huffpost--2020-05-04--DHS Report Accuses China Of Covering Up Virus Outbreak To Hoard Supplies

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — U.S. officials believe China covered up the extent of the coronavirus outbreak — and how contagious the disease is — to stock up on medical supplies needed to respond to it , intelligence documents show .
Chinese leaders “ intentionally concealed the severity ” of the pandemic from the world in early January , according to a four-page Department of Homeland Security intelligence report dated May 1 and obtained by The Associated Press .
The revelation comes as the Trump administration has intensified its criticism of China , with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spread of disease and must be held accountable .
The sharper rhetoric coincides with administration critics saying the government ’ s response to the virus was slow and inadequate .
President Donald Trump ’ s political opponents have accused him of lashing out at China , a geopolitical foe but critical U.S. trade partner , in an attempt to deflect criticism at home .
Not classified but marked “ for official use only , ” the DHS analysis states that , while downplaying the severity of the coronavirus , China increased imports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It attempted to cover up doing so by “ denying there were export restrictions and obfuscating and delaying provision of its trade data , ” the analysis states .
The report also says China held off informing the World Health Organization that the coronavirus “ was a contagion ” for much of January so it could order medical supplies from abroad — and that its imports of face masks and surgical gowns and gloves increased sharply .
Chinese officials muffled doctors who warned about the virus early on and repeatedly downplayed the threat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Chinese government ’ s missteps appear to have been due to bureaucratic hurdles , tight controls on information , and officials hesitant to report bad news .
There is no public evidence to suggest it was an intentional plot to buy up the world ’ s medical supplies .
In a tweet on Sunday , the president appeared to blame U.S. intelligence officials for not making clearer sooner just how dangerous a potential coronavirus outbreak could be .
Trump has been defensive over whether he failed to act after receiving early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus and its potential impact .
“ Intelligence has just reported to me that I was correct , and that they did NOT bring up the CoronaVirus subject matter until late into January , just prior to my banning China from the U.S. , ” Trump wrote without citing specifics .
“ Also , they only spoke of the Virus in a very non-threatening , or matter of fact , manner.
” Trump had previously speculated that China may have unleashed the coronavirus due to some kind of horrible “ mistake.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ examining a notion put forward by the president and aides that the pandemic may have resulted from an accident at a Chinese lab .
Speaking Sunday on ABC ’ s “ This Week , ” Pompeo said he had no reason to believe that the virus was deliberately spread .
But he added , “ Remember , China has a history of infecting the world , and they have a history of running substandard laboratories.
” “ These are not the first times that we ’ ve had a world exposed to viruses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese lab , ” Pompeo said .
“ And so , while the intelligence community continues to do its work , they should continue to do that , and verify so that we are certain , I can tell you that there is a significant amount of evidence that this came from that laboratory in Wuhan.
” The secretary of state appeared to be referring to previous outbreaks of respiratory viruses , like SARS , which started in China .
His remark may be seen as offensive in China .
Still , Pompeo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ via a tweet Sunday afternoon .
Experts say the virus arose naturally in bats , and make it clear that they believe it wasn ’ t man-made .
Many virologists say the chance that the outbreak was caused by a lab accident is very low , though scientists are still working to determine a point at which it may have jumped from animals to humans .
Beijing has repeatedly pushed back on U.S. accusations that the outbreak was China ’ s fault , pointing to many missteps made by American officials in their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s public announcement on Jan. 20 that the virus was transmissible from person to person left the U.S. nearly two months to prepare for the pandemic , during which the U.S. government failed to bolster medical supplies and deployed flawed testing kits .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials believe China covered up the extent of the coronavirus outbreak — and how contagious the disease is — to stock up on medical supplies needed to respond to it, intelligence documents show.
Chinese leaders “intentionally concealed the severity” of the pandemic from the world in early January, according to a four-page Department of Homeland Security intelligence report dated May 1 and obtained by The Associated Press. The revelation comes as the Trump administration has intensified its criticism of China, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo saying Sunday that that country was responsible for the spread of disease and must be held accountable.
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The sharper rhetoric coincides with administration critics saying the government’s response to the virus was slow and inadequate. President Donald Trump’s political opponents have accused him of lashing out at China, a geopolitical foe but critical U.S. trade partner, in an attempt to deflect criticism at home.
Not classified but marked “for official use only,” the DHS analysis states that, while downplaying the severity of the coronavirus, China increased imports and decreased exports of medical supplies. It attempted to cover up doing so by “denying there were export restrictions and obfuscating and delaying provision of its trade data,” the analysis states.
The report also says China held off informing the World Health Organization that the coronavirus “was a contagion” for much of January so it could order medical supplies from abroad — and that its imports of face masks and surgical gowns and gloves increased sharply.
Those conclusions are based on the 95% probability that China’s changes in imports and export behavior were not within normal range, according to the report.
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China informed the WHO of the outbreak on Dec. 31. It contacted the U.S. Centers for Disease Control on Jan. 3 and publicly identified the pathogen as a novel coronavirus on Jan. 8.
Chinese officials muffled doctors who warned about the virus early on and repeatedly downplayed the threat of the outbreak. However, many of the Chinese government’s missteps appear to have been due to bureaucratic hurdles, tight controls on information, and officials hesitant to report bad news. There is no public evidence to suggest it was an intentional plot to buy up the world’s medical supplies.
In a tweet on Sunday, the president appeared to blame U.S. intelligence officials for not making clearer sooner just how dangerous a potential coronavirus outbreak could be. Trump has been defensive over whether he failed to act after receiving early warnings from intelligence officials and others about the coronavirus and its potential impact.
“Intelligence has just reported to me that I was correct, and that they did NOT bring up the CoronaVirus subject matter until late into January, just prior to my banning China from the U.S.,” Trump wrote without citing specifics. “Also, they only spoke of the Virus in a very non-threatening, or matter of fact, manner.”
Trump had previously speculated that China may have unleashed the coronavirus due to some kind of horrible “mistake.” His intelligence agencies say they are still examining a notion put forward by the president and aides that the pandemic may have resulted from an accident at a Chinese lab.
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Speaking Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” Pompeo said he had no reason to believe that the virus was deliberately spread. But he added, “Remember, China has a history of infecting the world, and they have a history of running substandard laboratories.”
“These are not the first times that we’ve had a world exposed to viruses as a result of failures in a Chinese lab,” Pompeo said. “And so, while the intelligence community continues to do its work, they should continue to do that, and verify so that we are certain, I can tell you that there is a significant amount of evidence that this came from that laboratory in Wuhan.”
The secretary of state appeared to be referring to previous outbreaks of respiratory viruses, like SARS, which started in China. His remark may be seen as offensive in China. Still, Pompeo repeated the same assertion hours later, via a tweet Sunday afternoon.
Experts say the virus arose naturally in bats, and make it clear that they believe it wasn’t man-made. Many virologists say the chance that the outbreak was caused by a lab accident is very low, though scientists are still working to determine a point at which it may have jumped from animals to humans.
Beijing has repeatedly pushed back on U.S. accusations that the outbreak was China’s fault, pointing to many missteps made by American officials in their own fight against the outbreak. China’s public announcement on Jan. 20 that the virus was transmissible from person to person left the U.S. nearly two months to prepare for the pandemic, during which the U.S. government failed to bolster medical supplies and deployed flawed testing kits.
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huffpost--2020-05-04--Why Reheated Coffee Tastes Like Death, And What To Do Instead

A cup of work-from-home coffee has a predetermined lifecycle : You pour a steamy mug of joe , set it down next to your laptop to refrain from burning your tongue , and before you know it , an hour has passed and your coffee is stone cold .
You pop it in the microwave to nuke it for a few seconds , press the cup to your lips and grimace .
It ’ s bitter .
Bitter in a way that makes you wonder if someone poured a Romeo and Juliet-style vial of poison into it .
Does this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re trying to reheat your coffee ― in the microwave , on the stovetop , whatever ― you ’ ve no doubt shared this experience .
Because however you do it , reheating coffee brings out compounds that make it taste decisively more bitter .
We talked to experts who explained how this happens and offer a few realistic solutions to help you avoid falling into this pattern .
Michael Phillips , director of coffee culture at Blue Bottle Coffee , elaborated : “ It all comes down to two words : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of them .
These are the things that make a properly roasted and prepared cup of coffee both taste and smell great .
As you can see right in the name , however , they are volatile and easily fall to pieces .
When you reheat coffee , all of the good stuff in the coffee starts to disappear and the resulting cup leans toward the more bitter components of coffee that stick around through the heating process.
” What about coffee pots that keep your coffee warm all day ?
Do those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Do all roasts of coffee ― dark , medium , light ― turn bitter upon reheating ?
What to do instead of reheating your coffee “ People who are working from home probably already have a thermal to-go cup or an insulated cup , ” Rosenberg said .
“ When you ’ re drinking from home , you might not think to use it ― you usually drink out of your mug , which will cool down a lot faster because it allows more surface area to come in contact with the air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it in my to-go mug that I ’ d normally take out to go get coffee at a cafe.
” “ The cup will still start to falter around 30 to 45 minutes in terms of the best flavor , but it will be piping hot the whole time , ” he said .
“ The flavor of good coffee changes as it cools , and most professionals enjoy it most at lower ranges .
For me , I like it best when the coffee has cooled to around 125 degrees because the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you should also make sure to preheat whatever container you ’ re brewing into , whether you ’ re doing a manual brew or a Mr. Coffee .
Heat up some hot water in a kettle , then pour it into your pot , swirl it around a little and dump it out before you brew into it ― voila , your pot will be warm .
The same goes for the mug you ’ re drinking out of .
Take your mug and slosh a little hot water around in it to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coffee as a way to break up your day While it might feel nice to brew a massive amount of coffee and be set for the day , keep in mind that at home , you ’ re likely not taking as many breaks as you would at the office .
And making smaller amounts of coffee several times throughout the day can help build a break into your new daily routine .

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A cup of work-from-home coffee has a predetermined lifecycle: You pour a steamy mug of joe, set it down next to your laptop to refrain from burning your tongue, and before you know it, an hour has passed and your coffee is stone cold. You pop it in the microwave to nuke it for a few seconds, press the cup to your lips and grimace. It’s bitter. Bitter in a way that makes you wonder if someone poured a Romeo and Juliet-style vial of poison into it.
Does this sound familiar? No matter how you’re trying to reheat your coffee ― in the microwave, on the stovetop, whatever ― you’ve no doubt shared this experience. Because however you do it, reheating coffee brings out compounds that make it taste decisively more bitter. We talked to experts who explained how this happens and offer a few realistic solutions to help you avoid falling into this pattern.
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Now that you’re working at home more than ever, read up and never drink another bad cup of reheated coffee.
Piotr Wytrazek via Getty Images Don't even think about putting that mug in the microwave.
Why reheating coffee makes it taste bitter
Emily Rosenberg, director of education and training operations at Stumptown Coffee, explained to HuffPost that before your coffee beans are even roasted, their DNA is made up of acids and compounds that are just waiting to turn bitter when they’re heated up.
Green (unroasted) coffee contains chlorogenic acids, and the roasting process breaks those down into quinic acid (whose flavor you can associate with quinine in tonic water) and caffeic acid. While chlorogenic acid has a bitter taste, quinic acid and caffeic acid both have an even more pronounced bitter, astringent flavor.
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“All coffee has some amount of bitterness,” Rosenberg said. “But in freshly brewed coffee, there is also plenty of sweetness and acidity that balance the bitterness and create a complex and delicious-tasting coffee.”
When you reheat your coffee, you encourage more production of that quinic and caffeic acid, therefore giving your coffee “even more bitter, astringent, gnarly flavor,” Rosenberg said.
Michael Phillips, director of coffee culture at Blue Bottle Coffee, elaborated: “It all comes down to two words: volatile compounds. And coffee is full of them. These are the things that make a properly roasted and prepared cup of coffee both taste and smell great. As you can see right in the name, however, they are volatile and easily fall to pieces. When you reheat coffee, all of the good stuff in the coffee starts to disappear and the resulting cup leans toward the more bitter components of coffee that stick around through the heating process.”
There are also tiny particles floating around in most cups of coffee ― especially if you’ve used a French press ― that continue to brew and get more bitter when you reheat your coffee.
“That coffee is sitting in there and swirling around, and it’ll almost continue to brew, essentially, and you’re extracting flavors that you wouldn’t necessarily want to continue to extract,” Rosenberg said.
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Prostock-Studio via Getty Images Brewing smaller amounts of coffee several times throughout the day can help break up your day as you work from home.
Rosenberg put it into perspective: “You’re cooking an already finished product. You wouldn’t put a cake back in the oven, because it’ll dry it out and totally change the flavor and texture of it. In a similar way, you can think of coffee as a finished product. And if you continue to cook it, essentially, it’s gonna change the flavor of it.”
What about coffee pots that keep your coffee warm all day? Do those make coffee taste bitter, too?
“Yes,” Rosenberg said. “Any kind of brewer or carafe that applies heat to the coffee to keep it warm (rather than just insulating it to maintain temperature) will bring out that bitter, metallic flavor.”
Phillips agreed.
“This process is why those old-school diner coffee pots went out of fashion, because they kept the brewed coffee on hot plates after brewing,” he said. “While the hot plates kept the coffee hot, they also made it taste bad to the point of it becoming a diner signature.”
Rosenberg said brewed coffee will taste best if consumed within an hour or 90 minutes of brewing, no matter what.
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Do all roasts of coffee ― dark, medium, light ― turn bitter upon reheating?
Every type of roast will taste more bitter upon reheating it, to a certain degree. But Rosenberg said a dark roast coffee’s bitterness will be even more pronounced.
It’s for the same reason we just talked about ― because a dark roast has had more heat applied to the beans during the roasting process, it’ll contain more of the bitter-tasting quinic and caffeic acids than lighter roasts in the first place.
What to do instead of reheating your coffee
Expert advice on this topic has ranged from “set your microwave to 80% power” to “heat it slowly on the stovetop.” But Rosenberg has a much easier suggestion, one you’ll be embarrassed you didn’t already think of.
“People who are working from home probably already have a thermal to-go cup or an insulated cup,” Rosenberg said. “When you’re drinking from home, you might not think to use it ― you usually drink out of your mug, which will cool down a lot faster because it allows more surface area to come in contact with the air ― so I’ll just put it in my to-go mug that I’d normally take out to go get coffee at a cafe.”
Mint Images via Getty Images Make the most of your to-go thermoses while you're working from home.
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Phillips offered that same suggestion, with the caveat that a thermos won’t last you all day.
“The cup will still start to falter around 30 to 45 minutes in terms of the best flavor, but it will be piping hot the whole time,” he said. “The flavor of good coffee changes as it cools, and most professionals enjoy it most at lower ranges. For me, I like it best when the coffee has cooled to around 125 degrees because the sweetness is more apparent.”
Rosenberg said you should also make sure to preheat whatever container you’re brewing into, whether you’re doing a manual brew or a Mr. Coffee. Heat up some hot water in a kettle, then pour it into your pot, swirl it around a little and dump it out before you brew into it ― voila, your pot will be warm. The same goes for the mug you’re drinking out of. Take your mug and slosh a little hot water around in it to maintain that temperature even better.
Use coffee as a way to break up your day
While it might feel nice to brew a massive amount of coffee and be set for the day, keep in mind that at home, you’re likely not taking as many breaks as you would at the office. And making smaller amounts of coffee several times throughout the day can help build a break into your new daily routine.
“It can be a treat to have a small amount of coffee in the morning, go back into the kitchen at 11 a.m. and brew a little bit more,” Rosenberg said. “Brewing smaller amounts more frequently will help keep it warm and give you breaks through the day.”
“The process of brewing coffee is something that’s very comforting to me,” she said. “It’s a nice little moment to just set aside whatever else I was doing and just be present for a second. It’s something that I really enjoy and appreciate, especially in times like these.”
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Rosenberg pointed out that brewing coffee is a lot less of a time commitment than the at-home sourdough bread-baking that’s been so popular during the coronavirus pandemic, with just as great a reward.
“Coffee is so simple. It’s just two ingredients, versus baked goods that use 10, or bread that you’re spending hours and hours doing,” she said. “With coffee, the stakes are pretty low.”
So does Rosenberg ever cave and use the microwave herself?


huffpost--2020-05-04--17 Tweets That Sum Up Mother's Day In The Age Of Social Distancing

All I want for Mother ’ s Day is to sleep for 9 straight hours , wake up to the @ @ @ @ @ then have my husband say things like , “ I ’ m gon na entertain @ @ @ @ @ you can sit on the couch in your pjs and buy your Mother ’ s @ @ @ @ @ ”

All I want for Mother’s Day is to sleep for 9 straight hours, wake up to the sound of coffee brewing and then have my husband say things like, “I’m gonna entertain the kids all day so you can sit on the couch in your pjs and buy your Mother’s Day gift in peace!”


huffpost--2020-04-22--2 Pet Cats Test Positive For Novel Coronavirus In New York State

NEW YORK ( AP ) — Two pet cats in New York state have tested positive for the coronavirus , marking the first confirmed cases in companion animals in the United States , federal officials said Wednesday .
The cats , which had mild respiratory illnesses and are expected to recover , are thought to have contracted the virus from people in their households or neighborhoods , the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said .
The finding , which comes after positive tests in seven tigers and lions at the Bronx Zoo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed cases of the virus in animals worldwide .
U.S. authorities say that while it appears some animals can get the virus from people , there ’ s no indication the animals are transmitting it to human beings .
“ We don ’ t want people to panic .
We don ’ t want people to be afraid of pets ” or to rush to test them en masse , said Dr. Casey Barton Behravesh , a CDC official who works on human-animal health connections .
“ There ’ s no evidence that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this disease to people.
” Still , the CDC is recommending that people prevent their pets from interacting with people or animals outside their homes ― by keeping cats indoors and dogs out of dog parks , for instance .
Coronavirus testing for pets isn ’ t recommended unless an animal has been exposed to a person with COVID-19 and the animal has symptoms of the disease — and tests have ruled out more common possible causes , said Dr. Jane Rooney of the USDA .
Veterinarians who think testing is warranted are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Barton Behravesh said the animal tests are done at veterinary labs and use different chemicals than human tests , which have been in short supply during the crisis .
For most people , the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as a fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks .
For some , especially older adults and people , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia , and can be fatal .
The first cat fell ill about a week after a person in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though the person ’ s ailment wasn ’ t confirmed to be COVID-19 , Barton Behravesh said .
The animal goes outdoors at times and might have come into contact with an infected person in the area , she said .
The second cat ’ s owner tested positive for COVID-19 before the cat became sick , officials said .
Another cat in the same home hasn ’ t shown any signs of illness .
The agencies have recommended that any pet owners with COVID-19 avoid petting , snuggling or other contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including wearing a face covering while caring for them .
There have been a handful of reports outside the U.S. of pet dogs or cats becoming infected after close contact with contagious people , including a Hong Kong dog that tested positive for a low level of the pathogen in February and early March .
Hong Kong agriculture authorities concluded that pet dogs and cats couldn ’ t pass the virus to human beings but could test positive if exposed by their owners .
A tiger at the Bronx Zoo had what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus case in an animal in the U.S. or a tiger anywhere .
The 4-year-old Malayan tiger , named Nadia , started showing signs of illness on March 27 , 11 days after the zoo closed to the public because of the virus .

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NEW YORK (AP) — Two pet cats in New York state have tested positive for the coronavirus, marking the first confirmed cases in companion animals in the United States, federal officials said Wednesday.
The cats, which had mild respiratory illnesses and are expected to recover, are thought to have contracted the virus from people in their households or neighborhoods, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
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The finding, which comes after positive tests in seven tigers and lions at the Bronx Zoo, adds to a small number of confirmed cases of the virus in animals worldwide. U.S. authorities say that while it appears some animals can get the virus from people, there’s no indication the animals are transmitting it to human beings.
“We don’t want people to panic. We don’t want people to be afraid of pets” or to rush to test them en masse, said Dr. Casey Barton Behravesh, a CDC official who works on human-animal health connections. “There’s no evidence that pets are playing a role in spreading this disease to people.”
Still, the CDC is recommending that people prevent their pets from interacting with people or animals outside their homes ― by keeping cats indoors and dogs out of dog parks, for instance.
Coronavirus testing for pets isn’t recommended unless an animal has been exposed to a person with COVID-19 and the animal has symptoms of the disease — and tests have ruled out more common possible causes, said Dr. Jane Rooney of the USDA. Veterinarians who think testing is warranted are supposed to contact state officials to decide.
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Barton Behravesh said the animal tests are done at veterinary labs and use different chemicals than human tests, which have been in short supply during the crisis.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as a fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and can be fatal.
The two cats live in different parts of the state; the USDA and CDC wouldn’t say where specifically.
The first cat fell ill about a week after a person in its household had a short respiratory illness, though the person’s ailment wasn’t confirmed to be COVID-19, Barton Behravesh said. The animal goes outdoors at times and might have come into contact with an infected person in the area, she said.
The second cat’s owner tested positive for COVID-19 before the cat became sick, officials said. Another cat in the same home hasn’t shown any signs of illness.
The agencies have recommended that any pet owners with COVID-19 avoid petting, snuggling or other contact with their animals as much as possible, including wearing a face covering while caring for them.
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There have been a handful of reports outside the U.S. of pet dogs or cats becoming infected after close contact with contagious people, including a Hong Kong dog that tested positive for a low level of the pathogen in February and early March. Hong Kong agriculture authorities concluded that pet dogs and cats couldn’t pass the virus to human beings but could test positive if exposed by their owners.
A tiger at the Bronx Zoo had what was believed to be the first confirmed coronavirus case in an animal in the U.S. or a tiger anywhere. The 4-year-old Malayan tiger, named Nadia, started showing signs of illness on March 27, 11 days after the zoo closed to the public because of the virus.
Three other tigers and three lions later showing symptoms. All have been recovering.


huffpost--2020-04-22--8 Movies To Watch On Netflix If You Want To Travel From Your Couch

You need a vacation , but thanks to the coronavirus , that ’ s not going to happen for a while .
So instead of looking at the same walls over and over again , you could use a few movies that ’ ll help you get out of the house — that is , without actually getting out of the house .
I ’ ve collected eight vicarious vacation movies on Netflix with particularly transportive scenery .
A few of the films feature characters actually going on vacation , while others simply take place in beautiful spaces .
All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about into the world as you wish you could .
For example , Netflix offers the infamously bad “ The Tourist ” ( starring Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie ) .
Even though that movie is called “ The Tourist , ” I think the sadness you ’ ll feel from the quality of that movie will weigh down any benefit from taking in the global locales .
Premise : In this comedic , aptly named murder mystery , a New York couple joins a yacht party in Italy while celebrating their 15th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boat , the couple must figure out who the killer is or take the blame themselves .
Premise : In this comedy directed by Amy Poehler , longtime friends spend a weekend in Napa Valley together to celebrate one of their 50th birthdays .
During the trip , each woman reveals something she ’ s struggling with in her life outside of the group friendship .
The wine and intimacy provide a salve .
Vicarious vacation : A vacation with a large group of people coming together from across the country to drink @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the immune system ) is just not possible right now .
Watch “ Wine Country ” to experience a trip you won ’ t get to take for quite some time .
Vicarious vacation : This movie essentially starts with a vacation gone awry .
Although “ The Laundromat ” features a dark cautionary tale related to travel , it also showcases many scenic locales .
Perhaps it ’ s for the best , since it likely won ’ t inspire you to travel yourself but will still provide plenty of palm trees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the screen .
Premise : In this romantic comedy , variations of the same wedding day lead two people either together or apart , depending on changes in seating arrangements .
The variations show that small “ butterfly effects ” can have an impact on whether love works out or doesn ’ t .
Vicarious vacation : As you won ’ t be traveling to any destination weddings this spring , you can visit many weddings ( or at least versions of the same wedding ) with this movie .
The bright Italian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feeling of leaving winter behind that we might ’ ve missed otherwise .
Premise : In this adventure-centric satire directed by Bong Joon Ho , a girl raises a genetically modified “ super pig.
” When the company that created the pig wants it back for the meat , the girl goes on a global trip to try and save her pet .
Vicarious vacation : This is one of those IMAX-type documentaries that feature one stunning nature shot after another .
You might not be the kind of person who would climb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but the wondrous shots of nature should still serve as an escape .

Scott Yamano/Netflix Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler in "Murder Mystery."
You need a vacation, but thanks to the coronavirus, that’s not going to happen for a while. So instead of looking at the same walls over and over again, you could use a few movies that’ll help you get out of the house — that is, without actually getting out of the house.
I’ve collected eight vicarious vacation movies on Netflix with particularly transportive scenery. A few of the films feature characters actually going on vacation, while others simply take place in beautiful spaces. All of them have characters getting out and about into the world as you wish you could.
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The movies on this list vary a bit in quality since I decided to focus on gorgeous settings above all else, but I did refrain from including any truly terrible movies.
For example, Netflix offers the infamously bad “The Tourist” (starring Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie). Even though that movie is called “The Tourist,” I think the sadness you’ll feel from the quality of that movie will weigh down any benefit from taking in the global locales.
Read on for the list of vicarious vacation films, and if you want to stay informed of everything joining Netflix every week, subscribe to the Streamline newsletter.
Ji Sub Jeong/HuffPost Streamline
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Premise: In this comedic, aptly named murder mystery, a New York couple joins a yacht party in Italy while celebrating their 15th anniversary. When murders occur on the boat, the couple must figure out who the killer is or take the blame themselves.
Vicarious vacation: Adam Sandler famously makes movies in beautiful locales so he can combine his work with a trip. The plot in “Murder Mystery” may be hokey, but the scenery is impressive.
Setting: A yacht in waters around Italy
Notable cast: Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler
Runtime: 1 hour, 37 minutes
Screenshot:
Netflix A scene in "Murder Mystery."
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Premise: In this comedy directed by Amy Poehler, longtime friends spend a weekend in Napa Valley together to celebrate one of their 50th birthdays. During the trip, each woman reveals something she’s struggling with in her life outside of the group friendship. The wine and intimacy provide a salve.
Vicarious vacation: A vacation with a large group of people coming together from across the country to drink alcohol (which, yes, lowers the immune system) is just not possible right now. Watch “Wine Country” to experience a trip you won’t get to take for quite some time.
Setting: Napa Valley, California
Notable cast: Rachel Dratch, Ana Gasteyer, Paula Pell, Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph
Runtime: 1 hour, 43 minutes
Screenshot:
Netflix A scene in "Wine Country."
Premise: In this biographical comedy directed by Steven Soderbergh, a woman tries to uncover the truth behind a mysterious insurance company. The movie loosely tells the story of the Panama Papers scandal.
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Vicarious vacation: This movie essentially starts with a vacation gone awry. Although “The Laundromat” features a dark cautionary tale related to travel, it also showcases many scenic locales. Perhaps it’s for the best, since it likely won’t inspire you to travel yourself but will still provide plenty of palm trees and seas for you to enjoy on the screen.
Setting: Global locations including Panama City, Florida, Las Vegas, Nevada, and Chongqing, China
Notable cast: Antonio Banderas, Gary Oldman, Meryl Streep and Jeffrey Wright
Runtime: 1 hour, 35 minutes
Screenshot:
Netflix Gary Oldman in "The Laundromat."
Premise: In this comedy directed by Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones, King Arthur recruits several knights to join him at Camelot. Instead, they take a directive from God to find the Holy Grail.
Vicarious vacation: A typical American vacation involves traveling to Europe to explore the rolling, grassy hills and stone castles of the United Kingdom. Overseas travel won’t be happening anytime soon, so watch these questing comedic heroes traverse the green landscapes instead.
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Setting: Britain in 932 A.D.
Notable cast: The sketch group Monty Python, including John Cleese and Terry Gilliam
Runtime: 1 hour, 31 minutes
Screenshot:
Cinema 5 A scene from "Monty Python and the Holy Grail."
Premise: In this romantic comedy, variations of the same wedding day lead two people either together or apart, depending on changes in seating arrangements. The variations show that small “butterfly effects” can have an impact on whether love works out or doesn’t.
Vicarious vacation: As you won’t be traveling to any destination weddings this spring, you can visit many weddings (or at least versions of the same wedding) with this movie. The bright Italian wedding locale of blooming plants gives the feeling of leaving winter behind that we might’ve missed otherwise.
Setting: Frascati, Italy
Notable cast: Sam Claflin, Joel Fry, Olivia Munn and Eleanor Tomlinson
Runtime: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Screenshot:
Netflix A scene in "Love Wedding Repeat"
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Premise: In this adventure-centric satire directed by Bong Joon Ho, a girl raises a genetically modified “super pig.” When the company that created the pig wants it back for the meat, the girl goes on a global trip to try and save her pet.
Vicarious vacation: The beginning takes place in a lush, mountainous forest. These scenes could be particularly enjoyable for those itching to go on a hike.
Setting: South Korea and New York City
Notable cast: Paul Dano, Jake Gyllenhaal, Byun Hee Bong, Ahn Seo Hyun, Tilda Swinton and Steven Yeun
Runtime: 2 hours
Screenshot:
Netflix A scene from "Okja"
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Premise: In this documentary, Willem Dafoe narrates a succession of shots featuring impressive mountains. The narration focuses on how people have interacted with mountains throughout history.
Vicarious vacation: This is one of those IMAX-type documentaries that feature one stunning nature shot after another. You might not be the kind of person who would climb a mountain even in non-coronavirus times, but the wondrous shots of nature should still serve as an escape.
Setting: Mountains across the globe
Notable cast: Willem Dafoe as the narrator
Runtime: 1 hour, 14 minutes
Screenshot:
Madman Entertainment A scene from "Mountain"
Premise: In this documentary, fraudster Billy McFarland sells expensive tickets to a now-infamous festival. The film focuses on the stranded travelers who were duped into attending this festival and the eventual fallout from the fiasco.
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Vicarious vacation: Perhaps watching an extremely failed vacation for hundreds of people can serve as the opposite of FOMO. Even if you don’t get much joy from schadenfreude, this documentary has copious shots of the tropical Bahamas that will bring you to a better place than your couch.
Setting: The Bahamas
Runtime: 1 hour, 37 minutes
Screenshot:


huffpost--2020-04-22--GOP Quietly Pushes Through Long-Sought Priorities As Pandemic Rages

Trump said the move would be an effort to combat the coronavirus ― or , in his words , to stop “ the attack from the Invisible Enemy.
” But , he added , it was also meant “ to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens.
” Trump has already used the current crisis to close off America .
During his first address to the nation on the topic , he characterized it as a “ foreign virus ” and touted his restrictions on travel from China .
He then closed the U.S. to visitors from many European @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be hit very hard — cruise ships and airlines and certain industries , ” the president said , according to a GOP donor .
“ But at the same time , I ’ ve been saying for a long time people should stay in our country and travel in our country , and that ’ s going to happen.
” Like Trump , Republicans around the country have been pushing through some of their long-held priorities during the pandemic .
Some of them are using the coronavirus as an excuse for passing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are simply doing what they want , quietly , while everyone is focused on the coronavirus .
Last month , right in the middle of the pandemic , the Trump administration took a major step toward rolling back auto emissions standards put in place during President Barack Obama ’ s tenure .
The new rules would lower fuel economy standards for vehicles sold in the U.S. from 54 miles per gallon by 2025 to 40 mpg .
The move has significant implications for climate change ― under the new standards , the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide over the vehicles ’ lifespans on the road than under the current rule .
This month , the Environmental Protection Agency finalized its proposal to loosen rules on oil- and coal-fired power plants ’ emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants .
Mercury pollution damages brains and lungs .
The new rules change the way regulators weigh the pros and cons of such restrictions , giving more weight to economic costs and less to indirect benefits to public health .
GOP officials in a number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kentucky , Louisiana , Mississippi , Ohio , Oklahoma , Tennessee and Texas ― have tried to use the coronavirus as an excuse to ban abortions , except when a woman ’ s life is in immediate danger .
They say that the medical procedures are not essential and therefore need to wait until after the coronavirus crisis to be carried out .
NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio Executive Director Kellie Copeland added that people decide to end their pregnancies for a number of reasons , including , “ the impact of pregnancy and birth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and strained economic circumstances .
These are conditions that do not go away ― and are likely heightened — in pandemic conditions.
” Senate Republicans tucked a tax change into the coronavirus relief legislation passed last month that will temporarily reduce the tax liability for certain businesses .
Eighty percent of the benefits will go to those who earn more than $ 1 million annually .
Hedge-fund investors and owners of real estate businesses are the main beneficiaries of the GOP change , according to Steve Rosenthal , a tax expert at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump administration formally revised a rule this month significantly limiting the type of research that the government can use to draft environmental and public health regulations .
The EPA would give preference to studies where all the data used is public ― a move that would dismiss “ some of the most important environmental research of the past decades , ” according to The New York Times .
For example , research that uses the private medical information of study subjects who were granted confidentiality would be downplayed .
“ In following through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ EPA administrator is undermining the agency ’ s ability to use the best available science as it makes decisions .
... Let ’ s call this rule what it is : a deliberate attempt to exclude scientific evidence from the policymaking process , ” said Sudip Parikh , chief executive officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science , in a statement .

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President Donald Trump announced Monday night that he planned to suspend all immigration to the United States.
Trump said the move would be an effort to combat the coronavirus ― or, in his words, to stop “the attack from the Invisible Enemy.” But, he added, it was also meant “to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens.”
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The trope that immigrants steal Americans’ jobs is not new, and it has nothing to do with the coronavirus pandemic. It’s the same rhetoric that anti-immigration hard-liners have used for years.
The U.S. already has the most coronavirus cases in the world, by far.
Trump has already used the current crisis to close off America. During his first address to the nation on the topic, he characterized it as a “foreign virus” and touted his restrictions on travel from China. He then closed the U.S. to visitors from many European countries.
And last month, while at his private Mar-a-Lago resort with a mix of friends, family and GOP donors, Trump reportedly saw a “potential upside” in the crisis ― a chance to promote his “America First” agenda.
“Certain industries are going to be hit very hard — cruise ships and airlines and certain industries,” the president said, according to a GOP donor. “But at the same time, I’ve been saying for a long time people should stay in our country and travel in our country, and that’s going to happen.”
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Like Trump, Republicans around the country have been pushing through some of their long-held priorities during the pandemic. Some of them are using the coronavirus as an excuse for passing legislation or rolling back regulations. Others are simply doing what they want, quietly, while everyone is focused on the coronavirus.
A look at what’s been going on:
Gutting auto emissions standards
The new rules would lower fuel economy standards for vehicles sold in the United States from 54 miles per gallon by 2025 to 40 mpg. Canetti/Getty Images
Last month, right in the middle of the pandemic, the Trump administration took a major step toward rolling back auto emissions standards put in place during President Barack Obama’s tenure. The new rules would lower fuel economy standards for vehicles sold in the U.S. from 54 miles per gallon by 2025 to 40 mpg. The move has significant implications for climate change ― under the new standards, the U.S. auto fleet would emit nearly an additional 1 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide over the vehicles’ lifespans on the road than under the current rule.
Looser rules for toxic mercury pollutants
This month, the Environmental Protection Agency finalized its proposal to loosen rules on oil- and coal-fired power plants’ emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants. Mercury pollution damages brains and lungs. The new rules change the way regulators weigh the pros and cons of such restrictions, giving more weight to economic costs and less to indirect benefits to public health.
Abortion bans
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) is one of the politicians who have tried to ban abortions during the coronavirus crisis. Eric Gay/Associated Press
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GOP officials in a number of states ― including Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas ― have tried to use the coronavirus as an excuse to ban abortions, except when a woman’s life is in immediate danger. They say that the medical procedures are not essential and therefore need to wait until after the coronavirus crisis to be carried out.
But abortion rights advocates and medical experts say that abortion is time-sensitive and cannot wait. Many of these states also have stricter rules on when a woman is no longer allowed to obtain an abortion in her pregnancy.
“While many physicians and health care workers are on the front lines in the COVID-19 pandemic, it is unfortunate that elected officials in some states are exploiting this moment to ban or dramatically limit women’s reproductive health care, labeling procedures as ‘non-urgent,’” said Patrice Harris, president of the American Medical Association, in a statement.
NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio Executive Director Kellie Copeland added that people decide to end their pregnancies for a number of reasons, including, “the impact of pregnancy and birth on their health, ability to work, and strained economic circumstances. These are conditions that do not go away ― and are likely heightened — in pandemic conditions.”
Tax benefits for millionaires
Senate Republicans tucked a tax change into the coronavirus relief legislation passed last month that will temporarily reduce the tax liability for certain businesses. Eighty percent of the benefits will go to those who earn more than $1 million annually. Hedge-fund investors and owners of real estate businesses are the main beneficiaries of the GOP change, according to Steve Rosenthal, a tax expert at the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center.
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Anti-transgender laws
Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed two pieces of anti-transgender legislation in the middle of the coronavirus crisis. Otto Kitsinger/Associated Press
Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R) signed two anti-transgender bills into law during the coronavirus pandemic. One bars transgender and intersex girls from competing in girls sports in state public schools. The other prohibits transgender and gender nonconforming people from changing the gender marked on their birth certificate to match their gender identity.
Restricting science used to write environmental regulations
The Trump administration formally revised a rule this month significantly limiting the type of research that the government can use to draft environmental and public health regulations. The EPA would give preference to studies where all the data used is public ― a move that would dismiss “some of the most important environmental research of the past decades,” according to The New York Times. For example, research that uses the private medical information of study subjects who were granted confidentiality would be downplayed.
“In following through with this flawed policy anyway, the EPA administrator is undermining the agency’s ability to use the best available science as it makes decisions. ... Let’s call this rule what it is: a deliberate attempt to exclude scientific evidence from the policymaking process,” said Sudip Parikh, chief executive officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, in a statement.
Voter ID
Kentucky’s GOP-controlled Legislature recently overrode Gov. Andy Beshear’s (D) veto of a voter ID bill last week, a move that adds an extra hurdle for people to vote in November. The bill requires people to show government-issued photo identification in order to cast a ballot.
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This legislation comes at a time when people are already struggling to vote in primary elections because of the coronavirus pandemic. The ACLU of Kentucky said it was considering filing a lawsuit to block the law.
Voter fraud is extremely rare, yet voter ID bills are popular with Republicans. Voters who are elderly, low-income, students and people of color ― many of whom often vote for Democrats ― are the groups most likely to lack proper ID.
“As Democratic Governors work tirelessly to expand testing and provide personal protective equipment to frontline health care workers, Republicans at every level of government are focused on enacting a partisan agenda focused on stripping away the right to vote, chipping away at health care protections, and undermining their own state constitutions,” said Jerusalem Demsas, spokeswoman for the Democratic Governors Association.
Selling off oil and gas leases
The Interior Department has moved forward with fossil fuel lease sales, including offering up 78 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico last month ― despite environmental groups calling for a halt to sales during the pandemic. With oil prices dropping precipitously, the sale resulted in “lowest total for any U.S. offshore auction since 2016,” according to Reuters.
Criminalizing fossil fuel protests
Three states ― Kentucky, South Dakota and West Virginia ― quietly passed laws last month imposing criminal penalties on protests against fossil fuel infrastructure, such as gas pipelines. Andrew Burton/Getty Images
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Three states ― Kentucky, South Dakota and West Virginia ― quietly passed laws last month imposing criminal penalties on protests against fossil fuel infrastructure, such as gas pipelines. Under some of the bills, protesters would receive large fines for causing damage or disrupting or tampering with such infrastructure. South Dakota and West Virginia have Republican governors, while Kentucky has a Democratic one.
“While we are all paying attention to COVID-19 and the congressional stimulus packages, state legislatures are quietly passing fossil-fuel-backed anti-protest laws,” Connor Gibson, a Greenpeace USA researcher, told HuffPost. “These laws do nothing new to protect communities. Instead they seek to crack down on the sort of nonviolent civil disobedience that has shaped much of our nation’s greatest political and social victories.”


huffpost--2020-04-22--Iran's Guard Says It Launched Military Satellite Amid U.S. Tensions

There was no immediate independent confirmation of the launch of the satellite , which the Guard called “ Noor , ” or light .
The U.S. State Department and the Pentagon , which contend that such launches advance Iran ’ s ballistic missile program , did not immediately respond to requests for comment .
Already , Iran has abandoned all the limitations of its tattered nuclear deal with world powers that President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from in 2018 .
Trump ’ s decision set off a monthslong series of escalating attacks that culminated in a U.S. drone strike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general in Iraq , followed by Tehran launching ballistic missiles at American soldiers in Iraq .
“ This raises a lot of red flags , ” said Fabian Hinz , a researcher at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey , California .
“ Now that you have the maximum pressure campaign , Iran doesn ’ t have that much to lose anymore.
” On its official website , the Guard said the satellite successfully reached an orbit of 425 kilometers ( 264 miles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Guard called it the first military satellite ever launched by Tehran .
Hinz said based on state media images , the launch appeared to have happened at a previously unnamed Guard base near Shahroud , Iran , some 330 kilometers ( 205 miles ) northeast of Tehran .
The base is in Semnan province , which hosts the Imam Khomeini Spaceport from which Iran ’ s civilian space program operates .
The paramilitary force said it used a Ghased , or “ Messenger , ” satellite carrier to put the device @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It described the system as using both liquid and solid fuel .
The Guard , which operates its own military infrastructure in parallel to Iran ’ s regular armed forces , is a hard-line force answerable only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei .
It wasn ’ t immediately clear if Iran ’ s civilian government knew the launch was coming .
President Hassan Rouhani gave nearly a 40-minute speech Wednesday before his Cabinet that included no mention of the launch .
That failure came after two failed launches of the Payam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as a launchpad rocket explosion in August .
A separate fire at the Imam Khomeini Space Center in February 2019 also killed three researchers , authorities said at the time .
The rocket explosion in August drew even the attention of Trump , who later tweeted what appeared to be a classified surveillance image of the launch failure .
The successive failures raised suspicion of outside interference in Iran ’ s program , something Trump himself hinted at by tweeting at the time that the U.S. “ was not involved in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ satellite launches defy a U.N. Security Council resolution calling on Iran to undertake no activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons .
American officials , as well as European nations , worry that these launches could help Iran develop intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons .
Iran , which long has said it does not seek nuclear weapons , previously maintained its satellite launches and rocket tests do not have a military component .
The Guard launching its own satellite now calls that into question .
Tehran also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.N. resolution on its ballistic missile program as it only “ called upon ” Iran not to conduct such tests .
Western missile experts have also questioned the U.S. contention that Iran ’ s program could have a dual use for nuclear weapons .
But Wednesday ’ s launch raised new questions .
While Iran isn ’ t known to have the know-how to miniaturize a nuclear weapon on a ballistic missile , any advances toward an intercontinental ballistic missile would put Europe and potentially the U.S. in range .
Tensions have increased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ release video of the incident last week shows small Iranian fast boats coming close to American warships as they operated in the northern Persian Gulf near Kuwait , with U.S. Army Apache helicopters .
On Sunday , the Guard acknowledged it had a tense encounter with U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf , but alleged without offering evidence that American forces sparked the incident .

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TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said Wednesday it put the Islamic Republic’s first military satellite into orbit, dramatically unveiling what experts described as a secret space program with a surprise launch that came amid wider tensions with the United States.
There was no immediate independent confirmation of the launch of the satellite, which the Guard called “Noor,” or light. The U.S. State Department and the Pentagon, which contend that such launches advance Iran’s ballistic missile program, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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However, such a launch immediately raised concerns among experts on whether the technology used could help Iran develop intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Already, Iran has abandoned all the limitations of its tattered nuclear deal with world powers that President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from in 2018. Trump’s decision set off a monthslong series of escalating attacks that culminated in a U.S. drone strike in January that killed a top Iranian general in Iraq, followed by Tehran launching ballistic missiles at American soldiers in Iraq.
As the world grapples with the coronavirus pandemic and historically low oil prices, the missile launch may signal a new willingness to take risks by Iran.
“This raises a lot of red flags,” said Fabian Hinz, a researcher at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California. “Now that you have the maximum pressure campaign, Iran doesn’t have that much to lose anymore.”
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On its official website, the Guard said the satellite successfully reached an orbit of 425 kilometers (264 miles) above the Earth’s surface. The Guard called it the first military satellite ever launched by Tehran.
The three-stage satellite launch took off from Iran’s Central Desert, the Guard said, without elaborating or saying when exactly the launch took place.
Hinz said based on state media images, the launch appeared to have happened at a previously unnamed Guard base near Shahroud, Iran, some 330 kilometers (205 miles) northeast of Tehran. The base is in Semnan province, which hosts the Imam Khomeini Spaceport from which Iran’s civilian space program operates.
The paramilitary force said it used a Ghased, or “Messenger,” satellite carrier to put the device into space, a previously unheard-of system. It described the system as using both liquid and solid fuel.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran’s first satellite by the Revolutionary Guard Corps was successfully launched into orbit,” a state television announcer said. “This honorable launch happened this morning.”
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Wednesday marks the 41st anniversary of the founding of the Guard by Iran’s late leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. An image of the rocket that carried the satellite showed it bore a Quranic verse on overcoming adversaries.
The Guard, which operates its own military infrastructure in parallel to Iran’s regular armed forces, is a hard-line force answerable only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. It wasn’t immediately clear if Iran’s civilian government knew the launch was coming. President Hassan Rouhani gave nearly a 40-minute speech Wednesday before his Cabinet that included no mention of the launch.
Iran has suffered several failed satellite launches in recent months. The latest came in February, when Iran failed to put its Zafar 1 communications satellite into orbit.
That failure came after two failed launches of the Payam and Doosti satellites last year, as well as a launchpad rocket explosion in August. A separate fire at the Imam Khomeini Space Center in February 2019 also killed three researchers, authorities said at the time.
The rocket explosion in August drew even the attention of Trump, who later tweeted what appeared to be a classified surveillance image of the launch failure. The successive failures raised suspicion of outside interference in Iran’s program, something Trump himself hinted at by tweeting at the time that the U.S. “was not involved in the catastrophic accident.”
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The U.S. alleges such satellite launches defy a U.N. Security Council resolution calling on Iran to undertake no activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons. American officials, as well as European nations, worry that these launches could help Iran develop intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
Iran, which long has said it does not seek nuclear weapons, previously maintained its satellite launches and rocket tests do not have a military component. The Guard launching its own satellite now calls that into question.
Tehran also says it hasn’t violated a U.N. resolution on its ballistic missile program as it only “called upon” Iran not to conduct such tests. Western missile experts have also questioned the U.S. contention that Iran’s program could have a dual use for nuclear weapons.
But Wednesday’s launch raised new questions. While Iran isn’t known to have the know-how to miniaturize a nuclear weapon on a ballistic missile, any advances toward an intercontinental ballistic missile would put Europe and potentially the U.S. in range.
Over the past decade, Iran has sent several short-lived satellites into orbit and in 2013 launched a monkey into space.
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Tensions have increased elsewhere as well. A U.S. Navy release video of the incident last week shows small Iranian fast boats coming close to American warships as they operated in the northern Persian Gulf near Kuwait, with U.S. Army Apache helicopters. On Sunday, the Guard acknowledged it had a tense encounter with U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf, but alleged without offering evidence that American forces sparked the incident.
Then on Monday, the Guard said it has significantly upgraded the range of its anti-warship missiles and that it now possesses surface-to-surface and subsurface anti-warship missiles with a range as high as 700 kilometers (430 miles).
Even as both face the same invisible enemy in the coronavirus pandemic, Iran and the United States remain locked in retaliatory pressure campaigns that now view the outbreak as just the latest battleground.
Initially overwhelmed, Tehran now seeks to sway international opinion on U.S. sanctions by highlighting its struggles with COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. In Iran, the regional epicenter of the outbreak, the virus has killed more than 5,290 people, from among over 84,800 reported cases.
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huffpost--2020-04-22--Coronavirus Live Updates: Read The Latest About The COVID-19 Outbreak

More than 60,000 lives have been saved by France ’ s strict lockdown rules just in four weeks , according to a new study .
HuffPost France reports ( in French ) that researchers from the School of Advanced Studies in Public Health found that if authorities had let coronavirus spread , the country ’ s health system would have been overwhelmed .
However , according to the report which looked at the period from March 19 to April 19 , the numbers of lives saved could actually be much higher , as the research doesn ’ t take into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ France has suffered the world ’ s fourth-highest reported coronavirus death toll at more than 20,000 , with more than 158,000 infections .
Fight Over Texas Abortions Amid Coronavirus Orders Is Dropped — 2/22/20 , 10:35 p.m .
ET Abortion clinics in Texas can now resume services nearly a month after Gov .
Greg Abbott ( R ) issued an executive order banning all nonessential surgeries and procedures , saying it would preserve medical resources as the state prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic .
The original order put a halt to all abortions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lines to get the procedure .
In response , several abortion clinics filed a lawsuit against Abbott and state lawmakers , triggering a legal battle over what they claimed was a time-sensitive , essential service .
Abbott issued a new executive order , which took effect Wednesday , that eased restrictions and allowed for more procedures to be exempt from the nonessential surgery ban .
Though the order didn ’ t specifically identify abortions as an exempt procedure , the state attorney general ’ s office said in legal documents filed late Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s new order .
State lawyers said that there was no longer a legal issue since the plaintiffs in the lawsuit ― the abortion clinics ― had “ already certified they are in compliance with an exception ” under Abbott ’ s new executive order .
Las Vegas Mayor Offers City As Social Distancing ‘ Control Group ’ In Call To Reopen Businesses — 4/22/20 , 7:32 p.m .
ET Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman said Wednesday that she wants to reopen businesses like hotels and casinos , volunteering her city and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group ” to see if social distancing actually works to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
In an interview with CNN ’ s Anderson Cooper , Goodman also said it was not her responsibility as mayor to provide guidelines on how to safely reopen businesses .
Nevada had 163 coronavirus-related deaths as of Wednesday , 141 of which come from Clark County , which includes the city of Las Vegas .
Goodman touted the number in comparison to Nevada ’ s population of about 3 million but refused to say whether that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ How do you know until we have a control group ?
We offered to be a control group , ” the mayor said , adding that a statistician told her she could not do that .
Geographically , the strip casinos are not in Las Vegas itself but in the unincorporated town of Paradise , Nevada .
Rep. Dina Titus ( D-Nev. ) , whose district includes Las Vegas , said Goodman “ does not represent the Las Vegas Strip , literally or figuratively.
” HHS Chief Alex Azar Had Aide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Task Force — 4/22/20 , 7:15 p.m .
ET U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar tapped a former professional dog breeder to lead the agency ’ s day-to-day response to the coronavirus pandemic , according to a Reuters report published on Wednesday .
Brian Harrison joined the department as Azar ’ s aide after running a Labradoodle-breeding business for six years .
The HHS picked an aide with minimal public health experience to lead the COVID-19 response by the department , which oversees nearly every federal public health agency in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an inexperienced manager represents his department ’ s larger , often troubled response to the pandemic .
Two of the agencies overseen by HHS — the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration — were unable to come up with viable tests for nearly six weeks despite other countries and the World Health Organization already having prepared their own .
Top Vaccine Official Says He Was Demoted For Resisting Unproven Drug Pushed By Trump — 4/22/20 , 7:07 p.m .
ET The doctor leading the Trump administration ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from his post at the Department of Health and Human Services and moved into a smaller role at another agency in retaliation for pushing for “ scientifically-vetted solutions ” over drugs that have not been proven to treat the coronavirus .
Dr. Rick Bright said in a statement to The New York Times on Wednesday that he had clashed with HHS “ political leadership ” over his resistance to funding “ potentially dangerous drugs promoted by those with political connections.
” That disagreement led to Bright ’ s removal as the director of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in HHS , which leads the federal effort to develop vaccines and other drugs .
The director of that agency is not appointed by Congress .
Bright told the Times that he specifically limited the “ broad use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine , promoted by the administration as a panacea , but which clearly lack scientific merit.
” “ While I am prepared to look at all options and to think ‘ outside the box ’ for effective treatments , I rightly resisted efforts to provide an unproven drug on demand to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Bright believes his transfer to the National Institutes of Health was in response to his “ insistence ” that the federal government invest the “ billions of dollars allocated by Congress ” in science-backed solutions to the COVID-19 pandemic instead of “ drugs , vaccines and other technologies that lack scientific merit , ” he said in a statement .
Bright ’ s attorneys Debra Katz and Lisa Banks called the health official ’ s removal “ retaliation plain and simple , ” according to CNN .
Pentagon To Dispatch Blue Angels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 4/22/20 , 6:00 p.m .
ET The Pentagon said Wednesday it is planning a tour across U.S. cities with the military ’ s flight demonstration teams to “ champion national unity , ” The Washington Post reports .
Flight teams the Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds will participate in the shows , which cost at least $ 60,000 per hour to perform .
An unnamed military official told The Washington Post the idea was conceived as a way to “ acknowledge those who are pitching in.
” More than a dozen cities will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gavin Newsom Says Elective Surgeries Can Begin Again — 4/22/20 , 3:45 p.m .
ET California Gov .
Gavin Newsom ( D ) announced that scheduled surgeries can begin again after they were paused , as hospitals focused on treating patients with the coronavirus .
California coordinated with Oregon and Washington state in its decision to allow elective surgeries to begin again .
Newsom said this would be a key step in reopening the state , and went on to explain that the state ’ s framework for handling the spread will include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and reopening businesses and schools .
He clarified that the decision to eventually open businesses could be reversed if the virus starts to spread rapidly again .
California Highway Patrol Halts Permits For Protests After Anti-Lockdown Demonstration — 4/22/20 , 2:10 p.m .
ET California Highway Patrol said it will not be issuing any more permits for demonstrations on state property after anti-stay-home protesters on Monday broke rules about gatherings in large groups , reported the Sacramento Bee .
Hundreds of mostly right-wing demonstrators protested at the state capitol in Sacramento on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s shelter-in-place order .
While some were in cars , hundreds gathered in person without following public health safety guidelines of maintaining 6 feet of distance and wearing masks .
The anti-lockdown protest mirrored dozens of others across the country , many of which have been led or attended by white nationalists and other extremists .
Meanwhile coronavirus cases and deaths keep climbing across the country , with over 830,000 confirmed cases and more than 45,000 dead so far .
New York , New Jersey , Connecticut To Develop Coordinated Contact Tracing System @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will coordinate a contact tracing system with New Jersey and Connecticut , Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ( D ) announced at his daily press conference .
Public health experts have said widespread contact tracing , which involves locating and then testing people who have come into contact with an individual who tests positive for COVID-19 , is a key condition for reopening businesses and lifting stay-at-home orders and other restrictions aimed at stemming the spread of the virus .
The coordinated effort will be funded in part by a $ 10 million donation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mayor Mike Bloomberg , in partnership with an institute at Johns Hopkins University , which Bloomberg has also funded .
Tyson Foods Closes Meat Processing Plant In Iowa Indefinitely After Outbreak ― 4/22/20 , 9:45 a.m .
ET Tyson Foods announced it ’ s suspending operations indefinitely at its pork processing plant in Waterloo , Iowa , citing numerous employee absences due to the coronavirus .
The Waterloo facility is the company ’ s largest pork plant .
All 2,800 of the plant ’ s workers will be asked to come in for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier .
The timeline for reopening of the plant depends on the results of the testing .
“ The closure has significant ramifications beyond our company , since the plant is part of a larger supply chain that includes hundreds of independent farmers , truckers , distributors and customers , including grocers , ” Steve Stouffer , group president of Tyson Fresh Meat , said in a statement .
“ It means the loss of a vital market outlet for farmers and further contributes to the disruption of the nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the second largest chicken , beef and pork processor in the world .
At least two employees at the company ’ s pork processing plant in Columbus Junction , Iowa , have died from COVID-19 , and more than 200 workers have tested positive .
The company resumed some operations at the plant on Tuesday .
Lawmakers in Britain have brushed aside hundreds of years of tradition by staging the first-ever virtual session of Prime Minister ’ s Questions .
Under temporary measures drawn up by House of Commons authorities , members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acting leader of the government on Wednesday through video chat .
The session took place in a sparsely populated Commons chamber , where tape was placed on the chamber floor to mark out where the small number of lawmakers who attended in person should walk .
Cards showing green ticks and red crosses also denoted where MPs should sit in a bid to comply with social distancing rules of keeping a gap of 2 meters .
Under the temporary measures , Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab stood in for Prime Minister Boris Johnson and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Starmer .
A number of screens have been placed around the Commons chamber to allow the speaker and MPs in Westminster to see their remote-working colleagues .
California Says It ’ s First State To Prioritize Testing For Some Asymptomatic People — 4/22/20 8:30 a.m .
ET California public health officials said local authorities should administer coronavirus tests to people working or living in “ high risk settings , ” including hospitals , prisons and homeless shelters , The Associated Press reported .
State officials said the new guidelines make California the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who don ’ t have symptoms .
California IDs Coronavirus Deaths Weeks Earlier Than First Reported U.S. Case — 4/22/20 , 6 a.m .
ET Santa Clara County in California said a medical examiner found that two people had died at home of COVID-19 on Feb. 6 and Feb. 17 , well before the first coronavirus-linked deaths were reported in Washington state around Feb. 26 .
The findings are significant because it means that the virus was spreading in the U.S. even longer than previously thought .
Children To Be Allowed Outside As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a.m .
ET A controversial bar on children leaving the home will be eased in Spain as the government begins to relax its strict lockdown restrictions .
Children up to 14 years of age will be given permission to go outside for walks from this Sunday , as long as they are accompanied by an adult , HuffPost Spain reports ( in Spanish ) .
With the world ’ s second-highest number of infections ― more than 200,000 ― and Europe ’ s second-highest death toll ― 21,282 ― Spain has imposed one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ begun taking tentative easing steps , including allowing some workers to return from last week , but most restrictions remain in force .
On Tuesday night , the government bowed to public pressure and said children under 14 would be able to take short walks outside under supervision .
The cabinet had initially said children would only be allowed to accompany parents to buy food or medicine , provoking criticism on social media and pot-banging protests on balconies .
Coronavirus Vaccine Trials To Begin In UK On Thursday — 4/22/20 , 5:30 a.m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine on people will begin Thursday , the government has announced .
Britain ’ s Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the government-funded research at the University of Oxford had been accelerated due to the global pandemic .
“ In normal times , reaching this stage would take years and I ’ m very proud of the work taken so far , ” Hancock said .
However , Britons have been warned that developing any treatment , including vaccines , will require lengthy testing periods on both animals and humans .
Professor Ravi Gupta @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to prepare for a world where we don ’ t have a vaccine .
To base public policy on the hope of a vaccine is a desperate measure .
We should hope for a vaccine but we shouldn ’ t expect one in the next year and a half .
“ Anyone who says we can is bonkers.
” Missouri Becomes First U.S. State To Sue China For Lying , Not Doing Enough About COVID-19 — 4/22/20 , 2:53 a.m .
ET Missouri is the first state to sue China for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak .
State Attorney General Eric Schmitt filed the civil suit on Tuesday , alleging the Chinese government lied and didn ’ t do enough to prevent the spread of the virus during the early days of the crisis .
“ The Chinese government lied to the world about the danger and contagious nature of COVID-19 , silenced whistleblowers and did little to stop the spread of the disease , ” Schmitt said in a statement .
“ They must be held accountable for their actions.
” Legal experts say efforts to hold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. courts aren ’ t likely to be successful .
Nurses Read Names Of Health Care Workers Who ’ ve Died In Pandemic During White House Protest — 4/22/20 , 2:20 a.m .
ET Nurses hailing from all over the U.S. held a protest in front of the White House on Monday to call out the unsafe conditions they and their colleagues have had to endure on the front-lines of the COVID-19 pandemic .
During the demonstration , which was organized by the National Nurses United union , nurses held photos and read @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve become infected or died from coronavirus .
“ We are not heroes .
We ’ re human beings and we are susceptible just like everyone else is .
And if we are dying then we can ’ t take care of our patients , ” said Britta Breenan , a National Nurses member and critical care nurse at Washington Hospital Center , CBS News reported .
“ We have had nurses from our hospital die from COVID-19 .
And they are not dignified deaths.
” CDC Director Warns Americans Of Potential Second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 9:25 p.m .
ET The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ’ s director warned that a potential second wave of the novel coronavirus could be far more deadly than the current pandemic if it overlaps with the beginning of the winter flu season .
Government leaders at all levels must use the months ahead to prepare for such a health crisis even as some states are planning to resurrect their economies , CDC Director Robert Redfield told The Washington Post in an interview published Tuesday .
“ There ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus on our nation next winter will actually be even more difficult than the one we just went through , ” Redfield told the Post .
“ And when I ’ ve said this to others , they kind of put their head back , they don ’ t understand what I mean.
” The health official said the virus could be more harmful in a potential second wave because having concurrent outbreaks of the flu and COVID-19 would put immense pressure on the nation ’ s health care system .
Both viruses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar protective gear and medical equipment .
Part of the preparation for a potential second wave of COVID-10 includes persuading Americans to get their flu shots in the coming summer months so that public health officials can minimize the number of people requiring hospitalization during two respiratory outbreaks .
Redfield said that getting vaccinated for influenza “ may allow there to be a hospital bed available for your mother or grandmother that may get coronavirus.
” ― Sanjana Karanth For earlier updates on the pandemic , go here .

More than 60,000 lives have been saved by France’s strict lockdown rules just in four weeks, according to a new study.
HuffPost France reports (in French) that researchers from the School of Advanced Studies in Public Health found that if authorities had let coronavirus spread, the country’s health system would have been overwhelmed.
However, according to the report which looked at the period from March 19 to April 19, the numbers of lives saved could actually be much higher, as the research doesn’t take into account data from outside of hospitals.
France has suffered the world’s fourth-highest reported coronavirus death toll at more than 20,000, with more than 158,000 infections.
— James Martin
Fight Over Texas Abortions Amid Coronavirus Orders Is Dropped — 2/22/20, 10:35 p.m. ET
Abortion clinics in Texas can now resume services nearly a month after Gov. Greg Abbott (R) issued an executive order banning all nonessential surgeries and procedures, saying it would preserve medical resources as the state prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic.
The original order put a halt to all abortions, forcing some women to cross state lines to get the procedure. In response, several abortion clinics filed a lawsuit against Abbott and state lawmakers, triggering a legal battle over what they claimed was a time-sensitive, essential service.
Abbott issued a new executive order, which took effect Wednesday, that eased restrictions and allowed for more procedures to be exempt from the nonessential surgery ban.
Though the order didn’t specifically identify abortions as an exempt procedure, the state attorney general’s office said in legal documents filed late Wednesday that abortions could continue under Abbott’s new order.
State lawyers said that there was no longer a legal issue since the plaintiffs in the lawsuit ― the abortion clinics ― had “already certified they are in compliance with an exception” under Abbott’s new executive order.
— Carla H. Russo
Las Vegas Mayor Offers City As Social Distancing ‘Control Group’ In Call To Reopen Businesses — 4/22/20, 7:32 p.m. ET
Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman said Wednesday that she wants to reopen businesses like hotels and casinos, volunteering her city and the people in it as a “control group” to see if social distancing actually works to slow the spread of the coronavirus. In an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, Goodman also said it was not her responsibility as mayor to provide guidelines on how to safely reopen businesses.
Nevada had 163 coronavirus-related deaths as of Wednesday, 141 of which come from Clark County, which includes the city of Las Vegas. Goodman touted the number in comparison to Nevada’s population of about 3 million but refused to say whether that number is due to social distancing guidelines.
“How do you know until we have a control group? We offered to be a control group,” the mayor said, adding that a statistician told her she could not do that. Geographically, the strip casinos are not in Las Vegas itself but in the unincorporated town of Paradise, Nevada.
Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.), whose district includes Las Vegas, said Goodman “does not represent the Las Vegas Strip, literally or figuratively.”
— Sanjana Karanth
HHS Chief Alex Azar Had Aide, Former Dog Breeder, Steer Pandemic Task Force — 4/22/20, 7:15 p.m. ET
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar tapped a former professional dog breeder to lead the agency’s day-to-day response to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a Reuters report published on Wednesday.
Brian Harrison joined the department as Azar’s aide after running a Labradoodle-breeding business for six years. The HHS picked an aide with minimal public health experience to lead the COVID-19 response by the department, which oversees nearly every federal public health agency in the country.
Azar’s choice of an inexperienced manager represents his department’s larger, often troubled response to the pandemic. Two of the agencies overseen by HHS — the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration — were unable to come up with viable tests for nearly six weeks despite other countries and the World Health Organization already having prepared their own.
— Sanjana Karanth
Top Vaccine Official Says He Was Demoted For Resisting Unproven Drug Pushed By Trump — 4/22/20, 7:07 p.m. ET
The doctor leading the Trump administration’s vaccine agency said he was removed from his post at the Department of Health and Human Services and moved into a smaller role at another agency in retaliation for pushing for “scientifically-vetted solutions” over drugs that have not been proven to treat the coronavirus.
Dr. Rick Bright said in a statement to The New York Times on Wednesday that he had clashed with HHS “political leadership” over his resistance to funding “potentially dangerous drugs promoted by those with political connections.”
That disagreement led to Bright’s removal as the director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority in HHS, which leads the federal effort to develop vaccines and other drugs. The director of that agency is not appointed by Congress.
Bright told the Times that he specifically limited the “broad use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, promoted by the administration as a panacea, but which clearly lack scientific merit.”
“While I am prepared to look at all options and to think ‘outside the box’ for effective treatments, I rightly resisted efforts to provide an unproven drug on demand to the American public,” Bright said Tuesday.
Bright believes his transfer to the National Institutes of Health was in response to his “insistence” that the federal government invest the “billions of dollars allocated by Congress” in science-backed solutions to the COVID-19 pandemic instead of “drugs, vaccines and other technologies that lack scientific merit,” he said in a statement. Bright’s attorneys Debra Katz and Lisa Banks called the health official’s removal “retaliation plain and simple,” according to CNN.
— Carla H. Russo
Pentagon To Dispatch Blue Angels To ‘Champion National Unity’ — 4/22/20, 6:00 p.m. ET
The Pentagon said Wednesday it is planning a tour across U.S. cities with the military’s flight demonstration teams to “champion national unity,” The Washington Post reports.
Flight teams the Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds will participate in the shows, which cost at least $60,000 per hour to perform. An unnamed military official told The Washington Post the idea was conceived as a way to “acknowledge those who are pitching in.”
More than a dozen cities will see the flyovers.
— Sebastian Murdock
California Gov. Gavin Newsom Says Elective Surgeries Can Begin Again — 4/22/20, 3:45 p.m. ET
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced that scheduled surgeries can begin again after they were paused, as hospitals focused on treating patients with the coronavirus. California coordinated with Oregon and Washington state in its decision to allow elective surgeries to begin again.
Newsom said this would be a key step in reopening the state, and went on to explain that the state’s framework for handling the spread will include testing, developing treatments for the virus, and reopening businesses and schools. He clarified that the decision to eventually open businesses could be reversed if the virus starts to spread rapidly again.
— Sebastian Murdock
California Highway Patrol Halts Permits For Protests After Anti-Lockdown Demonstration — 4/22/20, 2:10 p.m. ET
California Highway Patrol said it will not be issuing any more permits for demonstrations on state property after anti-stay-home protesters on Monday broke rules about gatherings in large groups, reported the Sacramento Bee.
Hundreds of mostly right-wing demonstrators protested at the state capitol in Sacramento on Monday against Gov. Gavin Newsom’s shelter-in-place order. While some were in cars, hundreds gathered in person without following public health safety guidelines of maintaining 6 feet of distance and wearing masks.
The anti-lockdown protest mirrored dozens of others across the country, many of which have been led or attended by white nationalists and other extremists.
Meanwhile coronavirus cases and deaths keep climbing across the country, with over 830,000 confirmed cases and more than 45,000 dead so far.
— Sarah Ruiz-Grossman
New York, New Jersey, Connecticut To Develop Coordinated Contact Tracing System — 4/22/20, 12:20 p.m.
New York will coordinate a contact tracing system with New Jersey and Connecticut, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced at his daily press conference.
Public health experts have said widespread contact tracing, which involves locating and then testing people who have come into contact with an individual who tests positive for COVID-19, is a key condition for reopening businesses and lifting stay-at-home orders and other restrictions aimed at stemming the spread of the virus.
The coordinated effort will be funded in part by a $10 million donation from billionaire and former New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg, in partnership with an institute at Johns Hopkins University, which Bloomberg has also funded.
— Marina Fang
Tyson Foods Closes Meat Processing Plant In Iowa Indefinitely After Outbreak ― 4/22/20, 9:45 a.m. ET
Tyson Foods announced it’s suspending operations indefinitely at its pork processing plant in Waterloo, Iowa, citing numerous employee absences due to the coronavirus.
The Waterloo facility is the company’s largest pork plant. All 2,800 of the plant’s workers will be asked to come in for COVID-19 testing later this week, reported The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. The timeline for reopening of the plant depends on the results of the testing.
“The closure has significant ramifications beyond our company, since the plant is part of a larger supply chain that includes hundreds of independent farmers, truckers, distributors and customers, including grocers,” Steve Stouffer, group president of Tyson Fresh Meat, said in a statement. “It means the loss of a vital market outlet for farmers and further contributes to the disruption of the nation’s pork supply.”
Tyson Foods is the second largest chicken, beef and pork processor in the world. At least two employees at the company’s pork processing plant in Columbus Junction, Iowa, have died from COVID-19, and more than 200 workers have tested positive. The company resumed some operations at the plant on Tuesday.
― Hayley Miller
UK Parliament Holds First-Ever Virtual Prime Minister’s Questions — 4/22/20, 8:50 a.m. ET
Lawmakers in Britain have brushed aside hundreds of years of tradition by staging the first-ever virtual session of Prime Minister’s Questions. Under temporary measures drawn up by House of Commons authorities, members of Parliament were able to quiz the acting leader of the government on Wednesday through video chat.
The session took place in a sparsely populated Commons chamber, where tape was placed on the chamber floor to mark out where the small number of lawmakers who attended in person should walk. Cards showing green ticks and red crosses also denoted where MPs should sit in a bid to comply with social distancing rules of keeping a gap of 2 meters.
Under the temporary measures, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab stood in for Prime Minister Boris Johnson and answered questions from new opposition leader Keir Starmer.
A number of screens have been placed around the Commons chamber to allow the speaker and MPs in Westminster to see their remote-working colleagues.
— James Martin
California Says It’s First State To Prioritize Testing For Some Asymptomatic People — 4/22/20 8:30 a.m. ET
California public health officials said local authorities should administer coronavirus tests to people working or living in “high risk settings,” including hospitals, prisons and homeless shelters, The Associated Press reported.
State officials said the new guidelines make California the first U.S. state to prioritize testing for people who don’t have symptoms.
Read more here.
— Hayley Miller
California IDs Coronavirus Deaths Weeks Earlier Than First Reported U.S. Case — 4/22/20, 6 a.m. ET
Santa Clara County in California said a medical examiner found that two people had died at home of COVID-19 on Feb. 6 and Feb. 17, well before the first coronavirus-linked deaths were reported in Washington state around Feb. 26. The findings are significant because it means that the virus was spreading in the U.S. even longer than previously thought.
— Nick Visser
Children To Be Allowed Outside As Spain Eases Lockdown — 4/22/20, 5:45 a.m. ET
A controversial bar on children leaving the home will be eased in Spain as the government begins to relax its strict lockdown restrictions. Children up to 14 years of age will be given permission to go outside for walks from this Sunday, as long as they are accompanied by an adult, HuffPost Spain reports (in Spanish).
With the world’s second-highest number of infections ― more than 200,000 ― and Europe’s second-highest death toll ― 21,282 ― Spain has imposed one of the severest lockdowns. It has begun taking tentative easing steps, including allowing some workers to return from last week, but most restrictions remain in force.
On Tuesday night, the government bowed to public pressure and said children under 14 would be able to take short walks outside under supervision. The cabinet had initially said children would only be allowed to accompany parents to buy food or medicine, provoking criticism on social media and pot-banging protests on balconies.
— James Martin
Coronavirus Vaccine Trials To Begin In UK On Thursday — 4/22/20, 5:30 a.m. ET
U.K. trials of a coronavirus vaccine on people will begin Thursday, the government has announced.
Britain’s Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the government-funded research at the University of Oxford had been accelerated due to the global pandemic. “In normal times, reaching this stage would take years and I’m very proud of the work taken so far,” Hancock said.
However, Britons have been warned that developing any treatment, including vaccines, will require lengthy testing periods on both animals and humans.
Professor Ravi Gupta, told HuffPost UK: “We need to prepare for a world where we don’t have a vaccine. To base public policy on the hope of a vaccine is a desperate measure. We should hope for a vaccine but we shouldn’t expect one in the next year and a half.
“Anyone who says we can is bonkers.”
Read more
— Rachel Wearmouth and Chris York
Missouri Becomes First U.S. State To Sue China For Lying, Not Doing Enough About COVID-19 — 4/22/20, 2:53 a.m. ET
Missouri is the first state to sue China for the country’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak.
State Attorney General Eric Schmitt filed the civil suit on Tuesday, alleging the Chinese government lied and didn’t do enough to prevent the spread of the virus during the early days of the crisis.
“The Chinese government lied to the world about the danger and contagious nature of COVID-19, silenced whistleblowers and did little to stop the spread of the disease,” Schmitt said in a statement. “They must be held accountable for their actions.”
Legal experts say efforts to hold China accountable for its coronavirus response in U.S. courts aren’t likely to be successful.
— Dominique Mosbergen
Nurses Read Names Of Health Care Workers Who’ve Died In Pandemic During White House Protest — 4/22/20, 2:20 a.m. ET
Nurses hailing from all over the U.S. held a protest in front of the White House on Monday to call out the unsafe conditions they and their colleagues have had to endure on the front-lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the demonstration, which was organized by the National Nurses United union, nurses held photos and read the names of healthcare workers who’ve become infected or died from coronavirus.
“We are not heroes. We’re human beings and we are susceptible just like everyone else is. And if we are dying then we can’t take care of our patients,” said Britta Breenan, a National Nurses member and critical care nurse at Washington Hospital Center, CBS News reported. “We have had nurses from our hospital die from COVID-19. And they are not dignified deaths.”
— Dominique Mosbergen
CDC Director Warns Americans Of Potential Second Wave Of Coronavirus This Winter ― 4/21/20, 9:25 p.m. ET
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s director warned that a potential second wave of the novel coronavirus could be far more deadly than the current pandemic if it overlaps with the beginning of the winter flu season.
Government leaders at all levels must use the months ahead to prepare for such a health crisis even as some states are planning to resurrect their economies, CDC Director Robert Redfield told The Washington Post in an interview published Tuesday.
“There’s a possibility that the assault of the virus on our nation next winter will actually be even more difficult than the one we just went through,” Redfield told the Post. “And when I’ve said this to others, they kind of put their head back, they don’t understand what I mean.”
The health official said the virus could be more harmful in a potential second wave because having concurrent outbreaks of the flu and COVID-19 would put immense pressure on the nation’s health care system. Both viruses can cause respiratory illness and would require similar protective gear and medical equipment.
Part of the preparation for a potential second wave of COVID-10 includes persuading Americans to get their flu shots in the coming summer months so that public health officials can minimize the number of people requiring hospitalization during two respiratory outbreaks. Redfield said that getting vaccinated for influenza “may allow there to be a hospital bed available for your mother or grandmother that may get coronavirus.”
― Sanjana Karanth
For earlier updates on the pandemic, go here.