– Wayne Byers Show – Morning – Sept. 15

CSi Weather…

REST OF TODAY… Mostly sunny, with isolated showers. Highs in the upper 70s. South winds 10 to 15 mph increasing to around 20 mph in the afternoon. Gusts up to 35 mph. Chance of precipitation, 20 percent.

.TONIGHT…Partly cloudy. A 20 – percent chance of rain showers and thunderstorms in the evening. Lows in the lower 50s. South winds 5 to 10 mph with gusts to around 25 mph shifting to the northwest after midnight.

.THURSDAY…Mostly sunny. A 20 percent chance of rain showers in

the morning in the Jamestown area, 30 percent in the Valley City area. Highs in the lower 70s. North winds 5 to 15 mph.

.THURSDAY NIGHT…Increasing clouds. Lows in the mid 40s.

Northwest winds 5 to 10 mph.

.FRIDAY…Sunny. Highs in the upper 60s. Northwest winds 5 to

10 mph.

.FRIDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 40s.

.SATURDAY…Sunny. Highs in the upper 70s.

.SATURDAY NIGHT…Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 50s.

.SUNDAY…Sunny. Highs in the mid 80s.

.SUNDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 50s.

.MONDAY…Mostly sunny with a 20 percent chance of rain showers.

Highs in the upper 70s.

.MONDAY NIGHT…Increasing clouds. A 40 percent chance of rain

showers. Lows in the upper 50s.

.TUESDAY…Partly sunny with a 30 percent chance of rain showers.

Highs in the lower 70s.

Jamestown (City) A road closure is planned on Wednesday, September 15, and Thursday, September 16, at the intersection of 8th Street and 2nd Avenue Northeast. The closure will begin at about 7 a.m. Wednesday and last until about 6 p.m. Thursday, for water and sewer line construction. Signing will be put in place by the contractor.

Motorists are asked to use caution in the area and alternate routes if possible

Jamestown (CSi) Tuesday September 14 a ground breaking was held for the Applied Block Chain business to be located on Highway 20, a new cryptocurrency mining company. Cryptocurrency mining, or cryptomining, is a process in which transactions for various forms of cryptocurrency are verified and added to the blockchain digital ledger.

On hand were company representatives, local government leaders, members of JSDC, and strategic partners.

Applied Blockchain, Inc.’s CEO and Chairman, Wes Cummins said, “We are moving quickly to bring this large-scale project to life. Our team successfully selected and secured the site, entered into an energy services agreement, placed orders for long-lead equipment and signed multiple long-term hosting agreements. I’m proud of our team and all the hard work that got us to this point. We are excited to become a part of this community as we bring this project online.”

Applied Blockchain delivers cryptocurrency mining and infrastructure solutions to its customers. The company has partnered with Bitmain, SparkPool and General Mining Research.

Applied Blockchain will employ about 30 people on site to monitor the equipment 24 hours per day at the hosting facility near Jamestown.

The company plans to open the Jamestown location later this year.

The Jamestown Chamber of Commerce organized the groundbreaking on Highway 20 north of the city, at the area of the Otter Tail Power Company substation.

The North Dakota Department of Health dashboard is updated daily by 11 am and includes cases reported through the previous day. The investigations are ongoing and information on the website is likely to change as cases are investigated. The information contained in this dashboard is the most up to date and will be different than previous news releases. This dashboard supersedes information from previous news releases or social media postings.

Check out our other dashboards: The COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard, NDUS Dashboard.COVID- 19 stats:

COVID-19 Stats

Tues. Sept. 14, 2021

10:30- a.m.

Barnes

New Positives: 7

Total Positives: 1516

Active: 30

Recovered: 1454

Stutsman

New Positives: 7

Total Positives: 3865

Active: 93

Recovered: 3690

North Dakota Statewide Stats

NEW CASES REPORTED ON TUESDAY FROM MONDAY, SEPT. 13, 2021 : 373

ACTIVE CASES*: 2,712

DAILY POSITIVITY RATE: 8.5%

TOTAL KNOWN CASES THROUGHOUT PANDEMIC: 123,104

TOTAL RECOVERED THROUGHOUT PANDEMIC: 118,116

North Dakota 14-day rolling average positivity rate is 6.3%

North Dakota Active Hospitalizations: 100

Deaths: 3

Total Deaths: 1,576

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — An executive at the largest health care system in North Dakota says its hospitals in Fargo alone could use up to 300 more nurses to handle COVID-19 cases. Dr. Doug Griffin is the Sanford Health vice president and medical officer in Fargo, the state’s largest city. He says the Fargo system has hired 150 travel or contract nurses from other areas. The system is offering increased wages, sign-on bonuses and other unspecified perks to attract more workers. Griffin says it’s the most dire staffing situation the system has ever faced. And the peak for hospitalizations due to the coronavirus is still weeks away.

Jamestown (CVHD) Central Valley Health District reminds residents that COVID testing is on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, at the Jamestown Civic Center, Exchequor Room, from 11-a.m. to 1-pm

Call CVHD at 701-252-8130 to register.

Jamestown (CSi) Jamestown/Stutsman Development Corporation (JSDC) held its monthly board meeting on Monday.

On Tuesday’s Wayne Byers Show on CSi Cable 2, JSDC Business Development Director, Corry Shevlin said, the board voted to approve match funding for the James Valley Career and Technology Center, where a 7,000-square-foot addition is planned on the south side of the building. A portion of the existing space is planned, along with an accessible greenhouse for the agricultural trades program.

Project costs are estimated between $1.3 million and $1.4 million.

Also JSDC policy and procedure were discussed for action.

Also Corry noted that funds in the FlexPACE local program has dollars still available.

The Board of Directors unanimously approved a request for $50,000 to contract preliminary engineering for cost estimates of extending utilities to proposed housing development site

Corry also commented on the recent, Eide Baily report concerning positive information on the feasibility of Bison Word in Jamestown.

Jamestown (CSi) The North Dakota State Hospital Governing Board has voted to recommend proceeding with the construction of a new facility. On a 7-0 vote.

State Representative Karen Rohr, fromMandan, recused herself from the vote, as a member of the North Dakota Legislature, and will vote on the issue the where plans and funding for a new State Hospital facility have been introduced in each of the last two North Dakota legislative sessions, and then turned into a study to determine the need.

The cost of a new State Hospital is estimated at $150 million and $160 million and would likely be constructed State Hospital land.

Binford (NDHP) The North Dakota Highway Patrol investigated a crash
on Tuesday about 2:47-p.m., on Highway 65, 7 miles east of Binford.

An Oldsmobile Alero, driven by 72 year old Dale Kinzler, of Cooperstwn was eastbound on Highway 65, traveling to Cooperstown. The semi, driven by 23 year old Rylan Briss, of Cooperstown, was southbound on 110th Ave NE approaching the intersection of Highway 65. Briss failed to yield for the Kinzler’s Oldsmobile that braked but struck the right side of the semi.
Briss was not injured. Kinzler was flown by Sanford AirMed to Sanford
Hospital in Fargo, where he is in stable condition.

The crash is still under investigation by the Highway Patrol.

Assisting at the scene were: The Steele County Sheriff’s Office, Cooperstown Fire Department, Cooperstown Ambulance, and Sanford AirMed

MEDORA, N.D. (AP) — A North Dakota native and former executive at the University of North Dakota medical school has been named chief operating officer of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation. Laura Block, a native of Grand Forks, recently served as associate dean and chief operations officer of the UND med school. Prior to that role, she was the chief financial officer of the University of North Dakota Alumni Association and Foundation for more than a decade. Block was instrumental UND Spirit Campaign that raised over $324 million for the state’s oldest and largest university. Block calls the library a “historic project for North Dakota and our nation” and says she’s “humbled and grateful” to help build the foundation.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A North Dakota legislative committee has been told the state’s largest and most expensive leased office space is now mostly utilized. The report comes after the building sat nearly vacant for months when an agency allowed its more than 400 employees to work from home indefinitely. The report of the unused office space spurred a legislative review of all state leases. The Department of Environmental Quality last month moved about 140 of its employees into the building. Other agencies also are using the building to hold meetings. The IT agency is funded at 479 employees, but only about a dozen are still working in the building.

In sports…

MLB…

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Triston McKenzie turned in another stellar start for Cleveland. He cruised through six innings of the first game of a doubleheader to lead the Indians past Minnesota 3-1.

The Twins won the second game 6-3 behind Nick Gordon’s go-ahead RBI single in a four-run fourth. McKenzie had seven strikeouts with just three hits, one run and one walk allowed. This was his fifth straight outing of six innings or more and one run or less. Twins starter Joe Ryan was right there with him in the first game until a comebacker off his wrist ended his outing in the sixth.

UNDATED (AP) — Brendan Rodgers hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the fifth inning, Trevor Story went deep in the second and the Colorado Rockies held on to beat the Atlanta Braves 5-4.

Jon Gray pitched five innings as the Rockies, far back in the NL West standings, moved to 22-51 on the road coming off a four-game series win at Philadelphia. NL East-leading Atlanta, going for its fourth straight division title, began the night with a 4 1/2-game lead over Philadelphia. The Braves had won five of seven. Atlanta put two on in the ninth inning before Carlos Estévez got Jorge Soler to pop out for his eighth save in 13 chances.

In other Tuesday action:

— Buster Posey homered in the first inning and scored the go-ahead run on an error in the third, and the San Francisco Giants beat the San Diego Padres 6-1 for their ninth straight victory a day after becoming the first team in the big leagues to clinch a playoff berth. Brandon Belt and Darin Ruf each hit run-scoring doubles and Tommy La Stella added an RBI single to back Anthony DeSclafani, who won for the first time in five starts since defeating Colorado on Aug. 13. The pitcher allowed six earned runs over his previous 14 2/3 innings.

— The Los Angeles Dodgers have clinched a postseason berth by beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-4 for their fifth straight win. The Dodgers got home runs by Max Muncy, Trea Turner and Will Smith. Their victory, combined with losses by Cincinnati and San Diego, secured the Dodgers’ ninth consecutive playoff spot in pursuit of a second straight World Series championship. LA’s home record of 51-23 leads the majors. Arizona got a three-run blast by Ketel Marte, but never led.

— Pinch-hitter Kyle Schwarber hit a tiebreaking three-run double in the eighth inning and the Boston Red Sox beat the Seattle Mariners 8-4 to keep pace in the competitive AL wild-card race. Schwarber, out of the lineup in favor of Alex Verdugo, entered against reliever Drew Steckenrider with one out in the eighth and the bases loaded. His double to right ended a tense standoff with the Mariners, who beat the Red Sox 5-4 on Monday with the help of Schwarber’s fielding error. Verdugo added a two-run home run in Boston’s next at-bat against Yohan Ramirez.

— Drew Rasmussen combined with four relievers on a three-hitter. Brandon Lowe and Ji-Man Choi homered and the Tampa Bay Rays became the first AL team to reach 90 wins by beating the Toronto Blue Jays 2-0. After losing four of their previous five, the East-leading Rays hit the 90-win mark for the eighth time — all in the past 14 seasons. Tampa Bay stopped a two-game losing streak. The Rays have not lost three in a row since July 25-28.

— Salvador Perez hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the sixth inning, the Kansas City bullpen bailed out starter Jackson Kowar and the Royals rallied from an early six-run hole to beat Oakland 10-7. Kyle Isbel hit his first career homer and Hunter Dozier also went deep for the Royals. Jake Brentz earned the win and Scott Barlow picked up a save for Kansas City. Yusmeiro Petit took the loss after giving up Perez’s 43rd home run of the season. The A’s have lost three straight and seven of 10 to fall farther out of contention in the AL wild-card race.

— Edmundo Sosa hit the go-ahead single in a three-run 11th inning and the hard-charging St. Louis Cardinals climbed all the way back into playoff position with a wild 7-6 victory over the New York Mets. New York scored twice in the bottom of the 11th and had two runners on when Kwang Hyun Kim retired pinch-hitter Albert Almora Jr. for his second career save, ending a back-and-forth game that took 4 hours, 34 minutes. Tyler O’Neill homered and drove in three runs for the streaking Cardinals, who vaulted into the second NL wild-card slot.

— Rookie Gavin Sheets hit a long three-run homer and had four RBIs in his first three-hit game, and the White Sox beat the Los Angeles Angels 9-3 in Joe Maddon’s first game back in Chicago. Sheets hit a go-ahead single in the second inning off Packy Naughton and made it 6-1 with a three-run homer in the third. He narrowly missed a second home run when he doubled to the right-field wall in the fifth. Maddon managed the Cubs for five years, leading them to a World Series title in 2016 that ended the team’s 108-year championship drought.

— Wade Miley surrendered six runs on 10 hits and the Cincinnati Reds lost for the sixth time in eight games, 6-5 to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Miley gave up three runs in the first and three more in the fifth before being pulled with one out. The six runs allowed were Miley’s most since the Rockies scored eight off him May 14. The Reds entered the day half a game ahead of the San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals for the second wild card in the National League.

— All-Star slugger Adolis García tied the Rangers’ single-season rookie record with his 30th home run and last-place Texas beat the AL West-leading Houston Astros 8-1. The homer by García was one of three long balls allowed by Zack Greinke in his return after testing positive for COVID-19 last month. Rangers starter Jordan Lyles allowed only three singles and struck out seven over seven scoreless innings. Nathaniel Lowe and DJ Peters also homered off Greinke.

— Aaron Judge started a five-homer barrage that backed Gerrit Cole, and the New York Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles 7-2 to win consecutive games for the first time since Sept. 1 and 3. Cole returned from left hamstring tightness that cut short his Sept. 7 start against Toronto. He stranded the bases loaded in a 29-pitch first inning when he struck out Ramón Uris and allowed one run and four hits in five innings with seven strikeouts and three walks. He threw 108 pitches. Judge hit a two-run homer in the first off a changeup from Alexander Wells.

— Ryan Zimmerman homered, Erick Fedde pitched five solid innings and the Washington Nationals beat the Miami Marlins 8-2. One night after being no-hit for 6 2/3 innings, the Nationals scored early and pounded out 14 hits in winning for the second time in three games. Fedde beat the Marlins for the second time in less than a month, allowing a run on three hits with eight strike outs and no walks. On Aug. 24, he gave up a run on six hits in 6 1/3 innings with a career-high 10 strikeouts. Juan Soto had three hits, an RBI and a walk for Washington.

— Patrick Wisdom and Alfonso Rivas hit back-to-back homers for the Chicago Cubs in a 6-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies have lost six of seven games. Wilson Contreras led off the fifth inning with a single, Wisdom hit his 26th homer of the year, and Rivas followed with the first of his big league career. It was 3-1 on 12 pitches. Adrian Sampson gave up two runs in five innings for the win. The Phillies have not made the playoffs since 2011.

— Derek Hill hit a leadoff RBI double in the 11th inning, giving the Detroit Tigers a 1-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers loaded the bases with one out against Bryan Garcia (2-1) in the 11th before Christian Yelich grounded into an inning-ending double play. Hill fell behind 0-2 while trying to bunt Victor Reyes to third, then lined Hunter Strickland’s next pitch into right-center for a game-winning double. The loss ended Milwaukee’s five-game win streak.

MLB-NEWS

Slugger Ryan Braun retires after 14-year career with Brewers

UNDATED (AP) — Ryan Braun has announced his retirement. Braun is the Milwaukee Brewers’ home run leader whose production was slowed by injuries during the second half of his 14-year career.

Braun hasn’t played all season and said during spring training that he was leaning toward retirement. The 2011 NL MVP made it official Tuesday in a video the Brewers posted on Twitter. Braun had 352 homers and last played in 2020. He was one of baseball’s best hitters from 2007-12 but was never the same after he was suspended midway through the 2013 season for using performance-enhancing drugs.

In other MLB news:

— The AL-Central leading Chicago White Sox have reinstated right-hander Lucas Giolito and All-Star shortstop Tim Anderson from the 10-day injured list. Both were in the lineup for Tuesday night’s game against the Los Angeles Angels. Giolito was set to take the mound for the first time since Aug. 31, when he suffered a strained left hamstring against Pittsburgh. He’s 9-9 with a 3.69 ERA this season. Anderson is in the leadoff slot after being out since Aug. 28, also with a left hamstring strain.

— The AL West-leading Houston Astros have put starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi on the 10-day injured list with right foot soreness. Odorizzi got hurt on a play when covering first base Monday night in the series opener at Texas. Manager Dusty Baker said the right-hander was having an MRI exam on Tuesday. Odorizzi’s roster spot was filled by right-hander Zack Greinke. Houston reinstated Greinke from the COVID-19 injury list to make his scheduled start Tuesday night, which was 16 days after he had last pitched.

— A person familiar with the decision tells The Associated Press that the Seattle Mariners will host baseball’s 2023 All-Star Game at T-Mobile Park. The team announced a news conference for Thursday at Seattle’s Space Needle with baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred. The person, speaking on condition of anonymity because the subject was not announced, said the subject was the 2023 All-Star Game. Seattle will host the All-Stars for the third time. The ballpark was the site of the American League’s 4-1 victory in 2001. The 1979 All-Star Game was at the old Kingdome.

— The Kansas City Royals are promoting general manager Dayton Moore to club president. The team is also elevating longtime assistant GM J.J. Picollo to GM. The 54-year-old Moore presided over one of the most remarkable turnarounds in baseball history, leading them to consecutive World Series and the 2015 title. Picollo has long been considered Moore’s heir apparent in Kansas City. The team is showing signs of another rebirth after a long rebuild.

NFL NEWS

Buffalo Bills to require proof of vaccination from fans

UNDATED (AP) — The Buffalo Bills have joined the Las Vegas Raiders as only the NFL teams to require proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for all fans over 12.

The rules will be the same for Buffalo Sabres games when the NHL season gets underway next month. Unvaccinated fans were allowed to attend the Bills’ first home game, Sept. 12, but were supposed to wear masks. Many fans say they saw little enforcement. Erie County officials say the policy shift was a joint decision between the county and teams’ owners. There’s no option to gain entry with a negative virus test instead, as allowed by the Saints and Seahawks.

In other NFL news:

— Two people familiar with the situation say six unidentified members of the New Orleans Saints coaching staff, one player and another employee have tested positive for COVID-19. The people spoke with The Associated Press on Tuesday on condition of anonymity because the team and NFL have not announced the test results. The people say the entire coaching staff had been vaccinated. It is unclear how long those who tested positive will be isolated from the team before returning to the field or meetings.

— San Francisco 49ers running back Raheem Mostert will undergo season-ending surgery on his knee after getting injured in the season opener. Coach Kyle Shanahan had said Mostert was expected to miss eight weeks because of chipped cartilage in his knee, but Mostert announced on his Twitter account that he will miss the rest of the season. Mostert said he was “gutted” by the news, but after consulting with multiple doctors felt this was the best decision for his long-term future.

— The Tennessee Titans have another new kicker, signing Randy Bullock off their practice squad. Safety Amani Hooker has become the latest starter on injured reserve. The Titans announced the moves Tuesday, a day after releasing kicker Michael Badgley. Tennessee signed Bullock to the practice squad Saturday when it put kicker Sam Ficken on injured reserve with an injured right groin.

— Raekwon Davis was placed on injured reserve by the Miami Dolphins on Tuesday with a knee injury. That means the defensive tackle will miss at least three games. Davis got hurt in the Dolphins’ season-opening win at New England on Sunday. This weekend’s game against Buffalo will be the first he misses in his career. He appeared in all 16 games for Miami during his rookie season in 2020.

NBA-NEWS

NBA goes ahead with plan to test unvaccinated players often

UNDATED (AP) — For NBA players, the scenario this season is simple: Get vaccinated or get tested, and often.

The league told its teams on Tuesday that it is going ahead with a plan where those who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus will not need to submit to regular testing. Those who are unvaccinated will undergo rigorous testing. They be tested once practice or travel days, and at least once on game days. The NBA players’ union has not mandated that players be vaccinated. League and team employees who will be in the vicinity of players during games will be required to be vaccinated.

In other NBA news:

— Indiana Pacers point guard Edmond Sumner will be out indefinitely after having surgery to repair a torn left Achilles tendon. Team officials say he suffered the injury during an offseason workout and that he underwent surgery Monday. Sumner was expected to play a bigger role this season following the trade of Aaron Holiday to Washington. Sumner averaged 7.5 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.6 steals per game last season, all career highs.

— Former Charlotte Hornets coach and High Point University star Gene Littles has died. Littles was the all-time leading scorer in High Point men’s basketball history. A news release from the North Carolina school says Littles died on Sept. 9 but did not give a cause of death. He was a three-time NAIA All-American between 1965 and 1969. He also leads High Point’s program in field goals and free throws made. Gene Littles was 78.

— Aaron Gordon and the Denver Nuggets have agreed on a four-year, $92 million contract extension. His agent, Calvin Andrews, confirmed the deal to The Associated Press. Gordon was acquired by the Nuggets in a trade last March with Orlando to bolster a lineup that included league MVP Nikola Jokic, point guard Jamal Murray and sharpshooter Michael Porter Jr. The 25-year-old Gordon averaged 10.2 points and 4.7 rebounds in 25 games with Denver.

NHL-NEWS

Jimmy Vesey among 3 vets signed by Devils to tryout deals

UNDATED (AP) — Former New York Rangers forward Jim Vesey is among three players the New Jersey Devils have signed to tryout contracts.

The Devils also announced the signing of center Mark Jankowski and defenseman Tyler Wotherspoon. They will join the team when all players report to the NHL camp next week. Vesey skated in 50 games last season with Toronto and Vancouver, collecting five goals and five assists. Since his debut with the Rangers five years ago, the 28-year-old has 64 goals and 56 assists in 354 regular-season games.

In other NHL news:

— Former Boston Bruins center Fred Stanfield has died. He was 77. Stanfield died Monday and the Bruins announced his death Tuesday. A cause of death was not given. Stanfield was the mild-mannered sidekick to Bobby Orr on the high-scoring teams of the early 1970s. The Toronto native played six seasons in Boston, helping the Bruins win the Stanley Cup in 1970 and 1972.

GOLF-PGA TOUR-PLAYER AWARD

Cantlay wins PGA Tour player of the year award over Rahm

UNDATED (AP) — Patrick Cantlay is the players’ choice as PGA Tour player of the year. It’s another big step for the 29-year-old from California.

Cantlay was the No. 1 amateur in the world who once shot 60 on the PGA Tour while in college. Then he was out for three years with a back injury that nearly ended his career. And now he has the Jack Nicklaus Award after a vote of the players.

The PGA Tour does not release vote totals or even say how many players voted. Cantlay presumably won the award in a tight race with Jon Rahm.

In world and national news…

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has emphatically defeated a recall aimed at kicking him out of office. Newsom bolted to a quick victory Tuesday boosted by healthy turnout in the overwhelmingly Democratic state. He cast it as a win for science, women’s trights and other liberal issues. It ensures the nation’s most populous state will remain in Democratic control as a laboratory for progressive policies. Newsom overcame Republican criticism of COVID-19 restrictions that shuttered schools and businesses. The outcome was being watched nationally with the 2022 midterm elections on the horizon, when control of Congress again will be at stake.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A defiant Republican Larry Elder conceded his fight to become California’s next governor with a provocative hint about his political future: “Stay tuned.” Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom easily beat back a recall effort to remove him from office. Elder then told cheering supporters Tuesday that his side had lost a battle but would win the war. Elder’s speech centered on criticism of Newsom, faulting him for rising crime and an unchecked homeless crisis. Newsom is up for reelection next year, and there’s speculation Elder could be in the running again. Elder referred to himself as a “former radio host” and argued that racial divisions in America are wildly overblown.

(AP) The World Health Organization says there were about 4 million coronavirus cases reported globally last week. That marks the first major drop in new infections in more than two months. In recent weeks, there have been about 4.4 million new COVID-19 cases. In its weekly update released on Tuesday, the U.N. health agency said every region in the world saw a drop in COVID-19 cases compared to the previous week. The WHO also said children and teenagers continue to be less affected by COVID-19 when compared to adults, adding that deaths of people under 24 due to the disease account for fewer than 0.5% of global deaths.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North and South Korea tested ballistic missiles hours apart in a display of military might that is sure to exacerbate tensions between the rivals. Tensions are already high with talks aimed at stripping the North of its nuclear program stalled. South Korea’s presidential office said the country conducted its first underwater-launched ballistic missile test Wednesday. The North tested two short-range ballistic missile earlier in the day. Experts say the North Korean launches are an effort to apply pressure on the United States in the hopes of winning relief from sanctions aimed at persuading the North to abandon its nuclear arsenal. Meanwhile, observers say South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s government may have been responding to criticism that it’s too soft on the North.

BEIJING (AP) — European stocks are flat while Asian markets declined after U.S. inflation was lower than expected amid unease about the impact of the coronavirus’s delta variant. London and Frankfurt opened little-changed. Shanghai, Hong Kong Tokyo retreated. Wall Street futures were higher a day after the benchmark S&P 500 index fell despite data showing consumer prices rose at their slowest rate in seven months in August. Hong Kong-traded shares in Macau casinos plunged following reports of a possible crackdown on the industry in the former Portuguese colony and gambling center.