A visitor wearing a face mask takes a selfie in front of Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece 'Mona Lisa' also known as 'La Gioconda' in the Salle des Etats at the Louvre Museum in Paris. AFP
A visitor wearing a face mask takes a selfie in front of Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece 'Mona Lisa' also known as 'La Gioconda' in the Salle des Etats at the Louvre Museum in Paris. AFP
The Lyceum Theatre is taped up in the West End of London. Britain's government has announced a 1.57bn pounds emergency support package to help protect the future of theatres, galleries and museum across the country. Many arts institutions are facing financial difficulty amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. EPA
The Lyceum Theatre is taped up in the West End of London. Britain's government has announced a 1.57bn pounds emergency support package to help protect the future of theatres, galleries and museum across the country. Many arts institutions are facing financial difficulty amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. EPA
Several 'mozos' or runners wearing the traditional outfit chant in front of a St Fermin sculpture in Pamplona, northern Spain. The traditional bull-running festival has been cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic. EPA
Several 'mozos' or runners wearing the traditional outfit chant in front of a St Fermin sculpture in Pamplona, northern Spain. The traditional bull-running festival has been cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic. EPA
Brides wearing their wedding dress hold a flashmob protest against the postponement of their marriages because of the coronavirus-enforced protocols for all religious ceremonies, by the Trevi fountain in Rome. AFP
Brides wearing their wedding dress hold a flashmob protest against the postponement of their marriages because of the coronavirus-enforced protocols for all religious ceremonies, by the Trevi fountain in Rome. AFP
Workers clean lion sculptures at the base of Nelson's Column on Trafalgar Square in London. Pubs, restaurants, places of worship and other businesses reopened their doors across the UK after more than three months of lockdown following the coronavirus outbreak. EPA
Workers clean lion sculptures at the base of Nelson's Column on Trafalgar Square in London. Pubs, restaurants, places of worship and other businesses reopened their doors across the UK after more than three months of lockdown following the coronavirus outbreak. EPA
A woman stays inside her designated area at a crowded San Lorenzo beach, in Gijon, Asturias, northern Spain, amid the coronavirus pandemic. EPA
A woman stays inside her designated area at a crowded San Lorenzo beach, in Gijon, Asturias, northern Spain, amid the coronavirus pandemic. EPA
A traveller disinfects his hands at a station set up by German state rail carrier Deutsche Bahn at Hauptbahnhof main railway station during the coronavirus pandemic in Berlin. Getty Images
A traveller disinfects his hands at a station set up by German state rail carrier Deutsche Bahn at Hauptbahnhof main railway station during the coronavirus pandemic in Berlin. Getty Images
People have a drink after work while following social-distancing rules imposed to limit the spread of the coronavirus disease, in Stockholm, Sweden. Reuters
People have a drink after work while following social-distancing rules imposed to limit the spread of the coronavirus disease, in Stockholm, Sweden. Reuters
Circus performers of the Association of Circus Proprietors outside Downing Street, London. The association handed a petition to Downing Street asking British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to allow circuses to reopen. EPA
Circus performers of the Association of Circus Proprietors outside Downing Street, London. The association handed a petition to Downing Street asking British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to allow circuses to reopen. EPA

Coronavirus

EU-approved vaccines effective against Delta variant

Medicines regulator says two doses are protective against the Delta strain

Jamie Prentis
Jamie Prentis

July 01, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

The four Covid-19 vaccines approved by the EU offer protection against the Delta variant and other strains of the virus prevalent in Europe, the bloc’s medicines regulator said on Thursday.

The World Health Organisation has said that the highly infectious Delta variant, first detected in India, could be the dominant strain of the virus in Europe by August.

Marco Cavaleri, the head of vaccine strategy at the European Medicines Agency, said the EU body was "aware of concerns caused by the rapid spread of the Delta variant.”

Read more

Delta variant accounts for half of Germany's new coronavirus cases

"Right now it seems that the four vaccines approved in the European Union are protecting against all the strains circulating in Europe, including the Delta variant", he said

"Emerging data from real world evidence are showing that two doses of vaccines are protective against the Delta variant."

The Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson shots are approved for use in the bloc.

Mr Cavaleri cautioned that a number of variants had emerged in recent months and called on vaccine manufacturers to check that their products protected against new strains.

"Now there is the so-called Delta Plus variant, which is the Delta variant with an additional mutation in the spike protein, that is also important and we need to check that as well”, he said.

The WHO’s Europe director Hans Kluge said on Thursday that cases had risen in the region by 10 per cent in the past week after two months of decline.

“The three conditions for a new wave of excess hospitalizations and deaths before the autumn are therefore in place: new variants, deficit in vaccine uptake, increased social mixing”, he told reporters.

“There will be a new wave in the WHO European region unless we remain disciplined," he said, adding that it was even more important when there are fewer rules in place to follow. He also urged people to get vaccinated without hesitating.

The WHO’s Europe region is made up of 53 countries and territories, including some in Central Asia.

Around 63 per cent of people in the region are still waiting for their first shot, Mr Kluge said.

THE BIO

Favourite holiday destination: Whenever I have any free time I always go back to see my family in Caltra, Galway, it’s the only place I can properly relax.

Favourite film: The Way, starring Martin Sheen. It’s about the Camino de Santiago walk from France to Spain.

Personal motto: If something’s meant for you it won’t pass you by.

SHOW COURTS ORDER OF PLAY

Centre Court (4pm UAE/12pm GMT)
Victoria Azarenka (BLR) v Heather Watson (GBR)
Rafael Nadal (ESP x4) v Karen Khachanov (RUS x30)
Andy Murray (GBR x1) v Fabio Fognini (ITA x28)

Court 1 (4pm UAE)
Steve Johnson (USA x26) v Marin Cilic (CRO x7)
Johanna Konta (GBR x6) v Maria Sakkari (GRE)
Naomi Osaka (JPN) v Venus Williams (USA x10)

Court 2 (2.30pm UAE)
Aljaz Bedene (GBR) v Gilles Muller (LUX x16)
Peng Shuai (CHN) v Simona Halep (ROM x2)
Jelena Ostapenko (LAT x13) v Camila Giorgi (ITA)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA x12) v Sam Querrey (USA x24)

Court 3 (2.30pm UAE)
Kei Nishikori (JPN x9) v Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP x18)
Carina Witthoeft (GER) v Elina Svitolina (UKR x4)

Court 12 (2.30pm UAE)
Dominika Cibulkova (SVK x8) v Ana Konjuh (CRO x27)
Kevin Anderson (RSA) v Ruben Bemelmans (BEL)

Court 18 (2.30pm UAE)
Caroline Garcia (FRA x21) v Madison Brengle (USA)
Benoit Paire (FRA) v Jerzy Janowicz (POL)

The biog

Name: Mohammed Imtiaz

From: Gujranwala, Pakistan

Arrived in the UAE: 1976

Favourite clothes to make: Suit

Cost of a hand-made suit: From Dh550

 

More about Middle East geopolitics
The%20Sandman
%3Cp%3ECreators%3A%20Neil%20Gaiman%2C%20David%20Goyer%2C%20Allan%20Heinberg%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStars%3A%20Tom%20Sturridge%2C%20Boyd%20Holbrook%2C%20Jenna%20Coleman%20and%20Gwendoline%20Christie%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Squads

India: Kohli (c), Rahul, Shaw, Agarwal, Pujara, Rahane, Vihari, Pant (wk), Ashwin, Jadeja, Kuldeep, Shami, Umesh, Siraj, Thakur

West Indies: Holder (c), Ambris, Bishoo, Brathwaite, Chase, Dowrich (wk), Gabriel, Hamilton, Hetmyer, Hope, Lewis, Paul, Powell, Roach, Warrican, Joseph

ELIO

Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett

Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5

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Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea
While you're here
On Women's Day
The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo

Power: 178hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 280Nm at 1,350-4,200rpm

Transmission: seven-speed dual-clutch auto

Price: from Dh209,000 

On sale: now

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Updated: July 01, 2021, 3:18 PM`
Coronavirus