washingtontimes--2020-06-10--PG&E overhauls its board again as part of bankruptcy promise

SAN RAMON , Calif. ( AP ) - Pacific Gas and Electric on Wednesday announced the latest overhaul of its board of directors in another step toward the nation ’ s largest utility ending its bankruptcy .
The board includes 11 new directors who will oversee the decisions made by PG & E ; management , as part of an agreement the company made with the state to shake up a corporate culture that has emphasized shareholder profits over the safety of the 16 million people who rely on it for power .
Neglect of the utility ’ s aging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disrepair , igniting catastrophic wildfires that killed more than 100 people and destroyed more than 27,000 homes and other buildings in 2017 and 2018 .
The death and destruction led to damages PG & E ; couldn ’ t afford to pay , prompting the company to file for bankruptcy early last year .
Only three members will remain from a board that PG & E ; largely assembled after filing for bankruptcy .
The holdovers include former AT & T ; executive Bill Smith , who will become PG & E ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s current leader , Bill Johnson , steps down on June 30 .
That ’ s also the date PG & E ; is aiming to get out of bankruptcy so it can qualify for coverage from a wildfire insurance fund created by the state .
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Dennis Montali has promised to rule on PG & E ; ’ s $ 58 billion reorganization plan by then .
The 11 new board members include a mix of people with experience in utilities , technology and emergency management .
Those qualifications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more stringent safety measures and do a better job managing and communicating its planned blackouts to prevent more wildfires in the next few years .
The new directors with utility experience include Mike Niggli , the former chief operating officer for the corporate parent of San Diego Gas & Electric , which has a better safety track record than PG & E ; former Federal Emergency Management Association Agency administrator Craig Fugate ; and longtime Silicon Valley executive Jessica Denecour .
PG & E ; ’ s board will be in charge of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CEO .
“ Putting in place a new board is a critical component of PG & E ; ’ s plan to emerge from bankruptcy as a re-imagined utility , ” said the company ’ s chairman , Nora Mead Brownell , who is among the departing directors .

SAN RAMON, Calif. (AP) - Pacific Gas and Electric on Wednesday announced the latest overhaul of its board of directors in another step toward the nation’s largest utility ending its bankruptcy.
The board includes 11 new directors who will oversee the decisions made by PG&E management, as part of an agreement the company made with the state to shake up a corporate culture that has emphasized shareholder profits over the safety of the 16 million people who rely on it for power.
Neglect of the utility’s aging electrical grid allowed it to fall into disrepair, igniting catastrophic wildfires that killed more than 100 people and destroyed more than 27,000 homes and other buildings in 2017 and 2018. The death and destruction led to damages PG&E couldn’t afford to pay, prompting the company to file for bankruptcy early last year.
Only three members will remain from a board that PG&E largely assembled after filing for bankruptcy. The holdovers include former AT&T executive Bill Smith, who will become PG&E’s interim CEO after the company’s current leader, Bill Johnson, steps down on June 30. That’s also the date PG&E is aiming to get out of bankruptcy so it can qualify for coverage from a wildfire insurance fund created by the state.
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Dennis Montali has promised to rule on PG&E’s $58 billion reorganization plan by then.
The 11 new board members include a mix of people with experience in utilities, technology and emergency management. Those qualifications may help PG&E adopt more stringent safety measures and do a better job managing and communicating its planned blackouts to prevent more wildfires in the next few years.
The new directors with utility experience include Mike Niggli, the former chief operating officer for the corporate parent of San Diego Gas & Electric, which has a better safety track record than PG&E; former Federal Emergency Management Association Agency administrator Craig Fugate; and longtime Silicon Valley executive Jessica Denecour.
PG&E’s board will be in charge of picking Johnson’s permanent replacement as CEO.
“Putting in place a new board is a critical component of PG&E’s plan to emerge from bankruptcy as a re-imagined utility,” said the company’s chairman, Nora Mead Brownell, who is among the departing directors.


washingtontimes--2020-06-10--Missouri paper owners resign in protest over racist cartoon

COLUMBIA , Mo .
( AP ) - The co-owners of a family-owned Missouri newspaper resigned from their positions in protest Wednesday after the publication of a racist syndicated cartoon that depicted a black man stealing a purse from a white woman while hailing funding cuts to police .
The cartoon published in the Washington Missourian shows a white woman asking for someone to call 911 , but the masked black man says , “ Good luck with that , lady … we defunded the police.
” The cartoon was published amid protests across the nation against police brutality and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Some protesters are pushing to “ defund the police ” - a wide-ranging catch-all term for shifting law enforcement resources - over the death of Floyd and other black Americans killed by law enforcement .
Washington Missourian owners and sisters Susan Miller and Jeanne Miller Wood said in an apology that the newspaper ’ s publisher - their father - made the decision to run the cartoon and didn ’ t let them know in advance .
“ As co-owners we believe it was racist and in no circumstance should have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cartoon .
“ We apologize to our readers and our staff for the obvious pain and offense it caused .
For the record , we abhor the sentiment and denounce ANY form of racism.
” Publisher Bill Miller Sr. subsequently wrote in a column that the cartoon was meant to convey opposition to defunding police but was “ racially insensitive.
” “ It was poor judgement on my part and for that I sincerely apologize , ” he wrote .
The co-owners said they resigned in protest because they don ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happening again .
They also said the publication of the cartoon hits close to home because it was their father who chose to run it .
“ Many families have been having these painful discussions in the privacy of their homes , ” they wrote .
“ We unfortunately have to have this debate in a more public way.
” It ’ s not clear what the sisters ’ resignations mean for their ownership of the newspaper .
The cartoon was distributed by Creators , which in a statement said : “ Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We condemn racism in all forms.
” The company has pulled the cartoon and says it ’ s not aware of it being published anywhere else .
“ As a media distributor , Creators neither controls nor censors the content we receive from our writers and artists , ” the company ’ s statement said .
“ However , in this instance , this editorial cartoon should not have been sent and we have pulled the cartoon from all distribution platforms.
” Cartoonist Tom Stiglich , who made the cartoon , told St. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs “ more law and order right now , not less.
” “ The rioting and looting was extremely disheartening , ” he told the station .
“ That cartoon was based solely on violent crime numbers here in the US .
To ignore that would be doing a disservice to the reader .
”

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) - The co-owners of a family-owned Missouri newspaper resigned from their positions in protest Wednesday after the publication of a racist syndicated cartoon that depicted a black man stealing a purse from a white woman while hailing funding cuts to police.
The cartoon published in the Washington Missourian shows a white woman asking for someone to call 911, but the masked black man says, “Good luck with that, lady … we defunded the police.”
The cartoon was published amid protests across the nation against police brutality and the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Some protesters are pushing to “ defund the police ” - a wide-ranging catch-all term for shifting law enforcement resources - over the death of Floyd and other black Americans killed by law enforcement.
Washington Missourian owners and sisters Susan Miller and Jeanne Miller Wood said in an apology that the newspaper’s publisher - their father - made the decision to run the cartoon and didn’t let them know in advance.
“As co-owners we believe it was racist and in no circumstance should have been published,” they wrote of the cartoon. “We apologize to our readers and our staff for the obvious pain and offense it caused. For the record, we abhor the sentiment and denounce ANY form of racism.”
Publisher Bill Miller Sr. subsequently wrote in a column that the cartoon was meant to convey opposition to defunding police but was “racially insensitive.”
“It was poor judgement on my part and for that I sincerely apologize,” he wrote.
The co-owners said they resigned in protest because they don’t have editorial control to prevent something like this happening again. They also said the publication of the cartoon hits close to home because it was their father who chose to run it.
“Many families have been having these painful discussions in the privacy of their homes,” they wrote. “We unfortunately have to have this debate in a more public way.”
It’s not clear what the sisters’ resignations mean for their ownership of the newspaper.
The cartoon was distributed by Creators, which in a statement said: “Black Lives Matter. Black voices matter. We condemn racism in all forms.” The company has pulled the cartoon and says it’s not aware of it being published anywhere else.
“As a media distributor, Creators neither controls nor censors the content we receive from our writers and artists,” the company’s statement said. “However, in this instance, this editorial cartoon should not have been sent and we have pulled the cartoon from all distribution platforms.”
Cartoonist Tom Stiglich, who made the cartoon, told St. Louis television station KSDK-TV that the nation needs “more law and order right now, not less.”
“The rioting and looting was extremely disheartening,” he told the station. “That cartoon was based solely on violent crime numbers here in the US. To ignore that would be doing a disservice to the reader.”


washingtontimes--2020-06-10--Amazon bans police use of its face-recognition technology

NEW YORK — Amazon on Wednesday banned police use of its face-recognition technology for a year , making it the latest tech giant to step back from law-enforcement use of systems that have been criticized for incorrectly identifying people with darker skin .
The Seattle-based company did not say why it took action now .
Ongoing protests following the death of George Floyd have focused attention on racial injustice in the U.S. and how police use technology to track people .
Floyd died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into the handcuffed black man ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Floyd stopped moving and pleading for air .
Law enforcement agencies use facial recognition to identify suspects , but critics say it can be misused .
A number of U.S. cities have banned its use by police and other government agencies , led by San Francisco last year .
On Tuesday , IBM said it would get out of the facial recognition business , noting concerns about how the technology can be used for mass surveillance and racial profiling .
Civil rights groups and Amazon ’ s own employees have pushed the company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rekognition , to government agencies , saying that it could be used to invade people ’ s privacy and target minorities .
In a blog post Wednesday , Amazon said that it hoped Congress would put in place stronger regulations for facial recognition .
“ Amazon ’ s decision is an important symbolic step , but this doesn ’ t really change the face recognition landscape in the United States since it ’ s not a major player , ” said Clare Garvie , a researcher at Georgetown University ’ s Center on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ research found only two U.S. two agencies using or testing Rekognition .
The Washington County Sheriff ’ s Office in Oregon has been the most public about using it .
The Orlando police department tested it , but chose not to implement it , she said .
Studies led by MIT researcher Joy Buolamwini found racial and gender disparities in facial recognition software .
Those findings spurred Microsoft and IBM to improve their systems , but irked Amazon , which last year publicly attacked her research methods .
A group of artificial intelligence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ science ’ s top prize , last year launched a spirited defense of her work and called on Amazon to stop selling its facial recognition software to police .
“ Microsoft also needs to take a stand , ” she wrote in an emailed statement .
“ More importantly our lawmakers need to step up ” to rein in harmful deployments of the technologies .
Microsoft has been vocal about the need to regulate facial recognition to prevent human rights abuses but hasn ’ t said it wouldn ’ t sell it to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t respond to a request for comment Wednesday .
Amazon has attracted outsize attention since it introduced Rekognition in 2016 and began pitching to law enforcement .
Many U.S. agencies rely on facial recognition technology built by companies that are not as well known , such as Tokyo-based NEC or the European companies Idemia and Cognitec , Garvie said .
Amazon said organizations , such as those that use Rekognition to help find missing children , will still have access to the technology .

NEW YORK — Amazon on Wednesday banned police use of its face-recognition technology for a year, making it the latest tech giant to step back from law-enforcement use of systems that have been criticized for incorrectly identifying people with darker skin.
The Seattle-based company did not say why it took action now. Ongoing protests following the death of George Floyd have focused attention on racial injustice in the U.S. and how police use technology to track people. Floyd died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into the handcuffed black man’s neck for several minutes even after Floyd stopped moving and pleading for air.
Law enforcement agencies use facial recognition to identify suspects, but critics say it can be misused. A number of U.S. cities have banned its use by police and other government agencies, led by San Francisco last year.
On Tuesday, IBM said it would get out of the facial recognition business, noting concerns about how the technology can be used for mass surveillance and racial profiling.
Civil rights groups and Amazon’s own employees have pushed the company to stop selling its technology, called Rekognition, to government agencies, saying that it could be used to invade people’s privacy and target minorities.
In a blog post Wednesday, Amazon said that it hoped Congress would put in place stronger regulations for facial recognition.
“Amazon’s decision is an important symbolic step, but this doesn’t really change the face recognition landscape in the United States since it’s not a major player,” said Clare Garvie, a researcher at Georgetown University’s Center on Privacy and Technology. Her public records research found only two U.S. two agencies using or testing Rekognition. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office in Oregon has been the most public about using it. The Orlando police department tested it, but chose not to implement it, she said.
Studies led by MIT researcher Joy Buolamwini found racial and gender disparities in facial recognition software. Those findings spurred Microsoft and IBM to improve their systems, but irked Amazon, which last year publicly attacked her research methods. A group of artificial intelligence scholars, including a winner of computer science’s top prize, last year launched a spirited defense of her work and called on Amazon to stop selling its facial recognition software to police.
Buolamwini on Wednesday called Amazon’s announcement a “welcomed though unexpected announcement.”
“Microsoft also needs to take a stand,” she wrote in an emailed statement. “More importantly our lawmakers need to step up” to rein in harmful deployments of the technologies.
Microsoft has been vocal about the need to regulate facial recognition to prevent human rights abuses but hasn’t said it wouldn’t sell it to law enforcement. The company didn’t respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
Amazon has attracted outsize attention since it introduced Rekognition in 2016 and began pitching to law enforcement. Many U.S. agencies rely on facial recognition technology built by companies that are not as well known, such as Tokyo-based NEC or the European companies Idemia and Cognitec, Garvie said.
Amazon said organizations, such as those that use Rekognition to help find missing children, will still have access to the technology.
• O’Brien reported from Providence, Rhode Island.


washingtontimes--2020-06-10--Judge blocks ICE from civil arrests at New York courthouses

NEW YORK ( AP ) - Federal immigration authorities can ’ t make civil arrests at New York state courthouses or arrest anyone going there for a proceeding because a policy change was made in an arbitrary and capricious manner , a federal judge ruled Wednesday .
The ruling by Judge Jed S. Rakoff came after New York state and the Brooklyn district attorney sued over the policy switch codified in January 2018 .
Several immigrant advocates ’ groups have sued over the same issue in a case proceeding before another Manhattan judge .
Rakoff struck down a federal directive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 that plaintiffs said caused the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency to greatly increase civil immigration arrests in and around New York State courthouses .
Rakoff said the policy was illegal and was made in an arbitrary and capricious manner .
He said the policy stemmed from an executive order that did not “ compel the agency to undertake its vast broadening of the scope of courthouse arrests.
” And he said the agency , ICE , had failed to explain why its actions were necessary .
A spokesperson for federal lawyers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Plaintiffs had contended that ICE arrests in courthouses have skyrocketed since President Donald Trump took office , causing what Rakoff described in a December ruling as a rise “ by a remarkable 1,700 percent or more.
” In that decision , Rakoff noted that over 500 years ago , the English courts developed a common law privilege against civil arrests on courthouse premises .
“ This ancient privilege , incorporated into American law in the early years of our republic by virtually all state and federal courts , has remained largely intact over @ @ @ @ @ @ @

NEW YORK (AP) - Federal immigration authorities can’t make civil arrests at New York state courthouses or arrest anyone going there for a proceeding because a policy change was made in an arbitrary and capricious manner, a federal judge ruled Wednesday.
The ruling by Judge Jed S. Rakoff came after New York state and the Brooklyn district attorney sued over the policy switch codified in January 2018. Several immigrant advocates’ groups have sued over the same issue in a case proceeding before another Manhattan judge.
Rakoff struck down a federal directive issued in 2017 and codified in January 2018 that plaintiffs said caused the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency to greatly increase civil immigration arrests in and around New York State courthouses.
Rakoff said the policy was illegal and was made in an arbitrary and capricious manner. He said the policy stemmed from an executive order that did not “compel the agency to undertake its vast broadening of the scope of courthouse arrests.”
And he said the agency, ICE, had failed to explain why its actions were necessary.
A spokesperson for federal lawyers who represented the government declined comment.
Plaintiffs had contended that ICE arrests in courthouses have skyrocketed since President Donald Trump took office, causing what Rakoff described in a December ruling as a rise “by a remarkable 1,700 percent or more.”
In that decision, Rakoff noted that over 500 years ago, the English courts developed a common law privilege against civil arrests on courthouse premises.
“This ancient privilege, incorporated into American law in the early years of our republic by virtually all state and federal courts, has remained largely intact over the centuries,” Rakoff said.


washingtontimes--2020-06-10--Denver drops curfew violation charges against protesters

DENVER ( AP ) - The Denver City Attorney ’ s Office has dismissed 320 cases involving people who were arrested for violating a curfew during the height of protests over the death of George Floyd .
The office released a statement Wednesday saying the city will contact those who were charged and offer them a chance to participate in a forum with the Denver Police Department and other city and community leaders “ so their experiences and perspectives can be heard.
” City Attorney Kristin Bronson says she respects the value of peaceful protests and is dismissing the violations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restorative approach outside of the court system.
” The dismissals only apply to people who were solely charged with violating curfew , not those charged with additional crimes like vandalism and violence .
Mayor Michael Hancock ordered the overnight curfew May 30 after violent protests at the state Capitol the night before .
He let the order expire as the nightly protests became more peaceful .
Floyd , a black man , died after a white Minneapolis officer pressed his knee into his neck even after he stopped moving and pleading for air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and cities across the U.S. and Europe .

DENVER (AP) - The Denver City Attorney’s Office has dismissed 320 cases involving people who were arrested for violating a curfew during the height of protests over the death of George Floyd.
The office released a statement Wednesday saying the city will contact those who were charged and offer them a chance to participate in a forum with the Denver Police Department and other city and community leaders “so their experiences and perspectives can be heard.”
City Attorney Kristin Bronson says she respects the value of peaceful protests and is dismissing the violations “as part of a non-punitive, restorative approach outside of the court system.”
The dismissals only apply to people who were solely charged with violating curfew, not those charged with additional crimes like vandalism and violence.
Mayor Michael Hancock ordered the overnight curfew May 30 after violent protests at the state Capitol the night before. He let the order expire as the nightly protests became more peaceful.
Floyd, a black man, died after a white Minneapolis officer pressed his knee into his neck even after he stopped moving and pleading for air, leading to the protests in Denver and cities across the U.S. and Europe.


washingtontimes--2020-06-10--Headline-making missteps put focus on newsroom diversity

NEW YORK ( AP ) - Alexis Johnson figures she wasn ’ t the loser when the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said she couldn ’ t cover protests triggered by George Floyd ’ s death .
Her readers were - denied the perspective of a black woman with family roots in law enforcement working in her hometown .
Nobody anticipated it would lead to a staff revolt and become a national story , part of an extraordinary week where the news media ’ s sluggishness in building diverse newsrooms became part of the national conversation .
Editors lost jobs at The New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Appetit magazine and the Refinery29 website .
While each case had many factors , diversity is the common bond .
“ Our communities are changing and our demographics are changing and we as a news industry have done a poor job of recognizing it , ” said Katrice Hardy , Indianapolis Star executive editor and head of the diversity committee for the News Leaders Association .
That ’ s not a new complaint .
The Kerner Commission that looked into causes of 1967 riots in American cities described the absence of black journalists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” When a precursor to the News Leaders Association began measuring employment diversity at newspapers in the mid-1970s , it set goals to reach by 2000 .
That year passed without the goals being met , so the time frame was extended to 2025 , said Richard Prince , who blogs about minority issues in the industry .
“ They ’ re not going to make that , either , ” said the former newspaper editor .
The association even has trouble getting its annual diversity survey filled out .
Only 293 newsrooms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Four news organizations reported having a higher percentage of minority journalists than the community they cover .
In electronic media , 12 percent of broadcast journalists are black , similar to the national population figure of 13 percent .
But only 5.5 percent of news directors - the bosses - are black .
Minority representation is growing more slowly than in the country as a whole , according to Hofstra University research .
“ Whenever I ’ m in a gathering of the leaders of media I ’ m struck by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the first black executive editor of The New York Times , told Prince in 2015 .
“ It is stunning , given that we ’ re supposed to capture the culture , and how tough we can be on the rest of society.
” Pockets of success include the Times , where 43 percent of journalists hired in 2018 were people of color .
Gannett , the newspaper chain for which Hardy works , has done well because meeting diversity goals is part of a manager ’ s evaluation , Prince said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the U.S. staff of The Associated Press are people of color , the news organization said .
“ It ’ s plain and simple , ” said Cheryl W. Thompson , NPR reporter and president of the nonprofit Investigative Reporters and Editors .
“ You have to make the effort .
You have to just do it .
It ’ s not complicated.
” At the Inquirer last week , black reporters led a sickout following use of an insensitive headline , “ Buildings Matter , Too , ” on a story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violent .
“ Blunders like this undo years of work trying to get sources and readers to trust and read the paper , ” Inquirer columnist Jenice Armstrong wrote .
Hardy suspects that such suspicion of mainstream media was behind people at a recent protest in Indianapolis saying a Star reporter wasn ’ t welcome .
She ’ s urged reporters covering the protests to build bridges as well as report news - to come back with names and contacts for future stories .
In Pittsburgh , Johnson ran afoul of rules that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social media posts and elsewhere .
Many newsrooms have strict social media policies to ensure sources feel they will be treated fairly .
She had tweeted a pointed joke , showing pictures of a garbage-strewn parking lot and writing , “ Horrifying scenes and aftermath from selfish LOOTERS who don ’ t care about this city !
… oh wait , sorry , no .
These are pictures from a Kenny Chesney concert tailgate.
” She was told she could not cover the protests , and so were colleagues who retweeted her in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ editor , Keith C. Burris , wrote in a column Wednesday that Johnson had crossed a line separating reporting and commentary .
Johnson doesn ’ t believe the tweet inhibits her from covering the story fairly , or that readers would perceive her as biased .
“ It ’ s absolutely ridiculous , ” she said .
“ It ’ s kind of insulting to my experience and my professionalism as a journalist .
It ’ s not only insulting to me , but to black journalists around the country.
” A failure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means missing stories .
Hardy , who just left a job in Greenville , S.C. , said that without black journalists there , stories about gentrified neighborhoods would have gone untold .
The sweep of national protests following the death of George Floyd has news leaders talking to their staffs about how the story affects them .
A frank memo sent by Los Angeles Times executive editor Norman Pearlstine on Friday came after staff members pointed out instances of racial inequities .
Pearlstine admitted that the newspaper had a long history feeding the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He said the paper did not have enough minority writers and managers and outlined steps to correct that .
“ Our coverage didn ’ t simply ignore people of color , it actively dehumanized them , ” Pearlstine wrote .
“ More recently , we can be faulted for focusing on a white subscription base even as the city became majority non-white.
” Several issues led to The New York Times ’ ouster of editorial page editor James Bennet over a flawed opinion piece by U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton .
An internal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apparent until a number of black journalists tweeted that Cotton ’ s argument in favor of using federal troops to quell violence made them feel unsafe , and others throughout the newsroom supported them .
The Bon Appetit editor , Adam Rapoport , resigned after a picture of him in a racially insensitive Halloween costume emerged .
On Wednesday , the magazine promised major changes , stating “ our mastheads have been far too white for far too long.
” Complaints about racism alleged by former staff members led to Refinery29 editor Christene @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take concerns about their news organizations public is one reason to believe that this time , concerns about diversity won ’ t be forgotten anytime soon .
“ Before , it stayed in-house , ” Thompson said .
“ Now it ’ s out there .
And there ’ s power in social media.
” Johnson , uncomfortable and a little unnerved at the attention that her case has received , said she hopes that speaking out pressure her bosses to change their mind .
At age 27 , she doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ covering the biggest civil rights story of her generation .
Instead , she became part of it .

NEW YORK (AP) - Alexis Johnson figures she wasn’t the loser when the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said she couldn’t cover protests triggered by George Floyd’s death. Her readers were - denied the perspective of a black woman with family roots in law enforcement working in her hometown.
Nobody anticipated it would lead to a staff revolt and become a national story, part of an extraordinary week where the news media’s sluggishness in building diverse newsrooms became part of the national conversation.
Editors lost jobs at The New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Bon Appetit magazine and the Refinery29 website. While each case had many factors, diversity is the common bond.
“Our communities are changing and our demographics are changing and we as a news industry have done a poor job of recognizing it,” said Katrice Hardy, Indianapolis Star executive editor and head of the diversity committee for the News Leaders Association.
That’s not a new complaint. The Kerner Commission that looked into causes of 1967 riots in American cities described the absence of black journalists in newsrooms then as “shockingly backward.”
When a precursor to the News Leaders Association began measuring employment diversity at newspapers in the mid-1970s, it set goals to reach by 2000. That year passed without the goals being met, so the time frame was extended to 2025, said Richard Prince, who blogs about minority issues in the industry.
“They’re not going to make that, either,” said the former newspaper editor.
The association even has trouble getting its annual diversity survey filled out. Only 293 newsrooms out of 1,700 queried last year responded. Four news organizations reported having a higher percentage of minority journalists than the community they cover.
In electronic media, 12 percent of broadcast journalists are black, similar to the national population figure of 13 percent. But only 5.5 percent of news directors - the bosses - are black. Minority representation is growing more slowly than in the country as a whole, according to Hofstra University research.
“Whenever I’m in a gathering of the leaders of media I’m struck by the lack of diversity,” Dean Baquet, the first black executive editor of The New York Times, told Prince in 2015. “It is stunning, given that we’re supposed to capture the culture, and how tough we can be on the rest of society.”
Baquet declined an interview request.
Pockets of success include the Times, where 43 percent of journalists hired in 2018 were people of color. Gannett, the newspaper chain for which Hardy works, has done well because meeting diversity goals is part of a manager’s evaluation, Prince said.
Just over one in five journalists on the U.S. staff of The Associated Press are people of color, the news organization said.
“It’s plain and simple,” said Cheryl W. Thompson, NPR reporter and president of the nonprofit Investigative Reporters and Editors. “You have to make the effort. You have to just do it. It’s not complicated.”
At the Inquirer last week, black reporters led a sickout following use of an insensitive headline, “Buildings Matter, Too,” on a story about about architecture damaged when protests turned violent.
“Blunders like this undo years of work trying to get sources and readers to trust and read the paper,” Inquirer columnist Jenice Armstrong wrote.
Hardy suspects that such suspicion of mainstream media was behind people at a recent protest in Indianapolis saying a Star reporter wasn’t welcome. She’s urged reporters covering the protests to build bridges as well as report news - to come back with names and contacts for future stories.
In Pittsburgh, Johnson ran afoul of rules that discourage journalists from being publicly opinionated on social media posts and elsewhere. Many newsrooms have strict social media policies to ensure sources feel they will be treated fairly.
She had tweeted a pointed joke, showing pictures of a garbage-strewn parking lot and writing, “Horrifying scenes and aftermath from selfish LOOTERS who don’t care about this city! … oh wait, sorry, no. These are pictures from a Kenny Chesney concert tailgate.”
She was told she could not cover the protests, and so were colleagues who retweeted her in solidarity. The paper’s executive editor, Keith C. Burris, wrote in a column Wednesday that Johnson had crossed a line separating reporting and commentary.
Johnson doesn’t believe the tweet inhibits her from covering the story fairly, or that readers would perceive her as biased.
“It’s absolutely ridiculous,” she said. “It’s kind of insulting to my experience and my professionalism as a journalist. It’s not only insulting to me, but to black journalists around the country.”
A failure to include journalists of many different backgrounds means missing stories. Hardy, who just left a job in Greenville, S.C., said that without black journalists there, stories about gentrified neighborhoods would have gone untold.
The sweep of national protests following the death of George Floyd has news leaders talking to their staffs about how the story affects them.
A frank memo sent by Los Angeles Times executive editor Norman Pearlstine on Friday came after staff members pointed out instances of racial inequities. Pearlstine admitted that the newspaper had a long history feeding the city’s racism as it grew. He said the paper did not have enough minority writers and managers and outlined steps to correct that.
“Our coverage didn’t simply ignore people of color, it actively dehumanized them,” Pearlstine wrote. “More recently, we can be faulted for focusing on a white subscription base even as the city became majority non-white.”
Several issues led to The New York Times’ ouster of editorial page editor James Bennet over a flawed opinion piece by U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton. An internal outcry over the essay wasn’t apparent until a number of black journalists tweeted that Cotton’s argument in favor of using federal troops to quell violence made them feel unsafe, and others throughout the newsroom supported them.
The Bon Appetit editor, Adam Rapoport, resigned after a picture of him in a racially insensitive Halloween costume emerged. On Wednesday, the magazine promised major changes, stating “our mastheads have been far too white for far too long.” Complaints about racism alleged by former staff members led to Refinery29 editor Christene Barberich’s reassignment.
The impulse to take concerns about their news organizations public is one reason to believe that this time, concerns about diversity won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
“Before, it stayed in-house,” Thompson said. “Now it’s out there. And there’s power in social media.”
Johnson, uncomfortable and a little unnerved at the attention that her case has received, said she hopes that speaking out pressure her bosses to change their mind.
At age 27, she doesn’t want to be shut out of covering the biggest civil rights story of her generation.
Instead, she became part of it.


washingtontimes--2020-06-11--Fitness company apologizes for "I can't breathe" workout

WAUWATOSA , Wis. ( AP ) - A health club company is apologizing on behalf of a franchisee who posted an “ I can ’ t breathe ” workout at its gym in suburban Milwaukee .
Photos of the workout instructions drawn on a dry erase board at Anytime Fitness in Wauwatosa were shared widely on social media and generated critical comments .
The “ I can ’ t breathe ” workout included burpees , or squat thrusts , and the instructions “ don ’ t you dare lay down.
” It also showed a person in a kneeling position @ @ @ @ @ @ @ words “ I can ’ t breathe ” have been chanted at hundreds of protests and rallies across the country recently , echoing some of the final words of George Floyd , a black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer held his knee against his neck as he was handcuffed face down in the street .
The Woodbury , Minnesota-based company said it was “ profoundly sorry ” that the incident occurred .
“ No matter what the intent , we absolutely do not condone the words , illustrations or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publicly-state commitments to antiracism work is to bolster training efforts for our franchise owners to lead with empathy , love and respect .
This incident makes it clear we have more work to do in this space , ” a statement from the company read .
The workout instructions at the Wauwatosa gym have since been removed .

WAUWATOSA, Wis. (AP) - A health club company is apologizing on behalf of a franchisee who posted an “I can’t breathe” workout at a gym in suburban Milwaukee.
Photos of the workout instructions drawn on a dry erase board at Anytime Fitness in Wauwatosa were shared widely on social media and generated critical comments.
The “I can’t breathe” workout included burpees, or squat thrusts, and the instructions “don’t you dare lay down.” It also showed a person in a kneeling position, the Journal Sentinel reported.
The words “I can’t breathe” have been chanted at hundreds of protests and rallies, echoing some of the final words of George Floyd, a black man who died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer held his knee against his neck as he was handcuffed face down in the street.
The Woodbury, Minnesota-based company said it was “profoundly sorry” that the workout was posted.
“No matter what the intent, we absolutely do not condone the words, illustrations or actions this represents. One of our publicly-state commitments to antiracism work is to bolster training efforts for our franchise owners to lead with empathy, love and respect. This incident makes it clear we have more work to do in this space,” a statement from the company read.
The workout instructions at the Wauwatosa gym have since been removed.


washingtontimes--2020-06-11--Officials: Noises on PIA flight to Pakistan scare passengers

MULTAN , Pakistan ( AP ) - Panic gripped passengers when a Pakistan International Airlines plane made unusual noises while returning to Pakistan from Saudi Arabia , but the aircraft safely landed at the Karachi airport , a passenger and airport officials said Thursday .
The scare came weeks after another of the airline ’ s Airbus A320 aircraft went down in a residential area , killing 97 passengers and crew members .
Pakistan International Airlines in a statement rejected local media reports that flight PK-8726 made an emergency landing Wednesday night on its return from Riyadh .
It said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problem and was being fixed .
The airline did not provide details about the nature of the problem , which resulted in the plane making noises that terrified passengers who were in a state of shock when the plane landed , according to three airport officials who spoke from Jinnah International Airport in Karachi on condition of anonymity because they weren ’ t authorized to speak to media .
Passenger Zafar Iqbal told The Associated Press that the flight crew consoled passengers when the plane made unusual noises and “ when the plane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crew shared only this information that there was a fault in a part of the plane but we safely landed.″ Iqbal , who commented after reaching the Multan airport , said passengers prayed and recited verses from the Quran .
He said some passengers were so terrified they thought about travelling to Multan from Karachi by road .
The airline arranged for another plane to take passengers from Karachi to Multan , a city in eastern Punjab province .
Pakistan ’ s state-run airline has faced criticism since May when its Airbus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two passengers survived the crash that also killed a girl on the ground .
Initial reports suggested the jetliner crashed after an engine failed .
Flight PK-8303 took off from the eastern city of Lahore and was trying to land at Karachi airport when it crashed .
Pakistan will release the initial findings of its investigation into the crash later this month .

MULTAN, Pakistan (AP) - Panic gripped passengers when a Pakistan International Airlines plane made unusual noises while returning to Pakistan from Saudi Arabia, but the aircraft safely landed at the Karachi airport, a passenger and airport officials said Thursday.
The scare came weeks after another of the airline’s Airbus A320 aircraft went down in a residential area, killing 97 passengers and crew members.
Pakistan International Airlines in a statement rejected local media reports that flight PK-8726 made an emergency landing Wednesday night on its return from Riyadh.
It said a part on the A320 developed a problem and was being fixed. The airline did not provide details about the nature of the problem, which resulted in the plane making noises that terrified passengers who were in a state of shock when the plane landed, according to three airport officials who spoke from Jinnah International Airport in Karachi on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak to media.
Passenger Zafar Iqbal told The Associated Press that the flight crew consoled passengers when the plane made unusual noises and “when the plane landed at the Karachi airport, then the crew shared only this information that there was a fault in a part of the plane but we safely landed.″ Iqbal, who commented after reaching the Multan airport, said passengers prayed and recited verses from the Quran.
He said some passengers were so terrified they thought about travelling to Multan from Karachi by road.
The airline arranged for another plane to take passengers from Karachi to Multan, a city in eastern Punjab province.
Pakistan’s state-run airline has faced criticism since May when its Airbus A320 crashed near Karachi airport. Only two passengers survived the crash that also killed a girl on the ground.
Initial reports suggested the jetliner crashed after an engine failed. Flight PK-8303 took off from the eastern city of Lahore and was trying to land at Karachi airport when it crashed. Pakistan will release the initial findings of its investigation into the crash later this month.


washingtontimes--2020-06-11--Russia, NATO conduct parallel wargames over Baltic Sea

MOSCOW ( AP ) - Russian combat jets have flown training missions over the Baltic Sea in parallel with NATO ’ s drills in the region , the military said Thursday .
Russia ’ s Baltic Fleet said in a statement that a dozen of its Su-24 , Su-27 and Su-30 aircraft practiced strikes Thursday against marine targets in the Baltic Sea .
The fleet noted that the exercise coincided with NATO ’ s BALTOPS 2020 maneuvers in the Baltics .
It wasn ’ t immediately clear how close to each other the parallel drills were held .
Russia-West relations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2014 Russian annexation of Ukraine ’ s Crimean Peninsula , Moscow ’ s support for a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine and other issues .
Moscow has repeatedly voiced concern over the deployment of NATO forces near Russian borders , describing it as a threat to its security .
Russia and the alliance also have blamed each other for conducting destabilizing military exercises near the borders .
The United States and its NATO allies have repeatedly said that Russian fighter jets have performed unsafe maneuvers while shadowing their planes - accusations that the @ @ @ @ @

MOSCOW (AP) - Russian combat jets have flown training missions over the Baltic Sea in parallel with NATO’s drills in the region, the military said Thursday.
Russia’s Baltic Fleet said in a statement that a dozen of its Su-24, Su-27 and Su-30 aircraft practiced strikes Thursday against marine targets in the Baltic Sea.
The fleet noted that the exercise coincided with NATO’s BALTOPS 2020 maneuvers in the Baltics. It wasn’t immediately clear how close to each other the parallel drills were held.
Russia-West relations plummeted to post-Cold War lows after the 2014 Russian annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula, Moscow’s support for a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine and other issues.
Moscow has repeatedly voiced concern over the deployment of NATO forces near Russian borders, describing it as a threat to its security. Russia and the alliance also have blamed each other for conducting destabilizing military exercises near the borders.
The United States and its NATO allies have repeatedly said that Russian fighter jets have performed unsafe maneuvers while shadowing their planes - accusations that the Russian military has rejected.


washingtontimes--2020-06-11--Donald Trump: 'Domestic terrorists' have taken over in Seattle

President Trump said late Wednesday that “ domestic terrorists ” have taken over in Seattle , Washington , where some activists have established an “ autonomous zone ” amid the ongoing national unrest .
“ Domestic Terrorists have taken over Seattle , run by Radical Left Democrats , of course .
LAW & ORDER !
” the president said on Twitter .
He said Washington Gov .
Jay Inslee and Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan “ are being taunted and played at a level that our great Country has never seen before.
” “ Take back your city NOW .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I will .
This is not a game .
These ugly Anarchists must be stooped [ sic ] IMMEDIATELY .
MOVE FAST !
” Mr. Trump said .
Protesters have reportedly established a “ Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone ” in part of Seattle after the city police department vacated one of its precincts amid the ongoing national unrest following the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota last month .
Mr. Inslee and Ms. Durkan responded by telling Mr. Trump to butt out .
“ A man who is totally incapable of governing should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business , ” said Mr. Inslee , a former 2020 Democratic presidential candidate .
Mr. Trump had made a similar threat to intervene in New York after some of the protests in New York City escalated into looting and violence but ultimately left things up to local officials .

President Trump said late Wednesday that “domestic terrorists” have taken over in Seattle, Washington, where some activists have established an “autonomous zone” amid the ongoing national unrest.
“Domestic Terrorists have taken over Seattle, run by Radical Left Democrats, of course. LAW & ORDER!” the president said on Twitter.
He said Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan “are being taunted and played at a level that our great Country has never seen before.”
“Take back your city NOW. If you don’t do it, I will. This is not a game. These ugly Anarchists must be stooped [sic] IMMEDIATELY. MOVE FAST!” Mr. Trump said.
Protesters have reportedly established a “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone” in part of Seattle after the city police department vacated one of its precincts amid the ongoing national unrest following the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota last month.
Mr. Inslee and Ms. Durkan responded by telling Mr. Trump to butt out.
“A man who is totally incapable of governing should stay out of Washington state’s business,” said Mr. Inslee, a former 2020 Democratic presidential candidate.
Mr. Trump had made a similar threat to intervene in New York after some of the protests in New York City escalated into looting and violence but ultimately left things up to local officials.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-06-11--European court backs pro-Palestinian BDS protest movement

PARIS ( AP ) - The European Court of Human Rights ruled Thursday that France violated the freedom of expression of pro-Palestinian activists who were convicted for campaigning against Israeli goods .
The court ordered the French government to pay 101,000 euros ( $ 115,000 ) in overall damages to a group of 11 activists .
The global Boycott , Divestment and Sanctions movement hailed the court ’ s decision as a major victory .
The protesters , led by French activist Jean-Michel Baldassi , were convicted of incitement to economic discrimination after taking part in a 2009 demonstration at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Illzach and handing out leaflets calling for a boycott of Israeli products .
France ’ s top court upheld the conviction .
But the European human rights court found that the criminal conviction “ had no relevant and sufficient grounds ” and violated the freedom of expression of the protesters .
The court is based in the French city of Strasbourg , and countries that signed the European Convention on Human Rights – including France - are bound by its rulings .
“ This momentous court ruling is a decisive victory for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defenders , and for the BDS movement for Palestinian freedom , justice and equality , ” Rita Ahmad from the Palestinian-led BDS movement said in a statement .
BDS activists say other governments have also tried to use discrimination laws to unfairly target them as the movement has grown in global popularity .
The movement urges boycotts , divestment and sanctions against Israeli businesses , universities and cultural institutions .
Supporters say it uses nonviolence to resist unjust policies toward Palestinians .
Israel says the movement masks its motives to delegitimize or destroy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tougher European response to BDS activities , citing anti-Semitic attacks in western Europe in recent years .
German lawmakers approved a resolution last year describing the BDS movement ’ s methods as anti-Semitic and reminiscent of Nazi-era calls to boycott Jews .
In the French case , the human rights court described the protesters ’ actions as a form of political expression and a subject of public interest .
It noted that Article 10 of the human rights charter , which guarantees freedom of expression , allows for such protest action as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cross the line and turn into a call for violence , hatred or intolerance.
” The French government has three months to appeal the decision , but did not immediately comment Thursday .
Amnesty International expressed hope that the ruling would “ send a clear message to all European states that they must stop the prosecution of peaceful activists .
”

PARIS (AP) - The European Court of Human Rights ruled Thursday that France violated the freedom of expression of pro-Palestinian activists who were convicted for campaigning against Israeli goods.
The court ordered the French government to pay 101,000 euros ($115,000) in overall damages to a group of 11 activists. The global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement hailed the court’s decision as a major victory.
The protesters, led by French activist Jean-Michel Baldassi, were convicted of incitement to economic discrimination after taking part in a 2009 demonstration at a hypermarket in the eastern French town of Illzach and handing out leaflets calling for a boycott of Israeli products. France’s top court upheld the conviction.
But the European human rights court found that the criminal conviction “had no relevant and sufficient grounds” and violated the freedom of expression of the protesters. The court is based in the French city of Strasbourg, and countries that signed the European Convention on Human Rights – including France - are bound by its rulings.
“This momentous court ruling is a decisive victory for freedom of expression, for human rights defenders, and for the BDS movement for Palestinian freedom, justice and equality,” Rita Ahmad from the Palestinian-led BDS movement said in a statement.
The BDS movement has called for boycotts against Israeli businesses, universities and cultural institutions in what it says is a nonviolent campaign against Israeli abuses against Palestinians. Israel says the movement masks its motives to delegitimize or destroy the Jewish state.
Israel and its supporters have promoted a number of anti-BDS legislative initiatives overseas, particularly in the U.S. and Europe.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bipartisan resolution last year condemning the boycott-Israel movement as damaging to peace efforts. And German lawmakers approved a resolution last year describing the movement’s methods as anti-Semitic and reminiscent of Nazi-era calls to boycott Jews.
BDS activists deny the anti-Semitism charges, and say discrimination laws have been used to unfairly target them.
In the French case, the human rights court described the protesters’ actions as a form of political expression and a subject of public interest. It noted that Article 10 of the human rights charter, which guarantees freedom of expression, allows for such protest action as long as it doesn’t “cross the line and turn into a call for violence, hatred or intolerance.”
The French government has three months to appeal the decision, but did not immediately comment Thursday.
Thursday’s decision followed a 2016 statement by the EU’s foreign affairs chief at the time, Federica Mogherini, who said that BDS activities were protected by the freedom of expression, even though the EU opposes BDS’s attempts to isolate Israel.
Amnesty International expressed hope that the ruling would “send a clear message to all European states that they must stop the prosecution of peaceful activists.”


washingtontimes--2020-06-11--Asbury Park defies order, will allow indoor dining

ASBURY PARK , N.J. ( AP ) - Asbury Park , the Jersey shore city often associated with Bruce Springsteen @ @ @ @ @ Gov .
Phil Murphy ’ s executive order and will allow limited indoor dining at @ @ @ @ @ Council Wednesday approved a resolution permitting its restaurants to host diners inside at 25 % @ @ @ @ @ capacity or 50 people , whichever is less , beginning June 15 .
The governor @ @ @ @ @ for indoor gatherings when he announced only outdoor dining for bars and restaurants could resume @ @ @ @ @ Democrat has yet to say when they can reopen for indoor seating .
According to @ @ @ @ @ Deputy Mayor Amy Quinn said the city took the action because restrictions implemented to control @ @ @ @ @ a toll on the city ’ s restaurants .
A popular eatery announced last week @ @ @ @ @ “ While the city of Asbury Park is not going to levy any fines against @ @ @ @ @ New Jersey could , ” Quinn said .

ASBURY PARK, N.J. (AP) - A showdown over coronavirus restrictions may be brewing in Asbury Park, the New Jersey shore city often associated with rocker Bruce Springsteen.
The town’s city council on Wednesday approved a resolution permitting its restaurants to host diners indoors on Monday, with some restrictions on capacity. That is in direct defiance of New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s executive order that allows outdoor dining beginning Monday but not indoor dining.
At his daily briefing Thursday, Murphy, a Democrat, said the town’s plans “are inconsistent with my executive order. We cannot have one set of rules for one town and another for another town.”
Murphy said he has been in contact with Asbury Park officials. Asked if he would seek to enforce the order if restaurants offer indoor dining Monday, he said, “we will continue to enforce as evenly as we can and where we think public health is at risk.”
Asbury Park’s resolution would permit restaurants to host diners inside at 25% of the building’s capacity or 50 people, whichever is less.
According to the Asbury Park Press, Deputy Mayor Amy Quinn said the city took the action because restrictions implemented to control the coronavirus pandemic were taking a toll on the city’s restaurants. A popular eatery announced last week it would close permanently.
Allowing diners inside still carries risks.
“While the city of Asbury Park is not going to levy any fines against you, the state of New Jersey could,” Quinn, a Democrat, said.
Murphy gave no indication Thursday when restaurants will be able to reopen for indoor seating, aside from saying he hoped it was “sooner rather than later.”


washingtontimes--2020-06-11--Many more likely sought US jobless aid even as layoffs slow

WASHINGTON ( AP ) - The U.S. government is set to issue its latest report Thursday on the layoffs that @ @ @ @ @ that have markedly slowed as many businesses have partially reopened and rehired some laid-off workers @ @ @ @ @ cuts has declined in the nearly three months since the coronavirus struck hard , forcing @ @ @ @ @ economy into recession .
The dwindling pace of jobless claims suggests that the devastation in @ @ @ @ @ out .
Still , by historical standards the number of weekly applications remains high .
@ @ @ @ @ surprisingly reported that the economy gained 2.5 million jobs in May and that the unemployment @ @ @ @ @ % to a still-high 13.3 % .
Reopened businesses appeared to have recalled some laid-off @ @ @ @ @ But many analysts expect hiring to slow with much of the economy still shut down @ @ @ @ @ traveling , shopping , eating out or attending large events .

WASHINGTON (AP) — About 1.5 million laid-off workers applied for U.S. unemployment benefits last week, evidence that many Americans are still losing their jobs even as the economy appears to be slowly recovering with more businesses partially reopening.
The latest figure from the Labor Department marked the 10th straight weekly decline in applications for jobless aid since they peaked in mid-March when the coronavirus hit hard. Still, the pace of layoffs remains historically high.
The total number of people who are receiving unemployment aid fell slightly, a sign that some people who were laid off when restaurants, retail chains and small businesses suddenly shut down have been recalled to work.
Last week’s jobs report showed that employers added 2.5 million jobs in May, an unexpected increase that suggested that the job market has bottomed out.
But the recovery has begun slowly. Though the unemployment rate unexpectedly declined from 14.7%, it is still a high 13.3%. And even with the May hiring gain, just one in nine jobs that were lost in March and April have returned. Nearly 21 million people are officially classified as unemployed.
But that doesn’t capture the full scope of the damage to the job market. Including those the government said were erroneously categorized as employed in the May jobs report and those who lost jobs but didn’t search for new ones, 32.5 million people are out of work, economists estimate.
Thursday’s report also shows that an additional 706,000 people applied for jobless benefits last week under a new program for self-employed and gig workers that made them eligible for aid for the first time. These figures aren’t adjusted for seasonal variations, so the government doesn’t include them in the official count.
In February, the economy fell into a deep recession, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the association of economists that is the official arbiter of recessions. The Federal Reserve estimated Wednesday that the economy will shrink 6.5% this year. That would be, by far, the deepest annual contraction on records dating to World War II.
Even as restaurants, bars and gyms reopen, they are doing so at lower capacity. And consumer spending on such services remains far below what it was before the viral outbreak.
Unemployment benefits are providing significant support for jobless Americans, with total payments having reached $94 billion in May - six times the previous record set in 2010 just after the previous recession. This time, the benefits include an additional $600 a week from the federal government.
But that extra benefit is set to end July 31, and the Trump administration opposes extending it. Its opposition has set up a possible clash with House Democrats, who have approved legislation to extend the $600-a-week in federal benefits for an additional six months.
Republicans in Congress argue that the extra $600, which comes on top of state benefits that average about $375 nationwide, means many of the unemployed are receiving more money from jobless benefits than they earned at their old jobs. Republicans argue that this discourages people from returning to work.
Studies suggest that roughly two-thirds of the recipients are receiving total unemployment aid that exceeds their previous paychecks. But many workers are also wary about returning to their old jobs for fear of contracting the virus. And recipients who receive aid can lose their benefits if they turn down job offers.
Karin Jensen of Concord, California, has been out of work since being laid off from a managerial position with Men’s Wearhouse in late March. Jensen, 27, says she plans to return to her job whenever she is called back and is grateful that her company is continuing employee health care in the meantime.
Jensen acknowledged that receiving the extra $600 has made her less eager to return to work because she is among recipients whose total benefits exceed their former income. But she’s also worried about returning to retail work.
“I’d be in close contact with people,” Jensen said. “We have to measure customers, actually touch them. There’s no way we could do any minimum social distancing if we were to return to business as usual. I’m more than a little uneasy about it.”


washingtontimes--2020-06-11--Coronavirus survivor in US receives double lung transplant

Surgeons in Chicago have given a new set of lungs to a young woman with severe lung damage from the coronavirus .
Only a few other COVID-19 survivors , in China and Europe , have received lung transplants .
The patient , who is her 20s , was on a ventilator and heart-lung machine for almost two months before her operation last Friday at Northwestern Memorial Hospital .
The 10-hour procedure was challenging because the virus had left her lungs full of holes and almost fused to the chest wall , Dr. Ankit Bharat , who performed the operation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on both machines while her body heals but say her chances for a normal life are good .
“ We are anticipating that she will have a full recovery , ” said Dr. Rade Tomic , medical director of the hospital ’ s lung transplant program .
The patient was not identified but Bharat said she had recently moved to Chicago from North Carolina to be with her boyfriend .
She was otherwise pretty healthy but her condition rapidly deteriorated after she was hospitalized in late April .
Doctors waited six weeks for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ considering a transplant .
Lungs accounted for just 7 % of the nearly 40,000 U.S. organ transplants last year .
They are typically hard to find and patients often wait weeks on the transplant list .
The Chicago patient was in bad shape , with signs that her heart , kidneys and liver were beginning to fail , so she quickly moved up in line , Bharat said .
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Surgeons in Chicago have given a new set of lungs to a young woman with severe lung damage from the coronavirus.
Northwestern Medicine on Thursday announced the procedure, which took place last Friday. Only a few other COVID-19 survivors, in China and Europe, have received lung transplants.
The Chicago patient is in her 20s and was on a ventilator and heart-lung machine for almost two months before her operation at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
The 10-hour procedure was challenging because the virus had left her lungs full of holes and almost fused to the chest wall, said Dr. Ankit Bharat, who performed the operation.
She remains on a ventilator while her body heals but is well enough to visit with family via phone video and doctors say her chances for a normal life are good.
“We are anticipating that she will have a full recovery,” said Dr. Rade Tomic, medical director of the hospital’s lung transplant program.
The patient was not identified but Bharat said she had recently moved to Chicago from North Carolina to be with her boyfriend.
She was otherwise pretty healthy but her condition rapidly deteriorated after she was hospitalized in late April. Doctors waited six weeks for her body to clear the virus before considering a transplant.
Lungs accounted for just 7% of the nearly 40,000 U.S. organ transplants last year. They are typically hard to find and patients often wait weeks on the transplant list.
The Chicago patient was in bad shape, with signs that her heart, kidneys and liver were beginning to fail, so she quickly moved up in line, Bharat said.
___
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--2020-06-11--St. Paul police squad car hit by gunfire, no one hurt

MINNEAPOLIS ( AP ) - Gunfire struck a St. Paul police squad car , but no officers have been injured @ @ @ @ @ hit by gunshots on the city ’ s east side Wednesday night , according to @ @ @ @ @ vehicle believed to be involved in the shooting until it crashed .
The Star Tribune @ @ @ @ @ and another suspect was taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries .

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Gunfire struck a St. Paul police squad car, but no officers have been injured. The squad car was hit by gunshots on the city’s east side Wednesday night, according to police.
Officers pursued a vehicle believed to be involved in the shooting until it crashed.
The Star Tribune reports one person was arrested and another suspect was taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries.


washingtontimes--2020-06-11--Alabama city to pay $300,000 ransom in computer system hack

FLORENCE , Ala. ( AP ) - A city in northern Alabama will pay a ransom worth $ 300,000 in Bitcoins in response to a hack of its computer system .
Florence City Council voted unanimously at an emergency meeting Wednesday evening to make the payment from the city ’ s insurance fund in an effort to preserve information tied to its city workers and customers , news outlets reported .
Mayor Steve Holt said the city was contacted May 26 with information that its computer system had been compromised .
The city didn ’ t think any information had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been deployed .
“ It appears they may have been in our system since early May - over a month going through our system , ” Holt said .
City leaders were advised that the hacker has a reputation of not releasing stolen information after the ransom is paid , news outlets reported .
The city will seek proof from the hacker that stolen information has been deleted , WHNT-TV reported .
It ’ s unclear whether information about city residents was released , but officials are investigating , the TimesDaily of @ @ @

FLORENCE, Ala. (AP) - A city in northern Alabama will pay a ransom worth $300,000 in Bitcoins in response to a hack of its computer system.
Florence City Council voted unanimously at an emergency meeting Wednesday evening to make the payment from the city’s insurance fund in an effort to preserve information tied to its city workers and customers, news outlets reported.
Mayor Steve Holt said the city was contacted May 26 with information that its computer system had been compromised. The city didn’t think any information had been stolen, but later learned ransomware had been deployed.
“It appears they may have been in our system since early May - over a month going through our system,” Holt said.
City leaders were advised that the hacker has a reputation of not releasing stolen information after the ransom is paid, news outlets reported.
The city will seek proof from the hacker that stolen information has been deleted, WHNT-TV reported.
It’s unclear whether information about city residents was released, but officials are investigating, the TimesDaily of Florence reported.


washingtontimes--2020-06-11--EU to ease virus travel bans from July 1, but not to all

BRUSSELS ( AP ) - The European Union on Thursday announced plans to ease a ban on nonessential travel to the continent , with foreign students , non-EU nationals who normally live in Europe and certain highly skilled workers likely to be exempt from the coronavirus restrictions from July 1 .
After the virus began spreading throughout Europe in March , the EU gradually extended a ban on all nonessential travel into the 27 member countries plus Iceland , Liechtenstein , Norway and Switzerland until June 15 .
With borders inside Europe ’ s ID check-free travel area likely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of June , the EU ’ s executive arm , the European Commission , is recommending that outside borders be opened to give a much-needed boost to virus-ravaged economies and in particular the tourism sector .
“ While we will all have to remain careful , the time has come to make concrete preparations for lifting restrictions with countries whose health situation is similar to the EU ’ s and for resuming visa operations , ” EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said .
While the spread of the coronavirus has eased in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other countries still have bans in place on the entry of some European nationals , so the commission is reluctant to lift all travel restrictions .
It is urging European countries to take coordinated decisions on whom they let in and from where - given that visas for the passport-free Schengen area allow travel in 26 countries - and base their actions on data from the World Health Organization and Europe ’ s Centre for Disease Prevention and Control .

BRUSSELS (AP) - The European Union on Thursday urged all its member countries to start lifting travel restrictions on their common borders from next week, saying that the closures they introduced to tackle the coronavirus do little to limit its spread.
The EU’s executive arm, the European Commission, wants Europe’s ID check-free travel area to be up and running again by the end of June. Once that has happened, a ban on nonessential travel to the continent can also gradually be eased.
Unveiling the executive arm’s recommendations for helping to breathe new life into Europe’s virus-ravaged tourism sector, EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson told member countries that they “should open up as soon as possible, and the commission recommends to do it already on Monday.”
Johansson said that the virus situation “is really improving in all member states, the situation is converging,” and she said that Europe’s Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has reported “that having internal border restrictions is not an effective measure.”
In a report dated May 26, the ECDC said that “the relative significance of transmission through tourism and long-distance travel will probably be small compared to ongoing transmission occurring in the local setting and as a result of local transportation.”
Panicked by Italy’s coronavirus outbreak in February, countries in the 26-nation Schengen travel zone - where people and goods move freely without border checks - imposed border restrictions without consulting their neighbors to try to keep the disease out, causing massive traffic jams and blocking medical equipment.
Free movement is a jewel in Europe’s crown that helps its businesses flourish and many European officials worry that the future of the Schengen area is under threat from coronavirus travel restrictions. These added to border pressures already caused by the arrival in Europe of well over 1 million migrants in 2015.
Many EU countries have announced that they are indeed easing internal border restrictions from June 15, but some remain reluctant to do so, fearful that the disease might not be entirely under control in certain of their neighbors.
Johansson said the Schengen area has to function again before Europe’s borders to the outside world can open, and the commission is keen for countries to start easing the ban on travel into the continent by July 1.
Foreign students, non-EU nationals who normally live in Europe and certain highly skilled workers could be exempt from the coronavirus restrictions from then on.
After the coronavirus began spreading throughout Europe, the EU in March gradually extended a ban on all non-essential travel into the 27 member countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland until June 15. Ending the restrictions could bring another economic boost.
“While we will all have to remain careful, the time has come to make concrete preparations for lifting restrictions with countries whose health situation is similar to the EU’s and for resuming visa operations,” Johansson said.
The spread of the coronavirus is easing in Europe, but it remains high elsewhere and other countries still have bans in place on the entry of some European nationals, so the commission is reluctant to lift all travel restrictions.
It is urging European countries to take coordinated decisions on whom they let in and from where - given that visas for the passport free Schengen area allow travel in 26 countries - and base their actions on data from the World Health Organization and the ECDC.
The plan is for the member nations to draw up a list of acceptable countries in coming weeks and add to it, or take countries off, depending on how they handle the spread of the disease.
Johansson refused to be drawn on who should be allowed back in, notably not commenting on U.S. nationals. But she said that Europe’s neighbors from the Balkans region - Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia - should be on the list from July 1.


washingtontimes--2020-06-11--Stolen Banksy honoring Bataclan victims found in Italy

L ’ AQUILA , Italy ( AP ) - Italian authorities on Thursday unveiled a stolen artwork by the British artist Banksy that was painted as a tribute to the victims of the 2015 terror attacks at the Bataclan music hall in Paris .
The L ’ Aquila prosecutors office said the work was recovered on Wednesday during a search of a home in Tortoreto , a city near the Adriatic coast in the Abruzzo region ’ s Teramo province .
It had been “ hidden well ” in the attic , prosecutors said in statement .
Authorities said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Italy and the role of the Italians involved .
They said the discovery was the fruit of a joint Italian-French police investigation .
French officials last year announced the theft of the piece , a black image appearing to depict a person mourning that was painted on one of the Bataclan ’ s emergency exit doors .
Ninety people were killed at the Bataclan on Nov. 13 , 2015 , when Islamic extremists invaded the music hall , one of several targets that night in which a total of 130 people died @

L’AQUILA, Italy (AP) - Italian authorities on Thursday unveiled a stolen artwork by British artist Banksy that was painted as a tribute to the victims of the 2015 terror attacks at the Bataclan music hall in Paris.
L’Aquila prosecutors said the work was recovered on Wednesday during a search of a home in the countryside of Tortoreto, near the Adriatic coast in the Abruzzo region’s Teramo province. It had been “hidden well” in the attic, prosecutors said.
No arrests have been made.
French officials last year announced the theft of the piece, a black image appearing to depict a person mourning that was painted on one of the Bataclan’s emergency exit doors.
Ninety people were killed at the Bataclan on Nov. 13, 2015, when Islamic extremists invaded the music hall, one of several targets that night in which a total of 130 people died.
Authorities said they were still investigating how the artwork arrived in Italy, and the role of any Italians potentially involved. They said the discovery was the fruit of a joint Italian-French police investigation.
At a news conference Thursday in L’Aquila, a French embassy liaison officer, Maj. Christophe Cengig, said the Bataclan owners were informed that the work had been recovered.
“It belongs to the Bataclan, it belongs to all of France in a sense,” he said. The owners, he added, “were thrilled, very happy.”
L’Aquila Prosecutor Michele Renzo said authorities believed the motivation for the theft was financial, not ideological.
Some Chinese nationals were living in the Tortoreto home, but they appeared unaware that the work was there. Teramo Carabinieri Col. Emanuele Pipola said someone else had access to the attic.


washingtontimes--2020-06-11--News agency: Iranian police confiscate 2 tons of morphine

TEHRAN , Iran ( AP ) - Iranian police in a single raid confiscated two tons of morphine from drug @ @ @ @ @ the capital Tehran , the semiofficial ISNA news agency reported Thursday .
Tehran province police @ @ @ @ @ said two smugglers , including the ringleader of the smuggling gang , were arrested .
@ @ @ @ @ detainees was transferring the drugs to Tehran from the southwestern part of the country by @ @ @ @ @ , the alleged ringleader , was coordinating the operation from another province , remotely , @ @ @ @ @ often confiscate large quantities of narcotics , but the seizure is the biggest morphine bust @ @ @ @ @ the main route by which drug smugglers ship narcotics from the poppy fields of Afghanistan @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of tons of narcotics - mostly opium - every year .

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iranian police in a single raid confiscated two tons of morphine from drug smugglers in a suburb of the capital Tehran, the semiofficial ISNA news agency reported Thursday.
Tehran province police chief Gen. Mohsen Khancherli, said two smugglers, including the ringleader of the smuggling gang, were arrested. He said one of the detainees was transferring the drugs to Tehran from the southwestern part of the country by truck.
The second detainee, the alleged ringleader, was coordinating the operation from another province, remotely, Khancherli said.
Iranian authorities often confiscate large quantities of narcotics, but the seizure is the biggest morphine bust in months.
Iran is the main route by which drug smugglers ship narcotics from the poppy fields of Afghanistan to Europe. Authorities confiscate hundreds of tons of narcotics - mostly opium - every year.


washingtontimes--2020-06-11--1 dead in knife attack at Slovak school; attacker also dead

BRATISLAVA , Slovakia ( AP ) - A man with a knife attacked a school in Slovakia on Thursday , @ @ @ @ @ at least five before he was killed by police , authorities said .
The attack @ @ @ @ @ School in the town of Vrutky in northwestern Slovakia on Thursday morning .
The establishment @ @ @ @ @ age up to high school .
The dead victim was the deputy director of the @ @ @ @ @ .
The attacker was identified as a 22-year-old man from the nearby town of Martin @ @ @ @ @ the school , police said .
The Slovak rescue service said three adults and two @ @ @ @ @ hospital in Martin but didn ’ t immediately reveal more details .
Slovak President Zuzana @ @ @ @ @ sorrow and offered her condolences to the relatives of the victims and support for those @ @ @ @ @ and police .
“ Unfortunately , there are crazy people living among us and we @ @ @ @ @ prevent such a situation , ” Prime Minister Igor Matovic said .

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) - A man with a knife attacked a school in Slovakia on Thursday, killing one person and wounding at least five before he was killed by police, authorities said.
The attack took place at the United School in the town of Vrutky in northwestern Slovakia on Thursday morning. The establishment operates for children from elementary age up to high school. The dead victim was the deputy director of the high school, authorities said.
The attacker was identified as a 22-year-old man from the nearby town of Martin, a former student at the school, police said.
The Slovak rescue service said three adults and two students were treated in a hospital in Martin but didn’t immediately reveal more details.
Slovak President Zuzana Caputova said she felt great sorrow and offered her condolences to the relatives of the victims and support for those who were wounded, teachers and police.
“Unfortunately, there are crazy people living among us and we’re not able to prevent such a situation,” Prime Minister Igor Matovic said.


washingtontimes--2020-06-11--5 Things to Know for Today

5 Things to Know for Today

Your daily look at late-breaking news , upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today : 1 @ @ @ @ @ DOWN IN VIRGINIA Protesters toppled a statue of the Confederate president along Richmond ’ s @ @ @ @ @ .
‘ IT WAS CLEARLY A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN ’ Many homes for people @ @ @ @ @ to protect the highly vulnerable population from the coronavirus pandemic , an AP investigation finds @ @ @ @ @ FOR COMPANIES TOUTING BLM An AP review of some of the biggest companies pledging solidarity @ @ @ @ @ well as the black community finds that their efforts to recruit , maintain and promote @ @ @ @ @ 4 .
IRAN LOSING SWAY OVER IRAQ MILITIAS The deaths of Iranian Gen. Qassim Soleimani @ @ @ @ @ robbed the militias of powerful patrons who could keep them unified and visionary .
5 @ @ @ @ @ BE IN PERIL Tennis and golf tournaments could be in real financial trouble because of @ @ @ @ @ two sports rely heavily on spectators and local sponsors .

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:
1. JEFFERSON DAVIS STATUE TORN DOWN IN VIRGINIA Protesters toppled a statue of the Confederate president along Richmond’s famed Monument Avenue.
2. ‘IT WAS CLEARLY A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN’ Many homes for people with developmental disabilities were ill-equipped to protect the highly vulnerable population from the coronavirus pandemic, an AP investigation finds.
3. WORKFORCE SCRUTINY FOR COMPANIES TOUTING BLM An AP review of some of the biggest companies pledging solidarity with their black employees as well as the black community finds that their efforts to recruit, maintain and promote minorities have fallen short.
4. IRAN LOSING SWAY OVER IRAQ MILITIAS The deaths of Iranian Gen. Qassim Soleimani and an Iraqi militia leader robbed the militias of powerful patrons who could keep them unified and visionary.
5. WHY SOME SPORTS COULD BE IN PERIL Tennis and golf tournaments could be in real financial trouble because of the coronavirus pandemic because those two sports rely heavily on spectators and local sponsors.


washingtontimes--2020-06-11--'One Tree Hill' stars ask fans to help fire N.C. professor

WILMINGTON , N.C. ( AP ) - Celebrities from the former hit TV show “ One Tree Hill , ” are calling on a university in North Carolina to remove one of its professors after he called the state ’ s governor “ Massa Cooper ” on Twitter .
The controversy started in late May when Mike Adams , a sociology and criminology professor at University of North Carolina Wilmington , tweeted he dined with six men at a six-seat table and said he “ felt like a free man who was not living in the slave state of North @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , let my people go !
” He was referring to the executive order limiting social gatherings signed by Gov .
Roy Cooper during the coronavirus pandemic .
A few days after his tweet , an online petition was started to get Adams fired from his job .
The post , which called Adams “ a thorn in the side ” of the school has more than 57,000 signatures , and now , Hollywood has joined the effort .
Monday , after “ Sleepy Hollow ” actor and Wilmington resident , Orlando Jones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ One Tree Hill ” star Sophia Bush called on fans of the show to take action in Wilmington , where the show was filmed during its nearly nine-year run .
“ This feels like another change for Wilmington that the # OTHfam could make some noise about , ” she said on Twitter .
Bush ’ s co-star , Hilarie Burton Morgan , added she will be discouraging fans from attending the school “ until Adams is removed.
” Before the celebrities took part in the campaign for his removal , Adams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his firing to also leave him their mailing address so he can send them “ a box of panty liners.
” This is not the first time he has sparked controversy .
In 2018 , faculty members at the University of Montana opposed a visit by the Wilmington professor to their school , writing in a letter that Adams has “ a long record of mocking , demeaning and verbally attacking women , people of color , members of the Islamic faith and the LGBTQ community , ” The News & Observer reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ controversy in 2016 after posting an article about a student activist under the title “ A ‘ Queer Muslim ’ Jihad , ” the newspaper reported at the time .
The university has released a statement calling the comments “ vile ” without naming Adams .
“ No matter how upsetting and distasteful the comments may be , they are expressions of free speech and protected by the First Amendment , ” the statement said .

WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) - Celebrities from the former hit TV show “One Tree Hill,” are calling on a university in North Carolina to remove one of its professors after he called the state’s governor “Massa Cooper” on Twitter.
The controversy started in late May when Mike Adams, a sociology and criminology professor at University of North Carolina Wilmington, tweeted he dined with six men at a six-seat table and said he “felt like a free man who was not living in the slave state of North Carolina” before adding “Massa Cooper, let my people go!”
He was referring to the executive order limiting social gatherings signed by Gov. Roy Cooper during the coronavirus pandemic.
A few days after his tweet, an online petition was started to get Adams fired from his job. The post, which called Adams “a thorn in the side” of the school has more than 57,000 signatures, and now, Hollywood has joined the effort.
Monday, after “Sleepy Hollow” actor and Wilmington resident, Orlando Jones, tweeted about Adams’ comments, “One Tree Hill” star Sophia Bush called on fans of the show to take action in Wilmington, where the show was filmed during its nearly nine-year run. “This feels like another change for Wilmington that the #OTHfam could make some noise about,” she said on Twitter.
Bush’s co-star, Hilarie Burton Morgan, added she will be discouraging fans from attending the school “until Adams is removed.” Before the celebrities took part in the campaign for his removal, Adams told those writing to the school for his firing to also leave him their mailing address so he can send them “a box of panty liners.”
This is not the first time he has sparked controversy.
In 2018, faculty members at the University of Montana opposed a visit by the Wilmington professor to their school, writing in a letter that Adams has “a long record of mocking, demeaning and verbally attacking women, people of color, members of the Islamic faith and the LGBTQ community,” The News & Observer reported.
He was also embroiled in a controversy in 2016 after posting an article about a student activist under the title “A ‘Queer Muslim’ Jihad,” the newspaper reported at the time.
The university has released a statement calling the comments “vile” without naming Adams. “No matter how upsetting and distasteful the comments may be, they are expressions of free speech and protected by the First Amendment,” the statement said.


washingtontimes--2020-06-11--China auto sales up 14.5% in May, recovering after pandemic

HONG KONG ( AP ) - China ’ s auto sales surged 14.5 % in May , a second straight month of growth as the global industry ’ s biggest market gradually recovers from the coronavirus pandemic .
The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said Thursday that sales of passenger cars jumped 7 % from a year earlier to 1.67 million , an improvement over April ’ s 2.6 % contraction .
Growth in passenger vehicles was primarily driven by sales of SUVs and minivans , which jumped nearly 20 % and 47 % respectively from the same period the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 27.4 % from a year earlier to 6.1 million in January-May , the CAAM said .
The industry has been hammered by the coronavirus pandemic and worries over the slowing economy and a possible revival of trade tensions with the U.S .
Sales plunged 81.7 % in February at the height of the coronavirus outbreak , as dealerships and other businesses were shut down to contain outbreaks of the virus that have since largely subsided .
Prolonged weakness in a once sizzling market has hamstrung global automakers looking to China to drive revenue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , their second straight annual decline .
China ’ s government started reopening factories , restaurants and stores in March after declaring victory over the outbreak .
But rising job losses and fears of a second wave of coronavirus infections have left consumers wary of making big purchases .
The downturn is squeezing brands that are investing billions of dollars to develop electric vehicles under pressure to meet government sales targets .
May sales of battery-powered and gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles fell 23.5 % from a year ago in May to 82,000 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , sales slumped 38.7 % to 289,000 .
Demand for electric vehicles weakened last year after Beijing reduced subsidies that helped to make China their biggest market , accounting for half of global sales .
The government said in April it will extend subsidies through 2020 to shore up sales .
Following the announcement , Volkswagen said last month that it would spend 2 billion euros ( $ 2.3 billion ) to expand its presence in China ’ s electric car industry , by buying control of its electric car venture in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

HONG KONG (AP) - China’s auto sales surged 14.5% in May, a second straight month of growth as the global industry’s biggest market gradually recovers from the coronavirus pandemic.
The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said Thursday that sales of passenger cars jumped 7% from a year earlier to 1.67 million, an improvement over April’s 2.6% contraction.
Growth in passenger vehicles was primarily driven by sales of SUVs and minivans, which jumped nearly 20% and 47% respectively from the same period the year before.
Passenger vehicle sales tumbled 27.4% from a year earlier to 6.1 million in January-May, the CAAM said.
The industry has been hammered by the coronavirus pandemic and worries over the slowing economy and a possible revival of trade tensions with the U.S.
Sales plunged 81.7% in February at the height of the coronavirus outbreak, as dealerships and other businesses were shut down to contain outbreaks of the virus that have since largely subsided.
Prolonged weakness in a once sizzling market has hamstrung global automakers looking to China to drive revenue growth. Sales fell 9.6% last year, their second straight annual decline.
China’s government started reopening factories, restaurants and stores in March after declaring victory over the outbreak.
But rising job losses and fears of a second wave of coronavirus infections have left consumers wary of making big purchases.
The downturn is squeezing brands that are investing billions of dollars to develop electric vehicles under pressure to meet government sales targets.
May sales of battery-powered and gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles fell 23.5% from a year ago in May to 82,000. For the first five months of the year, sales slumped 38.7 % to 289,000.
Demand for electric vehicles weakened last year after Beijing reduced subsidies that helped to make China their biggest market, accounting for half of global sales. The government said in April it will extend subsidies through 2020 to shore up sales.
Following the announcement, Volkswagen said last month that it would spend 2 billion euros ($2.3 billion) to expand its presence in China’s electric car industry, by buying control of its electric car venture in China and investing in a battery producer.


washingtontimes--2020-06-11--LSU to rename library named for controversial past president

BATON ROUGE , La .
( AP ) - A library at Louisiana State University named after a former school president who advocated for segregation will be renamed , school administrators and black student leaders said .
The decision to change the name of Middleton Library at the university in Baton Rouge was announced Wednesday evening , news outlets reported .
The change is pending the approval of the LSU Board of Supervisors , which is scheduled to meet June 19 .
“ I do expect it will pass , ” LSU Board of Supervisors Chair Mary Werner told The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Troy H. Middleton , who served as president at the school from 1951 until 1962 .
He ’ s known for writing a letter in 1961 to former University of Texas Chancellor Harry Ransom in which he explains efforts to keep white and black students apart at the school , news outlets reported .
“ He wrote , ‘ Our Negro students have made no attempt to attend social functions , participate in athletic contests , go in the swimming pool , etc .
If they did , we would , for example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pool , ’ ” Frank James Price wrote in a biography about Middleton , WAFB-TV reported .
The announcement of the name change comes just days after the university came under fire for its response to a video online , according to news outlets .
The video , tweeted by actress and activist Skai Jackson , showed an incoming LSU freshman using a racial slur .
LSU ’ s official account responded saying it was “ subject to constitutional limitation ” in how it could take action on free speech .
The school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and vowed to meet with black student leaders to investigate and take action .
It ’ s unclear what consequences the incoming student might face .
LSU Interim President Tom Galligan said he could not give specific information , citing the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act , The Advocate reported .
Galligan later tweeted that he was meeting with board and campus leaders several times earlier this week .
“ Our goal is to erase symbols of things that exemplify a racist past , ” Galligan told The Advocate .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bust of Middleton and anything associated with his name at the library are expected to be removed .

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - A library at Louisiana State University named after a former school president who advocated for segregation will be renamed, school administrators and black student leaders said.
The decision to change the name of Middleton Library at the university in Baton Rouge was announced Wednesday evening, news outlets reported. The change is pending the approval of the LSU Board of Supervisors, which is scheduled to meet June 19.
“I do expect it will pass,” LSU Board of Supervisors Chair Mary Werner told The Advocate.
The library was named after Troy H. Middleton, who served as president at the school from 1951 until 1962. He’s known for writing a letter in 1961 to former University of Texas Chancellor Harry Ransom in which he explains efforts to keep white and black students apart at the school, news outlets reported.
“He wrote, ‘Our Negro students have made no attempt to attend social functions, participate in athletic contests, go in the swimming pool, etc. If they did, we would, for example, discontinue the operation of the swimming pool,’” Frank James Price wrote in a biography about Middleton, WAFB-TV reported.
Gov. John Bel Edwards, an LSU alumnus, said Thursday that he supports the library renaming.
“We cannot change what has happened in the past and this does not erase a history of racial injustice. But we can choose to no longer glorify a time of racial segregation or those who sought to discriminate against our African American brothers and sisters,” the Democratic governor said in a statement.
The announcement of the name change comes just days after the university came under fire for its response to a video online, according to news outlets. The video, tweeted by actress and activist Skai Jackson, showed an incoming LSU freshman using a racial slur.
LSU’s official account responded saying it was “subject to constitutional limitation” in how it could take action on free speech. The school later apologized in a series of tweets, and vowed to meet with black student leaders to investigate and take action.
It’s unclear what consequences the incoming student might face. LSU Interim President Tom Galligan said he could not give specific information, citing the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, The Advocate reported.
Galligan later tweeted that he was meeting with board and campus leaders several times earlier this week.
“Our goal is to erase symbols of things that exemplify a racist past,” Galligan said. In addition to the name change, a bust of Middleton and anything associated with his name at the library are expected to be removed.