Global Developments and Analysis: Weekly Monitor, 26 July - 01 August 2021

Economic

US Debt Ceiling Deadline: What It Means and How Congress Can Act

The clock is ticking for Congress to reach a deal to raise the federal borrowing limit, or debt ceiling, before the government runs out of money to pay its bills some time over the coming months. The ceiling was suspended in 2019 and was reinstated automatically at the beginning of this month. Before World War I, Congress approved borrowing for specific purposes, but over the next two decades, it granted more flexibility to the Treasury to issue bonds without individual, explicit legislation. By 1939, Congress effectively established an aggregate limit that delegated to the Treasury the ability to borrow up to a certain amount. The limit has been raised or modified 98 times, according to the Congressional Research Service. Congress voted in July 2019 to suspend the debt limit until July 31, 2021, after which the prior limit of $22 trillion would be reset to include any new borrowing in the intervening years. On Aug. 1, the limit was reinstated at around $28.5 trillion, a figure that includes debt held by the public and debt held by government agencies. After that, the Treasury will no longer be able to tap bond markets to raise new cash.
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Multiple regions in China curb power use amid summer peak demand

A number of provinces and regions in China have told local industrial companies to use electricity in an "orderly" way amid a supply gap and peak summer demand, with some companies having had to cut production to abide by government regulations. However, on the whole, the country's economic recovery will not be greatly affected by the restrictions on power usage, experts said. In South China's Guangdong Province, local factories can only work six days a week and they must avoid operating at times of peak power use, a staffer from the sales department of JZ Energy Co in Guangzhou told the Global Times on Aug 01. Likewise, Southwest China's Yunnan Province has tightened curbs on local factories' power usage. On July 27, aluminum producer Yunnan Shenhuo Aluminum Industry Co was ordered to limit its power load. In Nanning, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the government also issued a notice telling government departments, enterprises, public institutions and places where air-conditioning is consumed on a large scale to use electricity in an orderly way.
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Data privacy in China: Beijing to define data that will not be allow to leave the country easily

Chinese policymakers will soon release guidelines for defining “important data”, classifying it into eight categories based on their impact on national security, a top researcher at a state-owned cybersecurity think tank has revealed. Data to face restrictions when it comes to overseas transfer will cover that related to economic operations, population, natural resources and the environment, science and technology, safety and security, application and services, political activities and others, Zuo Xiaodong, vice-president of the China Information Security Research Institute, a Beijing-based think tank that advises the Chinese government on cybersecurity policies, said at an industry conference last week. His comments were reported by the Southern Metropolis Daily, a local newspaper. Data categorisation will be a key part of China’s data governance regime and how Beijing defines the importance of data will have far-reaching implications for how Chinese companies, especially China’s tech firms, collect and use relevant customer data.
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Beijing’s universities, hospitals and state-owned enterprises will start relocation to Xiong’an in 2021: report

Universities and hospitals affiliated with ministries, and centrally administered state-owned enterprises in Beijing will start relocation to Xiong'an New Area, North China's Hebei Province this year as part of removing the non-capital function, an official from the leading group for the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region said in an interview with the Xinhua News Agency on July 30. The official pointed out that they will be moved to Xiong'an in groups and aim to build a batch of demonstration projects over the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period to set up a foundation for the medium- and long-term tasks, the report said. According to the report, the authorities will step up institutional innovations in setting up policies, spark their internal initiative of moving out of Beijing, and try to ensure their income is not lower than the amount they used to earn in Beijing. On July 29, a regulation about the development of Xiong'an was passed. Formulating systematic rules in eight aspects, including management institution, planning and construction, reform and opening up as well as environmental protection, the passing of the regulation marks a new chapter for the legal construction of Xiong'an.
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Torrential Henan rains spark concern over grain production

The unprecedented rain that hit many parts of Central China's Henan Province last week not only caused great losses in human lives and property, which led to the relocation of over 1.4 million people, but also sparked concerns over the potential impact on the nation's food supplies, as the province is one of China's leading grain producers. The record floods affected 10.68 million mu (712,000 hectares) of crops in Henan, accounting for 9 percent of the fall crop area, according to a report released by the provincial government over the weekend. The production gap of Henan is irreplaceable in China, as the province alone accounts for nearly 10 percent of total grain production, and more than one-fourth of the summer grain crop, Mei Xinyu, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation of China's Ministry of Commerce, told the Global Times. "Although the summer grain harvest was basically completed before the floods, the disaster may still cause serious damage to the processing, storage and transportation of summer grain," noted Mei.
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Regulatory policies targeting the platform economy and tutoring firms not a crackdown: Xinhua

The Chinese economy remains steady, its reform and opening-up pledge continues unchanged, and its capital markets are still intact, Xinhua said in a late-night editorial on July 28 with the objective of restoring market calm following recent stock swings after tougher regulations made investors jittery. The economy has seen a steady improvement momentum in the first half of the year instilling confidence in capital markets, read Xinhua's editorial, noting that regulatory polices targeting the platform economy, education and tutoring, among other sectors actually aim at the country's long-term development. The editorial addressed market anxiety over these regulatory efforts which have been reflected in the stock market. Coincidentally, shortly prior to Xinhua's publication, a Bloomberg report revealed that China's securities regulator convened major investment banks in a virtual meeting on July 28 night in a bid to diffuse market fears about the regulatory toughening on the private education industry.
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Sri Lanka's import ban puts hundreds of businesses in jeopardy

Amid a deepening foreign exchange crisis that forced the Sri Lankan government to impose an indefinite import ban last year to save hard currency, hundreds of businesses are fighting for survival. Smaller ones have shut down, costing many their livelihoods. Since March last year, the government has banned imports ranging from motor vehicles and air conditioners, to beer, clothing items, cosmetics and even spices such as turmeric -- an essential cooking item for most of local households. Sri Lanka's economy took a thumping last year after the country was forced to lock down following the spread of COVID-19. Tourism is one of the country's main foreign exchange earners, but with global and local travel restrictions tourism earnings plunged to just $957 million in 2020, down from $3.6 billion the previous year. The country's foreign reserves stood at $4 billion at the end of June, down from $5.6 billion at the end of 2020. To boost reserves, Sri Lanka obtained a $1.5 billion currency swap from China early this year, a $250 million swap from Bangladesh and a $400 million swap from India, which will be available in August.
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Japan bets on $90bn fund as universities lose ground to West

Just two Japanese universities made the top 200 in the World University Rankings 2021 compiled by British magazine Times Higher Education last year: the University of Tokyo at 36th and Kyoto University at 54th. China's Tsinghua University was the top-ranked Asian institution at 20th. Japan also ranked 11th in the world in the number of top 10% most-cited scientific papers between 2016 and 2018, down from fourth between 1996 and 1998. Japanese universities also have much smaller endowments than top American and European institutions. Keio University has around 73 billion yen, while the University of Tokyo has 15 billion yen, according to the education ministry -- a fraction of Harvard University's $41.9 billion, or roughly 4.6 trillion yen. But with little room to spare in the government budget, Japan is looking to plug the shortfall instead through a new endowment fund under the education ministry's Japan Science and Technology Agency. The government is allocating 4.5 trillion yen to this new fund to start, including through its Fiscal Investment and Loan Program, and aims to expand the fund to 10 trillion yen as soon as possible.
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Deal signed to expand Russian presence in Suez Canal Economic Zone

Yehia Zaki, head of the General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone), announced on July 29 the success of talks with Russia to expand Moscow’s industrial zone within the SCZone. An agreement was signed by Zaki and Russian Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of Vasiliy Osmakov in Moscow after two days of negotiations. Zaki said the final agreement is expected to be signed before the end of 2021 after an anticipated visit in August by a high-level Russian delegation to tour the new sites in the SCZone. Under the deal, the Russian zone will be extended to East Port Said and Ain Sokhna over an area of 5 million square meters, Zaki said. The first phase of the project will include an extension of 1 million square meters in East Port Said and 500,000 square meters in Ain Sokhna, he added. The SCZone chief said that work is scheduled to begin in the Russian zone by the end of 2021 after signing the final contract.
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Iraq Wants Other U.S. Oil Company To Replace Exxon

Iraq wants another U.S. company to replace Exxon as a shareholder in the West Qurna 1 field, one of the country's largest after the supermajor leaves the country. "Exxon Mobil is considering exiting Iraq for reasons that are to do with its internal management practices, decisions, and not because of the particular situation in Iraq," Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi told media after a meeting with President Joe Biden, as quoted by Reuters. Exxon, which holds a $32.7-percent interest in West Qurna 1, has been looking for a buyer with plans to exit the country entirely. There could be other reasons for Exxon leaving Iraq, too. As Gerald Jansen wrote for Oilprice earlier this month, these have to do with the souring relationship between the company and Baghdad after Exxon ventured into Kurdistan oil, and with the continued political and financial instability in Iraq. This, according to Jansen, may have compromised the profitability of whatever plans Exxon may have had for its Iraqi business earlier. Just two years ago, Exxon was all set to take part in a $53-billion plan to boost Iraq's oil production, but it seems the pandemic and the Iraqi situation changed many things, including this ambitious plan.
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Strategic

US-China relations: Beijing takes pointers from Mao in protracted power struggle with US

Just as Mao concluded that China would eventually prevail over the declining empire of Japan, Xi and his officials regard the US as in inevitable decline and proclaimed that “the East is rising”. As Washington solidifies its China strategy, Beijing is conducting a strategic review of its own on how it should define its relations with the US, according to a source familiar with China’s foreign policymaking, who requested anonymity. According to the source, Xi has become increasingly frustrated with China’s long-standing approach to diplomacy, seeing it as “softheaded”. Instead, Xi believes China should abandon the illusion that ties with the US can return to their previous, less confrontational, state. For years, China’s US policy has been spearheaded by its top diplomat and Politburo member Yang Jiechi. But with US-China relations in free fall, Xi has questioned Yang’s approach and the appointment of Qin Gang – a diplomat with no previous US experience – as ambassador to Washington is seen as a repudiation of experienced US hands such as Yang, the source said.
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China should offer economic incentives to woo US allies caught in political crossfire, ex-commerce minister says

Beijing should strive to develop closer relationships with American allies and win them over with mutually beneficial economic arrangements amid efforts by Washington to contain China, according to one of its former commerce ministers. And for those allies of the United States who are also key trading partners with China, but find themselves caught in the political crossfire, Chen Deming said Beijing should “learn to tell them the China story” while putting ideological matters aside in lieu of economic benefits. The 72-year-old Chen, who served as commerce minister from 2007-13, was speaking in Beijing at a forum hosted by the Centre for China and Globalisation (CCG) think tank, of which he is honorary chairman. “The mentality of the US allies is complicated,” he said. “They want the protection of the US in terms of security, but they also want to do business with China, and their position will also be affected by domestic politics.” He said this creates the phenomenon of “reeds atop a wall” – meaning those involved can be easily swayed in the current geopolitical struggle.
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Chinese coast guard ships depart for North Pacific on law enforcement mission

Two coast guard ships dispatched by the China Coast Guard (CCG) departed from Shanghai on July 30 for the North Pacific Ocean to enforce fisheries law. The two vessels will cruise on the high seas of the North Pacific Ocean during a 31-day patrol, according to the CCG. The mission aims to strengthen supervision over the fishing boats operating on the seas of the North Pacific Ocean, in accordance with relevant United Nations General Assembly resolution and the Convention on the Conservation and Management of High Seas Fisheries Resources in the North Pacific Ocean, said the CCG. The coast guard ships will also crack down on illegal fishing and board to inspect fishing vessels suspected of violations, the CCG noted. This is the first cruise mission of the Chinese coast guard ships on the high seas of the North Pacific Ocean since the passage of the coast guard law this year, said the CCG, adding that such missions are important to maintaining the fishery production order and protecting marine resources.
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Chinese military spokesperson describes China-Cambodia friendship as 'steel-like' for 1st time

Wu Qian, spokesperson of China's Ministry of National Defense, for the first time used "steel-like Cambodia" to describe the China-Cambodia friendship during a press conference on July 29. Wu said that Chinese and Cambodian armed forces are good brothers and good friends who help each other. In terms of military exchanges, the ministry in February revealed the first two recipients of the Chinese military's COVID-19 vaccines, Pakistan and Cambodia. It means that not only "iron Pakistan," but also "steel-like Cambodia" are China's ironclad friends. According to Wu, the Golden Dragon 2020 China-Cambodia joint training was successfully held in Cambodia in March last year. This was the only live-fire exercise conducted by the Chinese military with foreign troops during the COVID-19 pandemic last year and is a reflection of the high-level cooperation between the two militaries. In June, the two countries' armed forces held the first video seminar focusing on defense white papers, marking the debut of the Chinese military's exchange on defense white papers with a foreign counterpart.
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Climate change report ‘critical’ for success of fall COP26 summit: UN

Nearly 200 nations started online negotiations July 26 to validate a UN science report that will anchor autumn summits charged with preventing climate catastrophe on a planetary scale. "The report that you are going to finalize is going to be very important worldwide," World Meteorological Organization head Petteri Taalas told some 700 delegates by Zoom. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessment "is critical for the Glasgow climate conference in November," he said. Record-smashing heat waves, floods and drought across three continents in recent weeks, all amplified by global warming, have added pressure for decisive action. "For years we have warned that all of this was possible, that all of this was coming," the UN's climate chief, Patricia Espinosa, said in a statement. Separately on July 26, the first face-to-face climate talks among governments in over 18 months showed real engagement and possible areas of compromise, officials said. However, the two-day ministerial meeting in London also laid bare differences, especially over the future of coal, which must be bridged before the COP26 summit in Glasgow.
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Xinhua Commentary: Chinese military: determined defender of world peace

August 1 marks the 94th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). As the world undergoes profound changes unseen in a century, the PLA will safeguard China's sovereignty, security and development interests and never seek expansion or spheres of influence. China's national defense aims to deter and resist aggression; to safeguard national political security, people's security, and social stability; to oppose and contain "Taiwan independence"; to crack down on proponents of separatist movements such as "Tibet independence" and the creation of "East Turkistan"; to safeguard national sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, and security; to protect China's maritime rights and interests; to safeguard China's security interests in outer space, electromagnetic space and cyberspace; to protect China's overseas interests, and to support sustainable development of the country. Since the introduction of reform and opening-up, China has been committed to promoting world peace, and has voluntarily downsized the PLA by over 4 million troops.
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Malaysia’s PM Muhyiddin defiant after king rebukes government for misleading parliament

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on July 29 stood his ground after his government was accused by the country’s king of misleading parliament by incorrectly suggesting the monarch had assented to revoking a state of emergency that received the royal green light in January. Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, who serves as the country’s constitutional head of state, said the government had in fact not sought his assent before de facto law minister Takiyuddin Hassan on July 26 declared that various emergency ordinances – set to expire on August 1 – had been nullified a week earlier. Takiyuddin’s comments enraged opposition lawmakers, who insisted that the constitution required the revocation of the state of emergency to be voted on in parliament, along with the assent of Sultan Abdullah. Opposition politicians said the government had sought to revoke the emergency through the back door, as a vote in parliament would show that it did not command a parliamentary majority – which in turn could compel Sultan Abdullah to order the formation of a new administration.
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Japanese panel won’t look at changing rule that only men can be emperor

Any discussion of expanding the number of successors to the Chrysanthemum Throne, including proposals to open the way for a woman to become emperor, is off the table for now. A government panel of experts working to compile a report on ways to ensure stable imperial succession decided to opt out of holding talks on the matter at a July 26 meeting held to set the direction of its discussions in the coming months. The panel, expected to report its proposals to the Diet in autumn after the Lower House election, refrained from delving into whether to expand the eligibility of potential heirs to the throne to avoid having to deal with multiple issues that doing so might also require it to address. Instead, the panel’s debate will center on two issues: allowing female imperial family members to keep their royal status even after marrying commoners and allowing men from the former branches of the imperial family to regain imperial status through adoption by the imperial family.
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Suga's approval rating plunges toward point of no return

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's approval rating reached record depths across the board in July polls, entering into territory that for most has foreshadowed an end to their time in office. Approval of Suga's cabinet sank 9 percentage points from June to 34% in a weekend Nikkei/TV Tokyo poll -- the worst rating for a Japanese leader in nine years. An especially big hit came from a resurgence in daily coronavirus infections that triggered a fourth state of emergency in the capital region ahead of the Olympics. Japan's vaccine rollout has also stalled, with many workplaces and municipalities halting new reservations. Suga received his lowest-ever approval numbers in Asahi Shimbun, NHK and Kyodo News polls this month, while The Yomiuri Shimbun showed him staying flat from the record low of June. An approval rating under 35% for Liberal Democratic Party-led cabinets has historically signaled further trouble ahead, with the prime minister stepping down within a year in most cases. The lone exception was Keizo Obuchi, whose cabinet's approval fell as far as 25% in August 1998, shortly after he took office. It eventually climbed to 46% with the support of the Hashimoto faction, then the largest force within the LDP.
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South Korea says no decision on joint U.S. military drills, but exercises should not create North Korea tension

South Korea said on Aug 02 no decision has been made on its joint military exercises with the United States but they should not create tension, after North Korea warned the South against holding the exercises amid signs of a thaw in relations. South Korea and the United States regularly stage military exercises, mainly in the spring and summer, but North Korea has long responded with scathing criticism, calling them a rehearsal for war. Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and a senior official of the ruling Workers' Party, warned the South on Aug 01 that holding the drills would undercut efforts to rebuild relations. Her warning came days after the two Koreas restored hotlines that Pyongyang severed a year ago, as Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in are seeking to repair strained ties and resume summits. Seoul's defense ministry said on Aug 02 that Seoul and Washington were in talks over the drills, but no decision has been made. The allies will decide after considering COVID-19, joint defense posture, planned transfer of wartime operational control, and the issue of “supporting diplomatic efforts for establishing lasting peace on the Korean peninsula,” ministry spokesman Boo Seung-chan quoted.
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Myanmar military extends emergency, promises vote in 2 years

Six months after seizing power from the elected government, Myanmar’s military leader on Aug 01 declared himself prime minister and said he would lead the country under the extended state of emergency until elections are held in about two years. “We must create conditions to hold a free and fair multiparty general election,” Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing said during a recorded televised address. “We have to make preparations. I pledge to hold the multiparty general election without fail.” He said the state of emergency will achieve its objectives by August 2023. In a separate announcement, the military government named itself “the caretaker government” and Min Aung Hlaing the prime minister. The state of emergency was declared when troops moved against the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on Feb. 1, an action the generals said was permitted under the military-authored 2008 constitution. The military claimed her landslide victory in last year’s national elections was achieved through massive voter fraud but offered no credible evidence.
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US and Indonesia to hold largest island defense drills

The U.S. and Indonesian armies will launch joint drills Aug 01 focused on island defense with more 4,500 service members, the largest exercise ever conducted by the two countries, Nikkei has learned. The upcoming drills, part of the Garuda Shield exercises conducted annually by the two militaries for more than a decade, will be held on the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Sulawesi as well as in Kalimantan for two weeks, a source close to the Indonesian military told Nikkei. The maneuvers come amid rising tensions over Beijing's military buildup in the South China Sea. Yet Jakarta also is deepening economic ties with Beijing, including by procuring large volumes of Chinese coronavirus vaccines. Indonesia and China held joint naval exercises in May, as Jakarta seeks to strike a balance between the two military powers. The U.S. will send 2,282 personnel, while Indonesia contributes 2,246. The island defense drills involve landing operations, special forces and airborne units. Last month, the two countries began construction of a joint maritime training center in Batam, an island city at the mouth of the Strait of Malacca.
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Austin shores up vital US-Philippine ties on Southeast Asia trip

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's tour of Southeast Asia marked a step toward rebuilding alliances and regaining trust that had been declining in recent years, a prime task as China's regional influence continues to grow. With the show of commitment by the first high-profile member of U.S. President Joe Biden's cabinet to visit the region, the administration hopes to gain more strategic flexibility as the Pentagon's security focus shifts to China. The visit was intended to reassure such partners as the Philippines and Vietnam, which want to be sure that Washington has their back over the long term in their maritime claims in the South China Sea. The biggest win from Austin's trip was to ensure the full continuation of the Visiting Forces Agreement, which provides the legal foundation for the U.S. military presence in the Philippines. President Rodrigo Duterte moved in February 2020 to scrap the deal but repeatedly postponed a final decision, and Austin likely encouraged him to keep it in place when the two met July 29.
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Abe: Taiwan must never repeat Hong Kong experience

Lawmakers from the U.S., Japan and Taiwan on July 29 held an inaugural policy dialogue to discuss Chinese expansionism in the Indo-Pacific region, with former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sounding the alarm on the threat to Taiwanese democracy. "What happened in Hong Kong must never happen in Taiwan," Abe said, alluding to the Chinese crackdown on Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement. "I find the unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the South China Sea and the East China Sea concerning," he went on to assail China's maritime activities. The Trilateral Strategic Dialogue was hosted online by the Japan-Republic of China Diet Members' Consultative Council, for which Abe serves as an adviser. Participants agreed to hold discussions on a regular basis. Abe called on the U.S. and Taiwan to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership to further economic cooperation between the trio. He expressed support for Taiwan to join the World Health Organization as an observer. "I hope China accepts [Taiwan's participation] with an open mind," Abe said.
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China Meets With Taliban, Stepping Up as U.S. Exits Afghanistan

China’s foreign minister urged the Taliban to distance itself from terrorist groups and take steps to establish peace in Afghanistan, in a meeting with the group on Chinese soil that signaled Beijing is stepping in diplomatically as the U.S. withdraws from the country. Wang Yi asked all factions in Afghanistan to make progress on reconciliation and establish a broad and inclusive political structure, without detailing what that might look like. Beijing has had numerous interactions with the Taliban over the years, but the need for reassurances has grown as the Taliban make a string of advances on the battlefield. The Taliban see China as a source of international legitimacy, a potential economic supporter and a means of influence over Pakistan, a Chinese ally that has aided the group. Beijing isn’t trying to strengthen the Taliban but has grown tired of U.S. peace efforts, and is trying to use its influence to persuade and, perhaps, pressure the Taliban to engage seriously in the peace process, said Barnett Rubin, a former U.S. State Department official and senior fellow at the Center on International Cooperation at New York University.
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As Taliban Advance, Thousands of Afghans Seek Refuge in Turkey

Increasing numbers of Afghans are fleeing their homes, with many headed to Turkey, say migrant aid groups. If the flow continues to escalate, it could echo the wave of Syrian refugees who fled that country’s bloody civil war. Some 3.6 million Syrian refugees still live in Turkey. The U.N. refugee agency estimates that 270,000 Afghans have fled their homes since January, with most of them displaced inside the country. There are five times as many Afghans coming into Turkey via Iran as there were at this time last year, when the Covid-19 pandemic also reduced the number of people arriving, according to Hanife Guzel, head of the Serhat Association for Migration Research, a human-rights group based in Van. Ms. Guzel estimates that 500 to 1,000 are arriving in Turkey each day. She and other aid groups assisting Afghan migrants expect the number to increase as the security situation in Afghanistan deteriorates. Nationalist politicians in Turkey have criticized the government for allowing in too many people. Turkey has played the role of Europe’s buffer against refugees since signing an agreement with the European Union in 2016 to stop the flow of migrants in exchange for billions of dollars in financial support.
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Iran warns of response if security threatened after ship attack - TV

Iran will respond promptly to any threat against its security, a foreign ministry spokesman said on Aug 02, after the United States, Israel and Britain blamed Tehran for an attack on an Israeli-managed tanker off the coast of Oman. Tehran has denied any involvement in the attack on July 29 in which two crew members - a Briton and a Romanian - were killed. The United States and Britain said on Aug 01 they would work with their allies to respond to the attack on the Mercer Street, a Liberian-flagged, Japanese-owned petroleum product tanker managed by Israeli-owned Zodiac Maritime. Britain summoned the Iranian ambassador on Aug 02. Later, Iran summoned the British Charge d' Affair in Tehran over London's "accusations against the Islamic Republic", Iran's semi-official Fars news agency reported. "Iran has no hesitation in protecting its security and national interests and will respond promptly and strongly to any possible adventure," Iranian state television quoted foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh as saying.
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Qaddafi’s son wants to restore lost unity of Libya

Seif Al-Islam, the son of slain leader Muammer Qaddafi, wants to “restore the lost unity” of Libya after a decade of chaos and does not exclude standing for the presidency. He spoke in a rare interview, given to the New York Times at an opulent two-story villa inside a gated compound at Zintan in the west of the North African country. “It is time for a return to the past. The country — it’s on its knees ... There’s no money, no security. There’s no life here,” Seif Al-Islam said in his first appearance in years. After four decades in power, Muammer Qaddafi and his relatives were the target of a popular uprising in 2011. Three of the dictator’s seven sons were killed, but the fate of Seif Al-Islam was unknown. He was captured by a Libyan militia in November 2011, days after his father was killed. Four years later, a Tripoli court sentenced him in absentia to death for crimes committed during the revolt. The ICC has repeatedly asked for him to be handed over for trial. Until the interview, Seif Al-Islam had not been seen or heard from since June 2014, when he appeared via video link from Zintan during his trial by the Tripoli court.
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Medical

Delta variant challenges China's hard-won epidemic victory

Fresh COVID-19 outbreaks in multiple cities across China sparked new concerns about whether the outbreak in eastern Chinese city Nanjing would lead to a nationwide resurgence in cases, and whether the current vaccines can successfully fend off the risks brought by the rampant Delta variant. Some have raised doubts over whether the rigorous prevention measures adopted over the past year will still work. Chinese epidemiologists and public health officials said on Aug 01 that the ongoing outbreaks - the most serious one since the initial outbreak in Wuhan - are still under control, but more efforts are needed to plug the loopholes in the epidemic control work, while stressing the need to advance the mass vaccination program and not relax daily personal disease prevention measures. In July, there were more than 320 domestically transmission cases reported across China, posing serious challenges to the country's hard-won victory in the epidemic battle. The latest domestically transmitted cases have spread to at least 18 provinces and dozens of cities, resulting in at least four high-risk areas and 91 medium-risk areas as of press time on Aug 01.
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Tokyo Olympics chief rules out Games’ impact on virus surge

The head of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics organizing committee on Aug. 1 dismissed suggestions of a link between hosting the Summer Games and a record number of fresh COVID-19 cases in the capital, citing the views of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike. Tokyo logged a record 4,058 new daily cases the day before, topping 4,000 for the first time for a single day and adding 2,930 new cases from a week ago. This week's infection trajectory is alarming. The number of newly confirmed infections surpassed 3,000 for the first time on July 28 to hit 3,177 cases. Then came the record July 31 tally, fueling fears the Olympics might be exacerbating the infection situation in the Tokyo metropolitan area. But at an Aug. 1 news conference, Toshiro Muto said: “I hear that the prime minister is denying there is any association between the Olympics (and the sharp uptick in new cases in the capital). I also understand that Governor Koike is denying there is any rise in people’s movements as a result of the Olympics. I share their views.”
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'War has changed', CDC says, calling for new response to Delta variant

The war against COVID-19 has changed because of the highly contagious Delta variant, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control said, proposing a clearer message, mandatory vaccines for health workers and a return to universal masking. An internal CDC document entitled “Improving communications around vaccine breakthrough and vaccine effectiveness", said the variant required a new approach to help the public understand the danger - including making clear that unvaccinated people were more than 10 times more likely than those who are vaccinated to become seriously ill or die. "Acknowledge the war has changed," it said. "Improve communications around individual risk among vaccinated." Recommended preventative measures included making vaccines mandatory for health care professionals to protect the vulnerable and a return to universal wearing of face masks. The CDC confirmed the authenticity of the document, which was first reported by the Washington Post. While vaccinated people were less likely to become infected, once they contracted such "breakthrough infections" from Delta - unlike the case with earlier variants - they might now be just as likely as the unvaccinated to pass the disease on to others.
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