| Coronavirus truthers prey on the anxiety of the moment Posted: 16 Mar 2020 11:55 AM PDT  As the global coronavirus outbreak continues to shutter businesses and schools across America and upend the stock market, a number of commentators on the right have been busily floating conspiracy theories about what's behind the outbreak.
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| Former California congressman Hunter gets 11 months in corruption case Posted: 17 Mar 2020 02:44 PM PDT  Former U.S. Representative Duncan Hunter, who pleaded guilty to a charge of campaign finance fraud, was sentenced on Tuesday to 11 months in federal prison in a corruption case that ended the California Republican's once-promising political career. Hunter, 43, whose conviction set off a scramble within the Republican Party to succeed him while seemingly boosting Democrats' chances to gain his seat, was ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons on May 29. Following completion of his 11-month term behind bars, Hunter is to remain under supervised release - the federal equivalent of probation - for three years, U.S. District Judge Thomas Whelan in San Diego ruled.
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| Masks, gloves don't stop coronavirus spread: experts Posted: 17 Mar 2020 09:30 AM PDT  Wearing masks and gloves as a precaution against coronavirus is ineffective, unnecessary for the vast majority of people, and may even spread infections faster, experts said Tuesday. While near-total lockdowns have been imposed in Italy, Spain and now France, the World Health Organization's advice has remained unchanged since the start of the global outbreak: wash your hands, don't touch your face, and keep your distance. The WHO says it is advisable to wear a protective mask in public if you suspect you are infected or someone you are caring for is, in which case the advice is to stay home whenever possible.
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| Joe Biden’s Plan to Shut Down the Firearms Industry Posted: 17 Mar 2020 03:30 AM PDT  As Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders continue to trade blows over who is more equipped to supposedly deliver a knockout punch to the firearms industry, the former vice president has zeroed in on the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) — the law preventing frivolous lawsuits that seek to blame members of the firearms industry for the criminal misuse of legal, lawfully sold, non-defective firearms.Biden is swinging wide to do this, making wild and false claims. Before the debate in South Carolina, he told the state's gun manufacturers, "I'm coming for you, and I'm taking you down." He liked the tough talk enough that he reiterated from the debate stage, "And I want to tell you, if I'm elected . . . gun manufacturers, I'm going to take you on and I'm going to beat you."Biden's end goal is ultimately to repeal the 2005 PLCAA. This law, passed with overwhelming bipartisan support and signed by President George W. Bush, ended the politically driven lawsuits aimed at bankrupting the firearms industry. Biden and Sanders want to revive the tactic as they pursue the White House, and they're using disproven and false claims to make their case.The PLCAA stopped a series of "public nuisance" lawsuits by activist mayors in big cities against firearms manufacturers over the crimes committed by individuals. That law doesn't grant immunity, but it prevents others from shifting the blame from criminals to a manufacturer. The firearms manufacturer is no more liable for the crime committed by an individual than Home Depot would be if someone committed murder with a hammer. The PLCAA does nothing more than defend an industry that has been targeted by a series of baseless, politically motivated lawsuits.Yet Biden still falsely claims that this gives firearms manufacturers blanket immunity. Both manufacturers and firearms retailers can be, and are, held responsible for harm caused by defective products, breach of contract, criminal misconduct, or other actions for which they are directly responsible, the same as any other product manufacturer.Jonathan Turley, the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University, underscored this when he wrote, in an op-ed for The Hill, "Product liability and tort actions against manufacturers have uniformly and correctly been rejected by the courts. Guns are lawful products, and holding companies liable for later misuse of such products is absurd. You might as well sue an axe manufacturer for the Lizzy Borden murders."Biden claims, as Hillary Clinton falsely tried to claim before him in 2016, that these protections are unique. In fact, manufacturers of medical devices, the airline industries, and even online service and content providers are protected from frivolous lawsuits when defamatory information is posted by others. Biden attacks the PLCAA knowing full well that individuals who commit crimes are responsible for them. His argument is just a façade for gun control that he can't achieve through legislation.The sad part is that Biden chose to attack an industry that has grown 171 percent since 2008 and currently employs more than 312,000 Americans from all walks of life in communities across the nation. He's coming after firearms manufacturers that paid $6.8 billion in total taxes and had a total economic impact of more than $52 billion.He's claiming that the men and women who work in the factories, those who produce the firearms not just for law-abiding Americans to exercise their rights but also for our U.S. Armed Forces and law-enforcement officials, are enemies of our society. He argues that he's the champion of the blue-collar worker, yet he wants to destroy a growing industry that provides over $15.7 billion in worker wages. He insists that he wants to restore America, but he mocks and denigrates the more than 100 million law-abiding Americans who own, carry, and use their guns frequently without incident.Biden and the Democrats who endorse him all know that the PLCAA doesn't offer firearms manufacturers unique protections. The law that prevents them from driving politically motivated lawsuits is rock solid. Biden's anger is reflective of his frustration that the courts won't allow him to bankrupt an industry to prove his political bias against Second Amendment freedoms.
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| Romney proposes giving $1,000 to every U.S. adult to stem coronavirus impact Posted: 15 Mar 2020 11:52 PM PDT  Romney said it would help ensure families and workers can meet short-term financial obligations and boost spending.
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| 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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| French people ignored officials' warnings to isolate themselves because of the coronavirus. Now they need a form to leave the house. Posted: 17 Mar 2020 04:26 AM PDT  People in France must have a document justifying why they're outside, even just for a walk or to go to a shop, after they refused to stay indoors.
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| China urges U.S. to lift sanctions on Iran amid coronavirus outbreak Posted: 16 Mar 2020 12:27 PM PDT  China on Monday urged the United States to lift sanctions on Iran immediately during the Middle Eastern country's response to the coronavirus outbreak.
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| US sued to stop deportation of 3 children to El Salvador Posted: 17 Mar 2020 09:39 AM PDT |
| Trump says coronavirus pandemic could bring on a recession Posted: 16 Mar 2020 02:49 PM PDT  Asked whether the country was heading for an economic recession, the president said "it may be," although he also said he expected the economy to recover quickly once the health emergency passes.
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| Nine-year-old Florida girl's remains found four years after she vanished Posted: 17 Mar 2020 11:14 AM PDT  A friend of Diana Alvarez's family made "admissions" that put him with her on the morning she went missing. He also told investigators that he had a sexual relationship with the girl.
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| The 20 Best Gifts for Mom on Mother’s Day Posted: 17 Mar 2020 12:18 PM PDT |
| Durham Probe Expected to Conclude in Summer, May Be Delayed by Coronavirus Outbreak Posted: 17 Mar 2020 05:47 AM PDT  U.S. Attorney John Durham, the head of a criminal probe into the origins of the Russiagate investigation, is expected to wrap up his investigation by the end of the summer.Durham's work could wrap up anywhere from July to September, and could be slowed by the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S., Fox News reported Monday. Another source told Fox News last month that Durham has yet to interview former CIA Director John Brennan and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R., Ohio) said last week that Durham's investigation "is due to be completed sometime this summer." Last month, Representative Doug Collins (R., Ga.) said that Durham will not be releasing a report, like former special counsel Robert Mueller, but will likely use indictments to signal his conclusion."When he's ready to charge people, he'll charge people," Collins told Fox News. "And that's when we'll know."Attorney General William Barr said in December that Durham "is looking at all the conduct both before and after the election.""He's not just looking at the FBI, he's looking at other agencies, and departments, and also private actors, so it's a much broader investigation," Barr stated. The comments came after Durham released a rare public statement to say his team did "not agree with" DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz's conclusions regarding the origins of the FBI's 2016 Russia probe.Part of Durham's focus is a 2017 intelligence community assessment that detailed Russian interference in the 2016 election, and stated that Vladimir Putin "ordered an influence campaign" that "aspired to help" Trump and discredit Clinton.Former National Security Agency director and retired Admiral Michael Rogers, who was the "lone exception" in giving moderate confidence to the IC's report — compared to the CIA and FBI's high confidence — reportedly "has cooperated voluntarily" with Durham's probe.
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| There's reportedly 'a lot of pressure' on Biden to pick Warren as running mate Posted: 17 Mar 2020 02:50 PM PDT  One thing is clear about former Vice President Joe Biden's potential running mate: he's going to pick a woman. But there are several candidates for the job that present intriguing arguments for his campaign advisers, Politico reports.Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), for example is an oft-touted name, as she would appeal to African American voters, who have carried Biden's campaign into the driver's seat. Plus, the two get along well, despite clashing in earlier debates when Harris was still campaigning herself.Another former contender, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), could make sense because she could help reel in the sought-after Rust Belt votes that are likely to be so crucial in the November election.But there's also Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) It's no secret Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) both desperately want Warren's endorsement, but it may be somewhat of a surprise to hear that Biden's team is facing "a lot of pressure" to add her to the ticket, an adviser said. Warren and Biden don't line up too precisely on policy — the former tends to veer more in the progressive lane — but Biden has made some overtures recently, including supporting her bankruptcy reform plan, so it's possible she's under legitimate consideration for the opening. Read more at Politico.More stories from theweek.com The conservatives who would sacrifice the elderly to save the economy Trump says he knew coronavirus was a 'pandemic long before it was called' one. Two weeks ago he called it a 'hoax.' The economy is crashing again. This time, let's bail out ordinary Americans.
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| India shuts Taj Mahal; Pakistan cases rise after quarantine errors Posted: 16 Mar 2020 09:56 PM PDT  MUMBAI/KARACHI (Reuters) - India closed the Taj Mahal, its principal tourist site, and the financial hub of Mumbai ordered offices providing non-essential services to keep half their staff at home in increased measures to curb the coronavirus in South Asia. Mumbai, a metropolis of 18 million people, also authorised hospital and airport authorities to stamp the wrists of those ordered to self-isolate with indelible ink reading "Home Quarantined" and displaying the date the quarantine ends. There have been concerns that over-stretched health systems in India and the region could struggle to handle a surge in cases.
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| Saudi halts prayers in mosques over coronavirus Posted: 17 Mar 2020 12:44 PM PDT  Saudi Arabia on Tuesday suspended prayers inside all its mosques except the holiest two sites in Islam as it steps up efforts to contain the new coronavirus, state media reported. Mosques will be temporarily shut for the five daily Islamic prayers as well as the weekly Friday prayers, the official Saudi Press Agency said, citing the council of senior scholars -- the kingdom's highest religious body. It said mosques would continue to issue the ritual call to prayer.
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| Increasingly dark internet trends reveal a growing cynicism about the coronavirus pandemic and our future Posted: 17 Mar 2020 01:28 PM PDT  As the crisis drags on, the tone of Twitter's trending hashtags has gone from light-hearted to panic mode.
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| 'We are at war': France's president just announced a 15-day lockdown, banning public gatherings and walks outdoors Posted: 16 Mar 2020 12:28 PM PDT  France's president, Emmanuel Macron, announced on Monday a 15-day lockdown prohibiting residents from leaving their homes unless absolutely necessary.
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| These countries are doing the best and worst jobs fighting coronavirus Posted: 17 Mar 2020 12:15 PM PDT  Many nations are now taking strict measures to contain and mitigate the viral pandemic. Who's getting it right, or wrong?
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| COVID-19 stay: Execution halted for man who killed family Posted: 16 Mar 2020 02:18 PM PDT  The outbreak of the novel coronavirus prompted the top Texas criminal appeals court on Monday to stay for 60 days the scheduled execution of a man condemned for killing his family. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals rejected all grounds of John William Hummel's appeal but said it would postpone the scheduled Wednesday execution "in light of the current health crisis and the enormous resources needed to address the execution." Hummel, 44, was convicted in 2011 of capital murder in the December 2009 fatal stabbing of his pregnant wife, Joy Hummel, 45, and fatal bludgeoning of his father-in-law, Clyde Bedford, 57, with a baseball bat.
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| 'We have a responsibility': Fox News declares coronavirus a crisis in abrupt U-turn Posted: 17 Mar 2020 12:24 PM PDT  Hosts encourage viewers to practice social distancing after weeks of downplaying the pandemic as an attack on the presidentFox News, the rightwing channel that is a favorite of Donald Trump and conservatives across the US, spent the first weeks of the Covid-19 outbreak downplaying the threat of the virus.Hosts often claimed that those warning of the danger were "panic pushers", or engaged in "mass hysteria". Some on Fox News even claimed it was all an effort to try to bring down the president.But in recent days Fox News has performed an abrupt U-turn, and declared coronavirus a crisis.On Tuesday, the three hosts of Fox & Friends, Fox News' flagship morning program and a known favorite of Trump, co-hosted the show while practising social distancing, appearing on a split screen instead of their usual format of sitting together on a couch."We have a responsibility to slow down this virus and to think of other people during this time," Ainsley Earhardt told viewers. "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."Three days earlier, Earnhardt struck a different tone, when she suggested people should take advantage of the crisis to take a trip."It's actually the safest time to fly," Earhardt had said. "Everyone I know that's flying right now, terminals are pretty much dead – ghost towns."In minimizing the threat, Earhardt and her colleagues had been echoing Trump's own response to coronavirus, which initially was to repeatedly downplay its impact. Yet one by one, Fox News hosts and personalities have fallen in line with doctors, health experts and science, in judging the coronavirus outbreak to be severe.On 10 March Sean Hannity, Fox News' most-watched host and a personal friend to Trump, accused the left of creating "hysteria". He attempted to downplay Covid-19 by comparing it to the flu, and also suggested the Democratic frontrunner, Joe Biden, was using it as an excuse to cancel rallies.Hannity's outlook had changed by last Friday."This virus is serious," Hannity said. "We've been telling you that from day one. We need to take the flu seriously. We need to take cancer seriously, this virus seriously. Of course, we all need to prepare accordingly."There are signs that the shift is supported, or mandated, by Fox News executives. On Friday, Trish Regan's show on Fox Business, which is owned by Fox News Media and echoes the conservative tone of the Fox News channel, was suspended after Regan offered a particularly strident avalanche of misinformation on air.As the graphic: "Coronavirus impeachment hoax" appeared on screen, Regan claimed Democrats had created "mass hysteria to encourage a market sell-off".Regan added: "Many in the liberal media [are] using [the] coronavirus to demonize and destroy the president."She also claimed the left was using "melodrama" in its response, and questioned why there was not the same response to Sars and Ebola, which she said were "far more deadly". While they did have a higher mortality rate, only 8,000 people contracted Sars and 33,500 Ebola. As of Monday, 167,000 people have contracted Covid-19, in at least 150 countries."Why the melodrama?" she asked. "I'll give you two words: Donald Trump."In a development that illustrates the strange times we find ourselves in, usually-controversial conservative host Tucker Carlson has been credited as one of the few Fox News personalities to treat the coronavirus seriously.Carlson, who in the past has demonized immigrants and described white supremacy as a hoax, criticized those making light of coronavirus more than a week ago, describing it as a "major event"."People you trust, people you probably voted for, have spent weeks minimizing what is clearly a very serious problem," Carlson told viewers on 9 March, at the same time other Fox News hosts, and Trump, were doing that very thing."It's just partisan politics, they say: 'Calm down. In the end, this is just like the flu and people die from that every year. Coronavirus will pass, and when it does, we will feel foolish for worrying about it.'"That's their position. But they're wrong."The median age of a prime-time Fox News viewer is 66, meaning many viewers fall into the most at-risk category for complications from the coronavirus.Carlson, who with Hannity makes up a cadre of Fox News hosts-cum-informal Trump advisers, reportedly took his concerns straight to the president earlier in March. Trump finally seemed to acknowledge the seriousness of the coronavirus on Monday, just as Fox News did the same. Whether the same sober tone lasts over the coming months remains to be seen.
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| Romney Suggests One-Time $1000 Payment to Every American to Help Offset Coronavirus Impact Posted: 16 Mar 2020 11:04 AM PDT  Senator Mitt Romney (R., Utah) released a coronavirus economic response proposal that calls for a one-time $1,000 payment to every American to offset the economic fallout from the pandemic."Every American adult should immediately receive $1,000 to help ensure families and workers can meet their short-term obligations and increase spending in the economy," Romney said. "Congress took similar action during the 2001 and 2008 recessions. While expansions of paid leave, unemployment insurance, and SNAP benefits are crucial, the check will help fill the gaps for Americans that may not quickly navigate different government options."Romney also echoed Republican colleagues in the Senate, who have expressed concern that the House bill does not go far enough, but said that it contains "critical measures" and should be voted on it quickly."We also urgently need to build on this legislation with additional action to help families and small businesses meet their short-term financial obligations, ease the financial burden on students entering the workforce, and protect health workers on the front lines and their patients by improving telehealth services," he stated.President Trump's economic adviser Larry Kudlow did not rule out the idea of targeted cash payments to assist Americans, telling CNN that the White House "might" support that directive."The answer: 'could be,'" Kudlow said.Senator Tom Cotton (R., Ark.) then tweeted that he is "working on legislation to get cash stipends to affected workers and their families so they can buy food and pay the bills during this crisis."> I'm working on legislation to get cash stipends to affected workers and their families so they can buy food and pay the bills during this crisis, plus help to small and mid-sized businesses weather the storm. Now is the time to avoid Italy's fate. Here are some needful steps:> > -- Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) March 16, 2020The proposal of $1,000 payments to Americans was recently popularized by former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang, who built his campaign around a universal basic income of $1,000-a-month.Although Romney's proposal does not go as far and advocates for a simple one-time payment, Yang retweeted news of the proposal.
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| Mexico rejects El Salvador accusation it let coronavirus patients board plane Posted: 16 Mar 2020 03:30 PM PDT  Mexico rejected an accusation by Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele on Monday that it had allowed a dozen people with coronavirus to board a flight to San Salvador, saying medical staff had found no evidence of the virus on the travelers. Earlier, Bukele abruptly suspended all passenger flights to San Salvador after making his assertion on Twitter, describing Mexican authorities as "irresponsible." The Salvadoran president did not provide evidence for the claim, which Mexican Deputy Health Minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell said turned out to be "totally false."
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| US Forces-Korea says combat approach to COVID-19 is working Posted: 17 Mar 2020 02:27 PM PDT  The Army's combat approach to attacking the virus is working, U.S. Forces-Korea leaders say.
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| Coronavirus: What are your rights if working from home? Posted: 17 Mar 2020 09:14 AM PDT  Self-isolation and home working are rising, but what are the pay and conditions rights of those urged to do it.
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| 'People Are Dying Left and Right.' Inside Iran's Struggle to Contain Its Coronavirus Outbreak Posted: 17 Mar 2020 09:41 AM PDT  Iran's overwhelmed health system is already finding echoes around the world
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| Migrants waiting at US-Mexico border at risk of coronavirus, health experts warn Posted: 17 Mar 2020 11:39 AM PDT  Coronavirus fears are growing among nonprofits and attorneys who monitor migrants waiting in Mexico for court dates in the U.S.
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| Coronavirus: Texas man's execution postponed as LA releases 600 inmates to prevent infections Posted: 17 Mar 2020 07:04 AM PDT  A Texas death row inmate has had his execution postponed for 60 days by an appeals court that found that simply carrying out his sentence could itself risk spreading the coronavirus.The decision comes as the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said it had released some 600 prisoners to help keep the virus from sweeping through its jails, and that it would limit the number of people arrested for minor offences.
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| Trump rates his coronavirus response a 10 Posted: 16 Mar 2020 01:39 PM PDT  President Trump on Monday rated his response to the growing coronavirus outbreak in the United States a 10.
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| Op-Ed: Can Biden beat Trump? Michigan's swing districts offer good clues Posted: 17 Mar 2020 03:00 AM PDT  Biden won the Michigan primary with a big turnout, including in districts that went heavily for Donald Trump in 2016.
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| Venezuela seeks emergency $5 billion IMF loan to fight virus Posted: 17 Mar 2020 11:50 AM PDT  Venezuela said Tuesday it is seeking an emergency $5 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund, appealing to an institution it has long vilified to cope with the fallout from the new coronavirus on its already collapsed oil economy. The request came in a letter to IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva signed by President Nicolás Maduro. Venezuela is believed to be the first country to try to tap the $50 billion in financing the IMF has available to help developing nations deal with the virus, and the appeal underscores the precarious state of the socialist government's finances.
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| Airlines are begging for a bailout, but they've used 96% of their cash on buybacks over the past 10 years. It highlights an ongoing controversy over how companies have been spending their money. Posted: 17 Mar 2020 03:35 PM PDT  Companies of all types have long been accused of using excess capital to enrich shareholders over all else.
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| McConnell to unhappy GOP senators: 'Gag and vote for' House coronavirus bill Posted: 17 Mar 2020 01:01 PM PDT  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) understands some of his Republican colleagues aren't pleased with the House's coronavirus relief bill, but he's not particularly concerned about their feelings right now in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. In fact, he wants them to "gag" and vote for it anyway.> Mitch McConnell tells Senate Republicans to "gag and vote" for the coronavirus bill that passed the House, even if they think there are shortcomings to it. pic.twitter.com/VU4RP0LoCk> > -- Oliver Willis (@owillis) March 17, 2020Any issues they have, he said, can be addressed in the bill the Senate is in the process is crafting.Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), at least, agrees with McConnell. He described the House's bill as "imperfect," but said there's no time to butt heads over it.> Senator @LindseyGrahamSC, a close ally of President Trump, just now on the House passed coronavirus bill: "It is time for the Senate to pass the House bill as imperfect as it is. Everyday that we wait slows down the recovery."> > -- Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) March 17, 2020As for the Senate's bill, McConnell said it'll get done no matter what -- he won't adjourn the upper chamber until they hammer something even bolder out. > It is my intention that the Senate will not adjourn until we have passed significant and bold new steps, above and beyond what the House passed, to help our strong nation and our strong underlying economy weather this storm.> > -- Leader McConnell (@senatemajldr) March 17, 2020More stories from theweek.com The conservatives who would sacrifice the elderly to save the economy Trump says he knew coronavirus was a 'pandemic long before it was called' one. Two weeks ago he called it a 'hoax.' The economy is crashing again. This time, let's bail out ordinary Americans.
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| A New York Department of Correction employee has died from the coronavirus Posted: 16 Mar 2020 02:22 PM PDT  David Perez, who had preexisting health conditions, died Sunday, according to the New York Daily News.
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| Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe 'so happy' for temporary release due to coronavirus Posted: 17 Mar 2020 09:49 AM PDT  Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe on Tuesday described being "so happy" after being temporarily released from the "hell" of Iranian prison she has been confined in for four years as part of emergency measures to curb the country's raging coronavirus epidemic. Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian mother of one from north London who has been incarcerated since 2016 on charges of trying to overthrow the regime, was released on a two-week furlough from Tehran's Evin prison on Monday afternoon as authorities sought to clear crowded jails where the virus could spread. She is obliged to wear an electronic tag and her movements will be restricted to 300m from her parents' Tehran home, where she will spend the next fortnight. "I am so happy to be out. Even with the ankle tag, I am so happy. Being out is so much better than being in – if you knew what hell this place is. It is mental. Let us hope it will be the beginning of coming home," she said in a statement released by her family. "My thinking is that they want to keep me, but outside of prison until they sort out this thing. But to be honest, I just want to go home. I think they are showing a good gesture, as they are hoping to strike a deal. So they want to keep me out. If the deal won't happen, then they will drag me back in. But if it does, then they will let me go from here." Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary said: "While this is a welcome step, we urge the government now to release all UK dual nationals arbitrarily detained in Iran, and enable them to return to their families in the UK." It is unclear whether the move to grant furlough to Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe heralds a readiness to allow her to return home. Her family have previously been wary of offers of furlough in case it could be used by authorities as a tool to apply psychological pressure. The last time it was granted, for three days in in August 2018, she was subjected to harassing telephone calls from her interrogators and then denied a promised extension and returned to prison at short notice. Monday's decision followed months of back-and forth diplomacy and appears to be have been subject to weeks of internal debate inside the Iranian government.
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| New Arizona poll shows Biden leading Sanders by 20 points and beating Trump in general election Posted: 16 Mar 2020 04:54 AM PDT  Among Arizonan voters likely to vote in the Democratic primary on Tuesday, 51% said they would vote for Biden, and 31% for Sanders.
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| Cost of upgrading Arleigh Burke destroyers may not be worth it, says US Navy Posted: 17 Mar 2020 12:24 PM PDT  The U.S. Navy says upgrading the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers may not be worth the money, but the move has support in Congress.
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| How will the coronavirus travel ban work? Yahoo News Explains Posted: 16 Mar 2020 08:20 AM PDT  In an effort to combat the coronavirus pandemic, President Trump announced a 30-day ban on travel from Europe to the U.S. beginning Friday, March 13, at 11:59 p.m. EDT. There was immediately a lot of confusion, and questions about what exactly the travel ban entails. Yahoo News Reporter Rebecca Corey explains what you need to know about the coronavirus travel ban.
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| What's Happening: Virus moves west, 'Big Brother' gets real Posted: 17 Mar 2020 04:06 AM PDT  Borders have slammed shut, schools and businesses have closed and increasingly draconian restrictions on movement have been enforced to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. Caseloads outside China now outnumber those inside its borders. Countries including Canada, Malaysia, Russia and Switzerland announced sharp new restrictions on the movement of people across their borders.
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| Guatemala turns tables, blocking U.S. deportations because of coronavirus Posted: 17 Mar 2020 10:47 AM PDT  Guatemala, turning the tables on President Trump, halts deportation flights from the U.S. and closes its borders because of the coronavirus.
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| Special Report: 'All is well'. In Italy, triage and lies for virus patients Posted: 16 Mar 2020 01:14 PM PDT  At that time, doctors in the intensive care unit of Policlinico San Donato phone relatives of the unit's 25 critically-ill coronavirus patients, all of whom are sedated and have tubes down their throats to breathe, to update the families. Lunchtime used to be for visiting hours at this Milan hospital. When the doctors make the calls, they try not to give false hope: They know that one out of two patients in intensive care with the disease caused by the virus is likely to die.
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| Paid sick leave could be a sticking point as Senate considers coronavirus relief bill Posted: 16 Mar 2020 06:35 AM PDT  The Senate is expected this week to pass a coronavirus relief bill that has President Trump's approval, but it could potentially be held up a bit.The House of Representatives early on Saturday passed an economic relief bill negotiated between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Trump said he "fully" supports the bill, which provides free coronavirus testing and requires companies with fewer than 500 employees provide paid sick leave. The Senate is expected to pass the coronavirus bill after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) canceled a planned recess. But Bloomberg reports that action could be delayed "up to several days" as the bill is "running into resistance from some Republicans worried about the impact of a temporary paid sick leave provision on small businesses."Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) is one of those senators objecting paid sick leave provision, saying he hopes the Senate passes a "bill that does more good than harm — or, if it won't, pass nothing at all." Bloomberg notes that "Senate rules allow any one senator to delay a final vote for days." Mnuchin said over the weekend said "we'll work with the Senate on whatever minor changes we need."In addition, Bloomberg reports the House has to "pass technical corrections to the bill, which was drafted on the fly," which "adds another wrinkle that could slow final action in the Senate."More stories from theweek.com The economy is crashing again. This time, let's bail out ordinary Americans. The conservatives who would sacrifice the elderly to save the economy Coronavirus is exposing America's shameful selfish streak
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| Videos showing Miami Beach arrests of black spring breakers slammed as racist by NAACP Posted: 17 Mar 2020 03:36 PM PDT  "In these videos, black students are met with extremely aggressive policing from officers," said Ruban Roberts, president of the Miami-Dade chapter of the NAACP.
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| Trump flicked a Google statement onto the floor during a live press conference in an apparent rebuke of a botched coronavirus website rollout Posted: 16 Mar 2020 05:25 AM PDT  "I'm sure you'll apologize," Trump said to reporters, as he threw Google's statement onto the floor.
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