| St. Louis Gun Couple: The White House and Federal Government Are on Our Side Posted: 17 Jul 2020 06:58 PM PDT  The St. Louis couple that gained notoriety after pointing loaded firearms at Black Lives Matter protesters passing by their home last month joined a Trump campaign event late Friday to recount the terror they experienced on that fateful day when demonstrators encroached on their sidewalks. They noted that they'd since gotten "support from the White House on down."Speaking to Kim Guilfoyle, campaign adviser and partner to Donald Trump, Jr. in a campaign livestream, Mark McCloskey echoed President Trump in painting a picture of a complete breakdown of law and order."I thought that within seconds we'd be overrun, they'd be in the house, they'd be setting fires, they'd be killing us," he said of the protesters marching past on their way to Mayor Lyda Krewson's home last month.The couple has insisted that a horde of protesters broke into the gated community where they live and bum rushed their home en masse, though surveillance footage does not back up that claim. "It's a real warzone," Mark McCloskey said of his neighborhood.The incident is now the subject of investigation by local authorities, who have sought unspecified warrants while weighing possible charges against the couple. "We have nothing to apologize for. We did nothing wrong," Mark McCloskey told Guilfoyle. When asked if she would do it again, Patricia McCloskey answered, "Of course."Bizarrely, Guilfoyle repeatedly insisted, without evidence, that protesters were "trying to burn down your house" and that the McCloskey's were defending themselves against "potentially death," echoing President Trump's own baseless claim made in support of the gun-toting couple. McCloskey spoke of a burning 7-11 store earlier in the interview."Apparently people are allowed to just burn down other people's homes, shoot people, kill people," Guilfoyle said.After claiming they were "on their own" when protesters marched through, McCloskey played down the scrutiny he and his wife have faced from local authorities following the incident. Acknowledging that police had recently executed a search warrant at their home, Mark Mcloskey insisted "they didn't want to have to do it," and said officers were "very apologetic" as they came to confiscate the weapons the two brandished at demonstrators. "Quite frankly, on the second event, when they came back to get us, we then had support from the White House on down. We had cooperation from the federal government, the state government, the local police. The police chief himself came out and met with my private security," he said.Trump has publicly defended the couple and gone so far as to declare that he will be "getting involved" in the case. St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner reportedly said earlier this week that Trump and Republican Missouri Gov. Mike Parson "came after her" for investigating the case. The couple also appeared to fully embrace the new role of gun-loving heroes foisted upon them by Guilfoyle, who called Patricia McCloskey "inspirational" for holding a loaded gun with her finger on the trigger that day, at times pointing it towards her husband. Asked what her message would be to other women, Patricia McCloskey said: "I think it's time that we not just stand behind the man that is going to have the gun." "Everybody's saying, 'Well I've never owned a gun before, but we've gotta do it now,'" Mark McCloskey said, adding that the seizure of the couple's weapons left them "defenseless." "So we're depending upon retained private security." Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Coronavirus: Florida sheriff releases footage of people flouting social distancing rules at large street party Posted: 19 Jul 2020 05:52 AM PDT  Police in Florida have released footage of a large street party which took place earlier this month, where attendees flouted social distancing guidance as coronavirus cases soared in the state.The Osceola County Sheriff's Office said it had broken up several parties at vacation rental homes in recent days, despite public health guidance in the state advising people to avoid large gatherings.
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| Cory Booker on the blessing and burden of knowing John Lewis Posted: 18 Jul 2020 03:53 PM PDT  Booker said he was feeling "deep grief" over Lewis's death at 80 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
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| Coronavirus: Zimbabwe arrests 100,000 for 'violations' of measures Posted: 19 Jul 2020 07:19 AM PDT  Police say people violated the measures but critics say the government is targeting the opposition.
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| UN agency: US-sought tanker 'hijacked' off UAE now in Iran Posted: 19 Jul 2020 12:16 AM PDT  A United Nations agency acknowledged Sunday that a U.S.-sought oil tanker "hijacked" off the coast of the United Arab Emirates after allegedly smuggling Iranian crude oil is back in Iranian waters. The International Labor Organization said that the MT Gulf Sky was hijacked July 5, citing its captain. "The vessel was taken to Iran," the ILO said.
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| 'It's not enough': Activists say Black Lives Matter murals are empty gesture Posted: 19 Jul 2020 04:00 AM PDT  In place of words painted on the street, organizers are calling for immediate policy changes.
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| Atlanta mayor says Georgia governor's actions are "simply bizarre" Posted: 19 Jul 2020 09:47 AM PDT  "This blame game is most unusual," Bottoms said.
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| Ten thousand march in Russian far east in support of detained governor Posted: 18 Jul 2020 04:45 AM PDT  At least 10,000 people marched in the Russian far eastern city of Khabarovsk on Saturday, demanding the release of a popular regional governor detained last week on suspicion of murder, in a second week of protests. Sergei Furgal, a member of the Liberal Democratic Party, was the governor of the Khabarovsk region where he swept to power in 2018 after defeating a rival from the ruling United Russia party that backs President Vladimir Putin.
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| Insurance companies turned 'police regulators' have been quietly shaping America's cities Posted: 19 Jul 2020 03:15 AM PDT  Across the nation, insurers have had surprising success "policing the police," ending risky behavior, ousting chiefs, even closing troubled departments.
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| Ohio governor who has refused to issue a statewide mask mandate warns the state 'could become Florida' Posted: 19 Jul 2020 01:06 PM PDT  DeWine on Sunday said Ohio is "now headed in the wrong direction, and frankly, I'm very, very concerned about that."
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| As the pandemic surges, Americans see travel horizons narrowing Posted: 19 Jul 2020 01:52 AM PDT  After months of working from home, stir-crazy Americans have finally reached the long, hot days of summer only to watch their vacation horizons dim, with travel options shrinking as the country's coronavirus cases soar. "All I've been doing this year is canceling trips," 61-year-old Keith Gibbons said with a sigh, a new reality that the government contractor called "very frustrating." Hawaii, for example, has ordered those arriving on the Pacific archipelago to self-quarantine for 14 days.
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| The city where George Floyd was killed has declared racism a public health emergency Posted: 18 Jul 2020 10:55 AM PDT  Minneapolis City Council approved a resolution Friday to help end racism and build "an active, anti-racist culture."
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| UK poised to suspend Hong Kong extradition treaty: British newspapers Posted: 19 Jul 2020 02:17 AM PDT  Britain will on Monday suspend its extradition treaty with Hong Kong in a further escalation of its dispute with China over the introduction of a security law in the former colony, British newspapers reported. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who on Sunday accused China of "gross" human rights violations, will announce the suspension of the treaty in parliament, the Times and Daily Telegraph newspapers said, citing sources. Britain's foreign office declined to comment.
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| Amid school reopening uncertainty, affluent parents hire private tutors Posted: 19 Jul 2020 01:41 AM PDT  As the schooling dilemma continues to daunt millions of parents, some with the means to front the steep costs are hiring private educators and tutors.
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| A woman was shot eight times after asking man to stop lighting illegal fireworks, report says Posted: 19 Jul 2020 09:37 AM PDT  Shatavia Walls was shot in Brooklyn, New York days after the July 4 holiday when she asked a man to stop setting off fireworks, police sources said Saturday.
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| Chicago protesters' attempt to tear down Christopher Columbus statue ends in violent clash with police Posted: 18 Jul 2020 12:55 PM PDT  Protesters reportedly threw cans and fireworks at officers, and police responded by attacking protesters with batons and pepper spray.
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| Trump moves campaign-style events to the White House as pandemic sidelines big rallies Posted: 18 Jul 2020 02:00 AM PDT  Trump's campaign-style rhetoric against Joe Biden is tearing down the wall separating official government functions and campaign events, analysts say.
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| Transcript: Colin Powell on "Face the Nation" Posted: 19 Jul 2020 08:12 AM PDT  The following is a transcript of an interview with Former Secretary of State Colin Powell that aired Sunday, July 19, 2020, on "Face the Nation."
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| Trump says Confederate flag proud symbol of the South Posted: 19 Jul 2020 09:12 AM PDT  President Trump would not say the Confederate flag was an offensive symbol in an interview broadcast on Sunday, saying it is a point of pride for people who love the South.
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| Assam flooding: Several rare rhinos die in India's Kaziranga park Posted: 19 Jul 2020 11:38 AM PDT  Eight one-horned rhinos have been killed after rains left 85% of the Kaziranga park under water.
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| China to offer more financial support for flood-hit areas Posted: 18 Jul 2020 10:01 AM PDT  China's banking and insurance regulator on Saturday announced measures to further increase credit and lending support and insurance protection for areas that suffered from recent floods. The China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC) said in a statement that financial institutions in the flood-hit areas cannot blindly withdraw, delay or cut credit lines to the companies who have good development prospects but whose operations were suspended by the floods. The regulator also encouraged financial institutions to lower lending rates appropriately and improve their loan extension policy to help relevant companies to tide over difficulties.
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| WHO reports record number of new coronavirus cases as death toll nears 600,000 Posted: 19 Jul 2020 05:40 AM PDT  United States, Brazil, South Africa and India, which has reached more than one million cases over the weekend, reported the biggest increases.
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| Editorial: L.A. Unified's new challenge: Getting students to show up for online classes Posted: 19 Jul 2020 05:00 AM PDT |
| Trump spent Friday evening mad online about a new tell-all book from his niece Mary Trump Posted: 17 Jul 2020 07:12 PM PDT  It is unclear how the president reconciles the claim that Mary Trump isn't telling the truth, and that she's saying things she promised not to reveal.
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| Texas Erases COVID Cases—and Fans Conspiracy Theory Flames Posted: 18 Jul 2020 02:16 AM PDT  HOUSTON–When health officials quietly removed nearly 3,500 COVID-19 cases from the official Texas total on Wednesday, it launched a deluge of conspiracy theories about inflated and unreliable data in the midst of a surging pandemic.The 3,484 removed cases were diagnosed using FDA-approved antigen tests. The FDA has said positive results from antigen tests are "highly accurate," and can be used to diagnose current COVID-19 infections. But state health officials pointed to the definition of a coronavirus case the CDC published in early April to explain why the cases were removed. "The case data on our website reflect confirmed cases, and cases identified by antigen testing are considered probable cases under the national case definition," said Chris Van Deusen, a spokesman for the Texas Department of State Health Services. Under that definition, the CDC only considers cases "confirmed" if they are diagnosed using a molecular, often called PCR, test. Cases that are detected using antigen tests are classified as "probable." If someone is diagnosed with an antigen test, Texas will not count their case among the state total.The removed cases were from Bexar County, which includes San Antonio. The city's mayor said Thursday that San Antonio was one of three cities in Texas that tracks antigen tests—and that the tests help local health officials "see the full picture" of COVID-19 in the area."The state wants an apples-to-apples comparison with all cities in their reports, so they're removing antigen counts," said Mayor Ron Nirenberg. "It now means the State of Texas will not be counting thousands of FDA-approved positive COVID-19 tests in their reports. That's troubling—to say the least."Houston Outbreak Has Residents Begging to Be Locked DownThe FDA approved the first COVID-19 antigen test in May. When you see a picture of COVID-19, you typically see a white ball with a bunch of red spikes coming off of it. A molecular (PCR) test looks for the virus's genetic material in the white ball. An antigen test looks for proteins that make up the red spikes."Each category of diagnostic test has its own unique role in the fight against this virus," according to the FDA. "PCR tests can be incredibly accurate, but running the tests and analyzing the results can take time. One of the main advantages of an antigen test is the speed of the test, which can provide results in minutes."While some jumped to the conclusion that the state's removal was proof the record-high case numbers in the state were inflated and the whole virus scare overblown, it actually suggests the opposite. In a state that's already struggling to keep up with testing demands and rising hospitalizations, Texas runs the risk of undercounting cases—and undermining trust—by not recognizing positive antigen test results, experts said. Dr. Sarah Bezek, assistant professor of emergency medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, said the most transparent way for the state to report cases would be to include data from each type of coronavirus test. "Just say, 'These are the number of positives from the PCR tests, these are the number of positives from the antigen tests, and these are the number of positives from the serological studies (antibody tests)," said Bezek, who works on the front line in Houston-area emergency departments. "That would be complete transparency of data."A positive antigen test result is reliable, Bezek argued. The two COVID-19 antigen tests the FDA has approved are very specific, meaning they can distinguish between COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses. The legit knock on antigen tests is that they are less sensitive than PCR tests, which means they return more false negatives. But Bezek pointed out that even PCR tests aren't 100 percent accurate, further hindering the ability of local health officials to conduct accurate contact tracing. Depending on how and when a PCR test is administered, it, too, can return a false negative."We have patients that are having negative test after negative test," Bezek said. "There's certain constellations of symptoms that, after you see enough patients with coronavirus, that when you see somebody who's testing negative you can say, 'Well, I'm pretty sure this is coronavirus.'"Those cases, she added, also aren't counted by the state. On Thursday, outrage over the case removals spread like wildfire online. But many of the responses weren't from people concerned about reduced disease surveillance. Instead, they were conspiracy theorists suggesting the removals somehow indicated the crisis was overblown. "It's all been a lie," one Twitter user said. "They locked us down and destroyed the economy on lies."Texas Sen. Ted Cruz got in on the action, sharing a misleading tweet suggesting that those 3,484 people whose cases were removed were never tested and that the San Antonio health department had made a mistake. Cruz added the comment, "Troubling."Local health officials were adamant that was not the case."Probable cases do not mean 'maybe' cases of COVID-19," said Colleen Bridger, interim director of San Antonio Metro Health. "Antigen tests are FDA-approved, and positive tests are highly accurate."Dr. Seema Yasmin, director of the Stanford Health Communication Initiative, said moving to erase the cases like Texas did was the "worst thing" they could've done in a climate where mistrust is soaring. "The last thing you need when you are seeing a surge is for people to suddenly think that the numbers are inaccurate and actually things aren't as tragic and as at-a-crisis-point as they really are," Yasmin said.Texas reported 10,256 new cases on Friday, and hit a new daily record for hospitalizations (10,632) and fatalities (174). According to the COVID Tracking Project at The Atlantic, many states report confirmed and probable cases in their state totals. The CDC did not respond to a request for comment about whether they planned to issue an updated guidance regarding counting positive antigen tests as confirmed rather than probable.Because antigen tests return more false negatives than molecular (PCR) tests, there's a good argument to be made for keeping molecular and antigen testing data separate so researchers can best determine the positivity rates of each (how often tests come back positive). Joseph Petrosino, chairman of the department of molecular virology and microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine, believes the data sets should be kept separate for the purposes of epidemiological research. "You want to compare apples to apples," Petrosino said. "SARS-CoV-2 tracking started with counting positive PCR tests. If additional testing methods of different levels of sensitivity are added, it can hinder tracing efforts and epidemiological studies such as where the virus is spreading the fastest and what individuals are at greater risk."Yasmin agrees that, behind the scenes, it makes sense to keep the two data sets separated. But when it comes to informing the public about infections, the total number of positive cases–diagnosed by molecular and antigen tests–should be reported, she argued."We make decisions about our lives and whether kids will go back to school or whether we will go to the grocery store often based on community transmission," Yasmin said. "You need that transparency of data. When it comes to antigen tests, they're a good indicator of if somebody is a case or not." Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Syrians vote for new parliament amid war, economic turmoil Posted: 18 Jul 2020 07:46 PM PDT  Syrians go to the polls Sunday to elect a new parliament as the Damascus government grapples with international sanctions and a crumbling economy after retaking large parts of the war-torn country. More than 7,400 polling stations will open at 7.30am (0430 GMT) in government-held parts of Syria, including for the first time in former opposition strongholds. President Bashar al-Assad's Baath party and its allies are expected to take most of parliament's 250 seats in the third such polls to be held since the war started nine years ago.
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| India coronavirus: 'Our neighbours made us Covid-19 pariahs' Posted: 19 Jul 2020 04:30 PM PDT  As the virus spreads across India, so do fear and stigma attached to the disease.
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| 85 children under age 2 tested positive for coronavirus in 1 Texas county, as U.S. sets new record Posted: 18 Jul 2020 02:25 PM PDT  The Nueces County health director said 85 children under age 2 have tested positive, including 52 under 1 year old. "These babies have not even had their first birthdays yet," she said.
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| Parents guide to online school: 9 questions to help vet your back-to-school choices Posted: 19 Jul 2020 09:26 AM PDT  Online school doesn't have to be bad. And parents can make it better. As your school plans virtual instruction, here's what to ask about quality.
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| Mystery surrounds identity of Ghislaine Maxwell’s ‘secret husband’ Posted: 18 Jul 2020 04:49 AM PDT  In the middle of a dramatic court hearing, conducted via videolink due to restrictions in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus, the revelation by prosecutors that Ghislaine Maxwell was married almost went unnoticed.The British socialite had not been seen in the year since the arrest of Jeffrey Epstein, with whom she was accused of conspiring to abuse minors. Finally, at a hearing to decide whether she would be freed on bail ahead of her trial, details about her life in hiding began to emerge.
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| Google's parent company is flying balloons with 'floating cell phone towers' across the ocean to bring internet to Kenya's Rift Valley Posted: 19 Jul 2020 05:56 AM PDT  Loon makes solar powered balloons that fly high up in the stratosphere and send internet access down to earth.
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| The number of Americans who trust Biden to handle the pandemic better than Trump is increasing Posted: 19 Jul 2020 04:57 AM PDT  Back at the end of March, when the coronavirus was first surging in the United States, polls showed Americans felt similarly about both likely presidential candidates' abilities to handle the pandemic. Three months later, that's changed, a new survey released from The Washington Post and ABC News finds.The poll, released Sunday, shows the presumptive Democratic nominee, former Vice President Joe Biden, holding a 20-point advantage over President Trump when it comes to which candidate voters trust more to deal with the pandemic. In March, the two were all but even, with Trump actually holding onto a slight advantage. The president is still seen as the better bet to manage the economy effectively, although his margin is shrinking there, as well.> NEW: Big swing in who Americans trust to handle the coronavirus:> > Biden now leads Trump by *20 points* 54-34 > —Was 45-43 in late Marchhttps://t.co/UIeuMIJbG9 pic.twitter.com/RhwD7ACLnv> > — Will Steakin (@wsteaks) July 19, 2020Overall, Biden has a 15-point lead over Trump among registered voters, up from a 10-point lead in May and a 2-point advantage in March. The Post notes that Trump's decline in support is concentrated in states that are experiencing larger coronavirus outbreaks at the moment, including Florida, Texas, Arizona, and Georgia.The Post/ABC News poll was conducted between July 12-15. A random national sample of 1,006 adults were surveyed over the phone. The margin of error is 3.5 percentage points. Read the full results here.More stories from theweek.com 7 ferociously funny cartoons about Trump's fight with Fauci Portland mayor says protests 'blew up like a powder keg' only after federal agents arrived China's growing belligerence
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| 13 shot and wounded at outdoor gathering in Peoria, Illinois Posted: 19 Jul 2020 09:25 AM PDT |
| Hong Kong security law sends jitters through city's feisty press Posted: 18 Jul 2020 07:56 PM PDT  Hong Kong's status as a bastion of press freedom is in crisis as authorities toughen their line against international media and fears grow about local self-censorship under the city's sweeping new security law. For decades the former British colony has been a shining light for journalists in Asia, lying on the fringes of an authoritarian China where the ruling Communist Party keeps a tight grip on public opinion. The civil liberties that have stewarded the city's success were promised to Hong Kongers for another 50 years under a deal that returned the trading hub to Chinese rule in 1997.
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| Letters to the Editor: Roger Stone's commutation is more of the same from the Republican Party Posted: 19 Jul 2020 03:00 AM PDT  President George H.W. Bush abused his power in pardoning six people in the Iran-Contra affair. Roger Stone's commutation by Trump is nothing new.
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| Mexican cartel shows its might as president visits its heartland Posted: 18 Jul 2020 08:36 AM PDT  A video depicting a military-style convoy of one of Mexico's most powerful drug cartels circulated on social media on Friday as President Andrés Manuel López Obrador visited the group's heartland.
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| Mainland China reports 16 new coronavirus cases including 13 in Xinjiang Posted: 18 Jul 2020 06:15 PM PDT  Mainland China reported 16 new cases of the novel coronavirus as of the end of July 18, up from 22 reported a day earlier, the Chinese national health authority said on Sunday. Of the new infections, 13 were found in Urumqi, the capital of China's far western region of Xinjiang. The other three, recorded in the southern province of Guangdong and eastern province of Shandong, were imported infection involving travellers from overseas, according to the National Health Commission (NHC) and Xinjiang local health commission.
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| Fact check: Post makes faulty assertions about women and face coverings in Muslim-majority countries Posted: 19 Jul 2020 01:09 PM PDT  A post questions why burqas and niqabs have not lowered COVID-19 cases in Muslim-majority countries, and falsely implies that masks are ineffective.
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| 'An historic opportunity': Black Lives Matter stirs hope for change in ancient city Posted: 19 Jul 2020 02:14 AM PDT  Anti-racism protests swept across the U.K. in the wake of George Floyd's death, igniting a conversation about unconscious bias, Britain's colonial past and the chasm between white and Black experiences.
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| Los Angeles mayor says city is 'on the brink' of declaring another stay-at-home order Posted: 19 Jul 2020 11:58 AM PDT  Los Angeles County broke its record for a single day, with more than 4,500 new coronavirus cases on Thursday.
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