US vaccine advisory panel does not recommend COVID jabs for all

Not all US residents over the age of six should be vaccinated, according to a vaccine advisory panel appointed by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy.

Since the COVID pandemic began to affect the world in 2020, the panel’s recommendations on Friday were different from those in the panel’s earlier recommendations.

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The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) had voted to require that all US residents over the age of six receive the most recent vaccine every year since the COVID vaccine became available in the US.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must approve the most recent vote, which is only a recommendation. Despite this, there are concerns that the organization is reversing its commitment to scientifically supported vaccine legislation under Kennedy’s leadership, who, according to critics, has led to a rise in misinformation-fueled skepticism.

Former CDC Director Susan Monarez made a warning to a Senate Committee earlier this week about the agency’s continued political rigor and its backslide.

Despite the lack of any scientific justification, Monarez claims she was fired for rejecting ACIP’s recommendations. Shortly after taking over the advisory panel, Kennedy appointed some replacements who had been accused of disseminating false information.

There is a real risk that recommendations could be made to limit access to vaccines for children and others in need, according to what I observed while serving, according to Monarez.

The panel said the vaccine should be administered based on “shared clinical decision-making” with a doctor in the decision made on Friday. The panel narrowly avoided suggesting that the vaccine should be prescribed.

The panel also suggested that the CDC make more explicit recommendations regarding the risks associated with vaccination.

According to a number of medical organizations, introducing additional barriers to the vaccination program could lead to a decrease in infection rates and ultimately to the spread of the disease.

The American Academy of Pediatrics’ Dr. Sean O’Leary criticized the decision to not recommend vaccination as “extraordinarily vague” and claimed it would have “real-time effects on American children.”

He claimed that there were no “sow distrust” of vaccines during the discussion.

O’Leary remarked, “It was a very, very strange meeting.”

Despite persistent infection and death, CDC data currently demonstrates that COVID vaccines offer the best protection against severe infection and death. Because the virus is still evolving, people still run the risk of getting infected even after one has already been infected.

In the fall and winter of 2017, CDC data released in June revealed 32, 000 to 51, 000 US fatalities and more than 250, 000 hospitalizations. Seniors and young children who are not vaccinized are the most at risk for hospitalization.

ACIP’s attention was drawn to a rare side-effect of the vaccine, myocarditis, which has affected mostly younger men.

A scientist who studied whether people with particular genes were particularly susceptible informed the panel that the Trump administration had canceled his grant prior to the study’s conclusion.

In response to the pandemic, the panel’s attention has largely been focused on mRNA vaccines, an emerging technology essential to the rapid release of COVID vaccines.

Nearly all leading medical organizations have refrained from making repeated suggestions that such vaccines pose more risks than benefits.

France suspends counterterrorism cooperation with Mali

According to the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, France has suspended its cooperation with Mali and ordered two consular staff members to leave.

According to the French government’s foreign ministry, two Malian embassy staff members have been designated persona non grata, while five French embassy staff members have been maligned.

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A Frenchman was detained in Mali last month on suspicion of plotting a coup, and his suspension was announced on Friday.

In their effort to destabilize the nation, the Mali army claimed at the time that some civilians and soldiers had aided “the foreign states.”

General Daoud Aly Mohammedine, the country’s security minister, claimed Vezilier had intervened “on behalf of the French intelligence service, which mobilized political leaders, civil society figures, and military personnel” in Mali.

The accusations were “unfounded,” according to Paris.

According to the French foreign ministry, Vezilier worked for the French government’s embassy in Bamako.

A French diplomat’s source told the AFP news agency that the two Malian diplomats who were being expelled were instructed to leave in response to Vezilier’s arrest. By Saturday, according to French media reports, they had to leave.

If our nation isn’t released quickly, “other measures” will be put into place soon, according to the source.

France stated in August that it was in talks with Mali to “clear up any misunderstandings” and allow the detained envoy to be freed “right away.”

Since soldiers took control of Mali, an ex-French colony, almost four years ago, France’s formerly close ties with the country have deteriorated.

The military administration has distanced itself from France, ejects French forces, and seeks Russian security assistance under President Assimi Goita.

Since 2012, Mali has been plagued by a security crisis, notably brought on by violence by local criminal gangs and armed groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and the ISIL (ISIS) group.

Goita resisted earlier assurances from the military government that civilian leadership would resume by March 2024 by extending his rule by another five years in June.

PA arrests Palestinian suspect decades after deadly Paris restaurant attack

In a move that comes as France prepares to recognize a Palestinian state, the Palestinian Authority (PA) has made an important arrest for a key suspect in a 1982 fatal attack on a Jewish restaurant in Paris.

Six people were killed and 22 others were injured in the terrorist attack on the Jo Goldenberg restaurant in Le Marais on August 9, 1982.

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The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office of France announced in a statement on Friday that Interpol had informed the French government of Hicham Harb’s arrest in connection with a 2015 international warrant.

The suspect had been detained in the occupied West Bank, according to President Emmanuel Macron, and his nation is now working with the PA to expedite his extradition to France.

Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot stated on X that Macron’s recognition of an independent Palestinian state, “enabling us to request extradition,” had made the arrest possible.

Macron is scheduled to address the landmark declaration at the UN General Assembly in New York next week along with representatives from about 10 other nations, including Australia, Belgium, the UK, and Canada.

Wanted man

One of France’s most wanted men, Harb, who is known as Mahmoud Khader Abed Adra, has been the subject of a 10-year international arrest warrant.

The 70-year-old is accused of leading five other assailants in the restaurant’s gunfire assault, which was regarded as France’s most systematic anti-Semitic attack since World War II.

Assailants entered the restaurant and opened fire with Polish-made machineguns before the assault, which was blamed on the Palestinian Abu Nidal Organization, which started at noon.

Harb is suspected of supervising the assault and of being one of the gunmen who opened fire on diners and bystanders.

In July, French judges formally indicted him on suspicion of murder and attempted murder in connection with the attack. Harb and five other defendants were sent to the trial.

A 66-year-old Norwegian of Palestinian descent, Abou Zayed, has been in French custody since his 2020 extradition from Norway. He has refuted the allegations.

The arrest of Zayed’s alleged accomplice is seen by Bruno Gendrin and Romain Ruiz, Zayed’s defense, as proof that “the investigation was not complete.”

They told the news agency AFP in a statement that “as usual, the anti-terrorism courts wanted to rush things, and we are now seeing the results.”

India avoid Oman upset at Asia Cup with 21-run T20 win

India, the reigning world champion, defeated an obedient Oman team to win the final group match of the Asia Cup by 21 runs and maintain their T20 title.

After taking the first wicket on Friday in Abu Dhabi, India had already qualified for the Super Four stage and placed 188-8.

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Oman, who is ranked 20th in the world T20 rankings, produced a strong batting display with a 167-4 record following top hits from Hammad Mirza and Aamir Kaleem, who hit 64.

The left-right batsmen of Kaleem and Mirza attempted to end the chase with some late boundaries that scared India, scoring 93 runs for the second wicket.

In the following over, Mirza was sent back with his pace bowling after Hardik Pandya made a stunning outfield catch to dismiss Kaleem off Harshit Rana.

Arshdeep Singh, the first Indian bowler to surpass the century mark, took the fourth wicket of the innings for his 100th appearance in T20 games.

Sanju Samson, a wicketkeeper-batsman, top-scored with 56 runs before his second-wicket partnership with explosive opener Abhishek Sharma, who made 38 off 14 balls, set the tone for India’s total.

In their first encounter with the T20 World Cup winners, Oman repeatedly delivered blows.

Two wickets were taken by Shah Faisal, Jiten Ramanandi, and Kaleem, a fellow left-arm quick.

After winning a group game, India and Pakistan moved into the Super Four, and they will meet again on Sunday.