courthousenews--2020-08-22--Black People Nearly Twice as Likely as Whites to Be Arrested at Portland Protests

PORTLAND , Ore. ( CN ) — Local police in Portland are disproportionately arresting Black people at ongoing protests against , among other things , racial inequities within the criminal justice system , according to numbers obtained by Courthouse News .
State and local police in Portland have arrested over 550 protesters since mass protests began in Portland on May 29 , sparked by outrage over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
Black people make up 11 % of those arrested — almost double the rate of Portland ’ s Black population .
And although it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protests in the movement for Black lives at rates higher than their portion of Portland ’ s population , criminal justice experts say that factor alone doesn ’ t account for their increased likelihood of arrest .
“ It is highly unlikely that a disparity this high is a result of composition of the protestors or criminal activity , ” Dr. Mark Leymon , professor of criminology at Portland State University , said in an interview .
“ Research shows that people of color are not more likely to commit crime , especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most recent estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau , there were about 37,975 Black people living in Portland in July 2019 .
That ’ s 5.8 % of Portland ’ s nearly 655,000 people .
White people number approximately 461,592 , or 70 % of the city ’ s population .
At protests between May 29 and Aug. 13 , local police arrested 429 white people , 61 Black people , 36 Hispanic people , 11 Asian or Pacific Islanders and one Native American , according to numbers provided by the Multnomah County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not categorize thirteen of the arrests made during that period .
Comparing the arrest numbers for Black and white people with their population numbers shows Black people are 1.73 times as likely ( nearly twice as likely ) to be arrested at Portland ’ s protests than white people .
That calculation , called the relative rate index , is a common way of showing racial disparities .
Said another way , in order for the arrests police made to be distributed equally among Black and white people , there would have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every 100 white people at Portland ’ s protests .
Exact data showing the racial breakdown among protesters is unavailable .
But the ratio described above doesn ’ t match the overwhelming presence of white people in over 80 nights of protests attended by crowds ranging from the hundreds to the thousands .
That means racism is likely in play , according to Leymon .
“ We know from research that people of color , especially Black individuals , are much more likely to be perceived as dangerous , ” Leymon said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be arrested for low-level criminal activity — frivolous things — or for no criminal activity at all.
” “ No accountability , ” Demetria Hester , a prominent protester said upon hearing of the disparity in arrests .
“ This is exactly what we ’ ve been talking about for years.
” Hester survived an assault on a MAX light rail train by a white supremacist who went on to kill two men and seriously wound a third the day after assaulting Hester .
She said she took the disproportionate arresting of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from police .
“ They ’ re trying to make an example of us and say ‘ We ’ re arresting all these Black people for coming out and protesting to keep others from coming out , ’ ” Hester said .
“ Like , ‘ If you protest , this is what ’ s going to happen to you.
’ ” Newly elected Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt announced on Aug. 11 that his office would not prosecute the vast majority of protest arrests , and would instead focus on charges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Schmidt said at the time that he hoped the policy would reduce arrests stemming from protesters simply being present at a protest police declare is illegal , rather than actively participating in criminal activity .
“ We ’ re announcing this policy so it ’ s clear that those types of cases won ’ t be charged , ” Schmidt said at the time .
“ That doesn ’ t say those arrests won ’ t happen .
But it would be my hope that those types of arrests won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appear to be the outcome .
Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell released a statement immediately after Schmidt ’ s announcement , saying that Portland police would continue to “ make arrests as necessary to protect the community.
” “ As always , whether the District Attorney decides to charge cases we send to his office is up to him , ” Lovell said in his statement .
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler , who is also the city ’ s police commissioner , refused multiple requests to comment on the racial disparity in arrests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that very problem .
Captain Tina Jones , spokeswoman for the Portland Police Bureau , objected to the use of census data to measure race .
“ It does not reflect the current composition of the city and does not take into account those who visit or work here , ” Jones said in an email .
“ Arrests are made based upon probable cause for criminal acts.
” But the city of Portland and Multnomah County , where it is located , have used Census numbers to calculate the same measurement referenced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to show that Black people are 4.4 times more likely to be arrested in Multnomah County than white people , according to a 2014 study , and 4.1 times more likely to have their charges prosecuted by the district attorney .
The Oregon Criminal Justice Commission found in January that Portland police are twice as likely to search Black pedestrians and Black drivers during traffic stops than their white counterparts .
And arrest numbers are just the first step in a series of racially biased procedures that end up with Black people being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go to prison in Multnomah County .
“ Everyone in the criminal justice system likes to point the finger at someone else for racial disparities , ” Leymon said .
“ Cops say ‘ We ’ re just arresting people who break the law.
’ District attorneys say ‘ We ’ re just prosecuting the cases you bring us.
’ And judges say ‘ We ’ re just sentencing the people you prosecute .
But if you ’ re Black , every step through the criminal justice system increases your likelihood of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Multnomah County District Attorney ’ s Office showed the racial breakdown for arrests from May 29 through Aug. 13 .
There have been additional arrests since then by local police .
And the numbers don ’ t account for arrests made by federal agents sent to Portland as part of Operation Diligent Valor — which President Donald Trump said was necessary to protect federal buildings like the Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse from “ violent anarchists ” who Trump accused of throwing fireworks , rocks and cans of soup at federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney ’ s Office in Portland .
Spokesman Kevin Sonoff said the office doesn ’ t track the race or ethnicity of people charged with crimes .
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell have increasingly joined Trump in claiming the nightly protests are the work of a small group of white people bent on violence and destruction — and that they are no longer part of a movement against systemic racism .
“ Enough is enough , ” Lovell told reporters Aug. 5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goals ” of a movement against racism .
In a press conference the next day , Wheeler said protesters were playing into the hands of the president .
Trump immediately used Wheeler ’ s words to justify the continued presence of federal agents in Portland .
“ Don ’ t think for a moment that , if you are participating in this activity , you are not being a prop for the reelection campaign of Donald Trump , ” Wheeler said in an Aug. 6 press conference .
“ Because you absolutely are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that will be used in ads nationally to help Donald Trump during his campaign .
If you don ’ t want to be part of that , then don ’ t show up.
” In that context , Leymon says the racial disparity in protest arrests raises another question : “ If this isn ’ t about racial injustice issues , why are so many people being arrested who are Black ?
” Leymon asked .

Local police in Portland are disproportionately arresting black people at ongoing protests against, among other things, racial inequities within the criminal justice system, according to numbers obtained by Courthouse News.
PORTLAND, Ore. (CN) — Local police in Portland are disproportionately arresting Black people at ongoing protests against, among other things, racial inequities within the criminal justice system, according to numbers obtained by Courthouse News.
State and local police in Portland have arrested over 550 protesters since mass protests began in Portland on May 29, sparked by outrage over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Black people make up 11% of those arrested — almost double the rate of Portland’s Black population.
And although it’s possible that Black people are attending protests in the movement for Black lives at rates higher than their portion of Portland’s population, criminal justice experts say that factor alone doesn’t account for their increased likelihood of arrest.
“It is highly unlikely that a disparity this high is a result of composition of the protestors or criminal activity,” Dr. Mark Leymon, professor of criminology at Portland State University, said in an interview. “Research shows that people of color are not more likely to commit crime, especially in this context.”
According to the most recent estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, there were about 37,975 Black people living in Portland in July 2019. That’s 5.8% of Portland’s nearly 655,000 people. White people number approximately 461,592, or 70% of the city’s population.
At protests between May 29 and Aug. 13, local police arrested 429 white people, 61 Black people, 36 Hispanic people, 11 Asian or Pacific Islanders and one Native American, according to numbers provided by the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office. Police did not categorize thirteen of the arrests made during that period.
Comparing the arrest numbers for Black and white people with their population numbers shows Black people are 1.73 times as likely (nearly twice as likely) to be arrested at Portland’s protests than white people. That calculation, called the relative rate index, is a common way of showing racial disparities.
Said another way, in order for the arrests police made to be distributed equally among Black and white people, there would have to be 173 Black people present for every 100 white people at Portland’s protests — if Portland's population was equally split among Black and white people. Exact data showing the racial breakdown among protesters is unavailable. But the ratio described above doesn’t match the overwhelming presence of white people in over 80 nights of protests attended by crowds ranging from the hundreds to the thousands.
That means racism is likely in play, according to Leymon.
“We know from research that people of color, especially Black individuals, are much more likely to be perceived as dangerous,” Leymon said. “And so they are more likely to be arrested for low-level criminal activity — frivolous things — or for no criminal activity at all.”
“No accountability,” Demetria Hester, a prominent protester said upon hearing of the disparity in arrests. “This is exactly what we’ve been talking about for years.”
Hester survived an assault on a MAX light rail train by a white supremacist who went on to kill two men and seriously wound a third the day after assaulting Hester. She said she took the disproportionate arresting of Black people at protests as a warning from police.
“They’re trying to make an example of us and say ‘We’re arresting all these Black people for coming out and protesting to keep others from coming out,’” Hester said. “Like, ‘If you protest, this is what’s going to happen to you.’”
Newly elected Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt announced on Aug. 11 that his office would not prosecute the vast majority of protest arrests, and would instead focus on charges involving intentional violence like arson and assault.


courthousenews--2020-08-23--2 Tropical Storms Heading for Double Blow to US Gulf Coast

SAN JUAN , Puerto Rico ( AP ) — Two tropical storms advanced across the Caribbean on Saturday night as potentially historic threats to the U.S. Gulf Coast , one dumping rain on Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands while the other was pushing through the gap between Mexico ’ s Yucatan Peninsula and Cuba .
Tropical Storms Laura and Marco were both projected to approach Louisiana at or close to hurricane force just two days apart next week .
A hurricane watch was issued for the New Orleans metro area , which was pummeled by Hurricane Katrina in August @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Gulf of Mexico at the same time , according to records going back to at least 1900 , said Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach .
The last time two tropical storms were in the Gulf together was in 1959 , he said .
The last time two storms made landfall in the United States within 24 hours of each other was in 1933 , Klotzbach said .
The projected tracks from the U.S. National Hurricane Center on Saturday afternoon pointed to both storms being together in the Gulf on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Laura making landfall in the same general area Wednesday .
But large uncertainties remain for that time span , and forecasts have varied greatly so far for the two storms .
“ We are in unprecedented times , ” Mississippi Gov .
Tate Reeves said at a news conference Saturday as he declared a state of emergency .
“ We are dealing with not only two potential storms in the next few hours , we are also dealing with COVID-19.
” He urged residents to prepare for the storms and , if possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not public shelters .
A hurricane watch was issued for Intracoastal City , Louisiana , eastward to the Mississippi-Alabama border .
People in Louisiana headed to stores to stock up on food , water and other supplies .
Raymond Monday of Gretna , though , had only a generator on his cart at Sam ’ s Club .
“ We ’ ve got a freezer full of food ” at home , along with large containers of water , he said .
Laura flung rain across Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dominican Republic , Haiti and parts of Cuba through Sunday on its westward course .
Puerto Rico Gov .
Wanda Vázquez declared a state of emergency and warned that flooding could be worse than what Tropical Storm Isaias unleashed three weeks ago because the ground is now saturated .
The storm knocked down trees in the island ’ s southern region , and left more than 200,000 clients without power and more than 10,000 without water across the U.S. territory .
“ No one should be out on the streets , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerned about the thousands of people in Puerto Rico who still have been living under blue tarps since 2017 ’ s Hurricane Maria and the hundreds of families living along the island ’ s southern coast in homes damaged by a string of strong earthquakes this year .
The storm was centered about 85 miles ( 135 ) kilometers east-southeast of Santo Domingo , Dominican Republic , on Saturday night , with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph ( 85 kph ) .
It was moving west at 18 mph ( 30 kph @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , crews in the Dominican Republic began evacuating dozens of families in flood-prone areas .
Marco , meanwhile , was strengthening while centered about 75 miles ( 120 kilometers ) west-northwest of Cuba ’ s western tip , headed to the north-northwest at 13 mph ( 20 kph ) .
It had maximum sustained winds of 65 mph ( 100 kph ) and was expected to become a hurricane later Saturday .
Carlos Joaquín González , governor of Mexico ’ s Quintana Roo state , celebrated that Marco ’ s changed trajectory spared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those in Cancun , the country ’ s top tourist destination .
The National Hurricane Center said it expected the storms to stay far enough apart to prevent direct interaction as the region braces for the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season , which is forecast to be unusually active .
Both storms were expected to bring 3 to 6 inches ( 8 to 15 centimeters ) of rain to areas they were passing over or near , threatening widespread flooding across a vast region .
“ A lot of people are going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surge in the Gulf of Mexico , ” said Joel Cline , the tropical program coordinator for the National Weather Service .
“ Since you simply don ’ t know , you really need to make precautions.
” It seems fitting for such an unusual twin threat to arrive in 2020 , said University of Miami hurricane researcher Brian McNoldy .
“ Of course , we have to have two simultaneously land-falling hurricanes , ” McNoldy said .
“ It ’ s best not to ask what ’ s next.
” ) Forecasters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Laura to grow , its passage over Puerto Rico and the mountains of Haiti , the Dominican Republic and Cuba could tear it apart or weaken it before it entered warm Gulf waters conducive to growth .
Officials in the Florida Keys , which Laura might pass over on its route into the Gulf , declared a local state of emergency Friday and issued a mandatory evacuation order for anyone living on boats , in mobile homes and in campers .
Tourists staying in hotels should be aware of hazardous weather conditions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday , Monroe County officials said in a news release .
Citing both storm systems , Louisiana Gov .
John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency Friday night .
“ It is too soon to know exactly where , when or how these dual storms will affect Louisiana , but now is the time for our people to prepare for these storms , ” Edwards said in a statement .
Laura had earlier forced the closure of schools and government offices in the eastern Caribbean islands of Anguilla and Antigua , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
By DÁNICA COTO and SETH BORENSTEIN Associated Press

Two tropical storms advanced across the Caribbean on Saturday night as potentially historic threats to the U.S. Gulf Coast, one dumping rain on Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands while the other was pushing through the gap between Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula and Cuba.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Two tropical storms advanced across the Caribbean on Saturday night as potentially historic threats to the U.S. Gulf Coast, one dumping rain on Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands while the other was pushing through the gap between Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula and Cuba.
Tropical Storms Laura and Marco were both projected to approach Louisiana at or close to hurricane force just two days apart next week. A hurricane watch was issued for the New Orleans metro area, which was pummeled by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005.
Two hurricanes have never appeared in the Gulf of Mexico at the same time, according to records going back to at least 1900, said Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach. The last time two tropical storms were in the Gulf together was in 1959, he said.
The last time two storms made landfall in the United States within 24 hours of each other was in 1933, Klotzbach said.
The projected tracks from the U.S. National Hurricane Center on Saturday afternoon pointed to both storms being together in the Gulf on Monday, with Marco hitting Louisiana and Laura making landfall in the same general area Wednesday. But large uncertainties remain for that time span, and forecasts have varied greatly so far for the two storms.
"We are in unprecedented times," Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said at a news conference Saturday as he declared a state of emergency. "We are dealing with not only two potential storms in the next few hours, we are also dealing with COVID-19."
He urged residents to prepare for the storms and, if possible, find places to evacuate that are not public shelters.
A hurricane watch was issued for Intracoastal City, Louisiana, eastward to the Mississippi-Alabama border.
People in Louisiana headed to stores to stock up on food, water and other supplies. Raymond Monday of Gretna, though, had only a generator on his cart at Sam's Club. "We've got a freezer full of food" at home, along with large containers of water, he said.
Laura flung rain across Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands on Saturday and was expected to drench the Dominican Republic, Haiti and parts of Cuba through Sunday on its westward course.
Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vázquez declared a state of emergency and warned that flooding could be worse than what Tropical Storm Isaias unleashed three weeks ago because the ground is now saturated. The storm knocked down trees in the island's southern region, and left more than 200,000 clients without power and more than 10,000 without water across the U.S. territory.
"No one should be out on the streets," she said.
Officials said they were most concerned about the thousands of people in Puerto Rico who still have been living under blue tarps since 2017's Hurricane Maria and the hundreds of families living along the island's southern coast in homes damaged by a string of strong earthquakes this year.
The storm was centered about 85 miles (135) kilometers east-southeast of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on Saturday night, with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 kph). It was moving west at 18 mph (30 kph).
As the storm approached Hispaniola, crews in the Dominican Republic began evacuating dozens of families in flood-prone areas.
Marco, meanwhile, was strengthening while centered about 75 miles (120 kilometers) west-northwest of Cuba's western tip, headed to the north-northwest at 13 mph (20 kph). It had maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 kph) and was expected to become a hurricane later Saturday.
Carlos Joaquín González, governor of Mexico's Quintana Roo state, celebrated that Marco's changed trajectory spared his state's beaches, including those in Cancun, the country's top tourist destination.
The National Hurricane Center said it expected the storms to stay far enough apart to prevent direct interaction as the region braces for the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season, which is forecast to be unusually active.
Both storms were expected to bring 3 to 6 inches (8 to 15 centimeters) of rain to areas they were passing over or near, threatening widespread flooding across a vast region.
"A lot of people are going to be impacted by rainfall and storm surge in the Gulf of Mexico," said Joel Cline, the tropical program coordinator for the National Weather Service. "Since you simply don't know, you really need to make precautions."
It seems fitting for such an unusual twin threat to arrive in 2020, said University of Miami hurricane researcher Brian McNoldy.
"Of course, we have to have two simultaneously land-falling hurricanes," McNoldy said. "It's best not to ask what's next." )
Forecasters said that while atmospheric conditions were favorable for Laura to grow, its passage over Puerto Rico and the mountains of Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Cuba could tear it apart or weaken it before it entered warm Gulf waters conducive to growth.
Officials in the Florida Keys, which Laura might pass over on its route into the Gulf, declared a local state of emergency Friday and issued a mandatory evacuation order for anyone living on boats, in mobile homes and in campers. Tourists staying in hotels should be aware of hazardous weather conditions and consider altering their plans starting on Sunday, Monroe County officials said in a news release.
Citing both storm systems, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency Friday night. "It is too soon to know exactly where, when or how these dual storms will affect Louisiana, but now is the time for our people to prepare for these storms," Edwards said in a statement.
Laura had earlier forced the closure of schools and government offices in the eastern Caribbean islands of Anguilla and Antigua, according to the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency.
By DÁNICA COTO and SETH BORENSTEIN Associated Press


courthousenews--2020-08-22--House Approves $25 Billion Bill to Fund US Postal Service

WASHINGTON ( CN ) — It is all but a foregone conclusion that it will be killed on arrival , but in a rare Saturday session the Democrat-controlled House sent its message express to the Republican-majority Senate : With a 257-150 vote , the U.S .
Postal Service must have its $ 25 billion ahead of the November election and any cutbacks to operations must be stopped .
Massachusetts Democrat Jim McGovern , the chair of the House Rules Committee who led a bitter legislative session on the Delivering for America Act just 24 hours before the special weekend vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that lawmakers were insistent on passing the bill because “ democracy is being eroded ” by President Donald Trump and his megadonor , Postmaster General Louis DeJoy .
“ It is under siege on all fronts , ” McGovern said , pointing to ubiquitous calls from Trump to end the use of mail-in ballots even as the Postal Service predicts ten times the normal amount of election mail this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic .
“ The president fears that if more people vote , the less likely he is to win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The legislation was introduced by Representative Carolyn Maloney , a New York Democrat , in response to weeks of austerity unfolding inside of the Postal Service where DeJoy slashed overtime for mail carriers and reduced delivery rates for “ efficiency.
” The revelations on DeJoy ’ s changes only went public after a leaked internal PowerPoint presentation in mid-July revealed stark warnings on the agency ’ s insolvency and an unequivocal directive to deliver mail the next day or later and to leave mail behind at distribution centers if an employee ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday , as lawmakers debated on the floor , new internal documents from the Postal Service were brought forward by Maloney .
Part of an internal briefing delivered to DeJoy on Aug. 12 included slides showcasing a significant decline in service standards since July 1 , well after DeJoy began his tenure .
These were more severe than DeJoy led lawmakers to believe during a recent visit to the Senate , Maloney said .
House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy and others have regularly contended mail delays were “ manufactured ” and part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats to harass Trump .
DeJoy , who served as a deputy finance chairman to the Republican National Committee in 2017 , has donated over $ 1.2 million to the Trump Victory Fund since 2016 and more than $ 3 million to various Republican political groups .
He also donated significant sums to the campaigns of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Trump ally Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina , according to data compiled by the FEC .
His open affinity for the president and his appointment by the USPS Board of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made him a lightning rod for criticism that his role is really that of a political operative queued up to privatize the postal service long at the president ’ s behest .
An extensive report by NPR on DeJoy weaves together the story of his ascendancy and notes concerns raised by a recently resigned board member that DeJoy was not suitable as postmaster general .
He is also one of only five officials to come to the position without rising through the agency ’ s ranks first .
DeJoy is the former CEO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which he sold for $ 615 million to XPO Logistics , a company offering competing services to USPS before founding a real estate investment and consulting company .
Disclosures provided to Congress by DeJoy and his wife Aldona Wos depict a lucrative portfolio : Between the two , DeJoy and Wos hold roughly $ 30 to $ 75 million in assets and investments , most of which stem from XPO Logistics .
Wos also presently serves as vice chair for the President ’ s Commission on White House Fellowships and has a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the Senate .
These factors , among others , have cast a shadow over DeJoy for lawmakers and on Aug. 7 prompted a bicameral call on Postal Service inspector general Tammy Whitcomb to formally investigate the operational changes to the service initiated by DeJoy .
Extended public outcry prompted DeJoy to announce he would end changes rolled out earlier this summer until after the November election , but his appearance in the Senate Friday to discuss the rancor surrounding him and the post office generated few good feelings .
Though DeJoy said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put it ahead of First Class mail standards , he would not commit to restoring sorting machines removed from mail centers , a key element to processing massive amounts of mail quickly .
Over 90 Democrats have called for DeJoy ’ s resignation while Republicans like Representative Tom Cole of Oklahoma and others beseech them to focus instead on negotiating the next round of relief for Americans crushed under the weight of the Covid-19 pandemic still raging inside U.S. borders .
“ I want to give some free political advice .
You want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get it through the Senate or to the White House ?
If that ’ s true , then make it bigger , ” Cole said .
“ Make it something we all agree on… No money is going to get to the Post Office because it won ’ t get to the Senate.
” Republicans insist a cash infusion to the Postal Service is unnecessary , pointing to a $ 10 billion line of credit approved by the Treasury Department in July still untapped .
“ The blank check of $ 25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the existing problems , ” Republican Representative Bob Woodall of Georgia said Saturday .
“ In divided government , you can not bully your way to success .
You have to partner your way to success .
Let ’ s move on Paycheck Protection Program extensions , let ’ s move on vaccine funding , on law enforcement reform.
” The House passed the Heroes Act with meager Republican support in May but the Senate has refused to take it up .
In addition to trillions flagged for the unemployed , schools , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also included $ 25 billion for the Postal Service as requested by their Republican-controlled board of governors in March .
Instead , Senate and House Republicans are rallying around a “ skinny ” relief package known as the Delivering Immediate Relief to America ’ s Families , Schools and Small Businesses Act .
It includes $ 10 billion for the Postal Service but is being met with resistance by Democrats who say its attached assistance for unemployment insurance — $ 300 in additional weekly benefits versus the Heroes Act ’ s $ 1,200 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Though House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the body back for last week ’ s emergency session , Congress is still on break until after Labor Day and negotiations on relief , be it for Covid-19 or the Postal Service , likely won ’ t resume until then .
Art Sackler , executive director of the Coalition for a 21st Century Postal Service , a group of mailers , shippers and suppliers , said in an email Saturday that their organization would “ defer to Congress on exactly what the [ amount of relief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fierce divide between Republicans and Democrats , Sackler said there might be an “ adroit way to bridge the gap ” between them by passage of the Postal Service Emergency Assistance Act proposed by Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins .
The legislation , unlike the Heroes Act or the GOP ’ s skinny relief package , is a straight up and down bill infusing the Postal Service with $ 25 billion only and omitting any other appropriations that have for weeks tied both the House and Senate in knots .
The USPS did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday on what it expects next but Postmaster DeJoy is slated to testify before the House on Monday .

It is all but a foregone conclusion that it will be killed on arrival, but in a rare Saturday session the Democrat-controlled House sent its message express to the Republican-majority Senate: With a 257-150 vote, the U.S. Postal Service must have its $25 billion ahead of the November election and any cutbacks to operations must be stopped.
WASHINGTON (CN) — It is all but a foregone conclusion that it will be killed on arrival, but in a rare Saturday session the Democrat-controlled House sent its message express to the Republican-majority Senate: With a 257-150 vote, the U.S. Postal Service must have its $25 billion ahead of the November election and any cutbacks to operations must be stopped.
Massachusetts Democrat Jim McGovern, the chair of the House Rules Committee who led a bitter legislative session on the Delivering for America Act just 24 hours before the special weekend vote, said from the House floor Saturday that lawmakers were insistent on passing the bill because “democracy is being eroded” by President Donald Trump and his megadonor, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy.
“It is under siege on all fronts,” McGovern said, pointing to ubiquitous calls from Trump to end the use of mail-in ballots even as the Postal Service predicts ten times the normal amount of election mail this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The president fears that if more people vote, the less likely he is to win a second term,” McGovern remarked.
The legislation was introduced by Representative Carolyn Maloney, a New York Democrat, in response to weeks of austerity unfolding inside of the Postal Service where DeJoy slashed overtime for mail carriers and reduced delivery rates for “efficiency.”
The revelations on DeJoy’s changes only went public after a leaked internal PowerPoint presentation in mid-July revealed stark warnings on the agency's insolvency and an unequivocal directive to deliver mail the next day or later and to leave mail behind at distribution centers if an employee’s shift ran into overtime.
On Saturday, as lawmakers debated on the floor, new internal documents from the Postal Service were brought forward by Maloney. Part of an internal briefing delivered to DeJoy on Aug. 12 included slides showcasing a significant decline in service standards since July 1, well after DeJoy began his tenure. These were more severe than DeJoy led lawmakers to believe during a recent visit to the Senate, Maloney said.
House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy and others have regularly contended mail delays were “manufactured” and part of a “conspiracy theory” designed by Democrats to harass Trump.
DeJoy, who served as a deputy finance chairman to the Republican National Committee in 2017, has donated over $1.2 million to the Trump Victory Fund since 2016 and more than $3 million to various Republican political groups. He also donated significant sums to the campaigns of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Trump ally Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, according to data compiled by the FEC.
His open affinity for the president and his appointment by the USPS Board of Governors, all Trump appointed, have made him a lightning rod for criticism that his role is really that of a political operative queued up to privatize the postal service long at the president’s behest.
An extensive report by NPR on DeJoy weaves together the story of his ascendancy and notes concerns raised by a recently resigned board member that DeJoy was not suitable as postmaster general. He is also one of only five officials to come to the position without rising through the agency’s ranks first.
DeJoy is the former CEO of supply chain provider New Breed Logistics, which he sold for $615 million to XPO Logistics, a company offering competing services to USPS before founding a real estate investment and consulting company.
Disclosures provided to Congress by DeJoy and his wife Aldona Wos depict a lucrative portfolio: Between the two, DeJoy and Wos hold roughly $30 to $75 million in assets and investments, most of which stem from XPO Logistics.


courthousenews--2020-08-22--Savings and Social Security: A Breakdown of Joe Biden’s Retirement System

BOSTON ( CN ) — Joe Biden wants to attack income inequality in a place that few people think about : retirement income .
And if he wins , he could dramatically change the way that all Americans plan for retirement .
Biden believes that the current model of retirement savings — workers contributing part of their paychecks to tax-deferred accounts such as 401 ( k ) s and IRAs — gives an outsized break to affluent people who would save anyway and who are already in the best position to retire comfortably .
He wants to eliminate the tax @ @ @ @ @ @ @ model that would “ equalize benefits ” for lower-income families .
Biden also wants to tax virtually all inheritances , even for poor people .
Rather than encouraging family wealth transfers as a form of retirement planning , he wants to increase Social Security benefits , another tactic that would make everyone ’ s income in retirement more equal .
This will allow “ working- and middle-class Americans … to retire with dignity , ” Biden says on his website .
Biden ’ s 401 ( k ) proposal would work a dramatic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers can contribute part of their income to a 401 ( k ) plan and not pay any income tax on that portion .
They will have to pay tax when they eventually withdraw the funds , but at that point they will presumably be in a lower tax bracket .
The deferral primarily benefits affluent employees because they have a higher current income tax rate and thus save more in taxes when they put money aside .
“ This system provides upper-income families with a much stronger tax break for saving and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers with lower earnings , ” Biden said .
“ The Biden Plan will equalize benefits across the income scale.
” About two-thirds of current retirement-plan tax benefits go to the wealthiest 20 % of families , a Biden position paper states .
Biden doesn ’ t spell out exactly how he would fix this , but a likely idea is a Brookings Institution plan that would replace the tax deduction with a flat-rate refundable credit that would be deposited into savers ’ accounts rather than issued as a refund .
The result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same tax benefit from adding money to an account .
In terms of encouraging saving , the current system provides a “ relatively low bang for the buck ” because most households have a low marginal rate and so the benefit of contributing to a 401 ( k ) plan is not very great , said William Gale , the author of the Brookings proposal .
And for high earners , contributions “ are more likely to represent funds that are reshuffled from existing savings to take advantage of the tax benefit rather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Gale said .
If Biden ’ s plan looks likely to be enacted , people in higher tax brackets should immediately put as much money as they can into their 401 ( k ) s to maximize their tax break before it disappears , recommended Charles Trzcinka , a finance professor at Indiana University .
While Gale thinks the wealthy would save anyway , Trzcinka thinks that ’ s not necessarily the case .
“ If you give wealthy people less incentive to save , that could have a very big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , because rich people ’ s 401 ( k ) s “ have a disproportionate effect on the markets.
” Another issue is that employers might stop offering 401 ( k ) s altogether , warned Elizabeth Bauer , a Chicago-area actuary .
Although employers always claim that they want to help all their workers save for retirement , many are in fact primarily concerned to please their top managers .
If 401 ( k ) don ’ t offer managers a big tax benefit , many companies might simply scrap them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different perk .
Biden ’ s website also promises that “ almost all workers without a pension or 401 ( k ) -type plan will have access to an ‘ automatic 401 ( k ) .
’ ” A 401 ( k ) plan is automatic if workers are enrolled and a default contribution is deducted from their paycheck unless they opt out .
According to the Census Bureau , 79 % of Americans have access to a 401 ( k ) but only 32 % actually contribute to one .
The 79 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though , because 401 ( k ) s are almost exclusively a large-company phenomenon .
The reality is that only 14 % of employers offer such a plan ; the remainder — almost entirely small businesses — find them too complex or expensive .
So Biden has promised to “ offer tax credits to small businesses to offset much of the costs.
” Again , the goal is to equalize retirement assets by making big-company options available to everyone .
But it ’ s not clear that small businesses will want to bother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top earners a big tax break .
At the state level , at least nine states have been experimenting with automatic 401 ( k ) s for workers whose companies don ’ t offer one .
Many of these states have set up their own plan with a state-chosen vendor ( or , in some cases , a marketplace of vendors ) and employees who don ’ t have access to a private plan can be automatically enrolled unless they opt out .
In May 2017 , Biden ’ s running mate Kamala @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state-run plans under federal law .
It ’ s possible that Biden might try to federalize this idea , although there would be some disadvantages .
One is that it could politicize the choice of a vendor , with the government potentially having an incentive to choose companies with appropriate political leanings or that offer investment choices in line with its own objectives such as heavy purchases of government bonds or “ green energy ” funds .
Also , the existence of a “ public option ” 401 ( k ) could further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Although it seems like a good idea to encourage low-wage workers to save for retirement with an automatic program , the truth is that many poor people are in debt , said Bauer .
It might be better for them to pay off high-interest loans rather than contributing to a retirement account , she said .
Another part of Biden ’ s plan is to increase the tax on inheritances .
Estate taxes should be “ raised back to the historical norm , ” a recent “ Unity Task Force ” that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanders campaigns stated .
It ’ s not clear what is meant by the historical norm since rates and exemption amounts have changed dramatically over the years .
Currently the top rate is 40 % and applies only to inheritances over $ 11.58 million , which means that only a very tiny fraction of people pay any tax .
As recently as the George W. Bush administration , however , the tax captured 55 % of any inheritance over $ 675,000 , a number that included not only investment accounts and personal property @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and in many cases life insurance proceeds .
Such a reversion could cause significant numbers of middle-class people to be subject to the tax .
Of more concern to the less affluent is that Biden also wants to eliminate the step-up in basis .
Currently , if someone inherits an asset and sells it , its “ starting value ” for calculating the capital gains tax is its value as of the date the deceased person died , not its value when the person originally bought it .
The original value is “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Eliminating this rule would significantly increase the capital gains tax on almost all inherited assets .
And unlike the estate tax , which only hits people above a fairly high wealth level , the capital gains tax would apply to anyone who inherits anything at all , even people with limited means .
Biden has not made clear how this would work .
One option is that anyone who receives an inheritance would have to pay tax immediately on any unrealized capital gain .
This idea was proposed last year by Senator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canada , where there is no estate tax but an inheritance is treated as a sale for capital gains purposes .
The other option is “ carryover basis , ” where no tax is due right away but an heir who sells an asset later will have to pay tax based on the original purchase price .
Biden sees the step-up as a loophole that allows rich people to pass appreciated assets to their children while avoiding a hefty tax .
But eliminating the step-up could create administrative problems because it would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paid for an asset many years earlier .
The deceased person might not have kept good records and it would be too late to ask him or her about it .
“ Most people are not meticulous recordkeepers , ” said Bauer .
“ It seems like a nightmare to try to identify the original purchase price from something you ’ ve inherited.
” Trzcinka called eliminating the step-up “ crazy ” and “ a big , big burden on a lot of working-class families.
” If family members can ’ t find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might have to claim a zero basis and “ people are going to get hammered , ” he said .
Trzcinka called the Biden proposal “ anti-family ” because “ you ’ re punishing people for being willing to save for their kids.
” Bauer worries that eliminating the step-up will especially harm lower-income people because they ’ re less likely to have accountants and financial advisors who keep careful records as a matter of course .
She also said that the proposal unfairly punishes families with assets such as houses or farms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to inflation .
She suggested taxing only the amount of capital gain in excess of the inflation rate .
On the other side of the scale , Biden is promising larger Social Security payments .
He would boost benefits for surviving spouses , certain public employees and people who have been collecting payments for more than 20 years ; raise the minimum benefit to 125 % of the poverty line ; and adopt a more liberal measure for cost-of-living adjustments .
He would also reduce the penalty that wage-earners experience when they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members .
Trzcinka worries that the Social Security program is already in danger of running out of funds in another decade or two .
But he said Biden ’ s proposals would help poorer people who need it most and in the scheme of things , “ having big benefit increases on the low end is not that much money.
” Increasing Social Security is another way in which Biden wants to equalize retirement income and offers a buffer against the stock market , which Biden likes to minimize as an element of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little correlation between the health of the stock market and the quality of life for the vast majority of middle-class and working-class and poor folks , ” Biden said recently .
“ They ’ re just almost totally disconnected .
”

Joe Biden wants to attack income inequality in a place that few people think about: retirement income. And if he wins, he could dramatically change the way that all Americans plan for retirement.
BOSTON (CN) — Joe Biden wants to attack income inequality in a place that few people think about: retirement income. And if he wins, he could dramatically change the way that all Americans plan for retirement.
Biden believes that the current model of retirement savings — workers contributing part of their paychecks to tax-deferred accounts such as 401(k)s and IRAs — gives an outsized break to affluent people who would save anyway and who are already in the best position to retire comfortably. He wants to eliminate the tax deferral and come up with a brand-new model that would “equalize benefits” for lower-income families.
Biden also wants to tax virtually all inheritances, even for poor people. Rather than encouraging family wealth transfers as a form of retirement planning, he wants to increase Social Security benefits, another tactic that would make everyone’s income in retirement more equal.
This will allow “working- and middle-class Americans … to retire with dignity,” Biden says on his website.
Biden’s 401(k) proposal would work a dramatic change in retirement saving. Currently, workers can contribute part of their income to a 401(k) plan and not pay any income tax on that portion. They will have to pay tax when they eventually withdraw the funds, but at that point they will presumably be in a lower tax bracket.
The deferral primarily benefits affluent employees because they have a higher current income tax rate and thus save more in taxes when they put money aside.
“This system provides upper-income families with a much stronger tax break for saving and a limited benefit for middle-class and other workers with lower earnings,” Biden said. “The Biden Plan will equalize benefits across the income scale.”
About two-thirds of current retirement-plan tax benefits go to the wealthiest 20% of families, a Biden position paper states.
Biden doesn’t spell out exactly how he would fix this, but a likely idea is a Brookings Institution plan that would replace the tax deduction with a flat-rate refundable credit that would be deposited into savers’ accounts rather than issued as a refund. The result is that everyone would get the exact same tax benefit from adding money to an account.
In terms of encouraging saving, the current system provides a “relatively low bang for the buck” because most households have a low marginal rate and so the benefit of contributing to a 401(k) plan is not very great, said William Gale, the author of the Brookings proposal.
And for high earners, contributions “are more likely to represent funds that are reshuffled from existing savings to take advantage of the tax benefit rather than a new net addition to saving,” Gale said.
If Biden’s plan looks likely to be enacted, people in higher tax brackets should immediately put as much money as they can into their 401(k)s to maximize their tax break before it disappears, recommended Charles Trzcinka, a finance professor at Indiana University.
While Gale thinks the wealthy would save anyway, Trzcinka thinks that’s not necessarily the case. “If you give wealthy people less incentive to save, that could have a very big effect on capital formation,” he said, because rich people’s 401(k)s “have a disproportionate effect on the markets.”
Another issue is that employers might stop offering 401(k)s altogether, warned Elizabeth Bauer, a Chicago-area actuary.
Although employers always claim that they want to help all their workers save for retirement, many are in fact primarily concerned to please their top managers. If 401(k) don’t offer managers a big tax benefit, many companies might simply scrap them and raise salaries instead or create a different perk.


courthousenews--2020-08-23--Trump Announces Plasma Treatment Authorized for Covid-19

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — President Donald Trump on Sunday announced emergency authorization to treat COVID-19 patients with convalescent plasma — a move he called “ a breakthrough , ” one of his top health officials called “ promising ” and other health experts said needs more study before it ’ s celebrated .
The announcement came after White House officials complained there were politically motivated delays by the Food and Drug Administration in approving a vaccine and therapeutics for the disease that has upended Trump ’ s reelection chances .
On the eve of the Republican National Convention , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the FDA ’ s announcement of the authorization at a news conference Sunday evening .
The authorization makes it easier for some patients to obtain the treatment but is not the same as full FDA approval .
The blood plasma , taken from patients who have recovered from the coronavirus and rich in antibodies , may provide benefits to those battling the disease .
But the evidence so far has not been conclusive about whether it works , when to administer it and what dose is needed .
In a letter describing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the FDA , Denise Hinton , said : “ COVID-19 convalescent plasma should not be considered a new standard of care for the treatment of patients with COVID-19 .
Additional data will be forthcoming from other analyses and ongoing , well-controlled clinical trials in the coming months.
” But Trump had made clear to aides that he was eager to showcase good news in the battle against the virus , and the timing allowed him to head into his convention with momentum .
He and aides billed it as a “ major ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ room to make the announcement .
Trump also displayed some rare discipline in the evening news conference , sticking to his talking points , deferring to the head of the FDA , Stephen Hahn , and only taking three questions from reporters .
The White House had grown agitated with the pace of the plasma approval .
The accusations of an FDA slowdown , which were presented without evidence , were just the latest assault from Trump ’ s team on what he refers to as the “ deep state ” bureaucracy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not deal in specifics , but said that “ we ’ ve looked at a number of people that are not being as diligent as they should be in terms of getting to the bottom of it.
” “ This president is about cutting red tape , ” Meadows said in an interview Sunday on “ This Week ” on ABC .
“ He had to make sure that they felt the heat .
If they don ’ t see the light , they need to feel the heat because the American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s 18-minute press conference , Trump said he thought there had been a “ logjam ” at the FDA over granting the emergency authorization .
He alleged there are people at the FDA “ that can see things being held up … and that ’ s for political reasons.
” Dr. Joshua Sharfstein said the statement , and Hahn ’ s silence while Trump said it , “ was disgraceful.
” “ The FDA commissioner basically allowed the president to mischaracterize the decision and attack the integrity of FDA employees .
I was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vice dean at John Hopkins University ’ s school of public health who was a top FDA official during the Obama administration .
“ This is a promising therapy that has not been established , ” he said The push on Sunday came a day after Trump tweeted sharp criticism on the process to treat the virus , which has killed more than 175,000 Americans and imperiled his reelection chances .
The White House has sunk vast resources into an expedited process to develop a vaccine , and Trump aides have been banking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” that could help the president make up ground in the polls .
“ The deep state , or whoever , over at the FDA is making it very difficult for drug companies to get people in order to test the vaccines and therapeutics , ” Trump tweeted .
“ Obviously , they are hoping to delay the answer until after November 3rd .
Must focus on speed , and saving lives !
” Earlier this month , Mayo Clinic researchers reported a strong hint that blood plasma from COVID-19 survivors helps other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t considered proof .
More than 70,000 patients in the U.S. have been given convalescent plasma , a century-old approach to fend off flu and measles before vaccines .
It ’ s a go-to tactic when new diseases come along , and history suggests it works against some , but not all , infections .
The Mayo Clinic reported preliminary data from 35,000 coronavirus patients treated with plasma , and said there were fewer deaths among people given plasma within three days of diagnosis , and also among those given plasma containing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But it wasn ’ t a formal study .
The patients were treated in different ways in hospitals around the country as part of an FDA program designed to speed access to the experimental therapy .
That “ expanded access ” program tracks what happens to the recipients , but it can not prove the plasma — and not other care they received — was the real reason for improvement .
Administration officials , in a call with reporters Sunday , discussed a benefit for patients who were within three days of admission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a respirator , and were given ‘ high-titer ’ convalescent plasma containing higher concentrations of antibodies .
They were then compared to similar patients who were given lower-titer plasma .
The findings suggest deaths were 35 % lower in the high-titer group .
There ’ s been little data on how effective it is or whether it must be administered fairly early in an illness to make a significant difference , said Dr. William Schaffner , an infectious diseases expert at Vanderbilt University .
Aiming to ward off a possible a run on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials have been working to obtain plasma and to team with corporate partners and nonprofit organizations to generate interest among previously infected patients to donate .
Hahn , who called the development “ promising , ” said Trump did not speak to him about the timing of the announcement .
He said “ this has been in the works for several weeks.
” But some health experts were skeptical .
Benjamin Corb , of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , called it “ conspicuous timing.
” “ President Trump is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the health and well-being of the American public , ” Corb said .
Rigorous studies are underway around the country , comparing similar patients randomly assigned to get plasma or a dummy infusion in addition to regular care .
But those studies have been difficult to finish as the virus waxes and wanes in different cities .
Also , some patients have requested plasma rather than agreeing to a study that might give them a placebo instead .
Former FDA commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb dismissed the suggestion of a slowdown .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slow-walk anything or accelerate anything based on any political consideration or any consideration other than what is best for the public health and a real sense of mission to patients , ” Gottlieb told CBS ’ s “ Face the Nation.
” Trump , in news conferences , “ has made all kinds of therapeutic suggestions ” that have not proven to be supported by science — and are even dangerous , Schaffner said .
That includes statements about the possible value of treating COVID-19 patients with ultraviolet light and disinfectant .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a plant extract derived from a toxic shrub that scientists immediately warned against .
But the president is perhaps best known for his early and ardent embrace of the malaria drugs hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine .
Earlier this month , Hahn emphasized that routine evaluation procedures will remain in place to evaluate COVID vaccine candidates .
“ I think this administration has put more pressure on the Food and Drug Administration than I can remember ” ever happening in the past , Schaffner said .
“ Everybody is just a little bit nervous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LEMIRE and MIKE STOBBE Associated Press

President Donald Trump on Sunday announced emergency authorization to treat COVID-19 patients with convalescent plasma — a move he called "a breakthrough," one of his top health officials called "promising" and other health experts said needs more study before it's celebrated.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Sunday announced emergency authorization to treat COVID-19 patients with convalescent plasma — a move he called "a breakthrough," one of his top health officials called "promising" and other health experts said needs more study before it's celebrated.
The announcement came after White House officials complained there were politically motivated delays by the Food and Drug Administration in approving a vaccine and therapeutics for the disease that has upended Trump's reelection chances.
On the eve of the Republican National Convention, Trump put himself at the center of the FDA's announcement of the authorization at a news conference Sunday evening. The authorization makes it easier for some patients to obtain the treatment but is not the same as full FDA approval.
The blood plasma, taken from patients who have recovered from the coronavirus and rich in antibodies, may provide benefits to those battling the disease. But the evidence so far has not been conclusive about whether it works, when to administer it and what dose is needed.
In a letter describing the emergency authorization, the chief scientist for the FDA, Denise Hinton, said: "COVID-19 convalescent plasma should not be considered a new standard of care for the treatment of patients with COVID-19. Additional data will be forthcoming from other analyses and ongoing, well-controlled clinical trials in the coming months."
But Trump had made clear to aides that he was eager to showcase good news in the battle against the virus, and the timing allowed him to head into his convention with momentum. He and aides billed it as a "major" development and used the White House briefing room to make the announcement.
Trump also displayed some rare discipline in the evening news conference, sticking to his talking points, deferring to the head of the FDA, Stephen Hahn, and only taking three questions from reporters.
The White House had grown agitated with the pace of the plasma approval. The accusations of an FDA slowdown, which were presented without evidence, were just the latest assault from Trump's team on what he refers to as the "deep state" bureaucracy. White House chief of staff Mark Meadows did not deal in specifics, but said that "we've looked at a number of people that are not being as diligent as they should be in terms of getting to the bottom of it."
"This president is about cutting red tape," Meadows said in an interview Sunday on "This Week" on ABC. "He had to make sure that they felt the heat. If they don't see the light, they need to feel the heat because the American people are suffering."
During Sunday's 18-minute press conference, Trump said he thought there had been a "logjam" at the FDA over granting the emergency authorization. He alleged there are people at the FDA "that can see things being held up ... and that's for political reasons."
Dr. Joshua Sharfstein said the statement, and Hahn's silence while Trump said it, "was disgraceful."
"The FDA commissioner basically allowed the president to mischaracterize the decision and attack the integrity of FDA employees. I was horrified," said Sharfstein, a vice dean at John Hopkins University's school of public health who was a top FDA official during the Obama administration.
"This is a promising therapy that has not been established," he said
The push on Sunday came a day after Trump tweeted sharp criticism on the process to treat the virus, which has killed more than 175,000 Americans and imperiled his reelection chances. The White House has sunk vast resources into an expedited process to develop a vaccine, and Trump aides have been banking on it being an "October surprise" that could help the president make up ground in the polls.


courthousenews--2020-08-23--In Recordings, Trump’s Sister Says He ‘Has No Principles’

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — President Donald Trump ’ s older sister , a former federal judge , is heard sharply criticizing her brother in a series of recordings , at one point saying of the president , “ He has no principles.
” Maryanne Trump Barry was secretly recorded by her niece , Mary Trump , who recently released a book denouncing the president , “ Too Much and Never Enough : How My Family Created the World ’ s Most Dangerous Man.
” Mary Trump said Saturday she made the recordings in 2018 and 2019 .
In one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she had heard a 2018 interview with her brother on Fox News in which he suggested that he would put her on the border to oversee cases of immigrant children separated from their parents .
“ His base , I mean my God , if you were a religious person , you want to help people .
Not do this , ” Barry says .
At another point she says : “ His goddamned tweet and lying , oh my God.
” She adds : “ I ’ m talking too freely , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stories .
The lack of preparation .
The lying .
Holy shit.
” Barry can also be heard saying that she guesses that her brother has never read her opinions on immigration cases .
“ What has he read ?
” Mary Trump asks her aunt .
The recordings were first reported by The Washington Post .
The Associated Press then obtained the recordings .
The recordings came to light just a day after the late Robert Trump , brother to Maryanne and the president , was memorialized in a service at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was dismissive of the recordings .
“ Every day it ’ s something else , who cares .
I miss my brother , and I ’ ll continue to work hard for the American people , ” Trump said in a statement .
“ Not everyone agrees , but the results are obvious .
Our country will soon be stronger than ever before.
” In the weeks since the release of Mary Trump ’ s tell-all book about her uncle , she has been questioned about the source of some of its information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say that she recorded conversations with her aunt .
On Saturday , Mary Trump revealed that she had covertly taped 15 hours of face-to-face conversations with Barry .
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said Sunday it was “ really a sad day ” when a family member secretly tapes 15 hours of a conversation with somebody , “ obviously to promote an agenda.
” Meadows said he had not met Maryanne Trump Barry but had hoped to see her at her brother ’ s funeral , where he said the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ love for his family .
And Meadows , speaking on “ Fox News Sunday , ” dismissed the idea that the president was not well prepared , claiming Trump “ reads so much that it causes me to have to read many times well into the night to catch up with him.
” The president has frequently spoken highly of his sister ; the recordings are the first time a family member , outside of Mary Trump , has been critical of him .
“ Mary realized members of her family had lied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bastardi , a spokesman for Mary Trump .
He added : “ Anticipating litigation , she felt it prudent to tape conversations in order to protect herself.
” The recordings illuminate the tension between the president and his sister .
At one point Barry says to her niece : “ It ’ s the phoniness of it all .
It ’ s the phoniness and this cruelty .
Donald is cruel.
” Mary Trump ’ s book was filled with attacks on her uncle , including the assertion — he denied it — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SATs for him as he sought to transfer into the University of Pennsylvania .
In one recording , the federal judge says that a Joe Shapiro took the test for Trump .
The president was friends with a person at Penn named Joe Shapiro , who is deceased .
Shapiro ’ s widow and sister both have said he never took a test for anybody .
Bastardi said of Mary Trump : “ She never expected to learn much of what she heard , including the president ’ s sister , federal judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump had paid someone to take an SAT exam for him .
”

President Donald Trump's older sister, a former federal judge, is heard sharply criticizing her brother in a series of recordings, at one point saying of the president, "He has no principles."
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's older sister, a former federal judge, is heard sharply criticizing her brother in a series of recordings, at one point saying of the president, "He has no principles."
Maryanne Trump Barry was secretly recorded by her niece, Mary Trump, who recently released a book denouncing the president, "Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man." Mary Trump said Saturday she made the recordings in 2018 and 2019.
In one recording, Barry, 83, says she had heard a 2018 interview with her brother on Fox News in which he suggested that he would put her on the border to oversee cases of immigrant children separated from their parents.
"His base, I mean my God, if you were a religious person, you want to help people. Not do this," Barry says.
At another point she says: "His goddamned tweet and lying, oh my God." She adds: "I'm talking too freely, but you know. The change of stories. The lack of preparation. The lying. Holy shit."
Barry can also be heard saying that she guesses that her brother has never read her opinions on immigration cases.
"What has he read?" Mary Trump asks her aunt.
Barry responds: "No. He doesn't read."
The recordings were first reported by The Washington Post. The Associated Press then obtained the recordings.
The recordings came to light just a day after the late Robert Trump, brother to Maryanne and the president, was memorialized in a service at the White House. Later, the president was dismissive of the recordings.
"Every day it's something else, who cares. I miss my brother, and I'll continue to work hard for the American people," Trump said in a statement. "Not everyone agrees, but the results are obvious. Our country will soon be stronger than ever before."
In the weeks since the release of Mary Trump's tell-all book about her uncle, she has been questioned about the source of some of its information. Nowhere in the book does she say that she recorded conversations with her aunt. On Saturday, Mary Trump revealed that she had covertly taped 15 hours of face-to-face conversations with Barry.
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said Sunday it was "really a sad day" when a family member secretly tapes 15 hours of a conversation with somebody, "obviously to promote an agenda." Meadows said he had not met Maryanne Trump Barry but had hoped to see her at her brother's funeral, where he said the president's tribute showed his compassion and love for his family.
And Meadows, speaking on "Fox News Sunday," dismissed the idea that the president was not well prepared, claiming Trump "reads so much that it causes me to have to read many times well into the night to catch up with him."
The president has frequently spoken highly of his sister; the recordings are the first time a family member, outside of Mary Trump, has been critical of him.
"Mary realized members of her family had lied in prior depositions," said Chris Bastardi, a spokesman for Mary Trump. He added: "Anticipating litigation, she felt it prudent to tape conversations in order to protect herself."
The recordings illuminate the tension between the president and his sister. At one point Barry says to her niece: "It's the phoniness of it all. It's the phoniness and this cruelty. Donald is cruel."
Mary Trump's book was filled with attacks on her uncle, including the assertion — he denied it — that he paid someone to take the SATs for him as he sought to transfer into the University of Pennsylvania.
In one recording, the federal judge says that a Joe Shapiro took the test for Trump. The president was friends with a person at Penn named Joe Shapiro, who is deceased. Shapiro's widow and sister both have said he never took a test for anybody.
Bastardi said of Mary Trump: "She never expected to learn much of what she heard, including the president's sister, federal judge Maryanne Trump Barry, state that Donald Trump had paid someone to take an SAT exam for him."
By JONATHAN LEMIRE Associated Press


courthousenews--2020-08-23--High Winds Could Fan Already Enormous California Wildfires

SAN FRANCISCO ( AP ) — A calm overnight allowed firefighters to make progress against a trio of massive wildfires burning in Northern California but they were girding for a weather system Sunday that will bring high winds and thunderstorms that could spark new fires and fan existing blazes that destroyed nearly 1,000 homes and other structures and forced tens of thousands to evacuate .
The “ complexes , ” or groups of fires , burning on all sides of the San Francisco Bay Area were started by lightning strikes that were among 12,000 registered in the state in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issued a “ red flag ” warning through Monday afternoon for the drought-stricken area , meaning extreme fire conditions including high temperatures , low humidity and wind gusts up to 65 mph ( 105 kph ) that “ may result in dangerous and unpredictable fire behavior.
” At a morning briefing on the so-called CZU Lightning Complex fire in the Santa Cruz Mountains south of San Francisco fire officials said they had increased containment to 8 % and with the better weather on Saturday dug more protective fire lines around vulnerable communities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cruz .
But there is concern about the weather and the thunderstorms that will bring high winds and “ dry ” lightning , a term used when such storms have little or no rain .
Chief Mark Brunton , a battalion chief for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection ( Cal Fire ) , said the winds can blow a fire in any direction and while he ’ s confident firefighters did the most with the time they had to prepare , he ’ s not sure what to expect .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ potential for things to really go crazy out there , ” he said .
Another challenge for firefighters and police are people who refuse to leave the evacuation zone out of stubbornness or because they want to protect their homes and others who use the chaos to commit crimes .
Brunton said he was “ sickened ” to learn that a fire commander was robbed while helping coordinate efforts on Saturday .
Someone entered the commander ’ s fire vehicle and stole personal items , including a wallet and “ drained his bank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department Chief Deputy Chris Clark said when people don ’ t heed evacuation orders it makes it harder for firefighters to do their job and for police to protect property .
It ’ s also inherently dangerous for civilians , with fires burning unpredictably and tree branches falling — one hit a patrol car and damaged the windshield .
“ Please , please , please leave the evacuation area , ” he said .
Since Aug. 15 , state fire officials said more than 500 fires of varying sizes have burned throughout California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,562 square miles ( 4,046 square kilometers ) .
Of those , about two dozen major fires were attracting much of the state ’ s resources .
Most of the damage was caused by the three complexes that were ravaging forest and rural areas in and around the San Francisco Bay Area .
They have burned 1,175 square miles ( 3.043 square kilometers ) , destroyed almost 1,000 homes and other structures and killed five people , three of them who were found in a home in an area under an evacuation order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at California ’ s oldest state park , Big Basin Redwoods , plus the park ’ s headquarters and campgrounds .
Smoke from the fires made the region ’ s air quality dangerous , forcing millions to stay inside .
“ Tuesday night when I went to bed I had a beautiful home on a beautiful ranch , ” said 81-year-old Hank Hanson of Vacaville .
“ By Wednesday night , I have nothing but a bunch of ashes.
” The fire that burned Hanson ’ s home is the LNU Lightning Complex @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Francisco .
It ’ s been the most destructive , accounting for all the deaths and 845 destroyed homes and other buildings .
It and a fire burning southeast of the Bay Area are among the five largest fires in state history , with both burning more than 500 square miles ( 1,295 square kilometers ) Responding to the emergency , President Donald Trump on Saturday issued a major disaster declaration to provide federal assistance .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom said in a statement that the declaration will also help people in counties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , housing and other social services .
Fire officials , meanwhile , have struggled to get enough resources to fight the biggest fires because so many blazes are burning around the state .
The wine country fire has only 1,700 firefighters on scene .
By comparison , the state had 5,000 firefighters assigned to the Mendocino Complex Fire in 2018 , the largest fire in state history .
“ All of our resources remain stretched to capacity that we have not seen in recent history , ” said Shana Jones , the chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Underscoring the danger the fires pose for firefighters , the Sonoma County sheriff ’ s office released dramatic video of the helicopter rescue Friday night of two firefighters trapped on a ridge line at Point Reyes National Seashore .
They were hoisted to safety as flames advanced .
“ Had it not been for that helicopter , those firefighters would certainly have perished , ” Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick said .
By DAISY NGUYEN and FRANK BAKER Associated Press

A calm overnight allowed firefighters to make progress against a trio of massive wildfires burning in Northern California but they were girding for a weather system Sunday that will bring high winds and thunderstorms that could spark new fires and fan existing blazes that destroyed nearly 1,000 homes and other structures and forced tens of thousands to evacuate.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A calm overnight allowed firefighters to make progress against a trio of massive wildfires burning in Northern California but they were girding for a weather system Sunday that will bring high winds and thunderstorms that could spark new fires and fan existing blazes that destroyed nearly 1,000 homes and other structures and forced tens of thousands to evacuate.
The "complexes," or groups of fires, burning on all sides of the San Francisco Bay Area were started by lightning strikes that were among 12,000 registered in the state in the past week. The National Weather Service issued a "red flag" warning through Monday afternoon for the drought-stricken area, meaning extreme fire conditions including high temperatures, low humidity and wind gusts up to 65 mph (105 kph) that "may result in dangerous and unpredictable fire behavior."
At a morning briefing on the so-called CZU Lightning Complex fire in the Santa Cruz Mountains south of San Francisco fire officials said they had increased containment to 8% and with the better weather on Saturday dug more protective fire lines around vulnerable communities, including the University of California, Santa Cruz.
But there is concern about the weather and the thunderstorms that will bring high winds and "dry" lightning, a term used when such storms have little or no rain.
Chief Mark Brunton, a battalion chief for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), said the winds can blow a fire in any direction and while he's confident firefighters did the most with the time they had to prepare, he's not sure what to expect.
"There's a lot of potential for things to really go crazy out there," he said.
Another challenge for firefighters and police are people who refuse to leave the evacuation zone out of stubbornness or because they want to protect their homes and others who use the chaos to commit crimes. Brunton said he was "sickened" to learn that a fire commander was robbed while helping coordinate efforts on Saturday. Someone entered the commander's fire vehicle and stole personal items, including a wallet and "drained his bank account."
Santa Cruz Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy Chris Clark said when people don't heed evacuation orders it makes it harder for firefighters to do their job and for police to protect property. It's also inherently dangerous for civilians, with fires burning unpredictably and tree branches falling -- one hit a patrol car and damaged the windshield.
"Please, please, please leave the evacuation area," he said.
Since Aug. 15, state fire officials said more than 500 fires of varying sizes have burned throughout California, scorching a million acres, or 1,562 square miles (4,046 square kilometers). Of those, about two dozen major fires were attracting much of the state's resources.
Most of the damage was caused by the three complexes that were ravaging forest and rural areas in and around the San Francisco Bay Area. They have burned 1,175 square miles (3.043 square kilometers), destroyed almost 1,000 homes and other structures and killed five people, three of them who were found in a home in an area under an evacuation order.
Other casualties included ancient redwood trees at California's oldest state park, Big Basin Redwoods, plus the park's headquarters and campgrounds. Smoke from the fires made the region's air quality dangerous, forcing millions to stay inside.
"Tuesday night when I went to bed I had a beautiful home on a beautiful ranch," said 81-year-old Hank Hanson of Vacaville. "By Wednesday night, I have nothing but a bunch of ashes."
The fire that burned Hanson's home is the LNU Lightning Complex fire in wine country north of San Francisco. It's been the most destructive, accounting for all the deaths and 845 destroyed homes and other buildings. It and a fire burning southeast of the Bay Area are among the five largest fires in state history, with both burning more than 500 square miles (1,295 square kilometers)
Responding to the emergency, President Donald Trump on Saturday issued a major disaster declaration to provide federal assistance. Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement that the declaration will also help people in counties affected by the fires with crisis counseling, housing and other social services.
Fire officials, meanwhile, have struggled to get enough resources to fight the biggest fires because so many blazes are burning around the state.
The wine country fire has only 1,700 firefighters on scene. By comparison, the state had 5,000 firefighters assigned to the Mendocino Complex Fire in 2018, the largest fire in state history.
"All of our resources remain stretched to capacity that we have not seen in recent history," said Shana Jones, the chief for Cal Fire's Sonoma-Lake-Napa unit.
Underscoring the danger the fires pose for firefighters, the Sonoma County sheriff's office released dramatic video of the helicopter rescue Friday night of two firefighters trapped on a ridge line at Point Reyes National Seashore. They were hoisted to safety as flames advanced.
"Had it not been for that helicopter, those firefighters would certainly have perished," Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick said.
By DAISY NGUYEN and FRANK BAKER Associated Press


courthousenews--2020-08-23--Marco Becomes Hurricane Headed for US Gulf Coast

PORT-AU-PRINCE , Haiti ( AP ) — Marco became a hurricane over the Gulf of Mexico Sunday on a path toward the Louisiana coast .
Tropical Storm Laura battered the Dominican Republic and Haiti and headed to the same part of the U.S. coast , also as a potential hurricane .
It would be the first time two hurricanes form in the Gulf of Mexico simultaneously , according to records dating to at least 1900 , said Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach .
The National Hurricane Center said Marco was about 300 miles ( 480 kilometers ) south @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and heading north-northwest at 14 miles per hour ( 22kph ) , packing winds of 75 miles per hour ( 120kph ) .
The center warned of life-threatening storm surges and hurricane-force winds along the Gulf Coast .
Haitian civil protection officials said they had received reports that a 10-year-old girl had died when a tree fell on a home in the southern coastal town of Anse-a-Pitres , on the border with the Dominican Republic .
It was the first reported death from the storm .
Hundreds of thousands were without power in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the island of Hispaniola suffered heavy flooding .
A hurricane watch was issued for the New Orleans metro area , which Hurricane Katrina pummeled in August 2005 .
Laura was centered about 95 miles ( 155 kilometers ) off the eastern tip of Cuba Sunday morning , with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph ( 85kph ) .
It was moving west-northwest at 21 mph ( 33 kph ) .
Crews armed with megaphones in the Dominican capital of Santo Domingo had urged dozens of residents in flood-prone areas to evacuate before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The storm left more than 100,000 people without water in the Dominican Republic on Saturday night , while earlier it snapped trees and knocked out power to more than 200,000 customers in neighboring Puerto Rico .
It was forecast to move over Cuba on Sunday night or Monday .
Officials in the Florida Keys , which Laura might pass over on its route into the Gulf , declared a local state of emergency and issued a mandatory evacuation order for anyone living on boats , in mobile homes and in campers .
Tourists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aware of hazardous weather conditions and consider changing their plans starting Sunday .
New warnings were added Sunday morning — including a storm surge warning from Morgan City , Louisiana to Ocean Springs , Mississippi , and a hurricane warning from Morgan City to the mouth of the Pearl River .
A tropical storm warning included Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana , and metropolitan New Orleans .
A storm surge of up to 6 feet ( 2 meters ) was forecast for parts of coastal Louisiana and Mississippi .
Louisiana Gov .
John Bel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergency Friday , asked President Donald Trump for a federal emergency declaration .
“ The cumulative impact of these storms will likely have much of Louisiana facing tropical storm/hurricane force impacts for a much longer period of time than it would with any one hurricane , ” he wrote .
People in Louisiana headed to stores to stock up on food , water and other supplies .
Raymond Monday of Gretna , though , had only a generator on his cart at Sam ’ s Club .
“ We ’ ve got a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , along with large containers of water , he said .
Both storms were expected to bring 3 to 6 inches ( 8 to 15 centimeters ) of rain to areas they were passing over or near , threatening flooding .
The hurricane center said the storms were not expected to interact as the region faces an unusually active hurricane season .
“ We are in unprecedented times , ” Mississippi Gov .
Tate Reeves said at a news conference Saturday as he declared a state of emergency .
“ We are dealing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the next few hours , we are also dealing with COVID-19 .
”

Marco became a hurricane over the Gulf of Mexico Sunday on a path toward the Louisiana coast. Tropical Storm Laura battered the Dominican Republic and Haiti and headed to the same part of the U.S. coast, also as a potential hurricane.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Marco became a hurricane over the Gulf of Mexico Sunday on a path toward the Louisiana coast. Tropical Storm Laura battered the Dominican Republic and Haiti and headed to the same part of the U.S. coast, also as a potential hurricane.
It would be the first time two hurricanes form in the Gulf of Mexico simultaneously, according to records dating to at least 1900, said Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach.
The National Hurricane Center said Marco was about 300 miles (480 kilometers) south of the mouth of the Mississippi River and heading north-northwest at 14 miles per hour (22kph), packing winds of 75 miles per hour (120kph). The center warned of life-threatening storm surges and hurricane-force winds along the Gulf Coast.
Haitian civil protection officials said they had received reports that a 10-year-old girl had died when a tree fell on a home in the southern coastal town of Anse-a-Pitres, on the border with the Dominican Republic. It was the first reported death from the storm. Hundreds of thousands were without power in the Dominican Republic, as both countries on the island of Hispaniola suffered heavy flooding.
A hurricane watch was issued for the New Orleans metro area, which Hurricane Katrina pummeled in August 2005.
Laura was centered about 95 miles (155 kilometers) off the eastern tip of Cuba Sunday morning, with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85kph). It was moving west-northwest at 21 mph (33 kph).
Crews armed with megaphones in the Dominican capital of Santo Domingo had urged dozens of residents in flood-prone areas to evacuate before Laura's heavy rains hit. The storm left more than 100,000 people without water in the Dominican Republic on Saturday night, while earlier it snapped trees and knocked out power to more than 200,000 customers in neighboring Puerto Rico.
It was forecast to move over Cuba on Sunday night or Monday.
Officials in the Florida Keys, which Laura might pass over on its route into the Gulf, declared a local state of emergency and issued a mandatory evacuation order for anyone living on boats, in mobile homes and in campers. Tourists staying in hotels were warned to be aware of hazardous weather conditions and consider changing their plans starting Sunday.
New warnings were added Sunday morning — including a storm surge warning from Morgan City, Louisiana to Ocean Springs, Mississippi, and a hurricane warning from Morgan City to the mouth of the Pearl River. A tropical storm warning included Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana, and metropolitan New Orleans.
A storm surge of up to 6 feet (2 meters) was forecast for parts of coastal Louisiana and Mississippi.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, who declared a state of emergency Friday, asked President Donald Trump for a federal emergency declaration. "The cumulative impact of these storms will likely have much of Louisiana facing tropical storm/hurricane force impacts for a much longer period of time than it would with any one hurricane," he wrote.
People in Louisiana headed to stores to stock up on food, water and other supplies. Raymond Monday of Gretna, though, had only a generator on his cart at Sam's Club. "We've got a freezer full of food" at home, along with large containers of water, he said.
Both storms were expected to bring 3 to 6 inches (8 to 15 centimeters) of rain to areas they were passing over or near, threatening flooding.
The hurricane center said the storms were not expected to interact as the region faces an unusually active hurricane season.
"We are in unprecedented times," Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said at a news conference Saturday as he declared a state of emergency. "We are dealing with not only two potential storms in the next few hours, we are also dealing with COVID-19."
By EVENS SANON Associated Press


courthousenews--2020-08-23--Vast Protest in Minsk Keeps Up Pressure on Belarus President

MINSK , Belarus ( AP ) — More than 100,000 protesters demanding the resignation of Belarus ’ authoritarian president rallied Sunday in a vast square in the capital and later marched through the city , keeping up the massive outburst of dissent that has shaken the country since a disputed presidential election two weeks ago .
Sunday ’ s demonstration overflowed Minsk ’ s sprawling 7-hectare ( 17-acre ) Independence Square .
There were no official figures on crowd size , but it appeared to be 150,000 people or more .
The demonstrators then marched to another square about 2.5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Police made no immediate efforts to break up the gathering .
Earlier this month , some 7,000 people were arrested , many of them beaten with clubs or wounded by rubber bullets , in the protests after the Aug. 9 election that officials say handed President Alexander Lukashenko a sixth term in office .
Protesters say the official election results , in which Lukashenko reportedly received 80 % of the vote , are fraudulent .
The size and duration of the protests have been unprecedented for Belarus , a former Soviet republic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruled with an iron fist for 26 years .
The 65-year-old leader appears to be flailing about for a strategy to counter them .
He has repeatedly blamed Western interference , claimed the protests were backed by the United States and accuses NATO of building up troop concentrations in Poland and Lithuania on Belarus ’ western border , which the alliance denies .
He also claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin was willing to offer security assistance to his government to quell the protests if he asked for it .
Lukashenko has consistently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and weariness with his hardline rule , as well as dismay over the country ’ s deteriorating economy and Lukashenko ’ s cavalier dismissal of the coronavirus pandemic , appear to have galvanized opponents .
“ Belarus has changed .
Lukashenko has been able to unify everybody , from workers to intelligentsia , in the demand for change , ” said protester Slava Chirkov , who attended Sunday ’ s demonstration with his wife and son .
They held a sign declaring “ Lukashenko , your milk has gone sour , ” referencing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director of a Soviet-era collective farm .
A similarly enormous crowd turned out for a protest a week ago and daily demonstrations have taken place since the vote .
Several of the country ’ s key factories have been hit with protest strikes by workers fed up with government polices .
Those strikes not only threaten the already-ailing economy , but show that opposition to Lukashenko extends beyond educated white-collar circles and into his traditional blue-collar base .
“ Are you going to work for a dictator ?
Strike — that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leader of the strike committee at the Minsk Tractor Works , one of Belarus ’ largest industrial enterprises , told protesters at Sunday ’ s second rally site .
Lukashenko ’ s main election challenger , Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya , fled to Lithuania the day after the election .
Several other possible challengers fled the country even before the election .
An opposition Coordination Council was created last week to develop a strategy for a transition of power , but authorities in Belarus have opened a criminal probe into its formation .

More than 100,000 protesters demanding the resignation of Belarus' authoritarian president rallied Sunday in a vast square in the capital and later marched through the city, keeping up the massive outburst of dissent that has shaken the country since a disputed presidential election two weeks ago.
MINSK, Belarus (AP) — More than 100,000 protesters demanding the resignation of Belarus' authoritarian president rallied Sunday in a vast square in the capital and later marched through the city, keeping up the massive outburst of dissent that has shaken the country since a disputed presidential election two weeks ago.
Sunday's demonstration overflowed Minsk's sprawling 7-hectare (17-acre) Independence Square. There were no official figures on crowd size, but it appeared to be 150,000 people or more. The demonstrators then marched to another square about 2.5 kilometers (1 1.2 miles) away.
Police made no immediate efforts to break up the gathering. Earlier this month, some 7,000 people were arrested, many of them beaten with clubs or wounded by rubber bullets, in the protests after the Aug. 9 election that officials say handed President Alexander Lukashenko a sixth term in office.
Protesters say the official election results, in which Lukashenko reportedly received 80% of the vote, are fraudulent.
The size and duration of the protests have been unprecedented for Belarus, a former Soviet republic of 9.5 million people that Lukashenko has ruled with an iron fist for 26 years.
The 65-year-old leader appears to be flailing about for a strategy to counter them. He has repeatedly blamed Western interference, claimed the protests were backed by the United States and accuses NATO of building up troop concentrations in Poland and Lithuania on Belarus' western border, which the alliance denies. He also claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin was willing to offer security assistance to his government to quell the protests if he asked for it.
Lukashenko has consistently repressed opposition during his time in office and weariness with his hardline rule, as well as dismay over the country's deteriorating economy and Lukashenko's cavalier dismissal of the coronavirus pandemic, appear to have galvanized opponents.
"Belarus has changed. Lukashenko has been able to unify everybody, from workers to intelligentsia, in the demand for change," said protester Slava Chirkov, who attended Sunday's demonstration with his wife and son.
They held a sign declaring "Lukashenko, your milk has gone sour," referencing Lukashenko's former job as the director of a Soviet-era collective farm.
A similarly enormous crowd turned out for a protest a week ago and daily demonstrations have taken place since the vote. Several of the country's key factories have been hit with protest strikes by workers fed up with government polices. Those strikes not only threaten the already-ailing economy, but show that opposition to Lukashenko extends beyond educated white-collar circles and into his traditional blue-collar base.
"Are you going to work for a dictator? Strike — that's our answer," Sergei Dilevsky, leader of the strike committee at the Minsk Tractor Works, one of Belarus' largest industrial enterprises, told protesters at Sunday's second rally site.
Lukashenko's main election challenger, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, fled to Lithuania the day after the election. Several other possible challengers fled the country even before the election.
An opposition Coordination Council was created last week to develop a strategy for a transition of power, but authorities in Belarus have opened a criminal probe into its formation.
By YURAS KARMANAU Associated Press


Fetal Burial Law

NEW ORLEANS — The Fifth Circuit denied Texas ’ motion for a stay in a suit challenging a state law @ @ @ @ @ care facilities to bury or cremate fetal remains .
In 2018 , a federal judge @ @ @ @ @ , finding that it placed an undue burden on a woman ’ s right to @ @ @ @

The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.


Death By Silicone

ATLANTA — The Georgia Supreme Court ruled that double jeopardy does not bar the prosecution of a woman who pleaded @ @ @ @ @ stealing liquid silicone and was indicated in state court for malice murder after she injected @ @ @ @ @ of a woman who died after the substance traveled to her organs .


courthousenews--2020-08-25--Ridesharing for Wheelchair Users

Ridesharing for Wheelchair Users

SAN FRANCISCO — Two individuals who sued Uber for not providing a wheelchair-accessible ride-sharing option in New Orleans have Article @ @ @ @ @ case and are not subject to an arbitration clause in the app ’ s terms @ @ @ @ @ Circuit ruled .
Uber claimed the plaintiffs consciously avoided downloading the app and signing its @ @ @ @ @ the app and creating an account would have been a “ futile gesture ” for @ @


Presidential Center

CHICAGO — The Obama Presidential Center can occupy 20 acres of public land in Chicago ’ s Jackson Park , @ @ @ @ @ finding the plaintiffs who wish to stop the project do not have a property interest @ @ @ @ @ the center , with its museum , library , gardens and more , is a @ @ @ @ @ public benefits .