| An Arizona congressman who tested positive for the coronavirus criticized Republican lawmakers for refusing to wear masks in the Capitol Posted: 02 Aug 2020 03:35 AM PDT  Arizona Democrat Rep. Raúl Grijalva tested positive for the coronavirus on Saturday but is currently asymptomatic.
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| Homeland Security official reassigned after intelligence reports on journalists covering protests Posted: 02 Aug 2020 07:34 AM PDT  A US intelligence official with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been reassigned following revelations that his office compiled "intelligence reports" on journalists and analysed communications between protesters amid ongoing demonstrations in Portland, Oregon.Brian Murphy was removed from his post following a report in The Washington Post revealing that the DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis sent open source intelligence reports to federal law enforcement agencies containing information from two reporters who had published leaked unclassified government documents while covering Black Lives Matter protests.
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| Ghislaine Maxwell granted stay of execution by US court, delaying release of incriminating court papers Posted: 01 Aug 2020 09:09 AM PDT  The release of court documents said to incriminate Ghislaine Maxwell has been delayed after a US court granted the British socialite at the heart of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal a stay of execution, it has emerged. Papers including her deposition statement will be kept under wraps in what her legal team will view as a welcome victory. The decision by judges sitting in the Second Circuit of the US Court of Appeals was announced in a two-page order published yesterday. The documents, said to contain the 58-year-old British socialite denying any knowledge of sex-trafficking for the multi-billionaire financier, were due to be unsealed on Monday. Prosecutors have claimed the April 2016 deposition suggests Ms Maxwell had perjured herself by claiming not to know about sex-traffcking. It is claimed she is recorded saying while under oath: "I don't know what you're talking about."
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| As COVID-19 sweeps across the South, the Army finds it’s not immune Posted: 01 Aug 2020 02:00 AM PDT  The U.S. Army is facing a significant COVID-19 challenge as infection rates soar across the south and southeast, where most of the service's installations are located. And now the disease is having a major impact on the Army's second-largest installation.
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| Leading Democratic VP contender Bass defends stance on Cuba Posted: 02 Aug 2020 08:13 AM PDT  Democratic Rep. Karen Bass, one of the top contenders to be Joe Biden's running mate, on Sunday defended her past travel to Cuba and the sympathetic comments she made after the death of Fidel Castro, the dictator who ruled the communist country for decades. Bass said she was trying to express her condolences to the Cuban people when she referred to Castro as "Comandante en jefe," a term that roughly translates as commander in chief but is reviled by some Cuban exiles in Florida. Bass, who represents California in Congress, said she was unaware of the phrase's political significance in Florida when she issued the 2016 statement, which called Castro's death a "great loss to the people of Cuba."
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| Florida man once bitten by alligator is chomped by 8-foot shark while on vacation Posted: 02 Aug 2020 04:48 PM PDT  Justin Stuller is now sporting two dozen stitches and a small limp after tangling with an eight-foot lemon shark in the Florida Keys.
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| TikTok: US general manager Pappas says app 'here for the long run' Posted: 01 Aug 2020 01:27 PM PDT  US General Manager Vanessa Pappas defends the Chinese-owned app as President Trump threatens to ban it.
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| Transcript: Mark Meadows on "Face the Nation" Posted: 02 Aug 2020 08:21 AM PDT  The following is a transcript of an interview with White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows that aired Sunday, August 2, 2020, on "Face the Nation."
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| Scientists and environmental groups 'alarmed' by huge rise in Amazon wildfires Posted: 02 Aug 2020 07:43 AM PDT  "It's a terrible sign," said Ane Alencar, science director at Brazil's Amazon Environmental Research Institute (IPAM).
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| ‘Murder hornets’ trapped in US for first time as officials race to eradicate colonies before breeding season Posted: 02 Aug 2020 06:38 AM PDT  As the US grapples with the world's worst coronavirus outbreak, a new threat is emerging as Asian giant hornets – known as "murder hornets" due to their lethal sting to humans – are gaining a foothold in the country.After they were first found in Washington State in May this year, the 2-inch (5cm)-long hornets have now been trapped for the first time – giving officials an indication – firstly that their traps work, and secondly of where nests could be situated.
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| UK lobbies US to support controversial new nuclear warheads Posted: 01 Aug 2020 08:48 AM PDT  Letter from defence secretary seen by Guardian draws Britain into debate pitting Trump administration against many DemocratsThe UK has been lobbying the US Congress in support of a controversial new warhead for Trident missiles, claiming it is critical for "the future of Nato as a nuclear alliance".A letter from Britain's defence secretary, Ben Wallace, seen by the Guardian, urged Congress to support initial spending on the warhead, the W93.The letter, sent in April but not previously reported, draws the UK into a US political debate, pitting the Trump administration against many Democrats and arms control groups over whether the the $14bn W93 programme is necessary. The US navy already has two warheads to choose from for its submarine-launched Trident missiles.The close cooperation on the W93 casts further doubt on the genuine independence of the UK deterrent – parliament first heard about it when US officials accidentally disclosed Britain's involvement in February – and the commitment of both countries to disarmament.The UK is also supporting the administration's efforts to speed up work on the warhead and its surprise $53m request for initial weapon design work in the 2021 budget, two years ahead of the previous schedule.Sceptics believe the rush is intended to lock in funding before the election. A Biden administration would be likely to review or even cancel the W93 programme."These are challenging times, but it is crucial that we demonstrate transatlantic unity and solidarity in this difficult period," Wallace told members of the House and Senate armed services committees. "Congressional funding in [2021] for the W93 program will ensure that we continue to deepen the unique nuclear relationship between our two countries, enabling the United Kingdom to provide safe and assured continuous-at-sea deterrence for decades to come."The British intervention comes as the initial funding for the warhead hangs in the balance. It was approved by the House and Senate armed services committees but blocked at least temporarily, by a House energy and water subcommittee last month.Congressional staffers said they could not recall such a direct UK intervention in a US debate on nuclear weapons."We've never had a letter of this sort before, so it was a little bit surprising that this is the issue that they chose to weigh in on," a committee aide said. The UK insists its Trident nuclear deterrent is autonomous, but the two countries share the same missiles and coordinate work on warheads. The current UK Trident warhead, the Holbrook, is very similar to the W76 warhead, one of two the US navy uses in its own Trident II missiles.The US and UK versions of the W93 are also expected to resemble each other closely. Both countries will use the same new MK7 aeroshell, the cone around the warhead that allows it to re-enter the earth's atmosphere, which will cost another several hundred million dollars.Little has been disclosed about the W93, but it is thought to be based on a design that was tested during the cold war but not made part of the US stockpile at the time. It will potentially be the first new warhead design in the US stockpile since the cold war and is expected to be of considerably higher yield than the current W76, which is already six times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima 75 years ago next week.The demand for funding for the W93 is particularly controversial in the US as the W76 and a higher-yield submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) warhead, the W88, have already been subject to multibillion-dollar upgrades."This is excess on top of excess," Kingston Reif, director for disarmament and threat reduction policy at the Arms Control Association, said. "We already have two SBLM warheads. The W76 just went through a major life extension programme and is slated to be good into the early 2040s, and the W88 is going through a major alteration."The US can continue to assist the UK's arsenal without rushing the development of an unnecessary, at least $14bn new-design, third SLBM warhead," Reif added.The total cost of the US nuclear weapons modernisation programme is expected to be far in excess of $1tn.The US and Russia, which is also upgrading its arsenal and developing new weapons, together account for more than 90% of all the nuclear warheads on the planet, and both countries are putting increasing emphasis on them in their rhetoric and defence postures.Under Donald Trump, the US has now left three nuclear agreements and his administration is reluctant to extend the last major arms control deal with Russia, the 2010 New Start treaty, which is due to expire in February.The bonfire of nuclear accords, combined with the huge amounts spent on weapons like the W93, are a threat to the 1968 nuclear non-proliferation treaty, the fundamental bargain by which countries without nuclear arms pledged not to acquire them on condition the recognised nuclear powers (the US, UK, France, Russia and China) took steps to disarm, under article six of the treaty."When I look at something like the W93, it's not, in and of itself, a violation of article six," said Daniel Joyner, a University of Alabama law professor specializing in nuclear treaties. "It's just a further data point to evidence, the current non-compliance of the US and UK with article six."In his letter to the congressional committees, Wallace wrote: "Your support to the W93 program in this budget cycle is critical to the success of our replacement warhead programme and to the long-term viability of the UK's nuclear deterrent and therefore, the future of Nato as a nuclear alliance."Alexandra Bell, a former state department official and now senior policy director at the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, said the US-UK special relationship had shown greater solidarity in promoting new weapons than in arms control."The UK is noticeably missing when it comes to emphatic support for New Start extension, but yet at the same time it feels comfortable directly telling members of Congress what they should do about our own modernization plans," Bell said. "I think that's weird."Asked about the purpose of Wallace's letter, a UK defense ministry spokesman said: "The UK's existing warhead is being replaced in order to respond to future threats and guarantee our security. We have a strong defence relationship with the US and will work closely with our ally to ensure our warhead remains compatible with the US's Trident missile."According to official figures, the US W76 warhead is viable until 2045 at least - and the UK version is expected to last until the late 2030's, so there is no urgent technical need for replacement.Greg Mello, executive director of the Los Alamos Study Group, said nuclear weapons hawks at the Pentagon, the National Nuclear Security Administration and the Los Alamos National Laboratory were pushing to lock in spending in case there is a change of administration."They would like to get this program endorsed by Congress this year, and they're very close to it," Mello said. "Once it is a programme of record, it will take more for a future administration to knock it out."
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| Bass addresses past remarks praising Scientology Posted: 01 Aug 2020 10:22 AM PDT  The top-tier contender to be Joe Biden's running mate said in a statement she was trying to find an "area of agreement" with the church.
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| Marine Corps Plan to Ditch Tanks Could Burden the Army, Experts Say Posted: 01 Aug 2020 07:14 AM PDT  Some Marine Corps tank companies have cased their colors, winding up decades-long missions.
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| Negotiators huddle in Capitol after $600 unemployment benefit expires Posted: 01 Aug 2020 09:28 AM PDT  Talks on a huge coronavirus relief measure resumed Saturday, focused on restoring a newly expired $600-per-week supplemental unemployment benefit, a fresh $1,200 direct payment to most Americans, and hundreds of billions of dollars in other aid to states, businesses and the poor.
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| Nasa SpaceX crew return: Dragon capsule splashes down Posted: 02 Aug 2020 03:58 PM PDT  The SpaceX capsule touches down off Florida, in the first crewed US water landing in 45 years.
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| Nancy Pelosi Tears Into Dr. Birx: ‘I Don’t Have Confidence’ in Her Posted: 02 Aug 2020 08:27 AM PDT  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) didn't mince words on Sunday morning, declaring that she has no "confidence" in White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx, whom she blamed for President Donald Trump peddling coronavirus disinformation.Last week, during a closed-door meeting with White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, Politico reported that the speaker tore into Birx. "Deborah Birx is the worst. Wow, what horrible hands you're in," she reportedly exclaimed.Pelosi also accused Birx of "spreading disinformation" while simultaneously praising top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci—who has found himself in Team Trump's crosshairs of late—as a "hero."Asked whether her reported comments were accurate, Pelosi doubled down on her Birx criticism during an appearance on ABC's This Week."I think the president has been spreading disinformation about the virus and she is his appointee so, I don't have confidence there, no," the House leader huffed.At the end of a contentious CNN interview that included host Dana Bash pressing her on why the administration's coronavirus response "failed so badly," Birx was asked to react to Pelosi's harsh remarks."I have tremendous respect for the speaker," Birx deflected. "And I have tremendous respect for her long dedication to the American people."The White House coronavirus task force member then turned her attention to The New York Times, which recently published a deep-dive into the administration's "failure" in containing the pandemic and reported that Birx was only giving good news to Trump."And I think it was unfortunate that The New York Times wrote this article without speaking to me. I could have brought forth the data," she complained, defending her record. "I provide data every single day with an analysis. The day that they are talking about that I was 'Pollyannish.'""It said there was improvement in the New York metro, but ongoing cases in Boston and Chicago, a new outbreak in Houston and full logarithmic spread, and new concerning outbreaks in Baltimore, New Haven, and Washington, D.C," she continued. "This was not a Pollyannish view. I have never been called Pollyannish or non-scientific or non-data-driven. And I will stake my 40-year career on those fundamental principles of utilizing data to really implement better programs to save more lives."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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| Letters to the Editor: John Lewis deserves to be remembered as a modern-day founding father Posted: 01 Aug 2020 03:00 AM PDT  A reader says "thank you" is not enough to convey the gratitude this country ought to have for the late Rep. John Lewis.
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| New probe into reports Bay Area police badges mark killings Posted: 31 Jul 2020 07:48 PM PDT |
| 4 doctors in states seeing a resurgence of coronavirus cases say more young people are getting sick, and blame 'pandemic fatigue' for the uptick Posted: 02 Aug 2020 02:02 AM PDT  Insider spoke to four doctors in Chicago, Houston and south Florida. All these areas have become new hotspots in the US coronavirus outbreak.
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| Len McCluskey threatens to remove funding from Labour over anti-Semitism payouts Posted: 02 Aug 2020 08:42 AM PDT  Len McCluskey, the leader of the Unite union, has warned Sir Keir Starmer he cannot take its money for granted after a decision to offer payouts to whistleblowers who accused the party of failing to tackle anti-Semitism. Mr McCluskey, the union's general secretary, on Sunday warned Unite would review its funding of the Labour Party and called the payouts "an abuse of members' money". Labour agreed to pay "substantial damages" to whistleblowers who contributed to a TV expose of its handling of anti-Semitism, but Mr McCluskey said "a lot" of the funds came from his union. "I'm already being asked all kinds of questions by my executive," he told the Observer. "It's as though a huge sign has been put up outside the Labour party with 'queue here with your writ and get your payment over there'." Under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership, the party was dogged with allegations that it had failed to take action against anti-Semitism by its members. Seven former employees from the party's governance and legal unit, who were responsible for the investigation of allegations of misconduct by party members, sued Labour after it issued a press release describing them as having "personal and political axes to grind". The legal action followed the broadcast in July 2019 of a BBC Panorama programme titled "Is Labour Anti-Semitic?". The Telegraph has previously revealed that fees and damages were likely to amount to nearly £375,000, but Labour has refused to confirm the value of the payments. Sir Keir's predecessor Mr Corbyn called the decision to settle "disappointing" and claimed it was a "political decision, not a legal one". Mr Corybn said his team was advised while he was leader that the "party had a strong defence". Labour declined to comment on Mr McCluskey's donation review threat, but Sir Keir's spokesman previously said all three candidates in the final of the party's leadership contest, which concluded in April, had agreed they wanted to see the case settled. Mr McCluskey, a Corbyn ally, also said it would "constitute a problem" for Unite if Sir Keir moved away from his leadership campaign pledges. His position included keeping left-wing policies adopted during the Corbyn regime, such as higher taxes on the wealthy, abolishing tuition fees and public ownership of rail, mail, energy and water. Mr McCluskey said: "He has to recognise that the ship he is sailing, if it lists too much to the right, will go under."
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| Russia and Belarus at odds over arrest of suspected mercenaries Posted: 01 Aug 2020 02:38 AM PDT  A dispute between Moscow and Minsk over the detention of more than 30 men who Belarus accused of being Russian mercenaries deepened on Saturday, as the two sides contradicted each other about the group's plans. The arrests this week, shortly before an Aug. 9 presidential election in Belarus, could further strain relations between Minsk and its traditional ally Russia, which soured after the neighbours failed to agree on an oil supply contract for this year. Russia said on Thursday that the men, who it described as employees of a private security firm, had stayed in Belarus after missing their connecting flight to Istanbul.
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| Greenback returns: How dollar stores came back to Cuba Posted: 01 Aug 2020 04:54 PM PDT  The Cuban government is allowing its citizens to use the currency of its ideological enemy.
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| Chris Wallace Confronts Trump Campaign Spox Jason Miller: Admit ‘You’re Losing’ Posted: 02 Aug 2020 09:43 AM PDT  Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace interrupted his guest's attacks on Joe Biden to bring up some important points about the Trump campaign this weekend."Despite what you say about the Biden campaign, the fact is it is the Trump campaign that just replaced your campaign manager," Wallace told Trump campaign adviser Jason Miller. "It's the Trump campaign that just paused all television advertising for six days to recalibrate." From there, Wallace put up on the screen a series of polling averages that show Trump trailing Biden by wide margins both nationally and in three of the crucial swing states he won in 2016. "How do you turn this around, because at this point, Jason, you're losing?" the host asked.Unsurprisingly, Miller dismissed the premise of the question. "Well, we think we're in great shape and well positioned to win this," Miller said in response. He then falsely stated that in all the states President Trump needs to get to 270 electoral votes "he's either leading or within the margin of error." He also cited the outlier Rasmussen poll that has Trump with a 50 percent approval ratings as of this past Friday.'He's Terrified of Losing'—Trump Goes Into Hyperdrive to Delegitimize the ElectionBut when he started to attack Fox News' polling specifically, Wallace stopped him. "I think the Fox poll compares very favorably to the Rasmussen poll in terms of accuracy," Wallace said. "I knew you were going to attack one poll. As I said the national poll is based on nine polls. The state polls, based on multiple polls as well. Are you really going to blame this—it seems to me that you hurt your credibility if you don't admit, yeah, we're losing and we've got to turn things around.""I disagree," Miller replied. Undeterred, he insisted, without evidence, that Trump is "in a good position right now." Stephen Miller Spreads Blatant Lies About Mail-In Voting on 'Fox & Friends'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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| Portland, America's 'whitest' big city, is an unlikely hub of Black Lives Matter Posted: 02 Aug 2020 04:30 AM PDT  Portland, Ore., where more than 72% of the population is white, has been transformed into a national center of the movement for racial justice.
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| Taiwanese pay respects to former President Lee Teng-hui Posted: 31 Jul 2020 11:53 PM PDT  Taiwan's leaders and its people were paying their respects Saturday to former President Lee Teng-hui, who died this week at age 97 after bringing full democracy to Taiwan and incurring the wrath of China in the process. A traditional funeral bier was set up at the Taipei Guest House, an ornate European-style building that was home to Japanese governors during Taiwan's 1895-1945 colonial period. Among the visitors Saturday was current President Tsai Ing-wen, who wrote in a book of condolences, "You shall forever be watching over democratic Taiwan."
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| Dr. Birx: Before schools can reopen, coronavirus outbreaks must get under control Posted: 02 Aug 2020 09:57 AM PDT  Birx endorsed a recommendation from CDC Director Robert Redfield that schools in areas with a 5% positivity rate or higher stick to distance learning.
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| Mexican army arrests drug lord in losing battle against increasingly violent cartels Posted: 02 Aug 2020 08:31 AM PDT  The Mexican Army and state security forces captured Jose Antonio Yepez, a notorious drug gang leader blamed for helping fuel a surge in violence that has severely tested the government of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the Mexican president. Widely known as "El Marro" (The Mallet), Yepez was captured early on Sunday morning, according to the federal government and authorities in the central state of Guanajuato, one of the principal flashpoints of gang violence in Mexico. "This is a tremendously successful blow for the government," said Raul Benitez, a security expert at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Yepez, boss of the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel, a Guanajuato-based gang, has been engaged in a bloody struggle for criminal control of the state with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of the country's most powerful and violent groups.
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| Editorial: California faces an eviction catastrophe. Newsom, lawmakers need to act now Posted: 02 Aug 2020 03:00 AM PDT  As the downturn continues and tenant protections expire, we could see a tidal wave of evictions and a surge in homelessness even as the pandemic rages on.
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| Coronavirus: Victoria declares state of disaster after spike in cases Posted: 02 Aug 2020 04:20 PM PDT  A night-time curfew is in force in Melbourne, following a spike in cases in the Australian state.
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| Gym owners defy pandemic orders, break into own business closed by state and reopen it Posted: 02 Aug 2020 02:33 PM PDT  Authorities closed the gym Monday, when they charged the owners with contempt and disorderly persons offenses.
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| Portland police declare unlawful assembly during protest Posted: 01 Aug 2020 09:57 PM PDT  The Portland Police Bureau declared an unlawful assembly Saturday night when people gathered outside a police precinct in Oregon's largest city and threw bottles toward officers, police said. Until that point, federal, state and local law enforcement had been seemingly absent from the protests Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The demonstrations — that for weeks ended with tear gas, fireworks shot towards buildings, federal agents on the street and injuries to protesters and officers — have recently ended with chanting and conversations. Activists and Oregon officials urged people at Saturday night's protest in Portland to re-center the focus on Black Lives Matter, three days after the Trump administration agreed to reduce the presence of federal agents.
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| The USDA has identified some of the mystery seeds sent unsolicited from China as herbs like rosemary and sage Posted: 01 Aug 2020 07:34 AM PDT  An official with the USDA said 14 species of seeds were identified as herbs and plants like hibiscus, mint, and sage.
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| In Italy, a new normal amid the pandemic while bracing for a second wave Posted: 02 Aug 2020 04:00 AM PDT  "If you are in Florida and you hear your governor saying something, and then the governor in New York is saying the opposite, it's really difficult. In Italy, it was just one voice," an expert said.
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| Thousands march in Berlin against coronavirus measures Posted: 01 Aug 2020 07:16 AM PDT 
Thousands of protesters took to Berlin's streets on Saturday (August 1), rallying against the government's latest coronavirus measures. Unmasked and packed together, demonstrators were angry over policies that they consider to be an infringement of their rights. One protester said, "Our demand is basically going back to democracy. Away with these laws that have been imposed on us, away with the masks that make us slaves." The anti-lockdown protests took place as Germany's infection rate ticks steadily higher. On Tuesday, Germany's top health official scolded the public for a lack of discipline. Protests and demonstrations are allowed in the country, but authorities urge people to remain cautious, wear masks, and adhere to social distancing. Another policy that has generated concern: data retention and usage. Customers have to provide contact details to bars and restaurants to aid track and trace efforts. Reports suggest that data is now being used for police investigations. The DPA news agency cited several police stations, which said they had used contract tracing data to find witnesses to help solve crimes. The reports chafe in a country that has some of the toughest privacy rules in the world, developed to counter the spectre of mass surveillance used by the Nazis or the East German secret police, the Stasi. .
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| A Chicago Dunkin' worker was arrested after allegedly spitting in a state trooper's coffee Posted: 02 Aug 2020 08:19 AM PDT  The incident is the latest in a series of recent tensions between restaurant workers and police officers amid nationwide uprisings against racism.
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| South Africa's coronavirus case toll soars while Lagos continues phased reopening Posted: 02 Aug 2020 05:48 AM PDT  South Africa has become the fifth nation to pass the grim milestone of half a million confirmed coronavirus cases, which account for more than 50 per cent of all Covid-19 infections on the continent of Africa. Zwelini Mkhezi, the health minister, announced a further 10,107 new cases on Saturday, meaning that the Rainbow Nation now only tails the USA, Brazil, Russia and India by number of infections, despite having a significantly smaller population. Despite the dizzying numbers, Cyril Ramaphosa, the president of South Africa, said he sees "promising signs" that the alarming growth of cases is stabilising and the health care system in his country is coping in most areas. In a letter to the nation on Sunday, Mr Ramaphosa said that despite the high number of confirmed cases, he sees some positive developments. Most notably, the daily increase in infections appears to be stabilizing in the provinces of the Western Cape, the Eastern Cape and Gauteng. Gauteng province has become the latest epicentre of the outbreak. Home to the capital, Pretoria, and the largest city, Johannesburg, Gauteng now has 35 per cent of the nation's cases. Health experts warn that hospitals are struggling to cope and that the virus may not peak until late August or early September.
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| Egypt tells Elon Musk its pyramids were not built by aliens Posted: 02 Aug 2020 05:10 AM PDT  Egypt invited the billionaire to visit, after he appeared to tweet support for conspiracy theorists.
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| Hurricane Heads for Florida—Just as Coronavirus Deaths Hit New Record Posted: 01 Aug 2020 09:51 AM PDT  As Florida struggles to contain the coronavirus pandemic that has killed at least 7,000 residents, state officials are now scrambling to deal with another dueling disaster gaining momentum: Hurricane Isaias. "It's just another thing to add to the torture," Inez Cruz, a teacher in Palm Beach County, told the Washington Post. "It's another worry on top of what we already had."While Isaias weakened to a tropical storm on Saturday afternoon, the National Hurricane Center said the natural disaster is expected to regain hurricane strength as it approaches Florida. It is estimated to make landfall in southeast Florida late Saturday or early Sunday as a Category 1 storm after drawing strength from the warmer waters in the Gult Stream. After battering Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, the center of the now Category 1 hurricane hit the Bahamas Saturday afternoon. Maximum sustained winds increased to 8o mph, snapping trees and knocking out power. Estimations, however, show the hurricane's forward motion has slowed to 12 mph as it continues to move northwest. President Donald Trump on Saturday approved an emergency declaration for affected Florida counties to allow the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide relief efforts if needed. "The situation remains fluid and can change quickly," Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a Saturday press conference.But the duel emergencies bearing down on Florida are complicating each other. State-run coronavirus testing sites have been shut down in areas likely to be hit by the hurricane and, while normal protocol would call for mass evacuations and community shelters, hurricane evacuation centers are ripe for coronavirus outbreaks.On Friday, Florida set a record for single-day deaths for the fourth consecutive day. The Florida Department of Health on Saturday reported 179 deaths overnight, bringing the state's death toll to 7,022. There were 9,642 new infections, adding to a state-wide total of 480,028. Saturday's tally was slightly lower than Friday's, which saw a record-breaking 257 deaths. 'Pro-Life' Group Plans 1,300-Person Conference in Virus' Deadly PathThe state has, however, reported less than 10,000 positive cases for the last seven days, following several record-high days in early July. Florida now has the second-highest number of cases in the country, behind California, with a positive test rate of about 12 percent. But state officials are now shifting their attention away from the pandemic, and toward the incoming natural disaster. Officials in Palm Beach County on Friday ordered all city recreation facilities, including beaches, to be closed, and opened six emergency evacuation shelters for residents who live in mobile homes or low-income housing. "It's certainly unprecedented," Palm Beach County Commissioner Dave Kerner said on Friday. "It's the first time any of us in the [Emergency Operations Center] are aware of, that we've had two separate standing states of emergency for two separate issues. But we're laser-focused on both. We'll work hard to take whatever is thrown at us."He said that shelters will have a strict mask mandate and social distancing rules, and residents will be screened before entering. "I hope this storm doesn't present a bump in the road in terms of our community response," he said, adding that law enforcement would be present in shelters to enforce the rules. "We're starting to see the effects of robust mask-wearing and social distancing, so I'll be reminding my constituents to remain vigilant and cognizant that this is going on in a pandemic, and we don't want to retreat from the progress we've made."In Miami, Mayor Carlos Giménez also closed beaches and marinas and put nearly two dozen evacuation centers on standby, but said they would be configured to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Trump has also reportedly canceled a campaign event scheduled for Saturday in Miami-Dade at his Doral golf resort."We still don't think there is a need to open shelters for this storm, but they are ready," Giménez told the Associated Press on Friday, adding that the shelters would give every individual about 40 square feet of space. DeSantis Says Florida Has a COVID-19 'Blip.' Nurses Say It's Far Worse.The shelters will also not serve cafeteria food to abide by social distancing. Infected evacuees will be isolated in rooms separate from the general population. On Friday, DeSantis declared a state of emergency for counties along the state's east coast, urging residents to remain vigilant and prepare emergency kits with a week's worth of supplies. A hurricane watch has also been put into effect from Hallandale Beach to Boca Raton, as well as a storm-surge watch from Jupiter to Ponte Vedra Beach.Stressing that the state is "fully prepared," the Republican governor added that some state-run coronavirus testing sites would be closed. "Our sites, because they're outdoors with tents, if it were to get 40-, 50-mile-per-hour winds, it would just collapse," he said Friday, adding that the state is prepared to open shelters and has created a reserve of PPE for the hurricane season. "Safety is paramount for that."DeSantis said Florida had built a stockpile of 22 million gloves, 20 million masks, 10 million gowns, 1.6 million face shields, 270,000 coveralls and 20,000 thermometers for impacted areas.He said Trump approved his emergency declaration request after attending a roundtable on coronavirus and storm preparedness in Tampa on Friday evening. "I want Floridians to know, the state of Florida is fully prepared for this and any future storm during this hurricane season," DeSantis said.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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| Congress leaves town without a coronavirus stimulus deal, allowing $600 unemployment benefit to end Posted: 01 Aug 2020 05:47 AM PDT  Republicans, Democrats and the Trump administration have been meeting over what should be included in what would be a fifth round of stimulus funding.
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| U.S. Navy's first Black female fighter pilot gets her Wings of Gold Posted: 01 Aug 2020 10:36 AM PDT  "It would've been nice to see someone who looked like me in this role; I never intended to be the first. I hope it's encouraging to other people," said Swegle.
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| I flew on Southwest Airlines during the pandemic and came away impressed by how well the largest low-cost US airline handled social distancing Posted: 02 Aug 2020 05:27 AM PDT  Southwest's passenger-friendly attitude to customer service made for a great experience and took the edges off of flying during a pandemic.
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| Record coronavirus case rises reported as U.S. faces stark death toll projection Posted: 01 Aug 2020 07:20 AM PDT  Japan, Philippines, Poland all report spikes as countries clamp down on social distancing.
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