Covid puts damper on Christmas eve again around world
From Bethlehem and Frankfurt to London and Boston, the surging coronavirus put a damper on Christmas Eve for a second year, forcing churches to cancel or scale back services and disrupting travel plans and family gatherings. Drummers and bagpipers marched through Bethlehem to smaller than usual crowds after new Israeli travel...
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Vessel fire kills at least 39 and 70 injured Bangladesh
25 December 2021 | AP -
Covid dampens Christmas joy in biblical Bethlehem
25 December 2021 | AP -
SKorea ex-Prez Park, jailed for corruption, later pardoned
25 December 2021 | AP -
Texas board withdraws pardon recommendation for George Floyd
25 December 2021 | AP -
Pillar of Shame removed in Hong Kong
24 December 2021 | AP -
CRPF women commandos to protect top politicians
23 December 2021 | PNS -
ED arrests historsheeter on money laundering charges
23 December 2021 | PNS
Singapore Airlines says no to new bookings for all VTL flights
Amid Omicron scare, Singapore Airlines on Wednesday announced that it will stop accepting new bookings for all Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) flights into Singapore from midnight Wednesday till January 20, 2022. Travellers who have booked a ticket on a VTL (Air) flight before December 22 will continue to be allowed...
Many mutations in Omicron allow it to bond with human cells efficiently
Even as the newly reported Omicron variant is poised to replace Delta as the dominant variant across the world, a study led by an Indian-origin researcher shows that many mutations in the variant allow it to bond with human cells far more efficiently thanprevious strains. The Omicron variant was first identified...
Centre to train at least one ‘Oxygen Steward’ in each dist
With an aim to prevent a repeat of an oxygen crisis like the one during the Covid second wave, the Centre is mulling to train at least one “Oxygen Steward” in each district across the country amid the rising Omicron scare. The initiative aims to empower all healthcare workers engaged in...
Myanmar fighting forces 4,200 people to flee into Thailand
Fighting between Myanmar government forces and ethnic guerrillas has sent about 4,200 villagers fleeing across the border into Thailand over the past week, a Thai army officer said Wednesday. That number includes more than 2,500 who fled into Thailand on Friday from territory held by ethic Karen minority. A similar wave...
China's Xi endorses Hong Kong's ‘patriots only' election
Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Wednesday endorsed Hong Kong’s first legislative elections held under new laws ensuring that only “patriots” who have shown loyalty to Beijing could run as candidates. Sunday’s elections for 90-seat Legislative Council were swept by politicians backed by China’s ruling Communist Party. Just 20 seats were directly...
Russian pipeline faces hurdles amid Ukraine tensions
The pipeline is built and being filled with natural gas. But Russia’s Nord Stream 2 faces a rocky road before any gas flows to Germany, with its new leaders adopting a more skeptical tone toward the project and tensions ratcheting up over Russia’s troop buildup at the Ukrainian border. The pipeline...
Russia warns West of military action over unfriendly steps on Ukraine row
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Tuesday that Russia was prepared to take military steps in response to "unfriendly" Western actions over Ukraine conflict, in a sharp escalation of rhetoric. He also called for "serious negotiations" on Russian security demands put to United States and NATO during his first call with new...
