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Showing posts from April, 2020

Quiz of the Week: On UFOs, lockdown loosening and more

How closely have you been paying attention to what's been going on during the past seven days? from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3f9jldJ

Africa's week in pictures: 24 - 30 April 2020

A selection of the week's best photos from across the continent and beyond. from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2y6KoGh

Coronavirus in Ghana: Online funerals, face masks and elections without rallies

Ghana is well known for its elaborate funerals and rowdy election campaigns so coronavirus is changing everything. from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3f60K2r

Coronavirus: 'I'm being penalised because I took maternity leave'

Self-employed women say they are missing out on government support as they've recently taken leave. from BBC News - Business https://ift.tt/2xmPkGo

Debt warning over car finance payment holidays

Families say they have been trying for six weeks to secure a lockdown car finance payment holiday. from BBC News - Business https://ift.tt/3bUgdjY

Senate Democrat says Republican leader's plan to resume work puts lives in danger

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A U.S. Senate Democrat on Wednesday accused Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of endangering the lives of Senate staff if he brings them back to work next week without effective safeguards against coronavirus infection in place. Senator Chris Van Hollen, whose state of Maryland contains several suburbs of Washington where federal workers live, said he had written to McConnell to demand details of how staff will be protected when the Senate returns to session on Monday. "I am ready to see senators resume work in the Capitol, but without effective safeguards in place, Mitch McConnell is endangering the lives of the staff who work there – including many of my constituents – and undermining regional efforts to prevent the spread of the coronavirus," Van Hollen said in a statement. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2VLUyoG

One dead, five missing after Canadian helicopter goes missing during NATO exercise

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Canadian prime Minister Jusin Trudeau has confirmed that one man has died and five others are missing after a Canadian military helicopter went missing during a NATO operation. Debris and the aircraft's black box have been found in the sea between Greece and Italy, a Greek military officer and public television said Thursday. Canada's armed forces said the helicopter had been involved in an accident after taking off from the Canadian frigate Fredericton on Wednesday. "Debris has been found in Italy's zone of control and intervention" in the Ionian Sea, the Greek military officer told AFP, specifying the wreckage belonged to the Canadian helicopter. Six crew were aboard the helicopter when it disappeared, the officer said on condition of anonymity. Greek public television reported that a body had been found amid the wreckage in international waters off the Greek island of Kefalonia. Greek public television ERT said Italian and NATO vessels were also taking part in

Philippines rejects China's territorial label on island

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The Philippines protested on Thursday China’s designation of a disputed South China Sea reef, which it has turned into a heavily fortified island base, as a Chinese “administrative center.” The Department of Foreign Affairs issued a statement objecting to what it called China’s “illegal designation” of Fiery Cross Reef as a regional administrative center in the hotly contested Spratly archipelago. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused China last week of taking advantage of widespread distraction over the pandemic to advance its territorial claims. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/3bOryCa

Cuban embassy in Washington struck by gunfire, suspect arrested

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A man armed with a high-powered assault rifle fired multiple rounds at the Cuban embassy in Washington early Thursday, authorities said, damaging the building but without causing any injuries. Police arrested the suspect, identified as 42-year-old Alexander Alazo of Aubrey, Texas. "This morning at approximately 2:15 am, US Secret Service officers responded to the Embassy of Cuba following reports of shots fired," the Secret Service said in a statement. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/35hW0SG

‘Women’s Groups’ Sat on Letter Urging Biden to Address Reade Allegation after Campaign Intervened

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A coalition of national women's advocacy groups drafted a letter urging Joe Biden to address sexual-assault claims by former staffer Tara Reade, but decided against releasing the letter publicly after the Biden campaign learned of the efforts, the New York Times reported on Wednesday.Instead, the unspecified groups decided to work with Biden advisers to try to pressure the campaign to address the allegations before the end of April, which is designated Sexual Assault Awareness Month.“Vice President Biden has the opportunity, right now, to model how to take serious allegations seriously,” the letter read. “The weight of our expectations matches the magnitude of the office he seeks.”As of April 30, a campaign spokesman has denied the allegations but Biden himself has not spoken about them on the record. The campaign circulated talking points to surrogates advising them to say the alleged incident with Reade “did not happen,” BuzzFeed reported on Tuesday.“It’s difficult for survivors

Inmates at Parchman's Unit 29 describe life inside notorious cellblock

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Four inmates at the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman spoke to CBS News in recent days, expressing frustration as they wait to be relocated from the state's oldest prison. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2w4KyfT

A NYC coronavirus patient died after inexperienced medical residents set her ventilator too high and it stopped her heart

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The incident happened at Montefiore hospital in the Bronx in March, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2VO1ilV

Satellite images reveal Kim Jong-un may be at luxury family villa

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New satellite images showing the recent movements of luxury boats by Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, have provided further indications that he may be ensconced in his seaside villa in Wonsan, on the country’s east coast. The location of the reclusive leader has been a mystery since his unprecedented no-show at April 15 events to mark the birthday of his late grandfather and North Korea’s founder, Kim Il Sung. His absence, for the first time since he took power in 2011, unleashed a torrent of speculation about his health conditions, with unverified and conflicting reports claiming he was both recuperating from cardiovascular surgery and in “grave danger.” On Tuesday, commercial satellite imagery obtained by North Korea-monitoring website NK PRO showed boats often used by Kim had made movements in patterns that suggested he or his entourage may be in the Wonsan area. “Extensive analysis shows that similar leisure boat movements at an exclusive villa in Wonsan and a nearby island ne

Pompeo criticizes S.Africa, Qatar for taking Cuban doctors

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US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday criticized South Africa and Qatar for accepting doctors from Cuba to battle the coronavirus, accusing the communist island of profiting from the pandemic. Cuba's globe-trotting doctors have long been a source of diplomatic soft power and pride for Havana, but Washington says the medical workers only benefit the government and has encouraged them to defect. "We've noticed how the regime in Havana has taken advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to continue its exploitation of Cuban medical workers," Pompeo told reporters. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/35fPzj7

Most of U.S. House urges more diplomacy at U.N. to renew Iran arms embargo: sources

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Nearly 90% of U.S. House of Representatives members have signed a letter urging the Trump administration to increase its diplomatic action at the United Nations to renew an arms embargo on Iran, congressional sources said on Thursday. In a rare show of bipartisanship, at least 382 of the 429 members of the Democratic-controlled House - Democrats and Republicans - have signed the letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urging him to work with U.S. allies and partners to extend the embargo, as well as U.N. travel restrictions on Iranians involved with arms proliferation. "The U.N. arms embargo is set to expire in October, and we are concerned that the ban's expiration will lead to more states buying and selling weapons to and from Iran," said the letter, seen by Reuters and led by Representatives Eliot Engel, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Mike McCaul, the committee's top Republican. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt

80,000 cruise workers are still stuck aboard ships in US waters. Staff members say it's 'embarrassing' they're not allowed to disembark.

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Up to 80,000 crew members are stuck on 120 cruise ships on US waters, and it's unclear when they'll touch land again. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/35rWiqo

30 Easy Side Dishes For Lasagna

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2zMm3WA

FDA reportedly plans to authorize emergency use of largely untested drug to treat coronavirus

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The Food and Drug Administration will authorize the emergency use of the antiviral remdesivir on COVID-19 patients as soon as Wednesday, a senior administration official told The New York Times. Pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences revealed promising study results involving remdesivir on Wednesday, but the FDA's reported move would still sidestep the usual testing required to authorize a drug's usage.Gilead said Wednesday that its own trial, as well one overseen by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, met its goals. Of the study's 397 severe COVID-19 patients, at least 50 percent of patients treated with a 5-day dosage of remdesivir improved and more than half were discharged from the hospital within two weeks. The overall mortality rate of the study was 7 percent, and relatively few patients developed bad side effects. But the study wasn't evaluated against a control group, and it's unclear if those recoveries were natural or if remdesivir a

Satellite images of luxury boats further suggest North Korea's Kim at favoured villa: experts

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Satellite imagery showing recent movements of luxury boats often used by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his entourage near Wonsan provide further indications he has been at the coastal resort, according to experts who monitor the reclusive regime. Speculation about Kim's health and location erupted after his unprecedented absence from April 15 celebrations to mark the birthday of his late grandfather and North Korea's founder, Kim Il Sung. On Tuesday, North Korea-monitoring website NK PRO reported commercial satellite imagery showed boats often used by Kim had made movements in patterns that suggested he or his entourage may be in the Wonsan area. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/3aTqV9m

A first-round QB?! Inside Packers' gamble on Jordan Love and Aaron Rodgers

The Packers have been here before, but that doesn't make it any less complicated. Here's how they planned for the future while potentially straining a Hall of Fame present. from www.espn.com - TOP https://ift.tt/2yWxoTt

Dota 2's The International delayed due to pandemic

One of the biggest esports events of the year will be delayed due to the coronavirus. from www.espn.com - TOP https://ift.tt/3bUcXVM

Most of U.S. House urges more diplomacy at U.N. to renew Iran arms embargo: sources

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Nearly 90% of U.S. House of Representatives members have signed a letter urging the Trump administration to increase its diplomatic action at the United Nations to renew an arms embargo on Iran, congressional sources said on Thursday. from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/3f8uGuM

Rio beach vendor turns to home delivery to beat coronavirus lockdown

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In the beach food capital of the world, the coronavirus lockdown has been a killer for vendors who normally slog up and down crowded sands in the baking sun to sell anything from corn on the cob to kebabs, sushi and cocktails. from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2VS6XHN

Coronavirus kills 70 veterans at Massachusetts care home

Officials are investigating if residents received proper medical care at the Massachusetts home. from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2ybbegh

Irrfan Khan: The Bollywood star loved by Hollywood

Irrfan Khan's biographer, Aseem Chhabra, writes about the life of one of Bollywood's biggest stars. from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3eWGqQS

Coronavirus: Searching for truth behind Spain's care home tragedy

Families want to know why so many of their elderly relatives have died. from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2yZZBZt

Coronavirus: Japan's low testing rate raises questions

Japan's relatively low rate of virus testing raises questions about how it has tackled the pandemic. from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2KKoxXB

Training AI 'to translate mum's phone messages'

How African researchers are using the continent's languages to help spur innovation in Artificial Intelligence. from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2xkftpr

Staging a 'socially distanced' boxing match

Inside the Nicaraguan boxing event that caught the world's attention during the pandemic. from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3d3ojqW

Coronavirus: Why the fashion industry faces an 'existential crisis'

"No-one wants to buy clothes to sit at home in," as Next's chief executive Simon Wolfson puts it. from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2Wc9YBC

Coronavirus: Why so many US nurses are out of work

At a time when many healthcare workers are risking their lives, some face pay cuts and job loss. from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2VMxYMs

How will airlines get flying again?

When passenger planes start flying again, the world of air travel will be very different. from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3cXyT2s

LeBron backs primetime tribute for HS '20 class

LeBron James is helping to present a primetime special that will honor the high school class of 2020 with commencement addresses, celebrity cameos and more. from www.espn.com - NBA https://ift.tt/3d13Hzr

Coronavirus: What African countries are doing to help people to eat amid the lockdowns

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What African countries are doing to help people to eat amid the lockdowns. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2WhJmPN

Tara Reade: What are the sex attack allegations against Joe Biden?

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A former aide to the presidential candidate finds support for her sexual assault claim against him. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/3f1sVj2

Satellite images reveal Kim Jong-un may be at luxury family villa

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New satellite images showing the recent movements of luxury boats by Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, have provided further indications that he may be ensconced in his seaside villa in Wonsan, on the country’s east coast. The location of the reclusive leader has been a mystery since his unprecedented no-show at April 15 events to mark the birthday of his late grandfather and North Korea’s founder, Kim Il Sung. His absence, for the first time since he took power in 2011, unleashed a torrent of speculation about his health conditions, with unverified and conflicting reports claiming he was both recuperating from cardiovascular surgery and in “grave danger.” On Tuesday, commercial satellite imagery obtained by North Korea-monitoring website NK PRO showed boats often used by Kim had made movements in patterns that suggested he or his entourage may be in the Wonsan area. “Extensive analysis shows that similar leisure boat movements at an exclusive villa in Wonsan and a nearby island ne

China to convene Congress, showing confidence in virus fight

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China, taking a step toward a return to business as normal, announced Wednesday that its previously postponed national legislature session will be held in late May. The National People's Congress, delayed from early March because of the coronavirus outbreak, will start on May 22, the official Xinhua News Agency said. It wasn't immediately clear whether the 3,000 or so delegates would come to Beijing for what is the biggest political meeting of the year, or if it would be held virtually through videoconference. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/35gLISX

Footage shows Chicago police shooting unarmed man twice on subway escalator

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Video released by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability have shown the moment Chicago police shot an unarmed man twice at a subway station.The footage from the Chicago Transit Authority and police body-cams demonstrate in detail how the shooting of Ariel Roman took place on 28 February after he was pulled up for violating a city ordinance. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/35egM5E

Coronavirus: Mike Pence flouts rule on masks at hospital

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In a deleted tweet, the Mayo Clinic said the US vice-president had been told of their mask rules. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2WltCv9

US 'hasn't seen' North Korean leader Kim Jong-un recently, Mike Pompeo

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The US secretary of state's comments come after speculation the North Korean leader might be ill. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2Yg8clo

Israel marks its Independence Day under coronavirus lockdown

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Israelis celebrated their Independence Day at home Wednesday amid a nationwide lockdown aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. The national holiday, which honors the creation of Israel after the end of the British Mandate in 1948, is usually a festive occasion, with people heading to the beach, hosting barbecues and watching fireworks. The Israeli air force devoted its annual fly-by to health workers, with four planes crisscrossing the nation and performing aerial acrobatics over hospitals and medical centers. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/3aOO8Ju

The US is 'slightly' past its first peak, but expert says the pandemic is far from over

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Dr. Tom Inglesby said some states are experiencing a decline in cases, while half of the country is still seeing a rise in daily numbers. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2VM78nO

LeBron backs primetime tribute for HS '20 class

LeBron James is helping to present a primetime special that will honor the high school class of 2020 with commencement addresses, celebrity cameos and more. from www.espn.com - TOP https://ift.tt/3d13Hzr

Peru's leader says to propose comprehensive pension reform

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Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra on Wednesday rejected a bill approved by Congress earlier this month that would have let people withdraw up to 25% of their holdings in private pension funds and vowed to send a full pension reform plan to lawmakers. from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2W8hoFS

Irish government talks may drift into June: Fianna Fail leader

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The leader of one of the parties negotiating to form a new Irish government raised the prospect on Wednesday of talks drifting well into June, extending a months-long deadlock that has been overshadowed by the coronavirus pandemic. from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/3aPCNJt

Bad and going viral: UK charity highlights COVID-19 misinformation

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Internet and media companies should do more to tackle the spread of misinformation in Britain, independent fact-checking charity Full Fact said in a report on Thursday highlighting falsehoods that have spread during the coronavirus outbreak this year. from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/3cXx2e0

Jumia: The e-commerce start-up that fell from grace

Online retailer Jumia is struggling, a year after its debut on the New York Stock Exchange. from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2YbQ9gl

Coronavirus: Two million Bangladesh jobs 'at risk' as clothes orders dry up

Half of the four million garment industry jobs in Bangladesh could be lost as orders dry up. from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/35cMu3r

Coronavirus: Wild animals enjoy freedom of a quieter world

Lockdowns give parts of the natural world an opportunity to experience life with fewer humans around. from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2xlF7Ku

India coronavirus: The man giving dignified burial to Covid-19 victims

Abdul Malabari has taken on the task of burying those who died with the virus in one Indian city. from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3aNV0a9

Australia asks China to explain 'economic coercion' threat in coronavirus row

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/3aMeYBY

Erdogan defends Turkey religious chief's anti-gay sermon

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday defended a top religious official who claimed homosexuality caused diseases, corrupted people and was condemned in Islamic teaching. Ali Erbas, head of a state-funded agency called the Diyanet, which runs mosques and appoints imams, also claimed during his weekly sermon that homosexuality caused HIV. The Ankara bar association of lawyers accused him of inciting hatred against gay people while ignoring child abuse and misogyny. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/3aG6fS4

Supreme Court Dismisses NYC Gun Rights Case; Conservative Justices Dissent

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The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a case brought by three New York City handgun owners challenging a city regulation that prohibited gun owners from transporting their firearms outside the city.The court agreed to hear the case in December, but the city then amended the regulation to allow gun owners to bring firearms to other locations. The Supreme Court ruled 5-3 in an unsigned opinion that the case was moot because the city had amended its original regulation.Conservative justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Neil Gorsuch wrote in their dissent that the case should not have been dismissed."By incorrectly dismissing this case as moot, the Court permits our docket to be manipulated in a way that should not be countenanced," the justices wrote. Lawyers for the plaintiffs had argued that the case should not be dismissed because the city changed its regulation due to fears that the Supreme Court would use the case to restrict broader gun control measures.Gun rights ad

Hillary Clinton endorses Joe Biden: 'Think of what it would mean if we had a real president'

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Hillary Clinton joined former Vice President Joe Biden for a virtual town hall event on Tuesday to officially offer her endorsement.The former secretary of state and Democratic candidate for president was Biden's guest during a live stream on Tuesday focused on the coronavirus pandemic and its effect on women, and Biden introduced Clinton as the "woman who should be president of the United States right now.""Think of what it would mean if we had a real president, not just somebody who plays one on TV, but somebody who gets up every morning worried about the people that he's responsible for leading during this crisis," Clinton said after officially endorsing Biden.Biden, Clinton went on to say, "has been preparing for this moment his entire life," describing her experiences working with him during the Obama administration."I've been not only a colleague of Joe Biden's, I've been a friend, and I can tell you that I wish he were presi

Ignorance, fear, whispers: North Korean defectors say contacts in the dark about Kim

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Defectors from North Korea say many of their relatives and contacts were unaware of the international speculation over leader Kim Jong Un's health or were unwilling to discuss the issue in clandestine calls made from the South. Two defectors told Reuters their relatives in North Korea did not know that Kim has been missing from public view for almost two weeks, said they didn't want to discuss the issue, or abruptly hung up when the supreme leader was mentioned. Kim's health is a state secret in insular North Korea and speculation about him or his family can invite swift retribution. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2VHGPiE

Catholic Church angry after Italian government refuses to lift ban on religious services

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The Catholic Church in Italy is angry over the government’s refusal to allow the faithful to attend religious services, as the country edges towards a cautious relaxation of coronavirus lockdown rules. Under a new decree announced on Sunday night by the prime minister, businesses, factories and building sites will be allowed to restart on May 4 and people will be allowed out of their homes to exercise. Public parks will be reopened and children will be allowed out for fresh air and exercise, Giuseppe Conte said. But the government said churches and cathedrals would remain closed to congregations because there remained a high risk of the virus being spread. Elderly people are particularly vulnerable to Covid-19 and make up a high proportion of Italy’s dwindling churchgoers. "I understand that freedom of worship is a fundamental people's right," the prime minister said. "I understand your suffering. But we must continue discussing this further with the scientific commi

Trump news: President denies responsibility for people drinking bleach to fight coronavirus as tweetstorm branded ‘indecent and obscene’

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As the number of US coronavirus cases climbs above 1 million and the nation's death toll surpasses deaths from the Vietnam War, Donald Trump claims the country is "very close" to testing 5 million people daily, as he continues to pressure states and local governments to begin "reopening" as the economy flounders.The president also suggested during a briefing on Tuesday that states with financial deficits could be forced to give undocumented people in custody over to federal immigration authorities if they want financial relief in the wake of the public health crisis. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/3bLRv5g

Whitmer Says She and Biden Are Cut From ‘Similar Cloth’

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/3eXXRQX

The US is 'slightly' past its first peak, but expert says the pandemic is far from over

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Dr. Tom Inglesby said some states are experiencing a decline in cases, while half of the country is still seeing a rise in daily numbers. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2VM78nO

The EU rewrote a report detailing China's coronavirus 'disinformation' campaign following pressure from Beijing

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References to a Chinese campaign of "global disinformation" about the coronavirus were removed before publication. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2KA2z9T