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Showing posts from February, 2020

Officials at two Mass. schools urging students, staff to stay home as precaution

Bellingham school officials are urging students and staff who traveled abroad to stay home as a precaution in the face of the coronavirus outbreak while a staffer at Weymouth High School has opted to self-quarantine after they came down with a fever. Families members of students attending both these schools said that this call for self-isolation is a good idea to protect everyone. “Absolutely they should stay home, this is how it’s going to spread,” one woman said. In Bellingham, High School Principal Megan Lafayette sent a letter to parents reading in part: “Recently, some of our students and staff members traveled to areas of the world in which the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) was present. Out of an abundance of caution, and under the direction of the Bellingham Board of Health and other local health agencies, we have asked these students and staff members to stay home from school next week.” Lafayette’s letter continued to say that there is no concern at this time and the measu

Agency: 2nd US case of person who got virus from community

SAN JOSE (AP) — California health officials on Friday confirmed the second case of novel coronavirus in the United States believed to have been transmitted to a person who didn’t travel internationally or come in close contact with anyone who had it. Health officials in San Jose said the patient was an older adult woman with chronic health conditions who does not have a travel history or any known contact with a traveler or infected person. It comes a day after state officials said a woman hospitalized at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento had contracted the illness after no known contact. “This new case indicates that there is evidence of community transmission, but the extent is still not clear,” said Dr. Sara Cody, health officer for Santa Clara County and director of the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department. Officials were able to get quick confirmation because the test was done by the Santa Clara County Public Health Laboratory with test kits received from the fede

Trump accuses Democrats of ‘hoax’ for criticizing virus plan

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — President Donald Trump lashed out Friday at Democrats who have questioned his handling of the coronavirus threat, calling their criticism a new “hoax” intended to undermine his leadership. At a political rally in South Carolina, Trump sought to steal some of the spotlight from his Democratic rivals who were campaigning across the state on the evening before its presidential primary. Trump accused Democrats of “politicizing” the coronavirus threat and boasted about preventive steps he’s ordered in an attempt to keep the virus that originated in China from spreading across the United States. Shortly before Trump began to speak, health officials confirmed a second case of coronavirus in the U.S. in a person who didn’t travel internationally or have close contact with anyone who had the virus. The president did not mention that news. “They have no clue. They don’t have a clue. They can’t even count their votes in Iowa,” Trump said, referring to problems th

Electric scooter ban on boardwalks starts Saturday

SAN DIEGO -- The City of San Diego is letting everyone know that a new ban will be taking effect Saturday.  Electric scooters and other motorized devices will no longer be allowed to operate on San Diego boardwalks.  City leaders voted to approve the ban in December. On Friday, crews were working to put up a total of 140 signs notifying people of the ban at 70 different locations.  The law prohibits the use of motorized devices along the Mission Beach and Pacific Beach boardwalk, the La Jolla Shores boardwalk and Mission Bay Park Bayside Walk. Officials said there will be a 30-day grace period before authorities begin issuing warnings or citations. from fox5sandiego.com Source: https://ift.tt/3afX0bn

Gov. Newsom’s wife backs Elizabeth Warren

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom hasn’t endorsed any of the remaining Democratic presidential candidates but now his wife has. Jennifer Siebel Newsom announced Friday she’s backing Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren in Tuesday’s California primary. Siebel Newsom says Warren will be a champion for women. Gavin Newsom has stayed out of the race since his preferred candidate, California Sen. Kamala Harris, dropped out in December. California’s primary offers the most delegates of any state in the Democratic nominating contest. Polls show Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is the favorite.  from fox5sandiego.com Source: https://ift.tt/32HFEBB

Feds drop plan to house coronavirus patients in Costa Mesa

COSTA MESA, Calif. (CNS) — Federal authorities announced Friday they have dropped plans to house coronavirus patients at the Fairview Developmental Center in Costa Mesa. The announcement followed a 3 1/2-hour meeting held Thursday among state, federal and local officials on the plan that U.S. District Judge Josephine Staton put on hold Monday. Despite the federal government’s decision to drop the plan, a court hearing on the matter is still scheduled for this coming Monday. “We’re still going to court on Monday because they have not been willing to confirm with us that this site won’t be considered in the future, so we want to nail that down,” Costa Mesa Mayor Katrina Foley told City News Service. According to a Friday court filing, federal authorities have “determined, as it informed the state today …,  that it now does not need to use the Fairview Developmental Center site to maintain a federal quarantine of passengers from the Diamond Princess cruise ship. This development refle

Serving Seniors to increase meal service by 40%

SAN DIEGO (CNS) — Thanks to a contract awarded by the County of San Diego’s Aging and Independence Services, Serving Seniors will increase meal services by 40%, the nonprofit organization announced Friday. Serving Seniors was founded to help low-income and homeless seniors throughout San Diego. The funding from the county will increase the number of meals provided by Serving Seniors by nearly a million. The funding will also expand the organization’s reach to the rest of the county, from Oceanside to San Ysidro. “With this funding, Serving Seniors will be able to double the number of homebound seniors we serve, expand senior dining sites throughout the county and increase advocacy efforts at the local, state and national levels,” said Serving Seniors CEO Paul Downey. “Food insecurity and homelessness continue to be critical issues among the growing senior population, so we’re incredibly grateful for the opportunity and excited to reach even more seniors in need.” The organization cu

Agency: 2nd US case of person who got virus from community

This content collected from Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News. SAN JOSE (AP) — California health officials on Friday confirmed the second case of novel coronavirus in the United States believed to have been transmitted to a person who didn’t travel internationally or come in close contact with anyone who had it. Health officials in San Jose said the patient was an older adult woman with chronic health conditions who does not have a travel history or any known contact with a traveler or infected person. It comes a day after state officials said a woman hospitalized at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento had contracted the illness after no known contact. “This new case indicates that there is evidence of community transmission, but the extent is still not clear,” said Dr. Sara Cody, health officer for Santa Clara County and director of the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department. Officials were able to get quick confirmation because the test was done by the Santa Cla

Officials at two Mass. schools urging students, staff to stay home as precaution

This content collected from Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News. Bellingham school officials are urging students and staff who traveled abroad to stay home as a precaution in the face of the coronavirus outbreak while a staffer at Weymouth High School has opted to self-quarantine after they came down with a fever. Families members of students attending both these schools said that this call for self-isolation is a good idea to protect everyone. “Absolutely they should stay home, this is how it’s going to spread,” one woman said. In Bellingham, High School Principal Megan Lafayette sent a letter to parents reading in part: “Recently, some of our students and staff members traveled to areas of the world in which the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) was present. Out of an abundance of caution, and under the direction of the Bellingham Board of Health and other local health agencies, we have asked these students and staff members to stay home from school next week.” Lafayette’s let

Officials at two Mass. schools urging students, staff to stay home as precaution

This content collected from Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News. Bellingham school officials are urging students and staff who traveled abroad to stay home as a precaution in the face of the coronavirus outbreak while a staffer at Weymouth High School has opted to self-quarantine after they came down with a fever. Families members of students attending both these schools said that this call for self-isolation is a good idea to protect everyone. “Absolutely they should stay home, this is how it’s going to spread,” one woman said. In Bellingham, High School Principal Megan Lafayette sent a letter to parents reading in part: “Recently, some of our students and staff members traveled to areas of the world in which the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) was present. Out of an abundance of caution, and under the direction of the Bellingham Board of Health and other local health agencies, we have asked these students and staff members to stay home from school next week.” Lafayette’s let

Agency: 2nd US case of person who got virus from community

This content collected from Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News. SAN JOSE (AP) — California health officials on Friday confirmed the second case of novel coronavirus in the United States believed to have been transmitted to a person who didn’t travel internationally or come in close contact with anyone who had it. Health officials in San Jose said the patient was an older adult woman with chronic health conditions who does not have a travel history or any known contact with a traveler or infected person. It comes a day after state officials said a woman hospitalized at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento had contracted the illness after no known contact. “This new case indicates that there is evidence of community transmission, but the extent is still not clear,” said Dr. Sara Cody, health officer for Santa Clara County and director of the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department. Officials were able to get quick confirmation because the test was done by the Santa Cla

Man heads to trial after allegedly killing wife

SAN DIEGO (CNS) — A man who allegedly murdered his wife at the couple’s City Heights apartment, then fled the country, was ordered Friday to stand trial on a murder charge. Moxamed Abidaziz Kherow, 46, is accused in the death of 36-year-old Muna Kuri, whose bloodied body was discovered by her sister on the morning of March 4, 2019, on a bed at their Van Dyke Avenue home. A deputy medical examiner testified it is believed Kuri died sometime between 9 p.m. March 2 and 6 a.m. March 3 from blunt force trauma that caused skull fractures, among numerous other injuries. In addition to injuries prosecutors allege may have been inflicted with a wooden stick, Kuri also sustained sharp force injuries to her hands and arms. Investigators found a broken knife at the scene. Testimony at Friday’s preliminary hearing indicated Kherow called two of his wife’s sisters and claimed he had been sexually assaulted by a man, and that Kuri may have sent a video recording of it to his sisters. He claimed t

James Gunn Announces That The Suicide Squad Has Wrapped Filming

James Gunn Announces That The Suicide Squad Has Wrapped Filming For James Gunn, production on The Suicide Squad was a period marked by countless highs and lows. But today, his work on the upcoming sequel/reboot has hit a new milestone. Gunn took to Instagram to share that the film has completed principal photography. He also took some time to reflect on the last few months. Gunn’s experience on The Suicide Squad was bookended by two significant losses in his life. Regardless, he admitted that in spite of everything, it was “the most fulfilling time [he’s] ever had making a movie.” You can check out his full statement below.   View this post on Instagram   And that’s a wrap on #TheSuicideSquad. My father died two weeks before we started filming and my dog died two weeks before the end. It was a hard, hard time in my life and yet the most fulfilling time I’ve ever had making a movie. The professionalism, talent, compassion and kindness of this cast and crew inspired me ever

Voters urged to cast ballots at county’s satellite voting locations

SAN DIEGO — The San Diego County Registrar of Voters says 81% of eligible voters in the county are registered and can thus participate in the March 3 primary election. “We have the highest number of registered voters this election than any other election that we’ve ever conducted at 1,825,237 registered voters,” Michael Vu with the Registrar of Voters told FOX 5 Friday. Some voters are taking care of business early to avoid crowds on Super Tuesday. “It’s nice to do it on our own time – to be able to come in, register and vote. To do it all in one day is really convenient,” one early voter said. To help cut down on election-day chaos, the Registrar of Voters is opening four satellite voting locations to give people a chance to register and cast their ballots early. Vu says around 400,000 people in the county who are eligible to vote have not registered. Those individuals, along with 524,000 non-partisan voters, are encouraged to use the satellite locations that open this weekend.

CVS, Walgreens warn there could be a hand sanitizer shortage

SAN DIEGO — U.S. drug stores, retailers and suppliers are racing to keep up with surging interest for cleaning products as  fears over coronavirus  intensify. Demand for products like hand sanitizers, face masks and cleaning wipes has spiked, according to CVS, Walgreens and others. CVS warned it may cause supply shortages. “This demand may cause temporary shortages at some store locations and we re-supply those stores as quickly as possible,” a spokesperson for CVS said. Bath & Body Works, owned by L Brands, said Thursday that its hand sanitizer business was growing in the wake of coronavirus. “The hand sanitizer business is about 5% of the total business. It is presently growing at a very high rate for reasons we would all understand,” L Brands chief financial officer Stuart Burgdoerfer said on a call with analysts. Meanwhile, cleaning goods companies are stepping up production to meet demand. “We are taking up inventory levels [to] be prepared for the potential increase in

Baby hippo at San Diego Zoo gets a name

This content collected from Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News. SAN DIEGO (AP) — A baby hippopotamus born at the San Diego Zoo last month has a name. The zoo says the river hippo calf will be called Amahle (pronounced ah-MA-shay), which means “beautiful one” in Zulu. The name was announced Friday on “Good Morning America,” which held an online poll asking viewers to choose among three African names. Amahle, who was born on Feb. 8, weighs about 100 pounds and is “active and healthy,” a zoo statement said. Amahle is the ninth hippo calf born at the zoo and the 13th to her mother, Funani. Amahle’s father, Otis, is an East African hippo who arrived at the zoo in 2009 specifically to breed with Funani, zoo officials said. Zoo visitors can see Amahle and her mother in the hippo habitat on Tuesdays, Thursdays and weekends, officials said. Bangla Zoom is most popular bangladeshi website. We are working with bengali news , english news headlines, bangla blog tips, bangla healt

Aide: Media ignores Trump’s loving bond with 13-year-old son

This content collected from Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News. WASHINGTON (AP) — A top aide to President Donald Trump complained Friday that the news media doesn’t pay enough attention to the president’s loving relationship with his 13-year-old son, Barron. “The president’s just a really caring father and you don’t see that,” acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said during an appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference, an annual gathering for conservatives. “The press would never show you that because it doesn’t fit.“ Mulvaney said he noticed on his first trip with the president that Trump had called his son multiple times to check in and let him know when his helicopter would be returning to the White House. The first lady’s office has requested that the media respect the privacy of the youngest of the president’s five children and discourages writing about him. Her office declined to comment on Mulvaney’s remarks. Bangla Zoom is most popular

Baby hippo at San Diego Zoo gets a name

SAN DIEGO (AP) — A baby hippopotamus born at the San Diego Zoo last month has a name. The zoo says the river hippo calf will be called Amahle (pronounced ah-MA-shay), which means “beautiful one” in Zulu. The name was announced Friday on “Good Morning America,” which held an online poll asking viewers to choose among three African names. Amahle, who was born on Feb. 8, weighs about 100 pounds and is “active and healthy,” a zoo statement said. Amahle is the ninth hippo calf born at the zoo and the 13th to her mother, Funani. Amahle’s father, Otis, is an East African hippo who arrived at the zoo in 2009 specifically to breed with Funani, zoo officials said. Zoo visitors can see Amahle and her mother in the hippo habitat on Tuesdays, Thursdays and weekends, officials said. from Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News Source: https://ift.tt/2Vt6qfv

Aide: Media ignores Trump’s loving bond with 13-year-old son

WASHINGTON (AP) — A top aide to President Donald Trump complained Friday that the news media doesn’t pay enough attention to the president’s loving relationship with his 13-year-old son, Barron. “The president’s just a really caring father and you don’t see that,” acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said during an appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference, an annual gathering for conservatives. “The press would never show you that because it doesn’t fit.“ Mulvaney said he noticed on his first trip with the president that Trump had called his son multiple times to check in and let him know when his helicopter would be returning to the White House. The first lady’s office has requested that the media respect the privacy of the youngest of the president’s five children and discourages writing about him. Her office declined to comment on Mulvaney’s remarks. from Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News Source: https://ift.tt/3cjWs6f

Mexico confirms first 2 cases of coronavirus

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s assistant health secretary announced Friday that the country now has two confirmed cases of the new coronavirus. Hugo Lopez-Gatell said one of the patients is in Mexico City and the other in the northern state of Sinaloa. While a second test is still pending on that case, he said, “We are treating this as confirmed.” Neither is seriously ill; one is in isolation at a hospital, the other is isolated at a hotel. At least five family contacts of the first patient have been placed in isolation. He said the men had traveled to the northern Italian region where there has been an outbreak and had returned to Mexico between last Friday and Saturday. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador appeared to downplay the seriousness of the COVID-19 virus, saying “it isn’t even equivalent to flu.” Seasonal flu kills more people because it has infected far more people, but the new virus appears to have a far higher mortality rate. In the central China city of Wuhan, where

Report: Los Angeles deputies shared Kobe Bryant crash photos

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Authorities are investigating whether deputies shared graphic photos of the helicopter crash scene where  Kobe Bryant , his 13-year-old daughter and seven others were killed. The Los Angeles Times  reported on Thursday that a public safety source with knowledge of the events had seen one of the photos on the phone of another official in a setting that was not related to the investigation of the crash. He said the photos showed the scene and victims’ remains. The source spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the allegations. The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department said in a statement Friday it was investigating the allegations detailed in the newspaper’s report. “The sheriff is deeply disturbed at the thought deputies could allegedly engage in such an insensitive act,” the statement said. “A thorough investigation will be conducted by the department, with the number one priority of protecting the dignity and privacy of the victims and thei

Ben Schnetzer is the New Star of FX’s Y: The Last Man Adaptation

Ben Schnetzer is the New Star of FX’s Y: The Last Man Adaptation Earlier this month, FX’s long gestating adaptation of Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra’s acclaimed comic book series,  Y: The Last Man , took a hit when Barry Keoghan left the project after two years. However, FX has already lined someone new to step into the role of escape artist Yorick Brown. Via Variety , Ben Schnetzer will portray Yorick on the series. Schnetzer is perhaps best known for his roles in The Book Thief , Snowden , The Riot Club , and Pride . He also starred in the ABC series, Happy Town , as well as FX’s pilot for Gone Hollywood . Within the original comic, Yorick and his helper monkey, Ampersand, were the lone male mammals to survive an apocalyptic plague. As women inherit the Earth, the secret of Yorick’s survival may give humanity a second chance for survival. RELATED:  Barry Keoghan Drops Out of FX’s Y: The Last Man Diane Lane costars in the series as Senator Jennifer Brown, Yorick’s mother. Imog

Chris Bremner Will Write Paramount’s M.A.S.K. Film

Chris Bremner Will Write Paramount’s M.A.S.K. Film Paramount has finally taken another step toward getting its long-gestating M.A.S.K. film off the ground. According to The Hollywood Reporter , the studio has just recruited writer Chris Bremner to tackle the movie’s screenplay. Bremner most recently co-wrote Bad Boys for Life , which was a surprise critical and financial hit when it opened earlier this year. Sony also hired him to write a fourth installment in that franchise even before the film was released. The sequel’s success also convinced Disney to hire him to write National Treasure 3 . M.A.S.K. hit the action figure scene in 1985. The name is an acronym for Mobile Armored Strike Kommand, and its team members are an underground strike force tasked with fighting terrorists, including their enemies in V.E.N.O.M. (or Vicious Evil Network of Mayhem). The classic Hasbro toy line also eventually spawned comic books, video games, and a beloved animated series. RELATED: Paramount

Boston man facing murder charge in connection with his mother’s death

A 22-year-old Boston man is facing a murder charge in connection with his mother’s death, police announced Thursday. Officers responding to 357 Columbia Road in Dorchester around 2:30 p.m. Thursday were directed to an indoor crime scene, where they located a woman who was later pronounced dead, according to Boston police. Her name has not been released. The victim’s son, Zackery Grandy, of Dorchester, was arrested and is expected to be arraigned on a murder charge in Dorchester District Court. No additional information was immediately released. This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details. from Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News Source: https://ift.tt/2I17E9E

‘Spooky, creepy’: Paranormal investigators spend night in Epping, NH town hall hoping for a close encounter

Cameras, creepy baby dolls and even a few high-tech gadgets were on hand at the Epping, New Hampshire Town Hall Thursday night for a paranormal investigation some say is long overdue. The 169-year-old building has been on these investigator’s radar for quite a while now but, their interests skyrocketed when a video of a November board of selectmen meeting surfaced. The video shows the selectmen sitting at a long table inside the auditorium and at one point, a piece of paper appears to lift off that table and move of its own accord. “I was sitting right there, just looking down and clicking my pen,” Selectman Cody Belanger recalled. “And there was that realization that ‘holy… that page flipped over!” The town administrator himself has even called for a little back up from police one night after hearing some strange noises. These among a long list of previous encounters is the reason the investigators were given the go-ahead to try and make contact — at least until morning. While t

Thousands flock to Boston for PAX East convention amid growing coronavirus fears

BOSTON (WHDH) – Thousands of international travelers have flocked to Boston for the start of the annual PAX East video gaming convention as coronavirus fears continue to escalate across the globe. Event organizers say cleaning and sanitation efforts will be enhanced throughout the event, which runs from Thursday to Sunday at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. “We like to say that PAX is a celebration of all kinds of games for all kinds of gamers,” said Ryan Hartman, VP of Events. “With coronavirus being in front of everyone’s mind, we’re definitely doubling down. We want everyone to be safe and comfortable.” The gaming convention is one of the largest in North America, attracting video game enthusiasts from all corners of the world. Sony pulled out of the event last week , while other companies scaled back their presence amid growing worries about the virus and the threat it presents. While some people could be seen sporting surgical masks, most gamers said they weren’t

‘Everything is on the line’: Congressman Kennedy makes his bid for the job of U.S. senator

7’s Adam Williams sits down with Congressman Joe Kennedy III and why he wants the job of U.S. Senator from Massachusetts. “I’ve thrown my hat in the ring for a very difficult senate race,” said Congressman Joe Kennedy III. A race that is becoming more like a marathon. “My sole focus is going out to try to make the case to every single person across this commonwealth that will listen to me,” said Kennedy. He spoke one on one with 7news, explaining why he wants to unseat Senator Ed Markey. A politician who’s served Massachusetts on Capitol Hill since 1976: “What are some the differences between you and Ed Markey, other than age and experience?”  asked Adam Williams. “So look, I respect the senator for the contribution that he’s made to our country.  But I do think there’s some differences in our record.  From his support of a crime bill back in 1994, to his vote for an Iraq War. There’s also the issue about how we actually define the job of being a United States Senator,” said Ken

Thousands flock to Boston for PAX East convention amid growing coronavirus fears

This content collected from Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News. BOSTON (WHDH) – Thousands of international travelers have flocked to Boston for the start of the annual PAX East video gaming convention as coronavirus fears continue to escalate across the globe. Event organizers say cleaning and sanitation efforts will be enhanced throughout the event, which runs from Thursday to Sunday at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. “We like to say that PAX is a celebration of all kinds of games for all kinds of gamers,” said Ryan Hartman, VP of Events. “With coronavirus being in front of everyone’s mind, we’re definitely doubling down. We want everyone to be safe and comfortable.” The gaming convention is one of the largest in North America, attracting video game enthusiasts from all corners of the world. Sony pulled out of the event last week , while other companies scaled back their presence amid growing worries about the virus and the threat it presents. While some peop

‘Spooky, creepy’: Paranormal investigators spend night in Epping, NH townhall hoping for a close encounter

This content collected from Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News. Cameras, creepy baby dolls and even a few high tech gadgets were on hand at the Epping, New Hampshire town hall Thursday night for a paranormal investigation some say is long overdue. The 169-year-old building has been on these investigator’s radar for quite a while now but, their interests skyrocketed when a video of a November board of selectmen meeting surfaced. The video shows the selectmen sitting at a long table inside the auditorium and at one point, a piece of paper appears to lift off that table and move of its own accord. “I was sitting right there, just looking down and clicking my pen,” Selectman Cody Belanger recalled. “And there was that realization that ‘holy… that page flipped over!” The town administrator himself has even called for a little back up from police one night after hearing some strange noises. These among a long list of previous encounters is the reason the investigators were given

Thousands flock to Boston for PAX East convention amid growing coronavirus fears

This content collected from Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News. BOSTON (WHDH) – Thousands of international travelers have flocked to Boston for the start of the annual PAX East video gaming convention as coronavirus fears continue to escalate across the globe. Event organizers say cleaning and sanitation efforts will be enhanced throughout the event, which runs from Thursday to Sunday at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. “We like to say that PAX is a celebration of all kinds of games for all kinds of gamers,” said Ryan Hartman, VP of Events. “With coronavirus being in front of everyone’s mind, we’re definitely doubling down. We want everyone to be safe and comfortable.” The gaming convention is one of the largest in North America, attracting video game enthusiasts from all corners of the world. Sony pulled out of the event last week , while other companies scaled back their presence amid growing worries about the virus and the threat it presents. While some peop

Confederate-related paraphernalia must be removed from all Marine installations, commandant orders

WASHINGTON (CNN) — The highest-ranking officer in the US Marine Corps has ordered Confederate-related paraphernalia to be removed from all Marine installations. The order from Commandant Gen. David Berger was one of several initiatives he prioritized for “immediate execution” in a memo sent to senior leadership last week, Marine Corps spokesman Capt. Joseph Butterfield told CNN. Some of the other directives were posted by Berger on Twitter , including revising the parental leave policy to include same-sex couples, reviewing the possibility of yearlong maternity leave for female Marines and to get more female Marines into combat jobs. Butterfield didn’t provide any details regarding when the paraphernalia needs to be removed, but he noted that any official policy decisions would be published in appropriate orders or servicewide messages. Berger’s spokesman Maj. Eric Flanagan told CNN that while there isn’t a large amount of Confederate paraphernalia on Marine Corps installations, it

Whistleblower: Feds helping evacuees lacked virus protection

WASHINGTON (AP) — A government whistleblower has filed a complaint alleging that some federal workers did not have the necessary protective gear or training when they were deployed to help Americans evacuated from China during the coronavirus outbreak. The complaint deals with Health and Human Services Department employees sent to Travis and March Air Force bases in California to assist the quarantined evacuees. The Office of Special Counsel, a federal agency that investigates personnel issues, confirmed Thursday it has received the unnamed whistleblower’s complaint and has opened a case. Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., said the whistleblower recently contacted his office, also alleging retaliation by higher-ups for having flagged safety issues. “My concern from the moment I heard it is that individuals at HHS are not taking the complaints of HHS employees seriously,” Gomez said in an interview. “Their superiors are not supposed to brush them off. By retaliating against people if they d