WHO says first alerted to coronavirus by its office, not China
The World Health Organization has updated its account of the early stages of the Covid crisis to say it was alerted by its own office in China, and not by China itself, to the first pneumonia cases in Wuhan. The UN health body has been accused by US President Donald Trump of failing to provide […]
WHO urges focus on first wave of coronavirus
The World Health Organisation’s emergencies chief says “we need to put up a fight now” during a peak in the current wave of the coronavirus pandemic rather than focusing on when a second wave might come. Dr. Michael Ryan said the world will be much better at fighting a second wave, if people can learn the lessons of […]
New Strain Of Coronavirus More Infectious, Dominating Global Cases: Study
Scientists have shown that a variation in the genome of the novel coronavirus has improved its ability to infect human cells, and has helped it become the dominant strain circulating around the world. According to the research, published in the journal Cell, a variant of the novel coronavirus, named ‘D614G’, is more infectious in cell […]
Fire at Iran nuke site hit new centrifuge facility, say analysts
US-based analysts have told The Associated Press that they believe a fire at an Iran nuclear site struck a new centrifuge production facility. The fire happened early on Thursday at Natanz, an underground facility where Iran enriches uranium. Two analysts say they believe the fire struck the production, based on a photo released by Iran, […]
WHO says smoking linked to higher risk of virus
The World Health Organisation says smoking is linked to a higher risk of severe illness and death from the coronavirus in hospitalised patients, although it was unable to specify exactly how much greater those risks might be. In a scientific brief published this week, the U.N. health agency reviewed 34 published studies on the association between smoking […]
Taliban maintain ties to Al Qaeda affiliate, says Pentagon
WASHINGTON: Al Qaeda’s regional affiliate in Afghanistan maintains close ties to the Taliban and has an “enduring interest” in attacking US and foreign troops, the Pentagon said on Wednesday. Under a deal the Taliban signed with the United States in February, the insurgents agreed to stop Al Qaeda from using Afghanistan as a safe haven to plot […]
Global employment crisis deepening, equivalent of 400m jobs lost, says UN
GENEVA: The coronavirus crisis has taken a much heavier toll on jobs than previously feared, the UN said on Tuesday, warning that the situation in the Americas was particularly dire. In a fresh study, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimated that by the mid-year point, global working hours were down 14 percent compared to last […]
Karachi stock exchange attack, 10 including 4 gunmen killed, hostage situation foiled
Security forces killed four gunmen who attempted to storm the Pakistan Stock Exchange building in Karachi on Monday. Four security guards, a police sub-inspector and a civilian were also killed in the attack, The Dawn reported. Three police officials have been injured, it further said. The gunmen, according to The Dawn, stepped out of a […]
India waits for China’s PLA to disengage at Ladakh, says won’t allow a ‘new normal’
Border tensions in East Ladakh have come down a notch with India waiting for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to fulfil its June 6 commitment of de-escalating and disengaging its troops along the 1,597 km Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the western sector. While the two armies are locked in a forward military posture […]
Russia offered Afghan militants bounties to kill US troops: NY Times
US intelligence has concluded that the Russian military offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants in Afghanistan to kill American troops and other coalition forces, the *New York Times* reported on Friday. Citing officials briefed on the matter, the Times said the United States determined months ago that a Russian military intelligence unit linked to assassination attempts in Europe had […]
