Covid-19: Ahead of Eid several provinces in Pakistan announce lockdown
Lahore: The administrations of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan-administered Kashmir (PaK) have announced to enforce a complete lockdown in their respective regions from May 8 to 15 to contain the spread of coronavirus during the Eid-ul-Fitr holidays in Pakistan, a media report said on Thursday. The announcements come as the country continues to witness […]
EU ready to discuss US vaccine patent proposal
Brussels: European Union leaders said Thursday that in the wake of the US backing for waiving patents on COVID-19 vaccine technology the 27-nation bloc will start discussing such plans immediately. Their first get-together to mould a common view will come as as soon as during their two-day summit in Porto, Portugal, starting Friday. While many […]
WTO mulling intellectual property waivers for vaccines
Geneva: Ambassadors from World Trade Organisation countries on Wednesday resumed discussions on trade rules protecting the technological know-how behind COVID-19 vaccines amid growing pressure on rich nations to relax them as a way to help poorer countries fight the pandemic. The WTO’s General Council was taking up a temporary waiver for intellectual property protections that […]
Breather: FDA expected to OK Pfizer vaccine for teens within week
Washington: The US Food and Drug Administration is expected to authorise Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for young adults age 12 and older by next week, according to a federal official and a person familiar with the process, setting up shots for many before the beginning of the next school year. The announcement is set to come […]
NKorea warns US of ‘very grave situation’ over Biden speech
Seoul: North Korea on Sunday warned that the United States will face a very grave situation and alleged that President Joe Biden made a big blunder in his recent speech by calling the North a security threat. Last week, Biden, in his first address to Congress, called North Korea and Iran’s nuclear programs serious threats […]
COVID second wave: South Asians in England at greater risk, says New Study
London: Minority ethnic groups in general and South Asians, in particular, had a higher risk of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 and of COVID-19 related hospitalisations, intensive care (ICU) admissions and deaths during the second wave of the pandemic in the UK compared to the first, according to a new observational study of 17 million people. […]
Afghan talks: Peace chief says leaders need to unite now
Kabul: Afghanistan’s chief peace negotiator said Saturday the often fractured Afghan political leadership must unify in its peace talks with the Taliban or risk the withdrawal of US and NATO troops bringing more bitter fighting. Abdullah Abdullah, head of Afghanistan’s National Reconciliation Council, said the time is now for Afghanistan’s political leaders to stand united […]
Final phase of Afghan pullout by US, NATO begins
Kabul: The final phase of ending America’s forever war in Afghanistan after 20 years formally began Saturday, with the withdrawal of the last US and NATO troops by the end of summer. President Joe Biden had set May 1 as the official start of the withdrawal of the remaining forces — about 2,500-3,500 US troops […]