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The United States has denounced the killing inside a courtroom of a naturalized U.S. citizen on trial for blasphemy in Pakistan.Tahir Ahmed Naseem, a 47-year-old resident from Illinois, was shot several times in front of the judge during a Wednesday hearing in the northwestern city of Peshawar. He was on trial for allegedly claiming to be a prophet of Islam, a crime punishable by death under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws.“We are shocked, saddened, and outraged that American citizen Tahir Naseem was killed…inside a Pakistani courtroom,” the U.S. State Department said in a statement issued on Thursday.The judicial proceedings against Naseem had been under way since 2018, when he was arrested for allegedly claiming to be the “last messenger of God” in online conversations with his Facebook friends in Pakistan.“Mr. Naseem had been lured to Pakistan from his home in Illinois by individuals who then used Pakistan’s blasphemy laws to entrap him,” the U.S. statement lamented.It noted that the U.S. government had been providing consular assistance to the victim and his family and “called the attention of senior Pakistani officials to his case to prevent the type of shameful tragedy that eventually occurred.”Pakistani police swiftly arrested the young assailant, who later took responsibility for killing Naseem for having committed blasphemy and for being an enemy of Islam.“We grieve with the family of Mr. Naseem. We urge Pakistan to immediately reform its often-abused blasphemy laws and its court system, which allow such abuses to occur, and to ensure that the suspect is prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” the U.S. State Department said.Security is usually tight around the court during cases related to blasphemy offenses because it is an extremely sensitive issue in Pakistan. Police said an investigation was underway to determine how the assailant managed to carry the weapons into the courtroom.Sam Brownback, U.S. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, said he was disturbed by reports that a U.S. citizen was murdered while standing trial for blasphemy. “We call on @PakPMO and the Government of Pakistan to ensure the perpetrator is held accountable and investigate this egregious courtroom security lapse,” Brownback tweeted.The latest act of violence associated with Pakistan’s blasphemy laws has renewed calls for reforming them to prevent their misuse and to deter such incidents. But attempts by successive governments to reform the laws have failed under pressure from Islamic groups in the country.Domestic and international human rights groups maintain blasphemy charges are often fabricated by influential people in Pakistan to intimidate religious minorities and settle personal feuds with rival Muslim groups.Dozens of people are known to have been killed for allegedly committing blasphemy in Pakistan. Even mere accusations in certain instances have triggered mob lynchings of suspected blasphemers. The victims include doctors, teachers, lawyers and high-profile political figures.In a landmark 2018 judgment, the country’s Supreme Court acquitted a Christian woman, Asia Bibi, of blasphemy charges after she spent eight years on death row in a case that drew global attention.Bibi has since secured asylum in Canada along with her family, to escape death threats from Islamists in Pakistan after her acquittal.
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As the number of COVID-19 infections and deaths in the U.S. continues to climb, three of the nation’s top public health officials are scheduled to testify Friday before a House committee investigating the White House’s response to the pandemic. The three officials are: Dr. Anthony Fauci, the county’s top infectious disease expert; the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Dr. Robert Redfield; and the Assistant Secretary of Health Admiral Brett Giroir, the Trump administration’s coronavirus testing chief. The U.S. has almost 4.5 million COVID-19 cases and more than 152,000 people have died from the contagion, according to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center statistics.There are 17.3 million COVID-19 cases worldwide. Children carry more viral load than adults
The results of a small study published Thursday in a major U.S. pediatric journal says that young children carry more coronavirus genetic material in their noses than older children and adults.  The study, however, did not measure the rate at which the children transmit the virus to others.   The resurgence of COVID-19 in many countries is “driven in part by younger people letting down their guard during the Northern Hemisphere summer,” World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Thursday.  Young adults, many without masks, are ignoring social distancing recommendations to pack bars, nightclubs, and beaches that have been reopened since authorities lifted coronavirus restrictions.  “The majority of young people infected tend to have more mild disease. But that’s not always consistent,” said Maria Van Kerkhove, a WHO epidemiologist who called nightclubs “amplifiers of transmission.” Young people who show mild or no symptoms can spread the virus to more vulnerable older people. Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro, who is infected with COVID-19, wears a protective face mask as he attends a Brazilian flag retreat ceremony outside his official residence the Alvorada Palace, in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, July 22, 2020…Brazil’s president still struggling 
In Brazil, President Jair Bolsonaro, who tested positive for the coronavirus on July 7 and then negative last Saturday, said that after 20 days indoors he had mold on his lungs. He is being treated with antibiotics. He had repeatedly referred to COVID-19 as “a little flu.”  Brazil, as of Thursday evening, had 2.6 million confirmed cases and 91,263 deaths, People gather in Soho, as restrictions are eased following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London, Britain July 4, 2020. REUTERS/Henry NichollsBritain ponders new lockdown amid surge
Britain is reporting its highest number of new COVID cases since late June, with officials warning that more quarantines may be necessary. British health officials registered 846 new cases Thursday and Minister for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock said a second wave of the virus is rolling across Europe and that Britain must defend against it. “It is absolutely vital as a country that we continue to keep our focus and our discipline, and that we don’t delude ourselves that somehow we are out of the woods or that that is all over, because it isn’t all over,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Thursday. British authorities added Luxembourg to the country’s quarantine list, meaning travelers from there must isolate for 14 days after entering Britain. Spain, which had been dropped from the list, has been reinstated and other countries may be added. Botswana lockdown
Botswana’s capital, Gaborone, reimposed a two-week lockdown on Thursday after a surge in new confirmed COVID-19 cases. The increase came as the WHO warned against easing coronavirus restrictions throughout Africa. The WHO says the number of infections on the continent has doubled in the past month. “We are concerned that … we will see an increase in cases as we have seen in [other] countries” where restrictions have been eased too soon,” WHO Regional Director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti said She said more than 20 African countries have recorded more new cases than in the previous weeks, with South Africa accounting for the most but increases also reported in Kenya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Zambia and Zimbabwe.  Moeti said Uganda, Seychelles and Mauritius are doing well in controlling the virus. Cuba reports new cases
Cuba reported nine new cases Thursday, and 37 new cases earlier this week. Just 10 days ago, Cuba reported no new cases for the first time since the outbreak began in March. However, it has reported no deaths for more than two weeks. Cuba has so far been relatively successful in fighting COVID-19, but the island’s top epidemiologist, Francisco Duran, said Thursday Cubans are getting careless.  “People are holding different types of gatherings without taking into account distancing and often without even using a face mask,” he said. “Each small peak underscores a lack of discipline … prompting stricter measures.” In Florida, Key West police arrested a couple who tested positive for COVID-19 for being in public in defiance of a quarantine order. Neighbors who videotaped the couple strolling and shopping gave the tapes to police. The couple’s arrest is among the first in the state for violating a quarantine. Florida, with 461,000 coronavirus cases and 6,600 deaths, is second only to California, which has 492,000 confirmed cases and 8,965 deaths, among U.S. states. Dog dies of coronavirus
National Geographic magazine is reporting that the first dog in the United States sickened by COVID-19 has died. Buddy, a 7-year-old German shepherd in New York became ill in April while his owner was recovering from the coronavirus. Buddy had the same symptoms as human patients, including difficulty breathing. He was euthanized earlier this month after he started vomiting and urinating blood and could no longer walk.  Buddy’s doctors said he was also suffering from cancer. Doctors say humans with pre-existing conditions are more susceptible to COVID-19.  The WHO says pet-to-people transmission of the coronavirus is unlikely.  National Geographic says 12 dogs and 10 cats have tested positive for coronavirus in the U.S.   
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The Italian Senate has voted to lift right-wing Senator Matteo Salvini’s immunity from prosecution, related to his decision last August to not allow 164 migrants to get off a ship in Sicily.Thursday’s vote may clear the way for potential charges against the former interior minister who, during his 14 months in that position, repeatedly denied port entry to ships carrying rescued migrants at sea.Salvini’s policy resulted in several standoffs, forcing ships to remain at sea for weeks before European countries would allow entry to their ports or Italian courts ordered disembarking.For the case from last August, Salvini refused access to the rescue ship Open Arms for three weeks before it was allowed to enter a port on the Italian island of Lampedusa. 
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Germany’s ambassador to the United Nations criticized the world body’s members on Thursday for their unwillingness to go forward with a reform that would allow his country a permanent seat in the Security Council.Christoph Heusgen said such reform has been slow coming and “those countries who are very happy with the status quo are blocking the process,” but that would not prevent Germany to have an impact there.Germany is currently one of 10 non-permanent members of the UN Security Council.The country held the presidency of the council for July.
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The U.S. Agency for Global Media is investigating whether a video posted by Voice of America’s Urdu language service is in violation of the U.S. broadcaster’s editorial standards and federal laws that govern political activities of government employees.The video, containing VOA logos and subtitles in Urdu, features clips of Democratic presumptive nominee Joe Biden speaking at a July 20 Million Muslim Votes event that was organized by nonprofit Emgage Action, and a campaign ad by the same political group.It was shared on the Urdu service website and social media platforms earlier this month before being removed by senior journalists at VOA concerned about its content.USAGM, the agency that oversees VOA, said Thursday that the investigation would look into who was responsible for the video and whether it violated laws including the Hatch Act. That law, which applies to federal employees, limits political activities to ensure nonpartisanship.“USAGM staff members who attempt to influence American elections will be held accountable,” Michael Pack, the agency’s chief executive, said in the statement.Journalists at VOA are expected to adhere to strict journalistic standards on balance and objectivity. Federal employees and some contractors are also barred by the Hatch Act from participating in partisan political activity while on duty. Those found in violation of the act can lose their jobs, be demoted or face fines of up to $1,000.In the two-minute video, the former vice president is seen telling American Muslims that a Biden administration would address issues of concern to them and rejecting a Trump administration policy sometimes referred to as “the Muslim ban.” That policy banned immigration for 90 days from seven Muslim-majority countries but applied to all citizens of those countries and did not ban Muslims from other countries.The U.S. Supreme Court in June 2018 upheld the immigration policy.Nearly 3.5 million people globally follow the VOA Urdu Facebook page, and it has more than 184,000 Twitter followers. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau showed there were 397,500 Urdu speakers in the U.S. between 2009 and 2013. In his statement, Pack said, “Our networks comprise the U.S.’s megaphone to the world, and this invaluable instrument is generously funded by the American people. To safeguard our agency’s reputation and the integrity of our content, I will continue to ensure that violations of journalistic standards and principles are dealt with swiftly and fairly.”VOA broadcasts in Urdu and 46 other languages as part of its mission to provide independent, unbiased news to some of the most restricted countries in the world.
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At least nine civilians were killed in new attacks carried out by Islamist insurgents in the restive province of Cabo Delgado in northern Mozambique, local sources said.The attacks on the districts of Mocimboa da Praia and Macomia of Cabo Delgado on Wednesday forced the local population to flee their homes, seeking safety in nearby woods, residents told VOA.A group of armed men “hooded with Islamic handkerchiefs” invaded the village of Tandacua in Macomia, searching for food, according to a local resident.The insurgents “arrived around 6 in the evening [local time], so many residents fled the village,” the resident, who declined to give his name, told VOA.“When we returned the next day, we found eight dead people who were beheaded,” the resident said, adding that “the security situation is getting more complicated.”On Tuesday, Islamist militants entered the district of Mocimboa da Praia, killing one civilian at a flour mill before seizing food and livestock.The insurgents “entered Mocimboa da Praia twice this week,” said Zunaid, a Mocimboa da Praia resident who gave only his first name.“After they killed a man on Tuesday and left, they went in again [on Wednesday] to steal more food,” he told VOA.“All residents are in the woods out of fear,” Zunaid said, noting that “there are more military personnel than the local population, but al-Shabab [militants] still come in and attack us.”IS linksSince 2017, militant attacks on civilians and government security forces in Cabo Delgado have killed more than 1,000 people and displaced over 210,000 others, according to the United Nations.Locally known as al-Shabab, Ahlu Sunna wa Jama is the main militant group responsible for these attacks in northern Mozambique. It is considered to be the Mozambique affiliate of the Islamic State (IS) terror group.However, Eric Morier-Genoud, a Mozambique expert at Queen’s University Belfast, says there is little “evidence that the Islamic State is behind this group, which radicalized its positions in the face of many existing inequalities” in the Muslim-majority province.“The group has approached the Islamic State, but it has little influence yet,” he told VOA, adding that the extent of the connection between the local militant group and IS “basically has been an exchange of information up to now.”In April 2019, IS declared its so-called Central African Province, known as ISCAP. Attacks attributed to its Central African Province affiliate have been limited to Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.Increased attacksIn recent months, militants have stepped up their attacks in Cabo Delgado, leading experts to predict that the conflict will likely continue for a long time.Murade Murargy, former executive secretary of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), says he doesn’t “believe a solution to the conflict in Cabo Delgado will be reached in the short term, but in the medium or long term.”The Mozambican diplomat told reporters this week that the insurgency in the northern Mozambican province “is beyond the religious question, but it has an economic aspect as well.”Cabo Delgado is a gas-rich region where major international oil and gas companies, including ExxonMobil and Total, have several investment projects.Transnational insurgencyObservers say that some of the militants fighting in northern Mozambique are allegedly Tanzanian nationals. Tanzania, which borders Cabo Delgado to the north, recently deployed troops to the border area to prevent a spillover of the unfolding violence in the Mozambican province.Mozambican officials, however, believe they need to tighten their borders to stop the flow of foreign fighters into the country.“Those who attack us, burn our houses and destroy the infrastructure are based outside the country,” said Bernardino Rafael, commander-in-chief of the Mozambican Police, without naming any countries.They “enter through our borders, which we have to close so that the terrorists do not enter and those who enter do not leave,” Rafael said during a recent speech in the capital, Maputo.Murargy also asserted that militants have been penetrating Cabo Delgado by sea and across the border with Tanzania.South Africa is reportedly preparing to deploy troops to Mozambique to help combat the insurgency in Cabo Delgado, the online newspaper Carta de Mocambique reported Thursday. South African and Mozambican officials, however, have not made official comments on the matter.In May, Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi called on regional governments to support his country in driving out the jihadists.VOA’s Alvaro Andrade from Washington and Ramos Miguel from Maputo contributed to this report.
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A presidential nominee usually vets several people so if troubling information is discovered about one pick, the nominee has more options. VOA explains the process.
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Fake news about the coronavirus can do real harm. Polygraph.info is spotlighting fact-checks from other reliable sources here​.Daily DebunkClaim: The West loses the race to develop a coronavirus vaccine. Russia’s vaccine against COVID-19 is ready.​Verdict: FalseRead the full story at: EUvsDisinfoSocial Media DisinfoCanada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau removes his face mask as he visits the Big Rig Brewery in Kanata, Ontario, Canada June 26, 2020. REUTERS/Patrick Doyle/File Photo”US social media users still mischaracterize Canada’s COVID-19 aid,” Agence France-Presse, July 29. Factual Reads on CoronavirusCovid-19 infections leave an impact on the heart, raising concerns about lasting damage
Two new studies from Germany paint a sobering picture of the toll that Covid-19 takes on the heart.
— Stat, July 27
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A U.S. appeals court on Thursday agreed to rehear arguments over whether the judge assigned to the criminal case against Michael Flynn, President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, must grant a request to dismiss it.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said it would hold an oral argument in the politically charged criminal case on Aug. 11.
In a 2-1 decision on June 24, a three-judge panel of the same court ruled in favor of Flynn and the Trump administration and said U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan in Washington had to grant the Justice Department’s motion to clear Flynn, who twice pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.
Sullivan asked the full court to reconsider the three-judge panel’s ruling, saying the Justice Department’s dropping of the Flynn case was unprecedented and had to be carefully scrutinized.
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