| Trump downplays coronavirus threat again, even as number of cases in U.S. surges Posted: 23 Mar 2020 05:13 PM PDT  President Trump continued to downplay the exponential spread of the coronavirus in the United States on Monday, comparing the rising death toll to the number of Americans killed in car crashes and by the seasonal flu.
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| "I hope to be roaming outside freely and without a face mask very soon," says an American quarantined in Beijing Posted: 23 Mar 2020 04:21 PM PDT  Patrick, who is an American citizen, returned back to his current home in Beijing recently and per law is being quarantined in his apartment for 14 days since his arrival back to China. "Right now, [I'm] keeping my spirits up and enjoying it. I hope to be roaming outside freely and without a face mask very soon."
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| CDC should be leading the US response to coronavirus, former director says Posted: 24 Mar 2020 05:42 PM PDT  The United States' response to the COVID-19 epidemic is haphazard, uncoordinated and sorely missing the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control.
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| Hawley, Stefanik Introduce Bill to Investigate China for Coronavirus Coverup Posted: 24 Mar 2020 08:09 AM PDT  Senator Josh Hawley (R., Mo.) and Representative Elise Stefanik (R., N.Y.) on Tuesday introduced a bicameral resolution to condemn the Chinese Communist Party for its initial handling of the coronavirus outbreak, and called for an international investigation to determine how the coverup hastened the emergence of a global pandemic."Since day one, the Chinese Communist Party intentionally lied to the world about the origin of this pandemic. The CCP was aware of the reality of the virus as early as December but ordered laboratories to destroy samples and forced doctors to keep silent," Hawley, who first called for an investigation last week, said in a press release."There is no doubt that China's unconscionable decision to orchestrate an elaborate coverup of the wide-ranging and deadly implications of coronavirus led to the death of thousands of people, including hundreds of Americans and climbing," Stefanik added. "This Resolution calls for China to provide compensation for the harm, loss, and destruction their arrogance brought upon the rest of the world. Simply put China must, and will, be held accountable."The bill calls the international community to "quantify the harm caused" by China's actions and to "design a mechanism for delivering compensation" from the CCP to those affected.Reports have detailed how Wuhan laboratories in December discovered that coronavirus was related to the deadly SARS virus which broke out in 2002-2003, but were subsequently gagged by government authorities, who ordered them to turn over or destroy evidence.China has also promoted a propaganda campaign to push a conspiracy theory that the virus originated in the U.S., which experts have called "a counteroffensive" and "a kind of blame-shifting."
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| Taiwan says WHO ignored its coronavirus questions at start of outbreak Posted: 24 Mar 2020 02:50 AM PDT  Taiwan accused the World Heath Organization of ignoring its questions at the start of the coronavirus outbreak, part of what it has long described as a pattern that puts it at risk because of Chinese pressure to exclude it from international bodies. Taiwan is barred from membership in the WHO under pressure from China, which views it as a province rather than a state. It responded early to the coronavirus outbreak in China, and has had notable success in limiting contagion so far, with just two deaths and 215 cases.
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| As coronavirus cases increase, Defense Secretary Mark Esper places new restriction on Pentagon Posted: 23 Mar 2020 12:40 PM PDT  Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Monday he is again raising the protection condition on the Pentagon, which will further restrict access to one of the world's largest office buildings. The Pentagon will now be at Level C, the second highest of the military's five health protection conditions.
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| Bill Gates said the US missed its chance to avoid a coronavirus shutdown and recommended businesses stay closed for 6 to 10 weeks Posted: 24 Mar 2020 01:25 PM PDT  Gates admitted a mandated shutdown could be "disastrous" for the economy, but said the US didn't act fast enough to avoid it.
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| Fourteen inmates escaped from jail, 6 still on the loose Posted: 24 Mar 2020 06:48 AM PDT  "Despite the governor's shelter-in-place or stay-at-home order, apparently they didn't want to do that, so they are out and about," said the county sheriff.
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| West Virginia governor rambles, mixes messages on virus Posted: 23 Mar 2020 04:35 PM PDT  As the coronavirus raged across the nation, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice wondered why people were looking to him for answers. Justice, a billionaire Republican with no previous political experience leading a particularly high-risk state, has rambled through mixed messages on the virus, diminishing his credibility with some West Virginians who have said it's been a struggle to discern exactly what he wants them to do.
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| Coronavirus: American children are dying because of quarantine, doctors warn Posted: 24 Mar 2020 12:38 PM PDT  Children kept at home due to the coronavirus pandemic may be putting them at greater risks of harm from both accidents and - tragically - abusive parents, according to a doctor.In Fort Worth, Texas, a sudden surge of child abuse cases has raised red flags for doctors at the facility.
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| Former CDC director: China travel ban 'made a difference' but US didn't prepare enough for coronavirus Posted: 24 Mar 2020 12:08 PM PDT  The former CDC director is lauding America's China travel ban, but says the U.S. didn't do enough to prepare for the COVID-19 outbreak.
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| Russia Swore It Whipped the Virus, and Fox and CNN Bought It Posted: 24 Mar 2020 02:03 AM PDT  As the world reels from the novel coronavirus pandemic, Russia is doing its best to turn global turmoil into propaganda fodder. To date, a country of 146 million people straddling Europe and Asia and that has a great deal of commerce with those two great epicenters of the disease reports only 438 confirmed coronavirus cases and no deaths. One previously disclosed fatality has been dismissed by authorities as attributable to other causes. But according to official statistics from Russian state media, over 52,000 people remain under medical supervision "in connection with suspected coronavirus infection." Perhaps the real number of Russia's coronavirus patients lies somewhere in between. Garry Kasparov, a world-renowned former world chess champion and the chairman of the Renew Democracy Initiative, told The Daily Beast why the Kremlin's dubious claims shouldn't be taken at face value: "Of course Russia is lying about their coronavirus stats and I can say that confidently because they lie about everything," said Kasparov. "Dictatorships lie when they have to—and when they don't; it's about control. Control of information, shaping reality, and, most importantly, appearing all-powerful and all-knowing. If the regime can be surprised or overwhelmed by a virus, maybe it's not so powerful after all, a dangerous line of thought for a repressed population to have. Until there is truly independent testing—and the stories we're hearing out of Russia are not encouraging—we just don't know what's going on." Even so, Western media outlets have disregarded the Kremlin's less-than-sterling reputation for honesty and transparency, and lauded Russia's self-proclaimed success in controlling the deadly virus.In January, Fox News reported Russia's decision to close its border with China and in early February uncritically repeated the claim that "Russia has only two confirmed cases of the virus, but authorities have taken measures to prevent its spread by hospitalizing people returning from China as a precaution." In late February, Fox News stated that "Russia only has three confirmed cases of the COVID-19 disease caused by the virus," without questioning the probability of such fantastic statistics in light of a pandemic raging in neighboring China. Last Sunday, showcasing Russia's coronavirus aid to Italy, Fox News posted photographs released by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service, with the doors of Russian military trucks adorned with heart-shaped flags that read: "From Russia with love." Apparently accepting Russia's claims as ironclad facts, Fox News fawned: "Russia has so far reported very few confirmed coronavirus cases, noting just 306 infections and one death. As the U.S. and Europe struggle to contain the virus, nations once viewed as rivals are stepping up in the global coronavirus response." CNN wrote on Saturday that, "According to information released by Russian officials, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's strategy seems to have worked. The number of confirmed Russian coronavirus cases is surprisingly low, despite Russia sharing a lengthy border with China and recording its first case back in January." Kasparov, a persistent critic of Putin, wonders why anyone would believe this stuff, much less report it. "Repeating Russia's numbers is ridiculous. Trust must be earned, and Putin lies about everything from his invasion of Ukraine to the more directly comparable epidemic of HIV in Russia that officially doesn't exist. Why should western governments and media treat Putin's dictatorship in good faith when it's not returned, and in fact is exploited?" Putin Worries Coronavirus Could Screw Up His Constitutional 'Coronation'Russia's alleged triumph over the coronavirus coincides with Putin's maneuvers to become the country's president for life, a role all but assured through pending constitutional changes. Amendments in question have already been approved by both houses of parliament and are now pending a nationwide vote on April 22, which will take place come rain or shine—coronavirus notwithstanding. The possibility of conducting the vote by mail is currently under consideration. In the meantime, the Kremlin-controlled Russian state media are reminding citizens that the country's very survival depends on Putin's leadership. Dmitry Kiselyov, the host of Russia's most popular Sunday news program, Vesti Nedeli, is leading the way. "Let's be honest," he insisted earlier this month: "Russia without Putin is non-viable." But there is ample evidence the regime's information war is being disregarded by Russians in the trenches trying to deal with the reality of the disease. On Monday, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin gave the authorities five days to develop a system that would track and notify people who have come in contact with any known carriers of coronavirus. The system would simultaneously notify special regional headquarters set up to fight the pandemic.Authorities have begun building a 500-person hospital to house coronavirus patients near Moscow and Russian doctors reportedly are alarmed that some cases are being ascribed to pneumonia and seasonal flu without testing. The same state media TV shows that would have you believe everything is under control are being filmed without audiences. Everyday Russians are stocking up on astronomical quantities of toilet paper and buckwheat, disregarding the government's assurances that coronavirus is being contained. Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of state media outlets RT and Sputnik, launched a Twitter initiative designed to prove that Russian grocery stores show no signs of panic buying. Simonyan's idea backfired, as multiple citizens responded with photographs of emptied store shelves.Lingering memories of Soviet-era cover-ups are exacerbated by more recent denials, such as Russia's covert warfare in Ukraine, its role in the downing of the Malaysian aircraft MH-17, clumsy denials of the Skripal poisonings and obfuscation of crucial details about a radioactive explosion involving a nuclear-powered missile in northern Russia last year. But the Kremlin's persistent aim to keep the coronavirus numbers down is paying off thus far, since Russia's international flights are unimpeded by worldwide bans. While U.S. President Donald J. Trump barred travelers from China, its largest neighbor continues to receive the benefit of the doubt."Just as China's information crackdown led directly to the massive outbreak now threatening the world," says Kasparov, "Putin's will also have an impact across the Russian border. The radioactive cloud from Chernobyl poisoned much of Europe. The flights still coming out of Russia—not on the banned list because of the low official numbers—could spread disease all over the globe." Painting a rosy picture of Russia's future, the Kremlin-controlled state media predicted doom and gloom for everybody but the motherland, especially the hated United States.Last week, experts on The Evening with Vladimir Soloviev were crowing about economic troubles for the West. Russian economist Mikhail Khazin opined that Russia is the only region that can grow and prosper economically during the challenging times of the coronavirus pandemic. Other experts on the show suggested that America is withering as a superpower, while a new age is dawning for Russia and China. They concurred that "Soviet-like regimes are winning" and the new world will be more authoritarian. Host Vladimir Soloviev concluded: "Enough talk about individual freedoms." With angry animus, Soloviev argued that history would disprove the premise of Francis Fukuyama's book, The End of History and the Last Man and would lead to the uprooting of liberal democracies.As he has in the past, Soloviev referred to President Trump as "Donald Ivanovych" and marveled at the statements and actions of the American leader who is himself in the risk group for contracting coronavirus. The Russian Models Instagramming From China's Coronavirus CapitalStill, Russian state TV pundits kept their usually sharp ridicule to the minimum. Their exchanges revealed the hope that Western sanctions imposed after the annexation of Crimea and other Putin abuses of international law would soon be lifted, with the coronavirus pandemic overshadowing all prior concerns. Dmitry Kiselyov argued during this Sunday's episode of Vesti Nedeli that multiple Western governments will be undergoing deep changes and the sanctions against Russia will soon become obsolete. As for the short-term propaganda goals, the Kremlin still anticipates the arrival later this spring of U.S. National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien for Moscow's big 75th anniversary celebration of victory over the Nazis. President Donald J. Trump reportedly "wanted to go but faced pressure from advisers not to embark on such a journey." The parade is scheduled for May 9—the very month the coronavirus epidemic is expected to have reached a peak in Russia.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Former DR Congo health minister convicted of embezzling Ebola funds Posted: 23 Mar 2020 08:57 AM PDT |
| Indian police clear out anti-government protest citing coronavirus Posted: 24 Mar 2020 02:38 AM PDT  Police in India's capital broke up the longest-running protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's citizenship law on Tuesday, citing a ban on public gatherings because of the coronavirus outbreak. Dozens of people, many of them women, have been staging a sit-in protest since early December on a street in the Shaheen Bagh neighbourhood, which has become a focal point for opposition to the law seen as discriminating against Muslims. Hundreds of police in riot gear surrounded the protesters early on Tuesday and told them to leave, said Delhi's joint police commissioner D. C. Srivastava. "It is a dangerous environment, with this coronavirus, we urged them to leave," he told reporters. Some demonstrators resisted the police and at least nine people had been detained, six of them women, Srivastava said, adding there was no violence. Television showed police taking down tents and billboards at the protest site with bulldozers. Delhi is under a lockdown until the end of the month to halt the spread of the virus and public gatherings of more than five people have been banned. The Citizenship Amendment Act, which eases the path for non-Muslims from neighbouring Muslim-majority countries to gain citizenship, triggered weeks of sometimes violent protests against Modi's government after it was passed in December. At least 78 people have been killed in demonstrations triggered by the law across the country, a large number of them in another part of Delhi in clashes between Hindus and Muslims. Critics say the law discriminates against Muslims and it has deepened concern that Modi's administration is undermining India's secular traditions. Modi's ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party denies any bias against India's 180 million Muslims. Even before the coronavirus epidemic, the protest at Shaheen Bagh had become a thorn in the government's side, and there had been calls by hardline Hindu groups linked to Modi's alliance and residents in the area to clear it out. India has reported 471 cases of the coronavirus but health experts have warned that a big jump is imminent, which would likely overwhelm the underfunded and crumbling public health infrastructure.
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| Coronavirus stimulus bill fails to move forward, McConnell cites 'obstruction' Posted: 23 Mar 2020 04:52 AM PDT  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters that "from my standpoint, we are apart." Talks are continuing.
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| Trump boasts of 'great early result' against coronavirus in one Florida man Posted: 23 Mar 2020 12:39 PM PDT  President Trump again touted the promise of the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine on Monday for use treating COVID-19, retweeting a story that appeared in the New York Post.
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| 'Every part of me hopes it doesn’t come to that': What if Italy's coronavirus lockdowns don't work? Posted: 24 Mar 2020 06:34 AM PDT  Italy could soon receive some sustained good news about the coronavirus pandemic ravaging the country – or it may need to do more to protect lives.
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| Man dies, woman left in critical condition after taking chloroquine phosphate Posted: 24 Mar 2020 04:29 AM PDT  An Arizona woman who was left in critical condition and whose husband died after they {took chloroquine phosphate} said, "Don't believe anything that the president says."
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| Vietnam closes Ho Chi Minh City restaurants to curb virus outbreak Posted: 24 Mar 2020 01:57 AM PDT  Restaurants in Vietnam's business hub, Ho Chi Minh City, must close until March 31 to help curb the spread of the coronavirus, the city's ruling body said on Tuesday. Ho Chi Minh City has recorded 39 cases of the virus, most of which were imported from Europe, and has already closed cinemas, clubs, bars, massage parlors and karaoke lounges since the virus outbreak began. The move has been taken because some infected people spread the disease at popular restaurants and bars in the city, according to Vietnam's health ministry.
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| Texas Lt. Gov: Senior Citizens Willing to Die to Save Economy for Grandkids Posted: 23 Mar 2020 06:36 PM PDT  Piggybacking on President Donald Trump's desire to quickly end social distancing restrictions to restart the U.S. economy, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick suggested Monday that senior citizens would be willing to sacrifice their lives to the new coronavirus in order to save the economy for their kids and grandchildren.With the president and many of his allies (including several Fox News hosts) currently pushing to reject health experts' advice on slowing the spread of the virus so the economy can be restarted in a matter of weeks, Fox News host Tucker Carlson kicked off his Monday night show by hearing from "both sides" of the issue.After hosting a doctor who noted that he couldn't give definitive answers on how long quarantines and social distancing policies needed to stay in effect in order to "flatten the curve," Carlson turned to Patrick, who had recently texted the Fox host to explain why he thought all Americans should quickly get back to work.Fox News Stars Begin Pushing Trump to End Coronavirus Restrictions"I don't pretend to be speaking for everyone 70-plus," Patrick's text read. "But I think there are lots of grandparents out there who would agree with me that I want my grandchildren to live in the America I did.""I want them to have a shot at the American Dream but right now there's a virus which all the experts say that 98 percent of all people will survive... is killing our country in another way," the text continued. "It could bring about a total economic collapse and potentially a collapse of our society. So I say let's give this a few more days or weeks but after that, let's go back to work and go back to living. Those we want to shelter in place can still do so but we can't live with uncertainty."The Texas Republican told Carlson that while at 70 he is in the greatest risk pool for the virus, he's not living in fear of COVID-19 but rather is scared of "what's happening to the country.""No one reached out to me and said as a senior citizen, 'Are you willing to take a chance on your survival in exchange for keeping the America that all America loves for your children and grandchildren?'" Patrick declared. "And if that is the exchange, I'm all in."Adding that "there are lots of grandparents" who would make the same choice because "they don't want the whole country sacrificed," Patrick said that, as a small businessman, his "heart is lifted" by the president's recent pivot."So my message is that let's get back to work," he continued. "Let's get back to living and be smart about it and those of us who are 70 plus, we will take care of ourselves but don't sacrifice the country. Don't do that."Patrick concluded by insisting that the "biggest gift" grandparents can give their grandkids is "the legacy of our country," all while wondering why we need to "shut down the whole country" since the "mortality rate is so low."As of publication, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Research Center, there were 43,901 coronavirus cases confirmed in the United States, resulting in 557 deaths. Monday was also the first day the U.S. reported more than 100 deaths in a single day. Lou Dobbs Is Still Praising Trump's Coronavirus Response Under Self-QuarantineRead more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Dem. Senator Breaks with Party on Coronavirus Stimulus, ‘Embarrassed’ by Partisan Negotiations Posted: 23 Mar 2020 11:56 AM PDT  Senator Doug Jones (D., Ala.) on Monday afternoon broke with fellow Democrats to vote in favor of a fast-tracking an economic stimulus bill aimed at offsetting the effects of the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic.Jones had voted against cloture on Sunday, and was the only Democratic senator to break rank in Monday's cloture vote. Senate Democrats on Monday succeeded a second time in stifling the procedural vote to debate the stimulus with a 49-46 vote.Jones was "embarrased" by both sides' partisan negotiation tactics, the senator told CNN. He faulted Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) for trying to force a vote on cloture while the Trump administration was still negotiating the details of the stimulus with Democrats, but also blamed Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) for engaging in partisan debates."It was just an embarrassing the bickering, the back-and-forth, the pointing fingers," Jones said. Jones is the first Democratic senator from Alabama since 1997, and is up for election this fall.Negotiations between congressional Republicans and Democrats have stalled as Democrats introduced several demands for additions to any coronavirus aid package. Those demands reportedly included "increased fuel emissions standards for airlines" as well as an "expansion of wind and solar tax credits."The legislative demands came after House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D., S.C.) told House Democrats on Thursday that the coronavirus stimulus represented "a tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit our vision."
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| Spain's coronavirus crisis is so uncontrollable that some care-home residents have been abandoned or left dead in their beds and Madrid is using an ice rink as a makeshift morgue Posted: 24 Mar 2020 05:46 AM PDT  Spain, the second-worst-affected country in Europe, is struggling to contain the coronavirus outbreak and deal with new deaths.
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| Former Trump Fixer Michael Cohen Denied Coronavirus Prison Break Posted: 24 Mar 2020 09:40 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- A federal judge brutally shot down a request by Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer and fixer, to be let out early from a three-year prison sentence due in part to his fears of contracting the coronavirus.Cohen's "raising the specter" of the virus in a court filing last week was just "another attempt to inject himself into the news cycle," U.S. District Judge William Pauley ruled Tuesday in New York.In a March 17 letter to the judge, Cohen, 53, asked to be allowed to finish his sentence at home due to his fears of contracting Covid-19 at a minimum-security federal prison camp in Otisville, New York. He already requested early release or home confinement in December based on his cooperation with authorities.Pauley rejected both of Cohen's requests, saying the former lawyer had not shown he was in any danger at the prison camp and that he had exaggerated his role in assisting prosecutors, who also opposed letting him out.The judge said it was time for Cohen to "accept the consequences of his criminal convictions for serious crimes that had far-reaching institutional harms."Once one of the president's closest associates, Cohen pleaded guilty in August 2018 to campaign finance violations related to his arrangement of hush-money payments to women claiming to have had affairs with Trump, including adult-film star Stormy Daniels. After he was charged, Cohen turned on his old boss, calling Trump a racist, a con man and a cheat at a congressional hearing.Cohen began serving his sentence in May.The case is U.S. v. Cohen, 18-cr-00602, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan).For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Does alcohol weaken the immune system? Yes, if you drink too much Posted: 23 Mar 2020 09:19 AM PDT  Excessive alcohol consumption weakens the immune system and can lead to a range of health problems. Here's what you need to know.
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| Austria prosecutors probe coronavirus outbreak in ski resort Posted: 24 Mar 2020 10:25 AM PDT  Austrian prosecutors said Tuesday they were investigating possible negligence during a coronavirus outbreak in a ski resort that led to hundreds of foreigners travelling back to their countries infected. Prosecutors in Innsbruck, the capital of western Tyrol province, said Tuesday that they were investigating a business thought to be a restaurant or bar on suspicion of "recklessly endangering people through infectious disease". The German ZDF news channel had reported that the business in the ski resort of Ischgl had failed to inform authorities that one of its employees had tested positive for the new coronavirus in late February.
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| Liberty University welcomes students back amid coronavirus pandemic Posted: 24 Mar 2020 11:37 AM PDT  One professor slammed the move in an op-ed, saying, "Falwell's lack of concern does nothing to mitigate these students likely becoming vectors of the pathogen."
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| Rep. Ben McAdams hospitalized with 'severe shortness of breath' after testing positive for coronavirus Posted: 23 Mar 2020 05:01 AM PDT  Rep. Ben McAdams (D-Utah) has been hospitalized after testing positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus.McAdams last week became the second member of Congress to announce they had tested positive for the novel coronavirus after Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.), saying he had cold-like symptoms. On Sunday, McAdams announced he had been hospitalized after he "experienced severe shortness of breath" on Friday."I was admitted and have been receiving oxygen as I struggled to maintain my blood oxygen at appropriate levels," McAdams said. "I am now off oxygen and feeling relatively better and expect to be released as soon as the doctor determines it is appropriate."Since McAdams and Diaz-Balart announced they had the novel coronavirus last week, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on Sunday became the first senator to test positive.In an interview with CNN on Friday, McAdams said he was "feeling about as sick as I've ever been" with "labored breathing" and "pain every time I cough." He also explained that he's living proof of the fact that the coronavirus must be taken seriously."This is not overblown, this is very serious — I'm 45, I'm in good health, and it has knocked me down," he said. "And so we need to follow these guidelines to slow the spread of this. This is going to be bad."More stories from theweek.com Trump aides say he's starting to lose his patience with Dr. Anthony Fauci Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick thinks grandparents should be willing to sacrifice their lives to save the economy Olympics officially postponed until 2021
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| Coronavirus: Nobel Prize winner predicts US will get through crisis sooner than expected Posted: 24 Mar 2020 02:02 PM PDT  A Nobel Prize winning biology professor has provided a bit of good news amidst the coronavirus gloom; the US may see a downturn in new cases sooner than some models have predicted.Michael Levitt, a Stanford University biology professor and a 2013 Nobel Prize winner in chemistry, said his models predict the virus is not likely to dwindle on for months or years and – most importantly – is not likely to cause millions of deaths.
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| Russia sends ship with military ambulances toward Syria after virus outbreak Posted: 24 Mar 2020 10:15 AM PDT  A cargo ship operated by the Russian Navy transited Turkey's Bosphorus strait en route to Syria on Tuesday loaded with ambulances, a Reuters reporter saw. Syria reported its first case of coronavirus on Sunday after weeks of rejecting opposition allegations that the disease had already reached a country with a wrecked health system and thousands of Iranian-backed militias and Shi'ite pilgrims. The Russian Dvinitsa-50 ship, part of Moscow's auxiliary fleet, was carrying at least three military ambulances along with a shipping container on its deck.
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| 'A mess in America': Why Asia now looks safer than the U.S. in the coronavirus crisis Posted: 23 Mar 2020 07:09 PM PDT  In a clear sign that the U.S. botched its coronavirus response, some Americans are relieved they stayed in countries closest to the outbreak's origin.
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| Russian President Putin dons hazmat suit as Moscow mayor says coronavirus outbreak is worse than it looks Posted: 24 Mar 2020 11:33 AM PDT  Russian President Vladimir Putin wore a hazmat suit and respirator on Tuesday during a visit to a hospital treating coronavirus patients, and the mayor of Moscow said the outbreak in the Russian capital was much worse than official figures showed.
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| Former Bloomberg campaign worker files lawsuit, claiming she and other staffers were lured into the job with false promises of employment through November Posted: 23 Mar 2020 10:04 AM PDT  Donna Wood, who worked as an organizer for Bloomberg in Miami, says the campaign lied about keeping workers like her on through the 2020 election.
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| Chicago woman gets prison for beating death of son in Iowa Posted: 24 Mar 2020 05:16 AM PDT  A woman from Chicago has been sentenced to up to 50 years in prison on charges stemming from the beating death of her 5-year-old son in Iowa. Jacqueline Rambert, 26, was sentenced Friday in Davenport, court records said. Under state law, Rambert must serve at least 40%, or 20 years, of the sentence.
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| A Mexican man died in ICE custody. He's the 10th person since October. Posted: 24 Mar 2020 06:02 AM PDT  ICE said Hernandez's preliminary cause of death was complications related to septic shock but did not provide further details.
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| China’s Mask Mercantilism Posted: 23 Mar 2020 02:01 PM PDT  As the novel coronavirus continues its deadly march from Wuhan across the globe, Chinese Communists are attempting to turn the pandemic, which was largely caused by their own complacency and incompetence, into a propaganda victory by highlighting stories of China delivering supplies and expertise to the countries it infected. The American chatterati is starting to worry about China seizing global leadership, but it should calm down. The United States and its democratic allies are still providing for other countries in a way that China will not.China has learned a great deal in the past few years. After Typhoon Haiyan devastated the Philippines in 2013, countries around the world sprang into action, sending food, money, and supplies to help. China joined in, initially offering . . . $200,000, a little more than half the $350,000 donation from the rock band Journey. After facing torrents of richly deserved scorn for its stinginess, the second-largest economy in world upped its ante to about $2 million, nearly matching the $2.7 million donation from geopolitical powerhouse Ikea.The main lesson the Chinese Communists seem to have drawn from the debacle is that the appearance of doing good is more important than actually doing it, and so far, media reactions are proving them right. In the past few weeks, the Chinese propaganda machine has gone into overdrive, praising China for buying time for the world to respond to the pandemic and for leading the global response to the coronavirus. Both claims are false, despite being widely bandied about in the media.China did not delay the disease's spread, New York Times op-eds to the contrary. Wuhan's officials destroyed evidence and harassed medical professionals who warned about the new virus. After president Xi Jinping took charge of China's response, he lied to World Health Organization officials and waited until after infected people reached Thailand, South Korea, and the United States before initiating lockdowns. For months, China obstructed not the disease, but rather the people trying to stop it.Chinese propagandists also claim that China is leading the way in responding to the crisis internationally, which is patently false. China's much-publicized gift of 1 million masks to Japan is a grand and magnificent gesture, albeit only one-third as grand as prior Japanese donations of nearly 3 million masks to China.The most remarkable case, however, is in Italy, where China's ostentatious delivery of supplies and doctors has caused much consternation among Americans who worry that the United States is losing its global leadership role. Media accounts often omitted that the supplies were bought and paid for by the Italians, when the most newsworthy element to the story is that China actually kept its commitment to deliver what it sold.Overall, China has returned to Europe about as much medical equipment as it received, taking credit for in effect receiving supplies from northern and central Europe and delivering them later to southern Europe -- but unlike the European donors, the Chinese aren't doing it for free. Chinese Communists are boasting about their magnanimity and are letting Germany and the European Union take the blame for shortages across Europe that are largely due to Chinese hoarding. This is not philanthropy; this is mercantilism.Despite headlines to the contrary, the United States is helping other countries even as it battles the infection at home. The administration's response may have been clumsy at times, but the U.S. is doing a lot of good: Congress has already passed, and President Trump has already signed, $1.3 billion in foreign aid to help other countries fight COVID-19, and the Asian Development Bank, whose biggest stakeholder is the United States, is helping developing countries with another $6.5 billion. This is but a part of the over $90 billion that the United States has spent on global health since 2009.Americans already lead the world in responding to global health crises because of some of their most foundational beliefs. Nearly 200 years ago, Alexis de Tocqueville marveled at how universally Americans believed in the "principle of interest rightly understood," explaining how "an enlightened regard for themselves constantly prompts them to assist each other." This principle makes Americans the most generous people in the world, giving $428 billion to charity in 2018, and it shapes how the American government responds to heath crises around the world, from the AIDS and Ebola epidemics to COVID-19 today.And they are not alone. Most of their democratic allies favor humanitarian aid over defense spending -- often to a fault -- but this preference makes them uniquely able and willing to help other countries respond to pandemics.The Chinese Communists will win some headlines during this crisis, but ultimately they will not overcome their power-hungry, mercantilist nature and advance their claim to global leadership. Americans give because of who they are, while Chinese Communists give to take more back later. The world will see -- and remember.
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| Coronavirus: Fury as world's richest man Jeff Bezos asks public to donate to Amazon relief fund Posted: 24 Mar 2020 10:33 AM PDT  Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos faces backlash after publicising a relief fund the public can donate to for his contract employees working during the Covid-19 pandemic.The Amazon Relief Fund was created with $25m from the e-commerce company to assist its "employees and partners", specifically those who are responsible for the necessary task of delivering all the products consumers order across the US.
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| Moscow's coronavirus outbreak much worse than it looks, Putin ally says Posted: 24 Mar 2020 08:24 AM PDT  The mayor of Moscow told President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday that the number of coronavirus cases in the Russian capital far exceeded the official figures, as Putin donned a protective suit and respirator to visit a hospital. The comments by Sergei Sobyanin, a close ally of Putin, were authorities' strongest indcation yet that they do not have a full grasp of how widely the virus has spread throughout Russia's vast expanse. Russia has so far reported 495 cases of the virus and one death, far fewer than major western European countries.
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| COVID-19 closures could hit historically black colleges particularly hard Posted: 24 Mar 2020 05:16 AM PDT  As the COVID-19 crisis forces many schools to close their campuses and move all courses online, some worry that the pandemic could have a bigger negative impact on the nation's historically black colleges and universities, than for other campuses. Here, The Conversation US has assembled a panel of experts to forecast what's in store for HBCUs. How is the outbreak is affecting HBCUs?Marybeth Gasman, professor of education at Rutgers University: I am worried about the technology demands on HBCUs, given how few IT specialists many smaller HBCUs have as well as the costs of managing online classes. I'm also worried about students not having access to Wi-Fi at home or laptops – 75% of HBCU students are eligible for Pell Grants for students from low- to middle-income families. I'm happy to see some HBCUs – Paul Quinn College, in Dallas, Texas, for example – lending students laptops for the rest of the semester.HBCUs rely a lot on tuition and have smaller endowments than other schools. If these HBCUs get into financial trouble, they risk losing their accreditation since financial stability is one part of what it takes to remain accredited. Without accreditation, it is nearly impossible to recruit students.Ivory Toldson, professor of counseling psychology at Howard University: In 2008, during the Great Recession, The New York Times published an article that mentioned an old saying: "When America catches a cold, African-Americans catch the flu." This applies to HBCUs. Disruptions in enrollment and fundraising efforts, as well as closed dorms, prorated rebates, and lost revenue from food services and university bookstores will short-circuit normal streams of revenue for all universities. But HBCUs might see worse effects because they have less money to begin with.The challenge of abruptly moving to a virtual learning environment may adversely impact HBCUs more than other schools. Most do not have the technical capacity to deliver quality online classes. Even those with the technical capacity will have challenges if their students do not have adequate computers and broadband at home.Gregory Price, professor of economics, University of New Orleans: To the extent that HBCUs, relative to other schools, owe more debt tied to their dorms, the absence of students in residential on-campus housing could constitute a severe revenue shock. Perhaps an extreme example of this is the case of Bethune Cookman. The private historically black university in Daytona Beach, Florida is obligated to spend about US$306 million to pay off debt it took on to build a new dorm. If the outbreak continues, many of Bethune Cookman's dorm rooms could wind up empty, as enrollment was already declining before this pandemic began. If that happens, it would reduce revenues to pay off the debt on the housing.In general, I believe that prolonged closures could make it harder to pay off debt for new student housing at many HBCUs, which could move them closer to the financial brink. Do HBCUs have rainy day funds?Gasman: No. Because HBCUs have small or relatively small endowments and because they educate some of the most socioeconomically vulnerable students, they face a disproportionately high level of risk right now. HBCUs are similar to families without substantial savings. HBCUs are funded heavily by tuition. Any drop in enrollment, which could happen by way of students not returning next year or not enrolling next year, will be devastating. Keep in mind that, with few exceptions, HBCUs have rarely gotten large donations. When institutions have a long history of being underfunded, they can't build the same foundations as those that do. What, if anything, should the federal government do to help HBCUs now?Gasman: HBCUs are vitally important to African Americans and other students as well. Their outsized contributions in STEM, in the preparation of students for graduate school and in medicine are essential to the representation of African Americans across these areas. Without HBCUs, we would see an immediate drop in the number of new black scientists, black professors and black doctors.In my view, the federal government could and should support a stimulus package for HBCUs to help them through this dire time. Rep. Alma Adams, a Democrat from North Carolina, is already working with input from the United Negro College Fund and Thurgood Marshall College Fund, two organizations that support students at HBCUs, on an initiative along these lines.I'd like to see the federal government invest in HBCU infrastructure, technology and institutional aid so that HBCUs can attract more students.Toldson: I think the federal government should provide emergency relief for revenue loss from unexpected closures, including the cost of having to reschedule commencements. The government should also provide support to students who had to spend money to relocate once their campuses closed.Price: A coronavirus stimulus package could include giving $1,000 for every enrolled student at an HBCU per academic year. For a private institution like Bennett College, in Greensboro, North Carolina – with approximately 500 students – this would translate into approximately $500,000 to offset declines in housing revenue. Can HBCUs rely on private philanthropy during this emergency?Gasman: No. Some big donors and foundations give to HBCUs but not in a way that will help them survive this crisis. In addition, HBCU alumni – for the most part – can't afford to give in the ways that are needed. The average African American family has roughly $5,888 in assets compared to the average white family's $88,000. Being wealthier makes people feel more free to give.Price: Probably not, as philanthropy targeted at HBCUs continues to lag significantly behind other schools. In 2019, the top seven predominantly or historically white colleges landed $2.94 billion in donations, versus just $43 million for the nation's 100 or so HBCUs. Are any HBCUs in danger of permanently closing?Gasman: Yes, but only those that were already in dire straits. And I'm not even convinced that they will close in those cases. I began doing research related to HBCUs in 1994, and I have listened to people say over and over that HBCUs are going to close. Someone will predict the imminent closure of 30-40 about every five years. They are always wrong. A few have closed but not many. Many colleges are closing and so yes, some HBCUs are in danger, but most HBCUs are incredibly resilient.Toldson: In my opinion, only the HBCUs that had – to borrow a phrase commonly used throughout this pandemic – preexisting conditions. HBCUs that are under-enrolled or financially impaired, with infrastructural issues, such as unfilled leadership positions, accreditation issues and subpar facilities, could have serious problems rebounding.Price: Yes, private HBCUs who are unable to withstand the declines in enrollment and the associated revenue similar to those that led to the closure of St. Paul's College, in Lawrenceville, Virginia, in 2013. Currently, several HBCUs have been placed on probation by their regional accreditor for financial instability reasons. If the coronavirus continues to keep their dorms empty, the revenue shock from the pandemic could conceivably cause those in a financial situation similar to St. Paul's College to close their doors.[You need to understand the coronavirus pandemic, and we can help. Read our newsletter.]This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts.Read more: * Historically black colleges give graduates a wage boost * Why historically black colleges and universities matter in today's AmericaIvory A. Toldson is affiliated with Howard University. Marybeth Gasman is a member of the board of trustees at Paul Quinn College. Gregory N. Price does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
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| NIH chief Francis Collins on COVID-19: Best response one people would find 'too drastic' Posted: 24 Mar 2020 09:26 AM PDT  National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins says the U.S. needs to take a coronavirus approach that most people would find 'too drastic.'
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| Trump says governors 'have to treat us well' if they want assistance during coronavirus pandemic Posted: 24 Mar 2020 12:45 PM PDT  President Trump said Tuesday he's working well with governors across the country as both the federal government and the states battle the coronavirus pandemic.Trump singled out his working relationship with California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), with whom he's clashed in the past over issues like homelessness. And everyone else, it seems, remains in communication with each other and the White House as the country develops some semblance of a coordinated plan. But, there's a catch.The president said governors can't simply tell him they want assistance and expect the administration to comply in the blink of an eye. Instead, he suggested governors should show some appreciation first.> FOX NEWS DOCTOR: Do you think that kind of movement where you're the leader, and other people work with you, will help us to isolate the virus?> > TRUMP: I do… we are doing very well with almost all the governors… [but] it's a two-way street, they have to treat us well also. pic.twitter.com/X5eM4ZTAmj> > — Dan Diamond (@ddiamond) March 24, 2020He pointed to New York in this instance. The state with the country's highest number of COVID-19 cases is trying to get more respirators, but Trump says Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) can't blame the White House because he had a chance to order the supplies two years ago.More stories from theweek.com Britney Spears calls for wealth redistribution, general strike on Instagram New Oxford study suggests millions of people may have already built up coronavirus immunity Trump, whose hotel business is losing millions, says 'I'll be the oversight' of $500 billion coronavirus 'slush fund'
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| Arizona appeals court upholds Jodi Arias' murder conviction Posted: 24 Mar 2020 03:15 PM PDT  The Arizona Court of Appeals on Tuesday upheld Jodi Arias' first-degree murder conviction and life prison sentence in the 2008 killing of her former boyfriend. "We conclude that Arias was convicted based upon the overwhelming evidence of her guilt, not as a result of prosecutorial misconduct," the ruling said. The panel condemned Martinez's "argumentative phrasing of questions" to defense witnesses, adding that his "aggressive tone and combative, bullying behavior" were recurring issues in the trial and Arias' attorneys moved for a mistrial six times.
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| Rand Paul says amid criticism that more Americans should be able to get tested for coronavirus Posted: 23 Mar 2020 11:14 AM PDT  "I believe we need more testing immediately, even among those without symptoms," Paul said.
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| Why this Nobel laureate predicts a quicker coronavirus recovery: 'We're going to be fine' Posted: 23 Mar 2020 09:13 PM PDT  A Nobel laureate predicted China's recovery weeks before it happened. Analyzing the numbers, he sees a much brighter global outcome than many experts.
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