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Showing posts from September, 2020

UK jobless rate highest since 2016 as second COVID-19 lockdown hits

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  Britain’s unemployment rate hit its highest in nearly five years in the three months to November, when coronavirus cases began to rise for a second time and most of the country returned to a partial lockdown. Redundancies touched a record high, taking the unemployment rate to 5.0%, its highest since mid-2016, according to official data, although the increase was slightly weaker than economists’ forecasts. There were some signs of a limited recovery in December, when lockdown measures eased, although a deterioration is likely in early 2021 as a tougher lockdown shut schools and closed most non-essential businesses to the public. Tax data for December showed a 52,000 increase in the number of staff on company payrolls from November, but there were 828,000 fewer workers on payrolls than in February. Economists said the data showed the jobs market was holding up better than many forecasters had feared.Unemployment has been kept down by the government’s Job Retention Scheme, which support
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Common cold in past may give protection from Covid-19

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  In a big breakthrough, researchers have found that people who have had a bout of seasonal or common cold in the past may get protection from Covid-19. The study, published in the journal mBio, also suggests that immunity to Covid-19 is likely to last a long time - maybe even a lifetime.The study showed that the Covid-19-causing virus, SARS-CoV-2, induces memory B cells, long-lived immune cells that detect pathogens, create antibodies to destroy them and remember them for the future. The next time that pathogen tries to enter the body, those memory B cells can hop into action even faster to clear the infection before it starts.Because memory B cells can survive for decades, they could protect Covid-19 survivors from subsequent infections for a long time, but further research will have to bear that out, the researchers said. The study is also the first to report cross-reactivity of memory B cells - meaning B cells that once attacked cold-causing coronaviruses appeared to also recognise
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Trump-touted hydroxychloroquine shows no benefit in COVID-19 prevention - study

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 - A malaria drug taken by U.S. President Donald Trump to prevent COVID-19 did not show any benefit versus placebo in reducing coronavirus infection among healthcare workers, according to clinical trial results published on Wednesday. The study largely confirms results from a clinical trial in June that showed hydroxychloroquine was ineffective in preventing infection among people exposed to the new coronavirus. Trump began backing hydroxychloroquine early in the pandemic and told reporters in May he started taking the drug after two White House staffers tested positive for COVID-19. Studies have found the drug to offer little benefit as a treatment.In the study of 125 participants, four who had taken hydroxychloroquine as a preventative treatment for eight weeks contracted COVID-19, and four on placebo tested positive for the virus. All eight were either asymptomatic or had mild symptoms that did not require hospitalization, according to the results published in the JAMA Internal Medi
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Exclusive: World Bank seeks board approval for $12 billion coronavirus vaccine financing plan

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  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - World Bank President David Malpass said on Tuesday he is seeking board approval for a $12 billion coronavirus vaccine financing plan to help poor and developing countries secure a sufficient share of vaccine doses when they become available in the coming months. Malpass told Reuters in an exclusive interview that the initiative, part of $160 billion in coronavirus aid financing pledged by the multilateral lender, is aimed at helping countries procure and distribute vaccines early to healthcare and other essential workers and expand global production. He said the board was expected to consider the plan in early October. Global competition for early coronavirus vaccine doses is already fierce, months ahead of any approvals, as wealthy countries move to secure supplies. The U.S. government has pledged over $3 billion to secure hundreds of millions of doses of vaccines under development by Britain's AstraZeneca Plc  AZN.L  and by U.S. drug giant Pfizer Inc  PFE
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कोरोनाविरुद्धको रूसी खोप सफल भए नेपालमा मङ्सिरदेखि उपलब्ध हुने

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  काठमाडौं :   रूसले परीक्षणको तेस्रो चरणमा पुर्‍याएको कोरोनाविरुद्धको स्पुतनिक खोप सफल भए मंसिरको दोस्रो साता नेपालमा पनि ल्याइने भएको छ। ​रसियन डाइरेक्ट फन्ड र नेपालको ट्रिनिटी फर्मास्युटिकलबीच खोपले सफलता प्राप्त गरेमा नेपाल ल्याउने सहमति भएको हो। परीक्षण क्रममा रहेको खोप सफल भए मङ्सिरको दोस्रो साता खोप नेपाल ल्याइने ट्रिनिटी फर्मास्युटिकल्सका निर्देशक किशोर अधिकारीले जानकारी दिएका छन्‌। परीक्षण क्रममा रहेको खोप नेपाल ल्याउनका लागि निजी क्षेत्रलाई अधिकार नभएको उनले  थाहाखबरलाई   बताए। उनका अनुसार रूसमा तेस्रो चरणमा रहेको खोपले सफलता पाए अक्टुबर पहिलो साता अर्थात यही असोज तेश्रो साता प्रयोगमा अनुमति पाउनेछ। खोपले सफलता पाएमा नेपालमा वितरण गर्न पहल थालिएको छ। एक महिनाअघि रसियन फन्डसँग खोप ल्याउने सहमति भएको थियो। परीक्षण क्रममा रहेको खोपलाई 'बुक' गरेको अधिकारीले बताए। 'बुक गरेको खोपले सफलता प्राप्त गरे नेपालले पहिलो प्राथमिकतामा पाउनेछ,' अधिकारीले भने, 'अहिले कम्पनी र रसियन फन्डसँग सम्झौता मात्र भएको छ। नेपालस्थित रूसी राजदूतावासको सहकार्यमा सहमति गरिएको हो।' ख
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Abortion Rights Activists Clash with Police in Mexico

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Women demanding that Mexico legalize abortion nationwide clashed with police in the capital, Mexico City, on Monday.  Police fired tear gas at groups of protesters, some of whom reportedly threw projectiles, including bottles.  The government said nearly a dozen police were injured in the melee. Protesters said they were victims of police brutality. Riot police get covered in red paint by abortion-rights demonstrators during the "Day for Decriminalization of Abortion in Latin America and the Caribbean" march in Mexico City, Sept. 28, 2020. The demonstration in the mostly Catholic country came on International Safe Abortion Day.  Abortion is only legal in Mexico City and the southern state of Oaxaca during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.  Abortion is only allowed in the rest of the country under limited circumstances, such as if a woman has been raped. 
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UK jobless rate highest since 2016 as second COVID-19 lockdown hits

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  Britain’s unemployment rate hit its highest in nearly five years in the three months to November, when coronavirus cases began to rise for a second time and most of the country returned to a partial lockdown. Redundancies touched a record high, taking the unemployment rate to 5.0%, its highest since mid-2016, according to official data, although the increase was slightly weaker than economists’ forecasts. There were some signs of a limited recovery in December, when lockdown measures eased, although a deterioration is likely in early 2021 as a tougher lockdown shut schools and closed most non-essential businesses to the public. Tax data for December showed a 52,000 increase in the number of staff on company payrolls from November, but there were 828,000 fewer workers on payrolls than in February. Economists said the data showed the jobs market was holding up better than many forecasters had feared.Unemployment has been kept down by the government’s Job Retention Scheme, which support
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PM inducts new ministers in Cabinet

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  Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli appointed eight new Cabinet ministers and one minister of state today, first time after he recommended dissolution of the House of Representatives on December 20. President Bidhya Devi Bhandari administered the oath of office and secrecy to the newly appointed ministers. Portfolios of ministers Name of the minister Portfolio Top Bahadur Raymajhi Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Manichandra Thapa Drinking Water and Sanitation Prabhu Sah Urban Development Prem Bahadur Ale Forest and Environment Ganesh Thagunna Federal Affairs and General Administration Gauri Shankar Chaudhary Labour, Employment, and Social Security Juli Kumari Mahato Women, Children, and Senior Citizens Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal (portfolio changed) Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Hridayesh Tripathi (portfolio changed) Health and Population Lilanath Shrestha (portfolio changed) Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs Shiva Maya Tumbahangphe (portfolio changed) Land Management, Cooperati
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Covid-19: Preparations on to vaccinate 250-300 million Indians on priority

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A research scientist at India's Serum Institute, the world's largest maker of vaccines. India is gearing up to vaccinate at least 250-300 million people, including about 30 million health care and frontline workers, against  Coronavirus disease (Covid-19)  by July next year, for which it will be looking at procuring about 500-600 million vaccine doses. The Centre is regularly following up with the states to devise measures to successfully launch the Covid-19 vaccination drive across the country that is likely to start in the first quarter of next year when the vaccine is expected to be made available for use. Initially, the approvals to manufacturers are likely to be under the emergency use authorisation, and later after analysing full phase-3 clinical trials data, there will be marketing approvals in place for use by general public.A crucial part of the strategy is to get the exact list of people who need to be vaccinated on priority. States were asked to draw up a list of the
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