FDA chief called to White House as Trump pushes for vaccine

COLOMBO (News 1st); The EU has urged Sri Lanka to continue reducing the use of the PTA, and to undertake further practical and administrative steps to release on bail those detained under the PTA without charges.The European Union (EU) and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka held their 24th meeting of the Joint Commission on 8th February 2022 in Brussels.During the meeting, Sri Lanka reiterated its objective to achieve measurable, tangible, and verifiable results on the ground in meeting its commitments.In this context, the EU welcomed the submission by the Government of Sri Lanka of amendments to the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. - A juror in the Scott Peterson trial has been offered immunity before testifying at a hearing that could determine whether a new trial is granted, authorities said.Richelle Nice was Juror 7 in the trial that ended with Peterson's conviction for killing his pregnant wife, Laci Peterson, and their unborn son. However, Peterson's attorney said Nice was guilty of juror misconduct because she failed to reveal during the jury selection that she had been beaten by a boyfriend while she was pregnant. He said Peterson deserves a new trial.The offer to Nice will come before she testifies at a Feb.

Convicted rapist and murderer Wayne Couzens has been placed in isolation after catching coronavirus in prison with reports suggesting he is "suffering badly".

Train services are set to increase again as ScotRail recovers from staff shortages following a Covid surge over the festive period.

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WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 1: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) speaks during a news conference after a lunch meeting with Senate Republicans on Capitol Hill February 1, 2022 in Washington, DC. McConnell told reporters he disagrees with fo WASHINGTON - Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell is going against the Republican National Committee calling the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka’s Deputy Director-General of Public Health Services, Dr. Hemanth Herath has slammed the organizing of mass gatherings in the wake of the COVID-19 spread in the island.‘This is not something that needs to be said over again.

Truckers paralysing the Canadian capital in anger at Covid rules show no sign of backing down, as several of the nation's provinces announced it was time to roll back restrictions that count among the world's toughest.

First nasal spray for covid-19 treatment in India: For the treatment of adult patients suffering from Covid-19, pharma company Glenmark has launched Nitric Oxide Nasal Spray (FabiSpray) in India. The nasal spray was launched by the pharma company in partnership with SaNOtize. "Phase 3 trial in India met the key endpoints and demonstrated reduction of viral load of 94 per cent in 24 hours and 99 per cent in 48 hours. Nitric Oxide Nasal Spray (NONS) was safe and well-tolerated in COVID-19 patients. Glenmark to market NONS under the brand name FabiSpray," the company said in a statement.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!!

ladies tights such as pantyhose on your face could reduce the risk of getting Covid, more so than masks.A major risk identified with commonly worn face masks is that they do not fit tightly enough to block viral particles from being inhaled or exhaled significantly.Cambridge University researchers have tested seven hacks to improve the fit of masks.Their new study outlined DIY hacks people have used to make masks fit better, including using rubber bands or tape.They found the most effective tactic was to wrap pantyhose around the bottom half of the face or on top of a mask.Researchers have said that this could reduce the number of viral particles by up to seven times more than a loose mask on its own by sealing the gaps around the nose and mouth.They raised that the social and physical impact of wearing tights on your face in public was "unlikely to be tolerated for an extended period of time".Tight-fitting medical masks are great at blocking out the virus, but many describe them as uncomfortable.The study raised that the most common surgical or cloth masks are far less resistant to Covid.Cambridge researchers recruited four volunteers to try seven different mask hacks - the study looked at both surgical and KN95 masks.Other methods included tying the ear bands to make the masks fit more tightly or stuffing the gaps with bandages.Participants did seven minutes of various exercises designed to mimic real-world interactions such as talking, smiling, nodding and eating.The researchers measured how well the masks fit by monitoring the filtration efficiency and calculating a 'fit factor' score.Pantyhose and cloth tape were most effective, increasing the fit factor by 27.7 and 14.7.Surgical masks performed better if worn in

ATLANTA – President Donald Trump's first political rally since losing his reelection bid is ostensibly to urge support for the Republican incumbents in Georgia's two runoffs that will decide which party controls the Senate at the start of Joe Biden’s administration.But the question remains whether Trump will really try to help his party or use the Saturday night event in Valdosta to amplify his conspiratorial and debunked theories of electoral fraud. Republicans are worried that if Trump does the latter, their voters will think the system is rigged and decide to sit out the two Jan.

US President Donald Trump listens during a Medal of Freedom ceremony for retired football Lou Holtz in the Oval Office of the White House December 3, 2020, in Washington, DC.

WASHINGTON – Conservative evangelical Christians have proven some of Donald Trump’s staunchest allies during his presidency. As his administration draws to a close, some of those backers are approaching President-elect Joe Biden with skepticism, but not antagonism.Christian conservatives who stood by Trump through moments of crisis and success are hardly comfortable with his loss, and several have yet to fully acknowledge Biden as the winner of the election amid ongoing, unfounded fraud claims by the president.

Joe Biden, officially handing him the Electoral College majority needed to win the White House.Secretary of State Alex Padilla’s formal approval of Biden’s win in the state brought his tally of pledged electors so far to 279, according to a tally by The Associated Press. That’s just over the 270 threshold for victory.These steps in the election are often ignored formalities.

US President Donald Trump listens during a Medal of Freedom ceremony for retired football Lou Holtz in the Oval Office of the White House December 3, 2020, in Washington, DC. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Pentagon said Friday it is pulling most U.S.

WASHINGTON – The Pentagon said Friday it is pulling most U.S. troops out of Somalia on President Donald Trump's orders, continuing a post-election push by Trump to shrink U.S.

WASHINGTON – The Pentagon has appointed two close allies of President Donald Trump to a defense advisory board, continuing a post-election purge in the final weeks of the administration.The acting secretary of defense, Christopher Miller, who was installed by Trump on Nov. 9 after he fired then-Defense Secretary Mark Esper, said in a written statement Friday that nine members of the Defense Business Board had been replaced with the appointment of 11 new members.The new members include Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie, who are among Trump's most vocal supporters.

IOWA CITY, Iowa – After facing a workforce shortage for months, Iowa awarded an emergency $2.3 million contact-tracing contract to a company that has worked for the campaigns of President Donald Trump and Gov. Kim Reynolds and is owned by a Republican insider.The Iowa Department of Public Health selected Iowa City-based MCI for the contract out of 14 applicants, saying it submitted the best proposal and that political considerations did not play a role.The company is expected to supply 200 contact-tracers to supplement the hundreds of public health workers who have failed to keep up with Iowa's fast-growing virus caseload.

Side by side images show Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden speaking during a drive-in campaign rally at Heinz Field on Nov. 2, 2020 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, alongside President Donald Trump speaking as he visits his campaign headquarters WASHINGTON - President-elect Joe Biden says it is important that President Donald Trump attend his inauguration only in the sense that it would demonstrate the nation’s commitment to a peaceful transfer of power between political rivals.Trump aides have expressed skepticism that the president would attend Biden’s Jan.

coronavirus vaccine developed by Pfizer and 20 million Americans could be vaccinated this year, its commissioner said on Friday.FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn declined to give a specific timeline of how long approval of the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech would take but said that he hoped there would be a decision by the regulator in December. Coronavirus cases surge in U.S.

President Donald Trump's frantic effort in the courts to delegitimize an election he lost has come no closer in a month to reversing any results.Lawyers for Trump and his allies have asked judges in several states to take the drastic and unprecedented step of setting aside President-elect Joe Biden’s wins. They have filed new cases and vowed to press on with appeals.

Also read Among first acts, Joe Biden to call for 100 days of mask-wearingFauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a member of President Donald Trump's coronavirus task force, met with Biden's advisers on the pandemic earlier in the day. In the interview, Biden said he asked Fauci to stay on as a chief medical adviser.In the interview alongside Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris, Biden called for Congress to pass the $908 billion bill proposed by moderates in the U.S.

WASHINGTON - Joe Biden said Thursday that he will ask Americans to commit to 100 days of wearing masks as one of his first acts as president, stopping just short of the nationwide mandate he's pushed before to stop the spread of the coronavirus.The move marks a notable shift from President Donald Trump, whose own skepticism of mask-wearing has contributed to a politicization of the issue.

WASHINGTON – Joe Biden said Thursday that he will ask Americans to commit to 100 days of wearing masks as one of his first acts as president, stopping just short of the nationwide mandate he's pushed before to stop the spread of the coronavirus.The move marks a notable shift from President Donald Trump, whose own skepticism of mask-wearing has contributed to a politicization of the issue.

election officials in the United States are expressing frustration as President Donald Trump and his allies continue to contest the results of the presidential race, particularly as violent threats against those workers increase.Tuesday brought two strong rebukes of the president’s behaviour in the wake of his election loss. In the Washington Post, former top election security official Christopher Krebs — who Trump fired last month — detailed how he and his team ensured the Nov.

coronavirus as early as mid-December, as nationwide deaths hit the highest number for a single day in six months.Some 20 million people could be inoculated against COVID-19 by the end of 2020 and most Americans will have access to highly effective vaccines by mid-2021, the chief adviser of President Donald Trump’s Operation Warp Speed program said. U.S.

WASHINGTON – Disputing President Donald Trump’s persistent, baseless claims, Attorney General William Barr declared the U.S. Justice Department has uncovered no evidence of widespread voter fraud that could change the outcome of the 2020 election.

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump is threatening to veto a defense policy bill unless it ends protections for internet companies that shield them from being held liable for material posted by their users.On Twitter Tuesday night, Trump took aim at Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act, which protects companies that can host trillions of messages from being sued into oblivion by anyone who feels wronged by something someone else has posted — whether their complaint is legitimate or not.Trump called Section 230 “a serious threat to our National Security & Election Integrity,” adding, “Therefore, if the very dangerous & unfair Section 230 is not completely terminated as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), I

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump teased running again for president in 2024 as he hosted a holiday reception at the White House on Tuesday evening.“It’s been an amazing four years,” Trump told the crowd, which included many Republican National Committee members. “We’re trying to do another four years.

COVID-19 as early as mid-December, as coronavirus infections and hospitalizations in the United States soared once more to unprecedented heights.With outgoing President Donald Trump's coronavirus strategy relying heavily on a vaccine, the chief adviser of his administration's Operation Warp Speed program said on Tuesday that 20 million people could be inoculated by the end of 2020, and that by the middle of 2021 most Americans will have access to highly effective vaccines."Within 24 hours, maybe at most 36 to 48 hours, from the approval, the vaccine can be in people's arms," Moncef Slaoui, a former GlaxoSmithKline executive, said at an event conducted by The Washington Post newspaper.The highly contagious virus infected 4.36 million people

FILE - Dr. Stephen Hahn, Commissioner Of Food And Drugs, United States Food and Drug Administration testifies during a US Senate Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing on September 23, 2020.

ATLANTA - Gabriel Sterling, the Voting Systems Manager for the Georgia Secretary of State's office, came out swinging during a press conference Tuesday afternoon after weeks of harassment, threats, and division."It has all gone too far," Sterling said.

FILE - President Donald Trump speaks in the Diplomatic Room of the White House on Thanksgiving on November 26, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Erin Schaff - Pool/Getty Images)MADISON, Wis. - President Trump’s re-election campaign filed on Tuesday, Dec.

United States entered the final month of the year hoping that promising vaccine candidates will soon be approved to halt the rapidly spreading novel coronavirus after 4.2 million new cases were reported in November.The new COVID-19 cases were more than double the previous monthly record set in October, as large numbers of Americans still refuse to wear masks and continue to gather in holiday crowds, against the recommendation of experts.With outgoing President Donald Trump's coronavirus strategy relying heavily on a vaccine, a Food and Drug Administration panel of outside advisers will meet on Dec.

One of President Donald Trump's favoured coronavirus advisors who sparked controversy over his comments against mask-wearing and other issues has resigned.

Donald Trump who was skeptical of measures to control the coronavirus outbreak, is leaving his White House post.A White House official confirmed that the Stanford University neuroradiologist, who had no formal experience in public health or infectious diseases, resigned at the end of his temporary government assignment. Atlas confirmed the news in a Monday evening tweet.Honored to have served @realDonaldTrump and the American people during these difficult times.

ATLANTA – Some establishment Republicans are sounding alarms that President Donald Trump’s conspiratorial denials of his own defeat could threaten the party’s ability to win a Senate majority and counter President-elect Joe Biden’s administration.The concerns come ahead of Trump’s planned Saturday visit to Georgia to campaign alongside Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, who face strong Democratic challengers in Jan.

Scott Atlas, Donald Trump's coronavirus advisor, who resigned on Monday, said he was honoured for having the opportunity the serve America and the US President in difficult times.In a tweet he said, Honored to have served Donald Trump and the American people during these difficult times.Honored to have served @realDonaldTrump and the American people during these difficult times. pic.twitter.com/xT1hRoYBMhA White House official confirmed that the Stanford University neuroradiologist, who had no formal experience in public health or infectious diseases, resigned at the end of his temporary government assignment.

WASHINGTON – Dr. Scott Atlas, a science adviser to President Donald Trump who was skeptical of measures to control the coronavirus outbreak, is leaving his White House post.A White House official confirmed that the Stanford University neuroradiologist, who had no formal experience in public health or infectious diseases, resigned at the end of his temporary government assignment.

FILE - Dr. Scott Atlas, member of the White House's coronavirus task force, speaks at a news conference in the briefing room of the White House on Sept.

MADISON, Wis. – Joe Biden’s victory in battleground Wisconsin is scheduled to be certified Monday following a partial recount that only added to his 20,600-vote margin over President Donald Trump.Certification of the results by the Democratic chairwoman of the Wisconsin Elections Commission starts a five-day window for Trump to file a lawsuit. Trump on Saturday promised to file a lawsuit either on Monday or Tuesday, a longshot attempt to overturn the results of the election by disqualifying as many as 238,000 ballots.

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court sounded skeptical Monday that President Donald Trump could categorically exclude people living in the country illegally from the population count used to allot seats among the states in the House of Representatives.But it also appeared possible that the justices could avoid a final ruling on the issue until they know how broadly the Trump administration acts in its final days in office and whether the division of House seats is affected.No president has tried to do what Trump outlined in a memo in July — remove millions of noncitizens from the once-a-decade head count of the U.S.

Joe Biden will have an all-female senior communications team at his White House, reflecting his stated desire to build out a diverse White House team as well as what’s expected to be a return to a more traditional press operation.Biden campaign communications director Kate Bedingfield will serve as Biden’s White House communications director. Jen Psaki, a longtime Democratic spokeswoman, will be his press secretary.Four of the seven top communications roles at the White House will be filled by women of colour, and it’s the first time the entire senior White House communications team will be entirely female.U.S.

HARRISBURG, Pa. – A Pennsylvania state senator abruptly left a West Wing meeting with President Donald Trump after being informed he had tested positive for the coronavirus, a person with direct knowledge of the meeting told The Associated Press on Sunday.Republican state Sen. Doug Mastriano had gone to the White House last Wednesday with like-minded Republican state lawmakers shortly after a four-hour-plus public meeting that Mastriano helped host in Gettysburg — maskless — to discuss efforts to overturn president-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the state.Trump told Mastriano that White House medical personnel would take care of him, his son and his son’s friend, who were also there for the Oval Office meeting and tested positive.

HARRISBURG - A Pennsylvania state senator abruptly left a West Wing meeting with President Donald Trump after being informed he had tested positive for the coronavirus, a person with direct knowledge of the meeting told The Associated Press on Sunday.Republican state Sen. Doug Mastriano had gone to the White House last Wednesday with like-minded Republican state lawmakers shortly after a four-hour-plus public meeting that Mastriano helped host in Gettysburg — maskless — to discuss efforts to overturn president-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the state.Trump told Mastriano that White House medical personnel would take care of him, his son and his son’s friend, who were also there for the Oval Office meeting and tested positive.

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump said Sunday he was “ashamed” for endorsing the Republican governor of Georgia after he lost in the state to Democrat Joe Biden. Trump has seethed over losing the southern state, which hadn’t voted for a Democrat for president in nearly 30 years.

Donald Trump said on Sunday that it might be difficult to get his election fraud allegations heard before the U.S. Supreme Court, expressing doubt about his legal strategy as his hopes of overturning the Nov.