New lockdowns have been ordered in America’s most populous state in the face of what its governor has called the “final surge” of COVID-19. Gavin Newsom announced new modified stay-at-home orders for 40 million residents of California after a dramatic rise in coronavirus case numbers. The orders kick-in when a region’s hospitals has fewer than
US
Joe Biden will ask all Americans to wear face masks for the first 100 days of his term to stop the spread of coronavirus. The president-elect, who has frequently emphasised mask-wearing as a “patriotic duty”, will also order masks to be worn in all US government buildings. Speaking with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Mr Biden said:
The US has reported more than 3,100 coronavirus-related deaths in a single day – a record for the country. The 3,157 deaths far exceed the previous record of 2,603 set in the spring, while the number of Americans in hospital with COVID-19 has risen past 100,000 for the first time and cases are topping more
The US has recorded its biggest daily death toll of the pandemic so far, on the same day it also reached a record number of COVID-19 patients in hospital. More than 2,670 coronavirus deaths were reported on Wednesday – the equivalent of nearly two deaths a minute – according to Johns Hopkins University. The widely-respected
A captain of a scuba diving boat that caught fire and sank off the coast of California last year has been charged with 34 counts of manslaughter. All the passengers on board and one crew member – a total of 21 women and 13 men ranging in age from 16 to 62 years old –
Donald Trump is said to be considering running for the White House again in 2024, with a campaign launch on the day Joe Biden in sworn in as the 46th US president. NBC claims that people familiar with the discussions say there is “preliminary planning” underway for a 20 January 2021 event and President Trump
President-elect Joe Biden has formally announced some key cabinet picks for his national security and foreign policy teams. The list brings together people who worked in the Obama administration at the State Department and the White House. Some have relationships with Mr Biden dating back many years, but the hires also reflect a more diverse
Joe Biden is pressing ahead with forming his government by announcing his picks for some of the top jobs in his economic team. A number of his choices are set to make history – together they make up the country’s most diverse economic leadership team ever. His picks include the first woman to head up
Moderna has said it is filing for regulatory approval in the US, and that its vaccine trials have shown no serious safety concerns. The US-based company has also said its vaccine was 94.1% effective, with 100% efficacy against severe COVID-19 in its phase three trial. Efficacy was consistent across age, race and ethnicity, as well
The US is entering into a “precarious situation” just before Christmas, according to the country’s top advisor on COVID-19. Dr Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, warned a travel-heavy Thanksgiving holiday may make the current situation in America even worse, predicting “a surge superimposed on the surge we are
A mysterious monolith discovered in a remote part of the US has – just as mysteriously – been removed. The 10-12 feet (3-3.6 metres) metal structure was found in Utah last week, planted in the ground and tucked into a red rock cove, sparking speculation about how it had come to be there. But on
A college senior in the US has made history as the first woman to ever play in a Power 5 football game. Sarah Fuller, who can usually be found in goal for Vanderbilt University’s soccer team, was called on to the field during the second half of an American football game against the University of
A breakthrough in decoding brain signals could be the first step towards soldiers communicating without having to speak aloud during military operations. New research has “successfully” separated brain signals that influence behaviour and actions from those that do not, according to the publication C4ISRNET, which covers emerging trends in military warfare technology. Funded by the
The US Justice Department is quietly amending its execution protocols, to possibly end the use of lethal injection – and clear the way for firing squads and poison gas. The amended rule, published on Friday, allows the US government to conduct executions by lethal injection or use “any other manner prescribed by the law of the
A teenager arrested as an 11-year-old in an incident that sparked huge condemnation in the US has died from COVID-19. Honestie Hodges, 14, died on Sunday in a children’s hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan, her grandmother said. Alisa Niemeyer wrote on a GoFundMe fundraising page: “It is with an extremely heavy heart that I have
Donald Trump has moved a step closer to conceding the US election. The president said he will leave the White House if the Electoral College votes for president-elect Joe Biden. Mr Trump made the comments at the White House after speaking to US troops during a traditional Thanksgiving Day address. Please use Chrome browser for