Статті

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.
…

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.
…

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.
…

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.
…

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
…

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.
…

Australia’s COVID-19 crisis is intensifying, with a record 723 new infections reported in the state of Victoria in the past day.  Thirteen people have died.  Some internal borders in eastern Australia will again close in a bid to stop the spread of the virus.Wednesday was Australia’s deadliest day of the pandemic so far.  Victoria, the nation’s second-most-populous state, recorded more than 720 new infections and 13 deaths in the past 24 hours. These are new daily records.“I am saddened to have to report that the total number of people who have died because of this global pandemic in Victoria is now 105,” said Victoria state premier Daniel Andrews. “That is 13 additional fatalities: three men and three women in their 70s, three men and two women in their 80s, and two men in their 90s. We send our condolences, our best wishes, our thoughts and prayers to those families. This will be incredibly challenging.”Specialist teams usually sent to disaster zones overseas are starting work in Victoria’s aged care homes, where serious outbreaks have been reported. Australia’s federal health minister, Greg Hunt, has described the assistance teams as the special forces of the medical world. The military is also part of the contact tracing effort aimed at helping to ensure patients who test positive isolate themselves.The Victorian state capital, Melbourne, was placed into a six-week lockdown for a second time earlier this month. Five million people are subject to stay-at-home orders. They can leave only for essential tasks, and masks are mandatory when they do so.Residents from Sydney, which has several COVID-19 clusters, will soon be banned from travelling to Queensland.“We declared yesterday Greater Sydney a hot spot, that will take effect from 1 a.m. Saturday,” said Queensland state premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. “That is definitely the right decision that we have made to protect Queensland and Queenslanders’ health.”Australia’s international borders were closed to foreign travelers in March and are likely to stay shut into next year. Australian citizens returning home face a mandatory 14 days in hotel quarantine.Australia has had about 15,500 confirmed coronavirus infections. More than 175 people have died.
…

The National Basketball Association is resuming its season Thursday, 20 weeks after suspending play when a player tested positive for the coronavirus.The regular season was nearing its end at the time of the shutdown, so the league is finishing with an eight-game schedule for 22 teams that have either already qualified for the playoffs or have a chance to do so.All games are being played at three arenas at the Disney complex in Orlando, Florida, where players and staff have been living for several weeks.The league employing a “bubble” strategy with no travel, mandatory quarantines for anyone who leaves the site, no unauthorized visitors and no fans in order to try to prevent coronavirus infections.NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said he is anxious about the league’s return, but that everyone on the campus is being tested daily and that officials are ready to act if cases emerge.“Probably if we had any significant spread at all, we’d immediately stop and one thing we’d do is try to track those cases to determine where they’re coming from and whether there had been spread on the campus,” Silver said Wednesday. “I would say, ultimately, we would cease completely if we thought that this was spreading around the campus and something more than an isolated case was happening.”A league statement Wednesday said there were no confirmed positive tests among 344 players who were tested since July 20.Thursday’s first game is between the New Orleans Pelicans and Utah Jazz, with a second matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers.Of those four teams, only the Pelicans have yet to clinch a playoff spot.The playoffs begin August 17, and will conclude with the final round in October.Across the state in Bradenton, Florida, the Women’s National Basketball Association began its season last week in its own bubble with similar rules and no fans at its games. The league typically starts in late May or early June, and this year will begin its playoffs in September.Saturday brings the beginning of the National Hockey League season, employing a similar bubble strategy using two Canadian cities – Toronto and Edmonton – to host players and games for 24 teams. The league announced Monday it also had no positive coronavirus tests during the past week.Major League Baseball began its season last week. It is not using a bubble but rather relying on limiting team travel to geographic regions to try to minimize risks. But already there have been setbacks, with multiple games postponed after members of the Miami Marlins tested positive.
…

Tropical Storm Isaias is churning across the Caribbean after forming near Puerto Rico on Wednesday night.Isaias became the earliest ninth named storm on record in the Atlantic, eclipsing a nearly 15-year record set by Irene, which formed on August 7, 2005.Tropical storm warnings are in place for much of the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico, U.S. and British Virgin Islands, St. Martin, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Turks and Caicos, and part of the Bahamas.Heavy rains, flash flooding and strong winds are expected for the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico on Thursday.The current path of Tropical Storm Isaias could move the storm towards Florida by this weekend.
…

Gov. Kate Brown of the northwestern U.S. state of Oregon said federal officers would begin leaving the city of Portland on Thursday after an agreement between local and federal officials.The federal government said the deployment to Portland was necessary to restore order and faulted local leaders for allowing ongoing protests that they said endangered federal property, including a courthouse.Brown was among the leaders who criticized the presence of the federal agents, saying Wednesday they “acted as an occupying force and brought violence.”  Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said “their presence has led to increased violence and vandalism in our downtown core.”Chad Wolf, acting secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, did not give a timeline on the withdrawal but said state and local law enforcement would begin to take over securing streets and properties around federal properties.“The Department will continue to maintain our current, augmented federal law enforcement personnel in Portland until we are assured that the Hatfield Federal Courthouse and other federal properties will no longer be attacked and that the seat of justice in Portland will remain secure. This has been our mission and objective since the violent, criminal activity began,” Wolf said.Sorry, but your browser cannot support embedded video of this type, you can
download this video to view it offline.Download File360p | 9 MB480p | 12 MB540p | 17 MB720p | 42 MB1080p | 74 MBOriginal | 76 MB Embed” />Copy Download AudioThe federal forces were sent to Oregon’s largest city to protect a federal courthouse after weeks of demonstrations, some turning violent, sparked by the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis.Over time the protests escalated with some demonstrators targeting the courthouse with rocks, fireworks and laser pointers. Federal agents responded with tear gas, batons, and arrests.The federal government has announced it is sending federal agents to the cities of Cleveland, Detroit and Milwaukee as part of an effort to combat surges in violent crime.  That program has already involved sending agents to Chicago, Kansas City, Missouri; and Albuquerque, New Mexico, this month.Leaders in some cities have objected to the federal presence, pointing to the example of Portland, while others have welcomed them in partnership with their local law enforcement.Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson said Wednesday that his city has seen a rise in violent crime, particularly involving guns, “and we do need the assistance of our federal partners in order to help us bring that under control.”Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said his city did not ask for the federal help, but that Detroit police are ready to continue working with the agents on enforcing federal laws targeting gun trafficking and gang violence.“We believe there is no lawful basis for Homeland Security intervention in the Detroit protests today, or for any increased presence of Homeland Security agents in our community. Today’s announcement appears to respect that position,” Duggan said.Local and state leaders took a similar position regarding Milwaukee, with members of congress, Wisconsin’s governor and the city’s mayor sending a joint letter seeking more clarity on the duration of the deployment, how many agents would be involved, what accountability measures are in place and who is responsible for supervising their actions.”While we appreciate your statements to press that this action is not in response to protests or civil unrest, the recent conduct of federal agents in Portland, Oregon, has caused great concern in Milwaukee and Wisconsin about the purpose and scope of any expanded federal law enforcement mission in our city and state,” the leaders wrote Tuesday to Matthew Krueger, the U.S. attorney for the eastern district of Wisconsin.  “We want to make it very clear that we do not support anything similar to what we have seen in Portland, Oregon, here in Wisconsin.” 
…

The looming expiration of federal assistance tied to the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to cut a financial lifeline for tens of millions of Americans. With time running out, Republicans and Democrats reportedly remain far apart on a possible extension of benefits. VOA’s Mariama Diallo has the story of a COVID survivor struggling to pay medical bills who desperately needs federal relief to continue.
…

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said Tuesday that more than 3,500 Afghan security forces have been killed since the United States and the Taliban signed a peace agreement in February.The announcement came as the Afghan government and the Taliban on the same day declared a three-day cease-fire coinciding with the Eid al-Adha Muslim holiday on Friday.FILE – Washington peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad attends the inauguration ceremony for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani at the presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan, March 9, 2020.“Our hope is this Eid brings all Afghans together in understanding & mutual respect and one step closer to a sustainable peace,” said U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad in a tweet Tuesday.Speaking at the Senior Officials Meeting in Kabul, Ghani said about 3,560 Afghan national defense and security forces (ANDSF) were killed and 6,780 more wounded in Taliban attacks between February 29, when the U.S.-Taliban agreement was signed, and July 21.“The Taliban, however, have carried a full-scale offensive against the ANDSF, the people and the government of Afghanistan,” Ghani said. “What kind of peace dividend is this? What does it say about intentions?”FILE – Afghan President Ashraf Ghani speaks after he was sworn in at an inauguration ceremony at the presidential palace in Kabul, March 9, 2020.He said about 775 civilians were killed and 1,609 were injured during that timeline.The Afghan government in the past has refrained from releasing the exact number of casualties from clashes with the Taliban. Ghani, however, said that in late 2018, more than 28,500 security forces had been killed since 2015.Afghan forces have sustained an increase in the number of casualties since late 2014 when the U.S. and the U.S.-led coalition ended their combat mission in Afghanistan and withdrew most of their troops. The U.S. has since decreased its troops to 9,800, and the coalition focused on advising, training and assisting the Afghan security forces.Civilian casualties According to the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), about 1,280 civilians were killed and 2,176 wounded in violence across Afghanistan during the first six months of 2020.In a report published Monday, UNAMA said that civilian casualties in the country were the lowest since 2012. It added that civilian casualties have dropped by 13% compared with the first six months of 2019.Afghan men carry a wounded person to the hospital after a suicide attack in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, June 13, 2019.Stephanie Case, head of Civilian Protection and Child Protection at UNAMA, told VOA’s Afghanistan service that the decrease in civilian causalities was due to a reduction in NATO forces operations and a fall in Islamic State attacks.“Civilian casualties attributed to the two main parties to the conflict that are supposed to be at the negotiating table — the government of Afghanistan and the Taliban — have not decreased,” Case said. “We’re continuing to see concerning trends coming from those two parties.”The Taliban have rejected the UNAMA report, which attributed 43% of the casualties to the group and 23% to the Afghan government.In a statement on its website, the group questioned the objectivity of the report, saying its findings “were based on information provided by Kabul administration security organs and failed to establish actual cases of civilian casualties.”UNAMA, however, has insisted that the report was impartial.“We have no vested interest in blaming one side over another. Our interest lies squarely with the well-being of the Afghan population and with the victims,” Case told VOA.Cease-fire and talks U.S. and Afghan officials have in the past warned that continued violence by the Taliban remains a major obstacle toward a lasting peace in Afghanistan. The U.S. has called on both sides to refrain from escalating violence, expedite the release of prisoners and start intra-Afghan talks.FILE – U.S. Army General Scott Miller, center, commander of U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan, is seen at the presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan, Nov. 6, 2018.“The violence is too high. The UNAMA report talks about civilian casualties. We all know that as long as the violence level goes high, people who are going to pay are civilians. So, the violence needs to come down so we have an opportunity for a sustainable peace pathway,” Scott Miller, commander of NATO’s Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, told reporters Tuesday.Disagreement on a prisoner swap has been another key obstacle ahead of the intra-Afghan negotiations.In the U.S.-Taliban deal, the Afghan government is expected to release 5,000 Taliban prisoners in exchange for the Taliban freeing 1,000 Afghan forces.The Afghan government previously rejected releasing 600 Taliban, saying they were “too dangerous.”However, Ghani on Tuesday said his government would release the remaining Taliban to facilitate the peace talks.“With this action, we look forward to the start of direct negotiations with the Taliban in a week’s time,” he said.VOA’s Afghanistan service contributed to this report.
…