An appeal session will be held before the Appellate Chamber of the Court of B&amp;H today in the case against Osman Mehmedagić, director of the Intelligence and Security Agency (ISA), and Muhamed Pekić, an employee of this agency, who were acquitted of abuse of office.
According to the indictment, in August 2020, they obtained a surveillance footage from "BH Post" and revealed the identity of the sender of the anonymous report against the director of ISA, but the Court of B&amp;H acquitted them of the charges of the Prosecutor's Office of B&amp;H.
However, the Prosecution appealed, requesting that the acquittal be either revoked or a new trial ordered before the Appellate Chamber of the Court of B&amp;H.
After learning in an unspecified manner that a criminal complaint had been filed against Mehmedagić and sent by mail, Pekić and Mehmedagić obtained a photograph of the envelope of the incoming shipment with the BH Post sticker with the exact recorded postal number and time of receipt of the shipment, so, in violation of the provisions of the Law on ISA B&amp;H and the Law on Protection of Classified Data of B&amp;H, together in mutual agreement they decided to take operational measures and actions in order to establish the identity of the sender of the anonymous criminal report, the indictment reads.
The Prosecution alleges that in taking these actions they were not guided by the interests of their service, but exclusively by the personal and private interests of the accused Mehmedagić, so Pekić, by exceeding his authority in the service for reasons and motives known to him, undertook an obviously illegal act of gathering intelligence that is not from the work of the ISA circle.

Prosecution requests that acquittal in "Footage" affair to either be revoked or to start new trial before B&H Court of Appeals

Arrival of Mehmedagić in the Court of B&H

ISA Director Osman Mehmedagić arrived at the Court of B&H

In the past 24 hours, 1,025 samples were registered with the Public Health Institute of the Federation of B&amp;H, of which 64 were positive for SARS-CoV-2.

New cases have been registered in Una-Sana, Herzegovina-Neretva, Central Bosnia, Zenica-Doboj, Tuzla and Sarajevo Canton.
So far, a total of 643,882 samples have been tested, and SARS-CoV-2 has been confirmed in 131,978 individuals in FB&amp;H.
In the same period, 22 deaths were reported to the Public Health Institute of the Federation of B&amp;H.
As of today, the number of deaths in the Federation of B&amp;H is 5,056, the FB&amp;H Public Health Institute announced.
In Republic of Srpska (RS), 366 laboratory samples were tested in the last 24 hours, and coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) was confirmed in 32 people.
In the last 24 hours, five deaths have been reported to the RS Institute of Public Health, in which the presence of coronavirus has been confirmed.
So far, 62,776 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in that entity, and a total of 3,498 people have died in whom the virus test has been confirmed.
In the last 24 hours, 208 samples of coronavirus were tested in the Brčko District of B&amp;H, and five were positive. One person died.

New cases have been registered in Una-Sana, Herzegovina-Neretva, Central Bosnia, Zenica-Doboj, Tuzla and Sarajevo Canton

So far, a total of 643,882 samples have been tested, and SARS-CoV-2 has been confirmed in 131,978 individuals in FB&H

COVID-19 confirmed in 101 people in B&H, with 28 deaths

Malaysia will bring its citizens back from the northern and western regions of India as COVID-19 cases continue to surge in the South Asian country.

Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said his country would use a specially chartered aircraft to help the return of its citizens.
-The aircraft will depart to New Delhi and Mumbai as soon as the Indian government gives the approval and all arrangements are finished- Hussein said in a written statement on Friday.
The southern and the eastern regions of India were not included in the repatriation mission as the situations there are reported to be under control.
He asked the Malaysians residing in the northern and western regions of India to register themselves with the Malaysian mission in Mumbai in case they want to return home.
Those returning will include home-based staff members of various Malaysian agencies.
All of them will have to undergo COVID-19 testing before leaving India and also upon arrival in Malaysia.
-They are also required to undergo 14-day quarantine at the selected facilities- he said.
India has set another global record for daily coronavirus cases on Friday, registering over 414,000 infections in the past 24 hours.
According to the US-based Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, India has so far reported 21.4 million COVID-19 related cases with 234,083 deaths.
The country has so far administered 159.9 million doses, fully vaccinating 30.2 million people making 2.21% of the total population.

Malaysia sending chartered flights to repatriate its citizens living in northern and western regions of India

Malaysia to bring back its citizens from India

Greece will reopen private beaches on Saturday and museums next week, health officials said Friday as the tourism-dependent country gears up for a May 15 travel restart.

Museums are to reopen on May 14 -- a day before Greece officially launches its travel season -- followed by reduced-capacity outdoor cinemas on May 21 and theatres on May 28.
The government began in early April to relax lockdown restrictions originally imposed in November by reopening most retail shops except malls.
This was followed by high schools reopening a week later, and by outdoor restaurants and cafes on May 3.
However, tourism operators do not expect major travel arrivals before July.
Last month quarantine restrictions were lifted for vaccinated or tested travellers from the EU and a small number of other countries including Britain and the United States.
The third wave of the pandemic hit Greece hard with the majority of the country's more than 10,000 virus deaths occurring over the last few months.
The country has recorded over 350,000 cases of coronavirus in a population of 10.8 million.
Over 3.4 million vaccinations have been carried out, and over a million people have received their second dose.

Museums will be reopened next week

People sit in on a cafe terrace in the Monastiraki district of Athens in Greece that will reopen private beaches on Saturday and museums next week while travel restart May 15

Greece to reopen beaches, museums after long lockdown

The World Health Organization on Friday approved the Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use -- the first Chinese jab to receive the WHO's green light.

The UN health agency signed off on the two-dose vaccine, which is already being deployed in dozens of countries around the world.
The WHO has already given emergency use listing to the vaccines being made by Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson and Johnson, and the AstraZeneca jab being produced at separate sites in India and in South Korea.
-This afternoon, WHO gave emergency use listing to Sinopharm Beijing's Covid-19 vaccine, making it the sixth vaccine to receive WHO validation for safety, efficacy and quality- WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news conference.
-The Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation, or SAGE, has also reviewed the available data, and recommends the vaccine for adults 18 years and older, with a two-dose schedule.-An emergency use listing by the WHO paves the way for countries worldwide to quickly approve and import a vaccine for distribution, especially those states without an international-standard regulator of their own.
It also opens the door for the jabs to enter the Covax global vaccine-sharing scheme, which aims to provide equitable access to doses around the world and particularly in poorer countries.
The Sinopharm vaccine is already in use in 42 territories around the world, fourth behind AstraZeneca (166), Pfizer-BioNTech (94) and Moderna (46), according to an AFP tally.
Besides China, it is being used in Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Hungary, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Peru, the United Arab Emirates, Serbia and Seychelles, among others.
A clutch of other vaccines are on the road towards WHO emergency use listing, including a second Sinopharm product being made in Wuhan -- the city where coronavirus was first detected.
A decision is expected within days on Sinovac, a second Chinese-made vaccine already being used in 22 countries.
Russia's Sputnik V vaccine is the next furthest ahead in the process.

The jab is already in use in 42 territories around the world

The UN health agency signed off on the two-dose vaccine, which is already being deployed in dozens of countries around the world

WHO approves China's Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine

The new EUFOR Chief of Staff is Brigadier General Szilárd Gerőfi who take over the duty from the incumbent chief of staff Brigadier General Ernő Baráth.
 
The handover ceremony took place today at the Butmir Base in Sarajevo.
During his inauguration, General Gerőfi emphasized that this is a great honor and responsibility, emphasizing his readiness to continue the mission of preserving a safe environment in B&amp;H with equal success.
General Baráth expressed satisfaction with the results achieved within the mission and thanked all those who contributed to it.
The ceremony was welcomed by EUFOR Commander Alexander Platzer, stressing the determination to maintain the continuity of Operation Althea.
The ceremony was accompanied by a special program, the intonation of the anthems of B&amp;H and the EU and the line-up of the unit.

He  his readiness to continue the mission of preserving a safe environment in B&H with equal success.

Brigadier General Szilárd Gerőfi takes over duty of EUFOR Chief of Staff

A solemn ceremony was held on May 6 at the Royal Air Force College Cranwell to mark the end of "Modular Initial Officer Training Course No3".

On that occasion, cadet Emir Ramić was promoted at the ceremony, who successfully completed the training, which gave the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina another officer who will soon be in a position to transfer the acquired knowledge and experience in his unit in the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Vanja Filipović, as well as the Military Attaché of B&amp;H to the UK, Brigadier General Nedžad Sadiković attended the ceremony.
As part of the ceremony, the appointees held talks with the Air Officer Commanding 22 Group of the Royal Air Force, Major General Richard Maddison. It was an opportunity to thank the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for the opportunity provided to our cadets to study at this prestigious military school, expressing confidence that this practice will continue, the B&amp;H Ministry of Defense said.

He successfully completed the training and was promoted at the ceremony

B&H Armed Forces get another officer from the Royal Air Force College

After the police of the Sarajevo Canton Ministry of the Interior intervened yesterday to protect the journalists of the Crimes&amp;Accidents Chronicle of "Dnevni avaz", several people were questioned and searched.
Thanks to the video, the alibi that they were examined by Dr. Emir Talirević on the 23rd floor of the tower, where he has an office, failed because it was clear that the two of them wanted to enter the newsroom located on the 1st floor and how they were threateningly communicating with journalist Admir Aljimi.
After the information about that pressure on the media was published, Elvis Keljmendi spoke up, saying that it had nothing to do with threats to journalists and announced a lawsuit against the police.

Regardless of the reaction of some portals close to ISA, which tried to divert attention from the attacks on journalists, today "Avaz" received a photo where two people from RS, who threatened the journalist, together with Elvis Keljmendi, are sitting with controversial caterer Denis Stojnić . And that right after the police released them.
This time, they can hardly be taken out by chance that yesterday they had a medical need at the same time with Dr. Talirević, which they used to enter the tower and harass public speech employees.
Unless out of "specialist" needs, on the order of his friend Osman Mehmedagić Osmica, Stojnić did not set a date for an inter-entity agreement.

This time, they can hardly be taken out by chance that yesterday they had a medical need at the same time with Dr. Talirević, which they used to enter the tower and harass public speech employees

Two people from RS and Elvis Keljmendi in the company of controversial caterer Denis Stojnić

They threatened the journalists of "Dnevni avaz", and after that collectively went to Denis Stojnić's cafe

In the past 24 hours, 1,726 samples were registered with the Public Health Institute of the Federation of B&amp;H, of which 172 were positive for SARS-CoV-2.

New cases have been registered in all cantons in the Federation of B&amp;H.
A total of 640,426 samples have been tested so far, and SARS-CoV-2 has been confirmed in 131,718 individuals.
In the past 24 hours, 10 new deaths were reported to the Public Health Institute of the Federation of B&amp;H.
As of today, the number of deaths in the Federation of B&amp;H is 5,019, the Institute announced. 
In the last 24 hours, at the Institute of Public Health of the Republic of Srpska, the University Clinical Center of the Republic of Srpska, the University Hospital in Foča and the hospitals of Sv. Vračevi in ​​Bijeljina and Sv. Apostle Luke in Doboj tested 706 laboratory samples, and coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) was confirmed in 149 people.
In the last 24 hours, the Republic of Srpska Institute of Public Health has reported 17 deaths in which the presence of the coronavirus has been confirmed.
So far, 62,540 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Republic of Srpska, and a total of 3,469 people have died who have been tested for coronavirus.
In the Brčko District, 19 new cases of coronavirus infection were registered after testing 134 people. One person died.

New cases have been registered in all cantons in the Federation of B&H

In the past 24 hours, 10 new deaths were reported to the Public Health Institute of the Federation of B&H

COVID-19 confirmed in 340 people in B&H, with 28 deaths

After 13 anesthesiologists left the Clinical Center of the University of Sarajevo (KCUS), a meeting was held between the director of the KCUS, Sebija Izetbegović, and the head of the Surgical Discipline, Dr. Nermin Granov.
Although after resignation of 13 anesthesiologists from KCUS they announced that they have enough professional staff, the conclusions from the meeting, which is in the possession of "Avaz", confirm that there is panic at KCUS.
Namely, the anesthesiologists who remained to work at KCUS were given a new schedule due to the lack of professional staff.
The conclusion states that the regular operational program is performed from eight to 14 hours.
- The operative team that is deployed in the operating room according to the operative program, whether it is a surgeon or an anesthesiologist, is obliged to be in the operating room at eight o'clock. Surgeons and anesthesiologists, who are scheduled for the operative program at 8 o'clock, do not have to attend the morning meeting at 8 o'clock. The head of the clinic is obliged to make an operative program for the operators to present it at the professional board meeting at 2 PM for the next day - it is stated.

One anesthesiologist is forced to work alone at one clinic, except at Orthopedics where two will be working.
- The head of the Clinic for anesthesia and resuscitation is obliged to assign anesthesiologists for operations in general anesthesia to the professional board at 2 PM the day before, taking into account the schedule and duty plan, as follows:
- One anesthesiologist who will cover the eye and plastic surgery room,
- One anesthesiologist to cover the abdomen,
- One anesthesiologist who will cover the thoracic hall on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday,
- One anesthesiologist who will cover the ENT and MF room,
- One anesthesiologist to cover neurosurgery,
- One anesthesiologist to cover urology,
- One anesthesiologist to cover pediatric surgery,
- Two anesthesiologists who will cover orthopedics,
- One anesthesiologist to cover GAK,
- When it comes to intervention and diagnostic procedures, the Head of the OJ Clinic for Anesthesia and Resuscitation can make a daily schedule for that day based on the available staff, it is stated in the conclusion from the meeting between director Izetbegović and Dr. Granov.

The director of KCUS with the head of the Surgical discipline Nermin Granov placed the rest of the anesthesiologists in the clinics

Sebija Izetbegović claims that there are enough anesthesiologists at KCUS

Sebija drove away anesthesiologists, and now there are not enough experts

The High Representative in B&amp;H, Valentin Inzko, presented a report on Bosnia and Herzegovina to the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday.
It is interesting that the report before the UN mentions for the first time the work of the Intelligence and Security Agency (ISA), more precisely the compromising facts related to its director Osman Mehmedagić Osmica.

Apart from the problems with the new appointment related to the lack of a valid university education, the indictments against Mehmedagić are also mentioned.
- In October, the Prosecutor's Office of B&amp;H accused the Director General of abusing his position, because under a false pretext he obtained a video of the post office, from which the criminal report against him was sent to the prosecutors, in order to determine who filed the report. He was acquitted in February, but the Prosecution is continuing with other cases against him - the report states.
The fact that the issue of Mehmedagić's management of the ISA has reached the UN Security Council sends a clear signal that a "the straw broke the camel's back", ie that the international community is also considering "cleaning up" this institution. In the early 1990s, Mehmedagić worked on securing the Presidency of B&amp;H, and later as a companion to the first President of the Presidency of the Republic of B&amp;H, Alija Izetbegović.
Close ties with the Izetbegović's were also the main reference for him to be appointed as the head of the ISA in 2015. It soon became clear that the primary role of Osmica was to perform intelligence tasks for the personal and political interests of the Izetbegović couple, which was once confirmed by a video from the "Asim" affair, in which the then president of the SDA Personnel Commission Asim Sarajlić tried to bribe a party member to vote for Fikret Prevljak, and not Semir Efendić, during the election for the new head of the SDA Cantonal Board, praises how Osmica works for them and mentions that "he holds everything, Viber and other social networks", which is an allusion to espionage on the opponents.
Mehmedagić, meanwhile, has managed to get into trouble with the law. In November 2019, the RS Inspectorate officially annulled Mehmedagić's diploma from the University of Business Studies in Banja Luka, thus losing the qualification necessary to perform the function of director.
However, instead of resigning due to unqualification, in July 2020, Osmica managed to get a diploma "up its sleeve", ie to submit a diploma with a master's degree from the American University. This university was left without accreditation at the end of last year, while its owner Denis Prčić is under investigation. According to the information that „Avaz“ has, the Prosecutor's Office of B&amp;H has irrefutable evidence that Mehmedagić did not legally obtain this higher education degree at the American University of Sarajevo-Tuzla.
In February this year, the second indictment against Mehmedagić was confirmed, where, together with the Minister of Security of B&amp;H Selmo Cikotić, he was accused of abusing his position, related to the appointment of members of the commission for the second-level decision on security checks for police and state employees.

This is just part of the compromising facts regarding the current director of ISA. Although in any normal state, the lack of qualifications and the burden of investigations and indictments would mean that Mehmedagić must resign, the SDA persistently blocks the appointment of a new director so that Osmica stays in office for as long as possible. At the same time, they are blocking the work of the Commission for the Supervision of the Work of the ISA of the Parliament of B&amp;H, which is why there has been no civilian supervision over the work of the intelligence service for a long time.
Such moves show that Izetbegović obviously directly connects his political destiny with the position and services of Mehmedagić, whom he is trying to keep in the position of director at any cost. However, the fact that the OHR also deals with these issues and that Inzko also presented the problems related to Mehmedagić to the UN shows that the international community has decided to put an end to this practice of privatizing state institutions.

<h2>(Un)explainable links with drugs and money laundering</h2>

Osman Mehmedagić found himself in several money laundering scandals during trivial purchases of real estate in cash without origin.
That is how a magnificent house in Sarajevo was bought, and in the same way, with cash without legal cover, his wife bought a car from politician Asim Sarajlić.
Osman Mehmedagić Osmica also has great damage in the international community due to the scandal of the abolition of security checks for a dozen Sarajevo police officers.
As the public knows, Mehmedagić, as the director of ISA, revoked their security clearances. Their only sin was that they submitted to the SC Prosecutor's Office recordings of intercepted conversations between criminals and drug dealers, who boasted that they had given Mehmedagić expensive gifts and corrupted him.
In addition, it is no secret that the fight against the drug mafia in Sarajevo and elsewhere is obstructing by the ISA, because as soon as the police reaches certain drug dealers, Mehmedagić protects them by informing the police that they are his alleged informants.
However, there is obviously no benefit from informants, because huge amounts of drugs remain undetected.

In the end, it is not surprising that Mehmedagić is in an ungrateful position towards certain drug dealers. His wife, Amela Šehović, an unsuccessful pub singer, was a well-known drug user and an arrested dealer.
In that context of enjoying opiates, we should also look at Jasmina Izetbegović, the daughter of the so-called the Ceausescu couple, who consumed drugs and, according to some sources, were undergoing treatment and rehab. While the coronavirus pandemic lasts, Amela Šehović is not performing, but that is why Jasmina Izetbegović is doing great jobs for her company with state-owned companies controlled by the SDA, ie her father Bakir.
These biographical data of the two most powerful families in B&amp;H - Izetbegović and Mehmedagić - want to be removed at all costs in a way that their regime journalists, who are on the ISA payroll, want to attribute the connection with drug dealers to rival politicians.
(F. F.)

<h2>History of scandals in intelligence services</h2>

B&amp;H intelligence services have a bad reputation since day one. The Investigation and Documentation Agency (AID), which acted as the intelligence agency of the Republic of B&amp;H, has been linked to a number of political assassinations, the most famous of which is the assassination of Nedžad Ugljen, the agency's former deputy director.
In addition, it was connected with an international scandal - the "Pogorelica" case, ie the camp of the same name, which was formally used for anti-terrorist training. On February 16th, 1996, IFOR made a helicopter and transport landing, and the U.S. Admiral Leighton Smith made serious allegations, calling it a training ground for terrorists. Former AID officials Bakir Alispahić, Irfan Ljevaković and Enver Mujezinović were detained in May 2002 over the case.
In 2002, AID and the SNS, the Herceg-Bosna intelligence service, merged, and the Federal Intelligence and Security Service (FOSS) was formed. Finally, in 2004, the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina adopted the Law on the Establishment of the B&amp;H Intelligence and Security Agency, which established the ISA, with the abolition of the entity agencies.
The director of FOSS was Munir Alibabić Munja, who was dismissed by High Representative Paddy Ashdown in 2002 for revealing an official secret, because certain secret documents of this service had become public.

The fact that the issue of Mehmedagić's management of the ISA has reached the Security Council sends a clear signal that foreigners are also considering "cleaning up" this institution

Mehmedagić and Izetbegović: Director of ISA is under the control of the President of the SDA

Valentin Inzko's indicative report: Is the dismissal of Osmica being prepared?

The Ministry of the Interior of the Sarajevo Canton issued a statement on the occasion of yesterday's arrest in front of the "Avaz Twist Tower".
- On May 6th, 2021, the Sarajevo Canton Police, acting on a telephone report and certain information of an operational nature, undertook preventive activities within its competence to prevent endangering the safety of journalists of the media house "Avaz", which on that day at around 1:30 PM at the site " Avaz Twist Tower” in street Tešanjska, area of the municipality of Centar Sarajevo, performed control and inspection of six persons and three vehicles, which persons were previously known to the police authorities.
On that occasion, a Smith &amp; Wesson M59 pistol with two frames and a total of 32 bullets of 9 mm caliber was found near P. S. (1983) from Šeković, for which he has been approved by the competent authority in whose area he resides. Further work established that the said person committed a misdemeanor under Article 38 of the Law on Acquisition, Possession and Carrying of Weapons and Ammunition in the Sarajevo Canton, due to which the same weapons and ammunition were temporarily confiscated, and misdemeanor proceedings will be initiated against P. S. before the competent court.
A journalist from the mentioned media house approached the premises of the Second Police Department and filed a report that a criminal offense under Article 183 of the Criminal Code of B&amp;H (endangering security) had been committed to his detriment the day before, about which the duty prosecutor of the Cantonal Prosecutor's Office of Sarajevo Canton was informed and under whose supervision Police officers of the Police Administration continue to work on the full clarification and documentation of all circumstances related to the event with the characteristics of the said criminal offense - the SC Ministry of the Interior announced.
They note that the Sarajevo Canton Police is fully prepared, and committed to protecting the personal and property safety of citizens and visitors of Sarajevo Canton, especially journalists and their rights in performing a journalistic vocation based on professional grounds and within guaranteed media freedoms.
- We call on all citizens and visitors of Sarajevo Canton to cooperate with the police, and to report to the Sarajevo Canton police any kind of threatsor blackmail to which they may be exposed by any individual or group prone to committing crimes - said the SC Ministry of Interior.

Misdemeanor proceedings will be instituted against P. S. before the competent court, police said

SC Ministry of Interior on arrest in front of "Avaz Twist Tower": Pistol and ammunition confiscated from P. S., six people previously known to the police were controlled

Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan on Thursday asked fans to donate money for Covid-19 vaccines as a way of celebrating the second birthday of their son Archie.

-We have been deeply touched over the past two years to feel the warmth and support for our family in honor of Archie’s birthday- said the couple, who now live in California after renouncing their royal duties. 
In a letter posted on the website of their Archewell non-profit foundation, they praised supporters for their charity donations on Archie's birthday. 
-Many of you donate to charities on his behalf, and mark the occasion by giving back or doing an act of service — all through the goodness of your hearts. You raise funds for those who need it most, and continue to do so organically and selflessly. We remain incredibly grateful.--This year, our world continues to be on the path to recovery from Covid-19. Yet too many families are still struggling with the impact of this pandemic- they said, asking for donations for the purchase of vaccines for "families in the world's most vulnerable places."
-We will not be able to truly recover until everyone, everywhere, has equal access to the vaccine- said the couple, who co-hosted a concert to raise funds for vaccines that is due to air on Sunday. 
Along with US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris will also appear at "Vax Live: The Concert To Reunite The World" where performers will include Jennifer Lopez, Eddie Vedder, J Balvin and HER.
Put on by Global Citizen, an international advocacy organization, the campaign is pushing businesses to "donate dollars for doses," and for G7 governments to share excess vaccines.
It also urges pharmaceutical companies "including Moderna to make vaccines available at not-for-profit prices."

In a letter posted on the website of their Archewell non-profit foundation, they praised supporters for their charity donations

Meghan Markle, Prince Harry and their son Archie

Prince Harry, Meghan ask for Covid vaccine donations for Archie's birthday

Health officials in Russia approved a single-dose version of the Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, the developers of the shot said Thursday. 

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which helped finance the vaccine, said in a statement that Sputnik Light "demonstrated 79.4 percent efficacy" compared to 91.6 percent for the two-shot Sputnik V.
The results, it said, were drawn from "data taken from 28 days after the injection was administered as part of Russia's mass vaccination program between 5 December 2020 and 15 April 2021".
The Russian vaccine has been approved for use in over 60 countries.
But it has not yet been approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or the United States' Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Some Western countries have been wary of Sputnik V -- named after the Soviet-era satellite -- over concerns the Kremlin would use it as a soft-power tool to advance its interests.
Moscow registered the jab in August before large-scale clinical trials, but leading medical journal The Lancet has since said it is safe and with two doses is more than 90 percent effective.
A statement said that the state-run Gamaleya research institute, which developed Sputnik V vaccine, and RDIF had launched third-phrase trials of Sputnik in several countries, including Russia, the UAE and Ghana, in February involving 7,000 people with interim results expected this year.
It said more than 20 million people globally have received their first shot of Sputnik V.

Vaccine demonstrated 79.4 percent efficacy compared to 91.6 percent for the two-shot Sputnik V

The Russian vaccine has been approved for use in over 60 countries

Russia approves one-dose 'Sputnik Light' Covid jab

Thousands of Greeks on Thursday demonstrated against a controversial new labour law, police said, as strikes crippled transport and public services.

Some 6,000 people marched in separate protests in Athens, a police source said. Demonstrations are also held in other major cities.
The strike wave -- the second this week after a nationwide walkout on Tuesday -- shut down the civil service, sidelined ferries and halted most public transport in Athens except buses.
Several flights are also being cancelled or rescheduled owing to a work stoppage by air controllers.
According to the government, the reform introduces optional working hour flexibility, sets rules on remote work and includes safeguards against workplace sex harassment.
Government spokeswoman Aristotelia Peloni on Wednesday said the overhaul "updates legislation to the present century, to the real needs of employees today." 
Labour Minister Costis Hatzidakis has said the new rules allow staff to negotiate with management the option of working more hours during part of the year, and subsequently take more time off.
But opposition parties have labelled the reform a "painful backtracking" on labour rights -- and critics say it formalises overtime exploitation by unscrupulous business owners which has already been going on for years.
-Unpaid overtime is a core problem in the Greek labour market..(and) labour inspection mechanisms have been dismantled- Nassos Iliopoulos, spokesman for the main opposition Syriza party, told Skai TV.
He also noted that under the new system, workers would negotiate without collective bargaining and would therefore be at the mercy of employers.
-This is a proposal for poorly-paid, flexible labour, a proposal from the past- Iliopoulos said.
Unions also oppose planned changes to how strikes are decided, with the government seeking to allow their members to vote remotely.
Greece in 2018 exited from a disastrous decade of debt crisis, international bailouts, tax hikes and spending cuts that wiped out thousands of jobs and created an exodus by many of the country's best-educated professionals.

Some 6,000 people marched in separate protests in Athens, a police source said

Several flights are also being cancelled or rescheduled owing to a work stoppage by air controllers

New strikes, demos in Greece against labour reform

Moderna announced Thursday a 4.3% increase to $19.2 billion to its 2021 sales forecast for the coronavirus vaccine.

The announcement from the US biotech firm came as vaccine producers are trying to ramp up supplies to match with the demand of countries looking to stock up for next year.
Moderna also gave updates to its initial studies on those aged 12-17 and said trials show the vaccine has an efficacy rate of 96%.
The company has also been working to extend the storage time of the vaccine in refrigerator temperatures.
The ongoing development data related to the current formulation "could support a 3-month refrigerated (2-8°C) shelf life for the vaccine in alternative formats to facilitate easier distribution to doctor’s offices and other smaller settings, if authorized," said Moderna.
The current version of the vaccine is approved for storage for up to one month at refrigerated temperatures, 2-8°C (36-46 F) and up to 7 months in a standard freezer, -20°C (-4 F).

Projection increased 4.3%, says company

The announcement from the US biotech firm came as vaccine producers are trying to ramp up supplies to match with the demand of countries looking to stock up for next year

ISA Director Osman Mehmedagić arrived at the Court of B&H

COVID-19 confirmed in 101 people in B&H, with 28 deaths

Malaysia to bring back its citizens from India

Greece to reopen beaches, museums after long lockdown

WHO approves China's Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine

Brigadier General Szilárd Gerőfi takes over duty of EUFOR Chief of Staff

B&H Armed Forces get another officer from the Royal Air Force College

They threatened the journalists of "Dnevni avaz", and after that collectively went to Denis Stojnić's cafe

COVID-19 confirmed in 340 people in B&H, with 28 deaths

Sebija drove away anesthesiologists, and now there are not enough experts

Valentin Inzko's indicative report: Is the dismissal of Osmica being prepared?

SC Ministry of Interior on arrest in front of "Avaz Twist Tower": Pistol and ammunition confiscated from P. S., six people previously known to the police were controlled

Prince Harry, Meghan ask for Covid vaccine donations for Archie's birthday

Russia approves one-dose 'Sputnik Light' Covid jab

New strikes, demos in Greece against labour reform

Moderna lifts vaccine sales forecast to $19.2B

News

ISA Director Osman Mehmedagić arrived at the Court of B&H

COVID-19 confirmed in 101 people in B&H, with 28 deaths

Malaysia to bring back its citizens from India

Greece to reopen beaches, museums after long lockdown

WHO approves China's Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine

Brigadier General Szilárd Gerőfi takes over duty of EUFOR Chief of Staff

B&H Armed Forces get another officer from the Royal Air Force College

They threatened the journalists of "Dnevni avaz", and after that collectively went to Denis Stojnić's cafe

COVID-19 confirmed in 340 people in B&H, with 28 deaths

Sebija drove away anesthesiologists, and now there are not enough experts

Valentin Inzko's indicative report: Is the dismissal of Osmica being prepared?

SC Ministry of Interior on arrest in front of "Avaz Twist Tower": Pistol and ammunition confiscated from P. S., six people previously known to the police were controlled

Prince Harry, Meghan ask for Covid vaccine donations for Archie's birthday

Russia approves one-dose 'Sputnik Light' Covid jab

New strikes, demos in Greece against labour reform

Moderna lifts vaccine sales forecast to $19.2B