Global Pneumatic Actuators Industry

source https://news.yahoo.com/global-pneumatic-actuators-industry-062700003.html

Highways raise alarm in Cairo's historic City of the Dead

For centuries, sultans and princes, saints and scholars, elites and commoners have been buried in two sprawling cemeteries in Egypt’s capital, creating a unique historic city of the dead. Now in its campaign to reshape Cairo, the government is driving highways through the cemeteries, raising alarm from preservationists. In the Northern Cemetery last week, bulldozers demolished walls of graves, widening a road for a new expressway.

source https://news.yahoo.com/highways-raise-alarm-cairos-historic-060812772.html

EU sanctions Russian intelligence, North Korean and Chinese firms over alleged cyberattacks

The European Union on Thursday imposed travel and financial sanctions on a department of Russia’s military intelligence service and on firms from North Korea and China over their suspected participation in major cyberattacks across the world. In its first ever sanctions related to cybercrime, the EU targeted the department for special technologies of the Russian military intelligence service, known as Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, it said in a statement. The bloc accused the Russian service of having carried out two cyberattacks in June 2017, which hit several companies in Europe resulting in large financial losses. The service is also accused of two cyberattacks against Ukraine’s power grid in 2015 and 2016. Four individuals working for the Russian military intelligence service were also sanctioned for allegedly participating in an attempted cyberattack against the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in the Netherlands in April 2018. North Korean company Chosun Expo was also sanctioned on suspicion of having supported the Lazarus Group, which is deemed responsible for a series of major attacks worldwide, including an $81 million (£61.74 million) heist against Bangladesh Bank’s account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in 2016, the world’s biggest cyber fraud. The company is also allegedly linked to an attack against Hollywood film studio Sony Pictures to prevent the release of a satirical movie about North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in 2014. The U.S. Treasury last year imposed sanctions on the Lazarus Group and two other North Korean hacking groups for their alleged participation in the attacks on Sony Pictures and the central bank of Bangladesh, among others. It said North Korea’s main intelligence service was behind the hacking groups. North Korea has denied any involvement in cyberattacks. The EU sanctions also hit Chinese firm Haitai Technology Development, which is accused of having supported cyberattacks - known as Operation Cloud Hopper - aimed at stealing commercially sensitive data from multinationals across the world. Two Chinese individuals allegedly involved in the attacks were also sanctioned. Sanctions include travel bans and asset freezes. EU individuals, companies and other entities are forbidden from making funds available to those blacklisted. China’s diplomatic mission to the European Union said in a statement early on Friday that China “is a staunch defender of network security and one of the biggest victims of hacker attacks.” China wants global cyberspace security to be maintained through “dialogue and cooperation” and not by unilateral sanctions, the statement added.

source https://news.yahoo.com/eu-sanctions-russian-intelligence-north-054302834.html

Trump faces rare rebuke from GOP for floating election delay

President Donald Trump repeatedly tests the Republican Party's limits on issues including race, trade and immigration. GOP officials from New Hampshire to Mississippi to Iowa quickly pushed back against Trump's suggestion that it might be necessary to delay the November election — which he cannot do without congressional approval — because of the unfounded threat of voter fraud. New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu vowed his state would hold its November elections as scheduled: “End of story.”

source https://news.yahoo.com/trump-faces-rare-rebuke-gop-052854894.html

Oregon police try to tamp down nightly Portland protests

Oregon police took over protecting a federal courthouse in Portland that’s been a target of violent protests as local authorities try to tamp down demonstrations that have wracked the city every night for more than two months following the killing of George Floyd. Having state and local officers step up their presence was part of a deal between the Democratic governor and the Trump administration that aimed to draw down the number of U.S. agents on hand during the unrest. Portland police cleared out a park Thursday morning across from the Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse that demonstrators have used as a staging ground but reopened the park shortly before dark.

source https://news.yahoo.com/oregon-police-try-tamp-down-052653085.html

Some educators of color resist push for police-free schools

School districts nationwide are working to remove police officers from campuses, but some Black and Indigenous educational leaders are resisting the push prompted by the national reckoning over racial injustice and police brutality. Cities from Portland, Oregon, to Denver to Madison, Wisconsin, have taken steps to remove police from schools following George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police.

source https://news.yahoo.com/educators-color-resist-push-police-051058450.html

Turkey and Greece Need Angela Merkel’s Intervention

source https://news.yahoo.com/turkey-greece-angela-merkel-intervention-050002841.html

The Latest: India reports another surge, lifts night curfew

A record surge of 55,079 new cases in the past 24 hours took India’s coronavirus caseload past 1.6 million, as the government decided to lift a nighttime curfew that has been in force since late March. The Health Ministry on Friday also reported 779 additional deaths, taking total fatalities to 35,747. The night curfew will be lifted this weekend and yoga institutes and gyms will reopen on Aug. 5, according to the Home Ministry.

source https://news.yahoo.com/latest-india-reports-another-surge-045716132.html

US, China consulate closures deal losses to both nations

In shutting each other’s consulates, the United States and China have done more than strike symbolic blows in their escalating feud. For the United States, the loss of the Chengdu mission in southwestern China will, among other things, cloud its view of Tibet, a region where Buddhist residents say Beijing is eroding its culture and its traditional independent streak. China says Tibet has been its territory for centuries.

source https://news.yahoo.com/us-china-consulate-closures-deal-042828708.html

Fauci back on Capitol Hill as virus surge drives new fears

Dr. Anthony Fauci returns to Capitol Hill on Friday to testify before a special House panel investigating the coronavirus pandemic. The government's top infectious disease expert is testifying alongside Dr. Robert Redfield, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Admiral Brett Giroir, a Health and Human Services official and physician serving as the “testing czar.” The panel, the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, is divided about how to reopen schools and businesses, mirroring divisions among Americans.

source https://news.yahoo.com/fauci-back-capitol-hill-virus-041756025.html

Bahamas braces as newly formed Hurricane Isaias bears down

source https://news.yahoo.com/bahamas-braces-newly-formed-hurricane-041406194.html

Global PoS Accessories Industry

source https://news.yahoo.com/global-pos-accessories-industry-024700531.html

Aid group: Darfur attacks strand 14,000 without medical help

source https://news.yahoo.com/aid-group-darfur-attacks-strand-021728249.html

Harnessing wind data to help meet energy needs in Florida

A new study shows how upcoming technological advances could make wind energy a hot commodity in the Sunshine State.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200730160844.htm

New understanding of CRISPR-Cas9 tool could improve gene editing

Of the CRISPR-Cas9 tools created to date, base editors have gotten lots of attention because of their seemingly simple editing: they neatly replace one nucleic acid with another, in many cases all that should be needed to fix a genetic disease. Scientists have now determined the structure of the latest base editor as it swaps out nucleic acids, showing why it can go off target but also how it can be improved.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200730141315.htm

Laughter acts as a stress buffer -- and even smiling helps

People who laugh frequently in their everyday lives may be better equipped to deal with stressful events - although this does not seem to apply to the intensity of laughter.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200730110114.htm

Report provides new framework for understanding climate risks, impacts to US agriculture

A new report focuses on how agricultural systems are impacted by climate change and offers a list of 20 indicators that provide a broad look at what's happening across the country.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200729205009.htm

Global Powder Coating Equipment Industry

source https://news.yahoo.com/global-powder-coating-equipment-industry-012700476.html

UN leaders to meet virtually; Trump might attend in person

The annual meeting of world leaders at the United Nations is going virtual this year for the first time in its 75-year history because of the COVID-19 pandemic — except for the likely personal appearance by President Donald Trump. “We’re hoping that President Trump will actually be speaking in person in the General Assembly,” Kelly Craft, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said Thursday, adding that he will be “the only” leader to speak in the assembly chamber. In past years, thousands of people have flocked to New York for the annual meeting of world leaders at the General Assembly, known as the General Debate.

source https://news.yahoo.com/un-leaders-meet-virtually-trump-005718675.html

Election results may be delayed — but not because of fraud

A shift to mail voting is increasing the chances that Americans will not know the winner of November’s presidential race on election night. Trump, seeking to already undermine the results of an election he could lose, demanded that the winner of the Nov. 3 contest be known that night. ”I don’t want to be waiting around for weeks and months and literally, potentially if you really did it right, years, because you’ll never know,” Trump told reporters.

source https://news.yahoo.com/election-results-may-delayed-not-005212647.html

Nobel prize-winning work is concentrated in minority of scientific fields

From 1995 to 2017, work that was awarded a Nobel Prize in Medicine, Physics, or Chemistry clustered in just a few scientific disciplines.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200729141418.htm

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

A selection of the week's best photos from across the continent and beyond.

source https://news.yahoo.com/africas-week-pictures-24-30-233143058.html

Yemen rebels free Baha'is after years in prison

Yemen's Huthi rebels on Thursday freed six members of the Baha'i faith whose years of imprisonment had raised international concern, the community said. The community thanked Martin Griffiths, the UN special envoy for Yemen and the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights for securing the release of the six Baha'is. "As Yemen's search for durable, societal peace continues, Baha'is must be able -- like all Yemenis -- to practice their faith safely and freely, in keeping with the universal principles of freedom of religion or belief," said Diane Ala'i, representative of the Baha’i International Community at the United Nations in Geneva.

source https://news.yahoo.com/yemen-rebels-free-bahais-years-prison-233117641.html

Trump’s Waffling on Libya Puts the U.S. in a Bind

(Bloomberg Opinion) -- The Trump administration’s desultory Libya policy has left the U.S. helpless as its friends fight each other, its enemies grab strategic resources and American credibility sinks into the Saharan quicksand.The Libyan civil war is now at a dangerous inflection point: Government and rebel forces are facing off over the port city of Sirte, hometown of the former dictator Muammar Qaddafi and gateway to a coastal stretch of oil export terminals known as the “oil crescent.” But thanks to President Trump’s equivocal positions over the conflict, the U.S. finds itself with little leverage over either side.The latest demonstration of the perils of American ambivalence is the seizure of vital oil facilities in the North African country by Russian mercenaries, undeterred by U.S. warnings to steer clear. The Trump administration’s feeble response has been to sanction the Russian businessman who employs the mercenaries. This is no more likely to deter Moscow than the U.S. Africa Command publishing satellite images of Russian military jets in the Jufra airbase in May: Despite being called out, Moscow didn’t withdraw the planes.In recent weeks, Trump has himself attempted to intervene in the Libyan civil war, by calling the principal foreign patrons of the two sides, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who supports the government, and Egypt’s General Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, who supports the rebels, and urging them to support a negotiated settlement. Neither has since shown the slightest intention of reining in their favored belligerents. If anything, Egypt has ratcheted up tensions, with its parliament last week approving a direct military intervention in Libya.Trump’s late, limp effort to broker a truce in Libya is doomed to go the way of his administration’s other attempts at peacemaking in the Arab world — from the disastrous “deal of the century” for the Israelis and Palestinians, to failed mediation between Egypt and Ethiopia over a giant dam on the Blue Nile, to its inability to end the feud between Saudi Arabia and Qatar.In Libya, the failure is a direct consequence of Trump’s refusing to pick a side. Although the U.S. formally recognizes the Government of National Accord in Tripoli, led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, it has at various times viewed the rebel Libyan National Army as an ally in the fight against Islamist extremism — never mind that the rebels count Islamist extremists among their fastest friends. Trump, with his characteristic fondness for authoritarians, has praised the rebel commander Khalifa Haftar.Trump’s vacillation can be explained at least in part by the support that both Sarraj and Haftar receive from American allies; more to the point, both are championed by tough guys the president greatly admires.On Sarraj’s side is Turkey’s Erdogan, the world leader whose frequent calls to the White House are instantly put through to Trump. There’s also Qatar, which hosts the largest U.S. military base in the Middle East.  The rebels are backed principally by Egypt’s Sisi, Trump’s “favorite dictator,” and the United Arab Emirates, whose de facto leader, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, enjoys enormous clout in Washington. And then, of course, they have the support of the toughest of tough guys: Russian President Vladimir Putin, who meddles in Libya principally through the mercenary forces of the Wagner Group. (Haftar also has Emmanuel Macron in his camp, although Trump has long since lost his fondness for France’s president.)Unable to choose one side and incapable of mediating between them, Trump can only threaten economic punishment. But sanctions have limited effect in a civil war, especially when the prize — control of enormous oil wealth — is so valuable. As a result, in Libya as in much of the Arab world, the U.S. is doomed to be a mere spectator.This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.Bobby Ghosh is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He writes on foreign affairs, with a special focus on the Middle East and the wider Islamic world.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinionSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

source https://news.yahoo.com/trump-waffling-libya-puts-u-050002059.html

Three decades on, Iraq and Kuwait haunted by Saddam's invasion

Thirty years have passed since Iraqi tyrant Saddam Hussein invaded neighbouring Kuwait, but despite hints of a diplomatic rapprochement, people in both countries say the wounds have yet to heal. On August 2, 1990, Saddam sent his military, already exhausted by an eight-year conflict with Iran, into Kuwait to seize what he dubbed "Iraq's 19th province." From Baghdad to Basra, Kirkuk to Babylon, Iraqis agree that the incursion "marked the beginning of the end."

source https://news.yahoo.com/three-decades-iraq-kuwait-haunted-saddams-invasion-043730394.html

Trump vs. Biden: Where they stand on health, economy, more

Trump, like many fellow Republicans, holds out tax reductions and regulatory cuts as economic cure-alls and frames himself as a conservative champion in seemingly endless culture wars. Biden, for his part, sounds every bit the Democratic standard-bearer as he frames the federal government as the collective force to combat the coronavirus, rebuild the economy and address centuries of institutional racism and systemic inequalities. A veteran of national politics, Biden also loves framing his deal-making past as proof he can do it again from the Oval Office.

source https://news.yahoo.com/trump-vs-biden-where-stand-041209597.html

Scientists make quantum technology smaller

A way of shrinking the devices used in quantum sensing systems has now been developed.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200729141420.htm

Accelerated bone deterioration in last 70 years at famous Mesolithic peat bog in peril

Alarming results from a 2019 survey of well-known archaeological site Ageröd reveal drastic bone and organic matter deterioration since the site's initial excavations in the 1940s, suggesting action is needed to preserve findings from Ageröd and similar sites, according to a new study.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200729141417.htm

Researchers map mechanisms in the largest CRISPR system

The largest and most complex CRISPR system has been visualized by researchers in a new study. The system may have potential applications in biomedicine and biotechnology, the researchers believe.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200729114837.htm

Cosmic tango between the very small and the very large

A new study using the theory of quantum loop cosmology accounts for two major mysteries about the large-scale structure of our universe.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200729205012.htm

New current that transports water to major 'waterfall' discovered in deep ocean

An international team discovered a previously unrecognized ocean current that transports water to one of the world's largest 'waterfalls' in the North Atlantic Ocean: the Faroe Bank Channel Overflow into the deep North Atlantic.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200729204748.htm

Smaller habitats worse than expected for biodiversity

Biodiversity's ongoing global decline has prompted policies to protect and restore habitats to minimize animal and plant extinctions. However, biodiversity forecasts used to inform these policies are usually based on assumptions of a simple theoretical model describing how the number of species changes with the amount of habitat. A new study shows that the application of this theoretical model underestimates how many species go locally extinct when habitats are lost.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200729114822.htm

'Quantum negativity' can power ultra-precise measurements

Scientists have found that a physical property called 'quantum negativity' can be used to take more precise measurements of everything from molecular distances to gravitational waves.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200729114805.htm

Phillips group exactly solves experimental puzzle in high temperature superconductivity

A team of theoretical physicists has for the first time exactly solved a representative model of the cuprate problem, the 1992 Hatsugai-Kohmoto (HK) model of a doped Mott insulator.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200729114754.htm

Simulating quantum 'time travel' disproves butterfly effect in quantum realm

Using a quantum computer to simulate time travel, researchers have demonstrated that, in the quantum realm, there is no 'butterfly effect.' In the research, information--qubits, or quantum bits--'time travel' into the simulated past.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200729114750.htm

Biphilic surfaces reduce defrosting times in heat exchangers

Engineers have discovered a way to significantly improve the defrosting of ice and frost on heat exchangers.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200729114748.htm

Amazonian Indigenous territories are crucial for conservation

A new study shows that Indigenous territories represent around 45% of all the remaining wilderness areas in the Amazon, comprising an area of three times the surface of Germany. At a time when the Amazon forests face unprecedented pressures, overcoming divergences and aligning the goals of wilderness defenders and Indigenous peoples is paramount to avoid further environmental degradation.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200729114743.htm

How to mix old tires and building rubble to make sustainable roads

A recycled blend brings together construction and tire waste, to deliver both environmental and engineering benefits. The material offers a zero-waste solution to a massive environmental challenge - construction, renovation and demolition account for about 50% of the waste produced annually worldwide, while around 1 billion scrap tires are generated globally each year.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200729114739.htm

Arguments between couples: Our neurons like mediation

When couples argue, mediation improves the outcome of the confrontation. But that's not all: mediation is also linked to heightened activity in key regions of the brain belonging to the reward circuit. This is the first time that a controlled, randomized study has succeeded in demonstrating the advantages of mediation for couple conflicts and identifying a related biological signature.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200729114735.htm

Potential preterm births in high risk women predicted to 73% accuracy, by new technique

A new technique that can spot a potential preterm birth in asymptomatic high-risk women, with up to 73% accuracy months before delivery, has been developed by scientists.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200729114730.htm

U.N. Calls on Police to Limit Use-of-Force Tactics

As thousands continue to protest over racial injustice across the U.S., the United Nations is weighing in on how authorities are handling the situation. The U.N.'s human rights office called on law enforcement and governments to limit use of force tactics on protesters, saying it is their obligation to facilitate peaceful demonstrations. The office said states are required to allow peaceful protests and can't obstruct them "without compelling justification."

source http://www.newsy.com/stories/u-n-calls-on-police-to-limit-use-of-force-tactics/

U.N. Calls On Police To Limit Use-Of-Force Tactics At Protests

As thousands continue to protest over racial injustice across the U.S., the United Nations is weighing in on how authorities are handling the situation. The U.N.'s human rights office called on law enforcement and governments to limit use of force tactics on protesters, saying it is their obligation to facilitate peaceful demonstrations. The office said states are required to allow peaceful protests and can't obstruct them "without compelling justification."

source https://www.newsy.com/stories/u-n-calls-on-police-to-limit-use-of-force-tactics/

U.S. Warns Russia on Bounties While Trump Cries ‘Fake News’

The U.S. State Department has issued warnings to Russia that there will be repercussions if Moscow pays bounties to the Taliban for successfully killing American soldiers, according to two senior American officials and another individual with knowledge of the matter.The warnings were issued through the department’s diplomatic channels after public news reports in June that the U.S. had gathered intelligence about the Russian bounties, those officials said. One official described the communications as “serious.” Another said that Moscow responded by denying the reports it had set up or funded a bounty program to kill U.S. troops.These secret warnings stand in contrast to what President Trump has said about the intelligence in question. In an interview earlier this week, Trump said he did not believe the bounties were worth raising in a recent conversation with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. “That was a phone call to discuss other things, and frankly that’s an issue that many people said was fake news,” Trump said in a recent interview.Trump Gives Putin a Pass on Bounties So He Can Target Leakers Instead The New York Times reported June 26 that Russia had covertly offered the Taliban cash in exchange for killing U.S. and coalition troops in Afghanistan and that the intelligence had been included in a presidential daily briefing packet in February. White House officials have consistently said that the bounty intelligence has not been “verified.” Officials previously told The Daily Beast that there was disagreement in the intelligence and national security communities over the intelligence and the methods used to gather it. Multiple U.S. officials, including Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Gen. Mark Milley, have publicly disputed the reports. In a July 9 congressional hearing, Esper said the U.S. did not have any evidence that suggested there were direct linkages between the Russian bounties and Americans getting killed in the field.The warnings to the Russians highlight the seriousness with which officials in the Trump administration have responded to reports of the bounties. They also raise questions about the extent to which officials’ understanding of the validity of the bounty intelligence diverges from that of President Donald Trump.It is unclear to what extent, if at all, the president has been briefed on these warnings. The White House and National Security Council did not immediately provide comment to The Daily Beast. The State Department did not respond on the record to a request for comment. Pompeo recently said during a Fox News interview that the U.S. would “respond to any threat, whether that’s Iranians using the Taliban or the Russians,” he said. “We’ll make sure they know.”  In his interview with Axios this week, Trump insisted that the intelligence “never reached my desk,” though it has been widely reported that the intel had been included in the President's Daily Brief.During that interview, when Trump was asked about Russia’s years-long efforts to provide weapons to Taliban forces, the president responded, “Well, we supplied weapons when they were fighting Russia, too. The Taliban, in Afghanistan…I’m just saying, we did that, too.”Russian Bounties for Killing Americans Go Back Five Years, Ex-Taliban ClaimsIn Moscow’s Afghan Bazaar, Searching for a Bagman Who Pays Bounties for Dead AmericansU.S. representatives are currently in Vienna, Austria meeting with the Russians on arms control—an area national security officials say could be a path toward cooperation, though Russia recently launched an anti-satellite weapon into space. According to interviews with three former officials, past efforts at cooperating with Russia have failed, including the sharing of counterterrorism intelligence, and engaging in talks on space could be beneficial for safeguarding American interests there. But multiple current and former senior officials say they are unsure if there’s any issue on which the U.S. can cooperate with Russia given recent attempts by a Moscow-linked group to hack U.S. coronavirus vaccine research and the country disseminating disinformation on the coronaivurs.In a hearing last week in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, State Department Deputy Secretary Biegun said years of malign actions by the Russians “have made it virtually impossible to make progress …  in any way, shape or form.” 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.

source https://news.yahoo.com/u-warns-russia-bounties-while-234243455.html

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.

source https://news.yahoo.com/nile-dam-row-egypt-fumes-233441375.html

Senator, union leader: Postal Service considers downsizing

The U.S. Postal Service is considering closing post offices across the country, sparking concerns ahead of an anticipated surge of mail-in ballots in the 2020 elections, U.S. Sen Joe Manchin and a union leader said Wednesday. Manchin said he has received numerous reports from post offices and colleagues about service cuts or looming closures in West Virginia and elsewhere, prompting him to send a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy asking for an explanation. The possible cutbacks come as DeJoy, a major donor to President Donald Trump who took control of the agency last month, moves to eliminate overtime for hundreds of thousands of postal workers, potentially causing a delay in mail deliveries.

source https://news.yahoo.com/senator-union-leader-postal-considers-230121465.html

In-person Lifeline Pass Sales to Resume in August

In-person Lifeline Pass Sales to Resume in August
By Sophia Scherr

As in-person sales of the Lifeline pass are set to resume on August 21, 2020, changes to the Lifeline program are also underway. As the state of emergency persists, a new online application process has been launched and changes are being made to locations where the passes can be purchased.

Lifeline is a Muni-only monthly pass for customers with limited incomes. Lifeline customers get unlimited access to Muni service for a calendar month at a 50% discount off the standard adult monthly pass price. Individuals with a gross annual income, also known as income before taxes, at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty level are eligible to receive the Lifeline pass. Currently, Lifeline program applications and requests for replacement cards are still being accepted online or by mail, and expired Lifeline passes have been extended until April 2022.

Lifeline pass holders may also qualify Clipper’s START program, a new regional discount program that provides a 50% single ride fare discount to those who qualify for Lifeline. Clipper START is a great option if you qualify for Lifeline, but don't ride enough to need a monthly pass.

New Application Process

A new online application has been developed for people trying to get a Lifeline pass and those seeking replacement cards, that allows pass holders to securely upload necessary income certification. Once an application is approved, Lifeline pass holders receive a receipt via e-mail that may be used for proof of payment for two weeks (to allow time to mail the program card). The photo element of the Lifeline ID card is also being eliminated to allow online and by-mail applications.

In addition to existing eligibility options such as Medi-Cal or EBT cards, etc., proof of receipt of—or application for—unemployment insurance will also be accepted. For those unable to provide documentation, a self-certification of income will be accepted, with acknowledgement that the application may be subject to audit.

Customers whose eligibility is established through unemployment or self-certification will receive a one-year Lifeline pass. Self-certification will apply to all SFMTA low-income programs (boot, tow, payment plans, etc.).

Lifeline Sales Locations

There are changes to where you can buy your Lifeline pass. Lifeline passes are also now available for purchase via MuniMobile for those that have a valid Lifeline ID. However, due to capacity limitations, Lifeline pass sales will be discontinued at the Human Services Agency’s (170 Otis Street) office, as well as the SFMTA Customer Service Center (11 South Van Ness Ave).

Lifeline passes will be sold seven days a week, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the following SFMTA kiosk locations:

• Presidio Avenue and Geary Boulevard
• Powell and Market Streets
• Bay and Taylor Streets

Lifeline passes are also being sold at the locations listed below:

• EVS Enterprises, LLC (Photo Focus) - 1100 Stockton Street
• Visitacion Valley Pharmacy - 100 Leland Avenue
• Lucky Spot - 1944 Irving Street

Visit www.sfmta.com/lifeline for information on operating hours.

Published July 30, 2020 at 04:52AM
https://ift.tt/338lFOE

Trump says he never confronted Putin about Russia bounty reports -Axios

source https://news.yahoo.com/trump-says-never-confronted-putin-103916539.html

Iran bombards replica US aircraft carrier with missiles in 'reckless' exercise

Iran has bombarded a replica US aircraft carrier in the Strait of Hormuz with missiles that caused so much commotion that the US military put two of its regional bases on alert. Shortly after the mock carrier was blasted with missiles by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, the US Navy condemned the drill as “irresponsible and reckless behaviour by Iran” that was intended to “intimidate and coerce". During the same drill, Iranian soldiers abseiled from a helicopter onto the replica ship, while anti-aircraft guns opened fire on a target drone. The dramatic images were broadcast by Iranian state media, and also showed missiles being fired from boats, trucks and a helicopter. An Iranian commander said in the broadcast that the provocative drill would continue on Wednesday, with plans to shoot “long-range ballistic missiles” at mock targets.

source https://news.yahoo.com/iran-bombards-replica-us-aircraft-100804664.html

As crime surges on his watch, Trump warns of Biden's America

President Donald Trump is painting a dystopian portrait of what Joe Biden’s America might look like, asserting crime and chaos would ravage communities should the former vice president win the White House in November. Left unsaid: A recent surge in violent crime in several American cities has happened on his watch. “Irony is way down the list of things that President Trump worries about,” said Robert Spitzer, a political scientist at the State University of New York College at Cortland whose research focuses on gun politics and the American presidency.

source https://news.yahoo.com/crime-surges-watch-trump-warns-041513849.html

Civil rights icon Lewis to lie in repose at Georgia Capitol

John Lewis will lie in repose at the Georgia capitol in his hometown of Atlanta in one of the last memorial services for the late Democratic congressman before he is buried. Members of the public will be able to pay their respects to Lewis on Wednesday at the state capitol rotunda following a ceremony in his honor. A private burial service in Atlanta is scheduled for Thursday.

source https://news.yahoo.com/civil-rights-icon-lewis-lie-051536291.html

From scandal to accusations of disloyalty, S.Korea's new point men on North have dramatic past

source https://news.yahoo.com/scandal-accusations-disloyalty-koreas-point-075826755.html

British-Australian academic moved to notorious Iran prison

A British-Australian academic serving a 10-year sentence for espionage in Iran has been moved to a notorious prison where concerns for her well-being have escalated, the Australian government confirmed Wednesday. Kylie Moore-Gilbert was a Melbourne University lecturer on Middle Eastern studies when she was sent to Tehran’s Evin Prison in September 2018. Iran told Australia that Moore-Gilbert had been recently moved to Qarchak Prison east of Tehran, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said in a statement.

source https://news.yahoo.com/british-australian-academic-moved-notorious-075738237.html

A Covid Vaccine Won’t Help If People Don’t Trust It

(Bloomberg Opinion) -- With any luck, one of the handful of promising Covid-19 vaccines currently going through human trials will meet with regulatory approval, maybe even in time for winter. One thing worrying public health officials, though, is what happens if a significant number of people don’t want to be vaccinated.Vaccines are responsible for saving millions of lives every year, and yet there has always been a small but hardcore contingent of anti-vaxxers that rejects the science or buys into conspiracy theories about immunizations. Unfortunately, their ranks are growing during the current crisis. National health authorities, along with the World Health Organization, are engaged in a furious game of whack-a-mole as they try to knock down the conspiracy theories and correct misinformation.Countering the anti-vaxxers is important work, but it’s only part of the picture. The bigger danger is a broader vaccine hesitancy: What if rational people who get their flu shots and vaccinate their children, and who are eager to be part of the solution to this pandemic, have worries that public health authorities and governments don’t address?The World Health Organization lists vaccine hesitancy as one of its top 10 global health threats. One in six U.K. respondents to a June YouGov survey said they definitely or probably would not get vaccinated. A CNN poll in May showed a third of Americans would not try to get a vaccine if it existed. Like everything else in the U.S., opinion on a vaccine varies along party lines, with 81% of Democrats and only 51% of Republicans keen to get vaccinated.Some of the skepticism reflects a mistrust of Big Pharma, some of it a mistrust of government. Some of it is simply because it’s been a long time since we lived in fear of the many diseases that vaccines now protect against.Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S.’s top infectious disease expert, has said that a vaccine that is 70% to 75% effective but taken by only two-thirds of the public would not create the herd immunity necessary for economies to get back up and running. So governments have a lot riding on not only securing an immunization program but on making sure people take part. However, if a vaccine overpromises, if the risks are not clearly explained or if there are problems with delivery, it could further undermine trust in authorities, institutions and even experts, with far-reaching consequences for public health and the economy. It’s hard to imagine another time when there was so much riding not just on the science, but on how it’s communicated.One hurdle for health-care authorities is convincing people that a vaccine produced at lightning speed is no less safe than one that would normally take more than a decade to develop. They will have to be clear about where the uncertainty lies. For example, it’s impossible to know from even large clinical trials how vaccines will affect people with a range of different conditions; if vaccines will have adverse long-term effects; or what the impact of repeat doses might be if, as many expect, booster shots are required. Most advanced countries have developed systems for reporting adverse consequences of vaccines and medications precisely because there is uncertainty in their effects across different populations and over time. The U.S. has the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System or VAERS; the U.K. has the yellow card scheme. While established vaccines have been linked to some rare cases of serious illness, researchers have not found a link between established vaccines and adverse impacts in most cases. This hasn’t stopped incorrect information from spreading. Confused and irresponsible messaging hasn’t been helpful either.“The fact that it’s being crunched into such a short period has been a cause for concern,” says Oksana Pyzik, a senior teaching fellow at the University College London School of Pharmacy. “We can’t really afford to cut corners in this process, specifically because there is so much momentum behind an anti-science movement.”There are other concerns, apart from efficacy and safety, that governments will have to monitor, notes Pyzik. One is the risk of fakes. The WHO says one in 10 medical products circulating in low- and middle-income countries is falsified or does not meet standards. Falsified medicines lead to poisoning, untreated disease and other hazards. And Covid-related fraud, from masks to medicine, is booming, the United Nations has found. Vaccines will be a target, too. Officials have already discovered a fake Israeli coronavirus vaccine being sold in South America. Any doubts over the quality of a vaccine, which can also be affected by inadequate storage or transport, will impact trust. And that trust was being sorely tested even before the pandemic. In the U.S., a near epidemic of overprescribing, especially of opioids, has increased skepticism of both doctors and drug companies. Black and minority communities hit hardest by Covid-19 might have the most reason to line up for vaccines, but vaccination rates are lower among minority groups because of lower levels of trust from historical abuses. None of this is to suggest that vaccinating isn't the right choice for society and individuals. Researchers and pharmaceutical companies are moving at a breakneck pace in this outbreak for very understandable reasons. The recent surge of cases in Europe and elsewhere underscores the imperative of finding a way past this pandemic.“It’s understandable that people are more concerned about new vaccines, but all prospective Covid-19 vaccines are undergoing extensive testing to ensure they are effective and safe,” writes Dr. Mary Ramsay, the head of immunization at Public Health England, via email. If people are to have confidence in regulators’ declarations that a vaccine is “safe and effective,” much will depend on governments acknowledging their concerns and being transparent about both the benefits and the unknowns. Pretending science doesn’t contain uncertainty serves neither the scientists nor public health.This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.Therese Raphael is a columnist for Bloomberg Opinion. She was editorial page editor of the Wall Street Journal Europe.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinionSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

source https://news.yahoo.com/covid-vaccine-won-t-help-063015251.html

N.Korea tells foreigners in capital to follow rules amid coronavirus crackdown

source https://news.yahoo.com/n-korea-tells-foreigners-capital-065834916.html

Very different, symbolic hajj in Saudi Arabia amid virus

source https://news.yahoo.com/very-different-symbolic-hajj-saudi-062722408.html

Iran launches underground ballistic missiles during exercise

Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard launched underground ballistic missiles as part of an exercise involving a fake aircraft carrier in the Strait of Hormuz, state television reported Wednesday, the latest barrage in a drill that saw two American bases temporarily go on alert over the launches. Drones separately targeted the bridge of the fake aircraft carrier, according to the state TV report. The TV did not immediately air footage of the launches or the drone attack, nor did it identify the missiles used in the drill.

source https://news.yahoo.com/iran-launches-underground-ballistic-missiles-061229855.html

The Latest: Japan's virus surge fills isolation facilities

As Japan battles a surge in coronavirus cases, some areas may be running out of isolation facilities to monitor infected people. Chief government spokesman Yoshihide Suga acknowledged some areas may be running out of room at places like hotels, where infected people can be housed and monitored away from other people and prevent the spread of the virus.

source https://news.yahoo.com/latest-japans-virus-surge-fills-054107516.html

Early in pandemic, frantic doctors traded tips across oceans

When Stephen Donelson arrived at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in mid-March, Dr. Kristina Goff was among those who turned to what she called “the stories out of other places that were hit before.” Donelson’s family hadn’t left the house in two weeks after COVID-19 started spreading in Texas, hoping to shield the organ transplant recipient. In New York or Italy, where hospitals were overflowing, Goff thinks Donelson wouldn’t even have qualified for a then-precious ventilator.

source https://news.yahoo.com/early-pandemic-frantic-doctors-traded-050530801.html

Lebanon Can’t Afford Another Hezbollah Clash With Israel

source https://news.yahoo.com/lebanon-t-afford-another-hezbollah-050014988.html

Trump on his own yet again as he skips farewell to Lewis

One by one, they passed through the grand Capitol Rotunda to pay respects to the civil rights icon. It was a solemn display of unity as congressional leaders from both sides of the aisle offered praise for longtime Georgia Rep. John Lewis. There was House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who called Lewis the “conscience of the Congress"; and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who praised him as a model of courage.

source https://news.yahoo.com/trump-own-yet-again-skips-041351799.html

Kremlin accused of losing its touch as protests put Putin on back foot

source https://finance.yahoo.com/news/kremlin-accused-losing-touch-protests-000000872.html

Trump seeks out loyal donors in West Texas fracking fields

President Donald Trump's visit to a U.S. fracking hub on the West Texas plains comes during the state’s fierce coronavirus outbreak and a global oil and gas glut that is putting the squeeze on his loyal donors in the petroleum industry. Trump is combining some fundraising Wednesday with his first trip to an oil and gas rig and to his first visit as president to the Permian Basin. “The amount of money might be slightly off because the markets are down and they’re suffering a bit,” said Bill Miller, a prominent lobbyist and consultant in Austin.

source https://news.yahoo.com/trump-seeks-loyal-donors-west-040758909.html

Pharmaceutical Fine Chemicals Market

source https://news.yahoo.com/pharmaceutical-fine-chemicals-market-035800860.html

Yemen's separatists to give up self-rule, push peace deal

Yemen’s leading separatist group will abandon its aspirations for self-rule to implement a stalled peace deal brokered by Saudi Arabia, it announced early Wednesday in a major step toward closing a dangerous rift between nominal allies in the chaotic proxy war. Nizar Haitham, a spokesman for the separatists’ Southern Transitional Council, an umbrella group of militias backed by the United Arab Emirates, said the separatists would give up their dreams of autonomy over southern Yemen to pursue the Riyadh agreement.

source https://news.yahoo.com/yemens-separatists-self-rule-push-025118391.html

UK plan to boost customs recruitment is ‘flawed’, industry warns

source https://finance.yahoo.com/news/uk-plan-boost-customs-recruitment-000000478.html

'My Tanzanian family is split over coronavirus'

Sammy Awami writes that his relatives are divided over the Tanzanian leader's policy on Covid-19.

source https://news.yahoo.com/tanzanian-family-split-over-coronavirus-005722412.html

Biden's notes: ‘Do not hold grudges’ against Kamala Harris

Joe Biden was uncharacteristically tight-lipped on Tuesday about the final stretch of his search for a vice president. As he took questions from reporters on Tuesday, Biden held notes that were captured by an Associated Press photographer. Harris' name was scrawled across the top, followed by five talking points.

source https://news.yahoo.com/bidens-notes-not-hold-grudges-235525725.html

Decline of bees, other pollinators threatens US crop yields

Crop yields for apples, cherries and blueberries across the United States are being reduced by a lack of pollinators, according to new research, the most comprehensive study of its kind to date. Most of the world's crops depend on honeybees and wild bees for pollination, so declines in both managed and wild bee populations raise concerns about food security, notes the study.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200728201558.htm

Trump administration won't accept new DACA applications

The Trump administration said Tuesday that it will reject new applications and shorten renewal periods for an Obama-era program that shields young people from deportation, taking a defiant stance after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to let it be scrapped completely. The move, detailed in a memo from Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf, ended a month of uncertainty about how the administration would respond to its Supreme Court defeat in an election year that has President Donald Trump looking for ways to energize his base. Wolf said the administration may try to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program again, casting it as a law enforcement issue that could contribute to illegal immigration.

source https://news.yahoo.com/trump-administration-resume-processing-daca-180905507.html

Global Wine Packaging Industry

source https://news.yahoo.com/global-wine-packaging-industry-035400329.html

Rapeseed decline raises post-Brexit fears for UK farmers

source https://finance.yahoo.com/news/rapeseed-decline-raises-post-brexit-000000409.html

Global Albumin Industry

source https://news.yahoo.com/global-albumin-industry-025400100.html

Global Alcohol Packaging Industry

source https://news.yahoo.com/global-alcohol-packaging-industry-023400928.html

Global Apple Cider Vinegar Industry

source https://news.yahoo.com/global-apple-cider-vinegar-industry-021400574.html

Global Automotive Starter Motor and Alternator Industry

source https://news.yahoo.com/global-automotive-starter-motor-alternator-011400990.html

N Korea's Kim boasts of his nukes amid stalled talks with US

North Korea leader Kim Jong Un said his country’s hard-won nuclear weapons were a solid security guarantee and a “reliable, effective” deterrent that could prevent a second Korean War, state media reported Tuesday. Kim’s comments before war veterans marking the 67th anniversary of the end of the 1950-53 Korean War again show he has no intention of abandoning his weapons as prospects dim for resuming diplomacy with the United States. “There won’t any war on this land again and our national security and future will be guaranteed firmly and permanently because of our reliable, effective self-defensive nuclear deterrent,” Kim said.

source https://news.yahoo.com/n-koreas-kim-boasts-nukes-010656592.html

Global Automotive Wiper Component Aftermarket Industry

source https://news.yahoo.com/global-automotive-wiper-component-aftermarket-005400369.html

Coronavirus: How it turned the tables on Ghana's diaspora

Coronavirus has given Ghanaians a new perspective on the pull of living abroad.

source https://news.yahoo.com/coronavirus-turned-tables-ghanas-diaspora-001522703.html

Randomness theory could hold key to internet security

Researchers identified a problem that holds the key to whether all encryption can be broken -- as well as a surprising connection to a mathematical concept that aims to define and measure randomness.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200727194721.htm

How airway cells work together in regeneration and aging

Researchers have identified the process by which stem cells in the airways of the lungs switch between two distinct phases -- creating more of themselves and producing mature airway cells -- to regenerate lung tissue after an injury.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200727194718.htm

Scientists record rapid carbon loss from warming peatlands

Scientists have demonstrated a direct relationship between climate warming and carbon loss in a peatland ecosystem. Their study provides a glimpse of potential futures where significant stores of carbon in peat bogs could be released into the atmosphere as greenhouse gases.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200727194713.htm

Link between education, income inequality has existed for a century

Income is inextricably linked to access to education in America and it has been for a century, according to a new study.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200727194705.htm

How day- and night-biting mosquitoes respond differently to colors of light and time of day

In a new study, researchers found that night- versus day-biting species of mosquitoes are behaviorally attracted and repelled by different colors of light at different times of day. Mosquitoes are among major disease vectors impacting humans and animals around the world and the findings have important implications for using light to control them.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200727194703.htm

Highly invasive lung cancer cells have longer 'fingers'

Tiny finger-like projections called filopodia drive invasive behavior in a rare subset of lung cancer cells. Analysis of molecular features distinguishing leader from follower cells focuses on filopodia and the MYO10 gene.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200727194700.htm

Mapping crystal shapes could fast-track 2D materials

Materials scientists are calling for a collective, global effort to fast-track the mass production of 2D materials like graphene and molybdenum disulfide.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200727194654.htm

Seismic waves help scientists 'see' chemical changes beneath a watershed

Chemical reactions deep below ground affect water quality, but methods for 'seeing' them are time-consuming, expensive and limited in scope. A research team found that seismic waves can help to identify these reactions under an entire watershed and protect groundwater resources.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200727154214.htm

Invisible barriers cut down on cheating

Both see-through and pretend partitions promoted honesty in taking tests, psychology experiments show, suggesting simple environmental cues can nudge children to do the right thing.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200727154208.htm

Rising temps put desert shrubs in high-efficiency mode

Research shows that one shrub, the brittlebush, is adapting, and showing a remarkable ability to respond to increased temperature and aridity.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200727154204.htm

Hydrogel mimics human brain with memorizing and forgetting ability

Researchers have found a soft and wet material that can memorize, retrieve, and forget information, much like the human brain.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200727154203.htm

A new way to target cancers using 'synthetic lethality'

Researchers report that inhibiting a key enzyme caused human cancer cells associated with two major types of breast and ovarian cancer to die and in mouse studies reduced tumor growth.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200727154201.htm

Clipper launching START Pilot Discount Program

Clipper launching START Pilot Discount Program
By Sophia Scherr

Clipper is excited to launch the START Pilot Program in collaboration with the SFMTA and other Bay Area transportation agencies (BART, Caltrain and Golden Gate Transit and Ferry). Designed to make transportation more affordable for low-income residents, the Clipper START pilot program moves toward a consistent fare discount standard for the Bay Area region. The discount pilot program will last for 18 months while the program is evaluated. SFMTA has committed to continue to offer the discount after the pilot period ends.

To design, implement and evaluate this pilot program, the SFMTA is working with Clipper, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), BART and Golden Gate Transit—as well as community-based organizations, social services and public health sectors.

Am I eligible for the pilot Clipper START Program? How do I apply?

Adults ages 19 to 64 who have a household income of up to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (approximately $50,000 per year for a family of four) can qualify for the Clipper START discount. Applicants will need to provide proof of eligibility in the form of copies of EBT cards, Medi-Cal cards or tax returns. Participants must also live in the 9-county San Francisco Bay Area.  Income levels and eligibility are available online – see www.clipperstartcard.com for details.

Eligible participants will be able to apply online, mail or fax using a paper applicationOnce eligibility is verified, participants will be mailed a special Clipper card to use to receive the discount. This Clipper Card will show the participant’s name and will look like a regular Clipper Card.

What kind of discount will be offered?

Clipper START pilot participants will receive discounts for single rides on participating agencies. Participants riding Muni will receive a 50% discount each single ride purchased. Discounts vary by agency:

• MUNI: 50% discount; single rides
• Caltrain: 50% discount
• BART: 20% discount
• Golden Gate Transit and Ferry: 50% discount

If I am a Lifeline customer, should I get Clipper START?

For Lifeline customers who take fewer than 32 trips per month, this option is costs less than buying a monthly Lifeline pass.

 What if I have a pass given to me by a social service program, such as Lifeline?

The discount will only apply to fares paid on single rides (including transfers). It does not apply to Muni passes. Our pass programs, including our free and reduced pass programs, are still available. However, the discount does not apply to them.

Where can I find more information?

More information is available online at www.clipperstartcard.com. The SFMTA is working with community-based organizations, social services and public health agencies to help sign up customers and spread the word about the program once it becomes available.

Published July 28, 2020 at 05:42AM
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Trump lawyers renew legal assault on tax records subpoena

President Donald Trump’s lawyers filed fresh arguments Monday to try to block a criminal subpoena for his tax records, saying it was issued in bad faith, might have been politically motivated and calling it a harassment of the president. Lawyers filed a rewritten lawsuit in Manhattan federal court to challenge the subpoena by a state prosecutor on grounds they believe conform with how the U.S. Supreme Court said the subpoena can be contested. The high court ruled earlier this month that Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. could subpoena tax records from Trump’s accountant over his objections.

source https://news.yahoo.com/trump-lawyers-renew-legal-assault-213054924.html

AP FACT CHECK: A more measured Trump doesn't mean accurate

President Donald Trump in recent days suddenly acknowledged the gravity of the coronavirus pandemic and edged away from some of his most audacious falsehoods about it. Trump minimized the potential risk to children and those around them as he advocated reopening schools. All this while Trump canceled Republican National Convention events in Jacksonville, Florida, bowing to the reality that many Republicans were reluctant to go a state where the virus has been out of control.

source https://news.yahoo.com/ap-fact-check-more-measured-050139510.html

Wealthy donors pour millions into fight over mail-in voting

Deep-pocketed and often anonymous donors are pouring over $100 million into an intensifying dispute about whether it should be easier to vote by mail, a fight that could determine President Donald Trump's fate in the November election. In the battleground of Wisconsin, cash-strapped cities have received $6.3 million from an organization with ties to left-wing philanthropy to help expand vote by mail. Meanwhile, a well-funded conservative group best known for its focus on judicial appointments is spending heavily to fight cases related to mail-in balloting procedures in court.

source https://news.yahoo.com/wealthy-donors-pour-millions-fight-045607575.html

Nonprofit sends veterans craft kits to help them stay busy while at home

Veterans across the United States are spending their days painting, making wallets, and finishing needlepoint projects, thanks to a nonprofit organization that sends free arts and crafts kits to vets.Help Heal Veterans was started in 1971, and distributes the therapeutic kits to veterans so they can have something to focus on during challenging times, like recovering from an injury. In a typical year, the organization distributes 350,000 to 400,000 kits, but due to demand because of the pandemic, nearly 150,000 have been shipped out over the last two months.Marine Corps veteran Mark Kaleimamahu has multiple sclerosis, and told ABC News the kits have helped take his mind off of the fact he can't have visitors during the pandemic. He has made a wall clock, a wallet, and a messenger bag, and those projects "helped pass the time," he said. "It relieved a bunch of stress, anxiety, and they were fun to do — along with helping us mentally, spiritually, and physically."More stories from theweek.com North Korea may be 'reaching out to the world for help' after finally announcing a suspected coronavirus case 5 scathing cartoons about Trump's use of federal force Trump's old tricks aren't working

source https://news.yahoo.com/nonprofit-sends-veterans-craft-kits-043800406.html

Iran moves mock aircraft carrier to sea amid US tensions

Iran has moved a mock aircraft carrier to the strategic Strait of Hormuz amid heightened tensions between Tehran and the U.S., satellite photographs released Monday show, likely signalling the Islamic Republic soon plans to use it for live-fire drills. An image from Maxar Technologies taken Sunday shows an Iranian fast boat speed toward the carrier, sending waves up in its wake, after a tugboat pulled her out into the strait from the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas. Iranian state media and officials have yet to acknowledge bringing the replica out to the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world's oil passes.

source https://news.yahoo.com/iran-moves-mock-aircraft-carrier-040415704.html

On Portland's streets: Anger, fear, and a fence that divides

The party at the Salmon Street Springs fountain, a riverfront landmark in the heart of Portland, was just getting started. Suddenly, 10-year-old Xavier Minor jumped into the center of the circle and started dancing with abandon. A few minutes later, as night fell, the music stopped — and the march to the federal courthouse began.

source https://news.yahoo.com/portlands-streets-anger-fear-fence-040113644.html

Flooding threat continues as Hanna drops rain on borderland

A downgraded Hanna continued charging across the borderland of South Texas and northeastern Mexico, where flooding remained the biggest threat Monday in a region that was already reeling from a surge in cases of the coronavirus. Hanna, downgraded to a tropical depression, passed over the U.S.-Mexico border Sunday with winds near 50 mph (85 kph), the National Hurricane Center said. Dr. Ivan Melendez, the health authority in Hidalgo County, Texas, was treating a patient overnight at a hospital when he and a nurse noticed water streaming down a wall and pooling on the floor.

source https://news.yahoo.com/flooding-threat-continues-hanna-drops-034908679.html

2 arrests after gunfire report near Portland protest site

Police in Portland, Oregon, arrested two people after reports that a shot was fired Sunday night near where thousands of people have turned out nightly for protests in the city that has become the epicenter of national unrest over George Floyd’s death. Officers responded to the scene near Lownsdale Square Park about 7:24 p.m. A person believed to be the gunshot victim arrived later at a hospital via a private vehicle with non-life threatening injuries, authorities said. Police made multiple announcements telling people not to interfere with the ongoing investigation as protesters were again turning out in the state's largest city Sunday night following a weekend of huge protests.

source https://news.yahoo.com/1-arrest-gunfire-report-near-034649797.html

Sudan to send more troops to Darfur after deadly attacks

More than 80 people were killed in two attacks in Sudan's restive western region, the UN says.

source https://news.yahoo.com/sudan-send-more-troops-darfur-034415612.html

U.S. closes consulate in Chengdu

The United States announced late Sunday night that it has closed its consulate in Chengdu, China.On Thursday, the Chinese government ordered the consulate shuttered in retaliation for the United States telling China earlier in the week that it had to close its consulate in Houston. U.S. officials accused China of using the consulate to engage in economic espionage, a charge Beijing denied.The Chengdu consulate "stood at the center of our relations with the people in western China, including Tibet, for 35 years," the State Department said in a statement. It was one of five U.S. consulates in mainland China, and the State Department said it plans to use its other missions to continue outreach in the region.More stories from theweek.com North Korea may be 'reaching out to the world for help' after finally announcing a suspected coronavirus case 5 scathing cartoons about Trump's use of federal force Trump's old tricks aren't working

source https://news.yahoo.com/u-closes-consulate-chengdu-031448729.html

Florida surpasses New York to have 2nd highest number of COVID-19 cases in U.S.

With 423,855 coronavirus cases recorded as of Sunday afternoon, Florida now has the second-highest number of COVID-19 cases in the United States, surpassing New York.Data from Johns Hopkins University shows that California, the country's most populous state, has the most cases, with 450,242. New York was the epicenter of the pandemic during the spring, and has recorded 411,736 cases.Florida is the country's third-most populous state, and while the state's daily new case average has been going down slightly, its hospitalization and death rates have been increasing, CNBC reports. On Friday, Florida reported an average of 121 daily deaths, up 21 percent compared to a week earlier, and the number of people in the hospital because of COVID-19 is up by 14 percent on average.Florida began to reopen in May, and despite the number of cases going up since then, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has said he will not impose a statewide mask mandate and wants public schools reopened to their full capacity. DeSantis and Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran are now being sued by the Florida Education Association, the state's largest teachers' union, which alleges they are violating a Florida law that schools must be kept "safe and secure."More stories from theweek.com North Korea may be 'reaching out to the world for help' after finally announcing a suspected coronavirus case 5 scathing cartoons about Trump's use of federal force Trump's old tricks aren't working

source https://news.yahoo.com/florida-surpasses-york-2nd-highest-023407014.html

Trump officials say new stimulus proposal will include another round of $1,200 checks

Several top members of the Trump administration hit the morning shows on Sunday to discuss a new stimulus bill being finalized by White House officials and Senate Republicans, due to be unveiled on Monday.White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow appeared on CNN's State of the Union, and said the bill would provide for a second round of $1,200 stimulus checks, retention bonuses, and tax credits for small businesses and restaurants. He also said it will extend the federal eviction moratorium that expired on Friday.Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the federal government has been supplementing state unemployment benefits by giving workers $600 per week. This is set to expire next week, and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said on ABC's This Week the new bill will not include this benefit, as President Trump and Senate Republicans saw it as people getting "paid to stay home." Under the proposed bill, he said, unemployment insurance will cover 70 percent of a laid-off worker's pre-pandemic wages.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said on CBS' Face the Nation calculating this percentage will be difficult for unemployment administrators, which is why a flat rate of $600 was introduced in the first coronavirus relief package. "Let me just say, the reason we had $600 was its simplicity," Pelosi said. "Why don't we just keep it simple? Unemployment benefits and the enhancement ... is so essential right now."In May, House Democrats passed a $3 trillion relief package that called for additional direct $1,200 payments to taxpayers, rental assistance, and mortgage relief and extended the $600 unemployment benefit.More stories from theweek.com North Korea may be 'reaching out to the world for help' after finally announcing a suspected coronavirus case 5 scathing cartoons about Trump's use of federal force Trump's old tricks aren't working

source https://news.yahoo.com/trump-officials-stimulus-proposal-another-014110990.html