WORLD

Of all places, the news of this democratic decline was recently reported in the New York Times. According to data from V-Dem, the US and its allies (defined as countries with a formal or implied mutual defense commitment) have accounted for only 5% of worldwide increases in democracy in the …

The FDA approved Pfizer/BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine for people aged 16 and over in August, and, last month, extended its emergency-use authorization to children as young as five. This week, FDA regulators are expected to permit booster doses of Pfizer’s product for adults aged 18 and over. When a group of …

“I have instructed that no one from MSNBC news will be permitted in this building, for the duration of this trial,” Judge Bruce Schroeder said on Thursday. Following a jury bus is an “extremely serious matter and will be referred to the proper authorities,” he added. Schroeder identified by name …

While the US currently opposes controls on orbital arms, the shifting balance of power means that it would likely do well to reconsider. The test in question, confirmed by Moscow on Tuesday, destroyed an old, inoperable Soviet reconnaissance satellite, with Washington blasting the operation as “irresponsible” and “reckless” over the …

Speaking in Warsaw, Seehofer said Germany would contribute to humanitarian efforts to help the migrants on the Belarus side of the border, but has not offered and will not offer to receive any of the estimated 7,000 people. He called such reports “false information.” “What we will not do is take …

Speaking at the ‘Sarajevo Migration Dialogue’ on Thursday, Interior Minister Ales Hojs said EU countries were preoccupied recently with the coronavirus pandemic, the fall of the government in Afghanistan, and now a migrant crisis on the Poland-Belarus border, which he said was a hybrid war waged by Minsk against the …

In a statement on Thursday, AstraZeneca cemented its lead in the race to develop and market a preventative Covid-19 drug, which is delivered as a shot in the arm.  The drug, named AZD7442, reduces the risk of symptomatic Covid-19 by 83% over the course of six months, according to data …

Authorities fear that in reality the figure is even higher, as not all cases are immediately reported or detected. Just a week ago, the number of daily infections across Germany surpassed the 50,000 mark. Among the country’s Covid hotspots are Thuringia, Saxony and Bavaria. In the latter region, hospitals are …

Speaking to Russian daily Komsomolskaya Pravda, Communist head Gennady Zyuganov called for Rashkin to keep his parliamentary immunity, citing the MP’s willingness to talk to investigators and attend questioning. For an MP to lose their immunity, the prosecutor must request it from Parliament, who must then approve it by vote. …

Speaking on Wednesday, Lithuania’s top diplomat Gabrielius Landsbergis expressed concerns over the telephone conversation between Merkel and President Alexander Lukashenko which took place earlier this week. According to Landsbergis, the discussions were dangerous as the long-time Belarusian leader could use the opportunity “to legitimize himself.” He claimed that Lukashenko “will …