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Trump disagrees with top expert that U.S. coronavirus situation is bad

July 09, 2020

The US reached more than 3 million coronavirus cases this week , according to data from Johns Hopkins University, and 35 states continue to see a higher number of new cases than the week before. In California, 10,000 positive cases were reported on Tuesday-a record rise for a single day that also surpassed the number of contact tracers recently trained by the state to detect and prevent potential outbreaks.

Federal Bureau of Investigation director: almost half of all counterintelligence cases relate to China

July 09, 2020

He said China also seeks to affect American policy through "a highly sophisticated campaign involving bribery, blackmail and covert deals" in an effort to influence government officials, journalists and academics. The FBI director said the Justice Department and the State Department would be making further announcements in the coming weeks about China's tactics.

National security law: Australia suspends Hong Kong extradition treaty

July 09, 2020

It is not clear how many residents are expected to get the extensions. Beijing has also been irked by Payne's statements against Hong Kong's new national security law, which she's labeled "deeply" concerning, following criticism from other foreign governments including the USA and United Kingdom.

Police ignored George Floyd's 'I can't breathe' plea, transcript shows

July 09, 2020

An attorney for Thomas Lane , seen here, asked the court to dismiss the charges against him. Gray painted an image of a rookie officer who trusted Chauvin, a senior officer, after Floyd had been acting erratically, struggling and hurting himself during an arrest.

Australia warns of ‘arbitrary detention’ risk in China

July 09, 2020

Payne referred to a European Union commission report last week that said "foreign actors and certain third countries, in particular Russian Federation and China" are flooding Europe with "targeted influence operations and disinformation campaigns".

People Killed In Ethiopia As Protests Over Killing Of A Musician Continue

July 09, 2020

At least 156 people in Ethiopia's Oromia region have been killed in riots sparked by the killing of a popular singer and anti-government activist last week, Voice of America (VOA) reported on Sunday. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said Tuesday that recent domestic unrest would not derail his plan to start filling a mega-dam on the Blue Nile River this month, despite objections from downstream neighbours Egypt and Sudan.

'I disagree' with Fauci on COVID-19 in the US

July 09, 2020

Fauci, the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, had an online conference with the National Institutes of Health. "We are still knee deep in the first wave of COVID-19 infections", Fauci said in a Facebook and Twitter livestream interview with National Institutes of Health Director Dr.

CDC to Revise School Reopening Guidelines After Trump Says They’re Impractical: Pence

July 09, 2020

The move to reopen schools faces opposition because of the coronavirus' increased transmission rates in crowded indoor spaces. "I would note that he said this is something he may consider in the tweet". The Center for Disease control has published guidance for how to safely reopen schools, Azar said, but said that guidance is meant to "enable and empower" the reopening of schools.

Turkish official confirms overnight attack on key air base in Libya

July 09, 2020

Russia's Libyan allies are ready to sign a cease-fire but the Tripoli-based government is unwilling, according to Russia's top diplomat. Williams drew attention to the fact that forces loyal to the "Libyan National Army" led by Haftar had planted mines in the region regardless of whether there were civilian settlements or not.

US Supreme Court upholds order to block Keystone XL pipeline

July 09, 2020

But environmentalists had argued the program allowed companies to skirt responsibility for damage done to water bodies. The research confirmed that between 2010 and 2019, there were 20 spills from TC Energy's USA pipelines releasing 696,276 gallons (16,578 barrels) of oil and hazardous liquids into the environment.

Gen. Soleimani's assassination violation of intl. law

July 09, 2020

The killing of Soleimani - who headed the Quds Force, the foreign operations arm of Iran's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps - set of weeks of serious tensions with concerns it could escalate to a full-scale war. Noting the acrimony that exists between the USA and Iran, Callamard say that in the tense days after the military leader's death, statements from both governments focused more on past disputes and clashes than on any future or imminent threats in which Soleimani may have played ...

India's first coronavirus vaccine 'Covaxin' to start human trials this week

July 09, 2020

He noted that this is the first indigenous vaccine being developed by India and is one of the top priority projects that is being monitored at the topmost level of the government. No process in vaccine development trials will be skipped, but approvals to carry out multiple phases of trials parallelly may be given. "Why is the ICMR rushing for an unrealistic timeline of August 15 for an Indian coronavirus vaccine when global experts are giving a 12 to 18-month time frame", the opposition ...

Severe thunderstorm watch issued for North Niagara including St. Catharines and Grimsby

July 09, 2020

He said the storm is rotating and "could cause a tornado", but noted as of 3 p.m. the storm was moving out over Lake Ontario. "The main threats are heavy downpours and wind gusts to 90 kilometres per hour", the statement reads. Police say flooding and downed hydro wires have been reported in the western parts of Toronto. Around Keele St. and Lawrence Ave., police reported a vehicle floating away as well as a person paddled a canoe along a roadway.

Facebook takes down fake accounts linked to Trump advisor Roger Stone

July 09, 2020

In all, the take-down affected 54 Facebook accounts, 50 Pages, and 4 Instagram accounts. Almost 260,000 people followed more than one of the removed Facebook pages, and 61,500 people followed one or more of the Instagram accounts. The network in Brazil relied fictitious personae posing as reporters masquerading as news outlets, Facebook determined. The accounts were most active between 2015 and 2017 and since then the majority of them have been dormant.

United States formally submits withdrawal from World Health Organization amid surge of COVID-19 cases

July 09, 2020

The climb in US cases is being driven by a surge in Southern and Western states, like California, Florida , Arizona and Texas , which have each set new records recently for highest single-day new case counts. Overall, officials report more than 3 million cases and more than 131,590 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins . Nationally, new COVID-19 cases have risen every week for five straight weeks.

Ivory Coast PM Amadou Gon Coulibaly dies after cabinet meeting

July 09, 2020

There is no clear-cut replacement for him in an election widely considered a test of stability for the world's top cocoa producer. Gon Coulibaly sought medical care in France in May, saying it was only for a checkup. In a tweet, Ouattara paid tribute to "my younger brother, my son, Amadou Gon Coulibaly, who was, for 30 years, my closest partner". Coulibaly was the ruling RHDP coalition's candidate for president in an election scheduled in October.

DeVos 'very seriously' considering withholding funding from schools that don't reopen

July 09, 2020

If Trump wants schools to reopen, he should call for masks to be worn nationwide, she told CNN, calling mask wearing "a simple, cost-effective" solution to mitigate virus spread. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo retorted on Wednesday that the federal government has no authority on schools and his state will announce reopening plans in the first week of August.

United States officially withdraws from World Health Organization

July 08, 2020

China on Wednesday defended the World Health Organization and lashed out at the US decision to withdraw from the United Nations body. Joe Biden , the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, is virtually certain to reverse the decision and stay in the World Health Organization if he defeats Trump in the November election.

1 dead in London crane collapse

July 08, 2020

Aerial footage from the site shows the crane laying across an apartment block, with a section of the crane having smashed through the roof of an adjacent house. © Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images Emergency crews at the scene where a 20-metre crane collapsed on onto a terraced house in East London on July 8, 2020 in Bow, England.

Serbia returns to weekend lockdown after virus surge

July 08, 2020

Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic expressed "concerns" over the demonstrators' treatment at the hands of police. Opposition parties, many of which boycotted an election that Vucic's Progressive Party won by a landslide, say he is using the pandemic and lockdowns to strengthen what they call his autocratic rule, accusations that he denies.

Australian fights deadly snake while driving at over 100 kilometres per hour

July 08, 2020

When Jimmy was finally able to pull over for police , the snake was laid across the back of his ute, and he feared he'd been bitten. Queensland Police released bodycam footage of the roadside stop on Wednesday in a Facebook post that admitted the "slimy passenger" would make any driver "hyssssterical".

Vindman to retire from military after "retaliation" from Trump impeachment

July 08, 2020

Vindman's twin brother Yevgeny, also a lieutenant colonel who worked as a lawyer in the NSC, was sacked simultaneously. "It is simply unprecedented and wrong for any Commander in Chief to meddle in routine military matters at all, whether or not he has a personal vendetta against a soldier who did his patriotic duty and told the truth-a soldier who has been recommended for promotion by his superiors because of his performance".

China pulls back after deadly clash at disputed Indian border

July 08, 2020

In order to resolve the on-going border tension along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the special representative-level talk on Sunday was proposed by the Chinese side. Sources said the breakthrough was achieved at the Doval-Wang meeting. An ITBP company has an operational strength of about 100 personnel. These units have been withdrawn from various internal security duties that they were rendering across the country, officials added.

Mary Kay Letourneau, US teacher who married former student, dies of cancer

July 08, 2020

Eight months into her prison stay, she gave birth to a second child with Fualaau, and when she was released in 2004 she continued her relationship with him despite court orders to keep them apart. Their second child was conceived in 1998, after Letourneau had pleaded guilty to child rape and received a 7 1/2-year prison term. Letourneau was a 34-year-old teacher when she started a sexual relationship with Vili Fualaau , who was a 12-year-old student in her grade 6 class.

Calaveras Health Officials Report 61 Confirmed COVID-19 Cases

July 08, 2020

The seven-day average for the county's daily positivity rate - those who test positive for the virus - has climbed to 11.6%. This remains substantially higher than the 1,350 to 1,450 daily hospitalizations seen three weeks ago. All 67 counties in Pennsylvania continue to report having cases of COVID-19. There have been 9,230 county residents tested, which is 8.45% of the population.

Fauci: Taking Comfort In Lower COVID Death Rate Is A 'False Narrative'

July 08, 2020

This has been one contributing factor in the lower death rate the US has experienced during the recent surge in cases, since "the younger you are, the better you do, and the less likely you're gonna get seriously ill and die", Fauci said. Fauci said the U.S. was dealing with a serious issue that needed to be addressed immediately. The University of Washington has extended its projection of how many people are likely to die from coronavirus in the United States to November 1, predicting at ...

India adds 22,752 Covid-19 cases in 24 hours

July 08, 2020

Of the total 20,642 deaths reported so far, Maharashtra accounts for 9,250 fatalities - the highest in India, followed by Delhi with 3,165 deaths, Gujarat with 1,977, Tamil Nadu with 1,636, Uttar Pradesh with 827, West Bengal with 804, Madhya Pradesh with 622, Rajasthan with 472 and Karnataka with 416.

Facebook boycott leaders slam Mark Zuckerberg after 'disappointing' meeting

July 08, 2020

Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook's chief operating officer, said in a Facebook newsroom post that the company has a long way to go, but is making progress. But the Tuesday meeting seems to have only pissed off the groups more, and they've gone straight to the media to decry the fact that Facebook isn't meeting their demands.

Almost 200 COVID-19 deaths, over 10 000 new infections recorded

July 08, 2020

A further 111 deaths have been reported - with Gauteng recording 50 deaths, the Western Cape 35, in Limpopo there have been 17 deaths and nine from the Eastern Cape. The minister also announced the passing of a senior provincial official related with COVID-19. Therefore, while the Western Cape dominated new cases for many weeks, the focus has now shifted to Gauteng which is bracing itself for the inevitable storm it is now facing.

Sprinters plan to sue Met over stop and search

July 08, 2020

In a statement issued on Tuesday evening the Met said that following a vehicle stop on Lanhill Road in west London on Saturday it had made "a voluntary referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct". The police watchdog is also investigating a video of a white officer from Cambridgeshire Police quizzing a black driver which was shot in Ely in 2015 and was shared on Facebook in June as Black Lives Matter protests took place.

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro Tests Positive For Coronavirus

July 08, 2020

Brazil has the world's second-largest outbreak behind the USA, with more than 1.6 million confirmed cases and 65,000 COVID-19 deaths. He also said he was taking hydroxychloroquine as a preventive measure. He was later moved to an intensive care unit before recovering. Bolsonaro repeatedly disregarded the requirement to wear a face mask in the capital, Brasilia, and he ignored distancing regulations.

North Korea rejects talks as US envoy arrives in Seoul

July 08, 2020

Those comments came just as Stephen Biegun, the USA deputy secretary of state, was on his way to Seoul for talks with South Korean officials. Upon arrival in South Korea on Tuesday, Biegun and the entire USA delegation, as well as the American military air crew who piloted their aircraft, underwent tests for COVID-19 at the USA military base in South Korea where they landed.

Trump says he will pressure states to reopen schools in fall

July 08, 2020

US President Donald Trump on Monday Tweeted at "SCHOOLS MUST REOPEN IN THE FALL!" Cice President Mike Pence was also expected to discuss the issue on a call with the nation's governors. Schools could be a hotbed of infections for both the students and faculty. Teachers and advocates across the country have voiced concerns about how the reopening of schools is being handled, from concerns about underlying health conditions or the possibility of infecting family members to uncertainty ...

Snowboard world champion Alex Pullin drowns while diving

July 08, 2020

A Queensland Ambulance spokesperson said: "The man was spearfishing off Palm Beach". Another spear fisherman saw the man unresponsive on the ocean floor and got the attention of a surfer, who paddled to shore to alert lifeguards, Gold Coast Bulletin reported.

Aussie Olympian, world snowboard champ Alex ‘Chumpy’ Pullin dies in fishing mishap

July 08, 2020

It's believed he suffered a shallow water blackout at around 10:30am. A nearby fisherman noticed the snowboarding legend's body in the water and raised the attentions of a nearby surfer, who paddled in to shore to notify lifeguards. His family was reportedly on the beach. Pullin (pictured right, in action) was flagbearer at Sochi in 2014. Pullin, nicknamed "Chumpy", won world championship titles in snowboard cross in 2011 and 2013, competed at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver and ...

Florida COVID-19 cases spike to new daily record

July 08, 2020

As of Sunday, some 731 folks have died. A healthcare worker at a coronavirus test site in transit Sunday in Miami Gardens, Florida. "It is clear that growth is exponential right now", he added. It now offers reports on long-term care facilities with positive COVID-19 cases, long-term care facility deaths associated with COVID-19, total antibody results for Florida, a pediatric report, and deaths associated with COVID-19 at Florida Department of Corrections facilities.

Gladstone man fights off snake while driving

July 08, 2020

A central Queensland man has "never been so happy" to be pulled over by police after fighting off an eastern brown snake while trying to stop on a major highway. 'I think it has bitten me, it was with me in the auto'. When paramedics arrived, they determined Jimmy had not been bitten, but was suffering from shock.

Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro tests positive for coronavirus

July 08, 2020

He has repeatedly defied local guidelines to wear a mask in public, even after a judge ordered him to do so in late June. "I'm the president. I like to be among the people and given that intense contact, I thought I could have already caught it previously without knowing", said Bolsonaro, admitting that he wasn't surprised at the result of Monday's test.

Mary Kay Letourneau Dead at 58 After Cancer Battle

July 08, 2020

Despite all this, Letourneau said she "did not know" she was committing was a crime. After six months in jail, Letourneau was granted parole on the condition she did not see Fualaau, who was just 18 months older than her eldest son. Fualaau would go on to marry Letourneau in 2005, and they remained together until 2019, People Magazine reported. But in 2017, he filed for separation however withdrew the request.

India, China Officials Say Troops Disengaging At Tense Border

July 08, 2020

Indian Army sources said that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) were seen removing tents and structures in the Galwan Valley even as the two sides agreed to continue the disengagement process as they keep up talks at both military and diplomatic levels.

China aims to be sole 'superpower — FBI's Wray

July 08, 2020

Fox Hunt was launched six years ago by President Xi Jinping, ostensibly to pursue corrupt officials and business executives who had fled overseas. The Obama administration complained about the activities of undercover agents in 2015. Wray claimed that the Federal Bureau of Investigation opens a new China-related counterintelligence case every 10 hours, and that almost half the agency's 5,000 open cases were connected to the country.

President Trump says he will pressure governors to reopen schools this fall

July 08, 2020

Duncan, who served as secretary of education under President Obama and was the former superintendent of Chicago Public Schools. "We can reopen our schools safely with what we know", said Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, citing forthcoming therapeutics now being tested.

Covid-19 death count crosses 20000 in India

July 08, 2020

India has overtaken Russian Federation as the third worst-hit country by coronavirus after the total number of cases neared seven lakh. The total number of confirmed cases also includes foreigners. Most of the infections had come from farms, retirement homes and a residential area, local media reported. As on Tuesday, there are 1,201 Dedicated Covid Hospitals, 2,611 Dedicated Covid Healthcare Centres and 9,909 Covid Care Centres to look after Covid patients from those with very severe to very ...

Today's Forecast: Still hot with isolated chances for showers and storms

July 08, 2020

Today: Partly to mostly sunny, scattered afternoon storms. Highs in the low/middle 90s with a heat index between 95 and 100. Winds SW at 5-10 miles per hour. Low near 73°. Winds W at 5 miles per hour. Our next best chance for widespread rain should occur Thursday as front sweeps through the area. A track more out to sea (away from the area) would be not as wet, but still expect showers and storms in the forecast.

Australia's second largest city heads back into coronavirus lockdown

July 08, 2020

New South Wales, the most populous state, on Tuesday reported only seven new cases , while three states and two territories recorded none. Residents will be permitted to leave their homes only to shop for essentials; medical care and caregiving; work and study impossible to do from home; and exercise.

Global COVID-19 cases top 11.5 million

July 08, 2020

The lower number could be attributed to less reporting on the July 4th national holiday weekend. Crowds flocked to Virginia Seashore shores Saturday, even immediately after the city canceled its holiday fireworks screen to "support retain Virginia Seashore protected in the deal with of the coronavirus pandemic ".

President Trump’s worldview forged by domineering father, niece writes in new book

July 08, 2020

Mary Trump is a clinical psychologist, and the New York Times says that she believes her "uncle has all nine clinical criteria for being a narcissist". Last week, a New York Supreme Court appellate judge overturned part of a lower court decision on the book, ruling that the publisher could move forward with release of the forthcoming memoir.

United Nations cautions of more animal-to-human infections

July 08, 2020

For a better understanding, the report cites major outbreaks like Ebola, SARS, the West Nile virus, and the Rift Valley Fever. A new United Nations report warns that more diseases that pass from animals to humans, such as COVID-19, are likely to emerge as habitats are ravaged by wildlife exploitation, unsustainable farming practices and climate change.

Speeding tradie fights off deadly snake with knife

July 07, 2020

Police bodycam footage released on Tuesday showed the moment an officer pulled over the man known as Jimmy. As the driver later told cops, he was "driving at 100 kilometres an hour" and "started to brake" when he detected the snake's presence.

Covid vaccine: Nod for human trials marks beginning of end, says Centre

July 07, 2020

AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria told the IE that the deadline set by the ICMR is quite challenging and hard to do as the trials have to be done keeping in mind the efficacy and safety of the vaccine . One prominent and early contribution was the discovery in 1922 of a compound to treat leishmaniasis or kala-azar, a parasite infection, by Upendranath Brahmachari, a Calcutta physician.

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