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| Biden to discuss FDA’s expected approval of Pfizer vaccine for young teens – live | Biden to discuss FDA’s expected approval of Pfizer vaccine for young teens – live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| FDA likely to authorize Pfizer vaccine for those aged 12 to 15 – follow all the day’s politics news | FDA likely to authorize Pfizer vaccine for those aged 12 to 15 – follow all the day’s politics news |
| A spokesperson for congresswoman Liz Cheney indicated she has no plans to step down from her role as House Republican conference chairwoman. | |
| “This is about whether the Republican Party is going to perpetuate lies about the 2020 election and attempt to whitewash what happened on Jan 6,” the spokesperson said, per CNN. “Liz will not do that. That is the issue.” | |
| The statement comes hours after House minority leader Kevin McCarthy questioned Cheney’s ability to “carry out the message” of the Republican party, amid her public sparring with Donald Trump over the January 6 insurrection. | |
| “There’s no concern about how she voted on impeachment. That decision has been made,” McCarthy told Fox News when asked about Republican efforts to oust Cheney from her leadership role. | |
| The Republican leader added, “I have heard from members concerned about her ability to carry out the job as conference chair, to carry out the message.” | |
| US drugmaker Pfizer expects to make $26bn (£19bn) in revenues from sales of its Covid-19 vaccine this year, with its soaraway product accounting for more than a third of the company’s annual income. | |
| The vaccine, which was developed with Germany’s BioNTech, contributed $3.5bn in global revenues at Pfizer in the first three months of the year, and the company had expected it to bring in $15bn over the course of 2021. | |
| Now the jab, priced at $39 for two doses in the US and about $30 in the EU, will generate 73% more than forecast. The company said takings from the jab would boost profits. | |
| The new prediction is based on contracts signed until mid-April, for the delivery of 1.6bn doses globally this year. Pfizer is already supplying the US, the UK, the EU, Japan and Israel, among other markets, and is reportedly close to signing a contract with Brazil for 100m doses. It has also struck deals with Canada and Israel to supply the jab beyond this year. | |
| The New York-based company expects to make revenues of between $70.5bn and £72.5bn this year, with the coronavirus jab accounting for $26bn of that sum. Adjusted earnings per share are forecast at $3.55 to $3.65. Previously, it forecast total annual revenues of up to $61.4bn and adjusted earnings per share of $3.10 to $3.20. | |
| Kamala Harris is traveling to Wisconsin today to tout Joe Biden’s infrastructure proposals, marking her first visit to the battleground state since becoming vice-president. | Kamala Harris is traveling to Wisconsin today to tout Joe Biden’s infrastructure proposals, marking her first visit to the battleground state since becoming vice-president. |
| Harris is scheduled to tour clean energy laboratories at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and participate in a roundtable on research and development investments in the American Jobs Plan. | Harris is scheduled to tour clean energy laboratories at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and participate in a roundtable on research and development investments in the American Jobs Plan. |
| A partially collapsed metro overpass has claimed at least 23 lives in Mexico City, where rescuers worked through the night to free trapped passengers and search for victims. | A partially collapsed metro overpass has claimed at least 23 lives in Mexico City, where rescuers worked through the night to free trapped passengers and search for victims. |
| Mexico City’s mayor, Claudia Sheinbaum, said via Twitter that at least 65 people had been taken to hospital after the collapse near the Los Olivos metro station, which occurred at about 10.30pm on Monday. | Mexico City’s mayor, Claudia Sheinbaum, said via Twitter that at least 65 people had been taken to hospital after the collapse near the Los Olivos metro station, which occurred at about 10.30pm on Monday. |
| Videos on Mexican television and social media showed train cars hanging in mid-air as sirens blared nearby. Footage from security cameras showed the overpass collapsing on to a busy thoroughfare as a pair of wagons fell on to passing traffic. | Videos on Mexican television and social media showed train cars hanging in mid-air as sirens blared nearby. Footage from security cameras showed the overpass collapsing on to a busy thoroughfare as a pair of wagons fell on to passing traffic. |
| Another video showed emergency medical crews and firefighters combing through wreckage looking for survivors. Families of people unaccounted for also searched the scene. | Another video showed emergency medical crews and firefighters combing through wreckage looking for survivors. Families of people unaccounted for also searched the scene. |
| “We only heard a thunderous noise and everything started coming apart,” a survivor identifying herself as Mariana told the newspaper El Universal. “We were sent flying and hit the ceiling.” | “We only heard a thunderous noise and everything started coming apart,” a survivor identifying herself as Mariana told the newspaper El Universal. “We were sent flying and hit the ceiling.” |
| Sheinbaum said a support beam had given way, causing the overpass to collapse. “Firefighters, public safety personnel are working. Various hospitals attending. We will give more information shortly,” she added. | Sheinbaum said a support beam had given way, causing the overpass to collapse. “Firefighters, public safety personnel are working. Various hospitals attending. We will give more information shortly,” she added. |
| Kamala Harris delivered virtual remarks to the Washington Conference on the Americas at the White House this morning. | Kamala Harris delivered virtual remarks to the Washington Conference on the Americas at the White House this morning. |
| The vice-president emphasized the importance of the relationship between the US and its Latin American neighbors, saying the countries’ “fates are intertwined”. | The vice-president emphasized the importance of the relationship between the US and its Latin American neighbors, saying the countries’ “fates are intertwined”. |
| “The strength of the United States of America depends on the strength of all of the Western Hemisphere,” Harris said. “In so many ways our fates are intertwined. That is especially true with Latin America.” | “The strength of the United States of America depends on the strength of all of the Western Hemisphere,” Harris said. “In so many ways our fates are intertwined. That is especially true with Latin America.” |
| The vice-president added that the Biden administration “firmly believes in the potential of the region”. | The vice-president added that the Biden administration “firmly believes in the potential of the region”. |
| Harris’ remarks come more than a month after Joe Biden put the vice-president in charge of addressing the root causes of migration to the US, which has risen this year. | Harris’ remarks come more than a month after Joe Biden put the vice-president in charge of addressing the root causes of migration to the US, which has risen this year. |
| Although Harris has had the job for a matter of weeks, Republicans have wasted no time in criticizing the vice-president for her handling of immigration, already accusing her of failing to lower the number of migrants attempting to enter the US. | Although Harris has had the job for a matter of weeks, Republicans have wasted no time in criticizing the vice-president for her handling of immigration, already accusing her of failing to lower the number of migrants attempting to enter the US. |
| Some House Republicans are already floating names for potential replacements if Liz Cheney is ousted as conference chairwoman. | Some House Republicans are already floating names for potential replacements if Liz Cheney is ousted as conference chairwoman. |
| Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, a New York Republican who became a fierce defender of Donald Trump during his first impeachment inquiry, is among those being named, according to Punchbowl News. | Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, a New York Republican who became a fierce defender of Donald Trump during his first impeachment inquiry, is among those being named, according to Punchbowl News. |
| Liz Cheney, the third most senior membership of the GOP’s House leadership, has been heavily criticized by fellow Republicans in recent months for pushing back on Donald Trump’s nonsense claims that the election was stolen, and for her impeachment vote. | Liz Cheney, the third most senior membership of the GOP’s House leadership, has been heavily criticized by fellow Republicans in recent months for pushing back on Donald Trump’s nonsense claims that the election was stolen, and for her impeachment vote. |
| Trump-supporting representatives in Congress have been pushing for Cheney, the House Republican conference chair, to be removed from that powerful position, which could be achieved if House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy called for a vote on Cheney’s future. Shortly after her vote to impeach Trump, the Wyoming GOP had also voted to censure her. | Trump-supporting representatives in Congress have been pushing for Cheney, the House Republican conference chair, to be removed from that powerful position, which could be achieved if House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy called for a vote on Cheney’s future. Shortly after her vote to impeach Trump, the Wyoming GOP had also voted to censure her. |
| Some Republicans, however, have come to Cheney’s defense. “Liz Cheney is a woman of strength and conscience, and she did what she thought was right, and I salute her for that,” Senator Susan Collins from Maine said on CNN this weekend. | Some Republicans, however, have come to Cheney’s defense. “Liz Cheney is a woman of strength and conscience, and she did what she thought was right, and I salute her for that,” Senator Susan Collins from Maine said on CNN this weekend. |
| The tension between the most-extreme and less-extreme members of the Republican party has increased in recent days, after Cheney – a member of the latter group – said those who supported the Trump-backed challenges to the certification of the 2020 election should be disqualified from becoming the 2024 Republican nominee. | The tension between the most-extreme and less-extreme members of the Republican party has increased in recent days, after Cheney – a member of the latter group – said those who supported the Trump-backed challenges to the certification of the 2020 election should be disqualified from becoming the 2024 Republican nominee. |
| House minority leader Kevin McCarthy appeared open to the idea of ousting Liz Cheney from Republican leadership over her continued criticism of Donald Trump for peddling the “big lie” that there was widespread fraud in the presidential election. | House minority leader Kevin McCarthy appeared open to the idea of ousting Liz Cheney from Republican leadership over her continued criticism of Donald Trump for peddling the “big lie” that there was widespread fraud in the presidential election. |
| While speaking to Fox News this morning, McCarthy was asked about some House Republicans’ efforts to push Cheney out of her role as Republican conference chairwoman. | While speaking to Fox News this morning, McCarthy was asked about some House Republicans’ efforts to push Cheney out of her role as Republican conference chairwoman. |
| “I have heard from members concerned about her ability to carry out the job as conference chair, to carry out the message,” McCarthy said. “We all need to be working as one if we’re able to win the majority.” | “I have heard from members concerned about her ability to carry out the job as conference chair, to carry out the message,” McCarthy said. “We all need to be working as one if we’re able to win the majority.” |
| McCarthy insisted the opposition to Cheney was not related to her vote in support of impeaching Trump after the January 6 insurrection. McCarthy resisted calls to oust Cheney after the impeachment vote, but he now seems to be softening on that. | McCarthy insisted the opposition to Cheney was not related to her vote in support of impeaching Trump after the January 6 insurrection. McCarthy resisted calls to oust Cheney after the impeachment vote, but he now seems to be softening on that. |
| McCarthy’s comments come amid Cheney’s latest dust-up with the former Republican president. Trump put a statement yesterday morning saying, “The Fraudulent Presidential Election of 2020 will be, from this day forth, known as THE BIG LIE!” | McCarthy’s comments come amid Cheney’s latest dust-up with the former Republican president. Trump put a statement yesterday morning saying, “The Fraudulent Presidential Election of 2020 will be, from this day forth, known as THE BIG LIE!” |
| Of course, the “big lie” has come to refer to Trump’s baseless claims of widespread fraud in the election, and Cheney pointed that out in a tweet sent shortly after the statement was released. | Of course, the “big lie” has come to refer to Trump’s baseless claims of widespread fraud in the election, and Cheney pointed that out in a tweet sent shortly after the statement was released. |
| “The 2020 presidential election was not stolen,” Cheney said on Twitter. “Anyone who claims it was is spreading THE BIG LIE, turning their back on the rule of law, and poisoning our democratic system.” | “The 2020 presidential election was not stolen,” Cheney said on Twitter. “Anyone who claims it was is spreading THE BIG LIE, turning their back on the rule of law, and poisoning our democratic system.” |
| US pharmacy chains CVS and Walgreens are responsible for the vast majority of wasted vaccine doses, which total more than 180,000 reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), according to a story from Kaiser Health News. | US pharmacy chains CVS and Walgreens are responsible for the vast majority of wasted vaccine doses, which total more than 180,000 reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), according to a story from Kaiser Health News. |
| As of late March, the CDC recorded 182,874 tossed doses. CVS and Walgreens combined wasted 128,500 doses – CVS wasted about half and Walgreens 21%. | As of late March, the CDC recorded 182,874 tossed doses. CVS and Walgreens combined wasted 128,500 doses – CVS wasted about half and Walgreens 21%. |
| CVS and Walgreens, which have outlets across the US, were tasked by the federal government to help distribute vaccines to residents and staff of long-term care facilities in the weeks after the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were approved for emergency use by the FDA. | CVS and Walgreens, which have outlets across the US, were tasked by the federal government to help distribute vaccines to residents and staff of long-term care facilities in the weeks after the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were approved for emergency use by the FDA. |
| CVS told Kaiser Health News that “nearly all” of its reported wasted vaccines came from that time. Both companies were initially criticized for the slow administration of the vaccines at these facilities. | CVS told Kaiser Health News that “nearly all” of its reported wasted vaccines came from that time. Both companies were initially criticized for the slow administration of the vaccines at these facilities. |
| Greetings from Washington, live blog readers. | Greetings from Washington, live blog readers. |
| Joe Biden will deliver remarks on the coronavirus pandemic and the US vaccination strategy at the White House later this afternoon. | Joe Biden will deliver remarks on the coronavirus pandemic and the US vaccination strategy at the White House later this afternoon. |
| The president will likely address the news that the Food and Drug Administration is expected to soon authorize administering Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine to those between the ages of 12 and 15. | The president will likely address the news that the Food and Drug Administration is expected to soon authorize administering Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine to those between the ages of 12 and 15. |
| The AP has more details: | The AP has more details: |
| According to Bloomberg’s vaccine tracker, the US has already administered 246,780,203 vaccine doses, and 44.4% of Americans have received at least one shot. | According to Bloomberg’s vaccine tracker, the US has already administered 246,780,203 vaccine doses, and 44.4% of Americans have received at least one shot. |
| The blog will have more details on Biden’s speech coming up, so stay tuned. | The blog will have more details on Biden’s speech coming up, so stay tuned. |