International

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, […]

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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 […]

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‘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, […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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‘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 […]

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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 […]

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Pfizer says Covid-19 vaccine 90% effective in Phase 3 trial

PARIS, France (AFP) — A vaccine jointly developed by Pfizer and BioNTech was 90 percent effective in preventing Covid-19 infections in ongoing Phase 3 trials, the companies announced Monday. Protection in patients was achieved seven days after the second of two doses, and 28 days after the first, according to preliminary findings. “The first set of results from our Phase 3 Covid-19 vaccine trial provides the initial evidence of our vaccine’s ability to prevent Covid-19,” […]

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Taiwan says it was not invited to WHO meeting after Chinese ‘obstruction’

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AFP) — Taiwan on Monday said Chinese “obstruction” had prevented it from attending a key World Health Organization meeting focused on the coronavirus, accusing the global body of prioritizing politics over health. The self-ruled island of 23 million has seen remarkable success in combatting the pandemic — with only seven deaths and fewer than 600 confirmed cases — as many parts of the world report surging numbers of infections and deaths. But it […]

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Biden vows immediate, science-based action on virus

  WILMINGTON, United States (AFP) — President-elect Joe Biden vowed Saturday immediate action to contain the United States’ coronavirus crisis, signalling science would dominate the national response once Donald Trump leaves the White House. Biden’s pledge, in his first national address since defeating Trump, followed three days of record infections in the United States and came as the nation’s death toll surpassed 237,000. Europe’s second-wave woes also deepened, with Greece becoming the latest European nation […]

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Biden to name virus team as worldwide cases top 50 million

  WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The global tally of people infected by the coronavirus shot past 50 million on Monday, as United States President-elect Joe Biden geared up to name the scientists who will lead the country’s response to its disastrous outbreak. The incoming leader made the pledge in his first speech since being projected as the winner of the presidential election, signaling he plans to prioritize the pandemic from the outset. Covid-19 has […]

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