International news with relevance to Thai and regional readers
GENEVA (Reuters) – The World Health Organization has proposed a second phase of studies in China into the origins of the coronavirus, including audits of laboratories in Wuhan, but there is no sign yet that Beijing would accept a further international probe, diplomats said. WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus presented the plan to member states at a closed-door meeting on Friday, a day
Hong Kong, China (AFP) – People who received BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine had ten times the amount of antibodies than those given China’s Sinovac, a Hong Kong study has shown, adding to growing data on different jabs’ effectiveness. The University of Hong Kong (HKU) research, based on a study of 1,442 healthcare workers, was published in Lancet Microbe on Thursday.
TORONTO (Reuters) – Canada may permit fully vaccinated travellers into the country by early September, the country’s prime minister said on Thursday, if the current trend in vaccination rate and public health conditions continue. Justin Trudeau made the remarks in a call with Canadian provincial leaders, according to a readout of the call released by his office. Trudeau also said there were ongoing discussions with the United
BERLIN (AP) — More than 60 people have died and dozens were missing Thursday as severe flooding in Germany and Belgium turned streams and streets into raging torrents that swept away cars and caused houses to collapse. Among those killed were nine residents of an assisted living facility for people with disabilities and two firefighters
Brussels (AFP) – The European Commission on Thursday launched legal action against the conservative governments of EU members Hungary and Poland in response to measures seen as discriminating against LGBTQ citizens. As the “guardian of the treaties” binding the European Union together, the commission can launch infringement procedures against member states. Such a procedure involves several steps
(AP) – COVID-19 deaths and cases are on the rise again globally in a dispiriting setback that is triggering another round of restrictions and dampening hopes for a return to normal life. The World Health Organization reported Wednesday that deaths climbed last week after nine straight weeks of decline. It recorded more than 55,000 lives
BERLIN (AP) — More than 20 people have died and dozens of people are missing in Germany and neighboring Belgium after heavy flooding turned streams and streets into raging torrents, sweeping away cars and causing buildings to collapse. Storms across parts of western Europe in recent days caused rivers and reservoirs to burst their banks,
PARIS (AFP) – Police in Paris fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators on Wednesday, as 19,000 people protested throughout France over new coronavirus restrictions. Some of the protests began in the morning in Paris as the annual military parade for the traditional Bastille Day parade, watched by President Emmanuel Macron, was taking place along the famous
New Mexico (Reuters) – British billionaire Richard Branson on Sunday soared more than 50 miles above the New Mexico desert aboard his Virgin Galactic rocket plane and safely returned in the vehicle’s first fully crewed test flight to space, a symbolic milestone for a venture he started 17 years ago. Branson, one of six Virgin Galactic Holding Inc employees strapped in for the ride, touted the mission as a precursor
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Sydney’s two-week lockdown has been extended for another week due to the vulnerability of an Australia population largely unvaccinated against COVID-19, officials said on Wednesday. “The situation we’re in now is largely because we haven’t been able to get the vaccine that we need,” New South Wales state Health Minister Brad
Geneva, Switzerland (AFP) – More than four million people have now died of Covid-19 infections, the WHO said on Wednesday, as many richer nations prepared to loosen restrictions even as countries in Asia battle surging infections. Indonesia has become a global hotspot, with hospitals having to turn away patients, authorities forced to import oxygen supplies
WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump has filed suit against three of the United States’ biggest tech companies, claiming he and other conservatives have been wrongfully censored. But legal experts say the suits are likely doomed to fail, given existing precedent and legal protections. Trump announced the action against Facebook, Twitter and Google’s YouTube,
