huffpost--2020-04-21--Coronavirus Study Of Drug Pushed By Trump Finds More Deaths, No Benefit

A malaria drug widely touted by President Donald Trump for treating the new coronavirus showed no benefit in a large analysis of its use in U.S. veterans hospitals .
There were more deaths among those given hydroxychloroquine versus standard care , researchers reported .
The nationwide study was not a rigorous experiment .
But with 368 patients , it ’ s the largest look so far of hydroxychloroquine with or without the antibiotic azithromycin for COVID-19 , which has killed more than 171,000 people as of Tuesday .
The study was posted on an online site for researchers and has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grants from the National Institutes of Health and the University of Virginia paid for the work .
About 28 % who were given hydroxychloroquine plus usual care died , versus 11 % of those getting routine care alone .
About 22 % of those getting the drug plus azithromycin died too , but the difference between that group and usual care was not considered large enough to rule out other factors that could have affected survival .
Researchers did not track side effects , but noted a hint that hydroxychloroquine might have damaged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been known to have potentially serious side effects , including altering the heartbeat in a way that could lead to sudden death .
Earlier this month , scientists in Brazil stopped part of a study testing chloroquine , an older drug similar to hydroxychloroquine , after heart rhythm problems developed in one-quarter of people given the higher of two doses being tested .
At the University of Wisconsin , Madison , “ I think we ’ re all rather underwhelmed ” at what ’ s been seen among the few patients there who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nasia Safdar , medical director of infection control and prevention .
Patients asked about it soon after Trump started promoting its use , “ but now I think that people have realized we don ’ t know if it works or not ” and needs more study , said Safdar , who had no role in the VA analysis .

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A malaria drug widely touted by President Donald Trump for treating the new coronavirus showed no benefit in a large analysis of its use in U.S. veterans hospitals. There were more deaths among those given hydroxychloroquine versus standard care, researchers reported.
The nationwide study was not a rigorous experiment. But with 368 patients, it’s the largest look so far of hydroxychloroquine with or without the antibiotic azithromycin for COVID-19, which has killed more than 171,000 people as of Tuesday.
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The study was posted on an online site for researchers and has not been reviewed by other scientists. Grants from the National Institutes of Health and the University of Virginia paid for the work.
Researchers analyzed medical records of 368 male veterans hospitalized with confirmed coronavirus infection at Veterans Health Administration medical centers who died or were discharged by April 11.
About 28% who were given hydroxychloroquine plus usual care died, versus 11% of those getting routine care alone. About 22% of those getting the drug plus azithromycin died too, but the difference between that group and usual care was not considered large enough to rule out other factors that could have affected survival.
This Monday, April 6, 2020, photo shows an arrangement of hydroxychloroquine pills in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Hydroxychloroquine made no difference in the need for a breathing machine, either.
Researchers did not track side effects, but noted a hint that hydroxychloroquine might have damaged other organs. The drug has long been known to have potentially serious side effects, including altering the heartbeat in a way that could lead to sudden death.
Earlier this month, scientists in Brazil stopped part of a study testing chloroquine, an older drug similar to hydroxychloroquine, after heart rhythm problems developed in one-quarter of people given the higher of two doses being tested.
Many doctors have been leery of the drug.
At the University of Wisconsin, Madison, “I think we’re all rather underwhelmed” at what’s been seen among the few patients there who’ve tried it, said Dr. Nasia Safdar, medical director of infection control and prevention.
Patients asked about it soon after Trump started promoting its use, “but now I think that people have realized we don’t know if it works or not” and needs more study, said Safdar, who had no role in the VA analysis.
The NIH and others have more rigorous tests underway.
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Marilynn Marchione can be followed on Twitter: @MMarchioneAP
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.


huffpost--2020-04-21--Justin Trudeau Vows To Strengthen Gun Control Laws After Canada's Deadliest Shooting

In the aftermath of the deadliest shooting in Canada ’ s history , Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised Monday that his government would strengthen gun control legislation once Parliament reconvenes .
“ I can say that we were on the verge of introducing legislation to ban assault-style weapons across this country , ” Trudeau said , per The Washington Post .
“ It was interrupted when the pandemic caused Parliament to be suspended , but we have every intention of moving forward on that measure , and potentially other measures , when Parliament returns.
” During his reelection campaign last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military-style assault rifles if he was voted back into office .
“ As long as Canadians are losing their loved ones to gun violence , not enough has changed , ” Trudeau said on the campaign trail in September 2019 , The Guardian reported .
“ We know you do not need a military-grade assault weapon , one designed to kill the largest amount of people in the shortest amount of time , to take down a deer.
” There are no words for the pain felt by the families and loved ones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them to know that all Canadians are with them .
That this senseless , evil act will not define Nova Scotia .
Today , all Canadians are Nova Scotian .
pic.twitter.com/yYC7rrWwMH — Justin Trudeau ( @ JustinTrudeau ) April 21 , 2020 A gunman went on a shooting rampage in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia on Sunday , killing at least 18 people before being killed during a confrontation with police .
Prior to Sunday , the deadliest shooting in Canada had taken place in 1989 when a gunman killed 14 women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Montreal .
Canada ’ s Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said Monday that the government was committed to strengthening gun laws as soon as possible , but said he couldn ’ t provide an exact timeline because of the ongoing pandemic .
“ There have been far too many incidents of gun violence in our country and we are working hard to make sure that we put the measures in place that significantly reduce those incidents and keep people safe , ” Blair said , CTV News reported .
“ The actual schedule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is still to be determined simply because we are in uncertain times in Parliament , ” he added .
“ But it doesn ’ t in any way imply that we are any less committed to taking the steps that are necessary to keep Canadians safe .
”

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In the aftermath of the deadliest shooting in Canada’s history, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised Monday that his government would strengthen gun control legislation once Parliament reconvenes.
“I can say that we were on the verge of introducing legislation to ban assault-style weapons across this country,” Trudeau said, per The Washington Post. “It was interrupted when the pandemic caused Parliament to be suspended, but we have every intention of moving forward on that measure, and potentially other measures, when Parliament returns.”
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Canada’s Parliament has been suspended since March because of the coronavirus pandemic.
During his reelection campaign last year, Trudeau pledged to ban all military-style assault rifles if he was voted back into office.
“As long as Canadians are losing their loved ones to gun violence, not enough has changed,” Trudeau said on the campaign trail in September 2019, The Guardian reported. “We know you do not need a military-grade assault weapon, one designed to kill the largest amount of people in the shortest amount of time, to take down a deer.”
Trudeau’s Liberal Party won enough seats in October to form a minority government.
There are no words for the pain felt by the families and loved ones of the victims. But I want them to know that all Canadians are with them. That this senseless, evil act will not define Nova Scotia. Today, all Canadians are Nova Scotian. pic.twitter.com/yYC7rrWwMH — Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) April 21, 2020
A gunman went on a shooting rampage in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia on Sunday, killing at least 18 people before being killed during a confrontation with police.
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Prior to Sunday, the deadliest shooting in Canada had taken place in 1989 when a gunman killed 14 women and himself at Ecole Polytechnique college in Montreal.
Canada’s Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said Monday that the government was committed to strengthening gun laws as soon as possible, but said he couldn’t provide an exact timeline because of the ongoing pandemic.
“There have been far too many incidents of gun violence in our country and we are working hard to make sure that we put the measures in place that significantly reduce those incidents and keep people safe,” Blair said, CTV News reported.


huffpost--2020-04-21--Publicly Traded Companies Got $300 Million In Small Business Loans: AP Investigation

By design , the Paycheck Protection Program was meant to get money out quickly to as many small businesses as possible , using a formula based in part on workforce and payroll size .
Some of the eligibility criteria was expanded making it possible for some businesses with more than 500 employees to qualify if , for example , they met certain size standards for their industries or other conditions .
Pam Marrone , the chief executive , said the company “ shouldn ’ t be punished ” for what happened with the SEC because it has had clean audits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation as a “ body blow ” that cost it investors and drove its stock price under $ 1 .
She said it has had to take on $ 40 million in debt and is still digging itself out of the financial hole .
In an interview , president and chief executive Phil Deschamps said the company was able to raise enough capital earlier this year that , when paired with the loan , it can survive to early summer — when it expects to have filed for U.S. Food and Drug Administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal money , he said , the company would have lost scientists and attorneys who help prepare regulatory submissions .

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Companies with thousands of employees, past penalties from government investigations and risks of financial failure even before the coronavirus walloped the economy were among those receiving millions of dollars from a relief fund that Congress created to help small businesses through the crisis, an Associated Press investigation found.
The Paycheck Protection Program was supposed to infuse small businesses, which typically have less access to quick cash and credit, with $349 billion in emergency loans that could help keep workers on the job and bills paid on time.
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But at least 75 companies that received the aid were publicly traded, the AP found, and some had market values well over $100 million. And 25% of the companies had warned investors months ago — while the economy was humming along — that their ability to remain viable was in question.
By combing through thousands of regulatory filings, the AP identified the 75 companies as recipients of a combined $300 million in low-interest, taxpayer-backed loans.
Eight companies, or their subsidiaries, received the maximum $10 million possible, including a California software company that settled a Securities and Exchange Commission investigation late last year into accounting errors that overstated its revenue.
The eight firms getting maximum loans are likely just a tip of the iceberg: Statistics released last week by the U.S. Small Business Administration showed that 4,400 of the approved loans exceeded $5 million. Overall, the size of the typical loan nationally was $206,000, according to the statistics. SBA will forgive the loans if companies meet certain benchmarks, such as keeping employees on payroll for eight weeks.
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The list of recipients identified by the AP is a fraction of the 1.6 million loans that lenders approved before the program was depleted last week, but it is the most complete public accounting to date. Neither the Trump administration nor the lending industry has disclosed a list of Paycheck Protection Program beneficiaries.
Representatives of the SBA, which is overseeing the program, did not respond to a request for comment late Monday. But last Friday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a written statement that most of the loans, 74%, were for less than $150,000 and that demonstrated “the accessibility of this program to even the smallest of small businesses.”
President Donald Trump, asked Monday whether the criteria for who can receive loans should change, said that “we’ll look at individual things and some people will have to return it if we think it’s inappropriate.” He added that the loans are supposed to be awarded, in part, by “what we think is right.”
The AP analysis comes as lawmakers from both political parties negotiate an additional relief package that in large part would replenish the Paycheck Protection Program with more than $300 billion, but there are disagreements about terms for the new funding measure. A final deal could come as early as Tuesday.
AP’s review also found examples of companies that had foreign owners and that were delisted from U.S. stock exchanges, or threatened with removal, because of their poor stock performance before the coronavirus caused a downturn. Other companies have had annual losses for years.
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Wave Life Sciences USA Inc., a Boston-area biotechnology company that develops new pharmaceuticals, received a $7.2 million loan. Weeks earlier, Wave Life Sciences, whose parent company is based in Singapore, disclosed in its annual report net losses of $102 million, $147 million and $194 million during the last three fiscal years.
“We currently have no products on the market and expect that it may be many years, if ever, before we have a product candidate ready for commercialization,” it wrote.
In an emailed statement Monday, the company said: “The livelihood of our U.S. employees and their families would be severely disrupted if they were to lose their jobs or be furloughed. We are doing everything we can to support them.”
Michael Minnis, who has studied the SBA program as an accounting professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, said he understood the frustrations of smaller businesses that have not received funding when publicly listed companies have. But he said it would be hard to go into the program and change the parameters now.
“There’s a fundamental trade-off here between speed and targeting this in the absolute best way,” he said.
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Minnis estimates the program might need to dispense $720 billion to meet demand.
Since launching April 3, the relief package has faced criticism about slow loan processing, unclear rules and limited funding that left many mom-and-pop businesses without help.
News that the $1.6 billion Shake Shack burger empire had received a maximum $10 million loan, disclosed in a filing Friday, ignited public anger. Company executives said late Sunday they would return the money after finding other sources of capital.
By design, the Paycheck Protection Program was meant to get money out quickly to as many small businesses as possible, using a formula based in part on workforce and payroll size. Some of the eligibility criteria was expanded making it possible for some businesses with more than 500 employees to qualify if, for example, they met certain size standards for their industries or other conditions.
The owners behind large restaurants chains like Potbelly, Ruth’s Chris Steak House and Taco Cabana were able to qualify and get the maximum $10 million in loans despite employing thousands of workers.
Some other big companies that received loans appeared to have enough cash on hand to survive the economic downturn. New York City-based Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, for example, a cruise ship and travel company with 650 workers and a branding deal with National Geographic, got a $6.6 million loan. At the end of March, the business reported having about $137 million in cash on its balance sheet.
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“When this crisis hit, we had two business planning cases: 1) substantial layoffs and furloughs or 2) receiving these funds and not impacting our employees,” spokeswoman Audrey Chang wrote in an email. “Lindblad is the very rare travel company that has not imposed any layoffs, furloughs or salary reductions to date.”
Five of the companies that the AP identified were previously under investigation by financial and other regulators, including firms that paid penalties to resolve allegations, records show.
Quantum Corp., a data storage company based in San Jose, California, that has a workforce of 800, paid a $1 million penalty last December over allegations that accounting errors resulted in overstated revenues. Quantum received a maximum $10 million loan.
Without that loan, “we would most certainly be forced to reduce headcount. We owe it to our employees — who’ve stuck with us through a long and difficult turnaround — to do everything we can to save their jobs during this crisis,” company spokesman Bob Wientzen wrote in an email.
Broadwind Energy, a suburban Chicago maker of wind turbines that employs about 520, agreed to pay a $1 million penalty five years ago after the SEC accused it of failing to inform investors that reduced business from two major customers had caused “substantial declines” in its long-term financial prospects. Broadwind, which could not be immediately reached, received $9.5 million from the loan program.
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Marrone Bio Innovations, a biopesticide company in Davis, California, that has about 50 workers, similarly agreed to pay $1.8 million in 2016 after the SEC alleged its chief operating officer had inflated financial results to hit projections that it would double revenues during its first year as a public company. Marrone received a loan worth $1.7 million.
Pam Marrone, the chief executive, said the company “shouldn’t be punished” for what happened with the SEC because it has had clean audits for years now. She described the investigation as a “body blow” that cost it investors and drove its stock price under $1. She said it has had to take on $40 million in debt and is still digging itself out of the financial hole.
“People don’t realize how tough it is to be a small public company like us that’s not yet profitable,” she said. “We can’t just go to investors and say, ‘OK, open up your wallets.’ “
The AP analysis found that about 1 in 4 of the companies, in fact, had warned investors months ago that they or their auditors had significant doubts about their ability to remain viable and meet their financial obligations despite the booming economy at the time.
One was Helius Medical Technologies, a company located near Philadelphia that develops technology to help injured brains heal themselves.
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The company has 19 employees and received a $323,000 loan amid a tough stretch. Its most recent annual report warned, “We may be unable to continue to operate without the threat of liquidation for the foreseeable future” and did not expect to have enough cash to go beyond May.
In an interview, president and chief executive Phil Deschamps said the company was able to raise enough capital earlier this year that, when paired with the loan, it can survive to early summer — when it expects to have filed for U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for its device. Without the federal money, he said, the company would have lost scientists and attorneys who help prepare regulatory submissions.
Deschamps said his company followed the same rules and applied like any other, and that its device could help thousands of people in the future. But he also understands why some people might question giving money to publicly traded firms.
“If we didn’t qualify for whatever reason, we would have walked away and figured out another way to do it,” he said.
Another company that was facing financial doubts before the virus was Enservco Corp., a Denver-based firm that helps oil and gas firms, including in the fracking industry. In its annual report filed last month, the company said: “We do not generate adequate revenue to fund our current operations, and we incurred significant net operating losses during the years ended December 31, 2019, and 2018, which raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.”
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Chief executive Ian Dickinson said in an interview that his company would not have folded without the $1.9 million loan it received. But, he said, he welcomed the money and would’ve had to let go more employees than he already has without it. Enservco’s annual report cited 186 employees; Dickinson said payroll has “reduced significantly” from that mark, without giving specifics.
Dickinson said he did not believe concerns about how long the company could survive were raised in the application process with its bank.
“At the end of the day, our employees are really no different than the employees of a nonpublic company,” Dickinson said. “These are funds being used to keep folks on payroll and keep food on their tables.”
That big companies and ones with questionable records received such precious financial aid during the chaotic last few weeks frustrates Zachary Davis, a Santa Cruz, California, businessman who runs two artisanal ice cream shops, a beachside café and a taco bar with partner Kendra Baker.
Before a shelter-in-place order in mid-March, the two were expecting their best year to date and were on track to pay off in May the $250,000 loan from the federal government that they used 10 years ago to open their original shop.
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“We were feeling pretty good about where we were in the world. Now it’s just all turned upside down,” said Davis, who had to lay off 70 workers.
Davis says they were recently able to obtain a different $10,000 disaster loan from the federal government to pay off vendors, but he says that it “evaporated within seconds.” Davis and Baker submitted a Paycheck Protection Program application with supporting documents on April 2 but are still waiting.
Competing against businesses with hundreds of millions a year in revenue and teams of accountants and lawyers is tough, Davis said, “and if you’re a little guy, chances are you’re going to the back of the line.”
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Associated Press writers Michael Liedtke in Berkeley, California, and Jeannie Ohm in Washington, D.C., and researcher Rhonda Shafner in New York contributed to this report.
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Contact AP’s global investigative team at Investigative@ap.org.
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huffpost--2020-04-21--Banks Funneled Stimulus Funds To Largest Companies To Fatten Fees, Lawsuits Say

Four class-action lawsuits have been filed against banks doling out federal stimulus funds earmarked for small businesses , accusing them of channeling funds to the largest companies to collect bigger fees .
Wells Fargo , Bank of America , JPMorgan Chase and U.S. Bancorp “ rigged the loan process to benefit their bottom line , ” the Stalwart Law Group , which filed the lawsuits Sunday in federal court in Los Angeles , said in a statement .
The banks failed to process applications for the taxpayer money on a first-come , first-served basis ― as the Trump administration required @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biggest companies because they would get larger loans and generate bigger banking fees , according to the complaints .
Banks collect a percentage based on the size of the loan .
That left thousands of small businesses — 90 % of applicants , according to the suits — with nothing as the $ 349 billion in funds for the Paycheck Protection Program ran dry on Friday , less than 14 days after it launched .
The program is part of the $ 2 trillion Coronavirus Aid , Relief and Economic Security Act .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ million , and Ruth ’ s Chris Steak House obtained a $ 20 million payout , BuzzFeed News reported .
Potbelly paid a $ 100,000 signing bonus to a new executive the same day it nabbed the taxpayer funds , according to BuzzFeed .
Though the Paycheck Protection funds begin as a loan , the debt is forgiven if companies use the money to keep workers on the payroll and cover rent and other approved expenses for about two months .
That means well-heeled companies can collect millions of dollars in what amounts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rick Scott , who voted for the stimulus package , on Monday complained that millions of dollars are being wasted on the wrong businesses , and demanded changes .
“ Right now , companies that are not being harmed at all by the coronavirus crisis have the ability to receive taxpayer-funded loans that can be forgiven .
That ’ s wrong , and it takes money out of the hands of those Americans who really need it , ” Scott said in a statement .
U.S. Bancorp told Bloomberg that the lawsuit is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment , but said on its website that its smallest clients received more than twice as many loans — close to 18,000 — than larger customers .
It did not compare the amount of money doled out to the different groups .
Wells Fargo and Bank of America didn ’ t comment .
“ While I ’ m not involved with this new class-action , my company is one of the millions who have continued paying our employees full salary , plus benefits — all because President Trump asserted that if you apply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paid as quickly as the same day , ” said Goldstone .
“ That was a month ago .
Since then , we haven ’ t even heard the sound of chirping crickets from the Small Business Administration , ” which is in charge of the process .
Challenged at his press briefing Monday about taxpayer funds going to Harvard and restaurant chains , President Donald Trump complained that he didn ’ t get any of the stimulus money for his business .
He added that “ some people ” will have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s inappropriate .
”

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Four class-action lawsuits have been filed against banks doling out federal stimulus funds earmarked for small businesses, accusing them of channeling funds to the largest companies to collect bigger fees.
Wells Fargo, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and U.S. Bancorp “rigged the loan process to benefit their bottom line,” the Stalwart Law Group, which filed the lawsuits Sunday in federal court in Los Angeles, said in a statement.
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The banks failed to process applications for the taxpayer money on a first-come, first-served basis ― as the Trump administration required ― and instead prioritized requests from the biggest companies because they would get larger loans and generate bigger banking fees, according to the complaints. Banks collect a percentage based on the size of the loan.
That left thousands of small businesses — 90% of applicants, according to the suits — with nothing as the $349 billion in funds for the Paycheck Protection Program ran dry on Friday, less than 14 days after it launched. The program is part of the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.
Revelations that taxpayer handouts intended for small businesses have gone to major companies have triggered public outrage in recent days.
Fast-food chain Shake Shack decided Monday to return its $10 million loan amid mounting criticism of the program.
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Restaurant chains Potbelly also got $10 million, and Ruth’s Chris Steak House obtained a $20 million payout, BuzzFeed News reported. Potbelly paid a $100,000 signing bonus to a new executive the same day it nabbed the taxpayer funds, according to BuzzFeed.
Though the Paycheck Protection funds begin as a loan, the debt is forgiven if companies use the money to keep workers on the payroll and cover rent and other approved expenses for about two months. That means well-heeled companies can collect millions of dollars in what amounts to taxpayer grants.
We will be returning our Paycheck Protection Program loan. More information from our founder @dhmeyer + CEO @randygarutti here: https://t.co/gXNsO1RfKf pic.twitter.com/tMtVNlY6ou — SHAKE SHACK (@shakeshack) April 20, 2020
Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott, who voted for the stimulus package, on Monday complained that millions of dollars are being wasted on the wrong businesses, and demanded changes.
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“Right now, companies that are not being harmed at all by the coronavirus crisis have the ability to receive taxpayer-funded loans that can be forgiven. That’s wrong, and it takes money out of the hands of those Americans who really need it,” Scott said in a statement.
U.S. Bancorp told Bloomberg that the lawsuit is “without merit.” JPMorgan refused to comment, but said on its website that its smallest clients received more than twice as many loans — close to 18,000 — than larger customers. It did not compare the amount of money doled out to the different groups. Wells Fargo and Bank of America didn’t comment.
A California company that applied for the funds the very first day hasn’t heard a word from anyone, Mitch Goldstone, CEO and co-founder of ScanMyPhotos, told HuffPost.
“While I’m not involved with this new class-action, my company is one of the millions who have continued paying our employees full salary, plus benefits — all because President Trump asserted that if you apply for PPP, you’ll get paid as quickly as the same day,” said Goldstone. “That was a month ago. Since then, we haven’t even heard the sound of chirping crickets from the Small Business Administration,” which is in charge of the process.
Challenged at his press briefing Monday about taxpayer funds going to Harvard and restaurant chains, President Donald Trump complained that he didn’t get any of the stimulus money for his business. He added that “some people” will have to return money if we “think it’s inappropriate.”
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Asked about large companies benefitting from coronavirus stimulus legislation, Trump complains that the business he still owns and profits from didn't get any pic.twitter.com/5gn5Ske3g8 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 20, 2020


huffpost--2020-03-26--The Knack Records The 'My Sharona' Parody The World Has Been Waiting For

As the coronavirus has spread across the world , so have “ My Sharona ” parodies dedicated to COVID-19 across the internet .
But while a vaccine for the virus has yet to be developed , there is now a way for music fans to inoculate themselves to multiple rewritten renditions of the 1979 new wave classic .
And it comes courtesy of Knack members Berton Averre and Prescott Niles .
Averre , who co-wrote “ My Sharona , ” posted the new version of the song on Wednesday because , he explained , “ apparently , there aren ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a dilemma : Averre doesn ’ t sing and co-writer and lead singer Doug Feiger died in 2010 .
Luckily , he had a workaround : Averre focused on playing the song ’ s iconic guitar solo while bassist Niles popped afterwards to shout , “ Bye , corona !
” It was simple and to the point , without a bunch of lyrics about washing hands , social distancing or not being able to buy toilet paper .
However , as Vulture noted , Averre made sure to disinfect the guitar neck @ @ @ @ @

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As the coronavirus has spread across the world, so have “My Sharona” parodies dedicated to COVID-19 across the internet.
But while a vaccine for the virus has yet to be developed, there is now a way for music fans to inoculate themselves to multiple rewritten renditions of the 1979 new wave classic.
Advertisement
And it comes courtesy of Knack members Berton Averre and Prescott Niles.
Averre, who co-wrote “My Sharona,” posted the new version of the song on Wednesday because, he explained, “apparently, there aren’t enough of them.”
There was a dilemma: Averre doesn’t sing and co-writer and lead singer Doug Feiger died in 2010.
Luckily, he had a workaround: Averre focused on playing the song’s iconic guitar solo while bassist Niles popped afterwards to shout, “Bye, corona!”
It was simple and to the point, without a bunch of lyrics about washing hands, social distancing or not being able to buy toilet paper.
However, as Vulture noted, Averre made sure to disinfect the guitar neck after the blistering solo.
Check it out below.


huffpost--2020-03-26--Grocery Delivery Is Overbooked. Here's What Companies Are Doing About It.

So what are companies doing about it ?
Well , the short answer is that it ’ s a work in progress , but Amazon Fresh , Walmart Grocery and others are trying to streamline the process .
The brand told HuffPost that it has seen an increase in people shopping online and is “ working with suppliers and distributors to ensure we ’ re getting products customers need.
” “ We are also hiring over 100,000 positions across the US , including for grocery delivery , enabling us to add delivery windows and get grocery orders to customers quickly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ via email .
The largest grocery delivery network in North America announced earlier this week that it would be bringing on “ an additional 300,000 full-service shoppers across North America over the next 3 months to meet the increasing customer demand for online grocery delivery and pickup in the U.S. and Canada.
” A spokesperson said that in the last few weeks , Instacart has “ seen the highest customer demand in company history ” and is focusing on states with the most customer demand , including California , New York , Texas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Virginia , New Jersey , Georgia , and Ohio .
The brand said it has seen an increase in pickup and delivery orders , as well as more customers at Walmart stores .
The company acknowledged that while it has had to “ cancel a number of orders due to item availability , ” it ’ s “ offering time slots to customers for as soon as the same day and up to one day in advance , rather than time frames further out.
” “ This is a shorter window than we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us to better serve our customers during this busy time , ” said Charles Crowson , senior manager of corporate communications , who added that the company plans to hire 150,000 new associates in stores , clubs , distribution centers and fulfillment centers .
The brand said in a tweet over the weekend that it is working “ tirelessly ” to open more slots for users .
On Tuesday , Fresh Direct announced it would be part of a program that delivers 2,000 boxes of food a day , Monday through Friday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boroughs of New York City .
Delivering both food and non-food items , Postmates says it has recently launched non-contact deliveries and is “ offering reduced delivery fees—often during peak lunch hours—making on-demand delivery more accessible during this challenging time .
”

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In the coronavirus era, buying your groceries via an online delivery service feels a lot like the lottery meets “The Hunger Games” meets utter stress.
Wow @FreshDirect I refreshed the window as soon as new time slots for deliveries opened and they are already all booked :( Have been trying to get a slot for 3 days now. Any tips on how to get my order placed? — Matthew Michael (@keepitfierce) March 24, 2020
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Getting an Instacart delivery slot is like winning the goddamn lottery. — Angelsil @ 🏠 (@angelsil_tpa) March 23, 2020
Finally locked in an Amazon Fresh delivery slot after several days of trying, and I seriously feel like I need a cigarette right now. — Zaki Hasan (@zakiscorner) March 25, 2020
So what are companies doing about it? Well, the short answer is that it’s a work in progress, but Amazon Fresh, Walmart Grocery and others are trying to streamline the process.
Here’s the longer answer:
Amazon Fresh
The brand told HuffPost that it has seen an increase in people shopping online and is “working with suppliers and distributors to ensure we’re getting products customers need.”
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“We are also hiring over 100,000 positions across the US, including for grocery delivery, enabling us to add delivery windows and get grocery orders to customers quickly,” an Amazon Fresh spokesperson said via email.
Instacart
The largest grocery delivery network in North America announced earlier this week that it would be bringing on “an additional 300,000 full-service shoppers across North America over the next 3 months to meet the increasing customer demand for online grocery delivery and pickup in the U.S. and Canada.”
A spokesperson said that in the last few weeks, Instacart has “seen the highest customer demand in company history” and is focusing on states with the most customer demand, including California, New York, Texas, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Virginia, New Jersey, Georgia, and Ohio.
Walmart Grocery
The brand said it has seen an increase in pickup and delivery orders, as well as more customers at Walmart stores. The company acknowledged that while it has had to “cancel a number of orders due to item availability,” it’s “offering time slots to customers for as soon as the same day and up to one day in advance, rather than time frames further out.”
“This is a shorter window than we typically offer, but it will allow us to better serve our customers during this busy time,” said Charles Crowson, senior manager of corporate communications, who added that the company plans to hire 150,000 new associates in stores, clubs, distribution centers and fulfillment centers.
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Fresh Direct
The brand said in a tweet over the weekend that it is working “tirelessly” to open more slots for users.
On Tuesday, Fresh Direct announced it would be part of a program that delivers 2,000 boxes of food a day, Monday through Friday, to families in need across the five boroughs of New York City.
Postmates


huffpost--2020-03-26--Ex-FBI Agent Robert Levinson Has Died In Iranian Custody, Family Confirms

The circumstances and timing of Levinson ’ s death was unclear , but White House national security adviser Robert O ’ Brien said Wednesday evening that the U.S. believes Levinson “ may have passed away some time ago.
” Hours earlier , his family said information that U.S. officials had received had led them to conclude that he was dead , though it did not describe the nature of the information .
U.S. officials communicated the news to Levinson ’ s family in a meeting in Washington in recent weeks , according to a person familiar with the situation who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the private encounter .
The person said the information about Levinson had come from Iran ’ s foreign minister .
“ It is impossible to describe our pain , ” the family ’ s statement said .
“ Our family will spend the rest of our lives without the most amazing man , a new reality that is inconceivable to us .
His grandchildren will never meet him .
They will know him only through the stories we tell them.
” In this March 6 , 2012 file photo , an FBI poster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agent Robert Levinson , right , and a shot of him from an earlier video released by his captors , left .
Levinson 's family said Wednesday , March 25 , 2020 , that U.S. government officials have concluded that he has died while in the custody of Iran .
Levinson disappeared on March 9 , 2007 , when he was scheduled to meet a source on the Iranian island of Kish .
For years , U.S. officials would say only that Levinson was working independently on a private investigation .
The Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seek the release of American hostages and prisoners detained overseas .
Last week , administration officials touted the release from Lebanon of a New Hampshire restaurant owner jailed on decades-old allegations and the medical furlough of a Navy veteran from an Iranian prison .
The family statement also said : “ Those who are responsible for what happened to Bob Levinson , including those in the U.S. government who for many years repeatedly left him behind , will ultimately receive justice for what they have done .
We will spend the rest of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Iranian regime must know we will not be going away.
” But he also acknowledged that “ it ’ s not looking promising ” and said Levinson , who had diabetes and high blood pressure , had had “ some rough problems ” even prior to his disappearance .
Around the same time , though , the White House ’ s acting national intelligence director appeared to confirm Levinson ’ s death with a tweeted statement conveying condolences to the family .
And by the evening , the White House issued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the uncertainty expressed by the president .
“ As President Trump said today , Iran must provide a complete accounting of what occurred with Bob Levinson before the United States can fully accept what happened in this case , ” O ’ Brien said .
“ While the investigation is ongoing , we believe that Bob Levinson may have passed away some time ago.
” The family received a video in late 2010 and proof-of-life photographs in 2011 in which he appeared disheveled with a long beard and wearing an orange prison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Guantanamo Bay prison .
But even then , his whereabouts and fate were not known .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government has concluded that retired FBI agent Robert Levinson, who vanished more than a decade ago, died while in the custody of Iran, his family and administration officials said Wednesday.
The circumstances and timing of Levinson’s death was unclear, but White House national security adviser Robert O’Brien said Wednesday evening that the U.S. believes Levinson “may have passed away some time ago.” Hours earlier, his family said information that U.S. officials had received had led them to conclude that he was dead, though it did not describe the nature of the information.
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The family said in a statement announcing Levinson’s death that it was believed to have occurred before the recent outbreak of the coronavirus, which has gravely affected Iran.
The government’s acknowledgment of Levinson’s death came hours after a White House briefing in which President Donald Trump appeared to equivocate on the news, saying, “I won’t accept that he’s dead.”
U.S. officials communicated the news to Levinson’s family in a meeting in Washington in recent weeks, according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private encounter. The person said the information about Levinson had come from Iran’s foreign minister.
“It is impossible to describe our pain,” the family’s statement said. “Our family will spend the rest of our lives without the most amazing man, a new reality that is inconceivable to us. His grandchildren will never meet him. They will know him only through the stories we tell them.”
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In this March 6, 2012 file photo, an FBI poster shows a composite image of former FBI agent Robert Levinson, right, and a shot of him from an earlier video released by his captors, left. Levinson's family said Wednesday, March 25, 2020, that U.S. government officials have concluded that he has died while in the custody of Iran. AP
Levinson disappeared on March 9, 2007, when he was scheduled to meet a source on the Iranian island of Kish. For years, U.S. officials would say only that Levinson was working independently on a private investigation.
But a 2013 Associated Press investigation revealed that Levinson had been sent on a mission by CIA analysts who had no authority to run such an operation.
The Trump administration has made it a priority to seek the release of American hostages and prisoners detained overseas. Last week, administration officials touted the release from Lebanon of a New Hampshire restaurant owner jailed on decades-old allegations and the medical furlough of a Navy veteran from an Iranian prison.
The Levinson family thanked multiple U.S. officials for their help, including FBI Director Chris Wray, CIA Director Gina Haspel, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and O’Brien, who before his post as national security adviser also served as the State Department’s chief hostage negotiator.
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The family statement also said: “Those who are responsible for what happened to Bob Levinson, including those in the U.S. government who for many years repeatedly left him behind, will ultimately receive justice for what they have done. We will spend the rest of our lives making sure of this, and the Iranian regime must know we will not be going away.”
The family said it does not know when or if Levinson’s body will be returned for burial.
At a White House briefing on the coronavirus, Trump resisted confirming the family’s account, saying that Iranian officials had not told the U.S. that Levinson was dead and that “I won’t accept that he’s dead.”
But he also acknowledged that “it’s not looking promising” and said Levinson, who had diabetes and high blood pressure, had had “some rough problems” even prior to his disappearance.
“He was a great gentleman,” he said.
Around the same time, though, the White House’s acting national intelligence director appeared to confirm Levinson’s death with a tweeted statement conveying condolences to the family. And by the evening, the White House issued a new statement designed to remove some of the uncertainty expressed by the president.
“As President Trump said today, Iran must provide a complete accounting of what occurred with Bob Levinson before the United States can fully accept what happened in this case,” O’Brien said. “While the investigation is ongoing, we believe that Bob Levinson may have passed away some time ago.”
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The family received a video in late 2010 and proof-of-life photographs in 2011 in which he appeared disheveled with a long beard and wearing an orange prison jumpsuit like those given to detainees at the Guantanamo Bay prison. But even then, his whereabouts and fate were not known.
Iran repeatedly has said it has no information about Levinson, though U.S. diplomats and investigators have long said they thought he was taken by Iranian government agents.
In November, the Iranian government unexpectedly responded to a United Nations query by saying that Levinson was the subject of an “open case” in Iranian Revolutionary Court. Although the development gave the family a burst of hope, Iran clarified that the “open case” was simply an investigation into his disappearance.
The announcement of his death comes just weeks after a federal judge in Washington held Iran liable for his disappearance, saying the country was “in no uncertain terms” responsible for Levinson’s “hostage taking and torture.” The family had sued for $1.5 billion in damages.


huffpost--2020-03-26--COVID-19 Is The Best Argument Yet For A Wealth Tax

Spencer Platt via Getty Images Former Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg addresses his staff and the media after announcing that he was ending his campaign on March 4 .
Bloomberg spent more than $ 900 million on his presidential bid — and only a fraction of that on coronavirus aid .
“ My wife and I set up a foundation about 20 years ago , ” computer magnate Michael Dell said last year in response to a Democratic proposal to enact a wealth tax .
“ I feel much more comfortable with our ability as a private donation to allocate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the government.
” JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and Starbucks founder Howard Schultz made the same case , arguing that taxing wealth robs billionaires of their capacity to invest in private and public innovation .
Philanthropy , Bill Gates said when asked about a wealth tax at The New York Times ’ Dealbook conference last year , “ plays a role that neither the private sector or the government is able to do.
” As of Wednesday afternoon , America had logged at least 54,453 cases of COVID-19 , the disease caused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Ending the pandemic will require bold ideas , private-sector innovation , new technology — and a massive infusion of resources .
Hospitals need beds and protective equipment .
Americans need swift and reliable diagnostic tests .
If there was ever a time when America needed decisive action from its wealthiest citizens , this is it .
Dell ’ s company has donated software and facemasks to China , but he hasn ’ t contributed any of his $ 32.3 billion personal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Neither Dimon nor Schultz have announced any donations to help the health system respond to the pandemic .
While Gates has been funding COVID-19 efforts since January , his contributions so far amount to less than one-1,000th of his total net worth and roughly one-20th of his yearly liability under a 2 % wealth tax .
Where Are The Billionaires ?
Neither Charles Koch nor the family of his late brother , David Koch , have donated any of their combined $ 80 billion personal fortune to the crisis .
Despite pledging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wealth before before dying , Warren Buffett has not contributed any of his $ 80 billion personal fortune to the cause .
Even among billionaires who have made donations , few have contributed more than the equivalent of pocket change .
Nike co-founder Phil Knight , for example , is donating “ a combined $ 10 million ” with two other executives .
The Walton family , with a combined net worth of over $ 150 billion , is donating $ 25 million through Walmart and The Walmart Foundation — a mere .016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos , the richest person in the world , has announced a series of charitable efforts through his company , he has made no large-scale donations himself .
One of the more generous donors — compared to his peers anyway — is Microsoft co-founder Steve Ballmer , who has pledged $ 4 million to community groups in Seattle and Los Angeles .
Those donations amount to just 0.0077 % ( or one-12,000th ) of Ballmer ’ s $ 51.7 billion fortune .
If the average American family ( median net @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that much , it would amount to $ 8.10 .
And then there ’ s Michael Bloomberg .
Over the past year , the erstwhile presidential candidate spent more than $ 900 million of his $ 53 billion net worth trying to become the Democratic nominee .
Since dropping out earlier this month , the New York-based tycoon has announced two large-scale coronavirus-related philanthropy efforts .
The first , the Bloomberg Local Response Initiative , will coordinate responses between city and state leaders .
The second , as yet unnamed , will help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hasn ’ t specified the scale of his total giving , but has dedicated $ 40 million to his domestic effort .
Under the wealth taxes Sens .
Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
and Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) proposed during the 2020 presidential campaign , Bloomberg would owe $ 3.7 billion or $ 4.7 billion , respectively .
Even under his own campaign ’ s tax plan , Bloomberg ’ s liability would have been $ 1.2 billion .
That ’ s 30 times more than his public donations to COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment on this disparity , a spokesperson for Bloomberg provided a link to his philanthropic efforts . )
But while these donors may seem generous compared to their stingier peers , it is still not clear what they are doing that the government can ’ t .
So far , Gates and Zuckerberg ’ s donations are straightforward infusions of cash into existing medical institutions — something the CDC could be capable of doing itself if it hadn ’ t been systematically defunded .
Bloomberg isn ’ t supplying much in the way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is simply a network of public officials that will , according to a press release , “ provide mayors with the most up-to-date information on the virus from the Centers for Disease Control.
” While encouraging local politicians to ” share their insights and lessons learned ” may be a worthy initiative in the long term , Bloomberg ’ s vast fortune could also be leveraged toward more immediate goals such as increasing COVID-19 testing capacity and providing personal protective equipment to health care workers .

Former Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg addresses his staff and the media after announcing that he was ending his campaign on March 4. Bloomberg spent more than $900 million on his presidential bid — and only a fraction of that on coronavirus aid. Spencer Platt via Getty Images
The coronavirus pandemic is the perfect opportunity for billionaires to justify their existence.
For years, wealthy Americans have argued that philanthropy was essential to a functioning society. In contrast to unwieldy, inefficient government programs, private donors have the ability to take swift action and deliver social impact free of bureaucracy.
“My wife and I set up a foundation about 20 years ago,” computer magnate Michael Dell said last year in response to a Democratic proposal to enact a wealth tax. “I feel much more comfortable with our ability as a private donation to allocate those funds than I do giving them to the government.”
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JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and Starbucks founder Howard Schultz made the same case, arguing that taxing wealth robs billionaires of their capacity to invest in private and public innovation. Philanthropy, Bill Gates said when asked about a wealth tax at The New York Times’ Dealbook conference last year, “plays a role that neither the private sector or the government is able to do.”
Two months into the coronavirus outbreak, America is still waiting for billionaire philanthropists to deliver on any of these promises.
As of Wednesday afternoon, America had logged at least 54,453 cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, and 737 associated deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Ending the pandemic will require bold ideas, private-sector innovation, new technology — and a massive infusion of resources. Hospitals need beds and protective equipment. Americans need swift and reliable diagnostic tests. If there was ever a time when America needed decisive action from its wealthiest citizens, this is it.
So far, however, they haven’t stepped up. A systematic review of America’s 50 richest people reveals that vanishingly few billionaires have made even token efforts to address the COVID-19 crisis.
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Dell’s company has donated software and facemasks to China, but he hasn’t contributed any of his $32.3 billion personal fortune to addressing the crisis at home. Neither Dimon nor Schultz have announced any donations to help the health system respond to the pandemic. While Gates has been funding COVID-19 efforts since January, his contributions so far amount to less than one-1,000th of his total net worth and roughly one-20th of his yearly liability under a 2% wealth tax.
Seattle-based billionaire Howard Schultz has not donated any of his personal fortune toward efforts to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Jim Bennett via Getty Images
Where Are The Billionaires?
While positive press coverage may create the impression that billionaires are chipping in to help America tackle COVID-19, the vast majority of the country’s 540 billionaires have in fact made no public contributions whatsoever.
Neither Charles Koch nor the family of his late brother, David Koch, have donated any of their combined $80 billion personal fortune to the crisis. Despite pledging to give away 99% of his wealth before before dying, Warren Buffett has not contributed any of his $80 billion personal fortune to the cause.
Other notable billionaires who have not announced any charitable efforts to address the coronavirus crisis include casino magnate Sheldon Adelson (net worth: $34.5 billion), Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison ($65 billion) and Google co-founders Larry Page ($55.5 billion) and Sergey Brin ($53.5 billion). America’s wealthiest hedge-fund manager, Jim Simons, has announced investments in vaccine startups but has not made any public announcement of philanthropic efforts.
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Even among billionaires who have made donations, few have contributed more than the equivalent of pocket change. Nike co-founder Phil Knight, for example, is donating “a combined $10 million” with two other executives. The Walton family, with a combined net worth of over $150 billion, is donating $25 million through Walmart and The Walmart Foundation — a mere .016% of their wealth. And while Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, the richest person in the world, has announced a series of charitable efforts through his company, he has made no large-scale donations himself.
One of the more generous donors — compared to his peers anyway — is Microsoft co-founder Steve Ballmer, who has pledged $4 million to community groups in Seattle and Los Angeles. Those donations amount to just 0.0077% (or one-12,000th) of Ballmer’s $51.7 billion fortune. If the average American family (median net worth: $97,300) gave away that much, it would amount to $8.10.
Billionaire Philanthropy Isn’t All that Innovative
Only three of America’s 50 richest individuals have made large-scale efforts to address the COVID-19 pandemic.
In January, Gates announced that he was pledging “up to $100 million” to help fight coronavirus internationally. Two months later, he announced that he was joining the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator, a collaborative effort to identify and develop treatments for the disease.
Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg has also chipped in, promising $20 million to the United Nations Foundation, the WHO’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund and the CDC Foundation. Last week, he announced that the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub would help the University of California San Francisco expand its COVID-19 testing capacity.
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Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has donated far less to coronavirus efforts than he would pay under a wealth tax. China News Service via Getty Images
And then there’s Michael Bloomberg. Over the past year, the erstwhile presidential candidate spent more than $900 million of his $53 billion net worth trying to become the Democratic nominee. Since dropping out earlier this month, the New York-based tycoon has announced two large-scale coronavirus-related philanthropy efforts. The first, the Bloomberg Local Response Initiative, will coordinate responses between city and state leaders. The second, as yet unnamed, will help developing countries address the pandemic. Bloomberg hasn’t specified the scale of his total giving, but has dedicated $40 million to his domestic effort.
Under the wealth taxes Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) proposed during the 2020 presidential campaign, Bloomberg would owe $3.7 billion or $4.7 billion, respectively. Even under his own campaign’s tax plan, Bloomberg’s liability would have been $1.2 billion. That’s 30 times more than his public donations to COVID-19 efforts so far. (Asked to comment on this disparity, a spokesperson for Bloomberg provided a link to his philanthropic efforts.)
But while these donors may seem generous compared to their stingier peers, it is still not clear what they are doing that the government can’t. So far, Gates and Zuckerberg’s donations are straightforward infusions of cash into existing medical institutions — something the CDC could be capable of doing itself if it hadn’t been systematically defunded.
Bloomberg isn’t supplying much in the way of innovation either. His domestic effort is simply a network of public officials that will, according to a press release, “provide mayors with the most up-to-date information on the virus from the Centers for Disease Control.” While encouraging local politicians to ”share their insights and lessons learned” may be a worthy initiative in the long term, Bloomberg’s vast fortune could also be leveraged toward more immediate goals such as increasing COVID-19 testing capacity and providing personal protective equipment to health care workers.
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huffpost--2020-03-26--U.S. Indicts Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro, Aides

MIAMI ( AP ) — Nicolás Maduro effectively converted Venezuela into a criminal enterprise at the service of drug traffickers and terrorist groups as he and his allies stole billions from the South American country , the Justice Department charged in several indictments against the embattled socialist and his inner circle that were made public Thursday .
One indictment by prosecutors in New York accused Maduro and socialist party boss Diosdado Cabello , head of the rubber-stamping constitutional assembly , of conspiring with Colombian rebels and members of the military “ to flood the United States with cocaine ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weapon against America.
” Criminal acts to advance a drug and weapons conspiracy that prosecutors contend dates back to the start of Hugo Chavez ’ s revolution in 1999 occurred as far afield as Syria , Mexico , Honduras and Iran , the indictment alleged .
As the indictments were announced , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the State Department would offer cash rewards of up to $ 55 million for information leading to the arrests or convictions of Maduro and his associates .
It offered rewards up to $ 15 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million each for the others .
“ The Maduro regime is awash in corruption and criminality , ” U.S. Attorney General William Barr said in an online news conference from Washington .
“ While the Venezuelan people suffer , this cabal lines their pockets with drug money , and the proceeds of their corruption .
And this has to come to an end.
” In Miami , prosecutors charged Supreme Court Chief Justice Maikel Moreno with laundering in the U.S. at least $ 3 million in illegal proceeds from case fixing in Venezuela @ @ @ @ @ @ @ factory .
Much of the money he spent on private aircraft , luxury watches and shopping at Prada , prosecutors allege .
Maduro ’ s Defense Minister , Gen. Vladimir Padrino , was charged with conspiracy to smuggle narcotics in a May 2019 indictment unsealed in Washington .
The shock indictment of a functioning head of state is highly unusual and is bound to ratchet up tensions between Washington and Caracas as the spread of the coronavirus threatens to collapse Venezuela ’ s health system and oil-dependent economy driven deep into the ground @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Maduro has ordered Venezuelans to stay home to try to stave off the spread of the virus that officials say has infected 106 people .
But its unclear how it brings Venezuela any closer to ending a 15-month standoff between Maduro , who has the support of Russia and China , and the U.S.-backed opposition leader Juan Guaidó .
It also could fragment the U.S.-led coalition against Maduro if European and Latin American allies think the Trump administration is overreaching .
Maduro , a 57-year-old former bus driver , portrays himself as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left .
He ’ s long accused the U.S. “ empire ” of looking for any excuse to take control of the world ’ s largest oil reserves , likening its plotting to the 1989 invasion of Panama and the removal of strongman Gen. Manuel Noriega to face drug trafficking charges in Florida .
But the U.S. is among 60 countries that no longer consider Maduro a head of state even if he does hold de facto power .
They instead recognize Guaidó , the head of congress , as Venezuela ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re-election in a 2018 race marred by allegations of fraud and an opposition boycott .
The pressure to deliver , the people said , went into overdrive around the time when Guaidó visited Washington in February and Trump praised him as his guest at the State of the Union address as “ a very brave man , who carries with him the hopes , dreams and aspirations of all Venezuelans.
” The virus is likely to further distract Washington and threatens to splinter the opposition , some of whom have expressed a willingness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical crisis .
It could also give new life to Maduro ’ s call for the U.S. to ease sanctions , an idea that several European allies have also warmed to .

MIAMI (AP) — Nicolás Maduro effectively converted Venezuela into a criminal enterprise at the service of drug traffickers and terrorist groups as he and his allies stole billions from the South American country, the Justice Department charged in several indictments against the embattled socialist and his inner circle that were made public Thursday.
The coordinated actions attacked all the key planks of what it called the “corrupt Venezuelan regime,” including the Maduro-dominated judiciary and the armed forces, which holds major influence over decision-making.
One indictment by prosecutors in New York accused Maduro and socialist party boss Diosdado Cabello, head of the rubber-stamping constitutional assembly, of conspiring with Colombian rebels and members of the military “to flood the United States with cocaine” and use the drug trade as a “weapon against America.” Criminal acts to advance a drug and weapons conspiracy that prosecutors contend dates back to the start of Hugo Chavez’s revolution in 1999 occurred as far afield as Syria, Mexico, Honduras and Iran, the indictment alleged.
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Maduro blasted back by accusing the U.S. and Colombia of “giving orders to flood Venezuela with violence.”
“As head of state, I am obligated to defend peace and the stability of our homeland given any circumstance that arises,” he tweeted.
As the indictments were announced, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the State Department would offer cash rewards of up to $55 million for information leading to the arrests or convictions of Maduro and his associates. It offered rewards up to $15 million for Maduro and up to $10 million each for the others.
“The Maduro regime is awash in corruption and criminality,” U.S. Attorney General William Barr said in an online news conference from Washington. “While the Venezuelan people suffer, this cabal lines their pockets with drug money, and the proceeds of their corruption. And this has to come to an end.”
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In Miami, prosecutors charged Supreme Court Chief Justice Maikel Moreno with laundering in the U.S. at least $3 million in illegal proceeds from case fixing in Venezuela, including one involving a General Motors factory. Much of the money he spent on private aircraft, luxury watches and shopping at Prada, prosecutors allege. Maduro’s Defense Minister, Gen. Vladimir Padrino, was charged with conspiracy to smuggle narcotics in a May 2019 indictment unsealed in Washington.
The shock indictment of a functioning head of state is highly unusual and is bound to ratchet up tensions between Washington and Caracas as the spread of the coronavirus threatens to collapse Venezuela’s health system and oil-dependent economy driven deep into the ground by years of corruption and U.S. sanctions. Maduro has ordered Venezuelans to stay home to try to stave off the spread of the virus that officials say has infected 106 people.
Analysts said the indictments could boost U.S. President Donald Trump’s re-election chances in the key swing state of Florida, which he won by a narrow margin in 2016 and where Venezuelans, Cubans and Nicaraguans fleeing authoritarian regimes have political muscle.
But its unclear how it brings Venezuela any closer to ending a 15-month standoff between Maduro, who has the support of Russia and China, and the U.S.-backed opposition leader Juan Guaidó. It also could fragment the U.S.-led coalition against Maduro if European and Latin American allies think the Trump administration is overreaching.
“This kind of action does nothing to help a negotiated solution — something that’s already really difficult,” said Roberta Jacobson, who served as the State Department’s top diplomat for Latin America until 2018.
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Maduro, a 57-year-old former bus driver, portrays himself as an everyman icon of the Latin American left. He’s long accused the U.S. “empire” of looking for any excuse to take control of the world’s largest oil reserves, likening its plotting to the 1989 invasion of Panama and the removal of strongman Gen. Manuel Noriega to face drug trafficking charges in Florida.
Barr and Elliott Abrams, the State Department’s special envoy on Venezuela, are driving the hawkish U.S. stance toward Maduro much as they pushed for Noriega’s ouster in the late 1980s — Barr as a senior Justice Department official and Abrams as assistant secretary of state for Latin America.
U.S. officials see other parallels as well. Noriega transformed Panama into a playground for violent, international drug cartels while the Trump administration has accused Maduro and his military henchmen of harboring drug traffickers, guerrillas from Colombia and even Hezbollah, a designated terrorist group.
They also have accused government officials together with well-connected businessmen of stealing hundreds of billions of dollars from the state coffers, much of it from state oil giant PDVSA, which has seen its production plunge to a seven-decade low.
Still, charging Maduro was no easy task. Sitting foreign leaders normally enjoy immunity from prosecution under U.S. law and international norms.
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But the U.S. is among 60 countries that no longer consider Maduro a head of state even if he does hold de facto power. They instead recognize Guaidó, the head of congress, as Venezuela’s rightful leader following the socialist’s re-election in a 2018 race marred by allegations of fraud and an opposition boycott.
The evidence against Maduro was collected over several years by investigators in Miami, New York, Houston and Washington who have brought drug trafficking, foreign bribery and money-laundering charges against several senior Venezuelan officials, members of the military and government-connected businessmen.
Much of those probes have focused on PDVSA, which is the source of practically all of Venezuela’s export revenue. The U.S. last year sanctioned PDVSA, barring Americans from doing business with the oil giant.
But to the surprise of many, Chavez’s hand-picked heir has stubbornly clung to power, withstanding months of street protests last year and even a U.S.-backed military revolt all the while millions of Venezuelan migrants flee hyperinflation and widespread food shortages.
With support on the streets for Guaidó fading, the Trump administration raised the ante last fall, withdrawing support for a Norway-sponsored mediation effort and extending sanctions so that even foreign companies faced retaliation for extending Maduro a lifeline.
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Separately, Barr, echoing calls from Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, prioritized investigations into Maduro’s inner circle, according to two people who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal Justice Department deliberations.
The pressure to deliver, the people said, went into overdrive around the time when Guaidó visited Washington in February and Trump praised him as his guest at the State of the Union address as “a very brave man, who carries with him the hopes, dreams and aspirations of all Venezuelans.”
But the coronavirus pandemic delayed the announcement, originally scheduled for March 16, according to the people.
The virus is likely to further distract Washington and threatens to splinter the opposition, some of whom have expressed a willingness to work with Maduro to stem the medical crisis. It could also give new life to Maduro’s call for the U.S. to ease sanctions, an idea that several European allies have also warmed to.
Frank Mora, a former Pentagon official, said the U.S. is right to condemn Maduro and others for repressing his people, stealing from state coffers and turning Venezuela into a criminal state.
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But he worries the indictments play more into the emotion of Latino voters in Florida than help address the country’s grinding crisis.
“We’re not going to go in and capture him,” said Mora, who now heads the Latin America studies institute at Florida International University. “This isn’t about regime change or restoring democracy to Venezuela. It’s about electoral politics.”
The political divide that run deep in Venezuela was reflected Thursday on the streets of Petare, a sweeping slum on the edge of Caracas.
A street vendor and staunch Maduro backer, Juvenal Montilla, 60, said the U.S. indictment was just another dangerous step by a “crazy” Trump.
“We’re sick and tired of the United States getting into the business of countries around the world without anyone paying any attention,” Montilla said, adding that he was “willing to die for the homeland and defend it with our blood.”
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But 40-year-old taxi driver Grégorio Velásquez said he would back the U.S. or anybody who can bring a swift end to years of failed socialist rule.
“There’s no water, no lights, no food. How can we survive like this?” said Velásquez, 40, as he waited in line to fill up his car amid widespread shortages that have worsened during the pandemic. “Maduro has to leave immediately.”
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huffpost--2020-03-25--The Coronavirus Stimulus Plan Is Here, But Will You Get A Cut?

If all the alarming coronavirus headlines have your anxiety at an all-time high , here ’ s some good news : A highly anticipated stimulus package meant to provide financial relief to consumers and businesses struggling in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic is ready to be set in motion .
Though the details of the plan have yet to be finalized and voted on , Congress has essentially agreed on the major provisions .
The CARES Act , which lawmakers spent the past several days hashing out , includes a historic $ 2 trillion in relief funds .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s minds is whether they qualify for a cut of the money .
Here ’ s a look at the plan , who qualifies and when you can expect to get paid .
The amount of money you may receive as part of this stimulus package is based on your adjusted gross income .
If you already filed your federal taxes for 2019 ( the deadline was extended to July 15 ) , eligibility will be based on your AGI from that tax return .
If you haven ’ t filed yet , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your 2018 return or the Social Security Administration to determine eligibility .
The maximum amount you can receive is $ 1,200 , or if married filing jointly , $ 2,400 per couple .
That amount phases out for single filers with an AGI between $ 75,000 and $ 99,000 , joint filers with an AGI between $ 150,000 and $ 198,000 and heads of household with an AGI between $ 112,500 and $ 146,500 .
How will stimulus checks be paid out ?
The stimulus money is technically a tax credit for 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advance , as soon as possible .
“ For the vast majority of Americans , no action on their part will be required in order to receive a rebate check as IRS will use a taxpayer ’ s 2019 tax return if filed , or in the alternative their 2018 return , ” a summary of the legislation says .
That means even though many taxpayers haven ’ t even filed their 2019 taxes yet , qualifying recipients will still receive their checks in the coming weeks ― that is , if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
According to Senate aides , you will receive your stimulus payment quickly ( the president is pushing for a deadline of April 6 ) as long as you have bank account information on file with the IRS .
If not , it could take up to four months to receive a physical check in the mail .
About half of households have filed their 2019 taxes already even though the deadline has been extended to July due to the pandemic , and for the other half , the IRS may use their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t file that year either , they ’ ll need to file their 2019 return to get any money .
A problem with this policy is that some households may have been eligible based on their income from one year , but not the other , and will potentially miss out on relief .
Another potential problem is that millions of households don ’ t file tax returns even though they may have paid federal taxes through payroll contributions .
There ’ s not much information about such households , but one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taxes in 2003 and didn ’ t file 1040s , meaning they may have left refunds on the table .
“ This would have been an ideal circumstance for somebody to walk in to a VITA site , ” said Howard Gleckman , a senior fellow with the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center .
The best alternative may be to file for free online through one of the services linked on IRS.gov .
What else does the stimulus plan include ?
In addition to direct payouts to American taxpayers , billions of dollars in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , businesses and hospitals to help them recover from the coronavirus fallout .
There are numerous provisions outlined in the CARES Act ; here ’ s a look at four major agreements included in the stimulus package .
1 .
Expanded unemployment benefits : The stimulus plan includes major upgrades to U.S. unemployment insurance , which Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-N.Y. ) described as “ unemployment insurance on steroids.
” The stimulus plan adds $ 600 per week on top of what unemployment programs normally pay , with that extra cash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extended by 13 weeks for workers who run out of the standard 26 weeks of state benefits ( some states offer less ) .
The new plan also eliminates the waiting period to receive benefits and includes previously ineligible workers such as freelancers , contractors and furloughed employees .
2 .
Help for small businesses : The stimulus plan also provides $ 350 billion in funding for emergency loans to small businesses .
Those that promise not to lay off employees or commit to rehiring employees that they let go will have some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These federally guaranteed loans will be issued by community banks and will be available through June 30 .
3 .
Bailouts for major companies : A $ 500 billion fund will be created to provide distressed businesses with emergency loans , with a set amount to be set aside to help specific industries that were hit particularly hard by the pandemic , such as airlines , hotels and casinos .
( Trump businesses are barred from receiving any of this relief . )
This fund will be managed by the Treasury Department .

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If all the alarming coronavirus headlines have your anxiety at an all-time high, here’s some good news: A highly anticipated stimulus package meant to provide financial relief to consumers and businesses struggling in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic is ready to be set in motion.
Though the details of the plan have yet to be finalized and voted on, Congress has essentially agreed on the major provisions. The CARES Act, which lawmakers spent the past several days hashing out, includes a historic $2 trillion in relief funds.
Advertisement
But the big question on most people’s minds is whether they qualify for a cut of the money. Here’s a look at the plan, who qualifies and when you can expect to get paid.
Do I qualify for a coronavirus relief check?
The amount of money you may receive as part of this stimulus package is based on your adjusted gross income. If you already filed your federal taxes for 2019 (the deadline was extended to July 15), eligibility will be based on your AGI from that tax return. If you haven’t filed yet, the IRS will rely on information from your 2018 return or the Social Security Administration to determine eligibility.
Here’s the bad news: Not everyone will qualify for a relief check.
The maximum amount you can receive is $1,200, or if married filing jointly, $2,400 per couple. That amount phases out for single filers with an AGI between $75,000 and $99,000, joint filers with an AGI between $150,000 and $198,000 and heads of household with an AGI between $112,500 and $146,500.
Those who qualify for the $1,200 credit will also receive an additional $500 for each qualifying dependent 16 years old or younger.
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Those excluded from receiving a coronavirus relief check include nonresident aliens, taxpayers who can be claimed on someone else’s return as a dependent, and estates and trusts.
How will stimulus checks be paid out?
The stimulus money is technically a tax credit for 2020 that will be paid out, in advance, as soon as possible. “For the vast majority of Americans, no action on their part will be required in order to receive a rebate check as IRS will use a taxpayer’s 2019 tax return if filed, or in the alternative their 2018 return,” a summary of the legislation says.
That means even though many taxpayers haven’t even filed their 2019 taxes yet, qualifying recipients will still receive their checks in the coming weeks ― that is, if they’re set up for direct deposit. According to Senate aides, you will receive your stimulus payment quickly (the president is pushing for a deadline of April 6) as long as you have bank account information on file with the IRS. If not, it could take up to four months to receive a physical check in the mail.
About half of households have filed their 2019 taxes already even though the deadline has been extended to July due to the pandemic, and for the other half, the IRS may use their 2018 data. But if they didn’t file that year either, they’ll need to file their 2019 return to get any money.
A problem with this policy is that some households may have been eligible based on their income from one year, but not the other, and will potentially miss out on relief.
Advertisement
Another potential problem is that millions of households don’t file tax returns even though they may have paid federal taxes through payroll contributions. There’s not much information about such households, but one study said roughly 8 million households paid taxes in 2003 and didn’t file 1040s, meaning they may have left refunds on the table.
Low-income households that do their taxes with the help of certified Volunteer Income Tax Assistance clinics will be out of luck, with the pandemic having shuttered those offices.
“This would have been an ideal circumstance for somebody to walk in to a VITA site,” said Howard Gleckman, a senior fellow with the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center. The best alternative may be to file for free online through one of the services linked on IRS.gov.
What else does the stimulus plan include?
In addition to direct payouts to American taxpayers, billions of dollars in benefits and loans will go to workers, businesses and hospitals to help them recover from the coronavirus fallout. There are numerous provisions outlined in the CARES Act; here’s a look at four major agreements included in the stimulus package.
1. Expanded unemployment benefits: The stimulus plan includes major upgrades to U.S. unemployment insurance, which Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) described as “unemployment insurance on steroids.” The stimulus plan adds $600 per week on top of what unemployment programs normally pay, with that extra cash lasting four months. Benefits are also extended by 13 weeks for workers who run out of the standard 26 weeks of state benefits (some states offer less). The new plan also eliminates the waiting period to receive benefits and includes previously ineligible workers such as freelancers, contractors and furloughed employees.
Advertisement
2. Help for small businesses: The stimulus plan also provides $350 billion in funding for emergency loans to small businesses. Those that promise not to lay off employees or commit to rehiring employees that they let go will have some or all of their loans forgiven. These federally guaranteed loans will be issued by community banks and will be available through June 30.
3. Bailouts for major companies: A $500 billion fund will be created to provide distressed businesses with emergency loans, with a set amount to be set aside to help specific industries that were hit particularly hard by the pandemic, such as airlines, hotels and casinos. (Trump businesses are barred from receiving any of this relief.) This fund will be managed by the Treasury Department.


huffpost--2020-03-19--Federal Reserve Launches 3rd Emergency Lending Facility Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

Washington ( AP ) — The Federal Reserve announced late Wednesday that it will establish an emergency lending facility to help unclog a short-term credit market that has been disrupted by the viral outbreak .
The Fed said it will lend money to banks that purchase financial assets from money market mutual funds , including short-term IOUs known as commercial paper .
By facilitating the purchase of commercial paper , which is issued by large businesses and banks , the Fed hopes to spur more lending to firms that are seeking to raise cash as their revenues plummet amid the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the third facility the Fed has revived from the financial crisis days of 2008 , when the central bank set up an alphabet soup of programs intended to keep financial markets functioning .
This facility , known as the Money Market Mutual Fund Liquidity Facility , is intended to help money market funds unload assets such as commercial paper , but also Treasury securities and bonds guaranteed by mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac .
Money market mutual funds are owned by individual investors in brokerage accounts but also by institutional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funds have sought in the past two weeks to sell assets to raise cash as many investors redeem shares in the funds .
Yet with demand for cash rising as stocks plunge and the economy slows sharply , money market funds have struggled to find buyers for their assets .
The Fed ’ s latest facility is ultimately intended to support demand for commercial paper so businesses are continue to borrow .
The program was established with the support of the Treasury Department , which will guarantee up to $ 10 billion in @ @ @ @ @

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Washington (AP) — The Federal Reserve announced late Wednesday that it will establish an emergency lending facility to help unclog a short-term credit market that has been disrupted by the viral outbreak.
The Fed said it will lend money to banks that purchase financial assets from money market mutual funds, including short-term IOUs known as commercial paper.
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By facilitating the purchase of commercial paper, which is issued by large businesses and banks, the Fed hopes to spur more lending to firms that are seeking to raise cash as their revenues plummet amid the spread of the coronavirus.
The program is the third facility the Fed has revived from the financial crisis days of 2008, when the central bank set up an alphabet soup of programs intended to keep financial markets functioning.
This facility, known as the Money Market Mutual Fund Liquidity Facility, is intended to help money market funds unload assets such as commercial paper, but also Treasury securities and bonds guaranteed by mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Money market mutual funds are owned by individual investors in brokerage accounts but also by institutional investors and businesses. Many of the funds have sought in the past two weeks to sell assets to raise cash as many investors redeem shares in the funds. Yet with demand for cash rising as stocks plunge and the economy slows sharply, money market funds have struggled to find buyers for their assets.
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The Fed’s latest facility is ultimately intended to support demand for commercial paper so businesses are continue to borrow.


huffpost--2020-03-19--COVID-19 Concerns Mean Astronaut's Family Can't Attend His Space Launch

CAPE CANAVERAL , Fla. ( AP ) — A NASA astronaut who ’ s about to leave the planet for six months will blast off without any family or fanfare because of the coronavirus .
Chris Cassidy said Thursday that he won ’ t have any guests at his April 9 launch from Kazakhstan .
He expects to say goodbye in Russia to his wife on Friday , three weeks earlier than planned .
Because of the coronavirus outbreak , she ’ s going back home to Houston .
One of his three children , meanwhile , is trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zealand .
“ The things that are stressing the rest of the world and the rest of America , are the same things that are stressing me right now , ” said Cassidy .
“ It ’ s not like any other time in our lives as a generation , really , right ?
′ said the 50-year-old Navy captain and former Navy SEAL .
“ I ’ ll have my own interesting story to tell in years to come.
” Cassidy is also dealing with a rare late-in-the-game crew switch .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the space station with two Russians assigned to the flight just a month ago , after one of the original cosmonauts suffered an eye injury .
While training together to catch up , Cassidy , Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner have been taking precautions to stay germ free , frequently washing their hands and keeping a safe distance from others .
The space station crew will drop from six to three a week after his arrival .
It will remain at three people until SpaceX launches two NASA astronauts , as early as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Russian Soyuz capsule in the fall .
Cassidy , Ivanishin and Vagner leave Tuesday for the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan .
They will be isolated there in a special hotel for astronauts , as is customary .
But on launch day , there won ’ t be the usual cheering , back-slapping throngs of well-wishers or journalists either .
Their families , bosses and dozens of others normally jam a special room behind a glass wall while the astronauts put on their spacesuits before liftoff .
“ We ’ ll be looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ camera or something like this and then we ’ ll get on the bus ” to go to a launch pad with a minimal team there , Cassidy said .
As for the Feb. 19 crew switch , Cassidy , from York , Maine , initially was “ crushed ” by the news .
The former chief of NASA ’ s astronaut corps and two-time space flier , Cassidy already knew the backup cosmonauts.. “ So no issues there , ” he said .
However , “ my heart hurt for my two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a rocket launch and were not going to get one , ” he told the AP .
Invanishin , like Cassidy an experienced spaceman , said earlier this week that he ’ s surprised to be suddenly rocketing away , “ but life happens.
” He said the crew swap could have occurred even closer to launch and so the three have had “ some time for the news to settle in .
”

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A NASA astronaut who’s about to leave the planet for six months will blast off without any family or fanfare because of the coronavirus.
Chris Cassidy said Thursday that he won’t have any guests at his April 9 launch from Kazakhstan. He expects to say goodbye in Russia to his wife on Friday, three weeks earlier than planned.
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Because of the coronavirus outbreak, she’s going back home to Houston. One of his three children, meanwhile, is trying to get back to the U.S. from New Zealand.
There will be a smaller team than usual at the launch pad, too.
“It really is going to be strange,” Cassidy told The Associated Press from cosmonaut headquarters in Star City, Russia.
He said he’s already in quarantine ahead of his launch to the International Space Station.
“The things that are stressing the rest of the world and the rest of America, are the same things that are stressing me right now,” said Cassidy.
“It’s not like any other time in our lives as a generation, really, right?′ said the 50-year-old Navy captain and former Navy SEAL. “I’ll have my own interesting story to tell in years to come.”
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Cassidy is also dealing with a rare late-in-the-game crew switch. He’ll spend 6 1/2 months on the space station with two Russians assigned to the flight just a month ago, after one of the original cosmonauts suffered an eye injury.
While training together to catch up, Cassidy, Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner have been taking precautions to stay germ free, frequently washing their hands and keeping a safe distance from others.
The space station crew will drop from six to three a week after his arrival. It will remain at three people until SpaceX launches two NASA astronauts, as early as May, or another crew arrives on a Russian Soyuz capsule in the fall.
With only three people on board, it promises to be extraordinarily busy.
“That doesn’t bother me at all,” Cassidy told the AP. “In fact, I’m excited. Bring it on.”
Cassidy, Ivanishin and Vagner leave Tuesday for the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. They will be isolated there in a special hotel for astronauts, as is customary. But on launch day, there won’t be the usual cheering, back-slapping throngs of well-wishers or journalists either.
Their families, bosses and dozens of others normally jam a special room behind a glass wall while the astronauts put on their spacesuits before liftoff.
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Not this time.
“We’ll be looking through the glass at maybe one video camera or something like this and then we’ll get on the bus” to go to a launch pad with a minimal team there, Cassidy said.
As for the Feb. 19 crew switch, Cassidy, from York, Maine, initially was “crushed” by the news. The former chief of NASA’s astronaut corps and two-time space flier, Cassidy already knew the backup cosmonauts..
“So no issues there,” he said. However, “my heart hurt for my two friends who thought they were so close to a rocket launch and were not going to get one,” he told the AP.
Invanishin, like Cassidy an experienced spaceman, said earlier this week that he’s surprised to be suddenly rocketing away, “but life happens.” He said the crew swap could have occurred even closer to launch and so the three have had “some time for the news to settle in.”
Cassidy acknowledges his stress level is higher than usual right now from worrying about his loved ones.
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“We’re only human,” he said, “and we’ll work through it and be fine.”
___


huffpost--2020-03-19--JoJo's 'Leave (Get Out)' Remix For Coronavirus Is The Educational Bop We Needed

JoJo just dropped a remix of “ Leave ( Get Out ) ” that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would most definitely get behind .
The 29-year-old singer shared a modified version of her 2004 debut single on Wednesday , now warning about the dangers of the coronavirus and how everyone should stay home to slow the pandemic ’ s spread .
“ I never thought corona / Could be such a nasty bitch / Now that she ’ s here , boy , all I want is for you to use common sense , ” croons JoJo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ Stay in , right now , do it for humanity / I ’ m deadass about that , but we will survive / So , you gon ’ learn how to cook now and practice good hygiene / I know you ’ re bored and want to fuck around , but not on me.
” JoJo also provides the beat using her fists on a table .
In addition to imploring people to stay in , JoJo calls out those who aren ’ t adhering to the social distancing guidance from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ re acting so confused / When the CDC laid it out for you / C ’ mon , I know you ’ re not dumb / To go behind my back and hit the bar / Shows how immature you really are / Keep exposure to a minimum.
” Keep up with the latest updates on the coronavirus at our live blog .

JoJo just dropped a remix of “Leave (Get Out)” that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would most definitely get behind.
The 29-year-old singer shared a modified version of her 2004 debut single on Wednesday, now warning about the dangers of the coronavirus and how everyone should stay home to slow the pandemic’s spread.
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“I never thought corona / Could be such a nasty bitch / Now that she’s here, boy, all I want is for you to use common sense,” croons JoJo on TikTok.
Her modified chorus goes: “Stay in, right now, do it for humanity / I’m deadass about that, but we will survive / So, you gon’ learn how to cook now and practice good hygiene / I know you’re bored and want to fuck around, but not on me.”
JoJo also provides the beat using her fists on a table.
Wanted to hate this but it’s kind of fire pic.twitter.com/BWtFllkqhH — Kelly Keegs (@kellykeegs) March 19, 2020
In addition to imploring people to stay in, JoJo calls out those who aren’t adhering to the social distancing guidance from the CDC: “Tell me why you’re acting so confused / When the CDC laid it out for you / C’mon, I know you’re not dumb / To go behind my back and hit the bar / Shows how immature you really are / Keep exposure to a minimum.”
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We stan an informative pop star.