| In the coronavirus pandemic, carbon emissions have fallen, but climate change remains an existential threat Posted: 28 Mar 2020 07:00 AM PDT  In a world desperate for good news about the coronavirus, a dip in global carbon emissions caused by the outbreak's economic downturn might be seen as a silver lining. But climate scientists and policy experts aren't encouraged.
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| Ex-Sen. Tom Coburn, conservative political maverick, dies Posted: 28 Mar 2020 08:23 AM PDT  Former U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn was stubborn as a mule and conservative to his core. Coburn, who died early Saturday at age 72, joined the U.S. Senate the same year as President Barack Obama, and the pair became fast friends despite their contrasting ideologies. In Oklahoma, where Obama failed to carry a single county in his 2008 presidential bid, voters took note.
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| Biden Backs Nationwide Shutdown to Slow Coronavirus Posted: 27 Mar 2020 06:32 PM PDT |
| A Connecticut doctor has been charged after authorities said he deliberately coughed on his coworkers Posted: 27 Mar 2020 08:59 PM PDT  People across the United States have been arrested and charged in recent days after allegedly violating social distancing measures.
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| Saudi Arabia expands lockdown as coronavirus death toll doubles Posted: 29 Mar 2020 03:59 AM PDT  Saudi Arabia halted entry and exit into Jeddah governorate on Sunday, expanding lockdown rules as it reported four new deaths from a coronavirus outbreak that continues to spread in the region despite drastic measures to contain it. The Saudi health ministry said four more foreign residents, in Jeddah and Medina, had died from the virus, taking the total to eight. Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain reported more cases, taking the total in the six Gulf Arab countries to over 3,200, with 15 deaths.
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| Fact check: Is the coronavirus being spread 'quickly' via gas pumps? Posted: 28 Mar 2020 09:54 AM PDT  A Facebook post warned users to be careful at the gas station because coronavirus is spreading "quickly" via pumps. This claim is partly false.
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| Mexico's president shifts tone on coronavirus, urges people to stay home, warns of dire consequences Posted: 29 Mar 2020 01:48 AM PDT  Critics said Mexico's president was downplaying the coronavirus threat. But he has now shifted his tone.
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| A New York dad refused to let his 21-year-old son back in their house after the spring breaker partied in Texas amid coronavirus spread Posted: 29 Mar 2020 08:02 AM PDT  "I was aggravated," Peter Levine said of his son's decision to party on South Padre Island instead of heeding warnings about the virus.
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| Tapper Brutally Grills NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio for Delayed Coronavirus Response Posted: 29 Mar 2020 08:06 AM PDT  New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio was left flailing on Sunday morning when CNN anchor Jake Tapper repeatedly pressed him on his delayed response to the coronavirus pandemic and whether the mayor's assurances to New Yorkers that their lives would go on normally led to a more rapid spread of the virus.Appearing on CNN's State of the Union, de Blasio was first asked about his calls to the Trump administration to provide more ventilators and other life-saving medical supplies to his city, which has become the epicenter of the pandemic. After the mayor sounded the alarm on the "sharp escalation" of cases the city may see in the days ahead, Tapper brought up de Blasio's previous downplaying of the pandemic.Playing a series of video clips of the Democratic mayor telling city residents to "go about your lives" over the past couple of months, Tapper noted that de Blasio delivered that message to the city as recent as March 13. "In retrospect, is that message, at least in part, to blame for how rapidly the virus has spread across the city?" Tapper wondered aloud."Jake, we should not be focusing, in my view, on anything looking back on any level of government right now," de Blasio deflected. "This is just about how we save lives going forward."The mayor went on to say that it was a "very different world just a short time ago" and that "none of us have time to look backwards," prompting Tapper to remind de Blasio that he has been critical of others over their lack of preparedness."Mr. Mayor, you say you don't think you should look backwards, but you've criticized President Trump for 'actions that are far, far behind the curve,'" the State of the Union host pressed. "I mean, Mr. Mayor, weren't your actions in this outbreak also far, far behind the curve?"De Blasio, however, was still unwilling to take any personal responsibility for his own actions, saying that he had criticized the lack of COVID-19 testing early on and that it could be a "very different reality" if the country had more robust testing from the beginning. "But there's no time to go back over that," he added. "There's only time to focus on getting through the next week and the week after that."At the same time, de Blasio acknowledged that Tapper's questions were "fair" but told the CNN anchor that those questions were best left for "after this war is over" because New York City is currently in a "wartime environment."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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| Off to the cafe: Sweden is outlier in virus restrictions Posted: 29 Mar 2020 01:13 AM PDT  People still sit at outdoor cafes in the center of Sweden's capital. Swedish authorities have advised the public to practice social distancing and to work from home, if possible, and urged those over age 70 to self-isolate as a precaution. Standing at bars has been banned in Sweden, but restaurant customers can still be served at tables instead of having to take food to go.
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| North Korea Fires Missile Into East Sea Posted: 29 Mar 2020 02:20 AM PDT |
| Inmate dies after contracting coronavirus at Louisiana federal prison Posted: 29 Mar 2020 08:08 AM PDT  The death of Patrick Jones marks the first COVID-19 related death of an inmate in the federal prison system, a Bureau of Prisons spokesperson said.
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| Trump asks why reporter doesn't act 'a little more positive' Posted: 29 Mar 2020 04:17 PM PDT  President Trump on Sunday asked why a White House reporter does not act "a little more positive" in covering the administration's coronavirus response.
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| Experts warned Trump off New York-New Jersey-Connecticut lockdown Posted: 29 Mar 2020 06:33 AM PDT  Experts on the White House coronavirus task force persuaded President Donald Trump that a travel advisory was preferable to the strict quarantine he was considering for the hard-hit New York area to limit the spread of the pathogen, officials said on Sunday. Trump had said on Saturday afternoon he might impose a ban on travel in and out of New York state and parts of New Jersey and Connecticut, the epicenter of the health crisis in the United States, drawing protests from governors including Andrew Cuomo of New York.
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| 'Help us': Passengers stranded on a coronavirus-stricken cruise ship where 4 people have died say they're 'sitting ducks' and living a 'nightmare' Posted: 28 Mar 2020 06:06 AM PDT  Business Insider broke the news Friday that four passengers on the MS Zaandam had died, now people on the ship are sharing their stories.
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| Dr. Jon LaPook on the value of antibody tests for past coronavirus infection Posted: 28 Mar 2020 11:41 PM PDT  With the friction between treating COVID-19 and protecting the populace from infection vs. reopening businesses, testing for immunity to coronavirus is urgently vital
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| An Arkansas doctor stayed in his home to socially distance from his wife and child. Days after his photo went viral his house was destroyed by a tornado. Posted: 29 Mar 2020 01:34 PM PDT  He went viral for distancing from his wife and 1-year-old son. Days later, his house was destroyed by a tornado that hit Jonesboro, Arkansas.
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| 'I don't know how you look at those numbers and conclude anything less than thousands of people will pass away': Cuomo discusses state fatality projections Posted: 29 Mar 2020 10:39 AM PDT  Gov. Andrew Cuomo spoke about New York state's fatality projections during a press conference on Sunday.
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| 'This cannot be our final bill': Pelosi looks ahead while Republicans want to see effects of $2 trillion coronavirus package Posted: 28 Mar 2020 05:47 AM PDT  Pelosi has a list of items she says need to be addressed in a future coronavirus package. The GOP first wants to see how the current plan works out.
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| Johnson’s War With Coronavirus Is No Joke Anymore Posted: 28 Mar 2020 02:24 PM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- For Boris Johnson, as for others, it started with a cough and a fever.The British prime minister did what he was told by the most senior medic in the land and took a test. Johnson was in his Downing Street apartment at midnight on Thursday when the result came through: he'd tested positive for coronavirus. It was the moment the pandemic literally hit home. Johnson, 55, is the first world leader to reveal he has Covid-19. His illness graphically illustrates the indiscriminate nature of a disease that has now infected almost 650,000 people around the world and killed 30,000. But as Johnson isolates himself, picking up meals and official papers left outside his door, the infection raises more questions about his attitude to a crisis many medical experts felt he failed to take seriously for too long.For one thing, Johnson is not the only member of the British government to be hit. Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced on Friday that he too had tested positive for the virus. Three hours later, Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty revealed he was isolating with symptoms. While all three insist they're still working, one question now dominates the debate in the U.K.: if the officials leading the fight against the virus can't even keep themselves safe, how can they protect the rest of the country and its beloved National Health Service?"Patients will die unnecessarily, NHS staff will die unnecessarily," said Richard Horton, editor of medical journal The Lancet. "The gravity of that scandal has yet to be understood."In the U.K., 1,019 people have lost their lives. The rate of infection is racing ahead, with the number of new cases doubling every few days. In Italy and Spain, the rapid spread has sent their death tolls way beyond China's—the virus's original epicenter—and overwhelmed hospitals.Horton has been an outspoken critic of Johnson's approach, warning for weeks that the government has been too slow to act.There has been a litany of criticisms from many quarters, though, including among his fellow Conservatives: The government shouldn't have all but stopped testing in the community or begin a misguided policy of seeking "herd immunity" rather than fighting the contagion. It also delayed the imposition of tough restrictions, and kept schools open. While other countries were ordering curfews and deploying the military, Johnson instead sought to use behavioral psychologists in the government's so-called "nudge unit" to persuade the public to do the right thing.For Johnson, the gamble on a different approach was offset by the fact that his own advisers lent it their support. But the stakes now are high. "One of the functions of a prime minister is to take the blame," his biographer Andrew Gimson said. "He will take the blame if it all goes wrong—he will have to go, actually."At key moments in the outbreak, Johnson has seemed in denial about the size of the threat—and to his critics, it showed. At the start of the month, the premier quipped that while everyone must wash their hands for the time it takes to sing "Happy Birthday," that did not stop him shaking hands with people he meets."I can tell you I am shaking hands continuously," Johnson told reporters in a clip that has since gone viral on Twitter. "I was at a hospital the other night where I think there were actually a few coronavirus patients and I shook hands with everybody."As the man who led his country out of the European Union, Johnson has often evoked his idea of British-ness, the unflappable belief that the country is different and all will be well. Indeed, it helped him to an emphatic election victory in December. But making light of a crisis has now landed Johnson in trouble.On March 16, after weeks of downplaying the issue, he suddenly urged all U.K. citizens to stay at home and avoid unnecessary contact with other people. It would be the prelude to more action that would shut the nation down. Yet later that evening, Johnson made light of the situation on a call with the manufacturers he was trying to persuade to produce thousands of urgently needed ventilators for hospitals. He joked that their task should be code-named "Operation Last Gasp."Not everyone saw the funny side. "I was shocked," said one witness, who asked to remain anonymous. "I don't know how many people were on that call but some of the comments were not appropriate to the seriousness of the situation."As the crisis deepened in the days that followed, the government's response accelerated further. The country's finance chief, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, unveiled a 350 billion-pound ($435 billion) "wartime" rescue package for businesses. The next day, Johnson finally agreed to close schools across the country.Yet after three days of drama and amid growing alarm, an upbeat Johnson decided on March 19 it was time to rally his troops for the push toward victory. He bounded into the wood-paneled state dining room in No. 10 Downing Street, smiling and joking with reporters in front of him."I am absolutely confident that we can send coronavirus packing," he defiantly declared. A new test could be a "game changer" in the fight against the disease, he said, adding that the U.K. could "turn the tide" of the outbreak in 12 weeks.By March 23, Johnson was addressing the nation in their living rooms, telling them they would be locked down for an initial three weeks. The first week hadn't even passed before the prime minister himself fell ill.Throughout, the government has insisted all his decisions were taken on the basis of "the best" scientific evidence. The public would get bored of being told to limit their movements for too long, so timing the restrictions perfectly was vital, officials said. The only verdict that counts will come when the death toll is finally known.But another explanation for Johnson's approach may lie in his temperament. "He loves being the center of attention," said Gimson.Most of all, Johnson has defined himself as a liberal conservative. He has long railed against the "nanny state" for telling people how to live their lives. Explaining his own reluctance to order stricter measures, he said on March 18: "We live in a land of liberty."Even when he did try to stop people socializing in bars and restaurants, Johnson could not quite bring himself to treat the issue seriously. In his words, he was asking people to accept an almost impossible demand and give up the "inalienable right" of every "freeborn" Briton to go to the pub. It was a light-hearted message that threatened to undermine the gravity of his request.On the Sunday before he ordered a full national lockdown, Johnson implored the public to value the freedoms they stood to lose. "Other countries have been forced to bring in restrictions on people's movements, altogether," he said. "I don't want to do that. It's so important that that pleasure and that ability is preserved—but it can only really be preserved if everybody acts responsibly."The tussle between freedom and responsibility may become the conflict that defines Johnson's career. He rode to power on a campaign to release the U.K. from the EU's legal shackles. His overriding promise was to "unleash" Britain's potential.Now Johnson, like thousands of his fellow citizens, is living in isolation in his apartment and dealing with the disease for the next week alone. The irony is that he has put the entire population—himself included—on the tightest leash of all.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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| Trump ditches hopes of quick virus bounce-back for US Posted: 29 Mar 2020 05:59 PM PDT  President Donald Trump on Sunday abandoned his timetable for life returning to normal in the United States, extending emergency coronavirus restrictions for another month, while Spain suffered its deadliest day. Trump, who had hoped to shortly re-open much of the US, said the death rate in the country was likely to increase for two weeks and announced "social distancing" guidelines would be in place until at least the end of April. Hospitals are rapidly filling with patients in Europe and the United States -- now the focal points of a pandemic that began in Asia but has upended the global economy and upset everyday life in unprecedented ways.
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| Cruise workers are using TikTok to give a behind-the-scenes look into what life is like on an empty cruise ship Posted: 28 Mar 2020 06:23 AM PDT  While Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian have canceled US-based cruises until mid-April at the earliest, some ships are still at sea.
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| Police break up 'illegal' house party that violated N.J.'s stay-at-home order Posted: 28 Mar 2020 04:01 PM PDT  The party's organizer was charged, the governor said.
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| A New York nurse shared a chilling photo of coronavirus victims to show 'the ghastly reality of what' medical workers deal with on frontlines Posted: 29 Mar 2020 02:18 PM PDT  The harrowing image shows the bodies of deceased COVID-19 patients being stored in a refrigerated truck outside the ambulance bay.
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| Serial killer dubbed Grim Sleeper dies in California prison Posted: 29 Mar 2020 02:34 PM PDT  Lonnie Franklin, the convicted serial killer known as the "Grim Sleeper" who preyed on the women of South Los Angeles for more than two decades, has died in prison. California corrections officials said Franklin was found unresponsive in his cell at San Quentin State Prison on Saturday evening. An autopsy will determine the cause of death; however, there were no signs of trauma, corrections spokeswoman Terry Thornton said in a statement.
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| Violent Tornado Rips Through Arkansas Town, Injuries Reported Posted: 28 Mar 2020 03:50 PM PDT  At least six people were injured after a tornado ripped through downtown Jonesboro, Arkansas on Saturday, ripping entire walls off buildings, flattening homes, and leaving cars overturned. There was no immediate word on fatalities, but videos showed major damage to the area, with only piles of debris apparently left of some buildings. Jonesboro Mayor Harold Perrin issued a 7 p.m. curfew for the entire city as authorities began assessing the damage and conducting search-and-rescue missions throughout the area. Police Chief Rick Elliott urged residents to remain indoors to avoid hazards while authorities clean up all the debris. "We've already asked you to stay at home for this virus but we're really stressing to stay at home," he was quoted saying by CNN.Footage from the scene shared by local media outlets showed that the tornado had obliterated buildings and mangled vehicles; it was reportedly so powerful that it sent debris flying more than 4 miles high. Multiple grocery stores, restaurants, and a Best Buy were reportedly hit by the twister. A National Weather Service spokesman told The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that he detected "quite a bit" of destruction from the tornado on social media in both Jonesboro and Paragould."This is a very life threatening situation right now," Paul Dellegatto, Fox 13's meteorologist, said in a live stream as the violent tornado was seen on video roaring through the area. "Get in your tornado safe spot immediately. This is businesses, this is homes. This is a major tornado. Look at the size of that debris being wafted. This is as dire of a situation that we could have," another meteorologist said.The tornado destroyed numerous houses and also reportedly derailed a train. It also struck Jonesboro Municipal Airport, according to the Democrat-Gazette.Rep. Rick Crawford (R-AR), who represents the first congressional district that includes the affected areas, said on Twitter that his family members and staff are safe. "The video and pictures are devastating," he added. "Reports of some trapped in buildings along the path. Please pray for those assisting and aiding those who have been hurt. Our hospitals are responding too."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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| Saudi intercepts missiles in attacks claimed by Yemen's Houthis Posted: 28 Mar 2020 02:00 PM PDT |
| 273 Americans stuck in Central America flown back to U.S. on ICE deportation flights Posted: 27 Mar 2020 07:47 PM PDT  Americans were brought back on the return legs of three ICE removal flights to Central America, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said.
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| FDA issues emergency authorization of anti-malaria drug for coronavirus care Posted: 29 Mar 2020 05:03 PM PDT  The drugs have been championed by President Donald Trump for treatment despite scant evidence.
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| Coronavirus: Cruise ship off Panama coast transfers passengers Posted: 29 Mar 2020 02:11 AM PDT  Healthy people on a cruise liner lying off Panama are being moved to another ship after four died.
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| Trump boosts virus aid, tells governors to be 'appreciative' Posted: 28 Mar 2020 08:40 AM PDT  After days of pleas from governors across the country, President Trump took steps to expand the federal government's role in helping produce critically needed supplies to fight the coronavirus pandemic and warned the leaders of hard-hit states not to cross him.
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| CEO of bailed-out United Airlines thanks America for 'vital public assistance' and pledges aircraft to deliver medical supplies throughout the world Posted: 28 Mar 2020 01:53 PM PDT  United CEO Oscar Munoz pledged several cargo flights to deliver critical medical supplies in the US and abroad at least 40 times per week.
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| The Latest: New York state surpasses 1,000 deaths Posted: 28 Mar 2020 10:10 PM PDT  For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death. — Trump extends stay-at-home guidelines for another 30 days. NEW YORK — New York state surpassed a grim milestone Sunday as its death toll from the coronavirus outbreak climbed above 1,000, less than a month after the first case was detected in the state.
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| Nordic Nations Tell Investment Bank to Lend at Maximum Level Posted: 28 Mar 2020 04:39 AM PDT |
| Iran extends prison furloughs as coronavirus death toll rises Posted: 29 Mar 2020 03:16 AM PDT  Iran's coronavirus death toll has risen to 2,640, a health ministry official said on Sunday, as the Middle East's worst-hit country grapples with the fast-spreading outbreak. "In the past 24 hours we had 123 deaths and 2,901 people have been infected, bringing the total number of infected people to 38,309," Alireza Vahabzadeh, an adviser to the health minister, said in a tweet. Health ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpur told state TV that 3,467 of those infected were in "critical condition".
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| Should travelers cancel their vacation to Mexico? Travel experts discuss the options. Posted: 28 Mar 2020 07:44 AM PDT  Travel agents say tourists should consider rebooking their trips to Mexico for later in the year rather than asking for a refund. Here's why.
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| Some governors have stepped up during coronavirus crisis, others not so much Posted: 29 Mar 2020 07:44 AM PDT  New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has "channeled the nation's yearning" for leadership, said one expert. But many Southern governors have stepped out of the way.
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| France steps up coronavirus evacuations from packed hospitals Posted: 29 Mar 2020 12:17 PM PDT  France on Sunday staged its largest evacuation of coronavirus patients to date from hospitals in the hard-hit east, increasing efforts to free up intensive care units as officials warned of an influx of serious cases in the coming days. Two specially equipped high-speed trains carried 36 patients from Mulhouse and Nancy toward hospitals along France's western coast, where the outbreak has been limited so far. Dozens of hospital workers, flanked by police and soldiers standing guard, spent hours installing four patients in each wagon in an operation that began before dawn.
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| The mystery behind Germany's low coronavirus death rate Posted: 27 Mar 2020 11:31 PM PDT  Experts see a number of possible reasons why Germany has fared better than Italy in the pandemic so far.
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| Coronavirus deaths fall again in Italy but lockdown extension looms Posted: 29 Mar 2020 11:11 AM PDT  The number of deaths from coronavirus in Italy fell for the second consecutive day on Sunday but the country still looked almost certain to see an extension of stringent containment measures. The Civil Protection department said 756 people had died in the last day, bringing the total to 10,779 - more than a third of all deaths from the virus worldwide. "The measures that were due to expire on April 3 inevitably will be extended," Regional Affairs Minister Francesco Boccia told Sky TG24 television.
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| QAnon Mom Charged With Kidnapping Her Kids Posted: 28 Mar 2020 02:01 AM PDT  A QAnon conspiracy theorist, fascinated with the crackpot legal theories of the anti-government "sovereign citizen" movement, allegedly kidnapped her two daughters last week. It is just the latest example of the growing and increasingly dangerous overlap between right-wing conspiracy theories and real-life violent crime.QAnon believers have been charged in the past with two murders, a terrorist incident near the Hoover Dam, and an incidence of church vandalism, all of which appear to have been motivated by their bizarre beliefs. Kentucky resident Neely Blanchard, whose two daughters are legally in their grandmother's sole custody, allegedly took the children from their grandmother's house in Logan County, Ky., on March 20, according to police. An amber alert sent out after the alleged abduction warned that Blanchard was armed with a handgun. Blanchard was eventually arrested early Thursday morning, and her two daughters were recovered unharmed. Blanchard now faces two kidnapping charges and two charges of custodial interference, according to Logan County Sheriff Stephen Stratton, who said that law enforcement officials traced her cellphone location to the home of a group of anti-government extremists known as sovereign citizens. What Is QAnon? The Craziest Theory of the Trump Era, ExplainedSovereign citizens believe in an elaborate set of legal theories that holds that American citizens can unilaterally use certain code phrases to proclaim that the United States government has no jurisdiction over them — and thus get out of hot water with the justice system. While these ideas have no actual force in law, a series of Facebook groups and YouTube personalities have promoted sovereign citizen theories to parents desperate to regain custody of their children, drawing them into the fringe movement. The FBI considers sovereign citizens a potential source of domestic terrorism. A 2018 Southern Poverty Law Center report found that sovereign citizens had killed six law enforcement officials since 2005. Blanchard, for example, is the moderator of a Facebook group called "E-Clause"—a hotbed for sovereign citizen legal discussion—and drives a car with an "ECLAUSE" license plate. While Blanchard avoided police, other sovereign citizen E-Clause supporters posted encouragingly on her Facebook page. E-Clause founder Kirk Pendergrass did not respond to a request for comment. While on the run with her children, Blanchard posted a "non-consent" statement on Facebook that appeared to be a reference to sovereign citizen ideas. "I do not consent, I do not contract, I do not acquiesce nor trade, or allow access or enquiry to my nor my children's Cestui que vie trust," Blanchard's strange statement read. "All deemed authorities are now notified & therefore have no legal jurisdiction against me, I am now not 'deemed dead lost at sea.'"The letter appears to be a sovereign citizen tactic meant to help Blanchard regain custody of her children and avoid kidnapping charges. Copies of the letter were also delivered to baffled legal officials around Logan County, according to Stratton. "She is claiming that she's a sovereign citizen, and she had actually sent letters to myself and the county attorney here stating those things," Stratton told The Daily Beast. According to her Facebook posts, Blanchard is also an ardent promoter of the QAnon conspiracy theory, a pro-Trump fringe movement that believes Trump is engaged in a shadowy war with a global cabal of pedophiles in the Democratic Party who eat children. Blanchard's Facebook account includes a number of QAnon-related memes, as well as pictures of her at Trump rallies wearing QAnon shirts referencing the QAnon idea that John F. Kennedy Jr. faked his death to help Trump defeat the deep state. QAnon is popular on the sovereign citizen child custody groups, in part because its believers claim that the government and child protective agencies are abusing the children they take from their parents' custody—an idea referenced in Blanchard's sovereign citizen letter. This isn't the first time a child custody dispute has had the potential to turn violent over QAnon. In January, the FBI arrested QAnon believer Cynthia Abcug in Montana for allegedly plotting to kidnap her son, who was not in her custody, with the help of another armed QAnon supporter. Abcug allegedly discussed people "dying" in a "raid" on the home where her son lived. Abcug had been on the run before her arrest, and became a cause célèbre on the same sort of sovereign citizen child custody Facebook groups that Blanchard belonged to. The hunt for Blanchard and her children was complicated by the coronavirus pandemic, according to Stratton. When officers arrived at the sovereign citizen home where Blanchard was allegedly hiding out with her daughters, several people in the house claimed to have fevers, in an apparent attempt to scare off law enforcement.Teen-Texting QAnon Creep Quits Campaign"From what we've been reading, they've been using the coronavirus epidemic as a government conspiracy theory type thing," Stratton said. Blanchard had previously tried to take another one of her children out of custody in 2013, after allegedly paying a friend 20 Xanax tablets to make a false abuse report. After Blanchard's arrest in Kentucky, a woman claiming to be one of her friends posted on her Facebook account describing the arrest. The woman complained that the sheriff's deputies ignored Blanchard's sovereign citizen legal document and arrested her anyway—a predictable outcome, given that sovereign citizen arguments have no relation to actual laws."We gave them the non-consent paper, showed it to them, it didn't matter," the woman said. 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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| Plane catches fire at Manila airport, killing all 8 aboard Posted: 29 Mar 2020 07:57 AM PDT  A plane carrying eight people, including an American and a Canadian, burst into flames Sunday while attempting to take off from Manila's airport on a flight bound for Japan, killing all those on board, officials said. The Westwind 24 plane, which was carrying six Filipino crew members and the American and Canadian passengers, was bound for Tokyo on a medical mission when it caught fire near the end of the main runway, Manila airport general manager Ed Monreal said. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said the aircraft apparently encountered an unspecified "problem which resulted in a fire" as it rolled to take off, adding its chief investigator was on the way to the scene.
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| Boris Johnson's government is reportedly furious with China and believes it could have 40 times more coronavirus cases than it claims Posted: 29 Mar 2020 12:52 AM PDT  UK government sources quoted on Sunday say China faces a "reckoning" over its handling of the coronavirus crisis.
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| Australia government says growth rate of coronavirus infection slows Posted: 28 Mar 2020 05:59 PM PDT  Australia's health minister said on Sunday there were "early, positive signs" of a slowdown in the growth rate in new coronavirus infections in the country, with the growth rate approximately halving over the past week. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the slower growth in new inflections showed social distancing measures were working. "This time last week the rate of increase on cases was up around 25% to 30% a day," Morrison told a press conference.
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| Coronavirus Ravages Europe, Spreads Across U.S.: Weekend Reads Posted: 28 Mar 2020 05:00 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. leapfrogged Italy and China for the most coronavirus cases worldwide, fueled by a large jump in New York, while governors of some of the hardest-hit states said the biggest federal stimulus program in history didn't go far enough for areas facing unprecedented financial pressure brought on by the pandemic.The virus rampaged across Europe, killing hundreds of people in Italy and Spain each day, while U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson tested positive for the infection and remains in self-isolation in Downing Street. It claimed the life of an African musical legend, Manu Dibango, at the age of 86. Dig deeper into these topics — and check out some others you may have missed — with the latest edition of Weekend Reads.Spanish Doctors Are Forced to Choose Who to Let Die From VirusWith Spain now a pandemic hot spot, people are dying in hospital waiting rooms before they can even be admitted. As Ben Sills and Laura Millan Lombrana explain, with some funeral services halted in the capital and no space left in the morgues, corpses are being stored at the main ice rink in the capital, Madrid. Trump Set Easter Target After Kushner Meeting, Seeing Empty PewsU.S. President Donald Trump's impatience to ease restrictions on Americans by the Easter holiday was touched off as he watched a sermon delivered by a prominent evangelical preacher to an empty megachurch, Justin Sink, Saleha Mohsin and Mario Parker report.As Governments Tout Virus Aid, Companies Struggle to Tap ItGovernments and central banks globally have pledged a dizzying $3 trillion — and counting — to offset the economic hit from the Covid-19 pandemic. But in the rush to reassure, administrations have stumbled in the rollout of measures, leaving companies increasingly anxious about accessing the aid. All Eyes on China's Wuhan for Way Back After LockdownsThe resumption of movement in and out of the original epicenter of the coronavirus, the Chinese city of Wuhan, scheduled for April 8, may serve as a template for markets the world over that have been affected by restraints on business operations. Rare Spat Between Chinese Diplomats Signals Split Over Trump An unusual public spat between two top Chinese diplomats signals an internal split in Beijing over how to handle rising tensions with a combative U.S. president. Virus Hands World Leaders Sweeping Powers They May Never Give UpLeaders on all levels are taking extraordinary measures to contain the coronavirus. But as Iain Marlow reports, while some are one-off moves, others can be much more invasive and potentially last long after the threat subsides.The Agony of Caring for a Dying Parent During the PandemicMarc Champion writes about how caring for a dying parent has become much more complicated and fearful in the time of the coronavirus pandemic.Social Distancing a Luxury That Workers on $2 a Day Can't AffordThe quandary facing India's informal workforce of 450 million people is one of the starkest examples of how social inequality threatens to undermine virus containment efforts around the world. Bibhudatta Pradhan and Archana Chaudhary explain.Argentina Sacrifices Economy to Ward Off Virus, Winning PraiseArgentine President Alberto Fernandez faced a stark choice: protect the economy or his citizens' lives. As Patrick Gillespie and Jorgelina do Rosario report, he chose saving lives.Refugee Camps Housing Millions Brace for Virus Running WildSocial distancing and even clean water needed to keep the coronavirus at bay are luxuries few of the world's 30 million refugees can afford. As Saud Abu Ramadan and David Wainer write, with health-care systems and employment opportunities already under severe strain, camps for those fleeing conflict and poverty are potential breeding grounds for the pandemic.And finally … Manu Dibango, the Afro-Jazz star best known for his hit single "Soul Makossa," died in Paris after contracting the coronavirus at the age of 86. The Cameroon-born Dibango was a member of the seminal Congolese rumba group African Jazz and well known for his collaborations with the late Nigerian Afrobeat star Fela Kuti and South African gospel group Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Pius Lukong and Hilton Shone report. Fellow musician Ateh Francis described him as a "a fatherly figure who was always ready to advise, hold the hand of younger musicians and lead them to success." 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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