The Delta variant of the novel coronavirus, first discovered in India, poses the greatest threat to the US effort to eradicate Covid-19 in its borders, said infectious diseases expert Dr Anthony Fauci during a Tuesday press call.
The transmissibility of the Delta variant "is unquestionably greater" than the original variant of Covid-19, Dr Fauci said.
He added that "it is associated with an increased disease severity".
Delta represents more than 20 per cent of coronavirus infections recorded in the US in the last two weeks, or double what it was when the Centres for Disease Control last reported on the variant’s presence two weeks ago.
Dr Fauci said that the US could be following in the footsteps of the UK, where the variant has become the dominant strain due to its rapid spread among young people.
The variant is becoming the globally dominant version of the disease, the World Health Organisation's chief scientist said on Friday.
Dr Fauci stated that the vaccines authorised for use in the US, including the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, are effective against the new variant.
"We have the tools, so let's use them and crush the outbreak," Dr Fauci said.
The US is falling short of President Joe Biden's goal of vaccinating 70 per cent of adults by July 4 and another few weeks will be needed to hit that target, White House Covid-19 senior adviser Jeffrey Zients said during the press call.
Mr Zients added that he expects 70 per cent of adults over 27 years of age will have had at least one shot by July 4.
Despite missing the US Independence Day goal, Mr Zients said the administration had "succeeded beyond our highest expectations" in returning the nation to a pre-pandemic normal.
"Instead of just small backyard gatherings, America is getting ready for a truly historic Fourth of July, with large celebrations planned in communities across the country," he said.
He added the White House will invite 1,000 people, including military and front-line workers, to celebrate the holiday at an outdoor party.
“The endgame is to go well beyond that, beyond July 4, into the summer and beyond, with the ultimate goal of crushing the outbreak completely in the United States,” Dr Fauci said.
More than 150 million people in the US, or more than 45 per cent of the population, have been fully vaccinated, the latest federal data shows.
The Delta variant contributed to a severe outbreak of Covid-19 in India in April and May that overwhelmed health services in the country and killed hundreds of thousands.
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Match info
Who: India v Afghanistan
What: One-off Test match, Bengaluru
When: June 14 to 18
TV: OSN Sports Cricket HD, 8am starts
Online: OSN Play (subscribers only)
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
