McCarthy notes ‘difficulties’ when asked about Cheney comments | TheHill – The Hill
McCarthy notes ‘difficulties’ when asked about Cheney comments | TheHill – The Hill

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthyKevin McCarthyMcCarthy unveils House GOP task forces, chairs Uninvited Trump is specter at GOP retreat Cheney not ruling out White House bid MORE (R-Calif.) said when asked in a new interview about House Republican Conference Chairwoman Liz CheneyElizabeth (Liz) Lynn CheneyUninvited Trump is specter at GOP retreat Cheney not ruling out White House bid Cheney breaks with McCarthy on scope of Jan. 6 panel MORE’s (Wyo.) recent comments that it “creates difficulties” when leaders don’t “work as one team.”

“There’s a responsibility, if you’re gonna be in leadership, leaders eat last,” McCarthy told Politico on Monday when asked about Cheney’s remarks. “And when leaders try to go out and not work as one team, it creates difficulties.”

McCarthy also told the news outlet he’s spoken to Cheney about toning down her rhetoric. But when asked about her response, he reportedly said: “You be the judge.”

The interview came after Cheney earlier in the day broke with McCarthy, telling reporters that a proposed 9/11-style independent commission should narrowly focus on the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

McCarthy, who has been one of former President TrumpDonald TrumpFox News says Smartmatic lawsuit should be dismissed DC settles lawsuit over Trump inauguration mass arrests CNN: Trump advisers urge him to make pro-vaccine PSA MORE’s most loyal defenders, has said the scope of the bipartisan commission should also include other episodes of political violence, like Black Lives Matter and antifa protests that have turned violent at times.

“What happened on Jan. 6 is unprecedented in our history, and I think that it’s very important that the commission be able to focus on that,” Cheney said at a Republican policy retreat in Florida. “I’m very concerned, as all my colleagues are, about the violence that we saw, the BLM, the antifa violence last summer. I think that’s a different set of issues, a different set of problems and a different set of solutions.”

Cheney later told Politico that if “we minimize what happened on Jan. 6th and if we appease it, then we will be in a situation where every election cycle, you could potentially have another constitutional crisis.”

“If you get into a situation where we don’t guarantee a peaceful transfer of power, we won’t have learned the lessons of Jan. 6. And you can’t bury our head in the sand,” she said. “It matters hugely to the survival of the country.”

Cheney was one of 10 Republicans who voted to impeach Trump for his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection, which was aimed at stopping the certification of President BidenJoe BidenOvernight Defense: Supreme Court to hear Gitmo detainee’s request for information on CIA-sponsored torture | General says preparations for Afghanistan withdrawal underway | Army replacing head of criminal investigations division How to get Americans on board with Biden’s bold climate goals OSHA sends draft emergency temporary standard for COVID-19 to OMB review MORE’s election victory. Trump was ultimately acquitted in his Senate trial.

When asked on Monday about the leaders in the Republican Party, she did not mention the former president.

“I think right now, the Republican Party is headed by [Senate Minority Leader] Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellNew US emissions-reduction target will spur economic growth Uninvited Trump is specter at GOP retreat Cheney not ruling out White House bid MORE and Kevin McCarthy in the House. I think our elected leaders, you know, are the ones who are in charge of the Republican Party,” Cheney said. “And I think as we look at ’22 and ’24, we’re very much going to be focused on substance and on the issues.”

In an interview with the New York Post published Monday, Cheney also said she is not ruling out running for president.

“I’m not ruling anything in or out — never is a long time,” Cheney told the newspaper when asked if she would ever consider running in the future.

Source Article from https://thehill.com/homenews/house/550402-mccarthy-notes-difficulties-when-asked-about-cheney-comments

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Charlie Baker announces plans to lift more COVID-19 restrictions over the next month and ease outdoor mask mandate Friday – Boston.com
Charlie Baker announces plans to lift more COVID-19 restrictions over the next month and ease outdoor mask mandate Friday – Boston.com

With more than half of Massachusetts residents at least partially vaccinated, Gov. Charlie Baker announced a multi-step plan Tuesday to phase out more COVID-19 restrictions and allow more businesses to reopen over the course of the next month — with an aim of eliminating all limits on businesses and gatherings by August.

In a press release Tuesday morning, Baker’s office said the changes will begin Friday when the state’s strict mask mandate will be eased to allow people to remove face coverings when they are outside in public and able to socially distance. Masks will still be required in indoor public places, as well as at certain outdoor settings, like large gatherings and events. However, state officials are eliminating the $300 fine for violations.

Beginning on May 10, the state will move forward to the second step of Phase 4 of Baker’s reopening plan, allowing amusement parks, theme parks, and outdoor water parks to reopen at 50 percent capacity and with other safety protocols in place.

Road races and other large, outdoor athletic events will also be allowed to resume under health and safety protocols approved by local health officials. Officials say races will be required to include staggered starts. Youth and adult amateur sports tournaments will be allowed for moderate and high risk sports.

Baker’s plan also allows indoor singing — with strict distancing requirements — to resume May 10 at performance venues, restaurants, event venues, and other businesses.

As part of the step, capacity limits for large venues and stadiums like TD Garden and Fenway Park, which were allowed to reopen at 12 percent capacity on March 22, will be lifted to 25 percent on May 10. The occupancy limit for most other businesses will remain at 50 percent.

Baker’s office, which noted that case rates have decreased 20 percent since Massachusetts entered Phase 4 of the reopening on March 22, says a second round of changes will take effect on May 29, subject to coronavirus and vaccination trends.

According to the plan, the state will ease limits on all gatherings — both public and private — on May 29, allowing up to 200 people indoors and 250 people outdoors. Beginning on May 29, street festivals and parades will also be allowed to resume at 50 percent of their previous capacities and with approved safety plans.

The state will also let wineries, breweries, and bars that don’t serve food reopen on May 29 — and all restaurants will no longer be required to serve food with alcohol. However, customers will still be required to be seated (in other words, no standing around the bar). Tables will be limited to a maximum of 10 people, a 90-minute time limit, and subject to distancing requirements. Dance floors also will not be allowed to reopen.

Finally, Baker’s administration plans on Aug. 1 to allow the remaining closed settings — dance clubs, nightclubs, saunas, hot tubs, steam rooms, indoor water parks, and ball pits — to reopen and to allow all industries to reopen at 100 percent capacity, with businesses “encouraged to continue following best practices.” Statewide gathering limits will also be rescinded.

Baker’s office noted that the Aug. 1 date may be reevaluated depending on vaccine distribution and public health data. The state’s Department of Public Health will continue to issue guidance as needed, including guidance still requiring masks indoors, officials said.

Nearly a year after Baker first outlined the four-phase plan to reopen businesses in Massachusetts amid the pandemic, the plan comes as the state continues to average just over 1,000 new COVID-19 cases a day. However, after a slight uptick last month, the number of hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID-19 in Massachusetts have continued to decline, despite the spread of more contagious variants of the virus.

The state also continues to vaccinate tens of thousands of residents each day. As of Monday, more than a third of Massachusetts residents had received both shots of the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or one shot of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. According to The New York Times vaccine tracker, 54 percent of Bay Staters have gotten at least one dose of one of the three vaccines.

Connecticut and Rhode Island also announced plans last week to more aggressively phase out virtually all COVID-19 restrictions on businesses over the course of May, though the states plan to continue to require masks in indoor public settings past that date.

Many disease experts remain cautious about relaxing restriction too quickly at the risk of another bounce in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and preventable deaths. However, most agree that it was appropriate for Baker to ease the state’s outdoor mask mandate, which currently applies to all outdoor public settings, with no exceptions for when people can keep distance from others.

“Being outdoors in an open area exercising or where you can safely socially distance from people, there’s really not a need for masks in that setting,” David Hamer, a professor of global health and medicine at Boston University, told Boston.com.

However, according to Hamer, masks should still be required for indoor public settings, like public transit, supermarkets, and stores, as well as crowded outdoor settings.

Northeastern University professor Sam Scarpino, who has criticized Baker for relaxing business restrictions too quickly, agreed that the mask mandate could be eased. However, he said the economic reopening plan should be more directly tied to benchmarks in vaccination coverage and case rates, as opposed to “ad hoc” dates. Scarpino said that the state needs to aim to vaccinate 75 percent to 80 percent of the population.

“Case levels are still way too high,” he said. “It sort of seems like we’re just making it up as we go along, instead of tying it to vaccination coverage or …. positivity rate.”

Cassandra Pierre, an epidemiologist at Boston Medical Center and BU professor, said she worries that relaxing restrictions sends the message certain settings are completely safe. While state officials argue that most COVID-19 transmission has occurred in private gatherings where individuals let down their guard, Pierre said that easing restrictions on bars and other large indoor venues encourages individuals from separate households to congregate — particularly younger people who are less vaccinated.

“It’s premature to declare victory,” Pierre said.

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Source Article from https://www.boston.com/news/coronavirus/2021/04/27/massachusetts-charlie-baker-reopening-spring-summer

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How Barack Obama’s eight years shaped Joe Biden’s first 100 days – NBC News
How Barack Obama’s eight years shaped Joe Biden’s first 100 days – NBC News
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As Covid sweeps India, experts say cases and deaths are going unreported – CNN
As Covid sweeps India, experts say cases and deaths are going unreported – CNN

By Jessie Yeung, CNN

Updated 9:40 AM ET, Tue April 27, 2021

Source Article from https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/27/india/india-covid-underreporting-intl-hnk-dst/index.html

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President Biden News: Live Updates – The New York Times
President Biden News: Live Updates – The New York Times
Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry spoke to reporters at the White House last week.Credit…Al Drago for The New York Times

John Kerry, a former secretary of state, said on Monday that he had never discussed covert Israeli airstrikes in Syria with Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, contrary to Mr. Zarif’s claim in a leaked conversation.

Mr. Zarif and Mr. Kerry spoke constantly when the two were negotiating the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. The Iranian foreign minister said in the recording, reported by The New York Times on Sunday, that Mr. Kerry had informed him that Israel had attacked Iranian interests in Syria at least 200 times.

The claim sparked a furor on Monday among conservatives who accused Mr. Kerry, who was secretary of state in the Obama administration and now serves as President Biden’s climate envoy, of betraying Israeli secrets.

But in a tweet on Monday evening, Mr. Kerry denied the assertion and pointed to reports long in the public domain about Israeli strikes on Iranian assets in Syria.

“I can tell you that this story and these allegations are unequivocally false. This never happened — either when I was Secretary of State or since,” Mr. Kerry wrote.

Mr. Kerry’s denial came after multiple attacks from prominent Republicans. Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, said that, if real, the remarks would amount to “catastrophic and disqualifying recklessness.”

Senator Dan Sullivan, Republican of Alaska and a former State Department official under President George W. Bush, called in a speech on the Senate floor for Mr. Kerry to resign, saying he was “astonished” that Mr. Kerry “would reveal the secrets of one of our most important and enduring allies in the region to an avowed enemy, the largest state sponsor of terrorism.”

And Nikki Haley, who served as United Nations ambassador in the Trump administration, wrote on Twitter that the claim was “disgusting” and accused Mr. Kerry of “tipping off Iran.”

But it was not clear that the alleged disclosure would have revealed any secrets.

Israel has made little effort to deny years of strikes attributed to it by Syria’s government, news outlets and nongovernmental organizations tracking the Syrian conflict, whose chaos Iran has sought to use to establish a foothold that could threaten Israeli security.

A New York Times article from 2019 included similar information on the number of Israeli strikes. And Mr. Kerry’s tweet cited a Washington Post reporter’s tweet of a 2018 Reuters article, sourced to a senior Israeli official, reporting that Israel had mounted 200 attacks on Iranian assets in Syria.

The recording in question captures Mr. Zarif speaking for hours to an interviewer producing an oral history of the current Iranian administration.

“Kerry has to tell me that Israel has attacked you 200 times in Syria?” says Mr. Zarif, who complains in the recording that Iran’s military has long kept him in the dark on crucial matters. “You did not know?” the interviewer asks twice. Both times, Mr. Zarif replies, “No, no.”

In the recording, Mr. Zarif does not specify when Mr. Kerry was supposed to have made the comment.

A State Department official noted on Monday that Mr. Kerry had a record of supporting Israel’s security and that many of the Republicans outraged by Mr. Zarif’s remarks had said previously that his words could not be trusted.

Earlier in the day, the State Department spokesman, Ned Price, told reporters at a daily briefing that he would not comment on “purportedly leaked material” and could not “vouch for the authenticity of it or the accuracy of it,” or what motives might be behind its emergence.

Mr. Price did not specifically address whether Mr. Kerry had made such comments to Mr. Zarif, but implied that they would not have constituted an improper disclosure.

“I would just make the broad point that if you go back and look at press reporting from the time, this certainly was not secret,” Mr. Price said. “And governments that were involved were speaking to this publicly, on the record.”

Source Article from https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/04/27/us/biden-news-today

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John Kerry calls claims he told Iranians about Israeli actions in Syria ‘unequivocally false’ – Fox News
John Kerry calls claims he told Iranians about Israeli actions in Syria ‘unequivocally false’ – Fox News

Good morning and welcome to Fox News First. Here’s what you need to know as you start your day

John Kerry denies allegations he divulged Israel’s covert operations
U.S. Special Climate Envoy John Kerry on Monday denied allegations that while he was serving as secretary of state under Barack Obama he informed the Iranian foreign minister of Israeli operations in Syria.

Video

In a Twitter post, Kerry called the claims – detailed in leaked audio obtained by several media outlets – ‘unequivocally false.’

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif alleged in the audio that Kerry told him that Israel had struck around 200 Iranian targets in Syria.

The Iranian leader admitted he was shocked by the purported admission, as reported by The New York Times.

Republicans were quick to jump on the reports as a betrayal to Israel – a key U.S. ally in the region – with some even calling for Kerry’s resignation from his post in the Biden administration. CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON OUR TOP STORY.

In other developments:
– John Kerry faces calls to resign over allegations of leaking Israeli intel to Iran
– New York Times ‘buried’ bombshell that John Kerry told Iran about Israeli covert operations in Syria: Critics
– Iran’s foreign minister says John Kerry told him about Israeli covert operations in Syria
– Iran’s top diplomat, in leaked recording, offers blunt comments about Russia, Soleimani

North Carolina protests erupt as Elizabeth City is thrust into national spotlight
Protesters took to the streets in Elizabeth City, North Carolina for the sixth consecutive day Monday, following the killing of Andrew Brown Jr. last week.

Video

The protests took place several hours after Brown’s family said they were only allowed to see a small portion of police body camera footage of the April 21 shooting. Authorities have released few details on the shooting and video of the incident has not yet been made public.

On Monday evening, hundreds of protesters marched through the city’s downtown area, as some carried signs and chanted: “Release the tape! The real tape!”

Local police — who were blocking traffic to allow the protests to pass by — were confronted by the crowd on two occasions, according to the Charlotte Observer.

“Say his name! Say his name!” the group yelled before moving on. CLICK HERE FOR MORE.

In other developments:
– Andrew Brown Jr. search warrant: Drug deals captured on camera weeks before fatal police shooting
– North Carolina Lt. Gov. Robinson slams anti-cop activists in Elizabeth City: ‘Pump your brakes and slow down’

Los Angeles police officer pens letter to LeBron James requesting sitdown to talk about policing
A Black Los Angeles police officer who has worked in the city’s Skid Row area for two decades invited LeBron James to have a discussion about policing following a much-criticized tweet from the Lakers star related to the fatal police shooting of a teenage girl.

Video

Deon Joseph, a 24-year veteran of the LAPD, posted a letter to his Facebook page Sunday addressed to James where he called his stance on policing “off base and extreme.”

James has frequently spoken out against racism and police misconduct in recent years.

He came under fire last week after tweeting an image of a Columbus, Ohio police officer following the shooting of Ma’Khia Bryant, who was shot by an officer as she was attacking another teen with a knife. 

The incident occurred minutes before a Minneapolis, Minn., jury convicted Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd.

“YOU’RE NEXT #ACCOUNTABILITY,” James tweeted with the officer’s image.

He later deleted the post, saying it was being used to “create more hate.” CLICK HERE FOR MORE.

In other developments:
– Ohio bar refuses to show NBA games until LeBron James is ‘expelled,’ Lakers star fires back
– ABC, CBS avoid LeBron James tweet targeting Columbus police officer on morning, evening news programs

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TODAY’S MUST-READS:
– Newsom recall officially triggered as verified signature threshold met
– Census sweepstakes: Texas to gain 2 House seats while New York and California among the losers
– Colorado police department faces new criticism after release of booking video: ‘Ready for the pop?’
– Psaki says Harris hasn’t gone to border because she’s ‘working on a diplomatic level’

THE LATEST FROM FOX BUSINESS:
– Elon Musk teases Jeff Bezos ‘can’t get it up’ in battle over space contract
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– GM President Reuss says chip shortage is ‘worst’ auto supply issue ever as sale prices rise

#TheFlashback: CLICK HERE to find out what happened on “This Day in History.”

SOME PARTING WORDS

Video

Laura Ingraham discussed the Democrats’ continued movement against law enforcement on Monday’s “The Ingraham Angle,” pointing out “50 years ago, liberal, big-city mayors are presiding over a major crime surge and Democratic leaders not only seem that they don’t care – in fact, their responses to the surges are making things more dangerous.”

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Fox News First was compiled by Fox News’ Jack Durschlag. Thank you for making us your first choice in the morning! We’ll see you in your inbox first thing Wednesday.

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Source Article from https://www.foxnews.com/us/john-kerry-calls-claims-he-told-iranians-about-israeli-actions-in-syria-unequivocally-false

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Biden Seeks $80 Billion to Beef Up I.R.S. Audits of High-Earners – The New York Times
Biden Seeks $80 Billion to Beef Up I.R.S. Audits of High-Earners – The New York Times

Mr. Biden aims to change that. His economic team includes a University of Pennsylvania economist, Natasha Sarin, whose research with the Harvard University economist Lawrence H. Summers suggests that the United States could raise as much as $1.1 trillion over a decade via increased tax enforcement.

Mr. Summers praised Mr. Biden’s expected plan in an email late Monday. “This is the broadly right approach,” he said. “Deterioration in I.R.S. enforcement effort and information gathering is scandalous. The Biden plan would make the American tax system fairer, more efficient and, I’m confident, raise more revenue than official scorekeepers now forecast — likely a trillion over 10 years.”

Mr. Biden’s efforts would incorporate some of Ms. Sarin and Mr. Summers’s suggestions, including investing heavily in information technology improvements to help the agency better target its audits of high-earners and companies.

They would also provide a dedicated funding stream to the agency, to enable officials to steadily ramp up their enforcement practices without fear of budget cuts, and to signal to potential tax evaders that the agency’s efforts will not be soon diminished. Mr. Biden would also add new requirements for people who own so-called pass-through corporations or hold their wealth in opaque structures, reminiscent of a program established under President Barack Obama that helps the agency better track possible tax evasion by Americans with overseas holdings.

Fred T. Goldberg Jr., an I.R.S. commissioner under President George H.W. Bush, called Mr. Biden’s plan “transformative” for combining those efforts.

“Information reporting, coupled with restoring enforcement efforts, is key to improve in compliance,” Mr. Goldberg said in an email. “Audits alone will never do the trick.”

He added: “None of this happens overnight. A decade of stable funding is necessary to recruit and train talent and build on the necessary technology — not only for compliance purposes but to meet the quality of services that the vast majority complaint taxpayers expect and deserve.”

Source Article from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/27/business/economy/biden-american-families-plan.html

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Brazil Rejects Using Russia’s Sputnik V Covid Vaccine – The New York Times
Brazil Rejects Using Russia’s Sputnik V Covid Vaccine – The New York Times

The official Sputnik V Twitter account pushed back on Monday in Portuguese, saying that the vaccine’s developers had shared “all the necessary information and documentation” with Anvisa. In another tweet, it said Anvisa’s decision “was of a political nature” and had “nothing to do with access to information or science.” It alleged that the United States had persuaded Brazil to deny approval.

Anvisa officials were under immense pressure to deliver a decision on Sputnik V: Brazilian states had contracts to buy almost 30 million doses. The Supreme Court ordered Anvisa to make a decision.

“The days of yes to the vaccine and to treatments are celebrated,” Alex Machado, an Anvisa director, said. “There will inevitably be days of no.” He added that Anvisa’s reason for existence was “to protect the health of the population.”

Gov. Camilo Santana of Ceará, one of the states that had a Sputnik V contract, said on Twitter that he respected Anvisa’s decision but found it strange, given that the Sputnik V had been used in several countries. “I will keep fighting for this authorization, in a safe manner, following all the rules,” he said, adding that the federal government had been slow in distributing vaccines.

Russia is using Sputnik V in its mass vaccination campaign, and it has been approved for emergency use in dozens of countries. It has been entangled in politics and propaganda, with President Vladimir V. Putin announcing its approval even before late-stage trials began.

Source Article from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/26/world/covid-vaccine-brazil-russia-sputnik.html

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No COVID Vaccine Side Effects? Why It’s Fine To Feel Fine : Shots – Health News – NPR
No COVID Vaccine Side Effects? Why It’s Fine To Feel Fine : Shots – Health News – NPR

If you think vaccination is an ordeal now, consider the 18th century version. After having pus from a smallpox boil scratched into your arm, you would be subject to three weeks of fever, sweats, chills, bleeding and purging with dangerous medicines, accompanied by hymns, prayers and hell-fire sermons by dour preachers.

That was smallpox vaccination, back then. The process generally worked and was preferred to enduring “natural” smallpox, which killed about a third of those who got it. Patients were often grateful for trial-by-immunization — once it was over, anyway.

“Thus through the Mercy of God, I have been preserved through the Distemper of the Small Pox,” wrote one Peter Thatcher in 1764 after undergoing the process in a Boston inoculation hospital. “Many and heinous have been my sins, but I hope they will be washed away.”

Today, many Americans are once again willing, even eager, to suffer a little for the reward of immunity from a virus that has turned the world upside down.

Roughly half of those vaccinated with the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, and in particular women, experience unpleasantness — from hot, sore arms to chills, headache, fever and exhaustion. Some boast about the symptoms. They often welcome them.

Suspicion about what was in the shots grew in the mind of Patricia Mandatori, an Argentine immigrant in Los Angeles, when she hardly felt the needle going in after her first dose of the Moderna vaccine at a March appointment.

A day later, though, with satisfaction she says it “felt like a truck hit me. When I started to feel rotten I says, ‘Yay, I got the vaccination.’ I was happy. I felt relieved.”

While the symptoms show your immune system is responding to the vaccine in a way that will protect against disease, evidence from clinical trials showed that people with few or no symptoms were also protected. Don’t feel bad if you don’t feel bad, the experts say.

“This is the first vaccine in history where anyone has ever complained about not having symptoms,” says immunologist Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

To be sure, there is some evidence of stronger immune response in younger people — and in those who get sick when vaccinated. A small study at the University of Pennsylvania showed that people who reported systemic side effects such as fever, chills and headache may have had somewhat higher levels of antibodies. The large trial for Pfizer’s vaccine showed the same trend in younger patients.

But that doesn’t mean people who don’t react to the vaccine severely are less protected, says Dr. Joanna Schaenman, an expert on infectious diseases and the immunology of aging at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. While the symptoms of illness are undoubtedly part of the immune response, the immune response that counts is protection, she says. “That is preserved across age groups and likely to be independent of whether you had local or systemic side effects or not.”

The immune system responses that produce post-vaccination symptoms are thought to be triggered by proteins called toll-like receptors, which reside on certain immune cells. These receptors are less functional in older people, who are also likely to have chronic, low-grade activation of their immune systems that paradoxically mutes the more rapid response to a vaccine.

But other parts of their immune systems are responding more gradually to the vaccine by creating the specific types of cells needed to protect against the coronavirus. These are the so-called memory B cells, which make antibodies to attack the virus, and “killer T cells” that track and destroy virus-infected cells.

Many other vaccines, including those that prevent hepatitis B and bacterial pneumonia, are highly effective while having relatively mild side effect profiles, Schaenman notes.

Whether you have a strong reaction to the vaccine “is an interesting but, in a sense, not vital question,” says Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of infectious disease at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The bottom line, he says: “Don’t worry about it.”

There was a time when doctors prescribed cod-liver oil and people thought medicine had to taste bad to be effective. People who get sick after COVID-19 vaccination “feel like we’ve had a tiny bit of suffering, we’ve girded our loins against the real thing,” says Schaenman (who had a slight fever). “When people don’t have the side effects, they feel they’ve been robbed” of the experience.

Still, side effects can be a hopeful sign, especially when they end, says McCarty Memorial Christian Church leader Eddie Anderson, who has led efforts to vaccinate Black churchgoers in Los Angeles. He helps them through the rocky period by reminding them of the joyful reunions with children and grandchildren that will be possible post-vaccination.

“I’m a Christian pastor,” he says. “I tell them, ‘If you make it through the pain and discomfort, healing is on the other side. You can be fully human again.'”

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

Source Article from https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/04/27/990992425/you-dont-have-to-suffer-to-benefit-from-covid-vaccination-but-some-prefer-it

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LIVE UPDATES: NC protesters march on County Attorney R. Michael Cox’s home following Andrew Brown Jr. killing – Fox News
LIVE UPDATES: NC protesters march on County Attorney R. Michael Cox’s home following Andrew Brown Jr. killing – Fox News
Video

NC Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson slams anti-cop activists after Elizabeth City incident

Tarheel State’s first Black lieutenant governor tells ‘The Ingraham Angle’ police are not ‘systemically racist’; rips Gov. Cooper.

Protests continued Monday in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, nearly a week after a Black man was killed by deputies in the state.

The protests took place several hours after the family of Andrew Brown Jr., said they were only allowed to see a small portion of police body camera footage of the April 21 shooting. 

FAST FACTS

Brown’s death has led to nightly protests and demands for justice in Elizabeth City. On Monday, Demonstrators went to the home of Pasquotank County Attorney R. Michael Cox, as some called on him to resign, according to reports. 

Bakari Sellers, an attorney for Brown’s family previously claimed that Cox tried to keep lawyers for Brown’s family from viewing the footage. He criticized Cox and police for showing only 20 seconds of the video. Sellers also claimed Cox used profanity during a meeting with attorneys and members of Brown’s family. 

“We went back and forth, and I just wanted to say I’ve never been talked to like I was talked to in there,” Sellers told reporters. “I don’t know his name, but I went to the back, and I know that we’re live on the news around the world, so I will say that Mr. Cox told me, a grown Black man, that he was not f—ing going to be bullied. And so I walked out.”

Follow below for more updates on North Carolina. Mobile users click here.

Source Article from https://www.foxnews.com/us/live-updates-nc-protesters-march-on-county-attorney-r-michael-coxs-home-following-andrew-brown-jr-killing

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Fox News host admits his show was wrong about Biden limiting red meat consumption – CNN
Fox News host admits his show was wrong about Biden limiting red meat consumption – CNN

By Daniel Dale

Updated 8:05 PM ET, Mon April 26, 2021

Source Article from https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/26/politics/fox-john-roberts-red-meat-biden/index.html

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N.J. population tops 9.2M as state will keep its 12 congressional seats, census shows – NJ.com
N.J. population tops 9.2M as state will keep its 12 congressional seats, census shows – NJ.com

New Jersey’s population grew by almost 500,000 people in the last decade, enough for the state to keep all 12 of its congressional seats, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures released Monday.

The 2020 Census put the state’s population at 9,288,994, up 497,100, or 6%, over the 2010 figure of 8,791,894.

New Jersey remains the 11th most populous state, ahead of Virginia, which has 8,631,393 people.

Overall, the U.S. population increased to 331.4 million, but the 7.4% increase over 2010 was the second-lowest ever, ahead of only the 7.3% growth from 1930 to 1940 in the midst of the Great Depression.

California remains the nation’s most populous state, with 39.5 million people. Wyoming is the least populous with 576,851.

New Jersey’s percentage growth was slower than the national average, but robust enough to allow the state to keep all of its 12 House members. Neighboring New York and Pennsylvania, in contrast, each lost one seat.

New Jersey state lost a seat following the 2010 census, and as late as 1982 sent 15 representatives to Congress.

Besides New York and Pennsylvania, states losing one seat include California, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. Texas is gaining two House members and Colorado, Florida, Montana, North Carolina, and Oregon are getting one apiece.

Each House member will represent an average of 761,169 people.

Delivery of the data was delayed as the Census Bureau conducted the constitutionally required count in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. In addition, former President Donald Trump had sought to reject more than 200 years of precedent and exclude unauthorized immigrants from the count used to apportion congressional seats and draw districts for House members and state legislators.

Trump’s attempt was dropped after Joe Biden became president and the Census Bureau never provided an accurate count of unauthorized immigrants.

Not only did New Jersey not lose a House seat this time, the state was the 10th in line to receive an additional seat had there been more than 435 to hand out, according to Census Bureau calculations.

While all 12 House members from New Jersey can stand for re-election without being pushed into a race against another incumbent, their districts could look different next year. The Census Bureau in the coming months will release more detailed information for the state’s redistricting commission to use in redrawing 12 districts of approximately equal population.

Texas is the biggest winner in House seats because it gained about 4 million new residents over the decade. The highest percentage increase in population was in Utah, which went up 18.4% to 3,271,616.

Three states lost population: West Virginia, down 59,278 people, or 3.2%; Mississippi, down 6,018 residents, or 0.2%; and Illinois, which dropped 18,124 people, or 0.1%.

The census figures showed a continuing migration to the South, whose population grew by 10.2% and the West, up 9.2%,. The population increase in the Northeast was 4.1% , and the Midwest was up 3.1%.

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Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him at @JDSalant.

Riley Yates may be reached at ryates@njadvancemedia.com.

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Source Article from https://www.nj.com/politics/2021/04/nj-population-tops-92m-as-state-will-keep-its-12-congressional-seats-census-shows.html

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Campaign to Recall Gov. Gavin Newsom Qualifies for California Ballot – The New York Times
Campaign to Recall Gov. Gavin Newsom Qualifies for California Ballot – The New York Times

On the night of the dinner, 55,588 people had signed the petitions. One month later, there were nearly 500,000 signatures.

Recall attempts are common in California, but few make it onto the ballot. Petitions for removal from office have been filed against every governor in the last 61 years.

The only governor to be recalled, however, was Gray Davis, who was ousted in 2003 by Arnold Schwarzenegger as the state strained to rebound from the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the dot-com bust, and rolling blackouts. After he took office, Mr. Schwarzenegger, a Republican, faced his own barrage of attempted recalls.

Mr. Newsom’s supporters have stressed the crossover between recall backers and supporters of former President Donald J. Trump, QAnon conspiracy theories and the anti-vaccine movement. The recall’s chief proponent, Orrin Heatlie, a retired sheriff’s sergeant from Yolo County in the Sacramento area, had joked on Facebook about microchipping migrants. Mr. Heatlie has said that he published the comment to be provocative but that it was not meant to be taken literally.

On Monday, the governor’s campaign warned that the pro-Trump and far-right activists behind the recall would seek to roll back the state’s progress in controlling the pandemic, protecting the environment and legislating gun control.

Juan Rodriguez, the manager of Stop the Republican Recall, said in a statement that the move to remove the governor “threatens our values as Californians and seeks to undo the important progress we’ve made under Governor Newsom.”

Proponents of the recall, however, framed it as a bipartisan referendum on the governor and the policies of a state whose leadership has been dominated in recent years by Democrats. Mr. Faulconer, who governed as a moderate in San Diego, called it a “historic opportunity to demand change” for Californians of all political parties.

Source Article from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/26/us/recall-gavin-newsom-california.html

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CDC could make big changes to mask guidelines in outdoor spaces – KOMO News
CDC could make big changes to mask guidelines in outdoor spaces – KOMO News
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Delhi gets requests to cut down city park trees to fuel funeral pyres amid COVID-19 surge – Business Insider
Delhi gets requests to cut down city park trees to fuel funeral pyres amid COVID-19 surge – Business Insider
  • Officials in Delhi, India, are getting requests to cut down trees in city parks for funeral pyres.
  • India is experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases. 
  • Wood is needed to help fuel cremations as COVID-19 cases and deaths skyrocket.
  • See more stories on Insider’s business page.

Officials in Delhi, India, are getting requests to cut down trees in city parks to help fuel cremations as COVID-19 cases and deaths skyrocket across the country.

Wooden pyres are used in India to cremate a body as part of a funeral rite.

But as more people continue to die from COVID-19 in India, more wood is needed to fuel the pyres, according to the Associated Press.

India’s surging case count of COVID-19 infections is growing at the fastest pace in the world, and on Sunday the country recorded more than 350,000 new COVID-19 cases, breaking a world record for daily COVID-19 cases for the fifth day in a row.

Source Article from https://www.businessinsider.com/delhi-getting-requests-trees-funeral-pyres-covid-surge-2021-4

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John Kerry faces calls to resign over allegations of leaking Israeli intel to Iran – Fox News
John Kerry faces calls to resign over allegations of leaking Israeli intel to Iran – Fox News
Video

Iran Foreign Minister claims John Kerry told him about Israeli attacks in Syria

Iran Foreign Ministry is looking into leak of audio of Mohammad Javad Zarif’s comments on John Kerry; FOX News’ Rich Edson reports on ‘Special Report’

The Biden administration is refusing to weigh in on the Iranian foreign minister claiming in a leaked recording that former Secretary of State and current Special

Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry told him about secret Israeli operations being carried out in Syria.

In response, Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) called on Kerry to resign during a speech on the Senate floor.

IRAN’S FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS JOHN KERRY TOLD HIM ABOUT ISRAELI COVERT OPERATIONS IN SYRIA

“It’s become clear…that our adversaries, whether Beijing or Iran, like it when John Kerry is in charge of foreign policy and national security. Why? Because they know how to use him to their advantage,” Sullivan said.

Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) also called for Kerry to resign if the reports are true.

“It’s unfathomable that any U.S. diplomat, past or present, would leak intelligence to the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism at the expense of one of our staunchest allies. If this report is accurate and he did leak intelligence, John Kerry should resign,” Gallagher tweeted.

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Meanwhile, the Biden administration is not commenting on the matter.

“That we don’t comment on purportedly leaked material, of course we can’t vouch for the authenticity of it, for the accuracy of it, and so of course I’m not going to comment directly on what’s on that tape on that recording,” State Department spokesman Ned Ryan said Monday, Fox News’ Rich Edson reported.

Source Article from https://www.foxnews.com/politics/john-kerry-faces-calls-to-resign-over-allegations-of-leaking-israeli-intel-to-iran

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New York to lose House seat — and an Electoral College vote — after falling 89 residents short in census count – CNN
New York to lose House seat — and an Electoral College vote — after falling 89 residents short in census count – CNN

By Paul LeBlanc, CNN

Updated 8:10 PM ET, Mon April 26, 2021

Source Article from https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/26/politics/new-york-census-house-seat-electoral-college-vote/index.html

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Hearing set for release of bodycam video in fatal shooting of Andrew Brown, Jr. in N.C. – WBTV
Hearing set for release of bodycam video in fatal shooting of Andrew Brown, Jr. in N.C. – WBTV

Our entire county leadership grieves with the family of Andrew Brown, Jr., and our prayers go out to them. Everyone should want a thorough, fair, and proper investigation into exactly what happened when deputies attempted to serve the arrest warrant and search warrant at Mr. Brown’s home. Sadly, some irresponsible voices are calling for a rushed investigation and rush to judgement. Rushing the gathering of evidence and interviewing of witnesses would hurt any future legal case that might be brought in the wake of this tragedy. Justice, when done right, takes time. People — including some politicians — who want to score political points or become cable news celebrities too often forget that, which could negatively impact the investigation.

Source Article from https://www.wbtv.com/2021/04/26/attorney-this-was-an-execution-andrew-brown-jr/

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Effort To Remove Calif. Gov. Newsom Collects Enough Signatures To Force Recall Vote – NPR
Effort To Remove Calif. Gov. Newsom Collects Enough Signatures To Force Recall Vote – NPR

California Gov. Gavin Newsom outlines his 2021-2022 state budget proposal during a news conference in Sacramento, Calif., in January. A petition has collected sufficient signatures to force Newsom into a recall election.

Rich Pedroncelli/AP


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Rich Pedroncelli/AP

California Gov. Gavin Newsom outlines his 2021-2022 state budget proposal during a news conference in Sacramento, Calif., in January. A petition has collected sufficient signatures to force Newsom into a recall election.

Rich Pedroncelli/AP

Proponents of the effort to remove Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom of California from office have collected enough valid signatures for a recall election, the California secretary of state’s office announced Monday.

The announcement kicks off a 30-business-day period in which those who signed the recall petition may withdraw their names. County election officials will then have 10 business days to report how many signatures have been withdrawn. If the threshold is still met, a recall election would take place after a budgetary review and scheduling process expected to last several months.

The recall drive began in June 2020, and a court extended the deadline for collecting signatures because of the coronavirus pandemic. The group running the signature drive — Recall Gavin 2020 — posted a lengthy list of grievances against the governor on its website: “Unaffordable housing. Record homelessness. Rising crime. Failing schools. Independent contractors thrown out of work. Exploding pension debt. And now, a locked down population while the prisons are emptied. Hold Gavin Newsom accountable.”

Newsom and other Democrats have said the effort is led by extremists and pro-Trump Republicans. An Emerson College poll in mid-March showed that a narrow plurality of California voters would keep Newsom in office: 42%, versus 38% who said they would vote to remove him, with 14% undecided. Six percent answered they would not vote in a recall election.

If the recall election is held, voters would face two questions on the ballot: whether to remove Newsom from office and who should replace him. Newsom is not allowed to appear on the list of replacement candidates.

The only time a California petition succeeded in forcing a gubernatorial recall election was in 2003, when Democratic Gov. Gray Davis was removed and Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected to replace him. There were 135 names on the replacement ballot, and many are expected again should Newsom face a recall.

Several candidates have already declared themselves, most recently Republican Caitlyn Jenner, the 1976 Olympic decathlon gold medalist, reality television star and transgender rights activist. CapRadio reports that others include former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, businessman John Cox and former U.S. Rep. Doug Ose, all Republicans.

Though a Republican has not won a statewide election in California since 2006, the math of a recall could challenge precedent. Recall proponents have to collect only 12% of the number of votes cast in the last gubernatorial election to force a ballot. Because of the expected large number of replacement candidates — and the unlikelihood of a strong Democrat entering the race — if Newsom is removed a Republican could win office with far fewer votes than Newsom received in 2018.

Source Article from https://www.npr.org/2021/04/26/991047355/effort-to-remove-calif-gov-newsom-collects-enough-signatures-to-force-recall-vot

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Justice Department will investigate Louisville police department in aftermath of Breonna Taylor shooting – CNBC
Justice Department will investigate Louisville police department in aftermath of Breonna Taylor shooting – CNBC

Attorney General Merrick Garland on Monday announced that the Department of Justice will open an investigation into the practices of the Louisville Metro Police Department in Kentucky.

The announcement comes days after Garland said the DOJ will investigate the Minneapolis Police Department following Derek Chauvin’s conviction for the murder of George Floyd, whose killing in custody sparked global protests.

Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman, was killed last year by Louisville police officers who entered her apartment with a no-knock warrant and fired 32 bullets. Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, fired a shot at officers, whom he has said he believed to be intruders.

Garland said the investigation was spurred by a comprehensive review of public information.

“As with every Justice Department investigation, we will follow the facts and the law wherever they lead,” Garland said.

A grand jury indicted one of the officers in the raid, Sgt. Brett Hankison, on wanton endangerment charges last year. His trial was delayed this month until 2022. Two other officers involved have not been criminally charged.

Taylor’s death is among the most high-profile police killings in recent years and has prompted calls to rein in the use of no-knock warrants and other controversial tactics.

Garland said the DOJ will take into consideration the terms of a $12 million settlement reached between Louisville and Taylor’s family last year. The settlement requires the police department to undertake certain mandatory reforms.

Justice Department pattern-or-practice investigations into police departments can lead to settlements, or consent decrees, between the DOJ and the department, often requiring independent oversight of the police and other changes.

The DOJ under former President Donald Trump largely curtailed the use of consent decrees, but Garland reversed that policy earlier this month. President Joe Biden has pledged to pursue substantial reforms of the nation’s policing through Congress.

In a statement on Monday, Derrick Johnson, the president of the NAACP, praised Garland’s move.

“For far too long, killings at the hands of police have only led to one hashtag after another. But true justice comes with accountability and action,” Johnson said. “We applaud the Justice Department’s new investigation into the Louisville Metro Police Department for the murder of Breonna Taylor and their ongoing practices. No police officer or police department is above the law.”

Source Article from https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/26/breonna-taylor-justice-department-to-probe-louisville-police-department.html

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100 days into Biden’s ‘unity’ agenda, AOC praises president’s ‘progressive’ credentials – Fox News
100 days into Biden’s ‘unity’ agenda, AOC praises president’s ‘progressive’ credentials – Fox News
Video

AOC claims Biden ‘exceeded’ progressive’s expectations

Jessica Tarlov, Kaylee McGhee White and Nick Adams react to the Democrats’ comments on ‘Your World’

President Joe Biden campaigned on “unity.” In his inaugural address, he uttered the word at least eight times. As the administration approaches its 100th day, self-described Democratic socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) is touting the president’s “progressive” credentials.

Ocasio-Cortez said Friday that she and other expected Biden to be “a lot more conservatives,” adding that Biden has “exceeded expectations that progressives had.”

FOX NEWS POLL: BIDEN APPROACHES 100-DAY MILESTONE

As Fox News Contributor Byron York pointed out on Twitter, Biden’s job approval is among the lowest in recent times, according to a Washington Post poll.

“At 100 days, Biden job approval at 52 percent. Other than Trump, that’s lowest of any president at 100 days since Gerald Ford. Taking out Ford and Trump, it’s lowest of any president in modern polling era,” York said.

“If WP is admitting Biden’s approval is that low, it must be catastrophically low in the real world,” Fox News Contributor Mollie Hemmingway opined.

Biden’s approval numbers appear to stand in contrast to the promises he made on the campaign trail and upon taking office.

“To overcome these challenges – to restore the soul and to secure the future of America – requires more than words. It requires that most elusive of things in a democracy: Unity. Unity,” Biden said in his inaugural address on January 20.

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“And I pledge this to you: I will be a President for all Americans. I will fight as hard for those who did not support me as for those who did,” Biden also said on his first day in office.

According to a Fox News poll, less than half of Americans surveyed, 42 percent, say Biden has “made an effort to work with Republican leaders in Washington.” Biden’s overall approval is less than that of former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush at the same point in their presidencies. It is higher than former President Donald Trump’s approval at the same time in his administration.

Source Article from https://www.foxnews.com/politics/100-days-into-bidens-unity-agenda-aoc-praises-presidents-progressive-credentials

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