A flight carrying 600,000 doses of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine has arrived in Ghana as part of a global effort to immunise the world’s poorest people. The delivery comes eight months after the launch of the COVAX initiative – the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) sharing scheme which is aimed at ensuring global vaccine equity. The
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Ireland’s prime minister Micheal Martin has confirmed the country will continue at the highest level of coronavirus restrictions until at least 5 April. The Taoiseach said there will be a difference in the current Level 5 restrictions, with the phased reopening of schools from 1 March. The government’s revised Living With COVID plan will also
China, Russia and India have been accused of engaging in “vaccine diplomacy” as they cherry-pick nations to give their COVID-19 vaccines to in order to bolster their influence. Sky News analysis has found 47 countries, plus the African Union which represents 55 nations, have made or been offered vaccine deals with India, China and Russia.
Boris Johnson will warn the United Nations Security Council that unless urgent action is taken to tackle climate change, the world risks worsening conflict, displacement and insecurity. In a virtual address, the prime minister will call on all members to help the most vulnerable countries adapt to the impact of climate change and cut emissions.
Italy’s ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo has been killed in an attempted kidnapping, the United Nations has said. Luca Attanasio, 43, who was married with three young daughters, was in a convoy on his way from the eastern regional capital Goma to see a feeding programme in Rutshuru, close to the borders with
The behaviour of Australian Open fans who booed the mention of a COVID-19 vaccine rollout after Sunday’s men’s final has been branded “disgusting”. Tennis Australia president Jayne Hrdlicka was loudly heckled when she mentioned vaccines in her presentation speech after Novak Djokovic’s victory. Michael McCormack, Australia’s deputy prime minister said: “Well, that’s un-Australian (the booing
The risk of becoming ill with coronavirus falls by 95.8% after the second dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, Israel’s health ministry has said. The vaccine was also 98% effective in preventing breathing problems or a fever and 98.9% effective in preventing hospitalisations and death, the ministry added. It comes only days after a vaccine efficacy
Rioters in Spain have smashed shop windows and launched glass bottles at police in a fifth night of violence over the jailing of rapper Pablo Hasel. It comes after the musician was arrested by anti-riot police on Tuesday following a 24-hour stand-off in a university with dozens of supporters to avoid prison over what he
Russia has recorded the world’s first cases of humans being infected with the H5N8 strain of bird flu. The cases were confirmed by Anna Popova, head of consumer health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, on Saturday. Seven poultry workers in the south of Russia were infected in December but have since recovered and “the situation did not develop
The huge pile near Gelendzhik on Russia’s Black Sea Coast which Alexei Navalny calls “Putin’s Palace” has a way of coming back to haunt the Russian president. In 2012, Boris Nemtsov, a former prime minister and fierce Putin critic, published a report detailing the wealth and luxurious properties the president had allegedly accumulated in his
NASA has released new images of the Perseverance rover two metres above the surface of Mars as it gave more details of the mission. The space agency’s robot successfully landed on the Red Planet just before 1pm local time on Thursday. Speaking at a news briefing in California on Friday, NASA officials revealed the rover
A huge rumble and a belch of steam and rocks erupts from the crater of the volcano that towers above us. It’s truly terrifying feeling such power, so near. I looked about me, wondering where I would I hide if the volcano’s eruptions suddenly intensified. And then I realised – and it’s obvious really –
Facebook has been described as a “school yard bully” over its decision to block access to news media in Australia, rather than pay them. Amid a row about licensing, Australians woke up on Thursday to find they could not share or view domestic and international news content on Facebook ahead of new a law which
New details of the forcible return of Dubai’s “missing” princess reveal the moment the royal daughter knew her escape had failed – the sound of boots. Princess Latifa is the daughter of Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum. She attempted to flee in 2018. Until video messages emerged this week, she had not been heard from since her
Dubai’s royal ruler is back in the spotlight after videos were released of his daughter, Princess Latifa, in which she claims he is holding her hostage. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum is one of the Middle East’s most powerful men – and as well as being the billionaire ruler of Dubai, he is vice
A missing Dubai princess says she is a “hostage” in secret videos released to Sky News. For three years, the world has heard nothing from Princess Latifa, a daughter of one of the world’s richest men, Dubai’s billionaire ruler Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum. She attempted to escape her family in March 2018, but was