bonginoreport--2020-05-28--Andrew Cuomo’s Disastrous Nursing Home Order Deleted From NY Health Department Website

Democratic New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ’ s March 25 order requiring nursing homes and other long-term care facilities to accept recovering coronavirus patients has disappeared from the New York State Department of Health ’ s website .
The webpage for Cuomo ’ s order says the document is “ not found , ” though it can still be seen on the Internet Archive ’ s Wayback Machine .
It took the governor roughly six weeks to reverse the order , which has been blamed for the high death rate among New York ’ s elderly .
The order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported by Fox News on Tuesday , comes as Cuomo has faced increasing levels of criticism for his handling of coronavirus .
A Cuomo spokesperson told Fox News the order ’ s disappearance was part of a routine website update .
( RELATED : Here ’ s How Many Coronavirus Patients New York Sent Into Nursing Homes Thanks To Cuomo ’ s Order ) New York knowingly omitted an unknown number of coronavirus deaths in recent reports regarding residents of nursing homes and adult care facilities as a result of a quiet rule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May following a Daily Caller News Foundation investigation .
The state changed the criteria for counting nursing home deaths between April 28 and May 3 , following several days of scrutiny of the Cuomo nursing home order .
Until at least April 28 , the health department ’ s tally of nursing home deaths included all coronavirus deaths of nursing home and adult care facility residents , regardless of whether the patient died at their long-term care facility or at a hospital .
By May 3 , the department had made a subtle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ web archives .
As a result of the change , the state now only discloses coronavirus deaths of long-term care patients who died while physically present at their facility .
In other words : A nursing home resident , who becomes sick at their nursing home and then dies an hour after arriving at a hospital , isn ’ t counted in the state ’ s tally of nursing home deaths .
“ DOH posted updated guidance that builds on the original March 25 DOH guidance which barred nursing homes from discriminating against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior deputy communications director Peter Ajemian told the DCNF in an emailed statement .
“ As we said at the time , the updated guidance didn ’ t supersede the March 25th guidance – rather , it added a new requirement that says hospitals can not discharge patients to nursing homes until they test negative , ” Ajemian added .
“ Then and now , nursing homes can not discriminate against COVID patients and they can not accept patients if they aren ’ t able to provide adequate care , including staff screenings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cohorting.
” This article has been updated to include Peter Ajemian ’ s statement , which was provided after the story was published .
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , please contact licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s March 25 order requiring nursing homes and other long-term care facilities to accept recovering coronavirus patients has disappeared from the New York State Department of Health’s website.
The webpage for Cuomo’s order says the document is “not found,” though it can still be seen on the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine. It took the governor roughly six weeks to reverse the order, which has been blamed for the high death rate among New York’s elderly.
The order’s disappearance, which was first reported by Fox News on Tuesday, comes as Cuomo has faced increasing levels of criticism for his handling of coronavirus. A Cuomo spokesperson told Fox News the order’s disappearance was part of a routine website update. (RELATED: Here’s How Many Coronavirus Patients New York Sent Into Nursing Homes Thanks To Cuomo’s Order)
New York knowingly omitted an unknown number of coronavirus deaths in recent reports regarding residents of nursing homes and adult care facilities as a result of a quiet rule change, the agency acknowledged earlier in May following a Daily Caller News Foundation investigation.
The state changed the criteria for counting nursing home deaths between April 28 and May 3, following several days of scrutiny of the Cuomo nursing home order.
Until at least April 28, the health department’s tally of nursing home deaths included all coronavirus deaths of nursing home and adult care facility residents, regardless of whether the patient died at their long-term care facility or at a hospital. By May 3, the department had made a subtle change to its disclosures, according to web archives.
As a result of the change, the state now only discloses coronavirus deaths of long-term care patients who died while physically present at their facility.
In other words: A nursing home resident, who becomes sick at their nursing home and then dies an hour after arriving at a hospital, isn’t counted in the state’s tally of nursing home deaths.
“DOH posted updated guidance that builds on the original March 25 DOH guidance which barred nursing homes from discriminating against COVID patients,” Cuomo’s senior deputy communications director Peter Ajemian told the DCNF in an emailed statement.
“As we said at the time, the updated guidance didn’t supersede the March 25th guidance – rather, it added a new requirement that says hospitals cannot discharge patients to nursing homes until they test negative,” Ajemian added.
“Then and now, nursing homes cannot discriminate against COVID patients and they cannot accept patients if they aren’t able to provide adequate care, including staff screenings, PPE and infection control measures like cohorting.”
This article has been updated to include Peter Ajemian’s statement, which was provided after the story was published.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.


bonginoreport--2020-05-28--Huawai Executive Loses Case to Avoid Extradition to U.S.

British Columbia supreme court Justice Heather Holmes released her verdict today on the case of Huawei executive and daughter of its founder , Meng Wanzhou .
In the case of the United States v. Meng , Meng lost her case to avoid extradition to the US .
At issue was the question of double criminality , and Justice Holmes found that yes , the crimes as charges meet the condition of double criminality .
`` Ms. Meng says that the alleged conduct could not have amounted to fraud in Canada because it relates entirely to the effects of US economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relevant time Canada had no such sanctions ( just as it has none now ) .
`` The Attorney General counters first , that the elements of the offence of fraud in Canada can be made out , on the allegations , without reference to US sanctions against Iran ; and second , that in any event the sanctions may properly give background or context to the alleged conduct and explain why it mattered .
`` For the reasons I will give , I find that the allegations depend on the effects of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that those effects may play a part in the determination of whether double criminality is established .
For that reason , Ms. Meng ’ s application will be dismissed . ''
This ruling against Meng means that the case will begin the next phase , starting in June , where prosecutors will argue that Canadian officials followed the law during Meng ’ s arrest .
Early fall is when closing arguments are expected to be heard in this case .
In the lead up to this verdict , Chinese media announced that Meng @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and returned home within 4 days .
Meng was arrested in December 2018 after arriving in Vancouver from China .
She was just passing through , on her way to Argentina .
More than a year later , she is still in Vancouver .
She was taken into custody upon her arrival by Canadian authorities at the request of their allies to the south .
The US intended to implement an extradition order so that Meng could be tried in the US on charges of bank fraud , wire fraud , and conspiracies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to violating sanctions against Iran .
Companies that wish to do business in the US , as Huawei does , must follow American law .
This includes not doing business with those nations against which the US has sanctions .
The US alleges that Huawei has used subsidiaries to violate those sanctions , and sold products to Iran that could be used to enhance their military capability .
That extradition order has been at issue during Meng ’ s ensuing trial .
For extradition to be legal , the crimes Meng has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have had to have been classed as crimes in Canada , as well .
Terms of extradition require that for Canada to release a prisoner , it can only be for a crime that is not only a crime in the country requesting the extradition but also a violation of Canadian law .
Meng ’ s attorneys have claimed that the US sanctions against Iran that she is accused of violating were not illegal in Canada at the time of the crime .
Canadian prosecutors have `` emphasized that fraud is at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that the sanctions are not the primary concern .
Meng 's detainment while awaiting an extradition verdict is believed to have prompted Chinese authorities to detain two Canadians in retaliation .
While these men , Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor , have spent over 500 days in prison , Meng has been spending her arrest in a veritable mansion .
The $ 12 million Vancouver home has served as her prison , and while her ankle monitor has limited her movements , she has been able to travel within a wide distance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she was back by an 11 p.m. curfew .
This is a breaking story and will be updated .

British Columbia supreme court Justice Heather Holmes released her verdict today on the case of Huawei executive and daughter of its founder, Meng Wanzhou. In the case of the United States v. Meng, Meng lost her case to avoid extradition to the US.
At issue was the question of double criminality, and Justice Holmes found that yes, the crimes as charges meet the condition of double criminality.
#BREAKING Canadian judge rules against Huawei CFO #Mengwanzhou. Opens way for her extradition to US. But still requires review by Minister of Justice. Decision certain to infuriate China and bring more turbulence to Ottawa-Beijing officials #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/LbT4Mm1pfl — Michael Bociurkiw (@WorldAffairsPro) May 27, 2020
In the ruling, Justice Holmes wrote:
"Ms. Meng says that the alleged conduct could not have amounted to fraud in Canada because it relates entirely to the effects of US economic sanctions against Iran, and at the relevant time Canada had no such sanctions (just as it has none now).
"The Attorney General counters first, that the elements of the offence of fraud in Canada can be made out, on the allegations, without reference to US sanctions against Iran; and second, that in any event the sanctions may properly give background or context to the alleged conduct and explain why it mattered.
"For the reasons I will give, I find that the allegations depend on the effects of US sanctions. However, I conclude that those effects may play a part in the determination of whether double criminality is established. For that reason, Ms. Meng’s application will be dismissed."
This ruling against Meng means that the case will begin the next phase, starting in June, where prosecutors will argue that Canadian officials followed the law during Meng’s arrest. Early fall is when closing arguments are expected to be heard in this case.
In the lead up to this verdict, Chinese media announced that Meng was innocent and would be both released and returned home within 4 days.
Wow, Chinese media is announcing that #Huawei’s #MengWanzhou will be released after the Canada court finds her innocent, and she can return to China in 4 days (by the way, the court will decide her fate tomorrow). pic.twitter.com/XB6lQ1whVQ — Jennifer Zeng ?? (@jenniferatntd) May 27, 2020
Meng was arrested in December 2018 after arriving in Vancouver from China. She was just passing through, on her way to Argentina. More than a year later, she is still in Vancouver. She was taken into custody upon her arrival by Canadian authorities at the request of their allies to the south.
The US intended to implement an extradition order so that Meng could be tried in the US on charges of bank fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracies to commit those crimes, in relation to violating sanctions against Iran. Companies that wish to do business in the US, as Huawei does, must follow American law. This includes not doing business with those nations against which the US has sanctions. The US alleges that Huawei has used subsidiaries to violate those sanctions, and sold products to Iran that could be used to enhance their military capability.
That extradition order has been at issue during Meng’s ensuing trial. For extradition to be legal, the crimes Meng has been accused of committed in the US would have had to have been classed as crimes in Canada, as well. Terms of extradition require that for Canada to release a prisoner, it can only be for a crime that is not only a crime in the country requesting the extradition but also a violation of Canadian law.
Meng’s attorneys have claimed that the US sanctions against Iran that she is accused of violating were not illegal in Canada at the time of the crime. Canadian prosecutors have "emphasized that fraud is at the heart of the criminal allegations," and that the sanctions are not the primary concern.
Meng's detainment while awaiting an extradition verdict is believed to have prompted Chinese authorities to detain two Canadians in retaliation. While these men, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, have spent over 500 days in prison, Meng has been spending her arrest in a veritable mansion. The $12 million Vancouver home has served as her prison, and while her ankle monitor has limited her movements, she has been able to travel within a wide distance of her home, so long as she was back by an 11 p.m. curfew.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.


bonginoreport--2020-05-28--President Trump Signs Executive Order Targeting Social Media Companies

President Trump signed an executive order targeting social media companies for the way they regulate content on their platforms .
@ @ @ @ @ on Thursday , Trump accused Twitter and other social media giants of repressing free speech @ @ @ @ @ doing is tantamount to monopoly , you can say it 's tantamount to taking over @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` Ca n't let it happen .
Otherwise , we 're not going @ @ @ @ @ we 're not going to have anything to do with a republic . ''
Trump @ @ @ @ @ his administration to `` develop policies and procedures to ensure taxpayer dollars are not going @ @ @ @ @ that repress free speech . ''
Trump said he would delete Twitter if there was @ @ @ @ @ in the United States but that he refuses to do so because of the wide @ @ @ @ @ .
The president added that he would `` not allow '' social media companies to @ @ @ @ @ American people . ''

President Trump signed an executive order targeting social media companies for the way they regulate content on their platforms.
Speaking from the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump accused Twitter and other social media giants of repressing free speech.
"What they're doing is tantamount to monopoly, you can say it's tantamount to taking over the airwaves," Trump said. "Can't let it happen. Otherwise, we're not going to have a Democracy, we're not going to have anything to do with a republic."
Trump announced that he is directing his administration to "develop policies and procedures to ensure taxpayer dollars are not going in any social media company that repress free speech."
Trump said he would delete Twitter if there was a "fair press" in the United States but that he refuses to do so because of the wide reach the platform gives him.
The president added that he would "not allow" social media companies to "bully" the "American people."


bonginoreport--2020-05-28--Dr. Fauci Now Says Second Wave of Coronavirus May Not Happen

Fauci changes tune , now says second COVID-19 wave may never happen — and mask-wearing is symbolic

Dr. Anthony Fauci now says that a second wave of COVID-19 may not even happen and that wearing a mask is largely symbolic at this point.
What about the second wave?
In a Wednesday interview with CNN's "Newsroom," Fauci — member of the White House's coronavirus task force — said that a second COVID-19 wave is not necessarily inevitable.
"We often talk about the the possibility of a second wave, or of an outbreak when you're reopening," Fauci explained. "We don't have to accept that as an inevitability."
"Particularly," he continued, "when people start thinking about the fall. I want people to really appreciate that, it could happen, but it is not inevitable."
Fauci admitted that he is beginning to feel more and more optimistic as days go by, and insists that the U.S.'s expanded capability for testing is bolstering the COVID-19 response.
He pointed out that a second wave is entirely preventable if the U.S. is able to have the "workforce, the system, and the will to do the kinds of things that are the clear and effective identification, isolation, and contact tracing."
In April, however, Fauci insisted that second wave of coronavirus was inevitable.
During an interview with MSNBC, he said, "It's inevitable that the coronavirus will return next season. ... When it does, how we handle it, will determine our fate."
And so what about the masks?
Fauci also said that Americans should wear face masks in public to protect themselves — but also to get into good practices.
"I want to protect myself and protect others [by mask-wearing], and also because I want to make it be a symbol for people to see that that's the kind of thing you should be doing," he added.
During the interview, the infections diseases expert also admitted that wearing a mask is not 100% effective, but says that it is a gesture that shows "respect" for other people.


bonginoreport--2020-05-28--Flashback: Biden Said He Welcomes Chinese Intrusion Into “All Levels of Government, Classrooms, Labo

Flashback: Biden Said He Welcomes Chinese Intrusion Into “All Levels of Government, Classrooms, Laboratories”

Democratic Party presidential candidate Joe Biden has said he welcomes Chinese intrusion into “ all levels of [ U.S. ] government , classrooms , laboratories , athletic fields and boardrooms.
” The comments – unearthed from a 2011 Sichuan University speech – demonstrate either a fundamental misunderstanding of the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP ) , or outright collusion with it .
The former veep stated at the time : “ In order to cement this robust partnership , we have to go beyond close ties between Washington and Beijing , which we ’ re working on every day , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of government , go beyond it to include classrooms and laboratories , athletic fields and boardrooms.
” Biden , 77 , even advocated for closer ties between the U.S. and CCP on the military front : “ …that ’ s why it ’ s also important that our military leaders work together , get to know one another — not just our political leaders , but our military leaders.
” Biden takes this reckless approach to the private sector , too : “ The United States should undertake to make it easier for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the United States .
It takes much too long for that to happen.
” During the 50-minutes he spoke , Biden expressed support for granting China increased access to high-tech U.S. products : “ Already , we have made thousands of new items available for export to China for exclusive civilian use that were not available before , and tens of thousands of more items will become available very soon .
That ’ s a significant change in our export policy and a rejection of those voices in America that say we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to – for civilian use in – China .
We disagree , and we ’ re changing.
” Critics are right to oppose exports of this nature : they often have military applications and can end up in the hands of the CCP .
And despite his insistence in the speech trade with China “ supports hundreds of thousands of jobs in America ” and insists “ it ’ s in our mutual interest in each of our countries to promote that exchange , ” the nearly 4 million jobs lost in under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predatory trading practices such as currency manipulation tell a different story .
China ’ s exports have even harmed American lives : Chinese toys are made with toxic lead paint ; Chinese fish are carcinogenic due to the country ’ s polluted water ; Chinese candy has been contaminated formaldehyde ; and Chinese drywall is made with radioactive material .
Biden , however , insists : “ I believed in 1979 and said so and I believe now that a rising China is a positive development , not only for the people of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world as a whole.
” He continues : “ it is in our self-interest that China continues to prosper ” and retained hope “ a rising China will fuel economic growth and prosperity and it will bring to the fore a new partner with whom we can meet global challenges together.
” None of this has materialized .
Even the location of Biden ’ s speech , the final stop of his four-day China trip of which increased ties with the country was the main takeaway , speaks volumes : Sichuan University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with former high-ranking party apparatchiks on its board .
The university even utilizes “ student information officers ” tasked with identifying professors and peers who “ show any sign of disloyalty to President Xi Jinping and the ruling Communist Party ” and has a track record of intellectual property theft .
The remarks are especially concerning in light of a Chinese law that stipulates : “ any [ Chinese ] organization or [ Chinese ] citizen shall support , assist , and cooperate with state intelligence work in accordance with the law , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of state intelligence work.
” In other words , the CCP can requisition any citizen at any time in any place to assist with any goal of which surpassing the U.S. in international standing is paramount .
And Joe Biden wants to facilitate China ’ s unrestricted access to virtually all corners of the U.S .
The dangers of inviting Chinese enterprises into all sectors of U.S. society are not purely hypothetical .
Many of the “ partnerships ” Biden urges already exist – and at great detriment to U.S. workers , companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The CCP has coerced U.S. corporates to pull advertisements and products displaying Taiwan as a country independent from China and expressing support for the Hong Kong protests along with compelling the entertainment industry to frequently cut anti-CCP content .
The CCP already has a solid foothold in U.S. schools through Confucius Institutes , the regime ’ s international propaganda arm .
Even teachers affiliated with the trojan horse organization have admitted it ’ s a smokescreen for imposing “ Chinese morality and values.
” And the CCP-orchestrated Thousand Talents Plan seeks to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and reorient their research towards granting China an upper hand technologically and scientifically .
Granting China broader access to American laboratories is also a clear and present danger .
Two Chinese nationals were recently arrested for smuggling U.S. biological research , ostensibly at the request of the CCP .
But this isn ’ t an isolated incident or confined to scientific research : intellectual property theft is China ’ s modus operandi with nearly one in five American companies falling victim to the predatory scheme in 2019 .
A study published by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden praised China ’ s progress on the issue “ estimated that if IP protection in just China were improved to a level comparable to that in the United States , the U.S. economy would obtain an estimated $ 107 billion in additional annual sales and net U.S. employment could increase by 2.1-million jobs.
” There ’ s not enough time between now and the 2020 election to enumerate all the abuses U.S. businesses and workers endured at the hands of the CCP .
But it certainly doesn ’ t take much convincing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to China would wreak havoc on U.S. companies , institutions , and national security .

Democratic Party presidential candidate Joe Biden has said he welcomes Chinese intrusion into “all levels of [U.S.] government, classrooms, laboratories, athletic fields and boardrooms.”
The comments – unearthed from a 2011 Sichuan University speech – demonstrate either a fundamental misunderstanding of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), or outright collusion with it.
The former veep stated at the time:
“In order to cement this robust partnership, we have to go beyond close ties between Washington and Beijing, which we’re working on every day, go beyond it to include all levels of government, go beyond it to include classrooms and laboratories, athletic fields and boardrooms.”
Biden, 77, even advocated for closer ties between the U.S. and CCP on the military front:
“…that’s why it’s also important that our military leaders work together, get to know one another — not just our political leaders, but our military leaders.”
Biden takes this reckless approach to the private sector, too:
“The United States should undertake to make it easier for Chinese businesspeople to obtain visas to travel to the United States. It takes much too long for that to happen.”
During the 50-minutes he spoke, Biden expressed support for granting China increased access to high-tech U.S. products:
“Already, we have made thousands of new items available for export to China for exclusive civilian use that were not available before, and tens of thousands of more items will become available very soon. That’s a significant change in our export policy and a rejection of those voices in America that say we should not export that kind of technology to – for civilian use in – China. We disagree, and we’re changing.”
Critics are right to oppose exports of this nature: they often have military applications and can end up in the hands of the CCP.
And despite his insistence in the speech trade with China “supports hundreds of thousands of jobs in America” and insists “it’s in our mutual interest in each of our countries to promote that exchange,” the nearly 4 million jobs lost in under 20 years due to China’s predatory trading practices such as currency manipulation tell a different story.
China’s exports have even harmed American lives: Chinese toys are made with toxic lead paint; Chinese fish are carcinogenic due to the country’s polluted water; Chinese candy has been contaminated formaldehyde; and Chinese drywall is made with radioactive material.
Follow @thenatpulse
Biden, however, insists: “I believed in 1979 and said so and I believe now that a rising China is a positive development, not only for the people of China but for the United States and the world as a whole.”
He continues: “it is in our self-interest that China continues to prosper” and retained hope “a rising China will fuel economic growth and prosperity and it will bring to the fore a new partner with whom we can meet global challenges together.”
None of this has materialized.
Even the location of Biden’s speech, the final stop of his four-day China trip of which increased ties with the country was the main takeaway, speaks volumes: Sichuan University is a CCP funded and controlled institution with former high-ranking party apparatchiks on its board.
The university even utilizes “student information officers” tasked with identifying professors and peers who “show any sign of disloyalty to President Xi Jinping and the ruling Communist Party” and has a track record of intellectual property theft.
The remarks are especially concerning in light of a Chinese law that stipulates: “any [Chinese] organization or [Chinese] citizen shall support, assist, and cooperate with state intelligence work in accordance with the law, and maintain the secrecy of all knowledge of state intelligence work.”
In other words, the CCP can requisition any citizen at any time in any place to assist with any goal of which surpassing the U.S. in international standing is paramount. And Joe Biden wants to facilitate China’s unrestricted access to virtually all corners of the U.S.
The dangers of inviting Chinese enterprises into all sectors of U.S. society are not purely hypothetical.
Many of the “partnerships” Biden urges already exist – and at great detriment to U.S. workers, companies, and the economy as a whole.
The CCP has coerced U.S. corporates to pull advertisements and products displaying Taiwan as a country independent from China and expressing support for the Hong Kong protests along with compelling the entertainment industry to frequently cut anti-CCP content.
The CCP already has a solid foothold in U.S. schools through Confucius Institutes, the regime’s international propaganda arm. Even teachers affiliated with the trojan horse organization have admitted it’s a smokescreen for imposing “Chinese morality and values.” And the CCP-orchestrated Thousand Talents Plan seeks to lure prominent academics away from Western institutions and reorient their research towards granting China an upper hand technologically and scientifically.
Granting China broader access to American laboratories is also a clear and present danger. Two Chinese nationals were recently arrested for smuggling U.S. biological research, ostensibly at the request of the CCP. But this isn’t an isolated incident or confined to scientific research: intellectual property theft is China’s modus operandi with nearly one in five American companies falling victim to the predatory scheme in 2019.
A study published by the US International Trade Commission the same year Biden praised China’s progress on the issue “estimated that if IP protection in just China were improved to a level comparable to that in the United States, the U.S. economy would obtain an estimated $107 billion in additional annual sales and net U.S. employment could increase by 2.1-million jobs.”
There’s not enough time between now and the 2020 election to enumerate all the abuses U.S. businesses and workers endured at the hands of the CCP.
But it certainly doesn’t take much convincing to see why Biden’s approach to China would wreak havoc on U.S. companies, institutions, and national security.


bonginoreport--2020-05-28--How Movie Theaters Will Survive the Coronavirus

With shelter-in-place orders still in effect and announcements that they ’ ll likely continue for quite some time in certain locations , a large number of businesses are facing the increasing likelihood that they ’ ll have to shutter for good like so many others already have .
And while small businesses are certainly more susceptible to significant disruptions in the market than large businesses are , it isn ’ t only small businesses that are taking big hits due to COVID-19 policies .
It shouldn ’ t be any surprise that movie theaters are facing some really tough times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the policy responses to it , production studios keep pushing back release dates and exhibitors still don ’ t have a clear picture of what they will or will not be allowed to do and when .
Combined with the long-running downturn in ticket sales before the virus hit , many exhibitor companies are in serious trouble .
Film studios are also feeling the heat .
With filming ( in the US , at least ) at a halt along with many aspects of production like recording music for the scores , studios @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get the most out of the movies they ’ ve already completed .
With that in mind , Universal , the company that owns DreamWorks , made the decision to keep the original April 10th release date for the animated family musical Trolls World Tour .
Instead of showing in theaters , however , Trolls World Tour became immediately available as a premium video-on-demand ( VOD ) rental .
It took three weeks for Trolls World Tour to gross about $ 100 million worldwide .
The case could be made that the success @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was due to the confluence of unique conditions .
After all , kids were out of school and parents were hungry for fresh content to help entertain them .
Theaters were closed anyway , so why not try the VOD route instead of sitting on a completed movie until some undisclosed date in the future when it would be competing with all the other hot films that also had their release dates changed ?
Even so , Universal had every reason to be pleased with the movie ’ s success .
In fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shell , told The Wall Street Journal , “ As soon as theaters reopen , we expect to release movies on both formats.
” That is , both in theaters and on VOD .
AMC , the largest movie theater chain in the world , was very unhappy with this announcement .
Its president , Adam Aron , sent out a scathing letter in response saying , “ Going forward , AMC will not license any Universal movies in any of our 1,000 theatres globally on these terms.
” Regal Movies also got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go so far as to ban all the works of the entire studio , they did tweet out through their official Twitter account that they would play movies that “ respect the theatrical window.
” The “ theatrical window ” is the period of time that theaters have exclusive rights to show new movies .
Regal is basically saying here that it won ’ t play movies in its theaters that are also available via VOD .
It makes sense that theaters would be jealous of their exclusivity window .
After all , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business , though , in recent years , business hasn ’ t been particularly good .
Some industry watchers are sure that the success of Trolls World Tour as a premium VOD spells the end of movie theaters .
But then again , people have been saying that of VOD for years .
Maybe this time really is different , but it ’ s impossible to predict the fate of movie theaters with any high degree of accuracy .
While the exact fate of the movie theater is still in question , what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the movie-going experience will change .
The theaters that can adapt to the new , post-COVID landscape of consumer preferences will survive .
The ones that can ’ t or won ’ t change their strategies will go under .
And movie-lovers will have a front row seat to creative destruction in action .
Granted , we ’ ve seen an awful lot of destruction during this pandemic that has had nothing to do with creation .
But for those businesses that do survive the shut-down , only those that adapt to new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will keep their doors open in the long run .
All industries change over time , and sometimes extraordinary circumstances ( like a pandemic , for example ) force that change to happen more quickly than it would otherwise .
But that ’ s the beauty of markets .
They don ’ t need some guiding hand to get them through disruption and turmoil .
They just need to be free to adapt on their own .
And I , for one , am extremely interested to see how film exhibitors adapt .

With shelter-in-place orders still in effect and announcements that they’ll likely continue for quite some time in certain locations, a large number of businesses are facing the increasing likelihood that they’ll have to shutter for good like so many others already have. And while small businesses are certainly more susceptible to significant disruptions in the market than large businesses are, it isn’t only small businesses that are taking big hits due to COVID-19 policies.
It shouldn’t be any surprise that movie theaters are facing some really tough times right now. Thanks to COVID-19 and the policy responses to it, production studios keep pushing back release dates and exhibitors still don’t have a clear picture of what they will or will not be allowed to do and when. Combined with the long-running downturn in ticket sales before the virus hit, many exhibitor companies are in serious trouble.
Film studios are also feeling the heat. With filming (in the US, at least) at a halt along with many aspects of production like recording music for the scores, studios are scrambling to figure out how to get the most out of the movies they’ve already completed. With that in mind, Universal, the company that owns DreamWorks, made the decision to keep the original April 10th release date for the animated family musical Trolls World Tour. Instead of showing in theaters, however, Trolls World Tour became immediately available as a premium video-on-demand (VOD) rental.
It took three weeks for Trolls World Tour to gross about $100 million worldwide. The case could be made that the success of the movie as a premium VOD was due to the confluence of unique conditions. After all, kids were out of school and parents were hungry for fresh content to help entertain them. Theaters were closed anyway, so why not try the VOD route instead of sitting on a completed movie until some undisclosed date in the future when it would be competing with all the other hot films that also had their release dates changed?
Even so, Universal had every reason to be pleased with the movie’s success. In fact, NBCUniversal’s CEO, Jeff Shell, told The Wall Street Journal, “As soon as theaters reopen, we expect to release movies on both formats.” That is, both in theaters and on VOD.
AMC, the largest movie theater chain in the world, was very unhappy with this announcement. Its president, Adam Aron, sent out a scathing letter in response saying, “Going forward, AMC will not license any Universal movies in any of our 1,000 theatres globally on these terms.”
Regal Movies also got involved. While they didn’t go so far as to ban all the works of the entire studio, they did tweet out through their official Twitter account that they would play movies that “respect the theatrical window.”
Regal is not boycotting Universal nor any other studio. We will continue our normal policy and play movies that respect the theatrical window, allowing movies to be released first in theatres prior to streaming or VOD platforms. pic.twitter.com/xQBX4uUHfG — Regal (@RegalMovies) April 30, 2020
The “theatrical window” is the period of time that theaters have exclusive rights to show new movies. Regal is basically saying here that it won’t play movies in its theaters that are also available via VOD.
It makes sense that theaters would be jealous of their exclusivity window. After all, it’s what keeps them in business, though, in recent years, business hasn’t been particularly good.
Some industry watchers are sure that the success of Trolls World Tour as a premium VOD spells the end of movie theaters. But then again, people have been saying that of VOD for years. Maybe this time really is different, but it’s impossible to predict the fate of movie theaters with any high degree of accuracy.
While the exact fate of the movie theater is still in question, what isn’t in doubt is that the movie-going experience will change. The theaters that can adapt to the new, post-COVID landscape of consumer preferences will survive. The ones that can’t or won’t change their strategies will go under. And movie-lovers will have a front row seat to creative destruction in action.
Granted, we’ve seen an awful lot of destruction during this pandemic that has had nothing to do with creation. But for those businesses that do survive the shut-down, only those that adapt to new customer behavior (and legal restrictions) will keep their doors open in the long run.
All industries change over time, and sometimes extraordinary circumstances (like a pandemic, for example) force that change to happen more quickly than it would otherwise. But that’s the beauty of markets. They don’t need some guiding hand to get them through disruption and turmoil. They just need to be free to adapt on their own.
And I, for one, am extremely interested to see how film exhibitors adapt.


bonginoreport--2020-05-28--Andrew Cuomo Admits Coronavirus Models Were Wrong

New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo admitted on Monday that the COVID-19 projection models put forth by “ national experts ” “ were all wrong , ” saying that “ we all failed at that business ” and proclaiming that he was “ out of the guessing business.
” This was in response to a question from a reporter about when New York would “ reopen.
” '' Now , people can speculate .
People can guess .
I think next week , I think two weeks , I think a month , '' Cuomo answered .
`` I 'm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ failed at that business .
Right ?
All the early national experts .
Here 's my projection model .
Here 's my projection model .
They were all wrong .
They were all wrong . ''
Cuomo added : `` There are a lot of variables .
I understand that .
We did n't know what the social distancing would actually amount to .
I get it , but we were all wrong .
So , I 'm sort of out of the guessing business , right ?
” Such an expression of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rare and welcome .
But it doesn ’ t get him off the hook .
Despite his claim to the contrary , Cuomo is still deep in the “ guessing business.
” In his response , he said that New York would open bit-by-bit according to whenever a given region ’ s COVID-19 metrics—like its decline in hospitalizations and deaths—reached a certain threshold .
And he stressed that the criteria are the same for each region .
“ There ’ s only one set of numbers , ” he said .
“ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ here .
We have statewide criteria .
They are the same all across the state.
” So , Cuomo just doesn ’ t want to guess when all of New York will meet the official criteria .
However , by enforcing the lockdowns until then , he is still guessing .
He is guessing that those criteria are the right ones for the whole state .
And more fundamentally , he is guessing that lockdowns are good policy in the first place .
Furthermore , by making these guesses , he is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national experts ” based on “ projection models ” that he himself admits were wrong .
Far from humility , this is the height of arrogance .
It represents what the Nobel Prize-winning economist F.A .
Hayek called “ the pretense of knowledge ” and “ the fatal conceit ” of central planning .
It is wildly pretentious for anyone to assume to know how a population of more than 19 million should cope with a novel pandemic , and especially to assume that the same exact criteria for reopening should be applied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York , upstate suburbia , and rural areas .
Unfortunately Cuomo can afford such arrogance , because he is not the one who pays the price when he guesses wrong .
It is New Yorkers who suffer from his mistakes : like the 1.7 million people who lost their jobs due to the lockdowns , and the thousands of elderly New Yorkers who died because he forced nursing homes to admit COVID-19 carriers .
When a reporter dared to ask him about the policy , Cuomo expressed indignation over the very idea of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indeed .
Eventually , controversy over the policy grew too great for even him to ignore , and he reversed it .
In spite of such controversies and the fact that New York has by far the worst COVID-19 track record in the country , Cuomo ’ s public profile has skyrocketed , as his press conferences have become major events .
As the economist Thomas Sowell wrote , `` It would be hard to think of a more ridiculous way to make decisions than to transfer those decisions to third parties who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Even worse is transferring decisions to third parties who are rewarded for being wrong .
But such are the perverse incentives of politics .
Under a state-revering public philosophy , scary crises send people flocking to the arms of politicians , even the politicians who are to blame for worsening the crisis .
In spite of his seemingly humble remarks , Cuomo continues to act as a central planner , locking down an economy bigger than that of most countries , and issuing sweeping dictates to millions over how they are to address @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Like all central planners , his power-tripping arrogance blinds him to a fundamental truth about society : that central planning is always a “ guessing business ” : a hubristic venture of wild , uneducated guesses .
That is because central planners are necessarily starved of “ local knowledge , ” or as Hayek put it , the “ knowledge of people , of local conditions , and of special circumstances ” that is indispensable for solving social problems .
`` There are a lot of variables , ” Cuomo admitted .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he really ?
If he truly understood how infinitely complex social problems are , he wouldn ’ t act as if they can be solved top-down by politicians , bureaucracies , and a government-connected expert class .
He would admit that all central planners can do is stumble around in the dark , breaking things and people .
And if he understood economics , he would realize that the complexity of social problems are such that they can only be managed bottom-up by local actors with local knowledge and skin in the game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ society and a free market .
The future is inherently uncertain , so human action will always be guesswork to a degree .
But only a society of free and self-responsible individuals are capable of truly educated guesses .

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo admitted on Monday that the COVID-19 projection models put forth by “national experts” “were all wrong,” saying that “we all failed at that business” and proclaiming that he was “out of the guessing business.”
This was in response to a question from a reporter about when New York would “reopen.”
"Now, people can speculate. People can guess. I think next week, I think two weeks, I think a month," Cuomo answered. "I'm out of that business because we all failed at that business. Right? All the early national experts. Here's my projection model. Here's my projection model. They were all wrong. They were all wrong."
Cuomo added: "There are a lot of variables. I understand that. We didn't know what the social distancing would actually amount to. I get it, but we were all wrong. So, I'm sort of out of the guessing business, right?”
Such an expression of “epistemic humility” among politicians is rare and welcome. But it doesn’t get him off the hook.
Despite his claim to the contrary, Cuomo is still deep in the “guessing business.” In his response, he said that New York would open bit-by-bit according to whenever a given region’s COVID-19 metrics—like its decline in hospitalizations and deaths—reached a certain threshold. And he stressed that the criteria are the same for each region.
“There’s only one set of numbers,” he said. “This is not ‘pick your numbers,’ here. We have statewide criteria. They are the same all across the state.”
So, Cuomo just doesn’t want to guess when all of New York will meet the official criteria. However, by enforcing the lockdowns until then, he is still guessing. He is guessing that those criteria are the right ones for the whole state. And more fundamentally, he is guessing that lockdowns are good policy in the first place.
Furthermore, by making these guesses, he is continuing to rely on recommendations from “national experts” based on “projection models” that he himself admits were wrong.
Far from humility, this is the height of arrogance. It represents what the Nobel Prize-winning economist F.A. Hayek called “the pretense of knowledge” and “the fatal conceit” of central planning.
It is wildly pretentious for anyone to assume to know how a population of more than 19 million should cope with a novel pandemic, and especially to assume that the same exact criteria for reopening should be applied to such varying conditions as downtown New York, upstate suburbia, and rural areas.
Unfortunately Cuomo can afford such arrogance, because he is not the one who pays the price when he guesses wrong. It is New Yorkers who suffer from his mistakes: like the 1.7 million people who lost their jobs due to the lockdowns, and the thousands of elderly New Yorkers who died because he forced nursing homes to admit COVID-19 carriers.
When a reporter dared to ask him about the policy, Cuomo expressed indignation over the very idea of questioning it. “Fatal conceit” indeed. Eventually, controversy over the policy grew too great for even him to ignore, and he reversed it.
In spite of such controversies and the fact that New York has by far the worst COVID-19 track record in the country, Cuomo’s public profile has skyrocketed, as his press conferences have become major events.
As the economist Thomas Sowell wrote, "It would be hard to think of a more ridiculous way to make decisions than to transfer those decisions to third parties who pay no price for being wrong.”
Even worse is transferring decisions to third parties who are rewarded for being wrong. But such are the perverse incentives of politics. Under a state-revering public philosophy, scary crises send people flocking to the arms of politicians, even the politicians who are to blame for worsening the crisis.
In spite of his seemingly humble remarks, Cuomo continues to act as a central planner, locking down an economy bigger than that of most countries, and issuing sweeping dictates to millions over how they are to address a complex public health and social problem. Like all central planners, his power-tripping arrogance blinds him to a fundamental truth about society: that central planning is always a “guessing business”: a hubristic venture of wild, uneducated guesses.
That is because central planners are necessarily starved of “local knowledge,” or as Hayek put it, the “knowledge of people, of local conditions, and of special circumstances” that is indispensable for solving social problems.
"There are a lot of variables,” Cuomo admitted. “I understand that.”
But does he really? If he truly understood how infinitely complex social problems are, he wouldn’t act as if they can be solved top-down by politicians, bureaucracies, and a government-connected expert class. He would admit that all central planners can do is stumble around in the dark, breaking things and people.
And if he understood economics, he would realize that the complexity of social problems are such that they can only be managed bottom-up by local actors with local knowledge and skin in the game interacting with each other in a free society and a free market.
The future is inherently uncertain, so human action will always be guesswork to a degree. But only a society of free and self-responsible individuals are capable of truly educated guesses.


bonginoreport--2020-05-28--How the IG Fired by Mike Pormpeo Weaponized His Post to Take Down a War Hero Diplomat

The purpose of appointing inspectors general is to ensure no one is above the law .
Instead of guarding this public trust , State Department IG Steve Linick weaponized it .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told critics of his decision to fire State Department Inspector General ( IG ) Steve Linick , “ Frankly , I should have done it some time ago.
” Pompeo would not specify how Linick undermined the department ’ s mission , the stated reason for his firing .
It becomes obvious , however , when we look at the damage Linick did to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years ago , just as it was investigating the Chinese United Nations stranglehold .
Assistant Secretary of State Kevin Moley , the State Department ’ s top diplomat in charge of international organization affairs , quietly retired from public service last November , after five decades .
This came after two years of Linick ’ s prying , if not outright hostility , helped by the president ’ s Democratic opponents on Capitol Hill , Sen. Bob Menendez , D-N.J. , and Rep. Eliot Engel , D-N.Y .
The campaign against Moley , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Geneva , and his senior adviser , Mari Stull , began in April 2018 shortly after he was called out of retirement to assume his responsibilities at State Department headquarters .
So poor was the state of the bureau when Moley and Stull arrived , that when they asked for a comprehensive list of Chinese-occupied UN positions , trust funds , and other influences within international institutions , career staffers recoiled , dragged their feet for three months , and presented a one-page response .
Moley , a former enlisted Marine who earned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calm under fire .
He and Stull continued pressing for UN reform against Chinese intrusion , implementing a new strategy to counter Chinese influence .
Moley oversaw U.S. withdrawal from the Human Rights Council and UNESCO , and defunded the UN Relief and Works Agency because the organization was corrupted by special interests .
He reduced U.S. assessments to the UN , penalized UN agencies for violating whistleblower rules , and increased transparency by declassifying reports on Palestinian “ rights of return.
” Also offensive to Moley critics , he faithfully enacted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is the legacy of an effective leader carrying out the policies of the secretary of state and the president who appointed him .
For that , Moley should have been commended , but instead , resistance to his important reforms was swift , and Linick began his investigation .
Moley ’ s most senior foreign service officer , the principal deputy assistant , who had occupied Moley ’ s position in an acting capacity before he arrived , acted as Linick ’ s watchdog in the bureau .
When Moley stopped the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out the liquor cart mid-afternoon on Fridays to conduct “ vespers ” for bureau staff , and did not support other practices he deemed unprofessional , the staffer quit and moved up to the management office , which was alongside Linick ’ s .
It wasn ’ t long before several news outlets fired a series of what would be regular rounds at Moley and Stull , citing “ anonymously ” leaked grievances by a senior diplomat .
Menendez and the late Rep. Elijah Cummings , D-Md.
, cited the news stories as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ostensibly based on the existence of a “ loyalty list ” Stull used to “ retaliate ” against the senior staffer and other personnel .
Stull repeatedly denied such list , a fact proved after a year and a half of Linick ’ s investigation and several Freedom of Information Act requests .
Linick ’ s investigation , published last October , was devoid of any evidence Moley acted wrongly .
Instead , Linick called for “ corrective ” action against Moley , claiming a senior staffer and others had left the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” a charge Moley and Stull flatly denied .
Linick ’ s report cited wafting “ appearances , ” “ concern , ” and “ perception ” of poor leadership in lieu of evidence .
Moreover , Linick acknowledged Moley was within his purview in making personnel decisions .
The hounding continued with mutable justification , similar to the Robert Mueller investigation against the president and prosecution of Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn .
Media criticism and Democrats ’ calls for yet another IG investigation ensued .
Moley and Stull decided it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the good of the bureau .
The combat-decorated Marine , a veteran of the two Bush administrations , announced his retirement Nov. 29 , his 50th wedding anniversary .
By using his position to settle policy disputes , Linick undermined U.S. foreign affairs at a critical time .
Moley was confirmed by the Senate , and was charged with and responsible for implementing strategy to counter Chinese influence at the UN .
If he had not been undermined by unwarranted investigations , the United States could well have been in a stronger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese influence hampered the World Health Organization ’ s response , to the detriment of medical professionals and at the cost of human lives around the world .
Moley and Stull were casualties of a cynical use of one of America ’ s most coveted attributes , the idea that no one is above the law .
The purpose of appointing inspectors general is to ensure the tenet is fairly applied .
Instead of guarding this public trust , Linick weaponized it .
His actions sowed , or at least did nothing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political appointees at a time the country depends upon that trust .

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told critics of his decision to fire State Department Inspector General (IG) Steve Linick, “Frankly, I should have done it some time ago.” Pompeo would not specify how Linick undermined the department’s mission, the stated reason for his firing. It becomes obvious, however, when we look at the damage Linick did to the Bureau of International Organizations beginning three years ago, just as it was investigating the Chinese United Nations stranglehold.
Assistant Secretary of State Kevin Moley, the State Department’s top diplomat in charge of international organization affairs, quietly retired from public service last November, after five decades. This came after two years of Linick’s prying, if not outright hostility, helped by the president’s Democratic opponents on Capitol Hill, Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., and Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y.
The campaign against Moley, former U.S. ambassador to the UN in Geneva, and his senior adviser, Mari Stull, began in April 2018 shortly after he was called out of retirement to assume his responsibilities at State Department headquarters. So poor was the state of the bureau when Moley and Stull arrived, that when they asked for a comprehensive list of Chinese-occupied UN positions, trust funds, and other influences within international institutions, career staffers recoiled, dragged their feet for three months, and presented a one-page response.
Moley, a former enlisted Marine who earned the Purple Heart in Vietnam, stayed calm under fire. He and Stull continued pressing for UN reform against Chinese intrusion, implementing a new strategy to counter Chinese influence.
Moley oversaw U.S. withdrawal from the Human Rights Council and UNESCO, and defunded the UN Relief and Works Agency because the organization was corrupted by special interests. He reduced U.S. assessments to the UN, penalized UN agencies for violating whistleblower rules, and increased transparency by declassifying reports on Palestinian “rights of return.” Also offensive to Moley critics, he faithfully enacted the president’s pro-life foreign policy.
Linick Takes Action Against Moley
This is the legacy of an effective leader carrying out the policies of the secretary of state and the president who appointed him. For that, Moley should have been commended, but instead, resistance to his important reforms was swift, and Linick began his investigation.
Moley’s most senior foreign service officer, the principal deputy assistant, who had occupied Moley’s position in an acting capacity before he arrived, acted as Linick’s watchdog in the bureau. When Moley stopped the senior staffer’s practice of wheeling out the liquor cart mid-afternoon on Fridays to conduct “vespers” for bureau staff, and did not support other practices he deemed unprofessional, the staffer quit and moved up to the management office, which was alongside Linick’s.
It wasn’t long before several news outlets fired a series of what would be regular rounds at Moley and Stull, citing “anonymously” leaked grievances by a senior diplomat. Menendez and the late Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., cited the news stories as reason for Linick’s IG investigation, ostensibly based on the existence of a “loyalty list” Stull used to “retaliate” against the senior staffer and other personnel.
Stull repeatedly denied such list, a fact proved after a year and a half of Linick’s investigation and several Freedom of Information Act requests. Linick’s investigation, published last October, was devoid of any evidence Moley acted wrongly.
Instead, Linick called for “corrective” action against Moley, claiming a senior staffer and others had left the bureau due to his management “style,” a charge Moley and Stull flatly denied. Linick’s report cited wafting “appearances,” “concern,” and “perception” of poor leadership in lieu of evidence. Moreover, Linick acknowledged Moley was within his purview in making personnel decisions.
Linick Weaponized His Position
The hounding continued with mutable justification, similar to the Robert Mueller investigation against the president and prosecution of Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn. Media criticism and Democrats’ calls for yet another IG investigation ensued. Moley and Stull decided it was time to move out of the way for the good of the bureau. The combat-decorated Marine, a veteran of the two Bush administrations, announced his retirement Nov. 29, his 50th wedding anniversary.
By using his position to settle policy disputes, Linick undermined U.S. foreign affairs at a critical time. Moley was confirmed by the Senate, and was charged with and responsible for implementing strategy to counter Chinese influence at the UN. If he had not been undermined by unwarranted investigations, the United States could well have been in a stronger position when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and Chinese influence hampered the World Health Organization’s response, to the detriment of medical professionals and at the cost of human lives around the world.
Moley and Stull were casualties of a cynical use of one of America’s most coveted attributes, the idea that no one is above the law. The purpose of appointing inspectors general is to ensure the tenet is fairly applied. Instead of guarding this public trust, Linick weaponized it. His actions sowed, or at least did nothing to mend, suspicion between career staff and political appointees at a time the country depends upon that trust.
Susan Yoshihara, Ph.D., has advised senior State Department personnel over three administrations and negotiated at the United Nations as a member of a UN delegation. She is research director at the New York- and Washington, D.C.-based Center for Family & Human Rights and is a senior fellow at the Gold Institute for International Strategy.


bonginoreport--2020-05-29--Federal Reserve Balance Sheet Increases to $7.1 Trillion

A previous version misidentified the source of the increase in the debt facilities .
The Federal Reserve 's balance sheet @ @ @ @ @ trillion as of Wednesday , up from $ 7.04 trillion last week .
A large @ @ @ @ @ from a $ 33 billion increase in the central bank 's emergency lending programs aimed @ @ @ @ @ But that increase in the lending facilities reflects the Treasury Department 's equity contributions .
@ @ @ @ @ the facilities only saw a $ 1.2 billion increase in buying of corporate debt exchange-traded @ @

A previous version misidentified the source of the increase in the debt facilities.
The Federal Reserve's balance sheet rose marginally to $7.1 trillion as of Wednesday, up from $7.04 trillion last week. A large chunk of that growth came from a $33 billion increase in the central bank's emergency lending programs aimed at buying corporate bonds. But that increase in the lending facilities reflects the Treasury Department's equity contributions. Taking that into account, the facilities only saw a $1.2 billion increase in buying of corporate debt exchange-traded funds.


bonginoreport--2020-05-29--Trump Administration Vows to Fight China’s Manipulation of U.N. Agencies

China is working to assume control of multiple key United Nations agencies in order to subvert U.S. influence and advance its anti-democratic agenda , current and former senior Trump administration officials told the Washington Free Beacon .
China currently holds 4 of the top 15 leading positions within the organization , including a seat on the powerful Security Council .
The country ’ s sway was on full display this year when it successfully pressured the World Health Organization ( WHO ) to hide information about the coronavirus pandemic .
The Communist Party is also using its influence at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights record and other state-backed atrocities , including its coronavirus cover-up .
China has blocked dissidents from petitioning the U.N. Human Rights Council and has even threatened retaliation against diplomats seeking an investigation of these abuses .
`` China is constantly working behind the scenes to gain more influence globally , '' Nikki Haley , the administration ’ s former ambassador to the U.N. , told the Free Beacon .
`` That 's especially true at the U.N. , whether it 's distracting from their own human rights abuses , manipulating to gain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smaller countries to vote their way .
For them perception is everything , and it 's why we can never stop being loud , calling them out , and bringing attention to their behavior . ''
China ’ s ambition extends far beyond the WHO , Trump administration officials say .
The White House is placing a greater emphasis on combating China ’ s manipulation of the U.N. , which could entail withholding further funding to the body and sanctions on top Community Party figures .
These efforts are likely to receive bipartisan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Democrats seek to hold China accountable in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic .
Dan Blumenthal , director of Asian studies at the American Enterprise Institute , said the United States can pressure the U.N. by withholding its funding .
`` We need a focused and intensive diplomatic campaign to replace Chinese and Russian-backed heads of international organization , with people who support the values of the free world , '' he said .
The United States discussed new efforts to counter China ’ s influence at the U.N. in its Strategic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ published earlier this month that outlines the White House ’ s response to Chinese hegemony .
If China is permitted to exploit the U.N. unchecked , America risks losing its place at the center of global affairs , the document warns .
China ’ s Belt and Road projects—a Communist Party-run global development program aimed at expanding the country ’ s influence—have emerged as particularly concerning to the Trump administration .
In one example of the Trump administration efforts to combat China 's influence , the State Department recently identified efforts by Beijing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into Afghanistan .
By inserting language into a 2019 U.N. Security Council resolution on Afghanistan assistance , China hoped to justify an increased presence in the country that the United States sees as damaging .
The State Department said in a 2019 report on voting practices at the U.N. that it was able to erase the Belt and Road language , describing the action as a significant win for America in its push to counter China , according to a copy of that report obtained by the Free Beacon .
China ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.N. ’ s human rights organs , where China enjoys membership .
It has prevented these bodies from investigating its abuse of the ethnic minority Uyghur population , as well as other human rights abuses .
`` Chinese officials heading international organizations lack independence from the CCP , and have a proven track record of using these leadership roles to mold the U.N. agenda to serve the CCP ’ s own self-serving interests , '' a senior administration official , who was not authorized to speak on record , told the Free Beacon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Road as part of aid packages for developing countries , primarily in Africa , it uses the leverage gained by the programs to infiltrate a country ’ s economy and military , according to the White House .
The United States and China recently engaged in a heated war of words over global health aid during the WHO ’ s annual meeting earlier this month .
As the Free Beacon first reported , the administration renewed commitments to combat China ’ s narrative that it is supplanting America as the world ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress , lawmakers have forwarded a range of initiatives to sanction Chinese officials complicit in human rights abuses and the cover-up of the coronavirus .
Congress could also move to withhold critical funding for bodies it deems under China ’ s thumb .
A spokeswoman for leading China hawk Sen. Ted Cruz ( R. , Texas ) told the Free Beacon the senator and his like-minded colleagues will use their leverage to block the ascension of Chinese officials to key U.N. bodies .
`` The Chinese Communist Party systematically seizes control and subverts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to advance their interests at the expense of those organizations ’ credibility and our national security , '' said Cruz spokeswoman Lauren Aronson .

China is working to assume control of multiple key United Nations agencies in order to subvert U.S. influence and advance its anti-democratic agenda, current and former senior Trump administration officials told the Washington Free Beacon.
China currently holds 4 of the top 15 leading positions within the organization, including a seat on the powerful Security Council. The country’s sway was on full display this year when it successfully pressured the World Health Organization (WHO) to hide information about the coronavirus pandemic.
The Communist Party is also using its influence at the U.N. to thwart investigations into its human rights record and other state-backed atrocities, including its coronavirus cover-up. China has blocked dissidents from petitioning the U.N. Human Rights Council and has even threatened retaliation against diplomats seeking an investigation of these abuses.
"China is constantly working behind the scenes to gain more influence globally," Nikki Haley, the administration’s former ambassador to the U.N., told the Free Beacon. "That's especially true at the U.N., whether it's distracting from their own human rights abuses, manipulating to gain control of U.N. agencies, or bullying smaller countries to vote their way. For them perception is everything, and it's why we can never stop being loud, calling them out, and bringing attention to their behavior."
China’s ambition extends far beyond the WHO, Trump administration officials say. The White House is placing a greater emphasis on combating China’s manipulation of the U.N., which could entail withholding further funding to the body and sanctions on top Community Party figures. These efforts are likely to receive bipartisan backing in Congress, as both Republicans and Democrats seek to hold China accountable in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Dan Blumenthal, director of Asian studies at the American Enterprise Institute, said the United States can pressure the U.N. by withholding its funding.
"We need a focused and intensive diplomatic campaign to replace Chinese and Russian-backed heads of international organization, with people who support the values of the free world," he said.
The United States discussed new efforts to counter China’s influence at the U.N. in its Strategic Approach to China, a comprehensive document published earlier this month that outlines the White House’s response to Chinese hegemony. If China is permitted to exploit the U.N. unchecked, America risks losing its place at the center of global affairs, the document warns.
China’s Belt and Road projects—a Communist Party-run global development program aimed at expanding the country’s influence—have emerged as particularly concerning to the Trump administration.
In one example of the Trump administration's efforts to combat China's influence, the State Department recently identified efforts by Beijing to expand the Belt and Road Initiative into Afghanistan. By inserting language into a 2019 U.N. Security Council resolution on Afghanistan assistance, China hoped to justify an increased presence in the country that the United States sees as damaging.
The State Department said in a 2019 report on voting practices at the U.N. that it was able to erase the Belt and Road language, describing the action as a significant win for America in its push to counter China, according to a copy of that report obtained by the Free Beacon.
China’s influence has been particularly evident within the U.N.’s human rights organs, where China enjoys membership. It has prevented these bodies from investigating its abuse of the ethnic minority Uyghur population, as well as other human rights abuses.
"Chinese officials heading international organizations lack independence from the CCP, and have a proven track record of using these leadership roles to mold the U.N. agenda to serve the CCP’s own self-serving interests," a senior administration official, who was not authorized to speak on record, told the Free Beacon.
While China presents programs like Belt and Road as part of aid packages for developing countries, primarily in Africa, it uses the leverage gained by the programs to infiltrate a country’s economy and military, according to the White House.
The United States and China recently engaged in a heated war of words over global health aid during the WHO’s annual meeting earlier this month. As the Free Beacon first reported, the administration renewed commitments to combat China’s narrative that it is supplanting America as the world’s most generous aid donor.
In Congress, lawmakers have forwarded a range of initiatives to sanction Chinese officials complicit in human rights abuses and the cover-up of the coronavirus. Congress could also move to withhold critical funding for bodies it deems under China’s thumb.
A spokeswoman for leading China hawk Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) told the Free Beacon the senator and his like-minded colleagues will use their leverage to block the ascension of Chinese officials to key U.N. bodies.
"The Chinese Communist Party systematically seizes control and subverts international organizations, one by one, to advance their interests at the expense of those organizations’ credibility and our national security," said Cruz spokeswoman Lauren Aronson.


bonginoreport--2020-05-29--AG Barr Says Social Media Executive Order Will Be Expanded If Necessary

Attorney General William Barr praised President Trump for his executive order that could allow federal regulators to take punitive action against social media giants for the way they regulate online content .
Trump 's order rolls back the long-standing legal protection known as Section 230 , which spares tech companies from being held liable for the content they allow online and how they decide to monitor it .
Barr said the protection , which was adopted about 25 years ago , has been stretched beyond its original intention of not holding tech companies accountable for the content created by third-party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ completely stretched to allow what have become really behemoths who control a lot of the flow of information in our society to engage in censorship of that information and to act as editors and publishers of the material , '' Barr said .
`` So when they put on their own content , like fact-check content onto other people ’ s content and when curate their collection , they start censoring particular content , including in many cases the direction of ... governments like communist China , they become publishers .
They shouldn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of shield that was set up earlier , '' he continued .
The order comes days after Twitter put a fact-check alert on one of Trump 's tweets , linking mail-in voting to increased voter fraud .
Twitter has taken steps to combat misinformation in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic to avoid what it deems potentially dangerous medical hoaxes or advice from spreading throughout the public .
Trump has aggressively pushed back on the action , accusing the company of political bias .
Barr said Trump 's order is a strong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oversight of tech companies on its users and allow Section 230 to return to its original intent .
`` They are using that market power with particular viewpoints , '' Barr said .
`` That is wrong .
It has to be addressed , not only to this executive order , but I think litigation going forward . ''

Attorney General William Barr praised President Trump for his executive order that could allow federal regulators to take punitive action against social media giants for the way they regulate online content.
Trump's order rolls back the long-standing legal protection known as Section 230, which spares tech companies from being held liable for the content they allow online and how they decide to monitor it.
Barr said the protection, which was adopted about 25 years ago, has been stretched beyond its original intention of not holding tech companies accountable for the content created by third-party users.
"It’s been completely stretched to allow what have become really behemoths who control a lot of the flow of information in our society to engage in censorship of that information and to act as editors and publishers of the material," Barr said.
"So when they put on their own content, like fact-check content onto other people’s content and when curate their collection, they start censoring particular content, including in many cases the direction of ... governments like communist China, they become publishers. They shouldn’t be entitled to the same kind of shield that was set up earlier," he continued.
The order comes days after Twitter put a fact-check alert on one of Trump's tweets, linking mail-in voting to increased voter fraud.
Twitter has taken steps to combat misinformation in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic to avoid what it deems potentially dangerous medical hoaxes or advice from spreading throughout the public.
Trump has aggressively pushed back on the action, accusing the company of political bias.
Barr said Trump's order is a strong step in addressing the problem of increased oversight of tech companies on its users and allow Section 230 to return to its original intent.
"They are using that market power with particular viewpoints," Barr said. "That is wrong. It has to be addressed, not only to this executive order, but I think litigation going forward."


bonginoreport--2020-05-29--Twitter Flags Another Trump Tweet After Executive Order

Twitter flagged and hid a tweet posted by President Donald Trump ’ s early Friday morning after the president signed an Executive Order challenging the growing political bias in tech companies , whose platforms are meant to be neutral .
Trump ’ s tweet was in response to the growing unrest and rioting in Minnesota , in response to the horrific death of George Floyd while in police custody .
Thursday night the situation in Minneapolis escalated again when rioters overran a police precinct , forcing police officers , who were told not to respond by city officials , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ground .
Trump signed the Executive Order Thursday aimed at social media giants he says , have been operating as biased publishers rather than platforms for free speech .
Trump tweeted that these “ THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd , and I won ’ t let that happen .
Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way .
Any difficulty and we will assume control but , when the looting starts , the shooting starts .
Thank you !
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local authorities in containing the rioting .
Earlier the president criticized the city ’ s mayor , who ordered the evacuation of the precinct saying , “ the very weak radical left mayor Jacob Frey ” if he didn ’ t bring the city under control .
In response , Twitter flagged the President ’ s tweet and attached a notice saying “ we have placed a public interest notice on this Tweet from @ realDonaldTrump.
” The tweet is actually hidden from public view but can be viewed if the reader so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence , ” said Twitter .
“ However , Twitter has determined that it may be in the public ’ s interest for the Tweet to remain accessible.
” Twitter ’ s reasoning to place a ‘ public interest notice ’ on Trump appears to be in retaliation .
His tweet did not incite violence or glorify it what-so-ever .
Some twitter users suggested Twitter ’ s CEO Jack Dorsey is in all out war on the platform against the Trump administration .
And Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only ones targeted , numerous congressional officials , and conservative pundits have long complained , including this reporter , that Twitter conducts shadow-bans of content and targets conservative voices on the platform .
The order allows the Federal Communications Commission ( FCC ) to re-access Section 230 , which grants liability protections to media platforms .
The order will also allow for a process to file complaints with the Federal Trade Commission if tech companies ’ content-moderation policies are not neutral , or if they have crossed the line into behaving as publishers @ @ @

War on drugs: agents seized enough to kill U.S. population 19 times
The war on drugs being fought on a daily basis at our borders has been able to be quantified with...


bonginoreport--2020-05-29--Minneapolis Rioters Set Fire to Police Precinct

Much of the Minneapolis violence occurred in the Longfellow neighborhood , where protesters converged on the precinct station of the @ @ @ @ @ In a strip mall across the street from the 3rd Precinct station , the windows @ @ @ @ @ been smashed , from the large Target department store at one end to the Planet @ @ @ @ @ .
Only the 24-hour laundromat appeared to have escaped unscathed .

Protesters lay in the middle of the intersection of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. and Second Avenue in Memphis on June 4, 2020 for the protests over the death of George Floyd. Floyd died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. (Patrick Lantrip / AP)
MINNEAPOLIS — Thick smoke hovered over Minneapolis on Friday, hours after cheering protesters torched a police station that officers abandoned as a third night of violent protests flared over the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who pleaded for air as a white police officer knelt on his neck.
Police evacuated the 3rd Precinct station, the focus of many of the protests, late Thursday to protect employees, a spokesman said. Livestream video showed protesters entering the building, where intentionally set fires activated smoke alarms and sprinklers. President Donald Trump threatened action, prompting a warning from Twitter for “glorifying violence.”
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[ Minnesota police officer who knelt on George Floyd has been arrested, authorities say ]
Dozens of fires were also set in nearby St. Paul, where nearly 200 businesses were damaged or looted. Protests spread across the U.S., fueled by outrage over Floyd’s death, and years of violence against African Americans at the hands of police. Demonstrators clashed with officers in New York and blocked traffic in Columbus, Ohio, and Denver.
Trump threatened to bring Minneapolis “under control,” calling the protesters “thugs” and tweeting that "when the looting starts, the shooting starts.” The tweet drew another warning from Twitter, which said the comment violated the platform’s rules, but the company did not remove it.
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Trump also blasted the “total lack of leadership” in Minneapolis.
A visibly tired and frustrated Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey made his first public appearance of the night early Friday at City Hall and took responsibility for evacuating the precinct, saying it had become too dangerous for officers. As Frey continued, a reporter cut across loudly with a question: “What's the plan here?”
“With regard to?” Frey responded. Then he added: “There is a lot of pain and anger right now in our city. I understand that ... What we have seen over the past several hours and past couple of nights here in terms of looting is unacceptable.”
[ Who was George Floyd? Unemployed due to coronavirus, he’d moved to Minneapolis for a fresh start. ]
He defended the city's lack of engagement with looters — only a handful of arrests across the first two nights of violence — and said, “We are doing absolutely everything that we can to keep the peace.” He said National Guard members were stationed in locations to help stem looting, including at banks, grocery stores and pharmacies.
The Minnesota State Patrol arrested a CNN television crew early Friday as the journalists reported on the unrest. While live on air, CNN reporter Omar Jimenez was handcuffed and led away. A producer and a photojournalist for CNN were also taken away in handcuffs.
Minnesota police arrest CNN reporter and camera crew as they report from protests in Minneapolis https://t.co/IY0H1Lc77E pic.twitter.com/s9XmwVfabP — New Day (@NewDay) May 29, 2020
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz apologizes for the arrest of a CNN reporter and camera crew and says he will have them released: “It was totally unacceptable” https://t.co/R1rnxSZvXO pic.twitter.com/D1xMiIB5ho — CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) May 29, 2020
According to Jimenez’s bio on the CNN website, he is the cable network’s Chicago-based correspondent. A graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, Jimenez began his TV career in Quincy, IL at WGEM-TV. He has been with CNN since 2017.
[ CNN reporter arrested during George Floyd protests is a Northwestern University grad, former Wildcats basketball player ]
The Minnesota State Patrol said the journalists were among four people arrested as troopers were “clearing the streets and restoring order," and they were released after being confirmed to be media members. CNN said on Twitter that the arrests were “a clear violation of their First Amendment rights."
In the course of clearing the streets and restoring order at Lake Street and Snelling Avenue, four people were arrested by State Patrol troopers, including three members of a CNN crew. The three were released once they were confirmed to be members of the media. — MN State Patrol (@MnDPS_MSP) May 29, 2020
Firefighters worked Friday to contain a number of blazes as National Guard troops blocked access to streets where businesses had been damaged. They marched side by side and block by block as they expanded a perimeter around a heavily damaged area.
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Protests first erupted Tuesday, a day after Floyd’s death in a confrontation with police captured on widely seen citizen video. In the footage, Floyd can be seen pleading as officer Derek Chauvin presses his knee against him. As minutes pass, Floyd slowly stops talking and moving.
Gov. Tim Walz activated the National Guard at the Minneapolis mayor’s request. The Guard tweeted minutes after the precinct burned that it had activated more than 500 soldiers across the metro area. A couple dozen Guard members, armed with assault-style rifles, blocked a street Friday morning near a Target store that has sustained heavy damage by looters.
The Guard said a “key objective” was to make sure firefighters could respond to calls, and said in a follow-up tweet that soldiers would assist the Minneapolis Fire Department. But no move was made to put out the 3rd Precinct fire. Assistant Fire Chief Bryan Tyner said fire crews could not safely respond to blazes at the precinct station and some surrounding buildings.
Earlier Thursday, dozens of businesses across the Twin Cities boarded up their windows and doors in an effort to prevent looting, with Minneapolis-based Target announcing it was temporarily closing two dozen area stores. Minneapolis shut down nearly its entire light-rail system and all bus service through Sunday out of safety concerns.
By Thursday night, hundreds of demonstrators returned to the Minneapolis neighborhood at the center of the violence. Demonstrators carried clothing mannequins from a looted Target and threw them onto a burning car.
Elsewhere in Minneapolis, thousands of peaceful demonstrators marched through the streets calling for justice. Local leaders repeatedly urged demonstrators to avoid violence.
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People react as a round of tear gas lands on a porch on Thursday, May 28, 2020, in St. Paul, Minn. (John Minchillo/AP)
Bystanders watch as police walk down a street Thursday, May 28, 2020, in St. Paul, Minn. (John Minchillo/AP)
Police officers walk through a cloud of tear gas on Thursday, May 28, 2020, in St. Paul, Minn. (John Minchillo/AP)
“Please stay home. Please do not come here to protest. Please keep the focus on George Floyd, on advancing our movement and on preventing this from ever happening again,” tweeted St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, who is black.
Erika Atson, 20, was among thousands of people who gathered outside government offices in downtown Minneapolis, where organizers had called for a peaceful protest. Many protesters wore masks because of the coronavirus pandemic, but there were few attempts at social distancing.
Atson, who is black, described seeing her 14- and 11-year-old brothers tackled by Minneapolis police years ago because officers mistakenly presumed the boys had guns. She said she had been at “every single protest” since Floyd’s death and worried about raising children who could be vulnerable in police encounters.
“We don’t want to be here fighting against anyone. We don’t want anyone to be hurt. We don’t want to cause any damages,” she said. “We just want the police officer to be held accountable.”
The group marched peacefully for three hours before another confrontation with police broke out, though details were scarce.
After calling in the Guard on Thursday, Walz urged widespread changes in the wake of Floyd's death.
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"It is time to rebuild. Rebuild the city, rebuild our justice system and rebuild the relationship between law enforcement and those they’re charged to protect,” Walz said.
Rioters set fire to a multi-story affordable housing complex under construction on Wednesday, May 27, 2020 in Minneapolis. (Mark Vancleave/Minneapolis Star Tribune)
Among the casualties of the protests: a six-story building under construction that was to provide nearly 200 apartments of affordable housing.
“We’re burning our own neighborhood,” said a distraught Deona Brown, a 24-year-old woman standing with a friend outside the precinct station, where a small group of protesters were shouting at a dozen or so stone-faced police officers in riot gear. “This is where we live, where we shop, and they destroyed it.”
“What that cop did was wrong, but I’m scared now,” Brown said.
Others in the crowd saw something different in the wreckage.
Protesters destroyed property "because the system is broken,” said a young man who identified himself only by his nickname, Cash, and who said he had been in the streets during the violence. He dismissed the idea that the destruction would hurt residents of the largely black neighborhood.
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“They’re making money off of us,” he said angrily of the owners of the destroyed stores. He laughed when asked if he had joined in the looting or violence. “I didn’t break anything.”
In New York City, protesters defied New York’s coronavirus prohibition on public gatherings Thursday, clashing with police, while demonstrators blocked traffic in downtown Denver and downtown Columbus. A day earlier, demonstrators had taken to the streets in Los Angeles and Memphis.
Aubrey Rose, who earned the rank of staff sergeant while serving four tours of duty in the U.S. Army, carries a flag during a protest in Denver on May 28, 2020. (David Zalubowski/AP)
A bus station in downtown Columbus, Ohio, is damaged after a demonstration over the death of George Floyd on May 28, 2020. (Barbara J. Perenic/The Columbus Dispatch)
In Louisville, Kentucky, police confirmed that at least seven people had been shot Thursday night as protesters demanded justice for Breonna Taylor, a black woman who was fatally shot by police in her home in March.
Anger over the killing extended to Africa, where the head of the African Union Commission on Friday rejected “continuing discriminatory practices against black citizens of the USA.” In a series of tweets, Moussa Faki Mahamat urged the “total elimination” of all forms of racism in the U.S.
In Mississippi, the mayor of the community of Petal resisted calls to resign following his remarks about Floyd's death. Hal Marx, a Republican, asked on Twitter: “Why in the world would anyone choose to become a police officer in our society today?” In a follow-up tweet, he said he “didn’t see anything unreasonable."
The city on Thursday released a transcript of the 911 call that brought police to the grocery store where Floyd was arrested. The caller described someone paying with a counterfeit bill, with workers rushing outside to find the man sitting on a van. The caller described the man as “awfully drunk" and said he was "not in control of himself.”
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Asked by the 911 operator whether the man was “under the influence of something,” the caller said: “Something like that, yes. He is not acting right.” Police said Floyd matched the caller’s description of the suspect.
State and federal authorities are investigating Floyd's death.
Chauvin, the officer who knelt on Floyd’s neck, was fired Tuesday, along with three other officers involved in the arrest.
[ Minneapolis police officer accused of killing George Floyd by kneeling on his neck had nearly 20 prior complaints ]
Associated Press writers Steve Karnowski, Jeff Baenen and Doug Glass in Minneapolis, Gretchen Ehlke in Milwaukee, and Aaron Morrison in New York contributed to this report. Nina Metz contributed from the Chicago Tribune.


bonginoreport--2020-05-29--Minneapolis and St. Paul Implement 8PM Curfew

Dakota County and the cities of Bloomington , Edina and Roseville have joined the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul in imposing a curfew starting 8 p.m. Friday .
The curfews will last until 6 a.m. Saturday , and then go into effect again at 8 p.m. Saturday , expiring at 6 a.m. Sunday .
Roseville ’ s runs until early Monday .
“ During the curfew , all persons must not travel on any public street or in any public place , ” according to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey ’ s resolution .
St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter declared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced the curfew , as well as inviting everyone to observe an hour of prayer from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m .
The curfews do not extend to people traveling to or from work , emergency services , law enforcement , people seeking emergency medical care or fleeing danger , the homeless and the news media , according to a parallel order from Gov .
Tim Walz .
“ All Minnesotans in Minneapolis and St. Paul are urged to voluntarily comply , ” according to a news release from the governor ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the curfew and arrest those who refuse to comply.
” Violations of the cities ’ curfew are a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail or a $ 1,000 fine .
Dakota County Commissioner Joe Atkins said the county ordered a curfew because “ here is a well-founded belief by Sheriff [ Tim ] Leslie and Dakota County leaders that a heightened risk of significant harm to local residents and businesses exists .
“ As we experienced last night , much of the destruction and violence is occurring under covering of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Damage in Dakota County last night stretched from various buildings on Robert Street in West St. Paul to Dakota County ’ s Western Service Center in Apple Valley .
At the service center , there was significant fire and water damage , along with broken windows .
Two individuals were arrested following a perimeter search by Apple Valley PD.
” The city of Roseville announced that “ out of an abundance of caution ” and because Roseville share borders with Minneapolis and St. Paul , Mayor Dan Roe signed a local emergency declaration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ curfew in Roseville , effective for the next three days .

Dakota and Anoka counties and the cities of Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Edina, Maple Grove, Richfield and Roseville have joined the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul in imposing a curfew starting 8 p.m. Friday.
The curfews will last until 6 a.m. Saturday, and then go into effect again at 8 p.m. Saturday, expiring at 6 a.m. Sunday. Some may run into Monday.
“During the curfew, all persons must not travel on any public street or in any public place,” according to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s resolution.
St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter declared a state of local emergency Friday and announced the curfew, as well as inviting everyone to observe an hour of prayer from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The curfews do not extend to people traveling to or from work, emergency services, law enforcement, people seeking emergency medical care or fleeing danger, the homeless and the news media, according to a parallel order from Gov. Tim Walz.
“All Minnesotans in Minneapolis and St. Paul are urged to voluntarily comply,” according to a news release from the governor’s office. “Peace officers will enforce the curfew and arrest those who refuse to comply.”
Violations of the cities’ curfew are a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail or a $1,000 fine.
Dakota County Commissioner Joe Atkins said the county ordered a curfew because “here is a well-founded belief by Sheriff [Tim] Leslie and Dakota County leaders that a heightened risk of significant harm to local residents and businesses exists.
“As we experienced last night, much of the destruction and violence is occurring under covering of darkness,” Atkins wrote. “Damage in Dakota County last night stretched from various buildings on Robert Street in West St. Paul to Dakota County’s Western Service Center in Apple Valley. At the service center, there was significant fire and water damage, along with broken windows. Two individuals were arrested following a perimeter search by Apple Valley PD.”
The city of Roseville announced that “out of an abundance of caution” and because Roseville share borders with Minneapolis and St. Paul, Mayor Dan Roe signed a local emergency declaration establishing an 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. curfew in Roseville, effective for the next three days.