGON, April 10 (Reuters): Nineteen people have been sentenced to death in Myanmar for killing an associate of an army captain, the military owned Myawaddy TV station announced, the first such sentences announced in public since a Feb 1 coup and crackdown on protesters. The report said the killing took place on March 27 in the North Okkalapa district of Yangon, Myanmar's biggest city. Martial law has been declared in the district, allowing courts martial to pronounce sentences. The military rulers who overthrew an elected government said on Friday that a protest campaign against its rule was dwindling because people wanted peace, and that it would hold elections within two years, the first timeframe it has given for a return to democracy. Troops fired rifle grenades at anti-coup protesters on Friday in the town of Bago, near Yangon, witnesses ... » Learn More about Myanmar military sentences 19 to death, says anti-coup protests dwindling

pic) arrived in Bangkok on Friday to begin a tour of Asian countries to step up diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis in the country. Thailand’s Foreign Ministry (MFA) said Schraner Burgener who completed two doses of Covid-19 vaccine, is undergoing seven day quarantine at aalternative state quarantine (ASQ) facility. "Once she has completed her quarantine, she will start to meet with various interlocutors from the Thai government, including Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai, and UN agencies. "This visit to Thailand is a part of the plan of the Special Envoy to visit a number of countries in the region to exchange views and perspectives on the situation in Myanmar, with a view to explore possible solutions,” MFA said in a statement here today. As a neighboring country, MFA said Thailand is deeply concerned about the situation in Myanmar and the impacts it has had on the people of Myanmar. "We are committed to cooperating and engaging ... » Learn More about UN envoys arrives in Bangkok to make Myanmar diplomatic push

The UN's special envoy for Myanmar, Christine Schraner Burgener, is on a tour of Asian countries aimed at charting a path out of the turmoil engulfing the country. It comes amid growing international concern at events in Myanmar, rocked by daily protests since the military ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and seized power on February 1. Burgener starts her trip in Thailand and will also visit China, though exact details and timings for her trip have not been confirmed. UN officials say Burgener wants to travel to Myanmar for face-to-face meetings with the generals, but a junta spokesman ruled it out. "We have not permitted this. We also have no plan to allow it at this moment," spokesman Zaw Min Tun told AFP. Burgener confirmed the junta had said no to her visit. "I regret that Tatmadaw answered me yesterday that they are not ready to receive me," she said on Twitter, using the official name for Myanmar's military. "I am ready for dialogue. Violence never ... » Learn More about Myanmar junta refuses UN envoy visit

BANGKOK (Reuters) - The United Nations special envoy for Myanmar, Christine Schraner Burgener, arrived on Friday in the Thai capital Bangkok in the hope of talks with Myanmar's ruling junta, but said she was told by the generals they were not ready to receive her. "Just arrived in BKK for talks. I regret that Tatmadaw answered me yesterday that they are not ready to receive me. I am ready for dialogue. Violence never leads to peaceful sustainable solutions," Schraner Burgener said on her official Twitter account, using the Myanmar military's name Tatmadaw. (Writing by Kay Johnson; Editing by Martin Petty) ... » Learn More about U.N. envoy for Myanmar arrives in Bangkok in hopes of talks with generals

NEW DELHI: India's daily coronavirus cases on Saturday (Apr 10) rose by a record for the fifth time this week and deaths surged to the highest in more than five months, with hospitals and crematoriums overflowing in parts of the country. New cases in the world's second-most populous country have totalled the most of anywhere in the world over the last two weeks. India's overall tally of 13.21 million is the third-highest globally, just shy of Brazil and below the worst affected country, the United States. The second surge in infections, which has spread much more rapidly than the first one that peaked in September, has forced many states to impose fresh curbs but Prime Minister Narendra Modi has refused to impose a national lockdown given the high economic costs. Authorities in Maharashtra, the Indian state with the highest cases, have ordered a weekend lockdown that will end early on Monday. Mega cities such as Mumbai, the country's financial centre and Maharashtra's capital, ... » Learn More about India’s daily COVID-19 cases rise to record for fifth time this week

NEW DELHI: US climate envoy John Kerry on Tuesday (Apr 6) pressed India, the world's third-biggest carbon emitter, to set more ambitious green goals ahead of UN talks in late 2021 and Joe Biden's upcoming climate summit. A spokesperson for the US embassy in New Delhi, where Kerry arrived on Tuesday for talks with officials and NGOs, said that India was a "critical part of the solution to the climate crisis." Bloomberg News reported last month that top Indian government officials were debating whether to follow dozens of other countries in setting a goal of net zero emissions by mid-century. When Kerry's April trip to the United Arab Emirates, India and Bangladesh was announced, Washington said the aim was "increasing climate ambition" ahead of President Biden's Apr 22 to Apr 23 summit and the UN negotiations in Glasgow in November. "A key focus for our administration is supporting and encouraging India's decarbonization efforts through clean, zero, and low-carbon investment, ... » Learn More about Kerry presses India ahead of Biden climate summit

In this series, AsiaOne speaks to individuals who find themselves changing careers and steering their lives in a new direction, whether by choice or circumstance. Jon Yongfook Cockle did what many wouldn't at the peak of their career in 2018. Then 38, he quit his cushy job in Singapore as Aviva's Head of Digital Product & Design to bootstrap his own startup. He also set himself a formidable challenge: to launch one product every month for a year. By his own admission, his corporate career looked great on paper. He was drawing a good salary of about $15,000 a month and was also leading a great team. But something gnawed at him. The experienced software developer shared with AsiaOne that it was clear to him that he had "reached the peak of [his] career". "Any higher in rank and I would be looking at a much more political-style role where your job is more about influence and relationships rather than hands-on building stuff. "I'm really good at the latter, and terrible ... » Learn More about Man quits $15k Singapore job to build own startup, matches previous salary after 3-year grind