Foreign
People in need of aid, protection jump to nearly 275M: UN
December 2, 2021, 8:39 pm
GENEVA – About 274 million people worldwide will need emergency aid and protection in 2022, a 17 percent increase from last year, the United Nations (UN) humanitarian affairs chief said on Thursday. “This is equivalent to the world’s fourth most populous country,” Martin Griffiths said at… Read More
Americans urged to get vaxxed as 1st Omicron case detected in US
December 2, 2021, 7:59 pm
WASHINGTON – White House chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci on Wednesday urged Americans to get vaccinated or boosted against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) as the first US case of Omicron variant was found in California. "We know what we need to do to protect people. Get vaccinated, if… Read More
23 countries report cases of Omicron variant: WHO
December 2, 2021, 2:10 pm
GENEVA – At least 23 countries from five of six World Health Organization (WHO) regions have reported cases of the new Omicron variant of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), and the number is expected to grow, the WHO chief said Wednesday. “The emergence of the Omicron variant has… Read More
Taliban, Myanmar junta not allowed at UN for now
December 2, 2021, 12:57 pm
UNITED NATIONS – A UN committee on Wednesday delayed a decision on who will represent Afghanistan and Myanmar at the 193-member world body. Sweden’s UN Ambassador Anna Enestrom told reporters after a closed meeting of the General Assembly Credentials Committee which she chaired that the… Read More
2.9B people still offline, 4.9B used internet in 2021: UN
December 1, 2021, 4:38 pm
GENEVA – An estimated 37 percent of the world's population, or 2.9 billion people, are still offline, while a record 4.9 billion people have used the internet in 2021, a new UN report said Tuesday. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the UN agency for information and communication… Read More
WHO rejects blanket travel bans vs. Omicron variant
December 1, 2021, 4:14 pm
ANKARA – The World Health Organization (WHO) said Tuesday temporary travel bans will not prevent the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 and instead all countries should include any travel-related measures as part of their strategy to fight the deadly virus. The organization on its website… Read More
2.9B people still offline, 4.9B use internet in 2021: UN
December 1, 2021, 3:37 pm
GENEVA – An estimated 37 percent of the world's population, or 2.9 billion people, are still offline, while a record 4.9 billion people have used the internet in 2021, a new UN report said Tuesday. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the UN agency for information and communication… Read More
Global vaccination plan only way to stop pandemic: UN chief
December 1, 2021, 1:43 pm
UNITED NATIONS – United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres argued on Tuesday that "the only way out of a global pandemic and out of this unjust and immoral situation is through a global vaccination campaign." The secretary-general was speaking at a meeting at the UN headquarters in New… Read More
WHO special session seeks 'pandemic treaty' amid Omicron concerns
November 30, 2021, 5:40 pm
GENEVA – A special session of the World Health Assembly (WHA) kicked off here on Monday amid growing concerns over the latest Omicron coronavirus variant, where the participants aimed to negotiate a new "pandemic treaty." Legally binding pandemic treaty The WHA May session this year decided to… Read More
Southern African leaders slam travel bans over Omicron
November 30, 2021, 5:26 pm
JOHANNESBURG – Southern African leaders have expressed disappointment over decisions taken by several countries to ban travel from half a dozen Southern African Development Community member states (SADC) following the detection of the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus. “The unilateral… Read More
World closes doors to African countries due to Omicron
November 30, 2021, 4:23 pm
JOHANNESBURG/ISTANBUL – A number of countries have imposed travel bans on African nations amid fears over the new coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) variant Omicron. Travel restrictions have been imposed on eight southern African countries after the potentially more contagious variant was… Read More
Omicron variant poses 'very high' risk, warns WHO
November 29, 2021, 8:30 pm
GENEVA/ANKARA – The Omicron variant of the coronavirus poses a "very high" risk globally, the World Health Organization warned as a special session of the global health body began Monday. "If another major surge of Covid-19 takes place driven by Omicron, consequences may be severe," the WHO in a… Read More
Revaccination effectively protects vs. Omicron: White House
November 29, 2021, 1:51 pm
WASHINGTON – Revaccination provides the most reliable protection against the Omicron coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) variant, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci told US President Joe Biden in a briefing. "Dr. Fauci… Read More
No evidence on higher transmissibility of Omicron variant: WHO
November 29, 2021, 12:23 pm
ANKARA – There is no evidence so far concerning the transmissibility or severity of the new Omicron strain of the coronavirus, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Sunday. "It is not yet clear whether Omicron is more transmissible (e.g., more easily spread from person to person) compared to… Read More
Some countries impose travel controls to contain Omicron variant
November 28, 2021, 2:20 pm
NEW YORK – The newly-discovered Omicron variant of Covid-19 in South Africa has raised fears about the global trajectory of the pandemic, while some countries including the United States have raced to impose travel restrictions on southern African countries. On Friday, US President Joe Biden… Read More
Omicron variant forces WTO to postpone in-person ministerial meet
November 28, 2021, 10:48 am
GENEVA – The World Trade Organization on Saturday postponed its in-person ministerial conference next week after the “outbreak of a particularly transmissible strain of the Covid-19 virus” forced several countries to impose travel restrictions. “The WTO’s General Council agreed to… Read More
US online sales hit $5.1-B on Thanksgiving Day
November 27, 2021, 2:55 pm
ANKARA - Online sales hit USD5.1 billion on Thanksgiving Day in the US, at the lower end of estimates, according to Adobe Digital Insights (ADI) data on Friday. The digital market research agency expected online sales to come between USD5.1-USD5.9 billion on Thanksgiving Day. While this year's… Read More
EU countries tighten travel rules over new Covid variant concerns
November 27, 2021, 2:23 pm
BRUSSELS - A slew of European countries has restricted travel from southern Africa amid concerns over the new Covid-19 variant. The B.1.1.529 variant, first detected in South Africa, is reportedly more transmissible and has been classified as a "Variant of Concern" by the World Health… Read More
New virus strain from southern Africa 'variant of concern': WHO
November 27, 2021, 1:12 pm
GENEVA - The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday declared the new Covid-19 variant from southern Africa a "variant of concern," and named it Omicron. The declaration came after the Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution – an independent group of experts – met to assess… Read More
193 countries adopt 1st global agreement on Ethics of AI
November 26, 2021, 7:59 pm
NEW YORK – All member nations of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) adopted on Thursday a historical text that defines the common values and principles needed to ensure the healthy development of artificial intelligence (AI). AI is present in everyday… Read More
