⁍ Pope says same-sex couples should be protected by civil union laws.

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⁍ Four U.S. states reported a record one-day increase in COVID-19 deaths.

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⁍ Europe’s hospital systems are at risk of buckling under the strain of soaring COVID-19 infections.

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– The death toll from the West Nile virus now stands at 447, with almost two-thirds of US states in a danger zone, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s down from the previous high of 476 cases in mid-June, but still a lot more than the 243 victims who died from the virus during the same span last year. The new total is the highest since the virus was identified in 1976. Most of the new cases are in the US Southwest, but the virus is spreading to other parts of the world, too. In Spain, the death toll from the virus now stands at 44, with nearly two-thirds of the country in a danger zone. In Israel, the toll is at 32, with nearly two-thirds of the country in a danger zone, according to the latest report from the country’s health ministry. In Britain, the toll is at 21, with nearly two-thirds of the country in a danger zone. In France, the toll is at 17, with nearly two-thirds of the country in a danger zone. In Italy, the toll is at 14, with nearly two-thirds of the country in a danger zone. In Canada, the toll is at 10, with nearly two-thirds of the country in a danger zone. In the US, the toll is at nine, with nearly two-thirds of the country in a danger zone. In the UK, the toll is at four, with two-thirds of the country in a danger zone.