usatoday--2020-09-05--Coronavirus updates: Trump asks 'everybody to be careful' over Labor Day; 410K US deaths predicted b

Amid promises this week from the president and pharmaceutical companies that there may be a COVID-19 vaccine within months , the head of the World Health Organization said Friday that the agency won ’ t recommend any vaccine before it is proven safe and effective .
A WHO spokesperson told Reuters Friday that the agency does not expect widespread vaccinations against COVID-19 until the middle of next year .
And this Labor Day weekend , health experts worry that gatherings — of all sizes — could push another coronavirus surge .
With temperatures forecast to reach triple digits in California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crowded .
Families and friends will gather for cookouts across the country .
And , in South Dakota , the annual state fair will bring together thousands for cotton candy and amusement rides .
On Friday , President Donald Trump addressed the holiday weekend , urging `` everybody to be careful . ''
He encouraged `` social distancing , wearing a mask whenever the distancing is not possible . ''
The comments come hours after Trump mocked Democratic opponent Joe Biden for wearing a mask .
• Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 and said that he will continue to be tested “ on a regular basis.
” • The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington 's School of Medicine is predicting more than 410,000 deaths by January if mask usage stays at current rates .
If governments continue relaxing social distancing requirements , that number could increase .
• Thousands of Black and Hispanic Americans could go uncounted in the nation ’ s census this year because of the coronavirus pandemic and other disruptions .
• The U.S. economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses shuttered by the COVID-19 pandemic continued to reopen and bring back workers .
• At least 7,000 health workers worldwide have died after contracting COVID-19 , according to human rights organization Amnesty International .
📈 Today 's numbers : The U.S. has about 6.2 million confirmed cases and over 187,000 deaths , according to Johns Hopkins University data .
Globally , there are 26 million cases and more than 872,000 people have died .
New case records were set in Montana , North Dakota and West Virginia , according to a USA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Record numbers of deaths were reported in Arkansas .
📰 What we 're reading : The coronavirus pandemic and social unrest have increased the demand for therapists of color .
`` COVID made it explicit , some of the needs that communities of color always had to struggle with : unemployment , health conditions , lack of insurance , lack of coverage for mental health , '' said Lucy Takagi , a clinical specialist at Montclair State University .
This file will be updated throughout the day .
For updates in your inbox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hilton is closing its 478-room hotel in Times Square effective Oct. 1 , according to a document it filed with state regulators this week .
Two hundred employees will lose their jobs , the filing says , due to `` unforeseeable business circumstances prompted by COVID-19 . ''
The pandemic has wiped out hotel occupancy in urban areas , including the heart of New York City .
According to a report this week from the American Hotel and Lodging Association , an industry group , hotel occupancy in urban markets was 38 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % it takes for most properties to break even .
As an early epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States , New York has experienced a dramatic drop in tourism .
While the city has recovered since the spring , restaurants remain closed to indoor dining and Broadway is closed until next year .
Russian scientists have belatedly published first results from early trials into the experimental Sputnik V vaccine , which received government approval last month but drew considerable criticism from experts , as the shots had only been tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ widely administered .
In a report published in the journal Lancet on Friday , developers of the vaccine said it appeared to be safe and to prompt an antibody response in all 40 people tested in the second phase of the study within three weeks .
However , the authors noted that participants were only followed for 42 days , the study sample was small and there was no placebo or control vaccine used .
One part of the safety trial included only men and the study mostly involved people in their 20s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how the vaccine might work in older populations most at risk of the more severe complications of COVID-19 .
Many months into the pandemic , Google is making Friday a one-time paid holiday for `` collective wellbeing '' and encouraging employees to enjoy a four-day holiday weekend , the company confirmed .
Google announced in July that employees would continue to work from home until summer of 2021 .
Census response in poor , minority neighborhoods is undermined by coronavirus Thousands of Black and Hispanic Americans could go uncounted in the nation ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus pandemic and other disruptions that discouraged households in poor and heavily minority neighborhoods from filling out their forms .
In 63 % of census tracts , fewer people provided initial responses this year than in 2010 , a USA TODAY analysis found .
Response rates fell particularly in tracts with high concentrations of Black or Latino residents , large percentages of families qualifying for government benefits , or low levels of access to broadband internet .
People of color and poor families are undercounted every census .
But COVID-19 delayed delivery of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spring quarantine and delayed operations since then to reach households that failed to respond .
The U.S. economy added 1.4 million jobs in August as businesses shuttered by the COVID-19 pandemic continued to reopen and bring back workers , more than offsetting a fresh wave of layoffs by firms that have exhausted their federal loans .
The unemployment rate fell sharply to 8.4 % from 10.2 % in July , the Labor Department said Friday .
August ’ s payroll gains were healthy but mark the second straight monthly slowdown in hiring after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in June and 1.8 million in July .
That ’ s a troubling sign considering the nation has recouped slightly less than half the unprecedented 22 million jobs wiped out in early spring as states closed down nonessential businesses such as restaurants , malls and movie theaters .
7,000 health workers worldwide have died from COVID-19 , NGO says At least 7,000 health workers worldwide have died after contracting COVID-19 , human rights organization Amnesty International said Thursday .
`` For over seven thousand people to die while trying to save others is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Every health worker has the right to be safe at work , and it is a scandal that so many are paying the ultimate price , '' Steve Cockburn , Head of Economic and Social Justice at Amnesty International , said in a statement .
At least 1,320 health workers are confirmed to have died in Mexico alone , the highest known figure for any country , the group said .
The U.S. has seen the second-highest number of health care worker deaths , Amnesty International said , with more than 1,000 deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths by January : IHME More than 410,000 Americans will die of COVID-19 by Jan. 1 , according to a model cited by top health officials and once used by the White House .
The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington 's School of Medicine predicts that number could exceed 620,000 if mask usage stays at current rates and governments continue relaxing social distancing requirements .
Global deaths could reach 4 million by the end of the year in a worst case scenario , with a `` most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Daily deaths in December could be as high as 30,000 .
`` Looking at the staggering COVID-19 estimates , it 's easy to get lost in the enormity of the numbers , '' said IHME Director Dr. Christopher Murray .
`` The number of deaths exceeds the capacity of the world 's 50 largest stadiums , a sobering image of the people who have lost their lives and livelihoods . ''
Murray said these numbers could imore lives could be saved if mask usage is near-universal and governments implement social distancing requirements .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ after struggling to breathe during Zoom lecture • How to safely celebrate Labor Day weekend during a pandemic • Do you need a COVID-19 test if you plan to travel ?
Do you still need to quarantine ?
What to know about the confusing rules • Venice Film Festival attendees push for movie theaters shuttered by COVID-19 to reopen Two-thirds say they wo n't get COVID-19 vaccine when it 's first available Two-thirds of U.S. voters say they wo n't try to get a coronavirus vaccine as soon as it becomes available and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to get it ever , according to a new USA TODAY/Suffolk poll released the same week that the number of COVID-19 cases surpassed 6 million .
The poll of 1,000 voters follows similar surveys conducted in the past month that indicate as many as one third of Americans would decline a vaccine , fueled by mistrust of the Trump administration 's push to speed up its development as well as a sizable slice of the country that generally oppose immunizations of any kind .
The Officer Down Memorial Page , a nonprofit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports more than 100 law enforcement officials have died of COVID-19 .
Line-of-duty officer deaths in 2020 have already exceeded the total from 2019 , when gunfire and vehicle crashes accounted for two-thirds of the 147 fatalities counted by the Officer Down Memorial group .
Officers have been considered essential workers throughout the pandemic , which has been particularly cruel to corrections officers .
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice alone has had at least 16 confirmed line-of-duty deaths because of COVID-19 .
`` By the end of this pandemic , it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the single largest incident cause of death for law enforcement officers , '' spokeswoman Jessica Rushing said .
South Dakota is one of the nation 's hot spots for COVID-19 infections .
That did n't stop another large-scale event from kicking off Thursday .
The rural South Dakota State Fair , which reported an attendance of 205,000 people last year , is set to run through Labor Day with more hand-washing stations , social distancing reminders and an encouragement — but not a requirement — for attendees to wear masks .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's two largest events : The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and the The Sioux Empire Fair .
In the weeks following those events , South Dakota has emerged as a virus hotbed , according to data analysis .
State and national health experts say the rise in cases is likely fueled by a combination of factors , including school reopenings , small gatherings and major events .
President Donald Trump dismissed questions about his own health and mocked his Democratic opponent for wearing a mask in a freewheeling rally Thursday in Pennsylvania that came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For a second day , Trump dismissed questions about an unscheduled visit he made to Walter Reed Medical Center in November , brushing aside a report about the visit as a conspiracy concocted by critics .
At the same time , Trump raised unfounded questions about Joe Biden 's own health , and criticized his mask-wearing .
`` They want to try to get me to be in Biden ’ s physical level , '' Trump told a crowded rally held in an airport hangar outside Pittsburgh .
`` I don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not true . ''
Trump was responding to a new book that asserted Vice President Mike Pence had been put on `` standby '' to take over the powers of the presidency during Trump 's November trip to Walter Reed .
The White House has said Trump went there as part of his annual physical .
Some schools cancel online company after reports of 'inappropriate and racist content' As millions of students begin the semester online , a number of schools have terminated contracts with an online learning company following reports that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ content .
Examples posted online by activists and confirmed by Kansas City-based Acellus , a learning company that contracts with about 6,000 schools , include suggestive language such as `` sweetie lips '' and a controversial illustration in a lesson about Harriet Tubman .
At least four elementary schools in Hawaii were among the first to cancel contracts .
In August , parents and community members posted images and video on social media and an online petition , saying they showed examples of content that caused concern .
Aliamanu Elementary School at Joint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after reports of `` inappropriate and racist content '' that spanned course subjects and grade levels , Principal Sandra Yoshimi wrote in a letter sent to families .
California 's workplace safety regulator has ordered the San Quentin Prison dental clinic to stop drilling and other work because unsafe practices are spreading COVID-19 .
The California Division of Occupational Health and Safety said workers were being put at risk of infection and banned dental work that sprays droplets from the patient 's mouth until the prison can meet a list of safety conditions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The prison in the San Francisco Bay Area is the California lockup hit hardest by the coronavirus .
More than 2,200 inmates — about two-thirds of the prison population — have been infected , along with nearly 300 employees .
Twenty-six inmates — including several on death row — have died from confirmed or suspected infections .
New Zealand is extending its coronavirus restriction until at least mid-September , Prime Minister Jacinda Arden announced Friday .
Officials continue to mandate face masks on public transport and restrict large gatherings across the country after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last month .
The country reported five new COVID-19 infections on Friday .
Three cases were connected to the Auckland outbreak while the other two were returning travelers who are under quarantine .
California is making `` a lot of progress '' toward reopening Disneyland and other theme parks , Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Wednesday .
Still , Newsom said in a news conference , `` we still have work to do '' to establish guidelines that would allow the parks to reopen for the first time since they shut down in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We ’ re still working on some details , '' he said , without offering any specifics .
State officials have not allowed theme parks to reopen because of a spike in coronavirus cases .
California has more cases than any other state , and as of Thursday , they totaled nearly more than 707,800 , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
The Golden State also had the most new cases in the past week , with more than 34,700 reported .
• On Facebook : There 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
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 inbox , offering you a virtual hug and a little bit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sign up for Staying Apart , Together .

Ashley May, Jessica Flores, Grace Hauck and Joel Shannon, USA TODAY

Coronavirus updates: Trump asks 'everybody to be careful' over Labor Day; 410K US deaths predicted by January
Show Caption Hide Caption COVID-19 vaccine trials rely on volunteers for breakthrough It takes a lot of people to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. Volunteers may be one of the most important. USA TODAY, Wochit
Amid promises this week from the president and pharmaceutical companies that there may be a COVID-19 vaccine within months, the head of the World Health Organization said Friday that the agency won’t recommend any vaccine before it is proven safe and effective.
A WHO spokesperson told Reuters Friday that the agency does not expect widespread vaccinations against COVID-19 until the middle of next year.
And this Labor Day weekend, health experts worry that gatherings — of all sizes — could push another coronavirus surge. With temperatures forecast to reach triple digits in California, the beaches are expected to be crowded. Families and friends will gather for cookouts across the country. And, in South Dakota, the annual state fair will bring together thousands for cotton candy and amusement rides.
On Friday, President Donald Trump addressed the holiday weekend, urging "everybody to be careful." He encouraged "social distancing, wearing a mask whenever the distancing is not possible." The comments come hours after Trump mocked Democratic opponent Joe Biden for wearing a mask.
Some significant developments:
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden confirmed Friday that he has been tested for COVID-19 and said that he will continue to be tested “on a regular basis.”
The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington's School of Medicine is predicting more than 410,000 deaths by January if mask usage stays at current rates. If governments continue relaxing social distancing requirements, that number could increase.
Thousands of Black and Hispanic Americans could go uncounted in the nation’s census this year because of the coronavirus pandemic and other disruptions.
The U.S. economy added 1.4 million jobs in August as businesses shuttered by the COVID-19 pandemic continued to reopen and bring back workers.
At least 7,000 health workers worldwide have died after contracting COVID-19, according to human rights organization Amnesty International.
📈 Today's numbers: The U.S. has about 6.2 million confirmed cases and over 187,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Globally, there are 26 million cases and more than 872,000 people have died. New case records were set in Montana, North Dakota and West Virginia, according to a USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins data. Record numbers of deaths were reported in Arkansas.
📰 What we're reading: The coronavirus pandemic and social unrest have increased the demand for therapists of color. "COVID made it explicit, some of the needs that communities of color always had to struggle with: unemployment, health conditions, lack of insurance, lack of coverage for mental health," said Lucy Takagi, a clinical specialist at Montclair State University.
This file will be updated throughout the day. For updates in your inbox, subscribe to the Daily Briefing.
Hilton is closing its 478-room hotel in Times Square effective Oct. 1, according to a document it filed with state regulators this week. Two hundred employees will lose their jobs, the filing says, due to "unforeseeable business circumstances prompted by COVID-19."
The pandemic has wiped out hotel occupancy in urban areas, including the heart of New York City. According to a report this week from the American Hotel and Lodging Association, an industry group, hotel occupancy in urban markets was 38% in August, well below the 50% it takes for most properties to break even.
As an early epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States, New York has experienced a dramatic drop in tourism. While the city has recovered since the spring, restaurants remain closed to indoor dining and Broadway is closed until next year.
– Curtis Tate
Russian scientists have belatedly published first results from early trials into the experimental Sputnik V vaccine, which received government approval last month but drew considerable criticism from experts, as the shots had only been tested on several dozen people before being more widely administered.
In a report published in the journal Lancet on Friday, developers of the vaccine said it appeared to be safe and to prompt an antibody response in all 40 people tested in the second phase of the study within three weeks. However, the authors noted that participants were only followed for 42 days, the study sample was small and there was no placebo or control vaccine used.
One part of the safety trial included only men and the study mostly involved people in their 20s and 30s, so it is unclear how the vaccine might work in older populations most at risk of the more severe complications of COVID-19.
— The Associated Press
Google gives employees extra holiday amid pandemic
Many months into the pandemic, Google is making Friday a one-time paid holiday for "collective wellbeing" and encouraging employees to enjoy a four-day holiday weekend, the company confirmed.
Google announced in July that employees would continue to work from home until summer of 2021.
Thousands of Black and Hispanic Americans could go uncounted in the nation’s census this year because of the coronavirus pandemic and other disruptions that discouraged households in poor and heavily minority neighborhoods from filling out their forms.
In 63% of census tracts, fewer people provided initial responses this year than in 2010, a USA TODAY analysis found. Response rates fell particularly in tracts with high concentrations of Black or Latino residents, large percentages of families qualifying for government benefits, or low levels of access to broadband internet.
People of color and poor families are undercounted every census. But COVID-19 delayed delivery of Census questionnaires for hard-to-reach populations during the spring quarantine and delayed operations since then to reach households that failed to respond.
– Theresa Diffendal
The U.S. economy added 1.4 million jobs in August as businesses shuttered by the COVID-19 pandemic continued to reopen and bring back workers, more than offsetting a fresh wave of layoffs by firms that have exhausted their federal loans.
The unemployment rate fell sharply to 8.4% from 10.2% in July, the Labor Department said Friday.
August’s payroll gains were healthy but mark the second straight monthly slowdown in hiring after employers added a record 4.8 million positions in June and 1.8 million in July. That’s a troubling sign considering the nation has recouped slightly less than half the unprecedented 22 million jobs wiped out in early spring as states closed down nonessential businesses such as restaurants, malls and movie theaters.
– Paul Davidson
At least 7,000 health workers worldwide have died after contracting COVID-19, human rights organization Amnesty International said Thursday.
"For over seven thousand people to die while trying to save others is a crisis on a staggering scale. Every health worker has the right to be safe at work, and it is a scandal that so many are paying the ultimate price," Steve Cockburn, Head of Economic and Social Justice at Amnesty International, said in a statement.
At least 1,320 health workers are confirmed to have died in Mexico alone, the highest known figure for any country, the group said. The U.S. has seen the second-highest number of health care worker deaths, Amnesty International said, with more than 1,000 deaths.
More than 410,000 Americans will die of COVID-19 by Jan. 1, according to a model cited by top health officials and once used by the White House.
The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington's School of Medicine predicts that number could exceed 620,000 if mask usage stays at current rates and governments continue relaxing social distancing requirements. Global deaths could reach 4 million by the end of the year in a worst case scenario, with a "most likely" scenario of 2.8 million.
Daily deaths in December could be as high as 30,000.
"Looking at the staggering COVID-19 estimates, it's easy to get lost in the enormity of the numbers," said IHME Director Dr. Christopher Murray. "The number of deaths exceeds the capacity of the world's 50 largest stadiums, a sobering image of the people who have lost their lives and livelihoods."
Murray said these numbers could imore lives could be saved if mask usage is near-universal and governments implement social distancing requirements.
What we're reading
Two-thirds of U.S. voters say they won't try to get a coronavirus vaccine as soon as it becomes available and one in four say they don't want to get it ever, according to a new USA TODAY/Suffolk poll released the same week that the number of COVID-19 cases surpassed 6 million.
The poll of 1,000 voters follows similar surveys conducted in the past month that indicate as many as one third of Americans would decline a vaccine, fueled by mistrust of the Trump administration's push to speed up its development as well as a sizable slice of the country that generally oppose immunizations of any kind.
– Sarah Elbeshbishi and Ledyard King
The Officer Down Memorial Page, a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring fallen officers, reports more than 100 law enforcement officials have died of COVID-19. Line-of-duty officer deaths in 2020 have already exceeded the total from 2019, when gunfire and vehicle crashes accounted for two-thirds of the 147 fatalities counted by the Officer Down Memorial group.
Officers have been considered essential workers throughout the pandemic, which has been particularly cruel to corrections officers. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice alone has had at least 16 confirmed line-of-duty deaths because of COVID-19.
"By the end of this pandemic, it is very likely that COVID will surpass 9/11 as the single largest incident cause of death for law enforcement officers," spokeswoman Jessica Rushing said.
– John Bacon
South Dakota is one of the nation's hot spots for COVID-19 infections. That didn't stop another large-scale event from kicking off Thursday.
The rural South Dakota State Fair, which reported an attendance of 205,000 people last year, is set to run through Labor Day with more hand-washing stations, social distancing reminders and an encouragement — but not a requirement — for attendees to wear masks. It comes on the heels of the state's two largest events: The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and the The Sioux Empire Fair.
In the weeks following those events, South Dakota has emerged as a virus hotbed, according to data analysis. State and national health experts say the rise in cases is likely fueled by a combination of factors, including school reopenings, small gatherings and major events.
– Joel Shannon
President Donald Trump dismissed questions about his own health and mocked his Democratic opponent for wearing a mask in a freewheeling rally Thursday in Pennsylvania that came as polls show a tightening race.
For a second day, Trump dismissed questions about an unscheduled visit he made to Walter Reed Medical Center in November, brushing aside a report about the visit as a conspiracy concocted by critics. At the same time, Trump raised unfounded questions about Joe Biden's own health, and criticized his mask-wearing.
"They want to try to get me to be in Biden’s physical level," Trump told a crowded rally held in an airport hangar outside Pittsburgh. "I don’t like rumors like that. It’s not true."
Trump was responding to a new book that asserted Vice President Mike Pence had been put on "standby" to take over the powers of the presidency during Trump's November trip to Walter Reed. The White House has said Trump went there as part of his annual physical.
– John Fritze and David Jackson
As millions of students begin the semester online, a number of schools have terminated contracts with an online learning company following reports that some lessons included racist and sexually suggestive content.
Examples posted online by activists and confirmed by Kansas City-based Acellus, a learning company that contracts with about 6,000 schools, include suggestive language such as "sweetie lips" and a controversial illustration in a lesson about Harriet Tubman.
At least four elementary schools in Hawaii were among the first to cancel contracts. In August, parents and community members posted images and video on social media and an online petition, saying they showed examples of content that caused concern.
Aliamanu Elementary School at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam decided to drop Acellus after reports of "inappropriate and racist content" that spanned course subjects and grade levels, Principal Sandra Yoshimi wrote in a letter sent to families.
– Elinor Aspegren
California's workplace safety regulator has ordered the San Quentin Prison dental clinic to stop drilling and other work because unsafe practices are spreading COVID-19.
The California Division of Occupational Health and Safety said workers were being put at risk of infection and banned dental work that sprays droplets from the patient's mouth until the prison can meet a list of safety conditions, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
The prison in the San Francisco Bay Area is the California lockup hit hardest by the coronavirus. More than 2,200 inmates — about two-thirds of the prison population — have been infected, along with nearly 300 employees. Twenty-six inmates — including several on death row — have died from confirmed or suspected infections.
New Zealand is extending its coronavirus restriction until at least mid-September, Prime Minister Jacinda Arden announced Friday. Officials continue to mandate face masks on public transport and restrict large gatherings across the country after the city of Auckland had an outbreak last month.
The country reported five new COVID-19 infections on Friday. Three cases were connected to the Auckland outbreak while the other two were returning travelers who are under quarantine.
California is making "a lot of progress" toward reopening Disneyland and other theme parks, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday.
Still, Newsom said in a news conference, "we still have work to do" to establish guidelines that would allow the parks to reopen for the first time since they shut down in March because of the coronavirus pandemic.
"We’re still working on some details," he said, without offering any specifics.
State officials have not allowed theme parks to reopen because of a spike in coronavirus cases. California has more cases than any other state, and as of Thursday, they totaled nearly more than 707,800, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Golden State also had the most new cases in the past week, with more than 34,700 reported.
– Curtis Tate
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: Jorge Ortiz, USA TODAY; The Associated Press


usatoday--2020-09-04--Mississippi AG drops case against Curtis Flowers, a Black man who was tried 6 times for same crime

JACKSON , Miss .
– The Mississippi Attorney General 's Office is dropping its case against Curtis Flowers , a Black man who was tried six times for the same crime by a white prosecutor .
The case drew national attention last year as it went before the U.S. Supreme Court after it was the subject of `` In The Dark , '' a popular investigative podcast .
Flowers , accused of killing four people at a furniture store in Winona in 1996 , has maintained his innocence for more than two decades as his case went through an unprecedented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ modern U.S. history .
“ Today I am finally free from the injustice that left me locked in a box for nearly 23 years , ” Flowers , 50 , said Friday in a statement .
“ I ’ ve been asked if I ever thought this day would come .
I have been blessed with a family that never gave up on me and with them by my side , I knew it would.
” One of Flowers ' attorneys noted the significance that the dismissal came as protesters demonstrate in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killings of Black people .
The dismissal `` adds one more important proof that 145 years after the Civil Rights Act of 1875 , a recalcitrant demagogue will no longer be able to stop the forces of transformation in Mississippi and nationally , calling for racial equity to replace white supremacy as our justice system 's organizing principle , '' attorney Henderson Hill said .
'Unprecedented ' number of trials caused by mistrials and prosecutor misconduct The prosecutor , Fifth Circuit District Attorney Doug Evans , tried Flowers multiple times as he failed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guilt and failed to make convictions stick .
Two trials ended in hung juries and four convictions were overturned because higher courts found evidence of prosecutorial misconduct .
June 2019 : Supreme Court overturns conviction of Curtis Flowers , tried 6 times for murder , citing racism in jury selection In June 2019 , the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Flowers ' most recent conviction in 2010 after finding that Evans deliberately worked to prevent prospective Black jurors from serving during jury selection .
In December , Flowers was allowed to walk free on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first time in two decades as they waited to see if he would face trial a seventh time .
Flowers ' attorneys sought to remove Evans from the case .
The prosecutor quietly withdrew in January in the face of opposition and Flowers ' case went to Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch 's office for review .
Fitch filed a motion to dismiss Flower 's indictment on Friday and it was approved by Judge Joseph Loper .
“ The case against Curtis Flowers never made sense , ” said Flowers ’ attorney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Justice .
“ He was 26 years old with no criminal record and nothing in his history to suggest he would commit a crime like this .
As time went by , even more evidence emerged to corroborate his innocence .
This prosecution was flawed from the beginning and was tainted throughout by racial discrimination .
It should never have occurred and lasted far too long , but we are glad it is finally over.
” Vangela Wade , president and CEO of the Mississippi Center for Justice , said district attorneys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bail , plea bargaining , trial and sentencing .
Wade called for a `` deeper fight against racism '' in the state 's criminal justice system .
`` Mississippi must reform our criminal justice system from the bottom up , starting with rooting out racial bias in prosecutorial discretion , '' Wade said .
Why did the AG decide to drop charges ?
Fitch filed a motion on Friday to dismiss the indictment against Flowers , citing a lack of witnesses and the existence of alternate suspects .
In court filings , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ key witnesses that had testified against Flowers in the past had either died or made conflicting statements on the record .
“ …The only witness who offered direct evidence of guilt recanted his prior testimony , admitting that he was lying when he said Mr .
Flowers made a jailhouse confession to the murders . ''
Much of the new evidence of Flowers ' innocence stemmed from the investigation by `` In the Dark , '' Flowers ' attorneys said .
On the morning of July 16 , 1996 , Tardy Furniture 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the head execution-style .
The victims were Bertha Tardy , 59 ; Carmen Rigby , 45 ; Roberty Golden , 42 ; and 16-year-old Derrick Stewart , who was known as `` Bobo . ''
All were dead at the scene except Derrick , who fought for his life for several days until he succumbed to his injuries .
The evidence investigators gathered at the scene included a bloody footprint and bullets .
Nearly $ 400 was missing from the cash drawer .
Police arrested Flowers several months later .
He was indicted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Flowers had worked at the store for a short time before being fired , and prosecutors had portrayed Flowers as a disgruntled employee who was out for revenge .

Mississippi AG drops case against Curtis Flowers, a Black man who was tried 6 times for same crime
Show Caption Hide Caption Curtis Flowers case dropped by Mississippi AG's office The Mississippi Attorney General's Office announced Friday it would drop the case against Curtis Flowers, ending an unprecedented string of trials. Staff Report, Wochit
JACKSON, Miss. – The Mississippi Attorney General's Office is dropping its case against Curtis Flowers, a Black man who was tried six times for the same crime by a white prosecutor.
The case drew national attention last year as it went before the U.S. Supreme Court after it was the subject of "In The Dark," a popular investigative podcast.
Flowers, accused of killing four people at a furniture store in Winona in 1996, has maintained his innocence for more than two decades as his case went through an unprecedented number of trials, the most in modern U.S. history.
“Today I am finally free from the injustice that left me locked in a box for nearly 23 years,” Flowers, 50, said Friday in a statement. “I’ve been asked if I ever thought this day would come. I have been blessed with a family that never gave up on me and with them by my side, I knew it would.”
One of Flowers' attorneys noted the significance that the dismissal came as protesters demonstrate in the U.S. and around the world against police killings of Black people.
The dismissal "adds one more important proof that 145 years after the Civil Rights Act of 1875, a recalcitrant demagogue will no longer be able to stop the forces of transformation in Mississippi and nationally, calling for racial equity to replace white supremacy as our justice system's organizing principle," attorney Henderson Hill said.
'Unprecedented' number of trials caused by mistrials and prosecutor misconduct
The prosecutor, Fifth Circuit District Attorney Doug Evans, tried Flowers multiple times as he failed to convince the juries of Flowers' guilt and failed to make convictions stick. Two trials ended in hung juries and four convictions were overturned because higher courts found evidence of prosecutorial misconduct.
June 2019: Curtis Flowers' conviction overturned: Family, lawyer elated
June 2019: Supreme Court overturns conviction of Curtis Flowers, tried 6 times for murder, citing racism in jury selection
In June 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Flowers' most recent conviction in 2010 after finding that Evans deliberately worked to prevent prospective Black jurors from serving during jury selection.
In December, Flowers was allowed to walk free on bond and return to his family for the first time in two decades as they waited to see if he would face trial a seventh time.
Flowers' attorneys sought to remove Evans from the case. The prosecutor quietly withdrew in January in the face of opposition and Flowers' case went to Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch's office for review.
Fitch filed a motion to dismiss Flower's indictment on Friday and it was approved by Judge Joseph Loper.
“The case against Curtis Flowers never made sense,” said Flowers’ attorney, Rob McDuff of the Mississippi Center for Justice. “He was 26 years old with no criminal record and nothing in his history to suggest he would commit a crime like this. As time went by, even more evidence emerged to corroborate his innocence. This prosecution was flawed from the beginning and was tainted throughout by racial discrimination. It should never have occurred and lasted far too long, but we are glad it is finally over.”
Vangela Wade, president and CEO of the Mississippi Center for Justice, said district attorneys hold much power in charging decisions, bail, plea bargaining, trial and sentencing.
Wade called for a "deeper fight against racism" in the state's criminal justice system.
"Mississippi must reform our criminal justice system from the bottom up, starting with rooting out racial bias in prosecutorial discretion," Wade said.
Why did the AG decide to drop charges?
Fitch filed a motion on Friday to dismiss the indictment against Flowers, citing a lack of witnesses and the existence of alternate suspects.
In court filings, the Attorney General’s office said all key witnesses that had testified against Flowers in the past had either died or made conflicting statements on the record.
“…The only witness who offered direct evidence of guilt recanted his prior testimony, admitting that he was lying when he said Mr. Flowers made a jailhouse confession to the murders."
Much of the new evidence of Flowers' innocence stemmed from the investigation by "In the Dark," Flowers' attorneys said.
The Tardy Furniture murders: What happened?
On the morning of July 16, 1996, Tardy Furniture's owner and three employees were shot in the head execution-style.
The victims were Bertha Tardy, 59; Carmen Rigby, 45; Roberty Golden, 42; and 16-year-old Derrick Stewart, who was known as "Bobo." All were dead at the scene except Derrick, who fought for his life for several days until he succumbed to his injuries.
The evidence investigators gathered at the scene included a bloody footprint and bullets. Nearly $400 was missing from the cash drawer.
Police arrested Flowers several months later. He was indicted on four counts of capital murder.
Flowers had worked at the store for a short time before being fired, and prosecutors had portrayed Flowers as a disgruntled employee who was out for revenge.
Follow Alissa Ahu on Twitter: @AlissaZhu


usatoday--2020-09-04--Trump says he's reversing decision to shutter Stars and Stripes newspaper

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump on Friday reversed a decision to cut funding to Stars and Stripes , a newspaper that has served American soldiers since the Civil War , in an announcement that came hours after the outlet 's demise was revealed .
“ The United States of America will NOT be cutting funding to @ starsandstripes magazine under my watch , ” Trump tweeted Friday .
“ It will continue to be a wonderful source of information to our Great Military !
” In a previously unpublicized memo cited by USA TODAY on Friday , the Pentagon delivered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cease publication after Sept. 30 .
Press advocates decried the move , arguing it was the latest in a series of decisions by the Trump administration to undermine independent reporting .
The initial order followed Trump 's appointment of an ally to Steve Bannon , his former top adviser , to head the agency that oversees Voice of America .
The appointee , Michael Pack , has drawn criticism for firing top staff .
`` We are disgusted at this latest attempt by this administration to destroy the free press in this country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Patricia Gallagher Newberry .
`` Stars and Stripes has been a lifeline and the source of much needed information , inspiration and support for troops all over the world , including places where communication with the outside world is at a minimum or nonexistent , '' she said .
More : The Pentagon has ordered Stars and Stripes to shut down for no good reason The decision to reverse course comes as the White House is facing a firestorm after a report in The Atlantic that details a history of Trump insulting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been captured or killed .
The story , citing unnamed officials , said Trump disparaged the military and described America 's war dead as `` losers '' and `` suckers '' – accusations he has angrily denied .
The White House spent much of Friday vehemently denying the report .
Trump described the unnamed sources making the claim as `` low lifes '' and `` liars . ''

Trump says he's reversing decision to shutter Stars and Stripes newspaper
Show Caption Hide Caption Trump denies disparaging US war dead A new report details multiple instances of President Donald Trump making disparaging remarks about members of the U.S. military who were captured or killed. Trump emphatically denied the report, which first appeared in The Atlantic. (Sept. 4) AP
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump on Friday reversed a decision to cut funding to Stars and Stripes, a newspaper that has served American soldiers since the Civil War, in an announcement that came hours after the outlet's demise was revealed.
“The United States of America will NOT be cutting funding to @starsandstripes magazine under my watch,” Trump tweeted Friday. “It will continue to be a wonderful source of information to our Great Military!”
In a previously unpublicized memo cited by USA TODAY on Friday, the Pentagon delivered an order to shutter the newspaper and cease publication after Sept. 30.
Press advocates decried the move, arguing it was the latest in a series of decisions by the Trump administration to undermine independent reporting. The initial order followed Trump's appointment of an ally to Steve Bannon, his former top adviser, to head the agency that oversees Voice of America.
The appointee, Michael Pack, has drawn criticism for firing top staff.
"We are disgusted at this latest attempt by this administration to destroy the free press in this country," said Society of Professional Journalists President Patricia Gallagher Newberry.
"Stars and Stripes has been a lifeline and the source of much needed information, inspiration and support for troops all over the world, including places where communication with the outside world is at a minimum or nonexistent," she said.
More: The Pentagon has ordered Stars and Stripes to shut down for no good reason
The decision to reverse course comes as the White House is facing a firestorm after a report in The Atlantic that details a history of Trump insulting members of the U.S. military who have been captured or killed. The story, citing unnamed officials, said Trump disparaged the military and described America's war dead as "losers" and "suckers" – accusations he has angrily denied.
The White House spent much of Friday vehemently denying the report. Trump described the unnamed sources making the claim as "low lifes" and "liars."
Contributing: Kathy Kiely


usatoday--2020-09-04--Alexander Payne denies Rose McGowan's assault allegations; McGowan says she will 'expose him'

In a column for Deadline published Friday , Payne lauded McGowan 's `` commitment to activism and her voice in an important , historic movement , '' but challenged the actress 's statutory rape allegations claiming he `` groomed '' her when she was 15 .
`` Rose is mistaken in saying we met when she was fifteen , in the late 1980s .
I was a full-time film student at UCLA from 1984 until 1990 , and I know that our paths never crossed , '' Payne wrote .
The actress and activist first accused the Oscar-winning director of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Alexander Payne .
You sat me down & played a soft-core porn movie you directed for Showtime under a different name , '' McGowan , 46 , tweeted .
`` I still remember your apartment in Silverlake .
You are very well-endowed .
You left me on a street corner afterwards .
I was 15 . ''
In another tweet , McGowan shared a picture of herself at age 15 , writing , `` I just want an acknowledgement and an apology .
I do not want to destroy . ''
USA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Payne .
In the column , Payne also denied having shown McGowan a `` soft-core porn movie '' he directed . ''
`` This would have been impossible , since I had never directed anything professionally , lurid or otherwise .
I have also never worked for Showtime or directed under any name other than my own , '' he wrote .
Payne added that he did meet McGowan in 1991 when she auditioned for a `` comic short ( he ) was making for a Playboy Channel series . ''
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part , she left a note at the `` casting desk '' asking for him to call her .
`` I had no reason to question how old she was , since the role she read for required an actor who was of age .
We later went out on a couple of dates and remained on friendly terms for years , '' Payne wrote .
`` While I can not allow false statements about events twenty-nine years ago to go uncorrected , I will continue to wish only the best for Rose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ column Friday in a statement made to Variety .
`` I told Payne to acknowledge and apologize , he has not .
I said I didn ’ t want to destroy , now I do .
Why do these men always lie ?
I will now make it a mission to expose him .
I am not the only one , '' she told the outlet .
McGowan continued : `` I want people that have watched his films to know his morals are in your mind , his thoughts have become yours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ Election , ’ where the middle-aged teacher that fantasizes having sex with his young student , Reese Witherspoon .
I want people to know Hollywood perpetrators show you who they are , their skewed view normalized .
Men like Predator Payne , who profited from working Weinstein , must be stopped from not only assaulting , but must also be prevented from infecting the masses with their propaganda . ''
Payne won two Oscars for best adapted screenplay for `` Sideways '' in 2005 and `` The Descendants '' in 2012 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Election , '' `` About Schmidt , '' `` Nebraska , '' and `` Downsizing . ''
In 2017 , Metacritic ranked Payne as one of the Top 25 film directors of the 21st century .
McGowan followed up her accusations with an Instagram message , where she again accused Payneof grooming and sexual assault .
`` For years I had thought a man I had sexual relations with was a sexual experience I had .
I now know I was groomed , '' McGowan said .
`` I auditioned for him at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I quit acting entirely until I was ‘ discovered ’ at 21 . ''
The `` Charmed '' actress explained that she realized she was preyed upon after coming forward with allegations against disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein .
McGowan , one of Weinstein 's first public accusers , says he raped her at the Sundance Film Festival in 1997 .
Her public acknowledgment two decades later helped fire up the # MeToo movement in October 2017 .
`` It wasn ’ t until three weeks after the Weinstein story broke that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` I feel badly about throwing a bomb into someone ’ s life and career , but I guess that ’ s social conditioning .
I ’ m more sad than angry .
Sad for 15 year-old me .
Sad for the adult me that still thought it was a choice I made .
Grooming is real . ''
McGowan said she was `` mentally massaged into thinking it ’ s okay '' when she was younger , an example of `` deep societal programming '' in Hollywood .
As an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this is predatory behavior .
`` If you are out there trying to have sex with an underage minor , you are committing a crime , even if the minor doesn ’ t know it , '' she wrote .
`` I was attracted to him , so I thought it was on me , but that ’ s not correct .
I was not an adult . ''
The actress assured victims who experienced a similar situation that it 's `` not your fault . ''
`` Please recognize that if this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not yours , it ’ s theirs .
Give it back , '' she said .
`` Groomers are skilled operators and at 15 , I was not aware of the warning signs . ''
McGowan 's claims are consistent with a February interview with journalist Ronan Farrow on his podcast `` Catch and Kill . ''
Although McGowan did n't name him at the time , she accused a `` prominent director '' of statutory rape when she was 15 .
`` I auditioned for him .
And he took me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , played me a soft-porn movie he ’ d made for Showtime , under a different name .
And then I slept with him and then he left me on the street corner next to Cafe Tropical on Sunset ( Boulevard ) , '' she told Farrow , nearly identical to her claims against Payne Monday .

Alexander Payne denies Rose McGowan's assault allegations; McGowan says she will 'expose him'
Show Caption Hide Caption Women boycott Twitter after Rose McGowan silenced Twitter temporarily locked Rose McGowan's account over tweets about Harvey Weinstein. After pushback from fellow celebrities and other Twitter users, the company unlocked her account and vowed more transparency going forward. Wochit
Alexander Payne is denying Rose McGowan's accusations of sexual assault.
In a column for Deadline published Friday, Payne lauded McGowan's "commitment to activism and her voice in an important, historic movement," but challenged the actress's statutory rape allegations claiming he "groomed" her when she was 15.
"Rose is mistaken in saying we met when she was fifteen, in the late 1980s. I was a full-time film student at UCLA from 1984 until 1990, and I know that our paths never crossed," Payne wrote.
The actress and activist first accused the Oscar-winning director of sexual assault on Twitter Aug. 17.
"Alexander Payne. You sat me down & played a soft-core porn movie you directed for Showtime under a different name," McGowan, 46, tweeted. "I still remember your apartment in Silverlake. You are very well-endowed. You left me on a street corner afterwards. I was 15."
In another tweet, McGowan shared a picture of herself at age 15, writing, "I just want an acknowledgement and an apology. I do not want to destroy."
USA TODAY reached out to reps for McGowan and Payne.
In the column, Payne also denied having shown McGowan a "soft-core porn movie" he directed."
"This would have been impossible, since I had never directed anything professionally, lurid or otherwise. I have also never worked for Showtime or directed under any name other than my own," he wrote.
Payne added that he did meet McGowan in 1991 when she auditioned for a "comic short (he) was making for a Playboy Channel series." He said though she didn't get the part, she left a note at the "casting desk" asking for him to call her.
"I had no reason to question how old she was, since the role she read for required an actor who was of age. We later went out on a couple of dates and remained on friendly terms for years," Payne wrote. "While I cannot allow false statements about events twenty-nine years ago to go uncorrected, I will continue to wish only the best for Rose."
McGowan responded to Payne's column Friday in a statement made to Variety.
"I told Payne to acknowledge and apologize, he has not. I said I didn’t want to destroy, now I do. Why do these men always lie? I will now make it a mission to expose him. I am not the only one," she told the outlet.
McGowan continued: "I want people that have watched his films to know his morals are in your mind, his thoughts have become yours. Like in his ‘comedy’ ‘Election,’ where the middle-aged teacher that fantasizes having sex with his young student, Reese Witherspoon. I want people to know Hollywood perpetrators show you who they are, their skewed view normalized. Men like Predator Payne, who profited from working Weinstein, must be stopped from not only assaulting, but must also be prevented from infecting the masses with their propaganda."
Payne won two Oscars for best adapted screenplay for "Sideways" in 2005 and "The Descendants" in 2012. His directing credits include the films "Election," "About Schmidt," "Nebraska," and "Downsizing." In 2017, Metacritic ranked Payne as one of the Top 25 film directors of the 21st century.
Alexander Payne. You sat me down & played a soft-core porn movie you directed for Showtime under a different name. I still remember your apartment in Silverlake. You are very well-endowed. You left me on a street corner afterwards. I was 15. pic.twitter.com/mVqiN4S9NW — Rose McGowan (@rosemcgowan) August 17, 2020
McGowan followed up her accusations with an Instagram message, where she again accused Payneof grooming and sexual assault.
"For years I had thought a man I had sexual relations with was a sexual experience I had. I now know I was groomed," McGowan said. "I auditioned for him at 15. After my experience with him, I quit acting entirely until I was ‘discovered’ at 21."
The "Charmed" actress explained that she realized she was preyed upon after coming forward with allegations against disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein. McGowan, one of Weinstein's first public accusers, says he raped her at the Sundance Film Festival in 1997. Her public acknowledgment two decades later helped fire up the #MeToo movement in October 2017.
"It wasn’t until three weeks after the Weinstein story broke that I re-evaluated the situation," McGowan said. "I feel badly about throwing a bomb into someone’s life and career, but I guess that’s social conditioning. I’m more sad than angry. Sad for 15 year-old me. Sad for the adult me that still thought it was a choice I made. Grooming is real."
Rose McGowan sues Harvey Weinstein, Lisa Bloom, more claiming 'diabolical' intimidation plot
McGowan said she was "mentally massaged into thinking it’s okay" when she was younger, an example of "deep societal programming" in Hollywood. As an adult, she says she now knows this is predatory behavior.
"If you are out there trying to have sex with an underage minor, you are committing a crime, even if the minor doesn’t know it," she wrote. "I was attracted to him, so I thought it was on me, but that’s not correct. I was not an adult."
The actress assured victims who experienced a similar situation that it's "not your fault."
"Please recognize that if this has happened to you, the shame is not yours, it’s theirs. Give it back," she said. "Groomers are skilled operators and at 15, I was not aware of the warning signs."
McGowan's claims are consistent with a February interview with journalist Ronan Farrow on his podcast "Catch and Kill." Although McGowan didn't name him at the time, she accused a "prominent director" of statutory rape when she was 15.
"I auditioned for him. And he took me back to his apartment in Silver Lake, played me a soft-porn movie he’d made for Showtime, under a different name. And then I slept with him and then he left me on the street corner next to Cafe Tropical on Sunset (Boulevard)," she told Farrow, nearly identical to her claims against Payne Monday.
Contributing: Maria Puente


usatoday--2020-09-05--Car rams into crowd of protesters in New York City's Times Square, video shows

NEW YORK — Police are continuing to investigate after a car rammed through a crowd of protesters in Times Square during a rainy Thursday evening demonstration .
Video shared on social media around 8 p.m. Thursday showed a black sedan charge through a group of protesters , some with bikes , in a crosswalk in Times Square .
The group had been chanting messages protesting social injustice when a car horn begins to blare and the sedan comes into frame .
The car stops in front of two cyclists then plows ahead as the crowd chases after it .
New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ USA TODAY on Friday morning that the investigation was ongoing .
`` It 's unclear at this point who is responsible , '' Antonetti said .
Juliet Germanotta , identified by the Associated Press as a passenger in the car , said a pro-police activist who was n't part of their group offered to drive them away because , she says , “ a mob '' was trying to attack them .
“ We tried to leave .
We stopped because they blocked the street , '' Germanotta said .
“ They then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and break the windows , so he drove to save our lives .
That ’ s what happened.
” Germanotta made headlines this summer when she was arrested on several occasions for dumping paint onto a Black Lives Matter mural on the street outside Trump ’ s namesake Manhattan tower .
Gothamist , a New York City news outlet , reported that the car was carrying pro-Trump counter protesters who had received an NYPD escort before running into the crowd .
The website , citing an unnamed police spokesperson , reported that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hotel parking lot but `` missed the turn . ''
New York Police Department 's public information office declined to comment further on the report .
The news outlet also reported that the license plate of the car matches that of a car frequently seen with a pro-NYPD activist , Hakim Gibson .
Gibson posted a video on his Facebook page indicating that he was at the Times Square protest Thursday night with Germanotta .
She confirmed he was the driver and that she knew him as a photographer who took pictures at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dermot Shea told WNYW-TV on Friday morning that police are still investigating whether a crime occurred and believe multiple were inside the vehicle .
In a tweet Thursday , police said the car involved was not an NYPD vehicle as some social media users said they believed it looked like an unmarked police car .
Antonetti said there were no injuries , though some social media users who tweeted video from the scene said a few minor injuries occurred .
NYPD said on Twitter on Thursday that there were no complaints and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Keith Powers , a New York City council member who represents a district that includes Times Square , tweeted that his office was looking into the incident .
`` Using a vehicle to hurt peaceful protestors is unacceptable and must be stopped , '' Powers tweeted .
In a disturbing trend amid recent protests against racial injustice , dozens of vehicles have rammed into demonstrations across the United States this summer .
In one incident , it was two NYPD vehicles that rammed into a crowd .
The protests Thursday in Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prude , a Black man who died from asphyxia during an incident with Rochester , New York , police in March .
Seven police officers involved in the Prude 's death were suspended Thursday after new details came to light this week about what occurred the night Prude died .
Prude , whose death has been ruled a homicide , was pinned to the ground as police restrained him , and officers also placed a `` spit hood '' over his head .
The incident occurred two months before the death of George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a white police officer dug his knee into Floyd 's neck for over eight minutes .
Floyd 's death sparked massive unrest across the country as protesters repeated calls for changes to police departments and racial justice .
Contributing : John Connolly , The Bergen Record ; Steve Orr , Rochester Democrat and Chronicle ; The Associated Press

Car rams into crowd of protesters in New York City's Times Square, video shows
Show Caption Hide Caption Car plows through group of protesters in Times Square Police are still searching for a suspect after a car rammed through a crowd of protesters in Times Square. USA TODAY, Storyful
NEW YORK — Police are continuing to investigate after a car rammed through a crowd of protesters in Times Square during a rainy Thursday evening demonstration.
Video shared on social media around 8 p.m. Thursday showed a black sedan charge through a group of protesters, some with bikes, in a crosswalk in Times Square.
The group had been chanting messages protesting social injustice when a car horn begins to blare and the sedan comes into frame. The car stops in front of two cyclists then plows ahead as the crowd chases after it.
New York Police Department spokesperson Thomas Antonetti told USA TODAY on Friday morning that the investigation was ongoing.
"It's unclear at this point who is responsible," Antonetti said.
Juliet Germanotta, identified by the Associated Press as a passenger in the car, said a pro-police activist who wasn't part of their group offered to drive them away because, she says, “a mob" was trying to attack them.
“We tried to leave. We stopped because they blocked the street," Germanotta said. “They then begin to try to open the door and break the windows, so he drove to save our lives. That’s what happened.”
Germanotta made headlines this summer when she was arrested on several occasions for dumping paint onto a Black Lives Matter mural on the street outside Trump’s namesake Manhattan tower.
Gothamist, a New York City news outlet, reported that the car was carrying pro-Trump counter protesters who had received an NYPD escort before running into the crowd.
The website, citing an unnamed police spokesperson, reported that the vehicle was being ushered through a nearby hotel parking lot but "missed the turn." New York Police Department's public information office declined to comment further on the report.
The news outlet also reported that the license plate of the car matches that of a car frequently seen with a pro-NYPD activist, Hakim Gibson.
Gibson posted a video on his Facebook page indicating that he was at the Times Square protest Thursday night with Germanotta. She confirmed he was the driver and that she knew him as a photographer who took pictures at various protests.
“He saved our lives,” Germanotta said.
New York Police Commissioner Dermot Shea told WNYW-TV on Friday morning that police are still investigating whether a crime occurred and believe multiple were inside the vehicle.
In a tweet Thursday, police said the car involved was not an NYPD vehicle as some social media users said they believed it looked like an unmarked police car.
Antonetti said there were no injuries, though some social media users who tweeted video from the scene said a few minor injuries occurred. NYPD said on Twitter on Thursday that there were no complaints and that anyone who was injured should come forward.
Keith Powers, a New York City council member who represents a district that includes Times Square, tweeted that his office was looking into the incident.
"Using a vehicle to hurt peaceful protestors is unacceptable and must be stopped," Powers tweeted.
In a disturbing trend amid recent protests against racial injustice, dozens of vehicles have rammed into demonstrations across the United States this summer. In one incident, it was two NYPD vehicles that rammed into a crowd.
The protests Thursday in Times Square were calling for justice for Daniel Prude, a Black man who died from asphyxia during an incident with Rochester, New York, police in March.
Seven police officers involved in the Prude's death were suspended Thursday after new details came to light this week about what occurred the night Prude died.
Prude, whose death has been ruled a homicide, was pinned to the ground as police restrained him, and officers also placed a "spit hood" over his head.
The incident occurred two months before the death of George Floyd, a Black man killed when a white police officer dug his knee into Floyd's neck for over eight minutes. Floyd's death sparked massive unrest across the country as protesters repeated calls for changes to police departments and racial justice.
Contributing: John Connolly, The Bergen Record; Steve Orr, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle; The Associated Press


usatoday--2020-09-04--College professor with COVID-19 symptoms dies after struggling to breathe during Zoom lecture

A college professor in Argentina experiencing COVID-19 symptoms died after gasping for breath while conducting a Zoom lecture .
Paola de Simone , 46 , a professor of government and international relations at the Universidad Argentina de la Empresa in Buenos Aires , died Wednesday , the university said in a statement on Twitter .
The day before , she had been conducting a Zoom lecture when began to struggle to breathe , according to local news outlets Clarín and MDZ .
When her students asked her for address so that they could call an ambulance , she said `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports .
A wife and mother , de Simone said she had been experiencing COVID-19 symptoms for at least four weeks , according to a Aug. 28 Twitter post .
She wrote that her husband , who works in medical therapy and emergencies , was exhausted from work .
De Simone had a cough that would not go away , but she continued to teach despite her symptoms , Facundo Cruz , an academic coordinator at the university , said in a Twitter statement .
De Simone 's university expressed condolences to her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the academic community to respect her memory , as video of her collapse circulated on social media .
De Simone had been with the Universidad Argentina de la Empresa for 15 years , the university said .
Friends shared memories of her on social media , writing that her students and colleagues would always remember de Simone for her encouragement and compassion .
Argentina has the tenth-most confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide , according to Johns Hopkins University data .
More than 450,000 cases have been confirmed , and more than 9,400 have @ @

College professor with COVID-19 symptoms dies after struggling to breathe during Zoom lecture
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
A college professor in Argentina experiencing COVID-19 symptoms died after gasping for breath while conducting a Zoom lecture.
Paola de Simone, 46, a professor of government and international relations at the Universidad Argentina de la Empresa in Buenos Aires, died Wednesday, the university said in a statement on Twitter.
The day before, she had been conducting a Zoom lecture when began to struggle to breathe, according to local news outlets Clarín and MDZ. When her students asked her for address so that they could call an ambulance, she said "I can't," according to reports.
A wife and mother, de Simone said she had been experiencing COVID-19 symptoms for at least four weeks, according to a Aug. 28 Twitter post. She wrote that her husband, who works in medical therapy and emergencies, was exhausted from work.
De Simone had a cough that would not go away, but she continued to teach despite her symptoms, Facundo Cruz, an academic coordinator at the university, said in a Twitter statement.
De Simone's university expressed condolences to her family in a statement Thursday and asked the academic community to respect her memory, as video of her collapse circulated on social media.
De Simone had been with the Universidad Argentina de la Empresa for 15 years, the university said. Friends shared memories of her on social media, writing that her students and colleagues would always remember de Simone for her encouragement and compassion.
Argentina has the tenth-most confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University data. More than 450,000 cases have been confirmed, and more than 9,400 have died.


usatoday--2020-09-04--Principal connects with students through haircuts

During school hours Dr. Terrance Newton is a principal at Warner Elementary School .
After hours , he gets to @ @ @ @ @ to his students .

Principal connects with students through haircuts
During school hours Dr. Terrance Newton is a principal at Warner Elementary School. After hours, he gets to be a barber and mentor to his students.
Humankind, USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-09-04--Paleologos on the poll: We're witnessing a citizenry growing distrustful of government, institutions

On Aug. 27 , Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield sent a letter to the nation ’ s governors , informing them to be ready for COVID-19 vaccine distribution sites being open as early as Nov. 1—only 8 weeks away and two days before election day .
The letter urges governors across the country to do everything in their power to eliminate hurdles that might get in the way of vaccine distribution in November .
The conventional thinking on a COVID-19 vaccine has always been that if a vaccine is discovered people will fly more , attend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restaurants , ride public transportation , and everything will be hunky-dory .
Kids will be in schools , no masks will be necessary , and the stock market and economy will be unstoppable .
America as we know it will come roaring back for all the world to see .
But what if people don ’ t take the vaccine ?
What then ?
That question was put to the test in our most recent national Suffolk University/USA TODAY poll of 1,000 registered voters .
According to the poll , just 27 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away , 44 % would wait until others have taken it , and 23 % would not take the vaccine at all .
Exclusive : Two-thirds of Americans say they wo n't get COVID-19 vaccine when it 's first available That ’ s not a healthy start .
If just 1 in 4 Americans takes the vaccine , the other three fourths of the country are still at risk .
Picture unvaccinated citizens walking around , carrying and transmitting the virus—and giving it extra opportunities to mutate and potentially reinfect others .
However @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an average of all registered voters and only shows us a limited picture .
Among other key subsets of registered voters , the willingness to take the vaccine right away is lower , including : independents ( 19 % ) , young people ages 18-34 ( 19 % ) , Latinx voters ( 17 % ) , households earning less than $ 20,000 per year ( 17 % ) , and African-Americans ( 15 % ) .
If parents are reluctant , it sets up a showdown with local school districts who may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for admittance to school .
Sure enough , among those households with school-aged children , only 18 % will take the vaccine right away .
We then asked voters whether or not they would take the vaccine if the federal government mandated it .
On this issue , the country is divided , according to the poll .
Overall , if a vaccine is mandated by the government , exactly 50 % say they would take the vaccine , but a sizable 41 % said they would not .
Once again , those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anti-vaccine than all registered voters .
Some 49 % of independents who would not take the vaccine , along with 51 % of households with school-aged children and 54 % of African-Americans .
That ’ s an interesting common thread through three voting groups who often disagree politically .
Among African-Americans , Biden led Trump 82 % to 4 % .
Among households with school-aged children , Trump led Biden 45 % to 40 % , and among independents , Biden led Trump 42 % to 36 % .
Yet , these segments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won ’ t take the vaccine , even if mandated by the government .
My take : we are witnessing the evolution of a citizenry that is growing distrustful of our government and its institutions .
African-Americans are weary of a government whose institutions and policies have either historically ignored or worked against them .
Independents lack faith in our two party system , which increasingly produces candidates that are more polarized and speak less to their moderate views .
Parents , for their part , might simply be looking at the COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ it ’ s not worth the risk that the vaccine leads to side effects.
” This poses a problem for Joe Biden and Donald Trump .
If Biden insists in the upcoming debate that everyone take the vaccine immediately , he risks losing the support of a portion of his most loyal base—African-Americans .
It could cost him much needed electoral support in key states .
If Trump and the CDC require a government-mandated vaccine , he risks losing the marginal support he currently has among households with school-aged children—they will not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their families .
Election Day is just 2 months away : Here 's what you need to know about Nov. 3 Which takes us to independents , the third point in the Triangle of Mistrust .
Independents slightly favor Biden , but the number of independents undecided between Trump and Biden is double the average ( 14 percent versus 7 percent ) .
That makes vaccine policy a campaign issue , and one that will cause the Trump and Biden camps to conduct extensive research and focus groups to build and brand a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What makes the mandatory vaccine question so interesting is that it threads values from both parties and resembles bits and pieces of arguments about liberty , the Constitution , one ’ s obligation to his or her neighbors , and what it means to have a healthy society .
David Paleologos is director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center .

Paleologos on the poll: We're witnessing a citizenry growing distrustful of government, institutions
Show Caption Hide Caption 4 phases of COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials explained Approving a vaccine in the U.S. usually takes years, but COVID-19 vaccines are moving through in record time. What does that mean? USA TODAY
On Aug. 27, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield sent a letter to the nation’s governors, informing them to be ready for COVID-19 vaccine distribution sites being open as early as Nov. 1—only 8 weeks away and two days before election day. The letter urges governors across the country to do everything in their power to eliminate hurdles that might get in the way of vaccine distribution in November.
The conventional thinking on a COVID-19 vaccine has always been that if a vaccine is discovered people will fly more, attend large concerts and games, eat in restaurants, ride public transportation, and everything will be hunky-dory. Kids will be in schools, no masks will be necessary, and the stock market and economy will be unstoppable. America as we know it will come roaring back for all the world to see.
But what if people don’t take the vaccine? What then?
That question was put to the test in our most recent national Suffolk University/USA TODAY poll of 1,000 registered voters. According to the poll, just 27% of voters would take the vaccine right away, 44% would wait until others have taken it, and 23% would not take the vaccine at all.
Exclusive: Two-thirds of Americans say they won't get COVID-19 vaccine when it's first available
That’s not a healthy start. If just 1 in 4 Americans takes the vaccine, the other three fourths of the country are still at risk. Picture unvaccinated citizens walking around, carrying and transmitting the virus—and giving it extra opportunities to mutate and potentially reinfect others.
However, that 27% of vaccine-takers is an average of all registered voters and only shows us a limited picture. Among other key subsets of registered voters, the willingness to take the vaccine right away is lower, including: independents (19%), young people ages 18-34 (19%), Latinx voters (17%), households earning less than $20,000 per year (17%), and African-Americans (15%).
If parents are reluctant, it sets up a showdown with local school districts who may mandate that school-aged children take the vaccine for admittance to school. Sure enough, among those households with school-aged children, only 18% will take the vaccine right away.
We then asked voters whether or not they would take the vaccine if the federal government mandated it. On this issue, the country is divided, according to the poll. Overall, if a vaccine is mandated by the government, exactly 50% say they would take the vaccine, but a sizable 41% said they would not.
Report: Coronavirus vaccine shouldn't be first-come, first-served
Once again, those same key voting blocs came in more anti-vaccine than all registered voters. Some 49% of independents who would not take the vaccine, along with 51% of households with school-aged children and 54% of African-Americans. That’s an interesting common thread through three voting groups who often disagree politically. Among African-Americans, Biden led Trump 82% to 4%. Among households with school-aged children, Trump led Biden 45% to 40%, and among independents, Biden led Trump 42% to 36%. Yet, these segments of the electorate are all saying they won’t take the vaccine, even if mandated by the government.
My take: we are witnessing the evolution of a citizenry that is growing distrustful of our government and its institutions. African-Americans are weary of a government whose institutions and policies have either historically ignored or worked against them. Independents lack faith in our two party system, which increasingly produces candidates that are more polarized and speak less to their moderate views. Parents, for their part, might simply be looking at the COVID-19 mortality rate for young people and saying “it’s not worth the risk that the vaccine leads to side effects.”
This poses a problem for Joe Biden and Donald Trump. If Biden insists in the upcoming debate that everyone take the vaccine immediately, he risks losing the support of a portion of his most loyal base—African-Americans. It could cost him much needed electoral support in key states. If Trump and the CDC require a government-mandated vaccine, he risks losing the marginal support he currently has among households with school-aged children—they will not want Trump telling them how to run their families.
Election Day is just 2 months away: Here's what you need to know about Nov. 3
Which takes us to independents, the third point in the Triangle of Mistrust. Independents slightly favor Biden, but the number of independents undecided between Trump and Biden is double the average (14 percent versus 7 percent). That makes vaccine policy a campaign issue, and one that will cause the Trump and Biden camps to conduct extensive research and focus groups to build and brand a message that crosses vastly different demographics.
What makes the mandatory vaccine question so interesting is that it threads values from both parties and resembles bits and pieces of arguments about liberty, the Constitution, one’s obligation to his or her neighbors, and what it means to have a healthy society.
David Paleologos is director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center.