Thursday,  Aug 20th, 2020

The Special Tribunal for Lebanon finds Salim Ayyash, a senior member of Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, guilty of assassinating former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri in Beirut in 2005, following a five-year trial. (The Guardian)

The acting government reimposes a curfew for two weeks amid a spike in COVID-19 infections. (Al Arabiya)

Poll: Proportion of Americans who would get COVID-19 vaccine drops 10 percent Fewer Americans say they’d get a vaccine against COVID-19 than about three months ago. In a poll released by CNN on Wednesday, when respondents were asked if they would get a vaccine to prevent COVID-19 if one was made widely available at a low cost, 56 percent said they would, while 40 percent said they wouldn’t. The same poll in May found 66 percent would get the vaccine. CNN reports the decline “seems to be concentrated among Trump supporters, 51 percent of whom said they would seek out a vaccine in May compared with 38 percent who say the same now.” Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, previously warned that if too many Americans refuse to get a COVID-19 vaccine, it’s “unlikely” the U.S. will get to herd immunity. Source: CNN

Iran surpasses 20,000 deaths by COVID-19, the highest toll in the Middle East. (AP)

South Korea reports its highest daily rise in COVID-19 cases since early March, with 297 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours. Nearly 90% of the new cases appeared Seoul Capital Area, where 166 of them are linked to the Sarang Jeil Church. (Reuters)

Fiji declares an outbreak of dengue fever and leptospirosis amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Health minister Ifereimi Waqainabete says that between January and July, 3,300 cases of dengue fever and 1,000 of leptospirosis were reported. (RNZ)

Finland imposes “Europe’s tightest” border restrictions on several countries which it had considered safe destinations to stop the spread of COVID-19. Travel from most EU member states, as well as Japan and Iceland, will be limited to essential trips starting August 24, with people returning from those countries required to self-quarantine for two weeks.  (Reuters)

Postmaster general to suspend operational changes until after election Postmaster General Louis DeJoy on Tuesday announced he’s suspending operational changes he was instituting for the United States Postal Service. The decision comes after allegations that the Trump administration was attempting to slow mail deliveries ahead of widespread mail-in voting in November’s election. Changes to the agency’s operations included cutting post office hours and overtime, as well as the removal of mail processing and collection boxes. DeJoy said he now plans to push those alterations until after the election “to avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail.” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said DeJoy has already “lost the trust of the American people.” DeJoy has agreed to testify before the House next week. Source: MSNBC

 

 

Wednesday,  Aug. 19th, 2020

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announces that his country has signed a deal with the British-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca to manufacture a vaccine against COVID-19 that the company is developing with the Oxford Vaccine Group. The vaccine is currently in Phase III efficacy trials and AstraZeneca says it is targeting a formulation of results by the end of the year. Morrison states that the deal also allows citizens to receive immediate and free access to the vaccines, if successful. (AFP via SCMP)

France is slated to make face masks mandatory for all shared spaces in offices and factories where there is more than one employee present. The measure is set to begin on September 1. (BBC)

Chancellor Angela Merkel rules out easing further COVID-19-related public health restrictions amidst a rise in new cases. (France 24)

Ireland “significantly” tightens restrictions after a rapid increase in the number of COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks. All businesses are told to let employees work from home, new limits are placed on outdoor gatherings, and the government warns people to avoid public transport. The new rules will be in place until at least September 13. (Sky News)

Lithuanian MPs approve economic sanctions against Belarus over the contested presidential elections. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius says Lithuania is “sending a strong message to the world” and refuses to recognize Alexander Lukashenko as President. (AP)

The Toronto Police Service agrees to pay compensation of C$16.5 million (US$12.5M) to about 1,100 protesters who were wrongfully arrested in the city during the 2010 G20 summit. (The Guardian)

U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, in response to politicians’ criticism that proposed changes to U.S. mail services could slow the handling of mail-in ballots, suspends all mail service changes until after the November election. He also said there will be no changes to retail hours at post offices, mail collection boxes will remain where they are, and no mail processing facilities will be closed. A number of states, including Washington and New York, said they are planning legal moves to block the Postal Service changes. (Reuters)

Two suspects charged with murder of Run-D.M.C’s Jam Master Jay Prosecutors on Monday announced two men have been indicted in connection with the 2002 killing of Run-D.M.C’s Jam Master Jay. Ronald Washington and Karl Jordan Jr. were charged with murder while engaged in drug trafficking, almost two decades after the late DJ was shot and killed in a recording studio in Queens. Questions surrounding Jam Master Jay’s killing have remained unanswered for years, but prosecutors alleged on Monday that Washington and Jordan broke into his studio and “murdered him in cold blood” after he threatened to cut them out of “a multi-kilogram, multistate narcotics transaction.” Washington was already in prison for robbery prior to the indictment, while Jordan was arrested on Sunday. Source:  CNN

A Russian major general is killed and two others are injured by a roadside bomb in Syria while en route to Hmeimim Air Base from Deir ez-Zor. (Andolu Agency)

California Governor Gavin Newsom declares a state of emergency to ensure the state receives vital resources as at least 27 wildfires are raging across the state, exacerbating a stifling heat wave. (NBC News via msn.com)

The End

Again and again I get up and say
I only want to get it right.
I only want to do the right thing,
But are these demons, I ask myself.

I wonder today, I’m alone, but then
No one can make their own life.
No one can say that they’re an island
When all this freedom that you get is a lie.