By Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra

Bruce (Australia), Jul 31 (The Conversation) Seven in ten people aged 16 and over will need to be fully vaccinated for COVID restrictions to begin to be eased, under targets agreed in principle by national cabinet on Friday.

Further relaxation and opening beyond that, including a near end to lockdowns, will require 80% of those eligible to have had two doses.

In an interview, Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid says Ankara should help rebuild and unite Afghanistan after decades of war and pull its armed forces out.

How much of Afghanistan's total area do you control?

We control 85 per cent of Afghan land.

Is it true that Kabul regained control over areas in Kandahar and the main crossing with Pakistan?

by Abdul Haleem

BAGRAM, Afghanistan, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Still surrounded by concrete walls and razor wire, the Bagram Airfield, also known as Bagram Airbase, had been home to the U.S. troops in Afghanistan in the past 20 years.

The airbase was handed over to the Afghan forces early this month.

By Zania Stamataki, University of Birmingham

Birmingham (UK), Jun 13 (The Conversation) The antibodies we create after we're infected with a virus or vaccinated against it can be very powerful.

A virus typically spreads within our bodies by entering a cell and using it as a factory to create copies of itself, which then burst out and find new cells to infect.

Our antibodies work by binding to the virus and this can block it from attaching to and entering our cells in the first place.

By Cameron Watson, QMU London and Jonathan Rogers, UCL

London, Jun 5 (The Conversation) Although COVID-19 was first described as a disease of the lungs, as its relentless march has continued we've realised that it has a far wider reach in the human body.

COVID-19 has been associated with skin rashes, bleeding disorders and structural damage to the heart and kidneys. It has also been implicated in disorders of both the brain and the mind.

by Matthew Rusling

WASHINGTON, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Violent crime in U.S. cities surged to record levels as the nation was struggling in the COVID-19 pandemic. Experts said deteriorating security could affect midterm elections next year.

Statistics from the Federal Bureau of Investigation show the murder rate surged by 25 percent in 2020 -- the first time the United States has seen over 20,000 annual murders since 1995 -- up from 16,000 the previous year.

This occurred in the nation's major cities, and is showing no signs of abating.

By Sanjay Mishra, Project Coordinator & Staff Scientist, Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Nashville (US), May 30 (The Conversation) When the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed its guidelines about mask-wearing on May 13, 2021, plenty of Americans were left a little confused.

Now anyone who is fully vaccinated can participate in indoor and outdoor activities, large or small, without wearing a mask or physical distancing.

By Cameron Hepburn, Professor of Environmental Economics, University of Oxford and Steve Smith, Executive Director, Oxford Net Zero, University of Oxford

London, May 30 (The Conversation) To reach net zero emissions by 2050, global emissions must be cut faster and deeper than the world has yet managed. But even then, some hard-to-treat sources of pollution in aviation, agriculture and cement making may linger for longer than we would like. It will take time for clean alternatives to arrive and replace them.

by By Christopher Robertson, Boston University

Massachusetts (US), May 20 (The Conversation) A financial shot in the arm could be just what is needed for Americans unsure about vaccination.

by Dr Ramzy Baroud

Covid-19 has been a lengthy wake-up call. It is a loud and costly reminder of our lack of preparedness. One of many crucial questions this deadly pandemic is confronting us with pertains to the real definitions of human development, wealth, and power.

by Amelia Smith

Earlier this week, Egypt's Ministry of Health denied the news that covid cases had spiralled out of control in Sohag Governorate and reassured the public that there were enough hospital beds for everyone.

by Elif Selin Calik

Last week, an informal meeting began in Geneva linked to the Cyprus peace talks. It was an initiative by UN Secretary-General António Guterres as he seeks common ground for the resumption of talks to find a lasting solution to the decades-old dispute.