Pfizer to Seek OK for 3rd Vaccine Dose; Shots Still Protect

Pfizer is about to seek U.S. authorization for a third dose of its COVID-19 vaccine, saying Thursday that another shot within 12 months could dramatically boost immunity and maybe help ward off the latest worrisome coronavirus mutant.Research from multiple countries shows the Pfizer shot and other widely used COVID-19 vaccines offer strong protection against the highly contagious delta variant, which is spreading rapidly around the world and now accounts for most new U.S. infections.Two doses of most vaccines are critical to develop high levels of virus-fighting antibodies against all versions of the coronavirus, not just the delta variant — and most of the world still is desperate to get those initial protective doses as the pandemic continues to rage.But antibodies naturally wane over time, so studies also are under way to tell if and when boosters might be needed.On Thursday, Pfizer’s Dr. Mikael Dolsten told The Associated Press that early data from the company’s booster study suggests people’s antibody levels jump five- to tenfold after a third dose, compared to their second dose months earlier.In August, Pfizer plans to ask the Food and Drug Administration for emergency authorization of a third dose, he said.Why might that matter for fighting the delta variant? Dolsten pointed to data from Britain and Israel showing the Pfizer vaccine “neutralizes the delta variant very well.” The assumption, he said, is that when antibodies drop low enough, the delta virus eventually could cause a mild infection before the immune system kicks back in.But FDA authorization would be just a first step — it wouldn’t automatically mean Americans get offered boosters, cautioned Dr. William Schaffner, a vaccine expert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Public health authorities would have to decide if they’re really needed, especially since millions of people have no protection.”The vaccines were designed to keep us out of the hospital” and continue to do so despite the more contagious delta variant, he said. Giving another dose would be “a huge effort while we are at the moment striving to get people the first dose.”Currently only about 48% of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated — and some parts of the country have far lower immunization rates, in places where the delta variant is surging. On Thursday, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that’s leading to “two truths” – highly immunized swaths of America are getting back to normal while hospitalizations are rising in other places.”This rapid rise is troubling,” she said: A few weeks ago the delta variant accounted for just over a quarter of new U.S. cases, but it now accounts for just over 50% — and in some places, such as parts of the Midwest, as much as 80%.Also Thursday, researchers from France’s Pasteur Institute reported new evidence that full vaccination is critical.In laboratory tests, blood from several dozen people given their first dose of the Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccines “barely inhibited” the delta variant, the team reported in the journal Nature. But weeks after getting their second dose, nearly all had what researchers deemed an immune boost strong enough to neutralize the delta variant — even if it was a little less potent than against earlier versions of the virus.People fill out a form before receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, in a vaccination center in Lyon, central France, July 7, 2021.The French researchers also tested unvaccinated people who had survived a bout of the coronavirus, and found their antibodies were fourfold less potent against the new mutant. But a single vaccine dose dramatically boosted their antibody levels — sparking cross-protection against the delta variant and two other mutants, the study found. That supports public health recommendations that COVID-19 survivors get vaccinated rather than relying on natural immunity.The lab experiments add to real-world data that the delta variant’s mutations aren’t evading the vaccines most widely used in Western countries, but underscore that it’s crucial to get more of the world immunized before the virus evolves even more.FILE PHOTO: An elderly person receives a dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at Cullimore Chemist, in Edgware, London, Britain, Jan. 14, 2021.Researchers in Britain found two doses of the Pfizer vaccine, for example, are 96% protective against hospitalization with the delta variant and 88% effective against symptomatic infection. That finding was echoed last weekend by Canadian researchers, while a report from Israel suggested protection against mild delta infection may have dipped lower, to 64%.Whether the fully vaccinated still need to wear masks in places where the delta variant is surging is a growing question. In the U.S., the CDC maintains that fully vaccinated people don’t need to. Even before the delta variant came along, the vaccines weren’t perfect, but the best evidence suggests that if vaccinated people nonetheless get the coronavirus, they’ll have much milder cases.”Let me emphasize, if you were vaccinated, you have a very high degree of protection,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s top infectious disease expert, said Thursday.In the U.S., case rates have been rising for weeks, and the rate of hospitalizations has started to tick up, rising 7% from the previous seven-day average, Walensky told reporters Thursday. However, deaths remain down on average, which some experts believe is at least partly due to high vaccination rates in people 65 and older — who are among the most susceptible to severe disease.

US COVID Cases, Hospitalizations Rise Again

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Thursday new cases of COVID-19 were up in the United States by nearly 11 percent in the past week, driven by the prevalence of the delta variant in areas with the nation’s lowest vaccination rates.
During the regular weekly White House COVID Response Team briefing, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said hospitalizations were also up in the past week by about seven percent, while deaths from COVID-19 continued to fall.  
Walensky said the statistics show “two truths” that exist in the U.S., with the nation’s vaccination effort significantly driving down cases, hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 from the peaks they reached in January. She said more than 160 million people in the United States are now fully vaccinated.
On the other hand, the CDC director said “new and concerning trends” are being seen indicating the areas with the lowest vaccination rates have the highest rates of new cases and highest percentage of the more contagious delta variant of the virus that causes COVID-19.
 
She said the delta variant is now the most prevalent variant in the country, accounting for more than 50 percent of all new cases across the country, up from 26 percent in just over two weeks. She said the variant accounts for much as 80 percent of new cases in some areas of the Midwest and mountain states.
The CDC director said 93 percent of the 173 counties in the U.S. with infection rates higher than 100 per 100,000 people also have vaccination rates below 40 percent.  
Walensky, along with White House Senior Health Advisor Anthony Fauci, stressed the effectiveness of all the available COVID-19 vaccines against the delta variant, in terms of preventing severe disease, hospitalizations and deaths. Both stressed the need for widespread vaccinations to truly turn the corner on the pandemic.
Fauci and Walensky also clarified that fully vaccinated people have a high degree of protection from the virus and do not need to wear masks indoors.  
Fauci said that if you were a fully vaccinated person with conditions that make you susceptible to serious illness and you were in a location with low vaccination rates and or a high rate of infection, you might consider wearing a mask. But he stressed that was not a recommendation. 
 

Billionaires Gear Up for Space as the Arab World Names First Female Astronaut 

It seems Richard Branson, and not Jeff Bezos, will be the first billionaire in space.  Plus, a new robot could make work safer on the International Space Station, while the UAE names its first female astronaut.  VOA’s Arash Arabasadi has the Week in Space.Camera:  AP/NASA/EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY (ESA)/REUTERS/VIRGIN GALACTIC/SPACE X/GSMA/ESA Produced by : Arash Arabasadi  

UN Chief Calls for Better Global COVID-19 Vaccination Efforts  

As the world surpassed four million coronavirus-related deaths, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that millions more remain at risk “if the virus is allowed to spread like wildfire.” The head of the world body said in a written statement that most of the world is “still in the shadows” due to the inequitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccine between the world’s richest and poorest nations and the rapid global spread of the more contagious delta variant of COVID-19.  Guterres called for the creation of an emergency task force, composed of vaccine-producing nations, the World Health Organization and global financial institutions, to implement a global vaccine plan that will at least double production of COVID-19 vaccine and ensure equitable distribution through the COVAX global vaccine sharing initiative. “Vaccine equity is the greatest immediate moral test of our times,” Guterres said, which he also called a “practical necessity.”   “Until everyone is vaccinated, everyone is under threat,” he added. The Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center is reporting 4,002,909 total COVID-19 deaths, out of 185.1 million total confirmed cases. The World Health Organization is urging nations to proceed with “extreme caution” as they ease or altogether end lockdowns and other restrictions in the face of a steady rise of new infections due to the delta variant.  Dr. Mike Ryan, the agency’s head of health emergencies program, told reporters in Geneva Wednesday that countries are making “a false assumption” that transmission rates will not increase because of high vaccination rates.  “The idea that everyone is protected and it’s Kumbaya and everything is back to normal I think right now is a very dangerous assumption anywhere in the world,” Ryan said, according to CNBC.   In a similar vein, an open letter signed by hundreds of scientists published in the Lancet medical journal denounced British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s plan to lift most of the country’s coronavirus restrictions on July 19, a date the prime minister has dubbed “Freedom Day.”   The letter called the government’s reopening plans “unethical” and “dangerous”  because it involves acceptance of a high level of new infections. Britain is now averaging more than 25,000 new infections over a seven-day period due to the delta variant, but hospitalizations are in the hundreds and the average number of fatalities per day has remained in the low double digits due to the country’s high vaccination rate. Health Secretary Sajid Javid has acknowledged that the rate of new infections could climb to as many as 100,000 a day after July 19, when mandates such as social distancing and mask wearing will expire.   Meanwhile, the SEA Games Federation announced Thursday this year’s Southeast Asian Games has been postponed due to a rise of new infections in Vietnam, the host country. The regional games were scheduled to be held in the capital, Hanoi, and 11 other locations from November 21 and December 2.   The announcement coincides with a suspension of public passenger services in Hanoi and a two-week lockdown in Ho Chi Minh City that takes effect Friday.  The Southeast Asian Games are the latest sporting event affected by the pandemic.  Organizers of the Australian Grand Prix auto racing event announced Tuesday it is canceling the Formula One race for the second consecutive year because of Australia’s strict travel and quarantine mandates, while the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, which was scheduled for October, has also been scrapped for a second year. This report includes information from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

UNICEF to Ship 220 Million Doses of J&J COVID-19 Vaccine to African Union

UNICEF said Thursday it has signed a deal to provide up to 220 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to African Union member states by the end of 2022.
 
The child humanitarian group announced in a statement the agreement was reached with Belgium-based and J&J-owned Janssen Pharmaceutica NV.
 
An additional 35 million doses of the single-dose vaccine could be delivered to the African Union’s 55-member states by the end of this year and another 180 million doses could be ordered by year’s end, UNICEF said.
 
“African countries must have affordable and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines as soon as possible. Vaccine access has been unequal and unfair, with less than 1 per cent of the population of the African continent currently vaccinated against COVID-19. This cannot continue,” said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore. “UNICEF, with its long history of delivering vaccines all around the world, is supporting global COVID-19 vaccination efforts through AVAT, COVAX, and other channels to maximize supply and access to vaccines.”
 
The J&J vaccine received emergency approval from the World Health Organization in March.

Japan Formally Declares New COVID-19 State of Emergency for Olympics

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has formally declared a new state of emergency for Tokyo due to the rise of new COVID-19 cases in the capital city.   The new decree will take effect next Monday, July 12 and last until August 22 — a period that will cover the duration of the Tokyo Olympics, which will take place between July 23 and August 8. The new state of emergency will likely prompt the government to either scale back the number of spectators allowed to witness Olympics events to 5,000 people, or ban them altogether. Olympic organizers announced just last month that it would allow just 10,000 people, or 50% of a venue’s capacity, at all events, despite advice from health experts that banning all spectators was the “least risky” option.  Foreign spectators have already been banned from attending the Olympics.  Local and national government officials along with Olympic and Paralympic officials will make a final decision Thursday or Friday about allowing spectators after meeting with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach.  Bach arrived in Tokyo Thursday and immediately entered a mandatory three-day quarantine period.   Tokyo and several other prefectures shifted last month from a state of emergency imposed in April into “quasi-emergency” measures that are set to expire Sunday, July 11.  However, Japan is coping with a fourth wave of new infections and a slow vaccination campaign that has left just 15% of all Japanese citizens fully inoculated. Tokyo reported 920 new infections Wednesday, its highest numbers since May.  The surge has already affected two traditional Olympic events. Tokyo’s metropolitan government announced Wednesday that it will move the iconic Olympic torch relay off the city’s public roads; relay runners will instead carry the torch out of public view to private torch-lighting ceremonies across Tokyo after the Olympic symbol arrives Friday.   In addition, Olympic organizers will request that the public not gather on the streets to witness the marathon races when they are staged in the final days of the games. The Tokyo Olympics are set to take place after a one-year postponement as the novel coronavirus pandemic began spreading across the globe. The current surge prompted staunch public opposition against going through with the Olympics, including a prominent group of medical professionals that urged Suga to call off the games.     This report includes information from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.   

China Accuses Australia of Meddling in Papua New Guinea Vaccination Efforts

Chinese state-owned media has claimed that Australian consultants in Papua New Guinea have been hindering the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines flown in from China. It was alleged that they had engaged “in political manipulation and bullying” there.Australia has strongly denied claims it has tried to sabotage China’s efforts to boost vaccinations in Papua New Guinea.Papua New Guinea is currently using the AstraZeneca vaccine. Two hundred thousand doses of the Sinopharm vaccine have recently been flown in from China but have yet to be approved for use by local authorities.A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson warned Australia to “stop interfering with and undermining vaccine cooperation between China and Pacific Island countries.”Australia’s minister for the Pacific, Zed Seselja, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. all international assistance is welcome.“When it comes to the rollout, what we are focused on is making sure that we are providing as much assistance as we possibly can,” Seselja said. “If other countries want to provide assistance that is wonderful.”Papua New Guinea is Australia’s nearest neighbor and has recorded more than 17,000 coronavirus infections and 174 deaths since the pandemic began but it is hard to get accurate figures due to lack of testing, according to media reports.The South Pacific nation has a population of about 9 million. It has administered just under 55,000 vaccine doses, faced with both hesitancy among Papua New Guineans and a lack of supply.Australia has pledged to ship 10,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Papua New Guinea every week, along with medical support. It has also promised to donate tens of thousands of additional doses to other Pacific nations.China delivered 50,000 Sinopharm doses to the Solomon Islands earlier this year.The row over vaccines in Papua New Guinea is the latest dispute between Australia and China. Relations have soured in recent years over geopolitical flashpoints, including Beijing’s military ambitions in the South China Sea and allegations of Chinese interference in Australia’s domestic affairs.Papua New Guinean health officials are trying to stay out of any diplomatic arguments between Australia and China. They have said they are not concerned about where their coronavirus vaccines come from but just want sufficient supplies to protect the country’s population.

Japan to Declare New COVID-19 State of Emergency for Tokyo Through Olympics

The Japanese government is expected to announce Thursday that it will impose a new state of emergency for Tokyo due to the rise of new COVID-19 cases across the country.Yasutoshi Nishimura, the government’s economy minister and head of its coronavirus response efforts, told reporters the state of emergency will begin Monday and last until Aug. 22 — a period that will cover the duration of the Tokyo Olympics, which will take place between July 23 and Aug. 8.The new state of emergency will likely prompt the government to either scale back the number of spectators allowed to witness Olympics events to 5,000 people, or ban them altogether. Organizers of the Tokyo Olympics announced just last month that it would allow just 10,000 people, or 50% of a venue’s capacity, at all events, despite health experts advising the government that banning all spectators was the “least risky” option for holding the games.Foreign spectators have already been banned from attending the event.Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is expected to formally announce the state of emergency Thursday.Local and national government officials along with Olympic and Paralympic officials will make a final decision on Thursday or Friday about allowing spectators after meeting with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach. Bach is scheduled to arrive in Tokyo on Thursday and enter into a mandatory three-day quarantine period.Tokyo and several other prefectures shifted last month from a state of emergency imposed in April into “quasi-emergency” measures that are set to expire Sunday.However, Japan is coping with a fourth wave of new infections and a slow vaccination campaign that has left just 15% of all Japanese citizens fully inoculated. Tokyo reported 920 new infections Wednesday, its highest numbers since May.The surge has already affected two traditional Olympic events. Tokyo’s metropolitan government announced Wednesday that it will move the iconic Olympic torch relay off the city’s public roads; relay runners will instead carry the torch out of public view to private torch-lighting ceremonies across Tokyo after the Olympic symbol arrives Friday.In addition, Olympic organizers will request that the public not gather on the streets to witness the marathon races when they are staged in the final days of the games.The Tokyo Olympics are set to take place after a one-year postponement as the novel coronavirus pandemic began spreading across the globe. The current surge prompted staunch public opposition against going through with the Olympics, including a prominent group of medical professionals that urged Prime Minister Suga to call off the games.This report includes information from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.  

South Korea on Verge of Major Lockdown, Amid Infection Spikes

South Korea’s capital is on the verge of perhaps its most intense lockdown yet, after the country reported its largest daily surge of coronavirus cases.Officials on Thursday recorded 1,275 new infections, the vast majority of which were in the Seoul area, where over half of South Koreans live.That is South Korea’s largest number of confirmed daily cases since the pandemic began.Seoul may soon impose the toughest restrictions under a four-tier social distancing system, said Sohn Young-rae, a senior Health and Welfare Ministry official, according to the Yonhap news agency.Level 4 restrictions can include severe measures, such as a ban on private gatherings of more than two people after 6 p.m.That would amount to the first intense lockdown of Seoul, where life has largely gone on as usual over the past year and a half, compared to many other parts of the world.South Korea won international praise for its initial containment of the virus, thanks to its efficient and widely available COVID-19 tests and intense contact tracing.However, the country has lagged most other developed countries in acquiring vaccines, meaning it has been stuck in a state of not being fully opened or closed.Over the past several weeks, restaurants, cafes, and outdoor parks along Seoul’s Han River have been more crowded than usual, as the government prepared to ease social distancing precautions.Many now say that message was premature, leading to what health officials call the fourth wave of the virus.Health officials say they are especially concerned that the virus is spreading among those in their 20s and 30s, many of whom are not yet eligible for vaccinations. There is also a growing number of cases of the highly transmissible delta variant.The outbreak is especially centered in the Seoul metropolitan area, a densely populated region with more than 25 million people.Health officials have identified cluster infections at several so-called English “cram schools” in the Seoul outskirts, as well as a restaurant near the Seoul city center.In some ways, South Korea’s situation mirrors that of other Asian countries, such as Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia, which have seen recent infection spikes after initially controlling the virus.South Korea’s outbreak, though, is still mild compared to many other countries. According to government figures, only about 2,000 South Koreans have died of the virus, compared to 605,000 in the United States and 128,000 in Britain.However, in Britain and the United States, the vaccine has been widely available for months. In South Korea, less than 11% of the population have been fully vaccinated, according to health authorities.South Korea’s government says it is still on track to vaccinate enough people to achieve herd immunity by November and has recently reached several deals that could speed up the pace of vaccinations.

Study: Northwest Heat Wave Impossible Without Climate Change

The deadly heat wave that roasted the Pacific Northwest and western Canada was virtually impossible without human-caused climate change that added a few extra degrees to the record-smashing temperatures, a quick new scientific analysis found.An international team of 27 scientists calculated that climate change increased chances of the extreme heat occurring by at least 150 times, but likely much more.The study, not yet peer reviewed, said that before the industrial era, the region’s late June triple-digit heat was the type that would not have happened in human civilization. And even in today’s warming world, it said, the heat was a once-in-a-millennium event.But that once-in-a-millennium event would likely occur every five to 10 years once the world warms another 0.8 degrees Celsius, said Wednesday’s study from World Weather Attribution. That much warming could be 40 or 50 years away if carbon pollution continues at its current pace, one study author said.This type of extreme heat “would go from essentially virtually impossible to relatively commonplace,” said study co-author Gabriel Vecchi, a Princeton University climate scientist. “That is a huge change.”The study also found that in the Pacific Northwest and Canada climate change was responsible for about 2 degrees Celsius of the heat shock. Those few degrees make a big difference in human health, said study co-author Kristie Ebi, a professor at the Center for Health and the Global Environment at the University of Washington.”This study is telling us climate change is killing people,” said Ebi, who endured the blistering heat in Seattle. She said it will be many months before a death toll can be calculated from June’s blast of heat but it’s likely to be hundreds or thousands. “Heat is the No. 1 weather-related killer of Americans.”In Oregon alone, the state medical examiner on Wednesday reported 116 deaths related to the heat wave.The team of scientists used a well-established and credible method to search for climate change’s role in extreme weather, according to the National Academy of Sciences. They logged observations of what happened and fed them into 21 computer models and ran numerous simulations. They then simulated a world without greenhouse gases from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas. The difference between the two scenarios is the climate change portion.”Without climate change this event would not have happened,” said study senior author Friederike Otto, a climate scientist at the University of Oxford.What made the Northwest heat wave so remarkable is how much hotter it was than old records and what climate models had predicted. Scientists say this hints that some kind of larger climate shift could be in play — and in places that they didn’t expect.”Everybody is really worried about the implications of this event,” said study co-author Geert Jan van Oldenborgh, a Dutch climate scientist. “This is something that nobody saw coming, that nobody thought possible. And we feel that we do not understand heat waves as well as we thought we did. The big question for many people is: Could this also happen in a lot of places?”‘You ain’t seen nothing yet’The World Weather Attribution team does these quick analyses, which later get published in peer-reviewed journals. In the past, they have found similar large climate change effects in many heat waves, including ones in Europe and Siberia. But sometimes the team finds climate change wasn’t a factor, as they did in a Brazilian drought and a heat wave in India.Six outside scientists said the quick study made sense and probably underestimated the extent of climate change’s role in the heat wave.That’s because climate models used in the simulations usually underestimate how climate change alters the jet stream that parks “heat domes” over regions and causes some heat waves, said Pennsylvania State University climate scientist Michael Mann.The models also underestimate how dry soil worsens heat because there is less water to evaporate, which feeds a vicious cycle of drought, said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at UCLA and the Nature Conservancy.The study hit home for University of Victoria climate scientist Andrew Weaver, who wasn’t part of the research team.”Victoria, which is known for its mild climate, felt more like Death Valley last week,” Weaver said. “I’ve been in a lot of hot places in the world, and this was the worst I’ve ever been in.”But you ain’t seen nothing yet,” he added. “It’s going to get a lot worse.” 

Burkina Faso Rapper-Turned-Farmer Rhymes on Climate Change

Africa’s Sahel region is seeing the worst effects of climate warming anywhere on the planet, according to the United Nations.Farmers bear the brunt of the changes because 80% of the Sahel’s economy is agrarian.    Art Melody, a musician in Burkina Faso who raps in the local Djula and Moore languages, knows from experience the negative impact on farm production because he is a farmer himself. His songs convey the fear and emotion felt by millions of people across the region because of the impact of global warming.   Art Melody says his grandparents have told him the rainy season used to start in April but now can start in July, so there is less rain and more heat.  FILE – A man herds his goats in the village of Samba, Passore province, northern Burkina Faso, March 29, 2016.The U.N. says the impact of desertification and drought on farmers is one of several factors causing the Sahel conflict in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. Combatants include terror groups linked to Islamic State and al-Qaida.  More than two million people have been displaced because of the fighting, and more than 20,000 people have been killed since 2012, according to data compiled by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project. “When there’s a drought, it’s a disaster, it’s hell,” said Ibrahim Thiaw, executive secretary of the U.N. Convention to Combat Desertification. “When that situation happens, you have two options — flight or fight. Either you flee because there is no way you can produce anymore, or you fight with your neighbors for the limited resources that are still there.”FILE – People work in a dry field near Diapaga, 300 kms northeast of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, March 21, 2012.Conflicts often arise between ethnic groups that traditionally grow crops and those that herd livestock, since land usually cannot be used for both purposes.  While that is a major obstacle, new techniques and technologies can help integrate agricultural production with livestock farming through agro-ecological actions, says Marc Gnasonre, a representative of a Burkinabe farmers union.  As for Art Melody, his songs attempt to raise awareness of the plight of farmers because, he says, if people’s eyes are closed, they will always end up destroying everything, whether it is plants or human relationships.Until the effects of climate change in the Sahel are mitigated, farming will likely get harder and the Sahel’s conflict will likely get worse.  
 

Chinese Social Media Giant WeChat Shuts LGBT Accounts

 China’s most popular social media service has deleted accounts on LGBT topics run by university students and nongovernment groups, prompting concern the ruling Communist Party is tightening control over gay and lesbian content.WeChat sent account holders a notice they violated rules but gave no details, according to the founder of an LGBT group, who asked not to be identified further out of fear of possible official retaliation. She said dozens of accounts were shut down about 10 p.m. Tuesday.It wasn’t clear whether the step was ordered by Chinese authorities, but it came as the ruling party has tightened political controls and had tried to silence groups that might criticize its rule.WeChat’s operator, Tencent Holding Ltd., confirmed it received an email seeking comment but didn’t immediately respond.The Communist Party decriminalized homosexuality in 1997, but gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual and other sexual minorities still face discrimination. While there is more public discussion of such issues, some LGBT activities have been blocked by authorities.The official attitude is increasingly strict, the founder of the LGBT group said.Contents of the WeChat accounts, which included personal stories and photos of group events, were erased, according to the group’s founder.DevastatingThe former operator of a different group for university students, who asked not to be identified for fear of retaliation, called the step a devastating blow.University officials asked students two months ago to shut down LGBT social media groups or to avoid mentioning their school names, according to the LGBT group founder. She said universities in the eastern province of Jiangsu were told by officials to investigate groups for women’s rights and sexual minorities to “maintain stability.”Surveys suggest there are about 70 million LGBT people in China, or about 5% of the population, according to state media.Some groups have organized film festivals and other public events, but those have dwindled.One of the most prominent, Shanghai Pride, canceled events last year and scrapped future plans without explanation after 11 years of operation.China’s legislature received suggestions from the public about legalizing same-sex marriage two years ago, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. However, it gave no indication whether legislators might take action.

Uganda Loses 37 Health Workers to COVID-19 

Uganda saw an increase in deaths among health care workers last month just as COVID-19 cases increased. Sixteen doctors died of the disease, while others are in intensive care.  Uganda Medical Association believes more than 100 health workers have died in the country because of the coronavirus pandemic since March of last year.Dr. Mukuzi Muhereza, the association’s secretary general, said that number rose sharply last month.“The biggest bit was the last two weeks when we lost 16.  Some people are in intensive care and we are holding our fingers. And 14 were active clinicians and most likely got it from the hospitals.” The death of 16 doctors coincides with a general rise in COVID-19 cases last month before the country instituted lockdown restrictions.On July 5, Uganda registered 425 new cases, bringing the cumulative number to 84,979.  More than 2,000 Ugandans have died of COVID-19.According to investigations by the Ministry of Health, a total of 37 doctors have died of COVID during the pandemic.  It says they all had underlying health conditions like diabetes and hypertension, or had not been vaccinated, or were of advanced age.However, Ministry of Health spokesman Emmanuel Ainebyoona acknowledges that doctors and other health care workers in hospitals face elevated risks due to lack of protective gear and medical gloves.He also said the government has been slow to give workers in COVID-19 units their extra pay for enduring risky conditions.“Yes, there might always be delays. But these delays are sometimes not within our controls because they are based on availability of resources. But, we are doing our best as government. That’s why the Director General gave a guidance on double masking. And also, we commit to ensuring health workers always have what to use in the COVID treatment units and our health facilities,” he said. Last week, the head of the ministry’s medical supplies agency, Dr. Moses Kamabare, said the increased number of infections has temporarily overwhelmed the ministry’s ability to deliver personal protective equipment to all hospitals that need it.Kamabare said expanded deliveries will begin next week. 

White House Suggests Reconsidering Marijuana Rules for Athletes

The White House suggested Wednesday that officials should consider changing marijuana use rules after American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson had been banned from representing the United States in the Summer Olympics.
 
The 21-year-old athlete had dominated the 100-meter trials but later accepted a one-month suspension from competing after testing positive for marijuana use.
 
The ban has drawn widespread criticism, with many Black activists in particular noting that marijuana is not a performance-enhancing drug and that the policy has disproportionately affected Black athletes.
 
“We know the rules are where they are. Maybe we should take another look at them,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki told CNN Wednesday.
 
“We certainly have to respect the role of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency and the U.S. Olympic Committee and the decisions they make,” she said.
 
“But it is sad, and we do wish her luck and look forward to seeing her running, running as the fastest woman in the world, and for years to come.”
 
USA Track & Field on Tuesday declined to select her for the U.S. relay team, which will compete in Tokyo a few days after her suspension is set to expire.
 
USATF has said that it is sympathetic to Richardson’s “extenuating circumstances” but that it is beholden to rules set by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
 
“So while our heartfelt understanding lies with Sha’Carri, we must also maintain fairness for all of the athletes who attempted to realize their dreams by securing a place on the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team,” a USATF statement read.
 

COVID-19 Case Surge Forces Olympic Torch Relay Off Tokyo’s Public Streets

Tokyo’s metropolitan government announced Wednesday that it will move the iconic Olympic torch relay off the city’s public roads due to rising numbers of new COVID-19 cases in the Japanese capital.Relay runners will instead carry the torch out of public view to private torch-lighting ceremonies across Tokyo after the Olympic symbol arrives Friday.  The only planned public torch lighting event will take place on a group of small islands off the coast of Tokyo.  In a related development, the Olympics organizing committee says it will request the public not gather on the streets to witness the marathon races when they are staged in the final days of the Games.The latest restrictions involving the upcoming Tokyo Olympics come as organizers and government officials consider plans to limit the number of spectators at the July 23 opening ceremonies to just a handful of dignitaries and Olympic officials.  The Asahi Shimbun newspaper reported Tuesday the idea is part of a larger plan that would also include banning visitors from attending events at large venues and at night.The last Olympic torch relay runner for the Osaka leg concludes the event in Suita, north of Osaka, western Japan, April 14, 2021.Organizers of the Tokyo Olympics announced back on June 21 that it would allow just 10,000 people, or 50% of a venue’s capacity, at all events, despite health experts advising the government that banning all spectators was the “least risky” option for holding the Games. The Asahi Shimbun reported the revised changes to the number of spectators allowed would be negotiated between the government and officials with the International Olympic Committee. Tokyo and several other prefectures were initially placed under a state of emergency in April due to a surge of new COVID-19 infections in the Japanese capital and across the country. The surge prompted staunch public opposition against staging the Olympics, especially among a prominent group of medical professionals that urged Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga to call off the Games.  The prefectures transitioned last month from the state of emergency into “quasi-emergency” measures that are set to expire on July 11, just 12 days before the Olympics opening ceremonies.  But the government is expected to extend the quasi-emergency after a meeting on Thursday, with a decision about the Olympics to follow.   Prime Minister Suga has previously said he would not rule out banning all spectators from attending the Olympics if the situation takes a turn for the worse. Foreign spectators have already been banned from attending the event.  The Tokyo Olympics are set to take place after a one-year postponement as the novel coronavirus pandemic began spreading across the globe.This report includes information from AFP and Reuters

Sydney to Remain in Coronavirus Lockdown for a Third Week

Officials in Australia’s New South Wales state have ordered a week-long extension of Sydney’s strict coronavirus lockdown as the city of five million residents struggles to contain an growing outbreak of the delta variant of COVID-19.The latest lockdown was imposed on June 26 after a Sydney airport limousine driver who had been transporting international air crews tested positive for the variant. More than 300 people have since been infected.The outbreak has grown to more than 300 people, including 27 new cases reported Wednesday.“This delta strain is a game-changer,” New South Wales state Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters in Sydney. “We don’t want to be in a situation where we are constantly having to move between lockdown, no lockdown, lockdown, no lockdown.”Australia has been largely successful in containing the spread of COVID-19 due to aggressive lockdown efforts, posting just 30,861 total confirmed cases and 910 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.  But it has proved vulnerable to fresh outbreaks due to a slow rollout of its vaccination campaign and confusing requirements involving the two-shot AstraZeneca vaccine, which is the dominant vaccine in its stockpile.The new extension for Sydney is set to expire July 16.South Korea is also undergoing a new wave of COVID-19 infections, with authorities reporting 1,212 new cases on Wednesday, its highest one-day total since Christmas Day, when 1,240 new infections were reported. The 1,212 new cases, the majority from  heavily populated Seoul, marks a huge jump from the previous three days, when more than 700 new cases were reported each of those days.Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said officials will maintain current social distancing rules in Seoul for another week, including a ban on private gatherings of five or more people.President Moon Jae-in has also ordered the military, police officers and other civil servants to take part in an extensive contact tracing effort.Health experts say a premature easing of social distancing guidelines, despite a steady increase in new cases, led the public to become complacent and lower its guard.South Korea and Israel reached an agreement for an even swap of COVID-19 vaccines as both countries seek to jump-start their vaccination campaigns.The deal calls for Israel to send 700,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine to South Korea later this month, with South Korea sending back an equal amount of the Pfizer vaccine it has already ordered as soon as September.“This is a win-win deal,” Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in a written statement Tuesday.As many countries ease pandemic restrictions amid rising vaccination rates, Bangladesh and Russia both broke one-day COVID-19 records.Moscow announced it would ease travel restrictions on Russians who had been vaccinated as it also reported over 700 deaths from COVID-19 — a one-day record for the country — on Tuesday.Some 140,000 Russians have died from the virus, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. But observers say the death toll is believed to be much higher.Bangladesh reported 11,525 positive cases Tuesday, the highest one-day case number since the beginning of the pandemic. The country also saw 163 deaths in the past 24 hours, the government reported.The country shares a border with India, where the more contagious and serious delta variant emerged. Health experts in Bangladesh believe infection and death numbers are likely higher.More than 184.6 million people have tested positive for COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic in late 2019, including 3.9 million fatalities, the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center figures. The United States has 33.7 million confirmed infections, followed by India with 30.6 million and Brazil with 18.8 million. The U.S. leads with 605,905 deaths, with Brazil second with 526,892 and India with 404,211.More than 3.2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered.This report includes information from the Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. 

In North India, Artisans Weave a New Garment to Woo Customers

At a workshop in Kullu district in North India, dozens of artisans bend over hand-operated looms, deftly weaving a garment called the sari in vibrant shades of pink and orange.The sari is an unstitched, flowing garment worn by women in India and in South Asian countries like Bangladesh. It is a new addition to the hilly region’s handloom industry, which for decades focused on making shawls and stoles with traditional patterns from woolen yarn.The hope is that adding the handwoven sari to shop shelves will draw in new customers and boost incomes for hundreds of women in the region, who have very few employment avenues available in the primarily rural district.Looms have long been a part of many village homes nestled on hilly slopes, where women use yarn from sheep to make traditional woolen wraps known as “pattu” for the family.In recent decades, they made a living weaving shawls to sell to the tens of thousands of tourists who came to the Himalayan district. But it was becoming harder to attract a younger, more fashion-conscious generation that now prefers coats to the traditional shawl.“I just wanted that this art should not die, this handloom art. So, we thought let us give them some new ideas,” said Richa Verma, the Deputy Commissioner of Kullu. “We are very hopeful that the tourist who is coming to this district will take the sari as a souvenir and boost income opportunities for local people.”They will be among the country’s first woolen saris, which are usually made of cotton and silk. The artisans are optimistic because saris are an intrinsic part of most women’s wardrobes in the country.At the workshops, broader looms have replaced the old, narrower ones because the fabric for saris is woven in a wider width compared to shawls and stoles.“This work is very good for women. We educate our children, and we are managing to live well,” said Vimla Devi, a resident.Saris are hung out to dry in Lalitpur, Nepal, April 17, 2019.Sales of handwoven garments, often made from local yarn, have been growing in recent years as people begin to appreciate their qualities, said Paljor Bodh, the head of Bodh Shawl Weavers, one of the region’s well-known manufacturers of shawls who has lent his support to the sari project. His workshop employs about 60 artisans. Boutique stores in large cities like New Delhi and Mumbai, have helped market their product and boost sales among a niche, upmarket clientele that is willing to spend money on.“Handloom fabrics have more warmth because they are uneven and trap the air,” Bodh said. “Fabric made on power looms . . . does not have any gaps, so it cannot trap body heat.”The challenge, however, has been to enhance the appeal of the traditional handmade garments to a more fashion-conscious public and present them in a new avatar, according to experts. Traditional patterns have been enhanced with motifs that represent the region such as trout fish, local flowers and cedar trees.“To keep up with the times and to raise demand, we have consulted fashion institutes and followed global fashion forecasting trends,” said Ramesh Thakur, the General Manager of the Bhutti Weavers Cooperative Society. Designers have also been involved with the project and training programs organized for artisans.They have adapted to a new format quickly.“We don’t have to teach them much. They are expert in making motifs on the fabric. So, we have to just train them in the length and breadth of the sari plus the weight of the sari,” said Verma. “It should not be very heavy, otherwise it will be very uncomfortable to wear.”While an ancient tradition is getting a new spin, much will depend on luring young people to learn the painstaking art. The craft has been passed down generations, but there is a question mark on how many want to continue working with their hands, said 76-year-old Bodh, who learned the art from his father.“Now computers and phones have captured their attention. So, sometimes local people are hesitant to come thinking that their efforts may not fetch much value. Most of those working here are 40 or 50 years old,” Bodh said. “That is why the future of this art will depend on how much support the government extends.”However, some artisans are weaving dreams into a project. Javitri Thakur, who started weaving in traditional designs into the hand spun shawls to support her family, hopes making saris will open new avenues for her. Over the last four years she has mastered the craft. “Maybe I can start my own business one day,” she said, displaying a new garment she has made.

US Announces Vaccine Donations to Vietnam, Guatemala

The Biden administration announced shipments of millions of Moderna vaccine donations for Guatemala and Vietnam on Tuesday, after pledging to donate 4 million doses to Indonesia last week. But overall, the U.S. fell short of its target of sending 80 million doses to countries in need by the end of June. White House correspondent Patsy Widakuswara has this report on the challenges facing the U.S. effort to help vaccinate the world.

Indonesia Readies More Medical Options for Worst-case Coronavirus Scenario

Indonesia has prepared backup medical facilities for a worst-case scenario where daily coronavirus infections reach 40,000 to 50,000, an official said on Tuesday, as the country reported another day of record fatalities from its worst outbreak so far.Indonesia has one of Asia’s most severe COVID-19 epidemics, exacerbated by the highly infectious Delta variant, with hospitals overstretched, oxygen supply problems and a growing number of sick unable to receive medical attention.Southeast Asia’s largest and most populous country has seen record daily infections in 11 of the past 16 days, with 31,189 new cases and 728 fatalities on Tuesday.Just 1.6% of its more than 270 million population have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.Senior Minister Luhut Pandjaitan said the government has plans to increase oxygen supplies and has identified accommodation infrastructure that can be converted into isolation facilities in the worst-case scenario.”The number can go up to 40,000 or more, that’s why we have prepared scenarios – when it comes to medications, oxygen, and also hospitals,” Luhut said, adding that help had been sought from countries like China and Singapore.Health minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said the government was adding nearly 8,000 new beds in Greater Jakarta, and was closely watching Sumatra and Kalimantan, which were seeing a rise in cases of the Delta variant.As of Monday, 76% of beds in Indonesian hospitals were occupied, health ministry data showed, though some regions on Java island have reported a rate higher than 85%.Indonesia on Saturday tightened curbs on movement, office work, dining and air travel on Java and Bali islands and on Tuesday tightened measures in 20 other provinces.Authorities have voiced concern about reports of heavy traffic in Jakarta and the city’s governor Anies Baswedan said on Twitter his inspection of office buildings on Tuesday found a number of non-essential businesses still operating.”We bury more than 300 people per day, those are our brothers and sisters,” he said in an accompanying video. “This is all about protecting them.”   

Breakthrough Invention Aims to Eliminate Drunk Driving

A breakthrough safety feature being developed for vehicles is designed to potentially save the 10,000 lives lost to drunk driving in the U.S. each year. VOA’s Julie Taboh has more.
Camera: Mike Burke    Footage: DADSS Program, WMUR