thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-30--Nancy Pelosi 'Satisfied' With Biden's Non-Response To Sexual Assault Allegation

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) on Thursday said she ’ s “ satisfied ” with Joe Biden ’ s response to former Senate staffer Tara Reade ’ s sexual assault allegation against him .
But the presidential candidate himself hasn ’ t yet addressed it .
Though his campaign has vehemently denied Reade ’ s claim , Biden has been publicly silent on it to the frustration of many liberal activists and women ’ s rights advocates .
Pelosi , who endorsed Biden on Monday , wouldn ’ t say whether Biden should address the allegation head-on when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s “ New Day.
” “ Well , I have great sympathy for any women who bring forth an allegation , ” Pelosi said .
“ I ’ m a big , strong supporter of the Me Too movement .
I think it ’ s made a great contribution to our country and I do support Joe Biden.
” “ You know , it ’ s a matter that he has to deal with , ” Pelosi said .
“ But I am impressed with the people who worked for him at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one iota of information about this .
Nobody ever brought forth a claim or had anybody else tell them about such a claim.
” “ We have an important election at hand , ” she added .
“ I supported [ Biden ] because he ’ s a person of great values , integrity , authenticity , imagination and a connection to the American people.
” Reade has alleged Biden pushed her against a wall and penetrated her with his fingers when she worked as a staff assistant in his Senate office in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after she complained to senior staffers in the office and filed a formal complaint about Biden ’ s alleged sexual misconduct .
Three former Senate aides whom Reade said she complained to contemporaneously told the Times that they either did not remember the incident or said that it did not happen .
Ted Kaufman , who was Biden ’ s chief of staff at the time , said he “ did not know her ” and that she didn ’ t complain to him about Biden ’ s behavior .
During an interview @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said she was “ satisfied ” with Biden ’ s response to Reade ’ s allegation .
But that was before new developments surrounding the allegation emerged this week .
Reade ’ s former neighbor Lynda LaCasse told Business Insider in a report published Tuesday that Reade told her in the mid-1990s that Biden sexually assaulted her .
Reade ’ s brother Collin Moulton said he recalled his sister telling him that Biden “ had his hand under her clothes at some point.
” Reade has said she also told her mom about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Last week , video surfaced of a woman , who Reade said is her mother , calling into a live broadcast of “ Larry King Live ” on CNN in 1993 .
King was airing a segment called “ Washington : The Cruelest City on Earth ?
” “ I ’ m wondering what a staffer would do besides go to the press in Washington , ” the caller said .
“ My daughter has just left there , after working for a prominent senator , and could not get through with her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing she could have done was go to the press , and she chose not to do it out of respect for him .
”

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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Thursday said she’s “satisfied” with Joe Biden’s response to former Senate staffer Tara Reade’s sexual assault allegation against him. But the presidential candidate himself hasn’t yet addressed it.
Though his campaign has vehemently denied Reade’s claim, Biden has been publicly silent on it to the frustration of many liberal activists and women’s rights advocates.
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Pelosi, who endorsed Biden on Monday, wouldn’t say whether Biden should address the allegation head-on when asked during an appearance on CNN’s “New Day.”
“Well, I have great sympathy for any women who bring forth an allegation,” Pelosi said. “I’m a big, strong supporter of the Me Too movement. I think it’s made a great contribution to our country and I do support Joe Biden.”
“I’m satisfied with how he has responded,” she continued. “I know him.”
.@SpeakerPelosi says she supports Joe Biden and is “satisfied with how he has responded" to a sexual assault allegation against him. https://t.co/HtLbqYaRAq pic.twitter.com/v3mH3jWXMc — New Day (@NewDay) April 30, 2020
Host Alisyn Camerota asked Pelosi again to answer whether she believes the former vice president should “directly, publicly” address it.
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“You know, it’s a matter that he has to deal with,” Pelosi said. “But I am impressed with the people who worked for him at the time saying that they absolutely never heard one iota of information about this. Nobody ever brought forth a claim or had anybody else tell them about such a claim.”
“We have an important election at hand,” she added. “I supported [Biden] because he’s a person of great values, integrity, authenticity, imagination and a connection to the American people.”
Reade has alleged Biden pushed her against a wall and penetrated her with his fingers when she worked as a staff assistant in his Senate office in 1993. She said she was fired after she complained to senior staffers in the office and filed a formal complaint about Biden’s alleged sexual misconduct.
A New York Times investigation published earlier this month confirmed Reade worked for Biden’s Senate office from December 1992 through August 1993.
Three former Senate aides whom Reade said she complained to contemporaneously told the Times that they either did not remember the incident or said that it did not happen. Ted Kaufman, who was Biden’s chief of staff at the time, said he “did not know her” and that she didn’t complain to him about Biden’s behavior.
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The Times said no other person accused Biden of sexual assault during its review of Reade’s allegation.
During an interview with MSNBC on April 17, Pelosi said she was “satisfied” with Biden’s response to Reade’s allegation. But that was before new developments surrounding the allegation emerged this week.
Reade’s former neighbor Lynda LaCasse told Business Insider in a report published Tuesday that Reade told her in the mid-1990s that Biden sexually assaulted her. Reade’s brother Collin Moulton said he recalled his sister telling him that Biden “had his hand under her clothes at some point.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-30--Teachers Union Counters Trump Lies With Coronavirus Road Map

The president of the American Federation of Teachers on Wednesday called out the Trump White House ’ s chaotic response to the coronavirus pandemic ― and its confusing messaging ― as the union laid out its own road map for safely reopening the nation ’ s schools .
“ Our blueprint serves as a stark contrast to the conflicting guidance , bluster and lies of the Trump administration , ” Randi Weingarten , president of the 1.7 million-member AFT , said of its five-stage plan in a statement .
The 22-page proposal — titled the “ Plan To Safely Reopen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — is “ based on the science as well as educator and health care expertise ― not on politics or wishful thinking , ” the union said .
It is a “ living document ” that will be guided and updated “ by constantly evolving expert advice , ” it added .
The plan calls for social distancing measures to be maintained “ until the number of new cases declines for at least 14 consecutive days ” ; the appropriate infrastructure “ to test , trace and isolate new cases ” ; the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the further spread of the contagion ; the involvement “ of workers , unions , parents and communities in all planning ” ; and the investment in public health and education as “ a priority ” in the recovery .
“ America is staring down a singular challenge that will require all of us to come together and negotiate a safe path forward , ” said Weingarten .
“ The input of educators and health care workers , as well as parents , is crucial in making any reopening plan work , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eyes and ears , and are indispensable in making any plan work safely and effectively .
We hope this blueprint will be the start of a real discussion on reopening schools , universities and other workplaces that allows our workers and families not only to dream of a safe and welcoming future , but to realize it.
” The American Federation of Teachers has released its own roadmap to navigate the coronavirus pandemic to counter the Trump administration 's `` bluster and lies . ''
Trump , who has advocated for reopening the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials who fear a second wave of deaths , on Monday suggested states should “ seriously consider ” reopening public schools .
“ Some of you might start thinking about school openings , because a lot of people are wanting to have the school openings , ” the president reportedly told governors in a call .

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The president of the American Federation of Teachers on Wednesday called out the Trump White House’s chaotic response to the coronavirus pandemic ― and its confusing messaging ― as the union laid out its own road map for safely reopening the nation’s schools.
“Our blueprint serves as a stark contrast to the conflicting guidance, bluster and lies of the Trump administration,” Randi Weingarten, president of the 1.7 million-member AFT, said of its five-stage plan in a statement.
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The 22-page proposal — titled the “Plan To Safely Reopen America’s Schools and Communities” — is “based on the science as well as educator and health care expertise ― not on politics or wishful thinking,” the union said.
It is a “living document” that will be guided and updated “by constantly evolving expert advice,” it added.
The plan calls for social distancing measures to be maintained “until the number of new cases declines for at least 14 consecutive days”; the appropriate infrastructure “to test, trace and isolate new cases”; the deployment of public health tools to prevent the further spread of the contagion; the involvement “of workers, unions, parents and communities in all planning”; and the investment in public health and education as “a priority” in the recovery.
By drawing on science & the expertise of educators & healthcare practitioners, we have drafted a bold five-point plan to reopen our schools safely. It’s a stark contrast to the conflicting guidance, bluster & lies of the Trump administration #reopensafely https://t.co/TyfdHk7N8d — Randi Weingarten (@rweingarten) April 30, 2020
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“America is staring down a singular challenge that will require all of us to come together and negotiate a safe path forward,” said Weingarten.
“The input of educators and health care workers, as well as parents, is crucial in making any reopening plan work,” she added. “They are the eyes and ears, and are indispensable in making any plan work safely and effectively. We hope this blueprint will be the start of a real discussion on reopening schools, universities and other workplaces that allows our workers and families not only to dream of a safe and welcoming future, but to realize it.”
The American Federation of Teachers has released its own roadmap to navigate the coronavirus pandemic to counter the Trump administration's "bluster and lies." ASSOCIATED PRESS
Trump, who has advocated for reopening the economy against the advice of public health officials who fear a second wave of deaths, on Monday suggested states should “seriously consider” reopening public schools.
“Some of you might start thinking about school openings, because a lot of people are wanting to have the school openings,” the president reportedly told governors in a call.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-30--Lawyers For Michael Flynn Release Internal FBI Emails, Notes

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — Lawyers for President Donald Trump ’ s first national security adviser , Michael Flynn , released internal FBI emails and notes that they hope will bolster their allegations that Flynn was entrapped when he was questioned at the White House three years ago .
The documents were made public Wednesday evening as Flynn seeks to withdraw his guilty plea to lying to the FBI and makes broad assertions of law enforcement misconduct .
U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan has rejected many of the defense arguments but has yet to rule on whether Flynn can take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a federal prosecutor from Missouri is reviewing the Justice Department ’ s handling of the case at the direction of Attorney General William Barr .
The department said the notes were produced to the defense as part of that ongoing review .
It remains unclear what bearing the documents will have on the case or how significant the judge will determine them to be .
But Flynn has emerged as something of a cause celebre in recent months for supporters of the president , who have rallied around the retired Army lieutenant general @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harshly critical watchdog report on the Russia investigation to try to cast doubt on the entire probe .
The notes and emails show FBI officials debating internally how best to approach the Flynn interview , how much information to provide him with , what the purpose of interviewing him should be — and what to do if he lied .
In emails dated Jan. 23 , 2017 , the day before agents interviewed Flynn at the White House about his conversations during the presidential transition period with the Russian ambassador to the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the conversation Flynn should be reminded that it is against the law to lie to the FBI — at the outset of the conversation or after he makes a suspected false statement .
Also released was a page of handwritten FBI notes in which an official asks “ what ’ s our goal ?
Truth/admission or to get him to lie , so we can prosecute him or get him fired ?
” At another point , the notes say , “ If we get him to admit to breaking the Logan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have them decide.
” That is a reference to a centuries-old , esoteric law that makes it a crime for a private citizen to conduct foreign policy with another government .
The handwritten notes bear the initials “ EP , ” which is likely a reference to E.W .
Priestap , the senior FBI official who authorized the decision in the summer of 2016 to open an investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia .
Flynn was among the first of the president ’ s aides to admit guilt in special @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ties between the Trump campaign and Russia .
He acknowledged lying to the FBI about having discussed sanctions against Russia during the presidential transition period with the then-ambassador , Sergey Kislyak .
Since then , though , Flynn has hired new attorneys — including Sidney Powell , a conservative commentator and outspoken critic of Mueller ’ s investigation — who have taken a far more confrontational stance to the government .
The lawyers have accused prosecutors of withholding documents and evidence they said was favorable to the case and repeatedly noted that one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was fired from the FBI for having sent derogatory text messages about Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawyers for President Donald Trump’s first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, released internal FBI emails and notes that they hope will bolster their allegations that Flynn was entrapped when he was questioned at the White House three years ago.
The documents were made public Wednesday evening as Flynn seeks to withdraw his guilty plea to lying to the FBI and makes broad assertions of law enforcement misconduct. U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan has rejected many of the defense arguments but has yet to rule on whether Flynn can take back his guilty plea.
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Meanwhile, a federal prosecutor from Missouri is reviewing the Justice Department’s handling of the case at the direction of Attorney General William Barr. The department said the notes were produced to the defense as part of that ongoing review.
It remains unclear what bearing the documents will have on the case or how significant the judge will determine them to be. But Flynn has emerged as something of a cause celebre in recent months for supporters of the president, who have rallied around the retired Army lieutenant general and seized on the findings of a harshly critical watchdog report on the Russia investigation to try to cast doubt on the entire probe.
Prosecutors haven’t filed anything in response to Wednesday’s action by Flynn’s lawyers.
Trump has said he is considering pardoning Flynn and retweeted Wednesday night several news stories about the documents.
In this June 24, 2019, file photo, former national security adviser Michael Flynn, leaves the federal courthouse in Washington. with his lawyer Sidney Powell, left. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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The notes and emails show FBI officials debating internally how best to approach the Flynn interview, how much information to provide him with, what the purpose of interviewing him should be — and what to do if he lied.
In emails dated Jan. 23, 2017, the day before agents interviewed Flynn at the White House about his conversations during the presidential transition period with the Russian ambassador to the United States, officials pondered at what point in the conversation Flynn should be reminded that it is against the law to lie to the FBI — at the outset of the conversation or after he makes a suspected false statement.
Flynn’s former attorneys have said he was never given such a warning.
Also released was a page of handwritten FBI notes in which an official asks “what’s our goal? Truth/admission or to get him to lie, so we can prosecute him or get him fired?”
At another point, the notes say, “If we get him to admit to breaking the Logan Act, give facts to DoJ and have them decide.” That is a reference to a centuries-old, esoteric law that makes it a crime for a private citizen to conduct foreign policy with another government.
The notes also say: “If we’re seen as playing games, WH will be furious. Protect our institution by not playing games.”
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The handwritten notes bear the initials “EP,” which is likely a reference to E.W. Priestap, the senior FBI official who authorized the decision in the summer of 2016 to open an investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.
Flynn was among the first of the president’s aides to admit guilt in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. He acknowledged lying to the FBI about having discussed sanctions against Russia during the presidential transition period with the then-ambassador, Sergey Kislyak.
He provided such extensive cooperation that prosecutors said he was entitled to a sentence of probation instead of prison.
As it turned out, that sentencing hearing was abruptly cut short after Flynn, facing a stern rebuke from Sullivan, asked to be able to continue cooperating and earn credit toward a more lenient sentence.
Since then, though, Flynn has hired new attorneys — including Sidney Powell, a conservative commentator and outspoken critic of Mueller’s investigation — who have taken a far more confrontational stance to the government. The lawyers have accused prosecutors of withholding documents and evidence they said was favorable to the case and repeatedly noted that one of the two agents who interviewed Flynn was fired from the FBI for having sent derogatory text messages about Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-30--Jim Carrey Predicts Donald Trump's 'Next Medical Breakthrough' With Political Cartoon

President Donald Trump ’ s penchant for hyping unproven ― and sometimes downright dangerous ― treatments for the coronavirus gave actor Jim Carrey the inspiration for his latest critical cartoon .
Last week , Trump pondered injecting people with disinfectant during a White House coronavirus task force briefing .
He later walked back the comments , claiming he was just being sarcastic .
That didn ’ t stop Carrey from unleashing this taunting piece of artwork on Wednesday , which he called “ Trump ’ s next medical breakthrough.
” Upward of 61,000 people in the United States have now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the virus , and the country has more confirmed cases — as of Thursday morning , more than 1 million — than any other in the world .
The Trump administration has come under increasing fire for its sloppy response to the public health crisis .
Carrey often uses his art to take aim at the president .
At the start of the year , he insisted his days of artistically mocking Trump were over , but the pandemic inspired him to get painting once again .
In March , he roasted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countless lives to save his economic record ” with this “ Jaws ” -inspired image : Trump is willing to risk countless lives to save his economic record .
He has fully become the mayor from Jaws .
pic.twitter.com/ZggJClEaXG — Jim Carrey ( @ JimCarrey ) March 27 , 2020 He also unleashed this NSFW coronavirus-themed depiction of the president : As cases of COVID-19 double every three days in NYC , the President reassures Wall Street that he can handle the important tissues .
pic.twitter.com/DZcULploo1 — Jim Carrey ( @ JimCarrey ) @ @ @ @

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President Donald Trump’s penchant for hyping unproven ― and sometimes downright dangerous ― treatments for the coronavirus gave actor Jim Carrey the inspiration for his latest critical cartoon.
Last week, Trump pondered injecting people with disinfectant during a White House coronavirus task force briefing. He later walked back the comments, claiming he was just being sarcastic.
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That didn’t stop Carrey from unleashing this taunting piece of artwork on Wednesday, which he called “Trump’s next medical breakthrough.”
Trump’s next medical breakthrough: “Want COVID out? SHOUT IT OUT!” pic.twitter.com/GQPpl5qpmS — Jim Carrey (@JimCarrey) April 29, 2020
Upward of 61,000 people in the United States have now died from COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, and the country has more confirmed cases — as of Thursday morning, more than 1 million — than any other in the world. The Trump administration has come under increasing fire for its sloppy response to the public health crisis.
Carrey often uses his art to take aim at the president. At the start of the year, he insisted his days of artistically mocking Trump were over, but the pandemic inspired him to get painting once again.
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In March, he roasted Trump for being “willing to risk countless lives to save his economic record” with this “Jaws”-inspired image:
Trump is willing to risk countless lives to save his economic record. He has fully become the mayor from Jaws. pic.twitter.com/ZggJClEaXG — Jim Carrey (@JimCarrey) March 27, 2020
He also unleashed this NSFW coronavirus-themed depiction of the president:
As cases of COVID-19 double every three days in NYC, the President reassures Wall Street that he can handle the important tissues. pic.twitter.com/DZcULploo1 — Jim Carrey (@JimCarrey) March 24, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-30--Deaf New Yorkers Sue Cuomo For Not Providing Sign Language Interpreter At Daily Briefings

The lawsuit was filed Wednesday by Disability Rights New York on behalf of four New York residents who are deaf .
It claims that Cuomo is the only state governor not providing an ASL interpreter during his highly watched daily briefings .
“ It is inexplicable that during this pandemic , the Governor would choose not to have ASL interpreters at his daily live televised briefings .
As a result , deaf New Yorkers are unable to obtain vital life and death information at the time they need it most , ” Timothy A. Clune , executive director of Disability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement accompanying the lawsuit .
More than 3.4 million Americans identify as deaf , and about 17 million report having “ serious difficulty hearing , ” according to a 2014 Census survey of Americans with disabilities .
At least 200,000 residents of New York City , the epicenter of the global pandemic , are deaf or hard of hearing .
In its lawsuit , Disability Rights New York said it has received “ a large number of complaints from deaf New Yorkers who are unable to understand Governor Cuomo ’ s daily briefings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ televised ASL interpretation.
” In response to the group ’ s complaints , Cuomo ’ s office said an ASL version of each day ’ s briefing is available on Cuomo ’ s website .
However , the lawsuit points out that this option is not available to people who don ’ t have internet access .
Closed captioning , which is required by federal law , is also an insufficient alternative because it can be slow and inaccurate in real time , or if the person ’ s first language is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the lawsuit cited some of these difficulties .
One of them , Dennis Martinez , works as an advocate for deaf residents of New York City ’ s Harlem neighborhood .
“ Deaf community members have contacted Mr. Martinez asking for information about what Governor Cuomo said during his press briefings , ” the lawsuit read .
“ Mr .
Martinez is unable to answer community questions about Governor Cuomo ’ s briefings because he does not have access to the information himself .
Mr. Martinez has to seek out videos on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the information covered by Governor Cuomo , thereby delaying timely access to information.
” Plaintiff Jill Wildberger , who also has a learning disability , said she was not aware of Cuomo ’ s executive order earlier this month requiring New York residents to wear face masks , citing her difficulty following the closed captioning .
In a letter to the White House last month , the National Association of the Deaf said it “ has received daily complaints from deaf and hard of hearing citizens across the country asking why their President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same access to emergency information as everyone else.
” As of this week , the White House has yet to provide an ASL interpreter at the briefings , which have been curtailed due to President Donald Trump ’ s tendency to turn the briefings into his own airing of grievances and provide false and misleading information .

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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) is excluding deaf New Yorkers from his daily coronavirus press conferences, a new lawsuit from disability rights advocates alleges, urging the governor to provide an American Sign Language interpreter.
The lawsuit was filed Wednesday by Disability Rights New York on behalf of four New York residents who are deaf. It claims that Cuomo is the only state governor not providing an ASL interpreter during his highly watched daily briefings.
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“It is inexplicable that during this pandemic, the Governor would choose not to have ASL interpreters at his daily live televised briefings. As a result, deaf New Yorkers are unable to obtain vital life and death information at the time they need it most,” Timothy A. Clune, executive director of Disability Rights New York, said in a statement accompanying the lawsuit.
More than 3.4 million Americans identify as deaf, and about 17 million report having “serious difficulty hearing,” according to a 2014 Census survey of Americans with disabilities. At least 200,000 residents of New York City, the epicenter of the global pandemic, are deaf or hard of hearing.
In its lawsuit, Disability Rights New York said it has received “a large number of complaints from deaf New Yorkers who are unable to understand Governor Cuomo’s daily briefings due to the lack of in frame televised ASL interpretation.”
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In response to the group’s complaints, Cuomo’s office said an ASL version of each day’s briefing is available on Cuomo’s website. However, the lawsuit points out that this option is not available to people who don’t have internet access. Closed captioning, which is required by federal law, is also an insufficient alternative because it can be slow and inaccurate in real time, or if the person’s first language is not English.
Several of the plaintiffs represented by the lawsuit cited some of these difficulties. One of them, Dennis Martinez, works as an advocate for deaf residents of New York City’s Harlem neighborhood.
“Deaf community members have contacted Mr. Martinez asking for information about what Governor Cuomo said during his press briefings,” the lawsuit read. “Mr. Martinez is unable to answer community questions about Governor Cuomo’s briefings because he does not have access to the information himself. Mr. Martinez has to seek out videos on social media platforms with ASL interpretation of the information covered by Governor Cuomo, thereby delaying timely access to information.”
Another plaintiff, James Hallenbeck, did not know of Cuomo’s stay-at-home order until Hallenbeck’s brother called him, according to the lawsuit.
Plaintiff Jill Wildberger, who also has a learning disability, said she was not aware of Cuomo’s executive order earlier this month requiring New York residents to wear face masks, citing her difficulty following the closed captioning.
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Disability rights advocates have also criticized the White House, whose coronavirus briefings have also not included an ASL interpreter, CNN reported last week.
In a letter to the White House last month, the National Association of the Deaf said it “has received daily complaints from deaf and hard of hearing citizens across the country asking why their President is not ensuring they are getting the same access to emergency information as everyone else.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-30--Puerto Ricans Are Still Waiting For Coronavirus Stimulus Checks

Tens of millions of people across the U.S. have received stimulus checks from the federal government amid the coronavirus crisis , but one group of Americans is still waiting for theirs : people in Puerto Rico .
While the COVID-19 pandemic and related shutdowns have left a record number of people across the country jobless , the U.S. Treasury still has not approved a plan to distribute $ 1,200 relief payments to residents of Puerto Rico .
“ It creates stress , ” said Jasson Vincenty Ruiz , a 50-year-old maintenance worker in Puerto Rico .
He and his wife @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no work — and no income — since mid-March .
The island has been on lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19 .
“ The money starts running out as the days pass .
The bills start accumulating , ” he said , adding that getting these stimulus funds would be a “ big help ” to cover basic services , like electricity .
Puerto Ricans , who are U.S. citizens , are eligible for the stimulus checks approved under a $ 2 trillion coronavirus relief bill passed by Congress .
But because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Puerto Rico ’ s Treasury requires approval from the IRS on its plan to distribute the funds , per the CARES Act .
Puerto Rico ’ s treasury secretary , Francisco Parés Alicea , told HuffPost on Thursday that the island ’ s Treasury was ready to give out the funds to people .
However , it still does not have its plan approved by the IRS , and Parés Alicea said the agency has been “ very reluctant ” to provide a timeline for approval .
Once the IRS approves the plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rican government , it would take at least another three days to deposit the money into people ’ s bank accounts .
What ’ s more , this first phase of funds to be distributed will be only for people who filed taxes in 2019 ― nearly 500,000 people out of more than 3 million residents .
Puerto Rico ’ s Treasury is still working on submitting a plan for 2018 filers and non-filers , which could still be weeks away .
“ The situation is very difficult for our people in Puerto @ @ @ @ @ @ @ creates a lot of pressure to our people who is suffering , ” Parés Alicea said .
Puerto Rico ’ s representative in Congress , Jenniffer González , on Wednesday called out the “ urgent need ” for the funds , saying she is asking the U.S. Treasury for a speedy approval .
Some people on the island ― it is not clear how many people or who they were ― received $ 1,200 payments from the IRS on Wednesday .
Parés Alicea told HuffPost it was likely that those people had filled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the IRS website , and he advised them to “ contact the IRS directly ” since the deposit did not follow the CARES Act distribution plan .
Vivienne Miranda Rodriguez , a massage therapist and doula in Rincon , Puerto Rico , has not received any stimulus funds and has had to close her small yoga and massage studio during the lockdown .
The mother of two — whose husband , an agronomist , has also been unable to work — said the stimulus check would help them pay bills including their mortgage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earthquake , and now this , ” she said , referring to the 2017 hurricane that killed thousands on the island and devastated its economy , as well as the earthquakes earlier this year that left thousands in the south of the island homeless .
Miranda Rodriguez said she ’ s still paying down debt from the period after the hurricane , when tourism and her clientele dropped precipitously .
Now she doesn ’ t know when her business will be able to reopen — or if work as a yoga instructor or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recommended to continue social distancing .

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Tens of millions of people across the U.S. have received stimulus checks from the federal government amid the coronavirus crisis, but one group of Americans is still waiting for theirs: people in Puerto Rico.
While the COVID-19 pandemic and related shutdowns have left a record number of people across the country jobless, the U.S. Treasury still has not approved a plan to distribute $1,200 relief payments to residents of Puerto Rico.
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“It creates stress,” said Jasson Vincenty Ruiz, a 50-year-old maintenance worker in Puerto Rico. He and his wife, a house cleaner, have had no work — and no income — since mid-March. The island has been on lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“The money starts running out as the days pass. The bills start accumulating,” he said, adding that getting these stimulus funds would be a “big help” to cover basic services, like electricity.
Puerto Ricans, who are U.S. citizens, are eligible for the stimulus checks approved under a $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill passed by Congress. But because they live in a U.S. territory, Puerto Rico’s Treasury requires approval from the IRS on its plan to distribute the funds, per the CARES Act.
Puerto Rico’s treasury secretary, Francisco Parés Alicea, told HuffPost on Thursday that the island’s Treasury was ready to give out the funds to people. However, it still does not have its plan approved by the IRS, and Parés Alicea said the agency has been “very reluctant” to provide a timeline for approval. Once the IRS approves the plan and sends the funds to the Puerto Rican government, it would take at least another three days to deposit the money into people’s bank accounts.
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What’s more, this first phase of funds to be distributed will be only for people who filed taxes in 2019 ― nearly 500,000 people out of more than 3 million residents. Puerto Rico’s Treasury is still working on submitting a plan for 2018 filers and non-filers, which could still be weeks away.
“The situation is very difficult for our people in Puerto Rico — not having the approved plan creates a lot of pressure to our people who is suffering,” Parés Alicea said.
Puerto Rico’s representative in Congress, Jenniffer González, on Wednesday called out the “urgent need” for the funds, saying she is asking the U.S. Treasury for a speedy approval.
The Treasury Department did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
.@DptoHacienda está listo para desembolsar los $1,200 a nuestra gente. Agradezco a la comisionada @Jenniffer2012 por sus gestiones en el @USTreasury para el beneficio de nuestro pueblo. 🇵🇷 pic.twitter.com/SF60xMahcf — Wanda Vázquez Garced (@wandavazquezg) April 30, 2020
Some people on the island ― it is not clear how many people or who they were ― received $1,200 payments from the IRS on Wednesday. Parés Alicea told HuffPost it was likely that those people had filled out a “non-filer” form on the IRS website, and he advised them to “contact the IRS directly” since the deposit did not follow the CARES Act distribution plan.
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Vivienne Miranda Rodriguez, a massage therapist and doula in Rincon, Puerto Rico, has not received any stimulus funds and has had to close her small yoga and massage studio during the lockdown. The mother of two — whose husband, an agronomist, has also been unable to work — said the stimulus check would help them pay bills including their mortgage and utilities.
“Maria, the earthquake, and now this,” she said, referring to the 2017 hurricane that killed thousands on the island and devastated its economy, as well as the earthquakes earlier this year that left thousands in the south of the island homeless.
After Hurricane Maria devastated the island in 2017, the Trump administration was criticized for its slow response in providing aid.
Miranda Rodriguez said she’s still paying down debt from the period after the hurricane, when tourism and her clientele dropped precipitously. Now she doesn’t know when her business will be able to reopen — or if work as a yoga instructor or doula will be sustainable if people are recommended to continue social distancing.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and other lawmakers are now pushing for the next coronavirus stimulus package from Congress to include more support for Puerto Rico.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-30--Scarce Testing, Tight Quarters, Limited Gear: Federal Prisons Hammered By Coronavirus

Earlier this year , Andrea Circle Bear was sentenced to 26 months in prison on a drug charge .
She went into federal custody on March 20 , at a time when a number of states had already issued stay-at-home orders and there were at least 19,300 coronavirus cases in the United States .
On March 31 , she was placed on a ventilator .
The next day , her baby was born by cesarean section .
She tested positive for COVID-19 on April 4 .
The 30-year-old Native American from South Dakota died on April 28 .
She ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Federal Bureau of Prisons for just over a month .
“ Why the hell did they transfer that Circle Bear girl ?
” one BOP employee asked in a conversation with HuffPost this week .
“ You took her from a place where there were no exposures to a place where you put her to death .
You guys pretty much sentenced her to death .
For a two-year drug charge.
” At least 33 inmates in the federal system have died of the coronavirus .
As of Thursday , nearly 1,700 inmates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ― although those numbers likely represent only a fraction of the true number of infections because of limited testing .
For the most part , BOP is only testing suspected cases .
Seventy-one percent of tests have come back positive , BOP officials told The Wall Street Journal .
Tests aren ’ t even available to all staff members : In a video message released Wednesday , BOP Director Michael Carvajal said the “ scarcity of available testing resources ” had prevented testing of all BOP employees .
The Elkton facility in Lisbon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of confirmed positive tests of BOP staffers ― 48 employees so far .
Seven inmates there have died .
On Thursday , BOP released a list of 837 inmates at Elkton who should be released or transferred after a federal judge ruled that plaintiffs were likely to succeed in their argument that BOP had failed to protect the inmates from “ cruel and unusual punishment.
” Yet relatively few federal prisoners have been sent to home confinement .
More than a month after Barr ’ s first memo , BOP has placed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inmates in home confinement .
Some prisoners have even been told they were eligible for release and moved to quarantine in preparation for release , only to be told they were no longer considered eligible .
Staffers and inmates at that officer ’ s facility , which has a number of confirmed coronavirus cases , have been provided with surgical masks , which they have to reuse .
Gloves aren ’ t available , according to the officer .
Staffers now have hand sanitizer , but it ’ s still considered contraband for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While BOP is supposed to be sanitizing cells , the officer said that wasn ’ t happening .
Families of inmates have been hesitant to attach their names to any criticism of BOP ’ s handling of the coronavirus pandemic , fearing blowback on their relatives in federal custody .
They don ’ t want to do anything that could risk their loved one ’ s potential early release .
But family members who were originally told their loved one was getting out have been incensed by the way they were treated by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dad has watched people around him get sick and die .
He is scared and now he is hopeless .
And our family spends all day , every day , worried sick .
We can ’ t get our minds off of it .
And nobody at the BOP will listen , ” the family member told HuffPost .
The husband of one female inmate , who was placed into quarantine ahead of her expected release only to be taken out , said that he ’ s glad he hadn ’ t told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potential release .
He said it ’ s been tougher to contact his wife since the lockdown went into place , as she has very limited time for emails and phone calls .
“ They ’ re pretty much being cut off from their family , ” the husband said .
The man ’ s wife , who is behind bars for a nonviolent crime , hasn ’ t yet served 50 % of her sentence ― a metric that BOP had temporarily used to evaluate which inmates were good candidates for home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t understand why length of time served should matter for nonviolent inmates like his wife if BOP ’ s goal was to curb the spread of COVID-19 .
“ That is what is baffling to me .
I don ’ t understand if you ’ re trying to slow the spread and you ’ re trying to protect individuals , whether they have served 25 % or 50 % , how that makes any difference in your decision-making , ” he said .
“ What is the end goal here ?
”

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Illustration: Rebecca Zisser/HuffPost; Photos: Getty
Earlier this year, Andrea Circle Bear was sentenced to 26 months in prison on a drug charge. She went into federal custody on March 20, at a time when a number of states had already issued stay-at-home orders and there were at least 19,300 coronavirus cases in the United States. On March 31, she was placed on a ventilator. The next day, her baby was born by cesarean section. She tested positive for COVID-19 on April 4. The 30-year-old Native American from South Dakota died on April 28. She’d been in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons for just over a month.
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Her story, which has drawn attention from members of Congress, is just one of many examples of how the federal prison system is struggling to prevent further COVID-19 outbreaks in its facilities. Prisons give the coronavirus an ideal environment to spread.
“Why the hell did they transfer that Circle Bear girl?” one BOP employee asked in a conversation with HuffPost this week. “You took her from a place where there were no exposures to a place where you put her to death. You guys pretty much sentenced her to death. For a two-year drug charge.”
The Bureau of Prisons, the largest prison system in the world’s most incarcerated nation, had a number of deep-rooted problems long before COVID-19 and recently came under national scrutiny over the death of multimillionaire sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein. The pandemic has highlighted how unprepared BOP was for such a health care crisis.
At least 33 inmates in the federal system have died of the coronavirus. As of Thursday, nearly 1,700 inmates and 349 BOP staffers had confirmed cases ― although those numbers likely represent only a fraction of the true number of infections because of limited testing. For the most part, BOP is only testing suspected cases. Seventy-one percent of tests have come back positive, BOP officials told The Wall Street Journal. Tests aren’t even available to all staff members: In a video message released Wednesday, BOP Director Michael Carvajal said the “scarcity of available testing resources” had prevented testing of all BOP employees.
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At the federal Terminal Island facility in San Pedro, California, 600 inmates ― more than half the facility’s total population ― have tested positive. BOP’s medical center in Fort Worth, Texas, has 336 positive cases, while 207 inmates tested positive at the prison in Butner, North Carolina.
The Elkton facility in Lisbon, Ohio, has seen the highest number of confirmed positive tests of BOP staffers ― 48 employees so far. Seven inmates there have died. On Thursday, BOP released a list of 837 inmates at Elkton who should be released or transferred after a federal judge ruled that plaintiffs were likely to succeed in their argument that BOP had failed to protect the inmates from “cruel and unusual punishment.”
COVID-19 deaths have piled up in the month since Attorney General William Barr told BOP to prioritize home confinement in an effort to protect inmates who might be particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus.
Yet relatively few federal prisoners have been sent to home confinement. More than a month after Barr’s first memo, BOP has placed just 1,871 of its more than 140,000 inmates in home confinement. Some prisoners have even been told they were eligible for release and moved to quarantine in preparation for release, only to be told they were no longer considered eligible.
“You took her from a place where there were no exposures to a place where you put her to death. You guys pretty much sentenced her to death. For a two-year drug charge.” - A Federal Bureau of Prisons employee
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As a system-wide lockdown extends past a month, a BOP officer told HuffPost that inmates were going “stir crazy” and “getting cabin fever” being confined to their cells for as much as 23 hours a day. “The walls are closing in on them,” the officer said. “Human beings are naturally sociable creatures.”
Staffers and inmates at that officer’s facility, which has a number of confirmed coronavirus cases, have been provided with surgical masks, which they have to reuse. Gloves aren’t available, according to the officer. Staffers now have hand sanitizer, but it’s still considered contraband for inmates because of its alcohol content. While BOP is supposed to be sanitizing cells, the officer said that wasn’t happening.
“How are you going to sit there and tell a terrorist who might have a death penalty coming ... or El Chapo, you know, ‘Make sure you clean your cell?’” the officer asked.
Families of inmates have been hesitant to attach their names to any criticism of BOP’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, fearing blowback on their relatives in federal custody. They don’t want to do anything that could risk their loved one’s potential early release. But family members who were originally told their loved one was getting out have been incensed by the way they were treated by the federal prison system.
One family member of an inmate who was given a release date only to see it taken back said that the family felt “terrified, hopeless and disenfranchised” and felt that BOP sent them on an “emotional rollercoaster ride.”
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“My dad has watched people around him get sick and die. He is scared and now he is hopeless. And our family spends all day, every day, worried sick. We can’t get our minds off of it. And nobody at the BOP will listen,” the family member told HuffPost.
The husband of one female inmate, who was placed into quarantine ahead of her expected release only to be taken out, said that he’s glad he hadn’t told their children about their mother’s potential release. He said it’s been tougher to contact his wife since the lockdown went into place, as she has very limited time for emails and phone calls. “They’re pretty much being cut off from their family,” the husband said.
The man’s wife, who is behind bars for a nonviolent crime, hasn’t yet served 50% of her sentence ― a metric that BOP had temporarily used to evaluate which inmates were good candidates for home confinement. He said he didn’t understand why length of time served should matter for nonviolent inmates like his wife if BOP’s goal was to curb the spread of COVID-19.
“That is what is baffling to me. I don’t understand if you’re trying to slow the spread and you’re trying to protect individuals, whether they have served 25% or 50%, how that makes any difference in your decision-making,” he said. “What is the end goal here?”
Circle Bear’s death will likely draw more attention to the federal prison system’s handling of the pandemic — and raise the issue of whether low-level offenders like her should be let go to help reduce the population at BOP facilities.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-30--California Gov. Newsom Singles Out Orange County With Beach Closures

California Gov .
Gavin Newsom ( D ) made an unexpected announcement about beach closures in his state Thursday : Among those that have been open , his shutdown edict targets only Orange County , where he said large beach crowds “ raised alarm bells ” about people ’ s willingness to comply with social distancing guidelines and sheltering in place .
Newsom ’ s announcement comes after his office reportedly sent a memo to police chiefs around the state saying he was closing all of California ’ s beaches and state parks to combat crowds as the coronavirus pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his Thursday press briefing he never saw the memo and that he ’ d be doing a “ hard close ” in Orange County , home to some of the five beaches officials observed with big crowds after patrolling around 100 this past weekend .
“ Specific issues on some of those beaches have raised alarm bells , ” Newsom said .
“ People that are congregating there that weren ’ t practicing physical distancing that may go back to their community outside of Orange County and may not even know that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put other people at risk , put our hospital system at risk and the like.
” Los Angeles County and other jurisdictions in the state have kept their beaches closed as part of the response to the pandemic , but Orange County was among the places that did have the restriction .
It looked much like any other day at Newport Beach in California on Tuesday despite shelter-in-place orders .
Newsom ’ s move may ruffle some feathers .
Though Orange County ― once a Republican bastion ― has become much more politically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it remains home to one of the blue state ’ s largest , most powerful conservative areas .
The governor “ just doesn ’ t seem to get it , ” he said .
“ We need to trust people .
If our citizens exercise proper social distancing , then we should allow access to the beaches .
If you ’ re part of a vulnerable group , shame on you for going to the beach.
” But Orange County , Newsom said Thursday , has “ one of the highest rates ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ size and scope , ” he said , and a “ very limited number of people been tested ” in the jurisdiction .
Huntington Beach and Newport Beach , two affluent cities with some of Orange Country ’ s highest numbers of confirmed cases , have been the stage for large protests against the shelter-in-place orders .
Newsom urged Californians to look elsewhere for examples of how dangerous loosening the various restrictions could be .
“ Look what happened in Japan .
Look what happened in Singapore .
Look what happened in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have seen an uptick in cases of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the new coronavirus , when social distancing policies were relaxed .
“ When you pull back too quickly , you literally put people ’ s lives at risk .
People are literally dying because of decisions that are done without a real frame of focus on public health first .
”

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) made an unexpected announcement about beach closures in his state Thursday: Among those that have been open, his shutdown edict targets only Orange County, where he said large beach crowds “raised alarm bells” about people’s willingness to comply with social distancing guidelines and sheltering in place.
Newsom’s announcement comes after his office reportedly sent a memo to police chiefs around the state saying he was closing all of California’s beaches and state parks to combat crowds as the coronavirus pandemic rages on.
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But Newsom said at his Thursday press briefing he never saw the memo and that he’d be doing a “hard close” in Orange County, home to some of the five beaches officials observed with big crowds after patrolling around 100 this past weekend.
“Specific issues on some of those beaches have raised alarm bells,” Newsom said. “People that are congregating there that weren’t practicing physical distancing that may go back to their community outside of Orange County and may not even know that they contracted the disease. And now they put other people at risk, put our hospital system at risk and the like.”
Los Angeles County and other jurisdictions in the state have kept their beaches closed as part of the response to the pandemic, but Orange County was among the places that did not have the restriction.
It looked much like any other day at Newport Beach in California on Tuesday despite shelter-in-place orders. Allen J. Schaben via Getty Images
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Newsom’s move may ruffle some feathers. Though Orange County ― once a Republican bastion ― has become much more politically competitive over the last two decades, it remains home to one of the blue state’s largest, most powerful conservative areas.
State Sen. John M. W. Moorlach (R), who represents Costa Mesa in the county, quickly issued a statement blasting Newsom’s decision to single out his region.
The governor “just doesn’t seem to get it,” he said. “We need to trust people. If our citizens exercise proper social distancing, then we should allow access to the beaches. If you’re part of a vulnerable group, shame on you for going to the beach.”
But Orange County, Newsom said Thursday, has “one of the highest rates” of positive cases of coronavirus relative to “size and scope,” he said, and a “very limited number of people been tested” in the jurisdiction.
Huntington Beach and Newport Beach, two affluent cities with some of Orange Country’s highest numbers of confirmed cases, have been the stage for large protests against the shelter-in-place orders.
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Newsom urged Californians to look elsewhere for examples of how dangerous loosening the various restrictions could be.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-30--Queen Promotes to Colonel WW2 Veteran Who Raised Millions For UK Health Workers

The head of the British Army , Gen. Sir Mark Carleton-Smith , made the appointment with the approval of Queen Elizabeth II , hoping that Moore ’ s “ heroic achievement ” will inspire the next generation of soldiers .
The current commanding officer of the Yorkshire Regiment presented Moore with a letter announcing his promotion at the veteran ’ s home in the village of Marston Moretaine .
Moore is self-isolating there with his family .
Moore told the BBC he never anticipated his promotion .
“ I ’ m still Captain Tom , that ’ s who I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to call me Colonel , well , thank you very much , ” he told the BBC .
The veteran raised the funds by taking laps around his back garden with the help of a walker , and he had been widely lauded and honored in the U.K. for his efforts to help British health care workers fighting on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic .
Moore ’ s desire to help was driven by his own experience with the National Health Care system .
When he was 98 years old , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his dishwasher at home .
His injuries were so severe that his daughters were convinced he was about to die .
But with the help of NHS workers , Moore recovered and regained enough strength to return to his active lifestyle .
Looking for a way to thank the NHS and support its workers during the pandemic , Moore started his fundraiser with a modest goal ― £1000 , or about $ 1,260 .
But the campaign quickly exploded in popularity .
By Thursday , he had raised £31,763,869 , over $ 40 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Charities Together , which seeks to support the health and emotional well-being of the country ’ s health care workers .
The organization helps distribute wellness packs for hospital workers , sets up hospital break rooms with food and drink , and purchases electronic tablets so patients and staff can keep in touch with loved ones .
Our Great Hall has been transformed into a sea of 100th birthday cards for Captain Tom .
His grandson Benjie , a Fifth Former here at school , has been showing his grandfather photos of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Captain has been 'blown away ' by the sheer number .
pic.twitter.com/CqXqVyN6dt — Bedford School ( @ BedfordSchool ) April 28 , 2020 Moore has received an estimated 140,000 cards for his 100th birthday ― so many that the cards are being temporarily stored at his grandson ’ s school .
Among the well-wishes was a personalized card from the Queen , who sent her “ congratulations and best wishes.
” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson ― who was hospitalized with COVID-19 , the disease caused by the new coronavirus ― recorded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him “ a point of light in all our lives.
” “ Your heroic efforts have lifted the spirits of the entire nation , you ’ ve created a channel to enable millions to say a heartfelt thank you to the remarkable men and women in our NHS who have all been doing the most outstanding job , ” Johnson said .
The British Royal Air Force had two wartime planes fly over Moore ’ s home on Thursday in tribute to him .
Wrapped in a blanket and wearing his army medallions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in recognition as the planes zoomed by .
Handout via Getty Emma Sohl - Capture the Light Photography via Getty Images Col. Tom Moore and his daughter Hannah look up as Royal Air Force planes fly over his home on Thursday in Marston Moretaine , England .
Moore is the oldest artist to top the U.K. ’ s music charts , with the song “ You ’ ll Never Walk Alone , ” a collaboration with the singer Michael Ball and the NHS Voices of Care choir .
The country ’ s Royal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his honor .
“ Reaching 100 is quite something .
Reaching 100 with such interest in me and huge generosity from the public is very overwhelming , ” he said .
“ People keep saying what I have done is remarkable , however , it ’ s actually what you have done for me which is remarkable .
”

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Tom Moore, a British World War II veteran who has raised millions for the country’s National Health Service, was promoted to the rank of honorary colonel on Thursday, his 100th birthday.
The head of the British Army, Gen. Sir Mark Carleton-Smith, made the appointment with the approval of Queen Elizabeth II, hoping that Moore’s “heroic achievement” will inspire the next generation of soldiers.
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“His mature wisdom, no-nonsense attitude and humour in adversity make him an inspirational role model to generations young and old,” the general said in a statement.
Moore previously held the rank of captain after serving with the Army in Burma and India during World War II, according to The Yorkshire Post.
The current commanding officer of the Yorkshire Regiment presented Moore with a letter announcing his promotion at the veteran’s home in the village of Marston Moretaine. Moore is self-isolating there with his family.
Moore told the BBC he never anticipated his promotion. “I’m still Captain Tom, that’s who I really am, but if people choose to call me Colonel, well, thank you very much,” he told the BBC.
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🎉@captaintommoore has been appointed as the first Honorary Colonel of the Army Foundation College Harrogate. Happy birthday Colonel Tom!
"His mature wisdom, no-nonsense attitude and humour in adversity make him an inspirational role model to generations young and old" @ArmyCGS pic.twitter.com/xC6sRICfHB — Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) April 30, 2020
The veteran raised the funds by taking laps around his back garden with the help of a walker, and he had been widely lauded and honored in the U.K. for his efforts to help British health care workers fighting on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.
Moore’s desire to help was driven by his own experience with the National Health Care system. When he was 98 years old, Moore suffered a near-fatal fall while emptying his dishwasher at home. His injuries were so severe that his daughters were convinced he was about to die. But with the help of NHS workers, Moore recovered and regained enough strength to return to his active lifestyle.
A birthday message for Tom Moore is displayed at Piccadilly Circus in London on Thursday. He turned 100 years old. TOLGA AKMEN via Getty Images
Looking for a way to thank the NHS and support its workers during the pandemic, Moore started his fundraiser with a modest goal ― £1000, or about $1,260. But the campaign quickly exploded in popularity. By Thursday, he had raised £31,763,869, over $40 million.
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The funds go to NHS Charities Together, which seeks to support the health and emotional well-being of the country’s health care workers. The organization helps distribute wellness packs for hospital workers, sets up hospital break rooms with food and drink, and purchases electronic tablets so patients and staff can keep in touch with loved ones.
Our Great Hall has been transformed into a sea of 100th birthday cards for Captain Tom. His grandson Benjie, a Fifth Former here at school, has been showing his grandfather photos of the cards as they have been arriving. The Captain has been 'blown away' by the sheer number. pic.twitter.com/CqXqVyN6dt — Bedford School (@BedfordSchool) April 28, 2020
Moore has received an estimated 140,000 cards for his 100th birthday ― so many that the cards are being temporarily stored at his grandson’s school.
Among the well-wishes was a personalized card from the Queen, who sent her “congratulations and best wishes.” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson ― who was hospitalized with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus ― recorded a video greeting for Moore, calling him “a point of light in all our lives.”
“Your heroic efforts have lifted the spirits of the entire nation, you’ve created a channel to enable millions to say a heartfelt thank you to the remarkable men and women in our NHS who have all been doing the most outstanding job,” Johnson said.
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The British Royal Air Force had two wartime planes fly over Moore’s home on Thursday in tribute to him. Wrapped in a blanket and wearing his army medallions, the honorary colonel lifted his arm in recognition as the planes zoomed by.
Col. Tom Moore and his daughter Hannah look up as Royal Air Force planes fly over his home on Thursday in Marston Moretaine, England. Handout via Getty Emma Sohl - Capture the Light Photography via Getty Images
Moore is the oldest artist to top the U.K.’s music charts, with the song “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” a collaboration with the singer Michael Ball and the NHS Voices of Care choir. The country’s Royal Mail has issued a special postmark in his honor.
Moore told the BBC that it was “extraordinary” to be turning 100 with so many people cheering him on.
“Reaching 100 is quite something. Reaching 100 with such interest in me and huge generosity from the public is very overwhelming,” he said. “People keep saying what I have done is remarkable, however, it’s actually what you have done for me which is remarkable.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-30--Tucker Carlson Gets Hit With Blunt Coronavirus Fact-Check Live On His Own Show

It didn ’ t go well .
Carlson got a quick fact-check on his own show when his guest , Fox News contributor Dr. Marc Siegel , stepped in with a correction .
But Siegel said kids can get the viral infection and spread it , it ’ s just not as severe when they get sick themselves .
“ They appear to have a protein in the lungs that protects them from severe disease , ” he said , so when kids get the virus , they have mild cases or don ’ t show symptoms .
“ But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t get it , and it is not true that they can ’ t spread it , ” he said .
“ Just much less likely than adults.
” Tucker Carlson : There ’ s new evidence that young children do not spread the Coronavirus Marc Siegel shortly after : It is not true that children don ’ t get it and it is not true that they can ’ t spread it pic.twitter.com/L0YK49JEij — Acyn Torabi ( @ Acyn ) May 1 , 2020 As Carlson and Siegel spoke , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Studies : No evidence kids under 10 spread virus ” and that there were no cases of young children passing the virus to an adult .
But one of the authors of the study is , as Siegel noted , taking issue with that interpretation in the media .
Alasdair Munro said on Twitter that there have been “ MAJOR misunderstandings ” about the report and clarified that “ Children almost certainly DO transmit COVID-19.
” So where do we stand ?
We do n't know for sure but growing evidence suggests children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ milder infection , and are infrequently responsible for household transmission .
See more here.https : //t.co/FVoWNdO6m7 End .
6/6 — Alasdair Munro ( @ apsmunro ) April 30 , 2020 The data on the extent of infection in children and their ability to spread it is still far from clear .
“ All we really know at this point is that with a small number of exceptions , children are mildly affected by this infection , ” Adam Finn , a professor of pediatrics at the University of Bristol and chairman of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization , told Bloomberg .
“ What is much less clear is how often they get infection and how infectious they are to each other and to other people in their families.
” One study out of Germany has suggested that , although kids may not have the same symptoms , they could be as infectious as adults in terms of how much virus they can carry .
There have also been reports of coronavirus in young children leading to Kawasaki disease , which causes inflammation in the @ @ @ @ @ @

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Fox News host Tucker Carlson tried to spread another myth about coronavirus infections on Thursday.
It didn’t go well. Carlson got a quick fact-check on his own show when his guest, Fox News contributor Dr. Marc Siegel, stepped in with a correction.
Carlson had claimed that “young children do not spread the coronavirus.”
But Siegel said kids can get the viral infection and spread it, it’s just not as severe when they get sick themselves.
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“They appear to have a protein in the lungs that protects them from severe disease,” he said, so when kids get the virus, they have mild cases or don’t show symptoms.
“But it’s not true that children don’t get it, and it is not true that they can’t spread it,” he said. “Just much less likely than adults.”
Tucker Carlson: There’s new evidence that young children do not spread the Coronavirus
Marc Siegel shortly after: It is not true that children don’t get it and it is not true that they can’t spread it pic.twitter.com/L0YK49JEij — Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) May 1, 2020
As Carlson and Siegel spoke, the graphics on the screen claimed “Studies: No evidence kids under 10 spread virus” and that there were no cases of young children passing the virus to an adult.
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But one of the authors of the study is, as Siegel noted, taking issue with that interpretation in the media. Alasdair Munro said on Twitter that there have been “MAJOR misunderstandings” about the report and clarified that “Children almost certainly DO transmit COVID-19.”
He added:
So where do we stand?
We don't know for sure but growing evidence suggests children are less susceptible to infection, have milder infection, and are infrequently responsible for household transmission.
See more here.https://t.co/FVoWNdO6m7
End.
6/6 — Alasdair Munro (@apsmunro) April 30, 2020
The data on the extent of infection in children and their ability to spread it is still far from clear.
“All we really know at this point is that with a small number of exceptions, children are mildly affected by this infection,” Adam Finn, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Bristol and chairman of the World Health Organization’s European Technical Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization, told Bloomberg. “What is much less clear is how often they get infection and how infectious they are to each other and to other people in their families.”
One study out of Germany has suggested that, although kids may not have the same symptoms, they could be as infectious as adults in terms of how much virus they can carry.
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There have also been reports of coronavirus in young children leading to Kawasaki disease, which causes inflammation in the walls of some blood vessels.
The World Health Organization says it is “urgently” looking into that connection.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-01--Trump Called Out To His Face After Blaming Obama For 'Broken' Coronavirus Tests

President Donald Trump blamed his predecessor , former President Barack Obama , on Thursday for leaving him with faulty tests for coronavirus infections .
“ The last administration left us nothing , ” Trump said .
“ We started off with bad , broken tests and obsolete tests.
” But Obama left office in 2017 and COVID-19 didn ’ t exist until last year , as CNN ’ s Jim Acosta was quick to point out to the president .
“ You say ‘ broken tests , ’ ” Acosta said .
“ It ’ s a new virus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
” Trump was unfazed by the timeline .
“ We had broken tests .
We had tests that were obsolete .
We had tests that didn ’ t take care of people , ” Trump said .
He then attacked the Obama administration ’ s handling of the H1N1 swine flu outbreak , complete with a couple of digs at former Vice President Joe Biden : .
@ Acosta : You say you had `` broken tests '' from Obama -- the coronavirus is a new virus , so how could the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We have broken tests .
We had tests that were obsolete .
We had tests that did n't take care of people . ''
( None of this makes sense . )
pic.twitter.com/r7oobJNFU2 — Aaron Rupar ( @ atrupar ) April 30 , 2020 Then , Trump gave his administration a “ spectacular ” rating for its performance in handling the pandemic .
The president ’ s critics on Twitter weren ’ t having it : Trump again blames the Obama administration for the `` broken '' coronavirus tests that were developed during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not around during the Obama administration .
— Daniel Dale ( @ ddale8 ) April 30 , 2020 Trump is blaming Obama for leaving him with “ broken tests ” for a virus that didn ’ t exist .
Yes , really .
https : //t.co/bsUCuo7Qjj via @ voxdotcom — Donna Brazile ( @ donnabrazile ) May 1 , 2020 The Obama administration set up the White House National Security Council Directorate for Global Health Security and Biodefense to prepare for future pandemics like COVID-19 .
Trump disbanded it .
https : //t.co/rFpYRElkWP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May 1 , 2020 Obama responds to Trump saying he left tests for Covid-19 in the pandemic book even though the virus did n't exist until three years after he left office .
He said he left it in a briefing book on the resolute desk but did n't realize Trump does n't read — Joe Lockhart ( @ joelockhart ) April 30 , 2020 Obama and his team left Trump a thorough handbook on pandemics and a top notch team to monitor and deal with such a crisis .
Trump threw it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were supposed to leave him with the tests for a pandemic that came nearly 4 years after they left office .
https : //t.co/OKPnLK6S8q — Jennifer Hayden ( @ Scout_Finch ) April 30 , 2020 It speaks volumes that the Trump supporters who endlessly question Joe Biden ’ s mental capacity seem to have no problem with Trump constantly blaming Barack Obama for not supplying working tests to diagnose a virus that didn ’ t exist when he was president.pic.twitter.com/Q7QwT36QSV — Andrew Weinstein ( @ Weinsteinlaw ) April 30 , 2020 Once again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Covid-19 tests from Barack Obama .
Covid-19 DID NOT EXIST when Obama was President .
— Mikel Jollett ( @ Mikel_Jollett ) April 30 , 2020 Trump keeps saying he inherited “ broken ” Covid-19 tests from Obama .
The virus wasn ’ t known when Obama was president .
It ’ s impossible .
Either Trump is that ignorant *or* Trump thinks so little of his supporters that he figures enough of them are ignorant enough to believe that .
— Brian Klaas ( @ brianklaas ) April 30 , 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been broken because COVID-19 did n't exist during Obama .
AND the approval polls for Obama 's handling of H1N1 averaged 67 % .
Now , if only the Democrats would stop flogging each other and focus on winning , we might actually beat this a-hole .
https : //t.co/Ty1a19ohmA — Bob Cesca ( @ bobcesca_go ) April 30 , 2020

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President Donald Trump blamed his predecessor, former President Barack Obama, on Thursday for leaving him with faulty tests for coronavirus infections.
“The last administration left us nothing,” Trump said. “We started off with bad, broken tests and obsolete tests.”
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But Obama left office in 2017 and COVID-19 didn’t exist until last year, as CNN’s Jim Acosta was quick to point out to the president.
“You say ‘broken tests,’” Acosta said. “It’s a new virus, so how could the tests be broken?”
Trump was unfazed by the timeline.
“We had broken tests. We had tests that were obsolete. We had tests that didn’t take care of people,” Trump said. He then attacked the Obama administration’s handling of the H1N1 swine flu outbreak, complete with a couple of digs at former Vice President Joe Biden:
.@Acosta: You say you had "broken tests" from Obama -- the coronavirus is a new virus, so how could the tests be broken?
TRUMP: "We have broken tests. We had tests that were obsolete. We had tests that didn't take care of people." (None of this makes sense.) pic.twitter.com/r7oobJNFU2 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 30, 2020
Then, Trump gave his administration a “spectacular” rating for its performance in handling the pandemic.
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The president’s critics on Twitter weren’t having it:
Trump again blames the Obama administration for the "broken" coronavirus tests that were developed during the Trump administration because the virus was not around during the Obama administration. — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) April 30, 2020
Trump is blaming Obama for leaving him with “broken tests” for a virus that didn’t exist. Yes, really. https://t.co/bsUCuo7Qjj via @voxdotcom — Donna Brazile (@donnabrazile) May 1, 2020
The Obama administration set up the White House National Security Council Directorate for Global Health Security and Biodefense to prepare for future pandemics like COVID-19.
Trump disbanded it. https://t.co/rFpYRElkWP — The Democrats (@TheDemocrats) May 1, 2020
Obama responds to Trump saying he left tests for Covid-19 in the pandemic book even though the virus didn't exist until three years after he left office. He said he left it in a briefing book on the resolute desk but didn't realize Trump doesn't read — Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) April 30, 2020
Obama and his team left Trump a thorough handbook on pandemics and a top notch team to monitor and deal with such a crisis. Trump threw it all in the trash. Apparently they were supposed to leave him with the tests for a pandemic that came nearly 4 years after they left office. https://t.co/OKPnLK6S8q — Jennifer Hayden (@Scout_Finch) April 30, 2020
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It speaks volumes that the Trump supporters who endlessly question Joe Biden’s mental capacity seem to have no problem with Trump constantly blaming Barack Obama for not supplying working tests to diagnose a virus that didn’t exist when he was president.pic.twitter.com/Q7QwT36QSV — Andrew Weinstein (@Weinsteinlaw) April 30, 2020
Once again, Trump said he inherited "broken" Covid-19 tests from Barack Obama.
Covid-19 DID NOT EXIST when Obama was President. — Mikel Jollett (@Mikel_Jollett) April 30, 2020
Trump keeps saying he inherited “broken” Covid-19 tests from Obama. The virus wasn’t known when Obama was president. It’s impossible.
Either Trump is that ignorant *or* Trump thinks so little of his supporters that he figures enough of them are ignorant enough to believe that. — Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) April 30, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-30--Trump Slights Intelligence Boss For Undermining China COVID-19 Theory

President Donald Trump claimed Thursday to have seen secret evidence linking the origins of COVID-19 to a laboratory in China — and disdainfully dismissed an apparently contradictory statement from his own acting intelligence director .
Trump insisted at his press briefing that he had information he could not reveal that the Wuhan Institute of Virology was linked to the outbreak of COVID-19 .
“ I can ’ t tell you ” details , he told reporters , adding that he was “ not allowed ” to do so .
But Fox News reporter John Roberts challenged Trump , pointing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the office of Acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell that seemed to undermine the president ’ s statement .
“ The Intelligence Community ... concurs with the wide scientific consensus that the COVID-19 virus was not manmade or genetically modified , ” the statement read .
The statement did say an investigation would determine if the coronavirus outbreak began as a “ lab accident ” — or through human contact with infected animals at a wet market , as most scientists believe .
There was no mention of any evidence to support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office issued the statement a day after The New York Times reported that the Trump administration was pushing the intelligence community to reach a conclusion blaming China .
Trump asked Roberts who had written the intelligence community statement , but before the journalist could answer , the president added dismissively : “ Oh , he would know that , huh ?
” Roberts responded : “ That would be your director of national intelligence.
” Grenell is a Trump loyalist whom the president named to the post in late February .
JOHN ROBERTS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out a statement saying they think the coronavirus was naturally occurring TRUMP : Who ?
R : It was a statement from the DNI office TRUMP : Oh , he would know that , huh ?
R : That would be your Director of National Intelligence pic.twitter.com/ihBTp9HxVe — Aaron Rupar ( @ atrupar ) April 30 , 2020 Trump has railed against China for weeks for what he claims was the nation ’ s delay in alerting the world to the dangers of COVID-19 .
But he has also hinted more ominously that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a lab , echoing a right-wing conspiracy theory .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has accused China of “ hiding ” something .
The first coronavirus cases likely emerged in China in December .
The Chinese government informed the World Health Organization of the growing problem on Dec. 31 , and the WHO — another target of Trump ’ s criticism — in turn alerted the global community .
Trump praised the Chinese government ’ s handling of the coronavirus at least 15 times throughout February .
On Feb. 28 , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been reported in the U.S. at that time would quickly “ go down close to zero.
” There are now more than 1 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in America .
Just had a long and very good conversation by phone with President Xi of China .
He is strong , sharp and powerfully focused on leading the counterattack on the Coronavirus .
He feels they are doing very well , even building hospitals in a matter of only days .
Nothing is easy , but ... — Donald J. Trump ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I think that the World Health Organization should be ashamed of themselves because they ’ re like the public relations agency for China , ” Trump said Thursday .

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President Donald Trump claimed Thursday to have seen secret evidence linking the origins of COVID-19 to a laboratory in China — and disdainfully dismissed an apparently contradictory statement from his own acting intelligence director.
Trump insisted at his press briefing that he had information he could not reveal that the Wuhan Institute of Virology was linked to the outbreak of COVID-19. “I can’t tell you” details, he told reporters, adding that he was “not allowed” to do so.
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But Fox News reporter John Roberts challenged Trump, pointing to a statement earlier in the day from the office of Acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell that seemed to undermine the president’s statement. “The Intelligence Community ... concurs with the wide scientific consensus that the COVID-19 virus was not manmade or genetically modified,” the statement read.
The statement did say an investigation would determine if the coronavirus outbreak began as a “lab accident” — or through human contact with infected animals at a wet market, as most scientists believe. There was no mention of any evidence to support the lab theory.
Grenell’s office issued the statement a day after The New York Times reported that the Trump administration was pushing the intelligence community to reach a conclusion blaming China.
Trump asked Roberts who had written the intelligence community statement, but before the journalist could answer, the president added dismissively: “Oh, he would know that, huh?”
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Roberts responded: “That would be your director of national intelligence.” Grenell is a Trump loyalist whom the president named to the post in late February.
“You’d have to tell me who specifically, who made the statement,” Trump insisted.
Roberts repeated that it was from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
“I haven’t seen the statement,” Trump replied.
JOHN ROBERTS: The Director of National Intelligence put out a statement saying they think the coronavirus was naturally occurring
TRUMP: Who?
R: It was a statement from the DNI office
TRUMP: Oh, he would know that, huh?
R: That would be your Director of National Intelligence pic.twitter.com/ihBTp9HxVe — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 30, 2020
Trump has railed against China for weeks for what he claims was the nation’s delay in alerting the world to the dangers of COVID-19. But he has also hinted more ominously that the virus may have been cooked up in a lab, echoing a right-wing conspiracy theory. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has accused China of “hiding” something.
The first coronavirus cases likely emerged in China in December. The Chinese government informed the World Health Organization of the growing problem on Dec. 31, and the WHO — another target of Trump’s criticism — in turn alerted the global community.
Trump praised the Chinese government’s handling of the coronavirus at least 15 times throughout February. On Feb. 28, he said the number of COVID-19 cases that had been reported in the U.S. at that time would quickly “go down close to zero.” There are now more than 1 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in America.
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Just had a long and very good conversation by phone with President Xi of China. He is strong, sharp and powerfully focused on leading the counterattack on the Coronavirus. He feels they are doing very well, even building hospitals in a matter of only days. Nothing is easy, but... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 7, 2020
“I think that the World Health Organization should be ashamed of themselves because they’re like the public relations agency for China,” Trump said Thursday.
A HuffPost Guide To Coronavirus


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-30--U.S. Employment Numbers Rocket Past 30 Million

The statistics are likely to stoke the debate over whether to ease the lockdowns that have closed factories and other businesses .
While many states and countries have pressed ahead , health officials have warned of the danger of a second wave of infection , and some employers and employees have expressed fear of going back to work when large numbers of people are still dying .
In the U.S. , the government reported that 3.8 million laid-off workers applied for jobless benefits last week , raising the total to 30.3 million in the six weeks since the outbreak took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 6 American workers and encompass more people than the entire population of Texas .
Some economists say that when the U.S. unemployment rate for April comes out next week , it could be as high as 20 % — a figure not seen since the Depression of the 1930s , when joblessness peaked at 25 % .
The number of Americans thrown out of work could be much higher than the unemployment claims show , because some people have not applied and others couldn ’ t get through to their states ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economists found that the U.S. may have lost 34 million jobs .
There was grim new data across Europe , too , where more than 130,000 people with the virus have died .
The economy in the 19 countries using the euro shrank 3.8 % in the first quarter of the year , the biggest contraction since the eurozone countries began keeping joint statistics 25 years ago .
Even then , the statistics do not capture the enormity of the crisis .
The quarterly figures cover January through March , and many of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were not imposed until March — the second half of March in a multitude of places in the United States .
The virus has killed over 230,000 people worldwide , including more than 61,000 in the U.S. , according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University .
Confirmed infections globally topped 3.2 million , with 1 million of them in the U.S. , but the true numbers are believed to be much higher because of limited testing , differences in counting the dead and concealment by some governments .
— Dr. Anthony Fauci @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infectious-diseases expert , said he expects federal approval for the first drug to prove effective against the coronavirus to happen “ really quickly.
” Remdesivir , made by California ’ s Gilead Sciences , hastened the recovery of COVID-19 patients in a major government study , and it might also have reduced deaths , according to Fauci .
— A suburban Minneapolis nursing home , St. Therese of New Hope , said 47 residents have died as a result of COVID-19 in yet another severe outbreak at an institution for the frail or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died at a veterans home in Massachusetts in the deadliest known cluster of its kind .
This week , the U.S. estimated its economy shrank at a 4.8 % annual rate in the first three months of the year , the sharpest quarterly drop since the 2008 financial crisis .
The current quarter is expected to be much worse , with a staggering 40 % drop projected .
Still , analysts saw a glimmer of hope in the way new unemployment claims have fallen for four straight weeks .
Andrew Stettner , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the wave of layoffs at vulnerable businesses such as restaurants , hotels and stores may have largely run its course .

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NEW YORK (AP) — Bleak new figures Thursday underscored the worldwide economic pain inflicted by the coronavirus: The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits has climbed past a staggering 30 million, while Europe’s economies have gone into an epic slide.
And as bad as the numbers are, some are already outdated because of the lag in gathering data, and the true economic picture is almost certainly much worse.
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The statistics are likely to stoke the debate over whether to ease the lockdowns that have closed factories and other businesses. While many states and countries have pressed ahead, health officials have warned of the danger of a second wave of infection, and some employers and employees have expressed fear of going back to work when large numbers of people are still dying.
In the U.S., the government reported that 3.8 million laid-off workers applied for jobless benefits last week, raising the total to 30.3 million in the six weeks since the outbreak took hold. The layoffs amount to 1 in 6 American workers and encompass more people than the entire population of Texas.
Some economists say that when the U.S. unemployment rate for April comes out next week, it could be as high as 20% — a figure not seen since the Depression of the 1930s, when joblessness peaked at 25%.
The number of Americans thrown out of work could be much higher than the unemployment claims show, because some people have not applied and others couldn’t get through to their states’ overwhelmed systems. A poll by two economists found that the U.S. may have lost 34 million jobs.
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There was grim new data across Europe, too, where more than 130,000 people with the virus have died. The economy in the 19 countries using the euro shrank 3.8% in the first quarter of the year, the biggest contraction since the eurozone countries began keeping joint statistics 25 years ago.
“This is the saddest day for the global economy we have ever seen” in the 50 years that economists at High Frequency Economics have been following the data, they wrote in a report.
Even then, the statistics do not capture the enormity of the crisis. The quarterly figures cover January through March, and many of the lockdowns in Europe and the U.S. were not imposed until March — the second half of March in a multitude of places in the United States.
Stocks fell on Wall Street as the discouraging news piled up, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average losing nearly 290 points, or more than 1 percent.
The virus has killed over 230,000 people worldwide, including more than 61,000 in the U.S., according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. Confirmed infections globally topped 3.2 million, with 1 million of them in the U.S., but the true numbers are believed to be much higher because of limited testing, differences in counting the dead and concealment by some governments.
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In other developments:
— Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s top infectious-diseases expert, said he expects federal approval for the first drug to prove effective against the coronavirus to happen “really quickly.” Remdesivir, made by California’s Gilead Sciences, hastened the recovery of COVID-19 patients in a major government study, and it might also have reduced deaths, according to Fauci.
— A 1,000-bed Navy hospital ship that arrived in New York City to great fanfare a month ago left town after treating just 182 patients. The surge of cases there has fallen well short of the doomsday predictions. The 24-hour number of deaths statewide was down to 306, the lowest in a month.
— With signs that the outbreak has stabilized in places, President Donald Trump said he would not extend the White House’s social-distancing guidelines past their expiration Thursday. Those guidelines encouraged people to work from home and avoid restaurants, groups and nonessential travel.
— A suburban Minneapolis nursing home, St. Therese of New Hope, said 47 residents have died as a result of COVID-19 in yet another severe outbreak at an institution for the frail or elderly. At least 70 people have died at a veterans home in Massachusetts in the deadliest known cluster of its kind.
— California Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered beaches in Orange County closed until further notice after tens of thousands of people flocked to the sand last weekend.
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— Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Britain is “past the peak” and “on a downward slope” in its coronavirus outbreak.
— Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, 54, said he has tested positive for the virus and will go into isolation.
— NASCAR announced it will resume the season on March 17 but without fans in the stands. But the Little League announced it would cancel its World Series for the first time ever.
France’s economy shrank 5.8%, the biggest quarterly drop since 1949. In Spain, the contraction was 5.2%. Germany is projecting that its economy, the eurozone’s biggest, will shrink 6.3% this year.
Unemployment in Europe has reached 7.4%, the statistics agency Eurostat reported. However, job-protection programs run by governments are temporarily keeping millions of Europeans on payrolls, sparing them from the monumental layoffs the U.S. is seeing.
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This week, the U.S. estimated its economy shrank at a 4.8% annual rate in the first three months of the year, the sharpest quarterly drop since the 2008 financial crisis. The current quarter is expected to be much worse, with a staggering 40% drop projected.
Still, analysts saw a glimmer of hope in the way new unemployment claims have fallen for four straight weeks. Andrew Stettner, a senior fellow at the Century Foundation, said the wave of layoffs at vulnerable businesses such as restaurants, hotels and stores may have largely run its course.
“Thankfully, for now, the economic contagion seems to have plateaued,” Stettner said. “But we’re still at a level that is a mortal threat to the nation’s financial well-being.”
Across the U.S., many governors have taken steps to gradually reopen their economies, amid impatience among Americans who complain their livelihoods are being destroyed and their rights trampled.
In Michigan, hundreds of protesters returned to the Capitol to denounce Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s stay-home order and business restrictions. The Republican-led Michigan House refused to extend the state’s coronavirus emergency declaration and voted to authorize a lawsuit challenging Whitmer’s authority and actions to combat the pandemic.
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But even in states where businesses are being allowed to reopen, some workers are uneasy about returning.
Lacey Ward, an Omaha hairstylist, said she is worried that the Nebraska governor’s decision to let salons reopen on May 4 could put her and her family at risk. She would prefer to collect unemployment until the danger subsides.
“I feel like we are literally the guinea pigs in this situation,” she said.
Tyler Price, furloughed in March from his job at Del Frisco’s Grille in a Nashville suburb, has been asked to come back but is wary, especially since he is susceptible to respiratory infections.
“Even with every precaution taken, I’m highly at risk,” he said. “The fact that my job is just, ‘Come on up, make some money,’ it’s insane. It’s absolutely insane to ask that of people.”
Finding enough workers willing to return is proving to be a challenge for Jennifer Holliday, manager at a restaurant in Oklahoma City that will reopen its dining room Friday. Many of her employees are not returning calls or messages.
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“There are some who want to just ride it out and take the unemployment,” she said.
___
Rugaber reported from Washington, Leicester from Paris. AP reporters around the world contributed to this report.
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-01--Conservative Columnist Nails GOP With Coronavirus Analogy About Donald Trump

This is , by now , an old story .
When you play this game — “ What if Obama @ @ @ @ @ — you quickly realize that most Republican talking heads and politicians are cynical hypocrites who @ @ @ @ @ advantage .
They express no reservations about Trump doing on a much greater scale so @ @ @ @ @ they bitterly denounced under Obama .

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Conservative columnist Max Boot used an analogy about the coronavirus pandemic to highlight the hypocrisy of President Donald Trump and the GOP in his latest opinion piece for The Washington Post published Thursday.
Boot contrasted conservatives’ silence on Trump’s boast this week about building “the greatest economy in the history of the world” with their anger over a “far milder” comment that former President Barack Obama made in 2012 about businesses.
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Boot noted how there was “of course, not the faintest flicker of outrage from the right” following Trump’s latest brag:
This is, by now, an old story. When you play this game — “What if Obama had done it?” — you quickly realize that most Republican talking heads and politicians are cynical hypocrites who will say anything for partisan advantage. They express no reservations about Trump doing on a much greater scale so many of the things that they bitterly denounced under Obama.
Boot, who quit the GOP following Trump’s 2016 election victory, suggested that “hypocrisy must be contagious because it has reached pandemic proportions in the Republican ranks.”
“Trump didn’t start the outbreak, but he is a super-spreader with a viral load of shamelessness,” the columnist concluded. “We need to run further clinical trials but, so far, not even repeated exposure to sunlight has cured this malady. Is there some disinfectant that Republicans can inject?”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-01--Trump Press Secretary Praises Coronavirus Pandemic Response In The Most Awkward Way

You ca n't have it both ways .
Lying and misinforming the public when Trump speaks and contradicts his health @ @ @ @ @ that 's exactly what he 's been doing for the past three months .
Lying @ @ @ @ @ body count soars .
62,000+ Americans are dead thanks to Trump .

You can't have it both ways. Lying and misinforming the public when Trump speaks and contradicts his health experts.
Oh wait, that's exactly what he's been doing for the past three months. Lying to the nation as the body count soars.
62,000+ Americans are dead thanks to Trump.