IISc’s ‘warm’ Covid vaccine effective against all major variants: Study
New Delhi: A heat-tolerant COVID-19 vaccine formulation developed by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru has proven effective against all current SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, according to a study in animals. The research, published in the ACS Infectious Diseases journal on Thursday, showed the vaccine formulations by IISc-incubated biotech start-up Mynvax triggered a strong […]
COVID-19 cases rising again in US, doubling over three weeks
Washington: The COVID-19 curve in the US is rising again after months of decline, with the number of new cases per day doubling over the past three weeks, driven by the fast-spreading delta variant, lagging vaccination rates and Fourth of July gatherings. Confirmed infections climbed to an average of about 23,600 a day on Monday, […]
China asks Taliban to make ‘clean break’ from militant forces
Beijing: In a significant policy statement on the Taliban which is making big gains in its offensive in Afghanistan, China has asked it to make a clean break from all terrorist forces, especially the al-Qaida-backed Uyghur Muslim militant group ETIM fighting for the volatile Xinjiang province’s independence. In his media briefing at Dushanbe, Chinese Foreign […]
School closure: Report says Countries not implementing programmes to mitigate learning loss
New Delhi: One in three countries where schools were or are still closed due to the Covid pandemic have not yet implemented remedial programmes to mitigate learning loss, according to a survey. The “Survey on National Education Responses to COVID-19 School Closures” was conducted by UNESCO, UNICEF, World Bank and OECD. At the same time, […]
Pak authorities seized textbooks for printing Malala’s picture
Islamabad: Pakistan authorities have confiscated copies of a school textbook in Punjab province for printing the picture of Nobel laureate Malala Yousufszai in the list of important personalities, apparently unhappy with the UK-based activist’s controversial views on Islam. The youngest Nobel Prize laureate, Malala, who turned 24 on Monday, is known for human rights advocacy, […]
Troop withdrawal: Top US commander in Afghanistan hands over command
Kabul: The top US commander in Afghanistan relinquished his command at a ceremony in the Afghan capital of Kabul on Monday, taking the United States a step closer to ending its 20-year war. The move came as Taliban insurgents continue to gain territory across the country. Another four-star general will assume authority from his US […]
Pakistan monitoring changing situation in Afghanistan: Govt
Islamabad: Pakistan said on Monday that it was monitoring the changing situation in Afghanistan and assured its people that it would not allow the looming chaos in the war-torn nation to spillover borders to cause any kind of disturbance in the country. Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry’s remarks came in the midst of Taliban militants seizing […]
Regional consensus, support for Afghan-led peace process imp: US
Washington: The US has said that regional consensus and support for an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process is important for an enduring peace, stressing that Afghanistan’s neighbours and countries in the region have a real stake in the war-torn nation’s future. The comments came on Friday, hours after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had […]