Long-awaited data from the Oxford/AstraZeneca U.S. trial suggests the vaccine is safe, 79% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19, and fully effective at preventing hospitalizations and deaths.
Yes, but: The suspension of the vaccine in at least 13 countries due to blood-clotting concerns has severely damaged the shot’s reputation in Europe, with majorities in France (61%), Germany (55%) and elsewhere now deeming it unsafe, according to a YouGov poll.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will contest his fourth election in two years on Tuesday, fighting for a parliamentary majority that could help him undercut his ongoing corruption trial.
Why it matters: Three inconclusive elections have left Israel locked in a prolonged political crisis as Netanyahu fights for his political and legal survival. This time, Israel's longest-serving prime minister faces a divided opposition and has a clear opportunity to finally win a 61-seat majority.
Airlines and other travel-related industries are urging the Biden administration to develop a plan by May 1 to reopen the country to international visitors.
Why it matters: Travel and tourism were hit hard by the pandemic, with 5.6 million travel-supported jobs lost in 2020, and a $1 trillion hit to the U.S. economy, according to the U.S. Travel Association. Without a rebound in international travel, a broader economy recovery could stall.
A North Korean national appeared in federal court in Washington, D.C., on Monday after his extradition from Malaysia, where he was arrested in 2019 on U.S. charges of money laundering, according to the Justice Department.
Why it matters: It's the first time ever that a North Korean national has been successfully extradited to the U.S.
A fire destroyed shelters at a Rohingya refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, on Monday, endangering the lives of tens of thousands of refugees, CNN reports.
Why it matters: It's the largest of multiple fires that have ravaged the camp in 2021, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Three of President Biden's top border officials are traveling to Mexico today and then Guatemala to meet with top foreign government officials about solutions to migration surges at the U.S. border, two senior administration officials told reporters Monday morning.
Why it matters: The administration is scrambling to handle the skyrocketing numbers of migrant kids and families crossing from Mexico into the country. The majority come from the Northern Triangle — traveling through both Guatemala and Mexico to cross the border into the U.S.
The U.S., U.K., European Union and Canada all announced sanctions on Monday against Chinese officials involved in human rights abuses against Uyghur Muslims.
Why it matters: It's a coordinated Western effort to hold Beijing accountable for its sweeping campaign of arbitrary detention, forced labor and forced sterilization against ethnic minorities in the far west region of Xinjiang, which the U.S. State Department and several legislative bodies have recognized as genocide.
The last 72 hours highlighted hurdles and opportunities for U.S.-China cooperation on climate at a time of very deep divisions over human rights, cybersecurity and more.
Driving the news: Chinese state media, in a weekend readout of high-level U.S.-China talks in Alaska on Thursday and Friday, said one outcome of the multitopic meeting will be a "joint working group" on climate.
The value of the Turkish lira fell by more than 15% against the dollar, reaching 8.48 lira per dollar after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan fired yet another central bank governor over the weekend.
What happened: Now ex-governor Naci Ağbal was relieved of his duties after a surprise 200 basis point increase of Turkey's interest rates last week as part of an effort to restore the credibility of the country's monetary policy and bring down inflation.
The U.S. accounts for 27% of the world’s coronavirus vaccine production, but 0% of the global supply beyond its own borders. Critics and allies alike say it’s time for that to change.
Why it matters: China has gotten a head start on vaccine diplomacy, sending millions of doses all over the globe, including to Latin America. Experts say it’s in America’s interests to compete in the race to vaccinate the world, and the calls to start doing so are getting louder.
Vehicles were set alight as protesters and police clashed in Bristol, southwest England, Sunday night following a massive rally against a bill that would give authorities more powers to restrict nonviolent demonstrations.
Driving the news: Thousands of people participated in what local police described as a peaceful protest against the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill — which critics say would "impose disproportionate controls on free expression and the right to protest," per the BBC.
An internal Department of Homeland Security document leaked to Axios shows that 823 unaccompanied migrant children have been held in border patrol custody for over 10 days — more than a fourfold increase over the past week.
Why this matters: These facilities aren'tmeant to house kids for more than three days, but the recent surge of children at the southern border has overwhelmed the Biden administration's capacity to handle them.
