theguardian--2020-07-02--China sanctions approved by US House as Pelosi calls Hong Kong security law 'horrific'

The US House of Representatives on Wednesday joined the Senate in approving a bill to rebuke China over its crackdown in Hong Kong by imposing sanctions on groups that undermine the city ’ s autonomy or restrict its freedoms .
The bill targets police units that have cracked down on Hong Kong protesters , as well as Chinese Communist party officials responsible for imposing a strict “ national security ” law on Hong Kong , which is considered a special administrative region within China and maintains its own governing and economic systems .
The measure also would impose sanctions on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to violate the law .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the unanimous House vote “ an urgently needed response to the cowardly Chinese government ’ s passage of its so-called ‘ national security ’ law , which threatens the end of the ‘ one country , two systems ’ promised exactly 23 years ago today.
” Pelosi , a fierce critic of Chinese human rights violations , said : “ All freedom-loving people must condemn this horrific law ” imposed by China , adding that it was specifically intended to “ dismantle democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House bill is similar to a measure approved last week in the Senate , but makes some minor changes .
Senator Chris Van Hollen , a co-sponsor of the Senate bill , said senators will vote as soon as Thursday to give final legislative approval , sending it to the White House .
Lawmakers from both parties have urged the Trump administration to take strong action in response to the crackdown by China against the former British territory , which was granted partial sovereignty under a treaty that took effect on 1 July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impose visa restrictions on Americans it sees as interfering over Hong Kong .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo denounced the threat of a visa ban as a sign of “ how Beijing refuses to take responsibility for its own choices ” and said adoption of the security law “ destroys the territory ’ s autonomy and one of China ’ s greatest achievements ” .
Beijing ’ s “ paranoia and fear of its own people ’ s aspirations have led it to eviscerate the very foundation of the territory ’ s success @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

The US House of Representatives on Wednesday joined the Senate in approving a bill to rebuke China over its crackdown in Hong Kong by imposing sanctions on groups that undermine the city’s autonomy or restrict its freedoms.
The bill targets police units that have cracked down on Hong Kong protesters, as well as Chinese Communist party officials responsible for imposing a strict “national security” law on Hong Kong, which is considered a special administrative region within China and maintains its own governing and economic systems.
The measure also would impose sanctions on banks that do business with entities found to violate the law.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the unanimous House vote “an urgently needed response to the cowardly Chinese government’s passage of its so-called ‘national security’ law, which threatens the end of the ‘one country, two systems’ promised exactly 23 years ago today.”
Pelosi, a fierce critic of Chinese human rights violations, said: “All freedom-loving people must condemn this horrific law” imposed by China, adding that it was specifically intended to “dismantle democratic freedoms in Hong Kong”.
The House bill is similar to a measure approved last week in the Senate, but makes some minor changes. Senator Chris Van Hollen, a co-sponsor of the Senate bill, said senators will vote as soon as Thursday to give final legislative approval, sending it to the White House.
Lawmakers from both parties have urged the Trump administration to take strong action in response to the crackdown by China against the former British territory, which was granted partial sovereignty under a treaty that took effect on 1 July 1997.
China has said it will impose visa restrictions on Americans it sees as interfering over Hong Kong.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo denounced the threat of a visa ban as a sign of “how Beijing refuses to take responsibility for its own choices” and said adoption of the security law “destroys the territory’s autonomy and one of China’s greatest achievements”.
Beijing’s “paranoia and fear of its own people’s aspirations have led it to eviscerate the very foundation of the territory’s success,” Pompeo said in a statement.


theguardian--2020-07-02--How we can truly repay our frontline health workers: clear their debts | Alissa Quart, Astra Taylor

How we can truly repay our frontline health workers: clear their debts | Alissa Quart, Astra Taylor And Brittany M Powell

Every day at 7pm , New Yorkers have cheered , applauded and banged pots and pans for frontline workers .
One of those they have cheered for is Shana-Kay Henry , a physician assistant in the city , who , like thousands of others , is praised as a hero for her brave caretaking efforts during the pandemic .
In her case , Henry worked as an ER physician assistant , caring for Covid-19 patients .
What the applauding masses may not know about her and many others like her , though , is her other affliction : student debt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ education , including a master ’ s degree from Touro College School of Health Sciences , amassed in pursuit of her dream of a medical career and of becoming a “ mentor and advocate for women ’ s health ” .
Due to her outstanding student loans , Henry can not afford to purchase a home and currently resides with one of her parents .
She spends roughly 30 % of her salary on her student loan payments , forcing her to work even longer hours .
This makes her “ exhausted and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do is rest ” , says Henry .
It also gives her “ So much anxiety and fear that I will be trapped with the burden of student debt for a lifetime.
” Today , many Americans laud the valiance of first responders .
( We define first responders to include everyone from physician assistants , like Henry , to the postal workers delivering our mail . )
But after the applause , we should take care of the load we can actually help with – their student debt .
We can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ answer is simple : student loan forgiveness .
Some Democrats have recognized the double sacrifice of frontline workers in particular—they are simultaneously risking their health and yet still in debt .
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has recently created a proposal to offer these workers free education .
But not loan cancellation .
Yet loan cancellation is what they need .
The workers now keeping us afloat are often already swimming in student debt .
It ’ s estimated that 70 % of American nurses , for instance , leave their nursing programs with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debt .
To illustrate this hardship , we have asked photographers around the country to take portraits of these real life frontline heroes , all holding up signs revealing their student debt numbers .
Why is debt forgiveness for them unlikely ?
For starters , the line is constantly drawn in this society between deserving and undeserving borrowers .
While the Federal Reserve chairman , Jerome Powell , has recently referred to newly distressed companies as “ fallen angels ” , debtors such as these doctors , nurses and physician assistants are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they could be .
They are rarely shown mercy .
Instead , they are penalized for falling behind on payments .
The shame and stigma obscure a more fundamental truth : most people are not in debt because they live beyond their means , but rather because they have been denied the means to live .
The Democrats ’ Heroes Act could have been that “ means to live ” for many .
At first , the act offered $ 10,000 of federal student loan cancellation for each of the nation ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , however , citing cost concerns , Democratic party leaders scaled back the proposal , narrowing relief to those who were “ economically distressed ” before Covid-19 hit .
The revised plan excluded 25 million borrowers , including countless doctors and nurses now on the frontlines , and scores of essential workers .
The respiratory therapists paying thousands a year for their student debt and the grocery store clerk paying $ 25 a month on a loan for community college alike won ’ t see a penny of relief .
In addition , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their federal student loans , they are ineligible for the paycheck protection program ’ s business aid .
Part of what makes this debt load immoral is the contrast with the lives of the richest .
Many large , publicly traded companies have received PPP funds without any struggle .
America ’ s 600 or so billionaires have seen their fortunes explode during the coronavirus .
Some rich Americans are part of the only class of debtor that has been granted government relief , the corporate debtors who receive generous reprieves with few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here are the ones who need and deserve debt relief .
The benefits of helping them would be legion .
One recent study , for example , showed that discharging student loans increased people ’ s ability to move , find new jobs , pay down other debts and earn additional income .
In addition , debt relief would help with the huge financial gap between black women and , say , white men .
Black women are the group most laden with student debt overall , and women hold a shocking two-thirds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ black graduates have been found to have $ 25,000 more student debt upon graduation than their white counterparts .
First responder student debtors are no exception to this arithmetic .
Debt cancellation would do more than just help borrowers like these frontline workers .
Economists including Stephanie Kelton and Marshall Steinbaum have shown it would be an effective stimulus , potentially boosting the economy by over $ 108 billion a year according to research supported by the Levy Institute .
As Covid-19 afflicts the economy , the case for debt relief is stronger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Adomfeh in New York City or nurses like Briana McNamara in Minneapolis , who are foot soldiers in the battle against Covid-19 , shouldn ’ t be crushed by $ 365,000 and $ 44,025 worth of student debt , respectively .
To make it happen , debtors will need to organize .
In February the Debt Collective , which Astra Taylor , a co-author of this piece , co-founded , launched a student loan strike to demand full student debt cancellation for all 45 million borrowers .
In June , activists associated with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ student debt cancellation along with cancelling rent , medical debt , and more .
The weeks of protests against police violence have shown us that people are rising up , unwilling to take the status quo of debt and fear any more .
“ I believe debt is a form of burden and ‘ imprisonment ’ , ” the physician assistant Henry says .
“ As medical professionals , we are constantly worried about it and it brings guilt and shame that are unnecessary and prevents us from living a fulfilled life.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forgiveness should be arriving sooner rather than later , finally getting rid a weight that plagues us , that unlike the pandemic , is readily cured .
This piece was published in partnership with the Economic Hardship Reporting Project

Every day at 7pm, New Yorkers have cheered, applauded and banged pots and pans for frontline workers. One of those they have cheered for is Shana-Kay Henry, a physician assistant in the city, who, like thousands of others, is praised as a hero for her brave caretaking efforts during the pandemic.
In her case, Henry worked as an ER physician assistant, caring for Covid-19 patients. What the applauding masses may not know about her and many others like her, though, is her other affliction: student debt.
Henry owes $223,000 for her education, including a master’s degree from Touro College School of Health Sciences, amassed in pursuit of her dream of a medical career and of becoming a “mentor and advocate for women’s health”.
Due to her outstanding student loans, Henry cannot afford to purchase a home and currently resides with one of her parents. She spends roughly 30% of her salary on her student loan payments, forcing her to work even longer hours.
This makes her “exhausted and on my days off all I want to do is rest”, says Henry. It also gives her “So much anxiety and fear that I will be trapped with the burden of student debt for a lifetime.”
Today, many Americans laud the valiance of first responders. (We define first responders to include everyone from physician assistants, like Henry, to the postal workers delivering our mail.) But after the applause, we should take care of the load we can actually help with – their student debt.
The answer is simple: student loan forgiveness. Some Democrats have recognized the double sacrifice of frontline workers in particular—they are simultaneously risking their health and yet still in debt. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has recently created a proposal to offer these workers free education. But not loan cancellation.
Yet loan cancellation is what they, like all student debtors, desperately need. The workers now keeping us afloat are often already swimming in student debt. It’s estimated that 70% of American nurses, for instance, leave their nursing programs with between $40,000 and $50,000 of debt.
Most people are not in debt because they live beyond their means, but rather because they have been denied the means to live
To illustrate this hardship, we have asked photographers around the country to take portraits of these real life frontline heroes, all holding up signs revealing their student debt numbers. These emergency workers epitomize the larger student debt crisis and the urgent need to cancel all $1.7 trillion dollars of student debt this country currently holds.
What are the obstacles to debt relief? For starters, the line is constantly drawn in this society between deserving and undeserving borrowers. While the Federal Reserve chairman, Jerome Powell, has recently referred to newly distressed companies as “fallen angels”, debtors such as these doctors, nurses and physician assistants are not compared to the divine, even if they could be. They are rarely shown mercy. Instead, they are penalized for falling behind on payments. The shame and stigma obscure a more fundamental truth: most people are not in debt because they live beyond their means, but rather because they have been denied the means to live.
The Democrats’ Heroes Act could have been that “means to live” for many. At first, the act offered $10,000 of federal student loan cancellation for each of the nation’s 44 million borrowers. Within 48 hours, however, citing cost concerns, Democratic party leaders scaled back the proposal, narrowing relief to those who were “economically distressed” before Covid-19 hit. The revised plan excluded 25 million borrowers, including countless doctors and nurses now on the frontlines, and scores of essential workers. The respiratory therapists paying thousands a year for their student debt and the grocery store clerk paying $25 a month on a loan for community college alike won’t see a penny of relief. In addition, if a business owner has defaulted on their federal student loans, they are ineligible for the paycheck protection program’s business aid.
Part of what makes this debt load immoral is the contrast with the lives of the richest. Many large, publicly traded companies have received PPP funds without any struggle. America’s 600 or so billionaires have seen their fortunes explode during the coronavirus. Some rich Americans are part of the only class of debtor that has been granted government relief, the corporate debtors who receive generous reprieves with few conditions attached.
It is the generous souls photographed here, along with tens of millions of struggling borrowers, who desperately need and deserve debt relief.. The benefits of helping them would be legion. One recent study, for example, showed that discharging student loans increased people’s ability to move, find new jobs, pay down other debts and earn additional income. In addition, debt relief would help with the huge financial gap between black women and, say, white men. Black women are the group most laden with student debt overall, and women hold a shocking two-thirds of student loans. In 2020, black graduates have been found to have $25,000 more student debt upon graduation than their white counterparts. First responder student debtors are no exception to this arithmetic.
Debt cancellation would do more than just help borrowers like these frontline workers. Economists including Stephanie Kelton and Marshall Steinbaum have shown it would be an effective stimulus, potentially boosting the economy by over $108 billion a year according to research supported by the Levy Institute.
As Covid-19 afflicts the economy, the case for debt relief is stronger than ever. Resident physicians like Emmanuel Adomfeh in New York City or nurses like Briana McNamara in Minneapolis, who are foot soldiers in the battle against Covid-19, shouldn’t be crushed by $365,000 and $44,025 worth of student debt, respectively.
To make it happen, debtors will need to organize. In February the Debt Collective, which Astra Taylor, a co-author of this piece, co-founded, launched a student loan strike to demand full student debt cancellation for all 45 million borrowers. In June, activists associated with the Movement for Black Lives called for student debt cancellation along with cancelling rent, medical debt, and more. The weeks of protests against police violence have shown us that people are rising up, unwilling to take the status quo of debt and fear any more.
“I believe debt is a form of burden and ‘imprisonment’,” the physician assistant Henry says. “As medical professionals, we are constantly worried about it and it brings guilt and shame that are unnecessary and prevents us from living a fulfilled life.”
For Henry and the others, debt forgiveness should be arriving sooner rather than later, finally getting rid a weight that plagues us, that unlike the pandemic, is readily cured.
This piece was published in partnership with the Economic Hardship Reporting Project


theguardian--2020-07-02--Trump and Johnson aren't replaying the 1930s – but it's just as frightening | George Monbiot

The anger that should be directed at billionaires is instead directed by them .
Facing inequality and exclusion , poor wages and insecure jobs , people are persuaded by the newspapers billionaires own and the parties they fund to unleash their fury on immigrants , Muslims , the EU and other “ alien ” forces .
From the White House , his Manhattan tower and his Florida resort , Donald Trump tweets furiously against “ elites ” .
Dominic Cummings hones the same message as he moves between his townhouse in Islington , with its library and tapestry room , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clearly , they don ’ t mean political or economic elites .
They mean intellectuals : the students , teachers , professors and independent thinkers who oppose their policies .
Anti-intellectualism is a resurgent force in politics .
Privileged grievance spills from the pages of the newspapers .
Opinion and leader writers for the Telegraph and the Spectator insist they are oppressed by a woke mafia , by the rise of Black Lives Matter and other cultural shifts .
From their national newspaper columns and slots on the BBC ’ s Today programme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ silenced .
Myths of national greatness and decline abound .
Make America Great Again and Take Back Control propose a glorious homecoming to an imagined golden age .
Conservatives and Republicans invoke a rich mythology of family life and patriarchal values .
Large numbers of people in the United Kingdom regret the loss of empire .
Extravagant buffoons , building their power base through the visual media , displace the wooden technocrats who once dominated political life .
Debate gives way to symbols , slogans and sensation .
Political parties that once tolerated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of personality .
Politicians and political advisers behave with impunity .
During the impeachment hearings , Trump ’ s lawyer argued , in effect , that the president is the nation , and his interests are inseparable from the national interest .
Cummings gets away with blatant breaches of the lockdown .
Robert Jenrick , the housing secretary , with his assistance for a developer who then donated to the Tories .
With every unpunished outrage against integrity in public life , trust in the system corrodes .
The ideal of democracy as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a politics of dominance and submission .
Political structures still stand , but they are hollowed out , as power migrates into unaccountable , undemocratic spheres : conservative fundraising dinners , US political action committees , offshore trade tribunals , tax havens and secrecy regimes .
The bodies supposed to hold power to account , such as the Electoral Commission and the BBC , are attacked , disciplined and cowed .
Politicians and newspapers launch lurid attacks against parliament , the judiciaryand the civil service .
Political lying becomes so rife that voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fiction .
Conspiracy theories proliferate , distracting attention from the real ways in which our rights and freedoms are eroded .
Politicians create chaos , such as Trump ’ s government shutdowns and the no-deal Brexit Boris Johnson seems to be engineering , then position themselves as our saviours in troubled times .
Trump shamelessly endorses nativism and white supremacy .
Powerful politicians , such as the Republican congressman Steve King , talk of defending “ western civilisation ” against “ subjugation ” by its “ enemies ” .
Minorities are disenfranchised .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Do these circumstances sound familiar ?
Do they pluck a deep , resonant chord of apprehension ?
They should .
All these phenomena were preconditions for – or facilitators of – the rise of European fascism during the first half of the 20th century .
I find myself asking a question I thought we would never have to ask again .
Is the resurgence of fascism a real prospect , on either side of the Atlantic ?
Fascism is a slippery , protean thing .
As an ideology , it ’ s almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always been opportunistic and confused .
It is easier to define as a political method .
While its stated aims may vary wildly , the means by which it has sought to grab and build power are broadly consistent .
But I think it ’ s fair to say that though the new politics have some strong similarities to fascism , they are not the same thing .
They will develop in different ways and go by different names .
Trump ’ s politics and Johnson ’ s have some characteristics that were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constant excitation and mobilisation of their base through polarisation , their culture wars , their promiscuous lying , their fabrication of enemies and their rhetoric of betrayal .
But there are crucial differences .
Far from valorising and courting young people , they appeal mostly to older voters .
Neither relies on paramilitary terror , though Trump now tweets support for armed activists occupying state buildings and threatening peaceful protesters .
It is not hard to see some American militias mutating into paramilitary enforcers if he wins a second term , or , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Fortunately , we can see no such thing developing in the UK .
Neither government seems interested in using warfare as a political tool .
Trump and Johnson preach scarcely regulated individualism : almost the opposite of the fascist doctrine of total subordination to the state .
( Though in reality , both have sought to curtail the freedoms of outgroups . )
Last century ’ s fascism thrived on economic collapse and mass unemployment .
We are nowhere near the conditions of the Great Depression , though both countries now face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lose their jobs and homes .
Not all the differences are reassuring .
Micro-targeting on social media , peer-to-peer texting and now the possibility of deepfake videos allow today ’ s politicians to confuse and misdirect people , to bombard us with lies and conspiracy theories , to destroy trust and create alternative realities more quickly and effectively than any tools 20th-century dictators had at their disposal .
In the EU referendum campaign , in the 2016 US election , and in the campaign that brought Jair Bolsonaro to power in Brazil , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ form of political indoctrination and authoritarianism , without clear precedents .
It is hard to predict how this might evolve .
It ’ s unlikely to lead to thousands of helmeted stormtroopers assembling in public squares , not least because the new technologies render such crude methods unnecessary in gaining social control .
As Trump seeks re-election , and Johnson prepares us for a likely no deal , we can expect them to use these tools in ways that dictators could only have dreamed of .
Their manipulations will expose longstanding failures in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done nothing to address .
Though it has characteristics in common , this isn ’ t fascism .
It is something else , something we have not yet named .
But we should fear it and resist it as if it were .

The anger that should be directed at billionaires is instead directed by them. Facing inequality and exclusion, poor wages and insecure jobs, people are persuaded by the newspapers billionaires own and the parties they fund to unleash their fury on immigrants, Muslims, the EU and other “alien” forces.
From the White House, his Manhattan tower and his Florida resort, Donald Trump tweets furiously against “elites”. Dominic Cummings hones the same message as he moves between his townhouse in Islington, with its library and tapestry room, and his family estate in Durham. Clearly, they don’t mean political or economic elites. They mean intellectuals: the students, teachers, professors and independent thinkers who oppose their policies. Anti-intellectualism is a resurgent force in politics.
Privileged grievance spills from the pages of the newspapers. Opinion and leader writers for the Telegraph and the Spectator insist they are oppressed by a woke mafia, by the rise of Black Lives Matter and other cultural shifts. From their national newspaper columns and slots on the BBC’s Today programme, they thunder that they have been silenced.
Myths of national greatness and decline abound. Make America Great Again and Take Back Control propose a glorious homecoming to an imagined golden age. Conservatives and Republicans invoke a rich mythology of family life and patriarchal values. Large numbers of people in the United Kingdom regret the loss of empire.
Extravagant buffoons, building their power base through the visual media, displace the wooden technocrats who once dominated political life. Debate gives way to symbols, slogans and sensation. Political parties that once tolerated a degree of pluralism succumb to cults of personality.
Politicians and political advisers behave with impunity. During the impeachment hearings, Trump’s lawyer argued, in effect, that the president is the nation, and his interests are inseparable from the national interest. Cummings gets away with blatant breaches of the lockdown. Robert Jenrick, the housing secretary, with his assistance for a developer who then donated to the Tories. With every unpunished outrage against integrity in public life, trust in the system corrodes. The ideal of democracy as a shared civic project gives way to a politics of dominance and submission.
Political structures still stand, but they are hollowed out, as power migrates into unaccountable, undemocratic spheres: conservative fundraising dinners, US political action committees, offshore trade tribunals, tax havens and secrecy regimes. The bodies supposed to hold power to account, such as the Electoral Commission and the BBC, are attacked, disciplined and cowed. Politicians and newspapers launch lurid attacks against parliament, the judiciaryand the civil service.
Political lying becomes so rife that voters lose the ability to distinguish fact from fiction. Conspiracy theories proliferate, distracting attention from the real ways in which our rights and freedoms are eroded. Politicians create chaos, such as Trump’s government shutdowns and the no-deal Brexit Boris Johnson seems to be engineering, then position themselves as our saviours in troubled times.
Trump shamelessly endorses nativism and white supremacy. Powerful politicians, such as the Republican congressman Steve King, talk of defending “western civilisation” against “subjugation” by its “enemies”. Minorities are disenfranchised. Immigrants are herded into detention centres.
Do these circumstances sound familiar? Do they pluck a deep, resonant chord of apprehension? They should. All these phenomena were preconditions for – or facilitators of – the rise of European fascism during the first half of the 20th century. I find myself asking a question I thought we would never have to ask again. Is the resurgence of fascism a real prospect, on either side of the Atlantic?
Fascism is a slippery, protean thing. As an ideology, it’s almost impossible to pin down: it has always been opportunistic and confused. It is easier to define as a political method. While its stated aims may vary wildly, the means by which it has sought to grab and build power are broadly consistent. But I think it’s fair to say that though the new politics have some strong similarities to fascism, they are not the same thing. They will develop in different ways and go by different names.
Trump’s politics and Johnson’s have some characteristics that were peculiar to fascism, such as their constant excitation and mobilisation of their base through polarisation, their culture wars, their promiscuous lying, their fabrication of enemies and their rhetoric of betrayal. But there are crucial differences. Far from valorising and courting young people, they appeal mostly to older voters. Neither relies on paramilitary terror, though Trump now tweets support for armed activists occupying state buildings and threatening peaceful protesters. It is not hard to see some American militias mutating into paramilitary enforcers if he wins a second term, or, for that matter, if he loses. Fortunately, we can see no such thing developing in the UK. Neither government seems interested in using warfare as a political tool.
Trump and Johnson preach scarcely regulated individualism: almost the opposite of the fascist doctrine of total subordination to the state. (Though in reality, both have sought to curtail the freedoms of outgroups.) Last century’s fascism thrived on economic collapse and mass unemployment. We are nowhere near the conditions of the Great Depression, though both countries now face a major slump in which millions could lose their jobs and homes.
Not all the differences are reassuring. Micro-targeting on social media, peer-to-peer texting and now the possibility of deepfake videos allow today’s politicians to confuse and misdirect people, to bombard us with lies and conspiracy theories, to destroy trust and create alternative realities more quickly and effectively than any tools 20th-century dictators had at their disposal. In the EU referendum campaign, in the 2016 US election, and in the campaign that brought Jair Bolsonaro to power in Brazil, we see the roots of a new form of political indoctrination and authoritarianism, without clear precedents.
It is hard to predict how this might evolve. It’s unlikely to lead to thousands of helmeted stormtroopers assembling in public squares, not least because the new technologies render such crude methods unnecessary in gaining social control. As Trump seeks re-election, and Johnson prepares us for a likely no deal, we can expect them to use these tools in ways that dictators could only have dreamed of. Their manipulations will expose longstanding failures in our political systems that successive governments have done nothing to address.
Though it has characteristics in common, this isn’t fascism. It is something else, something we have not yet named. But we should fear it and resist it as if it were.


theguardian--2020-07-03--Trump administration has no regrets about reopening push, says Mnuchin

The US treasury secretary has said the Trump administration has no regrets about pushing states to reopen their economies , one day after the country reported more than 50,000 new coronavirus cases – the fourth record-breaking single-day toll in just over a week , according to Johns Hopkins figures .
Asked if he regretted that the White House pressured states to reopen as quickly as possible despite the repeated warnings of the country ’ s top public health experts , Steven Mnuchin told a press conference on Thursday : “ No , absolutely not.
” Cases are rising significantly in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ southern and western America , with California , Florida and Texas – the three most populous states in the country – seeing record increases .
Florida , among the states hardest hit by the June surge , reported more than 10,000 new coronavirus infections on Thursday , its largest spike so far .
“ What we ’ ve seen is a very disturbing week , ” said Dr Anthony Fauci , the government ’ s top infectious-disease expert , in a live stream with the American Medical Association .
More than a dozen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , while numbers of available hospital beds and testing capacity come under strain .
“ The crisis is being handled , ” Donald Trump insisted at the press conference to trumpet the latest jobs figures , which showed the unemployment rate drop to 11.1 % in June from an initial estimate of 13.3 % in May .
“ It ’ s opening up far faster than anybody thought even possible , and more successfully , ” said Trump , who has repeatedly downplayed the rise in cases and now faces a steeper path @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s announcement proves that our economy is roaring back .
It ’ s coming back extremely strong , ” he added .
“ I think we ’ ve had a very careful plan , ” Mnuchin said of the push to reopen , while underlining that the strategy was still “ primarily the states ’ responsibility ” .
Some Republican-led states that moved quickly to reopen this spring at Trump ’ s urging , such as Texas , have now pressed pause on that strategy .
The state ’ s governor , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face coverings must be worn in public across most of the state despite previously undercutting efforts by local governments to enforce mask requirements .
But others , such as Florida continue to refuse to change course .
Florida ’ s governor , Ron DeSantis , insisted the state was “ not going back ” on reopening its economy , saying “ people going to a business is not what ’ s driving ” the increases .
Instead , he said , younger people had not been adhering to social distancing measures .
Democratic-led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ celebrated for bringing case numbers under control , has now been forced to close bars , restaurants and other businesses again in 17 counties ahead of the Fourth of July holiday weekend .
Ohio , Kansas and Louisiana , all of which appeared to have controlled the spread of the virus just a month ago , have reported some of their highest single-day totals in weeks .
North Carolina , Tennessee and Texas set records for single-day cases on Wednesday .
The Covid Tracking Project said on Wednesday that the US ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doubled since 13 June , and that hospitalizations had jumped by the highest number since 21 April .
“ We got hit very badly , worse than any country , with regard to the number of cases , and the number of deaths , ” Fauci told the BBC ’ s Today program on Thursday .
“ The problem we ’ re facing now is that in an attempt to reopen or open and get it back to some form of normality , we ’ re seeing very disturbing spikes in different individual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is not good news .
We ’ ve got to get that under control , or we risk an even greater outbreak in the United States.
” But Trump and his team have repeatedly contradicted the country ’ s public health experts , telling the public it is safe to push ahead with reopening the economy while carefully adding the caveat that the ultimate responsibility for reopening lies with each state .
The Department of Health and Human Services and the US surgeon general , one of the top healthcare officials in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans to follow social distancing measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus ahead of the holiday weekend , including wearing face masks .
“ There ’ s a reason we keep coming back to these same public health messages – they are tried and true , ” the statement from the surgeon general , Jerome Adams , said .
“ We all have a role to play in beating this virus and getting back to school , work , worship , play and overall health.
” But the public messaging from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In an interview with Fox Business on Wednesday , Trump was asked whether he really believes , as he has stated previously , that the virus would simply disappear .
“ I do .
I do , ” he said .
“ Yeah , sure .
At some point .
And I think we ’ re going to have a vaccine very soon , too.
” Trump added : “ We ’ re headed back in a very strong fashion … And I think we ’ re going to be very good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at some point that ’ s going to sort of just disappear .
I hope.
” Trump has faced fierce criticism for downplaying the risks of the virus , and for his refusal to promote simple safety measures such as wearing a mask .
Asked about this on Wednesday , he said he “ thinks masks are good ” but said he did not believe making masks mandatory was necessary .
Responding to the jobs figures on Thursday , the Senate minority leader , Chuck Schumer , a Democrat , said : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a slight peak in a much larger valley , and unless President Trump demonstrates real leadership in fighting the health crisis … the pain America is experiencing will only worsen .
”

Daniel Strauss in Washington and agencies

The US treasury secretary has said the Trump administration has no regrets about pushing states to reopen their economies, one day after the country reported more than 50,000 new coronavirus cases – the fourth record-breaking single-day toll in just over a week, according to Johns Hopkins figures.
Asked if he regretted that the White House pressured states to reopen as quickly as possible despite the repeated warnings of the country’s top public health experts, Steven Mnuchin told a press conference on Thursday: “No, absolutely not.”
Cases are rising significantly in more than 40 states, particularly across southern and western America, with California, Florida and Texas – the three most populous states in the country – seeing record increases. Florida, among the states hardest hit by the June surge, reported more than 10,000 new coronavirus infections on Thursday, its largest spike so far.
“What we’ve seen is a very disturbing week,” said Dr Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious-disease expert, in a live stream with the American Medical Association.
05:22 Why is coronavirus still surging in the US? – video explainer
More than a dozen have been forced to pause reopening plans, while numbers of available hospital beds and testing capacity come under strain.
“The crisis is being handled,” Donald Trump insisted at the press conference to trumpet the latest jobs figures, which showed the unemployment rate drop to 11.1% in June from an initial estimate of 13.3% in May.
“It’s opening up far faster than anybody thought even possible, and more successfully,” said Trump, who has repeatedly downplayed the rise in cases and now faces a steeper path to re-election in November.
“Today’s announcement proves that our economy is roaring back. It’s coming back extremely strong,” he added.
“I think we’ve had a very careful plan,” Mnuchin said of the push to reopen, while underlining that the strategy was still “primarily the states’ responsibility”.
01:28 Trump declares US economy is 'roaring back', despite record Covid-19 cases – video
Some Republican-led states that moved quickly to reopen this spring at Trump’s urging, such as Texas, have now pressed pause on that strategy. The state’s governor, Greg Abbott, on Thursday ordered that face coverings must be worn in public across most of the state despite previously undercutting efforts by local governments to enforce mask requirements.
But others, such as Florida continue to refuse to change course. Florida’s governor, Ron DeSantis, insisted the state was “not going back” on reopening its economy, saying “people going to a business is not what’s driving” the increases. Instead, he said, younger people had not been adhering to social distancing measures.
Democratic-led California, which not long ago was celebrated for bringing case numbers under control, has now been forced to close bars, restaurants and other businesses again in 17 counties ahead of the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
Ohio, Kansas and Louisiana, all of which appeared to have controlled the spread of the virus just a month ago, have reported some of their highest single-day totals in weeks. North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas set records for single-day cases on Wednesday.
The Covid Tracking Project said on Wednesday that the US’s seven-day average for new daily cases had doubled since 13 June, and that hospitalizations had jumped by the highest number since 21 April.
“We got hit very badly, worse than any country, with regard to the number of cases, and the number of deaths,” Fauci told the BBC’s Today program on Thursday.
“The problem we’re facing now is that in an attempt to reopen or open and get it back to some form of normality, we’re seeing very disturbing spikes in different individual states in the United States … and that is not good news. We’ve got to get that under control, or we risk an even greater outbreak in the United States.”
California has been forced to roll back reopening businesses across the state. Photograph: Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times/REX/Shutterstock
But Trump and his team have repeatedly contradicted the country’s public health experts, telling the public it is safe to push ahead with reopening the economy while carefully adding the caveat that the ultimate responsibility for reopening lies with each state.
The Department of Health and Human Services and the US surgeon general, one of the top healthcare officials in the federal government, reiterated calls for Americans to follow social distancing measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus ahead of the holiday weekend, including wearing face masks.
“There’s a reason we keep coming back to these same public health messages – they are tried and true,” the statement from the surgeon general, Jerome Adams, said. “We all have a role to play in beating this virus and getting back to school, work, worship, play and overall health.”
But the public messaging from the White House continues to contradict such advice. In an interview with Fox Business on Wednesday, Trump was asked whether he really believes, as he has stated previously, that the virus would simply disappear.
“I do. I do,” he said. “Yeah, sure. At some point. And I think we’re going to have a vaccine very soon, too.”
Trump added: “We’re headed back in a very strong fashion … And I think we’re going to be very good with the coronavirus. I think that at some point that’s going to sort of just disappear. I hope.”
Trump has faced fierce criticism for downplaying the risks of the virus, and for his refusal to promote simple safety measures such as wearing a mask. Asked about this on Wednesday, he said he “thinks masks are good” but said he did not believe making masks mandatory was necessary.
Responding to the jobs figures on Thursday, the Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, said: “Today’s jobs report may just be a slight peak in a much larger valley, and unless President Trump demonstrates real leadership in fighting the health crisis … the pain America is experiencing will only worsen.”


theguardian--2020-07-03--Coronavirus US: Texas governor orders all residents to wear masks – as it happened

Supreme Court gives Indiana another chance to argue for abortion laws The supreme court gave Indiana a second chance to @ @ @ @ @ - one imposing an ultrasound requirement and the other expanding parental notification when minors seek @ @ @ @ @ a lower court ’ s rulings blocking them , Reuters reported .
The justices directed @ @ @ @ @ both cases in light of the Supreme Court ’ s 5-4 ruling on Monday invalidating @ @ @ @ @ restrictions on doctors who perform abortions .
Indiana will now get another shot at arguing @ @ @ @ @ two Republican-backed laws that the 7th Circuit court of appeals had prevented from going into @ @

Lois Beckett (now) and Daniel Strauss and Martin Belam (earlier)

3 Jul 2020 01.28 BST Summary Wrapping up today’s live US politics coverage, but you can continue to follow breaking news on our global coronavirus blog. Some of today’s highlights: Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said the Trump administration has no regrets about urging states to reopen.
said the Trump administration has no regrets about urging states to reopen. Republican Herman Cain tested positive for coronavirus.
tested positive for coronavirus. Texas governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order requiring people to wear masks in public.
issued an executive order requiring people to wear masks in public. Thursday was Audrey Strauss ’s first major appearance as acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.
’s first major appearance as acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. Prosecutors with the Southern District of New York arrested and charged Ghislaine Maxwell , a friend of financier Jeffrey Epstein .
, a friend of financier . California Democratic congresswoman Jackie Speier is pushing for a special inspector general to investigate white supremacy in the US military.
is pushing for a special inspector general to investigate white supremacy in the US military. Tech billionaire Peter Thiel is reportedly skeptical that Trump can win in 2020.
is reportedly skeptical that Trump can win in 2020. Republican strategists are gushing over the possibility that Fox News host Tucker Carlson might run for president in 2024.
3 Jul 2020 01.22 BST Supreme Court gives Indiana another chance to argue for abortion laws The supreme court gave Indiana a second chance to revive two restrictive abortion laws - one imposing an ultrasound requirement and the other expanding parental notification when minors seek abortions - by throwing out a lower court’s rulings blocking them, Reuters reported. The justices directed a lower court to reconsider both cases in light of the Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling on Monday invalidating a Louisiana law that imposed restrictions on doctors who perform abortions. Indiana will now get another shot at arguing for the legality of its two Republican-backed laws that the 7th Circuit court of appeals had prevented from going into effect.
2 Jul 2020 00.52 BST Report: Billionaire Peter Thiel is skeptical Trump can win After backing Donald Trump with $1.25 million in the 2016 election and speaking at Trump’s nomination, tech billionaire Peter Thiel has been telling friends that he is going to sit the 2020 election out, because he thinks Trump’s re-election is “increasingly a long shot,” the Wall Street Journal reported. A Trump spokesman told the Wall Street Journal that Thiel remains a supporter of the president. A spokesman for Thiel did not comment.
2 Jul 2020 00.32 BST Kansas governor said schools may not reopen if surge does not reverse Kansas’ governor said she is worried the state won’t be able to reopen its K-12 schools for the new school year in August if it doesn’t reverse a recent surge in reported coronavirus cases, the Associated Press reports. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly told legislative leaders Thursday that a desire to reopen schools is a key reason she issued an executive order requiring Kansas residents to wear masks in public and at their workplaces, effective Friday, with a fine of up to $2,500 possible for violators. Decisions about pursuing violations left up to prosecutors in each of the state’s 105 counties.
2 Jul 2020 00.15 BST A California state lawmaker is sharing a striking photo from the 1918 pandemic in California, in which even the family’s cats are wearing masks. This family photo was taken during the height of the 1918 Flu Pandemic in the East Bay community of Dublin.
Over a hundred years ago — and even the cat knew to #WearADamnMask! pic.twitter.com/HOw9OiD9jU — Buffy Wicks (@BuffyWicks) July 2, 2020 It’s an image from an Atlas Obscura article from this April, about fears about pets transmitting the disease, and also about pets in masks as a much-needed dose of pandemic humor.
2 Jul 2020 23.47 BST LA Mayor: ‘Personally, I’ll be ordering in.’ Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti faced questions today about why he is allowing outdoor restaurants to stay open for business, even as coronavirus cases surge and he is recommending that residents stay home if possible. “Outdoor spaces properly spaced are very safe,” the mayor said, defending his decision. “I, personally, I’ll be ordering in.” From Dakota Smith of the Los Angeles Times: Mayor on why outdoor restaurants allowed to operate if he's also recommending people stay home if possible. "Outdoor spaces properly spaced are very safe...So, we don't discourage people from dining out." Ended his answer by saying, "I, personally, I'll be ordering in." — Dakota Smith (@dakotacdsmith) July 2, 2020
2 Jul 2020 23.24 BST Proposed 'special inspector general' would investigate white supremacy in the military California congresswoman Jackie Speier is pushing for the appointment of a new “Special Inspector General” to investigate the extent of white supremacy in the military. The California Democrat included an amendment creating the new inspector general in the current version of the House’s annual defense spending bill.
“We’ve known about problems of white supremacy and violent extremist groups in the U.S. military for decades, yet this problem that threatens our national security – not to mention retention and recruitment of troops – seems to be getting worse,” Speier said in a statement to The Guardian. “The DoD and Pentagon have proven that they do not have the ability to address these issues on their own.”
Speier cited three incidents in the past month alone that highlight the need for more action: an Army solider charged with plotting with a neo-Nazi group to launch an attack on his own unit
an Air Force sergeant charged with killing two law enforcement officers in California in an attempt to launch a second civil war
Three Nevada men with varying military experience arrested on terrorism-related charges for trying to spark racial violence during protests in Las Vegas California Sen. Kamala Harris is expected a similar amendment in the Republican-controlled senate. A more in-depth look at the US military’s long problem with white supremacy: How the US military has failed to address white supremacy in its ranks Read more
2 Jul 2020 23.08 BST California National Guard investigating sergeant’s ties to Proud Boys The California National Guard is investigating a member’s possible ties to the Proud Boys, an extremist group, the Huffington Post reports. The sergeant involved has not been suspended during the investigation, a spokesperson told the Huffington Post. NEW: California National Guard is investigating a sergeant's ties to the Proud Boys.
He was among troops sent to LA for the protests & posted a photo of himself there standing in front of a military vehicle inscribed with the neo-fascist group's slogan. https://t.co/sRB8zKUWMD — Christopher Mathias (@letsgomathias) July 2, 2020


theguardian--2020-07-02--Online privacy experts sound alarm as US Senate bill sparks surveillance fears

A US Senate bill that critics say would enable widespread censorship and surveillance has taken a significant step towards becoming law , raising alarm among internet freedom advocates .
The Senate judiciary committee voted on Thursday to advance the Earn It Act , legislation that on paper is intended to address sexual exploitation .
However , privacy experts say the act would give the Department of Justice unprecedented power over the internet and potentially threaten the privacy of messages sent online .
The “ Eliminating Abuse and Rampant Neglect of Interactive Technology ” ( Earn It ) Act was introduced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lindsey Graham , Democrat Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut , Republican Josh Hawley of Missouri , and Democrat Dianne Feinstein of California to address what lawmakers characterized as “ the rapid increase of child sexual abuse material on prominent online platforms ” .
“ Technological advances have allowed the online exploitation of children to become much , much worse over recent years , ” said Feinstein .
“ Companies must do more to combat this growing problem on their online platforms.
” The bill would weaken protections under Section 230 , a measure that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsibility for the content shared on their sites .
It would also allow individuals to sue tech companies that don ’ t take “ proper steps ” to prevent online child exploitation .
Those steps would be determined by a 19-member panel of unelected officials , mostly law enforcement , who would impose a set of “ best practices ” that websites and online forums would have to follow , or risk getting shut down .
The Earn It Act is supported by anti-exploitation groups including the National Center for Missing & Exploited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the National Center on Sexual Exploitation .
But privacy advocates are concerned its powers could overreach and pose a threat to encryption , a tool that obscures the content of messages so others – including tech companies and law enforcement – can not read them .
If technology companies are to be held liable for content on their sites , the privacy advocates say , they could be required to scan all user messages , requiring a weakening of encryption practices .
“ The Earn It Act could end user privacy as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Electronic Frontier Foundation .
“ Tech companies that provide private , encrypted messaging could have to rewrite their software to allow police special access to their users ’ messages.
” Graham ’ s office did not return request for comment , but it previously said his “ goal here is not to outlaw encryption … that will be a debate for another day ” .
However , Barr – who would be given a large amount of power under the new act – has been outspoken about his desire to force technology companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Earn It act is being compared to the Online Sex Trafficking Act ( Fosta ) and the Stop Enabling Sex Trafficking Act ( Sesta ) , passed in 2017 to combat online sex trafficking by making websites criminally liable for users ’ content .
Sesta/Fosta had a chilling effect on internet platforms and put sex workers and members of the LGBTQ+ community in danger , critics said , by forcing them offline .
As a result of the acts , Craigslist had to remove its Personals ads section ; the website @ @ @ @ @ @ @ large sex worker presence , was shut down ; and social media platforms had to crack down on adult content .
Critics argue the legislation broadly censored online speech and negatively affected people who engage in consensual sex work , ultimately helping sex traffickers by pushing the industry underground .
Similarly , the Earn It Act would “ undermine the privacy of every single American and stifle our ability to communicate freely online ” , the ACLU said in a letter urging senators to vote no on the bill .
Advocates fear the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would recommend “ best practices ” required by tech companies that disproportionately censor content relating to LGBTQ+ matters , sex work , and the sex industry .
“ Our online freedoms are now in serious jeopardy , ” said Kate Ruane , ACLU senior legislative counsel , in response to the Senate judiciary committee ’ s vote .
In recent days , the judiciary committee has tried to sidestep growing opposition to the bill by introducing amendments that are intended to address the concerns but “ utterly fail to do so ” , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fight for the Future .
“ A sneaky bill just got even sneakier , ” she said .
“ If they move ahead with this deeply flawed bill , they ’ ll be ignoring the voices of experts and the public.
” The bill will now head for a vote on the Senate floor , where it could potentially see a vote in the next few weeks before the chamber ’ s session ends , on 17 July .

A US Senate bill that critics say would enable widespread censorship and surveillance has taken a significant step towards becoming law, raising alarm among internet freedom advocates.
The Senate judiciary committee voted on Thursday to advance the Earn It Act, legislation that on paper is intended to address sexual exploitation. However, privacy experts say the act would give the Department of Justice unprecedented power over the internet and potentially threaten the privacy of messages sent online.
The “Eliminating Abuse and Rampant Neglect of Interactive Technology” (Earn It) Act was introduced in March by the South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham, Democrat Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Republican Josh Hawley of Missouri, and Democrat Dianne Feinstein of California to address what lawmakers characterized as “the rapid increase of child sexual abuse material on prominent online platforms”.
“Technological advances have allowed the online exploitation of children to become much, much worse over recent years,” said Feinstein. “Companies must do more to combat this growing problem on their online platforms.”
The bill would weaken protections under Section 230, a measure that has historically shielded internet publishers from legal responsibility for the content shared on their sites. It would also allow individuals to sue tech companies that don’t take “proper steps” to prevent online child exploitation. Those steps would be determined by a 19-member panel of unelected officials, mostly law enforcement, who would impose a set of “best practices” that websites and online forums would have to follow, or risk getting shut down.
The Earn It Act is supported by anti-exploitation groups including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), Rights4Girls, and the National Center on Sexual Exploitation.
But privacy advocates are concerned its powers could overreach and pose a threat to encryption, a tool that obscures the content of messages so others – including tech companies and law enforcement – cannot read them.
If technology companies are to be held liable for content on their sites, the privacy advocates say, they could be required to scan all user messages, requiring a weakening of encryption practices.
“The Earn It Act could end user privacy as we know it,” said the Electronic Frontier Foundation. “Tech companies that provide private, encrypted messaging could have to rewrite their software to allow police special access to their users’ messages.”
Graham’s office did not return request for comment, but it previously said his “goal here is not to outlaw encryption … that will be a debate for another day”. However, Barr – who would be given a large amount of power under the new act – has been outspoken about his desire to force technology companies to allow law enforcement to bypass encryption.
The Earn It act is being compared to the Online Sex Trafficking Act (Fosta) and the Stop Enabling Sex Trafficking Act (Sesta), passed in 2017 to combat online sex trafficking by making websites criminally liable for users’ content. Sesta/Fosta had a chilling effect on internet platforms and put sex workers and members of the LGBTQ+ community in danger, critics said, by forcing them offline. As a result of the acts, Craigslist had to remove its Personals ads section; the website Backpage.com, a classifieds website with a large sex worker presence, was shut down; and social media platforms had to crack down on adult content. Critics argue the legislation broadly censored online speech and negatively affected people who engage in consensual sex work, ultimately helping sex traffickers by pushing the industry underground.
Similarly, the Earn It Act would “undermine the privacy of every single American and stifle our ability to communicate freely online”, the ACLU said in a letter urging senators to vote no on the bill.
Advocates fear the commission created by the Earn It act would recommend “best practices” required by tech companies that disproportionately censor content relating to LGBTQ+ matters, sex work, and the sex industry.
“Our online freedoms are now in serious jeopardy,” said Kate Ruane, ACLU senior legislative counsel, in response to the Senate judiciary committee’s vote.
In recent days, the judiciary committee has tried to sidestep growing opposition to the bill by introducing amendments that are intended to address the concerns but “utterly fail to do so”, said Evan Greer of internet freedoms group Fight for the Future.
“A sneaky bill just got even sneakier,” she said. “If they move ahead with this deeply flawed bill, they’ll be ignoring the voices of experts and the public.”
The bill will now head for a vote on the Senate floor, where it could potentially see a vote in the next few weeks before the chamber’s session ends, on 17 July.


theguardian--2020-07-03--Trump declares US economy is 'roaring back', despite record Covid-19 cases – video

Donald Trump has declared the US economy is 'roaring back ' after news of a fall in unemployment nationwide .
@ @ @ @ @ across the country have been gradually lifting Covid-19 restrictions .
While 4.8m jobs were added @ @ @ @ @ the country have also experienced record numbers of new coronavirus cases • Trump administration has @ @ @ @ @ , says Mnuchin

Donald Trump has declared the US economy is 'roaring back' after news of a fall in unemployment nationwide. The results come as states across the country have been gradually lifting Covid-19 restrictions. While 4.8m jobs were added in June, parts of the country have also experienced record numbers of new coronavirus cases


theguardian--2020-07-02--Why is coronavirus still surging in the US? – video explainer

The US recorded a new all-time daily high of 52,000 new Covid-19 cases on 1 July , according to Johns @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump repeated his belief the virus would ‘ just disappear ’ .
America has @ @ @ @ @ million confirmed cases - more than double that of Brazil , the second most-affected country @ @ @ @ @ the US ’ s top infectious disease expert , has said the country is ‘ @ @ @ @ @ ’ , infections could more than double and the subsequent death toll ‘ is going @ @ @ @ @ .
The Guardian ’ s Ed Pilkington looks at why a patchwork approach to lifting @ @ @ @ @ the president ’ s mixed messages on wearing a mask , have led to confusion @ @ @ @ @ some states are having to clamp down • From miracle cures to masks : how @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus – video explainer • Trump hopes coronavirus will ‘ just disappear ’ and says @ @ @ @ @ for masks ’ – video

Ed Pilkington, Monika Cvorak and Nikhita Chulani

The US recorded a new all-time daily high of 52,000 new Covid-19 cases on 1 July, according to Johns Hopkins University figures, as Donald Trump repeated his belief the virus would ‘just disappear’.
America has now had more than 2.7 million confirmed cases - more than double that of Brazil, the second most-affected country. Dr Anthony Fauci, the US’s top infectious disease expert, has said the country is ‘going in the wrong direction’, infections could more than double and the subsequent death toll ‘is going to be very disturbing’.
The Guardian’s Ed Pilkington looks at why a patchwork approach to lifting lockdowns, as well as the president’s mixed messages on wearing a mask, have led to confusion across the country and why some states are having to clamp down


theguardian--2020-07-03--Why Republicans are desperate to keep the white status quo as it disintegrates

The collective white part of the American electorate has always had priority over others and , at some points in history , even codified the denial of others ’ political participation into law .
Think Jim Crow .
Think voter suppression .
Generations have fought and died to push us toward a more equitable future where traditionally marginalized voices can be heard , but it ’ s only now in modern history that their electoral power has been able to be wielded in truly substantial and significant numbers .
With that in mind , in the 2020 Democratic primary , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of the conversation .
Reparations are , essentially , compensation for the living descendants of enslaved Americans .
My ancestors – who built this country and who have never been systematically compensated by the government , which gained its wealth and power by exploiting our labor – may now finally have the numbers to make reparations happen .
By 2045 , a majority of the US population will be people of color , which will change the electoral makeup and enable people of color to have a transformative political impact .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political priorities as we ’ ve known them because America is designed to let the majority elect those who represent and speak to their interests .
If the majority of the country is people of color , then that refocuses the political conversation away from the one perspective we ’ ve historically legislated from .
It doesn ’ t mean that white Americans will be left out , but they won ’ t be the only ones with a seat at the table .
People of color will be able to effect change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that elected officials listen to what we have to say .
This is a new thing .
And it ’ s a new strategy for Democrats to build upon a foundation of people of color , one so many of them are still uncomfortable with .
A December 2018 Pew Research Center poll found that 46 % of white Americans said having a majority nonwhite nation in 2050 would “ weaken American customs and values ” , compared with 18 % of black Americans and 25 % of Latinx .
Asked whether having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ customs and values , 42 % of Democrats said it would , while only 13 % of Republicans agreed .
The discomfort with this idea is clear , but that doesn ’ t mean it isn ’ t happening .
Republicans realize it ’ s happening .
That ’ s why they make explicit attempts to suppress the votes in communities of color .
Those same communities that will outnumber them in votes in the near future .
They are motivated by the math .
Simultaneously , women are also taking over as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as noted , in 2019 , even though women made up over 50 % of the population , they only accounted for 25 % of the Senate and 23 % of the House .
That ’ s despite huge shifts in population , which have contributed to a number of “ firsts ” in states like Texas , which sent its first ever Latinx representatives to Congress where this demographic makes up the majority of eligible voters for the first time ever .
Since Donald Trump ’ s election in 2016 , nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the state of Texas , and nearly 2 million of those voters are people of color and/or are under the age of 25 .
That is the kind of uptick in diversity in the electorate that changes legislative chambers .
As a result of this shift , America has the potential to become a much more progressive country .
That ’ s only if these voters are able to access the ballot .
The tactics of Republicans with an eye on this future and demographic shift away from their regressive worldview are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly since the gutting of the Voting Rights Act .
That shift allowed states reacting to demographic realities to target black and brown voters with arduous hurdles and poll closings that put massive voting populations into single precincts with very few or malfunctioning voting machines .
That ’ s no accident .
Republicans know that the numbers are not in their favor , not know , nor in the near future and they are desperately trying to preserve the majority white status quo that is disintegrating before our very eyes .
• None @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : How to Heal the Liberal Divide by Zerlina Maxwell .
Copyright © 2020 .
Available from Hachette Books , an imprint of Hachette Book Group , Inc .

The collective white part of the American electorate has always had priority over others and, at some points in history, even codified the denial of others’ political participation into law. Think Jim Crow. Think voter suppression. Generations have fought and died to push us toward a more equitable future where traditionally marginalized voices can be heard, but it’s only now in modern history that their electoral power has been able to be wielded in truly substantial and significant numbers.
With that in mind, in the 2020 Democratic primary, the topic of reparations became a central part of the conversation. Reparations are, essentially, compensation for the living descendants of enslaved Americans. My ancestors – who built this country and who have never been systematically compensated by the government, which gained its wealth and power by exploiting our labor – may now finally have the numbers to make reparations happen.
By 2045, a majority of the US population will be people of color, which will change the electoral makeup and enable people of color to have a transformative political impact. This will be a seismic shift in our political priorities as we’ve known them because America is designed to let the majority elect those who represent and speak to their interests. If the majority of the country is people of color, then that refocuses the political conversation away from the one perspective we’ve historically legislated from.
It doesn’t mean that white Americans will be left out, but they won’t be the only ones with a seat at the table. People of color will be able to effect change because the sheer increase in numbers demands that elected officials listen to what we have to say. This is a new thing. And it’s a new strategy for Democrats to build upon a foundation of people of color, one so many of them are still uncomfortable with. A December 2018 Pew Research Center poll found that 46% of white Americans said having a majority nonwhite nation in 2050 would “weaken American customs and values”, compared with 18% of black Americans and 25% of Latinx.
Asked whether having a majority nonwhite population would strengthen American customs and values, 42% of Democrats said it would, while only 13% of Republicans agreed. The discomfort with this idea is clear, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. Republicans realize it’s happening. That’s why they make explicit attempts to suppress the votes in communities of color. Those same communities that will outnumber them in votes in the near future. They are motivated by the math.
Simultaneously, women are also taking over as the most dominant voting gender. Yet as noted, in 2019, even though women made up over 50% of the population, they only accounted for 25% of the Senate and 23% of the House. That’s despite huge shifts in population, which have contributed to a number of “firsts” in states like Texas, which sent its first ever Latinx representatives to Congress where this demographic makes up the majority of eligible voters for the first time ever. Since Donald Trump’s election in 2016, nearly 3 million people have registered to vote in the state of Texas, and nearly 2 million of those voters are people of color and/or are under the age of 25. That is the kind of uptick in diversity in the electorate that changes legislative chambers. As a result of this shift, America has the potential to become a much more progressive country.
That’s only if these voters are able to access the ballot. The tactics of Republicans with an eye on this future and demographic shift away from their regressive worldview are currently impacting elections throughout the nation, particularly since the gutting of the Voting Rights Act. That shift allowed states reacting to demographic realities to target black and brown voters with arduous hurdles and poll closings that put massive voting populations into single precincts with very few or malfunctioning voting machines. That’s no accident.
Republicans know that the numbers are not in their favor, not now, nor in the near future and they are desperately trying to preserve the majority white status quo that is disintegrating before our very eyes.


theguardian--2020-07-03--Fourth of July celebrations increase risk of 'superspreader' events, experts warn

The Fourth of July is traditionally for barbecues , fireworks , boisterous partying and various hijinks to celebrate Independence Day .
But this year , with coronavirus cases soaring to all-time highs , medical experts warn that the normal US holiday exuberance could instead create infection “ superspreader ” events .
Across the country , thousands of official public celebrations have been canceled in an effort to prevent mass gatherings .
Two notable exceptions are the fireworks planned by the Trump administration in the center of Washington , and an event on Friday night at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota @ @ @ @ @ @ @ display .
This event has managed simultaneously to upset Native American leaders who consider the location stolen tribal land ; irritate those worried about wildfires in the parched landscape , where fireworks have been banned in recent drought years ; and further divide views on health precautions , with the Republican governor of South Dakota saying social distancing will not be enforced and anyone who doesn ’ t like that idea can “ stay home ” .
Most municipal celebrations will not happen .
But large groups are still expected in backyards , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to celebrate their liberation from British rule .
And with the country reporting record highs of new coronavirus cases , officials say the impact of Fourth of July events could be catastrophic .
“ It ’ s set up a perfect storm , ” Joshua Barocas , an infectious disease physician at Boston Medical Center , said during a briefing by the Infectious Diseases Society of America .
“ The combination of travel , the combination of reopening – perhaps in some cases too early – and the combination of people not necessarily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The US recorded 52,000 new cases on Wednesday , according to Johns Hopkins University figures , a new all-time daily high for the US in the outbreak .
It was the fifth daily high in the last eight days .
On Thursday morning , infections were rising in up to 40 states , and 14 states reported record daily highs .
About 40 % of the US is now changing course on reopening in an attempt to quell the unprecedented surge , and states are pleading with people not to engage in group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that warning took the form of an emergency alert to people ’ s phones , which urged them to celebrate Independence Day responsibly .
“ Coronavirus is spreading rapidly in Austin-Travis county , ” read the alert , which buzzed up on screens across the city .
“ Stay home .
Avoid non-household gatherings .
Keep six feet apart from there .
Wear a face covering .
Wash your hands frequently.
” Texas is among the states worst affected by the recent surge .
The state , which was one of the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ salons in May , recorded its highest ever number of daily coronavirus cases this week , and several hospitals in Houston are at or near full capacity .
In Alabama , a group of students held “ Covid parties ” this week , according to Tuscaloosa city councilor Sonya McKinstry , where students wagered over who would become infected .
“ They put money in a pot , and they try to get Covid .
Whoever gets Covid first gets the pot .
It makes no sense , ” McKinstry told ABC News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it.
” The parties fly in the face of advice from the Alabama department of public health , which has asked people to maintain a 6ft distance , and explained the concept of superspreader events in guidance sent out to local governmental officials .
“ Asymptomatic spread of Covid-19 is a major risk factor .
These ‘ superspreaders ’ do not know they are carrying the disease , ” the health department said .
“ It is estimated one in four infected people are ‘ superspreaders ’ .
For this reason , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” California , which had been making progress on getting infections down , is now the new US ’ s worst hotspot .
The Riverside county public health officer , Cameron Kaiser , warned that the effect of people gathering to toast Memorial Day , a public holiday in May , was stark .
“ We don ’ t want any more closures , but our numbers are going through the roof , ” Kaiser told the New York Times .
The California , governor ordered the closure of all recently reopened bars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and dining at restaurants .
Arizona ’ s governor , Doug Ducey , abruptly ordered bars , gyms , movie theaters and water parks to close .
Many beaches , a traditional Fourth of July rallying point , have been ordered to close .
A majority of beaches in southern Florida will shut down from Friday , as will beaches in Texas and Los Angeles county .
Amid the warnings over the celebrations , Trump has remained defiant .
He has insisted that the “ Salute to America ” , a huge firework-laden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the president last year , will go ahead in Washington , despite the city ’ s mayor urging against it .
Trump will speak at the event , which thousands attended last year , and the department of the interior said the display will be “ a patriotic tribute to our men and women in uniform ” .

The Fourth of July is traditionally for barbecues, fireworks, boisterous partying and various hijinks to celebrate Independence Day. But this year, with coronavirus cases soaring to all-time highs, medical experts warn that the normal US holiday exuberance could instead create infection “superspreader” events.
Across the country, thousands of official public celebrations have been canceled in an effort to prevent mass gatherings. Two notable exceptions are the fireworks planned by the Trump administration in the center of Washington, and an event on Friday night at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota where the president will attend a fireworks display.
This event has managed simultaneously to upset Native American leaders who consider the location stolen tribal land; irritate those worried about wildfires in the parched landscape, where fireworks have been banned in recent drought years; and further divide views on health precautions, with the Republican governor of South Dakota saying social distancing will not be enforced and anyone who doesn’t like that idea can “stay home”.
Most municipal celebrations will not happen. But large groups are still expected in backyards, homes and streets, as Americans strain to celebrate their liberation from British rule.
And with the country reporting record highs of new coronavirus cases, officials say the impact of Fourth of July events could be catastrophic.
“It’s set up a perfect storm,” Joshua Barocas, an infectious disease physician at Boston Medical Center, said during a briefing by the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
“The combination of travel, the combination of reopening – perhaps in some cases too early – and the combination of people not necessarily following some of these preventive guidelines.”
The US recorded 52,000 new cases on Wednesday, according to Johns Hopkins University figures, a new all-time daily high for the US in the outbreak. It was the fifth daily high in the last eight days.
On Thursday morning, infections were rising in up to 40 states, and 14 states reported record daily highs.
About 40% of the US is now changing course on reopening in an attempt to quell the unprecedented surge, and states are pleading with people not to engage in group revelry.
The mayor of Florida’s most populous county, which includes Miami, on Friday ordered indefinite overnight curfews from 10pm to 6am.
“This curfew is meant to stop people from venturing out and hanging out with friends in groups, which has shown to be spreading the virus rapidly,” Carlos Gimenez said in a statement, citing staffing shortages at hospitals.
In Austin, Texas, that warning took the form of an emergency alert to people’s phones, which urged them to celebrate Independence Day responsibly.
“Coronavirus is spreading rapidly in Austin-Travis county,” read the alert, which buzzed up on screens across the city.
“Stay home. Avoid non-household gatherings. Keep six feet apart from there. Wear a face covering. Wash your hands frequently.”
Texas is among the states worst affected by the recent surge. The state, which was one of the first to reopen bars, restaurants and hair salons in May, recorded its highest ever number of daily coronavirus cases this week, and several hospitals in Houston are at or near full capacity.
Trump at a ‘Spirit of America Showcase’, at the White House on Wednesday. Photograph: Michael Reynolds/EPA
In Alabama, a group of students held “Covid parties” this week, according to Tuscaloosa city councilor Sonya McKinstry, where students wagered over who would become infected.
“They put money in a pot, and they try to get Covid. Whoever gets Covid first gets the pot. It makes no sense,” McKinstry told ABC News. “They’re intentionally doing it.”
The parties fly in the face of advice from the Alabama department of public health, which has asked people to maintain a 6ft distance, and explained the concept of superspreader events in guidance sent out to local governmental officials.
“Asymptomatic spread of Covid-19 is a major risk factor. These ‘superspreaders’ do not know they are carrying the disease,” the health department said.
“It is estimated one in four infected people are ‘superspreaders’. For this reason, we strongly recommend wearing masks in public gatherings.”
California, which had been making progress on getting infections down, is now the new US’s worst hotspot. The Riverside county public health officer, Cameron Kaiser, warned that the effect of people gathering to toast Memorial Day, a public holiday in May, was stark.
“We don’t want any more closures, but our numbers are going through the roof,” Kaiser told the New York Times.
The California, governor ordered the closure of all recently reopened bars on Wednesday, banned indoor movie theater-going and dining at restaurants. Arizona’s governor, Doug Ducey, abruptly ordered bars, gyms, movie theaters and water parks to close.
Many beaches, a traditional Fourth of July rallying point, have been ordered to close. A majority of beaches in southern Florida will shut down from Friday, as will beaches in Texas and Los Angeles county.
Amid the warnings over the celebrations, Trump has remained defiant. He has insisted that the “Salute to America”, a huge firework-laden display of national pride which was started by the president last year, will go ahead in Washington, despite the city’s mayor urging against it.
Trump will speak at the event, which thousands attended last year, and the department of the interior said the display will be “a patriotic tribute to our men and women in uniform”.