Briefly

UNITED KINGDOM

Drugmaker resumes Oxford vaccine trials

AstraZeneca has resumed British clinical trials of its COVID-19 vaccine, one of the most advanced in development, after being given the green light from safety watchdogs, the company said. The late-stage trials of the experimental vaccine, developed with researchers from the University of Oxford, were suspended last week after an illness in a study subject, casting doubts on its being available any time soon. The company said that the standard review process triggered a voluntary pause to vaccination across all global trials to allow review of safety data by independent committees and international regulators on Sept 6.Safety reviewers had recommended to Britain's Medicines Health Regulatory Authority that it was safe to resume the British trials, it said.

MALI

Junta agrees to 18-month transitional government

Mali's military junta, which staged a coup last month, has agreed to an 18-month transitional government led by a military or civilian leader that would pave the way to elections. Three days of consultations with leaders of political and civil society groups laid out a charter for the transition, which will include a vice president and transitional council that will serve as the National Assembly. The president and vice-president will be chosen by a group of people appointed by the junta, said Moussa Camara, spokesman for the talks. Mali's opposition coalition, the international community and the West African regional bloc have called for a civilian leader for the transition. The bloc has warned that the junta must designate a transitional civilian leader by this week or face further sanctions.

AFGHANISTAN

At Taliban peace talks, the hard work begins

Peace talks between the Taliban and Afghan government negotiators were to get down to business on Sunday, with the search for a lasting cease-fire one of many key issues up for discussion. In a slick opening ceremony in the Qatari capital, Doha, on Saturday the Afghan government and allies including the US called for a cease fire. But the Taliban, who have fought a guerrilla campaign against both since they were forced from power in 2001, did not mention a truce as they came to the negotiating table. The head of the peace process for the Afghan government suggested that the Taliban could offer a cease-fire in exchange for release of more of their jailed fighters.

Agencies Via Xinhua