Spring

What you need to know about the coronavirus right now

Europe and North America should follow the example of Asian states by persevering with anti-COVID measures and quarantining anyone who comes into contact with infected people, Mike Ryan, the World Health Organization's (WHO) top emergency expert, said on Monday. Flu vaccines may help the body defend itself against COVID-19, according to a Dutch study that found hospital workers who got a flu shot last winter were less likely to become infected with the new coronavirus.

Moderna CEO expects COVID-19 vaccine interim results in November: WSJ

Speaking at the newspaper's annual Tech Live conference, Bancel also said sufficient interim results from the study takes longer to get and that the government's permission to use the vaccine may not come until next year. The first interim analysis of the vaccine's efficacy will happen when 53 people in the entire study get symptomatic COVID-19, the report said. "That first analysis is likely to occur in November, but it's hard to predict exactly which week because it depends on the cases, the number of people getting sick," the report quoted Bancel as saying.

Trump seeks campaign boost in battleground Pennsylvania with two weeks to go

U.S. President Donald Trump heads to the battleground state of Pennsylvania on Tuesday with hopes of rekindling the 11th-hour surge of support that powered his surprise 2016 victory. National polls show former Vice President Biden holding a wide lead on Republican Trump, though the contest is closer in swing states including Pennsylvania, Florida and North Carolina. Trump has gained some ground on Biden in Pennsylvania, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Monday, which showed the challenger leading by 49% to 45%, slightly narrower than a week earlier.

Exclusive: Didi considers 2021 Hong Kong IPO, targets valuation of more than $60 billion, sources say

China's top ride-hailing firm Didi Chuxing is considering Hong Kong for a multibillion-dollar initial public offering (IPO) next year, people with knowledge of the matter said, rethinking previous aims to list in New York amid rising Sino-U.S. tension. Didi, backed by technology investment giants SoftBank , Alibaba and Tencent , has started initial talks with investment banks for the long-awaited IPO, according to three people. The people said the Beijing-based company is targeting a valuation of more than $60 billion by the time of launching the IPO, expected as soon as in the first half of 2021.

Stock market boom, new listings mint China billionaires at record pace

China is minting new billionaires at a record pace despite an economy bruised by the coronavirus pandemic, thanks to booming share prices and a spate of new stock listings, according to a list released on Tuesday. The Hurun China Rich List 2020 also highlights China's accelerated shift away from traditional sectors like manufacturing and real estate, towards e-commerce, fintech and other new economy industries. Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba , retained the top spot for the third year in a row, with his personal wealth jumping 45% to $58.8 billion partly due to the impending mega-listing of fintech giant Ant Group.

New Virgin Australia strategy spells end of business travel arms race

Virgin Australia looks set to cut basic fares and start charging fees for items like checked baggage and food under new chief executive Jayne Hrdlicka, prompting a wider industry shake-up as the country's airlines reawaken from the coronavirus crisis. Virgin's shift from being a full-service carrier will also mark the end of a decade-long arms race with Qantas Airways Ltd for corporate travellers involving lavish airport lounges, celebrity chefs and lie-flat business seats on longer domestic flights. Unusually for airlines globally, both carriers include free checked baggage allowances, free Wi-Fi and complimentary food and drinks even in the cheapest economy class tickets on domestic flights.

Foxconn says it will continue to work with Wisconsin to create jobs, woo investors

Taiwan-based Foxconn Technology Group said its commitment to Wisconsin has not wavered and it will continue to work with U.S. President Donald Trump and the local government to create new jobs and attract investment to the state. Wisconsin said last week that Foxconn's planned factory in Mount Pleasant did not create enough jobs in 2019 to earn its owner Foxconn tax credits, the second year it has missed its targets. "Foxconn re-asserts it will continue to work with President Trump and state and local government officials to create more jobs and to attract new investment to Wisconsin," said Foxconn founder Terry Gou in an e-mailed statement on Tuesday.

They caught thousands of flying squirrels in Florida and sold them illegally, cops say

Four Florida men and two men from Georgia participated in a scheme to illegally catch and export to Asia flying squirrels and other protected species.

Australia's Victoria state eyes accelerating easing of COVID-19 curbs

Australia's Victoria state may accelerate the easing of social distancing restrictions after reporting just one new COVID-19 case on Tuesday, Premier Daniel Andrews said on Tuesday. Case numbers were down from four on Monday, extending a run of single-digit daily increases to almost a week, and are well down from a peak of more than 700 cases in a single day in early August. "This could potentially be a day of zero and it's been a long time since we had a day of zero," Andrews told reporters in Melbourne.

A 27-year-old died after a Haulover boat crash. Had the driver consumed booze, meth?

The former boat captain accused of a reckless crash at Haulover Sandbar and leaving without searching for a passenger hurled overboard has been sitting in a Broward jail for a week — accused of drunken violence at a Fort Lauderdale-area hotel.

California police recover lizards stolen from reptile store

Police in California announced two arrests and the return of a pair of unique lizards that were stolen from a reptile shop last year. The Long Beach Police Department said Friday that the two Australian lace monitor lizards were stolen from JTK Reptiles in Long Beach in November, The Los Angeles Times reports. The lizards, which can grow to be more than 6 feet (1.83 meters) long, were valued together at $75,000.

Mainland China reports 19 new COVID-19 cases

China reported 19 new coronavirus cases in the mainland for Oct. 19, up from 13 cases a day earlier, the health commission said on Tuesday. All of the new infections were imported, the National Health Commission said in a statement. China reported 24 new asymptomatic patients, compared with 33 a day earlier.

California's feared surge of virus cases hasn't happened

Near the end of September, with coronavirus cases falling and more schools and businesses reopening, Gov. Gavin Newsom's administration urged restraint, citing a statistical model that predicted a startling 89% increase in virus hospitalizations in the next month. Instead, state data shows hospitalizations have fallen by about 15% since that warning while the weekly average number of new cases continues to decline even as other more populous states like Florida, Ohio and Illinois see increases. California's good news isn't enough to change what Newsom calls his “slow” and “stubborn” approach to reopening the world's fifth-largest economy.

Mexico reports 3,699 new coronavirus cases, 171 more deaths

Mexico's health ministry on Monday reported 3,699 additional cases of the novel coronavirus and 171 more deaths in the country, bringing the official number of cases to 854,926 and the death toll to 86,338. Health officials have said the real number of infected people is likely significantly higher than the confirmed cases.

Trump administration says Obamacare plan premiums 2% lower in 2021

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Monday said the trend of lower premiums and increased issuer participation for HealthCare.gov, a health insurance exchange website under the United States federal government, will continue in 2021. The Trump administration said four states - Iowa, Maine, New Hampshire and Wyoming - will see double-digit decreases in the average benchmark plan premiums for 27-year-olds in the coming year. Increased participation of issuers will mean greater choice for consumers, the administration said in the report.

Mysterious 'Robin Hood' hackers donating stolen money

Experts and charities are puzzled by hackers who've started donating stolen money.

U.S. Supreme court rejects Republican bid to limit mail-in voting in Pennsylvania

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday allowed an extension of the deadline for mail-in absentee ballots in Pennsylvania for the Nov. 3 elections, declining a Republican request to block a lower court's ruling that gave voters more time. The justices, divided 4-4, left in place a Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling in favor of state Democrats that had extended the deadline for state election officials to receive mail-in ballots postmarked by the evening of Election Day until three days later. The brief court order noted that four of the court's five conservative justices would have granted the request.

Boy, 13, shot and killed in Georgia by ski mask-wearing gunman while fixing lawnmower at home

Relatives say they were at a loss to find any conceivable motive for the shooting

Killer dubbed ‘Black Widow’ gets prison release 30 years after hit on estranged husband

Barbara Kogan organised killing to secure life insurance payout

Waitress’s private sex video shared by coworkers in Facebook group chat, NC suit says

The woman is seeking $100,000 for lost income and emotional duress, according to court filings.

4 people showed up to vote in Fort Lauderdale without masks. Here’s what happened next

Police responded to an early voting site in Fort Lauderdale on Monday after a poll worker told four voters they couldn’t vote without masks. But after police consulted with Broward County Elections Supervisor Peter Antonacci, the voters were allowed back into the polling place to cast their ballots, still without masks on.

R. Kelly lawyers denied chance to question inmate who attacked singer in federal lockup

CHICAGO - Attorneys for R. Kelly will not get the chance to question an inmate who confessed to attacking the singer at a downtown jail in August, a federal judge ruled Monday. And Kelly's beating behind bars is not enough, on its own, to merit his release from the Metropolitan Correctional Center, U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber wrote. It was the latest rejection of Kelly's many ...

UK to start one-hour COVID-19 tests at Heathrow from Tuesday: The Times

Rapid tests will be introduced from Tuesday at Heathrow Airport to allow travellers to enter countries where a negative COVID-19 test result is needed to skip quarantine, the newspaper https://bit.ly/3dFJxwp said. Heathrow Airport did not immediately respond when contacted by Reuters. Aviation services firms Collinson and Swissport have set up rapid testing facilities for outbound passengers at Heathrow, the newspaper said.

'That '70s Show' star Danny Masterson must head to trial on charges he raped 3 women, judge rules

Danny Masterson, an actor on "That '70s Show," failed to get his Los Angeles rape case dismissed Monday and must appear for arraignment Nov. 2, a judge ruled Monday. The former sitcom star is accused of forcibly raping three women in separate incidents at his Hollywood Hills home between 2001 and 2003. His defense filed a demurrer motion that was denied by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge ...

Ireland aiming to return to Level 3 restrictions by December 1, PM says

The Irish government is aiming to return to Level 3 COVID-19 restrictions at the end of the six week period on the highest stage, Level 5, that will kick in this week, Prime Minister Micheal Martin said on Monday. In order to do so, the government will seek to consistently get the so-called "reproduction rate" that measures the number of people infected by someone who has tested positive below 1, Martin said.

U.S. CDC issues 'strong recommendation' for mask mandate on airplanes, trains

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday issued a "strong recommendation" that all passengers and employees on airplanes, trains, subways, buses, taxis and ride-share vehicles should wear masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The interim guidance also calls for facial coverings at transportation hubs like airports and train stations. "Broad and routine utilization of masks on our transportation systems will protect Americans and provide confidence that we can once again travel more safely even during this pandemic," the CDC said.

Montana federal prosecutor warns of dangers of pot legalization ahead of vote

Montana's top federal prosecutor is urging voters to tread carefully before voting to legalize recreational marijuana, taking the unusual step of jumping into a political debate about a ballot initiative in the weeks before the election. In an op-ed published in several newspapers in recent days and posted on the Justice Department's website on Monday, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme told voters they should "review in detail" a pair of ballot initiatives that would legalize cannabis for adults ages 21 and older, warning that marijuana is addictive, could lead to more traffic accidents and could even "increase the risk of severe complications from COVID-19." Smoking, whether marijuana or tobacco, could increase risk of severe COVID-19 due to potential for lung inflammation.

Mexico City warns of possible tighter COVID-19 restrictions

Mexico City's mayor on Monday warned tighter coronavirus curbs could be imposed later in the week as COVID-19 hospitalizations rise in the sprawling capital. Hospitalizations in Mexico largest urban area have ticked up for nearly 10 days, and officials are monitoring the trend to determine if it indicates a rise of infections in the metropolis of some 9 million people, which is ringed by dense suburban sprawl. "We still have time to take preventative measures to keep (hospitalizations) from increasing in the coming weeks," Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum told reporters, noting that hospital beds for coronavirus patients are just under half-full.

U.S. Postal carrier charged with stealing Miami-Dade mail-in ballot, debit cards

A U.S. Postal Service carrier has been arrested on charges of stealing one Miami-Dade County mail-in ballot that was sent to a Miami Beach resident earlier this month, federal authorities said Monday.

U.S. House Speaker Pelosi, Mnuchin narrow differences on aid bill, Pelosi spokesman says

U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin "continued to narrow their differences" in a 53-minute telephone conversation Monday about a fresh coronavirus aid package, Pelosi's spokesman, Drew Hammill, wrote on Twitter. Pelosi hopes that by the end of Tuesday there will be "clarity" on whether a coronavirus stimulus bill can be passed before the Nov. 3 elections, Hammill wrote.

Priest and abstract-expressionist painter Bill Moore dies

Father Bill Moore, a Catholic priest and prominent abstract expressionist who spent decades spreading spiritualism through his paintings, has died at age 71. Moore died Sunday at a Southern California hospice, his longtime friend and art representative, Tom Irwin, told The Associated Press on Monday. A retrospective, “My Last Art Beat: Still Touching and Feeding Souls,” is on exhibit at the Progress Gallery in Pomona, California, until the end of October.

Two stolen lizards worth $75,000 are found a year after vanishing, California cops say

The Australian lace monitors can reach up to six feet in length.

Maxwell loses bid to keep sworn testimony under wraps

Ghislaine Maxwell has lost her legal battle to keep sworn depositions giving intimate details about her personal life under wraps. A federal appeals court upheld a decision from a lower court that the testimony given by the 58-year-old socialite and associate of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein should be made public. Maxwell is currently being held at a Brooklyn prison awaiting trial on charges that she helped Epstein recruit underage girls as young as 14 to engage in sexual acts in the mid-1990s. She has pleaded not guilty. The documents relate to a deposition she gave in 2016 as part of a civil defamation case brought by one of Epstein's victims, Virginia Roberts Giuffre. Ms Giuffre alleges Epstein forced her to have sex with Prince Andrew and others when she was only 17. The Duke of York has denied the allegations.

Eleven U.S. states urge EPA to toughen planned airplane emissions rules

A group of 11 states and the District of Columbia on Monday urged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to strengthen the first-ever proposed standards regulating greenhouse gas emissions from airplanes and other aircraft. The state attorneys general led by California said the EPA emissions rules proposed in July were "entirely insufficient." California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said the "sham proposal to regulate it is the equivalent of doing nothing."

Goldman Sachs gives staff half-day paid leave on U.S. election day

Goldman Sachs Group Inc is giving staff a half-day of paid leave on Nov. 3 to ensure they have time to vote in the U.S. elections, according to a staff memo seen by Reuters on Monday. "We recognize that the pandemic raises unique challenges for those who want to exercise this civic responsibility to vote safely and that is why we are providing our people the time and flexibility to vote on Election Day," Goldman's chief executive, David Solomon, said in the memo.

Ghislaine Maxwell loses fight to keep her Jeffrey Epstein testimony sealed

A three-judge appeal panel ruled that the deposition of Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged madam, should be unsealed, upholding a decision by a lower-court judge.

Veteran TV executive Channing Dungey jumps to Warner Bros.

Veteran TV industry executive Channing Dungey was named chairman of the Warner Bros. Television Group after tenures at ABC and Netflix in which she shepherded hit series including “Scandal." Dungey, who at ABC in 2016 became the first African American head of a network entertainment division, will succeed veteran Warner executive Peter Roth when he steps down from the post early next year, the company announced Monday. After an ABC career that spanned 14 years, including as a series development executive, Dungey was hired by Netflix in late 2018 as its vice president for original series.

All-female scientific coalition calls for protection of Antarctic Peninsula

Climate change and human activity are harming Antarctica and threatening wildlife from humpback whales to microscopic algae, more than 280 scientists and conservation experts say in urging protections for the icy region. The coalition - all women - called for creating a new marine protection area around Antarctica, as governments on Monday began a two-week meeting of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources. Two Antarctica areas are already protected: The South Orkney Islands and the Ross Sea.

Man arrested after string of arson attempts on post office and city hall, SC cops say

SLED is joining in the investigation due to “the severity of the charges.”

Long-term problems in younger low-risk COVID-19 patients; flu shot may offer some protection

Young, healthy adults with COVID-19 who do not require hospitalization are still at risk for long-term health problems, Oxford University researchers found. At an average of 140 days after their symptoms began, 98% were still fatigued, 92% had heart and lung symptoms, 88% had muscle aches, 87% had breathlessness, 83% headaches, and 73% gastrointestinal symptoms. The researchers say their study, posted on Friday on medRxiv ahead of peer review, cannot prove the virus caused these later issues.

Aeroflot Airlines crew members helped smuggle $50 million worth of stolen iPads, iPhones, and more into Russia, a government investigation has found

The Department of State has revoked 113 visas of Aeroflot employees in connection to the smuggling scheme.