A new variant of COVID-19 may be driving up cases in some parts of the world, WHO says
COVID-19 cases are rising again as a new variant begins to circulate in some parts of the world. The World Health Organization said Wednesday the rise in cases is primarily in the eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia and western Pacific regions.
Airport screening in the United States has detected the new variant in travelers arriving from those regions to destinations in California, Washington state, Virginia and New York.
The new variant is called NB.1.8.1. It arrives as the United States' official stance on COVID-19 vaccination is changing. On Tuesday, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that COVID-19 shots are no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women — a move immediately questioned by several public health experts.
The new variant, increasing globally, had by mid-May reached nearly 11% of sequenced samples reported. The WHO has designated it a 'variant under monitoring' and considers the public health risk low at the global level with current vaccines expected to remain effective.
The WHO said some western Pacific countries have reported increases in COVID cases and hospitalizations, but there's nothing so far to suggest that the disease associated with the new variant is more severe compared to other variants.
The variant called LP.8.1 is currently the dominant version in the U.S. and globally. ___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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Daily Mail
29 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
LA is turned into a warzone as anti-ICE protests spread to San Francisco: Trump demands 'bring in the troops'
Los Angeles has been brought to its knees after rioters tore through the City of Angels, with tensions now mounting in San Francisco over President Donald Trump 's migration policies. Harrowing footage showed rioters laying deadly traps for officers in LA and setting cars alight with Molotov cocktails, fireworks and explosives as tensions soared to new heights on Sunday night after days of rioting. In one extraordinary attack, officers were trapped under an overpass on the 101 Freeway as they were hammered with fiery missiles and rocks from above while valiantly trying to extinguish flames engulfing several now-destroyed highway patrol cars. As authorities in LA struggled to contain demonstrators, the carnage spread to San Francisco where vandals trashed buildings and violently clashed with police in riot gear. The carnage has prompted authorities to declare the entirety of Downtown LA an 'unlawful assembly' and order anyone in the area to 'leave immediately.' 'Agitators have splintered into and through out the Downtown Area. Residents, businesses and visitors to the Downtown Area should be alert and report any criminal activity,' police said. Authorities have considered implementing a curfew to quell the violence and will re-evaluate whether such drastic measures are necessary as the night progresses. Immigration officials, National Guard troops and the LAPD used rubber bullets and flash bangs in an effort to control the never-ending onslaught of an estimated 6,000 protesters, with 500 Marines on standby to join the defensive lines. At the 101 Freeway, which has been the epicenter of conflict on Sunday, officers were forced to hunker under an overpass as they faced a barrage of fiery missiles from above At least 60 rioters were arrested on Sunday during skirmishes across Downtown LA which stretched into a third day, bringing the total tally of arrests for the chaotic weekend to 89. LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said demonstrators are arriving to protests armed with hammers and cinder blocks, throwing chunks of concrete or enormous rocks at officers simply doing their jobs. 'We are overwhelmed,' he said. 'We had individuals out there shooting commercial grade fireworks at our officers. That can kill ya.' Many, he said, were wearing masks - a direct violation of Trump's 'no masks' mandate. The revelation sparked a furious response from Trump on Truth Social, writing: 'arrest the people in face masks, now!' In another post, Trump added: 'Looking really bad in L.A. BRING IN THE TROOPS!' 'Jim McDonnell, the highly respected LAPD Chief, just stated that the protesters are getting very much more aggressive, and that he would 'have to reassess the situation,' as it pertains to bringing in the troops. He should, RIGHT NOW!!! Don't let these thugs get away with this.' Three officers were injured in the harrowing scenes amid concerns that the clashes could turn deadly as rioters used fireworks and heavy rocks to attack authorities. Police horses were targeted as they made their way through the streets with deadly explosives, while cannisters of tear gas which police had used to disperse the crowds were instead picked up and thrown back at officers. At the 101 Freeway, which has been the epicenter of conflict on Sunday, officers were forced to hunker under an overpass as they faced a barrage of missiles from above. Extraordinary footage captured by independent journalist Cam Higby showed a small contingent of Los Angeles highway patrol officers under siege by protesters who had seized control of the overpass above them. The protesters threw tinder lit on fire in an effort to blow up the police cars below, and attacked officers with rocks and tear gas from above when they made any effort to extinguish the flames. Earlier in the evening authorities faced an uphill battle to contain violence on the same stretch of road. More than 2,000 protesters commandeered northbound and southbound traffic, grinding motorists to a complete halt as they marched with flags and signs high above their heads. Motorists stuck on the unmoving freeway were instructed to turn around in an effort to clear the traffic, as even more rioters gathered on overpasses and ramps. The freeway was briefly reopened but authorities had to shut it down once again as demonstrators began tossing missiles off the overpass. Witnesses claimed demonstrators were setting tinder alight and firing rocks from the overpass, aiming at police patrol vehicles as they passed by. The vile scenes of carnage came on the back of an edict by Trump to send in as many as 2,000 National Guard troops, with a further 500 Marines placed on standby - sparking fury among California officials. A man who appeared to aim his van at a crowd of protesters was among dozens detained on Sunday night, with police warning charges are likely to follow. As LA fell to the rioters on Sunday night, Governor Gavin Newsom was locked in a war of words with federal officials, taunting Trump's border czar with a threat to 'arrest him.' He has vowed to sue the federal administration over the 'illegal, immoral and unconstitutional' deployment of the National Guard, which he maintains stoked the violence and increased agitation on Sunday. But a lawsuit will do little to quell the concerns of authorities on the ground who were desperately trying to restore order before nightfall amid concerns that violence historically ramps up as the sun sets. Some of the most horrifying images to emerge from the carnage on Sunday came from Downtown LA, where at least five Waymo self-driving cars were set alight and vandalized, prompting an indefinite shutdown of Los Angeles St north of Arcadia, and south of Alameda amid safety concerns about the lithium batteries. Horrifying vision captured the moment these rioters set fire to the robotaxis and celebrated the carnage by dancing on the roof of cars and waving Mexican flags. 'Burn, burn, burn,' the protesters cheered. 'Burning lithium-ion batteries release toxic gases, including hydrogen fluoride, posing risks to responders and those nearby,' authorities said. Extraordinary footage showed a small contingent of Los Angeles highway patrol officers under siege by protesters who had seized control of the overpass above them. One protester repeatedly smashed the driver side window of a Waymo which had been surrounded by demonstrators as flames engulfed another car nearby. Waymo was forced to halt all services in and around the under-siege protest areas in an effort to protect the remainder of the fleet. Each self driving robotaxi is estimated to be worth about $150,000. At least two officers were injured after motorcyclists ploughed through rioters and ran straight over the top of authorities. Both of the riders have been detained by police as the officers are treated by medical personnel on the scene. Elsewhere, officers were reportedly struck by fireworks as they worked to break up a violent crowd, while protesters were filmed brandishing 3D creations of Trump's severed head on a pole. At the Los Angeles City Hall, authorities on horseback were locked in a tense standoff with even more demonstrators, sparking fears from local law enforcement officers that they were in for a 'rough night.' Throughout the day, police deployed 'less lethal munitions' in response to violent attacks by protesters. Protesters gathered outside the Metropolitan Detention Center were warned that the LAPD incident commander had approved the use of such weapons. An Australian journalist was fired upon with a rubber bullet while delivering a live cross to the network in an area which had been given an 'unlawful assembly' designation. The LAPD began issuing rolling dispersal orders and declaring some of the protests acts of 'unlawful assembly' as violence ramped up on Sunday afternoon. At the site of another dispersal order near Temple Street and Main Street, demonstrators are 'using chairs, garbage bins and other items to blockade the street.' By early afternoon the city had been placed on 'tactical alert', meaning all of the department's officers were put on notice that they could be called up for service at any given moment. Officers who were already on duty were not allowed to end their shift until they had been relieved by their commanders, and residents of Los Angeles were warned that low priority calls may go unanswered while the alert is ongoing. That order came after Trump issued an extraordinary directive vowing to 'liberate Los Angeles' from illegal aliens which have 'invaded and occupied a once great American city.' A combined effort led by Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and Attorney General Pam Bondi will restore order, Trump said. He directed his key personnel to 'to take all such action necessary to liberate Los Angeles from the Migrant Invasion, and put an end to these migrant riots. 'Order will be restored, the Illegals will be expelled, and Los Angeles will be set free,' Trump wrote on Truth Social on Sunday afternoon. Trump lamented the current state of the city, expressing concern that 'a once great American City, Los Angeles, has been invaded and occupied by Illegal Aliens and Criminals. 'Now violent, insurrectionist mobs are swarming and attacking our Federal Agents to try and stop our deportation operations.' But he vowed 'these lawless riots only strengthen our resolve' as images emerge of troops on the ground in the downtown area of the city ready to defend the city from more violent demonstrations. The president congratulated the National Guard on doing a 'great job' in the city in the early hours of Sunday morning, although they hadn't arrived yet. But Governor Newsom shared a very different perspective just hours later, revealing he has urged Trump to ' rescind the order [and] return control to California.' 'We didn't have a problem until Trump got involved,' Newsom said in his extraordinary rebuke. 'This is a serious breach of state sovereignty — inflaming tensions while pulling resources from where they're actually needed. 'These are the acts of a dictator, not a President.' Trump issued several late night Truth Social statements in the wake of the carnage Mayor Karen Bass echoed those statements, telling CNN: 'This sows chaos that is not warranted nor needed in the city of Los Angeles. 'It's as though troops were rolled out in a provocative manner and I do not see how that is helpful to Los Angeles right now, it's not the type of resources that we need in the city. 'We do not need to have our city under siege.' Former Vice President Kamala Harris joined in on the Democrat pile-on on Sunday, denouncing the ICE raids which sparked the civil unrest. 'Deploying the National Guard is a dangerous escalation meant to provoke chaos,' Harris wrote in a statement on X. 'In addition to the recent ICE raids in Southern California and across our nation, it is part of the Trump Administration's cruel, calculated agenda to spread panic and division.' Trump hit back with a Truth Social post on Sunday demanding both Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass apologize for the LA riots, insisting those involved are not 'peaceful protesters' as the duo had claimed, but instead 'troublemakers and insurrectionists.' Defending Trump, border czar Tom Homan described Newsom as an embarrassment to the state and warned 'it's a felony to impede law enforcement from doing their job.' Newsom quickly hit back at Homan, daring the border czar to put him in handcuffs as the conflict descended into a childish tit-for-tat despite the crisis on his doorstep. 'Come and arrest me. Let's just get it over with, tough guy. I don't give a damn,' he told MSNBC Sunday evening. 'He's a tough guy. Why doesn't he do that? He knows where to find me.' The crisis even saw Trump's friend-turned-foe Elon Musk rush to his defense, sharing several comments on X expressing horror over the scenes of violence. 'This is not ok,' he wrote alongside one image of a rioter on top of a vandalized car. Separately, he reshared Trump's Truth Social post criticizing Newsom and Bass. These riots were set against the backdrop of Trump's latest immigration raid, targeting the safe haven of Los Angeles on Friday. DHS said in a statement that the recent ICE operations resulted in the arrest of 118 immigrants. Homan said those arrested included child sex offenders, gang members and national security threats. 'They arrested a lot of bad people yesterday and today,' Homan asserted. 'We're making Los Angeles safer.' Homan also remarked that ICE agents were often wearing masks as they conducted raids because they were worried about their families being doxed. By Saturday night federal agents reported having arrested more than a dozen 'agitators who impeded agents in their ability to conduct law enforcement operations.
Sky News
an hour ago
- Sky News
Los Angeles live: British photographer has emergency surgery after being hit by non-lethal bullet amid LA unrest
What do you need to know this morning? It's just hit 10.30pm in Los Angeles (6.30am UK time) and hostilities continue between National Guard troops and protesters. Let's bring you up to speed with what's been happening... Tensions in Los Angeles escalated yesterday as thousands of protesters gathered in the streets in response to Donald Trump's deployment of the National Guard; Protesters blocked off a major motorway and set vehicles on fire as police used tear gas and rubber bullets to control the crowds; Some police patrolled the streets on horseback while others with riot gear lined up behind Guard troops deployed to protect federal facilities - including a detention centre where some immigrants were taken in recent days; The clashes came on the third day of demonstrations against Trump's immigration crackdown in the region; By midday local time, hundreds had gathered outside the Metropolitan Detention Centre in downtown Los Angeles, where people were detained after earlier immigration raids; Protesters directed chants of "shame" and "go home" at members of the National Guard; California governor Gavin Newsom said Trump was trying to "manufacture a crisis" by sending in the National Guard. The Democrat warned the president was "hoping for chaos" to enable "more crackdowns". LA mayor: Don't engage in violence and chaos Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass has held a meeting with California governor Gavin Newsom, the LAPD and other officials and called on Angelenos to not engage in violence. Here is what she has said this morning... Eyewitness: Downtown LA is a scene of pandemonium and lawlessness Our US correspondent Martha Kelner has been reporting from the unrest in LA. Here's a taster of her latest eyewitness piece... A shirtless man waving a Mexican flag stands atop a burning car in the heart of Los Angeles, as another man throws a traffic cone into the flames and some play drums and shout chants in opposition to immigration officials. In the background, city hall can be glimpsed through a haze of thick black smoke. The downtown district of one of America's biggest cities was a scene of pandemonium and lawlessness as protests, which had previously been mainly peaceful, turned ugly. Critics of Donald Trump said the president's extraordinary decision to deploy National Guard troops, defying the wishes of the state's governor, had inflamed tensions and stoked emotions. Read Kelner's full piece below... British photographer hit by non-lethal bullets A British photographer has been hit by non-lethal rounds during protests in Los Angeles. Nick Stern was documenting a stand-off between anti Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) protesters and police outside a Home Depot in Paramount when a 14mm "sponge bullet" tore into his thigh. He has now undergone emergency surgery and is recovering at Long Beach Memorial Medical Centre. "Some of the protesters came and helped me, and they ended up carrying me, and I noticed that there was blood pouring down my leg," he told PA. It is the second incident of this kind that Stern, who emigrated to the US in 2007, has been involved in - the first was when he was hit by a live round during the George Floyd protests in 2020. He said he tries to make himself as "visible as possible" while working in hostile situations. "That way you're less likely to get hit because they know you're media," he added. Unrest in Los Angeles in numbers There have been at least 56 arrests so far during the protests in Los Angeles, police chief Jim McDonnell said at a news conference. Ten people were arrested on Sunday, in addition to the 29 arrested on Saturday. The California Highway Patrol, which was in charge of law enforcement along the 101 Freeway as protesters shut it down, made a further 17 arrests. Among those arrested was a person who allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail at an officer and another who is accused of ramming a motorcycle into a line of officers, injuring one. Three LAPD officers were injured but did not require transport. At least five Waymo vehicles have gone up in flames, causing plumes of black smoke and even explosions. Around 300 National Guard troops have been deployed to LA, with 1,700 more on the way, according to Trump. Additionally, US Northern Command said 500 Marines were standing by, ready to support the National Guard if necessary. In pictures: 101 Freeway closed until further notice The Los Angeles Police Department said that "due to demonstrators throwing objects" onto the 101 Freeway and "damaging multiple police vehicles", the road would remain closed until further notice. Newsom vows to sue Trump over National Guard deployment Gavin Newsom has vowed to sue Donald Trump for deploying National Guard troops to Los Angeles without consulting him as the governor. "There's a protocol, there's a process, he didn't care about that," Newsom said in an interview with MSNBC, adding that he plans to file the lawsuit early Monday morning. He accused Trump of being a "stone-cold liar" after the pair spoke on Friday and the president allegedly made no mention of deploying the National Guard. Newsom also said Trump was the "sponsor" of the conditions in LA right now, adding that authorities in California were trying to clear up "his mess". The governor urged protesters to "stay peaceful" and not "take Trump's bait", adding: "Don't give him the excuse he's looking for." "These are not protesters, they are troublemakers and insurrectionists," Trump claimed in a Truth Social post. 500 Marines on standby, NORTHCOM says Five hundred Marines are ready to support the National Guard troops in Los Angeles, US Northern Command said. They would be deployed "should they be necessary to augment and support the (Department of Defense's) protection of federal property and personnel efforts", it said in a statement. It comes after Trump said he would not rule out sending Marines to Los Angeles - see our post at 3.35. In pictures: Cars are burning in Los Angeles Several vehicles branded as Waymo Driver SUVs providing autonomous, driver-free rides in LA went up in flames, causing black plumes of smoke to billow into the sky. The electric cars have lithium-ion batteries, which the Los Angeles Police Department warned can "release toxic gasses" when ablaze. A noxious smell has been noted in the area, with some of the fires resulting in explosions within the vehicles. Waymo has suspended its service in downtown LA "until it is deemed safe". Trump stumbles on steps of Air Force One after saying there are 'violent people' in LA The US president stumbled while climbing the steps to Air Force One in Morristown, New Jersey, on Sunday. He managed to catch himself on the handrail before he could fall on to the steps. Before his stumble, Donald Trump told reporters on the tarmac that there were "violent people" in Los Angeles and that "we're not gonna let them get away with it". When asked about whether he would invoke the Insurrection Act, Trump said this was "depending on whether or not there is an insurrection". He added: "We're going to have troops everywhere, we're not gonna let that happen to our country, we're not gonna let our country be torn apart." Trump also didn't rule out sending Marines to Los Angeles. "If we see danger to our country, to our citizens, I will be very, very strong in terms of law and order. It's about law and order," he said.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Trump says LA will be ‘set free' as ICE protests continue
Donald Trump vowed to "liberate Los Angeles from the Migrant Invasion" following clashes between the National Guard and anti-immigration enforcement protesters. Trump directed federal departments to take action to expel "Illegals" and end "Migrant riots," claiming Los Angeles has been "invaded and occupied." Tensions escalated after ICE operations led to 118 arrests, with protests resulting in vehicle fires, graffiti, and clashes between police and demonstrators, prompting the LAPD to declare a tactical alert and unlawful assembly. Trump threatened to deploy US Marines and introduced the phrase "they spit, we hit" in response to the unrest, reminiscent of his earlier controversial statement in 2020 of "when the looting starts, the shooting starts." Governor Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass urged calm, with Newsom accusing Trump of manufacturing a crisis and Bass expressing disappointment, calling the troop deployment unnecessary and political.
