04 Friday, August 14, 2020 World NEWS Duterte to skip Philippine trial of Russia virus vaccine IN BRIEF AFP very first jab, expressing “huge Drug Administration is ex- offering “sustainable immu- the science and technology 33 dead in MANILA trust” in the vaccine, despite pected to approve the vaccine nity” against the coronavirus department met with Gama- growing scepticism about its -- developed by the Gamaleya and is in the final stage of tests leya on Wednesday to discuss Niger floods THE Philippines will begin effectiveness. research institute and the Rus- involving 2,000 people. the protocols for the trial of ABIDJAN Thirty-three peo- large-scale human testing of But his spokesman Harry sian defence ministry -- in Roque said Philippine ex- the vaccine, which is dubbed ple in Niger have died and Russia’s coronavirus vaccine Roque said the president was April. perts will review next month “Sputnik V” after the pioneer- more than 80,000 have in October, but President Rod- scheduled to receive the vac- “May 1 is when the PSG the results of Russia’s Phase 1 ing Soviet satellite of the 1950s. been affected by floods rigo Duterte will not receive cine no earlier than May 1 (presidential security group) and 2 clinical trials before the caused by heavy rains, the the inoculation until regula- -- weeks after the Russian- may allow him, once all requi- Southeast Asian country starts The Philippines has logged country’s emergency ser- tors guarantee its safety, his funded Phase 3 clinical trial in site tests have been finished,” its Phase 3 testing. the highest number of con- vices said on Thursday. spokesman said Thursday. the archipelago is due to end in Roque told reporters. “We will do it simultane- firmed infections in Southeast The worst-hit regions Duterte had offered him- March. Moscow says it has devel- ously with Russia,” Roque said. Asia with more than 147,500 Philippines President Rodrigo are Maradi in south-central self up as a guinea pig for the The country’s Food and oped the world’s first vaccine Philippine officials from cases and over 2,400 deaths. Duterte Niger, Tahoua and Tillaberi in the west, and Dosso in the southwest. Rice, clothing, mats, Pakistan launches blankets and soap are be- ing distributed to victims, vaccination drive to emergency officials said. The Niger River and Lebanon assembly ratifies state rebuild immunity other waterways have burst their banks, and fur- against polio ther storms are expected DPA in the coming days in the ISLAMABAD poor West African state, of emergency after deadly blast the weather service said. PAKISTAN on Thursday (AFP) AFP launched a vaccination cam- BEIRUT ● Top diplomats jetted in paign against polio to protect 55 confirmed to show solidarity, tens of thousands of children dead after south Lebanon’s parliament contribute to the massive from the crippling disease after Thursday approved a two-week ongoing emergency aid months of suspension due to India landslide state of emergency in Beirut coronavirus outbreak. NEW Delhi Fifty-five bod- declared after last week’s gi- effort The campaign to vaccinate ies have been recovered gantic explosion that gives the ● Top US envoy David 34 million children under the by rescuers in southern army greater powers to sup- Hale, who arrived in Beirut age of five in 130 districts of the India’s Kerala state as press resurgent protests. country is scheduled to last until efforts continued to Top diplomats jetted in to Thursday for a three-day August 21. More than 188,000 find 15 people who are show solidarity, contribute to visit, announced that the health workers will participate unaccounted for after last the massive ongoing emergen- Federal Bureau of Investiga- in the campaign, an official said. week’s landslide, a local cy aid effort but also to weigh tion (FBI) would join the Vaccinators will go door- official said. in on political developments probe in the blast. to-door to administer an oral Heavy monsoon rains following a blast widely blamed polio vaccine and Vitamin A in the Pettamudi hills in on state corruption. supplements to build immunity Kerala’s Idukki region A top US envoy announced help answer questions that I amongst susceptible children, triggered a massive land- that the FBI would be joining know everyone has about the he said. At least 40 million chil- slide on Friday burying a the probe into the colossal blast circumstances that led up to dren had missed the periodic settlement of tea planta- that killed 171 people, injured this explosion,” he told report- vaccinations from March to July tion workers in mud and thousands and reignited street ers during a tour of a damaged due to coronavirus lockdown. debris. protests demanding the ouster area near the port. Pakistan launched a po- “Around 82 people of the entire political elite. Calls had been growing in lio eradication programme in were living in the quarters. Dozens of demonstrators Lebanon for an international 1994 and the country came Twelve people have been shouted as lawmakers ar- A pictures shows the devasted Beirut’s port on August 13, 2020 more than one week after a huge chemical and independent investigation, very close to eliminating the rescued and 55 bodies rived at parliament to ratify explosion in the Lebanese capital. (AFP) an option President Michel disease, but recorded 147 new found,” said Antony Scar- the emergency measure, but Aoun has so far ruled out. cases, a five-year high, amid ia, a senior administrative protesters were outnumbered The state of emergency for- protests and snuff out the very a state of emergency,” he said. French and other foreign vaccine boycotts and attacks official in Idukki district. by security forces and failed to mally approved by the parlia- legitimate grievances of a large The massive explosion has investigators had already been on health workers in 2019. Search operations led block the MPs’ cars. ment allows the army to close segment of the Lebanese pop- renewed calls from Lebanon’s working at the blast site but This year’s case count has by the National Disaster Lebanese are furious at down assembly points and ulation”. international partners for their findings are centralised so far reached 64. Response Force were a political leadership that al- prohibit gatherings deemed A military official said the overdue reforms to the politi- by the Lebanese state’s top se- Pakistan’s anti-polio drives continuing to trace the lowed a large shipment of threats to national security. now formalised state of emer- cal system and to shore up the curity echelon. have often run into trouble due 15 people still missing. hazardous ammonium nitrate The move worries Leba- gency would place all security deeply indebted economy. Hale is due to meet some to attacks on the teams admin- Intermittent heavy rains to languish for years in a port non’s 10-month-old protest forces under the command of Top US envoy David Hale, of the country’s top officials on istering the vaccine and cam- made search operations warehouse despite repeated movement that had faded amid the army, which would oversee who arrived in Beirut Thurs- Friday, as is French Defence paigns against the treatment. difficult, Scaria said. safety warnings. the coronavirus pandemic and the “post-explosion phase”. day for a three-day visit, an- Florence Parly, who also ar- Polio cases peaked at 306 Across the country, “You have destroyed us! deepening economic hardship, The official, who asked not nounced that the Federal Bu- rived on Thursday. in 2014, the year an offensive at least 884 people died Leave!” demanded one social but which has returned to the to be named because he is not reau of Investigation (FBI) Both of them made a point against the Taliban began, but in incidents related to media post, calling for more streets with force since the Au- authorised to speak on the is- would join the probe in the of showing that the aid their there had been a sharp reduc- monsoons between the street protests. gust 4 disaster. sue, stressed that it would not blast. countries is offering is being tion since. end of May and up until Prime Minister Hassan Human Rights Watch said lead to “a crackdown” on civil “The FBI will soon join delivered directly to non-gov- The case count fell to 54 in Wednesday, the Home Diab resigned with his cabinet it was “very concerned” the freedoms. Lebanese and international ernment groups on the ground, 2015 and stood at 20 or less in Ministry said. (AFP) Monday but still leads a transi- state of emergency would serve “We support the right to investigators, at the invitation largely bypassing Lebanon’s the three years that followed, tional administration. “as a pretext to crack down on peaceful protest, even during of the Lebanese, in order to toxic political echelons. according to official statistics. India seeks to counter China sway in Maldives with bridge project Africa to see slower rises in virus AFP infrastructure project in the MALÉ Maldives,” Shahid said in a statement. cases after reopening: WHO INDIA on Thursday pledged In total, they will also be AFP pecting to see continuing cording to an AFP tally on $500 million to build bridges more than three times longer JOHANNESBURG increase in cases, a gradual Thursday at 1500 GMT. and causeways in the Maldives, than the $200-million “China- increase... some upticks as Countries that have start- as New Delhi seeks to counter Maldives Friendship Bridge” AFRICA will continue see these measures are being re- ed to experience rising num- growing Chinese influence in completed under Yameen with new coronavirus cases as leased,” WHO Africa regional bers after easing of restric- the Indian Ocean.