theguardian--2020-07-01--Governor signs historic bill to remove Confederate emblem from Mississippi flag – as it happened

At this unprecedented moment in American history – a terrible pandemic , an economic meltdown , people marching across the country to end systemic racism and police brutality , growing income and wealth inequality and an unstable president in the White House – now is the time to bring people together to fundamentally alter our national priorities and rethink the very structure of American society .
In that regard , I have been disturbed that for too long , Democrats and Republicans have joined together in passing outrageously high military budgets while ignoring the needs of the poorest people in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about altering our national priorities , then there is no better place to begin with than taking a hard look at the bloated $ 740bn military budget that is coming up for a vote in the Senate this week .
Incredibly , after adjusting for inflation , we are now spending more on the military than we did during the height of the Cold War or during the wars in Vietnam and Korea .
This extraordinary level of military spending comes at a time when the Department of Defense is the only agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been able to pass an independent audit , when defense contractors are making enormous profits while paying their CEOs exorbitant compensation packages , and when the so-called “ War on Terror ” will end up costing us some $ 6tn .

Maanvi Singh in San Francisco (now), Tom McCarthy, Joanna Walters and Martin Belam (earlier)

1 Jul 2020 01.17 BST Summary Dr Anthony Fauci, the top US infectious disease expert, told senators that the US is “going in the wrong direction” in its handling of the coronavirus pandemic. He warned that the death toll “is going to be very disturbing” unless officials intervene, and urged Americans to wear masks and practice social distancing in public spaces.
He warned that the death toll “is going to be very disturbing” unless officials intervene, and urged Americans to wear masks and practice social distancing in public spaces. The US has bought up virtually all the stocks of remdesivir, one of two drugs that appear to work against Covid-19, for the next three months leaving almost none rest of the world. The Trump administration has bought more than 500,000 doses – all of what the drug’s producer Gilead will make in July and 90% of what it expects to produce in August and September.
The Trump administration has bought more than 500,000 doses – all of what the drug’s producer Gilead will make in July and 90% of what it expects to produce in August and September. Speaking in Delaware, Joe Biden said the pandemic is unlikely to have subsided by January 2021, and if he’s elected. “On the day I’m sworn in, I’ll get right to work implementing all aspects of the response that remain undone,” he said.
“On the day I’m sworn in, I’ll get right to work implementing all aspects of the response that remain undone,” he said. Former combat pilot Amy McGrath has won the Democratic primary race in Kentucky to face off against Senate majority leader and pro-Trumpian Mitch McConnell. McGrath faced a tough challenge from progressive Charles Booker.
McGrath faced a tough challenge from progressive Charles Booker. Democratic leaders said they want a full congressional briefing on alleged Russian bounties on the heads of US troops in Afghanistan. The House’s No. 2 Democrat, Steny Hoyer, said he believes that Russia “remains involved in a negative way in Afghanistan”.
Updated at 01.28 BST
30 Jun 2020 00.47 BST What to watch: Today's primaries Colorado, Utah and Oklahoma are having primaries today. Here’s what we’re watching: In Colorado, former governor and 2020 presidential candidate John Hickenlooper is facing off against former state House speaker Andrew Romanoff for a chance to take on Republican senator Corey Gardner. Gardner, Colorado’s first-term Republican senator, is a vulnerable incumbent in a state that’s trending toward blue. In Utah, the Republican primary for governor has former governor Jon Huntsman in a close race against Lt. governor Spencer Cox for the Republican (bear with me - that’s a lot of governors to keep track of, I know). Huntsman has been attacked by Cox for leaving his previous post as Utah’s governor to serve as ambassador to China during the Obama administration (he later served as an ambassador to Russia during the Trump administration).
In Oklahoma, voters will decide State Question 802, a ballot measure that would expand Medicaid for an estimated 200,000 eligible Oklahomans. Nine Republicans are also vying for the chance to face off against Democratic representative Kendra Horn. Horn flipped her Oaklahoma City-based district in 2016, and Republicans see a chance to take it back in November.
30 Jun 2020 00.19 BST Bernie Sanders wants lawmakers to cut the US military budget by 10%. In an opinion piece published in the Guardian, he writes: At this unprecedented moment in American history – a terrible pandemic, an economic meltdown, people marching across the country to end systemic racism and police brutality, growing income and wealth inequality and an unstable president in the White House – now is the time to bring people together to fundamentally alter our national priorities and rethink the very structure of American society. In that regard, I have been disturbed that for too long, Democrats and Republicans have joined together in passing outrageously high military budgets while ignoring the needs of the poorest people in our society. If we are serious about altering our national priorities, then there is no better place to begin with than taking a hard look at the bloated $740bn military budget that is coming up for a vote in the Senate this week. Incredibly, after adjusting for inflation, we are now spending more on the military than we did during the height of the Cold War or during the wars in Vietnam and Korea. This extraordinary level of military spending comes at a time when the Department of Defense is the only agency of our federal government that has not been able to pass an independent audit, when defense contractors are making enormous profits while paying their CEOs exorbitant compensation packages, and when the so-called “War on Terror” will end up costing us some $6tn. A 10% cut to the US military budget would help support struggling Americans | Bernie Sanders Read more
30 Jun 2020 23.56 BST Donors contributed nearly $480,000 to cover the vice-president's legal expenses According to Mike Pence’s financial disclosure report, donors contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to cover legal expenses from special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe of Russian meddling in the 2016 elections. Donors including the Indiana Pacers owner Herbert Simon and California developers Michael Hayde and Laura Khouri contributed nearly $480,000, the AP reports, to a trust fund that James Atterholt, Pence’s former chief of staff during his tenure as Indiana governor, started to cover the vice-president’s legal bills. The annual report states that the money was used to cover a bill from McGuireWoods LLP, which represented Pence in the Mueller probe. Atterholt terminated the trust on 12 August 2019. Many government officials have turned to legal defense funds over the years to finance their legal representation. The report states that every contributor had to certify that they are US citizens, the money came from personal funds and that Pence did not solicit the contribution, among other requirements. The report was filed with the US Office of Government Ethics.
Updated at 00.48 BST
30 Jun 2020 23.41 BST The 75-year-old Buffalo protester who seriously injured after being pushed to the ground by two police officers has been released from the hospital nearly four weeks after being admitted. Martin Gugino will be recovering at an undisclosed location to protect his privacy, according to his attorney Kelly Zarcone. “Martin wants to thank the entire hospital staff for their exceptional dedication and professionalism,” Zarcone said. “He received truly outstanding care and for that, he is grateful.” Gugino was one of many protesters across the US beaten, tear-gassed, pepper-sprayed and arrested amid nationwide demonstrations against police brutality.
Updated at 00.49 BST
30 Jun 2020 23.29 BST Mississippi's governor signs historic bill to retire flag with confederate emblem With a signature, the Republican Governor Tate Reeves retired the state’s 126-year-old flag, immediately removing its official status. “This is not a political moment to me but a solemn occasion to lead our Mississippi family to come together, to be reconciled, and to move on,” Reeves said in a statement. “We are a resilient people defined by our hospitality. We are a people of great faith. Now, more than ever, we must lean on that faith, put our divisions behind us, and unite for a greater good.” A coalition of legislators passed a bill to change the flag, which features the Confederate battle emblem – a red field topped by a blue X with 13 white stars. White supremacist lawmakers put the emblem on the Mississippi flag in 1894. Critics have asked for it to be changed for decades, arguing that the hateful symbol has no place on the flag of a state where 38% of the population is Black. Senator Wicker oversaw the removal of the Mississippi state flag from the Capitol subway moments ago. It was replaced by a flag with the state seal on it. pic.twitter.com/PDksJOP7lE — Haley Talbot (@haleytalbotnbc) June 30, 2020 A commission will now design a new flag, which voters will be asked to approve in the 3 November election.
Updated at 01.18 BST
30 Jun 2020 23.10 BST Today so far Dr Anthony Fauci, the top US infectious disease expert, told senators that the US is “going in the wrong direction” in its handling of the coronavirus pandemic. He warned that the death toll “is going to be very disturbing” unless officials intervene, and urged Americans to wear masks and practice social distancing in public spaces.
He warned that the death toll “is going to be very disturbing” unless officials intervene, and urged Americans to wear masks and practice social distancing in public spaces. The US has bought up virtually all the stocks of remdesivir, one of two drugs that appear to work against Covid-19, for the next three months leaving almost none rest of the world. The Trump administration has bought more than 500,000 doses — all of what the drug’s producer Gilead will make in July and 90% of what it expects to produce in August and September.
The Trump administration has bought more than 500,000 doses — all of what the drug’s producer Gilead will make in July and 90% of what it expects to produce in August and September. Speaking in Delaware, Joe Biden said the pandemic is unlikely to have subsided by January 2021, and if he’s elected. “On the day I’m sworn in, I’ll get right to work implementing all aspects of the response that remain undone,” he said.
“On the day I’m sworn in, I’ll get right to work implementing all aspects of the response that remain undone,” he said. Former combat pilot Amy McGrath has won the Democratic primary race in Kentucky to face off against Senate majority leader and pro-Trumpian Mitch McConnell. McGrath faced a tough challenge from progressive Charles Booker.
McGrath faced a tough challenge from progressive Charles Booker. Democratic leaders said they want a full congressional briefing on alleged Russian bounties on the heads of US troops in Afghanistan. The House’s No. 2 Democrat, Steny Hoyer, said he believes that Russia “remains involved in a negative way in Afghanistan”,
Updated at 01.18 BST
30 Jun 2020 22.47 BST Bail for former officer who fatally shot Rayshard Brooks set at $500,000 Bail for the former Atlanta police officer who fatally shot Rayshard Brooks has been st at $500,ooo, by a Fulton County superior court judge. Garrett Rolf, who was fired from the police department after shooting and killing Brooks on 12 June, will be required to turn in his passport, wear an ankle monitor, observe a curfew and refrain from contacting any current Atlanta police officers, members of Brooks’ family or any witnesses. Prosecutors said that Rolfe would try to skip out on future court proceedings, but the judge, Jane Barwick, ruled that “ he does have sufficient ties to the community and he is not a flight risk.” Rolfe faces a possible life sentence or the death penalty if he is convicted. He faces felony murder and 10 other charges for killing 27-year-old Brooks.
30 Jun 2020 22.32 BST Hi there, it’s Maanvi Singh, blogging from the West Coast. Mount Rushmore, in Keystone, SD. Photograph: David Zalubowski/AP South Dakota governer Kristi Noem has said the state won’t be enforcing social distancing at the Mouth Rushmore independence day celebration, even as coronavirus cases climb across the country. The event with Donald Trump, which will take place on 3rd July, could draw around 7,500 participants, according to the website detailing logistics. Free face masks will be available for those who “choose to wear one”, Noem, a Republican said in an interview with Fox News’ Laura Ingraham. “We won’t be social distancing, we’re asking them to come, be ready to celebrate the freedoms and the liberties we have in this country.” Noem said she’s asked residents to focus on “personal responsibility.” “We told those folks that have concerns that they stay can home,” she said.
Updated at 22.33 BST
30 Jun 2020 21.49 BST Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt has added his voice to a chorus of elected Republicans now calling on people to wear masks in public. ❗❗Stitt for the first time is asking Oklahoman's to wear a mask when in an area where you can't social distance. He says wearing a mask significantly lowers the transmission rate of #COVID19. — Erika Stanish (@Erika_Stanish) June 30, 2020 Top congressional Republicans on the mask wagon include Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell and House minority leader Kevin McCarthy, and senior Republican senators such as Lamar Alexander of Tennessee. A Fox News host and a growing list of Republican governors are all spreading the word about masks. So are senior Republican statesmen such as former vice president Dick Cheney. So is CDC director Robert Redfield, who pleaded with young Americans to wear masks at a hearing today. There remains one prominent voice missing from the chorus, and it’s not vice president Mike Pence, who finally at a Sunday appearance in Dallas called on the public to wear masks. This Oklahoman, at a Trump rally in Tulsa on 20 June, was ahead of the governor’s recommendation to wear masks. Photograph: Sue Ogrocki/AP
Updated at 08.32 BST


theguardian--2020-06-30--Trump niece's book blocked by New York judge but lawyer files appeal

Mary Trump filed an immediate appeal on Tuesday , after a judge in New York issued a preliminary injunction to stop Donald Trump ’ s niece publishing a book about the family .
The president ’ s brother , Robert Trump , is attempting to stop the publication of Too Much and Never Enough : How My Family Created the World ’ s Most Dangerous Man , which is due for publication by Simon & Schuster on 28 July .
Simon & Schuster recently published The Room Where It Happened , former national security adviser John Bolton ’ s tell-all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ block .
The publisher also appealed the New York ruling against it and Mary Trump .
In a statement , Ted Boutrous , a lawyer for Mary Trump , called the order in New York supreme court in Dutchess county “ a prior restraint on core political speech that flatly violates the first amendment ” .
The book , he said , “ addresses matters of great public concern and importance about a sitting president in election year [ and ] should not be suppressed even for one day ” .
Charles Harder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he would seek the “ maximum remedies available ” for what he called Mary Trump ’ s “ truly reprehensible ” actions .
“ Short of corrective action to immediately cease their egregious conduct , ” he added , “ we will pursue this case to the very end.
” Judge Hal B Greenwald scheduled a further hearing for Poughkeepsie , New York , on 10 July .
Mary Trump is a trained psychologist who was reportedly a source for New York Times reporting on Trump family tax affairs and who has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Her publisher has promised a “ revelatory , authoritative portrait of Donald J Trump and the toxic family that made him ” and “ a nightmare of traumas , destructive relationships , and a tragic combination of neglect and abuse ” .
The book is eagerly awaited .
But in 2001 , Mary Trump signed a non-disclosure agreement concerning litigation over a family will , which said she was not allowed to discuss relations with her aunts and uncles .
Donald Trump ’ s surviving siblings are Robert Trump , a businessman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ judge ; and Elizabeth Trump Grau , a retired banker .
Mary Trump ’ s father was Fred Trump Jr , who died in 1981 .
Judge Greenwald ’ s order precludes the “ publishing , printing or distributing , directly or indirectly ” of anything “ containing any descriptions or accounts of Mary L Trump ’ s relationship with Robert S Trump , Donald Trump or Maryanne Trump Barry ” .
Robert Trump ’ s first attempt to block the book failed , the judge recommending recourse to the state supreme court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York Times earlier this month , Robert Trump slammed his niece for what he called her “ attempt to sensationalise and mischaracterise our family relationship … for her own financial gain ” .
“ I and the rest of my entire family , ” he said , “ are so proud of my wonderful brother , the president.
” Donald Trump told the news site Axios his niece was “ not allowed to write a book ” .

Mary Trump filed an immediate appeal on Tuesday, after a judge in New York issued a preliminary injunction to stop Donald Trump’s niece publishing a book about the family.
The president’s brother, Robert Trump, is attempting to stop the publication of Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man, which is due for publication by Simon & Schuster on 28 July.
Simon & Schuster recently published The Room Where It Happened, former national security adviser John Bolton’s tell-all memoir which a federal judge declined to block. The publisher also appealed the New York ruling against it and Mary Trump.
In a statement, Ted Boutrous, a lawyer for Mary Trump, called the order in New York supreme court in Dutchess county “a prior restraint on core political speech that flatly violates the first amendment”.
The book, he said, “addresses matters of great public concern and importance about a sitting president in election year [and] should not be suppressed even for one day”.
Charles Harder, an attorney for Robert Trump, said he would seek the “maximum remedies available” for what he called Mary Trump’s “truly reprehensible” actions.
“Short of corrective action to immediately cease their egregious conduct,” he added, “we will pursue this case to the very end.”
Judge Hal B Greenwald scheduled a further hearing for Poughkeepsie, New York, on 10 July.
Mary Trump is a trained psychologist who was reportedly a source for New York Times reporting on Trump family tax affairs and who has expressed opposition to her uncle on Twitter.
Her publisher has promised a “revelatory, authoritative portrait of Donald J Trump and the toxic family that made him” and “a nightmare of traumas, destructive relationships, and a tragic combination of neglect and abuse”.
The book is eagerly awaited. But in 2001, Mary Trump signed a non-disclosure agreement concerning litigation over a family will, which said she was not allowed to discuss relations with her aunts and uncles.
Donald Trump’s surviving siblings are Robert Trump, a businessman; Maryanne Trump Barry, a retired judge; and Elizabeth Trump Grau, a retired banker. Mary Trump’s father was Fred Trump Jr, who died in 1981.
Judge Greenwald’s order precludes the “publishing, printing or distributing, directly or indirectly” of anything “containing any descriptions or accounts of Mary L Trump’s relationship with Robert S Trump, Donald Trump or Maryanne Trump Barry”.
Robert Trump’s first attempt to block the book failed, the judge recommending recourse to the state supreme court.
In a statement to the New York Times earlier this month, Robert Trump slammed his niece for what he called her “attempt to sensationalise and mischaracterise our family relationship … for her own financial gain”.
“I and the rest of my entire family,” he said, “are so proud of my wonderful brother, the president.”
Donald Trump told the news site Axios his niece was “not allowed to write a book”.


theguardian--2020-06-30--US buys up world stock of key Covid-19 drug remdesivir

The US has bought up virtually all the stocks for the next three months of one of the two drugs proven to work against Covid-19 , leaving none for the UK , Europe or most of the rest of the world .
Experts and campaigners are alarmed both by the US unilateral action on remdesivir and the wider implications , for instance in the event of a vaccine becoming available .
The Trump administration has already shown that it is prepared to outbid and outmanoeuvre all other countries to secure the medical supplies it needs for the US .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the drug supply [ of remdesivir ] , so there ’ s nothing for Europe , ” said Dr Andrew Hill , senior visiting research fellow at Liverpool University .
Remdesivir , the first drug approved by licensing authorities in the US to treat Covid-19 , is made by Gilead and has been shown to help people recover faster from the disease .
The first 140,000 doses , supplied to drug trials around the world , have been used up .
The Trump administration has now bought more than 500,000 doses , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ production for July and 90 % of August and September .
“ President Trump has struck an amazing deal to ensure Americans have access to the first authorised therapeutic for Covid-19 , ” said the US health and human services secretary , Alex Azar .
“ To the extent possible , we want to ensure that any American patient who needs remdesivir can get it .
The Trump administration is doing everything in our power to learn more about life-saving therapeutics for Covid-19 and secure access to these options for the American people.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Ebola epidemic but failed to work as expected , is under patent to Gilead , which means no other company in wealthy countries can make it .
The cost is around $ 3,200 per treatment of six doses , according to the US government statement .
The deal was announced as it became clear that the pandemic in the US is spiralling out of control .
Anthony Fauci , the country ’ s leading public health expert and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , told the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We are going in the wrong direction , ” said Fauci .
Last week the US saw a new daily record of 40,000 new coronavirus cases in one day .
“ I would not be surprised if we go up to 100,000 a day if this does not turn around , ” he said .
He could not provide an estimated death toll , but said : “ It is going to be very disturbing , I guarantee you that.
” The US has recorded more than 2.5 million confirmed cases of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have to clamp down again .
On Monday , the governor of Arizona ordered bars , cinemas , gyms and water parks to shut down for a month , weeks after they reopened .
Texas , Florida and California , all seeing rises in cases , have also reimposed restrictions .
Buying up the world ’ s supply of remdesivir is not just a reaction to the increasing spread and death toll .
The US has taken an “ America first ” attitude throughout the global pandemic .
In May , French @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first access to its Covid vaccine if it works .
Its CEO , Paul Hudson , was quoted as saying : “ The US government has the right to the largest pre-order because it ’ s invested in taking the risk , ” and , he added , the US expected that “ if we ’ ve helped you manufacture the doses at risk , we expect to get the doses first ” .
Later it backtracked under pressure from the French government .
Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau warned there could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to outbid its allies .
“ We know it is in both of our interests to work collaboratively and cooperatively to keep our citizens safe , ” he said .
The Trump administration has also invoked the Defense Production Act to block some medical goods made in the US from being sent abroad .
Nothing looks likely to prevent the US cornering the market in remdesivir , however .
“ This is the first major approved drug , and where is the mechanism for access ?
” said Dr Hill .
“ Once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the queue.
” The drug has been watched eagerly for the last five months , said Hill , yet there was no mechanism to ensure a supply outside the US .
“ Imagine this was a vaccine , ” he said .
“ That would be a firestorm .
But perhaps this is a taste of things to come.
” Remdesivir would get people out of hospital more quickly , reducing the burden on the NHS , and might improve survival , said Hill , although that has not yet been shown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the other successful treatment , the steroid dexamethasone .
There has been no attempt to buy up the world ’ s stocks of dexamethasone because there is no need – the drug is 60 years old , cheap and easily available everywhere .
Hill said there was a way for the UK to secure supplies of this and other drugs during the pandemic , through what is known as a compulsory licence , which overrides the intellectual property rights of the company .
That would allow the UK government to buy from generic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gilead ’ s patent is not recognised .
The UK has always upheld patents , backing the argument of pharma companies that they need their 20-year monopoly to recoup the money they put into research and development .
But other countries have shown an interest in compulsory licensing .
“ It is a question of what countries are prepared to do if this becomes a problem , ” said Hill .
• This article was amended on 1 July 2020 because an earlier version said that remdesivir was invented for Ebola .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but its development originated in research around hepatitis C and respiratory syncytial virus .

The US has bought up virtually all the stocks for the next three months of one of the two drugs proven to work against Covid-19, leaving none for the UK, Europe or most of the rest of the world.
Experts and campaigners are alarmed both by the US unilateral action on remdesivir and the wider implications, for instance in the event of a vaccine becoming available. The Trump administration has already shown that it is prepared to outbid and outmanoeuvre all other countries to secure the medical supplies it needs for the US.
“They’ve got access to most of the drug supply [of remdesivir], so there’s nothing for Europe,” said Dr Andrew Hill, senior visiting research fellow at Liverpool University.
Remdesivir, the first drug approved by licensing authorities in the US to treat Covid-19, is made by Gilead and has been shown to help people recover faster from the disease. The first 140,000 doses, supplied to drug trials around the world, have been used up. The Trump administration has now bought more than 500,000 doses, which is all of Gilead’s production for July and 90% of August and September.
“President Trump has struck an amazing deal to ensure Americans have access to the first authorised therapeutic for Covid-19,” said the US health and human services secretary, Alex Azar. “To the extent possible, we want to ensure that any American patient who needs remdesivir can get it. The Trump administration is doing everything in our power to learn more about life-saving therapeutics for Covid-19 and secure access to these options for the American people.”
Anthony Fauci has said the US is ‘going in the wrong direction’ on Covid-19 infections. Photograph: Al Drago/AFP/Getty
The drug, which was trialled in the Ebola epidemic but failed to work as expected, is under patent to Gilead, which means no other company in wealthy countries can make it. The cost is around $3,200 per treatment of six doses, according to the US government statement.
The deal was announced as it became clear that the pandemic in the US is spiralling out of control. Anthony Fauci, the country’s leading public health expert and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told the Senate the US was sliding backwards.
“We are going in the wrong direction,” said Fauci. Last week the US saw a new daily record of 40,000 new coronavirus cases in one day. “I would not be surprised if we go up to 100,000 a day if this does not turn around,” he said. He could not provide an estimated death toll, but said: “It is going to be very disturbing, I guarantee you that.”
The US has recorded more than 2.5 million confirmed cases of Covid-19. Some states lifted restrictions only to have to clamp down again. On Monday, the governor of Arizona ordered bars, cinemas, gyms and water parks to shut down for a month, weeks after they reopened. Texas, Florida and California, all seeing rises in cases, have also reimposed restrictions.
Buying up the world’s supply of remdesivir is not just a reaction to the increasing spread and death toll. The US has taken an “America first” attitude throughout the global pandemic.
05:28 From miracle cures to slowing testing: how Trump has defied science on coronavirus – video explainer
In May, French manufacturer Sanofi said the US would get first access to its Covid vaccine if it works. Its CEO, Paul Hudson, was quoted as saying: “The US government has the right to the largest pre-order because it’s invested in taking the risk,” and, he added, the US expected that “if we’ve helped you manufacture the doses at risk, we expect to get the doses first”. Later it backtracked under pressure from the French government.
Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau warned there could be unintended negative consequences if the US continued to outbid its allies. “We know it is in both of our interests to work collaboratively and cooperatively to keep our citizens safe,” he said. The Trump administration has also invoked the Defense Production Act to block some medical goods made in the US from being sent abroad.
Nothing looks likely to prevent the US cornering the market in remdesivir, however. “This is the first major approved drug, and where is the mechanism for access?” said Dr Hill. “Once again we’re at the back of the queue.”
The drug has been watched eagerly for the last five months, said Hill, yet there was no mechanism to ensure a supply outside the US. “Imagine this was a vaccine,” he said. “That would be a firestorm. But perhaps this is a taste of things to come.”
Remdesivir would get people out of hospital more quickly, reducing the burden on the NHS, and might improve survival, said Hill, although that has not yet been shown in trials, as it has with the other successful treatment, the steroid dexamethasone. There has been no attempt to buy up the world’s stocks of dexamethasone because there is no need – the drug is 60 years old, cheap and easily available everywhere.
Hill said there was a way for the UK to secure supplies of this and other drugs during the pandemic, through what is known as a compulsory licence, which overrides the intellectual property rights of the company. That would allow the UK government to buy from generic companies in Bangladesh or India, where Gilead’s patent is not recognised.
The UK has always upheld patents, backing the argument of pharma companies that they need their 20-year monopoly to recoup the money they put into research and development. But other countries have shown an interest in compulsory licensing. “It is a question of what countries are prepared to do if this becomes a problem,” said Hill.


theguardian--2020-06-30--If more Americans wore masks the pandemic would slow, experts say

A cultural shift among Americans to adopt mass mask wearing would be one of the simplest and most effective ways to curb further devastation from the coronavirus pandemic , according to public health experts .
New Covid-19 infections are surging across much of the US , with 2.6 million people now confirmed to have had the virus .
The true figure of infection is probably much higher , at around 20 million , with Anne Schuchat , principal deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) , warning on Monday that “ we have way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that right now ” and that it was “ wishful thinking ” to expect the pandemic to peter out over the summer .
States that reopened businesses early when case numbers were relatively low , such as Texas and Florida , have been forced to reimpose restrictions on bars and restaurants to slow a huge spike in infections .
Such seesawing lockdowns could be largely avoided , experts say , if Americans embraced near-universal mask wearing .
More than 30,000 deaths could be avoided by October if 95 % of Americans wear face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the University of Washington .
Even homemade masks act as a barrier to potentially infected droplets that are expelled when people cough , talk or breathe .
“ Masks are incredibly important , ” said Krystal Pollitt , an assistant professor at the Yale School of Public Health .
“ The airborne transmission of the virus is increasingly of concern and masks are an effective way to prevent that .
The more we learn about this virus , the more I ’ m encouraging people to wear masks.
” Pollitt said she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Connecticut to her urgings to wear masks but added “ definitely a cultural shift ” was needed for Americans to fully embrace them .
A third of Americans say they only sometimes or never wear a mask when in stores or other businesses , with strong partisan and racial divides : white people and Republicans are far less likely to wear masks than Democrats and black , Latino and Asian people .
This is in stark difference to countries such as South Korea and Taiwan , which managed to avoid economically harmful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a willingness to wear masks .
Hong Kong , with 7.5 million people , is a densely populated place that experienced huge numbers of travelers from mainland China , where Covid-19 originated , before border restrictions were put in place on 30 January .
Only six coronavirus deaths have been recorded there .
This is due to a 97 % rate of mask wearing , according to Yuen Kwok-Yung , a leading coronavirus expert who advises the Hong Kong government and who said the 3 % who don ’ t comply are mainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing you can do is universal masking , that ’ s what stopped it , ” he told the Wall Street Journal .
In the US , the CDC initially advised healthy people against wearing a mask , a stance driven by concerns over shortages of the N95 respirators .
“ At that time , there was a paucity of equipment that our healthcare providers needed , who put themselves daily in harm ’ s way of taking care of people who are ill , ” Dr Anthony Fauci , the federal government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told Congress last week .
As more was learned about the virus , however , it became clear that not only is it at least twice as infectious as the common flu but it can also be spread by people who are asymptomatic .
The CDC now advises people to wear a mask in public , with at least 16 states and the District of Columbia mandating their use .
Mass adoption of mask wearing has been undermined , however , by Donald Trump ’ s insistence on not wearing one in public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ factory tour so the media wouldn ’ t picture him in it .
On Tuesday , the Fox & Friends host Steve Doocey sought to convince the Republican National Committee chair , Ronna McDaniel , and House minority leader , Kevin McCarthy , that Trump should cover up , and thereby show supporters “ Masks are Great Again ” .
Neither seemed convinced .
Mike Pence has also declined to wear a mask , even during hospital visits , as well as during a press conference last week where the vice-president hailed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US as it approached 130,000 deaths from Covid-19 .
The parlous situation in the US could have been headed off had there been an early , strong push towards mask wearing , experts say .
“ Trump could ’ ve worn a mask for four weeks , asked people on the other side of the aisle to do the same and you ’ d get a dramatic reduction in the infection rate and start to operate very close to normal again , ” said Andy Slavitt , the former head of Medicare and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ He can ’ t do the little bit of sacrifice to see it through.
” Instead , mask wearing has become , in some quarters , another cultural battleground in the US .
In Palm Beach county in Florida , which is now fining people $ 250 for not wearing a mask , a public feedback forum last week featured residents falsely claiming that masks kill people , that they impede “ God ’ s wonderful breathing system ” and that they are a politically motivated tool designed to kill off @ @

A cultural shift among Americans to adopt mass mask wearing would be one of the simplest and most effective ways to curb further devastation from the coronavirus pandemic, according to public health experts.
New Covid-19 infections are surging across much of the US, with 2.6 million people now confirmed to have had the virus.
The true figure of infection is probably much higher, at around 20 million, with Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), warning on Monday that “we have way too much virus across the country for that right now” and that it was “wishful thinking” to expect the pandemic to peter out over the summer.
States that reopened businesses early when case numbers were relatively low, such as Texas and Florida, have been forced to reimpose restrictions on bars and restaurants to slow a huge spike in infections. Such seesawing lockdowns could be largely avoided, experts say, if Americans embraced near-universal mask wearing.
More than 30,000 deaths could be avoided by October if 95% of Americans wear face masks in public, according to research by the University of Washington. Even homemade masks act as a barrier to potentially infected droplets that are expelled when people cough, talk or breathe.
The more we learn about this virus, the more I’m encouraging people to wear masks Krystal Pollitt, Yale
“Masks are incredibly important,” said Krystal Pollitt, an assistant professor at the Yale School of Public Health. “The airborne transmission of the virus is increasingly of concern and masks are an effective way to prevent that. The more we learn about this virus, the more I’m encouraging people to wear masks.”
Pollitt said she had had a positive response from schools in Connecticut to her urgings to wear masks but added “definitely a cultural shift” was needed for Americans to fully embrace them.
A third of Americans say they only sometimes or never wear a mask when in stores or other businesses, with strong partisan and racial divides: white people and Republicans are far less likely to wear masks than Democrats and black, Latino and Asian people.
This is in stark difference to countries such as South Korea and Taiwan, which managed to avoid economically harmful lockdowns due, in part, to a willingness to wear masks.
Hong Kong, with 7.5 million people, is a densely populated place that experienced huge numbers of travelers from mainland China, where Covid-19 originated, before border restrictions were put in place on 30 January. Only six coronavirus deaths have been recorded there.
This is due to a 97% rate of mask wearing, according to Yuen Kwok-Yung, a leading coronavirus expert who advises the Hong Kong government and who said the 3% who don’t comply are mainly Americans and Europeans.
“The only thing you can do is universal masking, that’s what stopped it,” he told the Wall Street Journal.
In the US, the CDC initially advised healthy people against wearing a mask, a stance driven by concerns over shortages of the N95 respirators.
“At that time, there was a paucity of equipment that our healthcare providers needed, who put themselves daily in harm’s way of taking care of people who are ill,” Dr Anthony Fauci, the federal government’s top infectious disease expert, told Congress last week.
Trump could’ve worn a mask for four weeks … He can’t do the little bit of sacrifice to see it through Andy Slavitt
As more was learned about the virus, however, it became clear that not only is it at least twice as infectious as the common flu but it can also be spread by people who are asymptomatic. The CDC now advises people to wear a mask in public, with at least 16 states and the District of Columbia mandating their use.
Mass adoption of mask wearing has been undermined, however, by Donald Trump’s insistence on not wearing one in public, even removing a mask during a factory tour so the media wouldn’t picture him in it. On Tuesday, the Fox & Friends host Steve Doocey sought to convince the Republican National Committee chair, Ronna McDaniel, and House minority leader, Kevin McCarthy, that Trump should cover up, and thereby show supporters “Masks are Great Again”. Neither seemed convinced.
Mike Pence has also declined to wear a mask, even during hospital visits, as well as during a press conference last week where the vice-president hailed the “truly remarkable progress” of the US as it approached 130,000 deaths from Covid-19.
The parlous situation in the US could have been headed off had there been an early, strong push towards mask wearing, experts say.
“Trump could’ve worn a mask for four weeks, asked people on the other side of the aisle to do the same and you’d get a dramatic reduction in the infection rate and start to operate very close to normal again,” said Andy Slavitt, the former head of Medicare and Medicaid during Barack Obama’s administration. “He can’t do the little bit of sacrifice to see it through.”
Instead, mask wearing has become, in some quarters, another cultural battleground in the US. In Palm Beach county in Florida, which is now fining people $250 for not wearing a mask, a public feedback forum last week featured residents falsely claiming that masks kill people, that they impede “God’s wonderful breathing system” and that they are a politically motivated tool designed to kill off freedoms.


theguardian--2020-07-01--Millions of Americans are trapped. They need higher wages, now | Amelie Ratliff

I ’ ve been on both sides of our country ’ s inequality gap .
I am blessed to be a millionaire now , but I wasn ’ t always .
It ’ s hard to make a living in this country without the financial security and safety net increasingly only enjoyed by those of us at the top .
In the early 1980s , when my daughter was born , I was a single mom .
I had a modest-paying clerical job that paid the bills and nothing more .
I struggled to pay for childcare on my paycheck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than one child , I wouldn ’ t have been able to afford it .
But don ’ t get me wrong – I always had a roof over my head and food on the table , and recognized myself as extraordinarily lucky because I had family wealth behind me if I ever needed it , which most people obviously do not have .
I was lucky .
Aided by Reaganomics , I came into a family inheritance that I neither asked for nor earned .
I am a product of circumstances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story of inequality in this country , and of many millionaires and people with generational wealth .
For me and wealthy people like me , our finances have changed for the better in the last decades .
For the bottom half of the country , their finances have become much more tenuous .
If we truly want to bridge the gap , we need to talk about the structural problems that force vast swathes of the American population – particularly people of color – into cycles of poverty in the first place .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ just fine for these last few months , millions of workers across the country face a current and pending economic crisis thanks to structural barriers to wealth and livable wages .
It ’ s a crisis that predates Covid-19 , but has been compounded because of the pandemic .
It ’ s a crisis of income .
The reality of joblessness or a drastic reduction in paid working hours for tens of millions of American workers has set in .
At least 45 million people are now unemployed .
The Trump administration has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of stimulus , including $ 500bn directly to US households .
While this stimulus was needed , it highlights the very problem it ’ s trying to solve .
That is , inadequate income for millions of Americans – an acute emergency amid the pandemic , but one that had been growing well before Covid-19 , despite the Trump administration ’ s protestations about the strength of the job market .
American income inequality has hit its highest point in 50 years .
The top 1 % already owns more wealth than the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and is now on track to surpass the wealth of the entire middle class , while billionaires accrued over $ 500bn in the last 12 weeks .
For the first time in history , billionaires are paying a lower tax rate than the working class .
Long before the first Covid-19 case was reported in China , the mismatch between wages and cost of living meant the difference between life and death for countless low-income workers in our country and without proper healthcare , the United States still sees people dying because they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Low-income Americans make choices no one should have to : between paying the rent and paying off debt ; rationing insulin and paying for groceries ; paying for childcare and relying on one parent alone to bring in the money , often working two or more jobs .
In this case , what is presented as “ consumer choice ” is often no choice at all .
Our federal minimum wage is currently set at an abysmally low level of $ 7.25 an hour , or just over $ 15,000 a year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forcing millions of people into working two or more jobs just to make ends meet .
And it ’ s only going to get worse .
By 2024 , $ 15 an hour will be the bare minimum that US workers need to afford basic costs of living everywhere in the country .
Not only is the current minimum wage inhumane , it ’ s also a barrier to social progress .
If I could barely afford childcare on a modest wage in the 1980s , how can we possibly expect a single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the exact same wage in 2020 ?
How can we possibly expect women of color to accomplish this when they don ’ t have access to the kind of intergenerational wealth that I had , that so many white families do ?
The majority of minimum-wage workers are women and disproportionately people of color , and they have already disproportionately suffered during this crisis .
These communities are already working at an extreme disadvantage , yet they don ’ t have the resources they need to improve their lives , let alone absorb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wages consistently leave low-wage workers one emergency away from falling off a fiscal cliff , then it should shock no one that millions are flocking to food pantries , delaying critical medical care , and missing their rent .
So as Congress negotiates the details over the latest round of stimulus and Republicans drag their heels and cry wolf about the deficit while cash-strapped workers suffer , remember that a bill that would lift 40 million Americans out of working poverty , the 2019 Raise the Wage Act , is sitting dormant in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mitch McConnell , refuses to bring it to a vote .
The crisis in front of us today is to keep millions of Americans from falling off the cliff .
But the pandemic will end .
And when it does , we need to make sure leaders in Washington recognize that we ’ d be better off keeping people away from the edge of the cliff in the first place .
• None Amelie Ratliff is a member of the Patriotic Millionaires .
She is a former minister , educator , soccer coach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community volunteer and philanthropist .
She grew up in Birmingham , Alabama , and currently lives in Boston

I’ve been on both sides of our country’s inequality gap. I am blessed to be a millionaire now, but I wasn’t always. It’s hard to make a living in this country without the financial security and safety net increasingly only enjoyed by those of us at the top.
In the early 1980s, when my daughter was born, I was a single mom. I had a modest-paying clerical job that paid the bills and nothing more. I struggled to pay for childcare on my paycheck, and if I’d had more than one child, I wouldn’t have been able to afford it. But don’t get me wrong – I always had a roof over my head and food on the table, and recognized myself as extraordinarily lucky because I had family wealth behind me if I ever needed it, which most people obviously do not have.
I was lucky. Aided by Reaganomics, I came into a family inheritance that I neither asked for nor earned. I am a product of circumstances working for me and that is the story of inequality in this country, and of many millionaires and people with generational wealth. For me and wealthy people like me, our finances have changed for the better in the last decades. For the bottom half of the country, their finances have become much more tenuous.
If we truly want to bridge the gap, we need to talk about the structural problems that force vast swathes of the American population – particularly people of color – into cycles of poverty in the first place.
While wealthy Americans have weathered the lockdown just fine for these last few months, millions of workers across the country face a current and pending economic crisis thanks to structural barriers to wealth and livable wages. It’s a crisis that predates Covid-19, but has been compounded because of the pandemic.
It’s a crisis of income. The reality of joblessness or a drastic reduction in paid working hours for tens of millions of American workers has set in. At least 45 million people are now unemployed. The Trump administration has gone through three and a half rounds of stimulus, including $500bn directly to US households.
While this stimulus was needed, it highlights the very problem it’s trying to solve. That is, inadequate income for millions of Americans – an acute emergency amid the pandemic, but one that had been growing well before Covid-19, despite the Trump administration’s protestations about the strength of the job market.
American income inequality has hit its highest point in 50 years. The top 1% already owns more wealth than the entire bottom half of the country, and is now on track to surpass the wealth of the entire middle class, while billionaires accrued over $500bn in the last 12 weeks. For the first time in history, billionaires are paying a lower tax rate than the working class.
Long before the first Covid-19 case was reported in China, the mismatch between wages and cost of living meant the difference between life and death for countless low-income workers in our country and without proper healthcare, the United States still sees people dying because they are poor and unable to afford treatment. Low-income Americans make choices no one should have to: between paying the rent and paying off debt; rationing insulin and paying for groceries; paying for childcare and relying on one parent alone to bring in the money, often working two or more jobs. In this case, what is presented as “consumer choice” is often no choice at all.
Our federal minimum wage is currently set at an abysmally low level of $7.25 an hour, or just over $15,000 a year. This is a starvation wage, forcing millions of people into working two or more jobs just to make ends meet. And it’s only going to get worse. By 2024, $15 an hour will be the bare minimum that US workers need to afford basic costs of living everywhere in the country.
Not only is the current minimum wage inhumane, it’s also a barrier to social progress. If I could barely afford childcare on a modest wage in the 1980s, how can we possibly expect a single mom to provide for multiple children on the exact same wage in 2020? How can we possibly expect women of color to accomplish this when they don’t have access to the kind of intergenerational wealth that I had, that so many white families do?
The majority of minimum-wage workers are women and disproportionately people of color, and they have already disproportionately suffered during this crisis. These communities are already working at an extreme disadvantage, yet they don’t have the resources they need to improve their lives, let alone absorb the shock they now face.
If wages consistently leave low-wage workers one emergency away from falling off a fiscal cliff, then it should shock no one that millions are flocking to food pantries, delaying critical medical care, and missing their rent.
So as Congress negotiates the details over the latest round of stimulus and Republicans drag their heels and cry wolf about the deficit while cash-strapped workers suffer, remember that a bill that would lift 40 million Americans out of working poverty, the 2019 Raise the Wage Act, is sitting dormant in the Senate because the majority leader, Mitch McConnell, refuses to bring it to a vote.
The crisis in front of us today is to keep millions of Americans from falling off the cliff. But the pandemic will end. And when it does, we need to make sure leaders in Washington recognize that we’d be better off keeping people away from the edge of the cliff in the first place.
Amelie Ratliff is a member of the Patriotic Millionaires. She is a former minister, educator, soccer coach and consultant, and is now a community volunteer and philanthropist. She grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, and currently lives in Boston


theguardian--2020-06-30--President Trump is like a dead man golfing. So will he drop out of the election? | Arwa Mahdawi

I don ’ t want to be nice or unnice , OK ?
But Donald Trump has never looked so pathetic .
There ’ s an air of defeat about the president ; the master of puff seems deflated .
It has been another terrible , horrible , no good , very bad week for Trump .
Unless something radical happens , the president is a dead man golfing .
Trump is mired in a number of potentially presidency-ending crises .
First , there are the bombshell allegations that Russia offered cash bounties to Taliban-linked fighters for successful attacks on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the New York Times , Trump was briefed on this but did nothing – apart from offering to invite Vladimir Putin to a G7 summit .
An allegation like this , as house speaker Nancy Pelosi has noted , is about “ as bad it gets ” .
If Trump was told about the bounties , he betrayed US soldiers ; if he wasn ’ t told , then his administration is murderously incompetent .
Trump has responded to the crisis in his usual manner : outraged tweets .
On Sunday night , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia hoax ” and claimed he hadn ’ t been briefed on the bounties claim because it wasn ’ t “ credible ” .
How , one might ask , did he ascertain the information wasn ’ t credible if it was never reported to him ?
His incredible intuition ?
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany attempted to clarify matters on Monday .
Trump hadn ’ t been briefed , she told reporters , because there were “ dissenting opinions ” about the veracity of the information .
Which is a very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump .
But consistency isn ’ t something the Trump administration seems acquainted with .
It ’ s not only accusations of treason that Trump is battling : there ’ s also the coronavirus .
He has done his best to ignore the pandemic but , rudely , it hasn ’ t gone away .
Quite the opposite : cases are surging in the US .
And while the pandemic was initially clustered mainly in Democrat-controlled states , most of the new cases are coming from election battleground states , including Texas and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anti-racism protests .
Trump has been trying to posture as a “ law and order ” president , but his laziness keeps getting in the way .
Last Friday , Trump grandly announced that he had cancelled a trip to New Jersey in order to stay in DC and ensure “ order was enforced ” .
The next day he headed to one of his own golf courses in Virginia .
According to CNN , this was his 271st visit to a golf course during his presidency ; on average , he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This is not to say Trump spent his entire weekend on the links : he also retweeted and then deleted a video of one of his supporters shouting “ White power !
White power !
” Trump doesn ’ t seem to care about Americans dying .
He certainly doesn ’ t care about racism or police brutality .
But he does care about his ratings – and these are abysmal .
Trump is polling so badly that even he , a raving narcissist , seems to realise he might lose .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden was “ going to be president because some people don ’ t love me , maybe ” .
Trump went on to belittle Biden : “ I don ’ t want to be nice or unnice , OK ?
The man can ’ t speak.
” Things are so dire that the possibility has been floated that Trump might not stick around for the election .
A recent Fox News report claimed some ( anonymous ) GOP operatives reckon Trump ’ s current psyche is “ fragile ” and he could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if his poll numbers don ’ t rebound ” .
I doubt Trump will throw in the towel : he would rather drink bleach than be seen as a loser .
He may be trailing in the polls but he will do whatever it takes to win .
While it is tempting to hope so , this is not the end of the Trump presidency .
It is not even the beginning of the end .
But it is , perhaps , the end of the beginning .

I don’t want to be nice or unnice, OK? But Donald Trump has never looked so pathetic. There’s an air of defeat about the president; the master of puff seems deflated. It has been another terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week for Trump. Unless something radical happens, the president is a dead man golfing.
Trump is mired in a number of potentially presidency-ending crises. First, there are the bombshell allegations that Russia offered cash bounties to Taliban-linked fighters for successful attacks on American troops in Afghanistan. According to the New York Times, Trump was briefed on this but did nothing – apart from offering to invite Vladimir Putin to a G7 summit. An allegation like this, as house speaker Nancy Pelosi has noted, is about “as bad it gets”. If Trump was told about the bounties, he betrayed US soldiers; if he wasn’t told, then his administration is murderously incompetent.
Trump has responded to the crisis in his usual manner: outraged tweets. On Sunday night, Trump called the story “another fabricated Russia hoax” and claimed he hadn’t been briefed on the bounties claim because it wasn’t “credible”. How, one might ask, did he ascertain the information wasn’t credible if it was never reported to him? His incredible intuition?
05:28 From miracle cures to slowing testing: how Trump has defied science on coronavirus – video explainer
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany attempted to clarify matters on Monday. Trump hadn’t been briefed, she told reporters, because there were “dissenting opinions” about the veracity of the information. Which is a very different excuse from the one proffered by Trump. But consistency isn’t something the Trump administration seems acquainted with.
It’s not only accusations of treason that Trump is battling: there’s also the coronavirus. He has done his best to ignore the pandemic but, rudely, it hasn’t gone away. Quite the opposite: cases are surging in the US. And while the pandemic was initially clustered mainly in Democrat-controlled states, most of the new cases are coming from election battleground states, including Texas and Florida.
And then there are the anti-racism protests. Trump has been trying to posture as a “law and order” president, but his laziness keeps getting in the way. Last Friday, Trump grandly announced that he had cancelled a trip to New Jersey in order to stay in DC and ensure “order was enforced”. The next day he headed to one of his own golf courses in Virginia. According to CNN, this was his 271st visit to a golf course during his presidency; on average, he’s been golfing once every 4.6 days. This is not to say Trump spent his entire weekend on the links: he also retweeted and then deleted a video of one of his supporters shouting “White power! White power!”
A recent Fox News report claimed some (anonymous) GOP operatives reckon Trump’s current psyche is 'fragile'
Trump doesn’t seem to care about Americans dying. He certainly doesn’t care about racism or police brutality. But he does care about his ratings – and these are abysmal. Trump is polling so badly that even he, a raving narcissist, seems to realise he might lose. Last week he told Fox News that Joe Biden was “going to be president because some people don’t love me, maybe”. Trump went on to belittle Biden: “I don’t want to be nice or unnice, OK? The man can’t speak.”
Things are so dire that the possibility has been floated that Trump might not stick around for the election. A recent Fox News report claimed some (anonymous) GOP operatives reckon Trump’s current psyche is “fragile” and he could drop out of the 2020 race “if his poll numbers don’t rebound”.
I doubt Trump will throw in the towel: he would rather drink bleach than be seen as a loser. He may be trailing in the polls but he will do whatever it takes to win. While it is tempting to hope so, this is not the end of the Trump presidency. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.


theguardian--2020-06-30--'The worshipping of whiteness': why racist symbols persist in America

In life , the seventh US president , Andrew Jackson , and his family accrued their wealth at the expense of hundreds of enslaved people .
Now , even in death , Jackson still wields the power to haunt Black Americans whenever they pull a $ 20 bill from their wallets .
“ Racism isn ’ t always abrupt .
It isn ’ t always in your face .
Sometimes , it ’ s very insidious , ” said Franklin Eugene Forbes II , an architect and urban planner .
“ Why am I , a Black person , using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was inferior to somebody else as a way to buy things , the same way people that look like me were bought by him ?
” For weeks now , historic protests against systemic racial inequity and injustice have also reinvigorated passionate debate around the most obvious memorials to slavery , white supremacy and racism across the United States .
A growing number of the nearly 800 Confederate statues and monuments in the US have been removed , alongside a few toppled or defaced homages to founding fathers who profited from slavery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Uncle Ben ’ s and Cream of Wheat are reconsidering the racial stereotypes emblazoned on their packaging .
Gone With the Wind was temporarily pulled from HBO Max , and Nascar devotees no longer have the green light to unfurl Confederate battle flags at races .
But plenty of other symbols persist .
Abolitionist Harriet Tubman was supposed to supplant Jackson on the $ 20 bill .
Then came the Trump administration .
The redesigned bill with Tubman ’ s portrait was originally expected to debut in 2020 .
But last year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced that the unveiling had been delayed .
He has since said the new version won ’ t be released for another decade and may not even feature Tubman .
“ Maybe every single time you pay for something , you ’ re not thinking , ‘ oh goodie , there ’ s Andrew Jackson , my hero.
’ But in a way , that ’ s kind of the point , right ?
” said Alvita Akiboh , an assistant professor of history at the University of Michigan .
When Akiboh taught @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the local park in a majority Black and Latino neighborhood was named for Frederick Douglass , the famed abolitionist .
It was instead a salute to Stephen A Douglas , an Illinois senator whose political machinations enabled slavery , and who is quoted saying : “ I am in favor of confining citizenship to white men.
” Similar tributes to a checkered past exist all over the US , from streets named for Confederate officers and slave traders to congested highways originally designed to reinforce segregation and eliminate Black neighborhoods .
When sports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they turn to the American flag and sing a national anthem penned by Francis Scott Key , a slave owner who abused his authority as district attorney to persecute Black men and abolitionists .
“ I hope at least that the questioning that has started with monuments , because they ’ re visible , because they ’ re large , and because they ’ re easy to remove , will continue to happen as we start to re-evaluate the symbols on money , on our stamps , ” Akiboh said .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The songs that we sing for our patriotic anthems .
And that definitely , we will get to re-evaluate our K-12 curriculum.
” The attorney general , William Barr , recently came under fire when he casually quipped that “ history is written by the winners ” .
For centuries , white Americans have always had the position and privilege to shape the country ’ s historical record .
“ The American story has been a story of progress , of triumph , of victory , right ?
Of liberty and freedom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Radkey professor of history at the University of Texas .
But “ enslaved people don ’ t fit well into that narrative ” .
nor do other racial minorities who have suffered because of the American experiment .
“ That is the story of America , to have Trayvon Martin and Barack Obama simultaneously .
To have Frederick Douglass , Abraham Lincoln and 4 million people enslaved simultaneously .
That paradox is the American narrative , ” said Rhae Lynn Barnes , an assistant professor in Princeton University ’ s history department .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hill and liberty and justice for all lose their luster when they ’ re juxtaposed against the systematic genocide of indigenous peoples , or an intricate slave-based economy rubber-stamped by revolutionaries fighting for their own freedom .
But more dated history textbooks rarely provide that level of insight around how minority communities were treated during the country ’ s early years , and slavery gets all but erased – “ there ’ s no discussion of what life was like in the United States prior to 1860 , or if it is , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enslaved in this country , and the civil war freed them , ” said Berry .
It ’ s this inconsistent retelling that has allowed for the veneration of deeply flawed characters , whose biographies are often cherry-picked for effect .
Many of the founding fathers , including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson , were slaveholders , despite waxing poetic about how the institution was a “ moral depravity ” .
Even Benjamin Franklin , revered as an early abolitionist , owned enslaved people for much of his life and ran ads selling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these men often attribute their moral failings to the sociopolitical environment in which they lived .
But “ just because slavery was accepted among white elites or even the broader white population at the time does not mean it was accepted by everybody , because everybody includes Black people who were enslaved , indigenous people who were pushed off their lands in order to expand plantation slavery , ” said Akiboh .
A different logic has been used to justify the Confederate shrines that commemorate men who committed treason in an effort to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump , decry “ the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart ” .
But the monuments they are trying to protect aren ’ t usually civil war artifacts ; they were instead erected decades after the conflict ended , as “ a reminder for Black and brown people to remember their place ” , said Akiboh .
Meanwhile , book publishers , songwriters , Madison Avenue advertisers and Hollywood studios immortalized the racist caricatures and racial stereotypes such as Aunt Jemima that have recently fallen under scrutiny , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte .
Even Mickey Mouse , a beloved American staple , rose to prominence in 1928 with a tune from blackface minstrelsy , Barnes said .
“ The racism and white supremacy is our national sin , ” said Cox .
“ It doesn ’ t belong to the south.
” Much like currency , larger objects and icons have often been resistant to change , despite public repudiation of them ; as recently as last year , more than 1,700 publicly sponsored symbols of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington state , according to a report by the Southern Poverty Law Center .
Almost any relic ’ s retirement seems to get blowback from subgroups of Americans , for reasons ranging from historical preservation to outright bigotry .
“ It ’ s all about shoving this down people ’ s throats and erasing the history of the white people , and I think that ’ s wrong , ” Virginia state senator Amanda Chase recently exclaimed in a video .
When earlier this month Nascar hosted the first major sporting event with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plane with a gargantuan Confederate battle flag flew across the skyline to protest against the new ban .
Far from an isolated incident , overt tributes to the Confederacy and acts of racial terror are still common in the US .
At least 34 Confederate monuments have been dedicated since 2000 .
In the last few years , high school students in states such as New Jersey , Illinois , Connecticut , Minnesota and California have been caught donning blackface , sometimes alongside a racial slur or Confederate flag .
But even the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ iconography barely scratches the surface of a more general “ built environment ” and way of seeing that ’ s deeply embedded in the country ’ s infrastructure , suggested Sherwin K Bryant , an associate professor of African American studies and history at Northwestern University .
“ Every single arena and area of American life is dominated by a kind of worshipping of whiteness , ” he said .
“ And so this is inescapable .
”

In life, the seventh US president, Andrew Jackson, and his family accrued their wealth at the expense of hundreds of enslaved people. Now, even in death, Jackson still wields the power to haunt Black Americans whenever they pull a $20 bill from their wallets.
“Racism isn’t always abrupt. It isn’t always in your face. Sometimes, it’s very insidious,” said Franklin Eugene Forbes II, an architect and urban planner. “Why am I, a Black person, using a bill where a man who believed I was inferior to somebody else as a way to buy things, the same way people that look like me were bought by him?”
For weeks now, historic protests against systemic racial inequity and injustice have also reinvigorated passionate debate around the most obvious memorials to slavery, white supremacy and racism across the United States. A growing number of the nearly 800 Confederate statues and monuments in the US have been removed, alongside a few toppled or defaced homages to founding fathers who profited from slavery.
Brands such as Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben’s and Cream of Wheat are reconsidering the racial stereotypes emblazoned on their packaging. Gone With the Wind was temporarily pulled from HBO Max, and Nascar devotees no longer have the green light to unfurl Confederate battle flags at races.
But plenty of other symbols persist.
Abolitionist Harriet Tubman was supposed to supplant Jackson on the $20 bill. Then came the Trump administration.
Aunt Jemima will change its name and image in an effort by the brand to distance itself from racial stereotypes. Photograph: Cj Gunther/EPA
The redesigned bill with Tubman’s portrait was originally expected to debut in 2020. But last year, the treasury secretary, Steve Mnuchin, announced that the unveiling had been delayed. He has since said the new version won’t be released for another decade and may not even feature Tubman.
“Maybe every single time you pay for something, you’re not thinking, ‘oh goodie, there’s Andrew Jackson, my hero.’ But in a way, that’s kind of the point, right?” said Alvita Akiboh, an assistant professor of history at the University of Michigan.
When Akiboh taught in Chicago, her students assumed that the local park in a majority Black and Latino neighborhood was named for Frederick Douglass, the famed abolitionist. It was instead a salute to Stephen A Douglas, an Illinois senator whose political machinations enabled slavery, and who is quoted saying: “I am in favor of confining citizenship to white men.”
Similar tributes to a checkered past exist all over the US, from streets named for Confederate officers and slave traders to congested highways originally designed to reinforce segregation and eliminate Black neighborhoods. When sports fans attend baseball or football games, they turn to the American flag and sing a national anthem penned by Francis Scott Key, a slave owner who abused his authority as district attorney to persecute Black men and abolitionists.
“I hope at least that the questioning that has started with monuments, because they’re visible, because they’re large, and because they’re easy to remove, will continue to happen as we start to re-evaluate the symbols on money, on our stamps,” Akiboh said. “The flags and other symbols that we use. The songs that we sing for our patriotic anthems. And that definitely, we will get to re-evaluate our K-12 curriculum.”
A statue of the Confederate general Albert Pike after it was toppled and defaced near Judiciary Square the previous night following a day of Juneteenth celebrations in Washington DC on 20 June. Photograph: Samuel Corum/EPA
The attorney general, William Barr, recently came under fire when he casually quipped that “history is written by the winners”. For centuries, white Americans have always had the position and privilege to shape the country’s historical record.
“The American story has been a story of progress, of triumph, of victory, right? Of liberty and freedom,” said Daina Ramey Berry, Radkey professor of history at the University of Texas. But “enslaved people don’t fit well into that narrative”. nor do other racial minorities who have suffered because of the American experiment.
“That is the story of America, to have Trayvon Martin and Barack Obama simultaneously. To have Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln and 4 million people enslaved simultaneously. That paradox is the American narrative,” said Rhae Lynn Barnes, an assistant professor in Princeton University’s history department.
Aspirational depictions of a city upon a hill and liberty and justice for all lose their luster when they’re juxtaposed against the systematic genocide of indigenous peoples, or an intricate slave-based economy rubber-stamped by revolutionaries fighting for their own freedom. But more dated history textbooks rarely provide that level of insight around how minority communities were treated during the country’s early years, and slavery gets all but erased – “there’s no discussion of what life was like in the United States prior to 1860, or if it is, it’s just African Americans were enslaved in this country, and the civil war freed them,” said Berry.
It’s this inconsistent retelling that has allowed for the veneration of deeply flawed characters, whose biographies are often cherry-picked for effect. Many of the founding fathers, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, were slaveholders, despite waxing poetic about how the institution was a “moral depravity”. Even Benjamin Franklin, revered as an early abolitionist, owned enslaved people for much of his life and ran ads selling others in his newspaper.
Champions of these men often attribute their moral failings to the sociopolitical environment in which they lived. But “just because slavery was accepted among white elites or even the broader white population at the time does not mean it was accepted by everybody, because everybody includes Black people who were enslaved, indigenous people who were pushed off their lands in order to expand plantation slavery,” said Akiboh.
Lawmakers in Mississippi voted on June 28 to remove the Confederate battle standard from the state flag, after nationwide protests drew renewed attention to symbols of the United States’ racist past. Photograph: Rory Doyle/AFP/Getty Images
A different logic has been used to justify the Confederate shrines that commemorate men who committed treason in an effort to uphold slavery. Defenders, including Donald Trump, decry “the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart”. But the monuments they are trying to protect aren’t usually civil war artifacts; they were instead erected decades after the conflict ended, as “a reminder for Black and brown people to remember their place”, said Akiboh.
Meanwhile, book publishers, songwriters, Madison Avenue advertisers and Hollywood studios immortalized the racist caricatures and racial stereotypes such as Aunt Jemima that have recently fallen under scrutiny, said Karen Cox, a professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Even Mickey Mouse, a beloved American staple, rose to prominence in 1928 with a tune from blackface minstrelsy, Barnes said.
“The racism and white supremacy is our national sin,” said Cox. “It doesn’t belong to the south.”
Much like currency, larger objects and icons have often been resistant to change, despite public repudiation of them; as recently as last year, more than 1,700 publicly sponsored symbols of the Confederacy still appeared everywhere from Maine to Washington state, according to a report by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Almost any relic’s retirement seems to get blowback from subgroups of Americans, for reasons ranging from historical preservation to outright bigotry.
“It’s all about shoving this down people’s throats and erasing the history of the white people, and I think that’s wrong,” Virginia state senator Amanda Chase recently exclaimed in a video.
When earlier this month Nascar hosted the first major sporting event with fans since the coronavirus pandemic, a plane with a gargantuan Confederate battle flag flew across the skyline to protest against the new ban. Far from an isolated incident, overt tributes to the Confederacy and acts of racial terror are still common in the US.
At least 34 Confederate monuments have been dedicated since 2000. In the last few years, high school students in states such as New Jersey, Illinois, Connecticut, Minnesota and California have been caught donning blackface, sometimes alongside a racial slur or Confederate flag.
But even the US’s bloated catalogue of racist iconography barely scratches the surface of a more general “built environment” and way of seeing that’s deeply embedded in the country’s infrastructure, suggested Sherwin K Bryant, an associate professor of African American studies and history at Northwestern University.
“Every single arena and area of American life is dominated by a kind of worshipping of whiteness,” he said. “And so this is inescapable.”


theguardian--2020-06-30--White House: 'Dissenting opinions' from intelligence community on Russian bounty reports – video

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany says there are dissenting opinions within the intelligence community on reports Russia offered a @ @ @ @ @ forces in Afghanistan .
US President Donald Trump denied being briefed on the alleged bounty @ @ @ @ @ adding intelligence officials told him the threat was not 'credible ' .
He has since @ @ @ @ @ who said there was no consensus among the intelligence community in a media briefing on @

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany says there are dissenting opinions within the intelligence community on reports Russia offered a bounty for attacks on coalition forces in Afghanistan. US President Donald Trump denied being briefed on the alleged bounty program from Russia, later adding intelligence officials told him the threat was not 'credible'. He has since by contradicted by McEnany, who said there was no consensus among the intelligence community in a media briefing on Monday