WORLD
3 dead in Japan building fire, arson suspected
Of the 28 injured, 17 men and 10 women were in cardiopulmonary arrest, according to firefighters. The injured were brought out from the fourth floor of the eight-storey multi-tenant building located near JR Osaka Station, reports Xinhua news agency. It was reported that the fire started within a medical clinic that provides psychosomatic and psychiatric treatments on the fourth floor.
Existing Covid vax enough, no need to tweak for Omicron: Fauci
It has been known that Omicron evades efficacy from the current two-dose shots. A study from South Africa showed that protection from the two-dose vaccine against infection dropped to 33 per cent compared with 80 per cent before the emergence of Omicron. As a result, a booster dose has been advised by several countries. A booster dose increases protection against symptomatic disease to 75 per cent, Fauci said.
Turkey cuts benchmark interest rate again as lira dips to historic low
The rate has now decreased from 15 per cent to 14 per cent, prompting the lira to lose as much as 6.2 percent against the dollar to trade at 15.72 liras per dollar, reports Xinhua news agency. The country's annual inflation rose to 21.31 per cent in November, the highest level in more than three years, as prices continued to climb, clouding consumer outlook in the country.
Madrasas in Pakistan continue to teach violent extremist doctrine: US Report
The report has said that despite the Pakistan government's continued efforts to increase madrasa regulation, the madrasas have failed to register with the government, provide documentation of their sources of funding, or comply with laws governing acceptance of foreign students.
'Winter of severe illness and death' for unvaccinated, US Preident Joe Biden warns Americans
President Biden's warning comes as the new Covid19 variant Omicron spreads rapidly in the country. President Biden also said that the unvaccinated will soon overwhelm the US hospitals. The G7 has also called the Omicron variant the biggest threat to global public health. So far, the Omicron variant has been reported in 77 countries, according to the WHO. However, there is just one death reported of Omicron variant in UK.
US Senate confirms Burns as new envoy to China
The Senate voted 75-18 to confirm Burns, 65, a career diplomat who has served under both Democratic and Republican Presidents, reports Xinhua news agency. During his State Department career, Burns served as under secretary of State for Political Affairs, Ambassador to NATO and to Greece, State Department spokesman and on the National Security Council staff on Soviet and Russian Affairs.
WHO Europe urges caution over double coronavirus surge
"The European region was the epicentre of the pandemic even before the emergence of Omicron, with surging cases of the Delta variant," Hans Kluge, Regional Director of WHO Europe, said in a statement. According to WHO Europe, the threat posed by Covid-19 is as serious as ever, with the highly transmissible Delta variant dominating throughout the region and the Omicron variant spreading rapidly with uncertain consequences, Xinhua news agency reported.
US keeps N.Korea on state sponsors of terrorism list
North Korea has been on the list of state sponsors of terrorism since 2017 when North Korean agents assassinated leader Kim Jong-un's half brother, Kim Jong-nam, using chemical agents in Malaysia, reports Yonhap News Agency.
"In 2017 the Secretary of State determined the DPRK had repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism since its State Sponsor of Terrorism designation was rescinded in 2008," the report, Country Reports on Terrorism, released on Thursday said, noting the North was first designated as a state sponsor of terrorism in 1988 for its involvement in the tragic bombing of a South Korean passenger jet the year before.
India likely to be first foreign buyer of S-500 system air defence system: Russia
Borisov's statement comes at a time when Russia has started the delivery of its long-range S-400 ground-to-air missile defence system to India. The 2018 S-400 deal signed by New Delhi and Moscow was worth more than $5 billion. In addition to this, speculations hint that India might consider the new generation S-500 Prometei, which is the most advanced Russian mobile air defence system.
India, Russia and China may hold summit soon, says Kremlin
Russia, India and China may hold a summit in the near future, according to President Vladimir Putin’s aide Yury Ushakov. However, there is no confirmation of such a summit, from Indian authorities. If this meet happens, it will be the first meeting between New Delhi and Beijing after the LAC standoff last year. Earlier the leaders of the three countries met in 2019 for the G-20 summit in Osaka.
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