freedomdaily--2020-05-06--Out with the old: Coronavirus highlights why we need new names for aging

Although largely unnoticed by mainstream media , something significant has happened with the rise of COVID-19 : the marginalization of older Americans .
Scorn for elders is now on full display .
Some blame them for the shelter-in-place guidelines .
Some even say they should be offered up as a sacrifice for the good of the country .
But the coronavirus affects everyone .
It ’ s true that hospitalization and mortality rates increase with age , but a March report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows young adults take up more ICU beds than the very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic ensues .
However , it highlights the potential issues in ageist assumptions .
So why portray only older adults as vulnerable ?
This is hardly the first time they have been diminished .
Geezer , hag , crotchety , over-the-hill , coffin dodger , grumpy old man – these are stock phrases used to describe older adults , even by older adults themselves .
One example : Donald Trump , age 73 , commenting on “ Sleepy Joe ” Biden , age 77 .
There is a consequence .
Words – positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are powerful .
They have tremendous impact .
Our society no longer accepts the use of similarly degrading terms when identifying other demographic groups .
Whether it ’ s gender , sex , race , religion , ethnicity – when people verbally discriminate in these domains , social norms are breached .
Invariably , there ’ s a strong and loud response .
Would we be so quick to victimize older adults if our language lifted them up rather than regularly put them down ?
We don ’ t think so .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Southern California .
We ask anyone who considers themselves polite , socially aware and considerate of others to rethink the common , casual use of the stereotypical phrases that refer to age .
Many people do value and respect the experience of older adults , of course ; only by being aware of the implications of our word choices and behaviors can we start to adjust our prejudices .
Discriminating against our future selves Aging is something we will all experience , if we ’ re lucky .
Yet ageism is arguably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prejudice .
Indeed , the World Health Organization ( WHO ) believes ageism may be more pervasive than sexism or racism .
Research clearly shows negative attitudes about aging when you ’ re older can damage your health and well-being , even impact your mortality .
Whose lives are we cutting short ?
Our parents , grandparents , the aging co-worker ?
And what makes this particular prejudice so pernicious : everyone will be exposed to it as they go through life .
Ageism is ingrained into American society .
Advertising bombards us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , some that we send to family and loved ones , use blatantly ageist images and language .
Prime time and late night television seek cheap laughs with skits that emphasize frailty , confusion , and memory problems .
Many theatrical movies do much the same ( “ Bad Grandpa ” is one ) .
The writers and performers , out to entertain young audiences , gain fame at the expense of “ those unappealing others.
” Because ageist words have so easily slipped into the vernacular , they shape our attitudes toward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time we re-experience these attitudes in the media .
Maybe when we ’ re young or even middle-aged , we tend not to notice .
But when our hair turns gray , when wrinkles appear deeper and eyesight noticeably deteriorates , we begin to understand .
We start to notice the stereotypes .
Now , the joke is on us .
When we fully acknowledge our membership in the older population , we then take on the stereotypes associated with them .
This is a double whammy .
Putting the stereotypes on display @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It further cements the prevailing attitude .
And it reinforces our own negative perceptions about aging , something we then eventually transfer to ourselves .
The anti-aging market makes billions by encouraging these stereotypes .
We are told to mask age-related changes : hair dye , implants , botox , topical creams , cosmetic surgery .
When we buy these products and services , we feed a greedy business thriving on our insecurities .
So does it really matter ?
Do our negative references to older people do harm ?
Is it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an older person ’ s appearance ?
Well , in a word , yes .
Discriminatory attitudes drown workforce composition and opportunity for everyone .
Those over 50 find it hardest to reenter the workforce , whether following a planned or unplanned exit .
Those workers are also more likely to face discrimination , particularly with promotions .
An uneven playing field is created ; the older workforce is deskilled .
This means older people will earn less , save less , and have less money for retirement .
Words can motivate change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can push us in the wrong direction .
When we say someone “ looks good for their age , ” or register surprise that they ’ re still working , we consider it a compliment .
But why not say they simply look good ?
Or acknowledge their position in the workforce without acknowledging their age ?
Language has a deep and profound impact , yet we use it flippantly .
Stereotyped words promote ageism , prioritize youth , and prevent us from making the changes needed in our communities as we all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an insult or fuel for laughter ; it ’ s an accomplishment worthy of words of praise .
With lives and livelihoods at stake , let ’ s stop the name calling .
[ You ’ re smart and curious about the world .
So are The Conversation ’ s authors and editors .
You can get our highlights each weekend . ]
The authors do not work for , consult , own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article , and have disclosed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .


freedomdaily--2020-05-06--Remdesivir explained – what makes this drug work against viruses?

With the FDA approving Gilead ’ s Remdesivir as an emergency use treatment for the most acute cases of COVID-19 , many people are wondering what type of a drug it is .
Remdesivir is a member of one of the oldest and most important classes of drugs – known as nucleoside analogue .
Currently there are more than 30 of these types of drugs that have been approved for use in treating viruses , cancers , parasites , as well as bacterial and fungal infections , with many more currently in clinical and preclinical trials .
I am a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and synthesis of these important drug treatments for over 30 years .
I have written numerous reviews over the years about these drugs and their structure and function , and as a result have had many inquiries lately from friends , family and others not in the field asking me to explain what exactly is it about Remdesivir that makes it so effective , but also why it is so interesting .
Understanding why means digging into the biochemistry of this class of drugs .
The reason nucleoside analogues and a similar group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they resemble the naturally occurring molecules known as nucleosides – cytidine , thymidine , uridine , guanosine and adenosine .
These are the essential building blocks for the DNA and RNA that carry our genetic information and play critical roles in our body ’ s biological processes .
Slight differences in the chemical structure of these analogues from naturally occurring compounds make them effective as drugs .
If an organism like a virus incorporates a nucleoside analogue into its genetic material , rather than the real thing , even small changes to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the regular chemistry from happening and ultimately foils the ability of the virus to replicate .
The basic structure of a nucleoside includes a sugar group and a base ( A , C , G , T or U ) , and in the case of a nucleotide , a group containing a phosphate which is a collection of oxygen and phosphorus atoms .
The first nucleoside analogues were approved for medicinal use in the 1950s .
The early nucleosides had only simple modifications , typically either to the sugar or the base @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as Remdesivir , typically have several modifications to their structure .
These modifications are essential to their therapeutic activity .
How does Remdesivir work as antiviral therapeutic ?
This activity occurs because nucleoside/tide analogues mimic the structure of a natural nucleoside or nucleotide such that they are recognized by , for example , viruses .
Due to those structural modifications , however , they stop or interrupt viral replication , which stops the virus from multiplying and infecting more cells in the body .
As a result , they are known as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case for Remdesivir , which works by blocking the coronavirus ’ s RNA polymerase – one of the key enzymes that this virus needs to replicate its genetic material ( RNA ) and proliferate in our bodies .
Remdesivir works when the enzyme replicating the genetic material for a new generation of viruses accidentally grabs this nucleoside analogue rather than the natural molecule and incorporates it into the growing RNA strand .
Doing this essentially blocks the rest of the RNA from being replicated ; this in turn prevents the virus from multiplying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ altered version of the natural building block adenosine – which is essential for DNA and RNA .
Comparing the structure of Remdesivir with adenosine , one can see there are three key modifications that make it effective .
The first is that Remdesivir , as it is administered , is not the actual active drug ; it is actually a “ prodrug , ” meaning it must be modified once in the body before it becomes an active drug .
Prodrugs are used for many reasons , including protecting a drug until it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ active form of Remdesivir contains three phosphate groups ; it is this form that is recognized by the virus ’ s RNA polymerase enzyme .
The second important modification on Remdesivir is the carbon-nitrogen ( CN ) group attached to the sugar .
Once Remdesivir is incorporated into the RNA growing chain , the presence of this CN group causes the shape of the sugar to pucker , which , in turn , distorts the shape of the RNA strand such that only three more nucleotides can be added .
This terminates the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what ultimately sabotages the replication of the virus .
The third important structural feature which makes Remdesivir differ from adenosine is the change of one particular chemical bond on the molecule .
Rather than a bond linking a carbon and nitrogen atoms , chemists replaced the nitrogen with another carbon , creating a carbon-carbon bond .
This is critical to the success of this drug because coronaviruses have a special enzyme that recognizes unnatural nucleosides and clips them out .
But by changing this chemical bond , Remdesivir can not be removed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the growing chain and block replication .
Remdesivir originally was found during a drug discovery program at Gilead to search for inhibitors of the hepatitis C virus , which is another RNA virus .
Although Gilead ultimately selected a different nucleoside analogue for treatment of hepatitis the company tested the drug to see if it was effective against other RNA viruses .
Remdesivir exhibited potent activity against Ebola and Middle Eastern respiratory virus , among others .
Now the drug is being tested against the SAR-CoV-2 virus in the first clinical trial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the NIH , patients who received Remdesivir had a faster recovery compared to those who received placebo ; 11 days compared with 15 days for those who received the placebo .
“ Results also suggested a survival benefit , with a mortality rate of 8.0 % for the group receiving Remdesivir versus 11.6 % for the placebo group , ” according to the NIH press release .
While these results are preliminary , there are a plethora of clinical trials underway across the world .
Regardless , a certain amount of caution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Anthony Fauci on NBC ’ s “ Today ” show , “ the antiviral drug Remdesivir is the first step in what we project will be better and better drugs coming along ” to treat COVID-19 , but cautioned , “ This is not the total answer.
” I share this view with many other scientists in the field .
No matter what those results ultimately show , Remdesivir will mostly certainly be part of a cocktail of drugs , just as is standard for treating other viruses such as HIV and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , of drugs will provide a more effective and more complete therapy that blocks the virus from replicating .
The other benefit of such a drug cocktail is that it lowers the chance the virus will develop resistance to the therapy .
In the meantime , these early results for Remdesivir are proving to be an important source of hope for many of us across the world as we wait for this pandemic to subside .
[ You need to understand the coronavirus pandemic , and we can help .
Read The Conversation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Seley-Radtke has previously consulted for Gilead Sciences and owns Gilead Sciences stock .
She currently receives funding from the National Institutes of Health ( NIH ) , the National Institute of General Medicine ( NIGMS ) , the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases ( NIAID ) .
She is the President-elect of the International Society for Antiviral Research ( ISAR ) and is the Secretary and former President of the International Society of Nucleosides , Nucleotides & Nucleic Acids ( IS3NA ) , both non-profit scientific professional societies .

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freedomdaily--2020-05-06--Coronavirus tests are pretty accurate, but far from perfect

Widespread testing for the SARS-CoV-2 virus is important to both slow the virus and gain information about how widespread it is in the U.S .
But a second aspect of testing has gotten less attention : accuracy .
It ’ s surprisingly hard to determine how accurate a coronavirus test is , identify the cause of any inaccuracies and understand how inaccuracies affect the data public health officials use to make decisions .
There are two main types of test in use .
The first is a reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction test , or RT-PCR .
This is the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently infected with SARS-CoV-2 .
It works by detecting viral RNA in a person ’ s cells – most often collected from their nose .
The second test being used is called a serological or antibody test .
This test looks at a person ’ s blood to see if they ’ ve produced antibodies for the coronavirus .
If a test finds these antibodies , it means a person was infected and made antibodies in response .
Hearing that some tests for the coronavirus are only about 70 % accurate can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who studies viruses , and a lot of people are asking me what this inaccuracy means and why the tests aren ’ t better .
The accuracy of a medical test is determined by measuring two things : sensitivity and specificity .
A sensitive test will correctly identify people with the disease .
Sensitivity measures correct positive results .
If a test is 90 % sensitive , it will correctly identify 90 % of people who are infected – called a true positive .
However , 10 % of people who are infected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ result – they have the virus , but the test said they don ’ t .
A specific test will accurately identify people without the disease .
Specificity measures correct negatives .
If a test is 90 % specific , it will correctly identify 90 % of people who are not infected – registering a true negative .
However , 10 % of people who are not infected will test positive for the virus and receive a false positive .
RT-PCR tests are considered the gold standard for detecting many viruses , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Researchers at the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics , a nonprofit research center in Geneva , tested five COVID-19 RT-PCR tests and found that all five achieved 100 % sensitivity on positive samples , and at least 96 % specificity on negative samples in a laboratory setting .
In the real world , testing conditions and process are far from perfect , and accuracy suffers .
Researchers still don ’ t know what the real-world false positive rate is , but clinical sensitivity of RT-PCR tests ranges from 66 % to 80 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three infected people who are tested will receive false negative results .
Most experts believe that problems with sample collection are the main culprit behind inaccurate testing .
False negative results are likely occurring because health care providers aren ’ t collecting samples with enough of the virus for the tests to detect .
This can happen because someone doesn ’ t insert a swab deep enough in the nose or doesn ’ t collect enough of the sample .
False negatives could occur if a person is tested too early or too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t a lot of virus in their cells .
And finally , errors can happen if a sample sits too long before being tested , which allows the viral RNA to break down .
This relatively high risk of false negatives is why doctors don ’ t just rely on a test to determine if a person has the coronavirus .
If a person presents with classic symptoms of COVID-19 and is in an area with an outbreak , doctors will often diagnose a person with the disease is spite of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but need to be exceptional While RT-PCR is the gold standard due to its accuracy , the slow speed and difficulty of sample collection are weaknesses .
In contrast , tests looking for signs of the virus in blood – called serological tests – can give results in less than an hour and require only a simple finger prick .
These tests look for evidence of an immune response to the virus – not the virus itself – by testing for antibodies that fight the coronavirus in a person ’ s blood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the “ first responder ” antibodies – IgM ( immunoglobulin–M ) – that appear about a week after infection , as well as longer-lasting IgG ( immunoglobulin–G ) antibodies that are produced two to four weeks after infection .
Recently , researchers from the University of California ( UC ) compared 10 serological tests .
The sensitivity of the tests was mostly above 90 % , but specificity is more important when checking for evidence of past infection .
Although this hasn ’ t been proven for SARS-CoV-2 , antibodies , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
False positives then would tell a person they are safe when they aren ’ t .
The study has not been peer-reviewed yet ; however , the authors report that most of the kits were 95 % -99 % specific , meaning there would be less than a 5 % false positive rate .
While this seems like very good news , if SARS-CoV-2 infections are rare in a population , a false positive rate of 5 % could limit a test ’ s usefulness .
If only 5 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a test with 95 % specificity would result in a 50 % chance of a false positive .
Several of the tests had clinical specificities over 98 % , and one of the authors of the UC paper called those tests “ critical for reopening society.
” But some experts have criticized the optimistic tone of the study .
If only 5 % of the population have antibodies , a test with 99 % specificity still produces 16 % false positive results .
It takes one to two weeks for a patient to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there may not be enough antibodies in the blood to be detected by a serological test if it ’ s taken too soon after infection .
This also means these tests should not be the main test used to diagnose someone with a current infection .
According to the World Health Organization , it is possible that the current antibody tests may cross-react with other human coronaviruses , resulting in false positives .
Another potential issue is that asymptomatic people and those with mild symptoms may produce fewer antibodies to the virus than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test that can accurately detect antibodies in severely ill patients may be less able to identify patients with fewer antibodies in their blood .
Much like the RT-PCR tests , this would result in false negatives .
Finally , another reason for the high false positive rates is that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration requirements were relaxed to allow rapid development of antibody tests .
Companies are now allowed to sell tests without first having their data evaluated by the FDA .
Neither the PCR nor serological tests are perfect , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and offer incredibly valuable information to medical professionals , public health experts and the people that get tested .
Even with the current uncertainties , at this time our primary challenge isn ’ t the accuracy of the tests but the fact that not enough people are being tested .
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Maureen Ferran does not work for , consult , own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment .


freedomdaily--2020-05-06--A mysterious illness is striking children amid the coronavirus pandemic – but is it Kawasaki disease

A mysterious illness is striking children amid the coronavirus pandemic – but is it Kawasaki disease?

Critically ill children have been ending up in intensive care units with shock-like symptoms in recent weeks , adding yet another mysterious layer to the coronavirus pandemic .
New York health officials began issuing alerts on May 4 , describing young patients , ages 2-15 , with inflammation in multiple organ systems and features of Kawasaki disease , a childhood illness of unclear origin .
They raised the count to 64 suspected cases on May 6 .
A few days earlier , officials in the United Kingdom notified doctors of similar cases there , also describing them as having features @ @ @ @ @ @ @ syndrome .
Several of the children had tested positive for COVID-19 .
Drawing connections to Kawasaki disease , however , may be premature .
Although there are some similarities between the illnesses , there are also many differences .
My clinical practice is as a pediatric infectious disease physician .
I also do biomedical research using the body ’ s immune responses , particularly the antibodies produced , to help find the cause of illness and to help design vaccines .
Our group has been collecting samples from Kawasaki disease cases for years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responded to the call for researchers and began developing tests to assess the antibody response during COVID-19 .
When we started on this path , I did not think these interests would overlap so directly .
However , with recent reports of certain COVID-19 cases looking like Kawasaki disease , we are now running tests to see if there is a similar immune response between COVID-19 and Kawasaki disease cases .
Kawasaki disease is an inflammatory condition in children who develop a prolonged fever , inflammation of the mouth and lips , rash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , inflamed eyes , and lymph node swelling that typically is only on one side of the neck .
There can also be incomplete cases that do not have all these symptoms .
Kawasaki disease can have serious consequences : Roughly one-quarter of children diagnosed with it will have inflammation in the vessels that feed the heart , and rarely children will present with heart attacks or shock and need prolonged intensive care .
Unfortunately , we don ’ t know what causes Kawasaki disease .
A litany of viruses , bacteria , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the past , including other members of the coronavirus family .
Despite not knowing what causes Kawasaki disease , we have found that timely treatments with pooled human antibody preparations – intravenous immunoglobulin , or IVIG – can significantly reduce the heart vessel inflammation .
For the new COVID-19-associated cases showing a significant inflammatory response , many of the reports reflected in the media and public health announcements have not been published in medical journals .
Instead , details have been shared among the medical community in conference calls , message boards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I know of describing Kawasaki disease associated with COVID-19 has been published .
This case , like many of the cases being discussed informally , had no cardiac vessel involvement and lacked a number of clinical symptoms of classic Kawasaki disease .
Some overlap , but different symptoms There are a number of reasons why the new COVID-19-associated inflammatory disorder and Kawasaki disease seem to be different entities .
Although there is some overlap , these COVID-19-associated cases have fairly different laboratory results .
There also tends to be more severe abdominal pain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than would be usual for Kawasaki disease .
The impact on the patient ’ s heart is focused more on the vessels in Kawasaki disease .
The COVID-19-associated cases , in comparison , are globally dysfunctional with only a few describing any vessel inflammation .
The ages and locations of the described new cases are also not typical for Kawasaki disease .
Many of the children with severe COVID-19-associated shock are outside the typical age range for Kawasaki disease , which primarily targets children under 7 .
The annual case count of Kawasaki @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries , particularly in Japan , where it is roughly 10 times the rate in North America .
I would have expected an association to be described during the first reports of the pandemic , but informal reports from Japan and China don ’ t appear to describe this severe inflammation in children .
That being said , some children with Kawasaki disease will test positive for the new coronavirus .
In North America , there are estimated to be 5,000-6,000 annual cases of Kawasaki disease .
Overlaying more than 1 million cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there will be some overlap .
What we still need to learn Reports about these new pediatric COVID-19-associated cases are very preliminary .
We will learn more as research and details about ongoing and future cases are compiled by the medical community and published for more complete review .
Perhaps studying these new cases will shed much needed light on the cause of Kawasaki disease , a disorder that has perplexed pediatricians for a half-century .
As both conditions appear to incite a large inflammatory response in certain children , continued research is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the new COVID-19-associated cases and the “ what causes it ” for Kawasaki disease .
States such as New York are making the right move by formally gathering data on severely inflamed children during this pandemic , as proper treatments for these new COVID-19-associated cases need to be found .
This article was updated with new numbers from the New York Department of Health .
[ You ’ re smart and curious about the world .
So are The Conversation ’ s authors and editors .
You can get our highlights each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work for , consult , own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article , and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment .


freedomdaily--2020-05-07--House Intel Releases 53 Transcripts From Russia Probe

The House Intelligence Committee on Thursday released transcripts of 53 interviews conducted as part of the panel ’ s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election .
Chairman Adam Schiff released the documents , which total more than 6,000 pages , after an intense pressure campaign from House Republicans and Richard Grenell , the acting director of national intelligence .
The committee had voted in September 2018 to release the transcripts , which were conducted with Obama administration officials , Trump associates , and various other individuals .
Sources familiar with the documents have told The Daily Caller News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe , former director of national intelligence James Clapper , and former Obama national security adviser Susan Rice contain interesting revelations .
The committee also interviewed Michael Sussmann and Marc Elias , two lawyers who commissioned the infamous Steele dossier on behalf of the Clinton campaign and DNC .
The committee interviewed several Trump associates , including Steve Bannon , Roger Stone , his son-in-law Jared Kushner , and his son , Donald Trump Jr .
The committee released a report on April 27 , 2018 that said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian government .
The special counsel ’ s office arrived at the same conclusion following its investigation , according to a report released on April 18 , 2019 .
The interviews can be found here .
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freedomdaily--2020-05-07--BREAKING: DOJ Drops Case Against Michael Flynn

The Justice Department dropped its case against former national security adviser Michael Flynn on Thursday , the Associated Press reported .
Flynn pleaded guilty on Dec. 1 , 2017 to making false statements to the FBI during an interview on Jan. 24 , 2017 .
The decision comes after the Justice Department found FBI documents related to the Flynn investigation that Flynn ’ s lawyers say are evidence that investigators set a perjury trap for the retired lieutenant general .
Flynn broke his silence in his case on Jan. 29 , 2020 , saying in a court filing that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he “ regret [ s ] ” pleading guilty in his case .
He said he entered the plea deal because prosecutors had threatened to prosecute his son .
The FBI turned over a Jan. 4 , 2017 memo which recommended closing a counterintelligence investigation into whether Flynn was working as a Russian agent .
Peter Strzok , the deputy chief of counterintelligence , intervened to keep the case open .
Prosecutors also provided Flynn ’ s lawyers with a handwritten note from Jan. 24 , 2017 , in which Bill Priestap @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interview was to get him to lie to the FBI .
Brandon Van Grack , a lead prosecutor on the Flynn case , withdrew from the case earlier on Thursday .
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freedomdaily--2020-05-07--DOJ Official Abruptly Withdraws From Michael Flynn Case

A top Justice Department official abruptly withdrew Thursday from the case against Michael Flynn , the former national security adviser .
Brandon Van Grack , who is chief of the Justice Department ’ s Foreign Agents Registration Act unit , notified the U.S. District Court of Washington , D.C. , through a court filing that he is withdrawing from the case .
Van Grack , who worked on the special counsel ’ s Russia investigation , did not give a reason for his withdrawal , but it came after a series of revelations that call into question the FBI ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the retired lieutenant general have accused Van Grack and other prosecutors of withholding evidence that they said shows that FBI agents set a “ perjury trap ” for Flynn .
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
Flynn pleaded guilty on Dec. 1 , 2017 , to lying in an interview with FBI agents on Jan. 24 , 2017 , regarding his conversations in December 2016 with Sergey Kislyak , the Russian ambassador to the United States .
Flynn has since sought to withdraw from the plea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 29 court filing that he “ regret [ s ] ” pleading guilty , and that he did not lie to the FBI .
Flynn ’ s legal team has pressed the Justice Department to provide documents related to the FBI ’ s investigation of Flynn .
Attorney General William Barr appointed another federal prosecutor , Jeffrey B. Jensen , a U.S. attorney in St. Louis , to review the Flynn probe .
Jensen ’ s review turned up several FBI documents that shows top bureau officials discussing how to handle the Flynn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those documents is an FBI memo from Jan. 4 , 2017 , that shows that the Washington Field Office was poised to close down a counterintelligence investigation against Flynn after finding no evidence that he was working as an agent of Russia .
Peter Strzok , the deputy chief of FBI counterintelligence , intervened to stop the FBI from closing the case .
Flynn ’ s team was also provided with a handwritten memo dated Jan. 24 , 2017 , in which an FBI official questioned whether the goal of a White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him to lie ” during an interview with Strzok .
“ What is our goal ?
Truth/Admission or to get him to lie so we can prosecute him or get him fired ?
” Bill Priestap , the chief of FBI counterintelligence , wrote in the memo .
Van Grack ’ s maneuver bears some similarity to the sudden resignations of four prosecutors in the case against Roger Stone on Feb. 11 .
The four prosecutors withdrew from Stone ’ s case after the Justice Department intervened to modify a prison term recommendation @ @ @ @ @ @


freedomdaily--2020-05-07--Touching the asteroid Ryugu revealed secrets of its surface and changing orbit

On Feb. 21 , 2019 , we shot an asteroid .
More precisely , the Hayabusa2 spacecraft , built and operated by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency , or JAXA , fired a 5-gram metal projectile into the surface of the near-Earth asteroid Ryugu , a spinning-top-shaped body about 1 kilometer across and some 350 million kilometers from Earth .
This projectile disrupted the surface of the asteroid , allowing Hayabusa2 to capture some of the lofted material and tuck it safely away on board .
Having departed from Ryugu in November 2019 , Hayabusa2 is expected to fly past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ samples in a reentry capsule for detailed analyses in labs across the world .
In a new paper published in Science , the Hayabusa2 team reports on their observations of the sampling process itself , and what measurements of Ryugu ’ s surface generally can tell us of its evolution .
These observations paint a remarkable story of a cosmic traveler that traveled from the main asteroid belt , taking a short-lived excursion near the Sun , before ultimately settling into an orbit in our neighborhood as a near-Earth asteroid .
I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m fascinated by why planetary bodies look the way they do .
By understanding better how and why Ryugu gained its current appearance , we ’ ll have a more comprehensive model for how solar system bodies form and develop – including common , “ C-type ” carbonaceous asteroids , of which Ryugu is one .
The new paper describes how some parts of Ryugu are “ bluer ” and others are “ redder.
” These terms relate to subtle variations in color of the asteroid surface across the visible spectrum .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and poles of the asteroid are bluer , whereas the midlatitudes are redder .
Intriguingly , this color difference may be tied to age – or , rather , how long material is directly exposed to space .
That ’ s because exposed surfaces are darkened and reddened by space weathering – bombardment by micrometeorites , solar and cosmic particles – and heating by the Sun , which is the primary mechanism for Ryugu .
When Hayabusa2 fired its projectile from a distance of about a meter , and then its thrusters to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cloud of redder , dark pebbles and fine grains blew outward before falling back onto the surface .
The mission team concluded that these particles , originally only on the exposed surfaces of boulders , landed all over the sampling site , turning it from a slightly blue color to slightly red .
This observation offered the team an insight into the latitudinal “ stripes ” on Ryugu .
Exposed material , reddened by the Sun and by space weathering , slowly moves under the asteroid ’ s weak gravity from the topographically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ low midlatitudes .
This movement exposes fresher , bluer material at the equator and poles and deposits the reddened material in between .
What I found most exciting was that , from the analysis of the size and colors of craters on Ryugu , the Hayabusa2 team concluded that at some point the asteroid must have been closer to the Sun that it is now .
That would explain the amount of reddening of the surface .
Using two different models for calculating the age of craters , the team estimated that this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eight million years ago or as recently as 300,000 years ago – a mere blink of an eye , cosmologically speaking .
These crater statistics , based on images collected by Hayabusa2 , even show that the age of the overall asteroid surface itself is likely no more than around 17 million years , much younger than the time when the main-belt parent asteroids of Ryugu are thought to have broken apart , which happened hundreds of millions to over a billion years ago .
And so it is that the simple act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into a rather unremarkable asteroid has revealed a detailed story of that asteroid ’ s life , from formation , through its journey across the inner solar system , to the processes that continue to shape its surface today .
That we can learn so much from visiting an asteroid and characterizing its surface is astonishing .
What more will we learn when we get those samples back next year ?
[ Insight , in your inbox each day .
You can get it with The Conversation ’ s email newsletter . ]
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , consult , own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article , and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment .


freedomdaily--2020-05-07--Is it safe to visit your mother on Mother’s Day? A doctor offers a decision checklist

As a physician , mother , daughter and socially responsible human , I ’ m finding Mother ’ s Day to be complicated for me this year , as it is for millions .
Questions of whether and how to see my adult children and my own elderly mother present medical and ethical quandaries .
As an associate professor of family medicine with a focus on wellness , as Mother ’ s Day approaches , I ’ d like to share with you my thinking about this using some tools to aid discernment .
Wouldn ’ t it be great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were ever an easy decision to make ?
However , the answer is rarely that simple .
This year , in the midst of a global pandemic and the need to continue to practice social distancing , the decision is even more complex than usual .
I have come up with a Mother ’ s Day matrix to help you decide how to safely celebrate in a fact-based and safe manner .
This matrix weighs the many factors to consider , specifically related to the pandemic .
Assessing your personal risk is one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or is your mother in a high-risk group ?
Presence of chronic disease or age over 65 are two major risks .
You can check this Centers for Disease Control and Prevention link for more specific details .
Besides your specific personal risks , are either of you in repeated contact with the public through your job ?
Have you been exposed to a carrier ?
Are young children , who can be asymptomatic carriers , in the picture ?
If any of these questions is answered with a yes , it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an in-person visit .
If all are no , you can proceed to the next part of the matrix .
Are you in a high-prevalence area for coronavirus , such as New York City ?
If you are in a sparsely populated area with low regional prevalence , it makes more sense to consider an in-person visit than if you ( or she ) live in midtown Manhattan .
Check your local prevalence here .
If neither of you is at elevated risk , and you are not in an extremely high-prevalence area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you see each other in person without violating any orders ?
Here is a state-by-state list of restrictions .
Remember that the U.S. borders with Canada and Mexico are closed , and that nonessential domestic travel is strongly discouraged .
Obviously , any need to travel must enter the matrix calculation .
Finally , can your in-person visit follow social distancing recommendations ?
Can you be six feet apart – ideally , outdoors – wash hands frequently and avoid physical contact ?
Remember , it may be tough not to hug , especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If so , finally , you need to examine your own and your mother ’ s risk tolerance .
If either of you is extremely anxious , stick to virtual connection .
Love and gratitude , while ideally communicated in person , can still be expressed virtually or by phone .
You may overtly acknowledge that the greater act of love for each other , as well as your community , is to stay home .
These days we have been asked to reexamine what “ normal ” looks like in so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for reflection afforded by the pandemic , as well as the restrictions imposed , will teach us to honor our loved ones in many small ways throughout the year .
The gift of attention – by phone , email or snail mail – is always possible .
And remember that Father ’ s Day is June 21 , and it would be a good idea to consider the same issues then .
[ Like what you ’ ve read ?
Want more ?
Sign up for The Conversation ’ s daily newsletter .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , consult , own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article , and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment .


freedomdaily--2020-05-07--Is is safe to visit your mother on Mother’s Day? A doctor offers a decision checklist

As a physician , mother , daughter and socially responsible human , I ’ m finding Mother ’ s Day to be complicated for me this year , as it is for millions .
Questions of whether and how to see my adult children and my own elderly mother present medical and ethical quandaries .
As an associate professor of family medicine with a focus on wellness , as Mother ’ s Day approaches , I ’ d like to share with you my thinking about this using some tools to aid discernment .
Wouldn ’ t it be great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were ever an easy decision to make ?
However , the answer is rarely that simple .
This year , in the midst of a global pandemic and the need to continue to practice social distancing , the decision is even more complex than usual .
I have come up with a Mother ’ s Day matrix to help you decide how to safely celebrate in a fact-based and safe manner .
This matrix weighs the many factors to consider , specifically related to the pandemic .
Assessing your personal risk is one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or is your mother in a high-risk group ?
Presence of chronic disease or age over 65 are two major risks .
You can check this Centers for Disease Control and Prevention link for more specific details .
Besides your specific personal risks , are either of you in repeated contact with the public through your job ?
Have you been exposed to a carrier ?
Are young children , who can be asymptomatic carriers , in the picture ?
If any of these questions is answered with a yes , it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an in-person visit .
If all are no , you can proceed to the next part of the matrix .
Are you in a high-prevalence area for coronavirus , such as New York City ?
If you are in a sparsely populated area with low regional prevalence , it makes more sense to consider an in-person visit than if you ( or she ) live in midtown Manhattan .
Check your local prevalence here .
If neither of you is at elevated risk , and you are not in an extremely high-prevalence area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you see each other in person without violating any orders ?
Here is a state-by-state list of restrictions .
Remember that the U.S. borders with Canada and Mexico are closed , and that nonessential domestic travel is strongly discouraged .
Obviously , any need to travel must enter the matrix calculation .
Finally , can your in-person visit follow social distancing recommendations ?
Can you be six feet apart – ideally , outdoors – wash hands frequently and avoid physical contact ?
Remember , it may be tough not to hug , especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If so , finally , you need to examine your own and your mother ’ s risk tolerance .
If either of you is extremely anxious , stick to virtual connection .
Love and gratitude , while ideally communicated in person , can still be expressed virtually or by phone .
You may overtly acknowledge that the greater act of love for each other , as well as your community , is to stay home .
These days we have been asked to reexamine what “ normal ” looks like in so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for reflection afforded by the pandemic , as well as the restrictions imposed , will teach us to honor our loved ones in many small ways throughout the year .
The gift of attention – by phone , email or snail mail – is always possible .
And remember that Father ’ s Day is June 21 , and it would be a good idea to consider the same issues then .
[ Like what you ’ ve read ?
Want more ?
Sign up for The Conversation ’ s daily newsletter .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , consult , own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article , and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment .


freedomdaily--2020-05-07--New study shows staggering effect of coronavirus pandemic on America’s mental health

When the novel coronavirus roared into the U.S. , mental health took a back seat to physical health .
The number one priority was making sure hospitals wouldn ’ t be overwhelmed and that as many lives as possible could be saved .
Schools closed , remote work became the norm , restaurants shuttered and getting together with friends was no longer possible .
The news cycle spun with story after story highlighting the ever-increasing number of cases and deaths , while unemployment soared to levels not seen since the Great Depression .
Any one of these shifts could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health issues .
Put together , they created a a perfect storm for a crisis .
Experts speculated as much , and polls showed that many people seemed to intuitively grasp the mental toll of the pandemic .
However , data on mental health metrics was scant ; we didn ’ t know the magnitude of any changes in mental health issues nor did we understand which groups of people were suffering more than others .
So I decided to collect data on mental health during the pandemic and compare it to data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The differences were even worse than I anticipated .
On April 27 , I surveyed 2,032 U.S. adults using a standard measure of mental distress that asks , for example , how often a respondent felt sad or nervous in the last month .
I compared the responses with a sample of 19,330 demographically similar people in a 2018 government-sponsored survey of U.S. adults that asked the same questions .
The results were staggering : The 2020 participants were eight times as likely to screen positive for serious mental illness – 28 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ survey .
The vast majority of the 2020 participants , 70 % , met criteria for moderate to serious mental illness , compared with 22 % in 2018 .
Clearly , the pandemic has had a devastating effect on mental health .
Yet some people are suffering more than others .
Younger adults ages 18 to 44 – mostly iGen and millennials – have borne the brunt of the mental health effects .
They ’ ve experienced a tenfold increase in serious mental distress compared with 2018 .
Meanwhile , adults 60 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mental health issues .
Why might this be the case ?
After all , the virus has far more dire health implications for older people .
It could be because older people are more protected from the economic disruptions of the pandemic .
Younger adults were more likely to lose their jobs as restaurants and stores closed and were more likely to be in a precarious financial position to begin with .
The youngest adults were also already struggling with mental health issues : Depression among 18- to 25-year-olds surged from 2012 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less time interacting with others in person than they used to , a situation only exacerbated by the pandemic .
The other group in distress won ’ t be a surprise to parents : Those with children under 18 at home .
With schools and day cares closed during the pandemic , many parents are trying to do the near-impossible by working and supervising their children at the same time .
Sports , scouting , music classes , camps and virtually every other activity parents rely on to keep their kids occupied have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for weeks .
This trend didn ’ t occur just because people with children at home are younger .
Even among 18- to 44-year-olds , those with children at home showed larger increases in mental distress than those without kids .
In 2018 , parents were actually less likely to be experiencing mental distress than those without children .
But by the end of April 2020 , parents were more likely to be in distress than their childless peers .
Where do we go from here ?
The findings of this study are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though very similar in age , gender , race and region , came from different sources and thus might differ in other ways .
However , there are also other indications that mental health is suffering during the pandemic .
For example , calls to mental health hotlines appear to have surged .
This doesn ’ t necessarily mean we should open up the economy to preserve mental health .
The resulting spike in illness and death from COVID-19 could be even worse for mental health , and workers required to return @ @ @ @ @ @ @ catching the virus .
It does mean policymakers need to be prepared for a potentially unprecedented number of Americans needing mental health services .
Just as hospitals risked running out of ventilators during a surge of COVID-19 patients , the mental health care system might be quickly overwhelmed .
The survey also shows just how widespread the impact of the pandemic has been , and just how many people are suffering .
If you have been feeling sad about everything that ’ s been lost – and nervous about the uncertainty of what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
[ You need to understand the coronavirus pandemic , and we can help .
Read The Conversation ’ s newsletter . ]
Jean Twenge does not work for , consult , own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article , and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment .


freedomdaily--2020-05-07--‘Schiff Caves’: House Intel Chairman Will Release Russia Probe Transcripts

Rep. Adam Schiff said Wednesday he will soon release dozens of transcripts from the House Intelligence Committee ’ s Russia investigation , ending a lengthy partisan standoff over publication of the documents .
A spokesman for Schiff made the announcement after the release of a letter from Richard Grenell in which the acting director of national intelligence said he would publish the 53 transcripts on his own if the California Democrat refused to do so .
On Tuesday , Republicans on the House Judiciary and House Oversight committees accused Schiff of “ blocking ” the release of the transcripts .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 , when under GOP control , to release the transcripts of interviews with Obama administration officials , Trump campaign associates and others .
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence ( ODNI ) completed a review of 43 of the transcripts in June 2019 .
A review of the other 10 was recently completed .
“ I urge you to honor your previous public statements , and your committee ’ s unanimous vote on this matter , to release all 53 cleared transcripts to Members of Congress and the American public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in his letter to Schiff .
“ I am also willing to release the transcripts directly from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence , as to ensure we comply with the unanimous and bipartisan vote to release the transcripts , ” Grenell continued .
Schiff ’ s office tried to turn the tables on Grenell in the statement on Wednesday .
“ After more than a year of unnecessary delay , the ODNI has finally concluded its protracted classification review of the Committee ’ s transcripts , and it also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its improper insistence on reviewing key transcripts , which the Committee appropriately rejected , ” a spokesman for Schiff said in a statement , according to CNN .
“ Our review of ODNI ’ s newly proposed redactions will be as expeditious as possible given the constraints of the pandemic , and we look forward to releasing these transcripts.
” The Intelligence panel interviewed several FBI officials whose activities during Crossfire Hurricane — the probe of the Trump campaign — were scrutinized in a Justice Department inspector general ’ s investigation .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FBI made 17 “ significant ” errors and omissions in applications for surveillance authorization against campaign aide Carter Page .
Many of the errors involved the FBI ’ s handling of information related to Christopher Steele , whose dossier the bureau used to justify wiretapping Page .
One transcript to be released is from an interview with Michael Gaeta , an FBI agent who was Steele ’ s handler .
The committee will also release transcripts of interviews with David Kramer , a former aide to Sen. John McCain who leaked the Steele @ @ @ @ @


freedomdaily--2020-05-07--Biden Promises To Reverse Due Process Protections For Those Accused Of Campus Sexual Assault

Former Vice President Joe Biden vowed Wednesday to reverse Secretary of Education Betsey DeVos ’ s Title IX protections for those accused of sexual assault on college campuses .
Biden , who faces sexual assault allegations by his former Senate staffer Tara Reade , said in a Wednesday statement that he will reverse DeVos ’ s rule that seeks to ensure that those who have been accused of campus sexual assault receive due process , the Hill reports .
“ It ’ s wrong , ” the presumptive presidential nominee said , adding that the rule is a Trump administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sexual assault victims .
“ And , it will be put to a quick end in January 2021 , because as president , I ’ ll be right where I always have been throughout my career — on the side of survivors , who deserve to have their voices heard , their claims taken seriously and investigated , and their rights upheld , ” Biden added .
The former vice president said the rule lets colleges “ off the hook for protecting students ” by allowing colleges to investigate “ in a way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Survivors deserve to be treated with dignity and respect , and when they step forward they should be heard , not silenced , ” he added .
“ Today , Betsy DeVos and Donald Trump published a rule that flies in the face of that belief and guarantees that college campuses will be less safe for our nation ’ s young people.
” Reade has accused Biden of kissing her , touching her and penetrating her with his fingers without her consent .
The rule seeks to provide due process to those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ definition of sexual harassment , requiring schools to produce evidence and allowing the cross-examination of students alleging sexual assault , according to the Hill .
“ Too many students have lost access to their education because their school inadequately responded when a student filed a complaint of sexual harassment or sexual assault , ” DeVos said in a statement , according to the Hill .
“ This new regulation requires schools to act in meaningful ways to support survivors of sexual misconduct , without sacrificing important safeguards to ensure a fair and transparent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We can and must continue to fight sexual misconduct in our nation ’ s schools , and this rule makes certain that fight continues.
” The Trump campaign spokesman accused Biden of holding students to a higher standard than he hold himself .
“ Biden should cut the malarkey and provide an honest answer to Americans – why shouldn ’ t he be held to the same standards he spent years imposing on everyone else , ” Trump campaign spokesman Andrew Clark said , the Hill reports .
Neither Biden nor DeVos immediately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the DCNF .


freedomdaily--2020-05-07--France Announces Partial Lifting of Lockdown – Here are the Details

France has been on a strict nationwide lockdown since March 17th in an attempt to contain the Coronavirus outbreak .
On May 11th France is ready for a partial lifting of their lockdown .
As of the date of this posting , France ( population 65 million people ) has had 137,224 ( 0.26 % of the population ) infections of COVID-19 .
Reporting deaths 25,812 ( 14.8 % of infections ) and 54,081 have recovered ( 31 % of infections ) .
Here are some interesting factoids that have occurred so far in the French Coronavirus lockdown : Prime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lifting of the lockdown to the French parliament on Tuesday , stressed this again and added that the plan , as presented , depends on there being no more than 3,000 new cases a day by May 11th .
A nationally televised presentation was given at 16hr local time .
Please see the presentation below : This is phase 1 , which runs from May 11th to June 2nd .
Details for the next phase will be outlined later and will depend on how phase 1 goes .
“ I will address the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to evaluate the conditions in which we organize the next phase of the easing of restrictions , and we will make decisions on the organization of cafés , restaurants , and holidays , ” said Philippe .
The attestation de déplacement dérogatoire – the form that everybody currently has to carry every time they leave their home – will not be needed , apart from for journeys over 100km .
All journeys of more than 100km will require a permission certificate .
Journeys of more the 100km are discouraged and will only be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for essential motives such as crucial work travel or family reasons .
Family visits do not qualify as a reason to travel more than 100km , and the Prime Minister urged people to continue to protect elderly relatives by not visiting them .
At present more than 10 million people in France can not work , but it seems that the majority of them will be going back to work after May 11th – albeit with conditions in place .
Anyone who can work from home is asked to continue doing so for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not work from home will start to return to work , but employers must put in place social distancing measures in the workplace – this could include operating staggered shifts ( which would ask help reduce rush-hour crowds on public transport ) or bringing people back on a part-time basis , to begin with .
All shops will be able to reopen from May 11th , but they must put in place social distancing measures first .
This will include limiting the number of people allowed in , putting in place markers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equipment such as masks for staff – in short , the same way that the essential stores that have been allowed to open during lockdown have operated .
Local officials will have the power to prevent a shop reopening if they judge it can not operate in a safe and socially distanced way .
Masks are recommended for shoppers and shops can require their customers to wear masks .
Big shopping centers and markets can reopen unless local authorities decide there is a reason to keep them closed .
Travel will again be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
People won ’ t be free to make long-distance trips around the country , unless for essential reasons .
Journeys of more than 100km are allowed for essential professional or family reasons .
The country ’ s high-speed TGV trains will be running , but at a reduced capacity and by prior reservation only , in order to discourage travel .
Philippe added : “ This is not the time to take a weekend trip.
” It will also be compulsory to wear a mask on public transport , and fines are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is currently strictly regulated and for essential reasons only , and there was no mention of a plan to change this .
President Emmanuel Macron has already said the EU ’ s borders to non-EU countries will not reopen on May 11th .
But even if it goes ahead , lockdown lifting will not look the same everywhere .
Throughout the last week , the Health Ministry has been publishing daily maps showing the virus circulation and hospital situation in each of France ’ s 101 départements .
These maps have until now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each département will get a formal designation of red – for the areas where there are still a lot of cases , and the hospitals are under pressure – and green for areas where the situation is less serious .
Initially , there won ’ t be big differences in the rules for red and green départements – some differences in school returns and whether parks and gardens can reopen – but the designation could affect future rules .
Here are the zones , though it changes often – click here : Several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , have proposed that people on public transport at rush hour will need a certificate from their employers stating that it is necessary for them to travel to work at this time , and their work can not be done from home .
It is anticipated that Philippe could pass a decree to this effect , but leave the choice of whether to implement it up to local authorities .
Many trains will require face masks and run at around 50 % capacity depending on the region .
Philippe has already been forced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for compulsory quarantine/self-isolation for anyone in France who tests positive for the virus .
Large sporting events , entertainment , and parks will remain closed until September .
No more than groups of 10 will be allowed .
This wasn ’ t part of the PM ’ s initial plan but over the weekend there was much confusion when health minister Olivier Véran announced a compulsory quarantine for anyone entering France , followed by a rapid clarification from the president ’ s office that this only applied to people traveling from outside Europe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a parallel plan in place to reimpose the lockdown if the health situation gets worse .
Expect this to be at least alluded to as the PM will stress that everything about this first phase depends on the health situation , and all measures can be canceled or reversed if there is a renewed spike in cases .
Philippe has already said that there will be no decision on reopening bars , cafés or restaurants until the end of May while on the question of summer holidays and travel several politicians – including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repeated that is is too early to say .
Do note that this Coronavirus un-lockdown plan is a moving target .
The French people have calmed down a bit because they believe the lifting of the lockdown is nigh .
One can see more people and cares on the street in this anticipation – police are less controlling at this point .
This has not stopped violent incidents with police officers .
One officer was hit in the arm by an explosion , and another was wounded in the face after being punched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out in Paris last month amid anger over police ‘ heavy-handed ’ treatment of ethnic minorities during the coronavirus lockdown .
The French really had no choice but to do this partial lockdown or face massive riots .
If the country should go into a re-lockdown scenario , this violence could return – with increased fervor .
We shall watch and see how this goes .


freedomdaily--2020-05-08--AG Barr: FBI Under Comey Set A ‘Perjury Trap’ For Michael Flynn

Attorney General William Barr said he believes that the FBI under James Comey set “ a perjury trap ” for Michael Flynn , the former national security adviser .
In an interview with CBS News , Barr defended the Justice Department ’ s decision to drop charges against Flynn for making false statements to the FBI .
“ It was an easy decision , ” said Barr in the interview , which aired Friday .
“ I think easy because once I saw all the facts and some of the tactics used by the FBI in this instance and also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was an easy decision.
” Barr said that documents from the FBI ’ s investigation of Flynn show that Comey “ purposely went around the Justice Department ” in an effort to interview Flynn about his contacts with Russia ’ s ambassador .
He cited a Jan. 4 , 2017 memo that recommended closing a counterintelligence investigation against Flynn that had been open since mid-August 2016 .
Peter Strzok , the FBI deputy chief of counterintelligence , intervened to prevent the investigation from ending .
He wrote in internal FBI messages that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” requested that the investigation remain open , a reference to the FBI ’ s executive offices .
Strzok interviewed Flynn at the White House on Jan. 24 , 2017 about his conversation with the Russian ambassador .
Flynn pleaded guilty on Dec. 1 , 2017 to making false statements in the interview .
He has since retracted his claim to have made false statements , saying he took a plea under pressure from prosecutors who threatened to charge his son with crimes .
Barr questioned the FBI ’ s approach of Flynn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the FBI already had a transcript of Flynn ’ s phone calls with the ambassador , Sergey Kislyak .
“ There was nothing wrong with it whatever .
In fact , it was laudable , ” Barr said .
“ So there was no mystery about the call.
” He asserted that FBI officials kept the counterintelligence investigation open for the “ express purpose of trying to catch , lay a perjury trap for General Flynn.
” “ They didn ’ t warn him , the way we usually would be required @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ They bypassed the Justice Department .
They bypassed the protocols at the White House and so forth .
These were things that persuaded me that there was not a legitimate counterintelligence investigation going on .
”


freedomdaily--2020-05-08--Encouraging Illegal Aliens To Remain In The US Is A Crime, Supreme Court Rules

The Supreme Court unanimously upheld a federal statute that outlaws encouraging illegal aliens to remain in the U.S. unlawfully in a decision Thursday .
The Supreme Court justices voided an earlier decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals , which had ruled that a federal anti-harboring statute was unconstitutional on the grounds that it violated the First Amendment by restricting free speech .
The ruling by the nation ’ s highest court Thursday upholds the law .
The Supreme Court not only vacated the appeals court ’ s decision , but also skewered them for “ drastically ” straying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ginsberg , a liberal stalwart of the bench , penned the high court ’ s opinion .
“ [ T ] he appeals panel departed so drastically from the principle of party presentation as to constitute an abuse of discretion , ” Ginsburg wrote , and later stated that “ a court is not hidebound by the precise arguments of counsel , but the Ninth Circuit ’ s radical transformation of this case goes well beyond the pale.
” The decision brings to a close a court battle that lasted roughly 10 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consultant Evelyn Sineneng-Smith in 2010 for multiple violations of anti-harboring laws , which make it a felony to “ encourag [ e ] or induc [ e ] an alien to come to , enter , or reside in the United States , knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that such coming to , entry , or residence is or will be in violation of law.
” Sineneng-Smith encouraged illegal alien clients to apply for a certification that would allow them to remain legally in the country , despite them not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the indictment .
She would charge her clients a fee for this service , and allegedly made millions off of the scheme .
Sineneng-Smith earned more than $ 3.3 million off of her clients , legal affairs outlet Jurist reported .
In a challenge to the decision , Sineneng-Smith argued that the law violated her right to free speech .
The Ninth Circuit reversed her conviction , finding that the entire law was invalid as an over broad restriction of speech .
The court ’ s reversal however , was not based on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by third party arguments submitted to the panel of judges .
The Supreme Court ruled that the Ninth Circuit overstepped its authority by injecting an argument not made by the defendant herself .
The decision ultimately reaffirms that parties — not the courts — shape issues in a court case .
The case is now to be sent back to the Ninth Circuit “ for reconsideration … bearing a fair resemblance to the case shaped by parties.
” The decision was hailed by immigration hawks .
“ We applaud the Court ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , executive director and general counsel of Immigration and Reform Law Institute , said in a statement .
“ Unfortunately , the Court did not have to reach the issue of whether this important statute is constitutional , but it did keep the law in place .
When and if the overbreadth issue is brought up properly by a defendant in the future , we will be there , ” Wilcox said .


freedomdaily--2020-05-08--Florida Supreme Court to Decide Fate of Proposed Amendment to Florida’s Marijuana Law

On Wednesday , the Florida Supreme Court heard arguments about a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow people to use recreational marijuana .
Proponents of the amendment , including Make It Legal Florida , are seeking to have the amendment placed on the 2022 ballot .
To do so , they need the Florida Supreme Court to give the green light to the title and summary of the proposed amendment .
In other words , they need the high court to approve the language/wording that is utilized in the title and/or summary of the proposed amendment .
It is with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ According to Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody , the proposed amendment would mislead voters .
More particularly , opponents to the amendment contend that some of the language of the amendment is misleading because it appears to permit conduct that is illegal under federal law .
As reported in the Miami Herald : State Solicitor General Amit Agarwal , representing Moody , argued Wednesday that the Supreme Court should reject the proposal because it would be misleading to voters .
Agarwal focused , in part , on wording in the ballot summary that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years or older to possess , use , purchase , display , and transport up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana and marijuana accessories for personal use for any reason.
” “ Voters should be told the truth , ” Agarwal said .
“ They should be given the tools that they need to make a fully informed decision on this ballot initiative .
Voters right now are told , expressly and unqualifiedly , that the proposed amendment would permit something that it quite simply would not permit.
” On the other hand , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amendment simply “ piggybacks ” on a constitutional amendment that passed in 2016 and that legalized the use of medical marijuana .
This amendment , they claim , would simply reduce some of the restrictions limiting use for medical reasons .
As reported by the Miami Herald , citing George Levesque , an attorney for Make It Legal Florida : “ We believe the text of our proposed amendment , and the summary that describes it , accurately , clearly and unambiguously informs the voter of what we are trying to do , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Florida after the arguments .
“ In this case , to permit limited amounts of marijuana to be given to adults and for adults to be able to use that marijuana for any purpose that they need it for.
” The Florida Supreme Court will ultimately decide whether the language of the proposed amendment is misleading , or whether it is clear enough to defeat such a challenge .
In doing so , the court will likely consider the interplay between the Florida Constitution and the United States Constitution and/or federal law .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ claim that the language is misleading because it permits voters to engage in conduct that is criminalized under federal law .
Proponents , on the other hand , assert that Floridians have the right to amend the Florida Constitution and that there is no obligation to inform Florida voters about what it is happening with regard to federal law .
Jason Gonzalez , an attorney representing the Florida Chamber of Commerce , Floridians Against Recreational Marijuana , Save Our Society from Drugs and National Drug-Free Workplace Alliance , raised an interesting point .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that if he repeated the first few lines of the ballot summary to a client he ’ d be making a serious false statement , as the sale of any marijuana is [ a ] federal felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison .
“ If I said that with no condition , I would be committing professional malpractice .
I would be violating the oath of attorney and the rules of professional conduct because it ’ s patently false , and it would not just merely be a mild misstatement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tell how the court ultimately rules on this interesting and important case .


freedomdaily--2020-05-08--Senate Republicans Urge Trump To Suspend All Guest Worker Visas Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Several top Republican lawmakers in the Senate are calling on President Donald Trump to take extra measures to protect U.S. workers amid the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus crisis .
Sens .
Ted Cruz of Texas , Chuck Grassley of Iowa , Josh Hawley of Missouri and Tom Cotton of Arkansas sent a letter to the president on Thursday , asking him to extend his immigration ban and expand it to include employment-based immigration .
The four men are notably calling on the Trump administration to suspend all new guest worker visas for 60 days .
“ While economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country have been necessary to reduce the spread of this pandemic , the results have been devastating for businesses and workers alike , ” they wrote .
“ As you know , more than 33 million Americans have filed for unemployment coverage just since mid-March , and approximately one-fifth of the American workforce is currently out of work.
” They continued : “ This is a stunning difference compared with the historically-low nationwide unemployment rate of just 3.5 percent in February this year .
The United States admits more than one million nonimmigrant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is no reason to admit most such workers when our unemployment is so high.
” Beyond extending Trump ’ s immigration ban and asking him to put the brakes on new guest worker visas for 60 days , the GOP lawmakers are also calling on the administration to suspend new nonimmigrant guest workers for a year or until the country ’ s employment figures go back to normal levels .
Their demands came after the Trump administration has taken steps to dramatically curb immigration while the coronavirus pandemic continues to rock the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his executive order that temporarily “ bans ” immigration into the United States for 60 days .
The order specifically prohibits many green card applicants abroad and those on the visa lottery system from entering the country .
However , the order was panned by immigration hawks for still allowing large numbers of temporary workers to complete requests for employment in the United States .
The economic situation has only deteriorated within the United States .
The Department of Labor on Thursday reported that another 3 million jobless claims were filed in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ orders .
“ For many high school graduates and college students , they will spend the next few weeks at home making tough decisions about delaying or foregoing college this fall due to their limited family resources , ” the senators said .
“ There is no reason why these young people , especially , should not have access to seasonal , nonagricultural work such as summer resort employment or landscaping before those positions are given to imported foreign labor under the H-2B program.
” The letter was sent as Montana GOP Sen. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that would extend Trump ’ s 60-day immigration ban .
While border hawks have voiced displeasure over Trump ’ s limited moves to protect U.S. workers during the crisis , the president has left the door open to expanding his order or even signing another one .
In the meantime , groups that favor less immigration have praised the senators for their efforts .
“ The current unemployment crisis demands precisely what the four Senators have proposed to the President , ” Roy Beck , the president of NumbersUSA , said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senators for their letter ’ s eloquence and compassion in laying out a clear path for the President to expand his protections for American workers .
”


freedomdaily--2020-05-08--CBP Air and Marine Agents Stop Two Illegal Crossing Attempts off San Diego Coast

— U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine agents stopped two boats off the coast of San Diego early Thursday morning with 18 people attempting to illegally enter the U.S. For one of the boats , agents had to disable the engine before the vessel was stopped less than a mile from the beaches in Coronado .
On the evening of Wednesday , May 6 , CBP agents in a multi-role enforcement aircraft spotted a boat that crossed into U.S. territorial waters from Mexico .
The agents in the aircraft tracked the boat and directed the crew of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Just after midnight , when CBP marine interdiction agents turned on their lights and sirens on their vessel , the boat came to a stop about eight nautical miles west of Point Loma ; agents counted 10 individuals on board .
Shortly after identifying the first boat , the CBP agents in the aircraft again spotted another boat that crossed into U.S. territorial waters from Mexico .
The agents tracked the second boat and directed the crew of a second CBP intercept vessel to where the boat was heading .
Again , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop ; however , in this instance , the boat instead failed to stop when directed and fled .
CBP Air and Marine Operations alerted partners within the San Diego Regional Coordinating Mechanism ( ReCoM ) to prepare for a possible vessel landing along the coastline , and law enforcement partners deployed .
Ultimately , CBP marine interdiction agents pursued the boat , stopping it safely at sea by using special tactical training to fire on , and disable , the boat ’ s engine .
The pursuit ended about one-quarter nautical mile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individuals on board .
“ These smugglers have no regard for the safety of their passengers or others on the water .
They routinely operate overloaded vessels without required navigational lights and operate within unpredictable and dangerous surf-zones , ” said Chris Hunter , Deputy Director of the San Diego Air and Marine Branch , Marine Operations .
“ The safest outcome is for our agents to stop the boat at sea , before they attempt a beach landing .
Illegal beach landings are dangerous to everyone on board in the best of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these incidents ended with everyone brought safely to shore.
” In both cases , CBP marine interdiction agents brought the boats with their occupants to the dock in San Diego , where they turned the individuals over to U.S. Border Patrol agents for processing .
From the first boat , agents identified : seven men , ages 23-38 ; two women , ages 29 and 39 ; and a teenage boy , age 17 .
From the second boat , U.S. Border Patrol agents identified : six men , ages 23-38 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Agents determined that all 18 were Mexican nationals with no legal ability to enter the U.S. , and they were immediately expelled back to Mexico under Title 42 authority .
AMO agents processed both vessels for seizure and forfeiture : a 25-foot panga and a 17-foot , open-hull pleasure craft .


freedomdaily--2020-05-08--What needs to go right to get a coronavirus vaccine in 12-18 months

I , like many Americans , miss the pre-pandemic world of hugging family and friends , going to work and having dinner at a restaurant .
A protective vaccine for SARS-Cov2 is likely to be the most effective public health tool to get back to that world .
Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , cautiously estimates that a vaccine could be available in 12 to 18 months .
I am a professor of microbiology and immunology and study how the immune system develops .
I think Dr. Fauci ’ s estimate is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Traditional vaccine development is a long and complicated process .
Only about 6 % of vaccine candidates are eventually approved for public use , and the process takes 10.7 years , on average .
But these are not traditional times .
Researchers around the world are innovating the process of vaccine development in real time to develop a vaccine as fast as possible .
So how close are we to a vaccine ?
Vaccines prevent disease by boosting a person ’ s natural immune response against a microbe that they have not encountered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different types of vaccines in development for SARS-CoV-2 and they fall into three broad categories : traditional killed-virus vaccines , protein-based vaccines and gene-based vaccines .
No matter the type , every single vaccine candidate must go through the same vetting process before it can be put into use .
Once researchers have developed a potential candidate , they begin the first step of testing in laboratories , called preclinical studies .
Scientists use laboratory animals to examine if the candidate vaccine induces an immune response to the virus and to check whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Once a vaccine is proven safe in animals , researchers begin human testing .
This is where the federal Food and Drug Administration begins to regulate the process .
Phase 1 studies test for safety and proof-of-concept .
Researchers give a small number of human volunteers the vaccine .
Then they look for medical problems and see if it induces some sort of immune response .
In Phase 2 studies , researchers give the vaccine to hundreds of volunteers to determine the optimal vaccine composition , dose and vaccination schedule .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the FDA for broad use is a Phase 3 trial .
These involve thousands of volunteers and provide data on how good the vaccine is at preventing infection .
These large trials will also uncover rarer side effects or health issues that may not show up in the smaller trials .
If in any of these phases a vaccine candidate appears to be ineffective or cause harm to people , the researchers must start over with a new candidate .
After a vaccine candidate successfully completes these clinical trials , a medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the evidence , and if the vaccine is effective and safe , approves it for general use .
Experts estimate that the whole process costs between US $ 1 billion and $ 5 billion .
But approval is not the only hurdle .
As has been demonstrated by the severe lack of coronavirus testing , easy and fast production of a test or vaccine is as critical as having one that works .
Both clinical efficacy and ease of production must be considered when asking how long until a vaccine is ready .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ there were eight vaccine candidates currently in Phase 1 ( or joint Phase 1/Phase 2 ) clinical trials and 94 vaccines candidates in preclinical studies .
Three of the eight are traditional vaccines that use inactivated or killed virus .
Two of the others are protein-based vaccines that use a modified cold virus to deliver the protein that will stimulate the immune response .
The final three vaccines in Phase 1 or 2 trials , and the only two in the U.S. , are gene-based vaccines .
To me , these seem like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a gene or part of a gene from the virus that causes COVID-19 , but not the virus itself .
When a person is injected with one of these vaccines , their own cells read the injected gene and make a protein that is a part of the coronavirus .
This one protein isn ’ t dangerous by itself , but it should trigger an immune response that would lead to immunity from the coronavirus .
Gene-based vaccines come in DNA form , like the vaccine in Phase 1 clinical trials from Inovio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ RNA form , like the vaccine in a simultaneous Phase 1/Phase 2 trial from the German company BioNTech and the vaccine in Phase 1 trials from the U.S.-based Moderna .
No gene-based vaccines have ever been approved for human use , but DNA vaccines are used on animals , and a few were in clinical trials for the Zika virus .
In the past , researchers have struggled to develop DNA vaccines that produce strong immune responses , but new techniques look promising .
RNA vaccines tend to be more effective in animal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human use .
It may be that the time of gene-based vaccines has arrived .
Another benefit of gene-based vaccines is that manufacturers would likely be able to produce large amounts much faster than traditional vaccines .
DNA and RNA vaccines would also be more shelf–stable than conventional vaccines since they don ’ t use ingredients like cell components or chicken eggs .
This would make distribution , especially to rural areas , easier .
The three gene-based vaccines and the five other candidates face many challenges before you or I will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Phase 1 and 2 trials is encouraging , but the very point of clinical trials is to reveal any problems with a vaccine candidate .
And there are a lot of potential problems .
The preclinical results in laboratory animals might not translate well to people .
The level of immune protection might be low .
And people may react adversely when injected with the vaccine .
Any coronavirus vaccine could also produce a dangerous reaction called immune enhancement , where the vaccine actually worsens the symptoms of a coronavirus infection .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with past vaccine candidates for dengue fever and other viruses .
So , how long before we have a vaccine against the COVID-19 virus ?
No vaccines have made it through Phase 1 or Phase 2 trials yet , and Phase 3 trials generally take between one and four years .
If researchers get lucky and one of these first vaccines is both safe and effective , we are still at least a year away from knowing that .
At that point manufacturers would need to start producing and distributing the vaccine at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what percent of the population would need to be vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 , but in general , you need to immunize between 80 % and 95 % of the population to have effective herd immunity .
Depending on what the virus does in the coming months , that might not be necessary , but if it is , that ’ s 260-300 million people in the U.S. alone .
Researchers are doing everything they can to develop a vaccine as fast as possible while still making sure it is effective and safe .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that could be ready to produce whichever candidate gets across the finish line first .
If everything goes well , Fauci ’ s 12- to 18-month prediction may be right .
If so , it will be thanks to the tireless work of scientists , the support of international organizations and manufacturers all innovating and working together to fight this virus .
[ Research into coronavirus and other news from science Subscribe to The Conversation ’ s new science newsletter . ]


freedomdaily--2020-05-08--Finding ways to move your body while social distancing

Significant Figures is a series from The Conversation where scholars explain an important number in the news .
Recent Fitbit activity tracker data show a significant drop in physical activity worldwide that corresponds with the onset of the COVID-19 crisis .
In the United States , physical activity has fallen by 12 % .
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic , fewer than a quarter of Americans were getting the recommended amount of exercise .
I ’ m an activity expert , and I am concerned how this reduction in physical activity may impact our overall health and well-being .
Some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to temporary fitness center closings and stay-at-home guidelines .
However , even people who don ’ t typically work out may have a reduction in activity because they are walking less to do everyday tasks and spending more time in front of a computer .
These decreases in activity may add to the health concerns resulting from COVID-19 .
Because of this , my colleagues and I want to use our expertise in physical activity promotion and obesity treatment and prevention to help individuals cope with the challenges resulting from this global @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there had been concern about weight gain and the high prevalence of obesity in the United States and on a global scale .
This is important because obesity has recently been identified as a risk factor for COVID-19 complications .
Evidence has also shown that disruption in regular exercise can lead to increases in depressive symptoms .
For an individual who is not a regular exerciser , adding periods of activity throughout the day may have mood enhancing effects .
Short activity breaks throughout the workday can enhance emotional well-being .
Possibly most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immune function .
This immune system boost may even occur in older people who are especially at risk for dying from COVID-19 .
The argument is there to exercise more , but the reality is that many people are now doing less .
By definition , exercise is structured and planned .
The lack of planning and structure in our lives during this period of social distancing is likely contributing to the overall reduction in our activity levels .
Many people have been taught that exercise has to be intense and done for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difference , but U.S. government guidelines now suggest otherwise .
Light activity breaks , that get the body moving without major increases in intensity , are often overlooked but helpful for breaking up sedentary time .
On the higher end of the spectrum is moderate to vigorous activity , which aligns more closely to what people classically consider to be exercise .
Good news for us is that new evidence suggests that doing this type of activity in shorter bouts may provide the same benefits as long periods .
My team works every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so we have a strong track record of getting people to be active at home by starting at a low level and ramping up activity over time .
To start , take one-minute screen-time activity breaks , or a 5- to 10-minute brisk walk while social distancing .
It all adds up .
Consider letting go of “ all-or-nothing ” exercise thinking .
Renee J. Rogers receives funding from National Institutes of Health , UPMC Enterprises , and WW International , Inc .


freedomdaily--2020-05-08--Mothers behind bars nurture relationships with visitors in this unusual prison garden

Leaves are rustling .
You can hear the sound of children kicking a ball , plinking the keys of a toy xylophone .
People are laughing and talking .
Are you picturing a prison ?
My colleagues and I did – and we turned these visions into reality .
The garden and playscape we created at the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women ( ICIW ) is changing the way incarcerated women spend time with their children , family and friends .
“ Home ” is not a word typically associated with prison environments , but that ’ s one way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new outdoor area .
Our design-build team made up of Iowa State University design students and incarcerated women and staff at ICIW created a space where incarcerated women can forget their identity as inmates and step back into their roles as mothers or grandmothers , sisters or aunts .
People living inside prisons must endure isolation , tight spaces , loss of identity and separation from loved ones .
Prisons are typically stark and void of color and living plants .
Visits from loved ones can ease this difficult situation , but prison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find it difficult to maintain connections with loved ones , especially children .
These bonds can be a critical component of successful reentry back to their home and community after release .
Though often cold and condemning , the prison visiting room may be the place where mothers and children first face one another after the traumatic events that led to incarceration – with security officers and other incarcerated people and visitors within earshot .
And that ’ s only if children make the difficult trip .
It is often financially and logistically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of incarcerated parents to make a visit happen .
Caregivers might be worried about the conditions they ’ d be bringing children into .
Why is this important ?
Because more than 5 million children in the U.S. have seen a parent sent to prison .
Forty-eight percent of women in federal correctional facilities and 55 % in state prisons are mothers of children under the age of 18 .
Children of incarcerated parents are at increased risk of themselves becoming incarcerated , struggling with mental health and performing poorly in school .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and feelings of shame and abandonment .
When my students and I started working with the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women in 2011 , our task was seemingly simple : beautify the grounds .
The warden wanted calm inmates .
These goals were linked – and I can happily say we ’ ve achieved both .
But from the start , one project felt most significant to me – creating a nurturing outdoor space where mothers could build and maintain those incredibly important relationships with their children .
Research suggests that natural environments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ psychological benefits .
The original outdoor visiting space consisted of brick and razor wire .
As landscape architects , my team used environmental psychology and therapeutic landscape theories to carefully design active and passive spaces surrounded by gardens .
Our aim was to employ the benefits of nature to improve connections between an incarcerated individual and her loved ones .
Through participatory design , we honored the needs and desires of the incarcerated women by including them as the most knowledgeable members of the design team .
With pencils and play dough in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visitors explicitly described what they wanted : a garden that felt and looked like home or a park .
The finished garden includes a circular walk wide enough for two tricycles or wheelchairs to pass comfortably .
Play equipment like the tulip spinners provide a fun way for kids to release energy and are a great conversation piece for observers .
We installed more comfortable seating where residents and visitors can take advantage of the positive natural distractions of colorful plants and rustling Quaking Aspen leaves .
One Saturday afternoon , we watched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The younger children embraced her with warm hugs while a teenager stayed silent with arms crossed .
Mom gave him a little space as they walked to the garden and then began to talk .
Even though it was exactly what we hoped would happen in the garden , we watched in amazement as their body language changed from tense to accepting and they started talking together .
The visit eventually ended with the warmth that every mother and child need from each other .
What moms and kids say about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ garden ’ s effect on incarcerated women and their visitors , my colleagues Barb Toews and Amy Wagenfeld conducted interviews and surveys with them in the garden itself .
They told us that visits had changed in four important ways : • More child-friendly : Visits are now more conducive to “ kids being kids.
” • Improved emotional experience : Visits are less stressful or boring .
Interviewees used words such as “ cozy , ” “ calm ” and “ fun ” to describe their experience in the garden .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel to the garden facilitates natural play and conversations between the incarcerated women and their visitors .
• Improved parent-child relationship : Child visitors come more often , stay longer , enjoy better activities and improved quiet time .
Overall the garden improved the quality of the time incarcerated women and their kids spent together .
People tend to support strengthening mother-child relationships , but I do sometimes hear critiques .
Some argue that improving prison environments is a poor use of money – but the garden was supported by donors and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our students .
Others say that people just shouldn ’ t commit crimes , or that if a prison is too nice people will want to stay .
But while the prison may indeed be the safest place many of these women have lived , they just want to go home .
And I ’ d argue that healthy environments are a necessity , not a luxury .
Mothering is at once an extraordinary and challenging journey .
I know this firsthand and I can not imagine doing it from prison .
Based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ ve received from around the world , many people , especially the newest generation of environmental designers , recognize these challenges and care about strengthening those mother-child bonds by changing prisons ’ physical spaces .
[ Deep knowledge , daily .
Sign up for The Conversation ’ s newsletter . ]
Julie Stevens has received funding from the Iowa Department of Corrections and The Wellmark Foundation .
She is a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects and the Environmental Design Research Association .


freedomdaily--2020-05-09--AG Barr: Mueller ‘Ignored’ Evidence Of Russian Disinformation In Steele Dossier

Attorney General William Barr said in an interview aired Friday that Special Counsel Robert Mueller and his investigators “ ignored ” evidence of possible Russian disinformation in the Steele dossier .
“ I think that ’ s one of the most troubling aspects of this whole thing , ” Barr told CBS News when asked about the possibility that the Kremlin fed disinformation to Christopher Steele , a former British spy who investigated the Trump campaign .
Barr said he was “ very concerned ” at the possibility that the dossier and Steele “ were used as a vector for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political campaign.
” The FBI relied heavily on information from Steele to obtain warrants to wiretap Trump campaign aide Carter Page .
Multiple news outlets and Democrats in Congress also touted Steele ’ s information as evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian government .
Despite Trump critics ’ early confidence in the dossier , many of its allegations have come under scrutiny or been outright debunked over the past year or so .
Mueller said in a report of his investigation released on April 18 , 2019 that his investigators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trump campaign and Russia .
A Justice Department inspector general ’ s report on the FBI ’ s Crossfire Hurricane investigation did even more damage to Steele ’ s reputation , while raising questions about Mueller ’ s investigation .
It said that the FBI received evidence in early 2017 that Russian intelligence operatives may have fed disinformation to Steele , a former MI6 officer who investigated Donald Trump on behalf of Democrats .
The IG report also said that the U.S. intelligence community provided a report to the FBI in June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were aware as early as July 2016 that Steele was investigating the Trump campaign .
Barr said in his CBS interview that Mueller should have investigated the dossier further , especially since the point of the special counsel ’ s investigation was to uncover Russia ’ s interference in the U.S. political system .
“ I think that is something that Robert Mueller was responsible for looking at under his charter , which is the potential of Russian influence , ” Barr told CBS News .
“ But I think it was ignored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could very well have been happening and no one really stopped to look at it.
” Mueller was appointed special counsel on May 17 , 2017 to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 election .
The probe largely focused on allegations that members of the Trump campaign conspired with the Russian government to influence the election .
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