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Irish COVID-19 'test and trace' system overwhelmed by case surge

Ireland's system for tracing contacts of COVID-19 cases has been overwhelmed by a surge in cases forcing the health service in recent days to advise infected individuals to identify their own close contacts and tell them to get tested, officials said. The government earlier this year hired hundreds of people to quickly contact those who test positive, identify people they had close contact with in the preceding days, and tell those people to self-isolate and get tested. "We have seen unprecedented demand on the contact tracing centres with the exponential growth in the number of cases and over the week we simply couldn't get to everyone," Niamh O'Beirne, national lead for testing and tracing, told RTE radio.

Bulgarian president tests negative for COVID-19

The 57-year-old former military pilot halted a visit to Estonia to return home on Tuesday after contact last week with a military officer who later tested positive. Upon arrival at the Sofia airport, Radev said he was symptom-free and showed a negative result of a test he took in Estonia on Monday. "President Radev is currently under a quarantine and awaits the decision of the local health authorities to lift it after his second test came out negative," his spokesman Kiril Atanasov said.

Poland reports new record in daily coronavirus cases

Poland's coronavirus infections have doubled in less than three weeks and now exceed 200,000, the health ministry said, as it announced a new daily record of 10,040 cases. Poland's lower house of parliament is holding an emergency session on Wednesday to discuss a draft bill proposed by the ruling Law and Justice party (PiS) to unblock the overwhelmed health system. Government COVID-19 advisor Andrzej Horban 10,000 daily cases is the upper limit of the health system's current capacity, with up to 2,000 patients admitted to hospitals every day.

Mysterious 'Robin Hood' hackers donating stolen money

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

Lucky baby anteater escapes birds, falls from tree into care of Australian zoo

A lucky echidna puggle, or baby spiny anteater, that survived an attack by birds and fell from a tree is taking its first steps as zoo keepers in Australia hand-feed the young mammal. Members of the public brought the young echidna to the Taronga Zoo in Sydney last month after it fell 4 m (13 ft) from a tree onto their balcony, somehow escaping becoming supper for the winner of a clash between a raven and a magpie. "He was lost from his mum and the story is that some people were just sitting on their balcony one nice afternoon and they heard this thud and they looked down and they saw this little guy on the balcony," said Taronga Zoo Senior Keeper Sarah Male.

More of northern England put into highest COVID-19 lockdown tier

South Yorkshire in northern England will move into the very high lockdown tier on Saturday to tackle rising levels of COVID-19 infections, the mayor of the Sheffield City Region Dan Jarvis said on Wednesday. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday he would impose the same measures in Manchester after failing to agree a support package with local leaders.

Ukraine's coronavirus-linked deaths at record as infections grow

The number of daily coronavirus deaths in Ukraine jumped to 141 from the previous record of 113 deaths registered on Tuesday, the national security council said on Wednesday. The council also reported a record 6,719 new coronavirus cases registered in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number to 315,826 cases with 5,927 deaths. Ukrainian health minister Maksym Stepanov said on Tuesday the number of coronavirus cases may rise to 8,000-10,000 a day in the coming weeks.

Latest on the worldwide spread of coronavirus

* Hungarian Justice Minister Judit Varga tested positive for COVID-19 and has mild respiratory symptoms. * Bulgarian President Rumen Radev will have to self-isolate pending a coronavirus test after coming into contact late last week with a top military officer who later tested positive for COVID-19. * British PM Boris Johnson said he would impose tougher lockdown restrictions on the Greater Manchester region in northern England despite failing to reach a deal on funding support with local leaders.

Czech Republic reports 11,984 new coronavirus cases, highest daily tally

The Czech Republic reported 11,984 new cases of coronavirus for Oct. 20, the highest daily tally on record, as the country is struggling with a surge in recent weeks. The number of people who died of the COVID-19 disease rose to 1,619 from 1,513 over the past 24 hours in the country of 10.7 million, Health Ministry data showed on Wednesday. The government is to meet at an extraordinary session at 8:00 a.m. local time (0600 GMT) to discuss the epidemiological situation.

Novartis to pursue SMA drug branaplam in Huntington's disease

Novartis is seeking to repurpose its investigational oral spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) drug branaplam to treat Huntington's disease, the Swiss drugmaker said on Wednesday, as it plans a clinical trial after winning U.S. orphan drug designation. Novartis has been studying branaplam in SMA, but last year hinted that it would pivot to new neurological diseases after its head of research Jay Bradner said he did not see a "big opportunity" in its original disease indication. The drug remains under study for SMA, but now Novartis said it wants to see if trials in humans can duplicate preclinical models in which branaplam was shown to reduce levels of a mutant protein that plays a role in Huntington's disease, for which there are no approved disease modifying therapies that delay disease onset or slow progression.

What you need to know about the coronavirus right now

Shaoxing city in China's Zhejiang province will offer experimental coronavirus vaccines to its residents, as China broadens an emergency use programme to people in non-priority groups, the city's health commission said on Tuesday on its WeChat account. It did not name the vaccine, say when inoculation would start or how many doses would be offered. Residents aged between 18 and 59 who are not in priority groups, can apply online for inoculation.

United Airlines testing global health app on UK-U.S. flight in effort to reopen borders

United Airlines is set on Wednesday to test a digital health pass under a global pilot program seeking to establish a common international standard for COVID-19 test results and eventually vaccine records that could help reopen borders. The nonprofit initiative, called CommonPass, is backed by the World Economic Forum and Swiss-based foundation The Commons Project. The United flight from London Heathrow to Newark Liberty International in New Jersey follows a pilot by Cathay Pacific this month, and other large airlines are also planning international trials in November and December.

China says environment still grim despite five years of progress

China's environment conditions are "grim", falling short of public expectations even after five years of efforts to improve air quality, boost clean energy and curb greenhouse gas emissions, a senior official said on Wednesday. There was still a long way to go, said Zhao Yingmin, the vice-minister of ecology and environment, even though China had met a series of targets on smog, water quality and carbon emissions over the five years from 2016.

GSK to launch late-stage testing of syncytial virus vaccine

GlaxoSmithKline said it would move its experimental vaccine against the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a cause of pneumonia in toddlers and the elderly, into the final stage of testing, encouraged by mid-stage trial results. RSV vaccine development has been fraught with setbacks for decades but the pharma industry is gearing up to bring a first inoculation to market over the next few years. GSK said a Phase I/II trial with about 1,000 healthy adults aged 60-80 showed that the vaccine prompted a "robust" increase in antibodies and immune cells one month after injection, indicating a stimulated immune system.

Chinese city to offer COVID-19 vaccine candidate as emergency use expands

A city in China's Zhejiang province will offer experimental coronavirus vaccines to its residents, as China broadens an emergency use programme to people in non-priority groups. Residents aged between 18 and 59 in the city of Shaoxing, who are not in priority groups, can apply online for inoculation, the city's health commission said on Tuesday on its WeChat account.

Trump loses bid to block deadline extension for North Carolina ballot

A U.S. federal appeals court on Tuesday left in place North Carolina's plan for counting absentee ballots that arrive after Election Day, dealing a setback to President Donald Trump's re-election campaign. In a 12-3 decision, the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals denied a bid to halt the North Carolina State Board of Elections from tallying ballots postmarked by Nov. 3 that arrive before Nov. 12. The Trump campaign, the North Carolina Republican Party, and others had sued over the timetable, saying that it violated the state's election code.

A night of flirting at a Broward casino leads to man being drugged, robbed, deputies said

What started out as an evening of flirting with a woman at a Broward casino ended with him being drugged and robbed, deputies said.

Member of the grand jury breaks silence on Breonna Taylor case, says they weren't given the chance to indict any officer for homicide

"The grand jury didn't agree that certain actions were justified," the anonymous grand juror said in a statement on Tuesday.

Australia's Victoria state paves way for pop up dining as virus cases remain low

Australia's most heavily hit coronavirus state of Victoria logged a sixth consecutive day of low single digit new cases on Wednesday, as the state government said it was on track to announce fresh easing measures at the weekend. "We do genuinely hope on Sunday to make some announcements in the future and if these numbers stay on trend we will be able to do that," Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews told a news conference. Victoria, which has been under strict lockdown measures since early July, hopes to revitalise outdoor dining over the summer in the hard hit hospitality sector, by allowing pop up restaurants in public gardens and carparks in downtown areas.

Brazil health minister ill with suspected case of COVID-19

Brazilian Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello has fallen ill with a suspected case of COVID-19, the ministry's press office said on Tuesday, as the country battles with the third-worst coronavirus outbreak globally, with nearly 5.3 million cases. On Monday, the minister had missed a public event with President Jair Bolsonaro. "He had a small indisposition and went to the hospital," Bolsonaro said at the event.

Biden has big cash advantage over Trump in race's final stretch

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden's campaign entered the final stretch of the race with a large cash advantage over President Donald Trump, disclosures filed with the Federal Election Commission showed on Tuesday. Biden's upper hand in the money race is no guarantee of victory. Trump triumphed in the 2016 election despite being outspent by Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

Venezuela plans to use Russian and Chinese coronavirus vaccines

Venezuela plans to vaccinate citizens with Russian and Chinese coronavirus vaccines, which could arrive in the South American nation in December or January, President Nicolas Maduro said on Tuesday. "It has been announced that the completed Russian and Chinese vaccines should arrive by December, January, December-January, and we are going to start vaccination," Maduro said during a live broadcast on state television. The country received a first batch of the Russian "Sputnik-V" coronavirus vaccine in early October as part of the Phase Three clinical trial, and the government said about 2,000 volunteers would participate.

Hollywood shooting leaves one man dead. Police looking for woman seen leaving the area.

Hollywood police are asking for help finding a woman they believe is connected to a Saturday morning shooting that left one person dead.

Mexico registers 555 more coronavirus deaths, with total at 86,893

Mexico's health ministry on Tuesday reported 5,788 additional cases of the novel coronavirus and 555 more deaths in the country, bringing the official number of cases to 860,714 and the death toll to 86,893. Health officials have said the real number of infected people is likely significantly higher than the confirmed cases.

Witnesses say soldiers opened fire against anti-police brutality protesters in Nigeria

At least two protesters in Nigeria were shot on Tuesday night when soldiers opened fire on anti-police brutality demonstrators in the Lekki neighborhood in Lagos, several witnesses told Reuters. The protests began nearly two weeks ago, after video circulated that allegedly showed Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) officers shooting a man in Delta state. Thousands of people have been demonstrating nationwide every night since, despite a curfew in Lagos and other cities. For years, human rights groups accused SARS of committing murder, torture, extortion, and harassment, and while the unit was disbanded on Oct. 11, the protests continued.Witness Inyene Akpan told Reuters that on Tuesday night, more than 20 soldiers showed up at the Lekki toll gate and began shooting at the crowd. A second witness, Akinbosola Ogunsanya, told Reuters he saw 10 or so people get shot, and then watched as soldiers removed bodies.The condition of the people shot on Tuesday is unknown, and the Lagos state government said it is investigating the incident. Amnesty International says at least 15 demonstrators have been killed since the protests began.More stories from theweek.com Will Kansas go blue? What happened to third party candidates? If Roe falls

Mainland China reports 11 new coronavirus cases

China reported 11 new coronavirus cases in the mainland on Oct. 20, down from 19 a day earlier, the country's health authority said on Wednesday. All of the new cases were imported, the National Health Commission said in its daily bulletin. It also reported another 15 new asymptomatic coronavirus cases, down from 24 a day earlier.

Cathay Pacific to slash workforce, end Cathay Dragon brand due to pandemic

Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd said on Wednesday it would slash 5,900 jobs and end its regional Cathay Dragon brand, joining peers in cutting costs as it grapples with a plunge in demand due to the coronavirus pandemic. "The actions we have announced today, however unpalatable, are absolutely necessary to bring cash burn down to more sustainable levels," Cathay Chairman Patrick Healy told reporters. Singapore Airlines Ltd and Australia's Qantas Airways Ltd have already announced similarly large payroll cuts, as the International Air Transport Association forecasts passenger traffic will not recover until 2024.

Police officer shot, suffers minor wound in West Miami-Dade. He’s been hospitalized

This is a breaking news story that will be updated.

No one knew Epstein’s dark secrets like Ghislaine Maxwell. How much did her testimony reveal?

When a 418-page transcript of a deposition given by Ghislaine Maxwell is made public, perhaps by week’s end, it’ll mark a major milestone in a legal fight by the Miami Herald to reveal Jeffrey Epstein’s protected world by shining light in uncomfortable places.

U.S. agency urges new safeguards following probe into deadly 2019 California boat fire

The 75-foot (23-m) recreational diving vessel, Conception, with 33 passengers and six crew aboard, was anchored off Santa Cruz Island when it caught fire. All 33 passengers and one crew member died of smoke inhalation because they were trapped in the berthing area while a fire burned above. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) urged all vessels with overnight accommodations to be required to have interconnected smoke detectors in all passenger areas and secondary means of escape that lead into a different space from the primary exit.

Man accused of murdering Miami teen stepdaughter in 2004 uses pen to kill himself in jail

The man accused of murdering his teenage stepdaughter in 2004 in Miami has killed himself in a California jail.

Juror in Breonna Taylor case said grand jury didn't agree fatal shooting was justified

The statement came after a judge ordered records in the proceedings released to show if "publicly elected officials are being honest."

Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillén died 'in the line of duty,' Army inquiry says

The determination entitles Guillén's family to full military benefits, including funeral costs and life insurance.

Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillén died 'in the line of duty,' Army inquiry says

The determination entitles Guillén's family to full military benefits, including funeral costs and life insurance.

Mexico asks cemeteries to close ahead of holiday, fearing coronavirus rebound

Mexican authorities are calling on cemeteries to close to public visitors ahead of the Day of the Dead, a celebration that usually draws hundreds of thousands of people nationwide, as officials strive to avert another wave of coronavirus infections. Ahead of the holiday, cemeteries will largely remain closed, as they could "become areas of high risk for contagion," Deputy Health Minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell told reporters on Tuesday. Officials said the event was too large, and videos of the celebration showed a packed dance floor of people without masks.

U.S. House Speaker Pelosi hopes for coronavirus aid progress by end of week

U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday said she hoped progress can be accomplished on a coronavirus aid deal by the end of this week. Pelosi, the top U.S. Democrat, said there would be a "readout shortly" on a conversation she had with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

Breonna Taylor grand jury "didn't agree that certain actions were justified"

A Breonna Taylor case grand juror took issue Tuesday with the Kentucky AG's characterization of the panel's proceedings.

Bow-and-arrow attack kills man at homeless camp, California police say

Police say two men had a dispute over a woman, according to reports.

Breonna Taylor grand jury was never allowed to consider homicide charges against police, juror says

A juror in Breonna Taylor's case has some serious criticism of how it was handled.On Tuesday, a state judge ruled grand jury records — usually kept sealed — could be released to determine if "publicly elected officials are being honest" about Taylor's case. That allowed jurists to speak freely about the case, including one who released a statement criticizing how Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron presented the case to the jury.Taylor was shot and killed by police while they executed a no-knock warrant at her home. Only one of the officers involved was indicted on charges of wanton endangerment for firing into a neighbor's apartment; none were charged with Taylor's death. But as the anonymous juror said Tuesday, the grand jury in Taylor's case weren't allowed to do so.After learning how "the grand jury normally operates," it was clear to this juror that Taylor's case was "quite different," the juror said. "The grand jury was not presented any other charges other than the three wanton endangerment charges" against former Louisville police officer Brett Hankison. "The grand jury did not have homicide offenses explained to them," nor anything regarding "self-defense or justification," the juror continued. "The grand jury didn't agree that certain actions were justified, nor did it decide the indictment should be the only charges in the Breonna Taylor case," the juror said.> Breaking: statement from grand juror in BreonnaTaylor case pic.twitter.com/AaAmCXNGxB> > — Gabe Gutierrez (@gabegutierrez) October 20, 2020Cameron recently said he hadn't recommended manslaughter charges to the grand jury investigating Taylor's case.More stories from theweek.com Will Kansas go blue? What happened to third party candidates? If Roe falls

Houston sergeant with 4 decades on force killed responding to 'disturbance'

"As good as he was as a cop, he was a better human being," Houston's police chief said of the officer.