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Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden on Tuesday announced that U.S. Senator Kamala Harris of California would be his running mate in the Nov. 3 election. Here are some reactions to the choice: Former President Barack Obama, via Twitter: “I’ve known Senator @KamalaHarris for a long time. She is more than prepared for the job. She’s spent her career defending our Constitution and fighting for folks who need a fair shake. This is a good day for our country. Now let’s go win this thing.” U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who had been one of Biden’s rivals for the Democratic nomination, via Twitter: “Congratulations to @KamalaHarris, who will make history as our next Vice President. She understands what it takes to stand up for working people, fight for health care for all, and take down the most corrupt administration in history.” Georgia political activist Stacey Abrams, who was on Biden’s list of potential running mates, via Twitter: “Thrilled to support @KamalaHarris as next VP. I was honored to speak with @JoeBiden at length over the weekend and again today. His focus on reaching out to every corner of our country speaks to how he will lead us. …” Republican U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham via Twitter: “Senator @KamalaHarris will be a formidable opponent. She is smart, aggressive, and has fully bought in to the Democratic Party’s very liberal agenda.” Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel in a statement: “A hiding, diminished, and incoherent Joe Biden didn’t just select a vice-presidential candidate, he chose the person who would actually be in charge the next four years if he is somehow able to win. Kamala Harris’ extreme positions, from raising taxes to abolishing private health insurance to comparing law enforcement officials to the KKK, show that the left-wing mob is controlling Biden’s candidacy, just like they would control him as president. These radical policies might be popular among liberals, but they are well outside the mainstream for most Americans.” Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who was on Biden’s list of potential running mates, via Twitter: “Congratulations to @kamalaharris and @JoeBiden on a fantastic and historic ticket. Now, let’s go win!” Republican U.S. Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas in a statement: “Kamala Harris supports Medicare for All, she implied that Joe Biden is racist, and she laughed at the idea that the Constitution would stop her from confiscating guns. Her presidential campaign was a mismanaged catastrophe that ended before any votes were cast. “By selecting Kamala Harris, Joe Biden’s staff have shown just how radical and incompetent a Biden administration would be.” U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas, via Twitter: “I have tears in my eyes but joy in my soul. I am so overwhelmed, as I know that women around the nation, women of color, and yes Black women can see their equal status in this nation finally. Thank you Vice President Biden …” Hillary Clinton, the 2016 Democratic presidential candidate, via Twitter: “I’m thrilled to welcome @KamalaHarris to a historic Democratic ticket. She’s already proven herself to be an incredible public servant and leader. And I know she’ll be a strong partner to @JoeBiden. Please join me in having her back and getting her elected.” U.S. Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado, who had run for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, in a statement: “Kamala Harris has spent her career fighting for people who need it most – an essential quality for our Vice President as we face the coronavirus pandemic, economic turmoil, and our longstanding struggle for racial justice in America. “She is a champion for middle-class families, and her leadership in the Senate on criminal justice reform has been vital.” NAACP President Derrick Johnson, in an interview: “She will not only be able to speak to the moment, she understands the plight of Black women; therefore, she’s up to the task.” Aimee Allison, founder of She the People, a group that promotes women of color in politics, in a phone interview: “It’s remarkable. Today is a spark of hope. It’s a watershed moment for Black women, for women of color. It’s nothing short of historic.”  
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Next week’s Democratic National Convention will feature a lineup of heavyweight politicians, rising stars and everyday Americans making the case for why Joe Biden should be elected U.S. president on Nov. 3. Here is a look at the speakers who will be featured during the four nights of virtual programming kicking off on Monday. Show of unity The first night of programming represents an effort to display the country’s full ideological spectrum uniting behind Biden’s candidacy. Senator Bernie Sanders, a prominent liberal who fought the centrist Biden for the Democratic nomination, and Republican former Ohio Governor John Kasich, a two-time presidential candidate, will tell voters why they both support Biden as an alternative to Republican President Donald Trump. FILE – Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., speaks on the House floor on Capitol Hill in Washington, July 23, 2020.Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, a leading progressive voice who vexes conservatives and represents a younger generation of voters often at odds with Biden’s policy positions, is scheduled to speak at the convention on Aug. 18. In addition to Sanders, the convention will feature several more of Biden’s former rivals in the Democratic primary, including former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, who has become a prolific fundraiser for Biden’s White House bid. Julián Castro, a former federal housing secretary who also ran for president, will be among the Latino speakers highlighting the party’s focus on diversity, according to a person familiar with the programming. Women for Biden Senator Kamala Harris of California, chosen on Tuesday to be Biden’s running mate, will accept the party’s vice presidential nomination in a speech on Aug. 19. FILE – Then-Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren speaks at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire, Feb. 7, 2020.Several other women Biden considered for his No. 2 also will speak at the convention, including senators Elizabeth Warren and Tammy Duckworth, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Catherine Cortez Masto, who were on the running mate list until they withdrew their names from the process, will speak as well. U.S. Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester, who helped run the unusually public vetting process for Biden’s running mate, and Biden’s wife, Jill, who privately weighed in on the selection, also are on the list. ‘Everyday’ Americans The televised convention also will highlight Americans who are not on the who’s who list of Democrats but who represent the values the party hopes to project. According to the national party, several of the speakers have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, the ensuing economic fallout and the racial injustice the country is confronting. They include a Florida immigrant who is a paramedic working on the front lines during the pandemic and a Pennsylvania farmer who voted for Trump but now supports Biden. Democratic heavy hitters  Two former Democratic presidents and first ladies will speak in prime-time slots throughout the week. Former first lady Michelle Obama, who has not yet played an active role in Biden’s campaign, will headline Monday in one of the week’s most highly anticipated speeches. She will be followed by former President Bill Clinton on Aug. 18 and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the party’s 2016 nominee, on Aug. 19. FILE – Former President Barack Obama, right, and former first lady Michelle Obama appear at the Obama Foundation Summit in Chicago, Oct. 31, 2017.Former President Barack Obama, whom Biden served under as vice president for eight years, also will have a high-profile speaking role on Aug. 19. Among the other top Democrats and Biden allies being featured are New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and California Governor Gavin Newsom, who both have gained prominence amid the pandemic, as well as House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a frequent adversary of Trump. The final night will showcase Biden himself, as he accepts the party’s nomination in a speech traditionally viewed as the starting gun to the final sprint toward the election. Biden will address the country from his home state of Delaware, after the party canceled in-person convention festivities in Milwaukee over concerns about infection risk. 
 
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Zookeepers feed crocodiles in their enclosure at the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and Center for Herpetology, Mahabalipuram, India, Monday, August 3.  The Madras Crocodile Bank is a reptile zoo and research station in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and has been closed by the coronavirus pandemic.  India has reported more confirmed new cases than any other country in the world for six consecutive days, including 62,000 on Monday, August 10.   India’s total coronavirus deaths stand at 44,386, trailing the United States, Brazil, Mexico and Britain. (REUTERS) 
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Joe Biden named California Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate on Tuesday, making history by selecting the first Black woman to compete on a major party’s presidential ticket and acknowledging the vital role Black voters will play in his bid to defeat President Donald Trump.In choosing Harris, Biden is embracing a former rival from the Democratic primary who is familiar with the unique rigor of a national campaign. Harris, a 55-year-old first-term senator, is also one of the party’s most prominent figures and quickly became a top contender for the No. 2 spot after her own White House campaign ended. Harris joins Biden in the 2020 race at a moment of unprecedented national crisis. The coronavirus pandemic has claimed the lives of more than 150,000 people in the U.S., far more than the toll experienced in other countries. Business closures and disruptions resulting from the pandemic have caused an economic collapse. Unrest, meanwhile, has emerged across the country as Americans protest racism and police brutality.FILE – Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks about his plans to combat racial inequality at a campaign event in Wilmington, Delaware, July 28, 2020.Trump’s uneven handling of the crises has given Biden an opening, and he enters the fall campaign in strong position against the president. In adding Harris to the ticket, he can point to her relatively centrist record on issues such as health care and her background in law enforcement in the nation’s largest state. Harris’ record as California attorney general and district attorney in San Francisco was heavily scrutinized during the Democratic primary and turned off some liberals and younger Black voters who saw her as out of step on issues of systemic racism in the legal system and police brutality. She tried to strike a balance on these issues, declaring herself a “progressive prosecutor” who backs law enforcement reforms.Biden, who spent eight years as President Barack Obama’s vice president, has spent months weighing who would fill that same role in his White House. He pledged in March to select a woman as his vice president, easing frustration among Democrats that the presidential race would center on two white men in their 70s. Biden’s search was expansive, including Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a leading progressive, Florida Rep. Val Demings, whose impeachment prosecution of Trump won plaudits, California Rep. Karen Bass, who leads the Congressional Black Caucus, former Obama national security adviser Susan Rice and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, whose passionate response to unrest in her city garnered national attention.A woman has never served as president or vice president in the United States. Two women have been nominated as running mates on major party tickets: Democrat Geraldine Ferraro in 1984 and Republican Sarah Palin in 2008. Their party lost in the general election. The vice presidential pick carries increased significance this year. If elected, Biden would be 78 when he’s inaugurated in January, the oldest man to ever assume the presidency. He’s spoken of himself as a transitional figure and hasn’t fully committed to seeking a second term in 2024. If he declines to do so, his running mate would likely become a front-runner for the nomination that year.Born in Oakland to a Jamaican father and Indian mother, Harris won her first election in 2003 when she became San Francisco’s district attorney. In the role, she created a reentry program for low-level drug offenders and cracked down on student truancy.She was elected California’s attorney general in 2010, the first woman and Black person to hold the job, and focused on issues including the foreclosure crisis. She declined to defend the state’s Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage and was later overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.As her national profile grew, Harris built a reputation around her work as a prosecutor. After being elected to the Senate in 2016, she quickly gained attention for her assertive questioning of Trump administration officials during congressional hearings. In one memorable moment last year, Harris tripped up Attorney General William Barr when she repeatedly pressed him on whether Trump or other White House officials pressured him to investigate certain people.Harris launched her presidential campaign in early 2019 with the slogan “Kamala Harris For the People,” a reference to her courtroom work. She was one of the highest-profile contenders in a crowded Democratic primary and attracted 20,000 people to her first campaign rally in Oakland. But the early promise of her campaign eventually faded. Her law enforcement background prompted skepticism from some progressives, and she struggled to land on a consistent message that resonated with voters. Facing fundraising problems, Harris abruptly withdrew from the race in December 2019, two months before the first votes of the primary were cast.One of Harris’ standout moments of her presidential campaign came at the expense of Biden. 
During a debate, Harris said Biden made “very hurtful” comments about his past work with segregationist senators and slammed his opposition to busing as schools began to integrate in the 1970s. “There was a little girl in California who was a part of the second class to integrate her public schools, and she was bused to school every day,” she said. “And that little girl was me.”
Shaken by the attack, Biden called her comments “a mischaracterization of my position.”The exchange resurfaced recently one of Biden’s closest friends and a co-chair of his vice presidential vetting committee, former Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd, still harbors concerns about the debate and that Harris hadn’t expressed regret. The comments attributed to Dodd and first reported by Politico drew condemnation, especially from influential Democratic women who said Harris was being held to a standard that wouldn’t apply to a man running for president. Some Biden confidants said Harris’ campaign attack did irritate the former vice president, who had a friendly relationship with her. Harris was also close with Biden’s late son, Beau, who served as Delaware attorney general while she held the same post in California. But Biden and Harris have since returned to a warm relationship. “Joe has empathy, he has a proven track record of leadership and more than ever before we need a president of the United States who understands who the people are, sees them where they are, and has a genuine desire to help and knows how to fight to get us where we need to be,” Harris said at an event for Biden earlier this summer. At the same event, she bluntly attacked Trump, labeling him a “drug pusher” for his promotion of the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for the coronavirus, which has not been proved to be an effective treatment and may even be more harmful. After Trump tweeted “when the looting starts, the shooting starts” in response to protests about the death of George Floyd, a Black man, in police custody, Harris said his remarks “yet again show what racism looks like.”Harris has taken a tougher stand on policing since Floyd’s killing. She co-sponsored legislation in June that would ban police from using chokeholds and no-knock warrants, set a national use-of-force standard and create a national police misconduct registry, among other things. It would also reform the qualified immunity system that shields officers from liability.The list included practices Harris did not vocally fight to reform while leading California’s Department of Justice. Although she required DOJ officers to wear body cameras, she did not support legislation mandating it statewide. And while she now wants independent investigations of police shootings, she didn’t support a 2015 California bill that would have required her office to take on such cases.”We made progress, but clearly we are not at the place yet as a country where we need to be and California is no exception,” she told The Associated Press recently. But the national focus on racial injustice now shows “there’s no reason that we have to continue to wait.”
 
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Belarus opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said Tuesday she fled to neighboring Lithuania, after a second night of post-election demonstrations in Belarus with clashes between protesters and police.Tsikhanouskaya, who rejected the official results that showed her losing to longtime President Alexander Lukashenko, said leaving Belarus was a “difficult decision,” but that she did so for the sake of her children.Protesters carry a wounded man during clashes with police after the presidential election in Minsk, Belarus.Earlier Tuesday, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius tweeted that Tsikhanouskaya was in his country and safe.Tsikhanouskaya went into hiding ahead of Sunday’s election after police detained two senior staffers and seven other campaign members. She reemerged to cast her vote.Lukashenko, who has been in power for 26 years, said Monday that opposition protesters would face a tough crackdown.  He described them as sheep manipulated by foreign masters.”Follow the law and then all these conversations about repression disappear,” he said.A law enforcement officer gestures next to an injured protester Yevgeny Zaichkin during clashes after presidential election polls closed in Minsk, Belarus, Aug. 9, 2020.Video of the clashes show protesters being beaten by police with truncheons Monday night. Police also used stun grenades, tear gas and water cannon.Police said Monday that one protester died in the country’s capital, Minsk, when he tried to throw an explosive device, but it blew up in his hand.Rights groups said a protester died after being run over by a police truck, which authorities denied. Rights groups also said dozens of people have been injured in the police crackdown. Several hundred protesters have been arrested.Photos and videos of the protests circulated online, despite a widespread shutdown of the internet limiting access to social media.A man wounded during clashes with police speaks to people during a mass protest following presidential elections in Minsk, Belarus, Aug. 10, 2020.The country’s Central Election Commission said Monday that after all ballots were counted, Lukashenko took 80.23% of the votes, and main opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya 9.9%.Speaking from her headquarters, Tsikhanouskaya said she did not recognize the outcome.”We have already won because we have overcome our fear, our apathy and our indifference,” she said. Tsikhanouskaya submitted a formal request for a recount to the Central Election Commission.International officials also questioned the legitimacy of the election, as well as the crackdown on protesters. Foreign observers have not considered a Belarusian election to be free and fair since 1995, Reuters reported.U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement Monday it was “deeply concerned” by the situation, noting that intimidations and restrictions on ballot access for opposition candidates, as well as a lack of independent observers at polling stations, have “marred the process.”“We urge the Belarusian government to respect the rights of all Belarusians to participate in peaceful assembly, refrain from use of force, and release those wrongfully detained,” Pompeo said. “We strongly condemn ongoing violence against protesters and the detention of opposition supporters, as well as the use of internet shutdowns to hinder the ability of the Belarusian people to share information about the election and the demonstrations.”“Harassment & violent repression of peaceful protesters has no place in Europe,” Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, wrote on Twitter. “I call on the Belarusian authorities to ensure that the votes in yesterday’s election are counted & published accurately.”Harassment & violent repression of peaceful protesters has no place in Europe. Fundamental rights in #Belarus must be respected.I call on the Belarusian authorities to ensure that the votes in yesterday’s election are counted & published accurately.— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) August 10, 2020In a joint statement, the presidents of neighboring Poland and Lithuania encouraged Belarus to cooperate with the European Union and “uphold basic democratic standards.”NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the organization “condemns violence against peaceful protesters.”“Fundamental rights must be respected,” he said.NEW: @NATO “expressed serious concerns over the conduct of the presidential election in #Belarus” per SecGen @jensstoltenberg”NATO condemns violence against peaceful protestors. Fundamental rights must be respected, including freedom of speech & the right to peaceful protest”— Jeff Seldin (@jseldin) August 10, 2020Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Lukashenko Monday on his victory.Protests were held in other Belarusian cities, including Gomel, Grodno, Vitebsk and Brest, where tear gas was fired.
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The 17-second YouTube video mimicking Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s ever shifting guidance on the coronavirus pandemic has attracted tens of thousands of views.”So we are saying don’t go to work, go to work, don’t take public transport, go to work, don’t go to work, stay indoors if you can, go to work, don’t go to work, go outside, don’t go outside,” deadpans Matt Lucas, one of the country’s best known comics and famous for the BBC comedy series Little Britain.pic.twitter.com/k6Sr4Iac15
— MATT LUCAS (@RealMattLucas) Tourists wearing face masks walk by a COVID-19 information sign in downtown Nice as France reinforces mask-wearing as a part of efforts to curb the resurgence of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) across the country, in Nice, France August 11, 2020.DisagreementsPart of the problem lies with differences of opinion between scientists and politicians. They share a common foe — namely, the virus — but government leaders have other pressing factors to take into consideration, like keeping economies going and reducing as much as they can the damage to jobs, businesses and livelihoods. “The populace has been, as ministers constantly acknowledge, extraordinarily forbearing through this on-again, off-again suspension of life as we know it. But — you can feel it in the air — the good will is running out,” according to Janet Daley, a columnist for the Daily Telegraph, a newspaper that is often a booster of the Johnson government.”There should be consistency and an appearance of agreement between all members of the government [and its official policy advisers] at all times,” she says. That has been lacking, especially when ministers have over-promised in a bid to lift flagging spirits. Several times the government has been upbeat with medical claims about transformative tests or treatments only to have had to back down subsequently, say analysts.Britain’s health minister, Matt Hancock, has prompted the dismay of even his own cabinet colleagues with boosterish claims. In April, he announced a contact-tracing app would be ready in England by mid-May, but it is still not functioning properly. He also announced that antibody tests would be a game-changer, but that has not been the case.Johnson, too, has repeatedly thrown hostages to fortune, say his critics. Among other things he promised to set up a “world-class” testing and contact tracing system, but it has not shaped up to be as efficient as Germany’s, and several frustrated local authorities in England have started their own contact-tracing frameworks, despairing that the central government’s will ever work smoothly. Customers eat at restaurant in central London, Aug. 3, 2020, next to signs indicating a discount off food. Restaurant discount meals “Eat out to help out” is a government run program.Politics and scienceLast month, the British leader announced an easing of restrictions, including to the delight of the country’s tabloid press the reopening of pubs. He promised “We’ll be back to normal by Christmas.” That earned a collective reproof from current and former scientific advisers to the government. They have struck far more pessimistic notes with the current chief scientific adviser, Patrick Vallance, telling a parliamentary committee that another strict lockdown might be necessary when the winter months start drawing in. This month the British government has had to reimpose lockdowns on cities, including Manchester, and towns in north-west England, impacting more than four million people. Martin McKee, a professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, has warned there has been too much “wishful thinking” by politicians and civil servants. But Johnson is not alone among European leaders in trying to strike a balance between being too gloomy, which risks public despondency, or being too optimistic, which leads to greater frustration when raised expectations are later dashed. Too much optimism and populations start sliding away from observing the rules. Too gloomy, and it is hard to persuade people to go back to work or shop. Actors and actresses of State Theatre of North Greece wearing masks perform Aristophanes’ Comedy ‘The Birds’ at the ancient theater of Epidaurus, Aug. 7, 2020.Greece’s government has announced additional restrictions because of a flare-up of coronavirus cases and a jump in the number of critically ill people in the country. Government ministers say much of the problem can be traced to foreign tourists. On Sunday, Greece announced 203 new confirmed coronavirus cases, bringing its total to 5,623, with an overall death toll of 212. All events with standing customers or spectators have been ordered canceled across the country. Bars, restaurants and cafes will have to shut from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. in several locations, including popular tourist destinations, including Mykonos and Santorini. Tourists are not the only source of new cases. Impatient young Greeks eager to socialize and to party are another cause of anxiety for Greek ministers. This week health minister Vassilis Kikilias appealed to the young to wear masks and maintain social distance. “Once more I appeal to young people and to citizens who are not adhering to personal protective measures to consider their responsibility toward vulnerable groups, our other citizens and toward the country,” he said.Youthful impetuosity is a problem across Europe, most of the rise in cases is being seen in the younger age groups, especially among people in their twenties and thirties. Many of the newly infected are suspected of contracting the virus at beach gatherings and illegal raves. 
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A surge of coronavirus cases across Cuba prompted authorities to re-impose some restrictions to prevent the spread of the virus, including closing beaches, restaurants, bars and restricting travel across the island and prohibiting international flights.  Cuba confirmed the majority of the 93 new cases are in the capital, Havana.The jump in COVID-19 cases represents the highest daily total since the pandemic was first detected on the island in March. Cuba’s newest restrictions come after the government had begun relaxing restrictions because the cases of the coronavirus had leveled off. Authorities say the latest restrictions will not impact grocery stores or government services. Cuba has confirmed more than 3,000 cases of COVID-19, and at least 88 deaths. 
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Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Keith Rowley is predicting a victory for his ruling People’s National Movement (PNM) party in Monday’s general election. Rowley hopes to extend his five-year tenure as prime minister.  His party held a slight lead over the opposition United National Congress (UNC) ahead of the vote. Voters will also elect the 41 members of the House of Representatives with the winning party’s leader becoming prime minister. Voters from the twin-republic said corruption and the coronavirus pandemic were major issues of concern. Rowley said, he could close bars and restaurants to curtail the spread of the coronavirus, but he will not re-impose lockdown measures in the ethnically diverse country. Politics in Trinidad and Tobago is largely divided along ethnic lines, with supporters of African descent aligned with the PNM and the UNC is a favorite among people of an Indian background. 
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Lebanon’s government has resigned after last week’s devastating explosion in Beirut — and reports of negligence by the country’s officials — unleashed a wave of public anger that added to months of unrest in the country. The resignation of the country’s prime minister and his Cabinet come as many Lebanese fear that hundreds of millions of dollars in international aid could end up in the  pockets of the same politicians whom they hold responsible for the catastrophe. Anchal Vohra in Beirut has this report.
Camera: Tilo Gummel, Agency, WhatsApp/Twitter 
 
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The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is considering a measure to block U.S. citizens and permanent residents from returning home if they are suspected of being infected with the new coronavirus, a senior U.S. official confirmed to Reuters.The official said a draft regulation, which has not been finalized and could change, would give the government authorization to block individuals who could “reasonably” be believed to have contracted COVID-19 or other diseases.Trump has instituted a series of sweeping immigration restrictions since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, suspending some legal immigration and allowing U.S. border authorities to rapidly deport migrants caught at the border without standard legal processes.Omar Jadwat, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s immigrants’ rights project, said in a written statement that barring U.S. citizens from entering the country would be unconstitutional and “another grave error in a year that has already seen far too many.”Reuters reported in May that U.S. government officials were concerned that dual U.S.-Mexico citizens might flee to the United States if the coronavirus outbreak in Mexico worsened, putting more stress on U.S. hospitals.The draft regulation, which was first reported by The New York Times on Monday, would be issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which has played a lead role in the pandemic response, the senior official told Reuters.A Trump pandemic task force was not expected to act on the proposal this week, although that timeline could change, the official said.The United States leads the world in both confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths, with more than 5 million cases recorded and over 162,000 deaths, according to a Reuters tally.The CDC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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At least six people were injured and one killed in a natural gas explosion that destroyed three Baltimore houses, firefighters and the local media said Monday.“We are closely monitoring the situation in northwest Baltimore following this morning’s horrific explosion,” said Gov. Larry Hogan. “We have reached out to offer our full support to the ongoing response and recovery efforts and are deeply grateful to the first responders on the scene.”We are closely monitoring the situation in northwest Baltimore following this morning’s horrific explosion. We have reached out to offer our full support to the ongoing response and recovery efforts, and are deeply grateful to the first responders on the scene.
— Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) August 10, 2020The explosion occurred just before 10 a.m. Six people were taken to hospitals in serious condition, Baltimore Fire Department chief Roman Clark told The Baltimore Sun. One woman was pronounced dead at the scene.Update: Six people have been taken to hospitals in serious condition and one woman has been pronounced dead following the gas explosion in NW Baltimore, per @BaltimoreFire Chief Roman Clark.
— Colin Campbell ☀️ (@cmcampbell6) August 10, 2020At one point, about 200 responders from three fire departments were at the scene of the explosion, tweeted the Baltimore Firefighters IAFF Local 734, which described the explosion and fire as “a major 3-alarm incident.”The Maryland State Fire Marshal said its bomb squad was on the scene. UPDATE – @MarylandOSFM & @ATFBaltimore are continuing to assist @BCFDL734@ChiefNilesRFord with the house explosion in the 6500 bl of Labyrinth. Investigators are staging & beginning their initial investigation. 1 person has died & 5 others are reported injured. pic.twitter.com/G9BTr8x0dl
— Maryland State Fire Marshal (@MarylandOSFM) August 10, 2020The Baltimore Fire Department said it was still investigating the cause of the explosion, but the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE) said its crews were working to turn off gas to nearby buildings.“Once the gas is off, we can begin to safely assess the situation, including inspections of BGE equipment,” said the company. Gas explosions are becoming increasingly common in Maryland, The Baltimore Sun reported. One natural gas explosion in August 2019 destroyed part of a shopping center in Columbia, Maryland.Founded in 1816, BGE is the oldest gas provider in the United States. Nearly two dozen gas leaks are discovered every day on average, according to data BGE reports to the federal government.Leslie Bonilla contributed to this story.
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Somali security forces have shot dead four armed inmates after a fierce gun battle in Mogadishu’s central prison, security officials told VOA Somali. Three prison guards were also killed in Monday’s incident, officials confirmed.The inmates, all members of Islamist militant group al-Shabab, had obtained three pistols and six hand grenades smuggled into the prison, a senior security official told VOA. The inmates attacked guards, sparking the confrontation.Two other inmates suspected of involvement were wounded and apprehended, according to officials. One inmate is believed to have escaped the facility.Officials said they believe the escapee killed the driver of a rickshaw and another civilian outside the prison.The gunfire started in the section where inmates serving a life sentence are held, according to the official.The security official said it is believed the weapons were hidden in food and other items smuggled into the prison when inmates receive visits twice a week.An inmate held in a different part of the prison who was interviewed by a local radio said the shooting started during change of shift by the guards.The central prison is located next to Mogadishu’s seaport and is heavily guarded. Dozens of al-Shabab inmates are held at the facility, including some who are on death row. 
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