washingtontimes--2020-06-27--Trump's brother asks another court to halt niece's book

NEW YORK ( AP ) - Donald Trump ’ s brother has asked another court to halt publication of a tell-all book by the president ’ s niece , after his first bid was rejected by a New York City judge .
Robert Trump ’ s lawyers say the niece , Mary Trump , signed a legal settlement with several Trump family members nearly two decades ago that included a confidentiality clause barring her from publishing the book .
They said the deal included a “ substantial financial settlement ” for Mary Trump .
Surrogates Court Judge Peter Kelly in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s request for an injunction Thursday , saying the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case .
Robert Trump ’ s lawyers filed another injunction request Friday in Supreme Court in Dutchess County , New York , where Robert Trump lives .
“ Mary Trump reaped the rewards of the agreement for 20 years , and now seeks to breach the agreement by cashing in on a “ tell-all ” book , ” Charles Harder , lead attorney for Robert Trump , said in a statement Saturday .
“ The enforcement of voluntary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system .
This private dispute has nothing to do with the First Amendment.
” The settlement agreement related to the will of Donald Trump ’ s father , New York real estate developer Fred Trump .
Mary Trump is the daughter of Fred Trump Jr. , the president ’ s elder brother , who died in 1981 .
An online description of her book , “ Too Much and Never Enough : How My Family Created the World ’ s Most Dangerous Man , ” says it reveals “ a nightmare of traumas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ combination of neglect and abuse.
” Her lawyer , Theodore Boutrous , said in a statement that the new legal filing “ is yet another baseless attempt by the Trump family to obtain an unconstitutional prior restraint to block core political speech relating to the President.
” Published accounts of the book ’ s contents say it contains an “ insider ’ s perspective ” of “ countless holiday meals ” and family interactions and family events , along with personal observations by Mary Trump , a psychologist , about her “ supposedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ papers .
In court papers , lawyers for Robert Trump said the book also has been promoted as containing insight into the “ inner workings ” of the Trump family and allegations that the late Fred Trump and the president neglected Mary Trump ’ s father , “ supposedly contributing to his early death .
”

NEW YORK (AP) - Donald Trump’s brother has asked another court to halt publication of a tell-all book by the president’s niece, after his first bid was rejected by a New York City judge.
Robert Trump’s lawyers say the niece, Mary Trump, signed a legal settlement with several Trump family members nearly two decades ago that included a confidentiality clause barring her from publishing the book. They said the deal included a “substantial financial settlement” for Mary Trump.
Surrogates Court Judge Peter Kelly in New York City dismissed Robert Trump’s request for an injunction Thursday, saying the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case. Robert Trump’s lawyers filed another injunction request Friday in Supreme Court in Dutchess County, New York, where Robert Trump lives.
“Mary Trump reaped the rewards of the agreement for 20 years, and now seeks to breach the agreement by cashing in on a “tell-all” book,” Charles Harder, lead attorney for Robert Trump, said in a statement Saturday. “The enforcement of voluntary contracts is a pillar of our legal system. This private dispute has nothing to do with the First Amendment.”
The settlement agreement related to the will of Donald Trump’s father, New York real estate developer Fred Trump.
Mary Trump is the daughter of Fred Trump Jr., the president’s elder brother, who died in 1981. An online description of her book, “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man,” says it reveals “a nightmare of traumas, destructive relationships, and a tragic combination of neglect and abuse.”
Her lawyer, Theodore Boutrous, said in a statement that the new legal filing “is yet another baseless attempt by the Trump family to obtain an unconstitutional prior restraint to block core political speech relating to the President.”
Published accounts of the book’s contents say it contains an “insider’s perspective” of “countless holiday meals” and family interactions and family events, along with personal observations by Mary Trump, a psychologist, about her “supposedly toxic family,” according to court papers.
In court papers, lawyers for Robert Trump said the book also has been promoted as containing insight into the “inner workings” of the Trump family and allegations that the late Fred Trump and the president neglected Mary Trump’s father, “supposedly contributing to his early death.”


washingtontimes--2020-06-27--City of Honolulu limits permits for reopened campgrounds

HONOLULU ( AP ) - The city of Honolulu has announced that campgrounds will reopen for the first time in three months with limited permits to ensure social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic .
The city will now issue permits for just over 100 campsites across Oahu , Hawaii News Now reported .
“ There ’ s severely limited amount of campsites now .
We went to about half of what ’ s available .
Simply because we wanted to physically distance the campsites , ” Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation Public Information Officer Nathan Serota said .
Regular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is intended to help limit the spread of COVID-19 .
For most people , the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks .
But for some - especially older adults and people with existing health problems - it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia , and death .
Jeannette Macaluso and her family camp at Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden at least three times a year , but she said it was difficult to get permits this year .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks before .
So , we all got our laptops and sat together and we made sure we ’ re on the site at 4:45 so that when the site opens at 5 , we ’ re all clicking , ” Macaluso said .
The Bellows Beach campground northeast of Honolulu will remain closed through Sept. 4 for turtle nesting .
All the other campgrounds have reopened .

HONOLULU (AP) - The city of Honolulu has announced that campgrounds will reopen for the first time in three months with limited permits to ensure social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The city will now issue permits for just over 100 campsites across Oahu, Hawaii News Now reported.
“There’s severely limited amount of campsites now. We went to about half of what’s available. Simply because we wanted to physically distance the campsites,” Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation Public Information Officer Nathan Serota said.
Regular camp rules still apply. Social distancing is intended to help limit the spread of COVID-19.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. But for some - especially older adults and people with existing health problems - it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.
Jeannette Macaluso and her family camp at Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden at least three times a year, but she said it was difficult to get permits this year.
“We had a camping booking party two weeks before. So, we all got our laptops and sat together and we made sure we’re on the site at 4:45 so that when the site opens at 5, we’re all clicking,” Macaluso said.
The Bellows Beach campground northeast of Honolulu will remain closed through Sept. 4 for turtle nesting. All the other campgrounds have reopened.


washingtontimes--2020-06-27--2nd Minnesota inmate dies after testing COVID-19 positive

ST. PAUL , Minn. ( AP ) - A second Minnesota prison inmate has died after testing positive for COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ Saturday .
Leroy Wallace Bergstrom , 71 , died at a hospital on Saturday , @ @ @ @ @ of Corrections .
Bergstrom tested positive for COVID-19 on June 10 , the department said @ @ @ @ @ the cause of death is pending .
Bergstrom was an inmate at the Minnesota Correctional @ @ @ @ @ Faribault inmate , Adrian Raymaar Keys , 43 , died Tuesday after testing positive for @ @ @ @ @ said one incarcerated person in Minnesota remains hospitalized .
The first case of COVID-19 in @ @ @ @ @ on June 3 .
The department has been testing all inmates at staff at the @ @ @ @ @ , 4,892 tests of inmates had been conducted at the Faribault facility , with 206 @ @ @ @ @ tested positive are experiencing no symptoms .
The facility currently houses 1,718 men .

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - A second Minnesota prison inmate has died after testing positive for COVID-19, state corrections officials said Saturday.
Leroy Wallace Bergstrom, 71, died at a hospital on Saturday, according to the Minnesota Department of Corrections.
Bergstrom tested positive for COVID-19 on June 10, the department said. An autopsy to determine the cause of death is pending.
Bergstrom was an inmate at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Faribault, Another Faribault inmate, Adrian Raymaar Keys, 43, died Tuesday after testing positive for COVID-19. The Corrections Department said one incarcerated person in Minnesota remains hospitalized.
The first case of COVID-19 in the Faribault prison was reported on June 3. The department has been testing all inmates at staff at the facility. As of Friday, 4,892 tests of inmates had been conducted at the Faribault facility, with 206 tests positive. Most who tested positive are experiencing no symptoms. The facility currently houses 1,718 men.


washingtontimes--2020-06-27--Confirmed virus cases continue to climb in Oregon

PORTLAND , Ore. ( AP ) - The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Oregon reached a new second-highest daily @ @ @ @ @ .
Another death from coronavirus was also reported .
Authorities say 202 people have died @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 .
The Oregon Health Authority reported the new cases Saturday , one case shy @ @ @ @ @ while going over 8,000 total confirmed cases across the state .
The Oregonian/OregonLive reports that @ @ @ @ @ reason for the large increase in cases , but cases have been increasing for a @ @ @ @ @ Brown told members of the media Saturday she finds the increase alarming but noted other @ @ @ @ @ Brown did say “ all options are on the table , ” in how the @ @ @ @ @ increase in cases .
“ I would hope to avoid a wholesale shutdown of the @ @ @ @ @ .
“ That ’ s not my preferred approach but Oregonians must take this seriously @ @

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Oregon reached a new second-highest daily number Saturday with 277 cases.
Another death from coronavirus was also reported. Authorities say 202 people have died in the state due to COVID-19.
The Oregon Health Authority reported the new cases Saturday, one case shy of the daily record, while going over 8,000 total confirmed cases across the state.
The Oregonian/OregonLive reports that officials did not list a reason for the large increase in cases, but cases have been increasing for a month.
Gov. Kate Brown told members of the media Saturday she finds the increase alarming but noted other states have more cases. Brown did say “all options are on the table,” in how the state will respond to the increase in cases.
“I would hope to avoid a wholesale shutdown of the economy,” Brown said. “That’s not my preferred approach but Oregonians must take this seriously.”


washingtontimes--2020-06-27--18-year-old fatally shot near busy Atlanta street

ATLANTA ( AP ) - An 18-year-old man was fatally shot in Atlanta ’ s busy midtown neighborhood Saturday .
@ @ @ @ @ Andrea Price said she believed the victim was with a group of young men who @ @ @ @ @ according to WSB-TV .
Price said the shooter approached the group and some type of @ @ @ @ @ group to run .
Police said the victim , who has not been identified , @ @ @ @ @ the chest and ran into a nearby garage .
He died at the scene .
@ @ @ @ @ but authorities were working to determine whether they were involved in the shooting .
Investigators @ @ @ @ @ information , including the identity and race of the victim .

ATLANTA (AP) - An 18-year-old man was fatally shot in Atlanta’s busy midtown neighborhood Saturday.
Atlanta Police Captain D’Andrea Price said she believed the victim was with a group of young men who had been selling water, according to WSB-TV.
Price said the shooter approached the group and some type of altercation occurred that prompted the group to run.
Police said the victim, who has not been identified, was shot multiple times in the chest and ran into a nearby garage. He died at the scene.
Two people were detained, but authorities were working to determine whether they were involved in the shooting.
Investigators did not immediately release additional information, including the identity and race of the victim.


washingtontimes--2020-06-28--Construction halted for Aon Center observatory in Chicago

CHICAGO ( AP ) - Construction of an observatory atop Chicago ’ s third-tallest skyscraper will not start for almost another year due to the pandemic .
Aon Center property owner 601W Cos. and tourist attraction operator Legends plan to begin work on the observatory in the second quarter of 2021 , further delaying the opening date , the Chicago Tribune reported .
The $ 185 project is expected to open in 2023 , said building general manager Matthew Amato .
The Tribune reported in February that construction was supposed to start this fall , with plans to open in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exterior glass elevator tower , a pavilion for guest entry and a two-level observatory featuring a partial 83rd floor for entering the thrill ride , Sky Summit , which will lift visitors over the building ’ s edge for 30 to 40 seconds .
Many businesses in Chicago were shut down to stop the spread of the coronavirus .
But Democratic Gov .
J.B. Pritzker designated construction an essential industry and some Chicago projects continued .
The Aon Center delayed construction to provide more time for a potential treatment or cure for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needed to be redesigned , said Amato of real estate company Jones Lang LaSalle .
“ It involves putting a lot of people into elevators to get them to the observatory , which isn ’ t possible right now , ” Amato said .
“ Because of the pandemic and the social distancing requirements that would be necessary for a venue such as that , we have to make sure before we have to make any changes that we would understand what they might be.
” New York-based 601W had planned to build @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acquired the building for $ 712 million in 2015 .
The developer estimates the project will generate annual revenue of $ 30 million to $ 40 million .
Once the project is completed , Chicago will have three observatories like New York , the only U.S. city to have that many .
Chicago also has Skydeck Chicago in Willis Tower and 360 Chicago in the former John Hancock Center .

CHICAGO (AP) - Construction of an observatory atop Chicago’s third-tallest skyscraper will not start for almost another year due to the pandemic.
Aon Center property owner 601W Cos. and tourist attraction operator Legends plan to begin work on the observatory in the second quarter of 2021, further delaying the opening date, the Chicago Tribune reported.
The $185 project is expected to open in 2023, said building general manager Matthew Amato.
The Tribune reported in February that construction was supposed to start this fall, with plans to open in 2022.
The project will include an exterior glass elevator tower, a pavilion for guest entry and a two-level observatory featuring a partial 83rd floor for entering the thrill ride, Sky Summit, which will lift visitors over the building’s edge for 30 to 40 seconds.
Many businesses in Chicago were shut down to stop the spread of the coronavirus. But Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker designated construction an essential industry and some Chicago projects continued.
The Aon Center delayed construction to provide more time for a potential treatment or cure for the coronavirus and to see if any plans needed to be redesigned, said Amato of real estate company Jones Lang LaSalle.
“It involves putting a lot of people into elevators to get them to the observatory, which isn’t possible right now,” Amato said. “Because of the pandemic and the social distancing requirements that would be necessary for a venue such as that, we have to make sure before we have to make any changes that we would understand what they might be.”
New York-based 601W had planned to build an observatory overlooking Millennium Park since it acquired the building for $712 million in 2015. The developer estimates the project will generate annual revenue of $30 million to $40 million.
Once the project is completed, Chicago will have three observatories like New York, the only U.S. city to have that many. Chicago also has Skydeck Chicago in Willis Tower and 360 Chicago in the former John Hancock Center.


washingtontimes--2020-06-28--Summer may decide fate of lead shots in virus vaccine race

People on six continents already are getting jabs in the arm as the race for a COVID-19 vaccine enters a defining summer , with even bigger studies poised to prove if any shot really works — and maybe offer a reality check .
Already British and Chinese researchers are chasing the coronavirus beyond their borders , testing potential vaccines in Brazil and the United Arab Emirates because there are too few new infections at home to get clear answers .
The U.S. is set to open the largest trials — 30,000 people to test a government-created shot starting in July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another 30,000 expected to test a British one .
Those likely will be divided among Americans and volunteers in other countries such as Brazil or South Africa , Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health told The Associated Press .
Multiple successes , in multiple parts of the world , are vital .
“ This isn ’ t a race of who gets there first .
This is , get as many approved , safe and effective vaccines as you possibly can , ” Fauci said .
Vaccine experts say it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Many scientists don ’ t expect a coronavirus vaccine to be nearly as protective as the measles shot .
If the best COVID-19 vaccine is only 50 % effective , “ that ’ s still to me a great vaccine , ” said Dr. Drew Weissman of the University of Pennsylvania .
“ We need to start having this conversation now , ” so people won ’ t be surprised , he added .
And for all the government promises of stockpiling doses in hopes of starting vaccinations by year ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Even if a shot pans out — and it ’ s one that your country stockpiled — only some high-risk people , such as essential workers , go to the front of a very long line .
“ Will you and I get vaccinated this year ?
No way , ” said Duke University health economist David Ridley .
Vaccines train the body to rapidly recognize and fend off an invading germ .
About 15 experimental COVID-19 vaccines are in various stages of human studies worldwide .
And while there ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moving three different kinds into final testing offers better odds — especially since scientists don ’ t yet know just how strong an immune reaction the shots must spark to protect .
Measuring that with the first proven vaccine will “ really help us understand for all the other vaccines in development , do they also have a chance ?
” said Oxford University lead researcher Sarah Gilbert .
Only China is pushing out “ inactivated ” vaccines , made by growing the new coronavirus and killing it .
Vaccines by Sinovac Biotech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which requires high-security labs to produce but is dependable , the way polio shots and some flu vaccines are made .
Most other vaccines in the pipeline target not the whole germ but a key piece — the “ spike ” protein that studs the surface of the coronavirus and helps it invade human cells .
Leading candidates use new technologies that make shots faster to produce but haven ’ t yet been proven in people .
Oxford ’ s method : Genetically engineer a chimpanzee cold virus so it won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that spike protein into just enough cells to trick the immune system that an infection ’ s brewing .
Another vaccine made by the NIH and Moderna Inc. simply injects a piece of the coronavirus genetic code that instructs the body to produce harmless spike copies that the immune system learns to recognize .
Researchers must test thousands of people not where COVID-19 is surging — because then it ’ s too late — but where it ’ s smoldering , Fauci said .
Only if the virus starts spreading through a community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine or a dummy shot — time enough for the immune system to rev up — do scientists have the best chance at comparing which group had more illness .
Lacking a crystal ball , the NIH has vaccine testing networks in the U.S. , South America and South Africa on standby while finalizing decisions on the summer tests .
“ We ’ re going to be doing it in multiple sites with a degree of flexibility ” so researchers can rapidly shift as the virus moves , Fauci said .
“ Nothing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oxford shot , with a 10,000-person study underway in England , already encountered that hurdle .
Gilbert told a Parliament committee last week that there ’ s “ little chance , frankly ” of proving the vaccine ’ s effectiveness in Britain after infections plummeted with the lockdown .
So her team looked abroad .
In addition to the planned U.S.-run study , Brazil last week began a last-stage test of the Oxford shot in 5,000 health workers , the first experimental COVID-19 vaccinations in South America .
In another first , South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Oxford shot .
With few new infections in China , Sinovac next month will begin final tests in 9,000 Brazilian volunteers .
And SinoPharm just signed an agreement with the United Arab Emirates ; that study ’ s size isn ’ t clear .
Animal research suggests COVID-19 vaccines could prevent serious disease but may not completely block infection .
One study that dripped the coronavirus into monkeys showed vaccinated animals avoided pneumonia but had some virus lurking in their noses and throats .
Whether it was enough to spread to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that would be a big win .
“ My expectations have always been that we ’ ll get rid of symptomatic disease .
From what we ’ ve seen of the vaccines so far , that ’ s what they do , ” said Penn ’ s Weissman .
The initial vaccines might be replaced with later , better arrivals , as historically happens in medicine , noted Duke ’ s Ridley .
And while shots in the arm are the fastest to make , those for respiratory diseases require virus-fighting antibodies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Gilbert said Oxford eventually will explore nasal delivery .
Some U.S. lawmakers worry about pressure from the Trump administration to push out an unproven shot during the fall election season .
“ We want a vaccine , not a headline , ” Sen. Jack Reed , a Democrat from Rhode Island , said at a recent Senate committee hearing .
Dr. Stephen Hahn , commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration , pledged to a House committee last week that any decision would be based on science .
Different countries have different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For the U.S. , Fauci insisted there will be no safety shortcuts , a key reason NIH is investing in such huge studies .
Regardless of how and when a vaccine arrives , each country also will prioritize who ’ s first in line as doses become available .
Presumably they ’ ll start with health workers and those most vulnerable to severe disease - as long as each shot is proven to work in at-risk groups such as older adults .
Because each vaccine works differently , “ which population group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t know yet , ” said Dr. Mariangela Simao of the World Health Organization , which is advising countries on how to choose .
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .

People on six continents already are getting jabs in the arm as the race for a COVID-19 vaccine enters a defining summer, with even bigger studies poised to prove if any shot really works — and maybe offer a reality check.
Already British and Chinese researchers are chasing the coronavirus beyond their borders, testing potential vaccines in Brazil and the United Arab Emirates because there are too few new infections at home to get clear answers.
The U.S. is set to open the largest trials — 30,000 people to test a government-created shot starting in July, followed about a month later with another 30,000 expected to test a British one.
Those likely will be divided among Americans and volunteers in other countries such as Brazil or South Africa, Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health told The Associated Press.
While he’s optimistic, “we’ve been burned before,” Fauci cautioned.
Multiple successes, in multiple parts of the world, are vital.
“This isn’t a race of who gets there first. This is, get as many approved, safe and effective vaccines as you possibly can,” Fauci said.
Vaccine experts say it’s time to set public expectations. Many scientists don’t expect a coronavirus vaccine to be nearly as protective as the measles shot.
If the best COVID-19 vaccine is only 50% effective, “that’s still to me a great vaccine,” said Dr. Drew Weissman of the University of Pennsylvania.
“We need to start having this conversation now,” so people won’t be surprised, he added.
And for all the government promises of stockpiling doses in hopes of starting vaccinations by year’s end, here’s the catch: Even if a shot pans out — and it’s one that your country stockpiled — only some high-risk people, such as essential workers, go to the front of a very long line.
“Will you and I get vaccinated this year? No way,” said Duke University health economist David Ridley.
THE HOME STRETCH
Vaccines train the body to rapidly recognize and fend off an invading germ. About 15 experimental COVID-19 vaccines are in various stages of human studies worldwide.
And while there’s no guarantee any will pan out, moving three different kinds into final testing offers better odds — especially since scientists don’t yet know just how strong an immune reaction the shots must spark to protect.
Measuring that with the first proven vaccine will “really help us understand for all the other vaccines in development, do they also have a chance?” said Oxford University lead researcher Sarah Gilbert.
Only China is pushing out “inactivated” vaccines, made by growing the new coronavirus and killing it. Vaccines by Sinovac Biotech and SinoPharm use that old-fashioned technology, which requires high-security labs to produce but is dependable, the way polio shots and some flu vaccines are made.
Most other vaccines in the pipeline target not the whole germ but a key piece — the “spike” protein that studs the surface of the coronavirus and helps it invade human cells. Leading candidates use new technologies that make shots faster to produce but haven’t yet been proven in people.
Oxford’s method: Genetically engineer a chimpanzee cold virus so it won’t spread but can carry the gene for that spike protein into just enough cells to trick the immune system that an infection’s brewing.
Another vaccine made by the NIH and Moderna Inc. simply injects a piece of the coronavirus genetic code that instructs the body to produce harmless spike copies that the immune system learns to recognize.
CHASING THE VIRUS
Researchers must test thousands of people not where COVID-19 is surging — because then it’s too late — but where it’s smoldering, Fauci said.
Only if the virus starts spreading through a community several weeks after volunteers receive either a vaccine or a dummy shot — time enough for the immune system to rev up — do scientists have the best chance at comparing which group had more illness.
Lacking a crystal ball, the NIH has vaccine testing networks in the U.S., South America and South Africa on standby while finalizing decisions on the summer tests.
“We’re going to be doing it in multiple sites with a degree of flexibility” so researchers can rapidly shift as the virus moves, Fauci said. “Nothing is going to be easy.”
The Oxford shot, with a 10,000-person study underway in England, already encountered that hurdle. Gilbert told a Parliament committee last week that there’s “little chance, frankly” of proving the vaccine’s effectiveness in Britain after infections plummeted with the lockdown.
So her team looked abroad. In addition to the planned U.S.-run study, Brazil last week began a last-stage test of the Oxford shot in 5,000 health workers, the first experimental COVID-19 vaccinations in South America. In another first, South Africa opened a smaller safety study of the Oxford shot.
With few new infections in China, Sinovac next month will begin final tests in 9,000 Brazilian volunteers. And SinoPharm just signed an agreement with the United Arab Emirates; that study’s size isn’t clear.
EXPECT IMPERFECT PROTECTION
Animal research suggests COVID-19 vaccines could prevent serious disease but may not completely block infection. One study that dripped the coronavirus into monkeys showed vaccinated animals avoided pneumonia but had some virus lurking in their noses and throats. Whether it was enough to spread to the unvaccinated isn’t known.
Still, that would be a big win.
“My expectations have always been that we’ll get rid of symptomatic disease. From what we’ve seen of the vaccines so far, that’s what they do,” said Penn’s Weissman.
The initial vaccines might be replaced with later, better arrivals, as historically happens in medicine, noted Duke’s Ridley.
And while shots in the arm are the fastest to make, those for respiratory diseases require virus-fighting antibodies to make their way into the lungs. Gilbert said Oxford eventually will explore nasal delivery.
WARNING AGAINST SHORTCUTS
Some U.S. lawmakers worry about pressure from the Trump administration to push out an unproven shot during the fall election season.
“We want a vaccine, not a headline,” Sen. Jack Reed, a Democrat from Rhode Island, said at a recent Senate committee hearing.
Dr. Stephen Hahn, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, pledged to a House committee last week that any decision would be based on science.
Different countries have different rules about when to release a vaccine. For the U.S., Fauci insisted there will be no safety shortcuts, a key reason NIH is investing in such huge studies.
Regardless of how and when a vaccine arrives, each country also will prioritize who’s first in line as doses become available. Presumably they’ll start with health workers and those most vulnerable to severe disease - as long as each shot is proven to work in at-risk groups such as older adults.
Because each vaccine works differently, “which population group it will protect, we don’t know yet,” said Dr. Mariangela Simao of the World Health Organization, which is advising countries on how to choose.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.


washingtontimes--2020-06-28--Donald Trump denies being told of Russian bounties to kill U.S. troops

President Trump said Sunday he wasn ’ t briefed by U.S. intelligence on a report that Russian agents offered bounties to Afghan militants to kill U.S. soldiers .
On Twitter , the president said “ nobody briefed or told me , ” or Vice President Mike Pence or White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows “ about the so-called attacks on our troops in Afghanistan by Russians , as reported through an ‘ anonymous source ’ by the Fake News @ nytimes.
” “ Everybody is denying it & there have not been many attacks on us , ” Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been tougher on Russia than the Trump Administration.
” The New York Times reported Friday that U.S. intelligence concluded months ago that Russian military intelligence agents had offered the bounties to militants linked to the Taliban .
The paper said Mr. Trump was briefed on the matter , and that the National Security Council held a meeting about it in late March .
Four U.S. soldiers were killed in combat in Afghanistan earlier this year .
Other administration officials have denied the allegation that the president was told of bounties .
Director of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ confirmed that neither the President nor the Vice President were ever briefed on any intelligence alleged by the New York Times in its reporting.
” “ The New York Times reporting , and all other subsequent news reports about such an alleged briefing are inaccurate , ” Mr. Ratcliffe said.White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said .
“ while the White House does not routinely comment on alleged intelligence or internal deliberations , the CIA Director , National Security Advisor , and the Chief of Staff can all confirm that neither the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the alleged Russian bounty intelligence.
” She said her comments do not “ speak to the merit of the alleged intelligence , but to the inaccuracy of the New York Times story erroneously suggesting that President Trump was briefed on this matter.
” Mr. Trump said he has been tougher on Russia than the Obama administration was .
“ With Corrupt Joe Biden & Obama , Russia had a field day , taking over important parts of Ukraine - Where ’ s Hunter ?
Probably just another phony Times hit job , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Who is their ‘ source ’ ” ?
he tweeted .
“ Funny to see Corrupt Joe Biden reading a statement on Russia , which was obviously written by his handlers .
Russia ate his and Obama ’ s lunch during their time in office , so badly that Obama wanted them out of the then G-8 .
U.S. was weak on everything , but especially Russia !
” Rep. Ted Lieu , California Democrat , asked former acting Director of Intelligence Richard Grenell on Twitter , “ Did you really not tell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia was paying militants to kill US troops ?
Or is @ PressSec lying ?
” Mr. Grenell replied to the lawmaker , “ I never heard this .
And it ’ s disgusting how you continue to politicize intelligence .
You clearly don ’ t understand how raw intel gets verified .
Leaks of partial information to reporters from anonymous sources is dangerous because people like you manipulate it for political gain.
” He said critics are “ basing a whole bunch of assumptions on an anonymous source from the NYT.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said on Twitter of the White House ’ s explanation , “ I don ’ t believe this for a minute , but if it were true , it means that Trump is not even pretending to serve as commander in chief .
And no one around him has the guts to ask him to .
More evidence of their deadly incompetence .
”

President Trump said Sunday he wasn’t briefed by U.S. intelligence on a report that Russian agents offered bounties to Afghan militants to kill U.S. soldiers.
Mr. Trump tweeted “nobody briefed or told me,” or Vice President Mike Pence or White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows “about the so-called attacks on our troops in Afghanistan by Russians, as reported through an ‘anonymous source’ by the Fake News @nytimes.”
“Everybody is denying it & there have not been many attacks on us,” Mr. Trump tweeted. “Nobody’s been tougher on Russia than the Trump Administration.”
The New York Times reported Friday that U.S. intelligence concluded months ago that Russian military intelligence agents had offered the bounties to militants linked to the Taliban. The paper said Mr. Trump was briefed on the matter, and that the National Security Council held a meeting about it in late March.
Four U.S. soldiers were killed in combat in Afghanistan earlier this year.
Other administration officials have denied the accusation that the president was told of bounties.
Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe said he has “confirmed that neither the President nor the Vice President were ever briefed on any intelligence alleged by the New York Times in its reporting.”
“The New York Times reporting, and all other subsequent news reports about such an alleged briefing are inaccurate,” Mr. Ratcliffe said.
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany added that “while the White House does not routinely comment on alleged intelligence or internal deliberations, the CIA Director, National Security Advisor, and the Chief of Staff can all confirm that neither the President nor the Vice President were briefed on the alleged Russian bounty intelligence.”
She said her comments do not “speak to the merit of the alleged intelligence,” whether Russia actually did this, “but to the inaccuracy of The New York Times story erroneously suggesting that President Trump was briefed on this matter.”
Mr. Trump also said he has been tougher on Russia than the Obama administration had been.
“With Corrupt Joe Biden & Obama, Russia had a field day, taking over important parts of Ukraine - Where’s Hunter? Probably just another phony Times hit job, just like their failed Russia Hoax. Who is their ‘source’”? he tweeted. “Funny to see Corrupt Joe Biden reading a statement on Russia, which was obviously written by his handlers. Russia ate his and Obama’s lunch during their time in office.”
Democrats are calling for a congressional investigation.
Rep. Ted Lieu, California Democrat, asked former acting Director of Intelligence Richard Grenell on Twitter, “Did you really not tell [the president and vice president] that Russia was paying militants to kill US troops?”
Mr. Grenell replied to the lawmaker, “I never heard this. And it’s disgusting how you continue to politicize intelligence. You clearly don’t understand how raw intel gets verified. Leaks of partial information to reporters from anonymous sources is dangerous because people like you manipulate it for political gain.”
He said critics are “basing a whole bunch of assumptions on an anonymous source from the NYT.”
Former President Barack Obama’s National Security Adviser Susan Rice tweeted of the White House’s explanation, “I don’t believe this for a minute, but if it were true, it means that Trump is not even pretending to serve as commander in chief. And no one around him has the guts to ask him to. More evidence of their deadly incompetence.”
In an interview with ABC’s “This Week” program on Sunday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the reports again raise questions about whether the president has been compromised by Moscow, adding that she was unaware of the issue until The Times report.
“This is as bad as it gets, and yet the president will not confront the Russians on this score, denies being briefed,” the California Democrat said.
Speaking to CNN’s “State of the Union” program Sunday, former White House National Security Adviser John R. Bolton — in his latest TV appearance to promote his anti-Trump book, “The Room Where It Happened” — stressed that he’s not entirely convinced the reports of Russian bounties are true.
But if they are, he said they offer more evidence of how the president can only view an issue through the prism of how it affects him politically, even the possible deaths of American service members in Afghanistan.
“It looks bad if Russians are paying to kill Americans and we’re not doing anything about it. So what is the president’s reaction? ‘It’s not my responsibility, nobody told me about it,’” Mr. Bolton said. “That is part of the problem with President Trump’s decision-making in the national security space. It’s just unconnected to the reality he’s dealing with. It’s about his personal position.”
Mr. Bolton added that if the reports are true, Mr. Trump must immediately pursue “very severe measures” to punish Moscow.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com. • Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-06-28--Lebanon's FM to summon US envoy over comments on Hezbollah

BEIRUT ( AP ) - Lebanon ’ s foreign minister summoned the U.S. ambassador to Beirut over comments she made recently in which she criticized the militant Hezbollah group , state-run National News Agency reported Sunday .
The agency gave no further details other than saying that the meeting between Foreign Minister Nassif Hitti and Ambassador Dorothy Shea is scheduled for Monday afternoon .
Local media said the minister will tell the ambassador that according to the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties , an ambassador has no right to interfere in the internal affairs of another country and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one another .
On Saturday , a Lebanese judge banned local and foreign media outlets in the country from interviewing the U.S. ambassador for a year saying that her criticism of Hezbollah was seditious and a threat to social peace .
The judge ’ s ruling came a day after Shea told Saudi-owned TV station Al-Hadath that Washington has “ great concerns ” over Hezbollah ’ s role in the government .
The move was harshly criticized by many in Lebanon , which enjoyed one of the more freer media landscapes in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticized Shea for comments deemed an interference in Lebanon ’ s internal affairs Since the ban by the judge was imposed on Saturday , several local TV stations aired fresh comments from Shea in which she described the judge ’ s decision as “ unfortunate.
” She added that a senior Lebanese government official , whom she did not name , apologized to her .
“ I was contacted yesterday afternoon by a very high-ranking and a well-placed official in the Lebanese government and this official expressed apologies , conveyed that this ruling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shea told the local MTV station on Sunday .
Shea added that the official told her that the government “ will take the necessary step to reverse it.
” The court decision reflected the rising tension between the U.S. and Hezbollah .
It also revealed a widening rift among groups in Lebanon , which is facing the worst economic crisis in its modern history .
Hezbollah legislator Hassan Fadlallah on Sunday called Shea ’ s comments “ a flagrant aggression on the sovereignty of our country and its national dignity.
” He called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ambassador to “ respect international law.
” Lebanon is gripped by a deepening financial crisis and talks with the International Monetary Fund for assistance has been complicated by political infighting .
Shea said Lebanon is reeling from years of corruption of successive governments and accused Hezbollah of siphoning off government funds for its own purposes and of obstructing needed economic reforms .
Hezbollah , the Iran-backed Shiite group , and its allies are dominant in parliament and back the current government .
It is designated by Washington as a terrorist group and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the group .
However , Washington is one of the largest donors to the Lebanese army , making for one of the more complicated diplomatic balancing acts in the region .

BEIRUT (AP) - Lebanon’s foreign minister summoned the U.S. ambassador to Beirut over comments she made recently in which she criticized the militant Hezbollah group, state-run National News Agency reported Sunday.
In Hezbollah’s stronghold south of Beirut, some 500 protesters marched on foot and motorcycles through the streets chanting: “Oh America, you are the Great Satan.”
The agency gave no further details other than saying that the meeting between Foreign Minister Nassif Hitti and Ambassador Dorothy Shea is scheduled for Monday afternoon.
Local media said the minister will tell the ambassador that, according to the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, an ambassador has no right to interfere in the internal affairs of another country and should not incite the Lebanese people against one another.
On Saturday, a Lebanese judge banned local and foreign media outlets in the country from interviewing the U.S. ambassador for a year, saying that her criticism of Hezbollah was seditious and a threat to social peace.
The judge’s ruling came a day after Shea told Saudi-owned TV station Al-Hadath that Washington has “great concerns” over Hezbollah’s role in the government.
The move was harshly criticized by many in Lebanon, which enjoys one of the more freer media landscapes in the Arab world. Others, however, criticized Shea for comments deemed an interference in Lebanon’s internal affairs.
Since the ban by the judge was imposed Saturday, several local TV stations aired fresh comments from Shea in which she described the judge’s decision as “unfortunate.” She added that a senior Lebanese government official, whom she did not name, apologized to her.
“I was contacted yesterday afternoon by a very high-ranking and a well-placed official in the Lebanese government and this official expressed apologies, conveyed that this ruling did not have proper standing,” Shea told the local MTV station on Sunday. Shea added that the official told her that the government “will take the necessary step to reverse it.”
The court decision reflected the rising tension between the U.S. and Hezbollah. It also revealed a widening rift among groups in Lebanon, which is facing the worst economic crisis in its modern history.
Hezbollah legislator Hassan Fadlallah on Sunday called Shea’s comments “a flagrant aggression on the sovereignty of our country and its national dignity.” He called on the foreign ministry to force the ambassador to “respect international law.”
Lebanon is gripped by a deepening financial crisis, and talks with the International Monetary Fund for assistance has been complicated by political infighting. The local currency has lost more than 80% of its value in recent months.
Shea said Lebanon is reeling from years of corruption of successive governments and accused Hezbollah of siphoning off government funds for its own purposes and of obstructing needed economic reforms.
In southern Beirut, some protesters blamed American sanctions on Hezbollah and neighboring Syria for the crash of the currency, which is throwing more Lebanese into poverty.
“No matter how hungry we are, and how much in need we are, at least we have dignity,” said protester Ahmad Jawad referring to Hezbollah’s defiance of the U.S.
Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Shiite group, and its allies are dominant in parliament and back the current government. It is designated by Washington as a terrorist group and the U.S. has continued to expand sanctions against it.
However, Washington is one of the largest donors to the Lebanese army, making for one of the more complicated diplomatic balancing acts in the region.


washingtontimes--2020-06-28--In NYC, marking 50th anniversary of Pride, no matter what

NEW YORK ( AP ) - There will be protest , and rainbow flags and performances - it is LGBTQ Pride , after all .
But what is normally an outpouring on the streets of New York City is going to look a little different this year , thanks to social distancing rules required by the coronavirus .
With the city ’ s massive Pride parade canceled , the performances Sunday will be virtual , the flags will be flying in emptier than normal spaces , and the protesters will be masked .
The disruption caused by the virus would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but particularly in this one , the 50th anniversary of the first Pride march in New York City .
That June 28 , 1970 , event itself was a marker of the Stonewall uprisings of the year before in New York City ’ s West Village that helped propel a global LGBTQ movement .
Initially called the Christopher Street Liberation Day March , it looked much like the protests that have streamed through the streets of New York City daily in recent weeks over racial injustice .
Marchers trooped to Central Park , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Gay and proud !
” Cities around the world in subsequent years followed New York ’ s lead , hosting commemorative events .
Organizers of this year ’ s event in New York City are determined to showcase some of that spirit , with a TV broadcast honoring the front line workers who have been so necessary in the fight against the virus as well as people and institutions of the LGBTQ community .
The show is scheduled to have performers including Janelle Monáe , Deborah Cox , and Billy Porter , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ celebrities .
It ’ s not the only event .
At least one will be in person , billed as the Queer Liberation March for Black Lives and Against Police Brutality , and marching from lower Manhattan to Washington Square Park .
The organizers are activists who held a protest march last year as an alternative to the main Pride parade , saying it had become too corporate .
Other celebrations of the day will be visual .
At Rockefeller Center , more than 100 rainbow flags have been placed around the center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lit up in rainbow colors .
In the West Village , a rainbow light art installation next to the Stonewall Inn will illuminate the sky in tribute to the uprising and the original march , as well as those who have marched and fought through the years .
Gatherings of large groups of people are still barred in New York City as part of an effort to control the spread of the coronavirus .
Other parades cancelled this spring included the St. Patrick ’ s Day parade and Puerto Rican Day parade .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ thousands since the late-May death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minnesota .
One of the largest demonstrations was a June 14 demonstration in Brooklyn , where thousands gathered for a Black Trans Lives Matter protest .

NEW YORK (AP) - There were protests, rainbow flags and performances - it was LGBTQ Pride, after all.
But what was normally an outpouring on the streets of New York City looked a little different this year, thanks to social distancing rules required by the coronavirus.
With the city’s massive Pride parade canceled, Sunday’s performances were virtual, the flags flew in emptier than normal spaces and the protesters were masked.
The disruption caused by the virus would be an aggravation in any year, but particularly in this one, the 50th anniversary of the first Pride march in New York City.
“It’s a great thing to see because the original Pride started with the civil rights movement,” Matthew Fischer said as he passed out hand sanitizer Sunday at Foley Square. “So we’re really going back to the roots of that and making sure we encompass everything that empowers people to be who they are.”
Fischer said it was important this year to show cooperation between the Black and LGBTQ communities, given the recent deaths of George Floyd and others that have sparked demonstrations against police brutality.
A number of people in the crowd at Foley Square held signs reading “All Black Lives Matter,” with a black fist surrounded by rainbow colors. Most wore masks, though some scrapped social distancing in favor of hugging friends. One man held a sign advertising free hugs.
The first Pride march, on June 28, 1970, was a marker of the Stonewall uprisings of the year before in New York City’s West Village that helped propel a global LGBTQ movement.
Initially called the Christopher Street Liberation Day March, it looked much like the protests that have streamed through the streets of New York City daily in recent weeks over racial injustice. Marchers trooped to Central Park, chanting “Gay power!” and “Gay and proud!”
Cities around the world in subsequent years followed New York’s lead, hosting commemorative events.
The historic Stonewall Inn, known as the birthplace of the gay rights movement, furloughed its employees and has been shuttered more than three months amid the pandemic. But it announced Sunday it will receive a $250,000 contribution from the Gill Foundation - money that will go toward several months of rent and utilities.
“I don’t think things will really be back to normal for us until there’s a vaccine, so this is a much-needed lifeline,” co-owner Stacy Lentz told The Associated Press. “It would be devastating to think about walking down Christopher Street and seeing that building shuttered.”
Organizers of this year’s event in New York City were determined to showcase some of that spirit, with a TV broadcast honoring the front line workers who have been so necessary in the fight against the virus as well as people and institutions of the LGBTQ community.
The show featured several performers including Janelle Monáe, Deborah Cox and Billy Porter, and appearances from a number of other celebrities.
The Queer Liberation March for Black Lives and Against Police Brutality, meanwhile, marched from Lower Manhattan toward Washington Square Park. The organizers are activists who held a protest march last year as an alternative to the main Pride parade, saying it had become too corporate.
The group wrote on Twitter that police had become aggressive later in the afternoon, saying it ended its live streaming of the march early because police were using pepper spray and making arrests.
Joseph Engargeau feared there might be no event this year because of the coronavirus restrictions. Instead, he felt this scaled-down version better resembled the first Pride than the massive event the parade became.
Engargeau, wearing a rainbow mask, said he’s watched tourists through the years come to snap photos of the Stonewall, only to realize it doesn’t look like anything special.
“It’s just this nothing place,” he said, “but it meant everything.”
Other celebrations of the day were visual. At Rockefeller Center, more than 100 rainbow flags were placed around the center rink, and the plaza was lit up in rainbow colors.
In the West Village, a rainbow light art installation next to the Stonewall Inn was expected to illuminate the sky in tribute to the uprising and the original march, as well as those who have marched and fought through the years.
“The feeling doesn’t go away because of the coronavirus,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said in an interview with WABC-TV.
Gatherings of large groups of people are still barred in New York City as part of an effort to control the spread of the coronavirus. Other parades canceled this spring included the St. Patrick’s Day parade and Puerto Rican Day parade.
Still, people have gathered by the thousands since the late-May death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minnesota. One of the largest demonstrations was a June 14 demonstration in Brooklyn, where thousands gathered for a Black Trans Lives Matter protest.
__
Associated Press writer Jim Mustian contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-06-28--Report: Boston minority communities hit hardest by evictions

BOSTON ( AP ) - Communities of color in Boston are disproportionately affected by evictions in the city , with some of the highest rates in Black communities , according to a new report released Sunday .
Seventy percent of market-rate eviction filings occur in neighborhoods where a majority of residents are people of color , though only about half of rental housing is in these neighborhoods , according to three years of data by MIT researchers and a housing justice organization .
The problem has only been exasperated by the coronavirus , which saw a spike in eviction filings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April .
Almost 80 % of those suspended cases were in communities of color .
“ The COVID crisis acts as an accelerator .
It exposes the fault lines in our housing system , ” said Lisa Owens , the executive director City Life/Vida , whose group helped produce the report .
“ This is what you get when you don ’ t address generations of systemic racism.
” The racial disparity in Boston evictions is part of a nationwide trend and mirrors findings in cities across the country and in Washington state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the racial composition of a neighborhood is the most important factor in predicting neighborhood eviction rates , even more than poverty and other neighborhood characteristics .
“ The Boston study really reflects what we found in Richmond as well as other urban regions in Virginia , ” Ben Teresa , a Virginia Commonwealth University professor who has studied eviction rates and co-directs an eviction lab , said .
“ When we start looking at it in these different places , I ’ ve seen that race continues to be one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , factors in high eviction rates.
” Boston has other characteristics that increase eviction risks especially in communities of color .
It has one of the country ’ s most expensive rental markets , a shortage of affordable housing and a history of segregation and racial discrimination .
Neighborhoods , like Roxbury and Dorchester , Mattapan , have some of highest rates of poverty in Boston .
“ The results are very troubling , ” said Justin Steil , an associate professor of law and urban planning at MIT who authored the report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It suggest that above and beyond income , housing cost measures that race continues to play a significant role in evictions , ” he said .
“ We see white supremacy and anti-blackness functioning in the housing markets as well as other areas of social life.
” Housing advocates said the high rates of evictions in these communities only adds the challenges already facing families .
Many of those evicted , according to the report , often can not finding stable housing , are driven into worse neighborhoods and can end up homeless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the report calls for a number of reforms including limits on annual rent increases and expanding legal representation for low-income tenants in housing court - only 8 % have legal representation compared to 85 % for landlords .
The city of Boston has set aside $ 8 million in federal funds to help renters affected by the coronavirus and last year came out with a plan to reduce evictions by a third in the next five years and build more affordable housing .
It also created a program to provide rental assistance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The City of Boston tracks eviction data every year and the data has clearly shown that evictions rates are higher in affordable housing and neighborhoods of color , ” Sheila Dillon , the chief of housing for the city , said in a statement .
“ The Walsh administration is committed to reducing the number of evictions in Boston and has put forth a plan to guide this work.
” But housing advocates said more needs to be done and they are focusing efforts on a bill that is expected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impacted by the coronavirus .
It would ban evictions for a year after the moratorium lifts later this summer and freeze rents at pre-coronavirus levels among other things .
There is also a separate push for lifting a ban on rent control .
“ Legislators that say the care about racial justice , that they say they are on the side of Black Lives Matter , can prove that is true by working for immediate COVID-19 recovery and long-term housing stability , ” Owens said .

BOSTON (AP) - Communities of color in Boston are disproportionately affected by evictions in the city, with some of the highest rates in Black communities, according to a new report released Sunday.
Seventy percent of market-rate eviction filings occur in neighborhoods where a majority of residents are people of color, though only about half of rental housing is in these neighborhoods, according to three years of data by MIT researchers and a housing justice organization. The problem has only been exasperated by the coronavirus, which saw a spike in eviction filings before the state issued a moratorium in April. Almost 80% of those suspended cases were in communities of color.
“The COVID crisis acts as an accelerator. It exposes the fault lines in our housing system,” said Lisa Owens, the executive director City Life/Vida, whose group helped produce the report. “This is what you get when you don’t address generations of systemic racism.”
The racial disparity in Boston evictions is part of a nationwide trend and mirrors findings in cities across the country and in Washington state. Much of the research has found that the racial composition of a neighborhood is the most important factor in predicting neighborhood eviction rates, even more than poverty and other neighborhood characteristics.
“The Boston study really reflects what we found in Richmond as well as other urban regions in Virginia,” Ben Teresa, a Virginia Commonwealth University professor who has studied eviction rates and co-directs an eviction lab, said. “When we start looking at it in these different places, I’ve seen that race continues to be one of the most, if not the most important, factors in high eviction rates.”
Boston has other characteristics that increase eviction risks especially in communities of color. It has one of the country’s most expensive rental markets, a shortage of affordable housing and a history of segregation and racial discrimination. Neighborhoods, like Roxbury and Dorchester, Mattapan, have some of highest rates of poverty in Boston.
“The results are very troubling,” said Justin Steil, an associate professor of law and urban planning at MIT who authored the report with MIT researcher David Robinson.
“It suggest that above and beyond income, housing cost measures that race continues to play a significant role in evictions,” he said. “We see white supremacy and anti-blackness functioning in the housing markets as well as other areas of social life.”
Housing advocates said the high rates of evictions in these communities only adds the challenges already facing families. Many of those evicted, according to the report, often cannot finding stable housing, are driven into worse neighborhoods and can end up homeless.
To combat evictions in these communities, the report calls for a number of reforms including limits on annual rent increases and expanding legal representation for low-income tenants in housing court - only 8% have legal representation compared to 85% for landlords.
The city of Boston has set aside $8 million in federal funds to help renters affected by the coronavirus and last year came out with a plan to reduce evictions by a third in the next five years and build more affordable housing. It also created a program to provide rental assistance to low-income tenants, including homeless families.
“The City of Boston tracks eviction data every year and the data has clearly shown that evictions rates are higher in affordable housing and neighborhoods of color,” Sheila Dillon, the chief of housing for the city, said in a statement. “The Walsh administration is committed to reducing the number of evictions in Boston and has put forth a plan to guide this work.”
But housing advocates said more needs to be done and they are focusing efforts on a bill that is expected to be introduced Tuesday and would help renters impacted by the coronavirus. It would ban evictions for a year after the moratorium lifts later this summer and freeze rents at pre-coronavirus levels among other things. There is also a separate push for lifting a ban on rent control.
“Legislators that say the care about racial justice, that they say they are on the side of Black Lives Matter, can prove that is true by working for immediate COVID-19 recovery and long-term housing stability,” Owens said.


washingtontimes--2020-06-28--Black bear rescued as cub released back into Wyoming woods

JACKSON , Wyo .
( AP ) - When Taz McBride first laid eyes on “ Hissy ” he was up close with the tiny black bear in his grandmother ’ s Melody Ranch backyard .
Hissy wasn ’ t exactly menacing , as far as black bears go .
The gaunt , housecat-size animal appeared to be out on its own when it circled around a hot tub last October , encountered McBride - and hissed .
The name came naturally to the 7-year-old , who went on to spot the orphaned black bear cub more than once last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hissy were face-to-face again , this time in a more suitable spot for a black bear .
They encountered each other at Jackass Meadows , well into the backcountry west of the northern Teton Range .
It was just before Hissy was let loose to go live his black bear life .
Hissy , now a healthy 110-pound yearling bruin , had an odyssey of eight months , the Jackson Hole News & Guide reported .
Sometime after losing mom from an unknown cause , the cub wound up getting by in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was scraping by , ” Wyoming Game and Fish Department large carnivore biologist Becca Lyon said while en route to the release site .
“ He wasn ’ t really putting on any weight , and he seemed to be sleeping under somebody ’ s deck.
” When Lyon caught up to the little fella late last October , he was up in an ornamental tree eating “ little cherry-like things ” that budded on the branches .
She ’ d been getting calls for weeks of a solo black bear cub in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told her the animal had likely been orphaned for a while .
The tail end of immobilizing and catching the young bear proved a social media sensation .
Heide McBride captured a clip of the cub free-falling from the tree after it had been hit with a tranquilizer dart .
As the drug took effect the cub clung to consciousness - and then literally to a tree branch , from which it slung from like a sloth before plopping harmlessly into an awaiting tarp .
Someone out of the frame chimed in , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a happy story.
” The declaration rang true , and not just because the video would go on to garner many thousands of views on Facebook and YouTube and an astounding 4-million-plus watches on TikTok , according to McBride .
Ordinarily , the Game and Fish carnivore crew would relocate a black bear that was in a bad spot but was not actually causing conflict , as was the case with Hissy .
But with a Wyoming winter looming near , a relocation would have been a death sentence for a naïve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just 15 pounds .
“ As far as survival goes , ” Lyon said , “ he wouldn ’ t have survived through the year.
” Game and Fish ’ s large carnivore chief , Dan Thompson , made the call to use a center that could take the cub in for rehabilitation after conferring with his staff .
There have only been “ a few ” such occasions of the agency going the rehabilitation route , he said , and never in recent history in the agency ’ s Jackson Region .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Thompson said .
“ Our options were either putting the animal down or trying to find placement for it.
” The state found a taker in the Idaho Black Bear Rehab facility in Garden City , where Hissy became Wyatt and was raised under the care of president Amy Kidwell .
He grew up into a spunky adult-sized bear , living with several of his Ursus americanus comrades in a 5,000-square-foot enclosure .
“ These Wyoming bears , they ’ re just full of personality , ” Kidwell said at the release @ @ @ @ @ @ @ favorite , ” she said .
Heide McBride was among those who watched the little cub sprout into an adult black bear from afar , courtesy of Kidwell ’ s daily updates to the Idaho Black Bear Rehab ’ s Facebook page .
This week she assured the Wyatt fan club that the animal they ’ ve been following for months was in welcome quarters in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest .
“ I can testify firsthand that Wyatt ’ s new home is bear paradise !
!
” McBride posted , among two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goodbye .
“ Wildflowers , streams , lily pad ponds , plenty of food and most importantly , very far back in the woods away from humans !
!
I ’ m sure he ’ s settling nicely in to his new digs !
” At the Jackass Meadows release site , Kidwell and photographers discussed how to best position the rehab center ’ s vehicle to make for the best photo opp .
Mosquitoes swarmed on a sunny afternoon as Kidwell readied to swing the gate on Wyatt ’ s cage and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watched hibernate and double in size three times over .
In his final moments of confinement , she offered him a swig of water .
“ Last chance , ” Kidwell said .
“ You better go find your own.
” Hitting the ground , the rehabilitated yearling ran a big arc , circling the vehicle and complicating the photo opp .
They always go in a straight line , Kidwell said .
“ I ’ m just shocked , ” she said .
“ Smart guy - he always was outsmarting me.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ now bear 1918 , at least going by the number on his ear tag .
He was also a wild black bear for the first time since he was a little squirt .
The new addition to the Caribou-Targhee ’ s black bear population looked like he had a sensory overload in his new environment , snapping at a twig , vigorously smelling and standing on two feet before scurrying into the timber out of sight .
Readying him for release into the wild was the “ whole goal , ” Kidwell said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ever entered the enclosure , she said , in order to dissuade habituation .
From the looks of it , he ’ d retained some of his bear sensibilities : moments earlier , a reporter ’ s iPhone held too near his cage was greeted with a lunge and jaw pops , which proved a startling warning .
At a year and a half old , the bruin was the same age he would have been if his mother naturally cast him off , Thompson said .
The large carnivore manager was optimistic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Hopefully , ” he said , “ we never hear from this bear again .
”

JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) - When Taz McBride first laid eyes on “Hissy” he was up close with the tiny black bear in his grandmother’s Melody Ranch backyard.
Hissy wasn’t exactly menacing, as far as black bears go. The gaunt, housecat-size animal appeared to be out on its own when it circled around a hot tub last October, encountered McBride - and hissed. The name came naturally to the 7-year-old, who went on to spot the orphaned black bear cub more than once last fall.
Last Thursday afternoon McBride and Hissy were face-to-face again, this time in a more suitable spot for a black bear. They encountered each other at Jackass Meadows, well into the backcountry west of the northern Teton Range. It was just before Hissy was let loose to go live his black bear life.
“Hello there,” McBride told the bear. “Hello.”
Hissy, now a healthy 110-pound yearling bruin, had an odyssey of eight months, the Jackson Hole News & Guide reported.
Sometime after losing mom from an unknown cause, the cub wound up getting by in the neighborhoods south of Jackson.
“He was scraping by,” Wyoming Game and Fish Department large carnivore biologist Becca Lyon said while en route to the release site. “He wasn’t really putting on any weight, and he seemed to be sleeping under somebody’s deck.”
When Lyon caught up to the little fella late last October, he was up in an ornamental tree eating “little cherry-like things” that budded on the branches. She’d been getting calls for weeks of a solo black bear cub in the neighborhoods southwest of town, which told her the animal had likely been orphaned for a while.
The tail end of immobilizing and catching the young bear proved a social media sensation.
Heide McBride captured a clip of the cub free-falling from the tree after it had been hit with a tranquilizer dart. As the drug took effect the cub clung to consciousness - and then literally to a tree branch, from which it slung from like a sloth before plopping harmlessly into an awaiting tarp.
“Aw, poor baby,” McBride muttered as the scene unfolded.
Someone out of the frame chimed in, remarking, “Oh, that’s a happy story.”
The declaration rang true, and not just because the video would go on to garner many thousands of views on Facebook and YouTube and an astounding 4-million-plus watches on TikTok, according to McBride.
Ordinarily, the Game and Fish carnivore crew would relocate a black bear that was in a bad spot but was not actually causing conflict, as was the case with Hissy. But with a Wyoming winter looming near, a relocation would have been a death sentence for a naïve, first-year cub that biologists guessed weighed just 15 pounds.
“As far as survival goes,” Lyon said, “he wouldn’t have survived through the year.”
Game and Fish’s large carnivore chief, Dan Thompson, made the call to use a center that could take the cub in for rehabilitation after conferring with his staff. There have only been “a few” such occasions of the agency going the rehabilitation route, he said, and never in recent history in the agency’s Jackson Region.
“This was a unique situation,” Thompson said. “Our options were either putting the animal down or trying to find placement for it.”
The state found a taker in the Idaho Black Bear Rehab facility in Garden City, where Hissy became Wyatt and was raised under the care of president Amy Kidwell. He grew up into a spunky adult-sized bear, living with several of his Ursus americanus comrades in a 5,000-square-foot enclosure.
“These Wyoming bears, they’re just full of personality,” Kidwell said at the release site.
Wyatt was a “fan favorite,” she said.
Heide McBride was among those who watched the little cub sprout into an adult black bear from afar, courtesy of Kidwell’s daily updates to the Idaho Black Bear Rehab’s Facebook page. This week she assured the Wyatt fan club that the animal they’ve been following for months was in welcome quarters in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest.
“I can testify firsthand that Wyatt’s new home is bear paradise!!” McBride posted, among two dozen other comments about Wyatt’s goodbye. “Wildflowers, streams, lily pad ponds, plenty of food and most importantly, very far back in the woods away from humans!! I’m sure he’s settling nicely in to his new digs!”
At the Jackass Meadows release site, Kidwell and photographers discussed how to best position the rehab center’s vehicle to make for the best photo opp. Mosquitoes swarmed on a sunny afternoon as Kidwell readied to swing the gate on Wyatt’s cage and say goodbye to the bear she had watched hibernate and double in size three times over. In his final moments of confinement, she offered him a swig of water.
“Last chance,” Kidwell said. “You better go find your own.”
Wyatt declined.
Hitting the ground, the rehabilitated yearling ran a big arc, circling the vehicle and complicating the photo opp. They always go in a straight line, Kidwell said.
“I’m just shocked,” she said. “Smart guy - he always was outsmarting me.”
Hissy, or Wyatt, was now bear 1918, at least going by the number on his ear tag. He was also a wild black bear for the first time since he was a little squirt. The new addition to the Caribou-Targhee’s black bear population looked like he had a sensory overload in his new environment, snapping at a twig, vigorously smelling and standing on two feet before scurrying into the timber out of sight.
Readying him for release into the wild was the “whole goal,” Kidwell said.
Kidwell was the only one who ever entered the enclosure, she said, in order to dissuade habituation.
From the looks of it, he’d retained some of his bear sensibilities: moments earlier, a reporter’s iPhone held too near his cage was greeted with a lunge and jaw pops, which proved a startling warning.
At a year and a half old, the bruin was the same age he would have been if his mother naturally cast him off, Thompson said. The large carnivore manager was optimistic for a happy end to the story.
“Hopefully,” he said, “we never hear from this bear again.”


washingtontimes--2020-06-28--Black candidates push race debate into GOP-held districts

COLUMBUS , Ind .
( AP ) - It was a scene Jeannine Lee Lake never would have imagined when she first ran against Greg Pence , Vice President Mike Pence ’ s brother , for a rural Indiana congressional seat two years ago : an almost entirely white crowd of more than 100 people marching silently in the Pences ’ hometown this month , offering prayers for Black people killed by police and an end to systemic racism .
Leading them was Lake , who is in rematch against Pence .
She is the only Black woman running for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Democrat , who lost badly in 2018 and again faces long odds in the deeply conservative district , has spent much of the past few weeks at events such as the one in Columbus on Juneteenth .
In communities across a district that is 93 % white , Lake has talked about seeing her children pulled over by police and “ harassed for no reason.
” She has spoken the names of George Floyd , Breonna Taylor and other Black people killed by police , telling crowds “ we ’ re here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no way , shape or form is 2018 the same as the 2020 race in regard to the grassroots effort and the galvanization of the movement that is now Black Lives Matter , ” said Lake , 50 .
“ It ’ s just a total shift.
” The reenergized movement against racial inequality has amplified the voices of Black candidates , in some cases pushing the political debate over race into Republican-leaning areas .
Democrats say they ’ ve seen a significant boost in fundraising and other engagement for candidates running on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could help the party flip some Republican-held districts in November .
Polls show usually broad bipartisan support for some change to the nation ’ s criminal justice system .
But lawmakers in Washington are at an impasse after far-reaching federal legislation passed the Democrat-led House on Thursday over objections from Republicans .
Pence voted no , saying he opposes changes to the qualified immunity system that shields officers from liability .
In Arkansas , Democratic state Sen. Joyce Elliott says she ’ s seeing new momentum in her bid to unseat GOP Rep. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s first Black woman elected to Congress .
She began running digital ads shortly after Floyd ’ s death last month .
In them , she spoke about her experience integrating a school in the 1960s where she and other Black students weren ’ t wanted .
It was the kind of fundraising appeal that typically would bring in about $ 1.50 for every $ 1 a congressional campaign spent on the ad buy .
This ad cost Elliott ’ s campaign about $ 2,500 and raised $ 24,000 within one week , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Strategies , the digital firm for Elliott ’ s campaign .
Other Black candidates are seeing a similar trend , she said .
“ The environment is different , and that environment has created a boon of support , ” Ager said .
For people who are tired of inaction and want to see more Black people in Congress , “ it seems like a clear place to direct money.
” Elliott , 69 , has also been traveling to Black Lives Matter protests around the district , which includes Little Rock and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Republican for more than a decade .
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic , the kidney donor speaks to crowds from the back of a pickup truck , often to predominantly white audiences .
She tells her story of overcoming adversity , mentioning the people in school who didn ’ t want her or other Black students there .
At one recent event , the crowd gathered in the shadow of a Confederate statue , where the discussion turned to trying to have it removed .
After a lifetime of feeling like she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ push , ” Elliott said , “ now it feels like this is a big warm embrace.
” Her campaign has been backed by EMILY ’ s List , which supports women in politics , and the Congressional Black Caucus PAC .
“ I ’ m feeling now as if a door has opened , ” Elliott said .
“ People can look at someone like me and say , ‘ Why not Joyce Elliott ?
Isn ’ t she the right person for this moment ?
’ ” In North Carolina , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidate for a newly redrawn congressional district held by Republican Rep. Richard Hudson even before the discussion over policing and racial inequality was reinvigorated .
Timmons-Goodson was the first Black woman on the Supreme Court of North Carolina and served on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights , where she helped write recommendations on policing .
In 2016 , President Barack Obama nominated her to the federal court , though the nomination was among those blocked by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , and other Republicans .
Timmons-Goodson received national attention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the court was left vacant for years and became part of a national fight over the courts .
But her campaign says support for her candidacy exploded in recent weeks .
Timmons-Goodson reported fewer than 1,000 individual contributions for the first quarter of 2020 .
In the quarter that ends Tuesday , the campaign expects to report some 20,000 contributions .
Lake may have a tougher fight ahead in Indiana , but she ’ s had to order more campaign signs and more than doubled her ranks of campaign volunteers .
Pence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Other Black activists tell Lake they ’ re considering running for office , too .
Her campaign also is organizing “ Candidates for Change ” events , which will be held in more than half the district ’ s 19 counties and will focus on issues of policing , inequality and systemic racism - conversations that may not have occurred before in some places .
Even as the pandemic has canceled much campaigning , the protests have gone on .
“ I ’ m going to keep on going , as long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Burnett reported from Chicago .
Smith is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative .
Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues .

COLUMBUS, Ind. (AP) - It was a scene Jeannine Lee Lake never would have imagined when she first ran against Greg Pence, Vice President Mike Pence’s brother, for a rural Indiana congressional seat two years ago: an almost entirely white crowd of more than 100 people marching silently in the Pences’ hometown this month, offering prayers for Black people killed by police and an end to systemic racism.
Leading them was Lake, who is in a rematch against Pence. She is the only Black woman running for federal office in Indiana this fall.
The Democrat, who lost badly in 2018 and again faces long odds in the deeply conservative district, has spent much of the past few weeks at events such as the one in Columbus on Juneteenth. In communities across a district that is 93% white, Lake has talked about seeing her children pulled over by police and “harassed for no reason.” She has spoken the names of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other Black people killed by police, telling crowds “we’re here to call for change.”
“In no way, shape or form is 2018 the same as the 2020 race in regard to the grassroots effort and the galvanization of the movement that is now Black Lives Matter,” said Lake, 50. “It’s just a total shift.”
The reenergized movement against racial inequality has amplified the voices of Black candidates, in some cases pushing the political debate over race into Republican-leaning areas. Democrats say they’ve seen a significant boost in fundraising and other engagement for candidates running on racial justice issues, and believe it could help the party flip some Republican-held districts in November.
Polls show unusually broad bipartisan support for some change to the nation’s criminal justice system. But lawmakers in Washington are at an impasse after far-reaching federal legislation passed the Democrat-led House on Thursday over objections from Republicans. Pence voted no, saying he opposes changes to the qualified immunity system that shields officers from liability.
In Arkansas, Democratic state Sen. Joyce Elliott says she’s seeing new momentum in her bid to unseat GOP Rep. French Hill and become the state’s first Black woman elected to Congress. She began running digital ads shortly after Floyd’s death last month. In them, she spoke about her experience integrating a school in the 1960s where she and other Black students weren’t wanted.
It was the kind of fundraising appeal that typically would bring in about $1.50 for every $1 a congressional campaign spent on the ad buy. This ad cost Elliott’s campaign about $2,500 and raised $24,000 within one week, said Julia Ager, president of Sapphire Strategies, the digital firm for Elliott’s campaign. Other Black candidates are seeing a similar trend, she said.
“The environment is different, and that environment has created a boon of support,” Ager said. For people who are tired of inaction and want to see more Black people in Congress, “it seems like a clear place to direct money.”
Elliott, 69, has also been traveling to Black Lives Matter protests around the district, which includes Little Rock and its suburbs and has been represented by a Republican for more than a decade. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the kidney donor speaks to crowds from the back of a pickup truck, often to predominantly white audiences. She tells her story of overcoming adversity, mentioning the people in school who didn’t want her or other Black students there. At one recent event, the crowd gathered in the shadow of a Confederate statue, where the discussion turned to trying to have it removed.
After a lifetime of feeling like she had to “push, push, push,” Elliott said, “now it feels like this is a big warm embrace.”
Her campaign has been backed by EMILY’s List, which supports women in politics, and the Congressional Black Caucus PAC. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., who is in the running to be the Democratic nominee for vice president, endorsed Elliott’s campaign on Saturday.
“I’m feeling now as if a door has opened,” Elliott said. “People can look at someone like me and say, ‘Why not Joyce Elliott? Isn’t she the right person for this moment?’”
In North Carolina, Democrats saw Pat Timmons-Goodson as a strong candidate for a newly redrawn congressional district held by Republican Rep. Richard Hudson even before the discussion over policing and racial inequality was reinvigorated.
Timmons-Goodson was the first Black woman on the Supreme Court of North Carolina and served on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, where she helped write recommendations on policing. In 2016, President Barack Obama nominated her to the federal court, though the nomination was among those blocked by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and other Republicans.
Timmons-Goodson received national attention during that debate, as the seat on the court was left vacant for years and became part of a national fight over the courts. But her campaign says support for her candidacy exploded in recent weeks. Timmons-Goodson reported fewer than 1,000 individual contributions for the first quarter of 2020. In the quarter that ends Tuesday, the campaign expects to report some 20,000 contributions.
Lake may have a tougher fight ahead in Indiana, but she’s had to order more campaign signs and more than doubled her ranks of campaign volunteers. Pence’s campaign largely ignores her bid.
Other Black activists tell Lake they’re considering running for office, too. Her campaign also is organizing “Candidates for Change” events, which will be held in more than half the district’s 19 counties and will focus on issues of policing, inequality and systemic racism - conversations that may not have occurred before in some places. Even as the pandemic has canceled much campaigning, the protests have gone on.
“I’m going to keep on going, as long as they do,” she said.
___
Burnett reported from Chicago. Smith is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.


washingtontimes--2020-06-28--China reviews heavily criticized Hong Kong security bill

BEIJING ( AP ) - China ’ s legislature on Sunday began reviewing a controversial national security bill for Hong Kong that critics worldwide say will severely compromise human rights in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory .
The National People ’ s Congress Standing Committee took up the bill at the start of a three-day session , China ’ s official Xinhua News Agency reported .
China has said it is determined to enact the law , and its passage is expected by Tuesday .
The U.S. says it will respond by ending favorable trading terms granted to the former British @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1997 .
The Senate on Thursday unanimously approved a bill to impose sanctions on businesses and individuals - including the police - that undermine Hong Kong ’ s autonomy or restrict freedoms promised to the city ’ s residents .
The Senate bill targets police units that have cracked down on Hong Kong protesters , as well as Chinese Communist Party officials responsible for imposing the national security law .
The measure also would impose sanctions on banks that do business with entities found to violate the law .
Last week , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and eight former U.N. special envoys urged the body ’ s secretary-general to appoint a special envoy on Hong Kong over what they said is a pending “ humanitarian tragedy.
” Britain has said it would grant passports to as many as 3 million of Hong Kong ’ s 7.8 million people .
Beijing has denounced all such moves as gross interference in its internal affairs .
The law would criminalize secession , subversion of state power , terrorist activities and colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security .
Critics say Hong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for such matters and that Beijing is determined to use the law to pursue political opponents .
The central government in Beijing also would set up a national security office in Hong Kong to collect and analyze intelligence and deal with criminal cases related to national security .
Few details have been released , but it appears that Beijing will have ultimate power over government appointments , further reducing the relative independence it promised to Hong Kong in a 1984 joint declaration with Britain that is considered an international treaty .
The measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ significant erosion to date of Hong Kong ’ s British-style rule of law and high degree of autonomy that China promised Hong Kong would have under a “ one country , two systems ” principle .
China has long demanded such a law for Hong Kong , but efforts were shelved in the face of massive protests in 2003 .
Beijing appeared to have lost its patience in the face of widespread and often violent anti-government demonstrations in Hong Kong last year , moving to circumvent the city ’ s own legislative council @ @ @ @ @ @ @ level on what critics say are weak legal grounds .
On Sunday , opponents of the bill staged a protest in Hong Kong , with police using pepper spray and arresting 53 people “ on suspicion of unlawful assembly , ” according to Hong Kong broadcaster RTHK .

BEIJING (AP) - China’s legislature on Sunday began reviewing a controversial national security bill for Hong Kong that critics worldwide say will severely compromise human rights in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.
The National People’s Congress Standing Committee took up the bill at the start of a three-day session, China’s official Xinhua News Agency reported. China has said it is determined to enact the law, and its passage is expected by Tuesday.
The U.S. says it will respond by ending favorable trading terms granted to the former British colony after it passed to Chinese control in 1997. The Senate on Thursday unanimously approved a bill to impose sanctions on businesses and individuals - including the police - that undermine Hong Kong’s autonomy or restrict freedoms promised to the city’s residents.
The Senate bill targets police units that have cracked down on Hong Kong protesters, as well as Chinese Communist Party officials responsible for imposing the national security law. The measure also would impose sanctions on banks that do business with entities found to violate the law.
Last week, a former United Nations human rights chief and eight former U.N. special envoys urged the body’s secretary-general to appoint a special envoy on Hong Kong over what they said is a pending “humanitarian tragedy.” Britain has said it would grant passports to as many as 3 million of Hong Kong’s 7.8 million people.
Beijing has denounced all such moves as gross interference in its internal affairs.
The law would criminalize secession, subversion of state power, terrorist activities and colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security. Critics say Hong Kong’s legal statutes already account for such matters and that Beijing is determined to use the law to pursue political opponents.
The central government in Beijing also would set up a national security office in Hong Kong to collect and analyze intelligence and deal with criminal cases related to national security.
Few details have been released, but it appears that Beijing will have ultimate power over government appointments, further reducing the relative independence it promised to Hong Kong in a 1984 joint declaration with Britain that is considered an international treaty.
The measures have been widely seen as the most significant erosion to date of Hong Kong’s British-style rule of law and high degree of autonomy that China promised Hong Kong would have under a “one country, two systems” principle.
China has long demanded such a law for Hong Kong, but efforts were shelved in the face of massive protests in 2003. Beijing appeared to have lost its patience in the face of widespread and often violent anti-government demonstrations in Hong Kong last year, moving to circumvent the city’s own legislative council and enact the law at the national level on what critics say are weak legal grounds.
On Sunday, opponents of the bill staged a protest in Hong Kong, with police using pepper spray and arresting 53 people “on suspicion of unlawful assembly,” according to Hong Kong broadcaster RTHK.


washingtontimes--2020-06-28--Tilahun Woldemichael, Ethiopian Orthodox monk said to be 114 years old, survives coronavirus

ADDIS ABABA , Ethiopia — An Ethiopian Orthodox monk whose family says he is 114 years old has survived the @ @ @ @ @ discharged from a hospital on Thursday after almost three weeks .
He received oxygen and @ @ @ @ @ widely available steroid that researchers in England have said reduced deaths by up to one @ @ @ @ @ patients .
Ethiopia ’ s health minister has said the ministry recommends the emergency use @ @ @ @ @ patients who require ventilation or oxygen .
Tilahun ’ s grandson Biniam Leulseged said he @ @ @ @ @ prove the monk ’ s age , but he showed a photo of him celebrating @ @ @ @ @ He was looking young back then , too , ” Biniam told The Associated Press @ @ @ @ @ he was emotional when his grandfather was taken to the hospital but “ I am @ @ @ @ @ together again.
” Ethiopia has more than 5,200 confirmed cases of the virus .

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — An Ethiopian Orthodox monk whose family says he is 114 years old has survived the coronavirus.
Tilahun Woldemichael was discharged from a hospital on Thursday after almost three weeks. He received oxygen and dexamethasone, a cheap and widely available steroid that researchers in England have said reduced deaths by up to one third in severely ill hospitalized patients.
Ethiopia’s health minister has said the ministry recommends the emergency use of the drug for COVID-19 patients who require ventilation or oxygen.
Tilahun’s grandson Biniam Leulseged said he has no birth certificate to prove the monk’s age, but he showed a photo of him celebrating his 100th birthday.
“He was looking young back then, too,” Biniam told The Associated Press on Saturday.
He said he was emotional when his grandfather was taken to the hospital but “I am very happy because we are together again.”
Ethiopia has more than 5,200 confirmed cases of the virus.


washingtontimes--2020-06-28--Taiwan holds LGBT pride parade despite coronavirus

TAIPEI , Taiwan ( AP ) - The Taiwanese capital held its annual LGBT pride parade on Sunday , making it one of the few places in the world to proceed with such an event in the face of the coronavirus pandemic .
The parade in Taipei has drawn tens of thousands of people in the past , but participant numbers Sunday were reduced by both virus concerns and heavy rain .
Still , those who did take part said it was a testament both to Taiwan ’ s ability to contain the pandemic and its commitment to rights for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the only place in Asia where same-sex marriage is legal , and its liberal political system has long promoted human rights , free speech and freedom of assembly .
American student Loren Couse , 28 , said Taipei ’ s ability to hold the parade was “ really impressive.
” “ I think Taiwan has done a really good job so far , and I am really proud of living here , not only because it ’ s so open to people like myself , the gay community , but also because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ example for the world and how to handle the pandemic so far , ” Couse said .
New York was among the cities compelled to cancel its gay pride parade this year to comply with social distancing measures .
Taiwan has largely dropped such restrictions after quarantines and case tracing helped bring the coronavirus infection rate down radically .
In all , the island of 23.7 million people has confirmed 447 cases , including seven deaths .

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) - The Taiwanese capital held its annual LGBT Pride parade on Sunday, making it one of the few places in the world to proceed with such an event in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
The parade in Taipei has drawn tens of thousands of people in the past, but participant numbers Sunday were reduced by both virus concerns and heavy rain. Taiwan’s Central News Agency said that over 1,000 attended.
Those who did take part said it was a testament both to Taiwan’s ability to contain the pandemic and its commitment to rights for people of all sexual orientations.
Taiwan is the only place in Asia where same-sex marriage is legal, and its liberal political system has long promoted human rights, free speech and freedom of assembly.
American student Loren Couse, 28, said Taipei’s ability to hold the parade was “really impressive.”
“I think Taiwan has done a really good job so far, and I am really proud of living here, not only because it’s so open to people like myself, the gay community, but also because I think it’s such an example for the world and how to handle the pandemic so far,” Couse said.
New York was among the cities compelled to cancel its gay Pride parade this year to comply with social distancing measures.
Taiwan has largely dropped such restrictions after quarantines and case tracing helped bring the coronavirus infection rate down radically. In all, the island of 23.7 million people has confirmed 447 cases, including seven deaths.