WORLD
Biden unveils new anti-crime strategy
"Crime historically rises during the summer and as we emerge from this pandemic, with the country opening back up again, the traditional summer spike may even be more pronounced than it traditionally would be," Biden said in a speech from the White House on Wednesday. "Folks, this (gun violence) shouldn't be a red or blue issue... It's an American issue," he added.
N.Korea rules out possibility of contact with US
North Korea has ruled out the "possibility of any contact" with the US, according to a state media report. Ri also said his Ministry "welcomes the clear-cut press statement issued by the vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, which is to brush off hasty judgment, conjecture and expectation of the US", Xinhua news agency reported.
153 US hospital staff resign or fired over refusing vaccination
In a report on Wednesday, The Texas Tribune said that the Houston Methodist, one of the first facilities to require the vaccine, has terminated or accepted the resignations of 153 workers, Xinhua news agency. In April, Houston Methodist announced the requirement of its staff to get the vaccine by June 7 in order to keep their jobs, reports said.
Turkey won't send additional troops to secure Kabul airport'
Turkey's Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said that the country will not send additional troops to Afghanistan as part of a plan to secure the Kabul airport since it already has soldiers in the country. "At the moment, we're not in any situation to send (new) soldiers. It is out of the question for us to send any soldiers there in any way now," Akar told reporters at Parliament on Wednesday.
US CDC advisors review heart risks tied to Pfizer, Moderna vaccines
There have been more than 1,200 cases of myocarditis and pericarditis in young people who were administered with the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, according to presentations published on Wednesday at the meeting of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunisation Practices. Clinical presentation of myocarditis cases following vaccination has been distinct.
Russia expels UK warship for 'violating' territorial waters
The British destroyer HMS Defender crossed Russia's border in the northwestern part of the Black Sea at 11.52 a.m. on Wednesday after going 3 km beyond the sea border in the area of Cape Fiolent, Xinhua news agency quoted the ministry. The vessel ignored warnings on the possible use of weapons from the Russian side, causing a Russian border patrol ship to fire warning shots, it added.
Delta variant could be dominant in Europe by Aug'
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said that the Covid-19 Delta variant is expected to account for nearly all new cases in the continent by August. In its latest threat assessment report, the ECDC said on Wednesday that since the Delta variant is 40-60 per cent more transmissible. By late August, this figure could reach 90 per cent, Xinhua news agency reported citing the Centre as saying.
Chinese ship sailed off with Iranian bitumen labelled as UAE product
The Chinese ship Guangzhou Wan sailed off to Chattogram from Hamriyah port near Sharjah in UAE on May 9. The ship contained 11,220 tonnes of bitumen for two Bangladeshi companies. Some 6,773 tons are for the Bay Terminal and Distribution Company Limited, a sister concern of PHP Group. And the remaining bitumen was for MEB Group.
Global Covid-19 caseload tops 179.5mn
In its latest update on Thursday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 179,522,146 and 3,889,680, respectively. The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 33,577,488 and 602,833, respectively, according to the CSSE.
Merkel cautions against spread of Covid Delta variant
Although the current infection situation in Germany was "encouraging," Chancellor Angela Merkel called for further caution over the Covid-19 crisis during her last government question session in the Bundestag on Wednesday. Germany's incidence rate of Covid-19 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the past seven days continued to fall to 7.2 on Wednesday
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