| A pandemic of conspiracy theories spreads across the internet and around the world Posted: 21 May 2020 12:59 PM PDT  Depending on who you talk to, the current coronavirus pandemic might be the natural product of evolution, the result of a lab accident or a biological weapon designed by the Chinese.
|
| An 18-year-old Arizona woman visiting Hawaii was arrested after allegedly violating quarantine Posted: 22 May 2020 12:45 PM PDT  Hawaii's attorney general Clare Connors said people violating the order "likely will be reported, arrested and end up in jail facing hefty fines."
|
| Tara Reade dropped by prominent lawyer following reports that she may have misrepresented her education credentials in court Posted: 22 May 2020 08:54 AM PDT  The attorney, Douglas Wigdor, hasn't said why he dropped Reade as a client, but said he still believes her allegations against Biden.
|
| Two regional IS leaders killed in Syria: CentCom Posted: 22 May 2020 02:46 PM PDT  US-led coalition forces and their Kurdish allies the Syrian Democratic Forces killed two regional Islamic State group leaders in a raid in eastern Syria this week, US Central Command announced on Friday. Ahmad 'Isa Ismail al-Zawi and Ahmad 'Abd Muhammad Hasan al-Jughayfi were killed in the May 17 joint raid on an IS position in Deir Ezzor province, CentCom said in a statement. Al-Zawi, also known as Abu Ali al-Baghdadi, was the IS regional leader of North Baghdad, it said, and was "responsible for disseminating terrorist guidance from senior IS leadership to operatives in North Baghdad."
|
| FBI director orders internal review of Flynn investigation Posted: 22 May 2020 12:01 PM PDT  FBI Director Christopher Wray has ordered an internal review into possible misconduct in the investigation of former Trump administration national security adviser Michael Flynn, the bureau said Friday. The after-action review will examine whether any current employees engaged in misconduct during the course of the investigation and evaluate whether any improvements in FBI policies and procedures need to be made. In announcing the review, the FBI, a frequent target of President Donald Trump's wrath, is stepping into a case that has become a rallying cry for Trump supporters — and doing so right as the Justice Department pushes back against criticism that its recent decision to dismiss the prosection was a politically motivated effort to do Trump's bidding.
|
| Satellite images show the deluge of floodwater that hit Michigan towns after 2 dams failed Posted: 21 May 2020 12:27 PM PDT  Satellite images show massive amounts of flooding in central Michigan after two dams collapsed on Tuesday.
|
| China will not flinch in face of U.S. confrontation: government official Posted: 21 May 2020 08:50 AM PDT  China will not flinch from any escalation in tensions with the United states, but believes economic cooperation and recovery should be the top priority, a Chinese government official said on Thursday. Bilateral ties between China and the United States have soured as Washington has accused Beijing of mishandling the outbreak of the novel coronavirus and blamed it for job losses and business closures caused by the pandemic. "China won't start any trouble, but won't flinch from trouble either," Zhang Yesui, spokesman for the Chinese parliament, told reporters at a media briefing ahead of the start of the annual parliamentary session on Friday.
|
| North Korean regime finally admits Kim Jong-un cannot magically bend time and space Posted: 21 May 2020 07:17 PM PDT  The official newspaper of North Korea has denied that the regime's leaders can magically bend time and space, putting to bed a long tradition used to idolise the mystical powers of Kim Jong-un and former leader Kim Jong-il. In the latest sign that the secretive regime is turning away from myth-making about its leaders, the Rodong Sinmun newspaper this week denied that the Kim family are masters of "chukjibeop", a method of folding space and travelling great distances in a short period of time. Chukjibeop is one of the myths that has been used by the North to deify its leaders. The newspaper, the organ of the North's ruling party, said: "In realistic terms, a person cannot suddenly disappear and reappear by folding space." On Thursday, an official at South Korea's unification ministry said that the current regime's trend of demystification is "noteworthy".
|
| In wake of pandemic, the new normal in schools could widen the economic gap among students, educators fear Posted: 21 May 2020 01:50 PM PDT  With the coronavirus expected to remain a threat through at least next spring and a reliance on "distance learning" likely to continue, the burden will fall most heavily on the neediest students, living in homes lacking computers, internet connectivity or adults at home during the school day.
|
| Ahmaud Arbery: Third man charged over death of black jogger Posted: 22 May 2020 02:45 PM PDT  The motorist is accused of murder and attempted false imprisonment over the shooting in Georgia.
|
| Wuhan has banned eating wild animals and nearby provinces are offering farmers cash to stop breeding exotic livestock Posted: 21 May 2020 04:30 AM PDT  China's fur trade will continue, though, and farmers can still raise wild animals for medicine, entertainment, or research.
|
| Venezuela says Iranian tankers will get military escort Posted: 20 May 2020 09:04 PM PDT  Venezuela on Wednesday said its navy and air force would escort Iranian tankers arriving with much needed fuel, after Tehran warned of "consequences" if the US stopped the ships from reaching their destination. "We're ready for whatever, whenever," President Nicolas Maduro told state-run media, thanking "all the support" from its Middle East ally in its confrontation with the United States. Venezuela has the world's largest proven oil reserves, but its capacity to refine crude into gasoline is limited.
|
| Residents, businesses sue dam operator over ruinous flooding Posted: 22 May 2020 08:28 AM PDT  Residents and businesses in Central Michigan communities that were submerged when two dams failed this week on Friday sued the operator of the dams and two state agencies charged with overseeing the structures. The lawsuit came as yet more residents were forced to evacuate their homes after being overwhelmed by flooding along the Tittabawassee River and conjoining waterways. About a dozen people have left their homes in Spaulding Township where some roads and fields are under 4 to 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 meters) of floodwater, but some in the community refused to leave despite warnings, Fire Chief Tom Fortier said Friday.
|
| 1,200 California pastors plan to reopen churches next week despite the state's stay-at-home orders Posted: 22 May 2020 09:28 AM PDT  More than 1,200 pastors have signed a "declaration of essentially," in which they say the will open their churches on May 31.
|
| Brazil jumps to world No. 2 in coronavirus cases, behind the U.S. Posted: 22 May 2020 03:30 PM PDT  Brazil became the world No. 2 hotspot for coronavirus cases on Friday, second only to the United States, after it confirmed that 330,890 people had been infected by the virus, overtaking Russia, the Health Ministry said. Brazil registered 1,001 daily coronavirus deaths on Friday, taking total deaths to 21,048, according to the Health Ministry. Far-right President Jair Bolsonaro has been widely criticized for his handling of the outbreak and is at the center too of a deepening political crisis.
|
| Tucker Carlson and Pete Hegseth Try to Bring ‘Kung Flu’ Back Posted: 21 May 2020 07:39 PM PDT  Fox News hosts Tucker Carlson and Pete Hegseth on Thursday night defended the use of racist terms to describe the novel coronavirus, all while wondering why Democrats are "sucking up" to China by decrying these phrases.Taking aim at Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) for introducing a Senate resolution condemning "anti-Asian sentiment as related to COVID-19"—which includes the use of the phrase "Wuhan virus"—Carlson claimed Harris was denouncing "basic facts." "Why is she sucking up to the government of China, exactly?" Carlson wondered aloud before introducing Hegseth, a Fox & Friends co-host and informal Trump adviser."Say it with me, Tucker," Hegseth excitedly declared. "Wuhan virus, Chinese virus, maybe even the 'Kung Flu.' A little off-color, but funny and you know, we still live in a free country the last time I checked."Back in March, when President Trump and many Republican allies were making a show of calling the disease the "Chinese virus," Chinese-American CBS reporter Weijia Jiang said a White House official referred to coronavirus as "the Kung Flu" right to her face. Trump would later brush off the controversy, insisting Asian-Americans agreed "100 percent" with his use of "Chinese virus" to describe COVID-19.Hegseth complained that the left wants to "weaponize" language and "control it" in an effort to make conservatives appear to be the "bad guy," something that Carlson agreed with wholeheartedly."They control language to control your thoughts," Carlson declared.Hegseth would then go on to hawk his latest book, American Crusade, claiming America is now in a "holy war and the righteous cause for human freedom" before snarking that the left should file a class-action lawsuit."They should seek reparation because they've been damaged forever with the title they were given based on the racist notions of Americans who name something after where it came from," he exclaimed. "As we're staring down the communist Chinese who want to end our civilization. So, join the crusade, that's what it's going to take to save our country."Hate crimes against Asian-Americans, meanwhile, have continued to rise amid the coronavirus pandemic, as people of Asian descent have increasingly reported being verbally assaulted, coughed at, and spat on by assailants who blame them for the virus.Kellyanne Conway Spars With Reporters Over 'Kung-Flu' Coronavirus SlurRead 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.
|
| Joe Biden accuser Tara Reade let go by lawyer Posted: 22 May 2020 01:38 PM PDT  * Douglas Wigdor says he continues to believe allegation * Reade says then senator Biden sexually assaulted her in 1993The lawyer representing Tara Reade, who has accused Joe Biden of sexual assault, said on Friday he was dropping her as a client although he continued to believe in the truth of her allegations."Our decision … is by no means a reflection on whether then Senator Biden sexually assaulted Ms Reade," Douglas Wigdor said in a statement. "On that point, our view – which is the same view held by the majority of Americans, according to a Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll – has not changed."Reade is a former staffer from Biden's office when he was a senator from Delaware. She alleges that he pushed her against a wall in the Senate buildings and assaulted her. Biden has denied the accusation.Wigdor said his decision was made on Wednesday, a day after CNN published a story raising questions about Reade's background and her past statements. Though in the statement announcing the split, the lawyer vociferously attacked Reade's treatment by the press."To a large extent Ms Reade has been subjected to a double standard in terms of the media coverage she has received. Much of what has been written about Ms Reade is not probative of whether then-Senator Biden sexually assaulted her, but rather is intended to victim-shame and attack her credibility on unrelated and irrelevant matters," Wigdor said.Meanwhile, defense lawyers in California have said that they are reviewing criminal cases in which Reade has served as an expert witness on domestic violence, out of concern that she had misrepresented her educational credentials in court.Days after CNN raised questions about Reade's educational background, a spokesperson for Antioch University confirmed to the New York Times that she had not received a degree from the school.
|
| Boy, 9, with autism who was reported abducted in Florida is found dead Posted: 22 May 2020 07:35 AM PDT  Alejandro Ripley, who was nonverbal, was reported abducted on Thursday night, prompting an intense search.
|
| Israel clashes with Iran over anti-Semitic poster and string of cyber-attacks Posted: 21 May 2020 07:36 AM PDT  Tensions between Iran and Israel have escalated this week over a series of cyber-attacks and a poster promoted by the Supreme Leader which called for a "final solution" to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The poster was reportedly published on the official website of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, and carried the slogan "the final solution: resistance until referendum." The same image was promoted by Javad Zarif, the Iranian foreign minister, in a message on Twitter where he called for Palestinians to hold a referendum on their preferred system of governance. In a separate post on Twitter, the Supreme Leader said that Iran would support "any group or any nation anywhere...who opposes the Zionist regime," referring to Israel. The phrase "final solution" evokes the Nazis' attempt to exterminate the Jewish population during the Holocaust. A spokesman for Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, responded: He [Khamenei] should know that any regime that threatens to destroy the State of Israel faces a similar danger." Iran has ramped up its anti-Israel rhetoric ahead of al-Quds Day, an annual event held by the regime in solidarity with Palestinians. But the tensions are also being fueled by Israel's proposed annexation of parts of the West Bank later this year, which has drawn criticism from Arab nations, the EU and Britain. Earlier this week the Palestinian Authority claimed it was scrapping all security agreements with Israel and the US over the annexation plan, which has been given the green light by Washington. The online row came amid reports that Israel had launched a cyber attack on a key Iranian port earlier this week, wreaking havoc on the shipping industry. Aviv Kochavi, a Lieutenant-General in the Israel Defence Forces, has implied that the Jewish state was behind the attack.
|
| Study: Philippines a global hot spot for online child abuse Posted: 21 May 2020 12:40 AM PDT  The Philippines has emerged as a global hot spot for online child sexual exploitation, and coronavirus lockdowns that restrict millions to their homes may be worsening the abuses, a U.S. official said Thursday. A new study released by the Washington-based International Justice Mission on Thursday said Philippine cases of online child sexual exploitation have increased sharply in recent years with parents agreeing to have their own children victimized for the money. The private group has helped track down and prosecute offenders in the Philippines.
|
| Antarctic algal blooms: 'Green snow' mapped from space Posted: 22 May 2020 03:20 PM PDT  UK scientists create the first wide-area maps of microscopic algae growing in coastal Antarctica.
|
| Putin urges more testing as Russia's coronavirus death toll climbs Posted: 22 May 2020 12:38 AM PDT  President Vladimir Putin told officials on Friday to ramp up testing for the new coronavirus, but said Russia's outbreak was stabilising even as the death toll rose by a record one-day amount. Russia's overall case tally, the world's second highest after the United States, rose by 8,894 to 326,448, while Friday's tally of 150 new deaths pushed the toll to 3,249. Moscow's Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has said he expects the toll to prove much higher in May than in April.
|
| Watch the flyover of a US Navy aircraft carrier from inside the cockpit of a Blue Angel F/A-18 Hornet Posted: 21 May 2020 11:04 AM PDT  Check out these two videos of the flyover of the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group at sea in the Atlantic Ocean.
|
| U.S. secures doses of potential COVID-19 vaccine Posted: 21 May 2020 09:33 AM PDT  The United States has secured almost a third of the first 1 billion doses planned for AstraZeneca's experimental COVID-19 vaccine by pledging up to $1.2 billion, as world powers scramble for medicines to get their economies back to work.
|
| Trump just declared houses of worship essential. Mounting evidence shows they're super-spreader hotspots. Posted: 22 May 2020 02:47 PM PDT  Trump says in-person religious services are essential. But evidence shows they can be hotbeds for coronavirus spread.
|
| A Mississippi church that violated coronavirus orders was burned down. A spray-painted message said 'bet you stay home now'. Posted: 22 May 2020 03:13 PM PDT  A judge previously accused the church of having "insufficient respect for the enormity of the health crisis which the COVID-19 pandemic presents."
|
| Biden accuser Tara Reade 'not sure' what complaint she claims was filed with Senate says Posted: 22 May 2020 06:09 AM PDT  Reade has said the complaint, if it's found, wouldn't include the sexual assault allegation she came forward with in March.
|
| China announces $178.2 billion military budget Posted: 22 May 2020 10:12 AM PDT  The growth in China's defense budget would see spending rise from $167 billion last year to $178.2 billion, an increase of about $11 billion.
|
| Iran says 10K medics infected as virus fears rise in Mideast Posted: 21 May 2020 03:51 AM PDT  The coronavirus has infected more than 10,000 health care workers in hard-hit Iran, news outlets reported Thursday, as health officials in war-ravaged Yemen and Gaza expressed mounting concern about waves of new cases. Iran's semi-official news agencies cited Deputy Health Minister Qassem Janbabaei, who did not elaborate. Reports earlier in the week put the number of infected health care workers at only 800.
|
| Before and after: See destruction of Michigan flooding in satellite images Posted: 22 May 2020 12:19 PM PDT  The Landsat 8, an American observation satellite, depicts the two mid-Michigan dams — Edenville and Sanford — that failed and the Tittabawassee River.
|
| Exclusive: Pentagon halts rare earths funding program pending 'further research' Posted: 22 May 2020 06:19 AM PDT  The U.S. Department of Defense last month reversed its decision to fund two projects to process rare earth minerals for military weapons, one of which has controversial ties to China, according to a government document seen by Reuters and three sources familiar with the matter. The Pentagon decision is a step backward for President Donald Trump's plan to redevelop the U.S. rare earths supply chain and reduce reliance on China, the world's largest producer of the strategic minerals used to build a range of weapons. Australia's Lynas Corp and privately held U.S. firm MP Materials both said on April 22 they had been awarded funding by the Pentagon for rare earths separation facilities in Texas and California, respectively.
|
| Italy’s coronavirus death toll could be 19,000 higher than official total, according to experts Posted: 22 May 2020 08:04 AM PDT  Italy's death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in March and April could be nearly 19,000 higher than the official figure of 32,000, the national social security agency said. According to a new study by Istituto Nazionale della Previdenza Sociale (INPS), Italy's largest social security and welfare institute, the official death figures are not completely "reliable". The study showed that 156,429 total deaths were registered in Italy in March and April, which is almost 47,000 higher than the average number of fatalities recorded in those months between 2015 and 2019. However, in the past two months, only 27,938 deaths linked to the coronavirus were reported by the Civil Protection Agency, which releases the official data daily, INPS noted. The agency said that means there were almost 19,00 more deaths than normal during that period, with the majority recorded in the hard-hit north of the country.
|
| Marine Corps May Replace Infantry M27s with the Army's Next Generation Squad Weapon Posted: 21 May 2020 12:49 PM PDT  The Marine Corps is already eying the Army's Next Generation Squad weapon as its next infantry rifle.
|
| Trump vows 'we're not gonna close the country' if a 2nd coronavirus wave hits Posted: 21 May 2020 02:32 PM PDT  President Trump is not planning to send the U.S. into another quarantine.While COVID-19 cases are starting to slow in the hardest hit areas and the biggest cities of the U.S., less populous areas have yet to hit their peak. That, combined with warming weather, could stem the coronavirus' spread for the summer -- but also plunge the U.S. into a new wave once fall rolls around. Trump acknowledged the likelihood of a second round of coronavirus while visiting a Ford plant on Thursday, saying "people say that's a very distinct possibility." But while "we're gonna put out the fires, we're not gonna close the country," Trump promised.> President Trump on possible second wave of coronavirus cases:> > "People say that's a very distinct possibility. It's standard. And we're gonna put out the fires. We're not gonna close the country." pic.twitter.com/ZGCxdn6e5W> > -- NBC News (@NBCNews) May 21, 2020Medical experts have warned against reopening the U.S. too soon, and advocated for people to continue social distancing as long as possible. They've also been clear about the fact that warming weather could make it seem the U.S. has beaten the coronavirus even when it hasn't -- two facts Trump ignored with his Thursday comments.Also during the Ford visit, Trump refused to wear a mask in front of the press, and then made this questionable comment. > Trump mentions Henry Ford to Ford workers, then says, "Good bloodlines, good bloodlines. If you believe in that stuff -- you got good blood."> > -- Daniel Dale (@ddale8) May 21, 2020More stories from theweek.com The FBI will investigate its investigation of Michael Flynn Trump did wear a mask at the Ford plant, and somebody took a picture D.C. now has the highest coronavirus positivity rate in the country
|
| Hollywood Executive Pocketed $1.7 Million in COVID-19 Relief Funds: Feds Posted: 22 May 2020 12:38 PM PDT  A recently ousted Hollywood executive has been arrested and charged with fraud for using $1.7 million in COVID-19 relief loans he received on personal expenses, including credit-card debt and car payments, federal prosecutors alleged Friday. William Sadleir, the 66-year-old former chairman and chief executive officer of Aviron Pictures, has been charged with wire fraud, bank fraud, making false statements to a financial institution, and making false statements to the Small Business Association, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Central District of California. Prosecutors allege Sadleir filed for more than $1.7 million in forgivable loans from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) under the guise of paying his employees. Instead, the Hollywood executive spent most of the money to pay off his personal debts.Tech CEO's Pot Startup Staffers Arrested in His Kidnapping, Murder"This film producer allegedly made a series of misrepresentations to a bank and the Small Business Administration to illegally secure taxpayer money that he then used to fund his nearly empty personal bank account," United States Attorney Nick Hanna said in a press release announcing the charges. "The Paycheck Protection Program was implemented to help small businesses stay afloat during the financial crisis, and we will act swiftly against those who abuse the program for their own personal gain."Sadleir's arrest comes in accordance with a separate criminal complaint filed by federal prosecutors in New York, who allege the executive was also engaged in multiple fraudulent schemes relating to investments at Aviron Pictures and its affiliated entities. The United States Securities and Exchange Commission also announced a civil lawsuit related to the New York criminal case.In a criminal complaint unsealed on Friday, California prosecutors allege Sadleir submitted three applications to JPMorgan Chase for $1.7 million in loans under the PPP on behalf of Aviron entities. The loans were filed with "false representation" that they would be used to cover employee paychecks and the daily operations of his companies. "In fact, Sadleir intended to use at least some of the funds for personal and other prohibited expenses, and immediately upon receiving the funds a significant amount was diverted to Sadleir personal accounts and use for personal expenses," the complaint alleges. Prosecutors state that the Hollywood executive quickly transferred over half the money into his personal account and began using the funds to pay off $80,000 in credit-card debt and his $40,000 car loan, among other expenses. Michael Avenatti Indicted on 36 Counts by Federal Grand JuryOn March 29, the federal government enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in order to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans and small businesses suffering from the economic effects of the ongoing pandemic. In the stimulus package, up to $349 billion was designated for forgivable loans for small businesses. On April 20, Congress authorized an additional $300 billion for PPP funding—a program that allows organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and a low-interest rate. The loans must be used for payroll costs, interest on rent, or other business expenses and utilities."These funds were designed to be a lifeline to businesses struggling to stay afloat during the current crisis," FBI Assistant Director in Charge Paul Delacourt said in a statement. "The FBI is committed to maintaining the integrity of the PPP and will hold accountable those who cheat the system at the expense of American taxpayers."Sadleir, a well-known film executive, founded Aviron Pictures in 2015. The distribution and acquisition empire has worked on many films over the years, including My All American and A Private War. In 2019, Aviron was hit with a lawsuit alleging impropriety in the company structure. The suit forced Sadleir to resign from his role as the operating manager of Aviron Pictures, a subsidiary of Aviron Group, in January.. 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.
|
| Mississippi church fighting coronavirus restrictions burned to the ground Posted: 22 May 2020 06:34 AM PDT  "Bet you stay home now you hypokrits" was written in parking lot at church that had sued the city over its public health orders.
|
| McConnell says coronavirus rescue package coming soon Posted: 22 May 2020 10:03 AM PDT  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Thursday another stimulus package to deal with the impact of the coronavirus was "not too far off."
|
| Tankers carrying Iranian fuel approach the Caribbean: data Posted: 22 May 2020 08:53 AM PDT  Iran is supplying about 1.53 million barrels of gasoline and alkylate to Venezuela, according to both governments, sources and calculations made by TankerTrackers.com based on the vessels' draft levels. The shipments have caused a diplomatic standoff between Iran and Venezuela and the United States as both nations are under U.S. sanctions. Washington is considering measures in response, according to a senior U.S. official, who did not elaborate on any options being weighed.
|
| European allies watch with 'regret' as Trump ditches a treaty once said to be in America's 'best interest' Posted: 22 May 2020 08:31 AM PDT  Much to the "regret" of allies, the US is pulling out of the Open Skies Treaty, which Jim Mattis once said was in the US's "best interests."
|
| China gets 'promising' early results from COVID-19 vaccine trial Posted: 22 May 2020 01:59 PM PDT  Within two weeks of getting the vaccine, some developed so-called neutralizing antibodies, which can block SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
|
| Nursing home in Michigan lockdown unaware of elderly patient beating until viral video surfaced on Twitter Posted: 22 May 2020 08:16 AM PDT  Police said a nursing home under strict Michigan coronavirus lockdown measures was unaware of an attack on an elderly patient until a viral video surfaced on Twitter, which prompted a response from Donald Trump."Is this even possible to believe? Can this be real?" the president wrote. "Where is this nursing home, how is the victim doing?"
|
| NJ Gym That Defied Lockdown Order by Reopening on ‘Fox & Friends’ Is Closed by Health Department Posted: 21 May 2020 08:57 AM PDT  A New Jersey gym that reopened this week in defiance of the state's ongoing stay-at-home order amid the coronavirus pandemic has been shut down by the state health department, officials said Thursday. The Atilis Gym in Bellmawr opened its doors on Monday, insisting that the state shutdown of non-essential businesses is unconstitutional. The gym remained open for three days, attracting crowds of supporters and American-flag-toting protesters in its parking lot, before the New Jersey Department of Health issued a closure order on Wednesday night, a Camden County spokesperson confirmed to The Daily Beast. The closure order was posted outside the gym by county officials on Thursday morning, one day after the facility's sewer system backed up. The plumbing problems forced the gym to close on Wednesday and members to evacuate, according to Fox29. This Is What a Coronavirus Lockdown Means in Each State"Alright guys, so we arrived at the gym this morning to Governor Murphy's dirty tricks, playing with his power in the health department," one of the owners, Ian Smith, said in a Thursday morning Instagram story. "For right now, the gym will be closed. We have a full cleaning crew inside, once again, going above and beyond."Smith, who has received national attention for violating Gov. Phil Murphy's executive order, claimed in his Instagram story that the gym plans to file a lawsuit against the governor "first thing this morning." "Dirty politicians playing dirty tricks," he added. Indoor gyms and fitness centers in New Jersey are still considered "high-risk settings for the spread of COVID-19, in part because customers of these facilities engage in physical activities that increase the customers' respiratory activity, which in turn can increase the number of respiratory droplets or aerosols in a confined setting," the health department said in the closure order. To date, 10,747 people have died and more 150,399 have tested positive for COVID-19 in the Garden State, prompting Murphy to delay loosening virus-restrictions. The Health Department said that while the gym claims it's taking sufficient safety measures—including monitoring the temperatures of patrons and requiring face masks—those steps are not enough to prevent the spread of the virus at an indoor gym. The closure order adds that the risk of the virus "is still too great to allow relaxation of the current mitigation measures that are in place." Florida's Coronavirus Dashboard Architect: I Was Fired for Not Manipulating DataMembers of the public, along with the gym's owners and patrons, are now prohibited from entering the facility and failure to comply may result in criminal or civil sanctions. Gym co-owner Frank Trumbetti told NJ.com that staff was shocked on Thursday when they arrived to orange sticks outside the gym from the Camden County Health Department. "They did it overnight like cowards," Trumbetti said, claiming that the decision was made without an inspection of the gym itself. "We're opening up tomorrow morning no matter what."Over the last three days, the Atilis Gym has positioned itself as leading a "resistance" against the order the owners claim to be unconstitutional, allowing a limited number of members into the facility. The Monday opening was even featured live on Fox and Friends, where the gym's owners were filmed opening the doors to a crowd of Trump supporters with signs reading: "Stay Poor Vote Democrat" and "My Freedom Doesn't End Where Your Fear Begins." "The governor can say the state is closed, but if we the people say the state is open, then ultimately there's not a lot you can do if every business steps out," Fox News host Pete Hegseth said Monday from the gym, surrounded by protesters. "That's pretty much the definition of responsible civil disobedience."The gym's violation of the lockdown order prompted police to issue owners and patrons summons and fines that cost up to $1,000 per person throughout the week. A GoFundMe has since been set up to help the owners pay for at least three citations, and over $56,827 has been raised since Thursday morning. But as the Atilis Gym gained national notoriety, so did its owners. Smith, 33, is now facing backlash over a 2007 drunk driving incident in which he killed a 19-year-old boy. In 2007, the then-Stockton University student pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter after drinking about a dozen beers, running a stop sign, and killing Kevin Ade, according to records. Smith was sentenced to five and a half years in prison for the tragic incident. Over 500 Employees at Trump's Las Vegas Hotel Have Been Laid Off Amid CoronavirusThe gym owner addressed the incident in an Instagram video on Wednesday, stating that he has heard that news has been circulating about "a tragedy in the past that I was the cause of." Stating that he had been drinking in his dorm room that night and didn't realize he had alcohol still in his system the next morning, Smith said he has taken "full responsibility" for the incident and believes anyone who is angry about his behavior is "completely justified." "My actions caused the death of a young man and broke the hearts of an entire community, and that's something they'll never ever fully recover from," he said, noting that his current endeavor is "bigger" than him. "There's nothing I can do except try to live a good life and give back and promote as much love and positivity in the world as I can."Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
|
| Australia 'records fastest internet speed ever' Posted: 22 May 2020 04:20 AM PDT  Researchers hope the study offers a glimpse into how internet connections could look in the future.
|
| N.J. woman accused of fatally beating wife with wine chiller captured in Texas Posted: 21 May 2020 01:01 PM PDT  Officials said Mayra Gavilanez-Alectus traveled to Houston by bus from New York City.
|
