World

Merck's COVID-19 pill active against Omicron in lab studies 28 Jan 2022 - 03:36 pm

Merck & Co Inc and partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics said on Friday six lab studies showed their experimental oral COVID-19 drug molnupiravir was active...

Storm Ana deaths rise to 88 as second storm brews to Africa's east 28 Jan 2022 - 03:32 pm

JOHANNESBURG: Tropical Storm Ana has killed at least 88 people across southern and eastern Africa, with recovery operations still ongoing as another storm...

Trial in Germany's Green Vault jewel heist opens in Dresden 28 Jan 2022 - 03:06 pm

BERLIN: Six men accused of involvement in a 2019 jewel heist at a museum housing one of Europe's greatest art collections appeared in...

Thailand adopts guidelines for declaring COVID-19 endemic 28 Jan 2022 - 03:00 pm

BANGKOK: Thai health authorities approved new guidelines Friday outlining the parameters for declaring the coronavirus pandemic an endemic disease. Official figures show that...

Germany says omicron surge 'under control' despite records 28 Jan 2022 - 02:48 pm

BERLIN: Germany's coronavirus surge fueled by the omicron variant remains "under control” despite a string of new infection records, the country's health minister...

S. Korea plans to add small clinics as omicron fuels surge 28 Jan 2022 - 02:42 pm

Seoul, South Korea: South Korea plans to add hundreds of small neighborhood hospitals and clinics to treat the thousands more people expected to...

Bidens welcome Willow the cat to the White House 28 Jan 2022 - 01:59 pm

WASHINGTON- The Biden family finally has a cat. First lady Jill Biden's office has announced America's first family is excited to welcome a...

Philippines to reopen in February to vaccinated foreign tourists 28 Jan 2022 - 01:50 pm

MANILA- The Philippines will grant entry to visitors vaccinated against COVID-19 from Feb. 10, its government said on Friday, in an effort to...

Omicron behind nearly all infections in Italy, health body says 28 Jan 2022 - 01:32 pm

MILAN- The highly contagious Omicron coronavirus now accounts for nearly all new infections in Italy, the National Health Institute (ISS) said on Friday,...

Paris hospitals chief sparks debate on whether unvaccinated patients should pay for treatment 27 Jan 2022 - 10:34 pm

PARIS- The head of the Paris hospitals system has set off a fierce debate by questioning whether people who refuse to be vaccinated...

German parliament approves climate spending with unused Covid support funds 27 Jan 2022 - 09:54 pm

BERLIN -Germany's lower house on Thursday suspended constitutional limits on new borrowing for another year and approved a supplementary budget to fund investments...

Sweden decides against recommending COVID vaccines for kids aged 5-11 27 Jan 2022 - 09:43 pm

STOCKHOLM- Sweden has decided against recommending COVID vaccines for kids aged 5-11, the Health Agency said on Thursday, arguing that the benefits did...

Boosters increase protection against death from Omicron in over-50s to 95% - UKHSA 27 Jan 2022 - 07:59 pm

LONDON- COVID-19 boosters increase protection against death from the Omicron variant to 95% in people aged 50 or over, the UK Health Security...

Booster shots could cut Europe's COVID hospitalisations by up to 800,000: EU 27 Jan 2022 - 03:11 pm

BRUSSELS: Booster shots could reduce future hospitalisations in Europe by at least half a million, the European Union's public health agency said on...

Malaysia’s new Covid cases top 5,000 again as omicron spreads 27 Jan 2022 - 03:07 pm

Malaysia’s new coronavirus cases rose to the highest level in more than a month as the highly contagious omicron variant starts to spread...

Hong Kong to cut quarantine for arrivals to 14 days from next month 27 Jan 2022 - 02:27 pm

Hong Kong: Hong Kongwill cut quarantine for arriving travellers to 14 days from 21, starting from Feb. 5, leader Carrie Lam said on...

Singapore seeks to slash waste with plastic bags charge 27 Jan 2022 - 01:38 pm

SINGAPORE: Singapore on Thursday recommended supermarkets start charging for disposable carrier bags, a move aimed at slashing carbon emissions in a tiny nation...

Moderna starts study of omicron-specific vaccine booster 27 Jan 2022 - 01:18 pm

Moderna Inc. enrolled the first participant in a clinical trial of its omicron-specific vaccine booster, another step toward fighting the highly transmissible variant...