August 1, 2020 • No Comments • National News

Joe Raedle/Getty ImagesBY: IVAN PEREIRA AND DANIEL MANZO, ABC NEWS

(MIAMI) — Isaias, previously a Category 1 hurricane, delivered torrential rains and high winds to the Bahamas Friday before heading toward Florida, according to forecasters.

Early Saturday evening, Isaias was downgraded to a tropical storm.

Forecasters predict the storm will travel northwest and arrive in southeast Florida on Saturday and Sunday. Parts of the state could see 2 to 4 inches of rain, with isolated maximum totals of 6 inches, according to the current forecast.

“These rainfall amounts could result in isolated flash and urban flooding, especially in low-lying and poorly drained areas,” the National Hurricane Center said.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Friday that he’s declared a state of emergency in every coastal county on the east side of the state, from Miami-Dade to Nassau Counties.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam also declared a state of emergency in advance of the storm, which is expected to affect parts of coastal Virginia starting on Monday.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern. Please refresh for the latest updates.

8 p.m. Isaias remains a tropical storm

As of 8 p.m. ET, Isaias remains a tropical storm with sustained winds of 70 mph. Movement has slowed down further, now northwest at 9 mph and the center is currently about 100 miles southeast of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Isaias continues to batter the northwestern Bahamas bringing heavy rain, strong winds and storm surge.

The hurricane warning was canceled for the central Bahamas. No other changes to alerts were made with the 8 p.m. update.

Isaias’ forward speed will continue to decrease overnight and into Saturday. The latest forecast has Isaias becoming a minimal category 1 hurricane once again as it moves near the east coast of Florida throughout the day on Sunday. However, either as a hurricane or tropical storm the impacts will be essentially the same and most dependent on the exact track the storm takes up the Florida coast.

5 p.m.: Isaias downgraded

With sustained winds of approximately 70 mph, Isaias was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm early Saturday evening.

The storm’s movement has slowed a bit, with Isaias now heading northwest at about 10 mph. The storm’s center is about 115 miles southeast of Fort Lauderdale.

It’s possible the storm could regain strength overnight and transform back into a hurricane.

2 p.m.: Isaias batters Bahamas but slightly weakens

As of 2 p.m. ET, Isaias remains a minimal Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds now at 75 mph. It is moving NW at 12 mph and the center is currently about 140 miles SE of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

There is now the chance that Isaias could weaken to a tropical storm at some point later today, according to forecasters.

Little change in strength is forecast over the next 24 hours as Isaias moves near the east coast of Florida later tonight through Sunday.

Isaias will then race up the East Coast Monday into Tuesday, continuing to weaken, but likely remaining a tropical storm bringing heavy rain and gusty winds up the coast early next week.

In the coming hours and into this evening, more of the outer bands will begin to impact the south Florida coast with downpours and gusty winds.

Sunday morning, the storm will pass near the southeast coast of Florida, bringing areas of heavy rain and strong winds. The magnitude of the impacts will come down to how close the storm actually gets to the coast tomorrow.

Right now there it looks like wind gusts of 40 to 60+ mph will be possible right along the coast, from West Palm Beach to Jupiter and Port St. Lucie, Florida.

11:04 a.m.: Isaias makes landfall on Northern Andros Island in the Bahamas

The brunt of Isaias is hitting northern Andros, New Providence, (including Nassau) and other parts of the central/northwestern Bahamas right now.

Heavy rain, strong winds and storm surge will continue to impact these areas and overspread the rest of the northwestern Bahamas through the afternoon hours.

As of 11 a.m. ET, Isaias remains a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds at 80 mph. It is moving NW at 12 mph and the center is currently about 135 miles SSE of Freeport, Grand Bahamas Island.

In the U.S., a tropical storm watch has now been issued for portions of the southeast coast of Georgia. A hurricane /tropical storm warning remains in effect along most of the east coast of Florida.

Further decrease in forward speed is forecast over the next 24 hours, with little change in strength expected as Isaias moves near the east coast of the Florida Peninsula tonight through Sunday.

Isaias batters Bahamas but slightly weakens

As of 2 p.m. ET, Isaias remains a minimal Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds now at 75 mph. It is moving NW at 12 mph and the center is currently about 140 miles SE of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

There is now the chance that Isaias could weaken to a tropical storm at some point later today, according to forecasters.

Little change in strength is forecast over the next 24 hours as Isaias moves near the east coast of Florida later tonight through Sunday.

Isaias will then race up the East Coast Monday into Tuesday, continuing to weaken, but likely remaining a tropical storm bringing heavy rain and gusty winds up the coast early next week.

In the coming hours and into this evening, more of the outer bands will begin to impact the south Florida coast with downpours and gusty winds.

Sunday morning, the storm will pass near the southeast coast of Florida, bringing areas of heavy rain and strong winds. The magnitude of the impacts will come down to how close the storm actually gets to the coast tomorrow.

Right now there it looks like wind gusts of 40 to 60+ mph will be possible right along the coast, from West Palm Beach to Jupiter and Port St. Lucie, Florida.

10:43 a.m.: North Carolina governor declares state of emergency

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency in preperation for Hurricane Isaias.

The declaration allows trucks and supplies to move where help is needed. The state’s Emergency Operations Center — already activated for COVID-19 — is preparing for the storm as well, and state and local response teams are at the ready.

“Although the track and arrival of the hurricane could still change, now is the time for North Carolinians to prepare,” said Gov. Cooper. “Hurricane preparations will be different given the COVID-19 pandemic, and families need to keep that in mind as they get ready.”

The current forecast is for Hurricane Isaias to increase in intensity over the next 24 hours. The storm shifted west Friday afternoon, and its speed and path indicate it could reach North Carolina as early as Monday, making its greatest impact Monday night and Tuesday. However, the state is already seeing signs of the storm with high risk of dangerous rip currents along the coast, and the danger of tropical storm force winds is increasing.

The North Carolina National Guard has 75 guardsman and high-water vehicles on standby should they be activated to respond. The state’s Department of Transportation has more than 1,800 personnel, 1,550 pieces of equipment and more than 1,000 chainsaws ready to respond if needed.

They have also suspended passenger ferry today, began voluntary evacuations of Ocracoke, waived tolls on evacuation routes, and are preparing facilities and mooring plans for vessels for storm conditions.

Some local governments have already issued evacuation orders. While the state is still combating the COVID-19 pandemic, the state is urging people to make every effort to stay with family and friends, or even a hotel, as a first option. The state will coordinate shelters for those who need to evacuate.

9:00 am: President approves Federal Disaster Declaration ahead of Isaias

During a press conference Saturday morning, Florida Gov. DeSantis said that the president signed a Federal Disaster Declaration in expectation of Hurricane Isaias.

On Friday, DeSantis signed an executive order for a state of emergency for every coastal Florida county on the East Coast yesterday.

Twelve Floria counties have declared a state of emergency. The Division of Emergency Management is sending 25 shelter kits with PPE to counties in the path of the storm. Each kit provides PPE for up to 400 people for 96 hours, the governor said.

“The State of Florida is fully prepared for this,” DeSantis said and that his administration has been in contact with local area hospitals. The hospitals aren’t anticipating the need to evacuate patients at this time, but one smaller hospital is going to move some COVID patients to another hospital in Brevard county.

DeSantis said everyone in Isaias’ path “should have enough food, water and medicine for seven days” and said there is still time to get supplies.

7:53 a.m.: Hurricane Isaias has winds of 85 mph, approaching Florida later today.

Hurricane Isais remains a Category 1 storm sustaining winds of 80 mph. The hurricane’s eye is near Andros Island Bahamas. Isaias is expected to move through the Bahamas today and near Florida tonight into Sunday.

Forecasts warn of a dangerous storm surge. Heavy rains are a main concern as Isaias nears the Florida coast. The storm is expected to run up the East Coast and impact the Carolinas, the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast. Significant rainfall in the Carolinas and the major Northeast cities is expected.

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August 1, 2020 • No Comments • National News

Justin Sullivan/Getty ImagesBY: MORGAN WINSOR AND ELLA TORRES, ABC NEWS

(NEW YORK) — A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now killed more than 679,000 people worldwide.

Over 17.6 million people across the globe have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new respiratory virus, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. The actual numbers are believed to be much higher due to testing shortages, many unreported cases and suspicions that some national governments are hiding or downplaying the scope of their outbreaks.

Since the first cases were detected in China in December, the United States has become the worst-affected country, with more than 4.5 million diagnosed cases and at least 153,314 deaths.

Here is how the news is developing today. All times Eastern.

4:33 p.m.: South Africa surpasses 500,000 cases

There are now 503,290 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in South Africa, according to the country’s Department of Health.

There were 10,107 new cases reported and more than 3 million tests have been conducted, the agency said.

Deaths also increased, with 148 fatalities in the last 24 hours in the country of some 57 million. The total number of deaths is 8,153.

4:19 p.m.: FDA authorizes 1st tests that estimate patient’s antibodies

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized two new antibody tests capable of estimating the number of antibodies in a person’s blood.

The tests, called “semi-quantitative” tests, “may be useful as we continue to learn more about the virus and what the existence of antibodies may mean,” Tim Stenzel, director of the Office of In Vitro Diagnostics and Radiological Health at the FDA, said in a statement.

Scientists still do not know if, or to what extent, antibodies offer immunity to COVID-19.

“Patients should not interpret results as telling them they are immune, or have any level of immunity, from the virus,” Stenzel said.

3:54 p.m.: Phillies, Marlins to resume playing next week

The Philadelphia Phillies are set to resume playing Monday, after several games had been canceled “out of an abundance of caution,” according to the Major Leagues Baseball.

The games were canceled because the Phillies had played against the Miami Marlins, a team that experienced numerous COVID-19 positive tests among players and staff.

The MLB said the last exposure of Phillies players and staff was on July 26, and no players have tested positive since.

Three staff members did test positive, but MLB said it appeared two of those results were false positives.

The Miami Marlins also are scheduled to resume playing, Tuesday against the Baltimore Orioles.

The players and staff had been in quarantine in Philadelphia since July 26. The Marlins reported no new positive tests results in Friday’s collections, according to MLB.

3:20 p.m.: California reports highest daily deaths

The California Department of Public Health reported that 219 people died of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, marking the state’s highest daily death toll.

The total number of fatalities is now 9,224, according to the agency. There were also 6,542 new cases, with the 14-day average reaching 8,912.

However, hospitalizations and ICU admittances are falling.

This week’s positivity rate — 6.5% — was nearly a full point below that of the previous 14 days, 7.3%.

Earlier in the day, a tally of total cases by Johns Hopkins showed that cases in the state surpassed 500,000. The California Department of Public Health confirmed that number.

1:20 p.m.: House Democrat tests positive after contact with Gohmert

Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., the chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, has tested positive for COVID-19.

Grijalva’s diagnosis comes days after he had close contact with Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, at a committee hearing. Gohmert, who refused to wear a mask, tested positive earlier this week.

Grijalva said he’s asymptomatic and will self-isolate.

“While I cannot blame anyone directly for this, this week has shown that there are some Members of Congress who fail to take this crisis seriously,” he said in a statement. “Numerous Republican members routinely strut around the Capitol without a mask to selfishly make a political statement at the expense of their colleagues, staff, and their families.”

In addition to Grijalva, three House Republicans and several GOP staffers also are self-quarantining after contact with Gohmert.

1:06 p.m.: Milwaukee Brewers player opts out for rest of season

Lorenzo Cain, an outfielder for the Milwaukee Brewers, has chosen not to play for the remainder of the season.

“We fully support Lorenzo’s decision, and we will miss his talents on the field and leadership in the clubhouse,” President and General Manager David Stearns said in a statement.

The news comes a day after the Brewers’ game against the St. Louis Cardinals was postponed.

Cain later issued a statement saying the decision was made after “careful consideration and discussion with my family.”

“With all of the uncertainty and unknowns surrounding our game at this time, I feel that this is the best decision for me, my wife, and our three kids,” he said, adding that the team was “very understanding and supportive.”

“I wish all of my great teammates the best of luck this season and look forward to getting back on the field in 2021. Please stay safe,” Cain said.

11:25 a.m.: Mississippi school district announces positive COVID test in 1st week back

A person in the Corinth School District in Mississippi has tested positive for coronavirus, the school district announced.

It was the district’s first week back, and the first district in the state to reopen.

The district said anyone who had close contact with the person, which was described as within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more, has been notified.

Children who need to quarantine will not be allowed to attend school or school activities, but will be required to complete their work.

10:57 a.m.: Florida deaths surpass 7,000

Deaths in Florida have reached 7,145, after an increase of 179 in the last 24 hours, according to the state’s Department of Health.

The number of confirmed cases totaled 480,028, an increase of 9,642.

Hospitalizations also rose, by 439 in the last 24 hours.

However, there were 7,968 active hospitalizations, which is down significantly from the last two weeks.

8:54 a.m.: Ohio State releases pledge students must sign to return to campus

The Ohio State University has released a pledge that all students who want to return to campus must sign as part of their effort to minimize the spread.

The pledge — called the Together as Buckeyes Pledge — mandates that students follow the university’s guidelines on social distancing, masks and hygiene tips.

It also reads, “I understand that COVID-19 is a highly contagious virus and it is possible to develop and contract the COVID-19 disease even if I follow all of the safety recommendations of the university and comply with the Pledge.”

Students cannot return to campus without having signed the pledge.

For those who don’t sign, they “would be failing to comply with a legitimate university directive and pursuant to university policies, students, faculty, and staff will be subject to the appropriate accountability measures and disciplinary actions,” the pledge reads.

Students will be contacted by the student conduct office and given five days to sign the pledge if they have not done so by the time school begins, according to The Columbus Dispatch. If a student still does not sign the pledge, he or she will only be permitted to take virtual courses, may not schedule a move-in time, may not physically enter any campus or university facility and may not physically participate in any university activity on or off campus, the Dispatch reported.

8:30 a.m.: California becomes 1st state to tally over half a million cases

California has become the first U.S. state to tally more than half a million diagnosed cases of COVID-19, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

As of Saturday morning, the Golden State had reported at least 500,556 confirmed cases.

Just last month, California surpassed New York as the state with the nation’s highest case count.

7:25 a.m.: CDC predicts 168,000 to 182,000 US deaths by Aug. 22

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its website overnight to include the prediction that 168,000 to 182,000 Americans likely would die from COVID-19-related deaths by Aug. 22.

According to the CDC, based on data from 32 modeling groups, weekly reports of new COVID-19 deaths may increase over the next month, with 5,000 to 11,000 new deaths reported during the week ending Aug. 22.

The CDC’s forecast also predicts that the number of reported new deaths per week may increase over the next four weeks in Alabama, Kentucky, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, Tennessee and Washington.

6:25 a.m.: India records its highest daily increase in cases

India reported more than 57,000 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, its steepest spike to date, taking the nationwide count close to 1.7 million.

The Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare also reported 764 additional coronavirus-related deaths, bringing the total to 36,511.

The country of 1.3 billion people has the third-highest number of diagnosed COVID-19 cases in the world, according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins University. As of Saturday morning, India had a total of 1,695,988 diagnosed cases, of which more than 565,000 are active cases.

Over 1 million patients there have recovered so far, according to the latest data from the health ministry.

5:31 a.m.: Northeastern University to require all students be tested 3 times

Northeastern University announced Friday that it will require all students arriving at the Boston campus for the fall semester to be tested three times for COVID-19 and then immediately self-quarantine.

Students also must be tested two more times, on the third and fifth day after the first test. Those whose initial test comes back negative will be allowed to discontinue their quarantine. After the third test comes back negative, students will be allowed to fully participate in campus activities, such as going to classes, according to Northeastern University.

The new measures will apply to every student arriving on campus from all states for the start of the fall semester, whether they live on or off campus.

Students living on campus who test positive for the novel coronavirus will be isolated and moved into designated on-campus housing units with their own bathrooms. Food will be delivered to the students there, and case managers and clinical support will be made available on a daily basis, according to the university.

4:07 a.m.: US reports over 67,000 new cases as total tops 4.5 million

Just over 67,000 new cases of COVID-19 were identified in the United States on Friday, bringing the nationwide count soaring past 4.5 million, according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins University.

The latest daily caseload is under the country’s record set on July 16, when more than 77,000 new cases were identified in a 24-hour reporting period.

A total of 4,562,171 people in the United States have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the pandemic began, and at least 153,314 of them have died, according to Johns Hopkins. The cases include people from all 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., and other U.S. territories as well as repatriated citizens.

By May 20, all U.S. states had begun lifting stay-at-home orders and other restrictions put in place to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. The day-to-day increase in the country’s cases then hovered around 20,000 for a couple of weeks before shooting back up and crossing 70,000 for the first time in mid-July.

Many states have seen a rise in infections in recent weeks, with some — including Arizona, California and Florida — reporting daily records.

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August 1, 2020 • No Comments • National News

icholakov/iStockBY: ELLA TORRES, ABC NEWS

(NEW YORK) — Seven people, including a member of the Alaska State Legislature, were killed after two planes crashed in the sky on the Kenai Peninsula on Friday, officials said.

Gary Knopp, 67, a Republican member of the Alaska House of Representatives, was operating one of the planes that crashed and was the sole occupant, according to a press release from the Alaska Department of Public Safety.

His colleagues confirmed his death, saying they were heartbroken at the news.

“I’m devastated and shocked to learn of the crash that claimed Gary Knopp’s life,” House Speaker Bryce Edgmon said in a statement. “Gary was a one-of-a-kind leader and a true Alaskan who worked tirelessly for his district in the Legislature. He will be missed by many.”

The other victims of the crash were Gregory Bell, 57; David Rogers, 40; Caleb Hulsey, 26; Heather Hulsey, 25; Mackay Hulsey, 24; and Kirstin Wright, 23, according to the state’s Department of Public Safety.

They were the six occupants of the other plane.

Alaska State Troopers received a report around 8:27 a.m. local time of a plane crash near Sterling Highway, on the Kenai Peninsula, a borough of Southcentral Alaska, authorities said.

Troopers found the majority of the wreckage about two hundred yards from the road.

Investigators determined that two planes had crashed midair, according to authorities.

All but one person was pronounced dead on scene, however that person died on the way to a local hospital. Authorities did not identify which person that was.

The National Transportation Safety Board had been notified and will conduct an investigation into the cause of the crash, which is unknown at this time.

“This is an unfathomable tragedy for multiple families today. The DPS sends a heartfelt condolence to all who lost a loved one in this mid-air collision,” Commissioner Amanda Price of the Department of Public Safety said in a statement. “Troopers and partner agencies have worked together diligently at the scene and have reached out to next of kin to notify them of this heartbreaking incident.”

Knopp’s colleagues offered their condolences to his family, including his wife, Helen.

Knopp, born in Montana, moved to Alaska in 1979, according to the Alaska House Majority. He was elected to represent House District 30 in 2016.

Rep. Steve Thompson called Knopp “one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met. … He will be truly missed.”

Little information was known about the other victims, though five were from out of state.

Rogers was from Kansas, while the Hulseys and Wright were from South Carolina, authorities said.

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July 31, 2020 • No Comments • National News

KOCO-TVBy ABC News

(OKLAHOMA COUNTY, Ok.) — An Oklahoma inmate has been taken into custody after breaking out of his 12th-floor jail cell window and shimmying down what appeared to be sheets tied together.

Pablo Robledo, 34, escaped from Oklahoma County Jail with his cellmate, Jose Hernandez, early Friday morning, according to authorities.

Just before 7 a.m., the Oklahoma City Police Department notified the Oklahoma County Detention Center that it had detained an injured Hernandez, according to authorities, who said the OCDC then determined that Hernandez and Robledo had gone missing.

Officials said they believe Hernandez, who was taken to a hospital, broke his leg after jumping from the fourth floor, ABC Oklahoma City affiliate KOCO reported.

Online records show Robledo was being held since June 2019 on charges including first-degree murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and misdemeanor domestic abuse.

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July 31, 2020 • No Comments • National News

kali9/iStockBy CATHERINE THORBECKE, ABC News

(TAMPA, Fla.) — A Florida teen has been arrested in connection with the massive Twitter hack earlier this month that impacted the accounts of Barack Obama, Elon Musk, Kanye West and other high-profile users.

The 17-year-old Tampa resident, who was arrested Friday, was hit with 30 felony charges in connection with the cyber attack, according to Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren.

“These crimes were perpetrated using the names of famous people and celebrities, but they’re not the primary victims here,” Warren said in a statement. “This ‘Bit-Con’ was designed to steal money from regular Americans from all over the country, including here in Florida. This massive fraud was orchestrated right here in our backyard, and we will not stand for that.”

The Florida teen was the “mastermind” of the hack, according to a statement from Warren’s office.

In a news conference Friday, Warren described the alleged hacker as “not an ordinary 17-year-old.”

“This was a highly sophisticated attack on a magnitude not seen before, it could’ve been an extremely high amount of loss,” Warren said. “It could have destabilized financial markets both here and around the globe, because he had access to powerful politicians’ Twitter accounts, and could have undermined international diplomacy.”

Warren also revealed that the teen gained access to a Twitter account of an employee, and then gained access “to the internal controls of Twitter, through compromising a Twitter employee.”

“He compromised the security of a Twitter employee, which allowed him to gain access to that accounts and controls, and that gave him access to whatever Twitter account he wanted, he was then selling access to those accounts,” he said.

Warren noted that he was “surprised it was someone so young,” but added “at the same time, we see people all the time who are sophisticated and savvy on computers at a young age.”

During the July 15 hack, some of the compromised accounts tweeted for funds to be sent to a Bitcoin account.

Warren’s office said the scheme reaped more than $100,000 worth of Bitcoin in just one day.

The teen faces one count of organized fraud, 17 counts of communications fraud, 11 counts of fraudulent use of personal information and one count of accessing a computer or electronic device without authority.

“Working together, we will hold this defendant accountable,” Warren said in a statement. “Scamming people out of their hard-earned money is always wrong. Whether you’re taking advantage of someone in person or on the internet, trying to steal their cash or their cryptocurrency — it’s fraud, it’s illegal, and you won’t get away with it.”

Twitter previously said that 130 accounts were targeted in the attack, and that tweets were sent out from 45 of those accounts. The social media giant also said that their investigation revealed that the direct message inboxes of 36 accounts were accessed by the hackers, including one elected official in the Netherlands.

ABC News’ Luke Barr contributed to this report.

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