washingtontimes--2020-04-23--California Gov. Newsom finds new friend in Washington: Trump

SACRAMENTO , Calif. ( AP ) - These times were strange enough .
And then California Gov .
Gavin Newsom and President Donald Trump started getting along .
The liberal Democrat - the leader in the headquarters of the Resistance - has taken to singing Trump ’ s praises , and he even used the Republican president ’ s campaign slogan Thursday : “ Promise made , promise kept , ” he said , thanking Trump for sending California testing swabs .
He previously called Trump “ thoughtful , ” “ responsive ” and “ collaborative.
” Trump noticed : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said in his own Thursday briefing .
“ They ’ ve done very well in California.
” It ’ s a odd twist for a relationship that had largely been defined by long-distance combat .
But it may prove to be savvy politics as Newsom works to get California ’ s nearly 40 million residents what they need from a president with a history of responding to flattery .
Even a state as economically and politically powerful as California - a “ nation-state , ” at Newsom calls it - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Gavin has obviously separated his political preferences from trying to get as much help for California from the federal government in a really terrible situation , ” said Bill Carrick , a longtime Democratic strategist .
But the detente comes less than seven months before the November presidential election , when Democrats are clamoring to take back the White House .
And it comes at the expense of presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden , said Tim Groeling , a professor of communication at the University of California , Los Angeles , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and alliances .
“ The person who is hit most by this isn ’ t Newsom , isn ’ t the other governors - it ’ s Biden , ” Groeling said .
“ It ’ s extremely persuasive , it ’ s extremely credible that ( Newsom ’ s ) saying these things about Trump .
It ’ s damaging to the Biden campaign ’ s attempt to set out a contrary narrative.
” Trump ’ s reelection campaign has already featured Newsom in an ad : “ He said everything that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Newsom says in the short clip from an early March news conference , speaking about their collaboration in dealing with a cruise ship housing infected passengers that docked in California .
Newsom hasn ’ t blindly followed the White House .
He has put the state ’ s economic and political heft to work by purchasing massive amounts of personal protective gear as the federal government ran out of supplies .
He donated 500 of California ’ s ventilators to other states in need .
He ’ s entered into a pact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how they will reopen the economy , and he named a roughly 90-member task force on reopening the economy with members like former Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen and Apple chief Tim Cook that looked like a more liberal version of Trump ‘ s .
It ’ s all helped him win praise for his response .
California hasn ’ t seen the surge in deaths that other states like New York have faced , and its rate of hospitalizations and infections is flattening .
Still , he ’ s expecting the Federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state ’ s expenses back .
When Trump signed a major disaster declaration for California in March , it ensured the state could get reimbursed up to 75 % for most of its coronavirus expenses - including its contract for hundreds of millions of masks and the cost of renting hotel rooms for health care workers and homeless individuals .
“ I don ’ t think anyone could ever accuse him of being a wilting flower in the face of Donald Trump , ” said Brian Brokaw , a longtime political adviser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the day-to-day coronavirus response .
“ At the same time , he ’ s the governor of California , he ’ s not the governor of blue California .
… He ’ s not going to inject partisan politics into an emergency response.
” Plenty of Newsom ’ s counterparts have opted to take a tougher tact .
Washington Gov .
Jay Inslee recently accused Trump of “ fomenting domestic rebellion and spreading lies.
” Gov .
Andrew Cuomo of New York , another Democratic stronghold , said last week that trusting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mistake he wouldn ’ t make twice .
Cuomo and other Democratic governors like Kansas Gov .
Laura Kelly sharply criticized the White House for putting most of the testing burden on states as they consider when to ease restrictions on business and movement .
Newsom sent a different message : He praised Trump for his “ focus ” and “ appreciation ” on the need for more testing .
Now , 90,000 swabs are on their way to California .
When 2020 began , Newsom appeared prepared for another year of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ December , he tweeted out a cartoon video depicting himself in a go-kart race with Trump .
“ Our country is looking to California , and we ’ ll continue leading the way .
Resistance , with results , ” Newsom says before he wins the go-kart race .
It was the type of video that sparked speculation about Newsom ’ s presidential ambitions - conjecture that has followed him since his days as San Francisco mayor .
While he ’ s taking a different approach now , it could still help him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Groeling said , particularly among voters who reward bipartisan cooperation .
For his part , Newsom says politics are the last thing on his mind .
He even punted last week when asked by a reporter if and when he planned to endorse Biden .
“ You just reminded me of politics , ” he demurred .
“ I certainly look forward to , ” he added , before quickly moving on .

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - These times were strange enough. And then California Gov. Gavin Newsom and President Donald Trump started getting along.
The liberal Democrat - the leader in the headquarters of the Resistance - has taken to singing Trump’s praises, and he even used the Republican president’s campaign slogan Thursday: “Promise made, promise kept,” he said, thanking Trump for sending California testing swabs. He previously called Trump “thoughtful,” “responsive” and “collaborative.”
Trump noticed: “Gavin Newsom was very nice today,” he said in his own Thursday briefing. “They’ve done very well in California.”
It’s a odd twist for a relationship that had largely been defined by long-distance combat. But it may prove to be savvy politics as Newsom works to get California’s nearly 40 million residents what they need from a president with a history of responding to flattery. Even a state as economically and politically powerful as California - a “nation-state,” at Newsom calls it - needs help from the federal government.
“Gavin has obviously separated his political preferences from trying to get as much help for California from the federal government in a really terrible situation,” said Bill Carrick, a longtime Democratic strategist.
But the detente comes less than seven months before the November presidential election, when Democrats are clamoring to take back the White House. And it comes at the expense of presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden, said Tim Groeling, a professor of communication at the University of California, Los Angeles, who has written a book on partisan divides and alliances.
“The person who is hit most by this isn’t Newsom, isn’t the other governors - it’s Biden,” Groeling said. “It’s extremely persuasive, it’s extremely credible that (Newsom’s) saying these things about Trump. It’s damaging to the Biden campaign’s attempt to set out a contrary narrative.”
Trump’s reelection campaign has already featured Newsom in an ad: “He said everything that I could’ve hoped for,” Newsom says in the short clip from an early March news conference, speaking about their collaboration in dealing with a cruise ship housing infected passengers that docked in California.
Newsom hasn’t blindly followed the White House. He has put the state’s economic and political heft to work by purchasing massive amounts of personal protective gear as the federal government ran out of supplies. He donated 500 of California’s ventilators to other states in need. He’s entered into a pact with other Western governors that spells out how they will reopen the economy, and he named a roughly 90-member task force on reopening the economy with members like former Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen and Apple chief Tim Cook that looked like a more liberal version of Trump’s.
It’s all helped him win praise for his response. California hasn’t seen the surge in deaths that other states like New York have faced, and its rate of hospitalizations and infections is flattening.
Still, he’s expecting the Federal Emergency Management Agency to pay most of the state’s expenses back. When Trump signed a major disaster declaration for California in March, it ensured the state could get reimbursed up to 75% for most of its coronavirus expenses - including its contract for hundreds of millions of masks and the cost of renting hotel rooms for health care workers and homeless individuals.
“I don’t think anyone could ever accuse him of being a wilting flower in the face of Donald Trump,” said Brian Brokaw, a longtime political adviser to Newsom who is not involved in the day-to-day coronavirus response. “At the same time, he’s the governor of California, he’s not the governor of blue California. … He’s not going to inject partisan politics into an emergency response.”
Plenty of Newsom’s counterparts have opted to take a tougher tact. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee recently accused Trump of “fomenting domestic rebellion and spreading lies.” Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York, another Democratic stronghold, said last week that trusting the Trump administration to provide reliable information was a mistake he wouldn’t make twice.
Cuomo and other Democratic governors like Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly sharply criticized the White House for putting most of the testing burden on states as they consider when to ease restrictions on business and movement.
Newsom sent a different message: He praised Trump for his “focus” and “appreciation” on the need for more testing. Now, 90,000 swabs are on their way to California.
When 2020 began, Newsom appeared prepared for another year of robust jousting with the administration. Last December, he tweeted out a cartoon video depicting himself in a go-kart race with Trump.
“Our country is looking to California, and we’ll continue leading the way. Resistance, with results,” Newsom says before he wins the go-kart race.
It was the type of video that sparked speculation about Newsom’s presidential ambitions - conjecture that has followed him since his days as San Francisco mayor. While he’s taking a different approach now, it could still help him in a White House run later, Groeling said, particularly among voters who reward bipartisan cooperation.
For his part, Newsom says politics are the last thing on his mind. He even punted last week when asked by a reporter if and when he planned to endorse Biden.
“You just reminded me of politics,” he demurred. “I certainly look forward to,” he added, before quickly moving on.


washingtontimes--2020-04-23--Judge orders state to pay attorney fees in education dispute

JUNEAU , Alaska ( AP ) - A judge has ordered the state to pay about $ 96,000 in attorneys ’ fees in a school funding dispute .
Superior Court Judge Daniel Schally last week ordered the state pay $ 31,556.25 in attorneys ’ fees for the Legislative Council and $ 64,443.50 in fees for the Coalition for Education Equity , an intervenor in the case .
Maria Bahr , a Department of Law spokeswoman , said Thursday the department is reviewing the decision .
The Legislative Council , composed of House and Senate leaders , last year sued Gov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration in a dispute over a practice known as forward funding .
The dispute stemmed from Attorney General Kevin Clarkson ’ s interpretation that the practice was improper .
Forward funding refers to funding a year in advance .
Lawmakers in 2018 approved school funding for the current fiscal year .
The measure wasn ’ t vetoed by Bill Walker , who was governor when it passed .
Clarkson argued the Legislature ’ s action had the effect of improperly binding a future legislature and governor , and violated a constitutional prohibition against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appropriations were valid .
Bahr said the department appealed the underlying decision .
Clarkson previously said an agreement was reached to allow disbursement of school funds while the litigation was underway .

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - A judge has ordered the state to pay about $96,000 in attorneys’ fees in a school funding dispute.
Superior Court Judge Daniel Schally last week ordered the state pay $31,556.25 in attorneys’ fees for the Legislative Council and $64,443.50 in fees for the Coalition for Education Equity, an intervenor in the case.
Maria Bahr, a Department of Law spokeswoman, said Thursday the department is reviewing the decision.
The Legislative Council, composed of House and Senate leaders, last year sued Gov. Mike Dunleavy and members of his administration in a dispute over a practice known as forward funding. The dispute stemmed from Attorney General Kevin Clarkson’s interpretation that the practice was improper.
Forward funding refers to funding a year in advance. Lawmakers in 2018 approved school funding for the current fiscal year. The measure wasn’t vetoed by Bill Walker, who was governor when it passed.
Clarkson argued the Legislature’s action had the effect of improperly binding a future legislature and governor, and violated a constitutional prohibition against dedicating state revenues. Schally ruled the appropriations were valid.
Bahr said the department appealed the underlying decision.
Clarkson previously said an agreement was reached to allow disbursement of school funds while the litigation was underway.


washingtontimes--2020-04-23--Joe Biden won't commit to picking woman of color for running mate

Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden ’ s history-making pledge to tap a woman as his running mate isn ’ t enough for women of color who are demanding the presumed Democratic presidential nominee ’ s pick comes from their community .
Mr. Biden has refused to make that commitment and said this week that he plans to set up a vetting committee by May 1 — intensifying a debate that has been raging on over what he needs most to strengthen the ticket .
Stacey Abrams , a former Georgia gubernatorial candidate and voting rights activist , turned up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she is concerned about Mr. Biden “ not picking a woman of color .
“ Because women of color , particularly black women , are the strongest part of the Democratic Party , the most loyal , ” Ms. Abrams said on ABC ’ s “ The View.
” “ But that loyalty is not simply how we vote , it is how we work and if we want to signal that work will continue , that we want to reach not just to certain segments of our community , but to our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that reflects the diversity of America , ” she said .
Tom Perez , Democratic National Committee chairman , is fond of saying diversity is the strength of the party and that was clear at times during the primary as the massive field touted the importance of black women , elevating issues such as the higher maternal mortality rates among black women .
That emphasis on diversity seemed to ebb , however , when the Democratic nomination race boiled down to a contest between Mr. Biden and Sen. Bernard Sanders — a pair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 70 .
But Mr. Biden ’ s presidential aspirations were resuscitated by black voters , and Rep. John Lewis of Georgia , an icon of the civil rights movement , has said it would be “ good to have a woman of color ” on the Democratic ticket .
For his part , Mr. Biden told the CBS affiliate in Pittsburgh this week that he would commit putting a woman of color on the Supreme Court , but he would not promise to tap a woman of color as his running mate .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of qualified women out there , ” Mr. Biden said .
Democrats have wrestled with the best way to rebound from presidential nominee Hillary Clinton ’ s disappointing loss in 2016 .
Some have argued that Democrats must field a ticket that is more appealing to noncollege educated white voters , while others have argued that Mrs. Clinton fell short because black voter turnout dipped from 2016 .
Post-election analysis found a dip in black voter turnout between 2012 and 2016 cost Mrs. Clinton victories in states such as Michigan and Wisconsin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10,000 votes and almost 23,000 votes , respectively .
Others have argued that Mrs. Clinton could have won Pennsylvania with better black turnout in Philadelphia .
Some political insiders say that Mr. Biden could avoid a repeat of 2016 by selecting a black woman .
A poll commissioned by BlackPAC , an independent organization focused on politically engaging black voters , released this month found that 55 % of black voters in eight swing states said they would be more enthusiastic and more likely to vote for Mr. Biden if he went that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vice presidential prospects , including former first lady Michelle Obama .
Former Obama White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett shot down that idea this week , telling The Hill that , “ She doesn ’ t want the job.
” The Biden campaign , meanwhile , floated the idea last spring that he might ask Ms. Abrams , who is black , to be his running mate early on in the process as a way to unify the party .
At the time , Ms. Abrams was mulling a presidential bid of her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 47-year-old is openly lobbying for the job .
Voters in the early primary states would frequently say their dream ticket would be Mr. Biden and Sen. Kamala D. Harris .
California ’ s first black senator is a former state attorney general who would bring youth — she ’ s 55 — and experience to the ticket .
Former National Security Adviser Susan Rice and Florida Rep. Val Demings , both of whom are black , and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada , who is Hispanic , also are thought to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has fueled the speculation that race might not be the No .
1 thing is he looking for .
He has praised Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts , and hosted Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer on his podcast “ Here ’ s the Deal.
” That focus on those three hasn ’ t sat well with some liberal observers .
Tiffany Cross , a black activist and MSNBC analyst , circulated on social media a screenshot from CNN this week on social media that showed Ms. Warren , Ms. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banner “ Biden Hopes to Have VP Selection Panel in Place by May 1.
” “ They try REALLY hard to erase us , ” Ms. Cross tweeted .
Responding to the post , Aimee Allison , the founder of She the People , an organization devoted to mobilizing women of color that hosted a Democratic presidential forum last year , said , “ NOOOO.
” “ It bears repeating : Putting a woman of color on the ticket is not just a moral good , but a strategic imperative for our path @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group tweeted .

Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden’s history-making pledge to tap a woman as his running mate isn’t enough for women of color who are demanding the presumed Democratic presidential nominee’s pick comes from their community.
Mr. Biden has refused to make that commitment and said this week that he plans to set up a vetting committee by May 1 — intensifying a debate that has been raging on over what he needs most to strengthen the ticket.
Stacey Abrams, a former Georgia gubernatorial candidate and voting rights activist, turned up the pressure this week when she said she is concerned about Mr. Biden “not picking a woman of color.
“Because women of color, particularly black women, are the strongest part of the Democratic Party, the most loyal,” Ms. Abrams said on ABC’s “The View.”
“But that loyalty is not simply how we vote, it is how we work and if we want to signal that work will continue, that we want to reach not just to certain segments of our community, but to our entire country then we need a ticket that reflects the diversity of America,” she said.
Tom Perez, Democratic National Committee chairman, is fond of saying diversity is the strength of the party and that was clear at times during the primary as the massive field touted the importance of black women, elevating issues such as the higher maternal mortality rates among black women.
That emphasis on diversity seemed to ebb, however, when the Democratic nomination race boiled down to a contest between Mr. Biden and Sen. Bernard Sanders — a pair of white men over the age of 70.
But Mr. Biden’s presidential aspirations were resuscitated by black voters, and Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, an icon of the civil rights movement, has said it would be “good to have a woman of color” on the Democratic ticket.
For his part, Mr. Biden told the CBS affiliate in Pittsburgh this week that he would commit putting a woman of color on the Supreme Court, but he would not promise to tap a woman of color as his running mate.
“There are a number, a number of qualified women out there,” Mr. Biden said.
Democrats have wrestled with the best way to rebound from presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s disappointing loss in 2016.
Some have argued that Democrats must field a ticket that is more appealing to noncollege educated white voters, while others have argued that Mrs. Clinton fell short because black voter turnout dipped from 2016.
Post-election analysis found a dip in black voter turnout between 2012 and 2016 cost Mrs. Clinton victories in states such as Michigan and Wisconsin.
President Trump carried those states by 10,000 votes and almost 23,000 votes, respectively.
Others have argued that Mrs. Clinton could have won Pennsylvania with better black turnout in Philadelphia.
Some political insiders say that Mr. Biden could avoid a repeat of 2016 by selecting a black woman.
A poll commissioned by BlackPAC, an independent organization focused on politically engaging black voters, released this month found that 55% of black voters in eight swing states said they would be more enthusiastic and more likely to vote for Mr. Biden if he went that way.
Party insiders have floated various vice presidential prospects, including former first lady Michelle Obama.
Former Obama White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett shot down that idea this week, telling The Hill that, “She doesn’t want the job.”
The Biden campaign, meanwhile, floated the idea last spring that he might ask Ms. Abrams, who is black, to be his running mate early on in the process as a way to unify the party.
At the time, Ms. Abrams was mulling a presidential bid of her own and panned the idea. Now the 47-year-old is openly lobbying for the job.
Voters in the early primary states would frequently say their dream ticket would be Mr. Biden and Sen. Kamala D. Harris. California’s first black senator is a former state attorney general who would bring youth — she’s 55 — and experience to the ticket.
Former National Security Adviser Susan Rice and Florida Rep. Val Demings, both of whom are black, and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, who is Hispanic, also are thought to be on the shortlist.
Mr. Biden has fueled the speculation that race might not be the No. 1 thing is he looking for.
He has praised Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, and hosted Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on his podcast “Here’s the Deal.”
That focus on those three hasn’t sat well with some liberal observers.
Tiffany Cross, a black activist and MSNBC analyst, circulated on social media a screenshot from CNN this week on social media that showed Ms. Warren, Ms. Klobuchar, and Ms. Whitmer above the banner “Biden Hopes to Have VP Selection Panel in Place by May 1.”
“They try REALLY hard to erase us,” Ms. Cross tweeted.
Responding to the post, Aimee Allison, the founder of She the People, an organization devoted to mobilizing women of color that hosted a Democratic presidential forum last year, said, “NOOOO.”
Ms. Allison’s group drove home their concern Thursday on Twitter.
“It bears repeating: Putting a woman of color on the ticket is not just a moral good, but a strategic imperative for our path to the White House,” the group tweeted.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-04-24--Woman shot to death in St. Louis neighborhood on Friday

ST. LOUIS ( AP ) - A woman has been shot to death in St. Louis ’ Jeff-Vander-Lou neighborhood , @ @ @ @ @ s the third shooting death in that neighborhood in the last two weeks .
The @ @ @ @ @ 1:30 a.m. Friday , when a woman was shot multiple times , the St. Louis @ @ @ @ @ the woman was taken to a hospital , where she died .
Her name had @ @ @ @ @ hours after the shooting .
Authorities have not released details on the shooting and have @ @ @ @ @ the case .
The woman ’ s death is at least the 47th homicide in @ @ @ @ @ year .

ST. LOUIS (AP) - A woman has been shot to death in St. Louis’ Jeff-Vander-Lou neighborhood, police said. It’s the third shooting death in that neighborhood in the last two weeks.
The latest shooting happened just before 1:30 a.m. Friday, when a woman was shot multiple times, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. Police said the woman was taken to a hospital, where she died. Her name had not been released some six hours after the shooting.
Authorities have not released details on the shooting and have not announced any arrests in the case.
The woman’s death is at least the 47th homicide in St. Louis so far this year.


washingtontimes--2020-04-24--Sea-Tac Airport to lose $251M through 2020 amid pandemic

SEATTLE ( AP ) - Nosediving passenger traffic and flight cancellations will cost Seattle-Tacoma International Airport approximately $ 251 million by the end of 2020 , airport director Lance Lyttle said Thursday , representing a 37 % blow to the airport ’ s anticipated revenue for the year .
The anticipated hit to revenues is well above the $ 192 million in federal funds authorized for the airport ’ s use by the coronavirus aid package , The Seattle Times reported .
Sea-Tac will draw on the federal funds to service debt , cover payroll and meet operating expenses like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Most of the revenue decrease comes from losses in retail and dining rents , parking and rental car operators and ground transportation companies .
Preliminary figures for April show a 95 % drop in passenger traffic compared to last year , Lyttle said .
Airlines canceled nearly 680 flights in April , double what they canceled in March .
Amid the pandemic , just one international flight departs from Sea-Tac some days of the week .
Nearly 1,600 of Sea-Tac ’ s 2,100 dining and retail employees have been laid off or furloughed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Port deferred rent for airport dining and retail tenants affected by the pandemic .
But all of the airport ’ s 19,000 workers - from air traffic employers and pilots , to flight kitchen workers and wheelchair escorts - have been affected by an emptier Sea-Tac , said Port of Seattle Commissioner Stephanie Bowman Thursday .
“ Financial stability for individuals is really what we ’ re concerned about now , ” Bowman said .
“ The pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on those who were already furthest from middle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nonprofits Fair Work Center and Port Jobs to connect laid-off workers and Port employers to resources and new hiring opportunities .

SEATTLE (AP) - Nosediving passenger traffic and flight cancellations will cost Seattle-Tacoma International Airport approximately $251 million by the end of 2020, airport director Lance Lyttle said Thursday, representing a 37% blow to the airport’s anticipated revenue for the year.
The anticipated hit to revenues is well above the $192 million in federal funds authorized for the airport’s use by the coronavirus aid package, The Seattle Times reported.
Sea-Tac will draw on the federal funds to service debt, cover payroll and meet operating expenses like maintenance and security, Lyttle said.
Most of the revenue decrease comes from losses in retail and dining rents, parking and rental car operators and ground transportation companies.
Preliminary figures for April show a 95% drop in passenger traffic compared to last year, Lyttle said. Airlines canceled nearly 680 flights in April, double what they canceled in March. Amid the pandemic, just one international flight departs from Sea-Tac some days of the week.
Nearly 1,600 of Sea-Tac’s 2,100 dining and retail employees have been laid off or furloughed, Lyttle said. Two weeks ago, the Port deferred rent for airport dining and retail tenants affected by the pandemic.
But all of the airport’s 19,000 workers - from air traffic employers and pilots, to flight kitchen workers and wheelchair escorts - have been affected by an emptier Sea-Tac, said Port of Seattle Commissioner Stephanie Bowman Thursday.
“Financial stability for individuals is really what we’re concerned about now,” Bowman said. “The pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on those who were already furthest from middle class.”
The Port has partnered with nonprofits Fair Work Center and Port Jobs to connect laid-off workers and Port employers to resources and new hiring opportunities.


washingtontimes--2020-04-24--Lummi police officer shoots, wounds 1 in burglary probe

BELLINGHAM , Wash. ( AP ) - A Lummi Nation Police Department officer shot and wounded someone suspected in a @ @ @ @ @ Lummi police found a person who appeared be hiding in a recreational vehicle while police @ @ @ @ @ afternoon , The Bellingham Herald reported .
Police entered the vehicle with the owner ’ @ @ @ @ @ the person was non-compliant and shot by an officer , according to a news release @ @ @ @ @ The person ’ s injuries were not life-threatening , police said .
Officers administered first-aid @ @ @ @ @ the person to a Bellingham hospital .
The Bellingham Police Department is helping with an @ @ @ @ @ The involved officers were placed on administrative leave pending the completion of the investigation .
@ @ @ @ @ suspect or the officers involved was released .

BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) - A Lummi Nation Police Department officer shot and wounded someone suspected in a burglary, authorities said.
Lummi police found a person who appeared be hiding in a recreational vehicle while police were investigating a burglary Sunday afternoon, The Bellingham Herald reported.
Police entered the vehicle with the owner’s permission, and that the person was non-compliant and shot by an officer, according to a news release from the Lummi Nation. The person’s injuries were not life-threatening, police said.
Officers administered first-aid until medics arrived and took the person to a Bellingham hospital.
The Bellingham Police Department is helping with an investigation into the incident. The involved officers were placed on administrative leave pending the completion of the investigation.
No other information about the suspect or the officers involved was released.


washingtontimes--2020-04-24--Virus sees Kansas City children's hospital furlough workers

KANSAS CITY , Mo .
( AP ) - The financial squeeze of the new coronavirus outbreak has led Children ’ s Mercy hospital in Kansas City to furlough nearly 600 employees for up to two months , The furloughs will begin Sunday , the Kansas City Star reported , and even top executives will see a pay cut .
That cut ranges from 20 % for hospital vice presidents to 30 % for CEO Paul Kempinski .
The virus has led to a significant drop in patients coming in for other ailments , as elective procedures were suspended and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prepare for a surge in COVID-19 , Kempinski said .
That ’ s costing the hospital net revenue of about $ 1 million a day .
“ COVID-19 is having a crushing , negative impact on patient care access , our employees and our financial performance , ” Kempinski said .
The hospital had already taken several cost-saving measures .
It eliminated more than 200 vacant positions and suspended most of its capital spending .
Being furloughed allows employees to file for unemployment benefits , Kempinski said , and the hospital will continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @

O’FALLON, Mo. (AP) - Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said Friday that his plan to reopen the state from the coronavirus shutdown will include guidance for attending church services, sports and other activities and events.
Parson said during a news conference that Missourians have “stepped up to do their part” in helping to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, allowing the state to move ahead with plans to allow businesses and other organizations to reopen starting May 4. He said more details will be announced next week about how the reopening will work.
The Republican governor said the guidance he will outline will include religious services, weddings, outdoor functions such as sports and even graduation ceremonies. He said restrictions may vary depending on the location.
“Some communities will be able to open at a faster rate than others,” Parson said.
The shutdown has forced hundreds of Missouri businesses to close since March. Nearly 400,000 Missourians have filed for jobless benefits over the past five weeks.
For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death.
The number of confirmed cases in Missouri increased by 200 on Friday to 6,506, and deaths rose by 10 to 252, according to Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering, which is monitoring cases worldwide. Figures from the state health department had even higher numbers: 6,625 confirmed cases and 262 deaths.
Parson announced he has extended an emergency declaration through June 15. The declaration allows the state to maintain waivers and suspensions of some statutes and regulations.
Nearly two dozen inmates at a prison in southeast Missouri have tested positive for the coronavirus, the first outbreak of the illness inside a correctional facility in the state.
Missouri Department of Corrections spokeswoman Karen Pojmann said three inmates in a wing at the Southeast Correctional Center in Charleston tested positive earlier this week for COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. The department then tested all 64 residents of the wing along with 82 staff members.
The testing found that 19 additional inmates had the virus. The wing has been quarantined since April 15, when the first inmate was tested and put in an isolation unit.
None of the recently-tested staff members tested positive. Three staff members who tested positive in early April are in quarantine at home.
Pojmann said no inmates at any other Missouri prison have been found with the illness.
The state plans to test workers at meatpacking and food plants in Moniteau, Saline and Buchanan counties, where dozens of workers have become infected. The state health department said all 2,800 workers at the Triumph Foods pork plant in St. Joseph will be tested, even those showing no symptoms.
St. Charles County officials announced Friday that a 14th person has died at Frontier Health and Rehabilitation Center in St. Charles from the coronavirus. The latest victim was a woman in her 90s.
The financial squeeze of the outbreak has led a Kansas City hospital, Children’s Mercy, to furlough nearly 600 employees for up to two months starting Sunday, the Kansas City Star reported. Top executives will see pay cuts, ranging from 20% for vice presidents to 30% for CEO Paul Kempinski.
The virus has led to a significant drop in patients coming in for other ailments, as elective procedures were suspended and outpatient clinic visits limited last month to prepare for a surge in COVID-19, Kempinski said. That’s costing the hospital net revenue of about $1 million a day.
___
Associated Press reporter Margery Beck in Omaha, Nebraska, contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-04-24--AP-NORC poll: Most losing jobs to virus think they’ll return

WASHINGTON ( AP ) - One out of every four American adults say someone in their household has lost a job to the coronavirus pandemic , but the vast majority expect those former jobs will return once the crisis passes , according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research .
The economic devastation writ by COVID-19 is clear : 26.4 million people have lost their job in the past five weeks , millions of homeowners are delaying mortgage payments and food banks are seeing lines of cars that stretch for miles .
Forty-six percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experienced some form of income loss from layoffs , reduced hours , unpaid leave or salary reductions .
And yet , the survey finds a majority of Americans still feel positive about their personal finances .
One possible reason : Among those whose households have experienced a layoff , 78 % believe those former jobs will definitely or probably return .
Another positive sign : The percentage of workers who say their household has lost a source of income is not significantly different from a few weeks ago .
Seventy-one percent of Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , up from 60 % three weeks ago and 33 % in January .
At the same time , 64 % call their personal financial situation good - a number that remains largely unchanged since before the virus outbreak began .
Some of the resiliency can likely be traced to the nearly $ 2 trillion rescue package enacted by Congress that expanded jobless benefits , extended forgivable loans to small businesses and provided a government check to most Americans - money that has helped stabilize some families ’ finances .
Skylar Banks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a separate government check for $ 3,000 to prepay six months of rent on her house .
Her plan : to ensure her family ’ s housing is secure in case coronavirus infections spike in a second wave later this year and the nation ’ s economy gets worse .
“ We ’ re not sure how many people actually have COVID-19 , ” said Banks , who lives in Dyersville , Tennessee , and works at Walmart .
“ If they open everything back up , we have no clue what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country is split on whether the economy will rebound over the next year .
Forty-five percent expect it will improve , while 37 % say it will worsen .
Just 17 % expect it to stay the same .
The survey found Americans overwhelmingly support stay-at-home orders and other efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus - 61 % described efforts in their area as about right , while 26 % said they didn ’ t go far enough - even as those actions have forced an untold number of businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those with less education appear especially hard hit by job losses – 29 % of those whose families earn less than $ 50,000 a year said their household experienced a job loss , compared with 22 % of those who make more .
Similarly , 28 % of those without a college degree experienced a household layoff , while just 19 % with a degree said the same .
As the crisis drags on , 22 % of Americans have started to miss payments on housing or debts , the survey found .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have unpaid rent or mortgage bills , 11 % who have missed a credit card payment and 19 % who were unable to pay another type of bill .
Some were unable to pay more than one kind of bill .
More than half of Americans , 58 % , think the government has not done enough to help small businesses , while 53 % say the same of aid to individuals .
Meanwhile , about 4 in 10 think too much assistance has been offered to larger corporations .
The poll was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worth nearly $ 500 billion aimed at helping small businesses and hospitals .
Brandon Reynolds , 45 , resells vintage toys , jewelry and artwork online .
The Houston resident ’ s earnings have been solid enough to cover the monthly rent of his roommate , a barber who can not work because of stay-at-home orders .
But Reynolds has only three months of inventory , and he might not be able to restock if the pandemic keeps thrift stores and flea markets closed .
“ I ’ m definitely not ready to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of people , ” he said .
“ Not enough people are taking this seriously.
” Overall , 52 % of Americans say they approve of how President Donald Trump is handling the economy .
Trump ’ s overall approval rating stands at 42 % .
Even though 53 % of Republicans said national economic conditions were poor , 88 % of them approve of Trump ’ s economic stewardship .
Twenty-three percent of Democrats approve , even as 90 % call the economy poor .
Monique Hewan , a nursing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the outbreak only appears to have intensified political tensions as some Republican governors make plans to allow some businesses to reopen and to ease other restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of the virus .
“ It all depends on whether you ’ re red and blue as to how you think about it , ” she said .
“ The calls for older people to die for the sake of the economy - it ’ s just insanity.
” The AP-NORC poll of 1,057 adults was conducted April 16-20 using a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AmeriSpeak Panel , which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population .
The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4 percentage points .
Respondents were first selected randomly using address-based sampling methods and later were interviewed online or by phone .

WASHINGTON (AP) - One out of every four American adults say someone in their household has lost a job to the coronavirus pandemic, but the vast majority expect those former jobs will return once the crisis passes, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
The economic devastation writ by COVID-19 is clear: 26.4 million people have lost their job in the past five weeks, millions of homeowners are delaying mortgage payments and food banks are seeing lines of cars that stretch for miles. Forty-six percent of all Americans say their household has experienced some form of income loss from layoffs, reduced hours, unpaid leave or salary reductions.
And yet, the survey finds a majority of Americans still feel positive about their personal finances. One possible reason: Among those whose households have experienced a layoff, 78% believe those former jobs will definitely or probably return. Another positive sign: The percentage of workers who say their household has lost a source of income is not significantly different from a few weeks ago.
Seventy-one percent of Americans now describe the national economy as poor, up from 60% three weeks ago and 33% in January. At the same time, 64% call their personal financial situation good - a number that remains largely unchanged since before the virus outbreak began.
Some of the resiliency can likely be traced to the nearly $2 trillion rescue package enacted by Congress that expanded jobless benefits, extended forgivable loans to small businesses and provided a government check to most Americans - money that has helped stabilize some families’ finances.
Skylar Banks, 24, used her 2019 tax refund and a separate government check for $3,000 to prepay six months of rent on her house. Her plan: to ensure her family’s housing is secure in case coronavirus infections spike in a second wave later this year and the nation’s economy gets worse.
“We’re not sure how many people actually have COVID-19,” said Banks, who lives in Dyersville, Tennessee, and works at Walmart. “If they open everything back up, we have no clue what is going to happen.”
Indeed, the country is split on whether the economy will rebound over the next year. Forty-five percent expect it will improve, while 37% say it will worsen. Just 17% expect it to stay the same.
The survey found Americans overwhelmingly support stay-at-home orders and other efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus - 61% described efforts in their area as about right, while 26% said they didn’t go far enough - even as those actions have forced an untold number of businesses to close.
Lower income households and those with less education appear especially hard hit by job losses – 29% of those whose families earn less than $50,000 a year said their household experienced a job loss, compared with 22% of those who make more. Similarly, 28% of those without a college degree experienced a household layoff, while just 19% with a degree said the same.
As the crisis drags on, 22% of Americans have started to miss payments on housing or debts, the survey found. That includes 11% of Americans who have unpaid rent or mortgage bills, 11% who have missed a credit card payment and 19% who were unable to pay another type of bill. Some were unable to pay more than one kind of bill.
More than half of Americans, 58%, think the government has not done enough to help small businesses, while 53% say the same of aid to individuals. Meanwhile, about 4 in 10 think too much assistance has been offered to larger corporations. The poll was conducted before Congress passed a new bill worth nearly $500 billion aimed at helping small businesses and hospitals.
Brandon Reynolds, 45, resells vintage toys, jewelry and artwork online. The Houston resident’s earnings have been solid enough to cover the monthly rent of his roommate, a barber who cannot work because of stay-at-home orders. But Reynolds has only three months of inventory, and he might not be able to restock if the pandemic keeps thrift stores and flea markets closed.
“I’m definitely not ready to be running around in the streets with a lot of people,” he said. “Not enough people are taking this seriously.”
Overall, 52% of Americans say they approve of how President Donald Trump is handling the economy. Trump’s overall approval rating stands at 42%. Even though 53% of Republicans said national economic conditions were poor, 88% of them approve of Trump’s economic stewardship. Twenty-three percent of Democrats approve, even as 90% call the economy poor.
Monique Hewan, a nursing student in Cold Spring, Kentucky, said the outbreak only appears to have intensified political tensions as some Republican governors make plans to allow some businesses to reopen and to ease other restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of the virus.
“It all depends on whether you’re red and blue as to how you think about it,” she said. “The calls for older people to die for the sake of the economy - it’s just insanity.”
___
The AP-NORC poll of 1,057 adults was conducted April 16-20 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4 percentage points. Respondents were first selected randomly using address-based sampling methods and later were interviewed online or by phone.
___
Online:
AP-NORC Center: http://www.apnorc.org/.


washingtontimes--2020-04-24--AP-NORC poll: Vast majority of Americans whose households lost jobs due to coronavirus think those j

WASHINGTON ( AP ) - AP-NORC poll : Vast majority of Americans whose households lost jobs due to coronavirus think @ @ @ @ @ .

WASHINGTON (AP) - AP-NORC poll: Vast majority of Americans whose households lost jobs due to coronavirus think those jobs will come back.
Copyright © 2023 The Washington Times, LLC.


washingtontimes--2020-04-24--Six injured in Fargo apartment fire, two taken to hospitals

FARGO , N.D. ( AP ) - Six people have been injured in a fire at an apartment building in @ @ @ @ @ who jumped from a third-floor balcony to escape .
Firefighters responded to the building near @ @ @ @ @ alley about 7:30 p.m. Thursday and found smoke pouring from at least two of the @ @ @ @ @ firefighters rescued two people from a second-story balcony and others needed assistance exiting the building @ @ @ @ @ fire .
Two people were taken by ambulance to local hospitals .
The others were @ @ @ @ @ Firefighters were able to contain the fire to one unit on the first floor .
@ @ @ @ @ is under investigation .

FARGO, N.D. (AP) - Six people have been injured in a fire at an apartment building in Fargo, including one man who jumped from a third-floor balcony to escape.
Firefighters responded to the building near the Red River Lanes bowling alley about 7:30 p.m. Thursday and found smoke pouring from at least two of the three floors.
KFGO reports firefighters rescued two people from a second-story balcony and others needed assistance exiting the building because of heavy smoke and fire.
Two people were taken by ambulance to local hospitals. The others were treated at the scene.
Firefighters were able to contain the fire to one unit on the first floor. The cause of the fire is under investigation.


washingtontimes--2020-04-24--Amid anxiety, Georgia lets close-contact businesses reopen

SAVANNAH , Ga. ( AP ) - Some salons , gyms and other close-contact services in Georgia prepared to open Friday as the Republican governor eased a month-long shutdown amid experts ’ warnings of a potential new surge in coronavirus infections and a potent objection from President Donald Trump .
With deaths and infections still rising in Georgia , many business owners planned to remain closed in spite of Gov .
Brian Kemp ’ s assurance that hospital visits and new cases have leveled off enough for barbers , tattoo artists , massage therapists and personal trainers to return to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 60 clients booked for appointments Friday at his nail salon in Savannah .
He said that ’ s less than half the customers he would normally see .
But he ’ s also starting back with fewer nail technicians to allow for empty work stations between them .
Huynh ’ s business , Envy Nail Bar , has been closed since March 26 .
But the losses extend beyond just the month he ’ s been shut down .
“ We lost graduations , proms and weddings , ” Huynh said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
… A lot of people don ’ t realize , if the nation stays shut down any longer , there will be severe consequences.
” Kemp ’ s order allowing certain businesses to reopen Friday requires precautions such as screening customers for potential symptoms , providing staff with masks and other protective gear as available and doing frequent cleaning .
The governor has said it ’ s imperative to begin easing his state ’ s economic suffering .
The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that 1.1 million workers - about one-fifth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filed for unemployment in the five weeks since the crisis started .
Public health experts have warned that reopening too quickly could trigger a coronavirus resurgence .
Preventing that will require increased testing and robust tracking of infected people ’ s contacts .
Georgia has ranked in the bottom 10 of states for testing per capita .
But the state is showing progress .
Georgia on Thursday reported 7,000 new tests , its highest daily total yet .
Kemp ’ s timeline to restart the economy proved too ambitious even for Trump , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” with the fellow Republican ’ s plan .
Shannon Pengitore , a massage therapist in Marietta outside Atlanta , had a few clients ask for appointments this week .
But she ’ s not ready , saying she hasn ’ t seen clear protocols from the state for protecting herself and her clients .
“ Massage therapy is continual contact with the customer for long periods of time in a small room , ” Pengitore said .
“ If I ’ m not really comfortable with this , what ’ s getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of anxiety.
” Starting Monday , Georgia will allow movie theaters to reopen and restaurants to resume dine-in service - as long as customers are kept at a distance .
Chef Hugh Acheson , who owns three fine-dining restaurants in Athens and Atlanta , said Georgia ’ s conducting too little testing to safely reopen .
He also doubts it would be profitable .
“ If I open up fine dining in midtown Atlanta and … 25 people show up to dinner because I ’ m brazen enough to do this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make money and stay in business , ” Acheson said .
Bethany Farmer works at an Atlanta yoga studio and tends bar at a burger joint .
She said neither has asked her to return yet , and that ’ s fine with her .
She fears slow business would mean reduced wages , and the virus remains too much of a threat .
“ I could be a carrier even if I don ’ t feel anything , ” Farmer said .
“ I get worried about all the other people I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thanawala in Atlanta contributed to this report .
Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak .

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) - Four customers clutching masks were waiting outside David Huynh’s nail salon as he opened his Georgia business for the first time in four weeks Friday. Nearby, the lights were still off in clothing and jewelry stores closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, and many residents stayed locked inside their homes.
Georgia’s economy began a cautious, high-stakes reopening as Gov. Brian Kemp relaxed a monthlong shutdown amid experts’ warnings of a potential surge in infections and objections from President Donald Trump.
Huynh had 60 clients booked for appointments, and police officer Alina Davis was among them. “Yes, I am ready to get my nails fixed,” Davis said.
Georgia has ranked in the bottom nationally in per capita testing, a key component in preventing a resurgence of the coronavirus which causes COVID-19, and critics say Kemp’s order to restart some businesses was premature despite a bump in screenings this week.
But in metro Atlanta, the Three-13 Salon, Spa & Boutique opened to a line of masked customers whose temperature was checked before entering. Waiting customers were carefully distanced, their spacing marked by blue tape, and chairs were placed at staggered intervals outside.
Managing partner Lester Crowell said there was some nervousness and anxiety among salon employees. “But you know, we all want to come back to work,” he said.
With deaths and infections still rising in Georgia, many business owners planned to remain closed despite Kemp’s assurance that hospital visits and new cases have leveled off enough for barbers, tattoo artists, massage therapists and personal trainers to return to work with restrictions.
At the reopened Bodyplex Fitness Adventure in Grayson, a dozen people in masks required by the gym worked out on two floors, spraying down machines and weights with a sanitizer bottle staff handed each person. The gym had a fraction of its usual number of customers and provided ample space for people to work out apart, yet some talked and stood close to one another anyway.
“The social distancing I think is probably the biggest challenge,” co-owner Mike Martino said. “I guess when people feel like they have masks, they’re somewhat protected, but we’re still encouraging people to try to stay 6 feet apart whenever possible.”
A young couple bowled at midday in an otherwise empty Bowlero, a 34-lane alley in Kennesaw, kissing between rolls, but the arcade area was empty. Workers wiped down games and other surfaces, and signs about social distancing were plastered everywhere.
Many people are staying put at home.
Advertising project manager Nikki Thomas is overdue for a visit to her hair stylist, but she’s barely ventured outside since her Atlanta employer mandated working from home on March 12, and she had no plans to change that now just because of Kemp’s decision.
“It’s obviously extremely stupid, and I’m simultaneously exhausted and so angry I can barely see straight,” Thomas, 40, said in a phone interview.
The effect of the reopening varied. The president of the Warner Robins chamber of commerce in middle Georgia said more cars were in parking lots, but Waycross City Manager Tonya Miller said she hadn’t seen many businesses open in her southeast Georgia town. Traffic in Atlanta remained lighter than normal. In Savannah, though a number of salons and shops remained closed, there was plenty of traffic around shopping centers.
Although many businesses never closed, the governor has said it was imperative to begin easing his state’s economic suffering by allowing others to resume work. The Georgia Department of Labor said 1.1 million workers - about one-fifth of the state’s workforce - filed for unemployment since the crisis started.
Two administration officials told The Associated Press that Trump and Vice President Mike Pence repeatedly told Kemp they approved of his aggressive plan before the president bashed it publicly earlier this week, but Trump tweeted a denial as businesses reopened.
“I (or @VP) never gave Governor Brian Kemp an OK on those few businesses outside of the Guidelines. FAKE NEWS! Spas, beauty salons, tattoo parlors, & barber shops should take a little slower path, but I told the Governor to do what is right for the great people of Georgia (& USA)!” the president said in the tweet.
Georgia’s approach to reopening falls into a global patchwork of measured steps to reviving economies.
In several European countries, the focus has been on reopening manufacturing, small shops and some schools. In many places, restaurants remain shuttered or only allowing takeaway and delivery, and in France authorities announced that restaurants, bars and cafes won’t reopen before June.
Just across the state line in Anderson, South Carolina, a mall reopened Friday after the governor allowed businesses that don’t involve close contact like jewelry stores, clothing boutiques and bookstores to restart.
Public health experts have warned that reopening too quickly could trigger a coronavirus resurgence. Preventing that will require increased testing and robust tracking of infected people’s contacts.
Georgia has more than 22,000 confirmed cases of the virus and 894 deaths, according to state statistics.
The reopening will pick up steam Monday, when Georgia will allow movie theaters to reopen and restaurants to resume dine-in service - as long as customers are kept at a distance.
Chef Hugh Acheson, who owns three fine-dining restaurants in Athens and Atlanta, said Georgia is conducting too little testing to reopen.
“If I open up fine dining in midtown Atlanta and … 25 people show up to dinner because I’m brazen enough to do this, that’s not enough to make money and stay in business,” Acheson said.
Back in Savannah, Ebony Housey of Savannah has mostly been staying home for five weeks, and she booked an appointment with hair stylist Shannon Stafford as soon as she could. Both women wore masks and chatted while Stafford shampooed and blow dried Housey’s hair.
“I’m getting my hair done, and I’m going straight home,” Housey said.
Stafford replied: “Well, when you get home, you’re going to look fabulous.”
___
Associated Press journalists Kate Brumback and Jeff Amy in Atlanta; Sudhin Thanawala in Grayson; Mike Stewart and Ron Harris in Marietta; and Jay Reeves in Birmingham, Alabama, contributed to this report.
___
Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.


washingtontimes--2020-04-24--The Latest: HealthPartners furloughs 2,600 employees

BLOOMINGTON , Minn. ( AP ) - The Latest on the coronavirus outbreak in Minnesota ( all times local ) @ @ @ @ @ provider is furloughing 2,600 employees as the coronavirus cuts into revenue .
HealthPartners , the @ @ @ @ @ state , operates seven hospitals , dozens of clinics and a health insurance business .
@ @ @ @ @ and created some financial challenges for health care groups .
Earlier this month Minnesota ’ @ @ @ @ @ the Mayo Clinic , announced pay cuts for more than 20,000 workers .
HealthPartners employs @ @ @ @ @ of $ 7.2 billion in 2019 , the Star Tribune reported .
The Minnesota Hospital @ @ @ @ @ state are projecting a financial hit of $ 2.9 billion over the next 90 days @ @ @ @

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The Latest on the coronavirus outbreak in Minnesota (all times local):
6:45 p.m.
Add the 2020 Minnesota Fringe Festival to the list of events canceled by the coronavirus.
Organizers announced Friday that the 27th annual Fringe scheduled over 11 days in August has been scrapped. The performing arts festival usually draws 40,000 to 50,000 people to more than 100 shows in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Executive director Dawn Bentley and her staff will be furloughed May 1. Bentley told the Star Tribune the Fringe is “in survival mode.” She said the Fringe is refunding more than $40,000 in deposits to this year’s producers and artists and is losing about $160,000 in net income.
The organization is asking for the public’s help as it tries to raise $100,000 so it can return in the future.
The Fringe had already signed up more than 100 companies for shows.
___
6:30 a.m.
Another prominent health care provider is furloughing 2,600 employees as the coronavirus cuts into revenue.
HealthPartners, the second-largest nonprofit group in the state, operates seven hospitals, dozens of clinics and a health insurance business.
COVID-19 has eliminated elective surgeries and created some financial challenges for health care groups.
Earlier this month Minnesota’s largest nonprofit group, the Mayo Clinic, announced pay cuts for more than 20,000 workers.
HealthPartners employs about 26,000 people with revenue of $7.2 billion in 2019, the Star Tribune reported.
The Minnesota Hospital Association said hospitals across the state are projecting a financial hit of $2.9 billion over the next 90 days due to COVID-19.


washingtontimes--2020-04-24--State officials: Man armed with gun fatally shot by police

PATERSON , N.J. ( AP ) - A man armed with a gun was shot and killed by police on @ @ @ @ @ New Jersey city , the state Attorney General ’ s office said .
The shooting @ @ @ @ @ , but authorities did not release the man ’ s name or provide many details @ @ @ @ @ the ongoing investigation .
They did not say what sparked the encounter or how many @ @ @ @ @ other injuries were reported in the shooting .
Witnesses said the man refused numerous directives @ @ @ @ @ weapon as he paced back and forth .

PATERSON, N.J. (AP) - A man armed with a gun was shot and killed by police on a street in a northern New Jersey city, the state Attorney General’s office said.
The confrontation started shortly after 4 p.m. Thursday, when Paterson officers responded to reports of a man with a gun on a city street.
When they arrived on scene, they found Luan Agoli, 42, of Pequannock, holding a handgun and walking in the area, authorities said. Agoli then ignored repeated directives from police to drop the gun and continued walking in and out of the roadway. raising the gun in the air at times.
The standoff went on for several minutes before police shot Agoli, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
No other injuries were reported in the shooting, which remains under investigation.


washingtontimes--2020-04-24--Kentucky mayor finds woman hiding in his home's cellar

BOWLING GREEN , Ky. ( AP ) - A Kentucky mayor said he found a woman hiding in his cellar @ @ @ @ @ Wilkerson said he found the woman Wednesday morning after he heard noises and smelled cigarette @ @ @ @ @ was renovating , WNKY-TV reported .
When he checked the cellar , he told Bowling @ @ @ @ @ of blood on the cellar ’ s doors and a bag with women ’ s @ @ @ @ @ woman when he went back to the cellar a second time after the electricity in @ @ @ @ @ the Bowling Green Daily News reported .
He said a young woman with dark hair @ @ @ @ @ hiding from someone ” before she ran away into the street .
The mayor said @ @ @ @ @ when the woman started living in his cellar , but noted she did not steal @ @ @ @ @ Wilkerson said he wanted to let people know about about the report before “ a @ @ @ @ @ I had a lady locked up in my cellar .
”

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) - A Kentucky mayor said he found a woman hiding in his cellar.
Bowling Green Mayor Bruce Wilkerson said he found the woman Wednesday morning after he heard noises and smelled cigarette smoke outside a home he was renovating, WNKY-TV reported.
When he checked the cellar, he told Bowling Green police he found traces of blood on the cellar’s doors and a bag with women’s leggings.
Wilkerson saw the woman when he went back to the cellar a second time after the electricity in his house went out, the Bowling Green Daily News reported. He said a young woman with dark hair told him she was “hiding from someone” before she ran away into the street.
The mayor said he doesn’t know when the woman started living in his cellar, but noted she did not steal anything from the house. Wilkerson said he wanted to let people know about about the report before “a story would come out that I had a lady locked up in my cellar.”
Bowling Green Police have not identified a suspect.


washingtontimes--2020-04-24--Officials find body of boater who went missing amid storms

TOMS RIVER , N.J. ( AP ) - Authorities have found the body of a man who went missing after @ @ @ @ @ southern New Jersey waterway shortly before strong storms swept through the area this week .
@ @ @ @ @ of Ocean Gate , was found Thursday along the shore at Island Beach State Park @ @ @ @ @ Billhimer said .
Conway had last been seen on security cameras shortly before 10 a.m. @ @ @ @ @ the boat at a local beach and rowed away on the Toms River , state @ @ @ @ @ reported him missing a few hours later , around the time severe thunderstorms and strong @ @ @ @ @ region .
The Coast Guard and state police then launched an extensive search by air @ @ @ @ @ was suspended shortly before Conway ’ s body was found .
A cause of death @ @ @ @ @ determined .

TOMS RIVER, N.J. (AP) - Authorities have found the body of a man who went missing after taking his rowboat into a southern New Jersey waterway shortly before strong storms swept through the area this week.
Matthew Conway, 67, of Ocean Gate, was found Thursday along the shore at Island Beach State Park, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said. Conway had last been seen on security cameras shortly before 10 a.m. Tuesday as he got on the boat at a local beach and rowed away on the Toms River, state police said.
His wife reported him missing a few hours later, around the time severe thunderstorms and strong gusty winds moved through the region.
The Coast Guard and state police then launched an extensive search by air and by boat that eventually was suspended shortly before Conway’s body was found.
A cause of death for Conway has not been determined.


washingtontimes--2020-04-24--Deputies: Brothers charged with murdering Georgia man

MACON , Ga. ( AP ) - Two brothers are accused of killing a man in Georgia .
The men @ @ @ @ @ ShaMarques Trevon Watkins , were charged with the murder of Doug Boyd , news outlets @ @ @ @ @ , died at a hospital Sunday five hours after he was shot in the chest @ @ @ @ @ a Macon home , the Bibb County Sheriff ’ s Office said .
Jimon Tracey @ @ @ @ @ taken into custody Wednesday by U.S. marshals one hour before Bibb County sheriff ’ s @ @ @ @ @ , 25 , in an apartment .
They are both being held without bond at @ @ @ @

MACON, Ga. (AP) - Two brothers are accused of killing a man in Georgia.
The men, Jimon Tracey Watkins and ShaMarques Trevon Watkins, were charged with the murder of Doug Boyd, news outlets reported.
Boyd, 27, died at a hospital Sunday five hours after he was shot in the chest during a fist fight inside a Macon home, the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office said.
Jimon Tracey Watkins, 22, was taken into custody Wednesday by U.S. marshals one hour before Bibb County sheriff’s deputies arrested ShaMarques Trevon Watkins, 25, in an apartment. They are both being held without bond at a county jail.


washingtontimes--2020-04-24--Lebanon tightens security around refugee camp over virus

BAALBEK , Lebanon ( AP ) - Authorities closed all entrances to a Palestinian refugee camp in eastern Lebanon on Friday after four more people tested positive for the coronavirus , heightening concerns the virus could further spread among its overcrowded population .
The four infected with the virus are relatives of a woman who tested positive earlier this week and are isolating inside their home , according to a statement from the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees .
It said they were so far not in need of hospitalization The Palestinian woman who was taken to a hospital in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ living in a camp in Lebanon to contract the virus , a finding that triggered a spate of testing in the camp .
The five confirmed cases are residents of the Wavel camp in the city of Baalbek , known locally as the Jalil , or Galilee camp .
Lebanon , a tiny country of 5 million people , is home to more than 1 million Syrian refugees and other Syrians who are residents .
It is also host to tens of thousands of Palestinian refugees and their descendants , most of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to public services , with limited employment opportunities and no rights to ownership .
On Friday , Palestinian fighters in charge of the camp security wore face masks as they patrolled the narrow streets and alleyways of the camp with an estimated population of up to 3,000 .
Posters of the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and Palestinian flags were plastered on the camp walls .
Camp residents hunkered down at home after being asked to stay indoors , while paramedics in protective suits spraying down the few vehicles that were permitted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s temperatures .
Lack of testing has stoked fears among millions of displaced people around the world packed into refugee camps and informal settlements .
Most people who become infected experience mild to moderate symptoms .
But the virus can cause severe illness and lead to death , particularly among older people and those with underlying health problems .
It is highly contagious and can be spread by those who appear healthy .
Health Minister Hamad Hassan told reporters after visiting a clinic at the camp that Lebanese authorities were working together with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ avoid an outbreak in the coming days.
” Lebanon has recorded 22 deaths from among nearly 700 confirmed cases of COVID-19 , the illness caused by the virus .
The head of Lebanon ’ s main hospital overseeing COVID-19 patients , Firass Abiad , tweeted that apart from the four relatives of the Palestinian woman , all other tests conducted in the camp turned out negative .
Also on Wednesday , Iran reported 93 more deaths from the virus , with the death toll in the country now reaching 5,574 , out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the hardest hit country in the Mideast and one of the world ’ s worst outbreaks of the coronavirus .
Associated Press writer Amir Vahdat in Tehran , Iran , contributed to this report .

BAALBEK, Lebanon (AP) - Authorities closed all entrances to a Palestinian refugee camp in eastern Lebanon on Friday after four more people tested positive for the coronavirus, heightening concerns the virus could further spread among its overcrowded population.
The four infected with the virus are relatives of a woman who tested positive earlier this week and are isolating inside their home, according to a statement from the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees. It said they were so far not in need of hospitalization
The Palestinian woman who was taken to a hospital in Beirut this week became the first refugee living in a camp in Lebanon to contract the virus, a finding that triggered a spate of testing in the camp. The five confirmed cases are residents of the Wavel camp in the city of Baalbek, known locally as the Jalil, or Galilee camp.
Lebanon, a tiny country of 5 million people, is home to more than 1 million Syrian refugees and other Syrians who are residents. It is also host to tens of thousands of Palestinian refugees and their descendants, most of them living in squalid camps with no access to public services, with limited employment opportunities and no rights to ownership.
On Friday, Palestinian fighters in charge of the camp security wore face masks as they patrolled the narrow streets and alleyways of the camp with an estimated population of up to 3,000. Posters of the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and Palestinian flags were plastered on the camp walls.
Camp residents hunkered down at home after being asked to stay indoors, while paramedics in protective suits spraying down the few vehicles that were permitted to enter with disinfectant and took people’s temperatures.
Lack of testing has stoked fears among millions of displaced people around the world packed into refugee camps and informal settlements.
Most people who become infected experience mild to moderate symptoms. But the virus can cause severe illness and lead to death, particularly among older people and those with underlying health problems. It is highly contagious and can be spread by those who appear healthy.
Health Minister Hamad Hassan told reporters after visiting a clinic at the camp that Lebanese authorities were working together with the U.N. and other agencies “to avoid an outbreak in the coming days.”
Lebanon has recorded 22 deaths from among nearly 700 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. The head of Lebanon’s main hospital overseeing COVID-19 patients, Firass Abiad, tweeted that apart from the four relatives of the Palestinian woman, all other tests conducted in the camp turned out negative.
Also on Wednesday, Iran reported 93 more deaths from the virus, with the death toll in the country now reaching 5,574, out of more than 88,000 confirmed cases. Iran is the hardest hit country in the Mideast and one of the world’s worst outbreaks of the coronavirus.
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Associated Press writer Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-04-24--Official: Maryland to lose $250 million in gaming amid virus

BALTIMORE ( AP ) - A Maryland Official said the state could lose nearly $ 250 million in revenue from casinos and lottery games because of the coronavirus pandemic .
The announcement was made Thursday during the state ’ s Lottery and Gaming Commission ’ s virtual meeting , The Baltimore Sun reported .
The multi-million dollar figure is what Maryland can expect to lose if the state ’ s six casinos , which were ordered closed March 16 , remain shut until the end of June , Lottery and Gaming Control Director Gordon Medenica said .
“ We ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reopen , ” said Medenica .
Although a date on opening up the facilities was not determined , Medenica said the state and the casinos are “ dealing with a number of issues on social distancing and testing , ” so they can reopen the businesses .
The casinos had originally sought to reduce the amount of people on their floors before they were ordered to close .
So far , Medenica said the state ’ s casino revenue has been down nearly $ 66 million .
The revenue accounts for nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billion Maryland collects from gaming , according to the state .
That money provides grants for communities around the casinos and supports the state ’ s education trust fund .
Venue closures because of the virus outbreak has also affected the state ’ s revenue from lottery games , which are down $ 20 million compared to the same period last year , Medenica said .

BALTIMORE (AP) - A Maryland Official said the state could lose nearly $250 million in revenue from casinos and lottery games because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The announcement was made Thursday during the state’s Lottery and Gaming Commission’s virtual meeting, The Baltimore Sun reported.
The multi-million dollar figure is what Maryland can expect to lose if the state’s six casinos, which were ordered closed March 16, remain shut until the end of June, Lottery and Gaming Control Director Gordon Medenica said.
“We’ve been working on procedures for casinos to reopen,” said Medenica. Although a date on opening up the facilities was not determined, Medenica said the state and the casinos are “dealing with a number of issues on social distancing and testing,” so they can reopen the businesses.
The casinos had originally sought to reduce the amount of people on their floors before they were ordered to close. So far, Medenica said the state’s casino revenue has been down nearly $66 million.
The revenue accounts for nearly $717.5 million of the $1.3 billion Maryland collects from gaming, according to the state. That money provides grants for communities around the casinos and supports the state’s education trust fund.
Venue closures because of the virus outbreak has also affected the state’s revenue from lottery games, which are down $20 million compared to the same period last year, Medenica said.


washingtontimes--2020-04-24--Knife found in jail cell of accused white supremacist

ROME , Ga. ( AP ) - Authorities said they found a knife in the jail cell of a Georgia @ @ @ @ @ of a violent white supremacist group known as The Base .
The thin home-made knife @ @ @ @ @ shank , was found during a random search of Michael John Helterbrand ’ s cell @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday , Rome News-Tribune reported .
Helterbrand was arrested with two other men in January @ @ @ @ @ of an anti-fascist group .
An FBI arrest affidavit from the arrest said the three @ @ @ @ @ couple in the group would send a message to enemies of The Base .
Helterbrand @ @ @ @ @ an additional weapons charge because of the knife .
Jail Administrator Maj. Bob Sapp said @ @ @ @ @ made with a handle that came off a bucket .
The jail is doing an @ @ @ @ @ how it got in Helterbrand ’ s hands , he said .
Helterbrand , 25 @ @ @ @ @ men charged in this case were denied bond this month amid coronavirus concerns .

ROME, Ga. (AP) - Authorities said they found a knife in the jail cell of a Georgia man accused of being part of a violent white supremacist group known as The Base.
The thin home-made knife, also known as a shank, was found during a random search of Michael John Helterbrand’s cell in Floyd County Jail on Tuesday, Rome News-Tribune reported.
Helterbrand was arrested with two other men in January for conspiring to kill members of an anti-fascist group. An FBI arrest affidavit from the arrest said the three men believed killing a married couple in the group would send a message to enemies of The Base.
Helterbrand has since been charged with an additional weapons charge because of the knife.
Jail Administrator Maj. Bob Sapp said the knife could have been made with a handle that came off a bucket. The jail is doing an internal search to find out how it got in Helterbrand’s hands, he said.
Helterbrand, 25, and the two other men charged in this case were denied bond this month amid coronavirus concerns.


washingtontimes--2020-04-24--Climate activists take global protest online during pandemic

BERLIN ( AP ) - Youth groups are staging a long-planned global climate demonstration online Friday because of restrictions on @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
The student group Fridays for Future , whose past rallies have drawn hundreds @ @ @ @ @ worldwide , is using a livestream to call on world leaders to act against global @ @ @ @ @ found creative ways to stage very limited demonstrations despite the lockdown .
In Berlin , @ @ @ @ @ placards in front of the German parliament .
Swedish activist Greta Thunberg , 17 , @ @ @ @ @ the youth climate movement , said Wednesday during an online Earth Day event that the @ @ @ @ @ be as immediate as the corona crisis but we need to tackle this now , @ @ @ @ @ .
”

BERLIN (AP) - Youth groups are staging a long-planned global climate demonstration online Friday because of restrictions on public protests during the coronavirus pandemic.
The student group Fridays for Future, whose past rallies have drawn hundreds of thousands onto the streets worldwide, is using a livestream to call on world leaders to act against global warming.
Some groups have found creative ways to stage very limited demonstrations despite the lockdown. In Berlin, activists placed thousands of protest placards in front of the German parliament.
Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, 17, the most prominent face of the youth climate movement, said Wednesday during an online Earth Day event that the climate crisis “may not be as immediate as the corona crisis but we need to tackle this now, otherwise it will be irreversible.”
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Fridays for Future livestream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXhR5EvR2W8


washingtontimes--2020-04-24--Pandemic forces Arctic expedition to take 3-week break

BERLIN ( AP ) - Organizers of a year-long international Arctic science expedition say they have found a way to keep going despite difficulties caused by the pandemic lockdown , but it will require a three-week break in the mission .
Germany ’ s Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Ocean Research said Friday that the expedition ship RV Polarstern will leave its position in the high Arctic , breaking through the surrounding sea ice to rendezvous with two German vessels bringing fresh supplies and crew .
The maneuver is necessary because travel restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by plane and ship from Norway impossible .
Expedition leader Markus Rex told The Associated Press that the lockdown could have scuttled the remainder of the mission .
“ For a long time it was on a knife edge and there was even a possibility that the expedition might have to be broken off , ” he said .
The 140-million-euro ( $ 158 million ) expedition set out last September with 100 scientists and crew from 17 nations on board .
Its goal is to study the impact of global warming on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to forecast how the climate will change worldwide .
Rex said expedition members will have to pause numerous scientific measurements during the three-week supply run , but that this was preferable to abandoning the mission entirely .
“ In view of the massive challenge caused by the global pandemic we ’ re very glad that we can do this , ” he said , adding that the expedition should be able to continue until October as planned .
Seven team members were flown out Wednesday using two Twin Otter aircraft from Canada , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allow for the larger crew rotation and resupply required , Rex added .

BERLIN (AP) - Organizers of a year-long international Arctic science expedition say they have found a way to keep going despite difficulties caused by the pandemic lockdown, but it will require a three-week break in the mission.
Germany’s Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Ocean Research said Friday that the expedition ship RV Polarstern will leave its position in the high Arctic next month and break through the surrounding sea ice to rendezvous with two German vessels bringing supplies and crew replacements.
The maneuver is necessary because travel restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus make a planned resupply by air or sea from Norway or Russia impossible.
Expedition leader Markus Rex told The Associated Press that the lockdown could have scuttled the remainder of the mission.
“For a long time it was on a knife edge and there was even a possibility that the expedition might have to be broken off,” he said.
The 140-million-euro ($158 million) expedition set out last September with 100 scientists and crew from 17 nations including the United States, France, China and Britain. Its goal is to study the impact of global warming on the Arctic and improve scientific models used to forecast how the climate will change worldwide.
As temperatures in the Arctic plummeted and the ocean surface froze over last fall, scientists built a research camp on the ice with the Polarstern acting as their base.
Rex said expedition members will have to pause numerous scientific measurements during the three-week supply run, but that this was preferable to abandoning the mission entirely.
“In view of the massive challenge caused by the global pandemic, we’re very glad that we can do this,” he said. If all goes well, the Polarstern will return to its research post and continue the expedition until October as planned.
Two Twin Otter aircraft that came in via Canada were able to land on the ice next to Polarstern Wednesday and pick up seven team members who urgently needed to return home, but the planes were too small to allow for the larger crew rotation and resupply required.
Rex said that new crew members who will arrive by ship to replace those currently on board Polarstern will have to spend 14 days in quarantine in the German port city of Bremerhaven first, to ensure they are coronavirus-free.
Being cut off from the rest of the world on a sea of ice has afforded those currently on the expedition small perks not possible elsewhere right now, said Rex.
“It’s one of the last human communities in the world where a hundred people can have a barbecue together,” he said.
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Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


washingtontimes--2020-04-24--Muslims begin marking a subdued Ramadan under virus closures

JAKARTA , Indonesia ( AP ) - Muslims worldwide began Ramadan on Friday with dawn-to-dusk fasting , but many will have to forgo the communal prayers and family gatherings that make the holy month special , as authorities maintain lockdowns aimed at slowing the coronavirus pandemic .
Ramadan is usually a festive season , with the daylong fast followed by lavish meals and evening get-togethers .
But this year many are confined to their homes , travel is heavily restricted and public venues like parks , malls and even mosques are shuttered .
Many are also weighed down by anxiety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resulting from the worldwide shutdowns .
“ This is too sad to be remembered in history , ” said Belm Febriansyah , a resident in the capital of Indonesia , the world ’ s most populous Muslim nation .
Jakarta is the epicenter of the outbreak in the country , which has reported more than 8,200 infections and 689 deaths .
Passenger flights and rail services have been suspended , and private cars are banned from leaving the city .
The virus causes mild to moderate symptoms in most people , who recover @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is highly contagious and can cause severe illness or death , particularly in older patients or those with underlying health problems .
Muslim-majority countries began imposing widespread restrictions in mid-March , with many cancelling Friday prayers and shuttering holy sites .
Saudi Arabia has largely locked down Mecca and Medina and halted the year-round umrah pilgrimage .
On Friday , the Saudi-led coalition said it would extend a cease-fire with Yemen ’ s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels through Ramadan .
Fighting has continued , with each side blaming the other .
Muslim-majority Malaysia extended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to May 12 , although its daily virus cases have dropped significantly in the past week .
The country now has 5,603 cases , including 95 deaths .
Malaysia ’ s Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said in a televised speech on the eve of Ramadan that the “ jihad ” against the pandemic has shown results but must continue .
Malaysia , along with neighboring Singapore and Brunei , has banned popular Ramadan bazaars , where food , drinks and clothing are sold in congested open-air markets or roadside stalls .
The bazaars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many small traders , some of whom have shifted their businesses online .
In Pakistan , Prime Minister Imran Khan has bowed to pressure from the country ’ s powerful clerical establishment and allowed mosques to remain open , even as the number of new cases has recently doubled to between 600 and 700 each day .
Some clerics have ordered their followers to pack into mosques , saying their faith will protect them .
Pakistan ’ s southern Sindh province , however , banned Ramadan prayers after the Pakistan Medical Association pleaded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A key element of Ramadan is charity , with the fast partly intended to cultivate empathy for the needy .
But many countries have imposed bans on communal meals , forcing charities to organize home deliveries instead .
In Turkey , authorities have banned the tradition of setting up tents and outdoor tables to provide free meals to the poor .
It has also forbidden drummers from going door to door to wake people up for the pre-dawn meal in exchange for tips - another Ramadan tradition .
Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be “ an excuse to relax precautions.
” “ The month of blessings should not result in illness , ” he said .
Cairo was blanketed by a sandstorm on the first day of Ramadan .
Egyptian authorities have scaled back a nightly curfew by one hour and eased restrictions on shopping malls .
But it will be a far cry from past years , when Egyptians would be out on the streets at all hours of the night , shopping and packing into sidewalk cafes .
“ It is not as joyful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cairo resident Shabaan Maghraby .
“ We hope that with the blessings and prayers that come with the holy month the pandemic will end.
” Ramadan in India , which begins on Saturday , has been marred by the rising Islamophobia following accusations that a surge in infections was tied to a three-day meeting in March in New Delhi of an Islamic missionary group , the Tablighi Jamaat .
Some leaders of India ’ s ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party labeled the meeting as “ corona terrorism.
” As a result , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threats and the boycotting of vendors who venture into Hindu-dominated neighborhoods .
The lockdown in India , the world ’ s most draconian , has multiplied their troubles .
A group of over two dozen Indian Muslim scholars have appealed to their communities to strictly follow the lockdown and pray at home .
They also asked Muslims to refrain from organizing large parties held for breaking the fast and “ taraweeh , ” the extended evening prayers traditionally held in mosques .
“ Families should use this unprecedented situation for spiritual guidance and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asking local volunteers and elders to look after the needy and destitute .
India ’ s 200 million Muslims , 14 % of the population , are the largest minority group in the Hindu-majority nation , but they are also the poorest .
Associated Press writers Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia ; Mohammed Farooq in Karachi , Pakistan ; Aijaz Hussain in Srinagar , India ; and Zeynep Bilginsoy in Istanbul , Turkey , and Joseph Krauss in Jerusalem contributed to this report .

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - Muslims worldwide began Ramadan on Friday with dawn-to-dusk fasting, but many will have to forgo the communal prayers and family gatherings that make the holy month special, as authorities maintain lockdowns aimed at slowing the coronavirus pandemic.
Ramadan is usually a festive season, with the daylong fast followed by lavish meals and evening get-togethers. But this year many are confined to their homes, travel is heavily restricted and public venues like parks, malls and even mosques are shuttered.
Many are also weighed down by anxiety about the pandemic and widespread job losses resulting from the worldwide shutdowns.
“This is too sad to be remembered in history,” said Belm Febriansyah, a resident in the capital of Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim nation.
Jakarta is the epicenter of the outbreak in the country, which has reported more than 8,200 infections and 689 deaths. Passenger flights and rail services have been suspended, and private cars are banned from leaving the city.
Mosques in Indonesia’s deeply conservative Aceh province were packed, however, after its top clerical body ruled that it is not a “red zone” area and that prayers could continue. The province is governed by Islamic law under an autonomy agreement.
The virus causes mild to moderate symptoms in most people, who recover within a few weeks. But it is highly contagious and can cause severe illness or death, particularly in older patients or those with underlying health problems.
Muslim-majority countries began imposing widespread restrictions in mid-March, with many cancelling Friday prayers and shuttering holy sites. Saudi Arabia has largely locked down Mecca and Medina and halted the year-round umrah pilgrimage.
The Saudi-led coalition said it would extend a unilateral a cease-fire with Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels through Ramadan. Fighting has continued, with each side blaming the other. The Houthi military spokesman, Yehia Sarea, accused the coalition of several violations on Friday, including 35 airstrikes, mostly on the strategic central province of Marib.
Muslim-majority Malaysia extended its own lockdown by two more weeks to May 12, although its daily virus cases have dropped significantly in the past week. The country now has 5,603 cases, including 95 deaths.
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said in a televised speech on the eve of Ramadan that the “jihad,” or holy war, against the pandemic has shown results but must continue.
Malaysia, along with neighboring Singapore and Brunei, has banned popular Ramadan bazaars, where food, drinks and clothing are sold in congested open-air markets or roadside stalls. The bazaars are a key source of income for many small traders, some of whom have shifted their businesses online.
In Pakistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan has bowed to pressure from the country’s powerful clerical establishment and allowed mosques to remain open, even as the number of new cases has recently doubled to between 600 and 700 each day. Some clerics have ordered their followers to pack into mosques, saying their faith will protect them.
Pakistan’s southern Sindh province, however, banned Ramadan prayers after the Pakistan Medical Association pleaded with authorities to close mosques nationwide.
A key element of Ramadan is charity, with the fast partly intended to cultivate empathy for the needy. But many countries have imposed bans on communal meals, forcing charities to organize home deliveries instead.
In Turkey, authorities have banned the tradition of setting up tents and outdoor tables to provide free meals to the poor. It has also forbidden drummers from going door to door to wake people up for the pre-dawn meal in exchange for tips - another Ramadan tradition.
Last month, Turkey also banned communal prayers in mosques. Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted that the month of Ramadan should not be “an excuse to relax precautions.”
“The month of blessings should not result in illness,” he said.
In Istanbul, Esat Sahin, the chief imam at Fatih Mosque, said it’s a very “lonely situation.”
“Our mosques are deprived of their congregation, like a child who has been orphaned,” he said. “Our hearts are very heavy because of this.”
In war-ravaged Afghanistan, lockdowns have compounded the suffering of the poor.
“The landlord wants rent and the children ask for food, and I don’t have answers for any of them,” Ahmed Shah said as he stood outside a supermarket with a one-wheeled cart, hoping to make money by helping people with their groceries.
Ismatullah, another Kabul resident, said he and his family of five had some bread and tea before the start of the fast. “We do not have anything for tonight,” he said.
More than 1,300 people have tested positive in Afghanistan, and 43 have died.
Ramadan in India, which begins on Saturday, has been marred by the rising Islamophobia following accusations that a surge in infections was tied to a three-day meeting in March in New Delhi of an Islamic missionary group, the Tablighi Jamaat.
Some leaders of India’s ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party labeled the meeting as “corona terrorism.” As a result, many Muslims have faced renewed stigma, threats and the boycotting of vendors who venture into Hindu-dominated neighborhoods.
The lockdown in India, the world’s most draconian, has multiplied their troubles.
A group of over two dozen Indian Muslim scholars have appealed to their communities to strictly follow the lockdown and pray at home. They also asked Muslims to refrain from organizing large parties held for breaking the fast and “taraweeh,” the extended evening prayers traditionally held in mosques.
“Families should use this unprecedented situation for spiritual guidance and purification,” they said, while asking local volunteers and elders to look after the needy and destitute.
India’s 200 million Muslims, 14% of the population, are the largest minority group in the Hindu-majority nation, but they are also the poorest.
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Associated Press writers Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Mohammed Farooq in Karachi, Pakistan; Aijaz Hussain in Srinagar, India; Zeynep Bilginsoy and Mehmet Guzel in Istanbul, Turkey; Tameem Akhgar in Kabul, Afghanistan, and Joseph Krauss in Jerusalem contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-04-24--N.C. woman sentenced for impersonating FBI Agent on date

CHARLOTTE , N.C. ( AP ) - A North Carolina woman was sentenced to three years in prison for impersonating @ @ @ @ @ online dating site , and on a date .
Riane Brownlee , who identified herself @ @ @ @ @ posed in a dating profile with a fake FBI badge and a stolen gun , @ @ @ @ @ Office for the Western District of North Carolina said Thursday in a news release .
@ @ @ @ @ various charges , including identity theft .
The day she got arrested in February 2019 @ @ @ @ @ she was working as an undercover agent in a drug case without the awareness of @ @ @ @ @ record paints a picture of a person who will not be stopped from stealing people @ @ @ @ @ falsehoods to get what she wants , ” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Kaufmann .
@ @ @ @ @ , was also driving a stolen car when she got arrested .

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - A North Carolina woman was sentenced to three years in prison for impersonating an FBI agent on an online dating site, and on a date.
Riane Brownlee, who identified herself as Agent Alexandria Mancini, posed in a dating profile with a fake FBI badge and a stolen gun, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina said Thursday in a news release.
Brownlee had prior convictions on various charges, including identity theft. The day she got arrested in February 2019, she told a date she was working as an undercover agent in a drug case without the awareness of law enforcement.
“Her record paints a picture of a person who will not be stopped from stealing people’s identity and using falsehoods to get what she wants,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Kaufmann.
Authorities said Brownlee, 39, was also driving a stolen car when she got arrested.