Wang Quanzhang freed; 81 groups call for release of jailed journalists; US deems Russian group 'terrorist;' ACLU sues Federal Bureau Of Prisons; Cuomo says social distancing working + '5G goes viral'
NewsHero - April 7, 2020 - Issue 71
Welcome to today’s edition of NewsHero for April 7, 2020.
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A protester holds a picture of Chinese human rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang during a protest outside the Chinese liaison office in Hong Kong, July 13, 2018.
NewsHero Notes
Wang Quanzhang - 🦸♀️🦸♀️🦸♀️
Wang Quanzhang, a Chinese human rights lawyer who represented journalists and democracy advocates, was released from prison on Sunday after being held for almost five years, his wife said.
A Healthy World - 🦸♀️🦸♀️🦸♀️
“It’s World Health Day, and we owe a profound debt of gratitude to all our medical professionals. They’re still giving their all for us every day, at great risk to themselves, and we can’t thank them enough for their bravery and their service,” Barack Obama tweeted today.
Afternoon Brief
U.S. Supreme Court - 🦸♀️🦸♀️
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday said federal workers can sue for age discrimination when age plays any role in an employment decision, and not only when it is the sole consideration.
The court in an 8-1 decision agreed with Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pharmacist Noris Babb, represented by Roman Martinez of Latham & Watkins, that the requirement in the Age Discrimination in Employment Act’s (ADEA) that federal agencies’ personnel decisions be “made free from” bias means that age cannot be used as a factor.
In a separate opinion, the Supreme Court ruled on Monday that police can pull over a car when they know only that its owner’s license is invalid, even if they don’t know who’s behind the wheel.
The court said in an 8-1 decision that unless there’s reason to believe otherwise, it’s common sense for an officer to think the car’s owner will be driving.
“Empirical studies demonstrate what common experience readily reveals: Drivers with revoked licenses frequently continue to drive and therefore to pose safety risks to other motorists and pedestrians,” Justice Clarence Thomas wrote for the court.
Committee to Protect Journalists - 🦸♀️🦸♀️🦸♀️
Committee to Protect Journalists, along with 80 media and rights groups, has appealed to African heads of state to release jailed journalists. In an email to ten African leaders the groups said, “We the 81 undersigned media, press freedom, and human rights organizations are writing to call on your respective governments to release all jailed journalists amid the sweeping COVID-19 pandemic.”
The letter continued: “Last week, the Committee to Protect Journalists published an open letter to world leaders urging the immediate release of all journalists imprisoned for their work. Given that a staggering number of these imprisoned journalists are held in jails across the African continent, we are reiterating that call to your respective countries at this time of grave public health concern.
According to CPJ’s most recent annual survey conducted on December 1, 2019, there were at least 73 journalists in prisons in Africa, including 26 in Egypt, 16 in Eritrea, seven in Cameroon, four each in Rwanda, Burundi, and Morocco, three in Algeria, and one each in Benin, Nigeria, Chad, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Somalia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan.”
U.S. Counter Terrorism - 🦸♀️🦸♀️🦸♀️
The United States on Monday designated a Russian white supremacist group a terrorist organization and hit its members with sanctions.
The move against the Russian Imperial Movement (RIM) is the first time a white supremacist group has been named a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” group and comes amid doubts the Trump administration believes extremist organizations of that type merit such sanctions.
“RIM is still very much in the business of providing training to like-minded Neo-Nazis and white supremacists across Europe. We know that they have recruited individuals from other countries in Europe and continue to do so,” said Nathan Sales, Coordinator for U.S. Counter Terrorism.
A report from ProPublica, in collaboration with The Atlantic, points to the self-publishing wing of Amazon as “a haven for white supremacists.”
ACLU Sues Federal Bureau Of Prisons
Gov. Cuomo says ‘social distancing is working’
Staff members of a hospital in Kolkata carry candles and oil lamps to show solidarity with people affected by the coronavirus. (Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters)
NewsHero is continuing to offer a compilation of stories and resources that best represent the current state of the coronavirus pandemic, centered on those individuals, institutions, and organizations stepping up to end this crisis as quickly and effectively as possible. The public, too, has a duty. This includes staying responsibly informed and taking the situation seriously, while remaining as cool-headed and as isolated as possible. These are strange and difficult times, but we will endure.
The ACLU on Monday sued the Federal Bureau of Prisons, saying that the release of inmates from a detention center in Louisiana, where five men have died from COVID-19, is taking too long, CNN reports.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a press conference Monday that the state’s number of hospitalizations from coronavirus is plateauing, which means that “social distancing is working,” Forbes reports.
Mario Salerno, a Brooklyn landlord with 18 apartment buildings, canceled rent for hundreds of tenants, saying, “My concern is everyone’s health.”
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is staying firm on plans for a four-week lockdown amid signs of positive results. The Easter Bunny, however, has been deemed essential and will be working this weekend.
Congressional leaders are jumping ahead with another coronavirus rescue package as Donald Trump indicated that Americans will need more aid during the pandemic and economic shutdown. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said another $1 trillion is needed, beyond the just-passed $2.2 trillion effort.
The “saga” between 3M and Donald Trump has ended, he announced, with the finalization of a deal involving the manufacturer supplying millions of masks for health care workers, reports CNN.
Peter Navarro, President Trump’s trade adviser, reportedly warned the White House in January of a pandemic.
In this photo taken on Thursday, April 2, 2020, a firefighter talks on his phone as he rests at a temporary field hospital set in Ifema convention and exhibition in Madrid, Spain. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg spoke out against a decision made by the Supreme Court’s majority blocking an extension to the absentee ballot deadline in Wisconsin, reports the NY Post.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's request to treat coronavirus patients on the U.S. Navy hospital ship Comfort, docked off of Manhattan, has been granted.
The New York Times reports that, “While Dr. Anthony Fauci has urged caution in using hydroxychloroquine, some doctors are prescribing it to patients who have the virus despite the fact it has never been tested for it.” Donald Trump is advocating heavily for the drug’s use, while his potential for personal financial gain from the hydroxychloroquine’s popularity is another part of the story.
“Inside the coronavirus testing failure: Alarm and dismay among the scientists who sought to help,” from The Washington Post, examines the road to seeking effective testing for COVID-19.
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is reportedly being given supplemental oxygen as he spends another night in intensive care after falling ill from the coronavirus.
A story over at FiveThirtyEight says “coronavirus case counts are meaningless—unless you know something about testing. And even then, it gets complicated.”
Auto insurance companies Allstate, American Family Insurance and Liberty Mutual are giving customers millions of dollars back because they are driving less during the coronavirus crisis.
More than 250 global performers will sing Pauline Oliveros’ “The Lunar Opera” for coronavirus relief, reports the Los Angeles Times.
And finally, the latest Corona Daily newsletter is posted for you here.
Extra! Extra!
Ah, conspiracy theorists—the theories with which they can conspire!
Arson and threats both physical and verbal have been inflicted upon cellular antennae and broadband engineers (respectively) as 5G networks are apparently being seen—by some—as a link to the spread of COVID-19.
Yes. A story in The Guardian reports that the government is needing to step in to try and stop people from connecting—in their brains—the coronavirus and 5G networks.
How..so many questions. 5G networks are spreading the virus? If they did it would surely be fast and crystal clear, but we suspect this isn’t really happening. As Donald Trump might say, we just have a “feeling.”
NHS (National Health Service) director Stephen Powis said, “The 5G story is complete and utter rubbish. It is nonsense—the worst kind of fake news.” Fake news: it’s not just for the U.S. anymore!
Until next time readers, stay safe and keep dreaming. And who knows, maybe we’ll soon be talking about how people have decided that pasta turns ferrets into Steely Dan fans or how lawyers are responsible for snow.
Our heroes are identified as follows:
🦸♀️🦸♀️🦸♀️ - the hero, hands down. - Meaning that it wasn’t even a close call.
🦸♀️🦸♀️ - the hero, but… - Meaning that in this situation the call needed to be looked at in a little more detail. For example, in this case, they did the right thing but there have been some questionable calls in the past.
🦸♀️ - the hero, but only here, and it was a close call. - Meaning that in this instance they did the right thing but it was either out of character or a maddeningly close call.
Sources:
Chinese Human Rights Lawyer Released From Prison - The New York Times
Meet Emma Theofilus, Africa’s Youngest Minister at 23 - allAfrica
Supreme Court Hands Federal Worker Major Win In Age Discrimination Case - NPR
Supreme Court backs police in traffic stops - AP News
Supreme Court says federal workers can sue over 'any' age bias - Reuters
CPJ, 80 media and rights groups urge African heads of state to release jailed journalists - CPJ
African heads of state urged to release jailed journalists amid coronavirus outbreak - DispatchLIVE
The Hate Store: Amazon’s Self-Publishing Arm Is a Haven for White Supremacists - ProPublica
In a first, U.S. slaps sanctions on Russian white supremacists - Politico
U.S. designates Russian ultra-nationalist group as terrorist organization - Reuters
ACLU suing for release of inmates at Louisiana facility where five prisoners have died - CNN
Cuomo Says ‘Social Distancing Is Working’ As Numbers Of Deaths, Hospitalizations Plateau - Forbes
This Brooklyn Landlord Just Canceled Rent for Hundreds of Tenants - The New York Times
Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy Deemed ‘Essential Workers’ in New Zealand - The New York Times
New Zealand isn’t just flattening the curve. It’s squashing it. - The Washington Post
Congress, White House reach high for next virus bill - AP News
Trump announces face mask manufacturing deal with 3M after contentious negotiations - CNN Trade Adviser Warned White House in January of Risks of a Pandemic - The New York Times
Ruth Bader Ginsburg slams SCOTUS decision on Wisconsin absentee voting - NY Post
Wisconsin primary set to go ahead Tuesday after courts block attempts to delay voting due to coronavirus - CNN
Trump approves New York request to treat coronavirus patients on Navy hospital ship - CNN
Trump’s Aggressive Advocacy of Malaria Drug for Treating Coronavirus Divides Medical Community - The New York Times
Inside the coronavirus testing failure: Alarm and dismay among the scientists who sought to help - The Washington Post
This opera will be sung by more than 250 global performers for coronavirus relief - Los Angeles Times
Boris Johnson receives ‘oxygen support’ as he battles covid-19 - The Washington Post
Coronavirus Case Counts Are Meaningless* - FiveThirtyEight
Allstate, American Family Insurance, Liberty Mutual to return millions in auto premiums as drivers hit the road less during coronavirus - USA Today
Get Well Boris Johnson - Corona Daily
Call for social media platforms to act on 5G mast conspiracy theory - The Guardian
Benji i want to knows how i can help!