| People in the US have been receiving packages of jewelry that actually contain mysterious seeds from China, report says Posted: 26 Jul 2020 01:06 PM PDT  The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has asked recipients not to plant the seeds that might be an "invasive plant species."
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| Cruz slams Pelosi for "shoveling cash at the problem" Posted: 26 Jul 2020 09:48 AM PDT  Cruz said on "Face the Nation" a coronavirus relief package pushed by House Democrats fails to focus on the global pandemic and economic hardship facing the country.
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| Hurricane Hanna: Flood threat remains despite weakening Posted: 26 Jul 2020 04:43 AM PDT  The hurricane was downgraded after making landfall, but authorities say heavy rains will continue.
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| Refugee who volunteered at French cathedral confesses to setting blaze, lawyer says Posted: 25 Jul 2020 10:54 PM PDT  A Rwandan refugee who volunteered as a warden at France's 15th-century Nantes cathedral has confessed to setting the blaze that gutted its interior a week ago, his lawyer said on Sunday. "With these confessions, there's a kind of relief: it's someone who is scared, who is somehow overwhelmed," his lawyer, Quentin Chabert, told a news conference on Sunday. The July 18 blaze engulfed the inside of the Gothic structure of the Cathedral of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, destroying its grand organ, stained-glass windows and a painting.
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| Putin attends naval parade, promises new ships to navy Posted: 26 Jul 2020 03:22 AM PDT  President Vladimir Putin said the Russian navy will get 40 new ships and vessels this year, as he attended a naval parade in St. Petersburg on Sunday marking the Navy Day in Russia. The parade in St. Petersburg and the nearby town of Kronshtadt featured 46 ships and vessels and over 4,000 troops and aimed to "demonstrate the growing power of our navy," Putin said Friday.
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| North Korea may be 'reaching out to the world for help' after finally announcing a suspected coronavirus case Posted: 26 Jul 2020 05:25 AM PDT  North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared an emergency and imposed a lockdown in the border city of Kaesong after the country reported its first suspected coronavirus case, state media said Sunday, adding that a person who defected three years ago to South Korea returned last week and exhibited COVID-19 symptoms after "illegally crossing the demarcation line."Pyongyang shut its borders and put thousands of people in isolation six months ago when the coronavirus pandemic began, but Kim's regime has not acknowledged any coronavirus cases during that span, a feat analysts say was always unlikely. Still, the announcement appears to be a significant step for the secretive state — experts believe it may represent a cry for help. "It's an ice-breaking moment for North Korea to admit a case," said Choo Jae-woo, a professor at South Korea's Kyung Hee University. "It could be reaching out to the world for help. Perhaps for humanitarian assistance."The description of the infected person, and the fact that the alleged case was imported, also may be meaningful. "North Korea is in such a dire situation, where they can't even finish building the Pyongyang General Hospital on time," said Cho Han-bum, a senior fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul. "Pointing the blame at an 'imported case' from South Korea, the North can use this as a way to openly accept aid from the South." Read more at Reuters and BBC.More stories from theweek.com 5 scathing cartoons about Trump's use of federal force Trump's old tricks aren't working Actress Olivia de Havilland dies at 104
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| Mnuchin says virus aid package will come soon, $1,200 checks by August Posted: 26 Jul 2020 08:37 AM PDT  Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Saturday that Republicans were set to roll out the next COVID-19 aid package Monday and assured there was support from the White House.
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| Aurora protest: One shot after car drives through Black Lives Matter demonstrators in Colorado Posted: 26 Jul 2020 04:11 AM PDT  A car ploughed into a crowd of Black Lives Matter demonstrators protesting against systemic racism and police brutality and a protester has been shot in Colorado.The Aurora Police Department said the demonstrator who was shot was rushed to hospital in stable condition – adding that a protester shot a weapon which hit at least one person.
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| Hurricane Douglas bears down on Hawaii, residents taking it in stride Posted: 25 Jul 2020 01:24 PM PDT |
| Local reparations efforts are good but not enough, advocates say Posted: 26 Jul 2020 01:35 PM PDT  Proponents of federal reparations argue that localized efforts at atonement, while appreciated, cannot make amends for the deep-seated, multigenerational harm done by slavery.
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| Staff leaving U.S. Chengdu consulate under high security as deadline looms Posted: 26 Jul 2020 02:48 AM PDT  Staff of the U.S. consulate in Chengdu made final efforts to clear the premises on Sunday as security remained tight outside, ahead of a Monday closure ordered by Beijing as China-U.S. relations continue to worsen. Consulate closures in Houston and Chengdu have escalated a sharp deterioration in ties between the world's two biggest economies, which were already their worst in decades amid disputes over trade and technology, the COVID-19 pandemic, China's territorial claims in the South China Sea and its clampdown on Hong Kong. Police asked people to move on when crowds formed outside the consulate, as onlookers took photos and videos of what they expected would be the last time to see the compound in U.S. hands.
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| Mountain rescuers heft ailing St. Bernard off English peak Posted: 26 Jul 2020 01:12 PM PDT  St. Bernards are known for helping to rescue distressed travelers in the mountains, but the tables were turned Sunday in northern England. Sixteen volunteers from the Wasdale mountain rescue team took turns carrying Daisy, a 121-pound (55 kilogram) St Bernard, from England's highest peak, Scafell Pike. The mountain rescue team spent nearly five hours rescuing Daisy, who had collapsed Friday evening while descending the mountain with her owners.
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| Garrett Foster: Police investigate shooting at Austin Black Lives Matter protest Posted: 26 Jul 2020 01:49 PM PDT  Garrett Foster was pushing his fiancée's wheelchair when he was shot dead by someone in a car.
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| Florida passes New York as US state with the second-highest number of coronavirus cases Posted: 25 Jul 2020 12:14 PM PDT  Florida has reported more than 414,000 cases of the coronavirus, with over 12,000 new cases reported Saturday. California remains the hardest-hit state.
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| A Texas man died from coronavirus after his granddaughter spread infection to him from attending a party Posted: 25 Jul 2020 06:09 PM PDT  The "20-something" girl was not showing symptoms when she unknowingly infected her grandfather after going to a party, according to Dr. Joseph Chang.
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| Nigerian refugee creates N.Y.C.'s first full-time shelter for asylum-seekers Posted: 26 Jul 2020 02:00 AM PDT  Edafe Okporo fled his homeland in 2016 after he was subjected to homophobic violence. He's now helping others who are looking to build lives in the U.S.
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| 'We, too, are America': How we can work together to overcome systemic racism Posted: 26 Jul 2020 03:00 AM PDT  Instead of attacking "the other," we must embrace and celebrate the richness of true democracy and honor the voices that make us a choir.
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| Mnuchin says GOP coronavirus relief package will be released Monday Posted: 26 Jul 2020 12:06 PM PDT  Fox News host Chris Wallace pressed Mnuchin on why a GOP plan hasn't been introduced.
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| Exclusive: Alibaba, Jack Ma summoned by Indian court on former employee's complaint Posted: 25 Jul 2020 09:05 PM PDT  An Indian court has summoned Alibaba and its founder Jack Ma in a case in which a former employee in India says he was wrongfully fired after objecting to what he saw as censorship and fake news on company apps, documents seen by Reuters showed. The case comes weeks after India cited security concerns in banning Alibaba's UC News, UC Browser and 57 other Chinese apps after a clash between the two countries' forces on their border. Following the ban, which China has criticized, India sought written answers from all affected companies, including whether they censored content or acted for any foreign government.
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| Armenians and Azerbaijanis clash in Moscow Posted: 25 Jul 2020 08:33 AM PDT  Azerbaijanis and Armenians have engaged in a series of fights and violent rampages in Moscow, venting their anger over recent cross-border clashes between the two ex-Soviet nations. Moscow police said Saturday they have detained over 30 people on charges of involvement in fights and disturbances. In St. Petersburg, police detained dozens Saturday in a bid to prevent another big fight between Azerbaijanis and Armenians.
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| James Carville still thinks Trump might pull out of race rather than risk losing by a landslide Posted: 25 Jul 2020 07:37 AM PDT  Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville doubled down on his prediction on Friday that President Trump may yet abandon his run for reelection.
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| New research puts the 'good guy with a gun' idea to rest: Loose concealed-carry laws are linked to more firearm homicides Posted: 26 Jul 2020 07:01 AM PDT  States with looser concealed-carry laws have higher rates of gun homicide. And higher gun-ownership rates are associated with more mass shootings.
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| Police in Australia won their Supreme Court bid to stop a Black Lives Matter protest Posted: 26 Jul 2020 10:16 AM PDT  The protest was blocked after police raised concerns that it would "breach public health orders" and lead to a spike in coronavirus infections.
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| China turns a blind eye as North Korea evades sanctions Posted: 25 Jul 2020 02:00 AM PDT  North Korea relies on front-companies registered in China to export coal and sand and import oil in violation of U.N. sanctions.
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| Malaysia arrests Bangladeshi migrant who criticised government on TV Posted: 25 Jul 2020 09:24 AM PDT  The Bangladeshi man criticised the treatment of undocumented workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.
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| 'It’s my constitutional freaking right': Black Americans arm themselves in response to pandemic, protests Posted: 26 Jul 2020 04:00 AM PDT  Conservatives are using images of Black protesters with guns to justify their calls for law and order.
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| Invasion! The threat from Asian giant hornets Posted: 26 Jul 2020 06:07 AM PDT  Desperate times call for desperate measures in the ongoing battle against the terrifying insect, recently discovered in the Pacific Northwest, which can swiftly slaughter honeybee colonies and even bite out chunks of a human being's flesh
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| US diplomat says America keeps pushing to end Qatar crisis Posted: 26 Jul 2020 07:11 AM PDT  The U.S. continues to push for an end of the four-nation boycott of Qatar, even after the hospitalization of Kuwait's ruling emir who led talks to resolve the yearslong dispute, a U.S. diplomat said Sunday. U.S. Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook acknowledged the challenge ahead on ending the crisis that's torn apart the Gulf Cooperation Council, with Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates part of the boycott that's targeted fellow member Qatar since June 2017. Egypt as well joined the boycott, which saw nations close their airspace and borders to Qatar.
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| COVID-19 is a disaster for people with disabilities. Without 30-year-old law, it would be worse Posted: 26 Jul 2020 11:14 AM PDT  Without the Americans with Disabilities Act, signed 30 years ago, the pandemic would be worse for people with disabilities. It's still very hard.
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| A lawyer who helps ultra-wealthy families get secondary citizenships says business is booming in 2020 — and not just because of the coronavirus Posted: 26 Jul 2020 07:31 AM PDT  Wealthy Americans are already looking to the election and are prepared to "vote with their feet" if taxes go up.
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| Nearly 2 dozen lifeguards in New Jersey test positive for coronavirus after hosting social gatherings Posted: 26 Jul 2020 09:51 AM PDT  After hosting two social gatherings two weeks ago, 11 lifeguards from Harvey Cedars and 12 from Surf City have tested positive for COVID-19.
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| Kelsey Grammar's daughter, man slashed outside NYC restaurant Posted: 25 Jul 2020 06:20 PM PDT  Police released new video of the suspect.
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| Thai gay activists raise Pride flags in Bangkok Posted: 25 Jul 2020 03:06 PM PDT  The rally in Thailand's capital is the latest in a series of youth-led pro-democracy protests.
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| Portland protests: Police declare riot as demonstrators break through court fence Posted: 26 Jul 2020 05:51 AM PDT  Police in Portland, Oregon have declared a riot after protesters breached a fence surrounding a court building where federal officers have been stationed during ongoing protests against police brutality and the presence of militarised law enforcement.A police announcement condemned protesters' "violent conduct" that created a "grave risk of public alarm" after a group of protesters had pulled down a section of fencing around 1.20am on Sunday.
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| She Flew Missions Against ISIS-Backed Terrorists—and Died in a Suspicious ‘Accident’ Posted: 26 Jul 2020 02:06 AM PDT  ABUJA, Nigeria—She was so young and daring, and a thorn in the side of ISIS-backed terrorists and bandits in north-central Nigeria. Her profile was rising fast and in her already extraordinary career she'd broken through the military glass ceiling. But the life of Tolulope Arotile, Nigeria's first-ever female combat helicopter pilot, was cut short on July 14 when she died in a strange and sudden accident. According to the Nigeria Air Force (NAF), Arotile was "inadvertently hit by the reversing vehicle of an excited former Air Force secondary school classmate while trying to greet her" inside the NAF base in the northwestern city of Kaduna. But not many in Nigeria are convinced the death of the 24-year-old was indeed accidental, especially because her nationwide fame as a talented combat helicopter pilot, and her regular bombardment of terrorist hideouts, had made her a target of armed militants. The manner in which Arotile was said to have died—from the impact of a reversing car—raised suspicion across Nigeria that she was murdered. The country's leading activists and politicians, including the outspoken former senator Shehu Sani, joined her family in immediately demanding an inquiry into the pilot's death. The NAF quickly responded by announcing a preliminary investigation into the tragedy. Arotile had just come back from an operation in north-central Nigeria, where she was deployed in the fight to rid the region of ISIS-backed militants and other criminal elements by flying combat missions. The NAF said she served as a squadron pilot in what the military named Operation Gama Aiki and flew "anti-banditry combat missions to ensure a safer, more secured Nigeria."Russians Are Using African Troll Factories—and Encrypted Messaging—to Attack the U.S.Since last year, armed bandits and militants, including those with links to the so-called Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), have terrorized a number of villages in north-central Nigeria, killing hundreds of villagers and displacing thousands from their homes. The military's response has been through airstrikes, many of which had been carried out by attack helicopters like those flown by Arotile and her fellow fighter pilots.Arotile's last combat mission was devastating for the terrorists she targeted, a senior NAF official told The Daily Beast privately. She was said to have carried out airstrikes targeting bandits at Kasuwan Ango Community in Nigeria's north-central Niger State in late June. The Nigeria military had stated last month that strikes by the air component of Operation Gama Aiki at Kasuwan Ango on June 28 and 29 led to the "neutralization of some of the bandits" and the arrest of two foreigners, while the country's press release distribution agency, PR Nigeria, reported that corpses of bandits littered the area of the operation, an indication that the airstrikes killed numerous terrorists. Arotile herself was targeted by the bandits who shot repeatedly at her helicopter before she managed to overcome them. "Much of our success in the north-central can be attributed to Tolulope [Arotile]," said the NAF official who didn't want his name mentioned as he wasn't authorized to speak. "She was extremely daring and fearless."The manner in which Arotile was said to have died—from the impact of a reversing car—raised suspicion across Nigeria that she might have been murdered. The country's leading politicians and activists have joined her family in demanding an inquiry into the pilot's death. The NAF stated on Sunday that its preliminary investigation found that three of Arotile's secondary school classmates—all civilians who live outside the Kaduna NAF base, and who were on their way to visit another friend living in the same vicinity—were in the Kia Sorento SUV that hit her. The driver, Nehemiah Adejo, recognized Arotile after passing her, and "reversed the vehicle, ostensibly in an attempt to quickly meet up with the deceased, who was walking in the opposite direction.""In the process," said Ibikunle Daramola, NAF director of public relations and information, "the vehicle struck Flying Officer Arotile from the rear, knocking her down with significant force and causing her to hit her head on the pavement.""The vehicle then ran over parts of her body as it veered off the road beyond the kerb and onto the pavement, causing her further injuries," Daramola said while reporting on the NAF's initial findings on the pilot's death on July 19.The three schoolmates were subjected to toxicology tests but no traces of alcohol or psychotropic substances were found in their systems, according to the NAF findings, which also revealed that the driver of the vehicle, Adejo, did not have a valid driver's license. The trio are expected to be handed over to police, who are set to begin an investigation into Arotile's death. The late pilot, who was commissioned into the air force as a Pilot Officer in 2017, made history last October when she was winged as the first-ever female combat helicopter pilot in the NAF after completing her flying training in South Africa. Arotile held a commercial pilot license and had undergone tactical flying training on the Agusta 109 Power attack helicopter in Italy. When Nigeria acquired an Agusta 109 Power early in the year, Arotile was asked to introduce the aircraft to President Muhammadu Buhari, during the induction ceremony in Abuja in February.Arotile once said she joined the NAF simply out of "passion" for the military. In an interview with a local publication after Arotile's death, her father, Akintunde Arotile, recalled when she first developed a passion for flying: "One day—when she was very small—she pointed to one small aircraft parked on a field and said, 'Dad, one day I am going to fly that aircraft,' and I said, 'Amen,'" Arotile told The Punch newspaper. Nigeria's leading politicians and institutions have paid tribute to her outstanding contribution to the country's long fight against terrorism. President Buhari recalled her "bravery" and "deft skills in manoeuvring combat helicopters" in a statement his office released shortly after her death, while the House of Representatives said she was "a heroine whose contribution in the war against terrorism and other criminal elements in the country cannot be wished away easily."Arotile's death comes at a period when Nigeria is facing increased attacks from armed bandits and ISWAP militants in the north-central and northeast regions. A series of ISWAP attacks last month in the northeastern state of Borno killed close to 150 people, including 20 soldiers. The Islamic State-affiliated group suddenly became active in parts of the north-central region, where Arotile embarked on most of her missions, this year.At a time when Nigeria needs its best hands to contain brutal terror groups like ISWAP, Arotile's death will definitely be a blow to its effort to defeat terrorists."I was heartbroken when I received the sad news," Nigeria's chief of the Air Staff, Sadique Abubakar, tweeted. "[Arotile] was one of our shining young stars."Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| A coronavirus hot spot, South Texas braces for Hanna's rain Posted: 24 Jul 2020 08:41 PM PDT  South Texas — an area already hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic in recent weeks — was bracing for Tropical Storm Hanna to make landfall Saturday. Local officials said they were prepared for whatever may come, with Hanna expected to strengthen into a hurricane before coming ashore near Corpus Christi sometime Saturday afternoon or early evening. Corpus Christi is in Nueces County, one of several COVID-19 hot spots in Texas.
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| Judge's ruling reopens Kennedy cousin's murder case to the public Posted: 25 Jul 2020 12:06 PM PDT |
| Hawaii avoided a coronavirus spike – but its tourist economy is shattered Posted: 26 Jul 2020 03:00 AM PDT  Its remote setting and a decision to shut down helped keep cases fairly low, but unemployment soared. What next?The Sheraton Waikiki stands just a sea-smooth pebble throw from one of Hawaii's most famous beaches. Working the front desk, Jordyn Wallace loved meeting new people from different states and faraway countries in one of the world's most beautiful holiday destinations.Like many Hawaiians, Wallace has been working in tourism since she graduated high school five years ago, and started her front-desk job in December. Then the pandemic came and Wallace lost her job, as Hawaii was forced to make a literally life-changing decision: close down to stop Covid-19 and weather an economic maelstrom unseen in decades.On 21 March Hawaii's governor David Ige announced all visitors to the islands must quarantine for 14 days. The flip-flopped travelers disappeared. Stores and restaurants began to close under state shutdown orders. Wallace had her hours dramatically cut, only working a few shifts in April and May before being laid off."I have never seen Waikiki so empty. It felt surreal because no matter what time of day it is, you always see visitors in Waikiki," Wallace said. "We have more than 1,000 rooms. It's a huge hotel, and to not see a single soul on property was crazy."Nearly every state in the US implemented some type of shutdown order to prevent the spread of Covid-19, closing bars, restaurants and gyms and starting a new way of socially distanced life. The shutdowns brought on Depression-level unemployment numbers, the effects of which have lingered even as states reopen their economies.For Hawaii, being an isolated chain of islands in the middle of the Pacific has proved to be a blessing and a curse. That Hawaii is only accessible by plane or cruise ship has provided the state with a geographic advantage in preventing the spread of the virus. But encouraging people to stay away has severely damaged the state's economy, which relies heavily on the tourist dollar."Every day, there is something on the news that announces businesses are shutting down. These are not new business. They are family businesses, they are institutions, and these are businesses that have survived economic challenges in the past," said Sherry Menor-McNamara, president and chief executive of the Hawaii Chamber of Commerce.While other states in the US, such as Florida and Texas, saw huge spikes in Covid-19 cases as state governments worked to reopen economies, Hawaii instead rolled out a policy that deliberately stopped tourism to ensure the health of its residents.People who break quarantine are subject to arrest and a fine of up to $5,000. Hawaii has been strict in enforcing the rules, arresting nearly 200 people, visitors and residents, since March.The quarantine, along with other broader travel restrictions implemented around the world, effectively stopped travel to Hawaii. On 1 March nearly 29,000 people arrived. By 31 March that figure had dropped to 301, a fall of 98.9% compared to the same day last year.Quarantine has helped stop any large outbreaks of the virus. As of 22 July, Hawaii has reported just over 1,400 cases and 25 deaths. In comparison, New Hampshire, which has a slightly smaller population than Hawaii, has had over 6,000 confirmed cases and nearly 400 deaths.But the combined forces of a statewide shutdown and abrupt pause in the tourism industry has devastated the economy. At least 150,000 workers in the state of 1.5 million people were out of work in May. The unemployment rate was 23.5% – over 10% higher than the national rate.Hawaii's online system for filing unemployment claims was so overwhelmed that many had to wait at least a month to receive any payment.Wallace applied for unemployment in March, once her hours were cut to almost nothing. Right before the pandemic hit, she had just taken out a loan to consolidate some credit card and medical debts. Without payments, Wallace would not be able to make her payments on time, triggering high interest rates.Her payments finally came in May, after weeks of trying to get answers from the unemployment office. "It was just an absolute nightmare trying to get a hold of their office," she said.Jobs started to come back in late May and June, once Hawaii began its slow reopening process. In June, the unemployment rate fell to 13.9%, with about 85,000 people out of work.But the effects on the leisure and hospitality industry will linger. Last year, 10.5 million visitors spent $17bn when traveling to the islands, with $2bn of that money going directly to the state government.About $7bn has been pumped into Hawaii's economy over the past four months from the federal government's emergency stimulus programs. But that is not enough to make up for the huge shortfall.State budgets across the country have been devastated by the pandemic. Hawaii will likely prove to be no exception. Earlier this month, Governor Ige said pay cuts for state and local workers, including teachers, are inevitable. The state government will be left short of $1.2bn, according to a report from the University of Hawaii's Economic Research Organization (UHERO). This deficit is "far worse than those encountered during the Great Recession", the report said.Carl Bonham, a professor of economics at the University of Hawaii and executive director of UHERO, said the disproportionate effect the pandemic has had on tourism compared to other industries means the state will be slow to recover from the economic effects."Much of the rest of the country will recover faster than Hawaii. Even once there is better treatment or better control of the virus, there will still be lingering effects on air travel," Bonham said. "Hawaii will be a different place over the next year or so as we have an increase of bankruptcies and failures of businesses. There will be fewer activities for visitors to come to."Bonham said more federal aid is the only way Hawaii's economy can recover. Even with more aid, it will likely be short of money for the next five years, he said.With Congress at a standstill over giving additional aid to states and local governments, Hawaii's leaders have been scrambling for solutions that would allow tourists to carefully come back.Currently, all bets are hedged on a plan that would allow visitors to bypass the 14-day quarantine if they test negative for the virus 72 hours before their flight to Hawaii, and show proof of the negative test. The state is in talks with CVS Pharmacy over a potential partnership to make tests available to incoming travelers.The plan was originally slated to start 1 August, but the governor pushed the date back to 1 September, citing the surge of infections in other states. While the delay is upsetting to many business owners, eight out of 10 residents in a poll said they believed Hawaii is not ready to open to tourists just yet. And polls show travelers themselves are most willing to take car trips to their vacation destination – rather than a long-haul flight to Hawaii – as it comes with less risk of spreading the virus."The best economic policy at this point is really a health policy. It's controlling the virus," Bonham said. Tourists "are not going to sit on an airplane for five hours with a whole bunch of people who aren't wearing masks"."If you don't deal with those issues, it doesn't matter if the economy is open. That part of the economy won't really recover."
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| A plane crashed in a Utah neighborhood, killing three people and setting a woman on fire in her home Posted: 26 Jul 2020 11:59 AM PDT  Six people were on board the plane that took off from South Valley Regional Airport in Utah Saturday. The three survivors are being hospitalized.
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| South Korea reports highest single-day rise in coronavirus cases since March Posted: 24 Jul 2020 06:30 PM PDT  South Korea reported 113 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, the largest single-day increase in almost four months, and officials warned the upward trajectory could continue as people carrying the disease enter the country from abroad. More than three-quarters of the latest reported infections were imported, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said. "Everyday, we feel sense of crisis that COVID-19 pandemic may have not yet peaked yet," KCDC deputy director Kwon Jun-wook told a briefing.
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| McDonald's and African Americans: it's complicated, professor says Posted: 25 Jul 2020 08:41 PM PDT  Businesses have proclaimed support for the protests against racism towards African Americans happening across the United States, including perhaps the most iconic of them all: ubiquitous fast food chain McDonald's. For Marcia Chatelain, a professor of history and African American studies at Georgetown University in Washington, McDonalds's support for the biggest civil rights protests to hit the United States in decades came as no surprise.
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| Kudlow says next round of coronavirus relief will include $1,200 checks and extension of eviction moratorium Posted: 26 Jul 2020 09:05 AM PDT  "There's a $1,200 check coming, that's going to be a part of the new package," Kudlow said during an interview with "State of the Union" on CNN.
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| Singapore man admits being Chinese spy in US Posted: 25 Jul 2020 05:43 AM PDT  The guilty plea of the man who found spying targets on LinkedIn comes as US-China tensions rise.
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| Azar: "The presumption should be to get our kids back to school" Posted: 26 Jul 2020 10:15 AM PDT  Schools around the country are weighing how best to reopen in the fall as the coronavirus crisis worsens in many states.
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