Malaysia signs an agreement with Merck & Co. to obtain 150,000 courses of the experimental drug Molnupiravir as part of a transition towards the endemic phase and “living with the COVID-19”. (The Straits Times) 

Sunday, October 10th, 2021 

A study conducted by researchers from the University of Queensland concludes that the COVID-19 pandemic led to a significant increase in diagnoses of generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder worldwide in 2020. (The Guardian) 

Russian authorities say that 29 people have died in Orenburg Oblast during the past week due to alcohol poisoning, after drinking a beverage mixed with methanol. (Reuters) 

Performer killed in on-stage accident at Moscow’s Bolshoi A performer at Moscow’s famous Bolshoi Theatre was killed on Saturday as a result of an on-stage accident during an opera, the theater said. The incident reportedly occurred during a set change. “The opera was immediately stopped and the audience was asked to leave,” the theater said. Investigators are probing the circumstances surrounding the death — at the moment, reporting from Russian news sources have not pinned down what caused the accident. The victim was reportedly a 37-year-old man, but the theater did not disclose his identity.  CNN 

Southwest Airlines cancels more than 1,000 flights and delays hundreds more over the Columbus Day weekend. The airline cites problems resulting from both air traffic control and the weather. (KGO-TV) 

A Let L-410 aircraft carrying a group of parachute jumpers, with 22 people on board, crashes after take-off from Menzelinsk Airport, Tatarstan, Russia. Sixteen people are killed and six others are injured. (Al Jazeera English) 

Boston Police Department sergeant Clifton McHale faces a 10-day suspension for boasting about “driving into protestors” during the George Floyd protests in Boston in May 2020. (WBUR) 

Italy surpasses its target to fully vaccinate 80% of its adult population. (RTÉ News and Current Affairs) 

In a National Day speech, President Tsai Ing-wen states that Taiwan will not bow to pressure from China, vowing to uphold the island’s sovereignty and democratic norms. (The Guardian) 

China denounces Tsai Ing-wen’s speech, saying that it incited confrontation and distorted facts. China also says that seeking Taiwanese independence closes the door to dialogue. (The Jerusalem Post) 

Thirty people storm a hospital in Rome, Italy, trying to free a wounded man under arrest due to his involvement in violent acts yesterday during an anti-Green Pass protest. Four people are injured during the incident. (The State) 

The personal doctor of Georgian politician Mikheil Saakashvili says that he needs hospital treatment as he continues his hunger strike after returning from exile and being arrested on October 1. Saakashvili’s condition has been described as “worsening”. (Reuters) 

Valtteri Bottas wins the 2021 Turkish Grand Prix at Istanbul Park. (Road & Track) 

Taiwanese president says country won’t bow to Chinese pressure Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen on Sunday said during a defiant speech that “there should be absolutely no illusions that the Taiwanese people will bow to pressure” from China, which is seeking to bring Taiwan into its fold. On Saturday, Chinese President Xi Jinping said peaceful reunification must happen, and throughout the last week, Beijing flew dozens of military jets into Taiwan’s national air defense zone in an attempt to intimidate the island it claims as its territory. Tsai said Taiwan will continue to bolster its defenses, though she added that she wants tensions to ease and clarified that her government will not “act rashly.” Xi’s government has refused to deal with Tsai despite her offer to talk. BBC

Lebanon shuts down 2 main state power plants Lebanon is now effectively without state-provided electricity after the country’s two main power plants went out of commission on Saturday. The Deir Ammar and Zahrani plants had been generating very limited electricity in recent months because of a diesel fuel shortage, Al Jazeera reports. Videos of Beirut show the city in nearly total darkness at night, while protests popped up around Lebanon. Authorities are reportedly scrambling to secure fuel from their reserve stock, and one shipment that was expected to arrive Saturday night will be unloaded early next week, with another on its way later this month. The fuel shortage has exacerbated Lebanon’s economic and health care crises.  AL JAZEERA 

Austrian chancellor steps down amid corruption allegations Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz on Saturday announced he would step down in the wake of accusations of corruption. Kurz, the leader of Austria’s moderate conservative People’s Party, maintains that the allegations against him are false, and he’s “convinced that I will be able to clarify the matter.” But he acknowledged he had little choice to resign from his post because his coalition partner, the Greens, have indicated they would no longer support the government with him at the helm. That said, it appears Kurz will remain in charge of the People’s Party and attempt a comeback before too long. The corruption claims suggest Kurz was part of a conspiracy that illicitly channeled taxpayers’ money from Austria’s finance ministry toward friendly media organizations in 2016 and 2017 when he was foreign minister. If true, that would indicate Kurz was buying positive press coverage, which could have helped push him into the chancellorship. THE FINANCIAL TIMES

Iraqis vote in early parliamentary election Iraqis headed to the polls to elect a parliament on Sunday. The vote is taking place a year earlier than planned in response to a popular uprising in Baghdad and Iraq’s southern provinces in late 2019, when tens of thousands of people took to the streets to demonstrate against corruption, poor services, and high unemployment numbers. Those protests ended violently, with security forces firing live rounds at the crowds, though authorities did ultimately adhere to the calls for early elections. Despite encouragement to participate, there are concerns that Sunday will see lower turnout than the last elections in 2018, when only 44 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots. Per The Associated Press, streets were mostly deserted as of midday. Many Iraqis have said they were intentionally boycotting the process. REUTERS 

Czech opposition coalition narrowly defeats ruling party Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis’ centrist party suffered a surprising defeat in Saturday’s parliamentary election, with center-right and liberal opposition groups eking out a narrow victory. That means Babis, a billionaire with populist politics, could lose power, though it’s not a given. The liberal-conservative coalition took home nearly 28 percent of the vote, while Babis’ ANO party finished in second at just over 27 percent. Another opposition coalition, Pirates and Mayors, reeled in more than 15 percent, and will begin talks on forming the next government. Babis conceded defeat. Following the vote, Czech President Milos Zeman, who is 77, was taken to the hospital on Sunday morning for unspecified reasons. In the Czech Republic, the president is involved in the discussions to form a government and can ultimately appoint anyone as prime minister. DEUTSCHE WELLE

U.S. general who commanded forces in Iraq dies at 67 Retired Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, who commanded American and coalition forces during the Iraq War, has died, his family said Saturday. He was 67. In a statement, his family said Odierno had been battling cancer. Odierno served three separate tours in Iraq. In 2003-04 he was the commander of the 4th infantry division. During that period he faced some criticism for overly-aggressive tactics that were viewed as spurring an insurgency. He returned in 2006 for two years as commander of Multi-National Corps-Iraq, and in 2008 took over as the top overall American and coalition commander in Baghdad, a position he held until combat wound down in 2010. He retired from service in 2015. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Six people are killed and seven others are injured by a car bomb targeting the governor of Aden. Both the governor and a minister survive and are moved to a secure location. (Reuters) 

The End Monday 

China denounces Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen’s speech from yesterday, saying that it incited confrontation and distorted facts. China also says that seeking Taiwan independence closes the door to dialogue. (The Jerusalem Post) 

Iraqis head to the polls to elect the members of the Council of Representatives. (AFP via UrduPoint) 

Saturday, October 9th, 2021 

Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen rules out cooperation with the United States to fight the insurgency of IS-K in Afghanistan, saying that the Taliban “will be able to tackle Daesh independently”. (Taiwan News) 

The U.S. State Department confirms that the first face-to-face meetings with high representatives of the Taliban since the departure of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, will begin today in Doha, Qatar. A spokesperson for the State Department says that the U.S. will pressure the Taliban to “respect the rights of all Afghans, including women and girls” and form an inclusive government. The spokesperson also clarifies that this is not a recognition of the Taliban government by the U.S., saying that the Taliban will have to earn recognition by its actions. (France24) 

U.S., Taliban officials to talk in Qatar Representatives from the United States will hold formal talks in Doha, Qatar, with senior Taliban officials on Saturday and Sunday for the first time since American forces completed a planned withdrawal from Afghanistan in August. Officials from both sides confirmed the discussions, which will reportedly include topics like containing extremist groups in Afghanistan and the evacuation of foreign citizens and Afghans who are still in the country and seeking to leave. Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen also told The Associated Press the talks will revisit the agreement the group signed with the Trump administration in 2020 that cleared the way for the U.S. exit. Fighting terrorism will likely be a major focus, however, and the talks will take place just a day after the Islamic State’s affiliate in Afghanistan claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing that killed nearly 50 people at a mosque in the northern part of the country. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The north face of the volcano collapses, generating three new lava flows. No new evacuations have been ordered as authorities call for calm. (El País) 

The Deir Ammar and Zahrani power stations shut down in Lebanon after running out of diesel fuel, leaving the entire country without electricity. According to a government official, power is not expected to be restored for several days. (BBC) (Al Jazeera) 

Families of the victims of the 1994 AMIA bombing in Buenos Aires announce that they will appeal the ruling which acquitted former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner of any wrongdoing. The memorandum aimed to make Iran cooperate in the investigation at the time that Argentina issued red notices against Iranian officials through Interpol. Relations between Argentina and Iran have been strained, with a recent condemnation by Argentina of the new cabinet of Ebrahim Raisi. (MercoPress) 

Guatemalan police recover 126 United States-bound Haitian, Nepali, and Indian migrants trapped inside an abandoned shipping container near Nueva Concepción, Escuintla, Guatemala. (AFP via The Straits Times) 

The opposition SPOLU party calls for the formation of a new government in view of the poor electoral result of prime minister Andrej Babiš’ ANO 2011 party. (Reuters) 

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz resigns amid a corruption inquiry against him, although he continues to deny any wrongdoing. (BBC) 

McConnell tells Biden that GOP won’t help raise debt ceiling again Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Friday sent a letter to President Biden in which he said Republicans will not aid Democrats again in raising the nation’s debt ceiling after a handful of GOP lawmakers broke a filibuster to advance a temporary lift, which eventually passed along a party line vote, earlier this week. In the letter, McConnell criticized Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) for launching into a “rant” against Republicans after the vote, saying that his counterpart’s words “only further alienated the Republican members who helped facilitate this short-term patch.” Schumer had said that Republicans “played a dangerous and risky partisan game” by pushing the issue of the debt ceiling to the brink. THE WASHINGTON POST 

Jobs report disappoints again with 194,000 additions in September The Labor Department reported Friday that the U.S. economy added 194,000 jobs in September. Economists expected the figure to be around 500,000. The unemployment rate declined 0.4 percentage points to 4.8 percent. “Notable job gains occurred in leisure and hospitality, in professional and business services, in retail trade, and in transportation and warehousing,” the Labor Department said. This comes after the U.S. jobs report for August also came in significantly under expectations. The Labor Department said last month that 235,000 jobs were added in August when economists had expected around 720,000, though this number was revised on Friday to 366,000. Both reports came amid a surge of COVID-19 cases in the United States driven by the more contagious Delta variant. Infections have since started to decline. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Xi says peaceful ‘reunification’ with Taiwan must happen Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday said that “reunification” with Taiwan, which China claims as its territory, must be fulfilled. Xi suggested the process should happen peacefully and did not mention possibly using force to bring Taiwan into Beijing’s fold despite recent displays of aggression in the country’s air defense zone. However, he did say that “no one should underestimate the Chinese people’s staunch determination, firm will, and strong ability to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” adding that “Taiwan independence separatism is the biggest obstacle to achieving the reunification of the motherland, and the most serious hidden danger to national rejuvenation.” The Taiwanese government did not respond positively to the remarks, with President Tsai Ing-wen’s office reaffirming its sovereignty and vowing that “the nation’s future rests in the hands of Taiwan’s people.” REUTERS

Appeals court reinstates Texas abortion law A United States court of appeals on Friday ruled that Texas’ law that bans most abortions after six weeks should be temporarily reinstated after a federal judge blocked its implementation earlier this week. The Biden administration filed an emergency motion to stop Texas from enforcing the law, which allows private citizens to sue anyone they believe helped a woman obtain an abortion, in September, and a judge eventually ordered an injunction, writing that the Constitutional right to “obtain an abortion prior to fetal viability is well-established.” At the same time, the judge acknowledged Texas could appeal the decision, which the state’s Attorney General Ken Paxton quickly did. FOX NEWS

Nearly 140 countries agree to global tax overhaul Nearly 140 countries on Friday agreed to a plan that sets a global minimum corporate tax rate of 15 percent in an attempt to curb tax avoidance from multinational corporations. The agreement is not binding, however, as it rests on lawmakers in the 136 countries that signed the pact to actually implement the minimum rate. The effort could certainly hit some roadblocks, including in U.S. Congress. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is a firm supporter of the minimum, arguing it will help the government pay for the expanded child tax credit and climate-change initiatives, among other policies touted by the Biden administration. Three lower-tax countries that had previously rejected the idea — Ireland, Estonia, and Hungary — came around to support the agreement, though there are still holdouts, including Nigeria, Kenya, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 

2 fathers convicted in first university admissions scandal trial Gamal Aziz and John Wilson, the first parents to stand trial for their alleged role in the heavily-publicized university admissions scandal, were found guilty of bribery and fraud charges on Friday. The two men, who paid bribes to have their children falsely described as successful athletes so they could be accepted by elite universities, could face up to 20 years in jail. Their sentencing is scheduled for February. More than 50 parents (including some high profile celebrities), coaches, and school administrators are facing federal charges, though several have pleaded guilty rather than stand trial. Both Aziz and Wilson, who are expected to appeal their verdicts, argued that they had been duped by the mastermind of the plan, William Singer, and did not know the money they gave him would be used for bribes. BBC 

Friday,  October 8th, 2021 

The severity of the energy crisis in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Guangdong provinces of China is reported as worsening, with power outages occuring every week and “notices … telling us which days the following week that they will cut the power”. Some factories report receiving power for only two or three days per week and are operating primarily on generators. China has also placed large bids for coal that are causing supply issues in locations as far away as Ukraine. (Nikkei Asia) 

The U.S. Navy reports that the USS Connecticut, a nuclear powered fast-attack submarine, struck an unidentified object while submerged in the South China Sea, causing 11 crew members to be injured. The extent of the damage to the Seawolf-class submarine is still being assessed although the submarine is noted as being “safe and stable”. (Bloomberg) 

Brazil surpasses 600,000 deaths from COVID-19. (VOA) 

Authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo announce that a 3-year-old boy who died last Wednesday in Beni tested positive for Ebola. The health minister could not confirm if this was related to the Kivu Ebola outbreak which ended in 2020 and killed more than 2,200 people, but said that they were closely monitoring 100 people who may have been exposed to the virus and that three boys, all of whom were neighbors of the toddler, were already showing symptoms of the disease. (Reuters) 

Iceland suspends the use of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine due to concerns of side effects, becoming the fourth European country to do so. (Bloomberg) 

At least 50 people are killed and more than 100 wounded when a suicide bomber targets a Shiite mosque in Kunduz Province, Afghanistan. IS–K claims responsibility for the attack. (BBC) 

Six migrants are shot dead by guards at a detention center in Tripoli, Libya. (Al Jazeera) 

Tata Sons is announced as the winning bidder for Air India, ending years of attempts by the government to privatise the loss-making airline. Tata Sons was the initial owner of the airline before it was nationalised. (NDTV) 

ITA – Italia Trasporto Aereo is announced as the new state-owned airline for Italy, following the closure of Alitalia due to bankruptcy. ITA is a reorganization of Alitalia under a new name signed by decree in October 2020. (CNN) 

Gas cylinders explode at a gold mine in Mazowe, Zimbabwe, killing seven people and injuring another. (Reuters) 

Journalists Maria Ressa of the Philippines and Dmitry Muratov of Russia are awarded the Nobel Peace Prize “for their efforts to safeguard the freedom of expression”. (AFP via India Today) 

The Green Party, a left-wing member of the coalition, says that Chancellor Sebastian Kurz is “unfit” for the position as he is investigated for corruption. The party demands that Kurz step down, although Kurz has denied any wrongdoing. (Reuters) 

The United States House Oversight Committee releases documents showing that the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. accumulated $70 million in losses while public financial disclosures claimed that the hotel was producing an income of $156 million for former president Donald Trump. General Services Administration documents also showed that Trump received “undisclosed preferential treatment” from Deutsche Bank on a $170 million construction loan during his presidency. (CNN) (Reuters) 

Friday,  October 8th, 2021 

Novelist Abdulrazak Gurnah wins Nobel literature prize Zanzibar-born novelist Abdulrazak Gurnah was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature on Thursday. Gurnah has written 10 novels. His 1994 book Paradise, about a boy pawned off by his father to settle debts to a merchant, made the shortlist for the Booker Prize. He served as a professor of English and postcolonial literature at the University of Kent in Canterbury, England, until he retired. Gurnah was awarded the Nobel, which comes with more than $1 million in prize money, “for his uncompromising and compassionate penetration of the effects of colonialism and the fate of the refugee in the gulf between cultures and continents,” the Swedish Academy announced Thursday morning. American poet Louise Glück won the 2020 Nobel literature prize. NPR 

Tanzanian novelist Abdulrazak Gurnah wins the 2021 Nobel Prize in Literature, “for his uncompromising and compassionate penetration of the effects of colonialism and the fate of the refugee”. Gurnah’s most renowned novel is Paradise, set in colonial East Africa during World War I. (The Economist) 

At least 28 people are killed when a suicide bomber targets a Shiite mosque in Kunduz Province, Afghanistan. The United Nations puts the number of casualties above 100 between the killed and wounded. (Reuters) 

The U.S. State Department confirms accusations made yesterday by Venezuelan vice president Delcy Rodríguez, who blamed an alleged U.S. veto for not allowing Venezuela to receive IMF COVID-19 relief funds. The State Department says that only recognized governments can access these funds. (Reuters) 

but this is how the headline first appeared yesterday:

The U.S. State Department rejects accusations made yesterday by Venezuelan vice president Delcy Rodríguez, who blamed an alleged U.S. veto for not receiving COVID-19 relief funds. The State Department says that only recognized government can access them. (Reuters) 

Victoria breaks the record for highest daily increase in new COVID-19 infections of any Australian state or territory since the beginning of the pandemic, with 1,838 new cases reported and five further deaths. (ABC News Australia) 

Journalists Maria Ressa of the Philippines and Dmitry Muratov of Russia are awarded the Nobel Peace Prize “for their efforts to safeguard the freedom of expression”. (AFP via India Today) 

In his first speech, Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida vows to fight and end the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan and counter the Chinese and North Korean threats by bolstering Japan’s coastguard and missile defenses while maintaining the country peaceful. Kishida also vows to strengthen the alliance with the United States. (Al Jazeera) 

Senate passes short-term deal to prevent federal debt default The Senate on Thursday passed a deal to extend the federal debt ceiling into December and avert a looming catastrophic and historic default. After prodding by GOP leaders, 11 Republicans joined every Democrat in voting to advance the bill, narrowly beating a GOP filibuster. The agreement raises the debt limit by $480 billion, enough to last until Dec. 3. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) hammered out the agreement with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who proposed the short-term fix on Wednesday. McConnell said the reprieve would give Democrats time to work out a long-term debt limit increase on their own using a process called budget reconciliation, which would let them bypass a GOP filibuster. The House is expected to take up the bill on Tuesday. THE HILL 

Biden urges companies to lead on vaccine mandates President Biden on Thursday urged private companies to require coronavirus vaccinations for workers. Biden last month announced a vaccine mandate affecting 80 million workers at companies with more than 100 employees. A lengthy Occupational Safety and Health Administration rule-making process could prevent it from kicking in for weeks, but Biden said companies could take the initiative and get started now. “Businesses have more power than ever before to change the arc of this pandemic and save lives,” Biden said on a trip to Illinois. Data released in September indicated that unvaccinated people are 11 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than vaccinated people. A growing number of big companies have said they would enforce vaccine mandates, but several Republicans have vowed to challenge the mandate. THE NEW YORK TIMES 

Pfizer requests emergency approval for children’s COVID vaccine  Pfizer and BioNTech said Thursday that they were asking the Food and Drug Administration for emergency-use authorization to offer their COVID-19 vaccine to children ages 5 to 11. If the FDA signs off, the Pfizer vaccine would be the first available to children that young. Pfizer’s shots already are fully approved for those 16 and older, with emergency-use authorization for children ages 12 to 15. Pfizer last month reported that its Phase 2/3 trials showed that the vaccine was safe and highly effective in younger children. The dose was just 10 micrograms, making it significantly smaller than the 30-microgram dose for those 12 and older, but it still generated a “robust” immune response, Pfizer said. The FDA has said it could analyze the data with weeks. CNN 

Trump lawyers say he’ll assert executive privilege in Capitol riot inquiry Former President Donald Trump plans to invoke executive privilege to prevent testimony by his onetime aides in a congressional investigation into the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by a mob of his supporters. In a letter sent to some potential witnesses subpoenaed by the House committee, Trump indicated that he would use the privileges to keep presidential communications from Congress, The Associated Press reported, citing a person who had seen the letter. The committee last month issued subpoenas to Trump’s former chief of staff, Mark Meadows, and other high-ranking aides in Trump’s White House. At a rally before the mob went to the Capitol on Jan. 6, Trump told supporters to “fight like hell” to prevent lawmakers from certifying his loss to Biden. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

2 journalists win 2021 Nobel Peace Prize Journalists Maria Ressa of the Philippines and Dmitry Muratov of Russia were awarded the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday. Berit Reiss-Andersen, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, said they stood out for their efforts to defend freedom of expression. “Free, independent, and fact-based journalism serves to protect against abuse of power, lies and war propaganda,” Reiss-Andersen said. Ressa in 2012 co-founded the news website Rappler, which the Nobel committee credited with focusing “critical attention on the (President Rodrigo) Duterte regime’s controversial, murderous anti-drug campaign.” The committee said the independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta that Muratov co-founded in 1993 has used “fact-based journalism and professional integrity” to provide “information on censurable aspects of Russian society rarely mentioned by other media.” THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Biden to restore national monument protections Trump scrapped President Biden on Friday plans to sign three proclamations restoring protections for Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante, and Northeast Canyons and Seamounts national monuments, Biden administration officials said Thursday. Former President Donald Trump in 2017 sharply reduced the size of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in southern Utah, allowing development, mining, and ranching on formerly protected land. Last year, Trump signed an order to allow commercial fishing within Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, which former President Barack Obama designated as the Atlantic Ocean’s first marine monument in 2016. The Biden administration said restoring the protections would help “to better protect, conserve, and restore the lands and waters that sustain the health of communities and power our economy.” NPR 

Americans’ trust in media drops Americans’ trust in the media to “report the news fully accurately and fairly” fell by four percentage points from last year’s level in a Gallup survey released Thursday, hitting its lowest point since 2016 and its second-lowest on record. Just 36 percent of U.S. adults say they have “a great deal” or “a fair amount” of confidence in newspaper, television, and radio news reporting, just 4 points above 2016’s record low of 32 percent. Following the bottoming out in 2016, trust in the media “rebounded” 13 points in two years, mostly due to “a surge among Democrats” amid former President Donald Trump’s administration and the resulting media scrutiny, Gallup said. But since 2018, that number dropped by nine points, with the trust level sliding among all party groups. GALLUP 

Thursday, October 7th, 2021 

A Saudi-backed consortium, funded through its sovereign wealth fund Public Investment Fund, officially purchases Newcastle United F.C. for £300 million. An agreement on its purchase was finalized upon last April, but impasses on the issue of ownership among the specific entities in the consortium prevented the deal from moving forward until recently. (ESPN) 

 

 The Indonesian Drug and Food Control Agency issues an emergency use authorization for the three dose Zifivax ZF2001 vaccine. (Antara News) 

The World Health Organization begins shipping essential COVID-19 medical supplies into North Korea via the Chinese port of Dalian and quarantine facilities in the seaport of Nampo, a possible sign of easing one of the world’s strictest pandemic border closures. (NPR) 

Finland suspends the usage of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for people born since 1991 due to unpublished reports of rare cardiovascular side effects such as myocarditis. (The Hill) 

Sweden temporarily suspends the use of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for people born since 1991 for precautionary reasons after reports of possible rare side effects, such as myocarditis. (CBS News) 

Denmark suspends the use of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for people under the age of 18 after reports of myocarditis and meningitis, which are rare side effects of the vaccine. (The Local Denmark) 

The Standing Committee on Vaccination recommends COVID-19 vaccine booster doses for people over the age of 70 and care home workers. The committee also recommends mRNA-based booster doses for people who previously received the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. (Deutsche Welle) 

The Wall Street Journal reports a contingent of U.S. special forces soldiers have been deployed in Taiwan to train Taiwanese forces amid tensions with China. The military trainers were first deployed under the Trump administration. (The Guardian) 

The trial against a 100-year-old former SS concentration camp guard begins in Germany. The man is accused of collaborating in the murders of 3,518 people at the Sachsenhausen concentration camp between 1942 and 1945, when he was employed as a standing guard in the watchtower. (The Guardian) 

Dmytro Razumkov, the speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian parliament, is dismissed following his disagreements with President Volodymyr Zelensky and his ruling Servant of the People party’s stances on legislation which aimed to reduce the influence of Ukrainian oligarchs. (Kyiv Post) 

A political party named the Norfolk Island Party is formed to advocate for the islanders’ self-determination from Australia. The party’s goal is to achieve sovereignty for Norfolk Island. (RNZ) 

The Polish Constitutional Tribunal rules that the Constitution of Poland takes precedence over EU laws, directly challenging the primacy of European Union law principle, escalating tensions around the Polish rule-of-law crisis and in particular around the country’s controversial judicial reforms. (The New York Times) (Politico) 

The End Friday

Thursday, October 7th, 2021 

The U.S. State Department reveals that the current stockpile of nuclear weapons is 3,750 warheads. (State.gov) 

NATO expels eight members of the Russian Mission to NATO, accusing the Russians of secretly operating as intelligence officers. NATO also reduces the number of Russian positions at the organization to 10. (Military.com) 

Case Breakers, a group of former law enforcement individuals, claim to have identified the Zodiac Killer as Gary Francis Poste, an individual who had passed away in 2018. The finding is vehemently disavowed by the FBI, who assert the case is “still very much open”. (The Independent) 

Biden approval rating drops to a new low President Biden’s approval rating dropped to 38 percent in a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday. That’s down from 42 percent three weeks ago, and a low point in Biden’s presidency. Biden’s popularity was at a high of 50 percent in mid-February, but it has fallen as he faced criticism for the tumultuous U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, and as his economic agenda hit trouble in Congress. “Battered on trust, doubted on leadership, and challenged on overall competency, President Biden is being hammered on all sides as his approval rating continues its downward slide to a number not seen since the tough scrutiny of the Trump administration,” Quinnipiac University polling analyst Tim Malloy said. Eighty percent of Democrats approved of Biden’s performance, compared to 4 percent of Republicans. USA TODAY 

2 share Nobel Prize in chemistry for creating molecular tools David W.C. MacMillan of Princeton University and Benjamin List of the Max Planck Institute in Germany were awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry on Wednesday for their work creating tools for constructing molecules in a cheap, environmentally friendly way. The tools, known as organocatalysts, can be used to make new drugs, chemicals, and molecules that can capture light in solar cells. The broad range of products made from catalysis contribute an estimated 35 percent of global gross domestic product. Johan Aqvist, chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry, said the concept was “as simple as it is ingenious.” “It is already benefiting humankind greatly,” said Pernilla Wittung-Stafshede, a professor of chemical biology at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, during the news conference to announce the award. THE WASHINGTON POST 

At least 23 people are killed and about 200 more are wounded as a 5.9 magnitude earthquake strikes Harnai, Balochistan, Pakistan. (Al Jazeera) 

An earthquake, with a preliminary magnitude of 6.1 hits Tokyo, Japan and surrounding areas, stopping train lines but without immediate reports of damage. According to Japan’s system, it was labeled as a “strong-5 earthquake”. (Reuters) 

India begins the use of commercial drones to deliver COVID-19 vaccines to remote areas to speed up the country’s vaccination drive. (BBC News) 

 

WHO recommends use of 1st malaria vaccine The World Health Organization announced Wednesday that it would recommend the rollout of the first malaria vaccine. Pilot testing has shown it to be safe, and that it could be administered in remote and rural settings. “I started my career as a malaria researcher, and I longed for the day that we would have an effective vaccine against this ancient and terrible disease,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in Geneva. “Today is that day, an historic day.” Tedros said the vaccine could save tens of thousands of lives. The vaccine, RTS,S, was developed by GSK. It is administered in four doses, giving it a complexity seen as a potential concern in countries with limited health-care resources.  STAT NEWS 

White House to buy $1 billion worth of rapid COVID tests  The White House announced Wednesday that it would buy $1 billion worth of rapid, at-home coronavirus tests, potentially quadrupling the number of tests available to the public by December. “This is a big deal,” said Scott Becker, chief executive officer of the Association of Public Health Laboratories. “The White House is beginning to take testing as seriously as they’ve taken vaccinations.” Becker said up to now, shortages of rapid tests had made it hard to track and counter a surge in coronavirus cases driven by the highly infectious Delta variant. The move came after the Food and Drug Administration on Monday decided to allow the sale an Acon Laboratories’ antigen test. The Biden administration also plans to double President Biden’s commitment to expand the number of pharmacies participating in the federal government’s free testing program. THE WASHINGTON POST 

Colorado hospital system halts transplants on unvaccinated A Colorado hospital system said Wednesday that it wouldn’t perform transplant surgery on unvaccinated patients because they face an elevated risk of fatal COVID-19. “For transplant patients who contract COVID-19, the mortality rate ranges from about 20 percent to more than 30 percent,” UCHealth said in a statement to CBS Denver. “This shows the extreme risk that COVID-19 poses to transplant recipients after their surgeries.” The new policy had an immediate impact. Leilani Lutali, who has stage 5 renal failure, was supposed to get a new kidney in months, but she is now looking for a new hospital because neither she nor her donor, Jaimee Fougner, are vaccinated. Fougner, who met Lutali in Bible study, said she had not been vaccinated due to religious objections. CBS NEWS 

Wednesday, October 6th, 2021 

Taliban soldiers raid an IS–K hideout in Kabul, arresting four militants. Meanwhile, ISIL claims responsibility for the murder and beheading of a Taliban soldier in Jalalabad. (Reuters) 

Dozens of armed bandits on motorbikes storm a village in Zamfara, killing 18 civilians, burning shops and cars, and forcing many residents to flee. (Reuters) 

Russia reports a record 929 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 212,685. (Gulf News) 

Kazakhstan signs an agreement to purchase four million doses of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine which will be delivered in the fourth quarter of this year. (KAZINFORM) 

The World Health Organization endorses the mass rollout of the malaria vaccine RTS,S across Sub-Saharan Africa and other countries affected by the disease after pilot programs with the vaccine in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi reduced malaria-related hospitalization and death rates among children by 70%. (The Guardian) 

Turkey ratifies the Paris Climate Accords, an international treaty on climate change, becoming the last G20 country to do so. (MSN) 

Four people are wounded as a gunman opens fire at an high school in Arlington, Texas, United States after a fight. The suspected attacker escaped from the scene, but was arrested several hours later. (The Daily Beast) 

Peruvian President Pedro Castillo announces the resignation of Prime Minister Guido Bellido. Mirtha Vásquez is sworn-in to replace Bellido. (Reuters)] (Andina) 

Frances Haugen, a former Facebook employee, tells U.S. lawmakers that the company’s sites and apps “harm children, stoke division and weaken our democracy”. (BBC News) 

Chemists Benjamin List of Germany and David MacMillan of the United States are awarded the 2021 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their work on molecular engineering through organocatalysis. (AFP via Gulf News) 

The End