Below is a selection of articles the Federal Relations team read this week.
COVID-19: White House staffers test positive, reopenings broaden to include schools in some states, and WA will allow certain counties to reopen earlier. Live updates at CNN.
Outrage in Georgia Shooting Death: Video footage from the death of Ahmaud Arbery has been recently released and shared on social media. Arbery, a 25 year old black man, was shot and killed in February by two white men while jogging in suburban Georgia, in what many believe to be a racially motivated attack. The assailants, Gregory McMichael and Travis McMichael, have been charged with murder. Full story and updates at New York Times.
Seattle Street Closures: The City of Seattle will permanently close 20 miles of streets to allow for pedestrians to better distance themselves. More at Kiro 7.
Coronavirus Spending by Country: The BBC has published how various countries are attempting to cushion the economic impact of COVID-19 by spending. The US is the #5 country in terms of spending as a percentage of GDP. Malta is #1. Full story at BBC.
Russian Doctors: Several Russian doctors have fallen out of windows after speaking critically of the country’s response to COVID-19 and PPE shortages. More at Washington Post.
Michael Flynn: The Justice Department has dropped criminal charges against General Michael Flynn, the former National Security Advisor who confessed to lying to the FBI in a counterintelligence investigation. Attorney General William Barr said what Flynn did “was not a crime”. More at CBS.