World

Geneva, Dec 4: The Omicron variant has been detected in 38 countries but no deaths have yet been reported, the WHO said on Friday, as authorities worldwide rushed to stem the spread of the heavily mutated Covid-19 strain. The United States and Australia became the latest countries to confirm their first locally transmitted cases of the variant, as the number of Omicron infections from a Christmas

The World Health Organization has warned blanket travel bans will not prevent the spread of Omicron, as more countries rushed to impose curbs and the first cases of the new Covid strain were detected in Latin America. In the week since the new virus strain was reported by South Africa, dozens of countries around the world have responded with travel restrictions -- most targeting southern African

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Monday everyone aged 18 years and older should get a booster shot, as it looks to tackle a new and highly infectious strain of the coronavirus that is quickly spreading across the globe. The update comes after President Joe Biden on Monday called for wider vaccination to curb the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant, which was

Lahore, Nov 18: Pakistan’s parliament on Wednesday passed a bill allowing the use of electronic machines for voting. The opposition said the policy is an attempt to rig the next elections. Lawmakers also passed a bill to grant the right to vote to expats. The bills still must be signed into law by President Arif Alvi, a formality. The opposition wants elections to continue under a decades-old

Lahore, Nov 18: Over 100 Sikh pilgrims from India, including Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, are expected to arrive at the revered Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan on Thursday using the visa-free Kartarpur corridor, some 20 months after the pilgrimage was suspended following the COVID-19 outbreak. On Wednesday, the first batch of 28 Indian Sikhs, including women, arrived in

Kabul, Nov 12: At least three people were killed and 15 wounded Friday by a blast at a mosque in Afghanistan's restive Nangarhar province, a hospital official said. The blast happened in Spin Ghar district of the eastern province, a hotbed of Islamic State group activity since the Taliban seized power in the country in August. "I can confirm a blast during Friday prayers inside a mosque in Spin

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai, who was vocal against ‘marriage’ has got married, she said on social media on Tuesday. The 24-year-old, who lives in Britain, said she and her new husband, who she named only as Asser, had wed in the city of Birmingham and celebrated at home with their families. "Today marks a precious day in my life. Asser and I tied the knot to be partners for life,"

Washington, Nov 4: China is expanding its nuclear arsenal much more quickly than anticipated, narrowing the gap with the United States, the Pentagon said in a report published Wednesday. China could have 700 deliverable nuclear warheads by 2027, and could top 1,000 by 2030 -- an arsenal two-and-a-half times the size of what the Pentagon predicted only a year ago, according to the report. The

Kabul, Nov 2: At least 25 people were killed and more than 50 wounded when gunmen attacked Afghanistan's biggest military hospital after two heavy explosionsat the site in central Kabul, officials said. The explosions hit the entrance of the 400-bed Sardar Mohammad Daud Khan hospital and were followed with an assault by a group of Islamic State gunmen, all of whom were killed within 15 minutes

The global death toll from COVID-19 has topped 5 million, nearly two years into a crisis that has not only devastated poor countries but also humbled wealthy ones with first-rate health care systems. Together, the United States, the European Union, Britain and Brazil account for one-eighth of the world’s population but nearly half of all reported deaths. The U.S. alone has recorded over 740,000