Coronavirus: Mexico's death toll becomes world's third highest

Mexico reports at least 46,688 deaths with coronavirus, with only the US and Brazil recording higher numbers.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/3k0EcCz

Trump says he will ban TikTok in the US

US security officials fear the Chinese-owned app could be used to collect Americans' personal data.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/39JGWjb

News Quiz: U.S. Troops, Baseball, Louie Gohmert

By Compiled by Will Dudding, Anna Schaverien and Jessica Anderson from NYT Briefing https://nyti.ms/2DjrSfT

How Italy Turned Around Its Coronavirus Calamity

By Jason Horowitz from NYT World https://nyti.ms/3hWKvFv

Lobbying Intensifies Among V.P. Candidates as Biden’s Search Nears an End

By Jonathan Martin, Alexander Burns and Katie Glueck from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/30kuX8F

Microsoft Said to Be in Talks to Buy TikTok, as Trump Weighs Curtailing App

By Mike Isaac, Ana Swanson and Alan Rappeport from NYT Technology https://nyti.ms/2DqIkLe

The Romans Called it ‘Alexandrian Glass.’ Where Was It Really From?

By Katherine Kornei from NYT Science https://nyti.ms/2Prd5CR

James Murdoch Resigns From News Corp, Ending Role in Family Empire

By Michael M. Grynbaum and Edmund Lee from NYT Business https://nyti.ms/3k39kBg

A Quarter of Bangladesh Is Flooded. Millions Have Lost Everything.

By Somini Sengupta and Julfikar Ali Manik from NYT Climate https://nyti.ms/39IQYkz

Ellen DeGeneres Apologizes to Staff Members as WarnerMedia Investigates Show

By Nicole Sperling from NYT Business https://nyti.ms/2Pem3Dc

Schools Beat Earlier Plagues With Outdoor Classes. We Should, Too.

By Ginia Bellafante from NYT New York https://nyti.ms/3jcrGQ2

New top story from Time: President Trump Says He Will Act to Ban TikTok in the U.S. as Soon as Saturday

(NEW YORK) — President Donald Trump said he will take action as soon as Saturday to ban TikTok, a popular Chinese-owned video app that has been a source of national security and censorship concerns.

Trump’s comments came after published reports that the administration is planning to order China’s ByteDance to sell TikTok. There were also reports Friday that software giant Microsoft is in talks to buy the app.

“As far as TikTok is concerned, we’re banning them from the United States,” Trump told reporters Friday on Air Force One as he returned from Florida.

Trump said he could use emergency economic powers or an executive order to enforce the action, insisting, “I have that authority.” He added, “It’s going to be signed tomorrow.”

Reports by Bloomberg News and the Wall Street Journal citing anonymous sources said the administration could soon announce a decision ordering ByteDance to divest its ownership in TikTok.

There have been reports of U.S. tech giants and financial firms being interested in buying or investing in TikTok as the Trump administration sets its sights on the app. The New York Times and Fox Business, citing an unidentified source, reported Friday that Microsoft is in talks to buy TikTok. Microsoft declined to comment.

TikTok issued a statement Friday saying that, “While we do not comment on rumors or speculation, we are confident in the long-term success of TikTok.”

ByteDance launched TikTok in 2017, then bought Musical.ly, a video service popular with teens in the U.S. and Europe, and combined the two. A twin service, Douyin, is available for Chinese users.

TikTok’s fun, goofy videos and ease of use has made it immensely popular, and U.S. tech giants like Facebook and Snapchat see it as a competitive threat. It has said it has tens of millions of U.S. users and hundreds of millions globally.

But its Chinese ownership has raised concerns about the censorship of videos, including those critical of the Chinese government, and the potential for sharing user data with Chinese officials.

TikTok maintains it doesn’t censor videos based on topics sensitive to China and it would not give the Chinese government access to U.S. user data even if asked. The company has hired a U.S. CEO, a former top Disney executive, in an attempt to distance itself from its Chinese ownership.

U.S. national-security officials have been reviewing the Musical.ly acquisition in recent months, while U.S. armed forces have banned their employees from installing TikTok on government-issued phones. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said earlier this month that the U.S. was considering banning TikTok.

These national-security worries parallel a broader U.S. security crackdown on Chinese companies, including telecom providers Huawei and ZTE. The Trump administration has ordered that the U.S. stop funding equipment from those providers in U.S. networks. It has also tried to steer allies away from Huawei because of worries about the Chinese government’s access to data, which the companies have denied it has.

The Trump administration has stepped in before to block or dissolve deals on national-security concerns, including stopping Singapore’s Broadcom from its $117 billion bid for U.S. chipmaker Qualcomm in 2018 in an effort to help retain U.S. leadership in the telecom space. It also told China’s Beijing Kunlun Tech Co. to sell off its 2016 purchase of gay dating app Grindr.

Other countries are also taking action against TikTok. India this month banned dozens of Chinese apps, including TikTok, citing privacy concerns, amid tensions between the countries.

___

Associated Press writers Kevin Freking aboard Air Force One and Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report.

Coronavirus Live Updates: California Becomes the First State to Reach 500,000 Total Cases

By Unknown Author from NYT World https://nyti.ms/3hVAl7V

Dangerous heat wave forecast for south-western areas of US

Forecasters say temperatures could rise to 50C on Saturday in parts of Utah, Nevada and California.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2EEBeUe

Trump, Please Quit Before You’re Fired

By Timothy Egan from NYT Opinion https://nyti.ms/2DoZ7yx

Dr Fauci is asked if protests spread coronavirus

"You're putting words into my mouth," the US infectious disease chief says in a grilling by Congress.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/30hJ9z6

Week in pictures: 25 July-31 July 2020

A selection of powerful news photographs taken around the world this week.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/3fmQG3L

Phyllis Omido: The woman who won $12m fighting lead battery poisoners

Kenyan activist Phyllis Omido has been ignored, harassed and arrested, but she never gave up.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/30hZm7x

Why a new generation of Thais are protesting against the government

A new political divide in Thailand has emerged between the country's youth and its older generation.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/319stZE

US election 2020: The war hero who could be Biden's running mate

Senator Tammy Duckworth is an Iraq war veteran and the first Thai-American woman elected to Congress.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/30eNCCy

India coronavirus: Gold rush as pandemic roils country's economy

As Covid-19 worsens the economic slump, Indians are returning to a trusted asset: gold.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2Xc8gRW

Belarus: The mother challenging an authoritarian president

Political novice Svetlana Tikhanovskaya rallies protesters in a battle with Alexander Lukashenko.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/31bgta6

New world news from Time: Meet the New Zealand Politician Nicknamed ‘Crusher Collins’ Trying to Unseat Jacinda Ardern

She’s trying to topple a political superstar, but Judith Collins says she isn’t daunted.

The new leader of New Zealand’s opposition National Party — nicknamed “Crusher Collins” after her spell as a hard-line police minister — will need all her resolve to beat Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in the Sept. 19 election.

“It’s an extremely difficult job, and that’s why I’ve got it,” Collins, 61, said in an interview in her parliamentary office in Wellington. “I don’t fear much at all.”

National goes into the election campaign as the underdog after Ardern’s deft handling of the pandemic eliminated local transmission of the coronavirus in New Zealand, helping her Labour Party soar in the polls. National’s chances haven’t been helped by a string of scandals and internal ructions that saw the party appoint Collins as its third leader in two months.

Labour had 53% support in a 1News/Colmar Brunton poll published yesterday, while National mustered 32%.

Collins, who’s been likened to the late British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, has just seven weeks to rebuild public faith in her party and gain support with her pledge of sound economic management. While popular among conservatives, the question is whether she can win the center ground dominated by 40-year-old Ardern, whose brand of empathetic leadership has won worldwide admiration.

Collins is “a true-blue, traditional National Party right-winger,” said political analyst Bryce Edwards. “In some ways that means she’s more attractive because she’s a conviction politician and someone who seems more authentic.”

Closed Border

The election comes as New Zealand faces its biggest economic challenge in generations, with unemployment set to surge after the loss of international tourism, a key foreign exchange earner. The next government will need to create new industries and jobs, and find a way to safely reopen the border, which has been closed since the pandemic struck.

While Ardern has won plaudits for her crisis management, her center-left government has failed to deliver on some key policies, such as a pledge to build 100,000 new homes to ease a housing crisis. National, which oversaw eight consecutive years of growth and returned the budget to surplus before losing to Labour in 2017, says it is more capable of navigating the recovery.

Collins was born on a dairy farm in the Waikato region of New Zealand’s North Island. She became a lawyer, later specializing in tax, and ran several businesses with her husband before entering parliament in 2002.

It was as police minister that she got her “Crusher” moniker by cracking down on illegal street car racing and saying the vehicles should be sent to the compacter.

‘Dirty Politics’

Her political career hasn’t been free of controversy. In 2014 she faced claims of endorsing milk products made by a company that her husband was a director of when in China on government business. Later that year she resigned her portfolios after allegations she engaged in “dirty politics” by trying to undermine a public servant. An inquiry cleared her, and she returned as a minister in late 2015.

She unsuccessfully sought the party leadership twice, in 2016 and 2018, before finally winning her colleagues’ backing this month as the best bet to lead them out of turmoil.

Collins is flattered by comparisons with Thatcher, who she credits with getting the U.K. out of its economic quagmire in the 1980s, and says National can revitalize New Zealand in the post-Covid world. The party has already released some flagship policies, such as a NZ$31 billion ($20 billion) spend on roads and other infrastructure, and Collins says it’s working on a plan for safely re-opening the border.

Collins is firmly on the side of farmers in the debate over New Zealand’s reliance on dairy exports and the impact cows are having on the environment, such as degrading waterways and making rivers unswimmable.

“The only people who think it’s contentious don’t understand where the money comes from,” she said. The industry is the backbone of the economy, yet dairy farmers are treated “as though they were enemies of the state.”

Scandals

National is on the back foot after one of its politicians leaked confidential Covid-19 patient details, while another resigned amid allegations he sent pornographic images to young women.

“It was a couple of backbenchers, most people wouldn’t know who they are,” said Collins. “It’s not like it’s a minister,” she added in a dig at Ardern, who last week dismissed her Workplace Relations minister over a yearlong affair with a former staffer.

Despite the recent tawdry headlines, Collins insists she’ll run a clean campaign. She has a penchant for one-liners and a confident, easy communication style, and says she’s looking forward to debating the prime minister when the election campaign begins next month.

Ardern’s popularity could be an Achilles Heel, she says.

“One of the things that I’ve learnt in my time in politics is not to get too carried away with everything,” she said. “This is a great danger for the current prime minister -– lots of adulation and people telling you how good you are can very quickly become, let’s say, unhelpful.”

National won the biggest share of the vote in the 2017 election and only lost to Ardern because she was able to win the support of smaller parties.

New Zealand’s German-style electoral system lends itself to coalitions, and National will need partners if it is to regain the government benches.

It can rely on the small, libertarian ACT Party but has ruled out working with the populist New Zealand First. There is also little chance of National teaming up with the Greens, who are staunchly allied to Labour.

Collins concedes her path to power won’t be easy but says she’s relishing the contest ahead.

“It’s always difficult to remove and replace a first-term government of any ilk,” she said. “I love a challenge.”

Obama eulogy makes thinly veiled digs at Trump

Barack Obama eulogises late congressman John Lewis, with a few jabs at his White House successor.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2BIuzXQ

Trudeau: 'no preferential treatment' for WE Charity

Canada's PM denies playing a role in picking a charity tied to his family for a federal programme.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/39JV6Rh

South Africa's apartheid-era statues 'should be put in a theme park'

South African sculptor Pitika Ntuli on what we should do with reminders of colonial and racist history.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/314TjSP

Coronavirus Live Updates: Fauci and Other Health Officials to Testify Before Congress on Friday

By Unknown Author from NYT World https://nyti.ms/3hKYSwy

Obama Unleashes on Trump Privately as He Raises $24 Million for Biden

By Shane Goldmacher and Glenn Thrush from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/3hKYQVs

4.2-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Near Los Angeles

By Christine Hauser from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/315daS0

The Book of Statuses

By Unknown Author from NYT Podcasts https://nyti.ms/3hKYJt0

Yes, the Coronavirus Is in the Air

By Linsey C. Marr from NYT Opinion https://nyti.ms/3k0WKTs

Aboard the Diamond Princess, a Case Study in Aerosol Transmission

By Benedict Carey and James Glanz from NYT Health https://nyti.ms/3fi0jRr

Mysterious Coronavirus Outbreak Catches Vietnam by Surprise

By Hannah Beech and Chau Doan from NYT World https://nyti.ms/2XcUWwG

Teachers Are Wary of Returning to Class, and Online Instruction Too

By Dana Goldstein and Eliza Shapiro from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/3ghdfsb

Lee Teng-hui: Taiwan's 'father of democracy' dies

Lee successfully pushed for more democracy, but took a controversially hard line against China.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/3hXbG2L

Michael Brown: Officer won't be charged for 2014 killing of teenager

The killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson triggered protests across the US in 2014.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2BNXgTq

Trump Might Try to Postpone the Election. That’s Unconstitutional.

By Steven G. Calabresi from NYT Opinion https://nyti.ms/2PbZnDK

Afghanistan: At least 17 killed in Eid car blast

The explosion came on the eve of a ceasefire declared by the Taliban during the festival of Eid.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/3ggg0df

Children May Carry Coronavirus at High Levels, Study Finds

By Apoorva Mandavilli from NYT Health https://nyti.ms/3fdsktl

Covid-19: Why Hong Kong's 'third wave' is a warning

Until recently, the city was seen as a poster child in its handling of the pandemic. What went wrong?

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2XawsnC

What exactly is a 'Karen' and where did the meme come from?

To many the Karen meme - and its male equivalent Ken - sums up a specific type of white privilege.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/317yiqA

The 'real' threat to Russia’s former doping mastermind

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from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2Di3awy

Bollywood's 'warts and all' biopic on 'human computer'

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan plays Shakuntala Devi who dazzled the world with her skill with numbers.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2PbJ35W

The middle-css Pakistani students fighting for a homeland dream

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from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2XeJ9xR

Coronavirus: Brits, Balearics and battered businesses

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from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2Di33B8

Amazon boss Jeff Bezos refutes claims company acted like a 'drug dealer'

The Amazon boss is questioned by US Congress on one company's experience with his business.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/3hOqhxx

Nasa Mars 2020: First aircraft to fly on another planet

Ingenuity is a 1.8kg (4lb) helicopter that will ride to Mars attached to the belly of Nasa's Perseverance.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2X5O2Jy

Coronavirus: Samsung profits soar on work from home demand

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from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/339AroA

Coronavirus Live Updates: $600 Unemployment Benefit Is Likely to Lapse Friday, Top Official Says

By Unknown Author from NYT World https://nyti.ms/314ld1e

Federal Agencies Agree to Withdraw From Portland, With Conditions

By Mike Baker and Zolan Kanno-Youngs from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/3jTFP52

Anti-Mask Louie Gohmert Tests Positive, Sending Shudders Through Congress

By Nicholas Fandos from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/3jXgFme

MacKenzie Scott Gives $1.7 Billion to Historically Black Colleges and Other Groups

By Maria Cramer from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/30VoIai

We Lost the Battle for the Republican Party’s Soul Long Ago

By Stuart Stevens from NYT Opinion https://nyti.ms/336DuO3

A Viral Epidemic Splintering Into Deadly Pieces

By Donald G. McNeil Jr. from NYT Health https://nyti.ms/3giXwZK

Egypt Sentences Women to 2 Years in Prison for TikTok Videos

By Declan Walsh from NYT World https://nyti.ms/3hUUTO9

‘Nobody Likes Me,’ Trump Complains, Renewing Defense of Dubious Science

By Michael Crowley from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/314MaBU

Barr Clashes With House Democrats, Defending Responses to Protests and Russia Inquiry

By Nicholas Fandos and Charlie Savage from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/39IWnrF

Coronavirus: Australia's Victoria records huge case jump

The state reports its highest case and death toll - prompting fears that lockdown is not working.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2XaCZ1N

Domino's Pizza New Zealand drops 'free pizza for Karen' offer after backlash

"We wanted to bring a smile to customers," the firm's New Zealand arm said. "We are sorry."

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2P7TlDY

New world news from Time: Hiroshima Court Recognizes Victims of Radioactive ‘Black Rain’ as Atomic Bomb Survivors

(TOKYO) — A Japanese court on Wednesday for the first time recognized people exposed to radioactive “black rain” that fell after the 1945 U.S. atomic attack on Hiroshima as atomic bomb survivors, ordering the city and the prefecture to provide the same government medical benefits as given to other survivors.

The Hiroshima District Court said all 84 plaintiffs who were outside of a zone previously set by the government as where radioactive rain fell also developed radiation-induced illnesses and should be certified as atomic bomb victims. All of the plaintiffs are older than their late 70s, with some in their 90s.

The landmark ruling comes a week before the city marks the 75th anniversary of the U.S. bombing.

The U.S. dropped the world’s first atomic bomb on Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, killing 140,000 people and almost destroying the entire city. The plaintiffs were in areas northwest of the ground zero where radioactive black rain fell hours after the bomb was dropped.

The plaintiffs have developed illnesses such as cancer and cataracts linked to radiation after they were exposed to black rain, not only that which fell but also by taking water and food in the area contaminated with radiation.

They filed the lawsuit after Hiroshima city and prefectural officials rejected their request to expand the zone to cover their areas where black rain also fell.

In Wednesday’s ruling, the court said the plaintiffs’ argument about their black rain exposure was reasonable and that their medical records showed they have health problems linked to radiation exposure.

One of the plaintiffs, Minoru Honke, who was exposed to black rain at age 4, said more than a dozen people died during the trial. “I want to tell them that we won,” he said.

Osamu Saito, a doctor who has examined atomic bomb survivors in Hiroshima, welcomed the ruling for considering the survivors’ welfare based on an assumption that anyone who was in these areas and hit by the rain could have been affected by radiation.

Earlier in the day, dozens of plaintiffs walked into the Hiroshima court in the rain, showing a banner saying “Certificates to all ‘black rain’ victims.” As soon as the ruling was issued, lawyers for the plaintiffs ran out of the court, showing a banner saying “Full victory,” and their supporters applauded and cheered.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters that the government will closely examine the ruling and respond after consulting with related government agencies and Hiroshima officials.

New world news from Time: Hong Kong Police Arrest Four Students on Suspicion of Succession Through Online Posts

(HONG KONG) — Hong Kong police have signaled their intent to enforce a new Chinese national security law strictly, arresting four youths Wednesday on suspicion of inciting secession through social media posts.

Three males and one female, aged 16 to 21, were detained, a police official said at an 11 p.m. news conference. All are believed to be students.

“Our investigation showed that a group has recently announced on social media that they have set up an organization for Hong Kong independence,” said Li Kwai-wah, senior superintendent of a newly formed unit to enforce the security law.

The 1-month-old law has chilled pro-democracy protesting as activists along with academics and others wonder if their activities could be targeted.

The central government in Beijing imposed the national security law on the semi-autonomous Chinese territory after city leaders were unable to get one passed locally. The move has raised fears that Hong Kong’s freedoms and local autonomy are being taken away.

Police did not identify the suspects or their group. An organization called Studentlocalism — which announced it was disbanding just before the law took effect — said on Facebook that four former members had been arrested on secession charges, including ex-leader Tony Chung.

The police action appeared to target the Initiative Independence Party, which says on its Facebook page that it consists of former Studentlocalism members who have completed their studies and are overseas.

The party, which also posted the news of Wednesday’s arrests, advocates for independence because it believes full democracy for Hong Kong is impossible under Chinese rule, its Facebook page says.

Li said only that the group in question had set up recently and that the posts were made after the law took effect late on June 30.

“They said they want to establish a Hong Kong republic, and that they will unreservedly fight for it,” he said. “They also said they want to unite all pro-independence groups in Hong Kong for this purpose.”

He warned anyone who thinks they can carry out such crimes online to think twice.

Police have made a handful of other arrests under the new law, all of people taking part in protests and chanting slogans or waving flags deemed to violate the law.

China promised Hong Kong would have its own governing and legal systems under a “one country, two systems” principle until 2047, or 50 years after Britain handed back its former colony in 1997.

China, in justifying the new law, says issues such as separatism are a national security concern and, as such, fall under its purview.

The latest arrests came one day after a leading figure in Hong Kong’s political opposition was fired from his university post.

Hong Kong University’s council voted 18-2 to oust Benny Tai from his position as an associate law professor, local media reported.

Tai has been out on bail since being sentenced to 16 months in prison in April 2019 as one of nine leaders put on trial for their part in 2014 protests for greater democracy known as the Umbrella Movement.

In a posting Wednesday on his Facebook account, Tai said he intended to continue writing and lecturing on legal issues and asked for public support.

“If we continue in our persistence, we will definitely see the revival of the rule of law in Hong Kong one day,” Tai wrote.

While the 2014 movement failed in its bid to expand democracy, protests returned last year over a legislative proposal that would have allowed criminal suspects to be extradited to face trial in mainland China.

Although the legislation was eventually shelved, protester demands expanded to include calls for democratic change and an investigation into alleged police abuses. They grew increasingly violent in the second half of the year.

In a statement issued after the vote to remove Tai, the Chinese government’s liaison office in Hong Kong said it was “a punishment for evil doing.”

Yazidi children still haunted by Islamic State, Amnesty International says

Large numbers of Yazidi were killed by the Islamic State when it overran their homeland in 2014.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2DmDyyg

What's next after flood of US racial equity donations?

The global outpouring of giving following George Floyd's death inundated charities large and small.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/337Dj5d

Coronavirus in Pakistan: Doctor's video diary of fight against pandemic

A doctor in one of Pakistan’s busiest hospitals has kept a video diary of the country’s struggle with coronavirus.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/39DhMm8

'Bay of Piglets': A 'bizarre' plot to capture a president

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India and China race to build along a disputed frontier

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from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/336Y9Bz

Nile dam row: Egypt fumes as Ethiopia celebrates

Concerns grow as Nile River nations fail to reach a deal on how to share the vital waters.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2DmqIjy

The sweet smell of success: How Bulgaria took the lead in lavender

Lavender is used for cosmetics, fragrances and even, with the help of bees, to make honey.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/39FZnoY

Hajj 2020: 'It would have been my solace'

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'More than half of Mumbai slum-dwellers had Covid-19'

Mumbai has so far reported more than 110,000 infections and 6,000 deaths.

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Swimmer in Maine Is Killed by Great White Shark in Rare Attack

By Johnny Diaz from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/3hGbEfy

Like Father, Like Son: President Trump Lets Others Mourn

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‘Amazing, Isn’t It?’ Long Sought Blood Test for Alzheimer’s in Reach

By Pam Belluck from NYT Health https://nyti.ms/3f9SIEg

Here’s a Full List of the 2020 Emmy Nominees

By Lauren Messman from NYT Arts https://nyti.ms/3hHN1zl

Netflix Breaks HBO’s Record for the Most Emmy Nominations Ever

By John Koblin from NYT Arts https://nyti.ms/2P70sMO

Georgia Senator Is Criticized for Ad Enlarging Jewish Opponent’s Nose

By Rick Rojas from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/39DbvXE

Coronavirus: Malta says 65 rescued migrants test positive

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from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/3jPptdO

Climate change: Coastal erosion 'to threaten more Australian homes'

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from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/30YYzaq

US election: Biden pledges billions to improve racial equality

The Democratic candidate vows to boost opportunities for Black, Latino and Native American businesses.

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Dreamworld deaths: Theme park owner pleads guilty to safety breaches

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Do We Believe in U.F.O.s? That’s the Wrong Question

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New world news from Time: China Battles Coronavirus Outbreak in Xinjiang Region

(BEIJING) — China reported more than 100 newly confirmed cases of coronavirus on Wednesday as the country continues to battle an outbreak in Xinjiang.

The northwestern region accounted for 89 of the new cases, with another eight in the northeastern province of Liaoning and one in Beijing. Another three cases were brought from outside the country by returning Chinese citizens, bringing the daily total over the past 24 hours to 101, the highest number in weeks.

Outside of Xinjiang the virus has been largely contained with the death toll from COVID-19 remaining at 4,634 among 84,060 cases registered since the global pandemic first emerged from the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year.

Xinjiang’s outbreak has centered on the region’s capital and largest city of Urumqi, where authorities have isolated some communities, restricted public transport and ordered widespread testing.

Ecuador on alert over huge Chinese fishing fleet off Galapagos Islands

Ecuador is on alert due to the appearance of a fleet of fishing vessels off the Galapagos Islands.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/3gan5Mr

Saudi Hajj coronavirus curbs mean 'no work, no salary, nothing'

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Should police be first to respond in a mental-health crisis?

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from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/30YpcMO

'My Tanzanian family is split over coronavirus'

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from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/306yoPV

Coronavirus Live Updates: Trump Falsely Claims Much of U.S. ‘Corona Free’ as 21 States Face ‘Red Zone’ Outbreaks

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Misleading Virus Video, Pushed by the Trumps, Spreads Online

By Sheera Frenkel and Davey Alba from NYT Technology https://nyti.ms/309iJ2g

Coronavirus: Scaled back Hajj pilgrimage due to start in Saudi Arabia

Only a very limited number of Muslims living in the kingdom will be able to make the Hajj this year.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/3hLreGQ

Coronavirus: Hong Kong implements strict measures amid new cases

Dining in restaurants will be banned and only two people from different households can meet.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2X4GcA0

Spain quarantine rules: The businesses fearing for their futures

Spain's struggling tourist businesses say the UK's new quarantine rules may drive them off the edge.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2CY5ubZ

New world news from Time: The U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Has Shaved His Mildly Controversial Mustache

(SEOUL, South Korea) — The U.S. ambassador to South Korea has shaved his mildly controversial mustache, saying it was too uncomfortable to keep while wearing a coronavirus mask during South Korea’s notoriously hot summer.

Harry Harris’ facial hair had drawn criticism from the media and a small number of online commentators, who compared his mustache to those worn by colonial Japanese governors during the country’s brutal rule of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945.

Harris, a retired Navy admiral who became ambassador in July 2018, acknowledged in January that his mustache had become “a point of some fascination here.” He also said he was being criticized for his ethnic background as a Japanese-American.

Glad I did this. For me it was either keep the 'stache or lose the mask. Summer in Seoul is way too hot & humid for both. #COVID guidelines matter & I'm a masked man! Enjoyed getting to know Mr. Oh & appreciated his heartfelt words about how much he values the #USROKAlliance. https://t.co/ja2WMD49Fr

— Harry Harris (@USAmbROK) July 25, 2020

“Glad I did this,” Harris tweeted Saturday after his visit to a barbershop in Seoul, South Korea’s capital. “For me it was either keep the ‘stache or lose the mask. Summer in Seoul is way too hot & humid for both. #COVID guidelines matter & I’m a masked man!”

His embassy tweeted a video that showed Harris bumping elbows with a masked barber and gesturing for a shave. He playfully rolled his eyes as he lay back on a leather chair as the barber shaved his mustache and trimmed his eyebrows.

“Wow, I haven’t seen this face in years!” Harris exclaimed after washing his face and applying lotion.

In an interview last year with The Korea Times, an English-language daily, Harris said he would keep his mustache unless someone convinces him that it is “viewed in a way that hurts” the relationship between Washington and Seoul.

The newspaper said Harris’ mustache “has become associated with the latest U.S. image of being disrespectful and even coercive toward Korea.”

Relations between South Korea and Japan sank to their lowest point in decades last year as they feuded over trade issues, wartime history and military cooperation.

South Korea’s own alliance with the United States has also become shaky under the administration of President Donald Trump, who has openly complained about the costs of maintaining the 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea to protect against North Korean threats. The allies have failed to sign a new cost-sharing agreement after the last one expired at the end of 2019.

Australia's fires 'killed or harmed three billion animals'

The recent bushfires were "one of the worst wildlife disasters in modern history", conservationists say.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/3387edk

Google's new transatlantic data cable to land in Cornwall

The tech giant plans a new high-end transatlantic data cable to go from the US to Bude, in Cornwall.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/39B2tu1

Florida Man Took Coronavirus Aid and Bought a Lamborghini, Officials Say

By Azi Paybarah from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/39zFxvx

Miami Marlins Outbreak Postpones 2 Games and Rocks M.L.B.’s Return

By Tyler Kepner from NYT Sports https://nyti.ms/2EtWFr7

Najib Razak: Former Malaysian PM guilty on all charges in corruption trial

Tuesday's verdicts centred on $10m transferred from a wealth fund to Najib Razak's private accounts.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/3f5wLq0

The 1619 Project

By Unknown Author from NYT Magazine https://nyti.ms/2Z4Fd4T

John Lewis, Lying in State, Is Honored as Part of a ‘Pantheon of Patriots’

By Luke Broadwater from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/2CS0Fks

‘Challenge Accepted’: Why Women Are Posting Black-and-White Selfies

By Taylor Lorenz from NYT Style https://nyti.ms/2P39MS0