washingtontimes--2020-04-22--1 killed as apparent tornado hits southern Oklahoma town

MADILL , Okla. ( AP ) - One person was killed Wednesday after an apparent tornado that damaged at least two businesses tore through Marshall County in southern Oklahoma .
The storm hit Madill , Oklahoma , about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday as clusters of severe thunderstorms roared across southern Oklahoma and north and east Texas .
The person ’ s body was found about a quarter-mile from J & I ; Manufacturing , a trailer factory about six miles ( 10 kilometers ) southwest of Madill , Marshall County Emergency Management Director Robert Chaney said .
Chaney said he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but said the suspected twister hit the plant just as its workforce was leaving for the day and caused severe damage .
The storm also hit the Oklahoma Steel and Wire plant , a fence wire manufacturer on Madill ’ s south side .
Chaney said he had no other immediate details on damage or injuries .
A National Weather Service team will be dispatched to survey damage and to confirm whether the storm was a tornado .
Madill is the county seat of Marshall County on the Red River and is home @ @ @ @ @

MADILL, Okla. (AP) — Severe weather moved through the South on Thursday after killing at least seven people in Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana, including a worker at a factory hit by an apparent tornado, a man whose car was blown off the road and a man who went outside to grab a trash can and was swept away in a flood.
More than 150,000 customers from Texas to Georgia were without power Thursday as the severe weather blew eastward, according to poweroutage.us, which tracks utility reports. There were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries east of Louisiana, even as tornado warnings urged residents of several states to pay attention and take shelter.
Nine suspected tornadoes touched down in southern Oklahama, National Weather Service meteorgologist Alex Zwink said. One of them caused widespread damage across the town of Madill, near the Red River, said Donny Raley, the city’s emergency manager.
Just outside town, workers were leaving for the day from J&I Manufacturing, which makes trailers, when a suspected twister hit. The body of a worker was later found about a fourth of a mile (0.4 kilometers) away, Marshall County Emergency Management Director Robert Chaney said.
A second person died in Madill when the tornado blew his vehicle off a highway: The body of Chad L. Weyant, 46, of Madill was found in the median and his vehicle in a nearby field, according to an Oklahoma Highway Patrol report.
At least three people were killed when apparent tornado touched down in southeast Texas about 6 p.m. Wednesday near Onalaska, about 75 miles (120 kilometers) north of Houston, the Polk County Emergency Management System said in a statement. The storm also caused severe damage to homes and other structures in Seven Oaks, said Carrie Miller, a spokeswoman for Polk County Judge Sydney Murphy.
Charles Stephens of Onalaska told the Houston Chronicle that he and his wife were holed up in their bathroom when a large pine tree fell through their roof during the storms Wednesday night.
“It took me 45 minutes to climb through the roof to get out,” Stephens said, adding that he had to use a hatchet to get his wife out of the debris.
A Louisiana man was later found dead after a witness saw him try to retrieve a trash can from water near a drainage ditch; He lost his footing and was swept away by floodwaters, DeSoto Parish Sheriff Jayson Richardson told The Shreveport Times.
“There was some pretty extreme flooding here in Mansfield. Water like I’ve not seen in many, many years, if ever,” the sheriff told the newspaper. “Basically the water rose really fast and we had to rescue some people out of homes. I think we had about 20 or so homes that people were flooded in.”
And a woman was killed on a bridge in Woodworth, Louisiana, 15 miles (24 kilometers) south of Alexandria, due to the severe weather, the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office told KALB-TV. The sheriff’s office did not provide detail on how she died.
The Alexandria campus of Louisiana State University also saw some damage from the storm. The university tweeted, “All resident students safe. There is damage to DeWitt Livestock building and a camper flipped over.” The campus was also left without power.
A National Weather Service team will be dispatched to survey damage and to confirm whether the storms were tornadoes.


washingtontimes--2020-04-23--Study: Olympians should push for collective bargaining

A study of the worldwide Olympic bureaucracy ’ s finances concludes there ’ s far more money available for athletes than what they receive , and that they would be best served by the sort of collective-bargaining arrangement that ’ s common in pro leagues .
The study , a collaboration between the Global Athlete advocacy group and the Ryerson University Ted Rogers School of Management in Toronto , said the IOC - the largest and most integral cog in the Olympic system - averages $ 1.4 billion a year in revenue and spends 4.1 % of it on athletes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the amateur-only model on which it was founded , the majority of athletes have been largely dependent on their own sports organizations and national Olympic committees for funding .
Lucrative sponsorship deals exist for only a small percentage of top-tier Olympians .
At the same time , the study says , because the IOC receives most of its revenue ( 91 % ) from TV and marketing and virtually nothing from donations , its model is more in sync with the NFL , NBA and other pro leagues than the family of nonprofit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ study says those pro leagues return between 40 % and 60 % of their revenues to the players , while the Olympic movement gives back 4.1 % , the bulk of which “ is mostly through scholarships , grants and awards for successful competition , numbers which athletes can not negotiate.
” “ If the IOC and its affiliates are unwilling or unable to compensate its athletes , collective bargaining will change the face of the Olympic Movement , ” the report concluded , while also underscoring athletes ’ chance to grab a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the wake of the coronavirus pandemic that has delayed the Tokyo Games by a year .
The IOC called the claim that it spends 4.1 % of of its revenue on athletes “ just plain wrong.
” “ It redistributes 90 % of all its income generated from the Olympic Games to assist athletes and develop sport worldwide , ” the IOC said .
“ As a result , every day the IOC distributes about $ 3.4 million around the world to help athletes and sporting organizations.
” As detailed in its annual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sends money to are international sports federations , national Olympic committees and the World Anti-Doping Agency .
The IOC also sends about 28 % of its budget to local organizing committees for the Olympics ; in 2016 and 2018 , that amounted to $ 1.7 billion , the study said .
Without the Olympics there would be no grand stage on which the athletes could perform .
That has long been an IOC argument in defending its overall model , as well as Rule 40 , which limits the amount of sponsorship-related revenue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Over recent months , the IOC has allowed countries to relax some of those restrictions , but the study argues athletes would be much better off if Rule 40 was abolished altogether and replaced by collective bargaining .
The study outlined a complex web of Olympic finance and bureaucracy that it says is outdated .
It describes a system in which the vast majority of money flows in from broadcasters and sponsors , then filters through hundreds of Olympic-related subsidiaries across the globe before , eventually , a small amount gets to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the average Canadian athlete in 2013-14 spent about $ 15,000 more than he or she made in a year .
“ If the IOC is truly against the commercial abuse of athletes , it will find a way to pay its athletes back , ” the report concluded .
“ If not , it will be up to the athletes themselves .
”

A study of the worldwide Olympic bureaucracy’s finances concludes there’s far more money available for athletes than what they receive, and that they would be best served by the sort of collective-bargaining arrangement that’s common in pro leagues.
The study, a collaboration between the Global Athlete advocacy group and the Ryerson University Ted Rogers School of Management in Toronto, said the IOC - the largest and most integral cog in the Olympic system - averages $1.4 billion a year in revenue and spends 4.1% of it on athletes.
Even since the Olympics departed from the amateur-only model on which it was founded, the majority of athletes have been largely dependent on their own sports organizations and national Olympic committees for funding. Lucrative sponsorship deals exist for only a small percentage of top-tier Olympians.
At the same time, the study says, because the IOC receives most of its revenue (91%) from TV and marketing and virtually nothing from donations, its model is more in sync with the NFL, NBA and other pro leagues than the family of nonprofit organizations it is part of.
The study says those pro leagues return between 40% and 60% of their revenues to the players, while the Olympic movement gives back 4.1%, the bulk of which “is mostly through scholarships, grants and awards for successful competition, numbers which athletes cannot negotiate.”
“If the IOC and its affiliates are unwilling or unable to compensate its athletes, collective bargaining will change the face of the Olympic Movement,” the report concluded, while also underscoring athletes’ chance to grab a central role in reshaping the movement in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic that has delayed the Tokyo Games by a year.
The IOC called the claim that it spends 4.1% of of its revenue on athletes “just plain wrong.”
“It redistributes 90% of all its income generated from the Olympic Games to assist athletes and develop sport worldwide,” the IOC said. “As a result, every day the IOC distributes about $3.4 million around the world to help athletes and sporting organizations.”
As detailed in its annual report, among the areas the IOC sends money to are international sports federations, national Olympic committees and the World Anti-Doping Agency.
The IOC also sends about 28% of its budget to local organizing committees for the Olympics; in 2016 and 2018, that amounted to $1.7 billion, the study said. Without the Olympics there would be no grand stage on which the athletes could perform. That has long been an IOC argument in defending its overall model, as well as Rule 40, which limits the amount of sponsorship-related revenue athletes can generate during the games themselves.
Over recent months, the IOC has allowed countries to relax some of those restrictions, but the study argues athletes would be much better off if Rule 40 was abolished altogether and replaced by collective bargaining.
The study outlined a complex web of Olympic finance and bureaucracy that it says is outdated. It describes a system in which the vast majority of money flows in from broadcasters and sponsors, then filters through hundreds of Olympic-related subsidiaries across the globe before, eventually, a small amount gets to the athletes themselves.
The study estimated the average Canadian athlete in 2013-14 spent about $15,000 more than he or she made in a year.
“If the IOC is truly against the commercial abuse of athletes, it will find a way to pay its athletes back,” the report concluded. “If not, it will be up to the athletes themselves.”
___
More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports


washingtontimes--2020-04-23--Woman charged in shooting death of Blue Springs man

BLUE SPRINGS , Mo .
( AP ) - A woman stands charged in the shooting death of man at @ @ @ @ @ in Blue Springs , prosecutors said .
Blue Springs police had reported that the body @ @ @ @ @ , was found Sunday afternoon in his trailer home parked near a Walmart store .
@ @ @ @ @ County prosecutor ’ s office said Francesca Hernandez , 32 , of Kansas City , @ @ @ @ @ case and charged with second-degree murder , armed criminal action , vehicle theft and a @ @ @ @ @ Hernandez has denied shooting Tindell , but investigators said she had a handgun and Tindell @ @ @ @ @ card in her possession when she was arrested .
Prosecutors have Hernandez be held on @ @ @ @ @ .

BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. (AP) - A woman stands charged in the shooting death of man at his suburban Kansas City home in Blue Springs, prosecutors said.
Blue Springs police had reported that the body of Wayne Tindell, 65, was found Sunday afternoon in his trailer home parked near a Walmart store.
On Wednesday, the Jackson County prosecutor’s office said Francesca Hernandez, 32, of Kansas City, had been arrested in the case and charged with second-degree murder, armed criminal action, vehicle theft and a weapons count.
Police said Hernandez has denied shooting Tindell, but investigators said she had a handgun and Tindell’s cellphone and credit card in her possession when she was arrested.
Prosecutors have Hernandez be held on a $300,000 cash bond.


washingtontimes--2020-04-23--Former Gov. Locke among finalists for Bellevue College head

BELLEVUE , Wash. ( AP ) - Bellevue College ’ s board of trustees have announced that former Washington Gov .
Gary Locke is one of three finalists for Bellevue College interim president .
Yoshiko Harden , a Seattle Central College vice president and Raul Rodriguez , interim president of East Los Angeles College , are the other finalists , trustees said Wednesday .
The candidate chosen will replace Jerry Weber , who resigned in last month with Gayle Colston Barge , a vice president who altered a campus mural of two Japanese American children in a World War II @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Provost Kristen Jones has been serving as acting president since their resignations .
Locke was governor of Washington from 1997 to 2005 and was the first Chinese American to be elected governor in the United States .
During the Obama administration , he served as Commerce secretary and U.S. ambassador to China .
Harden is vice president of student services at Seattle Central College .
Rodriguez has served as interim president of East Los Angeles College since July 2019 .
The board expects to vote on a final choice in late May @

BELLEVUE, Wash. (AP) - Bellevue College’s board of trustees have announced that former Washington Gov. Gary Locke is one of three finalists for Bellevue College interim president.
Yoshiko Harden, a Seattle Central College vice president and Raul Rodriguez, interim president of East Los Angeles College, are the other finalists, trustees said Wednesday.
The candidate chosen will replace Jerry Weber, who resigned in last month with Gayle Colston Barge, a vice president who altered a campus mural of two Japanese American children in a World War II incarceration camp, The Seattle Times reported. Provost Kristen Jones has been serving as acting president since their resignations.
Locke was governor of Washington from 1997 to 2005 and was the first Chinese American to be elected governor in the United States. During the Obama administration, he served as Commerce secretary and U.S. ambassador to China.
Harden is vice president of student services at Seattle Central College.
Rodriguez has served as interim president of East Los Angeles College since July 2019.
The board expects to vote on a final choice in late May.


washingtontimes--2020-04-23--Tokyo Olympic CEO promises 'transparency' over cost of delay

TOKYO ( AP ) - The chief executive of the Tokyo Olympics promised “ transparency ” with the Japanese public on Thursday regarding the cost of postponing the games until next year .
Neither the Japanese organizers nor the International Olympic Committee has said what it will cost to delay the Tokyo Games for one year .
Early estimates in Japan range between $ 2 billion and $ 6 billion .
“ It ’ s highly likely that the expense will be higher than the originally planned budget , ” CEO Toshiro Muto said , speaking through an interpreter at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exact amount was unclear , “ but we will proceed with transparency and explain to the taxpayers about the costs.
” Although officials say the added costs are unknown , one thing is certain : Japanese taxpayers will pick up most of the bills .
The Tokyo city government , the local organizers and the Japanese Olympic Committee are obligated under the “ Host City Contract ” signed in 2013 to cover most of the costs .
The cost issue is sensitive in Japan , particularly for the government of Prime Minister Shinzo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ backer of the Olympics .
Japan , like many countries , could be deep in a recession next year , brought on the by the coronavirus pandemic .
Japan is officially spending $ 12.6 billion to organize the Olympics , but a government audit report last year said it was at least twice that much .
It ’ s all public money except for $ 5.6 billion in a privately funded operating budget .
The Switzerland-based IOC has contributed $ 1.3 billion to that private budget , but is not expected to pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the latest four-year Olympic cycle was $ 5.7 billion .
IOC member John Coates , who oversees planning for the Tokyo Olympics , said last week the IOC would need to pay “ several hundred million dollars ” to keep many international sports federations and national Olympic committees afloat .
He did not indicate any of that money was going to Tokyo .
Muto was asked point-blank if Japan was “ prepared to pay all of the extra running costs - or should it be shared ?
” He did not answer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement put out last week by the IOC and local organizers .
“ The joint statement is all we have , ” Muto said .
“ We need to assess the impact of the postponement , and then we need to discuss how to address it.
” Muto was asked repeatedly if the pandemic would allow the delayed Olympics to open on July 23 , 2021 .
Earlier this week , a Japanese scientist and an expert in infectious disease said it was unlikely the Olympics could be held .
“ How this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this will end - nobody can answer this question for sure , ” Muto said .
He said postponing until July 2021 gave organizers and the IOC “ enough time.
” He also discounted any chance of postponing until 2022 .
The Beijing Winter Olympics are scheduled for 2022 but are also under a cloud since it was in China where the virus was first discovered .
“ Prime Minster Abe said the nature of the Olympics would change if Tokyo 2020 were postponed for two years , ” Muto said .

TOKYO (AP) - The chief executive of the Tokyo Olympics promised “transparency” with the Japanese public on Thursday regarding the cost of postponing the games until next year.
Neither the Japanese organizers nor the International Olympic Committee has said what it will cost to delay the Tokyo Games for one year. Early estimates in Japan range between $2 billion and $6 billion.
“It’s highly likely that the expense will be higher than the originally planned budget,” CEO Toshiro Muto said, speaking through an interpreter at a weekly teleconference.
He said the exact amount was unclear, “but we will proceed with transparency and explain to the taxpayers about the costs.”
Although officials say the added costs are unknown, one thing is certain: Japanese taxpayers will pick up most of the bills.
The Tokyo city government, the local organizers and the Japanese Olympic Committee are obligated under the “Host City Contract” signed in 2013 to cover most of the costs.
The cost issue is sensitive in Japan, particularly for the government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has been a fervent backer of the Olympics.
Japan, like many countries, could be deep in a recession next year, brought on the by the coronavirus pandemic. Japan is officially spending $12.6 billion to organize the Olympics, but a government audit report last year said it was at least twice that much.
It’s all public money except for $5.6 billion in a privately funded operating budget.
The Switzerland-based IOC has contributed $1.3 billion to that private budget, but is not expected to pay much more. It’s income over the latest four-year Olympic cycle was $5.7 billion.
IOC member John Coates, who oversees planning for the Tokyo Olympics, said last week the IOC would need to pay “several hundred million dollars” to keep many international sports federations and national Olympic committees afloat. He did not indicate any of that money was going to Tokyo.
Muto was asked point-blank if Japan was “prepared to pay all of the extra running costs - or should it be shared?”
He did not answer directly, referring instead to a nondescript statement put out last week by the IOC and local organizers.
“The joint statement is all we have,” Muto said. “We need to assess the impact of the postponement, and then we need to discuss how to address it.”
Muto was asked repeatedly if the pandemic would allow the delayed Olympics to open on July 23, 2021. Earlier this week, a Japanese scientist and an expert in infectious disease said it was unlikely the Olympics could be held.
“How this coronavirus infection situation will develop and when this will end - nobody can answer this question for sure,” Muto said.
He said postponing until July 2021 gave organizers and the IOC “enough time.”
He also discounted any chance of postponing until 2022. The Beijing Winter Olympics are scheduled for 2022 but are also under a cloud since it was in China where the virus was first discovered.
“Prime Minster Abe said the nature of the Olympics would change if Tokyo 2020 were postponed for two years,” Muto said.
___
More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports


washingtontimes--2020-04-23--Police ID teen shot to death on Cedar Rapids street

CEDAR RAPIDS , Iowa ( AP ) - Police in Cedar Rapids have identified a person found shot to death @ @ @ @ @ a local teenager .
The shooting happened around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday , when police were @ @ @ @ @ a block north of Cleveland Park , The Gazette reported .
Arriving officers found a @ @ @ @ @ 16-year-old Judeah Dawson , suffering from several gunshot wounds .
Dawson died at the scene @ @ @ @ @ arrests had been reported by Thursday morning .
Dawson ’ s death marked the fourth @ @ @ @ @ year .

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) - Police in Cedar Rapids have identified a person found shot to death on a city street as a local teenager.
The shooting happened around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, when police were called to the area about a block north of Cleveland Park, The Gazette reported. Arriving officers found a male, later identified as 16-year-old Judeah Dawson, suffering from several gunshot wounds.
Dawson died at the scene, police said. No arrests had been reported by Thursday morning.
Dawson’s death marked the fourth homicide in Cedar Rapids this year.


washingtontimes--2020-04-23--Belgian port to test virus bracelets amid tech tracing fears

ANTWERP , Belgium ( AP ) - As the spread of the coronavirus eases and people gradually return to work pondering the impact it might have on their jobs , Europe ’ s second-biggest port is getting ready to test a device aimed at helping thousands of people employed there to respect social distancing .
At Antwerp in Belgium , where some 900 companies operate in an area the size of a small town , two teams of port workers will be wearing next month a bracelet originally designed to find tugboat crew members that have fallen overboard but now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the disease .
Until a vaccine is found , respecting Europe ’ s recommended safe distance of 1.5 meters ( around five feet ) , regular hand-washing and the use of masks remain the best methods to defend against any new virus outbreak .
So , a mad scramble has begun to develop technologies to prevent its spread .
European countries are designing contact tracing apps for mobile phones to help locate outbreak sources .
While they ’ re a powerful force for good , the various devices are raising concerns about privacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once they ’ re in people ’ s homes or the workplace .
The bracelets are worn like a watch .
Coated in black plastic , they vibrate when they move to within three meters ( about 10 feet ) of each other .
The vibration strength , similar to that of a mobile telephone but more obvious when attached to a wrist , increases the closer the bracelets get and warning lights flash .
“ You have a helmet , and your safety shoes , and you have swimming vests .
All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re adding a wearable on top of that to make sure that people are safe .
And if something goes wrong , that it is being detected as soon as possible , ” Antwerp Port Chief Technology Officer Erwin Verstaelen said .
The bracelets ensure physical distancing and collect no data .
No plans have been announced at the port to use them to track workers ’ movements or measure their performance as some companies elsewhere have explored doing .
But they can be programmed to provide information .
“ Social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said John Baekelmans , CEO of Rombit , the company developing the bracelets .
“ We do not store any data .
There is no communication going out of the bracelets whatsoever .
It ’ s only there to keep people safe.
” In its guidance on the use of mobile phone apps - not bracelets or wristbands - the European Commission says they should be managed by public health authorities and dismantled once they are no longer needed .
They should be voluntary , and no one should be punished for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data would be protected by state-of-the-art encryption and only be kept a limited time .
The potential benefits of apps and other devices are easy to see .
The virus has killed more than 100,000 people in Europe and Britain , according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control .
But experts and trade unions worry that they could become invasive .
Isabelle Schoemann of the European Trade Union Confederation said the organization wasn ’ t consulted about the testing .
She argues that most people don ’ t need technology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they should stand from their co-workers .
“ We are kind of having a test on a real-life basis , and it is a bit worrying that we are testing that on people , and that we are testing that without having been able to look into what kind of guarantees this technology would bring before the test , ” Schoemann told The Associated Press .
Nathalie Smuha , law and ethics researcher and assistant lecturer at the University of Leuven , expressed concern about the unequal power relationship between employers and their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debate on the legal , ethical and political implications of using tracing devices .
“ We say that these tools should ideally be used on a voluntary basis , ” Smuha told AP .
But , she added , “ what choice do you have , if otherwise you don ’ t have a job and you can not provide for your family ?
” Beyond that , Smuha said , people have an inherent bias toward technology that can lead us to think it makes no mistakes .
This might incite us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further , than we otherwise would .
“ Once you start implementing these things it ’ s very difficult to go back , ” she said .
“ Why only use it on the work floor ?
Maybe you should also use it on your way to work and back , and maybe you should also use it in a shop in order to have access.
” Lorne Cook reported from Brussels .
Sylvain Plazy in Brussels , and Virginia Mayo in Antwerp , contributed to this report .
Follow AP coverage of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

ANTWERP, Belgium (AP) - As the spread of the coronavirus eases and people gradually return to work pondering the impact it might have on their jobs, Europe’s second-biggest port is getting ready to test a device aimed at helping thousands of people employed there to respect social distancing.
At Antwerp in Belgium, where some 900 companies operate in an area the size of a small town, two teams of port workers will be wearing next month a bracelet originally designed to find tugboat crew members that have fallen overboard but now modified to help stop the spread of the disease.
Until a vaccine is found, respecting Europe’s recommended safe distance of 1.5 meters (around five feet), regular hand-washing and the use of masks remain the best methods to defend against any new virus outbreak. So, a mad scramble has begun to develop technologies to prevent its spread.
European countries are designing contact tracing apps for mobile phones to help locate outbreak sources. While they’re a powerful force for good, the various devices are raising concerns about privacy and just how intrusive they might become once they’re in people’s homes or the workplace.
The bracelets are worn like a watch. Coated in black plastic, they vibrate when they move to within three meters (about 10 feet) of each other. The vibration strength, similar to that of a mobile telephone but more obvious when attached to a wrist, increases the closer the bracelets get and warning lights flash.
“You have a helmet, and your safety shoes, and you have swimming vests. All these kinds of things. And now we’re adding a wearable on top of that to make sure that people are safe. And if something goes wrong, that it is being detected as soon as possible,” Antwerp Port Chief Technology Officer Erwin Verstaelen said.
The bracelets ensure physical distancing and collect no data. No plans have been announced at the port to use them to track workers’ movements or measure their performance as some companies elsewhere have explored doing. But they can be programmed to provide information.
“Social distancing and privacy is very important,” said John Baekelmans, CEO of Rombit, the company developing the bracelets. “We do not store any data. There is no communication going out of the bracelets whatsoever. It’s only there to keep people safe.”
In its guidance on the use of mobile phone apps - not bracelets or wristbands - the European Commission says they should be managed by public health authorities and dismantled once they are no longer needed. They should be voluntary, and no one should be punished for refusing to use them.
Ideally, data would be protected by state-of-the-art encryption and only be kept a limited time.
The potential benefits of apps and other devices are easy to see. The virus has killed more than 100,000 people in Europe and Britain, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. But experts and trade unions worry that they could become invasive.
Isabelle Schoemann of the European Trade Union Confederation said the organization wasn’t consulted about the testing. She argues that most people don’t need technology to help them understand how far away they should stand from their co-workers.
“We are kind of having a test on a real-life basis, and it is a bit worrying that we are testing that on people, and that we are testing that without having been able to look into what kind of guarantees this technology would bring before the test,” Schoemann told The Associated Press.
Nathalie Smuha, law and ethics researcher and assistant lecturer at the University of Leuven, expressed concern about the unequal power relationship between employers and their staff. She called for a democratic debate on the legal, ethical and political implications of using tracing devices.
“We say that these tools should ideally be used on a voluntary basis,” Smuha told AP. But, she added, “what choice do you have, if otherwise you don’t have a job and you cannot provide for your family?”
Beyond that, Smuha said, people have an inherent bias toward technology that can lead us to think it makes no mistakes. This might incite us to take greater risks, or go further, than we otherwise would.
“Once you start implementing these things it’s very difficult to go back,” she said. “Why only use it on the work floor? Maybe you should also use it on your way to work and back, and maybe you should also use it in a shop in order to have access.”
___
Lorne Cook reported from Brussels. Sylvain Plazy in Brussels, and Virginia Mayo in Antwerp, contributed to this report.
___
Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


washingtontimes--2020-04-23--Africa's 43% jump in COVID-19 cases in week worries experts

CAPE TOWN , South Africa ( AP ) - Africa has registered a 43 % jump in reported COVID-19 cases in the last week , highlighting a warning from the World Health Organization that the continent of 1.3 billion could become the next epicenter of the global outbreak .
Africa also has a “ very , very limited ” and “ very , very strained ” testing capacity , John Nkengasong , director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in his weekly briefing on Thursday .
It means that the surge in infections on the continent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reality , he said .
WHO ’ s recent report painted a grim picture for Africa .
It warned the virus could kill more than 300,000 people and push 30 million into desperate poverty .
Africa still has time to avert such a disaster , but testing people and tracing virus cases is critical , said Nkengasong .
“ It all depends on what we are discussing here , ” Nkengasong said , “ which is , are you testing ?
Are you finding the cases ?
Are you isolating and tracking the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that means it must happen.
” By Nkengasong ’ s own criteria , Africa is struggling on the testing front .
In the two months since the continent began mobilizing to fight the outbreak , less than 500,000 tests have been conducted on a population of more than 1 billion .
That ’ s just 325 people tested per 1 million people , Nkengasong said .
That ’ s far lower than Italy , one of the world ’ s worst-hit countries , he said by way of comparison .
African governments reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , up from just over 16,000 a week ago .
Although those figures are still relatively small in the global picture , the sharp increase is a cause for concern , said Nkengasong .
The previous week saw an increase of 29 % .
“ If you don ’ t test , you don ’ t find .
And if you don ’ t test , you are blinded .
If you don ’ t test , you are not ahead of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Africa Centers for Disease Control has a target of conducting 1 million more tests in Africa over the next four weeks and 10 million tests in the next four months .
The overall effort is badly hampered , Nkengasong said , by a major obstacle : The existing fragility of the health services in many African countries .
“ I ’ d like to make sure I make this very clear , ” he said .
“ It is an uphill battle to build health systems while you need them .
… That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We are playing catch-up and that is a very , very tough thing to do .
”

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) - Africa registered a 43% jump in reported COVID-19 cases in the last week, highlighting a warning from the World Health Organization that the continent of 1.3 billion could become the next epicenter of the global outbreak.
Africa also has a “very, very limited” and “very, very strained” testing capacity, John Nkengasong, director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in his weekly briefing on Thursday.
The surge in infections on the continent is almost certainly under-reported and even higher in reality, say medical experts.
WHO’s recent report painted a grim picture for Africa, one of the last continents to be hit by the pandemic. WHO warned the virus could kill more than 300,000 people and push 30 million into desperate poverty.
Africa still has time to avert such a disaster, Nkengasong said, but testing people and tracing virus cases is critical.
“It all depends on what we are discussing here, which is, are you testing? Are you finding the cases? Are you isolating and tracking the contacts?” Nkengasong said, adding that the WHO report “is not a prediction that means it must happen.”
By Nkengasong’s own criteria, Africa is struggling on the testing front.
In the two months since the continent began mobilizing to fight the outbreak, less than 500,000 tests have been conducted on the population of more than 1 billion. That’s just 325 people tested per 1 million people, Nkengasong said. By comparison, that’s far lower than Italy, one of the world’s worst-hit countries, he said.
“If you don’t test, you don’t find. And if you don’t test, you are blinded. If you don’t test, you are not ahead of the curve,” Nkengasong said.
African governments reported a total of nearly 26,000 cases as of Thursday, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up from just over 16,000 a week ago. Around 1,200 people have died. Although those figures are still relatively small in the global picture, the sharp increase in cases is a cause for concern, said Nkengasong. The previous week saw an increase of 29%.
The Africa Centers for Disease Control has a target of conducting 1 million more tests in Africa over the next four weeks and 10 million tests in the next four months. The overall effort is badly hampered, Nkengasong said, by a major obstacle: The existing fragility of the health services in many African countries.
“I’d like to make sure I make this very clear,” he said. “It is an uphill battle to build health systems while you need them. … That is what we are actually doing now. We are playing catch-up and that is a very, very tough thing to do.”
It’s not exclusively bad news for Africa. South Africa has nearly 4,000 reported cases, according to its health ministry, the highest in Africa. It also saw a big one-day jump of 318 new cases on Thursday and 75 people have now died. But Africa’s most developed economy is being praised for an aggressive testing program. South Africa, aided by an existing infrastructure, has carried out more than 140,000 tests, according to its health minister.
And “they are starting to see a bending of their curve.” said Matshidiso Moeti, WHO’s regional director for Africa. South Africa’s early and tentative signs of success - helped, maybe, by a strict lockdown - are being set off by “concerning increases” in virus cases in some countries in West Africa and East Africa, Moeti said.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country with 200 million people and a high population density, is a stark example of the testing and health system shortcomings prevalent across the continent. The country has reported 873 cases of COVID-19 and 28 deaths but had conducted just 7,153 tests as of Wednesday, according to the Nigeria Center for Disease Control. Around 5,000 of those tests only came in the last week.
“The truth is, we have to work with what we have. We definitely didn’t start at the baseline where South Africa started,” said Chikwe Ihekweazu, director general of the Nigerian center.
“Many lessons will be learned here and around the world. But the middle of a crisis is not the time you can suddenly build up an infrastructural base that you need 20 or 30 years to build.”


washingtontimes--2020-04-23--The Latest: 12 residents die of COVID-19 at 1 senior campus

NEW HOPE , Minn. ( AP ) - The Latest on the coronavirus outbreak in Minnesota ( all times local ) : One of Minnesota ’ s deadliest outbreaks of the coronavirus in a single setting is at a senior care campus in New Hope where 12 residents have died of complications of the virus .
Records reviewed by the Star Tribune show the deaths since April 6 involve residents at St. Therese of New Hope who were between 82 and 96 years old .
Most residents died from pneumonia and other respiratory complications caused by COVID-19 , the disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
State health officials say 129 of those deaths are linked to long-term care facilities .
Administrators at St. Therese say they are working with the state Department of Health on a response to the outbreak .
The campus includes a 258-bed nursing home , as well as independent and assisted living residences .
Nursing homes have been on lockdown for weeks to protect their vulnerable residents .
Those infected with the coronavirus are quarantined on a single unit at St. Therese .
Employees are being screened for signs of the illness before @ @ @

BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. (AP) - The Latest on the coronavirus outbreak in Minnesota (all times local):
5:20 p.m.
The Minnesota State High School League on Thursday canceled all spring sports and activities for the rest of the school year.
The league made the announcement after Gov. Tim Walz ended the school year amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The league’s cancellation applies to all practices, tryouts, scrimmages and games as well as postseason tournaments.
The Star Tribune reports the league began notifying member schools Thursday afternoon. The league’s Board of Directors meets Friday and will provide additional guidance.
Last month the league had extended the shutdown of spring sports until May 4, when Walz’s stay-at-home order is scheduled to end.
___
6:45 a.m.
One of Minnesota’s deadliest outbreaks of the coronavirus in a single setting is at a senior care campus in New Hope where 12 residents have died of complications of the virus.
Records reviewed by the Star Tribune show the deaths since April 6 involve residents at St. Therese of New Hope who were between 82 and 96 years old.
Most residents died from pneumonia and other respiratory complications caused by COVID-19, the disease that has killed 179 people in Minnesota. State health officials say 129 of those deaths are linked to long-term care facilities.
Administrators at St. Therese say they are working with the state Department of Health on a response to the outbreak. The campus includes a 258-bed nursing home, as well as independent and assisted living residences.
Nursing homes have been on lockdown for weeks to protect their vulnerable residents. Those infected with the coronavirus are quarantined on a single unit at St. Therese. Employees are being screened for signs of the illness before each shift.


washingtontimes--2020-04-23--Alex Ovechkin, Wayne Gretzky raise $40,000 with 'NHL 20' competition

For the first time ever , two of the greatest hockey players to ever live squared off .
It just happened , like many sports these days , in the video game world .
Alex Ovechkin and Wayne Gretzky livestreamed two games of “ NHL 20 ” on Wednesday night and raised more than $ 40,000 to split between two charities for coronavirus relief efforts .
More than 450,000 people logged in to watch the stream on Twitch , according to Twitch ’ s view counter .
The money will be split between Monumental Sports and Entertainment Foundation ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Edmonton Food Bank in Edmonton , Canada .
Viewers on Twitch donated more than $ 20,000 , and Gretzky and Ovechkin agreed to match that total .
As for the games themselves , Gretzky and his son beat Ovechkin and Caps Gaming streamer JohnWayne 5-4 in overtime in the first game , but Ovechkin got revenge on Gretzky ’ s Oilers with a 4-1 win the second time around .
Gretzky played as a classic Oilers team that included video game versions of himself , Mark Messier , Jari Kurri and Paul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ovechkin didn ’ t hold back his desire to celebrate when he scored , especially on this game-tying goal in which his Lars Eller fed JohnWayne ’ s Michal Kempny on a breakaway in the last three seconds to force overtime .
But after video-game Braden Holtby laid out for a big save , the Oilers deposited one behind him for the overtime winner .
Ovechkin scored a goal as himself in the first minute of the second game as Washington had an easier time on its way to a 4-1 win @

For the first time ever, two of the greatest hockey players to ever live squared off. It just happened, like many sports these days, in the video game world.
Alex Ovechkin and Wayne Gretzky livestreamed two games of “NHL 20” on Wednesday night and raised more than $40,000 to split between two charities for coronavirus relief efforts. More than 450,000 people logged in to watch the stream on Twitch, according to Twitch’s view counter.
The money will be split between Monumental Sports and Entertainment Foundation’s “Feeding the Frontlines” fund and the Edmonton Food Bank in Edmonton, Canada. Viewers on Twitch donated more than $20,000, and Gretzky and Ovechkin agreed to match that total.
As for the games themselves, Gretzky and his son beat Ovechkin and Caps Gaming streamer JohnWayne 5-4 in overtime in the first game, but Ovechkin got revenge on Gretzky’s Oilers with a 4-1 win the second time around.
Gretzky played as a classic Oilers team that included video game versions of himself, Mark Messier, Jari Kurri and Paul Coffey. Ovechkin controlled the 2019-20 Capitals.
Ovechkin didn’t hold back his desire to celebrate when he scored, especially on this game-tying goal in which his Lars Eller fed JohnWayne’s Michal Kempny on a breakaway in the last three seconds to force overtime.
Ovi scoring #NHL20 goals is as exciting as his real ones 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/tdmCWmtSSu — #NHL20 (@EASPORTSNHL) April 23, 2020
But after video-game Braden Holtby laid out for a big save, the Oilers deposited one behind him for the overtime winner.
Ovechkin scored a goal as himself in the first minute of the second game as Washington had an easier time on its way to a 4-1 win.
• Adam Zielonka can be reached at azielonka@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-04-23--Doug Collins of Georgia: Opening businesses during stay-at-home order creates a problem

Rep. Doug Collins , Georgia Republican , on Thursday said the situation in his state where some businesses are being allowed to open this week even as a stay-at-home order is in place until the end of the month “ creates a problem.
” “ The governor did not take away the stay-at-home order , but yet selectively decided certain businesses are going to open up , ” Mr. Collins said on “ Fox & Friends , ” referring to Gov .
Brian Kemp .
Mr. Kemp is allowing some businesses , including salons and tattoo parlors , to open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
President Trump on Wednesday had said he told Mr. Kemp he thinks it ’ s too soon .
“ The president wants the country open .
I want the country open .
The governor wants the country open .
The problem is , how do you do it ?
” Mr. Collins said .
The congressman said depending on the area , there should have been more local input .
“ It ’ s made people nervous , ” Mr. Collins said .
“ I think clear communication is what has to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ telling people to still stay at home but yet we ’ re going to open certain businesses , that creates a problem in which people are not sure what to do.
” Mr. Collins is mounting an intra-party challenge this year to GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler , who was appointed to her post by Mr. Kemp .
Ms. Loeffler and GOP Sen. David Perdue , who is up for reelection this year , have supported a phased approach to reopening the economy .
“ The governor has been very thoughtful in undertaking this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by leading health officials .
This is very gradual and data-driven , ” Ms. Loeffler said .

Rep. Doug Collins, Georgia Republican, on Thursday said the situation in his state where some businesses are being allowed to open this week even as a stay-at-home order is in place until the end of the month “creates a problem.”
“The governor did not take away the stay-at-home order, but yet selectively decided certain businesses are going to open up,” Mr. Collins said on “Fox & Friends,” referring to Gov. Brian Kemp.
Mr. Kemp is allowing some businesses, including salons and tattoo parlors, to open starting on Friday amid the coronavirus pandemic.
President Trump on Wednesday had said he told Mr. Kemp he thinks it’s too soon.
“The president wants the country open. I want the country open. The governor wants the country open. The problem is, how do you do it?” Mr. Collins said.
The congressman said depending on the area, there should have been more local input.
“It’s made people nervous,” Mr. Collins said. “I think clear communication is what has to happen. But when you’re telling people to still stay at home but yet we’re going to open certain businesses, that creates a problem in which people are not sure what to do.”
Mr. Collins is mounting an intra-party challenge this year to GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler, who was appointed to her post by Mr. Kemp.
Ms. Loeffler and GOP Sen. David Perdue, who is up for reelection this year, have supported a phased approach to reopening the economy.
“The governor has been very thoughtful in undertaking this decision. He’s being guided by leading health officials. This is very gradual and data-driven,” Ms. Loeffler said.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-04-23--Gym owner suing Virginia gov. represented by state senators

CULPEPER , Va. ( AP ) - Two Republican state senators are representing a gym owner who is suing Virginia ’ s governor over his executive order that closed down nonessential businesses amid the coronavirus pandemic .
State Sen. Bill Stanley and Ryan McDougle filed the lawsuit in Culpeper County Tuesday on behalf Merrill C. “ Sandy ” Hall , who owns several Gold ’ s Gym franchises .
The lawsuit argues Gov .
Ralph Northam exceeded his authority when ordering the closure of nonessential businesses , including fitness centers , on March 23 .
It also seeks relief from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up his businesses .
While announcing the lawsuit , Stanley said the doors of the gyms should “ no longer be shuttered ” and “ need to be reopened , ” The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported .
McDougle , who chairs the Virginia Senate Republican Caucus , accused Northam of failing to isolate people infected with the virus so that Virginians could be protected “ against government overreach.
” Alena Yarmosky , the governor ’ s spokeswoman , declined to comment on the specific lawsuit but said the governor “ will continue to base @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the safety of all Virginians.
” Nonessential businesses are slated to be closed in Virginia until early May .
The state stay-at-home order , signed on March 30 , extends until June 10 .
The lawsuit points to a court decision in 2016 that voided an executive order by former Gov .
Terry McAuliffe restoring voting rights for felons .
Then , too , Republicans had argued that the governor overstepped his authority .

CULPEPER, Va. (AP) - Two Republican state senators are representing a gym owner who is suing Virginia’s governor over his executive order that closed down nonessential businesses amid the coronavirus pandemic.
State Sen. Bill Stanley and Ryan McDougle filed the lawsuit in Culpeper County Tuesday on behalf Merrill C. “Sandy” Hall, who owns several Gold’s Gym franchises. The lawsuit argues Gov. Ralph Northam exceeded his authority when ordering the closure of nonessential businesses, including fitness centers, on March 23.
It also seeks relief from the executive order so Hall can open up his businesses. While announcing the lawsuit, Stanley said the doors of the gyms should “no longer be shuttered” and “need to be reopened,” The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported.
McDougle, who chairs the Virginia Senate Republican Caucus, accused Northam of failing to isolate people infected with the virus so that Virginians could be protected “against government overreach.”
Alena Yarmosky, the governor’s spokeswoman, declined to comment on the specific lawsuit but said the governor “will continue to base his decisions in science, public health, and the safety of all Virginians.”
Nonessential businesses are slated to be closed in Virginia until early May. The state stay-at-home order, signed on March 30, extends until June 10.
The lawsuit points to a court decision in 2016 that voided an executive order by former Gov. Terry McAuliffe restoring voting rights for felons. Then, too, Republicans had argued that the governor overstepped his authority.


washingtontimes--2020-04-23--Victim rescued after 30-foot fall in Maryland mountains

THURMONT , Md .
( AP ) - Maryland State Police used a helicopter to rescue an injured victim who @ @ @ @ @ meters ) in a remote , mountainous area on Wednesday afternoon , authorities said .
@ @ @ @ @ Chimney Rock in the Catoctin Mountains near Thurmont before 2 p.m. , the agency said @ @ @ @ @ 45 minutes later , authorities spotted the victim suffering from injuries in a heavily wooded @ @ @ @ @ for a helicopter to lift the patient to safety , according to State Police .
@ @ @ @ @ medic , who gave the victim first aid before they were hoisted back up to @ @ @ @ @ said .
The victim was flown to a trauma center for treatment .
State Police @ @ @ @ @ on the victim ’ s condition or detail the circumstances leading to the rescue .

THURMONT, Md. (AP) - Maryland State Police used a helicopter to rescue an injured victim who fell 30 feet (9 meters) in a remote, mountainous area on Wednesday afternoon, authorities said.
Rescue crews were called to Chimney Rock in the Catoctin Mountains near Thurmont before 2 p.m., the agency said in a statement.
About 45 minutes later, authorities spotted the victim suffering from injuries in a heavily wooded, rocky area and called for a helicopter to lift the patient to safety, according to State Police.
The agency lowered down a medic, who gave the victim first aid before they were hoisted back up to the helicopter, the statement said. The victim was flown to a trauma center for treatment.
State Police did not give an update on the victim’s condition or detail the circumstances leading to the rescue.


washingtontimes--2020-04-23--Iran Guard commander threatens US Navy after Trump tweet

TEHRAN , Iran ( AP ) - The leader of Iran ’ s Revolutionary Guard warned Thursday he ordered his forces to potentially target the U.S. Navy after President Donald Trump ’ s tweet a day earlier threatening to sink Iranian vessels .
Iran separately summoned the Swiss ambassador , who looks out for America ’ s interests in the country , to complain about Trump ’ s threat coming amid months of escalating attacks between the two countries .
While the coronavirus pandemic temporarily paused those tensions , Iran has since begun pushing back against the Trump administration ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diplomatically .
The Guard also launched Iran ’ s first military satellite Wednesday , unveiling a previously secret space program .
Speaking to state television Thursday , Guard Gen. Hossein Salami warned his forces “ will answer any action by a decisive , effective and quick counteraction.
” “ We have ordered our naval units at sea that if any warships or military units from the naval force of America ’ s terrorist army wants to jeopardize our commercial vessels or our combat vessels , they must target those ( American ) warships @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The latest dispute comes after the U.S. Navy said last week that 11 Guard naval gunboats had carried out “ dangerous and harassing approaches ” to American Navy and Coast Guard vessels in the Persian Gulf .
The Americans said they used a variety of nonlethal means to warn off the Iranian boats , and they eventually left .
Iran , meanwhile , accused the U.S. of sparking the incident , without offering evidence .
Iran has had tense encounters at sea for years with the U.S. Navy in the Persian Gulf @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which 20 % of all oil passes .
The U.S. has patrolled the area to protect global shipping for decades , something Iran describes as akin to it patrolling the Gulf of Mexico .
Trump on Wednesday , facing a collapsing global energy market and the pandemic at home amid his re-election campaign , tweeted out a warning to Iran that he ordered the Navy to “ shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea.
” “ We don ’ t want their gunboats surrounding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boats and having a good time , ” Trump told reporters Wednesday evening at the White House .
“ We ’ re not going to stand for it .
… They ’ ll shoot them out of the water.
” The International Crisis Group , noting the tensions , urged both countries to create a deconfliction hotline to avoid a possible military confrontation .
“ In the absence of a major diplomatic breakthrough , an indirect military communications channel could go some way toward ensuring , at least , that a single incident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” it said in a report Thursday .
Iran in the past has rejected idea of a hotline .
Meanwhile , the Guard surprised analysts by sending a satellite into space on Wednesday from a previously unused launch pad and with a new system .
While Iran stresses its program is peaceful , Western nations fear such a program will help Iran build intercontinental ballistic missiles .
State television on Thursday said Iran received signals from the satellite , without elaborating .
While American officials haven ’ t acknowledged the satellite reached orbit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggested the “ Noor , ” or “ Light ” satellite now orbited the Earth .
Uzi Rubin , fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security and the founder of Israel ’ s missile defense program , said the launch showed the Guard ’ s “ further gain in wresting for power and in building its own state within a state.
” “ The very act of launching a military satellite in the midst of the coronavirus crisis that is affecting Iran too is a statement of self confidence and perseverance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mainly to its own population , ” Rubin said .
Gambrell reported from Dubai , United Arab Emirates .
Associated Press writer Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this report .

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - The leader of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard warned on Thursday that he has ordered his forces to potentially target the U.S. Navy after President Donald Trump’s tweet the previous day threatening to sink Iranian vessels.
Iran also summoned the Swiss ambassador, who looks out for America’s interests in the country, to complain about Trump’s threat coming amid months of escalating tensions between the two countries.
While the coronavirus pandemic temporarily paused those tensions, Iran has since begun pushing back against the Trump administration’s maximum pressure policy both militarily and diplomatically. The Guard on Wednesday launched Iran’s first military satellite, unveiling a previously secret space program.
Speaking to state television Thursday, Guard Gen. Hossein Salami warned that his forces “will answer any action by a decisive, effective and quick counteraction.”
“We have ordered our naval units at sea that if any warships or military units from the naval force of America’s terrorist army wants to jeopardize our commercial vessels or our combat vessels, they must target those (American) warships or naval units,” Salami said.
The latest dispute comes after the U.S. Navy said last week that 11 Guard naval gunboats had carried out “dangerous and harassing approaches” to American Navy and Coast Guard vessels in the Persian Gulf. The Americans said they used a variety of nonlethal means to warn off the Iranian boats, which eventually left. Iran, meanwhile, accused the U.S. of sparking the incident, without offering evidence for the claim.
Iran has had tense encounters at sea for years with the U.S. Navy in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of all oil passes. The U.S. has patrolled the area to protect global shipping for decades, something Iran describes as akin to it patrolling the Gulf of Mexico.
Trump on Wednesday, facing a collapsing global energy market and the coronavirus pandemic amid his re-election campaign, tweeted out a warning to Iran, saying that he ordered the Navy to “shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea.”
“We don’t want their gunboats surrounding our boats, and traveling around our boats and having a good time,” Trump told reporters Wednesday evening at the White House. “We’re not going to stand for it. … They’ll shoot them out of the water.”
The International Crisis Group, noting the tensions, urged both countries to create a deconfliction hotline to avoid a possible military confrontation.
“In the absence of a major diplomatic breakthrough, an indirect military communications channel could go some way toward ensuring, at least, that a single incident will not spark a wider conflagration,” it said in a report Thursday.
Iran in the past has rejected idea of a hotline.
Meanwhile, the Guard surprised analysts by sending a satellite into space on Wednesday from a previously unused launch pad and with a new system. While Iran stresses its program is peaceful, Western nations fear such a program will help Iran build intercontinental ballistic missiles.
State television on Thursday said Iran received signals from the satellite, without elaborating. While American officials have not acknowledged that the satellite reached orbit, open-source data from the U.S. military suggested the “Noor,” or “Light” satellite now orbited the Earth.
Uzi Rubin, fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security and the founder of Israel’s missile defense program, said the launch showed the Guard’s “further gain in wresting for power and in building its own state within a state.”
“The very act of launching a military satellite in the midst of the coronavirus crisis that is affecting Iran too is a statement of self confidence and perseverance by the ayatollahs to the West but mainly to its own population,” Rubin said.
France said Thursday that it strongly condemns the launch and called on Tehran to “immediately halt any activity related to the development of ballistic missiles designed to be able to carry nuclear weapons, including space launch vehicles.”
“Given that the technology used for space launches is very similar to that used for ballistic missile launches, this launch directly contributes to the extremely troubling progress made by Iran in its ballistic missile program,” France said.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova meanwhile rejected assertions that the launch violated the U.N. Security Council’s resolution on Iran, noting that Iran has the right to develop its space program for peaceful purposes.
Later on Thursday, Iranian Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of the Guard’s aerospace division, told state TV that ground stations in Iran are communicating with the satellite, which takes about a week to reach its full capacity. He said. without elaborating, that the Guard plans to send more such satellites into even higher orbits in the future.
___
Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writers Josef Federman in Jerusalem, Angela Charlton in Paris and Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-04-23--Another surge in US unemployment applications is likely

WASHINGTON ( AP ) - More than 4.4 million laid-off workers applied for U.S. unemployment benefits last week as job cuts escalated across an economy that remains all but shut down , the government said Thursday .
Roughly 26 million people have now filed for jobless aid in the five weeks since the coronavirus outbreak began forcing millions of employers to close their doors .
About one in six American workers have now lost their jobs since mid-March , by far the worst string of layoffs on record .
Economists have forecast that the unemployment rate for April could go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enormous magnitude of job cuts has plunged the U.S. economy into the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s .
Some economists say the nation ’ s output could shrink by twice the amount that it did during the Great Recession , which ended in 2009 .
The painful economic consequences of the virus-related shutdowns have sparked angry protests in several state capitals from crowds demanding that businesses reopen .
Some governors have begun easing restrictions despite warnings from health authorities that it may be too soon to do so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , gyms , hair salons and bowling alleys can reopen Friday .
Texas has reopened its state parks .
Yet those scattered re-openings won ’ t lead to much rehiring , especially if Americans are too wary to leave their homes .
Most people say they favor stay-at-home orders and believe it won ’ t be safe to lift social distancing guidelines anytime soon .
And there are likely more layoffs to come from many small businesses that have tried but failed to receive loans from a federal aid program .
The total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits has reached a record 16 million , surpassing a previous high of 12 million set in 2010 , just after the 2008-2009 recession ended .
This figure reflects people who have managed to navigate the online or telephone application systems in their states , have been approved for benefits and are actually receiving checks .
In some states , many laid-off workers have run into obstacles in trying to file applications for benefits .
Among them are millions of freelancers , contractors , gig workers and self-employed people - a category of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits for the first time .
“ This has been a really devastating shock for a lot of families and small businesses , ” said Aaron Sojourner , a labor economist at the University of Minnesota .
“ It is beyond their control and no fault of their own.
” Just about every major industry has absorbed sudden and severe layoffs .
Economists at the Federal Reserve estimate that hotels and restaurants have shed the most jobs — 4 million since Feb. 15 .
That is nearly one-third of all the employees in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 9 % of its jobs .
So has a category that includes retail , shipping and utilities , the Fed estimated .
A category that is made up of data processing and online publishing has cut 4.7 .
When the government issues the April jobs report on May 8 , economists expect it to show breathtaking losses .
Economists at JPMorgan are predicting a loss of 25 million jobs .
That would be nearly triple the total lost during the entire Great Recession period .
A $ 2 trillion-plus federal relief package @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made millions of gig workers , contractors and self-employed people newly eligible for unemployment aid .
But most states have yet to approve unemployment applications from those workers because they ’ re still trying to reprogram their systems to do so .
As a result , many people who have lost jobs aren ’ t being counted as laid-off because their applications for unemployment aid are still pending .
Among them is Sasha McVeigh , a musician in Nashville .
Having grown up in England with a love of country music , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gigs until she managed to secure a green card and move permanently two years ago .
McVeigh had been working steadily until the city shut down music clubs in mid-March .
Since then , she ’ s applied for unemployment benefits but so far has received nothing .
To make ends meet , she ’ s applied for some grants available to out-of-work musicians , held some live streaming concerts and pushed her merchandise sales .
By cutting expenses to a bare minimum , McVeigh said , “ I ’ ve managed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she worries about what will happen over the next few months .

WASHINGTON (AP) - Like many Americans cooped up during the virus outbreak, Jeff Kardesch of Austin, Texas, is spending a lot of time on social media. It isn’t just idle talk with friends. Kardesch is struggling to find out when he’ll receive the unemployment benefits he needs.
His business as a self-employed film and commercial producer evaporated once Austin canceled the annual South by Southwest festival in early March. Since then, no other work has replaced it.
Yet because Kardesch is self-employed, it’s a headache for him to obtain unemployment aid - or even figure out when he will. A new federal relief package made freelancers like him eligible for unemployment benefits for the first time. But Texas, like most states, has had to establish a new system to process these new claims and distribute the money.
Kardesch, 23, applied in late March. He was quickly turned down. He has since reapplied. No luck.
“It’s really frustrating,” Kardesch said. “Nothing so far has really worked. The most I can do is just apply, get rejected and stay in the system.”
The number of Americans who have filed jobless claims is already stunning: More than 4.4 million last week and 26 million in the five weeks since the coronavirus shut down much of the nation’s economy. It’s easily the worst stretch of job losses in U.S. history. Economists say the layoffs could send the unemployment rate as high as 20%, which would be the worst level since the Great Depression.
But there are many more filings for jobless aid to come, including millions of independent contractors, gig workers and the self-employed. Most states have not begun approving applications from these pools of newly eligible people.
The Labor Department estimates that 10.6 million Americans work as contractors, which means their jobs tend to exist for a limited period, and they receive few, if any, benefits. An additional 16 million are self-employed. And perhaps 1.5 million are gig workers - Uber drivers, TaskRabbit workers and the like - though most of these people do such work as a second job.
If even a quarter of them file for jobless aid, it would add up to many more new claims for unemployment, though it’s hard to say how many. Kardesch and others who have already applied and been turned down wouldn’t count as a new claim once Texas starts approving such applications.
The delay stems from the fact that states already have records for traditional workers that receive W-2 forms and whose employers pay unemployment taxes. But the process is more complicated for contractors and other independent workers who typically receive 1099s. State agencies need additional documentation, which their systems aren’t set up to handle.
On Wednesday, the Texas Workforce Commission said it had begun to process claims from the self-employed and to reconsider applicants who were previously turned down. Other states aren’t yet ready. Ohio says it won’t be until mid-May. California says it will start accepting applications next week. Pennsylvania and Massachusetts have only recently begun doing so.
Some experts expect more self-employed people to apply in coming weeks after failing to obtain a loan through the government’s small business lending program, which ran out of money late Thursday. Congress is moving toward replenishing those funds. But banks say that amount will also soon be exhausted.
“We have been pretty much hearing non-stop from people,” including anxious self-employed workers, said Julia Simon-Mishel, a lawyer with Philadelphia Legal Assistance. More contractors and self-employed have been participating in her Facebook Live seminars on jobless aid. The most recent seminar was viewed 7,500 times.
“They were looking for those (small business) loans, and now pandemic unemployment system is their only option,” she said, referring to the expanded federal program.
Yet many gig workers will find that their extra income from side hustles won’t help them if they have a regular job.
Wes Little, a drummer in Nashville, has made only about 5% of his income through traditional jobs. Even so, Tennessee, like all states, required him to file under its traditional unemployment system. That means his benefits are pegged only to his income from traditional work - not to his larger pay from music gigs. Laid-off workers can’t receive benefits from both regular unemployment and the pandemic program.
He received $69 the first week and $54 the second week. He is, however, able to receive the additional $600 a week in federally provided jobless aid that Congress recently approved.
The number of people who are receiving unemployment benefits has reached a record 16 million, surpassing a previous high of 12 million set in 2010, just after the 2008-2009 recession ended. This figure reflects people who have managed to navigate the application systems in their states, have been approved for benefits and are actually receiving checks.
Women make up a majority of workers in some industries that have been hit hardest, such as health care, where many jobs outside hospitals have been lost, and hotels and restaurants. Heidi Shierholz, an economist at the progressive Economic Policy Institute, calculates that 56% of the layoffs have involved women.
African-Americans and Latinos are typically among the first to be laid off in recessions. Though the government doesn’t track the jobless claims data by gender or race, a survey by the University of Southern California found that 21% of African Americans and 18% of Latinos say they have lost jobs in the past month, compared with 15% of whites.
One factor in that disparity is the ability to work from home. A study by the Center for American Progress found that whites are more than twice as likely as blacks to say they can work from home and 50% more likely than Latinos.
In Michigan, 17% of the state’s workforce is now receiving unemployment aid, the largest proportion in the country. It is followed by Rhode Island at 15%, Nevada at 13.7% and Georgia at 13.6%.
In the meantime, the self-employed keep waiting. Among them is Sasha McVeigh, a musician in Nashville. She had been working steadily until the city shut down music clubs in mid-March.
Since then, she’s applied for unemployment benefits but so far has received nothing. To make ends meet, McVeigh has applied for some grants available to out-of-work musicians, held some live streaming concerts and pushed her merchandise sales. Still, she worries about what’s ahead.
“It has been nagging on my mind - what if my unemployment doesn’t come in or it keeps being delayed? What am I going to do? But if you keep focusing on that terrifying thought, it becomes impossible to function.”
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AP Writers Travis Loller in Nashville, Jim Vertuno in Austin, Texas, and Pan Pylas in London contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-04-23--North Carolina beer, wine distributors aid food deliveries

CHARLOTTE , N.C. ( AP ) - A number of beer and wine distributors in North Carolina are volunteering their tractor-trailers to help stock the state ’ s grocery stores and food pantries in the midst of the coronavirus .
The NC Beer & Wine Wholesalers and NC Retail Merchants associations have joined forces to provide its trucks and commercial drivers to get products to the stores , The Charlotte Observer reports , noting the groups are acting with the approval of the state ABC Commission .
Since Gov .
Roy Cooper ’ s stay-at-home order went into effect March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of their business that normally delivers to restaurants and bars , said Tim Kent , executive director of NC Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association .
Kent said seven companies are helping in the volunteer effort .
So far , distributors have helped make Salisbury-based Food Lion store deliveries and Standard Distributors in Gastonia delivered food from grocers and restaurants to Second Harvest Food Bank in Charlotte , he said .
“ I ’ ve got drivers willing to help anyone having distribution difficulties , ” Kent said .
“ These are extraordinary times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , president and owner of Tryon Distributing , said , “ It ’ s the right thing to do and everyone wants to help.
” Johnston said with restaurants closed , he has about six trucks out of 45 that are not being used because of the COVID-19 outbreak .
“ Anything I can do to help , I ’ ve got the people and vehicles , ” Johnston said .

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - A number of beer and wine distributors in North Carolina are volunteering their tractor-trailers to help stock the state’s grocery stores and food pantries in the midst of the coronavirus.
The NC Beer & Wine Wholesalers and NC Retail Merchants associations have joined forces to provide its trucks and commercial drivers to get products to the stores, The Charlotte Observer reports, noting the groups are acting with the approval of the state ABC Commission.
Since Gov. Roy Cooper’s stay-at-home order went into effect March 17, distributors lost about a quarter of their business that normally delivers to restaurants and bars, said Tim Kent, executive director of NC Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association.
Kent said seven companies are helping in the volunteer effort. So far, distributors have helped make Salisbury-based Food Lion store deliveries and Standard Distributors in Gastonia delivered food from grocers and restaurants to Second Harvest Food Bank in Charlotte, he said.
“I’ve got drivers willing to help anyone having distribution difficulties,” Kent said. “These are extraordinary times that require extraordinary measures.”
Brad Johnston, president and owner of Tryon Distributing, said, “It’s the right thing to do and everyone wants to help.”
Johnston said with restaurants closed, he has about six trucks out of 45 that are not being used because of the COVID-19 outbreak.
“Anything I can do to help, I’ve got the people and vehicles,” Johnston said.


washingtontimes--2020-04-23--Lamar Alexander: I don't know if we'll have a GOP convention in Charlotte

Sen. Lamar Alexander , Tennessee Republican , said the prospect of the Republican National Convention being held as scheduled in late August is wholly dependent on how the U.S. deals with the coronavirus pandemic .
“ I don ’ t even know if we ’ ll have a Republican National Convention in Charlotte , North Carolina , ” Mr. Alexander said in an interview with C-SPAN published Wednesday .
Mr. Alexander , who is not seeking another term in the U.S. Senate , had been asked if he would feel comfortable attending .
“ All of this depends on what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We need the tests , the screening tests — lots of them — in order to have any chance of going to a Republican National Convention or any other big event.
” Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said this week organizers were moving “ full speed ahead ” with plans for a traditional convention but that they would monitor conditions and adjust accordingly .
President Trump , who appears eager to get back on the campaign trail after largely being confined to the White House during the outbreak , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contingency plan for the GOP convention .
Democrats postponed their convention in Milwaukee , which had been slated for mid-July , to August in light of the coronavirus .
Former Virginia Gov .
and Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe said last week he doubts there will be a Milwaukee convention .

Sen. Lamar Alexander, Tennessee Republican, said the prospect of the Republican National Convention being held as scheduled in late August is wholly dependent on how the U.S. deals with the coronavirus pandemic.
“I don’t even know if we’ll have a Republican National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina,” Mr. Alexander said in an interview with C-SPAN published Wednesday.
Mr. Alexander, who is not seeking another term in the U.S. Senate, had been asked if he would feel comfortable attending.
“All of this depends on what happens each week,” he said. “We need the tests, the screening tests — lots of them — in order to have any chance of going to a Republican National Convention or any other big event.”
Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said this week organizers were moving “full speed ahead” with plans for a traditional convention but that they would monitor conditions and adjust accordingly.
President Trump, who appears eager to get back on the campaign trail after largely being confined to the White House during the outbreak, said earlier this month there’s no contingency plan for the GOP convention.
Democrats postponed their convention in Milwaukee, which had been slated for mid-July, to August in light of the coronavirus.
Former Virginia Gov. and Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe said last week he doubts there will be a Milwaukee convention.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-04-23--Police: 3 men wounded in Philadelphia street shooting

PHILADELPHIA ( AP ) - A street shooting in Philadelphia has left three men wounded , including one who was @ @ @ @ @ The shooting happened around 9 p.m. Wednesday , police said , though it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ gunfire .
One man was shot once in the stomach and was hospitalized in critical @ @ @ @ @ victims - one who was shot in the right arm and one who was shot @ @ @ @ @ buttocks - were both listed in stable condition .
.It ’ s not clear how @ @ @ @ @ involved , authorities said .
Two guns were recovered at the scene , but further @ @ @ @ @ All three victims are 19 years old , but their names have not been released @

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A street shooting in Philadelphia has left three men wounded, including one who was hospitalized in critical condition.
The shooting happened around 9 p.m. Wednesday, police said, though it’s not clear what sparked the gunfire.
One man was shot once in the stomach and was hospitalized in critical condition. The other two victims - one who was shot in the right arm and one who was shot in the right leg and buttocks - were both listed in stable condition.
.It’s not clear how many shooters may have been involved, authorities said. Two guns were recovered at the scene, but further details were not disclosed.
All three victims are 19 years old, but their names have not been released.


washingtontimes--2020-04-23--New York threatens lawsuit over Donald Trump's coronavirus immigration pause

New York Attorney General Letitia James said Wednesday that she is “ ready to take legal action ” to try to stop President Trump ’ s new immigration pause , saying he was usurping Congress ’ power to write immigration policy .
Top Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee also weighed in with their opinion that Mr. Trump ’ s proclamation suspending issuance of new green cards to most prospective migrants tramples on their powers as lawmakers .
“ Under our Constitution , Congress writes the laws , and the president must enforce them as written .
This executive order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ powers on its head , ” said Reps. Jerrold Nadler and Zoe Lofgren .
Ms. James didn ’ t say when she might follow through on her legal threat , but if she does it will be the latest in a series of court battles between her and the Trump administration — many of them already about other immigration policies .
In this case , her target is Mr. Trump ’ s proclamation to suspend entry of green cards signifying permanent new residents .
It ’ s the key intermediate step on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the suspension is needed to keep new immigrants from competing with Americans for jobs amid a coronavirus-constrained economy .
Those on both sides of the immigration divide said Mr. Trump is wrong on the economics .
Activists who want to see stricter immigration limits — usually backers of Mr. Trump — say he should have targeted temporary foreign guest workers , who are the chief competition for jobs .
Immigration rights advocates , meanwhile , say Mr. Trump should leave migrants alone altogether , saying they boost the economy , not detract from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his proclamation , cited Section 212 ( f ) of the Immigration and Nationality Act , which gives a president broad powers to suspend entry “ of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants.
” He also cited Section 215 ( a ) , which past presidents have also used to block entry of some classes of migrants .
The Supreme Court , in ruling on Mr. Trump ’ s travel ban on a number of majority-Muslim countries , upheld Mr. Trump ’ s powers under the law to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which could severely constrain Ms. James ‘ legal options as she ponders a lawsuit .

New York Attorney General Letitia James said Wednesday that she is “ready to take legal action” to try to stop President Trump’s new immigration pause, saying he was usurping Congress’ power to write immigration policy.
Top Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee also weighed in with their opinion that Mr. Trump’s proclamation suspending issuance of new green cards to most prospective migrants tramples on their powers as lawmakers.
“Under our Constitution, Congress writes the laws, and the president must enforce them as written. This executive order turns that bedrock principle of separation of powers on its head,” said Reps. Jerrold Nadler and Zoe Lofgren.
Ms. James didn’t say when she might follow through on her legal threat, but if she does it will be the latest in a series of court battles between her and the Trump administration — many of them already about other immigration policies.
In this case, her target is Mr. Trump’s proclamation to suspend entry of green cards signifying permanent new residents. It’s the key intermediate step on the pathway to citizenship.
The president says the suspension is needed to keep new immigrants from competing with Americans for jobs amid a coronavirus-constrained economy.
Those on both sides of the immigration divide said Mr. Trump is wrong on the economics.
Activists who want to see stricter immigration limits — usually backers of Mr. Trump — say he should have targeted temporary foreign guest workers, who are the chief competition for jobs. Immigration rights advocates, meanwhile, say Mr. Trump should leave migrants alone altogether, saying they boost the economy, not detract from it.
Mr. Trump, in issuing his proclamation, cited Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which gives a president broad powers to suspend entry “of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants.”
He also cited Section 215(a), which past presidents have also used to block entry of some classes of migrants.
The Supreme Court, in ruling on Mr. Trump’s travel ban on a number of majority-Muslim countries, upheld Mr. Trump’s powers under the law to control immigration for broad classes of people, which could severely constrain Ms. James’ legal options as she ponders a lawsuit.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-04-23--Bond set at $1,500 in fatal drunken driving crash

MADISON , Wis. ( AP ) - A criminal complaint filed in Dane County says a teenage driver told police @ @ @ @ @ ” when he crashed a car into the back of a parked semi , killing @ @ @ @ @ , 19 , is charged with homicide by drunken driving and driving without a valid @ @ @ @ @ complaint said Luz-Torres had a blood alcohol content of 0.17 % , more than twice @ @ @ @ @ , according to the State Journal .
Eighteen-year-old Justin Wixom , of Fitchburg , was @ @ @ @ @ Sunday .
Luz-Torres appeared by video from the Dane County Jail for an initial court @ @ @ @ @ Court Commissioner Mario White set his bail at $ 1,500 .
Luz-Torres ’ lawyer , @ @ @ @ @ it is likely bond would be posted by the defendant ’ s family .

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - A criminal complaint filed in Dane County says a teenage driver told police he was “kinda wasted” when he crashed a car into the back of a parked semi, killing his friend.
Donovan Luz-Torres, 19, is charged with homicide by drunken driving and driving without a valid license causing death.
The complaint said Luz-Torres had a blood alcohol content of 0.17%, more than twice the legal limit to drive, according to the State Journal.
Eighteen-year-old Justin Wixom, of Fitchburg, was killed in the crash early Sunday.
Luz-Torres appeared by video from the Dane County Jail for an initial court appearance Wednesday.
Dane County Court Commissioner Mario White set his bail at $1,500. Luz-Torres’ lawyer, Chris Van Wagner, said it is likely bond would be posted by the defendant’s family.


washingtontimes--2020-04-23--EU leaders weigh massive virus economic recovery measures

BRUSSELS ( AP ) - European Union leaders are set to weigh Thursday the damage the coronavirus has inflicted on health care systems and the lives of around half a billion citizens across the bloc as they struggle to devise a more robust plan to resuscitate their ravaged economies .
As businesses cautiously open their doors in some European countries and citizens begin to venture out , the 27 leaders will endorse a series of urgent spending measures and debate a massive recovery plan they hope to introduce in coming weeks .
The summit - their fourth video-conference since the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - comes at an extremely delicate time , with more than 100,000 Europeans known to have died , according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control .
Trust between member states has eroded , with hard-hit Italy and Spain notably lacking confidence that relatively wealthier northern EU partners like Austria , the Netherlands or Germany - who have suffered less from the virus - are willing to take swift , sweeping measures backed by real economic firepower .
Speaking to the German parliament ahead of the meeting , Chancellor Angela Merkel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partners in trouble and is already contributing to a 540-billion-euro ( $ 587 billion ) rescue package expected to be endorsed later Thursday .
The aim is to have that so-called “ safety net ” to help pay lost wages , keep companies afloat and fund health care systems in place by June 1 .
But Merkel balked at the use of shared debt , dubbed coronabonds , saying that parliaments would have to endorse such a move anyway , meaning it could take too long for such funds to reach nations in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : We should be prepared , in the spirit of solidarity , to make significantly higher contributions to the European budget for a period of time , ” she told the lawmakers .
Drawing up a recovery plan that can be endorsed by all will be more challenging .
The consensus is that it should total at least 1-1.5 trillion euros and target the economic sectors and European regions hit hardest by the coronavirus .
Ahead of Thursday ’ s summit , officials said that no major breakthroughs are expected .
No joint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement from European Council President Charles Michel , who is chairing the meeting .
The EU ’ s executive arm , the European Commission , will be tasked with drawing up a recovery plan , which could be incorporated into the bloc ’ s next seven-year budget , if differences over that spending package can be overcome .
Big contributors to the budget , like Germany and the Netherlands , are reluctant to fill the estimated 75-billion-euro spending gap left by Britain ’ s departure from the EU .
David Rising in @ @ @ @ @ @

BRUSSELS (AP) - European Union leaders agreed Thursday to revamp the EU’s long-term budget and set up a massive recovery fund to tackle the impact of the coronavirus and help rebuild the 27-nation bloc’s ravaged economies, but deep differences remain over the best way to achieve those goals.
With more than 100,000 Europeans known to have died from the virus, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, and business only slowly starting to open in some countries, the urgent need for funds in hard-hit countries like Italy and Spain has never been starker.
“This pandemic is putting our societies under serious strain. The well-being of each EU member state depends on the well-being of the whole of the EU. We are all in this together,” European Council President Charles Michel told reporters after chairing the leaders’ video-conference summit.
The uneven impact of the virus on countries with very different budgetary means has eroded trust, with Italy and Spain notably lacking confidence that relatively wealthier northern EU partners like Austria, the Netherlands or Germany - who have suffered less from the disease - are willing to take swift, sweeping measures backed by real economic firepower.
But the leaders did agree to task the European Commission with revamping the EU’s next seven-year budget - due to enter force on Jan. 1 but still the subject of much disagreement - and devise a massive recovery plan. While no figure was put on that plan, officials believe that 1-1.5 trillion euros ($1.1-1.6 trillion) would be needed.
“There is only one instrument that can deliver this magnitude of task behind the recovery and that is the European budget clearly linked to the recovery fund,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. “The budget is time tested. Everybody knows it. It is trusted by all member states.”
Northern European countries, like the Netherlands and Germany, generally remain reluctant to share too much debt out of fear of having to foot the bill for others, and debate raged Thursday over what form some of the funding should take, either grants or loans.
Von der Leyen said that the budget “investment should be front loaded in the first years and of course it is necessary to find the right balance between grants and loans.” When asked what amount of money might be found with some adjustments, she said: “we’re not talking about billion, we’re talking about trillion.”
Even before these new funds are agreed, the EU’s institutions and member countries combined have mobilized around 3.3 trillion euros ($3.6 trillion) for overburdened health services, suffering small businesses, embattled airlines or wage support for people unable to work.
Despite knowing that the revamp will cost her country more money, German Chancellor Angela Merkel endorsed the plan, saying “of course this means Germany must calculate with higher contributions for the next budget … but that’s right and good.” In normal times, the seven-year budget totals around 1% of EU gross national income, or just over 1 trillion euros.
French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed that the summit found “a consensus on a fast response and a strong one.”
“It is true that there are disagreements on the mechanism,” Macron said, and he insisted that the EU “will need real economic budgetary transfers, not simply only loans, but transfers to the worst affected regions and sectors.”
Even Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte, under huge domestic pressure, welcomed the progress.
‘’The recovery fund will finance all the countries hardest hit, Italy but not only. It is an urgent and necessary instrument,” Conte told Italians in a video address during dinner-hour newscasts. “It was unthinkable until now. It is a new instrument that makes us more solid, more coordinated and more efficient.”
During their talks, the leaders also endorsed a separate 540-billion-euro ($587 billion) rescue package drawn up by euro area finance ministers which would help pay lost wages, keep companies afloat and fund health care systems. They agreed that it should start operating from June 1.
Earlier, after addressing the leaders online, European Parliament President David Sassoli noted the economic damage the virus has done as Europe faces perhaps its deepest recession in a century.
“We are extremely concerned because we can see a downward spiral, and we are going to need every instrument available,” he said.
Referring to the massive U.S. aid package in 1948 that helped Europe rebuild after World War II, Sassoli said that “we’ve all called for this new Marshall Plan for Europe, but with a major difference of course. The funds will not be coming from abroad this time, but rather from European countries and economies.”
Even after this summit, much work remains to be done and little time to do it. The EU has been split over the budget for more than a year, with major contributors like Germany and the Netherlands reluctant to fill the estimated 75-billion-euro spending gap left by Britain’s departure from the EU.
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Colleen Barry in Milan, and David Rising and Frank Jordans in Berlin contributed to this report.
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Follow AP news coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


washingtontimes--2020-04-23--Navajo Nation now has 1,360 coronavirus cases and 52 deaths

WINDOW ROCK , Ariz. ( AP ) - Health officials are reporting 78 new cases of coronavirus on the Navajo Nation along with three more deaths .
The Navajo Department of Health said Thursday that the tribe now has 1,360 positive COVID-19 cases and 52 known deaths .
Of those who have tested positive , health officials say 718 are woman and 642 are men with an average age of 48 .
Arizona ’ s Navajo County has 350 of the coronavirus cases with New Mexico ’ s McKinley County having 296 cases .
Those figures don ’ t include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reservation and previously were included in the total for the Navajo Nation , which covers parts of Arizona , New Mexico and Utah .
The tribe is extending the closure of the tribal government until mid-May because of the coronavirus outbreak .
Tribal officials have also instituted daily nighttime curfews and weekend lockdowns to keep people from traveling on the reservation and mandated that all individuals on the Navajo Nation must wear face masks .
Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Lizer led a distribution Thursday of care packages , food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tribal members who live in the remote area of Jeddito , Arizona .

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) - Health officials are reporting 78 new cases of coronavirus on the Navajo Nation along with three more deaths.
The Navajo Department of Health said Thursday that the tribe now has 1,360 positive COVID-19 cases and 52 known deaths.
Of those who have tested positive, health officials say 718 are woman and 642 are men with an average age of 48.
Arizona’s Navajo County has 350 of the coronavirus cases with New Mexico’s McKinley County having 296 cases.
Those figures don’t include cases in towns that border the vast reservation and previously were included in the total for the Navajo Nation, which covers parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.
The tribe is extending the closure of the tribal government until mid-May because of the coronavirus outbreak.
Tribal officials have also instituted daily nighttime curfews and weekend lockdowns to keep people from traveling on the reservation and mandated that all individuals on the Navajo Nation must wear face masks.
Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Lizer led a distribution Thursday of care packages, food supplies and fire wood to some 250 tribal members who live in the remote area of Jeddito, Arizona.