According to reports, International Air Transport Association (IATA) is set to launch a digital "health passport" in order boost international air travel which has been hit hard due to coronavirus as various companies look to rollout out <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/covid-19-one-crore-frontline-healthcare-workers-identified-to-receive-the-vaccine-in-the-first-phase-345077">vaccines</a> in the coming months.

Watch:

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The new "passport" will enable passengers to convey the test results to authorities in the airlines with travel pass pilot project scheduled for later in the year.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boris-johnson-says-escape-route-from-coronavirus-in-sight-344966">Also Read:&nbsp;Boris Johnson says 'escape route' from coronavirus 'in sight'</a>

Also Read: China to allow international experts to probe COVID-19 origin

IATA director general Alexandre de Juniac said: “Testing is the first key to enable international travel without quarantine measures. The second key is the global information infrastructure needed to securely manage, share and verify test data matched with traveller identities in compliance with border control requirements. That’s the job of IATA Travel Pass.”

IATA said it is in the "final stages" of developing the digital health pass. The global travel body said that it can be used to record <a href="Organisers optimistic for Australian Open despite coronavirus measures">COVID-19</a> tests or vaccinations and will "support the safe reopening of borders".

The app reportedly will use block-chain technology and won’t store data in order to ensure privacy of users.

IATA director general said: "We are bringing this to market in the coming months to also meet the needs of the various travel bubbles and public health corridors that are starting operation."

Meanwhile, Australian airline Qantas Alan Joyce international travellers would need to be vaccinated against coronavirus to fly.

"We are looking at changing our terms and conditions to say for international travellers that we will ask people to have a vaccination before they can get on the aircraft," CEO Alan Joyce said. 
&nbsp; 
IATA had earlier predicted 66 per cent drop in global air traffic in 2020 and said it will drop 46 per cent next year compared to 2019.

According to reports, International Air Transport Association (IATA) is set to launch a digital "health passport" in order boost international air travel which has been hit hard due to coronavirus as various companies look to rollout out vaccines in the coming months.

According to reports, International Air Transport Association (IATA) is set to launch a digital "health passport" in order boost international air travel which has been hit hard due to coronavirus as various companies look to rollout out vaccines in the coming months. Watch: The new "passport" will enable passengers to convey the test results to authorities in the airlines with travel pass pilot project scheduled for later in the year. Also Read: Boris Johnson says 'escape route' from coronavirus 'in sight' Also Read: China to allow international experts to probe COVID-19 origin IATA director general Alexandre de Juniac said: “Testing is the first key to enable international travel without quarantine measures. The second key is the global information infrastructure needed to securely manage, share and verify test data matched with traveller identities in compliance with border control requirements. That’s the job of IATA Travel Pass.” IATA said it is in the "final stages" of developing the digital health pass. The global travel body said that it can be used to record COVID-19 tests or vaccinations and will "support the safe reopening of borders". The app reportedly will use block-chain technology and won’t store data in order to ensure privacy of users. IATA director general said: "We are bringing this to market in the coming months to also meet the needs of the various travel bubbles and public health corridors that are starting operation." Meanwhile, Australian airline Qantas Alan Joyce international travellers would need to be vaccinated against coronavirus to fly. "We are looking at changing our terms and conditions to say for international travellers that we will ask people to have a vaccination before they can get on the aircraft," CEO Alan Joyce said. IATA had earlier predicted 66 per cent drop in global air traffic in 2020 and said it will drop 46 per cent next year compared to 2019.

IATA set to rollout 'COVID-19 passport' to support 'safe reopening of borders'

At first, New York City officials tracked the resurgence of the coronavirus to a few neighbourhoods in the city with large populations of Orthodox Jewish residents.

Then, those hot spots began to expand, leading to restrictions. But now, the coronavirus is spreading through the entire city, with cases surging in beachfront communities in Staten Island and corners of the Bronx, and seeding new outbreaks in parts of Queens that were among the hardest-hit areas during the peak of the virus in the spring.

The number of new cases has climbed to the point where officials are struggling to untangle chains of transmission and make sense of how the virus is spreading. Now they are facing the reality that they are dealing with a surge that will linger for weeks, if not months.

“Just a matter of time,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said of new restrictions on indoor activities and businesses at his news conference Thursday.

After a summer of dwindling transmission, New York City is in the grips of a second wave.

On Wednesday, after the seven-day rolling average positivity rate in the city hit 3%, de Blasio ordered the closing of public schools and hinted that other changes were coming. On the same day, Gov. Andrew Cuomo warned that citywide restrictions on mass gatherings, indoor dining and houses of worship could follow in the coming weeks if the numbers continued to worsen.

They do each day.

The numbers show a rise across the city

More than 10,000 new cases of the coronavirus have been diagnosed this week. At hospitals, doctors who worked through the surge in the spring are growing anxious once again, as more than 700 people in the city are hospitalized with the virus. This week, there have been 59 deaths in the city.

In numbers released Friday, 40 ZIP codes in the city had a seven-day average positive test rate of more than 4%. Thirteen had rates above 5%.

Queens has been averaging 325 cases a day this week, the most of any borough, according to the city’s data, in areas as varied as Elmhurst and Corona, which have a large number of Latino residents and were struck hard during the outbreak, and Breezy Point, a private beachfront community that is more than 90% white.

While cases are surging, epidemiologists and public health experts do not expect the second wave to be as bad as the first, when ambulance sirens filled the air, emergency rooms overflowed with patients, and more than 20,000 New York City residents died. But there is growing concern.

Last week, a group of health organizations and doctors sent a letter to de Blasio and Cuomo warning that they were waiting too long to impose new restrictions “to reverse the tide of new infections.”

The group, which calls itself the COVID-19 Working Group-New York, had urged de Blasio in early March to impose social distancing measures and restrictions, only to see the city wait, possibly costing thousands of lives. Now the group sees the current hesitancy for new restrictions — including the closures of indoor dining and gyms, which are both thought to give rise to a disproportionate number of infections — as a repeat of the spring.

“As we warned in our previous letter, nonpharmaceutical interventions can only save lives and preserve hospital capacity if the city acts early,” the letter read. “If we wait too long to implement these interventions, as the city did in March, we will suffer the same economic and social costs, but many more New Yorkers will die.”

City health officials begin calling for action

Over the last two weeks, city health officials have put a number of options before the mayor and his aides, according to one city official familiar with the discussions, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

Options included closures of gyms and indoor dining at restaurants and other indoor gathering spots. Another has been for the mayor to simply drastically change his public tone and to encourage people to work from home and avoid indoor dining at restaurants, the official said.

But days kept passing without the mayor taking action. The mayor has largely acquiesced to the idea that restrictions on businesses must come from the governor. Cuomo has stuck to his plan to wait to impose restrictions until the city hits certain statistical thresholds.

Even the one big decision the mayor has made, to close schools, has caused consternation among many parents and some epidemiologists and public health officials who believe public schools should be one of the last institutions to close, not the first.

Little evidence has emerged to suggest that schools in New York City were driving much transmission, which the mayor and his top health officials readily acknowledge. In fact, cases detected among adult staff members at schools have outnumbered those detected among students, easing fears that the city’s public schools would play a major role in spreading the virus.

From microclusters to a citywide surge

As recently as mid-August, the city was averaging under 250 cases a day. Rising transmission in a few corners of the city — the Borough Park neighbourhood of Brooklyn and Far Rockaway, Queens, for instance — led to a rising case count throughout September, prompting Cuomo to impose localized restrictions. Those hot spots, many coinciding with Orthodox Jewish neighbourhoods, seemed to improve in October.

But then the situation began worsening across the entire city. At the end of October and into early November, the case count surged at an accelerating rate, alarming city health officials.

On Friday, de Blasio said that an average of 1,307 new cases a day had been detected over a recent seven-day stretch.

And the numbers that the city releases appear to be an undercount, as New York City’s statistics only include cases diagnosed with a polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, test — considered the gold standard.

Increasingly many people are getting antigen tests, which tend to be faster but are less likely to detect low levels of the virus. New York City does not yet include people who received a positive result through an antigen test in its official counts, contributing to a disparity with the figures released by the state.

New York state, which includes antigen tests in their count, has said that the new case count in New York City has climbed above 1,800 on some days over the last two weeks. The city’s daily count hasn’t surpassed 1,500 this month.

The spread has gotten too big to track

So far, officials have provided only the faintest description about what they have learned about what locations or activities are driving the current transmission.

About 10% of cases of late seem to originate with travel outside of New York, the mayor has said. Another 5% to 10% of cases have been linked through contact tracing “back to gatherings or small events,” said Dr. Ted Long, a senior official with New York City’s Test and Trace program, adding that contact tracing has not turned up any “superspreader events” of late.

Another 5% or so are linked to nursing homes and other group homes, said Dr. Jay Varma, a senior adviser to the mayor.

But officials say they have little sense of where most other infections originated.

The percentage of cases that contact tracers cannot link to a particular event or place has been increasing as the numbers get worse, officials say.

No consensus on what to do

There is hardly unanimity from outside experts about how to respond to the spread, although most agree it’s time for action.

“We need to be ahead of the curve and not be quite so slow in acting on our information,” said Dr. Jessica Justman, an epidemiology professor at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University.

In interviews, epidemiologists proposed a range of options the city should be considering, from shutting down gyms and tightening up quarantines for travelers to more comprehensive public health advice that went beyond exhortations to wear masks and wash hands.

Denis Nash, a former health department official and professor of epidemiology at the City University of New York’s School of Public Health, said that it was time for the public health advice to grow more nuanced.

“I’ve been struck by the lack of harm-reduction language,” he said.

Kitaw Demissie, who is dean of the School of Public Health at State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, in Brooklyn, said that many infections seemed tied to small group gatherings of friends and family — and that reducing transmission required finding ways to convince people to wear masks indoors more often.

“Changing behavior is very, very challenging,” he said, but added that public health officials could be offering more nuanced advice. If people were going to gather for Thanksgiving, for instance, there was no need to eat together at the table — why not encourage them to spread out around the kitchen and living room?

“I’m shocked that City Hall seems to have learned so little from what happened in March,” said James Krellenstein, an HIV activist and member of the COVID-19 working group who helped organize the Working Group-New York letters. “We don’t have time in an epidemic to dither.”

At first, New York City officials tracked the resurgence of the coronavirus to a few neighbourhoods in the city with large populations of Orthodox Jewish residents.

At first, New York City officials tracked the resurgence of the coronavirus to a few neighbourhoods in the city with large populations of Orthodox Jewish residents. Then, those hot spots began to expand, leading to restrictions. But now, the coronavirus is spreading through the entire city, with cases surging in beachfront communities in Staten Island and corners of the Bronx, and seeding new outbreaks in parts of Queens that were among the hardest-hit areas during the peak of the virus in the spring. The number of new cases has climbed to the point where officials are struggling to untangle chains of transmission and make sense of how the virus is spreading. Now they are facing the reality that they are dealing with a surge that will linger for weeks, if not months. “Just a matter of time,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said of new restrictions on indoor activities and businesses at his news conference Thursday. After a summer of dwindling transmission, New York City is in the grips of a second wave. On Wednesday, after the seven-day rolling average positivity rate in the city hit 3%, de Blasio ordered the closing of public schools and hinted that other changes were coming. On the same day, Gov. Andrew Cuomo warned that citywide restrictions on mass gatherings, indoor dining and houses of worship could follow in the coming weeks if the numbers continued to worsen. They do each day. The numbers show a rise across the city More than 10,000 new cases of the coronavirus have been diagnosed this week. At hospitals, doctors who worked through the surge in the spring are growing anxious once again, as more than 700 people in the city are hospitalized with the virus. This week, there have been 59 deaths in the city. In numbers released Friday, 40 ZIP codes in the city had a seven-day average positive test rate of more than 4%. Thirteen had rates above 5%. Queens has been averaging 325 cases a day this week, the most of any borough, according to the city’s data, in areas as varied as Elmhurst and Corona, which have a large number of Latino residents and were struck hard during the outbreak, and Breezy Point, a private beachfront community that is more than 90% white. While cases are surging, epidemiologists and public health experts do not expect the second wave to be as bad as the first, when ambulance sirens filled the air, emergency rooms overflowed with patients, and more than 20,000 New York City residents died. But there is growing concern. Last week, a group of health organizations and doctors sent a letter to de Blasio and Cuomo warning that they were waiting too long to impose new restrictions “to reverse the tide of new infections.” The group, which calls itself the COVID-19 Working Group-New York, had urged de Blasio in early March to impose social distancing measures and restrictions, only to see the city wait, possibly costing thousands of lives. Now the group sees the current hesitancy for new restrictions — including the closures of indoor dining and gyms, which are both thought to give rise to a disproportionate number of infections — as a repeat of the spring. “As we warned in our previous letter, nonpharmaceutical interventions can only save lives and preserve hospital capacity if the city acts early,” the letter read. “If we wait too long to implement these interventions, as the city did in March, we will suffer the same economic and social costs, but many more New Yorkers will die.” City health officials begin calling for action Over the last two weeks, city health officials have put a number of options before the mayor and his aides, according to one city official familiar with the discussions, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. Options included closures of gyms and indoor dining at restaurants and other indoor gathering spots. Another has been for the mayor to simply drastically change his public tone and to encourage people to work from home and avoid indoor dining at restaurants, the official said. But days kept passing without the mayor taking action. The mayor has largely acquiesced to the idea that restrictions on businesses must come from the governor. Cuomo has stuck to his plan to wait to impose restrictions until the city hits certain statistical thresholds. Even the one big decision the mayor has made, to close schools, has caused consternation among many parents and some epidemiologists and public health officials who believe public schools should be one of the last institutions to close, not the first. Little evidence has emerged to suggest that schools in New York City were driving much transmission, which the mayor and his top health officials readily acknowledge. In fact, cases detected among adult staff members at schools have outnumbered those detected among students, easing fears that the city’s public schools would play a major role in spreading the virus. From microclusters to a citywide surge As recently as mid-August, the city was averaging under 250 cases a day. Rising transmission in a few corners of the city — the Borough Park neighbourhood of Brooklyn and Far Rockaway, Queens, for instance — led to a rising case count throughout September, prompting Cuomo to impose localized restrictions. Those hot spots, many coinciding with Orthodox Jewish neighbourhoods, seemed to improve in October. But then the situation began worsening across the entire city. At the end of October and into early November, the case count surged at an accelerating rate, alarming city health officials. On Friday, de Blasio said that an average of 1,307 new cases a day had been detected over a recent seven-day stretch. And the numbers that the city releases appear to be an undercount, as New York City’s statistics only include cases diagnosed with a polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, test — considered the gold standard. Increasingly many people are getting antigen tests, which tend to be faster but are less likely to detect low levels of the virus. New York City does not yet include people who received a positive result through an antigen test in its official counts, contributing to a disparity with the figures released by the state. New York state, which includes antigen tests in their count, has said that the new case count in New York City has climbed above 1,800 on some days over the last two weeks. The city’s daily count hasn’t surpassed 1,500 this month. The spread has gotten too big to track So far, officials have provided only the faintest description about what they have learned about what locations or activities are driving the current transmission. About 10% of cases of late seem to originate with travel outside of New York, the mayor has said. Another 5% to 10% of cases have been linked through contact tracing “back to gatherings or small events,” said Dr. Ted Long, a senior official with New York City’s Test and Trace program, adding that contact tracing has not turned up any “superspreader events” of late. Another 5% or so are linked to nursing homes and other group homes, said Dr. Jay Varma, a senior adviser to the mayor. But officials say they have little sense of where most other infections originated. The percentage of cases that contact tracers cannot link to a particular event or place has been increasing as the numbers get worse, officials say. No consensus on what to do There is hardly unanimity from outside experts about how to respond to the spread, although most agree it’s time for action. “We need to be ahead of the curve and not be quite so slow in acting on our information,” said Dr. Jessica Justman, an epidemiology professor at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. In interviews, epidemiologists proposed a range of options the city should be considering, from shutting down gyms and tightening up quarantines for travelers to more comprehensive public health advice that went beyond exhortations to wear masks and wash hands. Denis Nash, a former health department official and professor of epidemiology at the City University of New York’s School of Public Health, said that it was time for the public health advice to grow more nuanced. “I’ve been struck by the lack of harm-reduction language,” he said. Kitaw Demissie, who is dean of the School of Public Health at State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, in Brooklyn, said that many infections seemed tied to small group gatherings of friends and family — and that reducing transmission required finding ways to convince people to wear masks indoors more often. “Changing behavior is very, very challenging,” he said, but added that public health officials could be offering more nuanced advice. If people were going to gather for Thanksgiving, for instance, there was no need to eat together at the table — why not encourage them to spread out around the kitchen and living room? “I’m shocked that City Hall seems to have learned so little from what happened in March,” said James Krellenstein, an HIV activist and member of the COVID-19 working group who helped organize the Working Group-New York letters. “We don’t have time in an epidemic to dither.”

This is how the outbreak is resurging across New York City

Afer US pharma giant <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/despite-vaccine-breakthrough-social-distancing-and-wearing-masks-may-remain-344420">Pfizer</a> submitted its coronavirus vaccine, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said its vaccines committee will meet on December 10 to discuss the request for emergency use authorization.

Watch:&nbsp;

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"The FDA recognizes that transparency and dialogue are critical for the public to have confidence in COVID-19 vaccines," agency head Stephen Hahn said in a statement, adding," I want to assure the American people that the FDA's process and evaluation of the data for a potential COVID-19 vaccine will be as open and transparent as possible."

Pfizer-BioNTech have developed the new <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/coronavirus-vaccine-news-injects-trillions-in-stock-markets-worldwide-344414">vaccine</a> as CEO Albert Bourla said it was a "critical journey" in its bid to combat the virus.

"While we cannot predict how long the FDA's review will take, the FDA will review the request as expeditiously as possible," FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn said.

Pfizer had applied to the FDA on Friday for emergency use authorization (EUA) of its coronavirus vaccine after it said the vaccine was 95 per cent effective in preventing the virus with no side effects.

It is unclear how long the FDA will take to clear the vaccine, however, reports say it could give its green signal by mid-December.

Pfizer said it expects to produce 50 million vaccine doses this year to administer 25 million people.

CEO Bourla said: "Filing in the US represents a critical milestone in our journey to deliver a COVID-19 vaccine to the world and we now have a more complete picture of both the efficacy and safety profile of our vaccine."

Afer US pharma giant Pfizer submitted its coronavirus vaccine, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said its vaccines committee will meet on December 10 to discuss the request for emergency use authorization.

Afer US pharma giant Pfizer submitted its coronavirus vaccine, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said its vaccines committee will meet on December 10 to discuss the request for emergency use authorization. Watch: "The FDA recognizes that transparency and dialogue are critical for the public to have confidence in COVID-19 vaccines," agency head Stephen Hahn said in a statement, adding," I want to assure the American people that the FDA's process and evaluation of the data for a potential COVID-19 vaccine will be as open and transparent as possible." Pfizer-BioNTech have developed the new vaccine as CEO Albert Bourla said it was a "critical journey" in its bid to combat the virus. "While we cannot predict how long the FDA's review will take, the FDA will review the request as expeditiously as possible," FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn said. Pfizer had applied to the FDA on Friday for emergency use authorization (EUA) of its coronavirus vaccine after it said the vaccine was 95 per cent effective in preventing the virus with no side effects. It is unclear how long the FDA will take to clear the vaccine, however, reports say it could give its green signal by mid-December. Pfizer said it expects to produce 50 million vaccine doses this year to administer 25 million people. CEO Bourla said: "Filing in the US represents a critical milestone in our journey to deliver a COVID-19 vaccine to the world and we now have a more complete picture of both the efficacy and safety profile of our vaccine."

FDA sets December 10 meeting to discuss Pfizer's vaccine authorization bid

After Saudi King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud opened the virtual <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-king-opens-g20-summit-pandemic-dominates-meet-344564">G20</a> Riyadh Summit, President Vladimir Putin&nbsp;in his remarks said Russia is "naturally ready to provide vaccines" developed by its scientists.

Watch:

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"This is the first registered vaccine Sputnik V, on the platform of the adenoviral vectors of a human," the Russian president said, adding, "the second Russian vaccine EpiVac Corona created by a scientific center in Novosibirsk is also ready."

The Russian president told the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/saudi-rushes-to-improve-its-image-in-advance-of-g20-and-biden-344465">G20</a> nations that a "third vaccine" is also coming.

"The scale of the pandemic obliges us to use all the available resources and scientific information. Our common goal is to form a portfolio of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/counter-terror-covid-19-crisis-black-money-issue-to-be-our-focus-at-g20-virtual-summit-indias-sherpa-suresh-prabhu-343780">vaccines</a> and secure safety for the global population," <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/now-putin-coughs-repeatedly-during-televised-covid-19-conference-344334">Putin</a>&nbsp;said during the virtual summit.

Chinese President Xi Jinping speaking at the summit from Beijing, said: "G20 has taken swift actions in the wake of COVID-19, at the extraordinary summit earlier this year, we agreed to step up cooperation to fight the pandemic."

The Chinese president reminded the summit that industrial and supply chains should remain open which was agreed upon earlier and lauded G20's role in the "global battle" against the virus.

"We agreed to advance the R&amp;D in medicines and vaccines, maintain economic and financial stability, &nbsp;these measures have given the world confidence and charted the course for international cooperation against the virus," the Chinese president said.

After Saudi King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud opened the virtual G20 Riyadh Summit, President Vladimir Putin in his remarks said Russia is "naturally ready to provide vaccines" developed by its scientists.

After Saudi King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud opened the virtual G20 Riyadh Summit, President Vladimir Putin in his remarks said Russia is "naturally ready to provide vaccines" developed by its scientists. Watch: "This is the first registered vaccine Sputnik V, on the platform of the adenoviral vectors of a human," the Russian president said, adding, "the second Russian vaccine EpiVac Corona created by a scientific center in Novosibirsk is also ready." The Russian president told the G20 nations that a "third vaccine" is also coming. "The scale of the pandemic obliges us to use all the available resources and scientific information. Our common goal is to form a portfolio of vaccines and secure safety for the global population," Putin said during the virtual summit. Chinese President Xi Jinping speaking at the summit from Beijing, said: "G20 has taken swift actions in the wake of COVID-19, at the extraordinary summit earlier this year, we agreed to step up cooperation to fight the pandemic." The Chinese president reminded the summit that industrial and supply chains should remain open which was agreed upon earlier and lauded G20's role in the "global battle" against the virus. "We agreed to advance the R&D in medicines and vaccines, maintain economic and financial stability, these measures have given the world confidence and charted the course for international cooperation against the virus," the Chinese president said.

G-20 summit: Putin offers Russian coronavirus vaccines; Xi hails COVID-19 battle

US secretary of state <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/mike-pompeo-to-meet-taliban-afghan-negotiators-in-doha-344444">Mike Pompeo </a>arrived in Qatar on Saturday and met negotiators from the Afghan government and the Taliban in Doha.

Watch:

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"I would be most interested in getting your thoughts on how we can increase the probability of a successful outcome", Pompeo said as he met Afghan government officials.

Pompeo's meeting comes as the outgoing Trump administration seeks to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan. Pentagon had said earlier that it would soon pull out nearly 2,000 troops from Afghanistan.

US, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-welcome-us-troop-drawdown-from-afghanistan-as-good-step-343943">Taliban </a>and Afghanistan government officials have been in talks in Doha since September, however, there have been repeated breakdowns with the Taliban's differences with the Afghan government.

The Doha talks had opened after the Taliban and the US government signed a deal in February with the Trump administration agreeing to withdraw foreign forces from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistani-taliban-was-involved-in-helmand-attacks-afghan-interior-minister-spokesperson-to-wion-343535">Afghanistan</a> in exchange for security guarantees. However, attacks by the Taliban have been widespread amid the talks.

The Afghan government has said that the Taliban has killed over 1,200 civilians in suicide attacks this week and has caused 1,250 explosions over the past six months. &nbsp;

The top Trump administration diplomat also met Qatar's ruler, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and foreign minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani.

Pompeo held talks on defence and counterterrorism issues with Qatar officials.

Pompeo is on a &nbsp;seven-nation tour of Europe and the Middle East. 
&nbsp;

US secretary of state Mike Pompeo arrived in Qatar on Saturday and met negotiators from the Afghan government and the Taliban in Doha. Watch: "I would be most interested in getting your thoughts on how we can increase the probability of a successful outcome", Pompeo said as he met Afghan government officials.

US secretary of state Mike Pompeo arrived in Qatar on Saturday and met negotiators from the Afghan government and the Taliban in Doha. Watch: "I would be most interested in getting your thoughts on how we can increase the probability of a successful outcome", Pompeo said as he met Afghan government officials. Pompeo's meeting comes as the outgoing Trump administration seeks to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan. Pentagon had said earlier that it would soon pull out nearly 2,000 troops from Afghanistan. US, Taliban and Afghanistan government officials have been in talks in Doha since September, however, there have been repeated breakdowns with the Taliban's differences with the Afghan government. The Doha talks had opened after the Taliban and the US government signed a deal in February with the Trump administration agreeing to withdraw foreign forces from Afghanistan in exchange for security guarantees. However, attacks by the Taliban have been widespread amid the talks. The Afghan government has said that the Taliban has killed over 1,200 civilians in suicide attacks this week and has caused 1,250 explosions over the past six months. The top Trump administration diplomat also met Qatar's ruler, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and foreign minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani. Pompeo held talks on defence and counterterrorism issues with Qatar officials. Pompeo is on a seven-nation tour of Europe and the Middle East.

Pompeo meets Taliban, Afghan government officials in Qatar

In August, the World Health Organisation(WHO) had said that a vaccine will be a "vital tool" in the global fight against the virus but it won't end the pandemic on its own.

Firstly, like other viruses, the Wuhan virus too will mutate. The SARS-COV-2 is an RNA virus, so like flu and measles, the Wuhan virus too is more prone to changes and mutations while, a potential vaccine is likely to take into account vast majority of Wuhan virus strains, a random mutation occurs somewhere down the years. Then the vaccine may cease to be effective.

The Wuhan virus is communicable meaning it can be transmitted from one person to another. So while a quarter or half of the population could be vaccinated against the Wuhan virus over the next couple of years, the remaining population will still remain at the risk of catching the virus and transmitting it.

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So going forward, social distancing and masks will remain the norm and other lifestyle changes brought about by the pandemic will remain too and everyone will have to learn to live with the virus at least for some time.

The Wuhan virus was first detected in December in China. At least that's what the officials say, the first case outside China was recorded on January 13, and between the February 11 and 12, the WHO convened a research and innovation forum on the Wuhan virus.

On March, 18 a solidarity trial was launched with the aim of generating data to find the most effective treatments for the Wuhan virus. It is November now, so drugmakers had less than a year to develop the vaccine.

Under normal circumstances, it takes up to 10 years to develop a vaccine. The discovery and research stage alone takes two to five years that period was cut short. Potential Wuhan virus vaccines went into clinical trials as early as March 17 which is just three months into the discovery of the virus.

The speed at which researchers and pharma companies responded to the pandemic is unprecedented and while that's remarkable it also leaves room for future risks. There has not been enough time to test the side effects of the vaccine.

A candidate x or a candidate y may not show side effects after two weeks of being administered but what if there are side effects after a year? These are questions we do not have answers to&nbsp;and these hurdles remain.

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However, there is no reason to not celebrate the potential vaccines. They may not end the pandemic, but they are the most powerful weapon till date in our battle against the Wuhan virus and it will be unfair to expect that this weapon - the vaccines - will come free of cost but given the situation, drug makers have expedited the process, and have delivered potential vaccines in a fraction of that time, less than one-tenth, to be close to precise.

Drugmakers have pooled in all their resources in the middle of a pandemic to come up with a vaccine. It takes approximately $500 million to develop a vaccine.&nbsp;

Drugmakers are estimated to have spent around a billion dollars to develop a Wuhan virus vaccine while there should be no milking of the health crisis expecting drug makers to sell at cost price or below cost price is unfair and could snatch incentives from future rapid vaccine discovery.

In August, the World Health Organisation(WHO) had said that a vaccine will be a "vital tool" in the global fight against the virus but it won't end the pandemic on its own.

In August, the World Health Organisation(WHO) had said that a vaccine will be a "vital tool" in the global fight against the virus but it won't end the pandemic on its own. Firstly, like other viruses, the Wuhan virus too will mutate. The SARS-COV-2 is an RNA virus, so like flu and measles, the Wuhan virus too is more prone to changes and mutations while, a potential vaccine is likely to take into account vast majority of Wuhan virus strains, a random mutation occurs somewhere down the years. Then the vaccine may cease to be effective. The Wuhan virus is communicable meaning it can be transmitted from one person to another. So while a quarter or half of the population could be vaccinated against the Wuhan virus over the next couple of years, the remaining population will still remain at the risk of catching the virus and transmitting it. × So going forward, social distancing and masks will remain the norm and other lifestyle changes brought about by the pandemic will remain too and everyone will have to learn to live with the virus at least for some time. The Wuhan virus was first detected in December in China. At least that's what the officials say, the first case outside China was recorded on January 13, and between the February 11 and 12, the WHO convened a research and innovation forum on the Wuhan virus. On March, 18 a solidarity trial was launched with the aim of generating data to find the most effective treatments for the Wuhan virus. It is November now, so drugmakers had less than a year to develop the vaccine. Under normal circumstances, it takes up to 10 years to develop a vaccine. The discovery and research stage alone takes two to five years that period was cut short. Potential Wuhan virus vaccines went into clinical trials as early as March 17 which is just three months into the discovery of the virus. The speed at which researchers and pharma companies responded to the pandemic is unprecedented and while that's remarkable it also leaves room for future risks. There has not been enough time to test the side effects of the vaccine. A candidate x or a candidate y may not show side effects after two weeks of being administered but what if there are side effects after a year? These are questions we do not have answers to and these hurdles remain. × However, there is no reason to not celebrate the potential vaccines. They may not end the pandemic, but they are the most powerful weapon till date in our battle against the Wuhan virus and it will be unfair to expect that this weapon - the vaccines - will come free of cost but given the situation, drug makers have expedited the process, and have delivered potential vaccines in a fraction of that time, less than one-tenth, to be close to precise. Drugmakers have pooled in all their resources in the middle of a pandemic to come up with a vaccine. It takes approximately $500 million to develop a vaccine. Drugmakers are estimated to have spent around a billion dollars to develop a Wuhan virus vaccine while there should be no milking of the health crisis expecting drug makers to sell at cost price or below cost price is unfair and could snatch incentives from future rapid vaccine discovery.

Despite vaccine breakthrough, social distancing and wearing masks may remain

After 11 months of suffering and more than a million deaths, It could be the beginning of the end to the pandemic.&nbsp;

November has been a good month for vaccine makers and scientists. Pfizer and Biontech reported their results first. They had earlier claimed their vaccine is more than 90 per cent effective&nbsp; 
and after completing the final analysis the company says the vaccine is 95 per cent effective.

Meanwhile, US pharma giant Pfizer has moved US regulators to seek approvals for emergency use for its vaccines. Good news came from Russia too as makers of Sputnik V claimed their vaccine is 92 per cent effective.

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The next results came from Moderna, it said the vaccine is 94.5 per cent effective. The markets have welcomed these developments with open arms. The vaccine makers have injected trillions of dollars into the stock markets this month.

The total value of equity markets around the world touched an all-time high with 95 trillion dollars pumped in. The vaccine news added more than one trillion dollars to the S&amp;P 500 which is the American stock market index that measures the performance of 500 large companies in the US.

The Indian markets have registered significant gains in this period too. There was a sharp fall on Thursday but the larger sentiment remains positive. Stocks of vaccine makers are selling like hot cakes. The stock of bio-tech company Moderna has risen by 376 per cent. Pfizer's partner Biontech stocks rose 157 per cent.

It has been a dream run for Novavax which is another vaccine maker. In October, Novavax stock had jumped by a whopping 2,840 per cent with one share of Novavax valued at four dollars at the beginning of 2020, by October it was priced at 117 dollars and as of today it is dealing at around 86 dollars.

The stocks of Pfizer soared too with Chairman and CEO Albert Bourla cashing out 60 per cent of his own Pfizer stock netting him $5.6 million. It was however pre-arranged since Bourla had earlier expressed his intentions to sell his stock months in advance when the price hit a certain mark while this practice is considered controversial in America, it is legal to arrange such a trade in advance, it is not insider trading.

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A vaccine is perhaps the only sure shot exit strategy for this pandemic without it the worldwide economic impact of the Wuhan virus could be $3.4 trillion a year which is why the success in vaccine development is being welcomed across all quarters.

It could be the beginning of the end but, there are still significant hurdles to cross. The data and claims of these companies need to be vetted and drug regulators will have to clear the vaccines first.&nbsp;

There will be a limited roll out early on, it could take several months for the common man to get a vaccine but with each passing day we are getting one step closer to the shots.

After 11 months of suffering and more than a million deaths, It could be the beginning of the end to the pandemic. November has been a good month for vaccine makers and scientists.

After 11 months of suffering and more than a million deaths, It could be the beginning of the end to the pandemic. November has been a good month for vaccine makers and scientists. Pfizer and Biontech reported their results first. They had earlier claimed their vaccine is more than 90 per cent effective and after completing the final analysis the company says the vaccine is 95 per cent effective. Meanwhile, US pharma giant Pfizer has moved US regulators to seek approvals for emergency use for its vaccines. Good news came from Russia too as makers of Sputnik V claimed their vaccine is 92 per cent effective. × The next results came from Moderna, it said the vaccine is 94.5 per cent effective. The markets have welcomed these developments with open arms. The vaccine makers have injected trillions of dollars into the stock markets this month. The total value of equity markets around the world touched an all-time high with 95 trillion dollars pumped in. The vaccine news added more than one trillion dollars to the S&P 500 which is the American stock market index that measures the performance of 500 large companies in the US. The Indian markets have registered significant gains in this period too. There was a sharp fall on Thursday but the larger sentiment remains positive. Stocks of vaccine makers are selling like hot cakes. The stock of bio-tech company Moderna has risen by 376 per cent. Pfizer's partner Biontech stocks rose 157 per cent. It has been a dream run for Novavax which is another vaccine maker. In October, Novavax stock had jumped by a whopping 2,840 per cent with one share of Novavax valued at four dollars at the beginning of 2020, by October it was priced at 117 dollars and as of today it is dealing at around 86 dollars. The stocks of Pfizer soared too with Chairman and CEO Albert Bourla cashing out 60 per cent of his own Pfizer stock netting him $5.6 million. It was however pre-arranged since Bourla had earlier expressed his intentions to sell his stock months in advance when the price hit a certain mark while this practice is considered controversial in America, it is legal to arrange such a trade in advance, it is not insider trading. × A vaccine is perhaps the only sure shot exit strategy for this pandemic without it the worldwide economic impact of the Wuhan virus could be $3.4 trillion a year which is why the success in vaccine development is being welcomed across all quarters. It could be the beginning of the end but, there are still significant hurdles to cross. The data and claims of these companies need to be vetted and drug regulators will have to clear the vaccines first. There will be a limited roll out early on, it could take several months for the common man to get a vaccine but with each passing day we are getting one step closer to the shots.

Coronavirus vaccine news injects trillions in stock markets worldwide

At least 54 vaccines are in clinical trials with countries and leaders making a beeline to get the vials. Millions of doses have already been pre-booked. There are at least 14 pre-orders for the Astrazeneca-Oxford vaccine with the WHO-led Covax alliance putting in an order as well.

Russian vaccine Sputnik V has eight pre-orders. Asian countries like India, Nepal and Vietnam have made a promise to buy the vaccine. Moderna has eight pre-orders for its vaccine while Pfizer has nine.

According to one estimate, as many as 9.5 billion doses has already reserved well before a vaccine candidate arrives in the market. However, the developed world will get it first.&nbsp;

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The rich countries have grabbed half of the projected supplies. Canada has secured supplies of more than 400 million doses already which is enough to inoculate each Canadian ten times.

Australia and Britain have secured supplies of around five shots for every citizen. The United States can potentially administer three doses to every citizen. The mass hoarding by the developed world reveals a lot like how much do these vaccines cost.

The European Union wants more than 200 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine. The bloc will pay 18 dollars and some change for every shot. The United States is buying the same vaccine for 19 dollars and five cents per dose.&nbsp;

In India, the Oxford vaccine could be sold for a little more than 13 dollars or Rs 1,000 for two doses even at those prices the makers of the Oxford vaccine in India say it will take four years to vaccinate everyone in India.

The vaccines are close to the finish line but -major hurdles still remain. The trials are not yet over with limited manufacturing capacities and mass hoarding which could mean a shortage of supply early on.

Some vaccine makers are promising a roll out by the end of this year. The whole world wants a shot but, many will have to wait.

At least 54 vaccines are in clinical trials with countries and leaders making a beeline to get the vials. Millions of doses have already been pre-booked. There are at least 14 pre-orders for the Astrazeneca-Oxford vaccine with the WHO-led Covax alliance putting in an order as well.

At least 54 vaccines are in clinical trials with countries and leaders making a beeline to get the vials. Millions of doses have already been pre-booked. There are at least 14 pre-orders for the Astrazeneca-Oxford vaccine with the WHO-led Covax alliance putting in an order as well. Russian vaccine Sputnik V has eight pre-orders. Asian countries like India, Nepal and Vietnam have made a promise to buy the vaccine. Moderna has eight pre-orders for its vaccine while Pfizer has nine. According to one estimate, as many as 9.5 billion doses has already reserved well before a vaccine candidate arrives in the market. However, the developed world will get it first. × The rich countries have grabbed half of the projected supplies. Canada has secured supplies of more than 400 million doses already which is enough to inoculate each Canadian ten times. Australia and Britain have secured supplies of around five shots for every citizen. The United States can potentially administer three doses to every citizen. The mass hoarding by the developed world reveals a lot like how much do these vaccines cost. The European Union wants more than 200 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine. The bloc will pay 18 dollars and some change for every shot. The United States is buying the same vaccine for 19 dollars and five cents per dose. In India, the Oxford vaccine could be sold for a little more than 13 dollars or Rs 1,000 for two doses even at those prices the makers of the Oxford vaccine in India say it will take four years to vaccinate everyone in India. The vaccines are close to the finish line but -major hurdles still remain. The trials are not yet over with limited manufacturing capacities and mass hoarding which could mean a shortage of supply early on. Some vaccine makers are promising a roll out by the end of this year. The whole world wants a shot but, many will have to wait.

Amid rush to get vaccine, US, Canada and EU pre-book huge order

According to reports, Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri,69, has died in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-foreign-minister-says-pakistani-terror-groups-have-symbiotic-relations-with-al-qaeda-is-318709">Afghanistan</a>.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/report-says-al-qaedas-no-2-leader-was-killed-in-august-iran-refutes-claim-343091">Also Read:&nbsp;Report says al Qaeda’s No 2 leader was killed in August; Iran refutes claim</a>

However, Al-Qaeda is yet confirm the purported death of al-Zawahiri through its&nbsp;media channels. The Al-Qaeda chief reportedly died of natural causes.&nbsp;According to Arab News, Zawahiri died in Ghazni due to asthma.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/al-qaeda-inspired-28-year-old-terrorist-who-launched-london-bridge-attack-265486">Zawahiri</a> had last appeared in a video message during the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in the United States in September.

Earlier, The New York Times had reported that Al-Qaeda's deputy leader Abdullah Ahmad Abdullah was secretly killed in Tehran in August by two Israeli operatives at the behest of the Trump administration.&nbsp;

al-Zawahiri had succeeded Osama Bin Laden as&nbsp;Al-Qaeda chief after he was killed in a US raid at his hideout in Abbottabad, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistani-leadership-for-islamic-state-al-qaeda-in-south-asia-continues-unsc-report-315974">Pakistan</a> in May 2011. The terror network then elevated the Egyptian veteran of jihad and a key Al-Qaeda ideologue.

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al-Zawahiri who is known to be a physician was the founder of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ).&nbsp;

Hassan Hassan, director of the US-based Center for Global Policy (CGP) said that al-Zawahiri had died a month ago of natural causes but it is still not confirmed.

al-Zawahiri is&nbsp;on the US "most wanted" list of terrorists. The US government has charged him of murdering its nationals including conspiracy to murder US nationals outside the United States.

The US government has offered a reward of up to $25 million for information leading directly to the apprehension or conviction of Ayman Al-Zawahiri.

According to reports, Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri,69, has died in Afghanistan. Also Read: Report says al Qaeda’s No 2 leader was killed in August; Iran refutes claim However, Al-Qaeda is yet confirm the purported death of al-Zawahiri through its media channels.

According to reports, Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri,69, has died in Afghanistan. Also Read: Report says al Qaeda’s No 2 leader was killed in August; Iran refutes claim However, Al-Qaeda is yet confirm the purported death of al-Zawahiri through its media channels. The Al-Qaeda chief reportedly died of natural causes. According to Arab News, Zawahiri died in Ghazni due to asthma. Zawahiri had last appeared in a video message during the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in the United States in September. Earlier, The New York Times had reported that Al-Qaeda's deputy leader Abdullah Ahmad Abdullah was secretly killed in Tehran in August by two Israeli operatives at the behest of the Trump administration. al-Zawahiri had succeeded Osama Bin Laden as Al-Qaeda chief after he was killed in a US raid at his hideout in Abbottabad, Pakistan in May 2011. The terror network then elevated the Egyptian veteran of jihad and a key Al-Qaeda ideologue. × al-Zawahiri who is known to be a physician was the founder of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ). Hassan Hassan, director of the US-based Center for Global Policy (CGP) said that al-Zawahiri had died a month ago of natural causes but it is still not confirmed. al-Zawahiri is on the US "most wanted" list of terrorists. The US government has charged him of murdering its nationals including conspiracy to murder US nationals outside the United States. The US government has offered a reward of up to $25 million for information leading directly to the apprehension or conviction of Ayman Al-Zawahiri.

Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri may have died in Afghanistan: Report

As Europe grapples with the coronavirus pandemic, eastern Europe has become the new hotspot in the fight against the virus with the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland and several other countries dominating the infection rates despite <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/i-miss-the-audience-a-french-performers-life-in-covid-lockdown-344457https://www.wionews.com/world/pfizer-biontech-apply-for-covid-19-vaccine-approval-in-us-344445">lockdown</a> measures.

Watch:

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According to reports, eastern Europe reported over 82,000 cases in a one day an average last week with 1,500 daily fatalities. Europe has so far reported over 15 million <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pizza-boys-blatant-lie-leads-to-harshest-covid-19-lockdown-in-this-city-344283">coronavirus</a> cases with over 346,000 deaths.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canadas-largest-city-toronto-to-be-on-covid-19-lockdown-starting-monday-344523">Also Read:&nbsp;Canada's largest city Toronto to be on COVID-19 lockdown starting Monday</a>

Europe is the worst-hit region with the virus with 264,100 daily COVID-19 cases surpassing the US and Canada which averaged 172,200 coronavirus cases per day.

Amid the rising number of cases, Polish PM Morawiecki asked citizens not to travel during Christmas as the country reported 574 deaths in 24 hours on Saturday with the number of daily infections rising to 24,213.

"Poles have weapons, they are discipline, solidarity. We have 100 days of solidarity ahead of us. At the end of this period, it is likely that a vaccine will appear," Morawiecki said, adding,"whether Poland will be able to find itself able to adopt less stringent restrictions will depend on whether or not Poles obey the rules."

Poland has imposed strict lockdown measures which is set to continue till after Christmas. Hungary had earlier extended state of emergency until February with COVID-19-related deaths and infections surging since September.

According to the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC), Hungary has fourth-highest coronavirus death rate per million in the continent after the Czech Republic, Belgium and Bulgaria.

As Europe grapples with the coronavirus pandemic, eastern Europe has become the new hotspot in the fight against the virus with the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland and several other countries dominating the infection rates despite lockdown measures.

As Europe grapples with the coronavirus pandemic, eastern Europe has become the new hotspot in the fight against the virus with the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland and several other countries dominating the infection rates despite lockdown measures. Watch: According to reports, eastern Europe reported over 82,000 cases in a one day an average last week with 1,500 daily fatalities. Europe has so far reported over 15 million coronavirus cases with over 346,000 deaths. Also Read: Canada's largest city Toronto to be on COVID-19 lockdown starting Monday Europe is the worst-hit region with the virus with 264,100 daily COVID-19 cases surpassing the US and Canada which averaged 172,200 coronavirus cases per day. Amid the rising number of cases, Polish PM Morawiecki asked citizens not to travel during Christmas as the country reported 574 deaths in 24 hours on Saturday with the number of daily infections rising to 24,213. "Poles have weapons, they are discipline, solidarity. We have 100 days of solidarity ahead of us. At the end of this period, it is likely that a vaccine will appear," Morawiecki said, adding,"whether Poland will be able to find itself able to adopt less stringent restrictions will depend on whether or not Poles obey the rules." Poland has imposed strict lockdown measures which is set to continue till after Christmas. Hungary had earlier extended state of emergency until February with COVID-19-related deaths and infections surging since September. According to the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC), Hungary has fourth-highest coronavirus death rate per million in the continent after the Czech Republic, Belgium and Bulgaria.

Eastern Europe becomes new COVID-19 hotspot as infections surge

As the Quad group's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/malabar-exercise-quad-evolving-from-an-informal-partnership-to-a-strategic-alliance-344177">Malabar</a> naval exercise came to an end on Friday, Antony Pisani, commanding officer of&nbsp;HMAS Ballarat of Royal Australian Navy, said it was a "resounding success".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/eye-on-china-india-led-quad-displays-military-prowess-in-malabar-naval-exercise-344391#anti-submarine-and-anti-aircraft-drills-344360">In Pics:&nbsp;Eye on China -&nbsp;India-led Quad displays military prowess in Malabar naval exercise</a>

"I thank the Indian Navy for their warm hospitality and for their planning, leadership and execution of the exercise Malabar," Pisani added.

The 24th edition of Malabar maritime exercise hosted by the Indian Navy in the Arabian Sea ended on November 20.

It was conducted in two phases with phase one&nbsp;of the exercise involving United States Navy, Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) and Royal <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/australia-calls-its-participation-in-malabar-exercise-a-milestone-opportunity-336483">Australian</a> Navy (RAN) including the Indiann Navy off Visakhapatnam in Bay of Bengal from 3-6 November.&nbsp;

The second phase of the exercise was conducted in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/second-phase-of-malabar-exercise-begins-in-northern-arabian-sea-343766">Arabian Sea</a> from November 17-20.

Rear Admiral James A Kirk, Commander, CSG-11 (Nimitz Group), said: "US and Indian naval forces alongside our Australian and Japanese partners have proved the ability to operate together across a broad range of missions."

The Malabar exercise was conducted with anti-submarine and anti-aircraft drills with Indian Navy’s participation in phase 2 being led by Rear Admiral Krishna Swaminathan. India's aircraft carrier Vikramaditya, stealth frigate Talwar, attack helicopters, submarine Khanderi and P8I and IL-38 maritime reconnaissance aircraft took part in the naval exercise.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/us-senators-write-to-indian-envoy-welcoming-australian-participation-at-malabar-exercises-bat-for-quad-336916">United States</a> had sent the guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain and Nimitz Carrier Strike Group. The naval exercise comes amid the India and China standoff along the Line of Control(LAC) as the Quad group looks to combat the Dragon in the high seas.

Quad member&nbsp;Australia's diplomatic relations with China took a beating this year after Canberra led calls for an international inquiry into the coronavirus pandemic and Beijing imposed trade sanctions on Australian beef and barley.

Japan has also been embroiled in a dispute with China over ownership of islands in the East China Sea.

(With ANI inputs)

As the Quad group's Malabar naval exercise came to an end on Friday, Antony Pisani, commanding officer of HMAS Ballarat of Royal Australian Navy, said it was a "resounding success".

As the Quad group's Malabar naval exercise came to an end on Friday, Antony Pisani, commanding officer of HMAS Ballarat of Royal Australian Navy, said it was a "resounding success". In Pics: Eye on China - India-led Quad displays military prowess in Malabar naval exercise "I thank the Indian Navy for their warm hospitality and for their planning, leadership and execution of the exercise Malabar," Pisani added. The 24th edition of Malabar maritime exercise hosted by the Indian Navy in the Arabian Sea ended on November 20. It was conducted in two phases with phase one of the exercise involving United States Navy, Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) and Royal Australian Navy (RAN) including the Indiann Navy off Visakhapatnam in Bay of Bengal from 3-6 November. The second phase of the exercise was conducted in the Arabian Sea from November 17-20. Rear Admiral James A Kirk, Commander, CSG-11 (Nimitz Group), said: "US and Indian naval forces alongside our Australian and Japanese partners have proved the ability to operate together across a broad range of missions." The Malabar exercise was conducted with anti-submarine and anti-aircraft drills with Indian Navy’s participation in phase 2 being led by Rear Admiral Krishna Swaminathan. India's aircraft carrier Vikramaditya, stealth frigate Talwar, attack helicopters, submarine Khanderi and P8I and IL-38 maritime reconnaissance aircraft took part in the naval exercise. The United States had sent the guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain and Nimitz Carrier Strike Group. The naval exercise comes amid the India and China standoff along the Line of Control(LAC) as the Quad group looks to combat the Dragon in the high seas. Quad member Australia's diplomatic relations with China took a beating this year after Canberra led calls for an international inquiry into the coronavirus pandemic and Beijing imposed trade sanctions on Australian beef and barley. Japan has also been embroiled in a dispute with China over ownership of islands in the East China Sea. (With ANI inputs)

US, Indian, Australian & Japanese naval forces have proved their ability: Nimitz commander on Malabar naval exercise

Ethiopia's government said its forces have been advancing towards Tigray region on Saturday after PM Abiy Ahmed unleashed a military campaign against the Tigray People's Liberation Front(TPLF) on November 4.

Watch:

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The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ethiopia-violence-has-put-23-million-children-in-crisis-unicef-344285">Ethiopian</a> forces said they had seized another town as they advance towards the capital of the northern Tigray region.

The government forces said they were set to take Mekelle even as TPLF&nbsp;dug in and said they had made advances in southern and northern fronts.

The federal forces said they had taken control of several towns including Aksum and Adigrat which is north Mekelle even as there were reports of rocket attack on Bahir Dar which is the capital of Asmara region.

Tigray forces had earlier accused the government of bombing a university in capital Mekelle.&nbsp;

Earlier, Tigray forces had fired rockets at two airports in Amhara as the fighting escalated.

The fighting has created a humanitarian crisis as the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/full-scale-humanitarian-crisis-unfolding-in-ethiopia-united-nations-343745">UNHCR</a> said 31,000 refugees had already reached Sudan as UN chief Antonio Guterres had warned about "dramatic humanitarian impact".

"Our forces have now fully liberated Adigrat town from TPLF militia as of today," Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ethiopia-carries-out-air-strikes-in-tigray-pm-says-surrender-ultimatum-over-343644">Abiy Ahmed</a> who had won last year's Nobel Peace Prize, said, adding, "Together with the rest of Ethiopia, we will work to ensure that all humanitarian needs will be addressed."

"The overall safety and well-being of the people of Tigray is of paramount importance to the Federal government and we will do all that is necessary to ensure stability prevails in the Tigray region and that our citizens are free from harm and want," Abiy Ahmed asserted.

Ethiopia's government said its forces have been advancing towards Tigray region on Saturday after PM Abiy Ahmed unleashed a military campaign against the Tigray People's Liberation Front(TPLF) on November 4.

Ethiopia's government said its forces have been advancing towards Tigray region on Saturday after PM Abiy Ahmed unleashed a military campaign against the Tigray People's Liberation Front(TPLF) on November 4. Watch: The Ethiopian forces said they had seized another town as they advance towards the capital of the northern Tigray region. The government forces said they were set to take Mekelle even as TPLF dug in and said they had made advances in southern and northern fronts. The federal forces said they had taken control of several towns including Aksum and Adigrat which is north Mekelle even as there were reports of rocket attack on Bahir Dar which is the capital of Asmara region. Tigray forces had earlier accused the government of bombing a university in capital Mekelle. Earlier, Tigray forces had fired rockets at two airports in Amhara as the fighting escalated. The fighting has created a humanitarian crisis as the UNHCR said 31,000 refugees had already reached Sudan as UN chief Antonio Guterres had warned about "dramatic humanitarian impact". "Our forces have now fully liberated Adigrat town from TPLF militia as of today," Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed who had won last year's Nobel Peace Prize, said, adding, "Together with the rest of Ethiopia, we will work to ensure that all humanitarian needs will be addressed." "The overall safety and well-being of the people of Tigray is of paramount importance to the Federal government and we will do all that is necessary to ensure stability prevails in the Tigray region and that our citizens are free from harm and want," Abiy Ahmed asserted.

Ethiopian government troops push towards Tigray capital, rebuff mediation

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Zee News Rajasthan

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