huffpost--2020-03-19--Should Gasoline Come With A Climate Change Warning Label? These Cities Think So.

It was 2010 , and Robert Shirkey , a Canadian lawyer , was stuck on an eight-lane highway in Toronto listening to a call-in radio show about the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion , which poured 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico .
Looking at the cars around him , he suddenly realized they had all contributed to that disaster in some way with their unquestioned fuel consumption , and they didn ’ t even realize it .
Three years later , Shirkey officially launched a nonprofit called Our Horizon , in an ode to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same kind of awakening .
He called for warning labels on gas pumps to make the impact of filling up their tanks more tangible for consumers .
He envisioned color photos of sick children ― similar to images just mandated for cigarette packets in the U.S. ― and damaged coral reefs accompanied by stark text about the climate and health effects connected to that fuel purchase .
Around the same time Shirkey started Our Horizon , another activist named Jamie Brooks started pushing gas pump warnings in northern California .
Brooks , currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State University , heard about the idea at a Bay Area meeting hosted by the climate action group 350.org .
“ I like this idea of intervention that engages the consumer and the kind of foundational aspects of this demand for oil , ” said Brooks , who also works as the campaign manager for Think Beyond the Pump , an offshoot of Our Horizon .
Brooks , who continues to push for labeling in Berkeley , is watching the Cambridge experiment , expecting that any minute the fossil fuel industry could try @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the industry does sue and the city wins , that could set a precedent making it easier for other cities like Berkeley to move forward with their own laws , he said .
“ If we can ’ t even put a sticker on a pump , what hope do we have ?
” asked Shirkey .
“ My message to politicians is have the courage to do this and do it right .
I think it ’ s a compelling thing , I think we need it .
At the same time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sticker .
For the love of God , do it .
”

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In one U.S. city, the routine action of filling up your car with gas may soon come with a warning.
In late January, Cambridge, Massachusetts, may have become the first city in the country to pass an ordinance that all gas station fuel pumps must bear a label telling consumers about the climate and health risks that come with burning diesel, ethanol and gasoline.
“I think there’s a certain pride in Cambridge to try to be a leader, to model policies that may seem somewhat radical and then become generally adopted,” said Jan Devereux, the former vice mayor who shepherded the bill until her retirement from the Cambridge City Council in late 2019.
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Devereux’s victory in Cambridge was at least seven years in the making. It followed an unsuccessful effort to get climate labels on gas pumps in Berkeley, California; a limited measure in North Vancouver, British Columbia; and a soon-to-be-implemented law in Sweden.
Proponents hope that by highlighting the dangers of these fuels at the moment people buy them, the labels will gradually help shift social norms and create demand for more ambitious, far-reaching government action to address climate change.
But putting stickers on pumps has proved to be grueling work, showing just how challenging it still is to take even simple climate action.
Canadian advocate Robert Shirkey hopes warning labels on gas pumps will highlight the impact of filling up the tank for consumers. Canetti via Getty Images
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The fuel label idea dates back a decade. It all began in a traffic jam.
It was 2010, and Robert Shirkey, a Canadian lawyer, was stuck on an eight-lane highway in Toronto listening to a call-in radio show about the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion, which poured 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Looking at the cars around him, he suddenly realized they had all contributed to that disaster in some way with their unquestioned fuel consumption, and they didn’t even realize it.
Three years later, Shirkey officially launched a nonprofit called Our Horizon, in an ode to the disaster, to usher others toward the same kind of awakening. He called for warning labels on gas pumps to make the impact of filling up their tanks more tangible for consumers. He envisioned color photos of sick children ― similar to images just mandated for cigarette packets in the U.S. ― and damaged coral reefs accompanied by stark text about the climate and health effects connected to that fuel purchase.
Reminding people about the impact a product has on the environment at the moment they buy it changes their experience with that product, said Shirkey. And if consumers start to think differently, he hopes this will push them to question society’s reliance on these fuels more broadly and to advocate for further action to tackle the climate crisis.
It is an attempt at behavioral change, he explained, but “it’s more focused on creating a social environment that favors reform and hastening solutions from the government.”
Shirkey started lobbying for gas pump labels in his hometown of Toronto. But the timing was unfortunate: A political and media storm surrounding the unfolding drug scandal of the late mayor Rob Ford meant major changes to the city council, effectively preventing Shirkey’s idea from getting off the ground there.
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So he took his show on the road, giving talks at universities and municipalities across Canada to teach people about the idea and convince them to talk to their local government officials about it.
“My message to politicians is have the courage to do this and do it right.” - Robert Shirkey, founder of Our Horizon
While Shirkey generated a decent amount of interest, he said municipalities were hesitant to be the first to implement a measure like this ― especially because they felt that the fossil fuel industry would surely sue to stop their efforts.
In January 2015, West Vancouver, British Columbia, passed a resolution essentially giving the idea a thumbs-up without actually requiring the labels, Shirkey said. Several other cities in the provinces of British Columbia and Ontario followed suit. But still no labels made their way to the pumps.
Then, in November of that year, North Vancouver enacted what Shirkey said was the first fuel warning label law in the world. But it felt like a hollow victory, he said. Industry stepped in and worked closely with the local government on the design of the labels. Rather than the dire warnings Shirkey had imagined, the labels simply highlighted efficient driving tips.
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Berkeley and San Francisco were considering a simple warning label such as this noting the climate impact of using fossil fuels. Provided via Jamie Brooks
Around the same time Shirkey started Our Horizon, another activist named Jamie Brooks started pushing gas pump warnings in northern California. Brooks, currently a communications graduate student at San Francisco State University, heard about the idea at a Bay Area meeting hosted by the climate action group 350.org. “I like this idea of intervention that engages the consumer and the kind of foundational aspects of this demand for oil,” said Brooks, who also works as the campaign manager for Think Beyond the Pump, an offshoot of Our Horizon.
At first, Brooks got traction in the city of Berkeley, which considered the idea in 2014. That June, however, the president of the Western States Petroleum Association ― the United States’ oldest petroleum trade group, which counts Exxon Mobil, Shell and Chevron among its members ― sent a letter to the Berkeley City Council, saying the trade group believed the proposed fuel pump ordinance violated the First Amendment by “imposing onerous restrictions on businesses and forcing unwanted speech.”
During this same period, Berkeley passed an ordinance requiring radiation warning labels on cellphones. The cellphone industry quickly sued on First Amendment grounds and the case continues to wind its way through the courts. As a result, the fuel pump labels were tabled for fear they would be similarly challenged and shot down.
The First Amendment argument is one the fossil fuel industry has used repeatedly to oppose tighter regulations. Exxon Mobil used it in 2018 when faced with climate lawsuits brought by Oakland and San Francisco alleging the company had misled the public about climate change. Exxon argued that the cities were trying to restrict the company’s right to choose its own words.
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Cathy Reheis-Boyd, president of the Western States Petroleum Association, told HuffPost that she barely remembers the fuel pump label letter from five years ago, even though it bore her name and signature. She also emphasized that climate change has become an important issue for her organization and its member companies.
That doesn’t mean she is now supportive of gas pump labels. “I’m not opposed to discussing it, but I’m skeptical,” said Reheis-Boyd. “Is it the right place to put [a label] for a real conversation as complicated as climate change? I don’t know that I agree that it would be.”
But psychology and sustainability experts say the idea has merit.
There’s a temptation to compare fuel pump labels to Energy Star labels for appliances, nutrition labels on food, and health warning labels on cigarettes, said Angela Sanguinetti, a research psychologist at the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Davis, who studies how the built environment impacts our behavior and well-being.
But while those labels are intended to influence your purchasing decision in the moment, it’s different with gasoline. You’re not going to not buy gas if your tank is almost empty just because you see this label, Sanguinetti said.
“It’s a great idea and it definitely should happen,” she said, but for the purpose of getting people to think more deeply about why they’re buying gas. It doesn’t start with the looming “E” on the dashboard gauge — it starts with owning a gas-powered car.
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Activists hope climate warning labels on fuel pumps will help customers think about the choices they're making and the impact they have on the planet. Pichit Sansupa / EyeEm via Getty Images
The labels could be a tool for education and indirect behavior change among consumers, as well as a way to potentially influence the fossil fuel industry to pursue cleaner fuel options so they remain competitive, said Sanguinetti.
The design of the labels would be crucial to how effectively they motivated change, she noted. Something simple and graphic that grabbed people’s attention, demonstrated the climate impact of the fuel they were using as compared to other options, and provided some kind of call to action could be quite effective, Sanguinetti suggested.
One example of this type of design comes from Sweden. Per Östborn and his nonprofit Swedish Association of Green Motorists started campaigning for climate labels on fuel pumps in 2013. It was a long process, but finally, in 2018, the Swedish Parliament unanimously passed the legislation to require these labels at all pumps across the country.
While Sweden’s energy agency is still finalizing the design, the basic concept is a color-coded climate intensity rating ― green being the least climate intensive and red being the most. The labels will appear with all fuels ― from diesel and gasoline to biodiesel pumps, as well as electric vehicle chargers ― and will feature a list of their raw materials, like crude oil or solar power, said Östborn.
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The labels were set to be introduced in May, but priorities have shifted to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, meaning the implementation has currently been delayed until October, the advocate said.
Östborn is optimistic that the labels are already inspiring change within the fuel industry. As the date for mandatory labels approaches, he believes companies in the biodiesel industry are feeling the pressure to start voluntarily disclosing the percentage of palm oil in their fuel to the government. About a third of Sweden’s biofuels are made with palm oil, meaning there’s heightened attention on its contribution to climate change and deforestation.
“I can see a change in attitude among fuel companies themselves. They are more aware that they cannot try to sell this kind of fuel in the future,” said Östborn. “They have to choose carefully what they’re doing.”
In Sweden, gas pump labels will highlight electric vehicle chargers as a greener option. Julian Stratenschulte/picture alliance via Getty Images
Back in Cambridge, climate warning labels are just one part of a multifaceted initiative by the city to address climate change. Boosting electric vehicle infrastructure in tandem with the fuel pump labels is crucial, said Quinton Zondervan, a city council member who sponsored the fuel labels bill. While the labels signal the hazards of using fossil fuels, more climate-friendly alternatives are readily available in the city ― including electric vehicle charging stations and improved public transportation ― and becoming more so all the time.
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Zondervan isn’t worried that industry will come in and suddenly sideline the city’s efforts. “Cambridge is a pretty quirky place,” he said, noting its progressive nature. Design of the Cambridge labels is still being finalized by the city manager and staff, said Zondervan, and will likely include basic messaging about how fossil fuels contribute to climate change.
Brooks, who continues to push for labeling in Berkeley, is watching the Cambridge experiment, expecting that any minute the fossil fuel industry could try to challenge the new ordinance. If the industry does sue and the city wins, that could set a precedent making it easier for other cities like Berkeley to move forward with their own laws, he said.
Despite the legislative victories in Cambridge and Sweden, neither Brooks nor Shirkey seems confident that their movement is gaining momentum. While they remain determined, they’re discouraged by how difficult it has been to persuade local politicians, even in fairly progressive places, to take decisive action.
“If we can’t even put a sticker on a pump, what hope do we have?” asked Shirkey. “My message to politicians is have the courage to do this and do it right. I think it’s a compelling thing, I think we need it. At the same time, it’s just a bloody sticker. For the love of God, do it.”


huffpost--2020-03-19--How To Support Local Businesses During The Coronavirus Pandemic

Just how long they will have to scale back operations due to the coronavirus outbreak — whether it ’ s weeks or months — is unclear .
The federal government is trying to pull together a massive $ 1 trillion stimulus package to aid the economy , which could include loans to small businesses and direct cash infusions , but it ’ s still unknown how quickly that effort could materialize and at what scale .
For those self-isolating in their homes worried that their favorite local bookstore or coffee house will be decimated by the time it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those who want to keep supporting service-oriented workers who can ’ t simply do their work remotely , there are a few things you can do .
Some small businesses that don ’ t typically do a lot of online ordering are testing the waters .
New York state , for example , is loosening restrictions on alcohol sales so local restaurants , along with breweries and distilleries , can make booze available for curbside pickup or delivery .
While some local restaurants have opted to close their doors to weather the outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ takeout and delivery ― even spots that aren ’ t typically .
If you have a solid source of income during this time , it might be worth taking the night off from cooking once in a while to support workers and business owners in your neighborhood who aren ’ t sure how they ’ re going to get through the next few months .
( For more tips on ordering takeout this days , head here . )
And if you know a favorite local shop that already does ordering through its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time to jump on whatever item you ’ d had in your sights a few weeks ago .
If you can , keep paying your house cleaner , dog walker , or anyone who depends on regular income from clients like you .
“ Your generosity could be a game changer for them right now , ” small business owner Liz Pearce told HuffPost .
Pearce co-founded Fresh Chalk , a Seattle-based website that allows people to recommend businesses and service providers to others , and has been speaking to other small business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them out .
“ For those businesses who have already been forced to shutter their doors , please reach out by social media , e-mail , phone call , or whatever mechanism you have to tell them that you support them and when all of this is over , you ’ ll be there at their door , ” Klein told HuffPost .
“ While cashflow is the byword of small businesses , independent contractors , and the self-employed , it ’ s hard to overstate how much we rely on your moral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , small business owners usually remember our customers first , and when we believe that we matter to you , it gives us the strength to find another way to keep going.
” See if local studios are offering video classes .
Now might be a good time for home projects or repairs .
If you ’ ve been meaning to put up a fence , do a bit of landscaping , replace some windows or tackle any other project that doesn ’ t take more than a few people to complete , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help .
Tip extra generously , if you can .

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As America hunkers down, small businesses around the country are struggling to make ends meet ― although customers have disappeared, bills and wages have not.
Just how long they will have to scale back operations due to the coronavirus outbreak — whether it’s weeks or months — is unclear. The federal government is trying to pull together a massive $1 trillion stimulus package to aid the economy, which could include loans to small businesses and direct cash infusions, but it’s still unknown how quickly that effort could materialize and at what scale.
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For those self-isolating in their homes worried that their favorite local bookstore or coffee house will be decimated by the time it’s safe to resume regular life, or those who want to keep supporting service-oriented workers who can’t simply do their work remotely, there are a few things you can do.
Buy online.
Some small businesses that don’t typically do a lot of online ordering are testing the waters. New York state, for example, is loosening restrictions on alcohol sales so local restaurants, along with breweries and distilleries, can make booze available for curbside pickup or delivery.
While some local restaurants have opted to close their doors to weather the outbreak, a number are still open for takeout and delivery ― even spots that aren’t typically. If you have a solid source of income during this time, it might be worth taking the night off from cooking once in a while to support workers and business owners in your neighborhood who aren’t sure how they’re going to get through the next few months. (For more tips on ordering takeout this days, head here.)
And if you know a favorite local shop that already does ordering through its website, now might be a good time to jump on whatever item you’d had in your sights a few weeks ago.
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If you can, keep paying your house cleaner, dog walker, or anyone who depends on regular income from clients like you.
“Your generosity could be a game changer for them right now,” small business owner Liz Pearce told HuffPost. Pearce co-founded Fresh Chalk, a Seattle-based website that allows people to recommend businesses and service providers to others, and has been speaking to other small business owners about measures that would really help them out.
Buy locally whenever possible.
If you’re thinking of stocking up on household staples ― coffee, for example ― pick up those things from local retailers before clearing out the shelves at Whole Foods.
Leave good reviews.
If you are financially unable to keep paying as usual, consider leaving great reviews online for services you’ve used, or refer them to others.
A word of support can also go a long way for stressed-out business owners, said Ricky Klein, who runs Groennfell Meadery in Vermont.
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“For those businesses who have already been forced to shutter their doors, please reach out by social media, e-mail, phone call, or whatever mechanism you have to tell them that you support them and when all of this is over, you’ll be there at their door,” Klein told HuffPost. “While cashflow is the byword of small businesses, independent contractors, and the self-employed, it’s hard to overstate how much we rely on your moral support.”
“On our bad days, small business owners usually remember our customers first, and when we believe that we matter to you, it gives us the strength to find another way to keep going.”
Pick up a gift card.
If you keep dreaming of regular life, give your future self a gift to spend at your local salon, barbershop, tattoo parlor, etc.
Gift cards can go toward helping with cash flow in uncertain times.
See if local studios are offering video classes.
Quarantine life can get dull. But some local exercise studios are offering to livestream classes during the time when gathering for hot yoga is a health risk.
“You can also hire a financial planner, therapist, tax accountant, personal trainer, or music teacher right now ― they’re all providing services online,” Pearce said.
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And a lot of services are being provided over video chat apps like Zoom these days. As the kids say, Zoom University is open and ready for learning.
Now might be a good time for home projects or repairs.
If you’ve been meaning to put up a fence, do a bit of landscaping, replace some windows or tackle any other project that doesn’t take more than a few people to complete, find a local handyman or service to help.
On-site auto mechanics are also available if you need them. Wrench is one such company that operates in dozens of cities.
Tip extra generously, if you can.
Delivery workers are especially vulnerable to contracting coronavirus, given the nature of their jobs ― which are also grueling and low-paying. If you can afford to tip 40% or even more, delivery workers would appreciate it.
(And if you’re worried you may be sick, definitely do not make the delivery worker come face-to-face with you! Ask them to put the bag on your front doorstep instead.)
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huffpost--2020-03-19--Kevin Bacon Turns '6 Degrees' Game Into Message About Staying Home

Kevin Bacon is using his six degrees of separation from you ― yes , you ― to encourage everyone to stay home as the coronavirus continues to spread throughout the country .
The actor shared a video and a series of posts on his Instagram and Instagram story on Wednesday , telling fans to “ stay home ” and keep their distance amid the pandemic .
Bacon ’ s plea echoes what health officials have long been saying , which is that social distancing is one of the best methods to prevent the spread of the disease ― especially to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conditions that put them at high risk of suffering severe or even deadly symptoms from the disease .
“ Everyone has someone who is worth staying home for , ” Bacon says in the video , explaining how easily the disease is transmitted .
In his video and caption , he implores fans to “ post a video or photo with a sign like mine , telling who you are staying home for and ask 6 friends to do the same.
” His sign reads , “ # IStayHomeFor Kyra Sedgwick , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Post it with the hashtag # IStayHomeFor so I can see and share .
Let ’ s spread the word !
The more folks involved , the merrier - because we ’ re all connected by various degrees ( Trust me , I know ! )
” he writes , a cheeky nod to the popular game “ Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.
” ( The premise , for those unaware , is that everyone is separated from the actor by only six degrees or fewer . )
In his post , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Demi Lovato , David Beckham , Brandi Carlile and Kevin Hart to share the name of the person they ’ re staying home for .
John , Carlile and Lovato all accepted the challenge and have already shared posts on their own Instagram accounts .
Actors and musicians have been coming out in droves to keep spirits up during the coronavirus crisis .
While some have launched challenges like Bacon ’ s , others have taken to livestreaming on their Instagram accounts , either in the form of a talk show , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” or mini-concerts .

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Kevin Bacon is using his six degrees of separation from you ― yes, you ― to encourage everyone to stay home as the coronavirus continues to spread throughout the country.
The actor shared a video and a series of posts on his Instagram and Instagram story on Wednesday, telling fans to “stay home” and keep their distance amid the pandemic.
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Bacon’s plea echoes what health officials have long been saying, which is that social distancing is one of the best methods to prevent the spread of the disease ― especially to older people and those with underlying health conditions that put them at high risk of suffering severe or even deadly symptoms from the disease.
“Everyone has someone who is worth staying home for,” Bacon says in the video, explaining how easily the disease is transmitted.
In his video and caption, he implores fans to “post a video or photo with a sign like mine, telling who you are staying home for and ask 6 friends to do the same.” His sign reads, “#IStayHomeFor Kyra Sedgwick,” his wife of nearly 32 years.
“Post it with the hashtag #IStayHomeFor so I can see and share. Let’s spread the word! The more folks involved, the merrier - because we’re all connected by various degrees (Trust me, I know!)” he writes, a cheeky nod to the popular game “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.” (The premise, for those unaware, is that everyone is separated from the actor by only six degrees or fewer.)
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In his post, Bacon challenges Jimmy Fallon, Elton John, Demi Lovato, David Beckham, Brandi Carlile and Kevin Hart to share the name of the person they’re staying home for.
John, Carlile and Lovato all accepted the challenge and have already shared posts on their own Instagram accounts.
Instagram
Instagram
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Instagram
Bacon’s daughter with Sedgwick, Sosie Bacon, also showed her support for the challenge:
Instagram
Actors and musicians have been coming out in droves to keep spirits up during the coronavirus crisis.
While some have launched challenges like Bacon’s, others have taken to livestreaming on their Instagram accounts, either in the form of a talk show, like Miley Cyrus’ “Bright Minded,” or mini-concerts.
In the last week, John Legend, Pink, Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Keith Urban, Rob Thomas and more performed on livestreams to entertain people at home.
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huffpost--2020-02-06--10 More Sick With Virus On 1 Of 2 Isolated Cruise Ships

BEIJING ( AP ) — Ten more people were sickened with a new virus aboard one of two quarantined cruise ships with some 5,400 passengers and crew aboard , health officials in Japan said Thursday , as China reported 73 more deaths and announced that the first group of patients were expected to start taking a new antiviral drug .
In the port city of Yokohama , just outside Tokyo , health workers said 10 more people from the Diamond Princess were confirmed ill with the virus , in addition to 10 others who tested positive on Wednesday .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans , two Canadians , one New Zealander and one Taiwanese .
Most were in their 60s and 70s .
The 3,700 people on board faced a two-week quarantine in their cabins .
The ship had 2,666 passengers and 1,045 crew members .
More tests are pending on 171 others who had symptoms or had contact with a man who was diagnosed with the virus after leaving the ship in Hong Kong , the Health Ministry said .
The 3,600 people aboard the Hong Kong ship , the World Dream , were also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previous voyage were diagnosed with the virus .
The territory ’ s beleaguered leader , Carrie Lam , announced that two terminals — including one where the cruise ship is currently quarantined — will be shut down .
The director-general of the World Health Organization , Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , on Wednesday asked for $ 675 million to help countries address the expected spread of the virus .
He acknowledged that the sum is a lot , but told a news briefing that “ it ’ s much less than the bill we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in preparedness now.
” Tedros said that in the last 24 hours , the U.N. health agency has seen the biggest jump in cases since the start of the epidemic .
According to the latest figures early Thursday , the number of confirmed cases jumped by 3,694 to 28,018 , and the death toll rose to 563 .
The number of those “ discharged and cured ” stood at 1,153 .
The official Xinhua News Agency said clinical trials for the antiviral drug Remdesivir have been approved and the first group of patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Thursday .
The stock price of the drug ’ s maker , American biotechnology company Gilead Sciences Inc. , has enjoyed a boost from word of the trials .
A senior health official in Thailand said that “ at the moment , there is no vaccine and no specific treatment , but there are several regimes ” that are being tried out .
Antivirals and other drugs can reduce the severity of the virus , but “ so far , no antivirals have been proven effective , ” said Thanarak Plipat , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Disease Control Department of the Health Ministry .
China has strongly defended its epidemic control measures and called on other nations not to go overboard in their responses .
Countries “ can assess the epidemic situation in an objective , fair , calm and rational manner , respect authoritative and professional WHO recommendations , understand and support China ’ s epidemic control efforts , ” foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chenying said at an online news conference .
“ Fear is worse than any virus.
” As thousands of hospital workers in Hong Kong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with mainland China be closed completely , the city announced that all people entering from the mainland , including Hong Kong residents , must be quarantined for 14 days .
Tokyo Olympics organizers , meanwhile , said they are increasingly worried about the disruption the virus is causing ahead of the games , which open in less than six months .
More than 50 million people are under virtual quarantine in Wuhan , where the outbreak began in December and where the vast majority of the deaths have been recorded .
Throughout China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enacted varying levels of restrictions and foreign countries have severely restricted travel to and from the country .
The virus , believed to have originated in wild animals sold at a food market in Wuhan , is part of a family of coronaviruses , including MERS and SARS , and causes fever , cough and shortness of breath .
It is particularly deadly among people over 60 and those with preexisting illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes .
Reports also said an infant had been found with the virus , hours after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Wuhan hospital .
The government has yet to officially confirm the reports .
To reduce the danger of exposure for health workers , Beijing is seeking to develop a robot to administer throat tests .
Separately , Shanghai announced that all schools will delay reopening until at least the end of February , rather than the middle of the month as originally planned .
The exact date will depend on how the outbreak develops .

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BEIJING (AP) — Ten more people were sickened with a new virus aboard one of two quarantined cruise ships with some 5,400 passengers and crew aboard, health officials in Japan said Thursday, as China reported 73 more deaths and announced that the first group of patients were expected to start taking a new antiviral drug.
The ships in Japan and Hong Kong are caught up in a global health emergency that seems to worsen by the day.
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In the port city of Yokohama, just outside Tokyo, health workers said 10 more people from the Diamond Princess were confirmed ill with the virus, in addition to 10 others who tested positive on Wednesday. The latest infections included four Japanese, two Americans, two Canadians, one New Zealander and one Taiwanese. Most were in their 60s and 70s.
They were dropped off as the ship docked and transferred to nearby hospitals for further test and treatment.
The 3,700 people on board faced a two-week quarantine in their cabins. The ship had 2,666 passengers and 1,045 crew members. More tests are pending on 171 others who had symptoms or had contact with a man who was diagnosed with the virus after leaving the ship in Hong Kong, the Health Ministry said.
Medical workers on the cruise ship Diamond Princess anchored off Yokohama, south of Tokyo, in a photo taken by a passenger on Feb. 4, 2020. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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The 3,600 people aboard the Hong Kong ship, the World Dream, were also being screened after three passengers on a previous voyage were diagnosed with the virus. The territory’s beleaguered leader, Carrie Lam, announced that two terminals — including one where the cruise ship is currently quarantined — will be shut down.
The director-general of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, on Wednesday asked for $675 million to help countries address the expected spread of the virus. He acknowledged that the sum is a lot, but told a news briefing that “it’s much less than the bill we will face if we do not invest in preparedness now.”
Tedros said that in the last 24 hours, the U.N. health agency has seen the biggest jump in cases since the start of the epidemic. According to the latest figures early Thursday, the number of confirmed cases jumped by 3,694 to 28,018, and the death toll rose to 563. The number of those “discharged and cured” stood at 1,153.
Outside mainland China, at least 240 cases have been confirmed, including two fatalities, one in Hong Kong and another in the Philippines.
South Korea reported four more cases for a total of 23. They included a Chinese tourist and South Koreans whose relatives were infected or were in contact with patients.
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The official Xinhua News Agency said clinical trials for the antiviral drug Remdesivir have been approved and the first group of patients are expected to start taking the drug on Thursday. The stock price of the drug’s maker, American biotechnology company Gilead Sciences Inc., has enjoyed a boost from word of the trials.
A senior health official in Thailand said that “at the moment, there is no vaccine and no specific treatment, but there are several regimes” that are being tried out.
Antivirals and other drugs can reduce the severity of the virus, but “so far, no antivirals have been proven effective,” said Thanarak Plipat, a doctor and deputy director-general of the Disease Control Department of the Health Ministry.
He said Gilead’s Remdisivir was among several options.
“There are several other antivirals although there are a lot of unknowns. But we have a lot of hope, as well,” Thanarak told reporters Tuesday.
China has strongly defended its epidemic control measures and called on other nations not to go overboard in their responses. Countries “can assess the epidemic situation in an objective, fair, calm and rational manner, respect authoritative and professional WHO recommendations, understand and support China’s epidemic control efforts,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chenying said at an online news conference. “Fear is worse than any virus.”
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As thousands of hospital workers in Hong Kong went on strike to demand the border with mainland China be closed completely, the city announced that all people entering from the mainland, including Hong Kong residents, must be quarantined for 14 days. Tokyo Olympics organizers, meanwhile, said they are increasingly worried about the disruption the virus is causing ahead of the games, which open in less than six months.
A passenger stands outside on the balcony of the cruise ship Diamond Princess anchored at the Yokohama Port on Feb. 6, 2020, in Yokohama, near Tokyo. ASSOCIATED PRESS
On Thursday, a spokesman said Hong Kong emergency services would continue to be affected because a “large number” of staff were anticipated to be absent.
More than 50 million people are under virtual quarantine in Wuhan, where the outbreak began in December and where the vast majority of the deaths have been recorded. Throughout China, cities, towns and villages have enacted varying levels of restrictions and foreign countries have severely restricted travel to and from the country.
The virus, believed to have originated in wild animals sold at a food market in Wuhan, is part of a family of coronaviruses, including MERS and SARS, and causes fever, cough and shortness of breath. It is particularly deadly among people over 60 and those with preexisting illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes.
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Reports also said an infant had been found with the virus, hours after being born to an infected mother in a Wuhan hospital. The government has yet to officially confirm the reports.
To reduce the danger of exposure for health workers, Beijing is seeking to develop a robot to administer throat tests. Separately, Shanghai announced that all schools will delay reopening until at least the end of February, rather than the middle of the month as originally planned. The exact date will depend on how the outbreak develops.
As examples of anti-Asian discrimination mount, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed for “international solidarity” and support for China and other countries hurt by the virus. He urged a stop to any stigmatization of innocent people.
To treat the thousands of patients in its hard-hit central region, China built a new hospital in a matter of days and converted a gymnasium, exhibition hall and cultural center.
Patients were being moved into a 1,000-bed hospital with prefabricated wards and isolation rooms in Wuhan, whose health services had been overwhelmed by the number of daily cases. A 1,500-bed hospital also specially built for virus patients is to open Thursday. The hospitals made from converted public spaces to treat patients with mild symptoms have a total of 3,400 beds, the simple cots placed in tight rows in cavernous rooms without any barriers between them.
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The city has also set up 132 quarantine sites with more than 12,500 beds, according to Xinhua.
___


huffpost--2020-02-06--Chinese Doctor Who Sounded Alarm On Coronavirus Dies

Li was reprimanded by local police for “ spreading rumors ” about the illness in late December , according to news reports .
The outbreak , centered in Wuhan , has now infected over 28,200 people globally and killed more than 560 .
Within a half-hour of announcing earlier Friday that Li was in critical condition , the hospital received nearly 500,000 comments on its social media post , many of them from people hoping Li would pull through .
One wrote : “ We are not going to bed .
We are here waiting for a miracle.
” Meanwhile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person infected with the virus .
China finished building a second new hospital Thursday to isolate and treat patients and moved people with milder symptoms into makeshift quarantine centers at sports arenas , exhibition halls and other public spaces .
And testing of a new antiviral drug was set to begin on patients .
While the overwhelming majority of deaths and infections haven been in China , more than 200 people with the illness have been reported in over two dozen other countries , including Japan , Singapore , Thailand , South Korea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s National Health Commission said the number of infected patients who were “ discharged and cured ” stood at 1,153 .
No details were given , but milder cases have been seen in younger , healthier people .
“ The baby was immediately separated from the mother after the birth and has been under artificial feeding .
There was no close contact with the parents , yet it was diagnosed with the disease , ” Zeng Lingkong , director of neonatal diseases at Wuhan Children ’ s Hospital , told Chinese TV .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ birth to babies who tested negative , so it is not yet known if the virus can be transmitted in the womb .
That “ needs further study , ” he said .
Authorities are racing to increase the number of beds in Wuhan and the rest of hard-hit Hubei province , where the health care system has been so overwhelmed that some sick people have been turned away from hospitals and sent home , raising the risk of their spreading the virus to others .
In Hong Kong , hospital workers demanding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ border with mainland China were on strike for a fourth day .
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam announced a 14-day quarantine of all travelers entering the city from the mainland starting Saturday , but the government has refused to seal the border entirely .
Ten passengers confirmed to have the virus were escorted off the Diamond Princess at the port of Yokohama near Tokyo , after 10 others were taken off the previous day .
Those taken to hospitals Thursday were mostly in their 60s and 70s , four of them Japanese , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Zealander and one Taiwanese .
“ It ’ s going to be like a floating prison , ” passenger David Abel lamented on Facebook .
He had set out on a 50th wedding anniversary luxury cruise but found himself in his cabin , eating a “ lettuce sandwich with some chicken inside.
” Xinhua said that clinical trials for the antiviral drug Remdesivir have been approved and that the first group of patients was expected to start taking it on Thursday .
It is made by U.S. biotech company Gilead Sciences .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ severity of an illness , but “ so far , no antivirals have been proven effective ” against the new virus , said Thanarak Plipat , deputy director-general of Thailand ’ s Disease Control Department in the Health Ministry .
He said there are a lot of unknowns , “ but we have a lot of hope as well .
”

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BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese doctor who got in trouble with authorities in the communist country for sounding an early warning about the coronavirus outbreak died after coming down with the illness Friday, a hospital reported.
The Wuhan Central Hospital said on its social media account that Dr. Li Wenliang, a 34-year-old ophthalmologist, was “unfortunately infected during the fight against the pneumonia epidemic of the new coronavirus infection.”
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“We deeply regret and mourn this,” it added.
Li was reprimanded by local police for “spreading rumors” about the illness in late December, according to news reports. The outbreak, centered in Wuhan, has now infected over 28,200 people globally and killed more than 560.
The World Health Organization tweeted: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Dr Li Wenliang. We all need to celebrate work that he did” on the virus.
Within a half-hour of announcing earlier Friday that Li was in critical condition, the hospital received nearly 500,000 comments on its social media post, many of them from people hoping Li would pull through. One wrote: “We are not going to bed. We are here waiting for a miracle.”
Meanwhile, a newborn became the youngest known person infected with the virus. China finished building a second new hospital Thursday to isolate and treat patients and moved people with milder symptoms into makeshift quarantine centers at sports arenas, exhibition halls and other public spaces. And testing of a new antiviral drug was set to begin on patients.
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A look at some of the latest developments in the outbreak:
RISING TOLL AND YOUNGEST VICTIM
While the overwhelming majority of deaths and infections haven been in China, more than 200 people with the illness have been reported in over two dozen other countries, including Japan, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea and the United States.
China’s National Health Commission said the number of infected patients who were “discharged and cured” stood at 1,153. No details were given, but milder cases have been seen in younger, healthier people.
The youngest patient is a baby born Saturday in Wuhan and confirmed positive just 36 hours after birth, authorities said.
“The baby was immediately separated from the mother after the birth and has been under artificial feeding. There was no close contact with the parents, yet it was diagnosed with the disease,” Zeng Lingkong, director of neonatal diseases at Wuhan Children’s Hospital, told Chinese TV.
Zeng said other infected mothers have given birth to babies who tested negative, so it is not yet known if the virus can be transmitted in the womb. That “needs further study,” he said.
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The new virus is in the coronavirus family that includes MERS and SARS, and it causes fever, cough, shortness of breath and, in severe cases, pneumonia.
MORE HOSPITAL BEDS
A 1,500-bed hospital specially built to deal with the outbreak was completed in Wuhan, days after a 1,000-bed hospital with prefabricated wards and isolation rooms began taking patients.
Wuhan is also operating an additional 132 quarantine sites with more than 12,500 beds, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.
Authorities are racing to increase the number of beds in Wuhan and the rest of hard-hit Hubei province, where the health care system has been so overwhelmed that some sick people have been turned away from hospitals and sent home, raising the risk of their spreading the virus to others.
All together, more than 50 million people are under virtual quarantine in Hubei in an unprecedented — and unproven — bid to bring the outbreak under control.
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In Hong Kong, hospital workers demanding a shutdown of the territory’s border with mainland China were on strike for a fourth day. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam announced a 14-day quarantine of all travelers entering the city from the mainland starting Saturday, but the government has refused to seal the border entirely.
QUARANTINED CRUISE SHIPS
Two docked cruise ships with thousands of passengers and crew members remained under 14-day quarantines in Hong Kong and Japan.
Ten passengers confirmed to have the virus were escorted off the Diamond Princess at the port of Yokohama near Tokyo, after 10 others were taken off the previous day. Those taken to hospitals Thursday were mostly in their 60s and 70s, four of them Japanese, two Americans, two Canadians, one New Zealander and one Taiwanese.
Tests were still pending on others on board who had symptoms or contact with infected people.
“It’s going to be like a floating prison,” passenger David Abel lamented on Facebook. He had set out on a 50th wedding anniversary luxury cruise but found himself in his cabin, eating a “lettuce sandwich with some chicken inside.”
More than 3,600 people on the other quarantined ship, the World Dream, underwent screening after eight passengers were diagnosed with the virus.
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NEW DRUG
Xinhua said that clinical trials for the antiviral drug Remdesivir have been approved and that the first group of patients was expected to start taking it on Thursday. It is made by U.S. biotech company Gilead Sciences.
Antivirals and other drugs can reduce the severity of an illness, but “so far, no antivirals have been proven effective” against the new virus, said Thanarak Plipat, deputy director-general of Thailand’s Disease Control Department in the Health Ministry. He said there are a lot of unknowns, “but we have a lot of hope as well.”
MORE FALLOUT
From Europe to Australia and the U.S., universities that host Chinese students or have study-abroad programs are scrambling to assess the risks, and some are canceling opportunities and prohibiting student travel.
Central banks in the Philippines and Thailand have cut their interest rates to fend off economic damage from the outbreak in China, the world’s second-biggest economy, with 1.4 billion people. China is a major source of tourists in Asia, and corporations around the world depend on its factories to supply products and its consumers to buy them.
The organizers of the Tokyo Olympics again sought to allay fears that the 2020 Games could be postponed or canceled because of the crisis.
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huffpost--2020-05-14--Study: Third Of Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients Show Signs Of Kidney Injury

CHICAGO , May 14 ( Reuters ) - Over a third of patients treated for COVID-19 in a large New York medical system developed acute kidney injury , and nearly 15 % required dialysis , U.S.researchers reported on Thursday .
The study was conducted by a team at Northwell Health , the largest health provider in New York state .
“ We found in the first 5,449 patients admitted , 36.6 % developed acute kidney injury , ” said study co-author Dr. Kenar Jhaveri , associated chief of nephrology at Hofstra/Northwell in Great Neck , New York , whose findings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The study is the largest to date to look at kidney injury inCOVID-19 patients .
It may be helpful , Jhaveri said , as other hospitals face new waves of patients with the disease caused by the novel coronavirus that has infected more than 4.3 million people and killed over 295,000 globally .
Several groups have noted increased rates of kidney failure among patients with COVID-19 .
Jhaveri and colleagues set out to quantify it by combing through medical records of 5,449 COVID-19patients hospitalized between March 1 and April 5 .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with 37.3 % of patients arriving at the hospital with failing kidneys , or developing the condition within the first 24 hours of being admitted .
In many cases , the kidney failure occurred around the time severely ill patients needed to be placed on a ventilator , Jhaveri said .
Among the more than 1,000 patients who needed to be placed on a ventilator , about 90 % developed acute kidney failure .
That compared with 21.7 % of the 925 patients who developed the condition but did not need mechanical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ develop kidney failure as their conditions becomes more and more severe , Jhaveri said .
“ It ’ s not specific to COVID-19 .
It ’ s more related to how sick you are , ” he said .
Nevertheless , knowing the proportion of patients at risk for this condition could help hospitals as they plan equipment and staffing needed for future coronavirus surges , he said .

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CHICAGO, May 14 (Reuters) - Over a third of patients treated for COVID-19 in a large New York medical system developed acute kidney injury, and nearly 15% required dialysis, U.S.researchers reported on Thursday.
The study was conducted by a team at Northwell Health, the largest health provider in New York state.
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“We found in the first 5,449 patients admitted, 36.6%developed acute kidney injury,” said study co-author Dr. Kenar Jhaveri, associated chief of nephrology at Hofstra/Northwell in Great Neck, New York, whose findings were published in the journal Kidney International.
Acute kidney injury occurs when the kidneys fail and become unable to filter out waste.
Of those patients with kidney failure, 14.3% required dialysis, Jhaveri said in a phone interview.
The study is the largest to date to look at kidney injury inCOVID-19 patients. It may be helpful, Jhaveri said, as other hospitals face new waves of patients with the disease caused by the novel coronavirus that has infected more than 4.3 million people and killed over 295,000 globally.
Several groups have noted increased rates of kidney failure among patients with COVID-19. Jhaveri and colleagues set out to quantify it by combing through medical records of 5,449 COVID-19patients hospitalized between March 1 and April 5.
They found that kidney failure occurred early on, with 37.3%of patients arriving at the hospital with failing kidneys, or developing the condition within the first 24 hours of being admitted.
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In many cases, the kidney failure occurred around the time severely ill patients needed to be placed on a ventilator, Jhaveri said.
Among the more than 1,000 patients who needed to be placed on a ventilator, about 90% developed acute kidney failure. That compared with 21.7% of the 925 patients who developed the condition but did not need mechanical breathing assistance.
Very ill patients often develop kidney failure as their conditions becomes more and more severe, Jhaveri said.
“It’s not specific to COVID-19. It’s more related to how sick you are,” he said.


huffpost--2020-05-14--Mary-Kate Olsen Starts Divorce, But There's A Coronavirus-Tied Snag

Former child TV star Mary-Kate Olsen has asked for an emergency order to file for divorce from her husband , Olivier Sarkozy , TMZ reported Wednesday .
Olsen , a fashion designer who once shared the role of Michelle Tanner on “ Full House ” with her twin sister , Ashley , previously filed a complaint for divorce from the French banker in April , the New York Post reported .
“ It was clear my marriage was over … the relationship has broken down irretrievably , ” she wrote in court papers obtained by the Post ’ s Page @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the coronavirus pandemic , the court has reportedly processed no divorce filings except for emergencies , People noted .
Olsen , 33 , attempted to remedy that with the emergency request .
In court papers , she claimed that Sarkozy , 50 , the half-brother of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy , terminated the lease on their New York City home without her consent .
“ This application is an emergency because my husband expects me to move out of our home on Monday , May 18 , 2020 in the middle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to COVID-19 , ” Olsen wrote .
“ I am petrified that my husband is trying to deprive me of the home we have lived in and if he is successful , I will not only lose my home but I risk losing my personal property as well , ” she added .
The couple married in November 2015 .
HuffPost has reached out to representatives for Olsen and Sarkozy for additional comment .

Former child TV star Mary-Kate Olsen has asked for an emergency order to file for divorce from her husband, Olivier Sarkozy, TMZ reported Wednesday.
Olsen, a fashion designer who once shared the role of Michelle Tanner on “Full House” with her twin sister, Ashley, previously filed a complaint for divorce from the French banker in April, the New York Post reported.
“It was clear my marriage was over … the relationship has broken down irretrievably,” she wrote in court papers obtained by the Post’s Page Six.
But because of postponements caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the court has reportedly processed no divorce filings except for emergencies, People noted.
Olsen, 33, attempted to remedy that with the emergency request. In court papers, she claimed that Sarkozy, 50, the half-brother of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, terminated the lease on their New York City home without her consent.
“This application is an emergency because my husband expects me to move out of our home on Monday, May 18, 2020 in the middle of New York City being on pause due to COVID-19,” Olsen wrote.
“I am petrified that my husband is trying to deprive me of the home we have lived in and if he is successful, I will not only lose my home but I risk losing my personal property as well,” she added.
The couple married in November 2015. HuffPost has reached out to representatives for Olsen and Sarkozy for additional comment.


huffpost--2020-05-14--I Spent 10 Years Building My Small Business. COVID-19 Destroyed It In Just 8 Weeks.

My wife and I started the company 10 years ago this October and we ’ ve worked hard to get our business where it is today .
Three years ago we reached an important milestone : a full year in which we didn ’ t have to seek out any new clients .
One hundred percent of our business that year came from returning clients and referrals .
Ditto for the following year .
And last year we were so busy that we were turning new clients away .
After nearly a decade of constant effort , I felt our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were just starting to get a taste of what it meant to live the American dream .
That all ended the moment the coronavirus wave came crashing down .
The day after President Donald Trump declared a national emergency , our first client asked to cancel their service agreement with us .
“ Advertising just isn ’ t a luxury I can afford right now , ” they said .
The next day the same request came from two more clients .
The following week we lost our second-biggest client .
The hits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearly half the income my family depends on had evaporated completely .
Ten years of blood , sweat and tears lost in a matter of eight weeks .
And still I know the worst is probably yet to come .
I used to get excited every time the business phone would ring because it almost always meant a new customer or a new sales order .
Now I dread the sound .
Today it invariably means another client is calling to bid adieu .
I don ’ t blame our clients , of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business owners themselves and are facing unprecedented circumstances of their own .
One CEO told me he even had to let his brother go .
But knowing our clients are justified in leaving doesn ’ t make the bitter pill any easier to swallow .
Perhaps the hardest part of watching our company crumble is feeling helpless to prevent it from collapsing further .
I ’ m normally a proactive person and when something is broken , I ’ m quick to jump in with a fix .
In this case , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when to begin .
My go-to method of putting my head down and pushing forward isn ’ t working this time because replacing old clients with new ones has proven nearly impossible .
Most companies aren ’ t looking for new advertising opportunities at a time like this ― and those that are lack the requisite finances to do so .

My wife and I started the company 10 years ago this October and we’ve worked hard to get our business where it is today. Three years ago we reached an important milestone: a full year in which we didn’t have to seek out any new clients. One hundred percent of our business that year came from returning clients and referrals. Ditto for the following year. And last year we were so busy that we were turning new clients away.
After nearly a decade of constant effort, I felt our work was finally paying off. We were just starting to get a taste of what it meant to live the American dream.
That all ended the moment the coronavirus wave came crashing down.
The day after President Donald Trump declared a national emergency, our first client asked to cancel their service agreement with us. “Advertising just isn’t a luxury I can afford right now,” they said. The next day the same request came from two more clients. The following week we lost our second-biggest client. The hits kept coming and by last week, nearly half the income my family depends on had evaporated completely. Ten years of blood, sweat and tears lost in a matter of eight weeks.
And still I know the worst is probably yet to come.
I used to get excited every time the business phone would ring because it almost always meant a new customer or a new sales order. Now I dread the sound. Today it invariably means another client is calling to bid adieu.
I don’t blame our clients, of course ― they’re almost all business owners themselves and are facing unprecedented circumstances of their own. One CEO told me he even had to let his brother go. But knowing our clients are justified in leaving doesn’t make the bitter pill any easier to swallow.
Perhaps the hardest part of watching our company crumble is feeling helpless to prevent it from collapsing further. I’m normally a proactive person and when something is broken, I’m quick to jump in with a fix. In this case, I’m not even sure where or when to begin. My go-to method of putting my head down and pushing forward isn’t working this time because replacing old clients with new ones has proven nearly impossible. Most companies aren’t looking for new advertising opportunities at a time like this ― and those that are lack the requisite finances to do so.


huffpost--2020-05-14--Disagreeing With Fed Chair, Trump Again Touts Negative Interest Rates

WASHINGTON , May 13 ( Reuters ) ― President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he still strongly believes the Federal Reserve should have negative interest rates , but gave a modicum of approval to Fed Chair Jerome Powell who said earlier in the day the central bank would not lower rates beyond zero .
Trump said Powell , whom he frequently criticizes , has improved in his performance as the Fed ’ s head , but he still disagrees with Powell when it comes to the lending rate set by the central bank .
Powell earlier on Wednesday said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rates below zero , and instead pushed lawmakers to use spending to boost the economy during the deadly coronavirus pandemic .
“ The committee ’ s view on negative rates really has not changed .
This is not something that we are looking at , ” Powell said in answer to a question during an event hosted by the Peterson Institute for International Economics , as he referenced the Fed ’ s policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee ( FOMC ) .
A number of major central banks ― including the Bank of Japan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negative-rate policies in the years since the 2007-2009 financial crisis because their sluggish economies have failed to produce the desired level of inflation .
Last week for the first time ever , fed funds futures began reflecting a small chance that negative rate policy would find its way to U.S. shores .
The futures market is used both to hedge for and bet outright on the level of the Fed ’ s benchmark overnight interest rate as far as three years down the road .
... .The USA should always be paying the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is only the naïveté of Jay Powell and the Federal Reserve that doesn ’ t allow us to do what other countries are already doing .
A once in a lifetime opportunity that we are missing because of “ Boneheads.
” — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) September 11 , 2019 “ As a former real estate developer , the idea of being able to borrow at low or negative rates suits Trump ’ s mindset , ” said Mark Sobel , a longtime former U.S. Treasury and International Monetary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The strong dollar has given him a lever to push for that.
” But Powell , along with several other U.S. policymakers , have rebuffed the idea that a sub-zero policy is on the table .
At least six of the 12 presidents of the Fed ’ s regional banks have shot the idea down , and Powell noted during Wednesday ’ s event that disregard for it has been the subject of rare unanimity among policymakers .
Officials most recently discussed it during last October ’ s meeting , Powell said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all FOMC participants ― and that ’ s not a sentence you get to say very often ― all FOMC participants currently did not judge that negative rates ... appear to be an attractive monetary policy tool in the United States.
” Powell said policymakers prefer alternatives such as forward guidance ― or hard signals of how long current policy will remain in place ― and large-scale asset purchases , also known as quantitative easing , or QE .
“ We ’ ve said that we continue to rely on those tools that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a part of our toolkit , ” he said .
Rate futures tempered the pricing for negative rates somewhat after Powell ’ s remarks .
However , a dozen contracts that mature from April 2021 through March 2022 are priced to reflect a fed funds rate of between minus 0.01 % and minus 0.025 % at contract expiration .
Subadra Rajappa , head of U.S. rates strategy at Societe Generale in New York , said while futures markets “ are still pricing it in ... we ’ re looking at very small volumes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Even then you are looking at negative rates of one or two basis points , so it ’ s not in any way suggestive of a policy move that the market is pricing in .
”

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WASHINGTON, May 13 (Reuters) ― President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he still strongly believes the Federal Reserve should have negative interest rates, but gave a modicum of approval to Fed Chair Jerome Powell who said earlier in the day the central bank would not lower rates beyond zero.
Trump said Powell, whom he frequently criticizes, has improved in his performance as the Fed’s head, but he still disagrees with Powell when it comes to the lending rate set by the central bank.
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Powell earlier on Wednesday said the Fed is still not looking at setting rates below zero, and instead pushed lawmakers to use spending to boost the economy during the deadly coronavirus pandemic.
“The committee’s view on negative rates really has not changed. This is not something that we are looking at,” Powell said in answer to a question during an event hosted by the Peterson Institute for International Economics, as he referenced the Fed’s policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC).
A number of major central banks ― including the Bank of Japan and European Central Bank ― have implemented negative-rate policies in the years since the 2007-2009 financial crisis because their sluggish economies have failed to produce the desired level of inflation.
Last week for the first time ever, fed funds futures began reflecting a small chance that negative rate policy would find its way to U.S. shores. The futures market is used both to hedge for and bet outright on the level of the Fed’s benchmark overnight interest rate as far as three years down the road.
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....The USA should always be paying the the lowest rate. No Inflation! It is only the naïveté of Jay Powell and the Federal Reserve that doesn’t allow us to do what other countries are already doing. A once in a lifetime opportunity that we are missing because of “Boneheads.” — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 11, 2019
Trump has frequently called negative rates a way to limit dollar strength and keep U.S. exports competitive, calling the Fed “Boneheads” last September for failing to pursue the policy.
“As a former real estate developer, the idea of being able to borrow at low or negative rates suits Trump’s mindset,” said Mark Sobel, a longtime former U.S. Treasury and International Monetary Fund official and currency policy expert. “The strong dollar has given him a lever to push for that.”
But Powell, along with several other U.S. policymakers, have rebuffed the idea that a sub-zero policy is on the table. At least six of the 12 presidents of the Fed’s regional banks have shot the idea down, and Powell noted during Wednesday’s event that disregard for it has been the subject of rare unanimity among policymakers.
Officials most recently discussed it during last October’s meeting, Powell said, “and the minutes said that all FOMC participants ― and that’s not a sentence you get to say very often ― all FOMC participants currently did not judge that negative rates ... appear to be an attractive monetary policy tool in the United States.”
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Powell said policymakers prefer alternatives such as forward guidance ― or hard signals of how long current policy will remain in place ― and large-scale asset purchases, also known as quantitative easing, or QE.
“We’ve said that we continue to rely on those tools that are tried, and they are now a part of our toolkit,” he said.
Rate futures tempered the pricing for negative rates somewhat after Powell’s remarks. However, a dozen contracts that mature from April 2021 through March 2022 are priced to reflect a fed funds rate of between minus 0.01% and minus 0.025% at contract expiration.
Some analysts threw cold water on the notion that the market was seriously pricing in negative rates.
Subadra Rajappa, head of U.S. rates strategy at Societe Generale in New York, said while futures markets “are still pricing it in ... we’re looking at very small volumes in fed funds futures out the curve. Even then you are looking at negative rates of one or two basis points, so it’s not in any way suggestive of a policy move that the market is pricing in.”
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huffpost--2020-05-14--Richard Burr Steps Down As Intelligence Chair Amid Stock Trading Probe

Republican Sen. Richard Burr is stepping down as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee after the FBI launched an investigation into a series of stock trades he made earlier this year as the coronavirus pandemic began to spread in the U.S. “ Senator Burr contacted me this morning to inform me of his decision to step aside as Chairman of the Intelligence Committee during the pendency of the investigation , ” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement to reporters on Thursday .
“ We agreed that this decision would be in the best interests of the committee.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ North Carolina , is under investigation for selling stocks after attending a briefing on the potential impact of the coronavirus pandemic .
On Wednesday night , FBI investigators reportedly seized Burr ’ s cellphone in connection with the probe , after agents served a search warrant at the senator ’ s home in the Washington , D.C. , area and he turned over the device .
In March , ProPublica reported that Burr dumped between $ 628,000 and $ 1.72 million ’ s worth of holdings on Feb. 13 , shortly after Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the coronavirus .
At the time , Burr had been assuring the public that the government was prepared to respond to the threat .
Since then , the pandemic has infected more than 1.3 million people in the country and prompted a severe economic crisis .
Sen. Jim Risch is next in line to be chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee .
The Idaho Republican , however , already chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and is expected to remain at that post .
The opportunity to lead congressional oversight over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fall on Sen. Marco Rubio ( R-Fla. ) .

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Republican Sen. Richard Burr is stepping down as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee after the FBI launched an investigation into a series of stock trades he made earlier this year as the coronavirus pandemic began to spread in the U.S.
“Senator Burr contacted me this morning to inform me of his decision to step aside as Chairman of the Intelligence Committee during the pendency of the investigation,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement to reporters on Thursday. “We agreed that this decision would be in the best interests of the committee.”
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Burr, the senior senator from North Carolina, is under investigation for selling stocks after attending a briefing on the potential impact of the coronavirus pandemic. On Wednesday night, FBI investigators reportedly seized Burr’s cellphone in connection with the probe, after agents served a search warrant at the senator’s home in the Washington, D.C., area and he turned over the device.
In March, ProPublica reported that Burr dumped between $628,000 and $1.72 million’s worth of holdings on Feb. 13, shortly after Congress began receiving intelligence briefings about the threat of the coronavirus. At the time, Burr had been assuring the public that the government was prepared to respond to the threat. Since then, the pandemic has infected more than 1.3 million people in the country and prompted a severe economic crisis.
Sen. Jim Risch is next in line to be chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. The Idaho Republican, however, already chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and is expected to remain at that post. The opportunity to lead congressional oversight over the nation’s intelligence community would then fall on Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.).
Igor Bobic contributed reporting.


huffpost--2020-04-22--Here's Why You Can't Keep Track Of What Day It Is Anymore

Why Life Feels Like A Blur Right Now Before the lockdown , your week likely consisted of a handful of recurring activities , obligations and other plans .
On Monday night you got together with your book club , on Wednesday you had standing lunch plans with a co-worker , on Thursday morning you went to spin class , Friday was date night , and on Saturday you got your nails done .
Without these markers , the week has turned into an amorphous blob .
“ You naturally did something different on work-out days , for example , like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up earlier , which made those days distinctive , ” Delawalla said .
“ You knew it was Thursday , not only by looking at your calendar but because on Thursdays , you set your alarm for 7 a.m. instead of 7:30 a.m , or you picked up bagels for the team on your way in to work.
” Working from home means that you no longer need to commute to and from the office — a built-in ritual that helped delineate between on- and off-hours .
Plus , physically being at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mode , while being home meant it was time to relax .
“ If you worked Monday through Friday at a certain location , then the weekends marked a change , “ said psychologist Rebecca Leslie of Living Fully Psychological Services in Atlanta .
“ If you are now working from home and have nothing different that happens on the weekend , there is nothing to signify a change in days.
” Some of Leslie ’ s patients are putting in longer hours because they ’ re scared that doing anything less might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had a consistent work schedule prior to the outbreak , working well into the evening can throw off your sense of time .
Here ’ s What To Do About It Add some structure to life in quarantine by anchoring your days with certain rituals you do at the same time each day — like having coffee at 8 a.m. , prepping a healthy lunch at 1 p.m. and taking a walk at 6 p.m. after you ’ ve finished the workday .
“ Think of other activities in relation to these activities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ example , divide your day into ‘ before lunch ’ and ‘ after lunch , ’ and organize other activities into these smaller chunks of time .
Instead of thinking , ‘ I need to do laundry today , ’ think ‘ I need to do laundry before lunch.
’ ” “ I have work-related books that I used to read on the weekend , and now I have been strict in telling myself to only read them during the week , ” she added .
“ I know this is a little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make a big difference to help you distinguish the work week from the weekend.
” Delawalla suggested an exercise known as the 5-4-3-2-1 technique , which takes you through the five senses .
Pay attention to five things you can see around you , four things you can feel around you , three things you can hear , two things you can smell and one thing you can taste .

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A common refrain during the COVID-19 pandemic: Life is a blur. The days all seem to blend together — is it Tuesday or Friday? And the line between work and leisure time is obscured when your living room doubles as your home office.
I wish days of the week underwear were still a thing so I knew what the hell day of the week it is. — Mommy Owl (@Lhlodder) April 1, 2020
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“Anytime we have a big change in routine, this happens,” psychologist Sherry Benton — professor emeritus at the University of Florida and the founder of online therapy platform TAO Connect — told HuffPost. “We are accustomed to a certain amount of structure to our days. Moving to working from home disrupts the structure.”
Know that if you’re constantly confused about what day it is, you’re not the only one.
“This is a very common phenomenon,“ said Zainab Delawalla, a clinical psychologist in Atlanta. “All my clients have reported it to some degree.”
We talked to psychologists to figure out why this is happening and what we can do to feel more grounded during a chaotic time.
Why Life Feels Like A Blur Right Now
JLGutierrez via Getty Images If you're never sure what day it is anymore, you're not the only one.
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Your normal routine has gone out the window.
Before the lockdown, your week likely consisted of a handful of recurring activities, obligations and other plans. On Monday night you got together with your book club, on Wednesday you had standing lunch plans with a co-worker, on Thursday morning you went to spin class, Friday was date night, and on Saturday you got your nails done. Without these markers, the week has turned into an amorphous blob.
“You naturally did something different on work-out days, for example, like pack a gym bag, or wake up earlier, which made those days distinctive,” Delawalla said. “You knew it was Thursday, not only by looking at your calendar but because on Thursdays, you set your alarm for 7 a.m. instead of 7:30 a.m, or you picked up bagels for the team on your way in to work.”
“Without these distinctions, all the days ‘feel’ the same, and it’s hard to keep track,” she added.
There’s no separation between work hours and downtime.
Working from home means that you no longer need to commute to and from the office — a built-in ritual that helped delineate between on- and off-hours. Plus, physically being at the office signaled that you were in work mode, while being home meant it was time to relax.
“If you worked Monday through Friday at a certain location, then the weekends marked a change,“ said psychologist Rebecca Leslie of Living Fully Psychological Services in Atlanta. “If you are now working from home and have nothing different that happens on the weekend, there is nothing to signify a change in days.”
You may be working more than before.
Some of Leslie’s patients are putting in longer hours because they’re scared that doing anything less might mean losing their job. If you had a consistent work schedule prior to the outbreak, working well into the evening can throw off your sense of time.
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“They do not have a standard end time to their workday like they used to,” she said. “This can make the timing of days feel confusing.”
You’re spending more time looking at screens.
Whether it’s logging extra time on your work laptop, scrolling on your smartphone, binge-watching TV or playing video games all night, the increased exposure to these blue-light emitting devices can disrupt the body’s internal biological clock, known as the circadian clock.
Plus, many of the apps and games people turn to as an escape from stress are designed to pull you in and hold your attention for long stretches of time.
“And with much of our time spent indoors, we are limiting our exposure to natural light, which is an important external factor in resetting our circadian rhythms,” Delawalla said.
Your sleep schedule is out of wack.
These days, you may find yourself staying up later at night because you don’t have to get up as early in the morning or because anxiety-induced insomnia is making it hard to fall asleep.
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“What’s more, we may be staying in bed a bit longer after waking up, since there may no longer be an external push to get up and get going,” Delawalla said.
When your sleep schedule is all over the place, it also throws off your circadian rhythm, which contributes to you feeling out of sync.
“Not waking up at approximately the same time each day may also lead to distortions in how we experience time, since it leads to some days being a lot ‘shorter’ or ‘longer’ than others,” Delawalla said.
Here’s What To Do About It
Jamie Grill via Getty Images How to create structure and ground yourself in quarantine.
Create a new routine and stick to it.
Add some structure to life in quarantine by anchoring your days with certain rituals you do at the same time each day — like having coffee at 8 a.m., prepping a healthy lunch at 1 p.m. and taking a walk at 6 p.m. after you’ve finished the workday.
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“Think of other activities in relation to these activities,” Delawalla said. “For example, divide your day into ‘before lunch’ and ‘after lunch,’ and organize other activities into these smaller chunks of time. Instead of thinking, ‘I need to do laundry today,’ think ‘I need to do laundry before lunch.’”
“You can also tag activities to these anchoring activities,” Delawalla added. “For example, ‘after I take my daily walk around the neighborhood, I start making dinner.’”
Then, to differentiate one day from the next, make new weekly traditions. That might be tacos for dinner on Tuesdays, a virtual yoga class on Thursdays and a Zoom wine night with friends on Fridays.
Make your workdays different from your days off.
“Plan specific fun activities you reserve for days off or things you only do on days off,” Leslie said.
“I have work-related books that I used to read on the weekend, and now I have been strict in telling myself to only read them during the week,” she added. “I know this is a little thing, but the little things can make a big difference to help you distinguish the work week from the weekend.”
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To the extent you can, resist the temptation to stay glued to your work email on the weekends. Put away your home office accessories and work materials on your days off so they’re not occupying your living space.
Set aside time for self-care.
Find little ways to care for yourself every day. Maybe that’s doing a guided meditation, taking a bath, writing in a journal or diving into a hobby like knitting.
“If possible, block out time each day to not work and do something enjoyable or focused on self-care,” Leslie said. “Keep this time consistent Monday through Friday.”
Get outside every day.
If the weather permits, “make sure you are getting exposure to sunlight during the day,” Leslie said. “This helps your body know what time it is. It also can help improve your mood.”
Try a grounding exercise.
“When our days are as unstructured as they currently are, getting ‘lost’ in this way can feel unnerving,” Delawalla said.
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In the moments you’re feeling overwhelmed by the state of things or anxious about the future, grounding techniques can soothe you and bring you into the present moment.
Delawalla suggested an exercise known as the 5-4-3-2-1 technique, which takes you through the five senses. Pay attention to five things you can see around you, four things you can feel around you, three things you can hear, two things you can smell and one thing you can taste.


huffpost--2020-04-22--Death Toll In Nova Scotia Mass Shooting Climbs To 23

( Reuters ) - Canadian police had yet to determine a motive for the country ’ s worst mass shooting , as the death toll from the carnage in Nova Scotia over the weekend climbed to 23 from 19 , the Royal Canadian Mounted Police ( RCMP ) said on Tuesday .
The shooting rampage has rattled rural communities in the Atlantic province , as investigators seek answers to questions such as how the gunman obtained an authentic police uniform and secured a police look-alike cruiser , both of which aided his easy movement during his 13-hour spree .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Police Constable Heidi Stevenson , a mother of two and a 23-year veteran of the force , along the highway in Shubenacadie , Nova Scotia , on Tuesday , April 21 , 2020 .
( Andrew Vaughan/The Canadian Press via AP ) Memorials cropped up all over the province of fewer than a million people , featuring Canadian flags , flowers and illustrations of broken hearts .
The Canadian Broadcasting Corp said the death toll included the suspect .
The incident started at a home in Portapique , a rural seaside community of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increasing to some 250 residents in the summer .
The RCMP said in a statement it was investigating the 16 crime scenes that were part of the murder spree , several of which included burnt-out homes .
Police said there were also injuries in the attack , but did not say whether the death toll would rise further .
The Atlantic Denture Clinic , owned by Gabriel Wortman , is guarded by police in Dartmouth , Nova Scotia , on Monday , April 20 , 2020 .
Wortman , a gunman disguised as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rampage in the Canadian province beginning late Saturday , shooting people in their homes , setting fires and killing multiple people , including a policewoman , in the deadliest such attack in the country 's history .
( Andrew Vaughan/The Canadian Press via AP ) The gunman , 51-year-old Gabriel Wortman , who worked as a denturist , began his rampage late on Saturday .
He was fatally shot by police at noon on Sunday at a service station .
The youngest among those confirmed killed so far was a 17-year-old , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were known to the gunman but others were not .
A veteran police officer , a teacher and a nurse were among the dead .
Kristen Beaton , a nurse , was killed while working , according to a GoFundMe set up in her name .
Beaton ’ s husband , Nick , told CTV News he warned his wife about the presence of an active shooter just before she was killed .
“ We never got the chance to tell family , ” he said .
“ We were going to tell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on vacation.
” The RCMP has been criticized for not alerting the public to the presence of an active shooter via the province ’ s emergency alert system and instead relying on its Twitter account , which had just under 91,000 followers at the time .
Nova Scotia RCMP Chief Superintendent Chris Leather told reporters on Monday the force felt it was a “ superior way to communicate ” the threat in the community , but said [ the force would look into the matter .
Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police for an emergency alert to be sent out .
McNeil said the military was assisting in the RCMP ’ s investigation .
No details have been released about the type of gun used by Wortman or how it was obtained .
Bringing in stricter gun control measures was an election promise of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ’ s Liberals in the October 2019 federal election , and he told reporters on Tuesday the legislation had been “ almost ready to go ” when the novel coronavirus crisis hit .
“ The tragedy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how important it is for us to continue to move forward on strengthening gun control in this country , ” Trudeau said .
“ We will do that at the appropriate time .
”

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(Reuters) - Canadian police had yet to determine a motive for the country’s worst mass shooting, as the death toll from the carnage in Nova Scotia over the weekend climbed to 23 from 19, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said on Tuesday.
The shooting rampage has rattled rural communities in the Atlantic province, as investigators seek answers to questions such as how the gunman obtained an authentic police uniform and secured a police look-alike cruiser, both of which aided his easy movement during his 13-hour spree.
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A memorial pays tribute to Royal Canadian Mounted Police Constable Heidi Stevenson, a mother of two and a 23-year veteran of the force, along the highway in Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia, on Tuesday, April 21, 2020. (Andrew Vaughan/The Canadian Press via AP) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Memorials cropped up all over the province of fewer than a million people, featuring Canadian flags, flowers and illustrations of broken hearts. The Canadian Broadcasting Corp said the death toll included the suspect.
The incident started at a home in Portapique, a rural seaside community of about 100 residents in the winter, increasing to some 250 residents in the summer.
The RCMP said in a statement it was investigating the 16 crime scenes that were part of the murder spree, several of which included burnt-out homes. Police said there were also injuries in the attack, but did not say whether the death toll would rise further.
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The Atlantic Denture Clinic, owned by Gabriel Wortman, is guarded by police in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, on Monday, April 20, 2020. Wortman, a gunman disguised as a police officer went on a 12-hour rampage in the Canadian province beginning late Saturday, shooting people in their homes, setting fires and killing multiple people, including a policewoman, in the deadliest such attack in the country's history. (Andrew Vaughan/The Canadian Press via AP) ASSOCIATED PRESS
The gunman, 51-year-old Gabriel Wortman, who worked as a denturist, began his rampage late on Saturday. He was fatally shot by police at noon on Sunday at a service station.
The youngest among those confirmed killed so far was a 17-year-old, the RCMP said. Some of the victims were known to the gunman but others were not. A veteran police officer, a teacher and a nurse were among the dead.
Kristen Beaton, a nurse, was killed while working, according to a GoFundMe set up in her name. Beaton’s husband, Nick, told CTV News he warned his wife about the presence of an active shooter just before she was killed.
She was pregnant with the couple’s second child.
“We never got the chance to tell family,” he said. “We were going to tell them this week, she was going on vacation.”
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A memorial pays tribute to Heather O’Brien, a victim of this past weekend shootings along the highway in Debert, Nova Scotia, on Tuesday, April 21, 2020. (Andrew Vaughan/The Canadian Press via AP) ASSOCIATED PRESS
‘TWITTER ALERTS’
The RCMP has been criticized for not alerting the public to the presence of an active shooter via the province’s emergency alert system and instead relying on its Twitter account, which had just under 91,000 followers at the time.
Nova Scotia RCMP Chief Superintendent Chris Leather told reporters on Monday the force felt it was a “superior way to communicate” the threat in the community, but said [the force would look into the matter.
Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil said the province had not received a request from police for an emergency alert to be sent out. McNeil said the military was assisting in the RCMP’s investigation.
No details have been released about the type of gun used by Wortman or how it was obtained.
Bringing in stricter gun control measures was an election promise of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals in the October 2019 federal election, and he told reporters on Tuesday the legislation had been “almost ready to go” when the novel coronavirus crisis hit.
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“The tragedy in Nova Scotia simply reinforces and underlines how important it is for us to continue to move forward on strengthening gun control in this country,” Trudeau said. “We will do that at the appropriate time.”


huffpost--2020-04-22--Trump Tells Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp He's Reopening State 'Too Soon'

In a series of tweets Friday , Trump sent out calls to “ LIBERATE ” Minnesota , Michigan and Virginia @ @ @ @ @ by Democratic governors ― in an echo of a small number of protesters who demanded @ @ @ @ @ reopen .
Vice President Mike Pence also urged elected officials to heed White House guidelines @ @ @ @ @ at home .
“ I want to say to my countrymen : The fastest way @ @ @ @ @ continue to do what you ’ ve been doing .
That ’ s the fastest @ @ @ @ @ has said many times , to get our country working again , ” Pence said @ @ @ @ @ , the nation ’ s top infectious disease expert , had an even more direct @ @ @ @ @ I would advise him as a doctor and a health official not to do that @ @ @ @ @

In a series of tweets Friday, Trump sent out calls to “LIBERATE” Minnesota, Michigan and Virginia ― three swing states led by Democratic governors ― in an echo of a small number of protesters who demanded that businesses be allowed to reopen.
Vice President Mike Pence also urged elected officials to heed White House guidelines regarding social distancing and staying at home.
“I want to say to my countrymen: The fastest way to reopen America is to continue to do what you’ve been doing. That’s the fastest way, as President Trump has said many times, to get our country working again,” Pence said Wednesday.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, had an even more direct message for Kemp.
“I would advise him as a doctor and a health official not to do that,” Fauci said.


huffpost--2020-04-22--How To ... Support Small Businesses

How To ... Support Small Businesses

People everywhere are trying to cope with the coronavirus , facing problems from the serious to the mundane .
We @ @ @ @ @ into one house or apartment and attempting to stay calm about an invisible virus all @ @ @ @ @ re trying to learn how to home-school our kids or make bread for ourselves .
@ @ @ @ @ new world , and HuffPost ’ s illustration series is about how to live in @ @

People everywhere are trying to cope with the coronavirus, facing problems from the serious to the mundane. We’re jamming full lives into one house or apartment and attempting to stay calm about an invisible virus all around us. We’re trying to learn how to home-school our kids or make bread for ourselves. It’s a whole new world, and HuffPost’s illustration series is about how to live in it.


huffpost--2020-04-22--Crime Video Shows Thief Using Sledgehammer To Steal Van Gogh Painting

THE HAGUE , Netherlands ( AP ) — All it took was a few sturdy swings with a sledgehammer and a prized painting by Vincent van Gogh was gone .
A Dutch crime-busting television show has aired security camera footage showing how an art thief smashed his way through reinforced glass doors at a museum in the early hours of March 30 .
He later hurried out through the museum gift shop with a Vincent van Gogh painting tucked under his right arm and the sledgehammer in his left hand .
Police hope that publicizing the images will help them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gogh ’ s “ The Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in Spring 1884 ” from the Singer Laren Museum while it was shut down due to coronavirus containment measures .
Nobody has been arrested in the theft and the painting , which was on loan from another Dutch museum , the Groninger Museum , when it was stolen , is still missing .
Police withheld other footage from inside the museum in Laren , a town east of Amsterdam , to protect their investigation .
They also did not air video from outside the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Laren managing director Evert van Os stressed in a statement that the footage didn ’ t show all of the burglary and defended security , which he said had been approved by the museum ’ s insurance company .
“ The burglar broke through a number of doors and several layers of security that had been approved by security experts , ” Van Os said .
“ The footage released does not therefore allow any conclusions to be drawn as to the quality of security at Singer Laren.
” Police said Wednesday that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public as a result of the show .
They also said that it ’ s not clear if the thief acted alone .
Police are also seeking information about a white van shown on footage driving past the museum .
The artwork dates to a time when the artist had moved back to his family in a rural area of the Netherlands and painted the life he saw there , including his famous work “ The Potato Eaters , ” in mostly somber tones .
Wonder said investigators want to hear from any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside the museum on a motorcycle .
She also wants museum visitors to share with police any photos or video they took in the museum in the days before it closed down , to see if anyone was casing the museum before the theft .
“ People can help if they now realize that another visitor was behaving suspiciously , ” she said .
“ It would be very helpful if visitors to the museum have photos or video recordings with other people in them.
” Van Os said the museum would draw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ At the moment , however , the only thing that matters is that the footage should yield useful tips and that the painting should be returned undamaged to the Groninger Museum as soon as possible .
”

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THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — All it took was a few sturdy swings with a sledgehammer and a prized painting by Vincent van Gogh was gone.
A Dutch crime-busting television show has aired security camera footage showing how an art thief smashed his way through reinforced glass doors at a museum in the early hours of March 30. He later hurried out through the museum gift shop with a Vincent van Gogh painting tucked under his right arm and the sledgehammer in his left hand.
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Police hope that publicizing the images will help them track down the thief who stole Van Gogh’s “The Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in Spring 1884” from the Singer Laren Museum while it was shut down due to coronavirus containment measures.
Nobody has been arrested in the theft and the painting, which was on loan from another Dutch museum, the Groninger Museum, when it was stolen, is still missing.
Police withheld other footage from inside the museum in Laren, a town east of Amsterdam, to protect their investigation. They also did not air video from outside the museum of the thief leaving.
Singer Laren managing director Evert van Os stressed in a statement that the footage didn’t show all of the burglary and defended security, which he said had been approved by the museum’s insurance company.
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“The burglar broke through a number of doors and several layers of security that had been approved by security experts,” Van Os said. “The footage released does not therefore allow any conclusions to be drawn as to the quality of security at Singer Laren.”
Police said Wednesday that 56 new tips streamed in from the public as a result of the show. They also said that it’s not clear if the thief acted alone. Police are also seeking information about a white van shown on footage driving past the museum.
The 25-by-57-centimeter (10-by-22-inch) oil-on-paper painting shows a person standing in a garden surrounded by trees with a church tower in the background.
“It looks like they very deliberately targeted this one Van Gogh painting,” police spokeswoman, Maren Wonder, told the Opsporing Verzocht show in the Tuesday night broadcast.
The artwork dates to a time when the artist had moved back to his family in a rural area of the Netherlands and painted the life he saw there, including his famous work “The Potato Eaters,” in mostly somber tones.
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Wonder said investigators want to hear from any potential witnesses who saw the thief arrive outside the museum on a motorcycle. She also wants museum visitors to share with police any photos or video they took in the museum in the days before it closed down, to see if anyone was casing the museum before the theft.
“People can help if they now realize that another visitor was behaving suspiciously,” she said. “It would be very helpful if visitors to the museum have photos or video recordings with other people in them.”