World News

Florida downplays reports of medical tourism for COVID vaccines

Published:Thursday | January 14, 2021 | 10:57 AM

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (AP) — Florida was one of the first states to throw open vaccine eligibility to members of the general public over 65, leading to rumours that tourists and day-trippers are swooping in solely for the jab. State...

Expecting trouble, DC locks down a week before Biden inauguration

Published:Thursday | January 14, 2021 | 9:58 AM

WASHINGTON (AP) — All through downtown Washington, the primary sound for several blocks was the beeping of forklifts unloading more fencing. There were no cars or scooters and seemingly no tourists Wednesday, just the occasional jogger and...

Vatican: Pope receives coronavirus vaccine

Published:Thursday | January 14, 2021 | 9:26 AM

VATICAN CITY - The Vatican has confirmed Pope Francis received the first shot of the coronavirus vaccine on Thursday. No photos of the 84-year-old pontiff receiving the shot have been released. The pope has advocated that everyone should get the...

US House votes for second impeachment of Trump

Published:Thursday | January 14, 2021 | 12:25 AM

WASHINGTON (AP): A majority of the US House has voted to impeach President Donald Trump for a second time, just a week after he encouraged loyalists to “fight like hell” against election results – a speech that was followed by a mob of his...

Internet ‘blackout’ on eve of tense election

Published:Thursday | January 14, 2021 | 12:19 AM

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP): Ugandan authorities appeared to cut off Internet access in the country on Wednesday night on the eve of a tense presidential election, while a lawyer for leading opposition candidate Bobi Wine said all contact had been lost...

Social leaders struggle to feel safe

Published:Thursday | January 14, 2021 | 12:16 AM

BOGOTA AP): Just taking a walk in the streets of Colombia’s capital can feel dangerous for Luz Nelly Santana. The Afro-Colombian community leader sometimes uses a hat or a turban for disguise. She always wears a bulletproof vest. And she’s...

Biden should revamp US human rights policy

Published:Thursday | January 14, 2021 | 12:11 AM

GENEVA (AP): US President-elect Joe Biden should bring “fundamental change” to US policy on human rights and allow criminal investigations of President Donald Trump, the head of Human Rights Watch said on Wednesday. Executive Director Kenneth Roth...

Trump impeached after Capitol riot, historic second charge

Published:Wednesday | January 13, 2021 | 4:34 PM

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump was impeached by the US House of Representatives for a historic second time Wednesday, charged with “incitement of insurrection” over the deadly mob siege of the Capitol in a swift and...

Trump appointees pressure census bureau for report on undocumented immigrants

Published:Wednesday | January 13, 2021 | 1:43 PM

United States Census Bureau statisticians are under significant pressure from Trump political appointees to figure out who in America illegally, and they’re worried that any such report they produce in the waning days of the Trump...

US won't observe Uganda's election as accreditations denied

Published:Wednesday | January 13, 2021 | 12:53 PM

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — The United States Ambassador to Uganda said Wednesday the embassy has cancelled plans to observe the country's tense presidential election on Thursday, citing a decision by electoral authorities to deny...

Chinese city tests millions amid new COVID-19 outbreak

Published:Wednesday | January 13, 2021 | 9:55 AM

BEIJING (AP) — Millions of people lined in freezing temperatures Wednesday to receive a second round of coronavirus tests in a city south of Beijing that is at the heart of China’s most serious recent outbreak of COVID-19. The National...

Trump on verge of second impeachment after Capitol siege

Published:Wednesday | January 13, 2021 | 9:32 AM

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is on the verge of being impeached for a second time in an unprecedented House vote Wednesday, a week after he encouraged a mob of loyalists to “fight like hell” against election results...

Police detain 7 in probe of teacher’s beheading

Published:Wednesday | January 13, 2021 | 12:18 AM

LE PECQ (AP): French anti-terrorism police on Tuesday detained seven people suspected of having communicated via social media with the killer of a schoolteacher whose beheading last year reopened debate about France’s cherished rights of expression...

‘What I said was totally appropriate’ - Trump takes no responsibility for riot as he heads to Texas

Published:Wednesday | January 13, 2021 | 12:18 AM

WASHINGTON (AP): President Donald Trump on Tuesday took no responsibility for his part in fomenting a violent insurrection at the US Capitol last week, despite his comments encouraging supporters to march on the Capitol and praise for them while...

Social media crackdown continues after siege of US Capitol

Published:Wednesday | January 13, 2021 | 12:17 AM

LONDON (AP): Social media platforms are continuing to crack down on fringe groups and conspiracy theories following last week’s deadly riot at the US Capitol. Twitter suspended more than 70,000 accounts associated with the far right QAnon...

‘We are going to reconquer it!’ - CARICOM concerned about Venezuela’s plan to establish territory in disputed region of Guyana

Published:Wednesday | January 13, 2021 | 12:17 AM

GEORGETOWN (CMC): The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Tuesday said it was “deeply disappointed and concerned” by Venezuela’s announcement of a plan to establish a new territory in the area over which it is embroiled in a dispute with Guyana. In a...

US expected to require negative COVID-19 tests for international travellers

Published:Tuesday | January 12, 2021 | 3:23 PM

The United States government is reportedly expected to issue new measures requiring international airline passengers to present negative COVID-19 tests before boarding flights to America. This is according to a report by The Wall Street Journal...

Carnival expects 2021 loss but says 2022 bookings are strong

Published:Tuesday | January 12, 2021 | 3:08 PM

Carnival Corporation said Monday its 2022 cruise bookings are running ahead of 2019 numbers, a good sign that guests will return once the pandemic has eased. The coronavirus has been devastating for the cruise industry, which had expected to...

Trump says ‘tremendous anger’ in nation over impeachment

Published:Tuesday | January 12, 2021 | 12:57 PM

WASHINGTON (AP) — With the House set to impeach, President Donald Trump is blaming Democratic congressional foes for “tremendous anger” in the country and last week’s deadly attack on the Capitol by his supporters after he...

Ebola vaccines stockpiled against future outbreaks

Published:Tuesday | January 12, 2021 | 12:47 PM

GENEVA (AP) — The World Health Organization and partners said Tuesday they are creating a global stockpile of Ebola vaccines to help stamp out future outbreaks. In a statement, WHO, Doctors Without Borders, UNICEF and the International...

EU regulator is considering Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID vaccine

Published:Tuesday | January 12, 2021 | 10:36 AM

LONDON (AP) — The European Medicines Agency said Tuesday that AstraZeneca and Oxford University have submitted an application for their COVID-19 vaccine to be licensed across the European Union. The EU regulator said it received a request for...

UN: COVID-19 herd immunity unlikely in 2021 despite vaccines

Published:Tuesday | January 12, 2021 | 9:28 AM

GENEVA (AP) — The World Health Organization’s chief scientist warned that even as numerous countries start rolling out vaccination programs to stop COVID-19, herd immunity is highly unlikely this year. At a media briefing on Monday, Dr...

FBI warns of plans for nationwide armed protests next week

Published:Tuesday | January 12, 2021 | 12:10 AM

WASHINGTON (AP): The FBI is warning of plans for armed protests at all 50 state capitals and in Washington in the days leading up to President-election Joe Biden’s inauguration, stoking fears of more bloodshed after last week’s deadly siege at the...

Dems prep ‘incitement of insurrection’ charge against Trump

Published:Tuesday | January 12, 2021 | 12:09 AM

WASHINGTON (AP): With impeachment pressure mounting, the House worked swiftly on Monday to try to oust President Donald Trump from office, pushing the vice-president and Cabinet to act first in an extraordinary effort to remove Trump in the final...

50 countries vow to protect 30% of land and sea by 2030