MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday backed the Cabinet’s proposal to declare a non-working week and keep Russian workers away from their offices as coronavirus deaths surged to another daily record. The government task force on Wednesday reported 1,028 coronavirus deaths over the past 24 hours, the highest number since the start […]

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation says it will spend $120 million to boost access to generic versions of drugmaker Merck’s antiviral COVID-19 pill for lower income countries, if the drug gets approved by regulators. The private foundation said in a statement released Wednesday it hasn’t determined how it will allocate the money, but will […]

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City will require police officers, firefighters and other municipal workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or be placed on unpaid leave, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday, giving an ultimatum to public employees who’ve refused and ensuring a fight with some of the unions representing them. The mandate affecting […]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Children age 5 to 11 will soon be able to get a COVID-19 shot at their pediatrician’s office, local pharmacy and potentially even their school, the White House said Wednesday as it detailed plans for the expected authorization of the Pfizer shot for younger children in a matter of weeks. Federal regulators […]

NEW YORK (VINnews) — Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, who turned 95 last April, turned down an award for “Oldie of the Year” from a British magazine with a polite but delicately sarcastic response. “Her Majesty believes you are as old as you feel, as such the Queen does not believe she meets the relevant criteria to […]

NEW YORK (AP) — CNN’s John King revealed during an on-air discussion of COVID-19 vaccine mandates on Tuesday that he has multiple sclerosis. “I’m going to share a secret I’ve never spoken before,” King said while leading a panel discussion on his “Inside Politics” show. “I’m immunocompromised. I have multiple sclerosis. So, I’m grateful you’re […]

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The South African drug regulator has rejected the Russian-made coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V, citing some safety concerns the manufacturer wasn’t able to answer. The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority, or SAHPRA, said in a statement Tuesday that the request for Sputnik V to be authorized could “not be approved at this […]

NEW YORK (VINnews) — Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro claimed that he hides in his bathroom and cries when he is faced with making difficult decisions, as his popularity plummeted to an all-time low last week. Bonsanero spoke to some of his supporters at the Comunidade das Nações church last Thursday in Brasilia, the South American’s nation’s capital. […]

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Israel recently approved a 5 billion shekels ($1.5 billion) budget to prepare its security forces for a potential strike against Iran’s nuclear program, according to a report by Channel 12 Monday. The budget would include funds for aircraft, intelligence-gathering and unique types of armaments required to attack the heavily fortified nuclear locations […]

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Ramat Gan mayor Carmel Shama-Hacohen announced in a Facebook post that his municipality would fund two posters with pictures of women for every poster defaced. Recently posters advertising the Israeli version of Survivor were placed in public places and on huge billboards in Ramat Gan. The pictures include women in immodest clothing […]