| Republicans block most aid to help states plan for presidential election amid coronavirus pandemic Posted: 25 Mar 2020 03:31 PM PDT  Voting reforms that would make it much easier to cast ballots by mail in the fall presidential election were left out of the $2 trillion rescue package that was unveiled Wednesday.
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| In coronavirus pandemic, Trump allies say they're ready to die for the economy Posted: 25 Mar 2020 08:54 AM PDT  Some conservatives are urging Americans to ignore the advice of public health experts and get back to work in order to avoid an extended market downturn.
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| Nicolás Maduro: US charges Venezuelan president with 'narco-terrorism' Posted: 26 Mar 2020 02:05 PM PDT  It also offers a $15m (£12.5m) reward for information leading to Nicolás Maduro's arrest.
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| Exclusive: U.S. military to withhold some infection data over concern of adversary use Posted: 26 Mar 2020 07:23 AM PDT  The U.S. military has decided it will stop providing some of the more granular data about coronavirus infections within its ranks out of concern that the information might be used by adversaries as the virus spreads.
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| Stimulus checks are coming — here's how to make sure you get yours quickly Posted: 26 Mar 2020 01:50 PM PDT  Spoiler alert: If you haven't filed your taxes since 2017, now is a good time to get that done.
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| U.S. passes Italy, China as nation with the most confirmed cases of COVID-19 Posted: 26 Mar 2020 03:33 PM PDT  The U.S. surged past China and Italy to become the planet's most infected nation Thursday, a stark milestone in the coronavirus era - and a reminder of its deadly, culture-changing effects on American life.
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| Iran fears second wave of coronavirus as death toll rises to 2,077 Posted: 25 Mar 2020 02:57 AM PDT  Iran may face a second outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, a government spokesman said on Wednesday, as the Islamic Republic banned internal travel and traditional gatherings in parks during the Persian New Year holiday period. "Unfortunately some Iranians have ignored advice from health ministry officials and traveled during the New Year holidays ... This could cause a second wave of the coronavirus," spokesman Ali Rabiei said, according to state TV. President Hassan Rouhani has banned any new trips between cities, Rabiei said, and "violators will be confronted legally".
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| A Louisiana pastor defied state orders and held a service for hundreds of people. He says he has no plans of stopping. Posted: 25 Mar 2020 12:42 PM PDT  Pastor Tony Spell, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, held a service for 400 people on Tuesday. On Sunday, there were more than 1,000.
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| More than 1,000 US coronavirus deaths, near 70,000 cases: tracker Posted: 25 Mar 2020 11:06 PM PDT  The number of deaths caused by the novel coronavirus rose to 1,031 in the United States on Wednesday, with 68,572 confirmed cases nationwide, a tracker run by the Johns Hopkins University showed. The United States has the third highest number of confirmed cases behind China and Italy, and the US death rate is now 1.5 percent, based on reported cases. A projection shared with Congress earlier this month said that between 70 to 150 million people could eventually be infected in the United States.
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| One chart shows how much cash you should expect from the coronavirus stimulus based on your salary Posted: 26 Mar 2020 01:34 PM PDT  The stimulus bill that was passed by the Senate includes checks for most Americans. The amount is based on your tax-filing status and income.
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| Sanders, AOC Threaten Delays on $2 Trillion Economic Stimulus Posted: 25 Mar 2020 02:10 PM PDT  Senator Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) on Wednesday both threatened a possible delay in voting on the massive $2 trillion economic-stimulus package working its way through Congress.Sanders objected to an amendment proposed on Wednesday afternoon by Senators Ben Sasse (R., Neb.), Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.), and Tim Scott (R., S.C.) that would cap unemployment benefits at a worker's previous salary level."I cannot at the last minute allow some right-wing senators [to] try to undermine the needs of workers and think they are going to get away with that," Sanders told the New York Times. He added that he would vote for the stimulus if the group of Republicans dropped their proposed amendment, and called the current draft of the bill "far superior" to Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell's (R., Ky.) original draft."The reason I know I'm right is that Bernie Sanders has just threatened me," Graham countered in an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity. "This is Bernie Sanders on steroids. . . . He could not win at the ballot box, but he's winning in this bill."Sasse told National Review that the Republican senators worry the text of the bill allows workers to make more money "by being unemployed than if the employer-employee relationship were maintained."Meanwhile, Ocasio-Cortez said she may request a "recorded vote" on the stimulus in the House, which would force House members currently not in Washington, D.C., to return to vote in person. She has said she is worried the stimulus will favor large corporations at the expense of workers."With the health risks of travel, there is no easy choice here," Ocasio-Cortez told CNN. "But essential workers are showing up and putting their health at risk every day, and if the final text of a bill is set up to hurt them, [a recorded vote] may be something we have to do."House speaker Nancy Pelosi favors holding a vote by unanimous consent, in which case one House member could block the bill's passage by voting against.
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| Fox News Doc: NYC Is ‘Second Wuhan,’ Shut It Down and ‘Loosen Things Up Elsewhere’ Posted: 25 Mar 2020 10:53 AM PDT  With President Donald Trump looking to restart the American economy by Easter, despite the coronavirus pandemic continuing to spread across the nation, Fox News contributor Dr. Marc Siegel suggested on Wednesday that the president could re-open the rest of the country while locking down New York City, which he called the "second Wuhan."On Fox's early afternoon talk show Outnumbered, co-host Melissa Francis claimed that Trump's suggestion that his administration may soon end social-distancing guidelines amid the crisis was simply the president "trying to put out aspirational ideas that maybe we can get to."She went on to surmise that the president likely wasn't talking about a "total reopening" because places like New York have been hit particularly hard. However, she said, Trump setting Easter as a "beacon of hope" is "meaningful" for religious people such as herself."What are your thoughts on maybe getting everyone's hopes up?" Francis asked Siegel. "Or is this a good idea?"Siegel, a member of Fox News' "Medical A-Team," said the president "has an idea that might be useful here," adding that the focus should largely be on New York City while lessening restrictions in other parts of the country."Let's find out everybody in New York who actually has this," he said. "Let's focus on New York. Maybe, with the weather warming up, we can loosen things in areas like Montana or North Dakota where people are living far apart to begin with.""Maybe reinvigorating business would be the right thing to do," Siegel continued. "With this being such an epicenter here, I think we have to look at it like—and please excuse this—the second Wuhan. New York is the second Wuhan."Pointing out that Wuhan—the Chinese city where the virus reportedly originated—ended up being quarantined and locked down while the rest of China "went about its business," the physician said he would "like to see that here.""I want us to focus on New York and loosen things up elsewhere," said Siegel, who recently said the "worst-case scenario" for coronavirus was "it could be the flu."Anchor Harris Faulkner, meanwhile, provided Siegel with a chance to amend his remarks. Considering that other parts of the country have now experienced spikes in confirmed cases, Faulkner asked if "there was a chance" that people have fanned out from New York and that "we'll see other hot spots" as the virus moves across the country. "Yeah, I think that's a really fair point," he replied. "It's sounding like L.A. may become another hot spot. I'm glad you gave me a chance to restate that.""It's hot spots I want focused on, more than just New York," Siegel concluded. "New York, L.A., Seattle, San Francisco. But maybe not Billings, Montana. We should look at each case differently and that will help our economy."As of publication, per the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, there have been 55,000+ confirmed cases of coronavirus nationwide resulting in over 800 deaths. Governors and mayors across the country have instituted shelter-in-place orders in an effort to stem the spread of the virus and "flatten the curve."The Fox News doc endorsing Trump's possible plan to reopen the economy comes on the heels of several other Fox personalities pushing the president to quickly bring to an end social-distancing restrictions.Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet 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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| The Best New Teapots, According to AD's Market Editor Posted: 25 Mar 2020 05:00 AM PDT |
| Coronavirus: Asia's 'shining star' heads for recession due to virus Posted: 26 Mar 2020 10:53 AM PDT  Singapore's sharp slowdown suggests a major contraction for a world economy battling coronavirus.
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| Why are so few Germans dying from the coronavirus? Experts wonder Posted: 25 Mar 2020 09:06 AM PDT  "I would be happy if we can come back in two months' time and still be able to talk about what Germany did right," one expert said.
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| Student loan stimulus: Suspended payments, plus coronavirus relief from collections Posted: 25 Mar 2020 02:34 PM PDT  The coronavirus stimulus package suspends student loan payments, but does not have loan forgiveness. The feds also have stopped collections efforts.
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| Tehran says missing former U.S. agent left Iran years ago Posted: 26 Mar 2020 01:54 AM PDT  Tehran said on Thursday that a former FBI agent who disappeared in Iran 13 years ago had left the country a long time ago, despite his family saying a day earlier that he had died in Iranian custody. Robert Levinson went missing on Iran's Kish Island in the Gulf in March 2007. The case is another irritant in the already hostile relationship between Washington and Tehran.
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| The college student who licked an airplane toilet said she'd 'pull up' and cough on Dr. Phil, who called her 'spoiled and entitled' Posted: 26 Mar 2020 09:04 AM PDT  Ava Louise, who said she'd "rather die hot than live ugly" and who posted a TikTok of herself licking an airplane toilet, also criticized boomers.
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| A man accused of licking deodorants in a Missouri Walmart after asking 'Who's afraid of the coronavirus?' was charged with making a terrorist threat Posted: 25 Mar 2020 05:16 AM PDT  The CDC says people can get COVID-19 by touching an object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth.
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| Biden Suggests Dems Push for ‘Green New Deal’ Provisions in Next Coronavirus Stimulus Bill Posted: 25 Mar 2020 12:37 PM PDT  Former vice president Joe Biden on Wednesday suggested passing climate-change legislation as part of economic aid packages amid the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic."We're going to have an opportunity, I believe, in the next round [of economic aid] here to use…my Green Deal to be able to generate both economic growth as consistent with the kind of infusion of monies we need into the system to keep it going," Biden said in a live-streamed briefing on the coronavirus crisis.Biden then advocated for investment in infrastructure-related jobs to offset the economic impact of the pandemic."We're going to need new infrastructure going down the road here, and it's a way to generate economic growth. That's going to be, I think, the next round we have to be looking at."Biden in January released a climate-change plan based in part on the "Green New Deal" floated in 2019 by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) and Senator Ed Markey (D., Mass.).Democrats have already attempted to add environmental legislation to the massive $2 trillion economic stimulus meant to offset the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The legislation included measures requiring airlines receiving assistance to fully offset carbon emissions by 2025, as well as requiring airlines to report greenhouse gas emissions in order to display the results in a public database.On Monday, President Trump criticized House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and congressional Democrats for the attempt to add the legislation."Nancy Pelosi came and put a lot of things in the deal that had nothing to do with workers -- that had to do with an agenda that they have been trying to get passed for 10 years," Trump said during a Fox News virtual town hall. "[The Democrats said] 'We want green energy, let's stop drilling oil' -- they had things in there that were terrible…Windmills all over the place and all sorts of credits for windmills -- they kill the birds and ruin the real estate. A lot of problems."
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| Dakota access pipeline: court strikes down permits in victory for Standing Rock Sioux Posted: 25 Mar 2020 05:02 PM PDT  Army corps of engineers ordered to conduct full environmental review, which could take yearsThe future of the controversial Dakota Access pipeline has been thrown into question after a federal court on Wednesday struck down its permits and ordered a comprehensive environmental review.The US army corps of engineers was ordered to conduct a full environmental impact statement (EIS), after the Washington DC court ruled that existing permits violated the National Environmental Policy Act (Nepa).The ruling is a huge victory for the Standing Rock Sioux tribe of North Dakota, which rallied support from across the world and sued the US government in a campaign to stop the environmentally risky pipeline being built on tribal lands."After years of commitment to defending our water and earth, we welcome this news of a significant legal win," said the tribal chairman, Mike Faith. "It's humbling to see how actions we took to defend our ancestral homeland continue to inspire national conversations about how our choices ultimately affect this planet."In December 2016, the Obama administration denied permits for the pipeline to cross the Missouri river and ordered a full EIS to analyze alternative routes and the impact on the tribe's treaty rights.In his first week in office, Donald Trump signed an executive order to expedite construction. Construction of the 1,200-mile pipeline was completed in June 2017.The tribe challenged the permits – and won. As a result, the corps was ordered to redo its environmental analysis, which it did without taking into consideration tribal concerns or expert analysis.The pipeline continued to transport oil from North Dakota to Illinois. The tribe and EarthJustice, an environmental law not-for-profit group, sued again.In his ruling on Wednesday, the federal judge James Boasberg, an Obama appointee, said the environmental analysis by both the companies behind the pipeline and the corps was severely lacking.The abysmal safety record of the pipeline parent company, Sunoco, "does not inspire confidence", he added.The court-mandated EIS will be more in depth than the assessment already completed by the corps – and could take years. The court will next decide if the pipeline should be shut down until the EIS is done.The corps did not respond to a request for comment."This validates everything the tribe has been saying all along about the risk of oil spills to the people of Standing Rock," said Jan Hasselman, an EarthJustice attorney. "The Obama administration had it right when it moved to deny the permits in 2016."The setback for the pipeline comes as the Trump administration moves to severely curtail Nepa, the 1969 legislation which is widely considered the cornerstone of US environmental protection. Trump has repeatedly blamed Nepa for blocking fossil fuel projects.
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| North Korea Seeks International Help for Virus Testing, FT Says Posted: 25 Mar 2020 06:23 PM PDT |
| After Putin's Big Fail, Russia Braces for COVID-19 Onslaught Posted: 26 Mar 2020 03:18 AM PDT  Only days after the Kremlin assured the Russians that the coronavirus pandemic was under control, Moscow's Mayor Sergei Sobyanin told Russian President Vladimir Putin that "the momentum is high and a serious situation is unfolding." Contrary to the previously reported low rate of infection, "the real number of those who are sick is significantly higher," Sobyanin said. He added that the number of tests conducted to date has been extremely low "and no one on earth knows the real picture."Russia Swore It Whipped the Virus, and Fox and CNN Bought ItOn Wednesday, officially released statistics listed 658 coronavirus infections and no deaths. To date, there have been at least 3 known deaths of coronavirus patients in Russia, but they are being attributed to other causes and thereby deceptively omitted from government reports. The official bulletin about the coronavirus, released by Russia's federal agency Rospotrebnadzor on March 24, states that more than 112,074 people remain under medical supervision.Concerned Russian doctors sounded the alarm that potential coronavirus cases are being ascribed to pneumonia and seasonal flu without testing. For example, the city of St. Petersburg experienced a sharp jump of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) virus cases. During just one week in March, 63,000 SARS cases and 406 cases of pneumonia have been recorded, according to Interfax. The city's administration emphasized that the incidence of SARS is at the epidemiological threshold. The Interfax news report did not point out that the official name of the novel coronavirus is SARS-CoV-2.In light of the Kremlin's pandemic propensity for lying, the public disregarded initial claims that the government successfully curtailed the spread of the coronavirus. Panic buying ensued, leading to the rising prices of sugar, buckwheat, produce and other food items.As the coronavirus curve keeps on climbing, President Putin is on a mission to demonstrate his leadership. He postponed a nationwide vote on pending constitutional changes, which are meant to secure his lifelong presidency. The voting may take place later in the year and possibly be conducted by mail. The decision is being left solely to Putin.Putin Worries Coronavirus Could Screw Up His Constitutional 'Coronation'In a televised address to the nation Wednesday, Putin announced a sweeping array of measures, which he said were designed to prevent "what is happening today in many Western countries, both in Europe and overseas" from becoming Russia's future. Starting on March 28, Russians are getting one week of paid leave to stay home, in an attempt to "flatten the curve" of the pandemic. With exception of the Russians trying to return from abroad, Russia stopped all international flights.Russian pundits and medical experts described the fight against the coronavirus pandemic as a rehearsal for biological warfare. Vladimir Putin has ordered the Russian army to carry out drills designed to increase its readiness to fight the novel coronavirus. The drills will include specialist medical units and nuclear, biological and chemical protection troops. Discussions are underway as to the potential cancellation of the Victory Day parade in May of this year, but final determination will be made depending on the efforts to curtail the spread of the coronavirus. There is a possibility the parade, commemorating the surrender of the Nazis in WWII, may be held without spectators. U.S. National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien is currently set to attend the event, in lieu of Donald J. Trump. Kremlin-controlled state TV shows are taking unprecedented measures to protect some of their most cherished assets: the hosts, whose full-throated support of Vladimir Putin is especially important during these challenging times. Popular Russian info-talk show 60 Minutes is now filming its segments without audiences. After the host Olga Skabeeva could be heard coughing during a commercial break, she was separated from her husband and co-host Evgeny Popov. The married couple are now hosting 60 Minutes separately, on different days. Likewise, they are staying apart during the off-work hours, because even if one of them falls ill, the show must go on.Speaking of performance art, Vladimir Putin embarked on a visit to Moscow's hospital for monitoring suspected coronavirus patients. Unlike U.S. President Donald J. Trump, who frequently claims that the threat of coronavirus is widely overblown, Vladimir Putin is an old Chekist who believes in science, facts and bio-warfare. Taking no chances, Putin donned a hazmat suit and visited only one patient— Dmitry Garkavi, who is a doctor and a social media influencer. The drop-in was not particularly risky, since Garkavi was hospitalized with pneumonia, and tested negative for coronavirus—twice. In his social media posts, Garkavi remarked that he communicated with Vladimir Putin for all of "10-15 seconds." After the brief exchange, Putin observed other patients through the glass of the hospital's control room, was helped out of his outfit and promptly left the building. The hazmat suit sported by the Russian leader was distinctly different than the protective attire worn by hospital workers. It was purchased for the Russian president by his staff especially for his hospital visit. Putin's yellow jumpsuit is now in high demand, but is completely sold out at the store where it was bought.Vladimir Putin's coronavirus photo op promptly made the rounds on Russian state television. During his show, The Evening with Vladimir Soloviev, the host beamed with pride when he pointed out: "Out of all of the world leaders, only [China'a President] Xi Jinping and [Russian President] Vladimir Putin went to visit the sick." For contrast, Soloviev introduced a clip of the U.S. President Donald J. Trump rapidly moving away from the White House's coronavirus task force response coordinator, Dr Deborah Birx, as soon as she mentioned her low grade fever.In spite of Russia's own issues with coronavirus testing, widespread shortages of medical equipment and protective medical gear, the Kremlin is posturing by offering to help other countries in fighting the coronavirus pandemic. Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov offered to help Washington in the fight against the outbreak of the novel coronavirus and complained about "rude" American media trying to switch the focus to other countries (like Russia).State TV host Vladimir Soloviev pompously predicted: "I have a feeling that we will end up saving humanity—again, like we've done more than once," an apparent reference to Russia's sacrifices defeating the Nazis in World War II. Russian state media are framing the failure by the Trump administration to offer help to its European allies in their fight against the deadly pandemic as the defeat of the United States, the end of NATO, and the virtual nonexistence of transatlantic unity. Russian experts believe that the outcome of the global fight against the coronavirus pandemic will change the entire balance of power in the world. Russian state media outlet Vesti described the course chosen by the administration of the U.S. President Donald J. Trump as "indecisive," "poorly coordinated" and hesitant to implement the tough measures recommended by the experts in curtailing the deadly pandemic.Vesti argued that "coronavirus will determine the winner in the rivalry between China and the United States." But the stakes are much higher. Kremlin-controlled media believe that on a larger scale, "the success or failure of the United States will form a global view of the effectiveness of democracy compared to autocracy. This, in turn, will affect America's global position, its ability to attract vacillating allies into its orbit from China's sphere of influence, and possibly determine the global geopolitical leader for years to come."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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| Entire senior home in New Jersey, 94 people, presumed to have coronavirus Posted: 25 Mar 2020 05:15 PM PDT  St. Joseph's Senior Nursing Home in Woodbridge already has 24 people who tested positive, with 70 more expected to also test positive.
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| Trump makes thinly veiled attack at AOC during coronavirus briefing after she suggests stimulus bill overly favours corporations Posted: 26 Mar 2020 02:41 PM PDT  Donald Trump took a veiled jab at New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, beloved by the far left, calling her a "little grandstander" over her threats to delay passage of a coronavirus economic aid package.Ms Ocasio-Cortez, known colloquially as "AOC," has complained that she is concerned the bipartisan measure, which cleared the Senate on a 96-0 vote, is too friendly to large corporations. She wants more provisions to help workers and those who have lost their jobs due to the super bug outbreak.
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| Palestinians leave jobs in Israel, citing coronavirus risk Posted: 25 Mar 2020 07:08 AM PDT  JERICHO/RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - The Palestinian government has ordered home Palestinian laborers in Israel and in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, saying their jobs exposed them to risk of the coronavirus. The edict, announced late on Tuesday by Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, could effectively shut down Israel's construction industry, heavily reliant on Palestinian labor. Israel had made special arrangements for many of the about 100,000 Palestinians who typically cross daily from the West Bank to instead stay overnight in Israeli cities before shutting the border on Sunday to curb the spread of the virus.
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| Top scientist: Coronavirus could be seasonal Posted: 26 Mar 2020 09:29 AM PDT  Anthony Fauci, who leads research into infectious diseases at the National Institutes of Health, said there is a strong chance the new coronavirus could return seasonally.
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| Spain, Europe's worst-hit country after Italy, says coronavirus tests it bought from China are failing to detect positive cases Posted: 26 Mar 2020 06:44 AM PDT  Spanish researchers found that the tests could identify cases only 30% of the time. Testing delays could hamper Spain's efforts to slow the virus.
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| Cho Ju-bin: South Korea chatroom sex abuse suspect named after outcry Posted: 25 Mar 2020 03:58 AM PDT  At least 10,000 people used the chatrooms, with some paying up to $1,200 (£1,000) for access.
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| Busch will give you a '3-month supply' of free beer if you adopt or foster a pup as shelters close Posted: 26 Mar 2020 09:41 AM PDT  Busch and Midwest Animal Rescue & Services have partnered to entice perspective dog owners to adopt or foster during the pandemic with free beer.
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| Europe Reaches Libya Breakthrough With Naval Mission Deal Posted: 26 Mar 2020 10:45 AM PDT |
| Netanyahu rival becomes parliament speaker, signaling deal Posted: 26 Mar 2020 02:51 AM PDT  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's chief rival was chosen on Thursday as the new speaker of parliament, an unexpected step that could pave the way to a power-sharing deal between the two men as the country grapples with a worsening coronavirus crisis. The sudden turnabout by Benny Gantz, who has spent the past year trying to topple Netanyahu in three bitter and inconclusive elections, appeared to give the embattled prime minister a new lease on life as he prepares to go on trial for corruption charges. It also drew angry criticism from his political partners, who accused him of betrayal, and ripped apart his Blue and White party, an alliance of three anti-Netanyahu factions.
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| This state rejected Medicaid expansion. Its uninsured residents now stare down a pandemic. Posted: 26 Mar 2020 07:13 AM PDT  "This outbreak is going to bring to light and highlight really strongly the types of disparities and the gaps in our health care system that leave people vulnerable," one expert said.
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| Biden reportedly says Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto is in his 'top three' picks for VP Posted: 26 Mar 2020 02:58 PM PDT  While reportedly setting up video equipment in Delaware over four days, former Vice President Joe Biden was apparently mulling over possible running mates.Biden told former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid that Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) is one of his "top three" choices should he win the Democratic presidential nomination, Mediaite reported Thursday.Reid, who was also a longtime senator representing Nevada, is reportedly nudging Biden toward choosing Cortez Masto as his VP, and Biden's campaign apparently feels she would be a strong choice and could help expand Biden's popularity among Latinx voters. Biden publicly committed to choosing a woman as his vice president if nominated over Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), sparking endless speculation over who that woman might be. CNBC says Biden's "business allies" are hoping for Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) or Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), two former presidential candidates themselves. The Washington Post, meanwhile, said Biden's shortlist probably included Cortez Masto, but also named more well-known Democrats like former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams. Biden's campaign declined to dispute Mediaite's reporting, simply saying he would vigorously vet candidates.New York magazine wrote that Biden is spending his "coronavirus bunker" time "thinking a lot" about a potential VP, and taking lots of calls from supporters and Democratic strategists who are pushing Biden to pick their candidate of choice. None of those calls, however, resulted in much reported information on whether Biden had narrowed his list.Biden told The View on Tuesday his "short" list was between "12 and 15" names, but if his reported statement to Reid is to be believed, he's done a lot of whittling in the past few days. Read more at Mediaite and New York.More stories from theweek.com Elton John to host 'Living Room Concert for America' with stars performing from home What Trump's coronavirus briefings are really about Evangeline Lilly apologizes for 'dismissive' coronavirus comments
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| Russia thanks 'real friend' Jack Ma for gift of a million masks Posted: 26 Mar 2020 09:27 AM PDT  Russia has received more than a million masks and 200,000 coronavirus testing kits as a gift from Chinese billionaire businessman Jack Ma, its Defence Ministry said on Thursday. Calling Ma "a real friend", the ministry said in a statement that the co-founder of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba had spoken by telephone to Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and told him how touched he had been by Moscow's own help for China. The foundations of Alibaba and Ma said on Wednesday they had sent medical equipment to Russia.
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| Immigration chief on thin ice for adopting Obama’s stance during crisis Posted: 26 Mar 2020 11:40 AM PDT |
| NY Gov. Cuomo calls Dr. Fauci on his cell phone 'late at night' when he needs COVID-19 advice Posted: 26 Mar 2020 09:36 AM PDT  "Dr. Anthony Fauci has been so kind and helpful to me ... I call him late at night. I call him in the middle of the night. I call him in the morning."
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| Greta Thunberg says it's 'likely' she had coronavirus Posted: 25 Mar 2020 04:10 AM PDT  Teenage activist Greta Thunberg said it's "extremely likely" she had contracted the coronavirus. The Swedish climate campaigner wrote in an Instagram post that she'd experienced several symptoms following a trip to central Europe.
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| Pennsylvania grocery store loses estimated $35K in food after woman's 'twisted' coronavirus prank, co-owner says Posted: 25 Mar 2020 09:02 PM PDT  Gerrity's Supermarket threw out thousands of dollars of food after a woman intentionally coughed on it on Wednesday, the store's co-owner said.
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| South Africa Bans Outdoor Exercise for Lockdown, Minister Says Posted: 25 Mar 2020 09:17 AM PDT |
| US couple, adopted daughter, caught in India virus lockdown Posted: 26 Mar 2020 03:23 PM PDT  A Georgia couple who traveled to India to adopt a child have had to delay bringing their new daughter back to the United States after Indian authorities locked down the country because of the coronavirus. India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, on Tuesday announced a three-week lockdown in the country of 1.3 billion people, meaning that citizens and visitors alike may only leave their homes or hotels for food, medicine or other essential needs. The order is meant to keep the virus from surging and overwhelming an already strained health care system, but it has also left Mike and Whitney Saville of Auburn, Georgia, with little hope of getting back home with their daughter Grace anytime soon.
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| 9 escape from S. Dakota jail where there was a positive coronavirus test Posted: 24 Mar 2020 11:44 PM PDT  Four of the women have been captured since breaking out of the minimum-security unit of the Pierre Community Work Center.
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| Whoopi Goldberg Confronts Newt Gingrich for Suggesting Nurses Will Abandon Coronavirus Patients Posted: 26 Mar 2020 10:21 AM PDT  Newt Gingrich joined The View live from Rome on Thursday morning where he has been quarantined for weeks with his wife, U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican Calista Gingrich. And yet despite living in the horror that could be America's near future, the former Republican Speaker of the House had only mild criticism for the way President Donald Trump has handled the coronavirus crisis. Gingrich acknowledged that the president and his task force should probably be "social distancing" during their daily press briefings. And he threw some cold water on Trump's promise to get the economy up and running again by Easter. "I think the president's direction is right, but probably the speed won't happen as fast as he wants it to," he said diplomatically. But the most contentious part of the interview came when co-host Sunny Hostin asked Gingrich to weigh in on the $2 trillion stimulus package passed by the Senate Wednesday night. Joe Biden Blasts Trump on 'The View': We Can't Just 'Let People Die'"Several Republican senators are worried unemployment benefits will be so enticing that people will stop working," Hostin said. "Senator Graham even implied that the benefits would incentivize well-trained nurses to stay home and collect a check." She was citing a joint statement from Senators Lindsey Graham, Ben Sasse, and Tim Scott that read, "If the federal government accidentally incentivizes layoffs, we risk life-threatening shortages in sectors where doctors, nurses, and pharmacists are trying to care for the sick, and where growers and grocers, truckers and cooks are trying to get food to families' tables." "Do you share their concern?" Hostin asked."Sure, as a practical matter you have to," Gingrich replied. "As I understand it, there's one part of this where you can actually make more money not working. That's not a very good incentive." Of course, the unemployment relief in the stimulus package would only benefit workers who are laid off due to the economic crisis—not doctors and nurses who are needed more than ever in this moment. As he continued talking, Whoopi Goldberg could be heard off-screen saying, "That's so disrespectful!" She added later, "Lindsey Graham should be ashamed of himself." "It just seems to me the suggestion that nurses who are on the front line are not going to work and sacrifice the way that they have because they're going to be making a few hundred dollars more is ludicrous," Hostin told Gingrich, "but that's just my opinion." "It's insulting! It's insulting!" Goldberg added. She repeated, "Lindsey Graham should be ashamed of himself to say something like that in the middle of all of this." Fox News Host Martha MacCallum Nails Kellyanne Conway for Rewriting Trump's Coronavirus HistoryRead more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet 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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| U.S. Navy to test all sailors on aircraft carrier in Pacific as coronavirus cases rises Posted: 26 Mar 2020 07:44 AM PDT  All 5,000 personnel aboard the U.S. aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt will be tested for the coronavirus in Guam after the number of confirmed cases on the ship rose to about two dozen, U.S. Navy officials said on Thursday. The infections aboard the carrier are one of the most vivid examples of the coronavirus' impact on the military and could test the Navy's ability to forge ahead with operations. "We are in the process now of testing 100 percent of the crew of that ship to ensure that we are able to contain whatever spread might have occurred there," Acting U.S. Navy Secretary Thomas Modly told a Pentagon news conference.
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| Coronavirus: Mexicans demand crackdown on Americans crossing the border Posted: 26 Mar 2020 09:48 AM PDT  Wearing face masks, protesters blocked the US southern border, telling Americans to 'stay home'
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| At first, I was unsure if lockdowns are a good idea. But now I'm convinced we'll come through for the better. Posted: 25 Mar 2020 11:59 AM PDT  Opinion | The lockdowns in place to control the coronavirus pandemic are tough on the economy, but necessary to control the disease.
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| An influencer who licked a toilet seat says he's in the hospital with the coronavirus Posted: 26 Mar 2020 03:53 AM PDT  The TikToker, called Larz, said he took part in a bizarre "Coronavirus Challenge" and ended up with COVID-19.
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| For many Indians, the biggest concern isn't coronavirus. It's hunger Posted: 26 Mar 2020 11:31 AM PDT  A three-week lockdown affecting 1.3 billion people has unleashed chaos as stranded migrant workers sleep in streets and police beat curfew-breakers.
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| Senate Virus Stimulus Deal Drops Airline Carbon Emissions Limits Posted: 25 Mar 2020 08:55 AM PDT |
| FBI: Soldiers set up deadly robbery to fund foreign fighting Posted: 26 Mar 2020 07:19 AM PDT |
