theguardian--2020-10-02--Trump heads to hospital as Covid diagnosis throws US into fresh upheaval

America ’ s leadership has been plunged into extraordinary uncertainty after Donald Trump tested positive for the coronavirus , raising questions over how far the infection has penetrated the heart of government .
The US president initially continued to carry out his duties under quarantine from the White House residence on Friday and was showing “ mild symptoms ” of Covid-19 , an official said .
But as he was later moved to Walter Reed hospital his election campaigning was on hold .
The Democratic presidential nominee , Joe Biden , said late on Friday afternoon that he had tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the campaign trail , making a speech in Grand Rapids , Michigan , while wearing a mask and advocating mask-wearing , something the president has conspicuously equivocated on .
Biden had earlier tweeted good wishes to Donald and Melania Trump and in his speech , added : “ My wife Jill and I pray they ’ ll make a quick and full recovery .
This is not a matter of politics .
It ’ s a bracing reminder to all of us we have to take this virus seriously.
” The virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Trump , aged 74 and clinically obese , is medically vulnerable .
Should he be incapacitated , Mike Pence , the vice-president , who has tested negative , would take over .
The presidential election takes place on 3 November .
Trump , who has spent months defying science and downplaying the threat of a virus that has killed more than 205,000 Americans , was also facing criticism for having pressed ahead with a campaign fundraising event after learning that a senior aide , Hope Hicks , had tested positive .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with about 100 people at the fundraiser in Bedminster , New Jersey , on Thursday and “ seemed lethargic ” , the New York Times reported .
Trump has travelled extensively in recent days , to a presidential debate , a campaign rally and the fundraiser .
A scramble was under way to test those who have been with him at close quarters .
The first lady , Melania Trump , also tested positive and tweeted : “ I have mild symptoms but overall feeling good .
I am looking forward to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Utah senator Mike Lee , who attended the White House event last Saturday where Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett for the supreme court , also said he had tested positive .
The White House moved to assuage fears of a constitutional and national security crisis .
“ The president does have mild symptoms and as we look to try to make sure that not only his health and safety and welfare is good , we continue to look at that for all of the American people , ” Mark Meadows , the chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He continues to be not only in good spirits but very energetic .
We ’ ve talked a number of times this morning , I ’ ve got the five or six things he tasked me to do , like I do every single morning and he is certainly wanting to make sure we stay engaged.
” “ The American people can rest assured that we have a president that is not only on the job , will remain on the job , and I ’ m optimistic that he ’ ll have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Early on Friday afternoon , Trump ’ s 2020 campaign manager , Bill Stepien , put out a statement that read : “ All previously announced campaign events involving the president ’ s participation are in the process of being moved to virtual events or are being temporarily postponed .
In addition , previously announced events involving members of the first family are also being temporarily postponed .
All other campaign events will be considered on a case-by-case basis and we will make any relevant announcements in the days ahead.
” He added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has tested negative for Covid-19 , plans on resuming his scheduled campaign events .
Any further information about the president will come from the White House.
” Similarly , Mitch McConnell , the Republican Senate majority leader and a Trump ally , tweeted that he and Trump had been discussing the president ’ s nomination of a supreme court justice .
“ Just finished a great phone call with POTUS , ” he wrote .
“ He ’ s in good spirits and we talked business – especially how impressed Senators are with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ steam ahead with the fair , thorough , timely process that the nominee , the court and the country deserve , ” he added , referring to Amy Coney Barrett , the president ’ s nominee to fill the seat on the supreme court left by the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg two weeks ago .
But the administration ’ s frequent false and misleading statements about the pandemic left many observers sceptical about the reassurances .
And the US has a long history of failing to be transparent about presidents ’ health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1am on Friday when Trump tweeted : “ Tonight , FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19 .
We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately .
We will get through this TOGETHER !
” The announcement came hours after he confirmed that Hope Hicks , one of his close aides , had been diagnosed with the virus on Thursday .
Hicks reportedly began feeling mild symptoms during a flight home from a rally in Minnesota on Wednesday evening and was isolated from other passengers onboard the plane .
Even after Hicks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his engagement in Bedminster , potentially exposing attendees to the virus .
Trump ’ s social media director , Dan Scavino , and press secretary , Kayleigh McEnany , who were originally set to join him on the trip , were replaced at the last minute by other aides .
Just after 4pm on Friday , McEnany tweeted an update on Trump ’ s health and that he had been given the antibody cocktail Regeneron .
Trump has a low-grade fever , nasal congestion and cough , the New York Times reported , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ videotaped statement by Trump was being discussed at the White House .
Trump ’ s infection upends a presidential election .
More than a million people have voted early .
The president had been holding campaign rallies crammed with supporters often not wearing face masks or keeping their distance , defying federal guidelines .
Trump now finds himself grounded with rallies on hold .
It is also unclear whether the next debate against Biden will go ahead , or be held in virtual form on 15 October .
The vice-presidential debate between Pence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was still set to go ahead .
Trump and Biden did not shake hands during Tuesday ’ s debate , but stood without masks about 10ft apart for the 90-minute event .
The president has mocked Biden for frequently wearing a mask when out in public , per federal health guidelines .
“ I don ’ t wear masks like him , ” Trump said .
“ Every time you see him , he ’ s got a mask .
He could be speaking 200ft away from me , and he shows up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ever seen.
” In an aggressive push for businesses and schools to reopen , Trump has claimed that the worst of the pandemic is over , even as infections in America surpass 7m , and federal experts have told Congress the outbreak is not under control .
Four US presidents have died in office from natural causes : William Henry Harrison , Zachary Taylor , Warren Harding and Franklin Roosevelt .
Trump ’ s infection is the gravest threat to an incumbent president ’ s health since Ronald Reagan was shot in an @ @ @ @ @

David Smith and Joan E Greve in Washington

America’s leadership has been plunged into extraordinary uncertainty after Donald Trump tested positive for the coronavirus, raising questions over how far the infection has penetrated the heart of government.
The US president initially continued to carry out his duties under quarantine from the White House residence on Friday and was showing “mild symptoms” of Covid-19, an official said. But as he was later moved to Walter Reed hospital his election campaigning was on hold.
The Democratic presidential nominee, Joe Biden, said late on Friday afternoon that he had tested negative for the virus. He continued on the campaign trail, making a speech in Grand Rapids, Michigan, while wearing a mask and advocating mask-wearing, something the president has conspicuously equivocated on.
Biden had earlier tweeted good wishes to Donald and Melania Trump and in his speech, added: “My wife Jill and I pray they’ll make a quick and full recovery. This is not a matter of politics. It’s a bracing reminder to all of us we have to take this virus seriously.”
The virus can take several days to manifest fully and Trump, aged 74 and clinically obese, is medically vulnerable. Should he be incapacitated, Mike Pence, the vice-president, who has tested negative, would take over. The presidential election takes place on 3 November.
Trump, who has spent months defying science and downplaying the threat of a virus that has killed more than 205,000 Americans, was also facing criticism for having pressed ahead with a campaign fundraising event after learning that a senior aide, Hope Hicks, had tested positive.
05:28 From miracle cures to slowing testing: how Trump has defied science on coronavirus – video explainer
One attendee said the president came into contact with about 100 people at the fundraiser in Bedminster, New Jersey, on Thursday and “seemed lethargic”, the New York Times reported.
Trump has travelled extensively in recent days, to a presidential debate, a campaign rally and the fundraiser. A scramble was under way to test those who have been with him at close quarters. The first lady, Melania Trump, also tested positive and tweeted: “I have mild symptoms but overall feeling good. I am looking forward to a speedy recovery.”
On Friday, the Utah senator Mike Lee, who attended the White House event last Saturday where Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett for the supreme court, also said he had tested positive.
The White House moved to assuage fears of a constitutional and national security crisis. “The president does have mild symptoms and as we look to try to make sure that not only his health and safety and welfare is good, we continue to look at that for all of the American people,” Mark Meadows, the chief of staff, told reporters.
“He continues to be not only in good spirits but very energetic. We’ve talked a number of times this morning, I’ve got the five or six things he tasked me to do, like I do every single morning and he is certainly wanting to make sure we stay engaged.”
Meadows, not wearing a face mask, said:
“The American people can rest assured that we have a president that is not only on the job, will remain on the job, and I’m optimistic that he’ll have a very quick and speedy recovery.”
Trump’s chief of staff, Mark Meadows, speaks to reporters on Friday. Photograph: Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Early on Friday afternoon, Trump’s 2020 campaign manager, Bill Stepien, put out a statement that read: “All previously announced campaign events involving the president’s participation are in the process of being moved to virtual events or are being temporarily postponed. In addition, previously announced events involving members of the first family are also being temporarily postponed. All other campaign events will be considered on a case-by-case basis and we will make any relevant announcements in the days ahead.”
He added: “Vice-President Mike Pence, who has tested negative for Covid-19, plans on resuming his scheduled campaign events. Any further information about the president will come from the White House.”
Similarly, Mitch McConnell, the Republican Senate majority leader and a Trump ally, tweeted that he and Trump had been discussing the president’s nomination of a supreme court justice.
“Just finished a great phone call with POTUS,” he wrote. “He’s in good spirits and we talked business – especially how impressed Senators are with the qualifications of Judge Barrett. Full steam ahead with the fair, thorough, timely process that the nominee, the court and the country deserve,” he added, referring to Amy Coney Barrett, the president’s nominee to fill the seat on the supreme court left by the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg two weeks ago.
But the administration’s frequent false and misleading statements about the pandemic left many observers sceptical about the reassurances. And the US has a long history of failing to be transparent about presidents’ health problems.
02:54 Biden: Trump's diagnosis is a 'bracing reminder' of the seriousness of Covid – video
The news broke just before 1am on Friday when Trump tweeted: “Tonight, FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!”
The announcement came hours after he confirmed that Hope Hicks, one of his close aides, had been diagnosed with the virus on Thursday. Hicks reportedly began feeling mild symptoms during a flight home from a rally in Minnesota on Wednesday evening and was isolated from other passengers onboard the plane.
Even after Hicks fell ill, Trump went ahead with his engagement in Bedminster, potentially exposing attendees to the virus. Trump’s social media director, Dan Scavino, and press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, who were originally set to join him on the trip, were replaced at the last minute by other aides.
Just after 4pm on Friday, McEnany tweeted an update on Trump’s health and that he had been given the antibody cocktail Regeneron.
Trump has a low-grade fever, nasal congestion and cough, the New York Times reported, adding that a national address or a videotaped statement by Trump was being discussed at the White House.
Trump’s infection upends a presidential election. More than a million people have voted early. The president had been holding campaign rallies crammed with supporters often not wearing face masks or keeping their distance, defying federal guidelines.
Trump now finds himself grounded with rallies on hold. It is also unclear whether the next debate against Biden will go ahead, or be held in virtual form on 15 October. The vice-presidential debate between Pence and the Democrat Kamala Harris next Wednesday was still set to go ahead.
New: The University of Utah is set to host the VP debate as planned this Wednesday, spokesman Shawn Wood tells me. Their policy will require everybody inside the security perimeter — save for the three people onstage — "to wear masks at all times," Wood says. — Ruby Cramer (@rubycramer) October 2, 2020
Trump and Biden did not shake hands during Tuesday’s debate, but stood without masks about 10ft apart for the 90-minute event.
The president has mocked Biden for frequently wearing a mask when out in public, per federal health guidelines. “I don’t wear masks like him,” Trump said. “Every time you see him, he’s got a mask. He could be speaking 200ft away from me, and he shows up with the biggest mask I’ve ever seen.”
01:21 Trump mocks Biden during first presidential debate: 'I don’t wear a mask like him' – video
In an aggressive push for businesses and schools to reopen, Trump has claimed that the worst of the pandemic is over, even as infections in America surpass 7m, and federal experts have told Congress the outbreak is not under control.
Four US presidents have died in office from natural causes: William Henry Harrison, Zachary Taylor, Warren Harding and Franklin Roosevelt. Trump’s infection is the gravest threat to an incumbent president’s health since Ronald Reagan was shot in an attempted assassination in 1981.


theguardian--2020-10-02--Which way will expats vote in the US election? – Australian politics live podcast

After the first presidential debate airs Katharine Murphy talks to Kent Getsinger , the chair of Democrats Abroad in Australia @ @ @ @ @ will be voting .
Are voters willing to back Joe Biden ?
Will the reaction @ @ @ @ @ more votes ?
How has Covid-19 impacted the foreign voting system ?
How to listen @ @ @ @ @ need to know

After the first presidential debate airs Katharine Murphy talks to Kent Getsinger, the chair of Democrats Abroad in Australia, about how US expats will be voting. Are voters willing to back Joe Biden? Will the reaction from the debate bring in more votes? How has Covid-19 impacted the foreign voting system?
How to listen to podcasts: everything you need to know


theguardian--2020-10-02--Trump joked while people suffered with Covid. Well, is now the time to stop? | Marina Hyde

Well , it ’ s definitely a plot twist .
Like a lot of people who sat through Tuesday ’ s presidential debate , I ’ m amazed the week has ended with Donald Trump ingesting bleach , and not me .
As you may vaguely have heard , the US president and his wife , Melania , have tested positive for the novel coronavirus – which feels untimely given that , mere hours earlier , Trump had been declaring : “ The end of the pandemic is in sight.
” Perhaps this is a one-last-job movie .
Alternatively , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fireplace as its butler suggests not thinking too hard about Trump ’ s motivations .
Some poorly facepainted men just want to watch the world burn .
Still , let ’ s stay on track .
God knows , it ’ s excruciatingly hard to chirp “ Get well soon !
” to this particular patient , but … get well soonish .
Those of us who want to escape the cesspool Trump has helped drag the world into will wish him a better time with the virus than the one to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those he was elected to serve .
Each to their own , but I ’ m against all forms of the death penalty , karmic or otherwise .
Jokes , though ?
Oh , jokes are very much permitted at this stage .
I consider myself deeply pro-joke , for moral reasons .
I appreciate that the Old Testament isn ’ t exactly a gagfest , but I believe in a joke for a joke , you know ?
And no one – NO ONE – has told more jokes about the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Covid Joker , if you ’ ll permit another Gotham callback .
He would surely want us to follow his lead .
The very last thing Trump would wish to imply is that his life is worth any more than the lives of all those people who were dying when he was joking about masks , joking about Joe Biden and masks , joking about Biden being practically dead ... to say nothing of all those times past when he joked about Hillary Clinton ’ s pneumonia , or had his proxies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stroke , or was afflicted by dysphasia , or had secretly suffered a serious brain trauma … I ’ m sorry , I ’ m running very low on space here .
The point is , this is what he ’ d WANT – because he loves the lulz .
Please honour him thusly .
Anyway , as Trump pointed out last week , the virus “ affects virtually nobody ” , and has currently only affected 200,000 American nobodies to death .
Arguably the real victims here are the president ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him but also don ’ t believe the virus even exists .
Trump being officially diagnosed with it is category 5 cognitive dissonance – a logical contradiction so intense it could crash their circuitry , causing them to immediately lay down their assault rifles and open a chain of abortion clinics .
And so to the political implications of Trump ’ s Covid diagnosis , which I couldn ’ t predict less accurately if I were picking through some sacrificed goat entrails .
Joe Biden is already under pressure to suspend his campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the boot were on the other foot .
Then again , who knows – maybe the boot is on both feet ?
On Tuesday , the world watched the ancient esoteric ritual whereby leadership of the tribal land of America is decided by two septuagenarian males spending 90 minutes spraying spittle at each other , apparently after drinking ayahuasca .
A somewhat primitive society , all told , though supposedly it ’ s culturally insensitive to point that sort of thing out these days .
Perhaps there ’ s a certain neatness to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elimination formats now look more sophisticated than the US election .
It could really only elevate the contest if Trump and Biden were forced to battle out the rest of the campaign in isolation in a multi-camera McMansion , or on a specially adapted tropical island , or atop an abandoned karaoke soundstage .
Unfortunately , the entire planet has to keep watching the show for the age-old reason .
Namely , that when America shits the bed , the rest of the world has to lie in it .
( That ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s famous adages , trivia buffs , though I ’ m happy for it to be included in The Little Book of Realpolitik . )
On a personal level , meanwhile , it ’ s not clear how President Trump will cope with the standard Covid isolation lifestyle : holing up in front of endless hours of TV and communicating only by social media .
He famously cheats so wantonly at golf that it ’ s reasonable to imagine him continuing to notch up record-breaking scorecards at his various courses while never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Melania says he ’ s not feeling below par , this isn ’ t the same as saying he has no symptoms .
We know , for instance , the virus can affect one ’ s taste , suggesting Trump could order all his properties to be stripped of all animal print and reproduction gilt .
Alas , the news has brought the first serious snowflake fall of the autumn , as people intensely relaxed about very young children being separated from their parents and held in cages at the border now wet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a man whose own wife says he is “ feeling good ” .
According to the White House physician ’ s statement , “ the president and first lady are both well at this time ” .
( Having said that , according to a 2018 White House physician ’ s statement , the president was 6ft 3in and weighed 239 pounds , placing him in the same physique category as a number of 30-year-old current pro athletes . )
It ’ s quite a spectacle , anyway , watching people who only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revolution over their constitutional right to get a haircut or something , but are now calling for the smelling salts over mere discussion of the president ’ s health .
Then again , it was only a couple of weeks ago that Trump was asked if he wasn ’ t worried about Covid spreading at his indoor rallies , eliciting the deathless reply : “ I ’ m on a stage and it ’ s very far away.
” Yet another reminder that all populists hate their people , some less secretly than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the White House had been aware of his aide Hope Hicks ’ s symptoms when Trump flew to a New Jersey fundraiser , where he was in much closer contact with his own supporters at a roundtable .
No doubt it would be honour to be infected by him , and all that .
As for the 4D chess grandmasters suggesting the whole “ diagnosis ” is a fake-news hoax by Trump designed to buy him two weeks of fairly uncritical coverage during the final crucial month of the election campaign … @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conspiracy theory .
There are a lot of conspiracy theories doing the rounds today – always the sign of an unhealthy democracy .
( Trust us Brits on that front , because it takes one to know one . )
Whichever way you slice it , though , all news media will now spend a good 23 hours a day talking about Trump and Covid – a considerable part of which is likely to zone in on his handling thereof .
So … the most audacious ruse to own the libs of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of severe acute respiratory syndrome ?
And will we ever make it out of the rabbit hole where these questions are routinely asked ?

Well, it’s definitely a plot twist. Like a lot of people who sat through Tuesday’s presidential debate, I’m amazed the week has ended with Donald Trump ingesting bleach, and not me.
As you may vaguely have heard, the US president and his wife, Melania, have tested positive for the novel coronavirus – which feels untimely given that, mere hours earlier, Trump had been declaring: “The end of the pandemic is in sight.” Perhaps this is a one-last-job movie. Alternatively, picture a Wuhan bat staring pensively into the fireplace as its butler suggests not thinking too hard about Trump’s motivations. Some poorly facepainted men just want to watch the world burn.
Still, let’s stay on track. God knows, it’s excruciatingly hard to chirp “Get well soon!” to this particular patient, but … get well soonish. Those of us who want to escape the cesspool Trump has helped drag the world into will wish him a better time with the virus than the one to which he blithely condemned so many of those he was elected to serve. Each to their own, but I’m against all forms of the death penalty, karmic or otherwise.
Jokes, though? Oh, jokes are very much permitted at this stage. I consider myself deeply pro-joke, for moral reasons. I appreciate that the Old Testament isn’t exactly a gagfest, but I believe in a joke for a joke, you know? And no one – NO ONE – has told more jokes about the coronavirus than Donald Trump. He’s the Covid Joker, if you’ll permit another Gotham callback. He would surely want us to follow his lead.
05:28 From miracle cures to slowing testing: how Trump has defied science on coronavirus – video explainer
The very last thing Trump would wish to imply is that his life is worth any more than the lives of all those people who were dying when he was joking about masks, joking about Joe Biden and masks, joking about Biden being practically dead ... to say nothing of all those times past when he joked about Hillary Clinton’s pneumonia, or had his proxies joke speculatively that she had suffered a stroke, or was afflicted by dysphasia, or had secretly suffered a serious brain trauma … I’m sorry, I’m running very low on space here. The point is, this is what he’d WANT – because he loves the lulz. Please honour him thusly.
Anyway, as Trump pointed out last week, the virus “affects virtually nobody”, and has currently only affected 200,000 American nobodies to death. Arguably the real victims here are the president’s MAGA disciples, who are devoted to him but also don’t believe the virus even exists. Trump being officially diagnosed with it is category 5 cognitive dissonance – a logical contradiction so intense it could crash their circuitry, causing them to immediately lay down their assault rifles and open a chain of abortion clinics.
And so to the political implications of Trump’s Covid diagnosis, which I couldn’t predict less accurately if I were picking through some sacrificed goat entrails. Joe Biden is already under pressure to suspend his campaign, just as Trump totally would if the boot were on the other foot. Then again, who knows – maybe the boot is on both feet?
02:54 Biden: Trump's diagnosis is a 'bracing reminder' of the seriousness of Covid – video
On Tuesday, the world watched the ancient esoteric ritual whereby leadership of the tribal land of America is decided by two septuagenarian males spending 90 minutes spraying spittle at each other, apparently after drinking ayahuasca. A somewhat primitive society, all told, though supposedly it’s culturally insensitive to point that sort of thing out these days.
Perhaps there’s a certain neatness to the conclusion that virtually all reality TV elimination formats now look more sophisticated than the US election. It could really only elevate the contest if Trump and Biden were forced to battle out the rest of the campaign in isolation in a multi-camera McMansion, or on a specially adapted tropical island, or atop an abandoned karaoke soundstage. Unfortunately, the entire planet has to keep watching the show for the age-old reason. Namely, that when America shits the bed, the rest of the world has to lie in it. (That’s actually not one of Henry Kissinger’s famous adages, trivia buffs, though I’m happy for it to be included in The Little Book of Realpolitik.)
On a personal level, meanwhile, it’s not clear how President Trump will cope with the standard Covid isolation lifestyle: holing up in front of endless hours of TV and communicating only by social media. He famously cheats so wantonly at golf that it’s reasonable to imagine him continuing to notch up record-breaking scorecards at his various courses while never leaving the White House. And while Melania says he’s not feeling below par, this isn’t the same as saying he has no symptoms. We know, for instance, the virus can affect one’s taste, suggesting Trump could order all his properties to be stripped of all animal print and reproduction gilt.
Alas, the news has brought the first serious snowflake fall of the autumn, as people intensely relaxed about very young children being separated from their parents and held in cages at the border now wet their pants over a few aperçus about a man whose own wife says he is “feeling good”. According to the White House physician’s statement, “the president and first lady are both well at this time”. (Having said that, according to a 2018 White House physician’s statement, the president was 6ft 3in and weighed 239 pounds, placing him in the same physique category as a number of 30-year-old current pro athletes.) It’s quite a spectacle, anyway, watching people who only a couple of months ago were threatening revolution over their constitutional right to get a haircut or something, but are now calling for the smelling salts over mere discussion of the president’s health.
Then again, it was only a couple of weeks ago that Trump was asked if he wasn’t worried about Covid spreading at his indoor rallies, eliciting the deathless reply: “I’m on a stage and it’s very far away.” Yet another reminder that all populists hate their people, some less secretly than others. This morning, it emerged that the White House had been aware of his aide Hope Hicks’s symptoms when Trump flew to a New Jersey fundraiser, where he was in much closer contact with his own supporters at a roundtable. No doubt it would be honour to be infected by him, and all that.
As for the 4D chess grandmasters suggesting the whole “diagnosis” is a fake-news hoax by Trump designed to buy him two weeks of fairly uncritical coverage during the final crucial month of the election campaign …. well, it’s one conspiracy theory. There are a lot of conspiracy theories doing the rounds today – always the sign of an unhealthy democracy. (Trust us Brits on that front, because it takes one to know one.)
Whichever way you slice it, though, all news media will now spend a good 23 hours a day talking about Trump and Covid – a considerable part of which is likely to zone in on his handling thereof. So … the most audacious ruse to own the libs of his entire presidency – or a simple case of severe acute respiratory syndrome? And will we ever make it out of the rabbit hole where these questions are routinely asked?


theguardian--2020-10-02--The US supreme court may soon become plutocracy's greatest defender | David Sirota

If you get your news from the political press and television ads , you might think the US supreme court is a forum that only adjudicates disputes over the most hot-button religious and civil rights issues .
What you would not know is that while the court does periodically rule on those important matters , it spends as much or more of its time using business-related cases to help billionaires and corporations rig the economy against ordinary Americans .
In light of that , Amy Coney Barrett ’ s US supreme court nomination must be understood as the culmination of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last two decades .
The strategy is straightforward : they nominate plutocrat-compliant judges knowing that the corporate-owned media and political system will make sure confirmation battles focus on partisan wrangling and high-profile social issues – but not also on the economic issues that justices often decide .
In other words : Republican politicians rely on conflagrations over political process and social issues to mobilize their religious base in service of Republican donors ’ real objective – smuggling corporate cronies on to the highest court in the land .
And if Barrett is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just get another business-friendly judge – in advance of the 2020 election , they will also get a third justice who worked directly on the legal team that convinced the US supreme court to hand Republicans the presidency in 2000 .
To be sure , Barrett ’ s record on social issues is extreme and worthy of scrutiny , criticism and organized opposition , especially at a time when crucial precedents may be on the line .
She signed an ad criticizing Roe v Wade and she has suggested that a more conservative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clinics .
As a judge , she has also written dissenting opinions against limits on gun rights and in favor of a Trump administration rule to try to make it harder for low-income immigrants to enter the United States .
Those issues , however , are almost certainly not what is motivating big donors to funnel millions of dollars into groups like the Judicial Crisis Network , the oil magnate Charles Koch ’ s network and the US Chamber of Commerce in support of Barrett ’ s nomination .
Those groups ’ ads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the public debate on religion and court precedent , but such enormous sums of cash flood into judicial campaigns with one underlying goal : enriching the corporations and plutocrats that are making the donations .
These organizations know the supreme court is the place to do exactly that – and they have been wildly successful in stacking the court since 2005 .
That was the year that business interests engineered John Roberts ’ ascension to supreme court chief justice .
Back then , corporate groups launched what was their first sophisticated public campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court – and Roberts was the perfect pick .
He had advised the Bush 2000 legal team , he represented corporate clients in private practice and he was considered “ the go-to lawyer for the business community ” .
Roberts ’ business fealty was not the focus of his court confirmation hearings – and that omission is now standard practice .
Indeed , other than the brief controversy over Neil Gorsuch ’ s ruling in a workers ’ rights case , recent confirmation battles have rarely ever homed in on nominees ’ views @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Roberts court has been defined by its allegiance to big business .
According to the Constitutional Accountability Center , 70 % of the Roberts court ’ s rulings in business cases have sided with the US Chamber – the pre-eminent business lobby group in Washington .
That is the highest rate of corporate loyalty of any supreme court in 40 years , and it is a bipartisan affair : Republican-appointed judges are almost always siding with business interests , and in roughly half the cases , Democratic-appointed justices have been with them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with conservatives on a few cases have led liberals to see him as a sensible moderate , he has presided over a radical court that has helped transform the economy .
The court has limited unions ’ political power , reduced workers ’ bargaining rights , blocked class-action lawsuits against corporate wrongdoers , strengthened fossil fuel companies ’ power and emboldened big money interests to buy elections .
Even rulings that don ’ t seem to revolve around corporate power have ended up setting precedents that help strengthen commercial interests power over American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nominee whose confirmation battle appears to be following the same playbook .
So far , the fight is focusing on religion and social issues – but not also on how she could lock in an anti-worker corporate-friendly majority .
Barrett is no moderate on economics .
An analysis from the watchdog group Accountable Us found that as a circuit court judge , she “ faced at least 55 cases in which citizens took on corporate entities in front of her court and 76 % of the time she sided with the corporations ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nominated to the high court by Donald Trump , she delivered a ruling that could help corporations avoid paying overtime to gig workers .
That ruling followed her other rulings limiting the enforcement of age-discrimination laws , restricting the government ’ s power to punish companies that mislead consumers and curtailing consumers ’ rights against predatory debt collectors .
The UCLA law professor Adam Winkler said that if Barrett is confirmed , the consequences could reverberate for decades .
“ This would really push the court over the top , ” said Winkler @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Corporations : How American Businesses Won Their Civil Rights .
“ You would have a very strong 6-3 conservative majority .
And unlike previous times where conservatives had most of the seats on the court , none of the conservatives on [ this ] court really swing liberal on business or corporate power issues .
John Roberts has swung liberal on a few cases in recent years to the celebration of many but his track record is pretty unambiguous and pretty consistently pro-business and anti-consumer.
” Trump and Republican lawmakers are clearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focusing only on social and cultural issues , because they think that is their most favorable political terrain .
They do not want the upcoming Senate hearings to spotlight the corporate power issues that might make rank-and-file conservative voters see Barrett ’ s nomination as an economic betrayal of the working class .
The question now is whether or not the Senate minority leader , Chuck Schumer , and the House speaker , Nancy Pelosi , will use all of the procedural power at their disposal to slow the nomination and expose Barrett @ @ @ @ @ @ @ side of the powerful against the people .
If Democratic leaders do pursue such a strategy , they could stall the confirmation by turning the process into a referendum on economic inequality at precisely a moment when Americans have become acutely aware of the downsides of oligarchy .
If they reject that strategy , then the court could become a corporate star chamber for the rest of our lives – which is exactly what business interests want .
• None David Sirota is a Guardian US columnist .
He is also an editor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publisher of the newsletter The Daily Poster .
He served as Bernie Sanders ’ presidential campaign speechwriter

If you get your news from the political press and television ads, you might think the US supreme court is a forum that only adjudicates disputes over the most hot-button religious and civil rights issues. What you would not know is that while the court does periodically rule on those important matters, it spends as much or more of its time using business-related cases to help billionaires and corporations rig the economy against ordinary Americans.
In light of that, Amy Coney Barrett’s US supreme court nomination must be understood as the culmination of cynical tactics that Republicans have perfected over the last two decades. The strategy is straightforward: they nominate plutocrat-compliant judges knowing that the corporate-owned media and political system will make sure confirmation battles focus on partisan wrangling and high-profile social issues – but not also on the economic issues that justices often decide.
In other words: Republican politicians rely on conflagrations over political process and social issues to mobilize their religious base in service of Republican donors’ real objective – smuggling corporate cronies on to the highest court in the land. And if Barrett is confirmed, those Republican donors will not just get another business-friendly judge – in advance of the 2020 election, they will also get a third justice who worked directly on the legal team that convinced the US supreme court to hand Republicans the presidency in 2000.
To be sure, Barrett’s record on social issues is extreme and worthy of scrutiny, criticism and organized opposition, especially at a time when crucial precedents may be on the line. She signed an ad criticizing Roe v Wade and she has suggested that a more conservative court could accept state restrictions on abortion clinics. As a judge, she has also written dissenting opinions against limits on gun rights and in favor of a Trump administration rule to try to make it harder for low-income immigrants to enter the United States.
Those issues, however, are almost certainly not what is motivating big donors to funnel millions of dollars into groups like the Judicial Crisis Network, the oil magnate Charles Koch’s network and the US Chamber of Commerce in support of Barrett’s nomination. Those groups’ ads and lobbying campaigns may try to focus the public debate on religion and court precedent, but such enormous sums of cash flood into judicial campaigns with one underlying goal: enriching the corporations and plutocrats that are making the donations.
These organizations know the supreme court is the place to do exactly that – and they have been wildly successful in stacking the court since 2005.
That was the year that business interests engineered John Roberts’ ascension to supreme court chief justice. Back then, corporate groups launched what was their first sophisticated public campaign to install a new jurist on the court – and Roberts was the perfect pick. He had advised the Bush 2000 legal team, he represented corporate clients in private practice and he was considered “the go-to lawyer for the business community”.
Roberts’ business fealty was not the focus of his court confirmation hearings – and that omission is now standard practice. Indeed, other than the brief controversy over Neil Gorsuch’s ruling in a workers’ rights case, recent confirmation battles have rarely ever homed in on nominees’ views on corporate power.
And yet, the Roberts court has been defined by its allegiance to big business. According to the Constitutional Accountability Center, 70% of the Roberts court’s rulings in business cases have sided with the US Chamber – the pre-eminent business lobby group in Washington. That is the highest rate of corporate loyalty of any supreme court in 40 years, and it is a bipartisan affair: Republican-appointed judges are almost always siding with business interests, and in roughly half the cases, Democratic-appointed justices have been with them, too.
‘The John Roberts court has been defined by its allegiance to big business.’ Photograph: Leah Millis/AP
While Roberts’ break with conservatives on a few cases have led liberals to see him as a sensible moderate, he has presided over a radical court that has helped transform the economy. The court has limited unions’ political power, reduced workers’ bargaining rights, blocked class-action lawsuits against corporate wrongdoers, strengthened fossil fuel companies’ power and emboldened big money interests to buy elections. Even rulings that don’t seem to revolve around corporate power have ended up setting precedents that help strengthen commercial interests power over American society.
Now comes Barrett – a nominee whose confirmation battle appears to be following the same playbook. So far, the fight is focusing on religion and social issues – but not also on how she could lock in an anti-worker corporate-friendly majority.
Barrett is no moderate on economics. An analysis from the watchdog group Accountable Us found that as a circuit court judge, she “faced at least 55 cases in which citizens took on corporate entities in front of her court and 76% of the time she sided with the corporations”.
Only a month before Barrett was nominated to the high court by Donald Trump, she delivered a ruling that could help corporations avoid paying overtime to gig workers. That ruling followed her other rulings limiting the enforcement of age-discrimination laws, restricting the government’s power to punish companies that mislead consumers and curtailing consumers’ rights against predatory debt collectors.
The UCLA law professor Adam Winkler said that if Barrett is confirmed, the consequences could reverberate for decades. “This would really push the court over the top,” said Winkler, the author of the book We the Corporations: How American Businesses Won Their Civil Rights. “You would have a very strong 6-3 conservative majority. And unlike previous times where conservatives had most of the seats on the court, none of the conservatives on [this] court really swing liberal on business or corporate power issues. John Roberts has swung liberal on a few cases in recent years to the celebration of many but his track record is pretty unambiguous and pretty consistently pro-business and anti-consumer.”
Trump and Republican lawmakers are clearly trying to steer the confirmation battle into focusing only on social and cultural issues, because they think that is their most favorable political terrain. They do not want the upcoming Senate hearings to spotlight the corporate power issues that might make rank-and-file conservative voters see Barrett’s nomination as an economic betrayal of the working class.
The question now is whether or not the Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, and the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, will use all of the procedural power at their disposal to slow the nomination and expose Barrett’s long record of taking the side of the powerful against the people.
If Democratic leaders do pursue such a strategy, they could stall the confirmation by turning the process into a referendum on economic inequality at precisely a moment when Americans have become acutely aware of the downsides of oligarchy.
If they reject that strategy, then the court could become a corporate star chamber for the rest of our lives – which is exactly what business interests want.


theguardian--2020-10-02--Biden announced in-person canvassing. Then Trump tested positive for Covid

At a Latinos for Trump roundtable in Phoenix in August , Alma Rodriguez said she had yet to hear from Joe Biden ’ s campaign this cycle .
But the 28-year-old has been approached several times by canvassers and volunteers from the Trump campaign , who say they have knocked on 19 million doors – and she ’ s started visiting the organization ’ s office .
“ I go to the center and talk with people who just have a passion , ” she said .
Part of this is by design .
For months now , the Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phone messaging , avoiding traditional in-person canvassing efforts in the hope of curbing Covid-19 risks for voters and staff .
They have been hoping their caution sends the message that they take the virus , and their voters ’ wellbeing , seriously .
But on Thursday , the Biden campaign announced it was changing course .
After reports that Democrats were growing frustrated by the campaign ’ s decision not to have a robust ground game , it unveiled a new effort to dispatch several hundred volunteers across critical swing states such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hampshire .
Soon after the announcement Donald Trump and the first lady , Melania Trump , tested positive for Covid-19 , leaving political pundits to wonder : will Biden ’ s new ground game work or does playing it safe seem more important than ever ?
The coronavirus has hung over a bitterly divided election .
The Trump administration has been downplaying the severity of the virus since February , and balking at public health interventions such as widespread mask mandates and citywide lockdowns .
Biden supporters say its caution this year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I know if somebody knocked on my door I ’ d be mortified , ” said Moe Vela , a former senior adviser to Biden , before the announcement .
“ I don ’ t know who ’ s touched what , who ’ s breathed what.
” Instead the Biden campaign has been focusing on new ways of reaching voters , such as virtual yard signs in the popular Animal Crossing video game or drive-in movie theater-style rallies .
Even so , volunteers say they haven ’ t been able to reach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It ’ s just harder and harder to get people on the phone , ” Patrick Sullivan , a Biden volunteer who lives in suburban Harrisburg , Pennsylvania , told the Associated Press .
“ So being able to go to someone ’ s door and talk to them makes a big difference.
” The Biden camp opened 109 supply centers with campaign material and voter education pamphlets to distribute , as well as a supply of personal protective equipment and thermometers to avoid an outbreak .
The volunteers have also been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ itself .
A surge in mail-in voting is expected this year , as voters hope to avoid long lines during the pandemic , leading to increased confusion and logistical issues with absentee ballots .
In Pennsylvania , a pivotal state , voters could forget to use the ballot secrecy envelopes , making their votes invalid .
In Florida , hundreds of ballots have already been rejected because voters didn ’ t sign the envelope .
Republicans say the new strategy is hypocritical , and possibly , futile .
“ President Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safely for months .
We ’ re now averaging 2m doors a week , and growing , ” said Steve Guest , a Republican National Committee spokesman in an email statement .
“ Joe Biden ’ s campaign is trying to shoestring together a ground game with less than 33 days to go , but it ’ s too little , too late.
” ( It ’ s worth noting Trump ’ s rallies in Tulsa and Saginaw have been linked to Covid cases . )
But David Broockman , a professor at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who has studied voter persuasion efforts , said the value of in-person organizing may be overstated , particularly during a pandemic .
“ I ’ m more concerned that Trump is outspending Biden on the air in Georgia and parts of Minnesota , ” he said in an email .
“ I ’ m skeptical that this is a productive and safe use of volunteer hours relative to alternatives like calling friends or writing postcards to voters.
” Mac Stipanovich , a retired Republican political operative in Florida , agreed .
He said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have much of an effect in persuading people to vote for either candidate .
Door knocking for Biden , he said , was “ more cosmetic than substantive ” .
“ It allows the Biden campaign to demonstrate that , yes , they have people who are committed to the candidate , who are excited about the candidate , and who will walk in the hot sun and knock on their neighbor ’ s doors , ” he said .
Though the Biden campaign has remained indoors until this month , other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the year .
“ If we don ’ t do this for our community , no one else will , ” said Pastor Donna Foster , an organizer with the non-profit Black Mothers Forum in Phoenix , Arizona .
The forum set up voter registration stations next to drive-through food distribution centers , where more people have visited due to economic distress during the pandemic .
Also in Phoenix , the non-profit Mi Familia Vota has been engaged in a decade-long effort to turn out the Latino vote .
When the pandemic hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director said canvassers focused on reaching people by phone – but were only able to reach about 2 % of everyone they called , on a good day .
In August , they started knocking on doors again .
“ And suddenly we started reaching maybe a quarter of people , ” Madero said .
“ It ’ s just more effective.
” Every day , canvassers , wearing masks for protection , have gathered at the organization ’ s downtown Phoenix headquarters , where they have their temperatures checked and fill out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presented with a massive yellow sticker that reads “ I ’ ve been screened ” .
Yvette Romero , 27 , said she wasn ’ t always very engaged in politics , but decided to work as a canvasser this year after seeing her community devastated by coronavirus and degraded by anti-immigrant rhetoric coming from those in power .
“ We don ’ t tell people how to vote when we sign them up , ” Romero said .
“ But we just present them with options .
And I tell people it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to support and protect those who can ’ t vote.
” With just one month left until election day , both campaigns are attempting to capture every possible vote , particularly in critical states such as Pennsylvania , Wisconsin and Michigan .
Time will tell if Biden ’ s last stretch of canvassing will have an impact on the election – especially since he saw record donations before the campaign ’ s announcement that it will send out volunteers .
Or if the so-called shy voters will respond to Trump ’ s ongoing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , even after the president himself tested positive for Covid-19 .
But at the very least , Stipanovach said , the new door-to-door effort will send a message .
“ That creates an ambiance , if you will , of the whole campaign that things are happening , there ’ s momentum , we ’ re winning , ” he said .

Ankita Rao, Lauren Gambino, Sam Levine and Maanvi Singh

At a Latinos for Trump roundtable in Phoenix in August, Alma Rodriguez said she had yet to hear from Joe Biden’s campaign this cycle. But the 28-year-old has been approached several times by canvassers and volunteers from the Trump campaign, who say they have knocked on 19 million doors – and she’s started visiting the organization’s office.
“I go to the center and talk with people who just have a passion,” she said.
Part of this is by design. For months now, the Biden campaign has been focused on digital and phone messaging, avoiding traditional in-person canvassing efforts in the hope of curbing Covid-19 risks for voters and staff. They have been hoping their caution sends the message that they take the virus, and their voters’ wellbeing, seriously.
But on Thursday, the Biden campaign announced it was changing course. After reports that Democrats were growing frustrated by the campaign’s decision not to have a robust ground game, it unveiled a new effort to dispatch several hundred volunteers across critical swing states such as Pennsylvania, Nevada, Michigan and New Hampshire.
Soon after the announcement Donald Trump and the first lady, Melania Trump, tested positive for Covid-19, leaving political pundits to wonder: will Biden’s new ground game work or does playing it safe seem more important than ever?
The coronavirus has hung over a bitterly divided election. The Trump administration has been downplaying the severity of the virus since February, and balking at public health interventions such as widespread mask mandates and citywide lockdowns.
Biden supporters say its caution this year, then, was entirely justified. “I know if somebody knocked on my door I’d be mortified,” said Moe Vela, a former senior adviser to Biden, before the announcement. “I don’t know who’s touched what, who’s breathed what.”
Campaign volunteers for Joe Biden work a phone bank in North Charleston, South Carolina, on 28 February. Photograph: Joshua Lott/AFP via Getty Images
Instead the Biden campaign has been focusing on new ways of reaching voters, such as virtual yard signs in the popular Animal Crossing video game or drive-in movie theater-style rallies.
Even so, volunteers say they haven’t been able to reach every voter they had hoped to. “It’s just harder and harder to get people on the phone,” Patrick Sullivan, a Biden volunteer who lives in suburban Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, told the Associated Press. “So being able to go to someone’s door and talk to them makes a big difference.”
The Biden camp opened 109 supply centers with campaign material and voter education pamphlets to distribute, as well as a supply of personal protective equipment and thermometers to avoid an outbreak.
The volunteers have also been trained to focus on the voting process itself. A surge in mail-in voting is expected this year, as voters hope to avoid long lines during the pandemic, leading to increased confusion and logistical issues with absentee ballots. In Pennsylvania, a pivotal state, voters could forget to use the ballot secrecy envelopes, making their votes invalid. In Florida, hundreds of ballots have already been rejected because voters didn’t sign the envelope.
Republicans say the new strategy is hypocritical, and possibly, futile.
“President Trump’s re-election team has been knocking doors, safely for months. We’re now averaging 2m doors a week, and growing,” said Steve Guest, a Republican National Committee spokesman in an email statement. “Joe Biden’s campaign is trying to shoestring together a ground game with less than 33 days to go, but it’s too little, too late.” (It’s worth noting Trump’s rallies in Tulsa and Saginaw have been linked to Covid cases.)
But David Broockman, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, who has studied voter persuasion efforts, said the value of in-person organizing may be overstated, particularly during a pandemic.
Ryan Retza, right, leads volunteers in a training event at a campaign office in Appleton, Wisconsin, on 20 August. Photograph: David Goldman/AP
“I’m more concerned that Trump is outspending Biden on the air in Georgia and parts of Minnesota,” he said in an email. “I’m skeptical that this is a productive and safe use of volunteer hours relative to alternatives like calling friends or writing postcards to voters.”
Mac Stipanovich, a retired Republican political operative in Florida, agreed. He said he didn’t think door knocking would have much of an effect in persuading people to vote for either candidate. Door knocking for Biden, he said, was “more cosmetic than substantive”.
“It allows the Biden campaign to demonstrate that, yes, they have people who are committed to the candidate, who are excited about the candidate, and who will walk in the hot sun and knock on their neighbor’s doors,” he said.
Though the Biden campaign has remained indoors until this month, other groups have been holding in-person initiatives throughout the year.
“If we don’t do this for our community, no one else will,” said Pastor Donna Foster, an organizer with the non-profit Black Mothers Forum in Phoenix, Arizona. The forum set up voter registration stations next to drive-through food distribution centers, where more people have visited due to economic distress during the pandemic.
Also in Phoenix, the non-profit Mi Familia Vota has been engaged in a decade-long effort to turn out the Latino vote. When the pandemic hit, the group’s civic engagement director said canvassers focused on reaching people by phone – but were only able to reach about 2% of everyone they called, on a good day.
Craig Bakerjian hands out campaign face masks, signs and shirts in support of Joe Biden at a drive-thru station in Las Vegas on 29 September. Photograph: John Locher/AP
In August, they started knocking on doors again. “And suddenly we started reaching maybe a quarter of people,” Madero said. “It’s just more effective.”
Every day, canvassers, wearing masks for protection, have gathered at the organization’s downtown Phoenix headquarters, where they have their temperatures checked and fill out a health screening form, before being presented with a massive yellow sticker that reads “I’ve been screened”. Yvette Romero, 27, said she wasn’t always very engaged in politics, but decided to work as a canvasser this year after seeing her community devastated by coronavirus and degraded by anti-immigrant rhetoric coming from those in power.
“We don’t tell people how to vote when we sign them up,” Romero said. “But we just present them with options. And I tell people it’s important for us to vote to support and protect those who can’t vote.”
With just one month left until election day, both campaigns are attempting to capture every possible vote, particularly in critical states such as Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan.
Time will tell if Biden’s last stretch of canvassing will have an impact on the election – especially since he saw record donations before the campaign’s announcement that it will send out volunteers. Or if the so-called shy voters will respond to Trump’s ongoing ground game as they did in 2016, even after the president himself tested positive for Covid-19.
But at the very least, Stipanovach said, the new door-to-door effort will send a message.
“That creates an ambiance, if you will, of the whole campaign that things are happening, there’s momentum, we’re winning,” he said.


theguardian--2020-10-02--A second Trump term would be 'game over' for the climate, says one of the world's top climate scient

A second Trump term would be 'game over' for the climate, says one of the world's top climate scientists

This article is published as part of Covering Climate Now , a collaboration of 400-plus news outlets to strengthen coverage of the climate story .
The Guardian is the lead partner of CCN .
Michael Mann , one of the most eminent climate scientists in the world , believes averting climate catastrophe on a global scale would be “ essentially impossible ” if Donald Trump is re-elected .
A professor at Penn State University , Mann , 54 , has published hundreds of peer-reviewed scientific papers , testified numerous times before Congress and appeared frequently in the news media .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ where earlier this year he declared : “ A second Trump term is game over for the climate – really !
” , a statement he reaffirmed in an interview with the Guardian and Covering Climate Now .
“ If we are going to avert ever more catastrophic climate change impacts , we need to limit warming below a degree and a half Celsius , a little less than three degrees Fahrenheit , ” Mann said .
“ Another four years of what we ’ ve seen under Trump , which is to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polluters and dismantle protections put in place by the previous administration … would make that essentially impossible.
” None of Mann ’ s 200-plus scientific papers is more famous than the so-called “ hockey stick study ” , which Nature published on Earth Day of 1998 .
With two co-authors , Mann demonstrated that global temperature had been trending downward for the previous one thousand years .
Graphed , this line was the long handle of the hockey stick , which surged abruptly upwards in about 1950 – represented by the blade of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the warmest decade in “ at least the last millennium ” .
In 1999 , Mann became an assistant professor at the University of Virginia , where he was targeted by the climate denier crowd , an experience detailed in his 2012 book The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars .
He received death threats , he says , and had emails stolen .
Virginia ’ s former attorney general Ken Cuccinelli , a hard-right Republican , subpoenaed documents related to Mann ’ s research funding in an effort to prove fraud .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ mis [ using ] state funds in his own personal war against climate science ” .
In 2014 , affirming a lower court ’ s decision , the supreme court of Virginia ruled against Cuccinelli , who now serves as a top official in Trump ’ s Department of Homeland Security .
Mann denies that it ’ s a partisan statement to say that four more years of Trump would mean “ game over ” for the climate .
“ It is a political statement , because it speaks to the need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change , ” he says .
“ But it isn ’ t partisan to say that we should act on this crisis.
” It ’ s also a scientific statement , Mann adds .
Two years ago this month , scientists with the United Nations ’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change published a landmark study , Global Warming of 1.5 Degrees , which found that humanity had to cut heat-trapping emissions roughly by half by 2030 to avoid catastrophic climate breakdown .
Headlines warned we had “ 12 years to save the planet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 .
Except more than two years have been lost , because in that time , the Trump administration has prevented the world ’ s biggest economy from making “ the dramatic reductions that were necessary to keep us on that path ” of halving emissions by 2030 , Mann says .
“ So now the incline is steeper .
It ’ s no longer 5 % [ reductions ] a year for the next 10 years .
It ’ s more like seven and a half per cent.
” ( As a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global carbon emissions are projected to fall in 2020 due to the Covid-19 economic lockdowns that shrank driving , flying and other carbon-intensive activities . )
The numbers get unrealistically challenging if Trump gains another four years as president .
“ Four more years of relative inaction , of flat emissions , means that four years from now that number might be closer to 15 % [ emissions reductions ] a year , ” Mann says .
“ And that may be , although not physically impossible , societally impossible .
The rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fossil-fuel-driven infrastructure , it just may not be economically possible or socially viable to do it that [ fast ] .
” ‘ Our destiny is determined by our behavior ’ Fortunately , there is encouraging news about climate science as well .
It was long thought that Earth ’ s climate system carried a substantial lag effect , mainly because carbon dioxide remains in the atmosphere , trapping heat , for many decades after being emitted .
Even if all CO emissions were halted overnight , global temperatures would keep rising and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impacts would keep intensifying “ for about 25 to 30 years ” , Sir David King , the former chief science advisor to the British government , said in 2006 .
Mann says research over the last decade has overturned this interpretation .
Using new , more elaborate computer models equipped with an interactive carbon cycle , “ what we now understand is that if you stop emitting carbon right now … the oceans start to take up carbon more rapidly , ” Mann says .
Such ocean storage of CO “ mostly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CO that still remains in the atmosphere .
Thus , the actual lag between halting CO emissions and halting temperature rise is not 25 to 30 years , he explains , but “ more like three to five years ” .
This is “ a dramatic change in our understanding ” of the climate system that gives humans “ more agency ” , says Mann .
Rather than being locked into decades of inexorably rising temperatures , humans can turn down the heat almost immediately by slashing emissions promptly .
“ Our destiny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says Mann , a fact he finds “ empowering ” .
This reprieve will not necessarily spare polar ice sheets or evade tipping points that can not be recrossed , the scientist cautions , and Earth is already experiencing “ much more extreme weather … than we expected 10 years ago ” .
Greenland and Arctic ice is already melting after the current temperature rise of 1C , or 2.7F , above preindustrial levels , and it will continue melting even without further warming .
The resulting possibility of “ massive sea level @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mann says that humanity is “ walking out on to a minefield ” of tipping points : “ The more we warm the planet , the more of those unwelcome surprises we might encounter.
” In the face of this urgency , Mann broadly supports implementing a Green New Deal .
This he defines as a vast government effort that deploys both regulations – for example , no more coal plants – and market mechanisms like carbon pricing to transition away from fossil fuels as rapidly as possible .
In the coming weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more important way for US citizens to exercise agency than to vote – vote for candidates who support such a transition , such as Joe Biden , and against Donald Trump and other Republicans who obstruct it .
“ The future of this planet is now in the hands of American citizens , ” he says .
“ It ’ s up to us .
The way we end this national and global nightmare is by coming out and voting for optimism over pessimism , for hope and justice and progress over fear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Tolkienesque battle between good and evil , and Sauron needs to be defeated on election day here in the United States.
” • None Mark Hertsgaard , the executive director of Covering Climate Now and the environment correspondent for the Nation , has covered climate change since 1990 for leading outlets around the world and in books including Hot : Living Through the Next Fifty Years on Earth .

This article is published as part of Covering Climate Now, a collaboration of 400-plus news outlets to strengthen coverage of the climate story. The Guardian is the lead partner of CCN.
Michael Mann, one of the most eminent climate scientists in the world, believes averting climate catastrophe on a global scale would be “essentially impossible” if Donald Trump is re-elected.
A professor at Penn State University, Mann, 54, has published hundreds of peer-reviewed scientific papers, testified numerous times before Congress and appeared frequently in the news media. He is also active on Twitter, where earlier this year he declared: “A second Trump term is game over for the climate – really!”, a statement he reaffirmed in an interview with the Guardian and Covering Climate Now.
“If we are going to avert ever more catastrophic climate change impacts, we need to limit warming below a degree and a half Celsius, a little less than three degrees Fahrenheit,” Mann said. “Another four years of what we’ve seen under Trump, which is to outsource environmental and energy policy to the polluters and dismantle protections put in place by the previous administration … would make that essentially impossible.”
None of Mann’s 200-plus scientific papers is more famous than the so-called “hockey stick study”, which Nature published on Earth Day of 1998. With two co-authors, Mann demonstrated that global temperature had been trending downward for the previous one thousand years. Graphed, this line was the long handle of the hockey stick, which surged abruptly upwards in about 1950 – represented by the blade of the stick – to make the 1990s the warmest decade in “at least the last millennium”.
In 1999, Mann became an assistant professor at the University of Virginia, where he was targeted by the climate denier crowd, an experience detailed in his 2012 book The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars. He received death threats, he says, and had emails stolen. Virginia’s former attorney general Ken Cuccinelli, a hard-right Republican, subpoenaed documents related to Mann’s research funding in an effort to prove fraud. A Washington Post editorial blasted Cuccinelli for “mis[using] state funds in his own personal war against climate science”. In 2014, affirming a lower court’s decision, the supreme court of Virginia ruled against Cuccinelli, who now serves as a top official in Trump’s Department of Homeland Security.
Mann denies that it’s a partisan statement to say that four more years of Trump would mean “game over” for the climate.
Michael Mann, seen in March. Photograph: Jessica Hromas/The Guardian
“It is a political statement, because it speaks to the need to enact policies to deal with climate change,” he says. “But it isn’t partisan to say that we should act on this crisis.”
It’s also a scientific statement, Mann adds. Two years ago this month, scientists with the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change published a landmark study, Global Warming of 1.5 Degrees, which found that humanity had to cut heat-trapping emissions roughly by half by 2030 to avoid catastrophic climate breakdown. Headlines warned we had “12 years to save the planet”. Those 12 years are now 10.
Except more than two years have been lost, because in that time, the Trump administration has prevented the world’s biggest economy from making “the dramatic reductions that were necessary to keep us on that path” of halving emissions by 2030, Mann says. “So now the incline is steeper. It’s no longer 5% [reductions] a year for the next 10 years. It’s more like seven and a half per cent.” (As a comparison, 7% is how much global carbon emissions are projected to fall in 2020 due to the Covid-19 economic lockdowns that shrank driving, flying and other carbon-intensive activities.)
This is a Tolkienesque battle between good and evil, and Sauron needs to be defeated on election day Michael Mann
The numbers get unrealistically challenging if Trump gains another four years as president.
“Four more years of relative inaction, of flat emissions, means that four years from now that number might be closer to 15% [emissions reductions] a year,” Mann says. “And that may be, although not physically impossible, societally impossible. The rate at which we shift away from a fossil-fuel-driven infrastructure, it just may not be economically possible or socially viable to do it that [fast].”
06:05 Why Biden calls Trump a 'climate arsonist' – video explainer
‘Our destiny is determined by our behavior’
Fortunately, there is encouraging news about climate science as well. It was long thought that Earth’s climate system carried a substantial lag effect, mainly because carbon dioxide remains in the atmosphere, trapping heat, for many decades after being emitted. Even if all CO 2 emissions were halted overnight, global temperatures would keep rising and heatwaves, droughts, storms and other impacts would keep intensifying “for about 25 to 30 years”, Sir David King, the former chief science advisor to the British government, said in 2006.
Mann says research over the last decade has overturned this interpretation.
Using new, more elaborate computer models equipped with an interactive carbon cycle, “what we now understand is that if you stop emitting carbon right now … the oceans start to take up carbon more rapidly,” Mann says. Such ocean storage of CO 2 “mostly” offsets the warming effect of the CO 2 that still remains in the atmosphere. Thus, the actual lag between halting CO 2 emissions and halting temperature rise is not 25 to 30 years, he explains, but “more like three to five years”.
This is “a dramatic change in our understanding” of the climate system that gives humans “more agency”, says Mann. Rather than being locked into decades of inexorably rising temperatures, humans can turn down the heat almost immediately by slashing emissions promptly. “Our destiny is determined by our behavior,” says Mann, a fact he finds “empowering”.
A polar bear leaps over melting ice, Svalbard archipelago, Norway. Photograph: Paulette Sinclair/Alamy Stock Photo
This reprieve will not necessarily spare polar ice sheets or evade tipping points that cannot be recrossed, the scientist cautions, and Earth is already experiencing “much more extreme weather … than we expected 10 years ago”. Greenland and Arctic ice is already melting after the current temperature rise of 1C, or 2.7F, above preindustrial levels, and it will continue melting even without further warming. The resulting possibility of “massive sea level rise” is one example of why Mann says that humanity is “walking out on to a minefield” of tipping points: “The more we warm the planet, the more of those unwelcome surprises we might encounter.”
In the face of this urgency, Mann broadly supports implementing a Green New Deal. This he defines as a vast government effort that deploys both regulations – for example, no more coal plants – and market mechanisms like carbon pricing to transition away from fossil fuels as rapidly as possible. In the coming weeks, he adds, there is no more important way for US citizens to exercise agency than to vote – vote for candidates who support such a transition, such as Joe Biden, and against Donald Trump and other Republicans who obstruct it.
“The future of this planet is now in the hands of American citizens,” he says. “It’s up to us. The way we end this national and global nightmare is by coming out and voting for optimism over pessimism, for hope and justice and progress over fear and malice and superstition. This is a Tolkienesque battle between good and evil, and Sauron needs to be defeated on election day here in the United States.”


theguardian--2020-10-02--Revelation of vast 'consulting fees' threatens damage for Ivanka Trump

She has tried to be the acceptable face of Trumpism while seemingly nurturing political ambitions of her own .
But Donald Trump ’ s eldest daughter , Ivanka , did not emerge from recent revelations over his financial affairs unscathed .
A nugget in the New York Times ’ s investigation into the US president ’ s tax returns could potentially cause lasting damage to Ivanka , currently a senior adviser to the president and a leading surrogate for his re-election campaign .
She apparently received “ consulting fees ” paid by the Trump Organization , helping reduce the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she was simultaneously an employee of the organization .
“ Trump ’ s private records show that his company once paid $ 747,622 in fees to an unnamed consultant for hotel projects in Hawaii and Vancouver , British Columbia , ” the Times noted .
“ Ivanka Trump ’ s public disclosure forms – which she filed when joining the White House staff in 2017 – show that she had received an identical amount through a consulting company she co-owned.
” While Trump was quick to issue his standard defense , dismissing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Ivanka has been conspicuously silent about her alleged violation .
In the past she has worked to put daylight between herself and the biggest scandals of her father ’ s administration .
Joshua Kendall , author of First Dads : Parenting and Politics from George Washington to Barack Obama , said : “ There seems to be an overlap in terms of her declaring that same amount of money on her financial disclosure so this really could be very , very damaging .
There has been some speculation about a criminal prosecution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point for her.
” Such a development would be a rare setback for Ivanka , 38 , whose husband , Jared Kushner , is also a senior adviser at the White House , and who has long enjoyed perceived status as Trump ’ s golden child .
She introduced him to the Republican national convention in 2016 and again this year , when she frequently used the first person pronoun to put herself at the heart of his presidency .
Examples included : “ I sat with him in the Oval Office as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I was with my father when he decided to commute Alice ’ s life sentence ” ; “ I stood by my father ’ s side at Dover air force base as he has received our fallen heroes ” .
And : “ Four years ago , I told you I would fight alongside my father , and , four years later , here I am.
” The speech fueled speculation that Ivanka is positioning herself as an heir apparent .
Maureen Dowd , a New York Times columnist , wrote : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Jared can never go back to their life as New York society darlings .
So why not double down on Washington and lay the groundwork for a presidential run of her own ?
” The dynastic notion resurfaced this week when a book by Rick Gates , Trump ’ s former deputy campaign manager , suggested that the Republican nominee wanted to name Ivanka as his running mate in 2016 .
Ivanka herself reportedly told her father it was not a good idea and he eventually chose Mike Pence .
Rick Wilson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a group led by anti-Trump Republican consultants , dismissed the idea of Ivanka running for president in 2024 or beyond .
“ She and her bizarre android husband are planning great things for their future , but it doesn ’ t mean they ’ re gon na be viable in terms of winning and holding higher office , ” he said .
Other commentators suggest that , while Ivanka will follow her father ’ s example by shrugging off this latest political controversy , the legal implications could be more damaging .
Michael @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and author of The Truth About Trump , said : “ I think that she has ambition , period , so there ’ s no doubt that she imagines herself to be a prominent figure indefinitely .
I don ’ t know Trumps believe that anything that comes out about them is significantly troublesome ; they feel that they can talk their way out of anything where their base is concerned .
“ But this payment may have criminal repercussions that are more significant .
If she knowingly accepted this money and did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in order to evade taxes , and then her father signed the tax returns knowingly , both of them could have criminal liability .
So I don ’ t think it ’ s a small thing that can just be written off as : “ Oh well , it ’ s too bad that she made this mistake .
’ ”

She has tried to be the acceptable face of Trumpism while seemingly nurturing political ambitions of her own. But Donald Trump’s eldest daughter, Ivanka, did not emerge from recent revelations over his financial affairs unscathed.
A nugget in the New York Times’s investigation into the US president’s tax returns could potentially cause lasting damage to Ivanka, currently a senior adviser to the president and a leading surrogate for his re-election campaign.
She apparently received “consulting fees” paid by the Trump Organization, helping reduce the Trump family’s tax bill, while she was simultaneously an employee of the organization.
“Trump’s private records show that his company once paid $747,622 in fees to an unnamed consultant for hotel projects in Hawaii and Vancouver, British Columbia,” the Times noted. “Ivanka Trump’s public disclosure forms – which she filed when joining the White House staff in 2017 – show that she had received an identical amount through a consulting company she co-owned.”
While Trump was quick to issue his standard defense, dismissing the tax report as “fake news”, Ivanka has been conspicuously silent about her alleged violation. In the past she has worked to put daylight between herself and the biggest scandals of her father’s administration.
Joshua Kendall, author of First Dads: Parenting and Politics from George Washington to Barack Obama, said: “There seems to be an overlap in terms of her declaring that same amount of money on her financial disclosure so this really could be very, very damaging. There has been some speculation about a criminal prosecution. This could really be a turning point for her.”
Such a development would be a rare setback for Ivanka, 38, whose husband, Jared Kushner, is also a senior adviser at the White House, and who has long enjoyed perceived status as Trump’s golden child. She introduced him to the Republican national convention in 2016 and again this year, when she frequently used the first person pronoun to put herself at the heart of his presidency. Examples included: “I sat with him in the Oval Office as he stopped travel to Europe”; “I was with my father when he decided to commute Alice’s life sentence”; “I stood by my father’s side at Dover air force base as he has received our fallen heroes”.
And: “Four years ago, I told you I would fight alongside my father, and, four years later, here I am.”
The speech fueled speculation that Ivanka is positioning herself as an heir apparent. Maureen Dowd, a New York Times columnist, wrote: “Ivanka must realize now that she and Jared can never go back to their life as New York society darlings. So why not double down on Washington and lay the groundwork for a presidential run of her own?”
The dynastic notion resurfaced this week when a book by Rick Gates, Trump’s former deputy campaign manager, suggested that the Republican nominee wanted to name Ivanka as his running mate in 2016. Ivanka herself reportedly told her father it was not a good idea and he eventually chose Mike Pence.
Rick Wilson, co-founder of the Lincoln Project, a group led by anti-Trump Republican consultants, dismissed the idea of Ivanka running for president in 2024 or beyond. “She and her bizarre android husband are planning great things for their future, but it doesn’t mean they’re gonna be viable in terms of winning and holding higher office,” he said.
Other commentators suggest that, while Ivanka will follow her father’s example by shrugging off this latest political controversy, the legal implications could be more damaging.
Michael D’Antonio, a political analyst and author of The Truth About Trump, said: “I think that she has ambition, period, so there’s no doubt that she imagines herself to be a prominent figure indefinitely. I don’t know Trumps believe that anything that comes out about them is significantly troublesome; they feel that they can talk their way out of anything where their base is concerned.
“But this payment may have criminal repercussions that are more significant. If she knowingly accepted this money and did it with any understanding that it was in order to evade taxes, and then her father signed the tax returns knowingly, both of them could have criminal liability. So I don’t think it’s a small thing that can just be written off as: “Oh well, it’s too bad that she made this mistake.’”


theguardian--2020-10-02--Boris Johnson sends best wishes to Donald and Melania Trump after Covid-19 diagnosis – video

Boris Johnson has wished Donald and Melania Trump a 'strong recovery ' , hours after the US president revealed he @ @ @ @ @ positive for coronavirus • Trump and first lady Melania test positive for coronavirus • Prayers @ @ @ @ @ react to Trump Covid news

Boris Johnson has wished Donald and Melania Trump a 'strong recovery', hours after the US president revealed he and his wife had tested positive for coronavirus


theguardian--2020-10-03--Trump's hospital stay for Covid fuels concerns condition is serious as new White House cases emerge

Trump's hospital stay for Covid fuels concerns condition is serious as new White House cases emerge – live

World leaders have wished Donald Trump well following his hospitalisation for Covid-19 .
China ’ s president said he hoped @ @ @ @ @ quickly .
“ Xi said that learning President Trump and Melania have tested positive for @ @ @ @ @ wife , Peng Liyuan , extend sympathy to them and wish them a speedy recovery @ @ @ @ @ ministry said in a statement .
Boris Johnson , the UK prime minister , who @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 earlier this year , shared similar sentiments .
“ I think obviously everybody ’ @ @ @ @ @ the very best and hoping that they recover speedily and I ’ ve no doubt @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll make a very strong recovery , ” said Johnson on Saturday .
Asked @ @ @ @ @ give to Trump , Johnson said : “ I think that he will be doing @ @ @ @ @ him to do and I ’ m sure he will be having the best care @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m sure he ’ ll come through it very well .
”

4 Oct 2020 07.45 BST Hong Kong health authorities are reportedly about to announce five new recorded cases - making it two weeks since the city reported figures above 20. The South China Morning Post also reported one of the five cases is a 22-year-old student at the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education Lee Wai Lee campus in Tseung Kwan O, where more than 2,000 other students and staff were being now tested. On Saturday the overall number of local cases stood at 5,108, with 105 related deaths.
4 Oct 2020 07.36 BST AAP: West Australian authorities have confirmed a crew member from a cargo ship docked at Fremantle Port has been tested for Covid-19.
The crew member aboard the Kota Legit vessel was tested after it emerged they had been unwell while the ship was at sea, WA Health said in a statement on Sunday.
The result of the test is not yet known.
“The crew member is currently well but as a precautionary measure that crew member was tested for Covid-19 yesterday,” WA Health said.
“The result of that of test will be available soon.
“The rest of the crew remain well. Any necessary changes to the further management of the ship will be made once that test result is known. In the meantime, the ship will remain at Fremantle Port with all crew remaining onboard.”
The ship arrived in Fremantle after a seven-day voyage from Port Klang in Malaysia. It’s believed to have been in China and Singapore prior to that.
It comes as authorities continue to deal with an outbreak of 17 cases on the Patricia Oldendorff bulk carrier off Port Hedland.
The vessel, carrying 20 Filipino nationals and the captain, arrived from Manila on September 16 and is anchored eight nautical miles off WA’s northwest coast.
Nine people remain on the ship as essential crew, seven of whom have tested positive.
There are also a dozen crew members in quarantine at the fenced-off Hedland Hotel and 10 of them have tested positive.
None are seriously unwell.
Authorities are confident the ship will set sail in the next week. WA recorded no new cases on Sunday and has 17 active cases.
4 Oct 2020 06.57 BST Jillian Ambrose In the UK, millions of employees preparing to work from home this winter will face a collective hike of almost £2bn on their energy bills, and tougher working conditions, with only a “pittance” in compensation from their employers. Half the UK’s workforce is likely to work primarily from home over the coming months as they help to contain the spread of the coronavirus, and may see their winter energy bills rise by a fifth as radiators and boilers are kept running through the day. The average household energy bill could climb by £107 this winter for those working from home five days a week, according to a study by Energy Helpline, which would mean a £1.9bn hike for the energy bills of working households between October and March. Read more: Working from home in UK over winter ‘will add £100 to fuel bills’ Read more
4 Oct 2020 06.38 BST Reuters: So far, markets have been comparatively sanguine in response to Trump’s diagnosis: hopes of a breakthrough in talks among US lawmakers on another stimulus package took the edge off a stock market selloff on Friday, with the S&P 500 losing less than 1% and so-called safe-haven assets seeing limited demand. News of Trump’s hospitalisation at a military medical center outside Washington, where he remained on Saturday, came after trading ended on Friday. Many investors are concerned, however, that a serious decline in Trump’s health less than a month before Americans go to the polls could roil a US stock market that recently notched its worst monthly performance since its selloff in March while causing turbulence in other assets. If the president’s health is in jeopardy, there’s “too much uncertainty in the situation for the markets just to shrug it off,” said Willie Delwiche, investment strategist at Baird. If the president’s health is in jeopardy, there’s “too much uncertainty in the situation for the markets just to shrug it off,” said Willie Delwiche, investment strategist at Baird. Photograph: Johannes Eisele/AFP/Getty Images The various outcomes investors currently envision run the gamut from a quick recovery that bolsters Trump’s image as a fighter to a drawn-out illness or death stoking uncertainty and drying up risk appetite across markets. Should uncertainty persist, technology and momentum stocks that have led this year’s rally may be particularly vulnerable to a selloff, some investors said. The tech-heavy Nasdaq fell more than 2% on Friday, double the S&P 500’s decline. “If people ... get nervous right now, probably it manifests itself in crowded trades like tech and mega-cap being unwound a bit,” Delwiche said. A record 80% of fund managers surveyed last month by BofA Global Research said that buying technology stocks was the market’s “most crowded” trade. The concentration of investors in big tech stocks has also raised concerns over their outsized sway on moves in the broader market. The largest five U.S. companies - Google parent Alphabet , Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Microsoft - now account for almost 25% of the S&P 500’s market capitalization, according to research firm Oxford Economics.
4 Oct 2020 06.23 BST Bloomberg News is reporting - and the New York Times’ Maggie Haberman says she has separately confirmed - that top Trump aide Nick Luna has tested positive for Covid-19. Luna serves as Trump’s “body man”, a personal attendant to the president, and was diagnosed a little over 24 hours after Trump’s admission to Walter Reed hospital, the report says. Haberman reports Luna is married to Cassidy Dumbauld, a senior advisor of Jared Kushner, husband of Trump’s daughter, Ivanka.
4 Oct 2020 06.09 BST Katharine Murphy With news that the US secretary of state Mike Pompeo is scaling back a planned visit to Asia this week given the drama associated with Donald Trump’s Covid diagnosis, I’ve made a couple of quick calls to work out if Australia’s foreign minister Marise Payne is still bound for Tokyo for the “quad” discussion. As far as Australia is concerned the Toyko conversation is all on track. Pompeo will be there, and so will Payne. The “quad” is a gathering between Australia, the US, Japan and India. The agenda for Tuesday’s meeting is the coronavirus, the impact of the pandemic on supply chains, and how to counter state sponsored disinformation. Trump Covid diagnosis shortens Mike Pompeo's Asia trip Read more
4 Oct 2020 05.57 BST A reminder for Australian readers who want to stay up-to-date with US election news: sign-up to our daily email briefing.
The US election briefing for Australia is an Australian take on the news, delivered every weekday at 5pm to keep you up to date with the extraordinary electoral contest between Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
The email gives you the top US election headlines and most important developments, as well as links to our full range of election coverage, all explained and presented from an Australian viewpoint.
It’s written by my Guardian colleague, columnist and former US reporter Josephine Tovey, who spent three years reporting in New York and covered the 2016 presidential election for Fairfax Media.
You can sign up here: US election briefing for Australia: sign up for our daily email newsletter Read more
4 Oct 2020 05.12 BST Singapore is expected to move into “phase three” of its reopening plan, but recent rule changes have people wondering if they haven’t unofficially done it already. “Instead, we are calling the big overall phases as one, two and three, like signposts that we have reached major staging points in our journey,” says Associate Prof Alex Cook, vice dean of research at the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Saw Swee Hock school of public health in the Straits Times. “Careful relaxation is necessary as countries that have rushed into reopening are entering second waves, and either starting localised lockdowns, in the case of Spain and Britain, or full national lockdowns, like Israel,” he said. A man stands in the al fresco dining area of his restaurant situated in the Kampong Glam cultural district of Singapore. Photograph: Wallace Woon/EPA Restrictions have been eased over recent weeks, including doubling the number of people allowed at weddings, and allowing tourists from more countries including Australia (but not the state of Victoria), and Vietnam, and resuming live music at worship services. Here, the Straits Times charts the plethora of changes to restrictions since the pandemic began.
Updated at 05.16 BST
4 Oct 2020 04.50 BST Australia is heading into summer, and for much of the country’s coastal population this usually means long days at the beach. While the country has relatively very few cases of Covid, there are still social distancing measures in place – the only big waves we want to see are in the ocean, thanks very much. So what does this mean for beachgoers and for the lifesavers who occasionally have to rescue them? Well, to start, there will be more crowd control, no mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, and swimmers should watch out for others coughing up mucus in the water (ew). Elias Visontay takes a look: Sun, sand and coronavirus: Australia aims to enforce a Covid-safe summer Read more The coronavirus will mean some big changes at the beach during Australia’s approaching summer. Photograph: Dean Lewins/EPA
Updated at 05.07 BST