International

26-08-2021 TOKYO: Japan has suspended the use of 1.63 million doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine after reports of contamination in several vials, drug-maker Takeda and the health ministry has said. Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, which is in charge of sales and distribution of the Moderna shot in Japan, on Thursday said …

26-08-2021 By SJA Jafri + Bureau Report + Agencies KABUL/ ISLAMABAD: Afghans on Thursday hurried to escape Taliban rule, but Western officials said the group had made assurances that some evacuations would be permitted after next week’s US withdrawal deadline. Over 80,000 people have been evacuated since August 14, but …

26-08-2021 CALIFORNIA: WhatsApp has rolled out yet another feature for app users, WABetaInfo reported Monday. This updated feature is the new sound effects for recording WhatsApp voice messages. A Twitter post by WABetaInfo, containing an acknowledgement for the changes by a WhatsApp user, shows a comparison of the new and old …

25-08-2021 Bureau Report MELBOURNE: Victorians aged 16 to 39 are now able to get the Pfizer vaccine with the website to book appointments crashing in the face of high demand. It comes as Victoria recorded 45 new locally acquired cases over the last 24-hour reporting period to midnight. Of the 45 …

25-08-2021 LONDON: An emergency meeting of the G7 leaders on Tuesday agreed that the Taliban will be held accountable for their actions in Afghanistan on protecting women’s rights and preventing terrorism. “We reaffirm that the Taliban will be held accountable for their actions on preventing terrorism, on human rights, in …

25-08-2021 WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden told G7 leaders Tuesday the United States was “on pace” to complete its pullout from Afghanistan by August 31 but contingency plans were being drawn up in case the self-imposed deadline could not be met. The White House said Biden also told Group of Seven …

24-08-2021 Bureau Report GUJRAT/ NEW DELHI: An on-ground investigation revealed that beggars are being used as test subjects by the drug mafia to assess narcotic pills and powders in Ahmedabad, Gujrat, Times of India reported Monday. The investigation revealed that the drug mafia picks up homeless people and beggars from the …

24-08-2021 TEHRAN: A top Iranian prisons official has confirmed the veracity of footage leaked by hackers that shows the harsh conditions inmates of Tehran’s Evin Prison suffer. The surveillance camera footage, leaked on Monday, has no sound but shows clearly the pain some prisoners go through at Evin. Mohammad Mehdi …

24-08-2021 By SJA Jafri + Bureau Report + Agencies KABUL/ BEIJING/ ISLAMABAD/ WASHINGTON: The Chinese Special Envoy for Afghan Affairs Yue Xiaoyong has said that the US is responsible for the current uncertainty in Afghanistan. In an interview with Geo News, aired on Sunday, the special envoy said that the US left …

24-08-2021 BERLIN/ LONDON: The heavy rainfall behind deadly flooding in Europe in July was made more likely by climate change, scientists say. The floods in Germany, Belgium and other parts killed at least 220 people as towns and villages were swamped. Researchers say global heating made rainfall events like this …