Displaying items by tag: USA

Pfizer and Moderna have promised to boost vaccine production in the coming months, as the country’s death toll from Covid-19 went past 500,000. Pfizer said the company will have 120 million doses of the vaccine available for shipment by the end of March and an additional 80 million doses by the end of May. Pfizer expects that all 300 million contracted doses - enough for up to 150 million Americans - will be available by the end of July. Moderna President Stephen Hoge plans to double vaccine production to over 40 million doses per month: 300 million doses will be ready by the end of July. The main concern is that new variants could become dominant in the US by March. A leading forecasting institute says over 90,000 more Americans are likely to die from Covid, and Americans will still be wearing masks in 2022.

By 18 February millions were still without electricity after a week of snowstorms, with more snow expected to sweep across the South and East in the coming days. An electricity supply crisis is forcing millions to endure days without power and heat. Ambulances in San Antonio were unable to meet the surging demand, and Galveston county called for refrigerated trucks to hold the bodies they expect to find in freezing, powerless houses. 31 bodies have been found so far. Texas has problems getting natural gas and renewable energy generators back online. It is not known when the power will be fully restored. Every source of power has been compromised. Several state agencies are uniting to meet the demands of nursing homes, hospitals and dialysis centers, which have reported a variety of problems including water main breaks and oxygen shortages. Over 300 warming centres provide blankets, cots and water to vulnerable citizens.

February is Black History Month in the USA. Many Black Americans have mixed emotions during this month. Some feel happiness for the great successes Black Americans have made over the years. The other emotion is sadness, because of the movies and documentaries that reveal the horrors of American slavery, discrimination, and their unfair and unjust treatment for 400 years. Pray for this month to begin a powerful season for healing. (Ecclesiastes 3:3b). Pray for the damaged communities to begin to forgive each other and allow God to heal the mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual wounds. Pray for deliverance from all the pain that they and their ancestors have suffered over the years. In the UK, 14 February was Racial Justice Sunday, and the Archbishop of Canterbury wrote a prayer referring to ‘the sin of racism’ and how Jesus ‘broke down the walls that divide’. We can pray for all nations to be freed from prejudice, and the violence of racist words and actions.

The current president's strategy for handling the former president's impeachment trial has been to keep the whole ordeal at arm's length. The Biden administration's long-term political fortunes rest on success in dealing with the pandemic, the economy and the American public's other concerns. In the end, the trial lasted only three days. The chamber can’t take up Biden's Covid relief bill until the House passes the version that they have spent the week working on. Pray that the much-needed relief is released swiftly. With the trial concluded, the Senate can now resume confirming Biden's administration appointments, after it returns from a week recess. Pray for wisdom to flow through all appointments yet to be made, and that the price of a speedy trial without witnesses will not mean a political price being paid later.

Donald Trump's second impeachment started on 9 February. Mr Trump was so irate with his defence team he was ‘screaming’ at the television while watching the proceedings unfold. Recent polls show 52% want Trump impeached for his actions leading to the Capitol riot. The Biden administration has high approval ratings, but they need to deliver immediately on climate change and immigration. Many believe this impeachment determines whether Republicans are tied to Trump for the next few years. The nine Democrat managers finished their opening arguments on 11 February, and thought their evidence was compelling enough to convince more Republicans to vote to impeach Trump. Meanwhile there are concerns that the trial will diistract Congress from taking swift action on urgent priorities around pandemic and economic fallout. Pray for scientists and communities to accelerate Covid vaccinations without interference. Pray for governing bodies in commerce and industry to agree on badly needed stimulus relief. See

In the USA a powerful storm sent waves crashing into sea walls and caused flooding in coastal communities from New Jersey to Maine. In Australia bushfires have forced thousands to flee Covid-19 lockdowns in an ‘unprecedented situation'. By 3 February the fire had destroyed 71 homes and injured six firefighters. In addition to the dangerous blazes, tropical storms churning off the coast could help to contain fires. Also widespread record-breaking snow pummelled northeast America, shattering centuries-old records, and is expected to spawn another whopper next week. Pray for God to watch over all who have lost their homes and businesses to the Australian fires. May they be able to achieve social distancing in relief shelters. Pray for God to give peace to people experiencing travel disruption, particularly those in stranded vehicles. Pray for aid and help to reach isolated rural communities, particularly those with power cuts.

Evangelical Christians and Orthodox Jews in Washington have united to offer their sacred spaces for vaccine distribution to assist government and private companies to combat the pandemic. Walter Kim, of the National Association of Evangelicals, and Rabbi Moshe Hauer, of the Orthodox Union, stated, ‘Anyone in need of vaccination, whether or not they are members of our congregations or of our neighborhoods, is welcome.’ They offered to help with coordinating appointments and providing the medically trained volunteers to administer the shots, as well as spreading awareness to our communities about the importance of vaccination. Hauer said that everything about his faith compels him to contribute to the historic vaccination effort. His tradition teaches that not only is life the greatest gift from God, but it is an obligation to care for the well-being of others.

On 20 January, Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th US president. He wasted little time before undoing policies that were anathema to Democrats; he signed 15 executive orders and two other directives, including an order requiring face masks and social distancing on federal property. This was followed by an order recommitting the United States to the Paris Agreement on climate change. With plain language and open emotion, Biden urged a shaken nation to regain its footing. He has directed the government to rejoin the World Health Organisation and intends to join the COVAX Facility, a project to deploy Covid-19 vaccines to people in need around the world (whether in rich or poor countries); it is an umbrella effort that focuses on distributing diagnostic tools and therapeutics for coronavirus to countries around the world. The justice department pledged to keep the Capitol safe through the next few days.

The National Association of Evangelicals denounced the ‘Christianity’ displayed at the Capitol Hill riots recently. When images emerged of people holding crosses or signs displaying faith-based messages and engaging in violence they said, ‘They are not representing Christ's teachings. Followers of Jesus are peacemakers. Some protest images demonstrate a disturbing conflation of Christianity and a nationalist ideology that is far from the way of Jesus. Christians are commanded to seek the peace of the cities where they live, to love their enemies, to seek unity and to proclaim a message of peace.’

After the storming of the Capitol building when President Trump incited aggressive moves to overturn the 2020 election result, the House voted for an article of impeachment against him. Nations are commenting on US events. The Archbishop of Wales said that Trump is a person of questionable morals, judgment, and wisdom who believes he can ignore democratic processes and the will of the people. ‘No politician has a right to be unaccountable for their behaviour.’ See Meanwhile the FBI have called for assistance in securing Washington as the inauguration nears. They believe the attack on the Capitol will potentially motivate additional follow-on attacks by extremists throughout 2021 and will very likely serve as a significant driver of violence for domestic extremists.’The range of potential future targets of attack was varied, extremists could zero in on government officials and institutions, as well as racial and religious minorities, journalists and more.