January 18, 2021 • No Comments • National News

Ovidiu Dugulan/iStockBy MORGAN WINSOR, ABC News

(NEW YORK) — A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now infected more than 95 million people worldwide and killed over two million of them, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

Here’s how the news is developing Monday. All times Eastern:

Jan 18, 8:27 am
London to pilot 24/7 vaccination sites before end of January

Before the end of the month, London will begin piloting COVID-19 vaccination sites that will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, according to Nadhim Zahawi, the United Kingdom’s minister for COVID-19 vaccine deployment.

England’s National Health Service (NHS) will trial the round-the-clock vaccination sites at hospitals in the British capital.

“And we’ll look at how we expand that,” Zahawi told Sky News in an interview Monday.

Zahawi said the key with 24-hour vaccination sites is to ensure vulnerable populations, such as people over 80 and others deemed high-risk, are still being targeted.

“At the moment, the challenge is obviously supply — limited supply vaccine that needs to get into the arms of the most vulnerable four cohorts. So the targeting has to be really, really precise so that we can protect them by mid-February,” he added.

“So if you just want to chase volume, chase speed and not accuracy, 24 hours works really well,” he continued. “If you want to chase both accuracy, protecting the most vulnerable and of course speed, then you want to do what we’re doing which is primary care networks, hospitals, large vaccination centers and of course pharmacies.”

As of Saturday, 3,857,266 people in the U.K. have received the first of two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to the latest data published on the U.K. government’s website.

The U.K. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved three COVID-19 vaccines for use to date — one developed by U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech, a second developed by England’s University of Oxford and British-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, and a third developed by American biotechnology firm Moderna.

The U.K. — an island nation of 66 million people made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland — has confirmed more than 3.3 million cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, including over 89,000 deaths. There were 38,598 new cases and 671 additional deaths confirmed over the past 24 hours, according to the latest data.

Jan 18, 7:10 am
France expands vaccination campaign to 75 and older, anyone deemed high-risk

People aged 75 and over will be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in France starting Monday.

Up until now, only residents of nursing homes and medical staff aged 50 and over were able to be vaccinated against the disease.

France is also expanding its vaccination campaign to include anyone with high-risk conditions, such as cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or transplant patients.

The move comes after the country’s death toll from COVID-19 topped 70,000 over the weekend.

France has confirmed more than 2.9 million cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, including at least 70,283 deaths, according to the latest data from the country’s public health agency. The Western European nation has the sixth-highest tally of diagnosed cases in the world, after the United States, India, Brazil, Russia and the United Kingdom, according to a real-time count kept by Johns Hopkins University.

So far, the European Medicines Agency has approved two COVID-19 vaccines for use in the European Union — one developed by U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech, and another developed by American biotechnology company Moderna.

Jan 18, 6:24 am
Oklahoma school district stops basketball games due to ‘super-spreader event’

A public school district in Oklahoma City canceled basketball games on Friday night after witnessing what it called a “super-spreader event.”

Millwood Public Schools said it “made the decision to put kids and families first,” pulling its basketball players off the court during games against Community Christian School in Norman, about 20 miles south of downtown Oklahoma City. The school district posted photos on Facebook showing a crowded gymnasium with no social distancing and few people wearing masks.

“We will NOT subject our kids and families to a super-spreader event just to compete,” Millwood Public Schools wrote in the Facebook post Friday night.

Community Christian School’s athletics director, Mat McIntosh, told Oklahoma City ABC affiliate KOCO-TV that the photos shared on social media showed the home side, which “was three-fourths full.” He said that they “would never put any students at risk.”

“During [Friday] night’s game when the decision was made to pull the players off the court, we were caught off guard,” McIntosh said in a statement. “We hated that. It has been our desire to keep things as normal as possible. We have policies in place for COVID during athletic events. As a school, we have listened to the governor’s statement to stay at 50% capacity. We feel even [Friday] night, our overall capacity was under 50%.”

Jan 18, 5:25 am
Germany has vaccinated over one million people

More than one million people have received the first of two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine in Germany, according to the country’s public health agency.

As of Saturday, 1,048,160 first doses had been administered nationwide, according to the latest data from the Robert Koch Institute. So far, the European Medicines Agency has approved two COVID-19 vaccines for use in the European Union — one developed by U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech, and another developed by American biotechnology company Moderna.

There were 7,141 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Germany on Sunday. An additional 214 deaths from the disease were also registered nationwide. That brings the country’s cumulative totals to 2,040,659 cases with 46,633 deaths, according to the Robert Koch Institute.

Jan 18, 4:19 am
US reports under 200,000 new cases for first time in two weeks

There were 174,513 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in the United States on Sunday, according to a real-time count kept by Johns Hopkins University.

It’s the first time in two weeks that the country has logged under 200,000 newly confirmed infections in a 24-hour reporting period. Sunday’s tally is far less than the country’s all-time high of 302,506 new cases on Jan. 2, Johns Hopkins data shows.

An additional 1,723 fatalities from COVID-19 were registered nationwide on Sunday, down from a peak of 4,462 new deaths on Jan. 12, according to Johns Hopkins data.

COVID-19 data may be skewed due to possible lags in reporting over the holidays followed by a potentially very large backlog.

A total of 23,936,772 people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the pandemic began, and at least 397,600 have died, according to Johns Hopkins data. The cases include people from all 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., and other U.S. territories as well as repatriated citizens.

Much of the country was under lockdown by the end of March as the first wave of the pandemic hit. 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 over the summer.

The numbers lingered around 40,000 to 50,000 from mid-August through early October before surging again to record levels, crossing 100,000 for the first time on Nov. 4, then reaching 200,000 on Nov. 27 before topping 300,000 on Jan. 2.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

January 17, 2021 • No Comments • National News

DNY59/iStockBY: JON HAWORTH, ABC NEWS

(NEW YORK) — A 70-year-old woman in has been arrested after being filmed allegedly poisoning her husband’s coffee with ant and roach killer on more than one occasion.

The incident occurred on Jan. 12, when 70-year-old Suncha Tinerva of Queens in New York City was caught on video surveillance placing a “white powdery substance” from a bottle with a red cap and a yellow label into her husband’s coffee, according to a statement from Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz’s office.

“Tinerva retrieved the bottle from the cabinet under the sink and allegedly spiked her husband’s coffee on two or three occasions,” said Katz’s office. “On Jan. 14, 2021 at approximately 10:40 p.m. … detectives recovered a bottle with a red cap and yellow label from the spot under the sink.”

Authorities then discovered that the contents of the bottle allegedly contained 100% boric acid — a substance that is used to kill ants and roaches.

“People who have eaten boric acid have had nausea, vomiting, stomach aches, and diarrhea … Eating extreme amounts has resulted in a red, ‘boiled lobster’ like skin rash, followed by skin loss. People who breathed in borax had a dry mouth, nose, and throat. Coughing, sore throat, shortness of breath, and nose bleeds have also been reported,” according to the National Pesticide Information Center.

Katz’s office said that Tinerva’s husband became sick but, thankfully, did not die following the attempted poisonings.

“Domestic violence is not limited to mental and physical abuse. The defendant in this case allegedly used deception to sicken her spouse,” District Attorney Katz said in a statement.

Tinevra has since been arraigned before Queens Criminal Court Judge Jeffrey Gershuny on charges of attempted assault in the second degree, reckless endangerment in the second degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree.

Judge Gershuny ordered Tinerva to return to court later this year on March 10 and, if convicted, Tinevra could face up to four years in prison.

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January 17, 2021 • No Comments • National News

ABC NewsBY: DANIEL MANZO, ABC NEWS

(NEW YORK) — The organized part of the winter storm that hit the Northeast on Saturday has ended and it brought 13 inches of snow to Mineville, New York, 16 inches of snow to Woodford, Vermont and 12 inches of snow to Pinkham Notch, New Hampshire.

The warmer side of the storm brought over 3 inches of rain to Connecticut and over 2 inches of rain to New York.

In the wake of this system, an upper level low pressure system remains very slow to move out of the eastern U.S. and it is creating patches of unsettled weather, mainly in the form of quick moving snow squalls across parts of the Great Lakes and into the Appalachians where snow squalls on Sunday could quickly reduce visibility.

Some of these snow squalls could have as much as 6 inches of snow and would add on to current snow pack in parts of the region.

Gusty winds along the Northeast coast are a concern today in the wake of the storm with gusts possibly reaching 50 mph at times.

This will be gusty enough for some scattered power outages and it certainly will keep afternoon temperatures feeling pretty cold as drier weather is on tap for the big northeastern cities today.

Much further west, Hawaii saw its biggest swells of the season with surf reaching 50 feet on Saturday which prompted many surfers to hit the ocean on Saturday in the island chain.

Waves are still expected to be elevated today there before another big swell comes on Monday.

However, the forecast for Monday’s waves are not expected to be as high as the 50-foot surf we saw on Saturday.

It is important to note that extremely large swells are expected in Hawaii this time of the year mainly due to the passing of mid latitude cyclones across the Pacific.

Elsewhere, there was record-breaking warmth across southern California on Saturday as Palm Springs reached 90 degrees which broke a daily record.

A high of 93 degrees was reported in Camarillo, California, which was also good enough for a daily record.

The next big weather story is a strong offshore wind event that will develop in California over the next few days.

Wind gusts will gradually increase Sunday night through Tuesday in Northern California, with wind gusts reaching as high as 75 mph in spots and this could result in downed trees and power lines over the next few days.

In Southern California winds will increase beginning on Monday with gusts locally as high as 80 mph at times.

The event is expected to last into Wednesday and there is fire danger for the region with this wind event.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

January 15, 2021 • No Comments • National News

BlakeDavidTaylor/iStockBy OLIVIA RUBIN and SOO RIN KIM, ABC News

(WASHINGTON) — Retired military servicemen are turning up in alarming numbers on wanted posters and in charging documents as federal agents continue their sweep of arrests tied to the deadly riot at the Capitol last week, a trend that has experts increasingly concerned about the dangerous allure of extremist and paramilitary groups.

So far at least nine of those arrested for participating in the riot have been confirmed to be former members of the U.S. military, ABC News has confirmed through court files, lawyer statements, and military records.

The actual number is likely higher. On Thursday, FBI Director Chris Wray said the bureau has made over 100 arrests in connection with the riot, with many more anticipated.

“The large number of individuals with ties to law enforcement or the military already arrested or apparently now under investigation suggests a deeper level of far-right sympathizers in these fields,” said Javed Ali, a former senior director for counterterrorism at the National Security Council.

Some experts have been sounding alarm bells about the issue for years.

Among the ex-military arrested following last week’s attack was Larry Rendell Brock, who invaded the Capitol alongside Eric Gavelek Munchel, with both of them sporting military uniforms and gear, including zip ties, according to the Department of Justice. Munchel, of Tennessee, and Brock, of Texas, were among the first arrests as FBI agents sought to determine whether they could have been engaged in a plot to take lawmakers hostage.

The Air Force confirmed to ABC News that Lt. Col. Brock retired in 2014 after more than two decades of service, noting he had served as an A-10 pilot until 2007.

Brock was released to home confinement on Thursday, according to the Associated Press. In an interview with The New Yorker, Brock said, “The president asked for his supporters to be there to attend, and I felt like it was important, because of how much I love this country, to actually be there.” He has not yet entered a plea.

Other arrested individuals include David Lester Ross, a former member of the Massachusetts National Guard, who was taken into custody on Jan. 6 near the Capitol building after he “did not obey at least three warnings” from officers to disperse, according to arrest records. Ross pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on Thursday, and was released and ordered to stay away from D.C. His lawyer, Darry Daniels, declined to comment when reached by ABC News.

On Friday, ABC News confirmed the man seen on video smashing through the window of the Capitol building with a police shield is a former Marine. The man, Dominic Pezzola, was in the Marines for seven years as an infantry assault man, the Marine Corps told ABC News. He had won a National Defense Service Medal.

Pezzola was taken into custody Friday morning, according to the FBI, who said he is the same person seen in images “smoking a cigar inside the Capitol building.”

Earlier this week, the FBI questioned a former reserve Navy SEAL after he boasted in a Facebook video about “breaching the Capitol.” The video shows Adam Newbold, 45, from Lisbon, Ohio, whom the Navy confirmed is a retired reserve SEAL special warfare operator, in a car on his return home from Washington, telling his Facebook followers that he had wanted to make lawmakers “think twice about what they’re doing” and leave them “shaking in their shoes.”

When reached by ABC News on Tuesday, Newbold pleaded for forgiveness for his participation, saying: “I am not a terrorist. I am not a traitor.”

In the oath they take upon enlisting, U.S. military personnel and officers swear to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”

Mary McCord, a longtime national security expert who now runs Georgetown Law’s Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection, told ABC News that the radicalization of military servicemen and their participation in the Capitol riot last week isn’t surprising to her and has long been an issue.

“Some unlawful militias specifically recruit from the military because of their expertise in firearms, explosives, and tactical skills,” McCord explained. “And the idea of continuing to have a mission can be very appealing to ex-military, especially if they are predisposed ideologically with the unlawful militias.”

McCord called it “a serious problem” and said it’s something that the military “should be addressing” — both with respect to active duty and former military members.

Calls for discipline against former military members who participated in the riot have been growing since last week.

“I think we should throw the book at them, to the furthest extent possible,” said Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz. “If you’re off active duty, I want to figure out a way we can bring you back and charge you.”

“And if you’re convicted, we should be able to take your benefits away,” Gallego added.

Military personnel who retire after 20 years of service are entitled to benefits like monthly military retirement pay, access to Department of Defense medical care and health plans, and access to military commissaries. Those who leave prior to 20 years of service get no military retirement pay or access to DOD military care, but do have access to Veterans Affairs benefits like health care and home loans.

On Monday, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., sent a letter to acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller requesting that the Defense Department’s criminal investigative organizations work with the FBI and Capitol Police to investigate current and retired military members who may have participated in the attack. In the letter she urged Miller “to take appropriate action to hold individuals accountable under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.”

“Upholding good order and discipline demands that the U.S. Armed Forces root out extremists that infiltrate the military and threaten our national security,” wrote Duckworth.

In court, though, ex-servicemen have been citing their military backgrounds in seeking special consideration from the court — or pardons from President Donald Trump.

“My client fought — was in the military, served honorably. No criminal background whatsoever,” said the attorney for Jacob Chansley, also known as Jake Angeli, the man who was photographed during the riot wearing horns and body paint. “And he, like a lot of other disenfranchised people in our country, felt very, very, very solidly in sync with President Trump.”

ABC News has confirmed that Chansley used to be a Navy supply clerk.

And Virginia police officers Thomas Robertson and Jacob Fracker appear to have posted a photo of themselves with their middle fingers raised, in front of the statue of John Stark in the Capitol, according to the Department of Justice’s statement of facts in the case. After the riot, Robertson repeatedly defended his participation, saying he was “proud” of the photo because he “was willing to put skin in the game,” according to the DOJ document.

The two officers have been put on administrative leave, according to a statement from the town of Rocky Mount, where they both work. During an interview with a local media outlet, Robertson said he and Fracker “did not participate in any violence or property damage,” and suggested that Capitol Police allowed them into the building.

The Army confirmed to ABC News that Fracker is a current corporal in the Virginia National Guard, though they emphasized that he is not on duty with the Virginia National Guard troops currently in D.C.

“The Army is committed to working closely with the FBI as they identify people who participated in the violent attack on the Capitol to determine if the individuals have any connection to the Army,” they said in a statement.

Appearing before a federal judge following his arrest, Robertson cited what he described as 23 years of military experience as the reason he should not be detained pending trial.

The judge agreed and ordered Robertson released on bond.

ABC News’ Luis Martinez, Ben Siegel and Luke Barr contributed to this report.

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January 15, 2021 • No Comments • National News

dsmoulton/iStockBy CATHERINE THORBECKE, ABC News

(NEW YORK) — The National Rifle Association announced that it intends to restructure as a nonprofit based in Texas and has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protections.

“The move will enable long-term, sustainable growth and ensure the NRA’s continued success as the nation’s leading advocate for constitutional freedom — free from the toxic political environment of New York,” the gun advocacy group said in a statement Friday.

The NRA added that it has been incorporated in New York for approximately 150 years.

“This strategic plan represents a pathway to opportunity, growth and progress,” NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre said in a statement. “Obviously, an important part of this plan is ‘dumping New York.’ The NRA is pursuing reincorporating in a state that values the contributions of the NRA, celebrates our law-abiding members, and will join us as a partner in upholding constitutional freedom.”

LaPierre dubbed the decision Friday a “transformational moment in the history of the NRA.”

The move comes after the NRA was sued by New York Attorney General Letitia James last August in a bid to dissolve the group.

James accused the NRA of an array of “illegal conduct,” according to a press release at the time describing the suit, including “[the] diversion of millions of dollars away from the charitable mission of the organization for personal use by senior leadership, awarding contracts to the financial gain of close associates and family, and appearing to dole out lucrative no-show contracts to former employees in order to buy their silence and continued loyalty.”

The NRA has filed a counter claim, calling the initial suit politically motivated.

James on Friday responded to the bankruptcy news in a statement, saying, “The NRA’s claimed financial status has finally met its moral status: bankrupt.”

“While we review this filing, we will not allow the NRA to use this or any other tactic to evade accountability and my office’s oversight,” James added.

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