Voice of America - Europe

Cuba Re-imposes Partial Lockdown as COVID-19 Cases Surge in Havana

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 06:34:41 GMT

A surge of coronavirus cases across Cuba prompted authorities to re-impose some restrictions to prevent the spread of the virus, including closing beaches, restaurants, bars and restricting travel across the island and prohibiting international flights.

Cuba confirmed the majority of the 93 new cases are in the capital, Havana.

The jump in COVID-19 cases represents the highest daily total since the pandemic was first detected on the island in March.

Cuba's newest restrictions come after the government had begun relaxing restrictions because the cases of the coronavirus had leveled off.

Authorities say the latest restrictions will not impact grocery stores or government services.

Cuba has confirmed more than 3,000 cases of COVID-19, and at least 88 deaths.

Trinidad and Tobago PM Eyes Victory in Monday's General Election

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 05:36:29 GMT

Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Keith Rowley is predicting a victory for his ruling People’s National Movement (PNM) party in Monday's general election.

Rowley hopes to extend his five-year tenure as prime minister.

His party held a slight lead over the opposition United National Congress (UNC) ahead of the vote.

Voters will also elect the 41 members of the House of Representatives with the winning party's leader becoming prime minister.

Voters from the twin-republic said corruption and the coronavirus pandemic were major issues of concern.

Rowley said, he could close bars and restaurants to curtail the spread of the coronavirus, but he will not re-impose lockdown measures in the ethnically diverse country.

Politics in Trinidad and Tobago is largely divided along ethnic lines, with supporters of African descent aligned with the PNM and the UNC is a favorite among people of an Indian background.

Chile's Lebanese Community Gathers for Vigil in Memory of Beirut Explosion Victims

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 05:28:41 GMT

Members of the Lebanese community in Chile held a candlelight vigil in Santiago Monday night to honor the victims of the massive explosion in Beirut a week ago.

More than two dozen people gathered outside Lebanon's embassy in a show of solidarity for the victims.

The president of the Lebanese Union in Chile, Nissrin Esber, said "even though there is a pandemic, we believe that somehow we had to light candles in honor of the victims."

Children take part in a vigil for the victims of the deadly explosion which devastated the port and large parts of the city of Beirut, in front of the Lebanon Embassy in Santiago, Chile, Aug. 10, 2020.

At least 90,000 Chileans claim Lebanese descent.

The explosion at the Beirut port, which is linked to a massive storage of ammonium nitrate, killed at least 160 people and injured thousands.

The explosion has also triggered a government shake up, with Lebanon Prime Minister Hassan Diab announcing the resignation of his government as many people in Beirut struggle to recover from the devastation of the blast.

Afghan to Free 400 Taliban After Loya Jirga Endorsed Prisoners Release

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 04:54:19 GMT

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani issued a decree Monday to release the 400 Taliban prisoners that the Afghan government considered ‘dangerous.’ This comes after the Loya Jirga, or grand assembly, on Sunday endorsed the release of the remaining Taliban. VOA’s Hikmat Sorosh reports from Kabul.

'Apple Daily Must Fight On,' HK Tabloid Front Page Reads After Owner Arrest

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 03:29:23 GMT

Hong Kong's Apple Daily tabloid responded with defiance Tuesday to the arrest of owner Jimmy Lai under a new national security law imposed by Beijing, promising to "fight on" in a front-page headline above an image of Lai in handcuffs.

Readers queued from the early hours to get a copy of the pro-democracy tabloid a day after police raided its offices and took Lai into detention, the highest-profile arrest so far under the national security law.

The front-page headline read: "Apple Daily must fight on."

More than 500,000 copies were printed, up from the usual 100,000, the paper said on its website.

Dozens of people lineup for the paper in the working-class neighborhood of Mong Kok as early as 2 a.m. (1800 GMT). Some vendors said they sold out during the morning rush-hour.

"What the police did yesterday interfered with press freedom brutally," said 45-year-old Kim Yau as she bought a copy.

"All Hong Kongers with a conscience have to support Hong Kong today, support Apple Daily."

Lai was detained over suspected collusion with foreign forces as about 200 police searched the newspaper's offices, collecting 25 boxes of evidence.

Shares in Lai's media company, Next Digital, which publishes Apple Daily, soared on Monday as online pro-democracy forums called on investors to buy shares to show support.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday he was "deeply troubled" by reports of Lai’s arrest.

He called Lai a "patriot" and said his arrest showed that Beijing had "eviscerated" Hong Kong's freedoms and eroded the rights of its people.

Beijing has in the past labeled Lai a "traitor."

Separately, White House national security adviser Robert O'Brien said the arrest of Lai and others was an effort to intimidate pro-democracy and opposition figures and suppress independent media.

Mainland-born Lai, who was smuggled into Hong Kong on a fishing boat when he was a penniless 12-year-old, has been one of the most prominent democracy activists in the Chinese-ruled city and an ardent critic of Communist Party rule in Beijing.

His arrest comes amid a crackdown against pro-democracy opposition in Hong Kong, which has drawn international condemnation and raised fears for the freedoms promised by Beijing when the former British colony returned to China in 1997.

The sweeping new security law imposed on June 30 punishes anything Beijing considers secession, subversion, terrorism or collusion with foreign forces with up to life in prison.

Spain Overtakes Britain for Most COVID-19 Cases in Europe

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 03:08:19 GMT

More than 20 million cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed worldwide as of Monday night, and Spain has overtaken Britain for the highest number of cases in Western Europe.

Partly to blame, some Spanish health experts say, is that the government doesn’t have enough qualified contract tracers.

“Some regions have not understood that this was the key in the months after the lockdown and in the long term,” said Ildefonso Hernandez Aguado, a public health professor at Alicante’s Miguel Hernandez University.

He also blamed Spanish society for its eagerness to celebrate holidays and other events with large gatherings, saying, “This is a country that doesn’t understand holding a celebration or taking a holiday if you’re not going to share them.”

The government defended its response.

“Appropriate measures are being taken to control the pandemic in coordination” with the regions, the government said in a statement, after experts questioned its policies. “The data shows that we are being very active in tracking and detecting the virus.”

According to Johns Hopkins University, Spain has nearly 323,000 COVID-19 cases while Britain has recorded 313,000. More than 28,000 people have died from the disease in Spain and more than 46,000 have died in Britain.

Spain, one of the world’s hot spots early in the pandemic before imposing strict lockdowns and other measures, has seen a surge in the number of cases since lifting most measures instituted to contain the spread of the coronavirus, which causes COIVD-19. From an average daily infections tally of 132 cases in June, Spain has counted some 1,500 per day in the first 10 days of August.

People wearing face masks wait their turn to be called for a PCR test for the COVID-19 at Vilafranca del Penedes in the Barcelona province, Spain, August 10, 2020.

Both Spain and the Britain trail the United States in the number of COVID-19 cases -- more than 5 million – and deaths – 163,000.

Florida, one of the U.S.’s hardest hit states, broke its own record last week for the number of coronavirus hospitalizations, The Orlando Sentinel newspaper reports.

Hospitals throughout Florida admitted 3,355 COVID-19 patients between August 2 and August 9.

Florida has counted 536,961 cases and 8,408 deaths cases since the beginning of the pandemic, trailing only California, which has 568,000 confirmed cases and 10,378 deaths.

Medical officials in Florida blamed Gov. Ron DeSantis, saying he was more interested in gaining favor with President Donald Trump than taking measures such a statewide requirement for wearing face masks.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association have reported a large increase in the number of children sickened by the coronavirus last month.

Nearly 100,000 youngsters became ill in the last two weeks of July.

A woman with her children, wearing face masks amid the spread of the new coronavirus, wait at a health center in the Juan Diaz neighborhood, an area with high contagion levels of COVID-19, in Panama City, July 16, 2020.

The coronavirus is relatively mild in children, but they can still pass the virus to older people, including the elderly who are much more susceptible, according to doctors.

New Jersey police broke up a house party over the weekend where nearly 300 people were celebrating. The state has limited the number of people allowed to gather indoors to 25.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy lashed out at the crowds packing bars in the state’s beach towns. The governor has criticized what he calls “knucklehead behavior” by those who won’t wear masks or practice social distancing for a rise in COVID-19 cases in the state.

Nearly 50 public health officials across the U.S. have either been fired or quit since April under pressure from politicians and others resisting their calls for coronavirus restrictions, according to the Associated Press news service.

Some of those officials said had been threatened with violence for advocating for lockdowns and masks.

Others were simply burned out.

The former head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Tom Frieden, calls the number of experts quitting their jobs “stunning.”

"The overall tone toward public health in the U.S. is so hostile that it has kind of emboldened people to make these attacks,” Frieden said.

The latest to give up their positions are senior government health experts in California and New York City.

President Trump threw his support behind playing the college football season despite COVID-19.

“The student-athletes have been working too hard for their season to be cancelled,” he tweeted Monday.

Some large schools have canceled their seasons while others have not yet decided what they will do.

Nebraska's Republican Sen. Ben Sasse, who is a former president of Midland University, says the season should go on.

"This is a moment for leadership. These young men need a season. Please don’t cancel college football,” the senator said.

Spanish actor Antonio Banderas spent his 60th birthday Monday in quarantine after announcing he has the coronavirus.

“I would like to add that I am relatively well, just a little more tired than usual and hoping to recover as soon as possible following medical instructions that I hope will allow me to overcome the infection that I and so many people in the world are suffering from,” he wrote on Instagram.

He says he plans to spend his time in recovery reading and writing.

Lebanon’s Government Quits in Face of Mounting Anger

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 01:21:33 GMT

Lebanon’s government has resigned after last week’s devastating explosion in Beirut — and reports of negligence by the country’s officials — unleashed a wave of public anger that added to months of unrest in the country. The resignation of the country’s prime minister and his Cabinet come as many Lebanese fear that hundreds of millions of dollars in international aid could end up in the pockets of the same politicians whom they hold responsible for the catastrophe. Anchal Vohra in Beirut has this report.
Camera: Tilo Gummel, Agency, WhatsApp/Twitter

Trump Weighs Blocking US Citizens from Coming Home if Coronavirus Infection Feared

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 01:02:49 GMT

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is considering a measure to block U.S. citizens and permanent residents from returning home if they are suspected of being infected with the new coronavirus, a senior U.S. official confirmed to Reuters.

The official said a draft regulation, which has not been finalized and could change, would give the government authorization to block individuals who could “reasonably” be believed to have contracted COVID-19 or other diseases.

Trump has instituted a series of sweeping immigration restrictions since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, suspending some legal immigration and allowing U.S. border authorities to rapidly deport migrants caught at the border without standard legal processes.

Omar Jadwat, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s immigrants’ rights project, said in a written statement that barring U.S. citizens from entering the country would be unconstitutional and "another grave error in a year that has already seen far too many."

Reuters reported in May that U.S. government officials were concerned that dual U.S.-Mexico citizens might flee to the United States if the coronavirus outbreak in Mexico worsened, putting more stress on U.S. hospitals.

The draft regulation, which was first reported by The New York Times on Monday, would be issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which has played a lead role in the pandemic response, the senior official told Reuters.

A Trump pandemic task force was not expected to act on the proposal this week, although that timeline could change, the official said.

The United States leads the world in both confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths, with more than 5 million cases recorded and over 162,000 deaths, according to a Reuters tally.

The CDC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Explosion Targets Convoy With U.S. Gear Near Iraq-Kuwait Crossing, Sources Say

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 00:44:34 GMT

An explosion near the Jraischan border crossing between Iraq and Kuwait on Monday evening targeted a convoy carrying equipment for U.S. forces, three Iraqi security forces told Reuters.

It was not immediately clear if there were any U.S. troops in the convoy or if anyone had been injured in the explosion, which went off just before 9 p.m. Baghdad time (1800 GMT).

The Iraqi military denied the incident took place.

Kuwait's Armed Forces on Twitter denied the attack on one of the outposts on its northern border with Iraq, affirming that boarders are stable and secure.

Vehicles are regularly loaded with military equipment at the crossing, the sources said, and the cargo is usually loaded or unloaded before entering or exiting Iraq.

Foreign companies are contracted by U.S. forces to provide security in the area, the Iraqi security sources said.

A security source had earlier said that the explosion was caused by an Iraqi Shi'ite Muslim militia targeting a U.S. military base near the crossing by smuggling in an explosive device, and that some staff on the base had been injured. This was later contradicted by other security sources who said a convoy was attacked, not a base.

The U.S. Embassy in Kuwait said it was looking into the matter.

A little known Iraqi Shi'ite militia group by the name of Ashab al-Kahf claimed responsibility for the attack and published a video showing an explosion at a distance. It said it was able to destroy U.S. military equipment and large parts of the crossing.

Brooklyn Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Provide Material Support to Islamic State

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 23:53:35 GMT

An American man pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State (IS) terror group and distributing bomb-making instructions.

Zachary Clark, 41, of Brooklyn, New York, pleaded guilty in Manhattan federal court, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

“Having pledged allegiance to ISIS, Clark provided specific instructions for how to conduct attacks in New York City, instructing others on knifing and bomb-making,” Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers said in a statement, using another acronym for IS.

FILE - The chief of the Islamic State group, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, purportedly appears in a propaganda video in an undisclosed location, in this undated TV grab taken from video released April 29 by Al-Furqan media.

According to criminal complaints filed in November 2019 in Manhattan federal court, Clark, also known as Umar Kabir, Umar Shishani and Abu Talha, pledged allegiance to IS’s then-leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in July 2019.

Following Baghdadi’s death in a U.S. drone strike in October 2019, Clark pledged allegiance to his successor, Abu Ibrahim al-Sashemi al-Qurayshi.

Spreading IS propaganda

Since March 2019, Clark disseminated IS propaganda intended for members, associates, supporters and potential recruits of the terror group, according to court filings.

One way that Clark spread propaganda was to call on IS supporters to commit lone wolf attacks in New York City, the complaint said.

On Aug. 3, 2019, Clark reportedly posted instructions for conducting such attacks and how to avoid attracting the attention of law enforcement agencies.

He also posted a manual titled “Knife Attacks,” which said discomfort at “the thought of plunging a sharp object into another person’s flesh” is “never an excuse for abandoning jihad.”

Online radicalization

Clark urged other participants in encrypted chat rooms to attack specific targets, posting maps and images of the New York subway system and encouraging IS supporters to attack those locations, the complaint said.

The court complaint also said that Clark’s guidance included posting a manual titled “Make a bomb in the kitchen of your Mom,” which was issued by al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and included detailed instructions about constructing bombs using readily available materials.

Daryl Johnson, a former senior domestic terrorism analyst at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said many al-Qaida affiliates around the world have been producing online propaganda materials specifically designed to target Americans.

“They reach out to American audiences and plant ideas on how to conduct attacks without necessarily acquiring the materials,” Johnson told VOA, adding that “AQAP published Inspire Magazine, which was written and packaged for a Western audience, particularly Americans.”

FILE - Anwar al-Awlaki, an al-Qaida supporter, is seen this SITE Intelligence Group handout photo obtained Nov. 10, 2009.

Inspire is an English-language online publication that sought to spread al-Qaida's extremist ideology. Anwar al-Awlaki, a U.S.-born al-Qaida propagandist who was killed in a U.S. drone attack in Yemen in 2011, was purportedly behind the magazine.

Last month, an American woman was arrested in the U.S. city of Phoenix in the southwestern state of Arizona before she could travel to join al-Qaida. She was reportedly radicalized through materials available online.

Law enforcement cooperation

Clark was arrested in Brooklyn and charged with one count of attempting to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, namely IS, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, according to the U.S. Justice Department. Clark is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 9, 2021.

His arrest was the result of cooperation between the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) and other law enforcement agencies, U.S. officials said.

“Today’s plea by Mr. Clark is yet one more example of the resolve of the FBI’s JTTF in New York, and our many law enforcement partners, to protect this city and our citizens from the danger of lone wolf attacks,” FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr., said in a statement on Monday.

Reports: Big Ten Football Not Canceled — Yet

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 23:25:46 GMT

Whether the Big Ten will cancel the fall sports season, including football, remained up in the air Monday afternoon, despite earlier reports that cancellation was imminent.

The Detroit Free Press reported in the morning that the fall football season was off, with commissioner Kevin Warren preferring a spring football season. That came after Dan Patrick said on his Fox Sports radio show that the Big Ten and Pac-12 conferences were planning to announce the cancellation of the season.

Patrick, citing a source in the Big Ten, said an internal vote of all 14 member institutions resulted in a 12-2 vote to attempt to move the season to spring, with Iowa and Nebraska casting the dissenting votes.

Later in the day, Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports and Adam Rittenberg of ESPN tweeted that league sources told them no vote had taken place.

Chris Solari, who wrote the story for the Free Press, also later said a league spokesperson told him a vote did not occur but that didn't mean the season would be played.

"Another conference source, however, tells me presidents are moving unanimously together in canceling the season, with an announcement expected Tuesday," Solari wrote on Twitter.

Politicians got involved in an apparent last-ditch attempt to save the season.

"The student-athletes have been working too hard for their season to be canceled. #WeWantToPlay," President Donald Trump tweeted.

And Sen. Ben Sasse, a Republican from Nebraska, wrote a letter advocating for football that he planned to send to Big Ten presidents and chancellors, a copy of which was shared by Sports Illustrated.

"There are no guarantees that college football will be completely safe — that's absolutely true," wrote Sasse, the former president of private Midland University in Nebraska.

"But the structure and discipline of football programs is very likely safer that what the lived experience of 18- to 22-year olds will be if there isn't a season."

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh made a similar argument, releasing a statement declaring that the most recent 353 COVID-19 tests among players have returned negative results because of the safety protocols instituted within the program.

Ohio State coach Ryan Day said Monday afternoon in a Twitter post that he wasn't giving up on the 2020 season.

"Swinging as hard as we possibly can right now for these players!! This isn't over! #FIGHT," Day wrote.

Amid the uncertainty, Iowa canceled practice, Michigan State switched a scheduled off day for players from Tuesday to Monday, and Purdue announced players and coaches would no longer be available to media as scheduled on Monday.

Last week, the Big Ten eliminated padded practices until further notice out of concern for the spread of the coronavirus.

Presidents and chancellors of Pac-12 institutions were scheduled to meet Tuesday. The Seattle Times reported Monday that the Washington Huskies' practice was off.

As for the ACC, Big 12 and SEC, those conferences had wanted to assess the situation after students returned to campuses this month, but ESPN stated that any postponements by the Pac-12 or Big Ten may force their hand.

SEC presidents and chancellors were holding a previously unscheduled conference call on Monday, Sports Illustrated reported.

The Mid-American Conference on Saturday voted to postpone fall sports, making it the first FBS conference to postpone football. The MAC is hoping to play in the spring instead.

Trump Abruptly Escorted From White House Briefing Because of Shooting

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 22:49:33 GMT

U.S. President Donald Trump was abruptly escorted by a U.S. Secret Service agent out of a White House coronavirus briefing Monday because of a shooting outside the building.

Trump returned minutes later and said, “There was an actual shooting and somebody’s been taken to the hospital.” He said the shots were fired by law enforcement and said he believed the person who was shot was armed.

The president said the situation “seems to be very well under control.”

Reporters and photographers remain in the briefing room. pic.twitter.com/mIfQZI0ZrQ
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) August 10, 2020

VOA White House reporter Steve Herman tweeted that reporters remained in the briefing room while the White House was put on lockdown.

“You were surprised, I was surprised also,” Trump told reporters when he came back to the briefing room, saying he was taken to the Oval Office.

U.S. Secret Service Police stand outside the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, in Washington, as a news conference by President Donald Trump was paused, Aug. 10, 2020.

“I do want to thank the Secret Service. They are fantastic,” Trump said in response to reports that the suspect was allegedly armed.

“It (the shooting) might not have had to do anything with me,” Trump added.

The Secret Service confirmed a shooting had taken place near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue.

The Secret Service can confirm there has been an officer involved shooting at 17th Street and Pennsylvania Ave. Law enforcement officials are on the scene. More information to follow.
— U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) August 10, 2020

White House Bureau Chief Steve Herman contributed to this article.

Powerful Derecho Leaves Path of Devastation Across Midwest

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 22:01:42 GMT

A rare storm packing 100 mph winds and with power similar to an inland hurricane swept across the Midwest on Monday, blowing over trees, flipping vehicles, causing widespread property damage and leaving hundreds of thousands without power as it turned toward Chicago.

The storm known as a derecho lasted several hours as it tore across eastern Nebraska, Iowa and parts of Wisconsin, had the wind speed of a major hurricane, and likely caused more widespread damage than a normal tornado, said Patrick Marsh, science support chief at the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma.

It's not quite a hurricane. It has no eye and its winds come across in a line. But the damage it is likely to spread over such a large area is more like an inland hurricane than a quick more powerful tornado, Marsh said. He compared it to a devastating super derecho of 2009, which was one of the strongest on record and traveled more than 1,000 miles in 24 hours, causing $500 million in damage and widespread power outages and killing a handful of people.

"This is our version of a hurricane," Northern Illinois University meteorology professor Victor Gensini said in an interview from his home about 15 minutes before the storm was about to hit. Minutes later he headed to his basement for safety as the storm took aim at Chicago, starting with its suburbs.

Gensini said this derecho will go down as one of the strongest in recent history and be one of the nation's worst weather events of 2020.

"It ramped up pretty quick" around 7 a.m. Central time in Eastern Nebraska. "I don't think anybody expected widespread winds approaching 100, 110 mph," Marsh said.

'Life-saving mode'

Several people were injured and widespread property damage was reported in Marshall County in central Iowa after 100 mph winds swept through the area, said its homeland security coordinator Kim Elder.

She said the winds blew over trees, ripped road signs out of the ground and tore roofs off of buildings.

"We had quite a few people trapped in buildings and cars," she said. She said the extent of injuries is unknown and that no fatalities have been reported.

Elder said some people reported their cars flipping over from the wind, having power lines fall on them and being injured when hit by flying debris. Dozens of cars at one factory had their windshields blown out. Buildings have also caught on fire, she said.

"We're in life-saving mode right now," Elder said.

Marshalltown Mayor Joel Greer declared a civil emergency, telling residents to stay home and off the streets so that first responders can respond to calls.

MidAmerican Energy said nearly 101,000 customers in the Des Moines area were without power after the storm moved through the area. Reports from spotters filed with the National Weather Service in Des Moines had winds in excess of 70 mph.

Roof damage to homes and buildings were reported in several Iowa cities, including the roof of a hockey arena in Des Moines.

Across the state, large trees fell on cars and houses. Some semi-trailers flipped over or were blown off highways.

Farmers reported that some grain bins were destroyed and fields were flattened, but the extent of damage to Iowa's agriculture industry wasn't immediately clear.

MidAmerican spokeswoman Tina Hoffman said downed trees are making it difficult in some locations for workers to get to the power lines. In some cases power line poles were snapped off.

"It's a lot of tree damage. Very high winds. It will be a significant effort to get through it all and get everybody back on," she said. "It was a big front that went all the way through the state."

Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has "both significant and widespread damage throughout the city," said public safety spokesman Greg Buelow.

"We have damage to homes and businesses, including siding and roofs damaged," he said. "Trees and power lines are down throughout the entire city."

Buelow said residents should stay home so crews can respond to "potentially life-threatening calls." Tens of thousands of people in the metro area were without power.

Dangers of derecho

What makes a derecho worse than a tornado is how long it can hover one place and how large an area the high winds hit, Marsh said. He said winds of 80 mph or even 100 mph can stretch for "20, 30, 40 or God forbid 100 miles."

"Right now, it's making a beeline for Chicago," Marsh said Monday mid-afternoon. "Whether or not it will hold its intensity as it reaches Chicago remains to be seen."

But the environmental conditions between the storm and Chicago are the type that won't likely diminish the storm, Marsh said. It will likely dissipate over central or eastern Indiana, he said.

What happened is unstable super moist air has parked over the northern plains for days on end and it finally ramped up Monday morning into a derecho.

"They are basically self-sustaining amoebas of thunderstorms," Gensini said. "Once they get going like they did across Iowa, it's really hard to stop these suckers."

Derechoes, with winds of at least 58 mph, occur about once a year in the Midwest. Rarer than tornadoes but with weaker winds, derechoes produce damage over a much wider area.

The storms raced over parts of eastern Nebraska before 9 a.m. Monday, dropping heavy rains and high winds. Strong straight-line winds pushed south into areas that include Lincoln and Omaha, National Weather Service meteorologist Brian Barjenbruch said.

"Once that rain-cooled air hit the ground, it surged over 100 miles, sending incredibly strong winds over the area," Barjenbruch said.

Omaha Public Power District reported more than 55,500 customers without power in Omaha and surrounding communities.

The weather service's Marsh said there's a huge concern about power outages that will be widespread across several states and long lasting. Add high heat, people with medical conditions that require power and the pandemic, "it becomes dire pretty quickly."

Judge Blocks Uber, Lyft From Classifying Drivers as Contractors in California

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 21:42:16 GMT

A California judge on Monday granted the state's request for a preliminary injunction blocking Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. from classifying their drivers as independent contractors rather than employees.

Judge Ethan Schulman of the San Francisco Superior Court delayed enforcing his order by 10 days to give the companies a chance to appeal.

The decision is a setback for the ride-hailing companies as they defend against a May 5 lawsuit by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and the cities of Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco.

Uber and Lyft were accused of violating a new state law requiring companies to classify workers as employees if they controlled how workers did their jobs, or the work was part of their normal business.

Several hundred thousand "gig" workers, including many at ride-hailing companies and app-based food delivery services, are affected by the law, Assembly Bill 5, which had broad support from organized labor. It took effect on Jan. 1.

Uber and Lyft did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Minneapolis Hairdresser Shuttered by Coronavirus Lockdown Reopens

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 20:49:26 GMT

Three months ago Kemi Lawani, who owns a small hair salon in south Minneapolis, spent many nights crying, worried about how to pay the bills and feed her kids in the midst of the coronavirus shutdown that closed her business and thousands of others across the state for more than two months last spring.

“You don’t know what is going to happen. The anxiety is very high,” she said at the time.

Just as she was getting ready to reopen, the Minneapolis neighborhood where her business is located was hit by protests and rioting after the death of George Floyd in police custody in late May. And after the Floyd protests, the neighborhood saw an uptick in gun violence.

Lawani’s salon, Bonitas Extensions and Braids, was not damaged during the demonstrations. So she partially reopened in early June, selling hair care products from her shop. She opened for hair styling last week.

With the help of a GoFundMe page, a federal Payroll Protection Loan and state unemployment benefits, Lawani was able to pay salaries and the rent and put food on the table.

Her two employees are not coming back because of safety concerns and health issues, but she plans to hire new workers, restructure her business and make it work.

Three months ago, she wasn’t sure she would be able to survive.

Unemployment in Minnesota

As of June 30, just under 270,000 Minnesotans, or 8.6 percent of the workforce, were unemployed, according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. That compares with an 11.1 percent national jobless rate at that time. The national rate at the end of July had fallen to 10.2 percent. Minnesota’s unemployment rate is still double what it was prior to the pandemic.

The state's new coronavirus cases slowed in late spring but have begun to rise, particularly among younger people, since June 10 when bars and restaurants began partial reopening. As of August 7, the state has recorded 60,101 cases and 1,648 deaths, the majority of whom were nursing home or assisted living patients, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.

Nationally, there have been more than 5 million cases and 163,156 deaths as of August 10, according to data from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

“We will see who comes back,” Lawani said of her 100 regular clients. “I need to get at least 75 percent of my former customers to keep us afloat. I believe customers will come back because I stayed in communication with them, letting them know what’s going on. Everyone is excited.”

She feels fortunate that she will be able to restart her business, which she has run for 11 years in Minneapolis, the largest city in the state.

“Three small-business people I know aren’t coming back,” she said. “I’m going to restructure on a smaller scale and keep doing what I love to do.”

Lawani thinks her customers will all want to talk about the impact of COVID-19 on the community and the property damage caused in the rioting. As a Nigerian American and a woman of color, Lawani supported the mostly peaceful protests following Floyd’s killing.

“The way they were protesting was OK,” she said. “No one should have to go through what that man (George Floyd) went through. I have kids. I have a black son. Having a black son only instills fear in you because I worry about his going out and never coming home. It is really understandable that people should protest.”

On the other hand, she said, the violence was counterproductive.

“Personally, I always think violence doesn’t solve anything,” she said. “Destroying businesses is like destroying people’s livelihood. … It’s very touchy because you don’t want to say something and have people angry at you. My mom taught us sometimes you have to be quiet.”

In crisis

In the midst of the pandemic and the shutdown last spring, Lawani found herself crying in front of her daughter Zeal, who is 13 years old. “My daughter knows what’s going on,” Lawani said at the time.

Now, she said, “my kids are doing well. It is hard for them. They see everything that is going on. I let them know we stick together through all the things going on.” When she went back to work in June, her daughter gave her a mask as a gift, “a sign of making sure that I stay safe,” Lawani said.

The next challenge for her kids is how Minnesota schools will try to reopen this fall: in class, at home or a hybrid of the two. Her son, Zion, who is 2, will be in day care.

She hopes that her daughter will be in school. “I am not worrying about safety at school,” she said. “She is cautious and follows the rules, and the parents and teachers are wearing masks. If this is going to be the norm, we have to move on.”

After three months of struggle and worrying whether her business would survive and how she would care for her children, Lawani said she is optimistic about the future.

“I’m not worried about the future of my business,” she said confidently. “Every business has to create something that is systemic. You have to create a system that works for you and your clients. … Everything that has happened has opened an opportunity for me. I was scared at first … I think I will be fine.”

A Ban on WeChat and TikTok, a Disconnected World and Two Internets

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 20:49:02 GMT

President Trump's new executive orders banning Chinese social media apps TikTok and WeChat marked a significant escalation in the ongoing technology tensions between the U.S. and China, according to analysts.

On Aug. 6, 2020, Trump declared that TikTok and WeChat posed a threat to national security and invoked the International Emergency Economic Power Act. He prohibited Americans from carrying out any transactions with the parent companies of TikTok and WeChat beyond 45 days — meaning U.S. companies and individuals will not be able to advertise with the platforms, offer them for download via app stores, or enter into licensing agreements with them.

WeChat logo

VOA spoke with government officials, think tank experts and app users for perspective on the immediate and long-term implications of the decision to ban the two major Chinese apps.

Two Internets: One controlled by US, other by China

Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google, predicted in 2018 that within the next decade, there would be two distinct Internets: one led by the U.S. and the other one led by China.

Only two years after his comments at a private event held by investment firm Village Global VC, that prediction seems to have become a reality.

“The Trump Administration has adopted a defensive measure to protect itself. Because the Internet in the world has been divided into two parts by China, one is free and the other is captivated,” said a high-level U.S. official familiar with the matter who spoke with VOA on background.

The official, who declined to be identified when discussing the administration’s thinking, said that China is taking advantage of the Internet’s openness to undermine it, because China has no interest in easing up on the “Great Firewall” that closely monitors the country’s roughly 800 million online “netizens.”

“These two Internets are not reciprocal. The Chinese government with its state power freely uses the tools provided by the free world to destroy the cornerstones of the free Internet," the official said.

The official added that Trump’s order will protect the foundation of a free Internet and prevent the platforms controlled by the Chinese Communist government from adversely impacting free speech outside of China.

Government intervention: good or bad?

In the next few weeks, several things could happen to TikTok. It could be bought by a U.S. tech company, somehow banned by the Trump Administration, or receive punishment under CFIUS, a government agency reviewing the company’s 2017 acquisition of Muiscal.ly, which led to the creation of the popular video-sharing social network.

“TikTok will not be the last TikTok, there will be companies in the future that will be under similar scrutiny, and what happens with TikTok in the next few weeks will have ramifications for future companies,” said Megan Lamberth, a research assistant for the Technology and National Security Program at the Center for a New American Security.

Some policy analysts from America’s closest allies welcome the latest hardline approach by the Trump Administration, saying government intervention is necessary under the current circumstances.

“We do need to apply some restrictions and often even some coercive aspects in a legal sense on businesses to prevent that kind of technology leakage in particular sectors,” said John Lee, former policy advisor to the Australian foreign minister at an event hosted by the Hudson Institute on countering China’s aggressive tech policies.

TikTok, a social networking app for sharing short user-produced video clips, and WeChat, a super app including messaging, social media and payment platforms, both collect extensive data on their users. The core concern from western countries is that the Chinese government will be able to access this data and potentially leverage it for espionage or blackmail. U.S. officials also worry that the heavy censorship of these apps will result in biased political opinions and increased spread of misinformation.

Lee added that developed countries need to bring business communities along in resolving these issues, but “can't leave it to the business community or the market to work these issues out.”

Other experts warn there might be potential backlash from the government’s action to cut off Chinese rivals to American tech companies.

“The more the U.S. advances the idea of cutting off one country or another from the Internet in the way we use it, the more that type of scrutiny could come back and be applied to American companies as well,” Graham Webster, editor in chief of the Stanford–New America DigiChina Project at the Stanford University Cyber Policy Center, told VOA.

Members of the City Youth Organization hold posters with the logos of Chinese apps in support of the Indian government for banning the popular video-sharing 'TikTok' app, in Hyderabad on June 30, 2020.

Mixed reaction from app users

TikTok is one of the world’s best-loved apps, with more than 800 million monthly active users in the United States.

WeChat, while not as popular in the U.S. as TikTok, is extensively used by the Chinese diaspora to connect with family and friends in China.

“I think my life will be hugely impacted if WeChat is banned,” said Helen, a Chinese international student at New York University (NYU). “WeChat is the only way of communication between me and my friends in China.”

Most chatting apps, such as Line, WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, are banned in China. Currently WeChat is the only “super app” connecting people living in the U.S. and China and offers cross-border payment options.

Kevin, who works in a restaurant in New York’s Chinatown, told VOA that it would be hard for him to connect with family back home. “I know some people who have houses here for rent and live in China, they are using WeChat to collect rent. If the app is banned, it will be a big problem for them,” he said.

Chinese Americans who spoke with VOA, meanwhile, do not seem to be concerned with the ban on WeChat.

“It’s not going to stop people from making other apps to chat, I don’t know what’s the point,” said Stanley, a nurse living in New York.

Monica Xu,  Wenhao Ma contributed to this report.

At Least 6 Injured, 1 Dead, After Baltimore Gas Blast Leveled Three Homes

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 19:57:11 GMT

At least six people were injured and one killed in a natural gas explosion that destroyed three Baltimore houses, firefighters and the local media said Monday.

“We are closely monitoring the situation in northwest Baltimore following this morning’s horrific explosion,” said Gov. Larry Hogan. “We have reached out to offer our full support to the ongoing response and recovery efforts and are deeply grateful to the first responders on the scene.”

We are closely monitoring the situation in northwest Baltimore following this morning’s horrific explosion. We have reached out to offer our full support to the ongoing response and recovery efforts, and are deeply grateful to the first responders on the scene.
— Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) August 10, 2020

The explosion occurred just before 10 a.m. Six people were taken to hospitals in serious condition, Baltimore Fire Department chief Roman Clark told The Baltimore Sun. One woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

Update: Six people have been taken to hospitals in serious condition and one woman has been pronounced dead following the gas explosion in NW Baltimore, per @BaltimoreFire Chief Roman Clark.
— Colin Campbell ☀️ (@cmcampbell6) August 10, 2020

At one point, about 200 responders from three fire departments were at the scene of the explosion, tweeted the Baltimore Firefighters IAFF Local 734, which described the explosion and fire as “a major 3-alarm incident.”

The Maryland State Fire Marshal said its bomb squad was on the scene.

UPDATE - @MarylandOSFM & @ATFBaltimore are continuing to assist @BCFDL734 @ChiefNilesRFord with the house explosion in the 6500 bl of Labyrinth. Investigators are staging & beginning their initial investigation. 1 person has died & 5 others are reported injured. pic.twitter.com/G9BTr8x0dl
— Maryland State Fire Marshal (@MarylandOSFM) August 10, 2020

The Baltimore Fire Department said it was still investigating the cause of the explosion, but the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE) said its crews were working to turn off gas to nearby buildings.

“Once the gas is off, we can begin to safely assess the situation, including inspections of BGE equipment,” said the company.

Gas explosions are becoming increasingly common in Maryland, The Baltimore Sun reported. One natural gas explosion in August 2019 destroyed part of a shopping center in Columbia, Maryland.

Founded in 1816, BGE is the oldest gas provider in the United States. Nearly two dozen gas leaks are discovered every day on average, according to data BGE reports to the federal government.

Leslie Bonilla contributed to this story.

Seven Killed as Al-Shabab Inmates Fire at Somali Prison Guards

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 19:45:55 GMT

Somali security forces have shot dead four armed inmates after a fierce gun battle in Mogadishu’s central prison, security officials told VOA Somali. Three prison guards were also killed in Monday’s incident, officials confirmed.

The inmates, all members of Islamist militant group al-Shabab, had obtained three pistols and six hand grenades smuggled into the prison, a senior security official told VOA. The inmates attacked guards, sparking the confrontation.

Two other inmates suspected of involvement were wounded and apprehended, according to officials. One inmate is believed to have escaped the facility.

Officials said they believe the escapee killed the driver of a rickshaw and another civilian outside the prison.

The gunfire started in the section where inmates serving a life sentence are held, according to the official.

The security official said it is believed the weapons were hidden in food and other items smuggled into the prison when inmates receive visits twice a week.

An inmate held in a different part of the prison who was interviewed by a local radio said the shooting started during change of shift by the guards.

The central prison is located next to Mogadishu’s seaport and is heavily guarded. Dozens of al-Shabab inmates are held at the facility, including some who are on death row.

Nigeria: Singer Sentenced to Death for 'Blasphemy'

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 19:45:51 GMT

An Islamic court in northern Nigeria on Monday sentenced a singer to death for blasphemy against the Prophet Mohammed, judicial officials said.

An Upper Islamic Sharia court in the city of Kano ordered 22-year-old Yahaya Aminu Sharif to die by hanging for derogatory expressions against the Prophet in one of his songs, spokesman for the Kano region justice ministry, Baba-Jibo Ibrahim, told AFP.

Sharia courts in majority Muslim northern Nigeria have handed down death sentences for adultery, murder and homosexuality before but to date no executions have been carried out.

"The court handed down the death sentence as enshrined in Islamic laws based on irrefutable evidence and the convict's admission of guilt," Ibrahim said.

Sharif was accused of blaspheming the Prophet in a song he shared on social media in March, which caused riots in the city.

Mobs burnt the singer's family home and took to the streets demanding his prosecution, leading to his arrest.

Ibrahim said Sharif had legal representation during the four-month trial, which was held behind closed doors for security reasons.

Sharif, a Muslim singer, belongs to a separate branch of Tijaniyya Sufi order, whose beliefs are considered heretical because of their different interpretation of some basic Islamic principles.

His conviction is the second death sentence to be passed for blasphemy since around a dozen states in the north reintroduced a stricter version of Sharia law in early 2000s, where Sharia courts run parallel to state and federal justice system.

Other blasphemy rulings

Abdul Nyass, a Sufi Muslim cleric, was sentenced to death in 2015 by a Kano Sharia court for blasphemy against the Prophet in his preachings.

Nyass drew public outrage when he made derogatory remarks against the Prophet before a gathering of disciples as they marked the birthday of the former leader of the Tijaniyya Sufi order, Ibrahim Nyass.

Nyass is also a member of the Tijjaniyya Sufi order.

The same court on Monday sentenced a 13-year-old boy, Umar Farouk, to 10 years in prison with menial labor for blasphemy, judicial official Ibrahim said.

He said Farouk was found guilty of using foul language against God during an argument with a friend.

"The court considered the boy's age as a minor and sentenced him to 10-year jail term as a penitence and to make him reform," he said.

Both convicts have one month to appeal the sentences.

South African Innovators Tackle COVID Risks in Humble Minibus Taxi

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 19:20:39 GMT

As South Africa continues to ease coronavirus restrictions, technical experts and public health experts are working on plans to protect the health of the 14 million South Africans who rely on a complex network of regulated minibus taxis to get to work, school and more. Innovators and investors say this could be an African solution to a problem that affects millions of others in Africa, and beyond. VOA's Anita Powell reports from Johannesburg.
Camera: Zaheer Cassim Produced by: Jason Godman