The U.S. moved a step closer Wednesday to offering booster doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to senior citizens and others at high risk from the virus as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) signed off on the targeted use of the extra shots.
President Joe Biden on Thursday is announcing sweeping new federal vaccine requirements affecting as many as 100 million Americans in an all-out effort to increase COVID-19 vaccinations and curb the surging delta variant that is killing thousands each week and jeopardizing the nation's economic recovery.
California drought takes a toll on the world's top almond producer, the U.S. is shipping 488,000 vaccine doses to Rwanda, Wall Street lower as retail sales post steep drop in July, Fred drenches the U.S. Southeast and Americans spent less in July as COVID-19 cases surged makes up this week's five national stories.
The Taliban sweep into the Afghan capital after the government collapses, the death toll of power earthquake in Haiti soars to 1,297, an ex-Khmer Rouge official appeals a genocide verdict in Cambodia, Trudeau triggers Canadian election and lava streams from Indonesia's Mount Merapi in new eruption makes up this week's five international stories.
The pandemic prompts changes in how future teachers are trained, ex-Cuomo aide details groping as lawmakers meet in private, Epstein accuser sues Prince Andrew, Texas governor seeks out-of-state help against COVID-19 and hot weather could spur a California weather makes up this week's five national stories.
Simone Biles returns to the Olympic competition, bipartisan bill leaves out key climate and clean energy steps, the US hits a 70 percent vaccination rate amid the COVID-19 surge, US employers ratchet up the pressure on the unvaccinated and garden to open for El Paso Walmart shooting second anniversary makes up this week's five national stories.
US expands Afghan refugee program, Belarus Olympian plans to seek asylum in Poland, Turkey battles wildfires for the sixth day, Europe's vaccine passes reveal some pockets of resistance and death toll triples to more than 300 in recent China flooding makes up this week's five international stories.
Last victim ID'd in Florida condo building collapse, Jacoby wins swimming gold for the US, California and New York City require government workers to get the coronavirus vaccine, Biden says US combat mission in Iraq to conclude by year end and warming rivers in US West are killing fish and imperiling the industry makes up this week's five national stories.
Tunisia on edge as the president suspends parliament and fires the prime minister, two COVID patients dead after power outage at a Jordan hospital, 28 abducted Baptist school students freed in Nigeria, pandemic Olympics endured heat, and not a typhoon's en route and the Vatican trial opens into financial scandal rocking papacy makes up this week's five international stories.
Officials in Oregon call for outside help as extreme weather fuels fires, a Russian hacker known as "bot master" to be sentenced in the US, California launches the largest free school lunch program in the US, fraud charges brought in second Wisconsin 2020 election case and Indiana University can require COVID-19 vaccinations makes up this week's five national stories.
Pope Francis spreads incense at the start of Easter Sunday Mass, inside an empty St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Sunday, April 12, 2020. Pope Francis and Christians around the world marked a solitary Easter Sunday, forced to celebrate the most joyful day in the liturgical calendar amid the sorrowful reminders of the devastation wrought by the coronavirus pandemic. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death. Andreas Solaro/Pool via AP
