▶ NORTH KOREA FIRES SECOND MISSILE IN LESS THAN A WEEK
North Korea has fired what appeared to be a ballistic missile into the East Sea.
It's the second show of force by the regime so far this year.
Ron Chang has the latest.
[Reporter]
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said it detected the launch of the suspected ballistic missile from an inland area in the North at 7:27 a.m.
The missile landed in waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan, the JCS said, adding that it's working closely with the United States to further analyze the launch and monitor military movements in the North.
Less than a week ago, Pyongyang claimed that it "successfully" fired a hypersonic missile, also in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions that ban the North from ballistic missile and nuclear testing and development.
This latest provocation comes after the U.S. and five of its allies, including France, the U.K. and Japan, urged the North on Monday to abandon its weapons programs.
They issued the joint statement ahead of the Security Council's closed consultations on the North's January 5 missile launch.
▶ KDCA: 3,097 NEW COVID-19 CASES, 43 MORE DEATHS
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency has reported 3,097 new COVID-19 cases and 43 additional deaths.
All but 284 of the infections confirmed in the previous 24 hours were local transmissions.
The agency also recorded 43 more virus-related fatalities, raising the death toll to 6,114.
Offering a positive sign amid the ongoing crisis, officials said the number of critically ill COVID patients in ICUs fell below 800 for the first time in over a month.
Although infection rates and serious and fatal cases have steadily declined in recent days amid tighter social distancing rules, government officials and experts warn that the ultra-contagious Omicron variant of the coronavirus still poses a threat and may spread rapidly in the coming weeks.
▶ NEARLY HALF OF ALL ADULTS RECEIVED BOOSTER SHOT
Nearly 50 percent of adults aged 18 and up in the country have gotten their COVID-19 vaccine booster shot.
Over 21.4 million people, or 48.5 percent of the adult population, received an additional dose.
For the entire population, the rate stood at 41.8 percent and 81.6 percent for senior citizens aged 60 and older.
▶ PFIZER: OMICRON VACCINE WILL BE READY IN MARCH
The head of Pfizer says he expects a COVID-19 vaccine targeting the more transmissible Omicron variant to be ready in March.
Chief Executive Officer Albert Bourla told CNBC, "I don't know if we will need it. I don't know if and how it will be used."
He said the existing regime of two vaccine shots and a booster has provided "reasonable" protection against serious health effects from Omicron.
▶ DOCTORS TRANSPLANT PIG HEART INTO HUMAN PATIENT
Doctors in the United States have carried out the first successful transplant of a pig's heart into a human patient.
The animal was genetically modified to reduce the chance of the transplanted organ being rejected.
Dr. Bartley Griffith, who performed the surgery, said the procedure was potentially game changing.
[Clip: Griffith]
"What everybody wants, right, is not to be limited simply by the supply of human organs for transplant. A number of the organs can be treated unused in this way from an animal and can be commercialized, basically as a drug, right? If that's true, we will obviously change the face of what's possible for people who now wait years."
