freedomdaily--2020-05-13--What is a clinical trial? A health policy expert explains

A commonly used malaria drug was recently proposed as a treatment for COVID-19 during a White House press briefing , even though it hadn ’ t yet been properly evaluated in clinical trials or approved for this use .
Does the urgency of the current pandemic give doctors a good reason to skip evaluation and rush an untested drug to patients ?
The field of medicine considers randomized-controlled trials , also known as “ clinical trials , ” as the gold standard for assessing the effectiveness of new treatments .
These studies set up a fair test for treatments and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Without randomized-controlled trial evidence to guide them , doctors risk wasting resources on ineffective treatments or causing harm to patients .
A controlled trial means that study participants are split into two groups : One group is given the treatment and the other ( the control group ) is not .
The control group may be given a placebo that mimics the actual treatment , but does not contain the treatment being tested .
For example , a sugar pill or an injection of saline solution may be used instead of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the only meaningful difference between the two groups is whether they received the treatment or not .
The control group helps researchers learn what would have happened to the treatment group if they hadn ’ t received the treatment .
For example , some patients may recover on their own .
Researchers need to know how often this happens , so they don ’ t attribute all recoveries to the effect of the treatment .
Study participants are randomly assigned to one group or the other , a process similar to a coin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is equally likely to end up heads or tails , study participants are equally likely to end up in the treatment or the control group .
With enough study participants , this results in two groups that closely resemble each other .
The only difference is that one group got “ heads ” while the other got “ tails.
” The randomization of randomized-controlled trials with large enough samples ensures that all possible differences are accounted for , even those that may not be observed , such as genetic traits .
If the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the start of the study but end up with different outcomes , the treatment is the most likely cause .
The randomized-controlled trial allows researchers to rule out alternative explanations .
If doctors were allowed to choose which patients received the treatment , it ’ s likely the treatment and control groups would not resemble each other , making it much harder to rule out different factors at play .
For example , malaria drugs aren ’ t approved for use against COVID-19 , but may be prescribed to patients under the Food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ access ” program .
It allows certain drugs to be used as a last resort to treat seriously ill patients when no other treatments are available .
These “ last resort ” patients are frailer than those who had a milder form of the disease or who responded well to other treatments .
When you ’ re comparing very sick patients to healthier patients , the effect of the treatment is hard to see because it may be obscured by important differences such as age , diet , cigarette use , heart disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treatment fared significantly better than strong patients without it , researchers could conclude the treatment was effective .
But this situation is extremely rare , which is why doctors generally can ’ t draw valid conclusions about a drug ’ s effectiveness in a “ last resort ” situation .
Too many other factors are likely at play .
Some researchers may be able to use sophisticated statistics techniques to account for the differences between frail and strong patients .
But there is a long list of potential differences between frail and strong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ address them all .
Gauging the quality of such statistical analysis is also difficult , so these studies should be viewed with skepticism .
Without results from randomized-controlled trials , doctors can ’ t be sure whether a potential new treatment will help patients , harm them or prove ineffective .
The case of the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as a potential treatment for COVID-19 underscores this concern .
In an early wave of optimism , doctors prescribed and some even stockpiled so much hydroxychloroquine that pharmacies reported shortages of the drug .
Within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not only was this treatment ineffective against COVID-19 , it also caused some patients to develop serious heart rhythm problems .
Prematurely prescribing this treatment to all but the “ last resort ” cases instilled false hope , wasted medical resources and , most importantly , put patients at risk .
[ You need to understand the coronavirus pandemic , and we can help .
Read The Conversation ’ s newsletter . ]


freedomdaily--2020-05-13--Surprise medical bills continue during coronavirus time, and Congress still misses major points

I am a health policy scholar who became a patient last year , when I needed a surgical repair to a heart valve .
My two identities united the day after my operation , when a congenial woman from the admissions department came to discuss my insurance with me .
Her intent was to make sure I understood my forthcoming medical bill .
Put more starkly , she wanted to remove any surprises from a forthcoming surprise bill , which typically occur when patients get caught between their insurer and their provider .
Surprise bills have become the scourge of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promises , policymakers have remained mostly feckless at stopping them .
New accounts now report that surprise bills have even hit people seeking care for COVID-19 .
The timing of my admissions department representative was quite poor – I was still in the ICU , had multiple tubes piercing my neck and torso , and hadn ’ t slept much of the night – but her visit was revealing .
One awkward but central dynamic in the issuance of surprise bills , and one of the reasons a solution has been so evasive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just in the inflated amounts they demand .
Their true outrage is in their disrespect for patient autonomy .
The chief complaint concerning surprise bills is that they demand amounts that far exceed what any reasonably informed person would pay .
They cause real financial pain and target unsuspecting patients moments after they required medical care .
Surprise bills have also become widespread .
One recent study reported that as many as 20 % of elective surgeries at in-network hospitals produce surprise bills .
The average amounts of those bills far exceed what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their available savings .
Another study just reported that average surprise bills rose 81 % just from 2014 to 2017 .
Congress has wrangled over proposed solutions to surprise bills , and it appears that the leading candidate for reform will be to be institute arbitration proceedings .
The logic is that arbitrating financial disputes between payers and providers will protect the patient from billing confusion .
But there ’ s a problem with arbitration .
It still allows providers to extract prices that exceed market rates .
By definition , a surprise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a physician provides a service at a price that no informed payer would ever agree to if given the choice .
In no other industry can someone provide a service and then demand a price that far exceeds what others charge .
If arbitration generates compromises between the reasonable prices to which an insurer agrees and the inflated “ surprise ” price , health care costs will go up for everyone .
Imagine an auto mechanic replacing your tires and billing you US $ 500 per tire after completing the work .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same tires for $ 80 each , should the mechanic be entitled to arbitration to resolve your disagreement ?
As a general matter , the law says no .
To the contrary , if the auto mechanic did not state the price in advance , the law requires you to pay no more than the market price that everyone pays .
Arbitration is just a backdoor strategy to extract unearned money from patients and insurers .
It ’ s not just about bills Lost in the political debate is that the real injury @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a patient ’ s vulnerability .
Patients need to trust their providers , and that makes them uniquely exposed to exploitative financial practices .
Unlike nearly every other aspect of the economy , health care prices are overwhelmingly hidden from patients .
Medicine is fastidious about patients providing informed consent before receiving care , but there is little to no commitment to ensuring that patients can give informed consent to prices .
This prevents patients from making fully informed decisions about their health care , and it removes much-needed price competition from health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denies individuals their autonomy as informed patients and consumers .
I felt this lack of personal agency well before the woman from the admissions department visited me in the ICU .
Preceding my surgery , I wandered hospital hallways in a patient gurney , feeling exposed and layered with unwanted sympathy .
Only a few weeks before , I walked these same hallways as a faculty member who lectured to physicians and staff .
Like all other patients , I lost part of myself when I submitted to my physician ’ s care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consequence of modern medicine , it also invites nefarious conduct .
Surprise billing is despicable precisely because it capitalizes on our vulnerability as patients .
American medicine will continue to fail – it will continue to cost unsustainable amounts without nurturing a healthy population – if it continues to deny patients their agency as willing and informed partners in their care .
All of us deserve protection from surprise bills , and all of us deserve protection from arbitration processes that will inflate health care costs .
But most critically , we deserve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have in other parts of our lives .
[ You ’ re smart and curious about the world .
So are The Conversation ’ s authors and editors .
You can get our highlights each weekend . ]
Barak Richman 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 .

For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser


freedomdaily--2020-05-14--Senate Judiciary To Begin Hearings On Flynn Unmasking, Russia Probe

The Senate Judiciary Committee will begin holding hearings in early June to review the FBI ’ s Crossfire Hurricane investigation and issues related to Michael Flynn , Sen. Lindsey Graham announced Thursday .
“ The Judiciary Committee will begin holding multiple , in-depth congressional hearings regarding all things related to Crossfire Hurricane starting in early June , ” Graham , the chairman of the Judiciary panel , said in a statement Thursday .
Graham said the first phase of the inquiry will focus on the Justice Department ’ s decision on May 7 to dismiss charges against Flynn .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ analysis of the unmasking requests made by Obama Administration officials against General Flynn.
” “ We must determine if these requests were legitimate.
” On Wednesday , two Republican senators released a list of Obama administration officials who submitted requests to unmask Flynn ’ s name in intelligence reports in the weeks before President Donald Trump ’ s inauguration .
The records showed that former Vice President Joe Biden , former FBI Director James Comey , former CIA Director John Brennan and dozens of other officials submitted requests that unmasked Flynn ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that later in the summer , the committee will dig further into the Justice Department inspector general ’ s ( IG ) report on the FBI ’ s abuse of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act ( FISA ) in its investigation of Carter Page , the former Trump campaign aide .
The IG report said that the FBI committed 17 “ significant ” errors and omissions in its applications to wiretap Page .
Many of the errors centered around the FBI ’ s handling of the infamous and unverified Steele dossier .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the FBI had evidence of Russian disinformation in the dossier , which was written by former British spy Christopher Steele .
“ My goal is to find out why and how the system got so off the rails , ” said Graham .
Graham did not specify the witnesses he plans to call for the hearings .
Wake up Right !
Subscribe to our Morning Briefing and get the news delivered to your inbox before breakfast !


freedomdaily--2020-05-14--GOP Lawmaker Breaks Ranks, Will Vote For Pelosi’s Coronavirus Package

An outgoing Republican lawmaker says he will buck his party to vote for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ’ s coronavirus stimulus package , a bill that includes a slate of progressive measures .
New York Rep. Peter King confirmed to The Hill that he plans to vote for House Democrats ’ s HEROES Act , a $ 3 trillion relief package for Americans suffering financially from the coronavirus pandemic .
The bill has been criticized by some Republicans as a “ liberal wishlist ” that has no chance of passing .
Pelosi ’ s legislation , for example , would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , gives protections for sanctuary cities , and allegedly paves the way for coronavirus funds to end up in Planned Parenthood ’ s coffers .
King , who represents a New York district hit hard by the viral outbreak , said he is looking past these GOP poison pills because his constituents stand to benefit from the bill .
“ In some ways it ’ s a tough decision and in some ways it ’ s an easy decision , ” King said to The Hill on Wednesday .
“ Look , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are in that bill : some of the provisions involving illegal immigrants , some of the absentee ballots , the mail , all that stuff .
But the fact is , to me , [ Majority Leader Mitch ] McConnell sort of laid it down … he ’ s talking about no federal aid to state and local governments , ” he explained .
“ New York is going to die , my county , Nassau County , [ and ] Suffolk County is also in my district ; not only are they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ losses are unbelievable , ” King said .
Pelosi introduced her party ’ s coronavirus package on Tuesday , and scheduled it for a Friday vote in the House .
The $ 3 trillion bill allots $ 500 billion for state governments and $ 375 billion for local governments — something King feels is necessary .
However , the 1,815-page bill includes provisions that the GOP says is a no-go .
Such measures include allowing those who use Taxpayer Identification Numbers ( what many illegal aliens use in lieu of Social Security numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to cities that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities , and calling for a release of aliens in immigration detention .
House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy called the package a “ liberal wishlist that has no chance of becoming law.
” King acknowledged that the bill has no chance of passing through the Republican-controlled Senate , but says Pelosi ’ s bill is a good starting point for negotiations .
“ I think the Speaker is piling it in there to keep our left-wing base happy — I ’ m against all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s the price I have to pay to get funding to keep New York and Nassau County and Suffolk County and New York City alive , then I ’ ll do that , ” King said Wednesday .
King , who has been a member of Congress since 1993 , will retire at the end of his current term .


freedomdaily--2020-05-14--Trump Plans To Extend Border Restrictions Indefinitely: Report

The Trump administration is preparing an order that will extend current border restrictions indefinitely until a top public health official declares the novel coronavirus is no longer a threat , The New York Times reported Wednesday .
The White House plans to keep border restrictions in place until it decides the coronavirus outbreak is not a significant threat to the public anymore , according to a draft of a public health order obtained by the NYT .
If such an order is implemented , it would remove any concrete timetable to open up the U.S.-Mexico border to non-essential traffic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ which has so far killed more than 297,000 people across the world , the Trump administration on March 20 shut down northern and southern borders to all non-essential traffic for 30 days .
This order was extended for another 30 days on April 20 .
The proposed order , handed down by the Centers for Disease Control ( CDC ) , only permits “ essential ” cross-border travel , according to the NYT .
Essential border crossing includes travel for medical and educational purposes , emergency response operations , public health services , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trade.
” The border restrictions also do not permit anyone to enter the country if they do not have proper documentation — meaning illegal aliens will not be accepted if they reach the U.S. border .
This provision , in particular , has resulted in a rapid return of illegal entrants and a steep drop in illegal border crossings altogether .
Now the administration is looking to extend the restrictions for an indefinite amount of time , under the auspices of CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield .
Once the public health order is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in place until Redfield determines that the disease is no longer a danger to the American public , according to the NYT .
“ I am extending the duration of the order until I determine that the danger of further introduction of Covid-19 into the United States has ceased to be a danger to the public health , ” a copy of the draft order reads .
The order is under review by several agencies , the NYT reported .
It was immediately clear when , or if , the administration will issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ implemented in the coming days , given the current border restriction is set to expire on May 21 .
Wake up Right !
Subscribe to our Morning Briefing and get the news delivered to your inbox before breakfast !


freedomdaily--2020-05-14--Prehistoric human footprints reveal a rare snapshot of ancient human group behavior

When it comes to reconstructing how ancient creatures lived , palaeontologists like us are as much detectives as we are scientists .
We ’ re used to partial evidence , dead ends and red herrings .
It ’ s especially hard to reconstruct ancient behaviors , something we are particularly interested in .
We must rely on either skeletal remains or the physical things left behind by ancient people to deduce anything about their lives , be it what they ate , how they moved or the origins of complex behaviors like creating tools or communicating with language .
Prehistoric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of evidence for the behavior and biology of ancient organisms , capturing a snapshot of their lives in deep time .
In a new paper in Nature Scientific Reports , our research team documented and interpreted an extraordinary site in northern Tanzania called Engare Sero , where hundreds of human footprints were preserved in volcanic ash many thousands of years ago .
It ’ s the most abundant assemblage of ancient human footprints currently known from Africa and suggests this ancient community had a division of labor between the adult females and males @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are a preserved moment in time when an animal moved across a landscape and left traces of its movements imprinted in the ground .
While they can not tell you too much about how an animal looked , they can be surprisingly useful for reconstructing many other aspects of their biology .
Footprints can tell you how fast an animal was running , where it was going and sometimes even if the animal was solitary or moved in herds .
For the human lineage , footprint sites have been especially important in furthering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journey .
The iconic 3.66-million-year-old paleontological site of Laetoli in Tanzania , for instance , provided some of the earliest definitive evidence of upright walking in our ancient ancestors .
While Engare Sero is much younger than Laetoli , it provides a fascinating snapshot of a time period when our own species , Homo sapiens , was on the rise .
Ancient tracks in the shadow of Oldoinyo L ’ engai When you walk along wet sand on a beach , your footprints might last for a few minutes , or a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ocean .
But if you were to walk in wet volcanic ash and leave your footprints behind , and the ash then dried nearly as hard as concrete , your footprints could last thousands – or even millions – of years .
That ’ s exactly what happened thousands of years ago when a group of at least 20 prehistoric modern humans walked through a volcanic mudflow produced by the Oldoinyo L ’ engai volcano , still active today in what ’ s now Tanzania .
The local Tanzanian Masai have known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Engare Sero for a while .
When our research team leader , geologist Cynthia Liutkus-Pierce , first visited the site in 2009 , only 56 footprints had been exposed by natural surface erosion – but she was still floored by what she saw .
Our research group – including archaeologists , anthropologists , biologists , geologists , statisticians and other scientists – went on to uncover , document and analyze an astonishing 408 total human footprints .
Using two different dating techniques that measure radioactive decay in the material that preserved the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between 6,000 and 19,000 years ago .
In this time period , modern humans were likely the only hominin species left in Africa , and had already spread to many other parts of the globe .
We meticulously traced each footprint trail and analyzed the size , spacings and directions of the footprints .
We determined that 17 of the footprint tracks were created by a single group of individuals walking at the same time in a southwesterly direction .
Based on a sophisticated statistical analysis using a vast comparative dataset of modern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of mainly 14 adult females , with two adult males and one younger male .
Modern foragers such as the Hadza in Tanzania and the Ache in Paraguay often include groups of adult females cooperatively gathering food together , with occasional visits from or accompaniment by adult males .
This scenario seems a plausible fit for the group structure and patterns of movements we inferred at Engare Sero .
The footprints may indicate cooperative and sexually divided foraging in this ancient human community .
While we don ’ t know what the community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specifically like , we know that hominins in Africa at this time were engaging in complex behaviors , and that they were members of our own species , Homo sapiens .
They may have been foraging along a lake shore , looking for plants or shellfish to eat .
They may have been carrying bows and arrows to hunt animals like the antelopes , zebra or buffalo who left other footprints nearby .
Maybe these people looked up when they heard another rumble of the nearby volcano , which had erupted recently enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was still soft .
There are also six other footprint tracks heading in an almost perfectly opposite direction , to the northeast .
Most of the people who made these footprints were walking at different speeds and at least one was running , suggesting that these tracks were not created by a single group traveling together .
Several of the human footprint tracks lead to a nearby sand dune to the north .
We ’ ve purposefully left any footprints preserved under the sand dune unexcavated for now , until we can work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conservation plan to track and limit erosion of the footprints .
The hardened ash is remarkably resilient to erosion from water and wind .
Still , thanks to the Smithsonian ’ s 3D Digitization Program , we have meticulously captured three-dimensional data for each of the footprints so we can trace any natural destruction of the prints over time .
You can even download 3D files of a few of the Engare Sero footprints , in case you want to 3D print your own copies .
[ Insight , in your inbox each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Conversation ’ s email newsletter . ]
William E.H. Harcourt-Smith receives funding from the Leakey Foundation , the National Science Foundation , and the Wenner-Gren Foundation .
Briana Pobiner receives funding from the National Science Foundation , the Leakey Foundation , and the Wenner-Gren Foundation .


freedomdaily--2020-05-14--Officers Seize Methamphetamine Worth Over $11.1 Million at World Trade Bridge

– U.S. Customs and Border Protection ( CBP ) Office of Field Operations ( OFO ) officers at the World Trade Bridge intercepted a shipment containing hard narcotics with an estimated street value of more than $ 11.1 million in one enforcement action .
“ Even though anti-terrorism is our primary mission , CBP officers maintain their vigilance to ensure commercial entries are safe and free of contraband , ” said Port Director Gregory Alvarez , Laredo Port of Entry .
CBP officers seized approximately 557 pounds of methamphetamine within a shipment of plastic floor panels at World Trade Bridge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ occurred on Tuesday , May 12 , when officers assigned to the cargo facility encountered a tractor trailer hauling a shipment of plastic floor panels arriving from Mexico .
The 2005 Freightliner was referred for a canine and non-intrusive imaging system inspection , resulting in the discovery of approximately 557 pounds of alleged methamphetamine concealed within the shipment .
The narcotics have an estimated street value of $ 11,145,575 .
CBP seized the narcotics .
The case was turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations ( ICE-HSI ) special agents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
Subscribe to our Morning Briefing and get the news delivered to your inbox before breakfast !


freedomdaily--2020-05-14--What makes the wind?

What makes the wind?

Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages .
If you have a question you ’ d like an expert to answer , send it to curiouskidsus @ theconversation.com .
Wind has been whirling around the world since long before we ’ ve been here to notice it .
It howls outside your window , toppling trees and stirring up storms that could snatch your hat right off of your head and send it flying through the air .
What makes the wind blow ?
And why hasn ’ t it stopped by now ?
Whether it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gust , it ’ s all powered by the Sun .
But how could the wind blowing down your street be driven by something so far away ?
Blame it on the Sun It takes only eight minutes for sunlight to travel from the Sun to the surface of the Earth .
When it gets here , it warms things up .
You experience this yourself when you sit outside under blue skies and feel the Sun ’ s warmth on your skin .
As the Earth ’ s surface warms , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And when air gets warm enough , it rises high into the sky .
This is how hot air balloons fly : A small flame heats the air inside the balloon to lift it upwards .
When warm air rises , nearby air that ’ s cooler rushes in to fill the empty space left behind .
The rushing air is what we call wind .
How does wind become dangerous ?
As it blows , the wind spins and spirals in different directions due to an invisible force called the Coriolis force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Coriolis force wraps the wind into a giant , stormy spiral that is blown across the globe .
In the tropics , warm ocean waters provide an energy boost that strengthens the winds of a growing storm .
If the wind speed reaches 74 miles per hour , about as fast as cars driving on a freeway , we call the storm a hurricane .
A hurricane ’ s roaring winds and the floods that often accompany them can cause great destruction .
Strong winds can also be caused by sinking air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When the air below a thundercloud becomes very cold , it sinks down toward the ground , hits it and rushes away at fast speeds .
This is why a warm summer day can suddenly cool off if a storm is nearby .
What in the world shapes the wind ?
Wind is twisted and turned by the many obstacles it encounters along its way .
In forests , trees block the wind and protect the forest floor from gusts .
In big cities , towering skyscrapers funnel the wind into the narrow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Much larger obstacles , like oceans or mountain ranges , mold the wind into large , predictable patterns that shape weather and climate across the planet .
These patterns have shaped the course of history .
Winds brought the rains that allowed ancient societies to grow food and prosper .
Tropical breezes called the trade winds carried early explorers across vast oceans to new worlds .
Wind affects our lives in more ways than we often realize .
Where I live , in Seattle , Washington , we depend on the wind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ocean .
These rains support our farms , protect our forests from wildfires and keep our rivers filled with water .
As water flows downstream and passes through huge hydroelectric dams , it generates electricity that keeps our homes warm and our lights on at night .
Maybe the wind isn ’ t so bad after all .
Hello , curious kids !
Do you have a question you ’ d like an expert to answer ?
Ask an adult to send your question to CuriousKidsUS @ theconversation.com .
Please tell us your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you live .
And since curiosity has no age limit – adults , let us know what you ’ re wondering , too .
We won ’ t be able to answer every question , but we will do our best .
Adam Sokol 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--2020-05-14--What is the ACE2 receptor, how is it connected to coronavirus and why might it be key to treating CO

What is the ACE2 receptor, how is it connected to coronavirus and why might it be key to treating COVID-19? The experts explain

In the search for treatments for COVID-19 , many researchers are focusing their attention on a specific protein that allows the virus to infect human cells .
Called the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 , or ACE2 “ receptor , ” the protein provides the entry point for the coronavirus to hook into and infect a wide range of human cells .
Might this be central in how to treat this disease ?
We are scientists with expertise in pharmacology , molecular biology and biochemistry , with a strong commitment to applying these skills to the discovery of novel therapies for human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authors have experience studying angiotensin signaling in various disease settings , a biochemical pathway that appears to be central in COVID-19 .
Here are some of the key issues to understand about why there ’ s so much focus on this protein .
What is the ACE2 receptor ?
ACE2 is a protein on the surface of many cell types .
It is an enzyme that generates small proteins – by cutting up the larger protein angiotensinogen – that then go on to regulate functions in the cell .
Using the spike-like protein @ @ @ @ @ @ @ binds to ACE2 – like a key being inserted into a lock – prior to entry and infection of cells .
Hence , ACE2 acts as a cellular doorway – a receptor – for the virus that causes COVID-19 .
Where in the body is it found ?
ACE2 is present in many cell types and tissues including the lungs , heart , blood vessels , kidneys , liver and gastrointestinal tract .
It is present in epithelial cells , which line certain tissues and create protective barriers .
The exchange of oxygen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blood vessels occurs across this epithelial lining in the lung .
ACE2 is present in epithelium in the nose , mouth and lungs .
In the lungs , ACE2 is highly abundant on type 2 pneumocytes , an important cell type present in chambers within the lung called alveoli , where oxygen is absorbed and waste carbon dioxide is released .
What is the normal role ACE2 plays in the body ?
ACE2 is a vital element in a biochemical pathway that is critical to regulating processes such as blood pressure , wound @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system ( RAAS ) pathway .
ACE2 helps modulate the many activities of a protein called angiotensin II ( ANG II ) that increases blood pressure and inflammation , increasing damage to blood vessel linings and various types of tissue injury .
ACE2 converts ANG II to other molecules that counteract the effects of ANG II .
Of greatest relevance to COVID-19 , ANG II can increase inflammation and the death of cells in the alveoli which are critical for bringing oxygen into the body ; these harmful effects of ANG II are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus binds to ACE2 , it prevents ACE2 from performing its normal function to regulate ANG II signaling .
Thus , ACE2 action is “ inhibited , ” removing the brakes from ANG II signaling and making more ANG II available to injure tissues .
This “ decreased braking ” likely contributes to injury , especially to the lungs and heart , in COVID-19 patients .
Does everyone have the same number of ACE2 on their cells ?
No .
ACE2 is present in all people but the quantity can vary among individuals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some evidence suggests that ACE2 may be higher in patients with hypertension , diabetes and coronary heart disease .
Studies have found that a lack of ACE2 ( in mice ) is associated with severe tissue injury in the heart , lungs and other tissue types .
Does the quantity of receptors determine whether someone gets more or less sick ?
This is unclear .
The SARS-CoV-2 virus requires ACE2 to infect cells but the precise relationship between ACE2 levels , viral infectivity and severity of infection are not well understood .
Even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bind the SARS-CoV-2 virus , ACE2 has protective effects against tissue injury , by mitigating the pathological effects of ANG II .
When the amount of ACE2 is reduced because the virus is occupying the receptor , individuals may be more susceptible to severe illness from COVID-19 .
That is because enough ACE2 is available to facilitate viral entry but the decrease in available ACE2 contributes to more ANG II-mediated injury .
In particular , reducing ACE2 will increase susceptibility to inflammation , cell death and organ failure , especially in the heart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most severely damaged by SARS-CoV-2 ?
The lungs are the primary site of injury by SARS-CoV-2 infection , which causes COVID-19 .
The virus reaches the lungs after entry in the nose or mouth .
ANG II drives lung injury .
If there is a decrease in ACE2 activity ( because the virus is binding to it ) , then ACE2 can ’ t break down the ANG II protein , which means there is more of it to cause inflammation and damage in the body .
The virus also impacts other tissues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where damage and inflammation ( myocarditis ) can occur .
The kidneys , liver and digestive tract can also be injured .
Blood vessels may also be a site for damage .
In a recent research paper , we argued that a key factor that determines severity of damage in patients with COVID-19 is abnormally high ANG II activity .
What are ACE inhibitors ?
Are they a possible treatment or prophylactic for SARS-CoV-2 ?
Angiotensin converting enzyme ( ACE , aka ACE1 ) is another protein , also found in tissues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where ACE2 is present .
Drugs that inhibit the actions of ACE1 are called ACE inhibitors .
Examples of these drugs are ramipril , lisinopril , and enalapril .
These drugs block the actions of ACE1 but not ACE2 .
ACE1 drives the production of ANG II .
In effect , ACE1 and ACE2 have a “ yin-yang ” relationship ; ACE1 increases the amount of ANG II , whereas ACE2 reduces ANG II .
By inhibiting ACE1 , ACE inhibitors reduce the levels of ANG II and its ability to increase blood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are commonly prescribed for patients with hypertension , heart failure and kidney disease .
Another commonly prescribed class of drugs , angiotensin receptor blockers ( ARBs , e.g.
, losartan , valsartan , etc . )
have similar effects to ACE inhibitors and may also be useful in treating COVID-19 .
Evidence for a protective effect of ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers in patients with COVID-19 was shown in recent work co-authored by one of us – Dr. Loomba .
No evidence exists to suggest prophylactic use of these drugs ; we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drugs in the hopes that they will prevent COVID-19 .
We wish to emphasize that patients should only take these drugs as instructed by their health care provider .
In collaboration with a multidisciplinary group of investigators , Dr. Loomba has initiated a multicenter ( randomized , double-blinded , placebo-controlled ) clinical trial to examine the efficacy of ramipril – an ACE inhibitor – compared to a placebo in reducing mortality , ICU admission or need for mechanical ventilation in patients with COVID-19 .
[ Get facts about coronavirus and the latest research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s newsletter . ]
Paul A. Insel has received funding from the National Institutes of Health ( NIH ) , American Heart Association , Pfizer , Bristol Myers Squibb , Merck , and the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics .
Dr. Rohit Loomba serves as a consultant or advisory board member for Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals , AstraZeneca , Bird Rock Bio , Boehringer Ingelheim , Bristol-Myer Squibb , Celgene , Cirius , CohBar , Conatus , Eli Lilly , Galmed , Gemphire , Gilead , Glympse bio , GNI , GRI Bio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Merck , Metacrine , Inc. , NGM Biopharmaceuticals , Novartis , Novo Nordisk , Pfizer , Prometheus , Sanofi , Siemens , and Viking Therapeutics .
In addition , his institution has received grant support from Allergan , Boehringer-Ingelheim , Bristol-Myers Squibb , Cirius , Eli Lilly and Company , Galectin Therapeutics , Galmed Pharmaceuticals , GE , Genfit , Gilead , Intercept , Grail , Janssen , Madrigal Pharmaceuticals , Merck , NGM Biopharmaceuticals , NuSirt , Pfizer , pH Pharma , Prometheus , and Siemens .
He is also co-founder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funding from the NIH/NIDDK ( U01DK61734 , R01DK121378 , R01DK106419 ) , DoD PRCRP ( CA170674P2 ) , and NIH/NIEHS ( 5P42ES010337 ) Krishna Sriram does not 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--2020-05-14--A new type of chemical bond: The charge-shift bond

The Abstract features interesting research and the people behind it .
John Morrison Galbraith is an associate professor of chemistry at Marist College who studies chemical bonding , which is the process that holds atoms together to make molecules .
What have you discovered ?
Did you take a chemistry course in high school ?
Did you think it was a boring static field filled with established facts that were determined a long time ago ?
I ’ ve done research that shows that the most fundamental of these established “ facts , ” the nature of the chemical bond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have likely heard of covalent bonds , where electrons are shared between atoms , and ionic bonds , where electrons are completely transferred from one atom to another .
But you probably don ’ t know about a third type of bond , discovered in the early 1990s by Sason Shaik and Philippe Hiberty : the charge-shift bond .
I began working with them soon after .
In charge-shift bonds , electrons are both shared and transferred at the same time .
That might sound a little crazy , but think of it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ walkways at airports ?
Suppose that for over 100 years , people thought that the only way to get from one point to another was to either stand on the moving walkway or walk alongside it .
Now suppose that someone realized that there is a third way to move : You can stand on the walkway and walk at the same time .
The speed at which you move through the airport is not due to standing or walking , but a combination of both .
Along with Shaik , Hiberty and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I have helped show that charge-shift bonding is a broad phenomenon that happens between a variety of elements from across the periodic table .
Shaik and Hiberty were calculating the energy required to break a series of bonds using a method called valence bond theory .
Chemistry is all about pattern recognition , and all of the bonds they studied fit a well-established pattern , except the bond between two fluorine atoms .
Traditionally thought of as a purely covalent bond , this molecule didn ’ t behave like any other covalent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Shaik and Hiberty uncovered something completely unique .
Why is it important ?
This is the first major change in the way chemists think about bonding in more than 100 years .
Chemical bonding is at the heart of chemistry , so changing the way chemists think about bonding will change the entire field .
How are charge-shift bonds applied in the real world ?
Synthetic materials such as computer chips , plastics , cosmetics , textiles and medicines come from making and breaking chemical bonds .
Therefore , insight into chemical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have yet to imagine .
We are already seeing chemists exploit the properties of charge-shift bonds to speed up chemical reactions and to understand the properties of industrial solvents .
What is the coolest element of your new research ?
Chemistry is alive and constantly changing – that ’ s what first attracted me to the field .
Charge-shift bonding challenges something so fundamental to the field that it is largely taken for granted .
The drama of sweeping theory change is in full effect here : The concept was introduced many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over time , diligent work by a handful of believers provided more support for the idea ; and now it is gaining widespread acceptance due to verification through alternative experimental and theoretical means .
I also find it fascinating that most chemical processes can now be reliably modeled on a computer .
I always liked chemistry for the knowledge it provided about how things work on the atomic scale .
However , I never felt comfortable playing with beakers and hazardous chemicals .
While chemistry is still a predominantly experimental science , today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ providing a place for an experimentally challenged chemist such as myself .
[ Deep knowledge , daily .
Sign up for The Conversation ’ s newsletter . ]
Cottrell College Science Award for $ 35,718 : Marist College , May 2006 – May 2008 .
Merk AAAS Undergraduate Science Research Program Award : Marist College , Summer 2004 – Summer 2005 .


freedomdaily--2020-05-14--We designed an experimental AI tool to predict which COVID-19 patients are going to get the sickest

COVID-19 doesn ’ t create cookie cutter infections .
Some people have extremely mild cases while others find themselves fighting for their lives .
Clinicians are working with limited resources against a disease that is very hard to predict .
Knowing which patients are most likely to develop severe cases could help guide clinicians during this pandemic .
We are two researchers at New York University that study predictive analytics and infectious diseases .
In early January , we realized that it was very possible the new coronavirus in China was going to make its way to New York and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help clinicians deal with the incoming surge of cases .
We thought predictive analytics – a form of artificial intelligence – would be a good technology for this job .
In a general sense , this type of AI looks at existing data to find patterns and then uses those patterns to make predictions about the future .
Using data from 53 COVID-19 cases in January and February , we developed a group of algorithms to determine which mildly ill patients were likely become severely ill. Our experimental tool helped predict which people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In doing so , it also found some unexpected early clinical signs that predict severe cases of COVID-19 .
The algorithms we designed were trained on a small dataset and at this point are only a proof-of-concept tool , but with more data we believe later versions could be extremely helpful to medical professionals .
How we did the work To build this tool , we first needed data .
We teamed up with an infectious disease specialist , Xiangao Jiang , in Wenzhou , Zhejiang , China .
When we started @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wenzhou had the largest outbreak outside of Hubei , of which Wuhan is the capital .
Between January and February , Dr. Jiang ’ s team collected and shared with us information from 53 COVID-19 patients at two hospitals .
We got data on symptoms like fever , cough and diarrhea , lab values like blood cell counts , kidney function , inflammatory markers and vital signs and also X-rays .
Before we could start building the algorithms , we needed to wait until all the patients recovered or died so that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases .
Thankfully , the Wenzhou outbreak wasn ’ t bad and by mid-February all the patients , even those with severe cases , had recovered .
From this data , we developed a set of algorithms that use predictive analytics to identify early symptoms in the body of a person with COVID-19 .
The algorithms then look for patterns and figure out which of those symptoms correlate with severe cases of COVID-19 .
What did you find ?
For the 53 people in our study , the algorithms predicted with an accuracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extremely sick .
That is pretty close to other uses of AI in medicine .
We are now conducting further validations with large datasets .
This ability to predict which patients are going to decline could be very useful for clinicians , but the symptoms the AI identified to make these predictions could also provide valuable information to researchers .
Our predictive models found that slightly high levels of liver enzymes called ALT , elevated levels of hemoglobin – that is , red blood cells – and body aches were the strongest predictors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normal setting , doctors wouldn ’ t be concerned by slight elevations in ALT and hemoglobin , but it appears these are important signs during a coronavirus infection .
Since our study came out , other medical researchers have corroborated what our algorithms suggested .
In one study , researchers found that slightly high liver enzyme levels may correlate with worsened COVID-19 outcomes .
Additionally , higher hemoglobin levels are known to increase the risk of blood clots and blood clots are proving to be a significant and mysterious cause of death for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease , one that doctors haven ’ t seen before and signs of an impending severe case are hard to spot .
AI , which can recognize many elusive patterns simultaneously , is the perfect tool to help doctors identify high–risk patients early .
This gives them time to better prepare for these cases and could save lives .
Additionally , the symptoms that the AI algorithms found to be important suggested that SARS-CoV-2 was affecting many more parts of the body than just the lungs .
This ability to spot what symptoms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ search for the many ways the virus attacks the body .
It ’ s important to recognize the limitations of AI .
Before a tool like this is put into use we need to give our system much more data to learn from .
Since the AI was only trained on a small number of patients in one setting , its accuracy is limited to that setting .
We are in the process of getting more data from other sources and will use this data to make the algorithms are more accurate and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ designed is only a first test , the results are extremely encouraging .
We believe AI has a role to play in fighting this pandemic and hope to soon put our system to work helping doctors on the front lines .
[ You need to understand the coronavirus pandemic , and we can help .
Read The Conversation ’ s newsletter . ]
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--2020-05-14--Masks help stop the spread of coronavirus – the science is simple and I’m one of 100 experts urging

Masks help stop the spread of coronavirus – the science is simple and I’m one of 100 experts urging governors to require public mask-wearing

I ’ m a data scientist at the University of San Francisco and teach courses online in machine learning for fast.ai .
In late March , I decided to use public mask-wearing as a case study to show my students how to combine and analyze diverse types of data and evidence .
Much to my surprise , I discovered that the evidence for wearing masks in public was very strong .
It appeared that universal mask-wearing could be one of the most important tools in tackling the spread of COVID-19 .
Yet the people around me weren ’ t wearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weren ’ t recommending their use .
I , along with 18 other experts from a variety of disciplines , conducted a review of the research on public mask-wearing as a tool to slow the spread SARS-CoV-2 .
We published a preprint of our paper on April 12 and it is now awaiting peer review at the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences .
Since then , there have been many more reviews that support mask-wearing .
On May 14 , I and 100 of the world ’ s top academics released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asking that “ officials require cloth masks to be worn in all public places , such as stores , transportation systems , and public buildings.
” Currently , the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone wears a mask – as do the governments covering 90 % of the world ’ s population – but , so far , only 12 states in the U.S. require it .
In the majority of the remaining states , the CDC recommendation has not been enough : Most people do not currently wear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fast .
Every week more and more jurisdictions require mask use in public .
As I write this , there are now 94 countries that have made this move .
So what is this evidence that has led myself and so many scientists to believe so strongly in masks ?
The research that first convinced me was a laser light-scattering experiment .
Researchers from the National Institutes of Health used lasers to illuminate and count how many droplets of saliva were flung into the air by a person talking with and without a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently published officially , but I saw a YouTube video showing the experiment in early March .
The results are shockingly obvious in the video .
When the researcher used a simple cloth face cover , nearly all the droplets were blocked .
This evidence is only relevant if COVID-19 is transmitted by droplets from a person ’ s mouth .
It is .
There are many documented super-spreading cases connected with activities – like singing in enclosed spaces – that create a lot of droplets .
The light-scattering experiment can not see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5 microns and could contain some viral particles .
But experts don ’ t think that these are responsible for much COVID-19 transmission .
While just how much of a role these small particles play in transmission remains to be seen , recent research suggests that cloth masks are also effective at reducing the spread of these smaller particles .
In a paper that has not yet been peer-reviewed , researchers found that micro-droplets fell out of the air within 1.5 meters of the person who was wearing a mask , versus 5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When combined with social distancing , this suggests that masks can effectively reduce transmission via micro-droplets .
Another recent study showed that unfitted surgical masks were 100 % effective in blocking seasonal coronavirus in droplets ejected during breathing .
If only people with symptoms infected others , then only people with symptoms would need to wear masks .
But experts have shown that people without symptoms pose a risk of infecting others .
In fact , four recent studies show that nearly half of patients are infected by people who do not themselves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to me , clear and simple : COVID-19 is spread by droplets .
We can see directly that a piece of cloth blocks those droplets and the virus those droplets contain .
People without symptoms who don ’ t even know they are sick are responsible for around half of the transmission of the virus .
We should all wear masks .
After going through all of this strong evidence in late March and early April , I wondered why mask-wearing was controversial amongst health organizations in the Western world .
The U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and neither did nearly any western government except for Slovakia and Czechia , which both required masks in late March .
I think there were three key problems .
The first was that most researchers were looking at the wrong question – how well a mask protects the wearer from infection and not how well a mask prevents an infected person from spreading the virus .
Masks function very differently as personal protective equipment ( PPE ) versus source control .
Masks are very good at blocking larger droplets and not nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When a person expels droplets into the air , they quickly evaporate and shrink to become tiny airborne particles called droplet nuclei .
These are extremely hard to remove from the air .
However , in the moist atmosphere between a person ’ s mouth and their mask , it takes nearly a hundred times as long for a droplet to evaporate and shrink into a droplet nuclei .
This means that nearly any kind of simple cloth mask is great for source control .
The mask creates humidity , this humidity prevents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and this allows the fabric of the mask to block the droplets .
Unfortunately , nearly all of the research that was available at the start of this pandemic focused on mask efficacy as PPE .
This measure is very important for protecting health care workers , but does not capture their value as source control .
On Feb. 29 , the U.S. surgeon general tweeted that masks “ are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching # Coronavirus.
” This missed the key point : They are extremely effective at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the literature showed .
The second problem was that most medical researchers are used to judging interventions on the basis of randomized controlled trials .
These are the foundation of evidence based medicine .
However , it is impossible and unethical to test mask-wearing , hand-washing or social distancing during a pandemic .
Experts like Trisha Greenhalgh , the author of the best-selling textbook “ How to Read a Paper : The Basics of Evidence Based Healthcare , ” are now asking , “ Is Covid-19 evidence-based medicine ’ s nemesis ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ when a simple experiment finds evidence to support an intervention and that intervention has a limited downside , policymakers should act before a randomized trial is done .
The third problem is that there is a shortage of medical masks around the world .
Many policymakers were concerned that recommending face coverings for the public would lead to people hoarding medical masks .
This led to seemingly contradictory guidance where the CDC said there was no reason for the public to wear masks but that masks needed to be saved for medical workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stance and recommends the public use of homemade masks while saving higher-grade masks for medical professionals .
There are numerous studies that suggest if 80 % of people wear a mask in public , then COVID-19 transmission could be halted .
Until a vaccine or a cure for COVID-19 is discovered , cloth face masks might be the most important tool we currently have to fight the pandemic .
Given all of the laboratory and epidemiological evidence , the low cost of wearing masks – which can be made at home with no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 transmission with widescale use , policymakers should ensure that everyone wears a mask in public .
[ You need to understand the coronavirus pandemic , and we can help .
Read The Conversation ’ s newsletter . ]
Jeremy Howard 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--2020-05-15--PBS Stations That Received Millions In Federal Funds Partnered With Chinese Foreign Agent On Pro-Bei

PBS Stations That Received Millions In Federal Funds Partnered With Chinese Foreign Agent On Pro-Beijing Film

PBS affiliates that receive millions of dollars in federal funding each year are airing a pro-Beijing documentary produced in conjunction with CGTN , a Chinese-government controlled media outlet that is registered as a foreign agent with the Justice Department .
The film , “ Voices from the Frontline : China ’ s War on Poverty , ” did not disclose CGTN ’ s links to the Chinese government .
Nor did it detail the close ties that the film ’ s producer , Robert Lawrence Kuhn , has to Chinese officials and the government ’ s State Council Information Office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PBS affiliate KOCE , known as PBS SoCal , helped produce the film and premiered it Monday .
KCET , which merged with KOCE in 2018 , will air the show on Saturday .
Other PBS affiliates , including in Idaho and Las Vegas , have either already aired the film or plan to do so later this month .
The one-hour documentary touts Chinese President Xi Jinping ’ s initiative to alleviate poverty in China by the end of this year .
“ In the last forty years , China ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people out of poverty , ” reads the introductory script in the film .
“ To President Xi Jinping , ending poverty is his most important task , ” the script states .
The closing credits of the documentary show that it was produced by “ The Kuhn Foundation and PBS SoCal in association with CGTN.
” One PBS SoCal employee is listed as an executive producer of the film and another is listed as a production assistant .
PBS and other publicly-funded news outlets like NPR have come under fire in recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the organizations over perceived liberal bias .
Other news outlets have come under scrutiny for publishing propaganda promoted by the Chinese government .
President Donald Trump has proposed defunding the Corporation for Public Broadcasting ( CPB ) , which provides the federal dollars that go to PBS affiliates and NPR .
KCET received $ 5.6 million in funding from CPB in 2019 , according to CPB records .
The station received more than $ 1.8 million in 2018 .
KOCE received more than $ 1.8 million in 2018 and more than $ 2.2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 350 affiliates are funded through a mixture of government grants , corporate sponsorships and private donations .
While federal funding makes up a small percentage of PBS affiliates ’ revenue , the organization says that government money is crucial to its survival .
“ There is no viable replacement for federal funding – which amounts to $ 1.35 per citizen per year , ” PBS SoCal says on its website .
“ The loss of federal funding would make it difficult for local stations to operate and would cause many of them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collapse of the PBS system .
Loss of federal funding would also have a devastating effect on PBS ’ s ability to produce the quality content our viewers love.
” The Los Angeles Times reported in March 2017 that KOCE receives between $ 2.5 million and $ 3 million in federal funding , or 11-15 % of its budget .
The Kuhn Foundation has given $ 70,000 in grants to KOCE between 2015 and 2018 , according to tax filings .
The foundation gave $ 35,000 in 2015 and $ 17,500 in both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former investment banker , appears to be highly regarded in China , though he is not as well known in the U.S .
He has made appearances on channels like CNN and Bloomberg over the years to discuss issues in China , but appears frequently on Beijing-controlled news outlets like CGTN , CCTV , and China Daily .
In December 2018 , Kuhn was awarded the China Reform Friendship Medal at an event held in Beijing and attended by Xi Jinping .
Kuhn ’ s personal website shows a photo of him shaking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and refers to the medal as “ China ’ s highest award.
” Kuhn hosted a delegation that same year to Beijing to meet with Jiang Jianguo , who served as minister of the State Council Information Office , the office reported .
The State Council is also the Chinese Communist Party ’ s Central Office of Foreign Propaganda , according to the Wilson Center .
Kuhn ’ s name previously surfaced in connection to Jeffrey Epstein , the financier who committed suicide while in jail on charges that he molested underage girls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 150,000 to the Kuhn Foundation in 2017 , The Daily Beast has reported .
Epstein ’ s nonprofit also bankrolled a PBS series that Kuhn produced on spirituality called “ Closer to Truth.
” CNBC reported that Epstein contributed $ 500,000 to Kuhn ’ s project in 2018 .
Kuhn offers his views on the Chinese government on a weekly segment hosted by CGTN and through documentaries he has produced in coordination with Chinese media outlets .
Xi ’ s program to fight poverty has been one area of focus for Kuhn , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response to the coronavirus pandemic .
“ To truly understand China , one has to recognize their genuine commitment to eradicating poverty , ” Kuhn last year told China Daily , a government-controlled outlet , of his documentary .
“ Today , in the Western world , especially in the United States , there is concern about China ’ s actions and suspicion of China ’ s motives .
But one of the things I wanted this film to do was to undermine the stereotype of China as a ruthless giant out to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just not the case.
” “ Xi ’ s commitment and determination frames the film , informing its open and close , ” Kuhn said .
In a recent episode of “ The Watcher , ” a segment that airs on CGTN , Kuhn praised the Chinese Communist Party ’ s handling of the coronavirus outbreak .
“ China ’ s mobilization is unprecedented in global health history .
Nowhere could it work like it works in China .
The reason it works is because the party works , the Communist Party of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Xi Jinping calls for fighting the outbreak in an open and transparent manner .
That ’ s the key : transparency , complete transparency .
As China has done and is doing updating all confirmed patients and updating all the data everyday.
” In a televised event aired by China Daily , another outlet controlled by Beijing , Kuhn asserted that China will win praise in future generations for its response to coronavirus .
“ Future historians may well look upon China ’ s fight against the coronavirus as a turning in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diseases , and stop their spread , ” Kuhn said at the event , which aired March 31 .
“ History may well thank China for pioneering how to deal with virulent contagions in a globalized world , ” Kuhn said .
Kuhn ’ s view is not shared by health experts and government officials across the world who have blamed Chinese authorities for failing to contain the virus and for providing misleading information about the early stages of the outbreak .
China has been accused of releasing false statistics about the number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
Authorities there also offered false assurances to the World Health Organization that the coronavirus was not transmitted person to person .
Kuhn ’ s praise for Chinese leaders has earned him blowback from some China watchers .
In 2005 , The New York Times reviewed Kuhn ’ s book , “ The Man Who Changed China , ” noting that a “ secret state propaganda team ” oversaw writing of the book .
Kuhn rebutted some of those allegations , telling China Daily in 2011 saying that he was “ indeed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kuhn denied being paid by Beijing .
“ I have never been paid by the Chinese government , ” he said , adding : “ I am paid by foreign companies that do business in China.
” It ’ s unclear if the PBS stations were aware of CGTN ’ s status as a foreign agent for the Chinese government .
The company formally registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act on Aug. 2 , 2019 .
A spokesman for KOCE and KCET provided the Daily Caller News Foundation with a press release @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respond to a detailed list of questions .
PBS did not respond to a request for comment , nor did The Kuhn Foundation .
Requests for comment submitted through Kuhn ’ s personal website were also not returned .
The Chinese government has long used its propaganda arms to disseminate pro-Beijing narratives .
The initiative has involved Chinese news outlets partnering with mainstream U.S. and Western newspapers , such as The Washington Post , The New York Times , The Wall Street Journal , to publish paid inserts in those newspapers that promote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Journal reported in November 2017 that the Chinese government was partnering with Western TV companies to produce glossy documentaries aimed at burnishing Beijing ’ s image .
The story said that Xi “ has also stepped up support for co-productions with foreign partners , including documentary tie-ups spotlighting the country ’ s culture , technological advancements and infrastructure projects.
” The report pointed to “ China : Time of Xi , ” a documentary that Discovery channel ’ s Asia division aired .
Kuhn was interviewed for the film .


freedomdaily--2020-05-15--Here Is What You Should Know About ‘Unmasking’ And Michael Flynn

The release of a list of U.S. government officials on Wednesday who made unmasking requests for information about Michael Flynn quickly descended into a tense partisan debate over whether the Obama administration improperly targeted the former national security adviser .
Two Republican senators released a list of 39 officials in the Obama administration who made unmasking requests during the presidential transition period that revealed Flynn ’ s name in classified intelligence reports held by the National Security Agency .
Several prominent government officials were included on the list : Joe Biden , James Comey , John Brennan and James Clapper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence that members of the Obama administration unfairly targeted Flynn , a retired general who served as Donald Trump ’ s first national security adviser .
Democrats defended the requests , saying that they were part of a routine intelligence gathering process .
Here ’ s what we know and don ’ t know about the unmasking process , who was involved , and what it means for Flynn .
Certain U.S. officials can submit requests to uncover information that is redacted in intelligence reports regarding foreign targets of U.S. surveillance .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are typically redacted , but an unmasking request can unveil the information .
Admiral Mike Rodgers , who served as director of the National Security Agency , explained the unmasking process during a June 7 , 2017 Senate Intelligence Committee hearing .
Rogers said there are three criteria to make an unmasking request .
“ Number one , you must make the request in writing .
Number two , the request must be made on the basis of your official duties , not the fact that you just find this report really interesting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It has to tangibly tie to your job , ” Rogers testified .
The third criteria , Rogers said , is that “ the basis of the request must be that you need this identity to understand the intelligence you ’ re reading.
” He said that intelligence reports that are distributed to the intelligence community use generic terms — “ U.S .
Person 1 ” or “ U.S .
Person 2 ” — in place of U.S. citizens ’ names .
Rogers said that when the NSA approves unmasking requests , recipients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information is classified .
“ By revealing this U.S. person to you , we are doing it to help you understand the intelligence , not so that you can use that knowledge indiscriminately .
It must remain appropriately protected , ” Rogers said .
U.S. officials make thousands of unmasking requests each year , according to data from the NSA .
Rogers said that 20 officials at NSA across 12 different divisions had the authority to grant unmasking requests submitted from other agencies .
Unmasking is a common practice and is not illegal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration officials specifically targeted Flynn with unmasking requests and then leaked the information to the media .
The leak issue was first raised in reference to stories that appeared in The Washington Post regarding Flynn ’ s calls in late December 2016 with Sergey Kislyak , the Russian ambassador to the U.S. On Jan. 12 , 2017 , Post columnist David Ignatius reported that a senior U.S. official said that Flynn had spoken by phone weeks earlier with Kislyak .
Ignatius raised the possibility that Flynn and Kislyak discussed U.S. sanctions against Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had violated the Logan Act , an obscure law that bars private citizens from negotiating with foreign governments .
The disclosure to Ignatius was seemingly a leak of classified information taken from transcripts of Kislyak ’ s phone calls , which are routinely monitored because of his position in the Russian government .
Republicans have theorized that after Flynn ’ s name was unmasked in intelligence reports , his involvement in the call with Kislyak was leaked to The Post .
Thirty-nine government officials submitted requests from Nov. 8 , 2016 , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the records .
Biden , Comey , Brennan and Clapper received the most attention given their top positions in the Obama administration .
Several Treasury Department officials , including Sec .
Jacob Lew submitted requests .
The ambassadors for Italy , Russia , and Turkey also made requests as well , according to the documents .
Beyond Biden , the only other request from a White House official was one made on Jan. 5 , 2017 by Denis McDonough , who served as chief of staff to President Obama .
The source for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though several Obama administration officials have denied being behind the disclosure .
Clapper , Susan Rice , Ben Rhodes , Samantha Power , and Justice Department officials Sally Yates and Mary McCord told the House Intelligence Committee that they did not leak the information , according to transcripts released last week .
Former Rep. Trey Gowdy asserted Thursday that the list of Obama officials is “ a really nice witness list to start investigating the leak of classified information.
” “ Disseminating that name to the Washington Post is a 10-year felony @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his request on Jan. 12 , 2017 , the same day that a Washington Post column revealed that Flynn had phone calls weeks early with Sergey Kislyak .
There is no indication that Biden was the source of information for the column , but it remains unclear what prompted him to make an unmasking request that revealed Flynn ’ s identity .
The presidential candidate has yet to comment on the issue , though an official on his campaign attacked CBS News reporter Catherine Herridge after she published the list of Obama administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the former Republican lawmaker , questioned how frequently Biden made unmasking requests .
“ Vice President Biden how many other unmasking requests did you make ?
” he asked rhetorically in a Fox News interview .
The dates of the unmasking requests tend to match up with news reports out at the time mentioning Flynn or other information about Flynn ’ s activities that have come to light through the special counsel ’ s investigation or other reports .
Samantha Power , who served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations , submitted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That was around when the Justice Department opened an investigation into Flynn ’ s work for the Turkish government .
Power and Clapper made requests on Dec. 2 , 2016 , the same day that Flynn and Jared Kushner met at Trump Tower with Kislyak .
Officials submitted a flurry of requests in mid-December 2016 .
One Twitter user noted that that was the same time when Flynn , Kushner , and Trump strategist Steve Bannon met at Trump Tower with Sheik al-Nahyan , the president of the United Arab Emirates .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2016 , the same day that Kislyak reached out to Flynn .
Kislyak and Flynn spoke by phone the following day .
The next request on the list was submitted by McDonough , the chief of staff to Obama .


freedomdaily--2020-05-15--Ocasio-Cortez Hits Critic For Not Reading Green New Deal Bill, Says It ‘Costs $0 If Passed’

Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ripped one of her critics Thursday for suggesting the Green New Deal would cost Americans a fortune and require the government to confiscate every penny from billionaires and multimillionaires .
Ocasio-Cortez scolded conservative columnist Jonah Goldberg Thursday for saying in a tweet that taking every dollar from the likes of Bill Gates , Jeff Bezos and others would not “ cover a fraction of your Green New Deal fantasy.
” “ Totally get it if you ’ ve never bothered to read the legislation you ’ re commenting so authoritatively on , ” Ocasio-Cortez @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GND is a “ non-binding resolution of values ” and “ costs us $ 0 if passed.
” Ocasio-Cortez ’ s signature legislation calls for several progressive proposals , including moving the United States off of fossil fuels within a decade , providing universal health care , basic income programs , job guarantees , amid a slew of other ambitious plans .
The GND would cost $ 0 if it remained a non-binding resolution and was not coupled with legislation satisfying the deal ’ s agenda .
Several reports have determined that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The GND would cost households an average of between $ 74,287 and $ 76,683 in Colorado , Michigan and Pennsylvania , a February report from Competitive Enterprise Institute noted .
CEI , a conservative-leaning think tank , incorporated the costs of electricity production within the first year after Ocasio-Cortez ’ s deal ’ s implementation and the costs of a one-time upgrade to buildings and vehicles .
They also determined how the plan ’ s mandate would increase the cost of logistics in a modern American economy .
The right-leaning group American Action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forecast in a 2019 report , suggesting the GND would cost $ 93 trillion over ten years .
All told , that amounts to $ 36,100 to $ 65,300 per American household per year to meet the lofty proposal ’ s goals , AAF reported in February 2019 .
Republicans in the Senate eventually torpedoed the legislation in March 2019 as Democrats called the vote a dog-and-pony show .
The GOP defeated the proposal 57-0 ; Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell called the bill a socialistic ploy designed to kill the economy .


freedomdaily--2020-05-15--‘She’s Lost Her Mind’: Former ICE Chief Reacts To Pelosi’s Plan To Give Illegal Aliens Stimulus Fund

‘She’s Lost Her Mind’: Former ICE Chief Reacts To Pelosi’s Plan To Give Illegal Aliens Stimulus Funds

A former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) claims House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ’ s coronavirus relief package exploits the pandemic to push a progressive agenda .
“ Nancy Pelosi and her party , they are taking advantage of this crisis to push a radical agenda .
Look , she wants to use our taxpayer ’ s money to reward illegal behavior , ” said Tom Homan on Fox News Thursday .
Homan led ICE early on in the Trump administration .
Pelosi introduced the HEROES Act on Tuesday , a $ 3 trillion spending bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Republican leaders have deemed it dead-on-arrival in the Senate .
Particularly on immigration issues , the legislation would make many illegal aliens eligible for $ 1,200 relief checks , along with a number of anti-enforcement measures .
“ She wants to use U.S. citizens ’ taxpayer money to pay illegal aliens … They committed a crime and entered this country illegally , they are in violation of the law for working in this country illegally , ” Homan said .
House Democrats ’ HEROES Act , if passed into law , would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — which are frequently used by illegal aliens who don ’ t have Social Security numbers — to be eligible for stimulus funds .
The bill also forbids federal grant money from being withheld from sanctuary cities , and it calls on ICE to release detainees who do not pose a “ threat to public safety or national security.
” The legislation includes a section that provides “ temporary protections for essential critical infrastructure workers , ” giving protections to illegal aliens employed in jobs that are declared “ essential.
” If the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aliens would enjoy a period of deferred action on repatriation , and be authorized to work if they meet certain requirements .
Homan said that Pelosi had argued for years that Trump is not above the law , but she thinks illegal aliens are above the law .
“ Here ’ s the Speaker of the House for three years [ saying ] the president is not above the law , the president is not above the law , but apparently in her eyes , illegal aliens are above the law , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t know what the skies are in her world but she lost her mind on this stimulus package , ” Homan added .
Pelosi ’ s bill , which House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said was a “ liberal wishlist that has no chance of becoming law , ” is not anticipated to make it past the Republican-controlled Senate .


freedomdaily--2020-05-15--Montgomery County Sued For Doling Out Coronavirus Money To Illegal Aliens

Montgomery County , Maryland , a sanctuary jurisdiction that garnered national attention in 2019 for a string of alleged rapes by illegal aliens , is being sued for allotting millions in coronavirus relief funds to its undocumented community .
Two residents in Montgomery County sued County Executive Marc Elrich , a Democrat , and the director of the Department of Health and Human Services for green-lighting a program that provides direct financial assistance to illegal aliens who live in the county , but are not eligible for any federal or state relief , according to the Washington Post .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Richard Jurgena and Sharon Bauer allege that Montgomery County ’ s new Emergency Assistance Relief program violates federal law .
The two residents are being represented by Judicial Watch , a conservative legal organization .
The Montgomery County Council , made up entirely of Democrats , unanimously approved a $ 5 million program in April that provides direct cash assistance to low income residents .
The Emergency Assistance Relief Payment program , a response to the economic turmoil caused by the coronavirus , was introduced at the request of the County Executive .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ check of up to $ 1,450 to low-income households that don ’ t otherwise qualify for state or federal benefits .
Notably , eligible recipients include those who do not have a Social Security number , which would include illegal aliens .
Jurgena and Bauer argue that this program violates federal law , which forbids illegal aliens from obtaining local and state benefits unless state law specifically allows it .
The lawsuit points out that the Maryland government has not given Montgomery County explicit permission to implement this program .
“ Montgomery County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have no legal authority on their own to spend taxpayer money for cash payments to illegal aliens , ” Tom Fitton , the president of Judicial Watch , said in a statement .
The lawsuit marks the latest public ire Montgomery County government has received for how it deals with those living in the country unlawfully .
The county is widely regarded as a “ sanctuary city ” for its refusal to completely work with federal immigration authorities .
Elrich signed “ The Promoting Community Trust Executive Order ” in July 2019 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asking individuals about their immigration status and largely prohibited them from cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) agents .
The county had already refused to honor ICE detainer requests , and the new order was the latest sanctuary measure enacted by a deep-blue locality in response to the Trump administration ’ s crackdown on illegal immigration .
However , Montgomery County and its new sanctuary policy soon became the focus of national media attention after a string of illegal aliens were accused of rape or sexual abuses — some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the public after Montgomery County authorities refused to honor ICE detainer requests placed on them .
Amid the backlash , Elrich ultimately backpedaled on the order .
In November , a county representative said ICE agents would be allowed to pick up wanted illegal aliens in the Montgomery County jail , but only in “ identified areas.
” However , local authorities are being accused of not fully committing to this new policy .
A person familiar with the new process told the Daily Caller News Foundation that Montgomery County is , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illegal alien is due to be released from their jail , but that these calls are taking place at the last minute , giving agents no realistic timeframe to arrive at the jail and make an apprehension .
Beyond its refusal to help ICE agents , Montgomery County has also expanded a pilot program that provides legal representation for foreign nationals challenging deportation orders .
The county has contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to the program .
As for the lawsuit , Elrich said Montgomery County is prepared to “ defend what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Washington Post .
In another comment , Montgomery County Council President Sidney Katz said that “ it is disgraceful that any group would seek to deny essential assistance for children and families who are struggling to make ends meet.
” The plaintiffs are seeking an injunction to stop the county from moving forward with the program .
A remote hearing is planned for Friday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland .


freedomdaily--2020-05-15--Coronavirus, ‘Plandemic’ and the seven traits of conspiratorial thinking

The conspiracy theory video “ Plandemic ” recently went viral .
Despite being taken down by YouTube and Facebook , it continues to get uploaded and viewed millions of times .
The video is an interview with conspiracy theorist Judy Mikovits , a disgraced former virology researcher who believes the COVID-19 pandemic is based on vast deception , with the purpose of profiting from selling vaccinations .
The video is rife with misinformation and conspiracy theories .
Many high-quality fact-checks and debunkings have been published by reputable outlets such as Science , Politifact and FactCheck .
As scholars who research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theories , we believe there is also value in exposing the rhetorical techniques used in “ Plandemic.
” As we outline in our Conspiracy Theory Handbook and How to Spot COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories , there are seven distinctive traits of conspiratorial thinking .
“ Plandemic ” offers textbook examples of them all .
Learning these traits can help you spot the red flags of a baseless conspiracy theory and hopefully build up some resistance to being taken in by this kind of thinking .
This is an important skill given the current surge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are so committed to disbelieving an official account , it doesn ’ t matter if their belief system is internally contradictory .
The “ Plandemic ” video advances two false origin stories for the coronavirus .
It argues that SARS-CoV-2 came from a lab in Wuhan – but also argues that everybody already has the coronavirus from previous vaccinations , and wearing masks activates it .
Believing both causes is mutually inconsistent .
Conspiracy theorists are overwhelmingly suspicious toward the official account .
That means any scientific evidence that doesn ’ t fit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But if you think the scientific data is faked , that leads down the rabbit hole of believing that any scientific organization publishing or endorsing research consistent with the “ official account ” must be in on the conspiracy .
For COVID-19 , this includes the World Health Organization , the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the Food and Drug Administration , Anthony Fauci… basically , any group or person who actually knows anything about science must be part of the conspiracy .
In a conspiracy theory , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the case of “ Plandemic , ” there ’ s no limit to the nefarious intent .
The video suggests scientists including Anthony Fauci engineered the COVID-19 pandemic , a plot which involves killing hundreds of thousands of people so far for potentially billions of dollars of profit .
Conspiracy theorists may occasionally abandon specific ideas when they become untenable .
But those revisions tend not to change their overall conclusion that “ something must be wrong ” and that the official account is based on deception .
When “ Plandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he really believed COVID-19 was intentionally started for profit , his response was “ I don ’ t know , to be clear , if it ’ s an intentional or naturally occurring situation .
I have no idea.
” He has no idea .
All he knows for sure is something must be wrong : “ It ’ s too fishy.
” Conspiracy theorists think of themselves as the victims of organized persecution .
“ Plandemic ” further ratchets up the persecuted victimhood by characterizing the entire world population as victims of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the media and even ourselves as unwitting accomplices .
At the same time , conspiracy theorists see themselves as brave heroes taking on the villainous conspirators .
It ’ s so hard to change a conspiracy theorist ’ s mind because their theories are self-sealing .
Even absence of evidence for a theory becomes evidence for the theory : The reason there ’ s no proof of the conspiracy is because the conspirators did such a good job covering it up .
Conspiracy theorists see patterns everywhere – they ’ re all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are reinterpreted as being caused by the conspiracy and woven into a broader , interconnected pattern .
Any connections are imbued with sinister meaning .
For example , the “ Plandemic ” video suggestively points to the U.S. National Institutes of Health funding that has gone to the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China .
This is despite the fact that the lab is just one of many international collaborators on a project that sought to examine the risk of future viruses emerging from wildlife .
As we explore in our Conspiracy Theory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strategies you can use in response to conspiracy theories .
One approach is to inoculate yourself and your social networks by identifying and calling out the traits of conspiratorial thinking .
Another approach is to “ cognitively empower ” people , by encouraging them to think analytically .
The antidote to conspiratorial thinking is critical thinking , which involves healthy skepticism of official accounts while carefully considering available evidence .
Understanding and revealing the techniques of conspiracy theorists is key to inoculating yourself and others from being misled , especially when we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and uncertainty .
[ Get facts about coronavirus and the latest research .
Sign up for The Conversation ’ s newsletter . ]
Sander van der Linden has consulted on fake news for the UK and US government , European Commission , and Google .
He receives funding from WhatsApp for research on misinformation .
He also receives funding from the Trust and Technology initiative .
Stephan Lewandowsky consults for , and collaborates with , the Joint Research Center of the European Commission .
He receives funding from the Australian Research Council , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Volkswagen Foundation .
John Cook 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--2020-05-15--Jeff Sessions: Leak Of Michael Flynn Phone Call Was An ‘Absolute Crime’

Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Friday that the leak of Michael Flynn ’ s identity to the media in 2017 was “ an absolute crime ” that should be “ prosecuted vigorously.
” In an interview on Fox Business , Sessions , who is running for a Senate seat in Alabama , discussed revelations about Obama administration officials unmasking Flynn ’ s identity in foreign intelligence reports during the presidential transition period in 2016 and 2017 .
On Wednesday , Republican senators released a list of 39 Obama administration officials who made requests for reports that identified Flynn .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ CIA Director John Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey were on the list .
Republicans have focused on the Flynn unmaskings because of a leak to The Washington Post in early January 2017 regarding Flynn ’ s phone calls with Sergey Kislyak , who served as Russia ’ s ambassador to the U.S. On Jan. 12 , 2017 , Post columnist David Ignatius published a story citing a senior U.S. government official who disclosed that Flynn spoke by phone with Kislyak .
The information was seemingly classified since it was derived from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monitored by the National Security Agency .
“ It ’ s one thing to ask for an unmasking .
It ’ s another thing to leak it to the media .
That ’ s an absolute crime and should be prosecuted vigorously , ” Sessions said Friday .
Sessions asserted that whoever was behind the Flynn leak should be charged and jailed for illegally disclosing classified information , which carries a maximum 10-year prison sentence .
“ If that happened , and it looks like it might have , those people need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be prosecuted , ” said Sessions .
Sessions did not say whether the Justice Department investigated the Flynn leak while he served as attorney general .
President Donald Trump and some of his allies have criticized Sessions for recusing himself from all Russia probe matters while he served as attorney general .
Sessions ’ recusal in March 2017 paved the way for the special counsel ’ s probe .
Sessions has defended his recusal , saying that he was legally prohibited from overseeing the investigation because he served on the Trump campaign .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ FBI and special counsel ’ s investigation .
Andrew McCabe , who served as deputy director of the FBI , opened an investigation into whether Sessions lied to Congress about contacts he had in 2016 with Kislyak .
The special counsel ultimately cleared Sessions of any wrongdoing .
The Sessions campaign did not respond to a request for comment about whether Sessions approved any investigations into the Flynn leak .
Sessions on Friday also questioned Biden ’ s request for an intelligence report that unmasked Flynn .
“ So when you have Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before he left office , he had no basis and need for that from a national security perspective whatsoever , ” said Sessions .


freedomdaily--2020-05-15--Obamacare’s insurance safety net protects many of the millions losing their employer-provided health

Obamacare’s insurance safety net protects many of the millions losing their employer-provided health insurance – but not all

The loss of 31 million jobs due to coronvirus has an added downside : 27 million have lost job-based health insurance .
The worst may still lie ahead .
One study estimated that 25 to 43 million people could lose coverage from their employer .
The situation for many Americans feels dramatic .
Fortunately , the limited U.S. safety net will be able to cushion some of the fallout for almost 80 % through programs like Medicaid , the Children ’ s Health Insurance Program and the Affordable Care Act marketplaces .
And , of course , all preexisting conditions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all insurers .
Yet millions will be left without coverage .
As a professor of public policy , I believe there are four things you need to consider if you ’ ve been laid off , or if you didn ’ t have health insurance before the pandemic .
What do I do if I ’ ve been laid off and lost coverage ?
The good news : For many who have lost their employer-provided coverage , a number of alternatives may exist .
For some , they might now be able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Others may be able to maintain their previous coverage through COBRA , albeit without the financial subsidy from their employer .
This option can get expensive very quickly .
Currently , average premiums in the U.S. for individuals amount to US $ 7,188 .
The number increases to $ 20,576 for a family of four .
And COBRA adds an additional 2 % of premiums for administration .
Due to the loss of income , people in states that expanded Medicaid under care of the ACA could become eligible for Medicaid coverage .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ families qualify if their income falls below 138 % of the federal poverty line .
For a family of four , this currently amounts to roughly $ 36,000 .
In states that did not expand Medicaid , eligibility rules vary widely but are often quite restrictive .
Individuals who do not qualify for their state Medicaid program may find an alternative in coverage purchased on the ACA insurance marketplaces .
Here individuals between 100 % and 400 % of the federal poverty line are eligible for premium support .
Those on the low @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for out-of-pocket support .
Unfortunately , the decision of many states not to expand their Medicaid programs may leave millions of Americans ineligible for public coverage .
They fall into the so-called coverage gap .
They make less than the 100 % of federal poverty line that makes them eligible for ACA marketplace subsidy .
Yet they also make too much to qualify for the restrictive state Medicaid program .
This situation applies to nonparent adults in 10 states , including Texas , Oklahoma and Mississippi .
Importantly , coverage may be available @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost their previous insurance through the Children ’ s Health Insurance Program .
Eligibility limits , even in nonexpansion states , are significantly higher .
Finally , individuals can purchase short-term limited duration insurance .
While premiums for this type of coverage are significantly cheaper than for ACA-compliant products , their coverage comes with significant gaps .
That is , most preventive services , treatment for conditions like cancer or even prescription drugs likely will not be covered .
They also require medical underwriting .
What if I didn ’ t have insurance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic seems like a particularly bad time to go without coverage .
Yet we know that millions of Americans are eligible for public coverage but remain unenrolled .
For many of them , many of the same options described above may apply , including Medicaid , CHIP , spousal coverage and short-term limited duration health plans .
The situation is more complex for those seeking to purchase insurance on their own .
The ACA insurance marketplaces generally require that individuals purchase coverage during their open enrollment period .
This occurs generally in November @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep insurance markets stable and not simply allow individuals to obtain coverage only when they fall sick .
In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic , at least nine states have made an exception and reopened their marketplaces temporarily .
These include Colorado and Connecticut .
What if I fall sick and don ’ t have insurance ?
If you fall sick and need medical help but are currently uninsured , you should not hesitate to seek care .
Many providers , particularly hospitals and federally qualified health centers , will actively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like Medicaid .
Importantly , Medicaid coverage in most states can be applied retroactively for three months .
However , a few states like Arizona and Iowa have obtained permission to exclude this benefit .
Even then , many states have longstanding protections for uninsured individuals that requires providers to use so-called sliding scales , the adjustment of fees based on income .
Others have local programs that may help pay for your care .
The CARES Act also provides reimbursement for some COVID-19-related care directly to providers .
Importantly , if you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the provider .
Legal aid societies across the country are there to help in this process .
How the ACA lawsuit may impact health insurance coverage From a policy perspective , the coronavirus pandemic starkly highlights the need for a strong safety net .
It is also offers a reminder of the benefits that the ACA provides to millions of Americans on a daily basis .
Without it , millions more would lose their coverage .
It is important to remember that the ACA ’ s constitutionality is currently in litigation once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump administration has taken a virtually unprecedented step and refused to defend it .
It has also argued that if any of the law is struck down , it should fall in its entirety .
Of course , should this occur , the implications for the U.S. could be dramatic .
On the other hand , should former Vice President Joe Biden come to office with a large Democratic majority in both chambers , it seems realistic to expect him to move forward with expanding the ACA and seeking the inclusion of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re smart and curious about the world .
So are The Conversation ’ s authors and editors .
You can read us daily by subscribing to our newsletter . ]
Simon F. Haeder is also a Fellow in the Interdisciplinary Research Leaders Program , a national leadership development program supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to equip teams of researchers and community partners in applying research to solve real community problems .