- Attorney general says investigations ‘may be conducted’ in some cases
- President announces ‘Mark Esper has been terminated’
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- US coronavirus cases surpass 10m as Ben Carson tests positive
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4.02am GMT
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World news
Coronavirus live news: ‘We cannot give up’ warns WHO chief; protests flare in Italy
Protests against Covid restrictions turn violent in Milan and Turin; US deaths up 10%; Pope to celebrate Christmas without congregation. Follow the latest updates
- Global coronavirus report: Italian police use tear gas to disperse anti-lockdown rally
- Pope Francis criticised for rarely wearing face masks
- Survey uncovers widespread belief in ‘dangerous’ Covid claims
- See all our coronavirus coverage
Tumbling numbers of pregnancies and marriages in Japan during the coronavirus pandemic are likely to intensify a demographic crisis in the rapidly ageing nation, Reuters reports.
Japan has the most aged society in the world, with more than 35% of its population expected to be 65 and over by 2050, a trend that poses risks for economic growth and straining government finances.
“I reckon the spread of the coronavirus is having many people worried about getting pregnant, giving births and rearing babies,” Tetsushi Sakamoto, minister in charge of responses to Japan’s declining birthrates, told a news conference on Friday.
Recently published official data showed the number of notified pregnancies in the three months to July fell 11.4% from a year earlier, while the number of marriages over the same period dropped 36.9%. The sharp decline in marriages matters because the majority of babies in Japan are born in wedlock.
The US Trump administration will this week announce a plan to cover out-of-pocket costs of Covid-19 vaccines for millions of Americans who receive Medicare or Medicaid, Politico reported late on Monday, citing four people with knowledge of the plan.
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According to the plans, Medicare and Medicaid will now cover vaccines that receive emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration. The changes are expected to be announced on Tuesday or Wednesday by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the report added.
The planned rule will also address other Covid-19 related issues like expanding flexibility for Medicaid patients seeking care for the coronavirus, Politico reported.
CMS did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside regular working hours.
Democrats hold Senate floor overnight to protest Amy Coney Barrett confirmation – live
- Trump aide admits ‘we’re not going to control pandemic’ as Pence staff test positive
- Nearly 60 million Americans cast early vote as record-shattering turnout expected
- Many midwest Democrats stayed home in 2016. Will they turn out for Biden?
The summer has been characterised by a series of extreme weather events on both coasts of the US, and that looks set to continue.
Hundreds of thousands of Californians lost power as utilities sought to prevent the chance of their equipment sparking wildfires and the fire-weary state braced for a new bout of dry, windy weather.
Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy has just described himself as “sad and furious” on his way home from the Senate in the early hours of the morning having been part of the Democrats night long occupation of the Senate floor.
Just finished the 3-5am shift on the Senate floor in protest of the vote later today on radical Amy Coney Barrett.
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She will rule to invalidate Obamacare, causing 23M to lose insurance in the middle of a pandemic. Catastrophic.
Both sad and furious on my rainy drive home. pic.twitter.com/hVEw3AvibW
‘They won’t be able to do anything about this’: McConnell revels in Barrett supreme court vote
- Democrats blast Pence for plan to preside despite Covid tests
- How ending Obamacare would kill Fauci plan to conquer HIV
- Trump aide admits ‘we’re not going to control pandemic’
“By tomorrow night,” Mitch McConnell told Senate Republicans on Sunday, after they voted to limit debate and advance the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett, “we’ll have a new member of the United States supreme court.
Related: Party chair insists Republicans will hold Senate afte...
Trump told Republican donors holding Senate will be ‘tough’ – report
- Washington Post reports remarks before Nashville debate
- President also said he ‘just can’t’ help some GOP senators
- How ending Obamacare would kill Fauci plan to conquer HIV
Shortly after Donald Trump insisted to reporters in Ohio he expected a “red wave” on election day, 3 November, it was reported on Saturday that he told Republican donors this week it would be “tough” for the party to hold on to the Senate.
Related: US election polls tracker: who i...
Trump told Republican donors holding Senate will be ‘tough’ – report
- Washington Post reports remarks before Nashville debate
- President also said he ‘just can’t’ help some GOP senators
- How ending Obamacare would kill Fauci plan to conquer HIV
Shortly after Donald Trump insisted to reporters in Ohio he expected a “red wave” on election day, 3 November, it was reported on Saturday that he told Republican donors this week it would be “tough” for the party to hold on to the Senate.
Related: US election polls tracker: who i...
How Trump success in ending Obamacare will kill Fauci plan to conquer HIV
Conservatives see Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation as key in bringing down the Affordable Care Act. Doctors and scientists warn it will destroy a major effort to help vulnerable and poor Americans
In his State of the Union address in February 2019, Donald Trump vowed to end the HIV epidemic by 2030.
Related: 'Rick Scott had us on lockdown': how Florida said no to $70m for HIV crisis
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Snap polls give Joe Biden edge over Trump in final TV debate – US politics live
- Biden and Trump diverge sharply on major issues
- The ‘obvious’ winner of the debate: moderator Kristen Welker
- Five key takeaways
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2.22pm BST
Morning… Martin Pengelly here, taking over from Martin Belam. More on Mike Pence voting – not the most dynamic subject in the world, in fact sounds like a deadpan title for a surreal painting o...
Trump says he wants supreme court to ‘end’ Obamacare as final debate looms – live
- President tests negative for Covid before debate, Meadows says
- Trump releases unedited 60 Minutes interview days before air date
- Senate committee votes to advance Amy Coney Barrett nomination
- Trump’s Twitter allegedly hacked after password guessed: ‘maga2020!’
- Trump and Biden to have second TV debate in Nashville
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10.01pm BST
That’s...
Trump cuts short pre-election interview as Covid stimulus bill moves closer – live
- President angrily tweeted about ‘bias’ and CBS host Lesley Stahl
- Report: Trump paid nearly $200,000 in taxes to China
- Florida accused of sowing confusion with voting changes
- Video: how Trump failed Ohio
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4.15pm BST
Democrats and leaders of liberal organizations denounced Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court no...