thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-13--Women Can Now Get The Abortion Pill Through The Mail

For the first time ever , U.S. women seeking to terminate a pregnancy using medication abortion will be able to legally obtain the pills through the mail , avoiding the need for an in-person doctor ’ s visit .
A federal court ruled on Monday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration must suspend a rule that requires patients to visit a hospital , clinic or medical office to obtain mifepristone , a drug used to terminate pregnancies , during the coronavirus pandemic .
Under existing regulations , patients seeking medication abortion ― a protocol that involves taking mifepristone in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ― must pick up the medicines in person from an abortion clinic , even though the pills are usually swallowed at home .
For some patients , this can mean traveling hundreds of miles just to obtain a prescription .
About 40 % of all abortions in the U.S. are performed at home using medication abortion , which can be taken up to 10 weeks of pregnancy .
Monday ’ s decision allows healthcare providers to send mifepristone to eligible patients through the mail so they don ’ t have to travel during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response to a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of a coalition of reproductive rights advocates and medical experts , including more than 60,000 OB-GYNs .
“ The In-Person Requirements , combined with the COVID19 pandemic , place a substantial obstacle in the path of women seeking a medication abortion and that may delay or preclude a medication abortion and thus may necessitate a more invasive procedure , ” U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang wrote in the ruling .
“ Particularly in light of the limited timeframe during which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ occur , such infringement on the right to an abortion would constitute irreparable harm.
” The in-person dispensing rules will be suspended until at least 30 days after the end of the federal government ’ s declared public health emergency , Julia Kaye , staff attorney at the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project , said in an interview .
She noted that the FDA already allowed doctors to prescribe mifepristone using telemedicine , however women were required to physically pick the drugs up in person .
“ Now , if a doctor can determine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medication abortion without an additional in-person visit , that patient can stay home during the pandemic and get the medication safely by mail , ” she said .
The FDA has come under increasing pressure to change the dispensing rules around mifepristone since the coronavirus outbreak began .
In April , Democratic Sens .
Elizabeth Warren ( Mass . )
, Patty Murray ( Wash. ) and Tammy Baldwin ( Wis. ) sent a letter urging the agency to allow patients to receive the medications without having to go into a health care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general sent a similar letter to the agency at the end of March .
Since its approval in 2000 , about 3 million women in the U.S. have used mifepristone .
Leading medical groups such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists ( ACOG ) have advised the FDA to ease restrictions on the drug and make it available in retail pharmacies .
A study published in 2019 found that people who received medication abortion by mail had similar outcomes as those who received it at a physician ’ s office .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ victory for patients , who should not have to face the additional burden of increased COVID-19 exposure as a condition of receiving their prescribed mifepristone , ” said Eva Chalas , the president of ACOG .
“ It also represents a victory for the dedicated clinicians who are working to provide needed care without unnecessary exposure of patients , their families and the members of the healthcare team , to the novel coronavirus .
”

Illustration: Damon Dahlen/HuffPost; Photos: Getty Images
For the first time ever, U.S. women seeking to terminate a pregnancy using medication abortion will be able to legally obtain the pills through the mail, avoiding the need for an in-person doctor’s visit.
A federal court ruled on Monday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration must suspend a rule that requires patients to visit a hospital, clinic or medical office to obtain mifepristone, a drug used to terminate pregnancies, during the coronavirus pandemic.
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Under existing regulations, patients seeking medication abortion ― a protocol that involves taking mifepristone in combination with a second drug, misoprostol ― must pick up the medicines in person from an abortion clinic, even though the pills are usually swallowed at home. For some patients, this can mean traveling hundreds of miles just to obtain a prescription.
About 40% of all abortions in the U.S. are performed at home using medication abortion, which can be taken up to 10 weeks of pregnancy.
Monday’s decision allows healthcare providers to send mifepristone to eligible patients through the mail so they don’t have to travel during the pandemic. The ruling comes in response to a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of a coalition of reproductive rights advocates and medical experts, including more than 60,000 OB-GYNs.
“The In-Person Requirements, combined with the COVID19 pandemic, place a substantial obstacle in the path of women seeking a medication abortion and that may delay or preclude a medication abortion and thus may necessitate a more invasive procedure,” U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang wrote in the ruling. “Particularly in light of the limited timeframe during which a medication abortion or any abortion must occur, such infringement on the right to an abortion would constitute irreparable harm.”
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The in-person dispensing rules will be suspended until at least 30 days after the end of the federal government’s declared public health emergency, Julia Kaye, staff attorney at the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project, said in an interview.
She noted that the FDA already allowed doctors to prescribe mifepristone using telemedicine, however women were required to physically pick the drugs up in person. “Now, if a doctor can determine that a patient is eligible for a medication abortion without an additional in-person visit, that patient can stay home during the pandemic and get the medication safely by mail,” she said.
The new rules should go into effect in the next few days, she added.
The FDA has come under increasing pressure to change the dispensing rules around mifepristone since the coronavirus outbreak began. In April, Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Patty Murray (Wash.) and Tammy Baldwin (Wis.) sent a letter urging the agency to allow patients to receive the medications without having to go into a medical facility. A coalition of state attorneys general sent a similar letter to the agency in March.
Since it was approved in 2000, over 3 million U.S. women have used mifepristone to end a pregnancy. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) opposes the FDA’s restrictions on the drug, and has called for mifepristone to be made available in retail pharmacies.
“Today’s ruling represents a victory for patients, who should not have to face the additional burden of increased COVID-19 exposure as a condition of receiving their prescribed mifepristone,” said Eva Chalas, the president of ACOG. “It also represents a victory for the dedicated clinicians who are working to provide needed care without unnecessary exposure of patients, their families and the members of the healthcare team, to the novel coronavirus.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-13--Judge Denies Trump Family's Attempt To Block Niece From Promoting Tell-All Book

The Trump family ’ s attempt to squash the release of a tell-all book by Mary Trump , the niece of President Donald Trump , has been denied .
On Monday , a judge in New York lifted a restraining order that prevented the president ’ s niece from publicizing her new book , “ Too Much and Never Enough : How My Family Created the World ’ s Most Dangerous Man.
” Previously , a judge ruled that Simon & Schuster could publish the book but that Mary Trump couldn ’ t promote it because of a nondisclosure agreement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estate of her grandfather , Fred Trump Sr. Judge Hal Greenwald wrote that the confidentiality clause she signed was too broad , with “ too many words , with too many meanings ” Deadline reported .
Greenwald ’ s ruling came a day before the book is scheduled to be officially released .
Mary Trump ’ s attorney , Ted Boutrous , praised the ruling in a three-part tweet , saying “ the court got it right in rejecting the Trump family ’ s effort to squelch Mary Trump ’ s core political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ Tomorrow , the American public will be able to read Mary ’ s important words for themselves , ” he added .
My statement : “ The court got it right in rejecting the Trump family ’ s effort to squelch Mary Trump ’ s core political speech on important issues of public concern .
The First Amendment forbids prior restraints because they are intolerable infringements on the right to .
.
.
2/3 — Ted Boutrous ( @ BoutrousTed ) July 13 , 2020 Mary Trump ’ s spokesperson , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while throwing a little shade toward her relatives in the White House .
Statement from @ chrisbastardi , spokesman for Mary Trump : “ Now that the unconstitutional gag order has finally been lifted , we are sure the White House and America are looking forward to finally hearing what Mary has to say.
” — Yashar Ali 🐘 ( @ yashar ) July 13 , 2020

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The Trump family’s attempt to squash the release of a tell-all book by Mary Trump, the niece of President Donald Trump, has been denied.
On Monday, a judge in New York lifted a restraining order that prevented the president’s niece from publicizing her new book, “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man.”
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Previously, a judge ruled that Simon & Schuster could publish the book but that Mary Trump couldn’t promote it because of a nondisclosure agreement she signed decades ago to settle the estate of her grandfather, Fred Trump Sr.
Judge Hal Greenwald wrote that the confidentiality clause she signed was too broad, with “too many words, with too many meanings” Deadline reported.
Greenwald’s ruling came a day before the book is scheduled to be officially released.
Mary Trump’s attorney, Ted Boutrous, praised the ruling in a three-part tweet, saying “the court got it right in rejecting the Trump family’s effort to squelch Mary Trump’s core political speech on important issues of public concern.”
“Tomorrow, the American public will be able to read Mary’s important words for themselves,” he added.
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Justice Greenwald has denied the Trump family’s effort to block Mary Trump’s book. Link to decision here. https://t.co/OpJE4ihEqM. 1/3 — Ted Boutrous (@BoutrousTed) July 13, 2020
My statement: “The court got it right in rejecting the Trump family’s effort to squelch Mary Trump’s core political speech on important issues of public concern. The First Amendment forbids prior restraints because they are intolerable infringements on the right to . . . 2/3 — Ted Boutrous (@BoutrousTed) July 13, 2020
. . . participate in democracy. Tomorrow, the American public will be able to read Mary’s important words for themselves.” 3/3 — Ted Boutrous (@BoutrousTed) July 13, 2020
Mary Trump’s spokesperson, Chris Bastardi, also praised the ruling while throwing a little shade toward her relatives in the White House.
Statement from @chrisbastardi, spokesman for Mary Trump:
“Now that the unconstitutional gag order has finally been lifted, we are sure the White House and America are looking forward to finally hearing what Mary has to say.” — Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) July 13, 2020
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-13--GOP Senators Could Pay Political Price For Opposing Coronavirus Relief, Poll Finds

Republican senators could pay a political price for opposing a $ 3 trillion Democratic coronavirus relief proposal , with three-quarters of voters in Senate battleground states supporting the legislation , according to a new poll from two progressive organizations .
The survey , from Data for Progress and The Justice Collaborative Institute , found widespread support for the HEROES Act , which the Democratic-led House passed in mid-May .
The legislation included a second round of $ 1,200 stimulus checks for most Americans , $ 200 billion in housing assistance and $ 1 trillion in aid to state and local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislation , and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) has indicated the chamber will pass its own , less costly GOP-led proposal later this month .
Both McConnell and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) have suggested compromise is likely , with possible sticking points including an extension of expanded unemployment benefits and McConnell ’ s desire for a liability shield to protect companies from coronavirus-related lawsuits .
“ I can ’ t comfortably predict we ’ re going to come together and pass it unanimously like we did a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ becoming a bit more political than it was in March , ” McConnell told reporters in Louisville earlier this month .
“ But I think we will do something again .
I think the country needs one last boost.
” The poll , however , found the senators McConnell is counting on to win reelection and keep the GOP ’ s control of the Senate could lose support if that boost doesn ’ t go far enough in battling the economic pain wrought by the pandemic .
The national unemployment rate is above @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 2 trillion relief law has played a key role in preventing further economic collapse .
The poll found 57 % of voters said they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who supports the Democratic proposal , while just 11 % said they would be less likely to vote for such a candidate .
Even 52 % of Republicans said they would be more likely to back a candidate who supports the stimulus proposal .
About one-third of voters said it wouldn ’ t impact their vote .
And the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that does not go far enough – 79 % of voters , including 65 % of Republicans and 83 % of independents , said the HEROES Act is either the right size for a relief proposal or should be even larger .
Just 21 % of voters said the proposal “ goes too far.
” Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate , and Democrats are targeting at least seven GOP-held seats in November .
Republican pickup opportunities are largely limited to bright-red Alabama .
McConnell , facing a deteriorating political environment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic , is trying to steer vulnerable Republicans like Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner , North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis and Montana Sen. Steve Daines to political safety .
Sean McElwee , a progressive strategist who helped conduct the survey , said any McConnell-led opposition to a robust stimulus proposal will only hurt his party ’ s incumbents , including those in states like Kansas and South Carolina , where the GOP is unexpectedly playing defense .
“ It turns out that driving the American public into a never-ending pit of economic despair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Party , ” McElwee said .
“ For all the talk of Mitch McConnell being a mastermind , he ’ s putting states on that map that we ’ re unimaginable in the wildest dreams of Democratic strategists just three months ago.
” The poll surveyed 819 likely voters across 18 states with competitive Senate races : Minnesota , Wisconsin , Michigan , Pennsylvania , Texas , Maine , New Hampshire , North Carolina , Georgia , Florida , Arizona , Iowa , Montana , New Mexico , Colorado , Kansas , Alabama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is plus or minus 3.3 percentage points .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Republican senators could pay a political price for opposing a $3 trillion Democratic coronavirus relief proposal, with three-quarters of voters in Senate battleground states supporting the legislation, according to a new poll from two progressive organizations.
The survey, from Data for Progress and The Justice Collaborative Institute, found widespread support for the HEROES Act, which the Democratic-led House passed in mid-May. The legislation included a second round of $1,200 stimulus checks for most Americans, $200 billion in housing assistance and $1 trillion in aid to state and local governments.
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Senate Republicans have resisted the legislation, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has indicated the chamber will pass its own, less costly GOP-led proposal later this month. Both McConnell and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) have suggested compromise is likely, with possible sticking points including an extension of expanded unemployment benefits and McConnell’s desire for a liability shield to protect companies from coronavirus-related lawsuits.
“I can’t comfortably predict we’re going to come together and pass it unanimously like we did a few months ago — the atmosphere is becoming a bit more political than it was in March,” McConnell told reporters in Louisville earlier this month. “But I think we will do something again. I think the country needs one last boost.”
The poll, however, found the senators McConnell is counting on to win reelection and keep the GOP’s control of the Senate could lose support if that boost doesn’t go far enough in battling the economic pain wrought by the pandemic. The national unemployment rate is above 11%, and a previously passed $2 trillion relief law has played a key role in preventing further economic collapse.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell plans to pass a GOP-only coronavirus relief proposal in late July. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI via Getty Images
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The poll found 57% of voters said they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who supports the Democratic proposal, while just 11% said they would be less likely to vote for such a candidate. Even 52% of Republicans said they would be more likely to back a candidate who supports the stimulus proposal. About one-third of voters said it wouldn’t impact their vote.
And the poll indicates voters might reject a plan that does not go far enough – 79% of voters, including 65% of Republicans and 83% of independents, said the HEROES Act is either the right size for a relief proposal or should be even larger. Just 21% of voters said the proposal “goes too far.”
Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, and Democrats are targeting at least seven GOP-held seats in November. Republican pickup opportunities are largely limited to bright-red Alabama. McConnell, facing a deteriorating political environment caused by Trump’s mishandling of the pandemic, is trying to steer vulnerable Republicans like Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner, North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis and Montana Sen. Steve Daines to political safety.
Sean McElwee, a progressive strategist who helped conduct the survey, said any McConnell-led opposition to a robust stimulus proposal will only hurt his party’s incumbents, including those in states like Kansas and South Carolina, where the GOP is unexpectedly playing defense.
“It turns out that driving the American public into a never-ending pit of economic despair would have negative consequences for the Republican Party,” McElwee said. “For all the talk of Mitch McConnell being a mastermind, he’s putting states on that map that we’re unimaginable in the wildest dreams of Democratic strategists just three months ago.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-13--Arizona Teacher Dies Of COVID-19 As 2 Colleagues Also Test Positive

An Arizona teacher died and two of her colleagues are recovering after being diagnosed with COVID-19 last month , raising questions about how states across the U.S. will be able to safely reopen classrooms .
Kimberley Chavez Lopez Byrd , who taught first grade in Arizona ’ s Hayden-Winkelman Unified School District for 38 years , died June 26 .
The 61-year-old had been team-teaching an online summer course in a classroom shared with two other teachers , Jena Martinez and Angela Skillings .
All three women tested positive for the coronavirus .
“ Losing Mrs. Byrd in our small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an excellent educator with a huge heart , ” Pamela Gonzalez , principal of Leonor Hambly K-8 , told CNN .
“ We find comfort in knowing her story may bring awareness to the importance of keeping our school employees safe and our precious students safe in this pandemic.
” Byrd ’ s husband , Jessie , told KNXV-TV in Phoenix that his wife had asthma , diabetes and lupus .
She was admitted to the hospital June 13 and placed on a ventilator one day later .
“ I just had this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a struggle this was going to be because I knew her lungs were compromised even before this ... fear , just the worst fear that you could feel , ” he told CNN .
“ I knew it was going to be rough on her.
” “ We just prayed for a miracle , and we put her in God ’ s hands and we said either he ’ s gon na work a miracle in her and save her or he ’ s gon na take her home , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make it.
” The Hayden-Winkelman Unified School District is in Gila County , about 128 miles northeast of Phoenix .
With just three schools and roughly 400 students , it ’ s considered one of the state ’ s most close-knit teaching communities .
As of last week , Martinez had tested negative for COVID-19 after spending four weeks in quarantine but was still receiving breathing treatments .
Skillings , however , was still testing positive after 27 days .
The news comes as the Trump administration is publicly pushing for U.S. schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learning in March as the coronavirus was declared a global pandemic , to reopen for full-time in-person classes this fall .
Over the weekend , Education Secretary Betsy DeVos was widely lambasted after suggesting that funding for schools that don ’ t reopen would be slashed , though she failed to specify under which authority she or President Donald Trump could cut those budgets .
“ There ’ s nothing in the data that suggests that kids being in school is in any way dangerous , ” DeVos told “ Fox News Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know that other countries around the world have reopened their schools and have done so successfully and safely.
” Meanwhile , Hayden-Winkelman Unified Superintendent Jeff Gregorich told NBC News he ’ s hopeful officials in other districts will look to his district as an example when considering whether or not to welcome students back to campus this fall .
“ We believe medical experts should drive opening of our school , not politics , ” said Gregorich , noting that Hayden-Winkelman will be resuming remote classes next month .
“ Lives will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America can ’ t afford the loss of another Kim .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
An Arizona teacher died and two of her colleagues are recovering after being diagnosed with COVID-19 last month, raising questions about how states across the U.S. will be able to safely reopen classrooms.
Kimberley Chavez Lopez Byrd, who taught first grade in Arizona’s Hayden-Winkelman Unified School District for 38 years, died June 26. The 61-year-old had been team-teaching an online summer course in a classroom shared with two other teachers, Jena Martinez and Angela Skillings. All three women tested positive for the coronavirus.
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“Losing Mrs. Byrd in our small rural community was devastating. She was an excellent educator with a huge heart,” Pamela Gonzalez, principal of Leonor Hambly K-8, told CNN. “We find comfort in knowing her story may bring awareness to the importance of keeping our school employees safe and our precious students safe in this pandemic.”
Byrd’s husband, Jessie, told KNXV-TV in Phoenix that his wife had asthma, diabetes and lupus. She was admitted to the hospital June 13 and placed on a ventilator one day later.
“I just had this horrible gut-wrenching feeling just knowing how much of a struggle this was going to be because I knew her lungs were compromised even before this ... fear, just the worst fear that you could feel,” he told CNN. “I knew it was going to be rough on her.”
“We just prayed for a miracle, and we put her in God’s hands and we said either he’s gonna work a miracle in her and save her or he’s gonna take her home,” he added. “She didn’t make it.”
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The Hayden-Winkelman Unified School District is in Gila County, about 128 miles northeast of Phoenix. With just three schools and roughly 400 students, it’s considered one of the state’s most close-knit teaching communities.
“We believe medical experts should drive opening of our school, not politics.” - Superintendent Jeff Gregorich, Hayden-Winkelman Unified School District
District staff created an online tribute to Byrd in which she’s described as a “devoted wife, mother, nana, dedicated teacher, respected colleague, woman of faith [and a] loving friend.”
As of last week, Martinez had tested negative for COVID-19 after spending four weeks in quarantine but was still receiving breathing treatments. Skillings, however, was still testing positive after 27 days.
School officials say Byrd, Martinez and Skillings adhered to social distance measures, used hand sanitizer and wore masks and gloves while they worked together.
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The news comes as the Trump administration is publicly pushing for U.S. schools, many of which switched to remote learning in March as the coronavirus was declared a global pandemic, to reopen for full-time in-person classes this fall.
Over the weekend, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos was widely lambasted after suggesting that funding for schools that don’t reopen would be slashed, though she failed to specify under which authority she or President Donald Trump could cut those budgets.
“There’s nothing in the data that suggests that kids being in school is in any way dangerous,” DeVos told “Fox News Sunday” host Chris Wallace. “We know that other countries around the world have reopened their schools and have done so successfully and safely.”
Meanwhile, Hayden-Winkelman Unified Superintendent Jeff Gregorich told NBC News he’s hopeful officials in other districts will look to his district as an example when considering whether or not to welcome students back to campus this fall.
“We believe medical experts should drive opening of our school, not politics,” said Gregorich, noting that Hayden-Winkelman will be resuming remote classes next month. “Lives will be lost if we open school now. America can’t afford the loss of another Kim.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-13--Canadians Say ‘Keep It’ To U.S. Congress Calls For Reopened Border

ASSOCIATED PRESS The border crossing at the Peace Arch Canada-U.S. border , pictured on March 20 , 2020 .
A bipartisan group of United States politicians is pushing for the U.S.-Canada border to reopen .
But Canadians are having none of it , and they aren ’ t sorry they feel this way .
In a letter this week shared by New York congressman Brian Higgins , 27 members of Congress called on the U.S. and Canadian governments to begin a phased full reopening of the border when the current agreement expires on July 21 .
Restrictions on the border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have renewed them three times over the course of the coronavirus pandemic .
“ We are asking that the United States and Canada immediately craft a comprehensive framework for phased reopening of the border based on objective metrics and accounting for the varied circumstances across border regions , ” the letter ’ s authors wrote .
Canadians , on the other hand , have a different perspective on the prospect of the border reopening .
And they didn ’ t mince words online .
Why would Canada even THINK of reopening the border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ completely incapable of keeping the virus in check ?
This is like inviting zombies into your house .
https : //t.co/3mG6LzCJ13 — Matthew Rossi ( @ MatthewWRossi ) July 8 , 2020 Some were a bit more measured — and characteristically Canadian polite — in their responses , but still not in favour of a swift reopening .
I 'm sorry that so many of the responses from my fellow Canadians are uncharacteristically rude .
But it 's fair to say there 's a lot of anxiety on this side of the border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the escalation of cases in the US .
Maybe we give it some time , eh ?
— Corey Hogan ( @ coreyhogan ) July 8 , 2020 Former B.C .
Green Party leader Andrew Weaver even weighed in , saying the border must remain closed until the Americans get the outbreak there under control .
This has to be some kind of bad joke .
The border needs to remain closed .
Sadly , @ realDonaldTrump who campaigned under the MAGA slogan has instead `` Made America a total COVID19 trainwreck '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ control , the border must remain closed .
# cdnpoli # bcpoli — Andrew Weaver ( @ AJWVictoriaBC ) July 9 , 2020 While Canadian COVID-19 numbers have begun to stabilize in recent weeks , the U.S is in the midst of a terrifying spike in case rates .
On July 8 alone , the U.S. confirmed over 62,000 cases — its highest single-day total yet and nearly half of Canada ’ s total case count .
As of July 9 , south of the border , there have been over 3.1 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to just over 107,000 cases and 8,700 deaths in Canada .
The global case-rate map produced by Johns Hopkins University , with circles representing case rates in Canadian provinces and U.S. counties , paints a vivid picture of the difference in case rates between the two countries .

The border crossing at the Peace Arch Canada-U.S. border, pictured on March 20, 2020. ASSOCIATED PRESS
A bipartisan group of United States politicians is pushing for the U.S.-Canada border to reopen.
But Canadians are having none of it, and they aren’t sorry they feel this way.
In a letter this week shared by New York congressman Brian Higgins, 27 members of Congress called on the U.S. and Canadian governments to begin a phased full reopening of the border when the current agreement expires on July 21. Restrictions on the border were first introduced in March, and have renewed them three times over the course of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We are asking that the United States and Canada immediately craft a comprehensive framework for phased reopening of the border based on objective metrics and accounting for the varied circumstances across border regions,” the letter’s authors wrote.
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Leading a bipartisan push calling on the U.S. and Canada to begin preparing guidance for the reopening of the Northern Border https://t.co/aJR5AZrfTX pic.twitter.com/ZxARKfhH62 — Brian Higgins (@RepBrianHiggins) July 3, 2020
Canadians, on the other hand, have a different perspective on the prospect of the border reopening. And they didn’t mince words online.
No thank you... clean up your backyard before you attempt to enter ours.. sincerely Canada — MichelleTypoQueen (@MichelletypoQ) July 8, 2020
please keep your spreading pandemic and market-based healthcare system firmly within your own borders, thank you — joseph gordon-lenin (@joelaf) July 8, 2020
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keep it — vacuum sealing beef jerky so it doesn't get stale (@guydebort) July 8, 2020
keep it closed I don't want my family and friends to die, thanks — Adam 🍞📈 (@ChalicothereX) July 9, 2020
No.
Just no.
And I’m not sorry. — MaggieMay 🇮🇪🇨🇦🇮🇪 (@CailinasEirinn) July 9, 2020
Why would Canada even THINK of reopening the border with the US when the US is completely incapable of keeping the virus in check? This is like inviting zombies into your house. https://t.co/3mG6LzCJ13 — Matthew Rossi (@MatthewWRossi) July 8, 2020
Some were a bit more measured — and characteristically Canadian polite — in their responses, but still not in favour of a swift reopening.
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I'm sorry that so many of the responses from my fellow Canadians are uncharacteristically rude. But it's fair to say there's a lot of anxiety on this side of the border about opening the border right now given the escalation of cases in the US.
Maybe we give it some time, eh? — Corey Hogan (@coreyhogan) July 8, 2020
Former B.C. Green Party leader Andrew Weaver even weighed in, saying the border must remain closed until the Americans get the outbreak there under control.
This has to be some kind of bad joke. The border needs to remain closed. Sadly, @realDonaldTrump who campaigned under the MAGA slogan has instead "Made America a total COVID19 trainwreck". Until they get this pandemic under control, the border must remain closed. #cdnpoli #bcpoli — Andrew Weaver (@AJWVictoriaBC) July 9, 2020
While Canadian COVID-19 numbers have begun to stabilize in recent weeks, the U.S is in the midst of a terrifying spike in case rates. On July 8 alone, the U.S. confirmed over 62,000 cases — its highest single-day total yet and nearly half of Canada’s total case count. As of July 9, south of the border, there have been over 3.1 million total cases and 135,000 deaths, compared to just over 107,000 cases and 8,700 deaths in Canada.
The global case-rate map produced by Johns Hopkins University, with circles representing case rates in Canadian provinces and U.S. counties, paints a vivid picture of the difference in case rates between the two countries.
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A map showing COVID-19 case rates in Canadian provinces and U.S. counties. Johns Hopkins University


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-13--Chance The Rapper Backs Kanye West Over Joe Biden And Twitter Users Aren't Happy

The rapper on Monday endorsed West on Twitter , retweeting a Yeezy post that pays tribute to his late mother Donda West .
In the post , Chance the Rapper wondered why anyone would try and convince him to vote for Joe Biden over West , his fellow Chicago resident and frequent collaborator .
And yall out here tryna convince me to vote for Biden .
Smfh https : //t.co/JgbGBmPQk5 — Chance The Rapper ( @ chancetherapper ) July 13 , 2020 West hasn ’ t said much about running for president beyond a cryptic Fourth of July tweet that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president of the United States !
” Tesla founder Elon Musk quickly endorsed him , but other celebrities mocked the music titan .
On Twitter , some people weren ’ t impressed by Chance The Rapper ’ s logic .
A vote for Biden is a vote to STAY ALIVE but go off ... https : //t.co/AwWiDuvQSK — Zerlina Maxwell ( @ ZerlinaMaxwell ) July 13 , 2020 Chance the Rapper then asked his detractors if they were more “ pro Biden ” or “ anti Ye.
” Are u more pro biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get that you ’ ll want to reply that you ’ re just tryna “ get trump out ” but in this hypothetical scenario where you ’ re replacing Trump , can someone explain why Joe Biden would be better ?
?
— Chance The Rapper ( @ chancetherapper ) July 13 , 2020 Many people were happy to explain why a West presidency would be bad for the country .
He has literally any clue how this works .
We already tried the dumb celebrity thing and it failed .
Kanye can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why does he think he could lead a country ?
His mission to enrich himself never ends ?
He ’ s not mentally stable and we need stability ?
— Akilah Hughes ( @ AkilahObviously ) July 13 , 2020 Court appointments , carbon emissions , decriminalizing marijuana and expunging records , Covid response , health care , DACA/Dreamers , better/more qualified cabinet , etc etc etc .
I get that you don ’ t like Biden but there ’ s *no* category where he wouldn ’ t be better than Trump .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( @ hutchinson ) July 13 , 2020 Joe Biden had a pandemic team in place ( which Trump dismantled ) that would have lessened the impact of # COVID19 .
He will assist w/ climate change , women 's rights , increased HBCU funding , Supreme Court appointments , healthcare , reparations , etc .
He 's clearly the better candidate .
https : //t.co/C6X2j20IeG — Elgin Charles ( @ ElginCharles ) July 13 , 2020 Chance the Rapper said later that he understood why people favored Biden over West , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got the answer now .
I understand .
Yall trust Biden more than yall trust Ye .
I think I understand why , I just don ’ t feel the same way .
— Chance The Rapper ( @ chancetherapper ) July 13 , 2020 But some continued making the case why a West candidacy in 2020 is destined to fail .
Do your research , Chance .
Kanye has already missed the deadline to appear on the ballot in several states .
Even if he were the best candidate , which he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he can be elected .
Zero .
Every tweet you post supporting Kanye only supports Trump .
— Keith Boykin ( @ keithboykin ) July 13 , 2020 Anyways , it 's been over a week since Kanye 's `` announcement '' .
He has n't filed anything with the FEC , he has n't tried to get on the ballot in any state , he has n't released any actual policy proposals .
He 's not taking this seriously… so why are you ?
— Pé ( @ 4everNeverTrump ) July @ @ @

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The rapper on Monday endorsed West on Twitter, retweeting a Yeezy post that pays tribute to his late mother Donda West.
In the post, Chance the Rapper wondered why anyone would try and convince him to vote for Joe Biden over West, his fellow Chicago resident and frequent collaborator.
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And yall out here tryna convince me to vote for Biden. Smfh https://t.co/JgbGBmPQk5 — Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) July 13, 2020
West hasn’t said much about running for president beyond a cryptic Fourth of July tweet that said: “I am running for president of the United States!” Tesla founder Elon Musk quickly endorsed him, but other celebrities mocked the music titan.
On Twitter, some people weren’t impressed by Chance The Rapper’s logic.
A vote for Biden is a vote to STAY ALIVE but go off... https://t.co/AwWiDuvQSK — Zerlina Maxwell (@ZerlinaMaxwell) July 13, 2020
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Defiant stupidity is the worst kind. https://t.co/V43wJSwk1u — John Pavlovitz (@johnpavlovitz) July 13, 2020
Chance the Rapper then asked his detractors if they were more “pro Biden” or “anti Ye.”
Are u more pro biden or anti ye and why? I get that you’ll want to reply that you’re just tryna “get trump out” but in this hypothetical scenario where you’re replacing Trump, can someone explain why Joe Biden would be better?? — Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) July 13, 2020
Many people were happy to explain why a West presidency would be bad for the country.
He has literally any clue how this works. We already tried the dumb celebrity thing and it failed. Kanye can’t even lead his cult so why does he think he could lead a country? His mission to enrich himself never ends? He’s not mentally stable and we need stability? — Akilah Hughes (@AkilahObviously) July 13, 2020
Court appointments, carbon emissions, decriminalizing marijuana and expunging records, Covid response, health care, DACA/Dreamers, better/more qualified cabinet, etc etc etc. I get that you don’t like Biden but there’s *no* category where he wouldn’t be better than Trump. None. https://t.co/ivzyYTopXy — Hutch (@hutchinson) July 13, 2020
Joe Biden had a pandemic team in place (which Trump dismantled) that would have lessened the impact of #COVID19. He will assist w/ climate change, women's rights, increased HBCU funding, Supreme Court appointments, healthcare, reparations, etc. He's clearly the better candidate. https://t.co/C6X2j20IeG — Elgin Charles (@ElginCharles) July 13, 2020
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Chance the Rapper said later that he understood why people favored Biden over West, but still disagreed with them.
I finally got the answer now. I understand. Yall trust Biden more than yall trust Ye. I think I understand why, I just don’t feel the same way. — Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) July 13, 2020
But some continued making the case why a West candidacy in 2020 is destined to fail.
Do your research, Chance. Kanye has already missed the deadline to appear on the ballot in several states. Even if he were the best candidate, which he is not, there is zero chance that he can be elected. Zero. Every tweet you post supporting Kanye only supports Trump. — Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) July 13, 2020
Anyways, it's been over a week since Kanye's "announcement". He hasn't filed anything with the FEC, he hasn't tried to get on the ballot in any state, he hasn't released any actual policy proposals.
He's not taking this seriously… so why are you? — Pé (@4everNeverTrump) July 13, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-14--Millionaires Plead For Higher Taxes To Help Pay For Pandemic

Taxes should be increased on the wealthy to help the world weather the ravages of COVID-19 , a group of progressive super rich people urged in an open letter to “ Our Fellow Global Citizens.
” “ Today , we , the undersigned millionaires , ask our governments to raise taxes on people like us , ” said the letter signed by some 83 millionaires from the U.S. , Germany , New Zealand , Canada and the Netherlands .
“ Immediately .
Substantially .
Permanently.
” Those who signed the letter from the group that calls itself Millionaires for Humanity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jerry Greenfield , Disney heirs Abigail and Tim Disney , former BlackRock managing director Morris Pearl , and British screenwriter and “ Love , Actually ” and “ Four Wedding and a Funeral ” director Richard Curtis .
“ Having a few rich people and a lot of poor people won ’ t work in the long term , ” he said .
“ Over the long run I want my children and grandchildren to have the opportunities that I did — and they won ’ t be able to if we don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ s wealthier than he was before COVID-19 , thanks to stock gains , and “ I don ’ t even work for a living.
” Because of the pandemic , “ there are millions of people who aren ’ t able to earn anything — they don ’ t have earnings from a stock portfolio.
” The millionaires acknowledged in their letter that they ’ re not working on the coronavirus front lines , nor do they worry about jobs , their homes , supporting their families , or health care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caring for the sick in intensive care wards ... driving the ambulances ... restocking grocery store shelves or delivering food door to door , ” the letter noted .
“ But we do have money , lots of it .
Money that is desperately needed now and will continue to be needed in the years ahead , as our world recovers from this crisis.
” Charity from the rich isn ’ t the answer , they argued , no matter how generous .
The wealthy should pay a larger share of taxes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Government leaders must take the responsibility for raising the funds we need and spending them fairly , ” the letter stated .
“ We can ensure we adequately fund our health systems , schools , and security through a permanent tax increase on the wealthiest people on the planet , people like us.
” It continued : “ So please .
Tax us .
Tax us .
Tax us .
It is the right choice .
It is the only choice .
Humanity is more important than our money.
” Today 83 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Millionaires for Humanity ” , released an open letter to governments , calling for a permanent tax increase on the very wealthiest to help pay for the global recovery from the # COVID19 crisis .
Please support→ https : //t.co/ldYD8RjK8f pic.twitter.com/e06N4GQqQE — Oxfam International ( @ Oxfam ) July 13 , 2020

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Taxes should be increased on the wealthy to help the world weather the ravages of COVID-19, a group of progressive super rich people urged in an open letter to “Our Fellow Global Citizens.”
“Today, we, the undersigned millionaires, ask our governments to raise taxes on people like us,” said the letter signed by some 83 millionaires from the U.S., Germany, New Zealand, Canada and the Netherlands. “Immediately. Substantially. Permanently.”
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Those who signed the letter from the group that calls itself Millionaires for Humanity included Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Jerry Greenfield, Disney heirs Abigail and Tim Disney, former BlackRock managing director Morris Pearl, and British screenwriter and “Love, Actually” and “Four Wedding and a Funeral” director Richard Curtis.
The push to hike taxes on the wealthy reflects concerns that “the current system is unsustainable,” Pearl told CBS “MoneyWatch.”
“Having a few rich people and a lot of poor people won’t work in the long term,” he said. “Over the long run I want my children and grandchildren to have the opportunities that I did — and they won’t be able to if we don’t change course.”
Pearl said he’s wealthier than he was before COVID-19, thanks to stock gains, and “I don’t even work for a living.” Because of the pandemic, “there are millions of people who aren’t able to earn anything — they don’t have earnings from a stock portfolio.”
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The millionaires acknowledged in their letter that they’re not working on the coronavirus front lines, nor do they worry about jobs, their homes, supporting their families, or health care.
“We are not the ones caring for the sick in intensive care wards ... driving the ambulances ... restocking grocery store shelves or delivering food door to door,” the letter noted.
“But we do have money, lots of it. Money that is desperately needed now and will continue to be needed in the years ahead, as our world recovers from this crisis.”
Charity from the rich isn’t the answer, they argued, no matter how generous. The wealthy should pay a larger share of taxes, which they believe would be fair.
“Government leaders must take the responsibility for raising the funds we need and spending them fairly,” the letter stated. “We can ensure we adequately fund our health systems, schools, and security through a permanent tax increase on the wealthiest people on the planet, people like us.”
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It continued: “So please. Tax us. Tax us. Tax us. It is the right choice. It is the only choice. Humanity is more important than our money.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-14--Nearly 1,000 U.S. Immigration Detention Center Employees Test Positive For Coronavirus

NEW YORK ( Reuters ) — More than 930 employees of private contractors running U.S. immigration detention centers have tested positive for the novel coronavirus , according to congressional testimony given by company executives on Monday .
The heads of four companies — CoreCivic , The GEO Group , Management & Training Corp and LaSalle Corrections — that detain immigrants on contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) , reported the infections among employees in response to questions from lawmakers .
ICE has reported 45 cases of COVID-19 among its direct staff at detention facilities .
Most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centers , however , work for private contractors and are not included in ICE ’ s count .
Lawmakers have raised concerns about the spread of the virus inside nearly 70 centers across the country .
More than 3,000 immigrants in ICE custody have tested positive for COVID-19 , although some have recovered or been released .
Two detainees have died of the disease .
On Monday , a 51-year-old Mexican man who had tested positive for coronavirus died in ICE detention , although the agency said the cause of death was still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Committee on Homeland Security , Kathleen Rice , a Democrat from New York , said there had been reports among employees of rationing of personal protective equipment , inadequate medical care and delayed testing .
CoreCivic said about 554 of its nearly 14,000 employees had tested positive .
GEO Group said 167 of its 3,700 employees had come back with positive tests , with 69 recovered and one hospitalized .
LaSalle said it had 144 employees with positive COVID-19 tests , out of the company ’ s some 3,000 employees , and MTC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested positive .
ICE did not comment on the figures or the allegations raised at the hearing .
There are currently nearly 22,580 detainees in ICE custody , a dramatic drop from the more than 50,000 migrants detained on average daily during the 2019 fiscal year .
Arrests on the U.S.-Mexico border have declined in recent months and courts have ordered releases , citing coronavirus risks .

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NEW YORK (Reuters)— More than 930 employees of private contractors running U.S. immigration detention centers have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, according to congressional testimony given by company executives on Monday.
The heads of four companies — CoreCivic, The GEO Group, Management & Training Corp and LaSalle Corrections — that detain immigrants on contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), reported the infections among employees in response to questions from lawmakers.
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ICE has reported 45 cases of COVID-19 among its direct staff at detention facilities. Most of the employees at the privately run centers, however, work for private contractors and are not included in ICE’s count.
Lawmakers have raised concerns about the spread of the virus inside nearly 70 centers across the country. More than 3,000 immigrants in ICE custody have tested positive for COVID-19, although some have recovered or been released.
Two detainees have died of the disease. On Monday, a 51-year-old Mexican man who had tested positive for coronavirus died in ICE detention, although the agency said the cause of death was still undetermined.
The chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security, Kathleen Rice, a Democrat from New York, said there had been reports among employees of rationing of personal protective equipment, inadequate medical care and delayed testing.
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CoreCivic said about 554 of its nearly 14,000 employees had tested positive. GEO Group said 167 of its 3,700 employees had come back with positive tests, with 69 recovered and one hospitalized. LaSalle said it had 144 employees with positive COVID-19 tests, out of the company’s some 3,000 employees, and MTC said 73 of its 1,200 employees had tested positive.
ICE did not comment on the figures or the allegations raised at the hearing.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-14--If You Only Have One Exercise In Your Routine, Make It One Of These

Of course , exercise is not a one-size-fits-all prescription , and there are so many wonderful ways to move your body .
Keeping this in mind , we ’ re sharing these expert-approved movements in the hopes that you ’ re inspired to try something new or fall back in love with an old favorite .
You might even try each one throughout the week to see what sticks .
Any Cardio ― Bonus If It ’ s Outside And Feels Like Play “ I always encourage my clients and members of my app to use the work ethic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and apply it to the rest of their lives .
Think of cardio as raising your mental and physical baseline , ” she said .
“ The seven fundamental body movements are push , pull , squat , lunge , hinge , rotate and gait ( walking , jogging , crawling ) , ” she explained .
“ This exercise incorporates five of these movement patterns and can help you become stronger and more efficient in addition to decreasing physical stress and risk of injury in activities of daily living , like picking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off a high shelf.
” “ Although this is a great exercise that incorporates most of the fundamental body movements , it is important to know your body and your physical fitness level , ” she explained .
“ You may need to start off with mastering one or two of the fundamental movement patterns , and add on movements as you improve.
” “ The kettlebell swing is one of my favorite exercises because it is great for building overall posterior strength , power and conditioning , ” said Eric Leija , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Considering most people today live sedentary lifestyles — sitting at a computer desk , stuck in traffic , spending countless hours on our phones stuck in flexion with poor posture — the kettlebell swing can have a therapeutic effect by helping engage the posterior muscles.
” In other words , this move can undo much of the harmful strain we put on our bodies in everyday life .
“ Strengthening the back can help people fight back pain by reinforcing a proud posture , and it allows for better breathing , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mood , ” Leija said .
And , as Archer put it , there are always modifications .
If your knees give you problems and stairs cause more pain than anything else , she advises laying on your back and moving your legs as if you are climbing stairs .
These will somewhat resemble bicycle crunches .
“ Because we are a sitting and computer population and we ’ re home on the couch more than normal , we need to activate our core in a way that can translate to the body @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Borden said .
“ Crunches and movements where you pull on your neck add to forward head carriage and poor posture .
Hand planks will activate your triceps , lats , shoulders , core , quads —practically your entire body.
” Borden said the position uses gravity to its advantage .
As your stomach may naturally drop , you ’ ll need work against that to the pull it away from the ground .
Gravity will give you the proper feedback of pulling your core in away from the ground .
Focus on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body and not dropping forward .
This story is part of Don ’ t Sweat It , a HuffPost Life series on improving your relationship with fitness .
We ’ re giving you a guide on the latest thinking on exercise and why we ’ ve been conditioned to hate it in the past .
Mental health and body-positive fitness experts will offer guidance and show you how to find a routine that works for you .
Find all of our coverage here .

Getty Images/HuffPost
When you find an exercise routine that works for you, everything clicks. If you’re still waiting to have this experience or if you’ve fallen out of love with your usual standby, we feel you.
It’s easy to feel defeated when you’re just not vibing with your physical fitness. But discovering a workout you enjoy ― whether it’s an invigorating walk, a calming yoga stretch or a challenging HIIT class ― is so undeniably worth it. Exercise isn’t just for your body; it’s for your mind.
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So yes, it’s worth trying something new when your current groove just isn’t working for you anymore. But with the endless options available, especially now, maybe you feel a little overwhelmed.
That’s why we asked fitness experts to share a favorite exercise they would do every day if they could.
Of course, exercise is not a one-size-fits-all prescription, and there are so many wonderful ways to move your body. Keeping this in mind, we’re sharing these expert-approved movements in the hopes that you’re inspired to try something new or fall back in love with an old favorite. You might even try each one throughout the week to see what sticks.
Whatever you end up loving (or hating), we give you props for prioritizing you.
Any Cardio ― Bonus If It’s Outside And Feels Like Play
Walk, rollerblade, bike, dance around or jog. Running coach Meg Takacs said that any type of cardio (especially when it happens outdoors) is what she would do every day and recommends to everyone else.
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“Spending time outside can help with concentration,” Takacs said, and it’s true; just spending time with Mother Nature has so many well-researched benefits.
“The endorphins your body releases from exercise can be your secret weapon to handling stress and problems better,” Takacs continued, adding that she personally takes a break to run outside if she’s stuck on a work or life problem. The fresh air usually does the trick.
Takacs said that in times like the coronavirus pandemic — where we’re cooped up indoors and stress is pretty much a given — outdoor cardio can be used as a kind of “moving meditation or forward momentum.”
“I always encourage my clients and members of my app to use the work ethic and discipline they have in their workouts, and apply it to the rest of their lives. Think of cardio as raising your mental and physical baseline,” she said.
Westend61 via Getty Images “The endorphins your body releases from exercise can be your secret weapon to handling stress and problems better,” says running coach Meg Takacs.
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Squat Inch Worm To T-Rotation Pushup
Health and fitness expert Deanna Robinson got a little sneaky here, since this “one” exercise is really a hybrid of several moves. But she has good reason for her craftiness.
“The seven fundamental body movements are push, pull, squat, lunge, hinge, rotate and gait (walking, jogging, crawling),” she explained. “This exercise incorporates five of these movement patterns and can help you become stronger and more efficient in addition to decreasing physical stress and risk of injury in activities of daily living, like picking up the kids or grabbing a box off a high shelf.”
Because the exercise incorporates mobility, flexibility and strength, it can prevent those really frustrating road bumps, like pulling out your back, while propelling you forward in your fitness journey. Here’s how to do it, according to Robinson:
Perform a wide, deep squat and reach your arms down toward the ground. Walk your hands away from your feet into a high plank position. Do a pushup, returning to a high plank, and then rotate your body 90 degrees, fully extending one arm in the air and supporting yourself with one on the floor. Do another pushup and rotate to the other side. Return back to a high plank, then walk your feet toward your hands. End in a standing position. Repeat.
Of course, Robinson noted that not everyone can jump right into this movement. And that’s totally OK. (This statement actually applies to all of the exercises on this list.)
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“Although this is a great exercise that incorporates most of the fundamental body movements, it is important to know your body and your physical fitness level,” she explained. “You may need to start off with mastering one or two of the fundamental movement patterns, and add on movements as you improve.”
Be mindful that everyone’s at a different place in their fitness journey, so don’t feel bad if you have to make some alterations to fit your body and mind. Modifications can do wonders, even for the fittest of the fit.
Kettlebell Swings
“The kettlebell swing is one of my favorite exercises because it is great for building overall posterior strength, power and conditioning,” said Eric Leija, a workout instructor and kettlebell coach. “Considering most people today live sedentary lifestyles — sitting at a computer desk, stuck in traffic, spending countless hours on our phones stuck in flexion with poor posture — the kettlebell swing can have a therapeutic effect by helping engage the posterior muscles.”
In other words, this move can undo much of the harmful strain we put on our bodies in everyday life. “Strengthening the back can help people fight back pain by reinforcing a proud posture, and it allows for better breathing, which can work wonders for better circulation and mood,” Leija said.
And while kettlebell swings definitely count as weight training, Leija said that upping the reps or volume of the motion “can be great for kickass cardio.”
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New to the move? Below are the instructor’s Kettlebell Swing 101 tips. And if you’re looking for some more kettlebell workouts, Leija’s got a ton on his Instagram.
Start with a kettlebell slightly in front of you. Hinge the hips and grip the kettlebell with both hands. Tilt the kettlebell and point the handle to your pelvis. Think about breaking the handle with your hands and pack your shoulders down into their sockets, engaging your lats. Keep your shoulders above your hips and create a deep stretch in your glutes and hamstrings. Then, explosively pull the kettlebell high underneath your pelvis. Explosively thrust the kettlebell and swing it forward and up to about shoulder height but try not to muscle it up with your upper body muscles. Imagine like you are trying to “throw” the kettlebell as far forward as you can. Let the kettlebell float at the top then let it swing back under your hips, hinge on the back swing and then set it forward and down to the start position. Touch it to the ground, then immediately swing it back up.
Stairs
Life coach and fitness pro Estelle Archer is all about the stairs. Walking or racing up and down “is a quick but effective option for cardio,” plus it “increases flexibility in your joints,” she said.
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Archer noted that while the average home has 16 steps, a nearby set of stairs outdoors can also do the trick. She said to start with a goal of climbing 100 stairs every day and to check in with how you feel.
And, as Archer put it, there are always modifications. If your knees give you problems and stairs cause more pain than anything else, she advises laying on your back and moving your legs as if you are climbing stairs. These will somewhat resemble bicycle crunches.
Hand Planks
Hand planks beat out any other exercise intended to strengthen the core, according to master trainer and lifestyle coach Ashley Borden. They also can help us undo the damage from sitting at our desk and being sedentary.
“Because we are a sitting and computer population and we’re home on the couch more than normal, we need to activate our core in a way that can translate to the body when it’s upright,” Borden said. “Crunches and movements where you pull on your neck add to forward head carriage and poor posture. Hand planks will activate your triceps, lats, shoulders, core, quads —practically your entire body.”
Borden said the position uses gravity to its advantage. As your stomach may naturally drop, you’ll need work against that to the pull it away from the ground. Gravity will give you the proper feedback of pulling your core in away from the ground. Focus on keeping your head in line with your body and not dropping forward.
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You can do these basically anywhere, especially since no equipment is required. Here’s how:
Start on your knees, with your hands directly under your shoulders, legs long and feet flexed. Push away from the floor and visualize hollowing your chest and creating more of a “turtle shell” between your shoulder blades (don’t collapse between shoulder blades) Squeeze your quads and glutes tight Pull up through your belly button like there is a swing holding up your hips. Throughout the move, Focus on keeping your head also in line with your body and not dropping forward.
No matter what exercise you choose, just make sure it’s one you enjoy. A new fitness journey won’t stick if your workout feels like punishment.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-14--Republican Gov Debunks Right-Wing Coronavirus Theory In Stirring Call For Masks

Mississippi Gov .
Tate Reeves ( R ) is warning his state ’ s residents not to count on herd immunity for protection from the coronavirus .
Herd immunity is when a virus stops spreading after enough people have antibodies to protect against it , either from a vaccine or from becoming sick .
Some ― particularly on the right ― have advocated for a rapid reopening of the economy to allow more people to get sick so the U.S. could quickly reach that level of immunity ( although some scientists have warned that antibody protection from infection may not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Twitter what that would mean in reality and concluded with a blunt call for people to wear masks in public .
“ I ’ ve listened to some people argue that the rapid spread of cases is a good thing , and we need to reach herd immunity in Mississippi and elsewhere to survive , ” he wrote .
“ I ’ m not a health care expert by any means , but I am a math guy.
” Then , Reeves crunched the numbers .
He noted that experts say herd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent of the population has been infected , but started his hypothetical experiment from an optimistic scenario in which herd immunity took effect at 40 percent : Reeves said the state had been seeing 700 to 900 new infections a day , with more than 1,000 new cases on its worst day .
That had already led to a hospital system “ stressed to the point of pain ” and on the verge of being overwhelmed .
“ To get to 40 % infections , we ’ d need 3,187 new cases every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
“ We would need to TRIPLE our worst day ― every day ― for a year.
” I ’ m not one of these guys that immediately dismisses any idea that challenges the expert status quo talking points .
I ’ m pretty skeptical by nature .
That ’ s healthy .
But herd immunity is not anything like a realistic solution in the short or mid-term .
I wish it was .
— Tate Reeves ( @ tatereeves ) July 13 , 2020 Unless you ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ car wreck or heart attack , we need a different approach .
Right now , despite mixed messages at the beginning , it seems like masks are the best bet .
They ’ re a hell of a lot better than widespread shut downs .
Please wear one !
— Tate Reeves ( @ tatereeves ) July 13 , 2020

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Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) is warning his state’s residents not to count on herd immunity for protection from the coronavirus.
Herd immunity is when a virus stops spreading after enough people have antibodies to protect against it, either from a vaccine or from becoming sick. Some ― particularly on the right ― have advocated for a rapid reopening of the economy to allow more people to get sick so the U.S. could quickly reach that level of immunity (although some scientists have warned that antibody protection from infection may not last).
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But Reeves spelled out on Twitter what that would mean in reality and concluded with a blunt call for people to wear masks in public.
“I’ve listened to some people argue that the rapid spread of cases is a good thing, and we need to reach herd immunity in Mississippi and elsewhere to survive,” he wrote. “I’m not a health care expert by any means, but I am a math guy.”
Then, Reeves crunched the numbers. He noted that experts say herd immunity kicks in when 70% to 80% of the population has been infected, but started his hypothetical experiment from an optimistic scenario in which herd immunity took effect at 40%:
In Mississippi, our population is 3 million. We’ve had 36,680 cases so far.
We’d need 1.2 MILLION infections to achieve that hypothetical 40% threshold. (Remember, experts say it’s double that.) — Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) July 13, 2020
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Reeves said the state had been seeing 700 to 900 new infections a day, with more than 1,000 new cases on its worst day. That had already led to a hospital system “stressed to the point of pain” and on the verge of being overwhelmed.
“To get to 40% infections, we’d need 3,187 new cases every day for a full year from today,” he said. “We would need to TRIPLE our worst day ― every day ― for a year.”
Reeves concluded:
I’m not one of these guys that immediately dismisses any idea that challenges the expert status quo talking points. I’m pretty skeptical by nature. That’s healthy. But herd immunity is not anything like a realistic solution in the short or mid-term. I wish it was. — Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) July 13, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-13--NBA Says 2 Players Tested Positive For Coronavirus On Florida Campus

The NBA said Monday that two players at the basketball league ’ s campus in Orlando , Florida , have tested positive for the coronavirus , raising questions around their plan to keep the campus virus-free .
The NBA tested 322 players who ’ d arrived on campus on July 7 and had all been in quarantine .
The league said the two players who tested positive , who have not yet been identified , “ never cleared quarantine ” and had since left campus to isolate at home or in separate housing .
Earlier this month , 19 NBA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home regions .
Those players will stay home to recover until they are cleared to come to campus , the league said .
The NBA worked for months on a plan to keep its campus at Disney World in Florida virus-free in order to resume its season amid a global pandemic , reported The New York Times .
( The league had suspended its 2019-2020 season in March after a player tested positive for COVID-19 . )
Players from 22 teams around the country began to arrive at the NBA ’ s village @ @ @ @ @ @ @ playing again on July 30 .
Part of the protocols to attempt to keep the virus out of the NBA campus ’ s “ bubble ” include testing and quarantining on arrival , then testing daily moving forward , and wearing masks when not playing .
But the success of this experiment remains to be seen — particularly with players engaging in an indoor , high-contact sport .
Other sports leagues that have attempted to resume activities have encountered their own issues .
Earlier this month , Major League Soccer ’ s FC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 players and a staff member tested positive inside their own “ bubble ” in Orlando .
The NBA campus is at the heart of the pandemic , not only by being located in the U.S. but also in Florida , where cases have ballooned in recent weeks .
On Sunday , Florida set a new record for the highest number of new daily cases in any state , reporting more than 15,000 .
Meanwhile Disney World reopened its massive theme park there on Saturday , albeit with mask-wearing and other safety precautions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world in coronavirus cases , with over 3.3 million confirmed cases and over 135,000 dead so far .

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The NBA said Monday that two players at the basketball league’s campus in Orlando, Florida, have tested positive for the coronavirus, raising questions around their plan to keep the campus virus-free.
The NBA tested 322 players who’d arrived on campus on July 7 and had all been in quarantine. The league said the two players who tested positive, who have not yet been identified, “never cleared quarantine” and had since left campus to isolate at home or in separate housing.
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Earlier this month, 19 NBA players tested positive while still in their home regions. Those players will stay home to recover until they are cleared to come to campus, the league said.
NBA and NBPA Announce COVID-19 Test Results pic.twitter.com/ZMF3MAcMF9 — NBPA (@TheNBPA) July 13, 2020
The NBA worked for months on a plan to keep its campus at Disney World in Florida virus-free in order to resume its season amid a global pandemic, reported The New York Times. (The league had suspended its 2019-2020 season in March after a player tested positive for COVID-19.)
Players from 22 teams around the country began to arrive at the NBA’s village earlier this month, aiming to start playing again on July 30. Part of the protocols to attempt to keep the virus out of the NBA campus’s “bubble” include testing and quarantining on arrival, then testing daily moving forward, and wearing masks when not playing.
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But the success of this experiment remains to be seen — particularly with players engaging in an indoor, high-contact sport.
Other sports leagues that have attempted to resume activities have encountered their own issues. Earlier this month, Major League Soccer’s FC Dallas pulled out of a tournament after 10 players and a staff member tested positive inside their own “bubble” in Orlando.
The NBA campus is at the heart of the pandemic, not only by being located in the U.S. but also in Florida, where cases have ballooned in recent weeks. On Sunday, Florida set a new record for the highest number of new daily cases in any state, reporting more than 15,000. Meanwhile Disney World reopened its massive theme park there on Saturday, albeit with mask-wearing and other safety precautions.
The U.S. continues to lead the world in coronavirus cases, with over 3.3 million confirmed cases and over 135,000 dead so far.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-14--'Bye Don Jr.': New Attack Ad Turns Trump Son's Words Against The President

A new attack ad from the progressive PAC MeidasTouch hits President Donald Trump close to home .
It takes the words of Donald Trump Jr. as he attacks former Vice President Joe Biden and turns them against the president : In a statement released with the video , MeidasTouch said : “ The Trump children , propped up in this regime by the bizarre and shameless nepotism seen in banana republic dictatorships , represents the blend of incompetence , entitlement and cringeworthy hypocrisy that has propelled America into disaster we are now in under Trump.
” The video caused # @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much like a previous video against Ivanka Trump ― a daughter of and adviser to the president ― caused # ByeIvanka to go viral .
MeidasTouch was founded by attorney Ben Meiselas , who represented former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in his settlement with the NFL , along with his two brothers .
Previous ads from the group have hit Jared Kushner ― Ivanka Trump ’ s husband ― and counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway , among others .
Important conversations are happening now .
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A new attack ad from the progressive PAC MeidasTouch hits President Donald Trump close to home.
It takes the words of Donald Trump Jr. as he attacks former Vice President Joe Biden and turns them against the president:
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In a statement released with the video, MeidasTouch said:
“The Trump children, propped up in this regime by the bizarre and shameless nepotism seen in banana republic dictatorships, represents the blend of incompetence, entitlement and cringeworthy hypocrisy that has propelled America into disaster we are now in under Trump.”
The video caused #ByeDonJr to trend on Twitter overnight, much like a previous video against Ivanka Trump ― a daughter of and adviser to the president ― caused #ByeIvanka to go viral.
MeidasTouch was founded by attorney Ben Meiselas, who represented former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in his settlement with the NFL, along with his two brothers. Previous ads from the group have hit Jared Kushner ― Ivanka Trump’s husband ― and counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway, among others.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-13--Tucker Carlson Announces ‘Vacation’ After Top Writer’s Racist, Sexist Posts Revealed

Fox News ’ Tucker Carlson addressed the resignation of Blake Neff , a writer for Carlson ’ s show who quit soon after a CNN report revealed racist and sexist comments he had posted online .
“ We don ’ t endorse those words , ” Carlson said .
“ They have no connection to the show .
It is wrong to attack people for qualities they can not control.
” At the end of his show , the Fox News host announced that he would be going on a previously planned trout-fishing vacation for the next few days .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Neff had been posting messages under a pseudonym on the AutoAdmit message board .
His posts included racial slurs and rants against Black people , as well as continuous posts sent over five years about a woman he mocked and insulted , CNN Business reported .
While Carlson distanced himself and Fox News from Neff , the Fox News host also denounced people who criticized Neff for his explicit posts .
“ We should also point out to the ghouls now beating their chests in triumph at the destruction of a young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Carlson said , in part .
“ We are all human .
When we pretend we are holy , we are lying.
” Carlson ’ s fishing trip announcement isn ’ t the first time he ’ s said he was taking a break amid controversy .
In August 2019 , he claimed that white supremacy was a “ hoax ” and not a real problem in the U.S. , sparking calls for his firing .
In the face of that backlash , Carlson announced at the end of his show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week off the air .
Bill O ’ Reilly went on vacation after news broke of his sexual harassment settlements , and he eventually left Fox News without returning to his show .
Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott and President and Executive Editor Jay Wallance sent out an internal memo to all employees condemning racist , misogynistic and homophobic behavior .
“ We want to make abundantly clear that Fox News Media strongly condemns this horrific racist , misogynistic and homophobic behavior , ” the memo said .
“ Neff ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ divulged to the show or the network until Friday , at which point we swiftly accepted his resignation .
Make no mistake , actions such as his can not and will not be tolerated at any time in any part of our work force .
”

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Fox News’ Tucker Carlson addressed the resignation of Blake Neff, a writer for Carlson’s show who quit soon after a CNN report revealed racist and sexist comments he had posted online.
Carlson admitted to the viewers of his show on Monday night that “what Blake wrote anonymously was wrong.”
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“We don’t endorse those words,” Carlson said. “They have no connection to the show. It is wrong to attack people for qualities they cannot control.”
At the end of his show, the Fox News host announced that he would be going on a previously planned trout-fishing vacation for the next few days.
Tucker Carlson responds to his head writer being a white supremacist ghoul by threatening the people who exposed him pic.twitter.com/FBb02PmpUn — Andrew Lawrence (@ndrew_lawrence) July 14, 2020
According to a report from CNN Business, Neff had been posting messages under a pseudonym on the AutoAdmit message board.
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His posts included racial slurs and rants against Black people, as well as continuous posts sent over five years about a woman he mocked and insulted, CNN Business reported.
While Carlson distanced himself and Fox News from Neff, the Fox News host also denounced people who criticized Neff for his explicit posts.
“We should also point out to the ghouls now beating their chests in triumph at the destruction of a young man that self-righteousness also has its costs,” Carlson said, in part. “We are all human. When we pretend we are holy, we are lying.”
Carlson’s fishing trip announcement isn’t the first time he’s said he was taking a break amid controversy. In August 2019, he claimed that white supremacy was a “hoax” and not a real problem in the U.S., sparking calls for his firing. In the face of that backlash, Carlson announced at the end of his show he would be taking more than a week off the air.
Other Fox News hosts have taken similar breaks in the face of controversy.
Bill O’Reilly went on vacation after news broke of his sexual harassment settlements, and he eventually left Fox News without returning to his show.
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Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott and President and Executive Editor Jay Wallance sent out an internal memo to all employees condemning racist, misogynistic and homophobic behavior.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-14--Hillary Clinton: Trump Revealed The 1 Thing He’s Fearful About With Roger Stone Clemency

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said there ’ s a reason President Donald Trump granted clemency to longtime adviser Roger Stone : It ’ s to block the one thing he fears most .
Stone was convicted last year on seven counts related to the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election , including witness tampering , lying to Congress and obstruction .
But last week , Trump commuted Stone ’ s 40-month sentence .
“ It ’ s a continuation of the cover-up , ” Clinton said on “ The Daily Show ” on Monday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is fearful of when it comes to his being president is that finally we will see how illegitimate his victory actually was.
” Clinton said that Trump fears that people will see that he was involved in the effort to obtain and use foreign help to win the presidency , and Stone , she said , was critical to that effort .
“ Roger Stone was in the middle of it all , ” she said .
“ And that ’ s why Trump had to cover it up.
” See more of @ @ @ @ @ @ @

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Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said there’s a reason President Donald Trump granted clemency to longtime adviser Roger Stone: It’s to block the one thing he fears most.
Stone was convicted last year on seven counts related to the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election, including witness tampering, lying to Congress and obstruction. But last week, Trump commuted Stone’s 40-month sentence.
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“It’s a continuation of the cover-up,” Clinton said on “The Daily Show” on Monday. “Because the one thing that Trump is fearful of when it comes to his being president is that finally we will see how illegitimate his victory actually was.”
Clinton said that Trump fears that people will see that he was involved in the effort to obtain and use foreign help to win the presidency, and Stone, she said, was critical to that effort.
“Roger Stone was in the middle of it all,” she said. “And that’s why Trump had to cover it up.”
See more of her interview with Trevor Noah below:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-14--Texas Top Court Shoots Down GOP Demand That Houston Host Its In-Person Convention

In a major win for coronavirus-battered Houston , the all-Republican Texas Supreme Court ruled 7-1 Monday that the state ’ s GOP can ’ t force the city to host the party ’ s in-person convention this week .
The city , grappling with a record number of COVID-19 cases , last week canceled the convention that was scheduled to begin Thursday at the George R. Brown Convention Center .
It was expected to draw about 6,000 Republicans .
“ These are very serious times , ” Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner ( D ) said at a news conference when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Simply , the public health concerns outweighed anything else.
” The Republican Party of Texas went to court , arguing that the convention was protected under both the Texas and U.S. Constitutions .
The top court agreed that the party had a right to hold a convention , but “ those rights do not allow it to simply commandeer use ” of the convention center against the directives of city officials , reported the Texas Tribune .
The party ’ s executive committee met later Monday and voted overwhelmingly ( remotely ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the news site .
Texas is reeling as cases of COVID-19 surge , and several counties have ordered refrigerated morgue trucks to deal with the death toll .
The state has recorded a total of more than 264,000 coronavirus cases and 3,235 deaths .
Republican Gov .
Greg Abbott early this month issued a statewide order requiring that masks be worn in public places .
He announced Monday that the U.S. Department of Defense is sending medical task forces to help hospitals deal with the sick .
The @ DeptofDefense has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Task Forces ( UAMTF ) to assist Texas ' efforts to combat # COVID19 .
UAMTF and U.S. Navy teams are being deployed to support medical needs in hospitals across the state.https : //t.co/eDUEswoKcW pic.twitter.com/kgxFStiwaC — Gov .
Greg Abbott ( @ GovAbbott ) July 13 , 2020 Turner said last week that the state opened “ too quickly , too fast ” and that COVID-19 cases began to spike soon after restrictions were lifted on businesses .
Cases in Houston are growing “ exponentially , ” he said , warning that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be “ overwhelmed.
” He called over the weekend for a lockdown to help stop the spread of the disease .
In mid-May , Houston tallied an average of nearly 250 new cases daily .
By the last week of June , that number had soared to 1,600 .

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In a major win for coronavirus-battered Houston, the all-Republican Texas Supreme Court ruled 7-1 Monday that the state’s GOP can’t force the city to host the party’s in-person convention this week.
The city, grappling with a record number of COVID-19 cases, last week canceled the convention that was scheduled to begin Thursday at the George R. Brown Convention Center. It was expected to draw about 6,000 Republicans.
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“These are very serious times,” Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner (D) said at a news conference when he announced the cancellation last Wednesday. “Simply, the public health concerns outweighed anything else.”
The Republican Party of Texas went to court, arguing that the convention was protected under both the Texas and U.S. Constitutions. The top court agreed that the party had a right to hold a convention, but “those rights do not allow it to simply commandeer use” of the convention center against the directives of city officials, reported the Texas Tribune.
The party’s executive committee met later Monday and voted overwhelmingly (remotely) to hold the convention online instead, according to the news site.
Texas is reeling as cases of COVID-19 surge, and several counties have ordered refrigerated morgue trucks to deal with the death toll. The state has recorded a total of more than 264,000 coronavirus cases and 3,235 deaths.
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Republican Gov. Greg Abbott early this month issued a statewide order requiring that masks be worn in public places. He announced Monday that the U.S. Department of Defense is sending medical task forces to help hospitals deal with the sick.
The @DeptofDefense has activated additional U.S. Army Urban Augmentation Medical Task Forces (UAMTF) to assist Texas' efforts to combat #COVID19.
UAMTF and U.S. Navy teams are being deployed to support medical needs in hospitals across the state.https://t.co/eDUEswoKcW pic.twitter.com/kgxFStiwaC — Gov. Greg Abbott (@GovAbbott) July 13, 2020
Turner said last week that the state opened “too quickly, too fast” and that COVID-19 cases began to spike soon after restrictions were lifted on businesses. Cases in Houston are growing “exponentially,” he said, warning that the city’s hospital system will soon be “overwhelmed.” He called over the weekend for a lockdown to help stop the spread of the disease.
In mid-May, Houston tallied an average of nearly 250 new cases daily. By the last week of June, that number had soared to 1,600.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-14--Trump’s Deregulatory Agenda Has 'Exacerbated' COVID-19 Pandemic

The Trump administration ’ s relentless push to gut dozens of environmental and public health safeguards worsened the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States , a new report from New York University School of Law found .
The lengthy analysis , which NYU ’ s Institute for Policy Integrity published Tuesday , comes as President Donald Trump and his team act as if the coronavirus threat is waning ― when the U.S. outbreak stands out as one of the worst in the world ― and as they work to finalize a frenzy of environmental rollbacks ahead of November ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the administration has scrapped or gutted several regulations aimed at reining in hazardous air pollution , including particulate matter and ozone , from power plants , factories and automobiles .
Air pollution disproportionately affects low-income populations and communities of color , and several recent studies suggest that people exposed to poor air quality have a higher risk of contracting the coronavirus , suffering serious illness from it and dying of COVID-19 .
Similarly , the Trump administration has worked to cut food benefits and weaken school nutrition standards , and in 2017 delayed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and cigars .
As the report notes , preliminary health studies have found that smoking , diabetes , obesity and other health issues put people at greater risk of severe COVID-19 infection .
“ The administration ’ s problematic policies have increased our collective susceptibility to Covid-19 , and the consequences are getting more dire by the day , ” Jason Schwartz , legal director at the Institute for Policy Integrity and author of the report , said in a statement .
As the pandemic rages across the country , the administration is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to finalize rollbacks that would be difficult for a future administration to undo .
The Environmental Protection Agency announced Monday that it will retain rather than strengthen existing air quality standards for ozone , the main ingredient in smog , drawing fierce criticism from health and environmental groups and applause from fossil fuel interests .
And later this week , the administration is expected to finalize its proposed overhaul of the National Environmental Policy Act , a 50-year-old law that protects air , water and land by requiring federal agencies to conduct detailed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The planned changes are aimed at expediting fossil fuel pipelines , highways and power plants by limiting the number of projects that require in-depth environmental assessments ― a move that environmental justice groups have slammed as an attack on communities of color , which are disproportionately affected by major development .
Agencies would also no longer be required to consider climate change when evaluating the environmental effects of a project .
Gina McCarthy , who served as EPA administrator during President Barack Obama ’ s second term , said the NYU report shows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the top ” of the Trump administration ’ s pandemic response .
“ These rollbacks have put all of us — especially low-income communities , Black people and people of color , and essential workers — at higher risk of contracting and dying from Covid-19 , ” McCarthy , who now leads the Natural Resources Defense Council and was not involved in the analysis , said in an accompanying statement .
“ This report details the many ways .
”

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The Trump administration’s relentless push to gut dozens of environmental and public health safeguards worsened the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, a new report from New York University School of Law found.
The lengthy analysis, which NYU’s Institute for Policy Integrity published Tuesday, comes as President Donald Trump and his team act as if the coronavirus threat is waning ― when the U.S. outbreak stands out as one of the worst in the world ― and as they work to finalize a frenzy of environmental rollbacks ahead of November’s election.
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As the report highlights, the administration has scrapped or gutted several regulations aimed at reining in hazardous air pollution, including particulate matter and ozone, from power plants, factories and automobiles. Air pollution disproportionately affects low-income populations and communities of color, and several recent studies suggest that people exposed to poor air quality have a higher risk of contracting the coronavirus, suffering serious illness from it and dying of COVID-19.
Similarly, the Trump administration has worked to cut food benefits and weaken school nutrition standards, and in 2017 delayed enforcement of stricter rules for electronic cigarettes and cigars. As the report notes, preliminary health studies have found that smoking, diabetes, obesity and other health issues put people at greater risk of severe COVID-19 infection.
The report concludes that Trump’s deregulatory agenda was a “harbinger of the U.S. outbreak” and “exacerbated” many COVID-19 risk factors.
“The administration’s problematic policies have increased our collective susceptibility to Covid-19, and the consequences are getting more dire by the day,” Jason Schwartz, legal director at the Institute for Policy Integrity and author of the report, said in a statement.
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As the pandemic rages across the country, the administration is ramping up its deregulatory push, working to finalize rollbacks that would be difficult for a future administration to undo. The Environmental Protection Agency announced Monday that it will retain rather than strengthen existing air quality standards for ozone, the main ingredient in smog, drawing fierce criticism from health and environmental groups and applause from fossil fuel interests.
And later this week, the administration is expected to finalize its proposed overhaul of the National Environmental Policy Act, a 50-year-old law that protects air, water and land by requiring federal agencies to conduct detailed environmental assessments of major infrastructure projects. The planned changes are aimed at expediting fossil fuel pipelines, highways and power plants by limiting the number of projects that require in-depth environmental assessments ― a move that environmental justice groups have slammed as an attack on communities of color, which are disproportionately affected by major development. Agencies would also no longer be required to consider climate change when evaluating the environmental effects of a project.
Gina McCarthy, who served as EPA administrator during President Barack Obama’s second term, said the NYU report shows slashing key public health safeguards is “at the top” of the Trump administration’s pandemic response.
“These rollbacks have put all of us — especially low-income communities, Black people and people of color, and essential workers — at higher risk of contracting and dying from Covid-19,” McCarthy, who now leads the Natural Resources Defense Council and was not involved in the analysis, said in an accompanying statement. “This report details the many ways.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-14--California’s 2 Largest School Districts Will Be Online-Only In The Fall, Officials Say

California ’ s two largest public school districts , Los Angeles Unified and San Diego Unified , will hold classes completely online when teaching resumes in the fall , officials announced Monday as the coronavirus continues to surge around the nation .
Together the two districts enroll about 825,000 students and are the largest in the country to announce such plans .
In a joint statement , officials said ongoing research around the coronavirus remained “ incomplete ” and federal guidelines were “ vague and contradictory.
” “ One fact is clear : those countries that have managed to safely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infection rates and on-demand testing available .
California has neither , ” the districts said .
“ The skyrocketing infection rates of the past few weeks make it clear the pandemic is not under control.
” Cases of the virus have continued to rise in most states in the U.S. More than 61,000 new infections were announced Monday , the second-highest during any point in the pandemic , and hospitals in some states were warning of rapidly filling intensive care units .
At the same time , school officials have been struggling to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year with some adopting a similar online approach or hybrid models that will limit how many students can be on campus at a time .
Austin Beutner , the superintendent of Los Angeles Unified , emphasized the district ’ s decision was made to keep students and teachers safe as the new school year begins , saying “ science was our guide and will continue to be.
” “ There ’ s a public health imperative to keep schools from becoming a petri dish , ” Beutner said Monday .
“ While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at school facilities , our goal is to welcome students back to school as soon as it is safe and appropriate for us to do so.
” The start of the school year in California is five weeks away , and Beutner told the Los Angeles Times it was important to let families know about the decision early so they could prepare for the changes .
“ It ’ s incumbent upon all of us to recognize soberly that COVID-19 is not going away anytime soon , until there is a vaccine and/or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a daily briefing Monday .
The districts ’ decision to hold online-only classes prompted immediate condemnation from the White House .
President Donald Trump has aggressively pushed for schools to completely reopen in the fall , threatening to cut funding to institutions that fail to do so .
“ Schools should be opened , ” Trump said at the White House on Monday when asked about the moves in California .
“ There ’ s kids who want to go to school .
You ’ re losing a lot of lives by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ We have to open the schools .
We have to get them open .
And I think there ’ s a lot of politics going along .
I think they think they ’ ll do better if they can keep the schools closed in the election.
” Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has also touted the White House line , saying Sunday that “ the go-to needs to be kids in school , in-person , in the classroom because we know for most kids , that ’ s the best environment for @ @ @

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California’s two largest public school districts, Los Angeles Unified and San Diego Unified, will hold classes completely online when teaching resumes in the fall, officials announced Monday as the coronavirus continues to surge around the nation.
Together the two districts enroll about 825,000 students and are the largest in the country to announce such plans. In a joint statement, officials said ongoing research around the coronavirus remained “incomplete” and federal guidelines were “vague and contradictory.”
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“One fact is clear: those countries that have managed to safely reopen schools have done so with declining infection rates and on-demand testing available. California has neither,” the districts said. “The skyrocketing infection rates of the past few weeks make it clear the pandemic is not under control.”
Cases of the virus have continued to rise in most states in the U.S. More than 61,000 new infections were announced Monday, the second-highest during any point in the pandemic, and hospitals in some states were warning of rapidly filling intensive care units.
At the same time, school officials have been struggling to figure out how to resume classes later this year with some adopting a similar online approach or hybrid models that will limit how many students can be on campus at a time.
Austin Beutner, the superintendent of Los Angeles Unified, emphasized the district’s decision was made to keep students and teachers safe as the new school year begins, saying “science was our guide and will continue to be.”
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“There’s a public health imperative to keep schools from becoming a petri dish,” Beutner said Monday. “While the school year will begin without students at school facilities, our goal is to welcome students back to school as soon as it is safe and appropriate for us to do so.”
The start of the school year in California is five weeks away, and Beutner told the Los Angeles Times it was important to let families know about the decision early so they could prepare for the changes.
The moves come as the state’s governor, Gavin Newsom, announced a sweeping rollback of California’s reopening measures, ordering bars closed and restaurants and other businesses to shutter indoor operations.
“It’s incumbent upon all of us to recognize soberly that COVID-19 is not going away anytime soon, until there is a vaccine and/or an effective therapy,” Newsom said at a daily briefing Monday.
The districts’ decision to hold online-only classes prompted immediate condemnation from the White House. President Donald Trump has aggressively pushed for schools to completely reopen in the fall, threatening to cut funding to institutions that fail to do so.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has continued to caution that full-sized, in-person classes pose the “highest risk” to students.
“Schools should be opened,” Trump said at the White House on Monday when asked about the moves in California. “There’s kids who want to go to school. You’re losing a lot of lives by keeping things closed.”
He later continued: “We have to open the schools. We have to get them open. And I think there’s a lot of politics going along. I think they think they’ll do better if they can keep the schools closed in the election.”
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has also touted the White House line, saying Sunday that “the go-to needs to be kids in school, in-person, in the classroom because we know for most kids, that’s the best environment for them.”