Vaccines may protect against severe disease even as variants evolve

COVID-19 vaccines might offer protection against severe disease even as coronavirus variants evolve to better allow continued transmission between people, the head of the Oxford Vaccine Group Andrew Pollard said on Wednesday.

Asked how effective the Oxford/AstraZeneca will be against new variants, he said “they are making changes that allow them to avoid human immune responses, so that they can still transmit.”

“So, that does mean that it’s likely over time that the virus will find ways of adapting so that can continue to pass between people,” he told BBC TV.

“But that doesn’t mean that we won’t still have protection against severe disease… The virus is much more about the virus being able to continue to survive, rather than trying to cause harm to us.”

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3cEkjQy

How to unlock your iPhone while wearing mask? Apple learns new ways

Apple is testing out a feature to fix a problem that’s become commonplace these days – unlocking your iPhone while wearing a face mask.

Since iPhone users face difficulties in unlocking their phones using facial recognition feature with partially hidden faces, they have resorted to using passcodes to enter their phones, but Apple has a solution

The new feature being tested requires an Apple watch as it lets an iPhone communicate with a synced watch when the phone is raised to use facial recognition.

Once the feature is rolled out for the public, it will allow iPhone to automatically unlock and the watch will vibrate.

Apple expects to public the feature soon.

Separately from the tech world today, the foundation that operates Wikipedia will launch its first global code of conduct, seeking to address criticism that it has failed to combat harassment and suffers from a lack of diversity.

“We need to be much more inclusive,” said María Sefidari, the chair of board of trustees for the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation. “We are missing a lot of voices, we’re missing women, we’re missing marginalized groups.”

Online platforms have come under intense scrutiny for abusive behavior, violent rhetoric and other forms of problematic content, pushing them to revamp content rules and more strictly enforce them.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/36Dqb8Y

Shaheen to play for Birmingham Phoenix in maiden ‘The Hundred’ tournament

Pakistan pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has been retained by Birmingham Phoenix for the first season of England’s new franchise cricket league ‘The Hundred’.

The eight teams were allowed to retain as many players from their 2020 squad which were initially selected through a draft that took place in October 2019.

Another draft will take place prior to the tournament. The teams will also have the option for a final Wildcard pick.

On the other hand, all-rounder Shadab Khan has not been retained by Southern Punjab as he was one of the only three Pakistani to be picked for this tournament. Pacer Mohammad Amir will be seen in the action for London Spirit.

Note, the new 100-ball format was shifted to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As many as eight franchises will take part in it and the tournament will be based on the Round-robin league and Playoffs.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3jfDuBx

FAW considers acquiring BMW partner

FAW Group is looking at acquiring Brilliance China Automotive Holdings for about $7.2 billion in a two-stage deal that would see BMW’s main Chinese partner taken private, two people with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

Brilliance shares soared by as much as a quarter in value following the news.

The potential acquisition by state-owned FAW, China’s No. 2 automaker, comes at a time when Brilliance’s top shareholder Huachen Automotive Group is on the brink of bankruptcy, having defaulted on 6.5 billion yuan ($1 billion) in debt obligations late last year.

Under plans being discussed, FAW would first purchase 30.43% of Brilliance owned by Huachen and 11.89% held by the state-controlled Liaoning Provincial Transportation Investment Group, said the sources.

It would then make a mandatory bid for the rest of Brilliance’s shares. It is considering offering about HK$11 per share for both stages of the deal, representing a 70% premium to its average share price over the past month of HK$6.48.

To conduct the deal, FAW is looking at setting up an offshore investment vehicle and is inviting other investors to participate, said the sources, who declined to be identified as the discussions were confidential.

FAW and BMW declined to comment. Brilliance and Liaoning Provincial Transportation Investment Group did not respond to requests for comment.

Huachen said the information was false but did not elaborate. Liaoning province’s state asset regulator, which owns a majority stake in Huachen, said it has not been in contact with FAW about a potential take-private deal for Brilliance.

Reuters reported in September that Liaoning Provincial Transportation Investment Group was planning to lead a consortium of Chinese state-backed investors to take Brilliance private. However, the plan has been put on hold due to differences in valuations and financing difficulties, said one of the people.

Brilliance, based in Shenyang, the capital of Liaoning province, and BMW have 50-50 joint venture, BMW Brilliance Automotive, which accounts for nearly all of Brilliance’s profits. But BMW plans to lift its stake by another 25% for 3.6 billion euros next year, taking control of the venture.

Based on that plan, first announced in 2018, Brilliance’s stake is worth 7.2 billion euros ($8.7 billion), far more than its current market value. Brilliance’s shares finished Wednesday trade 13% higher, giving it a market capitalisation of around $4.7 billion.

Huachen’s debt woes have weighed heavily on Brilliance and the sources said prospective investors believe that the company is undervalued.

Before Wednesday, it was trading at 2.8 times forward earnings, far below the industry’s median multiple of 14, according to Refinitiv data.

Brilliance also owns 51% of a venture with France’s Renault SA making vans and sport-utility vehicles, and has a stake in an auto-financing firm.

FAW, based in Changchun, Jilin province, partners with Volkswagen AG and Toyota Motor Corp to make passenger vehicles in China. It also makes heavy duty trucks under its own brand.

The potential acquisition would add to a surge in deals where strategic investors and buyout firms have tapped Hong Kong companies for take-private opportunities. Buyers often cite undervalued shares as a reason for the deals.

The total value of buyouts of Hong Kong-listed companies reached $25 billion last year, up 190% from 2019 and the highest level since 2017. The number of such transactions – at 60 – was also an annual record, Refinitiv data showed.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3tpiAVi

Bill for open ballot in Senate elections presented in parliament amid noisy session

A bill to bring the 26th amendment to the Constitution, to pave the way for open balloting in Senate elections, was presented on Wednesday amid a noisy National Assembly session.

The members of parliament belonging to the Opposition benches protested loudly, preventing Minister for Law Farogh Naseem from reading out the contents of the bill. Speaker Asad Qaiser, consequently, called for a recess.

Amid the ruckus, PML-N Secretary-General Ahsan Iqbal accused the speaker of being biased and not letting the Opposition speak. He said a speaker is not supposed to favour any party.

"It seems the Opposition has been labelled pariahs in the parliament," he remarked.

Iqbal also accused the National Accountability Bureau of gunning for "revenge" against the Opposition, saying prominent members are all in jail.

The Opposition's loud protests gained momentum during Minister for Communications and Postal Services Murad Saeed's address.

Saeed, referring to the PML-N, said: "Their leader is sitting in London and poisoning people's ears against the state."

Referring to the ongoing protest by Steel Mills workers as the asset is set to be privatised, said that had it been performing well then "their foreign minister would not have offered PIA along with Steel Mills for free".

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3tmOFgd

Pakistan begins nationwide coronavirus vaccination drive

The national immunization drive against coronavirus kicked off on Wednesday simultaneously in all the provinces.

According to the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC), the first tranche of COVID-19 vaccine has reached all the federating units, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan.

Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar initiated the national immunisation drive in a special ceremony while the chief ministers of all provinces, including Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Kashmir Prime Minister, participated in the event via video link.

Asad Umar thanked all the stakeholders and political leaders who work jointly in country's fight against the virus.

The provinces also held separate events to start the vaccination drive.

Pakistan received 0.5 million doses of Sinopharm vaccine on Monday which is being administered to the frontline healthcare workers in the first phase.

The authorities have made special arrangements for the distribution of the vaccine across the country in a secured environment under a security plan devised by the NCOC.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz says that people are being benefited from the successful strategy of Prime Minister Imran Khan regarding COVID-19 vaccination.

In a tweet on Wednesday, he said that starting the vaccination campaign simultaneously in all provinces is a practical step that the federal government is providing equal chances to all federating units. He said that provision of health and job opportunities to people are the priorities of the government.

On Tuesday, PM Imran kicked off coronavirus vaccination drive and once again reminded the people to continue to exercise precautions.

Under the supervision of the prime minister, his adviser on health Dr Faisal Sultan, and NCOC chief Asad Umar, the first vaccine was administered in Pakistan — given to a healthcare worker in Islamabad.

"The more you abide by coronavirus safety measures, the easier it will be to protect everyone from the virus," said PM Imran Khan, addressing a gathering to mark the occasion.

"I congratulate [all those present here] for working at great speed to import a vaccine. We also thank China for gifting us 500,000 vaccines," he said.

The prime minister said that similar to the shot the doctor had received, healthcare workers across the country that work with coronavirus patients will be the first to be given the jab, after which the age groups most at risk will be administered the shot.

The premier also sought to assure the nation that the vaccine distribution across the various provinces is being done in a "just" manner. "No one should think we distributed more vaccines in a given province than in others."

He stressed the importance of healthcare workers getting the shot as "all over the world it is the healthcare workers that are most at risk".

"I also wish to stress to the nation the importance of coronavirus SOPs (standard operating procedures) and especially, wearing a mask.

The prime minister said that schools have been reopened and so will hospitals soon enough. "Our cases are at a decline right now. The more you follow SOPs, the easier it will be to save our people from coronavirus."

He said that other countries, owing to the high death rate, have had to go for complete lockdowns.

"Our economy is running and it is the service sector that has been curtailed. If you exercise caution, then all remaining sectors will be reopened," PM Imran Khan said.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/2YFEWng

Action to be taken if lawmakers' development funds given out of order: SC

The Supreme Court of Pakistan said it will take action if anything is out of order in the matter of the prime minister approving development funds for MPs.

"Can the prime minister approve development grants according to the law, Constitution and judicial decisions?" asked the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

The apex court tasked the attorney general to seek directives from the government regarding the matter and provide an answer to the Supreme Court.

If the matter pertaining to the development funds was handled according to law, then we will close the chapter," said Justice Qazi Faez Isa. "Action, however, will be taken if it is in violation of the Constitution."

The attorney general responded by saying that he will seek directions from the government on the matter and revert to the apex court.

"Whatever decision is taken, it will be according to the law, Constitution and judicial decisions," he said.

Last week, Prime Minister Imran Khan had approved a Rs500m development grant for each lawmaker from the treasury benches and had urged them to focus more on uplift projects and the success of Ehsaas programme.

The development came during a meeting of the parliamentary members of the PTI and coalition parties in Islamabad during which Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh had also given a briefing on loans and the economic situation, while Minister for Planning Asad Umar gave a briefing on the Karachi Development Plan.

Federal Minister Shireen Mazari and MNA Ghazala Saifi had also raised their voices in the meeting, seeking a development grant for women lawmakers.

"We are working alongside male MPs and should also be allocated funds to address the issues of our constituencies," the minister had said.

In response, the prime minister had reprimanded them and said he should not be blackmailed.

"Those who are elected on the reserved seats do not have any constituency," he had said.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3tqsrtN