| Rwanda genocide: How Félicien Kabuga evaded capture for 26 years Posted: 23 May 2020 05:12 PM PDT  Félicien Kabuga outwitted Rwandan genocide prosecutors by using 28 aliases and powerful connections.
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| Iranian ships approach Venezuela with no sign of US threat Posted: 23 May 2020 04:48 PM PDT  The first of five tankers loaded with gasoline sent from Iran approached Venezuelan waters late Saturday, expected to temporarily ease the South American nation's fuel crunch while defying Trump administration sanctions targeting the two U.S. foes. The oil tanker Fortune encountered no immediate signs of U.S. interference as it eased through Caribbean waters toward the Venezuelan coast and Venezuelan officials celebrated the arrival. "Iran and Venezuela have always supported each other in times of difficulty," Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza tweeted.
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| Taliban, Ghani declare three-day cease fire for Eid holiday Posted: 23 May 2020 01:17 PM PDT  The Taliban and Afghanistan's president announced late Saturday a three-day cease-fire ahead of a major Islamic holiday that begins Sunday to mark the end of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan. The Taliban order, which was soon followed by an announcement via Twitter from Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announcing the government "extends the offer of peace," comes just days after U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad was in Kabul and Doha. Khalilzad on his trip urged both the Taliban and the Afghan government to reduce violence and move ahead with intra-Afghan negotiations, a key pillar of a U.S. peace deal with the Taliban signed in February to allow American troops to leave Afghanistan.
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| Libya's Hifter: Tripoli campaign to continue despite losses Posted: 23 May 2020 11:47 AM PDT |
| Can Trump’s Art of the Arms Deal Get More Stupid? The Russians Are Loving It. Posted: 23 May 2020 10:36 AM PDT  President Donald J. Trump has announced the U.S. intends to exit the "Open Skies" treaty. The 34-nation agreement allows the United States, Russia and other countries to conduct observation flights over each other's territories in the interests of transparency and international security. Speaking to reporters, Trump said: "We're going to pull out, and they're going to come back and want to make a deal. We've had a very good relationship lately with Russia." While the Trump administration is citing Russia's various violations of the agreement as the main reason for the U.S. withdrawal, Russian experts and government officials believe that the abrupt decision is rooted in Trump's desire to throw all international treaties out the window in pursuit of a bigger, better deal which he can claim to pursue during his election campaign even if it comes to nothing.Such flippant methods may work for reality television, but tend to backfire in real life. Case in point, Trump's gambit with Iran, where U.S withdrawal from the nuclear deal led to the expansion of Tehran's nuclear stockpile.Now that Trump reportedly is toying with the idea of resuming nuclear testing as well, the Kremlin intends to take full advantage of that harebrained idea. Washington's approach reportedly is rooted in the flawed assumption that renewed nuclear testing would prompt the Kremlin to pressure the Chinese into joining a trilateral agreement with the United States and Russia. This concept was dismissed out of hand by Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. During an online forum conducted by the Gorchakov Fund, a Russian think tank, Ryabkov asserted that the Kremlin didn't intend to apply any pressure to China to please Washington. Instead of playing along with Trump's dangerous brinkmanship, Russia may pull out of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty altogether. Alexei Fenenko, an associate professor of global politics at Moscow State University, told the state media outlet RIA Novosti that such a withdrawal would be "beneficial for Russia, since the collapse of this treaty would cause colossal damage to the United States of America." State media outlet Vesti surmised that such a move would obliterate all of Washington's efforts and decades-long investments in the nuclear ban treaty.As for the planned U.S. withdrawal from the Open Skies treaty, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo clarified that it is set to take place six months from now, on Nov. 22, 2020, after the next presidential election in the United States. In Russia, Trump's commentary and the timing of the intended withdrawal from Open Skies were interpreted as a sign that the move is merely political, with no tangible repercussions for the Kremlin. Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov mentioned that the Kremlin's exchanges with Washington were taking place via the traditional and non-traditional channels, but described the Trump administration's demands and ultimatums as "senseless" and "categorically unacceptable."Russian state-owned radio station Vesti FM described Trump's dangerous flailing on the international arena as his desire "to play with toy soldiers." The Kremlin's state media have grown used to laughing at Trump's irrational bluster. Appearing on the state TV show 60 Minutes earlier this week, Elena Malinnikova, an infectious disease specialist for the Russian Health Ministry, said that Trump must really be taking the regimen of hydroxychloroquine, since it's known to cause psychotic side effects. Trump's Been Playing a Ventilator Shell Game With Russia—and Moscow Mocks HimTrump recently sought to improve relations with Russia with a donation of U.S. taxpayer-funded ventilators, despite Moscow's claim that it already has more ventilators per capita than the United States. In fact, Russian state media reported that the country is so flush with ventilators, it plans to start exporting them to other countries by July. Instead of eliciting gratitude, Trump's gift to the Kremlin only prompted more mockery.The Kremlin is waiting for the November election, hoping it's guy Trump will win, and looking at the administration's announced policies through that lens.Appearing on the state TV show 60 Minutes on Friday, Oleg Nilov, member of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, said: "After the [U.S.] elections, the new political chapter will emerge in the United States of America. A lot of things will surface." He dubbed the Open Skies announcement a "pre-electoral move," and, referring to the U.S. president's remarks about good relations, joked that Trump thinks, "Everything is fine in relations with Russia, we [the U.S.] trust them completely and therefore, they don't need to be monitored." Nilov's commentary prompted the experts and the host of 60 Minutes, Olga Skabeeva, to chuckle. The possibility of genuine trust between the United States and Russia sounded too far-fetched to be taken with any degree of seriousness. Skabeeva asked military expert Ivan Konovalov whether the U.S. withdrawal from the Open Skies treaty would hamper Russia's ability "to uncover important information about the Americans." Konovalov assured her that regardless of the treaty, Russia can continue to obtain the same data by utilizing its space operations. Last year, the Defense Intelligence Agency noted that both China and Russia "have developed robust and capable space services, including space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance." The signatories of the Open Skies treaty include most of America's NATO allies—and Ukraine. Konovalov explained that the termination of the treaty wouldn't impact Russia, while at the same time it would harm NATO, Europe, and especially those countries on Russia's borders: the Baltic States and Ukraine. "They are losing much more," he said. "Ukraine participated in these flights since 2014. In spite of all of our disagreements and confrontations, Ukrainian officers and inspectors were allowed to enter our airspace along with Americans." America's allies "are losing because of this, the Europeans are losing." Political scientist Vladimir Kornilov pointed out: "Trump is convinced this is a bilateral agreement, he isn't even thinking about other countries involved. It's funny." Sergei Ryabkov, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister, noted that the U.S. announcement about its intended withdrawal from the Open Skies Treaty came as a surprise to America's allies. He accused the Trump administration of lying about its reasoning for withdrawing from the treaty and added: "The United States is sowing discord and uncertainty among its allies... They are ignoring the opinion of NATO and other nations that are party to this agreement." In point of fact, France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Finland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Sweden jointly said they "regret" Trump's decision to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty, calling on Russia to return to compliance with the agreement. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, trying to smooth things over within the alliance, cited Russia's violations of the treaty, including "flight limitations over Kaliningrad, and restricting flights in Russia near its border with Georgia" and expressed hope that the agreement could be preserved if the Kremlin returns to compliance. European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said, "Withdrawing from a treaty is not the solution," adding that the EU "will be examining the implications this decision may have for its own security." The European Union on Friday urged the United States to reconsider its plan to pull out of the Open Skies Treaty. As the Trump administration casts aside the concerns of the Europeans, the Kremlin intends to amplify "the lack of solidarity" exhibited by the United States towards its allies.Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told the state media outlet TASS: "This move will not only worsen the situation with strategic stability and military security in Europe, but apparently it will also harm the interests of U.S. allies that are parties to this European agreement."Trump's ability to sow that kind of discord among NATO allies is unquestionably appetizing to the Kremlin. Earlier this week, experts on the Russian state TV show The Evening with Vladimir Soloviev discussed Russia's preference for Trump's re-election, as opposed to the candidacy of former Vice President Joe Biden. Andrey Bezrukov, retired intelligence service colonel who serves as an advisor to the president of Rosneft (the Russian state-owned oil company), and a member of the Presidium of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, explained: "I am often asked: 'Why is Trump better than, for example, Biden or Clinton?' The answer is simple. Because Biden or Clinton would act in support of [international] coalitions. It's the gathering of all forces against us into one group, one team. When Trump came, he destroyed that team."So, from the Kremlin's point of view—in spite of Trump's mind-numbing arrogance and incompetence—his actions ultimately boost Russia's interests. In light of Trump's successes undermining transatlantic unity, the Kremlin has to be unquestionably rattled by the possibility he might lose the election in 2020. Anatoly Torkunov, a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Collegium of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, offered fairly cogent analysis: "Even though the world system is less and less dependent on the United States and the results of their elections, we continue to carefully analyze the situation. At the beginning of the year there was more certainty. According to our experts, Andrey Bezrukov and Ivan Safranchuk, the outcome of the elections depended on two variables: the economic situation in the United States and the ability of the Democratic Party to mobilize its political base. Given that the economic situation was favorable and the Democrats could not recover from internal conflicts, the chances of the incumbent president to maintain his post were pretty high. "The pandemic caused things to change," said Torkunov. "On the one hand, the United States is facing serious economic difficulties. On the other hand, the Democrats, at least the establishment of the party, rallied around their candidate, Joseph Biden. This reduces Trump's chances." The Kremlin's apparent concern that its preferred candidate might lose in November explains the avalanche of anti-Biden coverage on Russia's English-language outlets, RT and Sputnik. Kremlin-funded media are latching on to every distraction spawned by Trump's re-election campaign: Obamagate, Huntergate, Flynngate and whatever else may follow. The goal of undermining the American democracy continues to guide the Kremlin's actions and Trump's presidency still suits Putin's agenda to a "T."Read more at The Daily Beast.Get 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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| Lift the lockdown now to protect 'Blue Wall' jobs, Boris Johnson told by leading party donor Posted: 23 May 2020 10:28 AM PDT  Boris Johnson should lift the lockdown to protect jobs, and save the economy, a leading Tory donor says today as he argues that an easing of restrictions would help newly won Tory seats in the north. Writing in The Telegraph, Alexander Termerko who owns some of the biggest manufacturing businesses in the north of England says the Prime Minister owes it to the voters in the so-called Blue Wall of northern seats to lift the lockdown urgently. The Ukrainian-born businessman who has donated heavily to the Conservatives and knows Mr Johnson says: "These are not initiatives to be placed on the backburner – rather, they are of the utmost importance to press forward with now, for delaying will be ruinous. "The Government owes it to British workers – and to workers in the Blue Wall that gave Boris their trust in the last election, in particular." Mr Termerko continues: "Our economy has taken a dire hit, unemployment is skyrocketing, and Brexit is looming. And in the year run-up to Brexit, when British industries needed to be at their best, preparing and expanding, they have instead been hobbled and hamstrung by the pandemic. "This is not a retrospective criticism – it is a call for the Government and British society to look now to the future. "The Government and our NHS have done so much to save lives – now they must work equally hard to save our economy, or else face a trial even greater than coronavirus for our nation. "If the lockdown continues, we will see more businesses and economies fail, and dreadful looting of Government coffers. We will see unemployment continue to spiral, and the resultant drain on the state's resources. "We will see investment flee, and we will see a prolonged, ruinous recession that will push the UK away from the negotiating tables with the EU, US and other powers as we seek to sign trade deals and negotiate our international future." Mr Termerko runs and owns Aquind, an electricity interconnector being constructed between Britain and France worth over £1billion, and he is the co-director of Hadrian Yard, formerly OGN Group, the North East's largest manufacturing yard, producing offshore oil, gas and renewable energy equipment. He adds: "There is a way out of this scenario: An economic revival. A booming economy would accomplish the exact opposite of the dire scenario – it would give us a strong hand to negotiate Brexit, it would safeguard our financial wellbeing, and indeed, it would save lives, by keeping our society fit and healthy mentally and physically, and funding our NHS." Mr Termerko is urging Mr Johnson to set up a Business Council to support entrepreneurs, particularly in the north of England. He says: "All crises beget both hardship and opportunity. We have an opportunity now: A revolutionary shift to a true pro-business administration; an innovative and bold cast of leaders to push change where necessary." He adds: "We have an unprecedented opportunity. We have saved the lives of so many citizens through quick action and the tireless work of our NHS – we must not waste it by remaining paralysed in fear. We must instead agree to a new slogan: Lift the lockdown, protect jobs, save the economy." Mr Termerko has donated about £1.4million to the Conservative Party since 2011, and currently gives £50,000 annually. He added: "The fact that 99 per cent of people, ready, willing and able to work, are staying home to protect 1 per cent of the population is an unsustainable situation. "Protecting people is very important, and we must, but we can't do so by keeping the entire nation locked away. "Many more people will be in grave danger if there is economic collapse, and conversely, the economic output of the 99% that are able to work will protect the vulnerable by guaranteeing funding and focus on the NHS."
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| U.N. Official Warns Cybercrime Up 600% During COVID-19 Pandemic Posted: 23 May 2020 08:48 AM PDT  The United Nations warned on Friday that cybercrime is up 600% during the COVID-19 pandemic. U.N. disarmament chief Izumi Nakamitsu says the pandemic has caused an increase of technological innovation. In April, the U.N. released data showing that one-third of nations lack laws to protect citizens' online privacy.
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| U.N. Warns Cybercrime Up 600% During COVID-19 Pandemic Posted: 23 May 2020 08:48 AM PDT The United Nations warned on Friday that cybercrime is up 600% during the COVID-19 pandemic. U.N. disarmament chief Izumi Nakamitsu says the pandemic has caused an increase of technological innovation. In April, the U.N. released data showing that one-third of nations lack laws to protect citizens' online privacy.
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| Fire destroys warehouse on San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf Posted: 23 May 2020 08:19 AM PDT  A fire engulfed a warehouse on San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf early Saturday, sending a thick plume of smoke over the waterfront and threatening to spread to a historic World War II-era ship before firefighters brought the flames under control. One firefighter sustained a hand injury while battling the fire at the warehouse the size of a football field on Pier 45, San Francisco Fire Lt. Jonathan Baxter said.
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| Rural areas, tribal lands hit hardest by census interruption Posted: 23 May 2020 08:14 AM PDT  Even though they're neighbors, two New Mexico counties couldn't be further apart in the rate of people answering the 2020 census. Los Alamos County, where the atomic bomb was born and many people are highly educated, has one of the nation's highest response rates at 79%. Rio Arriba County, where a language other than English is spoken in over half of homes, is at the bottom at 9%.
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| Sudan to establish police force to protect health workers Posted: 23 May 2020 08:13 AM PDT  Sudan's transitional authorities are working to create a police force to protect health facilities, the prime minister's office said Saturday, as attacks against health workers and hospitals increase amid the coronavirus pandemic. The move came after doctors across the country threatened Thursday to go on strike to pressure authorities to provide protection for health workers and facilities. Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok met with representatives of doctors on Friday to find "decisive and strict solutions" to "the phenomenon of repeated attacks on health workers," his office said in a statement.
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| Density, poverty keep Los Angeles struggling against virus Posted: 23 May 2020 08:12 AM PDT  While most of California welcomed more places to eat, shop and play this holiday weekend, Los Angeles did not join the party. The nation's most populous county is not planning to reopen more widely until the next summer holiday, July 4th, because it has a disproportionately large share of the state's coronavirus cases and can't meet even new, relaxed state standards for allowing additional businesses and recreational activities. In recent days, death and hospitalization trends have improved, but on Friday the White House coronavirus response coordinator named LA as a region where spread of the virus is a concern.
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| Police: Miami mom faked son's abduction, faces murder charge Posted: 23 May 2020 08:10 AM PDT  A Miami woman faked her son's abduction after trying to drown him twice, with witnesses rescuing the boy from a canal the first time, and the second attempt ending in the boy's death, officials said Saturday. Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said Patricia Ripley, 45, is facing attempted and premeditated murder charges and being held in jail with no bond. The boy, Alejandro Ripley, 9, was autistic and nonverbal.
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| Gaza reports 1st virus-related death amid fears of outbreak Posted: 23 May 2020 07:25 AM PDT  The crowded Gaza Strip recorded its first death from the coronavirus on Saturday, officials said, amid fears an outbreak could paralyze the territory's already overstretched health care system. The Palestinian health ministry said the deceased was a 77-year-old woman who had underlying health problems and had been placed at a special field hospital near the Rafah border crossing point upon arriving from Egypt. Gaza's authorities, led by the militant group Hamas, reported 35 confirmed new cases this week, bringing the total to 55.
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| Dominic Cummings: The Vote Leave svengali who has made himself untouchable in Downing Street Posted: 23 May 2020 06:47 AM PDT  On paper, he carries the lowly title of "assistant to the Prime Minister" but in becoming Boris Johnson's most trusted aide, Dominic Cummings has become so powerful as to seem nigh on untouchable. Of making mistakes, Mr Johnson once commented: "Nothing excites compassion, in friend and foe alike, as much as the sight of you ker-splonked on the Tarmac with your propeller buried six feet under." Yet in Cummings' case, it appears he is determined to make an exception - for the time being, at least. The alacrity with which No 10 and the Cabinet have thrown their support behind the former Vote Leave svengali - insisting, in fact, that he had done the right thing, according to the fine print of the rules - keenly demonstrates the importance to Johnson's Government of the man David Cameron once described as a "career psychopath". Insisting that a Covid-ridden Mr Cummings behaved "reasonably and legally" in travelling from London to Durham with his wife and son to stay in a building that is part of the family farm, Downing Street denied reports that he was spoken to by the police about the matter, claiming it was "essential" that they travelled to his family home to ensure his child could be properly cared for in case the condition of both parents deteriorated. Mr Johnson hired Mr Cummings after becoming Prime Minister last July because he was the man who promised to 'get Brexit done' and help Johnson deliver a revolutionary legacy. He was so impressed by the Durham-born Oxford graduate's insatiable desire to shake things up, his ability to push through projects and direct change, he even signed a contract giving him "special powers". Not only was Mr Cummings to have authority over all other 'SpAds' (special advisors), he was also given jurisdiction over government projects such as ARPA - the Tories' pledge to recreate 'America's Advanced Research Projects Agency' in Britain and other projects, including reform of the civil service. In the post-Covid era, Mr Cummings remains Mr Johnson's eyes and ears, attending all the key committees involved in the Government's response to the global pandemic. So it was hardly surprising when it emerged that Mr Cummings had been digitally attending some meetings of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) - much to the chagrin of his many critics.
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| #143Day: Fred Rogers and a day of kindness in Pennsylvania Posted: 23 May 2020 06:13 AM PDT  Pennsylvania's second annual 1-4-3 Day, an occasion when state officials encourage people to share their acts of kindness and gratitude. The initiative began in 2019 when Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf declared the 143rd day of the year a day of kindness in honor of the state's beloved kindness patron and promoter, Fred Rogers, who spent most of his life in and around Pittsburgh. "Acts of kindness should be happening always, but this is a way where there is encouragement to track it, to share it," said Gisele Fetterman, wife of Pennsylvania's lieutenant governor, John Fetterman.
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| In Mexican border cities, many fear virus is coming from US Posted: 23 May 2020 06:08 AM PDT  Adrián Alonso Gama lived life on both sides of the border, until he got the coronavirus. On weekends the 37-year-old truck driver would stay at his parents' home in Tijuana. Thanks to his U.S. green card, he lived in his own place in San Diego during the week, delivering beer and auto parts around the American southwest.
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| AP PHOTOS: Lockdown journey through a silenced San Francisco Posted: 23 May 2020 05:44 AM PDT  At the corner of Powell and Market streets, pigeons walk across an empty cable car turntable — one usually surrounded by dozens of tourists waiting to board. About the only thing open besides a couple of electronics stores was a poultry butcher shop.
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| Iran warns US not to interfere with Venezuela oil shipment Posted: 23 May 2020 05:41 AM PDT  Iran's president on Saturday warned the United States not to interfere with a shipment of oil bound for Venezuela after the South American nation said it would provide an armed escort for the tankers. In a statement posted on his website, Hassan Rouhani said the United States had created "unacceptable conditions" in different parts of the world, but that Iran would "by no means" be the one to initiate conflict.
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| Egypt says raids on hideouts in Sinai kill 21 militants Posted: 23 May 2020 05:07 AM PDT |
| Iran announces further easing of virus measures Posted: 23 May 2020 04:49 AM PDT  Iran announced a further relaxation of coronavirus lockdown measures on Saturday and said it has started to control the outbreak in nearly a third of its provinces. The Islamic republic has battled the Middle East's most deadly coronavirus outbreak since February 19, when it announced its first two deaths. Ten out of Iran's 31 provinces are now in the virus "containment stage", said President Hassan Rouhani in a televised virus taskforce meeting.
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| British leader's aide denies 250-mile trip broke virus rules Posted: 23 May 2020 02:55 AM PDT  The British government dug in Saturday to defend Prime Minister Boris Johnson's top adviser, Dominic Cummings, for traveling more than 250 miles (400 kilometers) to his parents' house during a nationwide lockdown at a time when he suspected he had the coronavirus. Opponents demanded Cummings' resignation after The Guardian and Mirror newspapers revealed he had driven from London to the property in Durham, northeast England, with his wife and son at the end of March. Johnson's office said in a statement that Cummings made the trip because his wife was showing coronavirus symptoms, he correctly thought he was likely to also get sick, and relatives had offered to help look after the couple's 4-year-old son.
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| UK opposition calls on PM to sack top adviser over 400 km lockdown drive Posted: 23 May 2020 01:52 AM PDT |
| Virus spread feared where water is scarce around the world Posted: 23 May 2020 12:06 AM PDT  "Social distancing here?" Manuel asked tartly. Such choices underscore the challenges of preventing the spread of the coronavirus in slums, camps and other crowded settlements around the world where clean water is scarce and survival is a daily struggle.
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| After weeks of COVID-19 cases, Russian doctor craves quiet Posted: 22 May 2020 11:49 PM PDT  As he strides down the sidewalk outside Moscow's Filatov Hospital in blue jeans and garish crimson shoes, Dr. Osman Osmanov shows no signs of the rigors he's just been through. "The current situation doesn't allow" for rest, he said.
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| Britain divided over reopening schools as virus rules ease Posted: 22 May 2020 11:28 PM PDT  David Waugh is putting down barrier tape and spraying yellow lines on the ground outside the main door of his school near Manchester. Waugh, who oversees five schools in northwestern England, already has painted yellow arrows to ensure that children follow a one-way path around the building when they return next month from an extended break due to the coronavirus pandemic. Waugh has stocked up on 7,500 face masks, hundreds of pairs of gloves, hand sanitizer and other supplies.
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| Israel's Netanyahu, unbeaten in elections, is going on trial Posted: 22 May 2020 11:21 PM PDT  After entering the record books last year as Israel's longest-serving prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu will once again make history when he becomes the country's first sitting leader to go on trial. Surrounded by security guards, Netanyahu is set to march into Jerusalem's district court for arraignment on a series of corruption charges on Sunday. The stunning scene will push Israel into uncharted political and legal territory, launching a process that could ultimately end the career of a leader who has been undefeatable at the ballot box for over a decade.
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| Turbulence, warnings before Pakistan plane crash killed 97 Posted: 22 May 2020 11:00 PM PDT  When the plane jolted violently, Mohammad Zubair thought it was turbulence. Moments later, the Pakistan International Airlines flight crashed into a crowded neighborhood near Karachi's international airport, killing 97 people, all of whom are believed to be passengers and crew members. Meeran Yousaf, the provincial Health Department spokeswoman, said only 21 of the bodies from Friday's crash have been identified and that most of the bodies were badly burned.
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| Trump's disconnect with DC widens during viral pandemic Posted: 22 May 2020 09:44 PM PDT  District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser's cellphone rang earlier this week from an unfamiliar number: It was the White House calling to say President Donald Trump wanted to talk. The president congratulated Washington's mayor on $876 million in federal coronavirus relief going to the Washington-area Metro system — money that was welcome but not under the mayor's jurisdiction, instead going to a regional transportation authority. Bowser used the moment to remind Trump that the District — a city of 700,000 people that includes more than 150,000 federal workers — got $700 million less in coronavirus relief money than each of the 50 states because it was classified as a territory at Senate Republicans' insistence in the first round of federal relief passed by Congress.
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| Trump declares churches 'essential,' calls on them to reopen Posted: 22 May 2020 09:28 PM PDT  President Donald Trump has labeled churches and other houses of worship as "essential" and called on governors nationwide to let them reopen this weekend even though some areas remain under coronavirus lockdown. "Governors need to do the right thing and allow these very important essential places of faith to open right now — for this weekend," Trump said at a hastily arranged press conference at the White House. Asked what authority Trump might have to supersede governors, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said she wouldn't answer a theoretical question.
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| Coronavirus in Kenya: 'I buried my cousin on Facebook Live' Posted: 22 May 2020 06:14 PM PDT  The BBC's Mercy Juma had to watch her cousin's burial online - until her internet connection failed.
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