by Issam Ahmed with AFP bureaus WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine was to begin leaving the company’s Michigan factory on Sunday, ready to be injected into the arms of millions of the most vulnerable Americans as the global death toll topped 1.6 million. Doses will be shipped out in boxes containing dry ice that are capable of staying at -70 degrees Celsius (-94 degrees Fahrenheit), the frigid temperature needed to preserve […]
North America
Trump pushes for fast Pfizer approval as other vaccines hit snags
by Issam Ahmed Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump on Friday piled pressure on the US drug regulator to quickly approve the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine as America readied to roll out mass immunizations. The Washington Post reported that the White House told the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) chief Stephen Hahn to submit his resignation if the agency does not clear the vaccine by the end of the day. Hahn […]
US buys additional 100 mn doses of Moderna vaccine
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US said Friday it was purchasing 100 million more doses of the Covid-19 vaccine candidate developed by Moderna, amid reports the government passed on the opportunity to secure more supply of the Pfizer jab. The agreement brings the total number of Moderna doses bought by the US to 200 million, enough to immunize 100 million people with the two-shot regimen. “Securing another 100 million doses from Moderna by June […]
Trump administration carries out another execution despite appeals, pandemic
by Charlotte PLANTIVE Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — A convicted murderer died by lethal injection on Thursday as the administration of President Donald Trump carries out a series of federal executions in its waning days in power, ignoring calls for clemency and Covid-19 outbreaks behind bars. Brandon Bernard, a 40-year-old African-American inmate, was put to death at a prison in Terre Haute, Indiana, for his role in a 1999 double murder […]
Surge in US jobless claims underscores need for stimulus
by Heather SCOTT WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — New applications for US unemployment benefits surged last week by 137,000, according to government data released Thursday, underscoring the need for more economic stimulus as Covid-19 cases hit new peaks. The gain was far higher than economists had been expecting and ramps up pressure on US lawmakers to break the impasse on a new federal relief package to help families and businesses hit by the pandemic. With […]
US considers Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine approval
by Issam AHMED WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US experts met Thursday to assess whether to grant emergency approval for Pfizer-BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine and allow America to become the next country to move ahead with mass immunization. The independent committee of experts convened by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will hold a non-binding vote at the end of the day, and the US regulator will determine after that whether to issue an emergency use […]
US Covid deaths exceed 3,000 in 24 hours: Johns Hopkins
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States on Wednesday registered more than 3,000 deaths from Covid-19 in 24 hours, according to the Johns Hopkins University tally — the highest daily toll since April. American authorities warned a spike in deaths was coming after millions traveled around the country for the Thanksgiving holiday last month, ignoring pleas to stay home to slow the spread of the virus. As of 8:30 pm (0030 GMT Thursday), […]
Deadly pandemic surge in US as regulators meet on Pfizer vaccine
by Agence France Presse Bureaus WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — American regulators were due to meet Thursday to assess the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine for emergency approval, as the country logged one of its worst-ever daily Covid-19 death tolls with more than 3,000 people lost to the pandemic. Other northern hemisphere countries were also grappling with a winter virus surge, as the number of global infections raced towards 70 million with more than 1.5 million […]
Pfizer to deliver first vaccine doses to Canada in December: PM
OTTAWA, Canada (AFP) — Pfizer and BioNTech will deliver the first doses of their Covid-19 vaccine to Canada this month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday, with inoculations to start as early as next week. Another vaccine candidate developed by Moderna could also be shipped “as soon as December,” the American company said. At a news conference, Trudeau said a deal was signed with Pfizer and BioNTech “to begin early delivery of doses of their […]
Millions of Californians locked down, UK to start vaccinating
by Agence France Presse bureaus An overwhelming majority of California’s residents went into lockdown Monday, putting 33 million people under stay-at-home orders as the United States battles record Covid deaths and Britain readied to vaccinate the elderly and frontline staff. The lockdown in America’s most populous state forced most offices to close and banned gatherings among different households, while bars and services such as hair salons were shut and restaurants only allowed to serve […]
Biden picks California official Becerra for health secretary: report
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Joe Biden plans to nominate California attorney general Xavier Becerra for secretary of health and human services, which would add another Latino member to the president-elect’s increasingly diverse cabinet, US media reported Sunday. During Becerra’s 12 terms in the US Congress representing Los Angeles, he was an outspoken advocate of Latino rights and a vigorous defender of former president Barack Obama’s signature health care program — a policy that has […]
Trump allies take Pennsylvania vote complaint to US Supreme Court
WASHINGTON, UNited States (AFP) — Allies of President Donald Trump have sought an emergency order from the US Supreme Court blocking the certification of election results in Pennsylvania, a key state won by President-elect Joe Biden. The move follows the Pennsylvania state supreme court’s rejection Saturday of a suit challenging expanded mail-in voting in the key northeastern state. In the motion filed Thursday the top US court is not asked to rule on the […]





