ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has recorded 75 more coronavirus-related deaths in the past 24 hours, taking the overall death toll to 13,013. According to the latest statistics of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), the COVID-19 has claimed 75 more lives and 1,388 fresh infections were reported during the said period. The total count of active cases is 16,648. In the …

WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden on Tuesday called on U.S. states to prioritize COVID-19 vaccinations for teachers to ensure children could return to school quickly and safely, and said every educator should receive at least one shot by the end of March. Biden also announced that Merck & Co Inc would help make rival Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot COVID-19 vaccine, a …

A company, Orbital Assembly Corporation (OAC), is all set to begin the construction of the first-ever Voyager space hotel in 2025 to open it for guests by 2027 that will have Earth-viewing lounges and other services with accommodation for 400 people. The company has planned to open the Voyager space hotel to guests by 2027 by offering them hotel services …

PARIS: Boeing Co has raised concerns over the design of arch-rival Airbus’ newest narrow-body jet, the A321XLR, saying a novel type of fuel tank could pose fire risks. The U.S. plane giant’s intervention is not without precedent in a global system that regularly allows manufacturers to chime in whenever safety rules are being interpreted in a way that might affect …

BUCHAREST: Romanian blockchain start-up Elrond is preparing to have its new global payments app support Bitcoin this month as it looks to rival more established rivals PayPal or Revolut, its CEO said, as it taps surging interest in crypto currencies. Led by a sharp rise in Bitcoin, digital asset markets rose above $1 trillion in early 2021, as big money …

ISTANBUL: The COVID-19 vaccine developed by China’s Sinovac Biotech has an efficacy of 83.5% based on final results of Phase III trials, Turkish researchers said on Wednesday, a downward revision from a preliminary finding of 91.25%. The final efficacy rate was based on 41 infections, 32 of which had received a placebo, said Murat Akova, head of the Phase III …

LONDON: The British government will provide 2.8 million pounds ($4 million) to pursue a five-nation bid for a World Cup with Ireland. The English Football Association disclosed the financial assistance for a potential British Isles bid on Monday as it received fresh backing from British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. “We are very, very keen to bring football home in 2030. …

COOLIDGE: Opener Chris Gayle has set his sights on a third Twenty20 World Cup with West Indies as he prepares to return to international cricket after an absence of two years ahead of their T20 International series against Sri Lanka starting on Wednesday. Former captain Gayle last played for West Indies in an ODI against India in 2019 in what …

ROTTERDAM: Andy Murray feels like he’s playing for his career every time he takes the court after recent losses to lowly ranked opponents, but the injury-ravaged former world number says he plans to meet the challenge head on. The three-time Grand Slam winner was forced to miss this year’s Australian Open after contracting the novel coronavirus and instead headed to …