huffpost--2020-06-09--Got Brain Fog Lately? Blame It On The Coronavirus Pandemic.

Human beings are built to be able to quickly adapt to new environments and situations .
But even with our magnificent ability to adjust , it doesn ’ t happen instantaneously .
The changes the pandemic brought on — the stay-at-home orders , extensive social distancing measures — were abrupt and intense , and have tested us mentally , emotionally , even physically .
People are feeling stuck and isolated , anxious and unsure about the future .
And on top of all that , people feel loopy .
Days blend into one another , time is lost .
Brain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re feeling less sharp .
We may be forgetting normal words that are part of our vocabulary or struggling with stringing sentences together .
Quarantine brain ( or quarantine cobwebs as some are calling it ) is your brain ’ s normal response to a very abnormal situation .
Here ’ s why you might be feeling kind of loopy right now : No matter where you live — whether you ’ re still mostly staying at home in California or New York , or you ’ re out and about in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Texas — the pandemic continues to disrupt our lives .
We ’ re unable to do many of the activities we ’ re accustomed to doing , and are consequently missing out on all the stimulation that typically keeps our brains active and engaged .
“ When we are in our homes , not getting out and about , our brains don ’ t have to work as hard since we ’ re not noticing things and interpreting things in the environment , ” said Sherry Benton , a psychologist and the founder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helps make therapy more accessible .
Benton likened this process to that of a broken bone : If you broke your arm and put it in cast , your surrounding muscles would weaken and you ’ d have to do some physical therapy when the cast came off to restrengthen your muscles .
It ’ s similar with the brain .
Paraskevi Noulas , a psychologist and clinical assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at NYU Langone Health , said if we ’ re looking at and doing the same things every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forced to do right now ) , there ’ s not much keeping our minds active and our neurons firing .
We ’ ve now been battling high levels of persistent stress for months .
Salina said when stress becomes chronic — and we ’ re unable to give our bodies and minds a break — it can take a serious toll on our blood vessels , heart and brain , and increase our risk for cognitive impairment .
“ After some time , the hippocampus [ the part of the brain involved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efficiently .
As a result , we find it difficult to take in information and recall information , ” Benton said .
This hurts our memory , concentration and critical thinking skills .
No wonder we ’ re feeling so loopy and out of it .
According to Salines , our circumstances are changing more suddenly and at a larger scale than any other point in our lifetime .
Our brain is on guard for the next problem .
“ Our brain has likely shifted its focus from creativity and long-term thinking to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and anticipation of the next relevant threat , using these pain-related signals and emotions , ” Salinas said .
How to boost your brain power Being isolated and stagnant for an extended period of time is not conducive to our health , Noulas said .
The longer the limitations and restrictions on our lives persist , the more prone people will become to distress , sadness , emotional numbness — and brain fog .
Human beings are meant to be active .
“ Wherever you are , creating an active routine is key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ When you ’ re stuck at home , you have to find ways to stimulate your mind and get those creative juices flowing .
”

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Human beings are built to be able to quickly adapt to new environments and situations. But even with our magnificent ability to adjust, it doesn’t happen instantaneously. The changes the pandemic brought on — the stay-at-home orders, extensive social distancing measures — were abrupt and intense, and have tested us mentally, emotionally, even physically.
People are feeling stuck and isolated, anxious and unsure about the future. And on top of all that, people feel loopy. Days blend into one another, time is lost. Brain fog is slowing us down and we’re feeling less sharp. We may be forgetting normal words that are part of our vocabulary or struggling with stringing sentences together.
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Quarantine brain (or quarantine cobwebs as some are calling it) is your brain’s normal response to a very abnormal situation. Here’s why you might be feeling kind of loopy right now:
We’re lacking stimulation
No matter where you live — whether you’re still mostly staying at home in California or New York, or you’re out and about in recently reopened states like South Carolina or Texas — the pandemic continues to disrupt our lives.
We’re unable to do many of the activities we’re accustomed to doing, and are consequently missing out on all the stimulation that typically keeps our brains active and engaged.
“When we are in our homes, not getting out and about, our brains don’t have to work as hard since we’re not noticing things and interpreting things in the environment,” said Sherry Benton, a psychologist and the founder of TAO Connect, an organization that helps make therapy more accessible.
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Benton likened this process to that of a broken bone: If you broke your arm and put it in cast, your surrounding muscles would weaken and you’d have to do some physical therapy when the cast came off to restrengthen your muscles. It’s similar with the brain.
“Our brains are going through a similar process, atrophying a bit by staying at home and needing some good, diverse focused stimulation to get back in shape,” Benton said.
Paraskevi Noulas, a psychologist and clinical assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at NYU Langone Health, said if we’re looking at and doing the same things every day (which many of us are forced to do right now), there’s not much keeping our minds active and our neurons firing.
“Without that external and internal input to feed our interests, to learn and grow, our brain shuts down,” Noulas said.
We’re experiencing chronic stress
Joe Salinas, a sensory neurologist and assistant professor of neurology at NYU Langone, said the constant influx of stress is also impacting our ability to think clearly and critically.
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We’ve now been battling high levels of persistent stress for months. Salina said when stress becomes chronic — and we’re unable to give our bodies and minds a break — it can take a serious toll on our blood vessels, heart and brain, and increase our risk for cognitive impairment.
Usually, the brain calms down and decompresses in between stressors, but stressors are currently coming in such rapid succession that our brains don’t have time to recover, Benton explained.
“After some time, the hippocampus [the part of the brain involved with memory and learning] stops functioning efficiently. As a result, we find it difficult to take in information and recall information,” Benton said. This hurts our memory, concentration and critical thinking skills. No wonder we’re feeling so loopy and out of it.
According to Salines, our circumstances are changing more suddenly and at a larger scale than any other point in our lifetime. Our brain is on guard for the next problem.
“Our brain has likely shifted its focus from creativity and long-term thinking to the day-to-day urgency of survival, protection and anticipation of the next relevant threat, using these pain-related signals and emotions,” Salinas said.
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Thomas Barwick via Getty Images Stress and a lack of stimulation are likely affecting your cognitive functions. But there are simple ways you can boost your brain power right now.
How to boost your brain power
Being isolated and stagnant for an extended period of time is not conducive to our health, Noulas said. The longer the limitations and restrictions on our lives persist, the more prone people will become to distress, sadness, emotional numbness — and brain fog. Human beings are meant to be active.
If you’re still doing most of your activities from home, Noulas recommended creating a schedule and routine to help combat the stagnation.
“Wherever you are, creating an active routine is key to combatting brain fog,” she said. “When you’re stuck at home, you have to find ways to stimulate your mind and get those creative juices flowing.”
Also: exercise (walk, jog, run, lift weights — anything to get your body moving). “I can’t emphasize enough how much of a significant difference this makes for our overall health,” Noulas said.
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She also recommended doing puzzles and playing games to keep your mind sharp. “The brain is a muscle that needs to be exercised just like our body,” Noulas said.
Talk to friends and family virtually, cook and bake, get into gardening. Give your brain the challenges it craves, and give it time to rest. Pay attention to your brain, and to how you’re feeling.
“Do what you need to do so you can get your brain back to being able to focus, function, and rest at its best,” Salinas said.
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huffpost--2020-06-08--Watch Out For These Possibly Fake Or Ineffective Coronavirus Products

Amazon , the largest e-commerce retailer , has been criticized in the past for allowing vendors to sell defective or counterfeit products on its platform .
At the start of the current health crisis , that problem became even more apparent .
In late February , the company barred more than a million items from sale on its third-party marketplace due to price gouging and false claims related to COVID-19 .
These products weren ’ t being offered by Amazon directly , but rather by its third-party sellers .
As of 2018 , 58 % of physical products sold through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amazon benefits because it doesn ’ t pay for this inventory upfront .
“ It ’ s a really effective way to have enough inventory all around the world ... an unlimited supply of inventory from these third-party sellers , ” Gross added .
The drawback is that it provides an opportunity for scammers to take advantage of the platform .
With the proliferation of these types of listings in the wake of the pandemic , Amazon had to temporarily shut down its third-party marketplace and restrict the types of products that are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aren ’ t as widespread or egregious as before ― items like fake cures and testing kits have essentially been eliminated ― but you ’ ll still come across shoddy face masks , sanitizers that don ’ t meet the CDC ’ s guidelines for effectiveness and other products with questionable claims .
( HuffPost reached out to Amazon for comment regarding what measures it ’ s currently taking to prevent these types of potentially fraudulent or misleading listings , but the company did not respond . )
One of the most common @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical supplies , including masks and face shields .
Some medical masks , for example , are listed for sale by poorly rated sellers that have been flagged by Fakespot for fake reviews .
The problem with these types of listings is that the products can be overpriced , claim to be more effective than they really are or may actually be used , according to Gross .
Amazon has many listings for UV light sanitizer devices .
However , “ many of these devices are cheap fakes that lack the power or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Alex Magnin , founder of The Unwinder , which recently published a guide to evaluating UV light sanitizers .
“ People are buying and using these products based on the trustworthiness of Amazon , but are not , in fact , killing bacteria and viruses on their phones , pocket goods and household items.
” Also , beware any UV sanitizing product that ’ s designed for use on your skin .
“ We know that powerful UV light can be used to disinfect surfaces that have been exposed to COVID-19 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ product that blasts your skin with UV light , as this can cause skin cancer , ” said Michael Bonebright , consumer analyst with DealNews .
Avoid anything that claims it can cure the coronavirus .
“ Stay away from any product that claims to cure or prevent COVID-19 .
That ’ s the most obvious sign of a scam as nothing has been proven to prevent or cure the coronavirus , ” Bonebright said .
And because fake coronavirus cures aren ’ t tested or vetted by any authoritative organization , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harm you .
Examine the photos .
Another big giveaway of a fake product is the imagery , according to Gross .
For example , the seller may use images that appear across multiple listings from various sites or that don ’ t match the actual product .
“ If the images are off , if something doesn ’ t seem right ... run , ” he said .
Find out how long shipping takes .
Because the coronavirus originated in China , there has been backlash ( likely unwarranted ) over products @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their listings ignored in favor of products from the U.S. , Gross said some third-party sellers in Asia will say items are “ based in the USA ” or “ shipped from the USA ” when they ’ re actually not .
Check seller ratings .
Another easy way to avoid getting duped is to review feedback that customers leave for the seller , not just for the product .
“ Actually take the extra 10 seconds to look at the seller , ” Gross said .
If the seller has poor feedback @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them .
“ There are so many great sellers on Amazon that actually deliver what they promise .
”

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With the coronavirus pandemic still in effect, consumers have turned to online retailers for supplies they can’t find in stores. But buying items online, especially those that claim to prevent or treat COVID-19, can be a risky move.
Amazon, the largest e-commerce retailer, has been criticized in the past for allowing vendors to sell defective or counterfeit products on its platform. At the start of the current health crisis, that problem became even more apparent. In late February, the company barred more than a million items from sale on its third-party marketplace due to price gouging and false claims related to COVID-19.
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But that doesn’t mean the website is now completely free of fraudulent or misleading product listings. Here’s what you need to know before buying from Amazon, especially products that supposedly protect against the coronavirus.
Anti-COVID Products To Avoid On Amazon
“Before the crackdown, it was really bad,” said Robert Gross, co-founder and COO of Fakespot, a browser plugin that identifies fake product reviews and low-quality sellers. He said there were people selling fake N95 masks, expired masks, herbal remedies and vitamins that claimed to cure COVID-19, and other overpriced, fake or misleading products.
These products weren’t being offered by Amazon directly, but rather by its third-party sellers. As of 2018, 58% of physical products sold through Amazon were from third parties, and Amazon benefits because it doesn’t pay for this inventory upfront. “It’s a really effective way to have enough inventory all around the world ... an unlimited supply of inventory from these third-party sellers,” Gross added.
The drawback is that it provides an opportunity for scammers to take advantage of the platform. With the proliferation of these types of listings in the wake of the pandemic, Amazon had to temporarily shut down its third-party marketplace and restrict the types of products that are allowed to be sold.
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“Now the problem has resurfaced because they let third-party sellers back on the platform, and they have taken off [some of] the restrictions from COVID products,” Gross said.
“Stay away from any product that claims to cure or prevent COVID-19. That’s the most obvious sign of a scam.” - Michael Bonebright, consumer analyst with DealNews
Misleading listings aren’t as widespread or egregious as before ― items like fake cures and testing kits have essentially been eliminated ― but you’ll still come across shoddy face masks, sanitizers that don’t meet the CDC’s guidelines for effectiveness and other products with questionable claims. (HuffPost reached out to Amazon for comment regarding what measures it’s currently taking to prevent these types of potentially fraudulent or misleading listings, but the company did not respond.)
“You might find one or two people trying to get around the system, but Amazon has been very vigilant about shutting those [types of] listings down,” Gross noted. “Unfortunately, problems still exist because these are just general problems with Amazon overall.”
When shopping on Amazon, it’s important to remain skeptical, especially when it comes to the following types of coronavirus-related products:
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1. Counterfeit and used medical supplies
One of the most common categories for misleading or fake products is medical supplies, including masks and face shields. Some medical masks, for example, are listed for sale by poorly rated sellers that have been flagged by Fakespot for fake reviews. The problem with these types of listings is that the products can be overpriced, claim to be more effective than they really are or may actually be used, according to Gross.
2. Ineffective or counterfeit sanitizing products
When it comes to products like hand sanitizer and wipes, it’s crucial that they meet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines for effectiveness. Unfortunately, a lot of the products sold online don’t.
A study by online brand protection software provider Incopro found 272% growth in listings of fake hygiene-related products on e-commerce marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay and Wish in the first quarter of 2020, compared to the equivalent period in 2019.
“Purchasing these products increases health risks due to consumers believing they are protecting themselves when the products have not been properly tested and are likely to be ineffective,” the press release stated.
3. Ineffective UV sanitizer lights
Amazon has many listings for UV light sanitizer devices. However, “many of these devices are cheap fakes that lack the power or spectrum-specificity to work at all,” said Alex Magnin, founder of The Unwinder, which recently published a guide to evaluating UV light sanitizers. “People are buying and using these products based on the trustworthiness of Amazon, but are not, in fact, killing bacteria and viruses on their phones, pocket goods and household items.”
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Magnin noted that there are multiple listings with images that depict cheap and/or underpowered LEDs. We found one listing (which has since been removed) that claimed to make the “encironment [sic] safe within 10 seconds” despite no disclosure of wattage and poor positioning of the LEDs.
Also, beware any UV sanitizing product that’s designed for use on your skin. “We know that powerful UV light can be used to disinfect surfaces that have been exposed to COVID-19. However, you should not buy any product that blasts your skin with UV light, as this can cause skin cancer,” said Michael Bonebright, consumer analyst with DealNews.
4. Vitamins, supplements and oils
You should avoid any health product with claims that it can prevent or treat coronavirus. “Not a single vitamin, supplement or medication has been proven to prevent or cure COVID-19,” Bonebright said.
When it comes to products that fall under the purview of the Federal Drug Administration, there is an extensive guide to what the agency does and does not approve.
“In particular, if a supplement or food claims to affect the structure or function of the human body without evidence, be aware that the FDA doesn’t approve these statements,” Bonebright said.
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For example, if a vitamin C supplement’s label says it protects against scurvy, the statement is OK because studies have proven this to be true, he explained. However, if a Vitamin C label says it protects against coronavirus, the claim is false and against FDA rules.
5. “Informational” books
If you search for coronavirus treatments on Amazon, you’ll likely find several books in the results. However, these generally aren’t worthwhile publications.
“People are selling books about the ‘COVID cure’ or the ‘COVID story,’” Gross said. “What they are is basically articles people have taken off the internet and put in a PDF.”
In other words, these types of publications aren’t written by experts and don’t necessarily contain vetted information.
“Not a single vitamin, supplement or medication has been proven to prevent or cure COVID-19.” - Bonebright
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How To Spot A Shady Amazon Listing
Though Amazon has some measures in place to catch scammers and misleading product listings, they’re not foolproof. That means it’s up to you to use your best judgment when shopping on Amazon (or any other online retailer). Here’s what to look out for.
Avoid anything that claims it can cure the coronavirus. “Stay away from any product that claims to cure or prevent COVID-19. That’s the most obvious sign of a scam as nothing has been proven to prevent or cure the coronavirus,” Bonebright said. And because fake coronavirus cures aren’t tested or vetted by any authoritative organization, there’s a chance they could actually harm you.
Examine the photos. Another big giveaway of a fake product is the imagery, according to Gross. For example, the seller may use images that appear across multiple listings from various sites or that don’t match the actual product. “If the images are off, if something doesn’t seem right ... run,” he said.
Double-check the listing’s URL. Gross said that a common practice among fraudulent sellers is to buy existing listings for unrelated products that have a lot of positive reviews and simply swap out the product title and images. They instantly have thousands of glowing reviews, but for something other than what they’re actually selling.
By the time you realize you bought a faulty product, they’re gone. One way to easily check if this is happening is to examine the listing’s URL. If you’re shopping for face masks, for example, but keywords in the URL are a book title or something else completely unrelated, it’s likely a fake or ineffective product.
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Find out how long shipping takes. Because the coronavirus originated in China, there has been backlash (likely unwarranted) over products shipped from China. To avoid having their listings ignored in favor of products from the U.S., Gross said some third-party sellers in Asia will say items are “based in the USA” or “shipped from the USA” when they’re actually not.
That could be a sign that the seller is willing to stretch the truth on other details, too. “If the shipping is not Prime, and it’s going to take a month to get your product, see where it’s coming from,” Gross said.
Check seller ratings. Another easy way to avoid getting duped is to review feedback that customers leave for the seller, not just for the product. “Actually take the extra 10 seconds to look at the seller,” Gross said. If the seller has poor feedback, you shouldn’t buy from them. “There are so many great sellers on Amazon that actually deliver what they promise.”
Be wary of new sellers. “There’s not necessarily anything wrong with new sellers, but sometimes a new seller is a sign that someone got kicked off the platform and they’re coming back to do another scam,” Gross said.
We found a listing for a basic plastic face shield (listed at a whopping $189.99) that was posted by a new seller that primarily sells baby clothes — a reason to be cautious.
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Look out for price-gouging. In addition to Fakespot, there are other free tools you can use to uncover potentially fake or misleading Amazon listings, including ones that gouge prices to take advantage of panic surrounding the virus.
One is Keepa, which tracks the price history on Amazon listings. If a product’s price suddenly spikes, it’s a sign that the seller is going against Amazon’s rules and engaging in predatory pricing ― a sign they aren’t trustworthy.


huffpost--2020-06-09--U.S. Navy Test Shows 60% Of Carrier Crew Have Coronavirus Antibodies

WASHINGTON ( Reuters ) — A U.S. Navy investigation into the spread of the coronavirus aboard the Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier has found that about 60 percent of sailors tested had antibodies for the virus , two U.S. officials told Reuters on Monday , suggesting a far higher infection rate than previously known .
In April , the Navy and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) started conducting serology tests to look for the presence of specific antibodies that are created by the immune system ’ s attack response to the presence of the virus and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of time .
More than 1,100 aboard tested positive for the virus as of April , less than 25 percent of the crew .
The spread of the virus on the ship put into motion a series of events that led to the captain of the ship being relieved of his command after the leak of a letter he wrote calling on the Navy for stronger measures to protect the crew .
One sailor from the ship died from the coronavirus and several others were hospitalized .
But broadly , sailors , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better than the general population and most showed no symptoms whatsoever .
The officials , speaking on the condition of anonymity , said that about 400 volunteers participated in the serology tests , lower than the 1,000 volunteers that were sought , but enough to provide statistically relevant data about how the virus spread aboard one of world ’ s largest warships .
The serology test results appear to track closely with data from the Roosevelt in early April , which showed that 60 percent of the sailors who were testing positive for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were in fact symptom-free .
The CDC has said that definitive data is lacking on whether individuals with antibodies are protected against reinfection from the coronavirus .
In addition to the serology tests , volunteers were also swabbed again for COVID-19 , the respiratory disease caused by the virus , as well as asked to answer a short survey .
Modly resigned after a series of events , including his going aboard the carrier and questioning Crozier ’ s character in a speech to the Roosevelt ’ s crew , which was leaked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ completed a broader review into the events leading to Crozier ’ s firing and is expected to release the results of that investigation in the coming weeks .

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) — A U.S. Navy investigation into the spread of the coronavirus aboard the Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier has found that about 60 percent of sailors tested had antibodies for the virus, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Monday, suggesting a far higher infection rate than previously known.
In April, the Navy and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) started conducting serology tests to look for the presence of specific antibodies that are created by the immune system’s attack response to the presence of the virus and remain in the blood for a period of time.
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More than 1,100 aboard tested positive for the virus as of April, less than 25 percent of the crew.
The spread of the virus on the ship put into motion a series of events that led to the captain of the ship being relieved of his command after the leak of a letter he wrote calling on the Navy for stronger measures to protect the crew.
One sailor from the ship died from the coronavirus and several others were hospitalized. But broadly, sailors, who are generally healthier and younger, faired better than the general population and most showed no symptoms whatsoever.
The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that about 400 volunteers participated in the serology tests, lower than the 1,000 volunteers that were sought, but enough to provide statistically relevant data about how the virus spread aboard one of world’s largest warships.
The Roosevelt has about 4,800 personnel on the ship.
The officials said a formal announcement was expected as early as Tuesday.
The Navy declined to comment.
The serology test results appear to track closely with data from the Roosevelt in early April, which showed that 60 percent of the sailors who were testing positive for the virus itself — not antibodies — were in fact symptom-free.
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Medical groups, such as the American Medical Association, have warned that serology tests can lead to false positives.
The CDC has said that definitive data is lacking on whether individuals with antibodies are protected against reinfection from the coronavirus.
In addition to the serology tests, volunteers were also swabbed again for COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus, as well as asked to answer a short survey.
Captain Brett Crozier was fired by the Navy’s top civilian, then-acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly, against the recommendations of uniformed leaders.
Modly resigned after a series of events, including his going aboard the carrier and questioning Crozier’s character in a speech to the Roosevelt’s crew, which was leaked to the media.
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The Navy has completed a broader review into the events leading to Crozier’s firing and is expected to release the results of that investigation in the coming weeks.


huffpost--2020-04-24--Trump Claims He Was 'Sarcastically' Pitching Disinfectant As COVID-19 Cure

“ Suppose you can bring the light inside the body , ” Trump pondered aloud on Thursday .
But Trump @ @ @ @ @ talking about using disinfectant on hands , not inside the body .
“ I do @ @ @ @ @ could have a very good effect , ” he said when asked about his injection @ @

“Suppose you can bring the light inside the body,” Trump pondered aloud on Thursday.
But Trump insisted Friday that he was talking about using disinfectant on hands, not inside the body.
“I do think disinfectant on the hands could have a very good effect,” he said when asked about his injection comments.


huffpost--2020-06-07--American Police Are At War With Democracy Itself

Ira L. Black - Corbis via Getty Images The protests that have swept U.S. cities began as a denouncement of police brutality .
But what is happening in our streets has become a political power struggle over the legitimacy of democratic government itself .
American schoolchildren learn at an early age that the federal government has three branches intended to check and balance each other : legislative , executive and judicial .
Over the past two weeks , we have witnessed a fourth unelected branch assert its supremacy over all others : the police .
The protests that have swept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police brutality .
But what is happening in our streets has become a political power struggle over the legitimacy of democratic government itself .
On one side are the police , asserting the right to ignore any command from democratically elected officials if they so please .
On the other side are the people , demanding democracy and respect .
Police in city after city have made it very clear that they simply do not care if they are exposed as lawless brutes .
On Thursday night alone , police in Buffalo , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the ground and left him motionless , blood spilling from his ear and pooling around him , while police in Indianapolis groped a woman ’ s breasts and beat her savagely with batons .
Images of police cruelty and contempt for the law poured out of New York , Los Angeles , Chicago and several other cities .
The police violence is not restricted to Black protesters , or even protesters in general .
On Saturday night , officers in Brooklyn brutalized a hospital worker walking home from his job of managing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ID smeared with blood .
Police are arresting journalists , legal observers and even food deliverers — all of whom are permitted to be on the streets after locally imposed curfews — just for doing their jobs .
All of these actions were not only outrageous , but flagrantly illegal , and dozens of similar horror stories are emerging every night .
The police know the whole world is watching , and the message they are sending is very clear : We ’ re in charge , not your laws or your elected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is disgraceful .
There ’ s something profound about witnessing it erupt across the country around the anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre in Beijing , where the Chinese government rolled out tanks and murdered thousands of peacefully protesting students .
Police in U.S. cities today are not standing up for law and order — they are expressing violent contempt for democracy itself .
For a long time , police have dismissed documented cases of abuse as the excesses of “ a few bad apples , ” insisting to the public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who want to live in harmony with their communities .
This crisis has rendered that excuse simply laughable .
In dozens of cities , police are all doing the same things ― beating citizens for the sake of beating them , and publicly demonstrating their eagerness to flout the law and democratic will .
In the face of this assault on the nation ’ s democratic traditions , Democrats and Republicans alike have been exposed as either cowards or as figureheads without real power .
On Thursday , New York Gov .
Andrew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by denying that documented cases of police aggression had in fact taken place at all : “ Police bludgeon peaceful protesters with batons for no reason ?
That ’ s not a fact .
They don ’ t do that .
Anyone who did do that would be obviously reprehensible if not criminal.
” New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has been reduced to a laughingstock , drawing boos and jeers at public appearances where he carries on at length about his “ white privilege ” but refuses to take any substantive action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who at least nominally report to him .
The grim fact is that police have historically exercised authoritarian dominion over Black neighborhoods all over the country .
What ’ s been happening the last couple of weeks is an attempt by the police to expand their jurisdiction deeper into American life .
As David Stein , a historian of mass incarceration at the University of California Los Angeles , observed : “ The police are extending their authoritarian jurisdiction — from South Los Angeles and Skid Row , to everyone allied with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” And it is happening in nearly every city , large and small , extending even into the pleasant , gentrified urban playgrounds of the upper-middle class .
Americans who were able to look the other way on police abuse for decades will not be able think about the police in the same way whenever this crisis eventually passes .
The police are not only at war with mayors , governors , legislators and city councils ― they are at war with the American people and the very idea of America as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of its very obvious flaws , the United States does have strong democratic traditions .
Even the far-right fringe in our country uses the language of freedom , liberty and democracy to defend its values and ideas .
Democracy in this country will not go down without a fight .
But the only people who can save a democratic vision for America are the people themselves , in the streets , night after night .
It is a fight they can not afford to lose .

American schoolchildren learn at an early age that the federal government has three branches intended to check and balance each other: legislative, executive and judicial. Over the past two weeks, we have witnessed a fourth unelected branch assert its supremacy over all others: the police.
The protests that have swept U.S. cities began as a denouncement of police brutality. But what is happening in our streets has become a political power struggle over the legitimacy of democratic government itself. On one side are the police, asserting the right to ignore any command from democratically elected officials if they so please. On the other side are the people, demanding democracy and respect.
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Police in city after city have made it very clear that they simply do not care if they are exposed as lawless brutes. On Thursday night alone, police in Buffalo, New York, shoved a 75-year-old man to the ground and left him motionless, blood spilling from his ear and pooling around him, while police in Indianapolis groped a woman’s breasts and beat her savagely with batons. Images of police cruelty and contempt for the law poured out of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and several other cities.
The police violence is not restricted to Black protesters, or even protesters in general. On Saturday night, officers in Brooklyn brutalized a hospital worker walking home from his job of managing the COVID-19 crisis, leaving his hospital ID smeared with blood. Police are arresting journalists, legal observers and even food deliverers — all of whom are permitted to be on the streets after locally imposed curfews — just for doing their jobs.
All of these actions were not only outrageous, but flagrantly illegal, and dozens of similar horror stories are emerging every night. The police know the whole world is watching, and the message they are sending is very clear: We’re in charge, not your laws or your elected officials.
This is authoritarianism. And it is disgraceful. There’s something profound about witnessing it erupt across the country around the anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre in Beijing, where the Chinese government rolled out tanks and murdered thousands of peacefully protesting students. Police in U.S. cities today are not standing up for law and order — they are expressing violent contempt for democracy itself.
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For a long time, police have dismissed documented cases of abuse as the excesses of “a few bad apples,” insisting to the public that officers are generally an upright bunch who want to live in harmony with their communities. This crisis has rendered that excuse simply laughable. In dozens of cities, police are all doing the same things ― beating citizens for the sake of beating them, and publicly demonstrating their eagerness to flout the law and democratic will.
In the face of this assault on the nation’s democratic traditions, Democrats and Republicans alike have been exposed as either cowards or as figureheads without real power. On Thursday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) publicly humiliated himself by denying that documented cases of police aggression had in fact taken place at all: “Police bludgeon peaceful protesters with batons for no reason? That’s not a fact. They don’t do that. Anyone who did do that would be obviously reprehensible if not criminal.”
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has been reduced to a laughingstock, drawing boos and jeers at public appearances where he carries on at length about his “white privilege” but refuses to take any substantive action to restrain New York police officers, who at least nominally report to him.
The grim fact is that police have historically exercised authoritarian dominion over Black neighborhoods all over the country. What’s been happening the last couple of weeks is an attempt by the police to expand their jurisdiction deeper into American life. As David Stein, a historian of mass incarceration at the University of California Los Angeles, observed: “The police are extending their authoritarian jurisdiction — from South Los Angeles and Skid Row, to everyone allied with the people of South LA and Skid Row.” And it is happening in nearly every city, large and small, extending even into the pleasant, gentrified urban playgrounds of the upper-middle class.
Americans who were able to look the other way on police abuse for decades will not be able think about the police in the same way whenever this crisis eventually passes. The police are not only at war with mayors, governors, legislators and city councils ― they are at war with the American people and the very idea of America as a nation where citizens govern themselves.
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For all of its very obvious flaws, the United States does have strong democratic traditions. Even the far-right fringe in our country uses the language of freedom, liberty and democracy to defend its values and ideas. Democracy in this country will not go down without a fight. But the only people who can save a democratic vision for America are the people themselves, in the streets, night after night. It is a fight they cannot afford to lose.


huffpost--2020-06-07--K-Pop Group BTS Donates $1 Million To Black Lives Matter

Cindy Ord via Getty Images Jimin , Jungkook , RM , J-Hope , V , Jin , and SUGA of the K-pop boy band BTS visit the `` Today '' Show in February 21 , 2020 .
SEOUL ( Reuters ) - Popular South Korean band BTS donated $ 1 million to Black Lives Matter ( BLM ) in support of U.S. protests against police brutality , its music label , Big Hit Entertainment , told Reuters on Sunday .
On Thursday , the seven-member BTS wrote on its Twitter account that they are against racism and violence with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racial discrimination .
We condemn violence .
You , I and we all have the right to be respected .
We will stand together.
” The hashtag went viral among the K-pop group ’ s fans and started another wave of donations with a new hashtag , MatchAMillion .
The movement encouraged BTS ’ fan base , known as ARMY , an acronym for Adorable Representative MC for Youth , to match the $ 1 million donation the group made .
One Twitter account said , “ ARMYs , let ’ s # @ @ @ @ @ @ @ # BlackLivesMatter !
” The boyband suspended their world tour over coronavirus concerns in April .
The rolling , global protests reflect rising anger over police treatment of ethnic minorities , sparked by the May 25 killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis after a white officer detaining him knelt on his neck .

Jimin, Jungkook, RM, J-Hope, V, Jin, and SUGA of the K-pop boy band BTS visit the "Today" Show in February 21, 2020. Cindy Ord via Getty Images
SEOUL (Reuters) - Popular South Korean band BTS donated $1 million to Black Lives Matter (BLM) in support of U.S. protests against police brutality, its music label, Big Hit Entertainment, told Reuters on Sunday.
On Thursday, the seven-member BTS wrote on its Twitter account that they are against racism and violence with the hashtag BlackLivesMatter:
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“We stand against racial discrimination. We condemn violence. You, I and we all have the right to be respected. We will stand together.”
The hashtag went viral among the K-pop group’s fans and started another wave of donations with a new hashtag, MatchAMillion.
The movement encouraged BTS’ fan base, known as ARMY, an acronym for Adorable Representative MC for Youth, to match the $1 million donation the group made.
One Twitter account said, “ARMYs, let’s #MatchAMillion with BTS’s donation to #BlackLivesMatter!”
The boyband suspended their world tour over coronavirus concerns in April.
The rolling, global protests reflect rising anger over police treatment of ethnic minorities, sparked by the May 25 killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis after a white officer detaining him knelt on his neck.


huffpost--2020-06-07--Tropical Storm Cristobal Draws Closer To U.S. Gulf Coast

ASSOCIATED PRESS Recreational trailers and boats are parked along LA-46 inside the levee gates in anticipation of Tropical Storm Cristobal in St. Bernard Parish , La.
, Saturday , June 6 , 2020 .
( Max Becherer/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate ) NEW ORLEANS ( AP ) — Rain pounded the U.S. Gulf Coast on Sunday ahead of the arrival of Tropical Storm Cristobal , which has already spawned a tornado in Florida .
Roads flooded in coastal Louisiana and Mississippi , and thousands were without power even before the the storm made landfall .
It was expected to arrive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was not expected to grow into a hurricane .
Forecasters warned the storm would affect a wide area stretching roughly 180 miles ( 290 kilometers ) east into Florida .
But they forecast the worst impacts in southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi , where some spots could get up to 12 inches of rain and storm surges of several feet .
Tornadoes were also a danger .
Squalls with tropical-force winds reached the mouth of the Mississippi River by Sunday morning and conditions were expected to deteriorate , the National Hurricane Center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maximum sustained winds remained at 50 mph ( 85 kph ) , and it was moving north at 12 mph ( 19 kph ) , centered around 75 miles ( 125 kilometers ) south-southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River .
But the storm already made its presence felt Saturday evening with a tornado that touched down near downtown Orlando , the National Weather Service said .
The twister just missed a group of protesters at Lake Eola at around 7:30 p.m .
There appeared to be no injuries , but tree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were reports of power outages .
“ Yes , it is related to the tropical storm that is well to our west , ” said Scott Kelly , a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Melbourne , Florida .
“ But the tropical storm provided a lot of low level shear and that has allowed for some tornadoes to form over Central Florida.
” A tropical storm warning was posted for the northern Gulf of Mexico coast from Intracoastal City , Louisiana , to the Alabama-Florida border .
Storm surge warnings and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mississippi , with flooding up to 5 feet ( 1.5 meters ) expected in some places .
Forecasters said the storm ’ s center will move inland across Louisiana late Sunday through early Monday and then head north across Arkansas and Missouri on Monday afternoon and into Tuesday .
“ Now is the time to make your plans , which should include the traditional emergency items along with masks and hand sanitizer as we continue to battle the coronavirus pandemic , ” Edwards said in a statement released Thursday .
“ We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heavy rainfall and coastal flooding , ” Edwards said in a letter to the White House .
“ I anticipate the need for emergency protective measures , evacuations , and sheltering for the high-risk areas .
The length of possible inundation is unknown and will likely require post-flood activities.
” Jefferson Parish , a suburb of New Orleans , called for voluntary evacuations Saturday of Jean Lafitte , Lower Lafitte , Crown Point and Barataria because of the threat of storm surge , high tides and heavy rain .
Residents were urged to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher ground .
“ We want to make sure residents are safe as this storm approaches so we are taking all the necessary precautions to be fully prepared , ” Jean Lafitte Mayor Tim Kerner Jr. told The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate .

Recreational trailers and boats are parked along LA-46 inside the levee gates in anticipation of Tropical Storm Cristobal in St. Bernard Parish, La., Saturday, June 6, 2020. (Max Becherer/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate) ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Rain pounded the U.S. Gulf Coast on Sunday ahead of the arrival of Tropical Storm Cristobal, which has already spawned a tornado in Florida.
Roads flooded in coastal Louisiana and Mississippi, and thousands were without power even before the the storm made landfall. It was expected to arrive on U.S. soil late Sunday, though it was not expected to grow into a hurricane.
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Forecasters warned the storm would affect a wide area stretching roughly 180 miles (290 kilometers) east into Florida. But they forecast the worst impacts in southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi, where some spots could get up to 12 inches of rain and storm surges of several feet. Tornadoes were also a danger.
“It’s very efficient, very tropical rainfall,” National Hurricane Center Director Ken Graham said in a Facebook video. “It rains a whole bunch real quick.”
Squalls with tropical-force winds reached the mouth of the Mississippi River by Sunday morning and conditions were expected to deteriorate, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. Cristobal’s maximum sustained winds remained at 50 mph (85 kph), and it was moving north at 12 mph (19 kph), centered around 75 miles (125 kilometers) south-southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River.
But the storm already made its presence felt Saturday evening with a tornado that touched down near downtown Orlando, the National Weather Service said. The twister just missed a group of protesters at Lake Eola at around 7:30 p.m. There appeared to be no injuries, but tree limbs were knocked down, and there were reports of power outages.
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“Yes, it is related to the tropical storm that is well to our west,” said Scott Kelly, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Melbourne, Florida. “But the tropical storm provided a lot of low level shear and that has allowed for some tornadoes to form over Central Florida.”
A tropical storm warning was posted for the northern Gulf of Mexico coast from Intracoastal City, Louisiana, to the Alabama-Florida border. Storm surge warnings and watches were in effect in Louisiana and Mississippi, with flooding up to 5 feet (1.5 meters) expected in some places.
Forecasters said the storm’s center will move inland across Louisiana late Sunday through early Monday and then head north across Arkansas and Missouri on Monday afternoon and into Tuesday.
In Louisiana, Gov. John Bel Edwards has declared a state of emergency to prepare for the storm’s possible arrival.
“Now is the time to make your plans, which should include the traditional emergency items along with masks and hand sanitizer as we continue to battle the coronavirus pandemic,” Edwards said in a statement released Thursday.
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On Friday, he asked President Donald Trump to declare a pre-landfall emergency for the state due to the storm’s threat.
“We are confident that there will be widespread, heavy rainfall and coastal flooding,” Edwards said in a letter to the White House. “I anticipate the need for emergency protective measures, evacuations, and sheltering for the high-risk areas. The length of possible inundation is unknown and will likely require post-flood activities.”
Jefferson Parish, a suburb of New Orleans, called for voluntary evacuations Saturday of Jean Lafitte, Lower Lafitte, Crown Point and Barataria because of the threat of storm surge, high tides and heavy rain. Residents were urged to move vehicles, boats and campers to higher ground.
“We want to make sure residents are safe as this storm approaches so we are taking all the necessary precautions to be fully prepared,” Jean Lafitte Mayor Tim Kerner Jr. told The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate.
A similar order was issued Saturday for several Plaquemines Parish communities, including Happy Jack, Grand Bayou, Myrtle Grove, Lake Hertiage, Harlem and Monsecour. The parish’s president, Kirk Lepine, said the order was issued as a precaution.
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huffpost--2020-06-07--Some GOP Heavyweights Won't Vote To Reelect Trump: Report

Republican Voters Against Trump is lashing out against what ’ s filling the president ’ s time during the COVID-19 pandemic and nationwide anti-racist protests : “ Hiding in a security bunker .
Watching his shows .
Afraid .
Alone .
Not a leader , not a president , ” says the group ’ s new ad .
In a strange election year twist , it ’ s Republicans who oppose President Donald Trump who are regularly releasing new ads on social media .
Republican Voters Against Trump and The Lincoln Project , co-founded by lawyer George Conway , husband @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are putting out anti-Trump videos , like the latest one above , that often go viral .
But it ’ s not just organized Republican groups that aren ’ t going to vote to keep their party in the White House .
Some heavy hitters will likely also sit this one out .
The New York Times reported Saturday that former President George W. Bush won ’ t endorse — or vote for — Trump , though it ’ s not clear whether he ’ ll vote for Democrat Joe Biden , sources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a senior Bush aide told NBC News that the former president hasn ’ t indicated how he will vote .
Bush ’ s brother Jeb Bush , the former governor of Florida , isn ’ t yet sure how he ’ ll vote , according to the Times .
Sen. Mitt Romney ( R-Utah ) won ’ t vote for Trump , and may write in his wife Ann ’ s name .
Cindy McCain , widow of the late Sen. John McCain ( R-Ariz. ) , will likely vote for Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them voted for Trump last time , but since he is the incumbent , the calculations are different this time .
Rep. Francis Rooney ( R-Fla. ) , who served as Bush ’ s ambassador to the Vatican , told the Times that he is considering voting for the likely Democratic nominee , Joe Biden , because Trump is “ driving us all crazy .
”

Republican Voters Against Trump is lashing out against what’s filling the president’s time during the COVID-19 pandemic and nationwide anti-racist protests: “Hiding in a security bunker. Watching his shows. Afraid. Alone. Not a leader, not a president,” says the group’s new ad.
“It’s time for a competent president,” the spot concludes. “Let’s elect one.”
In a strange election year twist, it’s Republicans who oppose President Donald Trump who are regularly releasing new ads on social media. Republican Voters Against Trump and The Lincoln Project, co-founded by lawyer George Conway, husband of White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, are putting out anti-Trump videos, like the latest one above, that often go viral.
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But it’s not just organized Republican groups that aren’t going to vote to keep their party in the White House. Some heavy hitters will likely also sit this one out.
The New York Times reported Saturday that former President George W. Bush won’t endorse — or vote for — Trump, though it’s not clear whether he’ll vote for Democrat Joe Biden, sources say.
In response to the report, a senior Bush aide told NBC News that the former president hasn’t indicated how he will vote.
Bush’s brother Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida, isn’t yet sure how he’ll vote, according to the Times.
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Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) won’t vote for Trump, and may write in his wife Ann’s name. Cindy McCain, widow of the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), will likely vote for Biden, the Times reported.
None of them voted for Trump last time, but since he is the incumbent, the calculations are different this time.


huffpost--2020-06-07--Thousands In Europe Rally Against Racism, Police Brutality

ASSOCIATED PRESS People gather calling for justice for George Floyd , who died May 25 after being restrained by police in Minneapolis , USA , in Rome 's Piazza del Popolo square , Sunday , June 7 , 2020 .
( AP Photo/Andrew Medichini ) BERLIN ( AP ) — Thousands of people took to the streets of Barcelona , Madrid and Rome on Sunday in support of the Black Lives Matter movement , which has drawn large protests against racism and police brutality around the world .
The rally in Rome ’ s sprawling People ’ s Square was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of protesters wearing masks to protect against coronavirus .
Participants listened to speeches and held up handmade placards saying “ Black Lives Matter ” and “ It ’ s a White Problem.
” The rally came a day after largely peaceful anti-racism protests took place in cities from Australia to Europe to the U.S. in response to the May 25 death of American George Floyd .
More demonstrations were being held Sunday across the U.K. , including one outside the U.S. Embassy in London just south of the River Thames .
In Berlin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in connection with a demonstration in the German capital on Saturday — most of them after the main rally of 15,000 had ended .
Police said several officers and one press photographer were injured in Berlin when bottles and rocks were thrown from a crowd that had gathered despite police orders to clear the city ’ s Alexander Square .
In Britain , the country ’ s most senior police chief said 14 officers were injured Saturday during clashes with protesters in central London that followed a largely peaceful Black Lives Matter demonstration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dick , the Metropolitan Police Commissioner , said the assaults on officers were “ shocking and completely unacceptable.
” She said a number of arrests have been made and “ justice will follow.
” Video footage online showed one police officer colliding with a traffic light when her horse appeared to have bolted .
The Met Police said the officer was taken to the hospital and her injuries are not life-threatening .
In Frances ’ southern port city of Marseille , police fired tear gas and pepper spray in skirmishes with protesters who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been an emotional yet peaceful demonstration .
The Marseille protest was one of several Saturday that attracted 23,000 people across France , where Floyd ’ s death has shone a spotlight on similar French police abuses and given voice to complaints from minorities that they are frequent targets of harassment and worse from French police .
In Hong Kong , about 20 people staged a rally in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement on Sunday outside the U.S. consulate in the semi-autonomous Chinese city .
“ It ’ s a global issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 28-year-old British citizen living in Hong Kong .
“ We have to remind ourselves despite all we see going on in the U.S. and in the other parts of the world , black lives do indeed matter.
” Organizers called off the Hong Kong rally late Saturday because of the city ’ s coronavirus restrictions .
Those that still showed up gathered in groups of eight to follow size limits on public gatherings .
Among those at Sunday ’ s rally in Rome was 26-year-old Ghanaian Abdul Nassir , who is studying for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Italian capital ’ s public universities .
“ It ’ s quite unfortunate , you know , in this current 21st century that people of color are being treated as if they are lepers , ’ ’ Nassir told The Associated Press .
He said he occasionally has felt racist attitudes , most notably when riding the subway .
“ Maybe you ’ re finding a place to stand , and people just keep moving ( away ) and you ’ ll be , like , ‘ What ?
’ ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strong people but sometimes everyone has a limit .
”

People gather calling for justice for George Floyd, who died May 25 after being restrained by police in Minneapolis, USA, in Rome's Piazza del Popolo square, Sunday, June 7, 2020. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) ASSOCIATED PRESS
BERLIN (AP) — Thousands of people took to the streets of Barcelona, Madrid and Rome on Sunday in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, which has drawn large protests against racism and police brutality around the world.
The rally in Rome’s sprawling People’s Square was noisy but peaceful, with the majority of protesters wearing masks to protect against coronavirus. Participants listened to speeches and held up handmade placards saying “Black Lives Matter” and “It’s a White Problem.”
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The rally came a day after largely peaceful anti-racism protests took place in cities from Australia to Europe to the U.S. in response to the May 25 death of American George Floyd.
Floyd, a black man, died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee on his neck even after he pleaded for air while lying handcuffed on the ground.
More demonstrations were being held Sunday across the U.K., including one outside the U.S. Embassy in London just south of the River Thames.
In Berlin, police said 93 people were detained in connection with a demonstration in the German capital on Saturday — most of them after the main rally of 15,000 had ended.
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Police said several officers and one press photographer were injured in Berlin when bottles and rocks were thrown from a crowd that had gathered despite police orders to clear the city’s Alexander Square.
A protester wears a face mask in front of the U.S. embassy, during the Black Lives Matter protest rally in London, Sunday, June 7, 2020. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) ASSOCIATED PRESS
In Britain, the country’s most senior police chief said 14 officers were injured Saturday during clashes with protesters in central London that followed a largely peaceful Black Lives Matter demonstration attended by tens of thousands.
Cressida Dick, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, said the assaults on officers were “shocking and completely unacceptable.” She said a number of arrests have been made and “justice will follow.”
The clashes broke out in the early evening near the Downing Street office of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
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Video footage online showed one police officer colliding with a traffic light when her horse appeared to have bolted. The Met Police said the officer was taken to the hospital and her injuries are not life-threatening.
In Frances’ southern port city of Marseille, police fired tear gas and pepper spray in skirmishes with protesters who hurled bottles and rocks after what had been an emotional yet peaceful demonstration.
The Marseille protest was one of several Saturday that attracted 23,000 people across France, where Floyd’s death has shone a spotlight on similar French police abuses and given voice to complaints from minorities that they are frequent targets of harassment and worse from French police.
A protester looks up at a sign that reads "Black Lives Matter" in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, June 6, 2020, during a protest against the recent death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) ASSOCIATED PRESS
In Hong Kong, about 20 people staged a rally in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement on Sunday outside the U.S. consulate in the semi-autonomous Chinese city.
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“It’s a global issue,” said Quinland Anderson, a 28-year-old British citizen living in Hong Kong. “We have to remind ourselves despite all we see going on in the U.S. and in the other parts of the world, black lives do indeed matter.”
Organizers called off the Hong Kong rally late Saturday because of the city’s coronavirus restrictions. Those that still showed up gathered in groups of eight to follow size limits on public gatherings.
Among those at Sunday’s rally in Rome was 26-year-old Ghanaian Abdul Nassir, who is studying for a masters in business management at one of the Italian capital’s public universities.
“It’s quite unfortunate, you know, in this current 21st century that people of color are being treated as if they are lepers,’’ Nassir told The Associated Press. He said he occasionally has felt racist attitudes, most notably when riding the subway.
“Maybe you’re finding a place to stand, and people just keep moving (away) and you’ll be, like, ‘What?’” Nassir said: “We’re strong people but sometimes everyone has a limit.”
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Rome’s first major rally against racism had many organizers, including a 25-year-old Roman student, Denise Berhane, a group called Black Italians, a women’s group, the environmental group Fridays for Future Rome, a U.S. expatriates’ organization and the Sardines, a grassroots Italian protest group that encourages civic involvement.
Asked by broadcaster SKYTG24 whether Italy has a racism problem, Berhane replied: “There are some problems in the country if all these people turned out.”
The gathering was useful, she said, to help people develop awareness of the problem.
At one point, the protesters, most of them young and some with children or siblings, took the knee and raised a fist in solidarity with those fighting racism and police brutality.
___
Pylas reported from London and D’Emilio from Rome. Joseph Wilson in Barcelona, Spain, Katie Tam in Hong Kong, John Leicester in Paris and Daniel Cole in Marseille, France, contributed to this report.
___


huffpost--2020-06-07--New York City Curfew Lifts Early Following Peaceful Protests

NEW YORK ( AP ) — New York City lifted the curfew spurred by protests against police brutality ahead of schedule Sunday after a peaceful night , free of the clashes or ransacking of stores that rocked the city days earlier .
“ I want to thank everybody who has expressed their views peacefully , ” Mayor Bill de Blasio said Sunday morning .
“ I made the decision to end the curfew .
And honestly , I hope it ’ s the last time we will ever need a curfew in New York City.
” The 8 p.m. citywide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in decades , had been set to remain in effect through at least Sunday , with officials planning to lift it at the same time the city enters the first phase of reopening after nearly three months of shutdowns because of the coronavirus .
The move followed New York City police pulling back on enforcing the curfew Saturday as thousands took to the streets for another day of marches and rallies sparked by the May 25 death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police .
The mayor said police had arrested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the whole day .
More than two hours after the curfew had passed Saturday night , groups of demonstrators continued to march in Manhattan and Brooklyn , while police monitored them but took a hands-off approach .
Local politicians and civil liberties advocates had called for an end to the 8 p.m. curfew , complaining that it causes needless friction when officers try to enforce it .
But de Blasio had initially insisted the curfew would remain in place throughout the weekend .
The end of the curfew comes as New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday , including manufacturing and construction companies , wholesalers and retailers .
Retailers won ’ t be allowed to have customers inside for another couple of weeks , but can let people pick up merchandise on the sidewalk or have it delivered .
Between 200,000 and 400,000 people are expected to head back to the workplace Monday in the city , many taking a subway system that most New Yorkers have avoided since March because of the difficulty of staying 6feet away from other , potentially infected passengers .
New York Gov .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the protest marches to get tested for the coronavirus , saying they have a “ civic duty ” to do so .
“ Be responsible , get a test , ” he said Thursday .

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NEW YORK (AP) — New York City lifted the curfew spurred by protests against police brutality ahead of schedule Sunday after a peaceful night, free of the clashes or ransacking of stores that rocked the city days earlier.
“I want to thank everybody who has expressed their views peacefully,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said Sunday morning. “I made the decision to end the curfew. And honestly, I hope it’s the last time we will ever need a curfew in New York City.”
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The 8 p.m. citywide curfew, New York’s first in decades, had been set to remain in effect through at least Sunday, with officials planning to lift it at the same time the city enters the first phase of reopening after nearly three months of shutdowns because of the coronavirus.
The move followed New York City police pulling back on enforcing the curfew Saturday as thousands took to the streets for another day of marches and rallies sparked by the May 25 death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.
The mayor said police had arrested four people and issued 24 court summonses in the whole day.
More than two hours after the curfew had passed Saturday night, groups of demonstrators continued to march in Manhattan and Brooklyn, while police monitored them but took a hands-off approach.
Local politicians and civil liberties advocates had called for an end to the 8 p.m. curfew, complaining that it causes needless friction when officers try to enforce it. But de Blasio had initially insisted the curfew would remain in place throughout the weekend.
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The end of the curfew comes as New York City prepares to begin reopening some businesses Monday, including manufacturing and construction companies, wholesalers and retailers. Retailers won’t be allowed to have customers inside for another couple of weeks, but can let people pick up merchandise on the sidewalk or have it delivered.
Between 200,000 and 400,000 people are expected to head back to the workplace Monday in the city, many taking a subway system that most New Yorkers have avoided since March because of the difficulty of staying 6feet away from other, potentially infected passengers.


huffpost--2020-06-07--Protest Records Show Scant Evidence Of Trump's Bogus Antifa Claims

Lt. Andy Knotz of the Anoka County Sheriff ’ s Office , whose deputies were deployed from the suburban county @ @ @ @ @ city to help with the unrest , said it was a “ chaotic scene ” @ @ @ @ @ from the direction of the protests .
Knotz said Ortiz was removed from his car @ @ @ @ @ , and an Anoka deputy took him to the police station .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Scott Nichols, a balloon artist, was riding home on his scooter from the protests engulfing Minneapolis last weekend when he was struck by a rubber bullet fired from a cluster of police officers in riot gear.
“I just pulled over and put my hands up, because I didn’t want to get killed,” said Nichols, 40. “Anybody that knows me knows I wasn’t out there to cause problems.”
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Nichols, who before the coronavirus pandemic made his living performing at children’s birthday parties under the stage name “Amazing Scott,” spent two days in jail before being released, facing criminal charges of riot and curfew violation.
President Donald Trump has characterized those clashing with law enforcement after George Floyd’s death under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer as organized, radical-left thugs engaging in domestic terrorism, an assertion repeated by Attorney General William Barr. Some Democrats, including Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, initially tried to blame out-of-state far-right infiltrators for the unrest before walking back those statements.
There is scant evidence either is true.
The Associated Press analyzed court records, employment histories, social media posts and other sources of information for 217 people arrested last weekend in Minneapolis and the District of Columbia, two cities at the epicenter of the protests across the United States.
Rather than outside agitators, more than 85% of those arrested by police were local residents. Of those charged with such offenses as curfew violations, rioting and failure to obey law enforcement, only a handful appeared to have any affiliation with organized groups.
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Those charged with more serious offenses related to looting and property destruction – such as arson, burglary and theft – often had past criminal records. But they, too, were overwhelmingly local residents taking advantage of the chaos.
Social media posts indicate only a few of those arrested are left-leaning activists, including a self-described anarchist. But others had indications of being on the political right, including some Trump supporters.
The president has tried to portray the protesters and looters with a broad brush as “radical-left, bad people,” ominously invoking the name “antifa,” an umbrella term for leftist militants bound more by belief than organizational structure. Trump tweeted last Sunday that he planned to designate antifa as a terrorist organization.
“These are acts of domestic terror,” Trump said in a Rose Garden speech Monday, moments after heavily armed troops and riot police advanced without warning on the largely peaceful protesters across the street from the White House.
Barr, put in charge of organizing the police and military response, activated the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force last weekend to target protest organizers.
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“The violence instigated and carried out by Antifa and other similar groups in connection with the rioting is domestic terrorism and will be treated accordingly,” Barr said in a statement issued Sunday.
There have been violent acts, including property destruction and theft. Police officers and protesters have been seriously injured and killed. But federal law enforcement officials have offered little evidence that antifa-aligned protesters could be behind a movement that has appeared nearly simultaneously in hundreds of cities and towns in all 50 states since Floyd’s death.
The AP obtained copies of daily confidential “Intelligence Notes” distributed this past week to local enforcement by the Department of Homeland Security that repeat, without citing evidence, that “organized violent opportunists — including suspected anarchist extremists — could increasingly perpetrate nationwide targeting of law enforcement and critical infrastructure.”
“We lack detailed reporting indicating the level of organization and planning by some violent opportunists and assess that most of the violence to date has been loosely organized on a level seen with previous widespread outbreaks of violence at lawful protests,” the assessment for Monday says.
The following day, the assessment noted “several uncorroborated reports of bricks being pre-staged at planned protest venues nationwide.”
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“Although we have been unable to verify the reporting through official channels, the staging of improvised weapons at planned events is a common tactic used by violent opportunists,” the Tuesday assessment says.
But social media posts warning that stacks of bricks have been left at protest sites in Atlanta, Boston and Los Angeles have been debunked by local officials who have explained that the masonry was out in the open before the protests or was for use in construction projects.
Nichols, the balloon artist, hardly fits the portrait of a radical.
He recently gained local notice for a giant balloon rabbit and other sculptures displayed in his front yard for Easter. He laughed when asked if he had any ties to antifa or other militant groups. A white man who lives less than a half mile from where Floyd was killed on May 25, Nichols said he protested to support of his neighbors, many of whom are black.
“It was the most insane thing I’ve seen in my life,” he said. “The city was going crazy.”
Nichols said he and a friend helped douse a dumpster fire near a laundromat. He remembers getting a text from his mother saying that Minneapolis had set an 8 p.m. curfew, but he thought it would be enforced loosely.
“Had I known that being out after curfew would be such a severe penalty, I would have never done it,” Nichols said, adding that he missed his son’s high school graduation while he was in jail.
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Lars Ortiz, a 35-year-old classical musician, said he was driving just blocks from his Minneapolis home on May 29 after visiting a friend recovering from COVID-19 when officers pulled him out of his car at gunpoint. He said he had been unaware of the 8 p.m. curfew enacted that night.
Ortiz and another friend in the car with him were put in zip-tie restraints and forced to wait on a bus for hours before police took them to jail, where he would spend the weekend.
“It was scary. It was confusing. I felt violated,” said Ortiz, a cellist who identifies as a biracial Mexican American.
Ortiz was held on a riot charge and curfew violation. He said he was told when he was released from jail on Monday the more serious rioting charge was dropped.
Lt. Andy Knotz of the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office, whose deputies were deployed from the suburban county north of Minneapolis into the city to help with the unrest, said it was a “chaotic scene” and that Ortiz was coming from the direction of the protests. Knotz said Ortiz was removed from his car by the Minnesota State Patrol, and an Anoka deputy took him to the police station.
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“In chaos like that you can’t determine who is legit and who isn’t,” Knotz said.
Natalie Cook, 43, who’s white, said she had never before participated in a protest, but wanted to be there to support and protect her 24-year-old son, who’s black.
“Not only did I want to go to be an ally to black people, but I wanted to go to support my son,” Cook said. “Also, I was afraid to send him out by himself.”
Cook said they were marching peacefully with about 100 protesters for hours when police started using tear gas and shooting rubber bullets. As they tried to get away, they were pepper sprayed and her son was hit at close range by a rubber bullet, she said. They were both jailed and released on Monday, charged with riot and violating curfew.
Cook said her son was deeply affected by Floyd’s death and she doesn’t have any regrets about going out to make their voices heard.
“My son was really struggling with it,” she said. “We couldn’t just sit by and watch.”
AP filed public records requests seeking arrest reports and other documents that might show what evidence law enforcement officers have against Nichols, Ortiz the Cooks and others arrested in Minneapolis. Those records have not yet been provided.
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In Washington, the D.C. Metropolitan Police arrested at least 81 people last weekend, including some as young as 13. Most were charged with curfew violations and felony rioting, which could result in up to 180 days in jail and $5,000 in fines.
Among the highest profile arrests made by federal authorities in the last week was Matthew Lee Rupert. Prosecutors allege the 28-year-old Illinois man traveled to Minneapolis to participate in riots and then posted videos on a Facebook page showing him looting stores and handing out explosives.
In one video, Rupert, a convicted felon, says: “We come to riot, boy! This is what we came for!”
Though Rupert is alleged to have targeted police officers, there is no evidence cited in his indictment he is affiliated with any organized group. Among the few indicators of his political beliefs was a series of Facebook posts celebrating Trump’s 2017 inauguration. “Trump is my president but I’m not racist,” he wrote, adding that he loves Mexican food.
Rupert, who made an initial court appearance Friday, remains in federal custody. A federal public defender assigned to represent him did not respond to a voicemail message seeking comment.
Michael German, a former FBI agent and fellow with the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University, said people often travel and cross state lines to participate in protests and that not all of them have peaceful intent. He said politicians and law enforcement often cite the presence of out-of-towners to justify greater police force against protesters.
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“It’s an old tactic for law enforcement policing protests to suggest that the problems are being caused by outside agitators,” German said. “It opens up the opportunity for greater police violence in response.”
Among those who traveled to Minneapolis to protest Floyd’s killing was Tara Houska, a 36-year-old attorney and member of the Couchiching First Nation from northern Minnesota. An activist for indigenous rights, she was arrested in Minneapolis last Saturday night and charged with not complying with a peace officer.
Houska, who attended college and law school in the city, said she was with a group a couple blocks from where Floyd died when police told them they were breaking curfew. They replied they were going home, she said, and then the officers hit them with pepper spray and zip-tied their hands.
“Almost everyone that was in our holding tank with us was from Minnesota,” Houska said.
Sierra West, 29, of Kansas City, Missouri, said she drove to Minneapolis with a friend because she is “so angry about what is happening” with police brutality and wanted to peacefully protest.
After marching for hours, West broke away from the crowds and was walking back to her car through an alley alone when police arrested her early Saturday on riot and curfew violation charges. She said she did nothing to provoke the four officers who confronted her.
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“They were hiding, and they literally jumped out of the shadows with guns drawn on me,” she said. “The street was completely empty.”
West, who is white and describes herself as a strong supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement, was freed from jail on Monday afternoon.
University of Minnesota Law School student Santana Boulton, 23, said a police officer pepper-sprayed her in the face on May 28 before she was tear-gassed two days later and then arrested on Sunday, charged with unlawful assembly and violating a curfew.
About 15 minutes before the 8 p.m. curfew, Boulton said she and her boyfriend joined a large crowd of marchers on Interstate 35. People linked arms and kneeled before two lines of police officers formed near the protesters. She said she never heard any orders to disperse.
“It was nothing like a riot. It was a sit-in,” she said.
Boulton, a white woman who moved from Michigan to Minneapolis to attend law school, was arrested and spent 16 hours in custody. She described herself as “philosophically an anarchist,” but “not a revolutionary.”
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“Antifa isn’t even real,” Boulton said. “As an actual person who identifies with the political label of anarchist, the only thing anarchists do is have meetings where they argue for five hours and get nothing done.”
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Kunzelman reported from Silver Spring, Maryland, Bleiberg from Dallas and Durkin Richer from West Harwich, Massachusetts. Associated Press writers Brian Slodysko and Ashraf Khalil in Washington, Amanda Seitz and Don Babwin in Chicago, and Lori Hinnant in Paris contributed to this report.
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Follow Associated Press Investigative Reporter Michael Biesecker at http//:twitter.com/mbieseck
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Have a tip? Contact AP’s global investigative team at Investigative@ap.org
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huffpost--2020-06-07--Factory Discarding COVID-19 Swabs Produced During Trump's Unmasked Tour: Report

A Maine manufacturer of COVID-19 testing swabs said it ’ s discarding the entire output created while President Donald Trump toured the plant without a mask , USA Today reported .
A representative of Puritan Medical Products did not say explicitly that the action was due to Trump ’ s lack of protective gear during his tour on Friday , but no other explanation was offered .
The swabs are being tossed as manufacturers struggle to keep up with demand for the critical for COVID-19 testing components .
“ The running of the factory machines ... will only occur when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” the company ’ s marketing manager , Virginia Temple , told the newspaper .
“ Swabs produced during that time will be discarded.
” Temple did not specify how many swabs would be thrown out .
During his appearance at the Puritan factory in Guilford , Trump made a few remarks to workers , posed for photos , and put his arm around an employee — then noting , “ I ’ m not supposed to do that , ” and waving his hand dismissively .
( Check out the video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face mask nor any other protective gear , which is typical for him , despite recommendations to the contrary by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
He stopped to talk to employees — who were wearing white lab coats , masks , gloves , goggles , hair coverings and plastic booties — while they were working with the sterile swabs .
There was no immediate comment from the White House about the discarded swabs .
President Donald Trump roams the factory floor at Puritan Medical Products in Guilford , Maine , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing swabs .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
A Maine manufacturer of COVID-19 testing swabs said it’s discarding the entire output created while President Donald Trump toured the plant without a mask, USA Today reported.
A representative of Puritan Medical Products did not say explicitly that the action was due to Trump’s lack of protective gear during his tour on Friday, but no other explanation was offered. The swabs are being tossed as manufacturers struggle to keep up with demand for the critical for COVID-19 testing components.
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“The running of the factory machines ... will only occur when the president is touring the facility floor,” the company’s marketing manager, Virginia Temple, told the newspaper. “Swabs produced during that time will be discarded.”
Temple did not specify how many swabs would be thrown out.
During his appearance at the Puritan factory in Guilford, Trump made a few remarks to workers, posed for photos, and put his arm around an employee — then noting, “I’m not supposed to do that,” and waving his hand dismissively. (Check out the video up top.)
Trump wore no face mask nor any other protective gear, which is typical for him, despite recommendations to the contrary by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He stopped to talk to employees — who were wearing white lab coats, masks, gloves, goggles, hair coverings and plastic booties — while they were working with the sterile swabs.
There was no immediate comment from the White House about the discarded swabs.
President Donald Trump roams the factory floor at Puritan Medical Products in Guilford, Maine, around suited-up employees working with sterile COVID-19 testing swabs. ASSOCIATED PRESS


huffpost--2020-06-07--J.K. Rowling Spent Her Saturday Pissing Off The Internet With Anti-Trans Tweetstorm

When she could just sit back and count ( or better yet donate ! )
her millions , J.K. Rowling is back doing her favorite thing on the internet : being transphobic and loud about it .
While the rest of your timeline was tweeting about the global protests against police brutality and racial injustice , the “ Harry Potter ” author thought now was the right time to disappoint her legions of fans yet again with an anti-trans tweetstorm .
On Saturday evening , Rowling expressed her unfounded befuddlement over an opinion article titled , “ Creating a More @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” pushing back against the headline for not referring to those who get their periods as just “ women.
” “ I ’ m sure there used to be a word for those people .
Someone help me out , ” she wrote in her initial tweet .
“ Wumben ?
Wimpund ?
Woomud ?
” The tweet sparked a wave of backlash from the LGBTQ community and its supporters , who were quick to remind Rowling that transgender people , non-binary people and gender-nonconforming people can also menstruate .
“ Hi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I menstruate !
Stop being an asshole , ” wrote “ Survivor ” alum Zeke Smith in response , adding in a separate tweet , “ I ’ m tired of the world pretending my body and experience doesn ’ t exist , and that I have to take a back seat and be happy about it.
” “ These times are hard enough without YOU , a wealthy white woman , tweeting transphobia from your mansion , ” model and activist Munroe Bergdorf , who is trans , also tweeted .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your bullshit right now .
Do us all a favour and give it a rest .
To say that you ’ re a disappointment is an understatement.
” But Rowling was just getting started , doubling down on her stance in a series of increasingly offensive tweets in which she pushed forth the notion that the very idea of gender identity invalidates her experience as a cisgender woman .
“ If sex isn ’ t real , there ’ s no same-sex attraction .
If sex isn ’ t real , the lived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I know and love trans people , but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives .
It isn ’ t hate to speak the truth , ” she wrote .
“ The idea that women like me , who ’ ve been empathetic to trans people for decades , feeling kinship because they ’ re vulnerable in the same way as women — ie , to male violence – ‘ hate ’ trans people because they think sex is real and has lived consequences — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another round of dragging , as many were quick to remind Rowling that sex and gender identity are two different things .
“ The vast consensus of medical and other scientific experts validate trans people and urge affirmation of us , ” activist Charlotte Clymer wrote .
“ Your own country ’ s medical organizations have said as much .
You don ’ t love trans people , and certainly don ’ t care about us.
” “ This woman is complete scum .
Shut the fuck up you transphobic fuck .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trans people if you won ’ t even acknowledge their existence , ” Benjamin O ’ Keefe , a former staffer on Elizabeth Warren ’ s presidential campaign , wrote .
“ Thanks for ruining the books of my childhood .
Just stop talking .
We know you ’ re a TERF .
You don ’ t need to keep doing this , ” Rowling then pushed back against many labeling her as a TERF ( which stands for “ trans exclusionary radical feminist ” ) , adding that she respects trans people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I ’ d march with you if you were discriminated against on the basis of being trans .
At the same time , my life has been shaped by being female .
I do not believe it ’ s hateful to say so , ” she added .
I respect every trans person ’ s right to live any way that feels authentic and comfortable to them .
I ’ d march with you if you were discriminated against on the basis of being trans .
At the same time , my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I do not believe it ’ s hateful to say so .
— J.K. Rowling ( @ jk_rowling ) June 6 , 2020 Her use of the conditional “ if ” drew even more fire , as trans people are discriminated against on the basis of being trans and Black trans women in particular are murdered at disproportionately high rates .
“ It ’ s not hate if u say that YOU ’ RE a woman .
It ’ s HARMFUL 2 say TRANSWOMEN are men , ” “ Drag Race ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a hypothetical ’ If , but WHEN WE ARE DISCRIMINATED against IS CLEAR if u connect reports of VIOLENCE & removal of transfolk .
”

J.K Rowling sparked backlash for a series of anti-trans tweets again. Cindy Ord via Getty Images
When she could just sit back and count (or better yet donate!) her millions, J.K. Rowling is back doing her favorite thing on the internet: being transphobic and loud about it.
While the rest of your timeline was tweeting about the global protests against police brutality and racial injustice, the “Harry Potter” author thought now was the right time to disappoint her legions of fans yet again with an anti-trans tweetstorm.
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On Saturday evening, Rowling expressed her unfounded befuddlement over an opinion article titled, “Creating a More Equal Post-COVID-19 World for People Who Menstruate,” pushing back against the headline for not referring to those who get their periods as just “women.”
“I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out,” she wrote in her initial tweet. “Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?”
The tweet sparked a wave of backlash from the LGBTQ community and its supporters, who were quick to remind Rowling that transgender people, non-binary people and gender-nonconforming people can also menstruate.
“Hi! I’m a man! I menstruate! Stop being an asshole,” wrote “Survivor” alum Zeke Smith in response, adding in a separate tweet, “I’m tired of the world pretending my body and experience doesn’t exist, and that I have to take a back seat and be happy about it.”
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“These times are hard enough without YOU, a wealthy white woman, tweeting transphobia from your mansion,” model and activist Munroe Bergdorf, who is trans, also tweeted. “Trans people really don’t need your bullshit right now. Do us all a favour and give it a rest. To say that you’re a disappointment is an understatement.”
But Rowling was just getting started, doubling down on her stance in a series of increasingly offensive tweets in which she pushed forth the notion that the very idea of gender identity invalidates her experience as a cisgender woman.
“If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn’t hate to speak the truth,” she wrote. “The idea that women like me, who’ve been empathetic to trans people for decades, feeling kinship because they’re vulnerable in the same way as women — ie, to male violence – ‘hate’ trans people because they think sex is real and has lived consequences — is a nonsense.”
The idea that women like me, who’ve been empathetic to trans people for decades, feeling kinship because they’re vulnerable in the same way as women - ie, to male violence - ‘hate’ trans people because they think sex is real and has lived consequences - is a nonsense. — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 6, 2020
And so began another round of dragging, as many were quick to remind Rowling that sex and gender identity are two different things.
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“The vast consensus of medical and other scientific experts validate trans people and urge affirmation of us,” activist Charlotte Clymer wrote. “Your own country’s medical organizations have said as much. You don’t love trans people, and certainly don’t care about us.”
“This woman is complete scum. Shut the fuck up you transphobic fuck. You don’t know or love any trans people if you won’t even acknowledge their existence,” Benjamin O’Keefe, a former staffer on Elizabeth Warren’s presidential campaign, wrote. “Thanks for ruining the books of my childhood. Just stop talking. We know you’re a TERF. You don’t need to keep doing this,”
Actor Sarah Paulson retweeted that message on her own account, adding, “Word. Goodnight and shut up @jk_rowling.”
Rowling then pushed back against many labeling her as a TERF (which stands for “trans exclusionary radical feminist”), adding that she respects trans people’s right to live authentically. “I’d march with you if you were discriminated against on the basis of being trans. At the same time, my life has been shaped by being female. I do not believe it’s hateful to say so,” she added.
I respect every trans person’s right to live any way that feels authentic and comfortable to them. I’d march with you if you were discriminated against on the basis of being trans. At the same time, my life has been shaped by being female. I do not believe it’s hateful to say so. — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 6, 2020
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Her use of the conditional “if” drew even more fire, as trans people are discriminated against on the basis of being trans and Black trans women in particular are murdered at disproportionately high rates.
“It’s not hate if u say that YOU’RE a woman. It’s HARMFUL 2 say TRANSWOMEN are men,” “Drag Race” star Peppermint wrote. “Thus not a hypothetical ’If, but WHEN WE ARE DISCRIMINATED against IS CLEAR if u connect reports of VIOLENCE & removal of transfolk.”
If you want to direct your rightful anger over JK Rowling's latest anti-trans comments into something positive, support orgs that help Black trans people like @MPJInstitute, @blacktransusa, @TransJusticeFP, @Genderintell and @ukblackpride — GLAAD (@glaad) June 7, 2020
JK Rowling continues to align herself with an ideology which willfully distorts facts about gender identity and people who are trans. In 2020, there is no excuse for targeting trans people. — GLAAD (@glaad) June 7, 2020
The LGBTQ rights organization GLAAD weighed in, urging people to donate to several nonprofits supporting Black trans people, while disavowing Rowling’s continued alignment with an ideology that “willfully distorts facts about gender identity and people who are trans.”
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“In 2020, there is no excuse for targeting trans people,” the organization wrote, calling her comments “cruel and inaccurate” in a different tweet.