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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.” 
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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.
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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.
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Cases of COVID-19 are increasing daily in the Palestinian West Bank, with the city of Hebron emerging as the virus epicenter. The health and economic crisis have worsened after the Palestinian Authority cut off ties with Israel, in protest of Israeli plans to annex parts of the West Bank. The World Bank this week announced a $30- million grant for emergency aid to the West Bank and to create more jobs. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Jerusalem.Camera: Ricki Rosen   Produced by: Rob Raffaele
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U.S. officials say that Americans who are reporting receiving unsolicited packages containing seeds purportedly sent from China could be the victims of a fraudulent internet retail scheme known as a “brushing scam.”  Residents of about a dozen U.S. states have reported receiving mysterious packages containing dozens of seeds that appeared to have been mailed from China. The seeds are of unknown origin, and state agencies are warning recipients not to plant them if they are invasive species.     “At this time, we don’t have any evidence indicating this is something other than a ‘brushing scam’ where people receive unsolicited items from a seller who then posts false customer reviews to boost sales,” the U.S. Department of Agriculture wrote on its website, adding that the agency is investigating the packages from China.  Mystery seeds  In recent days, residents all over the country have been reporting on social media that they received mystery packages containing seeds that they did not order. With either white or yellow packaging, the packages appear to have been shipped via China’s state-run postal agency and contain Chinese characters on the outside. At least 30 states are urging its residents to report these unsolicited packages of seeds, warning they could be harmful.  “Anyone receiving seeds that they did not order should not open the packets or plant the seeds,” Michael Wallace, director of communications at Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, told VOA.  “Residents should be cautious because planting seeds that are non-native to the United States could potentially be an invasive species that would be a detriment to the environment,” warned Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Mike Strain.He told VOA the state is also concerned about the introduction of seed-borne pathogens into the environment.  USDA Urges Residents to Avoid Planting ‘China Seeds’ Seeds of unknown origin pose serious threats to agriculture and the environment, officials sayDavid Miller, a soybean farmer from Iowa, said farmers like him are taking this seriously.  “Well, if you ordered them, it’s one thing. If they came unsolicited, I think it’s concerning. You don’t know what these seeds are, and from whom, you don’t know if they contain or carry seed diseases, insect and all sorts of things can come in,” Miller told VOA.  Brushing scam?  Although investigators are still looking into the suspicious mailings, the USDA and Better Business Bureau said it appears to bear the hallmarks of an international “brushing scam.”  According to the BBB, a brushing scam starts with a company sending a consumer an unsolicited order or merchandise. The company then uses the consumer’s information and address to write a fake review for the company to boost its online reputation.   “A fake, positive review improves their products’ ratings, which means more sales for them. The payoff is highly profitable from their perspective,” the BBB wrote in a newsletter.  Most of the sellers involved are foreign third-party vendors on Amazon. According to Liz Johnson, an identity protection specialist and owner of Digital Bodyguard Co. LLC, brush scams are the new identity theft scam individuals should be on the lookout for.  “Once a package has been received, the sender gets a notification. This lets the criminal know that not only do you have an Amazon account but that I can easily locate, find and take over your Amazon account by doing a simple search to get your email address,” Johnson said.  She added that the worst part about brushing scams is that the individual receiving the merchandise has no idea or way to verify that they have not been tampered with. Even more so, individuals receiving these packages have no way to stop the services.   BBB says the fact that a scammer was able to send items to a person indicates they have some of that person’s Amazon account information, such as a name, address, and possibly a phone number or password.  According to the consumer protection agency, anyone who receives unsolicited packages should change their Amazon password and monitor their credit report and bank accounts.  Amazon did not respond to VOA’s request for comment.  In a previous statement regarding brushing scams, the internet giant said they investigate every report of customers receiving unsolicited packages and ban all vendors and reviewers who abuse the reviews system.  
 
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