COVID "Firepower": Britain Imposes 6-Month Curbs Against Second Wave British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told people on Tuesday to work from home where possible and ordered bars and restaurants to close early to tackle a fast-spreading second wave of COVID-19 with restrictions lasting probably six months. » Details

Saudi Arabia To Gradually Resume "Umrah" Pilgrimage From October 4 Saudi Arabia will gradually resume the year-round umrah pilgrimage from October 4, the interior ministry said on Tuesday, seven months after it was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic. » Details

International Space Station Moves To Avoid Collision With Debris Astronauts on the International Space Station carried out an "avoidance maneuver" Tuesday to ensure they would not be hit by a piece of debris, said US space agency NASA, urging better management of objects in Earth's orbit. » Details

Vehicle Likely Carrying Ballistic Missile Spotted In North Korea A vehicle that may be carrying a ballistic missile has been spotted at a parade training ground in North Korea amid signs it is preparing a big military display for an October 10 holiday, a US think-tank said. » Details

WHO Reports Highest Weekly Increment Of Nearly 2 Million In COVID-19 Cases Worldwide The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported a record number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus registered across the world over the past week -- almost 2 million infections -- which marks the highest number in a single week so far. » Details

NASA Plans Mission To Moon By 2024, To Cost $28 Billion NASA on Monday revealed its latest plan to return astronauts to the Moon in 2024, and estimated the cost of meeting that deadline at $28 billion, $16 billion of which would be spent on the lunar landing module » Details

COVID-19 Vaccine: AstraZeneca Releases Trial Blueprint, Aims For 50% Effectiveness Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca has released a 111-page blueprint for its COVID-19 vaccine Phase-3 trials where it has stated that the company is aiming for a vaccine with 50 per cent effectiveness » Details