WORLD
Covid virus can evade vaccines, find alternate way to infect cells
Early in the Covid-19 pandemic, scientists identified how SARS-CoV-2 gets inside cells to cause infection. All current Covid-19 vaccines and antibody-based therapeutics were thus designed to disrupt this route into cells, which requires a receptor called ACE2. But, the new study led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis showed that Covid virus has the ability to enter cells via an alternative pathway -- one that does not require ACE2.
Rudy Giuliani suspended from practicing law over false statements
"We conclude that there is uncontroverted evidence that respondent communicated demonstrably false and misleading statements to courts, lawmakers and the public at large in his capacity as lawyer for former President Donald Trump and the Trump campaign in connection with Trump's failed effort at reelection in 2020," according to a 33-page suspension order issued by the New York Supreme Court.
Africa's Covid caseload at historic high amid 3rd wave: WHO
In a statement on Thursday, Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, said the continent is grappling with a resurgence fuelled by the easing of containment measures, cold weather and the presence of new variants, reports Xinhua news agency. "The third wave is picking up speed, spreading faster, hitting harder.
Merkel defends patent protection for Covid vax
"A politically enforced release of patents is, in my opinion, the wrong way to go," Merkel said on Thursday. She said she was convinced that "we need to increase the production of vaccines on the basis of licenses as quickly as possible". The world will "continue to depend on vaccines being developed in the future", Merkel said in the German government's statement on the June 24-25 European Council meeting in Brussels.
751 graves found near former Canadian indigenous residential school
The school named Marieval Indian Residential School operated from 1899 to 1997 in the area where Cowessess is now located, about 140 km east of Regina, the capital city of Saskatchewan province. Cowessess Chief Cadmus Delorme told on Thursday that technical teams started using ground-penetrating radar early this month to locate unmarked graves in an area of 44,000 square metres.
Russia summons UK envoy over warship intrusion
The Russian Foreign Ministry has summoned UK Ambassador Deborah Bronnert and "strongly" protested against the violation by a British warship of Moscow's "territorial waters" in the Black Sea. If such provocations happen again, "all responsibility for their possible consequences will rest entirely on the British side", the Ministry warned.
6 bills to rein in Big Tech firms hurtle forward in US Congress
Six bills taking aim at the Big Tech market power are hurtling forward in the US Congress with bipartisan support even as a House panel has pushed forward an ambitious legislative package that seeks to rein in Facebook, Google, Amazon and Apple by targeting their ownership of mighty online platforms in combination with other lines of business that kill competition.
Nancy Pelosi tells Tim Cook to let antitrust bills play out: Report
On Thursday, the House Speaker detailed her conversation with Cook but maintained her stance that American privacy and data are at the ends of giant technology companies. "If you have substantive concerns -- and they have members who have voted with them on this -- they can put forth what they want to put forth," said House Speaker Pelosi.
Russia to strengthen military capabilities to counter NATO threat
"The recent NATO summit demonstrated unprecedented anti-Russian sentiment and confirmed the alliance's desire to occupy the role of the world's police," Patrushev said at the ninth Moscow Conference on International Security on Thursday. He pointed to the bloc's increased military spending that went up by 4 per cent in 2020 despite a global economic decline.
Joe Biden says he has reached deal with bipartisan senators on infrastructure plan
"We had a really good meeting and to answer the direct question, we have a deal," Biden told reporters at the White House after a meeting with the senators. "We've all agreed that none of us got what we all would have wanted. I clearly didn't get all I wanted. They gave more than I think they were maybe inclined to give in the first place," Biden said.
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