Covington

U.S. COVID-19 deaths rise for fourth week, new cases drop 5%

Last week's death toll was 36% higher than the previous week, though deaths are a lagging indicator and can continue to rise weeks after new infections drop. The number of new COVID-19 cases reported last week fell 5% from the previous week to about 435,000, according to the Reuters tally of state and county reports. California, Florida and Texas collectively accounted for nearly 180,000 of the new cases, though new infections were lower in all three states compared to the previous week.

Man wounded in drive-by shooting near a Northwest Miami-Dade elementary school

A man was flown to the hospital after being injured in a drive-by shooting early Monday afternoon near a Northwest Miami-Dade elementary school.

Coronavirus updates: WHO points to Vietnam as example of how to combat pandemic

A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now killed more than 690,000 people worldwide. Over 18.1 million people across the globe have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new respiratory virus, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. The actual numbers are believed to be much higher due to testing shortages, many unreported cases and suspicions that some national governments are hiding or downplaying the scope of their outbreaks.

Tropical Storm Isaias expected to strengthen to hurricane, heads to Carolinas

Tropical Storm Isaias is expected to strengthen to a Category 1 hurricane as it approaches northeastern South Carolina and southern North Carolina on Monday. Hurricane warnings have been issued for parts of the Carolinas and tropical storm alerts stretch from Florida to New England. Isaias is forecast to bring torrential rain, flash flooding and storm surge to the East Coast, as well as dangerous winds to the Northeast.

U.S. FAA proposes requiring key Boeing 737 MAX design changes

The Federal Aviation Administration said on Monday it is proposing requiring four key Boeing 737 MAX design changes to address safety issues seen in two crashes that killed 346 people and led to the plane's grounding in March 2019. The agency is issuing a proposed airworthiness directive to require updated flight-control software, revised display-processing software to generate alerts, revising certain flight-crew operating procedures, and changing the routing of some wiring bundles. The announcement is significant but there are still other major steps, including finalizing pilot-training procedures, that must be completed before the 737 MAX can resume flights.

Church burglary suspect goes from unmasked to Batman costume mid-heist, SC cops say

He found the costume in one of the offices, according to an arrest report.

Gisele Bundchen shares loving note for Tom Brady on his 43rd birthday

Gisele Bündchen shared a loving note to her husband Tom Brady on his 43rd birthday. The supermodel included a family photo in her Instagram post for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback, featuring the couple with their two children Benjamin, 10, and Vivian, 7. Brady also has a son, Jack, 12, from a previous relationship.

Who CARES about the unemployed? How COVID benefit bill died in the Senate

Democrats passed a bill extending them in May, but Republicans were unable to agree on their own legislation that would have extended the benefits while also cutting them.

Manhattan DA cites "possible criminal activity" at Trump Org in tax fight

The claim was made in a filing with the federal district court in New York City from lawyers with the Manhattan district attorney's office.

Wildfire east of Los Angeles grows, forces thousands from homes

The fire, dubbed the Apple Fire by local firefighters and not related to technology company Apple Inc, has already forced about 8,000 residents from their homes in Riverside County. The blaze was first reported in Cherry Valley, a community about 75 miles (120 km) east of Los Angeles. The Apple Fire is just the third wildfire in California this year to burn over 10,000 acres and it is expected to quickly become the state's biggest blaze so far this fire season.

Poll gives Democrats bad news in key Senate race

Republican Montana Sen. Steve Daines, running for reelection, holds a 6-point lead against Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock in a race that will help decide the balance of power in the U.S. Senate, according to a poll released Monday by Emerson College.

Thong bikini gets acrobat handcuffed in Myrtle Beach after woman complains, video shows

Should wearing thong bikinis on the beach be legal?

Engineered decoys trap virus in test tube study; healthcare workers at high risk even with protections

The new coronavirus enters cells by attaching to a protein on the cell membrane called the ACE2 receptor. Scientists have now developed a decoy version of ACE2 that lures the virus and traps it, preventing it from infecting human lung cells in test tubes. While actual ACE2 receptors have effects on blood vessels, the decoys do not.

Double murder suspect was last spotted in Georgia, feds say. There’s a reward

Russell T. Smith is “considered armed and dangerous,” authorities say.

Mexico hails 'Sledgehammer' arrest but murder crisis still a tough nut to crack

The capture of José Antonio ‘El Marro’ Yépez, a top gangster in violence-stricken Guanajuato state, gives a boost to the presidentMexico’s president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, has hailed the capture of one of the country’s most notorious gangsters as an important victory in his so far fruitless struggle to slash murder rates.In a Sunday night video message to the nation, López Obrador said security forces had seized “El Marro” or “the Sledgehammer” – the head of the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel – at about 6am that morning in the violence-stricken state of Guanajuato.“How is it that this cartel was able to grow so much – to the extent that Guanajuato became our country’s most violent state?” asked Mexico’s populist leader, who took power in late 2018 vowing to slow the killing with a policy of “hugs, not bullets”.“If there were 100 murders each day, 15 were being committed in Guanajuato – and some days there were 20 or 25 murders. How could this happen?” added López Obrador, who is best known as Amlo.Sledgehammer – whose real name is José Antonio Yépez Ortiz - was the widely feared head of a gang of fuel thieves that controlled large swaths of the central Mexican state and was also involved in drug trafficking, cargo theft and extortion.When the Guardian visited one of the villages at the heart of El Marro’s empire in 2018, the driver refused to enter, warning: “We wouldn’t make it out again.”The Guanajuato-based group grew rich siphoning off billions of dollars worth of petrol from pipelines that crisscross the state, which is located to the north-west of Mexico’s capital and is home to one of its most important refineries.El Marro, who had run the group since 2017, was reportedly apprehended on a rural ranch where he had been hiding following a brief gunfight with his security chief.The newspaper El Universal claimed he had unsuccessfully tried to flee on a quad bike as a spy drone hovered overhead and troops closed in.“Who betrayed me?” the “wild-eyed” kingpin reportedly asked his captors before conceding: “Everything has a beginning and an end – and my end has come.”Experts called El Marro’s capture a triumph for López Obrador, whose security policy has come under growing scrutiny following a series of humiliating challenges from Mexico’s cartels, although few believe it will fundamentally solve the crisis facing his country.Last year, as Latin America’s No 2 economy suffered a record 34,582 murders, gunmen working for the Sinaloa cartel seized control of the northern city of Culiacán and forced the release of one of the group’s key leaders, the son of the jailed capo Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.In June assassins, reputedly deployed by the ascendant Jalisco New Generation cartel, launched a brazen attempt to murder Mexico City’s police chief in one of the capital’s wealthiest neighbourhoods.Jalisco cartel infantrymen subsequently appeared in a viral video, toting automatic rifles and swearing allegiance to their leader, El Mencho.“It’s undoubtedly an important victory [for Amlo] … and he will no doubt use this in next year’s midterm elections to show he’s effective when it comes to security,” said Eduardo Guerrero, a Mexico City-based security specialist.In fact, Guerrero said he believed El Marro’s arrest was part of a shrewd political gamble on the part of the federal government to force down the country’s sky-high murder rate.“Guanajuato is responsible for about 15% or 16% of the total number of murders in the country. So if you can reduce violence in this state you can have a considerable impact on the national statistics,” said Guerrero who runs the group Lantia Consultores.“If you can cut Guanajuato’s murders in half you can bring down the nationwide levels of violence by 7% or 8%. This would be a major PR coup for this administration,” added Guerrero, predicting that the city of Tijuana, where murder rates are also soaring, might also be targeted for the same reason.Guerrero said security chiefs appeared to be wagering that dealing a body blow to El Marro’s faction would allow the more powerful Jalisco cartel to seize monopoly-like control over Guanajuato, thus reducing violence.“El Marro was a very skilful, elusive and strategic leader and it seems to me that his replacements – who will certainly be relatives – don’t have the skills he had to keep this organization afloat,” said Guerrero, who expected the Santa Rosa cartel to splinter into dozens of smaller groups.“It’s possible that by the end of the year there has been a significant drop in violence in Guanajuato and this would give the federal government something to show off ahead of next July’s elections.”Other observers are less sure the arrest will do anything to end Mexico’s seemingly interminable conflict, which saw more than 2,800 peopled murdered in Guanajuato last year – 73 of them law enforcement officers.“It’s a temporary victory,” said Chris Dalby, the managing editor of InSight Crime, which tracks Latin American organized crime.“The violence in Guanajuato was the most important criminal threat to surge during López Obrador’s presidency and this allows him to show that he has done something about it – but it’s a very narrow victory.“Yes, El Marro was a major, savage factor in the violence in Guanajuato. But removing him probably doesn’t change much,” Dalby added, noting that before taking power Amlo had explicitly vowed not to pursue the so-called “kingpin strategy” of targeting cartel leaders which critics say does little to reduce violence or stop drugs flowing north into the US.On Monday, Mexican newspapers stamped photographs of the fallen capo across their front pages.El Universal called El Marro’s arrest the end of a “dark chapter” for Guanajuato, which is home to several of Mexico’s best-known tourist destinations, including the picturesque colonial town of San Miguel de Allende.But in his video message Mexico’s president, who is facing growing criticism over his handling of the coronavirus epidemic, admitted there was more work to do.“We must continue tackling the root causes of violence – first of all poverty, and secondly, making sure there is no corruption and no impunity,” López Obrador said. “Our authorities must not protect these criminals.”

Officer in Miami-Dade’s jail system dies of COVID as county tries to contain spread

A county correctional officer has died of COVID-19, the first known death of an employee of Miami-Dade’s detention system from the disease caused by coronavirus.

Fauci says states seeing surge in COVID-19 cases should reconsider some lockdown measures

In some states with moderate case counts, experts are seeing "that same insidious increase in percent positive that we had seen and pointed out ... in states like Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Minnesota and others", Fauci said during an interview with the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Fauci said last week that he was seeing signs the surge of COVID-19 cases could be peaking in the South and West while other areas were on the cusp of new outbreaks. Fauci said that it is crucial that the outbreak be contained before autumn, when influenza cases are likely to spike alongside COVID-19 and more people begin to move indoors, increasing the risk of contagion.

Trump threatens to sue Nevada to block universal mail-in ballots

Trump, who has claimed without evidence that voting by mail will lead to rampant fraud, wrote on Twitter on Monday that the legislation approved on Sunday was a "illegal late night coup." If the state's Democratic governor, Steve Sisolak, signs the bill as expected, Nevada would become the seventh state to send ballots to all registered voter for the Nov. 3 election. A Trump campaign spokeswoman did not immediately comment on Trump's threat.

New York's Cuomo calls federal COVID-19 response 'worst government blunder in modern history'

Cuomo said that states where cases are currently spiking, including Texas and Florida, followed the federal government's lead in playing down the epidemic, which led them to reopen their economies too soon. "This was the worst government blunder in modern history," Cuomo said of the federal government's response to the pandemic. "It was a mistake to deny the reality that happened in New York," he added.

New Jersey governor retightens restrictions on indoor gatherings after COVID-19 surge

"We have to go back and tighten these restrictions once again until we begin to see the numbers of cases decrease." The restrictions will not apply to weddings, funerals and memorial services, and religious and political activities protected under the First Amendment, Murphy said. The rate of COVID-19 transmission has climbed to 1.48 in New Jersey, the governor said, compared with 0.87 about a month ago, while cases have also been on the rise.

France reports 3,376 new COVID-19 cases over three-day period

France has reported 3,376 new confirmed COVID-19 cases over the last three days, the country's health department said on Monday, while the number of people being treated in ICUs for the disease is creeping higher. The seven-day moving average for new cases has held above the 1,000 threshold for the fifth day in a row, meaning the country is experiencing levels not seen since a two-month lockdown. France's total number of cases now stands at 191,295.

Trump ousts TVA board members over outsourcing jobs, targets CEO salary

President Donald Trump said on Monday he was formally removing two members from the board of the Tennessee Valley Authority for seeking to outsource U.S. jobs to foreign workers, and criticized its chief executive as "ridiculously overpaid." In remarks during a White House event, Trump threatened to remove the agency's chief executive, Jeff Lyash, and called on the board of the nation's largest public utility to do so. The move comes weeks after Trump sparked criticism from business groups over his decision to suspend the entry of certain foreign workers on H-1B visas, saying the move would help the coronavirus-battered economy.

UK urges medicine suppliers to stockpile before Brexit transition ends

The British government has urged medicine suppliers to prepare for the country's exit from the EU single market and customs union on Dec. 31 by building up six weeks' worth of stocks in case of disruption to imports. Under the terms of an ongoing transition period, customs and border arrangements have remained unchanged since Britain left the European Union on Jan. 31, but new checks are expected to come into force when the transition ends on Dec. 31. "We recognise that global supply chains are under significant pressure, exacerbated by recent events with COVID-19," the health ministry said in a letter to medicine suppliers which it published on Monday.

DSW is giving away $10,000 and free shoes for a year to deserving teachers

Just in time for back to school, DSW is honoring teachers in a beautiful way.The retailer announced it will be giving free shoes for a year and $10,000 to deserving teachers who have stepped up during the coronavirus pandemic.The latest campaign aims to serve as a "thank you" and aid to educators for the upcoming school year.Between now and Aug. 12, customers are being asked to nominate their favorite teachers for a chance to win. ...

Manhattan DA probing Trump and his business over more than 'hush-money' payments

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance raised the scope of the investigation in court papers filed on Monday. Lawyers for Trump and the Trump Organization did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In a court filing last week, Trump's lawyers argued the subpoena was "wildly overbroad" and issued in "bad faith."

U.S. Democrats issue subpoenas in probe of State Department watchdog firing

Senior U.S. congressional committee Democrats announced subpoenas on Monday for depositions from four aides to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo as they investigate President Donald Trump's abrupt firing of Steve Linick as State Department inspector general. The subpoenas were issued on Monday to Brian Bulatao, Under Secretary of State for Management; Marik String, Acting State Department Legal Adviser; Michael Miller, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs and Toni Porter, a senior adviser.They were announced by Representative Eliot Engel, chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, Carolyn Maloney, chairwoman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform and Senator Bob Menendez, ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Genoa has new bridge 2 years after collapse that killed 43

With a rainbow as a backdrop, Italy's president inaugurated a replacement bridge Monday in Genoa, but families of those killed when the Morandi Bridge collapsed boycotted the event along with the firefighters who pulled many of the 43 dead from smashed cars and trucks. Two years ago this month, a stretch of the Morandi Bridge suddenly gave way in a violent rainstorm, sending vehicles plunging to the dry riverbed below. “We are suspended between grief" over the tragedy and “pride for the construction of the new bridge,” its renowned architect, Renzo Piano, told his fellow Genoese in a speech.

'Pathetic!': Trump accuses Birx of agreeing with Pelosi's criticism of pandemic response 

The president on Monday tweeted about the public feud between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Dr. Deborah Birx — and seemed to suggest the coordinator of the White House’s coronavirus task force was “pathetic” for taking Pelosi’s “bait.”

The 17-year-old 'mastermind' behind the massive Twitter hack reportedly has a history of running online scams using Minecraft and Bitcoin

Legal records show that Graham Clark was previously suspected of being involved in the theft of $856,000 at age 16 but was never charged.

Judge rejects Trump restrictions on coronavirus sick leave for employees

A U.S. judge on Monday voided parts of a Trump administration rule that restricted paid sick leave and emergency family leave for potentially millions of workers affected by the coronavirus. Ruling in a case brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, U.S. District Judge Paul Oetken in Manhattan said the Department of Labor overstepped its authority in denying eligibility for benefits to several groups of workers. The rule was adopted in April to implement the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which made as many as 61 million employees eligible for up to two weeks of paid sick leave and 12 weeks of mostly paid emergency family leave.

Brandy shares her 'exciting' studio experience with her daughter

R&B singer Brandy stepped into the studio with her 18-year-old daughter, Sy'rai, for their empowering duet "High Heels."MORE: Ciara and husband Russell Wilson welcome baby boyThe proud mom called it a "fun" experience to see her daughter tap into her creativity as a young artist, just like she once did."[It was] so exciting just to hear what she can do in the booth and how quick she is, and how her musicality is," Brandy revealed to Rolling Stone. "She’s just so talented. I love the way our voices sound together. I love the way we blend ... so many different harmonies. ...

FCC chair says agency will take public comment on Trump social media petition

The Federal Communications Commission will take public comment for 45 days on a petition filed by the Trump administration seeking new transparency rules in how social media companies moderate content, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said on Monday. Pai rejected calls from Democrats that he summarily dismiss the petition without public comment.

Lawmaker arrest spotlights UK Parliament’s sex abuse problem

The weekend arrest of a British lawmaker accused of rape and the sexual assault conviction of a former legislator last week are increasing pressure on Britain’s political leaders to confront a political culture that has often let abuse go unchecked. A Conservative Party lawmaker who has not been publicly named was arrested and interviewed over the weekend over rape and assault allegations made by a former parliamentary aide, U.K. media reported. London’s Metropolitan Police said officers arrested a man in his 50s on Saturday on suspicion of rape and took him into custody at a London police station.

Trump demands death penalty for Boston marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev

Donald Trump has called for a retrial and a new death sentence for Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.“Rarely has anybody deserved the death penalty more than the Boston Bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev,” Mr Trump tweeted on Sunday.

Jennifer Lopez shows off natural beauty in makeup-free selfie

Jennifer Lopez gave fans a glimpse of her morning glow by showing off a radiant makeup-free selfie. On Saturday, the 51-year-old artist snapped a photo of herself with voluminous flowing hair and a fresh face. Since posting, J.Lo's photo has received more than two million likes along with many of her followers asking for tips on how they, too, can wake up with a mesmerizing morning face.

Portugal reports no coronavirus deaths for first time since March

Portugal reported no coronavirus-related deaths on Monday from a day earlier for the first time since mid-March, when a lockdown was put in place, and the lowest number of new infections in almost three months. "It has been very difficult in recent times - we are very happy this happened," the secretary of state for health, Antonio Sales, said as he teared up during a news conference. Portugal's total confirmed cases rose by 106 from Sunday to 51,569, with 62% of new infections reported in and around Lisbon, where localised outbreaks on the outskirts have worried authorities for the past two months.

Liz Weston: Can you have too much credit?

People who care about their credit scores tend to obsess about some things they probably shouldn’t, such as the possibility they might have too much credit. Let’s bust that myth right upfront: The leading credit scoring formulas, FICO and VantageScore, don’t punish people for having too many accounts.

COVID-19 deaths spike 27% even as new cases decline

A senior leadership brief prepared by the Departments of Health and Human Services and Homeland Security showed a spike in deaths even as cases declined in many states.

CDC report details rapid spread of COVID-19 at Georgia summer camp: What went wrong

A coronavirus outbreak a summer camp in Georgia left 260 campers and staffers testing positive for the virus, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The YMCA Camp High Harbour, which hosted more than 600 campers and staffers, quickly shut down for the summer in late June after a teen staffer tested positive for COVID-19. All campers and staff had tested negative within 12 days of arriving; however, one staff member developed symptoms and eventually tested positive for COVID-19, according to the report.

Federal judge whose son was killed by gunman dressed as FedEx driver speaks out

A federal judge whose son was killed and husband wounded by a gunman disguised as a FedEx driver detailed her last moments with your only child in an emotional video posted online. "Two weeks ago, my life as I knew it changed in an instant and my family will never be the same," U.S. District Judge Esther Salas says in the video posted to YouTube on Monday. The shocking attack on Salas' family ...

Luke Combs marries longtime girlfriend in a sunset beach ceremony

Country singer Luke Combs didn't let COVID-19 or impending Tropical Storm Isaias dash his wedding plans with longtime love Nicole Hocking. The 30-year-old shared several images of their big day on Sunday, which not only showed off the lovely sunset ceremony but also Hocking's gorgeous wedding gown and bouquet. "Yesterday was the best day of my life," Combs wrote.

27-day-old elephant with developmental impairments dies at St. Louis Zoo

A 27-day-old elephant with developmental impairments that limited his ability to feed since he was born has died at the St. Louis Zoo. The male Asian elephant calf named Avi was born to his mother, named Rani, on July 6 but after intensive care efforts and life support measures, including assistance with feedings and continuous intravenous treatments, the zoo’s elephant care team made the decision to humanely euthanize the baby elephant after the calf’s already compromised health deteriorated rapidly over the previous two days. "Everyone here is just devastated right now," said Jeffrey P. Bonner, Ph.D. and Dana Brown, the president and CEO of the Saint Louis Zoo in a statement on the zoo’s website.