Ahead of 70th anniversary of China's National Day, authorities in Hong Kong have arrested two high profile activists on Monday. Clashes erupted over the weekends that s

Arrests & rising tensions in HK ahead of China's national day

Ahead of 70th anniversary of China's National Day, authorities in Hong Kong have arrested two high profile activists on Monday. Clashes erupted over the weekends that saw police fire water cannon, tear gas and rubber-coated bullets at protesters who set fires and threw petrol bombs at government offices. The demonstrators are angry at&nbsp;Beijing's&nbsp;increasing interference in their city's affairs despite a promise of autonomy after British rule ended in 1997.

Ahead of 70th anniversary of China's National Day, authorities in Hong Kong have arrested two high profile activists on Monday. Clashes erupted over the weekends that saw police fire water cannon, tear gas and rubber-coated bullets at protesters who set fires and threw petrol bombs at government offices. The demonstrators are angry at Beijing's increasing interference in their city's affairs despite a promise of autonomy after British rule ended in 1997.

The UN has called for "immediate stop" of fire as Israel and Hamas escalated hostilities on Wednesday with deadly air strikes and retaliatory rocket fire. U.N. Middle

The UN has called for "immediate stop" of fire as Israel and Hamas escalated hostilities on Wednesday with deadly air strikes and retaliatory rocket fire.
U.N. Middle East peace envoy Tor Wennesland tweeted: "Stop the fire immediately. We're escalating towards a full scale war. Leaders on all sides have to take the responsibility of de-escalation.
"The cost of war in Gaza is devastating &amp; is being paid by ordinary people. UN is working w/ all sides to restore calm. Stop the violence now," he wrote.
Israel carried out hundreds of air strikes in Gaza into the early hours of Wednesday, while Hamas claimed that it fired 200 rockets at Israeli towns of Tel Aviv and Beersheba.

A 30-year-old Indian woman in Israel has been killed in a rocket attack by Palestinian militants from Gaza, PTI has reported quoting officials. Soumya Santosh, who hai

A 30-year-old Indian woman in Israel has been killed in a rocket attack by Palestinian militants from Gaza, PTI has reported quoting officials.
Soumya Santosh, who hailed from Kerala&rsquo;s Idukki district, worked as a caregiver attending to an old woman at a house in the southern Israeli coastal city of Ashkelon.
The Indian woman was said to be living in Israel for the last seven years. She has a nine-year-old son whom she had left with her husband in Kerala.
Ashkelon, which borders the Gaza Strip, has come under a massive fire from the Palestinian militants.
Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes at Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets in the coastal strip.
&nbsp;

Israel on Tuesday stepped up its air attacks on the Gaza Strip, bombing a high-rise building that it claimed was being used by Hamas militants. At least alleged militan

Israel on Tuesday stepped up its air attacks on the Gaza Strip, bombing a high-rise building that it claimed was being used by Hamas militants. At least 3alleged militants were killed in the strike. In retaliation, Hamas has continued to rain down rockets almost non-stop on parts of Israel.
The death toll in Gaza rose to 32 Palestinians, including 10 children, according to the Health Ministry. Over 200 people were wounded.
It was the heaviest fighting between the two bitter enemies since 2014, and it showed no signs of slowing.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to expand the offensive, while Gaza militants unleashed a fierce late-night barrage of rockets that set off air-raid sirens and explosions throughout the densely populated Tel Aviv metropolitan area.
Three women in Israel were killed by rocket fire, and dozens of people wounded.

The World Health Organization on Wednesday said that a variant of Covid-19 that is behind India's devastating second wave has been found in dozens of countries all over

The World Health Organization on Wednesday said that a variant of Covid-19 that is behind India's devastating second wave has been found in dozens of countries all over the world.
The UN health agency said the B.1.617 variant of Covid-19, first found in India in October, had been detected in more than 4,500 samples uploaded to an open-access database "from 44 countries in all six WHO regions".
Earlier this week, the WHO declared B.1.617 as a "variant of concern". It was therefore added to the list containing three other variants of Covid-19 -- those first detected in Britain, Brazil and South Africa.
The world body explained on Wednesday that B.1.617 was added to the list because it appears to be transmitting more easily than the original virus.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not travel to the UK to attend a summit of the G7 grouping in person in view of the prevailing coronavirus situation.The G7 summit is

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not travel to the UK to attend a summit of the G7 grouping in person in view of the prevailing coronavirus situation. The G7 summit is scheduled to take place in Cornwall in the UK next month.
While appreciating the invitation to the Prime Minister by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson,&nbsp;the&nbsp;Ministry of External Affairs said on Tuesday that given the prevailing Covid situation, it has been decided that the Prime Minister will not attend the G7 Summit in person. The G7 comprises the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States.

One dose of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines reduces the risk of death from the disease by 80%, a study done by the UK govt's health agency shows. Publi

One dose of the AstraZeneca&nbsp;Covid-19 vaccines reduces the risk of death from the disease by 80%, a study done by the&nbsp;UK govt's&nbsp;health agency shows. Public Health England has said in a statement that 'people who had a single dose of AstraZeneca vaccine were 55% protected against death, with a figure of 44% protection for a single dose of Pfizer, compared to unvaccinated people.'
The statement further added that 'combined with the protection vaccines offer against becoming a case in the first place, this is equivalent to approximately 80% protection against mortality in individuals vaccinated with a single dose of either vaccine."
It also said protection against death from the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine rises from approximately 80% after one dose to 97% after two doses in its new analysis.
PHE has said that their study looked at new symptomatic cases of Covid-19 between December and April and people who died within 28 days of their positive test by vaccination status.&nbsp;

A US man, who was earlier freed on bond from a murder charge, was again taken into custody on Monday after neighbours complained of a pet tiger roaming around a neighbo

A US man, who was earlier freed on bond from a murder charge, was again taken into custody on Monday after neighbours complained of a pet tiger roaming around a neighbourhood in Houston.
The Bengal tiger was seen roaming freely in front of the houses in Houston, Texas in a 54-second video shared on social media. The Bengal tiger could be seen prowling around the front yard of a house&nbsp; with some neighbours had also started to come on the street with &ldquo;guns&rdquo;.

At least 11 people have been killed and many more wounded after one or more gunmen opened fire in a school in the Russia’s Kazan city, news agency RIA reported on

At least 11 people have been killed and many more wounded after one or more gunmen opened fire in a school in Russia&rsquo;s Kazan city, news agency RIA reported on Tuesday, citing the emergency services ministry. A video filmed by an onlooker was circulated by RIA. In the video two children can be seen leaping from the third floor of the four-storey building as gunshots were heard. Emergency service vehicles are seen parked outside the school, with people running towards the building. The news agency further reported one 19-year-old gunman has been detained. Footage posted on social media showed a young man being pinned to the ground outside the school building by a police officer.&nbsp;

The World Health Organization on Tuesday warned against the use of 'ivermectin' for treating Covid-19 patients. 'Ivermectin' is an orally-administered drug used to trea

The World Health Organization on Tuesday warned against the use of 'ivermectin' for treating Covid-19 patients. 'Ivermectin' is an orally-administered drug used to treat parasitic infections.
"Safety and efficacy are important when using any drug for a new indication. WHO recommends against use of 'ivermectin' for Covid-19 except within clinical trials," Dr Soumya Swaminathan, WHO's chief scientist, tweeted.
This is the second WHO warning against 'ivermectin' in the past two months.
The WHO warning comes a day after Goa approved use of 'ivermectin' as preventive treatment for all adults infected with Covid-19.

The World Health Organisation has come out strongly in support of patent waiver on Covid vaccines. The WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan on Monday told ANI that th

The World Health Organisation has come out strongly in support of patent waiver on Covid vaccines. The WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan on Monday told ANI that the world body strongly believes that the patents waiver proposed by India and South Africa should be done.
"This is not the time to worry about patents and profits amid the pandemic,"she stated.
As trade experts have warned that WTO negotiation of waiver of intellectual property rights could take months, Swaminathan said that the body would like to see that happening "very quickly" at the WTO.
In October last year, India and South Africa, alongwith 57 members of WTO, had proposed a patents waiver on Covid-19 vaccine to widen their access. The US has supported the move, while Germany has opposed it.

China's population growth is falling closer to zero as fewer couples have children, the government announced on Tuesday. Beijing said that its population has passed 1.4

China's population growth is falling closer to zero as fewer couples have children, the government announced on Tuesday. Beijing said that its population has passed 1.4 billion, as it unveiled its once-in-a-decade census.
The population rose by 72 million over the past decade to 1.411 billion in 2020, the govt said adding that the annual growth averaged 0.53%, decelerating from the previous decade.
Beijing changed family planning rules in 2016 to allow families to have two children as fears grew about China's fast-ageing population and shrinking workforce.

Palestinian health officials in the Gaza Strip say a total of 20 people, including nine children, have been killed in fighting with Israel. The death toll made it one

Palestinian health officials in the Gaza Strip say a total of 20 people, including nine children, have been killed in fighting with Israel.
The death toll made it one of the bloodiest days of fighting in several years.
The Health Ministry did not provide a breakdown on the cause of deaths. At least seven members of one family, including three children, were killed in an explosion in northern Gaza whose origins were unknown.
The Israeli military said it struck a number of Hamas targets in response to continued rocket fire out of Gaza. It said eight militants were struck.

Microblogging giant Twitter has donated USD 15 million to help address the Covid-19 crisis in India which is battling the unprecedented second wave of the deadly pandem

Microblogging giant Twitter has donated USD 15 million to help address the Covid-19 crisis in India which is battling the unprecedented second wave of the deadly pandemic.
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey on Monday tweeted that the amount has been donated to three non-governmental organisations &ndash; Care, Aid India and Sewa International USA.
While CARE has been given USD 10 million, Aid India and Sewa International USA have received USD 2.5 million each.
India has been reeling under the shortage of health workers, vaccines, oxygen, drugs and beds as a ferocious second wave of Covid-19 has ravaged the health infrastructure.

Covid-19 vaccines finally are headed for more kids. the US regulators on Monday expanded use of Pfizer's shot to those as young as 12. The US is racing to protect middl

Covid-19 vaccines finally are headed for more kids. the US regulators on Monday expanded use of Pfizer's shot to those as young as 12. The US is racing to protect middle and high school students before they head back to class in the fall.
&ldquo;This is a watershed moment in our ability to fight back the Covid-19 pandemic,&rdquo; Dr. Bill Gruber, a Pfizer senior vice president, told The Associated Press.
Most Covid-19 vaccines rolling out worldwide have been authorized for adults. Pfizer's vaccine is being used in multiple countries for teens as young as 16, and Canada recently became the first to expand use to 12 and up.
The US Food and Drug Administration declared the Pfizer vaccine is safe and offers strong protection for younger teens based on testing of more than 2,000 US volunteers aged 12 to 15.

A Romanian castle said to be the home of Dracula is offering free Covid-19 jabs to visitors as part of a vaccination drive. A Covid-19 vaccin

A&nbsp;Romanian castle&nbsp;said to be the home of Dracula is offering free&nbsp;Covid-19 jabs&nbsp;to visitors as part of a vaccination drive.&nbsp;
The Covid-19 vaccination center on the periphery of Romania's Bran Castle, purported to be the inspiration behind Dracula&rsquo;s home in Bram Stoker&rsquo;s 19th-century gothic novel 'Dracula'.
Every weekend through May 'vaccination marathons' will be held just outside the storied 14th-century hilltop castle, where no appointment is needed, in an attempt to encourage people to protect themselves against Covid-19.

The World Health Organziation said on Monday that the B.1.617 or the Indian coronavirus variant was being classified as a variant of global concern. WHO's technic

The World Health Organziation said on Monday that the B.1.617 or the Indian coronavirus variant&nbsp;was being classified as a variant of global concern.
WHO's technical lead on Covid-19, Maria Van Kerkhove,&nbsp; said there&nbsp;is some available information to suggest increased transmissibility&nbsp;and also possibly some increased resistance to vaccine protections&nbsp;in the cases of variant first found in India. Despite the precautions, however, South Africa, on Monday reported four cases of the Indian variant of coronavirus.

Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip fired rockets toward Jerusalem on Monday, setting off air raid sirens throughout the city.This after hundreds of Palestinians were hur

Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip fired rockets toward Jerusalem on Monday, setting off air raid sirens throughout the city. This after hundreds of Palestinians were hurt in clashes with Israeli police at a flashpoint religious site in the contested holy city. The Israeli Army said there was an initial burst of seven rockets, one was intercepted, and rocket fire was continuing.
The early-evening attack drastically escalated what already are heightened tensions throughout the region following weeks of clashes between Israeli police and Palestinian protesters in Jerusalem.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.&nbsp;

The head of German pharmaceutical company BioNTech said Monday that there is no need to waive patents on coronavirus vaccines because manufacturers will be able to prod

The head of German pharmaceutical company BioNTech said Monday that there is no need to waive patents on coronavirus vaccines because manufacturers will be able to produce enough shots to supply the world over the coming year.
Ugur Sahin, the chief executive of BioNTech, rejected the US-backed proposal to temporarily lift some intellectual property rights for vaccines.
In a call with investors announcing the company's first-quarter net profit of USD 1.37 billion, Sahin said BioNTech and its US partner Pfizer had already delivered vaccines to more than 90 countries and more than doubled its forecast production capacity for the year.

In a fresh setback to the embattled premier seeking to tighten his grip on power, Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli lost a trust vote in the House of Representatives

In a fresh setback to the embattled premier seeking to tighten his grip on power, Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli lost a trust vote in the House of Representatives on Monday. Oli secured 93 votes in the lower house of parliament during a special session convened on the directives of President Bidya Devi Bhandari.
Oli&nbsp;required at least 136 votes in the 275-member House of Representatives to win the confidence motion. A total of 124 members voted against the confidence motion while 15 members stayed neutral.

Rubbishing the reports that its military scientists investigated weaponising coronaviruses five years before the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak, China on Monday termed

Rubbishing the reports that its military scientists investigated weaponising coronaviruses five years before the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak,&nbsp;China on Monday termed them as "outright lies". Beijing said it is an attempt by the US to smear the country.
Quoting 'The Australian', UK-based The Sun newspaper reported that Chinese scientists described SARS coronaviruses -- of which Covid is one example -- as presenting a "new era of genetic weapons".
China referred to a report published by state-run Global Times, which stated that what the US State Department referred to is not an internal document of the PLA but a publicly issued academic book.

Arrests & rising tensions in HK ahead of China's national day

International

UN says 'stop fire immediately' as Israel & Hamas escalate strikes

Indian woman in Israel killed in Hamas rocket fire

32 Palestinians, including kids, killed in Israel air raids in Gaza

Indian Covid variant found in 44 countries: WHO

Covid-19: PM Modi will not attend G7 summit in person

One shot of AstraZeneca vaccine reduces death risk by 80%: new study

Watch: US man held after his Bengal tiger roams freely in Houston

At least 11 killed, several injured in Russia school shooting

Day after Goa nod, WHO warns against using 'ivermectin' for Covid treatment

WHO strongly supports patent waiver on Covid vaccine: chief scientist

China's population crosses 1.4 bn, growth closer to zero in 2020

20 Palestinians, including 9 kids, killed in Israeli air raids

Twitter donates $15 million for Covid relief in India

US expands Pfizer Covid-19 shot to children as young as 12

Dracula's castle in Romania offers free Covid-19 vaccinations

Coronavirus strain in India a 'variant of concern at global level': WHO

Hamas fires rockets deep into Israel, amid Al Aqsa tensions

Vaccine maker BioNTech says no need to waive patents

Nepal Prime Minister Oli loses vote of confidence

'Outright lies': China on reports that it probed weaponising coronaviruses

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