First Americans could get Covid-19 vaccine by mid-December
The first Americans could receive a Covid-19 vaccine as soon as 24 hours after the FDA grants approval, which would kick off the largest inoculation campaign in US history starting in mid-December.
"Within 24 hours from the approval, the vaccine will be moving and located in the areas where each state will have told us where they want the vaccine doses," Dr Moncef Slaoui, the chief scientific adviser for the government's Operation Warp Speed vaccine programme, told NBC's Meet The Press.
The effort to roll out vaccines across the country of 330 million people comes as President Donald Trump has blocked the normal transition of government before the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden on Jan 20.
Slaoui said he hoped for a smooth transition and did not expect the vaccination effort to be derailed.
World leaders praise Paris climate pact as Trump justifies exit
World leaders urged countries not to lose sight of climate goals in the coronavirus pandemic, endorsing the aims of the Paris agreement amid hopes that US President-elect Joe Biden will rejoin the accord.
Participants on the second day of a virtual Group of 20 summit of rich nations discussed climate change in a session hosted by Saudi Arabia, holder of the forum's presidency.
The US formally exited the Paris accord, which pledges limits on fossil-fuel pollution, earlier this month.
ALS Ice Bucket Challenge co-creator dies at age 37
Patrick Quinn, whose personal battle with ALS helped power the Ice Bucket Challenge fund-raising campaign, died on Sunday at age 37, seven years after his diagnosis, supporters announced on Facebook.
Quinn, who was born and grew up in Yonkers, New York, was co-founder of the campaign that raised more than US$220 million (S$300 million) for medical research into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, his Facebook page said.
He was diagnosed with ALS on March 8, 2013, according to his Facebook page.
Egypt actor Mohamed Ramadan in hot water after selfies with Israelis
Egypt's self-proclaimed superstar Mohamed Ramadan has sparked a heated political debate after snapping selfies with an Israeli singer and footballer.
Ramadan, a 32-year-old actor and rapper, boasts millions of followers in the Arab world, is a close friend of Morocco's King Mohamed VI and the recipient of the 2019 All Africa Music Awards prize.
On Saturday, the official Facebook page of the State of Israel in Arabic linked to the foreign ministry published a photo of Ramadan hugging Israeli singer Omer Adam on a Dubai rooftop.
Tennis: Medvedev beats Thiem to win ATP Finals title
Daniil Medvedev came from a set down to beat Dominic Thiem 4-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 and win the ATP Finals title in London on Sunday for the biggest tournament victory of his career.
The Russian fourth seed was second best for large periods of the match at the O2 Arena but found a way back into the contest and eventually proved too strong for the world number three.
Thiem weathered early pressure from Medvedev and secured the first break of the match in the fifth game, when the Russian served a double fault.
