Other News

Trump refuses to concede, Biden leads on Covid

by Sebastian Smith with Angela Weiss in Wilmington WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump, who is refusing to concede election defeat, injected new volatility Monday by firing his defense secretary, while President-elect Joe Biden made good on a promise to focus on leading the country out of the Covid-19 crisis. With construction already starting in central Washington for the January 20 inauguration ceremony, an awkward and potentially chaotic transition period is underway. Trump, […]

Continue Reading →

Brazil halts trials of Chinese Covid-19 vaccine

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AFP) — Brazil’s health regulator said Monday it had suspended clinical trials of a Chinese-developed Covid-19 vaccine after an “adverse incident” involving a volunteer recipient, a blow for one of the most advanced vaccine candidates. The regulator, Anvisa, said in a statement it had “ruled to interrupt the clinical trial of the CoronaVac vaccine after a serious adverse incident” on October 29. It said it could not give details on what […]

Continue Reading →

‘Kamala represents the future’: US women, minorities celebrate vice president-elect

by Laura BONILLA NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — The first female vice president, and a symbol of American diversity — Kamala Harris has electrified many women and minority voters on the US left, who view her as the future more than Joe Biden. As celebrations rolled on in major cities, excitement for some has shifted from Biden’s election victory to his running mate. “She’s a wonderful role model for young girls,” said Theodora Egbuchulam, […]

Continue Reading →

World may be tired, but virus ‘not tired of us’: WHO chief

by Agnès PEDRERO GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — The World Health Organization’s chief called Monday on everyone to keep fighting Covid-19, warning that while we may be sick of battling the pandemic, the virus is “not tired of us”. Speaking to WHO’s main annual assembly, which resumed Monday after being cut short in May, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also hailed the election of Joe Biden as the next US president, voicing hope it could signal tighter global […]

Continue Reading →

Suu Kyi’s party confident of landslide victory in Myanmar polls

by Richard SARGENT YANGON, Myanmar (AFP) — Aung San Suu Kyi’s ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) said Monday it was confident of winning a landslide victory in Myanmar as official results trickled in following the weekend’s coronavirus-disrupted election. Millions lined up for hours to cast their ballots on Sunday — only the second national election since the country emerged from outright military rule in 2011. Nobel laureate Suu Kyi remains a heroine for many […]

Continue Reading →

Two new cases of Covid-19 in the White House: reports

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Two more people close to US President Donald Trump tested positive for the coronavirus, media reports said Monday. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson. 69, has contracted the virus, his deputy chief of staff Coalter Baker told NPR. “He is in good spirits and feels fortunate to have access to effective therapeutics which aid and markedly speed his recovery,” Baker said in a statement. According to ABC television, Carson […]

Continue Reading →

Trudeau calls to congratulate Biden on election win

OTTAWA, Canada (AFP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday called US President-elect Joe Biden to congratulate him on his election win, and discussed working together to fight the Covid-19 pandemic and climate change. Trudeau, who was one of the first leaders to congratulate Biden on Saturday, less than an hour after US media called it, was also “the first international leader to speak with the president-elect,” Trudeau’s office said in a statement. The […]

Continue Reading →

‘Lockdown’ is Collins Dictionary Word of the Year

by Callum PATON LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Collins Dictionary said on Tuesday that “lockdown” is its Word of The Year in 2020 following a dramatic increase in usage during the spread of Covid-19. Lexicographers said they picked the word because it had become synonymous with the experience of populations across the world as governments look to curb the coronavirus pandemic. “It is a unifying experience for billions of people across the world, who have […]

Continue Reading →

Thunderstorm advisory raised over parts of Mindanao

(Eagle News)–A thunderstorm advisory has been raised over parts of Mindanao. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said moderate to occasional heavy rainshowers with lightning and strong winds  are expected over portions of Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Zamboanga City, and Basilan within the next one to two hours. PAGASA said these were due to thunderstorms. These conditions are being experienced in Tawi Tawi and may affect nearby areas, the weather bureau said. […]

Continue Reading →

Scientist behind mRNA vaccine innovation hails Pfizer breakthrough

by Issam AHMED WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — A scientist who invented a technique that paved the way for Pfizer and BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine hailed the interim results announced by the companies Monday as “fantastic” and said the pioneering approach had a bright future. Drew Weissman, an immunologist at the University of Pennsylvania, told AFP: “I can’t remember the last respiratory virus vaccine that has over 90 percent efficacy,” referring to the rate at which […]

Continue Reading →

President Duterte summons Immigration officials, personnel implicated in “pastillas scheme”

(Eagle News)–President Rodrigo Duterte met with several Bureau of Immigration officials and personnel involved in the so-called “pastillas scheme” on Monday night. According to Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, the President had intended to give the 44, who have been suspended by the Ombudsman pending a probe, a dressing down. Guevarra said the President even gave each of the 44 a “pastilla,” but with money rolled inside, according to the President. “He wanted them to eat […]

Continue Reading →

DFA repatriates over 8,000 overseas Filipinos this first week of November

(Eagle News)–The Department of Foreign Affairs began its repatriation efforts this November with the return of over 8,000 overseas Filipinos. The DFA said the 8591 Filipinos abroad were repatriated only this first week of the month, pushing the number of repatriated Filipinos since February to 245954. Of the 8591 repatriated this week, the DFA said 6947 came from the Middle East, 948 from the Asia Pacific, and 693 from Europe. The DFA said the Filipinos […]

Continue Reading →
1 … 1,908 1,909 1,910 1,911 1,912 … 7,408