Sunday, August 8th, 2021
New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard becomes the first transgender woman to compete in the Olympics. (Associated Press)
Olympics wrap up with closing ceremony The 2020 Olympics officially wrapped up on Sunday in Tokyo with the closing ceremonies. The Tokyo Games were under scrutiny for the past year as the world dealt with the coronavirus pandemic. There were concerns about whether the International Olympic Committee and Japan should have called the whole thing off, but the spectator-less two-week event appears to have gone more or less according to plan, with few COVID-19 infections reported within the Olympic bubble. In terms of the actual athletic events, the United States took home the most overall medals with 113, while also edging China for most golds at 39 thanks to late victories from the women’s basketball and indoor volleyball teams.ESPN
Taliban reportedly take key Afghan city The Taliban have seized the northern Afghan city of Kunduz, the group and city officials said Sunday. It’s the third provincial capital overtaken by the Taliban in as many days, as a rapid offensive continues amid a U.S. troop withdrawal. Kunduz, which is home to 374,000 people, is considered a key city, militarily and politically. It was briefly captured by the Taliban in 2015 and 2016 before Afghan forces pushed the insurgents out with the aid of American airstrikes. On Saturday, the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan released a statement advising all American citizens in Afghanistan to leave the country immediately as the fighting intensifies. AL JAZEERA
Austin, Texas, down to single-digit ICU bids amid COVID-19 surge As COVID-19 infections, fueled by the more contagious Delta variant, continue to increase across the United States, the pandemic has worsened substantially in Austin, Texas, where state health data show there are only six open ICU beds and 313 ventilators available. The metro area of almost 2.4 million people raised its risk level to the highest option this week. The situation is “dire,” city officials said. Austin Mayor Steve Adler told The New York Times that the current scenario could have been avoided if Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) hadn’t barred local governments from issuing mask mandates. BLOOMBERG
Protesters take to streets in Myanmar on anniversary of 1988 uprising Protesters took to the streets in Myanmar on Sunday, the anniversary of a previous military junta’s suppression of a 1988 popular uprising. The current junta seized power from Myanmar’s democratically elected government in a February coup, and demonstrations have continued since then, although they’ve become more muted over time as the junta cracked down on protesters. But on Sunday, at least six separate protests were documented on Facebook pages of opposition groups throughout Myanmar, per Reuters, and the crowds reportedly referenced the “8-8-88” democracy uprising during their marches. FRANCE24
Aramco reports big increase in net income Saudi state oil giant Aramco reported a net income of $25.5 billion in the second quarter of 2021, an increase of 288 percent and the highest figure for the company since the end of 2018. Last year, in the same quarter, Aramco reported a $6.6 billion net income. The jump is the result of a big recovery in oil and chemical prices and demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aramco’s president and CEO Amin Nasser said the company’s expectation is that the global economic recovery will continue, adding that he remains “extremely positive about the second half of 2021 and beyond.” CNBC
Alibaba under fire after sexual assault allegation After an employee at Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba accused her supervisor of sexual assault while they were on a business trip and said the company initially failed to respond to her request for an investigation, Alibaba said in a statement on Sunday that it has suspended several employees and “established a special internal task force to investigate the issue.” Police in the eastern Chinese city of Jinan, where the alleged assault took place, said they are also investigating the incident. The woman’s allegations sparked widespread anger toward Alibaba, which is facing a regulatory crackdown from Beijing, on Chinese social media platforms. REUTERS
Messi to leave Barcelona Professional soccer star Lionel Messi gave a tearful press conference on Sunday during which he confirmed he’s ending his 21-year association with Barcelona because of the club’s financial problems. The 34-year-old Messi, who hails from Argentina and is considered one of the greatest soccer players of all time, said he did everything he could to stay with Barcelona, but it ultimately wasn’t possible. Sources have said he’s already reached an agreement with French side Paris Saint-Germain, but during the press conference Messi said that’s just “one possibility.” ESPNBBC
The Taliban captures the capitals of the Kunduz, Takhar, and Sar-e Pol provinces. In Kunduz, the Taliban seize key government buildings, leaving the government forces only in control of the airport. In Takhar, the Taliban seize Taloqan, and heavy fighting was reported as the Taliban intensifies its offensive in the north. In Sar-e Pol, the Taliban drive government forces out of the main military base. (BBC)
Rwandan and Mozambican forces retake the city of Mocímboa da Praia, the last rebel stronghold in Cabo Delgado Province. Rwanda had sent 1,000 troops to help Mozambique fight the Islamist insurgency that began in 2017. (BBC)
The Chinese government files a lawsuit against the tech conglomerate Tencent, alleging that the company’s “youth mode” for the WeChat application violates laws protecting minors. Authorities did not give specific details as to which laws the application violates. (The Verge)
Russian opposition activist Lyubov Sobol, a prominent ally of Alexei Navalny, leaves Russia, days after being sentenced to eighteen months of parole-like restrictions. (Reuters)
Protests against the military government occur across Myanmar in honor of the anniversary of the 8888 Uprising. (Reuters)
The Summer Olympics officially end in Tokyo with the closing ceremony. The United States won the most medals and also won the most gold medals, with 113 total medals and 39 gold medals. The Olympic Flag is handed over to the Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo in preparation for the 2024 Games. (NBC News)
The Styrian Grand Prix is red-flagged in lap 3 after a collision involving Spanish Dani Pedrosa and Italian Lorenzo Savadori that destroyed both motorcycles. (Radio France Internationale)
Saturday, August 7th, 2021
The Taliban captures Sheberghan, the provincial capital of Jowzjan Province, making it the second capture of a provincial capital by the Islamist group in the past 24 hours. (NDTV)
The British and American governments warn their citizens to leave Afghanistan “immediately” amid the Taliban advance and a worsening security situation in the country. (ABC News)
India issues an emergency use authorization for the single-dose Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. (Livemint)
Japan reports a record for the fourth consecutive day of 15,753 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (The Mainichi)
Friday, August 6th, 2021
Dawa Khan Menapal, head of the Government Media and Information Centre, is assassinated in Kabul. The Taliban claims responsibility for the killing, saying that Menapal “was punished for his actions”. (Reuters)
The Taliban captures Zaranj, the provincial capital of Nimruz Province, making it the first major capture of a provincial city by the group since the 2001 invasion. A spokesperson for the local police confirms that the city has fallen into Taliban control and blames the lack of reinforcements of military from the central government. (The West Australia)
Hezbollah fires twenty rockets at northern Israel from Lebanon, its heaviest barrage since the 2006 war and the second firing of rockets in the past week. The Israel Defense Forces respond with artillery attacks. (The Times of Israel) (VOA)
Lebanese Druze villagers confront the Hezbollah rocket-launch convoy after it fires at Israel, accusing the militant group of endangering them by firing projectiles near civilian houses. The Lebanese Army later confiscates the launcher and arrests four suspects. (The Times of Israel) (Reuters)
Seven fully vaccinated residents at a care home in Nossegem, Flemish Brabant, die after contracting the Colombian Lineage B.1.621 variant. (Newsweek)
Greece imposes a curfew and a full ban on music in entertainment venues on the islands of Crete and Zakynthos in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19. These measures will be in effect until August 13. (Reuters)
Italy begins to introduce the “Green Pass” where people over the age of 12 must present proof of vaccination of at least one dose, a negative test from the previous 48 hours, or having recovered from COVID-19 in order to enter gyms, theatres and bars, dine in at restaurants, and participate in some leisure activities. (ABC News)
The White House COVID-19 Response Team announces that 50% of Americans have been fully vaccinated. (VOA)
An Arkansas judge temporarily blocks a law signed by Governor Asa Hutchinson that bans the state from imposing mask mandates. (Hot Springs Sentinel-Record)
Florida reports a record 22,783 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (WTVJ)
The number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. reaches an average of 100,000 new cases per day for the first time since February. (US News)
Prime Minister Scott Morrison states there will be no further laws on the Commonwealth or state levels requiring vaccines in certain workplaces and this will instead be left up to individual businesses to decide. (The Guardian)
New Jersey gym owner Scott K. Fairlamb and Washington resident Devlyn D. Thompson pleads guilty to assaulting U.S. Capitol Police officers during the January 6 riot at the Capitol, becoming the first suspects to do so. (The Washington Post)
The Moldovan parliament elects Natalia Gavrilița as the new Prime Minister of Moldova. (Reuters)
Canadian soccer player Quinn becomes the first out, transgender, non-binary athlete to earn an Olympic medal, after winning gold in the women’s tournament with the Canadian national soccer team. (NBC News)
Dixie Fire destroys historic California gold rush town California’s massive Dixie Fire destroyed the historic gold rush town of Greenville late Wednesday, with authorities estimating Thursday that 75 percent of the town’s structures had been reduced to ashes. The areas that were burned included Main Street, with its 1880s buildings. “We lost Greenville tonight,” Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) said in a Facebook video. “It’s just completely devastating. We’ve lost our home, my business, our whole downtown area is gone,” said Eva Gorman, one of the town’s 1,000 residents. The overwhelmed fire crew “did everything we could,” fire spokesman Mitch Matlow said. “Sometimes it’s just not enough.” The Dixie Fire as of Thursday had burned 361,812 acres, making it the sixth largest wildfire in California state history. LOS ANGELES TIMES
Biden restores Obama-era mileage standards President Biden on Thursday announced that he is restoring automobile mileage standards to levels that were established under former President Barack Obama but weakened by former President Donald Trump. The White House said the new rules for 2023 vehicles would reduce annual U.S. carbon dioxide emissions by one-third, and save 200 billion gallons of gasoline over the life of the vehicles. Biden also signed an executive order calling for making half of the vehicles sold in the U.S. electric by 2030. The measures are part of Biden’s push to sharply reduce pollution that contributes to climate change. Biden said they also were necessary to help the U.S. auto industry compete with China, which makes about 70 percent of all electric vehicle batteries. THE NEW YORK TIMES
U.S. aims to offer vulnerable people COVID booster shots The United States is taking steps to join Germany, France, and Israel in giving COVID-19 booster shots to fully vaccinated Americans with weak immune systems, top U.S. infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said Thursday. Regulators are working to make the third doses available quickly, despite a plea this week from the World Health Organization for wealthy countries to delay booster shots until poorer nations can get vulnerable populations their first doses. Fauci said immunocompromised people need boosters because they might not be protected enough by their first round of vaccinations as the highly contagious Delta variant drives a jump in cases. “It is extremely important for us to move to get those individuals their boosters and we are now working on that,” Fauci said. REUTERS
CBO: Infrastructure deal would add $256 billion to deficit over decade The Congressional Budget Office released an analysis Thursday estimating that the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure proposal would increase the federal deficit by $256 billion over a decade. The CBO said the package would add $415 billion in discretionary spending over 10 years, while increasing revenues by $50 billion and cutting direct spending by $110 billion. The bipartisan group of senators who negotiated the proposed compromise with the White House says it would add $550 billion in new spending over current plans, which suggests that $294 billion of the new spending would be offset by other budget tweaks or “pay-fors.” GOP critics of the plan said the analysis proved that pay-fors would not fully cover the cost. The CBO said its analysis didn’t factor in the possibility that the infrastructure spending could boost the economy and increase tax revenue. THE HILL
Climate change disruption of ocean currents could trigger extreme weather Human-caused climate change has destabilized a large system of ocean currents in the Atlantic that includes the Gulf Stream, raising concerns that the system could collapse and dramatically change global weather patterns, The Washington Post reported Thursday, citing a new study published in the journal Nature Climate Change. The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation carries warm, salty surface water north from the tropics, and cold water south along the ocean bottom. Researchers found it is losing strength as climbing temperatures warm ocean waters, and melting ice sheets dilute the North Atlantic’s salinity. If the circulation stops, the Post reports, it could “bring extreme cold to Europe and parts of North America,” raise East Coast sea levels, and disrupt monsoons that provide fresh water to much of the world. USA TODAY
Trump lashes out at U.S. women’s soccer team Former President Donald Trump on Thursday lashed out at the U.S. women’s soccer team after it won the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, saying it would have won gold if it “wasn’t woke.” “Woke means you lose,” said Trump, who lost the November 2020 election to President Biden. Trump singled out team leader Megan Rapinoe, who has been an outspoken critic of Trump and advocate of social justice causes. ” The woman with the purple hair played terribly and spends too much time thinking about Radical Left politics and not doing her job! ” Trump said. Rapinoe and forward Carli Lloyd each scored two of the U.S. team’s four goals to beat Australia 4-3 and take the bronze medal. “May not have been the color we came for, but every medal means something,” the USWNT said in an Instagram post. “Dug deep and got it done.” NEWSWEEK
Thursday, August 5th, 2021
The Colombian government announces that they have foiled an assassination attempt against President Iván Duque by FARC dissidents. (Reuters)
The Japanese government announces the expansion of the quasi-state of emergency to eight prefectures from August 8 to August 31. (The Mainichi)
The province of Quebec announces that it will implement vaccine passports. (CBC News)
The French Constitutional Council approves most of the controversial measures that would begin on August 9 which include requiring health passes to enter restaurants, cafés, some shopping centres, and use some types of public transportation. The council also approves the vaccine mandate for healthcare workers and other health professionals, in which they must present proof that they have received at least one dose of the vaccine beginning on September 15 and must present proof of full vaccination beginning on October 15. However, judges considered the mandatory 10-day quarantine to be a violation of aspects of French liberties. (Euronews)
LGBT organizations and Amnesty International ask Hong Kong to release detained activist Jimmy Sham, who has been repeatedly denied bail since his arrest in February. Amnesty says that Sham has been held in prison “simply for speaking out for his community and LGBTQIA+ rights in Hong Kong.” These organizations also warned of Sham’s upcoming trial along with 46 others where he could face many more years in prison for “subversion.” (Star Observer)
A court in Ghana drops a case against 21 LGBT activists who were arrested in May. The 16 women and five men were arrested at a hotel in the Volta Region for an alleged unlawful assembly, of which the court said that there was not enough evidence to prove the charges. The other charges were dismissed, as promoting LGBT rights is not a crime in Ghana. (Reuters)
Hillsong Church founder Brian Houston is charged by the New South Wales Police Force with concealing information regarding child sexual abuse within the Church. (The Guardian)
Six members of a paramilitary force in Sudan are sentenced to death for their involvement in the killing of six people during a 2019 protest in El-Obeid. (Al Jazeera English)
Seven men are jailed at Preston Crown Court, Lancashire for the 2020 drive-by murder of Aya Hachem in Blackburn, Lancashire. (BBC News)
President of Mexico Andrés Manuel López Obrador announces that the country would host talks between the Venezuelan government of Nicolás Maduro and the opposition. (Reuters)
Hardline cleric Ebrahim Raisi is sworn-in as the eighth President of Iran after being approved by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Raisi has promised to end US sanctions and work for the vital oil sector of Iran, which has been affected by the sanctions. (Deutsche Welle)
Apple Inc. announces that it will begin to continuously scan its smartphone and tablet devices for child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Before an image is stored on the iCloud, the new system will search for matches of already known CSAM. The company claims the system has an “extremely high level of accuracy”, and will be included in iOS and iPadOS updates later this year. (BBC News)
WHO urges moratorium on coronavirus booster shots The World Health Organization on Wednesday called for a temporary moratorium on coronavirus booster shots for fully vaccinated people in wealthy countries until low-income nations can get enough doses to cover their health workers and vulnerable older adults. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said countries with abundant vaccine stockpiles should wait at least until the end of September to start offering booster shots. “I understand the concern of all governments to protect their people from the Delta variant,” the WHO leader said. “But we cannot and we should not accept countries that have already used most of the global supply of vaccine using even more of it while the world’s most vulnerable people remain unprotected.” STAT NEWS
Florida school districts impose mask mandates, defying DeSantis Several Florida school districts this week moved to require students to wear face coverings when schools reopen, defying Gov. Ron DeSantis’ (R) executive order barring schools from imposing mask mandates. On Wednesday, Leon County — home to Tallahassee — said it wants to enact a mandatory mask rule for kids in pre-kindergarten through the eighth grade. Broward County School District announced it will keep its mask mandate, reversing an earlier statement that it would comply with DeSantis’ order. On Tuesday, the School Board of Alachua County voted to require students to wear masks during the first two weeks of school. Florida has seen record numbers of daily infections and hospitalizations in the past week. POLITICO
Mexico sues U.S. gun manufacturers over flow of illegal weapons The Mexican government on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against U.S.-based gun manufacturers Smith & Wesson, Barrett Firearms Manufacturing, Beretta USA, Glock, and Colt’s Manufacturing Co. over the flow of illegal weapons into Mexico. The complaint, filed in Boston federal court, accuses the companies of lax controls and requests unspecified financial compensation. Mexican authorities say the roughly 2.5 million U.S. guns illegally transported into Mexico in the last decade have fueled a sharp rise in murders there. Mexico strictly regulates gun sales. “If we don’t file a suit like this and win it, they’re never going to understand,” Mexico’s foreign minister, Marcelo Ebrard, said. The companies did not immediately respond, but the National Shooting Sports Foundation, a trade association, rejected allegations of negligence. THE WASHINGTON POST
Landlords challenge Biden administration’s new eviction moratorium Lawyers for a group of landlords and real estate companies on Wednesday asked a federal judge in Washington to block the Biden administration’s new, two-month eviction moratorium. The new ban was announced Tuesday after President Biden faced a backlash from fellow Democrats for letting the previous policy expire over the weekend. It protects tenants from eviction for failure to pay rent in areas with high or substantial coronavirus infection rates, which covers 90 percent of U.S. renters. In the legal challenge, which was expected, lawyers for the landlords argue that the new moratorium is essentially an extension of the “same unlawful ban on evictions that has been in effect since September 2020.” CNN
Police officer killed outside Pentagon identified The Defense Department on Wednesday identified the police officer fatally stabbed at a transit hub outside the Pentagon on Tuesday as George Gonzalez, an Army veteran. A man exited a bus at the transit center and attacked Gonzalez without provocation, then shot himself with Gonzalez’s service weapon, the FBI said. Other police officers then engaged the suspect, who died at the scene. Gonzalez joined the force in July 2018, and received the Army Commendation Medal for his service in Iraq, according to a statement released Wednesday. A neighbor of the late suspect, 27-year-old Austin William Lanz of Georgia, said Lanz had recently behaved menacingly and harassed people around him. “I wish there was a better way to address those mental health issues that people have,” said Phillip Brent, whose backyard abutted Lanz’s. POLITICO
ADP data shows companies added fewer jobs than expected in July U.S. companies added 330,000 jobs last month, down from a revised 680,000 gain in June, according to ADP Research Institute data released Wednesday. The increase was the smallest since February. It fell far short of the 690,000 gain economists had expected. The broad hiring slowdown was particularly sharp in the leisure and hospitality industry, which suffered severely from coronavirus shutdowns. “July payroll data reports a marked slowdown from the second quarter pace in jobs growth,” Nela Richardson, ADP’s chief economist, said in a statement. “Bottlenecks in hiring continue to hold back stronger gains, particularly in light of new COVID-19 concerns tied to viral variants.” The data came ahead of the government’s Friday July jobs report, which is expected to show a gain of 718,000 jobs.BLOOMBERG
10 die when van carrying migrants crashes in Texas At least 10 people were killed Wednesday when an overloaded van carrying 29 migrants crashed in South Texas. Another 20 people were injured, all seriously or critically, authorities said. The van, which was designed to carry 15 passengers, slammed into a metal utility pole and a stop sign as the driver veered off a remote stretch of U.S. 281 in Encino, a community of about 140 residents two miles south of the Falfurrias Border Patrol checkpoint. Authorities said the top-heavy van was speeding. Brooks County Sheriff Urbino “Benny” Martinez said the van was not being pursued when it crashed. A surge in migrants trying to cross the U.S.-Mexico border has resulted in a rise in crashes involving migrants who have paid to be smuggled into the United States. USA TODAY
Wednesday, August 4th, 2021
Oman says the hijacking of the Asphalt Princess, a Panama-flagged ship, is over. The United Kingdom also confirms this report. The vessel was hijacked yesterday in the Arabian Sea in as-of-yet undetermined circumstances amidst rising tensions between some nations and Iran. (Reuters)
The Chinese immigration authority suspends the issuing of ordinary passports and other documents needed for exiting the country for “non-essential and non-emergency” reasons as the country restricts overseas travel in order to prevent the spread of the Delta variant. (Radio France Internationale)
The British government announces that France will be removed from England’s “amber plus” category, meaning that fully-vaccinated travellers will no longer need to quarantine. Additionally, seven other countries will be added to the “green list” category. These changes will be in effect beginning August 8 at 4:00 a.m. (ITV News)
Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker issues a vaccine mandate for healthcare workers, as well as a mask mandate for schools and indoor sporting events. (Patch)
Oregon Governor Kate Brown announces that healthcare workers will be required to receive the COVID-19 vaccine or otherwise undergo testing. (Portland Tribune)
New Zealand surpasses two million doses of COVID-19 vaccine administrations, with almost 770,000 people having been fully vaccinated. (The New Zealand Herald)
Brazil surpasses 20 million COVID-19 cases. (Al Arabiya English)
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide surpasses 200 million. (The New York Times)
The trial of Maria Kalesnikava, one of the main organizers of the anti-Lukashenko protests, opens in Minsk. Kalesnikava faces up to 12 years of imprisonment if she is found guilty on charges of extremism. (BBC News)
The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games confirms the first COVID-19 cluster infection since the Games began, after four athletes and one team official from the Greek artistic swimming group test positive. The five individuals, in addition to the seven other members of the team who tested negative, were moved away from the Olympic village and isolated. (United Press International)
CDC announces new, targeted eviction moratorium The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday announced a new eviction moratorium covering areas with high coronavirus transmission rates. The policy will last 60 days. Many progressive Democrats in Congress harshly criticized President Biden for letting the original moratorium expire on Saturday, although Biden said a June Supreme Court decision required action from Congress to extend the ban. The new eviction freeze affects counties where the CDC has recommended that even vaccinated people wear masks indoors. The areas covered are home to 90 percent of the U.S. population. Biden acknowledged that even a limited freeze could face court challenges, but the legal process would provide time to get emergency assistance to millions of people in danger of losing their homes. CNN
Pentagon police officer fatally stabbed A Pentagon police officer died Tuesday after being stabbed at the Pentagon Transit Center, a bus and subway hub. A suspect was fatally shot by law enforcement officers. The violence prompted a temporary lockdown at the Pentagon, the U.S. military headquarters. Defense Department and law enforcement officials did not immediately release many details about the attack. Chief Woodrow Kusse said the officer was attacked on a bus platform outside the building. “Gunfire was exchanged and there were several casualties,” he said. Kusse also said investigators were “not actively looking for another suspect at this time.” Kusse declined to release the name of the officer who was killed. CNN
DeSantis sticks with anti-mask-mandate policy despite Florida COVID surge Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) doubled down on his opposition to mask and vaccine mandates on Tuesday, despite record new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in the state. Florida had 11,515 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 on Tuesday, setting a record for the third straight day. The figure was just 1,000 in June. DeSantis said the number of people in hospitals for COVID treatment was expected to drop in coming weeks. He blamed the surge of infections on hot weather that has forced Floridians inside, rather than insufficient mask-wearing and vaccinations. President Biden criticized DeSantis and other officials resisting new mask mandates. “If you’re not going to help,” Biden said, “at least get out of the way of people trying to do the right thing.” THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Biden administration to vaccinate migrants at border facilities The Biden administration plans to start offering coronavirus vaccines to migrants in U.S. custody along the Mexico border, The Washington Post reported Tuesday, citing two Department of Homeland Security officials knowledgeable about the plan. The migrants reportedly will get the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, avoiding the difficulty of arranging a second shot. DHS plans to vaccinate people soon after they cross the border, as they await processing by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Those facing deportation will be offered the vaccine, as will those likely to be released into the United States pending their court hearings. Only a limited number of migrants have been vaccinated in long-term holding facilities. THE WASHINGTON POST
NYC to require proof of vaccination for dining indoors New York City plans to start requiring people to prove they have have received at least one coronavirus-vaccine dose to eat indoors at a restaurant, enter a gym, or go to a theater. The new program, called “Key to NYC Pass,” will start on a voluntary basis on Aug. 16, with enforcement beginning in mid-September. People will be able to show their vaccine status using a paper CDC vaccine card or an existing vaccine passport app. The program is the first such vaccine mandate in a major city. “The goal here is to convince everyone that this is the time. We’re going to stop the Delta variant,” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a Tuesday news conference. “That means getting vaccinated right now.” VOX
Senate approves highest honor for officers’ response to Jan. 6 attack The Senate on Tuesday passed legislation seeking to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Capitol Police and other law enforcement officers who defended the Capitol against the deadly Jan. 6 attack by a mob of former President Donald Trump’s supporters. The vote was unanimous. The bill goes next to President Biden, who is expected to sign it. The proposal to award the officers the legislative branch’s highest honor calls for striking four medals to go to the Capitol Police, the Washington, D.C., police department, the Architect of the Capitol, and the Smithsonian Institution. One Capitol Police officer, Brian Sicknick, died shortly after a clash with rioters. Four others have since committed suicide. THE WASHINGTON POST
Dixie Fire ‘explosive growth’ forces more evacuations The huge Dixie Fire in Northern California renewed its rapid expansion this week, forcing the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office to order a fresh round of evacuations covering the Lake Almanor area on Tuesday. “Firefighters worked through the night to protect structures in the Greenville area after the explosive fire growth experienced during late afternoon yesterday,” Cal Fire reported Tuesday, warning that “dry, hot, and windy conditions” were expected to lead to more “active fire behavior.” More than 5,100 firefighters are working to contain the blaze, which started July 14 in the burn scar of the deadly 2018 Camp Creek fire. As of early Tuesday, the Dixie Fire had burned 253,052 acres, making it the 11th largest in state history with the flames just 35 percent contained. SACRAMENTO BEE
Missouri governor pardons St. Louis couple who waved guns at protesters Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) has pardoned a St. Louis couple — lawyers Patricia and Mark McCloskey — who pleaded guilty a month ago to misdemeanor charges for pointing guns at Black Lives Matter protesters outside their house last year. The McCloskeys were on a list released Tuesday naming 12 people who had been granted pardons. The couple brandished guns outside their home after a group of demonstrators entered their gated community to get to the mayor’s house to protest police brutality. The McCloskeys said they were protecting their property after demonstrators damaged a gate and defied a no-trespassing sign. Patricia McCloskey was fined $2,000 after pleading guilty to second-degree harassment. Mark McCloskey was fined $750 after pleading guilty to fourth-degree assault. THE HILL
Ex-coal lobbyist endorsed by Trump wins Ohio primary Former coal lobbyist Mike Carey won the Tuesday Republican primary for a vacant House seat in Ohio. Carey, who had the backing of former President Donald Trump, dominated a crowded field with 36 percent of the vote when The Associated Press called the race. Bob Peterson was in second with 14 percent. The vote was seen as a test case for Trump’s influence with Republican voters after another candidate he endorsed lost a special election for a Texas congressional seat last week. After last week’s election, Trump ramped up his support of Carey, holding a last-minute tele-rally for him on Monday. A pro-Trump PAC added more than $350,000 in digital campaign ads in the last week, more than Carey and most of his opponents had spent on their campaigns by mid-July. POLITICO
Tuesday, August 3rd, 2021
Taliban gunmen and a suicide car bomber attack Kabul. Thirteen people, including five attackers, are killed. (The Independent)
Chinese authorities announce city-wide COVID-19 testing for 11 million people in Wuhan after the first locally transmitted cases since May 2020 were reported in the city, where three cases that had been found were of the highly-transmissible Lineage B.1.617 Delta variant. (The Daily Telegraph)
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announces that the city will issue a vaccine mandate for indoor dining, gyms, and public performances, making New York City the first U.S. city to do so. The program will begin on August 16 and will be enforceable beginning on September 13. (The New York Times)
Utah Governor Spencer Cox announces that Utah will offer K95 and KN95 masks to students during the fall semester. (KTVX)
The United Kingdom reports 138 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, which is the highest single-day death toll since March 17. (ITV News)
Saudi foreign minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud says that he “sees an emboldened Iran acting in a negative manner around the Middle East, endangering shipping, arming the Houthis and contributing to a political deadlock in Lebanon“. Al Saud further stated that Saudi Arabia supports any talks with Iran “as long as it ensures that Iran will not now nor ever get nuclear weapons”. (Reuters)
Sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya loses a bid to continue competing in the games as she was granted an humanitarian visa by Poland while the International Olympic Committee begins an investigation. Tsimanouskaya, who refused to fly back to Belarus, entered the Polish embassy in Tokyo on Sunday and requested temporary asylum in Japan. Japanese foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi assured Tsimanouskaya that Japan had taken measures to protect her. (Deutsche Welle)
A Pentagon police officer is fatally stabbed in an apparently random attack outside the Pentagon building. The attacker then fatally shoots himself with the officer’s weapon, while a civilian bystander is wounded. (CBS News)
A court in Russia sentences Lyubov Sobol, an ally of Alexei Navalny, to eighteen months of parole-like restrictions after finding her guilty of violations of COVID-19 restrictions. She rejects the convictions, calling them politically motivated and nonsense. (Reuters)
Amid an unprecedented heatwave, Greece records its highest-ever temperature of 46.3°C (115.3 °F) in Makrakomi, Phthiotis, according to the National Observatory of Athens. (Greek Reporter)
The Hellenic Olympic Committee withdraws its entire synchronized swimming team from the duo and group artistic swimming competitions after four of the team’s athletes tested positive for COVID-19. (NPR)
U.S. reaches Biden vaccination goal a month late The United States on Monday reached President Biden’s goal of getting 70 percent of American adults at least one coronavirus vaccine shot, but it hit the milestone a month later than Biden had hoped. The news came as a surge of new infections driven by the virulent Delta variant has filled hospitals, particularly in states with low vaccination rates. The latest outbreak has prompted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to urge people to wear masks indoors. Louisiana reinstituted a mask mandate for indoor public places, even for the fully vaccinated. Florida has set records for new cases and hospitalizations in recent days. “As quickly as we can discharge them they’re coming in and they’re coming in very sick,” said Dr. Sergio Segarra, chief medical officer of Baptist Hospital Miami. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
2 more officers who responded to Capitol attack die by suicide Two more police officers who helped defend the Capitol against the deadly Jan. 6 attack by a mob of former President Donald Trump’s supporters have committed suicide, Washington, D.C., police said Monday. With the deaths of Metropolitan Police officers Gunther Hashida and Kyle DeFreytag, four officers who responded to the insurrection have now died by suicide. DeFreytag’s body was discovered July 10. Hashida, a member of the force’s Emergency Response Team, was found dead in his home Thursday. “Officer Hashida was a hero, who risked his life to save our Capitol, the congressional community and our very democracy,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said in a statement. “All Americans are indebted to him for his great valor and patriotism.” NBC NEWS
Breyer rejects Maine church’s challenge of state COVID restrictions Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer on Monday turned away a Maine church’s challenge of the state’s reinstatement of COVID-19 restrictions in response to a surge of infections driven by the virulent Delta variant. Lawyers for the Calvary Chapel of Bangor, Maine, argued in the petition that the “so-called Delta variant of the coronavirus and the threat of an unconstitutionally motivated restriction” hangs over the church “like a sword of Damocles.” Breyer declined to refer the case to the full court without comment, suggesting that the justices are not interested in stepping in to block efforts to fight the pandemic despite having entertained similar disputes and often sided with houses of worship. CNN
Germany sets trial date for 100-year-old former Nazi guard A German court on Monday set an October trial date for a 100-year-old man accused of 3,518 counts of accessory to murder connected to his alleged service as a Nazi SS guard at a Berlin-area concentration camp in the state of Neuruppin during World War II. His alleged crimes include complicity in executions by firing squad and poison gas. The suspect’s name was not released due to German privacy laws. Prosecutors say the defendant worked at the Sachsenhausen concentration camp between 1942 and 1945. Iris le Claire, spokeswoman for the Neuruppin state court, said that despite the man’s advanced age, “A medical evaluation confirms that he is fit to stand trial in a limited way.” More than 200,000 people were held at the camp over nearly a decade, and tens of thousands died of starvation, disease, forced labor, and execution. BBC NEWS
Ohio special election provides 2nd test of Trump influence Eleven candidates are competing in a Tuesday GOP primary to fill an Ohio congressional seat in what will be the latest test of former President Donald Trump’s influence over Republican voters. Trump is backing coal lobbyist Mike Cary in the special election. He hosted a get-out-the-vote tele-rally for Carey on Monday night. A super PAC operated by Trump allies last week bought $350,000 in text messages and other ads to support Carey. Trump’s clout was questioned after Susan Wright, whom he backed in a special congressional election to replace her late husband in Texas last week, lost to a state Republican lawmaker. THE WASHINGTON POST
Yellen urges lawmakers to raise debt ceiling Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen sent a letter to lawmakers on Monday urging them to “protect the full faith and credit of the United States” by raising or suspending the U.S. debt ceiling. Yellen previously had asked Congress to settle the matter by Aug. 2, Monday. In the letter, Yellen notified congressional leaders that the Treasury Department had begun using “extraordinary measures” — or emergency cash conservation steps — to keep from breaching the federal borrowing limit after it went back into effect over the weekend. “As I stated in my July 23 letter, the period of time that extraordinary measures may last is subject to heightened uncertainty related to the economic impact of the pandemic,” Yellen wrote, saying Congress should act “as soon as possible.” CNBC
Norway’s Warholm smashes 400-meter hurdles record in historic race Karsten Warholm of Norway shattered his own 400-meter hurdles world record on Tuesday, winning Olympic gold in 45.94 seconds. That was .76 seconds faster than his previous mark, an astonishing margin. Rai Benjamin of the United States obliterated Warholm’s old record of 46.7 seconds, too, winning the silver medal with a time of 46.17 in what shocked sports analysts described as one of the greatest Olympic races of all time. Brazil’s Alison dos Santos finished third in 46.72, posting the fourth fastest time in the event ever. He was one of six runners in the eight-man final who set a world, continent, or national record. Benjamin said he never imagined he could run so fast and lose. “I’m happy to be part of history,” he said. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Simone Biles wins Olympic bronze in balance beam finals Gymnast Simone Biles won the bronze medal in the individual balance beam finals on Tuesday at the Tokyo Olympics. With a score of 14.000, she came in behind Chinese gymnasts Guan Chenchen (gold) and Tang Xijing (silver). Biles, considered the greatest gymnast of all time, has now won seven Olympic medals, tying Shannon Miller’s record as the most decorated U.S. Olympic gymnast. She qualified for six events in Tokyo, but she competed in just one. Biles, 24, has previously dismounted from the beam with a double-twisting double backflip that bears her name, but on Tuesday she landed a double pike. She withdrew from the other individual events and the team competition to focus on her mental health after suffering from what gymnasts call “the twisties.” TODAY
Monday, August 2nd, 2021
President Ashraf Ghani blames the worsening security situation in Afghanistan on the sudden withdrawal of U.S. troops amid a rapid advance of the Taliban across the country. Ghani warns that the Islamist group has not severed ties with other terrorist groups. The Taliban rejects Ghani’s statement. (Reuters)
According to Ethiopian refugees and Sudanese witnesses, at least 30 bodies have washed up on the Sudanese banks of the Tekeze River. Most of them had been shot and tied up. According to Dr. Tewodros Tefera, a surgeon who escaped from the Ethiopian border town of Humera, three of the bodies belonged to Tigrayans from Humera. (Reuters)
The death toll from the severe floods that are affecting Henan, China, increases to 302 people. (BBC News)
German health minister Jens Spahn and leaders of 16 states agree to offer booster shots of the COVID-19 vaccine for elderly and at-risk groups beginning in September and make vaccinations widely available for children between the ages of 12 and 17 years old amid concerns about “reduced immune response” due to the spread of the Delta variant. (Al Jazeera English)
Chief Executive Carrie Lam announces mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for civil servants, healthcare workers, care home employees and school teachers. Otherwise, these people would have to pay for regular testing. Currently, only 36% of people in Hong Kong are fully vaccinated whereas 46% of people have received at least one dose. (France 24)
Chiba, Kanagawa, Osaka, and Saitama prefectures enter a state of emergency due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases during the 2020 Summer Olympics. A quasi-stateofemergencyisalsobeingimposedin Hokkaido, Ishikawa, Kyoto, Hyogo and Fukuoka prefectures with both measures being in effect until August 31. (Kyodo News)
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy issues a vaccine mandate for healthcare workers. A deadline has been issued by September 7. (CNBC)
The U.S. CDC announces that over 70% of adults in the United States have received a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, nearly a month after the July 4th target originally set by President Joe Biden. (CBS News)
Health officials in San Francisco and other Bay Area counties reimpose a mask mandate in the area as part of an effort to reduce the spread of the Lineage B.1.617 Delta variant. (SFGate)
Belarusian sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya enters the Polish embassy in Tokyo after refusing to board a flight to Belarus at Haneda Airport and asking for Japanese police protection. Her husband has left Belarus and entered Ukraine. The Japanese government says that it will take measures to protect Tsimanouskaya’s stay as multiple European countries offer her asylum. (Sky News)
Police in Hong Kong arrest singer Anthony Wong Yiu-ming for violating campaign laws in 2018. (The New York Times)
Indonesian Badminton players Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu win the country’s first gold medal for the Women’s Doubles category of badminton. This makes Indonesia the second country, after China, to have won a gold medal in all five categories of Badminton. (South China Morning Post)
The End
artificial stupid 