International

US: US President Joe Biden is pushing harder on vaccines and masks as COVID-19 cases are surging across the country due to the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant. COVID-19 cases, hospitalisations, and deaths have…

UK: British COVID-19 vaccine developer Sarah Gilbert has a model of the iconic Barbie doll in her likeness, which Toy giant Mattel hopes will “inspire the next generation to take after these heroes and give back”. The Barbie modelled…

UN: The UN Special Envoy for Afghanistan questioned the Taliban's commitment to a political settlement, telling the UN Security Council the war has entered a "deadlier and more destructive phase" with more than 1,000 civilians killed…

AUSTRALIA: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has ruled out COVID-19 vaccinations at a federal policy level, asking employers to make their own decisions in terms of enforcing jabs for high-risk workers. Morrison said on…

US: The seven-day average for new daily COVID-19 infections has surpassed 100,000 in the US, returning to levels not seen since the winter surge. Cases and hospitalisations have skyrocketed in the last month, driven by the highly…

UK: Moderna's booster shots against COVID-19 have shown robust antibody responses, according to results of Phase 2 clinical trials published on Thursday. In the trial, Moderna tested a 50-microgram dose of three vaccine booster…

US: New Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang has called on the two countries to join hands to combat the still-spreading COVID-19 pandemic. "How about our two countries working together on solutions, e.g. more…

SWITZERLAND: The world will see 5.3 million reported deaths and 12 million excess fatalities by December as the Delta variant drives a surge in COVID-19 cases, according to projections by the Institute for Health Metrics and…

SINGAPORE: A team of researchers here has found a combination of antiviral and anti-inflammatory drugs that can be used to treat COVID-19 patients with mild to moderate disease. The team from the National University of Singapore…

US: The US Coast Guard announced Thursday it had seized about $1.4 billion worth of cocaine and cannabis during several operations. "This is the largest illicit drug offload in Coast Guard history," said Commander Steve Poulin…