| Pressure grows on Trump to invoke Defense Production Act for coronavirus response Posted: 17 Mar 2020 05:47 PM PDT  President Trump said Tuesday he was not prepared to invoke the authorities to allow the government to ensure that the private sector can ramp up production of emergency medical supplies, despite a growing chorus of voices urging him to do so.
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| Iran warns virus could kill 'millions' in Islamic Republic Posted: 17 Mar 2020 12:52 AM PDT  Iran issued its most dire warning yet Tuesday about the new coronavirus ravaging the country, suggesting "millions" could die in the Islamic Republic if people keep traveling and ignore health guidance. A state TV journalist who also is a medical doctor gave the warning only hours after hard-line Shiite faithful on Monday night pushed their way into the courtyards of two major shrines that were finally closed due to the virus. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a religious ruling prohibiting "unnecessary" travel.
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| One chart shows how South Korea got its coronavirus outbreak under control in less than a month Posted: 18 Mar 2020 11:43 AM PDT  South Korea seems to have curbed its coronavirus outbreak. The number of daily confirmed cases peaked on February 29 and has decreased ever since.
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| Coronavirus pandemic: How long will Americans have to live like this? Posted: 17 Mar 2020 12:27 PM PDT  On Monday, President Trump announced further social interaction guidelines to help curb the spread of the coronavirus, including limiting gatherings to 10 people. How long will Americans have to live in social isolation? Yahoo News speaks with public health contributor Dr. Kathryn Jacobsen about how long scientists foresee the need for social isolation guidelines and how to "flatten the curve."
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| Coronavirus travel restrictions lead to a new record for world's longest flight in distance Posted: 18 Mar 2020 06:25 AM PDT  The coronavirus has resulted in the world's longest flight in distance: Air Tahiti Nui's one-off nonstop flight from Papeete to Paris on Sunday.
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| Hawley Calls for ‘Full, International Investigation’ into China’s Coronavirus Coverup Posted: 18 Mar 2020 08:22 AM PDT  Senator Josh Hawley (R., Mo.) on Wednesday warned the Chinese Communist Party that it would have "to pay" for its attempts to coverup the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, and called for a "full, international investigation" to get to the bottom of the situation."There needs to be a full, international investigation of China Communist Party's actions that helped turn coronavirus COVID19 into a global pandemic," Hawley tweeted Wednesday morning.> There needs to be a full, international investigation of China Communist Party's actions that helped turn coronavirus COVID19 into a global pandemic - and China needs to be prepared to pay other countries for the havoc the CCP has unleashed https://t.co/u1Uo0H0PTj> > -- Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) March 18, 2020The freshman senator was referencing a story that Beijing has attempted to drown out with a propaganda campaign. China on Tuesday stripped press passes from reporters at the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and Washington Post who were stationed in China and Hong Kong, its latest action to escape accountability and international censure over its handling the outbreak.In December, genomics laboratories in Wuhan sequenced coronavirus and discovered it closely resembled the deadly SARS virus which broke out in 2002-2003, but were subsequently gagged by authorities, who ordered them to turn over or destroy the samples.Hawley, a China hawk who slammed the regime for its crackdown on Hong Kong protestors in the fall, has been vocal in recent months as the coronavirus pandemic grew. He sent a letter in January to the heads of four government agencies to ask whether the Trump administration was considering any potential Chinese travel ban to prevent an American outbreak of the coronavirus — a move the White House made soon after.Last month, the senator introduced legislation to reorient medical supply chains and to reduce reliance on China for the manufacture of certain prescription drugs and other medical supplies.
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| Senators are worried Congress will shut down over coronavirus Posted: 17 Mar 2020 06:47 AM PDT  Senators feel like they're in a race against time, Politico reports.Lawmakers from both parties are reportedly discussing the third phase of a coronavirus stimulus package before they've wrapped up phase two. The reason is pretty simple — they don't want to leave anything on the table as the chances increase that they won't be able to reconvene in Washington, D.C., for some time because of the COVID-19 pandemic.Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said they could make the transition as early as this week. "I don't think we can assume that we can keep reconvening the Senate every week like we did this week," Rubio said. "I don't think we can make that assumption. With what might happen to airlines or travel schedules, with individual members having to go into quarantine or being exposed — I don't think we can operate as if we can just bring the Senate and House back whenever we want." Read more at Politico.More stories from theweek.com The conservatives who would sacrifice the elderly to save the economy About half of France's coronavirus patients in intensive care are under 65, health official says Savannah Guthrie is hosting Today from her basement
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| Coronavirus surging in Southeast Asia, with new cases traced to religious gathering Posted: 17 Mar 2020 10:46 AM PDT  A weekend of prayer at a mosque complex outside Kuala Lumpur is linked to more than 400 coronavirus infections in six countries.
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| As Biden cruises toward the Democratic nomination, which VP pick can help him beat Trump? Posted: 17 Mar 2020 08:19 PM PDT  Biden must weigh who can help him win, who is simpatico with him, who has the broadest appeal and who could be called on to take over.
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| Iran defends response as virus deaths surpass 1,000 Posted: 18 Mar 2020 08:45 AM PDT  Iran said its novel coronavirus death toll surpassed 1,000 on Wednesday as President Hassan Rouhani defended the response of his administration, which has yet to impose a lockdown. The COVID-19 outbreak in sanctions-hit Iran is one of the deadliest for any country outside China, where the disease originated. Rouhani's government reported another 147 deaths -- a record high for a single day in the month since it announced the emergence of the disease.
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| As the coronavirus spreads, Catholics are turning to online spiritual practices, from masses live-streamed from the Vatican to a $110 wearable 'eRosary' Posted: 18 Mar 2020 10:30 AM PDT  The Vatican has also started live-streaming the pope's daily mass "to be close to all those who are suffering from the current coronavirus epidemic."
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| Tucker Carlson: Trump at ‘His Very Best’ Defending Use of ‘Chinese Virus’ Posted: 17 Mar 2020 07:05 PM PDT  Fox News host Tucker Carlson applauded President Donald Trump on Tuesday night for doubling down on using the term "Chinese virus" to refer to the novel coronavirus, saying the moment was the president "at his very best."During a coronavirus press conference on Tuesday afternoon in which Trump announced he'd be seeking roughly $1 trillion in stimulus help to boost the economy throughout the pandemic, the president was asked if he was creating a stigma of racism by labeling the virus Chinese or from China.Trump replied that he was pushing back on Chinese propaganda that blamed the American military for the virus, adding that he has to "call it where it came from." Earlier in the day, an Asian-American CBS reporter noted that a White House official called the virus the "Kung-Flu" to her face.On Carlson's primetime Fox News show Tuesday night, the host—who has consistently described the virus, officially known as COVID-19, as "the Wuhan virus"—took issue with media outlets criticizing the president for his use of the term. Noting that Chinese officials are falsely claiming the virus originated in the United States, Carlson said, "Don't be shocked if at least one American media outlet promotes that idea."The Fox News host went on to grouse about a NBC News tweet that said Trump's use of the term, according to many officials, was "both inaccurate and harmful, in tying racist associations between the virus and those from China.""Another statement written by morons in our news media," he seethed. "How is it inaccurate to call a virus from China 'Chinese'?"Carlson then turned to the president's response on Tuesday afternoon, commending him for not appearing "intimidated" by the press."Good for him," the Fox host declared, after playing a clip of the president. "That was Trump at his very best."Carlson praising the president for sticking to his guns and racially defining a virus comes on the heels of The Washington Post reporting that it was the Fox News star who at least partially influenced the president to begin taking the pandemic seriously. According to the Post's sources, Carlson's monologue last Monday night, in which he said the crisis was "real" while appearing to call out the president for "minimizing" the outbreak, was a "turning point" for Trump.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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| What to expect if schools close for the rest of the year Posted: 17 Mar 2020 09:39 PM PDT  Parents are already scrambling to cope with kids staying home – for some, it could last the rest of the school year.
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| The Best Gifts Like a Smart Coffee Machine for Mom on Mother’s Day Posted: 17 Mar 2020 12:18 PM PDT |
| What coronavirus? Mexico's president touching people, holding rallies Posted: 17 Mar 2020 06:34 PM PDT  AMLO, as he is called, has been called "irresponsible" and a "source of contagion" as he defied guidelines on social distancing.
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| Editorial: Coronavirus makes jails and prisons potential death traps. That puts us all in danger Posted: 18 Mar 2020 03:00 AM PDT  Soap is restricted and hand sanitizer is contraband at correctional facilities. We need to stop admitting people accused of low-level crimes.
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| Farewell to the Pro-Life Democrats Posted: 18 Mar 2020 09:33 AM PDT  In Illinois last night, abortion-rights advocate Marie Newman unseated pro-life representative Dan Lipinski in the Democratic primary for the third congressional district. Based on ratings from anti-abortion groups, Lipinski was the last remaining stalwart pro-lifer among Democratic politicians in Congress.It is a symbolic end to an era that really ended a long time ago, a time when Democratic politicians could vote against taxpayer-funded abortion and in favor of abortion restrictions without being ousted from their seats, and when the party's leadership acknowledged and welcomed pro-life voters whose views on other issues aligned them with the party.With Lipinski's loss, there is no longer even the slightest bit of room for Democrats to give themselves cover on this issue, and they appear not to mind. The Democratic Party is, at the national level, filled with politicians who support abortion on demand, at any stage of pregnancy, for any reason, funded by the U.S. taxpayer.This is dramatically out of step with most Americans, only 13 percent of whom favor allowing elective abortion in the last three months of pregnancy and nearly three-quarters of whom would limit abortion to the first three months or to cases of rape or incest, or not permit it at all. It is also out of step with most Democrats, only 18 percent of whom would allow third-trimester abortion. A full 30 percent of Democrats call themselves pro-life.Instead of being accommodated or reassured, these Democrats are explicitly told by the politicians seeking to represent them that their views have no place in their own party — a curious election strategy.In 2017, Democratic leaders derided Bernie Sanders when he endorsed Heath Mello for mayor of Omaha, Neb., after abortion-advocacy groups dubbed Mello "anti-choice" for having backed a law requiring doctors to give women the option to view a fetal ultrasound prior to abortion (hardly a stringent anti-abortion law, though it is revealing that abortion supporters opposed it).A lot can change in three years. Last month, Sanders declared during a town hall that "being pro-choice is an essential part of being a Democrat." Former presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg made the same assessment in January, telling Kristen Day, director of the beleaguered Democrats for Life, that he would not budge an inch on the issue. (Day, for the record, did not ask Buttigieg to change his position on abortion but rather to "support more-moderate platform language . . . to ensure that the party of diversity, of inclusion really does include everybody." It took him several minutes to get around to saying, in essence, "Keep dreaming.")What, then, is a pro-life Democrat to do? And what happened to the party that used to feature men like Dan Lipinski and his pro-life Democratic father Bill, one or the other of whom has represented the third congressional district in Illinois since 1983?Here an anecdote might be helpful. In 1992, Pennsylvania's Democratic governor, Bob Casey Sr., was slated to speak at the party's national convention in New York City but in the end was not permitted to do so. Though Democrats have since contended that this was because he had not endorsed the presidential ticket, contemporaneous reporting shows that it was in fact because he intended to speak about his opposition to abortion, at a time when the party was beginning more uniformly to embrace abortion rights. It was Casey who went to the Supreme Court in 1992 to defend his state's regulations on abortion clinics, losing in the landmark case Planned Parenthood v. Casey that currently governs abortion jurisprudence.Today, Casey's son, Bob Casey Jr., serves as a Democratic senator from Pennsylvania, and in recent years has received a 100 percent score from NARAL Pro-Choice America for his voting record on abortion rights.The Democratic Party has been on this trajectory for a long time, driven in no small part by its desire for the financial backing and public-relations acclaim of powerful actors such as NARAL, Planned Parenthood, and the conglomerate of women's media groups that writer and former editor of Ladies' Home Journal Myrna Blyth christened the "Spin Sisters.""Reproductive rights is the issue that all women must care and agree about," Blyth wrote in her 2004 book Spin Sisters of these publications and their ability to drive public opinion. "To keep the support of the Spin Sisters, politicians may not stray even a hair from the Planned Parenthood position."Though the Democratic allegiance to unlimited legal abortion surely has something to do with the millions of campaign dollars that flow from abortion-advocacy groups, it has perhaps even more to do with the optics of the issue, with the fact that Planned Parenthood and its media allies could sound the death knell for a campaign by deeming a Democrat "anti-choice" for doing something as anodyne as supporting a woman's right to be offered the chance to view an ultrasound. (It was, for instance, primarily these groups that funded and championed Newman's campaign to unseat Lipinski.)State politics confirm this theory, where pro-life Democrats continue to reelect pro-life Democratic politicians who enact anti-abortion laws, out of reach of the national abortion-advocacy apparatus. In Louisiana, Democratic legislator Katrina Jackson sponsored a bill, currently facing a challenge at the Supreme Court, to extend existing safety measures to abortion clinics. That bill, along with a heartbeat bill banning abortion after six weeks' gestation, was signed into law by the state's Democratic governor, John Bel Edwards. In West Virginia earlier this month, Democratic lawmakers helped to pass a born-alive bill, requiring doctors to care for newborn infants who survive an abortion procedure.These proposals have no hope of passing Congress, where the consistent leftward shift of the Democratic Party has left pro-life liberals like Dan Lipinski, and all the voters who valued his leadership, without a home.
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| Biden says Sanders' supporters have 'shifted the fundamental conversation in this country' Posted: 17 Mar 2020 07:24 PM PDT  Former Vice President Joe Biden delivered a message on Tuesday night to supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), following his wins in the Florida and Illinois Democratic presidential primaries.Biden spoke from his home in Delaware, with the address streamed online. He first discussed the coronavirus pandemic, and said tackling it is "a national emergency akin to fighting a war. It's going to require leadership and cooperation from every level of government and it's going to require us to move thoughtfully and decisively to quickly address both the public health crisis as well as the economic crisis. It's going to require us to pay attention to the medical and scientific and health experts. It's going to require each of us to do our part."Americans, he said, are "up to this challenge" and are "moving quickly to adapt our routines to meet this challenge." Coronavirus is forcing the country to "put politics aside and work as Americans. The coronavirus doesn't care if you're a Democrat or Republican. It will not discriminate based on national origin, race, gender, or your ZIP code."Switching his attention to Tuesday's primaries, he thanked poll workers and said his wins show he's "building a broad coalition we need to win in November." He may not agree with Sanders on "tactics, but we share a common vision: for the need to provide affordable health care for all Americans, reducing income inequality that has risen so drastically, to tackling the existential threat of our time, climate change." He praised Sanders and his supporters for their "remarkable passion and tenacity" on these issues, and said they "shifted the fundamental conversation in this country."More stories from theweek.com Bernie Sanders is focused on the 'f---ing global crisis' CDC investigation reveals why coronavirus likely hit Seattle-area nursing homes so hard The U.S. is temporarily blocking all refugee admissions
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| ‘Perhaps that’s been the story of life’: Trump on why professional athletes are getting tested for coronavirus and others aren’t Posted: 18 Mar 2020 10:54 AM PDT  At a Coronavirus Task Force briefing at the White House, President Trump was asked if it's right for professional athletes and other well-connected people to get tested for the coronavirus while others can't. Trump said, "No, I wouldn't say so, but perhaps that's been the story of life. That does happen on occasion."
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| Bill Gates has warned of an impending pandemic for years. Here's how he's dealing with the coronavirus outbreak. Posted: 18 Mar 2020 10:28 AM PDT  In a 2017 op-ed article, Bill Gates said the next epidemic could be "a super contagious and deadly strain of the flu," adding that we aren't ready.
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| Lazarus: The airlines want our cash? Give us more legroom in return Posted: 18 Mar 2020 05:00 AM PDT  President Trump, who fancies himself a master negotiator, is giving away the store to airlines and seeking little if anything in return.
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| India political activist arrested for selling cow urine to combat virus Posted: 18 Mar 2020 05:06 PM PDT  An activist with India's ruling party has been arrested after a volunteer fell ill from drinking cow urine at a party to combat the novel coronavirus, police said Wednesday, as interest grows in home remedies amid the pandemic. Narayan Chatterjee, a Bharatiya Janata Party activist, was arrested by West Bengal state police late Tuesday for "organising the cow urine consumption event and compelling a civic volunteer to drink cow urine", Kolkata police chief Anuj Sharma told AFP. Many in the Hindu-majority nation of 1.3 billion consider cows sacred and believe drinking cow urine is a panacea for all manner of ailments, from arthritis and asthma to cancer and diabetes.
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| Venice's canals are clear, and it could be because everyone is isolating themselves to avoid spreading the coronavirus Posted: 18 Mar 2020 11:05 AM PDT  Italy is currently on lockdown as residents try to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, and Venice has been quiet.
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| Rattled world 'at war' with coronavirus as deaths surge in Italy, France Posted: 18 Mar 2020 05:48 AM PDT  MADRID/BEIJING (Reuters) - Hundreds of millions of people faced a world turned upside down on Wednesday by unprecedented emergency measures against the coronavirus pandemic that is killing the old and vulnerable and threatening prolonged economic misery. "This is a once-in-a-hundred-year type event," said Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, warning the crisis could last six months as his nation became the latest to restrict gatherings and overseas travel. The fast-spreading disease that jumped from animals to humans in China has now infected over 212,000 people and caused 8,700 deaths in 164 nations, triggering emergency lockdowns and injections of cash unseen since World War Two.
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| Trump World and Senate GOPers Want to Jam Pelosi on Coronavirus Stimulus Posted: 18 Mar 2020 01:52 AM PDT  As Congress works to pass a coronavirus relief bill authored by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Senate Republicans are approaching the next round of response to the outbreak—a possibly trillion-dollar-plus stimulus bill—with a blunt message to Democrats: This one's ours.Both privately and publicly, Senate Republicans have groused in recent days about having been sidelined during negotiations over what has become known as the Phase 2 deal to address the coronavirus pandemic. That bill, which passed by an overwhelming bipartisan margin last week in the House, focused on expanding paid sick leave, unemployment insurance, and food security for those affected by the outbreak, plus increasing testing capability for the virus. Republican leadership told members on Tuesday to swallow their gripes and pass the bill, citing the harsh demands of addressing a national crisis. Those members have found solace in the possibility of turning the tables on Pelosi and House Democrats when the next phase of coronavirus response is soon considered. That bill, known as Phase 3, is set to be a sweeping response to a cratering economy. And with the House of Representatives on recess and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) vowing to keep the Senate in session until a stimulus is approved, the GOP will almost certainly have the first shot. As a Senate GOP aide put it: "The Senate Republican conference is going to write Phase 3... This is gonna be a far bigger item, dollar-wise," and there are "a lot of people with what they think are chits owed them."Some lawmakers appear to be cashing those chits early. This week has seen a boomlet of proposals regarding what the stimulus bill should look like. In an ironic twist, an idea that didn't seem to have overwhelming buy-in among House Democrats a week ago—giving cash directly to Americans affected by the COVID-19 outbreak—is being pushed by several prominent GOP senators, most notably Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT). A party that used to recoil from sticker shock in past times of crisis is now running with abandon toward a bill that could have a price tag of up to $1.3 trillion.Trump Administration Wants to Send Every Worker a Check Amid Coronavirus Pandemic"I'm about as conservative fiscally as you can be," said Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA). "This is not a time to be cheap." He did admit, however, "we will have to do some clean-up later." But while Senate Republicans seem poised to craft a big, bold stimulus plan that reflects their priorities, they still face two obstacles in doing so. The first is congressional Democrats who don't appear to be spooked by McConnell's threat to pass a bill and demand that they take it or leave it. One senior House Democratic aide said that if the Senate sent them a stimulus proposal put together squarely by Republicans they'd simply make changes to the legislation. "What's McConnell going to do? Dare us to add more things to his bill and send it back to him? How hard is that?" the aide asked, sarcastically. But Democrats aren't the only hurdle Trump and McConnell will have to clear. Fiscal hawks close to the president could present issues as well. Already, some high-profile Trump allies and conservative economists are actively lobbying the president and his administration to ditch large-scale economic stimulus in the face of the coronavirus economic slowdown. On Tuesday, Stephen Moore, Art Laffer, and Steve Forbes—all luminaries in conservative economics—blasted out a joint statement urging the White House not to "expand welfare and other income redistribution benefits like paid leave and unemployment benefits that will inhibit growth and discourage work."One senior Trump administration official told The Daily Beast that this statement had been printed out and flagged for the president to read in his daily batches of press clips and reading materials. As of Tuesday evening, it is unclear if he'd read it. However, Moore, a Heritage Foundation economist who continues to informally advise Trump and administration officials, said in an interview Tuesday afternoon that "key people in the White House" were given an advance copy of the statement and that "I know they liked it. It was something that people [in the administration] paid attention to, I was told." Though Moore is close to Trump, it is not clear how open the president is to being swayed from his current instinct of endorsing a "big" stimulus, especially when the U.S. economy and his re-election are on the line. In the past two weeks, Trump has complained to confidants that if it were truly up to him, he would want billions more dollars for a dramatic economic stabilization package, but that he felt constrained by conservative spending hawks and lawmakers who he has to appeal to, according to two sources who've independently discussed this matter with Trump.Over the past few days, Republican lawmakers have moved toward Trump's thinking, with members of the party embracing proposals that would get cash directly in the hands of people affected by the coronavirus outbreak. In his lunch meeting with senators Tuesday, Mnuchin floated the idea of a one-time, means-tested payment to Americans via the Internal Revenue Service. It's more targeted than Romney's approach but appeared to have a broad degree of buy-in within the GOP conference.But the sentiment is not universally shared in the party. "I want to give a loan to the companies to float their payroll on generous terms," said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), a close Trump ally. "I'm not going to give a check on top of a check—if I gave everybody here a thousand dollars, what would you do with it right now?"With the possibility of fissures inside the GOP ranks, Senate Democrats and their leader, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), do have real leverage over the scope and direction of the Phase 3 bill, since it will require 60 votes to pass. Though some Democratic lawmakers are already outbidding the GOP's cash-infusion ideas, a senior Senate Democratic aide told The Daily Beast they will demand increased unemployment insurance and real structural changes. "The real next crisis is capacity issues, hospital beds, and supplies at the hospitals," said the aide.Additionally, Democratic lawmakers mentioned another area of pressure: industry-specific bailouts. They plan to push for tight strings on any relief money that is targeted at the sectors most hard-hit by the coronavirus downturn—particularly the airline industry, which most on both sides agree is going to need some kind of help. On Tuesday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), who herself reviewed the implementation of the 2008 bailout, released proposed conditions for industry bailouts—including guaranteeing workers a $15 minimum wage, banning corporate stock buybacks, and prohibiting federal funds from going to executive bonuses."Why would we bail out any company that's been making record profits without a clear guarantee that they will protect workers' rights around pensions, collective-bargaining provision of sick leave, and pay?" asked Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE). "If companies want to come forward and say, we've been hit hard—so, hospitality, travel, others—and we need even more tax relief… I'd want to see that what we were doing was achieving some real protection."While McConnell has talked about going it alone on Phase 3, Schumer has pushed for the top Democrat and Republican of each chamber to work directly with the White House to craft some sort of large-scale compromise. The aforementioned senior House aide conceded that there would be "utility to a four-corners negotiation" so long as it did not involve Trump himself. The president never once spoke to Pelosi during the crafting of the Phase 2 deal, her office confirmed. 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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| U.S. Imposes New Sanctions on Iran amid Coronavirus Damage, Seeks Release of Americans Posted: 18 Mar 2020 09:51 AM PDT  The U.S. imposed fresh sanctions on Iran on Wednesday and called on the state terror sponsor to release detained Americans after new rocket attacks were launched at U.S. forces in Iraq by what are believed to be Iran-backed forces.The State Department sanctioned nine entities based in South Africa, Hong Kong, and China as well as three Iranian individuals "who have engaged in activity that could enable the Iranian regime's violent behavior," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement. The sanctioned entities and individuals were involved in "significant transactions" to trade in Islamic Republic's petrochemical industry, which the sanctions will target."The actions of these individuals and entities provide revenue to the regime that it may use to fund terror and other destabilizing activities, such as the recent rocket attacks on Iraqi and Coalition forces located at Camp Taji in Iraq," Pompeo said.Two U.S. troops and one coalition service member were killed last week in a rocket attack on a military base in Iraq. At least a dozen more people were injured at Camp Taji, about 17 miles north of Baghdad, after about 18 of up to 30 Russian Katyusha rockets were launched from northeast Baghdad and hit the base.Over the past year, the U.S. has accused Iran-backed forces such as Kataib Hezbollah of 13 similar attacks on military bases in Iraq that house U.S. and coalition troops. The Defense Department said it launched strikes against the Iran-backed Kataeb Hezbollah.Pompeo also said Iran is considering releasing several detained American citizens and urged the country to do so amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has hit Iran particularly hard.The U.S. will continue its campaign to squeeze the Iranian economy and limit Iran's ability to export oil, which Tehran claims has impaired its ability to contain the spread of the deadly respiratory illness.The coronavirus has hobbled Iran, infecting over 17,300 and killing more than 1,100, including high-ranking government officials.Earlier this month, Pompeo warned that Iranian government was attempting to cover up the scope of the toll the virus is taking on the population. Iran has so far refused U.S. offers of help to combat the virus, expressing suspicion that the U.S. is trying to break the spirits of Iranians over the epidemic.
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| Samoan chief guilty of slavery in New Zealand Posted: 17 Mar 2020 11:53 AM PDT  Joseph Auga Matamata lured victims with promises of a better life but beat them and kept their money.
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| The US Army is rethinking how to do its largest European exercise in 25 years amid a coronavirus lockdown Posted: 17 Mar 2020 02:09 PM PDT  The Army wants to continue with Defender-Europe 20 in some form, but what it will look like amid the spread of the coronavirus isn't yet clear.
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| New York mayor says 'shelter in place' decision coming in next 48 hours Posted: 18 Mar 2020 09:34 AM PDT  Mayor Bill de Blasio in recent days has made sweeping declarations to close schools through April 20, limit restaurant service and halt other forms of entertainment.
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| Israel slaps virus closure on Palestinian-ruled areas of West Bank Posted: 18 Mar 2020 09:33 AM PDT  Israel closed off Palestinian-administered areas of the occupied West Bank on Wednesday to limit the spread of the coronavirus, officials from both sides said. "From today, a closure has taken place in the West Bank," said Yotam Shefer, who heads the international department of COGAT, the Israeli military body responsible for civilian affairs in the Palestinian territories. Palestinian government spokesman Ibrahim Melhim said all Palestinians would be affected, though goods would still be allowed to pass.
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| At least 7 members of the same New Jersey family contracted COVID-19 at a family gathering. 2 of them died and 4 are in critical condition. Posted: 18 Mar 2020 07:27 AM PDT  "To imagine a week ago to get a phone call like this — if someone told me this story, I wouldn't believe it," a family member said.
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| Coronavirus justifies moving ex-Trump lawyer Cohen home from prison - letter Posted: 17 Mar 2020 12:20 PM PDT  Michael Cohen, U.S. President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer and fixer, risks catching coronavirus while serving his three-year prison sentence, justifying his release into home confinement, Cohen's attorney said on Tuesday. In a letter to U.S. District Judge William Pauley in Manhattan, Cohen's lawyer Roger Adler accused the Federal Bureau of Prisons of being "demonstrably incapable" of safeguarding inmates who live in close quarters and face an "enhanced risk" of catching coronavirus. Adler urged Pauley "to consider my client's exposure to the coronavirus," and act "thoughtfully and decisively" given the "absence of Presidential leadership" in protecting federal prisoners from COVID-19.
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| Mnuchin Discusses $850 Billion Stimulus and Checks to Americans Posted: 17 Mar 2020 09:21 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is expected to seek a new round of coronavirus-related economic stimulus of $850 billion or more from Congress Tuesday, and is discussing the idea of combining it with a relief package the House passed over the weekend, according to people familiar with the proposal.A combined bill would have to go back to the House to get approved before going to Trump for his signature. House members left Washington Saturday, and aren't currently scheduled to return until next week at the earliest.Mnuchin, speaking at a White House press conference Tuesday, said the administration wants to provide "business interruption payments" to Americans, possibly delivering checks within the next two weeks."Americans need cash now and the president wants to give cash now," Mnuchin said, adding that he expected to reveal details later in the day about possible payments.Mnuchin, who will take his stimulus proposal to Senate Republicans on Tuesday, told House Republicans Monday that the market needs more liquidity, one of the people said. After the call, Mnuchin met with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.The new proposal is expected to include $400 billion in steps taken by the executive branch -- including delay of tax deadlines and relief for student loan interest payments -- in addition to existing legislation now in Congress to expand sick leave and offer financial support for virus testing, Trump's economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Monday. Kudlow said the administration was ready to double the next package to $800 billion, with "most" of that coming from a temporary cut in payroll taxes, which lawmakers from both parties have resisted.The U.S. airline industry on Monday asked the government to provide as much as $60 billion in grants and loans, though it is unclear how much Trump will sign on for, according to a person familiar with the matter. The administration is most likely to approve loans, but the Office of Management and Budget has yet to be asked to provide cost estimates, the person said.This could be included in the $850 billion White House proposal, along with a payroll tax cut worth $500 billion and $250 billion for small business loans, according to a person familiar with the matter.Among the possible provisions for small businesses, Mnuchin is considering postponing the due date for quarterly tax payments, and options for fast cash loans. He has been calling small business leaders to ask what aid they might need from the government as the coronavirus dents their income, according to other people familiar with the discussions."The president has instructed his team to look very expansively on what we need to do and not be impeded by the potential price tag of what's necessary here," Eric Ueland, the White House legislative director, said Monday on Capitol Hill.Recession WatchU.S. stocks sought to bounce back at the open Tuesday after equity futures were whipsawed in overnight trading. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Morgan Stanley economists joined the rush on Wall Street to declare that the virus outbreak has triggered a global recession.The Trump administration is expected to ask Senate Republicans to combine the next stage of stimulus with the smaller package of virus-related economic measures already passed in the House.The Senate was planning to take up the House-passed bill as soon as Tuesday, when Mnuchin is planning to be back on Capitol Hill to meet with Senate Republicans during their weekly lunch.The dollar amount of the package Mnuchin would propose was reported earlier by Politico. Fox News also reported what will be included in the package.Alfredo Ortiz, president of the conservative Job Creators Network, said as busy as Mnuchin is, "he's taking the time to listen to us and quite frankly even act on some" stimulus suggestions. Ortiz said he had three separate calls directly with Mnuchin on Monday."One idea we proposed and he likes," Ortiz said, is delaying the quarterly April tax payments for 90 to 180 days. Businesses would still have to file their taxes, but if a tax payment is due, the government could defer the cash payments. "That would be huge for small business owners," Ortiz said.Delaying the deadline for estimated quarterly payments could be an additional benefit for small and medium businesses beyond the tax filing deadline Trump announced last week. This could allow them to delay paying their estimated taxes for the first quarter, and potentially the second quarter, of 2020 in addition to an extended deadline for paying any outstanding taxes due from 2019. The Treasury Department has not yet announced the details of a tax filing delay.Other ideas Mnuchin discussed include a rapid application for a line of credit from a bank, collateralized by Treasury, to cut through the Small Business Administration loan applications, which can take 3-5 months, Ortiz said.Also under consideration is a plan to encourage states to leverage unemployment insurance, and to pay workers 80% of the hourly pay the employees are used to, as well as paying tipped employees 80% of their weekly average income rather than their hourly wage.Trump has urged the payroll tax cut, which has been resisted by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle because it provides a slow infusion of cash over a long period, only helps people who have jobs, and would provide more to wealthier workers. The administration has said it would not affect Social Security.An alternative proposal by Mitt Romney to send checks of $1,000 or more to every American adult has some bipartisan support. Some senators, including Democrat Brian Schatz of Hawaii, want to target relief to those people who really need it.Targeting money can be harder and therefore slower to administer, however.Schumer ProposalDemocrats are floating their own proposals, with Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer calling for at least $750 billion.Granting a full payroll tax holiday for employees and employers with fewer than 100 workers could prove to be a big incentive for companies with workforces above that threshold to cut jobs to claim the tax break.Businesses bracing for a drop-off in business could cut staff and still meet demand. For example, a hotel could cut cleaning workers and food service staff to get below 100 workers and still be able to meet demand during the downturn and get the perk of the tax break.The House on Monday passed technical corrections to its coronavirus bill, which was first crafted over a week ago as the virus was intensifying in the U.S. Now the White House and most lawmakers are eager to send the bill to Trump for his signature and to follow up with more ambitious bills."We have a lot more work to do," Mnuchin said Monday on Capitol Hill. He said he spoke with Republican senators about about additional economic stimulus bills they will work on "ASAP."Plunging stock prices and the abrupt drop-off of consumer spending during a time of social distancing has crystallized the need for Congress to act quickly and boldly. The Federal Reserve has already used much of its toolbox to shore up the economy, leaving policy makers to dull the extent of the damage with fiscal stimulus.(Updates with Mnuchin in third and fourth paragraphs.)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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| A White Nationalist Has Rebranded Himself as Coronavirus Expert. And People Are Flocking to Him. Posted: 18 Mar 2020 01:47 AM PDT  At first glance, Maine resident Tom Kawcyznski seems like just another person talking about the coronavirus pandemic. His daily "Coronavirus Central" podcast has consistently been in the top 20 podcasts on the Apple charts for "Health & Fitness," and at one point earlier this month it hit the fifth spot in the category. But anxious listeners flocking to Kawcyznski's podcast for more information about the disease's spread may not be aware of his background. Before he rebranded himself as a coronavirus expert, Kawcyznski was a notorious white nationalist advocating for a nearly all-white monarchy in New England—with himself as its king. Kawcyznski's surprising reinvention and his success on podcast apps demonstrate the degrees to which concerned Americans are turning to anyone on the internet for coronavirus information, without much consideration of the source. As rumors about coronavirus and the government's response circulate via text message and hoax cures proliferate online, extremist figures like Kawcyznski have seen an opening of their own. "I think the coronavirus is creating a brand new world," Kawcyznski told The Daily Beast, when asked about his new role as a would-be coronavirus expert. Fox Host Trish Regan Goes on Batsh*t Rant Against 'Coronavirus Impeachment Scam'Kawcyznski advocates for the creation of the "Arboreal Kingdom of New Albion," a currently fictional, 95-percent white monarchy he imagines cobbling out of parts of Canada and New England after social collapse. The Southern Poverty Law Center lists his New Albion group as a white nationalist hate group. In 2018, Kawcyznski was fired from his job as the town manager of Jackman, Maine, after the discovery of his posts on fringe social network Gab. In the posts on his now-private account, Kawcyznski wrote that "the average black in America has less intellectual aptitude" and advised white supremacists on how to recast their message in more appealing terms. "I'm putting a happy face on AltRight thinking that brings normies in," Kawcyznski wrote in 2017.Now Kawcyznski has brought the same apocalyptic thinking that turned him into a figure on the racist right to worried coronavirus podcast listeners. He's built an entire coronavirus media empire in the space of two months, including a coronavirus prep book he's selling on Amazon that promises to help people prepare for the disease "on any budget." By publishing a hastily written book on Amazon about the coronavirus, Kawcyznski joined a flood of dubious experts self-publishing coronavirus books on the internet retail giant. In Kawcyznski's book, which he initially published under a pseudonym, he doesn't discuss his background in the white nationalist movement. He also promotes conspiracy theorists like frequent InfoWars guest Mike Adams as reliable sources of information on the disease and envisions a world of societal collapse brought on by the coronavirus, writing that "toilet paper will be more valuable than dollars."Kawcyznski's podcast has drawn more people to him since he started it in February, as cases started to appear in the United States. A Vulture review of coronavirus-related podcasts called the show a "spitting image of caricatures about crackpots and charlatans who vie for attention during crises." But it also noted that his podcast ranks highly in searches on podcast apps for "coronavirus."Kawcyznski claims his daily podcasts, which range from between an hour to two-and-a-half hours, each receive roughly 20,000 listens. It's impossible to independently verify podcast listenership. In his episodes, Kawcyznski positions himself as a sort of guru of the coronavirus era, urging in a Tuesday episode to "refocus your life around the virus." "Stop worrying about what comes after the virus so much, and worry about how you're going to survive it," Kawcyznski said in one. Kawcyznski has also used the coronavirus to gather a community of adherents around himself online. In a chat group on Telegram, an encrypted messaging app popular with extremist right-wing personalities, Coronavirus Central has amassed more than 1,400 members. Kawcyznski claims it's not fair to describe him as a white nationalist, even as he advocates for the creation of a majority-white splinter nation. But as recently as January, Kawcyznski went on a podcast hosted by Chris Cantwell, the neo-Nazi who became infamous in the 2017 Charlottesville "Unite the Right" white supremacist rally as the "crying Nazi." Kawcyznski presented Cantwell with a fictional flag for New Albion, describing it as a "blood flag"—a reference to a swastika flag used by Adolf Hitler."It's a sign of my respect to you," Kawcyznski said, as he handed Cantwell the flag.Later that month, Cantwell was arrested on federal interstate threat charges.Kawcyznski, who says he maxed out his credit cards in an attempt to prepare for the coronavirus, has positioned himself for a rebranding in the coronavirus era. In an apparent attempt to distance himself from his white nationalist comments, Kawcyznski said he doesn't "really get into politics" when discussing the coronavirus."I hope people take their opportunities to approach this world with open minds and open hearts," he said. 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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| COVID-19 Is the Chinese Government’s Curse upon the World Posted: 17 Mar 2020 02:27 PM PDT  The World Health Organization and other sensitive souls have instructed us to stop referring to the new strain of coronavirus as the "Wuhan" or "Chinese" flu because of the racist connotations. I'm disinclined to curb my speech to placate Chinese propagandists — and it seems to me the aversion to those terms is less about racism than about averting blame. But in the spirit of comity, and avoiding disparaging an entire nation, I'm happy to call it the ChiCom Flu moving forward.There are many traditional naming conventions that don't really make that much sense. Somewhat weirdly, for example, we often name diseases after the people who "discover" them -- Hodgkin's disease after Thomas Hodgkin, Parkinson's disease after James Parkinson, and so on.But naming viral diseases after places — Guinea Worm, West Nile Virus, Ebola, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, etc. — is probably just intuitive. Viruses "come" from someplace, after all, and thus people gravitate to those names. I doubt we came up with "Lyme disease" because of some deep enmity towards Connecticut.Anyway, "COVID-19" or "H1N1" don't exactly roll off the tongue.The latter was, until very recently, widely referred to as the "Spanish flu," a virus that killed around 675,000 Americans and tens of millions of others around the world in the early 1900s. "Spanish flu" has now retroactively fallen into disfavor as well. And to be fair, there is some historical evidence that the virus may actually have originated in China or France, so if we must call it the French flu moving forward, so be it.But while the Spanish have a good case to be annoyed, the Chinese government does not. As Jim Geraghty notes, the Communist Chinese have been far more effective in stopping the spread of information about the coronavirus than in stopping the spread of the coronavirus itself. Today, for example, China expelled most American journalist from the country.Early on, the Communists destroyed samples and suppressed vital information that could have helped mitigate the damage of this new strain of coronavirus. The government also silenced doctors who warned about the disease. Some were censured for "spreading rumors" or sharing test results with colleagues, and some were forced to write a self-critical public letters — a Marxist mainstay — admitting that the warning "had a negative impact." The Chinese Communists probably let five million people leave Wuhan without screening, according to the Wall Street Journal.The Chinese Communists, like all Communists, hide their societal problems. There is no crime, disease, or addiction in the collectivist state. This kind of secrecy and dishonesty can be disastrous, especially in a highly interconnected world.Though millions of Chinese have been lifted out of extreme poverty through free trade, with modernity comes some basic responsibilities — like, for instance, not killing everyone in the world with preventable zoonotic diseases.The Chinese regime is perfectly capable of administering an array of authoritarian policies to suppress the rights of its own people. But it's apparently unable to exert even mild cultural pressure warning them that their eating habits can be extraordinarily dangerous, and hold the potential of creating massive socioeconomic problems.If reports are correct, it was in Wuhan's popular "wet markets" that vendors were selling the bats — and possibly snakes — that may have caused the COVID-19 outbreak. "Wet" because the meat sold in its unsanitary stalls was only recently slaughtered.This kind of thing happens quite often. And not always in China, of course. But the avian influenza was likely transmitted to humans from chickens in a "wet" market. Scientists have been warning for years that the eating of exotic animals in southern China "is a time bomb." Acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) also originated in China, and probably jumped to humans through bats. Other coronavirus strains are also likely connected to bats.I hate to thrust my Western cultural values on anyone, but maybe it's time to stop eating bats.It's important to stress that it's not the Chinese people who are the problem. Just look at their success in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, or the United States. The ChiComs are the problem. If the Chinese government spent as much time working on educating its people and regulating dangerous markets as it does on secrecy and propaganda efforts, maybe it wouldn't have to worry as much about diseases being named after it -- or about the catastrophic death and economic pain their negligence helps cause.
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| 'I'm dealing with a f---ing global crisis': Bernie Sanders issues a scathing response when asked if he'll suspend his campaign Posted: 18 Mar 2020 02:51 PM PDT  Sen. Bernie Sanders did not hold back when asked if he would drop out of the 2020 race, saying, "I'm dealing with a f---ing global crisis."
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| Warrant issued for Mexico's ex-head of investigations Posted: 18 Mar 2020 03:42 PM PDT  A Mexican judge issued an arrest warrant for the former head of investigations for the Attorney General's Office for alleged violations in the investigation of the case of 43 college students who disappeared in 2014, officials said Wednesday. Tomas Zerón and five other former officials face charges including torture, forced disappearance and judicial misconduct. Three have been arrested and three, including Zerón, are still at large.
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| Commandant directs Marines on how to prepare for coronavirus Posted: 17 Mar 2020 10:59 PM PDT  The letter instructs commanders on the ground to make force preservation and risk mitigation decisions based on new information.
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| Mom accused of killing 9-month-old when she fell asleep with her kids Posted: 17 Mar 2020 09:28 AM PDT  Authorities found that Heather Hall had four types of drugs in her system after she fell asleep with her legs pinning her 9-month-old child face down on the bed.
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| Utah earthquake: Thousands left without power after quake hits amid coronavirus Posted: 18 Mar 2020 10:15 AM PDT  A 5.7 magnitude earthquake in Utah has knocked out power to tens of thousands of households amidst the coronavirus crisis.According to CNN, the earthquake hit 10 miles north of Salt Lake City and is the state's most powerful quake since 1992.
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| Putin is being protected from coronavirus around the clock, says Kremlin Posted: 18 Mar 2020 05:17 AM PDT  Russian President Vladimir Putin is being protected from coronavirus around the clock, the Kremlin said on Wednesday, saying all Kremlin staff involved in his events schedule were undergoing mandatory testing for the virus. "Everything needed to protect the president from viruses and other illnesses is being done around the clock," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Peskov has previously declined to say whether Putin has been tested for coronavirus, but has said that the president's medical care is of an exceptionally high level.
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| Mnuchin Proposes $500 Billion in Checks Based on Income, Family Size Posted: 18 Mar 2020 09:48 AM PDT |
| Ainsley Earhardt, Days After Urging Viewers to Fly, Now Says We Need to ‘Think of Others’ Posted: 17 Mar 2020 08:24 AM PDT  What a difference a few days makes.With the White House now advising Americans to avoid bars, restaurants, or any gathering of more than 10 in order to stem the spread of coronavirus, Fox & Friends began its Tuesday broadcast by demonstrating social distancing as the three hosts were seated in different parts of the room."To be responsible, to show social distancing, all three of us are apart—same studio, plenty of distance," co-host Brian Kilmeade noted at the top of the show.Co-host Steve Doocy, meanwhile, added that they were "doing exactly the same thing people all across America are trying to do, and that is stay away from each other because you don't want to get infected and you don't want to spread infection."Ainsley Earhardt, who was replaced on Monday's broadcast by Dr. Nicole Saphier, returned and reminded viewers they must take the pandemic very seriously."We have a responsibility to slow down this virus and to think of other people during this time," Earhardt declared. "And so if you can keep your distance and prevent someone from getting close to you that might be sick, you can save your family, you can save the elderly and help our country as a nation."Earhardt's sober plea for being cautious and to think of others came just days after she encouraged viewers to book a flight in the middle of a pandemic. "It's actually the safest time to fly," the Fox & Friends co-host said on Friday, adding at the time, "Everyone that I know that's flying right now, terminals are pretty much dead. Ghost towns."Earhardt now treating the viral outbreak with a newfound level of seriousness came after Jesse Watters admitted on Monday that he didn't take coronavirus "seriously" until after the weekend. Watters and others at the network, meanwhile, have dramatically shifted their tone towards the pandemic now that President Donald Trump has suddenly begun to take the virus more seriously himself.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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| 'We're in panic': travellers stranded for days as Polish-German border shuts Posted: 18 Mar 2020 08:48 AM PDT  With blank stares or catching a few winks of sleep curled up on uncomfortable chairs, dozens of people have been stranded for four days on a bus locked in gigantic tailbacks at the Polish-German border due to virus restrictions. Queues of trucks, cars and other vehicles stretched up to 60 kilometres (37 miles) back from Germany's eastern border with Poland Wednesday, with Red Cross carers on the scene to attend to people waiting up to 30 hours. "This is a questionable situation from a humanitarian perspective," Red Cross worker Kai Kranich told German national news agency DPA.
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| Duncan Hunter, an early Trump supporter who vaped in a Congressional hearing, gets 11 months in prison Posted: 17 Mar 2020 10:53 AM PDT  The former California congressman pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations after a fall from grace forcing him out of his seat.
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| Israel parliament speaker shuts Knesset, enraging opposition Posted: 18 Mar 2020 09:21 AM PDT  Israel's Knesset speaker Wednesday abruptly adjourned all parliamentary meetings until next week, apparently a response to the new coronavirus, in a move that froze opposition efforts to discuss bills seeking Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ouster. The decision drew angry accusations from Netanyahu's opponents that the embattled prime minister is using the coronavirus crisis to cement his hold on power. Netanyahu's rival vowed to challenge the parliamentary delay in the Supreme Court, while Israel's president warned the country's democratic system was being threatened.
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| Jalisco New Generation drug cartel spreads nationwide across Mexico Posted: 18 Mar 2020 07:31 AM PDT  A fast-rising criminal cartel in Mexico is expanding nationwide after beginning from the outskirts of Mexico City.
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