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US President Biden signs short-term funding bill to avert govt shutdown
"Funding the government isn't a great achievement. It's a bare minimum of what we need to get done," Xinhua news agency quoted Biden as saying on Friday. "But in these times, a bipartisan cooperation is worth recognition," Biden said, urging Congress to use the time this bill provides to work toward a bipartisan agreement on a full-year funding bill.
US, EU express concern at China's 'problematic actions'
In a joint statement following a high-level meeting between top diplomats Wendy Sherman, Deputy Secretary of State, and Stefano Sannino, European External Action Service Secretary General, the two said China's actions in the South China Sea, East China Seas and Taiwan Strait "undermine peace and security in the region and have a direct impact on the security and prosperity of both the United States and European Union".
Omicron Covid Update: US tightens travel rules amid rise in new cases
President Biden has made it clear that his plan does not include shutdowns or lockdowns, adding that the new plan does not expand vaccine mandates either. New stricter Covid19 travel rules will be applied to all international as well as national travellers, regardless of their vaccination status. All international travellers will have to undergo covid test, 24 hours before they leave for the US. Additionally, mask requirement on planes, trains and buses will be extended until March.
Chinese Communist Party deploys online disinformation campaigns to distract from int'l criticism
It aligns the timing of those campaigns to take advantage of moments of strategic opportunity in the information domain. The involvement of the CCP's regional government in Xinjiang in international-facing disinformation suggests that internal party incentive structures are driving devolved strands of information operations activity.
Covid vax will likely prevent disease, death regardless of variant: WHO
According to the scientists, it is "highly likely" that Omicron can escape immunity caused by previous infection or vaccination because of the presence of over 30 mutations on its spike protein, which binds to human cells, associated with higher transmission, and a decrease in antibody protection. "Regardless of the variant, complete vaccination is likely to protect against severe disease and deaths, especially in older age groups," Swaminathan wrote on Twitter, adding that the goal now ought to be to protect those around the world who currently have not had access to any Covid-19 jabs.
US House approves short-term funding bill ahead of govt shutdown deadline
The Democrats-held lower chamber approved the Bill on Thursday by a vote of 221-212. The measure now heads to the Senate, where a group of Republicans have threatened to delay the passage of the bill, Xinhua news agency reported.
Facebook removes accounts of Chinese network which promoted fake Swiss Covid expert
The accounts had promoted the claims of a fake Swiss biologist called "Wilson Edwards", who alleged the US was meddling in efforts to find the origins of Covid-19. Edwards' comments had been widely carried by Chinese state media outlets. However, the Swiss embassy said that it was unlikely this person existed, the report said.
Pak lawmaker claims smoking in women leading cause of rising divorce rate
Member National Assembly (MNA), Nausheen Hamid, told a seminar in Islamabad that smoking in women is a leading cause of increasing divorce rates in the country. "Women smokers who get married end up divorced because they are not accepted by their in-laws," Nausheen said at a session on the use of tobacco in Islamabad, the report said.
No data shows Omicron variant more resistant to vaccine: French PM
"No consolidated data allows us, to date, to conclude that this variant would be more resistant to the vaccine," Xinhua news agency quoted Castex as saying during a press conference after visiting a hospital in Angouleme.
Omicron may dominate, overwhelm world in 3-6 months: Singapore Doc
According to Dr. Leong Hoe Nam of Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital, vaccines against the strain can be developed quickly, but they need to be tested over three to six months to prove that they can provide immunity against the variant, CNBC reported. "But frankly, omicron will dominate and overwhelm the whole world in three to six months," he was quoted as saying on CNBC's "Street Signs Asia".
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