RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AFP) — Saudi Arabia has begun compensating the families of health workers who died because of the coronavirus, state media reported on Sunday, after announcing last year that each will receive $133,000. The kingdom said in October it would distribute “500,000 Saudi riyals to the families of those who died as a result of Covid-19 working in the health sectors, be it government or private, civilian or military, Saudi or non-Saudi”. The […]
Asia
Malaysia to ease Covid restrictions for fully vaccinated in eight states
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AFP) — Malaysia will ease coronavirus curbs for fully vaccinated people in states comprising about half the country, its premier said Sunday. The move, which takes effect from Tuesday, will allow millions to cross district borders, play individual outdoor sports and eat in restaurants in eight states where cases have fallen and vaccination rates are promising. A lockdown since June has shut down thousands of businesses and limited most peoples’ travel to […]
Israel sets up Covid rapid test stations nationwide
JERUSALEM, Undefined (AFP) — Israel set up rapid coronavirus testing stations across the country on Sunday, the Magen David Adom emergency service said, as the government tries to stave off another pandemic lockdown. “Following a request from the Ministry of Health, Magen David Adom on Sunday opened 120 rapid detection stations,” an MDA statement said. The testing centres are aimed at the non-vaccinated and those who have recovered from the virus and need a health […]
China’s Wuhan completes citywide Covid tests on 11 million residents
BEIJING, China (AFP) — Authorities in the central Chinese city of Wuhan on Sunday said they had completed citywide testing of more than 11 million people for Covid-19 after a resurgence of cases more than a year after the coronavirus first emerged there. The tests — which began on Tuesday — provide “basically full coverage” of all residents in the city except for children under the age of six and students on their summer break, […]
Tokyo 2020: Fireworks mark end of Olympic Games
Fireworks light up the sky above Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium as the closing ceremony for the postponed 2020 Olympic Games ends. SOURCE: AFPTV The Tokyo 2020 Olympics were declared closed on Sunday by IOC chief Thomas Bach, who called the pandemic-delayed Games the “most challenging Olympic journey”. “Now I have to mark the end of this most challenging Olympic journey to Tokyo: I declare the Games of the 32nd Olympiad closed,” the International Olympic Committee president […]
‘Most challenging’ Tokyo Olympics declared closed
by Talek HARRIS Agence France Presse The Tokyo 2020 Games were declared closed by IOC chief Thomas Bach on Sunday, ending the “most challenging Olympic journey” after a year’s pandemic delay and threats of cancellation. Bach called them “unprecedented Olympic Games” as he addressed the 68,000-seat Olympic Stadium, which was bereft of fans as Japan battles to contain a record coronavirus outbreak. “In these difficult times we are all living through, you give the world […]
Taliban seize two more Afghan provincial capitals in northern blitz
The Taliban tightened the noose over northern Afghanistan Sunday, capturing two more provincial capitals as they take their fight to the cities after seizing much of the countryside in recent months. The insurgents have snatched up four provincial capitals in Afghanistan since Friday in a lightning offensive that appears to have overwhelmed government forces. Kunduz and Sar-e-Pul in the north fell within hours of each other Sunday, lawmakers and residents in the cities confirmed, but […]
UN climate report ‘starkest warning yet’ warns COP26 chief
An upcoming UN report on climate change gives the international community its clearest ever warning about the dangers of accelerating climate change, Britain’s COP26 President Alok Sharma said on Sunday. The chief for the November summit due to be held in the Scottish city of Glasgow told the Observer newspaper a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) due on Monday would show the world was on the brink of potential disaster. “This […]
Malaysia to ease Covid restrictions for fully vaccinated in eight states
Malaysia will ease coronavirus curbs for fully vaccinated people in states comprising about half the country, its premier said Sunday. The move, which takes effect from Tuesday, will allow millions to cross district borders, play individual outdoor sports and eat in restaurants in eight states where cases have fallen and vaccination rates are promising. A lockdown since June has shut down thousands of businesses and limited most peoples’ travel to the districts where they lived, […]
Iran records over 500 Covid deaths, hits new high
TEHRAN, Iran (AFP) — Iran reported over 500 daily Covid deaths for the first time on Sunday, its health ministry announced, as new infections also hit a record high. Iran registered 39,619 new infections in the 24 hours to Sunday, taking the total since the pandemic started to 4,158,729, the ministry said During that same period it recorded 542 deaths, taking the total number of fatalities to 94,015, it added. Iranian health officials have acknowledged […]
Brunei clamps down after first local virus cases in 15 months
Brunei imposed strict curbs to halt the spread of Covid-19, after finding its first locally transmitted cases in the country in over a year. Seven community infections were found, the health ministry said Saturday, leading the government to close all places of worship and postpone social events for two weeks. Mass events were also limited to groups of 30 people over this period as school classes were moved online and restaurants barred from serving dine-in. […]
USA top Olympic medal table as delayed Games draw to close
by Talek HARRIS Eliud Kipchoge produced a marathon masterclass and the USA edged China at the top of the Tokyo Olympics medals table as the curtain fell on the biggest sports event since the pandemic on Sunday. After Kipchoge’s marathon win for Kenya, the United States scored victories in volleyball, track cycling and basketball to top the medals tally with 39 golds, just one ahead of China. The 339th and final gold medal went to […]
