U.S. concerned about "superspreader event" at U.N. as diplomats challenge New York City vaccine requirement
CBSN
United Nations – The Biden administration worries that this year's U.N. General Assembly could become a COVID-19 "superspreader event" as world leaders descend on New York City without necessarily abiding by local vaccine requirements. On Friday, President Biden's U.N. Ambassador, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, told CBS News at a press conference, "We are concerned about the U.N. event being a superspreader event, and that we need to take all measures to ensure that it does not become a superspreader event."
Unlike last year, when COVID-19 pandemic forced the largest annual gathering of world leaders to go virtual, this year, a hybrid format means that heads of state can either send in a video or appear in person.
Despite a note from Thomas-Greenfield urging diplomats to send in videos, more than 100 presidents, prime ministers and others are set to give in-person speeches at the two-week event. Mr. Biden will be attending with a scaled-down White House entourage.
The U.S. government, in what an attorney says is a "monumental admission," said last year that it caused injury to thousands of people on the Hawaiian island of Oahu when jet fuel from its storage facility leaked into the drinking water system. On Monday, thousands of military family members and locals are headed to trial seeking financial compensation.
An Arizona grand jury indicted 18 people Wednesday in the ongoing investigation into an alleged attempt to use alternate electors after the 2020 presidential election as part of a wider alleged conspiracy to falsely declare then-President Donald Trump the winner, the state's attorney general announced.