Pfizer aims to expand vaccine efforts to include kids as young as 12
With a little over one in five Americans completely vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, efforts are underway to ensure every U.S. citizen is vaccinated against the novel coronavirus.
Pfizer, the maker behind one of three vaccines being distributed around the country, is asking federal regulators to authorize its vaccine to be used on children as young as 12. Pfizer says recent clinical trials find that children in that age group had no serious side effects to the virus; ruling it safe and effective.
The push comes as new data out of Michigan and Minnesota, two states struggling with a surge of COVID-19 cases, finds that youth sports are driving up numbers of newly infected patients.
Despite children having a less likely chance of developing more serious side effects of COVID-19, they are still capable of transmitting the virus to unvaccinated adults.
In light of the new findings, Michigan has called for a two-week suspension of high school and youth sports to help contain the surge. Michigan's governor, Gretchen Whitmer, also is pushing residents to stop indoor dining until the rate of cases can be controlled.
To date, the U.S. is reporting roughly 65,000 new cases each day, with Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, attributing the rise to the COVID-19 variant discovered in the United Kingdom, which is more transmissible.
"What is happening in Michigan and Minnesota is similar to what we are seeing across the country – increasing reports of cases associated with youth sports," she said Friday during a White House press briefing.
In light of this, vaccine makers are looking at expanding distribution to include young Americans, which is considered a critical step in curbing community spread.
Currently, Pfizer is the only vaccine maker authorized for 16 and 17-year-olds. Meanwhile, Johnson & Johnson and Moderna are still undergoing clinical studies to see how younger teens react to their vaccine.
Pfizer claims its vaccine usage on kids as young as 12 is "100 percent efficacy and robust antibody response after vaccination with the COVID-19 Vaccine." The data now heads to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for review.
To date, the pandemic has killed over 562,000 Americans, reports Johns Hopkins University -- currently, over 31 million Americans have contracted the virus.
Source-ABC
Bruno Mars hits number one with new musical project, Silk Sonic
Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak have walked through the door to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 with their debut single.
The two men, recording as Silk Sonic, have scored their first number-one hit with "Leave the Door Open," the first release from the duo project. The two gave the throwback soul song a memorable premiere at the Grammy Awards last month.
This is Anderson's first and Bruno's eighth Hot 100 number one. But the song has made the quickest trip to the top out of all of Bruno's previous hits, hitting the pinnacle in just five weeks. Previously, his record was eight weeks, with "Uptown Funk!"
Bruno previously reached the top with “That’s What I Like,” “Just The Way You Are,” “Grenade,” “Locked Out Of Heaven,” “When I Was Your Man,” “Nothin’ On You" with B.o.B, and “Uptown Funk!" with Mark Ronson.
Fun fact: As Billboard notes, "Leave the Door Open" is the first song in the history of the Hot 100 to have the word "door" in its title. The closest any other song previously came was number two: 1970's "Lookin' Out My Back Door" by Creedence Clearwater Revival.
Source-ABC
Legendary rapper and Ruff Ryder alum DMX dies at age 50
DMX has died at age 50 after suffering a heart attack. His family, who was by his side when he passed, confirmed the news in a statement.
The rapper, born Earl Simmons, had been hospitalized in White Plains, New York in "grave condition," his attorney Murray Richman confirmed to ABC New York affiliate WABC-TV on April 3. He was placed on life support and never recovered.
"Earl was a warrior who fought till the very end," the family said in a statement. "He loved his family with all of his heart and we cherish the times we spent with him. Earl’s music inspired countless fans across the world and his iconic legacy will live on forever. We appreciate all of the love and support during this incredibly difficult time."
The family asked for privacy at they "grieve the loss of our brother, father, uncle and the man the world knew as DMX," adding that information about his memorial service will be announced once details are finalized.
DMX had battled substance abuse and legal troubles over the years and spent multiple stints in rehab. He last completed a stay in rehab in 2019, after serving a 12-month sentence for tax evasion.
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, and raised in Yonkers, New York, DMX spent the early years of his childhood in and out of juvenile detention centers and group homes. While he maintained a close relationship with his grandmother and other family members, music was his escape from the troubles of his thoughts and his environment.
The Ruff Ryders emcee launched his career in the ‘90s, releasing his debut album, It's Dark and Hell Is Hot, in 1998. It featured the hit song "Ruff Ryder's Anthem." As a Def Jam signee, he was a crucial member of the Ruff Ryders Dynasty, which spawned trailblazing artists such as Swizz Beatz, Eve, The Lox, and more.
A year later, in 1999, X released his best-selling album, ... And Then There Was X, featuring the hit single "Party Up (Up in Here)." The triple-platinum album received two Grammy nominations for Best Rap Solo Performance and Best Rap Album. X's third Grammy nomination came for his 2001 single, "Who We Be."
Other notable singles include "Stop Being Greedy," "X Gon' Give It to Ya," "What's My Name," and "What They Really Want" featuring Sisqo.
X released seven albums over the course of his career, including Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood, and four others that topped the Billboard 200 Albums chart. He's also worked with a number of artists including Aaliyah, Jay-Z, Rick Ross, LL Cool J, Method Man, Snoop Dogg, Nas, Faith Evans and more.
On the acting side, X appeared in numerous films, including Belly, Exit Wounds, Romeo Must Die, Cradle 2 the Grave, and Last Hour.
In July 2020, he faced off with Snoop Dogg in a Verzuz battle, breaking the all-time Apple Music live stream record with over 600,000 concurrent viewers.
A month later, he revealed he was working on a new studio album to follow up the release of 2015's Redemption Of The Beast under Seven Arts Entertainment.
During an episode of N.O.R.E's Drink Champs podcast last February, X stated the project would feature past and present generations of artists including Benny The Butcher, Conway the Machine, Usher, Alicia Keys, Lil Wayne, U2's Bono, as well as a posthumous track with the late Pop Smoke.
DMX is survived by his 15 children and his fiancée Desiree Lindstrom, the mother of his five-year-old son Exodus.
Prince Philip has died aged 99
Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II's husband, has died aged 99, Buckingham Palace has announced.
Buckingham Palace said: "It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen has announced the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
"His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle."
Boris Johnson said he "inspired the lives of countless young people".
Speaking at Downing Street, the prime minister added: "He helped to steer the Royal Family and the monarchy so that it remains an institution indisputably vital to the balance and happiness of our national life."
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she was "saddened" by the death of the Duke.
She tweeted: "I send my personal and deepest condolences - and those of scotgov and the people of Scotland - to Her Majesty The Queen and her family."
The prince married Princess Elizabeth in 1947, five years before she became Queen, and was the longest-serving royal consort in British history.
In March, the Duke of Edinburgh left hospital after a month-long stay for treatment.
He underwent a procedure for a pre-existing heart condition at another London hospital - St Bartholomew's.
Prince Philip and the Queen had four children, eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Their first son, the Prince of Wales, Prince Charles, was born in 1948, followed by his sister, the Princess Royal, Princess Anne, in 1950, the Duke of York, Prince Andrew, in 1960 and the Earl of Wessex, Prince Edward, in 1964.
Prince Philip was born on the Greek island of Corfu on 10 June 1921.
His father was Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark, a younger son of King George I of the Hellenes.
His mother, Princess Alice, was a daughter of Lord Louis Mountbatten and a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria.
Source-BBC
Will Smith and Martin Lawrence celebrate the 26th anniversary of Bad Boys
Will Smith and Martin Lawrence transformed into their Detective Mike Lowry and Marcus Burnett characters to celebrate the 26th anniversary of their classic film, Bad Boys.
In a video shared on Instagram Wednesday, 52-year-old Will dons his signature sunglasses as 55-year-old Martin put on his police badge, mirroring the film's poster.
"When we say FOR LIFE we mean it. Bad Boys came out 26 years ago today! @martinlawrence," Smith wrote in the caption.
Sharing the video on his Instagram page, Martin Lawrence wrote, "...And we still riding strong. Bad Boys for life. #teammartymar."
The original Bad Boys action movie came out in 1995. Smith and Lawrence reprised their roles in 2003's Bad Boys II as Miami narcotics detectives on the hunt for a dangerous Cuban drug smuggler. Last year's box office smash, Bad Boys for Life, won Outstanding Motion Picture at the 52nd NAACP Image Awards in March. During their acceptance speech, Smith and Lawrence hinted they're developing a fourth and final installment in the franchise.
Source-ABC
Speed caused the rollover car crash that left Tiger Woods seriously injured
Speed caused the rollover car crash that left Tiger Woods seriously injured, Los Angeles County authorities said Wednesday.
The accident was also due to Woods' "inability to negotiate the curve of the roadway," Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said at a news conference.
Woods was driving at an estimated 84 to 87 mph before the Feb. 23 accident in Southern California, according to Villanueva. The car was moving at 75 mph when Woods struck a tree, the sheriff said.
Woods was speeding but the decision was made not to issue a citation. No one witnessed the crash and Woods did not receive any special treatment from police, Villanueva said. The golfing great showed no signs of impairment, he added.
Villanueva said last month that the cause of the crash had been determined and the investigation had concluded.
Woods’ team gave permission for the accident details to be released, Villanueva said Wednesday, adding that under California law, such reports are confidential unless the release is approved by those involved.
Woods, who sustained serious leg injuries in the crash, issued a statement Wednesday thanking the good Samaritans and first responders who rushed to the scene. He added, "I will continue to focus on my recovery and family, and thank everyone for the overwhelming support and encouragement I’ve received throughout this very difficult time."
Woods has been recovering at his home in Florida.
Source-ABC
World's billionaires add more to their ranks, add $8 trillion to wealth amid pandemic
A new report by Forbes finds that the world's richest individuals have profited off the COVID-19 pandemic. The publication's 25th annual billionaires list found that the globe's top earners added $5 trillion to their net worth.
In addition, a record-breaking 2,755 billionaires have been identified in 2021, adding 493 new billionaires since 2020.
When comparing last year's total earnings from those who made the billionaires list, the list has made $8 trillion more than last year's total amount. Overall, the combined net worth of all those who appeared on the list is worth $13.1 trillion.
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos stayed in the top spot this year, with a total net worth of $177 billion. In second was Tesla CEO Elon Musk with $151 billion, rising from 31 last year.
For the first time since 1993, Warren Buffet fell out of the top five earners, now listed at number six with a net worth of $96 billion.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg placed fifth with $97 billion while Microsoft founder Bill Gates placed fourth with a net worth of $124 billion.
The list has fueled economists concerns that the pandemic has only increased the wealth gap, citing the U.S. now having the most billionaires in the world with 724 residing in the country, and pointed to the current U.S. unemployment rate that sits at six percent.
The unemployment rate was at 3.5 percent in February 2020.
While nearly 2,000 billionaires on this year's list are described as "self made," nearly 500 new billionaires made their money via COVID-related health care, cryptocurrency, traditional IPOs and SPACs.
Source-ABC
IMF predicts global economy improving despite Covid
The roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines and vast sums of government aid will accelerate global economic growth to a record high this year in a powerful rebound from the pandemic recession, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) says in its latest forecast.
The 190-country lending agency said yesterday that it expects the world economy to expand six per cent in 2021, up from the 5.5 per cent it had forecast in January. It would be the fastest expansion for the global economy in IMF records dating back to 1980.
In 2022, the IMF predicts, international economic growth will decelerate to a still strong 4.4 per cent, up from its January forecast of 4.2 per cent.
“A way out of this health and economic crisis is increasingly visible,'' IMF chief economist Gita Gopinath told reporters.
The agency's economists now estimate that the global economy shrank 3.3 per cent in 2020 after the devastating recession that followed the coronavirus' eruption across the world early last spring. That is the worst annual figure in the IMF's database, though not as severe as the 3.5 per cent drop it had estimated three months ago. Without US$16 trillion in global government aid that helped sustain companies and consumers during COVID-19 lockdowns, IMF forecasters say, last year's downturn could have been three times worse.
Source-AP
Second batch of COVID-19 vaccines arrives in Cayman
The Cayman Islands received the last batch of COVID-19 vaccines from the UK, meaning Cayman now has enough vaccinations to inoculate 90% of its adult population.
While there are now enough vaccinations on island to surpass the government’s goal of inoculating 75-80% of the population over the age of 16, Governor Martyn Roper, in a statement released that said he is concerned that the number of people stepping forward daily to get their vaccines is slowing down.
Just over 31,000 people – or 60% of the adult population – had received their first dose of the vaccine. There are enough vaccines here for more than 45,000 people, or nearly nine-tenths of the adult population.
The Public Health department also announced that, people receiving their vaccinations do not need to provide identification to demonstrate that they are ordinarily and legally resident, although photo ID will still be required.
This means that people visiting the Cayman Islands can get vaccinated.
Source-Cayman News
Hon. Rachel Taylor & her Department observes Child Abuse Prevention Month – April 2021
The TCI today will join together with neighboring countries in recognizing the month of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month.
This year as we seek to raise awareness and consciousness in protecting and securing the welfare of all children in the TCI and around the world, we join in promoting the theme “Thriving Children and Families: Prevention with Purpose”.
This year’s theme aptly promotes children within the context of families as the most valuable part of every family, the building blocks of society, and our hope for tomorrow. Every day, sadly, children are abused, neglected, subjected to harsh living conditions and even lose their lives due to the shortcomings and negative influences of the society in which they live; this is an international loss. These are unfortunate facts that have persisted for far too long BUT this can be reversed and prevented and the time for protection and securing our children is now!!!
The Honorable Minister with responsibility for Social Development, Honorable Rachel Taylor remarked, the theme “Thriving Children and Families: Prevention with Purpose”reminds us in the Turks and Caicos Islands that within the family unit, a child’s welfare is paramount and symbiotically affects the welfare of the entire family and society at large. Hence, a healthy family gives rise to healthy children. The family is the first point of reference for every child and should be a safe haven full of love, peace, kindness, attention, learning, resources and opportunities to grow and thrive. As a nation, we must do all within our powers to safeguard our children from all forms of abuse and neglect by being intentional in our daily actions and behaviors ensuring that it is in the best interest of the child and the family unit which they are apart.”
RTC earlier this month had a discussion where it was said that Abuse has NO place in an environment hence our mission is to eliminate it by shining a light on it, reporting to the relevant authorities and seeking intervention for both the victim and the perpetrator added Tiffany Thomas.
This year we seek, not only to prevent child abuse, but to prevent with purpose. We seek to prevent child abuse by educating caregivers of alternative means of disciplining, loving and communicating with their children and bringing awareness to the matter of child abuse.
This year the Department of Social Development, TCIG will be bringing awareness via the following activities throughout the month of April:
Strategically placed outdoor and indoor displays including a pinwheel garden
Information mobile booths
Public service announcements via Radio Turks and Caicos and other social media platforms and Go Blue day: A symbol of awareness for Child Abuse Prevention month.
We look forward to the publics support on these initiatives added Brown.