North America

In new breakthrough, Moderna’s Covid vaccine nearly 95% effective

  by Issam AHMED Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US biotech firm Moderna on Monday announced its experimental vaccine against Covid-19 was almost 95 percent effective, a result hailed by the country’s top infectious disease scientist as “stunningly impressive.” Moderna’s early results from a clinical trial with more than 30,000 participants marks a second major breakthrough in the quest to end the pandemic. Last week, American pharmaceutical company Pfizer and its German […]

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Iglesia Ni Cristo holds Aid to Humanity in Hawaii islands; legislator thanks Church for help

  (Eagle News) — The Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC or Church Of Christ) conducted an Aid to Humanity in the Hawaiian islands of Kauai, Maui, and Big Island, making use of various forms of outreach to help residents in the various communities amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The outreach event done on Oct. 31, was in connection with the Worldwide Aid to Humanity of the INC held that day to help various communities in need across […]

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Hurricane Iota weakens to Category 4 on approach to Honduras

by Julia RIOS BILWI, Nicaragua (AFP) — Iota weakened slightly to a Category 4 hurricane Monday as it barreled towards Honduras, threatening to deliver more drenching rains and fierce winds to areas devastated by a powerful storm just two weeks ago. Authorities had been rushing to evacuate thousands of people from coastal areas of Nicaragua and Honduras, in the immediate path of the maximum-level hurricane. The storm had already left one person dead as it […]

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Moderna vaccine results ‘stunningly impressive,’ Fauci tells AFP

by Issam AHMED WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States’ top infectious disease scientist on Monday hailed early results from Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine trial as “stunningly impressive,” calling the findings an emphatic validation of experimental mRNA technology that some had doubted. “I must admit that I would have been satisfied with 70 or at the most 75 percent efficacy,” he told AFP. “The idea that we have a 94.5 percent effective vaccine is stunningly […]

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US adds 1 million Covid cases in less than a week

  WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US has surpassed 11 million coronavirus cases, adding one million new cases in less than a week, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. The dizzying rise came as cities and states across the United States were implementing new restrictions to try to halt the spread of the virus, with stay-at-home orders set to be imposed on Chicago Monday. The US had crossed the 10 million case […]

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Hurricane Iota, maximum Cat 5 strength, makes landfall in Nicaragua

by Julia RIOS BILWI, Nicaragua (AFP) — Iota made landfall in Nicaragua as a “catastrophic” Category 5 hurricane Monday, threatening to deliver more drenching rains and fierce winds to areas devastated by a powerful storm just two weeks ago. Authorities had been rushing to evacuate thousands of people from coastal areas of Nicaragua and Honduras, in the immediate path of the maximum-level hurricane. The storm had already left one person dead as it swept the […]

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White House planning for second Trump term despite defeat: official

  WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The White House is planning for President Donald Trump to serve a second term despite his reelection loss, a top official said Friday. “We are moving forward here at the White House under the assumption that there will be a second Trump term,” the outgoing president’s trade advisor Peter Navarro said on Fox Business Network. Trump has yet to concede nearly a week after US media announced that his […]

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New covid outbreak hits US Secret Service: over 130 agents infected with COVID, says US media

  WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US Secret Service, which guards President Donald Trump, President-elect Joe Biden, and the White House, has been struck by an outbreak of Covid-19, US media reported Friday. The Washington Post said that more than 130 Secret Service agents were infected by coronavirus or in quarantine due to contact with infected people. The outbreak came after numerous agents traveled to campaign rallies with Trump where many officials and most […]

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‘Time will tell’: Trump comes closest yet to admitting defeat

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) –US President Donald Trump came close but stopped just short on Friday of acknowledging he lost the November 3 election to Democrat Joe Biden and said “time will tell.” Trump, who has refused to concede he lost the election, was speaking at a briefing at the White House on the Covid-19 pandemic. “Ideally we won’t go to a lockdown,” he said. “I will not go. This administration will not be going […]

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Trump bans investment in firms that aid China’s military

  WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order banning Americans from investing in Chinese firms deemed to be supplying or supporting Beijing’s military and security apparatus, earning a sharp rebuke from China. The order listed 31 companies Thursday it said China was using for the “increasing exploitation” of US investment capital to fund military and intelligence services, including the development and deployment of weapons of mass destruction. US-China […]

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China sends ‘congratulations’ to Joe Biden on US election win

  BEIJING, China (AFP) — China congratulated US President-elect Joe Biden on Friday nearly a week after he was declared winner of the American election. US-China ties have grown increasingly strained in recent years under the administration of incumbent Donald Trump, and relations are as icy as at any time since formal ties were established four decades ago. “We respect the choice of the American people. We express our congratulations to Mr Biden and Ms […]

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Pfizer CEO sold $5.6 million in stock on day of vaccine announcement

WASHINGTON, United States (AGP) — Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla sold $5.6 million of his stock in the US pharmaceutical company on the same day it announced promising results for its Covid-19 vaccine candidate, filings showed Wednesday. The company, however, has reportedly said the sale was part of a pre-arranged periodic divestment plan when the stock reaches a certain price. According to a disclosure with US market regulator SEC, Bourla sold 132,508 shares at $41.94 each […]

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