Science In flow

Prime Minister Scott Morrison on New Years Eve announced that the second line of the anthem, Advance Australia Fair, has been changed from “For we are young and free” to “For we are one and free.” The change took effect Friday. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/2LbuXTi

After weeks of vowing to win his fight to remain in office, Republican Trump said in a video posted on Twitter: “We have to be remembered for what’s been done.” from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/2KJcMVf

The European Union (EU) will review a request by Pfizer’s German partner, BioNTech SE, for an additional vaccine dose from each vial, instead of the five currently approved. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/34XUSVi

The administration of former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who resigned in February, sought to cancel the project as the country grappled with debt and liabilities amounting to more than $249 billion, before settling for a deferment and a $11.4 million compensation fee to Singapore from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/2KHyBED

Kim usually gives a televised speech on Jan. 1, but he is widely expected to skip the speech this year since he will address the country’s first ruling party congress in five years sometime in early January. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3rIeLtm

“We would have liked to have seen it run smoothly and have 20 million doses into people today by the end of 2020, which was the projection. Obviously, it didn’t happen,” said Fauci, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) director. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/2Lbfe6I

Emperor Naruhito expressed his “deep respect and gratitude” to doctors and nurses treating Covid-19 patients and offered empathy to those who lost loved ones, lost their jobs or were struggling with loneliness. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3n0dB9b

Harris, the US vice president-elect, took to Twitter expressing optimism that in 2021, ‘we can turn a new chapter in our nation’s history.’ from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/34XwRhc

The employee is suspected of ‘deliberately’ ruining hundreds of doses of coronavirus vaccine by removing them from refrigeration for two nights. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/383CMmZ

Citing concerns over the pandemic, the New York City police closed the Crossroads of the World to vehicles and pedestrians at midnight and dispersed onlookers venturing into a so-called “frozen zone.” from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3pCb7PW

His remarks come ahead of the first anniversary of the US killing of top Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani in a drone strike in Baghdad on January 3. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3hxltOc

Britain launched its inoculation drive with the US-German vaccine on December 8, with the United States, Canada and EU countries following suit. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/38LlQ3K

As the Senate grinds through the New Year’s holiday, the one-two rebuke of Trump’s demands punctuates the president’s final days and deepen the divide between the Republican Party’s new wing of Trump-styled populists and what had been mainstay conservative views. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/2L82gGI

After the Prime Minister announced the decision to dissolve the lower house on December 20, anti-government protests broke out across the country. Cadres of various political parties have been placing orders from various districts of the Himalayan Nation to make flags for their respective parties that have resulted into making flag-making business flourishing in Kathmandu. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3ncqrRT

The ruling affects only Muscogee County, which includes Columbus, where county election officials had determined there was probably cause to challenge roughly 4,000 voters. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3pEdG46

Australia will be among the first nations to ring in 2021 because of its proximity to the International Date Line. In past years 1 million people crowded Sydney’s harbor to watch fireworks that center on the Sydney Harbor Bridge. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/38JjUZy

Jeremy Grams, a forecaster with the National Weather Services Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, said 12 to 18 inches (0.30 meters to 0.46 meters) of snow was possible west of the Pecos River in southwest Texas, with another 3 to 5 inches (0.13 meters) predicted for western Oklahoma by Thursday. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3n4suHr

“As Joe Biden said yesterday, once in office we will ensure that the Covid-19 vaccines are distributed equitably and free of charge—so it doesn’t matter the color of your skin or where you live. If you want a vaccine, you’ll be able to get one.” tweeted Kamala Harris from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3mY3z8x

The Chinese embassy official not just cherry-picked bilateral agreements with India, but also portions from the 2003 pact that the embassy decided to quote. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/383270e

Hindus are the largest non-Muslim majority in the country, which gained independence from British rule in 1947, when the subcontinent was partitioned into Muslim-majority Pakistan and Hindu-majority India. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/2JwyF9s

From Bill Gates's How to Avoid a Climate Disaster to Chiara Marletto's revolutionary recasting of physics, The Science of Can and Can't, 2021 is a blockbuster year for popular science books from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/2KFniNb

Angela Merkel’s fourth and last term was marked by discontent within conservatives after losses in regional elections which many blamed on her decision to welcome more than one million asylum seekers in 2015, and criticism of her perceived failure to tackle the second wave of virus from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3o42vB9

The Navy said the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers USS John S. McCain and USS Curtis Wilbur “conducted a routine Taiwan Strait transit” in accordance with international law. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/34YvfUn

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) said on Wednesday that it was tightening measures to ensure the safety and well-being of the crew and to safeguard public health in Singapore. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3pBZ8lh

Indian-origin individuals named for some of the highest civilian honours such as OBE, MBE and BEM include popular actor Nina Wadia, who played various characters in films and TV programmes over the years from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3n5ppXw

The US Navy said two guided missile destroyers had “conducted a routine Taiwan Strait transit December 31 in accordance with international law”.China’s Defence Ministry denounced the trip as “provocation” and “a show of force”, adding Chinese ships and aircraft trailed the US ships. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3pwNZlG

India’s eighth stint as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council will begin on Friday from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3hwjnOx

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general said,“Vaccines offer great hope to turn the tide of the pandemic. But to protect the world, we must ensure that all people at risk everywhere - not just in countries who can afford vaccines - are immunised,”. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/34WpDKt

Syringe and needle makers in Brazil warned that the country’s Covid-19 vaccination program was at risk after the Jair Bolsonaro-led government set very low auction prices and further failed to draw bids for enough syringes to meet requirements. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/37XC7U2

Russia, which began rolling out the vaccine in early December, has so far produced over 2 million doses in total, said industry minister Denis Manturov. The current production rate will allow the vaccine to be rolled out across Russia’s regions and be exported to other countries Manturov added. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/2WZIe3K

Prosecutors said Detective Andre Pringle was stationed at a grocery store in West Baltimore in spring when 25-year-old Brandon Walker entered the store with a mask on top of his head but not covering his face, The Baltimore Sun reports. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3814bFZ

The three-time former prime minister, who was convicted in two corruption cases -- Avenfield properties and Al-Azizia -- was declared a proclaimed offender earlier this month by the Islamabad High Court after he failed to appear before it despite several warnings. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/2WWdTmX

The Census Bureau plans to deliver a population count of each state in early 2021, as close to the missed deadline as possible, the statistical agency said in a statement late Wednesday. “As issues that could affect the accuracy of the data are detected, they are corrected,” the statement said. “The schedule for reporting this data is not static. Projected dates are fluid.” from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/2Mi1Z4x

Colin Kahl, who served as Biden’s national security adviser when he was vice president, will be nominated for undersecretary of defense for policy. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3hvtumD

Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc said the measure will be implemented in the next few days. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/2WWE7p9

The German leader -- who will step down after elections in September -- said perseverance would be needed during a harsh winter as a vaccination campaign ramps up. Amid concerns about its safety, she said she would get the shot as soon as it’s her turn. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3aUK0vi

“We registered 17 attacks from the positions of the Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group in the Idlib de-escalation zone in the provinces of Idlib (12 attacks), Latakia (2), Hama (2) and Aleppo (1),” Rear Adm. Sytnik said. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3ht6yoj

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday placed several state agencies on standby ahead of the storm. Meanwhile, another storm system dropped heavy snow across the Upper Midwest and led to winter storm warnings for parts of Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Illinois. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/34W3zj7

Researchers have stressed time and again that regardless of the dosing regime, none of the trial participants developed severe coronavirus symptoms or had to go into hospital with the disease after having just one dose of the vaccine. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/38MbRv1

Health minister Matt Hancock hailed the approval as a moment of cheer for the UK and the world. He also announced that 100 million doses of the vaccine has been pre-ordered by the British government and the National Health Service (NHS) will begin the deployment of the vaccine from Monday (January 4, 2021). from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/38GZHDG

The Phase 3 trials of AstraZeneca’s vaccine across two different dose regimens showed an average efficacy of 70.4%, with no hospitalisations or severe disease observed in the vaccinated groups from three weeks after the first dose. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/2WXNlSi

The cabinet members, including Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik, were transferred safely to the city’s presidential palace, the witnesses and Saudi media said. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3rEig46

The 6.3-magnitude tremor on Tuesday damaged most of the buildings near its epicenter in Petrinja, a town of 25,000 people, rendering them unusable and their inhabitants homeless, authorities said. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3rE7wCB

Investigators have not uncovered a motive for the Christmas day bombing nor was it revealed why Warner had selected the particular location, which damaged an AT&T building. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3o1RZKC

In a year-end news conference assessing Turkish foreign policy, Mevlut Cavusoglu also told journalists that Turkey wants “healthier” relations with the United States under President-elect Joe Biden’s administration. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3n0jUcO

Jonathan Pollard arrived on a private plane provided by American casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, a billionaire supporter of both Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/38J4epf

For the moment, the variant is likely still rare in the US, but the lack of travel history in the first case means it is spreading, probably seeded by travellers from Britain in November or December, said scientist Trevor Bedford, who studies the spread of Covid-19. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/37XkVOh

The Department of Health said it had accepted a recommendation from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency to authorize emergency use of the vaccine developed by Oxford University and UK-based drugmaker AstraZeneca. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3aZxLhf

The efficacy rate, based on interim analysis of Phase 3 clinical trials, is lower than 86% rate for the same vaccine announced by the United Arab Emirates on Dec. 9, based on preliminary data from trials there. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/37WWwbK

On the top of the sequencing list are Australia which has sequenced 58.6 per cent of its cases, the highest worldwide, according to GISAID Initiative database. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/2WV0YBv

The vaccine will be prioritized for the country’s most vulnerable groups early in the new year, according to statements from the company and the government on Wednesday. It’s the second coronavirus injection to be cleared for emergency use in UK after Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE’s. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/38PjuRg

The government is monitoring scientists’ findings and mandating that the publication of any research first be approved by a new task force managed by China’s cabinet under direct orders from President Xi Jinping. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/38KyqjR

China’s delegation which was deputed to unite Nepal Communist Party leaders, met other Nepal leaders also after criticism for interfering in the country’s politics, and invited them to Chinese Communist Party’s centenary celebrations next year. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/38NqOgi

The Investigative Committee, Russia’s main investigative agency, said on Tuesday it has opened a new criminal case against Navalny on charges of large-scale fraud related to his alleged mishandling of some USD 5 million in private donations to his Anti-Corruption Foundation and other organisations. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3hsQC5d

Iran has started its first study of the safety and effectiveness of a Covid-19 vaccine, a locally developed candidate. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3rDtJAW

His comments come as the coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 336,000 Americans, with experts warning holiday travel and gatherings could precipitate yet another spike in virus cases even as the virus has already been surging in states nationwide from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3aRY1Kc

Household gatherings were limited to just five people while the maximum number of people allowed to gather in public was capped at 30. The usual 9 pm fireworks have been cancelled and the annual midnight session has been cut to seven minutes. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3o0fDr8

According to a study by Public Health England, the new variant does not cause illness more severe than other variants of the virus. Earlier, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had approved placing more regions of the country under the highest level of restrictions - also known as tier 4. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/37VsqWb

There has been little information about how the Chinese vaccines have fared in final-stage clinical trials, with just the United Arab Emirates and China itself endorsing the vaccines for emergency use so far. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/37ULhR7

Mayor Jacob Frey and Chief Medaria Arradondo, in their latest initiative to change department practices in the wake of George Floyd’s death, said the Minneapolis attorney’s office would be more deeply involved in misconduct investigations as soon as they begin. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3hEdsat

The Wisconsin Supreme Court had earlier rejected the lawsuit against election results in the state, where Donald Trump lost to Democrat Joe Biden by about 21,000 votes. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/37Y5961

The UK has had more than 71,000 deaths from the coronavirus and has recorded over 2.3 million cases of Covid-19 infections as of late Monday, according to a Reuters tally. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3pzJ9nI

The government will sign an agreement with Pfizer in the first week of January for 50 million doses, after state-owned vaccine producer PT Bio Farma signs a separate deal for the same amount with AstraZeneca this week, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3poFRDY

“This government is a product of fraud,” Rehman said on Monday, addressing a gathering of his party workers. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/2KMqnL8

While the register will be shared with other European partners, it won’t be made public, Health Minister Salvador Illa said in an interview with La Sexta television on Monday. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/38HgIO1

Five naval ships left the port city of Chittagong for Bhashan Char island, where the ships are expected to reach after a three-hour journey. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3nXHEj3

The Pacific islands of Tonga, Samoa and Christmas Island/Kiribati are the first to ring in a New Year, while the uninhabited Howland and Baker Islands, near the United States, the last. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/37TCezO

Aisha Shah has been named as Partnerships Manager at the White House Office of Digital Strategy, which would be headed by Rob Flaherty, Director of Digital Strategy, according to an announcement by the Biden transition team. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3pxdNOE

Biden’s remarks on China, which will be scrutinised closely both at home in the US and abroad in India, Japan and Australia for clarity on how he will run this most crucial relationship, came after a meeting with his team of foreign policy and national security nominees and officials of his transition team. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3n2Okv6

Russian health officials have registered more than three million infections since the start of the pandemic, putting the country’s caseload at fourth-highest in the world. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3rzzqQg

A woman who arrived from South Africa in Japan on December 19 and tested positive for Covid-19 turned out to be infected with the new 501.V2 strain, the newspaper said on Tuesday. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3aK3TVU

On Monday, the United States and Mexico commenced phase 3 trials of the vaccine candidate of Novovax, an American biotech firm. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3hqv7lD

However, the city maintained its downward trend of new Covid-19 infections from the ongoing cluster, which, since being detected in northern beachside suburbs in mid-December, has now grown to 129 cases. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3mVFVtd

From Ruth Bader Ginsburg to Pranab Mukherjee the list of people this year took away is long. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/38FnpQJ

Russia’s Federal Prison Service (FSIN) on Monday warned Navalny that if he doesn’t fly back from Germany ‘at once’ and report at a Moscow office early on Tuesday morning, he’ll be jailed on returning after the deadline. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3mUfR1x

El Salvador has received about USD 15 million through the program since 2016, including USD 1.9 million this year. The ban is part of an initiative by House Democrats to strengthen anti-corruption efforts in Central America. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/2WOsoJg

The defense measure would establish a Pacific deterrence initiative intended to counter China’s influence in the region. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3pqemK0

“This is a wakeup call,” WHO emergencies chief Michael Ryan told reporters at a briefing marking a year since the UN agency first learned of the new virus spreading in China. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/2KJd663

The government has cited national security concerns in its targeting of TikTok, arguing that the personal data of US users could be obtained by China’s government. TikTok, which has over 100 million users in the United States, denies the allegation. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/34N0wtq

Trump has still refused to concede an election he lost by more than 7 million votes, and his administration did not authorize official cooperation with the Biden transition team until Nov 23. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3rDPVem

Columbus police officer Adam Coy was fired hours after a hearing was held to determine his employment, Columbus Public Safety Director Ned Pettus Jr. said in a statement. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/2X4R0hf

Ten of the so-called “Hong Kong 12” were in court in the southern city of Shenzhen to face charges linked to an illegal border crossing. Chinese authorities took them into custody after their boat was intercepted on August 23. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/34S515X

Specifically, some media outlets reported that Treasury was seeking to exclude Chinese companies’ subsidiaries from the scope of the White House directive. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/38L5Y1d

The Saudi FM will hold talks with country’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Arif Alvi. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/2JuY2IS

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a news briefing that the US remarks “disregard facts”. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/2KXvwQz

Hassan Nasrallah, in an end-of-year interview said his group has the capability to strike anywhere in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. Israel has in recent months expressed concern that Hezbollah is trying to establish production facilities to make precision-guided missiles. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/2WQaYMA

The Tibetan Policy and Support Act of 2020 calls for the establishment of a US consulate in Lhasa and the absolute right of Tibetans to choose a successor to the Dalai Lama. Tibet-related issues are domestic affairs, Zhao Lijian, a ministry spokesman, said at a regular media briefing. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3pqU2IC

Earlier on Monday, a driver of Defense Ministry was wounded after an improvised bomb hit a ministry’s vehicle in PD 4 of the national capital Kabul, the capital police said. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/2KEGwCt

Britain’s drug regulator could clear the shot for use as early as this week, according to a person familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified. AstraZeneca Chief Executive Officer Pascal Soriot and UK health officials had previously said they hoped for approval by the end of the year. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3nVAeg3

China, which has been looking at anointing a successor to the 14th Dalai Lama, has claimed that Tibetans will need to get Beijing’s approval for the next spiritual leader. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3puoIc4

The Act, among other things authorises the State Department, in cooperation with the Indian government, to establish an annual educational forum for scholars from both countries that focuses on the legacies of Gandhi and Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/2WMeYO5

The law now authorises the Office of the US Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues and expands the office’s duties to include additional tasks, such as pursuing international coalitions to ensure that the next Dalai Lama is appointed solely by the Tibetan Buddhist faith community. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/34NCAGd

While officials on Sunday named Anthony Quinn Warner, 63, as the man behind the mysterious explosion in which he was killed, the motive has remained elusive. Officials have not provided insight into why Warner selected the particular location for the bombing, which damaged an AT&T building. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/2WRNir3

The presidential spokesman added that Mexico is also analyzing ways of securing Russian and German vaccine deliveries. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/38G1cBT

The decision to tighten restrictions comes as a cluster of cases on the city’s northern beaches grew to 126 and a lockdown for several suburbs was extended until January 9. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/34P5GVU

China wants the PM Oli-led government to rescind the presidential order dissolving parliament and has offered to use its influence with the rival faction led by Prachanda and Madhav Nepal to get them to back off from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/37QmeP4

Saudi Arabia has extended the suspension of all international commercial flights and entry into the Kingdom through land and seaports for another week in view of the new coronavirus strain which was discovered in the United Kingdom. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3aQzuoP

Along with masks and social distancing, another new normal that is likely to emerge is the vaccine passport application, according to a CNN report. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3hnHIWX

37-year-old Zhang Zhan was sentenced almost a year after the virus first surfaced in the central China city. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3rzj9e4

Zhang Zhan, a former lawyer, could face up to five years in jail if convicted of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” for her reporting in the chaotic initial stages of the outbreak. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3aLfPGN

“From Covid-19 and the economy to climate change and racial justice -- our nation is facing four historic crises at once. And come January, there will be no time to waste. That’s why my team and I are hard at work preparing to take action on day one,” Biden tweeted. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3hkF8kt

Sydney, one of the world’s first major cities to welcome each New Year, has banned large gatherings that night amid an outbreak of the coronavirus. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3ptw8fz

The annual tally from global NGO Christian Aid, entitled “Count the cost of 2020: a year of climate breakdown,” showed that the ten costliest weather disasters worldwide this year saw insured damages worth $150 billion, topping the figure for 2019. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/37T4QJO

Around 200-420 British tourists in the ski resort of Verbier fled in the night over the 10-day retoactive quarantine ordered by the Swiss government due to the new Covid-19 variant found in England. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/38DUpc6

The government says obesity is one of Britain’s biggest long-term public health problems with almost two-thirds of adults in England overweight and one in three children leaving primary school overweight or obese. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/2WR034Y

The massive bill includes $1.4 trillion to fund government agencies through September and contains other end-of-session priorities such as money for cash-starved transit systems and an increase in food stamp benefits. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/2Jnvot0

FBI forensic experts matched DNA samples recovered from the scene to that of Anthony Q. Warner, whose home in nearby Antioch was searched on Saturday by federal agents. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3hoD0Z2

The provincial government will not release these men in view of the Supreme Court’s September 28 order. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/2KZi26A

The projections for the next two months are even more worrisome as another possible surge stemming from Christmas and New Year gatherings could worsen the situation. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/2KVBq4H

In many poor and developing countries across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America it’s not just the problem of affording vaccines or being at the back of the line behind wealthy countries in receiving them that makes the task of vaccinating their populations against Covid-19 difficult. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/2X0PGvP

The import duty on rice will be lowered to 25% from 62.5%, Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumdar told reporters. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/38GO7bs

Three health workers at the Rome Spallanzani hospital were inoculated shortly before 0700 GMT with the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, a statement by the commissioner for the epidemic Domenico Arcuri said. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/34JvSkQ

The chopper crashed in Minimarg area of Astore district on Saturday evening, the army said in a statement. It was transporting the body of a soldier to the military hospital in Skardu. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/38GITMS

The attack in the city of Kaiyuan in Liaoning province was carried out outside a sauna and bathhouse. The suspect, identified by the media by his surname Yang, was arrested while the motive for the attack remains unknown. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/34LqnSE

Altogether, the EU’s 27 nations have recorded at least 16 million coronavirus infections and more than 336,000 deaths — huge numbers that experts still agree understate the true toll of the pandemic due to missed cases and limited testing. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3nVMlcY

“7 #Taliban were killed in Zheria district of #Kandahar province, yesterday. They were planning to attack #ANDSF [Afghan Defense and Security Forces] positions when they were targeted by #ANA [Afghan National Army],” the defence ministry wrote on Twitter. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/2WL6zKL

The fire broke out at about 9 a.m. at Misr Al Amal Hospital in El Obour, some 30 km (19 miles) northeast of central Cairo, and according to initial investigations was caused by an electrical fault, security and medical sources said. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/37Tehc9

The state is aware of reports that ParCare Community Health Network, a provider with a clinic in upstate Orange County, “may have fraudulently obtained Covid-19 vaccine, transferred it to facilities in other parts of the state in violation of state guidelines, and diverted it to members of the public” from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/3prHQHK

Beijing has decided to send Guo Yezhou, vice minister of the international department of the central committee of the Communist Party of China, to Kathmandu on Sunday in an apparent bid to patch up the differences with the Nepal Communist Party. from Hindustan Times - world https://ift.tt/34O67zP