by KS
UNITED STATES: COVID-19 Vaccine Setbacks
As the world speeds ahead with the quest for a COVID-19 vaccine, two drug makers have suffered a setback.
Johnson and Johnson, which has headquarters in NJ, had to stop its vaccine trials due to an unexplained sickness in one of the test subjects. AstraZeneca has halted its program due to one test subject having a neurological condition.
Eli Lilly, based out of IN, also shut down Phase 3 vaccine production. There are conflicting reports as to whether or not their program was similar to what President Trump took during his COVID-19 diagnosis.
In all three cases, the subjects will be checked to see if they were given placebos, which are harmless, or the real thing. If they were on the placebo program, then the vaccine work should resume quickly. If not, then safety precautions will take precedent.
These potential vaccines are just three out of nearly 50 that are being worked on throughout the world. It is important that any vaccine not have any complications, as it is possible the “cure” could be worse than the disease.
EUROPE: Ceasefire in Conflict Zone
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has welcomed agreement on a ceasefire in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone following talks held in Russia on Oct. 9.
The conflict in the border region, located in the South Caucasus, has persisted for more than three decades, with the latest round of hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan erupting over the past two weeks.
“The Secretary-General welcomes the agreement on a humanitarian ceasefire announced yesterday in Moscow by the Foreign Ministers of the Russian Federation, Azerbaijan and Armenia. He commends the Russian Federation for its mediation efforts,” according to a statement issued by his Spokesperson.
Mr. Guterres called for the ceasefire to be respected, and for swift agreement on its specific parameters.
The Secretary-General also welcomed the commitment by Armenia and Azerbaijan to begin substantive negotiations under the auspices of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), through its Minsk Group.
France, Russia and the United States chair the OSCE’s Minsk Process, which promotes peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
The UN chief further appealed to the international community to support the ceasefire agreement. He also urged countries to continue to encourage the sides to resolve their differences through peaceful means.
AFRICA: Mali Appoints New Prime Minister
Mali’s transitional President has appointed a new Prime Minister, the UN’s top official in the West African country told the UN Security Council on Oct. 8, detailing the significant events which has ushered in a new political era, since the Aug. 18 coup d’état.
Updating the Council during its first meeting in the historic Council chamber since COVID-19 restrictions were put in place in March, Mahamat Saleh Annadif, Special Representative and Head of the UN Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), said former Minister of Foreign Affairs Moctar Ouane, was appointed by Transition President Ba N’DAW, on Sept. 27.
Mr. N’DAW, a retired Colonel Major and former Minister of Defense, was sworn in as President of the Transition on Aug. 25, before the Supreme Court, along with Colonel Assimi Goïta, head of the junta, as Vice-President of the Transition in charge of Defense and Security.
The Council briefing comes on the heels of news reports that a dozen political and military figures arrested during the coup – including former Prime Minister Boubou Cissé – were released. An official statement said the former detainees would remain at the disposition of the courts if needed.
On Oct. 12 the transitional Government also announced a new cabinet in which members of the junta were handed several key posts including defense, security, territorial administration and national reconciliation.
In addition, reports state that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has lifted sanctions on Mali, acknowledging what it called “notable advances towards constitutional normalization.”
ASIA: Children Used As Shields
UN agencies in Myanmar have expressed ‘sadness’ and ‘shock’ over the killing of two boys, allegedly used as human shields by security forces in the country’s northern Rakhine province, earlier this month.
The two boys were killed in a crossfire between Myanmar’s military, known as the Tatmadaw, and the separatist Arakan Army. The incident occurred on Oct. 5 in Buthidaung township – a hotspot for army abuses against children for non-combat purposes, since mid-2019, the UN agencies said in a statement, on Oct. 14.
The children were part of a group of around 15 local farmers, all of whom were allegedly forced to walk in front of a Tatmadaw unit to ensure the path towards a military camp was clear of landmines, and to protect the soldiers from potential enemy fire.
On the way, fighting broke out between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army, after which the two boys were found dead with gunshot wounds.
The incident occurred within the 12 months of the delisting of the Tatmadaw for underage recruitment in the UN Secretary-General’s Annual Report on Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) of 2020, agencies noted.
In the statement, the UN agencies – co-chairs of the UN Country Taskforce on Monitoring and Reporting on Grave Violations against Children in Myanmar (CTFMR) – called for a “full, transparent, and expedited investigation of the incident” and for anyone responsible for the use and for the killing of the children to be held accountable.
“This egregious incident serves as a stark reminder that children are put at risk of being killed or injured whenever they are associated with armed forces and groups in any capacity or function, regardless of the duration of their association,” the agencies said.
The UN agencies also voiced “deep alarm” over an alarming increase of reports of killings and injuries of children in Myanmar.
More than 100 children were killed or maimed in conflict during the first three months of 2020, amounting to more than half of the total number in 2019, and significantly surpassing the total number of child casualties in 2018.
“As Myanmar tackles the resurgence of COVID-19, we urge all parties to the conflict to intensify efforts to ensure children are protected from all grave violations, to ensure access to humanitarian assistance and services, and to exercise maximum restraint in the use of force where civilians are present,” they urged.
