NZ reports 12 new Covid-19 cases amid 2nd wave

TB Team
-
0
NZ reports 12 new Covid-19 cases amid 2nd wave

New Zealand reported 12 new coronavirus cases on Friday, all linked to an Auckland family cluster, amid the second and stronger wave of the pandemic in the country.

There was also one suspected Covid-19 case reported in Waikato, which is still under observation in a hospital, Director General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said in a daily briefing.

New Zealand has reported a total of 48 active COVID-19 cases, with 30 linked to the Auckland cluster, which has brought overall caseload in the country to 1,251, Bloomfield said.

Bloomfield said 38 people linked to the cluster were already in the Auckland quarantine facility, adding that the number is expected to grow.

“We’ve seen no evidence of a Covid-19 positive test outside of Auckland which is unrelated to the cluster we’re dealing with,” said Health Minister Chris Hipkins.

Testing had ramped up at the borders and all frontline workers will be tested by the end of Friday, Hipkins said.

Auckland resumed Alert Level 3 on Wednesday for three days, with the rest of the country going to Level 2, after 102 days without community transmission in the country.

New Zealand went to a month-long national Alert Level 4 lockdown in late March and declared an early success of the coronavirus battle in June.

The government will make decisions and inform people of any further alert level changes at 5.30 p.m. in advance of the lockdown ending on Friday midnight.

Nearly 300 test Covid-19 positive at England food factory

TB Team
-
0
Nearly 300 test Covid-19 positive at England food factory

Nearly 300 staff at a convenience food factory in England’s Northampton have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, health officials said.

The officials are dealing with the outbreak at the Greencore food company which has seen 299 confirmed cases of Covid-19, Xinhua news agency quoted Lucy Wightman, director of public health at Northamptonshire County Council, as saying on Thursday.

A spokesman for the company, which employs 2,100 people, said those who tested positive were self-isolating.

The confirmed test results may force the town in England’s Midlands region into local lockdown.

Wightman said 79 workers tested positive through National Health Service (NHS) tests while 220 positive results came back from Greencore’s private testing.

“Northampton Borough has been experiencing a high number of cases over the last four weeks and residents and employees have been asked to ‘act now’ to follow additional measures, to avoid a local lockdown or further government intervention,” Wightman said.

Greencore said in a statement that the company took the decision to proactively test workers as a result of a rise in cases in the Northampton area.

“All of Greencore’s sites have wide-ranging social-distancing measures, stringent hygiene procedures, and regular temperature checking in place, and we are doing everything that we can to keep our people safe,” it said.

“Public Health England Midlands has been providing support to colleagues at Greencore in managing the outbreak. This has been supplemented by support from the local infection prevention and control team and Northampton Borough Council’s environmental health colleagues,” said a joint statement by Northampton Borough Council and Public Health Northamptonshire.

Over the past seven days, there were 70 new confirmed cases in Northampton alone and the infection rate is well above the county rate with 580 cases per 100,000 population.

Greencore has a number of factories across Britain and makes food for supermarkets, including Marks & Spencer, Tesco, and Sainsbury’s, according to media reports.

Twitter launches special emoji for Independence Day

TB Team
-
0
Twitter launches special emoji for Independence Day

As India gears up to celebrate its 74th Independence Day, the microblogging website Twitter on Friday has unveiled a specially designed emoji to honor the Indian Armed Forces, which is a vibrant depiction of the National War Memorial.

The design of the emoji represents the innermost structure of the Memorial, called the ‘Amar Chakra’ or the ‘Circle of Immortality’.

The emoji will be live until 18th August and will be available in English and several Indic languages, such as Hindi, Tamil, Urdu, Kannada, Punjabi, Marathi, Malayalam, Bengali, Telugu, Gujarati, and Oriya.

“We hope this emoji will not only add to the Independence Day celebrations but will also encourage Indians across the world to learn more about and pay respects to the lives of India’s brave soldiers,” Mahima Kaul, Director, Public Policy, India and South Asia, Twitter said in a statement.

Twitter India is also supporting the Ministry of Defence’s special initiative #SaluteTheSoldier that pays respects to the lives of Indian soldiers. The Ministry on its part has launched a dedicated Twitter account for the National War Memorial (@salute2soldier).

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be launching the emoji on the eve of Independence Day.

Indians across the globe will be able to participate in Independence Day conversations and celebrate with the emoji using the hashtags like #IndiaIndependenceDay, #NationalWarMemorial, #SaluteTheSoldier, and many more.

This is the sixth edition of the Independence Day emoji by Twitter India, having featured creative symbols for the Ashoka Chakra, Red Fort, the Indian National Flag during the previous years.

Twitter continues to observe Indian culture with celebratory initiatives and activations for Independence Day, Diwali, Republic Day, among other key Indian milestones, events, and festivals.

On this day: Tendulkar scores 1st international hundred in 1990

TB Team
-
0
On this day: Tendulkar scores 1st international hundred in 1990

He went to score 99 more, a record still unmatched and standing tall like the Himalayas. But ask Sachin Tendulkar and his first international century will always be the one he will remember very fondly.

On August 14 in 1990, an unbeaten 119 against England at the Old Trafford in Manchester marked the beginning of the Tendulkar era. His knock in the second innings emerged as the biggest talking point from the Test.

Chasing 408 for victory, India was down in the dumps at 183/6 when Tendulkar showed superb composure as a teenager and exhibited his repertoire of exquisite drives on the off-side against English pacers.

Sharing a 160-run partnership with Manoj Prabhakar, Tendulkar remained unbeaten on 119 and helped India draw the match. The Master Blaster was just 17 when he hit that magnificent knock – the third-youngest batsman ever to register a Test century.

The rest was indeed history as the Mumbai batting masterclass went on to become a ‘demigod’ in India and arguably the greatest batsman to have played the game since Don Bradman.

Tendulkar, who retired from international cricket in 2013, scored 15,921 and 18,426 runs respectively in 200 Tests and 463 matches he played for India.

Amazon can be held liable for faulty products, rules US court

TB Team
-
0
Amazon can be held liable for faulty products, rules US court

In a major blow to Amazon, a court in California has ruled that the e-commerce giant can be held liable for defective products sold by third-party sellers on its platform.

The ruling by California Fourth District Court of Appeals on Thursday came in response to an alleged incident in which a woman received third-degree burns after a defective replacement laptop battery she bought from a third-party seller on Amazon marketplace caught fire, CNBC reported.

In her allegation, the woman, Angela Bolger, stated that she bought the product from Lenoge Technology HK Ltd., a third-party seller on Amazon’s marketplace.

“Under established principles of strict liability, Amazon should be held liable if a product sold through its website turns out to be defective,” the court said.

The ruling could have widespread implications as Amazon has long avoided taking responsibility for defective and sometimes unsafe products sold on its platform by arguing that it hardly has any role to play in sourcing and distribution of products sold by third-party sellers.

However, the latest ruling did not come in favor of the e-commerce giant.

“Whatever term we use to describe Amazon’s role, be it ‘retailer,’ ‘distributor,’ or merely ‘facilitator,’ it was pivotal in bringing the product here to the consumer,” the court said.

Amazon’s marketplace accounts for nearly 60 percent of the company’s e-commerce sales, said the CNBC report.

The e-commerce giant had earlier said it invests hundreds of millions of dollars every year to ensure the safety and authenticity of the products sold on its platform.

Italian Open tennis tournament to start from September 14

TB Team
-
0
Italian Open tennis tournament to start from September 14

The main draw of the Italian Open clay-court tennis tournament will start from September 14-21, a week earlier than scheduled in Rome.

This year’s edition of the tournament had been scheduled to start at the Foro Italico on May 11 but was called off because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The main draw will take place September 14 to 21, therefore with the last day on Monday, in the frame of the Foro Italico. The game will, therefore, be played one week earlier than the dates initially scheduled after the cancellation of the Madrid tournament,” the Italian tennis federation said in a statement on Thursday.

The Madrid Open is now slated to be played after the US Open from August 31 to September 13, and before the French Open, which begins on September 27.

“In the next few days it will be decided whether the men’s qualification draw will be expanded to 64 players and in this case, the matches will start on September 11,” it said.

“Otherwise it will start on Saturday at 12.”

The organizers further announced that the semifinalists of the US Open will have a bye at their debut and would not play before September 16 at the earliest.

Apple releases new iOS, iPadOS, macOS updates

TB Team
-
0
Apple releases new iOS, iPadOS, macOS updates

Apple has released iOS 13.6.1 and iPadOS 13.6.1 to fix troubling issues in the operating systems, as well as a supplemental update to macOS Catalina 10.15.6.

One can download the iOS and iPadOS updates by opening the Settings, choosing General, and then Software Update.

According to Apple’s release notes, the updates include bug fixes and address an issue where unneeded system data files might not be automatically deleted when available storage is low.

The update will also fix the thermal management issue that caused some displays to exhibit green tints along with an issue where Exposure Notifications could be disabled for some users.

Meanwhile, to download the macOS supplemental update, one has to go to System Preferences and click Software Update.

According to Apple, the update fixes a stability issue that could occur when running virtualization apps.

Additionally, the update resolves a bug that could cause an iMac to appear washed out after waking up from sleep.

Before updating, users are recommended to plugging their device into a power source for the duration of the download/installation process, so as to prevent the unlikely event of the device battery going dead during the update.

Heightened security for I-Day in riot-hit Bengaluru

TB Team
-
0
Heightened security for I-Day in riot-hit Bengaluru

Security has been stepped up and vigil enhanced across the tech city for the 74th Independence Day celebrations on Saturday amid the coronavirus pandemic and uneasy calm in the riot-hit areas, an official said on Friday.

“Additional forces have been deployed across the city and vigilance stepped up to ensure peaceful celebrations of the 74th Independence Day and prevent any untoward incident in the riot-hit northeast suburb where ban order on assembling of more than five people is in force,” a police official told IANS here.

Though the public is banned from participating in the main function at the Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw parade ground in the city center due to the COVID-induced restrictions on gathering in large numbers for social distancing, additional police personnel have been deployed at the venue to maintain law and order.

“The situation in the riot-hit areas is under control and normal across the city. Flag-hoisting by organizations or associations are allowed in localities across the city under the guidelines of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs such as wearing masks and maintaining social distancing,” said the official.

Karnataka Chief Minister B. S.Yediyurappa will unfurl the Tricolour at the main function after the National Anthem and the state anthem are rendered, inspect the guard of honor and receive a salute from the contingents of the three services, state police forces, NCC and Bharat Scouts & Guides.

“The chief minister will also deliver his I-Day speech in Kannada from the podium after the flag-hoisting ceremony and inspecting the guard of honour,” an official from his office told IANS.

In view of the COVID induced restrictions, about 500 people, including people’s representatives, defense personnel, and state officials have been allowed to attend the main function.

“Unlike in the previous years, the I-Day function will be low-key due to the Covid-19 pandemic and curbs on public gathering in large numbers. No army helicopter will shower rose petals over the parade ground this time. March past and cultural programs by students of the state-run and civic schools in the city have also been canceled,” said the official.

As a special gesture, however, 75 frontline corona warriors and 25 patients who recovered from the infection have been invited to attend the function.

“The hour-long program will be telecast live by the state-run Doordarshan and local news channels for viewing by the people from their homes,” added the official.

The invitees will be subjected to thermal screening at the entrance of the venue to ensure they are free from the virus.

Wriddhiman Saha in need of ‘A negative blood’

TB Team
-
0
Wriddhiman Saha in need of ‘A negative blood’

India’s Test wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha is in need of a blood group sample, he has said on social media.

“Hi everyone, very late in the night…I need “A negative” blood in Kolkata…very urgent…can you all help me? Comment down. I will reach out,” Saha said in a tweet late on Thursday night.

The 35-year-old will turn out for the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) set to be played in the UAE from September 19 to November 10.

Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni has tested negative for COVID-19.

Dhoni will now be arriving in Chennai for a one-week training camp on Friday ahead of the 2020 IPL edition. He had undergone the mandatory test before being eligible to join the camp and his result came out negative, sources in the know of the development told IANS.

In accordance with the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) Standard Operating Procedure before arriving at the franchise’s city of choice for a training camp, they will undergo another round of testing after arriving in Chennai.

Chunky Panday: In ’80s and ’90s, heroes couldn’t dream of doing negative roles

TB Team
-
0
Chunky Panday: In ’80s and ’90s, heroes couldn’t dream of doing negative roles

Actor Chunky Panday says it was all about heroes doing the right thing on screen when he ventured into Bollywood in the eighties.

Far from his greenhorn days in Bollywood, the actor is now all set to portray a grey role in the web series “Abhay 2”, and he sees it as a great chance that actors today are exploring the dark side of characters.

“When I came into films in the late 1980s and early 1990s, it was all about these heroes doing all the right things. The hero couldn’t dream of doing anything negative, but then came SRK and he attempted films like ‘Darr’ and ‘Baazigar’, and now slowly I have seen that even Akshay (Kumar) is doing it, and Aamir (Khan) is doing it. Ranveer (Singh) has done it so convincingly in ‘Padmaavat’,” Chunky told IANS.

The actor, who has been in the industry for over 30 three years, says he made his transition in 2000 because he realized he wouldn’t play the hero anymore.

“I did this transformation in 2000 when I came back from Bangladesh. I realized that I wouldn’t be playing the hero anymore — even though I never played the main hero except in a couple of films,” he said.

Chunky mostly worked in films that had several actors, and he was cast as one of the many leads. “I was always in multistarrer films and I was one of the lead actors, but when I made a conscious effort to get back into characters, I realized how enjoyable it is to play characters. There is no pressure on you. Once you get into that character, it becomes you.”

“Abhay 2”, an eight-episode series, marks the return of Kunal Kemmu as an investigative officer who has a knack for solving crimes by thinking like the offender. Directed by Ken Ghosh, the show will premiere on Zee5 on August 14.

1,977 new corona patients take Odisha’s active cases to 16,353

TB Team
-
0
1,977 new corona patients take Odisha’s active cases to 16,353

Odisha’s coronavirus cases increased to 54,630 as 1,977 new ones were reported in the last 24 hours in the state, the Health Department said on Friday.

The state’s corona death toll rose to 324 as 10 more patients succumbed to the deadly virus during the period, the department said. Odisha now has 16,353 active cases since 37,900 patients have recovered so far.

Four of the latest corona deaths were reported from Ganjam district, three from Puri district, and one each from Cuttack, Sambalpur, and Sundergarh districts.

The new cases were reported from all 30 districts of Odisha. Of the new cases, 1,241 were detected in quarantine centers while 736 were local contact cases.

Khordha registered the highest 332 cases, followed by Ganjam (280) and Mayurbhanj (120).

NASA helicopter recharges batteries on way to Mars

TB Team
-
0
NASA helicopter recharges batteries on way to Mars

The helicopter that NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission is carrying to the Red Planet has been powered up and its batteries have been charged in the space environment for the first time, the US space agency has said.

The “Ingenuity Mars Helicopter” received a checkout and recharge of its power system on August 7, one week into its near seven-month journey to Mars with the Perseverance rover, NASA said on Thursday.

“This charge activity shows we have survived launch and that so far we can handle the harsh environment of interplanetary space,” MiMi Aung, the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter project manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, said in a statement.

During the eight-hour operation, the performance of the rotorcraft’s six lithium-ion batteries was analyzed as the team brought their charge level up to 35 percent.

The project has determined a low charge state is optimal for battery health during the cruise to Mars.

“This was a big milestone, as it was our first opportunity to turn on Ingenuity and give its electronics a ‘test drive’ since we launched on July 30,” said Tim Canham, the operations lead for Mars Helicopter at JPL.

“Since everything went by the book, we’ll perform the same activity about every two weeks to maintain an acceptable state of charge.”

The 2-kg helicopter — a combination of specially designed components and off-the-shelf parts — is currently stowed on Perseverance’s belly and receives its charge from the rover’s power supply.

Once Ingenuity is deployed on Mars’ surface after Perseverance touches down, its batteries will be charged solely by the helicopter’s own solar panel.

If Ingenuity survives the cold Martian nights during its preflight checkout, the team will proceed with testing.

“We have a lot more firsts to go before we can attempt the first experimental flight test on another planet, but right now we are all feeling very good about the future,” Aung said.

The small craft will have a 30-Martian-day – 31-Earth-day — experimental flight-test window.

If it succeeds, Ingenuity will prove that powered, controlled flight by an aircraft can be achieved at Mars, enabling future Mars missions to potentially add an aerial dimension to their explorations with second-generation rotorcraft, NASA said.

Russia to open trade offices in Palestine soon: Envoy

TB Team
-
0
Russia to open trade offices in Palestine soon: Envoy

Russia will soon open its trade representative offices in Palestine, according to Moscow’s Ambassador.

Gocha Buachidze made the remarks on Thursday during a meeting with Palestinian Economy Minister Khaled al-Osaily in the West Bank city of Ramallah, reports Xinhua news agency.

The Palestinian Economy Ministry said in a statement that the Russian trade offices will be located in three Palestinian cities of Bethlehem, Hebron, and Nablus on the West Bank.

“The trade offices will help strengthen the economic cooperation relations, increase the volume of commercial exchange between the two sides, and pave the way to making mutual Palestinian-Russian investments in Palestine,” Buachidze was quoted as saying.

The Russian envoy said his country would send medical supplies to support the Palestinian government’s efforts to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

Al-Osaily and Buachidze also agreed to start preparations for holding a meeting of the Joint Governmental Palestinian-Russian Committee for Trade and Economic Cooperation in the coming weeks.

SC holds Prashant Bhushan guilty of contempt

TB Team
-
0
SC holds Prashant Bhushan guilty of contempt

The Supreme Court on Friday held advocate Prashant Bhushan guilty of contempt of court for his tweets criticizing Chief Justice S.A. Bobde and the judiciary.

The order was passed by a bench of Justices Arun Mishra, B.R. Gavai, and Krishna Murari. The apex court is yet to decide on the quantum of punishment, and the hearing on the sentence is scheduled on August 20.

On July 22, the apex court had issued notice to Bhushan on the alleged contemptuous remarks on Twitter. The top court also asked the Attorney General to assist it on the matter. The apex court had asked Bhushan and Twitter to file a reply by August 5.

“We are, prima facie, of the view that the aforesaid statements on Twitter have brought the administration of justice in disrepute and are capable of undermining the dignity and authority of the Institution of Supreme Court in general and the office of the Chief Justice of India in particular, in the eyes of the public at large,” said the court in its order.

The Supreme Court initiated suo motu contempt proceedings against Bhushan for allegedly making derogatory comments against the top court on June 27 in a tweet that alleged that the last four Chief Justices had played a role in the “destruction of democracy” during undeclared “emergency” for the last six years. Another tweet on June 29 alleged that the “present Chief Justice” road a bike in Nagpur “while keeping the apex court in lockdown and denying citizens their right to access to justice”.

Covid-19 lockdowns may escalate obesity epidemic

TB Team
-
0
Covid-19 lockdowns may escalate obesity epidemic

In an eye-opening study, scientists have warned that locking down society to combat Covid-19 creates psychosocial insecurity that leads to obesity and may escalate the obesity epidemic.

According to the study, published in the journal Nature Reviews Endocrinology, rates of obesity may explode because of strategies to limit the spread of Covid-19.

“We are concerned that policymakers do not fully understand how strategies such as lockdowns and business closures could fuel the rise of obesity — a chronic disease with severe health implications, but with few reliable treatment options,” said study researcher Christoffer Clemmensen from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.

In a study, the research team outlined how Covid-19 containment strategies could increase rates of obesity.

Firstly, it is well documented that people with limited economic resources are more likely to eat highly-processed and energy-rich food.

These foods have been shown to stimulate people’s appetites so that they end up eating more calories than they need.

“It is likely that more people will turn to these forms of food, as more people lose their jobs and experience economic hardship,” said study co-author Michael Bang Petersen, from the Aarhus University.

Secondly, physical distancing increases anxiety by limiting our ability to socially interact.

Feelings of loneliness and isolation, combined with confinement within a home setting, can impact our food behavior and lead us to overeat.

This effect is compounded by lower levels of physical activity, as people are urged to work from home and venture out as little as possible.

The research team stressed that they still do not exactly understand how a person’s mental health and economic status end up increasing a person’s risk of developing obesity.

“We know that there are links between obesity and a person’s class and mental health, but we don’t exactly understand how they make an impact,” the study authors wrote.

More research is needed to uncover the cause and effect, but the team said that the scientific expectations are clear — physical distancing and rising rates of unemployment should lead us to expect increased rates of obesity.

“With this in mind, counter-strategies should be considered to ensure that the public remains healthy, happy and active — and also safe from the coronavirus,” the authors wrote.

Also, a study published last month in the European Journal of Endocrinology, revealed that the risk of greater Covid-19 severity and death is higher in people with any obese body mass index (BMI).

Canadian govt urged to address critical drug shortage

TB Team
-
0
Canadian govt urged to address critical drug shortage

In an open letter to the Canadian government, the country’s doctors and pharmacists have called for addressing shortages for critical drugs amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Canada’s Critical Drugs Coalition said in the letter on Thursday that the country’s drug shortage has been greatly exacerbated due to the pandemic, reports Xinhua news agency.

“We simply cannot afford to jeopardize the lives and wellbeing of our patients due to an inadequate supply of critical drugs,” the letter said.

Now there are shortages of essential and critical care medications such as propofol, ketamine, succinylcholine, fentanyl, midazolam, and more.

These drugs are essential in the treatment of coronavirus patients under critical conditions.

The letter said that healthcare professionals have also seen shortages in antibiotic drugs, including Penicillin G.

It also pointed out that 24 out of 32 drugs on Health Canada’s Tier 3 shortage list are essential for treating COVID-19.

“As frontline pharmacists and physicians, we have seen and heard of serious shortages of essential, critical medications. These drugs are often used simultaneously in ORs, ERs, and palliative care wards, as well as ICUs,” the letter said.

The coalition called for immediate action by governments at all levels, saying Canada will perpetually face drug shortages unless concrete action is taken.

“Many of the critical care drugs should be part of the National Strategic Emergency Stockpile. However, it is clear that Canada simply did not have enough stockpiles to meet the demand during the COVID-19 pandemic and that there has been under allocation and underspending for the emergency stockpile,” said the letter.

The coalition also called for greater transparency and communication from governments to the health sector and the public on the supply of critical medicines to ensure drug supply issues are addressed before they pose any serious risks to sick patients.

“We encourage our government to give this urgent issue attention and efforts now so that Canadians can have the confidence that their healthcare system will be there when they most need it.”

Guterres welcomes Israel-UAE peace deal

TB Team
-
0
Guterres welcomes Israel-UAE peace deal

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed the US-brokered historic peace agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), under which Israel will suspend its plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank.

Thursday’s agreement is something the Secretary-General has consistently called for, Stephane Dujarric, UN chief’s spokesman, in a statement.

“The Secretary-General welcomes this agreement, hoping it will create an opportunity for Israeli and Palestinian leaders to re-engage in meaningful negotiations that will realize a two-state solution in line with relevant UN resolutions, international law, and bilateral agreements,” Xinhua news agency quoted Dujarric as saying.

Annexation would effectively close the door for a renewal of negotiations and destroy the prospect of a viable Palestinian state and the two-state solution, it noted.

Peace in the Middle East is more important than ever as the region confronts the grave threats of COVID-19 and radicalization.

The Secretary-General will continue to work with all sides to open further possibilities for dialogue, peace, and stability said the statement.

The agreement on Thursday took place via a phone call between Trump, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE.

As part of the agreement, Israel will suspend declaring sovereignty over areas outlined in Trump’s vision of peace and focus its efforts now on expanding its ties with other countries in the Arab and Muslim world.

The UAE and Israel will also immediately expand and accelerate cooperation regarding the treatment of and the development of a vaccine for coronavirus.

According to reports, this is the first peace treaty between Israel and an Arab country in 25 years.

EU concludes talks on potential COVID-19 vaccine supply from J&J

TB Team
-
0
EU concludes talks on potential COVID-19 vaccine supply from J&J

The European Commission has announced that it concluded exploratory talks with Johnson & Johnson to purchase a potential vaccine against COVID-19.

Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, said in a statement on Thursday that the talks are intended to result in an Advance Purchase Agreement, which could enable all European Union (EU) member states to purchase the vaccine, as well as to donate to lower and middle-income countries or re-direct to countries in the European Economic Area (EEA), reports Xinhua news agency.

The statement said that the contractual framework would facilitate an initial purchase of 200 million doses on behalf of all EU member states, and could further purchase an additional 200 million vaccine doses.

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said “our citizens’ lives and our economy” need a safe and effective vaccine.

She said the talks with the American pharmaceutical corporation have brought the union closer to this target.

In July, the EU announced it had concluded exploratory talks with French pharmaceutical company Sanofi aiming for a deal that could secure 300 million doses of the company’s COVID-19 vaccine for Europeans once it is developed and proven to be safe and effective against the coronavirus.

Europe has so far registered a total of 3,147,645 coronavirus cases, with 208,549 deaths, according to figures by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

Australia’s limited-overs tour of England confirmed

TB Team
-
0
Australia’s limited-overs tour of England confirmed

England and Australia will play three T20Is and as many ODIs beginning September 4, confirmed England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Cricket Australia on Friday.

While the T20I series will be played at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton on September 4, 6, and 8, the ODIs will be played at the Old Trafford in Manchester on September 11, 13, and 16. The three ODIs will form part of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League. All the matches will be played behind-closed-doors.

The Australian squad will arrive in the UK on August 24, traveling to Derbyshire’s The Ancora County Ground before transferring to The Ageas Bowl after England’s third Test match against Pakistan on August 27, said the ECB.

Australia will then play a 50-over intra-squad practice game and three T20 practice matches before the start of the T20I series.

ECB Chief Executive Officer, Tom Harrison, said: “We owe a significant debt of gratitude to the players, staff, and administrators of Cricket Australia for their efforts in getting this tour underway.”

“Their co-operation to ensure these matches are staged is crucial to cricket in this country. It will also provide much-needed financial aid at all levels of cricket in England and Wales as we work through the challenges in front of us.

“The rivalry between England and Australia is the pinnacle of sporting competition. The T20I series and ODI Series will be thrilling contests and a perfect way to culminate the men’s international season in this extraordinary summer.

Australia head coach Justin Langer said: “It’s vital for cricket that we do everything we can to keep the game going in these tough times.

“I am delighted with how the players have returned to their states from the break back in March. The whole squad has come back fitter and stronger, which is a great testament to each of them.

“We have a massive assignment ahead with World Cups, Test series against India and South Africa and the Ashes next year. We can’t wait to get back into it again,” he added.

Meanwhile, Cricket Australia has also announced a 21-member squad for the tour in which they have named three-uncapped players – Josh Philippe, Daniel Sams, and Riley Meredith.

Australia squad: Aaron Finch (capt), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins (VC), Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Daniel Sams, Kane Richardson, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam

Michael Jordan’s rare sneakers fetch $615,000 at auction

TB Team
-
0
Michael Jordan’s rare sneakers fetch $615,000 at auction

NBA legend Michael Jordan’s game-worn sneakers have fetched $615,000 at an online auction.

In partnership with Stadium Goods, Christie’s hosted the ‘Original Air: Michael Jordan Game-Worn and Player Exclusive Sneaker Rarities’ from July 30-August 13.

The sneakers were a pair of Nike Air Jordan 1 Highs, described as the “rarest of the rare”, and were used by the Chicago Bulls star in an exhibition game in 1985, reports the BBC.

A total of nine pairs of Jordan’s shoes were sold by Christie’s to celebrate his 14-year career with the team, the report further said.

Christie’s said the shoes were the “greatest” collection of the historic Michael Jordan footwear ever offered at one time.

“Put simply, Michael Jordan and his signature line of footwear set the foundation for modern basketball and the worldwide phenomenon of sneaker collecting.”

In June, Jordan and the Nike-owned Jordan Brand had announced that they will be donating $100 million to organizations dedicated to promoting racial equality and social justice.

In a joint statement on social media, Jordan and the Jordan Brand had said that the money will be paid over 10 years with the goal of “ensuring racial equality, social justice, and greater access to education.”

“Black lives matter. This isn’t a controversial statement. Until the ingrained racism that allows our country’s institutions to fail is completely eradicated, we will remain committed to protecting and improving the lives of black people,” read the statement on Twitter.

This development came following the death of George Floyd, an African-American who died in police custody in the US on May 24, causing a worldwide protest.

1...1,5451,5461,547...2,196Page 1,546 of 2,196