huffpost--2020-04-19--Taylor Swift Performs Devastating Song She Once Said She'd Never Play

Taylor Swift dug deep to deliver a performance of a song she once said she would never sing live during Global Citizen ’ s “ One World : Together At Home ” concert .
The singer was one of the final acts in the Lady Gaga-curated televised event on Saturday night , which raised almost $ 128 million to combat the coronavirus outbreak in partnership with the World Health Organization and the United Nations .
Introduced by friend and late-night talk show host Jimmy Fallon , who said Swift “ has already contributed so much , ” the “ Lover @ @ @ @ @ @ @ version of the heartbreaking ballad “ Soon You ’ ll Get Better ” from her latest album .
A solemn Swift seemed to be holding back tears during the stirring rendition of the song , which was written about her mother ’ s ongoing cancer battle .
The “ Cats ” star previously told fans that she ’ d likely never perform “ Soon You ’ ll Get Better ” live , as it was devastating enough to write , let alone share with fans on a stage .
“ I don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ play it live .
It ’ s just really difficult for me , ” she told fans last year .
“ It was hard to write .
It ’ s hard to sing .
It ’ s hard to listen to for me .
But sometimes , music is like that .
Sometimes it ’ s not just about stuff that was pleasant to feel.
” And given these unprecedented times , the song ’ s message rang true for fans across the world , including Lady Gaga herself , who praised Swift @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us.
” Swift first shared the news that her mother was battling an undisclosed form of cancer back in 2015 .
Although Andrea Swift went into remission , the cancer returned for a second time last March , when Swift was filming the documentary “ Miss Americana.
” Earlier this year , Swift revealed that her mom had also been diagnosed with a brain tumor amid ongoing treatment .
“ While she was going through treatment , they found a brain tumor , ” she said .
“ And the symptoms of what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a brain tumor is nothing like what we ’ ve ever been through with her cancer before .
So it ’ s just been a really hard time for us as a family.
” Letting her music speak for her , Swift didn ’ t offer up any words of her own during the televised concert , though she ’ s been anything but silent during the coronavirus outbreak .
After encouraging her millions of followers to practice social distancing , she donated thousands of dollars to individual fans facing financial hardships ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Organization and Feeding America ; and stepped in to save a historic record store in her hometown of Nashville , Tennessee .
She also recently canceled all of her live performances and appearances for the remainder of the year , citing public health concerns .
“ Please , please stay healthy and safe , ” Swift wrote on Twitter Friday .
“ I ’ ll see you on stage as soon as I can but right now what ’ s important is committing to this quarantine , for the sake of all of @ @ @

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Taylor Swift dug deep to deliver a performance of a song she once said she would never sing live during Global Citizen’s “One World: Together At Home” concert.
The singer was one of the final acts in the Lady Gaga-curated televised event on Saturday night, which raised almost $128 million to combat the coronavirus outbreak in partnership with the World Health Organization and the United Nations.
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Introduced by friend and late-night talk show host Jimmy Fallon, who said Swift “has already contributed so much,” the “Lover” singer launched into a stripped down version of the heartbreaking ballad “Soon You’ll Get Better” from her latest album.
A solemn Swift seemed to be holding back tears during the stirring rendition of the song, which was written about her mother’s ongoing cancer battle.
The “Cats” star previously told fans that she’d likely never perform “Soon You’ll Get Better” live, as it was devastating enough to write, let alone share with fans on a stage.
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“I don’t know if I’ll ever play it live. It’s just really difficult for me,” she told fans last year. “It was hard to write. It’s hard to sing. It’s hard to listen to for me. But sometimes, music is like that. Sometimes it’s not just about stuff that was pleasant to feel.”
And given these unprecedented times, the song’s message rang true for fans across the world, including Lady Gaga herself, who praised Swift for “sharing this vulnerable moment with us.”
.@LadyGaga praises @TaylorSwift13 during her ‘One World: #TogetherAtHome’ performance of “Soon You’ll Get Better”:
“This is so beautiful, Taylor. Thank you for sharing this vulnerable moment with us.” pic.twitter.com/sPvLoxbFmw — Pop Crave (@PopCraveMusic) April 19, 2020
Swift first shared the news that her mother was battling an undisclosed form of cancer back in 2015.
Although Andrea Swift went into remission, the cancer returned for a second time last March, when Swift was filming the documentary “Miss Americana.” Earlier this year, Swift revealed that her mom had also been diagnosed with a brain tumor amid ongoing treatment.
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“She was going through chemo, and that’s a hard enough thing for a person to go through,” Swift told Variety.
“While she was going through treatment, they found a brain tumor,” she said. “And the symptoms of what a person goes through when they have a brain tumor is nothing like what we’ve ever been through with her cancer before. So it’s just been a really hard time for us as a family.”
Taylor Swift and her mother Andrea Swift onstage during the 50th Academy Of Country Music Awards. Cooper Neill via Getty Images
Letting her music speak for her, Swift didn’t offer up any words of her own during the televised concert, though she’s been anything but silent during the coronavirus outbreak.
After encouraging her millions of followers to practice social distancing, she donated thousands of dollars to individual fans facing financial hardships; contributed unspecified amounts to the World Health Organization and Feeding America; and stepped in to save a historic record store in her hometown of Nashville, Tennessee.
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She also recently canceled all of her live performances and appearances for the remainder of the year, citing public health concerns.
“Please, please stay healthy and safe,” Swift wrote on Twitter Friday. “I’ll see you on stage as soon as I can but right now what’s important is committing to this quarantine, for the sake of all of us.”


huffpost--2020-04-19--Coronavirus Pandemic Prompts Spike In Demand For Food Pantries

FRANKLIN , Tenn. ( AP ) — Brooklyn Dotson needed food .
Her first unemployment check had yet to arrive after she was let go by the warehouse where she used to work .
So the 25-year-old Nashville woman scrounged up some gas money and drove 30 miles ( 48 kilometers ) to the GraceWorks Ministries food pantry in Franklin .
There , at the pantry ’ s new drive-thru , workers wearing masks and gloves loaded her van with about $ 350 worth of groceries .
“ I don ’ t have any income coming in , I don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so it ’ s just hard to get any help right now , ” Dotson said while waiting in line at GraceWorks .
Food pantries stay busy even in the best of economic times ; the coronavirus pandemic has prompted a spike in demand as millions of people like Dotson find themselves furloughed , laid off or with businesses that have suffered huge financial blows .
Just as demand is skyrocketing , however , many of the food banks ’ sources are drying up .
Restaurants , hotels and resorts — many of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operations — are no longer supplying them with food , while other suppliers are busy restocking grocery shelves .
Farmers have switched from shipping vegetables and meats in bulk to individual packaging for grocery stores .
Feeding America has seen an increase in demand from 98 % of its member banks , according to a recent survey .
The average increase for a member was 63 % , while 95 % of the association ’ s food banks reported an increase in operating expenses , the organization said .
Congress included a significant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus relief legislation , but Fitzgerald warned that funding may take months to reach localities while food banks contend with a flood of need in the near term .
The $ 100 million that billionaire Jeff Bezos pledged to the association on April 2 was already being deployed last week , she said .
“ When people say what do you need the most , we need food and money , ” said Nancy Keil , president and CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee .
In addition to finding ways @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food banks have had to devise creative new ways to distribute ever greater amounts of food while keeping both recipients and their staff safe from exposure to the coronavirus .
The San Francisco-Marin Food Bank in California has built “ pop-up ” pantries after some of its previous 275 or so sites had to stop operating during the pandemic , spokeswoman Keely Hopkins said .
The new sites , many of which are serving hundreds of people per day , stay open for longer hours and use open spaces such as parking lots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Paid staffers are diving in at many food banks to stock , sort and bag food for either delivery or drive-thru pickups , a measure they realized was necessary to protect volunteers , many of whom are older and particularly at risk for complications from the virus .
Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee limits volunteers to 10 per room to fill boxes .
Wahlstrom , 70 , has refused , but she said she is taking precautions , allowing only one person inside at a time to select food off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and gloves .
“ I said , ‘ If I get it , I get it , ’ ” Wahlstrom said .
“ I don ’ t have anybody at home dependent on me .
I said , ‘ I got to keep it open.
’ And I gave the volunteers all the options.
” At the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma , spokeswoman Cathy Nestlen said nearly 45,000 volunteers helped out last year .
This year , in order to adopt best practices for social distancing to combat the virus , staffers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the bank , which acts as a food distribution center for hundreds of member agencies , moved to a six-day work week this month and would consider moving to seven days a week if demand called for it .
Oklahoma had ranked among the hungriest states in the nation before the coronavirus , Nestlen noted .
“ This pandemic on top of it just shines a light on how so many households , not just in Oklahoma but around the country , live paycheck to paycheck , ” she said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they almost immediately become food-insecure .
”

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FRANKLIN, Tenn. (AP) — Brooklyn Dotson needed food. Her first unemployment check had yet to arrive after she was let go by the warehouse where she used to work.
So the 25-year-old Nashville woman scrounged up some gas money and drove 30 miles (48 kilometers) to the GraceWorks Ministries food pantry in Franklin. There, at the pantry’s new drive-thru, workers wearing masks and gloves loaded her van with about $350 worth of groceries.
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“I don’t have any income coming in, I don’t get any food stamps, so it’s just hard to get any help right now,” Dotson said while waiting in line at GraceWorks.
Food pantries stay busy even in the best of economic times; the coronavirus pandemic has prompted a spike in demand as millions of people like Dotson find themselves furloughed, laid off or with businesses that have suffered huge financial blows.
“About 50% of the people coming through our lines have never been here before,” said GraceWorks President and CEO Valencia A. Breckenridge.
Staff and volunteers distribute food at The Campaign Against Hunger food pantry, Thursday, April 16, 2020, in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of the Brooklyn borough of New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Just as demand is skyrocketing, however, many of the food banks’ sources are drying up. Restaurants, hotels and resorts — many of which are shuttered or sharply limiting their operations — are no longer supplying them with food, while other suppliers are busy restocking grocery shelves. Farmers have switched from shipping vegetables and meats in bulk to individual packaging for grocery stores.
“It is a perfect storm scenario,” said Katie Fitzgerald, chief operating officer for Feeding America, a nationwide association of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries.
Feeding America has seen an increase in demand from 98% of its member banks, according to a recent survey. The average increase for a member was 63%, while 95% of the association’s food banks reported an increase in operating expenses, the organization said.
Congress included a significant boost for emergency food assistance in its coronavirus relief legislation, but Fitzgerald warned that funding may take months to reach localities while food banks contend with a flood of need in the near term. The $100 million that billionaire Jeff Bezos pledged to the association on April 2 was already being deployed last week, she said.
“When people say what do you need the most, we need food and money,” said Nancy Keil, president and CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee.
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In addition to finding ways to meet the spike in demand, food banks have had to devise creative new ways to distribute ever greater amounts of food while keeping both recipients and their staff safe from exposure to the coronavirus.
The San Francisco-Marin Food Bank in California has built “pop-up” pantries after some of its previous 275 or so sites had to stop operating during the pandemic, spokeswoman Keely Hopkins said. The new sites, many of which are serving hundreds of people per day, stay open for longer hours and use open spaces such as parking lots to facilitate social distancing, she added.
Paid staffers are diving in at many food banks to stock, sort and bag food for either delivery or drive-thru pickups, a measure they realized was necessary to protect volunteers, many of whom are older and particularly at risk for complications from the virus. Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee limits volunteers to 10 per room to fill boxes.
The board of the East Nashville Cooperative Ministry has proposed closing because so many of its volunteers are elderly, including Judy Wahlstrom, who runs the program.
Wahlstrom, 70, has refused, but she said she is taking precautions, allowing only one person inside at a time to select food off the shelves while she wears a mask and gloves.
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“I said, ‘If I get it, I get it,’” Wahlstrom said. “I don’t have anybody at home dependent on me. I said, ‘I got to keep it open.’ And I gave the volunteers all the options.”
At the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, spokeswoman Cathy Nestlen said nearly 45,000 volunteers helped out last year. This year, in order to adopt best practices for social distancing to combat the virus, staffers have stepped up to help.
Nestlen said the bank, which acts as a food distribution center for hundreds of member agencies, moved to a six-day work week this month and would consider moving to seven days a week if demand called for it.
Oklahoma had ranked among the hungriest states in the nation before the coronavirus, Nestlen noted. “This pandemic on top of it just shines a light on how so many households, not just in Oklahoma but around the country, live paycheck to paycheck,” she said. “When a household becomes economically insecure, they almost immediately become food-insecure.”
Food banks like Nestlen’s are realizing the sharp increase in demand could continue for months, which she said makes donations even more crucial.
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For now, one thing is certain: Whatever food they do acquire is flying off the shelves just as fast as it arrives.
“The food’s coming in the back door, and it’s going right out the front to the customers,” said Courtney Vrablik, executive director of The Store, a supermarket founded by singer Brad Paisley and his wife last month in Nashville to provide free food for those in need.
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Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
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huffpost--2020-04-19--Gunman Kills 16 In Rampage, Deadliest In Canadian History

TORONTO ( AP ) — A man disguised as a police officer went on a shooting rampage in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia , killing 16 people Sunday , in the deadliest such attack in the country ’ s history .
Officials said the suspected shooter was also dead .
A police officer was among those killed .
Several bodies were found inside and outside one home in the small , rural town of Portapique , about 60 miles ( 100 kilometers ) north of Halifax — what police called the first scene .
Bodies were also found at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advising residents of the town — already on lockdown because of the coronavirus pandemic — to lock their doors and stay in their basements .
Several homes in the area were set on fire as well .
Police identified the man believed to be the shooter as Gabriel Wortman , 51 , who was thought to live part-time in Portapique .
Authorities said he wore a police uniform at one point and made his car look like a Royal Canadian Mounted Police cruiser .
Authorities believe he may have targeted his first victims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first announced that they had arrested Wortman at a gas station in Enfield , outside Halifax , but later said he had died .
It was not clear how , and they did not explain further .
RCMP spokesman Daniel Brien confirmed that 16 people had been killed in addition to the suspect .
The dead officer was identified as Constable Heidi Stevenson , a mother of two and a 23-year veteran of the force .
Another officer was also injured .
Mass shootings are relatively rare in the country .
Canada overhauled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shooting in which gunman Marc Lepine killed 14 women and himself at Montreal ’ s Ecole Polytechnique college .
Before this weekend ’ s rampage , that had been the country ’ s worst .
It is now illegal to possess an unregistered handgun or any kind of rapid-fire weapon in Canada .
The country also requires training , a personal risk assessment , two references , spousal notification and criminal record checks to purchase a weapon .
“ As a country , in moments like these , we come together to support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the families of the victims , and help them get through this difficult time , ” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a written statement .
While they believe the attack did not begin as random , police did not say what the initial motive was .
RCMP Chief Superintendent Chris Leather said many of the victims did not know the shooter .
“ That fact that this individual had a uniform and a police car at his disposal certainly speaks to it not being a random act , ” Leather said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acted alone .
Leather said they would investigate whether the attack had anything to do with the coronavirus pandemic but no link has been found thus far .
Christine Mills , a resident of the area , said it had been a frightening night for the small town , with armed officers patrolling the streets .
In the morning , helicopters flew overhead searching for the suspect .
“ It ’ s nerve-wracking because you don ’ t know if somebody has lost their mind and is going to beat in your front @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is just an absolutely wonderful , peaceful quiet community and the idea that this could happen in our community is unbelievable , ” Taggart said by phone from his home in nearby Bass River .
A Gabriel Wortman is listed as a denturist — a person who makes dentures — in the city of Dartmouth , near Halifax , according to the Denturist Society of Nova Scotia website .
A suspect photo issued by the RCMP appears to be of the same person seen in video footage being interviewed about dentures by @ @ @ @ @

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TORONTO (AP) — A man disguised as a police officer went on a shooting rampage in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, killing 16 people Sunday, in the deadliest such attack in the country’s history. Officials said the suspected shooter was also dead.
A police officer was among those killed. Several bodies were found inside and outside one home in the small, rural town of Portapique, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) north of Halifax — what police called the first scene. Bodies were also found at other locations.
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Overnight, police began advising residents of the town — already on lockdown because of the coronavirus pandemic — to lock their doors and stay in their basements. Several homes in the area were set on fire as well.
Police identified the man believed to be the shooter as Gabriel Wortman, 51, who was thought to live part-time in Portapique. Authorities said he wore a police uniform at one point and made his car look like a Royal Canadian Mounted Police cruiser. Authorities believe he may have targeted his first victims but then began attacking randomly.
Police first announced that they had arrested Wortman at a gas station in Enfield, outside Halifax, but later said he had died. It was not clear how, and they did not explain further.
“This is one of the most senseless acts of violence in our province’s history,” said Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil.
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RCMP spokesman Daniel Brien confirmed that 16 people had been killed in addition to the suspect. The dead officer was identified as Constable Heidi Stevenson, a mother of two and a 23-year veteran of the force. Another officer was also injured.
Mass shootings are relatively rare in the country. Canada overhauled its gun-control laws after a 1989 mass shooting in which gunman Marc Lepine killed 14 women and himself at Montreal’s Ecole Polytechnique college. Before this weekend’s rampage, that had been the country’s worst.
It is now illegal to possess an unregistered handgun or any kind of rapid-fire weapon in Canada. The country also requires training, a personal risk assessment, two references, spousal notification and criminal record checks to purchase a weapon.
“As a country, in moments like these, we come together to support one another. Together we will mourn with the families of the victims, and help them get through this difficult time,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a written statement.
While they believe the attack did not begin as random, police did not say what the initial motive was. RCMP Chief Superintendent Chris Leather said many of the victims did not know the shooter.
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“That fact that this individual had a uniform and a police car at his disposal certainly speaks to it not being a random act,” Leather said. He added that police believe he acted alone.
Leather said they would investigate whether the attack had anything to do with the coronavirus pandemic but no link has been found thus far.
At one point, there was an exchange of gunfire between the suspect and police, he said.
Late Sunday morning, there were half a dozen police vehicles at the scene of the gas station where the suspect died. Yellow police tape surrounded the gas pumps, and a large silver-colored SUV was being investigated.
Cpl. Lisa Croteau, a spokeswoman with the provincial force, said police received a call about “a person with firearms” late Saturday night, and the investigation “evolved into an active shooting investigation.”
Christine Mills, a resident of the area, said it had been a frightening night for the small town, with armed officers patrolling the streets. In the morning, helicopters flew overhead searching for the suspect. “It’s nerve-wracking because you don’t know if somebody has lost their mind and is going to beat in your front door,” she said.
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Tom Taggart, a lawmaker who represents the Portapique area in the Municipality of Colchester, said the quiet community has been shaken.
“This is just an absolutely wonderful, peaceful quiet community and the idea that this could happen in our community is unbelievable,” Taggart said by phone from his home in nearby Bass River.
A Gabriel Wortman is listed as a denturist — a person who makes dentures — in the city of Dartmouth, near Halifax, according to the Denturist Society of Nova Scotia website. A suspect photo issued by the RCMP appears to be of the same person seen in video footage being interviewed about dentures by CTV Atlantic in 2014.
Mills also said that Wortman was known locally as someone who divided his time between a residence in Halifax and a residence in Portapique.
Taggart said he didn’t know Wortman well, but spoke to him a few times when he telephoned about municipal issues.
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huffpost--2020-04-13--NASCAR's Kyle Larson Shouts Racial Slur To Other Drivers On Livestream, Apologizes

Larson , who ’ s a driver for Chip Ganassi Racing and considered one of NASCAR ’ s youngest talents @ @ @ @ @ participating in an iRacing virtual race when he used the word after expressing difficulty communicating @ @ @ @ @ his headset .
NASCAR said his behavior violates the organization ’ s member conduct guidelines @ @ @ @ @ indefinitely and will have to attend sensitivity training as directed by NASCAR .

Larson, who’s a driver for Chip Ganassi Racing and considered one of NASCAR’s youngest talents at age 27, was participating in an iRacing virtual race when he used the word after expressing difficulty communicating with the other players on his headset.
“You can’t hear me? Hey, n****r,” Larson said.
NASCAR said his behavior violates the organization’s member conduct guidelines. He will be suspended indefinitely and will have to attend sensitivity training as directed by NASCAR.


huffpost--2020-04-19--North Korea Denies That Kim Jong Un Sent Trump 'A Nice Note'

Trump said during a press briefing on the coronavirus pandemic Saturday that “ I received a nice note from him recently .
It was a nice note .
I think we ’ re doing fine.
” Trump also defended now-stalled nuclear diplomacy with Kim , saying the U.S. would have been at war with North Korea if he had not been elected .
North Korea ’ s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that there was no letter addressed to Trump recently by “ the supreme leadership , ” a reference to Kim .
It said it would examine why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story ” to the media .
“ The relations between the top leaders of ( North Korea ) and the U.S. are not an issue to be taken up just for diversion nor it should be misused for meeting selfish purposes , ” the statement said .
People watch a TV screen showing a news program reporting about North Korea 's firing projectiles with a file footage of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul , South Korea , Monday , March 2 , 2020 .
( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have met three times and exchanged letters and envoys on many occasions since 2018 , when they began talks on North Korea ’ s nuclear weapons program .
The two leaders have built some personal relationships , and Trump once said that he and Kim “ fell in love.
” The nuclear diplomacy has made little headway since the breakdown of their second summit in Vietnam in early 2019 , when Trump rebuffed Kim ’ s calls for sweeping sanctions relief in return for a partial denuclearization step .
In March , North @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Kim , seeking to maintain good relations and offer cooperation in fighting the coronavirus pandemic .
At the time , Kim ’ s sister and senior official , Kim Yo Jong , said that Trump ’ s letter showed how special the relationship between the two leaders was , but that it wasn ’ t a good idea to be optimistic about the prospects for bilateral relations between their countries .
A senior Trump administration official confirmed that Trump sent a letter to Kim , saying it was consistent with Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic .

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SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea on Sunday dismissed as “ungrounded” President Donald Trump’s comment that he recently received “a nice note” from the North’s leader, Kim Jong Un.
Trump said during a press briefing on the coronavirus pandemic Saturday that “I received a nice note from him recently. It was a nice note. I think we’re doing fine.” Trump also defended now-stalled nuclear diplomacy with Kim, saying the U.S. would have been at war with North Korea if he had not been elected.
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North Korea’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that there was no letter addressed to Trump recently by “the supreme leadership,” a reference to Kim.
It said it would examine why the U.S. leadership released “the ungrounded story” to the media.
“The relations between the top leaders of (North Korea) and the U.S. are not an issue to be taken up just for diversion nor it should be misused for meeting selfish purposes,” the statement said.
People watch a TV screen showing a news program reporting about North Korea's firing projectiles with a file footage of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, March 2, 2020. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kim and Trump have met three times and exchanged letters and envoys on many occasions since 2018, when they began talks on North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. The two leaders have built some personal relationships, and Trump once said that he and Kim “fell in love.”
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The nuclear diplomacy has made little headway since the breakdown of their second summit in Vietnam in early 2019, when Trump rebuffed Kim’s calls for sweeping sanctions relief in return for a partial denuclearization step.
In March, North Korea said Trump sent a personal letter to Kim, seeking to maintain good relations and offer cooperation in fighting the coronavirus pandemic.


huffpost--2020-03-15--Would Lolita Have Said ‘Me Too’?

Would Lolita Have Said ‘Me Too’?

With stomach-turning yet poetic prose , the book explores the abusive relationship between 42-year-old English teacher Jacob Strane and his 15-year-old student Vanessa Wye .
“ My Dark Vanessa ” oscillates between the year 2000 , when Vanessa meets Strane at her elite boarding school , and 2017 , when five other current and former students come forward to accuse him of sexual assault amid the Me Too movement .
Vanessa doesn ’ t consider herself a victim and refuses to join the campaign to get him fired .
Vanessa ’ s character is in a different place than victims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too.
” She ’ s a reminder of the fact that not every survivor sees their abuse clearly or wants their perpetrator behind bars .
Throughout the book , Vanessa grapples to understand her relationship with Strane .
It ’ s a page-turner studded with speed bumps that force readers to pause and reckon with two opposing narratives : Vanessa falling in love and Vanessa being exploited by a pedophile .
It ’ s a powerful juxtaposition to be submerged into a romance and jolted back to the reality of abuse , knowing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The accusation forced Russell to state publicly that “ My Dark Vanessa ” is informed by her teenage experiences with older men and that she first started writing the book when she was 16 ; her doctoral adviser at the University of Kansas confirmed to HuffPost that Russell ’ s early drafts were a memoir .
Though Russell has said she doesn ’ t want to discuss her personal trauma , for more than a decade she thought of “ My Dark Vanessa ” as a love story .
She sat on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , gold necklace and dark gray nail polish on her fingers .
She was thoughtful and fidgety , holding a mic in one hand as she described how there was value in viewing her book as a romance for all those years .
It allowed her to truly write from Vanessa ’ s teenage vantage , rather than as a judgmental adult with the life experience to recognize the abuse .
And the more victims depend on their perpetrator , the more they are blinded to the abuse , according to Jennifer Freyd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Oregon .
She calls it a “ survival mechanism ” victims use so they don ’ t have “ risk losing all the things they might perceive as necessary in that relationship , ” which could range from food and shelter to self-esteem .
He praises her writing and tells her she possesses a “ rare kind of intelligence ” that “ these dime a dozen overachievers can only dream of.
” He says they are both social misfits who crave darkness .
Vanessa becomes addicted to the attention .
What teenage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of being prized for your intellect is more seductive than hooking up with a high school boy who will rate you on a scale of 1-10 .
Strane quickly becomes the gatekeeper to Vanessa ’ s self-worth , the only person who can give definitive lines to her blurry edges .
He locks her in a mental prison : admitting she was abused would also mean confronting the reality that “ he chose me not because I was special , but because he was hungry and I was easy.
” The other adults @ @ @ @ @ @ @ choosing to protect the school ’ s reputation rather than her safety .
Not Everyone Can Say ‘ Me Too ’ It ’ s impossible to overestimate the influence the Me Too movement has had on cultural attitudes toward sexual assault , believing survivors and holding perpetrators accountable .
But when reduced to hashtags and high-profile convictions , the movement can also seem prescriptive , said Kimberlina Kavern , a senior director at Safe Horizon , a nonprofit that supports survivors of sexual violence .
“ I think there ’ s been some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ word , ” she said .
“ I think there can be a bit of a sense that what one person did is what everyone should do.
” The movement ’ s pressure plays out similarly in the novel .
As an adult , Vanessa is beginning to see the cracks in her romantic view of Strane .
In one moment she refers to him as a pedophile , before acknowledging “ he was never so simple.
” When she finds out he groped another former student , she reflects on how she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and describes how she feels “ torn in two when he pushes inside , will probably always feel this way , but I want it .
I have to.
” But no one allows Vanessa to think through these complicated feelings .
Instead , they are horrified that she doesn ’ t see herself as a victim and won ’ t join the effort to take down Strane .
“ It ’ s selfish to watch the rest of us not be believed and do nothing to help , ” one of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it to each other to do whatever we can .
We ’ re all in this together , ” says a journalist who wants Vanessa to tell her story on the record .
These characters use Me Too as a pressure tactic .
But instead of empowering Vanessa , they push her even further towards Strane .

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – One of the most frustrating aspects of Vladimir Nabokov’s novel “Lolita” is that the reader never hears from the title character. The story is told entirely from the perspective of Humbert Humbert, a man in his late 30s who kidnaps and repeatedly rapes his 12-year-old stepdaughter. He’s an unreliable narrator who sees himself as a slave to Lolita’s seductive powers.
Humbert describes Lolita, whose real name is Dolores Haze, as playful and flirtatious, but she also cries at night and eventually runs away from him. She’s a complicated survivor, and we don’t know what Lolita thinks of her abuser or to what extent she considers herself a victim.
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“My Dark Vanessa,” the debut novel by Kate Elizabeth Russell, might give readers some idea. The book gets inside the head of a character who has complicated feelings toward her perpetrator and makes space for victims who haven’t found their place in the Me Too movement. Unlike “Lolita” ― a book Russell says she became obsessed with at 14 ― the novel is told entirely from the victim’s perspective.
With stomach-turning yet poetic prose, the book explores the abusive relationship between 42-year-old English teacher Jacob Strane and his 15-year-old student Vanessa Wye. “My Dark Vanessa” oscillates between the year 2000, when Vanessa meets Strane at her elite boarding school, and 2017, when five other current and former students come forward to accuse him of sexual assault amid the Me Too movement. Vanessa doesn’t consider herself a victim and refuses to join the campaign to get him fired.
“I could participate in this movement of women upon women upon women lining the walls with every bad thing that’s ever happened to them, but I’m not going to lie to fit in,” she says.
James Mason and Sue Lyon on the set of 1962's "Lolita," based on the novel by Vladimir Nabokov and directed by Stanley Kubrick. Seven Arts Production/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images
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Vanessa’s character is in a different place than victims who are ready to say “Me too.” She’s a reminder of the fact that not every survivor sees their abuse clearly or wants their perpetrator behind bars. Throughout the book, Vanessa grapples to understand her relationship with Strane. It’s a page-turner studded with speed bumps that force readers to pause and reckon with two opposing narratives: Vanessa falling in love and Vanessa being exploited by a pedophile. It’s a powerful juxtaposition to be submerged into a romance and jolted back to the reality of abuse, knowing both versions of the story have truth.
“My Dark Vanessa” has been one of the buzziest titles in the literary world ― first Russell landed a seven-figure book deal in 2018 and, most recently, she became the bullseye of a plagiarism controversy that turned out to be false. Still, it led Oprah’s Book Club to ditch the novel.
The accusation forced Russell to state publicly that “My Dark Vanessa” is informed by her teenage experiences with older men and that she first started writing the book when she was 16; her doctoral adviser at the University of Kansas confirmed to HuffPost that Russell’s early drafts were a memoir. Though Russell has said she doesn’t want to discuss her personal trauma, for more than a decade she thought of “My Dark Vanessa” as a love story.
A Love Story Or A Tale of Abuse?
On an unseasonably warm Tuesday night at Greenlight Bookstore in Brooklyn, Russell said that for so long she didn’t see Vanessa and Strane’s relationship as abusive. It wasn’t until she began reading trauma research and abuse memoirs in her late 20s that the grooming, exploitation and trauma in her own novel became clear.
“I feel like now I’m finally understanding the book that I wrote,” she told a group of more than 100 people, a surprisingly large crowd in the midst of a city facing a growing coronavirus crisis. “I didn’t see a lot of the horror of it, but I do now.”
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She sat on a wooden stool wearing a black turtleneck, gold necklace and dark gray nail polish on her fingers. She was thoughtful and fidgety, holding a mic in one hand as she described how there was value in viewing her book as a romance for all those years. It allowed her to truly write from Vanessa’s teenage vantage, rather than as a judgmental adult with the life experience to recognize the abuse.
Kate Elizabeth Russell talks to an audience at Greenlight Bookstore in Brooklyn. Eliza Rosenberry
Russell’s greatest achievement is enabling readers to suspend reality and see Strane through Vanessa’s eyes. To her, he’s not a lecherous pedophile ― he’s an edgy teacher who swears in class, recites poems by memory, and wears tailored blazers and hiking boots. Vanessa trusts Strane, who claims to worship her and constantly tells her that she’s in control, consenting at every step. She craves his attention and even desires him sexually in moments.
If you forget about the age difference and power imbalance, some of the prose drips with romance: Strane “drinks” in Vanessa with his eyes, falls to his knees in her presence, compares her hair to the color of maple leaves.
It’s the kind of story that’s hard to fit into a movement largely predicated on survivors speaking out and holding their abusers accountable. But what’s often lost in Me Too is the nuanced narrative about how abuse can feel like love, and how many survivors don’t want their abusers to end up in prison.
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While Russell said Vanessa’s romantic feelings for Strane made for good narrative tension, she also thinks the character gives voice to many underrepresented victims.
“There’s just so much pressure to pin down an experience of sexual abuse as abuse or as unliterally bad,” Russell told HuffPost in an interview after the bookstore reading. “But where do all the emotions go?”
A Lesson In Grooming 101
Many victims struggle to self-identify as survivors because they are abused by people they know and trust. Vanessa embodies this phenomenon. Strane acts like her mentor and lover, not an abusive monster. It’s easy to internalize the myth that being attacked by a stranger is assault, and that any other experience is “bad sex,” a “miscommunication” or even love.
And the more victims depend on their perpetrator, the more they are blinded to the abuse, according to Jennifer Freyd, a psychology professor at the University of Oregon. She calls it a “survival mechanism” victims use so they don’t have “risk losing all the things they might perceive as necessary in that relationship,” which could range from food and shelter to self-esteem.
Russell lays bare how these abusive relationships work. At its most basic level, “My Dark Vanessa” is a lesson in Grooming 101. Strane gains Vanessa’s trust by exploiting her loneliness and insecurity ― she recently had a falling out with her best friend and feels alienated from the other students at her boarding school.
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He praises her writing and tells her she possesses a “rare kind of intelligence” that “these dime a dozen overachievers can only dream of.” He says they are both social misfits who crave darkness. Vanessa becomes addicted to the attention. What teenage girl wouldn’t? The idea of being prized for your intellect is more seductive than hooking up with a high school boy who will rate you on a scale of 1-10.
Strane quickly becomes the gatekeeper to Vanessa’s self-worth, the only person who can give definitive lines to her blurry edges. He locks her in a mental prison: admitting she was abused would also mean confronting the reality that “he chose me not because I was special, but because he was hungry and I was easy.” The other adults around Vanessa also fail her, ultimately choosing to protect the school’s reputation rather than her safety.
The story is a close study of how unprocessed childhood trauma haunts adults. Russell read critical trauma theory to learn about how victims will dissociate or bond with their abusers as coping mechanisms. This research helped her realize that so much of Vanessa’s behavior was propelled by unprocessed trauma rather than love. And it explains why as an adult, Vanessa is a flailing mess, clinging to her romantic vision of Strane like a lifeboat.
She drinks too much, pops Atavin and struggles at her job as a hotel concierge. She disassociates when she has sex with strangers, often older men who treat their age gap like “something out of a porno.” While Nabokov never shows us the complete wreckage of Lolita’s trauma, Russell reveals how this type of abuse casts a long shadow on victims’ lives.
"My Dark Vanessa" book cover. William Morrow
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Not Everyone Can Say ‘Me Too’
It’s impossible to overestimate the influence the Me Too movement has had on cultural attitudes toward sexual assault, believing survivors and holding perpetrators accountable. But when reduced to hashtags and high-profile convictions, the movement can also seem prescriptive, said Kimberlina Kavern, a senior director at Safe Horizon, a nonprofit that supports survivors of sexual violence. “I think there’s been some bullying, for lack of a better word,” she said. “I think there can be a bit of a sense that what one person did is what everyone should do.”
The movement’s pressure plays out similarly in the novel. As an adult, Vanessa is beginning to see the cracks in her romantic view of Strane. In one moment she refers to him as a pedophile, before acknowledging “he was never so simple.” When she finds out he groped another former student, she reflects on how she “bore the brunt of him” and describes how she feels “torn in two when he pushes inside, will probably always feel this way, but I want it. I have to.”
But no one allows Vanessa to think through these complicated feelings. Instead, they are horrified that she doesn’t see herself as a victim and won’t join the effort to take down Strane. “It’s selfish to watch the rest of us not be believed and do nothing to help,” one of his accusers tells her. “We owe it to each other to do whatever we can. We’re all in this together,” says a journalist who wants Vanessa to tell her story on the record. These characters use Me Too as a pressure tactic. But instead of empowering Vanessa, they push her even further towards Strane.
While the marker of Me Too justice has been high-profile convictions ― mere hours after Russell’s reading in Brooklyn, Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison ― stories like Vanessa’s are a reminder that not all victims are alike. For survivors of color, in particular, going to the police might not feel safe. Others might want to hear their abusers acknowledge their behavior by going through a restorative justice process with a mediator.
By the end of the book, Vanessa doesn’t set out to punish Strane. Her desires are unclear, but Russell knew she didn’t want the next chapter in Vanessa’s life to center on her abuser. Instead, she leaves Vanessa to begin unraveling the complicated relationship, this time on her own terms.
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Vanessa doesn’t decide on a label for herself or call Strane a monster, but she stops clinging to their love story as absolute truth. She begins to have conversations with her therapist, her mother and one of Strane’s accusers about her conflicted emotions. She seems to be carving out her own space, somewhere between victim and agent, that is uniquely hers.


huffpost--2020-03-15--Vatican Says Easter Events To Be Celebrated Without Visitors This Year

VATICAN CITY , March 15 ( Reuters ) - All of Pope Francis ’ Easter services next month will be @ @ @ @ @ due to the coronavirus outbreak , Vatican said on Sunday , in a step believed @ @ @ @ @ times .
The services , four days of major events from Holy Thursday to Easter @ @ @ @ @ of thousands of people to sites in Rome and in the Vatican .
A note @ @ @ @ @ Prefecture of the Pontifical Household also said that until Easter Sunday on April 12 , @ @ @ @ @ audiences and Sunday blessings will continue to be seen over the internet and television without @ @ @ @ @ Vatican announces that Holy Week/Easter Sunday celebrations will take place “ without the physical presence @ @ @ @ @ are expected to be live-streamed instead .
Unprecedented in modern times.https : //t.co/iXZmvbdmjw pic.twitter.com/KQ71UkGGQO — @ @ @ @ @ ) March 14 , 2020

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VATICAN CITY, March 15 (Reuters) - All of Pope Francis’ Easter services next month will be held without the faithful attending due to the coronavirus outbreak, Vatican said on Sunday, in a step believed to be unprecedented in modern times.
The services, four days of major events from Holy Thursday to Easter Sunday, usually draw tens of thousands of people to sites in Rome and in the Vatican.
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A note on the website of the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household also said that until Easter Sunday on April 12, the pope’s general audiences and Sunday blessings will continue to be seen over the internet and television without public participation.


huffpost--2020-03-15--CDC Suggests Ban On Groups Of 50 People Or More As U.S. Moves Closer To Shutdown

Governors were closing restaurants , bars , and schools as the nation sank deeper into chaos over the crisis .
Travelers returning home from overseas trips were stuck in line for hours at major airports for screenings , causing them to be crammed into just the kind of crowded spaces that public health officials have been urging people to avoid .
In a sign of the impending economic gloom on the horizon , the Federal Reserve slashed its benchmark interest rate to near zero .
President Donald Trump sought to calm a jittery nation by declaring that the government has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and urging people to stop the panic buying of grocery staples that has depleted the shelves of stores around the country .
Gun stores started seeing a similar run on weapons and ammunition as the panic intensified .
As Americans struggled to come to terms with how to change their daily habits , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a dramatic recommendation : Because large events can fuel the spread of the disease , it said gatherings of 50 people or more should be canceled or postponed throughout the country for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , at any event , proper precautions should be taken , including making sure people are washing their hands and not getting too close .
Even before the warning , parts of the country already look like a ghost town , and others are about to follow as theme parks closed , Florida beaches shooed away spring breakers , Starbucks said it will accept only drive-thru and takeout orders and the governors of Ohio and Illinois ordered bars and restaurants shuttered .
California ’ s governor asked the state ’ s bars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but didn ’ t order it .
New York City , New Jersey and elsewhere are considering similar measures .
“ I think Americans should be prepared that they are going to have to hunker down significantly more than we as a country are doing , ” said Fauci , a member of the White House task force on combating the spread of coronavirus .
He heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health .
Bailey Miles , a 20-year-old sophomore at Taylor University in Indiana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worst , but she got through customs and a health screening in about an hour .
She said officials seemed to have learned their lesson from Saturday , when some of her friends returned .
“ They wanted 50 people at a time .
So the first 50 people got off , and they asked us to keep a large distance between ourselves , ” she said .
“ We showed them the first form and then as we walk there ’ s a person who has the scan for your temperature .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ then that was it.
” And that may have given some people false hope , causing them to venture into crowds that Fauci and others would prefer they avoid .
Even if someone doesn ’ t become visibly ill , they can still carry the disease and spread it to others .
New York City , which has the nation ’ s largest public school district , announced that it will be closed starting Monday , joining most of the rest of the country .
Mayor Bill de Blasio had originally balked , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cuomo and others he said Sunday , “ I became convinced over the course of today that there is no other choice .
”

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CHICAGO (AP) — Officials across the country curtailed many elements of American life to fight the coronavirus outbreak on Sunday, with health officials recommending that groups of 50 or more don’t get together and a government expert saying a 14-day national shutdown may be needed.
Governors were closing restaurants, bars, and schools as the nation sank deeper into chaos over the crisis. Travelers returning home from overseas trips were stuck in line for hours at major airports for screenings, causing them to be crammed into just the kind of crowded spaces that public health officials have been urging people to avoid.
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In a sign of the impending economic gloom on the horizon, the Federal Reserve slashed its benchmark interest rate to near zero. President Donald Trump sought to calm a jittery nation by declaring that the government has “tremendous control” over the situation and urging people to stop the panic buying of grocery staples that has depleted the shelves of stores around the country. Gun stores started seeing a similar run on weapons and ammunition as the panic intensified.
As Americans struggled to come to terms with how to change their daily habits, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a dramatic recommendation: Because large events can fuel the spread of the disease, it said gatherings of 50 people or more should be canceled or postponed throughout the country for the next eight weeks. It added that, at any event, proper precautions should be taken, including making sure people are washing their hands and not getting too close.
But in a sign of the difficulty of striking the right balance, the statement from the CDC also said the recommendation does not apply to “the day to day operation of organizations such as schools, institutes of higher learning, or businesses.”
Even before the warning, parts of the country already look like a ghost town, and others are about to follow as theme parks closed, Florida beaches shooed away spring breakers, Starbucks said it will accept only drive-thru and takeout orders and the governors of Ohio and Illinois ordered bars and restaurants shuttered. California’s governor asked the state’s bars and restaurants to do the same, but didn’t order it. New York City, New Jersey and elsewhere are considering similar measures.
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“The time for persuasion and public appeals is over,” Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said. “This is not a joke. No one is immune to this.”
His decision came hours after Dr. Anthony Fauci, the federal government’s top infectious disease expert, said he would like to see a 14-day national shutdown imposed to prevent the virus’s spread.
“I think Americans should be prepared that they are going to have to hunker down significantly more than we as a country are doing,” said Fauci, a member of the White House task force on combating the spread of coronavirus. He heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health.
There is no indication Trump is considering such a move.
The worldwide outbreak has sickened more than 162,000 people and left more than 6,000 dead, with thousands of new cases confirmed each day. The death toll in the United States climbed to 64, while infections passed 3,200.
Meanwhile, harsh criticism rained on Trump and his administration Sunday from state and local officials over long lines of returning international passengers at some U.S. airports that could have turned them into coronavirus carriers as they tried to get home.
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Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot lambasted the administration for allowing about 3,000 Americans returning from Europe to be stuck for hours inside the customs area at O’Hare International Airport on Saturday, violating federal recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that people practice “social distancing.”
The passengers, many of them rushing home because of fears they would be stuck in Europe, were screened for coronavirus symptoms before they were allowed to leave the airport.
Long lines also formed Saturday in Boston, Dallas and others of the 13 airports that are accepting return flights from Europe.
“People were forced into conditions that are against CDC guidance and are totally unacceptable,” Lightfoot said.
Elizabeth Pulvermacher, a University of Wisconsin student, arrived Saturday at O’Hare from Madrid, where she had been studying and spent hours in line. The customs process made her feel “unsafe,” she said.
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“The whole idea is getting rid of the spread of coronavirus, but there were hundreds and hundreds of people in very close proximity,” Pulvermacher said.
Dr. Robert Murphy, executive director of Institute for Global Health at Northwestern University, said he was “appalled” by what he saw Saturday at nearby O’Hare.
“If they weren’t exposed to COVID-19 before, they probably are now. From a public health perspective, this is malpractice,” Murphy said in a statement Sunday. “The lack of preparation and concern is unfathomable.”
But the situation improved markedly Sunday at O’Hare and elsewhere. Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said wait times are down to 30 minutes after processes have been adjusted to better handle the influx and extra personnel sent to the airports that are “funneling” passengers returning from overseas.
Bailey Miles, a 20-year-old sophomore at Taylor University in Indiana, arrived also from Madrid fearing the worst, but she got through customs and a health screening in about an hour. She said officials seemed to have learned their lesson from Saturday, when some of her friends returned.
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“The employees were really helpful, had positive attitudes and had a lot of grace,” she said. She said a woman even passed out snacks.
At Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, Amanda Kay said she was asked to keep her distance from other passengers when she arrived from Paris at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.
“They wanted 50 people at a time. So the first 50 people got off, and they asked us to keep a large distance between ourselves,” she said. “We showed them the first form and then as we walk there’s a person who has the scan for your temperature. And then you go through Customs and then that was it.”
Going forward, Wolf said he could not rule out a future halt to air travel within the U.S. Fauci said earlier Sunday on television that halting domestic travel had been discussed, though not seriously.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover.
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And that may have given some people false hope, causing them to venture into crowds that Fauci and others would prefer they avoid. Even if someone doesn’t become visibly ill, they can still carry the disease and spread it to others.
In New Orleans and Chicago, people clad in green for St. Patrick’s Day packed bars and spilled onto crowded sidewalks on Saturday even after the cities canceled their parades.
New York City, which has the nation’s largest public school district, announced that it will be closed starting Monday, joining most of the rest of the country. Mayor Bill de Blasio had originally balked, but under pressure from Gov. Andrew Cuomo and others he said Sunday, “I became convinced over the course of today that there is no other choice.”
In Florida, Walt Disney World and Universal-Orlando were closing Sunday night for the rest of the month, joining their California siblings, which already closed. Farther south, Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale officials announced that they are closing their beaches, where thousands of college spring breakers from around the world have flocked. The cities also ordered restaurants and bars closed by 10 p.m. and to keep crowds below 250.
“We cannot become a petri dish for a very dangerous virus,” Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber said. “Spring break is over. The party is over.”
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Starbucks said Sunday it is closing seating in its cafes and patio areas nationwide, but customers can still order at the counter, at drive-thrus or on the Starbucks app. It will also close or reduce hours in areas where there are a high-number of cases.
But not all government officials were as concerned. Oklahoma’s Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt tweeted a picture of himself and his children at a crowded metro restaurant Saturday night.
Republican Rep. Devin Nunes had a similar message on Fox News Sunday, encouraging people to go to local restaurants and pubs despite the warnings of health officials.
___


huffpost--2020-03-15--Mike Pence Scrambles After Google Contradicts Trump On Coronavirus Website

Vice President Mike Pence promised “ specific ” clarifying information Saturday after a Google statement flatly contradicted President Donald Trump ’ s earlier tout that the tech giant would “ quickly ” have a national website up to help the public with coronavirus screening .
“ We ’ re working 24/7 on this , ” Pence told reporters at a White House news conference .
“ We ’ re going to have very specific details on the rollout of this new public-private partnership and testing at 5 o ’ clock tomorrow.
” The “ objective here is to have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added .
Pence said Google would launch a “ pilot project ” website Monday for “ risk assessment.
” Trump ’ s announcement Friday in the Rose Garden apparently took Google by surprise .
The company shortly afterward issued a statement from Verily — a subsidiary of Google ’ s parent Alphabet — that it has a site in “ early development ” that would be rolled out for testing in the San Francisco Bay Area , with the “ hope of expanding more broadly over time.
” Statement from Verily : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ triage individuals for Covid-19 testing .
Verily is in the early stages of development , and planning to roll testing out in the Bay Area , with the hope of expanding more broadly over time .
— Google Communications ( @ Google_Comms ) March 13 , 2020 Trump had thanked Google Friday for developing a website that would help people “ determine whether a test is warranted and to facilitate testing at a nearby convenient location.
” It ’ s “ going to be very quickly done , unlike websites of the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apparent dig at a jammed website used for the government ’ s health insurance exchange during the Obama administration .
Dr. Deborah Birx , the White House coronavirus response coordinator , held up a cardboard mock-up of a website page after Trump ’ s comments to reporters showing where “ consumers ” could click on a label saying “ no coronavirus symptoms , ” which would then advise users not to be tested .
Verily representative Carolyn Wang described the operation to The Verge Friday as a “ triage website ” that was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general public , but that ’ s now being changed .
The site was also intended to primarily be a mapping aid so users can type in their address and find the closest location for testing .
It will only be able to direct people to “ pilot sites ” for testing in the Bay Area , though Verily hopes to expand that beyond California “ over time , ” she said .
As for Trump ’ s talk of 1,700 engineers working on the site , a Verily employee told The Daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not 1,700 engineers at Verily .
I ’ m not even sure there are 1,700 people at Verily.
” Google did note on Twitter that employees from outside Verily were “ volunteering ” on the project .

Vice President Mike Pence promised “specific” clarifying information Saturday after a Google statement flatly contradicted President Donald Trump’s earlier tout that the tech giant would “quickly” have a national website up to help the public with coronavirus screening.
“We’re working 24/7 on this,” Pence told reporters at a White House news conference. “We’re going to have very specific details on the rollout of this new public-private partnership and testing at 5 o’clock tomorrow.” The “objective here is to have a website up very quickly,” he added. Pence said Google would launch a “pilot project” website Monday for “risk assessment.”
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Trump’s announcement Friday in the Rose Garden apparently took Google by surprise. The company shortly afterward issued a statement from Verily — a subsidiary of Google’s parent Alphabet — that it has a site in “early development” that would be rolled out for testing in the San Francisco Bay Area, with the “hope of expanding more broadly over time.”
Statement from Verily: "We are developing a tool to help triage individuals for Covid-19 testing. Verily is in the early stages of development, and planning to roll testing out in the Bay Area, with the hope of expanding more broadly over time. — Google Communications (@Google_Comms) March 13, 2020
Trump had thanked Google Friday for developing a website that would help people “determine whether a test is warranted and to facilitate testing at a nearby convenient location.”
It’s “going to be very quickly done, unlike websites of the past,” he added, in an apparent dig at a jammed website used for the government’s health insurance exchange during the Obama administration.
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Trump claimed Google had “1,700 engineers” working on the project, making “tremendous progress.”
Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, held up a cardboard mock-up of a website page after Trump’s comments to reporters showing where “consumers” could click on a label saying “no coronavirus symptoms,” which would then advise users not to be tested.
Verily representative Carolyn Wang described the operation to The Verge Friday as a “triage website” that was intended for health workers, not the general public, but that’s now being changed. The site was also intended to primarily be a mapping aid so users can type in their address and find the closest location for testing. It will only be able to direct people to “pilot sites” for testing in the Bay Area, though Verily hopes to expand that beyond California “over time,” she said.
As for Trump’s talk of 1,700 engineers working on the site, a Verily employee told The Daily Beast: “There’s absolutely not 1,700 engineers at Verily. I’m not even sure there are 1,700 people at Verily.” Google did note on Twitter that employees from outside Verily were “volunteering” on the project.
Trump’s announcement about a Google health site immediately raised concerns about patient privacy and the company’s controversial use of personal information.


huffpost--2020-03-15--New York City, The Largest School District In The Country, To Close Its Schools

New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Sunday that New York City schools would close Monday in an attempt to combat the spread of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus .
Public schools on Long Island and Westchester County are also going to close .
New York City schools will be closed until at least April 20 , according to de Blasio .
At maximum , schools would close the rest of the year .
A remote learning system is getting set up for later in March , though the mayor acknowledged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have computers or internet access at home .
“ We ’ re going to be doing the best we can to supply those kids .
...
I am distraught at having to take this action , ” de Blasio said at a press conference .
New York City Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza estimated that about 300,000 kids in the district do not have access to a computer or internet .
The city is working with partners to serve those children and will prioritizing students without devices , students in temporary housing , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Over the next few days , school locations will be open for grab-and-go meals .
In general , breakfast and lunch will be made available to students through April 8 , said Carranza .
Nearly three-quarters of students in New York City schools are considered economically disadvantaged .
The closures could pose a particular hardship for these families .
Parents who can not telecommute for work may have to scramble to find child care , or give up wages .
Many families rely on schools to provide their children with breakfast and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the possibility of children going unsupervised and said the city was looking into the possibility of holding some youth programming going forward .
The city had previously been closing specific schools for 24 hours if a student or staff member was confirmed to have the coronavirus .
There are 1,866 public schools in New York City , including public charter schools .
The mayor and governor had held off on closing the schools , even under pressure , calling it a last resort .
Around the country , a growing number of school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Friday , the second-largest school district in the nation , the Los Angeles Unified School District , announced it would be closing for at least two weeks .
More than a dozen states including Ohio , Maryland and Pennsylvania have also announced that they would be shutting down schools for several weeks .
The New York City teachers union ― the United Federation of Teachers ― has been urging the city to shut down schools , saying keeping schools open “ poses a greater lasting threat than the disruption that will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t suggest this lightly .
We understand the immense disruption this will create for our families , ” said a statement from UFT President Michael Mulgrew on Friday .
“ But right now more than a million students and staff crisscross the city every day on their way to schools , putting themselves and others at risk of exposure and increasing the likelihood of bringing exposure into their homes and communities.
” On Friday , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released guidance saying closing schools for two to four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to impact the rate of the virus ’ s spread .
However , it said that longer-term closures ― eight weeks or more ― could have some impact .

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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Sunday that New York City schools would close Monday in an attempt to combat the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Public schools on Long Island and Westchester County are also going to close.
New York City schools will be closed until at least April 20, according to de Blasio. At maximum, schools would close the rest of the year. A remote learning system is getting set up for later in March, though the mayor acknowledged that a lot of kids do not have computers or internet access at home.
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“We’re going to be doing the best we can to supply those kids. ... I am distraught at having to take this action,” de Blasio said at a press conference.
New York City Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza estimated that about 300,000 kids in the district do not have access to a computer or internet. The city is working with partners to serve those children and will prioritizing students without devices, students in temporary housing, and students living in poverty, he said.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio reads to children in a prekindergarten class at P.S. 130 in 2014 in New York City. Pool via Getty Images
Closing the schools is “a decision we call the last resort. We’re at the last resort,” said Carranza at the press conference.
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Over the next few days, school locations will be open for grab-and-go meals. In general, breakfast and lunch will be made available to students through April 8, said Carranza.
New York City public schools serve over 1.1 million students. It is by far the largest school system in the country, by hundreds of thousands of students.
Nearly three-quarters of students in New York City schools are considered economically disadvantaged. The closures could pose a particular hardship for these families. Parents who cannot telecommute for work may have to scramble to find child care, or give up wages. Many families rely on schools to provide their children with breakfast and lunch.
De Blasio expressed concern over the possibility of children going unsupervised and said the city was looking into the possibility of holding some youth programming going forward.
The city had previously been closing specific schools for 24 hours if a student or staff member was confirmed to have the coronavirus. There are 1,866 public schools in New York City, including public charter schools. The mayor and governor had held off on closing the schools, even under pressure, calling it a last resort.
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“We are going to fight tooth and nail to protect our school system,” de Blasio said on Thursday.
Around the country, a growing number of school districts have been closing in recent days. On Friday, the second-largest school district in the nation, the Los Angeles Unified School District, announced it would be closing for at least two weeks. More than a dozen states including Ohio, Maryland and Pennsylvania have also announced that they would be shutting down schools for several weeks.
As of Saturday, 57,000 schools nationwide had closed ― affecting at least 25.8 million students, according to a count by EdWeek.
The New York City teachers union ― the United Federation of Teachers ― has been urging the city to shut down schools, saying keeping schools open “poses a greater lasting threat than the disruption that will result from school closings.”
“We don’t suggest this lightly. We understand the immense disruption this will create for our families,” said a statement from UFT President Michael Mulgrew on Friday. “But right now more than a million students and staff crisscross the city every day on their way to schools, putting themselves and others at risk of exposure and increasing the likelihood of bringing exposure into their homes and communities.”
On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released guidance saying closing schools for two to four weeks at a time does not appear to impact the rate of the virus’s spread. However, it said that longer-term closures ― eight weeks or more ― could have some impact.
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huffpost--2020-03-15--Administration Officials Fail To Answer For Trump Lie About Google Coronavirus Site

Multiple Trump administration officials failed to answer questions Sunday about when Americans can expect a website President Donald Trump touted last week to assist with the identification of coronavirus symptoms and locations of testing centers in the United States .
Trump said during a news conference Friday that Google was developing a website to help people check their symptoms and find functional testing locations .
It turned out the site he was referring to was likely one being developed by Verily , which shares a parent company with Google .
In a statement following Trump ’ s celebratory announcement , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the early stages of development ” and that the company plans to roll it out for California ’ s Bay Area with the hope of expanding it beyond California “ over time.
” Trump said during the news conference that the website would be done “ very quickly.
” Since then , Google executives have said they will work on a “ national information website ” in addition to Verily ’ s site .
Trump seized on their announcement to falsely attack the media on Twitter .
On Sunday , however , administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exactly that meant or what the timeline for such a project would be .
“ I really don ’ t know , ” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told ABC News correspondent Jon Karl when he was asked Sunday when the website would be available .
“ I really don ’ t know , ” Mnuchin tells @ jonkarl when asked when the Google website to facilitate coronavirus testing will be available .
Trump said it will be developed `` quickly '' but the company developing the site said that the tool is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pic.twitter.com/uYpVf2A3Ma — This Week ( @ ThisWeekABC ) March 15 , 2020 During an appearance on “ Fox News Sunday , ” Dr. Anthony Fauci , director for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , also did not say when the website Trump mentioned would be built .
“ Put aside the website and how it ’ s going to be fully operational , ” Fauci , who is co-leading the Trump administration ’ s coronavirus response , told host Chris Wallace .
He turned instead to the availability of coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organizations are currently unable to scale up the testing capability in the United States .
“ They ’ re telling us that it will be starting up in the next week or so , ” Fauci said .
COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus that was first reported in China in late 2019 , is thought to be 10 times deadlier than the flu , Fauci said last week .
Many people carrying it are asymptomatic , and people over 60 years old are at higher risk for serious illness .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ hoax ” in February and dismissing its threat to Americans , Trump and his administration have tried to coordinate a belated response as states of emergency are declared across the nation .
Trump declared a national emergency on Friday .
Millions of Americans have been advised to practice social distancing ― or self-imposed isolation ― to curb the spread of the coronavirus .
The U.S. currently lags behind several countries , including South Korea and the United Kingdom , in testing its citizens .

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Multiple Trump administration officials failed to answer questions Sunday about when Americans can expect a website President Donald Trump touted last week to assist with the identification of coronavirus symptoms and locations of testing centers in the United States.
Trump said during a news conference Friday that Google was developing a website to help people check their symptoms and find functional testing locations. It turned out the site he was referring to was likely one being developed by Verily, which shares a parent company with Google. In a statement following Trump’s celebratory announcement, Verily said its site is “in the early stages of development” and that the company plans to roll it out for California’s Bay Area with the hope of expanding it beyond California “over time.”
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Trump said during the news conference that the website would be done “very quickly.” Since then, Google executives have said they will work on a “national information website” in addition to Verily’s site. Trump seized on their announcement to falsely attack the media on Twitter.
On Sunday, however, administration officials still could not speak to what exactly that meant or what the timeline for such a project would be.
“I really don’t know,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told ABC News correspondent Jon Karl when he was asked Sunday when the website would be available.
Watch Mnuchin’s comments on ABC’s “This Week.”
“I really don’t know,” Mnuchin tells @jonkarl when asked when the Google website to facilitate coronavirus testing will be available.
Trump said it will be developed "quickly" but the company developing the site said that the tool is the “early stages.” https://t.co/XkLFkSaaAp pic.twitter.com/uYpVf2A3Ma — This Week (@ThisWeekABC) March 15, 2020
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During an appearance on “Fox News Sunday,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, director for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, also did not say when the website Trump mentioned would be built.
“Put aside the website and how it’s going to be fully operational,” Fauci, who is co-leading the Trump administration’s coronavirus response, told host Chris Wallace.
He turned instead to the availability of coronavirus tests, saying large corporations and health organizations are currently unable to scale up the testing capability in the United States.
“They’re telling us that it will be starting up in the next week or so,” Fauci said.
Fauci previously referred to insufficient coronavirus testing as a “failing.”
COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus that was first reported in China in late 2019, is thought to be 10 times deadlier than the flu, Fauci said last week. Many people carrying it are asymptomatic, and people over 60 years old are at higher risk for serious illness.
Watch a clip from Fauci’s appearance on “Fox News Sunday.”
Dr. Anthony Fauci discusses the U.S. Response to the corona virus and what to expect moving forward. #FNS #FOXNews pic.twitter.com/1exk4Oh5gv — FoxNewsSunday (@FoxNewsSunday) March 15, 2020
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After referring to the coronavirus as a “hoax” in February and dismissing its threat to Americans, Trump and his administration have tried to coordinate a belated response as states of emergency are declared across the nation. Trump declared a national emergency on Friday.
Millions of Americans have been advised to practice social distancing ― or self-imposed isolation ― to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The U.S. currently lags behind several countries, including South Korea and the United Kingdom, in testing its citizens.


huffpost--2020-03-04--Congress Approves $8.3 Billion Bill To Combat Coronavirus

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — Capitol Hill negotiators have reached agreement on an $ 8.3 billion measure to battle the coronavirus outbreak that ’ s spreading and threatening a major shock to the economy and disruptions to everyday life in the U.S .
The House will vote on the deal later Wednesday and Senate leaders are pressing for a vote in that chamber by the end of the week .
The agreement was announced by spokespersons for the house and Senate Appropriations panels who negotiated the legislation .
The legislation came together in little more than a week , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It triples the $ 2.5 billion plan unveiled by President Donald Trump just last week .
Trump , however , is sure to sign the measure , which has the blessing of top Republicans like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , and top House Republican Kevin McCarthy of California .
“ This moment calls for collaboration and unity , ” McConnell said .
“ It ’ s time to give our public health experts and healthcare professionals the surge resources they need at this challenging time.
” The agreement came together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , dropped a demand , opposed by the drug industry , to guarantee that any vaccines and drug treatments developed with government-backed research — but manufactured by drug companies — be offered at “ affordable ” prices .
Instead , the agreement provides $ 300 million for the government to purchase such drugs at “ fair and reasonable ” prices to distribute them to those who need it — which is the standard applied in earlier crises like the 2009 H1N1 flu outbreak .
The bipartisan legislation includes : $ 350 million to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hot spots ” like Washington state ; $ 500 million to buy drugs , masks , and other medical supplies for states , local governments and hospitals ; $ 1 billion to reimburse state and local governments for costs incurred in battling the outbreak ; and $ 300 million for the Centers for Disease Control ’ s rapid response fund .
More than $ 800 million would fund research into a vaccine , improved tests , and drugs to treat infected people .
Another $ 1.3 billion would be used to help fight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the outbreak in the U.S. appears increasingly likely to affect workers who are instructed to stay home , immigrants who may fear seeking treatment because they are in the U.S. illegally , and the potential rapid spread among homeless people .
Widespread school closures are possible as well .
Vice President Mike Pence , who is coordinating the administration ’ s response , is returning to Capitol Wednesday afternoon to separately brief House Democrats and Republicans .
Also Wednesday , top congressional leaders are meeting to discuss what additional steps may be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Capitol complex — for lawmakers and staff , as well as the annual influx of visitors this spring .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Capitol Hill negotiators have reached agreement on an $8.3 billion measure to battle the coronavirus outbreak that’s spreading and threatening a major shock to the economy and disruptions to everyday life in the U.S.
The House will vote on the deal later Wednesday and Senate leaders are pressing for a vote in that chamber by the end of the week. The agreement was announced by spokespersons for the house and Senate Appropriations panels who negotiated the legislation.
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The legislation came together in little more than a week, a rarity in a deeply polarized Washington. It triples the $2.5 billion plan unveiled by President Donald Trump just last week.
Trump, however, is sure to sign the measure, which has the blessing of top Republicans like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and top House Republican Kevin McCarthy of California.
“This moment calls for collaboration and unity,” McConnell said. “It’s time to give our public health experts and healthcare professionals the surge resources they need at this challenging time.”
The agreement came together after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., dropped a demand, opposed by the drug industry, to guarantee that any vaccines and drug treatments developed with government-backed research — but manufactured by drug companies — be offered at “affordable” prices.
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Instead, the agreement provides $300 million for the government to purchase such drugs at “fair and reasonable” prices to distribute them to those who need it — which is the standard applied in earlier crises like the 2009 H1N1 flu outbreak.
The bipartisan legislation includes: $350 million to aggressively go after the virus in “hot spots” like Washington state; $500 million to buy drugs, masks, and other medical supplies for states, local governments and hospitals; $1 billion to reimburse state and local governments for costs incurred in battling the outbreak; and $300 million for the Centers for Disease Control’s rapid response fund.
More than $800 million would fund research into a vaccine, improved tests, and drugs to treat infected people. Another $1.3 billion would be used to help fight the virus overseas.
The agreement comes as the outbreak in the U.S. appears increasingly likely to affect workers who are instructed to stay home, immigrants who may fear seeking treatment because they are in the U.S. illegally, and the potential rapid spread among homeless people. Widespread school closures are possible as well.
Vice President Mike Pence, who is coordinating the administration’s response, is returning to Capitol Wednesday afternoon to separately brief House Democrats and Republicans.
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huffpost--2020-03-03--Will Stocks Keep Tanking As Coronavirus Spreads? Here's What Experts Say.

Within the first few minutes of trading Monday morning , the S & P 500 dropped as much as 7.4 % and trading was temporarily halted so that investors could catch their breath .
The Dow Jones was also briefly down more than 2,000 points before readjusting to the most recent loss of 1,865 points , or 7.2 % .
The Nasdaq has so far dropped 6.2 % .
How has the coronavirus impacted the economy so far ?
In addition to a volatile stock market , global GDP growth has begun to slow in response to the outbreak .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , demand in related industries has diminished .
Existing supply chains have also begun faltering .
In other words , “ Demand for those critical factors which help link the global economy , such as oil and aviation , has plummeted , ” said Ahmed Rahman , an economist and associate professor at Lehigh University .
However , now that rates are down to around 1 % , there ’ s little more the Fed can do to further protect against a slowing economy .
And though lower interest rates can help to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t stop people from getting sick .
“ Lower interest rates do little to make consumers and businesses feel substantially more confident about the future when a health crisis is spreading around the world , ” Hamrick said .
“ It also can not address the hobbled supply chains , including manufacturing capability in China and South Korea .
Still , the Fed is doing what it can to try to keep the economy out of recession.
” What ’ s in store for the future ?
What about the dreaded “ R @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expansion and a fivefold increase in the stock market , investors are understandably worried that maybe now we will get that recession so many have been worried about , ” said Jurrien Timmer , director of global macro for Fidelity Management & Research Company .
Though he hesitates to engage in market speculation , Timmer said that he doesn ’ t see much evidence that we have the conditions for either an inventory cycle or a financial crisis .
Take steps to protect your money against coronavirus risk .
With all this said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protect your money ?
“ This viral outbreak has produced the apotheosis of what investors hate most — uncertainty , ” Rahman said .
But even though the future is uncertain , there are steps you can follow to mitigate risk .
In fact , below are a few best practices you should follow even when we aren ’ t in the midst of a global health scare .

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The stock market took another major hit Monday as fears grow over how the coronavirus might wreak long-term economic havoc.
Within the first few minutes of trading Monday morning, the S&P 500 dropped as much as 7.4% and trading was temporarily halted so that investors could catch their breath. The Dow Jones was also briefly down more than 2,000 points before readjusting to the most recent loss of 1,865 points, or 7.2%. The Nasdaq has so far dropped 6.2%.
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The sharp drop is just the latest following a couple of weeks of volatility. The Dow fell 1,200 points on February 27 and another 350 points the following day, concluding its worst week since the 2008 financial crisis. Even though markets rallied briefly in early March, thanks to emergency measures taken by the Federal Reserve, the market ultimately continued tanking.
Many are left wondering what we can expect from the market as the virus continues to spread. Is this just a temporary dip, or should we all be battening down for further market downturns?
According to a new survey by Prudential, 45% of respondents are worried a contagious disease outbreak will limit their ability to work, while 45% are also concerned about losses to investment and retirement savings. Fifty-four percent say they are not financially prepared to handle an outbreak.
How confident are you in your ability to weather the financial effects of the coronavirus? Here’s what experts say could happen to the stock market and general economy if coronavirus continues to be a threat, and what you can do to protect yourself.
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How has the coronavirus impacted the economy so far?
ArtistGNDphotography via Getty Images The Fed cut interest rates for the first time since the 2008 crisis in response to economic worries related to COVID-19.
In addition to a volatile stock market, global GDP growth has begun to slow in response to the outbreak. As travelers are advised to stay home, demand in related industries has diminished. Existing supply chains have also begun faltering. In other words, “Demand for those critical factors which help link the global economy, such as oil and aviation, has plummeted,” said Ahmed Rahman, an economist and associate professor at Lehigh University.
Here in the U.S., the Fed recently decided to take action against any potential economic fallout by cutting the target rate to just below 1.25%, down from about 1.75%. The goal is to stimulate economic growth, such as investing and homebuying, by making it cheaper to borrow money.
“The Federal Open Market Committee has delivered monetary policy medicine investors were looking for to address concerns about the widening economic impacts related to the coronavirus outbreak,” said Mark Hamrick, senior economic analyst for Bankrate, in a statement. “The full emergency 50 basis points reduction is the first since the financial crisis, a sign how serious central bankers regard the downside risks to the economy.”
However, now that rates are down to around 1%, there’s little more the Fed can do to further protect against a slowing economy. And though lower interest rates can help to spur economic growth, they can’t stop people from getting sick. “Lower interest rates do little to make consumers and businesses feel substantially more confident about the future when a health crisis is spreading around the world,” Hamrick said. “It also cannot address the hobbled supply chains, including manufacturing capability in China and South Korea. Still, the Fed is doing what it can to try to keep the economy out of recession.”
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What’s in store for the future?
If the coronavirus continues to spread and reaches the level of a pandemic, the issues above could certainly get worse. For one, governments would likely have to stop people from congregating in large numbers, temporarily shutting down airports, malls, schools and factories.
Italy, for example, has ordered a massive quarantine that affects more than 16 million people. Areas impacted by the shutdown include Milan, Venice and the northern region of Lombardy, which is considered the financial heart of the country.
And because travel would all be halted, hotels, cruise ships, airlines and other travel-related companies would experience major losses that can’t be recovered. That could spell particular trouble for the U.S., where the majority of economic activity comes from service industries.
Even so, the impact thus far hasn’t been extraordinary, so it’s hard to predict what might happen.
“Investors are understandably worried that maybe now we will get that recession so many have been worried about.” - Jurrien Timmer, director of global macro for Fidelity Management & Research Company
“While coronavirus is certainly a serious global health issue, as of this moment, it has not had a significant negative impact on the U.S. economy,” said Robert R. Johnson, a professor of finance at Creighton University. The problem, he said, is at this point in time, the extent of the outbreak is uncertain.
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However, even in the most optimistic scenario, it is likely to have a material short-term impact on GDP growth, according to Johnson. Most economists are expecting to lose a minimum of 0.1% to 0.5% off of first quarter 2020 estimates.
What about the dreaded “R” word? “After an 11-year expansion and a fivefold increase in the stock market, investors are understandably worried that maybe now we will get that recession so many have been worried about,” said Jurrien Timmer, director of global macro for Fidelity Management & Research Company. Though he hesitates to engage in market speculation, Timmer said that he doesn’t see much evidence that we have the conditions for either an inventory cycle or a financial crisis.
“What I do think could happen, however, is that this double-whammy of a demand and supply shock could trigger a technical recession ― a quarter or two of negative GDP growth and negative earnings growth ― but that doesn’t have the trappings of a typical recession in which there are many layoffs and tightening financial conditions.”
Rahman added that other effects from the virus are highly uncertain. “Much will depend on its severity,” he said. “If what we are witnessing is the outbreak of a rather severe flu, most macroeconomic models suggest global growth will lower a percentage point or two, to roughly 1%. Anything much worse, of course, means a shrinking world economy.”
Take steps to protect your money against coronavirus risk.
With all this said, what can you actually do to protect your money? “This viral outbreak has produced the apotheosis of what investors hate most — uncertainty,” Rahman said. But even though the future is uncertain, there are steps you can follow to mitigate risk. In fact, below are a few best practices you should follow even when we aren’t in the midst of a global health scare.
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Check your asset allocation. Ensure it’s in line with your risk tolerance and appropriate for your age group or time horizon, said Melissa Ridolfi, vice president of retirement and college leadership at Fidelity. Alternatively, “consider investing in a target date fund, which may provide more peace of mind during periods of volatility,” she said.
Make sure you consider a diversified investing strategy. Your portfolio should have exposure to different areas of the markets, including U.S. small- and large-caps, international stocks and investment-grade bonds, Ridolfi said. This will help manage the overall risk in your portfolio to your age, risk tolerance and goals.
Rebalance your portfolio if needed. “Portfolio drift can happen during bull markets when stocks rise and one’s asset allocation deviates to a higher equity allocation,” Ridolfi said. Make sure your portfolio is balanced and your equity allocation is in line with your goals.
Consider meeting with a financial adviser. You might find it helpful to speak with a professional who isn’t emotionally invested in your finances, who can help you set goals and stick to them even during stressful times like these.
This article has been updated to reflect that Prudential’s survey found that 54% of respondents do not feel financially prepared. The information initially provided indicated incorrectly that 54% did feel prepared.


huffpost--2020-03-04--New James Bond Film Release Delayed Following Fans' Coronavirus Fears

In 26 movies , James Bond has fought off obsessive autocrats , crazed plutocrats and various vicious nemeses , despite a lifestyle that puts him at serious risk for alcoholism and STDs .
But apparently , coronavirus is too strong for the British super-spy .
On Wednesday , the producers of the iconic film series announced that they have decided to delay the release of the next Bond film , “ No Time To Die , ” until November .
The film had been scheduled to hit theaters on April 10 in the U.S .
The announcement of the delay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Bond producers , Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli , announced today that after careful consideration and thorough evaluation of the global theatrical marketplace , the release of NO TIME TO DIE will be postponed until November 2020. pic.twitter.com/a9h1RP5OKd — James Bond ( @ 007 ) March 4 , 2020 A subsequent tweet shared the film ’ s new release dates in North America and the U.K .
The film will be released in the U.K. on November 12 , 2020 with worldwide release dates to follow , including the US launch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ James Bond ( @ 007 ) March 4 , 2020 The decision to delay “ No Time To Die ” came a day after Bond fans posted an open letter asking that the film release be pushed back to the summer “ when experts expect the epidemic to have peaked , ” and urging the filmmakers to “ put public health above marketing release schedules.
” The letter , written by James Page and David Leigh , the founders of two Bond fan sites , tried to speak a language they figured any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can understand : box office receipts , citing stats for the 2015 Bond film , “ Spectre.
” “ China and Japan have closed theatres for weeks .
The Chinese box-office in January and February 2019 combined to $ 1.5b .
The same period this year has netted just $ 3.9m - a 99.7 % drop .
“ Of the countries with large public gatherings banned or restricted , their combined ‘ SPECTRE ’ box-office was $ 313m , or 38 % of the global haul.
” The letter then reasonably suggested that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end of the world , while appealing to producers ’ sense of duty .
“ It ’ s just a movie .
The health and well-being of fans around the world , and their families , is more important , ” the letter said .
“ We have all waited over 4 years for this film .
Another few months will not damage the quality of the film and only help the box-office for Daniel Craig ’ s final hurrah .
”

“China and Japan have closed theatres for weeks. The Chinese box-office in January and February 2019 combined to $1.5b. The same period this year has netted just $3.9m - a 99.7% drop.
“Of the countries with large public gatherings banned or restricted, their combined ‘SPECTRE’ box-office was $313m, or 38% of the global haul.”