NEW YORK, March 25 -- The 350.org issued the following statement on March 24: Congressional negotiators signaled Tuesday morning that they are hours away from a bipartisan agreement on a nearly $2 trillion emergency stimulus package to confront the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic after five days of chaotic talks. The sudden shift on Capitol Hill -- with both sides declaring they have moved beyond partisan politics -- comes after a breakdown in talks on Monday. The Senate stimulus p  more

NEW YORK, March 27 -- The 350.org issued the following news release: On a sweeping bipartisan deal, the Senate passed the largest economic stimulus package in U.S. history, delivering $2 trillion to government relief to tackle the devastating impacts of COVID-19 on American workers and communities. As the pandemic has grown in the United States, so has the crisis of health, lack of access to medical care, and economic disruption facing millions of people who are directly impacted by the virus   more

NEW YORK, March 25 -- The 350.org issued the following news release: While Covid-19 ("Corona-Virus") is spreading worldwide, Fridays for Future is taking responsibility and moving its protests to the internet. Starting this Friday the movement will hold weekly webinars and discussion rounds with scientists, journalists and activists as well as other international high-level experts. This week's guests will be the journalist and activist Naomi Klein as well as the climate change and health team   more

NEW YORK, March 25 -- Access Now issued the following news release: In light of the global COVID-19 pandemic outbreak -- classified as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization (WHO) --we, the undersigned organizations, express grave concern over the situation of detainees and prisoners across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). While certain states in the region have taken some positive steps to protect the general population, the prison populatio  more

NEW YORK, March 27 -- Access Now issued the following news release: Late last night, the U.S. Senate passed a $2 trillion COVID-19 response bill that included almost no funding to improve broadband internet access or affordability. Lack of internet access was already a problem for millions of marginalized people in the U.S., and the COVID-19 crisis is exacerbating the dilemma, especially now that unemployment claims are at a record 3.3 million (more than 5x higher than the prior record). People  more

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island, March 27 -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island issued the following statement: ACLU of Rhode Island executive director Steven Brown issued the following statement in response to comments from Governor Gina Raimondo at her news conference that she plans to give State Police the power to stop any car with New York license plates in order to obtain contact information from the driver and passengers: "While the Governor may have the power to suspend some s  more

NEW YORK, March 24 -- The Aesthetic Surgery Journal, a peer-reviewed international journal from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery that says it focuses on scientific developments and clinical techniques in aesthetic surgery, published research articles on the following topics in its March 2020 edition: * Progressive Improvement in Midfacial Volume 18 to 24 Months After Simultaneous Fat Grafting and Facelift: An Insight to Fat Graft Remodeling Oculoplastic Surgery: * Updated M  more

WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The American Federation of Teachers issued the following news release: * * * - With medical professionals at grave risk, petition calls on administration to use its authority to compel industry to rapidly ramp up production and ensure effective distribution of supplies including ventilators, masks, and other personal protective equipment * * * A petition created by Nurse Donna Phillips calling on the Trump administration to do more to ensure the production and distrib  more

NEW ROCHELLE, New York, March 24 -- AIDS Patient Care and STDs, a peer-reviewed journal that says it covers diagnostics and therapeutics care for HIV/AIDS patients, published research articles on the following topics in its March 2020 edition: * Perceptions of Patient HIV Risk by Primary Care Providers in High-HIV Prevalence Areas in the Southern United States * Health Care Provider Barriers to HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis in the United States: A Systematic Review Behavioral and Psychosocial   more

ALBANY, New York, March 25 -- Albany Medical Center, an academic health sciences center, issued the following news release: Clinical leadership from the Albany Med Health System, including Columbia Memorial Health and Saratoga Hospital; Ellis Medicine; St. Peter's Health Partners; Glens Falls Hospital; and St. Mary's Amsterdam gathered at Albany Med Tuesday, March 24 to provide an update on the regional health care systems' coordinated response and preparedness to prevent the spread of the nove  more

COLUMBIA, Maryland, March 27 -- AMDA - The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine issued the following news release: AMDA - The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care (PALTC) Medicine urges PALTC organizations, hospitals, and public health authorities to work together to develop surge capacity in response to the COVID-19 crisis. By contrast, yesterday's New York State Department of Health advisory on hospital discharges and admissions to nursing home, stating that nursing home   more

NEW YORK, March 27 -- The American Geriatrics Society issued the following news release: Representing more than 6,000 healthcare professionals dedicated to improving the health, independence, and quality of life of older adults, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) congressional leaders and the Trump Administration for signing the Older Americans Act (OAA) Reauthorization Act of 2020 (H.R. 4334) into law. This key legislation, which will power important social and protective services for olde  more

NEW YORK, March 27 -- The American Geriatrics Society issued the following news release: The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) commended the U.S. Senate for supporting critical efforts to expand geriatrics expertise through the more than $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package (S. 3548), which now heads to the House of Representatives for a vote expected by Friday. With support from Senators Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), the Senate stimulus bill includes an earlier dedicated p  more

NEW YORK, March 27 -- 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 to highlight these efforts. Suggestions for news items may be submitted to pr@ansi.org. All submissions are published at ANSI's discretion. HIBCC's   more

NEW YORK, March 24 -- The American National Standards Institute issued the following news release: The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) seeks input on a potential new field of technical activity within the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) focusing on project, program, and portfolio management. As the U.S. member body to ISO, ANSI requests that all interested U.S. parties respond to this online questionnaire by April 25, 2020. ISO Technical Committee (TC) 258 is   more

NEW YORK, March 25 -- The American National Standards Institute issued the following news release: The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) proudly welcomes 11 new members in March 2020. Acoustic, L.P (https://acoustic.com/). AIM Specialty Health (https://aimspecialtyhealth.com/). Akima (http://www.akima.com/). California Department of Water Resources (https://water.ca.gov/). Capsule Technologies (https://capsuletech.com/). Kitware, Inc (https://kitware.com/). Modular Mining Syst  more

NEW YORK, March 27 -- 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 to highlight these efforts. Suggestions for news items may be submitted to pr@ansi.org. All submissions are published at ANSI's discretion. AAMI Pro  more

NEW YORK, March 24 -- The American National Standards Institute issued the following news release: The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has issued an invitation for an international workshop, which will be conducted in two web-based sessions to develop an International Workshop Agreement (IWA) on "Quality of clinical learning environments for healthcare professionals - requirements." As the U.S. member body to ISO, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) encourages   more

NEW YORK, March 24 -- The American National Standards Institute issued the following news release: A new Joint Strategic Advisory Group (JSAG) of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has been formed to develop guidance related to the development of gender responsive standards. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI), as the U.S. member body to ISO, is invited to nominate up to two experts to serve on the JSAG.  more

BETHESDA, Maryland, March 24 -- The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists issued the following news: New York is bracing for an explosion in COVID-19 cases as the state starts the week with most businesses shuttered and nonessential gatherings banned, following a March 20 executive order from Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo. The confirmed COVID-19 case count in the state is over 15,000 and growing, with most infections concentrated in New York City. "In the Bronx ... we're probably getting hit t  more

NEW YORK, March 26 -- The Americas Society/Council of the Americas issued the following news release: Latin America confirmed its first case of COVID-19 on February 26 and the pandemic's impact only increasing over time. Here are resources--available online--from AS/COA and Americas Quarterly that analyze everything from government actions to the pandemic to economic impacts. * Since the beginning of March, AS/COA Online has made regular updates to its "Where Is the Coronavirus in Latin Americ  more

NEW YORK, March 24 -- The Anti-Defamation League issued the following statement: ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) released the following statement today concerning the Coronavirus bill currently circulating in the House of Commons that would allow local authorities to cremate a body against the wishes of the deceased. "ADL supports the efforts of Jewish and Muslim communities to assure that religious rights and sensitivities are accommodated within government public health measures, in particu  more

NEW YORK, March 27 -- The Association for Computing Machinery issued the following news release on March 26: ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, announced the launch of Digital Threats: Research and Practice (DTRAP), a new peer-reviewed open access journal that targets the prevention, identification, mitigation and elimination of digital threats. As DTRAP seeks to bridge the gap between academic research and industry practice, the new journal is aimed at concrete, rather than theoreti  more

NEW ROCHELLE, New York, March 27 -- Astrobiology, a peer-reviewed journal that focuses on findings and discoveries from interplanetary exploration and laboratory research, published research articles on the following topics in its April 2020 edition: * The Hot Spring Hypothesis for an Origin of Life Research Articles: * Characterizing the Mineral Assemblages of Hot Spring Environments and Applications to Mars Orbital Data * The Case for Ancient Hot Springs in Gusev Crater, Mars * Formation  more

BROOKLYN, New York, March 27 -- The Center for Popular Democracy issued the following statement on March 26: Yesterday, the Senate unanimously passed a $2.2 trillion stimulus package to respond to the coronavirus crisis. Ana Maria Archila, co-executive director of the Center for Popular Democracy, reacted to the legislation and the needs still unmet with the following statement: "In this time of crisis, the Senate has taken a needed step in responding to the biggest public health and economic  more

NEW YORK, March 26 -- The Center for Reproductive Rights issued the following news release on March 25: A group of Texas abortion providers -- represented by Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the Center for Reproductive Rights and the Lawyering Project -- sued Gov. Greg Abbott and other state officials to ensure that patients can continue to access essential, time-sensitive abortion services during the COVID-19 pandemic. While doctors and nurses in his state work around the clock to car  more

NEW ROCHELLE, New York, March 27 -- Childhood Obesity, a journal that says it features obesity prevention and weight management strategies for children and adolescents, published research articles on the following topics in its April 2020 edition: * Influence of Grandparental Child Care on Childhood Obesity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis * School Gardening Activities Aimed at Obesity Prevention Improve Body Mass Index and Waist Circumference Parameters in School-Aged Children: A System  more

COLD SPRING HARBOR, New York, March 24 -- The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory issued the following news on March 23: Barbara McClintock missed an important call on the morning of October 10, 1983. She had chosen "to be free" of the interruptions that came with owning a telephone, and so it was her students and colleagues who told her that she had received the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine. "That's nice," she said with little more than a brief smile. At age 81, she was the first woman t  more

COLD SPRING HARBOR, New York, March 26 -- The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory issued the following news: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory's preprint servers bioRxiv and medRxiv are critical components in a newly announced US government-led project, COVID-19 Open Research Dataset (CORD-19), created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan is to create a machine-readable database of research papers that can be mined with semantic search strategies and other AI techniques for new knowledge about   more

COLD SPRING HARBOR, New York, March 27 -- The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory issued the following news: In partnership with Northwell Health, molecular biologist Jeff Boyd joins the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory faculty to better understand the basic biology of cancer. He is working on the genomics of gynecologic and breast cancer, with a focus on two novel hypotheses concerning breast cancer development. His research focuses on the early natural histories of ovarian carcinoma and metastatic br  more

NEW YORK, March 25 -- Columbia University Irving Medical Center issued the following news: Students from Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons have formed the COVID-19 Student Service Corps, or CSSC, to lend a virtual hand to fellow health professionals during the global COVID-19 pandemic. The medical students have been joined by students from Columbia's Mailman School of Public Health, School of Nursing, and the College of Dental Medicine. Clinical rotations for CUIMC  more

NEW YORK, March 24 -- Columbia University Irving Medical Center issued the following news: Even if your children are too young to know what a pandemic is, the growing disruption to their daily routine is sure to prompt difficult questions about an illness that the world is still trying to understand. Dara Steinberg, PhD, and Anthony Puliafico, PhD, child psychologists at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, offer some tips to help parents and other caregivers talk ab  more

NEW YORK, March 24 -- Columbia University Irving Medical Center issued the following news on March 23: If you're feeling stressed or anxious about COVID-19, you ought to know that you're not alone. The virus is dominating news cycles and inundating healthcare providers. With so much uncertainty surrounding its mounting impact on daily life, it can be easy to feel concerned, overwhelmed, and afraid. CUIMC Today sat down with Anthony Puliafico, PhD, director of the Columbia University Clinic for  more

NEW YORK, March 27 -- The Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following news: Authorities in Iraqi Kurdistan should conduct a swift and thorough investigation into the torture and robbery of journalist Adnan Rashidi and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said. In the evening of March 11, between three and five unidentified people wearing masks stormed into Rashidi's home in the eastern Iraqi Kurdistan city of Penjwen, and beat him while holding his   more

NEW YORK, March 25 -- The Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following news: Authorities in Niger should immediately release journalist Kaka Touda Mamane Goni and halt legal proceedings against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said. On March 5, police arrested Kaka Touda, an independent journalist who publishes news reports on his Facebook and Twitter pages, at his home in Niamey, Niger's capital, according to the journalist's lawyer, Boudal Effred Mouloul, who spoke to CPJ v  more

YONKERS, New York, March 24 -- Consumer Reports issued the following news release: Consumers Reports called on the California Attorney General (AG) to reject industry efforts to avoid compliance with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in light of the COVID-19 crisis, despite having over a year to prepare. Dozens of trade associations have asked the AG to delay enforcement of the landmark online privacy law until next year. This latest effort to avoid complying with the CCPA comes as mor  more

YONKERS, New York, March 27 -- Consumer Reports issued the following news release: Consumer Reports called on mortgage bankers to adopt universal, simple programs to provide immediate relief to borrowers in light of the COVID-19 crisis. In a letter sent to the Mortgage Bankers Association, CR outlined a number of recommendations to ensure borrowers get the relief they need at a time when millions of Americans have lost their jobs and are struggling financially. Consumer Reports' letter to the   more

YONKERS, New York, March 27 -- Consumer Reports issued the following news release on March 26: A coalition of safety advocates commended the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) for voting unanimously to move forward with a strong proposal to keep infants safe from the hazards posed by crib bumper pads. Evidence shows that crib bumpers are unnecessary decorative items that offer no protection from serious injury, and are linked to dozens of infant deaths from suffocation and sudden unexpec  more

WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations issued the following news release on March 26: This evening, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, will launch its live 30-minute "Daily Dose: COVID Conversations with CAIR" at 8 p.m. (ET) on Facebook. Tonight's program will feature community updates from representatives of CAIR chapters in California, Washington state and New York City, the major CO  more

NEW YORK, March 27 -- 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 two coronavirus-related hate crimes, this time an alleged theft and assault on an Asian-American woman and an alleged assault of an Asian-American man. Both incidents occurred on subway platforms in Brooklyn. Police say an Asian-American woman  more

NEW YORK, March 24 -- The Counter Extremism Project issued the following news release: * * * - Neo-Nazi Environmental Group Follows Two Other Groups Who Have Made Similar Announcements * * * The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) reports weekly on the methods used by extremists to exploit the Internet and social media platforms to recruit followers and incite violence. This week, the neo-Nazi environmental group, Green Brigade, claimed on Telegram that they were disbanding due to the disappeara  more

NEW YORK, March 27 -- The Counter Extremism Project issued the following news release: * * * - CEP Study Finds That Only 43.5 Percent Of Extremist And Terrorist Content Is Removed On Major Platforms * * * The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) Berlin conducted a new study between January 31st and February 14th to test big tech's compliance with Germany's 2018 NetzDG online content moderation law. The law in its current form requires online platforms to remove "manifestly illegal" content within  more

NEW YORK, March 26 -- The International Rescue Committee issued the following news release: With the first case of COVID-19 now confirmed in Libya, the IRC is warning that an outbreak of the disease could have a devastating impact on the country, where conflict continues to tear people's lives apart. Despite the disease having been declared a global pandemic, there is no sign of a ceasefire in sight and hostilities escalated dramatically in recent days. Just two days ago, four civilians were k  more

NEW YORK, March 24 -- The International Rescue Committee issued the following news release: With Coronavirus now having been confirmed in Syria the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is warning that it could soon become one of the most severe outbreaks in the world. Nine years of conflict have left the health system across the country in ruins and an outbreak in the northwest or northeast of the country would have devastating consequences, where large parts of the population are displaced an  more

BUFFALO, New York, March 27 -- The Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center issued the following news release: Roswell Park's physicians and clinical teams continue to work hard to reschedule nonurgent patient appointments or transition them to virtual visits, as appropriate. All treatment teams at Roswell Park continue to provide services for patients in need of more immediate care. "For many of our patients," Roswell Park President and CEO Candace S. Johnson, PhD, says in a video to patients  more

ATLANTA, Georgia, March 27 -- Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal, a peer-reviewed journal from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, published research articles, including the following topics, in its March 2020 edition: * Clinical Characteristics of Disseminated Strongyloidiasis, Japan, 1975-2017 * Epidemiology of Cryptosporidiosis, New York City, New York, USA, 1995-2018 * Public Health Response to Tuberculosis Outbreak among Persons Experiencing Homelessness, Minneapolis, Minne  more

NEW YORK, March 26 -- The Episcopal Relief and Development issued the following news release: Episcopal Relief & Development is taking steps to ensure the health and safety of all employees, partners and program participants in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). Our team is creating resources for partners to enable them to continue to serve their communities during this time, and we are also adjusting programming to allow for physical distancing recommended by health offic  more

ROCHESTER, New York, March 27 -- Families, Systems and Health, a peer-reviewed journal that says it features health, systems and families science, with a focus on healthcare from the Collaborative Family Healthcare Association, published research articles on the following topics in its March 2020 edition: * "Now I have hope": Rebuilding relationships affected by chronic pain. * Baby born too soon. * Burnout among behavioral health providers in integrated care settings. * CFHA 2019 Don Bloch   more

NEW YORK, March 24 -- The Family Equality Council issued the following news release: Family Equality announced the launch of "The Neighborhood: A Virtual Hub for LGBTQ+ Families" which contains a rapidly growing calendar of live-streamed and virtual activities, meet-up groups, and other online resources for LGBTQ+ families and parents sheltering at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Family Equality is the nation's leading resource and advocacy organization for LGBTQ+ families and prospective p  more

NEW YORK, March 27 -- The International Association of Fire Chiefs issued the following news release: First Due, known to Public Safety agencies across the US for developing next-generation pre-incident planning, mobile response, and community engagement solutions, announced, in partnership & collaboration with the International Association of Fire Chiefs, a FREE version of their Community Connect platform, in order to help Fire-EMS, Police, Emergency Management, and Healthcare agencies better   more

BUFFALO, New York, March 26 -- Catholic Charities of Buffalo issued the following news release on March 25: Yesterday, Catholic Charities food pantry staff, as well as employees from its Workforce and Education and Immigration and Refugee Assistance Program, pitched in to pick up and sort eggs, pastries, vegetables, fruit and more for distribution to the agency's nine food pantries in three counties (Erie, Cattaraugus and Allegany). More than 500 dozen eggs and other items were donated by a lo  more

BROOKLYN, New York, March 25 -- Health Global Access Project issued the following news release: Context: On Sunday evening, President Trump suggested that he had rejected calls from some in his administration to cut funding for fighting global AIDS [video], saying, in part, "And I don't think I've ever said 'No.' I can't. It's just so terrible. Countries that we have really, we're not involved with them very much, other than, there would be tremendous death, tremendous death. I mean, you can g  more

BRYN MAWR, Pennsylvania, March 24 -- The American College of Financial Services issued the following news release: President and CEO George Nichols III named Hilary Fiorella as Executive Director of The American College State Farm(R) Center for Women and Financial Services beginning March 23, 2020. Fiorella joins The College from Money Management Institute in New York City, where she served as Senior Vice President of Membership Services and Industry Initiatives. Fiorella will be responsible f  more

NEW ROCHELLE, New York, March 24 -- Human Gene Therapy, a peer-reviewed journal that says it focuses on the human aspect of gene therapy, published research articles, including the following topics, in its March 2020 edition: * Therapeutic Applications of Genes and Gene-Engineered Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Femoral Head Necrosis Research Articles: * Truncated Bid Regulates Cisplatin Response via Activation of Mitochondrial Apoptosis Pathway in Ovarian Cancer * Sexually Divergent Mortality a  more

NEW YORK, March 26 -- Human Rights Watch issued the following news release: * * * - Ensure All Have Access to Health Care Without Discrimination * * * The Malaysian federal and state governments should ensure that COVID-19 related health care services are available without discrimination to all migrants, stateless people, and refugees, Human Rights Watch said. Urgent measures are especially needed in the state of Sabah, which has a large migrant and stateless population. The government shou  more

NEW YORK, March 27 -- Human Rights Watch issued the following news release: * * * - Ensure Access to Information, Essential Services For Those Most at Risk * * * COVID-19 presents particular risks for many people with disabilities around the world, Human Rights Watch said. Governments should make extra efforts to protect the rights of people with disabilities in responding to the pandemic. "People with disabilities are among the world's most marginalized and stigmatized even under normal ci  more

NEW YORK, March 26 -- Human Rights Watch issued the following news release: * * * - Government Should End Use of Short-Term Enforced Disappearances * * * Venezuelan security forces should immediately stop arbitrarily detaining and forcibly disappearing people, no matter how long the disappearance, Human Rights Watch said. International pressure and investigations into these abuses are key to pressuring authorities to end this practice. On March 18, 2020, Tomeu Vadell Recalde, a CITGO Petrol  more

MANHATTAN, New York, March 23 -- Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a campaign of Everytown for Gun Safety, issued the following statement: The Idaho chapter of Moms Demand Action, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, released the following statement after state lawmakers gaveled out without passing one of the session's most extreme gun bills, Senate Bill 1384, legislation that would have forced more guns on school grounds: "This is significant progress," said Nicole Brown, a volunteer  more

NEW YORK, March 24 -- Immigration Equality issued the following news release: * * * - Immigration Equality calls on DHS to release people living with HIV at imminent risk of infection * * * Immigration Equality filed a complaint with the office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, calling for the immediate release of all people living with HIV in ICE detention, citing grossly negligent medical care and grave risk to their lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The six named complainants are all  more

NEW YORK, March 25 -- The American Geriatrics Society issued the following news release on March 24: In letters sent yesterday to Congressional leaders, Vice President Pence, and White House Coronavirus Task Force Coordinator Deborah Birx, MD, experts at the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) reinforced the need for medical supplies, telehealth, expertise in older adult care, and a range of other priorities in response to COVID-19. As diverse as these important focal points are, they highlight a  more

NEW YORK, March 24 -- Access Now issued the following news release: Last week, Access Now joined two public interest coalition letters in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The first letter, addressed to the U.S. Congress, calls on elected officials to uphold certain key data protection safeguards as the government considers COVID-19 relief packages, including ensuring necessity and proportionality, data minimization, and data use restrictions. Individuals retain certain fundamental rights wh  more

NEW YORK, March 27 -- The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility issued the following news release on March 26: Global institutional investors comprising public pensions, asset management firms and faith-based funds issued a Statement on Coronavirus Response calling on the business community to step up as corporate citizens, and recommending measures corporations can take to protect their workforces, their communities, their businesses and our markets as a whole while we all confront the  more

NEW YORK, March 25 -- The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility issued the following news release: Our organizations recognize the extraordinary circumstances facing our world and deeply appreciate the ramifications to our companies and our communities during the current COVID-19 pandemic crisis. We urge all companies and shareholders to follow stringent public health guidelines to help flatten the curve of infection and curtail the growing public health crisis. We also believe that eve  more

NEW YORK, March 26 -- The International Rescue Committee issued the following statement on March 25: As the United Nations launches a nearly $2 billion Humanitarian Response Plan to counter the global public health and humanitarian consequences of COVID-19, David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee, said: "Today's United Nations appeal is a welcome and much-needed first step to mobilizing the international community to fight the common threat of Coronavirus head o  more

NEW YORK, March 24 -- Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America issued the following news release: Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America calls on VA Secretary Robert Wilkie to substantially improve direct outreach to the entire veteran community in explaining the Department's actions, intentions and ability to meet its mission in caring for the nine million veterans who rely on it for care especially during this time of the COVID-19 crisis. As the largest integrated healthcare network in the  more

WASHINGTON, March 27 -- Kids in Need of Defense issued the following statement by President Wendy Young: In procedures inexplicably announced on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings via Twitter, the Department of Justice Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) said that immigration courts in Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, Newark, Memphis, Sacramento, and Seattle are reopening for the "limited purpose of accepting filings" and that filing deadlines remain unchanged. Kids in Need   more

NEW YORK, March 25 -- LatinoJustice PRLDEF issued the following statement by President and General Counsel Juan Cartagena on the Supreme Court decision in Comcast v. National Association of African American Owned Media: The Supreme Court's decision continues a pattern of making race claims more difficult to bring at the pleading stage of litigation. LatinoJustice PRLDEF joined the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and others in an amicus brief urging the Court that credible allegations that race played   more

NEW YORK, March 27 -- The Manhattan Institute for Policy Research issued the following news release: * * * - While New York City students outscore their peers statewide, failure persists in the Bronx * * * With the New York State Education Department announcing last week that all K-12 state assessments would be cancelled for the rest of the school year in response to the Covid-19 outbreak, it's worth considering the critical information that these annual exams provide. An analysis of recent   more

CHICAGO, Illinois, March 24 -- The American College of Healthcare Executives issued the following news release: Michael J. Fosina, FACHE, president, NewYork-Presbyterian Lawrence Hospital, Bronxville, and senior vice president, NewYork-Presbyterian, New York, has assumed the office of Chairman of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Fosina was installed by the Council of Regents. Fosina succeeds ACHE's outgoing Chairman Heather J. Rohan, FACHE, president, HCA TriStar Division, Brent  more

MANHATTAN, New York, March 25 -- Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a campaign of Everytown for Gun Safety, issued the following statement by Jennifer Boylan, volunteer with the Rhode Island chapter after Governor Raimondo signed an executive order that allows additional time for the completion of background checks for purchases of firearms: "A background check on a gun purchase can be the difference between life and death. "It's so important that law enforcement have the support the  more

MANHATTAN, New York, March 27 -- Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a campaign of Everytown for Gun Safety, issued the following news: While the coronavirus pandemic keeps Americans at home, law enforcement and domestic violence prevention organizations are sounding the alarm that isolation could increase the risk of abuse for victims of domestic violence. Moms Demand Action volunteers and survivors of gun violence are available to discuss the deadly link between guns and domestic vio  more

MANHATTAN, New York, March 25 -- Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a campaign of Everytown for Gun Safety, issued the following news: * * * - Community-Based Gun Violence Intervention Programs Can Provide Solutions * * * According to a report by the Chicago Sun-Times, the number of people who have been shot -- killed or wounded -- in Chicago has risen by 36 percent so far this year. Last week, a 15-year-old high school student was shot and killed in Bowmanville on the North Side  more

NEW YORK, March 25 -- The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund issued the following news release: The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) joined the Christian Ministerial Alliance and the Arkansas Community Institute in sending a letter to Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston. The letter urged that Secretary Thurston issue guidance and administrative rules to ensure every eligible voter in Arkansas is able to safely vote in the March 31, 2020 runoff election in the mi  more

NEW YORK, March 25 -- The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund issued the following news release on March 23: Yesterday, the President and Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF), Sherrilyn Ifill, sent a letter to Tom Cochran, the CEO and Executive Director of the United States Conference of Mayors regarding LDF's call on mayors to impose a moratorium on utility turn-offs for 90 days and halt the execution of evictions to guarantee that no one is removed  more

NEW YORK, March 24 -- The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund issued the following news release: The United States Supreme Court weakened a key provision of the Civil Rights Act of 1866, known as Section 1981, which requires that all citizens have the same rights to make and enforce contracts as white persons. In Comcast v. National Association of African American-Owned Media (NAAAOM), the Court ruled that it is not sufficient for plaintiffs to present factual allegations in their complain  more

NEW YORK, March 24 -- The National Action Network issued the following news release, dated March 20: In the wake of the unprecedented emergency impacting the country due to coronavirus (COVID-19), Rev. Al Sharpton and National Action Network (NAN) are partnering with World Central Kitchen to deliver five hundred hot and cold meals daily to those in need. The meals will be available at the House of Justice Monday through Saturday at 12pm EST, starting March 21st. "With the traditional safety n  more

NEW YORK, March 25 -- The National Center for Law and Economic Justice issued the following statement: NCLEJ stands in solidarity with and in support of those that have been most affected by the COVID-19 crisis as it continues to ravage the nation and the globe. In a time when public officials have instructed most of society to stay at home in order to protect themselves and others from exposure, NCLEJ knows that many of the communities we serve are instead on the frontlines. They are the heal  more

NEW YORK, March 25 -- The National Employment Law Project issued the following statement by Executive Director Rebecca Dixon: "NELP strongly supports this critically important legislation, which proposes a comprehensive approach to strengthening unemployment insurance programs around the country. No temporary fix can make unemployment insurance, which has been decimated by countless draconian cuts over the last decade, suddenly be able to handle the current crisis equitably. "Unemployment insu  more

NEW YORK, March 27 -- The New York Immigration Coalition issued the following news release: Following the Senate's passage of a $2 trillion economic stimulus package, immigrant advocates denounced the exclusion of millions of immigrants and families from the direct cash assistance programs and unemployment assistance. The package would direct payments of $1,200 to most American adults and $500 to most children, create a $500 billion lending program for large companies and cities, and extend ano  more

NEW YORK, March 24 -- The New York Immigration Coalition issued the following news release: The New York City Department of Education (DOE) is opening 93 Regional Enrichment Centers to provide front-line workers with childcare to ensure their parents can continue to serve the city in this time of need. Unfortunately, the DOE's Regional Enrichment Center criteria is currently limited to health care workers, FDNY, NYPD, Office of Emergency Management, and some New York City Transit Authority role  more

NEW YORK, March 26 -- The New York Immigration Coalition issued the following statement on March 25: Only hours after reporting a positive case of COVID-19 among its staff, the immigration court on Varick street reopened with no warning. Advocacy groups are renewing their demand that Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) release all detainees and immediately adopt policies in line with the recommendations of public health officials. The reopening of the Varick street court comes after repor  more

WASHINGTON, March 25 -- The New York Immigration Coalition issued the following statement on March 24: Yesterday, the House leadership led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi introduced the Take Responsibility for Workers and Families Act. The Democrats' bill makes healthcare affordable and accessible; provides cash assistance to all families, as well as support to small businesses in need of direct grants or small business loans; and injects nearly $40 billion into schools and universities to stabilize fu  more

ALBANY, New York, March 27 -- The New York State Bar Association issued the following news release: The New York State Bar Association is establishing an emergency COVID-19 Task Force to Assist Solo Practitioners and Small Firms as they weather and prepare to recover from the severe economic crisis created by the coronavirus and its dramatic impact on the entire economy - including the practice of law. "COVID-19 is having a devastating impact on solo and small firm practitioners, many of whom   more

ALBANY, New York, March 24 -- The New York State Bar Association issued the following news release: The New York State Bar Association's (NYSBA) Task Force on the New York State Bar Examination is convening on an emergency basis to consider whether it's possible to administer the Uniform Bar Examination in July in New York. The task force, chaired by Alan Scheinkman, the presiding justice of the Appellate Division, Second Department, is coming up with recommendations on how the state should ha  more

NEW YORK, March 24 -- PEN America issued the following news release on March 23: * * * - Award include $25,000 prize and residency * * * Critically-acclaimed debut novelist Ruchika Tomar is the winner of the 2020 PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel, for A Prayer for Travelers (Riverhead), PEN America announced. Honoring a distinguished first novel, the PEN/Hemingway Award includes a $25,000 prize intended to allow significant time and resources with which to pursue a subsequent work of ficti  more

NEW ROCHELLE, New York, March 23 -- Nucleic Acid Therapeutics, a peer-reviewed journal that says it features nucleic acids and related compounds to alter gene expression for therapeutic purposes, published research articles on the following topics in its February 2020 edition: * Endocytosis Controls siRNA Efficiency: Implications for siRNA Delivery Vehicle Design and Cell-Specific Targeting * Impurity Qualification Toxicology Study for a 2'-O-Methoxyethyl-Modified Antisense Inhibitor in Mice   more

NEW YORK, March 24 -- NYU Langone Health, an academic medical center affiliated with New York University, issued the following news release: Children with aggressive blood cancers have differences not just in the DNA code of their blood cells, but also in the heavily twisted protein superstructure that controls access to genes. Led by researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, a new study shows that whether T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia takes off or worsens depends on structural cha  more

NEW YORK, March 27 -- PEN America issued the following news release: Reports that Chinese officials are preparing to indict Australian writer Yang Hengjun with espionage charges are a distressing indication that China intends to steamroll over objections from the Australian government and the international community in order to persecute one of its critics, PEN America said. Yang, a Chinese-born Australian writer and academic, was seized by Chinese authorities during a visit to the country in   more

NEW YORK, March 24 -- PEN America issued the following statement on March 23: * * * - PEN America says Charlie Kirk's tweet encourages a 'gotcha' environment that threatens to undermine trust and academic exchange * * * Charlie Kirk, founder and president of Turning Point USA, asked college students yesterday on Twitter to record and share videos of their professors' online instruction to "document and expose" so-called "blatant indoctrination" and "radicalism that has been infecting our sch  more

NEW YORK, March 25 -- PEN America issued the following news release: * * * - Federal court ruling in favor of PEN America is blow to Trump's retaliation against media companies, journalists * * * A federal court ruled against President Trump in a lawsuit that claims he has used government power to retaliate against media coverage and reporters he dislikes in violation of the First Amendment. Specifically, the court denied a government motion to dismiss the case and will allow it to go forwar  more

NEW YORK, March 26 -- PEN America issued the following news release: * * * - PEN America says Dania Ussama was sharing factual information online and is being persecuted for criticizing the government * * * The arrest of Thai artist Danai Ussama for Facebook posts related to the COVID-19 outbreak is an indefensible violation of freedom of expression and poses a significant threat to the spread of truthful health-related information during the pandemic, PEN America said. Officers from Thail  more

NEW YORK, March 24 -- The Peter G. Peterson Foundation issued the following statement by CEO Michael A. Peterson commented on the fiscal policy response to the coronavirus pandemic: "The coronavirus outbreak is an unprecedented national emergency, and we need to respond aggressively to address both the public health crisis and the economic risk. "Lawmakers should pass significant fiscal stimulus that is focused on the specific aspects of this crisis, and these critical efforts should not be di  more

NEW YORK, March 24 -- Physicians for Reproductive Health issued the following statement on March 23: Today marks 10 years since the passage of the Affordable Care Act. Physicians for Reproductive Health Board Member Dr. Bhavik Kumar issued the following statement in response: "As our country faces this serious pandemic, I am more aware than ever how critical it is that all people have access to comprehensive, affordable health care coverage. Ten years ago today, access to health care in the U  more

NEW YORK, March 27 -- Physicians for Reproductive Health issued the following statement: Anti-abortion politicians across the country are using the pandemic to restrict access to abortion care. In response, Board Chair Dr. Kristyn Brandi issued the following statement: "As a provider of full spectrum reproductive health care, including abortion care, I know that abortion is essential health care that cannot be delayed. "I became an obstetrician/gynecologist because I am passionate about partn  more

NEW YORK, March 26 -- The Planned Parenthood Federation of America issued the following news release on March 25: * * * - Gov. Abbott exploits COVID-19 pandemic to cut off abortion access * * * A group of Texas abortion providers -- represented by Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the Center for Reproductive Rights and the Lawyering Project -- sued Gov. Greg Abbott and other state officials to ensure that patients can continue to access essential, time-sensitive abortion services dur  more

NEW YORK, March 25 -- The Radio Advertising Bureau issued the following news release: In light of the current public health measures in place due to COVID-19, the Radio Mercury Awards currently scheduled for June 4, 2020 will be postponing the awards show to Oct. 6, 2020, at SONY HALL in New York City. This decision comes in consultation with the Radio Mercury Awards Advisory Council and the Radio Advertising Bureau Executive Committee. Call for Entry remains open and will be extended until A  more

NEW YORK, March 24 -- Scholars at Risk issued the following news release: Iranian authorities have reportedly released roughly 85,000 individuals from prisons, in an effort to contain the outbreak of a novel coronavirus disease known as COVID-19. Authorities have not, however, released Dr. Ahmadreza Djalali who has long been in need of urgent medical care and is therefore at greater risk of experiencing adverse effects of the disease. SAR has issued the below letter to Iranian officials, urgin  more

NEW YORK, March 23 -- 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 18, 2020 edition: * Priorities for developing respiratory syncytial virus vaccines in different target populations Research Resource: * A quantitative super-resolution imaging toolbox for diagnosis of motile ciliopath  more

NEW YORK, March 24 -- The National Multiple Sclerosis Society issued the following news: Researchers at Johns Hopkins University report that levels of bile acids (produced by the liver to help the absorption of fats in the gut and other processes) may be reduced in people with MS, and especially in people with progressive MS. The team provides evidence that docking sites for these bile acids in brain cells are altered in people with MS; that bile acid signaling appears to reduce inflammatory ac  more

ALBANY, New York, March 23 -- The New York State Bar Association issued the following statement: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo continued to demonstrate his outstanding leadership during this time of crisis. As he updated New Yorkers on the latest information, he urged, in the strongest possible terms, for the President to take swift and decisive actions and for our Congressional delegation to continue to fight for New York in these critical hours. Specifically, he asked for the Federal Govern  more

ALBANY, New York, March 26 -- The New York State Bar Association issued the following statement: Recent reports of bias incidents relating to coronavirus aimed at persons of Asian and Jewish descent are deeply disturbing. The New York State Bar Association strongly condemns these acts and we call on the appropriate authorities to act immediately and forcefully to address them. Our Task Force on Domestic Terrorism and Hate Crimes, chaired by Carrie H. Cohen, will be making recommendations to co  more

ALBANY, New York, March 26 -- The New York State United Teachers issued the following statement: NYSUT President Andy Pallotta issued the following statement regarding the passing of an adjunct professor who was a member of the United College Employees-Fashion Institute of Technology and New York State United Teachers. This is the first known death of a NYSUT member related to COVID-19: "The entire NYSUT family mourns the passing of our UCE-FIT member, and we extend our deepest condolences to   more

NEW YORK, March 26 -- The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project issued the following news release: The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.), a New York-based privacy group, expressed concern at New York State's call for "technology SWAT teams" to support New York's COVID-19 response. The request was posted on New York State's website, calling for "impactful solutions" from "skilled tech employees." To date, the state has provided no details on how SWAT Teams will be deployed  more

NEW YORK, March 25 -- The New York Public Library issued the following news release on March 24: The New York Public Library has partnered with online tutoring service Brainfuse to offer all New York area students access to free after-school homework help, including virtual 1-on-1 tutoring in a wide range of subjects for K-12 students. The new tool--available beginning today at nypl.org/brainfuse--offers a bank of videos, activities, writing labs, and other enrichment activities 24/7, as well  more

NEW YORK, March 24 -- The U.S. Fund for UNICEF issued the following news release: UNICEF USA supports the survival and well-being of children around the world, regardless of migration status. We urge all governments - including the U.S. Government - to ensure that any border restrictions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic do not put vulnerable children and families even more at risk. As governments make difficult decisions to fight this pandemic, we cannot forget that many children and their  more

NEW YORK, March 24 -- 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 International President D. Taylor: Hundreds of thousands of hotel workers have been laid off during the COVID-19 crisis and have no idea how they will pay rent, provide food for themselves and their families, or get healthcare if they or a loved one becomes il  more

NEW YORK, March 26 -- 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 on March 25 by International President D. Taylor: * * * - Senate Democrats Hold the Line on Corporate Welfare, Improve Focus on Workers * * * At the end of March, millions of laid off Americans will start losing their employer-provided health insurance, but th  more

NEW YORK, March 23 -- 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 International President D. Taylor: In the Senate, Mitch McConnell and his Republican colleagues attempted a corporate coup. Thankfully, the Senate Democrats defeated them. While our country moves ever closer to an economic calamity, the GOP leaders who should  more

WASHINGTON, March 23 -- The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union issued the following statement by President Marc Perrone: * * * - Over 70,000 Workers Across New England, New York, and New Jersey to Receive Raise, Additional Two Weeks Paid Sick Leave * * * The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), which represents 1.3 million workers in grocery, retail, and other industries, applauded Stop & Shop for giving all union Stop & Shop and Peapod employees represented by the   more

AMHERST, New York, March 26 -- The Center for Inquiry issued the following news release: President Trump is recklessly putting the lives of Americans at risk by promising to end coronavirus prevention guidelines by Easter, said the Center for Inquiry, warning that the president is courting tragedy and disaster by ignoring science in order to appeal to religious sentiments and magical thinking. In an interview with Fox News, President Trump said he was looking to reopen the economy to normal bu  more

NEW YORK, March 25 -- The Women's Refugee Commission issued the following statement: Following the outbreak of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), countries around the world are bracing for extremely high numbers of cases, a huge strain on health systems, and severe economic fallout. According to Johns Hopkins University, more than 407,000 cases have been confirmed to date. In an effort to address the COVID-19 crisis in humanitarian settings, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (the highest-level hu  more