Switzerland

GENEVA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday validated the COVID-19 vaccine developed by China's Sinopharm for emergency use, a move widely welcomed by officials and experts worldwide and set to benefit the global fight against the pandemic.

This is a "great success and benefit for the world" because the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine validated by the WHO is proving very effective in countries including Pakistan where it is being administered, said Musarrat Amin, a Pakistani strategic security analyst.

GENEVA (AP) — The World Health Organization gave emergency use authorization Friday to a COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by China’s Sinopharm, potentially paving the way for millions of the doses to reach needy countries through a U.N.-backed program rolling out coronavirus vaccines.

The decision by a WHO technical advisory group — a first for a Chinese vaccine — opens the possibility that Sinopharm’s offering could be included in the U.N.-backed COVAX program in coming weeks or months and distributed through UNICEF and the WHO’s Americas regional office.

(Reuters) --- Swiss voters are set to back government measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic and to support a crackdown on pesticide use -- in defiance of Bern's wishes -- in binding referendums next month, a poll for broadcaster SRF showed on Friday.

Parliament passed the COVID-19 act in September, but critics of the steps to restrict public life and provide financial support to the economy forced a vote on them under the Swiss system of direct democracy.

30 Apr 2021; MEMO: The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said yesterday there is "no common ground yet" to resume official negotiations to resolve the Cyprus issue.

"The truth is that at the end of our efforts, we have not yet found enough common ground to allow for the resumption of formal negotiations," Guterres told reporters in Geneva.

He pointed out that the Turkish Cypriots believe they deserve equal international status and insist on the two-state solution.

GENEVA, April 28 (Xinhua) -- As the number of COVID-19 cases worldwide has been on the increase for the ninth consecutive week, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday that India alone accounted for 38 percent of all infections -- or 2,172,063 new cases -- recorded in the seven-day period that ended on April 25.

The surge in India is understood to be fueled by the new COVID-19 variant dubbed as the "double mutant" and scientifically identified as B1617. It was "detected at increasing prevalence" among the new cases in the country, according to the WHO.

New Delhi, Apr 28 (PTI) Switzerland on Wednesday said it is sending oxygen concentrators, ventilators and other medical equipment to India to help it deal with the "challenging times" arising out of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Swiss Embassy in India said the material will be distributed with the support of the Indian Red Cross Society.

"Switzerland through the Swiss humanitarian aid will send medical supplies to India. This will include oxygen concentrators, ventilators and other medical equipment," the embassy said.

GENEVA, April 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The World Health Organization (WHO) and partners called for action to boost vaccination against measles and other diseases worldwide after the pandemic severely disrupted access to routine jabs.

The World Health Organization, along with the UN children’s agency and the vaccine alliance Gavi, said their new global strategy had the potential to save 50 million lives within less than a decade.

(Reuters) --- Moderna's (MRNA.O) COVID-19 vaccine will be reviewed on April 30 by technical experts for possible WHO emergency-use listing, a World Health Organization spokesman told Reuters.

"We are discussing the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on Friday...," WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier said in reply to a query. A decision on the U.S. drugmaker's vaccine, now being evaluated under the abridged procedure on the basis of prior review by the European Medicines Agency, was expected in one to four days after that, Lindmeier said.

(Reuters) --- Coronavirus vaccines remain out of reach in the poorest countries, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a report on Friday, marking the first anniversary of the COVAX dose-sharing facility.

"Nearly 900 million vaccine doses have been administered globally, but over 81% have gone to high- or upper middle-income countries, while low-income countries have received just 0.3%," WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said about the ACT (Access to COVID-19 Tools) Accelerator set up a year ago.

GENEVA (AP) — Switzerland’s financial markets authority said Thursday it is looking into possible penalties against Credit Suisse after the top-drawer bank announced “significant losses” linked to a U.S.-based hedge fund.

The authority, FINMA, said it will require “various risk-reducing measures” and investigate “possible shortcomings in risk management” at Credit Suisse. The authority said it is appointing an outside agent to look into the issue.