US will have enough vaccines for 300M Americans by end of July
The U.S. will have enough supply to vaccinate 300 million Americans against COVID-19 by the end of July, President Joe Biden said Thursday while speaking at the National Institutes of Health.
Until now, the administration has typically offered "by the end of summer" for that timeline.
Biden said Thursday the administration has been able to expedite the delivery of 100 million doses from the end of June to the end of May. Plus, 200 million additional doses the administration previously announced it planned to buy will be delivered by the end of July -- which is sooner than expected.
"That's a month faster. That means lives will be saved. That means we're now on track to have enough supply for 300 million Americans by the end of July," Biden said.
The administration has signed final contracts for those additional 200 million doses, which include 100 million doses each of Pfizer's and Moderna's vaccines, Biden also announced. These 200 million doses, plus 400 million doses the Trump administration contracted for, would be enough to have two shots of both vaccines for 300 million Americans.
For now, Biden implored Americans to continue wearing masks and doing their part to prevent more death.
"I know it's a pain in the neck, but it's a patriotic responsibility," Biden said. "Do you realize more people have died in the last 12 months than died in all four years in World War II? All four years."
Source-ABC
Impeachment trial day 3: House managers "made our case" - signal no witnesses will be called
The impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump continued Thursday with House managers further making a case why Trump incited an insurrection.
Rep. Madeleine Dean, of Pennsylvania, appeared confident that the evidence presented during the trial and signaled that witnesses may not be necessary.
"I think we've made our case," she told reporters outside the chamber.
This is a stark shift from Trump's previous impeachment trial, when in 2019 Democrats motioned to call witnesses, a move Republicans denied.
Opening arguments for the House impeachment managers appeared to wrap Thursday, after 10 hours of arguments.
Rep. Jamie Raskin, of Maryland, asked the Senate to execute "common sense" when voting on whether or not to convict the former president, saying at the end of his speech, "Let's not get caught up in a lot of outlandish lawyers' theories here. Exercise your common sense about what just took place in our country."
The arguments laid out on Thursday continued to bolster the timeline that led up to the January 6 seige of the U.S. Capitol and how close several lawmakers came to certain disaster.
Rep. Joe Neguse, of Colorado, was one of the last House managers to speak, reiterating the mob believed they were acting on the former president's orders and were inspired to unleash violence.
"He quite literally, at one part of that speech, pointed at us. He told them to fight like hell and if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore," argued Neguse. "He'd already made it perfectly clear that when he said 'fight,' he meant it."
Trump's remarks made during the rally were a central part in Thursday's arguments, as House managers tried to prove there was clear intent behind the former president's statements.
Neguse also added that Republicans were made aware that the rioters would listen to Trump, explaining how many directly implored the president to condemn the violence -- of which Trump failed to do during the assault. The argument Neguse made was that, during those moments when Republicans called on the former president to summon the National Guard or backup, they had tied Trump to the riot.
Thursday also saw the House honor the Capitol Police, who have lost three of their own as a result of the riot -- one who died during the incident and two more to suicide.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that, because of the bravery shown by the Capitol Police, she will be introducing legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal -- the highest honor that lawmakers can bestow.
"The service of the Capitol Police force that day brings honor to our Democracy, and their accepting this Gold Medal will bring luster to this award," Pelosi said.
U.S. Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman reacted to the Thursday announcement and said the department is "humbled and appreciative" by the recognition. Pittman also acknowledged the Metropolitan Police Department, who assisted during the seige.
Source-ABC
New music from Chris Brown, Sevyn Streeter, Kelly Rowland, Lucky Daye and more
Chris Brown linked up with his frequent collaborator Sevyn Streeter on her new track, "Guilty," also featuring A$AP Ferg. The track follows Streeter's previous single, "HMU," to amp up her forthcoming album, Drunken Wordz, Sober Thoughtz.
Chris Brown also lent his R&B vocals to "Rolls Royce Umbrella," a new track from Alabama rapper CLEVER. Fans were first introduced to CLEVER on Juice WRLD's 2019 single, "Ring Ring."
Next up is Kelly Rowland with another melanated song and video for her new single, "Black Magic." It arrives a day after the singer celebrated her 40th birthday and follows her 2020 singles, "Crazy" and "Coffee." The accompanying video features touching clips of black families and children laughing, including a reveal of Kelly's baby bump being painted as a globe, with 'Love' painted over the continent of Africa.
"We bring the glow to the sun / We bring the laughter to fun / We start the new religion baby / We wooped the world and left it brainless," Kelly sings on the chorus.
Kelly's six-year-old son, Titan, makes his first video appearance in the visual to give his brother -- Kelly's newborn baby, Noah Jon -- a kiss on the cheek. Kelly shares both boys with her husband Tim Weatherspoon.
Meanwhile, Maryland native Gallant shares his new song, "Relapse" to follow last month's "Comeback" ahead of his forthcoming EP, Neptune.
New Orleans singer Lucky Daye returns with another U.S.-London collaboration for "My Window," featuring British singer Mahalia. The track is featured on Daye's new EP, Table for Two, which features duets with Ari Lennox, Queen Naija and fellow UK singer Tiana Major9.
And to top off the list, Eric Bellinger releases his 31st project, 1-800-HIT-EAZY, a joint album with his go-to-producer, Hitmaka.
Source-ABC
Ken Barton resigns amid money laundering scandal from Crown Resorts
The chief executive of Australian casino group Crown Resorts has quit amid a scandal over money laundering allegations within its casinos.
Ken Barton's departure follows that of several other company directors.
Last week an inquiry found Crown was not fit to hold a gaming licence in New South Wales, meaning it cannot operate its newly built casino in Sydney.
The report has also thrown doubt over Crown's casinos in other cities.
Crown, which is majority-owned by Australian billionaire James Packer, has been dogged by allegations of illegal activity for years at its casinos in Melbourne and Perth.
Its operations overseas have drawn particular scrutiny after allegations that its junkets (paid-for trips) for Chinese high-roller gamblers were linked to organised crime groups.
In her report last week, inquiry commissioner Patricia Bergin found Crown had been "facilitating money laundering, exposing staff to the risk of detention in a foreign jurisdiction and pursuing commercial relationships with individuals" connected to criminal groups.
She recommended an overhaul of the company's governance, beginning with the sacking of most of the board.
Source-BBC
Djokovic defies injury to reach the last eight in the Australian Open
Eight-time winner Novak Djokovic fought through what he had described as a tournament-ending injury to beat Milos Raonic and reach the Australian Open quarter-finals yesterday.
Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams survived scares to go through but US Open champion Dominic Thiem was a major casualty when he fell to Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov.
Simona Halep avenged her crushing French Open defeat by Polish teenager Iga Swiatek to set up a meeting with Williams, while Taiwan's Hsieh Su-wei reached her first Slam quarter-final at the age of 35.
Djokovic, the world number one, had raised the alarm over an abdominal injury after his five-set battle with Taylor Fritz, but he showed few outward signs in his 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 win.
However, the 17-time Grand Slam winner said he had spent “every single hour” since Friday's win trying to recover, and wasn't sure he would play until he warmed up before the match.
“If it was any other tournament than a Grand Slam I would retire from the tournament, that's for sure,” said Djokovic, who becomes just the second player after Roger Federer to win 300 Grand Slam matches.
“But because it's a Grand Slam, I want to give my best alongside my team to try to recover and get on the court.”
JetBlue probing actions of worker after kidnapping allegations in Jamaica
A JetBlue spokesman has confirmed that the airline is investigating reports that one of its flight attendants who, after testing positive for the novel coronavirus, reportedly faked that she was kidnapped in Jamaica and was being trafficked by a local hotel accompanied by her mother.
The United States flight attendant, Kalina Collier, yesterday departed the island on a flight from Sangster International Airport.
Derek Dombrowski, a JetBlue spokesman, said the airline is aware of reports that Collier, who was vacationing in Jamaica, had been required to quarantine due to coronavirus health regulations and that she has safely returned to the United States after her quarantine expired, a NBC News report said.
"We have full confidence in Jamaica's health protocols and it is important everyone follows the rules," Dombrowski is quoted as saying in a statement Monday.
"We hold each JetBlue crewmember to the highest standards when it comes to personal integrity and we are conducting an urgent investigation into the actions of our crewmember."
Collier left the island after both the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) strongly refuted the claims that surfaced on social media that she was kidnapped.
Source-Jamaica Observer
Masked Olympics will still dominate crowded 2021 in sports
The rescheduled Tokyo Olympics will be the centrepiece of a crammed sporting year in 2021 as sports administrators who had their calendars wiped away by the novel coronavirus pandemic try to fill the gaps even as a second wave hits.
While the Games will still be called the 2020 Olympics, they have been changed by COVID-19.
Tokyo organisers and the Japanese Government are struggling with increased costs and, despite the growing possibility of vaccination, whether to allow foreign visitors and what safeguards and restrictions will apply to spectators and participants.
In early December, organisers said the delayed Games will cost at least an extra US$2.4 billion as the unprecedented peacetime postponement and a raft of pandemic health measures inflate a budget that was already over US$13 billion.
Enthusiasm appears to have waned in Japan. A poll in July showed that just one in four people wanted to see the Games held in 2021 — and a majority backed either further delay or cancellation.
“Whether it's seen as too much or that we have done well to contain the costs, I think it depends on how you look at it,” said Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto.
Organisers have reduced the number of free tickets, scaled down the opening ceremony and made savings on mascots, banners and meals, but so far have cut just US$280 million.
Source-AFP
34 new cases of COVID-19 recorded in last 24 hours
Jamaica recorded 34 new cases of the coronavirus over the last 24 hours and reported one coincidental death.
This brings the total number of confirmed cases across the island to 12,827. The death toll stands at 302 as no new virus deaths were reported.
According to the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the new cases include 16 males and 18 females, with ages ranging from two to 87 years.
Of the new cases, seven each were recorded in St Ann and Westmoreland, six in St James, four in Kingston and St Andrew, three in St Mary, two each in St Catherine and Trelawny and one each in Hanover, Manchester and Portland. The transmission of all of the new cases are under investigation.
The country also recorded 64 recoveries, bringing the total number of recoveries to 10,383.
Source-Ja.Observer
Her Majesty’s Prison takes action following COVID19 outbreak
Following a recent outbreak of Covid-19 in Grand Turk, there have been cases affecting staff at HMP Grand Turk.
As a result, specific special measures were introduced on Christmas Day, at 1600Hrs. Those measures remain in place and are reviewed daily with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Public Utilities & Transportation & Ministry of Health officials.
The matter of the workplace cluster current stands at 14 staff members who have tested positive. There are additional numbers who are self-isolating.
Strict infection control measures are in place for the staff members. All staff on duty have received negative Covid-19 tests within the last 48 hours. Staff are also cohorting in shifts.
There are significant restrictions to prisoners to ensure the risk of infection is reduced. Prisoners are being briefed daily on actions and direction as it relates to operations in the Prison, and mitigation of potential further risks. In cell activity has been increased and prisoners continue to receive exercise individually. Prisoners are using face masks and sanitizer and Prison Officers using full PPE. Telephone calls to family members have also been increased.
No prisoners are symptomatic and we are working with our health care colleagues on testing of prisoners in the coming week.
The prison remains calm and all are engaging responsibly and safely with the strengthened protocols.
Contact tracing would support the view that infection of staff was likely within social settings, outside the prison prior to Christmas.
Local businesses across the U.S hunker down as states see a spike in COVID-19 cases
The recent surge in COVID-19 cases has had a devastating affect on local business nationwide, and workers are using various means to ride out the pandemic.
It's been more than three weeks since outdoor dining closed in most of California's Bay Area, a major blow to restaurants and bars in what would be one of the busiest times of the year. That has service workers seeking jobs out of state as COVID-19 restrictions continue to impact food industry.
As restaurant and bar owners struggle to pay rent and other overheads with minimal income, service workers have had it the hardest, argues Tim Nugent, owner of Shakewell in Oakland. One of his employees decided to move back home to Thailand, rather than try to stick it out in the Bay Area.
Los Angeles County surpassed 10,000 deaths from the coronavirus Wednesday as California also hit a record high number of fatalities. The governor also announced the first detected case of the new and apparently more contagious variant of the coronavirus in a San Diego man. L.A. County Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer called the 10,056 deaths there a "terrible milestone." She noted that more than 7,400 people remain hospitalized with coronavirus in the county, with 20% of them in intensive care units.
Meanwhile, elected leaders of some Oregon towns gathered in Estacada Tuesday for a rally, calling on businesses to reopen on New Year's Day. Those behind the rally said they feel small businesses are suffering, while large corporations are surviving the pandemic.
Sandy Mayor Stan Pulliam recently went to dozens of local businesses and encouraged them, as a group, to go one tier above Clackamas County's current COVID-19 risk level on New Year's Day.
"We're encouraging all businesses in these local Main Street communities to open your doors on January First. We don't believe that you should be able to pack in to support corporate America and malls but not support a locally owned, Main Street small business," he said.
The city of New Orleans -- arguably “party central” for 300 years -- announced on Wednesday that bars, breweries and adult live entertainment venues must close their indoor facilities, as the COVID-19 positive case rate holds above 5% for the second consecutive week.
Traditional parades celebrating the Crescent City’s premier event of the year, Mardi Gras, have already been called off.
This week’s national ensemble forecast predicts that 12,400 to 24,300 new U.S. deaths will likely be reported in the week ending January 23, 2021.
The national ensemble predicts that a total of 383,000 to 424,000 COVID-19 deaths will be reported by this date.
Source-ABC