International

Novavax reports promising early trial results of COVID-19 vaccine

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US biotech company Novavax on Tuesday announced its experimental COVID-19 vaccine elicited a robust immune response, producing more antibodies than are present in recovered patients, and with generally tolerable side-effects in its early-stage trial. The company was given $1.6 billion by the US government last month to develop and fund the drug under Operation Warp Speed — but in terms of timeline it is behind other firms including Moderna and […]

Like an atomic bomb: Scenes of Beirut explosions that killed at least 100, wounded thousands

  (Eagle News) — These are just some of the scenes as provided by photos from Agence France Presse that showed the two enormous explosions which rocked Beirut’s port on Tuesday that killed at least 100 people and wounded thousands more. The explosions that shook distant buildings, with an enomous orange fireball seen in the sky, had “tornado-like shockwaves” that shattered windows kilometers away. Agence France Presse described the bloodied and dazed  people wounded by […]

France’s Macron calls Lebanese counterpart, says help on the way

PARIS, France (AFP) — President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday called his Lebanese counterpart Michel Aoun and announced the dispatch of French aid to Lebanon after the powerful explosions in Beirut. “He expressed his support and that of France for the Lebanese people,” said the Elysee, the presidential palace. “French aid and resources are on the way,” the Elysee said, without elaborating. © Agence France-Presse

UPDATED: Two huge Beirut explosions kill 78, injure thousands

by Bachir El-Khoury and Rouba El-Husseini BEIRUT, Lebanon (AFP) — Rescuers worked through the night into Wednesday after two enormous explosions ripped through Beirut’s port, killing at least 78 people and injuring thousands, as they wrecked buildings across the Lebanese capital. The second blast sent an enormous orange fireball into the sky, immediately followed by a tornado-like shockwave that flattened the port and shattered windows across the city. The explosions — which were heard in […]

Disabled Gaza couple make dolls to give their children ‘decent life’

by Adel Zaanoun RAFA, Palestinian Territories (AFP) — With skilled fingers, disabled Gazan couple Nihad and Zeinab Jarboa have supported themselves by sewing finely detailed dolls and costumes, but coronavirus has hurt their already meagre income. Making a living is a challenge for all residents of the Israeli-blockaded Palestinian territory, which is ruled by the Islamist movement Hamas and where the poverty rate exceeds 50 percent. But the Jarboas face added adversity. Nihad, 37, has […]

Isaias makes landfall in North Carolina as Category 1 hurricane

MYRTLE BEACH, United States (AFP) — Hurricane Isaias slammed into North Carolina Monday as a category one storm, with winds of up to 85 miles (140 kilometers) an hour, the US National Hurricane Center said. The storm came ashore in the southern part of the state near Ocean Isle Beach at 11:10 pm (0310 GMT Tuesday). Meteorologists warned of heavy rain and potentially life-threatening storm surges. © Agence France-Presse

75 years on, Japan bomb survivors make final pleas for abolition

  by Kyoko HASEGAWA Agence France Presse TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — As Japan marks 75 years since the devastating attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the last generation of nuclear bomb survivors are working to ensure their message lives on after them. The “hibakusha” — literally “person affected by the bomb” — have for decades been a powerful voice calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons. There are an estimated 136,700 left, many of whom were […]

Unspeakable horror’: the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki

by Kyoko HASEGAWA Agence France Presse TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japan this week marks the 75th anniversary of the atomic bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which killed over 200,000 people and left many more deeply traumatised and even stigmatised. Here are some facts about the devastating attacks: – The bombs – The first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima in western Japan on August 6, 1945 by the US bomber Enola Gay. The bomb, […]

Trump gives TikTok 6 weeks to sell itself to US company

by Paul HANDLEY WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump gave popular Chinese-owned video app TikTok six weeks to sell its US operations to an American company, saying Monday it would be “out of business” otherwise, and that the government wanted a financial benefit from the deal. “It’s got to be an American company… it’s got to be owned here,” Trump said. “We don’t want to have any problem with security.” Trump said […]

US East Coast braces for hurricane after Florida escapes

by Logan Cyrus MYRTLE BEACH, United States (AFP) — Tropical Storm Isaias was set to regain hurricane strength Monday before slamming into the US eastern seaboard, bringing life-threatening storm surges to North and South Carolina. The storm, currently 60 miles (100 kilometers) southeast of Charleston, South Carolina, was packing sustained winds of 70 miles (100 kilometers) per hour, with wind speeds predicted to increase during the day. Isaias is forecast to “make landfall tonight as […]

Russia aims to produce ‘millions’ of vaccine doses by 2021

by Maria ANTONOVA MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Russia said Monday it aims to launch mass production of a coronavirus vaccine next month and turn out “several million” doses per month by next year. The country is pushing ahead with several vaccine prototypes and one trialled by the Gamaleya institute in Moscow has reached advanced stages of development and is about to pass state registration, officials said. “We are very much counting on starting mass production […]

PM urges France ‘not to let down guard’ to prevent new virus lockdown

LILLE, France (AFP) — Prime Minister Jean Castex on Monday urged France “not to let down its guard” in the fight against the coronavirus in order to prevent the need for a new national lockdown, as concern grows over a recent surge in cases. “The virus has not gone on holiday and neither have we,” the premier said on a visit to the northeastern city of Lille. “We need to protect ourselves against this virus, […]