EUROPE-DATA PRIVACY-FACEBOOK

EU court invalidates data-sharing pact with US

LONDON (AP) — The European Union’s top court has ruled that an agreement that allows big tech companies to transfer data to the United States is invalid, and that national regulators need to take tougher action to protect the privacy of users’ data. Thursday’s ruling does not mean an immediate halt to all data transfers outside the EU, as there is another legal mechanism that some companies can use. But it means that the scrutiny over data transfers will be ramped up and that the EU and U.S. may have to find a new system that guarantees that Europeans’ data is afforded the same privacy protection in the U.S. as it is in the EU.

TWITTER-CYBERCURRENCY SCAM

Biden, Gates, other Twitter accounts hacked in Bitcoin scam

Unidentified hackers have broken into the Twitter accounts of technology moguls, politicians, celebrities and major companies in an apparent Bitcoin scam. The ruse discovered Wednesday included bogus tweets from Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Mike Bloomberg and a number of tech billionaires including Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. The fake tweets offered to send $2,000 for every $1,000 sent to a bitcoin address. Twitter said it was aware of a “security incident impacting accounts on Twitter” and was working to fix it. The FBI also said it was aware of Twitter’s security breach, but declined further comment.

KOREAS-US

Pompeo downplays possibility of summit with North Korea

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has downplayed the possibility of another summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un before U.S. elections. Pompeo said Trump would only want to engage if there were real prospects of progress. North Korea has insisted it would no longer gift Trump high-profile meetings he could boast as foreign policy achievements when it’s not being substantially rewarded in return. Some analysts believe North Korea will avoid serious talks with the Americans for now before an eventual return to negotiations after the U.S. presidential election in November.

TAIWAN-MILITARY DRILLS

Taiwan holds military drills against potential China threat

TAICHUNG, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan’s military fired missiles from the air and the shore facing China in a live-fire exercise to demonstrate its ability to defend against any Chinese invasion. Assault helicopters launched missiles and fighter jets dropped bombs on targets at sea, while tanks and missile trucks fired from a beach to deter a simulated invading force. The drill was part of a five-day annual exercise that ends Friday. China regards Taiwan as a breakaway province that is part of its territory. President Tsai Ing-wen observed the exercise and said it was part of Taiwan’s determination to protect itself.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-CALIFORNIA

California counties see virus spikes; Rose Parade canceled

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Rose Parade has been canceled and San Francisco is doubling down on business restrictions as California hits a near-record level of confirmed coronavirus cases. The state reported more than 11,000 additional confirmed cases of the virus between Monday and Tuesday and 140 deaths. Those are the second-highest one-day totals. In Los Angeles County, rising caseloads and hospitalizations prompted the public health director Wednesday to warn that the area is in an “alarming and dangerous phase.” San Francisco said it will keep its tough restrictions on business openings in place. And the 2021 Rose Parade was canceled over virus concerns.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-SPAIN-MOURNING

In solemn ceremony, Spain honors pandemic victims and heroes

MADRID (AP) — Spain has held a solemn ceremony in Madrid to pay homage to the nation’s victims of the new coronavirus and workers who put their lives at risk during the worst of the pandemic. Relatives of around 100 people who died, representatives of medical personnel, police and other essential workers joined King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, government authorities and officials from the European Union and the World Health Organization at an esplanade in Madrid’s Royal Palace. Spain has officially recorded 28,413 victims who died after testing positive for the COVID-19 disease, although excess mortality figures suggest the actual figure is higher.

AP-AS-MED-VIRUS-OUTBREAK-CHINA-VACCINE

China firm uses workers to ‘pre-test’ vaccine in global race

BEIJING (AP) — A state-owned Chinese company is boasting that its employees received doses of an experimental COVID-19 vaccine even before the government approved testing in people. Whether SinoPharm’s claim is viewed as heroic sacrifice or a violation of international ethical norms, it underscores the enormous stakes as China competes with Western companies to be first with a vaccine. China is testing more candidates than any other country, but it must overcome distrust after past vaccine scandals. SinoPharm is gambling that reassuring people at home that researchers trust the vaccine enough to self-experiment will overcome any questions abroad.

AP-FINANCIAL-MARKETS

World shares fall as investors mull Chinese growth data

Shares have retreated in Europe and Asia as investors sold on worries that China might slow its pandemic stimulus after its economy returned to growth in the last quarter. Benchmarks fell in Paris, London and Tokyo. Shanghai sank 4.5% following news that China’s economy grew 3.2% in annual terms in April-June, after a 6.8% contraction in the previous quarter. The expansion came as anti-virus lockdowns were lifted and factories and stores reopened. But it still was the weakest positive figure since China started reporting quarterly growth in the early 1990s. Economists say that getting wary consumers and businesses to spend more remains a challenge.

MEDICARE-CONTRACT OVERSIGHT

Watchdog report faults Medicare agency’s contract management

WASHINGTON (AP) — A government watchdog says the head of the Medicaid and Medicare programs failed to properly manage more than $6 million in communications and outreach contracts. A report from an inspector general says Seema Verma gave broad authority over federal employees to a Republican media strategist she had worked with before joining the Trump administration. Verma is administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The inspector general at the Department of Health and Human Services says Verman and other agency leaders did not administer the contracts “in accordance with federal requirements.” Verma disputes the report, saying the findings “are based on unsubstantiated assumptions and incomplete analysis.”

AP-US-FEDERAL-EXECUTION

Supreme Court clears way for 2nd federal execution this week

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) — The Supreme Court early Thursday cleared the way for a second federal execution in as many days. The vote to allow the execution of Wesley Ira Purkey to go forward was 5-4, with the court’s four liberal members dissenting. Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote that “proceeding with Purkey’s execution now, despite the grave questions and factual findings regarding his mental competency, casts a shroud of constitutional doubt over the most irrevocable of injuries.” She was joined by fellow liberal justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan.

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