Sinopharm jab will also be added to Covax programme for the developing world in the coming weeksThe World Health Organization has given emergency use approval to one of the Chinese-made Sinopharm’s Covid-19 vaccines in a major boost to the product’s credibility.The long-awaited decision made on Friday by a WHO technical advisory group would also see the Chinese vaccine being included in the...

India has been added to the UK’s ‘red list’ for travel, with fears over a new variant influencing the decisionCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageIndia has been put on the UK’s “red list” for travel as it battles a devastating rise in infections and new variants of coronavirus that have spread to other countries, including the UK. One of these variants is...

French president says US and UK should start exporting doses around the world insteadCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageEmmanuel Macron has echoed the German government’s concerns over Joe Biden’s proposed suspension of intellectual property rights for Covid-19 vaccines as he urged the US and the UK to instead start exporting doses around the world.Arriving at an EU...

Could it be that I, a committed extrovert who talks to strangers, had become an introvert during the pandemic?To quote James Brown: I feel good, I knew that I would. Britain has opened up. Into a restaurant I leap, on to a beautician’s bed I spring, and into a shop I hop, to try on sunglasses and flirt with the salesperson, who is almost certainly reciprocating for money. Still, in-person...

I found a ball of mud with something pointy sticking out the top. I ran into the kitchen screaming. I was so excitedI love digging in the back garden; I’ve been doing it for ages. When I was younger, I hoped to reach other countries, or at least get to my neighbour’s back garden. During lockdown me and my mummy started digging in the flowerbeds together.Sometimes, I’d dig for pottery and...

Education secretary says lockdown easing measure will go ahead despite protests from unions and othersCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageRules requiring secondary school pupils in England to wear masks are to be scrapped, the education secretary has said, despite pleas by teaching unions and others for them to remain compulsory for longer.Gavin Williamson confirmed the...

Government admits restrictions that had been due to end on 11 May have failed to stop rising infectionsSee all our coronavirus coverageJapan is to extend a coronavirus state of emergency in Tokyo and three other areas until at least the end of the month in an attempt to arrest a surge in cases less than 80 days before the start of the Olympics.The economy minister, Yasutoshi Nishimura, conceded on...

Defense secretary is hopeful the rocket will land in the ocean; Aerospace Corp said it expects the debris to hit the Pacific near the equatorThe US military has no plan to shoot down the remnants of a large Chinese rocket expected to plunge back through the atmosphere this weekend, the defense secretary said on Thursday.Speaking with reporters, Lloyd Austin said the hope was the rocket would land...

Expansion follows advice to allow more people to opt out of the AstraZeneca shot over clotting fearsCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageA choice of Covid vaccines is to be extended from the under-30s to anyone up to the age of 40, after a recommendation by the government’s advisory body to allow more people to opt out of the AstraZeneca shot, which has been linked to...