| End the coronavirus lockdowns, skeptical experts tell Congress Posted: 06 May 2020 04:25 PM PDT  Billed as a roundtable of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, Wednesday's hearing included some of the nation's most prominent dissenters on mainstream measures like business closures, stay-at-home orders and calls for widespread testing.
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| Coronavirus is coming for the red states too Posted: 06 May 2020 09:43 AM PDT  The New York metro area's seven-day average has been declining for weeks. For the national daily case count to stay the same, other areas must be making up the difference. In other words, the virus isn't receding. It's relocating.
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| ‘It’s Wrong’: Biden Vows to Overturn DeVos’s Due Process Protections for Students Accused of Sexual Assault Posted: 07 May 2020 06:25 AM PDT  Former vice president Joe Biden promised on Wednesday that as president he would reverse new due process protections that Education Secretary Betsy DeVos put in place to protect university students accused of sexual assault, saying they "shame and silence survivors, and take away parents' peace of mind."Biden, who has recently been accused of sexual assault in 1993 by a woman who worked for him, said the new rules give colleges and universities a "green light to ignore sexual violence and strip survivors of their rights."The Title IX rule, issued on Wednesday, is intended to enhance due process for accused individuals on college campuses as well as in elementary and high schools. One part of the reforms ensures the right of the accused to "submit, cross-examine and challenge evidence at a live hearing." The rule protects alleged victims from having to physically face the person they say assaulted them or answer questions written personally by the accused, but it does allow the accused to ask questions through a surrogate as well as question other witnesses."Survivors deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and when they step forward they should be heard, not silenced." Biden's campaign said in a statement."It's wrong," Biden continued. "And, it will be put to a quick end in January 2021, because as president, I'll be right where I always have been throughout my career — on the side of survivors, who deserve to have their voices heard, their claims taken seriously and investigated, and their rights upheld."Tara Reade claims that Biden sexually assaulted her in 1993 when she worked for him as a Senate staffer. She alleges that she was told by a top staffer to bring Biden a duffel bag in a Senate building, and when she met with him he pinned her against a wall and penetrated her with his fingers while forcibly kissing her.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has also condemned the Education Department due process rules, said last month that she is "satisfied" with how Biden has responded to the allegation.
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| Rogue tourists arrested as Hawaii tries to curb virus spread Posted: 07 May 2020 07:01 AM PDT  Hawaii authorities are cracking down on rogue tourists who are visiting beaches, riding personal watercraft, shopping and generally flouting strict requirements that they quarantine for 14 days after arriving. A newlywed California couple left their Waikiki hotel room repeatedly, despite being warned by hotel staff, and were arrested. Others have been arrested at a hotel pool, loading groceries into a vehicle outside a Costco and bringing take-out food back to a hotel room.
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| Russia overtakes Germany, France after record rise in coronavirus cases Posted: 07 May 2020 12:58 AM PDT  Russia's coronavirus cases overtook France and Germany on Thursday to become the fifth highest number in the world after a record daily rise, and Moscow's mayor said the real figure, not captured by official statistics, was much higher. The official tally surged to 177,160, meaning Russia now has more registered cases than Germany or France, as the number of new cases of the novel coronavirus jumped by 11,231 in the past 24 hours.
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| Satellite images reveal North Korea is building a giant facility which could hold nuclear missiles capable of hitting the United States Posted: 07 May 2020 05:10 AM PDT  Satellite images suggest North Korea has almost built a facility large enough to store all of its nuclear missiles.
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| EU agreed to Chinese censorship over coronavirus origins Posted: 07 May 2020 05:43 AM PDT  The European Union agreed to Chinese censorship of a public letter by its ambassadors that removed any mention of the fact the coronavirus pandemic originated in China, it has emerged. The EU's foreign affairs service agreed to cut out a reference to the "outbreak of the coronavirus in China" as a reason for a cancelled EU-China summit in the letter, which was published in the state-run China Daily newspaper. The European External Action Service (EEAS) excised the reference after coming under pressure from China's foreign ministry. Two weeks ago, the EEAS was forced to deny it had bowed to Beijing by watering down language in a report accusing China of a campaign of disinformation about the virus. It was revealed EU officials softened some of the language condemning China after repeated calls by Chinese officials. "It is of course regrettable to see that the sentence about the spread of the virus has been edited," said Nicolas Chapuis, the EU's ambassador to China, who co-signed the opinion piece with the 27 ambassadors to China of the bloc's member states.
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| Venezuela's Maduro says captured US 'mercenaries' to be tried Posted: 06 May 2020 07:00 PM PDT  Venezuela will try two Americans allegedly captured during a failed bid by mercenaries to invade the country, President Nicolas Maduro said Wednesday, as the US vowed to "use every tool available" to bring them home. Venezuela announced Monday that it had arrested the two former US special forces soldiers on suspicion of trying to topple Maduro in an operation supported by the US-backed opposition. "They are convicts, confessed, caught red-handed and are being judged by the republic's attorney general, by Venezuela's civil courts, and the process will be full of guarantees and fair," said Maduro.
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| Fact check: Does COVID-19 have a mortality rate of 1%-2%? Posted: 06 May 2020 11:03 AM PDT  There are too many factors that affect the outcome if people are infected with the new coronavirus to make a blanket statement about mortality rates.
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| Top Prosecutor Moves to Withdraw from Michael Flynn Case Posted: 07 May 2020 10:53 AM PDT  Prosecutor Brandon Van Grack on Thursday submitted a request to withdraw from the team prosecuting former national security adviser Michael Flynn.Lawyers for Flynn on April 24 claimed that Van Grack had made a "side deal" with Flynn's former defense team not to prosecute Flynn's son in order to pressure Flynn into pleading guilty to lying to FBI investigators.Van Grack's request comes after Flynn, who initially pleaded guilty in 2017, attempted to rescind his plea in January. Notes from FBI agents released by the Justice Department in late April showed one agent questioning whether the purpose of interviews with Flynn was "to get him to lie, so we can prosecute him or get him fired."House Judiciary Committee Republicans on Tuesday demanded that FBI Director Christopher Wray make top officials connected with the Flynn case available to questioning by lawmakers."The American people continue to learn troubling details about the politicization and misconduct at the highest levels of the FBI during the Obama-Biden Administration," Representatives Jim Jordan (R., Ohio) and Mike Johnson (R., La.) wrote in a joint letter. "Even more concerning, we continue to learn these new details from litigation and investigations — not from you. It is well past time that you show the leadership necessary to bring the FBI past the abuses of the Obama-Biden era.Flynn was originally prosecuted over conversations with Russian ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak, with the FBI claiming the adviser potentially violated the Logan Act of 1799, a law that has never been used to convict someone.
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| Tara Reade calls on Biden to 'be held accountable' and exit the race Posted: 07 May 2020 07:08 PM PDT  In her first on-camera interview since the former vice president "unequivocally" denied the sexual assault allegation, Reade says she's willing to be questioned under oath.
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| Don't forget past, Jewish leader warns Germans on eve of WW2 anniversary Posted: 07 May 2020 09:43 AM PDT  Many young Germans have failed to learn the lessons of history, and anti-Semitism is becoming entrenched in the land responsible for the Holocaust, a Jewish leader warned, a day before the 75th anniversary of the end of World War Two in Europe. As Germany's leaders prepare to lay wreaths to mark the "Day of Liberation" on May 8 - the day in 1945 when German generals signed an unconditional surrender - many Jews are worried about the popularity of the far right. "Germany's government knows its enduring responsibility for the Nazi era," Josef Schuster, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, told the Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung paper.
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| Texas governor amends lockdown and orders salon owner freed from jail Posted: 07 May 2020 05:44 PM PDT  The governor's order names the Dallas hairdresser who was jailed on Tuesday for staying open.
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| Black and Asian People Are 2 to 3 Times More Likely to Die of COVID-19, U.K. Study Finds Posted: 06 May 2020 04:01 PM PDT  A new U.K. analysis found that black, Asian and ethnic minority groups were two to three times more likely to die of COVID-19.
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| New York state Dems file appeal to stop presidential primary Posted: 06 May 2020 07:32 PM PDT  Democratic members of the state's Board of Elections filed an appeal Wednesday of a federal judge's reinstatement of the New York presidential primary. The appeal by board Commissioner Andrew Spano and other members comes a day after the June 23 primary was reinstated by U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres in Manhattan, who said canceling it would be unconstitutional and deprive withdrawn presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Andrew Yang of proper representation at the Democratic convention.
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| 77 cell phone towers have been set on fire so far due to a weird coronavirus 5G conspiracy theory Posted: 06 May 2020 07:26 AM PDT  Engineers have also had cars driven at them, and one was stabbed and hospitalised per the CEO of BT.
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| Supreme Court struggles to find balance between religious freedom, reproductive rights Posted: 06 May 2020 10:50 AM PDT  Chief Justice John Roberts emerged as the potential swing vote in a battle that has stretched for nearly a decade.
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| Tesla worldwide production suspended after China shutdown, reports say Posted: 07 May 2020 08:13 AM PDT  Tesla production has come to a worldwide standstill after the sudden shutdown of its China plant as US workers, meanwhile, prepare to reopen its California factory in the next week, according to reports.Citing people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg News reported that the electric car manufacturer informed workers at its Gigafactory near Shanghai on Wednesday that their five-day Labor Day holiday would be extended.
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| The U.S. has entered the 'death handoff' stage of the COVID-19 outbreak Posted: 06 May 2020 04:52 AM PDT  The U.S. COVID-19 death toll passed 71,000 Wednesday morning and the number of cases, currently marked at 1.2 million, keeps rising steadily. Trump administration and outside models both forecast significant upticks in death as states lift coronavirus mitigation measures — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) unexpectedly announced Tuesday that hair salons and public pools can open Friday, for example."For every indication of improvement in controlling the virus, new outbreaks have emerged elsewhere, leaving the nation stuck in a steady, unrelenting march of deaths and infections," The New York Times reports. New York City, the worst-hit area in the U.S., has seen a sizable drop in new cases, but new clusters are appearing in the South, Midwest, and other parts of the country. Taken as a whole, America's coronavirus curve has plateaued, but "the plateau is what I call a death handoff situation," University of Minnesota epidemiologist Michael Osterholm told Politico.> Some U.S. cities show signs of progress against the virus, but a view of the country as a whole shows an unrelenting crush of death and infection https://t.co/R1PnGt4Yii pic.twitter.com/8dLDmLjnUv> > — The New York Times (@nytimes) May 5, 2020"Coronavirus in America now looks like this," the Times summarizes:> More than a month has passed since there was a day with fewer than 1,000 deaths from the virus. Almost every day, at least 25,000 new coronavirus cases are identified, meaning that the total in the United States ... is expanding by between 2 and 4 percent daily. Rural towns that one month ago were unscathed are suddenly hot spots for the virus. It is rampaging through nursing homes, meatpacking plants, and prisons, killing the medically vulnerable and the poor, and new outbreaks keep emerging in grocery stores, Walmarts, or factories, an ominous harbinger of what a full reopening of the economy will bring. [The New York Times]Trump acknowledged the tradeoff between death and opening businesses in an interview with ABC News on Tuesday, but his cost-benefit analysis tilts toward the economy and he is winding down the coronavirus task force without an apparent strategy to mitigate the risks. While Trump says the U.S. has ample tests to monitor the coronavirus and plenty of personal protective equipment to treat it, CDC and FEMA officials privately discuss shortfalls and fret about reopening too fast, Politico reports. Most Americans share their concerns.More stories from theweek.com Did we just witness one of the nuttiest foreign policy blunders in American history? White House press secretary says idea that all Americans need to be tested for COVID-19 is 'nonsensical' American individualism is a suicide pact
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| Fox News Anchor: Tara Reade Allegations ‘Drive a Stake Into Heart’ of #MeToo Movement Posted: 06 May 2020 01:38 PM PDT  Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum asserted on Wednesday that the sexual-assault allegations made against presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden by former Senate staffer Tara Reade has essentially driven "a stake into the heart" of the MeToo movement.Reacting to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's insistence this week that the accusation by Reade that Biden assaulted her back in 1993 is a "closed issue" and she won't answer questions on it again, MacCallum took the speaker to task over her prior stance on Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and the allegations raised against him in 2018."I do find it very interesting to watch Nancy Pelosi say, 'I believe him, he said it didn't happen and I support him,'" the Fox anchor said during an appearance on Bill Hemmer Reports. "Now that kind of answer was completely unacceptable, as we all know, when it came to Brett Kavanaugh."Saying that this "raises a lot of important questions about the MeToo movement," which arose amid a number of high-profile cases of sexual misconduct by powerful men, MacCallum claimed that it "went very sadly off-track when we started getting into the territory of believing all women.""It should all be about due process," she continued. "I think it drives a stake into the heart of this movement in many ways because what are they going to do now?"MacCallum went on to say that the accusation against the former vice president "starts to neutralize" the multiple allegations of sexual misconduct against President Donald Trump, adding, "Especially since you have a lot of people who say, 'I believe Tara Reade but I support Joe Biden anyway.'"MacCallum also referenced a recent poll that shows that while voters are split on whether or not they believe Biden or Reade, Democrats are still overwhelmingly willing to support Biden this election. Fox News has devoted wall-to-wall coverage of the allegations over the past couple of weeks even while it all but ignored some of Trump's accusers, largely devoting its airtime to calling out Democrats for hypocrisy and the mainstream media for supposedly ignoring the story. Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Ahmaud Arbery killing: man called 911 to report 'black male running' prior to shooting Posted: 07 May 2020 05:17 PM PDT  Recordings of 911 calls obtained by the Guardian provide details on the moments before a man was shot while jogging in GeorgiaAudio recordings of two 911 calls have shed further light on the final moments before Ahmaud Arbery was shot dead by two white men while jogging through a neighborhood just outside Brunswick, Georgia.The full recordings, obtained by the Guardian, come after new video footage showing Arbery's killing in February was released this week, prompting widespread outrage and raising questions over why no arrests have been made. Transcripts of the 911 calls have been previously reported by local media.Arbery had gone for a jog in Satilla Shores, near the Georgia coast, on the afternoon of Sunday 23 February. The 25-year-old was known around the neighborhood, and would sometimes wave to residents as he ran. But that day, a series of events unfolded that ended in his killing at the hands of Gregory McMichael, 64, and his 34-year-old son, Travis McMichael.Lawyers for Arbery's family have said his death was a "lynching" and requested it be investigated as a hate crime.In one call, made at 1.14pm, the dispatcher asks for the address and the reason for the call. An unidentified man's voice can be heard responding, "Uh, I'm out here at Satilla Shores. There's a black male running down the street," in an apparent reference Arbery.In an earlier call at 1.08pm, a different unidentified caller reports "a guy in a house right now, a house under construction". The dispatcher asks if the man is breaking into the property, to which the caller responds: "No, it's all open, it's under construction."The caller then says, "He's running right now, and there he goes right now," referring to Arbery, who was taking his usual jog around the neighborhood. The dispatcher asks: "OK, what is he doing?" The caller replies: "He's running down the street."A few second later, the dispatcher says: "I just need to know what he was doing wrong. Was he just on the premises and not supposed to be?"The beginning of his response is garbled, but when the background noise clears, there is no clear answer to the question. The dispatcher ends the calls shortly after, and says she will send someone by to check.At 1.14 pm, the second call is answered at the call center. Following the first exchange between the caller and the dispatcher, the caller again did not respond to the dispatcher, instead yelling: "Stop. Stop that. Dammit. Stop."A moment later he shouts "Travis!" apparently addressing Travis McMichael.The dispatcher attempts to redirect the man's attention 27 seconds into the call, saying, "Sir, hello, sir," but does not receive an answer. The 911 call continues to record for nearly five minutes.Authorities have not released the identities of the callers. No one has been charged in the case.Two prosecutors have recused themselves, citing professional connections to Gregory McMichael. Documents and state records show the elder McMichael is a former police detective and district attorney investigator in Glynn county.The Guardian has contacted Gregory and Travis McMichael for comment.An outside prosecutor in charge of the case said he wants a grand jury to decide whether criminal charges are warranted. But that will not happen until at least mid-June, since Georgia courts remain largely closed because of the coronavirus.According to a police report from that day, the two men grabbed their weapons, a .357 Magnum revolver and a shotgun, jumped into a truck and began following Arbery after seeing him running.Gregory McMichael told police he and his adult son thought Arbery matched the description of someone caught on a security camera committing a recent break-in in the neighborhood. Arbery was not considered a suspect in any burglary.Gregory McMichael told police Arbery violently attacked his son. The video footage filmed by an anonymous individual and released this week contradicts that claim.Georgia law says a person can kill in self-defense "only if he or she reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent death or great bodily injury … or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony." The law also says a person who provokes an attack or acts as "the aggressor" can't claim self-defense.Arbery's family has called for immediate arrests after the video was released this week."I saw my son come into the world," Arbery's mother, Wanda Cooper Jones, said. "And seeing him leave the world, it's not something that I'll want to see ever."The civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Arbery's father, said the video calls into question the claims made by the McMichaels in the police report."They are heartbroken," Crump said of the family. Of Arbery's father, he added: "It's just heart-wrenching for him that he has to look at his other son and daughter and try to make sense of it. He really thinks that his son was lynched."Crump said Arbery's parents, who are separated, want the public to see the video, even they cannot bring themselves to watch it themselves.Lee Merritt, an attorney for Arbery's mother, said the justice department should investigate the death as a hate crime."The FBI has said it's assisting," said Department of Justice spokesman Matt Lloyd, "and as is standard protocol we look forward to working with them should information come to light of a potential federal violation."Republican governor Brian Kemp late Tuesday threw his support behind that inquiry. He tweeted: "Georgians deserve answers. State law enforcement stands ready to ensure justice is served." He added on Thursday that the killing was "absolutely horrific".Also on Thursday afternoon, Donald Trump said: "I'm getting a full report on it this evening. My heart goes out to the parents and to the loved ones of the young gentleman. It's a very sad thing."The chairman of the House judiciary committee, Jerry Nadler, cited "clear probable cause for first-degree murder charges".> Nadler: "The cell phone footage of the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery would appear to present clear probable cause for first degree murder charges. Justice for Ahmaud requires a full investigation ... beginning with the arrest of all assailants ... [DOJ] must immediately investigate."> > — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) May 7, 2020Georgia attorney general Chris Carr said he was deeply concerned, adding: "I expect justice to be carried out as swiftly as possible."
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| Trump claims he inherited a 'bare' national stockpile. Former Obama officials beg to differ. Posted: 06 May 2020 04:06 PM PDT  Trump has repeatedly said an empty stockpile hampered his pandemic response. Budget cuts had affected it, but shelves weren't bare, former officials said.
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| New evidence suggests the coronavirus was likely spreading in the US and France as early as December Posted: 07 May 2020 08:45 AM PDT  The coronavirus seems to have been spreading through Florida by January. A December patient who coughed up blood in France later tested positive.
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| U.S. strengthens arms to nullify China's missile supremacy Posted: 06 May 2020 02:33 PM PDT  A long-term struggle between China and the United States is at a turning point, as the United States rolls out new weapons and strategy in a bid to close a wide missile gap with China.
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| Regulators waive $200M fine on PG&E for causing deadly fires Posted: 07 May 2020 01:58 PM PDT  California regulators on Thursday suspended a $200 million fine against Pacific Gas & Electric as punishment for the utility's neglect of electrical equipment that ignited a series of deadly wildfires in Northern California. The waiver approved in a unanimous vote by California's Public Utilities Commission will deprive the state coffers of money to help offset losses income and sales taxes as the coronavirus pandemic pushes the state into a $54 billion budget deficit. PG&E resisted the fine on the grounds that it would threaten its ability to raise the tens of billions of dollars needed to finance its complex plan to emerge from bankruptcy by a June 30 deadline.
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| The White House has reportedly buried detailed CDC guidance for reopening specific institutions Posted: 06 May 2020 11:37 PM PDT  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention created a 17-page report with detailed step-by-step guidance for local leaders, business owners, educators, clergy, and others to draw on when deciding how to lift coronavirus mitigation measures. The document, "Guidance for Implementing the Opening Up America Again Framework," was supposed to be released last Friday, The Associated Press reported late Wednesday, but agency scientists have now been informed it "would never see the light of day," one CDC official told AP.The White House has kept an unusually tight grip on the federal flow of COVID-19 information from government scientists and public health officials, and a person close to the White House told AP top administration officials don't want the federal government to offer detailed advice for how different businesses, churches, schools, day care centers, and other public places should reopen, calling it a "slippery slope."The 17-page document, circulated widely inside the CDC, was stripped down from an earlier 36-page document submitted April 10. President Trump's coronavirus task force instead released a vague set of guidelines on April 16, but the detailed recommendations were held back, as "many in the White House resisted, particularly when it came to restricting parishioners from singing in choirs or sharing hymnals and offering plates, and suggesting that restaurants use digital menus and avoid salad bars," The Washington Post reported.Trump has made it clear that he wants states to take charge, and any blame, for reopening the economy, but he also wants business to resume quickly. "You can say that restaurants can open and you need to follow social distancing guidelines," Dr. Marcus Plescia, chief medical officer of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, told AP. "But restaurants want to know, 'What does that look like?' States would like more guidance." They can still get it if they contact CDC scientists directly, officials say, but you won't find the information anywhere on the CDC website.More stories from theweek.com Did we just witness one of the nuttiest foreign policy blunders in American history? Trump reportedly got 'lava level mad' over potential exposure to coronavirus Sen. Joe Manchin forgot to mute a call with Senate Democrats while he went through an Arby's drive-through
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| Over 500 Employees at Trump’s Las Vegas Hotel Have Been Laid Off Amid Coronavirus Posted: 07 May 2020 12:09 PM PDT  Over 500 workers at the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas have temporarily lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic.The resort, which is part-owned by the Trump Organization, broke the news to employees last month in a letter to the Nevada Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation."Based on the fluid and rapidly evolving nature of this situation, however, at this time we are unable to provide a specific date at which we will be able to recommence regular hotel operations and return affected employees to work," Human Resources Director LaDawndre Stinson wrote in the letter posted to the agency's website.The April 3 letter added that because of the "sudden, dramatic, and unexpected nature of this unforeseen emergency" and the demands of Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak's decision to shut down non-essential businesses amid the pandemic, the hotel would be "unable to provide employees with additional notice of these temporary layoffs." Cuomo Blasts Trump: Your Bailout Strategy Will Doom Us AllAs first reported by The Washington Post, the president's properties in New York, D.C., Miami, Chicago, Las Vegas, Vancouver, and Honolulu have all laid-off workers amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has gutted the hospitality industry. To date, 1,500 employees at hotels owned by the Trump Organization have been laid off or furloughed."You can't have many hundreds of employees standing around doing nothing," Trump said at the White House on April 21, addressing job cuts. "There's no customer. You're not allowed to have a customer."During the same press conference—which took place two weeks after the Las Vegas employees learned they were out of a job—Trump expressed his support for Sisolak's decision to lock down Sin City, despite its cold reception from other elected officials and the Las Vegas mayor, who called it "total insanity.""They closed a big hotel down in Nevada that I have in Las Vegas. It's a very severe step he took. I'm OK with it," Trump said. "But you could call that one either way."Bethany Khan, the communications director for the Culinary Union in Las Vegas—which represents nearly all of the Trump employees who were laid off—told The Daily Beast on Thursday that 98 percent of their members are currently furloughed or laid off. The Culinary Union is Nevada's most powerful labor organization, representing about 60,000 hotel-casino workers.In addition to Las Vegas, more than 200 employees were laid off at the president's hotel in Vancouver, and over 75 percent of his Chicago hotel was placed on leave. "In an effort to conserve energy, most common areas...are illuminated and heated at a minimum level," the Chicago hotel told its investors in a letter, stating that the "heartbreaking decision" to lay off two-thirds of its staff also included suspending 401(k) contributions. Trump Shakes Everyone's Hands at Coronavirus Press Conference—Ignoring CDC GuidelinesAccording to the Post, the combined closed properties used to generate about $650,000 every day for the Trump Organization. The family business, which is now managed by the president's two sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, racked up a property-tax bill in April of more than $1.8 million.The group reportedly reached out to the Deutsche Bank in March to ask about delaying payments on at least some of its hundreds of millions of dollars in loans and other financial obligations.According to The New York Times, a Florida-based company executive also emailed and called Palm Beach County officials to talk about whether they had planned to keep asking for payments on land the Trump Organization rents from the county for a 27-hole golf club."These days everybody is working together," Eric Trump told the Times. "Tenants are working with landlords, landlords are working with banks. The whole world is working together as we fight through this pandemic."Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., which sits just blocks away from the White House, is also looking for a government break on its rent payments. On April 21, the Times also reported the hotel has asked to delay its monthly rent payments of about $268,000 a month in an effort to curtail their ongoing money troubles. The hotel is housed in the Old Post Office Building, a federally-owned property.The Trump Organization did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast's request for comment.Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Australia's biggest states retain lockdown measures on Mother's Day Posted: 06 May 2020 05:41 PM PDT  Australia's two most populous states on Thursday refused to allow a one-day reprieve from strict limits on personal movement for Mother's Day this weekend, even as the country's rate of new coronavirus cases remains low. The premiers of New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria said the states' roughly 14 million residents, 56% of the country's population, would have to stick to existing restrictions on movement on Mother's Day, which is celebrated nationally on Sunday. "Whilst national cabinet is considering easing some restrictions from Friday in terms of the national guidelines, I doubt very much that NSW will be in a position to implement anything before Mother's Day," NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters on Thursday.
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| Virus crisis leaves thousands of cruise ship crew stuck at sea Posted: 07 May 2020 06:35 PM PDT  The cruise industry has taken a beating during the coronavirus crisis -- on-board outbreaks, refusal of port access and now no clear idea of when ships can sail once again. While the passengers have headed home, the journey drags on for tens of thousands of crew members who are stranded at sea aboard their vessels, with no end in sight. Saldanha shares a cabin with his 29-year-old girlfriend Jessica Furlan, who hosted on-board activities for passengers.
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| Salon owner who illegally reopened out of jail on Texas Supreme Court’s order Posted: 07 May 2020 02:49 PM PDT  Shelley Luther was sentenced to a week in jail after violating an order to close her salon. The Texas Supreme Court ordered her release.
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| Biden pledged to put a black woman on the Supreme Court. Here's what he might have to do. Posted: 06 May 2020 06:12 AM PDT  There are few black women serving on the federal judiciary, and none younger than age 67 in appeals courts, the usual stepping stone to the high court.
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| 2nd and 3rd waves of coronavirus deaths are now very likely, according to German researchers Posted: 06 May 2020 05:19 AM PDT  "We know with great certainty that there will be a second wave. The majority of scientists are sure of this," the head of the Robert Koch Institute said.
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| Venezuela TV shows 'US citizens confessing over failed coup' Posted: 07 May 2020 04:42 AM PDT  Venezuelan President Maduro says US-backed "mercenaries" tried to oust him, a claim the US denies.
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| Iran's president says an end to United Nations arms embargo is a 'right' Posted: 07 May 2020 11:22 AM PDT  The Iranian president said Wednesday that lifting a U.N. arms embargo on Tehran would be an "obvious right" and added a veiled warning of unspecified steps Iran could take if the embargo is extended, as the United States wants.
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| Emergency order closing a New Mexico city to outsiders has been extended Posted: 07 May 2020 12:00 PM PDT  Roads into Gallup will stay closed to non-residents until Friday at 8 p.m., according to the governor's office.
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| Africa disease centre rejects Tanzania's allegation that its coronavirus tests faulty Posted: 07 May 2020 02:51 AM PDT  The head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday rejected an assertion by Tanzania's president that coronavirus tests it supplied are faulty. Tanzania's government spokesman said a team was conducting investigations on the laboratory that conducted the tests, and the outcome will be made public once complete. The World Health Organization expressed confidence in the tests.
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| ‘Please Come Get Me’: Fatal Indianapolis Police Shooting May Have Aired on Facebook Posted: 07 May 2020 08:55 AM PDT  An Indianapolis man was fatally shot by police after a high-speed chase in an incident that appeared to have been broadcast on Facebook Live, sparking outcry and protests throughout the night.More than 100 people from the community gathered at the scene of the shooting to express their outrage Wednesday night, chanting "No justice, no peace!" as they demanded answers from police about the latest officer-involved death. Protestors continued demonstrating Thursday, with dozens marching through the streets before congregating outside of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department headquarters. "We deserve better," one community activist told The Indianapolis Star. "I am disgusted, horrified, tired, and angry."'You're Gonna Kill Me': Body-Cam Footage Shows Cops Mocking Dallas Man as He DiesThe Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said the incident began around 6 p.m. when officers began pursuing a man who they observed to be driving recklessly. After the driver exited the car, an officer chased him on foot before gunfire was "exchanged" at around 6:14 p.m., police said in a press release, without revealing who fired first. In the unconfirmed Facebook video of the incident, at least 13 or 14 gunshots can be heard. In another video obtained by The Indianapolis Star, a detective who arrived after the shooting can be heard saying: "Looks like it's going to be a closed casket, homie." "We are aware of inappropriate comments made by an IMPD detective" on the live stream, Indianapolis MPD Chief Randal Taylor said at a Thursday press conference. "Let me be clear: These comments are unacceptable and unbecoming of our police department." While Taylor did not confirm the authenticity of the Facebook live stream, he did stress he was "concerned with the things on social media," stating he thinks that some comments online "lack trust as to what occurred." Authorities have not yet identified the name of the driver but said he and the officer who shot him were both black men. Family members identified the driver to local media outlets as 21-year-old Dreasjon "Sean" Reed. The officer who fired the fatal shot has been placed on administrative leave pending further investigation."I feel like to lose a life, especially at a young age, there's never going to be justice," Jazmine Reed, the 21-year-old's sister, told WISH, adding that her family watched the pursuit and shooting on Facebook as it happened. "Cause he's gone—there's never justice for that. Even if somebody was to get time or whatever for it, it's never going to be justice because he's never coming back." The sister said she drove to the scene after watching the video, not knowing whether her brother was still alive. "I shouldn't have to bury my little brother," she added.The Indianapolis MPD said the incident began after two officers saw a Toyota Corolla being driven "recklessly." They followed the driver in unmarked cars and asked for assistance as they said the vehicle continued "at a high rate of speed" and the operator was "disobeying all traffic signals" and nearly hit another car. In the Facebook video, titled "High-speed case lol," Reed, who is shirtless, appears nervous as he speaks to his 2,000 viewers and points his camera to show the moving police cars behind him."Almost lost him y'all!" he says. "Almost got rid of his ass!"Video Shows Florida Deputy Violently Yanking Middle Schooler's Hair During ArrestAt one point, he appears to pull over and stop his car. Authorities say the driver disregarded "the officers' verbal commands to stop" and ran out of the car, prompting an officer to chase him on foot."I'm on 62nd and Michigan," Reed says in the video, just before exiting the vehicle. "I just parked... I'm gone." He added: "Please come get me! Please come get me! Please come get me!"Reed can then be heard running for approximately 30 seconds, as a voice behind him yells: "Stop! Stop!""Fuck you," Reed replies. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Assistant Chief Chris Bailey said during a Wednesday news conference that the officer first used his taser, but it's unclear if it worked and is not seen on the purported video from the scene."It is believed at this time that shots were fired by both the officer and the suspect," Bailey said.In the video, Reed appears to start screaming before collapsing on the ground. About eight seconds later, 11 or 12 gunshots can be heard in rapid succession. The live stream did not show Reed talking about a gun or firing a weapon. After a brief pause, two more shots can be heard as the camera faces the sky while the opening lyrics of Young Dolph's "16 Zips" appears to be playing off the phone. By the end of the gunfire, more than 4,000 people had tuned in to watch the live stream, according to the Star.Bailey said Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services arrived shortly after and pronounced the driver dead at the scene. The officer was uninjured.Taylor on Thursday stated that a "loaded gun" was recovered at the scene that appeared to have been fired twice and that it belonged to the driver. He added that disciplinary action will be taken against the detective who made the "casket" comment.After the incident, the Facebook Live video, which has been widely shared on social media, was removed from the victim's account, Bailey said. Bailey added that authorities are aware of Facebook videos.Cop Charged With Assault After Video Shows Him Slamming Suspect's Head Into Pavement"Both the officers and the detectives have done their due diligence in preserving that evidence through the proper legal channels, and if it's associated that there's information on there that's appropriate for the investigation, they'll utilize it," he said.Taylor added Thursday the police officers involved in the shooting were not wearing body cameras, but he has no reason to believe they acted inappropriately. But after the press conference, dozens of protesters took to the streets demanding more police action, shouting "all lives matter," as drivers stopped their cars and put their fists out their windows in solidarity.About eight hours after that shooting, Indianapolis police fatally shot another man during an investigation into a burglary at an apartment complex. Authorities said that around 1:30 a.m. Thursday, four officers responded to the apartment and were immediately fired upon by a man with a rifle. All four officers "returned fire" and hit the man, who was pronounced dead at the scene, police said in a news release. In response to both incidents, Taylor stressed at a Thursday press conference that he will provide residents with "the truth whether we are right or wrong.""We have long talked about the kind of police department we want to be—one that serves with the community, that's not policed at—a police department that is trusted, one where every resident feels a comfortable calling," Taylor said. "We recognize and are saddened that this mutual trust that is so valued has been eroded over the last 24 hours."Investigators are now conducting a separate investigation into that shooting, and police said there's evidence the victim called 911 with the intent of ambushing the responding officers. "Our hearts this morning are with the families who lost loved ones during these tragic events. All of us are trying to make a new normal in an un-normal time. Incidents like these do not help restore normalcy to our community," Chrystal Ratcliffe, the president of the NAACP branch in Indianapolis said in a statement.The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana on Thursday called for a "prompt, thorough, and transparent investigation" into Reed's death."Whether someone is unarmed or armed, compliant or resistant, police officers should be properly trained in de-escalation tactics and turn to the use of force only as a last resort, not a first option," the statement read. Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Asian American woman harassed by self-identified Trump supporter thanks bystanders Posted: 06 May 2020 02:08 PM PDT  "Americans said we don't want you here," the harasser said in a video. "That's why we elected President Trump."
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| Trump cryptically tells reporters 'a lot of things' might happen soon following call with Putin Posted: 07 May 2020 02:48 PM PDT  President Trump is celebrating throwback Thursday with Russian President Vladimir Putin.Trump told reporters on Thursday that he spoke on the phone with Putin and the two discussed the so-called "hoax" that was the investigation into Russian election interference, which determined Russia meddled to aid Trump, did not find collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, and did not determine whether administration officials sought to obstruct the probe.Reiterating his displeasure with the investigation, Trump said the "Russia hoax" was "very hard" on the U.S. and Russia's foreign relations. "And we discussed that," said Trump of his call with Putin, also noting he offered to send Russia ventilators to aid COVID-19 patients."Things are falling out now and coming in line, showing what a hoax this whole investigation was," claimed Trump, likely referencing the dropped investigation against his former national security adviser, Michael Flynn."I wouldn't be surprised if you see a lot of things happen over the next number of weeks," he ominously added. "This is just one piece of a very dishonest puzzle."CBS News' Margaret Brennan noted that talk of the Russia "hoax" weren't included in the White House summary of the call. As Bloomberg writes, the statement merely said "the two leaders also covered other bilateral and global issues." Trump did not elaborate on what "things" may "happen" regarding Russia in the upcoming weeks.More stories from theweek.com Did we just witness one of the nuttiest foreign policy blunders in American history? Trump reportedly got 'lava level mad' over potential exposure to coronavirus Sen. Joe Manchin forgot to mute a call with Senate Democrats while he went through an Arby's drive-through
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| An entire town in New York is being put on a diet to prevent obesity-related coronavirus complications Posted: 07 May 2020 08:47 AM PDT  A New York town has launched a diet and exercise program to help residents lose weight to prevent reported risks of obesity and coronavirus outcomes.
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| EU’s pivot to China falls foul of Beijing’s censors Posted: 06 May 2020 08:16 PM PDT  Europe learns the risks of courting China as a letter by its envoys is censored in an official newspaper.
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