Asia

Iraq receives first Covid vaccines, gift from China

Sinopharm vaccine delivery paves way for immediate vaccination BAGHDAD, Iraq (AFP) — Iraq on Tuesday received 50,000 Sinopharm vaccines donated by China, the health ministry announced, launching a long-awaited vaccination campaign. Health ministry spokesman Seif al-Badr told reporters that the first delivery in the early hours meant inoculations could begin. “The doses will be delivered to Baghdad’s three main hospitals, and maybe to some provinces,” said Badr, who confirmed the jabs were donations. “We will […]

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Indonesia volcano belches huge ash column

MEDAN, Indonesia (AFP) — An Indonesian volcano erupted on Tuesday morning spewing a spectacular column of ash thousands of metres (feet) into a powder blue sky. Vulcanologists recorded 13 separate blasts as Mount Sinabung leapt to life, belching debris up to 5,000 metres (16,400 feet) above Sumatra. There was no immediate danger to life or property, authorities said, with a five-kilometre (three-mile) ring around the volcano having been left unoccupied over recent years. No evacuation […]

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Freezer firm to launch probe after Japan vaccines spoiled

TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japan said Tuesday an investigation would be launched after more than 1,000 coronavirus vaccine doses had to be thrown out when a freezer storing them malfunctioned. A medical institution reported that 172 vials of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, which must be kept between -80 and -60 degrees centigrade, were rendered useless after the freezer breakdown over the weekend, Japan’s health ministry said, wasting up to 1,032 doses. Japan began its inoculation program […]

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Netanyahu blames Iran for boat attack, says ‘striking’ back

JERUSALEM, Undefined (AFP) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused arch-foe Iran on Monday of a recent attack on an Israeli-owned ship, noting his country was “striking back” the morning after a raid on Syria. “It is indeed an Iranian act, that’s clear,” he told public broadcaster Kan, referring to the MV Helios Ray, which was last week hit by a blast in the Gulf of Oman leaving two holes in its side. “Iran is Israel’s […]

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Colombia becomes first country in Americas to receive Covax shots

BOGOTA, Colombia (AFP) — Colombia became the first country in the Americas Monday to receive a delivery of coronavirus vaccines through the global Covax scheme that aims to ensure poorer countries are not left behind in the global immunization drive. “Today is a very important milestone,” said Colombia President Ivan Duque. With more than 50 million confirmed cases and over 1.2 million deaths, countries of the Americas have experienced the worst impact of the Covid-19 […]

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First UAE ambassador to Israel takes up post

JERUSALEM, Undefined (AFP) — Israel’s president on Monday formally received the first-ever ambassador from the United Arab Emirates to the Jewish state, following last year’s historic agreement between the countries to normalize ties. UAE envoy Mohamed Al Khaja, who arrived in Israel earlier Monday, delivered his credentials to Israeli President Reuven Rivlin at a ceremony in Jerusalem. After greeting Khaja in Arabic, Rivlin said: “The entire Israeli people welcome you with joy. “This will be […]

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Myanmar’s Suu Kyi hit with two new criminal charges as she appears via video in court

  NAYPYIDAW, Myanmar (AFP) — Ousted Myanmar civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi was hit with two new criminal charges when she appeared in court via video link on Monday, a month after a military coup triggered relentless and massive protests. Suu Kyi has not been seen since being detained on February 1, and her appearance came as demonstrators took to the streets again across the country in defiance of an escalation of deadly force […]

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Khashoggi fiancee demands punishment for Saudi prince

  ISTANBUL, Turkey (AFP) — The Turkish fiancee of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi said on Monday that Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman should be “punished without delay” over the murder. The United States on Friday declassified a report that publicly accused the crown prince of approving Khashoggi murder in the kingdom’s Istanbul consulate in 2018. But the United States stopped short of applying sanctions against the 35-year-old de facto leader, known by his […]

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Myanmar’s Suu Kyi to face court after deadly crackdown

YANGON, Myanmar (AFP) — Ousted Myanmar civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has not been seen since last month’s military coup, is due to face court Monday after a deadly weekend crackdown against relentless democracy protests. Security forces opened fire on unarmed demonstrators in four cities on Sunday, with the UN saying it had credible information at least 18 people had died. One person among a group of protesters crouching behind rubbish bins and […]

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Hong Kong and South Korea start coronavirus vaccination drives

Hong Kong vaccination drive uses Sinovac vaccines, while South Korea starts with AstraZeneca jabs   HONG KONG (AFP) — Hong Kong and South Korea kicked off coronavirus vaccination drives on Friday, as momentum builds for inoculation rollouts across the Asia-Pacific region. South Korea plans to inoculate 70 percent of its population within seven months while Hong Kong aims to vaccinate all adults by the end of the year. Both places were among the first to […]

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US strikes ‘Iranian-backed militant infrastructure’ in Syria: Pentagon

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US military launched a strike on facilities in eastern Syria used by Iran-backed militia Thursday, in retaliation for recent rocket attacks on US troop locations in Iraq, the Pentagon said. “At President Biden’s direction, US military forces earlier this evening conducted airstrikes against infrastructure utilized by Iranian-backed militant groups in eastern Syria,” said spokesman John Kirby in a statement. “These strikes were authorized in response to recent attacks against […]

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First vaccines delivered under global Covax scheme

by Kent Mensah, with AFP bureaus ACCRA, Ghana (AFP) — Ghana became the first country to receive vaccines from the global Covax scheme Wednesday, paving the way for poorer nations to catch up with inoculation drives in wealthier parts of the world to stamp out the coronavirus pandemic. But Europe’s vaccine rollout faced fresh problems after AstraZeneca said it would only be able to deliver half its promised doses to the EU, deepening tensions with […]

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