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BERLIN -- As Europe tries to break a surge in coronavirus infections, Germany is counting on a new type of test to avoid closing nursing homes to visitors, a move that caused considerable anguish among residents and relatives in the spring. So-called antigen tests, which look for a specific protein on the virus, were first launched months ago. They are cheap and fast, but experts said at the time they are also less accurate than the standard PCR test, which detects even the tiniest genetic trace of the virus. Still, Germany -- which has managed to contain the spread of the outbreak better than many of its neighbors -- announced recently that it is bulk-buying millions of antigen tests each month. "We have a new strategy," Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters Monday. "We can now basically perform rapid tests on visitors to nursing and care homes." Nursing homes will receive up to 20 free monthly tests per resident. These can be used to test patients, staff and -- crucially -- visiting relatives, who might be unwitting carriers of COVID-19, posing a potentially devastating threat. "Health insurers will cover the costs for a certain number of visitors each month," Merkel said. "That's huge progress in terms of protection." Germany has one of the world's oldest populations. More than 24 million people are 60 or older and about 900,000 people live in nursing homes. A further 2.5 million younger people have serious disabilities. That means almost 30% of Germany's population of 83 million are particularly vulnerable to the virus, Merkel said. Germany has reported about 550,000 coronavirus cases -- less than half the number recorded in Britain, Spain and France. Germany's confirmed virus death toll of 10,669 is also one-fourth of Britain's.
FBI investigates robocall warning
TRAVERSE CITY, Michigan -- Voters across the U.S. received anonymous robocalls in the days and weeks before Election Day urging them to "stay safe and stay home" -- an ominous warning that election experts said could be an effort to scare voters into sitting out the election. The FBI is investigating calls that seek to discourage people from voting, a senior official at the Department of Homeland Security told reporters Tuesday. Authorities wouldn't offer details. The brief calls, which featured a computerized female voice, made no mention of the election. But given the lack of details, and the timing, the message was clear, according to Dan Doughty, a Kansas City resident who received the robocall Tuesday morning. "It felt like voter suppression," Doughty told The Associated Press. "It was even so vague that whoever did it could say it was about COVID." The automated calls were placed to residents in nearly 90 percent of U.S. area codes, according to an analysis by YouMail, a tech company that makes anti-robocall software. YouMail's findings were reported Tuesday in The Washington Post. YouMail found that the calls began over the summer but increased dramatically in recent weeks. In October alone there were 10 million calls, according to Alex Quilici, YouMail's chief executive. On Tuesday, they were reported in states including Iowa, Kansas, Florida, Nebraska and Missouri.
Eta slams into Nicaragua
MANAGUA, Nicaragua -- The heart of powerful Hurricane Eta moved ashore in Nicaragua Tuesday with devastating winds and rains that destroyed rooftops and caused rivers to overflow. The hurricane had sustained winds of 110 mph (175 kph), according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center, down from an overnight peak of 150 mph (240 kph). Even before it made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane, Honduras reported the first death after a mudslide trapped a 12-year-old girl in San Pedro Sula. Tuesday afternoon, the strong Category 2 hurricane crawled inland from the coast, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) southwest of coastal Puerto Cabezas or Bilwi, and it was moving west near 5 mph (7 kph). Landfall came hours after it had been expected. Eta's eye had hovered just offshore through the night and Tuesday morning. The unceasing winds uprooted trees and ripped roofs apart, scattering corrugated metal through the streets of Bilwi, the main coastal city in the region. The city's regional hospital abandoned its building, moving patients to a local technical school campus. "It was an intense night for everyone in Bilwi, Waspam and the communities along the northern coast," Yamil Zapata, local Bilwi representative of the ruling Sandinista Front, told local Channel 4 Tuesday. Guillermo Gonzalez, director of the country's emergency management agency, said in a news conference earlier that there were reports of corrugated metal roofs flying off homes, trees, poles and power lines falling and rivers rising in the coastal area.
Gunman had sought to join IS
VIENNA -- A man who had previously tried to join the Islamic State group rampaged in Vienna armed with an automatic rifle and a fake explosive vest, fatally shooting four people before he was killed by police, Austrian authorities said Tuesday. Witnesses described dozens of screaming people fleeing the sounds of gunshots Monday night in a nightlife district crowded with revelers enjoying the last hours before a coronavirus lockdown. Others barricaded themselves inside restaurants for hours until they were sure the danger had passed. Video that appeared to be from the scene showed a gunman, dressed in white coveralls, firing off bursts seemingly at random as he ran down the Austrian capital's dark cobblestone streets. While the attack lasted just minutes, authorities said only on Tuesday afternoon that there was no indication of a second attacker -- adding to tension in the capital as residents were urged to stay home. Two men and two women died from their injuries in the attack -- including one German woman, according to Germany's foreign minister. Authorities said a police officer who tried to get in the way of the attacker was shot and wounded, along with 21 other people. The suspect was identified as a 20-year-old Austrian-North Macedonian dual citizen with a previous terror conviction for attempting to join the Islamic State group in Syria. Police searched 18 properties as well as the suspect's apartment, detaining 14 people associated with the assailant who are being questioned, Interior Minister Karl Nehammer said. The attacker, identified as Kujtim Fejzulai, was armed with a fake explosive vest, an automatic rifle, a handgun and a machete, according to Nehammer. Before the attack he posted a photograph on a social media account showing him posing with the rifle and machete, Nehammer said. Fejzulai was sentenced to 22 months in prison in April 2019 but was granted early release in December.
Ivory Coast leader wins again
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast -- Security forces in Ivory Coast dispersed opposition supporters with tear gas while protesters erected barricades in the streets Tuesday after President Alassane Ouattara was declared the winner of a controversial third term. The mounting unrest came as authorities loyal to Ouattara's government appeared to be stepping up their surveillance of top opposition leaders Pascal Affi N'Guessan and Henri Konan Bedie, who vowed to set up their own transitional government after denouncing Saturday's vote. Police showed up Tuesday afternoon as international journalists gathered for a press conference with members of the opposition. After ordering people to leave the scene, forces fired tear gas in the surrounding streets. The two opposition leaders had boycotted Saturday's presidential election in a bid to discredit the vote.
Cruise industry throws in towel
SILVER SPRING, Md. -- The cruise industry has jettisoned hopes of restarting operations this year. Days after both Carnival and Norwegian extended a halt on cruises through the end of the year, the group that represents cruise lines with 95% of global ocean-going capacity said Tuesday that its members have agreed to extend the suspension of U.S. sailing operations for the rest of 2020. The announcement comes just days after the U.S. government effectively lifted its no-sail order despite a global spike in coronavirus infections. Cruise Lines International Association -- which includes cruise giants Princess, Carnival, and Royal Caribbean -- said that its members have voluntarily opted to maintain the current suspension of cruise operations in the U.S. through the end of the year. Members "will use the remainder of the year to prepare for the implementation of extensive measures to address COVID-19 safety" with the guidance of public health experts and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the association said. On Friday, federal health officials issued new rules that will enable large cruise ships to start sailing again in U.S. waters, though not immediately. Among the CDC's requirements is that ship owners must test all passengers and crew at the start and end of all voyages, which are limited to seven days.
Girl found 4 days after quake
IZMIR, TURKEY -- Rescuers in the Turkish city of Izmir pulled a young girl out alive from the rubble of a collapsed apartment building Tuesday, four days after a strong earthquake hit Turkey and Greece and as hopes of reaching survivors began to fade. Wrapped in a thermal blanket, the girl was taken into an ambulance on a stretcher to the sounds of applause and chants of "God is great!" from rescue workers and onlookers. Health Minister Fahrettin Koca identified her as 3-year-old Ayda Gezgin on Twitter. The child had been trapped inside the rubble for 91 hours since Friday's quake struck in the Aegean Sea and was the 107th person to have been pulled out of collapsed buildings alive. After she was pulled from the rubble, little Ayda called out for her mother, in video of the rescue broadcast on television. But Ayda's mother did not survive. Her body was found amid the wreckage hours later. Her brother and father were not inside the building at the time of the quake. Rescuer Nusret Aksoy told reporters that he was sifting through the rubble of the toppled eight-floor building when he heard a child's scream and called for silence. He later located the girl in a tight space next to a dishwasher. The girl waved at him, told him her name and said that she was okay, Aksoy said. "I got goosebumps and my colleague Ahmet cried," he told HaberTurk television.
Reward up to $20,000 in death
EAST CHICAGO, Ind. -- The reward for information leading to an arrest in the fatal shooting of an 8-year-old Indiana girl has climbed to $20,000, police announced Tuesday. The Federal Protection Agency, LLC, a security service based in South Holland, Illinois, is now offering an additional $10,000 in the death of Timiya Andrews in East Chicago last month, police said. That's on top of the combined $10,000 put up by the the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and by East Chicago Mayor Anthony Copeland. The girl died Oct. 28 after being shot in the head by a stray bullet six days earlier, police said. She was doing homework in her living room at the time. East Chicago Deputy Police Chief Jose Rivera said investigators believe an unidentified person fired 16 shots from an automatic weapon outside the girl's home when a bullet penetrated the building and struck her.
Drone purchase to Taiwan OK'd
WASHINGTON -- The Trump administration has notified Congress that it has approved the sale of $600 million in armed drones to Taiwan, the latest in a series of arms transfers for the island. The State Department said Tuesday it had Ok'd Taiwan's purchase of four "weapons ready" remotely piloted aircraft and related equipment. The move is likely to infuriate China, which regards Taiwan as a renegade province and has reacted angrily to previous weapons sales' announcements to the island. "This proposed sale serves U.S. national, economic, and security interests by supporting the recipient's continuing efforts to modernize its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability," it said. "The proposed sale will help improve the security of the recipient and assist in maintaining political stability, military balance, economic and progress in the region." It said the sale would improve Taiwan's defense by bolstering its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities and could help deter military action against it. Just last week, the administration approved plans for a $2.37 billion sale of Harpoon missile systems to Taiwan. That came hours after Beijing had announced sanctions on U.S. defense contractors, including Boeing, the lead contractor on the Harpoon deal, over a previous weapons deal.
Drake sets Billboard record
NEW YORK -- Earning his 21st No. 1 hit on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart, Drake has bested a record previously held by icons Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder. Drake's "Laugh Now Cry Later," featuring rapper Lil Durk, reached the No. 1 spot on the chart this week. Wonder and Franklin, who died in 2018, each have had 20 songs top the chart. Of Drake's 21 No. 1 hits on the R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart, 12 include him in the leading role, including "God's Plan," "In My Feelings," "Hotline Bling," "Hold On, We're Going Home" and "Best I Ever Had," his first major hit released in 2009. Nine of his No. 1 successes are songs he co-starred on, including "Work" with Rihanna, "Moment 4 Life" with Nicki Minaj, "Fall for Your Type" with Jamie Foxx and "I Invented Sex" with Trey Songz. Earlier this year, 34-year-old Drake made Billboard chart history when he set a new record for most songs on the Hot 100 chart -- Billboard's main songs chart that includes all music genres.
Maradona to undergo surgery
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina -- Diego Maradona will undergo surgery because of possible bleeding on his brain, his personal doctor said. "He is awake, understands everything and agrees with the intervention," Dr. Leopoldo Luque told journalists. Maradona has a subdural hematoma, which is an accumulation of blood between a membrane and his brain, said Luque, a neurologist. He said the problem likely was caused by an accident, but Maradona said he doesn't remember the event. The 1986 World Cup champion was transported to Olivos Clinic in La Plata, south of Buenos Aires. If the surgery is successful, Maradona could go home after 48 hours, his doctor said. Donato Villani, the head of the Argentine national team's medical staff, told TV channel TyC Sports that such a surgery normally goes well, "but it is different with Diego," citing Maradona's past treatment for cardiac problems and his use of drugs and alcohol. Maradona was admitted to the Ipensa Clinic with signs of depression on Monday, three days after his 60th birthday. Luque said Maradona, whose "Hand of God" goal against England is among the most controversial in World Cup history, had felt sad for about a week and refused to eat before arriving at the clinic.
Whitey Bulger's family sues
BRUCETON MILLS, W.Va. -- Family members of Boston crime boss James "Whitey" Bulger Jr. have filed a lawsuit against the Federal Bureau of Prisons and 30 unnamed employees of the prison system for failing to protect Bulger, who was beaten to death at a West Virginia prison. The family filed the lawsuit against the prison system last week, two years after Bulger, 89, was killed at United States Penitentiary, Hazelton, a federal prison in West Virginia's Preston County. Bulger died the same day that he was transferred there from another prison. The lawsuit said the prison system failed to protect Bulger by moving him to Hazelton, a prison with constant inmate violence, news outlets reported. The family also alleges the prison system was aware that Bulger was labeled a "snitch," and that he was perhaps the most well-known inmate to be incarcerated since Al Capone, but yet did not do enough to shield him from the other inmates. Bulger was the leader of the Winter Hill Gang, an Irish-American organized crime operation that ran loan-sharking, gambling and drug rackets in South Boston. He was also an FBI
Afghans mourn those killed
KABUL, Afghanistan -- Afghanistan declared a national day of mourning Tuesday to honor the 22 mostly students killed in a horrific attack a day earlier on Kabul University, claimed by the Islamic State group. Another 22 people were injured, some of them critically. Monday's brutal, hours-long assault was the second attack on an educational institution in the Afghan capital in as many weeks amid a soaring rise in violence and chaos across Afghanistan, even as Taliban insurgents and government negotiators hold peace talks in the Gulf state of Qatar. The Islamic State affiliate also claimed the earlier attack on Oct. 24 that killed 24 young students. The attack occurred in the mostly Shiite neighborhood of Dasht-e-Barchi. The IS affiliate has declared war on the country's minority Shiites and has claimed a number of vicious attacks since emerging in eastern Afghanistan in 2014.