News and updates

Below is a selection of articles the Federal Relations team read this week.

COVID-19: Lebanon and other countries report an uptick in cases after easing restrictions, some European students return to school, and President Trump appoints people to lead US vaccine effort. Live updates at CNN.

India: Cyclone Amphan is forming over the Bay of Bengal and is expected to make landfall in the next few days. Live updates at Times of India.

Yellowstone: A woman entered Yellowstone National Park and fell into a hot spring while taking pictures this week. The park remains closed due to stay-home orders. She was taken to a hospital in Idaho to be treated for burns. Full story at NBC.

Afghanistan: Sixteen people, including two newborns, were killed by gunmen at a Doctors Without Borders maternity ward in Kabul. The attack has prompted the Afghan government to resume “offensive operations” against the Taliban, putting a potential peace deal in jepoardy. More at Washington Post. 

Below is a selection of articles the Federal Relations team read this week.

COVID-19: White House staffers test positive, reopenings broaden to include schools in some states, and WA will allow certain counties to reopen earlier. Live updates at CNN.

Outrage in Georgia Shooting Death: Video footage from the death of Ahmaud Arbery has been recently released and shared on social media. Arbery, a 25 year old black man, was shot and killed in February by two white men while jogging in suburban Georgia, in what many believe to be a racially motivated attack. The assailants, Gregory McMichael and Travis McMichael, have been charged with murder. Full story and updates at New York Times.

Seattle Street Closures: The City of Seattle will permanently close 20 miles of streets to allow for pedestrians to better distance themselves. More at Kiro 7.

Coronavirus Spending by Country: The BBC has published how various countries are attempting to cushion the economic impact of COVID-19 by spending. The US is the #5 country in terms of spending as a percentage of GDP. Malta is #1. Full story at BBC.

Russian Doctors: Several Russian doctors have fallen out of windows after speaking critically of the country’s response to COVID-19 and PPE shortages. More at Washington Post.

Michael Flynn: The Justice Department has dropped criminal charges against General Michael Flynn, the former National Security Advisor who confessed to lying to the FBI in a counterintelligence investigation. Attorney General William Barr said what Flynn did “was not a crime”. More at CBS.