at 18:30 (JST), August 23

Asian View

"Asian View" is a five-minute news segment broadcast by NHK WORLD-JAPAN. It features the latest news and deep analysis from Japan and the rest of Asia. Listen to "Asian View" and get the latest information from a region that's playing an increasingly important role in the world.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20210823183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : taliban establish unclear
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210823_03/

Forces in northern Afghanistan have been holding out against the Taliban, making it unclear whether the insurgent group will be able to rule the entire country.

The son of Ahmad Shah Massoud, one of the leaders of the Northern Alliance, vowed to resist the Taliban in the northeastern province of Panjshir, which is now not under Taliban control.

He made the pledge in an opinion piece published in The Washington Post. The Northern Alliance fought against the Taliban when the militant group was last in power.

Local fighters in the northern province of Baghlan have reportedly attacked and recaptured some districts from the Taliban.

Meanwhile, the Taliban are working to establish a new administration, holding talks with senior officials of the government that was toppled on August 15 when the militants took control of the capital Kabul.

A Taliban official told Reuters news agency that the group's commanders are set to meet former governors and bureaucrats in more than 20 of Afghanistan's 34 provinces to ensure their safety and seek cooperation.

Against this backdrop, people continued to gather on Sunday at Kabul's international airport to board flights out of the country.

A resident of Kabul said jobs and economic activity have vanished since the Taliban takeover. He said unemployment is at its worst level, with people locking themselves in their homes.

Another man said thieves and others pretending to be Taliban members have been committing crimes.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted on Sunday that he will convene a G7 leaders meeting on Tuesday for urgent talks on the situation in Afghanistan. The meeting will take place online.

He added it is "vital" that the international community works together to ensure safe evacuations from the country and prevent a humanitarian crisis.

The foreign affairs chiefs of the G7 nations held an online discussion about Afghanistan on Thursday. They called on the Taliban "to guarantee safe passage to foreign nationals and Afghans wanting to leave" the country.

Key words : self-defense afghanistan 500 people
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210823_01/

The Japanese government is planning to send Self-Defense Force aircraft to Afghanistan to evacuate more Japanese nationals and local embassy staff.

Last week, the government evacuated the Japanese embassy's employees in Kabul using a British military plane.

Officials from Japan's foreign and defense ministries left for Afghanistan on Sunday to study the situation there.

Japan's Foreign Ministry says local embassy staff and their families, as well as Japanese who work at international organizations have sought help to leave Afghanistan.

Ministry sources said SDF planes may evacuate more than 500 people.

The sources added that government officials will consider how to move evacuees to an airport in Afghanistan, and to which country or countries they should be taken.

Key words : organizing committee concept
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210822_01/

The Tokyo Games organizing committee says the concept of Tuesday's Paralympic opening ceremony will be "WE HAVE WINGS."

The committee made the announcement on Saturday. The opening ceremony is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. on Tuesday at the National Stadium in Tokyo.

The committee says the concept seeks to raise awareness that everybody has wings through highlighting the courage of Paralympic athletes who are trying to spread their wings against adverse winds.

The committee also adds that the concept for the closing ceremony scheduled for September 5 will be "Harmonious Cacophony."

It says the spirit behind that concept is acknowledging diversity among people and transforming their differences into a shared unity.

The committee says a total of 161 public applicants have been selected to perform at the opening and closing ceremonies, and 75 of them will participate in the opening ceremony.

The number of participants from the public is smaller than initially planned, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A rehearsal for the opening ceremony will be held at the National Stadium on Sunday.

Key words : king of malaysia
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210821_07/

The king of Malaysia has appointed Ismail Sabri Yaakob prime minister following the resignation earlier this week of Muhyiddin Yassin amid public anger at his handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

The appointment on Friday came as infections in Malaysia hit a record high.

The king said he believed Ismail Sabri had the support of a majority of members of parliament.

Ismail Sabri served as deputy prime minister and defense minister under the Muhyiddin government, and played a central role in its response to the coronavirus.

This has raised concerns about whether he is capable of reining in infections and reviving the economy.

A lockdown in force since June has placed limits on economic activity and movement.

Despite this, the daily tally of cases hit a new record of 23,564 on Friday. The country is reporting more than 200 deaths each day.

Key words : iran parliament nominee
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210821_17/

Iran's parliament has opened deliberations on President Ebrahim Raisi's proposed cabinet, which includes a foreign minister nominee known for his hardline stance toward the United States.

The discussions on the 19-member lineup began on Saturday with Raisi in attendance.

Raisi, who assumed office earlier this month, said his cabinet will aim to enhance people's lives and establish international relations based on national interests.

Raisi named former Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian as foreign minister.

Amir-Abdollahian has been a diplomat in charge of foreign affairs concerning the Middle East. He is also reported to have good ties with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Raisi said Amir-Abdollahian is trustworthy in the field of foreign affairs as he has knowledge and experience.

With the Iranian government led by the anti-US conservative hardline president, indirect talks between Tehran and Washington that began in April to salvage the 2015 nuclear agreement may become even tougher.

The administration of former President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from the deal and resumed sanctions against Iran in 2018.

The parliament will hold several more days of discussions on the nominations before voting to approve or disapprove them.

Key words : first weekend
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210823_07/

Japan had its first weekend under an expanded state of emergency as it battles the coronavirus. But there are no signs of the rate of infection slowing, with Tokyo reporting its highest-ever tally for a Sunday.

There were 4,392 new cases in the capital. That's down about 700 from Saturday, but up 97 from the week before. The seven-day average has jumped 11 percent from a week ago. Tokyo officials say eight patients died on Sunday, while another 271 had serious symptoms.

A woman in her 50s was among those who are being forced to recover at home to ease the strain on hospitals. The woman tested positive last month despite receiving two vaccine shots.

She lives alone in Tokyo and says it was tough to recover. She kept notes throughout the experience. Entries show she had a high fever, a cough, and lost her sense of smell and taste. She says she started thinking about death for the first time.

People recuperating at home are supposed to be provided meals and a device to monitor their oxygen levels.

But the woman says she got neither. She thinks authorities are overwhelmed. She said, "I felt deserted. I really worry about what will happen to older people who live alone and don't have any family to support them. I still feel scared."

Meanwhile, the virus is casting a shadow over the Tokyo Paralympics, which kick off on Tuesday. Thirty more people visiting for the Games have tested positive, including two athletes from abroad. That's a record daily count for people involved in the event. The total now stands at 131.

Japan reported more than 22,000 cases on Sunday. The health ministry says the number of hospitalized patients in serious condition has hit 1,891, marking the tenth daily record in a row.

Key words : antibody
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210822_05/

The Japanese government plans to make the so-called "antibody cocktail treatment" accessible nationwide for COVID-19 patients with non-serious symptoms.

The treatment was authorized in Japan last month. Patients receive two drugs by IV drip simultaneously to suppress the virus.

The government plans to speedily provide the drugs to hospitals in prefectures where a coronavirus state of emergency is in place.

It had initially targeted hospitalized patients. But in mid- August, it started allowing patients isolating at hotels and temporary medical facilities to receive the treatment subject to certain conditions, as it is getting difficult for them to find a vacant hospital bed.

Patients who are recuperating at hotels in Tokyo and Fukuoka are already receiving the drugs.

Some doctors say the treatment should also be given to patients isolating at their homes.

But the government is cautious regarding such requests because of severe reactions reported overseas.

The US pharmaceutical company that developed the treatment says possible reactions include fever, headache and breathing difficulty.

The firm says unknown side-effects could also occur, as clinical data are still limited.

The health ministry says medical workers should monitor patients who received the treatment.