Source: AFP
Security & Justice
State Action Signals Change in Tackling Longstanding Illegal Land Grabs in Jbeil District
For years, the serene villages of Jbeil's highlands have been far from peaceful. Ghabat, a Maronite village nestled between the predominantly Shiite towns of Afqa and Lassa, has become a focal point of growing tensions due to territorial disputes.
Friday, December 20, 2024
Mawlawi Ensures Strict Monitoring for Wanted Syrian Regime Figures at Beirut Airport
Caretaker Minister of Interior, Bassam Mawlawi, conducted an inspection tour of Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut to review the security arrangements and measures implemented by the Airport Security Apparatus ahead of the holiday season.
Thursday, December 19, 2024
Opinion
Lebanon After the Assads
The United States has important equities in Lebanon, including a desire for a generally friendly government’s economic and political stability; security cooperation; long-standing relations with the large Christian community in Lebanon and Lebanese diaspora in the United States; and ultimately peace between Israel and Lebanon within a broader regional settlement. Achieving these objectives will require navigating a tumultuous period in the country’s history following a war between Hezbollah and Israel that has devastated a large part of the country, exacerbating Lebanon’s already challenging economic conditions. But perhaps the most important dynamic will be how a likely Sunni-dominated state of uncertain composition in Syria will differ in its intentions toward Lebanon from the previous Alawite-led minoritarian Assad regime.
Thursday, December 19, 2024
Europe’s Syrian Dilemma
The news of the sudden and unexpected demise of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria has met a mixed response in Europe. The jubilation that a murderous dictator and close ally of Russia and Iran has fallen is not just good for the Syrian people but serves as a morale booster for Eastern Europeans wondering whether Russia can be defeated
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
Sports
Cristiano Ronaldo Unveils New Private Jet Worth $73 Million
Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the richest global athletes, has unveiled his upgraded private jet reportedly worth $73 million. With its top-notch design, exceptional speed and range of 7500 nautical miles, the Gulfstream G650 is among the fastest jets in the world.
Monday, December 16, 2024
Guardiola Accepts Man City May Need to Sign More Players to Cope with Schedule
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes he will need a bigger squad to handle soccer’s ever-expanding fixture schedule.
Saturday, December 14, 2024
Thursday 24 March 2022 11:48:27
Moderna Says Infant COVID-19 Vaccine Succeeded in Trial
US biotech firm Moderna on Wednesday said it was pursuing regulatory approval for its COVID-19 vaccine in children aged six months to six years after the two-shot regimen was found to be safe and produced a strong immune response.
Specifically, two doses of 25 micrograms given to this age group generated similar levels of antibodies to two doses of 100 micrograms given to young people aged 18-25, indicating there would be similar levels of protection.
Based on the data, Moderna said it would submit authorization requests to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), European Medicines Agency (EMA) and other global regulators in the coming weeks.
The results “are good news for parents of children under six years of age,” said CEO Stephane Bancel in a statement.
“We now have clinical data on the performance of our vaccine from infants six months of age through older adults.”
The company did however find relatively low vaccine efficacy against infection, with its trial taking place during the omicron wave.
Vaccine efficacy in children six months to two years was 43.7 percent, and vaccine efficacy was 37.5 percent in the two to under six years age group.
Moderna said this was consistent with what had been observed among adults and the company was evaluating a third dose to lift efficacy levels.
The trial comprised 11,700 pediatric volunteers in the United States and Canada, including 4,200 aged two to six years and 2,500 aged six to two months.
The company added that, after consulting with the FDA, it is also applying to be authorized among children six to 11 for two-doses of 50 micrograms, and updating its application for authorization in kids aged 12 through 17.
The EMA and other regulators have already authorized the Moderna vaccine in these age groups.
Last month, the FDA postponed a meeting of a panel to consider the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children younger than five, saying it required additional data on third doses. The companies said they expected that data to be ready by April.