Worldwide / 48

United Kingdom war-time icon Vera Lynn dies aged 103

June 19, 2020

Dame Vera's family died on Thursday morning surrounded. Announced overnight on Thursday, Vera's family wrote they were, "deeply saddened to announce the passing of one of Britain's best-loved entertainers at the age of 103". During World War II her voice became as recognizable as Winston Churchill's. She was born Vera Margaret Welch on 20 March 1917 in the London suburb of East Ham, the daughter of a plumber.

Black Lives Matter banner removed at US Embassy in Seoul

June 19, 2020

The Pride flag had been on display since June 1, to celebrate LGBTQ Pride month, with the embassy writing on Facebook that it was "displaying a rainbow banner on our Chancery in support of fundamental freedoms and human rights for all". "To avoid the misperception that American taxpayer dollars were spent to benefit such organizations, [US Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris] directed that the banner be removed", a spokesman told Reuters .

Twitter labels video Trump tweeted as 'manipulated media'

June 19, 2020

The white toddler then runs after the black toddler in the same footage shown at the beginning of the video shared by Trump, although the music strikes a markedly different tone this time around. The latter had been posted when the Black Lives Matter protests were taking place across the U.S. and in other parts of the world as well, after the video of the death of George Floyd while in police custody.

Donald Trump claims to have made Juneteeth famous

June 19, 2020

Trump was widely criticized for scheduling the rally on June 19 in Tulsa , Okla., the site of one of the bloodiest acts of racial violence in 1921, with many critics charging that it was a racially insensitive decision. For example, the president is clearly a big fan of "A lot of people don't know that" - a phrase he uses to effectively say, "I recently learned some new detail, and since I wasn't aware of it, I'm going to assume most people didn't know it, either".

China charges Canadians with spying, 18 months after arrest

June 19, 2020

The People's Procuratorate of Beijing Municipality filed a prosecution against Kovrig on Friday for "for spying on state secrets and intelligence". China has made veiled acknowledgments that the seizure of Spavor and Kovrig was tit-for-tat for Meng's arrest; the former ambassador to Ottawa publicly likened it to "self-defense" in response to Canada's detaining Meng.

Rayshard Brooks: Atlanta officers turn themselves in on charges in Brooks' death

June 19, 2020

Brooks apparently grabbed one officer's Taser and, while fleeing, aimed it at Rolfe, according to Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard . On Wednesday (local time), he announced a murder charge against Rolfe and an aggravated assault charge against a second officer, Devin Brosnan , who the district attorney said stood on Mr Brooks' shoulder as he struggled for his life.

India to join virtual meeting with Russia & China on June 23

June 19, 2020

Earlier, in a separate statement he rejected Chinese army's claim of sovereignty over the Galwan Valley saying such "exaggerated" and "untenable" claims are contrary to the understanding reached during a high-level military dialogue on June 6.

Record one day spike of near 13000 cases, India's tally over 3,66946

June 19, 2020

Oxford researchers find first drug dexamethasone that can improve survival from COVID-19 Researchers in England say they have the first evidence that a drug can improve COVID-19 survival: a cheap, widely available steroid called dexamethasone reduced deaths by up to one third in severely ill hospitalized patients.

North Korea Vows To Send Troops Into Border Cooperation Zones

June 19, 2020

The statement emphasized that the incident is a threat to positive relations between North and South Korea . Sunday will mark the 108th time, Park said. "It is also a reminder to the United States that North Korea can not be ignored". The following day, North Korea went ahead with the demolition of the liaison office.

Jean Kennedy Smith, last surviving sibling of JFK, dead at 92

June 19, 2020

She died Wednesday at her home in Manhattan, her daughter Kym told The New York Times . "In one of her final public speeches as Ambassador to Ireland, Ms. Irish journalist Tim Pat Coogan, who has written extensively about the IRA, said Kennedy Smith helped "change Irish history for the better". Kennedy Smith was appointed to the role just as whispers of peace began to surface, potentially bringing an end to one of the bloodiest periods in modern Irish history.

Joe Biden launches his first major advertising campaign in six battleground states

June 19, 2020

In that area, Trump still has the upper hand over Biden . Fox News said that Biden's support for more than a year has ranged from 42% to 52% in head-to-head polls against the president; Trump's backing has ranged between 37% and 42%.

Marcus Rashford praised for 'life-changing' efforts by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

June 19, 2020

We've had a couple of in-house 11v11s and we had had one 11v11 against West Brom which hopefully will stand us in good stead. "If not, we'll wish him all the best". Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says campaigning striker Marcus Rashford has shown all the attributes needed to be a leader not only of his club but his country.

EU trade war feared after Washington quits digital tax talks

June 19, 2020

The countries have been discussing an worldwide agreement on the way global taxes work. We have a situation where a variety of countries have decided that the easiest way to raise revenue is to tax somebody else's companies and they happen to be ours.

Voice of America top directors resign amid Trump clash

June 19, 2020

The criticism of Michael Pack, who defended his personnel moves, is unusual because it's coming from supporters of President Donald Trump who had backed his controversial nomination to run the U.S. Some Trump aides have long viewed VOA as an element of a " deep state ", according to the AP news agency. Members of the Trump administration have even accused the VOA of supporting authoritarian governments.

Facebook takes down Trump ads 'for violating our policy against organized hate'

June 19, 2020

Eder, of Berlin's Barenboim-Said Akademie. One of the political advertisements claimed that "dangerous MOBS of far-left groups are running through our streets and causing absolute mayhem". 'The President of the United States is campaigning for reelection using a Nazi concentration camp symbol. Nazi political prisoners were made to wear the inverted red triangle on their uniform in concentration camps during World War II.

Unarmed NZ cop shot dead during routine traffic stop

June 19, 2020

Coster confirmed at a media conference earlier this afternoon the officer had died and said it was "absolutely devastating" news. The fatally wounded officer was the first in New Zealand , where gun crime remains relatively rare, to be killed in the line of duty in at least a decade.

India, China launch blame game after cross-border brawl leaves 20 dead

June 18, 2020

India has already decided not to stall any border infrastructure projects in eastern Ladakh in view of Chinese protests. No firearms were used, but the Indian soldiers were attacked with iron rods, boulders and wooden rods with nails. "China and India both expressed that they want to solve differences through dialogue to maintain the peace and stability of the border region". The Indian army says 20 of its troops are dead after a clash with Chinese forces along the Himalayan border ...

Bated breath as Kenya fights for UN Security Council seat

June 18, 2020

Canada lost out to Ireland and Norway in a hotly contested election in the council's "Western European and others" group. Winning a seat on the Security Council is considered a pinnacle of achievement for many countries because it gives them a strong voice on issues of global peace and security ranging from conflicts in Syria, Yemen and Ukraine to the nuclear threat posed by North Korea and Iran, and attacks by extremist groups such as the Islamic State and al-Qaida.

Boris Johnson's convoy in shunt outside Parliament

June 18, 2020

The prime minister's office confirmed Johnson was in the auto and that there were no reports of injuries. Johnson's security vehicle which is a silver Jaguar could be seen with a huge dent in it from when the black Range Rover hit his auto.

Rashford to continue with free school meals campaign

June 18, 2020

Writing in The Times , he said the government reversing the decision on meal vouchers would be a "trophy. much bigger than football". Downing Street said the one-off COVID Summer Food Fund will provide food vouchers for children during the six-week summer break.

US Fighter Jets Intercept 8 Russian Warplanes Just Miles From Alaska

June 18, 2020

Moscow says U.S. Air Force planes have escorted four Russian nuclear-capable bombers as they patrolled an area close to the Bering Strait that divides Russia's Chukotka Peninsula and the state of Alaska. The planes, however, didn't breach American airspace. US territorial airspace begins only 12 miles from the coastline. Earlier this month, on June 10, NORAD said it scrambled fighter jets to intercept Russian bombers and jets near Alaska.

Russian President Putin Protected From Coronavirus by Special Disinfection Tunnels

June 18, 2020

He said precautions regarding Putin's health continued to be justified, however. State news agency RIA-Novosti reported Tuesday that the tunnel had been installed at Putin's Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, where he's been working amid the pandemic, per CNN .

United States imposes new sanctions on Syrian govt, including Assad and his wife

June 17, 2020

The law is named after a former Syrian military photographer who fled at great personal risk in 2014 with 55,000 images of brutality in Assad's jails since he launched his crackdown on protests three years earlier. But while his lawyers claimed to document gifts of nearly $25m between 1984 and 2010, French investigators registered transfers from Saudi Arabia totalling only $10m.

Turkish forces destroy terrorist targets in N

June 17, 2020

Turkey is undermining Iraqi sovereignty and is no longer concerned about it, he added. He explained that Turkey is targeting camps hosting Turkish refugees who are in no way affiliated with the PKK. "The Claw-Eagle Operation has started". The Turkish air-backed operations neutralized two terrorists in the Gara region, the ministry said on Twitter.

Boris Johnson's convoy in vehicle crash outside Parliament

June 17, 2020

The dented vehicle carrying Mr Johnson heads for nearby Downing Street. "I think the video speaks for itself as to what happened", they added. The protester was detained by police and taken into the Palace of Westminster by officers. "Dexamethasone is affordable, on the shelf, and can be used immediately to save lives worldwide". Johnson's office said no one had been injured. Yesterday Johnson hailed a low-dose steroid treatment called dexamethasone, which is a life-saving drug that ...

New virus cases in China, N. Zealand sound pandemic alarm

June 17, 2020

China halted imports of European salmon after reports on Saturday that the virus was discovered on equipment used for handling fish at Beijing's Xinfadi market, prompting supermarkets in the Chinese capital to remove salmon from their shelves.

United States schedules first federal inmate executions since 2003

June 17, 2020

The announcement came Monday after a months-long legal battle. But at the last minute, the US Supreme Court refused to lift a stay on federal executions , saying that - "in light of what is at stake" - the block on executions should be reviewed by an appeals court.

Read Senate Republicans' Proposed Police Reform Legislation

June 17, 2020

He is expected to introduce his bill on Wednesday. "What they want to do is go so far that they introduce poison pills in their legislation, and that's why [Senate Majority Leader] Mitch McConnell said it is a non-starter for those poison pills".

UK, EU seek 'new momentum' in Brexit trade talks

June 17, 2020

The Prime Minister held virtual talks with European Commission president Ursula Von Der Leyen today after little progress was made in four rounds of negotiations. "We can not accept the UK's attempts to cherry-pick parts of our single market benefits", Barnier said in a speech on Thursday. The EU is also asking for continued guaranteed access to British waters for European fishing fleets, which Britain has so far refused.

UK's Johnson: Israeli annexation breaches global law

June 17, 2020

The group of nearly 50 United Nations human rights specialists warned that the move would be a "serious violation" of global law and reinforce an "already unjust reality". "Any unilateral Israeli measure to annex lands in the West Bank is unacceptable and undermines the prospects of achieving peace and stability in the region", the royal court said in a statement.

DfID and Foreign Office to merge, PM announces

June 17, 2020

But prominent voices have condemned the announcement including former Labour prime ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. In December, when plans to merge DFID with FCOs were first floated, 100 charities had issued a joint statement warning that "UK aid risks becoming a vehicle for United Kingdom foreign policy, commercial and political objectives, when it first and foremost should be invested to alleviate poverty".

At least 20 Indian troops killed in Kashmir border clash with China

June 17, 2020

Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian gave no details of any casualties on the Chinese side, but said Beijing had strongly protested over the incident while still being committed to maintaining "peace and tranquillity" along the disputed and heavily militarised border.

New Zealand ends its coronavirus-free run

June 17, 2020

Dr Bloomfield said the women's application for leave was expedited because of the sudden death of their parent, Bloomfield said, and they were allowed to travel to Wellington without being tested. Trump previously said that the pandemic would go away "like magic" without any kind of intervention and at one point seemed to encourage Americans to drink bleach to get rid of the disease.

Virginia Republicans Knock Out Congressman Backed by Trump

June 17, 2020

Trump had endorsed the congressman in December, calling him a "true CONSERVATIVE leader" who would support his agenda. Good is now the Republican nominee for Virginia's 5th Congressional District. He ran as a staunch social conservative, campaigning on a traditional view of marriage, his support to make English the official language of the USA and to end birthright citizenship.

Indian Soldiers Killed In Action: Sequence Of Events Last Night

June 17, 2020

Hu Xijin, the editor-in-chief of the Global Times - a newspaper under Chinese Communist Party-run People's Daily - tweeted: "Based on what I know, Chinese side also suffered casualties in the Galwan Valley physical clash". "The Government of India should come out with an authoritative statement as to what actually happened". "Friends check the breaking news". The deaths are believed to be the first in decades in a confrontation between the two powers.

Greece to allow flights in and out from June 15

June 17, 2020

Health officials are anxious that ignoring the health protocols combined with the first influx of tourists could be a deadly combination but the government said the country needs tourists, who are the biggest revenue source. Greece has been comparatively less affected by the virus with 183 deaths. The season is starting so late though that the results won't be known for some time.

Florida SWAT Team Members Resign over Safety Concerns, Disrespect by Officials

June 17, 2020

Ten users of a South Florida law enforcement department's SWAT team have resigned from the staff, citing protection problems and nearby officials' "disdain" for the unit. The city manager said that the chief is "kneeling against racism, hatred and intolerance". They have incorrectly stated that the gesture supported an elected official.

Deadly Sino-Indian Border Clash Sparks Fears of Renewed Conflict

June 17, 2020

Three Indian soldiers , including a commanding officer, have been killed in a "violent face-off" with Chinese soldiers in the Himalayan region of Ladakh , an Indian army spokesman has said. Brawls and face-offs flare up on a fairly regular basis between the two nuclear-armed giants over their 3,500-kilometre frontier, which has never been properly demarcated, but no one has been killed in decades.

New Zealand confirms two new cases of coronavirus

June 16, 2020

After 23 consecutive days with no new cases, today's announcement that two people returning from overseas have tested positive does not mean New Zealand's elimination strategy has failed. New Zealand's borders are open only to returning Kiwis and their families, besides some exceptions for business and compassionate grounds, with everyone undergoing two weeks mandatory quarantine.

North Korea Blows Up Inter-Korean Liaison Office

June 16, 2020

This highly symbolic move took place on the 20th anniversary of 1st inter-Korean summit & joint agreement, leading to speculation on what will happen next. It invited foreign journalists to watch the detonation of its underground nuclear testing tunnels in 2018 and the demolition of a cooling tower at its main nuclear complex in 2008.

Fox News Removes a Digitally Altered Image of Seattle Protests

June 16, 2020

Paul, Minnesota . Another showed the exact same man standing next to a sign on a barrier at the CHAZ. The Seattle Times said Fox's website used that gunman image for the network's coverage of the protest zone, but the image was included in a mashup of other photos from May 30 that depicted smashed windows in downtown Seattle - before the protest zone was set up and in a different neighborhood.

Mexico temporarily forbids workers from traveling to Canada due to coronavirus

June 16, 2020

Temporary foreign workers harvest mushrooms at the Highline Mushrooms farm, Canada's largest mushroom grower, in Leamington, Ontario, Canada, April 14, 2016. The province of Ontario has been the most hard hit by the outbreaks, and its Leading mentioned Monday no 1 need to blame the migrant staff for having sick.

Eight-week extension for CERB, border to remain closed until July 21

June 16, 2020

That's led to family separations and strain as individuals on both sides of the closely-integrated border adapt to a life with it dividing between them, though some have found ways to circumvent that rule by flying rather than travelling across the land border.

Marcus Rashford 'proud' after forcing government U-turn on free school meals

June 16, 2020

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "The PM understands the issues facing families across the United Kingdom, which is why last week the government announced an additional £63m for local authorities to benefit families who are struggling to afford food and other basic essentials".

Pence defends holding Tulsa campaign rally, says precautions are in place

June 16, 2020

But what he said was untrue. As for concerns about whether so many people in one place could lead to a spike in COVID-19 cases. However, coronavirus infections are on the rise in the state, particularly around Tulsa. A convention center nearby will extend capacity to around 62,000. Campaign manager Brad Parscale perhaps indicated the true objective of the promotional effort when he heralded the "biggest data haul and rally signup of all time by 10x".

Deal Done On Programme For Government

June 16, 2020

His party Fine Gael will resume talks with Fianna Fáil and the Green Party to form a new coalition government. Varadkar said on Monday that the post of prime minister would rotate, but declined to confirm expectations that Martin would serve first.

2 missing George Floyd protesters found murdered in Florida; suspect arrested

June 16, 2020

Police have since arrested a 49-year-old suspect, Aaron Glee , but it is not clear whether he is the same man Ms Salau accused of assaulting her. On Monday, the organization Justice For Black Girls created the Oluwatoyin Salau Freedom Fighters Fund in hopes of raising $2500 to give $250 grants to Black girl activists, like Salau, who seek housing, food, or other critical resources.

Virtual service pays tribute to 2017 London tower fire

June 16, 2020

Holding back her tears, the "Rolling In The Deep" singer told fans, "Hello, it's Adele here". In a video message, Margaret Aspinall said: "I know at the moment it's a hard struggle for you all as it has been for the Hillsborough families over 30-odd years".

Virus strain found in Beijing is from outside China: CDC expert

June 16, 2020

On Monday, all indoor sport and entertainment venues in the city were closed. Ryan said the United Nations agency was closely tracking the outbreak, has offered more technical help to China and was in close contact with the Beijing authorities as they seek to control it.

Seoul: North Korea blows up liaison office

June 16, 2020

North Korean state media also confirmed that the facility was destroyed by what it called a "terrific explosion". The inter-Korean liaison office was seen as a symbol of steps taking by the country to reconcile with each other. South Korea's national security council convened an emergency meeting on Tuesday and said South Korea would sternly respond if North Korea continued to raise tensions.

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