Japan detects Tamiflu-resistant strain of new flu
A Japanese laboratory has identified its first case of a new influenza virus resistant to the antiviral drug Tamiflu. The health ministry says it has received no information about other patients infected with the drug-resistant virus.
The drug-resistant strain was isolated in a patient in Osaka Prefecture who had been diagnosed with the new flu on May 29th.
The ministry says the patient began taking Tamiflu after being in contact with a carrier of the new flu. However, the patient became feverish on May 24th. The patient later recovered.
The Osaka Prefectural Institute of Public Health confirmed that a new flu virus of the patient mutated to develop a resistance to Tamiflu.
The ministry plans to continue to monitor the situation at medical institutions nationwide.
The Tamiflu-resistant strain was also detected in Denmark on June 30th. However, there is reportedly no risk of the virus spreading and seriously infecting people at the present time.
N.Korea fires 4 missiles into Sea of Japan
North Korea has reportedly test-fired 4 short-range missiles into the Sea of Japan.
South Korea's Defense Ministry says 2 missiles were fired from Wonsan on North Korea's east coast at around 5:20 PM and 6:00 PM, local time, on Thursday.
At around 7:50 PM, another missile was fired from a base near Kittaeryong in southeastern North Korea.
At 9:26 PM, the fourth missile was launched from Wonsan.
South Korean government sources say they believe the projectiles are ground-to-ship missiles with a range of 100 to 150 kilometers.
The South Korean authorities had been expecting North Korea to fire a short-range missile as part of routine military drills as the North recently announced a no-sail zone northeast of Wonsan.
The South Korean military is on heightened alert for more missile launches.
California declares fiscal emergency
Governor of the US state of California Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a fiscal emergency as the state is running a fiscal deficit of about 24 billion dollars.
The declaration came after the state legislature failed to agree by the July 1st start of the new fiscal year to the governor's budget plan that involves deep cuts in medical, welfare and educational spending.
Schwarzenegger told reporters on Wednesday that the legislature failed to take appropriate action despite his warning that the state coffers would dry up by the end of July. He called the situation very serious.
The governor also said that he will order state employees to take 3 days off every month, starting this month, in an effort to cut personnel costs.
In California, a tax hike plan aimed at rebuilding the tattered state finances was rejected by a referendum in May.
Over 30,000 teaching staff have been notified of dismissal while many of the state's public works projects have been suspended.
Many are voicing concern that the tight fiscal situation may result in a downgrading of administrative services.
Euro zone unemployment rate hits 10-year high
The unemployment rate in the euro zone has hit a 10-year high.
The European Commission said on Thursday that the jobless rate in the 16 nations rose to 9.5 percent in May, up 0.2 percentage points from April.
That means 273,000 people lost jobs in May, the worst result since May, 1999.
The unemployment rate deteriorated in almost all EU countries. The figures from the broader 27-nation bloc increased 0.2 points from April to 8.9 percent in May.
The jobless rate in Spain stood at 18.7 percent, the highest in the EU.
In Latvia and Lithuania, both battered by the global economic crisis, the unemployment rate rose nearly 10 points from a year ago. The figures were 16.3 percent in Latvia and 14.3 percent in Lithuania.
Mizuho Bank, Docomo, teams up for cash transfer
Japanese mobile phone giant NTT Docomo and major bank Mizuho will soon launch a service to enable money transfers through mobile phones.
Starting July 21st, Docomo subscribers will be able to send money to other subscribers by entering their mobile phone numbers on a dedicated website.
Docomo users do not have to know the recipients' bank account numbers to send cash, and can transfer up to 20,000 yen, or about 200 dollars, per month.
Recipients can designate bank accounts to which they want money sent, or use it to pay their Docomo phone bills.
Another major bank, the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, and KDDI, the operator of au mobile phone services, already offer financial services through a jointly established bank.
The banking industry is expected to intensify its efforts to attract more young mobile phone users.
最終更新：2009年07月03日 07:10
