Exclusive - Biden team considering a halt to 'offensive' arms sales for Saudis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Joe Biden's administration is considering the cancellation of arms deals with Saudi Arabia that pose human rights concerns while limiting future military sales to "defensive" weapons, as it reassesses it relationship with the kingdom.

World Bank head urges countries to sign vaccine contracts now

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - World Bank President David Malpass on Friday urged countries to enter contracts for COVID-19 vaccines now so they could get delivery schedules, saying it was vital to get started in more countries and work through more channels.

Philippines' Duterte signs indemnity bill for COVID-19 vaccine rollout

MANILA (Reuters) - Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday signed into law a bill that gives indemnity to vaccine makers if their COVID-19 shots cause adverse side-effects, days before the country starts its lagging inoculation programme.

Canada approves AstraZeneca's COVID-19 shot in boost to vaccination push

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's drug regulator on Friday approved AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine, including the version produced by the Serum Institute of India, paving the way for health authorities to accelerate Canada's lagging vaccination campaign.

J&J COVID-19 vaccine set to get EU nod in early March - Bloomberg News

(Reuters) - The European Union's medicines regulator is expected to recommend drugmaker Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine on March 11, Bloomberg News reported https://bloom.bg/3stLMZR on Friday, a move that could give the region its fourth coronavirus vaccine.

Dr Noor Hisham: Allowing firms to sell Covid-19 vaccines may encourage 'queue cutting', emergence of fake vaccines

Asean News Headlines as at 7pm on Friday (Feb 26)

News highlights from Asean countries in the Star-AseanPlus section for Friday (Feb 26)

Customs says smuggling in Philippines up due to pandemic

MANILA (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN): The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is tightening its watch over the country’s borders following a surge in illicit imported cigarettes, party drugs as well as fake goods, no thanks to the harder times brought by the prolonged Covid-19 pandemic.

Take 'fantastic' AstraZeneca vaccine, official tells Germans

BERLIN (Reuters) - AstraZeneca's vaccine against the coronavirus is effective and Germans should take it if it is offered, the head of Germany's Robert Koch Institute for Infectious Diseases said on Friday.

Private healthcare workers from KL to be vaccinated at two private hospitals in the state on March 1

PETALING JAYA: Private healthcare workers from Kuala Lumpur will be vaccinated at two private hospitals in the state on March 1.