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This is VOA news. Reporting by remote, I'm David Byrd.
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a stalwart liberal on the U.S. Supreme Court since 1993, died Friday at the age of 87. Ginsburg, a champion of women's rights who became an icon for American liberals, died of complications from metastatic pancreatic cancer. Her death gives President Donald Trump a chance to expand the court's conservative majority with a third appointment at a time of deep divisions in the United States with a presidential election looming. Her departure could dramatically alter the ideological stance of the court, which currently has a 5-4 conservative majority, by moving it further to the right. President Donald Trump again touted progress on a coronavirus vaccine Friday, telling a news conference that as soon as a vaccine is approved, widespread distribution will begin immediately. Speaking at the White House, the president said distribution would begin within 24 hours after notice, adding that he expects to have enough vaccines available for every American by April. "As part of Operation Warp Speed, my administration is manufacturing all of the most promising vaccines in advance. And actually, it'll be fairly long in advance. As soon as a vaccine is approved, the administration will deliver it to the American people immediately. Distribution will begin within 24 hours ...." As of now, there are several trials under way around the world. But a safe and effective vaccine has not been produced. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said a viable vaccine might not be ready until the middle of next year. You can find on these stories and the rest of the day's news at voanews.com. You can also follow us on the VOA mobile app. This is VOA news. Israel has entered a second nationwide lockdown on Friday at the onset of the Jewish high-holy day season. Reuters Adam Reed reports. The country's initial lockdown was imposed in late March and eased in May as new coronavirus cases tapered off, reaching low single-digit numbers. But in the past week, new cases have reached daily highs of over 5,000, and Israeli leaders now acknowledge that they lifted measures too soon. The move to reimpose sweeping restrictions at this time has drawn anger from many residents already struggling because of an economic downturn. Under the new rules, Israelis must stay within 1,000 meters of home, with only a few exceptions including commuting to work. Social distancing and limits on the number of attendees allowed at usually packed synagogues will also affect Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement. That festival begins at sunset on September 27. That's Reuters Adam Reed. Early voting in the U.S. presidential election began in four states Friday including Virginia and the battleground state of Minnesota. In Fairfax County, Virginia, election workers were scrambling to open an additional voting room at the county government center where a line of hundreds of voters, spaced two meters apart, stretched down the block. Virginia's Director of Elections Gary Scott says they needed extra time for residents to vote because of the pandemic. "Because of COVID restrictions and all that, we can only ask so many people inside this space at a time to process and vote. Also, we're not able to set up as many voting stations as we would ordinarily." Voting also began in Minnesota, where voters are expected to vote by mail in record numbers. That state's secretary of state said more than 900,000 residents have already requested absentee ballots. Both President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden campaigned in that state on Friday. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited a Venezuelan migrant camp in Brazil's northeast region on Friday. Pompeo went to the city of Boa Vista where he met with his Brazilian counterpart. Pompeo praised Brazil's action to shelter Venezuelans who he said are in deep need. Brazilian authorities estimate there are 260,000 Venezuelan migrants living inside Brazil. According to the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, some 48,000 of those have been granted refugee status. Nealy five million Venezuelans are scattered across Latin America in one of the world's largest migrations today, driven by Venezuela's deepening economic and humanitarian crisis. You can find more at our website. Reporting by remote, I'm David Byrd, VOA news. |