theguardian--2020-05-01--Joe Biden to break his silence on Tara Reade's sexual assault claim Friday

Joe Biden will publicly address for the first time a sexual assault claim against him during an appearance on MSNBC ’ s Morning Joe on Friday morning , after weeks of silence on the subject .
Biden , the presumptive nominee , will “ respond for the first time to the recent allegation of sexual assault ” , the network announced in a tweet on Thursday .
Tara Reade came forward last month to accuse Biden of sexually assaulting her in the basement of Capitol Hill office building when she worked in his Senate office in the spring of 1993 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denied the allegation , but the candidate has not commented personally .
Biden ’ s interview on Morning Joe , a cable news talk show , comes after new evidence emerged this week corroborating aspects of Reade ’ s story , which has escalated along partisan lines .
In recent days , Biden has faced mounting calls from some Democrats to make a public statement , even as the party ’ s leadership stands behind him .
Nancy Pelosi , the House speaker on Thursday stressed her support for Biden ’ s nomination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden and his record ahead of a general election against Donald Trump , who has been accused of sexual assault and misconduct by more than a dozen women , all of which he has denied .
The issue has forced Democrats into an increasingly uncomfortable position as they grapple with how to respond in a way that is consistent with their support for the # MeToo movement .
The party ’ s leadership has so far supported Biden , defending his character and pointing to his legislative record on sexual violence policy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including potential vice presidential candidates such as Kamala Harris , Amy Klobuchar and Stacey Abrams , have been asked whether they stand by him .
Yet he has not been asked about it in the dozens of television interviews , virtual town halls or donor events he ’ s participated in .
Some progressive activists have called on Biden to step down as the party nominee while advocates for victims of sexual assault have been disappointed by the handling of Reade ’ s claim by Biden ’ s campaign and the press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday during an Instagram live event with soccer star Megan Rapinoe , a prominent advocate of equal pay and gender equality .
Yet several viewers posted comments during the livestream urging Rapinoe to ask Biden about the allegation .
On Thursday , Pelosi , the highest-ranking woman in American politics , sought to dispel any concern about Biden ’ s candidacy .
“ I want to remove all doubt in anyone ’ s mind : I have a great comfort level with the situation as I see it , with all due respect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes forward , with all the highest regard for Joe Biden , ” Pelosi told reporters on Thursday , adding that she had “ complete respect ” for the # MeToo movement .
“ There is also due process , ” Pelosi said .
“ And the fact that Joe Biden is Joe Biden.
” Republicans seized on the remark to accuse Pelosi and the party more broadly of hypocrisy on issues of sexual assault and harassment .
They compared her response to the allegation against Biden to the accusation against Brett Kavanaugh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ She ’ s being a hypocrite , ” said Kevin McCarthy , the House minority leader .
“ You can ’ t say one thing about every other time she has commented about any other accusation , and now say this is different.
” In an interview with Fox News , Mitch McConnell , the Senate majority leader , said Biden should release his Senate papers to shed more light on the allegation , though he has not made a similar appeal for information related to the charges against Trump .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Thursday , calling on Biden to respond while conceding that the claim could be “ false ” .
“ I know all about false accusations , ” he said .
“ I have been falsely charged numerous times and there is such a thing.
” Still , Trump ’ s campaign has made clear they intend to use Reade ’ s claim to undercut Biden , who has made character a central theme of his campaign against Trump .
A Trump campaign memo published on Wednesday highlighted Biden ’ s response to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of “ misrepresenting news reports and his own past positions in an effort to put controversies to bed or to level charges against the president ” .

Joe Biden will publicly address for the first time a sexual assault claim against him during an appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe on Friday morning, after weeks of silence on the subject.
Biden, the presumptive nominee, will “respond for the first time to the recent allegation of sexual assault”, the network announced in a tweet on Thursday.
Tara Reade came forward last month to accuse Biden of sexually assaulting her in the basement of Capitol Hill office building when she worked in his Senate office in the spring of 1993. Biden’s campaign has forcefully denied the allegation, but the candidate has not commented personally.
Biden’s interview on Morning Joe, a cable news talk show, comes after new evidence emerged this week corroborating aspects of Reade’s story, which has escalated along partisan lines.
In recent days, Biden has faced mounting calls from some Democrats to make a public statement, even as the party’s leadership stands behind him. Nancy Pelosi, the House speaker on Thursday stressed her support for Biden’s nomination while Republicans seized the opportunity to attack Biden and his record ahead of a general election against Donald Trump, who has been accused of sexual assault and misconduct by more than a dozen women, all of which he has denied.
The issue has forced Democrats into an increasingly uncomfortable position as they grapple with how to respond in a way that is consistent with their support for the #MeToo movement. The party’s leadership has so far supported Biden, defending his character and pointing to his legislative record on sexual violence policy.
Already, top female surrogates and allies, including potential vice presidential candidates such as Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar and Stacey Abrams, have been asked whether they stand by him. Yet he has not been asked about it in the dozens of television interviews, virtual town halls or donor events he’s participated in.
Some progressive activists have called on Biden to step down as the party nominee while advocates for victims of sexual assault have been disappointed by the handling of Reade’s claim by Biden’s campaign and the press.
The issue was not raised on Thursday during an Instagram live event with soccer star Megan Rapinoe, a prominent advocate of equal pay and gender equality. Yet several viewers posted comments during the livestream urging Rapinoe to ask Biden about the allegation.
On Thursday, Pelosi, the highest-ranking woman in American politics, sought to dispel any concern about Biden’s candidacy.
“I want to remove all doubt in anyone’s mind: I have a great comfort level with the situation as I see it, with all due respect in the world for any woman who comes forward, with all the highest regard for Joe Biden,” Pelosi told reporters on Thursday, adding that she had “complete respect” for the #MeToo movement.
“There is also due process,” Pelosi said. “And the fact that Joe Biden is Joe Biden.”
Republicans seized on the remark to accuse Pelosi and the party more broadly of hypocrisy on issues of sexual assault and harassment. They compared her response to the allegation against Biden to the accusation against Brett Kavanaugh during his supreme court confirmation hearing.
“She’s being a hypocrite,” said Kevin McCarthy, the House minority leader. “You can’t say one thing about every other time she has commented about any other accusation, and now say this is different.”
In an interview with Fox News, Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, said Biden should release his Senate papers to shed more light on the allegation, though he has not made a similar appeal for information related to the charges against Trump.
The president also weighed in on the allegation on Thursday, calling on Biden to respond while conceding that the claim could be “false”.
“I know all about false accusations,” he said. “I have been falsely charged numerous times and there is such a thing.”
Still, Trump’s campaign has made clear they intend to use Reade’s claim to undercut Biden, who has made character a central theme of his campaign against Trump. A Trump campaign memo published on Wednesday highlighted Biden’s response to Reade’s claim and accused him of “misrepresenting news reports and his own past positions in an effort to put controversies to bed or to level charges against the president”.


theguardian--2020-05-01--Intelligence report concludes Covid-19 was not 'manmade or genetically modified' – as it happened

During the White House event , Trump said that China would want his opponent Joe Biden to win the election .
The president has recently been pushing the idea that China ’ s handling of the coronavirus is proof that Beijing “ will do anything they can ” to make him lose his re-election bid in November .
In an interview with Reuters , the US president said he was looking at different options in terms of consequences for Beijing over the virus .
“ I can do a lot , ” he said , without going into detail .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic and on Wednesday again said Beijing should have let the world know about the coronavirus much sooner .
He also speculated about retaliation : “ There are many things I can do , ” he said .
“ We ’ re looking for what happened.
” For the first time , Trump linked Beijing to his re-election chances in November .
“ China will do anything they can to have me lose this race , ” he said , adding that he believed China wants his Democratic opponent , Joe Biden , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressure on US-China trade relations .
“ They ’ re constantly using public relations to try to make it like they ’ re innocent parties , ” he said of Chinese officials .

Maanvi Singh in San Francisco, Joan E Greve in Washington and Joanna Walters in New York

1 May 2020 01.16 BST Summary Donald Trump implied that he’d seen evidence proving the unproven theory that the coronavirus originated at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. He also repeated claims that China favored Joe Biden over him in the election, during a White House event to review the government’s efforts to protect senior citizens. Trump announced the creation of the Coronavirus Commission for Safety and Quality in Nursing Homes.
He also repeated claims that China favored Joe Biden over him in the election, during a White House event to review the government’s efforts to protect senior citizens. Trump announced the creation of the Coronavirus Commission for Safety and Quality in Nursing Homes. The office of the director of national intelligence said the intelligence community does not believe coronavirus was manmade. The new statement comes amid reports that Trump has asked intelligence officials to investigate whether the virus originated from a Chinese government laboratory.
The new statement comes amid reports that Trump has asked intelligence officials to investigate whether the virus originated from a Chinese government laboratory. Armed protestors demonstrated against the extension of shelter in place orders in Michigan. The demonstrators, some of whom were carrying assault rifles, compared the state’s Democratic governor Gretchen Whitmer to Hitler.
The demonstrators, some of whom were carrying assault rifles, compared the state’s Democratic governor Gretchen Whitmer to Hitler. Another 3.8 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week, according to the latest data from the labor department. More than 30 million Americans have submitted unemployment claims in the past six weeks.
according to the latest data from the labor department. More than 30 million Americans have submitted unemployment claims in the past six weeks. Georgia will lift its statewide shelter-in-place order for most residents starting tomorrow. Republican governor Brian Kemp said the order remained in effect for the elderly and the “medically fragile,” and he urged residents to still stay at home as much as possible.
30 Apr 2020 00.24 BST Armed protesters demonstrate against Covid-19 lockdown at Michigan capitol Lois Beckett A protester yells at Michigan State Police after protesters occupied the state capitol building during a vote to approve the extension of governor Gretchen Whitmer’s stay-at-home order. Photograph: Seth Herald/Reuters Hundreds of protesters, some armed, gathered inside Michigan’s state capitol on Thursday as state lawmakers debated the Democratic governor’s request to extend her emergency powers to combat coronavirus. A tightly packed crowd of protesters, some carrying rifles, attempted to enter the floor of the legislative chamber, and were held back by a line of state police and capitol staff, according to video footage posted by local journalists. “Let us in! Let us in!” the protesters chanted, as they stood shoulder-to-shoulder inside the statehouse. Few of them were wearing face masks. Some of the protesters shouted anti-government slogans, including comparing the state’s Democratic governor, Gretchen Whitmer, to Hitler. Armed protesters demonstrate against Covid-19 lockdown at Michigan capitol Read more
Updated at 00.25 BST
30 Apr 2020 00.07 BST Joe Biden is expected to address allegations of sexual misconduct tomorrow on MSNBC. Tomorrow in a @Morning_Joe exclusive, former Vice President @JoeBiden joins @JoeNBC, @morningmika & @WillieGeist to respond for the first time to the recent allegation of sexual assault. — MSNBC Public Relations (@MSNBCPR) April 30, 2020 In recent days, new information has emerged about an allegation of sexual assault against Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, made by Tara Reade, a former aide. A former neighbor od Reade’s told NPR on Wednesday that the two had spoke about the alleged assault 25 years ago.
30 Apr 2020 23.34 BST Coronavirus antibody tests explained: what are they and do they work? Health officials in Germany, the UK and the US are looking at antibody testing to figure out when and how their countries could open back up. Some authorities are even considering issuing “immunity passports” that would help key workers safely and quickly return to their jobs. But some early Covid-19 antibody tests, and the research that hinges on them, have been deeply flawed. Infectious disease experts warn that while reliable antibody tests could eventually reveal much about how the disease spreads and how deadly it is, it is too early to draw any definitive conclusions from screening studies. Here’s what you need to know: Coronavirus antibody tests explained: what are they and do they work? Read more
30 Apr 2020 23.32 BST The Democratic National Committee’s War Room director condemned Trump’s scapegoating of China. “Trump finally admitted the truth: he rolled over for China. Trump put his political fortunes first and our public health last,” said Daniel Wessel in a statement to The Guardian. “He refused to call out China on its coronavirus response and delayed taking action to mitigate the crisis out of fear of upsetting his trade deal that has gone largely unfulfilled. Now Americans are suffering the consequences.”
30 Apr 2020 23.16 BST Although Trump has taken an increasingly hostile stance toward China in recent days, a month ago, the president complimented the country’s handling of the coronavirus crisis. Just finished a very good conversation with President Xi of China. Discussed in great detail the CoronaVirus that is ravaging large parts of our Planet. China has been through much & has developed a strong understanding of the Virus. We are working closely together. Much respect! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2020
Updated at 23.16 BST
30 Apr 2020 22.46 BST Donald Trump has concluded his White House event to address protections for seniors. Although this was not billed as a coronavirus briefing, like his White House event yesterday — it really seemed like one. Trump veered off-topic, took questions from reporters, made the same misleading assertions he’s made at previous coronavirus briefings ( I’ve fact-checked a few of them below).
Before signing off the president wondered out loud whether he should wear a mask when he travels to Arizona next week, leaving Washington for the first time in more than a month, in order to visit a Honeywell aerospace facility that has transitioned to producing N-95 masks. “I’ll have to see the climate,” Trump said, adding that he would “have no problem wearing a mask.” “Should I speak in a mask?” he asked. “Is that politically correct?


theguardian--2020-04-30--Trump erupts over poll slump and threatens to sue campaign manager

A row between Donald Trump and his election campaign manager , Brad Parscale , over a recent drop in the president ’ s poll numbers resulted in Trump threatening Parscale with a lawsuit .
The argument reportedly happened last Friday , as the US death toll from the coronavirus pandemic reached 50,000 in three months and the fallout continued from Trump ’ s suggestion at the White House the night before that taking disinfectant internally could be examined as a possible treatment for coronavirus , even though it is potentially lethal .
But the blow-up was just the latest in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his 2020 re-election team , according to reports from multiple outlets including the Washington Post , the Associated Press and CNN .
“ I ’ m not fucking losing to Joe Biden , ” Trump reportedly said on a call with Parscale during a meeting with aides .
According to multiple sources who spoke to the AP , the president cursed at Parscale repeatedly .
Trump deflected much of the blame for the disappointing polls , ignoring criticism of his performances at the podium during daily White House coronavirus press briefings , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for questioning delays in the government ’ s response , pushed misinformation and shown little empathy for victims .
In a meeting two days before the call , political advisers briefed Trump on data sourced internally and from the Republican National Committee .
The figures showed the president losing ground against Biden in key battleground states .
Advisers had warned Trump to change his tone at daily coronavirus briefings , citing data that showed the negative coverage was fueling a decline in approval ratings .
The president allegedly balked at the guidance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think he ’ s “ fighting for them ” .
Trump instead pointed to restricted travel and an inability to host campaign rallies as the source of the slump .
After initially refusing to comply with recommendations he step back from the briefings , Trump later relented – after making headlines over the disinfectant row , which prompted cleaning product companies to issue public warnings against ingesting or injecting disinfectant for any reason .
Last Friday , the president took no questions and abruptly left the short briefing , which had been stretching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and cancelled his weekend press briefings altogether .
“ He ’ s pissed because he knows he messed up in those briefings , ” a Republican close to the White House reportedly told CNN .
He also reportedly ranted about a New York Times story on him watching hours of cable news a day and then fuming about his coverage , before spending the weekend attacking reporters and media organizations on Twitter for their coronavirus journalism .
One official told the Washington Post the president was “ in a terrible mood with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shot back at reports of his growing frustration on Wednesday , telling Reuters he doesn ’ t “ believe the polls ” .
“ I believe the people of this country are smart .
And I don ’ t think that they will put a man in who ’ s incompetent , ” he said of Biden .
Trump said he thought the election did not represent a referendum on his administration ’ s handling of the pandemic .
While neither the sincerity nor the grounds of the president ’ s lawsuit threat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sources told CNN the two patched things up by that same night .
On Thursday , Trump tweeted that Parscale “ is doing a great job ” .
“ I never shouted at him ( been with me for years , including the 2016 win ) , and have no intention to do so , ” he wrote .
The president then lashed out at media outlets for reporting on the alleged tensions , taking particular aim at MSNBC and its lead anchor , Brian Williams , in a flood of tweets .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kayleigh McEnany , last week signaled that the president ’ s White House coronavirus briefings would be less frequent and would take a different slant , pivoting to preparations for reopening the US economy .
This week , Trump has been meeting with some state governors in the Oval Office .

A row between Donald Trump and his election campaign manager, Brad Parscale, over a recent drop in the president’s poll numbers resulted in Trump threatening Parscale with a lawsuit.
The argument reportedly happened last Friday, as the US death toll from the coronavirus pandemic reached 50,000 in three months and the fallout continued from Trump’s suggestion at the White House the night before that taking disinfectant internally could be examined as a possible treatment for coronavirus, even though it is potentially lethal.
But the blow-up was just the latest in a series of tense moments between Trump and his 2020 re-election team, according to reports from multiple outlets including the Washington Post, the Associated Press and CNN.
“I’m not fucking losing to Joe Biden,” Trump reportedly said on a call with Parscale during a meeting with aides. According to multiple sources who spoke to the AP, the president cursed at Parscale repeatedly.
Trump deflected much of the blame for the disappointing polls, ignoring criticism of his performances at the podium during daily White House coronavirus press briefings, where he has repeatedly attacked the media for questioning delays in the government’s response, pushed misinformation and shown little empathy for victims.
02:04 ’Keep your voice down’: Trump berates female reporter when questioned over Covid-19 response – video
In a meeting two days before the call, political advisers briefed Trump on data sourced internally and from the Republican National Committee. The figures showed the president losing ground against Biden in key battleground states.
Advisers had warned Trump to change his tone at daily coronavirus briefings, citing data that showed the negative coverage was fueling a decline in approval ratings.
The president allegedly balked at the guidance, insisting viewers “love” them and think he’s “fighting for them”. Trump instead pointed to restricted travel and an inability to host campaign rallies as the source of the slump.
After initially refusing to comply with recommendations he step back from the briefings, Trump later relented – after making headlines over the disinfectant row, which prompted cleaning product companies to issue public warnings against ingesting or injecting disinfectant for any reason.
Last Friday, the president took no questions and abruptly left the short briefing, which had been stretching over two hours in evening prime time, and cancelled his weekend press briefings altogether.
“He’s pissed because he knows he messed up in those briefings,” a Republican close to the White House reportedly told CNN.
He also reportedly ranted about a New York Times story on him watching hours of cable news a day and then fuming about his coverage, before spending the weekend attacking reporters and media organizations on Twitter for their coronavirus journalism.
One official told the Washington Post the president was “in a terrible mood with everyone late last week”.
Trump shot back at reports of his growing frustration on Wednesday, telling Reuters he doesn’t “believe the polls”.
“I believe the people of this country are smart. And I don’t think that they will put a man in who’s incompetent,” he said of Biden. Trump said he thought the election did not represent a referendum on his administration’s handling of the pandemic.
While neither the sincerity nor the grounds of the president’s lawsuit threat against Parscale isn’t clear, sources told CNN the two patched things up by that same night. On Thursday, Trump tweeted that Parscale “is doing a great job”.
“I never shouted at him (been with me for years, including the 2016 win), and have no intention to do so,” he wrote.
The president then lashed out at media outlets for reporting on the alleged tensions, taking particular aim at MSNBC and its lead anchor, Brian Williams, in a flood of tweets.
The new White House press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, last week signaled that the president’s White House coronavirus briefings would be less frequent and would take a different slant, pivoting to preparations for reopening the US economy. This week, Trump has been meeting with some state governors in the Oval Office.


theguardian--2020-04-30--US intelligence agencies under pressure to link coronavirus to Chinese labs

Senior figures in the Trump administration have put pressure on US intelligence agencies to provide evidence supporting claims that the coronavirus outbreak originated in state-run laboratories in China , a report in the New York Times claims .
Intelligence analysts fear Donald Trump is looking for propaganda to be used in the escalating blame game over whether China covered up the crisis or even generated the virus in its laboratories .
Trump has claimed that China ’ s handling of the pandemic is proof that Beijing “ will do anything they can ” to make him lose his re-election bid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ considering different forms of retaliation .
The Washington Post reported that high-level meetings were under way in the White House to discuss options , including suing for compensation , which would involve stripping China of “ sovereign immunity ” or cancelling debt obligations to China .
The US secretary of state , Mike Pompeo , has repeatedly suggested that the coronavirus could have come from a virology laboratory in Wuhan , after cables surfaced from early 2018 in which US diplomats expressed concern about safety standards at the facility .
The office of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement on Thursday that it had concluded that the virus was “ not manmade or genetically modified ” , but said that officials were still examining whether the origins of the pandemic could be traced to contact with infected animals or an accident at a Chinese lab .
“ The intelligence community [ IC ] also concurs with the wide scientific consensus that the Covid-19 virus was not manmade or genetically modified , ” said the statement .
“ The IC will continue to rigorously examine emerging information and intelligence to determine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infected animals or if it was the result of an accident at a laboratory in Wuhan.
” Most scientists who have studied the genetics of the coronavirus provided by China say that the overwhelming probability is that it leapt jumped from animal to human in a non-laboratory setting , as was the case with previous pandemics .
In recent days Trump and his allies have sharpened their rhetoric on China , accusing it of failing to act swiftly enough to stop the spread of the virus or sound the alarm about the outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agencies to lend credence to the theory that the virus was created in Chinese labs include the US secretary of state , Mike Pompeo , the deputy national security adviser , Matthew Pottinger , and Richard Grenell , the acting director of national intelligence .
In numerous TV interviews , Pompeo has said China suppressed information on the virus and withheld key facts from the World Health Organization , and he has hinted that he believes the virus originated in Chinese laboratories .
But the suggestion that intelligence agencies are being put under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up from such comments .
Such a finding would turn the international disaster into something akin to biological warfare , or a lab accident of catastrophic proportions .
More than 1 million people have been infected and more than 60,000 have died in the US from the virus , adding political urgency to Trump ’ s desire to shift blame for the crisis on to China .
China has been resisting an international inquiry into the origins of the outbreak in Wuhan and , under pressure , says it is a matter for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is unlikely to mollify Trump , who has condemned the WHO as Chinese-centric and has suspended US funding from the UN agency pending a review .
Chris Patten , the former governor general of Hong Kong and a long-term critic of Chinese efforts to control democracy in the former colony , has joined the calls for an international inquiry , accusing China of initially covering up the outbreak .
The calls for an inquiry have been strongest in Australia , leading to a diplomatic confrontation between the Australian prime minister , Scott Morrison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Cheng Jingye .
The calls have also been supported by Winston Peters , New Zealand ’ s foreign minister .
Peters said : “ It is very hard to conceive , no matter what country it is , of there not being a desire from every country around the world – including the country of origin – for an investigation to find out how this happened.
” Jingye has warned of a Chinese boycott of Australian goods and services .
Beijing has been caught in a bind , with its diplomats sometimes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus originated in China , contending that it is a legitimate matter for inquiry by scientists , but then rejecting an international inquiry into the source of the outbreak .
Chinese diplomats distinguish between an international inquiry , which they say is likely to be a political blame game , and a dispassionate examination by WHO scientists .
Critics of China counter that the WHO ’ s record shows it has neither the will nor the investigative powers required to look deep into the entrails of the Chinese Communist party and expose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the cooperation of its member states for access and has no mechanism to punish countries that keep its officials in the dark .
Proposals have been floated for the WHO to be given the power to impose sanctions on countries that are not transparent with it , but this proposal would need to pass the WHO ’ s general assembly , and would require nation states handing over a degree of sovereignty to a multilateral body .
The Chinese ambassador to the UK , Liu Xiaoming , delivered a lengthy rebuttal to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week .
“ You ’ re talking about independent investigation .
It ’ s up to the WHO .
We support the WHO .
We believe we should play by international norms and international rules , not by some other countries ’ rules .
Some other country even sues China at its local court .
It ’ s absurd , ” he said in remarks to the Asia Society in London .
“ This is not the first time that some politicians want to play world police .
This is not the era @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not the era when China was still in a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society .
This is the third decade of the 21st century .
Those people can not understand it .
They think they still live in the old days when they can bully China and the world .
If the WHO does not act their way , they stop their support and criticise the WHO to be ‘ China-centric ’ .
That ’ s simply not right .
“ So we are calling for international cooperation .
That ’ s the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ win this battle against the virus .
Not by scapegoating , not by playing games , not by politicising the virus , not by spreading a political virus.
” A spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office said : “ Coronavirus is a global challenge and it ’ s vital that countries come together to tackle this shared threat .
The Foreign Secretary has been clear that , in time , we will need to learn lessons and ask rigorous questions about why this outbreak happened , why it couldn ’ t be stopped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevent another outbreak in future .
This is something that we will look at with all of our international partners .
”

Senior figures in the Trump administration have put pressure on US intelligence agencies to provide evidence supporting claims that the coronavirus outbreak originated in state-run laboratories in China, a report in the New York Times claims.
Intelligence analysts fear Donald Trump is looking for propaganda to be used in the escalating blame game over whether China covered up the crisis or even generated the virus in its laboratories.
Trump has claimed that China’s handling of the pandemic is proof that Beijing “will do anything they can” to make him lose his re-election bid in November and told Reuters he was considering different forms of retaliation.
The Washington Post reported that high-level meetings were under way in the White House to discuss options, including suing for compensation, which would involve stripping China of “sovereign immunity” or cancelling debt obligations to China.
The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, has repeatedly suggested that the coronavirus could have come from a virology laboratory in Wuhan, after cables surfaced from early 2018 in which US diplomats expressed concern about safety standards at the facility.
The office of the director of national intelligence said in a statement on Thursday that it had concluded that the virus was “not manmade or genetically modified”, but said that officials were still examining whether the origins of the pandemic could be traced to contact with infected animals or an accident at a Chinese lab.
“The intelligence community [IC] also concurs with the wide scientific consensus that the Covid-19 virus was not manmade or genetically modified,” said the statement. “The IC will continue to rigorously examine emerging information and intelligence to determine whether the outbreak began through contact with infected animals or if it was the result of an accident at a laboratory in Wuhan.”
Most scientists who have studied the genetics of the coronavirus provided by China say that the overwhelming probability is that it leapt jumped from animal to human in a non-laboratory setting, as was the case with previous pandemics.
In recent days Trump and his allies have sharpened their rhetoric on China, accusing it of failing to act swiftly enough to stop the spread of the virus or sound the alarm about the outbreak.Those reported as pushing US intelligence agencies to lend credence to the theory that the virus was created in Chinese labs include the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, the deputy national security adviser, Matthew Pottinger, and Richard Grenell, the acting director of national intelligence.
In numerous TV interviews, Pompeo has said China suppressed information on the virus and withheld key facts from the World Health Organization, and he has hinted that he believes the virus originated in Chinese laboratories.
But the suggestion that intelligence agencies are being put under pressure to produce evidence represents a step up from such comments. Such a finding would turn the international disaster into something akin to biological warfare, or a lab accident of catastrophic proportions.
More than 1 million people have been infected and more than 60,000 have died in the US from the virus, adding political urgency to Trump’s desire to shift blame for the crisis on to China.
China has been resisting an international inquiry into the origins of the outbreak in Wuhan and, under pressure, says it is a matter for the WHO to investigate. The proposal is unlikely to mollify Trump, who has condemned the WHO as Chinese-centric and has suspended US funding from the UN agency pending a review.
Chris Patten, the former governor general of Hong Kong and a long-term critic of Chinese efforts to control democracy in the former colony, has joined the calls for an international inquiry, accusing China of initially covering up the outbreak.
The calls for an inquiry have been strongest in Australia, leading to a diplomatic confrontation between the Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, and the Chinese ambassador to Australia, Cheng Jingye. The calls have also been supported by Winston Peters, New Zealand’s foreign minister.
Peters said: “It is very hard to conceive, no matter what country it is, of there not being a desire from every country around the world – including the country of origin – for an investigation to find out how this happened.”
Cheng has warned of a Chinese boycott of Australian goods and services.
Beijing has been caught in a bind, with its diplomats sometimes saying it is not even clear whether the virus originated in China, contending that it is a legitimate matter for inquiry by scientists, but then rejecting an international inquiry into the source of the outbreak. Chinese diplomats distinguish between an international inquiry, which they say is likely to be a political blame game, and a dispassionate examination by WHO scientists.
Critics of China counter that the WHO’s record shows it has neither the will nor the investigative powers required to look deep into the entrails of the Chinese Communist party and expose any cover-up. The WHO is dependent on the cooperation of its member states for access and has no mechanism to punish countries that keep its officials in the dark.
Proposals have been floated for the WHO to be given the power to impose sanctions on countries that are not transparent with it, but this proposal would need to pass the WHO’s general assembly, and would require nation states handing over a degree of sovereignty to a multilateral body.
The Chinese ambassador to the UK, Liu Xiaoming, delivered a lengthy rebuttal to the prospect of an international inquiry last week. “You’re talking about independent investigation. It’s up to the WHO. We support the WHO. We believe we should play by international norms and international rules, not by some other countries’ rules. Some other country even sues China at its local court. It’s absurd,”he said in remarks to the Asia Society in London.
“This is not the first time that some politicians want to play world police. This is not the era of ‘gunboat diplomacy’. This is not the era when China was still in a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society. This is the third decade of the 21st century. Those people cannot understand it. They think they still live in the old days when they can bully China and the world. If the WHO does not act their way, they stop their support and criticise the WHO to be ‘China-centric’. That’s simply not right.
“So we are calling for international cooperation. That’s the only weapon and only way out to win this battle against the virus. Not by scapegoating, not by playing games, not by politicising the virus, not by spreading a political virus.”
A spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office said: “Coronavirus is a global challenge and it’s vital that countries come together to tackle this shared threat. The Foreign Secretary has been clear that, in time, we will need to learn lessons and ask rigorous questions about why this outbreak happened, why it couldn’t be stopped earlier and what can be done to prevent another outbreak in future. This is something that we will look at with all of our international partners.”


theguardian--2020-04-30--Justin Amash's Libertarian candidacy may act as a spoiler – but that could help Biden | Rachel Bitec

Justin Amash's Libertarian candidacy may act as a spoiler – but that could help Biden | Rachel Bitecofer

Justin Amash ’ s announcement that he is exploring a run for president on the Libertarian party ’ s ticket set off a firestorm of debate as to whether his candidacy helps or hurts Donald Trump ’ s re-election prospects .
With paranoia of potential “ spoiler ” effects running high , Never Trump Republicans worked hard to deter Amash from running and upon his announcement , influencers in the movement like Jennifer Rubin , Bill Kristol and Tom Nichols immediately denounced his candidacy .
Their wariness is well supported by polling data , which shows Biden ’ s consistent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polling narrows when an independent or third-party option is included .
It is important to recognize that voters respond to generic independent or third-party candidate cues from their own ideological frame of reference : a progressive probably pictures a progressive candidate , a conservative , a conservative one .
It isn ’ t until these choices solidify into actual candidates and are presented to voters in a context that includes named party nominees that “ true ” third-party or independent receptivity becomes clear .
The “ pulling from both sides ” issue from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these types of candidates .
Further complicating matters , current polling still reflects the contested and contentious Democratic party nomination process .
It will take some time for Democrats to consolidate around their party ’ s nominee in rates comparable to Republican consolidation around Trump , which averages 90 % .
The inclusive head-to-head ballot test as well as nominee enthusiasm are still reflecting after-effects from the primary .
We also know that as the election cycle swings into action and campaign activity kicks in , some voters previously open to third-party candidates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why third-party candidates tend to underperform their polled vote shares .
The “ coming home ” effect also affects independents , most of whom are “ leaners ” , voters who initially say they ’ re independent , but when prompted with a follow-up question asking whether they are more closely aligned to one party or the other , admit to having a party preference .
These voters almost always end up voting for the candidate of the party they lean towards , which is why it is possible that Biden ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now may be inflated .
In 2016 , the Libertarian party pulled voters from both sides of the ideological spectrum .
Johnson ’ s unabashed admission to pot use endeared him to thousands of younger voters .
But Amash holds policy positions that these voters may find unacceptable .
His flirtation with climate denialism and stringent anti-abortion positions will probably diminish his attractiveness among the small – but still significant – portion of former Obama voters that voted for Johnson in 2016 .
Although Amash has tended to vote with Democrats since his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remains more conservative than 84 % of House Republicans in the 116th Congress .
And although a Green party candidacy is more likely , Jesse Ventura ’ s announcement indicated the Greens as his “ first ” choice .
Amash ’ s presence in the race all but ensures Ventura would be blocked from running on the Libertarian ticket where due to far broader ballot access , he would have more potential “ disruption ” power .
This means the Libertarian party ’ s appeal in 2020 will largely hail from voters on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That party leaders have not-so-quietly pushed Amash into running suggests the party ’ s core membership wants to return to more traditional Libertarian orthodoxies .
In the end , the influence of third-party candidates in the 2020 cycle may be stunted due to the pandemic .
Both the Green party and Libertarians currently lack access in critical swing states and the pandemic has severely hampered their ability to gather the petition signatures needed to get on these states ’ ballots – leading to court challenges .
Although it ’ s sad that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politicized , the fact that resistance to their inclusion will now be bipartisan is probably an asset that Democrats wouldn ’ t have had otherwise .
In the end , an Amash run may help buffer Democrats from what is sure to be a full court press by Trump ’ s GOP to encourage disaffected Sanders voters to defect from Biden .
Trump and key Republicans are working hard to exacerbate tensions between the progressive left and the Democratic National Committee and the Biden campaign , and the party plans a multimillion-dollar misinformation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts .
Some GOP state parties have helped finance Green party ballot access in states critical to the presidential and/or Senate contests .
It ’ s a shrewd strategy , one whose efficacy will probably be influenced significantly by Biden ’ s choice of running mate .
In this regard , an Amash candidacy may serve to inoculate Democrats , because if Amash siphons votes off from the right it could offset what is all but guaranteed to be some defection from progressives .
If your party has a “ spoiler ” candidate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one too .

Justin Amash’s announcement that he is exploring a run for president on the Libertarian party’s ticket set off a firestorm of debate as to whether his candidacy helps or hurts Donald Trump’s re-election prospects.
With paranoia of potential “spoiler” effects running high, Never Trump Republicans worked hard to deter Amash from running and upon his announcement, influencers in the movement like Jennifer Rubin, Bill Kristol and Tom Nichols immediately denounced his candidacy.
Their wariness is well supported by polling data, which shows Biden’s consistent lead over Trump in general election head-to-head polling narrows when an independent or third-party option is included. It is important to recognize that voters respond to generic independent or third-party candidate cues from their own ideological frame of reference: a progressive probably pictures a progressive candidate, a conservative, a conservative one.
It isn’t until these choices solidify into actual candidates and are presented to voters in a context that includes named party nominees that “true” third-party or independent receptivity becomes clear. The “pulling from both sides” issue from generic ballots probably distorts the attractiveness of these types of candidates.
Further complicating matters, current polling still reflects the contested and contentious Democratic party nomination process. It will take some time for Democrats to consolidate around their party’s nominee in rates comparable to Republican consolidation around Trump, which averages 90%. The inclusive head-to-head ballot test as well as nominee enthusiasm are still reflecting after-effects from the primary.
We also know that as the election cycle swings into action and campaign activity kicks in, some voters previously open to third-party candidates “come home”– which is why third-party candidates tend to underperform their polled vote shares. The “coming home” effect also affects independents, most of whom are “leaners”, voters who initially say they’re independent, but when prompted with a follow-up question asking whether they are more closely aligned to one party or the other, admit to having a party preference. These voters almost always end up voting for the candidate of the party they lean towards, which is why it is possible that Biden’s large advantages on the generic ballot until now may be inflated.
In 2016, the Libertarian party pulled voters from both sides of the ideological spectrum.
Johnson’s unabashed admission to pot use endeared him to thousands of younger voters. But Amash holds policy positions that these voters may find unacceptable. His flirtation with climate denialism and stringent anti-abortion positions will probably diminish his attractiveness among the small – but still significant – portion of former Obama voters that voted for Johnson in 2016. Although Amash has tended to vote with Democrats since his exodus from the Republican party, he remains more conservative than 84% of House Republicans in the 116th Congress.
And although a Green party candidacy is more likely, Jesse Ventura’s announcement indicated the Greens as his “first” choice. Amash’s presence in the race all but ensures Ventura would be blocked from running on the Libertarian ticket where due to far broader ballot access, he would have more potential “disruption” power.
This means the Libertarian party’s appeal in 2020 will largely hail from voters on the right side of the ideological spectrum. That party leaders have not-so-quietly pushed Amash into running suggests the party’s core membership wants to return to more traditional Libertarian orthodoxies.
An Amash run may help buffer Democrats from what is sure to be a full court press by Trump’s GOP to encourage disaffected Sanders voters to defect from Biden
In the end, the influence of third-party candidates in the 2020 cycle may be stunted due to the pandemic. Both the Green party and Libertarians currently lack access in critical swing states and the pandemic has severely hampered their ability to gather the petition signatures needed to get on these states’ ballots – leading to court challenges. Although it’s sad that America’s courts have become increasingly politicized, the fact that resistance to their inclusion will now be bipartisan is probably an asset that Democrats wouldn’t have had otherwise.
In the end, an Amash run may help buffer Democrats from what is sure to be a full court press by Trump’s GOP to encourage disaffected Sanders voters to defect from Biden. Trump and key Republicans are working hard to exacerbate tensions between the progressive left and the Democratic National Committee and the Biden campaign, and the party plans a multimillion-dollar misinformation campaign modeled after the Russians’ 2016 efforts. Some GOP state parties have helped finance Green party ballot access in states critical to the presidential and/or Senate contests.
It’s a shrewd strategy, one whose efficacy will probably be influenced significantly by Biden’s choice of running mate. In this regard, an Amash candidacy may serve to inoculate Democrats, because if Amash siphons votes off from the right it could offset what is all but guaranteed to be some defection from progressives. If your party has a “spoiler” candidate, you want your opponent to have one too.


theguardian--2020-05-01--Joe Biden says alleged sexual assault 'never happened' – live

April was Sexual Assault Awareness Month .
Every year , at this time , we talk about awareness , prevention , and the importance of women feeling they can step forward , say something , and be heard .
That belief – that women should be heard – was the underpinning of a law I wrote over 25 years ago .
To this day , I am most proud of the Violence Against Women Act .
So , each April we are reminded not only of how far we have come in dealing with sexual assault in this country – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go .
When I wrote the bill , few wanted to talk about the issue .
It was considered a private matter , a personal matter , a family matter .
I didn ’ t see it that way .
To me , freedom from fear , harm , and violence for women was a legal right , a civil right , and a human right .
And I knew we had to change not only the law , but the culture .
So , we held hours of hearings and heard from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we opened the eyes of the Senate and the nation – and passed the law .
In the years that followed , I fought to continually strengthen the law .
So , when we took office and President Obama asked me what I wanted , I told him I wanted oversight of the critical appointments in the Office on Violence Against Women at the Department of Justice and I wanted a senior White House Advisor appointing directly to me on the issue .
Both of those things happened .
As Vice President , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Us ” campaign on college campuses to send the message loud and clear that dating violence is violence – and against the law .
We had to get men involved .
They had to be part of the solution .
That ’ s why I made a point of telling young men this was their problem too – they couldn ’ t turn a blind eye to what was happening around them – they had a responsibility to speak out .
Silence is complicity .
In the 26 years since the law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changed but we ’ re not done yet .
It ’ s on us , and it ’ s on me as someone who wants to lead this country .
I recognize my responsibility to be a voice , an advocate , and a leader for the change in culture that has begun but is nowhere near finished .
So I want to address allegations by a former staffer that I engaged in misconduct 27 years ago .
They aren ’ t true .
This never happened .
While the details of these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are complicated , two things are not complicated .
One is that women deserve to be treated with dignity and respect , and when they step forward they should be heard , not silenced .
The second is that their stories should be subject to appropriate inquiry and scrutiny .
Responsible news organizations should examine and evaluate the full and growing record of inconsistencies in her story , which has changed repeatedly in both small and big ways .
But this much bears emphasizing .
She has said she raised some of these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from my office at the time .
They – both men and a woman – have said , unequivocally , that she never came to them and complained or raised issues .
News organizations that have talked with literally dozens of former staffers have not found one – not one – who corroborated her allegations in any way .
Indeed , many of them spoke to the culture of an office that would not have tolerated harassment in any way – as indeed I would not have .
There is a clear , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be verified .
The former staffer has said she filed a complaint back in 1993 .
But she does not have a record of this alleged complaint .
The papers from my Senate years that I donated to the University of Delaware do not contain personnel files .
It is the practice of Senators to establish a library of personal papers that document their public record : speeches , policy proposals , positions taken , and the writing of bills .
There is only one place a complaint of this kind could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Archives is where the records are kept at what was then called the Office of Fair Employment Practices .
I am requesting that the Secretary of the Senate ask the Archives to identify any record of the complaint she alleges she filed and make available to the press any such document .
If there was ever any such complaint , the record will be there .
As a Presidential candidate , I ’ m accountable to the American people .
We have lived long enough with a President who doesn ’ t think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ takes responsibility for nothing .
That ’ s not me .
I believe being accountable means having the difficult conversations , even when they are uncomfortable .
People need to hear the truth .
I have spent my career learning from women the ways in which we as individuals and as policy makers need to step up to make their hard jobs easier , with equal pay , equal opportunity , and workplaces and homes free from violence and harassment .
I know how critical women ’ s health issues and basic women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been a constant through my career , and as President , that work will continue .
And I will continue to learn from women , to listen to women , to support women , and yes , to make sure women ’ s voices are heard .
We have a lot of work to do .
From confronting online harassment , abuse , and stalking , to ending the rape kit backlog , to addressing the deadly combination of guns and domestic violence .
We need to protect and empower the most marginalized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , trans women , and women of color .
We need to make putting an end to gender-based violence in both the United States and around the world a top priority .
I started my work over 25 years ago with the passage of the Violence Against Women Act .
As president , I ’ m committed to finishing the job .

Lauren Gambino in Washington and Martin Pengelly in New York

2 May 2020 01.02 BST Evening Summary Thanks for following along. Here’s a rundown of the day’s biggest news: The FDA has approved remdesivir for emergency use on hospitalized coronavirus patients. A drug trial of remdesivir showed a positive effect on coronavirus patients’ recovery time and survival rate. Dr Anthony Fauci said earlier this week, “The data shows that remdesivir has a clear-cut, significant, positive effect in diminishing the time to recovery. ... What it has proven is that a drug can block this virus.”
A drug trial of remdesivir showed a positive effect on coronavirus patients’ recovery time and survival rate. Dr said earlier this week, “The data shows that remdesivir has a clear-cut, significant, positive effect in diminishing the time to recovery. ... What it has proven is that a drug can block this virus.” White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany held her first daily briefing. It was the first time in more than a year that a White House press secretary had held a formal briefing. McEnany promised to never lie from the White House podium, but she went on to share several false or misleading statements about sexual misconduct allegations against Trump and the FBI investigation of former national security adviser Michael Flynn, among other things.
It was the first time in more than a year that a White House press secretary had held a formal briefing. McEnany promised to never lie from the White House podium, but she went on to share several false or misleading statements about sexual misconduct allegations against and the FBI investigation of former national security adviser among other things. Joe Biden denied Tara Reade’s allegation of sexual assault. The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee said in an MSNBC interview, “I’m saying unequivocally, it never, never happened.”
The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee said in an MSNBC interview, “I’m saying unequivocally, it never, never happened.” Donald Trump said he expects up to 100,000 Americans will die of Covid-19. “Hopefully we’re going to come in below that 100,000 lives lost, which is a horrible number nevertheless.” The president had previously said he expected 60,000 - 70,000 fatalities in the US.
of Covid-19. “Hopefully we’re going to come in below that 100,000 lives lost, which is a horrible number nevertheless.” The president had previously said he expected 60,000 - 70,000 fatalities in the US. New York schools will remain closed for the rest of the academic year, governor Andrew Cuomo announced. The news was unsurprising considering the state reported another 1,000 new coronavirus hospitalizations yesterday, but the daily death toll has fallen slightly to 289.
governor announced. The news was unsurprising considering the state reported another 1,000 new coronavirus hospitalizations yesterday, but the daily death toll has fallen slightly to 289. Trump said Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer should “make a deal” with anti-stay-at-home protesters. The president’s suggestion came one day after demonstrators, some of them carrying assault rifles, swarmed the Michigan state capitol to protest Whitmer’s stay-at-home order. Whitmer rejected the idea of making a deal during a public health emergency, but said some outdoor work will be allowed to resume next week.
The president’s suggestion came one day after demonstrators, some of them carrying assault rifles, swarmed the Michigan state capitol to protest Whitmer’s stay-at-home order. Whitmer rejected the idea of making a deal during a public health emergency, but said some outdoor work will be allowed to resume next week. The White House blocked Dr Anthony Fauci from testifying before a House subcommittee looking into the coronavirus response. Former CDC director Tom Frieden will testify instead.
before a House subcommittee looking into the coronavirus response. Former CDC director will testify instead. California governor Gavin Newsom promised “meaningful” adjustments to stay-at-home orders in the coming days. Meanwhile, protesters gathered in the capital of Sacramento and in Orange county’s Huntington Beach. Read our full reports on the day in Washington, the latest from California, and the emergency use authorization of the new coronavirus drug here. And stay up to date with all the latest news with our global live blog, which continues here: Coronavirus live news: Dr Fauci blocked from testifying on US response Read more
1 May 2020 00.46 BST Fact check: voter fraud Donald Trump is back on Twitter, where he is misleadingly linking voting by mail to “rigged elections”. Don’t allow RIGGED ELECTIONS! https://t.co/DeZ5B3TEv5 — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 1, 2020 There is no evidence of widespread voting fraud. The non-partisan Brennan Center for Justice found in 2017 that the risk of voting fraud is between 0.00004% and 0.0009%. Moreover, Trump’s own voting integrity commission found no evidence to support claims of widespread fraud. Mail ballot fraud is also very rare. In North Carolina, an election was overturned in 2018 after a Republican political operative was alleged to have directed workers to collect and mail in other people’s absentee ballots during the 2018 Republican congressional primary and during the 2016 general election. But states can avoid that sort of fraud by implementing ballot tracking, providing prepaid postage and setting ballot boxes and drop-off sites. Five states already conduct their elections entirely by mail, and have found ways to ensure the integrity of ballots. Although the president now says he opposes voting by mail due to fraud conerns, he previously said efforts to make it easier to vote would mean “you’d never have a Republican elected in this country again”. Read more: Trump urges Republicans to 'fight very hard' against voting by mail Read more
1 May 2020 00.13 BST The House hearing on the coronavirus response will go on without Fauci, however. Dr Tom Frieden, who served as the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) during the Obama administration, will testify. Representatives Nina Lowey and Rosa DeLaura, chairs of the House appropriation committee and Labor-HHS-Education subcommittee, issued the following statement: Congress and the American public deserve a clear-eyed view of the path forward for responding to the Covid-19 pandemic. In the short-term, that entails what our federal government is doing on surveillance, testing, contact tracing, quarantining, social distancing, and the production and distribution of personal protective equipment. Over the medium-term, we need to understand the viability of therapeutics and vaccines in development, their dissemination, and how the influenza season could affect the ongoing pandemic in the Fall. And over the long-term, we need ensure lasting investments in our public health infrastructure are made instead of reacting to public health crises when they arise. The people of this country deserve a federal government that is up-to-date, modernized, and prepared to protect lives. We look forward to the hearing next week with Dr. Tom Frieden, former Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and one of the world’s foremost public health experts.
1 May 2020 00.02 BST The White House is blocking Dr Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease doctor, from testifying before Congress next week. Evan Hollander, a spokesman for the House appropriations committee, told the Washington Post that the committee had asked Fauci to appear on 6 May, but was rebuffed by the White House. The White House confirmed the report to Reuters, saying in a statement: “While the Trump administration continues its whole-of-government response to Covid-19, including safely opening up America again and expediting vaccine development, it is counter-productive to have the very individuals involved in those efforts appearing at congressional hearings. We are committed to working with Congress to offer testimony at the appropriate time.” Fauci is the longtime director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. A respected and accomplished scientist, he has at times drawn the ire of Trump supporters for advocating for public health measures or contradicting Trump.
1 May 2020 23.44 BST Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said Friday that Michigan will remain under stay-at-home orders through 15 May, despite Republican lawmaker in the states refusing to extend her emergency declaration, the AP reports. The order will allow for some outdoor work, such as forestry, power equipment maintenance and construction, to resume next Thursday. Earlier today, Donald Trump tweeted that Whitmer should “give a little” and “make a deal” with a small group of protesters, some of them armed, who have held demonstrations at the state capital urging a reopening of the state. “The governor of Michigan should give a little, and put out the fire,” Trump said in a tweet on Friday morning. “These are very good people, but they are angry. They want their lives back again, safely! See them, talk to them, make a deal.” Whitmer called the protests “disturbing” and said that the presence of swastikas, Confederate flags, nooses and assault weapons “do not represent who we are as Michiganders”. “We’re not in a political crisis where we should just negotiate and find some common ground here. We’re in a public health crisis,” she said. “We’re in the midst of a global pandemic that has already killed almost 4,000 people in our state.”
1 May 2020 23.28 BST The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released additional information about its emergency use authorization (EUA) for remdesivir, the anti-viral drug that has shown some promise as a treatment for patients with Covid-19. Donald Trump announced the EUA earlier today. Use of the drug will be authorized for adults or children who are hospitalized with suspected or confirmed Covid-19 and whose condition is “severe”, meaning they have low blood oxygen levels, need oxygen therapy, or are on a mechanical ventilator, the FDA said. “Based on evaluation of the emergency use authorization criteria and the scientific evidence available, it was determined that it is reasonable to believe that remdesivir may be effective in treating COVID-19, and that, given there are no adequate, approved, or available alternative treatments, the known and potential benefits to treat this serious or life-threatening virus currently outweigh the known and potential risks of the drug’s use,” the FDA said in its statement. The EUA also includes information about possible side effects, which include “increased levels of liver enzymes, which may be a sign of inflammation or damage to cells in the liver; and infusion-related reactions, which may include low blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, sweating, and shivering”. It also notes that there may be other serious side effects that have not been discovered yet. The EUA requires hospitals to monitor patients’ liver enzymes through blood tests before the treatment is started and every day that treatment is ongoing. Patients who receive the drug will be provided with a fact sheet, which is available here. The drug is administered through an IV once a day for up to 10 days.
1 May 2020 23.09 BST Donald Trump appears to have revised upward to 100,000 his expectations for the number of Americans who will die of Covid-19. “Hopefully we’re going to come in below that 100,000 lives lost, which is a horrible number nevertheless,” Trump said at a White House event to honor people who are doing work related to the coronavirus pandemic, according to Reuters. On Monday, Trump had said that the death toll would likely be between 60,000 and 70,000. As of Friday, it stand at 64,198. Trump has changed his predictions over time. On Friday, he claimed that the White House’s actions had saved “maybe millions of lives”.
1 May 2020 22.44 BST The last patient has left the field hospital that was erected in New York City’s Javits convention center, the AP reports. The emergency facility was erected by the members of the US military to alleviate strain on the city’s hospital system at the height of the outbreak. It ultimately treated 1,095 patients, the last 8 of whom left the hospital today. The closure of the emergency hospital is another hopeful sign that conditions in New York are improving, though the crisis is by no means over. On Friday, New York governor Andrew Cuomo reported a daily death toll of 289.
1 May 2020 22.04 BST Today so far That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague, Julia Carrie Wong, will take over the blog for the next few hours. Here’s where the day stands so far: The FDA has approved remdesivir for emergency use on hospitalized coronavirus patients. A drug trial of remdesivir showed a positive effect on coronavirus patients’ recovery time and survival rate. Dr Anthony Fauci said earlier this week, “The data shows that remdesivir has a clear-cut, significant, positive effect in diminishing the time to recovery. ... What it has proven is that a drug can block this virus.”
A drug trial of remdesivir showed a positive effect on coronavirus patients’ recovery time and survival rate. Dr said earlier this week, “The data shows that remdesivir has a clear-cut, significant, positive effect in diminishing the time to recovery. ... What it has proven is that a drug can block this virus.” White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany held her first daily briefing. It was the first time in more than a year that a White House press secretary had held a formal briefing. McEnany promised to never lie from the White House podium, but she went on to share several false or misleading statements about sexual misconduct allegations against Trump and the FBI investigation of former national security adviser Michael Flynn, among other things.
It was the first time in more than a year that a White House press secretary had held a formal briefing. McEnany promised to never lie from the White House podium, but she went on to share several false or misleading statements about sexual misconduct allegations against and the FBI investigation of former national security adviser among other things. Joe Biden denied Tara Reade’s allegation of sexual assault. The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee said in an MSNBC interview, “I’m saying unequivocally, it never, never happened.”
The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee said in an MSNBC interview, “I’m saying unequivocally, it never, never happened.” New York schools will remain closed for the rest of the academic year, governor Andrew Cuomo announced. The news was unsurprising considering the state reported another 1,000 new coronavirus hospitalizations yesterday, but the daily death toll has fallen slightly to 289.
governor announced. The news was unsurprising considering the state reported another 1,000 new coronavirus hospitalizations yesterday, but the daily death toll has fallen slightly to 289. Trump said Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer should “make a deal” with anti-stay-at-home protesters. The president’s suggestion came one day after demonstrators, some of them carrying assault rifles, swarmed the Michigan state capitol to protest Whitmer’s stay-at-home order. Julia will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
1 May 2020 21.54 BST FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn was careful to note that remdesivir has not received FDA approval as a coronavirus treatment and has only been approved for emergency use on severely ill coronavirus patients who have been hospitalized. FDA approval requires a much more lengthy review process, while an emergency use authorization is issued more quickly after the agency weighs the potential risks and potential benefits of a treatment option to help address an emergency situation.
“Today’s action is an important step in our efforts to collaborate with innovators and researchers to provide sick patients timely access to new therapies where appropriate, while at the same time supporting research to further evaluate whether they are safe and effective,” Hahn said in a statement.
“There’s tremendous interest among all parties to identify and arm ourselves with medicines to combat COVID-19, and through our Coronavirus Treatment Acceleration Program, the FDA is working around-the-clock and using every tool at our disposal to speed these efforts.”
1 May 2020 21.45 BST The Guardian’s Lois Beckett reports on the latest from California: As many as 1000 people rallied against California governor Gavin Newsom’s stay-at-home measures in Sacramento, the state’s capitol, as hundreds more protested in conservative Huntington Beach. Scenes from the CA state Capitol in Sacramento right now, where we're told about 1,000 protesters are gathered: pic.twitter.com/vpMvpgxXr7 — Carla Marinucci (@cmarinucci) May 1, 2020 Hundreds have gathered in Huntington Beach to protest Governor Newsom’s order to close all OC beaches. The city is planning to sue Newsom, and Newport Beach will discuss doing the same this weekend. We have SkyFox over the protest and will be keeping an eye on it. @FOXLA pic.twitter.com/w2sIEKdaCG — Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) May 1, 2020 Current scene at the capitol pic.twitter.com/IwD85HnyAB — Ana B. Ibarra (@ab_ibarra) May 1, 2020 In his Friday news conference, Newsom said he empathized with the protesters’ “frustration and concern and deeply understandable anxiety about the economy and the fate and future of their families.” Asked about his response to protesters calling him a tyrant and a fasicst, Newsom was gentle. “All I ask for is: Take care of yourself,” he said. “Wear a face covering. Do justice to physical distancing. You don’t want to contract this disease.” The governor said that law enforcement officials were responsible for deciding how to respond to protesters violating social distancing orders, and that he could not possibly monitor every protest happening across the state. “I have confidence in local law enforcement, incredible confidence,” Newsom said, passing on responsibility for the fraught question of whether people violating social distancing guidelines at protests should be arrested. In Sacramento, where many protesters were flouting social distancing guidelines, at least one person had been arrested, according to a Sacramento Bee reporter. Our @StantonSam is in the middle of the protest at the Capitol. He says at least 1 arrest so far. Watch it live: https://t.co/jC8C3zDInW — Ryan Lillis (@Ryan_Lillis) May 1, 2020
1 May 2020 21.34 BST Newsom promises 'meaningful' adjustments soon amid anti-shutdown protests The Guardian’s Lois Beckett reports on the latest from California: California governor Gavin Newsom promised “meaningful” adjustments to the state’s stay-at-home order in “many days, not weeks,” as small rallies to reopen the economy attracted hundreds of people in the state’s capital and in Huntington Beach, a more conservative city south of Los Angeles. Demonstrators protest against California’s stay-at-home order. Photograph: Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images Newsom said that the state was “getting very close” to making changes that would affect how businesses, including restaurants, could operate, and urged residents to be patient. More than 2,000 people have died of coronavirus in California so far, including 91 people in the previous day, but the number of patients in intensive care units stayed flat, and the total number of hospitalizations had fallen slightly, both signs of progress, Newsom said in his Friday press conference. But, Newsom said, “We can screw all that up and set all that back by making bad decisions.” The positive signs in the number of hospitalizations and ICU patients was only possible “because people have done an incredible job in their physical distancing.” “Thousands of people congregating together, not practicing social distancing or physical distancing,” could undermine the current progress in preventing the spread of the virus, Newsom said. “If we can avoid that, we can get to the other side with modifications a lot quicker,” the governor added.
1 May 2020 21.24 BST Gilead, the company that makes remdesivir, said it would donate 1.5 million doses of the drug to the US now that it has been approved for emergency use on hospitalized coronavirus patients. FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn said the drug’s approval for emergency use represented “an important clinical advance” in the fight against coronavirus. “It is important to note (remdesivir) is a medicine that’s really for the most severe patients. This is for hospitalized patients. … What we see here is of course not a cure but a very, very significant and important treatment for patients.” @GileadSciences CEO Daniel O’Day pic.twitter.com/3iPiIv28Q1 — TODAY (@TODAYshow) May 1, 2020 Gilead CEO Daniel O’Day said earlier today that his company has already ramped up production of the drug and hopes to make millions of treatment courses available by the end of the year. “I think it’s important to note that this is a medicine for the most severe patients,” O’Day told the “Today” show. “What we see here is really, of course, not a cure but a very, very significant and important treatment for patients.”


theguardian--2020-05-01--Joe Biden denies sexual assault allegation from former staffer Tara Reade

Joe Biden has emphatically denied a sexual assault allegation , in his first public comment on the accusation since it emerged weeks ago .
“ I recognize my responsibility to be a voice , an advocate , and a leader for the change in culture that has begun but is nowhere near finished , ” the former vice-president said in a lengthy statement , ahead of a planned appearance on MSNBC ’ s Morning Joe talk show .
“ So I want to address allegations by a former staffer that I engaged in misconduct 27 years ago : they aren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Tara Reade came forward last month to accuse Biden of sexually assaulting her in the basement of Capitol Hill office complex when she worked in his Senate office in the spring of 1993 .
Biden ’ s campaign has forcefully denied the allegation , but the candidate had not commented directly .
In the statement , Biden asked the National Archives to release and make public any record of a complaint that Reade says she filed at the time .
Biden said the record of the document would be kept at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University of Delaware , where his Senate papers are housed and not open to the public .
Biden has faced mounting calls from some Democrats to make a public statement , even as the party ’ s leadership stands behind him .
Nancy Pelosi , the House speaker , on Thursday stressed her support for Biden ’ s nomination while Republicans seized the opportunity to attack Biden and his record ahead of a general election against Donald Trump , who has been accused of sexual assault and misconduct by more than a dozen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denied .
“ We need to make putting an end to gender-based violence in both the United States and around the world a top priority , ” he said .
“ I started my work over 25 years ago with the passage of the Violence Against Women Act .
As president , I ’ m committed to finishing the job .
”

Joe Biden has categorically denied allegations from a former Senate aide that he sexually assaulted her in 1993.
The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee’s first public comment on the allegation came at a delicate moment for his campaign.
“I recognize my responsibility to be a voice, an advocate, and a leader for the change in culture that has begun but is nowhere near finished,” Biden wrote in a Medium post on Friday morning. “So I want to address allegations by a former staffer that I engaged in misconduct 27 years ago. They aren’t true. This never happened.”
Biden said he would ask the National Archives to make public any record of a complaint his accuser, Tara Reade, says she filed at the time. Biden said any such document would not be kept at the University of Delaware, among his Senate papers.
“I’m saying unequivocally, it never, never happened,” he told MSNBC’s Morning Joe.
Reade came forward last month to accuse Biden of sexually assaulting her at a Capitol Hill office complex in spring 1993. His campaign had said the account is false, but Biden had not addressed it.
Asked if he remembered Reade, Biden said he did not remember “any type of complaint she may have made”.
Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski repeatedly asked if he would authorize a search of his Senate papers. He declined, insisting they “do not contain personnel files”.
“They’re not there,” he said.
In a statement, however, the National Archives said “any records of Senate personnel complaints from 1993 would have remained under the control of the Senate”.
Asked if he was confident no such complaint existed, Biden offered a qualified response: “I know of no one who was aware any complaint was made.”
He also said there were no non-disclosure agreements that would prevent women from speaking out.
In a statement, Rainn, an anti-sexual violence organization, called for the release of “any and all records that may be relevant, including those housed at the University of Delaware”.
“We urge him, his campaign and former staff to cooperate fully and provide complete transparency,” said Heather Drevna, a spokeswoman.
The race between Biden and Donald Trump, who himself faces – and denies – accusations of sexual assault and misconduct from more than a dozen women, will be the first of the #MeToo era. Republicans have begun to weaponize Reade’s story while Democrats stand behind Biden.
Brzezinski pressed Biden on his support for Dr Christine Blasey Ford, who accused Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault during his supreme court confirmation hearings.
Then, Biden said “it takes enormous courage for a woman to come forward under bright lights, with millions of people watching, and relive something that happened to her”. Ford, he said, “should be given the benefit of the doubt and not be, you know, abused again by the system”.
Biden said his position was consistent. Women who come forward deserve “to start off with the presumption that they are telling the truth”, he said.
“Then you have to look at the circumstances and the facts and the facts in this case do not exist. They never happened.”
Democrats are aware of the importance of female voters. Women are among Trump’s fiercest critics and have organized, voted and run for office in record numbers since his election. Biden has vowed to pick a woman as his running mate.
On Friday, Biden pointed to his record as the author of the Violence Against Women Act, and his work as vice-president on combatting sexual assault on college campuses.
Yet he has faced renewed scrutiny over his handling of Anita Hill’s testimony during the supreme court nomination of Clarence Thomas, who she accused of sexual harassment, in the 1990s. Before Biden launched his campaign, eight women accused him of touching them or displaying affection in ways that made them uncomfortable. Reade was among them.
She did not make her accusation of sexual assault until this year, when she told podcast host Katie Halper Biden allegedly pinned her against a wall and penetrated her with his fingers. Those alleged events were presented to Biden on Morning Joe. He denied them.
“I’m not going to go in and question her motive,” Biden said. “I’m not going to attack her. She has a right to say whatever she wants to say but I have a right to say, ‘Look at the facts, check it out.’”
In his statement, Biden said women “should be heard, not silenced” but said scrutiny of the “full and growing record of inconsistencies in [Reade’s] story, which has changed repeatedly in both small and big ways” warranted further examination.
Tina Tchen, president of advocacy group Time’s Up Now, said: “Today, Vice-President Joe Biden sat down and directly addressed the allegation against him with the seriousness it deserves, something that the current president has never done.”
In an interview with conservative radio host Dan Bongino, Trump offered Biden advice: “I would just say to Joe Biden, ‘Just go out and fight it.’
“All of a sudden you become a wealthy guy, you’re a famous guy, then you become president, and people just – people that you’ve never seen, that you’ve never heard of, make charges,” Trump said, before turning back to Biden: “So I guess in a way you could say I’m sticking up for him.”
During a White House briefing, the press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, asserted that the American people have already rendered a verdict on the accusations against Trump, by electing him.
But last year the advice columnist E Jean Carroll alleged Trump raped her in the mid-1990s, which the president denied. A defamation lawsuit from another accuser is currently on hold in New York.
Biden sought to draw a sharp contrast.
“We have lived long enough with a president who doesn’t think he is accountable to anyone, and takes responsibility for nothing,” he said. “That’s not me. I believe being accountable means having the difficult conversations, even when they are uncomfortable. People need to hear the truth.”


theguardian--2020-05-01--Unemployment is ravaging America. Trump should be worried for November

Even amid a roaring pandemic , there are currently two Americas : “ Unemployment America ” and “ Stock Market America ” , dueling lenses to view the same country .
Unemployment America is bleak but in Stock Market America things are looking up .
Taken together , this split reality portends a rough ride for the president ’ s re-election bid and even greater national discord .
Donald Trump has every reason to worry .
First , Unemployment America .
On Thursday , the labor department reported that another 3.8 million people filed first-time unemployment claims , bringing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of work to more than 30 million .
This cataclysmic data came on the heels of the steepest first-quarter GDP decline since the Great Recession , projections of a second-quarter GDP drop of 40 % and an admission by Kevin Hassett , the president ’ s chief economic adviser , that unemployment could hit 20 % by June , a level not experienced since the Great Depression .
For a president who claimed to be a champion of the working class , this is an abject failure .
The answer to the question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than you were four years ago would appear to be simple .
But it isn ’ t .
At the same time as the economy is cratering and coronavirus ’ s death toll has surpassed the number of US troops killed in Vietnam , the stock market has rebounded from its March lows .
As a result , its behavior under Trump still surpasses its performances during the Reagan and Bush Sr years .
For how much longer is still an open question .
On the other hand , as far as Barack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isn ’ t even close .
Still it ’ s a quantifiable achievement , and those close to the president and his campaign know it .
In a conversation with the Guardian , a connected Trump campaign adviser took pride in the market ’ s April advance , expressed displeasure with the word choices of Trump ’ s economic advisers , and remained mute with regard to recent job losses .
In Trump ’ s world , it ’ s the “ stock market , stupid ” .
No wonder Jared Kushner boasts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a great success story ” , and opines “ that ’ s really what needs to be told.
” Can you say , “ Mission Accomplished 2.0 ” ?
At the 1984 Democratic convention , Mario Cuomo , the late New York governor and father of Andrew Cuomo , the incumbent , riffed on Charles Dickens and delivered the most memorable keynote speech in recent history .
Cuomo told those assembled that the nation was more a “ Tale of Two Cities ” than a “ Shining City on a Hill ” .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ accolades but failed to resonate .
Walter Mondale , the Democratic nominee , was shellacked on election day .
Mondale ’ s problem was that by 1984 most of the US came to believe that it was Morning in America .
The recovery was real , inflation had been drained from the system .
Beyond that , President Reagan had not made the stock market the exclusive barometer of the country ’ s wellbeing .
Rather , the drop in unemployment moved in tandem with the Dow ’ s rise .
2020 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Trump is a very different president .
Unemployment America is getting ravaged .
The labor department ’ s latest report is also flashing red over key electoral battlegrounds .
Michigan and Pennsylvania are among the states with the highest insured unemployment rates .
At the same time , Florida and Texas are among the states showing largest numbers of initial jobless claims .
Not surprisingly , recent polls show Joe Biden with small but persistent leads in Florida , Michigan and Pennsylvania To put things into perspective , if those results hold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 46th president and Trump would go down as an impeached one-term president .
But now even Texas is in play , which last went Democratic in 1976 .
Back then , the ticket of Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale prevailed over a Watergate-stained Republican party .
Indeed , the latest poll of Texas voters gives Biden a one-point edge .
Beyond that , Texas ’ s emerging woes may signal problems ahead in the rest of the oil patch .
There is a reason that the president reportedly threatened to sue his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m not fucking losing to Joe Biden ” – because he possibly will .
Trump ’ s Two Americas strategy appears devastating to working Americans and to himself .
• None Lloyd Green was opposition research counsel to George HW Bush ’ s 1988 campaign and served in the Department of Justice from 1990 to 1992

Even amid a roaring pandemic, there are currently two Americas: “Unemployment America” and “Stock Market America”, dueling lenses to view the same country.
Unemployment America is bleak but in Stock Market America things are looking up. Taken together, this split reality portends a rough ride for the president’s re-election bid and even greater national discord. Donald Trump has every reason to worry.
First, Unemployment America. On Thursday, the labor department reported that another 3.8 million people filed first-time unemployment claims, bringing the total of those who are recently out of work to more than 30 million.
This cataclysmic data came on the heels of the steepest first-quarter GDP decline since the Great Recession, projections of a second-quarter GDP drop of 40% and an admission by Kevin Hassett, the president’s chief economic adviser, that unemployment could hit 20% by June, a level not experienced since the Great Depression.
For a president who claimed to be a champion of the working class, this is an abject failure. The answer to the question of whether you are better off today than you were four years ago would appear to be simple. But it isn’t.
At the same time as the economy is cratering and coronavirus’s death toll has surpassed the number of US troops killed in Vietnam, the stock market has rebounded from its March lows. As a result, its behavior under Trump still surpasses its performances during the Reagan and Bush Sr years. For how much longer is still an open question.
On the other hand, as far as Barack Obama and Bill Clinton went, Trump isn’t even close. Still it’s a quantifiable achievement, and those close to the president and his campaign know it.
In a conversation with the Guardian, a connected Trump campaign adviser took pride in the market’s April advance, expressed displeasure with the word choices of Trump’s economic advisers, and remained mute with regard to recent job losses.
In Trump’s world, it’s the “stock market, stupid”. No wonder Jared Kushner boasts that the administration coronavirus response “is a great success story”, and opines “that’s really what needs to be told.” Can you say, “Mission Accomplished 2.0”?
At the 1984 Democratic convention, Mario Cuomo, the late New York governor and father of Andrew Cuomo, the incumbent, riffed on Charles Dickens and delivered the most memorable keynote speech in recent history. Cuomo told those assembled that the nation was more a “Tale of Two Cities” than a “Shining City on a Hill”.
To be sure, the speech won accolades but failed to resonate. Walter Mondale, the Democratic nominee, was shellacked on election day.
Mondale’s problem was that by 1984 most of the US came to believe that it was Morning in America. The recovery was real, inflation had been drained from the system.
Beyond that, President Reagan had not made the stock market the exclusive barometer of the country’s wellbeing. Rather, the drop in unemployment moved in tandem with the Dow’s rise.
2020, however, is a very different time and Trump is a very different president. Unemployment America is getting ravaged.
The labor department’s latest report is also flashing red over key electoral battlegrounds. Michigan and Pennsylvania are among the states with the highest insured unemployment rates. At the same time, Florida and Texas are among the states showing largest numbers of initial jobless claims. Not surprisingly, recent polls show Joe Biden with small but persistent leads in Florida, Michigan and Pennsylvania
To put things into perspective, if those results hold on election day, Biden would be the 46th president and Trump would go down as an impeached one-term president.
But now even Texas is in play, which last went Democratic in 1976. Back then, the ticket of Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale prevailed over a Watergate-stained Republican party. Indeed, the latest poll of Texas voters gives Biden a one-point edge. Beyond that, Texas’s emerging woes may signal problems ahead in the rest of the oil patch.
There is a reason that the president reportedly threatened to sue his campaign manager and erupted, “I’m not fucking losing to Joe Biden” – because he possibly will. Trump’s Two Americas strategy appears devastating to working Americans and to himself.


theguardian--2020-05-02--Coronavirus US live: FDA approves experimental drug remdesivir for emergency use – as it happened

The Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) has released additional information about its emergency use authorization ( EUA ) for remdesivir , the anti-viral drug that has shown some promise as a treatment for patients with Covid-19 .
Donald Trump announced the EUA earlier today .
Use of the drug will be authorized for adults or children who are hospitalized with suspected or confirmed Covid-19 and whose condition is “ severe ” , meaning they have low blood oxygen levels , need oxygen therapy , or are on a mechanical ventilator , the FDA said .
“ Based on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the scientific evidence available , it was determined that it is reasonable to believe that remdesivir may be effective in treating COVID-19 , and that , given there are no adequate , approved , or available alternative treatments , the known and potential benefits to treat this serious or life-threatening virus currently outweigh the known and potential risks of the drug ’ s use , ” the FDA said in its statement .
The EUA also includes information about possible side effects , which include “ increased levels of liver enzymes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or damage to cells in the liver ; and infusion-related reactions , which may include low blood pressure , nausea , vomiting , sweating , and shivering ” .
It also notes that there may be other serious side effects that have not been discovered yet .
The EUA requires hospitals to monitor patients ’ liver enzymes through blood tests before the treatment is started and every day that treatment is ongoing .
Patients who receive the drug will be provided with a fact sheet , which is available here .
The drug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day for up to 10 days .

Julia Carrie Wong in Oakland (now), and Joan E Greve in Washington, Lauren Gambino in Washington and Martin Pengelly (earlier)