THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AFP) — Police around the world arrested 150 suspects involved in buying or selling illegal goods online in one of the largest-ever stings targeting the dark web, Europol said Tuesday. Operation DarkHunTOR also recovered millions of euros in cash and bitcoin, as well as drugs and guns. The bust stems from a German-led police sting earlier this year taking down the “world’s largest” darknet marketplace. Dark HunTOR, “was composed of a series […]
Europe
EU medicines agency starts review of Merck oral Covid drug
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AFP) — The EU’s medicines watchdog said on Monday it had started reviewing an oral Covid medication from the US pharmaceutical firm Merck, raising hopes for an easy-to-administer treatment to reduce serious or deadly cases. The move, which could eventually lead to authorization on the European market, comes two weeks after Merck applied for emergency use in the US of the anti-coronavirus drug. “EMA’s human medicines committee (CHMP) has started a rolling […]
Europe reels from powerful ‘Aurore’ storm
by Jürgen HECKER Agence France Presse Storm “Aurore” swept across parts of northern Europe on Thursday, leaving four dead in Poland and causing substantial damage in Germany, France, the Netherlands and elsewhere. All four deaths in Poland occurred in the Lower Silesia region. One person was killed when a van was blown off the road and a builder died when a wall of a house under construction fell over. In the city of Wroclaw, […]
‘Mix & match’ Covid boosters may gird immunity: EMA
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AFP) — The use of so-called “mix and match” Covid-19 vaccine boosters may give a stronger immune response than sticking to one type of jab, the EU’s drug watchdog said on Thursday. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said it was studying data to see if it will follow a decision by US authorities on Wednesday to allow the use of a different vaccine for follow-up shots. The Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson […]
UK virus cases top 50,000 for first time since July
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Daily virus cases in the UK on Thursday soared to over 50,000 a day for the first time since July but the government again resisted calls to reimpose restrictions. According to the latest statistics, there were 52,009 new cases recorded in the UK — the highest figure since July 17. The UK has managed to administer two vaccine doses to 79 percent of those aged 12 and over and the […]
Queen Elizabeth II spent night in hospital: Buckingham Palace
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Queen Elizabeth II spent a night in hospital after being advised to rest and cancel a visit to Northern Ireland this week, Buckingham Palace said on Thursday. “Following medical advice to rest for a few days, The Queen attended hospital on Wednesday afternoon for some preliminary investigations, returning to Windsor Castle at lunchtime today (Thursday), and remains in good spirits,” a statement said. Britain’s domestic Press Association news agency said […]
Third dose of Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine 95.6% effective
FRANKFURT, Germany (AFP) — A third dose of the vaccine against Covid-19 developed by Pfizer/BioNTech is 95.6 percent effective against symptomatic infection, according to a study by the makers published on Thursday. The clinical phase three trial with “10,000 participants 16 years of age and older” showed “a relative vaccine efficacy of 95.6 percent against disease during a period when Delta was the prevalent strain”, the companies said in a statement. © Agence France-Presse
Powerful storm in France cuts electricity to 250,000 homes
PARIS, France (AFP) — More than 250,000 homes in France were without electricity on Thursday after gale-force winds swept the north of the country overnight, power grid operator Enedis said. Rail traffic was also affected by storm “Aurore”, which has been causing devastation since Wednesday afternoon. Transport Minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari said in a tweet that the Ile-de-France region around Paris, Normandy, northern France and eastern Lorraine regions were the worst affected. Social media were abuzz […]
Don’t panic, says UK, despite soaring Covid rates
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Britain’s government on Wednesday rejected calls to trigger “Plan B” measures to limit spiralling Covid infection rates, even as it warned that cases could reach as many 100,000 a day over the winter months. Healthcare leaders have urged the government to reinstate some restrictions to prevent the close-contact spread of the coronavirus, including the wearing of masks indoors, to ease pressure on hospitals. But Health Secretary Sajid Javid played down […]
UK health leaders call for Covid curbs as infections rise
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Healthcare leaders urged the British government Wednesday to reinstate some coronavirus restrictions to ease pressures on hospitals because of spiralling case numbers. But ministers remain opposed to reintroducing any curbs, arguing the situation is still far better than earlier this year and the country is learning to “live with the virus”. A total of 223 deaths from Covid-19 were registered on Tuesday — the highest 24-hour toll since March — […]
Atea-Roche plans for Covid pill hit by poor trial results
ZURICH, Switzerland (AFP) — US-based Atea Pharmaceuticals said Tuesday its plans to develop an orally administered drug to treat coronavirus patients together with Swiss pharma giant Roche have suffered a set back in clinical trials. The drug “did not meet its primary endpoint, showing no significant reduction in viral load,” Atea said in a statement. When compared to a placebo administered to some of the hospitalised patients in the trial “no meaningful difference was seen […]
Germany ‘vehemently condemns’ North Korea missile test
FRANKFURT, Germany (AFP) — Germany said Wednesday it “vehemently condemns” the test of a new type of submarine-launched ballistic missile by North Korea. “With this test, North Korea has once again violated its obligations under relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and endangered international and regional security and stability,” a spokesman for the foreign ministry said in a statement. The test, carried out on Tuesday near Sinpo, the site of a major naval […]
