World

Washington: Health experts have warned of “viral blizzard” in the US as the new Omicron variant is spreading rapidly nationwide and has already been detected in at least 41 states. In recent weeks, Covid-19 cases, deaths and hospitalisations have all surged in the country, with many parts experiencing high levels of community transmission, according to […]

Washington: CNN is sending all of its nonessential employees to work from home amid a spike in coronavirus cases, network President Jeff Zucker said in a memo. “Given the recent, sudden surge in Covid cases around the country, and within our teams at CNN, Turner Sports & WarnerMedia Studios, as of tonight we are CLOSING […]

New Delhi: The hyper mutated Omicron variant of Covid-19 has now spread to about 89 countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday. Omicron is a highly divergent variant with a high number of mutations, including 26-32 in the spike protein, some of which are concerning and may be associated with immune escape potential […]

The Hague: The Dutch government has announced a stricter lockdown out of fear for the rise of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 in the country. “I stand here with a gloomy mind,” Prime Minister Mark Rutte said at a press conference on Saturday in the Hague. “The Netherlands is going into lockdown again.” “That is […]

Paris: The Paris town hall announced on Saturday the cancellation of all holiday festivities which were planned to take place on Champs-Elysees on December 31, including the big New Year fireworks, to limit the spread of COVID-19. “The City of Paris regrets to announce of the cancellation of all festivities planned to take place on […]

London: The UK government is reportedly drawing up plans for a short two-week circuit breaker lockdown later this month, after Christmas, to try and keep pace with the rapidly spreading Omicron variant, media reports said on Saturday. According to The Times, draft regulations are being prepared, which would ban different households meeting indoors except for […]

Adelaide: Researchers have found that people suffering from both insomnia and obstructive sleep apnoea are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular problems and are more likely to die than those without either condition.The research has been published in the ‘European Respiratory Journal’. “Insomnia and obstructive sleep apnoea are the two most common sleep disorders, affecting […]

Washington: What you eat influences your taste for what you might want to eat next, assert the researchers of the University of California. The study has been published in the ‘Journal of Neuroscience.’ To maintain ideal health, animals require a balanced diet with optimum amounts of different nutrients. Macronutrients like carbohydrates and proteins are essential; […]

Washington: A recent study shows that masks provide a supplementary layer of protection that could prevent unnecessary COVID-19 deaths. The study appeared in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. A study of the impact of national face mask laws on COVID-19 mortality in 44 countries with a combined population of nearly one billion people found […]

Jakarta: Indonesian authorities have placed Mt. Semeru under level three alert status, the second highest, as it has shown heightening volcanic activities and spewed thick hot clouds and lava in the past 24 hours. The head of the Geological Agency at the country’s Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, Eko Budi Lelono, said that Mt. Semeru […]

London: Amid various studies claiming that Omicron causes only mild disease, a new study shows that there is “no evidence” that Omicron is less severe than the Delta variant of Covid-19. The new study led by the UK’s Imperial College London showed that the risk of reinfection with the Omicron variant is 5.4 times greater […]

New Delhi: With seven countries in the South-East Asia Region confirming cases of new COVID-19 variant Omicron, the World Health Organization on Saturday stressed on urgent scale-up of public health and social measures to curtail its further spread. Countries can and must prevent the spread of Omicron with proven health and social measures, Regional Director, […]

Jakarta: Indonesian authorities raised the alert level for the highest volcano on Java island, saying Mount Semeru could blow up again after a sudden eruption earlier this month left 48 people dead and 36 missing in villages that were buried in layers of mud. Indonesia’s geological agency said Saturday it picked up increasing activity that […]

Geneva: Closing of schools across the world should be the last resort in the fight against the fast-spreading Omicron Covid-19 variant, outgoing Unicef Executive Director Henrietta Fore said. “Nationwide school closures should be avoided whenever possible,” Xinhua news agency quoted Fore as saying in a statement on Friday. “When Covid-19 community transmission increases and stringent […]

Helsinki: The Finnish National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) has reissued nationwide recommendation on using face masks, as Covid-19 infection rates are rising in the country due to the spread of the Omicron variant. The health authority recommends people use face masks in all public spaces as well as in public transport throughout the […]

"Miss World 2021 temporarily postpones global broadcast finale in Puerto Rico due to health and safety interest of contestants, staff, crew and general public," the statement read.

The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 50,511,161 and 803,633, according to the CSSE.

Washington: Terrorist groups targeting India continued to operate from Pakistan and Islamabad did not take action against other known terrorists, including JeM founder and UN-designated terrorist Masood Azhar and the 2008 Mumbai attack “project manager” Sajid Mir, who remain free in that country, according to a latest report on terrorism by the US State Department. […]

Three children were still in critical condition in the hospital and one child was discharged following the incident on Thursday in the island state of Tasmania.

Abuja: A total of 80 deaths have been reported across Nigeria following the spread of Lassa fever in the most populous African country so far this year, the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) has said. A total of 434 confirmed cases of Lassa fever have been reported from 17 states and and the federal […]

The fire broke out on the fourth or fifth floor of an eight-story building in a shopping and entertainment area on Friday, NHK said.

Kuala Lumpur: Large scale New Year celebrations in Malaysia have been banned over concerns that the new Omicron variant of Covid-19 could spread in the country, the Health Ministry said on Thursday. The decision was made following the confirmation of a second Omicron case in the country and at least 18 more suspected cases, Health […]

Johannesburg: With the latest Covid-19 cases at 26,976, the National Coronavirus Command Council has retained lockdown restrictions at “adjusted level 1”, health authorities said on Thursday. Dr Angelique Coetzee, chairperson of the South African Medical Association (SAMA), told Xinhua that “it makes sense to keep lockdown at this level as hospitals are not overwhelmed at […]

United Nations: Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, confirmed that he has tested positive for Covid-19 and will comply with medical guidelines by self-isolation. “I would like to inform you that, earlier today, as part of routine testing for work, I received a positive result on a Covid-19 PCR test. I am in […]