Wednesday,  July 1st, 2020

Massachusetts reports no coronavirus deaths for 1st time in months For the first time in months, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health on Tuesday reported zero new coronavirus deaths in the state. The first coronavirus death in Massachusetts was reported on March 20. Gov. Charlie Baker (R) reminded people in a press conference Tuesday to continue to wash their hands, wear face masks, and practice social distancing, especially during the 4th of July weekend. “We do not want to take one step forward and two steps back as we keep climbing out of this horrific pandemic,” he said. The news comes as other states, including Arizona, California, Florida, and Texas, report spikes in coronavirus cases. There are 108,882 confirmed and probable coronavirus cases in Massachusetts, and 8,054 deaths. Source: The Boston Globe

EU to reopen borders to 14 countries, U.S. excluded The European Union announced Tuesday that it will open its external borders Wednesday after finalizing a list of 14 countries — including Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and Canada — whose residents will now be able to travel to the bloc for non-essential reasons amid the coronavirus pandemic. The United States, along with Russia, Brazil, and India, has been left off the list (with exceptions) for at least 14 days due to a rising number of infections, while China’s inclusion is “subject to confirmation of reciprocity.” The policy, which is based on country of residence rather than nationality, isn’t legally binding. Member states could theoretically allow travelers from non-approved countries, but the EU could retaliate by closing borders within the bloc, stymieing efforts to reopen the free trade and travel zone. Source:  The Associated Press

Fauci warns new U.S. coronavirus cases could rise to 100,000 per day Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, warned Congress on Tuesday that the number of new COVID-19 cases reported in the United States could rise to 100,000 a day. Fauci said it’s clear from the numbers that the U.S. is “going in the wrong direction” as many Americans flout social distancing and mask guidelines. If this situation doesn’t “turn around,” Fauci said he “would not be surprised” if the number of new coronavirus cases reported in the United States each day rises from around 40,000 to around 100,000. While Fauci wouldn’t make a specific prediction about what the final U.S. death toll from the coronavirus pandemic will be, he guaranteed it would be “very disturbing.” Source: MSNBC

German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer orders the “partial dissolution” of the country’s elite Kommando Spezialkräfte (KSK) special forces command over its suspected ties to the far-right. The KSK also has a “toxic leadership culture”, according to the Defence Minister. (BBC)

A vandalized statue of former Belgian King Leopold II of Belgium is removed from public display in the city of Ghent amid anti-racism protests. (ABC News)

A large explosion at a medical clinic in Tehran, Iran, kills at least 19 people, mostly women, according to Iranian authorities. A gas leak is suspected as being the cause of the blast. (BBC)

In a letter to President Felix Tshisekedi, King Philippe of Belgium addresses the atrocities in the Congo Free State under the rule of King Leopold II : “I would like to express my deepest regrets for the wounds of the past, the pain of today, which is rekindled by the discrimination all too present in our society.” (The Guardian)

 

A court in Iran sentences former journalist and activist Ruhollah Zam to death for fueling anti-government unrest in late 2017 on social media. He was convicted of being corrupt on Earth. (Reuters)

Facebook bans groups affiliated with the boogaloo movement, which was linked to a pair of attacks in California, US, that left two dead and three injured earlier this month and late last month. (AP via WEYI-TV)

 

China passes the controversial Hong Kong national security law. (The New York Times)

The political party Demosistō of social activist Joshua Wong is disbanded following the passing of the law. Wong urges the international community to keep “speaking up for Hong Kong people”. (Reuters)

The End

Tuesday,  June 30th, 2020

 

Iran issues an arrest warrant against U.S. President Donald Trump and asks Interpol for help. Tehran prosecutor Ali Alqasimehr accuses Trump and 30 others of “murder and terrorism charges” for the killing of Qasem Soleimani in January. Interpol refuses the request. (Al Jazeera)

 

 

 

Monday, June 29th, 2020

Princeton University says it will remove the name of former U.S. President Woodrow Wilson from its public policy school and a residential college, calling him “a racist”. Christopher L. Eisgruber says that “Woodrow Wilson’s racist thinking and policies make him an inappropriate namesake for a school or college whose scholars, students and alumni must stand firmly against racism in all its forms”. (Al Jazeera)

 

The worldwide COVID-19 case total surpasses 10 million while the worldwide death total surpasses 500,000. The United States remains the leading nation in cases, accounting for over 25 percent of both cases and deaths worldwide. (NBC News) (Al Jazeera)

The New England Patriots reach an agreement to sign quarterback Cam Newton. He will replace the Patriots’ longtime quarterback Tom Brady, who left the team in March. (AP)

The End

Monday, June 29th, 2020

The New England Patriots reach an agreement to sign quarterback Cam Newton. He will replace the Patriots’ longtime quarterback Tom Brady, who left the team in March. (AP)

The worldwide COVID-19 case total surpasses 10 million. The United States remains the leading nation in cases, accounting for over 25% of both cases and deaths worldwide. (NBC News)

The worldwide death total for COVID-19 surpasses 500,000. (Al Jazeera)

The Mississippi Legislature votes to remove the Confederate battle flag from its 126-year-old state flag and to form a commission to redesign a new flag. Mississippi is the last U.S. state to display the Confederate battle emblem. The bill now heads to Governor Tate Reeves to sign into law. (NPR)

Following negotiations with creditors, Chesapeake Energy applies for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the United States. It will seek to restructure its debts in order to continue operations. The company is experiencing cash flow and liquidity issues due to low energy prices and large amounts of debt. (Reuters)

 

Sunday, June 28th, 2020

Global coronavirus cases top 10 million  The number of confirmed global coronavirus cases crossed 10 million on Sunday, while deaths approached 500,000. The 10 million figure is roughly double the number of severe flu cases recorded every year, per the World Health Organization. The U.S. accounts for more than 25 percent of worldwide cases, and several states — including Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Nevada, and Arizona — either broke or matched their previous records for daily confirmed cases Saturday, prompting Vice President Mike Pence to call off campaign events in Arizona and Florida. Washington state, meanwhile, paused the fourth and final phase of re-opening in several counties after registering a new state record of infections over a seven-day stretch. India and Brazil are among other countries experiencing severe outbreaks. Some nations that had largely stemmed the virus’ spread, like China, Australia, and New Zealand, have seen smaller resurgences. Source: Reuters

Princeton University says it will remove the name of former U.S. President Woodrow Wilson from its public policy school and a residential college, calling him a “racist”. Christopher L. Eisgruber says that “Woodrow Wilson’s racist thinking and policies make him an inappropriate namesake for a school or college whose scholars, students and alumni must stand firmly against racism in all its forms”. (Al Jazeera)

White House: Trump didn’t hear ‘white power’ shout in retweeted video  President Trump on Sunday retweeted a video showing his supporters clash with protesters in The Villages, a community in Florida. At the beginning of the clip, a man in a golf cart driving past the protesters shouts “white power,” but the racist incident didn’t prevent Trump from thanking “the great people of The Villages,” prompting an intense backlash from Democrats and Republicans alike. The retweet was later deleted, and the White House released a statement claiming the president “did not hear the statement made on the video” and is simply “a big fan of the video.” Source: Axios

1 killed in shooting at Breonna Taylor protest in Louisville  One man was killed and another was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries after a shooting Saturday evening in Louisville, Kentucky. The fatal incident occurred at a park where demonstrators had gathered to protest the death of Breonna Taylor, who was shot and killed by police who entered her Louisville home on a no-knock warrant in March. Videos posted online appear to show a man on the edge of the park where Saturday’s gathering took place firing more than a dozen shots into the crowd as protesters scrambled to take cover. The police said they are investigating the shooting, but so far there have not been reports of any arrests. Source: The Associated Press

Biden criticizes Trump over intel report on Russian bounties  Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden on Saturday criticized President Trump’s attitude toward Moscow following a New York Times report that United States intelligence determined a Russian military intelligence unit secretly paid Taliban-linked militants in Afghanistan bounties to kill U.S. and coalition troops. The Times reports Trump was briefed on the matter in March, but the White House denied that, though it did not dispute the validity of the intelligence report. Biden blasted Trump for failing to sanction Russia over the report. “His entire presidency has been a gift to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, but this is beyond the pale,” Biden said during a virtual town hall event Saturday. Both Russia and the Taliban have denied the American intelligence assessment. Source:  CNBC

An employee is killed and four others injured in a mass shooting at a Walmart distribution center in Red Bluff, California, United States. The shooter was then confronted by responding police officers and fatally shot during a shootout. (AP News)

One person is killed and another injured when a gunman opened fire at people protesting the shooting of Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. (AP News)

Police in Hong Kong ban the 1 July march for the first time in 17 years. In a letter of objection addressed to protest organizer and convenor of the Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF) Jimmy Sham, police cite “persisting social unrest” and vandalism. Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung rejects an appeal by the CHRF who have said they will appeal the ban. (Hong Kong Free Press)

Government of Prime Minister Imran Khan approves a grant of Rs100 million for the construction of the first Hindu temple in the capital of Islamabad. (DAWN)

Incumbent president Guðni Th. Jóhannesson won re-election with 92.2% of the votes. (DW)

The End