California becomes first state to order teachers to get COVID vaccine or test
By Lisa Shumaker and Peter Szekely
California on Wednesday became the first U.S. state to require that its teachers and other school staff be vaccinated or regularly tested for COVID-19,...
Elderly Chileans line up for booster jabs to reinforce Sinovac’s COVID-19 vaccine
SANTIAGO - Chile on Wednesday began administering booster shots to those already inoculated with Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine in a bid to lock in early...
Trudeau condemns Chinese court’s sentence in Canadian’s spying case
BEIJING — Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said a Chinese court’s sentencing of Canadian businessman Michael Spavor to 11 years in prison for espionage on Wednesday was “absolutely unacceptable” and called for his immediate release.
US, China trade barbs at UN over South China Sea
NEW YORK — United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken called out bullying in the South China Sea on Monday and warned the U.N. Security Council that a conflict “would have serious global consequences for security and for commerce,” sparking a strong rebuke from China.
Britain urged to donate vaccines rather than give boosters
LONDON — Booster shots for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines are not currently needed and the doses should be given to other countries, Oxford vaccine chief Andrew Pollard said on Tuesday in contrast to the position taken by Britain’s health minister.
N. Korea warns of ‘security crisis’ if US, S. Korea escalate tensions
SEOUL — North Korea on Wednesday said South Korea and the United States missed a chance to improve relations and are risking a “serious security crisis” by choosing to escalate tensions as they conduct joint military drills.
US weighs 2050 target in bid to wean airlines off fossil fuels
US President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.’s administration is quietly discussing a target date of 2050 for weaning aircraft off fossil fuels as part of the White House’s broader push to fight climate change, sources familiar with the matter said.
New Zealand should only reopen border in early 2022, panel advises
WELLINGTON — New Zealand should keep its borders shut until early 2022 and reopen only after the vast majority of its adults have been...
UN report ignites fight for funds to build climate defenses
The United Nations (UN) climate panel’s report on Monday alerted wealthy nations to a lesson many of the world’s most vulnerable countries have already...
Singapore hits 70% full vaccination as rules ease
SINGAPORE said 70% of its population has been fully vaccinated, and 79% have received at least one dose, giving the city-state one of the best vaccination rates in the world as today it starts to ease social distancing restrictions and restart parts of the economy.
US-South Korea drills begin despite North’s warning
SEOUL — South Korea and the United States will face even greater security threats for going ahead with annual joint military drills due to begin this week, Kim Yo Jong, a powerful North Korean official and sister of leader Kim Jong Un, said on Tuesday.
S. Korea approves Phase III trial of SK Bioscience’s COVID-19 vaccine
By Sangmi Cha
SEOUL - South Korea gave vaccine developer SK Bioscience the green light on Tuesday for a Phase III study of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate...