Source: Reuters
Security & Justice
Israel Army Says Hit Over 100 'Terror Targets' in Lebanon in Past Day
The Israeli military on Wednesday said it struck more than 100 "terror targets" in Lebanon over the past day and had "eliminated" two Hezbollah commanders at the weekend.
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
Israeli Strikes Kill Four Lebanese Soldiers in Two Days, Army Reports
Israeli Strikes Kill Four Lebanese Soldiers in Two Days, Army Reports
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
Opinion
Flying Above the Bombs, a Lebanese Airline Becomes an Unlikely National Hero
It used to be like almost any other national carrier, fielding gripes about flight delays, ticket prices and bad food.
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
Berri's Exclusive Control Over Ceasefire Talks: A Threat to National Interests?
As U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein continues his shuttle diplomacy between Tel Aviv and Beirut, aiming to broker a ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel, Lebanese political sources are increasingly calling for transparency in the negotiations. With the possibility of a ceasefire agreement looming, many are demanding that the Lebanese public be made aware of the terms being discussed behind closed doors, especially given the high stakes for Lebanon’s future and security.
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
Sports
Alcaraz Beats Rublev to Open ATP Finals Account
Carlos Alcaraz opened his account at the ATP Finals on Wednesday with an entertaining 6-3, 7-6 (10/8) win over Andrey Rublev which boosted his hopes of reaching the semifinals.
Wednesday, November 13, 2024
Ecuador's Angulo, 22, Dies a Month After Car Crash
Ecuador international Marco Angulo has died at the age of 22 just over a month after being seriously injured in a car crash, his club has announced.
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
Friday 21 January 2022 11:41:36
Sputnik V Shows Higher Omicron-Antibody Levels Than Pfizer in Preliminary Study
A small preliminary laboratory study has shown that levels of Omicron-neutralising antibodies of people vaccinated with Russia's Sputnik V vaccine did not decline as much as of those who had Pfizer shots.
The joint Russian-Italian study - funded by the Russian Direct Investment Fund, which markets Sputnik V abroad - compared the blood serum of people who had received the different vaccines.
Thepreliminary study was conducted by scientists from the Spallanzani Institute in Italy and Gamaleya Institute in Moscow, the developer of Sputnik V vaccine.
Researchers said samples taken three to six months after the second dose of a vaccine have shown that the levels of antibodies in recipients of two doses of Sputnik V were more resistant to Omicron than in those vaccinated with Pfizer.
It included 51 people vaccinated with Sputnik V and 17 after two shots of the Pfizer vaccine.
"Today the necessity of third booster vaccination is obvious," the preliminary study published on Jan. 19 said.
The study, that will seek certification by peer review, showed that Omicron-specific neutralizing antibodies were detected in the blood serum of 74.2% of the people vaccinated with Sputnik and in 56.9% of those vaccinated with Pfizer/BioNtech.
An earlier preliminary study by the Gamaleya Institute, the developer of Sputnik V, showed that a booster shot of Sputnik Light vaccine provided a stronger antibody response against Omicron than the two-dose Sputnik V vaccine alone.
"Partnership of different platforms is the key...boosting with Sputnik Light will help strengthen efficacy of other vaccines in light of combined Delta and Omicron challenge," the head of RDIF Kirill Dmitriev said in a statement.
Omicron has pushed COVID-19 case figures to record highs in parts of western Europe and the United States. But the variant has only now began to hit Russia, where the daily nationwide new infections spiked to 38,850 on Tuesday from 33,899 the day before.
Russia has so far officially recorded more than 1,600 cases of the variant and has mobilised its health system to tackle an increase in cases but authorities said they realised that there are many more cases related to Omicron.
