buzzfeednews--2020-03-20--Sen. Richard Burr Is Asking The Ethics Committee To Investigate Himself For Selling Stocks After A P

Sen. Richard Burr Is Asking The Ethics Committee To Investigate Himself For Selling Stocks After A Private Coronavirus Briefing

Burr and other senators have come under fire for collectively selling millions in stocks after a private briefing with health officials in mid-February .
The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter Outbreak Today .
WASHINGTON — A powerful Republican senator who has come under fire for selling stocks after receiving a private briefing about the novel coronavirus said he has asked for an ethics review into the matter .
North Carolina Sen. Richard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1.72 million in stocks in mid-February after he and other senators received a briefing from top government health officials about the coronavirus , ProPublica reported on Thursday .
As chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee , Burr was also receiving briefings on the coronavirus from the country ’ s spy agencies .
And in late February , Burr privately delivered starker warnings about the possible widespread effects of the coronavirus than he had publicly , according to a recording obtained by NPR .
Since then , the coronavirus pandemic has rocked businesses and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a statement Friday morning that he `` relied solely on public news reports '' — specifically , `` CNBC 's daily health and science reporting out of its Asia bureaus '' — to inform his decision to sell the dozens of stocks .
“ Understanding the assumption many could make in hindsight however , I spoke this morning with the chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee and asked him to open a complete review of the matter will full transparency , ” Burr said .
Burr is among several senators whose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late January is now being scrutinized .
Under the STOCK Act , members of Congress are banned from using nonpublic information they receive as lawmakers to inform their stock activity .
Burr was one of only three senators who voted against the law in 2012 , arguing that insider trading laws already apply to members of Congress .
The STOCK Act also forced senators to file regular financial disclosures , which is how the transactions by Burr and others were discovered .
Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler , a Republican who was appointed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dozens of stocks in recent months .
On Jan. 24 , the day of the all-senators briefing , Loeffler and her husband — the chair of the New York Stock Exchange — began selling millions in stocks , the Daily Beast reported .
Loeffler also purchased between $ 100,000 and $ 250,000 worth of stocks in Citrix , a technology company that offers , among other things , software that allows people to telework from home .
Loeffler tweeted after midnight Friday that it was a “ ridiculous and baseless attack , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make investment decisions for her and her husband .
On Friday afternoon , the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington wrote to the leaders of the Senate Ethics Committee requesting an investigation into both Burr and Loeffler .
`` The well-timed stock sales of Sens .
Burr and Loeffler warrant an investigation into whether they violated the STOCK Act , insider trading laws , and ethics rules , '' the group wrote .
Another powerful Republican , Oklahoma Sen. Jim Inhofe , the chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in stocks days after the all-senators briefing as well , but said Friday morning that he didn ’ t attend the briefing and does “ not have any involvement in [ his ] investment decisions.
” California Sen. Dianne Feinstein , a senior Democratic member of the Intelligence Committee , reported selling stocks in a biotechnology company in late January , but said Friday she ’ s “ held all assets in a blind trust of which I have no control ” and wasn ’ t at the Jan. 24 briefing , either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also hasn ’ t been as badly hit by the coronavirus outbreak as others .
Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson , who chairs the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee , sold millions in stocks earlier this month , but for a company his family owns that ’ s privately held .
Johnson , who used to run the plastics company , told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the sale had “ nothing to do with the coronavirus ” and had been in the works for years .

WASHINGTON — A powerful Republican senator who has come under fire for selling stocks after receiving a private briefing about the novel coronavirus said he has asked for an ethics review into the matter.
North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr sold between $628,000 and $1.72 million in stocks in mid-February after he and other senators received a briefing from top government health officials about the coronavirus, ProPublica reported on Thursday. As chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Burr was also receiving briefings on the coronavirus from the country’s spy agencies. And in late February, Burr privately delivered starker warnings about the possible widespread effects of the coronavirus than he had publicly, according to a recording obtained by NPR. Since then, the coronavirus pandemic has rocked businesses and caused stock values to plummet.
Burr said in a statement Friday morning that he "relied solely on public news reports" — specifically, "CNBC's daily health and science reporting out of its Asia bureaus" — to inform his decision to sell the dozens of stocks.
“Understanding the assumption many could make in hindsight however, I spoke this morning with the chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee and asked him to open a complete review of the matter will full transparency,” Burr said.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-20--These Traffic Maps Show How The Coronavirus Pandemic Has Emptied Streets Across The Globe

As nations across the world try to limit the spread of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ , and even entire countries have been placed under severe restrictions , keeping people who @ @ @ @ @ roads in their homes .
To show how this has affected cities throughout the world @ @ @ @ @ up with Mapbox , a mapping and location data company , which provided information on @ @ @ @ @ the COVID-19 crisis escalated .
In each case , the “ After ” view shows @ @ @ @ @ , local time .
The “ Before ” view shows Monday January 13 , before @ @ @ @ @ the globe .
Brighter greens and yellows indicate the presence of more vehicles on the @ @ @ @ @ and highways empty , cities go dark .

As nations across the world try to limit the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, many cities, regions, and even entire countries have been placed under severe restrictions, keeping people who would normally be on the roads in their homes.
To show how this has affected cities throughout the world, BuzzFeed News has teamed up with Mapbox, a mapping and location data company, which provided information on traffic volumes before and after the COVID-19 crisis escalated. In each case, the “After” view shows traffic patterns Monday March 30, local time. The “Before” view shows Monday January 13, before the coronavirus had spread across the globe.
Brighter greens and yellows indicate the presence of more vehicles on the roads. As the streets and highways empty, cities go dark.
San Francisco


buzzfeednews--2020-03-20--People Are Challenging The Coronavirus To Fight On Twitter

Scott Lucas is a technology and business editor for BuzzFeed News and is based in San Francisco .
Got a @ @ @ @ @ here .

On Twitter, there's a @coronavirus account. It's been around since 2009 and has only tweeted four times — always about computer operating systems. But as the COVID-19 pandemic grew this week, people began finding it.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-20--28 Of The Most Powerful Photos Of This Week

28 Of The Most Powerful Photos Of This Week In these extraordinary times , much of the world as we @ @ @ @ @ has become unrecognizable as the coronavirus pandemic continues its spread .
Here are the most @ @ @ @ @ this past week .

28 Of The Most Powerful Photos Of This Week
In these extraordinary times, much of the world as we knew it just weeks before has become unrecognizable as the coronavirus pandemic continues its spread. Here are the most striking and monumental pictures from this past week.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-20--I Lived Through The AIDS Epidemic. Here’s How To Live Through The Coronavirus.

Your government won ’ t save you .
Protection is hard .
But we are all in this together .
In 1991 , almost a full decade after the discovery of AIDS , my partner Mike Hippler woke up in the middle of the night , vomiting blood .
I rushed him to the hospital , where he made a glorious recovery , telling jokes and holding court .
A few days later , I sent his body to be cremated .
For me , that was the worst year .
But for the larger community , each succeeding year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as young people kept wasting away and dying .
Yes , AIDS activism made extraordinary gains , spurring more money for research budgets , faster drug approval , and more targeted science — but none of that mattered .
The drugs didn ’ t work , people kept dying , and the accumulation of deaths created a toxic mix of rage and grief and despair .
And then , in 1996 , the government approved powerful new antiretroviral drugs .
Taken in combinations of three , those medications literally revived patients from their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Even though these drugs still aren ’ t available to all who need them — a shameful failing that cuts short hundreds of thousands of lives a year — they have saved millions of lives and transformed the epidemic .
And they lead to a lesson for COVID-19 : It will get better , but only after it gets worse .
At this moment , several drugs that might work against COVID-19 are already in clinical trials , and a vaccine could be developed in 18 months , maybe even 12 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ fast .
Measured in deaths — or in economic devastation — it is achingly slow .
I already feel a familiar dread : looking around at those I love , wondering which ones will get sick , and which will die .
Wondering if I ’ ll get it too .
During the AIDS epidemic , that fear was so constant that I stopped realizing I was afraid until , at long last , it settled in that the drugs were for real and the people I loved were safe .
Now , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another familiar emotion : resolve .
Most people will get through COVID-19 , though not unscathed .
So here are a few other lessons from living through HIV .
You aren ’ t promiscuous — you hang out with only a few people at a time , certainly not more than 10 .
You use hand sanitizer , the condom of our time .
And you feel great .
But COVID-19 is sneaky .
In lab experiments , it remained infectious for three hours in the air , and for three days on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ catch it , you probably won ’ t know for five days , maybe as long as 19 days .
Some people get such a mild case that they never realize it — but they can likely still spread it .
If you do , the virus might find its way into the lungs of a grandmother or someone whose underlying conditions make them more likely to die or to take up a scarce hospital bed .
We are all responsible for each other .
Assume you have the virus and treat others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than it seems .
How hard can it be to use a condom ?
Well , it might not be up to you .
You might have to persuade your partner to wear it .
And even if you ’ re the one who puts it on , you have to use it every time .
Without fail .
For years and years .
Even when you ’ re high .
Even when you ’ re in love .
Evidence shows that people can consistently use condoms for a while — in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men in San Francisco made striking changes to reduce their risk — but over the long haul , many can ’ t .
Today , how long can we go without dinners with friends or grandparents ?
Without weddings ?
Funerals ?
School ?
Dating ?
We will make compromises , take risks , and sometimes make mistakes .
3 ) The government will not save you .
President Ronald Reagan did not publicly utter the word “ AIDS ” until more than 8,000 Americans had died of the disease .
President Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus was “ very much under control in the USA ” and this month claimed that “ anybody that wants a test can get a test , ” which is still not true .
The government did not invent safer sex — gay men did .
And then they took to the streets , drowned out the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange , stormed the Food and Drug Administration , and forced an unwilling government to act .
While today the government is , finally , gearing up to act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to educate yourself to figure out how to protect your own life and that of others , because guidelines can ’ t envision every scenario .
Example : On a recent trip to Arches National Park and the Grand Canyon , my husband and I stayed in two hotels .
Who knows who had stayed in them or cleaned them ?
So , using 70 % alcohol , we wiped down every door handle , light switch , drawer knob , and surface .
And we left early .
In other cases , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calculated risks — risks that may well be crucial to maintaining the long march of social distancing .
In the same way that many long-term , monogamous partners opted to stop using condoms , you might decide to get together with certain friends in certain ways — on a hike , for example , where the wind and fresh air almost surely make spreading the virus less likely than in a closed space .
Calling COVID-19 the “ Chinese Virus ” is partly just presidential trolling , an attempt to distract attention from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not harmless , just as it was not harmless to call AIDS , in its earliest days , GRID : gay-related immune deficiency .
The idea that AIDS was a “ gay plague ” didn ’ t only fuel anti-gay bigotry , or sap the urgency from the search for a cure .
It even warped the perception of some researchers , who were so baffled to find the epidemic raging among heterosexuals in Uganda that they almost didn ’ t believe it .
In the critical early phase of COVID-19 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had recently traveled in China or been exposed to a known case — a grave error that helped squander our best chance of containing the epidemic .
5 ) Everyone can get COVID-19 — and that is our best hope .
HIV hit despised and marginalized groups : men who have sex with men , IV drug users , people with low incomes , and black people .
Most of the population , and certainly most people in power , were not at high risk .
But COVID-19 is an illness that anyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surface or just by breathing .
This fundamental fact , so different from HIV , is profound .
Even as we all self-isolate — indeed , because we are all self-isolating — we are realizing that we are all interconnected .
Anyone who catches the virus can spark a chain of transmission that reaches you or your mother or your grandfather .
This fact gives each of us tremendous leverage , much more than any AIDS activist ever had .
Look at what happened with undocumented immigrants and asylum-seekers .
As COVID-19 spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health advocates to immigration judges to elected officials used their voices to raise the alarm that immigrant detention facilities were a viral “ tinderbox.
” Fearing that an outbreak could spread beyond the prison gates , ICE is now cutting back on all but “ mission critical ” arrests .
People who are homeless or incarcerated or so poor that they have no choice but to live crammed with 10 people in a one-bedroom apartment — they are all connected , through the supply chains that bring goods to our stores and doorsteps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our world spinning , through the very air we all breathe , to movie stars and politicians and me and you .
With a virus this contagious , what we do unto the least of us , we do unto all of us .
We are seeing glimmers of this realization .
Leaders of both political parties have embraced a strategy that was not possible even in the teeth of the Great Recession : mailing checks to millions of Americans .
They realize that if a fifth or a third of Americans lose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It is often said — and it is true — that AIDS galvanized the LGBTQ community and , over the long run , led to many gains .
I firmly believe that I would not have been able to legally marry my husband if AIDS had not mercilessly revealed the heroism and humanity of queer people .
But the gains were not worth the cost , and the scars we carry do not heal in “ the long run.
” Any gains that come from COVID-19 will not be worth it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though , whether we fight for a better society or not .
The best memorial we gave to those who died of AIDS was not anything carved in stone .
It was a stronger LGBTQ community , more rights , and a health care system that worked at least a little better .
Now , with COVID-19 striking everyone , our secret strength is that we are in this together .
Hold onto that truth and amplify it , because it has enormous power .
Maybe , just maybe , it will have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ force us to recognize that , as much as we like to think we create our own worlds — out of political affiliations , consumer choices , digital habits — actual social distance is lonely and depressing .
A less atomized America , an America where we rely on and help one another , an America that knows it can ’ t wall itself off from the rest of the world — that is worth hoping for and , more importantly , fighting for .
Shifting the country even slightly in that direction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have died , and to the many , many more who will follow them .
● Do you have questions you want answered ?
You can always get in touch .
And if you 're someone who is seeing the impact of this firsthand , we ’ d also love to hear from you ( you can reach out to us via one of our tip line channels ) .

5) Everyone can get COVID-19 — and that is our best hope.
HIV hit despised and marginalized groups: men who have sex with men, IV drug users, people with low incomes, and black people. Most of the population, and certainly most people in power, were not at high risk.
But COVID-19 is an illness that anyone can get, by touching the wrong surface or just by breathing. This fundamental fact, so different from HIV, is profound. Even as we all self-isolate — indeed, because we are all self-isolating — we are realizing that we are all interconnected. Anyone who catches the virus can spark a chain of transmission that reaches you or your mother or your grandfather.
This fact gives each of us tremendous leverage, much more than any AIDS activist ever had.
Look at what happened with undocumented immigrants and asylum-seekers. As COVID-19 spread in the US, individuals from public health advocates to immigration judges to elected officials used their voices to raise the alarm that immigrant detention facilities were a viral “tinderbox.” Fearing that an outbreak could spread beyond the prison gates, ICE is now cutting back on all but “mission critical” arrests.
People who are homeless or incarcerated or so poor that they have no choice but to live crammed with 10 people in a one-bedroom apartment — they are all connected, through the supply chains that bring goods to our stores and doorsteps, through the underpaid jobs that keep our world spinning, through the very air we all breathe, to movie stars and politicians and me and you. With a virus this contagious, what we do unto the least of us, we do unto all of us.
We are seeing glimmers of this realization. Leaders of both political parties have embraced a strategy that was not possible even in the teeth of the Great Recession: mailing checks to millions of Americans. They realize that if a fifth or a third of Americans lose their jobs, we will all suffer.
It is often said — and it is true — that AIDS galvanized the LGBTQ community and, over the long run, led to many gains. I firmly believe that I would not have been able to legally marry my husband if AIDS had not mercilessly revealed the heroism and humanity of queer people.
But the gains were not worth the cost, and the scars we carry do not heal in “the long run.”
Any gains that come from COVID-19 will not be worth it, either.
The virus is here, though, whether we fight for a better society or not. The best memorial we gave to those who died of AIDS was not anything carved in stone. It was a stronger LGBTQ community, more rights, and a health care system that worked at least a little better.
Now, with COVID-19 striking everyone, our secret strength is that we are in this together. Hold onto that truth and amplify it, because it has enormous power.
Maybe, just maybe, it will have enough power to remake America, to force us to recognize that, as much as we like to think we create our own worlds — out of political affiliations, consumer choices, digital habits — actual social distance is lonely and depressing. A less atomized America, an America where we rely on and help one another, an America that knows it can’t wall itself off from the rest of the world — that is worth hoping for and, more importantly, fighting for. Shifting the country even slightly in that direction would be the best memorial to those who have died, and to the many, many more who will follow them. ●
Do you have questions you want answered? You can always get in touch. And if you're someone who is seeing the impact of this firsthand, we’d also love to hear from you (you can reach out to us via one of our tip line channels).


buzzfeednews--2020-03-20--Staffers On Michael Bloomberg’s Campaign Are Losing Their Jobs Despite His Promise Of A Yearlong Cam

Staffers On Michael Bloomberg’s Campaign Are Losing Their Jobs Despite His Promise Of A Yearlong Campaign

Staffers of former presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg are staring down the possibility of losing their jobs and health care in the middle of an unprecedented pandemic .
When he joined the race last year , the billionaire said he would employ his campaign staff through the November election , even if he weren ’ t the nominee .
But Bloomberg dropped out after a poor showing on Super Tuesday , and he has since fired staffers in multiple waves .
His campaign had announced earlier in March that it would launch an independent expenditure group to take on Trump that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states .
Instead of creating his own organization in swing states , Bloomberg ’ s campaign said on Friday , he will donate $ 18 million to the Democratic National Committee — allowing the party to potentially hire organizers themselves .
That means many Bloomberg organizers are out of a job .
Organizers in six swing states were informed this morning that they were being let go and given instructions for applying to the DNC .
“ He ’ s chopping his employees in a pandemic , ” said one staffer in Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they had signed a nondisclosure agreement .
“ My life is now uprooted and I ’ m effectively homeless.
” Another staffer in North Carolina said he and many other former campaign employees were `` completely blindsided '' by the news on Friday that they were losing their jobs .
`` It 's fucking scary , '' he said of the thought of staffers losing health care in the middle of the pandemic .
A Bloomberg campaign spokesperson said that staffers in the six battleground states who were supposed to be part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be employed and paid through the first week in April and have full benefits through the end of April.
” The Florida staffer , who had previously been on Medicaid , moved to a swing state on the promise of a stable , well-paying job through November .
Without their own place to live , the staffer said , they planned to stay with family to wait out the coronavirus outbreak .
Bloomberg had already broken a promise of employment through November to some of the vast army of organizers he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on which he spent a record $ 687 million of his personal fortune .
Staffers who were not in swing states were let go earlier this month .
But at the time , said the Florida staffer , they were still under the impression they would be employed by a Bloomberg campaign entity .
“ We got the message , ‘ Hey don ’ t worry , you guys are fine . '
” The Bloomberg spokesperson said staffers were being encouraged to apply to work for the DNC : “ The DNC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the six battleground states we identified — and more .
And we will assist the DNC as much as we are able to , including by providing names of staff and working to help them onboard and grow their program as expediently as possible.
” Staffers in swing states learned they were being let go on a call on Friday morning by campaign states director Dan Kanninen and human resources representative Katherine Sayers .
According to a script for the call , Kanninen informed the organizers of the decision to donate to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expenditure group , saying a separate group “ would simply not be as effective or efficient in our goal of defeating Donald Trump in November.
” “ We want as many of the organizing team from Mike2020 as possible to join the DNC ’ s effort — and we have designed a structure to facilitate the process for those who express interest , ” Kanninen said , according to the call script .
Employees learned they had five days to apply for DNC jobs in order to be considered .
Sayers , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out a Google Form no later than March 25 , even if they had “ previously noted interest in future opportunities as part of your off-boarding last week . ''
The Google Form will not guarantee Bloomberg staffers a job with the DNC .
Instead , their information will be `` fed into a competitive hiring process , '' Sayers told staffers on the phone call , `` and you will hear from the DNC on that process and next steps .
We will do everything possible to help them hire and onboard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
“ There will be an application process , ” the DNC official said on Friday .
“ Bloomberg organizers can apply.
” The DNC official declined to say exactly how many jobs will open as a result of the transfer but said the $ 18 million will allow the party to hire “ hundreds ” of new organizers for its existing “ Battleground Build-Up 2020 ” program , which funds offices and field organizers across 12 states that will be critical in the general election .
$ 18 million marks a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Democratic Party routinely lags in fundraising behind the GOP , with Donald Trump and the Republican National Committee bringing in more than $ 100 million last quarter .
Joe Biden , the candidate best positioned to clinch the Democratic nomination this summer , is still in the midst of professionalizing his field and fundraising programs for the general election .
Bloomberg previously discussed spending up to $ 1 billion of his own money to help defeat Trump .
On the call with employees , Kanninen said Bloomberg campaign leadership had made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ independent expenditure organization or super PAC , a move that may limit his spending in the future .
The $ 18 million transfer , a small fraction of what he ’ s discussed spending in the past , is the first money Bloomberg has publicly pledged since dropping out of the race two weeks ago .
“ There are good people out there that left their jobs behind to go work for a candidate that honestly most of us didn ’ t believe in the first place , ” said the former staffer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the necessity .
We did it for the job security .
”

Staffers of former presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg are staring down the possibility of losing their jobs and health care in the middle of an unprecedented pandemic.
When he joined the race last year, the billionaire said he would employ his campaign staff through the November election, even if he weren’t the nominee. But Bloomberg dropped out after a poor showing on Super Tuesday, and he has since fired staffers in multiple waves. His campaign had announced earlier in March that it would launch an independent expenditure group to take on Trump that would employ former campaign staffers in swing states.
Instead of creating his own organization in swing states, Bloomberg’s campaign said on Friday, he will donate $18 million to the Democratic National Committee — allowing the party to potentially hire organizers themselves.
That means many Bloomberg organizers are out of a job. Organizers in six swing states were informed this morning that they were being let go and given instructions for applying to the DNC.
“He’s chopping his employees in a pandemic,” said one staffer in Florida, who asked to remain anonymous because they had signed a nondisclosure agreement. “My life is now uprooted and I’m effectively homeless.”
Another staffer in North Carolina said he and many other former campaign employees were "completely blindsided" by the news on Friday that they were losing their jobs.
"It's fucking scary," he said of the thought of staffers losing health care in the middle of the pandemic.
A Bloomberg campaign spokesperson said that staffers in the six battleground states who were supposed to be part of the former candidate's now-aborted group “will be employed and paid through the first week in April and have full benefits through the end of April.”
The Florida staffer, who had previously been on Medicaid, moved to a swing state on the promise of a stable, well-paying job through November. Without their own place to live, the staffer said, they planned to stay with family to wait out the coronavirus outbreak.
Bloomberg had already broken a promise of employment through November to some of the vast army of organizers he had hired throughout his three-month presidential campaign, on which he spent a record $687 million of his personal fortune. Staffers who were not in swing states were let go earlier this month.
But at the time, said the Florida staffer, they were still under the impression they would be employed by a Bloomberg campaign entity. “We got the message, ‘Hey don’t worry, you guys are fine.'”
The Bloomberg spokesperson said staffers were being encouraged to apply to work for the DNC: “The DNC Coordinated Campaign is hiring in every one of the six battleground states we identified — and more. And we will assist the DNC as much as we are able to, including by providing names of staff and working to help them onboard and grow their program as expediently as possible.”
Staffers in swing states learned they were being let go on a call on Friday morning by campaign states director Dan Kanninen and human resources representative Katherine Sayers. According to a script for the call, Kanninen informed the organizers of the decision to donate to the DNC instead of creating an independent expenditure group, saying a separate group “would simply not be as effective or efficient in our goal of defeating Donald Trump in November.”
“We want as many of the organizing team from Mike2020 as possible to join the DNC’s effort — and we have designed a structure to facilitate the process for those who express interest,” Kanninen said, according to the call script.
Employees learned they had five days to apply for DNC jobs in order to be considered. Sayers, the HR representative, told them to fill out a Google Form no later than March 25, even if they had “previously noted interest in future opportunities as part of your off-boarding last week."
The Google Form will not guarantee Bloomberg staffers a job with the DNC. Instead, their information will be "fed into a competitive hiring process," Sayers told staffers on the phone call, "and you will hear from the DNC on that process and next steps. We will do everything possible to help them hire and onboard their new staff as expediently as possible."
“There will be an application process,” the DNC official said on Friday. “Bloomberg organizers can apply.”
The DNC official declined to say exactly how many jobs will open as a result of the transfer but said the $18 million will allow the party to hire “hundreds” of new organizers for its existing “Battleground Build-Up 2020” program, which funds offices and field organizers across 12 states that will be critical in the general election.
$18 million marks a significant influx of cash for the DNC.
The Democratic Party routinely lags in fundraising behind the GOP, with Donald Trump and the Republican National Committee bringing in more than $100 million last quarter. Joe Biden, the candidate best positioned to clinch the Democratic nomination this summer, is still in the midst of professionalizing his field and fundraising programs for the general election.
Bloomberg previously discussed spending up to $1 billion of his own money to help defeat Trump.
On the call with employees, Kanninen said Bloomberg campaign leadership had made the choice not to create a separate independent expenditure organization or super PAC, a move that may limit his spending in the future.
The $18 million transfer, a small fraction of what he’s discussed spending in the past, is the first money Bloomberg has publicly pledged since dropping out of the race two weeks ago.
“There are good people out there that left their jobs behind to go work for a candidate that honestly most of us didn’t believe in the first place,” said the former staffer in Florida. “We did it for the necessity. We did it for the job security.”


buzzfeednews--2020-04-06--Do You Have To Keep Paying Your Student Loans During The Coronavirus Pandemic? It's Complicated.

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
WASHINGTON — Last month , President Donald Trump signed a bill to provide relief for struggling Americans and businesses during the coronavirus pandemic .
As part of that law , all borrowers with federally held student loans will get a six-month reprieve from payments through Sept. 30 , as Americans lose wages and already roughly 10 million people have filed for unemployment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history .
However , not all federal student loans are covered by the law , despite Democratic efforts to include all of them .
Figuring out whether your loans are affected isn ’ t easy .
Like the rest of the law , the student loan provisions were written quickly , and many lenders have not yet updated their policies to comply with it or informed borrowers of whether they are covered ( they have until April 11 to do so ) .
BuzzFeed News has heard from dozens of borrowers in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to provide guidance , and some major federal loan servicers are still working to update the correct information on their websites .
Student loan servicer phone lines were already bogged down with desperate borrowers who have lost jobs or wages , and questions about the new law have only exacerbated those wait times .
If you are confused , you are not alone .
Several education advocates and congressional staffers who work on education issues spoke to BuzzFeed News and acknowledged the difficulty for individual borrowers to figure out if they will get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one congressional staffer saying even they had struggled to see if their loans qualified .
“ It ’ s incredibly confusing and a problem that borrowers do not need right now , ” a senior Democratic staffer said .
Here is a guide to some commonly asked questions about what loans qualify for suspended payments under the law and what borrowers can expect .
These answers are meant to help borrowers figure out what is going on with their loans and what that law requires .
For more information , contact your lender @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You can also read the department ’ s official guidance on federal student loan relief during the coronavirus pandemic .
What does the law do ?
All borrowers with federally held student loans ( see below ) will not have to make payments on their loans through Sept. 30 .
The law is retroactive to March 13 , so any borrowers who have made payments since then can get them refunded .
The Department of Education recommends calling your lender directly to get that refund .
During the six-month relief period , your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administrative forbearance ” — but that ’ s not the kind of forbearance you may be used to .
It means that the Department of Education is putting your payments on hold , not you , so you will not accrue new interest and not paying can ’ t affect your credit , the total forbearance limit you have left on your loans , or your qualifications for student loan forgiveness or a loan rehabilitation program ( if you had defaulted ) .
In other words , your lender has to treat your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paying the whole time ( though your principal balance will remain the same ) .
Additionally , if you have defaulted on a federally held student loan , you will no longer face having your tax refund withheld , your wages garnished , or social security payments withheld through Sept. 30 .
If you had those payments taken from you on or after March 13 , you are entitled to a refund ( see more below ) .
All federally held student loans qualify under the law , but commercially held Federal Family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loans owned by your school do not .
That means the vast majority of federal student loans issued after June 2010 ( when the government stopped issuing FFEL loans ) will qualify , according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau .
If you took out loans before that , they may or may not qualify .
What you need to determine is whether your loans are “ federally held.
” The National Consumer Law Center estimates that 9 million borrowers with federal student loans will not qualify under the law , either because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are Perkins loans that are owned by their school .
There are , however , two recent exceptions that will affect some borrowers : The University of California system has granted the same relief ( no payments through Sept. 30 , 0 % interest , and no fees ) to all borrowers who took out loans from the UC system .
You can learn more about that here .
And New York state came to an agreement with several major student loan companies in early April allowing New Yorkers to request 90 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and private student loans .
The state estimates 300,000 New Yorkers will qualify and you can find more information here .
So how do I know if my loans are “ federally held ” ?
The question of whether your loans are federally held isn ’ t easily answered .
Generally speaking , it ’ s not a particular type of loan or even which lender you have , and it ’ s not something you can easily look up .
Borrowers basically have two options : You can call your lender and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Department of Education and have them look it up for you .
As many student loan lenders already have outrageous wait times right now , I called the Department of Education to ask about my own federal loans on Wednesday ( say “ agent ” from the main menu to get connected with someone ) .
Your question should be something like : “ I want to know whether my federal student loans are still federally held.
” If you have multiple federal student loans , make sure to ask about each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work : Borrowers can log into StudentAid.gov using their Federal Student Aid ID ( you can get one from the Department of Education here if you don ’ t have one ) .
Once you have that account set up , you can go to your profile and select “ My Aid.
” At the bottom of that page ( stick with me here ) , it will say “ Loans Serviced By ” with the name of your lender .
If that name begins with “ DEPT OF ED/ , ” your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for suspended payments .
If not , you should double-check with your lender .
If your loans are federally held , you qualify for suspended payments through Sept. 30 and will not have to pay or accrue any interest until then .
If your federal loans are now commercially held , this law does nothing for you .
You can contact your lender for information on your other options .

WASHINGTON — Last month, President Donald Trump signed a bill to provide relief for struggling Americans and businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. As part of that law, all borrowers with federally held student loans will get a six-month reprieve from payments through Sept. 30, as Americans lose wages and already roughly 10 million people have filed for unemployment, a staggering all-time high in US history.
However, not all federal student loans are covered by the law, despite Democratic efforts to include all of them. Figuring out whether your loans are affected isn’t easy.
Like the rest of the law, the student loan provisions were written quickly, and many lenders have not yet updated their policies to comply with it or informed borrowers of whether they are covered (they have until April 11 to do so). BuzzFeed News has heard from dozens of borrowers in the past few days whose lenders have yet to provide guidance, and some major federal loan servicers are still working to update the correct information on their websites. Student loan servicer phone lines were already bogged down with desperate borrowers who have lost jobs or wages, and questions about the new law have only exacerbated those wait times.
If you are confused, you are not alone. Several education advocates and congressional staffers who work on education issues spoke to BuzzFeed News and acknowledged the difficulty for individual borrowers to figure out if they will get benefits under the new law, with one congressional staffer saying even they had struggled to see if their loans qualified. “It’s incredibly confusing and a problem that borrowers do not need right now,” a senior Democratic staffer said.
Here is a guide to some commonly asked questions about what loans qualify for suspended payments under the law and what borrowers can expect. These answers are meant to help borrowers figure out what is going on with their loans and what that law requires. For more information, contact your lender and/or the US Department of Education. You can also read the department’s official guidance on federal student loan relief during the coronavirus pandemic.
What does the law do?
All borrowers with federally held student loans (see below) will not have to make payments on their loans through Sept. 30. The law is retroactive to March 13, so any borrowers who have made payments since then can get them refunded. The Department of Education recommends calling your lender directly to get that refund.
During the six-month relief period, your federal loans will be put in “administrative forbearance” — but that’s not the kind of forbearance you may be used to. It means that the Department of Education is putting your payments on hold, not you, so you will not accrue new interest and not paying can’t affect your credit, the total forbearance limit you have left on your loans, or your qualifications for student loan forgiveness or a loan rehabilitation program (if you had defaulted). In other words, your lender has to treat your loans as if you’ve been paying the whole time (though your principal balance will remain the same).
Additionally, if you have defaulted on a federally held student loan, you will no longer face having your tax refund withheld, your wages garnished, or social security payments withheld through Sept. 30. If you had those payments taken from you on or after March 13, you are entitled to a refund (see more below).
Do my loans qualify?
All federally held student loans qualify under the law, but commercially held Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL) and Perkins loans owned by your school do not. That means the vast majority of federal student loans issued after June 2010 (when the government stopped issuing FFEL loans) will qualify, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. If you took out loans before that, they may or may not qualify. What you need to determine is whether your loans are “federally held.”
The National Consumer Law Center estimates that 9 million borrowers with federal student loans will not qualify under the law, either because their loans are commercially held or they are Perkins loans that are owned by their school.
There are, however, two recent exceptions that will affect some borrowers: The University of California system has granted the same relief (no payments through Sept. 30, 0% interest, and no fees) to all borrowers who took out loans from the UC system. You can learn more about that here. And New York state came to an agreement with several major student loan companies in early April allowing New Yorkers to request 90 days of forbearance on commercially held FFEL loans and private student loans. The state estimates 300,000 New Yorkers will qualify and you can find more information here.
So how do I know if my loans are “federally held”?
The question of whether your loans are federally held isn’t easily answered. Generally speaking, it’s not a particular type of loan or even which lender you have, and it’s not something you can easily look up. Borrowers basically have two options: You can call your lender and ask them, or you can call the Department of Education and have them look it up for you.
As many student loan lenders already have outrageous wait times right now, I called the Department of Education to ask about my own federal loans on Wednesday (say “agent” from the main menu to get connected with someone). Your question should be something like: “I want to know whether my federal student loans are still federally held.” If you have multiple federal student loans, make sure to ask about each of them.
Another option that may work: Borrowers can log into StudentAid.gov using their Federal Student Aid ID (you can get one from the Department of Education here if you don’t have one). Once you have that account set up, you can go to your profile and select “My Aid.” At the bottom of that page (stick with me here), it will say “Loans Serviced By” with the name of your lender. If that name begins with “DEPT OF ED/,” your loans are federally held and you qualify for suspended payments. If not, you should double-check with your lender.
If your loans are federally held, you qualify for suspended payments through Sept. 30 and will not have to pay or accrue any interest until then. If your federal loans are now commercially held, this law does nothing for you. You can contact your lender for information on your other options.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-06--The Coronavirus Killed This Woman's Mother, Father, And Brother. Her Husband Has Been In A Coma.

`` You just wonder how bad it ’ s going to get , how long it ’ s going to last , and what happens when it ’ s all over and how you dig yourself out . ''
The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
Kelly Conkey Billups is struggling to imagine what her life will look like after the coronavirus pandemic .
So far , the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her brother .
And now , her husband is in an Ohio hospital fighting for his life .
“ It ’ s like a nightmare .
It ’ s like ... knowing that a big winter storm is blowing in and you get prepared and you hunker down and you just wonder how bad it ’ s going to get , how long it ’ s going to last , and what happens when it ’ s all over and how you dig yourself out , ” Kelly told the Columbus Dispatch .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ how to dig myself out now.
” The Conkey family was a close-knit clan .
`` Really we all just did everything together as a family , '' Kelly told the newspaper .
`` It was all of us or none of us.
” So after Judith Conkey , Kelly 's 75-year-old mother , had surgery earlier this month , her son David and his wife , Karen , drove two and a half hours from northeast Ohio to Columbus to help Judith get settled at a rehabilitation center .
With David back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laughed and joked and just had a ball , '' said Kelly .
The weeks since then have been a blur for Kelly .
The day after David left , he started experiencing flulike symptoms .
On March 10 , he went to his doctor and was diagnosed with double ear and sinus infections .
Just two days later , he was hooked up to a ventilator and was fighting for his life .
The next day , Lewis Conkey , David and Kelly 's father , started feeling ill. And then within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also displaying symptoms of COVID-19 .
Then , on March 23 , Kelly had to call an ambulance for her husband , Don .
Amid all of this bad news , Kelly posted a photo of her family to Facebook with the simple caption , `` These people are my world ! ''
On Sunday , March 29 , Kelly 's brother , David , died .
Two days later , her parents , high school sweethearts Lewis and Judith , died just a few hours apart .
“ I prayed to my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them together because our parents would never have survived knowing that we lost him , ” Kelly told the newspaper .
“ They would not have been able to recover .
Not ever.
” After all they had been through , the hospital made a special exception to the strict COVID-19 visitation rules for the family , Katie Garbrandt , Kelly 's daughter , told WCMH in Columbus .
( Contacted by BuzzFeed News , Katie asked for the family 's previous media interviews to serve as comment . )
“ We were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masked , ” Garbrandt told the television station .
“ They met us at the door and escorted us the whole way through and they ’ ve been very , very supportive , very compassionate the entire time.
” On March 29 , some of Kelly 's friends set up a GoFundMe page to help the family cover the escalating medical and burial costs .
Since then nearly 1,000 people have donated .
On Monday , Kelly left an update on the GoFundMe stating that her husband was still on a ventilator but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We ’ re hanging in there , ” Katie told WCMH .
“ We ’ ve gotten a lot of prayers , support , and love from all of our family , friends , several people we don ’ t know as well as the hospital , and that ’ s really what ’ s keeping us going .
”

Kelly Conkey Billups is struggling to imagine what her life will look like after the coronavirus pandemic. So far, the virus has killed both of her parents and her brother. And now, her husband is in an Ohio hospital fighting for his life.
“It’s like a nightmare. It’s like ... knowing that a big winter storm is blowing in and you get prepared and you hunker down and you just wonder how bad it’s going to get, how long it’s going to last, and what happens when it’s all over and how you dig yourself out,” Kelly told the Columbus Dispatch. “But I don’t know how to dig myself out now.”
The Conkey family was a close-knit clan. "Really we all just did everything together as a family," Kelly told the newspaper. "It was all of us or none of us.”
So after Judith Conkey, Kelly's 75-year-old mother, had surgery earlier this month, her son David and his wife, Karen, drove two and a half hours from northeast Ohio to Columbus to help Judith get settled at a rehabilitation center. With David back in town, the Conkey family "laughed and joked and just had a ball," said Kelly.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-01--Lawmakers Across The US Are Mourning Friends, Staff, And Family Members Who Died Of The Coronavirus

`` His death woke people up .
People are shocked , '' Rep. Rashida Tlaib told BuzzFeed News of Isaac Robinson 's death .
April Dunn , a staff member of Louisiana Gov .
John Bel Edwards ’ Office of Disability Affairs , died March 28 after complications related to the coronavirus .
She was 33 .
Friends said Dunn tested positive for COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus , on Thursday , March 26 , and was hospitalized on Friday .
She died the next day .
“ She lived her life to the fullest and improved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a dedicated staff member in the Governor 's Office of Disability Affairs , ” Edwards said in a Twitter thread , calling her “ an inspiration to everyone that met her.
” Dunn was a fierce advocate for disability rights and suffered from several underlying conditions , including cerebral palsy .
The Louisiana native began her advocacy during her fight to obtain her high school diploma and attend college .
In 2013 , she joined forces with other advocates to help pass Act 833 — a bill that allows `` alternative pathways @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with disabilities .
Dunn had been denied a high school diploma after successfully completing her coursework but failing to pass standardized testing .
Dunn was also the chair of the Louisiana Developmental Disability Council .
“ I mean she went from surviving fetal alcoholism syndrome , through foster care , to being adopted to working in the governor ’ s office after she finished college , ” Dunn 's close friend , Brandi Melissa , 36 , told BuzzFeed News .
“ She was amazing.
” Lawmaker Isaac Robinson , an attorney turned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is suspected to have died as a result of the coronavirus on March 29 .
He was 44 .
His mother , Rep. Rose Mary C. Robinson , a former Detroit lawmaker , told Crain ’ s Detroit her son had complained of difficulty breathing but had refused to get medical assistance .
She told the outlet she suspected his ailments were related to the coronavirus , though he never took a test .
“ He was my neighbor and I served with his mother , ” Rep. Rashida Tlaib told BuzzFeed News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him since 2008 when we were both young activists .
His death woke people up .
People are shocked.
” Robinson , a Democrat , was elected to the Michigan state legislature in 2018 besting 13 others in a Democratic primary .
He eventually succeeded his mother , who held the seat before him but was unable to run again because of restrictions that limit the number of terms an officeholder may serve .
Before taking office , Robinson operated his own law firm and had previously served as political counsel for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Teamsters , of which he was a member .
“ He was a true public servant , ” Williams said , fighting back tears .
“ It didn ’ t matter who we were up against.
” Before graduating from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law , Robinson completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Michigan .
He was a graduate of Renaissance High School in Detroit , where he played basketball for the school ’ s team .
“ It wasn ’ t known for its athletics but he was on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 40 , said .
“ Only white boy on the team — everybody loved him.
” Democratic and Republican politicians in Michigan tweeted their condolences to the family while lauding Robinson .
Robert Garff , a former Utah state lawmaker and philanthropist , died March 29 after he and his wife Katharine tested positive for COVID-19 .
He was 77 .
Friends said Garff became ill after returning from a trip to Palm Springs , California .
Garff , a Utah native , served as speaker of the Utah House of Representatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CEO of the family business , Ken Garff Automotive Group , four decades ago and also served on the board of Intermountain Healthcare — the largest health care provider in the Intermountain West of the country .
“ Even when he was alive , I described Bob as the nicest man you ’ d ever meet , ” friend and current CEO of Ken Graff Automotive Group , Brett Hopkins , told BuzzFeed News .
“ He was very kind , very sincere , very , very interested in people.
” Hopkins said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so even up until a couple of years ago with his family and friends on his ranch in Summit County .
Garff is survived by his wife , five children , and 21 grandchildren .
Politicians mourned the Utah legend on social media , including his daughter , state Rep. Melissa Garff Ballard , who announced his death .
“ He has lived a long and happy life , full of vigor and love for our state and our families , ” she wrote .
Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah , who had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus , released a statement calling Garff “ a dear friend.
” `` Bob ’ s contributions to our state , to our economy , and to our church will be heralded by many , ” Romney tweeted .
“ But for me , it was his sound and principled leadership as the Chairman of the Olympic Winter Games of 2002 that is most compelling.
” George Valentine , a member of DC Mayor Muriel Bowser ’ s legal counsel , died March 27 after he was diagnosed with COVID-19 .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dedication to the people he served was evident in his work and in the love and wisdom he shared with residents and colleagues.
” Bowser said on Twitter .
Valentine worked as deputy attorney general for the Civil Litigation Division and most recently as deputy director of the Mayor ’ s Office of Legal Counsel .
He earned his undergraduate degree at Oakwood College in Alabama and then pursued a law degree at Harvard Law School , according to social media posts and his LinkedIn page .
Friends and colleagues remember him as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Valentine cared deeply about underserved children in DC and routinely volunteered to be a foster parent and had adopted a child , according to the DC attorney general .
“ The George Valentine that we know as the fella that can go into the courtroom and manage lawyers and develop lawyers is one person .
The George Valentine that went out of his way to look out for kids who needed a consistent adult in their life is someone we all will miss , ” DC Attorney General Karl Racine told BuzzFeed News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BuzzFeed News that Valentine contributed mightily to the District of Columbia as a lawyer , working for over 25 years with a win rate of approximately 95 % in DC courts .
Racine said he was “ deeply saddened personally ” to hear the news of Valentine ’ s death .
“ That obviously brought a level of profound reality to the situation that we ’ re in with the virus and the pandemic.
” Ron Golden , older brother to Minnesota ’ s Lt. Gov .
Peggy Flanagan , died March 21 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He was 56 .
Golden ’ s immune system was compromised after having been diagnosed with cancer just weeks before contracting COVID-19 , Flanagan said in an Instagram post .
He was the second resident to succumb to the disease at the time .
“ To many , he ’ ll be a statistic : Tennessee ’ s second COVID-related death .
But to me , I ’ ll remember a loving , older brother , uncle , father , and husband , ” Flanagan said .
Flanagan described her brother as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big teddy bear on the inside.
” Flanagan , a Democrat , said her brother ’ s politics weren ’ t like hers “ AT ALL ” and the two often joked about it .
In January , the two mourned the death of their father , Marvin Manypenny .
Golden was a member of the Native American band White Earth Band of Ojibwe , located in northwestern Minnesota , but was raised in Tennessee , where he died .
Golden ’ s widow , Jose Golden , plans to spread his ashes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Flanagan told reporters March 25 .

George Valentine, a member of DC Mayor Muriel Bowser’s legal counsel, died March 27 after he was diagnosed with COVID-19. He was 66.
“George’s dedication to the people he served was evident in his work and in the love and wisdom he shared with residents and colleagues.” Bowser said on Twitter.
Valentine worked as deputy attorney general for the Civil Litigation Division and most recently as deputy director of the Mayor’s Office of Legal Counsel. He earned his undergraduate degree at Oakwood College in Alabama and then pursued a law degree at Harvard Law School, according to social media posts and his LinkedIn page. Friends and colleagues remember him as “kind” and “smart.”
Valentine cared deeply about underserved children in DC and routinely volunteered to be a foster parent and had adopted a child, according to the DC attorney general.
“The George Valentine that we know as the fella that can go into the courtroom and manage lawyers and develop lawyers is one person. The George Valentine that went out of his way to look out for kids who needed a consistent adult in their life is someone we all will miss,” DC Attorney General Karl Racine told BuzzFeed News in a phone interview.
Rancine told BuzzFeed News that Valentine contributed mightily to the District of Columbia as a lawyer, working for over 25 years with a win rate of approximately 95% in DC courts.
Racine said he was “deeply saddened personally” to hear the news of Valentine’s death. “That obviously brought a level of profound reality to the situation that we’re in with the virus and the pandemic.”


buzzfeednews--2020-04-07--Amazon Will Give Partial Pay To Employees It Sends Home With Fevers During The Coronavirus Pandemic

Workers at Amazon 's Staten Island warehouse protest after the company refused to shut down the facility for a deep cleaning after one staffer tested positive for COVID-19 on March 30 .
The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
Following outcry , Amazon is now providing some pay to employees sent home with fevers during the coronavirus pandemic , the company confirmed to BuzzFeed News Tuesday .
Last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sent home with fevers were `` welcome to use paid and unpaid time off options.
” After BuzzFeed News reported last Thursday that some employees with fevers were being sent home without pay , Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders posted on Facebook Friday calling on the company to change its policy , saying , “ Jeff Bezos , the single richest man in the world , can damn well afford to guarantee paid sick leave to all of his workers.
” The new policy , according to a spokesperson for Amazon , is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they will be sent home and will be paid up to five hours of their scheduled shift that day.
” Amazon instituted fever screenings last week in an attempt to prevent the spread of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus , through its fulfillment centers and delivery stations , which have been deemed essential and remain open during the pandemic .
As traditional retail stores remain closed and more and more Americans avoid the grocery store , demand for Amazon deliveries has surged , and with it , growing fears that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Implementing daily temperature screenings in our operations sites is an additional preventative measure Amazon is taking to support the health and safety of our customers and employees , who continue to provide a critical service in our communities , ” the Amazon spokesperson said in a statement .
A human resources employee at an Amazon facility in the Midwest told BuzzFeed News that she was instructed in a meeting on Monday to authorize up to three days ' worth of “ non-working paid time ” for employees who show up at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But human resources staff elsewhere received written instructions on Friday saying “ an associate who is sent home for a fever at or above 100.4°F / 38.0°C degrees is paid for their scheduled shift that day , up to five hours maximum.
” “ During that time , ” the instructions continue , “ they can use paid time off ( if available ) and may be eligible to take leaves of absence as appropriate .
”

Following outcry, Amazon is now providing some pay to employees sent home with fevers during the coronavirus pandemic, the company confirmed to BuzzFeed News Tuesday.
Last week, an Amazon spokesperson said that employees sent home with fevers were "welcome to use paid and unpaid time off options.” After BuzzFeed News reported last Thursday that some employees with fevers were being sent home without pay, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders posted on Facebook Friday calling on the company to change its policy, saying, “Jeff Bezos, the single richest man in the world, can damn well afford to guarantee paid sick leave to all of his workers.”
The new policy, according to a spokesperson for Amazon, is that “if an employee has a fever they will be sent home and will be paid up to five hours of their scheduled shift that day.”
Amazon instituted fever screenings last week in an attempt to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, through its fulfillment centers and delivery stations, which have been deemed essential and remain open during the pandemic. As traditional retail stores remain closed and more and more Americans avoid the grocery store, demand for Amazon deliveries has surged, and with it, growing fears that the virus could spread among its employees. “Implementing daily temperature screenings in our operations sites is an additional preventative measure Amazon is taking to support the health and safety of our customers and employees, who continue to provide a critical service in our communities,” the Amazon spokesperson said in a statement.
A human resources employee at an Amazon facility in the Midwest told BuzzFeed News that she was instructed in a meeting on Monday to authorize up to three days' worth of “non-working paid time” for employees who show up at work with fevers above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit.
But human resources staff elsewhere received written instructions on Friday saying “an associate who is sent home for a fever at or above 100.4°F / 38.0°C degrees is paid for their scheduled shift that day, up to five hours maximum.”
“During that time,” the instructions continue, “they can use paid time off (if available) and may be eligible to take leaves of absence as appropriate.”


buzzfeednews--2020-03-23--Opinion: In 2008 We Bailed Out Companies, But Not People. Never Again.

Congress is rushing to pass an emergency bill that will devote at least $ 1 trillion — and maybe much more , by some estimates — to helping people and businesses impacted by the coronavirus pandemic .
It ’ s desperately needed , given forecasts like 3 million job losses in the coming months and unemployment reaching 20 % , let alone the devastating human toll of the virus itself .
But powerful interests have a way of using crises to push through their own interests , often at the expense of the public .
Many of the banks and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recession emerged even wealthier than they were before , while ordinary Americans suffered without help for years .
So as Washington cooks up a massive stimulus bill , with little time for public input or scrutiny , there ’ s a real danger of repeating the enormous mistakes of the last recession .
The bill could put help out of reach for the most vulnerable Americans and give the most powerful Americans a huge influence over the outcome .
Policymakers should remember some of the biggest blunders from the crisis response back in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them .
Among the biggest : The government bailed out banks , but not people .
Nearly 10 million homeowners lost their homes to foreclosures as a result of the 2008 subprime mortgage fiasco .
They got virtually nothing .
Meanwhile , more than $ 1 trillion was handed out to save banks and other large corporations , many of which are now more valuable than they were then .
There ’ s a major push underway to not repeat this moral travesty .
Even the Trump administration is planning to send one-off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a $ 1 trillion stimulus package to help cushion families from the pain of an economic slowdown .
Sen. Bernie Sanders has proposed an even bigger $ 2 trillion stimulus , which would see every household get $ 2,000 a month in direct assistance for the duration of the crisis .
Sen. Sherrod Brown has just introduced a bill to protect homeowners by banning foreclosures for six months , in addition to other help .
Eviction and rent moratorium efforts are taking off in areas around the country .
Congress is working on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , paid sick leave , and other supports .
These need to be as strong as possible .
CEOs who got bailed out continued overpaying themselves while cutting jobs and worker pay .
In the aftermath of the 2008 crash , the federal government put some temporary CEO pay restrictions on a handful of companies that received mega-bailouts .
But as taxpayer dollars flowed into the economy to blunt the crisis , other firms gave CEOs massive paychecks while contributing to the largest layoff wave since the Great Depression .
At the 50 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the onset of the crisis and early 2010 , CEOs took home an average of nearly $ 12 million in 2009 , 42 % more than the S & P 500 average , an Institute for Policy Studies report found .
In the face of the current crisis , the Trump administration is also asking for massive industry aid , including $ 50 billion for the airline industry and $ 150 billion for other distressed companies .
This will be on top of the major stimulus program .
There are better ways to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ head of the flight attendants union has made a powerful case that the airline bailout money should come in the form of direct payroll subsidies to industry employees as a way to prevent layoffs .
For the economy as a whole , we should consider following the Danish government ’ s lead .
To stop layoffs over the next three months , it 'll be providing as much as $ 3,300 per worker to cover 75 % of wages , with employers covering the remaining 25 % .
We should be demanding additional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helps workers instead of padding the pockets of CEOs and wealthy shareholders .
Sen. Elizabeth Warren , for instance , has laid out eight conditions , including a $ 15 minimum wage and giving workers a seat on the company 's board of directors .
Bailout recipients should also be required to cap CEO pay at no more than 50 times worker pay .
The stimulus was too stingy and not green enough .
It took 10 years for the US economy to recuperate from the 2008 crash , in large part because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
President Barack Obama ’ s chief economic adviser , Christina Romer , had proposed a package as large as $ 1.8 trillion , but Republicans and conservative Democrats whittled that down to just $ 787 billion .
The small size of the stimulus was exacerbated by drastic budget-slashing after the tea party wave in the 2010 election .
According to the Manhattan Institute , Congress enacted $ 889 billion worth of spending cuts over the last six years of Obama ’ s term .
This time , we need to sustain stimulus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We also need to use the funds more strategically to help speed the transition away from fossil fuels and help the most vulnerable communities — or else the resulting environmental catastrophes could dwarf the economic damage we ’ ve seen from the coronavirus so far .
We could start with a massive initiative to retrofit buildings across the country , targeting the homes and public buildings in communities of color and low-income areas .
As Basav Sen , climate expert at the Institute for Policy Studies , points out , retrofitting projects are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a low capital investment ( as opposed to , say , building a new airport ) .
They would also help reduce inequality , since families with low incomes spend a much bigger share of their income on energy than higher-income families .
The solution is simple : Reverse the logic of the bailout during the 2008–2009 crisis .
This time , we need a sustained stimulus to bail out workers , people with low incomes , and the planet — not the CEOs .

Congress is rushing to pass an emergency bill that will devote at least $1 trillion — and maybe much more, by some estimates — to helping people and businesses impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. It’s desperately needed, given forecasts like 3 million job losses in the coming months and unemployment reaching 20%, let alone the devastating human toll of the virus itself.
But powerful interests have a way of using crises to push through their own interests, often at the expense of the public. Many of the banks and financial institutions bailed out during the 2008 recession emerged even wealthier than they were before, while ordinary Americans suffered without help for years.
So as Washington cooks up a massive stimulus bill, with little time for public input or scrutiny, there’s a real danger of repeating the enormous mistakes of the last recession. The bill could put help out of reach for the most vulnerable Americans and give the most powerful Americans a huge influence over the outcome.
Policymakers should remember some of the biggest blunders from the crisis response back in 2008–2009 and be pressured to never repeat them. Among the biggest:
The government bailed out banks, but not people.
Nearly 10 million homeowners lost their homes to foreclosures as a result of the 2008 subprime mortgage fiasco. They got virtually nothing. Meanwhile, more than $1 trillion was handed out to save banks and other large corporations, many of which are now more valuable than they were then.
There’s a major push underway to not repeat this moral travesty. Even the Trump administration is planning to send one-off checks directly to Americans as part of a $1 trillion stimulus package to help cushion families from the pain of an economic slowdown. Sen. Bernie Sanders has proposed an even bigger $2 trillion stimulus, which would see every household get $2,000 a month in direct assistance for the duration of the crisis.
Sen. Sherrod Brown has just introduced a bill to protect homeowners by banning foreclosures for six months, in addition to other help. Eviction and rent moratorium efforts are taking off in areas around the country.
Congress is working on other proposals to provide extended unemployment benefits, paid sick leave, and other supports. These need to be as strong as possible.
CEOs who got bailed out continued overpaying themselves while cutting jobs and worker pay.
In the aftermath of the 2008 crash, the federal government put some temporary CEO pay restrictions on a handful of companies that received mega-bailouts. But as taxpayer dollars flowed into the economy to blunt the crisis, other firms gave CEOs massive paychecks while contributing to the largest layoff wave since the Great Depression.
At the 50 firms that had the largest layoffs between the onset of the crisis and early 2010, CEOs took home an average of nearly $12 million in 2009, 42% more than the S&P 500 average, an Institute for Policy Studies report found.
In the face of the current crisis, the Trump administration is also asking for massive industry aid, including $50 billion for the airline industry and $150 billion for other distressed companies. This will be on top of the major stimulus program. There are better ways to help workers in these industries. The head of the flight attendants union has made a powerful case that the airline bailout money should come in the form of direct payroll subsidies to industry employees as a way to prevent layoffs.
For the economy as a whole, we should consider following the Danish government’s lead. To stop layoffs over the next three months, it'll be providing as much as $3,300 per worker to cover 75% of wages, with employers covering the remaining 25%.
We should be demanding additional measures to ensure that any bailout money helps workers instead of padding the pockets of CEOs and wealthy shareholders. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, for instance, has laid out eight conditions, including a $15 minimum wage and giving workers a seat on the company's board of directors. Bailout recipients should also be required to cap CEO pay at no more than 50 times worker pay.
The stimulus was too stingy and not green enough.
It took 10 years for the US economy to recuperate from the 2008 crash, in large part because the economic stimulus program was too small. President Barack Obama’s chief economic adviser, Christina Romer, had proposed a package as large as $1.8 trillion, but Republicans and conservative Democrats whittled that down to just $787 billion.
The small size of the stimulus was exacerbated by drastic budget-slashing after the tea party wave in the 2010 election. According to the Manhattan Institute, Congress enacted $889 billion worth of spending cuts over the last six years of Obama’s term.
This time, we need to sustain stimulus spending until the economy becomes healthy. We also need to use the funds more strategically to help speed the transition away from fossil fuels and help the most vulnerable communities — or else the resulting environmental catastrophes could dwarf the economic damage we’ve seen from the coronavirus so far.
We could start with a massive initiative to retrofit buildings across the country, targeting the homes and public buildings in communities of color and low-income areas. As Basav Sen, climate expert at the Institute for Policy Studies, points out, retrofitting projects are “shovel ready” because they require a low capital investment (as opposed to, say, building a new airport). They would also help reduce inequality, since families with low incomes spend a much bigger share of their income on energy than higher-income families.
The solution is simple: Reverse the logic of the bailout during the 2008–2009 crisis. This time, we need a sustained stimulus to bail out workers, people with low incomes, and the planet — not the CEOs.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-23--Watch Experts From Around The World Discuss The Coronavirus Pandemic

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help @ @ @ @ @ become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
The coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ whose scale and impact we 're all trying to process in real time .
Today @ @ @ @ @ around the world are gathering in a virtual summit to discuss the damage done and @ @ @ @ @ anyone can tune in .
The Boma organization is putting on the event , which @ @ @ @ @ at 7 p.m. local time ( that 's 2 a.m .
ET ) .
Every @ @ @ @ @ move to a different location , including Japan , Germany , China , Canada , @ @ @ @ @ , Brazil , and finally the US .
Boma has offered BuzzFeed News readers special @ @ @ @ @ the panelists by using this link .
You can see more about the speakers here @ @ @ @ @ below .

The coronavirus pandemic is a global emergency whose scale and impact we're all trying to process in real time. Today, dozens of experts from around the world are gathering in a virtual summit to discuss the damage done and possible ways forward — and anyone can tune in.
The Boma organization is putting on the event, which will begin in New Zealand at 7 p.m. local time (that's 2 a.m. ET). Every couple of hours it will move to a different location, including Japan, Germany, China, Canada, India, Poland, Portugal, Brazil, and finally the US.
Boma has offered BuzzFeed News readers special access to ask questions of the panelists by using this link. You can see more about the speakers here and watch the live event below.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-23--The Coronavirus Is A Media Extinction Event

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
As the reporters , photographers , editors , and designers at the Seattle Times report on a community stricken with the coronavirus , their paper is also battling another serious threat .
In just a few weeks , its local advertising business has all but disappeared .
A cruel irony of the pandemic , which in the United States has grown to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people , is that while journalists may be performing an essential business , the business of journalism is facing an extinction-level threat .
“ Virtually all entertainment advertising is gone , restaurants gone .
Automobile advertising is starting to get impacted , ” Alan Fisco , the president and CFO of the paper , told BuzzFeed News .
The freefall in advertising comes amid a precipitous rise in readership .
The paper 's “ online traffic has been at times off the charts , ” according to Fisco , and subscriptions — which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company 's revenue — are rising .
But those revenues don ’ t make up for the nearly total collapse of local ads .
It ’ s unclear if or when they will return to pre-pandemic levels .
“ If you go back to events in the past where you 've seen some big impacts [ to ad spending ] , does all of it come back ?
It has n't , ” he said .
The toll of the coronavirus on the news media could be worse than the 2008 financial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 19 % decline in revenue , according to Ken Doctor , a news industry analyst with Newsonomics .
“ [ Newspaper ] advertising revenue is getting just wiped out , '' Doctor told BuzzFeed News , saying it ’ s already `` worse than in 2008 and 2009.
” For some publications , “ this seems like for them truly it is the full extinction event .
I do n't know how they come back , ” he said .
Some outlets are better positioned to survive .
Like the New York Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wall Street Journal , the Seattle Times has a base of subscription revenue that can help it withstand the crisis .
But other local newspapers and digital outlets in the US and Canada are unlikely to survive .
“ I think there we will unfortunately see more closures of newspapers , more news deserts as a result of this , ” Fisco said .
Doctor said many newspapers are already distressed businesses , and publicly traded chains like Gannett , which owns USA Today and more than 250 local papers , are saddled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many of them were now just in survival mode ” before the coronavirus hit , he said .
Alternative weeklies in the US and Canada have laid off staff and curtailed print editions .
In the UK , the Time Out and Stylist magazines announced a temporary halt to print editions .
So did a group of 19 local papers in Michigan , and one in Rhode Island .
In New Orleans , the merged Times-Picayune and Advocate newspapers furloughed a 10th of their staff and have the rest working four day weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 of its 42 staffers , and papers in West Virginia , California , and Florida also had layoffs .
Even the New York Times warned in early March that its ad revenue would take a hit .
On Monday , Digiday reported that 88 % of legacy and digital publishers surveyed expect to miss their business targets this year .

As the reporters, photographers, editors, and designers at the Seattle Times report on a community stricken with the coronavirus, their paper is also battling another serious threat. In just a few weeks, its local advertising business has all but disappeared.
A cruel irony of the pandemic, which in the United States has grown to more than 42,000 cases and killed 573 people, is that while journalists may be performing an essential business, the business of journalism is facing an extinction-level threat.
“Virtually all entertainment advertising is gone, restaurants gone. Automobile advertising is starting to get impacted,” Alan Fisco, the president and CFO of the paper, told BuzzFeed News.
The freefall in advertising comes amid a precipitous rise in readership. The paper's “online traffic has been at times off the charts,” according to Fisco, and subscriptions — which account for more than 60% of the company's revenue — are rising. But those revenues don’t make up for the nearly total collapse of local ads. It’s unclear if or when they will return to pre-pandemic levels.
“If you go back to events in the past where you've seen some big impacts [to ad spending], does all of it come back? It hasn't,” he said.
The toll of the coronavirus on the news media could be worse than the 2008 financial crisis, which saw newspapers experience a 19% decline in revenue, according to Ken Doctor, a news industry analyst with Newsonomics. “[Newspaper] advertising revenue is getting just wiped out," Doctor told BuzzFeed News, saying it’s already "worse than in 2008 and 2009.”
For some publications, “this seems like for them truly it is the full extinction event. I don't know how they come back,” he said.
Some outlets are better positioned to survive. Like the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal, the Seattle Times has a base of subscription revenue that can help it withstand the crisis. But other local newspapers and digital outlets in the US and Canada are unlikely to survive.
“I think there we will unfortunately see more closures of newspapers, more news deserts as a result of this,” Fisco said.
Doctor said many newspapers are already distressed businesses, and publicly traded chains like Gannett, which owns USA Today and more than 250 local papers, are saddled with debt.
“These companies, many of them were now just in survival mode” before the coronavirus hit, he said.
Alternative weeklies in the US and Canada have laid off staff and curtailed print editions. In the UK, the Time Out and Stylist magazines announced a temporary halt to print editions. So did a group of 19 local papers in Michigan, and one in Rhode Island. In New Orleans, the merged Times-Picayune and Advocate newspapers furloughed a 10th of their staff and have the rest working four day weeks. A newspaper in Vermont laid off 20 of its 42 staffers, and papers in West Virginia, California, and Florida also had layoffs. Even the New York Times warned in early March that its ad revenue would take a hit. On Monday, Digiday reported that 88% of legacy and digital publishers surveyed expect to miss their business targets this year.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-11--"The Bachelor" Finale Was Messy As Hell But Fans Were All For Hannah Ann Telling Peter Off

Soooo the Bachelor finale on Tuesday night was a ( somewhat ) welcome distraction from both the coronavirus and the 2020 election .
Peter Weber — aka Pilot Pete , who started the season by asking his ex , former-Bachelorette Hannah B , back on the show because he was feeling feelings — ended up proposing to Hannah Ann Sluss in Australia .
He then proceeded to end their engagement a month later in Los Angeles , admitting he still had strong feelings for Madison Prewett , the runner-up who rejected Peter and left the show on her own before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live finale Tuesday , Hannah Ann ripped Peter apart , telling him off for the way he treated her .
`` Even after our breakup , you reached out to my parents saying that you were just processing your emotions and that you wished more that anything we had met outside of reality TV .
How does that make any sense ?
You signed up to be the Bachelor .
You told me these things that I held onto , '' Hannah Ann said .
“ If you want to be with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you need to become a real man . ''
With all this drama , Bachelor Nation had quite a night .
There were really no winners ( Peter and Madison were n't sure where to go from here ! )
, but Hannah Ann may have come out on top in the end .

Soooo the Bachelor finale on Tuesday night was a (somewhat) welcome distraction from both the coronavirus and the 2020 election.
(Warning: Spoilers ahead!)
Peter Weber — aka Pilot Pete, who started the season by asking his ex, former-Bachelorette Hannah B, back on the show because he was feeling feelings — ended up proposing to Hannah Ann Sluss in Australia. He then proceeded to end their engagement a month later in Los Angeles, admitting he still had strong feelings for Madison Prewett, the runner-up who rejected Peter and left the show on her own before the final rose ceremony.
During the live finale Tuesday, Hannah Ann ripped Peter apart, telling him off for the way he treated her.
"Even after our breakup, you reached out to my parents saying that you were just processing your emotions and that you wished more that anything we had met outside of reality TV. How does that make any sense? You signed up to be the Bachelor. You told me these things that I held onto," Hannah Ann said.
“If you want to be with a woman," she added, "you need to become a real man."
With all this drama, Bachelor Nation had quite a night. There were really no winners (Peter and Madison weren't sure where to go from here!), but Hannah Ann may have come out on top in the end.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-10--Coachella And Stagecoach Have Been Postponed Due To Coronavirus Fears

This year 's Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals have been postponed due to fears over the coronavirus outbreak , organizers said on Tuesday .
Coachella was set to be held in Indio , California , over two weekends from April 9 through April 19 .
The star-studded lineup included Frank Ocean , Travis Scott , Megan Thee Stallion , and Lana Del Rey .
Country music festival Stagecoach would have taken place later in April .
Coachella will now take place the weekends of Oct. 9 and Oct. 16 , and Stagecoach will take place the weekend of Oct. 23 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be honored on those dates .
Information on refunds for festivalgoers who ca n't attend in October will be available by March 13 , organizers said .
While the festival is offering some form of refund , would-be festivalgoers scrambling to change their plans noted that they might not be able to get their money back for other costs , such as plane tickets and Airbnbs .
The news follows the cancellation of other arts and entertainment festivals due to coronavirus fears , most notably the SXSW festival in Austin on March 6 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also been canceled in Dublin and Boston .

This year's Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals have been postponed due to fears over the coronavirus outbreak, organizers said on Tuesday.
Coachella was set to be held in Indio, California, over two weekends from April 9 through April 19. The star-studded lineup included Frank Ocean, Travis Scott, Megan Thee Stallion, and Lana Del Rey. Country music festival Stagecoach would have taken place later in April.
Coachella will now take place the weekends of Oct. 9 and Oct. 16, and Stagecoach will take place the weekend of Oct. 23. Organizers said all purchased tickets would be honored on those dates. Information on refunds for festivalgoers who can't attend in October will be available by March 13, organizers said.
While the festival is offering some form of refund, would-be festivalgoers scrambling to change their plans noted that they might not be able to get their money back for other costs, such as plane tickets and Airbnbs.
The news follows the cancellation of other arts and entertainment festivals due to coronavirus fears, most notably the SXSW festival in Austin on March 6. St. Patrick's Day parades have also been canceled in Dublin and Boston.