WORLD
Pakistan Hindu Council invites pilgrims to encourage 'faith tourism'
The group will visit the shrine of Paramhans Ji Maharaaj, a saint who had died at Teri village, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Karak district in 1919. "A number of Hindu pilgrims from India, the United Arab Emirates and the US will arrive in Peshawar on Jan 1 to visit the Samadhi at Teri," PHC patron Ramesh Kumar Vankwani told Dawn news. The Hindu Council has arranged the programme in collaboration with Pakistan International Airlines.
UK reports record rise with more than 180,000 daily Covid cases
The country also reported a further 57 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 148,089 till Wednesday. Another 39,923 Omicron cases have been confirmed in Britain, the biggest daily increase since the Covid-19 variant was detected in the country, taking the total Omicron cases found in the country to 210,122, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said on Wednesday.
US San Francisco, more Bay Area counties require masks indoors due to Omicron surge
San Francisco, Marin and Alameda counties on Wednesday rescinded the exemptions that they preserved just two weeks ago, following California's reinstatement of a universal mask mandate. The counties' new orders take effect at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday. San Francisco on Tuesday also announced the cancellation of the city's annual New Year's eve fireworks show, Xinhua news agency reported. Contra Costa County had made a similar move to revoke exemptions on Tuesday.
Rishi Sunak not out of running to be UK PM if Boris is ousted
"We were the first party to have a woman Prime Minister (Margaret Thatcher) - (there has been a second one since in Theresa May) - we were the first party to have a Jewish Prime Minister in (Benjamin) Disraeli, and when I look at the talent behind me, I think we are going to be the first party to have a British Indian Prime Minister," Cameron had said. In fact, historically persons of Indian origin in the United Kingdom felt more at home with the Labour party and virtually voted en mass for it.
WHO warns of "tsunami of cases" from Omicron, Delta
Recapping WHO's response since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday said at a press briefing that he's "highly concerned that Omicron being more transmissible, circulating at the same time as Delta -- is leading to a tsunami of cases." Tedros reiterated his concern over a recent narrative that Omicron has been causing milder or less severe diseases, Xinhua news agency reported.
Iraqi PM confirms end of US-led combat mission in Iraq
"The combat mission of the international coalition has ended and all the combat equipment withdrew outside Iraq," al-Kadhimi said on Wednesday in a tweet posted on the official Twitter page of his media office. "The role of the coalition has become limited to advise and support according to the strategic dialogue," the Iraqi Prime Minister added.
Currency turmoil leaves Turkey's economy vulnerable to further shocks in 2022: economists
The government's plan has managed to support the embattled currency at the eleventh hour. From an all-time low of 18.35 liras per US dollar, it traded at around 12.22 liras against the greenback on Wednesday, according to the country's central bank. However, economists said the currency turmoil, which has marked this year, has left the country's economy vulnerable to further shocks in 2022, especially high inflation, Xinhua news agency reported.
Covid outbreaks disrupt operations of 2 US warships
On one of the ships, USS Milwaukee, which was being deployed to intercept drug trafficking in the Caribbean and East Pacific, there were reportedly more than 20 sailors, or roughly one-fourth of its 105 crew members, who tested positive for the virus, the Xinhua news agency quoted the reports citing defence officials as saying.
Survey says Pakistanis are less hopeful about 2022
The Global Hope, Happiness and Economic Prosperity Index survey was conducted by Gallup International. A total of 41,560 respondents from 41 countries participated in the survey. In Pakistan the survey was conducted by Gallup Pakistan, the report said. The survey measures three constructs: hope, happiness, and economic optimism.
Omicron has faster onset, fewer symptoms when re-infected: US CDC
The CDC, in its weekly latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published on Tuesday, reported the case of six people in a single household with confirmed cases of Omicron. Of the six, an unvaccinated man aged 48 years (the index patient) had recently returned from Nigeria. Before his return trip to the US, he tested negative for Covid on November 21, but tested positive on November 26. The man was first infected with Covid in last year.
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