Tag Archives: COVID-19

A huge red banner welcomed nearly 9,000 students in Wuhan for a massive graduation ceremony over a year after the city was battered by the first global outbreak of COVID-19. Students in navy gowns and mortarboards sat in crowded rows, without social distancing or face masks, beneath the sign that …

Japan will send 1 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to Vietnam, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said on Tuesday, as Vietnam seeks to accelerate its vaccine procurement drive to tackle a more stubborn wave of infections. The shipment of AstraZeneca PLC vaccines produced in Japan is due to arrive in Vietnam on …

U.S. President Joe Biden will intensify his push to renew relations with Europe on Tuesday after a summit at NATO, meeting with European Union leaders to seek a truce in trade wars and a 17-year-long aircraft subsidy dispute. Seen as another opportunity to re-set ties after four tense years with …

Anglo-Swedish drugmaker AstraZeneca said on Tuesday a study of its monoclonal antibody treatment, AZD7442, did not meet the main goal of preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in people recently exposed to the novel coronavirus. The company said the participants in the trial were unvaccinated adults older than 18 years with confirmed exposure …

Novavax Inc on Monday said its COVID-19 vaccine was more than 90% effective, including against a variety of concerning variants of the coronavirus in a large, late-stage U.S.-based clinical trial. The study of nearly 30,000 volunteers in the United States and Mexico puts Novavax on track to file for emergency …

The head of the World Trade Organization said on Monday she hoped that members could reach an agreement by July on improving access to COVID-19 vaccines after months of talks on waiving drug firms’ intellectual property rights. “It’s going to be tough because there are still differences but we hope …

Many Indian states eased coronavirus restrictions on Monday including the capital Delhi, where authorities allowed all shops and malls to open, as the number of new infections dropped to the lowest in more than two months. Experts have cautioned against a full re-opening as India has vaccinated only about 5 …

Heightened workloads and household responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic are driving deep dissatisfaction among many women in the workforce, according to a new report released on Monday from Deloitte Global. Seventy-seven percent of respondents said their workload increased since the pandemic crisis broke. “Women @ Work: A global outlook,” found …

South Korea began easing restrictions on large concerts and sports events on Monday after announcing last week it would loosen a series of coronavirus curbs as the country pushes ahead with its vaccination drive. Up to 4,000 people will be allowed to attend K-Pop concerts and other cultural shows from …

Swiss voters rejected a trio of environmental proposals on Sunday, including a new law intended to help the country meet its goal for cutting carbon emissions under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. A new CO2 law was narrowly rejected, with 51.6% of voters opposing it in a nationwide referendum …

Americans are becoming more comfortable meeting friends, returning to offices, and attending large events, as per a survey. Oil prices held near multi-year highs on Monday, underpinned by an improved outlook for demand as increased COVID-19 vaccinations help lift travel curbs. Brent crude was up 14 cents, or 0.2 percent, …

Iraq recorded 3952 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, the Ministry of Health said today, Sunday. The daily epidemiological report on the COVID-19 situation stated that 15 deaths were registered today. On the other hand, 4029 patients have achieved full recovery. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 in Iraq, …

South Korea will exempt some travellers who have received their COVID-19 vaccine shots overseas from its mandatory two-week quarantine starting July 1, health authorities said on Sunday. As of May 5, the quarantine exemption was only applicable to people fully vaccinated in South Korea. The new policy will apply only …

Swiss voters are casting ballots in a referendum on a proposed “carbon dioxide law” that would hike fees and taxes on fuels that produce greenhouse gases, as their Alpine country experiences an outsized impact from the fallout of climate change. The proposal would revise and strengthen an existing law that …

Russia has tested a nasal spray form of its COVID-19 vaccine that is suitable for children aged 8-12, and plans to launch the new product in September, the scientist who led the development of the Sputnik V vaccine said on Saturday. Alexander Gintsburg, who heads the Gamaleya Institute that developed …

A Greek court has sentenced four young Afghan asylum seekers to 10 years in jail each after they were charged with starting fires that destroyed Europe’s largest migrant camp last year. Defence lawyers said the men, who denied the accusations, were found guilty of intentional arson. The defence described the …

Hospitals in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital Kinshasa are “overwhelmed” by a rise in COVID-19 infections, President Felix Tshisekedi said on Saturday, as the country was hit by a third wave of the disease. Like many African countries, Congo has officially registered relatively few cases. But the virus has …

Saudi Arabia will limit this year’s Hajj pilgrimage to 60,000 residents and nationals living in the Kingdom due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced in a statement Saturday. “In light of what the whole world is witnessing from the continuing developments of the coronavirus …

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to delay lifting the remaining coronavirus restrictions in England as data show a further rise in cases of the rapidly spreading Delta variant, British media reported. Johnson is due to announce on Monday whether the planned lifting of restrictions, which would see an …

Oil prices reached fresh multi-year highs on Friday, closing out a third straight week of gains on an improved outlook for worldwide demand as rising COVID-19 vaccination rates help lift pandemic curbs. Brent crude futures settled at $72.69 a barrel, rising 17 cents after reaching their highest since May 2019. …