thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-27--Coronavirus-Linked Hunger Tied To 10,000 Child Deaths Each Month

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HOUNDE, Burkina Faso (AP) — The lean season is coming for Burkina Faso’s children. And this time, the long wait for the harvest is bringing a hunger more ferocious than most have ever known.
That hunger is already stalking Haboue Solange Boue, an infant who has lost half her former body weight of 5.5 pounds (2.5 kilograms) in the last month. With the markets closed because of coronavirus restrictions, her family sold fewer vegetables. Her mother is too malnourished to nurse her.
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“My child,” Danssanin Lanizou whispers, choking back tears as she unwraps a blanket to reveal her baby’s protruding ribs. The infant whimpers soundlessly.
All around the world, the coronavirus and its restrictions are pushing already hungry communities over the edge, cutting off meager farms from markets and isolating villages from food and medical aid. Virus-linked hunger is leading to the deaths of 10,000 more children a month over the first year of the pandemic, according to an urgent call to action from the United Nations shared with The Associated Press ahead of its publication in the Lancet medical journal.
Further, more than 550,000 additional children each month are being struck by what is called wasting, according to the U.N. — malnutrition that manifests in spindly limbs and distended bellies. Over a year, that’s up 6.7 million from last year’s total of 47 million. Wasting and stunting can permanently damage children physically and mentally, transforming individual tragedies into a generational catastrophe.
“The food security effects of the COVID crisis are going to reflect many years from now,” said Dr. Francesco Branca, the World Health Organization head of nutrition. “There is going to be a societal effect.”
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In Burkina Faso, for example, one in five young children is chronically malnourished. Food prices have spiked, and 12 million of the country’s 20 million residents don’t get enough to eat.
Lanizou’s husband, Yakouaran Boue, used to sell onions to buy seeds and fertilizer, but then the markets closed. Even now, a 50-kilogram bag of onions sells for a dollar less, which means less seed to plant for next year.
“I’m worried that this year we won’t have enough food to feed her,” he said, staring down at his daughter over his wife’s shoulder. “I’m afraid she’s going to die.”
Burkina Faso is one of Africa's nations hardest hit by the coronavirus with one of the highest number of fatalities in sub-Saharan Africa. In this photo from March 24 , 2020, residents wait in line to fill their jerry cans, as people often have to walk half an hour to the closest water point several times a day and wait in crowded lines in order to get enough water to wash hands, bathe and cook. ASSOCIATED PRESS / Sam Mednick
From Latin America to South Asia to sub-Saharan Africa, more families than ever are staring down a future without enough food. The analysis published Monday found about 128,000 more young children will die over the first 12 months of the virus.
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In April, World Food Program head David Beasley warned that the coronavirus economy would cause global famines “of biblical proportions” this year. There are different stages of what is known as food insecurity; famine is officially declared when, along with other measures, 30% of the population suffers from wasting.
The agency estimated in February that one in every three people in Venezuela was already going hungry, as inflation rendered many salaries nearly worthless and forced millions to flee abroad. Then the virus arrived.
“The parents of the children are without work,” said Annelise Mirabal, who works with a foundation that helps malnourished children in Maracaibo, the city in Venezuela thus far hardest hit by the pandemic. “How are they going to feed their kids?”
These days, many new patients are the children of migrants who are making long journeys back to Venezuela from Peru, Ecuador or Colombia, where their families became jobless and unable to buy food during the pandemic. Others are the children of migrants who are still abroad and have not been able to send back money for more food.
“Every day we receive a malnourished child,” said Dr. Francisco Nieto, who works in a hospital in the border state of Tachira. He added that they look “like children we haven’t seen in a long time in Venezuela,” alluding to those in famines in parts of Africa.
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In May, Nieto recalled, after two months of quarantine in Venezuela, 18-month-old twins arrived at his hospital with bodies bloated from malnutrition. The children’s mother was jobless and living with her own mother. She told the doctor she had only been able to feed them a simple drink made with boiled bananas.
“Not even a cracker? Some chicken?” he asked.
“Nothing,” the children’s grandmother responded.
When doctors tried to treat them, one of the boys developed “refeeding syndrome,” where food can result in metabolic abnormalities. Eight days later, he died.
Nieto said aid groups have provided some relief, but their work has been limited by COVID-19 quarantines. A home set up in Tachira to receive malnourished children after they are released from the hospital is no longer in operation. So now children are sent directly back to their families, many of whom are still unable to feed them properly.
“It’s very frustrating,” Nieto said. “The children get lost.”
Residents wearing protective face masks wait outside a soup kitchen to receive pack-and-go lunches in the Petare neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, July 15, 2020, amid the new coronavirus pandemic. ASSOCIATED PRESS / Ariana Cubillos
The rise in child deaths worldwide would reverse global progress for the first time in decades. Deaths of children younger than 5 had declined steadily since 1980, to 5.3 million around the world in 2018, according to a UNICEF report. About 45 percent of the deaths were due to undernutrition.
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The leaders of four international agencies — the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Food Program and the Food and Agriculture Organization — have called for at least $2.4 billion immediately to address hunger. Even more than the money, restrictions on movement need to be eased so that families can seek treatment, said Victor Aguayo, the head of UNICEF’s nutrition program.
“By having schools closed, by having primary health care services disrupted, by having nutritional programs dysfunctional, we are also creating harm,” Aguayo said. He cited as an example the near-global suspension of Vitamin A supplements, which are a crucial way to bolster developing immune systems.
In Afghanistan, restrictions on movement prevent many families from bringing their malnourished children to hospitals for food and aid just when they need it most. The Indira Gandhi hospital in the capital, Kabul, has seen only three or four malnourished children, said specialist Nematullah Amiri.
“Transportation between Kabul and the provinces was not allowed regularly and also people were afraid of coronavirus,” Amiri explained. Last year, 10 times as many malnourished children filled the ward. The same is true of hospital beds in multiple countries, according to Médecins Sans Frontières.
Afghanistan is now in a red zone of hunger, with severe childhood malnutrition spiking from 690,000 in January to 780,000 — a 13% increase, according to UNICEF. Food prices have risen by more than 15%, and a recent study by Johns Hopkins University indicated an additional 13,000 Afghans younger than 5 could die.
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Four in 10 Afghan children are already stunted. Stunting happens when families live on a cheap diet of grains or potatoes, with supply chains in disarray and money scarce. Most stunted children never catch up, dampening the productivity of poor countries, according to a report released this month by the Chatham House think tank.
Mothers along with babies who suffer from malnutrition wait at a UNICEF clinic in Jabal Saraj, north of Kabul, Afghanistan on Aug. 26, 2019. ASSOCIATED PRESS
In Yemen, restrictions on movement have also blocked the distribution of aid, along with the stalling of salaries and price hikes. The Arab world’s poorest country is suffering further from a fall in remittances and a huge drop in funding from humanitarian agencies.
Yemen is now on the brink of famine, according to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network, which uses surveys, satellite data and weather mapping to pinpoint the places most in need. A UNICEF report predicted that the number of malnourished children could reach 2.4 million by the end of the year, a 20% increase.
Days after 7-month-old baby Issa Ibrahim left a medical center in the impoverished northern district of Hajjah, he succumbed to severe acute malnutrition. His mother found the body on July 7, lifeless and cold.
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Fatma Nasser, a 34-year-old mother of seven, is among three million displaced people in Yemen who don’t have enough money to feed themselves or their children. She lives on one meal a day. Ibrahim Nasser, the father, lost his only source of income, fishing, after roads to the sea were closed because of the coronavirus.
The mother’s milk dried up, and the baby lived on formula. But doctors say families tend to use less milk powder to save money, and babies don’t usually get enough nutrition.
“It’s God’s will,” the mother said. “We can say nothing.”
Some of the worst hunger still occurs in sub-Saharan Africa. In Sudan, 9.6 million people are living from one meal to the next in acute food insecurity — a 65% increase from the same time last year.
Lockdowns across Sudanese provinces, as around the world, have dried up work and incomes for millions. The global economic downturn has brought supply chains to a standstill, and restrictions on public transport have disrupted agricultural production. With inflation hitting 136%, prices for basic goods have more than tripled.
“It has never been easy but now we are starving, eating grass, weeds, just plants from the earth,” said Ibrahim Youssef, director of the Kalma camp for internally displaced people in war-ravaged south Darfur.
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Long before the pandemic hit, Sudan’s economy had plummeted, especially after the oil-rich south seceded in 2011. Decades of economic mismanagement under Omar al-Bashir led to a surge in food prices, and the transitional government now in power has struggled to stop the tailspin.
Natural disasters are making the situation even worse. The country’s production of grain has dropped by 57% compared to last year, largely due to pests and seasonal floods. And swarms of desert locusts have already infested three Sudanese provinces, threatening more losses to farmers.
Internally displaced people in the restive provinces of Darfur, Kassala and Kordofan have been hit hardest, and the poorest say they can barely afford one meal a day.
“I don’t have the basics I need to survive,” said Zakaria Yehia Abdullah, 67, a farmer in the Krinding camp in West Darfur, who hasn’t worked the fields since authorities imposed a partial lockdown in April and local militias escalated attacks. “That means the 10 people counting on me can’t survive either.”
Before the pandemic and lockdown, his family ate three meals a day, sometimes with bread, or they’d add butter to porridge. Now they are down to just one meal, in the morning, of “millet porridge” — water mixed with grain. He said the hunger is showing “in my children’s faces.”
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Adam Haroun, a Krinding camp official, recorded nine deaths linked with malnutrition, otherwise a rare occurrence, over the past two months — five newborns and four older adults, he said.
To mitigate the crisis, the government, with support from the World Bank, is rolling out a $1.9 billion cash transfer program to Sudan’s neediest families. But many residents of Sudan’s long-neglected regions remain skeptical that authorities can alleviate their suffering.
“The hunger here is not any normal hunger,” said Adam Gomaa, a local activist in Kabkabiya, North Darfur, who helps run displacement camps in the area.
Nafissetou Niampa, 14, who struggles to breathe due to a heart condition, is treated for malnutrition at Yalgado Ouedraogo University in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso on June 22, 2020. Coronavirus-related movement restrictions limited her family's ability to make money to pay for medicine and buy food. ASSOCIATED PRESS / Sam Mednick
Back in Burkina Faso, COVID-19 restrictions are also hitting hard, keeping families like that of 14-year-old Nafissetou Niampa from the market. Niampa lay face down on a bed at the Yalgado Ouedraogo University Hospital in the capital, Ouagadougou, fanned by her mother. The teenager has a heart condition that affects her breathing and now is shedding weight as well.
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“Before the disease we didn’t have anything,” said Aminata Mande, her mother. “Now with the disease we don’t have anything also.”
Burkina Faso was already facing a growing food crisis, with rising violence linked to militants cutting families off from their farms. With the advent of the coronavirus, the government closed markets, restricted movement and shut down public transport, making it much harder for traders to buy and sell food.
While malnutrition deaths routinely rise during the four-month wait for the next harvest in October, this year is worse than anyone can remember, according to physicians and aid workers. On the World Food Program’s hunger map, nearly all of Burkina Faso is a red zone of need.
Even though the Tuy province produces the most corn in the country, food there is not reaching those who need it most. In Tuy between March and April, the number of underweight newborns increased by 40%, signifying that the mothers were most likely malnourished during pregnancy, said Joseph Ouattara, chief doctor at the hospital in the small town of Hounde.
Child deaths due to malnutrition are also escalating. In a normal year, an average of 19 children die from malnutrition in Tuy. But in the first five and a half months of this year alone, the number of children dying from what appears to be malnutrition is already up to 20 just at the province’s central hospital in the main town of Hounde.
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Ernestine Belembongo, a 37-year-old trader with a stand at the Hounde market, was unable to buy or sell food for weeks, so there has been no fish or meat for her five children since March. Her 3-year-old daughter is swiftly losing weight, and even though most of the COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted, Belembongo still serves her family only grain.
“I’m worried about the lean season,” she said. “I have many kids and no money.”
____
Hinnant reported from Paris. Contributors include Christine Armario in Bogota, Colombia; Fazel Rahman in Kabul, Afghanistan; Issa Mohammed in Al-Hanabiya, Yemen; and Isabel DeBre in Cairo.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-27--'Ellen DeGeneres Show' Under Investigation After Reports Of Workplace Misconduct

Staff received a memo last week from the executives of the daytime talk show ’ s producer , Telepictures , and distributor , Warner Bros. Television , advising that WBTV-owner WarnerMedia ’ s employee relations group and a third-party firm would interview current and former staffers about their experiences on set , multiple news outlets confirmed .
The investigation comes in the wake of accusations that the show , which hangs on DeGeneres ’ s personal brand to “ be kind ” to others , has become a toxic work environment for its staffers .
In April , Variety reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nothing from their bosses for weeks during initial coronavirus lockdowns other than to expect significant pay reductions , creating anxiety among crew members who sought clarity on whether they would need to apply for unemployment benefits .
Concerns were exacerbated when an outside , non-union team was brought in as remote filming began from DeGeneres ’ s home .
However , the show ’ s crew was restored to full pay prior to the publication of Variety ’ s report .
Earlier this month , BuzzFeed News , citing one current and 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subject to a culture of racism , fear and intimidation on the job .
Some sources said they were fired for taking medical leave and family bereavement days .
Most sources reportedly blamed the senior production and management staff for the daily toxicity , not DeGeneres herself .
However , one staffer called for DeGeneres to take responsibility for the workplace environment .
In a statement to BuzzFeed at the time , executive producers Ed Glavin , Andy Lassner and Mary Connelly said : “ We are truly heartbroken and sorry to learn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family has had a negative experience .
It ’ s not who we are and not who we strive to be , and not the mission Ellen has set for us .
“ For the record , the day to day responsibility of the Ellen show is completely on us .
We take all of this very seriously and we realize , as many in the world are learning , that we need to do better , are committed to do better , and we will do better .
”

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Staff received a memo last week from the executives of the daytime talk show’s producer, Telepictures, and distributor, Warner Bros. Television, advising that WBTV-owner WarnerMedia’s employee relations group and a third-party firm would interview current and former staffers about their experiences on set, multiple news outlets confirmed.
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A spokesperson for Warner Bros. declined to comment. WarnerMedia did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
The investigation comes in the wake of accusations that the show, which hangs on DeGeneres’s personal brand to “be kind” to others, has become a toxic work environment for its staffers.
In April, Variety reported that the core stage crew heard almost nothing from their bosses for weeks during initial coronavirus lockdowns other than to expect significant pay reductions, creating anxiety among crew members who sought clarity on whether they would need to apply for unemployment benefits. Concerns were exacerbated when an outside, non-union team was brought in as remote filming began from DeGeneres’s home. However, the show’s crew was restored to full pay prior to the publication of Variety’s report.
Earlier this month, BuzzFeed News, citing one current and 10 former employees, reported that employees were subject to a culture of racism, fear and intimidation on the job. Some sources said they were fired for taking medical leave and family bereavement days.
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One former employee, a Black woman, told the news site she faced multiple racist comments and microaggressions during her 18-month tenure.
Most sources reportedly blamed the senior production and management staff for the daily toxicity, not DeGeneres herself. However, one staffer called for DeGeneres to take responsibility for the workplace environment.
In a statement to BuzzFeed at the time, executive producers Ed Glavin, Andy Lassner and Mary Connelly said: “We are truly heartbroken and sorry to learn that even one person in our production family has had a negative experience. It’s not who we are and not who we strive to be, and not the mission Ellen has set for us.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-27--Leader Of Dylann Roof-Worshipping Neo-Nazi Group Under Police Investigation

A prominent white supremacist propagandist who once claimed to have influenced the Pittsburgh synagogue shooter is under investigation by authorities in California , a law enforcement official said on Monday .
The Sacramento County Sheriff ’ s Department told HuffPost that Andrew Richard Casarez has been under investigation for the last several weeks and that his home has been searched .
According to court documents reviewed by HuffPost , the sheriff ’ s department obtained the order earlier this month after anti-fascist researchers known as the Anonymous Comrades Collective published a report exposing Casarez ’ s role as the pseudonymous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acts of domestic terror targeting minorities .
“ Based on my training and experience now that Casarez has been outed as a white supremacist and he has lost his anonymity there is a likelihood that he could become a ‘ lone wolf ’ attacker to prove his status to the cause , ” a sergeant in the sheriff ’ s office wrote in a July 13 statement requesting the restraining order .
The sergeant also stated that Casarez had plans to build his own AR-15 , which would be unregistered and illegal in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on July 15 seized four objects from Casarez ’ s Orangevale , California , home : a 9 mm gun , a gun case with two empty magazines , a pair of gray jeans and a “ black Teeshirt with skull and crossbones with bowl cut hair piece on top.
” The new information comes just days after HuffPost confirmed that Casarez was the leader of the Bowl Patrol , a neo-Nazi group that canonizes white supremacist killers like Dylann Roof .
“ Bowl ” is a reference to Roof ’ s bowl-cut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worker in the Sacramento area who for years posted online as “ Vic Mackey , ” a name taken from the corrupt , racist cop on the TV drama “ The Shield.
” Under his pseudonym , Casarez encouraged acts of domestic terror and called for violence against people of color .
On his podcast , he boasted about his alleged connection to Robert Bowers , who is charged with the deadly shooting of 11 people inside the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh in 2018 .
And Casarez has made a point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ area .
In 2017 , synagogue Temple Or Rishon in Orangevale was defaced with more than a dozen posters praising Adolf Hitler , the white supremacist website Daily Stormer , and Roof , who murdered nine Black people in a Charleston , South Carolina , church in 2015 .
Earlier this year , a newly opened Sikh temple in Orangevale was vandalized with a spray-painted swastika and the words “ white power.
” Casarez seemed particularly interested in the vandalism at the synagogue , posting a surveillance photo released by police that showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approaching the building .
Casarez had altered the image to give the two individuals bowl-style haircuts .
“ What absolute monsters could have done such a thing ?
!
” he wrote of the vandalism in a Discord chat that was leaked by independent media collective Unicorn Riot .
Two years later , Casarez seemed to have detailed knowledge about the best way to deface a building and get away with it .
Speaking on his podcast , he suggested wearing gloves when printing out posters and cautioned against using adhesive tape to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remove paint , and they can consider it vandalism.
” In the case of Temple Or Rishon , removing the posters ripped paint off the walls , which gave investigators the property damage charge they needed to classify the vandalism as a hate crime .
“ Detectives are aware of the incidents [ at the synagogue and the Sikh temple ] , as well as allegations of Andrew Casarez ’ s involvement in these crimes , ” the sheriff ’ s department said in its statement .

Andrew Casarez is under investigation by the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department. Illustration: HuffPost; Photo: Facebook
A prominent white supremacist propagandist who once claimed to have influenced the Pittsburgh synagogue shooter is under investigation by authorities in California, a law enforcement official said on Monday.
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department told HuffPost that Andrew Richard Casarez has been under investigation for the last several weeks and that his home has been searched.
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“Detectives obtained a Gun Violence Restraining Order against him and served a search warrant at a residence ... where they seized a firearm,” the department said in a statement.
The restraining order prohibits Casarez from having a gun, ammunition or gun magazine.
According to court documents reviewed by HuffPost, the sheriff’s department obtained the order earlier this month after anti-fascist researchers known as the Anonymous Comrades Collective published a report exposing Casarez’s role as the pseudonymous leader of a fascist group that advocates acts of domestic terror targeting minorities.
“Based on my training and experience now that Casarez has been outed as a white supremacist and he has lost his anonymity there is a likelihood that he could become a ‘lone wolf’ attacker to prove his status to the cause,” a sergeant in the sheriff’s office wrote in a July 13 statement requesting the restraining order.
The sergeant also stated that Casarez had plans to build his own AR-15, which would be unregistered and illegal in California.
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Court documents show that authorities on July 15 seized four objects from Casarez’s Orangevale, California, home: a 9 mm gun, a gun case with two empty magazines, a pair of gray jeans and a “black Teeshirt with skull and crossbones with bowl cut hair piece on top.”
The new information comes just days after HuffPost confirmed that Casarez was the leader of the Bowl Patrol, a neo-Nazi group that canonizes white supremacist killers like Dylann Roof. “Bowl” is a reference to Roof’s bowl-cut hairstyle.
Casarez is a 27-year-old restaurant worker in the Sacramento area who for years posted online as “Vic Mackey,” a name taken from the corrupt, racist cop on the TV drama “The Shield.”
Under his pseudonym, Casarez encouraged acts of domestic terror and called for violence against people of color. On his podcast, he boasted about his alleged connection to Robert Bowers, who is charged with the deadly shooting of 11 people inside the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh in 2018. And Casarez has made a point to brag about real-world crimes in his area.
In 2017, synagogue Temple Or Rishon in Orangevale was defaced with more than a dozen posters praising Adolf Hitler, the white supremacist website Daily Stormer, and Roof, who murdered nine Black people in a Charleston, South Carolina, church in 2015. Earlier this year, a newly opened Sikh temple in Orangevale was vandalized with a spray-painted swastika and the words “white power.”
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Casarez seemed particularly interested in the vandalism at the synagogue, posting a surveillance photo released by police that showed two white males with their faces covered approaching the building. Casarez had altered the image to give the two individuals bowl-style haircuts.
“What absolute monsters could have done such a thing?!” he wrote of the vandalism in a Discord chat that was leaked by independent media collective Unicorn Riot.
Two years later, Casarez seemed to have detailed knowledge about the best way to deface a building and get away with it. Speaking on his podcast, he suggested wearing gloves when printing out posters and cautioned against using adhesive tape to put them up because “it can remove paint, and they can consider it vandalism.”
In the case of Temple Or Rishon, removing the posters ripped paint off the walls, which gave investigators the property damage charge they needed to classify the vandalism as a hate crime.
“Detectives are aware of the incidents [at the synagogue and the Sikh temple], as well as allegations of Andrew Casarez’s involvement in these crimes,” the sheriff’s department said in its statement.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-27--Sophie Turner, Joe Jonas Welcome First Child

LOS ANGELES ( AP ) — Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas have had their first child .
The 24-year-old “ @ @ @ @ @ Turner and the 30-year-old singer Jonas announced the birth Monday .
“ Sophie Turner and @ @ @ @ @ announce the birth of their baby , ” they said in a statement released through @ @ @ @ @ The couple was quiet about the pregnancy and gave no further details on the baby @ @ @ @ @ actor who played Sansa Stark on “ Game of Thrones ” for eight seasons , @ @ @ @ @ musician who came to fame in a band with his brothers on the Disney Channel @ @ @ @ @ and married last year .
They live in Los Angeles , and the baby is @ @ @ @ @ Important conversations are happening now .
Add your voice !
Join HuffPost Today !

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas have had their first child.
The 24-year-old “Game of Thrones” star Turner and the 30-year-old singer Jonas announced the birth Monday.
“Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas are delighted to announce the birth of their baby,” they said in a statement released through his label Republic Records.
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The couple was quiet about the pregnancy and gave no further details on the baby.
Turner, the England-born actor who played Sansa Stark on “Game of Thrones” for eight seasons, and Jonas, the Arizona-born musician who came to fame in a band with his brothers on the Disney Channel, began dating in 2016 and married last year.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-27--Oprah's O Mag Ending Regular Print Editions After 20 Years

O , The Oprah Magazine is ending its regular monthly print editions with the December 2020 issue after 20 years of publication .
The brand , which is among the most recognizable magazines in the U.S. , is not going away but will become more “ more digitally-centric , ” said a Hearst spokeswoman Monday .
There will be “ some form of print ” after the December issue “ but what it is exactly is still being worked out.
” Oprah Winfrey launched O with Hearst in 2000 and today is the editorial director .
“ I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have delivered to our readers over the past 20 years , ” she said in a statement provided by Hearst .
“ I look forward to the next step in our evolution.
” Hearst declined to answer why they were dropping the regular print edition , saying only it was a “ natural next step ” for the brand .
Magazines have been trying to grow their digital properties as print advertising shrinks and people spend more time online .
The economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic has further hurt print advertising sales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predicting a 23 % drop for U.S. national magazines this year .
On its website , O Magazine says it has a total audience of 10 million , while industry tracker Alliance for Audited Media said the magazine had a total circulation of about 2.3 million as of the last six months of 2019 .
Hearst , a private company , is in the midst of executive turmoil .
The president of Hearst Magazines , Troy Young , resigned abruptly last week after the New York Times reported on sexist comments he made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Debi Chirichella , as acting president of Hearst Magazines , which publishes major magazines including Elle , Esquire , Cosmopolitan and Good Housekeeping .
Hearst ’ s other businesses include local TV stations , newspapers and ratings agency Fitch .

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O, The Oprah Magazine is ending its regular monthly print editions with the December 2020 issue after 20 years of publication.
The brand, which is among the most recognizable magazines in the U.S., is not going away but will become more “more digitally-centric,” said a Hearst spokeswoman Monday. There will be “some form of print” after the December issue “but what it is exactly is still being worked out.”
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Oprah Winfrey launched O with Hearst in 2000 and today is the editorial director. “I’m proud of this team and what we have delivered to our readers over the past 20 years,” she said in a statement provided by Hearst. “I look forward to the next step in our evolution.”
Hearst declined to answer why they were dropping the regular print edition, saying only it was a “natural next step” for the brand. Magazines have been trying to grow their digital properties as print advertising shrinks and people spend more time online.
The economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic has further hurt print advertising sales, with research firm Magna in June predicting a 23% drop for U.S. national magazines this year.
On its website, O Magazine says it has a total audience of 10 million, while industry tracker Alliance for Audited Media said the magazine had a total circulation of about 2.3 million as of the last six months of 2019.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-27--'Rick and Morty' Actor Spencer Grammer Knifed Outside NYC Restaurant

Actor Spencer Grammer and a companion were treated for knife wounds they sustained trying to break up a confrontation outside a New York City restaurant over the weekend , according to reports .
Grammer , 36 , the voice of Summer Smith on the animated “ Rick and Morty ” series and daughter of “ Frasier ” actor Kelsey Grammer , was slashed on her forearm .
Her friend , 33 , identified by the New York Post as Jan Phillip Mueller , received a blade wound to the back in the Friday night assault , the NYPD said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ABC Family series “ Greek , ” and her friend were treated at a hospital for “ non-life-threatening injuries , ” CBS New York reported in the video above .
The suspect ran away .
Police tweeted a video of him and asked the public ’ s help in identifying him .
Grammar and Mueller stepped in as a dispute flared between the assailant and several patrons at the Black Ant outdoor cafe in the East Village neighborhood , Deadline reported .
The restaurant was about to close , but the man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
🚨WANTED for ASSAULT : On 7/24 around 11:30 PM the unidentified male slashed a 36-year-old victim in the forearm and a 33-year-old victim in the back during a dispute in front of 60 2nd Ave in Manhattan .
If you have any information , call/DM @ NYPDTips at 800-577-TIPS .
pic.twitter.com/XXwLMwui0e — NYPD NEWS ( @ NYPDnews ) July 26 , 2020 “ My friend and I did what anyone else would do in the same situation , ” Grammer said in a statement to “ Entertainment Tonight.
” “ Several others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to prevent the altercation from escalating .
I sustained a laceration on my arm , and my friend was stabbed in the back , but thankfully he suffered no serious internal injuries .
We expect to recover quickly.
” She added : “ We want to thank the first responders and the staff at Bellevue Hospital , who provided us with excellent care .
They fought an incredible battle this year .
It was very moving for us to have the opportunity to thank them in person .
”

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Actor Spencer Grammer and a companion were treated for knife wounds they sustained trying to break up a confrontation outside a New York City restaurant over the weekend, according to reports.
Grammer, 36, the voice of Summer Smith on the animated “Rick and Morty” series and daughter of “Frasier” actor Kelsey Grammer, was slashed on her forearm. Her friend, 33, identified by the New York Post as Jan Phillip Mueller, received a blade wound to the back in the Friday night assault, the NYPD said.
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Grammer, who played Casey Cartwright on the ABC Family series “Greek,” and her friend were treated at a hospital for “non-life-threatening injuries,” CBS New York reported in the video above.
The suspect ran away. Police tweeted a video of him and asked the public’s help in identifying him.
Grammer and Mueller stepped in as a dispute flared between the assailant and several patrons at the Black Ant outdoor cafe in the East Village neighborhood, Deadline reported. The restaurant was about to close, but the man demanded service, according to the report.
🚨WANTED for ASSAULT:
On 7/24 around 11:30 PM the unidentified male slashed a 36-year-old victim in the forearm and a 33-year-old victim in the back during a dispute in front of 60 2nd Ave in Manhattan. If you have any information, call/DM @NYPDTips at 800-577-TIPS. pic.twitter.com/XXwLMwui0e — NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) July 26, 2020
“My friend and I did what anyone else would do in the same situation,” Grammer said in a statement to “Entertainment Tonight.” “Several others, predominantly women, were also attempting to prevent the altercation from escalating. I sustained a laceration on my arm, and my friend was stabbed in the back, but thankfully he suffered no serious internal injuries. We expect to recover quickly.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-27--Johnny Depp 'A Hopeless Addict' And 'Wife Beater': Tabloid Media Lawyer

Attorney Sasha Wass was summing up at Depp ’ s libel case against the newspaper over an article alleging he physically abused Heard — a high-stakes celebrity trial in which the reputations of both former spouses are at stake .
Depp is suing News Group Newspapers , publisher of The Sun , and the newspaper ’ s executive editor , Dan Wootton , at the High Court in London over an April 2018 article , which called him a “ wife-beater.
” He strongly denies being violent to Heard .
“ There is no doubt that Mr. Depp regularly and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in her closing argument .
“ The characterization that he is a wife beater is entirely truthful.
” “ Permeating all of the evidence in this case is the character of Mr. Depp himself ― his well-documented evidence of violence and destruction over his adult life which have occurred when he was under the influence of drink and drugs.
” Depp , 57 , and Heard , 34 , met on the set of the 2011 comedy “ The Rum Diary ” and married in Los Angeles in February 2015 .
Heard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the divorce was finalized in 2017 .
The former spouses have both been in court throughout three weeks of testimony at the grand neo-Gothic court building , though Depp did not attend on Monday .
Lawyers , journalists and members of the public , spread across several video-linked courtrooms to allow for social distancing , have heard lurid details of the couple ’ s tempestuous relationship .
The evidence has revealed prodigious drinking and drug consumption , furious arguments , hurled objects and a deposit of excrement left in a bed — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Sun ’ s defense relies on 14 allegations made by Heard of Depp ’ s violence between 2013 and 2016 , in settings including his private island in the Bahamas , a rented house in Australia during filming of a “ Pirates of the Caribbean ” movie — where Depp ’ s finger was severed in contested circumstances — and the couple ’ s downtown Los Angeles penthouse , which was trashed during the couple ’ s altercations .
Wass said that the first year of the relationship , during which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” but that the violence started in 2013 after he relapsed .
During four days in the witness box last week , Heard claimed Depp flew into jealous rages over her co-stars , including James Franco and Billy Bob Thornton , and turned into a violent alter ego he called “ The Monster ” under the influence of alcohol and drugs .
She accused him of slapping and hitting her and throwing bottles at her “ like grenades , ” and claimed that she often feared for her life during their relationship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ almost five days , branded he allegations a “ hoax ” and claimed Heard was the aggressor during their volatile relationship .
He acknowledged using a wide variety of drugs including marijuana , cocaine and opioid painkillers , but denied drugs made him violent .
Depp ’ s former romantic partners Vanessa Paradis and Winona Ryder signed written witness statements saying he had never been violent to them , and several current or former employees gave evidence supporting Depp .
Wass said those witnesses were “ tainted ” because they relied on Depp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to court to lie for their boss.
” “ He created a misogynistic persona of ( Heard ) as the stereotype of a nagging woman , ” Wass said .
She said Depp branded Heard “ a gold-digger , a shrew and an adulterer ” in order to discredit her .
He also used crass language about women in texts to friends that were read out in court — despite his stated aspiration to be a “ Southern gentleman .
”

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LONDON (AP) — A lawyer for British tabloid The Sun claimed Monday that Johnny Depp was “a hopeless addict” whose violence toward ex-wife Amber Heard was fueled by misogyny and a toxic combination of drink, drugs, jealousy and anger.
Attorney Sasha Wass was summing up at Depp’s libel case against the newspaper over an article alleging he physically abused Heard — a high-stakes celebrity trial in which the reputations of both former spouses are at stake.
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Depp is suing News Group Newspapers, publisher of The Sun, and the newspaper’s executive editor, Dan Wootton, at the High Court in London over an April 2018 article, which called him a “wife-beater.” He strongly denies being violent to Heard.
The case is due to end Tuesday, but judge Andrew Nicol is not expected to deliver his ruling for several weeks.
“There is no doubt that Mr. Depp regularly and systematically abused his wife,” Wass said in her closing argument. “The characterization that he is a wife beater is entirely truthful.”
She said Depp was “a hopeless addict who repeatedly lost his self-control and all ability to restrain his anger.”
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“Permeating all of the evidence in this case is the character of Mr. Depp himself ― his well-documented evidence of violence and destruction over his adult life which have occurred when he was under the influence of drink and drugs.”
Depp, 57, and Heard, 34, met on the set of the 2011 comedy “The Rum Diary” and married in Los Angeles in February 2015. Heard filed for divorce the following year, and the divorce was finalized in 2017.
The former spouses have both been in court throughout three weeks of testimony at the grand neo-Gothic court building, though Depp did not attend on Monday.
Lawyers, journalists and members of the public, spread across several video-linked courtrooms to allow for social distancing, have heard lurid details of the couple’s tempestuous relationship. The evidence has revealed prodigious drinking and drug consumption, furious arguments, hurled objects and a deposit of excrement left in a bed — whether by dog or human is disputed.
The Sun’s defense relies on 14 allegations made by Heard of Depp’s violence between 2013 and 2016, in settings including his private island in the Bahamas, a rented house in Australia during filming of a “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie — where Depp’s finger was severed in contested circumstances — and the couple’s downtown Los Angeles penthouse, which was trashed during the couple’s altercations.
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Wass said that the first year of the relationship, during which Depp was sober, was “idyllic,” but that the violence started in 2013 after he relapsed.
During four days in the witness box last week, Heard claimed Depp flew into jealous rages over her co-stars, including James Franco and Billy Bob Thornton, and turned into a violent alter ego he called “The Monster” under the influence of alcohol and drugs. She accused him of slapping and hitting her and throwing bottles at her “like grenades,” and claimed that she often feared for her life during their relationship.
Wass said that for Depp the “combination … of drink, drugs, jealousy and anger was lethal.”
Heard’s evidence was backed by witnesses including her sister Whitney Henriquez, who said she had seen Depp hit Heard “multiple times” during a fracas at the couple’s LA penthouse in March 2015.
Depp, who gave evidence for almost five days, branded he allegations a “hoax” and claimed Heard was the aggressor during their volatile relationship. He acknowledged using a wide variety of drugs including marijuana, cocaine and opioid painkillers, but denied drugs made him violent.
Depp’s former romantic partners Vanessa Paradis and Winona Ryder signed written witness statements saying he had never been violent to them, and several current or former employees gave evidence supporting Depp.
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Wass said those witnesses were “tainted” because they relied on Depp for their livelihoods and had “come to court to lie for their boss.”
Summarizing the defense case, Wass said that “a deep misogyny … lay at the root of Mr. Depp’s anger.”
“He created a misogynistic persona of (Heard) as the stereotype of a nagging woman,” Wass said. She said Depp branded Heard “a gold-digger, a shrew and an adulterer” in order to discredit her. He also used crass language about women in texts to friends that were read out in court — despite his stated aspiration to be a “Southern gentleman.”
Wass said the couple were driven apart by “a clash of cultures and a clash of generations.”
She said Depp glamorized drug culture and had a “clique of aging male rabble-rousers,” but also aspired “to be the Southern gentleman with a young and beautiful wife.”
Wass said a Southern gentleman required “a supplicant wife” — and Heard, a quarter-century younger than Depp, was not prepared to fulfill that role.
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“Ms. Heard tolerated the violence and the abuse because she loved Mr. Depp and she believed she was capable of getting him better,” the lawyer said — but her attempts to help Depp “banish his Monster” only triggered his resentment.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-27--Miami Marlins Cancel Home Opener As Virus Hits Team

The Miami Marlins canceled their home opener Monday due to the rapid spread of the coronavirus within their team , according to multiple reports .
Sources told ESPN on Monday the number of cases within the team has reached at least 14 .
ESPN also reports the Philadelphia Phillies will not play a scheduled home game against the Yankees on Monday .
The Marlins called off their trip back to Florida from Philadelphia on Sunday and remain in a hotel in Pennsylvania .
They were scheduled to host the Baltimore Orioles on Monday night .
Right-handed starter Jose Urena was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manager Don Mattingly openly contemplated making the trip back to Miami for Monday ’ s game without a portion of his team .
“ The guys that tested positive are quarantined here in Philly , ” Mattingly said Sunday .
That reportedly included Urena and catcher Jorge Alfaro , who was placed on the injured list Friday before the opener at Philadelphia .
The Marlins did not provide a specific injury or details , saying only that Alfaro would return this season .
Mattingly said Sunday he discussed the atmosphere around the team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe before they took the field against the Phillies .
At the time , the worry already was palpable .
“ It ’ s fair to say guys are concerned about things , ” Mattingly said .
“ They want their feelings as part of situations to be heard .
I think it ’ s fair .
We ’ re talking about health .
We ’ re talking about these guys traveling back to their homes .
To their families , to their kids .
It ’ s the reason we want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a voice , and they get a voice .
We ’ re definitely going to listen to what ’ s going on with them .
”

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The Miami Marlins canceled their home opener Monday due to the rapid spread of the coronavirus within their team, according to multiple reports.
Sources told ESPN on Monday the number of cases within the team has reached at least 14.
ESPN also reports the Philadelphia Phillies will not play a scheduled home game against the Yankees on Monday.
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The Marlins called off their trip back to Florida from Philadelphia on Sunday and remain in a hotel in Pennsylvania. They were scheduled to host the Baltimore Orioles on Monday night.
Right-handed starter Jose Urena was scratched from Sunday’s game as manager Don Mattingly openly contemplated making the trip back to Miami for Monday’s game without a portion of his team.
“The guys that tested positive are quarantined here in Philly,” Mattingly said Sunday.
That reportedly included Urena and catcher Jorge Alfaro, who was placed on the injured list Friday before the opener at Philadelphia. The Marlins did not provide a specific injury or details, saying only that Alfaro would return this season.
Mattingly said Sunday he discussed the atmosphere around the team and wanted to make sure players felt safe before they took the field against the Phillies. At the time, the worry already was palpable.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-27--John Oliver Systematically Dismantles Fox News Dishonesty Over Portland Protests

John Oliver called out Fox News in general and host Sean Hannity in particular for the dishonest portrayals of the protests in Portland , Oregon after President Donald Trump sent federal law enforcement agents to the city .
Portland is among a number of cities where protesters have been demonstrating against police violence on Black people since the May 25 killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis .
On Sunday , the host of HBO ’ s “ Last Week Tonight ” said “ things weren ’ t actually especially dire in Portland ” and were de-escalating until the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those federal agents were seen wearing little to no identification , seizing people off the streets and dragging them into unmarked vehicles .
“ Masked individuals throwing people into an unmarked van is never a good idea if you want to de-escalate a situation , ” he said .
“ It ’ s not even a good idea for a surprise bachelorette party.
” But it was the Fox News coverage of the situation that really got Oliver fired up .
Viewers of the network might think “ it ’ s the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Oliver said as he shared clips of Fox hosts playing up violence .
One clip showed Hannity speaking as a scrolling list of alleged crimes in Portland rolled past him .
The list was mostly graffiti .
“ In fact , graffiti is listed 12 times in a row there under the headline ‘ Violence in Portland , ’ which is a huge overstatement , ” Oliver said .
“ And at that point , it would have been just as accurate if that heading had said ‘ cannibalism in Portland ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or ‘ 9/11s in Portland.
’ ” Hannity told viewers about an alleged “ firebombing ” incident , which Oliver said was a significantly less dramatic situation involving either a firework or a small fire .
Hannity also described the situation in Portland as “ insane , ” and Oliver agreed , just for a different reason altogether .
“ Yeah , it is insane , ” said Oliver .
“ Because that tone does not honestly reflect the conditions on the ground.
” Oliver said Trump was using Portland as a staging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show of force ” and warned it “ could end very badly.
” Then , he offered a basic cognitive test for those who support Trump ’ s crackdown .

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John Oliver called out Fox News in general and host Sean Hannity in particular for the dishonest portrayals of the protests in Portland, Oregon after President Donald Trump sent federal law enforcement agents to the city.
Portland is among a number of cities where protesters have been demonstrating against police violence on Black people since the May 25 killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis.
On Sunday, the host of HBO’s “Last Week Tonight” said “things weren’t actually especially dire in Portland” and were de-escalating until the feds arrived. In some cases, those federal agents were seen wearing little to no identification, seizing people off the streets and dragging them into unmarked vehicles.
Oliver called such actions the opposite of a de-escalation.
“Masked individuals throwing people into an unmarked van is never a good idea if you want to de-escalate a situation,” he said. “It’s not even a good idea for a surprise bachelorette party.”
But it was the Fox News coverage of the situation that really got Oliver fired up. Viewers of the network might think “it’s the end of America as we know it,” Oliver said as he shared clips of Fox hosts playing up violence.
One clip showed Hannity speaking as a scrolling list of alleged crimes in Portland rolled past him. The list was mostly graffiti.
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“In fact, graffiti is listed 12 times in a row there under the headline ‘Violence in Portland,’ which is a huge overstatement,” Oliver said. “And at that point, it would have been just as accurate if that heading had said ‘cannibalism in Portland’ or ‘Texas-chainsaw massacres in Portland’ or ‘9/11s in Portland.’”
Hannity told viewers about an alleged “firebombing” incident, which Oliver said was a significantly less dramatic situation involving either a firework or a small fire. Hannity also described the situation in Portland as “insane,” and Oliver agreed, just for a different reason altogether.
“Yeah, it is insane,” said Oliver. “Because that tone does not honestly reflect the conditions on the ground.”
Oliver said Trump was using Portland as a staging ground “to put on an authoritarian show of force” and warned it “could end very badly.” Then, he offered a basic cognitive test for those who support Trump’s crackdown.
“How many fingers am I holding up?” he asked:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-27--U.S. Closes Chengdu Consulate Amid Rising Tensions With China

China ’ s foreign ministry issued a brief notice saying “ competent authorities ” entered through the front entrance and took over the premises after U.S. diplomats closed it at 10 a.m .
Prior to that , the flag was lowered and workmen have been removing plaques and other signs of U.S. sovereignty on the compound ’ s exterior .
That conveyed a sense of permanent rupture not felt during previous crises , including the 1999 stoning of the U.S. Embassy in response to NATO bombing of China ’ s embassy in Serbia , along with the 2001 collision between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jet over the South China Sea .
A day earlier , China ’ s foreign ministry issued a statement of protest over what it called intrusions into the Houston consulate that violated the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and the China-US Consular Convention .
“ The Chinese side deplores and firmly opposes the U.S. move of forcibly entering China ’ s Consulate General in Houston and has lodged solemn representations .
China will make legitimate and necessary reactions , ” the statement said .
China maintains consulates in San Francisco , Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to its embassy in Washington .
The U.S. has four other consulates in China and an embassy in Beijing , keeping the sides in parity in terms of diplomatic missions .
The Chengdu consulate briefly came to prominence when the police chief of the nearby city of Chongqing fled there in 2012 , precipitating the downfall of Chongqing ’ s politically ambitious leader Bo Xilai in China ’ s biggest political scandal in decades .
It also played host to former Vice President Joe Biden during a visit when the current prospective Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s now-leader Xi Jinping .
Police closed off a two- to three-block area around the consulate , cutting off virtually any view of the property including the flag .
A few vehicles were allowed through after police checks , and others could be seen moving in the distance .
Moving trucks arrived at the U.S. consulate the previous day and left a few hours later .
Late Sunday night , flatbed trailers entered the complex .
One later emerged carrying a large shipping container and a crane .
Before the area was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consulate drew a steady stream of onlookers over the weekend as Chengdu , like Houston , found itself in the limelight of international politics .
People stopped to take selfies and photos , jamming a sidewalk busy with shoppers and families with strollers on a sunny day in the city of Chengdu , the capital of Sichuan province .
A little boy posed with a small Chinese flag before plainclothes police shooed him away as foreign media cameras zoomed in .
Police had shut the street and sidewalk in front of the consulate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sidewalk on the other side of the tree-lined road .
Uniformed and plainclothes officers kept watch on both sides of the barriers after scattered incidents following the Chengdu announcement on Friday , including a man who set off firecrackers and hecklers who cursed at foreign media shooting video and photos of the scene .
A man who tried to unfurl a large placard late Sunday that he called an open letter to the Chinese government was quickly taken away .
Earlier , a bus left the consulate grounds and what appeared to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retreating back behind the property ’ s solid black gates .
It wasn ’ t clear who or what was on the bus .
Three medium-size trucks arrived and left a few hours later , and cars with diplomatic plates departed in between .
The U.S. alleged that the Houston consulate was a nest of Chinese spies who tried to steal data from facilities in Texas , including the Texas A & M medical system and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston .
China said the allegations were “ @ @ @ @

China’s foreign ministry issued a brief notice saying “competent authorities” entered through the front entrance and took over the premises after U.S. diplomats closed it at 10 a.m. Prior to that, the flag was lowered and workmen have been removing plaques and other signs of U.S. sovereignty on the compound’s exterior.
That conveyed a sense of permanent rupture not felt during previous crises, including the 1999 stoning of the U.S. Embassy in response to NATO bombing of China’s embassy in Serbia, along with the 2001 collision between a U.S. surveillance plane and Chinese fighter jet over the South China Sea.
A day earlier, China’s foreign ministry issued a statement of protest over what it called intrusions into the Houston consulate that violated the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and the China-US Consular Convention.
“The Chinese side deplores and firmly opposes the U.S. move of forcibly entering China’s Consulate General in Houston and has lodged solemn representations. China will make legitimate and necessary reactions,” the statement said.
China maintains consulates in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and New York in addition to its embassy in Washington.
The U.S. has four other consulates in China and an embassy in Beijing, keeping the sides in parity in terms of diplomatic missions.
The Chengdu consulate briefly came to prominence when the police chief of the nearby city of Chongqing fled there in 2012, precipitating the downfall of Chongqing’s politically ambitious leader Bo Xilai in China’s biggest political scandal in decades. It also played host to former Vice President Joe Biden during a visit when the current prospective Democratic Party presidential candidate was accompanied by China’s now-leader Xi Jinping.
Police closed off a two- to three-block area around the consulate, cutting off virtually any view of the property including the flag. A few vehicles were allowed through after police checks, and others could be seen moving in the distance.
Moving trucks arrived at the U.S. consulate the previous day and left a few hours later. Late Sunday night, flatbed trailers entered the complex. One later emerged carrying a large shipping container and a crane.
Before the area was closed, the impending closure of the consulate drew a steady stream of onlookers over the weekend as Chengdu, like Houston, found itself in the limelight of international politics.
People stopped to take selfies and photos, jamming a sidewalk busy with shoppers and families with strollers on a sunny day in the city of Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province. A little boy posed with a small Chinese flag before plainclothes police shooed him away as foreign media cameras zoomed in.
Police had shut the street and sidewalk in front of the consulate and set up metal barriers along the sidewalk on the other side of the tree-lined road.
Uniformed and plainclothes officers kept watch on both sides of the barriers after scattered incidents following the Chengdu announcement on Friday, including a man who set off firecrackers and hecklers who cursed at foreign media shooting video and photos of the scene.
A man who tried to unfurl a large placard late Sunday that he called an open letter to the Chinese government was quickly taken away.
Earlier, a bus left the consulate grounds and what appeared to be embassy staff spoke with plainclothes police before retreating back behind the property’s solid black gates. It wasn’t clear who or what was on the bus.
Three medium-size trucks arrived and left a few hours later, and cars with diplomatic plates departed in between.
The U.S. alleged that the Houston consulate was a nest of Chinese spies who tried to steal data from facilities in Texas, including the Texas A&M medical system and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. China said the allegations were “malicious slander.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-27--Hurricane Hanna Pummels Texas Coast With Strong Winds, Heavy Rain

PORT MANSFIELD , Texas , July 26 ( Reuters ) - Hanna , the first hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic season , left a trail of destruction along the Texas coast on Sunday , downing power lines , flooding streets and toppling 18-wheeler trucks as torrential rains threatened the area .
Hanna came ashore on Padre Island on Saturday afternoon as a Category 1 hurricane on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale of intensity and later made a second landfall in Kenedy County , Texas .
It swept through a part of the state hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic .
By @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tropical depression .
Powerful winds from Hanna knocked over at least three 18-wheeler trucks and a recreational vehicle , with tow trucks trying to right the toppled vehicles on Sunday , shutting down a 2-mile stretch of U.S. Route 77 in Sarita , Texas , near the Mexican border .
In Port Mansfield , 150 miles south of Padre Island , winds flattened sugarcane fields and leveled trees .
Deer roamed the streets , stopping to nibble downed branches in the yards of homes , some that lost their roofs .
“ You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rain blowing and you looked outside you could see sheets of water blowing down the street , ” said Sharon Pecce , 75 , a resident of Port Mansfield , whose roof was ripped off her house on Saturday night .
“ It ’ s scary to go through this at my age , a lot could have happened ... we could have been killed , ” added Pecce , who was at a friend ’ s home with her 70-year-old husband when the damage occurred .
“ We are lucky we weren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the Rio Grande Valley , told the Caller Times newspaper in Corpus Christi that his agency was looking into a report that winds toppled a newly constructed portion of the border wall built between the United States and Mexico .
At one point , more than 283,000 homes and businesses were without electricity .
But that figure fell to 98,000 by Sunday night , according to poweroutage.us .
The storm was not expected to affect offshore oil-and-gas production .
Energy companies have not evacuated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gulf of Mexico platforms because of Hanna .
Some residents took advantage of the wild weather , with Alejandero Carcano , 16 , and Jesse Garewal , 18 , both of Galveston , surfing the high swells whipped up by Hanna .
Governor Greg Abbott said in a statement on Sunday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency declared the storm a federal emergency and would help fund evacuation and shelter efforts .
“ I continue to urge Texans to heed the guidance from their local leaders and follow best practices to keep themselves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weather continues to move through our communities , ” he said .
The Texas area struck by Hanna has struggled to contain outbreaks of COVID-19 in recent weeks .
Cases along the state ’ s coast have soared into the tens of thousands .
More than 440 people in the Corpus Christi area were hospitalized with the illness , according to the state health department .
Weakening as it headed west over land , Hanna ’ s center on Sunday was about 35 miles from Monterrey , Mexico , as it moved 9 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hurricane Center said in a bulletin posted at 4 p.m .
The storm was forecast to lose more steam as it moved across Texas and northeastern Mexico .
On Sunday , weather watch officials canceled a storm surge warning they had issued for the Texas coast .

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PORT MANSFIELD, Texas, July 26 (Reuters) - Hanna, the first hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic season, left a trail of destruction along the Texas coast on Sunday, downing power lines, flooding streets and toppling 18-wheeler trucks as torrential rains threatened the area.
Hanna came ashore on Padre Island on Saturday afternoon as a Category 1 hurricane on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale of intensity and later made a second landfall in Kenedy County, Texas. It swept through a part of the state hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic. By Sunday, it had weakened to a tropical depression.
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Allen Heath surveys the damage to a private marina after it was hit by Hurricane Hanna on Sunday in Corpus Christi, Texas. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Powerful winds from Hanna knocked over at least three 18-wheeler trucks and a recreational vehicle, with tow trucks trying to right the toppled vehicles on Sunday, shutting down a 2-mile stretch of U.S. Route 77 in Sarita, Texas, near the Mexican border.
In Port Mansfield, 150 miles south of Padre Island, winds flattened sugarcane fields and leveled trees. Deer roamed the streets, stopping to nibble downed branches in the yards of homes, some that lost their roofs.
Heavy downpours of more than a foot of rain flooded roadways and swelled streams and rivers across south Texas, the National Weather Service said.
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There were no immediate reports of injuries.
“You could hear the wind blowing and the rain blowing and you looked outside you could see sheets of water blowing down the street,” said Sharon Pecce, 75, a resident of Port Mansfield, whose roof was ripped off her house on Saturday night.
“It’s scary to go through this at my age, a lot could have happened ... we could have been killed,” added Pecce, who was at a friend’s home with her 70-year-old husband when the damage occurred. “We are lucky we weren’t there.”
Roderick Kise, a spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the Rio Grande Valley, told the Caller Times newspaper in Corpus Christi that his agency was looking into a report that winds toppled a newly constructed portion of the border wall built between the United States and Mexico.
At one point, more than 283,000 homes and businesses were without electricity. But that figure fell to 98,000 by Sunday night, according to poweroutage.us.
The storm was not expected to affect offshore oil-and-gas production. Energy companies have not evacuated workers or shut down production from their Gulf of Mexico platforms because of Hanna.
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Some residents took advantage of the wild weather, with Alejandero Carcano, 16, and Jesse Garewal, 18, both of Galveston, surfing the high swells whipped up by Hanna.
Governor Greg Abbott said in a statement on Sunday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency declared the storm a federal emergency and would help fund evacuation and shelter efforts.
“I continue to urge Texans to heed the guidance from their local leaders and follow best practices to keep themselves and their loved ones safe as severe weather continues to move through our communities,” he said.
The Texas area struck by Hanna has struggled to contain outbreaks of COVID-19 in recent weeks. Cases along the state’s coast have soared into the tens of thousands.
More than 440 people in the Corpus Christi area were hospitalized with the illness, according to the state health department.
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STILL A THREAT
Weakening as it headed west over land, Hanna’s center on Sunday was about 35 miles from Monterrey, Mexico, as it moved 9 miles per hour, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said in a bulletin posted at 4 p.m.
The storm’s top sustained winds were around 35 mph, the center said.
The storm was forecast to lose more steam as it moved across Texas and northeastern Mexico. On Sunday, weather watch officials canceled a storm surge warning they had issued for the Texas coast.
Hanna still posed a threat, forecasters said, noting it could dump upward of 18 inches (45 cm) of rain in isolated areas of southern Texas through Monday.
“This rain will produce life-threatening flash flooding, rapid rises on small streams, and isolated minor-to-moderate river flooding,” the NHC said.
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In the Pacific, Hurricane Douglas was churning near Hawaii on Sunday, with torrential rains and damaging winds.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-26--Naya Rivera's Sister Nickayla Shares Heartbreaking Tribute To Late 'Glee' Star

Nickayla Rivera has paid tribute to her sister , “ Glee ” star Naya Rivera , after her tragic death in a boating accident earlier this month .
In her first Instagram post since Rivera , 33 , went missing at Lake Piru in Southern California on July 8 , the 25-year-old model , shared a childhood black-and-white photo of herself kissing her big sister .
“ Sister , There are no words to describe my love for you .
Side by side or miles apart , our connection is infinite .
Our bond is unbreakable .
We were complete @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The yin to my yang .
I never knew that by losing you , I would find so much of you in myself , ” she captioned the image .
“ I ’ ve never known a life without you in it & still can ’ t imagine it .
My world is turned upside down .
But through it all , everything we were , we are still .
I ’ ll always look at you with the same eyes as I did when I was young .
My shmaya , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ miss you every second of my life .
Authorities were alerted to the “ Glee ” star ’ s disappearance after her 4-year-old son , Josey Hollis Dorsey , was found alone on a boat that was overdue for return .
Officials said Josey told them his mother had been swimming and never returned to the vessel .
After days of searching , Naya Rivera ’ s body was recovered on July 13 ; her death was declared an accidental drowning .
Naya Rivera was featured on her sister ’ s Instagram in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a photo of the two with their brother , former NFL player Mychal Rivera .
Josey ’ s father , Rivera ’ s ex-husband Ryan Dorsey , also broke his silence on Saturday with a heart-wrenching post , saying , “ This is so unfair ... there ’ s not enough words to express the hole left in everyone ’ s hearts.
” Many of Rivera ’ s former “ Glee ” co-stars , including her close friend Heather Morris , have written messages as they process her death .

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Nickayla Rivera has paid tribute to her sister, “Glee” star Naya Rivera, after her tragic death in a boating accident earlier this month.
In her first Instagram post since Rivera, 33, went missing at Lake Piru in Southern California on July 8, the 25-year-old model, shared a childhood black-and-white photo of herself kissing her big sister.
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“Sister, There are no words to describe my love for you. Side by side or miles apart, our connection is infinite. Our bond is unbreakable. We were complete opposites, yet simultaneously the same. The yin to my yang. I never knew that by losing you, I would find so much of you in myself,” she captioned the image.
“I’ve never known a life without you in it & still can’t imagine it. My world is turned upside down. But through it all, everything we were, we are still. I’ll always look at you with the same eyes as I did when I was young. My shmaya, I’ll love you for eternity & miss you every second of my life.
Authorities were alerted to the “Glee” star’s disappearance after her 4-year-old son, Josey Hollis Dorsey, was found alone on a boat that was overdue for return. Officials said Josey told them his mother had been swimming and never returned to the vessel. After days of searching, Naya Rivera’s body was recovered on July 13; her death was declared an accidental drowning.
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Naya Rivera was featured on her sister’s Instagram in the past, including in May 2019 in a photo of the two with their brother, former NFL player Mychal Rivera.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-26--Suspect In Custody After Protester In Austin Shot Dead, Police Say

A suspect is in custody following the fatal shooting Saturday of an anti-racism demonstrator in Austin , Texas , police said .
Officials have not released the victim ’ s name , but his mother identified him as Garrett Foster in an interview with ABC ’ s “ Good Morning America.
” Witnesses said Foster was killed shortly before 10 p.m. by a motorist who had threatened protesters with his car , according to The New York Times .
Video captured by journalist Hiram Gilberto Garcia showed demonstrators marching through downtown Austin , chanting “ fists up , fight back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be heard .
A car then appeared to lurch toward the crowd as its horn blares , prompting screams from some protesters .
As demonstrators began to move toward the car , a person can be heard yelling “ everybody back up ” before eight gunshots rang out .
Foster was transported to a hospital , where he was later pronounced dead .
Police said they believe Foster was armed and had approached the car before being shot .
Michael Capochiano , a witness , told the Times that Foster walked toward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gun facing down .
Foster can be seen carrying what he described as an AK-47 rifle during a brief interview with Garcia earlier Saturday .
Foster said he was carrying the weapon because he felt it necessary to “ practice some of our rights ” after his roommate was arrested for protesting .
Asked if he believed he would need to use it , Foster said no .
In Texas , it ’ s legal to openly carry a rifle in public so long as it ’ s not brandished in a threatening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Sheila Foster , told ABC that she believes her son had a license to carry .
She said Garrett was pushing his fiancee , Whitney Mitchell , a quadruple amputee , in her wheelchair when the motorist opened fire .
Mitchell was not injured in the shooting .
“ They ’ d been participating in these protests almost every day for the past 50 days , ” Sheila Foster said .
“ He was doing it because he feels really strongly about justice , and he ’ s very heavily against police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his fiancee.
” She said Mitchell and her son , both 28 according to public records , had been together since they were 17 .
Police said the suspect , who has not been publicly identified , is cooperating with the investigation .
No other injuries were reported .

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A suspect is in custody following the fatal shooting Saturday of an anti-racism demonstrator in Austin, Texas, police said.
Officials have not released the victim’s name, but his mother identified him as Garrett Foster in an interview with ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
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Witnesses said Foster was killed shortly before 10 p.m. by a motorist who had threatened protesters with his car, according to The New York Times.
Video captured by journalist Hiram Gilberto Garcia showed demonstrators marching through downtown Austin, chanting “fists up, fight back,” moments before a car horn can be heard. A car then appeared to lurch toward the crowd as its horn blares, prompting screams from some protesters.
As demonstrators began to move toward the car, a person can be heard yelling “everybody back up” before eight gunshots rang out. Foster was transported to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Clip of the shooting at the protest in Austin Texas from Hiram Gilberto on FB pic.twitter.com/VFbzqfoSff — Anthony Martino (@anthonyfartino) July 26, 2020
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Police said they believe Foster was armed and had approached the car before being shot. Michael Capochiano, a witness, told the Times that Foster walked toward the vehicle with the muzzle of the gun facing down.
“He was not holding it in an aggressive manner,” Capochiano said.
Foster can be seen carrying what he described as an AK-47 rifle during a brief interview with Garcia earlier Saturday.
Foster said he was carrying the weapon because he felt it necessary to “practice some of our rights” after his roommate was arrested for protesting. Asked if he believed he would need to use it, Foster said no.
In Texas, it’s legal to openly carry a rifle in public so long as it’s not brandished in a threatening way.
Garrett Foster (left) and Whitney Mitchell regularly attended Black Lives Matter demonstrations in Austin, witnesses said. Facebook
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Garrett Foster’s mother, Sheila Foster, told ABC that she believes her son had a license to carry. She said Garrett was pushing his fiancee, Whitney Mitchell, a quadruple amputee, in her wheelchair when the motorist opened fire. Mitchell was not injured in the shooting.
“They’d been participating in these protests almost every day for the past 50 days,” Sheila Foster said. “He was doing it because he feels really strongly about justice, and he’s very heavily against police brutality, and he wanted to support his fiancee.”
She said Mitchell and her son, both 28 according to public records, had been together since they were 17.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-28--Cancer Was Easier Than Dealing With The Threat Of COVID. Here's Why.

I couldn ’ t help but think of Steve Jobs and Patrick Swayze , who ’ d both died of this killer in their 50s .
The survival rates were grim .
Only one person out of 20 would be alive five years after diagnosis .
At 63 and recently retired , I ’ d looked forward to travel and quality time with my wife , Laura , and adult daughters .
I feared those dreams would never materialize .
After a year of stomach problems , a CT scan had revealed a mass , which a biopsy proved malignant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with specialists , countless blood draws , more scans and immunizations , I went under the knife .
My surgeon removed half my pancreas , my spleen , and the lymph nodes between the two organs .
Laura waited through the five-hour procedure with her besties , and I awoke to big smiles , flowers and a teddy bear .
There was no proven cure , but my doctor prescribed six months of chemotherapy .
Every two weeks , I ’ d sit in a chair for six hours watching poison drip into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my neck .
It made me dizzy .
Afterward I was so sensitive to cold that I had to wear gloves to get anything from the fridge .
I swam , bicycled , lifted weights and took yoga classes .
In my neighborhood park , I practiced tai chi and meditated .
Added to that were weekly appointments to my acupuncturist and my shrink , both vital members of my “ team.
” Friends accompanied me to the infusion center and held my hand .
On March 11 of this year , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that showed I was cancer-free .
In the same visit where I learned this good news , my oncologist warned me about COVID-19 .
Without a spleen — which makes infection-fighting white blood cells — my immune system was permanently compromised .
She said it would be a good idea to self-isolate .
The following weekend , my city of Washington , D.C. , started its lockdown .
I got this , I thought .
It would be a cinch compared to cancer .
Isolation , face protection and social distancing I could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whenever we were invited to parties , I routinely asked beforehand if anyone was known to be sick .
I declined if the answer was yes .
On my daily excursions , fewer than half of those I passed wore facial coverings .
When I approached a naked-faced guy on the sidewalk , I stepped into the street as he walked by , peering into his iPhone .
On the bike trail , men dressed like they were in the Tour de France blew past me , huffing and puffing , without masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ line wandered too close , no doubt lost in their TikTok videos .
On a call with a substitute oncologist ( mine was on maternity leave ) , I asked for a plan .
There was no national strategy , he explained .
Then he rattled on about his own frustration .
His kids insisted on going to the pool with friends .
He was getting sick of takeout .
More worrisome , he shared that patients with any history of cancer were dying from coronavirus at higher rates than others .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. alone .
Yet we weren ’ t on anybody ’ s radar screen .
He counseled me to take precautions based on the best information I could get .
Great .
If I chose wrong , contracted coronavirus and croaked , it would be my own fault .
That was when I realized life had been easier with cancer .
While I was battling it , there was a map of practices to follow .
With COVID-19 , I had no such GPS .
Medicine offered nothing beyond hand washing and wearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the kindness of strangers .
In fact , half the people on the street were trying to kill me .
For me this meant doubling down on precautions , even those the CDC said weren ’ t necessary , like swabbing anything we bought with rubbing alcohol and washing all fruits and vegetables ( even organic ones ) in the kitchen sink .
I bought triple-layer masks — one for every day of the week — with a space for a coffee filter and a paper towel .
Going to a restaurant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a vaccine was found .
I assumed everyone outside was a carrier and cut back on biking .
I reached for my spray sanitizer along with my keys when I left the house .
It wasn ’ t enough .
Last week , Laura went to the dentist , who assured her they took the most stringent precautions to prevent patients from being exposed to the virus .
Four days later , their office called to say that the hygienist who attended her had come down with symptoms and they were waiting for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I loved most , sleeping in my bed , could present the worst danger .
It ’ s galling to think that it didn ’ t have to be this way .
Scientists started developing pandemic playbooks at least as far back as the Spanish Flu of 1918 .
But the way Trump handled the response to Covid-19 has left everyone stressed and in a 24/7 state of dread .
Now I am the one sending love and prayers to Facebook friends who ’ ve lost loved ones to this scourge .

kckate16 via Getty Images
When I revealed on Facebook a diagnosis of stage 2 pancreatic cancer last year, my family, friends, former colleagues and even friends of friends sent messages of love, support and prayers. I needed that.
I couldn’t help but think of Steve Jobs and Patrick Swayze, who’d both died of this killer in their 50s. The survival rates were grim. Only one person out of 20 would be alive five years after diagnosis. At 63 and recently retired, I’d looked forward to travel and quality time with my wife, Laura, and adult daughters. I feared those dreams would never materialize.
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After a year of stomach problems, a CT scan had revealed a mass, which a biopsy proved malignant. Following a month of daily visits with specialists, countless blood draws, more scans and immunizations, I went under the knife. My surgeon removed half my pancreas, my spleen, and the lymph nodes between the two organs. Laura waited through the five-hour procedure with her besties, and I awoke to big smiles, flowers and a teddy bear.
There was no proven cure, but my doctor prescribed six months of chemotherapy. Every two weeks, I’d sit in a chair for six hours watching poison drip into a port connected to an artery in my neck. It made me dizzy. Afterward I was so sensitive to cold that I had to wear gloves to get anything from the fridge.
Between treatments, I experienced nausea, constipation and cramps. To ease them and increase my chances, my doctors gave me clear guidance: Drink water constantly and exercise like mad.
I swam, bicycled, lifted weights and took yoga classes. In my neighborhood park, I practiced tai chi and meditated. Added to that were weekly appointments to my acupuncturist and my shrink, both vital members of my “team.” Friends accompanied me to the infusion center and held my hand. On March 11 of this year, I had my first CT scan after chemo that showed I was cancer-free.
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In the same visit where I learned this good news, my oncologist warned me about COVID-19. Without a spleen — which makes infection-fighting white blood cells — my immune system was permanently compromised. She said it would be a good idea to self-isolate. The following weekend, my city of Washington, D.C., started its lockdown.
I got this, I thought. It would be a cinch compared to cancer. Isolation, face protection and social distancing I could live with. Since the operation, whenever we were invited to parties, I routinely asked beforehand if anyone was known to be sick. I declined if the answer was yes.
“Having dodged a bullet last year from 'the big C,' I didn’t relish dying from a different C nobody saw coming.”
Now, on daily walks and bike rides, I was comforted to see the majority of my fellow residents wearing masks. I felt safer than before. As death rates from the pandemic fell, I looked forward to eating at restaurants again — outside. of course.
Then D.C. began to reopen. Everyone interpreted the falling infection and mortality rates as a sign the virus had lost, and they could return to their normal lives.
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On my daily excursions, fewer than half of those I passed wore facial coverings. When I approached a naked-faced guy on the sidewalk, I stepped into the street as he walked by, peering into his iPhone. On the bike trail, men dressed like they were in the Tour de France blew past me, huffing and puffing, without masks. In grocery stores, customers on line wandered too close, no doubt lost in their TikTok videos.
I needed new protocols to keep me alive.
On a call with a substitute oncologist (mine was on maternity leave), I asked for a plan. There was no national strategy, he explained. Then he rattled on about his own frustration. His kids insisted on going to the pool with friends. He was getting sick of takeout. More worrisome, he shared that patients with any history of cancer were dying from coronavirus at higher rates than others.
There are 16.9 million cancer survivors in the U.S. alone. Yet we weren’t on anybody’s radar screen. He counseled me to take precautions based on the best information I could get. Great. If I chose wrong, contracted coronavirus and croaked, it would be my own fault.
That was when I realized life had been easier with cancer. While I was battling it, there was a map of practices to follow. With COVID-19, I had no such GPS. Medicine offered nothing beyond hand washing and wearing masks. I could not even rely on the kindness of strangers. In fact, half the people on the street were trying to kill me.
Having dodged a bullet last year from “the big C,” I didn’t relish dying from a different C nobody saw coming. I had to take my safety into my own hands.
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“There are no pro-mask demonstrations. If there were, I couldn’t go anyway.”
For me this meant doubling down on precautions, even those the CDC said weren’t necessary, like swabbing anything we bought with rubbing alcohol and washing all fruits and vegetables (even organic ones) in the kitchen sink. I bought triple-layer masks — one for every day of the week — with a space for a coffee filter and a paper towel. Going to a restaurant wouldn’t be an option until a vaccine was found. I assumed everyone outside was a carrier and cut back on biking. I reached for my spray sanitizer along with my keys when I left the house. It wasn’t enough.
Last week, Laura went to the dentist, who assured her they took the most stringent precautions to prevent patients from being exposed to the virus. Four days later, their office called to say that the hygienist who attended her had come down with symptoms and they were waiting for the test results. So the one I loved most, sleeping in my bed, could present the worst danger.
After 10 days of sweating, the dentist called to say the woman had tested positive. Laura has no symptoms, but now her doctor wants her tested. This is the limbo I will inhabit until a vaccine arrives.
There are no pro-mask demonstrations. If there were, I couldn’t go anyway. Instead, I’ve begun tweeting senate and congressional leaders to push for a coherent COVID-19 response strategy.
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It’s galling to think that it didn’t have to be this way. Scientists started developing pandemic playbooks at least as far back as the Spanish Flu of 1918. But the way Trump handled the response to Covid-19 has left everyone stressed and in a 24/7 state of dread. Now I am the one sending love and prayers to Facebook friends who’ve lost loved ones to this scourge.
That’s why the most important part of my new roadmap might be still to come: I’m phone banking for Biden in the fall.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-28--Trump Retweets COVID-19 Video Yanked By Social Media For Pushing Fake Cure

President Donald Trump and his son , Donald Trump Jr. , on Monday retweeted a viral video that was yanked by Facebook for pushing “ false information about cures and treatments for COVID-19.
” The clip , which was originally posted by the right-wing news site Breitbart , featured four people who identified themselves as doctors speaking in front of the Supreme Court building .
One was Stella Immanuel , who claims to be a physician in Houston , and said hydroxychloroquine , a malaria drug often touted by Trump , was a cure for COVID-19 .
Immanuel also said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face masks and attacked “ fake doctors ” who “ sound like a computer.
” To avoid contracting coronavirus , the CDC advises wearing a face mask , limiting face-to-face contact with others and wearing gloves when cleaning and disinfecting or providing care for the sick .
Immanuel has an unusual background for a self-proclaimed COVID-19 expert .
Information about her medical background is limited ; however , she does serve as the head of Fire Power Ministries , which appears to be located in a Houston strip mall and promotes a baptism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , healings and deliverance.
” “ If my page is not back up face book will be down in Jesus name , ” she tweeted .
The original tweet was posted by “ War Room : Pandemic , ” a radio show and podcast hosted by Trump ’ s former White House strategist Steve Bannon .
Trump retweeted more than a dozen posts on Monday evening that plugged hydroxychloroquine , Mediaite reported .
His personal attorney , Rudy Giuliani , also posted inaccurate information about the coronavirus : Today has seen a remarkable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Frontline Doctors video on Breitbart .
Trump retweeting a claim that it works , now removed by Twitter .
Massive social media action .
Rudy ( below ) .
I do n't understand it , but it feels coordinated .
pic.twitter.com/QdGWoDznEy — Carl T. Bergstrom ( @ CT_Bergstrom ) July 28 , 2020 The Breitbart video was viewed at least 14 million times by Monday afternoon , per New York Times reporter Kevin Roose .
Facebook appeared to be the first social media site to pull the clip from its site .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ featuring the video were later yanked by Twitter .
The # 2 most-engaged post on Facebook today is a Breitbart video of a group of doctors claiming that hydroxychloroquine is `` a cure for Covid '' and `` you do n't need a mask . ''
14 million views in 6 hours .
( For scale , Plandemic got ~8 million in a few days . )
— Kevin Roose ( @ kevinroose ) July 28 , 2020 A Facebook representative told CNN that the company was also trying to counteract damaging information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re showing messages in News Feed to people who have reacted to , commented on or shared harmful COVID-19-related misinformation that we have removed , connecting them to myths debunked by the WHO , ” a Facebook spokesperson said .

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President Donald Trump and his son, Donald Trump Jr., on Monday retweeted a viral video that was yanked by Facebook for pushing “false information about cures and treatments for COVID-19.”
YouTube and Twitter also pulled the video.
The clip, which was originally posted by the right-wing news site Breitbart, featured four people who identified themselves as doctors speaking in front of the Supreme Court building. One was Stella Immanuel, who claims to be a physician in Houston, and said hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug often touted by Trump, was a cure for COVID-19.
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Immanuel also said that people do not need to wear face masks and attacked “fake doctors” who “sound like a computer.” To avoid contracting coronavirus, the CDC advises wearing a face mask, limiting face-to-face contact with others and wearing gloves when cleaning and disinfecting or providing care for the sick.
Immanuel has an unusual background for a self-proclaimed COVID-19 expert. Information about her medical background is limited; however, she does serve as the head of Fire Power Ministries, which appears to be located in a Houston strip mall and promotes a baptism of fire program that offers “miracles, healings and deliverance.”
On Monday night, Immanuel threatened Facebook with God’s wrath.
“If my page is not back up face book will be down in Jesus name,” she tweeted.
The President of the United States has now shared the video. pic.twitter.com/U6rbUlYEls — Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) July 28, 2020
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The President's son is now sharing the viral misinfo video denouncing supposed "fake doctors" and saying "you don't need a mask." pic.twitter.com/RJIx1CDnYh — Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) July 28, 2020
In addition, Trump retweeted a post that quotes a Dr. Lee Vliet who claims infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci “misled the American public.”
The original tweet was posted by “War Room: Pandemic,” a radio show and podcast hosted by Trump’s former White House strategist Steve Bannon.
Trump retweets a tweet questioning Fauci’s credibility and saying he “misled the American public on many issues” pic.twitter.com/MjYpmdMAAy — Manu Raju (@mkraju) July 28, 2020
Trump retweeted more than a dozen posts on Monday evening that plugged hydroxychloroquine, Mediaite reported. His personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, also posted inaccurate information about the coronavirus:
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Today has seen a remarkable push of pro-hydroxychloroquine propaganda. The America's Frontline Doctors video on Breitbart. Trump retweeting a claim that it works, now removed by Twitter. Massive social media action. Rudy (below).
I don't understand it, but it feels coordinated. pic.twitter.com/QdGWoDznEy — Carl T. Bergstrom (@CT_Bergstrom) July 28, 2020
The Breitbart video was viewed at least 14 million times by Monday afternoon, per New York Times reporter Kevin Roose. Facebook appeared to be the first social media site to pull the clip from its site. Trump and his son’s retweets featuring the video were later yanked by Twitter.
The #2 most-engaged post on Facebook today is a Breitbart video of a group of doctors claiming that hydroxychloroquine is "a cure for Covid" and "you don't need a mask."
14 million views in 6 hours. (For scale, Plandemic got ~8 million in a few days.) — Kevin Roose (@kevinroose) July 28, 2020
A Facebook spokesman says the video was removed "for sharing false information about cures and treatments for COVID-19." https://t.co/dTKZMHL7GF — Kevin Roose (@kevinroose) July 28, 2020
A Facebook representative told CNN that the company was also trying to counteract damaging information in the video.
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