Author: News Desk

Oxford University’s experimental coronavirus vaccine is safe and generated a strong immune response in the people who volunteered to help trial it, researchers have said, raising hopes it could contribute to ending the pandemic. Professor Sarah Gilbert, from Oxford’s Jenner Institute, said they were more than happy with the first results, which showed good immunity after a single dose of vaccine. “We’re really pleased that it seems behaving just as we thought it would do. We have quite a lot of experience of using this technology to make other vaccines, so we knew what we expected to see, and that’s…

The union representing pilots at Delta Air Lines said Monday that 2,235 pilots volunteered for an early departure package ahead of a Sunday deadline. In May, Delta and the Air Line Pilots Association said they were working to avoid furloughs of roughly 2,300 pilots. On Friday, Delta told pilots it would avoid furloughs if they agreed to reduced guaranteed minimum pay, according to a memo seen by Reuters. As of Friday, more than 1,700 pilots had volunteered, Delta said.

Education Ministry Undersecretary for Education and Curricula Affairs and Head of the National Committee for the Evaluation of Academic Qualifications Dr. Fawzi Abdulrahman Al Jowder held a virtual meeting with the National Committee for the Evaluation of Academic Qualifications. The meeting reviewed the issues of academic qualifications granted by unauthorized institutions. The committee also reviewed requests to examine specialization qualifications that include medicine, engineering, sciences, law, political science, business administration, humanities and nursing. It postponed the decision on some requests that require further investigation. The committee encouraged students to review the institution’s guidelines for higher studies abroad published on the…

Oil major Chevron Corp said on Monday it agreed to buy Noble Energy Inc in an all-stock deal, valuing the Houston-based oil and gas producer at $5 billion. The offer values Noble at $10.38 a share or 0.1191 Chevron share, a 7.5% premium to Noble’s Friday close. The deal would value Noble at roughly $13 billion, including debt. Noble’s assets will expand Chevron’s presence in the DJ Basin of Colorado and the Permian Basin across West Texas and New Mexico. They would also add to Chevron’s assets in the eastern Mediterranean and West Africa and yield potential annual cost savings…

Australia is scrutinising the popular Chinese-owned social media TikTok platform for any risks it may pose to users from around potential foreign interference and data privacy issues, government sources told Reuters. Owned by Bytedance, TikTok opened an office in Australia in recent weeks. Offices of both the Home Affairs and Attorney-General are discussing TikTok’s operations, the sources said. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said his government was “having a good look” at TikTok, which has also fallen under U.S. scrutiny for “national security risks”. “If we consider there is a need to take further action than we are taking now, then…

Intense rain and floods in the Indian state of Assam have killed at least 84 people and displaced more than 2.75 million since May, authorities said on Monday, as they tried to collect the bodies of nine rare rhinos drowned in the past 10 days. Rescue teams were facing a double challenge of rising flood waters amid the novel coronavirus as villagers driven from their homes huddle in shelters. “It’s hard to enforce social distancing when people are being ordered to move away from the rising waters,” said Sanghamitra Sanyal, a member of the northeastern state’s flood management force. “We’re…

Director-General of Anti-corruption and Economic and Electronic Security announced that legal steps had been taken against individuals for posting scam employment advertisements for jobseekers for money without getting a licence from concerned authorities. In a statement today, he said that the advertisements were posted on social media and websites. He called upon the public to report such scam cases by going to the department or call hotline 992.

Coast Guard Commander Major-General Alaa Siyadi received on Sunday the outgoing Military Attache of the US Embassy, David Wallin, who presented him the new attache. The Commander expressed thanks and appreciation to his efforts in promoting cooperation and coordination in training and capability improvement. He welcomed the new attache and wished him all the best. The meeting reviewed bilateral relations and topics of common interest.

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has been admitted to King Faisal Specialist Hospital in the capital Riyadh, suffering from cholecystitis, state news agency SPA said on Monday. The king is undergoing medical checks, Saudi Press Agency added citing a statement from Royal Court.

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa sent a cable of congratulations to HH Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai on the successful launch of the UAE Hope Probe rocket. The Emirates Mars Mission blasted off from Japan’s Tanegashima Island early on Monday morning, making history as the first Arab and Islamic space mission to explore Mars. HM King Hamad praised the ambitious accomplishment and the historical achievement by the UAE in the field of space thanks to its citizens to become the first Arab country to…