usatoday--2020-09-09--Coronavirus updates: AstraZeneca halts vaccine trials after 'unexplained illness'; study links 260K

After U.S. health officials warned Americans to continue social distancing and wearing masks on Labor Day weekend , the United States may report its 190,000th death from the new coronavirus on Tuesday or Wednesday .
In sports news , the American men are out at the U.S. Open after Frances Tiafoe , who had tested positive for COVID-19 in July , lost Monday to No .
4 Daniil Medvedev of Russia .
The next Grand Slam event , the French Open , which begins later this month , will allow spectators , organizers announced Monday .
Meanwhile , we don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will arrive , but we ’ re starting to know how it will be distributed .
The swift — and so far positive — effort to create vaccines to fight COVID-19 has been remarkable , but it ’ s only half of the work , said Tinglong Dai , a professor of operations management who studies health care analytics at the Johns Hopkins University .
Dai expects the vaccine supply chain to be `` mind-bogglingly complex . ''
Mapping coronavirus : Tracking the U.S. outbreak , state by state • Nine companies developing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fully vet their candidate vaccines before asking for FDA approval to market them .
Industry officials are worried that the political climate is tarnishing the process and will make people more hesitant to get a vaccine when there is one .
• AstraZeneca hit a stumbling block in the development of its COVID-19 vaccine , halting its clinical trials worldwide to investigate an adverse reaction in a trial participant in the United Kingdom .
• Senate Republicans introduced a new coronavirus relief bill Tuesday and a procedural vote could come as early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mitch McConnell said .
• A USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins data through late Monday shows two states set records for new cases in a week : North Dakota and West Virginia .
Yesterday Indiana reported its 100,000th case .
• Theme park operators who spent months installing hand sanitizing stations , figuring out how to disinfect roller coasters seats and checking the temperatures of guests at their gates so they ’ d come back in the midst of the pandemic are finding many reluctant to return .
• A study found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 260,000 coronavirus cases in the month following the event .
But that number differs significantly from what was reported by the South Dakota Department of Health .
📈 Today 's numbers : The U.S. has 6.3 million confirmed cases and more than 189,300 deaths .
Globally , there are more than 27.4 million cases and more than 893,000 fatalities .
📰 What we 're reading : As the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic drags on , there have been many questions about what – or even where – the workplace will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next year or so , however , it seems likely that work is going to be pretty similar to what we ’ ve been experiencing .
This file will be updated throughout the day .
For updates in your inbox , subscribe to The Daily Briefing newsletter .
AstraZeneca , one of the companies racing to make a vaccine against the coronavirus , put a hold on its COVID-19 clinical trials worldwide , while it investigated an adverse reaction in a trial participant in the United Kingdom .
The company , which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Phase 3 of testing its vaccine , said the pause was `` a routine action which has to happen whenever there is a potentially unexplained illness in one of the trials . ''
.
The interruption represents the first major hiccup in what has been a remarkably smooth path in the historically rapid vaccine effort spanning the globe .
That said , large scale , make-or-break Phase 3 clinical trials are where real issues are most likely to occur .
It remains unclear what the reaction is , or when it took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individual is expected to recover .
Five counties in California , including Orange County , to reopen theaters , indoor dining Places of worship , restaurants with indoor dining and movie theaters in five California counties will soon be allowed to reopen at one-quarter capacity , as the state slowly moves forward with its reopening process .
The counties allowed to move from the state 's purple tier — the lowest tier — into the red tier , per California Gov .
Gavin Newsom 's new state reopening guidelines , are Orange , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Placer .
Under the state 's red tier for reopening , shopping centers in these counties will also be able to expand to half capacity .
The announcement comes after Orange County reported no new deaths and 113 new cases over the weekend , per KABC-TV and KNBC-TV in Los Angeles , while meeting state requirements for case rate per 100,000 residents for at least two weeks .
The Sturgis motorcycle rally may have led to more than 260,000 coronavirus cases in the month following the event , according to a study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Economics and Policy Studies at San Diego State University .
The study has not been peer reviewed .
But that number differs significantly from what the South Dakota Department of Health has reported , which has confirmed 124 cases among South Dakota residents who got sick after attending the rally .
That discrepancy is because the state is identifying specific cases through contact tracing .
The study takes a different approach : Instead of trying to identify people who had the disease and passed it on to others , the San Diego researchers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most people to the rally and how case trends changed after the event .
`` We 're never going to be able to contact trace every single person from Sturgis , '' Andrew Friedson , one of four authors of the study , said .
`` So if we want a good-faith estimate using , at the moment , the accepted statistical techniques ... this is the best number we 're going to get in my opinion . ''
Ukrainian church head gets COVID-19 after blaming virus on gay marriage A church leader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marriage has tested positive for COVID-19 .
Patriarch Filaret , who helms the Ukrainian Orthodox Church , is currently hospitalized and in stable condition , per the Kyiv Post in Ukraine .
He is 91 .
In March , he said in a televised interview in March that same-sex marriage was `` the cause of the coronavirus , '' comments that were condemned by LGBT rights groups worldwide .
He was later sued by the Ukrainian LGBT rights organization Insight .
That organization 's head , Olena Shevchenko , told Reuters in March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is no longer place for such statements . ''
Still wiping down your grocery store purchases ?
Coronavirus risk is 'exceedingly small' At the start of the coronavirus pandemic , many people cleaned grocery-store purchases with disinfecting wipes before putting them away at home .
Now , however , a lot more is known about how COVID-19 spreads , and experts say that the risk of getting it from surfaces , including grocery packaging , is “ exceedingly small , ” said Melissa Bronstein , senior director of infection prevention for Rochester @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The most up-to-date information on the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that no cases of COVID-19 have been linked to people touching food or food packaging and then touching their faces .
Senate Republicans on Tuesday introduced a COVID-19 relief package they say targets urgent needs for the American people , but the proposal faces an uncertain path with members of both parties in opposition .
Democrats and Republicans failed to reach an agreement on another stimulus bill in July and August .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schumer , D-N.Y. , spent weeks negotiating with the White House , but talks dissolved with both sides blaming the other .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday a procedural vote on the measure could come as early as this week , though he did acknowledge the bill is not perfect and does n't contain polices sought by members of both parties .
Do kids get sicker with the flu or COVID-19 ?
Neither , study finds Researchers at Children ’ s National Hospital found while COVID-19 may not be worse for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not better either .
A study published Tuesday in JAMA Network Open looked at the course of illness in 315 children who had COVID-19 between March and May , and more than 1,400 children with seasonal influenza between October and June.Scientists found no difference in rates of hospitalization , admission to the intensive care unit or mechanical ventilator use between the two groups .
“ I didn ’ t see this coming when I was thinking about doing the study , ” said Dr. Xiaoyan Song , director of Infection Control and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It took several rounds of thinking and combing through the data to convince myself that this was the conclusion.
” After a fraternity member at West Virginia University went to a party while knowingly infected with COVID-19 , the university has suspended in-person classes for two weeks as positive cases among students continue to climb .
The university said its in-person classes will be held online through Sept. 25 `` in direct response to a recent increase in positive COVID-19 cases in students on the Morgantown campus , as well as concern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may arise following several reports of parties held this holiday weekend where groups should have been in quarantine . ''
The university said in a news release that a member of the Theta Chi fraternity tested positive and was notified to isolate but attended a party at the fraternity house on Friday .
The entire fraternity house had also been told to quarantine or isolate .
`` We know that these parties act as super spreaders , '' Dean of Students Corey Farris said in announcing the suspensions of 29 fraternity members .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the virus last week .
More news on COVID-19 at colleges and universities : • Salisbury University in Maryland has temporarily suspended 21 students for possible violations of COVID-19 policies .
Retiree in Austria gets coronavirus stimulus check from United States An Austrian man who last worked in the United States in the 1960s received a $ 1,200 coronavirus relief check from the U.S. government , the country 's public broadcaster reported .
The man from Linz , who worked as a waiter in the U.S. for just two years , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wife , who never lived or worked in the U.S. , also got a check , and the broadcaster ORF reports that banks in the country have cashed dozens of checks from Austrian residents .
Eligible families were to receive up to $ 1,200 for each adult as a part the CARES Act , passed in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic , but there were issues with the roll out as many families reported they never received a check and more than a million dead people did .
Pharmaceutical companies pledge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The heads of nine biopharmaceutical companies issued a letter early Tuesday pledging to fully vet their COVID-19 candidate vaccines before asking for federal approval to market them .
The statement comes amid increasing concern among public health officials , scientists and doctors that the White House might bring significant political pressure to bear on the Food and Drug Administration to get a vaccine before the Nov. 3 presidential election .
All nine companies are individually or jointly developing a candidate COVID-19 vaccine supported at least in part with federal dollars , which so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billion .
They are : AstraZeneca , Johnson & Johnson , Moderna Inc. , Novavax Inc. , Merck , Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline , and Pfizer Inc , which is developing a vaccine with BioNTech , another signatory .
As hospitals filled with COVID-19 patients , state medical boards took a hands-off approach to doctor discipline : Emergency actions against doctors ' licenses dropped 59 % from April through June of this year compared with the same period last year .
In April alone , emergency license suspensions and restrictions dropped 85 % , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in emergency license suspensions worries patient safety advocates because many hospitals still have compromised and vulnerable patients .
That makes errors and complications more likely and dangerous .
`` It 's a perfect storm : A doctor shortage , doctors are strained by the stress of the pandemic , and sicker patients , '' said Dr. David Sherer , a retired anesthesiologist and author of the book `` Hospital Survival Guide . ''
Read more here .
President Trump asked a Reuters journalist to remove his face mask while asking a question during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House .
Trump told Reuters correspondent Jeff Mason `` you 're going to have to take that off , '' after he asked a question the president could n't hear clearly .
`` If you do n't take it off , you are very muffled , '' Trump said .
`` So , if you would take it off , it would be a lot easier . ''
Mason said he would speak louder instead of removing the mask , and after Trump said he sounded better , he repeated his question .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ first months of COVID-19 pandemic Laboratory results and law enforcement reports indicate methamphetamine use increased in Montana during the first months of the coronavirus pandemic .
The Missoulian reported Monday that Millennium Health found a 34 % increase in urine samples testing positive for methamphetamine after President Donald Trump declared a national emergency March 13 .
The company compared results from Jan. 1 through March 12 with results from March 13 through May 31 .
French Open , unlike US Open , will allow spectators Spectators will be allowed at the French Open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus cases in the country , organizers said on Monday .
They unveiled the health protocols for the clay-court grand slam , which will take place at Roland Garros in western Paris from Sept. 27 after being postponed from its May start due to the pandemic .
Hours after the FTF announced , top-ranked Ash Barty said she will not defend her French Open title because of concerns over traveling during the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ Last year ’ s French Open was the most special tournament of my career so this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Barty , who won her first major title on the clay courts of Roland Garros , said in a statement Tuesday .
“ I wish the players and the French Federation all the best for a successful tournament.
” Pandemic preschool : How to navigate sending your kid into an unfamiliar building with masked strangers Many child care centers and preschools that survived COVID-19 shutdowns are reopening their doors this fall , but the first day of class looks a little different this year , leaving some kids and guardians feeling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of all cases in the U.S. , and most have mild symptoms and fully recover within one to two weeks – quicker than most adults .
However , a small percentage of children have been reported to have more severe illness , and researchers are still learning more about the role children play in asymptomatic spread of the disease .
To keep kids , families and staff safe , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that child care programs implement an array of new safety measures amid the pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cleaning protocols , taking children ’ s temperatures each morning , requiring kids and staff to wear face masks , staggering drop-off and pick-up times , spreading nap mats out six feet apart , ending family-style mealtimes and more .
Many states and counties have additional guidance .
Research suggests Black patients have better outcomes when treated by Black doctors and nurses .
Yet , only 5 % of doctors nationwide are Black , and only 2 % are Black women , according to the Association of American Medical Colleges .
Kay McField @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Mississippi , is a patient at the Central Mississippi Health Services clinic on the campus of historically Black Tougaloo College .
“ It ’ s meaningful to be taken care of by someone who looks like you , who understands you , ” said Kay McField , a patient in Jackson , Mississippi .
“ Other doctors go into the exam room , and they don ’ t ask your name .
And me , when I go there and be treated that way , I ’ m not going back no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available , there 's a plan in place for its distribution from manufacturers to the American public .
The process will be run by the CDC , which for decades has overseen vaccine distribution in the United States and ran the last national vaccination effort during the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic .
Still , Tinglong Dai , a professor of operations management who studies health care analytics at the Johns Hopkins University , told USA TODAY he expects the vaccine supply chain to be `` mind-bogglingly complex . ''
• Who will get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Disease Control and Prevention is still finalizing plans , front-line medical workers , first-responders and people at high risk for severe disease are likely to get first dibs .
• Who will pay for it ?
All the vaccine supplied in the initial phases will be purchased by the U.S. government and no one will be charged for the actual dose .
• What about availability ?
The vaccine is expected to be in short supply , at least in the beginning , though CDC planning documents say significantly more will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook : There 's still a lot unknown about the coronavirus .
But what we do know , we 're sharing with you .
Join our Facebook group , Coronavirus Watch , to receive daily updates in your feed and chat with others in the community about COVID-19 .
• In your inbox : Stay up-to-date with the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic from the USA TODAY Network .
Sign up for the daily Coronavirus Watch newsletter .
• Tips for coping : Every Saturday and Tuesday we 'll be in your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a little bit of solace in these difficult times .
Sign up for Staying Apart , Together .

Elinor Aspegren, Ryan W. Miller and Joshua Bote, USA TODAY

Coronavirus updates: AstraZeneca halts vaccine trials after 'unexplained illness'; study links 260K cases to Sturgis motorcycle rally
Show Caption Hide Caption COVID-19 testing: Positivity rates and why they are so important COVID-19 widespread testing is crucial to fighting the pandemic, but is there enough testing? The answer is in the positivity rates. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
After U.S. health officials warned Americans to continue social distancing and wearing masks on Labor Day weekend, the United States may report its 190,000th death from the new coronavirus on Tuesday or Wednesday.
In sports news, the American men are out at the U.S. Open after Frances Tiafoe, who had tested positive for COVID-19 in July, lost Monday to No. 4 Daniil Medvedev of Russia. The next Grand Slam event, the French Open, which begins later this month, will allow spectators, organizers announced Monday.
Meanwhile, we don’t know when a COVID-19 vaccine will arrive, but we’re starting to know how it will be distributed.
The swift — and so far positive — effort to create vaccines to fight COVID-19 has been remarkable, but it’s only half of the work, said Tinglong Dai, a professor of operations management who studies health care analytics at the Johns Hopkins University. Dai expects the vaccine supply chain to be "mind-bogglingly complex."
Mapping coronavirus: Tracking the U.S. outbreak, state by state
Some significant developments:
Nine companies developing COVID-19 vaccines issued a letter Tuesday pledging to fully vet their candidate vaccines before asking for FDA approval to market them. Industry officials are worried that the political climate is tarnishing the process and will make people more hesitant to get a vaccine when there is one.
AstraZeneca hit a stumbling block in the development of its COVID-19 vaccine, halting its clinical trials worldwide to investigate an adverse reaction in a trial participant in the United Kingdom.
Senate Republicans introduced a new coronavirus relief bill Tuesday and a procedural vote could come as early as this week, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said.
A USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins data through late Monday shows two states set records for new cases in a week: North Dakota and West Virginia. Yesterday Indiana reported its 100,000th case.
Theme park operators who spent months installing hand sanitizing stations, figuring out how to disinfect roller coasters seats and checking the temperatures of guests at their gates so they’d come back in the midst of the pandemic are finding many reluctant to return.
A study found that the Sturgis motorcycle rally led to more than 260,000 coronavirus cases in the month following the event. But that number differs significantly from what was reported by the South Dakota Department of Health.
📈 Today's numbers: The U.S. has 6.3 million confirmed cases and more than 189,300 deaths. Globally, there are more than 27.4 million cases and more than 893,000 fatalities.
📰 What we're reading: As the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic drags on, there have been many questions about what – or even where – the workplace will be in the future. For the next year or so, however, it seems likely that work is going to be pretty similar to what we’ve been experiencing.
This file will be updated throughout the day. For updates in your inbox, subscribe to The Daily Briefing newsletter.
AstraZeneca, one of the companies racing to make a vaccine against the coronavirus, put a hold on its COVID-19 clinical trials worldwide, while it investigated an adverse reaction in a trial participant in the United Kingdom.
The company, which is currently working with the University of Oxford on Phase 3 of testing its vaccine, said the pause was "a routine action which has to happen whenever there is a potentially unexplained illness in one of the trials." .
The interruption represents the first major hiccup in what has been a remarkably smooth path in the historically rapid vaccine effort spanning the globe. That said, large scale, make-or-break Phase 3 clinical trials are where real issues are most likely to occur.
It remains unclear what the reaction is, or when it took place. Stat News reported that the individual is expected to recover.
– Elizabeth Weise and Karen Weintraub
Places of worship, restaurants with indoor dining and movie theaters in five California counties will soon be allowed to reopen at one-quarter capacity, as the state slowly moves forward with its reopening process.
The counties allowed to move from the state's purple tier — the lowest tier — into the red tier, per California Gov. Gavin Newsom's new state reopening guidelines, are Orange, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, Amador and Placer.
Under the state's red tier for reopening, shopping centers in these counties will also be able to expand to half capacity.
The announcement comes after Orange County reported no new deaths and 113 new cases over the weekend, per KABC-TV and KNBC-TV in Los Angeles, while meeting state requirements for case rate per 100,000 residents for at least two weeks.
The Sturgis motorcycle rally may have led to more than 260,000 coronavirus cases in the month following the event, according to a study released Saturday by the Center for Health Economics and Policy Studies at San Diego State University. The study has not been peer reviewed.
But that number differs significantly from what the South Dakota Department of Health has reported, which has confirmed 124 cases among South Dakota residents who got sick after attending the rally.
That discrepancy is because the state is identifying specific cases through contact tracing. The study takes a different approach: Instead of trying to identify people who had the disease and passed it on to others, the San Diego researchers looked at the areas that sent the most people to the rally and how case trends changed after the event.
"We're never going to be able to contact trace every single person from Sturgis," Andrew Friedson, one of four authors of the study, said. "So if we want a good-faith estimate using, at the moment, the accepted statistical techniques ... this is the best number we're going to get in my opinion."
– Megan Raposa, Sioux Falls Argus Leader
A church leader in Ukraine whose linked coronavirus to same-sex marriage has tested positive for COVID-19.
Patriarch Filaret, who helms the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, is currently hospitalized and in stable condition, per the Kyiv Post in Ukraine. He is 91.
In March, he said in a televised interview in March that same-sex marriage was "the cause of the coronavirus," comments that were condemned by LGBT rights groups worldwide.
He was later sued by the Ukrainian LGBT rights organization Insight. That organization's head, Olena Shevchenko, told Reuters in March that the group wanted to show "there is no longer place for such statements."
At the start of the coronavirus pandemic, many people cleaned grocery-store purchases with disinfecting wipes before putting them away at home.
Now, however, a lot more is known about how COVID-19 spreads, and experts say that the risk of getting it from surfaces, including grocery packaging, is “exceedingly small,” said Melissa Bronstein, senior director of infection prevention for Rochester Regional Health and a registered nurse.
The most up-to-date information on the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that no cases of COVID-19 have been linked to people touching food or food packaging and then touching their faces.
– Marcia Greenwood, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
Senate Republicans on Tuesday introduced a COVID-19 relief package they say targets urgent needs for the American people, but the proposal faces an uncertain path with members of both parties in opposition.
Democrats and Republicans failed to reach an agreement on another stimulus bill in July and August. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., spent weeks negotiating with the White House, but talks dissolved with both sides blaming the other.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday a procedural vote on the measure could come as early as this week, though he did acknowledge the bill is not perfect and doesn't contain polices sought by members of both parties.
– Christal Hayes
Researchers at Children’s National Hospital found while COVID-19 may not be worse for children than the flu, it’s not better either.
A study published Tuesday in JAMA Network Open looked at the course of illness in 315 children who had COVID-19 between March and May, and more than 1,400 children with seasonal influenza between October and June.Scientists found no difference in rates of hospitalization, admission to the intensive care unit or mechanical ventilator use between the two groups.
“I didn’t see this coming when I was thinking about doing the study,” said Dr. Xiaoyan Song, director of Infection Control and Epidemiology at Children’s National. “It took several rounds of thinking and combing through the data to convince myself that this was the conclusion.”
– Adrianna Rodriguez
After a fraternity member at West Virginia University went to a party while knowingly infected with COVID-19, the university has suspended in-person classes for two weeks as positive cases among students continue to climb.
The university said its in-person classes will be held online through Sept. 25 "in direct response to a recent increase in positive COVID-19 cases in students on the Morgantown campus, as well as concern for the probability of increased cases that may arise following several reports of parties held this holiday weekend where groups should have been in quarantine."
The university said in a news release that a member of the Theta Chi fraternity tested positive and was notified to isolate but attended a party at the fraternity house on Friday. The entire fraternity house had also been told to quarantine or isolate.
"We know that these parties act as super spreaders," Dean of Students Corey Farris said in announcing the suspensions of 29 fraternity members. Almost 150 students on campus tested positive for the virus last week.
More news on COVID-19 at colleges and universities:
Salisbury University in Maryland has temporarily suspended 21 students for possible violations of COVID-19 policies.
An Austrian man who last worked in the United States in the 1960s received a $1,200 coronavirus relief check from the U.S. government, the country's public broadcaster reported.
The man from Linz, who worked as a waiter in the U.S. for just two years, was able to cash the check. His wife, who never lived or worked in the U.S., also got a check, and the broadcaster ORF reports that banks in the country have cashed dozens of checks from Austrian residents.
Eligible families were to receive up to $1,200 for each adult as a part the CARES Act, passed in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, but there were issues with the roll out as many families reported they never received a check and more than a million dead people did.
The heads of nine biopharmaceutical companies issued a letter early Tuesday pledging to fully vet their COVID-19 candidate vaccines before asking for federal approval to market them.
The statement comes amid increasing concern among public health officials, scientists and doctors that the White House might bring significant political pressure to bear on the Food and Drug Administration to get a vaccine before the Nov. 3 presidential election.
All nine companies are individually or jointly developing a candidate COVID-19 vaccine supported at least in part with federal dollars, which so far amounts to more than $10 billion. They are: AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna Inc., Novavax Inc., Merck, Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline, and Pfizer Inc, which is developing a vaccine with BioNTech, another signatory.
– Karen Weintraub and Elizabeth Weise
As hospitals filled with COVID-19 patients, state medical boards took a hands-off approach to doctor discipline: Emergency actions against doctors' licenses dropped 59% from April through June of this year compared with the same period last year. In April alone, emergency license suspensions and restrictions dropped 85%, according to federal data.
The drop in emergency license suspensions worries patient safety advocates because many hospitals still have compromised and vulnerable patients. That makes errors and complications more likely and dangerous.
"It's a perfect storm: A doctor shortage, doctors are strained by the stress of the pandemic, and sicker patients," said Dr. David Sherer, a retired anesthesiologist and author of the book "Hospital Survival Guide." Read more here.
– Jayne O'Donnell
President Trump asked a Reuters journalist to remove his face mask while asking a question during a news conference Monday at the White House. Trump told Reuters correspondent Jeff Mason "you're going to have to take that off," after he asked a question the president couldn't hear clearly.
"If you don't take it off, you are very muffled," Trump said. "So, if you would take it off, it would be a lot easier."
Mason said he would speak louder instead of removing the mask, and after Trump said he sounded better, he repeated his question.
President Trump asks reporter to take off face mask during question President Trump asked a Reuters journalist to remove his face mask while asking a question during a news conference at the White House. USA TODAY
Laboratory results and law enforcement reports indicate methamphetamine use increased in Montana during the first months of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Missoulian reported Monday that Millennium Health found a 34% increase in urine samples testing positive for methamphetamine after President Donald Trump declared a national emergency March 13. The company compared results from Jan. 1 through March 12 with results from March 13 through May 31.
Spectators will be allowed at the French Open this month despite the growing number of coronavirus cases in the country, organizers said on Monday.
They unveiled the health protocols for the clay-court grand slam, which will take place at Roland Garros in western Paris from Sept. 27 after being postponed from its May start due to the pandemic.
Hours after the FTF announced, top-ranked Ash Barty said she will not defend her French Open title because of concerns over traveling during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Last year’s French Open was the most special tournament of my career so this is not a decision I have made lightly,” Barty, who won her first major title on the clay courts of Roland Garros, said in a statement Tuesday. “I wish the players and the French Federation all the best for a successful tournament.”
Many child care centers and preschools that survived COVID-19 shutdowns are reopening their doors this fall, but the first day of class looks a little different this year, leaving some kids and guardians feeling anxious.
Minors account for about 8% of all cases in the U.S., and most have mild symptoms and fully recover within one to two weeks – quicker than most adults. However, a small percentage of children have been reported to have more severe illness, and researchers are still learning more about the role children play in asymptomatic spread of the disease.
To keep kids, families and staff safe, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that child care programs implement an array of new safety measures amid the pandemic, such as reducing class sizes, intensifying cleaning protocols, taking children’s temperatures each morning, requiring kids and staff to wear face masks, staggering drop-off and pick-up times, spreading nap mats out six feet apart, ending family-style mealtimes and more. Many states and counties have additional guidance.
– Grace Hauck
Research suggests Black patients have better outcomes when treated by Black doctors and nurses. Yet, only 5% of doctors nationwide are Black, and only 2% are Black women, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. Kay McField, a 51-year-old single mother in Jackson, Mississippi, is a patient at the Central Mississippi Health Services clinic on the campus of historically Black Tougaloo College.
“It’s meaningful to be taken care of by someone who looks like you, who understands you,” said Kay McField, a patient in Jackson, Mississippi. “Other doctors go into the exam room, and they don’t ask your name. And me, when I go there and be treated that way, I’m not going back no more.”
When a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available, there's a plan in place for its distribution from manufacturers to the American public. The process will be run by the CDC, which for decades has overseen vaccine distribution in the United States and ran the last national vaccination effort during the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic.
Still, Tinglong Dai, a professor of operations management who studies health care analytics at the Johns Hopkins University, told USA TODAY he expects the vaccine supply chain to be "mind-bogglingly complex."
Who will get it first? While the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is still finalizing plans, front-line medical workers, first-responders and people at high risk for severe disease are likely to get first dibs.
While the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is still finalizing plans, front-line medical workers, first-responders and people at high risk for severe disease are likely to get first dibs. Who will pay for it? All the vaccine supplied in the initial phases will be purchased by the U.S. government and no one will be charged for the actual dose.
All the vaccine supplied in the initial phases will be purchased by the U.S. government and no one will be charged for the actual dose. What about availability? The vaccine is expected to be in short supply, at least in the beginning, though CDC planning documents say significantly more will be available by January 2021.
– Elizabeth Weise
COVID-19 resources from USA TODAY
On Facebook: There's still a lot unknown about the coronavirus. But what we do know, we're sharing with you. Join our Facebook group, Coronavirus Watch, to receive daily updates in your feed and chat with others in the community about COVID-19.
There's still a lot unknown about the coronavirus. But what we do know, we're sharing with you. to receive daily updates in your feed and chat with others in the community about COVID-19. In your inbox: Stay up-to-date with the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic from the USA TODAY Network. Sign up for the daily Coronavirus Watch newsletter.
Stay up-to-date with the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic from the USA TODAY Network. Tips for coping: Every Saturday and Tuesday we'll be in your inbox, offering you a virtual hug and a little bit of solace in these difficult times. Sign up for Staying Apart, Together.
Contributing: The Associated Press.


usatoday--2020-09-09--Miami Heat take down top seed Milwaukee Bucks to advance to NBA Eastern Conference final

LAKE BUENA VISTA , Fla. – Not much went right for the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference semifinals series against the Miami Heat .
Their offense wasn ’ t sharp against a strong defense , their defense wasn ’ t there against a solid 3-point shooting team , and MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo ’ s offensive struggles were exacerbated by a sprained right ankle that forced him to miss basically the final three quarters of Game 4 and all of Game 5 .
The Heat eliminated the Bucks with a 103-94 victory in Game 5 on Tuesday , a gentleman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as it is disappointing for Milwaukee , which had championship aspirations .
“ The most important thing is we have to be who we are , ” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said before the game .
“ With Giannis or without him , both teams have a pretty good idea of how they want to play .
It ’ s who can impose their identity for longer stretches and periods of the game .
That ’ s what we ’ re focusing on coming into tonight.
” The Heat were able to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ figures , led by Miami All-Star Jimmy Butler ’ s 17 points , 10 rebounds and six assists .
Goran Dragic added 17 points , four rebounds and two assists , and Jae Crowder had 16 points and six rebounds .
Clinging to their playoff lives , the Bucks delivered an admirable effort but just didn ’ t have enough without their MVP to overcome a balanced Heat team .
Khris Middleton had 23 points , seven rebounds and six assists for the Bucks , and Donte DiVincenzo , starting in place of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advances to the conference finals for the first time since 2014 when LeBron James , Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh were with the team .
The Heat will play the winner of the Boston-Toronto series , which the Celtics lead 3-2 .
Since 1984 , the five seed has beaten the one seed four times , and this is the first time it has happened since 2013 .
Milwaukee dominated during the regular season , especially before the NBA suspended the season on March 11 due to COVID-19 , and finished with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bubble was not kind to the Bucks .
They were 3-5 in seeding games , lost Game 1 to Orlando in the first round and fell into a 3-0 hole in the second round against Miami .
Antetokounmpo , who is the 2019-20 MVP and likely to win his second MVP award soon , wasn ’ t sharp offensively .
He averaged 21.8 points , 11 assists and five assists in four games against Miami , shooting 50.8 % from the field and 21.45 on 3-pointers .
And through three games , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the field , way below his regular season average of 55.3 % .
Beyond the difficult of life in the bubble , the Bucks were hit particularly hard by the police shooting of Jacob Blake , a Black man , in Kenosha , Wisconsin , just 40 miles south of Milwaukee .
After Game 4 of the Orlando series and after the Blake shooting , Bucks guard George Hill said , “ We shouldn ’ t have come to this damn place to be honest.
” Then , the Bucks declined to play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the remainder of the NBA ’ s restart in jeopardy .
The league took a few days off as players decided to resume play .
For a combination of reasons , the Bucks never were the same team in the restart .
Their momentum in March didn ’ t carry over through a 4½-month layoff , and their season is over sooner than expected .

Miami Heat take down top seed Milwaukee Bucks to advance to NBA Eastern Conference final
Show Caption Hide Caption How mental health presents biggest challenge inside NBA bubble What I'm Hearing: USA TODAY Sports' Mark Medina discusses how mental health and the stresses of being inside the NBA bubble has become an issue players are talking about as the playoffs press on. What I'm Hearing, USA TODAY
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Not much went right on the court for the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference semifinals series against the Miami Heat.
Their offense wasn’t sharp against a strong defense, their defense wasn’t there against a solid 3-point shooting team, and MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo’s offensive struggles were exacerbated by a sprained right ankle that forced him to miss basically the final three quarters of Game 4 and all of Game 5.
The Heat eliminated the top-seeded Bucks with a 103-94 victory in Game 5 on Tuesday, a gentleman’s sweep that is as surprising as it is disappointing for Milwaukee, which had championship aspirations.
“The most important thing is we have to be who we are,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said before the game. “With Giannis or without him, both teams have a pretty good idea of how they want to play. It’s who can impose their identity for longer stretches and periods of the game. That’s what we’re focusing on coming into tonight.”
The Heat were able to do that. Six players scored in double figures, led by Miami All-Star Jimmy Butler’s 17 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Goran Dragic added 17 points, and Jae Crowder had 16 points.
Clinging to their playoff lives, the Bucks delivered an admirable effort but just didn’t have enough without their MVP to overcome a balanced Heat team.
Khris Middleton had 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists for the Bucks, and Donte DiVincenzo, starting in place of Antetokounmpo, had 17 points.
Antetokounmpo participated in some basic pregame warmups with Budenholzer and the training and medical staff watching.
"Ultimately Jon Horst, our GM, and myself, we couldn’t let Giannis go out there," Budenholzer said. "He’s not ready. He’s not healthy. We can’t put him at risk. Giannis would always play. He wants to be there for his teammates. So really, really hard for Giannis. But I think it was pretty clear from everybody, probably except from his perspective, what needed to happen."
Miami advances to the conference finals for the first time since 2014 when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh were with the team. The Heat will play the winner of the Boston-Toronto series, which the Celtics lead 3-2.
Since 1984, the five seed has beaten the one seed four times, and this is the first time it has happened since 2013.
Milwaukee dominated during the regular season, especially before the NBA suspended the season on March 11 due to COVID-19, and finished with the league’s best record.
But the bubble was not kind to the Bucks. They were 3-5 in seeding games, lost Game 1 to Orlando in the first round and fell into a 3-0 hole in the second round against Miami.
Budenholzer refused to make excuses.
"Well, the 4½-month layoff for our team wasn’t any different than any of the other teams that came here to Orlando to compete and try and be the last team standing," he said. "We had a heck of a year, through March 11, a lot of good things, a lot of positives and when we had our moments here in Orlando. Ultimately, we weren’t able to get it done. Everybody’s dealing with the same circumstances."
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Antetokounmpo, who is the 2019-20 MVP and likely to win his second MVP award soon, wasn’t sharp offensively. He averaged 21.8 points, 11 assists and five assists in four games against Miami, shooting 50.8% from the field and 21.45 on 3-pointers. And through three games, he was shooting just 45.1% from the field, way below his regular season average of 55.3%.
Beyond the difficulty of life in the bubble, the Bucks were hit particularly hard by the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, in Kenosha, Wisconsin, just 40 miles south of Milwaukee. They had to reflect and consider what that meant to them.
After Game 4 of the Orlando series and after the Blake shooting, Bucks guard George Hill said, “We shouldn’t have come to this damn place to be honest.”
Then, the Bucks declined to play Game 5 on Aug. 26, putting the remainder of the NBA’s restart in jeopardy. The league took a few days off as players decided to resume play.
"We feel like the entire league, all the players, our team was on the right side of history. And for our group, it was significant," Budenholzer said. "But I think it could if all of a sudden we played well and won a bunch of games, it could’ve been our rallying point. That would probably be the question if we won.
"I think both things are overplayed and overstated. You’ve got to play. You’ve got to defend, you’ve got to rebound. You’ve got to take care of the ball. You’ve got to make shots, and you’ve got to fight for social justice. You’ve got to fight for things you believe in.
"Certainly we were in the middle of it. It was significant. It’s just part of life. It could’ve helped. It may have helped us. I know it helped us as humans."
For a combination of reasons, the Bucks never were the same team in the restart. Their momentum in March didn’t carry over through a 4½-month layoff, and their season is over sooner than expected.
And yet an emotional Budenholzer saw the big picture and ended his postgame press conference with a poignant statement.
"What the team stands for and I think the character and the humanity to stand and be on the right side of history like we did, led by George and Sterling (Brown), that was emotional," Budenholzer said. "And such a great group. Winning is important. We had high expectations starting the season, throughout the season, coming here. You always want to realize those expectations. But the relationships, the character, what this group did, it would be great if you could have both. But if you’re going to choose one, I’d like to be with the guys who are high character and stand for something."


usatoday--2020-09-08--Two Oregon men arrested for allegedly attacking counter-protesters at pro-Trump rally

SALEM , Ore. – Two people were arrested for attacking counter-protesters during a pro-Trump , `` American Lives Matter '' rally outside the Capitol building in Salem Monday afternoon .
Ty Anthony , 53 , of Durango , Colorado , was cited on charges of fourth-degree assault and first-degree intimidation , a `` bias crime '' involving injuring or menacing a person due to their race , sexual orientation , religion or national origin .
Trenton Wolfskill , 37 , of Eugene , also was arrested for fourth-degree assault .
The rally ran from noon to 4 p.m. on Labor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attendance , said officials with Oregon State Police .
Proud Boys , a right-wing group labeled as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center , were also in attendance .
About 30 to 50 counter-protesters , many supporting Black Lives Matter , gathered in the Capitol Mall .
At about 3:30 p.m. , about 50 people arrived after a pro-Trump vehicle convoy in Oregon City skipped Portland and headed south .
Although organizers said the rally was officially over in Woodburn , several trucks were seen driving through downtown Salem sporting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Many attendees were armed with guns , knives and bats .
Bats also were spotted across the street at the Capitol Mall along with a naked man waving an American flag .
Oregon State Police spokesman Capt .
Tim Fox said the two groups began engaging each other from across Court Street around 4 p.m. Paintball fire was exchanged , and projectiles were reportedly thrown .
Fox said the American Lives Matter Rally group ran across Court Street and began chasing and pushing the counter-protestors through the tree line in the Capitol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a man can be seen pushing another man to the ground .
A woman then walks by and sprays mace at the man on the ground .
According to an online page for What Do You Know with Joe , the man attacked and maced was videographer Joe Smothers , who has been documenting the protests in Salem and Portland .
Smothers recorded the video of Salem police talking to the armed militia outside Glamour Salon that went viral and garnered national coverage .
In another video , the people associated with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Capitol mall and pushing a counter-protester to the ground .
One of the attackers is overheard calling the victim a gay slur .
Salem police officers and Oregon State Police troopers responded and broke up the group .
Two men were seen placed in handcuffs .
Salem police spokesman Lt. Treven Upkes said neither of the protests was permitted by the city .
Because police were concerned about safety and had received reports of a possible march onto city property , Salem police responded to monitor the event and provide mutual aid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with jurisdiction over the Capitol Building and Capitol Mall .
Salem police were monitoring the beginnings of a march when they heard reports of an altercation .
Officers returned to the Capitol to find several violent outbursts .
`` Because physical violence was occurring , our officers made the right call and intervened to stop it , '' Upkes said .
`` They detained the people they believed were responsible for the attacks and then handed over those suspects to Oregon State Police . ''
Fox said troopers will continue to conduct follow-up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this event .

Whitney Woodworth, Salem Statesman Journal

Two Oregon men arrested for allegedly attacking counter-protesters at pro-Trump rally
Show Caption Hide Caption Week In Review: Aug. 31 - Sept. 4 Catch up on news you may have missed. Wochit
SALEM, Ore. – Two people were arrested for attacking counter-protesters during a pro-Trump, "American Lives Matter" rally outside the Capitol building in Salem Monday afternoon.
Ty Anthony, 53, of Durango, Colorado, was cited on charges of fourth-degree assault and first-degree intimidation, a "bias crime" involving injuring or menacing a person due to their race, sexual orientation, religion or national origin.
Trenton Wolfskill, 37, of Eugene, also was arrested for fourth-degree assault.
The rally ran from noon to 4 p.m. on Labor Day with about 150 people initially in attendance, said officials with Oregon State Police. Proud Boys, a right-wing group labeled as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, were also in attendance.
About 30 to 50 counter-protesters, many supporting Black Lives Matter, gathered in the Capitol Mall.
At about 3:30 p.m., about 50 people arrived after a pro-Trump vehicle convoy in Oregon City skipped Portland and headed south.
Although organizers said the rally was officially over in Woodburn, several trucks were seen driving through downtown Salem sporting Trump 2020 flags and taped-over license plates.
Many attendees were armed with guns, knives and bats.
Bats also were spotted across the street at the Capitol Mall along with a naked man waving an American flag.
Oregon State Police spokesman Capt. Tim Fox said the two groups began engaging each other from across Court Street around 4 p.m.
Paintball fire was exchanged, and projectiles were reportedly thrown.
Fox said the American Lives Matter Rally group ran across Court Street and began chasing and pushing the counter-protestors through the tree line in the Capitol Mall Park.
On social media videos, a man can be seen pushing another man to the ground. A woman then walks by and sprays mace at the man on the ground.
According to an online page for What Do You Know with Joe, the man attacked and maced was videographer Joe Smothers, who has been documenting the protests in Salem and Portland.
Smothers recorded the video of Salem police talking to the armed militia outside Glamour Salon that went viral and garnered national coverage.
In another video, the people associated with the right-wing rally are seen running across the Capitol mall and pushing a counter-protester to the ground. One of the attackers is overheard calling the victim a gay slur.
Salem police officers and Oregon State Police troopers responded and broke up the group. Two men were seen placed in handcuffs.
Salem police spokesman Lt. Treven Upkes said neither of the protests was permitted by the city. Because police were concerned about safety and had received reports of a possible march onto city property, Salem police responded to monitor the event and provide mutual aid to Oregon State Police, the agency with jurisdiction over the Capitol Building and Capitol Mall.
Salem police were monitoring the beginnings of a march when they heard reports of an altercation. Officers returned to the Capitol to find several violent outbursts.
"Because physical violence was occurring, our officers made the right call and intervened to stop it," Upkes said. "They detained the people they believed were responsible for the attacks and then handed over those suspects to Oregon State Police."
Fox said troopers will continue to conduct follow-up investigations on other criminal reports taken during this event.
Follow reporter Whitney Woodworth on Twitter: @wmwoodworth


usatoday--2020-09-08--A mom called 911 to help her 13-year-old with autism. Utah police shot him

Salt Lake City police are investigating after officers shot a 13-year-old boy with autism whose mother had called 911 for help .
Golda Barton told KUTV she called police because her son Linden Cameron , who has Asperger 's , was having a mental health episode .
Barton , who had just returned to work for the first time in a year , told police her son had `` bad separation anxiety '' but was unarmed .
`` I said , he 's unarmed , he does n't have anything , he just gets mad and he starts yelling and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` He 's a kid he 's trying to get attention , he does n't know how to regulate . ''
'It hurts your bones ' : Private special ed schools can restrain kids with disabilities 1,000s of times .
Parents might not know Barton said two officers entered her home and less than five minutes later she heard them order him to get on the ground followed by several gunshots .
Officers did n't immediately say whether her son was alive and later handcuffed him .
The shooting left Cameron with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , intestines and bladder according to a GoFundMe which has raised more than $ 12,000 for Linden ’ s hospital bills .
`` He 's a small child .
Why did n't you just tackle him ? ''
Barton said .
`` He 's a baby .
He has mental issues . ''
Salt Lake City Police Sgt .
Keith Horrocks told reporters officers were called to the area due to a `` violent psych issue '' involving a juvenile who was `` making threats to some folks with a weapon . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' : Young people struggle with finding mental health support amid COVID-19 pandemic Horrocks said there was no indication a weapon had been found at the scene but that he did not know for sure if one was found .
The shooting will be investigated by police , according to Horrocks .
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall said she expects the investigation `` to be handled swiftly and transparently '' in a statement released to local media Sunday .
`` While the full details of this incident are yet to be released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will say that I am thankful this young boy is alive and no one else was injured , '' she said .
`` No matter the circumstances , what happened on Friday night is a tragedy . ''
The shooting also drew backlash from local mental health advocates .
“ Police were called because help was needed but instead more harm was done when officers from the SLPD expected a 13-year-old experiencing a mental health episode to act calmer and collected than adult trained officers , ” Neurodiverse Utah , a grassroots organization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement .
Nationwide , advocates are calling for changes to policing , including an end to the practice of having police officers respond to mental health calls following the death of Daniel Prude , a 29-year-old Black man .
Prude was suffering from acute mental health problems when he died of asphyxiation after police officers in Rochester , New York , who tried to take him into protective custody pinned him to the ground while restraining him .

A mom called 911 to help her 13-year-old with autism, Utah police shot him
Show Caption Hide Caption Defund Police: What does this idea mean? A veto-proof majority of the Minneapolis City Council committed to dismantling its police department after the death of George Floyd. USA TODAY
Salt Lake City police are investigating after officers shot a 13-year-old boy with autism whose mother had called 911 for help.
Golda Barton told KUTV she called police because her son Linden Cameron, who has Asperger's, was having a mental health episode. Barton, who had just returned to work for the first time in a year, told police her son had "bad separation anxiety" but was unarmed.
"I said, he's unarmed, he doesn't have anything, he just gets mad and he starts yelling and screaming," she told the outlet. "He's a kid he's trying to get attention, he doesn't know how to regulate."
'It hurts your bones': Private special ed schools can restrain kids with disabilities 1,000s of times. Parents might not know
Barton said two officers entered her home and less than five minutes later she heard them order him to get on the ground followed by several gunshots. Officers didn't immediately say whether her son was alive and later handcuffed him.
The shooting left Cameron with injuries to his shoulder, both ankles, intestines and bladder according to a GoFundMe which has raised more than $12,000 for Linden’s hospital bills.
"He's a small child. Why didn't you just tackle him?" Barton said. "He's a baby. He has mental issues."
Salt Lake City Police Sgt. Keith Horrocks told reporters officers were called to the area due to a "violent psych issue" involving a juvenile who was "making threats to some folks with a weapon."
'Feels like the world is against you': Young people struggle with finding mental health support amid COVID-19 pandemic
Horrocks said there was no indication a weapon had been found at the scene but that he did not know for sure if one was found.
The shooting will be investigated by police, according to Horrocks. Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall said she expects the investigation "to be handled swiftly and transparently" in a statement released to local media Sunday.
"While the full details of this incident are yet to be released as an investigation takes place, I will say that I am thankful this young boy is alive and no one else was injured," she said. "No matter the circumstances, what happened on Friday night is a tragedy."
The shooting also drew backlash from local mental health advocates.
“Police were called because help was needed but instead more harm was done when officers from the SLPD expected a 13-year-old experiencing a mental health episode to act calmer and collected than adult trained officers,” Neurodiverse Utah, a grassroots organization that promotes autism acceptance, said in a statement.
Nationwide, advocates are calling for changes to policing, including an end to the practice of having police officers respond to mental health calls following the death of Daniel Prude, a 29-year-old Black man. Prude was suffering from acute mental health problems when he died of asphyxiation after police officers in Rochester, New York, who tried to take him into protective custody pinned him to the ground while restraining him.
Contributing: Steve Orr, The Rochester (N.Y.) Democrat and Chronicle
Follow N'dea Yancey-Bragg on Twitter: @NdeaYanceyBragg


usatoday--2020-09-08--'Heavy hearts': 'Keeping Up With the Kardashians' will end in 2021 after 14 years

It 's the end of an era .
In an Instagram post on Tuesday , Kim Kardashian joined her famous family in sharing the news that `` Keeping Up With the Kardashians , '' their long-running reality series , will see its final season in 2021 .
`` To our amazing fans , '' Kris Jenner , Kim Kardashian , Khloe Kardashian , Kourtney Kardashian , Rob Kardashian , Kendall Jenner , Kylie Jenner and Scott Disick wrote in a joint statement .
`` It is with heavy hearts that we ’ ve made the difficult decision as a family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Kardashians . ''
According a press release from the show 's network E !
, `` Keeping Up '' will return for Season 19 on Sept. 17 before debuting its final and 20th season in 2021 .
The show has been on the air since 2007 and inspired 12 spin-off series , including `` I Am Cait , '' `` Revenge Body with Khloe Kardashian '' and `` Flip It Like Disick . ''
`` We are beyond grateful to all of you who ’ ve watched us for all of these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bad times , the happiness , the tears , and the many relationships and children , '' the family continued .
`` We ’ ll forever cherish the wonderful memories and countless people we ’ ve met along the way . ''
Kim Kardashian added at the end of her Instagram message that being a part of the series has forever impacted her life .
`` Without Keeping Up with The Kardashians , I wouldn ’ t be where I am today , '' she wrote .
`` This show made us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forever in debt to everyone who played a role in shaping our careers and changing our lives forever . ''
All In Challenge : Kim Kardashian West joins celebs for charity , offers a 'KUWTK ' appearance In her post , self-described `` momager '' Kris Jenner added that she and her family `` are so beyond grateful to everyone who has watched and supported '' them .
`` We will be forever in debt to everyone who played a role in shaping our careers and changing our lives forever , '' she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us on this crazy ride !
! ''
Khloe Kardashian also expressed her gratitude on Instagram .
`` I ’ m too emotional to fully express myself at the moment , '' she wrote .
`` My sappy post will come soon .
Change is hard but also needed at times '' Kourtney Kardashian , however , was less forthcoming about her feelings , sharing the joint statement on her Instagram Story along with the note : `` I will gather my thoughts and share them in a bit ... '' On Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disappointment about the series coming to an end .
`` Me seeing that they ’ re cancelling # KUWTK , '' wrote @ emmpugs , along with a GIF of someone running and crying .
`` WHAT ELSE DO U HAVE IN STORE , 2020 ?
? ''
`` It ’ s happening .
KUWTK is ending , '' wrote @ sharonyan_ `` a piece of my teenage self died reading Kim ’ s announcement '' '' KUWTK being canceled was not on the 2020 bingo card , '' wrote @ yxngseanye .

'Heavy hearts': 'Keeping Up With the Kardashians' will end in 2021 after 14 years
Show Caption Hide Caption Kim Kardashian comments on husband Kanye West's bipolar disorder Kim Kardashian calls for "compassion and empathy" after husband Kanye Wast's recent comments, stating he struggles with bipolar disorder. Entertain This!, USA TODAY
It's the end of an era.
In an Instagram post on Tuesday, Kim Kardashian joined her famous family in sharing the news that "Keeping Up With the Kardashians," their long-running reality series, will see its final season in 2021.
"To our amazing fans," Kris Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian, Rob Kardashian, Kendall Jenner, Kylie Jenner and Scott Disick wrote in a joint statement. "It is with heavy hearts that we’ve made the difficult decision as a family to say goodbye to Keeping Up with the Kardashians."
According a press release from the show's network E!, "Keeping Up" will return for Season 19 on Sept. 17 before debuting its final and 20th season in 2021. The show has been on the air since 2007 and inspired 12 spin-off series, including "I Am Cait," "Revenge Body with Khloe Kardashian" and "Flip It Like Disick."
"We are beyond grateful to all of you who’ve watched us for all of these years – through the good times, the bad times, the happiness, the tears, and the many relationships and children," the family continued. "We’ll forever cherish the wonderful memories and countless people we’ve met along the way."
Kim Kardashian added at the end of her Instagram message that being a part of the series has forever impacted her life.
"Without Keeping Up with The Kardashians, I wouldn’t be where I am today," she wrote. "This show made us who we are and I will be forever in debt to everyone who played a role in shaping our careers and changing our lives forever."
All In Challenge: Kim Kardashian West joins celebs for charity, offers a 'KUWTK' appearance
In her post, self-described "momager" Kris Jenner added that she and her family "are so beyond grateful to everyone who has watched and supported" them.
"We will be forever in debt to everyone who played a role in shaping our careers and changing our lives forever," she continued. "Thank you for joining us on this crazy ride!!"
Khloe Kardashian also expressed her gratitude on Instagram.
"I’m too emotional to fully express myself at the moment," she wrote. "My sappy post will come soon. Change is hard but also needed at times"
Kourtney Kardashian, however, was less forthcoming about her feelings, sharing the joint statement on her Instagram Story along with the note: "I will gather my thoughts and share them in a bit ..."
On Twitter, many fans shared their surprise and disappointment about the series coming to an end.
"Me seeing that they’re cancelling #KUWTK," wrote @emmpugs, along with a GIF of someone running and crying. "WHAT ELSE DO U HAVE IN STORE, 2020??"
Me seeing that they’re cancelling #KUWTK 😩😭 WHAT ELSE DO U HAVE IN STORE, 2020??? 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/P7cH5NQN3H — ॐ (@emmpugs) September 8, 2020
"It’s happening. KUWTK is ending," wrote @sharonyan_ "a piece of my teenage self died reading Kim’s announcement"
"KUWTK being canceled was not on the 2020 bingo card," wrote @yxngseanye.


usatoday--2020-09-08--'Take it off': Trump requested a White House reporter remove his mask while asking a question. He di

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump requested a White House reporter remove his mask when asking a question during a Monday news conference at the White House because he had trouble understanding him .
`` You 're very muffled , '' Trump told Reuters reporter Jeff Mason .
Mason declined to remove the black mask , saying he would just speak louder .
`` It 's better , '' Trump said with an audible sigh before Mason asked about a recent story in The Atlantic magazine alleging Trump disparaged members of the U.S. military who have been captured or killed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the American war dead at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in France as “ losers ” and “ suckers '' in 2018 .
Trump has vehemently denied making the remarks regarding the soldiers and did so again in response to Mason 's question , calling it a `` hoax . ''
Here 's how the exchange went with Mason , according to a transcript provided by the White House : Q Thanks , Mr. President .
The issue of what happened when you were in France continues to be a story .
THE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to take that off , please .
Just – you can take it off .
Your health – how many feet are you away ?
THE PRESIDENT : Well , if you don ’ t take it off , you ’ re very muffled .
So if you would take it off , it would be a lot easier .
Q I ’ ll just speak a lot louder .
Is that better ?
THE PRESIDENT : It ’ s better , yeah .
It ’ s better .
Later in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporter who asked a question without a mask covering his mouth .
`` You sound so clear as opposed to everybody else , where they refuse , '' Trump said .
More : Donald Trump goes maskless in Kenosha , and urges others to do so despite COVID-19 order Mason is a former president of the White House Correspondents ’ Association .
The organization requires reporters to wear masks during news conferences due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Trump , who was not wearing a mask during the outdoor news conference on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has vacillated on the issue of mask wearing .
He has worn masks on a few occasions , most notably during a July 11 visit with ill troops at Walter Reed hospital .
And on July 21 he urged all Americans to do so , saying he was `` getting used '' to the idea .
`` We 're asking everybody that when you are not able to socially distance , wear a mask , get a mask , '' Trump said then .
`` Whether you like the mask or not , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have an effect .
We need everything we can get . ''
More : Joe Biden says he would require wearing masks in public to prevent coronavirus spread A few weeks later , Trump criticized Democratic presidential opponent Joe Biden for proposing a policy to have all of the nation 's governors require mask wearing in their states .
Calling it an unnecessary mandate , Trump said : “ We want to have a certain freedom .
That ’ s what we ’ re about . ''

Ledyard King and David Jackson, USA TODAY

'Take it off': Trump requested a White House reporter remove his mask while asking a question. He didn't.
Show Caption Hide Caption President Trump asks reporter to take off face mask during question President Trump asked a Reuters journalist to remove his face mask while asking a question during a news conference at the White House. USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump requested a White House reporter remove his mask when asking a question during a Monday news conference at the White House because he had trouble understanding him.
"You're very muffled," Trump told Reuters reporter Jeff Mason. Mason declined to remove the black mask, saying he would just speak louder.
"It's better," Trump said with an audible sigh before Mason asked about a recent story in The Atlantic magazine alleging Trump disparaged members of the U.S. military who have been captured or killed. The magazine reported last week Trump referred to the American war dead at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in France as “losers” and “suckers" in 2018.
Trump has vehemently denied making the remarks regarding the soldiers and did so again in response to Mason's question, calling it a "hoax."
More: Coronavirus updates: West Virginia University suspends in-person classes; Trump asks reporter to remove mask; US nears 190K deaths
Here's how the exchange went with Mason, according to a transcript provided by the White House:
Q Thanks, Mr. President. The issue of what happened when you were in France continues to be a story. THE PRESIDENT: You’re going to have to take that off, please. Just – you can take it off. Your health – how many feet are you away? Q I’ll speak a lot louder. THE PRESIDENT: Well, if you don’t take it off, you’re very muffled. So if you would take it off, it would be a lot easier. Q I’ll just speak a lot louder. Is that better? THE PRESIDENT: It’s better, yeah. It’s better.
Later in the news conference, the president compliments another reporter who asked a question without a mask covering his mouth.
"You sound so clear as opposed to everybody else, where they refuse," Trump said.
More: Donald Trump goes maskless in Kenosha, and urges others to do so despite COVID-19 order
Mason is a former president of the White House Correspondents’ Association. The organization requires reporters to wear masks during news conferences due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump, who was not wearing a mask during the outdoor news conference on the North Portico of the White House, has vacillated on the issue of mask wearing.
He has worn masks on a few occasions, most notably during a July 11 visit with ill troops at Walter Reed hospital. And on July 21 he urged all Americans to do so, saying he was "getting used" to the idea.
"We're asking everybody that when you are not able to socially distance, wear a mask, get a mask," Trump said then. "Whether you like the mask or not, they have an impact, they'll have an effect. We need everything we can get."
More: Joe Biden says he would require wearing masks in public to prevent coronavirus spread
A few weeks later, Trump criticized Democratic presidential opponent Joe Biden for proposing a policy to have all of the nation's governors require mask wearing in their states.
Calling it an unnecessary mandate, Trump said: “We want to have a certain freedom. That’s what we’re about."


usatoday--2020-09-08--Allegiant passenger removed after dispute over flight attendant's face mask

An Allegiant Air passenger was removed from his flight Monday over a mask dispute – but not the kind we 've become accustomed to reading about during the COVID-19 pandemic .
The man was removed from Flight 1682 bound for Portsmouth , New Hampshire , before it left Punta Gorda Airport in southwest Florida Monday after reportedly interrupting the flight attendant 's safety briefing to ask her to put her mask back on .
`` A passenger became disruptive during the pre-flight safety briefing , '' Allegiant spokesperson Hilarie Grey told USA TODAY .
`` Following the announcement , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the flight attendant , to the point of harassment . ''
Fox News and industry news site PaddleYourOwnKanoo.com reported the flight attendant removed her mask to complete the safety briefing after other passengers complained they could n't make out what she was saying and then put it back on immediately after finishing her announcement .
The man reportedly asked her to put her mask back on during the briefing , and Grey characterized his behavior as `` continued harassment directed at an Allegiant crew member . ''
According to the Centers for Disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recommended as a simple barrier to help prevent respiratory droplets from traveling into the air and onto other people when the person wearing the mask coughs , sneezes , talks , or raises their voice . ''
In video following the incident obtained by USA TODAY , an airline station agent tells the man he needs to leave the plane or law enforcement will be called .
Some other passengers can be heard grumbling things like , `` Oh c'mon '' and `` This is ridiculous . ''
The passenger asked to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was led off the plane , saying , `` I just asked somebody to put on their face mask .
That 's all I did . ''
Grey said that after the man continued his `` disruptive behavior , `` the decision was made to deplane the passenger , '' noting that interfering with a crew member is an FAA violation .
`` He was re-accommodated to a later flight . ''
American Airlines pilot asks DOT to mandate masks : Airline passengers are finding 'creative ways ' to remove face coverings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passengers wear face coverings except children under 2 years of age or those who can present documentation of a medical problem at least one hour prior to departure .
`` Face coverings may be briefly removed to eat or drink , but otherwise must be worn at all times including at the ticket counter and gate , during boarding and while onboard the aircraft , '' the airline 's rule says .
Grey said Allegiant 's policy also applies to crew members on duty .
However , they are allowed to remove them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's preferred they do so in a galley or break area that is generally free of passengers .
`` We have also had a few instances of customers who are hard of hearing or need to read lips requesting that a crew member briefly remove a mask for clarification , '' she added .
`` Any incidents of non-compliance are reviewed and addressed on a case-by-case basis . ''
Grey did not specify how long the flight attendant 's mask was off .
Allegiant did not require passengers to start wearing masks until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other U.S. airlines put mask requirements in place .
Some Allegiant passengers were dismayed by the airline being late to the party .
In June , Indianapolis attorney Vernon Petri voiced concerns and then walked off his Allegiant flight to Florida after he saw unmasked passengers and crew and and no seats were blocked for social-distancing purposes as some other airlines are doing .
“ Well , I picked up my baggage and I walked off the plane and went home , '' Petri told The Indianapolis Star , part of the USA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whole vacation time.
” ' I walked off the plane ' : Travelers irked by inconsistent face mask use amid coronavirus pandemic

Allegiant passenger removed after dispute over flight attendant's face mask
Show Caption Hide Caption Passenger removed from flight after asking attendant to put mask on Allegiant Air removed a man after he repeatedly interrupted the pre-flight safety briefing to tell the flight attendant to put her mask back on. USA TODAY, Storyful
An Allegiant Air passenger was removed from his flight Monday over a mask dispute – but not the kind we've become accustomed to reading about during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The man was removed from Flight 1682 bound for Portsmouth, New Hampshire, before it left Punta Gorda Airport in southwest Florida Monday after reportedly interrupting the flight attendant's safety briefing to ask her to put her mask back on.
"A passenger became disruptive during the pre-flight safety briefing," Allegiant spokesperson Hilarie Grey told USA TODAY. "Following the announcement, the passenger persisted in making threatening statements to the flight attendant, to the point of harassment."
Fox News and industry news site PaddleYourOwnKanoo.com reported the flight attendant removed her mask to complete the safety briefing after other passengers complained they couldn't make out what she was saying and then put it back on immediately after finishing her announcement. The man reportedly asked her to put her mask back on during the briefing, and Grey characterized his behavior as "continued harassment directed at an Allegiant crew member."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Masks are recommended as a simple barrier to help prevent respiratory droplets from traveling into the air and onto other people when the person wearing the mask coughs, sneezes, talks, or raises their voice."
In video following the incident obtained by USA TODAY, an airline station agent tells the man he needs to leave the plane or law enforcement will be called. Some other passengers can be heard grumbling things like, "Oh c'mon" and "This is ridiculous."
The passenger asked to take his case up with the captain as he was led off the plane, saying, "I just asked somebody to put on their face mask. That's all I did."
Grey said that after the man continued his "disruptive behavior, "the decision was made to deplane the passenger," noting that interfering with a crew member is an FAA violation. "He was re-accommodated to a later flight."
American Airlines pilot asks DOT to mandate masks: Airline passengers are finding 'creative ways' to remove face coverings
Allegiant's mask policy requires that all passengers wear face coverings except children under 2 years of age or those who can present documentation of a medical problem at least one hour prior to departure.
"Face coverings may be briefly removed to eat or drink, but otherwise must be worn at all times including at the ticket counter and gate, during boarding and while onboard the aircraft," the airline's rule says.
Grey said Allegiant's policy also applies to crew members on duty. However, they are allowed to remove them to eat or drink, though it's preferred they do so in a galley or break area that is generally free of passengers.
"We have also had a few instances of customers who are hard of hearing or need to read lips requesting that a crew member briefly remove a mask for clarification," she added. "Any incidents of non-compliance are reviewed and addressed on a case-by-case basis."
Grey did not specify how long the flight attendant's mask was off.
Allegiant did not require passengers to start wearing masks until July 2, two months after most other U.S. airlines put mask requirements in place.
Some Allegiant passengers were dismayed by the airline being late to the party.
In June, Indianapolis attorney Vernon Petri voiced concerns and then walked off his Allegiant flight to Florida after he saw unmasked passengers and crew and and no seats were blocked for social-distancing purposes as some other airlines are doing.
“Well, I picked up my baggage and I walked off the plane and went home," Petri told The Indianapolis Star, part of the USA TODAY Network. "I missed the whole vacation time.”
'I walked off the plane': Travelers irked by inconsistent face mask use amid coronavirus pandemic


usatoday--2020-09-08--'Mulan' remake criticized for filming in China's Xinjiang province

Disney 's live-action `` Mulan '' is coming under fire for filming partly in China 's Xinjiang province , where there have been allegations of human rights abuses .
Activists and organizations are taking to social media to denounce the film after noticing the end credits share a `` special thanks '' to multiple government entities in Xinjiang .
USA TODAY has reached out to Disney for comment .
In July , Washington sanctioned senior Chinese officials who it claimed are responsible for mass detentions , religious persecution and forced sterilization against Muslim Uighur minorities in Xinjiang .
China has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far-western Xinjiang , but human rights organizations and foreign media reports alleged that authorities detained about a million people in so-called re-education camps .
China said the camps are vocational centers needed to counter radicalism .
This is n't the only controversy surrounding `` Mulan . ''
The film 's star Yifei Liu walked into her first global controversy last August when she retweeted a post supportive of Chinese-backed police against Hong Kong protesters .
The tweet drew heavy criticism and intensified calls from global critics to boycott the remake .
I 've @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Muslims : Now , my family are victims .
The World Uyghur Congress , an organization promoting Uyghur human rights , tweeted a statement Monday about the filming location as well as Liu 's tweet .
`` In the new # Mulan , @ Disney thanks the public security bureau in ( Xinjiang city ) Turpan , which has been involved in the internment camps in East Turkistan , '' the statement read .
`` Last year , the actor publicly supported the # HongKongPolice in their violent crackdowns on pro-democracy protesters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the credit screen to Twitter on Sunday .
`` Mulan specifically thank the publicity department of CPC Xinjiang uyghur autonomous region committee in the credits .
You know , the place where the cultural genocide is happening , '' the caption reads .
`` They filmed extensively in Xinjiang , which the subtitles call 'Northwest China ' # BoycottMulan . ''
User @ JooeySiiu tweeted Tuesday , `` Not only did the actress Liu Yi-fei of # Mulan publicly supported # PoliceBrutality , the film was also found to be filmed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Uyghurs inside the 're-education camps ' .
# BoycottMulan , for Hongkongers and for Uyghurs . ''
Hong Kong activist Nathan Law tweeted Monday , `` Why we should # BoycottMulan ?
It ’ s about hypocrisy .
In Hollywood movies , they claim to embrace social justice .
In fact , they kowtow to autocratic China disgracefully .
They shamed themselves by upholding values they don ’ t even believe in .
Movies , should be more than money . ''
User @ shawnwzhang tweeted Monday , `` Mulan thanks Turpan Bureau @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Turpan in 2018 , the peak of re-education campaign .
How many thousands of Uyghur were put into camps by Turpan Bureau of Public Security when filming Mulan there ? ''
In an interview with USA TODAY before the movie 's release , Liu said she is n't engaging in political discussion as an actress , adding that she was naïve to step into the debate .
`` It 's obviously very frustrating and obviously this is a very complicated question , '' she says .
`` I 'm not a political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so I just hoped this gets resolved soon . ''
Who is Yifei Liu ?
Meet Disney 's new 'Mulan' 'Mulan ' is streaming : Live-action 'Mulan ' is on Disney+ – but there 's a catch

'Mulan' controversy: Congressional commission writes to Disney CEO Bob Chapek demanding answers
Show Caption Hide Caption Stars say 'Mulan' brings fresh approach to ancient Chinese story Action star Jet Li - who appears opposite Liu Yifei in the latest version of "Mulan" - says he signed up to the movie at the insistence of his 15-year-old daughter. (Sept. 2) AP
Disney's live-action "Mulan" is coming under fire for filming partly in China's Xinjiang province, where there have been allegations of human rights abuses.
Activists and organizations have taken to social media to denounce the film after noticing the end credits share a "special thanks" to multiple government entities in Xinjiang. And now, a congressional commission is demanding answers from Disney's CEO.
In July, Washington sanctioned senior Chinese officials who it claimed are responsible for mass detentions, religious persecution and forced sterilization against Muslim Uighur minorities in Xinjiang.
China has repeatedly denied it mistreats Uighur Muslims in far-western Xinjiang, but human rights organizations and foreign media reports alleged that authorities detained about a million people in so-called re-education camps. China said the camps are vocational centers needed to counter radicalism.
On Friday, the Congressional-Executive Commission on China said on Twitter that it sent a bipartisan letter to Disney’s Chief Executive Officer, Bob Chapek, demanding answers about Disney’s dealings with the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR).
“Disney’s apparent cooperation with officials of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) who are most responsible for committing atrocities – or for covering up those crimes – is profoundly disturbing,” the letter reads.
Chairs send bipartisan letter to @Disney inquiring about the filming of #Mulan in #Xinjiang #Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) and #Disney’s relationship with security and propaganda entities responsible for committing, or covering up, atrocities in the #XUAR. pic.twitter.com/ucKTc7o1LV — China Commission (@CECCgov) September 11, 2020
It continues, “The decision to film parts of ‘Mulan’ in the XUAR, in cooperation with local security and propaganda elements, offers tacit legitimacy to these perpetrators of crimes that may warrant the designation of genocide.”
The letter also lists several specific points for the CEO to address that involve the company's dealings in the region as well as its executives' awareness of alleged human rights abuses while making "Mulan."
On Thursday, Disney CFO Christine McCarthy addressed the criticism at a virtual Bank of America investor conference.
“Mulan was primarily shot – almost the entirety – in New Zealand,” McCarthy told the conference. “And in an effort to accurately depict some of the unique landscape and geography of the country of China for this historical period-piece drama, we filmed scenery in 20 different locations in China.
“Now, it’s common knowledge that in order to film in China, you have to be granted permission, and that permission comes from the central government’s publicity department. It’s also common knowledge in the film industry, and it’s a practice that is done throughout the world, to acknowledge in a film’s credits the national and local governments that allowed you to film there. And so, in our credits, it recognized both China, as well as locations in New Zealand.”
USA TODAY has reached out to Disney for comment.
This isn't the only controversy surrounding "Mulan."
The film's star Yifei Liu walked into her first global controversy last August when she retweeted a post supportive of Chinese-backed police against Hong Kong protesters. The tweet drew heavy criticism and intensified calls from global critics to boycott the remake.
I've fought China's slow-motion genocide of Uighur Muslims: Now, my family are victims.
The World Uyghur Congress, an organization promoting Uyghur human rights, tweeted a statement Monday about the filming location as well as Liu's tweet.
"In the new #Mulan, @Disney thanks the public security bureau in (Xinjiang city) Turpan, which has been involved in the internment camps in East Turkistan," the statement read. "Last year, the actor publicly supported the #HongKongPolice in their violent crackdowns on pro-democracy protesters."
User @jeannette_ng shared an image of the credit screen to Twitter on Sunday.
"Mulan specifically thank(s) the publicity department of CPC Xinjiang uyghur autonomous region committee in the credits. You know, the place where the cultural genocide is happening," the caption reads. "They filmed extensively in Xinjiang, which the subtitles call 'Northwest China' #BoycottMulan."
User @JooeySiiu tweeted Tuesday, "Not only did the actress Liu Yi-fei of #Mulan publicly supported #PoliceBrutality, the film was also found to be filmed in Xinjiang — where the CCP detains countless Uyghurs inside the 're-education camps'. #BoycottMulan, for Hongkongers and for Uyghurs."
Hong Kong activist Nathan Law tweeted Monday, "Why we should #BoycottMulan? It’s about hypocrisy. In Hollywood movies, they claim to embrace social justice. In fact, they kowtow to autocratic China disgracefully. They shamed themselves by upholding values they don’t even believe in. Movies, should be more than money."
User @shawnwzhang tweeted Monday, "Mulan thanks Turpan Bureau of Public Security because it was filmed in Turpan in 2018, the peak of re-education campaign. How many thousands of Uyghur were put into camps by Turpan Bureau of Public Security when filming Mulan there?"
In an interview with USA TODAY before the movie's release, Liu said she isn't engaging in political discussion as an actress, adding that she was naïve to step into the debate.
"It's obviously very frustrating and obviously this is a very complicated question," she says. "I'm not a political expert, I'm an artist, so I just hoped this gets resolved soon."
Contributing: Kim Hjelmgaard, Bryan Alexander, Charles Trepany
Who is Yifei Liu? Meet Disney's new 'Mulan'
'Mulan' is streaming: Live-action 'Mulan' is on Disney+ – but there's a catch


usatoday--2020-09-08--Woman living in her car gets life-changing job

Woman living in her car gets life-changing job After a life of addiction , abandonment and abuse , LaShenda Williams @ @ @ @ @ more from Kroger and its customers .

Woman living in her car gets life-changing job
After a life of addiction, abandonment and abuse, LaShenda Williams gets a job and much more from Kroger and its customers.
Humankind, USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-09-08--Play it safe: What to expect if your kids play youth sports during the COVID-19 pandemic

Privately run youth sports leagues have largely carried on as usual as states re-open after coronavirus restrictions .
But navigating new tournament and league rules can be difficult because recommendations vary , depending on the organizer .
Parents and athletes should read CDC considerations , ask questions , and study each event ’ s rules before deciding whether your child should play .
CDC recommends that you consider the following when assessing risk : • Physical closeness of players , and the time that players are close to each other .
• How much equipment is shared , cleaned and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social distancing while not engaged in play .
• Age of the players .
Older youths may be better at following directions for social distancing and taking other precautions like not sharing water bottles .
• Size of the team .
Sports with a large number of players on a team may increase the likelihood of spread .
• Players at higher risk of developing serious disease .
Whether you are traveling to a tournament over the weekend , or playing a game in your own town , you should make sure to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contact with others .
If your sporting events last all day or even the weekend be sure to fill a cooler .
Concession stands may not be available and bringing food and drinks will limit contact with others .
Youth sports teams should consider competing only against teams in their local area .
Traveling outside the local community may increase the chances of exposing players , coaches , and fans to COVID-19 , or unknowingly spreading it to others .
Limit hanging out with the team in public areas of the hotel , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their distance from each other .
Declining daily room service will limit the number of people in your room .
Privately run Amateur Athletic Union ( AAU ) youth sports are separate from high school sports .
State high school sports organizations continue to monitor and update plans heading into the 2020-21 academic/athletic year .
Some states plan to move forward as scheduled while others have already modified plans , including shifting the entire fall season to 2021 .
Youth sports organizations will use several strategies to maintain healthy operations on game day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their cars until warm-up before the game , instead of forming a group .
Parents should wait in their cars until just before game time .
Leagues will increase the amount of time between games to allow for one group to leave before another group enters a facility .
Bring your own chair to games .
Bleachers or facility seating areas may be taped off .
Avoid sharing gear and athletic equipment .
Discourage unnecessary physical contact , such as high-fives , handshakes , fist bumps , or hugs .

Privately run youth sports leagues have largely carried on as usual as states re-open after coronavirus restrictions. But navigating new tournament and league rules can be difficult because recommendations vary, depending on the organizer.
Parents and athletes should read CDC considerations, ask questions, and study each event’s rules before deciding whether your child should play.
CDC recommends that you consider the following when assessing risk:
Physical closeness of players, and the time that players are close to each other.
How much equipment is shared, cleaned and disinfected.
Ability to engage in social distancing while not engaged in play.
Age of the players. Older youths may be better at following directions for social distancing and taking other precautions like not sharing water bottles.
Size of the team. Sports with a large number of players on a team may increase the likelihood of spread.
Players at higher risk of developing serious disease.
Whether you are traveling to a tournament over the weekend, or playing a game in your own town, you should make sure to limit stops along your route and restrict contact with others.
If your sporting events last all day or even the weekend be sure to fill a cooler. Concession stands may not be available and bringing food and drinks will limit contact with others.
Youth sports teams should consider competing only against teams in their local area. Traveling outside the local community may increase the chances of exposing players, coaches, and fans to COVID-19, or unknowingly spreading it to others.
Limit hanging out with the team in public areas of the hotel, unless outside and team members are keeping their distance from each other. Declining daily room service will limit the number of people in your room.
Privately run Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) youth sports are separate from high school sports. State high school sports organizations continue to monitor and update plans heading into the 2020-21 academic/athletic year. Some states plan to move forward as scheduled while others have already modified plans, including shifting the entire fall season to 2021.
Youth sports organizations will use several strategies to maintain healthy operations on game day.
Players will be asked to wait in their cars until warm-up before the game, instead of forming a group. Parents should wait in their cars until just before game time.
Leagues will increase the amount of time between games to allow for one group to leave before another group enters a facility.
Bring your own chair to games. Bleachers or facility seating areas may be taped off.
Avoid sharing gear and athletic equipment. Discourage unnecessary physical contact, such as high-fives, handshakes, fist bumps, or hugs.