Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain dies after battle with COVID-19 - USA TODAY
Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain dies after battle with COVID-19 - USA TODAY |
- Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain dies after battle with COVID-19 - USA TODAY
- Coronavirus USA and HEALS Act live updates: news, cases, deaths and stimulus checks, today - AS English
- EU extends ban on American travelers - again - with US COVID-19 cases far outpacing European countries - USA TODAY
- 'I don't want a delay': Trump rows back on delaying election but not on mail-in ballots - USA TODAY
- In CA: Outbreaks increase, pension spiking's gotta go and 30 years of ADA - USA TODAY
| Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain dies after battle with COVID-19 - USA TODAY Posted: 30 Jul 2020 05:00 PM PDT CLOSE  Correction: This video initially misstated Herman Cain's age. He was 74. The politician and business executive had contracted COVID-19. Wochit WASHINGTON – Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain died after a battle with COVID-19, according to posts on his Twitter account and on his website. "Herman Cain – our boss, our friend, like a father to so many of us – has passed away," wrote Dan Calabrese, the editor of Cain's website. "Herman was 74. Although he was basically pretty healthy in recent years, he was still in a high-risk group because of his history with cancer," he continued. The former Godfather's Pizza CEO, who also served as the co-chair of Black Voices for Trump, was hospitalized at the beginning of July after developing coronavirus symptoms. He attended President Donald Trump's controversial rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at the end of June, but he did not wear a mask. He posted a picture of himself and other attendees in close proximity and without wearing masks. Local health officials had called for the event's cancellation out of fears it could become a "super-spreader" event, and the head of the Tulsa Health Department later acknowledged the rally and surrounding protests had likely contributed to a surge in cases in Tulsa. Several Trump campaign staffers and Secret Services employees tested positive for COVID-19 before the rally and self-quarantined. As recently as Monday, an update on Cain's website said he was still being treated with oxygen, but his organs were "strong." "He really is getting better, which means it is working," the post said. Trump tweeted a statement Thursday afternoon calling Cain a "special man, an American Patriot, and great friend." He said he spoke on the phone with Cain's family to express his condolences. Vice President Mike Pence also expressed his sympathies to Cain's family. Former Cain aide Ellen Carmichael, who had served as the communications director for Cain's campaign, tweeted her condolences, calling him a "giant of a person." The Black Voices for Trump coalition, in which Cain served as co-chair, released a statement, saying, "Herman was an icon and a personification of the American Dream." "We were honored to consider him part of our Trump family and a key advisor to the Black Voices for Trump coalition. We mourn as one nation today for him," the statement said. In a post on Twitter, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Cain "embodied the American Dream and represented the very best of the American spirit." "Our hearts grieve for his loved ones, and they will remain in our prayers at this time. We will never forget his legacy of grace, patriotism, and faith," she wrote. More: US coronavirus map: Tracking the outbreak More: U.S. economy contracted record 32.9% in Q2 amid state shutdowns, COVID-19 contagion fears Cain ran for the Republican presidential nomination in the 2012 Republican primary, attracting attention for his "9-9-9" plan to slash taxes. He suspended his campaign in December 2011, however, amid allegations of sexual misconduct. Cain denied the allegations. Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill, Sen. Mitt Romney, who was the Republican Party's presidential nominee in 2012, said he was "saddened" to hear about Cain's death. "We campaigned against each other in a presidential contest but it was fun being with him," Romney said. "He's a guy who made a real mark on American life and I note that when he reaches St. Peter's Gate I expect the first words to come out of his mouth will be 'nine nine nine.' " Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/07/30/herman-cain-dies-after-battle-covid-19/5544484002/  |
| Posted: 31 Jul 2020 02:12 AM PDT  Trump likely to address U.N. in person in September, says U.N. envoyU.S. President Donald Trump hopes to address the U.N. General Assembly in person in September, his U.N. envoy said on Thursday, while all other world leaders will send videos instead of traveling to New York amid the coronavirus pandemic. The annual high-level gathering had been shaping up to be a weeklong celebration of the 75th anniversary of the world body, but U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres suggested in May that leaders send video statements due to likely travel issues. The 193-member General Assembly agreed last week to the special measures, which allow one - possibly two - New York-based representatives for each country to be in the General Assembly hall for the speeches. "We're hoping that President Trump will actually be speaking in person in the General Assembly. He will be the only world leader to be speaking in person," U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Kelly Craft told the Meridian International diplomacy think tank.  |
| Posted: 30 Jul 2020 11:56 AM PDT CLOSE Americans will not be allowed to travel to EU countries when the bloc opens up to international visitors July 1. USA TODAY For the second time this month, the European Union extended its travel ban on Americans on Thursday, as COVID-19 infections continued to rise across the United States. The EU first started lifting its travel restrictions outside the bloc on July 1, welcoming visitors from 14 countries, including Canada, South Korea and Australia. The U.S. was left off that initial list, and the EU extended its ban on Americans visiting the bloc on July 16. The announcement, by the European Council, came after EU officials conducted their biweekly review of travel restrictions, examining coronavirus trends and containment measures in each country to determine whether to add or narrow the list of permitted travelers. The key measurement: The pandemic outbreak in a given country needs to be equally contained – or better – than in the EU. The United States had more than 4.4 million COVID-19 cases as of Thursday, and more than 151,000 deaths, more than any other nation, according to Johns Hopkins University. European countries have made significantly more progress in containing the coronavirus, which causes COVID-19. According to EU data, the bloc – which includes the European Economic Area (EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) and the United Kingdom – reported more than 1.7 million cases as of Thursday. Three U.S. states — California, Florida and New York — have more than 400,000 cases, while a fourth, Texas, has nearly as many. No other EU country has more than 300,000 cases, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Here are the dozen countries where citizens are approved to visit the EU. The list has not changed from two weeks ago, when Montenegro and Serbia were removed:
Thursday's decree does not apply to travel to Britain, which left the EU in January. The U.S. State Department has advised Americans against international travel since March. Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2020/07/30/europe-travel-ban-americans-covid-19-rise-eu-to-us/5546206002/  |
| Posted: 30 Jul 2020 03:41 PM PDT WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump on Thursday appeared to row back on the idea of delaying the 2020 election, even as he continued to raise doubts about efforts to expand mail-in voting in some states to respond to the coronavirus. "Do I want to see a date change? No," Trump said at the White House hours after raising the idea of a delay in a tweet. "But I don't want to see a crooked election." Trump drew bipartisan derision Thursday for questioning whether the presidential election should be delayed over concerns about voting during the pandemic – and his longstanding and unproven assertion that mail-in ballots would lead to election fraud. Congressional Republicans bluntly rejected the idea and Democrats accused the president of attempting to sow doubt if the election doesn't go his way. Despite the blow back, Trump did not foreclose on continuing to push for a delay in voting – an idea that would require approval from Congress. Instead, he indicated he wasn't advocating for a delay while he simultaneously lamented efforts to expand mail-in voting. "What will happen in November – it's a mess," Trump said. "I want a result much, more more than you...I don't want to be waiting around around for weeks and months." Democrats said Trump's latest remarks were not overly convincing and likely foreshadowed a continuing effort to cast doubt about the election. Trump is trailing presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden in battleground states, though analysts from both parties acknowledge there is ample time for the landscape to change. Political opponents said Trump is clearly threatening to dispute the election, either by a call for a delay or lawsuits over mail-in balloting. "Cut through his blaze of fraudulent claims about vote by mail, the @POTUS foreshadows months of resistance and legal wrangling if he doesn't win," tweeted Democratic strategist David Axelrod. Conservative commentator Erick Erickson also questioned Trump's strategy. "The President is single-handedly undermining his re-election with both nutty conspiracies about voting by mail and insane ramblings about delaying the election," Erickson tweeted. "A growing portion of his base is frustrated and thinks he's just trying to lose." The president had "pinned" the election tweet to his Twitter feed throughout the day Thursday, assuring that his 84.3 million followers would see it. By late Thursday, the pin was removed. Trump also called on lawmakers to approve a short-term extension of unemployment benefits, an idea that has been embraced by Republicans on Capitol Hill but that met with stiff resistance from Democrats. The two parties are struggling to negotiate another round of stimulus to address the economic harm caused by the virus. "We want a temporary extension of expanded unemployment benefits," the president told reporters at the White House on Thursday. "This will provide a critical bridge for Americans who lost their jobs to the pandemic through no fault of their own." Democrats want a broader agreement that would include other stimulus provisions. Trump started off his remarks Thursday by offering his sympathy for former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain, who died after a battle with COVID-19. "No one is immune," Trump said. "We can never ever forget the people who have been lost," Trump said. More: McConnell, Republicans nix idea of moving Election Day More: U.S. economy contracted record 32.9% in Q2 amid state shutdowns After a weeks-long hiatus, Trump returned July 21 to holding regular COVID-19 briefings that he had started earlier in the pandemic. Unlike in the past, Trump has kept the latest round of briefings relatively short and has not invited members of the White House coronavirus task force to join him at the podium. Trump last took questions in the briefing room on Tuesday. Since then, the nation surged past 150,000 COVID-19 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. Several large states, including California and Florida, are setting new records for virus deaths. Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/07/30/trump-hosts-coronavirus-briefing-after-floating-idea-election-delay/5547391002/  |
| In CA: Outbreaks increase, pension spiking's gotta go and 30 years of ADA - USA TODAY Posted: 30 Jul 2020 05:53 PM PDT CLOSE At-home testing could transform the fight against the novel coronavirus. USA TODAY Outbreaks grow as California struggles to control the coronavirus. The state's high court strikes down some types of pension spiking. And I talk to a longtime disability advocate about 30 years of ADA, inclusion in Hollywood and how COVID-19 is disproportionately impacting the community. It's Arlene and it's Thursday. Let's do this. But first, state lawmakers and members of the public ripped into the Employment Development Department over late payments and how difficult it was to reach a human or get a response. One woman broke down while explaining she had been trying to get through since March 21, when her company shut down: "This is my life, my family's life." In California brings you the state's best stories and commentary, across the USA TODAY Network and beyond. Sign up now for straight-to-your-inbox delivery. Calls grow to remove (and keep) noose logo, vacation rentals to exit and heat wave on the wayThe city of Placerville's logo features a noose hanging from a tree, and its history is full of lynchings (its nickname is Old Hangtown). During a meeting earlier this month to discuss removing it, the city council voted to continue the item to next year. It should go, writes LA Times' art critic. A Palm Springs-area community is moving to ban vacation rentals in residential communities, the result of months of negotiations between neighbors who don't want them and property owners who say the unpermitted ones are the real problem. Brace yourself, SoCal: We're talking lots and lots of heat, from the Central Coast to the desert. Pension spiking is not a right, court rulesIn 2013, modest statewide pension reform sought to help contain soaring pension costs, which are set to grow exponentially in the years ahead as a result of generous compensation and markets that fell short of expected returns. It sought to eliminate some of the ways pensions are padded, like by adding sick and vacation pay to final compensation (which is either the highest 12- or 36-month earning period of a career; Social Security payments are based on average lifetime earnings) and then basing the monthly payment off of that. The Alameda County sheriff's union sued when county administrators tried to take that enhancement away. Attorneys arguing for the union said when employees were hired they could spike their pension, and taking it away amounted to a violation of the "California Rule," which essentially says that a pension benefit given on Day 1 of employment can't be taken away unless it's replaced with a benefit of equal value. On Thursday, the state Supreme Court ruled that, actually, pension spiking was never a right at all, but a "loophole" that needed to be closed. The provisions of the California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA) were enacted "for the constitutionally permissible purpose of closing loopholes and preventing abuse of the pension system," the court said. This is at least the second legal challenge to PEPRA. Last year, the court ruled "air time" — a practice where government employees were allowed to pay for years of service they didn't actually work to boost their pension — was a financial gimmick and therefore not a right protected under the "California Rule." Still, labor groups expressed relief because in both decisions the state high court sidestepped the bigger issue of the "California Rule." Stay tuned. Nursing home, youth facility, fraternity row: Coronavirus outbreaksTwo people died and 51 people are infectedwith the coronavirus in a Ventura nursing home. Elsewhere in the county, an outbreak at a youth correctional facility grew to 47 cases by Thursday afternoon. Earlier this week, state officials announced they would temporarily stop taking in new youths at the facility and would evaluate whether to do the same at its Stockton complex. At least 40 people have been infectedwith the virus on USC's fraternity row. Salmonella outbreak, Ellen apologizes and Nunes' fundraising prowessChicks and ducklings kept in backyards are the likely source of a nationwide salmonella outbreak that has sickened nearly 1,000 people and killed one person. Per the CDC: "Backyard poultry can carry salmonella bacteria even if they look healthy and clean and show no signs of illness." "I am sorry": Ellen DeGeneres apologizes to talk show staff after complaints surface alleging racism, intimidation and a toxic work culture. Money, money, money by the pound: Tulare congressman Devin Nunes is raising so much money he's giving it away to other Republicans in a bid to control the U.S. House of Representatives (Note: Story is for subscribers). As ADA turns 30, the fight for inclusion growsThe Americans with Disabilities Act became law on July 26, 1990, guaranteeing equal protection for people with a wide range of disabilities, from mental health issues to physical challenges. It was modeled after the 1964 Civil Rights Act, providing equal access to government services, schools, buildings, private employers and commercial facilities. And as the Civil Rights Act hasn't erased bias and racism against Black people, the ADA didn't remove bias and discrimination toward people with disabilities. "Other than rare instances of overt animus, most of the discrimination we see towards people with disabilities in this country tends to be from what we call 'malign neglect,'" Michael Ashley Stein, co-founder and executive director of the Harvard Law School Project on Disability, told USA TODAY. "It's not that we're trying to exclude them from opportunity, it's that we didn't even bother to consider them eligible or worthy of opportunities." The ADA, like other civil rights laws, Stein said, "puts the burden on the oppressed to make changes," requiring an endless fight to protect those rights. ►30 years later, access to voting for people with disabilities is still an issue RespectAbility, a 7-year-old nonprofit with offices in California and Maryland, is on the case, working to change the way people view those with disabilities as just as capable and talented as everyone else. "We fight for a world where people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else," says Matan Koch, director of RespectAbility California and Jewish Leadership. Koch, an attorney who began his legal career at Procter & Gamble and uses a wheelchair, has spent decades working on disability advocacy, including as a President Obama-appointee to the National Council on Disability. I talked to Koch via email about the anniversary, the inclusion of people with disabilities in Hollywood and the especially high toll the coronavirus is taking on the community. Our conversation has been lightly edited. Q: This week marks the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. For those not familiar with the specifics, what made it so monumental? A: The ADA was the Civil Rights Act for people with disabilities, allowing us to enter all the same places and participate in the same things as everyone else, whether we need wheelchair access, braille, or anything else. It allowed us to get jobs and support ourselves, saying that if we could do the work, we could not be denied a job just because of disability and that we could get a few reasonable accommodations. Q: And how has it worked, in reality and in practice? A: The world is more physically accessible, but could be better for blind and deaf people. Sadly, the employment rate is still about half for people with disabilities as for everybody else, just like before the law. This is mostly because people do not realize what we CAN do, and so they still do not hire us, or they are worried that they do not know what to do. RespectAbility works to educate them about both. Q: A lot of RespectAbility's work focuses on the entertainment industry. How has Hollywood responded to calls for inclusion from groups who want to see more people with disabilities? There's been so little movement when it comes to seeing more Latino, Black and Asian people on screen, for example, despite repeated calls for better representation. A: There are 50% more disabled characters on screen this year than last, although far less than the 1 in 5 people that actually have a disability. On the other hand, a show featuring disability was just nominated for an Emmy, and there are more people with disabilities writing for TV than ever before, with studios working with us to train people with disabilities to work in the industry, as writers, directors, producers and actors. Q: And what about working off-set in the industry? Or in workplaces in general? You mentioned a startling unemployment rate for people with disabilities. A: The key is helping employers to see what people with disabilities CAN do, and to give them, and the people with disabilities, the tools that they need to succeed. In LA, for example, we are working with the city and some partners to release a toolkit to help people with disabilities find good jobs, giving them step-by-step instructions, either from high school, college, a midcareer injury or a COVID-19 layoff. Q: When it comes to COVID-19, the majority of people impacted are people with disabilities, as your organization's web site points out. How is it impacting the community? A: Our strategy starts with lives, and then continues to learning and livelihood. The first issue was food. People with disabilities who are on SNAP (food stamps) could not safely go to the store, so we worked to make the benefits available online. Now it is adjusting to all the schools that will be online, so we are helping to make sure that people have what they need, from computers and Internet, to special education supports. Q: How can policymakers and the public better respond to protect people with disabilities? A: It is not about protection, but making sure the system does not keep us down. We know what works for us, to make sure that we succeed. Give us opportunities to share that, with a seat at the table so that policies help us, rather than unintentionally get in our way. We do not need a handout, just maybe a hand up, and common-sense policies, like not having to choose between healthcare and work. Q: Anything I didn't ask you about? A: 30 years after the ADA, we are doing so many interesting things. I have been a lawyer, in and out of the courtroom, and people with disabilities are successful business people, actors, nurses and every other kind of hard-working job you can imagine. We have a track record of success now, and people need to know about it so that they know what we CAN do. Then more people will hire us to do it. That's it for today. See you tomorrow. In California brings you top news and analysis from across USA TODAY Network newsrooms. Also contributing: Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle. Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/07/30/california-pensions-ada-edd-noose-fraternity-row-usc-thurs-news/5549843002/  |
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