NEW YORK, March 19 -- The 350.org issued the following statement: The oil and gas industry called on the British government to provide long-term financial support in order to prop up their failing operations in the North Sea. Anna Vickerstaff UK climate campaigner at 350.org responds: "Right now the British government and financial institutions should be supporting the most vulnerable people in society - not one of the richest and most destructive industries on the planet. "We cannot repeat t  more

NEW YORK, March 18 -- A Better Balance, a legal advocacy organization, issued the following statement: The New York State Legislature and Governor Cuomo reached an agreement on a bill that will put into place emergency paid sick leave protections for millions of New Yorkers who are under mandatory or precautionary quarantine due to COVID-19. Importantly, the bill also provides a permanent paid sick time right, recognizing the fact that workers need paid sick time whenever they or a family membe  more

NEW YORK, March 20 -- Access Now issued the following news release: As the world moves to working online to protect the health and safety of our communities and to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus, companies such as Zoom have become our new workplaces. In an open letter to Zoom, Access Now urged the company to issue regular transparency reports, disclosing how the company responds to third-party requests for user data, as more people rely on their services. "Zoom is exactly the type of   more

BETHESDA, Maryland, March 19 -- The American College of Medical Genetics Foundation for Genetic and Genomic issued the following news release: The ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine is proud to present the 2020 ACMG Foundation/David L. Rimoin Inspiring Excellence Award to Thelma Alessandra Sugranes, MD for her platform presentation, "Age of First Cancer Diagnosis and Survival in Bloom Syndrome." Dr. Sugranes is a first-year medical genetics resident at the Memorial Sloan Ketterin  more

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin, March 18 -- The Agricultural and Applied Economics Association issued the following news release: The New York Times ran a story on March 15, 2020 with the heading "There Is Plenty of Food in the Country." Though this statement may hold true, there could be more serious food market disruptions. Some of the stock-outs and slowdowns in grocery check-out lines are because employees are staying at home and practicing social-distancing. This problem is likely to grow if more pe  more

ALBANY, New York, March 16 -- Albany Medical Center, an academic health sciences center, issued the following news release: In further effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, also called the novel coronavirus, Albany Med, as well as other hospitals throughout the region, have strengthened visitation guidelines Visitors will not be permitted to enter if they have a fever and/or respiratory symptoms, have had close contact with an individual who has laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, or have trave  more

ALBANY, New York, March 19 -- Albany Medical Center, an academic health sciences center, issued the following news release on March 18: Officials from Albany Med, including Dennis P. McKenna, M.D., incoming president and CEO; Fred Venditti, M.D., executive vice president for system care delivery and hospital general director; and Rebecca O'Donnell, director of Epidemiology, provided an update to press on the response to COVID-19, the novel coronavirus. Albany Med continues to follow guidance f  more

ALBANY, New York, March 21 -- Albany Medical Center, an academic health sciences center, issued the following news release: Albany Med and St. Peter's Health Partners are suspending COVID-19 community testing. Effective immediately, St. Peter's Health Partners will only be testing symptomatic health care providers at its Albany Memorial Campus, 600 Northern Blvd. in Albany. Drive-up testing will continue until 9 p.m. Friday, March 20 at the Albany Med testing site adjacent to the Emergency Depa  more

NEW YORK, March 17 -- The Alliance for Quality Education issued the following news release: New York City and the world is in the midst of a public health crisis greater than we have seen in our lifetime, and it is exposing the lack of a comprehensive plan to ensure the safety of NYC children and families. Historically, schools have been used as places of refuge and safety in times of natural disasters and crisis, and are often the heart of our communities. Closing down the entire system crea  more

NEW YORK, March 21 -- The American Association of Advertising Agencies issued the following news release: Updates and news on the coronavirus, or COVID-19, are changing rapidly. Companies and brands are communicating with consumers about how business is being impacted, how it affects consumers, and what they're doing to keep everyone healthy. Using Suzy, a real-time market research platform, 4A's Research surveyed 1000 consumers on March 18, 2020 to understand how consumers feel about brand com  more

NEW YORK, March 17 -- The American Guild of Musical Artists issued the following news: Until further notice, AGMA staff will cease commuting into its national headquarters and begin working remotely. AGMA had already paused business travel and implemented other exposure-reducing measures, including cross-training staff and replacing in-person meetings with video conferences. Day-to-day workflow and operations will not be interrupted. As echoed by many organizations across the country and glob  more

NEW YORK, March 18 -- The American Jewish Committee issued the following news release: If America - and the world - needed a reminder of our interconnectedness, our interdependence, and our shared vulnerabilities, COVID-19 is it. The virus respects no borders. It bows not to military might, religious edict, or government fiat. It is indifferent to ethnicity, nationality, faith, gender, and political orientation, if, alas, not to age. As the coronavirus makes its way through our communities, s  more

NEW YORK, March 16 -- The American Jewish Congress issued the following statement by President Jack Rosen: The American Jewish Congress praises Israel for staying true to its values and showcasing its humanitarian convictions. Israel's actions expose once again the hypocrisy that lies at the heart of the discriminatory Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. As it was recently confirmed by a senior official in the Palestinian Health Ministry in the Gaza Strip, Israel has indirectly   more

NEW YORK, March 17 -- The American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, a journal from the American Thoracic Society that says it focuses on human biology and disease, as well as animal and in vitro studies, published research articles on the following topics in its March 15, 2020 edition: * Etiology, Risk Factors, and Biomarkers in Systemic Sclerosis with Interstitial Lung Disease Original Articles: * Airway Mucus Hyperconcentration in Non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis * Pre  more

NEW YORK, March 17 -- The American National Standards Institute issued the following news release: In view of the significant health risks posed by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)--now declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization--the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has put in place several precautions: Temporary Office Closures To ensure the safety of our employees, the continuity of ANSI's operations, and to help minimize the potential spread of the virus, ANSI'  more

NEW YORK, March 19 -- The American National Standards Institute issued the following news release: * * * - Mr. Wittner was the Former Chairman of ISO Committee on Conformity Assessment, ISO/CASCO * * * The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) mourns the passing of Mario Osvaldo Wittner, a valued member of the standards and conformity assessment community. Mr. Wittner passed away on March 13, 2020. Mr. Wittner served as European Union (EU) expert for ANSI and a number of standardizati  more

NEW YORK, March 17 -- The American National Standards Institute issued the following news release: The ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) is now offering a series of live, web-based training courses to meet the need for continued learning in light of widespread travel restrictions and social distancing efforts amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The courses are an opportunity to complete remote training within small blocks of time. Each class will be offered via WebEx and will incl  more

NEW YORK, March 17 -- The American National Standards Institute issued the following news release: A new report released in March 2020 by the Cyberspace Solarium Commission outlines recommendations for reforms to organize government more effectively, promote international accountability, and strengthen efforts for U.S. cybersecurity collaboration. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) encourages all relevant stakeholders to review the recommendations, which reference standards and co  more

NEW YORK, March 21 -- The American National Standards Institute issued the following news release: The ANSI Federation and standardization community are stepping up with guidance, resources, and initiatives to support public health, safety, and infrastructure during the COVID-19 outbreak. ANSI is monitoring, sharing, and promoting appropriate news related to these efforts to highlight these efforts. Suggestions for news items may be submitted to pr@ansi.org. All submissions are published at ANS  more

RESTON, Virginia, March 17 -- The American Society of Civil Engineers issued the following news: ASCE honored the Bayonne Bridge: Replacement of Main Span Roadway and Approach Structures with the 2020 Outstanding Civil Engineering achievement award, as announced Friday evening, March 13, at the Outstanding Projects and Leaders (OPAL) Gala in Washington, D.C. The OCEA award, established in 1960, recognizes the project that best illustrates superior civil engineering skills and represents a sign  more

MANHATTAN, New York, March 17 -- Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a campaign of Everytown for Gun Safety, issued the following news: After reports of a deadly shooting overnight at a gas station in Springfield, the Missouri chapter of Moms Demand Action, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, released the following statement urging lawmakers to act. Sunday night's shooting was the latest in a state that sees more than 1,100 gun deaths every year. Sunday night's shooting comes as cities   more

NEW ROCHELLE, New York, March 20 -- Bioelectricity, a peer-reviewed journal, published research articles on the following topics in its March 2020 edition: * Assessment of Enrichment of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Based on Plasma and Mitochondrial Membrane Potentials * Intense Pulsed Electric Fields Denature Urease Protein * Interferon-Gamma Stimulated Murine Macrophages In Vitro: Impact of Ionic Composition and Osmolarity and Therapeutic Implications * Threshold Electric Skin Sensitivity F  more

WASHINGTON, March 19 -- The Campaign Finance Institute issued the following news release: On March 12, 2020, a New York State trial-level court vacated a new small-donor public financing law that had been analyzed in a January 15 report by the Campaign Finance Institute/National Institute on Money in Politics. The CFI/NIMP report entitled Small Donor Public Finance in New York State - Major Innovations, with a Catch is available on the NIMP website. The law would have provided public matching f  more

WASHINGTON, March 19 -- The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids issued the following news release: New York voters are deeply concerned about youth use of e-cigarettes and strongly support ending the sale of flavored e-cigarette and vaping products, according to a poll released by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Over two thirds of voters (70%) support the policy, including 61% who strongly support it. Support crosses political and demographic lines. Gov. Andrew Cuomo introduced language in his   more

NEW YORK, March 20 -- CancerCare issued the following news release: CancerCare, the leading national nonprofit organization providing free, professional support services to anyone affected by cancer, has launched a fund for cancer patients in active treatment affected by COVID-19, also known as the Coronavirus. Types of care covered by the grant include: * Food * Medications * General Household Living Expenses * Transportation * Homecare * Childcare CancerCare is acutely aware of the di  more

NEW YORK, March 19 -- The Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs issued the following news release: As the reality of distance learning sets in this week, Carnegie Council is highlighting its education section, a free resource for teachers and students, curated by New York City high school teachers. This section features high school-level worksheets and supplemental materials geared toward a variety of subjects, including U.S. and global history, U.S. and comparative government,   more

BUFFALO, New York, March 17 -- Catholic Charities of Buffalo issued the following statement: As Catholic Charities of Buffalo responds to the ongoing COVID-19 public health crisis by following the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and local health officials, some program changes and closings are in place and other reminders are being shared. Catholic Charities is committed to keeping our clients, volunteers and employees safe at all times. To that end, a reminder that if clients ar  more

BUFFALO, New York, March 21 -- Catholic Charities of Buffalo issued the following statement: Catholic Charities is updating the community here about service changes impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We are here to help as always, and we are continuing to serve our neighbors in Western New York with the most essential services! Here are some of the ways we are helping: Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services and Counseling - Our Erie and Niagara County Monsignor Carr Institute Clini  more

BUFFALO, New York, March 20 -- Catholic Charities of Buffalo issued the following news release: Challenging times call for creative methods. In response to the COVID-19 health crisis, Catholic Charities' Department of Workforce and Education this week transitioned its high school equivalency preparatory classes to distance learning, as on-site classes were suspended. To gear up for the change, Catholic Charities' educators assembled and delivered distance learning packets to each student, alo  more

NEW YORK, March 20 -- Children's Rights issued the following statement by Lead Counsel Christina Wilson Remlin in response to a lawsuit filed on behalf of Family Equality, True Colors United, and SAGE, against the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services: "We applaud this move to hold HHS accountable. The administration's attempt to nationalize a taxpayer-funded license to discriminate that would harm those most vulnerable among us is especially cruel during this time of crisis. "The action   more

NEW YORK, March 19 -- Cladistics, a peer-reviewed scientific journal from the Willi Hennig Society that says it covers the field of biogeography, coevolution, conservation biology, ontogeny, genomics and paleontology, published research articles on the following topics in its April 2020 edition: * Evolution of endemic and sylvatic lineages of dengue virus PHYLOGENY: * Morphological phylogeny of the Tegulinae (Mollusca: Vetigastropoda) reinforces a Turbinidae position * A global phylogeny of  more

NEW YORK, March 21 -- The Clearing House issued the following news release: To give consumers more control over their data, FMR LLC, the parent company of Fidelity Investments, announced the spin-off of Akoya as an independent company that will be jointly owned by Fidelity, The Clearing House Payments Co. and 11 of its member banks. Akoya operates a secure application programming interface-based (API) network that creates a safer and more transparent way for consumers to grant access to their p  more

NEW YORK, March 21 -- The Clearing House issued the following news release: In response to current conditions relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Clearing House has implemented a range of measures to provide for the wellness of our employees and to ensure the smooth and safe functioning of the payment systems infrastructure we operate. TCH's payment systems continue to run without interruption and we remain continually focused on taking all necessary steps to safeguard the systems we operat  more

COLD SPRING HARBOR, New York, March 20 -- The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory issued the following news: Over 670,000 high school students learned hands on genetics at the DNA Learning Center; in 2019, 67,550 used PCR, the technology at the heart of COVID-19 testing. Here is a chance to catch up with what those students know. The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) DNA Learning Center (DNALC) has taught over 670,000 students and teachers hands-on genetic techniques with the goal of preparing th  more

NEW YORK, March 17 -- The College Board issued the following news release: * * * - Additional future testing opportunities will be offered to replace lost administrations - College Board also providing supports for AP students and educators * * * In response to the rapidly evolving situation around the coronavirus (COVID-19), the College Board is canceling the May 2, 2020, SAT administration. Makeup exams for the March 14 administration (scheduled March 28) are also canceled. Registered stu  more

TAIPEI, Taiwan, March 19 -- The Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following news on March 18: Chinese authorities should immediately suspend efforts to expel American journalists, cease retaliatory measures against U.S. media operations, and resolve differences with the United States through negotiations rather than attacks on the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced yesterday that all U.S. citizens working as journalists  more

NEW YORK, March 19 -- The Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following news on March 18: Honduran authorities must immediately lift newly imposed restrictions on free expression and let members of the press cover the news freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said. On March 16, the office of President Juan Orlando Hernandez published a decree instituting a state of emergency for seven days due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which imposes a curfew and revokes several articles of the   more

NEW YORK, March 19 -- The Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following news: Authorities in Ethiopia should immediately and unconditionally release journalists Dessu Dulla and Wako Nole and media worker Ismael Abdulrzaq, and let them work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said. On March 7, police arrested Dessu, deputy director of the privately owned Oromia News Network broadcaster, Ismael, a driver for the station, and Wako, a reporter with the Sagalee Bilisummaa Oromoo ra  more

NEW YORK, March 18 -- The Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following news: The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the abduction of Iraqi journalist Tawfiq al-Tamimi and urged Iraqi authorities to ensure his safety and to immediately open a transparent investigation and hold those responsible to account. On March 9, unknown gunmen kidnapped al-Tamimi, an editor of regional news for the government-affiliated daily Al-Sabah, in the eastern Baghdad neighborhood of Ur when he was  more

YONKERS, New York, March 20 -- Consumer Reports issued the following news release: A coalition of national consumer and passenger rights groups called on Congress to include provisions in any contemplated airline industry bailout legislation that address both the immediate impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak on passengers as well as long-standing consumer protection concerns. After years of record profits, the airline industry is now facing steep and painful financial headwinds due to the COVID-1  more

NEW YORK, March 18 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations issued the following news release: The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, condemned yet another coronavirus-related hate crime, this time an alleged assault on an Asian-American woman in Manhattan. Police say the assault reportedly occurred on Monday evening while on an Asian woman walking in Midtown Manhattan. Police report t  more

NEW YORK, March 20 -- The Council on Foundations issued the following news: * * * - Council on Foundations, Ford Foundation and 40+ philanthropic organizations lead the call for funders to commit to more flexible funding and quick administration * * * More than 40 major US-based and international foundations announced to pledge their commitment to more flexible funding to help grantee partners meet emergency needs prompted by the COVID-19 crisis. Signatories include The William and Flora Hew  more

NEW YORK, March 17 -- CARE issued the following news release: CARE is deeply concerned about the adverse and disproportionate effects that the COVID-19 pandemic will likely have on women and girls around the world, particularly in development and humanitarian settings. As the healthcare systems in developed countries are overwhelmed by the spread of novel coronavirus, CARE calls on development and humanitarian organizations, national governments, and international donors to consider the gendere  more

SYRACUSE, New York, March 16 -- The Community Foundation of Central New York issued the following news: COVID-19 Response: Operating with Intention As our local community joins the rest of the globe in navigating the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the health and safety of our partners, staff, and neighbors are always our top priorities. We are taking precautions in a way that allows us to continue our work, help those in need of resources and contribute to efforts that will limit the spread   more

WASHINGTON, March 17 -- Demand Progress issued the following news release: * * * - Remote voting measures must be enacted before the crisis worsens and legislatures close * * * Demand Progress calls on Congress and state legislatures to institute continuity of governance plans immediately, before the COVID-19 crisis worsens and the legislatures become unable to act. Many members of Congress have been exposed to the virus, it was announced that two New York state lawmakers had contracted the   more

NEW YORK, March 17 -- The Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres issued the following news on March 16: As the number of people with the new coronavirus disease, COVID-19, continues to rise rapidly across Europe--now the epicenter of the pandemic--the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) is urging European member states to demonstrate solidarity beyond their national borders. Essential medical supplies, including person  more

NEW YORK, March 21 -- The Drug Policy Alliance issued the following statement: * * * - Public Officials Must Reduce Incarceration & Immigrant Detention Capacity, Stop Minor Arrests and Ensure Continued Access to MAT & Medical Marijuana * * * Below is a statement from Richard Burns, Interim Executive Director of the Drug Policy Alliance, urging policymakers to take immediate action to protect the health and well-being of the most vulnerable populations during COVID-19--including the incarcera  more

NEW YORK, March 18 -- The Episcopal Relief and Development issued the following news release: Out of an abundance of caution, Episcopal Relief & Development has asked all employees based in the New York City office to work remotely beginning Wednesday, March 18 through Monday, April 13, 2020. This decision was made in response to the actions of local, state and federal officials as they continue to take measures to limit public gatherings, including closing schools and non-essential services, i  more

MINEOLA, New York, March 18 -- Family and Children's Association issued the following statement: As the COVID-19 outbreak continues, FCA is committed to limiting risks to clients, staff, volunteers and vendors, while at the same time avoiding steps that could fuel panic or leave our clients unserved. It's a tricky balance and the situation is evolving rapidly. We are monitoring the situation closely and will continue to fine tune our response in the days and weeks to come. We are receiving dai  more

NEW YORK, March 20 -- The Family Equality Council issued the following news release: * * * - Trump Administration's Unlawful Decision Invites Service Providers to Use $500 Billion in Grant Funds to Discriminate - Homeless LGBTQ Youth, Older People, Foster Children Now at Greater Risk When Seeking Life-Saving Services Like Shelter and Medical Care * * * Three organizations serving vulnerable populations -- Family Equality, True Colors United, and SAGE -- sued the U.S. Department of Health an  more

NEW YORK, March 19 -- International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees issued the following news: A 5.7 magnitude earthquake shook Utah's Salt Lake City area Wednesday morning and was felt by an estimated 2.73 million people. The U.S. Geological Survey reported that it was the largest earthqake in the area since 1992. Financial relief is available for affected IATSE members through the Walsh/Di Tolla/Spivak Foundation. IATSE members in need of assistance should submit a written request to  more

NEW YORK, March 18 -- The Food Bank For New York City issued the following news: * * * - Emergency food network expects increased need among low-income and hourly workers. New Yorkers encouraged to donate or volunteer during this critical time. * * * Amid mounting concerns around the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) public health crisis, Food Bank For New York City is calling on New Yorkers to support those struggling with food insecurity during this critical time. Food Bank anticipates an extr  more

NEW YORK, March 21 -- The Food Bank For New York City issued the following news: * * * - Food Bank For New York City responds to Governor Cuomo's Executive Order mandating that 100% of the workforce must stay home beginning Sunday, March 22 at 8PM, excluding essential services: * * * Food Bank For New York City, along with our network of food pantries and soup kitchens across the five boroughs, provides essential services each day. 1.5 million New Yorkers regularly experience food insecurity  more

ANN ARBOR, Michigan, March 21 -- The Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy issued the following news: The COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the U.S. economy in unprecedented ways. This week, Ford School economic experts including Ford School dean Michael S. Barr, and professors Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers weigh in on what's ahead in The New York Times, Washington Post, and on NPR's "All Things Considered (https://www.npr.org/2020/03/18/817934594/possible-lessons-from-a-recession-era-feder  more

MADISON, Wisconsin, March 17 -- The Freedom From Religion Foundation issued the following news release: The Freedom From Religion Foundation condemns President Trump for remaking the federal judiciary in the image of the archconservative Federalist Society. The New York Times has published a chilling analysis of the more than 185 federal judgeships filled so far during the Trump administration. These lifetime appointments include 51 Trump appointees to appeals courts, comprising a quarter of t  more

NEW YORK, March 19 -- UNITE HERE, a labor union for workers in the hotel, gaming, food service, manufacturing, textile, distribution, laundry, transportation and airport industries in the U.S. and Canada, issued the following news release on March 28: Leadership from across UNITE HERE discussed the unprecedented economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis on workers nationwide in industries as diverse as airlines, hotels, and food service. Leaders called on Congress and local elected officials to do  more

NEW YORK, March 18 -- Human Rights First issued the following news release: Calling on governors and state health officials to use their authority to act in the interest of public health and protect immigration detainees, Human Rights First, Amnesty International USA and Physicians for Human Rights asked that these officials direct drastic reductions in detention occupancy and pressure the federal government to release immigration detainees being held in their states, in letters sent out. Stat  more

WASHINGTON, March 21 -- Human Rights Watch issued the following letter: Dear New York State Assembly and Senate members: Human Rights Watch urges you to resist calls to weaken New York State's landmark pretrial reform law. In the brief time since implementation, this law, one of the strongest in the nation, has undone much of the harm caused by decades of unfair pretrial incarceration in New York -- restoring a degree of credibility to state courts by making procedures more fair, saving taxpay  more

NEW YORK, March 19 -- Human Rights Watch issued the following news release: The Chinese government should immediately reverse its decision to expel reporters from three major US media outlets, Human Rights Watch said today. On March 18, 2020, the Chinese government ordered US nationals at the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post whose press credentials expire by the end of 2020 to return their press cards within 10 days and prohibited them from working in mainland C  more

NEW YORK, March 20 -- Human Rights Watch issued the following news release: * * * - Ensure Medical Care for Those in Custody * * * Pakistani authorities should take urgent steps to ensure that prisoners and detainees have access to adequate medical care and protective measures against COVID-19, Human Rights Watch said. Prisons, jails, and detention centers should also consider reducing their populations through appropriate supervised or early release of low-risk detainees. Pakistan has at l  more

NEW YORK, March 19 -- Human Rights Watch issued the following news release: Governments should respond to the COVID-19 pandemic by prioritizing the right to health for all and respect for human rights, Human Rights Watch said today in a new report. The report, "Human Rights Dimensions of the COVID-19 Response," analyzes government obligations and the human rights concerns posed by the coronavirus outbreak along with examples of responses so far. Human Rights Watch proposes recommendations for   more

NEW YORK, March 17 -- Human Rights Watch issued the following news release: * * * - Vulnerable Communities Need Protection * * * The proposal by the United Nations and the African Union to limit the UN's protection role in Sudan threatens the safety and security of civilians in Darfur, Human Rights Watch said. In a new report that the Security Council is expected to discuss on March 17, 2020, the UN secretary-general and the AU commission chairperson proposed excluding "physical protection"   more

NEW YORK, March 20 -- Human Rights Watch issued the following news release: * * * - Virus Outbreak Highlights Structural Inequalities * * * The COVID-19 outbreak in the United States has put a spotlight on economic inequalities and a fragile social safety net that leaves vulnerable communities to bear the economic brunt of the crisis, Human Rights Watch said. US policymakers will need to consider these underlying inequalities in responding urgently to the mounting challenges of the pandemic.  more

WASHINGTON, March 19 -- Human Rights Watch issued the following news release: A Trump administration plan to immediately return to Mexico all asylum seekers who cross between ports of entry without any examination of their protection claims violates United States and international rights protections, Human Rights Watch said today. The proposal would appear to be using the COVID-19 pandemic to further dismantle the US asylum system. Under the plan, as reported by the New York Times on March 17,  more

MANHATTAN, New York, March 20 -- Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a campaign of Everytown for Gun Safety, issued the following news on March 19: Yesterday, hundreds of Moms Demand Action volunteers, as well as survivors of gun violence joined together for the first-ever Minnesota Moms Demand Action Virtual Advocacy Day. The virtual day of action was held in lieu of the chapter's annual Advocacy Day at the statehouse to urge Minnesota senators - through email, calls, letters, and soc  more

MANHATTAN, New York, March 18 -- Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a campaign of Everytown for Gun Safety, issued the following news on March 17: Yesterday, hundreds of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers, as well as survivors of gun violence, were joined by more than 40 gun safety groups and community organizations for the first-ever Moms Demand Action Virtual Advocacy Day. The virtual day of action was held in lieu of the chapter's annual Advocacy Day at the St  more

LATHAM, New York, March 21 -- The New York State School Boards Association issued the following news release: The New York State School Boards Association is urging candidates for their local boards of education not to go door-to-door in order to collect signatures on their petitions to get on the ballot for school board elections this May. "At this point in time, public health is the paramount concern," said NYSSBA Executive Director Robert S. Schneider. "All school board candidates, and espe  more

MANHATTAN, New York, March 18 -- Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a campaign of Everytown for Gun Safety, issued the following news: Volunteers with the Indiana chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, celebrated after the Indiana legislature closed last week without passing a dangerous gun bill to incentivize arming teachers in schools. "People always say that defense wins championships. This session we played defense, and public sa  more

NEW YORK, March 17 -- The Institute of International Education issued the following news release: * * * - This year marks the 100th anniversary of IIE's first scholar rescue effort. * * * The Institute of International Education (IIE) has been saving the lives and careers of threatened scholars for a century. As IIE marks this legacy throughout 2020, the Scholar Rescue Fund will launch several initiatives to expand and enhance its response to the growing number of scholars worldwide who fac  more

NEW YORK, March 21 -- The Insurance Information Institute issued the following news release on March 20: The U.S.'s auto, home, and commercial insurers have the financial resources to meet its obligations during the COVID-19 crisis, according to a presentation the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) delivered to state regulators. "This year marks Triple-I's sixtieth anniversary, and we are proud to be able to report before this forum that today that the property casualty (P/C) insurance  more

NEW YORK, March 18 -- International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees issued the following news: With thousands of entertainment workers displaced as a result of social distancing measures to stem the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the IATSE General Executive Board approved $2.5 million in donations to three entertainment charities Tuesday. The funding will go to the Actors Fund, the Motion Picture and Television Fund, and the Actors Fund of Canada. Matthew D. Loeb, International President  more

NEW YORK, March 20 -- International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees issued the following news: IATSE announced Wednesday that members and allies have sent over 80,000 letters over two days to Congress urging lawmakers to include displaced entertainment workers in a federal aid package. A related letter drafted by Congressman Adam Schiff (CA-28) is being circulated on Capitol Hill and has an ever-growing list of Congressional supporters. With productions cancelled across all sectors of   more

NEW YORK, March 17 -- The International Rescue Committee issued the following news release: * * * - IRC teams are working to mitigate and respond to the spread of COVID-19 in crisis affected countries across the world - IRC is appealing for US $30 million to help us protect vulnerable populations and displaced people from the coronavirus * * * With coronavirus spreading globally, and now confirmed in crisis-affected countries with IRC operations, like Afghanistan, Iraq, Burkina Faso and Ven  more

NEW YORK, March 20 -- The International Rescue Committee issued the following news release: The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to reports indicating that the Trump administration has temporarily suspended resettlement, following the decision by the International Office of Migration (IOM) and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to suspend travel for refugees chosen for resettlement. This decision also follows reports that the Administration is planning to block   more

NEW YORK, March 21 -- The International Swaps and Derivatives Association issued the following statement: ISDA has joined Managed Funds Association, the US Chamber of Commerce, the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, the American Bankers Association, the American Cotton Shippers Association, the Bank Policy Institute, Cboe Global Markets, Inc., CME Group, Commodity Markets Council, FIA, the Financial Services Forum, the Institute of International Finance, the International Sw  more

NEW YORK, March 21 -- Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America issued the following news release: Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America is mindful that after 17 years, many U.S. troops are still on the ground in Iraq. After the initial deployment of 175,000 troops in 2003 many more men and women have deployed overseas to serve their country. IAVA urges our nation to take time to reflect on those we have lost. We owe a lot to the brave men and women who fight for our country, and we need to   more

NEW ROCHELLE, New York, March 18 -- The Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, a peer-reviewed journal that says it features clinical and biological aspects of treating this patient population with psychotropic medications, published research articles, including the following topics, in its March 2020 edition: * Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Flexible-Dose Titration Study of Methylphenidate Hydrochloride Extended-Release Capsules (Aptensio XR) in Preschool Children w  more

NEW YORK, March 19 -- The Journal of Fluid Mechanics that says it covers theoretical, computational and experimental investigations of all aspects of the mechanics of fluids, published research articles on the following topics in its May 25, 2020 edition: * Effects of geometry on resistance in elliptical pipe flows * Faraday pilot-wave dynamics in a circular corral * Improved model of isothermal and incompressible fluid flow in pipelines versus the Darcy-Weisbach equation and the issue of fr  more

CHICAGO, Illinois, March 16 -- The Journal of Labor Economics, a journal from the Society of Labor Economists that says it presents research on international issues affecting social and private behavior and the economy, published research articles on the following topics in its April 2020 edition: * Does Parental Quality Matter? Evidence on the Transmission of Human Capital Using Variation in Parental Influence from Death, Divorce, and Family Size * High-Dosage Tutoring and Reading Achievement  more

NEW ROCHELLE, New York, March 20 -- The Journal of Medicinal Food, a peer-reviewed journal that focuses on the medicinal value and biomedical effects of food materials, published research articles, including the following topics, in its March 2020 edition: * 6-Acetyl-2,2-Dimethylchroman-4-One Isolated from Artemisia princeps Suppresses Adipogenic Differentiation of Human Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells via Activation of AMPK * Assessing the Metabolic Impact of Ground Chia Seed in  more

NEW ROCHELLE, New York, March 19 -- The Journal of Women's Health, a journal that says it focuses on advances in diagnostic procedures, therapeutic protocols for the management of diseases and innovative research in gender-based biology, published research articles on the following topics in its March 2020 edition: * Disability and Pregnancy: A Cross-Federal Agency Collaboration to Collect Population-Based Data About Experiences Around the Time of Pregnancy Original Articles: * Women Physici  more

NEW YORK, March 18 -- Lancet Child and Adolescent Health, a journal that says it features child health across the disciplines of general paediatrics, adolescent medicine, or child development, published research articles, including the following topics, in its April 2020 edition: * Appendicitis risk prediction models in children presenting with right iliac fossa pain (RIFT study): a prospective, multicentre validation study * Skeletal maturation and long-bone growth patterns of patients with p  more

CHAM, Switzerland, March 15 -- The Landscape Ecology Journal, a journal that says it features analysis of individual philosophical texts to detailed annotated translations of texts, published research articles on the following topics in its March 2020 edition: * Biotic homogenization of wetland vegetation in the conterminous United States driven by Phalaris arundinacea and anthropogenic disturbance * Carnivore population structure across an urbanization gradient: a regional genetic analysis of  more

NEW YORK, March 17 -- The Latino Commission on AIDS issued the following news release: The impact of Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19) has been overwhelming worldwide. The Latino Commission on AIDS is taking precautions and shifting our work to protect our staff, partners and community members while continuing providing services. We want to make sure that everyone is accurately informed, safe, healthy and stigma-free; particularly those most vulnerable such older adults and people with compromi  more

WHITE PLAINS, New York, March 17 -- The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society issued the following news release: Twenty-nine organizations representing millions of patients diagnosed with serious health conditions urge the U.S. Senate to immediately pass the U.S. House-approved coronavirus bill and take additional critical steps. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, the organizations emphasize the importance of enacting the Families First Coro  more

NEW YORK, March 18 -- The Milbank Quarterly Journal, a journal that says it features analysis of significant issues in health and health care policy from the Milbank Memorial Fund, published research articles on the following topics in its March 2020 edition: * Equity First: Conceptualizing a Normative Framework to Assess the Role of Preemption in Public Health * Maternal Mortality and Public Health Programs: Evidence from Florida * Medicaid Utilization and Spending among Homeless Adults in N  more

MANHATTAN, New York, March 18 -- Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a campaign of Everytown for Gun Safety, issued the following statement: The North Carolina chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, released the following statement in response to reports of a shooting in Moncure that left six people dead yesterday: "We are incredibly saddened by the news of yet another shooting connected to intimate partner violence," said Claire Kemp  more

MANHATTAN, New York, March 17 -- Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a campaign of Everytown for Gun Safety, issued the following news: Over the weekend, Senate leadership announced the 2020 legislative session in Maryland will adjourn Sine Die this Wednesday, significantly shortening the timeline for lawmakers to pass gun safety legislation. Last week, the Senate passed SB 208 and HB 4, legislation that would require a background check on all sales and transfers of rifles and shotguns  more

MANHATTAN, New York, March 20 -- Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a campaign of Everytown for Gun Safety, issued the following news: As American life changes in the midst of COVID-19, millions of children and teens are home from school. Just as parents are taking precautions to prevent their families from becoming exposed to the virus, it's crucial they take precautions within the home too -- namely, keeping firearms locked, unloaded, and separate from ammunition. As we grapple wi  more

NEW YORK, March 18 -- The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund issued the following news release: The COVID-19 pandemic has created a global and national crisis that requires a unified and concerted response to protect the life, health, and safety of all Americans. Amidst this crisis, it is especially critical to remember that those who are the most vulnerable require particular attention and concern. Indeed, low-income members of American society, many of whom are people of color, will con  more

NEW YORK, March 18 -- The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund issued the following news release: On Saturday morning, the U.S. of House of Representatives passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201), an important piece of legislation that provides federal funding and guarantees to begin to address Americans' increasingly urgent health, social, and economic needs related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) calls upon the Unit  more

NEW YORK, March 18 -- The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund issued the following news release on March 17: Yesterday, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) submitted comments regarding a proposed Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) rule that redefines affirmatively furthering fair housing (AFFH). LDF opposes this proposed rule, as it constitutes an utterly regressive step in efforts to fight discrimination in housing and address the lasting impacts of seg  more

NEW YORK, March 18 -- The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund issued the following news release: The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) joined twenty-six other voting rights organizations in sending a letter to Texas Secretary of State Ruth Hughes urging the expansion of vote-by-mail eligibility in response to COVID-19. State law says that a voter qualifies to vote by mail "if the voter has a sickness or physical condition that prevents the voter from appearing at the po  more

NEW YORK, March 18 -- The National Center for Law and Economic Justice issued the following news: On January 14, 2020, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development ("HUD") published a proposed rule that would change the way the agency upholds its obligation to affirmatively further fair housing for all who need it. The existing rule includes important concepts for the agency to consider while serving individuals with disabilities who are seeking housing assistance. These considerations  more

NEW YORK, March 18 -- The National Employment Law Project issued the following statement by Executive Director Rebecca Dixon: "We commend Senators Patty Murray and Kirsten Gillibrand and Representative Rosa DeLauro for introducing a paid sick days and universal paid leave bill that not only rises to the moment before us but makes permanent paid sick and paid leave provisions that should have been law decades ago. "The COVID-19 pandemic demands our full-throttled response to protect workers and  more

NEW YORK, March 21 -- The National Employment Law Project issued the following statement by Executive Director Rebecca Dixon: "The National Employment Law Project (NELP) condemns the use of the term, 'Chinese virus' by the Trump administration and any media outlet, which sets a dangerous tone. The COVID-19 pandemic's global spread was only made possible through the global economy, not any individual country on its own. "This language directly enables xenophobia, dehumanization, and violence th  more

NEW YORK, March 20 -- The National Employment Law Project issued the following statement on March 19 by Michele Evermore, senior researcher and policy analyst: "As expected from the COVID-19 outbreak and ensuing quarantines and layoffs, initial claims numbers are up markedly from last week. Last week's initial claims were 211,000, down from the week prior. Today's numbers mark a 70,000 increase in initial claims to 281,000. Last week, as the outbreak became a pandemic, states began issuing guid  more

NEW YORK, March 19 -- The National Employment Law Project issued the following statement by Executive Director Rebecca Dixon: The National Employment Law Project (NELP) is advocating for a coronavirus response that addresses this crisis fully, in solidarity with workers who demand protections from illness and economic ruin. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act just passed by the U.S. Senate moves forward important elements of COVID-19 response. The funding for nutrition assistance, publi  more

CHICAGO, Illinois, March 19 -- The National Immigrant Justice Center issued the following statement: The New York Times reported Tuesday night that the Trump administration is planning to close the U.S. border to asylum seekers in light of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic, and on Wednesday morning the White House submitted a request to Congress for $249 million for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to "convert four facilities into dedicated quarantine facilities along th  more

NEW YORK, March 21 -- The National Institute for Reproductive Health issued the following news release: Just like you, we at NIRH and the NIRH Action Fund are closely monitoring the rapidly changing public health crisis around COVID-19, and thinking proactively about how we can prevent transmission while we support our friends and loved ones. We wanted to share with you some of the ways we are adjusting to this new reality. First, our office has gone remote and cancelled all travel in order to  more

CHICAGO, Illinois, March 18 -- The National Marine Manufacturers Association issued the following news release: At least eighteen states have introduced legislation to support state action related to COVID-19, including resolutions to encourage certain practices and bills that involve workforce protections or medical coverage, or are related to actions taken by the Governor in a state of emergency. Of these states, twelve have enacted or adopted legislation. State legislatures are also moving   more

NEW YORK, March 20 -- The National Multiple Sclerosis Society issued the following news: On March 18th, the President signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201) - a legislative package that contains important provisions that could affect people living with MS. The U.S. House of Representatives passed this legislation on March 14th and the U.S. Senate passed this legislation on March 18th. Patients with chronic health conditions are uniquely vulnerable to the effects of COVID  more

NEW YORK, March 20 -- The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws issued the following news release: The National Football League (NFL) will no longer issue suspensions to players who test positive for past cannabis exposure. Changes finalized in the NFL's new collective bargaining agreement amend the league's longstanding marijuana policies. Under the new guidelines, players will only be subject to testing during a two-week period at the start of training camp. The threshold r  more

WASHINGTON, March 17 -- The Natural Products Association issued the following news release: The Natural Products Association (NPA) is calling for the New York state legislature to reject a proposal that would prohibit the sale of popular nutritional supplements like protein powder. NPA has led successful efforts to block similar proposals in Massachusetts and Illinois. "Prohibition of popular consumer products almost never works. Prohibiting the sale of products by licensed retailers in New Yo  more

NEW YORK, March 18 -- Nature Food, a journal that says it focuses on food production, processing, distribution and consumption, published research articles on the following topics in its March 2020 edition: * The hidden potential of urban horticulture * Livestock policy for sustainable development Research: * Impacts of ozone and climate change on yields of perennial crops in California * Policy packaging can make food system transformation feasible The March 2020 edition of the Nature Foo  more

NEW YORK, March 19 -- Nature Human Behavior, a journal that says it features perception, action, memory, learning, reward, judgment, decision-making, language, communication, emotion, personality, social cognition, social behaviour, neuropsychiatric, neurodevelopmental and neurological disorders, economic and political behaviour, published research articles on the following topics in its March 2020 edition: * Deliberating trade-offs with the future Research: * Complex economic activities con  more

NEW YORK, March 21 -- The Police Benevolent Association of New York issued the following news release: The Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York (NYC PBA) is airing a new radio commercial on dozens of local stations starting, reminding New York City leaders of the burdens and risks faced by the families of police officers and other frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. PBA President Patrick J. Lynch said: "We're still battling City Hall and 1 Police Plaza for adequat  more

NEW YORK, March 18 -- New York Civil Liberties Union issued the following news release: The New York Civil Liberties Union and The Bronx Defenders have moved for a preliminary injunction in Velesaca v. Wolf et al., a joint lawsuit challenging the New York City ICE field office's practice of jailing nearly all of the people they have arrested over the last three years without first conducting a legally-required assessment of whether the person should even be detained. With the threat of COVID-  more

NEW YORK, March 20 -- New York Civil Liberties Union issued the following statement: Both chambers of the New York legislature voted to approve an emergency sick leave measure to address the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, the New York Civil Liberties Union released the following statement from executive director Donna Lieberman: "No matter what, all New Yorkers should be able to take time off work when sick without suffering financially. We're proud to stand with the New York Statewide Paid L  more

NASSAU, New York, March 21 -- New York Civil Liberties Union issued the following news release: The Nassau County Jail Advocates are calling on County Executive Laura Curran, Interim Sheriff Dzurenda and the Public Safety Committee of the Nassau County legislature to provide a transparent COVID-19 safety plan for inmates and staff in the Nassau County Correctional Facility. The first case of COVID-19 was detected inside the facility on Sunday, March 15. Since then, there has been no public com  more

NEW YORK, March 21 -- The New York Immigration Coalition issued the following news release: The New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) published a comprehensive multilingual resource page providing accurate information on the resources immigrant New Yorkers need to know during the COVID-19 crisis. The community resources will be updated daily at 9 AM each weekday and include information about how our undocumented community members can access health insurance now; updates from the Department of   more

NEW YORK, March 17 -- The New York Immigration Coalition issued the following news release on March 16: Immigrant advocates, community leaders and elected officials came together to demand the inclusion of immigrant communities in COVID-19 response planning by the city, state and federal governments, and call for the implementation of specific policy and budget proposals as outlined in the "New York United" platform to ensure New York's immigrants are protected and empowered during this crisis.  more

NEW YORK, March 18 -- The New York Immigration Coalition issued the following statement: With Albany lawmakers moving quickly to pass an emergency paid sick leave bill, immigrant advocates are raising the alarm that the legislation leaves out thousands of immigrant workers and poses hardships to New York's small and micro-businesses, the majority of which are owned by workers. With the news that the bill will likely pass on Wednesday, Steve Choi, the Executive Director of the New York Immigrati  more

ALBANY, New York, March 21 -- The New York State Bar Association issued the following news release: With the shutdown of most of New York State's businesses and the transformative impact it is having on the legal profession, the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) has launched a comprehensive one-stop webpage that will be updated continuously to serve as a resource for policymakers, journalists and members. "As courts and the legal profession respond to the unprecedented challenges presente  more

ALBANY, New York, March 20 -- The New York State Bar Association issued the following news release: Loan repayment reforms, tuition assistance programs, relaxing residency requirements for public positions and raising hourly rates for assigned counsel are among the recommendations made by a New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) report that addresses the state's rural justice crisis. The report and recommendations of the Task Force on Rural Justice will be presented to NYSBA's House of Delegat  more

ALBANY, New York, March 19 -- The New York State United Teachers issued the following news release: New York State United Teachers is calling on U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to waive state testing mandates for children in grades 3-8 for the rest of this school year and the duration of the coronavirus pandemic as New York schools are shut down to help stem the spread of the virus. "This is not the time to create more stress for our kids," NYSUT President Andy Pallotta said. "It is cr  more

NEW HYDE PARK, New York, March 20 -- Northwell Health issued the following news: Northwell Health, New York State's largest health care provider and the state's largest private employer, announced that it would delay payments with zero percent interest for a minimum of 60 days for those patients who receive medical services and have been financially impacted with the loss of a job, lost wages or other financial distress resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Northwell has been on the front line  more

MANHASSET, New York, March 21 -- Northwell Health issued the following news: The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, the research arm of Northwell Health, announced the enrollment of three clinical trials in the ongoing effort to combat COVID-19, the novel coronavirus. Feinstein Institutes researchers are teaming up with Gilead Sciences, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Sanofi to identify effective treatments for patients currently hospitalized in moderate and severe conditions with COVID-  more

MANHASSET, New York, March 19 -- Northwell Health issued the following news: New research, published March 16 in Nature Communications, shows how antibodies could benefit lupus patients with nervous system dysfunction. Lupus, or systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), is an autoimmune disease in which a person's immune system attacks cells and organs through antibodies. This autoimmune attack on the body and its organs can cause rashes, arthritis, renal disease, anemia, and nervous system dysfunct  more

MANHASSET, New York, March 18 -- Northwell Health issued the following news: Researchers at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research are developing new tools to better assess and identify patients at risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE), a condition in which a blood clot forms - most often in the deep veins of the leg, groin or arm. VTE is the most common preventable cause of death in medical and surgical patients. Two research studies led by Alex C. Spyropoulos, MD, Feinstein Institutes  more

NEW YORK, March 18 -- Access Now issued the following news release: Here at Access Now, we've been closely following developments around the proposal for the Internet Society (ISOC) to sell Public Interest Registry (PIR) -- which controls the .ORG top-level domain that civil society around the world relies on -- to private equity firm Ethos Capital. In short, it's a bad deal, even with the recent concessions, and you can find out more here about the #SaveDotOrg coalition's work to stop it. Rig  more

NEW YORK, March 20 -- NYU Langone Health, an academic medical center affiliated with New York University, issued the following news release: Advances in treatment have led to the largest yearly declines in deaths due to melanoma ever recorded for this skin cancer, results of a new study suggest. Led by researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone's Perlmutter Cancer Center, and Harvard University, the study showed that death rates among white Americans--the group that accounts f  more

WASHINGTON, March 19 -- OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates issued the following news release: OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates reprimands the Trump administration for publishing multiple irresponsible tweets referring to COVID-19 as the "Chinese Virus." Calling COVID-19 the "Chinese Virus" invites even more xenophobic discrimination, harassment, and assaults on Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. Attacks against ethnically-Chinese, AAPI, and AAPI-perceived individ  more

NEW YORK, March 21 -- The Partnership for New York City issued the following news release: The Partnership for New York City, which represents the city's business leaders and largest private sector employers, released a survey finding that top NYC business leaders rate increased testing and clear communication as the top steps government must take to restore business confidence, and see insufficient healthcare resources as posing the greatest threat to their businesses. The survey, conducted   more

NEW YORK, March 21 -- PEN America issued the following news release: As a global public health crisis underscores the importance of credible, vital information, PEN America has confirmed a new date for the 2020 PEN America Literary Gala, its annual celebration of free expression and open discourse. The organization has rescheduled the event for September 15 (from May 19) and looks forward to convening its diverse, international community of writers, activists, and cultural luminaries in person   more

NEW YORK, March 17 -- PEN America issued the following news release: PEN America Is Working to Reschedule Headline Events for Later This Year and Employing Digital Media Including a New Podcast to Deliver Festival Programming PEN America, joining the ranks of cultural institutions and festivals changing their plans to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, has cancelled the 2020 PEN World Voices Festival: These Truths, this year's edition of the United States' foremost international literary festival,   more

NEW YORK, March 17 -- PEN America issued the following news release: * * * - Bwayo Moses scheduled to appear in court next month * * * The arrest of Ugandan filmmaker and journalist Bwayo Moses on charges of "unlawful assembly" and "singing [a] song subverting or promoting subversion of the government of Uganda" represents an unwarranted and unjustifiable attack on artistic expression, and charges against him should immediately be dropped, PEN America, the International Documentary Associati  more

NEW YORK, March 18 -- PEN America issued the following statement: * * * - PEN America CEO says retaliation between Beijing and Washington 'stunningly misguided' * * * The Chinese government announced it would expel U.S. journalists working for The New York Times, Washington Post, and other outlets. Suzanne Nossel, CEO of PEN America, said the following: "At a time when facts and information are a matter of life and death for billions of people worldwide, the cycle of tit-for-tat retaliation  more

NEW YORK, March 18 -- PEN America issued the following news release: * * * - After comments in a Spanish newspaper, China's government lashed out at the former president of PEN International * * * The Chinese government's criticism and apparent censorship of celebrated Peruvian author and former president of PEN International Mario Vargas Llosa, in apparent retaliation for the writer's recent editorial on the coronavirus, is an unwarranted attempt to influence the conversation around the pan  more

NEW YORK, March 17 -- PEN America issued the following statement: * * * - Otero Alcantara had been named a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International - PEN America experts are available for interviews in English and Spanish Los expertos * * * Independent Cuban artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara was released by Cuban authorities overnight on Friday, March 13. The artist had been arrested for the twenty-first time since 2017 on fallacious charges of "insulting national symbols" and "prop  more

NEW YORK, March 19 -- PEN America issued the following news release: Egyptian authorities this week arrested author Ahdaf Soueif alongside several prominent activists after they were demonstrating on behalf of Egyptians left vulnerable to coronavirus in overcrowded prisons. These arrests and detentions show Egypt is more concerned about its own reputation than about its citizens' rights to free expression and information, PEN America said in a joint statement alongside PEN International and Eng  more

NEW YORK, March 18 -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued the following news release: * * * - PETA Campaign Urges: For Animals' Sake, Never Buy or Wear Fur-and-Feather Parkas * * * Because of the coronavirus, there won't be any protesters outside Canada Goose's brick and mortar stores, which are currently closed--but that hasn't stopped PETA's international campaign against the company, which is in full swing. The group has plastered phone kiosks near Canada Goose's SoHo flags  more

NEW YORK, March 20 -- Physicians for Reproductive Health issued the following statement: President Trump signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act into law. Physicians for Reproductive Health Board Chair Dr. Kristyn Brandi issued the following statement: "The Families First Act is a groundbreaking, critical first step in providing families and communities with the resources they need at this unprecedented time. Thank you to the leadership in Congress and tireless work of advocates to  more

NEW YORK, March 16 -- Physicians for Reproductive Health issued the following statement by Board Chair Kristyn Brandi in response to the coronavirus outbreak: "We at Physicians for Reproductive Health share the nation's concern about the coronavirus outbreak. We are outraged that instead of prioritizing support for the urgent needs of our nation, anti-abortion members of Congress are using this as a time to attack abortion. It is terrifying that instead of focusing on the crisis at hand and pro  more

NEW YORK, March 19 -- The Association for Computing Machinery issued the following news release on March 18: ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, named Patrick M. (Pat) Hanrahan and Edwin E. (Ed) Catmull recipients of the 2019 ACM A.M. Turing Award for fundamental contributions to 3-D computer graphics, and the revolutionary impact of these techniques on computer-generated imagery (CGI) in filmmaking and other applications. Catmull is a computer scientist and former president of Pixar   more

NEW ROCHELLE, New York, March 18 -- Population Health Management, a journal that says it features strategies for improving the systems and policies that affect health care quality, access and outcomes ultimately improving the health of an entire population, published research articles on the following topics in its April 2020 edition: * Assessment of Pay for Performance Under California's Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment Program * Benchmarking HIV Quality Measures Across US Payer Types  more

WASHINGTON, March 17 -- Public Citizen issued the following statement by President Robert Weissman: German government officials say that the Trump administration asked a German firm developing a coronavirus vaccine to relocate its research to the U.S., The New York Times reported Sunday. The German newspaper Die Welt am Sonntag reported that Trump offered $1 billion to obtain exclusive U.S. government access to the vaccine. If true, it is appalling beyond words that the Trump administration is  more

NEW YORK, March 19 -- The National Multiple Sclerosis Society issued the following news: Researchers in Germany showed that proprionic acid - a short chain fatty acid (a molecule produced by gut bacteria) - is reduced in people with MS and is associated with changes in the composition of gut bacteria ("gut microbiome"). In a 14-day clinical trial, they added proprionic acid supplements to ongoing MS medications in 91 people with MS and showed increases in immune cells called Tregs, which can tu  more

NEW YORK, March 16 -- Science Translational Medicine, a peer-reviewed journal from the American Association for the Advancement of Science that focuses on research in the translational medicine community, published research articles, including the following topics, in its March 13, 2020 edition: * Cerebrospinal fluid influx drives acute ischemic tissue swelling * Ammonium salts are a reservoir of nitrogen on a cometary nucleus and possibly on some asteroids * Liquid-liquid phase separation dr  more

NEW YORK, March 21 -- The Sesame Workshop issued the following news release: * * * - Rich array of Sesame Street content, including newly produced Sesame Street Muppet moments designed to entertain, educate, and comfort parents, caregivers, and children * * * In response to the unprecedented uncertainty facing young children and families, Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, is offering a broad variety of free resources to help children and families d  more

ALBANY, New York, March 17 -- Albany Medical Center, an academic health sciences center, issued the following news release: Albany Med has learned that an Albany Medical College staff member has been diagnosed with COVID-19 resulting from exposure outside the facility. At present, this is the only staff member with a confirmed COVID-19 case. This individual works in an area not connected to patient care and is now under self-quarantine at home. Albany Med is working with the Albany County Healt  more

NEW YORK, March 19 -- The U.S. Fund for UNICEF issued the following statement by Executive Director Henrietta Fore: "One week since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, the number of cases continues to soar around the world. Hundreds of millions of children are not in school. Parents and caregivers are working remotely whenever they can. Borders have been closed. Lives have been upended. "These are uncharted waters for all of us. At UNICEF, we are fighting a new virus, debunking myths and battlin  more

ALBANY, New York, March 20 -- The New York State Bar Association issued the following statement: * * * - From Senate Judiciary Chair Brad Hoylman to Suspend Laws Pursuant to Executive Law Section 29-A Regarding Statutes of Limitations and Other Legal Matters * * * NYSBA President Henry M. Greenberg issued the following statement regarding a proposal by New York State Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Brad Hoylman - and co-signed by a number of other senators - to temporarily suspend laws purs  more

NEW ROCHELLE, New York, March 19 -- Tissue Engineering, a journal that says it features pathologic tissues with the goal of developing biological substitutes, published research articles on the following topics in its March 2020 edition: * Bioprinting 101: Design, Fabrication, and Evaluation of Cell-Laden 3D Bioprinted Scaffolds * Design and Fabrication of an Automatable, 3D Printed Perfusion Device for Tissue Infusion and Perfusion Engineering * Design and Fabrication of Three-Dimensional Pr  more

NEW ROCHELLE, New York, March 19 -- Tissue Engineering Part A, a journal that says it provides an understanding of structure-function relationships in normal and pathologic tissues with a goal of developing biological substitutes, published research articles, including the following topics, in its March 2020 edition: * Design and Fabrication of an Automatable, 3D Printed Perfusion Device for Tissue Infusion and Perfusion Engineering * Design and Fabrication of Three-Dimensional Printed Scaffol  more

NEW ROCHELLE, New York, March 19 -- Tissue Engineering Part C-Methods Journal published research articles on the following topics in its March 2020 edition: * Characterizing the Macrophage Response to Immunomodulatory Biomaterials Through Gene Set Analyses * Fabrication of Bioactive Inverted Colloidal Crystal Scaffolds Using Expanded Polystyrene Beads * Gel Casting as an Approach for Tissue Engineering of Multilayered Tubular Structures * Peel Test to Assess the Adhesion Strength of the Derm  more

NEW HYDE PARK, New York, March 16 -- Northwell Health issued the following news: As part of its efforts to reduce the spread of coronavirus, Northwell Health on Monday will begin canceling elective surgeries and procedures performed in its hospitals. The new guidelines will NOT apply to emergency surgeries performed in Northwell hospitals. Elective surgeries, endoscopies and other invasive procedures in the health system's outpatient settings will continue to be performed when deemed clinicall  more

NEW YORK, March 17 -- The Insurance Information Institute issued the following news release: The Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) will deliver an online presentation to state regulators this week on the financial impact/policy coverage issues raised by COVID-19 in the U.S.'s property/casualty (P/C) insurance markets. The Triple-I's remarks will be delivered as part of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' (NAIC) special session on COVID-19, a virtual meeting which begi  more

NEW YORK, March 16 -- UNITE HERE, a labor union for workers in the hotel, gaming, food service, manufacturing, textile, distribution, laundry, transportation and airport industries in the U.S. and Canada, issued the following statement by President D. Taylor on passage of Coronavirus Response Agreement (H.R. 6201): "On behalf of nearly 300,000 UNITE HERE members, I applaud Speaker Pelosi and the House Democrats for negotiating and passing this round of legislation to expand unemployment insuran  more

NEW YORK, March 19 -- The Vera Institute of Justice issued the following news release: * * * - Fact sheets released in response to growing need to prioritize the safety of people who live, work, and have contact with the system * * * Amid concerns over the spread of the coronavirus, or COVID-19, the Vera Institute of Justice, in partnership with Community Oriented Correctional Health Services (COCHS), has released five guidance briefs The five fact sheets--focusing on Police and Law Enforcem  more

NEW YORK, March 19 -- The Vera Institute of Justice issued the following news release on March 17: * * * - Jail Viz 2.0 released amid growing concerns from Board of Corrections, public defenders, and advocates around threat of COVID-19 to those detained * * * Amid growing concerns regarding the potential threat of widespread contraction of COVID-19 virus in New York City jails, the Vera Institute of Justice released an innovative new tool, called Jail Viz 2.0, that tracks the daily jail popu  more

NEW ROCHELLE, New York, March 18 -- Violence and Gender, a peer-reviewed journal that says it focuses on the role of gender in the understanding, prediction and prevention of acts of violence, published research articles on the following topics in its March 2020 edition: * Fear, Anxiety, and Expectation: Gender Differences in Openness to Future Gun Ownership * Female Firepower: Gun Ownership for Self-Protection Among Female Intimate Partner Violence Victims * Firearm Removal, Judicial Decisio  more

NEW YORK, March 16 -- The Wildlife Conservation Society issued the following news release: The Wildlife Conservation Society is temporarily closing the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, Queens Zoo and New York Aquarium, effective Monday, March 16. Our five parks will be closed and education and public programs will be cancelled until further notice. This action is being taken as city and state leaders have called on businesses to voluntarily close to help mitigate the spread of C  more

WASHINGTON, March 19 -- The Women's Refugee Commission issued the following news release: The Trump administration announced plans to implement a new policy that would block asylum seekers arriving at the U.S. border with Mexico. Under the new policy, the U.S. would seek to immediately return to Mexico anyone encountered by U.S. Border Patrol Agents between ports of entry "without any detainment or...due process," according to The New York Times. "This rule would unquestionably violate both do  more

NEW YORK, March 21 -- The Women's Refugee Commission issued the following statement on March 20: In response to steps announced by the Trump administration on March 20 affecting asylum at US borders, Michelle Brane, senior director of the Migrant Rights and Justice program at the Women's Refugee Commission (WRC), issued the following statement: "It is no surprise to anyone that the Trump administration is exploiting a public health emergency to do what it has wanted to do at the southern borde  more