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AstraZeneca starts new COVID-19 prevention trials of antibody cocktail

LONDON: AstraZeneca started late-stage trials on Saturday of an experimental long-acting monoclonal antibody combination drug it hopes could be used as a so-called prophylactic to prevent COVID-19 infection in at-risk people for up to 12 months. The Phase III international clinical trial will recruit a total of 5,000 people across countries in Europe and the United States to assess the safety and effectiveness of the antibody cocktail, known as AZD7442. The prophylactic treatment differs from a vaccine in that it introduces antibodies, rather than prompting the body’s immune system to make them. It may prove useful in people whose immune systems are weaker or compromised, and who don’t respond to vaccination. Separately, AstraZeneca is developing a COVID-19 vaccine in conjunction with researchers at Oxford University. In Britain, where the trials of the monoclonal antibody combination kicked off on Saturday, 1,000 participants will be recruited at nine sites, researchers leading th
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Federal govt to bring ordinance to give strict punishments to rapists

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided to bring an ordinance for pronouncing strict punishments to the rape convicts, ARY News reported on Saturday. The decision was taken in a session of the government’s legal team which was chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan where he was given a briefing over the legal procedures to pronounce penalties to the rapists and regulations for the protection of witnesses. While addressing the session, PM Imran Khan said that the authorities will have to bring up a plan for curbing rape incidents and any delay in its legislation will be disastrous for the country. Sources told ARY News that PM Khan refused to give more time to the legal team for the lawmaking. He directed the legal team to work day and night to finalise the legislation. Read: Government to establish sex offenders’ database: PM Imran Khan The premier said that justice must be provided to the victims through the speedy trial of rape cases. The meeting was attended by Federal Mi
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Police raids Nawabshah private jail, recovers 32 detainees

NAWABSHAH: Police in a raid at an alleged private jail recovered 32 peasants languishing in detention camp, ARY News reported on Saturday. Nawabshah’s B-Section and Baluja police station contingent conducted raid at an alleged private jail of an influential landlord, according to police officials. The peasants recovered from the private detention camp were produced in the sessions court, which ordered the police to release the recovered persons, police officials said. In previous month police had conducted raid at another private detention camp in Matiari district, which was constructed over a brick kiln in the area where the suspects had reportedly detained 15 persons forcefully. The suspects behind the private make-shift jail construction and the capture of 15 individuals were fled from the scene, the police said. Reports about bonded-labourers camps frequently surface in media in the past. Bonded labour has been outlawed in Pakistan and most other affected countries in line wi
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Meet the elderly women committed to saving Karachi’s mangroves

Elderly women of a coastal village in Karachi have taken it upon themselves to conserve mangroves along the coastline, a step that can be essential in saving Karachi from the perils of rising sea-levels. Mangroves are popularly referred to as the ‘lungs’ of Karachi, a city that thrives along a coastline that is rapidly being damaged thanks to land reclamation. The shrub-like forests have long shielded Karachi from tidal floods and provided shoreline stability while also serving as a breeding ground for a variety of marine life. They have also provided villagers with firewood and fodder for livestock. However, the mangrove spread is rapidly declining; in the 1950s they covered an estimated area of 350,000 hectares and by the 1990s they covered just about 86,000 hectares. Now, the women of the nearby village of Kakapir are stepping up to the task. Talking to Hina Deedar for ARY News, 72-year-old Sughrana Haji shared how she has been working hard with other women of the village to con
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COVID-19: AJK to impose complete lockdown from midnight to contain virus spread

MUZAFFARABAD: Complete lockdown will be enforced across Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) from midnight tonight for fifteen days to curtail the spread of the COVID-19, ARY News reported on Saturday.  This decision came during a meeting of the AJK cabinet that met on Tuesday with Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider in the chair. The meeting was briefed that the coronavirus situation in the valley has worsened as Covid-19 positivity rate has gone up to 19 per cent. Traders in Mirpur staged a protest against the decision of the administration. They said that they incurred many losses during the initial lockdown, adding that they cannot afford to close their shops again. They said that they should be allowed to open their shops and ensure the implementation of all SOPs. Read more: Two AJK ministers tested positive with spike in COVID-19 cases There would be a complete lockdown in all AJK districts with a ban on weddings and other gatherings. All schools and businesses will remain shut durin
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Pakistan strongly condemns rocket attacks at Kabul city

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has strongly condemned the rocket attacks at Kabul city which resulted in the loss of precious lives and injuries to many, ARY News reported on Saturday. The Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson said in a statement, “We convey our heartfelt condolences to the families of all those who lost their lives and pray for the early and complete recovery of the injured.” “At a time when international community’s efforts towards Afghan peace process are moving forward it is important to be vigilant against the spoilers who are working to undermine the peace efforts.” Pakistan reiterates its condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We express our full solidarity and support for Afghanistan and its fraternal people, added the FO spokesperson. Earlier in the day, police officials said that several rockets hit residential areas in the early rush hour in the Afghan capital Kabul on Saturday, killing at least three civilians and wounding a dozen more. The e
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Bank loans case: Arrest warrant of Nawaz Sharif’s cousins issued

LAHORE: A banking court has issued arrest warrant of Nawaz Sharif’s cousins in the case related to defaulting on bank loans worth Rs700 million, ARY News reported on Saturday. The court ordered authorities to produce the accused including Shahid Shafi, Tariq Shafi, Javed Shafi, Ali Pervaiz and Ibrahim Tariq in the next hearing on November 27. The arrest warrant was issued by the court over their continuous absence in the hearings. Earlier on November 6, the banking court had summoned cousins of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on November 20 for indicting them, however, they did not show up. On September 24, a banking court had issued non-bailable arrest warrants to the accused of not complying with the orders in cases against them for allegedly defaulting on bank loans. Tariq Shafi, Javed Shafi and others had been nominated in the petition filed by the banks. It stated that the loans were not being cleared by the accused persons for many years. It sought orders for initiating l
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