Archives of “Politics” category

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Coronavirus – UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is out of hospital!

  
Analysis, Politics

Great news over the weekend with UK PM Johnson discharged from hospital

He had spent a week in hospital, in intensive care for three days with COVID-19.
Johnson posted a video message on Twitter (he is at @BorisJohnson)
A short version is here at the BBC, or in full here at Guardian.
He looks a little haggard, fair enough, but sounds ready to get back into the job.
Johnson’s ill-health was a small niggle for GBP, despite a political system in the UK that would absorb and carry on in the face of such a disruption. That’s been removed now.
Welcome back BoJo!
Great news over the weekend with UK PM Johnson discharged from hospital

Japan PM Abe officially declares state of emergency in seven prefectures

  
Analysis, Politics

Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe, makes the announcement

The state of emergency will last up to a month and will apply to the prefectures of Tokyo, Osaka, Chiba, Kanagawa, Hyogo, Saitama and Fukuoka.

Abe also adds that they will withdraw the order as soon as it is clear that people’s lives are no longer in danger or if the measures are no longer needed.

Just be reminded that Japan cannot legally enforce its citizens to stay at home but considering that the government has finally shown its seriousness, expect this to be somewhat equivalent to lockdown measures deployed in other countries around the world.
Expect this to weigh heavily on the Japanese economy – more so than what we have seen so far – during the month, as the state of emergency is set to run from 7 April until 6 May.

Coronavirus – UK PM Boris Johnson is receiving oxygen in intensive care unit

  
Analysis, Politics
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Comments from an unnamed official:

  • Johnson is receiving oxygen in intensive care unit
  • But is not on a ventilator
I said yesterday that being taken into hospital is not a sign that all is well. Same goes, but even more so, for being admitted to ICU.
The UK health system is already stretched for resources with the outbreak, and Boris Johnson would be the last person in the country to want to place more strain on the system with an unnecessary admission to intensive care. His condition is obviously very serious indeed. We all are wishing him well for a full and speedy recovery.

US embassy in Japan warned US citizens to make arrangements to return to the US now

  
Analysis, Politics
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An ICYMI from Japan, the US embassy there has said to US citizens in Japan they should

  • either return home now or be prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period
  • “If U.S. citizens wish to return to the United States, they should make arrangements to do so now
  • The Japanese Government’s decision to not test broadly makes it difficult to accurately assess the COVID-19 prevalence rate”
This comes amidst a resurgence of cases in Tokyo specifically
  • Tokyo Metropolitan government confirmed 143 new coronavirus infections on Sunday
  • that’s the highest rate of increase on record
  • total in Tokyo now is 1,034
  • The daily infection rate has more than tripled in just a week

North Korea appears to have fired another missile – has not landed in Japan’s EEZ

  
Analysis, Politics
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The Japanese Coast Guard says the unidentified projectile appears not to have land inside Japan’s economic zone.

  • missile has landed in the East Sea
—
“EEZ” is exclusive economic zone
a sea zone prescribed by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
Japans EEZ is in debate, but its approx. the area in the darker blue area in the map below
The Japanese Coast Guard says the unidentified projectile appears not to have land inside Japan's economic zone.

South Korean news organisation reports nearly 200 North Korean soldiers have died from coronavirus

  
Analysis, Politics
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Daily NK say the Covid-19 virus killed 180 North Korean soldiers in January and February

  • And that another 3,700 military personnel are in quarantine
Yonhap say almost 10,000 people in total in NK have been quarantined (nearly 4,000 have been released since they did not present symptoms).
The South China Morning Post convey the news, which is just awful if true.
  • Daily NK attributed its information to a medical corp report from within the North Korean military
  • Officials are looking into increasing the soldiers’ supply of food so their bodies are better equipped to resist Covid-19
Daily NK say the Covid-19 virus killed 180 North Korean soldiers in January and February 

China issues warning against travel to the US

  
Analysis, Politics
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The Chinese tourism ministry announces the decision

China US

It says that Chinese tourists have been treated unfairly in the US due to the excessive epidemic prevention measures and the current US security situation. Hence, they have asked residents not to travel to the US during the interim period.

I don’t even know how to interpret this but I’m guessing US citizens will feel more relieved by the announcement and perhaps for global markets, it means a lesser likelihood of an epidemic situation in the US? Hmm.
In the ‘bigger, bigger’ picture though, this still points to ongoing animosity between US-China relations and doesn’t set a good platform for Phase Two talks.

China president Xi says that need to mend the loopholes exposed in this coronavirus outbreak

  
Analysis, Politics
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Comments by China president Xi Jinping via state television

  • Says to push the rollout of biosecurity law as soon as possible
  • Ensuring safety, health of the people is a major task for the country
  • To improve medical insurance and aid system for major diseases
Not the sweetest of Valentine’s messages from Xi but I’m not sure what he actually means by “mending the loopholes” here.
China has taken a major reputation hit as a result of the virus outbreak and how poorly it was handled during the initial stages, with many questions and doubts – still persisting – about the actual figures and cases reported across the country.
Does mending the loopholes mean that they will be more transparent and act quicker next time? Or does it mean that they will double-down efforts to make sure something as malicious as this will not surface among international media if we see a repeat?
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