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

July 14, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(PRETORIA, South Africa) — At least 72 people have been killed in ongoing riots across South Africa, despite the efforts of heavily outnumbered authorities to quell the violent unrest sparked by the imprisonment of former President Jacob Zuma.

The South African Police Service said in a statement Tuesday that the death toll had risen to 27 in Zuma’s home province of KwaZulu-Natal and to 45 in the economic hub of Gauteng province, with many of the fatalities occurring in “stampedes” as scores of people looted food, liquor, clothes and electrical appliances from shops in poor areas. Other deaths were caused by explosions when people tried to break into ATM machines as well as shootings, according to police.

At least one police officer was killed in an attack on law enforcement, while seven others were injured while responding to the riots, police said.

So far, 1,234 people have been arrested, according to police, but the chaos has continued. Looters were seen ransacking warehouses and supermarkets in the port city of Durban on Tuesday, while rioters set fire to a chemical plant near the town of Umhlanga, just north of Durban.

The South African Police Service has recalled officers from leave and rest days, while the South African National Defence Forces has deployed thousands of soldiers to assist the overstretched law enforcement agencies on the ground.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has vowed to “restore calm and order,” describing the unrest as the worst the country has witnessed since the 1990s, before the end of the apartheid regime,

“Over the past few days and nights, there have been acts of public violence of a kind rarely seen in the history of our democracy,” Ramaphosa said in a televised address to the nation on Monday evening. “Let me be clear: We will take action to protect every person in this country against the threat of violence, intimidation, theft and looting. We will not hesitate to arrest and prosecute those who perpetrate these actions and will ensure that they face the full might of our law.”

The lawlessness has disrupted South Africa’s COVID-19 vaccination program, which Ramaphosa warned will have “lasting effects on our ability to consolidate some of the progress we were already witnessing in our economic recovery.” Vaccine shots are urgently needed in the country, which — along with other nations in Africa — is fighting a new wave of COVID-19 infections. The South African government recently reimposed and extended tight restrictions, including a nightly nationwide curfew, school closures, a ban on gatherings and limits on alcohol sales.

Violence and unrest has gripped parts of South Africa since Zuma turned himself in to police on July 7 to begin his 15-month jail term for contempt of court. South Africa’s highest court handed down the sentence after Zuma failed to appear before an inquiry examining corruption during the nine years that he served as president. Zuma has maintained his innocence, saying he is the victim of a politically motivated witch hunt, and his supporters took to the streets last week. But the protests appear to have reawakened deep-seated grievances over persistent poverty, unemployment and inequality, some 27 years after apartheid ended.

Following job layoffs and an economic downturn from the coronavirus pandemic, South Africa’s unemployment rate stands at a record high of 32.6% and is even higher among the youth, at 46.3%, according to official numbers released in June by the national statistical service. Meanwhile, more than half of the country’s 60 million people were living in poverty last year, according to data collected by the World Bank Group.

“There is no grievance, nor any political cause, that can justify the violence and destruction that we have seen in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng,” Ramaphosa said. “The path of violence, of looting and anarchy, leads only to more violence and devastation. It leads to more poverty, more unemployment, and more loss of innocent life. This is not who we are as a people.”

Lea Michele honors Cory Monteith on 8th anniversary of his passing

July 14, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Michael Buckner/Getty Images For Chrysalis

Tuesday marked the somber anniversary of Glee star Cory Monteith‘s unexpected death. And for the eighth year in a row, Lea Michelle honored her late boyfriend and Glee co-star.

Sharing a black and white photo of the actor to her Instagram story on Tuesday, Michele added a single red heart emoji to the the snap, which depicts a smiling Cory wearing a varsity jacket and waving to the audience.

The Broadway star has consistently honored Monteith on July 13 and, in 2016, revealed she’d gotten two tattoos in his honor. The actress unveiled her first ink on Instagram, which was the number 5. Monteith played the character Finn — a quarterback who wore the number 5 on his jersey — on Glee.

“And one more.. for my Quarterback.. #5,” Michele wrote.

She also has the name “Finn” inscribed on her back, which she previously showed off when posing for the cover of Women’s Health UK.

Michele, 34, also spoke about the struggle to put her life back together following Monteith’s passing.

“I worked very, very, very hard and I got back to that place where I was genuinely happy and strong and ready to live again and see the world and, you know, bring in more beautiful experiences,” she told FLARE magazine two years following Monteith’s death.

The actress married entrepreneur Zandy Reich in 2019 and, last year, the two welcomed a son named Ever Leo.

Monteith died in 2013 of a heroin and alcohol overdose at age 31.

NBA legend Scottie Pippen has incredible opportunity for Olympics fans to watch the games from his home

July 14, 2021 by WDNY Radio

NBA legend and two-time Olympic gold medalist Scottie Pippen, along with Airbnb, is handing over the keys to his Chicago home to let some lucky fans watch the 2021 Olympics in style.

“I’m allowing 3 guests to come into my house for one individual night to really experience watching the Games,” the Chicago Bulls legend said, who was also a member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team, a.k.a The Dream Team. He noted fans can even watch the Olympics “from my pool [because] I got a beautiful 80-inch TV outside!”

There are other perks to be had as well. “I think they’re going to love the fact that, when they get to my house, I’m going to be the one… giving them a nice welcome into my home,” said Pippen, adding he will virtually greet his guests, and promised that he’ll hook everyone up with “some nice memorabilia… that they will never, ever forget.”

Pippen noted “the doors are just going to be open” to the renters, where they will be able to freely “enjoy my little home gym. They can enjoy my movie theater, the basketball court. They can enjoy my air hockey game, the swimming pool.”

Guests will also “get to sleep in my bed at the end of the night,” Pippen teased, adding there are even more surprises in store.

Booking opens July 22 at 1 p.m. ET on Airbnb. Three reservations are available for an overnight stay on either August 2, August 4 or August 6 for $92, a nod to The Dream Team’s historic Olympic run. Those selected to spend a night in Scottie’s home will be able to invite up to three friends.

The 2021 Summer Olympics’ opening ceremony starts Friday, July 23.

‘Loki’ will return for season 2

July 14, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Get ready for more Loki.

Fresh off of Tuesday’s 28 total Emmy nominations for Disney+’s WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Marvel Studios just made more television news when Wednesday’s season finale of Loki closed with this after-credits mention: “Loki will return for season 2.”

This was the first time the studio confirmed one of its Disney+ projects would return for a sophomore frame. Previously, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige explained that the events of the two previous hit shows would play out on the big screen, first with Emmy-nominee Elizabeth Olsen‘s Wanda Maximoff’s appearance in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness in 2022. He did, however, claim “there will be other places” the story could continue, without elaborating.

As for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, that show ended with Anthony Mackie taking up the mantle of Captain America, setting the stage for an in-development fourth Captain America film.

Marvel Studios is owned by Disney, the parent company of ABC News.

Six things parents should know about the new child tax credit, according to a tax expert

July 14, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Millions of parents across the country will start receiving money from the federal government as soon as Thursday, July 15.

Under the Child Tax Credit expansion put forth in under President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, some households will start receiving monthly payments, instead of a lump sum payment in the past, and in most cases will receive more money than they have previously.

“One of the big ideas is to align this with the expenses you have with raising a child. You have to buy diapers every month. You have to buy food every month,” said Erica York, an economist with Tax Foundation’s Center for Federal Tax Policy. “So the idea is to provide the child tax credit aligned with those expenses to help with them rather than waiting and getting one lump sum payment once a year.”

York, a mother of a 2-year-old daughter, answered six burning questions about the new child tax credit to help provide answers for parents:

1. What is changing about the child tax credit?

There are three big changes, according to York.

First, the child tax credit has been increased from $2,000 to $3,000 for children over 6, and to $3,600 for children under 6. It also expands the ages of children eligible, raising the age limit from 16 to 17.

Second, the child tax credit no longer phases in with income, but instead is fully refundable. This means that low-income families and families that don’t file taxes — those that make less than the standard deduction of $24,800 — can now receive the full amount of the credit.

Third, Congress directed the IRS to pay half of the new credit amount in advance monthly payments that will start hitting people’s bank accounts on July 15. The maximum monthly payments that people could receive would be $300 or $250, depending on a child’s age, according to York.

2. Do parents need to do anything to get the increased child tax credit?

Most households will not need to do anything, according to York, adding that households eligible for the payments should have already received letters from the IRS explaining the changes.

“The IRS is going to estimate the payments that people are due based on their most recently filed tax return,” she said. “If someone has already filed their 2020 taxes, the IRS will use the information on that tax return for income levels, the number of eligible children and where to send the payment. If a person hasn’t filed their 2020 tax return, the IRS will use their 2019 tax return.”

For people who have not previously filed taxes, the IRS has created a new online tool that allows non-filers to report their information.

In certain cases, like if you’ve had an income change since your 2020 tax return or if you take turns claiming the child tax credit with a former partner, you will need to notify the IRS of those changes, according to York.

3. How long will the child tax credit increase last?

The monthly payments will be made through December of this year, according to York.

And as the law currently stands, the increased child tax credit is only in effect for 2021 and would revert back down to its $2,000 level next year.

Biden has proposed extending the program through 2025, but that proposal has not made it through Congress.

4. Are any parents not eligible for the increased child tax credit?

The extra amounts of the credit — the $1,600 and $1,000 increases above the normal $2,000 amount – do start phasing out above certain income levels, according to York.

For married couples, the increased tax credit starts phasing out at a household income of $150,000.

For single parents who use the head of household filing status, it starts phasing out at an income of $112,500.

So, families making above $150,000 a year and single parents making above $112,500 will still be eligible for the same credit amount they would have received without Biden’s changes, but not eligible for the full increased amount.

Families making less than $150,000 a year and single parents making less than $112,500 are now eligible for a credit of up to $3,600 per child.

The biggest beneficiaries of the changes to the child tax credit will be low-income families and non-filers, according to York.

5. Will I still get a child tax credit payment when I file my taxes?

The new monthly advance payments rolling out now will come with a tradeoff at tax time, explained York.

“Each dollar of payment that you get now reduces how much child tax credit you get when you file your taxes,” she said. “If people don’t change their tax withholding from their paychecks, that could mean that they see a smaller tax refund at tax time or even a balance due because instead of getting the full child tax credit when you file your taxes next year, you’ve already got some of it now.”

Taxpayers can opt-out of the monthly payments though ahead of a certain deadline each month.

The next deadline to opt-out of the monthly payments is Aug. 2, and opting out once will un-enroll you for all payments, so it’s not something you have to do each month.

Taxpayers can manage their payments on the IRS website.

Next January, before the start of tax filing season, the IRS will send out letters to eligible households that show the amount they received in advanced payments.

“That’s something that taxpayers will want to save and use when they file their taxes,” said York.

6. Where do I get more information?

The IRS has an entire section of its website devoted to information on the advance child tax credit payments.

The Biden administration also launched a website with details about the tax credit.

This calculator from ABC News’ data journalism team tells you how much you may receive from the Child Tax Credit program using the guidelines spelled out in the bill based on your most recent tax form.

Britney Spears has reportedly hired celebrity attorney Mathew Rosengart to represent her

July 14, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Britney Spears has reportedly found a new attorney to represent her in today’s conservatorship hearing.

Following a report from TMZ that the “Toxic” singer was in discussions to retain celebrity attorney Mathew Rosengart — who previously represented famous celebrities such as Sean Penn, Casey and Ben Affleck, Steven Spielberg and rocker Eddie Vedder — the gossip website now reports that Rosengart has agreed to represent her and will appear in court.

Britney reportedly signed a legal document stating her desire to hire the mega law firm of Greenberg Traurig, LLP to represent her in her ongoing effort to remove her father Jamie Spears from the conservatorship. It would be Britney’s first step in attempting to end her longtime conservatorship, which has been in place for more than 13 years.

However, there is a hitch — Britney cannot sign contracts of any substance without her father’s approval.

Insiders tell TMZ that Rosengart will argue that Britney has a Constitutional right to the lawyer of her choice. However, while defendants in criminal cases have a Constitutional right to an attorney, a conservatorship is another story.

Rosengart will likely argue that Britney is entitled to due process, which includes the right to a competent lawyer, something of which Rosengart’s resume certainly attests.

Rosengart could further argue against Jamie having the power to disapprove Britney’s choice, because his daughter is actively hiring legal representation with hopes of removing him from the conservatorship.

In addition, Judge Brenda Penny, who is overseeing this case, needs to approve of Rosengart’s appointment. Should she decline, Spears will then be assigned another court-appointed attorney to represent her going forward – an option the singer previously said she does not want.

Pool deck, garage ceilings of collapsed Surfside building were problematic as early as 1996, documents show

July 14, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(SURFSIDE, Fla.) — A series of construction permit records, letters and other documents from more than two decades ago show that Champlain Towers South was in need of waterproofing and structural repairs in the parking garage just 15 years after the original construction of the building.

The documents released by the Town of Surfside, Florida, on Tuesday show that the pool deck of the Surfside condo building that collapsed last month and the ceiling of the underground parking garage beneath it had needed repairs as early as 1996.

“The scope of work will be concrete structural repair in the parking garage,” wrote Rob Sommer, sales manager for Western Waterproofing Company of America to the Surfside Building Department in March 1996. “This type of repair entails removing loose concrete overhead, treating steel rebar with rust inhibitive coating and patching back with repair mortar. Also included in the garage will be urethane foam injection in ceiling cracks.”

Tong Le, the project engineer contracted for the repair work, estimated the project to cost roughly $156,600.

Later in November 1997, Le wrote to Surfside’s Building Department that the deck was waterproofed and that approximately 20 square-foot of spalls in the ceiling of the garage had been repaired. Le wrote that the “repair of the spallings has been done in compliance with the approved” regulations.

Le did not respond to ABC News’ request for comment.

ABC News previously reported that a 2018 Structural Field Survey report released by the city of Surfside found “major structural damage” to concrete structural slabs on the pool deck and failed waterproofing in parts of the tower.

In his report, engineer Frank Morabito said previous repair work in the garage had been “ineffective.”

Allyn Kilsheimer, an engineer hired by the Town of Surfside to investigate the collapse of the building, cautioned against directly linking the repair work from 1996 and the deficiencies cited in Morabito’s report, telling ABC News that it’s not yet known if they were referring to the same specific areas.

Engineering experts offered differing views on how concerning the repair work from 1996 was and how it could have contributed to the building collapse.

“It is not normal,” said Joel Figueroa-Vallines, an Orlando-based forensic structural engineer and president of SEP Engineers, of the documents. “Generally, the life of a structure is much longer than that. Life cycles of concrete structures can be over 50 years, so this is very concerning.”

Figueroa-Vallines told ABC News that cracking can reveal structural issues and added that whenever there is cracking on concrete, “there is stress where it shouldn’t be.”

“..The fact that there were a lot of cracks on a structural slab, that tells me that something was going on in that pool area,” said Figueroa-Vallines. “On top of the fact that the pool area is the highest loaded area of the whole building.”

Meanwhile, Kilsheimer said the damages and repairs described in the 1996 permit documents are “normal” and “expected,” especially in Surfside’s environment, where buildings are prone to heavier corrosion from the adjacent seawater.

Shankar Nair, a Chicago-based engineering expert, told ABC News that the deficiencies and repair work cited in the 1996 permit documents are “not common” but also “not extremely rare.”

“This type of concrete deterioration does not usually lead to sudden catastrophic collapse, but there is a lot about this collapse that is unusual, if not unique.”

Crews are continuing their recovery efforts after the remaining parts of the partially collapsed building were demolished last week.

So far there are at least 95 confirmed deaths from the collapse. As of Tuesday morning, 85 of those 95 victims have been identified. There are still 14 people potentially unaccounted for, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Cava said at a press conference Tuesday.

15-year-old boy shot and killed by man who said he was ‘tampering’ with his car: Police

July 14, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(HIGH POINT, N.C.) — A teenage boy was shot and killed in North Carolina on Tuesday after the alleged shooter thought the victim was “tampering” with his car, police said.

The fatal shooting occurred at approximately 2:15 a.m. local time in High Point, about 17 miles southwest of Greensboro. Officers responded to a report of shots being fired in a residential neighborhood and canvassed the area for several minutes before they found a 15-year-old boy lying beside a home who was suffering from two gunshot wounds to the chest and one gunshot wound to the arm, according to a statement from the High Point Police Department.

Officers attempted to perform life-saving measures on the unnamed victim until medics arrived on scene and transported him to a local hospital, where he later died, police said.

Police said that detectives from the Violent Crimes Unit responded to the scene to investigate the homicide and that three other juveniles related to the incident were subsequently transported to the police department for questioning. However, investigators said they received “no cooperation or detailed account of the events that led to the homicide.”

Detectives ultimately identified a person of interest in the shooting and obtained a search warrant for a residence close to the scene of the crime. Several pieces of evidence were then seized from the location and, as a result of the search, 25-year-old Davonte T. Strickland of High Point, North Carolina, was arrested, according to police.

Detectives believe Strickland shot the boy in “reaction to individuals on his property tampering with a vehicle in the driveway,” police said. He faces charges of first-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to police.

It was unclear if Strickland had obtained legal representation who could speak on his behalf.

The shooting remains under investigation and anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Crime Stoppers of High Point at 336-889-4000.

“High Point Police detectives are still conducting an active investigation into this incident,” the police department said in the statement Tuesday. “During this investigative process, detectives will continue to conduct interviews of potential witnesses and involved parties, conduct searches of any people, vehicles, or places that may contain evidence of the crime, and collect any other relevant materials that may aid in investigation or prosecution.”

Delta variant now accounts for about 58% of COVID-19 cases in US, CDC says

July 14, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — A highly contagious variant of the novel coronavirus that was initially identified in India now accounts for about 58% of all COVID-19 cases in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Data updated by the CDC on Tuesday evening shows the so-called delta variant, also known as B.1.617.2, was estimated to be responsible for 57.6% of newly confirmed cases nationwide from June 20 through July 3. The proportion was estimated at just 31.1% for the two weeks prior.

In late May, the delta variant was estimated to account for approximately 3% of new cases in the U.S, according to CDC data.

After being initially identified in India in October, the delta variant has since been reported in at least 104 countries around the globe and is expected to soon be the dominant coronavirus variant circulating worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. The variant was first detected in the U.S. in March and is now present in all 50 states.

“The delta variant is ripping around the world at a scorching pace, driving a new spike in cases and death,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Gebreyesus said during a COVID-19 press briefing on Monday.

Last week marked the fourth consecutive week that the number of newly confirmed COVID-19 cases has increased globally. Deaths are also on the rise again after 10 weeks of decline, according to Tedros, who noted that the WHO has received reports from all regions of the world about hospitals reaching capacity.

“In places with high vaccination coverage, Delta is spreading quickly; especially infecting unprotected and vulnerable people and steadily putting pressure back on health systems,” he said. “In countries with low vaccine coverage, the situation is particularly bad.”

The WHO declared delta a “variant of concern” in May, and the CDC upgraded its classification of the strain in June from “variant of interest” to a “variant of concern.” Both the WHO and the CDC say that variants of concern have shown to be both more infectious and more virulent than other strains.

The delta variant has shown to be particularly dangerous to those who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated against COVID-19, and preliminary data indicates it may increase the risk of hospitalization.

However, current evidence suggests that the full dosage of a COVID-19 vaccine is highly effective in preventing hospitalizations and serious illness. Instances where a fully vaccinated individual becomes infected with COVID-19, known as breakthrough cases, are exceedingly rare. And while early laboratory studies indicated the vaccines seem to produce far fewer virus-fighting antibodies against some of the newer variants, real-world experience tells a different story as researchers across the globe learn that the vaccines still mostly work — even when those antibodies fail to show up in great numbers — thanks to other crucial parts of the body’s immune system.

Still, there is very little known about the mutating virus and it remains unclear exactly how long immunity from the vaccines will last and whether booster shots will be needed to maintain protection.

As delta and other highly transmissible variants spur “catastrophic waves” of COVID-19 infections, the WHO director-general is urging vaccine manufacturers to prioritize supplying doses to poorer countries with low vaccination rates rather than giving booster shots to wealthier nations with relatively high coverage.

“The global gap in vaccine supply is hugely uneven and inequitable,” Tedros said Monday. “Some countries and regions are actually ordering millions of booster doses, before other countries have had supplies to vaccinate their health workers and most vulnerable.”

Since the start of the pandemic, the U.S. has reported more than 33.9 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and over 607,000 deaths from the disease, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University. The U.S. has recorded the highest death toll, while India has the highest total case count.

More than 184 million people in the U.S. have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, including over 159 million — 48.1% of the population — who are fully vaccinated, according to CDC data.

The Washington Monument is reopening Wednesday after being closed because of COVID

July 14, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — After being closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Washington Monument reopens Wednesday with limited capacity.

“For the most part, it will look like normal operations,” Mike Litterst, the chief of communications for the National Mall and Memorial Parks, told ABC News. “But we are, for the time being, putting some capacity limits in place. And we are requiring masks of anyone age two and over that enters the monument.”

Litterst said the mask requirement would be enforced even if someone is fully vaccinated. While the monument is able to hold a capacity of 1,100 people per day, according to Litterst, the National Park Service is limiting the number by almost half, down to 580 per day to accommodate for social distancing protocols.

But tickets are selling fast. On Tuesday, it sold out in 90 seconds for Wednesday’s reopening.

“We knew it was going to be popular, but I don’t think we were even expecting that kind of popularity,” Litterst told ABC News.

Tickets to the monument need to be reserved in advance, and visitors can book them starting at 10 a.m. the day before they plan to visit.

“So, if you want to visit on Friday, tickets become available at 10 o’clock on Thursday,” he said.

In the last decade, the monument has been closed more than it has been open. After an earthquake in 2011, the monument closed down for nearly three years due to repairs. Then, it reopened for a year and a half before it was closed again so the NPS could modernize its elevator. After the $10 million+ restoration of the site was completed, it reopened in September 2019. It was only open for about six months before COVID swept across the country in March 2020, shutting down businesses and public spaces like the monument. It then reopened on Oct. 1, 2020 and closed down again on Jan. 11, 2021.

But Litterst is confident the monument will remain open for the foreseeable future, especially because he said no mechanical repairs need to be made soon.

“We are confident and optimistic and hopeful that we’re going to be open starting [today], and we’re going to be open for a good long run in the foreseeable future,” he told ABC News.

He expects the modernized elevator system to run for another 15-20 years before repairs need to be made again.

While his team is excited that the monument is open and accessible once more to the public, Litterst stressed that the top priority for the NPS has, and always will be, the public’s safety.

“Regardless of pandemic or no pandemic, safety has always been top priority for any of our sites,” Litterst said. “That’s why we waited to this point to open, to make sure that we were in a position where people could be kept safe. And that’s the reason that – at least initially – when we open, we’re limiting the capacity and we’re requiring the masks.”

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