Pandemic treaty talks inch towards deal

It has been more than five years since the Covid-19 pandemic began, killing millions of people and devastating economies. Experts say an accord has become even more crucial with new health threats, ranging from H5N1 bird flu to measles, mpox and Ebola. The negotiations had been scheduled to conclude last June, but were extended for a year in a bid to overcome disagreements. Delegates began meeting to finalise the text at around 10:15 am (0815 GMT) on Tuesday behind closed doors at the World Health Organization's headquarters in Geneva.