Monthly Archives: August 2020

Aquidneck Island Open Houses: 14 homes to tour this weekend – What’sUpNewp

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Newport, RI On the market for a new home? Heres a look at what houses on Aquidneck Island you can tour this weekend, August 7 9. Good luck!

Aquidneck Island Open Houses on Whats Up Newp are brought to you byOUR Real Estate, a locally owned full service, boutique brokerage and lifestyle company.

Read more about this locally owned full service, boutique brokerage, and lifestyle company at the bottom of this story.

21 Sherman Street | $1,299,000 | 4 beds, 3.1 baths

Open House: Saturday from 10 am to 12 pm

89 Roseneath Avenue | $879,999 | 6 beds, 2.1 baths

Open House: Saturday from 1 pm to 3 pm

105 John Street | $739,000 | 2 beds, 1.1 baths

Open House: Saturday from 10 am to 11 am

32 Hammond Street | $600,000 | 3 beds, 1.1 baths

Open House: Saturday from 10 am to 12 pm

35 Hall Avenue | $595,000 | 4 beds, 2 baths

Open House: Saturday from 10 am to 12 pm

14 Russell Avenue | $539,000 | 3 beds, 1.1 baths

Open House: Saturday from 11 am to 12:30 pm

93 Rhode Island Avenue #5 | $479,000 | 2 beds, 2.1 baths

Open House: Saturday from 12 pm to 2 pm

210 Island Drive | $750,000 | 4 beds, 2.1 baths

Open House: Saturday from 1 pm to 3 pm

11 Wyndham Hill Road | $635,000 | 4 beds, 2.1 baths

Open House: Saturday from 12 pm to 2 pm

62 Samson Lane | $569,000 | 4 beds, 3 baths

Open House: Saturday from 12 pm to 1 pm

310 Vaucluse Avenue | $540,000 | 4 beds, 1 bath

Open House: Sunday from 12 pm to 2 pm

10 Philips Avenue | $425,000 | 3 beds, 2 baths

Open House: Saturday from 12 pm to 2 pm

245 Indian Avenue | $3,490,000 | 4 beds, 3.2 baths

Open House: Sunday from 12 pm to 2 pm

3 Elm Street | $649,000 | 3 beds, 2.1 baths

Open House: Friday from 4 pm to 5:30 pm and Sunday from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm

OUR Real Estate is a full service, boutique brokerage and lifestyle company. Established in June of 2019, OUR embodies a fresh take on real estate and is driven to make the search and sell process as seamless as possible. We extend far beyond what a conventional brokerage firm offers through our commitment to getting you acclimated, informed, and connected to the community. We have diligently created a culture that spurs collaboration and drives social media with creative marketing techniques. Based in Newport, RI our agents possess a quality over quantity mindset, and will work all over the state of Rhode Island to secure the perfect place for you.

OUR Real Estate is independently owned by the Principal Broker, Lauren Mailloux. Lauren was born and raised in Rhode Island. She graduated from Portsmouth High School and continued her education at the University of Rhode Island. Lauren received her real estate license and later acquired her brokerage license. She is committed to providing unwavering integrity, expertise, and negotiation skills for the sole benefit of her clients.

OUR Real Estate is located on lower Thames Street in the heart of Newport. The door to our chic and welcoming office is always open, come see for yourself why we consider ourselves the next generation of real estate.

For more info, visithttps://www.our-realestate.com/

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Aquidneck Island Open Houses: 14 homes to tour this weekend - What'sUpNewp

Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Internet of Things job with CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY | 218434 – Times Higher Education (THE)

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School/Department School of Aerospace, Transport and ManufacturingBased at Cranfield Campus, Cranfield, BedfordshireHours of work 37 hours per week, normally worked Monday to Friday. Flexible working will be considered.Contract type PermanentSalary Lecturer: Salary level 6 43,351 to 48,323 per annum with additional performance related pay up to 60,403 per annum or Senior Lecturer: Salary level 7 53,205 to 59,302 per annum with additional performance related pay up to 74,126 per annumApply by 13/09/2020

Role Description

We welcome applications from people who can contribute to the state of the art in education and research. We are seeking expertise in Internet of Things, Industry 4.0, digital systems, virtual and augmented reality, visualisation, ISO55000.

As the UKs only exclusively postgraduate university, Cranfields world-class expertise, large-scale facilities and unrivalled industry partnerships is creating leaders in technology and management globally. Our distinctive expertise is in our deep understanding of technology and management and how these work together to benefit the world.

Our people are our most valuable resource and everyone has a role to play in shaping the future of our university, developing our learners, and transforming the businesses we work with. Learn more about Cranfield and our unique impact here. Our shared, stated values help to define who we are and underpin everything we do: Ambition; Impact; Respect; and Community. Find out more here.

Cranfield Manufacturing (which includes major activities in Materials) is following the ambitious strategy of developing a roadmap for a Sustainable Manufacturing Sector for 2050 by applying fundamental science and thought leadership via conceiving and maturing the concepts of Smart, Clean and Green manufacturing solutions agnostically across all sectors and through all tiers of the supply chain with SMEs as well as OEMs. This is to support the national aspiration of Net Zero UK by 2050. We offer world-class and niche post-graduate level research, education, training and consultancy. We are unique in our multi-disciplinary approach by bringing together design, materials technology and management expertise. We link fundamental materials research with manufacturing to develop novel technologies and improve the science base of the manufacturing research. Our capabilities are unique, with a focus on simulation and modelling, and sustainability. They also include work in composite manufacture, metallic glasses, nano-materials (graphene, coatings and sensors), low energy casting, thermal barrier coatings and Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM). Our expertise in through-life engineering services offers solutions to defence, aerospace, transport and manufacturing customers.

This role will lead and support our programme of education and research in through-life support and manufacturing. The successful candidate will join the management and teaching team of MSc Through-life Systems Sustainment and MSc Manufacturing Information Systems. You will be expected to build an independent portfolio of research and PhD supervision.

You will be educated to doctoral level in a relevant subject and have relevant experience. With excellent communication skills, you will have expertise in one or more of:

Further information can be found by visiting https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/centres/throughlife-engineering-services-institute.

In return, the successful applicant will have exciting opportunities for career development in this key position, and to lead and supportworld leading research and education, joining a supportive team and environment.

At Cranfield we value Diversity and Inclusion, and aim to create and maintain a culture in which everyone can work and study together harmoniously with dignity and respect and realise their full potential. Our equal opportunities and diversity monitoring has shown that women are currently underrepresented within the university and so we actively encourage female applicants. To further demonstrate our commitment to progressing gender diversity in STEM, we are members of WES & Working Families, and sponsors of International Women in Engineering Day.

We actively consider flexible working options such as part-time, compressed or flexible hours and/or an element of homeworking, and commit to exploring the possibilities for each role. Find out more here.

For an informal discussion, please contact Professor Andrew Starr, Head of Through-life Engineering Services Institute, on (E) a.starr@cranfield.ac.uk

Interviews to be held: 28 to 30 September 2020

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Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Internet of Things job with CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY | 218434 - Times Higher Education (THE)

The End of an Era as Tata Motors Prepare To Sell Their Passenger Car Business – Moneylife

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Updated at 4.45pm on 5 August 2020 to add clarification from Tata Motors.

The 15th of January 1998was a red-letter day in Indias automotive history. On that day, at New Delhis Pragati Maidan expo grounds, several new cars were launched; but the, but the car that really grabbed the headlines was the Tata Indica, Indias first home-grown 'peoples car.' Even if all knew that the new Tata car that would be as big as a Maruti Zen, yet provide the space of an Ambassador, at a price of a Maruti 800, was going to be called the Indica (like in India+Car), they still hadnt seen the car.

Thus, the unveiling of the car was a much-awaited moment. Sure enough, expectations ran high and, at the unveiling, which had thousands of journalists, politicians and spectators crowding the huge Tata stand at Hall 11 of Pragati Maidan, the car did not disappoint. Here was a car that did deliver on the promise of space and size and in a package that was, indeed, good-looking.

The Indica was launched in the Indian marketplace by the end of 1998, as Tata had promised, and initial bookings (about 115,000) and expectations were huge for a car that, though priced more than the Maruti 800, was still markedly cheaper than the smaller Maruti Zen. Sadly, early quality problems blunted that enthusiasm for the Indica; and, over the years, the reputation of the car and the car making abilities of Tata Motors took a downward spiral.

Exactly 10 years later, almost to the day, on the 10 January 2008, Tata Motors regaled a thousand-odd spectators at Hall 11 of Pragati Maidan, once again, with the dramatic unveiling of the Tata Nano. The 'most expected' car in the history of the automobile in India had lakhs thronging to Hall 11 at Pragati Maidan, which remained crowded and jam-packed through the rest of the Expo. Outside, the eager crowds reminded you of a cricket stadium before a one-day match. Hundreds of security men formed uncompromising barricades with thick ropes.

By 16th January, the last day of Delhis ninth motor show, some 1.8 million people had thronged the Expo, comfortably beating the Paris motor shows record draw of a million-and-a-half, just to get a glimpse of the Tata Nano, the car which had grabbed headlines across the globe. They came in their thousands, from Delhi, Haryana and UP, riding cars, buses, even tractors and tongas, setting off traffic snarls that stopped Delhi at several places.

For what everybody had gathered to see at Hall No 11 in Pragati Maidan was not just another small car, but to see hope emerge on wheels. For this 'lakhtakia' car, in Hindi meaning 'the one-lakh rupee' car as the man on the street had already named it had enabled millions to dream of a life beyond the motorbike, of a life that would be safer and more comfortable for themselves and his (or her) dear ones.

Less than two years later, a few months after the Tata Nano went into production, that dream came to a fiery end, as a few of the Nanos self-ignited inexplicably, and as the image of the 'cheapest car in the world' hardly helped find it buyers who could be proud of the car.

In both cases, Ratan Tata had the right vision, the right idea, at the right time. And the Indian consumer and public were more than ready and happy to buy Indian and make the country proud. Yet design, engineering, and quality shortcomings each time had the consumer rethinking. These quality issues were eventually addressed, but years after the cars were launched. By then, the damage had been done.

Both the Indica and the Nano projects were developed at less than $400 million each peanuts in the international automotive development scale of things. But that was one of the main problems in chasing the objective of 'frugal engineering,' as well as making a car 'for Indians, by Indians,' quality was compromised every time. Also, the hubris of the engineers and designers once the Nano had grabbed headlines worldwide, knew no bounds.

The consumer wants the best product that their money can buy, and they do not care whether it was designed by Indians or by people from another part of the world. On the contrary, Indians would be more assured if the cars were, indeed, designed by Europeans.

Finally, it was the attitude of developing in a penny-wise-pound-foolish way, as well as the obsession to do things in India with Indians, that has brought Tata Motors down to its knees, whence it's up for grabs, and will, in all likelihood, be grabbed by the Chinese. Is this the end of Indias car making story?

UPDATE:

"In March 2020, Tata Motors had announced the intent to subsidiarise its PV business as the first step towards securing mutually beneficial strategic alliances that provide access to products, architectures, powertrains, new-age technologies and capital. Securing a mutually beneficial alliance is a priority. However, it is not an imperative for today but an opportunity to be secured for tomorrow," the company statement says.

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The End of an Era as Tata Motors Prepare To Sell Their Passenger Car Business - Moneylife

OPINION: Carbon tax and its impact on India – ETEnergyworld.com

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New Delhi: The effect of global warming and climate change are well emphasized in global narratives and India can neither remain unaffected nor be a mute spectator. Per capita carbon emissions between developed and developing countries like India is still unfavorably biased at 3.26:1 (world bank sample), however we are all are in this together now. Taxes, are fiscal tools to garner revenue and also direct public policy initiatives. Putting a price on carbon is widely seen as the most cost-effective and flexible way to achieve emission reduction. Globally there is consensus that Carbon Pricing, would facilitate compatible emission pathways, increase investment and innovation in clean technology, promote achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals through channelled financing, generate revenue for aiding vulnerable communities, managing the economic impacts of a low-carbon economy, create environmental, health, economic, and social co-benefits, ranging from public health benefits coming from reduced air pollution to green job creation.

Carbon taxes or pricing excessive usage of carbon, are a charge for non-conformity with accepted goals for de-carbonisation. This can be achieved through two main options. First, an Emission trading system (ETS) that fixes a ceiling on the total level of greenhouse gas emissions and allows those industries with low emissions to sell their extra allowances (Carbon credits) to larger emitters, thereby creating a marketplace for greenhouse gas emissions. Most of European Union member countries follow ETS while some members like Sweden impose a carbon tax. In 2020, emissions from sectors covered by the system is estimated to be 21 per cent lower than in 2005. Secondly, a Carbon Tax Charge (CTC) that sets a price on carbon by defining a tax rate on greenhouse gas emissions or more commonly on the carbon content of fossil fuels. Unlike the ETS system, Carbon Tax pre-defines the price of carbon pollution, thereby pushing businesses towards clean energy. Canada imposes a carbon tax at a rate of $20 per tonne of CO2 emissions in 2019 which is rising to $50 per tonne. This is estimated to significantly reduce greenhouse gas pollution by between 80 and 90 million tonnes by 2022.

In a country like India, the impact of introducing carbon taxes, can be viewed from multiple dimensions:

Impact on Revenue: Taxing fossil fuels is one of the larger contributors to exchequers globally and India is no exception. A shift to clean energy would mean significant loss of revenue for Governments. A report estimated that a carbon tax @ $ 35 per tonne of CO2 emissions levied by India in phases from 2017 to 2030 can yield more than 2% of GDP, thereby compensating the loss from taxing fossil fuels (Rs 5.5 lakh crore for FY20).

Impact on Innovation: Carbon taxes accelerate the development of innovative business models around clean energy like solar powered automobiles, solar drones, zero energy buildings, super grids, utility scale battery production etc. Multiple startups have already raised hundreds of millions of dollars in venture investments.

Impact on investment and employment: Given the scale and magnitude of change desired, the scale of investment needed is substantial. Successive Governments have consistently pursued a stable renewable energy policy with strong results. FDI inflow in the Indian non-conventional energy sector stood at US$ 9.22 billion between April 2000 and March 2020 (DPIIT). More than US$ 42 billion has been invested in Indias renewable energy sector since 2014 and India ranks 3 rd globally in the EY Renewable Energy Country Attractive Index 2019. Investments in excess of $500 billion are required over the next decade to meet our energy targets. Utility-scale renewables sector have already created 100,000 jobs (2020), and the current targets are likely to generate another 1.3 million direct jobs.

Impact on health care infrastructure: India is also exploring the case for ensuring universal rural healthcare through a sustainable energy path: a CEEW study (June, 2020) has shown that primary healthcare centres in Chhattisgarh with battery supported solar PV systems (costing just Rs 28/ person) have better outcomes, especially in maternal and neonatal cases, due to power supply for medical equipment and storage of drugs. Expanding the application across a fractured health care system can have far reaching benefits at affordable costs.

Impact on pollution: Pollution is bad for both health and economy. India losses a significant $150 bn pa owing to just air pollution (Green peace 2020). Studies by acclaimed institutions have established that the use of solar and wind energy reduce pollution levels by as much 80-97%. India's total renewable capacity was around 35.7% (Sep 19) of the total installed generation capacity consequent to which CO2 emissions fell by around 1% in FY 20. India aims to have 275 GW (by 2027) from renewable/clean energy, and has pledged a 33-35% reduction in the emissions intensity of its economy by 2030, compared to 2005 levels. This is expected to have far-reaching impact across sectors like health care, urbanisation, transportation, power etc.

Carbon tax is one of the potent options to nudge the adoption of green tech and, if used wisely, can generate significant results in a short span. A calibrated introduction of Carbon Tax with an effective market for ETS, would go a long way in making the transition financially viable and widen the participation of stakeholders. Policy makers are constantly challenged with the need to balance the push for renewables with economic practicality. India as a nation has been extremely responsible and committed in this initiative and the results are compelling. We wish and hope this thrust continues.

[This piece was authored by Divakar Vijayasarathy, Founder and Managing Partner, DVS Advisors LLP]

[Disclaimer: The views expressed are solely of the author and ETEnergyworld.com does not necessarily subscribe to it. ETEnergyworld.com shall not be responsible for any damage caused to any person/organisation directly or indirectly]

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OPINION: Carbon tax and its impact on India - ETEnergyworld.com

Cryptocurrency News Update: Bitcoin claws back ground above $11,000, XRP is on fire again – FXStreet

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Markets:

BTC/USD hit the intraday low at $10,918 during early Asian hours and recovered to $11,224 by press time. The first digital coin has gained 1.5% of its value since the start of the day and stayed unchanged on a day-to-day basis, moving within a short-term bearish trend amid high volatility.

At the time of writing, ETH/USD is changing hands at $386.50. The price touched the intraday high of $366.00 during early Asian hours, but managed to gain the ground. ETH/USD has gained over 2.5% in the recent 24 hours and 4.5% since the start of the day. The coin is moving within a short-term bearish trend amid high volatility.

XRP/USD is changing hands at $0.3025. The price hit the intraday high of $0.3043 on Monday. The coin has gained nearly 5% in the recent 24 hours and lost 3.6% since the beginning of the day. Now it is moving within the short-term bullish trend amid high volatility.

Among the 100 most important cryptocurrencies, MCO (MCO) $5.37 (+33.7%), Ren (REN) $0.1876 (+15.9%), Ocean Protocol (OCEAN) $0.2313 (+14.0%) are the most successful. The day's losers are The Midas Touch Gold (TMTG) $0.0247 (-16.9%), Ampleforth (AMPL) $1.06 (-13.2%), Quant (QNT) $7.74 (-9.1%).

Chart of the day:XRP/USD, 30-min chart

Market

Roger Ver, the CEO of Bitcoin.com, and the creator of Bitcoin Cash, pinpointed three main problems of the fifth-largest digital asset. In a keynote speech devoted to the third Bitcoin Cash anniversary keynote, Ver said:

So the main things that I see as problems on the Bitcoin Cash network: let's get rid of the 50 unconfirmed transaction chain limit, let's make the unconfirmed transactions as irreversible as we possibly can through whatever consensus method is the most useful for that.

He also called for more collaboration within the community, emphasized the importance of both business and software developers.

Industry

The team of EtherChain informed the community about the potential 51% attack on Ethereum Classic blockchain and recommended cryptocurrency exchanges to stop accepting deposits and process transfers while they work out what was going on.

An Austrian blockchain company posted on Twitter:

Today the #ETC chain experienced a chain reorg of 3693 blocks at block 10904146. This caused all state pruned nodes to stop syncing. It is likely caused by a 51% attack and all exchanges are advised to halt deposits & withdrawals immediately and investigate all recent tx.

Regulation

The Northern California District Court dismissed claims against Ripple Labs and XRP made by tow disappointed investors. They said that Ripple should have made a formal application to the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) for their cryptocurrency XRP to become a security. However, the court came to the conclusion that the plaintiff failed to provide the necessary evidence to support their claims.

The court found that the lead plaintiff failed to provide the necessary evidence in the courtroom to support multiple claims regarding XRPs non-security status, Brad Garlinghouses personal holdings and monetary intentions, XRPs sale strategy, as well as the companys software products, the verdict says, cited by Law360.

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Cryptocurrency News Update: Bitcoin claws back ground above $11,000, XRP is on fire again - FXStreet

FBI has opened 300 ‘domestic terror’ investigations as a result of riots, attorney tells Capitol hearing on… – Fox News

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The FBIhas opened more than 300 domestic terrorism investigations since George Floyd's deathin Minneapolis kicked off nationwide unrest and riots,a federal attorney revealed Tuesday in a hearing on Capitol Hill on Antifa and violent protests.

Erin Nealy Cox, a U.S. attorney tapped by Attorney General William Barr to lead a task force onviolent anti-government extremists, said the feds have opened hundreds of federal criminal investigations surrounding the violence and rioting since May 28.

"Theyhave since May 28 [opened] over 300 domestic terrorist investigations," Cox told a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing on preventing violent protests. "That does not include any potential civil rights investigations or violent crime associated with the riots."

CRUZ, AHEAD OF ANTIFA HEARING, DESCRIBES RIOTS IN US CITIES AS ORGANIZED TERROR ATTACKS

In addition, Acting DeputyHomeland SecuritySecretaryKen Cuccinelli told lawmakers that an estimated 140 federal law enforcementofficers guarding a Portland federal courthouse sustained 277 injuries due to the violent and sustained nightly attacks at the building.

At one point in the Senate hearing, he picked up a frozen water bottle andbangedit on the desk, saying they have been thrown at officers as well as pipes and Molotov cocktails.

The hearing Tuesday titled "The Right of the People Peaceably to Assemble: Protecting Speech by Stopping Anarchist Violence revealed deep divisions in how Republicans and Democrats view the sustained protests that have gripped the nationsince Floyd's death while in police custody.

The subcommittee chairman,Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, focused on rioters and anti-government activists that have "hijacked" peaceful protests and unleashed harm and violence in certain cities, like Portland. He kicked off the hearing by playing a video contrasting the protests from Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi and the March for Life with therecent riots, the chaos it has caused, and the Democratic response to it.

SEN CRUZ: DEMOCRATIC POLITICIANS SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR 'LETTING THEIR CITIES BURN'

"Their actions are profoundly racist," Cruz said. "The rioters.... destroy minority communities, minority businesses and minority lives across this country. This shouldn't be complicated:peaceful protests must be protected. Riots must be stopped."

Meanwhile, Democrats focused their questioning on the federal government's sometimes aggressive tactics in places like Portland and Washington,D.C., indispersing crowdsthat they view as largely peaceful.

Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii,saysTuesday'shearing should instead be called: "The right of the people peaceably to assemble without being beaten up by unidentifiable federal agents."

"That would address an actual problem lawful protesters are facing and the rest of us are seeing in this country," Hirono said.

Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., described a scene in Portland whereprotesters were "holding flowers, dancing, chanting" and calling for equal justice for all whenthe federal government arrived in July. He says that thenat around 11 p.m., federal law enforcement would emerge and attack peaceful protesters with "military-grade tear gas" and other tools.

Cuccinelli said there's a difference between protesters and the rioterscommitting acts of violence.

PORTLAND RECORDS DEADLIEST MONTH IN 30 YEARS: REPORT

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., defended the work of federal officers in Portland.

"If we had done nothing, what would have happened to the courthouse, Mr. Cuccinelli, in Portland?" Graham asked.

Cuccinelli responded:"That courthouse wouldn't be there."

"So I challenge anyone on the other side to say differently," Graham said. "If we hadn't intervened they'd have burned the god--n thing down."

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FBI has opened 300 'domestic terror' investigations as a result of riots, attorney tells Capitol hearing on... - Fox News

Need to Take the MCAT? You’ll Still Have to Do It in Person – The New York Times

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Dr. Skorton said the exam rooms are a low-risk, not a zero-risk environment. If youre going to go into medicine, youre going to go into a profession where there is no way to eliminate risk, he said.

There is no way to put people at zero risk that is the nature of the beast. Its different than other professions. What we do is take care of patients.

The estimated 100,000 people who will take the MCAT are years away from becoming physicians, and many will never make it: Just over 40 percent of the 53,371 applicants to American medical schools last year secured a spot.

The MCAT tests applicants knowledge of biology, chemistry, physics, psychology and sociology, as well as critical analysis and reasoning skills. The college canceled testing in mid-March, when much of the country was under lockdown, and resumed on May 29 with a shortened version of the seven-and-a-half-hour test. It is now five hours and 45 minutes, with no lunch break.

Many students were relieved the exams started up again, Dr. Skorton said, including some who were retaking it to boost their scores and others who had scheduled exam dates scuttled earlier this year.

To protect the health and safety of test takers, testing centers are positioning applicants at work stations six feet apart and requiring everyone to wear masks. They also are adopting protocols that call for rigorous cleaning and disinfection between testing sessions of every work station, keyboard, mouse, touch screen, headphone set, check-in station, chair arm, locker and doorknob.

The new testing schedule with exams given three times a day, at 6:30 a.m., 12:15 p.m. and 6 p.m. appears to leave little time for cleaning. But Scott Overland, a spokesman for Pearson VUE, which administers the MCAT at 290 centers in the United States, said that start times were staggered to prevent crowding and to allow for the cleaning of work stations, and that many test takers finished the exam early.

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Need to Take the MCAT? You'll Still Have to Do It in Person - The New York Times

COVID-19 Daily Update 8-8-2020 – West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources

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The West Virginia Department of Health andHuman Resources (DHHR) reportsas of 10:00 a.m., on August 8, 2020, there have been 317,763 total confirmatory laboratory results receivedfor COVID-19, with 7,563 total cases and 131 deaths.

DHHRhas confirmed the deaths of a 70-year old male from CabellCounty, a 38-year old female from Kanawha County, an 84-year old female fromFayette County, and a 77-year old female from Fayette County. It is with a heavyheart that we confirm the deaths of these four West Virginians, said Bill J.Crouch, DHHR Cabinet Secretary.

In alignment with updated definitions fromthe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the dashboard includes probablecases which are individuals that have symptoms and either serologic (antibody)or epidemiologic (e.g., a link to a confirmed case) evidence of disease, but noconfirmatory test.

CASESPER COUNTY (Case confirmed by lab test/Probable case):Barbour (29/0), Berkeley (666/27), Boone(100/0), Braxton (8/0), Brooke (61/1), Cabell (380/9), Calhoun (6/0), Clay(18/0), Doddridge (6/0), Fayette (144/0), Gilmer (16/0), Grant (118/1),Greenbrier (92/0), Hampshire (76/0), Hancock (107/4), Hardy (57/1), Harrison(216/3), Jackson (162/0), Jefferson (287/7), Kanawha (898/13), Lewis (28/1),Lincoln (88/0), Logan (221/0), Marion (182/4), Marshall (127/4), Mason (54/0),McDowell (57/1), Mercer (182/0), Mineral (118/2), Mingo (170/2), Monongalia(921/17), Monroe (20/1), Morgan (25/1), Nicholas (36/1), Ohio (263/3),Pendleton (38/1), Pleasants (11/1), Pocahontas (40/1), Preston (103/21), Putnam(192/1), Raleigh (220/7), Randolph (204/4), Ritchie (3/0), Roane (15/0),Summers (10/0), Taylor (55/1), Tucker (10/0), Tyler (13/0), Upshur (36/3),Wayne (201/2), Webster (4/0), Wetzel (42/0), Wirt (6/0), Wood (233/12), Wyoming(31/0).

As case surveillance continues at thelocal health department level, it may reveal that those tested in a certaincounty may not be a resident of that county, or even the state as an individualin question may have crossed the state border to be tested.Such is the case of Pendleton and Tuckercounties in this report.

Pleasenote that delays may be experienced with the reporting of information from thelocal health department to DHHR. Visitthe dashboard at http://www.coronavirus.wv.gov for more detailed information.

On July 24,2020, Gov. Jim Justice announced that DHHR, the agency in charge of reportingthe number of COVID-19 cases will transition from providing twice-daily updatesto one report every 24 hours. This becameeffective August 1, 2020.

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COVID-19 Daily Update 8-8-2020 - West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources

Wisconsin reports 1,165 new confirmed COVID-19 cases Saturday, another single-day record – Post-Crescent

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Wisconsin health officials reported anadditional 1,165 people have tested positive for COVID-19, another single-day record.

Those positive casesmade up 8.9% of the 13,162 test results reported by the Department of Health Services on Saturday. The seven-day average for positive tests stands at 6.1% as of Saturday.

The state health departmentalso reported Saturday that six more people have died, bringing the state's total number of deaths to 996. Those who have died as a result of COVID-19 make up 1.7% of all those diagnosed, according to DHS. The majority of deaths are among those 70 and older.

RELATED:Small businesses say masks, distancing are key to protecting and reviving local economies

RELATED:UW-Oshkosh football players, coach deal with canceled season

In total, 59,933 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Wisconsin. According to the state health department, around 16% of those cases remain active. DHS defines an active case as someone who is still alive, has been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the last 30 days, and still has symptoms or has not beenreleased from isolation.

Recent research from those studying the virus have found that even after someone has recovered from COVID-19 and no longer has symptoms,it's possible for the virus to flare up again in some patients andsymptoms can return.

As of Saturday morning, 311 people with COVID-19 were hospitalized, 96 of them in intensive care. An additional 152 patients were hospitalized awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test.

The department of health's weekly ratings of county COVID-19 activitywhich are based on a combination of total new cases per 100,000 people over the past two weeks and the percent change in new cases between the past seven days and the seven days before that are as follows:

DHS updates this list every Wednesday.

RELATED:Federal spending on COVID-19 vaccine candidates tops $9 billion, spread among 7 companies

RELATED:Why do some people refuse to wear face masks? Here's what mental health professionals say.

Contact Natalie Brophy at 715-216-5452 or nbrophy@gannett.com. Followher on Twitter @brophy_natalie.

Our subscribers make this coverage possible. Subscribe to a USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin site today with one of our special offers and support local journalism.

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Wisconsin reports 1,165 new confirmed COVID-19 cases Saturday, another single-day record - Post-Crescent

Person tests positive for COVID-19 after attending wedding in Kittitas County – KING5.com

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Health officials are encouraging anyone who attended the wedding at Cattle Barn Ranch in Cle Elum on August 2 to get tested for COVID-19.

CLE ELUM, Wash. A person tested positive for COVID-19 after attending a wedding ceremony in Kittitas County earlier this month and now health officials are trying to notify everyone in attendance so they can get tested.

The wedding was held Sunday, August 2 at the Cattle Barn Ranch wedding venue in Cle Elum, according to a release from the Kittitas County Incident Management Team (IMT).

The ceremony was held outdoors with 100 people in attendance, and there was a reception, said Dr. Mark Larson, Kittitas County health officer.

The individual became symptomatic on Monday, August, 3 and was tested for the virus, Dr. Larson said. The results were positive for COVID-19.

"Because of the amount of people in attendance, the IMT is unable to guarantee that we can contact every person who was potentially exposed," read the release from the IMT.

Health officials are encouraging anyone who attended that wedding at Cattle Barn Ranch on August 2 to get tested for COVID-19. If a person does not have a healthcare provider, they can call the Temporary COVID Clinic at KVH at 509-933-8850.

There are currently 116 cases of COVID-19 and 18 deaths in Kittitas County.

Kittitas County is currently in Phase 3 of Governor Jay Inslee's Safe Start reopening plan.

The wedding that occurred on August 2 was in compliance with the governor's previous guidelines for wedding ceremonies, however, new guidelines take effect August 10.

Starting Monday, for counties in Phase 3, wedding ceremonies are permitted with some restrictions. Indoor occupancy is limited to 20% or 30 people, whichever is less, and outdoor ceremonies are limited to 30 people. Receptions are prohibited in Phase 3.

While in attendance, guests must wear facial coverings and maintain six feet of physical distance to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.

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Person tests positive for COVID-19 after attending wedding in Kittitas County - KING5.com

COVID-19 Daily Update 8-4-2020 – West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources

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The West Virginia Department of Health andHuman Resources (DHHR) reports as of 10:00 a.m., on August 4,2020, there have been 298,290 total confirmatorylaboratory results received for COVID-19, with 7,051 totalcases and 124 deaths.

DHHR has confirmed the deaths of a70-year old male from Preston County, a 55-year old female from Taylor County,a 68-year old female from Kanawha County, a 73-year old male from Marshall County,a 92-year old male from Grant County, a 43-year old male from Mingo County, anda 91-year old male from Wood County. Eachdeath reported is a solemn reminder of the seriousness of this disease. We sendour deepest sympathy to these families, saidBill J. Crouch, DHHR Cabinet Secretary.

In alignment with updated definitions fromthe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the dashboard includes probablecases which are individuals that have symptoms and either serologic (antibody)or epidemiologic (e.g., a link to a confirmed case) evidence of disease, but noconfirmatory test.

CASESPER COUNTY (Case confirmed by lab test/Probable case):Barbour (29/0), Berkeley (637/24), Boone (88/0), Braxton (8/0), Brooke(60/1), Cabell (341/9), Calhoun (6/0), Clay (17/1), Doddridge (4/0), Fayette(131/0), Gilmer (16/0), Grant (80/1), Greenbrier (87/0), Hampshire (74/0),Hancock (100/4), Hardy (53/1), Harrison (198/1), Jackson (158/0), Jefferson(287/5), Kanawha (835/13), Lewis (26/1), Lincoln (68/1), Logan (157/0), Marion(174/4), Marshall (126/3), Mason (50/0), McDowell (45/1), Mercer (167/0),Mineral (112/2), Mingo (142/2), Monongalia (913/16), Monroe (18/1), Morgan(25/1), Nicholas (32/1), Ohio (259/1), Pendleton (40/1), Pleasants (7/1),Pocahontas (40/1), Preston (102/23), Putnam (173/1), Raleigh (191/7), Randolph(203/3), Ritchie (3/0), Roane (14/0), Summers (6/0), Taylor (52/1), Tucker(11/0), Tyler (12/0), Upshur (36/3), Wayne (189/2), Webster (3/0), Wetzel(40/0), Wirt (6/0), Wood (228/12), Wyoming (23/0).

As case surveillance continues at thelocal health department level, it may reveal that those tested in a certaincounty may not be a resident of that county, or even the state as an individualin question may have crossed the state border to be tested.Such is the case of Kanawha and Marion counties in this report.

Pleasenote that delays may be experienced with the reporting of information from thelocal health department to DHHR. Visitthe dashboard at http://www.coronavirus.wv.gov for more detailed information.

On July 24,2020, Gov. Jim Justice announced that DHHR, the agency in charge of reportingthe number of COVID-19 cases, will transition from providing twice-dailyupdates to one report every 24 hours. This became effective August 1, 2020.

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COVID-19 Daily Update 8-4-2020 - West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources

COVID-19 live updates: 886 cases and 29 deaths reported Saturday in Nevada – Reno Gazette-Journal

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Hot August Nights organized a cruise at Renown Hospital in Reno to thank health care workers. Reno Gazette Journal

This is a breaking news story and will be updated throughout the day Saturday, August 8.This story is part of the Reno Gazette Journals essential COVID-19 coverage and is being provided for free.Pleaseconsidersubscribing to the RGJ to support our work.

2:30 p.m. Saturday

The number of positive cases of COVID-19 in Nevada increased by 886 from the day prior, to 55,419, the state Department of Health and Human Resources reported Saturday.

The death toll increased by 29; 949 Nevadans have lost their lives to the infectious respiratory disease.

An additional 12,133 tests were performed, for a total of 691,615. The daily positivity rate stands at 11.2%, and the cumulative positivity rate is 10.4 percent on Saturday.

Patients in hospitals statewide with confirmed cases of COVID-19 was 796, a decline of 40 from the previous report. Suspected cases in hospitals went down 19, to 180.

Across the state, 278 patients are in intensive care units, a decrease of 11.

Of the 55,419 total reported cases since the pandemic hit Nevada, 59% are between the ages of 20 and 49.

In Washoe County, the case total stood at 5,756 on Saturday, an increase of 41 from Friday. The death toll remained 118. Of the total cases, 1,155 are active, and 87 people are currently hospitalized with the disease.

Friday

Washoe Schools Principal Association President Don McHenry said Friday that the district is setting itself up to fail by opening schools on Aug. 17 amid so many unknowns about safety protocols and how things will work.

In an interview with the Reno Gazette Journal, McHenry said principals don't know for sure what staff are returning, who has been granted leave or distance learning positions and, in many cases, don't even know which students will show up.

"I would support the district taking a step back," McHenry said.

The school district on Friday evening sent out a statement that no principal has told administrators that schools are not ready to open, and none of them has asked for more time to prepare.

The district said it had spent many hours this past week meeting with principals and going over safety protocols.

"At no time during these many meetings has any principal indicated either formally or informally that they were unable to open our schools and would prefer more time to prepare to welcome back their students and staff members," the statement said.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE: WCSD, Principals Union chief at odds over readiness to reopen schools

Friday

The Washoe Education Association said teachers are calling for guidanceafter the district informed them that a custodian at Hunter Lake Elementary School tested positive for COVID-19.

The association is the union that represents more than 2,500 district teachers.

Teachers, who returned to school buildings this week, called the unionasking if they needed to get tested or were now under a mandatory quarantine.Some may have been in close contact with the employee. No students were in the school.

The school district said in a statement that it was aware of the staff member who tested positivefor COVID-19 and worked with the health district to follow all procedures.

READ THE FULL STORY: WCSD teachers asking for guidance after custodian tests positive for COVID-19

Friday

Eight of Nevada's 17 counties, including Washoe,have been flagged as having elevated disease transmission risk, requiring county officials to submit action plans to the state, the Nevada Health Response Team announced Friday.

Washoe, Clark, Elko, Humboldt, Lander, Lincoln andNye counties as well as Carson City have met at least two of the criteria prompting additional action. The criteria include:

In all, nine counties failed to reach the minimum testing threshhold; seven surpassed the maximum number of cases; and seven exceeded the maximum positive test rate. Elko and Humboldt were the only counties that met all three criteria.

The eight flagged counties must provide to the state an assessment of their hospital capacity, testing capacity, access to personal protective equipment, case investigation and contact tracing plans, enforcement plans, and plans to protect vulnerable populations.

Friday

The Regional Information Center reported 88new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, with no additional deaths reported.

Washoe County recorded the 88new cases of COVID-19 Thursday through 1,340tests. The single-day positive test rate was 6.6%, while the rolling seven-day positive test rate rose slightly to 7.0%.

Of the 1,175patients with active casesin Washoe County, 85are currently hospitalized, down threefrom yesterday. Seventy-fourpatients were reported to have recovered over the past day.

The share of intensive care unit beds in use dropped to 41%over the past day, a decrease of 16 percentage points. Sixteenpercent of available ventilators are currently in use, a drop of 4 percentage points.

Since the outbreak began, a total of 5,715Washoe County residents about 1 in 83residents have been diagnosed with the coronavirus. Of those, 4,422have recovered, and 118have died. Overall, about 77.4% of county residents with the coronavirus have recovered.

Here are the rest of the latest COVID-19 numbers for Washoe County:

Friday

Century Summit Sierra is one of a handful of Cinemark theaters selected to reopen next week as part of a"test-and-learn process," the company announced Friday.

The test process will be "instrumental in defining the training, communication and implementation of all cleaning and sanitization protocols and new technology," the company said in a press release.

Movie theaters have been allowed to reopen in Nevada at 50% capacity since May 29 under Gov. Sisolak's Phase 2 reopening.

Cinemark's guidelinesfor reopening include:

Century Summit Sierra plans to reopen Friday, Aug. 14, with 21 total showingsof second-run films including Jurassic Park, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Back to the Future, The Goonies, Jumanji: The Next Level, The Invisible Man, Beauty and the Beast and Ghostbusters. Ticket prices will be reduced to $5 for adults and $3 for children and seniors during the test program.

Movie theater chains have been reeling since the pandemic began, with AMC Theatres announcing the chain might not survive the fallout. Last month AMCscrapped plans for a mid-July reopening, instead delaying plans until August.

Friday

Nevada reported 20 more COVID-19 deaths on Friday, bringing the states total death toll up to 920 as of Aug. 6.

The state also saw 976 more confirmed cases for COVID-19 as its number of daily tests surged in the last two days. Nevada reported nearly 16,400 tests on Aug. 5 and almost 12,500 tests on Aug. 6, a marked increase over the fewer than3,000 tests reported on Aug. 4.

Nevada is on track to soon hit 55,000 confirmed cases for COVID-19 since the pandemic started. Hospitalizations saw some improvement, however, as the number of people hospitalized for the virus dropped by about 7%.

Clark County continued to account for the bulk of coronavirus cases in the state, as well as the highest incidence rate among all Nevada counties. Clarks nearly 47,000 confirmed cases account for more than 86% of all COVID-19 cases reported in the state to date. Its incidence numbers also cracked the 2,000 threshold with a case rate of 2,027 per 100,000 people.

Washoe came in second with 5,627 confirmed cases to date and an incidence rate of nearly 1,177 cases per 100,000 people.

The state reported 770 deaths in Clark and 118 in Washoe to date. Carson City has 330 total confirmed cases and eight deaths since the start of the pandemic. The states numbers can differ from the daily local numbers reported by the various counties.

The daily positivity rate, which tracks the share of COVID-19 tests that return with a positive result, was at 17.8 percent. The seven-day moving average dipped below 14% for the first time since July 3.

Here is a rundown of the latest COVID-19 numbers for Nevada:

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COVID-19 live updates: 886 cases and 29 deaths reported Saturday in Nevada - Reno Gazette-Journal

Iowa reports another 13 COVID-19-related deaths, including 3 in Johnson County – Iowa City Press-Citizen

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Zach Thompson, Iowa City Press-Citizen Published 10:25 a.m. CT Aug. 8, 2020 | Updated 1:40 p.m. CT Aug. 8, 2020

At 10 a.m. Saturday, Iowa was reporting an additional 383 cases of COVID-19 and 13 additional COVID-19-related deaths including three in Johnson County, the county's 11th in just over three weekssince the state's tally at 10 a.m. Friday, according to Coronavirus.Iowa.gov.

State officials report a total of 925 people with COVID-19 have died from the disease across the state, including 19 in Johnson County.BetweenJune and the first part of July, the county had gonemore than seven weeks without reporting a deathrelated to the disease. The county saw its first death,Regina High School P.E. teacher and football coach John DeMarco, on April 4.

We will remember:Share your stories of loved ones lost to the coronavirus

A total of 514,451 Iowans have been tested for the SARS-CoV-2 novel coronavirus, which causes the disease, including 24,941 in Johnson County. A total of 48,112 have tested positive in Iowa.

As of 10 a.m. Saturday, the state was reporting a total of 2,055 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Johnson County, an increase of 19from 10 a.m. Friday.

COVID-19 maps and charts track cases and data in Iowa and across the U.S.

Hospitalizations related to the virus in southeast Iowa returned to levels not seen since April 26on Wednesday. As of 10 a.m. Saturday, 56people were hospitalized with the virus in the state's fifth Regional Medical Coordination Center, which includes Clinton, Des Moines, Henry, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Keokuk, Lee, Muscatine, Scott, Van Buren, Wapello and Washington counties, down from 70 Wednesday. The region hit a peak of 88 hospitalized patients on April 22.

Twenty-four patients were still being cared for in the region's intensive care units Saturday morning,down from 32 Wednesday, which had been the most seen in the region since May 7 but still below the region's peak of 39 on April 22. According tothe state's coronavirus website, the region has 412general hospital beds and 90 ICU beds available for area coronavirus patients.

The state reported an outbreak at Solon's Nursing Care Center, where 36 cases had been confirmed, and just seven have recovered.

Numbers reported by the state for Johnson County and all of Iowa, respectively, as of 10 a.m. Saturday. Numbers in parentheses represent change over the previous 24 hours.

Total tested: 24,941 (+156); 514,451(+3,929)

Total confirmed: 2,055 (+19, or 12.18%); 48,112 (+383, or 9.75%)

Johnson County's 14-day average positivity rate: 8% (-)

Total recoveries: 1,511 (+31); 36,850 (+600)

Total deaths: 19 (+3); 925 (+13)

Hospitalized in RMCC Region 5: 56 (+2)

Receiving ICU care in RMCC Region 5: 24 (+1)

RMCC Region 5 includes Clinton, Des Moines, Henry, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Keokuk, Lee, Muscatine, Scott, Van Buren, Wapello and Washington counties.

Source: Iowa Department of Public Health

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Iowa reports another 13 COVID-19-related deaths, including 3 in Johnson County - Iowa City Press-Citizen

NIH launches clinical trial to test antibody treatment in hospitalized COVID-19 patients – National Institutes of Health

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News Release

Tuesday, August 4, 2020

Study aims to determine safety and efficacy of experimental monoclonal antibodies.

Patients admitted with COVID-19 at select hospitals may now volunteer to enroll in a clinical trial to test the safety and efficacy of a potential new treatment for the disease. The Phase 3 randomized, controlled trial is known as ACTIV-3, and as a master protocol, it is designed to expand to test multiple different kinds of monoclonal antibody treatments. It also can enroll additional volunteers in the middle of the trial, if a specific investigational treatment shows promise.

The new study is one of four ongoing or planned trials in the National Institutes of Healths.Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines (ACTIV)program,a public-private partnership to speed development of the most promising treatments and vaccine candidates. Italso is receiving support throughOperation Warp Speed, the U.S. governments multi-agency effort to develop, manufacture and distribute medical countermeasures to fight COVID-19.

The trial will take place at select hospitals around the world that are part of existing clinical trial networks. They include the lead network, the International Network of Strategic Initiatives in Global HIV Trials (INSIGHT), operated by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a part of the National Institutes of Health. Collaborating clinical trial networks include the Prevention and Early Treatment of Acute Lung Injury network (PETAL) and Cardiothoracic Surgical Trials Network (CTSN), supported by the NIHs National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute through the Collaborating Network of Networks for Evaluating COVID-19 and Therapeutic Strategies (CONNECTS) program, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers.

Under Operation Warp Speed, the U.S. Government has brought together multiple agencies to accelerate the development, manufacture and distribution of medical countermeasures for COVID-19, said NIH Director Dr. Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D. The ACTIV studies are just a few examples of this critical activity, which emphasizes flexibility and minimizes delays to generate scientifically sound results.

ACTIV-3 uses an adaptive two-stage Phase 3 protocol design. The ACTIV-3 trial can be modified to test additional experimental therapeutics and flexibly allow novel therapeutics to enter at either stage 1 or stage 2. In addition, if a treatment appears to be safe and effective in the initial stage after review by an independent data and safety monitoring board (DSMB), the investigational therapeutic proceeds to stage 2 testing, where more volunteers are enrolled. If an investigational therapeutic is unsafe or not likely to be effective, it will be dropped.

The ACTIV-3 study will begin by studying the investigational monoclonal antibodyLY-CoV555, which was identified in a blood sample from a recovered COVID-19 patient. Antibodies are infection-fighting proteins made by the immune system that can bind to the surface of viruses and prevent them from infecting cells. Synthetic versions of antibodies can be reproduced in a laboratory. These manufactured antibodies are known as monoclonal antibodies. The LY-CoV555 antibody was discovered by Abcellera Biologics (Vancouver, British Columbia) in collaboration with NIAIDs Vaccine Research Center. Subsequently, it was developed and manufactured byLilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company (Indianapolis, Indiana), in partnership with AbCellera. The investigational product also is being tested in another ongoing NIAID study, ACTIV-2, which is studying its safety and efficacy in people with mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19 who have not been hospitalized. Safety data and other findings will be shared across the ACTIV-2 and ACTIV-3 studies through the DSMB.

Studying the impact of this investigational therapeutic on multiple patient populations at the same time is critical to determining whether it can help COVID-19 patients with differing levels of disease severity, said NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. These concurrent trials have the potential to yield significant and comprehensive clinical data.

The initial stage of the ACTIV-3 clinical trial aims to enroll approximately 300 volunteers who have been hospitalized with mild to moderate COVID-19 with fewer than 13 days of symptoms. Once their COVID-19 infections have been confirmed and they have consented to take part in the study, participants will be randomly assigned to receive either an intravenous (IV) infusion of LY-CoV555 or a saline placebo infusion. Participants also will receive standard care for COVID-19, including the antiviral remdesivir. After five days, participants symptoms will be assessed, as will their need for supplemental oxygen, mechanical ventilation, or other supportive care. Volunteers will be followed for 90 days after enrollment and will receive regular examinations and have blood samples taken periodically during this time to analyze their response to the investivational therapeutic.

Data collected on the fifth day of the volunteers participation will determine whether the investigational therapeutic will be administered to a larger group of volunteers. If LY-CoV555 appears to be safe and appears to be effective, the trial will enroll an additional 700 participants. It also will begin enrolling more severely ill participants, such as those with organ failure requiring mechanical support, or COVID-19-associated dysfunction of organs other than the lungs. The primary endpoint of the trial is the participants sustained recovery for 14 days after release from the hospital.

The principal investigator of ACTIV-3 is Jens Lundgren,M.D., of the University of Copenhagen and Rigshospitalet. Leads of the participating networks include James Neaton, Ph.D., of the INSIGHT network, Taylor Thompson, M.D., of the PETAL network, Annetine Gelijns, Ph.D., and Alan Moskowitz, M.D., of the CTSN, and Rachel Ramoni, D.M.D., Sc.D., of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. To ensure that the trial is being conducted in a safe and effective manner, an independent DSMB will oversee the trial and conduct periodic reviews of the accumulating data.

NIAID conducts and supports research at NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwide to study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on theNIAID website.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH):NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.

NIHTurning Discovery Into Health

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NIH launches clinical trial to test antibody treatment in hospitalized COVID-19 patients - National Institutes of Health

Health department warns of COVID-19 exposure at another Quincy restaurant – WGEM

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QUINCY (WGEM) The Adams County Health Department reported Saturday it has been notified of public exposure to COVID-19 at Jimmy John's at 4500 Broadway in Quincy.

Health officials stated anyone who visited this Jimmy John's location July 27 through July 30 should monitor their health and watch for symptoms. Individuals experiencing symptoms should seek testing.

The Adams County Health Department stated it is working with the restaurant to provide guidance and help to mitigate this situation and stop the spread of COVID-19.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people with COVID-19 have reported a wide range of symptoms, ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness.

The following symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure of the virus:

Health officials stated, if you develop any of these symptoms, you are encouraged to call the Blessing COVID-19 Hotline at 217-277-3504.

RELATED:Health department warns of COVID-19 exposure at Quincy restaurant

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Health department warns of COVID-19 exposure at another Quincy restaurant - WGEM

California Doesn’t Have Covid-19 Travel Restrictions. But Here’s How to Protect Yourself – The New York Times

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Good morning. Like many other U.S. states, California currently has no travel restrictions in place. That leaves a lot of travelers wondering about what precautions they should take after returning from a trip.

The question came to us from Abel Cruz, a reader in El Paso, who asked: If I drive to California from Texas, will I have to quarantine once I get there?

Mr. Cruz wants to visit family members in San Diego and the Victor Valley. I have been thinking of driving out to California but am not sure whether I should plan to quarantine once I get there, before I see family, he said.

[Track coronavirus cases by California county.]

While California does not have restrictions in place, Gov. Gavin Newsom urged people coming to the state to act responsibly. The key is when you do come into the state, that you abide by all the rules and regulations that our health officers have put forth, he said during a briefing on Monday.

The question of traveling across state lines during the pandemic can be tricky, since nearly half of the country currently has restrictions in place. Hawaii, for instance, requires visitors to quarantine for two weeks upon arrival, or risk being fined $5,000 or up to a year in prison.

[See which states currently have travel restrictions in place.]

For some additional guidance, I talked to Dr. Jeanne A. Noble, an emergency medicine doctor and the director of the Covid-19 response at U.C.S.F. Medical Centers emergency department, about how people can stay safe while traveling. Here are the takeaways from our conversation.

Arrange for testing ahead of time. Dr. Noble recommends getting a Covid-19 test a week before departing on a trip, to allow time for the results to come in. Be extra vigilant with your social distancing and face mask use during your pre-travel week so that you can remain confident that your negative test is meaningful, she said.

Since airline travel itself also puts you at risk for infection, you will need to quarantine and be retested once you have arrived at your destination, Dr. Noble said. Its best to wait at least four days after arriving in order to leave time for the virus, if present, to get to detectable levels.

If traveling by car, simply getting tested before you leave is probably adequate, but you should still quarantine if you have accidentally exposed yourself to potential risks.

When in doubt, quarantine. Although not required in California, its always safer to quarantine yourself if you cant get tested. This is to reduce the risk of spreading the virus to others. You can shorten your time in isolation, however, if you get a negative test.

And as always, if you begin to show flulike symptoms, assume that you are infected and seek repeat testing while you continue to self-isolate, Dr. Noble said.

[Could your symptoms be Covid-19?]

Wipe down high-touch surfaces. Traveling by car is generally safer because your car can be easily wiped down and sterilized. Dr. Noble recommends that people sanitize their hands and wipe down their steering wheel with disinfectants every time they get into the car.

Its best to travel with an ample supply of hand sanitizer and bleach or hydrogen peroxide wipes, Dr. Noble said.

If you have to stay overnight in a hotel, wipe down all high-touch surfaces, like doorknobs, faucets and phones, when you arrive.

Wear a mask and social distance. Face masks are one of the best protections we have against Covid-19, Dr. Noble said, so make sure you pack enough to last. Wear masks in public places, like hotel lobbies or food establishments. If you are in a setting where people are not wearing masks or practicing safe distancing, Dr. Noble recommends that you leave that place immediately.

Pay attention to local regulations. California residents visiting other states should check the specific restrictions at their destination before leaving. Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Connecticut require visitors from California to quarantine themselves for 14 days upon arrival.

Visitors to California should abide by Californias safe and responsible travel code and follow all public health rules, including a statewide mandate to wear a mask in public places.

Updated August 6, 2020

Have a question about how the pandemic is changing daily life in California? Click here to submit.

We often link to sites that limit access for nonsubscribers. We appreciate your reading Times coverage, but we also encourage you to support local news if you can.

They were fashioned from gauze and cheesecloth and became a symbol of the fight against an invisible enemy. Medical workers, police officers and everyday Americans wore them, but some resisted. This week, my colleague Christine Hauser wrote about how masks were politicized during the influenza pandemic of 1918. Four cities in California San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento and Pasadena became some of the first in the country to put in effect mandatory face mask laws. Violators were sent to mask court, where they were subject to fines or 10 days imprisonment.

It is the most unpopular law ever placed on the Pasadena records, W.S. McIntyre, the chief of police, told The Los Angeles Times. We are cursed from all sides.

[Read the full article here.]

California Today goes live at 6:30 a.m. Pacific time weekdays. Tell us what you want to see: CAtoday@nytimes.com. Were you forwarded this email? Sign up for California Today here.

Jill Cowan grew up in Orange County, went to school at U.C. Berkeley and has reported all over the state, including the Bay Area, Bakersfield and Los Angeles but she always wants to see more. Follow along here or on Twitter, @jillcowan.

California Today is edited by Julie Bloom, who grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from U.C. Berkeley.

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California Doesn't Have Covid-19 Travel Restrictions. But Here's How to Protect Yourself - The New York Times

Palace resolve to recover from recession remains strong – pna.gov.ph

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MANILA Malacaang remains optimistic that the Philippines can soon recover after it officially entered a recession with a 16.5 percent economic plunge in the second quarter due to coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) related lockdowns.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that while a contraction in the countrys gross domestic product (GDP) is expected, he was "concerned that the drop is much worse than what the governments economists predicted.

Economic managers earlier estimated the countrys GDP to have a much deeper contraction compared to the first quarter.

Despite this, Roque said economic managers have put together an economic recovery program dubbed as PH-Progreso or the Philippine Program for Recovery with Equity and Solidarity, to save the economy from collapsing.

He said the government has also recalibrated the budget for 2021 and restarted the Build, Build, Build infrastructure programs, subject to health and safety protocols, to create jobs.

Our resolve to recover at the soonest possible, however, remains strong. Ingat buhay para sa hanapbuhay (Protect life for livelihood) is our battlecry, he said in a statement on Thursday.

According to Roque, the public should also take into consideration that the Philippines is not the only nation facing an economic crisis.

Covid-19 has had an adverse economic impact on countries like Singapore, Indonesia, the United States, France, Spain, Mexico, he said.

He recognized the hardships of Filipinos, especially low-income families, noting that the government provided an emergency subsidy program after it decided to impose lockdowns across the country.

Citing the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Roque said the main contributors in the decline were the decline in manufacturing, construction, and transportation and storage sectors that were greatly affected by the lockdowns.

He, however, said the Palace expects an improvement in the performance of these sectors during the second semester of the year, with gradual reopening of the economy and the proposed Bayanihan to Recover As One or Bayanihan 2.

Meanwhile, Roque urged Congress anew to fast track the passage of the Bayanihan 2 which would boost the second semester offensive against Covid-19.

Roque also urged the legislative to pass the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises or CREATE Act to help businesses recover and generate employment for our people.

He also assured the public that the government will continue working round the clock to strengthen resilience and restore the economy.

Health and safety first

In a separate statement, Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar said that despite the economic slump, the country is in a much stronger position to address recession in the long-term.

Apart from strong economic foundations established by the successful enactment of economic, social, and institutional reforms, we continue to capitalize on and to reform our socio-economic advantages so that we can weather any potential, foreseen, and unforeseen crisis, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, he said.

Andanar said the government will continue to strike a balance between supporting the economy while ensuring everyones protection, especially that of the countrys healthcare workers.

We firmly believe that we will heal and rise again, he said.

He also pointed out that lockdowns, which severely affected the economy, were imposed because the government prioritized the health and safety of all citizens.

Although our lockdown and community quarantine implementation had an impact on our economic performance, it served as a cushion to our societys general health, protection, and well-being against Covid-19, Andanar said.

He said that it also served as a safety net to suppress the collapse of the healthcare system and assist the healthcare workers, who have been on the frontline of the ongoing health crisis.

Due to this undertaking, we have prevented an estimated 1.3 to 3.5 million cases, of which an estimated of 68,000 severe and critical cases at a peak day, which would have overwhelmed our healthcare system. More importantly, some 59,000 to 171,000 lives were saved, he said.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on Thursday announced that the countrys GDP contracted at a record pace of 16.5 percent year-on-year from April to June, falling deeper into contraction after a revised 0.7 percent slump in the first quarter.

PSA noted the second quarter contraction was the lowest since it began tracking quarterly growth based on the 1981 series. (PNA)

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Palace resolve to recover from recession remains strong - pna.gov.ph

The Wacky Humor of ‘Total Drama’ Has Stood the Test of Time – Study Breaks

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Lets examine a recent, all-too-familiar scene. You are sitting on your couch, unable or unwilling to go outside for fear of the coronavirus germs that have forced everyone into isolation. Bored to the point of devastation, you rack your brain for something to do. Youve seen all of the buzzworthy TV shows like Game of Thrones and Riverdale. But TV seems like the only feasible option right now, so you reach for the remote anyway. After a few minutes of scrolling aimlessly, you remember Total Drama, an old cartoon comedy favorite from your childhood. Smiling, you type the title into the search bar and spend a few blissful hours immersed in its wacky world.

As media in America becomes increasingly scrutinized through the lens of political correctness, its difficult for comedy to withstand the test of time. Rewatching shows from a mere five years ago will often reveal jokes rife with homophobia, transphobia, racism and misogyny.

However, some shows and movies endure, with a comedic value that is simple yet funny for viewers of all ages. One such show is Total Drama. The comedy of the show doesnt rely on cultural context or shock value for entertainment. Instead, it places young cartoon characters with varied personalities on a reality showand lets the jokes write themselves.

Total Drama is a Canadian show that first aired in 2007 and ran until 2014. It is a parody of the hit reality series Survivor, where people compete for a large sum of money by completing challenges and voting one player off the show at the end of each week.

The only difference between the two shows is that competitors on Total Drama are animated, and therefore not real people. Yet the thrill of watching skill or endurance-based challenges remains, as well as the cutthroat style of play in which people form alliances and vote off their friends and even lovers.

The first season of Total Drama takes place on an island, hence the original name Total Drama Island. The first episode introduces the cast of characters, which then remains generally the same for the duration of the shows five seasons.

A big part of what makes the show so funny is the characters, many of whom have opposite personalities. For instance, there is Duncan, a delinquent sporting a green mohawk who clashes with Courtney, a type-A bossy-pants who loves order and being in charge. Each character has a definitive personality type with a fully developed backstory.

Furthermore, the characters on the show are quite diverse, as every skin color in existence is represented. There are also bodies of all shapes and sizes, and despite all of this, none of the characters seem to be aware that they look like a walking diversity pamphlet. Although the one Black woman on the show does fall into the loud and sassy stereotype, all other character designs steer clear of cliches. Each character is different and lovable in their own way.

As with Survivor, watching the show guarantees that you will grow to appreciate some characters more than others, and youll eventually pick a favorite to root for. My personal favorite characters are Gwen, a punk-rock loner, and Lindsay, the sweet and well-intentioned airhead.

It is endlessly entertaining to watch them grow, form relationships, fall out of relationships and strive to achieve their goal of winning the prize money. Unlike many other cartoon series, all of the events that transpire in the show are entirely realistic, aside from the characters durability. The players get thrown off of cliffs, attacked by bears and poisoned, but everyone comes out alive.

Another aspect of the show that sets it apart from other comedy or cartoon series is the frequent breaking of the fourth wall. Each character speaks directly to the camera, reflecting upon the events that transpire and revealing secrets.

There are also many funny scenes in which the camera crew extends an arm in front of the camera to grab a pizza box or wave hello. The characters regularly reference the cameras presence, and the host of the competition, Chris, frequently mentions pre-production interns. These details create the sense that the show is thorough, and it also allows viewers to forget that its anything other than 100% real.

It is no coincidence that the show feels real because the producers and writers extensively studied what teenagers did and did not like about reality TV when creating the series. The result is a lack of boring characters and an abundance of satisfying scenes.

If you find yourself hoping that two characters will end up together, or that one character will get revenge on another, chances are that is exactly what will happen. Yet the show is far from predictable; each seasons winners seem to come completely out of nowhere in the best way. There is never a clear underdog or champion because each character has many major flaws and strengths.

While many older TV shows contain problematic content or are simply not funny anymore, Total Dramaretains all of its former comedic flair. With characters that are as likable as they are different, anyone watching will be able to identify with at least one competitor on the animated survival series.

Exaggerated cutscenes and consistent fourth wall breaks make the show exciting. And the promise of prize money at the end keeps the players as well as the audience enchanted. When searching for a lazy afternoon activity, as many are during this seemingly-endless pandemic, Total Drama is the perfect cocktail of funny and thrilling to keep you clicking play next episode.

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The Wacky Humor of 'Total Drama' Has Stood the Test of Time - Study Breaks

Woods faces another Sunday at a major with little hope – Las Vegas Sun

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Published Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020 | 3:39 p.m.

Updated 13 minutes ago

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) One day he couldn't find enough fairways. The next day he couldn't make any putts. The third day he couldn't get close enough to make any putts.

That leaves a fourth day for Tiger Woods, with little to play for in the PGA Championship.

Eight shots behind going into the third round, Woods didn't make a birdie until the 16th hole at Harding Park. That was followed by his best shot of the day, an approach from 209 yards to 5 feet for birdie on the 18th. And then it was time to sign for a 2-over 72 on Saturday, leaving him out of contention at another major.

It's just like yesterday, Woods said. I just didn't get anything going, and had to claw and fight to get my way back, and didn't get anything going until the last few holes.

Woods finished an hour before the leaders teed off, and he was left with another Sunday at a major without much hope.

His victory in the Masters last year was one of the most emotional ever for Woods, who endured a major knee surgery and four back surgeries since his previous one 11 years earlier.

Since then, however, Woods has not been a factor in majors, with missed cuts at the PGA Championship and British Open last year, and a big deficit going into Sunday at the U.S. Open.

Woods said it wouldn't be difficult for him to get up for the final day at Harding Park, which until this week has brought only happy memories in his previous two experiences as a pro.

Get ready for the (FedEx Cup) playoffs, and we have the U.S. Open after that. We have some big events to be played, he said. And hopefully, tomorrow I can shoot something in the red and get it to under par for the tournament.

The PGA Championship is only his fourth tournament of the year, and his second in the last six months because of the pandemic that shut down golf from March to June.

Woods used a new putter this week adjustable weights in the sole and a little longer to allow him to practice longer without strain on his back but he blamed the last two days on the guy using it.

I was frustrated that I didn't get anything going early, Woods said. Wish I would have made the putts I did at the end. I was putting for pars, it seemed like, on a lot of the holes.

It wasn't entirely a repeat of Friday, when Woods had three birdie chances of 10 feet or closer on the opening five holes and didn't make any of them. On Saturday, he didn't have many reasonable chances.

Woods had only two birdie chances from inside 20 feet on the front nine a miss from 18 feet on No. 2, and miss from just outside 15 feet from the fringe on the par-5 fourth. He had only three chances inside 20 feet on the back nine, converting the last two of them.

It wasn't enough.

Woods talked about the noise lack of it, with no spectators as a new normal. Another new normal might be Woods not being a lock to contend every major he plays. His schedule is more limited than ever. His back is unpredictable. And he is 44, an age at which only six players have won majors.

Only three times in nine majors has he had a chance going into Sunday since his return from a fourth back surgery the 2018 British Open and PGA, and the 2019 Masters that he won. Age alone would suggest he doesn't have many majors left to try to win at least three more to match Jack Nicklaus.

There's not as many as when I first started playing, he said. "The reality is that the golf courses are getting bigger. They are getting longer. The margin between making the cut and the lead is a lot smaller than it used to be used to be sometimes 12 to 15 shots. Now we had, what, nine shots? It's just different.

It's getting tighter and it's getting harder to win events.

Woods gets one more day at Harding Park, and then only one month before he gets a cracked at his next one at Winged Foot for the U.S. Open.

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Woods faces another Sunday at a major with little hope - Las Vegas Sun

Lebanon PM to introduce bill proposing early elections – Las Vegas Sun

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Published Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020 | 9:56 a.m.

Updated 5 hours, 57 minutes ago

BEIRUT (AP) Lebanons prime minister says he will introduce a draft bill proposing early elections for the crisis-stricken country.

In a televised speech Friday, Prime Minister Hassan Diab called on all political parties to put their disagreements aside and work together.

He said he is ready to stay in the post for two months to allow for politicians to work together on implementing structural reforms.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP's earlier story is below.

Security forces fired tear gas and clashed with stone-throwing demonstrators Saturday in Lebanon's capital amid mounting fury over the massive explosion that devastated much of the city and killed nearly 160 people. Dozens were still missing and around 5,000 people injured.

Activists who called for the protest set up symbolic nooses at Beirut's Martyrs' Square to hang politicians whose corruption and negligence they blame for Tuesday's blast.

The explosion was fueled by thousands of tons of ammonium nitrate that had been improperly stored at the city's port for more than six years. Apparently set off by a fire, it was by far the biggest blast in Lebanons troubled history and caused an estimated $10 billion to 15 billion in damage, according to Beiruts governor. It also destroyed 6,200 buildings and left hundreds of thousands of people homeless.

Resignation or hang, read a banner held by protesters, who also planned to hold a symbolic funeral for the dead.

Khodr Ghadir, 23, said the noose was for everyone who has been in power for the last 30 years. What happened was a spark for people to return to the streets."

A placard listed the names of the dead, printed over a photo of the blast's enormous pink mushroom cloud. We are here for you, it read.

As the protest got underway, small groups of young men began throwing stones at security forces. Near parliament, riot police fired tear gas at protesters who tried to jump over barriers that closed the road leading to the legislature. The protesters later set on fire a truck that was fortifying barriers on a road leading to parliament. At least four people were hurt in the clashes, according to the Red Cross.

The gathering at Martyrs' Square and outside the parliament building and government headquarters came amid popular anger against Lebanons political leadership. The countrys ruling class, made up mostly of former civil war-era leaders, is blamed for incompetence and mismanagement that contributed to Tuesdays explosion.

The staggering devastation came on top of an economic and financial crisis that has led to the collapse of the Lebanese currency against the dollar, hyperinflation and soaring poverty and unemployment.

The state, which is investigating the cause of the explosion, has been conspicuously absent from the ravaged streets of Beirut, with almost zero involvement in the cleanup, which has been left to teams of young volunteers with brooms who fanned out to sweep up broken glass and reopen roads.

The protest came as senior officials from the Middle East and Europe arrived in a show of solidarity with the tiny country that is still in shock.

In a show of anger, the president of the Christian opposition Kataeb party said its three legislators have decided to resign from Parliament over the disaster. Sami Gemayel called on every honorable member of parliament to step down and work for the birth of a new Lebanon.

A senior Kataeb party official was killed in the blast. Also killed were 43 Syrians, the country's embassy in Beirut said. Lebanon is home to some 1 million Syrian refugees.

The Dutch foreign ministry said Saturday that Hedwig Waltmans-Molier, the wife of the Netherlands ambassador to Lebanon, had also died from injuries suffered in the explosion.

Documents that surfaced after the blast showed that officials had been repeatedly warned for years that the presence of 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate at the port posed a grave danger, but no one acted to remove it. Officials have been blaming one another, and 19 people have been detained, including the ports chief, the head of Lebanons customs department and his predecessor.

We will support Lebanon through all available means, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the secretary-general of the 22-member Arab League told reporters after meeting President Michel Aoun on Saturday morning. Aboul Gheit said he would take part in a donors conference for Lebanon in France on Sunday and convey Lebanons demands to the international community.

Later on Saturday, the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, arrived in Beirut for a brief visit. Turkeys vice president and the country's foreign minister met Aoun and said that Ankara was ready to help rebuild Beirut's port and evacuate some of the wounded to Turkey for treatment.

At the site of the blast, workers continued searching for dozens of missing people. Bulldozers were also seen removing debris near a cluster of giant grain silos that were heavily damaged but still partly standing.

International aid has been flowing to Lebanon for days, and several field hospitals have been set up around Beirut to help treat the wounded.

President Donald Trump said Friday that he had spoken by telephone with Aoun and French President Emmanuel Macron, who paid a brief visit to Lebanon on Thursday. Trump noted that medical supplies, food and water were being sent from the United States, along with emergency responders, technicians, doctors and nurses.

The ammonium nitrate, a chemical used in fertilizers and explosives, originated from a cargo ship called MV Rhosus that had been traveling from the country of Georgia to Mozambique in 2013. It made an unscheduled detour to Beirut as the Russian shipowner was struggling with debts and hoped to earn some extra cash in Lebanon. Unable to pay port fees and reportedly leaking, the ship was impounded.

In 2014, the material was moved from the ship and placed in a warehouse at the port where it stayed until the explosion.

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Lebanon PM to introduce bill proposing early elections - Las Vegas Sun