All posts tagged: withdrawal

AstraZeneca starts worldwide withdrawal of COVID vaccine | Science & Tech News

AstraZeneca starts worldwide withdrawal of COVID vaccine | Science & Tech News

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[ad_1] AstraZeneca has begun the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID vaccine – ending an era in which it saved millions of lives while being dogged by controversy. The jab, developed at Oxford University, was once hailed as “the vaccine for the world” because it could be stored in fridges rather than the ultra-cold freezer temperatures originally required for alternative mRNA shots, making it more suitable for developing countries. But AstraZeneca (AZ) said demand for the jab had tailed off as more up-to-date vaccines target newer variants of the virus. It no longer manufactures nor supplies the vaccine. The voluntary withdrawal has started in the EU, with the European Medicines Agency announcing that the vaccine is no longer authorised for use. In a statement, AZ said: “According to independent estimates, over 6.5 million lives were saved in the first year of use alone and over three billion doses were supplied globally. “Our efforts have been recognised by governments around the world and are widely regarded as being a critical component of ending the global pandemic. “We …

US begins talks on withdrawal of troops from Niger

US begins talks on withdrawal of troops from Niger

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[ad_1] A Pentagon spokesman said Monday the U.S. has begun discussions with the military government of Niger about withdrawing of some 1,000 U.S. troop from two air bases in the nation. Last month, the military junta that controls Niger announced it was ending the military agreement between the two nations and Pentagon officials agreed to the withdrawal late last week. Monday, Pentagon spokesperson General Pat Ryder confirmed discussions had begun between the U.S. and Niger for “the orderly withdrawal of U.S. forces from the country. Ryder said the U.S. Defense Department will send a small delegation that will include members of the U.S. Africa Command to Niger for the talks. He said he could not speculate on a timeline for the withdrawal and there has been no change in the number of troops currently stationed in Niger. FILE – A U.S. and Niger flag are raised side by side at the base camp for air forces and other personnel supporting the construction of Niger Air Base 201 in Agadez, Niger, April 16, 2018. The U.S. …

US Proxies Fear ‘Afghanistan-Style’ Withdrawal From Syria

US Proxies Fear ‘Afghanistan-Style’ Withdrawal From Syria

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[ad_1] Via The Cradle The US military’s Kurdish proxies occupying northeast Syria fear an “Afghanistan-like pullout” of US forces that would leave them at the mercy of their long-time enemy Turkey, Middle East Eye (MEE) reported Friday.  Turkey has escalated its airstrikes on areas in northeast Syria occupied by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in recent months; at the same time, Washington is in talks with the Iraqi government to potentially withdraw forces from Iraq.  YPG/”Syrian Democratic Forces backed by the Pentagon, Getty Images The 900 US soldiers occupying northeast Syria with the SDF receive logistical support from US forces in Iraq. Any US withdrawal from Iraq may necessitate US withdrawal from Syria as well.  “The whole region is on fire and nobody will respond to Turkey’s aggression against us when everyone is busy with Gaza. We have asked the US to rein in Turkey, but they have brushed us off,” said Mahmoud Meslat, co-chair of the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), the political wing of the SDF. In recent months, Turkey has bombed power stations, the region’s electric grid, …

Ukrainian forces don’t have enough artillery to battle Russia. A key withdrawal Saturday shows that

Ukrainian forces don’t have enough artillery to battle Russia. A key withdrawal Saturday shows that

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[ad_1] KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Dwindling ammunition threatens Ukraine’s hold on the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line under withering assault by Russian artillery. Defensive lines are in jeopardy. Ukrainian forces withdrew from the city of Avdiivka in the Donetsk region on Saturday after daily Russian onslaughts from three directions for the last four months. Avdiivka was a stronghold for Ukrainian positions deeper inside the country, away from Russia. A frontline city ever since Russia first invaded Ukraine in 2014, the fortified settlement with a maze of trenches and tunnels served to protect important — less strengthened — logistical hubs further west. Its seizure boosts Russian morale and confirms that the Kremlin’s troops are now setting the pace in the fight, to the dismay of Ukrainian forces who have managed only incremental gains since their counteroffensive last year. CONGRESSIONAL INACTION The Biden administration linked the loss of Avdiivka to Congressional inaction on $60 billion in military aid for Ukraine. President Joe Biden said he told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a Saturday phone call after Ukraine announced …

Biden Ignored Advice, Pushed Afghanistan “Unconditional Withdrawal”: Former Ambassador

Biden Ignored Advice, Pushed Afghanistan “Unconditional Withdrawal”: Former Ambassador

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[ad_1] Authored by John Haughey via The Epoch Times, President Joe Biden discarded advice to maintain a military presence in Afghanistan unless the Taliban complied with the Doha Agreement, former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad told a House panel on Feb. 15. “He decided not to make withdrawal of the final 2,500 [combat troops] conditional on a political agreement or leaving a counter-terrorism force behind,” Mr. Khalilzad, among the February 2020 pact’s chief negotiators, testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “He thought if he stayed, he might have to go back, or likely go back, to war with the Taliban,” he said, recalling President Biden’s rejection of his and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s recommendation to make withdrawal conditional on Taliban adherence to Doha. Mr. Khalilzad was the sole witness during the committee’s four-hour hearing, ‘Behind the Scenes: How the Biden Administration Failed to Enforce the Doha Agreement.’ The hearing was the latest installment—the first in election year 2024—in the GOP-led House’s examination of the eight months preceding the Aug. 26, 2021, evacuation …

Mali and Burkina Faso send ‘formal notice’ of withdrawal from ECOWAS bloc

Mali and Burkina Faso send ‘formal notice’ of withdrawal from ECOWAS bloc

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[ad_1] Mali and Burkina Faso said Monday they had sent ECOWAS “formal notice” of their withdrawal from the West African bloc, with Niger expected to follow. Issued on: 29/01/2024 – 21:54 1 min The military regimes in all three countries had announced plans to withdraw from the West African bloc, accusing it of posing a threat to their sovereignty.  The foreign affairs ministry in Mali showed AFP a copy of the letter it sent to ECOWAS, while Burkina Faso’s official news agency reported it had sent an official notice.  No information emerged from Niger, but the statements from its two neighbours stressed the common character of their move.  ECOWAS said earlier in a statement that it was awaiting “formal and direct notification” from the countries.    Under the bloc’s statutes, withdrawal can’t take effect for at least a year after official notification.    Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger were founding members of ECOWAS back in 1975, but the regional group has imposed sanctions on them following military coups that overthrew elected civilian governments.     …

UN chief urges donors to reconsider UNRWA funding withdrawal | United Nations

UN chief urges donors to reconsider UNRWA funding withdrawal | United Nations

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[ad_1] The United Nations secretary general, António Guterres, has appealed to the 10 donor countries that have withdrawn funding from the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees to reconsider, saying the agency and Palestinians in desperate need should not be penalised due to the alleged acts of a dozen staff. Guterres said nine UNRWA staff had already been dismissed for alleged involvement in Hamas’s attack on Israel on 7 October and any UN employee involved in acts of terror would be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution. He said the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), the highest investigative body in the UN system, had been asked to mount an inquiry. Israel’s foreign ministry has vowed that UNRWA will play no role in Gaza when the conflict ends. UNRWA has 13,000 staff in Gaza and educates 30,000 children. Israel formally handed information to the UNRWA commissioner general, Philippe Lazzarini, last Sunday alleging that as many 12 UNRWA staff had been involved in the 7 October attack. Lazzarini immediately flew to New York …

Hostage talks continue as Israel rejects Hamas demand for full IDF withdrawal and a permanent cease-fire

Hostage talks continue as Israel rejects Hamas demand for full IDF withdrawal and a permanent cease-fire

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[ad_1] TEL AVIV — Talks over the release of hostages in Gaza remain at an impasse over Hamas’ demand for a permanent cease-fire, a diplomat with knowledge of the talks told NBC News.  American, Qatari and Egyptian officials continue to push for an agreement that would free an estimated 130 captives believed to remain in Gaza, most likely hidden underground in tunnels or in private homes. Hamas is demanding the permanent halt of fighting, a complete withdrawal of Israel forces from Gaza and the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners, including some who carried out the Oct. 7 attack, according to Israeli officials. A Hamas official said in an interview that the group will not move forward with anything until it has a promise that the war will stop and all Israeli troops will leave Gaza. “This is the core of the discussion,” the Hamas official said. Israeli officials say their efforts to secure the release of the hostages have never stopped, but they balked last week at Hamas’ demands for a permanent …

Quick Withdrawal From Antidepressants Can Take Emotional, Cognitive Toll

Quick Withdrawal From Antidepressants Can Take Emotional, Cognitive Toll

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[ad_1] By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter (HealthDay) FRIDAY, Jan. 19, 2024 (HealthDay News) — People coming off antidepressants often struggle with emotional and social turmoil, especially if they quit their meds cold turkey, a new study reports. Challenges reported by patients quitting antidepressants included feeling overwhelmed by their emotions, finding social situations less enjoyable, and feeling detached and less empathetic towards others. “Some symptoms were so severe, family and friends of the person coming off medication encouraged them to go back on it,” said lead researcher Raqeeb Mahmood, a doctoral student in psychology with the University of Bath. For the study, researchers conducted interviews with 20 people who had attempted within the past year to withdraw from SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) antidepressants like Prozac. Stopping antidepressant therapy is known to trigger physical symptoms like restlessness, fatigue and excessive sweating. But this study, published recently in the journal Health Expectations, supports the notion that patients will also experience emotional symptoms. “From these interviews, it became clear that the lived experience of withdrawal significantly impacts individuals’ …