Page 65 - United States

Storms sweep through Central US, leave over 510,000 without power

A powerful storm system swept through the central US with high winds that kicked up dust storms, fueled wildfires and knocked down power lines, leaving more than 510,000 customers without power

CDC panel recommends Pfizer, Moderna Covid vaccine shots over J&J's

Most Americans should be given the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines instead of the Johnson & Johnson shot that can cause rare but serious blood clots, U.S. health advisers recommended Thursday. The strange clotting problem has caused nine confirmed deaths after J&J vaccinations while the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines don't come with that risk and also appear more effective, advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. It's an unusual move and the CDC's director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, must decide whether to accept the panel's advice. Until now the U.S. has treated all three COVID-19 vaccines available to Americans as an equal choice, since large studies found they all offered strong protection and early supplies were limited. J&J's vaccine initially was welcomed as a single-dose option that could be especially important for hard-to-reach groups like homeless people who might not get the needed second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna options. But the CDC's ...

US builds software tool to predict China's reactions to military actions

Deputy Secretary of Defence Kathleen Hicks was briefed on the new tool during a visit to the United States Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii

Newsmaker: US Ambassador-Designate Eric Garcetti and the agenda for India

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti (50) had to face searching questions from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee when it debated his nomination as ambassador to India.

S.Korea's $60 bn currency swap contract with US to expire on Dec 31

South Korea's $60 billion currency swap contract with the US will expire as scheduled on December 31 as financial and economic situations at home and abroad remain stable, Seoul's central bank said

Extreme weather threat predicted for US following deadly tornadoes

Record December heat surging northward to Canada is fueling severe weather across the central US, creating hurricane-force winds, potentially strong overnight tornadoes and an extreme fire threat.

US CDC to discuss limiting J&J vaccine due to rare blood clot issue: Report

Vaccine advisers with the US CDC will meet on Thursday to discuss potentially limiting the use of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine due to persistent blood clot issues

Fresh storm hits California as it mops up and shovels out

California emerged largely unscathed Wednesday from a massive storm that brought drenching rainfall and heavy mountain snow

Global Covid caseload tops 272 mn, deaths surge to more than 5.32 mn

The global coronavirus caseload has topped 272 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 5.32 million and vaccinations to over 8.54 billion, according to Johns Hopkins University.

US witnesses a double coronavirus surge as omicron variant advances

Omicron speeding around the world may bring another wave of chaos, threatening to further stretch hospital workers already struggling with a surge of delta cases

Keechant Sewell to be 1st woman, 3rd Black person to lead NYC police

New York City Mayor-elect Eric Adams named Keechant Sewell, a Long Island police official, as the city's next police commissioner, making her the first woman to lead the nation's largest police force.

Derek Chauvin pleads guilty to federal charge in George Floyd's death

The federal charge alleged that Chauvin deprived Floyd of his rights by kneeling on his neck as he was handcuffed and not resisting

Global shares turn positive after US Fed's tapering announcement

MSCI's global gauge of stocks gained 0.10%, and the pan-European STOXX 600 index rose 0.26% after the Fed's statement

Fed prepares faster end to stimulus, making earlier rate hikes likely

The identification of the Omicron coronavirus variant last month has added a new level of uncertainty for US central bank officials

US to add DJI, 7 other Chinese companies to investment blacklist: Report

The US will add eight Chinese companies, including the world's largest commercial drone manufacturer DJI Technology, to an investment blacklist this week, a report said

SEC floats stronger insider trading rules as executive stock sales surge

Chairman Gary Gensler cites the 'dash for cash' among investors at start of the pandemic

Putin, Xi discuss 'counterproductive' US-organised Summit for Democracy

The Summit for Democracy was held last week

US House passes measure to hold Mark Meadows in contempt of Congress

The US House of Representatives passed a resolution to hold former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows in criminal contempt of Congress

US House approves bicameral bill aimed to ban imports from China's Xinjiang

The US House of Representatives passed a final version of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which bans the importation of goods made with forced labour in China's Xinjiang Uyghur Region

Fox News stars tried to get Trump to act on Jan 6 insurrection, texts show

The revelation that Fox News Channel personalities sent text messages to the White House during the Jan. 6 insurrection is another example of how the network's stars sought to influence then-President Donald Trump instead of simply reporting or commenting on him. Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham and Brian Kilmeade all texted advice to Trump's chief of staff, Mark Meadows, as a mob of pro-Donald Trump loyalists stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, according to Republican Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, vice chair of the congressional committee probing the riot. Mark, the president needs to tell people in the Capitol to go home, texted Ingraham, host of The Ingraham Angle. This is hurting all of us. He is destroying his legacy. Please get him on TV, texted Kilmeade, a Fox & Friends host. Destroying everything you have accomplished. Hannity, like Ingraham a prime-time host, wondered whether Trump could give a statement and ask people to leave the Capitol. Cheney's release of the text messages la