🦸♀️🦸♀️🦸♀️NewsHero | Experts say virus clearly still here; Charges announced for cop who shot Rayshard Brooks; ACLU slams DOJ plan to block Bolton book; Rights groups: don't advertise on Facebook
June 17, 2020 - Issue 119
Welcome to this edition of NewsHero for June 17, 2020.
Apologies for the previous letter that was sent in error! This is the correct one!
Health Experts Continue To Warn Of Virus Rising, Despite VP Attempt To Downplay
Beijing flights canceled in caution as low number of new virus cases appear
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, appears at the White House, in Washington DC, April 1, 2020. (Alex Brandon/AP)
🦸♀️🦸♀️🦸♀️ - Dr. Ashish Jha, Dr. Anthony Fauci, sensible health experts
🦸♀️ - Beijing authorities, for appropriate reaction to new COVID-19 cases
🦸♀️🦸♀️🦸♀️ - The FDA
🦸♀️🦸♀️🦸♀️ - Scientists, researches working on coronavirus treatments
Dr. Ashish Jha, director of the Harvard Global Health Institute, said on Tuesday, “We may be done with the pandemic, but the pandemic is not done with us.” While COVID-19 cases continue to rise in many states in re-opening phases—Florida, Texas and Arizona have set records—Vice President Mike Pence, leader of the coronavirus task force, is downplaying the latest numbers in efforts to portray the virus as on its way out.
Florida alone recorded nearly 2,800 new cases on Monday—16 people went out on the town and all wound up infected.
Meanwhile, Beijing reported 31 new cases on Tuesday, leading to cancellations of hundreds of flights in and out of the Chinese capital.
How’s that for juxtaposition? Florida sees almost 3,000 new cases in one day while people are out eating Pizza Shooters and Extreme Fajitas, but in Beijing, they see about 30 cases and stop all the flights.
This so-called second wave of the coronavirus isn’t even really a thing apparently—that’s because the first wave never went away. No waves, only virus. “People keep talking about a second wave,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci. “We're still in a first wave.” He added, “When I look at the TV and I see pictures of people congregating at bars when the location they are indicates they shouldn't be doing that, that’s very risky.”
Yesterday we told you the FDA had ditched its Emergency Use Authorization of hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malaria drug Trump was pushing as a COVID-19 reliever. Brazil criticized that decision and is even recommending hydroxychloroquine for treating children and pregnant women with early signs of the coronavirus. Take that, FDA! And humans!
There is however a cheap steroid, dexamethasone, that researchers say has reduced death rates in people with severe cases of COVID-19. There’s that and also a company in South Dakota that’s starting human trials next month for a coronavirus antibody treatment that comes from the blood of cows.
Tulsa Lawyers Want Trump Rally Stopped Over Virus Concerns
TikTok users reserving tickets for Trump rally, with zero plans to attend
(https://rightsidepac.com/)
🦸♀️🦸♀️🦸♀️ - People of Tulsa trying to keep Trump’s rally from spreading COVID-19
🦸♀️🦸♀️🦸♀️ - TikTok users reserving rally tickets, with no plans to attend
🦸♀️ - Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook, for letting users opt out of misinformation, and admitting it facilitates election interference
🦸♀️ - Republican operatives working for Biden to win
Citing concerns over large gatherings contributing to the spread of COVID-19, local lawyers had asked a court to stop Donald Trump’s campaign rally set for June 20 in Tulsa, Okla. unless social distancing rules were going to be enforced. A judge dismissed that request.
Actually, rumor has it that so many people are planning to attend the rally that Mike Pence says a second, overflow venue may be needed. Of course, this CNN story may also be helpful information: “TikTok users are trying to troll Trump’s campaign by reserving tickets for Tulsa rally they’ll never use.”
Facebook says it will let users opt-out of political advertisements and that it aims to combat election interference. In an op-ed for USA Today, Mark Zuckerberg said Tuesday his company has “a responsibility not just to prevent voter suppression—which disproportionately targets people of color—but to actively support well-informed voter engagement, registration and turnout.”
In the please-let-this-be-true department, Axios reports that a group of prominent Republican operatives are launching a super PAC to drum up GOP voters for Joe Biden.
DA Announces Officer Who Fatally Shot Rayshard Brooks Will Be Charged
Civil rights groups urge advertisers to boycott Facebook
🦸♀️🦸♀️🦸♀️ - Peaceful protesters
🦸♀️🦸♀️🦸♀️ - Those prosecuting—and charging—the Atlanta officer who fatally shot Rayshard Brooks
🦸♀️🦸♀️🦸♀️ - “Hey Siri, I'm getting pulled over.”
🦸♀️🦸♀️🦸♀️ - Va. Gov. Ralph Northam
🦸♀️🦸♀️🦸♀️ - ACLU
🦸♀️🦸♀️ - Google, for banning ZeroHedge
🦸♀️🦸♀️🦸♀️ - Civil rights groups urging advertisers to boycott Facebook
Let’s start this one here with a report from Axios on: “The massive power of the George Floyd protests”
Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard announced today that the Atlanta police officer who fatally shot Rayshard Brooks will be charged, reports The Associated Press.
There’s a new iPhone feature gaining popularity that starts recording immediately when you say, “Hey Siri, I'm getting pulled over.” According to CNN, the shortcut pauses music, turns down brightness, turns on “Do Not Disturb” mode, and starts a video recording.
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said Tuesday that he’s making Juneteenth an official holiday. That seems extra special seeing as how Northam’s state was once home to the capital of the Confederacy.
The ACLU has a report on facial recognition technology, which is particularly relevant now as it gains more widespread use and attention, but also, as it is used by law enforcement, “these technologies will unquestionably be used to target Black and Brown people merely for existing.”
Google has banned the far-right website ZeroHedge, known to promote conspiracy theories, from its advertising platform over policy violations found in comments on stories about Black Lives Matter protests, says NBC News.
MSNBC tweeted that graphic up there that breaks down some key differences in police reform proposals from Democrats and Republicans. Take a look.
The NAACP and the Anti-Defamation League, along with other civil rights groups, are urging advertisers to boycott Facebook, citing the company’s failure to make the platform a less hostile place, says the Wall Street Journal.
ACLU Slams Trump Attempt To Block Bolton Book
‘The Room Where It Happened’ instigates civil lawsuit from DOJ
(ACLU website)
🦸♀️🦸♀️🦸♀️ - ACLU
🦸♀️ - John Bolton, for writing his book
The ACLU has released a statement on a lawsuit from the Trump administration seeking to block the publication of John Bolton’s tell-all book. While they may not be Bolton’s biggest fan, and he may not be everyone’s hero, the ACLU notes: “As usual, the government’s threats have nothing to do with safeguarding national security, and everything to do with avoiding scandal and embarrassment.”
We don’t exactly “celebrate the guy’s entire catalog,” but you got to give Bolton credit for writing the book. It will hopefully see the light of day.
Bolton’s book, “The Room Where It Happened,” has the Justice Department so hot to block its release, it filed a 27-page civil lawsuit that claims the book “would cause irreparable harm, because the disclosure of instances of classified information in the manuscript reasonably could be expected to cause serious damage, or exceptionally grave damage, to the national security of the United States.” And make us look bad because it contains the truth?
South Korean President Moon Jae-in Faces Aggression From North Korea
At least 20 have died in border dispute between India and China
South Korean President Moon Jae-in arrives for a Memorial Day ceremony at the national cemetery in Daejeon, South Korea, June 6, 2020. (Lee Jin-man/Pool via Reuters)
🦸♀️🦸♀️🦸♀️ - South Korean President Moon Jae-in
At least 20 people have died in clashes between Indian and Chinese troops along a disputed Himalayan border, says The Guardian in a report detailing the situation. The New York Times published “India-China Border Dispute: A Conflict Explained,” which is a good resource for understanding what’s happening. According to The Washington Post, both sides said today they would protect their respective territories, but try to end the standoff.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in is dealing with a situation, after North Korea blew up a joint liaison office Tuesday that had been set up in a border town to help with better ties with South Korea. That doesn’t sound good for Trump’s hopes of North Korea abandoning its nuclear ambitions.
The Associated Press, reporting from South Korea, says that North Korea is now sending troops to “now-shuttered inter-Korean cooperation sites in its territory and reinstall guard posts and resume military exercises at front-line areas, nullifying tension-reducing deals reached with South Korea just two years ago.” Also doesn’t sound good.
The New York Times notes that amid the hostility from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, it’s his sister that’s doing the talking. “Kim Yo-jong’s deepening power and ‘revolutionary’ bloodline make her a potential candidate to replace her brother in patriarchal North Korea,” the Times says.
The Human Rights Council Confronts Racism in the USA - PassBlue
Elite CIA hacking unit failed to protect its systems, allowing disclosure to WikiLeaks - The Washington Post
Is the UK Finally Standing Up for Hong Kong? - Human Rights Watch
China: Scrap National Security Law to Save Hong Kong Freedoms - Human Rights Watch
Sources:
US coronavirus: Florida, Arizona and Texas report record number of daily Covid-19 cases this week - CNN
Pence tries to declare coronavirus over as Trump pushes reopening and campaigning - CNN
Fauci says US still in first wave as states see record coronavirus cases - Business Insider
Brazil swipes at FDA, pushes hydroxychloroquine for pregnant women and children - CNN
A cheap steroid is the first drug shown to reduce death in COVID-19 patients - Science
Hundreds of Beijing flights canceled after coronavirus resurgence - CNN
Trump campaign exploring overflow venue for Tulsa rally - CNNPolitics
Judge denies emergency request to stop Trump's Tulsa campaign rally due to coronavirus fears - CNNPolitics
Judge rejects request to stop Tulsa Trump rally over coronavirus concerns - Politico
TikTok users are trying to troll Trump's campaign by reserving tickets for Tulsa rally they'll never use - CNN
Human trials expected to start next month for Covid-19 treatment derived from cows' blood - CNN
Scoop: Republican operatives launch pro-Biden super PAC - Axios
Facebook will let users opt out of political advertisements - NBC News
Officer who fatally shot Rayshard Brooks to be charged - AP News
'Hey Siri, I'm getting pulled over': iPhone shortcut helps discreetly record the police - CNN
The massive power of the George Floyd protests - Axios
Virginia governor to propose Juneteenth as state holiday - AP News
Google bans website ZeroHedge from its ad platform over comments on protest articles - NBC News
How is Face Recognition Surveillance Technology Racist? - ACLU
ACLU Comment on Trump Legal Threat to Block Bolton Memoir Publication - ACLU
U.S. sues ex-Trump adviser Bolton to block book publication - Reuters
Trump administration sues to block publication of John Bolton's book - Axios
Trying To Block A Tell-All By John Bolton Of His White House Days With Trump - NPR
Explainer: what is the deadly India-China border dispute about? - The Guardian
China says it agrees with India to peacefully solve tensions - The Washington Post
India-China Border Dispute: A Conflict Years in the Making - The New York Times
North Korea releases images of it blowing up its liaison office with South - CNBC
As Kim Jong-un Turns Hostile to South Korea, His Sister Does the Talking - The New York Times
N. Korea's military to reenter inter-Korea cooperation sites - AP News
Why North Korea just blew up its de facto embassy with South Korea - The Washington Post
North Korea destroys liaison office on border with South in 'terrific explosion' - Reuters
“Such quiet courage”
"She's my Rushmore, Max"