buzzfeed--2020-11-24--Michigan's Board Of Canvassers Certified Biden's Win In A Big Loss For Trump's Desperate Bid To Over

Michigan's Board Of Canvassers Certified Biden's Win In A Big Loss For Trump's Desperate Bid To Overturn The Election

The Michigan Board of State Canvassers voted to certify the results of the general election with a 3–0 with one abstention , closing out President Donald Trump and the Republican Party ’ s desperate effort to delay the certification in a state that was won by President-elect Joe Biden .
The certification of the results allows the state to select electors who will vote in the Electoral College when it convenes on Dec. 14 .
Trump lost Michigan by nearly 150,000 votes to Biden but has worked to cast doubt on the results with a barrage of disproven conspiracy theories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theories have riled up his base and pushed Republican officials to question the results of the election .
Before the certification of the results on Monday , Norman D. Shinkle , one of the Republican members of the Board of State Canvassers , told the Washington Post he was hesitant to certify the vote and wanted an audit of the votes , citing conspiracy theories that have been floated in the weeks since Nov. 3 .
Throughout the first three and a half hours of the meeting , Shinkle frequently questioned speakers about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state ’ s elections history , and the number of Republicans who were hired to work at polling locations in Wayne County .
He was ultimately the only board member to not vote for certification .
The certification of election results by the Board of State Canvassers is traditionally a procedural vote after tallying the results of Michigan counties .
But the Trump campaign ’ s fight to delay the results of the election has complicated the process .
All of the counties in Michigan , including Wayne County , have voted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the county level .
On Monday , during the meeting of the Board of Canvassers to vote on the certification , both Jonathan Brater , the Michigan director of elections , and Heather Meingast , the state assistant attorney general , told the board that according to state election law , an audit of the results couldn ’ t occur until the results of the election had been certified .
And they said that an audit of those results would not change the certification .
Michigan has been at the center of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delay certification in states he lost and to cast doubt on the electoral process .
Trump lawyers and affiliated groups have filed lawsuits in multiple states that have alleged widespread voter fraud and election irregularities , focusing on many of the majority-Black counties that propelled Biden ’ s win .
The Trump campaign has withdrawn many of the suits they ’ ve filed , and others have failed or not gained traction in the courts .
The Trump campaign ’ s effort to delay the certification in Michigan has focused on Wayne County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 80 % of residents are Black .
On Saturday , Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel and Michigan Republican Party chair Laura Cox wrote to the Michigan Board of State Canvassers urging its four members to delay the certification of the election results for 14 days and to issue a full audit of Wayne County ’ s general election results .
The letter from McDaniel and Cox came after Wayne County ’ s Board of Canvassers were briefly deadlocked last week on whether to certify the county ’ s election results .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Board of Canvassers initially refused to certify the results of the election citing conspiracy theories about voter fraud in Detroit and at one point suggested certifying the majority of the county ’ s results with the exception of Detroit .
The Republican members eventually voted to certify the results but attempted to rescind their votes in signed affidavits after receiving personal calls from Trump .
During a section of the meeting , Monica Palmer , the Republican chair of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers , told Shinkle that she did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s election results couldn ’ t occur if the Board of State Canvassers didn ’ t certify the results and that she would not have voted to certify the results if she had known that during the time .
The Trump campaign has floated the idea of convincing members of the state board to vote against certifying election results in an attempt to allow the Republican-led state legislature to appoint Trump-aligned electors to the Electoral College .
Trump invited the Republican leaders of the Michigan state legislature to a meeting at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Majority Leader Mike Shirkey and House Speaker Lee Chatfield released a statement directly afterward affirming that they would “ follow the law and follow the normal process regarding Michigan ’ s electors ” and suggesting they were more concerned about the coronavirus pandemic .
Trump retweeted the leader ’ s statement on Saturday morning saying that it was “ true , ” but that his campaign would show “ massive and unprecedented fraud ” in the state , something the leaders had said they ’ d seen no proof of .
In statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certified the election , Jenna Ellis , a Trump campaign legal advisor , said that certification of the election results was just a `` procedural step '' and that the campaign planned to `` continue combatting election fraud . ''
There have been no substantiated claims of widespread voter fraud during the election .
Two other swing states Biden won , Pennsylvania and Nevada , are expected to certify Trump ’ s loss as early as Monday .

The Michigan Board of State Canvassers voted to certify the results of the general election with a 3–0 with one abstention, closing out President Donald Trump and the Republican Party’s desperate effort to delay the certification in a state that was won by President-elect Joe Biden.
The certification of the results allows the state to select electors who will vote in the Electoral College when it convenes on Dec. 14.
Trump lost Michigan by nearly 150,000 votes to Biden but has worked to cast doubt on the results with a barrage of disproven conspiracy theories about widespread voter fraud. Those unfounded theories have riled up his base and pushed Republican officials to question the results of the election. Before the certification of the results on Monday, Norman D. Shinkle, one of the Republican members of the Board of State Canvassers, told the Washington Post he was hesitant to certify the vote and wanted an audit of the votes, citing conspiracy theories that have been floated in the weeks since Nov. 3. Throughout the first three and a half hours of the meeting, Shinkle frequently questioned speakers about the circumstances of the vote-counting, the state’s elections history, and the number of Republicans who were hired to work at polling locations in Wayne County. He was ultimately the only board member to not vote for certification.
The certification of election results by the Board of State Canvassers is traditionally a procedural vote after tallying the results of Michigan counties. But the Trump campaign’s fight to delay the results of the election has complicated the process. All of the counties in Michigan, including Wayne County, have voted to certify the results of the election at the county level.
On Monday, during the meeting of the Board of Canvassers to vote on the certification, both Jonathan Brater, the Michigan director of elections, and Heather Meingast, the state assistant attorney general, told the board that according to state election law, an audit of the results couldn’t occur until the results of the election had been certified. And they said that an audit of those results would not change the certification.
Michigan has been at the center of the Trump campaign’s national effort to delay certification in states he lost and to cast doubt on the electoral process. Trump lawyers and affiliated groups have filed lawsuits in multiple states that have alleged widespread voter fraud and election irregularities, focusing on many of the majority-Black counties that propelled Biden’s win. The Trump campaign has withdrawn many of the suits they’ve filed, and others have failed or not gained traction in the courts.
The Trump campaign’s effort to delay the certification in Michigan has focused on Wayne County, which contains Detroit, where nearly 80% of residents are Black. On Saturday, Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel and Michigan Republican Party chair Laura Cox wrote to the Michigan Board of State Canvassers urging its four members to delay the certification of the election results for 14 days and to issue a full audit of Wayne County’s general election results.
The letter from McDaniel and Cox came after Wayne County’s Board of Canvassers were briefly deadlocked last week on whether to certify the county’s election results. The two Republican members of the county’s Board of Canvassers initially refused to certify the results of the election citing conspiracy theories about voter fraud in Detroit and at one point suggested certifying the majority of the county’s results with the exception of Detroit.
The Republican members eventually voted to certify the results but attempted to rescind their votes in signed affidavits after receiving personal calls from Trump.
During a section of the meeting, Monica Palmer, the Republican chair of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers, told Shinkle that she did not realize that an audit of the county’s election results couldn’t occur if the Board of State Canvassers didn’t certify the results and that she would not have voted to certify the results if she had known that during the time.
The Trump campaign has floated the idea of convincing members of the state board to vote against certifying election results in an attempt to allow the Republican-led state legislature to appoint Trump-aligned electors to the Electoral College. Trump invited the Republican leaders of the Michigan state legislature to a meeting at the White House on Friday, but Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey and House Speaker Lee Chatfield released a statement directly afterward affirming that they would “follow the law and follow the normal process regarding Michigan’s electors” and suggesting they were more concerned about the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump retweeted the leader’s statement on Saturday morning saying that it was “true,” but that his campaign would show “massive and unprecedented fraud” in the state, something the leaders had said they’d seen no proof of.
In statement released after the Michigan Board of Canvassers certified the election, Jenna Ellis, a Trump campaign legal advisor, said that certification of the election results was just a "procedural step" and that the campaign planned to "continue combatting election fraud." There have been no substantiated claims of widespread voter fraud during the election.
Two other swing states Biden won, Pennsylvania and Nevada, are expected to certify Trump’s loss as early as Monday.


buzzfeed--2020-11-25--This Woman's Viral Story About Getting Pinworms In Her Butt Is Making My Cheeks Clench

`` Basically , if you 're concerned , the doctor can check the anus and sometimes see little worms there @ @ @ @ @ pieces of cotton , essentially .
And you can sometimes see it in underwear .
@ @ @ @ @ actually done is called a Scotch-tape test .
You take a piece of Scotch tape @ @ @ @ @ anus , look at it under a microscope , and if the person has pinworms @ @ @ @ @ — or worms — on the tape , '' said Rao .
`` In Mercedes @ @ @ @ @ able to see fully matured , female worms — those are around a centimeter long @ @

Rao said that pinworms — also called enterobiasis — are the most common parasitic infection in the US. "Pinworms are small white worms that exist out in the environment. So, what happens is, the worms will go to perianal folds — the folds around the anus — and deposit eggs. Pinworms can be found in all different socioeconomic groups. It happens most when people are living in close quarters or crowded conditions, and it's most often seen in school-age kids," she explained.


buzzfeed--2020-11-25--Let's Find Out How Many Of You Are Actually Being Safe In Your Thanksgiving Celebrations This Year

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What the experts say: Testing before your gathering may keep your family safer, but it's far from foolproof. False negatives can happen, and if you are infected on a flight, you likely won't test positive immediately. Tests can be a good extra layer of protection, but you should still use masks and practice social distancing at all times. And staying home with your pod would always be safer.


buzzfeed--2020-11-25--Artificial Antibodies Are The Latest COVID-19 Treatment. But Hospitals May Struggle To Use Them.

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Incoming .
As the third wave of the pandemic surges , a much-hyped COVID-19 treatment that just received a green light from the FDA — monoclonal antibodies — is beset by shortages and doubts over its effectiveness .
On Saturday , the FDA gave emergency authorization for monoclonal antibodies made by the pharmaceutical firm Regeneron , a drug cocktail dubbed a “ miracle ” cure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used in conjunction with other drugs to treat his coronavirus infection in October .
Earlier this month , the agency authorized another monoclonal antibody treatment called bamlanivimab , made by the drug company Eli Lilly .
Both therapies were authorized for use in patients who were recently diagnosed with COVID-19 .
The concept of the treatment is simple : Doctors infuse lab-made antibodies into a patient ’ s blood , boosting their own natural immune defense against the coronavirus during the early stages of infection .
So far , preliminary data suggest that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital stays .
But that benefit isn ’ t certain , medical experts say , and the drugs may even cause harm if they ’ re administered later in an infection .
“ Although it is promising , it ’ s not possible to endorse bamlanivimab wholeheartedly , ” said Harvard Medical School ’ s Rajesh Gandhi , an infectious disease physician at Harvard Medical School .
“ The level of evidence is just too low to come to a definite conclusion.
” Meanwhile , the federal government has started shipping out the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far , but hospitals face big challenges to actually give them to people .
Because the drugs need to be administered intravenously via one-hour infusions , some doctors fear that the antibodies will only become available to wealthy communities where hospitals can afford to set up and staff infusion facilities .
“ We are still figuring it out here and everywhere , ” Gandhi said .
“ I don ’ t think we can say we have it all settled how patients will best get monoclonal antibodies.
” There is still no cure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence and distribution make antibody therapies just the latest in a string of fraught treatments endorsed by the FDA .
The only drug to receive the health agency ’ s full approval so far , remdesivir , has faced scrutiny over how well it works .
Last week , the World Health Organization recommended against its use in hospitalized patients , saying , “ There is currently no evidence that remdesivir improves survival and other outcomes in these patients.
” Then there is the case of convalescent plasma , the blood product from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus , whose August emergency authorization was criticized for lacking sufficient evidence .
Most infamously , after pressure from Trump in March , the agency endorsed hydroxychloroquine , only to revoke its authorization in June after studies showed it didn ’ t help patients with COVID-19 and came with dangerous side effects .
The only drug shown to reduce deaths , the cheap and widely available steroid dexamethasone , is only recommended for use in patients who are severely ill and has yet to receive an endorsement from the FDA .
New COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Gandhi said , as medical centers nationwide strain under a third surge in the pandemic that led to 176,000 new cases and more than 88,000 hospitalized patients reported on Tuesday alone , with shortages of beds and staffers in many states .
But the challenges antibody therapies present just underline that prevention — not getting infected in the first place — is the best treatment , especially as case numbers surge ahead of Thanksgiving in the US .
“ I can not emphasize enough the importance of flattening the curve , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Gandhi said .

As the third wave of the pandemic surges, a much-hyped COVID-19 treatment that just received a green light from the FDA — monoclonal antibodies — is beset by shortages and doubts over its effectiveness.
On Saturday, the FDA gave emergency authorization for monoclonal antibodies made by the pharmaceutical firm Regeneron, a drug cocktail dubbed a “miracle” cure by President Donald Trump after it was used in conjunction with other drugs to treat his coronavirus infection in October. Earlier this month, the agency authorized another monoclonal antibody treatment called bamlanivimab, made by the drug company Eli Lilly. Both therapies were authorized for use in patients who were recently diagnosed with COVID-19.
The concept of the treatment is simple: Doctors infuse lab-made antibodies into a patient’s blood, boosting their own natural immune defense against the coronavirus during the early stages of infection. So far, preliminary data suggest that the treatment could lessen symptoms and shorten hospital stays. But that benefit isn’t certain, medical experts say, and the drugs may even cause harm if they’re administered later in an infection.
“Although it is promising, it’s not possible to endorse bamlanivimab wholeheartedly,” said Harvard Medical School’s Rajesh Gandhi, an infectious disease physician at Harvard Medical School. “The level of evidence is just too low to come to a definite conclusion.”
Meanwhile, the federal government has started shipping out the few doses of the drug available so far, but hospitals face big challenges to actually give them to people. Because the drugs need to be administered intravenously via one-hour infusions, some doctors fear that the antibodies will only become available to wealthy communities where hospitals can afford to set up and staff infusion facilities.
“We are still figuring it out here and everywhere,” Gandhi said. “I don’t think we can say we have it all settled how patients will best get monoclonal antibodies.”
There is still no cure for COVID-19 — and the concerns over evidence and distribution make antibody therapies just the latest in a string of fraught treatments endorsed by the FDA. The only drug to receive the health agency’s full approval so far, remdesivir, has faced scrutiny over how well it works. Last week, the World Health Organization recommended against its use in hospitalized patients, saying, “There is currently no evidence that remdesivir improves survival and other outcomes in these patients.”
Then there is the case of convalescent plasma, the blood product from COVID-19 survivors that contains antibodies against the coronavirus, whose August emergency authorization was criticized for lacking sufficient evidence. Most infamously, after pressure from Trump in March, the agency endorsed hydroxychloroquine, only to revoke its authorization in June after studies showed it didn’t help patients with COVID-19 and came with dangerous side effects. The only drug shown to reduce deaths, the cheap and widely available steroid dexamethasone, is only recommended for use in patients who are severely ill and has yet to receive an endorsement from the FDA.
New COVID-19 drugs like monoclonal antibodies are desperately needed, Gandhi said, as medical centers nationwide strain under a third surge in the pandemic that led to 176,000 new cases and more than 88,000 hospitalized patients reported on Tuesday alone, with shortages of beds and staffers in many states.
But the challenges antibody therapies present just underline that prevention — not getting infected in the first place — is the best treatment, especially as case numbers surge ahead of Thanksgiving in the US. “I cannot emphasize enough the importance of flattening the curve, which is more important than any therapeutic advancement,” Gandhi said.


buzzfeed--2020-11-25--17 Sex Education Horror Stories To Make You Reflect On Your Innocence Or Lack Thereof

`` I was filling in for the ninth grade life skills teacher while she was at an appointment and she @ @ @ @ @ the kids to fill in with different birth control methods , their percent effectiveness , @ @ @ @ @ I was at the front of the room leading the discussion with the information they @ @ @ @ @ charts .
The last method on the chart was abstinence .
I said , 'There @ @ @ @ @ ' One of the freshmen boys raised his hand and said , ' I know @ @ @ @ @ : carpal tunnel . '
I couldn ’ t even pretend that it was inappropriate @ @ @ @ @ as the kids did . ''

6. Side EffeXXX
"I was filling in for the ninth grade life skills teacher while she was at an appointment and she had left a chart for the kids to fill in with different birth control methods, their percent effectiveness, and any side effects. I was at the front of the room leading the discussion with the information they needed to fill in their charts. The last method on the chart was abstinence. I said, 'There are no side effects.' One of the freshmen boys raised his hand and said, 'I know a side effect of abstinence: carpal tunnel.' I couldn’t even pretend that it was inappropriate. I laughed as hard as the kids did."
—u/KYlibrarian


buzzfeed--2020-11-25--Nicole Kidman Talked About How Social Distancing Has Been "Very Difficult" For Her Children

`` It ’ s about how unconditional love will conquer all , ” she stated .
“ For a parent @ @ @ @ @ , ‘ You 're loved .
You 're just loved , ’ is the most @ @ @ @ @ you can believe , you can do , you can be who you are , @ @ @ @ @ .
’ ”

"It’s about how unconditional love will conquer all,” she stated. “For a parent to say to a child, ‘You're loved. You're just loved,’ is the most important thing and, ‘you can believe, you can do, you can be who you are, and I will love you.’”


buzzfeed--2020-11-25--Sarah McBride, America's First Trans State Senator, Absolutely Destroyed An Anti-Trans Troll On Twit

Sarah McBride, America's First Trans State Senator, Absolutely Destroyed An Anti-Trans Troll On Twitter With Three Simple Words

“ I think tonight ’ s results demonstrate what I ’ ve known my entire life , which is that @ @ @ @ @ are fair-minded , and they ’ re looking at candidates ’ ideas and not their @ @ @ @ @ , adding : “ It is my hope that a young LGBTQ kid here in @ @ @ @ @ this country can look at the results and know that our democracy is big enough @ @ @ @ @ ”

“I think tonight’s results demonstrate what I’ve known my entire life, which is that the residents of this district are fair-minded, and they’re looking at candidates’ ideas and not their identity,” she said, adding: “It is my hope that a young LGBTQ kid here in Delaware or really anywhere in this country can look at the results and know that our democracy is big enough for them, too.”


buzzfeed--2020-11-24--A Third Coronavirus Vaccine Trial Has Reported Promising Results

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Incoming .
A COVID-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca has shown `` positive high-level results '' in early data from clinical trials , researchers announced Monday .
It is the third vaccine to clear that crucial hurdle , alongside ones made by Pfizer and Moderna .
The vaccine has been 70 % effective on average so far , researchers said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ promising surprise : The vaccine was 90 % effective for volunteers who were given a half-dose of the vaccine followed by a full dose — a much higher success rate than those who were given two full doses , which was 62 % effective .
The early analysis was based on 131 COVID-19 cases among trial participants who either received the vaccine or a placebo injection .
The underlying data have not yet been peer-reviewed or released to the public .
The trials , which took place in the UK and Brazil , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effective in preventing hospitalizations or severe cases of the coronavirus .
“ These findings show that we have an effective vaccine that will save many lives , '' professor Andrew Pollard , chief investigator of the Oxford vaccine trial , said in a press release .
Unlike the Pfizer and Moderna trials , which only tested people who reported symptoms , the AstraZeneca data also showed that asymptomatic infections were reduced in the group of patients who received a vaccine , suggesting that it can help limit transmission .
The AstraZeneca trial in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provided more information about who developed infections .
Earlier this month , Pfizer and Moderna announced that trials for their vaccines both suggest that they are more than 90 % effective .
The Food and Drug Administration requires a vaccine to be at least 50 % effective before authorizing its use .
The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is cheaper than the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines and may also be easier to store and transport .
AstraZeneca is requesting an `` Emergency Use Listing '' from the World Health Organization to make the vaccine quickly available @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it would begin discussions with the FDA this week about whether to formally submit for review in the US .
Researchers had to pause the vaccine 's effectiveness study twice , a development which is not unusual in clinical trials .
In July , a patient developed multiple sclerosis , and in September another patient developed a neurological illness called transverse myelitis .
The vaccine was not found to have caused either illness , and the trials resumed , leading to today 's preliminary results .
In its data release , the drug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ events related to the vaccine have been confirmed . ''

A COVID-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca has shown "positive high-level results" in early data from clinical trials, researchers announced Monday. It is the third vaccine to report promising interim results, after Pfizer and Moderna.
The vaccine has been 70% effective on average so far, researchers said. But the early data came with a confusing caveat: The vaccine was 90% effective for volunteers who were given a half-dose of the vaccine followed by a full dose — a much higher success rate than those who were given two full doses, which was 62% effective.
That half dose was only given to participants because of a mistake in the British arm of the trial, Reuters reported. As a result, only a little over 2,700 people received the half-dose shot, out of the 23,000 people in the trial results reported Monday, a very small subset to base results on. Then, on Tuesday, Operation Warp Speed head Moncef Slaoui said the age of participants in the half-dose group was capped at 55, casting further doubts on the results. Scientists have since criticized AstraZeneca for both its trial design and how it disclosed its data, which have not yet been peer reviewed or released in full.
The early analysis was based on 131 COVID-19 cases among trial participants who either received the vaccine or a placebo injection.
The company said that the trials, which took place in the UK and Brazil, also showed that the vaccine was highly effective in preventing hospitalizations or severe cases of the coronavirus. “These findings show that we have an effective vaccine that will save many lives," professor Andrew Pollard, chief investigator of the Oxford vaccine trial, said in a press release.
Unlike the Pfizer and Moderna trials, which only tested people who reported symptoms, the AstraZeneca data also showed that asymptomatic infections were reduced in the group of patients who received a vaccine, suggesting that it can help limit transmission. The AstraZeneca trial in the UK swabbed patients weekly, which provided more information about who developed infections.
Earlier this month, Pfizer and Moderna announced that trials for their vaccines both suggest that they are more than 90% effective. The Food and Drug Administration requires a vaccine to be at least 50% effective before authorizing its use.
The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is cheaper than the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines and may also be easier to store and transport.
AstraZeneca is requesting an "Emergency Use Listing" from the World Health Organization to make the vaccine quickly available in low-income countries. The company said it would begin discussions with the FDA this week about whether to formally submit for review in the US, but scientists have questioned whether the US health agency would accept their questionable results.
Researchers had to pause the vaccine's effectiveness study twice, a development which is not unusual in clinical trials. In July, a patient developed multiple sclerosis, and in September another patient developed a neurological illness called transverse myelitis. The vaccine was not found to have caused either illness, and the trials resumed, leading to today's preliminary results.
In its data release, the drug company said that "no serious safety events related to the vaccine have been confirmed."
In response to the company's announcement on Monday, Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told STAT that, "If it’s 70%, then we’ve got a dilemma."
“Because what are you going to do with the 70% when you’ve got two [vaccines] that are 95%? Who are you going to give a vaccine like that to?”


buzzfeed--2020-11-24--Two Major Coronavirus Vaccine Trials Have Restarted After Being Paused For Safety Investigations

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Incoming .
Pharmaceutical companies running clinical trials for two high-profile coronavirus vaccine candidates announced on Friday that the trials would resume , after safety investigations found that serious illnesses in volunteers did not appear to be related to the vaccines .
The FDA authorized AstraZeneca to resume its trial after a six-week pause spurred by a neurological illness in a trial participant .
Johnson & @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month .
Study pauses are not unusual in clinical trials .
Unexpected illnesses are expected in trials that involve large numbers of patients , and safety investigations are necessary to determine whether the illnesses are linked to the vaccine .
“ The restart of clinical trials across the world is great news as it allows us to continue our efforts to develop this vaccine to help defeat this terrible pandemic , '' AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot said in a statement .
`` We should be reassured by the care taken by independent regulators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine is safe before it is approved for use . ''
AstraZeneca 's trial , which is being conducted in a partnership with the University of Oxford in the UK , has been halted twice .
The first pause occurred after a patient in July developed multiple sclerosis , which was determined to be unrelated to the vaccine .
The trial was paused again in September after a participant developed a neurological illness called transverse myelitis .
Trials quickly resumed in the UK , Brazil , South Africa , and Japan , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in limbo for weeks .
It 's still unclear why the US safety investigation took so long .
According to the New York Times , the FDA has now advised the company to alert trial participants about symptoms like weakness and numbness that could indicate a mild case of transverse myelitis .
Asked about the update , an AstraZeneca spokesperson stressed that the FDA had concluded it was safe to resume the trial .
`` Following the FDA review , we have made changes to the Informed Consent Form , which reflects the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to provide study participants with updated information about participating in the trial , '' the spokesperson said .
The FDA did not respond to a request for comment .
`` You want this to happen .
You want people to be careful as they move forward , '' Paul Offit , a vaccine expert at Children ’ s Hospital of Philadelphia , who sits on the FDA vaccine advisory committee , told BuzzFeed News .
`` I think it 's an abundance of caution . ''
`` In some ways , you may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might be informing them about something that could be a bigger problem , '' Offit added .
`` You don ’ t know .
But in fairness , you have to let people know that it might be a problem . ''
Johnson & Johnson 's trial , which is being tested in 60,000 participants , paused earlier this month .
`` After a thorough evaluation of a serious medical event experienced by one study participant , no clear cause has been identified , '' the company said in a statement .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have caused the event .
Based on the information gathered to date and the input of independent experts , the Company has found no evidence that the vaccine candidate caused the event . ''
Offit stressed that a lot was still unknown about both of the cases .
AstraZeneca 's pause was only reported publicly after a private call with investors was leaked to the science publication Stat .
Scientists have called for greater transparency from pharmaceutical companies as they move at breakneck speed to test a vaccine , and as public trust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` There 's a lot we do n't know , '' Offit said , urging that it would be helpful to know more about what the companies found during their safety investigations .
`` We just read the tea leaves here . ''
Both AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson 's vaccines use the same technology to work .
A harmless chimpanzee adenovirus , which typically causes harmless colds , is used to shuttle a coronavirus gene into human cells to spur an immune response .
The approach has yet to lead to an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested in experimental vaccines against other viruses , including influenza and Ebola .
During Thursday 's presidential debate , President Donald Trump said , “ We have a vaccine that ’ s coming .
It ’ s ready .
It ’ s going to be announced within weeks.
” In reality , no vaccine candidates have yet made it through their late-stage trials .
An FDA science advisory committee about vaccine development on Thursday recommended that the agency collect more safety data on the vaccine candidates before authorizing them for emergency approval , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ availability of a vaccine .

Pharmaceutical companies running clinical trials for two high-profile coronavirus vaccine candidates announced on Friday that the trials would resume, after safety investigations found that serious illnesses in volunteers did not appear to be related to the vaccines.
The FDA authorized AstraZeneca to resume its trial after a six-week pause spurred by a neurological illness in a trial participant. Johnson & Johnson's trial was paused earlier this month.
Study pauses are not unusual in clinical trials. Unexpected illnesses are expected in trials that involve large numbers of patients, and safety investigations are necessary to determine whether the illnesses are linked to the vaccine.
“The restart of clinical trials across the world is great news as it allows us to continue our efforts to develop this vaccine to help defeat this terrible pandemic," AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot said in a statement. "We should be reassured by the care taken by independent regulators to protect the public and ensure the vaccine is safe before it is approved for use."
AstraZeneca's trial, which is being conducted in a partnership with the University of Oxford in the UK, has been halted twice. The first pause occurred after a patient in July developed multiple sclerosis, which was determined to be unrelated to the vaccine. The trial was paused again in September after a participant developed a neurological illness called transverse myelitis. Trials quickly resumed in the UK, Brazil, South Africa, and Japan, while the US arm of the trial remained in limbo for weeks.
It's still unclear why the US safety investigation took so long. According to the New York Times, the FDA has now advised the company to alert trial participants about symptoms like weakness and numbness that could indicate a mild case of transverse myelitis.
Asked about the update, an AstraZeneca spokesperson stressed that the FDA had concluded it was safe to resume the trial. "Following the FDA review, we have made changes to the Informed Consent Form, which reflects the outcome of their review and is intended to provide study participants with updated information about participating in the trial," the spokesperson said.
The FDA did not respond to a request for comment.
"You want this to happen. You want people to be careful as they move forward," Paul Offit, a vaccine expert at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, who sits on the FDA vaccine advisory committee, told BuzzFeed News. "I think it's an abundance of caution."
"In some ways, you may be scaring people unnecessarily, or you might be informing them about something that could be a bigger problem," Offit added. "You don’t know. But in fairness, you have to let people know that it might be a problem."
Johnson & Johnson's trial, which is being tested in 60,000 participants, paused earlier this month.
"After a thorough evaluation of a serious medical event experienced by one study participant, no clear cause has been identified," the company said in a statement. "There are many possible factors that could have caused the event. Based on the information gathered to date and the input of independent experts, the Company has found no evidence that the vaccine candidate caused the event."
Offit stressed that a lot was still unknown about both of the cases. AstraZeneca's pause was only reported publicly after a private call with investors was leaked to the science publication Stat. Scientists have called for greater transparency from pharmaceutical companies as they move at breakneck speed to test a vaccine, and as public trust in the vaccines continues to drop.
"There's a lot we don't know," Offit said, urging that it would be helpful to know more about what the companies found during their safety investigations. "We just read the tea leaves here."
Both AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson's vaccines use the same technology to work. A harmless chimpanzee adenovirus, which typically causes harmless colds, is used to shuttle a coronavirus gene into human cells to spur an immune response. The approach has yet to lead to an approved vaccine, but it has been tested in experimental vaccines against other viruses, including influenza and Ebola.
During Thursday's presidential debate, President Donald Trump said, “We have a vaccine that’s coming. It’s ready. It’s going to be announced within weeks.”
In reality, no vaccine candidates have yet made it through their late-stage trials. An FDA science advisory committee about vaccine development on Thursday recommended that the agency collect more safety data on the vaccine candidates before authorizing them for emergency approval, a step that would further delay the availability of a vaccine.


buzzfeed--2020-11-25--Trump Has Pardoned Michael Flynn For Lying To The FBI During The Russia Investigation

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he had pardoned Michael Flynn , his former national security adviser who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI as part of the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election .
“ It is my Great Honor to announce that General Michael T. Flynn has been granted a Full Pardon , ” Trump wrote on Twitter .
“ Congratulations to @ GenFlynn and his wonderful family , I know you will now have a truly fantastic Thanksgiving !
” Flynn ’ s pardon didn ’ t come as a surprise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump would use his final months in office to reward allies who were still under the cloud of a federal prosecution or investigation .
Trump has repeatedly and publicly denounced the criminal case against Flynn , which began under former special counsel Robert Mueller , and backed the Department of Justice 's effort this year to drop the case entirely .
Flynn originally appeared in court to enter a guilty plea in December 2017 — but he hadn ’ t been sentenced yet , which meant there was no final judgment on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Justice Department moved to dismiss the case earlier this year , but US District Judge Emmet Sullivan had yet to rule on whether he would allow that to happen by the time Trump announced the pardon .
It was Trump ’ s 29th pardon or act of clemency , and his first exercise of clemency since the Nov. 3 election ; he can issue pardons and commute sentences related to federal criminal cases up until President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in on Jan. 20 , 2021 .
The president ’ s clemency power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state prosecutors .
In the weeks since the election , Sidney Powell , Flynn ’ s lawyer , has publicly backed Trump ’ s legal efforts to contest Biden ’ s win , at one point appearing at a press conference with campaign lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Jenna Ellis ; the campaign later tried to distance itself from Powell as she promoted baseless conspiracy theories about foreign interference with voting equipment and claimed public officials , including Republicans , had been paid off .
Flynn is the first former Trump administration official to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has used the power before to benefit supporters .
Trump ’ s first pardon in 2017 went to Joe Arpaio , the former sheriff of Maricopa County , Arizona , who backed the president 's hard-line immigration policies .
Earlier this year , Trump commuted Roger Stone 's sentence ; the former campaign adviser and longtime ally , like Flynn , faced criminal charges from Mueller ’ s investigation .
Flynn admitted to lying to the FBI about his contacts with a Russian official in late 2016 and agreed to cooperate with Mueller @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 , he had dramatically changed course , attacking the prosecution and attempting to withdraw his plea .
There were signs early this year that Attorney General Bill Barr might step in on his behalf ; the New York Times reported in February that Barr had tapped the US attorney in St. Louis , Jeffrey Jensen , to examine how Flynn ’ s case had been handled .
In May , the Justice Department notified Sullivan that it no longer wished to pursue the case against Flynn , citing newly discovered evidence from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other senior department officials argued undermined the validity of the prosecution .
None of the career prosecutors involved in the case signed on to those court filings , and Democrats swiftly denounced the move as a political ploy to reward a Trump ally and bolster the president ’ s effort to undermine Mueller ’ s work .
The Justice Department couldn ’ t just drop the case on its own , however — it had to get the judge ’ s approval .
In the months that followed the May announcement , Flynn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complications .
The government and Flynn had objected to Sullivan ’ s plan to hold a hearing to probe the department ’ s decision to dismiss the case , as well as the judge ’ s appointment of an outside lawyer — former federal judge John Gleeson — to present opposing arguments now that Flynn and the Justice Department were on the same side .
In a 2–1 decision in June , a panel of the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit agreed with the Justice Department and Flynn , ordering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the case .
Two months later , though , the full DC Circuit reversed that decision and sent the case back to Sullivan .
A majority of the judges concluded it was premature for the appeals court to consider the case before Sullivan finally ruled on the department ’ s request to dismiss Flynn ’ s case .
Sullivan heard arguments on Sept. 29 .
A week later , Flynn ’ s legal team filed a motion arguing that Sullivan should recuse ; the judge , represented by his own lawyer , had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Flynn to convince the DC Circuit to force him to dismiss the case .
Sullivan hadn ’ t ruled on the Justice Department 's motion to dismiss the case or Flynn ’ s recusal request by the time Trump announced the pardon .

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he had pardoned Michael Flynn, his former national security adviser who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI as part of the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
“It is my Great Honor to announce that General Michael T. Flynn has been granted a Full Pardon,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “Congratulations to @GenFlynn and his wonderful family, I know you will now have a truly fantastic Thanksgiving!”
Flynn’s pardon didn’t come as a surprise, although it did underscore speculation that Trump would use his final months in office to reward allies who were still under the cloud of a federal prosecution or investigation. Trump has repeatedly and publicly denounced the criminal case against Flynn, which began under former special counsel Robert Mueller, and backed the Department of Justice's effort this year to drop the case entirely.
Flynn originally appeared in court to enter a guilty plea in December 2017 — but he hadn’t been sentenced yet, which meant there was no final judgment on the record making his conviction official. The Justice Department moved to dismiss the case earlier this year, but US District Judge Emmet Sullivan had yet to rule on whether he would allow that to happen by the time Trump announced the pardon.
It was Trump’s 29th pardon or act of clemency, and his first exercise of clemency since the Nov. 3 election; he can issue pardons and commute sentences related to federal criminal cases up until President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in on Jan. 20, 2021. The president’s clemency power does not extend to cases brought by state prosecutors.
In the weeks since the election, Sidney Powell, Flynn’s lawyer, has publicly backed Trump’s legal efforts to contest Biden’s win, at one point appearing at a press conference with campaign lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Jenna Ellis; the campaign later tried to distance itself from Powell as she promoted baseless conspiracy theories about foreign interference with voting equipment and claimed public officials, including Republicans, had been paid off.
Flynn is the first former Trump administration official to receive presidential clemency, but the president has used the power before to benefit supporters. Trump’s first pardon in 2017 went to Joe Arpaio, the former sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona, who backed the president's hard-line immigration policies. Earlier this year, Trump commuted Roger Stone's sentence; the former campaign adviser and longtime ally, like Flynn, faced criminal charges from Mueller’s investigation.
Flynn admitted to lying to the FBI about his contacts with a Russian official in late 2016 and agreed to cooperate with Mueller’s investigation. But by summer 2019, he had dramatically changed course, attacking the prosecution and attempting to withdraw his plea. There were signs early this year that Attorney General Bill Barr might step in on his behalf; the New York Times reported in February that Barr had tapped the US attorney in St. Louis, Jeffrey Jensen, to examine how Flynn’s case had been handled.
In May, the Justice Department notified Sullivan that it no longer wished to pursue the case against Flynn, citing newly discovered evidence from Jensen’s probe that Barr and other senior department officials argued undermined the validity of the prosecution. None of the career prosecutors involved in the case signed on to those court filings, and Democrats swiftly denounced the move as a political ploy to reward a Trump ally and bolster the president’s effort to undermine Mueller’s work.
The Justice Department couldn’t just drop the case on its own, however — it had to get the judge’s approval. In the months that followed the May announcement, Flynn’s case became mired in legal complications. The government and Flynn had objected to Sullivan’s plan to hold a hearing to probe the department’s decision to dismiss the case, as well as the judge’s appointment of an outside lawyer — former federal judge John Gleeson — to present opposing arguments now that Flynn and the Justice Department were on the same side.
In a 2–1 decision in June, a panel of the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit agreed with the Justice Department and Flynn, ordering Sullivan to grant the motion to dismiss the case. Two months later, though, the full DC Circuit reversed that decision and sent the case back to Sullivan. A majority of the judges concluded it was premature for the appeals court to consider the case before Sullivan finally ruled on the department’s request to dismiss Flynn’s case.
Sullivan heard arguments on Sept. 29. A week later, Flynn’s legal team filed a motion arguing that Sullivan should recuse; the judge, represented by his own lawyer, had opposed the effort by the Justice Department and Flynn to convince the DC Circuit to force him to dismiss the case. Sullivan hadn’t ruled on the Justice Department's motion to dismiss the case or Flynn’s recusal request by the time Trump announced the pardon.


buzzfeed--2020-11-25--WWF Admitted “Sorrow” Over Human Rights Abuses

One of the world ’ s largest charities knew for years that it was funding alleged human rights abusers but repeatedly failed to address the issue , a lengthy , long-delayed report revealed on Tuesday .
A BuzzFeed News investigation first exposed in March 2019 how WWF , the beloved nonprofit with the cuddly panda logo , financed and equipped park rangers accused of beating , torturing , sexually assaulting , and murdering scores of people .
In response , WWF immediately commissioned an “ independent review ” led by Navi Pillay , a former United Nations commissioner for human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has now been published online , corroborates problems exposed by BuzzFeed News in Nepal , Cameroon , the Republic of the Congo , and the Democratic Republic of Congo .
The report claimed the panel was prevented by the COVID-19 pandemic from traveling to locations where the abuses reportedly took place .
The review found that WWF had failed again and again to follow “ its own commitments to respect human rights ” — commitments that are not just required by law but essential to “ the conservation of nature.
” In a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , WWF expressed “ deep and unreserved sorrow for those who have suffered , ” and said that abuses by park rangers “ horrify us and go against all the values for which we stand.
” The charity acknowledged its shortcomings and welcomed the recommendations , saying “ we can and will do more.
” Pillay ’ s review declined to address whether high-level executives , who BuzzFeed News found were aware of “ accelerating ” violence at at least one wildlife park as early as January 2018 , were responsible for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congo Basin , where WWF did an “ especially weak ” job fulfilling its human rights commitments , the wildlife charity did not fully investigate accounts of murder , rape , and torture out of fear that government partners would “ react negatively to an effort to investigate past human rights abuses , ” the panel found .
There and elsewhere , WWF provided technical and financial support to park rangers , known locally as “ eco-guards , ” even after learning about similar , horrifying allegations — and , in some cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ non-profit itself confirmed “ serious and widespread ” reports of abuse .
The report found “ no formal mechanism in place for WWF to be informed of alleged abuses during anti-poaching missions ” in Nepal , despite torture , rape , and murder allegations ranging from the early 2000s to this past July , when park officials were alleged to have beaten an Indigenous youth and destroyed homes of a local community .
“ WWF needs to know what is happening on the ground where it works ” in order to fulfill its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Overall , WWF paid too little attention to credible abuse allegations , failed to construct a system for victims to make complaints , and painted an overly rosy picture of its anti-poaching war in public communications , the report found .
`` Unfortunately , WWF ’ s commitments to implement its social policies have not been adequately and consistently followed through , ” the report ’ s authors wrote .
WWF has supported efforts to fight wildlife crime for decades .
Although local governments officially employ and pay park rangers who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in a number of countries across Africa and Asia WWF has provided crucial funding to make their jobs possible .
The charity has framed its crusade against poaching in the hardened terms of war .
In a multipart series , BuzzFeed News found that WWF ’ s war on poaching came with civilian casualties : impoverished villagers living near the parks .
At the time , WWF responded that many of BuzzFeed ’ s assertions did “ not match our understanding of events ” — yet the charity swiftly overhauled many of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the US , the series spurred a bipartisan investigation and proposed legislation that would prohibit the government from awarding money to international conservation groups that fund or support human rights violations .
It also prompted a freeze of funds by the Interior Department , a review by the Government Accountability Office , and separate government probes in the UK and Germany .
The new review offers more recommendations for the charity to improve its oversight , including hiring more human rights specialists , conducting stronger due diligence before committing to conservation projects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s government and law enforcement partners in the field , and establishing effective complaint systems so that Indigenous people can more easily report abuse .
The review found that there was no “ consistent and unified effort ” across WWF ’ s network of offices around the world to “ address complaints about human rights abuses ” until 2018 .
Many of the panel ’ s findings pointed directly to the top : “ Commitments to meet the responsibility to respect human rights should be approved at the most senior level of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Although all of WWF ’ s offices in the Congo Basin fall under the direct authority of WWF International , staff at its headquarters in Gland , Switzerland did little to oversee the organization ’ s work there .
WWF International also didn ’ t provide clear guidance to local offices about how to implement its human rights commitments .
For example , there were no network-wide norms about how to work with law enforcement and park rangers .
As a result , each program office “ was left on its own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of conduct , training materials , conditions for supporting rangers , and procedures for responding to allegations of abuse.
” “ Ultimately , the responsibility was on WWF International and the WWF Network as a whole to ensure that the allegations of human rights abuses by eco-guards to which WWF was providing financial and technical support were properly addressed , ” the panel wrote .
Last October BuzzFeed News revealed that both Director General Marco Lambertini and Chief Operating Officer Dominic O ’ Neill personally reviewed a WWF-commissioned report documenting “ accelerating ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cameroon .
That report was sent to higher-ups in January 2018 — more than a year before BuzzFeed News began exposing similar abuses .
Yet Pillay ’ s review said little about whether WWF executives were responsible for the charity ’ s failings .
Instead the review focused on WWF ’ s complex system , under which individual program offices partner with countries “ with apparently very limited consultation or oversight from WWF International , ” even when WWF International is legally responsible .
This obscured “ clear lines of responsibility and accountability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confusion ” and “ ineffective ” attempts to address human rights , the panel wrote .
The panel couldn ’ t find a single contract between WWF International and its partner countries that contained provisions concerning human rights responsibilities or the rights of Indigenous people .
The panel also criticized WWF ’ s press briefings at length , saying it needed to be “ more forthcoming about the challenges it faces ” and “ more transparent about how it responds when faced with allegations of human rights abuses associated with activities that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is clear that to avoid fuelling criticism WWF decided not to publish commissioned reports , to downplay information received , or to overstate the effectiveness of its proposed responses.
” An internal focus on promoting “ good news ” seems “ to have led to a culture ” in which program offices “ have been unwilling to share or escalate the full extent of their knowledge about allegations of human rights abuses because of concern about scaring off donors or offending state partners , ” the report said .
“ WWF at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ internally and externally about the challenges it faces in promoting conservation and respecting human rights .
Equally important , it must be more forthright about the effectiveness , or lack of effectiveness , of its efforts to overcome those challenges.
” The report attracted immediate criticism from prominent voices who said it did not fully acknowledge the charity ’ s responsibility for abuses against Indigenous people .
Stephen Corry , the director of Survival International , the tribal rights advocacy group , said “ the report echoes previous WWF responses in passing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A spokesperson for Rainforest Foundation UK said the report “ fails to take responsibility ” for WWF ’ s shortcomings “ or issue a sincere apology to the many individuals who have suffered human rights abuses carried out in their name.
” The Forest Peoples Program , an Indigenous rights group that has reported abuses to WWF , said the report showed the need for all wildlife charities to take a hard look at themselves .
“ The human rights abuses suffered by Indigenous peoples and local communities listed in the report highlight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sector as a whole , not isolated to WWF , ” said Helen Tugendhat , program coordinator at the Forest Peoples Program .
“ We urge other conservation organizations as well as conservation funders to read this report closely and evaluate and amend their own practices .
”

Overall, WWF paid too little attention to credible abuse allegations, failed to construct a system for victims to make complaints, and painted an overly rosy picture of its anti-poaching war in public communications, the report found. "Unfortunately, WWF’s commitments to implement its social policies have not been adequately and consistently followed through,” the report’s authors wrote.
WWF has supported efforts to fight wildlife crime for decades. Although local governments officially employ and pay park rangers who patrol national parks and protected wildlife reserves, in a number of countries across Africa and Asia WWF has provided crucial funding to make their jobs possible. The charity has framed its crusade against poaching in the hardened terms of war.
In a multipart series, BuzzFeed News found that WWF’s war on poaching came with civilian casualties: impoverished villagers living near the parks. At the time, WWF responded that many of BuzzFeed’s assertions did “not match our understanding of events” — yet the charity swiftly overhauled many of its human rights policies after publication.
In the US, the series spurred a bipartisan investigation and proposed legislation that would prohibit the government from awarding money to international conservation groups that fund or support human rights violations. It also prompted a freeze of funds by the Interior Department, a review by the Government Accountability Office, and separate government probes in the UK and Germany.
The new review offers more recommendations for the charity to improve its oversight, including hiring more human rights specialists, conducting stronger due diligence before committing to conservation projects, signing human rights commitments with WWF’s government and law enforcement partners in the field, and establishing effective complaint systems so that Indigenous people can more easily report abuse.
The review found that there was no “consistent and unified effort” across WWF’s network of offices around the world to “address complaints about human rights abuses” until 2018.
Many of the panel’s findings pointed directly to the top: “Commitments to meet the responsibility to respect human rights should be approved at the most senior level of the institution,” the panel wrote. Although all of WWF’s offices in the Congo Basin fall under the direct authority of WWF International, staff at its headquarters in Gland, Switzerland did little to oversee the organization’s work there.
WWF International also didn’t provide clear guidance to local offices about how to implement its human rights commitments. For example, there were no network-wide norms about how to work with law enforcement and park rangers. As a result, each program office “was left on its own to develop – or not – codes of conduct, training materials, conditions for supporting rangers, and procedures for responding to allegations of abuse.”
“Ultimately, the responsibility was on WWF International and the WWF Network as a whole to ensure that the allegations of human rights abuses by eco-guards to which WWF was providing financial and technical support were properly addressed,” the panel wrote.


buzzfeed--2020-11-25--Kerry Washington Danced In The Rain With Her Kids To Celebrate The 2020 Election Results

`` ...
It 's not so much that I want to use my celebrity to tell people what to do @ @ @ @ @ `` It 's more just that as Americans , we live in a democracy that @ @ @ @ @ contribute and to use our voices . ''

"...It's not so much that I want to use my celebrity to tell people what to do," she said. "It's more just that as Americans, we live in a democracy that needs all of us to contribute and to use our voices."


buzzfeed--2020-11-25--ICE Expelled 33 Immigrant Children Back To Guatemala After A Judge Said They Couldn't

“ It is unconscionable that they are leaving the kids there and that they did not immediately bring them back , ” said Sarah Pierce , an analyst at the Migration Policy Institute .
Even if the flight took off before ICE officials knew , she added , “ the expulsion is not only putting kids on the plane and taking off , it is also placing them in another country.
” The expulsion of the 33 children happening on the same day of Sullivan ’ s order could force the agency to bring back the children because it violated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts said .
“ We are aware of the situation and are looking into it .
Hopefully , no child is being denied the benefit of the ruling , ” said Lee Gelernt , an ACLU attorney who led the lawsuit that resulted in the preliminary injunction blocking the policy .
The official said that ICE officers on the ground did not become aware of the judge ’ s order until the flight had landed and Guatemalan authorities were greeting the children , who remained in Guatemala as of Tuesday .
An ICE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shortly before ICE was informed of the court 's injunction ” against Title 42 , the public health provision used by the Trump administration to expel people from the US citing the coronavirus pandemic .
The injunction was issued Wednesday by US Judge Emmet Sullivan minutes before an Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) flight left for Guatemala City with the 33 children .
The Trump administration expelled 33 children who came to the US without a parent back to Guatemala after a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking the controversial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a professor at Santa Clara University Law School , said ICE ’ s repeated issues in court under the Trump administration could play a factor in this case if Sullivan assesses whether they violated his order .
Federal court judges have complained that they were lied to by officials in cases involving immigration policy during the Trump administration .
“ It is not out of the power of the district court , if someone could raise the matter , to order ICE to return the children that it removed on that flight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ICE officials will likely say that there will be practical difficulties in tracking down and locating the 33 children .
The Trump administration has argued that the current policy is necessary to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the United States .
“ If the Title 42 order were to be undone by the court or the next administration , especially in the midst of a surging pandemic , ICE will be obligated to increase transportation operations , conducting the escorts of individuals and unaccompanied children using commercial airlines and ground transportation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official said .
“ This poses an increased risk to the general public aboard commercial airlines as the Title 42 order was enacted to mitigate the public health risks of aliens attempting to unlawfully enter the United States in the midst of the pandemic.
” Critics said the government was using public health orders from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as an excuse to violate federal laws that govern the processing of unaccompanied children at the border .
BuzzFeed News previously reported that the Department of Homeland Security has expelled unaccompanied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 13,000 times since March .
Before the pandemic , unaccompanied children picked up by Border Patrol agents would be sent to the Office of Refugee Resettlement ( ORR ) , where they would be housed in shelters as they started applying for asylum and waited to be reunited with family members in the US .
The ORR referral process was created by the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act , which was signed by then-president George W. Bush in 2008 .
Under the law , Customs and Border Protection officials are generally required @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the US refugee agency .
But those referrals dropped precipitously after the CDC 's coronavirus order .
Instead , unaccompanied children at the border are turned back immediately to Mexico or held in detention facilities until a flight can get them out of the country .
In late June , US District Judge Carl Nichols , who was appointed by President Donald Trump , blocked the deportation of a 16-year-old Honduran boy under the CDC 's order .
While the ruling did not void the policy altogether , it was seen as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then , the government has said it was no longer seeking to use the CDC 's order to remove the boy from the country .
ICE officials said four of the children on the flight to Guatemala had tested positive for COVID-19 .

The Trump administration expelled 32 children who came to the US without a parent back to Guatemala after a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking the controversial practice that same day.
The injunction was issued Wednesday by US Judge Emmet Sullivan minutes before an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) flight left for Guatemala City with the 32 children.
An ICE official confirmed that the flight left “shortly before ICE was informed of the court's injunction” against Title 42, the public health provision used by the Trump administration to expel people from the US citing the coronavirus pandemic.
The official said that ICE officers on the ground did not become aware of the judge’s order until the flight had landed and Guatemalan authorities were greeting the children, who remained in Guatemala as of Tuesday.
“We are aware of the situation and are looking into it. Hopefully, no child is being denied the benefit of the ruling,” said Lee Gelernt, an ACLU attorney who led the lawsuit that resulted in the preliminary injunction blocking the policy.
The expulsion of the 32 children happening on the same day of Sullivan’s order could force the agency to bring back the children because it violated the judge’s decision, legal experts said.
“It is unconscionable that they are leaving the kids there and that they did not immediately bring them back,” said Sarah Pierce, an analyst at the Migration Policy Institute. Even if the flight took off before ICE officials knew, she added, “the expulsion is not only putting kids on the plane and taking off, it is also placing them in another country.”


buzzfeed--2020-11-24--Congress Isn't Passing Pandemic Relief, But They Are Passing The Coronavirus

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Incoming .
In the past two weeks , at least 10 members of Congress have tested positive for COVID-19 — seven Republicans and three Democrats .
But there are currently no plans to stop the practice of hundreds of lawmakers flying to Washington from districts across the country to cast votes in person .
Nationwide , the coronavirus is raging out of control with north @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record numbers of people sick enough to be hospitalized , and a growing death toll .
Public health officials are pleading with people to stay home for Thanksgiving to blunt an even bigger explosion in infections that could overwhelm hospitals across the country .
Congress has had a disproportionate number of COVID-19 cases .
Since the outbreak began , over 12 million people in the United States have tested positive — nearly 3.8 % of the population .
At least 27 members of the House , or 6 % of the group , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senators , making up 9 % of the Senate , have had COVID-19 .
Many of these cases are recent .
Over the weekend , Reps. Bryan Steil and Joe Courtney tested positive .
Sen. Kelly Loeffler had a positive test this weekend , but is back on the campaign trail after two subsequent negative tests , her campaign announced .
( She is not included in the numbers above . )
Last week , Reps. Don Young , Tim Walberg , Cheri Bustos , Ed Perlmutter , Dan Newhouse , and Doug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , along with Sens .
Rick Scott and Chuck Grassley .
Meanwhile , Congress still hasn ’ t passed another wave of COVID-19 relief funding .
“ This is emblematic of the way this pandemic has not really been taken seriously by the government and why we are in the situation that we ’ re in , ” Amesh Adalja , an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security , told BuzzFeed News .
The COVID-19 cases — as well as how to prevent more of them — have divided Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been disproportionately diagnosed with COVID-19 .
Several have flouted basic coronavirus precautions , from mask-wearing to avoiding large gatherings .
Sens .
Thom Tillis and Mike Lee tested positive after attending a crowded , mostly maskless ceremony at the White House ’ s Rose Garden celebrating Amy Coney Barrett ’ s Supreme Court nomination where several guests subsequently tested positive .
Loeffler has campaigned maskless and recently attended at least one indoors rally ahead of her January runoff .
Despite public health guidelines , Congress is also divided on whether to keep members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week to cast votes in person .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ’ s office told BuzzFeed News that no changes are currently planned .
The House does allow members to designate a proxy member to cast their vote for them , but does not allow remote voting .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ’ s office deferred to the House Rules Committee , which released a report this month deeming it feasible for the House to move to full remote voting .
But the Committee told BuzzFeed News that actually moving to that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whole House to decide .
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy called remote voting “ unproven , unsecure , and unconstitutional.
” He accused Pelosi of trying to consolidate power and extinguish party tensions by keeping members at home .
Due to their age — the average senator is 64 years old — much of Congress is at a higher risk of getting gravely ill from the disease .
( Alaska ’ s Rep. Young is the oldest member in Congress and was briefly hospitalized with the virus . )
Meanwhile , they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t know where they are getting infected .
Let ’ s own up to that , ” Georges Benjamin , executive director of the American Public Health Association , told BuzzFeed News .
But “ the science is real clear : You get the disease primarily from other people ... so the best way to protect oneself in any work environment , as well as social environment , is to wear a mask , practice good hand hygiene , and keep your distance.
” A handful of Democratic senators , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill in October to require mask-wearing and social distancing in any Senate office building and the Senate wing of the Capitol , and to develop a program for testing and contact tracing for senators and their hundreds of staff members .
The bill was referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration , and has stalled there .
To date , mask use in Congress is inconsistent .
While many members of both parties do diligently mask up when heading in to vote , some , like Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul , refuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week when Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown admonished Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan for not wearing a mask .
Sullivan was serving as the presiding officer , with clerks sitting in front of him .
When Brown asked Sullivan to wear a mask , Sullivan irritatedly snapped back .
“ I don ’ t wear a mask when I ’ m speaking , like most senators , ” he said .
“ I don ’ t need your instruction.
” '' I know you do n't need my instruction , '' Brown responded .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ interest in this body in public health . ''

In the past two weeks, at least 10 members of Congress have tested positive for COVID-19 — seven Republicans and three Democrats. But there are currently no plans to stop the practice of hundreds of lawmakers flying to Washington from districts across the country to cast votes in person.
Nationwide, the coronavirus is raging out of control with north of 150,000 positive cases per day, record numbers of people sick enough to be hospitalized, and a growing death toll. Public health officials are pleading with people to stay home for Thanksgiving to blunt an even bigger explosion in infections that could overwhelm hospitals across the country.
Congress has had a disproportionate number of COVID-19 cases. Since the outbreak began, over 12 million people in the United States have tested positive — nearly 3.8% of the population. At least 27 members of the House, or 6% of the group, have caught the virus, while 9 senators, making up 9% of the Senate, have had COVID-19.
Many of these cases are recent. Over the weekend, Reps. Bryan Steil and Joe Courtney tested positive. Sen. Kelly Loeffler had a positive test this weekend, but is back on the campaign trail after two subsequent negative tests, her campaign announced. (She is not included in the numbers above.) Last week, Reps. Don Young, Tim Walberg, Cheri Bustos, Ed Perlmutter, Dan Newhouse, and Doug Lamborn all tested positive for the coronavirus, along with Sens. Rick Scott and Chuck Grassley. Meanwhile, Congress still hasn’t passed another wave of COVID-19 relief funding.
“This is emblematic of the way this pandemic has not really been taken seriously by the government and why we are in the situation that we’re in,” Amesh Adalja, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told BuzzFeed News.
The COVID-19 cases — as well as how to prevent more of them — have divided Congress along party lines.
Congressional Republicans have been disproportionately diagnosed with COVID-19. Several have flouted basic coronavirus precautions, from mask-wearing to avoiding large gatherings. Sens. Thom Tillis and Mike Lee tested positive after attending a crowded, mostly maskless ceremony at the White House’s Rose Garden celebrating Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court nomination where several guests subsequently tested positive. Loeffler has campaigned maskless and recently attended at least one indoors rally ahead of her January runoff.
Despite public health guidelines, Congress is also divided on whether to keep members from traveling to and from Washington each week to cast votes in person.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office told BuzzFeed News that no changes are currently planned. The House does allow members to designate a proxy member to cast their vote for them, but does not allow remote voting. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office deferred to the House Rules Committee, which released a report this month deeming it feasible for the House to move to full remote voting. But the Committee told BuzzFeed News that actually moving to that system would be a question for the whole House to decide.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy called remote voting “unproven, unsecure, and unconstitutional.” He accused Pelosi of trying to consolidate power and extinguish party tensions by keeping members at home.
Due to their age — the average senator is 64 years old — much of Congress is at a higher risk of getting gravely ill from the disease. (Alaska’s Rep. Young is the oldest member in Congress and was briefly hospitalized with the virus.) Meanwhile, they are also considered essential workers.
“We don’t know where they are getting infected. Let’s own up to that,” Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, told BuzzFeed News. But “the science is real clear: You get the disease primarily from other people...so the best way to protect oneself in any work environment, as well as social environment, is to wear a mask, practice good hand hygiene, and keep your distance.”
A handful of Democratic senators, including Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, proposed a bill in October to require mask-wearing and social distancing in any Senate office building and the Senate wing of the Capitol, and to develop a program for testing and contact tracing for senators and their hundreds of staff members. The bill was referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration, and has stalled there.
To date, mask use in Congress is inconsistent. While many members of both parties do diligently mask up when heading in to vote, some, like Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, refuse.
Tensions boiled over in the Senate last week when Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown admonished Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan for not wearing a mask. Sullivan was serving as the presiding officer, with clerks sitting in front of him.
When Brown asked Sullivan to wear a mask, Sullivan irritatedly snapped back. “I don’t wear a mask when I’m speaking, like most senators,” he said. “I don’t need your instruction.”
"I know you don't need my instruction," Brown responded. "But there clearly isn't much interest in this body in public health."


buzzfeed--2020-11-24--What Joe Biden Means For Your Student Loans

It was once an idea so far on the fringe that no major politician endorsed it .
Then it was the pipe dream of far-left progressives .
Now a push for President-elect Joe Biden ’ s administration to single-handedly cancel billions of dollars in student debt has taken hold in increasingly large segments of the Democratic Party , raising a real possibility , for the first time , that broad swaths of Americans may see some of their student loan debt wiped away .
The idea that Biden should wipe out student debt through executive action has exploded online in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possibility that they may not control the Senate in January , dramatically limiting Biden ’ s ability to get substantive legislation — like pandemic relief — through Congress .
If the Senate remains in the hands of Mitch McConnell , progressives argue , student debt forgiveness will offer Biden a tantalizing prospect : He could deliver substantial economic relief directly to millions of Americans even in the face of congressional gridlock .
Will people actually see some of their student loan debt wiped away under Biden ’ s presidency ?
The answer is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is keeping quiet .
But what was once a near impossibility is now a serious topic of discussion among Democrats — one that is unlikely to go away in the next four years .
In some ways , the possibility that Biden would use his executive power to forgive student debt appears unlikely .
Such a sweeping , costly executive action would run counter to Biden ’ s moderate , compromise-focused political instincts , and those of his likely Cabinet picks .
The idea has been opposed not just by Republicans but by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the measure would actually provide economic stimulus .
And Biden has signaled caution so far over the policy .
His team would not comment on whether he was considering loan forgiveness through executive action or whether he believed current statutes permitted debt cancellation .
But Biden has said he supports forgiving $ 10,000 in student loans for all Americans , the kind of step that was itself unthinkable several years ago .
And if passing a large pandemic relief bill in Congress becomes impossible , Biden is likely to face significant pressure to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forgiveness .
That pressure will be especially acute if the temporary pause on payments that the CARES Act implemented at the beginning of the pandemic ends in January , which it will without further action from Congress .
Sen. Elizabeth Warren has led the argument that it is within the president ’ s power to cancel federal student loan debt , since the executive branch — through the Education Department — originates and oversees student loans .
She has been joined by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer , who is more moderate than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Senate and sway in the party .
Together , they have called for the government to cancel $ 50,000 in student loan debt for each American — a significant chunk of money that would still limit forgiveness for doctors , lawyers , and others with larger student loan balances .
Warren ’ s involvement matters not just because she is a prominent voice , but because she has a long track record of pushing the Obama administration to take progressive actions around student debt and other progressive policies .
Along with activists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ implement wide-scale student debt forgiveness for students defrauded by for-profit colleges in 2015 and 2016 .
Warren allies say she is not likely to drop that kind of pressure campaign in a Biden administration .
She will not be deterred , they say , if Biden is initially resistant to taking executive action on student debt .
The direct impacts on the economy of mass student loan forgiveness are unclear , a fact that could make a Biden administration hesitant .
Economists have questioned whether it will do anything to actually stimulate the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ costs to the federal government .
“ It would be an extremely poor stimulus , ” said Marc Goldwein , a senior vice president at the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget , a think tank focused on reducing government debt .
“ It would barely do anything relative to the current economic policy.
” The bipartisan group ran an analysis of the impacts of student loan forgiveness this week , after seeing the “ buzz ” around the policy , Goldwein said .
The analysis found that debt forgiveness would do little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said , because many low- and middle-income borrowers are making relatively small payments on their loans or paying nothing at all .
People with large amounts of student loan debt , and large monthly payments , tend to be those with graduate degrees , Goldwein said , who have not seen their incomes suffer in the recession .
“ For every dollar we spend on this , we ’ re going to get between less than a dime and a quarter of economic output , ” Goldwein said .
Many in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be aligned with Goldwein , and cautious not just about the cost of such a plan , but of the appearance of giving handouts to privileged Americans .
Janet Yellen , his expected pick for treasury secretary , sits on the board of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget .
But Biden has also signaled a desire to work with progressives like Warren .
And many Democrats have argued for student debt forgiveness as an imperfect way to deal with congressional gridlock .
“ It ’ s important context to think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can execute via executive order , ” said Bharat Ramamurti , who was the lead economic advisor on Warren ’ s presidential campaign and is currently a member of the Congressional Oversight Commission .
“ You ’ re doing something concretely that will help a significant portion of adults in the US , ” he said .
“ It ’ s hard to do that with other policy options.
” Tens of millions of Americans would immediately feel the effects of not having to send student loan checks to the government every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ argued that research on people whose student loans have been canceled shows there would be “ ripple effects ” on the economy that would go beyond what an economic analysis like the CFRB ’ s can measure : “ If you take this debt off of people ’ s books , it affects the decisions they make.
” Republicans have already sought to paint student debt forgiveness as a giveaway to elites : By definition , student loan forgiveness would exclude tens of millions of Americans who never attended college .
But proponents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million Americans who have student debt despite not ever receiving a college degree .
And they have called it a matter of racial justice : Black Americans disproportionately hold more student debt and struggle to pay it off .
Toby Merrill , the director of Harvard Law School ’ s Project on Predatory Student Lending , was among the first to argue that student debt could be canceled through executive order , without congressional approval .
She said she doesn ’ t know whether Biden ’ s transition team is seriously considering the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that anyone coming in and looking at this economy , looking at all of our shared concerns around racial and economic injustice , looking at the enormous burden that student loans are placing on people , and the burden they ’ re placing on Black communities in particular — they would have to look at debt forgiveness .
”

It was once an idea so far on the fringe that no major politician endorsed it. Then it was the pipe dream of far-left progressives. Now a push for President-elect Joe Biden’s administration to single-handedly cancel billions of dollars in student debt has taken hold in increasingly large segments of the Democratic Party, raising a real possibility, for the first time, that broad swaths of Americans may see some of their student loan debt wiped away.
The idea that Biden should wipe out student debt through executive action has exploded online in recent weeks as Democrats confront the real possibility that they may not control the Senate in January, dramatically limiting Biden’s ability to get substantive legislation — like pandemic relief — through Congress.
If the Senate remains in the hands of Mitch McConnell, progressives argue, student debt forgiveness will offer Biden a tantalizing prospect: He could deliver substantial economic relief directly to millions of Americans even in the face of congressional gridlock.
Will people actually see some of their student loan debt wiped away under Biden’s presidency? The answer is unclear, and Biden’s team is keeping quiet. But what was once a near impossibility is now a serious topic of discussion among Democrats — one that is unlikely to go away in the next four years.
In some ways, the possibility that Biden would use his executive power to forgive student debt appears unlikely. Such a sweeping, costly executive action would run counter to Biden’s moderate, compromise-focused political instincts, and those of his likely Cabinet picks. The idea has been opposed not just by Republicans but by some economists, who have questioned whether the measure would actually provide economic stimulus.
And Biden has signaled caution so far over the policy. His team would not comment on whether he was considering loan forgiveness through executive action or whether he believed current statutes permitted debt cancellation.
But Biden has said he supports forgiving $10,000 in student loans for all Americans, the kind of step that was itself unthinkable several years ago. And if passing a large pandemic relief bill in Congress becomes impossible, Biden is likely to face significant pressure to use other means to get Americans that forgiveness.
That pressure will be especially acute if the temporary pause on payments that the CARES Act implemented at the beginning of the pandemic ends in January, which it will without further action from Congress.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren has led the argument that it is within the president’s power to cancel federal student loan debt, since the executive branch — through the Education Department — originates and oversees student loans. She has been joined by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, who is more moderate than Warren. Both hold substantial power in the Senate and sway in the party.
Together, they have called for the government to cancel $50,000 in student loan debt for each American — a significant chunk of money that would still limit forgiveness for doctors, lawyers, and others with larger student loan balances.
Warren’s involvement matters not just because she is a prominent voice, but because she has a long track record of pushing the Obama administration to take progressive actions around student debt and other progressive policies. Along with activists, she pressured the Obama administration to implement wide-scale student debt forgiveness for students defrauded by for-profit colleges in 2015 and 2016.
Warren allies say she is not likely to drop that kind of pressure campaign in a Biden administration. She will not be deterred, they say, if Biden is initially resistant to taking executive action on student debt.
The direct impacts on the economy of mass student loan forgiveness are unclear, a fact that could make a Biden administration hesitant. Economists have questioned whether it will do anything to actually stimulate the lagging economy — especially relative to the costs to the federal government.
“It would be an extremely poor stimulus,” said Marc Goldwein, a senior vice president at the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a think tank focused on reducing government debt. “It would barely do anything relative to the current economic policy.”
The bipartisan group ran an analysis of the impacts of student loan forgiveness this week, after seeing the “buzz” around the policy, Goldwein said. The analysis found that debt forgiveness would do little to change people’s cash flow, he said, because many low- and middle-income borrowers are making relatively small payments on their loans or paying nothing at all.
People with large amounts of student loan debt, and large monthly payments, tend to be those with graduate degrees, Goldwein said, who have not seen their incomes suffer in the recession.
“For every dollar we spend on this, we’re going to get between less than a dime and a quarter of economic output,” Goldwein said.
Many in Biden’s new administration are likely to be aligned with Goldwein, and cautious not just about the cost of such a plan, but of the appearance of giving handouts to privileged Americans. Janet Yellen, his expected pick for treasury secretary, sits on the board of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.
But Biden has also signaled a desire to work with progressives like Warren. And many Democrats have argued for student debt forgiveness as an imperfect way to deal with congressional gridlock.
“It’s important context to think about this in comparison to other policies you can execute via executive order,” said Bharat Ramamurti, who was the lead economic advisor on Warren’s presidential campaign and is currently a member of the Congressional Oversight Commission.
“You’re doing something concretely that will help a significant portion of adults in the US,” he said. “It’s hard to do that with other policy options.”
Tens of millions of Americans would immediately feel the effects of not having to send student loan checks to the government every month, Ramamurti said. And he argued that research on people whose student loans have been canceled shows there would be “ripple effects” on the economy that would go beyond what an economic analysis like the CFRB’s can measure: “If you take this debt off of people’s books, it affects the decisions they make.”
Republicans have already sought to paint student debt forgiveness as a giveaway to elites: By definition, student loan forgiveness would exclude tens of millions of Americans who never attended college.
But proponents of the policy point to the 36 million Americans who have student debt despite not ever receiving a college degree. And they have called it a matter of racial justice: Black Americans disproportionately hold more student debt and struggle to pay it off.
Toby Merrill, the director of Harvard Law School’s Project on Predatory Student Lending, was among the first to argue that student debt could be canceled through executive order, without congressional approval.
She said she doesn’t know whether Biden’s transition team is seriously considering the policy.
“But I would say that anyone coming in and looking at this economy, looking at all of our shared concerns around racial and economic injustice, looking at the enormous burden that student loans are placing on people, and the burden they’re placing on Black communities in particular — they would have to look at debt forgiveness.”