3 june news headlines in english

* The Kremlin said on Wednesday that a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Joe Biden would be contingent on US behaviour after reportedly telling Washington to scrap a plan to impose new sanctions on Russia.

* Inspectors from the U.N. nuclear watchdog visited Iran’s uranium enrichment site at Natanz on Wednesday, the agency said, without commenting on the extent of the damage caused by what Iran says was an act of sabotage.

* French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire reaffirmed the French economy should grow by 5% in 2021, and told BFM TV that financial aid measures should remain until the end of the pandemic.

* Vice President Kamala Harris said on Wednesday she is planning to visit Mexico and Guatemala soon and that the United States must figure out how to bring about economic development in the Northern Triangle countries to curb immigration.

* Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Wednesday he would step down from his post in the last ten days of April to clear the way for early parliamentary elections, the Interfax news agency reported.

* Haiti’s Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe announced his resignation on Wednesday amid worsening gang violence and political turmoil in the poorest country in the Americas.

* India’s new infections hit a record level on Wednesday with Mumbai set to be locked down at midnight, but hundreds of thousands of pilgrims still thronged to a religious festival in the north of the country.

* The euro zone economy is still standing on the “two crutches” of monetary and fiscal stimulus and these cannot be taken away until there is a full recovery, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said on Wednesday.

* The suspension of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine could delay efforts to inoculate most people in the European Union by more than two months, scientific information and analytics company Airfinity said.

* Global stock markets pushed to record highs on Wednesday as bond yields eased, after data showed US inflation was not rising too fast as the economy re-opens.

* Thailand reported 1,335 new cases, the biggest daily rise since the start of the pandemic and the third record rise this week.

* Denmark became the first country to stop using AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine altogether, following news of its possible link to very rare blood clot cases, while Finland extended the pause in use of the vaccine for people under 65.

* Spain is confident it can maintain its current vaccination targets despite a US suspension of the Johnson & Johnson shot and delays to its European rollout.

* US federal health agencies have recommended pausing use of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine for at least a few days after six women under age 50 developed rare blood clots after receiving the shot.

* Brazil’s Senate on Tuesday launched an inquiry into President Jair Bolsonaro’s handling of the pandemic.

* With two vaccines now under scrutiny for possible links to very rare cases of blood clots in the brain, US government scientists are focusing on whether the specific technology behind the shots may be contributing to the risk.

* Irish unemployment will remain above pre-pandemic levels until at least 2025, reflecting some scarring from the crisis that will see national debt peak among the highest levels in the developed world.

* Hungary will allow restaurant terraces to re-open once 3.5 million people, about a third of the population, are inoculated against COVID-19, a target expected to be hit sometime next Wednesday or Thursday, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said.

* The Swiss government announced further easing of its COVID-19 restrictions on Wednesday, allowing restaurants to reopen outdoor terraces from next week and sports events to take place with audiences.

* South Africa has agreed to onerous conditions like non-refundable downpayments to secure vaccines from Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer, its health minister said, describing the terms vaccine manufacturers had demanded as “difficult and sometimes unreasonable”.

* The first study to directly compare immune reactions between Pfizer’s and AstraZeneca’s vaccines found strong and broadly similar antibody responses in over 80-year-olds after a first dose of either shot, scientists said.

In Viet Nam, Emirates currently operates three flights from Ha Noi and four flights from HCM City to Dubai and onward to over 95 destinations around the globe. — Photo Emirates

Emirates has announced the latest updates to its booking policies, offering customers even more confidence and flexibility to make their travel plans.

Customers holding tickets issued before September 30, 2020 for travel before December 31, 2021, can now rebook to travel anytime within 36 months, an extension of 12 months from the previous policy.

Those holding tickets issued after October 1, 2020 for travel before December 31, 2021, can utilise their tickets anytime within 36 months from the date of their original booking.

Fees for reissuing any ticket will be waived, and vouchers or unused portions of Emirates tickets may be refunded without penalty.

Customers who hold tickets issued directly by Emirates, whether via emirates.com or the airline’s retail and contact centres, do not have to contact Emirates as the tickets are automatically extended. Customers who purchased their tickets via a travel agent will need to contact their agent before the expiry date to reissue their tickets.

Emirates was the first airline to provide global multi-risk travel insurance cover for all passengers, and the airline is now extending this facility beyond March 31, 2021 until further notice, offering added value and peace of mind for its customers.

For its loyal frequent flyers, Emirates Skywards is extending the Tier Status of its Silver, Gold and Platinum members until 2022. The validity of any Skywards Miles due to expire since April 2020 has been further extended until August 31, 2021, providing Skywards members with more opportunities to utilise them for an extensive range of flight and partner rewards as well as other privileges.

In addition, Emirates Skywards is offering members a chance to earn double Tier Miles on all Emirates and flydubai flights booked from April 1 until June 30, for travel until December 30, 2021. — VNS

The “Huong Thom Que Me” (The Fragrance of Motherland) exhibition, held April 14- 26, displays 100 works of calligraphy in various languages including Vietnamese, English, French and Chinese.

The works reflect the Zen master’s love for Mother Earth, who nurtures and protects all sentient beings.

The exhibition takes its name from the title of a new book that features Thich Nhat Hanh calligraphy.

According to Eve Yuen, a Hongkong-based art critic, Hanh’s works are choreographic calligraphy that exude exquisite qualities, incorporating straight and solid lines as well as flowing curves in a balanced composition.

The works were earlier displayed in France, Germany, Canada, the U.S., Thailand, Taiwan, Hongkong, and Ho Chi Minh City.

Calligraphy works by Thich Nhat Hanh. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Tuyen.

The Zen master said he has done more than 10,000 calligraphic works since 1994. They have helped him demonstrate the art of mindful living to his students. They have become a source of donations supporting humanitarian projects in many developing countries.

“Writing calligraphy is a practice of meditation,” the Master has said.

“The way I do calligraphy, I do it in a certain way that can generate the energy of mindfulness, concentration, insight, and compassion during the time of practice.”

Thich Nhat Hanh, considered the second most influential Buddhist leader in the world after the Dalai Lama, studied and practiced Zen Buddhism from 1942.

Born in 1926, he became a monk at the age of 23 after studying Buddhism for seven years.

In the 1960s he spearheaded a movement by Buddhists in southern Vietnam that called for a negotiated end to the Vietnam War.

He left the country in 1966 and lived in Plum Village in southern France for decades, traveling regularly throughout North America and Europe to give lectures on mindfulness and peace.

Thich Nhat Hanh is also a celebrated poet and peace activist. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize by Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1967, and is the author of more than 100 books, including several bestsellers like the “The Miracle of Mindfulness.”

The number of new deaths increased for the fourth consecutive week, increasing by seven percent compared to last week, with over 76,000 new deaths reported, according to the WHO.

The outbreak was especially violent in India as the country reported 873,296 new cases, an increase of 70 percent compared to last week. It also saw the number of new deaths growing by 51 percent. The United States came the second with a five percent increase of 468,395 new cases; and Brazil listed the third with a rise of 463,092 new cases.

In terms of global COVID-19 new deaths, the South-Asia, Southeast Asia and Western Pacific region saw sharp surges with the Western Pacific displaying an increase of 189 percent in number, the Philippines leading with the grim record of 1,321 new deaths, 400 percent more than last week.

Furthermore, new virus variants continue to spread to other countries, with the variant B117 first identified in the UK reported in 132 countries, the variant B 1351 originating from South Africa present in 82 countries, and the P1 first identified in Brazil now established in 52 countries.

The WHO also noted that existing vaccines have displayed reduced efficacy against variants, even if the related studies remained limited in number.

As an example, the AstraZeneca vaccine saw reduction in post-vaccine neutralization for variant B117, while it saw “substantial reduction” for the variant originating from South Africa.

Studies also reported “evidence of more substantial reduction” in post-vaccine neutralization of the variant first found in Brazil for AstraZeneca, Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines.

Earlier this week, the WHO stressed that measures such as wearing masks and hand hygiene were still important as “we are in a critical point of the pandemic right now.”.

The meeting was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, who is also head of the committee.

The board asked that favourable conditions continue to be created for the clinical test of COVID-19 vaccines, while plans of production should be put in place in order to quickly produce vaccines once the testing proves successful.

Hailing the Health Ministry for its vaccination efforts and dealing with post-vaccination reactions, the board directed the health, public security, and national defence ministries to continue closely controlling immigration pending a policy regarding “vaccine passports”.

Many at the meeting reiterated that prevention measures continue to play an important role in the current context.

Ministries, agencies, and localities are urged to direct medical stations, schools, lodging facilities, factories, and markets to remain vigilant and seriously follow prevention and control measures.

Vietnam reported 16 imported cases of COVID-19 on the evening of the same day, raising the national count to 2,733.

The new cases include one Indian expert, one American expert and 14 Vietnamese citizens who were sent to quarantine right upon their arrival.

Meanwhile, 2,445 COVID-19 patients have been given the all-clear, and the death toll remains at 35.

Among patients still under treatment, 16 have tested negative for the novel coronavirus once, 18 twice and 18 thrice.

A total 38,743 people who had close contact with COVID-19 patients or arrived from pandemic-hit areas are being quarantined across the country.

The Health Ministry continues to urge all people to follow the 5K motto – Khau trang (wearing facemask) – Khu khuan (disinfecting) – Khoang cach (keeping distance) – Khong tu tap (no gathering) – Khai bao y te (making medical declaration), in order to live safely amid the pandemic.