Dec 24 COVID puts a damper on Christmas Eve again around the world By Jack Jeffrey, David Crary, David McHugh, Associated Press Travel plans are being disrupted because of flight cancellations, as the pandemic once again casts a pall on celebrations around the world. Continue reading
Dec 24 Omicron deals fresh blow to pandemic-weary front-line workers By Philip Marcelo, Anne D'Innocenzio, Bobby Caina Calvan, Associated Press The surge in coronavirus cases driven by the new omicron variant is the latest blow to hospitals, police departments, supermarkets and other critical operations struggling to maintain staffing levels. Continue reading
Dec 24 U.S. to lift travel ban on 8 southern African countries By Ashraf Khalil, Associated Press The White House says the U.S. will lift travel restrictions to eight southern African countries on New Year's Eve. Continue reading
Dec 24 Airlines cancel hundreds of Christmas flights due to 'massive rise' in COVID-19 sick leave By News Desk At least three major airlines say they have canceled dozens of flights because illnesses largely tied to the omicron variant of COVID-19 have taken a toll on flight crew numbers during the busy holiday travel season. Continue reading
Dec 23 Watch 9:42 Americans face COVID testing lags ahead of holidays: 'We're very, very far behind' By Stephanie Sy, Dorothy Hastings The new coronavirus variant is driving a surge of COVID-19 cases in the United States. Omicron is now present in all 50 states - just three weeks after it was first detected in the U.S. It has raised questions and… Continue watching
Dec 23 WATCH: Biden signs bills on forced labor in China, ALS research By Darlene Superville, Associated Press President Joe Biden has signed a bill into law to block imports from China's Xinjiang region unless businesses can prove the items were made without using forced labor. Biden also signed a bill into law to fund research for a… Continue reading
Dec 23 New Year's Eve in Times Square still on amid omicron spread, just with smaller crowd By Associated Press New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio says next week's New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square will still go on, just not with as many revelers as usual because of COVID-19. Continue reading
Dec 23 Emails detail Trump administration's fight with own medical experts over COVID advice By Kenichi Serino Emails from Dr. Deborah Birx, the former White House COVID coordinator, and Dr. Jay Butler, a senior Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official, detailed their objection to the administration's guidance. Continue reading
Dec 23 FDA authorizes Merck's pill against COVID-19 By Matthew Perrone, Associated Press The Food and Drug Administration authorization of Merck's molnupiravir comes one day after the agency cleared a competing drug from Pfizer. Continue reading
Dec 23 Omicron less likely than delta to result in hospitalization, studies say By Laura Ungar, Mike Stobbe, Associated Press Two new British studies provide some early hints that the omicron variant of the coronavirus may be milder than delta. Continue reading