U.S., South Africa report new record coronavirus rises

BERLIN (AP) — The United States and South Africa reported a new daily records of coronavirus cases, underlining the challenges still ahead as countries move ahead with trying to reopen economies. The U.S. on Wednesday recorded 50,700 new cases, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. Many U.S. states, including Florida, Texas and Arizona, are struggling to contain the spread of the pandemic. South Africa reported 8,124 new cases on Thursday, and has the most cases in Africa with more than 159,000. Surging numbers in California prompted Gov. Gavin Newsom to announce ahead of the Fourth of July weekend that he was closing bars, theaters and indoor restaurant dining over most of the state.