Here are some of today’s leading headlines from select sources around the world.
Trump now in open dispute with health officials as virus rages
Five months into a still-raging pandemic that has killed more than 130,000 Americans, the long-simmering tensions between President Donald Trump and the health experts who staff his government have escalated from private griping to shrugging disagreement to now open dispute.
US admirals in South China Sea: Everyone wears a mask
Two US Navy admirals in charge of a rare South China Sea exercise say “extraordinary” coronavirus measures taken by the service, including requiring all sailors to wear face masks, have left their aircraft carrier strike groups in a high state of readiness in one of the most tense maritime environments in the world.
Ivory Coast PM Amadou Gon Coulibaly dies at 61
Ivory Coast’s Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly has died, the country’s President announced.
Brazilian press group will sue Bolsonaro for taking off his mask
The Brazilian Press Association has said it will file a lawsuit in Brazil’s Supreme Court against President Jair Bolsonaro over possibly exposing members of the media to Covid-19, according to a statement from the association on Tuesday.
Harvard and MIT sue Trump administration over online-only instruction for foreign students in the US
Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Wednesday sued the Trump administration over its guidance not allowing foreign students to take online-only courses in the US this fall semester.
Teens discover bodies in bags while filming TikTok videos in Seattle
Seattle authorities have identified the remains of two people who were discovered by teens shooting TikTok videos last month.
Kanye West says he had coronavirus and no longer supports Trump
Kanye West is taking off his MAGA hat.
Louisiana governor says progress against coronavirus has been wiped out in past three weeks
The gains the people of Louisiana made against Covid-19 in June have been wiped out over the past three weeks, Gov. John Bel Edwards said Wednesday.
China closes tourist spots in Inner Mongolia after bubonic plague case
(CNN) – Authorities in the Chinese region of Inner Mongolia have closed several tourist spots after a case of bubonic plague was confirmed this week. The case was discovered in Bayannur, located northwest of the capital Beijing.
Google launches balloon-powered internet service in Kenya
A fleet of balloons has begun providing internet service to remote areas of Kenya, Google’s Project Loon and Telkom Kenya announced.
‘Stop yelling,’ officer told gasping George Floyd
The US police officer accused of George Floyd’s murder told him to stop talking as he repeatedly gasped under the man’s knee, according to court documents. The unarmed black man cried out for his late mother and children as he said the Minneapolis policeman would kill him, transcripts from body-cam footage show.
The jailed media mogul taking on Ethiopia’s leader
Having previously warned that Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed risked turning into an “illegitimate” ruler, Jawar Mohammed, 34, has now become the most high-profile opposition politician to be detained since the Nobel Peace laureate took office in April 2018.
Flashy Nigerian Instagrammers ‘caught with $40m in cash’
The day after his 29th birthday in May, Olalekan Jacob Ponle posted a picture on his Instagram standing next to a bright yellow Lamborghini in Dubai. “Stop letting people make you feel guilty for the wealth you’ve acquired,” he admonished, wearing designer jewellery and Gucci clothes from head to toe.
Glee star Rivera missing after boat trip with son
Glee star Naya Rivera is missing after her four-year-old son was found alone in a boat on a lake in Southern California, officials say. The 33-year-old rented the boat on Wednesday afternoon at Lake Piru, north-west of Los Angeles, the Ventura County Sheriff’s office says. A search operation is under way.
Chancellor gives diners 50% off on eating out
Chancellor’s Summer Statement Diners will get a 50% discount off their restaurant bill during August under government plans to bolster the embattled sector. Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled the “eat out to help out” discount as part of a series of measures to restart the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Samsung to stop bundling chargers with phones next year, report says
Samsung will stop bundling chargers with its smartphones, starting in 2021. This is according to an ETnews report (source in Korean), which cites industry sources. The reasoning behind the move is the fact that most users already have a USB-C charger lying around.
Twitter is building a ‘subscription platform,’ and paying for tweets might be a thing
“This site is free” is a common refrain on Twitter. Meant to be read in the tone of sarcastic disbelief, it’s often brought out to highlight the absurdity of a situation that someone has, typically, stumbled ass-first into online – on full display for all Twitter users to witness in real time, free of charge.
Facebook criticized for toothless ‘PR exercise’ following ad boycott
In the face of mounting advertiser pressure over its handling of hate speech, Mark Zuckerberg today met with the leaders of the NAACP, the Anti-Defamation League, the Free Press, and the Color Of Change. It did not go well.
Instagram’s ‘Pinned Comments’ feature is now available to everyone
If you’re trying to inject some positivity into your Instagram posts, the new Pinned Comments feature could help. The feature, which Instagram started testing back in May, is officially now available everywhere. Instagram’s VP of Product, Vishal Shah, took to Twitter to announce that you can now pin a few (of what will likely be your favorite) comments to the top of the comments thread on your posts.
