Science News Roundup: UAE selects first Arab woman for astronaut training; Putin vows Russia will remain space power and more

Following is a summary of current science news briefs.

On Gagarin flight anniversary, Putin vows Russia will remain space power

Russian President Vladimir Putin marked the 60th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's historic space flight on Monday with a pledge that Moscow would remain a keyspace and nuclear power. Gagarin became the first human in outer space on April 12, 1961, in one of the Soviet Union's most important Cold War victories and a pivotal moment in its space race with the United States.

UAE selects first Arab woman for astronaut training

The United Arab Emirates has selected the first Arab woman to train as an astronaut, as the Gulf country rapidly expands into the space sector to diversify its economy. Emirati national Nora al-Matrooshi, a 27-year-old mechanical engineering graduate currently working at Abu Dhabi's National Petroleum Construction Company, will join NASA's 2021 Astronaut Candidate Class in the United States.

Autoimmune-disease drugs may reduce vaccine response; antibody treatments ineffective vs Brazil variant

The following is a roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. Autoimmune disease treatments may reduce vaccine responses

(With inputs from agencies.)