International

AstraZeneca says its Coronavirus vaccine is highly effective

Yesterday, pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca announced that its COVID-19 vaccine prototype is highly effective. Giving people hope that an accessible, inexpensive and easily stored vaccine will soon be available.

AstraZeneca is the third company to deliver encouraging results from a vaccine prototype. Unlike the other vaccines, the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine does not have to be stored in cold temperatures. Therefore, its distribution would be easier, especially in developing countries.

In one of the tested doses, the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine proved to be 90% effective in preventing the Coronavirus. Pfizer and Moderna have also announced positive preliminary results, detailing that their proposals are nearly 95% effective.

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International

Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power

Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.

The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.

Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.

Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.

The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.

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Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.

Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.

In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.

International

Man Arrested After Vehicle Crashes Into Jewish Institution in Brooklyn

New York City police are investigating a possible hate crime after a vehicle crashed into an Orthodox Jewish center on Wednesday, according to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.

Officers arrested a man after he repeatedly rammed the rear entrance of the global headquarters of Chabad-Lubavitchin Brooklyn, Tisch told reporters. Images circulating online show the driver crashing into the building’s entrance, reversing, and striking it again.

No injuries were reported, the police commissioner confirmed.

In response to the incident, authorities have significantly increased security around places of worship across the city, including the deployment of counterterrorism and bomb squad units, Tisch added.

New York City, home to the largest Jewish population outside Israel, remains on high alert amid a rise in reports of antisemitic incidents.

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Mayor Zohran Mamdani described the crash as “deeply alarming.”

“Any threat to a Jewish institution or place of worship must be taken seriously. Antisemitism has no place in our city, and violence or intimidation against Jewish New Yorkers is unacceptable,” the mayor wrote on social media platform X.

International

Football Fan Killed in Clashes After Colombian League Match

Fans of Cúcuta Deportivo and their traditional rivals Atlético Bucaramanga clashed outside the stadium following their local league match on Tuesday, leaving one supporter dead and several others injured.

The deceased fan was stabbed, according to a senior police official in Cúcuta who confirmed the cause of death in a video statement. Local media reported that the victim was a supporter of the visiting team, Atlético Bucaramanga.

The match ended in a 2-2 draw. Authorities had banned the entry of Atlético Bucaramanga’s organized supporters into the stadium in an effort to prevent disturbances.

Despite the restrictions, violence broke out in the surrounding areas after the game. Among the injured were three police officers, an institutional source told AFP.

The incident adds to a series of recent violent episodes linked to Colombian football. The most recent occurred in December, when supporters of Atlético Nacional and Independiente Medellín clashed in the stands and on the pitch, leaving 59 people injured.