New Ebola trial vaccine 'safe'

Published: 7:24 am, Thursday, 26 March 2015

The latest in a string of candidate vaccines against the deadly Ebola virus has proven safe in an early trial in healthy adults in China.

But while it triggered an antibody response in test subjects, further trials must be held to establish whether the drug actually protects against Ebola, the drug's developers said.

Dubbed Ad5-EBOV, the vaccine is the first based on the strain of the Ebola virus behind the west African outbreak, according to a paper published in The Lancet medical journal.

Up to now, all tested Ebola virus vaccines have been based on the virus strain from the Zaire outbreak in 1976 - the first recorded.

The Phase I trial tested the safety of the drug in 120 people in China's Jiangsu province in December and January, said the study authors, who come from a variety of research institutions, public health bodies and the Tianjin CanSino Biotechnology company.

People were given a low or high dose of the test vaccine, or a placebo.

The researchers then monitored them over 28 days for any side-effects and an immune response through the activation of so-called T-cell infection-fighting white blood cells.

They witnessed 'no serious adverse events', the researchers said, and antibodies were 'significantly increased in participants'.

This showed the drug 'has some potential', the team said, though it was not known whether the immune response lasted beyond 28 days, or whether a booster shot would be needed.

There is no licensed vaccine against the disease which has killed more than 10,000 people in west Africa out of nearly 25,000 infected since the start of 2014, mainly in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

Health officials say the current outbreak has been brought under control, but not yet eradicated.

- See more at: http://www.skynews.com.au/news/world/asiapacific/2015/03/26/new-ebola-trial-vaccine--safe-.html#sthash.Cz8H9Bsg.dpuf

North Korea claims it arrested 2 South Korean spies

By Will Ripley, Paula Hancocks and KJ Kwon, CNN

Updated 1848 GMT (0248 HKT) March 26, 2015

Story highlights

• Two men accused of committing crimes of "terrorism" and bringing in forged currency
• South Korea's National Intelligence Service denies claim

(CNN)North Korea has arrested what it claims are two spies who worked for South Korea's intelligence service, a North Korean official said Thursday on condition of anonymity.

The men, identified as Kim Kook Kie and Choi Chun Kil, are accused of committing crimes of "terrorism" and bringing in "large quantities of forged currency," the North Korean source said.

The official said Kim had made a declaration of guilt. CNN cannot confirm the authenticity of the declaration or whether, if Kim made one, it was made under duress.

South Korea's National Intelligence Service told CNN that "the information you've obtained is not true."

"We don't have any information that members of NIS were arrested in North Korea," an NIS representative said.

Chaos in Parliament when minister reveals PAS’s hudud Bill never shown to Malay Rulers

KUALA LUMPUR, March 26 — Pandemonium broke in the Dewan Rakyat today when a federal minister confirmed that the proposed amendments to Act 355, a federal law that the Kelantan PAS government wants changed to enable its enforcement of hudud, was never presented to the Conference of Rulers.

Yesterday, news portal The Malaysian Insider carried a report claiming the Conference of Rulers had rejected Kelantan’s proposed amendments to the said federal law.

“The amendment was not brought the the Council of Rulers for endorsement,” minister in charge of religious affairs Datuk Seri Dr Jamil Khir Baharom said.

His response infuriated PAS chief whip Datuk Mahfuz Omar (pictured) who demanded the federal government explain why the amendments were not presented to the Council of Rulers.

A shouting match then ensued between the lawmakers, resulting in Mahfuz being ejected from the House by deputy speaker Datuk Ismail Mohamed Said.

“Why did they not bring the amendment, when the joint technical committee on hudud had already agreed to the amendment?

“The government had already agreed to this, and now they break what was agreed, to bring this to the council,” Mahfuz told reporters later.

“The amendments to 355 would have allowed for hudud to be implemented in Kelantan,” the PAS leader said.

Yesterday, a Kelantan government leader disputed the article carried by The Malaysian Insider.

Datuk Mohd Takiyuddin Hassan, who is head of Kelantan’s permanent secretariat on hudud, said yesterday he was informed by Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yaakob that the state’s hudud plans were never presented to the royal council in the first place.

“It’s not true. Nothing to do with the Council of Rulers,” he had said.

He went on to point out that the implementation of hudud in Kelantan had already received blessings from the royal institution as far back as 1993 when the state’s Shariah Criminal Code II enactment was passed.

On Tuesday, DAP pilloried PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang for his party’s hudud push, saying it will no longer work with him even as it vowed to remain in the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) pact.

The DAP’s central executive committee that met on Monday night accused Hadi of cooperating with Umno on hudud, in violation of the pact’s common consensus and Common Policy Framework.

The decision will prevent the PR presidential council from carrying out any policy decisions as a consensus agreement is required, but will leave the state administrations of Selangor and Penang undisturbed.

On March 19, PAS-ruled Kelantan passed key amendments to its Shariah Criminal Code II 1993 in a move to enable the eventual implementation of hudud in the Malay-majority east coast state.

Hadi last week served notice to Parliament on the proposed Bill to amend Act 355, which deals with powers of the Shariah court to mete punishments for criminal offences, but BN’s de facto law minister Datuk Nancy Shukri said it may not make it into the order paper for the current session as there are many others on the schedule.

With DAP and PKR’s rejection, PAS and its 21 MPs in the lower House must rely on all of Umno’s MPs plus more from other non-Muslim parties in order to get a simple majority of 112 votes to get the Bill passed.

- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/chaos-in-parliament-when-minister-reveals-pass-hudud-bill-never-shown-to-ma#sthash.i6rDAWLj.dpuf

(Vietnam) President proposes exchanging experience, delegates with Cuba

President proposes exchanging experience, delegates with Cuba

President Truong Tan Sang (right) receives Cuban Prosecutor General Dario Delgado Cura during his working visit to Viet Nam. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyen Khang

HA NOI (VNS) — President Truong Tan Sang hosted a reception for Cuban Prosecutor General Dario Delgado Cura yesterday, during which he suggested an exchange of experience to help with the nation-building process.

He suggested sharing experiences on Party building and the fight against corruption and other crimes, as well exchanging delegations between the Supreme People's Procuracy of Viet Nam and Cuba.

The State leader expressed his delight at the growing traditional friendship between the two countries. He affirmed that Viet Nam has always considered Cuba's achievements its own and vice versa.

 

 

Delgado told Sang that during his working session with the Supreme People's Procuracy they reviewed and signed agreements.

They also mapped out plans to enhance their partnership.

He stressed the significance of the material and spiritual support that the Party, State and people of Viet Nam have given to Cuba over the past 50 years.

Separate receptions

Chief Judge of the Supreme People's Court, Truong Hoa Binh, hosted separate receptions in Ha Noi yesterday for judicial officials from Cuba and Slovakia.

During their meeting, the chief judge and the head of Cuba 's Procuracy, Dario Delgado Cura, shared the outcomes of legal and judicial reforms in their countries.

They also discussed professional issues of mutual concern regarding law enforcement.

Binh said Viet Nam always supported the cause of the heroic Cuban people.

The same day, he welcomed Slovakia 's Minister of Justice, Tomas Borec, who is on a working visit. — VNS

Power shifts in Vietnam’s political system

Power shifts in Vietnam’s political system

5 March 2015

Author: Le Hong Hiep, ISEAS

In recent years the power of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) has increased dramatically. If this trend continues, it may bear important implications for Vietnam’s political outlook.

The Central Committee’s increasing power became evident in October 2012, when the Committee reversed an earlier decision by the Politburo to discipline Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung for his mismanagement of the economy. Then, in May 2013, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong endorsed Nguyen Ba Thanh and Vuong Dinh Hue, who headed the Party’s Commission of Internal Affairs and Commission of Economic Affairs respectively, as additional Politburo members. But the Central Committee elected two other candidates.

Another example of the Committee’s increasing power is its unprecedented confidence vote on 20 top party officials in January 2015.

Against this backdrop, a senior member of the National Assembly has even put forward a bold proposal that Vietnam should adopt a bicameral legislature, with the National Assembly serving as the lower house and the Party’s Central Committee as the senate.

The enhanced power of the Central Committee marks a transformation in the power structure of Vietnam’s political system. After the demise of General Secretary Le Duan in 1986, which marked the end of the strongman era, top political power has rested with the Politburo. Now with the Central Committee asserting its role as the highest authority of the Party, the country’s political power has become increasingly diffuse.

The CPV’s power structure now resembles a reverse pyramid with the Central Committee as the most powerful actor, followed by the Politburo and then the General Secretary. But this transformation is taking place at the top layer of the Party’s structure only. Most of the 3.6 million party members, as well as the public, are left out of the game, and have hardly any influence on the Central Committee’s agenda or its decision-making processes.

Therefore, this trend is not an indication of Vietnam’s progress towards democratisation. Rather, it is indicative of the ongoing power struggle within Vietnam’s top political elites. Prime Minister Dung has been exerting growing influence over the Central Committee, gaining more power at the expense of his peers, especially General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and President Truong Tan Sang. This explains why the Central Committee reversed the Politburo’s decision to discipline him, and denied Politburo membership for Thanh and Hue, who are both political rivals of Dung. It also partly accounts for the fact that Dung outperformed his peers in the Central Committee’s confidence vote in January 2015, although the country’s recent economic performance still leaves much to be desired.

How did Prime Minister Dung gain growing influence over the Central Committee?

The Central Committee is mostly composed of cabinet members and top officials from provinces, whose appointment was either decided or greatly influenced by Dung. Dung’s important role in allocating state budgets to local governments alongside his good relationship with business, which normally maintains close ties with provincial leaders, also affords him a significant level of political loyalty. Dung’s influence over the Ministry of Defense and, especially, the Ministry of Public Security (where he previously served as deputy minister) also works in his favour, because representatives from or associated with these two ministries account for up to 15 per cent of the Central Committee.

Following the 12th CPV National Congress in 2016, it is likely that the new Central Committee will continue to wield growing power. Especially if the current norm of the Committee conducting confidence votes on top party officials is maintained and if Prime Minister Dung is able to secure another term in office despite nearing the Politburo’s age limit.

If Dung can make use of his current political capital to get his protégés and allies elected to the new Central Committee, it is highly likely that he will be able to achieve his ambition of becoming the next CPV General Secretary.

Under such a scenario, Vietnam would have a stronger and more unified leadership, especially given that the next prime minister will probably be one of Dung’s protégés. This may be favourable for Vietnam because it needs a strong and efficient leadership to pursue bolder economic and foreign policy reforms. But strong leadership may also constrain meaningful political reforms and the fight against corruption.

Vietnam’s political leadership still depends on the outcome of ongoing power struggles in the lead up to the next party congress. The game seems now to be inPrime Minister Dung’s favour, but the final score will not be settled until the congress concludes in 2016.

Le Hong Hiep is a visiting fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS), Singapore. He is currently on research leave from his lectureship at the Faculty of International Relations, Vietnam National University- Ho Chi Minh City.

India court refuses to lift rape film ban

Mukesh Singh (second from right) and his fellow rapists are appealing against their sentences

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A court in India has refused to lift a ban on screening a controversial BBC film about the 2012 Delhi gang rape.

Responding to petitions demanding the lifting of the ban, the Delhi high court said the chief justice would hear the case next Wednesday.

A lower court had blocked the film, made for the BBC and India's NDTV, on grounds of "objectionable content".

The film features an interview with one of the men convicted for the 2012 gang rape on a Delhi bus.

Rapist Mukesh Singh, who along with three others is facing the death penalty for the crime, expressed no remorse in the interview, and blamed the victim for fighting back.

Three law students have filed two petitions in the high court demanding that the ban be lifted in the interest of freedom of speech.

While declining to lift the ban, the court said on Thursday that "judges are not from outer space, [they] get subconsciously pressured by [an] emotional media trial".

Critics of the film have variously accused it of glorifying the rapist by giving him a platform, encouraging copycat crimes, or prejudicing the appeals of the rapists and spurring demands to fast-track their executions.

Authorities say the broadcast of the film could lead to "an atmosphere of fear and tension with the possibility of public outcry and law and order situation".

Film-maker Leslee Udwin said the prison, where the rapist is held, and the home ministry had given her permission to conduct the interview.

The killing of the 23-year-old student on a bus in Delhi caused shock and revulsion around the world.

UN Rights Chief Warns Burma Risks Faltering on Reform Path 

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS| Thursday, February 26, 2015 |

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Jordan’s Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid al-Hussein, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights pauses during a news conference at the United Nations European headquarters in Geneva October 16, 2014. (Photo: Reuters)

BERLIN — The United Nation’s top human right official says Burma is “headed in the wrong direction” amid a crackdown on dissidents and minorities.

The Southeast Asian nation’s military-backed government has pledged to introduce democratic reforms and hold elections later this year.

But U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein warned Wednesday that “recent developments relating to the human rights of minorities, the freedom of expression and the right to peaceful protest are calling into question the direction of that reform, and even threatening to set it back.”

Zeid cited the jailing of peaceful protesters, journalists and opposition figures, as well as persecution of Burma’s Rohingya, a Muslim minority group.

He said “accountability for the military will be a key test for the transition.”

25 February 2015 Last updated at 00:28 ET

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Anwar Ibrahim's family seek Malaysia royal pardon

Anwar Ibrahim has said the charges were "complete fabrication"

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The family of jailed Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim say they have sought a royal pardon over his conviction for sodomy.

Anwar was jailed for five years earlier this month in a case which he has always maintained was brought to keep him out of politics.

His family said he was a political prisoner who had been "tyrannised" and that his health was at risk in prison.

The pardon bid means a delay in Anwar's disqualification from politics.

He has widely been seen as the only real threat to the ruling coalition, which insists that his conviction was fair.

'Justice will prevail'

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Anwar Ibrahim's daughter Nurul Izzah: "We have filled for a pardon based on a miscarriage of justice"

Under the constitution, Anwar would have been automatically banned from politics for five years within 14 days of his conviction, unless he sought an appeal.

He had previously said he would not seek a pardon, as that would imply an admission of guilt.

But in a statement on behalf of his family, Anwar's daughter Nurul Nuha Anwar said the case was a miscarriage of justice.

Anwar's family say he is a victim of government attempts to silence him

"We placed our confidence in the constitutional process and believe that justice will prevail when all the facts are scrutinised without political intervention," she said.

The pardon petition was submitted to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Malaysia's elected monarch. The monarchy rotates between the hereditary rulers of nine Malaysian states.

Sodomy is illegal in Muslim-majority Malaysia, though very few people are ever prosecuted.

Anwar - who has already served one six-year term for another sodomy conviction that was later overturned - has always insisted he is innocent.

In a statement released after he was sent to jail on 10 February, he said the charge was "complete fabrication - coming from a political conspiracy to stop my political career" and that he would be silenced.

A spokesman for Anwar's People's Justice Party (PKR) said the party leadership "respects and fully understands" the decision to pursue a pardon, saying he had been "persecuted for his unrelenting challenge against the powerful ruling elite".

"We call on the Palace to acknowledge the blatant transgression in the judicial process and promptly step in to rectify the situation," said Vice-President Tian Chua. "There is no remedy to the miscarriage of justice except an immediate release of Anwar Ibrahim."

Timeline: Anwar Ibrahim

• 1993 to 1998 - Deputy Prime Minister, under Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad
• 1999 - Jailed for abuse of power, sparking huge street protests
• 2000 - Found guilty of sodomy with his wife's driver
• 2004 - Supreme Court overturns sodomy conviction, freeing him from jail. He quickly emerges as the de facto opposition leader
• March 2008 - ruling coalition narrowly wins general election, but with its worst results in 50 years. The opposition makes unprecedented gains
• Aug 2008 - Anwar charged with sodomy for a second time, but despite this is soon voted in as an MP
• Feb 2009 - Second trial for sodomy starts
• Jan 2012 - Acquitted of sodomy by High Court
• May 2013: Leads opposition to best-ever performance in general elections
• Mar 2014: 2012 acquittal overturned by court after government appeal

Death penalty part of Indonesian law: FM

Death penalty part of Indonesian law: FM English.news.cn   2015-02-18 01:29:45     JAKARTA, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia's foreign affairs minister on Tuesday said death penalty is part of Indonesian law, despite criticism of its decision to carry out executions against drug convicts. In a press conference in her office, Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi also said that the decision was not directed to any particular country or nationals of certain countries. "It should be underlined that the issue is purely law enforcement, law enforcement against serious crime, by a sovereign country, Indonesia," she said. The minister's comments came after Australia's requests to spare its nationals from executions. The two Australians, Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan, were scheduled to face the firing squad soon after their final appeal was rejected by an Indonesian court earlier this month. Indonesian President Joko Widodo has rejected to give them clemencies last month. The president said he has rejected clemency requests filed for 64 drug convicts. Indonesia has executed six of them last month in its campaign against rampant drug abuses. "The decision was issued by an independent and impartial judiciary system," the minister said, while saying that Indonesia understands the Australian government's position to make representation on their behalf. The minister expected the executions would not tarnish bilateral relations with Australia as the two nations already established cooperation in various areas, including trade, investment, security, education, culture and people-to-people contact. "Relations between the two nations should be mutually beneficial and based on mutual respects," she said. Australia earlier said it may recall its ambassador and its nationals might boycott visits to Indonesia, should the executions take place.

China imposes one-year ban on ivory imports

The African elephant population has been severely reduced because of hunting

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China has imposed a one-year ban on the import of ivory, amid criticism that demand among Chinese consumers is fuelling poaching in Africa.

The announcement was made by the State Forestry Administration, with officials saying they hoped it would be a first step towards protecting wild elephants.

Conservationists have warned the animal could be wiped out in parts of Africa in the next few years.

China is the world's largest importer of smuggled tusks.

However, the government says it has stepped up efforts to target illegal trading, which has been fuelled by a desire for ivory from an increasingly affluent population.

It is hoped the temporary ban on imports, which came into effect on Thursday, will help reduce demand for African tusks.

According to state media, a government official said China would evaluate the effect on elephant protection before taking further, more effective steps.

Criminal gangs

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) banned the ivory trade in 1989, but China is allowed to trade domestically and has around 150 licensed shops.

Six years ago, the government was also given permission to import one consignment of more than 60 tonnes of ivory from Africa.

Conservationists say this has fuelled demand and has led to an underground trade, with criminal gangs slaughtering elephants for Asian markets.

Earlier this month, broadcaster David Attenborough was one of several signatories of an open letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The letter called on the country's leader to outlaw the buying and selling of ivory completely and to provide Chinese citizens with information on the issue.

Obama's Dalai Lama greeting criticised by China

Foreign Ministry says it opposes countries interfering in its internal affairs under "pretext of Tibet-related issues".

06 Feb 2015 08:13 GMT | Politics, US & Canada

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China labelled the spiritual leader as a political exile who has long been engaged in separatist activities [Reuters]

United States President Barack Obama has angered China after warmly acknowledging the Dalai Lama at a national prayer breakfast in Washington.

Obama did not meet directly with the Dalai Lama at the event on Thursday, but China said on Friday that it was opposed to any foreign countries receiving him as a guest.

At the breakfast, Obama said the Buddhist religious leader was "a powerful example of what it means to practice compassion, who inspires us to speak up for the freedom and dignity of all human beings".

"I've been pleased to welcome him to the White House on many occasions, and we're grateful that he's able to join us here," he added, before launching into a speech highlighting the importance of religious freedom.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters on Friday that Beijing is "against foreign countries interfering in China's domestic affairs under the pretext of Tibet-related issues".

"The Dalai Lama is seeking support from foreign counties to realise his political end, but he cannot succeed," Hong added, calling the spiritual leader "a political exile who has long been engaged in anti-China separatist activities under the pretext of religion".

It was the first time the Obama and the Dalai Lama have been seen together in public. Three previous encounters have been held behind closed doors - and outside the Oval Office - to avoid risking relations with China.

Last February, Obama held low-key talks in Washington with the Nobel Peace laureate, whom China considers a "wolf in sheep's clothing". The talks greatly angered Beijing, which had warned they would damage ties.

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies