SpaceX set to make history with first all-civilian crew launched into orbit

The latest in a recent line of space-obsessed billionaires was set for liftoff on Wednesday with three less wealthy private citizens along for the ride aboard a SpaceX rocket ship, seeking to become the first all-civilian crew launched into Earth orbit.

China races to squash new Covid-19 cluster among schoolchildren

Southern Chinese cities closed schools and ordered testing for millions on Tuesday in a race to curb a new Covid-19 outbreak which has sparked concerns over infections among unvaccinated schoolchildren.

Drop in COVID antibodies within four months of vaccination: Indian study

A study of 614 fully vaccinated health workers in India found a “significant” drop in their COVID-fighting antibodies within four months of the first shot.

Foreign forces must leave Syria: Putin to al-Assad

The presence of foreign troops in Syria - the ones not invited by Damascus - are hindering Syria’s revival, Russian President Vladimir Putin told Bashar al-Assad during a surprise visit to Moscow by the Syrian president.

Taliban response to Afghan protests increasingly violent: UN

The U.N. rights office on Friday said that the Taliban response to peaceful marches in Afghanistan has been increasingly violent, with authorities using live ammunition, batons and whips and causing the deaths of at least four protesters.

Australia’s daily COVID-19 cases near 2,000 as Delta gains ground

Australia’s COVID-19 daily cases topped 1,900 for the first time in the pandemic on Friday as an outbreak fuelled by the highly infectious Delta variant continued to gain ground in locked-down Sydney and Melbourne, its largest cities.

Facing stalemate in ties, Biden and Xi discuss avoiding conflict in call

U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping spoke for 90 minutes on Thursday, in their first talks in seven months, discussing the need to ensure that competition between the world’s two largest economies does not veer into conflict.

‘Provisional govt falls short of promises’: EU warns Taliban

The European Union voiced disapproval on Wednesday of the Taliban’s provisional government in Afghanistan after the Islamist militants named several leaders, saying they had not kept a promise to include women and other religious groups.

Fire kills 41 in overcrowded Indonesia prison block

A fire killed 41 inmates in an overcrowded prison block in Indonesia’s Banten province on Wednesday, a government minister said, injuring scores more in a blaze that police said may have been caused by an electrical fault.

Germany surpasses 4 million coronavirus cases

Germany has surpassed the 4-million mark for total coronavirus cases according to data released on Sunday by the country’s Robert Koch Institute (RKI) disease control body.

Ex-UK PM Brown, accuses west of ‘moral outrage’

Former British prime minister Gordon Brown accused rich countries of committing a “moral outrage” by stockpiling COVID-19 doses while poor countries are struggling to get supplies.

Indian farmers hold huge rally, vow to campaign against ruling party

ens of thousands of Indian farmers on Sunday joined a major rally where they resolved to continue their protest against new agricultural laws and to campaign against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in key state polls.

Air pollution likely to cut 9 years of life expectancy of Indians

A new study has claimed that air pollution is likely to reduce the life expectancy of about 40 per cent of Indians by more than nine years. It has been conducted by Energy Policy Institute of University of Chicago.

Taliban confront economy in turmoil, humanitarian crisis

Afghanistan’s new Taliban rulers struggled to keep the country functioning on Wednesday after the final withdrawal of U.S. forces, with foreign donors alarmed about an impending humanitarian crisis.

Police deployed as hundreds protest virus measures in Berlin

Hundreds of people participated in banned demonstrations against coronavirus measures in the German capital on Sunday, with over 2,000 police deployed in several parts of the capital to watch the protests.

US drone strike hits Islamic State car bomb in Kabul: Officials

American forces launched a drone strike in Kabul on Sunday targeting a suicide bomber in a vehicle who was aiming to attack the airport, U.S. officials said, as the United States nears the end of its military presence in the city.

Australia’s COVID-19 cases hit new record as ‘reopening’ debate heats up

Australia logged a record 1,323 local COVID-19 cases on Sunday as debate rages on whether the country should start living with the virus in the community, after initially being successful with suppressing coronavirus.

Myanmar military arrests more journalists

Myanmar’s military government has arrested two more local journalists, army-owned television reported on Saturday, the latest among dozens of detentions in a sweeping crackdown on the media since a Feb. 1 coup.

Taliban impose order around Kabul airport: Witnesses

Afghanistan’s new Taliban rulers imposed some order around chaotic Kabul airport on Sunday, making sure people formed orderly queues outside the main gates and not allowing crowds to gather at the perimeter, witnesses said.

Around eight killed as Tropical Storm Grace slams Mexico

At least eight people were killed after Tropical Storm Grace wreaked havoc in eastern Mexico, bringing floods and power outages.

Russia to pump 5.6bn cm gas via Nord Stream 2

Gas supplies via the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline may total 5.6 billion cubic meters this year, Russia’s state-run energy giant Gazprom said in a statement on Thursday.

Sydney imposes nightly curfew as Australia battles Delta outbreak

Two million residents of Sydney will be under nightly curfew from next week to slow the highly infectious Delta variant of coronavirus that is spreading across New South Wales state, authorities said on Friday as they extended lockdown orders.

UK embassy guards who helped evacuate diplomats: ineligible for rescue

Around 125 Afghans hired to guard the British Embassy in Kabul have been informed they will receive no protection from the UK government, the Guardian reported, noting they were rejected as they didn’t work “directly” for London.

Navalny tells Russians to sabotage upcoming elections

Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny on Thursday told Russians to take part in a tactical voting campaign at next month’s parliamentary elections to try to dent the ruling United Russia party’s political dominance.

Afghan protests spread to Kabul in early challenge to Taliban

Protests against the Taliban’s takeover in Afghanistan have spread to more cities, including the capital Kabul, while the militant group called on the country’s imams to urge unity at Friday prayers, the first since they seized control.

Indian states prepare for next COVID wave, focus on children

Several Indian states are building facilities with more paediatric beds, plus oxygen, due to concern that children returning to school without being vaccinated will be among the most vulnerable during a third wave of coronavirus infections.

Sydney warned worse to come as Delta cases surge

Sydney’s Delta outbreak has not peaked and residents must brace for more deaths, authorities said on Wednesday, as Australia’s largest city continued to break records for new daily infections despite a nearly two-month lockdown.

Deadly Jalalabad protests as Taliban consolidate Islamist rule

At least three people were killed in anti-Taliban protests in the Afghan city of Jalalabad on Wednesday, witnesses said, as the militant group tried to set up a government and Western countries stepped up evacuations of diplomats and civilians.

Taliban say they want peace, will respect women’s rights under Islamic law

The Taliban held their first official news conference in Kabul on Tuesday since the shock seizure of the city, declaring they wanted peaceful relations with other countries and would respect the rights of women within the framework of Islamic law.

Children hospitalized with COVID-19 in US hits record number

The number of children hospitalized with COVID-19 in the United States hit a record high of just over 1,900 on Saturday, as hospitals across the South were stretched to capacity fighting outbreaks caused by the highly transmissible Delta variant.