Russia’s Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine claimed to be 95% effective
MOSCOW: Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine has been found to be more than 95 per cent effective against Covid-19 in the second interim analysis of Phase 3 clinical trial data, its developers said on Tuesday. The analysis was based on data from volunteers obtained 42 days after the first dose — which corresponds with 21 days […]
China successfully launches its first spacecraft to moon to collect samples, return to earth
By K J M Varma BEIJING/ WENCHANG: China successfully launched its first unmanned space mission on Tuesday to collect samples from the moon’s surface and return to earth, the country’s maiden attempt to retrieve materials from an extra-terrestrial body. China has successfully launched the Chang’e-5 lunar probe from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in the […]
Joe Biden plans to nominate topmost economist Janet Yallen as Treasury Secretary: Reports
By Lalit K Jha WASHINGTON: US President-elect Joe Biden is planning to nominate former Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yallen as his Treasury Secretary to lead his economic response to the raging coronavirus pandemic, which has wreaked havoc on the world’s biggest economy and led millions of Americans to lose their jobs. A formal announcement on […]
US agency ascertains Joe Biden as winner, lets transition begin
WASHINGTON: The General Services Administration (GSA) ascertained Monday that President-elect Joe Biden is the “apparent winner” of the November 3 election, clearing the way for the start of the transition from President Donald Trump’s administration and allowing Biden to coordinate with federal agencies on plans for taking over on January 20. Trump, who had refused […]
Elon Musk overtakes Bill Gates to grab world’s second-richest ranking
NEW DELHI: Elon Musk’s year of dizzying ascents hit a new apex Monday as the Tesla Inc. co-founder passed Bill Gates to become the world’s second-richest person. The 49-year-old entrepreneur’s net worth soared $7.2 billion to $127.9 billion, driven by yet another surge in Tesla’s share price. Musk has added $100.3 billion to his net […]
Q&A: Where are we in the COVID-19 vaccine race?
NEW DELHI: Drug makers and research centres around the world are working on COVID-19 vaccines, with large global trials of several of the candidates involving tens of thousands of participants well underway. The following is what we know about the race to deliver vaccines to help end the coronavirus pandemic that has claimed more than […]
Moderna to charge $25-$37 per dose for its COVID-19 vaccine
FRANKFRUT: Moderna will charge governments between $25 and $37 per dose of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, depending on the amount ordered, Chief Executive Stephane Bancel told German weekly Welt am Sonntag (WamS). “Our vaccine therefore costs about the same as a flu shot, which is between $10 and $50,” he was quoted as saying. On […]
Covid-19: FDA allows emergency use of antibody drug Donald Trump received
By Marilynn Marchione WASHINGTON: US health officials have agreed to allow emergency use of a second antibody drug to help the immune system fight COVID-19, an experimental medicine that President Donald Trump was given when he was sickened last month. The Food and Drug Administration authorised use of the Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. drug on Saturday […]
China has no theological basis to pick the next Dalai Lama: US
By Lalit K Jha WASHINGTON: China has no theological basis to pick the next Dalai Lama, according to a top US diplomat, asserting that the Tibetan Buddhists have successfully picked their spiritual leader for hundreds of years. I travelled to Dharamshala, India to speak to the Tibetan community that were assembled there in exile and […]
Singapore needs more talent for growth of tech industry: Lee Hsien Loong
By Gurdip Singh SINGAPORE: Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said the country needs more talent in technology and hoped that a newly-announced work pass will help it attract “highly accomplished” individuals in the field, a media report said on Wednesday. Lee, who delivered his keynote speech to the Singapore Tech Forum 2020 on […]
Transfer of power will be orderly and happen right on time: Top Republican leader
By Lalit K Jha WASHINGTON: The transfer of power from Donald Trump to Joe Biden’s administration would be “orderly” and happen “right on time,” according to a top Republican leader and Senator Mitch McConnell. Last week, the mainstream media declared Biden as the winner of the presidential election after the 77-year-old former vice president crossed […]
By Nikhila Natarajan NEW YORK: Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech released a second batch of interim results on Wednesday, saying their two-dose coronavirus vaccine candidate is 95 per cent effective and also protects the most vulnerable people in older age groups from the risk of falling prey to the virus. The company said that […]
Vladimir Putin says India, China may start making Russia’s Sputnik V Covid vaccine
MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday called for a joint effort by the BRICS countries on the development of the Covid-19 vaccines as he suggested that Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine against Covid-19 could be produced in India and China. “We believe it is important to speed up the establishment of the centre for development and […]
Business assets of Honor acquired by over 30 agents, dealers
GUANZHOU: Over 30 agents and dealers of Huawei’s Honor brand have acquired all business assets of the budget cellphone brand, according to a joint statement released on Tuesday. “This acquisition represents a market-driven investment made to save Honor’s industry chain. It is the best solution to protect the interests of Honor’s consumers, channel sellers, suppliers, […]
Over 100 scientists join hands with UN to bust Covid vax myths
NEW DELHI: Under an United Nations (UN) initiative, over 100 scientists have joined hands to tackle the issue of misinformation around Covid-19 vaccines and build confidence by busting myths and sharing information on the safety and effectiveness of vaccines via the social media. The UN has collaborated with The Vaccine Confidence Project at the University […]
Upcoming G20 summit to be a milestone, will address Covid-19 impact: Saudi Arabia
NEW DELHI: The upcoming summit of the G20 will be a “milestone”, Saudi Arabia, the chair of the powerful economic bloc, said on Sunday amid mounting expectations of fiscal support, debt reductions and several other monetary measures by the grouping to help the global economy recover from the coronavirus-driven collapse. Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to India […]