Wear masks when you see family for Christmas, WHO urges Europeans Europeans gathering for Christmas with their friends or families should try and celebrate outside or wear masks indoors in a well ventilated space, according to a new advisory issued by the World Health Organization. The advice, posted by the UN health body’s European region on its website, covers a variety of issues relating to winter recreation and holidays, including whether to take a skiing break and seasonal celebrations. It comes amid soul searching across Europe over how to celebrate the holidays, including whether to continue with loosened restrictions in the UK’s devolved areas – against the recommendation of some scientists – or to introduce new lockdowns, as some countries are now contemplating.
Thousands told to evacuate Gulf Coast as Hurricane Laura nears Image copyright Reuters Thousands of people have been ordered to evacuate their homes in the coastal US states of Texas and Louisiana as Hurricane Laura barrels towards them. The storm is expected to move from Cuba through the Gulf of Mexico, hitting both states by Wednesday. UConn students party during coronavirus pandemic, get kicked out of dorms Several University of Connecticut students were kicked out of their dorm rooms this week after videos on social media showed them at a crowded party with no masks and even less social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic. Most UConn students have cooperated with strict health and safety guidelines since returning to campus last Friday, but some haven’t, university President Tom Katsouleas and Provost Carl Lejuez said in a letter to the campus community Wednesday. “Many of you are aware of a party in a residence hall that violated our health and safety rules; as a result, the students involved have been removed from campus housing,” Katsouleas and Lejuez wrote. “Separately, over the weekend, seven students were written up for minor infractions.
Trump held unannounced meeting with Indonesian minister in Oval Office - CNNPolitics A readout provided by the Indonesian government said that Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan also met with Trump's advisers, Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, along with the CEO of the International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), Adam Boehler. "In the meeting, (the minister) conveyed his greetings, gratitude and appreciation from President Joko Widodo for President Donald Trump's continued support and co-operation between Republic of Indonesia and the United States," according to a translation of the Indonesian readout. Trump has largely avoided appearing in public since he lost the election to Joe Biden, remaining in the White House as his legal team attempts to challenge the result in several states. Since November 12, according to his official schedule, he has had no public events other than updates on the coronavirus and meetings with Vice President Mike Pence. In that context, the meeting with a relatively obscure foreign minister has raised some eyebrows.
FDA approves Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine for emergency use in US The US Food and Drug Administration has given emergency approval to a coronavirus vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, the first drug to prevent Covid-19 approved in the US. The FDA commissioner, Dr Stephen Hahn, confirmed the news in a statement on Friday night. “The FDA’s authorization for emergency use of the first Covid-19 vaccine is a significant milestone in battling this devastating pandemic that has affected so many families in the United States and around the world,” Hahn said.
RNC 2020: Pence warns Americans 'won't be safe' if Biden wins Media playback is unsupported on your device US Vice-President Mike Pence has warned that violence will spread in American cities if Joe Biden wins the White House in November. "The hard truth is you won't be safe in Joe Biden's America," said President Donald Trump's deputy in a keynote speech to the Republican convention. Mr Pence depicted the vote as a choice between law-and-order and lawlessness. He spoke amid nightly protests over the police shooting of a black man in Wisconsin on Sunday. California fires: Firefighters struggle to contain 560 blazes Hundreds of active fires, including more than 20 major ones largely sparked by a blitz of lightning in recent days, already have burned around 1 million acres, according to Cal Fire officials. Firefighters are worried about forecasts that say dry thunderstorms -- featuring lightning but little rain -- could spark more fires and spread existing ones Sunday through Tuesday. "What we're worried about is what happens after Sunday, if we do get more lightning strikes and fires," Cal Fire Battalion Chief Lucas Spelman said Saturday. "What's it going to mean for firefighters who could be on the lines for two, three weeks, even a month? "Because not only will they have been dealing every day with the heat, smoke and flames, but also physical exhaustion. Mental exhaustion, too."
Trump campaign files appeal after Pennsylvania judge shoots down lawsuit President Trump’s legal team on Sunday filed an appeal to a federal judge’s ruling that struck down his campaign’s effort to block the certification of votes in Pennsylvania. The appeal, which was filed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, comes just a day after U.S. Middle District Judge Matthew Brann in Williamsport, Pa., rejected a request by the Trump 2020 Campaign for an injunction that would stop the certification of the election, as the campaign seeks to overturn results in swing states across the country. “Plaintiffs ask this Court to disenfranchise almost seven million voters,” Brann said Saturday. “This Court has been unable to find any case in which a plaintiff has sought such a drastic remedy in the contest of an election, in terms of the sheer volume of votes asked to be invalidated.”