Nicolas ne fait pas l’unanimité auprès de ses camarades dans Koh-Lanta, la guerre des chefs (TF1). Les autres aventuriers lui ont reproché son manque d’implication dans les tâches du camp ainsi que ses craquages concernant le peu de nourriture et l’éloignement de ses proches, notamment sa femme Déborah et leur fils Mathis (4 ans). Il faut dire que le départ ne s’est pas fait dans de bonnes conditions pour notre Belge…

Auprès de nos confrères du magazine Public, Nicolas confie qu’avec sa femme, ils se sont “quittés dans des conditions difficiles à la gare“. “Déborah n’était pas d’accord à 100% pour que je parte, poursuit-il. On s’est pas mal pris la tête avant qu’elle accepte ! Elle trouvait que c’était égoïste de ma part de la laisser avec un enfant en bas âge… Du coup, le départ à la gare, c’était dans les larmes…” Heureusement, Déborah a finalement été “très entourée” en l’absence de Nicolas et “tout s’est bien passé“.

D’ailleurs, si la jeune maman a relevé le challenge haut la main, Nicolas a dû faire face à plusieurs coups de mou au cours de son aventure. L’ancien Jaune a, à différents moments, évoqué son désir de quitter l’aventure pour retrouver les siens. Des moments de faiblesse qu’il a réussi à dépasser puisqu’il est encore en lice pour la grande finale !

Entre Déborah et Nicolas, ça ne date pas d’hier. “J’ai vu sa photo sur Facebook ! C’était une amie d’amie, j’ai donc demandé à la rencontrer et voilà… Ça fait dix ans qu’on ne se quitte pas, confie Nicolas. Et j’espère avoir un autre enfant, mais c’est encore en pourparlers !“

Une interview à retrouver en intégralité dans le magazine Public, en kiosques ce vendredi 31 mai 2019.

Rendez-vous dès 21h sur TF1 ce vendredi 31 mai 2019 afin de suivre le nouvel épisode de Koh-Lanta, la guerre des chefs.

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A D.C. federal judge says that former President TrumpDonald TrumpPaul Ryan: Voters won’t be impressed by ‘yes-men and flatterers flocking to Mar-a-Lago’ Murkowski voices frustration with GOP over Jan. 6 commission: ‘Something bad happened’ Intelligence told White House they have unexamined evidence on coronavirus origins: report MORE’s false claims about the 2020 presidential election still pose a threat months after a mob of his supporters breached the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

Judge Amy Berman Jackson made the remark in a strongly worded court ruling Wednesday denying a motion to revoke detention for Cleveland Meredith Jr., who threatened to injure Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiJudge says Trump’s false election claims still pose threat months later The 2022 Beijing Olympics: There’s a lesson in the boycott of apartheid sports Senate Republicans pitch 8 billion infrastructure offer MORE (D-Calif.) in a text message.

Remarking on Trump’s claims, Jackson wrote “the steady drumbeat that inspired defendant to take up arms has not faded away.”

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“Six months later, the canard that the election was stolen is being repeated daily on major news outlets and from the corridors of power in state and federal government, not to mention in the near-daily fulminations of the former President,” Jackson wrote. 

More than 400 people have been charged in connection with the riot that saw supporters of the former president overwhelm the Capitol as Congress was certifying the Electoral College victory of President BidenJoe BidenPaul Ryan: Voters won’t be impressed by ‘yes-men and flatterers flocking to Mar-a-Lago’ Intelligence told White House they have unexamined evidence on coronavirus origins: report Milley says U.S. planning for potential evacuation of Afghan translators from region MORE in the 2020 election.

Several defendants have blamed their actions that day on believing Trump’s claims about the election.

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Most recently, Albert Watkins, an attorney for self-described “QANon Shaman” Jacob Chansley,” told Talking Points Memo that some of the defendants were “subjected to four-plus years of goddamn propaganda the likes of which the world has not seen since f—ing Hitler.”

Meredith wanted to attend the events of Jan. 6 but was unable to attend because he arrived in D.C. a day later than anticipated.

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On Jan. 7, Meredith sent a text message in which he said he was “thinking about heading over to Pelosi C—‘s speech and putting a bullet in her noggin on Live TV,” according to an FBI affidavit.

When FBI agents searched his trailer, they found a Glock 19, 9 mm pistol, a Favor X95 assault rifle and approximately “hundreds of rounds of ammunition” in his trailer.

Meredith is charged with threatening to injure Pelosi, as well as three charges related to firearms.

Animal advocacy and rescue organizations say they have not seen a wave of owners giving up pets adopted during the pandemic as restrictions lift and people return to their offices and social lives. 

Worries about people returning pets they took in while largely confined to their homes have been rampant after news reports suggested the country was seeing a surge of owners abandoning their pets as coronavirus rules began to relax.

But overall, data and animal welfare groups say owners are largely keeping the pets they adopted during the pandemic. 

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A poll released Wednesday by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) found a vast majority of owners who adopted during the pandemic kept their pet. 

The “nationally representative” survey found that 90 percent of households that adopted a dog and 85 percent of households that adopted a cat since March 2020 still have their pets. 

A total of 87 percent of current dog and cat owners said they would not currently consider rehoming their pet in the next three months.

A survey from 24PetWatch of almost 1,200 shelters and rescues determined that the rates of owners giving up their pets “are actually down” compared to regular levels in 2019 before the pandemic, according to Best Friends Animal Society. 

Brent Toellner, the senior director of national programs for Best Friends Animal Society, said the data shows “more of a returning back to normalcy” for shelters instead of a “post-pandemic boom,” which he said he doesn’t expect to happen.

“I think it’s foolhardy to underestimate the connection that people have with their pets, and people go through a lot of lengths to keep that connection in place,” he said.

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The vast majority of people who adopted pets last year, 93 percent, said their animals improved their mental and/or physical well-being in the past year, according to a March survey from Rover.com. 

But Toellner added, “It’s really important for people in communities that have shelters that are struggling – that now would be a really good time to go out and adopt or foster at your local shelter.”

According to 24PetWatch, owner surrenders of pets increased 82.6 percent, and pet returns jumped 50 percent in April 2021.

Shelters and rescue groups define pet surrenders as when owners give up their pet to a shelter, while pet returns are more specifically referring to when an animal is taken back to the same shelter they were adopted from.  

Those look like big spikes, but it’s a comparison of April 2021 and April 2020, when most of the country was locked down in their homes and many shelters limited operations, lowering any returns or surrenders. 

Pet returns and surrenders in April 2021 were 30 percent and 12.5 percent lower than April 2019 levels, respectively, when both rates were considered to be in line with previous years.

A spokesperson for ASPCA said in a statement that the group has not seen a boost in pets given up to its adoption center in New York City. Alexander Craig also said the organization’s conversations with professionals across the country have not indicated an increase of pets taken back on a national level. 

At the same time, Craig acknowledged uncertain times bring higher risks of owners not being able to care for their pets and deciding to give them up. 

“As there is always a risk that pet owners will not be able to provide adequate care for their pets during any crisis or disaster situation, it’s important for people, shelters, and communities to prepare for any animal welfare consequences that may result from this ongoing crisis,” the statement said. 

There are some exceptions, with some shelters and rescue organizations across the country experiencing increased animal intakes that workers connect to lifted coronavirus restrictions.

Lauree Simmons, the founder of Big Dog Ranch Rescue in Florida, said her organization itself has not seen a recent rise in pet returns.

But she said rural shelters her group works with in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Texas have taken in a surge of animals over the past few weeks, which workers say is because owners are returning to in-person work and don’t think they have time to care for the pet. 

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“It breaks my heart that here this dog gets rescued, gets comfortable at a home and now it’s just tossed out like yesterday’s news,” she said.

“They should be treated like a family member,” Simmons added. “You wouldn’t toss out your kid if you went back to work. You shouldn’t toss out your dog.”

In response, Big Dog Ranch Rescue plans to visit shelters across several states this summer. Last year, as people gave up pets after losing jobs and not being able to afford caring for them, the organization rescued almost 400 dogs from 37 shelters in seven states.  

Dawn Pennington, the rescue coordinator at one of these shelters, Kershaw County Humane Society in South Carolina, said they had taken in 90 animals in four days amid the rising intake. 

“We’re suffering because we’re getting the intakes now from COVID, and we have the lack of people coming into the building to adopt because they haven’t been able to come in to adopt,” she said.

The Moms and Mutts Colorado Rescue (MAMCO) reported an influx in dogs being given back this year, as 62 pets were turned in through the last week of February, with 39 of those dogs being adopted between March and July 2020. Usually, in 12 months, the rescue organization sees 50 pets given back. 

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Katie Mahaney, the medical director of MAMCO Rescue, said these transitions away from an owner are “really stressful” on the dog, citing one pet who was dropped off for being too large and who “cried and cried and cried” in their office. 

“I think if we could use some of this as a teachable moment, it would be good,” she said. “Adopters should make a list of their expectations for the pet prior to adopting: what kind of energy level they want, what needs am I expecting this dog to meet emotionally or physically.”

But these shelters and rescue organizations are the exception, said Hannah Stember, a Best Friends Animal Society spokesperson. She said the nonprofit has heard of “isolated situations” of surges of animals being given up. 

“We can speak to data on a national level, but not every shelter/organization/community is the same,” she said. “So, while there are no doubt isolated instances that are different, they are currently the exception to the rule based on what we see in the data from our partners at 24PetWatch.”

This story was updated at 9 a.m.

 

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The Senate on Friday passed a resolution calling for a probe into the origins of COVID-19 amid renewed attention over a theory that the virus came from a lab in China.

The resolution, which passed by unanimous consent and was spearheaded by Sens. Roger MarshallRoger W. MarshallSenate passes resolution urging probe into COVID-19 origins Republicans seek vindication amid reemergence of Wuhan lab theory GOP senators introduce bill to reimpose waived Nord Stream sanctions MORE (R-Kan.) and Kirsten GillibrandKirsten GillibrandSenate passes resolution urging probe into COVID-19 origins Democratic feud erupts over scope of military sexual assault bill Overnight Defense: Austin, Bidens thank National Guard as Capitol mission ends | CBO estimates nuclear arsenal to cost 4B over 10 years | Senate Armed Services chairman backs change in prosecuting military sexual assault MORE (D-N.Y.), calls for the World Health Assembly to conduct a probe into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislation adds that if an investigation is not approved by the body, the U.S. and “willing partner governments and experts” will instead launch an inquiry.

“It’s outrageous that a comprehensive investigation on the origins of COVID-19 has still not been carried out. With the World Health Assembly meeting this week we must get a full investigation into the outbreak,” Marshall said in a statement. “If China continues on its path of cover-up, we must begin planning a full investigation, including with partners around the world.”

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“There must be a thorough and transparent investigation into the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic—obstruction is completely unacceptable. Our resolution makes clear that the US believes that the previous WHO investigation was flawed, that there must be accountability, and all potential origins of this virus, including a lab leak, must be investigated fully,” added Gillibrand. 

The resolution’s passage comes two days after the Senate passed legislation requiring the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to declassify information about the origins of COVID-19.

Among the information the bill would press the ODNI to declassify is any activities performed at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the lab at the center of speculation over a possible leak.

The Senate action comes as public health experts reverse previous skepticism about the prospect of a lab leak and now say there is a need for further investigation. 

Chatter over the pandemic’s origins reached a fever pitch after The Wall Street Journal reported that several researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology fell ill with flu-like symptoms in November 2019, right before the pandemic’s outbreak in the city.

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Still, even if the virus is connected to the lab, experts caution that does not mean the virus was manufactured there and it’s still possible the researchers were infected with the coronavirus first and then went to the lab.

The U.S. intelligence community said this week that it has “coalesced around two likely scenarios,” according to Assistant Director of National Intelligence for Strategic Communications Amanda Schoch: whether “it emerged naturally from human contact with infected animals” or through “a laboratory accident.”

President BidenJoe BidenPutin backs up Belarus’s Lukashenko amid international pressure Biden administration to reimpose sanctions on Belarus over diverted flight Senate passes resolution urging probe into COVID-19 origins MORE on Wednesday asked the intelligence community to “redouble their efforts” to investigate the disease’s origins, calling on it to report back to him within 90 days.

“As part of that report, I have asked for areas of further inquiry that may be required, including specific questions for China,” Biden said in a statement. “I have also asked that this effort include work by our National Labs and other agencies of our government to augment the Intelligence Community’s efforts. And I have asked the Intelligence Community to keep Congress fully apprised of its work.”

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Four former Homeland Security secretaries on Thursday urged the Senate to approve an independent commission to investigate the Capitol riots of Jan. 6 as Republicans appear poised to block the creation of such a panel.

Michael Chertoff and Tom Ridge, who served in the George W. Bush administration, and Janet Napolitano and Jeh Johnson, who led the Department of Homeland Security under then-President Obama, called on the Senate to “put politics aside and create a bipartisan, independent 9/11-style commission to investigate the January 6 attack on the Capitol.”

“We must understand how the violent insurrection at the Capitol came together to ensure the peaceful transfer of power in our country is never so threatened again,” they said in a statement organized by the nonprofit group Protect Democracy.

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Barring last minute changes, only a few Republicans are expected to back a bill to establish a commission to probe the Capitol insurrection. The bill must get 60 votes in the Senate to pass, meaning at least 10 Republican senators would have to support the legislation, which already passed the House.

Two Republicans have said they will support the bill: Sens. Lisa MurkowskiLisa Ann MurkowskiMurkowski voices frustration with GOP over Jan. 6 commission: ‘Something bad happened’ Overnight Energy: Biden admin backs Trump approval of major Alaska drilling project | Senate Republicans pitch 8 billion for infrastructure | EPA to revise Trump rule limiting state authority to block pipelines Former DHS secretaries call on Senate to approve Jan. 6 commission MORE (Alaska) and Mitt RomneyWillard (Mitt) Mitt RomneyMurkowski voices frustration with GOP over Jan. 6 commission: ‘Something bad happened’ Former DHS secretaries call on Senate to approve Jan. 6 commission Drama scrambles Schumer’s China bill MORE (Utah), both of whom voted to convict former President TrumpDonald TrumpPaul Ryan: Voters won’t be impressed by ‘yes-men and flatterers flocking to Mar-a-Lago’ Murkowski voices frustration with GOP over Jan. 6 commission: ‘Something bad happened’ Intelligence told White House they have unexamined evidence on coronavirus origins: report MORE for inciting the riot on Jan. 6 with his false and incendiary claims about the 2020 election.

But most of the 50-member GOP caucus has raised a myriad of objections to the bill, arguing that the commission would be politicized and raising concerns about how the staff would be hired and that it would spill past its end-of-the-year cutoff date.

The House bill, negotiated by a bipartisan duo, mirrors the language on staffing included in the 9/11 commission.

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The White House said Friday that President BidenJoe BidenPutin backs up Belarus’s Lukashenko amid international pressure Biden administration to reimpose sanctions on Belarus over diverted flight Senate passes resolution urging probe into COVID-19 origins MORE “remains committed” to pushing for an independent investigation of the January assault on the Capitol after Senate Republicans blocked legislation that would have formed a bipartisan commission to investigate the attack.

“The president has been clear that the shameful events of Jan. 6 need to be independently and fully investigated,” principal deputy press secretary Karine Jean-PierreKarine Jean-PierreWhite House: Biden ‘remains committed’ to Jan. 6 probe The Hill’s 12:30 Report – Senators back in session after late-night hold-up DHS secretary: ‘We’re taking a very close look at’ vaccine passports MORE told reporters aboard Air Force One. “He remains committed to that and we will continue to work with Congress to find a path forward to ensure that happens.”

Jean-Pierre accused Senate Republicans of failing to defend the Constitution by voting to block the legislation on Friday. Six Republicans broke with the rest of the party to vote in favor of advancing the legislation.

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“The events of Jan. 6 represented an existential crisis of democracy. That is why the president supported the bipartisan commission that was proposed and why he consistently called for a full and independent investigation into what happened and how we can ensure something like that could never happen again,” Jean-Pierre said.

“Members of the Senate aren’t sent to Washington to rubber stamp any party’s views. They swear on oath to support and defend the Constitution, and today unfortunately they failed to do that,” she said.

Jean-Pierre would not say whether Biden would look to form a presidential commission to investigate the attack in which a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, but reiterated that Biden wants the group to be bipartisan.

The Senate voted 54-35 on the House-passed bill earlier Friday, falling short of the 10 Republican votes needed in order to overcome a legislative filibuster. Republican Sens. Lisa MurkowskiLisa Ann MurkowskiTrump, midterms fuel GOP’s effort to quash Jan. 6 commission Schumer and Collins appear to have heated exchange before Jan. 6 vote White House: Biden ‘remains committed’ to Jan. 6 probe MORE (Alaska), Mitt RomneyWillard (Mitt) Mitt RomneySchumer and Collins appear to have heated exchange before Jan. 6 vote White House: Biden ‘remains committed’ to Jan. 6 probe Pelosi: GOP ‘cowardice’ on Jan. 6 vote makes ‘our country less safe’ MORE (Utah), Bill CassidyBill CassidySchumer and Collins appear to have heated exchange before Jan. 6 vote White House: Biden ‘remains committed’ to Jan. 6 probe Pelosi: GOP ‘cowardice’ on Jan. 6 vote makes ‘our country less safe’ MORE (La.), Rob PortmanRobert (Rob) Jones PortmanTrump, midterms fuel GOP’s effort to quash Jan. 6 commission ‘SECURE 2.0’ will modernize retirement security for the post-COVID American workforce Schumer and Collins appear to have heated exchange before Jan. 6 vote MORE (Ohio), Susan CollinsSusan Margaret CollinsSenate meltdown reveals deepening partisan divide Schumer and Collins appear to have heated exchange before Jan. 6 vote White House: Biden ‘remains committed’ to Jan. 6 probe MORE (Maine) and Ben SasseBen SasseSchumer and Collins appear to have heated exchange before Jan. 6 vote White House: Biden ‘remains committed’ to Jan. 6 probe Pelosi: GOP ‘cowardice’ on Jan. 6 vote makes ‘our country less safe’ MORE (Neb.) voted in favor of the bill.

The vote did not come as a surprise. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellSenate meltdown reveals deepening partisan divide Trump, midterms fuel GOP’s effort to quash Jan. 6 commission Senator’s on-air interview features carpooling colleague waving from back seat MORE (R-Ky.) and others publicly opposed the creation of the commission leading up to the vote. McConnell argued that the commission was not needed given ongoing congressional probes and warned it could hurt Republicans in the upcoming 2022 midterm elections.

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The bill approved by the House would have established a 10-member commission with the power to appoint members split between both parties, similar to the panel created after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

Speaking to reporters during a trip to Ohio on Thursday, Biden expressed dismay that Republicans would block the legislation.

“I can’t imagine anyone voting against establishing a commission on the greatest assault since the Civil War on the Capitol,” Biden said during an unscheduled stop for ice cream in Cleveland.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Thursday that it will revise a Trump-era rule that set limits on state and tribal authority to block projects that could impact their waters, such as pipelines. 

Under the Clean Water Act, projects that run through waterways — which can include pipelines and other fossil fuel infrastructure — are essentially subject to state veto. 

This power had come under criticism from Republicans, who argued that it could be used to stall important infrastructure, though its proponents say states need to be able to stop risky projects. 

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The Trump rule in question sought to limit the scope of state-required approvals to only those that will impact water quality. It excluded other considerations such as air quality or “energy policy.” 

The rule also made it so that approvals for projects could take less time by making it easier for the federal government to determine a state waived its approval by not acting in time.

In a statement announcing its new revision, the Biden EPA argued that the Trump-era rule “erodes state and Tribal authority.”

“We have serious water challenges to address as a nation and as EPA Administrator, I will not hesitate to correct decisions that weakened the authority of states and Tribes to protect their waters,” said EPA Administrator Michael ReganMichael ReganEPA to revise Trump rule limiting state authority to block pipelines OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Climate advocates win seats on Exxon’s board | EPA officially nixes Trump ‘secret science’ rule |  Environmental issues at center of New Mexico special election EPA officially nixes Trump ‘secret science’ rule MORE in the statement. 

In order to undo the Trump rule, the EPA will have to put forward a new one in its place. As part of that process, during which the Trump rule will remain active, the agency is planning to hold listening sessions with stakeholders next month.

When it put the rule forward, the Trump administration argued that it would accelerate infrastructure construction and prevent “abuses” of authority. 

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“Today, we are following through on President TrumpDonald TrumpPaul Ryan: Voters won’t be impressed by ‘yes-men and flatterers flocking to Mar-a-Lago’ Murkowski voices frustration with GOP over Jan. 6 commission: ‘Something bad happened’ Intelligence told White House they have unexamined evidence on coronavirus origins: report MORE’s Executive Order to curb abuses of the Clean Water Act that have held our nation’s energy infrastructure projects hostage, and to put in place clear guidelines that finally give these projects a path forward,” then-EPA Administrator Andrew WheelerAndrew WheelerEPA to revise Trump rule limiting state authority to block pipelines EPA rescinds Trump rule expected to make air pollution regulation harder EPA rescinds Trump rule allowing public to weigh in on agency guidance  MORE said in a statement last year. 

That issuance followed instances where Democratic-led states blocked infrastructure proposals. New York had decided not to allow certification of a 124-mile natural gas pipeline, and Washington state blocked a shipping port for coal. 

Prior to the Trump rule, the regulation governing the issue was from 1971.

Mark Ryan, a lawyer who specializes in the Clean Water Act and worked at the EPA for more than 20 years, said that going forward, the Biden administration will need to balance the needs of states and tribes with the needs of companies who receive permits as it puts forth its own regulation.

“It’s tilted very heavily toward the permittees now under the Trump rule, I think they need to tilt it back toward the middle,” Ryan told The Hill.

—Updated at 4:56 p.m.

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Welcome to Friday’s Overnight Health Care. West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R) is trying a different approach to get his constituents vaccinated, telling them on Thursday to get their shots for his dog. “If you won’t do it for your family, you’ve got to get vaccinated for babydog.”

If you have any tips, email us at nweixel@thehill.com, psullivan@thehill.com and jcoleman@thehill.com.

Follow us on Twitter at @NateWeixel, @PeterSullivan4, and @JustineColeman8 

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Today: The White House officially released President BidenJoe BidenPutin backs up Belarus’s Lukashenko amid international pressure Biden administration to reimpose sanctions on Belarus over diverted flight Senate passes resolution urging probe into COVID-19 origins MORE’s budget, leaving out plans to fund a public option, as well as the Hyde Amendment. House Republicans are calling for a congressional probe into the origins of COVID-19, and the U.S. reached 50 percent of its total population getting at least one COVID-19 dose. 

We’ll start with the budget:

Biden leaves public option plan, Hyde Amendment out of budget proposal

President Biden’s budget for the next fiscal year leaves out financial plans for a public option, lowering prescription drug costs and Medicare expansion, despite several Democrats’ calls for the administration to prioritize these health care reforms.

In the $6 trillion budget released Friday, Biden called on Congress to “take action” this year to reduce prescription drug costs and “to further expand and improve health coverage.” 

The president specifically indicated his support for creating a public option, lowering the minimum eligibility age for Medicare and expanding Medicare to include vision, hearing and dental coverage. 

But the budget proposal does not detail how the administration plans to make any of these changes, several of which were campaign promises, nor does it include the expected price tag of these reforms in the overall budget costs.

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Background: The Biden administration previously excluded plans to reduce prescription drug prices and decrease the minimum Medicare eligibility age when it originally released the American Families Plan last month. 

Hyde Amendment: Biden did fulfill his campaign promise to end the Hyde Amendment which forbid federal funding for abortions by not including it in the budget. 

The decision not to include the Hyde Amendment comes after criticism of Biden on the campaign trail pushed him to backtrack his previous support for the prohibition of federal dollars funding the procedure. 

Abortion rights advocates hailed the Hyde Amendment’s absence from the White House’s budget as a victory, while opponents criticized its removal.

Read more about the public option here and the Hyde Amendment here. 

 

CDC relaxes COVID-19 guidelines for summer camps

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) loosened its COVID-19 guidelines for summer camps Friday, saying that vaccinated staffers and adolescents do not need to wear masks.

The changes represent an update from the previous advice for all staffers and campers to wear face coverings, regardless of their vaccination status. 

Now, they would only need to wear masks in state or local areas with mask mandates or to follow local business or workplace guidance. Social distancing is also considered “not necessary” for fully vaccinated campers and staff.

The new summer camp guidance aligns with the CDC’s recommendations announced earlier this month stating that vaccinated people do not need to wear a mask in most settings.

Caveat: Children younger than 12 are not currently authorized to get the vaccine. 

Guidance for these younger children and other unvaccinated campers says they are “strongly encouraged” to wear masks outdoors when close to others for long periods of time and indoors. 

The CDC acknowledged that camps may decide to mandate masks when they cannot verify who is vaccinated and who is not. 

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Read more here. 

 

House Republicans demand congressional probe into COVID-19 origin

House Republicans are calling for a congressional investigation into the origins of COVID-19, after more attention was given to the “lab leak” theory this week. 

A letter from 209 House Republicans, led by Minority Leader Kevin McCarthyKevin McCarthyOvernight Health Care: Public option plan left out of Biden budget proposal | House Republicans demand congressional probe into COVID-19 origin | Half the total US population have received at least one vaccine dose Senate GOP blocks legislation on Jan. 6 commission House Republicans demand congressional probe into COVID-19 origin MORE (Calif.), Minority Whip Steve ScaliseStephen (Steve) Joseph ScaliseOvernight Health Care: Public option plan left out of Biden budget proposal | House Republicans demand congressional probe into COVID-19 origin | Half the total US population have received at least one vaccine dose House Republicans demand congressional probe into COVID-19 origin Republicans seek vindication amid reemergence of Wuhan lab theory MORE (La.) and Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise StefanikElise Marie StefanikOvernight Health Care: Public option plan left out of Biden budget proposal | House Republicans demand congressional probe into COVID-19 origin | Half the total US population have received at least one vaccine dose Trump, midterms fuel GOP’s effort to quash Jan. 6 commission House Republicans demand congressional probe into COVID-19 origin MORE (N.Y.), demands House Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiOvernight Health Care: Public option plan left out of Biden budget proposal | House Republicans demand congressional probe into COVID-19 origin | Half the total US population have received at least one vaccine dose Public option plan left out of Biden budget proposal Pelosi: GOP ‘cowardice’ on Jan. 6 vote makes ‘our country less safe’ MORE (D-Calif.) allow a congressional probe into the virus’s origins.

“We request that you instruct the appropriate Democrat committee chairs to immediately join Republican calls to hold the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) accountable for its role in causing the global COVID-19 pandemic,” the letter reads.

“There is mounting evidence the pandemic started in a Chinese lab, and the CCP covered it up,” the lawmakers continue. “If that is the case, the CCP is responsible for the deaths of almost 600,000 Americans and millions more worldwide.”

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Follows: Calls for an independent investigation into the origins of the COVID-19 virus ramped up this week after The Wall Street Journal reported that three researchers from the Wuhan Institute of Virology fell ill and sought hospital care in November 2019.

President Biden instructed the intelligence community to “redouble their efforts” to conclude where the virus came from and said he’d release the findings publicly. 

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence said Thursday that the intelligence community has “coalesced around two likely scenarios,” including the theories that it transferred from animal to human or that it escaped a laboratory. 

Read more here. 

 

Shrinking number of unvaccinated people eager to get coronavirus jab: poll

A shrinking population of unvaccinated people say they’re eager to get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible, according to a poll released Friday. 

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The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) Vaccine Monitor determined that while 62 percent of respondents reported getting their COVID-19 shot, 4 percent say they will get vaccinated as soon as possible.

The overall vaccination rate does show improvement since April’s survey, when 56 percent reported getting their shot. But the percentage of people who wanted the vaccine as soon as possible dropped from 9 percent in April. 

Twelve percent of respondents said they want to “wait and see” how the vaccine works before getting inoculated. 

Another 7 percent responded that they will only get the vaccine if their work, school or activities require it, and 13 percent total said they would definitely not get their shot. 

What this means: The dwindling number of people eager for their vaccine suggests that officials at both the state and federal level may have to address more hesitant populations to achieve a widespread vaccination rate across the U.S. 

The recent polling comes after President Biden set a goal of administering at least one shot of the vaccine to 70 percent of U.S. adults by the Fourth of July.

KFF notes this goal is possible to achieve if the “as soon as possible” and a portion of the “wait-and-see” populations get their shot. 

Read more here.

Related: Senate Latino Democrats warn about low Hispanic vaccination rates

 

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More than 50 percent of total US population has received at least one coronavirus vaccine dose

More than half of the total U.S. population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, marking another milestone in the effort to defeat the coronavirus.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated Friday showed that 50.1 percent of the population had at least one shot and that 40.2 percent of Americans are fully vaccinated. 

This amounts to more than 166 million Americans with at least one dose and more than 133 million who have been fully vaccinated. 

The figure is at least the second milestone to be reached this week after the CDC announced that 50 percent of U.S. adults are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. 

What this means: The progress with the broader population shows that more minors are getting vaccinated.

The FDA granted emergency authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech to be given to 12- to 15-year-olds earlier this month, opening up vaccinations to the younger population for the first time. 

Read more here. 

 

What we’re reading

Covid-19 vaccinations in the South are among lowest in U.S. (The Wall Street Journal)

Poor Americans more likely to have respiratory problems, study finds (The New York Times)

Disabled scientists are often excluded from the lab (NPR)

 

State by state

COVID-19 cases spiking again at some ICE detention centers. Critics say ICE failed to vaccinate detainees. (Arizona Republic)

Five days, 100 vaccine doses and a wildfire of conspiracy theories (The Washington Post) 

National guard asked to help staff Oregon State Hospital (The Associated Press)

More than half of the total U.S. population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, marking another milestone in the effort to defeat the coronavirus.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated Friday showed that 50.1 percent of the population had at least one shot and that 40.2 percent of Americans are fully vaccinated. 

People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the second of two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or the one-dose Johnson & Johnson shot. 

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The figure is at least the second milestone to be reached this week after the CDC announced that 50 percent of U.S. adults are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. 

President BidenJoe BidenPutin backs up Belarus’s Lukashenko amid international pressure Biden administration to reimpose sanctions on Belarus over diverted flight Senate passes resolution urging probe into COVID-19 origins MORE has set out a goal of administering at least one vaccine dose to 70 percent of adults by July 4. Currently, just over 62 percent of adults have gotten at least one jab.

The progress with the broader population shows that more minors are getting vaccinated.

The Pfizer and Moderna shots, which were given emergency use authorization in December, are approved for people above the ages of 16 and 18, respectively. But Pfizer this month got the green light to inoculate those as young as 12, and Moderna this month released the results of its COVID-19 vaccine trials showing its shot had a 96 percent effective rate for those aged 12 to 17. 

However, warning signs have emerged about lingering vaccine hesitancy in the U.S. A poll released Thursday showed that the percentage of unvaccinated people who say they are eager to get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible dropped 5 percent from last month.

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Iraqi security forces on Wednesday arrested a senior militia commander in connection with rocket attacks on a base that houses U.S. troops, Reuters reported.

Qasim Muslih was arrested at dawn under the country’s anti-terrorism law, the Iraqi military said. He is being questioned by a joint investigative committee about criminal charges against him, according to a brief military statement.

Two security sources told Reuters that Muslih was arrested in Baghdad for involvement in several attacks including recent rocket assaults on the air base at Al Asad, which houses U.S. and other international forces.

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Muslih is head of the Anbar province Popular Mobilisation Forces, a group primarily made up of Iran-backed Shi’ite militias.

Iraq has struggled to contain threats from Tehran-backed militias toward the base, with at least 10 rockets hitting Al Asad on March 3, an attack by an unmanned aerial surveillance system earlier this month and a single rocket striking close to the base on Monday, among other assaults.

The violence has led some U.S. contractors, including Lockheed Martin, to pull its employees from the region over the past several months.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby later on Wednesday said he had seen press reports of the arrest but could not confirm them.

“We don’t have any independent confirmation that this actually happened,” Kirby told reporters.

He added that the United States is “always in consultation with our Iraqi partners about security in the country.”

Updated at 5 p.m.

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