Coronavirus disaster news, USA

This 16 April 2020 video says about itself:

President Trump said Tuesday he will stop U.S. funding for the World Health Organization, an announcement that follows weeks of increased criticism of the United Nations public health body. Paul O’Brien, who leads Oxfam’s coronavirus response, says Trump is trying desperately to shift blame for his own disastrous handling of the viral outbreak.

But cutting funding to the WHO will hurt those in developing countries the most, O’Brien says, noting that 80% of workers on the planet have no health insurance. “We have an economic crisis that is potentially coming along with the health crisis that is going to be profoundly harmful for many people,” he says.

DOJ TO INSPECT PRISONS AS INMATES FALL SICK The Justice Department’s inspector general will conduct remote inspections of Bureau of Prisons facilities to ensure they are following best practices to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus after hundreds of federal inmates tested positive for the virus. The review comes as the federal prison system struggles with a growing number of coronavirus cases and complaints from inmates, advocacy groups and correction officers about how officials are handling the pandemic among their 122 facilities. [AP]

SENATE DEMS TELL TRUMP: YOU FAILED TO MANAGE STOCKPILE More than a dozen Senate Democrats sent a letter to Trump slamming what they described as a failure to properly manage the Strategic National Stockpile amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Democrats, led by Sens. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Patty Murray of Washington, urged Trump to explain why the federal stockpile was nearly depleted of critically needed personal protective equipment as the pandemic continued to worsen. [HuffPost]

PASTORS SUE CALIFORNIA GOV. FOR LIMITING GATHERINGS Pastors from three California churches are suing Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and several local officials for restricting religious gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic, arguing that their congregations can worship in person … In a federal lawsuit, the evangelical Christian plaintiffs insist it’s unconstitutional for the state to allow some businesses to stay open ― such as grocery stores ― while houses of worship are forced to close. [HuffPost]

On Sunday, March 29, the coronavirus death count in the U.S. had reached 2,622 and churches around the country were already worshipping online to keep their congregants safe. But at The River Clermont, a nondenominational charismatic Christian church in Lake County, Florida, a praise and worship band was warming up the crowd as if there was no pandemic. Congregants raised their hands in the air and swayed and sang, much closer together than six feet: here.

32 residents die of coronavirus at 2 Massachusetts Jewish living facilities.

Jewish group launches page to report COVID-related hate crimes against Jews, Asian-Americans.