America
Brazil presses for Pfizer, AstraZeneca shots to bolster slow vaccine rollout
Brazil’s government on Monday pressed Pfizer Inc for earlier delivery of COVID-19 vaccines and sought to buy more AstraZeneca shots from other countries, as a deadly second wave of cases adds urgency to a lethargic vaccine rollout. President Jair Bolsonaro, who has played down the gravity o
US President Biden congratulates Iraq for ‘historic’ visit by Pope Francis
US President Joe Biden congratulated the Iraqi government and its people on Monday after the “historic” visit by Pope Francis to the country. He described the three-day visit by Pope Francis as “a historic and welcome first for the country”. Iraq is a country "steeped in
Venezuela's Maduro receives first dose of Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores have received their first dose of Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, Venezuelan state television reported on Saturday, while the country received a second shipment of the vaccine. Images of both Maduro and Flores receiving
Mexico reports 6,561 new COVID-19 cases, 779 more deaths
Mexico’s health ministry on Saturday reported 6,561 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country and 779 fatalities, bringing its total to 2,125,866 infections and 190,357 deaths. Officials have been frustrated by bottlenecks in the vaccine supply and raised concerns that wealthy co
Biden appeals for Covid aid as US Senate grinds through bill
President Joe Biden made public appeals on Friday for passage of his $1.9 trillion pandemic-relief bill, meeting potential recipients of stimulus checks and highlighting continuing damage to the labour market. The Senate in the meantime was stalled as it considered amendments to the bill. Negoti
Trump State Department aide charged with assault during Capitol riot
A former State Department aide in the Trump administration has been charged with participating in the deadly siege at the Capitol and assaulting officers who were trying to guard the building, court papers show. This is the first known case to be brought against a Trump appointee after the Januar
Security tight at U.S. Capitol after police warn of possible militia attack
Security was tight on Thursday at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, the scene of a deadly assault in January, after police warned that a militia group might try to attack it to mark a key date on the calendar of a baseless conspiracy theory. A bulletin issued on Tuesday by the Department of Homelan
Cuba starts late stage trials of COVID-19 vaccine candidate in Havana
Cuba has begun late stage trials of its most advanced experimental COVID-19 vaccine, edging closer to a potential home-grown inoculation that could help the Caribbean island nation contain infections and ease its economic crisis. The country started this week recruiting around 44,000 volunteers i
Biden says lifting state mask mandates a 'big mistake'
US President Joe Biden on Wednesday said decisions to end the required wearing of masks, such as those made by the governors of Texas and Mississippi, amounted to "Neanderthal thinking" given the increasing death toll from the coronavirus pandemic. Asked if he had a message fo
Biden vows enough Covid vaccine for all US adults by end of May
President Joe Biden said Tuesday that the US expects to take delivery of enough coronavirus vaccines for all adults by the end of May, two months earlier than anticipated, as his administration announced that drugmaker Merck will help produce rival Johnson & Johnson’s newly approved shot
Police and FBI issue warnings of possible US Capitol attack
Law enforcement officials in the US said that a militia group may be plotting to attack the Capitol on March 4, the date of “true inauguration day" in fringe political circles. “We have obtained intelligence that shows a possible plot to breach the Capitol by an identif
Brazil coronavirus variant spreads more easily, dodges immune defenses
The Brazilian variant of coronavirus can spread rapidly and bypass immune system defenses, according to a new study. A team of scientists from Brazil and the UK said the so-called P1 variant is about 1.4 to 2.2 times more transmissible than older versions of coronavirus that exist in the Bra
New York marks anniversary of first coronavirus case
New York is marking the anniversary of its first confirmed coronavirus case, which was found just before the city became the global centre for the pandemic. “This is a day for reflection,” New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Monday. “One year ago today, we had our
FBI chief calls January 6 Capitol riot ‘domestic terrorism'
Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Wray condemned the January riot at the US Capitol as “domestic terrorism” Tuesday as he defended the bureau’s handling of intelligence indicating the prospect for violence. He told politicians the information was properly shared wit
Mexico hopes for U.S. answer on COVID-19 vaccines at Biden meeting
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said he hoped his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden would heed a request by Mexico on COVID-19 vaccines when the two hold a virtual meeting later on Monday that is also likely to encompass immigration and trade. Reuters over the weekend reported Lopez Obrado
US distributes first four million 'one shot' Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccines
Four million doses of the latest Covid-19 vaccine to get US approval will be delivered across the country as early as Tuesday, a senior administration official said. The United States on Saturday authorised Johnson & Johnson's Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use, boosting President Joe Biden's
Brazil registers over 1,300 COVID-19 deaths for fifth straight day
Brazil registered 1,386 COVID-19 deaths on Saturday and 61,602 additional cases, according to data released by the nation’s Health Ministry. The South American country has suffered an enduring second wave since November, and infection rates have not begun to fall. Saturday was the fifth con
Mexico's president expected to ask Biden to share U.S. vaccines, say sources
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is expected to ask President Joe Biden to consider sharing part of the U.S. coronavirus vaccine supply with its poorer southern neighbor when the two leaders hold a virtual summit on Monday, U.S. and Mexican officials said. Biden is open to discussing
