Despite its slow start, Canada is now lapping U.S. on COVID vaccination. Is right-wing media to blame?

With nearly 70 percent of its population now at least partially vaccinated, Canada is well on its way to reaching herd immunity. The U.S. — which has stalled out around 56 percent — is not. Experts say that the proliferation of right-wing media — including OAN, Newsmax and Fox News, whose U.S. opinion hosts have spent months insisting that COVID-19 vaccines “could be dangerous; that people are justified in refusing them; and that public authorities have overstepped in their attempts to deliver them” — may be one of the biggest reasons why.

Russia transfers ex-U.S. Marine to region with tough Soviet-era prisons

A former U.S. Marine who is serving a nine-year sentence in Russia was being transferred from a remand cell in Moscow on Friday to the Mordovia region which has a large number of tough, Soviet-era prisons. Trevor Reed was convicted last year of endangering the lives of two policemen in Moscow while drunk, a charge he denied. He said the ruling was "clearly political", and Washington called the trial "theatre of the absurd".

South Africa Zuma riots: Armed police protect food deliveries

Armed South African police officers are protecting deliveries of food and supplies to supermarkets after days of widespread looting and violence. Riots were sparked by the jailing of former President Jacob Zuma. An estimated $1bn (£720m) worth of stock was stolen in KwaZulu-Natal with at least 800 retail shops looted, a mayor in the province said.

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  Explainer-Why violence is engulfing South Africa

  Reuters
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  South Africa riots: At least 72 killed, over 1,000 arrested amid worst violence in decades

  Good Morning America

Officials in Kashmir ban animal sacrifice on Muslim holiday

Authorities in Indian-controlled Kashmir have banned the sacrifice of animals during the upcoming Islamic Eid al-Adha holiday, in a ruling that is likely to further stoke anti-India anger in the disputed Muslim-majority region. Generally, cows are considered sacred in Hindu-majority India, and slaughtering them or eating beef is illegal or restricted across much of the country. Despite the ban on cow slaughter in Kashmir, beef is widely available across much of its Muslim-majority areas.

You Need a Coffee Table With Storage–And We’ve Got 17 for You

Because we can't all live in a minimalist fantasy, try a coffee table that hides stuff for you Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest

Hong Kong national security police raid student union office

Hong Kong's national security police on Friday raided the office of a university student union after student leaders last week commemorated a man who killed himself after stabbing a police officer. Police raided the office at the University of Hong Kong and cordoned off the area around it. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam earlier this week urged the university and police to take action after student leaders passed a motion expressing “deep sadness” and appreciating the “sacrifice” of the man who attacked the police officer.

The Warthog and the senator: The politics of retiring a warplane

The U.S. Air Force is desperate to get rid of some of its fleet of expensive, slow and outdated A-10 Warthog airplanes, but politicians have blocked the move, aiming to keep the local dollars flowing. President Joe Biden wants to retire dozens of the 40-year-old warplanes to free up funding to modernize the military. The negotiations over the A-10, which the Air Force has wanted to retire for more than two decades, show the extensive measures Democrats will take to protect their slim majority in the Senate.

Pope reverses Benedict, reimposes restrictions on Latin Mass

Pope Francis cracked down Friday on the spread of the old Latin Mass, reversing one of Pope Benedict XVI's signature decisions in a major challenge to traditionalist Catholics who immediately decried it as an attack on them and the ancient liturgy. Francis reimposed restrictions on celebrating the Latin Mass that Benedict relaxed in 2007, and went further to limit its use. The pontiff said he was taking action because Benedict's reform had become a source of division in the church and been used by Catholics opposed to the Second Vatican Council, the 1960s meetings that modernized the church and its liturgy.

Biden to warn US companies about doing business in Hong Kong

The Biden administration is expected to issue a blanket warning to U.S. firms about the risks of doing business in Hong Kong as China continues to clamp down on political and economic freedoms in the territory. President Joe Biden told reporters Thursday that the alert would point out deteriorating free market conditions in Hong Kong, which was once one of Asia's main financial hubs, and the potential for further erosion. “The situation in Hong Kong is deteriorating, and the Chinese government is not keeping its commitment that it made, how it would deal with Hong Kong," Biden said.

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  U.S. to sanction Chinese officials and warn companies over Hong Kong -sources

  Reuters
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  U.S. issues advisory to businesses warning of Hong Kong risks

  Reuters

Ethiopia's Tigray crisis: Fleeing for fear of new ethnic conflict

Almost every night, a handful of young men slip across the well-guarded border, swimming across a fast-flowing brown river and trudging into Sudan to escape what they say is a sudden upsurge in ethnic violence in the far western corner of Ethiopia's Tigray region. This fertile area, still held by soldiers and militias loyal to Ethiopia's federal government, is now seen as a likely next target for Tigray's rebel fighters, as they seek to strengthen their control over the region and secure a potentially crucial supply route into neighbouring Sudan. The conflict in Tigray is now showing dangerous signs of transforming into a more widespread ethnic conflict that could suck in other parts of Ethiopia.

Fully vaccinated Americans may enter Canada as of mid-August

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday Canada could start allowing fully vaccinated Americans into Canada as of mid-August for non-essential travel and should be in a position to welcome fully vaccinated travelers from all countries by early September. Trudeau spoke with leaders of Canada's provinces and his office released a readout of the call. “Canada would be in a position to welcome fully vaccinated travelers from all countries by early September,” the readout said.

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  Canada may allow fully vaccinated travellers by early September - Trudeau

  Reuters
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  Trudeau: U.S.-Canada border could open to fully vaccinated Americans in August

  Politico

Thai hospital tycoon sticks to guns on vaccine claims

Thailand's Thonburi Healthcare Group Pcl (THG) doubled down on its outspoken chairman's claim to be buying Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines on Friday, helping its share price rise despite denials by both drugmakers. Dr. Boon Vanasin's claim that his group, a more than $800 million private medicine empire, was close to signing a deal for 20 million Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccines to import to Thailand was swiftly denied on Thursday by both companies, one day after a government agency filed a defamation suit against Boon, 82. Boon even told local media an agreement would be signed by Friday afternoon.

Climate change: Science failed to predict flood and heat intensity

Top climate scientists have admitted they failed to predict the intensity of the German floods and the North American heat dome. Computers are fundamental to weather forecasting and climate change, and computing will underpin the new climate science “Bible”, from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) next month. "(We need) an international centre to deliver the quantum leap to climate models that capture the fundamental physics that drive extremes.

'Quite scary': UK's top medic in warning over COVID outlook

The British government's top medical adviser has warned that the number of people hospitalized with the coronavirus could reach “quite scary” levels within weeks as cases soar as a result of the more contagious delta variant and the lifting of lockdown restrictions. Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty told a webinar hosted by London's Science Museum late Thursday that the U.K. is “not out of the woods yet.” “I don't think we should underestimate the fact that we could get into trouble again surprisingly fast,” Whitty said.

Explosive Interview Directly Implicates Trump in Tax Scheme

A witness in the New York investigation against the Trump Organization has told prosecutors that Donald Trump personally guaranteed he would cover school costs for the family members of two employees in lieu of a raise—directly implicating the former president in an ongoing criminal tax fraud case. The explosive claims come from Jennifer Weisselberg, the ex-wife of a longtime company employee, during a teleconference call with investigators on Friday, June 25, according to two sources who agreed to speak on the condition of anonymity. On that afternoon's Zoom call, those sources said, investigators with the Manhattan district attorney and New York state attorney general asked Jennifer Weisselberg whether Trump himself was involved in the company's alleged tax-dodging scheme of making corporate gifts instead of increasing salary that would be taxed.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez praised the $3.5 trillion infrastructure bill as a 'progressive victory'

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez praised the $3.5 trillion reconciliation package announced by Senate Dems on Tuesday. It would stand with the $579 billion infrastructure deal that President Biden struck with the GOP last month. Without progressive lawmakers, she said, "we probably would be stuck with that tiny, pathetic bipartisan bill alone."

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  U.S. Senate scrambles to finish infrastructure bill ahead of vote

  Reuters
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  Senate Dems offer $3.5 trln for 'human infrastructure'

  Reuters Videos

Viewpoint: Why Sikhs celebrate kindness

Founded some 500 years ago in what is now India's Punjab region, Sikhism is the world's fifth-largest religion. Author Jasreen Mayal Khanna writes on the tradition of selfless service ingrained in the community. From the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar to the Paris terror attacks, the farmers' marches in India to the protests in America against George Floyd's killing, people from this 30 million-strong community worldwide have made it a tradition to help complete strangers in their darkest moments.

1st female grizzly in 40 years collared in Washington state

Wildlife biologists have captured a female grizzly bear in Washington state for the first time in 40 years, fitting it with a radio collar so they can track its movements, officials said Thursday. The grizzly, along with her three cubs, were released to help biologists learn more about the endangered animals, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife said. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists captured the bear about 10 miles (16 kilometers) from the Washington-Idaho state line on U.S. Forest Service land.

Heffernan: Donald Trump just won't go away

As one of history's speediest first-drafters, the journalist Michael Wolff has been narrating the Trump epoch from the start. Now he has a new book that clinches his case: Donald Trump hit the nation like a wrecking ball, and it will be a long, long time before we recover. This new one, subtitled “The Final Days of the Trump Presidency,” is out this month.

Bank of England: What are interest rates?

Setting interest rates is one of the many ways the Bank of England can try to control the UK economy. If interest rates go up, it can make borrowing more expensive - especially for homeowners with mortgages - but it can also give savers a better return. How does the Bank of England set interest rates?

A war correspondent was killed in Afghanistan days after live-tweeting Taliban RPGs hitting his Humvee

Danish Siddiqui, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist for Reuters, was killed in Afghanistan Friday. Days earlier, he had live-tweeted about Taliban RPGs hitting the Humvee he was in. A war correspondent was killed in Afghanistan days after he live-tweeted about Taliban RPGs hitting his Humvee.

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  Reuters journalist killed covering clash between Afghan forces, Taliban

  Reuters
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  Reuters journalist killed during Afghanistan clash

  Reuters Videos

At least 100 people have died after devastating flooding across Germany and Belgium, as officials warn the death toll could keep rising

Western Germany and Belgium were hit by devastating floods following heavy rains this week. At least 100 people have died in the two countries, and 1,300 people are missing in Germany, per the AP. At least 100 people have died and more than 1,000 people are missing as devastating floods hit Germany and Belgium this week.

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  Heavy floods hit Western Europe, at least 42 dead, dozens missing

  Yahoo News Video
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  Photos reveal devastating impact as more than 100 killed by floods in Europe - 'Warnings not taken seriously'

  Yahoo News UK

Cubans Are Fed Up With Communism. Democrats Aren’t So Sure.

“Done with being hungry, unemployed, without water, without power”—as one 88-year-old protester put it—thousands of Cubans are, after 60 years of oppression, taking a brave stand against an authoritarian regime quick to crack down on dissent. As unprecedented street protests aimed at Cuba's vengeful Communist government have continued, here in the comfortable confines of American politics, the Democratic Party risks blowing yet another opportunity to seize both the center and the moral high ground at a time when those have been largely abandoned by the GOP. Who or what is stopping them from simply assuming this position as America's mainstream, majority party?