WHO chief backs Tokyo Games amid pandemic
TOKYO: The Tokyo Olympics should go ahead to demonstrate to the world what can be achieved with the right plan and measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic, World Health Organisation (WHO) head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday. Speaking to the
Pakistan prioritised support to vulnerable while battling pandemic: SAPM Sania Nishtar
NEW YORK: Pakistan told a UN panel that its health response was central to the deadly coronavirus pandemic with prioritised support to the vulnerable. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Dr Sania Nishtar, was
Return to normal
Pakistan has ranked third in the ‘Global Normalcy Index’ out of 50 countries released by the renowned ‘The Economist’ magazine. Prime Minister Imran Khan is elated that the government’s efforts despite fervent criticism at home have been globally acknowledged. The
Lengthy Eid holidays
The festive of Eid-ul-Fitr is a joyous occasion which we celebrate with our loved ones. However, for the second year in a row, we will be spending the day rather differently under unusual circumstances as we are still amidst the
Lessons from history of tomorrow
Since the coronavirus pandemic hit the world, humans have started thinking of the future and how can we save humanity or how the life would be like in ten years. Will we have more viruses and catastrophes or will we
Rich countries could use taxes to reduce inequalities: IMF
WASHINGTON: The International Monetary Fund said advanced economies could use more progressive income taxes, inheritance and property taxes, and taxes on “excess” corporate profits to help reduce inequalities exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The IMF’s Fiscal Monitor said the pandemic
Educational institutes likely to be closed again amid third wave
ISLAMABAD: The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), the country’s nerve centre on tackling the virus, is expected to decide on closing schools and educational institutes amid the third wave of the pandemic. A meeting of the NCOC will be
Pakistan dispatches COVID-19 relief goods to Iraq
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will dispatch three planes load of COVID-related relief goods to Iraq on the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan to help the country in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. The first planeload was dispatched on Saturday in
Biden to end vaccine priority, make all adults eligible by May 1
WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden said he would direct US states to make all adults eligible for the coronavirus vaccine by May 1 and urged Americans in a televised address to stay vigilant against the virus, hours after he signed a
Coronavirus pandemic cost global tourism $1.3 trillion in 2020: UN
MADRID: The coronavirus crisis cost the global tourism sector $1.3 trillion in lost revenue in 2020 as the number of people travelling plunged, the UN said, calling it “the worst year in tourism history”. The World Tourism Organization said the
Farewell 2020
Year 2020 has passed and the beginning of a new year heralds the dawn of a new era. This is a pivotal moment as it marks the end of the decade while the world has seen considerable progress and even
Pandemic confusion
The politicisation of the coronavirus pandemic has led to confusion in Pakistan, much to an extent that the general public is not even taking it seriously anymore. This is despite the second wave which has seen thousands of cases being
Oracle leaves Silicon Valley for Texas
SAN FRANCISCO: Business computing giant Oracle said it is leaving Silicon Valley for Texas as it embraces a remote work model made common by the pandemic. Oracle is moving its headquarters from Redwood Shores in Northern California to Austin, which
Carbon emissions fell record 7 percent in 2020: Study
NEW YORK: Carbon emissions fell a record seven percent in 2020 as countries imposed lockdowns and restrictions on movement during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Global Carbon Project said in its annual assessment. The fall of an estimated 2.4 billion tonnes
Human rights are central to COVID-19 recovery efforts: UN
NEW YORK: The International Human Rights Day is being observed on Thursday to raise awareness about human equality, dignity and justice. This year the day is being celebrated under the theme ‘Recover Better-Stand up for Human Rights’ with an aim
Global pandemic recovery
The coronavirus pandemic is the biggest crisis since the end of the Second World War which has caused immense human suffering and the deepest economic contraction since the Great Depression. Thus, the world particularly the rich countries need to allocate
Second lockdown
The situation has been worsening from the second of coronavirus as winter sets in. The country has been recording more than 2,000 cases per day and hospitals are once again being full. From the looks, it seems likely that we
Australian airline Qantas celebrates subdued 100th birthday
SYDNEY: Australia’s Qantas Airways, the world’s third-oldest airline, marked its 100th birthday during its toughest year yet due to the coronavirus pandemic. Chief Executive Alan Joyce said the airline is looking to the future with optimism. “Qantas every decade has
US COVID-19 cases cross 11 million as pandemic intensifies
WASHINGTON: The number of coronavirus cases in the United States crossed the 11-million mark, reaching yet another grim milestone as the third wave of COVID-19 infections surged across the country. The pace of the pandemic in the United States has
Challenges of Pneumonia and COVID-19 pandemic
‘World Pneumonia Day was first observed in 2009 to raise awareness about and advocate for global action against the acute respiratory disease which claims millions of lives every year. The theme for World Pneumonia Day 2020 is “Every Breath Counts”.
President Alvi inaugurates ‘Corona Wall of Heroes’ in Lahore
LAHORE: President Dr Arif Alvi inaugurated ‘Corona Wall of Heroes’ in Lahore to pay tribute to heroes who rendered services and sacrifices during the coronavirus pandemic. Addressing the Shaan-e-Pakistan Awards ceremony at the Governor’s House, the president said that the
Trump has surrendered to pandemic: Biden
WASHINGTON: United States presidential challenger Joe Biden accused Donald Trump of giving up in the fight against COVID-19 as the president faced a new outbreak in his team and surging infections nationwide. Nine days before the vote, Trump’s chief of
Protests and pandemic
Political temperatures are expected to rise as the opposition starts nationwide protests and rallies later this week in a bid to oust Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government. This also comes just as the number or coronavirus cases are surging and
Confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide exceed 28 million
WASHINGTON: The number of coronavirus infection cases across the world has surged to 28,679,996 and the pandemic has so far claimed over 920,158 lives. There are 71,64,164 active cases of coronavirus in the world and 25,94,884 people have been cured.
Dwayne Johnson reveals family’s coronavirus battle
LOS ANGELES: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and his entire family tested positive for coronavirus but have made a full recovery, the professional wrestler-turned-actor revealed. Johnson urged his Instagram followers to wear masks and avoid “politicising” the pandemic after revealing that
Pandemic isn’t over
Wuhan, the Ground Zero for the coronavirus pandemic, has reopened all schools for the first time in seven months. The World Health Organisation (WHO) chief warned that though the global agency wants to see children returning to schools and people
WHO chief hopes coronavirus pandemic will end within two years
GENEVA: The World Health Organisation hopes the coronavirus crisis can be over in less than two years faster than it took for the 1918 Spanish flu. “In our situation now with more technology, and of course with more connectiveness, the
COVID-19 could plunge 100 million into extreme poverty: World Bank
WASHINGTON: World Bank President David Malpass has warned that the coronavirus pandemic may have driven as many as 100 million people into extreme poverty. The global lender previously estimated that 60 million people would fall into extreme poverty due to
Worldwide coronavirus death toll rises to over 704,600
WASHINGTON: The number of coronavirus infection cases across the world has surged to 18,716,057 and the pandemic has so far claimed over 704,632 lives. The number of people infected with a coronavirus in the United States has risen to 4,918,420
Latin America exceeds five million COVID-19 cases
BRASILIA: Latin America and the Caribbean surpassed five million coronavirus cases on Monday underscoring that the region is world’s hardest hit by the novel coronavirus pandemic. The coronavirus was initially slower to reach Latin America than much of the world.