thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-13--Leaving The Pandemic Response To States Doomed The Country To Fail Together

Coronavirus cases are climbing in nearly 40 U.S. states .
On Sunday , Florida broke the U.S. record for most coronavirus cases in a day with 15,300 new cases ― that ’ s more cases than were detected in all of Europe the same day .
In Arizona , confirmed and possible COVID-19 patients were using a record number of intensive care unit beds and ventilators on Sunday .
A day later , California announced it would roll back reopenings , closing all bars , movie theaters and indoor dining as cases in the state continue to surge .
Meanwhile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fighting to gain control over the spread of the virus , up against not just a pandemic but the politicization of safety measures like masks , pressure from the federal government to reopen schools and President Donald Trump working to cast doubt on a top voice in public health , Dr. Anthony Fauci .
At a time when speedy decisions , cooperation and trust in the government are crucial , the U.S. is failing .
States that are now doing comparatively well , like New York and New Jersey , implemented lockdowns at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ( D ) ordered a lockdown on March 20 , mandating that all nonessential businesses close to curb the spread of the virus .
New Jersey , Connecticut and New Hampshire all followed suit within days .
New York , once the epicenter of the coronavirus , recorded no new deaths in a 24-hour period last weekend for the first time since March .
That ’ s a big change since one of the state ’ s worst peaks in April , when nearly 800 New Yorkers were dying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We know how we got here .
Florida , along with other states , opened up too early when they weren ’ t quite ready .
They didn ’ t meet the White House ’ s own guidelines .
And they opened up too aggressively — they had bars and restaurants and other things open when they weren ’ t ready to do it , ” Dr. Ashish Jha , director of the Harvard Global Health Institute , said on NBC ’ s “ Today ” show on Monday .
Although it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are effective in curbing the spread of the virus , state and local guidelines on face coverings vary widely .
State leaders in New York , New Jersey and Connecticut , for example , have all encouraged residents to wear masks when outdoors and around other people .
Cuomo mandated that all New Yorkers wear masks back in April , right after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officially recommended people wear masks in social settings .
In places like Texas , Florida and Arizona , however , mask-wearing has become a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott ( R ) mandated that all Texans wear masks earlier this month as the state saw an increase in cases , but nearly 80 Texas counties opted out of the order and others are simply not enforcing it .
In Florida , some Republican state lawmakers have sued their counties over mask orders .
“ We have real concerns of governments overreaching during these periods of time that can hurt us in the future .
It should be handled by local businesses .
The government ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right thing to do , not force mandates down , ” Leon County Republican Party Chairman Evan Power said in an explanation of why he ’ s suing over the mask mandate .
Many of the local and state leaders in areas seeing increased coronavirus cases have followed Trump ’ s lead .
Although the Trump administration has officially recommended wearing masks for months , the president himself did not wear one in public until this past weekend .
Before then , Trump attended campaign rallies and other big events without a face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s supporters took cues from him and did not wear masks at his recent campaign rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma .
In May , Trump went so far as to mock his Democratic opponent Joe Biden for wearing a face mask .
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany has consistently pointed to the rise in testing as a reason for a rise in COVID-19 cases .
“ When you lead the world in testing , that means you identify more cases , ” McEnany said of the current outbreak at a Monday press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ramped up its testing , it does not actually lead the world in testing . )
Trump has also continued to falsely claim that the U.S. has more COVID-19 cases only because of increased testing , saying last week that the country was in a “ good place.
” The president and his team have also discredited Fauci , a member of Trump ’ s coronavirus task force who has publicly stated that the country is not , in fact , in a good place at all .
Both The Washington Post and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received statements from the White House trying to undermine Fauci by pointing to several comments that the infectious disease expert made earlier in the pandemic that ended up being incorrect .
Fauci ’ s advice ( similar to that of many other public health experts ) has shifted in recent months as scientists gain a better understanding of the novel virus .
On Monday , Trump retweeted a right-wing game show host ’ s coronavirus conspiracy theory that insinuated that the CDC and doctors , including Fauci , are lying to influence the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Later that day , Trump told reporters that he has “ a very good relationship with Dr. Fauci , ” but he doesn ’ t “ always agree with him.
” “ Let me say there are parts of the United States … that are doing really well , that you ’ ve been through something really bad and you have things under control , ” Fauci told FiveThirtyEight ’ s “ Podcast-19 ” recently .
“ But as a country , when you compare us to other countries , I don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re doing great .
I mean , we ’ re just not .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
As many developed countries have finally gotten their arms around the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States remains in crisis ― and, in many states, is getting worse by the week.
Coronavirus cases are climbing in nearly 40 U.S. states. On Sunday, Florida broke the U.S. record for most coronavirus cases in a day with 15,300 new cases ― that’s more cases than were detected in all of Europe the same day. In Arizona, confirmed and possible COVID-19 patients were using a record number of intensive care unit beds and ventilators on Sunday. A day later, California announced it would roll back reopenings, closing all bars, movie theaters and indoor dining as cases in the state continue to surge.
Advertisement
The five places in the world with the most new coronavirus cases per million residents last week included four Southern U.S. states and Bahrain, a Middle Eastern country with a high population of migrant workers living in tight quarters with little access to health care.
Meanwhile, U.S. state and local leaders are fighting to gain control over the spread of the virus, up against not just a pandemic but the politicization of safety measures like masks, pressure from the federal government to reopen schools and President Donald Trump working to cast doubt on a top voice in public health, Dr. Anthony Fauci. At a time when speedy decisions, cooperation and trust in the government are crucial, the U.S. is failing.
Florida, Texas, Arizona, Alabama and other states now seeing major increases in cases were relatively late to implement key safety measures such as stay-at-home orders or mask mandates.
States that are now doing comparatively well, like New York and New Jersey, implemented lockdowns at least two weeks earlier. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) ordered a lockdown on March 20, mandating that all nonessential businesses close to curb the spread of the virus. New Jersey, Connecticut and New Hampshire all followed suit within days.
Advertisement
New York, once the epicenter of the coronavirus, recorded no new deaths in a 24-hour period last weekend for the first time since March. That’s a big change since one of the state’s worst peaks in April, when nearly 800 New Yorkers were dying each day from the virus.
In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) didn’t enforce a stay-at-home order until April 3, with many of the state’s beaches remaining open and little oversight to enforce social distancing. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) implemented a shelter-in-place order on April 4, and South Carolina was the last U.S. state to enforce a lockdown order on April 7.
Many states now experiencing an increase in COVID-19 cases reopened their economies much earlier than health experts suggested, leading to a surge in avoidable coronavirus cases.
“We know how we got here. Florida, along with other states, opened up too early when they weren’t quite ready. They didn’t meet the White House’s own guidelines. And they opened up too aggressively — they had bars and restaurants and other things open when they weren’t ready to do it,” Dr. Ashish Jha, director of the Harvard Global Health Institute, said on NBC’s “Today” show on Monday.
“At a time when speedy decisions, cooperation and trust in the government are crucial, the U.S. is failing.”
Advertisement
Although it’s been clear for months that masks are effective in curbing the spread of the virus, state and local guidelines on face coverings vary widely. State leaders in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, for example, have all encouraged residents to wear masks when outdoors and around other people. Cuomo mandated that all New Yorkers wear masks back in April, right after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officially recommended people wear masks in social settings.
In places like Texas, Florida and Arizona, however, mask-wearing has become a controversial and, somehow, political topic. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) mandated that all Texans wear masks earlier this month as the state saw an increase in cases, but nearly 80 Texas counties opted out of the order and others are simply not enforcing it. In Florida, some Republican state lawmakers have sued their counties over mask orders.
“We have real concerns of governments overreaching during these periods of time that can hurt us in the future. It should be handled by local businesses. The government’s job is to educate people on the right thing to do, not force mandates down,” Leon County Republican Party Chairman Evan Power said in an explanation of why he’s suing over the mask mandate.
Many of the local and state leaders in areas seeing increased coronavirus cases have followed Trump’s lead. Although the Trump administration has officially recommended wearing masks for months, the president himself did not wear one in public until this past weekend. Before then, Trump attended campaign rallies and other big events without a face covering. Many of the president’s supporters took cues from him and did not wear masks at his recent campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In May, Trump went so far as to mock his Democratic opponent Joe Biden for wearing a face mask.
The president has somewhat changed his tune on face coverings. “I think it’s a great thing to wear a mask,” he said Saturday, later adding, “They have a time and place.”
Advertisement
President Donald Trump finally wears a mask as he visits Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, on July 11, 2020. ALEX EDELMAN via Getty Images
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany has consistently pointed to the rise in testing as a reason for a rise in COVID-19 cases. “When you lead the world in testing, that means you identify more cases,” McEnany said of the current outbreak at a Monday press conference. (Although the U.S. has ramped up its testing, it does not actually lead the world in testing.) Trump has also continued to falsely claim that the U.S. has more COVID-19 cases only because of increased testing, saying last week that the country was in a “good place.”
The president and his team have also discredited Fauci, a member of Trump’s coronavirus task force who has publicly stated that the country is not, in fact, in a good place at all. Both The Washington Post and NBC News reported on Monday that they received statements from the White House trying to undermine Fauci by pointing to several comments that the infectious disease expert made earlier in the pandemic that ended up being incorrect. Fauci’s advice (similar to that of many other public health experts) has shifted in recent months as scientists gain a better understanding of the novel virus.
On Monday, Trump retweeted a right-wing game show host’s coronavirus conspiracy theory that insinuated that the CDC and doctors, including Fauci, are lying to influence the election and get Trump out of office. Later that day, Trump told reporters that he has “a very good relationship with Dr. Fauci,” but he doesn’t “always agree with him.”
Last week, Fauci placed some of the blame for the spread of COVID-19 on a divisive culture that has politicized efforts to fight the pandemic.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-13--California Shuts Down Again As U.S. Coronavirus Crisis Expands

SACRAMENTO ( Reuters ) - California ’ s governor on Monday clamped new restrictions on businesses , and the state ’ s two largest school districts , Los Angeles and San Diego , said children would not return to class for the new term as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations soared .
Governor Gavin Newsom , a Democrat , ordered bars closed and restaurants , movie theaters , zoos and museums statewide to cease indoor operations .
Newsom said churches , gyms and hair salons must close in the 30 hardest-hit counties .
“ It ’ s incumbent upon all of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not going away anytime soon , until there is a vaccine and/or an effective therapy , ” Newsom said at a daily news briefing .
The governor called the move critical to stemming a new surge in COVID-19 cases that have strained hospitals in several of California ’ s rural counties .
The public school districts for Los Angeles and San Diego , two of the country ’ s largest with a combined 706,000 students and 88,000 employees , said in a joint statement they would hold online-only classes , citing “ vague @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidelines .
The districts said countries that have safely reopened their schools have done so only after establishing declining infection rates and on-demand coronavirus testing .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
SACRAMENTO (Reuters) — California’s governor on Monday clamped new restrictions on businesses as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations soared, and the state’s two largest school districts, in Los Angeles and San Diego, said children would be made to stay home in August.
Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, ordered bars closed and restaurants, movie theaters, zoos and museums across the nation’s most populous state to cease indoor operations. Gyms, churches and hair salons must close in the 30 hardest-hit counties.
Advertisement
“It’s incumbent upon all of us to recognize soberly that COVID-19 is not going away any time soon, until there is a vaccine and/or an effective therapy,” Newsom said at a news briefing.
The governor called the move critical to stemming a surge in COVID-19 cases that have strained hospitals in several of California’s rural counties.
The public school districts for Los Angeles and San Diego, which instruct a combined 706,000 students and employ 88,000 people, said in a joint statement they would teach only online when school resumes in August, citing “vague and contradictory” science and government guidelines.
The districts said countries that have safely reopened schools have done so only after establishing declining infection rates and on-demand coronavirus testing.
Advertisement
“California has neither,” the statement said, adding, “The sky-rocketing infection rates of the past few weeks make it clear the pandemic is not under control.”
The union representing Los Angeles teachers applauded the strategy in a separate statement released shortly after the school shutdowns were announced.
“In the face of the alarming spike in COVID cases, the lack of necessary funding from the government to open schools safely and the outsized threat of death faced by working-class communities of color, there really is no other choice that doesn’t put thousands of lives at risk,” United Teachers Los Angeles said.
Brenda Del Hierro, who has two children in Los Angeles schools, said resuming traditional instruction was important but the hazards had to be considered. “For their social and emotional wellbeing they need to go back to school. But at the end of the day there is too much of a risk,” she said.
DISTRICTS CLASH WITH TRUMP
The decision to cancel in-person classes puts the districts at odds with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has said he might withhold federal funding or remove tax-exempt status from school systems that refuse to reopen. Most education funding comes from state and local governments.
Advertisement
Administration officials have said data do not suggest attending school would be dangerous for children because their infection rates are far lower than the population at large.
In response to the California districts’ announcement, the White House reiterated that the ideal scenario is for students to go to school. “Hopefully Los Angeles and San Diego can get there soon as well, as that is what is best for children.” spokesman Judd Deer said.
Newsom, who has said during the pandemic that it was up to local school districts to determine how best to educate their students, cheered the announcements by Los Angeles and San Diego.
But Republicans criticized the governor for failing to issue statewide guidelines for schools during the health crisis.
“While he continues to blame Californians for his failure in leadership, his demands to close our small businesses and lack of direction on opening schools will further harm California’s school children and the small businesses that fuel our economy,” Jessica Millan Patterson, chairwoman of the California Republican Party, said in a written statement.
Advertisement
California, along with Florida, Arizona and Texas have emerged as the new U.S. epicenters of the pandemic. Infections have risen rapidly in about 40 of the 50 states over the last two weeks, according to a Reuters analysis.
Despite nearly 28,000 new COVID-19 cases in the last two days in Florida, Disney World in Orlando welcomed the public on Saturday for the first time since March with guests required to wear masks, undergo temperature checks and keep physically apart.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-13--Covid-19 Patients Are Struggling To Cope After Leaving Hospitals

Special Arrangement KEM Hospital is one of the civic hospitals that has recently started offering physiotherapy to patients before discharge .
It has been two months since Dr Abdul Mohid , a Mumbai-based general physician , was discharged from the hospital after a long battle with Covid-19 , but he still feels the lingering after-effects of the viral infection .
The severe lung damage caused by SARS CoV-2 has left the 30-year-old prone to exertional dyspnea , which makes him constantly feel like he ’ s running out of breath .
Mohid , who has been closely watching his recovery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reach the third floor in the hospital where he practices is now a tedious task .
Even reading aloud a paragraph at once can leave him gasping for air .
And this is an improvement from last month , when he could not even find the strength to hold a cup of tea .
Mohid got back home on May 4 after spending 25 days in three different hospitals , including some days in ICU at a private hospital , where he got a bill running into lakhs .
When he finally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just asked to remain in home quarantine for the next 14 days .
There was no rehabilitation plan or a follow-up schedule drawn out for him .
“ My chest x-ray still had a pneumonic infiltration but doctors said that it should disappear in six weeks , ” says Mohid .
At home , he began to experience severe bouts of weakness , fatigue and shortness of breath .
With no guidance from the doctors who treated him , Mohid turned to his other doctor friends for tips on pulmonary exercises that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a few breathing techniques , he started using an incentive spirometer , a device that helps increase lung capacity and helps patients with deep breathing .
Months after the pandemic began , it ’ s clear that Covid-19 wreaks havoc in the lungs of moderate to critically ill patients as they grapple with weakness , breathlessness and fatigue for weeks , if not months .
It ’ s like the lungs forget their primary function .
Hence , say experts , pulmonary rehabilitation , aimed at reminding the lungs to do what they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amount of oxygen to the body through a set of individualised but monitored exercises—is critical to the recovery process .
But hospitals across the country , still overwhelmed by the sheer volume of Covid-19 patients , have paid little to no attention to this aspect .
“ I still have cramps , shivering and unexplainable weakness .
Moving from the bed to pick up the cell phone lying on the side table is exhausting , ” he says .
Though he ’ s a candidate for rehabilitation , he hasn ’ t had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as his 58-year-old father , who also caught the infection , was shifted to the High Dependency Unit ( HDU ) of Mumbai ’ s Breach Candy Hospital last week .
Doctors in Solapur , he says , didn ’ t share any information on rehab exercises .
His father ’ s treating physician Dr Pratit Samdani is still trying to ascertain whether the 58-year-old has developed lung fibrosis—a permanent condition wherein the lung tissue is severely damaged—or has pulmonary infiltrates that may disappear gradually .
The doctor has seen five Covid-19 patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three months .
This patient , said Dr Samdani , will need chest rehab but even the limited facilities are not active right now due to the ongoing staff shortage .
Pune-based pulmonologist Dr Sundeep Salvi , who is also the vice-president of the Indian Chest Society , said that doctors across the country have started noticing scarring of the lungs in Covid-19 patients .
“ The prognosis of patients with such lung scars is worse .
Their quality of life is badly affected due to difficulty in breathing , ” said Dr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of patients were reported to have pulmonary fibrosis during the first SARS outbreak as well .
The civic-run Nair Hospital in Mumbai , a medical college that was converted into a dedicated Covid-19 facility , has recently deployed its post-graduate physiotherapy students in Covid wards to initiate rehabilitation for patients set for discharge .
The hospital is now in the process of developing tele-rehab facilities for patients who have what they call ‘ post Covid sequelae ’ , or lingering effects of the disease .
“ It has been a grossly underdeveloped field @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pick 100 hospitals in the country , less than five will have a good pulmonary rehab centre , ” said Dr Salvi , adding that he hopes that the pandemic pushes hospitals to develop this speciality , especially in high-burden states like Maharashtra .
At Covid Care Centres , where mild patients are admitted , mass yoga programmes with emphasis on breathing exercises have recently been initiated .
But , according to experts , an ideal rehab programme should consist of a wide range of exercises such as chest manipulation techniques , inspiratory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diaphragmatic and segmental breathing , positioning for proper lung ventilation and hourly use of an incentive spirometer among other things .
Nearly 15 % Covid-19 patients fall into the moderate to severe category and the role of rehabilitation in such patients is much more .
The duration can be anywhere between two to six weeks depending on the symptoms and severity of the disease .

KEM Hospital is one of the civic hospitals that has recently started offering physiotherapy to patients before discharge. Special Arrangement
It has been two months since Dr Abdul Mohid, a Mumbai-based general physician, was discharged from the hospital after a long battle with Covid-19, but he still feels the lingering after-effects of the viral infection. The severe lung damage caused by SARS CoV-2 has left the 30-year-old prone to exertional dyspnea, which makes him constantly feel like he’s running out of breath.
Mohid, who has been closely watching his recovery curve, says that climbing the stairs to reach the third floor in the hospital where he practices is now a tedious task. Even reading aloud a paragraph at once can leave him gasping for air. And this is an improvement from last month, when he could not even find the strength to hold a cup of tea.
Advertisement
Mohid got back home on May 4 after spending 25 days in three different hospitals, including some days in ICU at a private hospital, where he got a bill running into lakhs. When he finally left the last hospital, he was just asked to remain in home quarantine for the next 14 days. There was no rehabilitation plan or a follow-up schedule drawn out for him.
“My chest x-ray still had a pneumonic infiltration but doctors said that it should disappear in six weeks,” says Mohid. At home, he began to experience severe bouts of weakness, fatigue and shortness of breath. With no guidance from the doctors who treated him, Mohid turned to his other doctor friends for tips on pulmonary exercises that he could do at home. Along with a few breathing techniques, he started using an incentive spirometer, a device that helps increase lung capacity and helps patients with deep breathing.
“The little bit of rehab routine that I followed at home played a huge role in my recovery,” he says.
Months after the pandemic began, it’s clear that Covid-19 wreaks havoc in the lungs of moderate to critically ill patients as they grapple with weakness, breathlessness and fatigue for weeks, if not months. It’s like the lungs forget their primary function. Hence, say experts, pulmonary rehabilitation, aimed at reminding the lungs to do what they do—inhale, exhale and supply a good amount of oxygen to the body through a set of individualised but monitored exercises—is critical to the recovery process. But hospitals across the country, still overwhelmed by the sheer volume of Covid-19 patients, have paid little to no attention to this aspect.
Advertisement
In Mumbai, one of the country’s worst-hit cities, civic hospitals have just begun waking up to the need to offer physiotherapy to patients while they are in the hospital. A post-discharge rehab protocol is still not in place.
Even in private hospitals, it’s a rare service that comes with an additional cost burden included in Covid treatment packages. “In the absence of a rehab programme, patients remain recumbent for a longer period, have reduced productivity and their overall recovery is slowed down drastically,” said Dr Swati Sanghvi, head of advanced physiotherapy department at a south Mumbai hospital.
Without proper instructions, many patients are turning to local doctors, or even Google and YouTube, to help them get through the damage left by the disease.
In Mumbai, civic hospitals have just begun waking up to the need to offer physiotherapy to patients while they are in the hospital. Special Arrangement
Crushing fatigue, long-lasting lung scars
A 32-year-old businessman from Solapur, who is into yarn trade, was discharged on June 27 after a 23-day long hospital stay. This included a few days in the ICU, where he was put on the Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP) machine, that offers non-invasive ventilation.
Advertisement
“I still have cramps, shivering and unexplainable weakness. Moving from the bed to pick up the cell phone lying on the side table is exhausting,” he says. Though he’s a candidate for rehabilitation, he hasn’t had the time to enrol into a programme as his 58-year-old father, who also caught the infection, was shifted to the High Dependency Unit (HDU) of Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital last week.
Doctors in Solapur, he says, didn’t share any information on rehab exercises. His father’s treating physician Dr Pratit Samdani is still trying to ascertain whether the 58-year-old has developed lung fibrosis—a permanent condition wherein the lung tissue is severely damaged—or has pulmonary infiltrates that may disappear gradually. The doctor has seen five Covid-19 patients progressing to lung fibrosis over the past three months. This patient, said Dr Samdani, will need chest rehab but even the limited facilities are not active right now due to the ongoing staff shortage.
Pune-based pulmonologist Dr Sundeep Salvi, who is also the vice-president of the Indian Chest Society, said that doctors across the country have started noticing scarring of the lungs in Covid-19 patients. “The prognosis of patients with such lung scars is worse. Their quality of life is badly affected due to difficulty in breathing,” said Dr Salvi, adding that a small percentage of patients were reported to have pulmonary fibrosis during the first SARS outbreak as well.
The component of fatigue associated with Covid-19 is not like other viral ailments, as even those with mild disease suffer from long-lasting body aches and crushing weakness. The oxygen imbalance due to compromised lung function is mainly to be blamed for this exhaustion.
Dr Hemant Deshmukh, dean of civic-run KEM Hospital, said that the oxygen saturation fluctuates rapidly to dangerous levels. “We have seen patients who are lying down on the bed with oxygen saturation level at 94% and the moment they sit upright, the saturation dips below 90%,” he said.
Advertisement
Incidentally, KEM Hospital has seen Mumbai’s biggest share of serious patients, but is yet to set up a structured system for follow-ups.
The civic-run Nair Hospital in Mumbai, a medical college that was converted into a dedicated Covid-19 facility, has recently deployed its post-graduate physiotherapy students in Covid wards to initiate rehabilitation for patients set for discharge. The hospital is now in the process of developing tele-rehab facilities for patients who have what they call ‘post Covid sequelae’, or lingering effects of the disease.
An underdeveloped field
The primary challenge is that few hospitals in the country have well-developed pulmonary rehabilitation facilities, a demanding speciality that requires a team of good pulmonologists, physiotherapists, trained nursing staff, nutritionists and psychologists.
“It has been a grossly underdeveloped field since the pre-Covid times. If you pick 100 hospitals in the country, less than five will have a good pulmonary rehab centre,” said Dr Salvi, adding that he hopes that the pandemic pushes hospitals to develop this speciality, especially in high-burden states like Maharashtra. At Covid Care Centres, where mild patients are admitted, mass yoga programmes with emphasis on breathing exercises have recently been initiated. But, according to experts, an ideal rehab programme should consist of a wide range of exercises such as chest manipulation techniques, inspiratory muscle stimulation, thoracic expansion exercises, diaphragmatic and segmental breathing, positioning for proper lung ventilation and hourly use of an incentive spirometer among other things.
Nearly 15% Covid-19 patients fall into the moderate to severe category and the role of rehabilitation in such patients is much more. The duration can be anywhere between two to six weeks depending on the symptoms and severity of the disease.
Special Arrangement
Even in states such as Kerala, with better health infrastructure, rehabilitation is largely focused on nutritional and psychological support. Dr Amar Fettle, Kerala’s nodal officer for Covid-19, said that only a small number of the state’s total patients till now had moderate to severe disease, due to which the need for physical rehabilitation has not been felt.
“But good nutritional and mental health are important aspects of rehabilitation and we are concentrating on that,” said Dr Fettle. The union health ministry, which has come out with five versions of coronavirus treatment protocols, is mum on rehabilitation.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-13--Medical Schools Voice Support For Fauci Amid White House Attacks

The Association of American Medical Colleges released a statement Monday in support of Dr. Anthony Fauci , who ’ s come under fire by the White House for his dire warnings about the United States ’ surging coronavirus case counts .
“ The AAMC is extremely concerned and alarmed by efforts to discredit Anthony Fauci , MD , our nation ’ s top infectious disease expert , ” the letter said .
“ Dr .
Fauci has been an independent and outspoken voice for truth as the nation has struggled to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
” The letter follows White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempting to discredit Fauci , who heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and was a fixture of the once-regular coronavirus task force briefings .
“ Several White House officials are concerned about the number of times Dr. Fauci has been wrong on things , ” an unnamed official told The Washington Post and NBC News .
The statement included a long list of comments from Fauci earlier in the COVID-19 pandemic when little was known about how the virus spread .
At the time , Fauci doubted that asymptomatic people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; he has since emphasized there ’ s clear evidence they do .
“ Taking quotes from Dr. Fauci out of context to discredit his scientific knowledge and judgment will do tremendous harm to our nation ’ s efforts to get the virus under control , restore our economy , and return us to a more normal way of life , ” the letter read .
Fauci has recently ramped up his warnings about the dangerous situation the U.S. is in under President Donald Trump ’ s leadership .
“ As a country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries , I don ’ t think you can say we ’ re doing great .
I mean , we ’ re just not , ” Fauci told FiveThirtyEight ’ s “ Podcast-19.
” “ You know , Dr. Fauci said , ‘ Don ’ t wear masks , ’ and now he says wear them , ” Trump said an interview last week with Greta Van Susteren .
“ And you know , he ’ s said numerous things ; ‘ Don ’ t close off China .
Don ’ t ban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I sort of didn ’ t listen to my experts , and I banned China.
” The president has repeatedly dismissed the threat of COVID-19 , which has killed more than 135,000 people in the U.S. , and has pushed states to reopen their economies .
The AAMC pointedly warned about ignoring “ science and facts ” on Monday .
“ As we are seeing from the surge in COVID-19 cases in areas that have reopened , science and facts — not wishful thinking or politics — must guide America ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ letter said .
“ This does not mean that scientific knowledge and recommendations will not change as our understanding of the virus grows .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The Association of American Medical Colleges released a statement Monday in support of Dr. Anthony Fauci, who’s come under fire by the White House for his dire warnings about the United States’ surging coronavirus case counts.
“The AAMC is extremely concerned and alarmed by efforts to discredit Anthony Fauci, MD, our nation’s top infectious disease expert,” the letter said. “Dr. Fauci has been an independent and outspoken voice for truth as the nation has struggled to fight the coronavirus pandemic.”
Advertisement
The letter follows White House statements to media outlets on Sunday attempting to discredit Fauci, who heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and was a fixture of the once-regular coronavirus task force briefings.
“Several White House officials are concerned about the number of times Dr. Fauci has been wrong on things,” an unnamed official told The Washington Post and NBC News. The statement included a long list of comments from Fauci earlier in the COVID-19 pandemic when little was known about how the virus spread. At the time, Fauci doubted that asymptomatic people played a significant role in spreading infections; he has since emphasized there’s clear evidence they do.
Cherry-picking statements from early in the pandemic is a dangerous game to play, the AAMC said Monday.
“Taking quotes from Dr. Fauci out of context to discredit his scientific knowledge and judgment will do tremendous harm to our nation’s efforts to get the virus under control, restore our economy, and return us to a more normal way of life,” the letter read.
Advertisement
Fauci has recently ramped up his warnings about the dangerous situation the U.S. is in under President Donald Trump’s leadership.
“As a country, when you compare us to other countries, I don’t think you can say we’re doing great. I mean, we’re just not,” Fauci told FiveThirtyEight’s “Podcast-19.”
Prior to the White House’s latest statement, Trump was already undercutting Fauci.
“You know, Dr. Fauci said, ‘Don’t wear masks,’ and now he says wear them,” Trump said an interview last week with Greta Van Susteren. “And you know, he’s said numerous things; ‘Don’t close off China. Don’t ban China.’ And I did it anyway. I sort of didn’t listen to my experts, and I banned China.”
The president has repeatedly dismissed the threat of COVID-19, which has killed more than 135,000 people in the U.S., and has pushed states to reopen their economies. The AAMC pointedly warned about ignoring “science and facts” on Monday.
“As we are seeing from the surge in COVID-19 cases in areas that have reopened, science and facts — not wishful thinking or politics — must guide America’s response to this pandemic,” the letter said. “This does not mean that scientific knowledge and recommendations will not change as our understanding of the virus grows.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-13--Trump Suggests A Biden Presidency Would Be 'Ratings' Nightmare

President Donald Trump warned his social media followers that a Joe Biden presidency could mean “ no ratings , ” and asked : “ Is this what you want for your President ?
?
?
” Trump , in a familiar Monday morning Twitter tear , quote-tweeted a video of Biden shared by White House social media aide Dan Scavino .
If Biden wins in November , Trump added , “ media will go down along with our great USA !
” Is this what you want for your President ?
?
?
With no ratings , media will go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ https : //t.co/dtJm3J2BPr — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) July 13 , 2020 The Trump administration ’ s unending drama of crises , scandals , leaks and attacks on Democratic institutions over the last three and a half years have driven a surge in news audiences , almost certainly ensuring that the next president ’ s TV ratings will decrease .
Trump dominates the news with now-familiar storylines : his weak grasp on the coronavirus pandemic , which has led to records in daily infections ; his disregard for his own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma , that was “ likely ” responsible for a surge in coronavirus cases ; his failure to respond to intelligence reports that Russia offered bounties to the Taliban for killing U.S. troops .
Trump also has won a central place in coverage of the protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd , which prompted a movement against racial inequality and police brutality .
The president responded by condemning protesters , trying to shift the conversation to Confederate statues and rushing to Mount Rushmore for Fourth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus ( and the protests of Native Americans who live in the area ) .
Books written by people close to Trump ― or who used to be close to him ― also feed the news media machinery .
Mary Trump , his niece , alleges that Trump cheated his way into college and threatened to disown his son Donald Trump Jr. if he joined the military ( among other things ) in her memoir set to be published on Tuesday .
Former national security adviser John Bolton ’ s book is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allegation that the president sought help from China to win reelection .
As for whether his prowess as a newsmaker translates to popularity with the public , the latest Gallup poll puts Trump ’ s approval rating at 38 % .
A poll by ABC News/Ipsos released last week shows that a record 67 % now disapprove of “ the way Donald Trump is handling the response to the coronavirus , ” while only 33 % approve , Politico reported .
This is “ the widest gulf in public sentiment since ABC News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in March , ” the outlet wrote .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
President Donald Trump warned his social media followers that a Joe Biden presidency could mean “no ratings,” and asked: “Is this what you want for your President???”
Trump, in a familiar Monday morning Twitter tear, quote-tweeted a video of Biden shared by White House social media aide Dan Scavino. If Biden wins in November, Trump added, “media will go down along with our great USA!”
Advertisement
Is this what you want for your President??? With no ratings, media will go down along with our great USA! https://t.co/dtJm3J2BPr — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 13, 2020
The Trump administration’s unending drama of crises, scandals, leaks and attacks on Democratic institutions over the last three and a half years have driven a surge in news audiences, almost certainly ensuring that the next president’s TV ratings will decrease.
Trump dominates the news with now-familiar storylines: his weak grasp on the coronavirus pandemic, which has led to records in daily infections; his disregard for his own government’s social distancing guidelines with a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that was “likely” responsible for a surge in coronavirus cases; his failure to respond to intelligence reports that Russia offered bounties to the Taliban for killing U.S. troops.
Trump also has won a central place in coverage of the protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd, which prompted a movement against racial inequality and police brutality. The president responded by condemning protesters, trying to shift the conversation to Confederate statues and rushing to Mount Rushmore for Fourth of July fireworks ― ignoring concerns about the coronavirus (and the protests of Native Americans who live in the area).
Advertisement
Books written by people close to Trump ― or who used to be close to him ― also feed the news media machinery. Mary Trump, his niece, alleges that Trump cheated his way into college and threatened to disown his son Donald Trump Jr. if he joined the military (among other things) in her memoir set to be published on Tuesday. Former national security adviser John Bolton’s book is rife with corruption claims, including the allegation that the president sought help from China to win reelection.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-13--Tennessee’s Extreme Abortion Ban Blocked Minutes After Being Signed Into Law

Tennessee Gov .
Bill Lee ( R ) signed an extreme bill into law on Monday banning abortion as early as six weeks into pregnancy ― before many people even know they are pregnant .
Lee signed the legislation on Facebook Live , calling it a historic moment and characterizing the bill as “ the most conservative , pro-life ” piece of legislation in the country .
“ Life is precious and everything that is precious is worth protecting ; we know that in Tennessee , ” he said .
The ban was in effect for less than an hour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The legislation , approved by the state legislature in the middle of the night on June 19 , was the first abortion ban to be passed since the coronavirus pandemic began .
It prohibits abortions once a doctor can detect cardiac activity in an embryo , which typically happens at around six weeks into a pregnancy .
While anti-abortion groups call such measures “ fetal heartbeat ” bans , medical professionals say that is a misleading and inaccurate term .
Legal challenges have also blocked similar legislation in other states .
Tennessee ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the doctor is aware the decision is motivated by the race or sex of the fetus , or a diagnosis of Down syndrome .
The Center for Reproductive Rights , the American Civil Liberties Union , Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee filed an emergency lawsuit challenging the ban in court as soon as the legislature passed it .
On Monday , a federal district court in Tennessee issued a temporary restraining order to block the law from going into effect .
U.S. District Judge William @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bound by the Supreme Court holdings prohibiting undue burdens on the availability of pre-viability abortions.
” Tennessee ’ s ban is blatantly unconstitutional , Jessica Sklarsky , senior staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights , said in a statement .
“ It is unconscionable that — in the middle of a public health crisis and a national reckoning on systemic racism — lawmakers are focused on trying to eliminate access to abortion , ” she said .
“ Tennessee should stop attacking reproductive healthcare and instead work to implement policies that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does the exact opposite.
” The abortion ban comes a few months after Lee attempted to halt abortion services in the state due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Tennessee was one of 12 states that classified abortion as a nonessential medical procedure , arguing that abortion clinics should stop seeing patients to conserve personal protective equipment for coronavirus cases .
The state was sued and the ban was overturned .

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R) signs an extreme abortion ban into law on Facebook Live. Facebook/GovBillLee
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R) signed an extreme bill into law on Monday banning abortion as early as six weeks into pregnancy ― before many people even know they are pregnant.
Lee signed the legislation on Facebook Live, calling it a historic moment and characterizing the bill as “the most conservative, pro-life” piece of legislation in the country. “Life is precious and everything that is precious is worth protecting; we know that in Tennessee,” he said.
Advertisement
The ban was in effect for less than an hour before a federal court blocked it.
The legislation, approved by the state legislature in the middle of the night on June 19, was the first abortion ban to be passed since the coronavirus pandemic began. It prohibits abortions once a doctor can detect cardiac activity in an embryo, which typically happens at around six weeks into a pregnancy. While anti-abortion groups call such measures “fetal heartbeat” bans, medical professionals say that is a misleading and inaccurate term. Legal challenges have also blocked similar legislation in other states.
Tennessee’s law also prohibits the procedure if the doctor is aware the decision is motivated by the race or sex of the fetus, or a diagnosis of Down syndrome.
The Center for Reproductive Rights, the American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee filed an emergency lawsuit challenging the ban in court as soon as the legislature passed it.
On Monday, a federal district court in Tennessee issued a temporary restraining order to block the law from going into effect. U.S. District Judge William Campbell wrote that the court was “bound by the Supreme Court holdings prohibiting undue burdens on the availability of pre-viability abortions.”
Advertisement
Tennessee’s ban is blatantly unconstitutional, Jessica Sklarsky, senior staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights, said in a statement. “It is unconscionable that — in the middle of a public health crisis and a national reckoning on systemic racism — lawmakers are focused on trying to eliminate access to abortion,” she said. “Tennessee should stop attacking reproductive healthcare and instead work to implement policies that will help marginalized communities. This law does the exact opposite.”
The abortion ban comes a few months after Lee attempted to halt abortion services in the state due to the coronavirus pandemic.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-13--GOP Official Deletes Tweet That Makes Joe Biden Look Like Doting Dad

A member of the GOP ’ s rapid response team had to delete a tweet about Joe Biden after it managed to make the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate look good .
On Monday , Steve Guest , the Republican Party ’ s rapid response director , attempted to use the news that Washington , D.C. ’ s NFL team is changing its racist team name to tar the former vice president .
Guest did so using a frankly adorable photo of the former vice president with one of his sons .
Presumably , the tweeted photo was intended to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NFL team ’ s racist name .
However , things didn ’ t turn out that way based on the reactions on social media .
Owning the libs by tweeting out a photo of the Democratic presidential candidate lovingly holding his child ... https : //t.co/NDWu9xWhWM — Anthony Zurcher ( @ awzurcher ) July 13 , 2020 Oh no , a picture of Joe Biden as a caring and loving father , something there is zero photographic evidence of when it comes to Donald Trump .
How will the Biden campaign ever recover @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) July 13 , 2020 As a father of two very young boys this makes me think two things 1 .
I want to be a dad like that to my kids 2 .
I ’ m really sad that I can ’ t right now because of COVID Not sure what the RNC thinks it has here .
https : //t.co/fWVWsDIMTn — Sam Stein ( @ samstein ) July 13 , 2020 The Republican party rapid response director is now tweeting photos of Joe Biden being a doting dad in order to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once said , they 're not sending their best .
https : //t.co/2ZZCgUYYHw — ( ( ( Yair Rosenberg ) ) ) ( @ Yair_Rosenberg ) July 13 , 2020 I am at a loss how this is an effective attack on @ JoeBiden https : //t.co/PhnVJJHnSA — David Rothschild ( @ DavMicRot ) July 13 , 2020 Posting an old picture of Biden being a caring father to his young kids—one of whom died of cancer not long ago—to mock him , huh ?
On brand for you sick sociopaths .
— @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2020 The disconnect between the cute photo and the negative message it was apparently attempting to send was so big that it inspired at least one conspiracy theory .
im pretty convinced the gop rapid response director is a biden mole .
that 's the only explanation possible for their horrific content .
https : //t.co/nGcilJ18Kp — Oliver Willis ( @ owillis ) July 13 , 2020 Others jokingly predicted this just might be the thing to sink the Biden campaign for good .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
A member of the GOP’s rapid response team had to delete a tweet about Joe Biden after it managed to make the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate look good.
On Monday, Steve Guest, the Republican Party’s rapid response director, attempted to use the news that Washington, D.C.’s NFL team is changing its racist team name to tar the former vice president.
Advertisement
Guest did so using a frankly adorable photo of the former vice president with one of his sons.
Steve Guest's deleted tweet. Twitter
Presumably, the tweeted photo was intended to make Biden look like a supporter of the NFL team’s racist name.
However, things didn’t turn out that way based on the reactions on social media.
Guest eventually deleted the tweet.
Owning the libs by tweeting out a photo of the Democratic presidential candidate lovingly holding his child... https://t.co/NDWu9xWhWM — Anthony Zurcher (@awzurcher) July 13, 2020
Oh no, a picture of Joe Biden as a caring and loving father, something there is zero photographic evidence of when it comes to Donald Trump.
How will the Biden campaign ever recover?! — TrumpsTaxes (@TrumpsTaxes) July 13, 2020
Advertisement
As a father of two very young boys this makes me think two things
1. I want to be a dad like that to my kids
2. I’m really sad that I can’t right now because of COVID
Not sure what the RNC thinks it has here. https://t.co/fWVWsDIMTn — Sam Stein (@samstein) July 13, 2020
The Republican party rapid response director is now tweeting photos of Joe Biden being a doting dad in order to somehow reelect Donald Trump. As someone once said, they're not sending their best. https://t.co/2ZZCgUYYHw — (((Yair Rosenberg))) (@Yair_Rosenberg) July 13, 2020
I am at a loss how this is an effective attack on @JoeBiden https://t.co/PhnVJJHnSA — David Rothschild (@DavMicRot) July 13, 2020
Posting an old picture of Biden being a caring father to his young kids—one of whom died of cancer not long ago—to mock him, huh?
On brand for you sick sociopaths. — Pé (@4everNeverTrump) July 13, 2020
The disconnect between the cute photo and the negative message it was apparently attempting to send was so big that it inspired at least one conspiracy theory.
Advertisement
im pretty convinced the gop rapid response director is a biden mole. that's the only explanation possible for their horrific content. https://t.co/nGcilJ18Kp — Oliver Willis (@owillis) July 13, 2020
Others jokingly predicted this just might be the thing to sink the Biden campaign for good.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-13--Georgia’s 6-Week Abortion Ban Is Struck Down

Elijah Nouvelage/ASSOCIATED PRESS In 2019 , Gov .
Brian Kemp signed one of the most extreme abortion bans into law .
When Gov .
Brian Kemp ( R ) signed the controversial legislation into law in May 2019 , the measure became one of the most extreme abortion bans in the nation .
It banned abortion as soon as a doctor could detect a fetal heartbeat , which usually happens at about six weeks into a pregnancy ― when many women are not yet aware of their condition .
The law was temporarily blocked from going into effect in October @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenged it in court .
Monday ’ s ruling means that the state is permanently blocked from enforcing the law .
The decision came just hours after a similar abortion ban in Tennessee was blocked by a federal court .
“ The district court blocked Georgia ’ s abortion ban , because it violates over 50 years of Supreme Court precedent and fails to trust women to make their own personal decisions , ” Sean J .
Young , legal director of the ACLU of Georgia , said in a statement .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing : letting her decide.
” In a tweet , Kemp said the state would appeal the court ’ s decision .
“ Georgia values life , and we will keep fighting for the rights of the unborn , ” he said .
Georgia ’ s ban is part of a nationally coordinated strategy to overturn Roe v. Wade , the landmark 1973 Supreme Court ruling that established federal protection for abortion , said Emily Nestler , senior staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights .
This case has always been about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sean J .
Young , legal director of the ACLU of Georgia “ These states are hellbent on denying the women in their state bodily autonomy , ” she said .
“ Meanwhile , Georgia has the worst maternal mortality rate in the country .
Black women in Georgia face the highest risk — they are 3.3 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women .
But instead of acting to help pregnant women , lawmakers are trying to ban abortion.
” The case will likely go to the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , based in Atlanta , to be reviewed .
“ But freedom from abortion bans is only part of what we need for reproductive justice and for everyone to be able to parent , not parent , live and thrive in safe , healthy communities , ” Njoku said .
“ It ’ s going to take every one of us showing up with our allies rising up as co-conspirators .
We must break the cycles of anti-Blackness and state neglect and reproductive coercion that have been punishing our people and denying us @ @ @ @ @ @ @

LOADING ERROR LOADING
A federal District Court struck down Georgia’s six-week abortion ban on Monday, saying the law is unconstitutional.
When Gov. Brian Kemp (R) signed the controversial legislation into law in May 2019, the measure became one of the most extreme abortion bans in the nation. It banned abortion as soon as a doctor could detect a fetal heartbeat, which usually happens at about six weeks into a pregnancy ― before many women are aware of their condition.
Advertisement
The law was temporarily blocked from going into effect in October after a coalition of abortion rights advocates challenged it in court. Monday’s ruling means that the state is permanently blocked from enforcing the law. The decision came just hours after a similar abortion ban in Tennessee was blocked by a federal court.
“The district court blocked Georgia’s abortion ban, because it violates over 50 years of Supreme Court precedent and fails to trust women to make their own personal decisions,” Sean J. Young, legal director of the ACLU of Georgia, said in a statement. “This case has always been about one thing: letting her decide.”
In 2019, Gov. Brian Kemp signed one of the most extreme abortion bans into law. Elijah Nouvelage/ASSOCIATED PRESS
In a tweet, Kemp said the state would appeal the court’s decision. “Georgia values life, and we will keep fighting for the rights of the unborn,” he said.
Advertisement
Georgia’s ban is part of a nationally coordinated strategy to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 Supreme Court ruling that established federal protection for abortion, said Emily Nestler, senior staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights.
“This case has always been about one thing: letting her decide.” - Sean J. Young, legal director of the ACLU of Georgia
“These states are hellbent on denying the women in their state bodily autonomy,” she said. “Meanwhile, Georgia has the worst maternal mortality rate in the country. Black women in Georgia face the highest risk — they are 3.3 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women. But instead of acting to help pregnant women, lawmakers are trying to ban abortion.”
The case will likely go to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, based in Atlanta, to be reviewed.
Oriaku Njoku, co-founder and co-director of ARC-Southeast, an abortion fund based in Atlanta, called Monday’s decision a victory.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-13--Washington's NFL Team Is Finally Changing Its Racist ‘Redskins’ Name

The team , which still used the name several times in its statement , did not say when the “ thorough review ” would end or when the name change would take place .
It is still unclear whether it will use the name during the 2020 NFL season , which begins in September .
FedEx , which holds naming rights to the franchise ’ s stadium in Maryland , said in early July that it asked the team to change its name .
A day later , Nike , which has an exclusive apparel and uniform contract with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its website .
The change is a massive victory for tribal activists and organizations that oppose the use of Native American mascots at all levels of sports because they contribute to harmful stereotypes of the peoples they depict .
And it ’ s a major ― if long overdue ― shift for the NFL and for Snyder , who in 2013 promised in USA Today that he would “ NEVER ” change the team ’ s name .
“ This is a good decision for the country — not just Native peoples — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denigration and disrespect toward Native Americans and other people of color , ” Ray Halbritter , a representative of the Oneida Indian Nation of New York and head of the Change the Mascot campaign , said in the statement .
“ Future generations of Native youth will no longer be subjected to this offensive and harmful slur every Sunday during football season.
” “ We have made clear from the start that this movement was never about political correctness , but seeking to prevent unnecessary harm to our youth , since we know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this mascot has had on Native Americans ’ self-image , ” Halbritter said .
Washington ’ s NFL franchise has used the Redskins name since 1933 , when the team was still located in Boston .
Tribal leaders have targeted the racist moniker since at least 1970 , when a group of Native American activists met with team ownership to demand a change at a time when major universities such as Stanford and Dartmouth and other professional sports franchises , including the NBA ’ s Golden State Warriors , were reviewing and ending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ names and images .
The campaign rejuvenated the effort to rid the NFL of the racist name and put Snyder and the franchise on the defensive .
Snyder and the franchise quietly hired a slate of prominent political consultants and pollsters to help defend the name and began playing up an origin story that painted the name as an attempt to honor Native Americans ― even as historians and Native Americans broadly disputed the basic facts of that story and reminded the team and its fans that the word “ Redskin ” is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ led many newspapers , including The Washington Post ’ s editorial board , to stop using the name .
And prominent lawmakers , including then-President Barack Obama and the entire Senate Democratic Caucus , joined members of the House ― including Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole ( R ) , then one of just two Native American lawmakers in Congress ― in coming out against it .
But Snyder and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell continued to deflect the criticism , adopting a cynical approach that argued , as Goodell did in a letter to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strength , courage , pride and respect.
” The team and Goodell refused to consider a change even after meeting with Native American activists and lawmakers in Washington that year .
The franchise , however , became increasingly isolated in its use of the racist symbol .
From 1970 onward , activists such as Suzan Shown Harjo , who campaigned against the team name and others like it for decades , successfully persuaded thousands of high schools and colleges to change Native American mascots .
In the 2010s , high schools nationwide dropped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Native American students , in particular , raised awareness about the harmful psychological effects the mascots had on them and their communities .
The District of Columbia city council , Mayor Muriel Bowser and Eleanor Holmes Norton , the district ’ s delegate to Congress , also reiterated their long-held opposition to the name and their position that neither the federal nor city governments would allow the team to relocate back to Washington unless the name was changed .
But it was opposition from FedEx — which the National Congress of American Indians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Nike that created a tipping point for a league that appears to care more about how its public image affects its bottom line .
The threat of reduced sponsorship and apparel revenues because of the name likely prompted Snyder and Goodell to launch the review that ultimately led to the team ’ s name change .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Washington’s NFL franchise will no longer be called the Redskins, the derogatory and racist moniker that it finally agreed to change after nearly 50 years of pressure from Native American activists.
On Monday, the team announced the change in a statement posted to its Twitter account, following a review of the name launched by the team and the league on July 3.
Advertisement
The statement said the team has not yet decided on a new name. Daniel Snyder, the team’s owner, and Coach Ron Rivera are working to develop a new name, according to the release.
The team, which still used the name several times in its statement, did not say when the “thorough review” would end or when the name change would take place. It is still unclear whether it will use the name during the 2020 NFL season, which begins in September.
FedEx, which holds naming rights to the franchise’s stadium in Maryland, said in early July that it asked the team to change its name. A day later, Nike, which has an exclusive apparel and uniform contract with the NFL, removed all Washington merchandise from its website.
Advertisement
The change is a massive victory for tribal activists and organizations that oppose the use of Native American mascots at all levels of sports because they contribute to harmful stereotypes of the peoples they depict. And it’s a major ― if long overdue ― shift for the NFL and for Snyder, who in 2013 promised in USA Today that he would “NEVER” change the team’s name.
The Change the Mascot campaign, which launched in 2013 in opposition to the name, commended the team in a statement that said it had “finally made the right call.”
“This is a good decision for the country — not just Native peoples — since it closes a painful chapter of denigration and disrespect toward Native Americans and other people of color,” Ray Halbritter, a representative of the Oneida Indian Nation of New York and head of the Change the Mascot campaign, said in the statement. “Future generations of Native youth will no longer be subjected to this offensive and harmful slur every Sunday during football season.”
“We have made clear from the start that this movement was never about political correctness, but seeking to prevent unnecessary harm to our youth, since we know from social scientists the many harmful effects this mascot has had on Native Americans’ self-image,” Halbritter said.
Washington’s NFL franchise has used the Redskins name since 1933, when the team was still located in Boston. Tribal leaders have targeted the racist moniker since at least 1970, when a group of Native American activists met with team ownership to demand a change at a time when major universities such as Stanford and Dartmouth and other professional sports franchises, including the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, were reviewing and ending their use of Native American mascots, names and images.
Advertisement
The team remained intransigent for decades, even as it faced federal lawsuits targeting its trademark protections. Twice, it lost such lawsuits, although one was overturned on appeal and a second was undermined by a Supreme Court decision in a similar dispute.
None of the team’s owners faced as much sustained public pressure over the name as Snyder, a Maryland native and lifelong Washington fan who bought the team in 1999 as it was appealing the first trademark suit.
During the 2013 NFL season, the Oneida Indian Nation of New York and the National Congress of American Indians, the country’s largest tribal organization, launched a massive campaign against the name. They ran radio and television advertisements and staged protests outside NFL stadiums where the team played.
The campaign rejuvenated the effort to rid the NFL of the racist name and put Snyder and the franchise on the defensive. Snyder and the franchise quietly hired a slate of prominent political consultants and pollsters to help defend the name and began playing up an origin story that painted the name as an attempt to honor Native Americans ― even as historians and Native Americans broadly disputed the basic facts of that story and reminded the team and its fans that the word “Redskin” is a “dictionary-defined slur.”
The movement led many newspapers, including The Washington Post’s editorial board, to stop using the name. And prominent lawmakers, including then-President Barack Obama and the entire Senate Democratic Caucus, joined members of the House ― including Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole (R), then one of just two Native American lawmakers in Congress ― in coming out against it.
Advertisement
But Snyder and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell continued to deflect the criticism, adopting a cynical approach that argued, as Goodell did in a letter to Congress, that the name was “strength, courage, pride and respect.” The team and Goodell refused to consider a change even after meeting with Native American activists and lawmakers in Washington that year.
The franchise, however, became increasingly isolated in its use of the racist symbol. From 1970 onward, activists such as Suzan Shown Harjo, who campaigned against the team name and others like it for decades, successfully persuaded thousands of high schools and colleges to change Native American mascots. In the 2010s, high schools nationwide dropped the names in larger numbers, as Native American students, in particular, raised awareness about the harmful psychological effects the mascots had on them and their communities.
The public and media firestorm over Washington’s team name subsided in 2016 after The Washington Post published a poll it said showed that most Native Americans had no problem with the name.
Activists and tribal organizations, however, pointed to flaws in the poll’s methodology and published other surveys showing that roughly half of Native Americans polled found the name offensive.
Meanwhile, Change the Mascot and other groups continued a campaign against Washington’s NFL franchise and other professional sports teams, including Major League Baseball’s Cleveland Indians, which uses a racist caricature of a Native American as its logo.
Advertisement
The outbreak of racial justice protests that sparked a nationwide reckoning over racist symbols and imagery ― including Confederate monuments and statues of colonialist missionaries ― renewed the public criticism, especially after a monument to the NFL franchise’s segregationist founder was removed from the team’s former stadium site in Washington.
The District of Columbia city council, Mayor Muriel Bowser and Eleanor Holmes Norton, the district’s delegate to Congress, also reiterated their long-held opposition to the name and their position that neither the federal nor city governments would allow the team to relocate back to Washington unless the name was changed.
But it was opposition from FedEx — which the National Congress of American Indians has targeted since 2014 — and especially from Nike that created a tipping point for a league that appears to care more about how its public image affects its bottom line. The threat of reduced sponsorship and apparel revenues because of the name likely prompted Snyder and Goodell to launch the review that ultimately led to the team’s name change.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-13--GOP Senator Says Voters Should Back Trump Because Life Was Good Before COVID-19

The GOP incumbent , facing what polls show is a tough re-election race this fall , argued that voters should judge his party based on the economy ’ s performance before the spread of the disease ― and not the Trump administration ’ s bungled handling of a public health crisis that has resulted in the deaths of more than 130,000 people and left about 30 million unemployed Americans .
Most GOP leaders ― including Tillis ― have been unwilling to publicly hold Trump accountable for the failed response .
“ The stakes are very high this election , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re going to win ?
” Tillis asked in a Friday night speech at the North Carolina Republican convention , which was held virtually because of the spread of coronavirus .
“ Because people remember how good their lives were back in February.
” Pressing his point , Tillis said , “ Can you imagine if we had had a Democrat president and a Democrat majority in the Senate and the House , what our economy would ’ ve looked like at the worst possible time ?
At least we had that economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ultimately win the COVID war.
” Although it ’ s true the economy hit a peak in February and then spiraled into a devastating downturn due to pandemic , elections tend to be contests about the future , not the past .
Republicans up and down the ticket will have to defend their record regarding the current state of the nation ― and things looking aren ’ t good at the moment .
GOP Sen. Thom Tillis says people will remember the good life under President Trump in November -- and that will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
By every objective measure , the U.S. is lagging badly behind other industrialized Western nations in bringing the virus to heel .
Some states are beginning to reimpose coronavirus restrictions on businesses in order to halt the spread of the diseases , actions that will likely lead to further worsening in the economy .
Although North Carolina hasn ’ t seen a sharp increase of coronavirus infections as other states across the South , cases have begun trending up in recent weeks .
The state reported 112 COVID-19 deaths since July 6 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ This administration has bungled the coronavirus response and Sen. Tillis has enabled them every step of the way .
Now , Sen. Tillis is just trying to wish it away , ” North Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Wayne Goodwin said in a statement .
“ Sen .
Tillis is desperate because he ’ s a weak , self-serving politician , and his shameless belief that we can just wish away coronavirus only serves to reveal that he ’ s thinking of his own reelection , not North Carolinians ’ well-being.
” Tillis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global health scare caused by the Ebola virus .
The former North Carolina state House speaker was outspoken in criticizing then-President Barack Obama and North Carolina ’ s then-Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan for not preparing enough before the outbreak .
He was also one of the first Republicans to call for a travel ban on flights from West Africa .
“ This president has failed the American people .
Sen. Hagan has been with him , with her rubber stamp , every step of the way .
Our safety and security is more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Tillis said at the time .
Now , after the outbreak of a far more lethal disease , Tillis remains one of Trump ’ s most stalwart allies on Capitol Hill .
In one of his typical defenses of the president ’ s response to the virus , he said in April that Trump was “ taking every step he can to help the safety of the people in the United States .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) has a message to people thinking of abandoning President Donald Trump and the Republican Party in November’s elections: Remember how fine life was before the coronavirus pandemic?
The GOP incumbent, facing what polls show is a tough re-election race this fall, argued that voters should judge his party based on the economy’s performance before the spread of the disease ― and not the Trump administration’s bungled handling of a public health crisis that has resulted in the deaths of more than 130,000 people and left about 30 million unemployed Americans. Most GOP leaders ― including Tillis ― have been unwilling to publicly hold Trump accountable for the failed response.
Advertisement
“The stakes are very high this election, but you know why I know we’re going to win?” Tillis asked in a Friday night speech at the North Carolina Republican convention, which was held virtually because of the spread of coronavirus. “Because people remember how good their lives were back in February.”
Pressing his point, Tillis said, “Can you imagine if we had had a Democrat president and a Democrat majority in the Senate and the House, what our economy would’ve looked like at the worst possible time? At least we had that economy to buttress us while we fight and ultimately win the COVID war.”
Although it’s true the economy hit a peak in February and then spiraled into a devastating downturn due to pandemic, elections tend to be contests about the future, not the past. Republicans up and down the ticket will have to defend their record regarding the current state of the nation ― and things looking aren’t good at the moment.
GOP Sen. Thom Tillis says people will remember the good life under President Trump in November -- and that will propel the both of them to victory. ERIN SCHAFF via Getty Images
Advertisement
By every objective measure, the U.S. is lagging badly behind other industrialized Western nations in bringing the virus to heel. Some states are beginning to reimpose coronavirus restrictions on businesses in order to halt the spread of the diseases, actions that will likely lead to further worsening in the economy.
Although North Carolina hasn’t seen a sharp increase of coronavirus infections as other states across the South, cases have begun trending up in recent weeks. The state reported 112 COVID-19 deaths since July 6, for a total of 1,510.
Tillis faces Democrat Cal Cunningham, a military veteran and former state senator, in November. Cunningham’s allies slammed Tillis on Tuesday, saying he attempted to whitewash the coronavirus pandemic and his party’s handling of the crisis.
“This administration has bungled the coronavirus response and Sen. Tillis has enabled them every step of the way. Now, Sen. Tillis is just trying to wish it away,” North Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Wayne Goodwin said in a statement. “Sen. Tillis is desperate because he’s a weak, self-serving politician, and his shameless belief that we can just wish away coronavirus only serves to reveal that he’s thinking of his own reelection, not North Carolinians’ well-being.”
Tillis won his seat in 2014 amid another global health scare caused by the Ebola virus. The former North Carolina state House speaker was outspoken in criticizing then-President Barack Obama and North Carolina’s then-Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan for not preparing enough before the outbreak. He was also one of the first Republicans to call for a travel ban on flights from West Africa.
Advertisement
“This president has failed the American people. Sen. Hagan has been with him, with her rubber stamp, every step of the way. Our safety and security is more threatened now than it has ever been,” Tillis said at the time.
Tillis edged Hagan by two-percentage-points in what was a strong GOP showing in the midterm election.
Now, after the outbreak of a far more lethal disease, Tillis remains one of Trump’s most stalwart allies on Capitol Hill. In one of his typical defenses of the president’s response to the virus, he said in April that Trump was “taking every step he can to help the safety of the people in the United States.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-13--Judge Blocks Federal Executions Pushed By Trump Administration

TERRE HAUTE , Ind .
( AP ) — A U.S. district judge on Monday ordered a new delay in federal executions , hours before the first lethal injection was scheduled to be carried out at a federal prison in Indiana .
The administration is certain to ask a higher court to allow the executions to move forward .
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan said there are still legal issues to resolve and that “ the public is not served by short-circuiting legitimate judicial process.
” The executions , pushed by the Trump administration , would be the first carried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The new hold on executions came a day after a federal appeals court lifted a hold on the execution of Daniel Lewis Lee , of Yukon , Oklahoma , which is scheduled for 4 p.m. EDT on Monday at the federal prison in Terre Haute , Indiana .
He was convicted in Arkansas of the 1996 killings of gun dealer William Mueller , his wife , Nancy , and her 8-year-old daughter , Sarah Powell .
TERRE HAUTE , Ind .
( AP ) — The federal government is set to carry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two decades on Monday , over the objection of the family of the victims and after a volley of legal proceedings over the coronavirus pandemic .
The execution , the first of a federal death row inmate since 2003 , comes after a federal appeals court lifted an injunction on Sunday that had been put in place last week after the victims ’ family argued they would be put at high risk for the coronavirus if they had to travel to attend the execution .
The family had vowed to appeal to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forward with the execution ― and two others scheduled later in the week ― during a global health pandemic that has killed more than 135,000 people in the United States and is ravaging prisons nationwide , drew scrutiny from civil rights groups and the family of Lee ’ s victims .
The decision has been criticized as a dangerous and political move .
Critics argue that the government is creating an unnecessary and manufactured urgency around a topic that isn ’ t high on the list of American concerns right now .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ front to the national conversation about criminal justice reform in the lead-up to the 2020 elections .
In an interview with The Associated Press last week , Attorney General William Barr said the Justice Department has a duty to carry out the sentences imposed by the courts , including the death penalty , and to bring a sense of closure to the victims and those in the communities where the killings happened .
“ For us it is a matter of being there and saying , ` This is not being done in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this , ’ ” said relative Monica Veillette .
The relatives would be traveling thousands of miles and witnessing the execution in a small room where the social distancing recommended to prevent the virus ’ spread is virtually impossible .
The federal prison system has struggled in recent months to contain the exploding number of coronavirus cases behind bars .
There are currently four confirmed coronavirus cases among inmates at the Terre Haute prison , according to federal statistics , and one inmate there has died .
On Sunday , the Justice Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preparing for the execution had tested positive for the coronavirus , but said he had not been in the execution chamber and had not come into contact with anyone on the specialized team sent to the prison to handle the execution .
The victim ’ s family hopes there won ’ t be an execution , ever .
They have asked the Justice Department and President Donald Trump not to move forward with the execution and have long asked that he be given a life sentence instead .
The three men scheduled to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be put to death when Barr announced the federal government would resume executions last year , ending an informal moratorium on federal capital punishment as the issue receded from the public domain .
A fourth man is scheduled to be put to death in August .
Executions on the federal level have been rare and the government has put to death only three defendants since restoring the federal death penalty in 1988 — most recently in 2003 , when Louis Jones was executed for the 1995 kidnapping , rape and murder of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hasn ’ t been a federal execution since 2003 , the Justice Department has continued to approve death penalty prosecutions and federal courts have sentenced defendants to death .
The attorney general said last July that the Obama-era review had been completed , clearing the way for executions to resume .
He approved a new procedure for lethal injections that replaces the three-drug combination previously used in federal executions with one drug , pentobarbital .
This is similar to the procedure used in several states , including Georgia , Missouri and Texas , @ @ @ @

LOADING ERROR LOADING
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) — A U.S. district judge on Monday ordered a new delay in federal executions, hours before the first lethal injection was scheduled to be carried out at a federal prison in Indiana. The administration is certain to ask a higher court to allow the executions to move forward.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan said there are still legal issues to resolve and that “the public is not served by short-circuiting legitimate judicial process.” The executions, pushed by the Trump administration, would be the first carried out at the federal level since 2003.
Advertisement
The new hold on executions came a day after a federal appeals court lifted a hold on the execution of Daniel Lewis Lee, of Yukon, Oklahoma, which is scheduled for 4 p.m. EDT on Monday at the federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana. He was convicted in Arkansas of the 1996 killings of gun dealer William Mueller, his wife, Nancy, and her 8-year-old daughter, Sarah Powell.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) — The federal government is set to carry out the first federal execution in nearly two decades on Monday, over the objection of the family of the victims and after a volley of legal proceedings over the coronavirus pandemic.
Daniel Lewis Lee, of Yukon, Oklahoma, is scheduled to die by lethal injection at 4 p.m. on Monday at a federal prison in Indiana. He was convicted in Arkansas of the 1996 killings of gun dealer William Mueller, his wife, Nancy, and her 8-year-old daughter, Sarah Powell.
The execution, the first of a federal death row inmate since 2003, comes after a federal appeals court lifted an injunction on Sunday that had been put in place last week after the victims’ family argued they would be put at high risk for the coronavirus if they had to travel to attend the execution. The family had vowed to appeal to the Supreme Court.
Advertisement
The decision to move forward with the execution ― and two others scheduled later in the week ― during a global health pandemic that has killed more than 135,000 people in the United States and is ravaging prisons nationwide, drew scrutiny from civil rights groups and the family of Lee’s victims.
The decision has been criticized as a dangerous and political move. Critics argue that the government is creating an unnecessary and manufactured urgency around a topic that isn’t high on the list of American concerns right now. It is also likely to add a new front to the national conversation about criminal justice reform in the lead-up to the 2020 elections.
In an interview with The Associated Press last week, Attorney General William Barr said the Justice Department has a duty to carry out the sentences imposed by the courts, including the death penalty, and to bring a sense of closure to the victims and those in the communities where the killings happened.
But relatives of those killed by Lee strongly oppose that idea. They wanted to be present to counter any contention that it was being done on their behalf.
“For us it is a matter of being there and saying, `This is not being done in our name; we do not want this,’” said relative Monica Veillette.
Advertisement
The relatives would be traveling thousands of miles and witnessing the execution in a small room where the social distancing recommended to prevent the virus’ spread is virtually impossible. The federal prison system has struggled in recent months to contain the exploding number of coronavirus cases behind bars. There are currently four confirmed coronavirus cases among inmates at the Terre Haute prison, according to federal statistics, and one inmate there has died.
“The federal government has put this family in the untenable position of choosing between their right to witness Danny Lee’s execution and their own health and safety,” the family’s attorney, Baker Kurrus, said Sunday.
Barr said he believes the Bureau of Prisons could “carry out these executions without being at risk.” The agency has put a number of additional measures in place, including temperature checks and requiring witnesses to wear masks.
On Sunday, the Justice Department disclosed that a staff member involved in preparing for the execution had tested positive for the coronavirus, but said he had not been in the execution chamber and had not come into contact with anyone on the specialized team sent to the prison to handle the execution.
The victim’s family hopes there won’t be an execution, ever. They have asked the Justice Department and President Donald Trump not to move forward with the execution and have long asked that he be given a life sentence instead.
Advertisement
The three men scheduled to be executed this week had been scheduled to be put to death when Barr announced the federal government would resume executions last year, ending an informal moratorium on federal capital punishment as the issue receded from the public domain. A fourth man is scheduled to be put to death in August.
The Justice Department had scheduled five executions set to begin in December, but some of the inmates challenged the new procedures in court, arguing that the government was circumventing proper methods in order to wrongly execute inmates quickly.
Executions on the federal level have been rare and the government has put to death only three defendants since restoring the federal death penalty in 1988 — most recently in 2003, when Louis Jones was executed for the 1995 kidnapping, rape and murder of a young female soldier. Though there hasn’t been a federal execution since 2003, the Justice Department has continued to approve death penalty prosecutions and federal courts have sentenced defendants to death.
In 2014, following a botched state execution in Oklahoma, President Barack Obama directed the Justice Departmen t to conduct a broad review of capital punishment and issues surrounding lethal injection drugs.
The attorney general said last July that the Obama-era review had been completed, clearing the way for executions to resume. He approved a new procedure for lethal injections that replaces the three-drug combination previously used in federal executions with one drug, pentobarbital. This is similar to the procedure used in several states, including Georgia, Missouri and Texas, but not all.
Advertisement
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-13--Cooper Hefner, Son Of Late Hugh Hefner, Exploring A Run For California State Senate

“ I don ’ t know how anyone could sit idly by right now and watch what ’ s unfolding around us and not ask themselves , ‘ What more can I do to help ?
’ ” Hefner , 28 , told HuffPost by email a day ahead of his announcement .
“ I believe California and the United States need new leaders with bold and innovative ideas to step forward and participate in manifesting a government that works more effectively and smarter , ” he added .
“ I have the experience , leadership , and creativity to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ ll campaign for the 30th District seat currently held by Democrat Holly Mitchell , who is running for Los Angeles supervisor in this year ’ s election .
The district includes part of LA .
Hefner , a businessman who is the son of Hefner and model Kimberley Conrad , worked at Playboy Enterprises before stepping away in 2019 .
He held jobs as a consultant , head of chief global partnerships , adviser to the CEO , and was the magazine ’ s chief creative officer for nearly three years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the U.S. Air Force Reserves and a German Marshall Fund of the United States fellow .
Over the past few years , he ’ s become involved in political causes , hosting a fundraiser for then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris in 2019 and making donations to the campaigns of Harris , Pete Buttigeg and Joe Biden .
Hefner said he wants to focus on “ solving for the inequalities of the present.
” “ COVID exacerbated issues California and the country have had for quite some time , ” he said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or just managed poorly .
Right now , our government needs to be bold , engaged , and acting to deliver compelling solutions to serious problems like the housing crisis .
Rent and mortgage relief action should occur immediately.
” Hefner is married to “ Harry Potter ” actress Scarlett Hefner ( née Byrne ) .
The couple , who tied the knot last year after announcing their engagement in 2015 , are expecting their first child together .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Cooper Hefner, son of the late Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, announced Monday that he’s considering a run for California state Senate in 2022 as a Democrat.
“I don’t know how anyone could sit idly by right now and watch what’s unfolding around us and not ask themselves, ‘What more can I do to help?’” Hefner, 28, told HuffPost by email a day ahead of his announcement.
Advertisement
“I believe California and the United States need new leaders with bold and innovative ideas to step forward and participate in manifesting a government that works more effectively and smarter,” he added. “I have the experience, leadership, and creativity to help in that pursuit.”
Hefner said he’ll campaign for the 30th District seat currently held by Democrat Holly Mitchell, who is running for Los Angeles supervisor in this year’s election. The district includes part of LA.
Playboy heir Cooper Hefner is running for California state Senate. Courtesy of Cooper Hefner
Hefner, a businessman who is the son of Hefner and model Kimberley Conrad, worked at Playboy Enterprises before stepping away in 2019. He held jobs as a consultant, head of chief global partnerships, adviser to the CEO, and was the magazine’s chief creative officer for nearly three years. He’s currently a member of the U.S. Air Force Reserves and a German Marshall Fund of the United States fellow.
Advertisement
Over the past few years, he’s become involved in political causes, hosting a fundraiser for then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris in 2019 and making donations to the campaigns of Harris, Pete Buttigeg and Joe Biden.
Hefner said he wants to focus on “solving for the inequalities of the present.”
“COVID exacerbated issues California and the country have had for quite some time,” he said. “These were issues that were often ignored or just managed poorly. Right now, our government needs to be bold, engaged, and acting to deliver compelling solutions to serious problems like the housing crisis. Rent and mortgage relief action should occur immediately.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-13--Epstein's Victims Will Speak At Ghislaine Maxwell's Bail Hearing

NEW YORK ( AP ) — One or more victims of Jeffrey Epstein will tell a judge Tuesday that his ex-girlfriend should be denied bail on charges that she recruited teenage girls for him to sexually abuse in the 1990s , prosecutors said Monday .
Prosecutors made the revelation in court papers as they argued there is no reason to free British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell on bail .
They also revealed new details about Maxwell ’ s July 2 arrest at a $ 1 million New Hampshire estate she purchased in December , saying FBI agents had to bust into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ As the agents approached the front door to the main house , they announced themselves as FBI agents and directed the defendant to open the door , ” prosecutors wrote .
“ Through a window , the agents saw the defendant ignore the direction to open the door and , instead , try to flee to another room in the house , quickly shutting a door behind her.
” The government said agents were forced to break through the door to arrest Maxwell , who was in an interior room in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maxwell had been guarded at the home by a security company staffed with former members of the British military .
The descriptions were made as prosecutors sought to boost arguments that the 58-year-old citizen of the U.S. , the United Kingdom and France should remain behind bars until trial .
They said she had the money , the means and the incentive to flee since she could face many years in prison , if convicted .
Prosecutors told a Manhattan federal judge in court papers that at least one woman and possibly more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appear at Tuesday ’ s hearing and ask that Maxwell be detained until trial .
And they also revealed that additional individuals have offered the government evidence to support its case since Maxwell ’ s arrest .
“ The Government is deeply concerned that if the defendant is bailed , the victims will be denied justice in this case , ” prosecutors wrote .
They also revealed that two of three women who alleged they were recruited by Maxwell to be sexually abused by Epstein had never spoken to law enforcement authorities until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day before an arraignment and bail hearing for Maxwell , who has been held for the last week at a federal jail in Brooklyn .
On Friday , her lawyers filed arguments that said she ’ s being made a scapegoat after Epstein killed himself in a Manhattan lockup last August .
They said she should be freed on $ 5 million bail with electronic monitoring .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
NEW YORK (AP) — One or more victims of Jeffrey Epstein will tell a judge Tuesday that his ex-girlfriend should be denied bail on charges that she recruited teenage girls for him to sexually abuse in the 1990s, prosecutors said Monday.
Prosecutors made the revelation in court papers as they argued there is no reason to free British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell on bail.
Advertisement
They also revealed new details about Maxwell’s July 2 arrest at a $1 million New Hampshire estate she purchased in December, saying FBI agents had to bust into her residence after she failed to cooperate.
“As the agents approached the front door to the main house, they announced themselves as FBI agents and directed the defendant to open the door,” prosecutors wrote. “Through a window, the agents saw the defendant ignore the direction to open the door and, instead, try to flee to another room in the house, quickly shutting a door behind her.”
The government said agents were forced to break through the door to arrest Maxwell, who was in an interior room in the home. Prosecutors also revealed that Maxwell had been guarded at the home by a security company staffed with former members of the British military.
The descriptions were made as prosecutors sought to boost arguments that the 58-year-old citizen of the U.S., the United Kingdom and France should remain behind bars until trial. They said she had the money, the means and the incentive to flee since she could face many years in prison, if convicted.
Advertisement
Prosecutors told a Manhattan federal judge in court papers that at least one woman and possibly more were expected to exercise their right to appear at Tuesday’s hearing and ask that Maxwell be detained until trial. And they also revealed that additional individuals have offered the government evidence to support its case since Maxwell’s arrest.
“The Government is deeply concerned that if the defendant is bailed, the victims will be denied justice in this case,” prosecutors wrote.
They also revealed that two of three women who alleged they were recruited by Maxwell to be sexually abused by Epstein had never spoken to law enforcement authorities until last year.
The filing came a day before an arraignment and bail hearing for Maxwell, who has been held for the last week at a federal jail in Brooklyn.
On Friday, her lawyers filed arguments that said she’s being made a scapegoat after Epstein killed himself in a Manhattan lockup last August. They said she should be freed on $5 million bail with electronic monitoring.