WORLD
WHO reserves judgement on Indian coronavirus variant
A WHO spokeswoman said that it was not clear at this point to what extent the variant was responsible for the rapid increase in cases in India in recent months, DPA news agency reported. There are many factors that could have contributed to this, she said. For example, festivals and other events with many participants may have accelerated infections.
US looking at rerouting oxygen shipments to India: Biden spokesperson
The US has also identified commercial suppliers of Remdesivir who can immediately provide the Covid-19 medicine to India, she said on Monday at her briefing. "Department of Defense and USAID are pursuing options to provide oxygen generation systems (and) we may be in a position to reroute shipments meant for other countries with lower immediate needs, given the urgency of the conditions in India," she said.
AstraZeneca denies breaching EU vaccine contract
"AstraZeneca has fully complied with the Advance Purchase Agreement with the European Commission and will strongly defend itself in court," the company said in a written statement published shortly after the EU executive branch announced that it was taking legal action against AstraZeneca over alleged breaches of its Covid-19 vaccine supply contract, the dpa news agency reported.
EU takes AstraZeneca to court for vaccine contract breach
The EU executive branch began the process on Friday because some terms of the contract have not been respected, commission spokesperson Stefan De Keersmaecker said on Monday, the dpa news agency reported. Furthermore, "the company has not been in a position to come up with a reliable strategy to ensure the timely delivery of doses", the spokesperson told reporters in Brussels.
US General terms regrouping of terrorists Pakistan's biggest worry
"After the US withdrawal, the biggest threat would be the regrouping of Al-Qaeda and IS militants, who will be able to regenerate if pressure is not kept on them. That's very concerning to all the neighbouring states, biggest concern to Pakistan", said General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. Commander US Central Command (Centcom).
Australia govt extends support for virtual medical service
Health Minister Greg Hunt announced on Monday that the telehealth survices will continue until December 31 as the federal government's financial support for it is due to end on June 30, Xinhua reported. Telehealth services were established to allow Australians in regional areas to meet with general practitioners (GPs) and specialists virtually without travelling hours, which was extended during the COVID-19 pandemic to all Australians.
Price gap between ready & under-construction homes at 3-5%
It noted that the price gap between ready and 'off plan' or under-construction housing has been narrowing on year-on-year basis since 2017 across the top seven cities. In 2017, the difference between the two categories was anywhere between 9 per cent to 12 per cent across cities, while in 2018 it was 5-8 per cent.
In blow to Japan's Suga, Opposition wins all 3 parliamentary races
The outcomes of Sunday's races, the first since Suga was inaugurated in September, bode ill for his ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) as the country prepares for a general election that must be held by this autumn, Yonhap reported.
Global Covid-19 caseload tops 146.8mn
In its latest update on Monday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 146,830,782 and 3,106,384, respectively. The US is the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 32,077,076 and 572,200, respectively, according to the CSSE.
Indonesia finds missing submarine, all 53 crew members dead
The Nanggala-402 submarine was broken into three parts at the depth of 838 meters under the sea, Indonesian Navy Chief of Staff Yudo Margono said on Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported. "There, the KRI Nanggala-402 submarine was found in three big parts," he told a joint press conference, saying the next step is to lift the wreckage of the vessel with the help of foreign navies.
Don't Miss
Advertisement