| Trump calls Ahmaud Arbery killing 'heartbreaking' but cautions about 'empty spot on the tape' Posted: 11 May 2020 03:28 PM PDT  President Trump said Monday that a video showing two white men in Georgia gunning down and killing an African-American jogger is "heartbreaking," though he left open the possibility that "an empty spot on the tape" might reveal more information in the case.
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| Iran warship accidentally 'hit by missile' during exercises Posted: 10 May 2020 11:31 PM PDT  An Iranian warship was accidentally hit by a missile during exercises in the Gulf of Oman, killing at least one, state television said Monday, amid tensions with the US in the waterway. One report said the vessel had sunk after being hit by a missile fired by another Iranian warship. "The vessel was hit after moving a practice target to its destination and not creating enough distance between itself and the target," state television said on its website.
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| U.S. House Democrats float $3 trillion coronavirus bill, Republicans reject it Posted: 12 May 2020 08:39 AM PDT  Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday unveiled a $3 trillion-plus coronavirus relief package with funding for states, businesses, food support and families, only to see the measure flatly rejected by Senate Republicans. The new legislation, which would more than double Congress's financial response to the crisis, includes nearly $1 trillion in long-sought assistance for state and local governments that are bearing the brunt of a pandemic that has infected 1,359,000 in the United States and killed at least 80,600. It also includes $75 billion for testing people for the novel coronavirus, direct payments of up to $6,000 per U.S. household, $10 billion in emergency grants for small business and $25 billion for the U.S. Postal Service.
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| Russian president's spokesman hospitalized with coronavirus Posted: 12 May 2020 05:41 AM PDT  Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has been hospitalized with the coronavirus, the latest in a series of setbacks for President Vladimir Putin as Russia struggles to contain the growing outbreak. Also infected was Peskov's wife, Olympic ice dancing champion Tatyana Navka. The Tass news agency quoted Peskov saying he last saw Putin in person "more than a month ago."
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| Nearly one-third of Americans believe a coronavirus vaccine exists and is being withheld, survey finds Posted: 12 May 2020 07:18 AM PDT  The Democracy Fund + UCLA Nationscape Project found some misinformation about the coronavirus is more widespread that you might think.
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| Coronavirus: California rodeo attracts thousands despite social distancing orders Posted: 11 May 2020 03:58 AM PDT  Thousands attended a rodeo in California despite state orders against public gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic, it has been reported.Crowds could be seen packed tightly in the stands at Sunday's annual Cottonwood Rodeo in rural Shasta County, after local police said they would not enforce the state's lockdown orders.
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| Venezuela detains 40 suspects after failed Maduro 'kidnap attempt' Posted: 12 May 2020 07:49 AM PDT  * Three captured west of Caracas are latest 'terrorists' arrested * Advisers to opposition leader Juan Guaidó linked to raid resign Nicolás Maduro's security forces have continued their roundup of alleged participants in last week's botched attempt to capture him, with the arrest of three Venezuelan men just west of the capital.The trio was reportedly seized in Carayaca, 35 miles from Caracas in the early hours of Monday, taking the number of detentions to more than 40. The official Twitter account of Venezuela's Bolivarian national guard claimed the men were "terrorists who entered the country intending to provoke violence".On Sunday the army chief, Remigio Ceballos, announced the capture of another eight "enemies of the fatherland" who were pictured kneeling down before a cluster of rifle-toting troops.Eight people were reportedly killed when a group of about 60 mercenaries, including two United States citizens, launched their botched sea raid on 2 May.One of the captured American attackers, Airan Berry, last week claimed, possibly under duress, that the group had been tasked with raiding Maduro's presidential palace and seizing a local airport in order to spirit him out of the country. Many of the group are reportedly being held in El Helicoide, Venezuela's most notorious political prison.The failed raid has proved a propaganda boon for Maduro, who has long claimed he was the subject of an imperialist, US-sponsored assassination plot.Maduro has spent the last 16 months fighting off a challenge from the young opposition leader Juan Guaidó, who more than 50 foreign governments recognize as Venezuela's legitimate interim leader.For Guaidó, who for a time last year looked poised to topple Maduro, recent events threaten to permanently derail his push for political change.Guaidó has denied any involvement in the failed mission to capture Maduro. But two of his advisers, the Miami-based strategist Juan José Rendón and the opposition lawmaker Sergio Vergara, are alleged to have signed a $212m contract with Jordan Goudreau, the former Green Beret behind the raid.Vergara and Rendón – who has admitted meeting Goudreau last year and paying him $50,000 in expenses – resigned from Guaidó's team on Monday.In his first interview since the incident, Guaidó tried to put on a brave face, insisting his campaign continued. "What happened last weekend," Guaidó said, "was regrettable."But some suspect the opposition leader, from whom support has been gradually draining away, is running out of steam."I'm sure Maduro and his people are quite thrilled about the way this turned out. This really works for them," said David Smilde, a Venezuela specialist at the Washington Office on Latin America."It just adds into this continual erosion of people's perception of Guaidó as an effective leader, and they are thinking: 'Well, maybe Maduro is not actually as much of a rube as we thought.'"
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| 'We did our time': Colorado restaurant defies state order, reopens to packed crowds Posted: 11 May 2020 01:49 PM PDT  As states prepare to lift restrictions on businesses such as bars and restaurants, scenes that played out in several states on Mother's Day weekend shows how doing so safely amid the coronavirus pandemic may prove to be challenging.
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| China cuts Australian beef imports after warning against virus probe Posted: 12 May 2020 02:50 AM PDT  China suspended imports from four major Australian beef suppliers Tuesday, just weeks after Beijing's ambassador warned of a consumer boycott in retaliation for Canberra's push to probe the origins of the coronavirus. Analysts said the move raised concerns of a possible standoff between Australia and its most important trading partner that could spill over into other crucial sectors as it struggles to navigate the disease-induced economic crisis. Federal Trade Minister Simon Birmingham said shipments of meat from four abattoirs had been suspended over "minor technical" breaches related to Chinese health and labelling certificate requirements.
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| At least 4,500 Tyson workers have caught COVID-19, with 18 dying. The meat giant still doesn't offer paid sick leave, as the industry blames workers for outbreaks. Posted: 11 May 2020 08:09 AM PDT  An analysis by Business Insider found at least 4,585 cases of COVID-19 and 18 deaths linked to Tyson. The company still doesn't offer paid sick leave.
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| Governor Cuomo: This Is Why You’re Wrong to ‘Reimagine Education’ After COVID-19 Posted: 11 May 2020 05:15 AM PDT  A counselor responds to Governor Cuomo's plans on "reimagining education" after the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and why student mental health is at risk.
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| 1 of these 7 women will likely be Joe Biden's running mate Posted: 12 May 2020 02:55 AM PDT  If you're like me, you sometimes wake up and remember to your horror that we are in fact going to have a presidential election in November. The Democratic National Convention, in whatever form it is eventually held, is still months away. But sooner or later, presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden is going to have to announce his running mate. Barring an extraordinary about-face, we can assume that Biden is going to select a woman. Given the concerns about Biden's age and health, I think it's fair to say that she will be someone a plurality of Democrats would be happy to see at the top of the ticket as well.Here are seven candidates whose names are currently being discussed, with varying degrees of seriousness.7\. Stacey AbramsAs far as I can tell, the name of the woman who lost the governor's race in Georgia in 2018 is being floated mostly because she really wants the job. This is not a good reason for considering her a serious candidate. Never mind her bizarre long-standing refusal to acknowledge that her former opponent, Brian Kemp, is in fact Georgia's duly elected governor: her relatively thin résumé (she has never held national or statewide office) makes Abrams a long shot at best. I would not, however, be surprised to see her nominated for a cabinet position in a Biden administration.6\. Susan RiceBiden selecting Barack Obama's former national security adviser would mean (my fingers are shaking with an admixture of hilarity and fear as I type this) making Benghazi a live issue again. If this is not itself enough of an argument against her selection, consider the fact that Rice is otherwise best known for her involvement in Obama's ill-fated intervention in Libya, arguably the proximate cause of the worst refugee crisis in modern history and has virtually no experience of running for office. Instead, she strikes me as someone else likely to find a cabinet position, perhaps as secretary of state, if Biden wins in November.5\. Gov. Gretchen WhitmerMichigan's Democratic governor has become a media darling in spite or perhaps because of her limited interest in solving the problems of her home state. The best argument in favor of nominating her is that it could help tip the scales in a state Democrats very much need to retake this fall. But the logistics (to say nothing of the optics) of governing while serving as one half of a presidential ticket during and after a pandemic are pretty shaky. Besides, Whitmer's policies (including a pointless and swiftly retracted ban on the sale of paint and garden gnomes) have made her a divisive figure in Michigan. The potential for reward with Whitmer is high, but so are the risks.4\. Sen. Elizabeth WarrenFor all the animosity Warren showed toward Bernie Sanders during the later stages of the primary campaign, the two are still ideological allies who have far more in common with one another than either has with Biden and the party's centrist establishment. A sitting senator endorsing her party's presidential nominee is one thing. Walking back an entire platform, including unambiguous support for single-payer health care, is probably a bridge too far. Selecting Warren as Biden's number two would not placate hardcore Sanders supporters, but it would give Trump a chance to remind the world of Warren's embarrassing DNA test fiasco at a time when many Democrats would like to see a racially balanced presidential ticket. Probably the only reason to consider her is that it is easy to imagine her tearing Vice President Pence a new one in a debate.3\. Sen. Catherine Cortez MastoThis brings us to the junior senator from Nevada. Here is a chance to nominate a woman of color and a prominent Democrat who did not take part in this year's contentious primaries. It remains unclear, however, whether Cortez Masto is actually interested in the position. It is also not obvious that the party would be willing to risk losing Cortez Masto's Senate seat to a Republican in 2022. Nor is it easy to imagine that the average DNC bigwig sees her as someone capable of filling Biden's shoes if he were forced to step aside for health or other reasons.2\. Sen. Amy KlobucharKlobuchar is a nearly perfect match for Biden ideologically. Their talking points during the primary campaign were nearly identical — indeed Klobuchar was a far more eloquent defender of Biden's positions than the man himself. She is also a senator from the Midwest and an ideal person to have on the (perhaps this year entirely metaphorical) campaign trail in states like Wisconsin and Michigan. The fact that her home state has fared better than many of its neighbors in the pandemic, while having virtually nothing to do with Klobuchar, would make an excellent talking point. The only thing I can imagine standing in the way here is a desire to give Biden a non-white running mate.1\. Sen Kamala HarrisStrange as it might seem less than a year after their bitter exchanges about Biden's past opposition to busing, Harris is easily the favorite to be his running mate. Unlike Warren, Harris has no real ideological conflict with the nominee; she balances the ticket racially in addition to fulfilling Biden's promise to select a woman; her leaving the Senate would not endanger Democratic control of her seat; she is well liked by the party establishment. Also her fierce debate performances suggest that she would make an ideal candidate for facing off against Pence. There is a reason Vegas is backing her.Want more essential commentary and analysis like this delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for The Week's "Today's best articles" newsletter here.More stories from theweek.com How Trump lost his Electoral College edge to Biden Progressives may block Democrats' coronavirus bill after it leaves out payroll funding for small businesses The dark decade ahead
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| India's prime minister announces huge virus relief package Posted: 12 May 2020 08:12 AM PDT  Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Tuesday that the government will spend more than $260 billion, the equivalent of nearly 10% of the country's GDP, on a coronavirus economic relief package designed to make the world's second most populous nation more self-reliant. "The package's main aim is to build a self-reliant India," Modi said in a televised speech, adding that it will help the country compete globally. India entered its sixth week of a stringent nationwide lockdown on Tuesday, pushing an economy already enfeebled before the pandemic to the brink of collapse.
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| Packed United flight leaves passengers 'scared,' 'shocked' amid fears of the coronavirus Posted: 10 May 2020 06:27 PM PDT  Physician tweets photo of full plane despite airlines' assurances of open middle seats. On this cross-country flight, there appeared to be no empties.
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| Italy's daily coronavirus new cases fall, death toll edges up Posted: 11 May 2020 09:11 AM PDT  Deaths from the COVID-19 epidemic in Italy rose by 179 on Monday, against 165 the day before, the Civil Protection Agency said, as the daily tally of new cases fell to 744 from 802 on Sunday. People registered as currently carrying the illness fell to 82,488 from 83,324 the day before.
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| Zinc-hydroxychloroquine found effective in some COVID-19 patients: study Posted: 11 May 2020 02:57 PM PDT  The antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine has shown mixed results against the coronavirus in early studies, but a new paper out of New York suggests combining it with the dietary supplement zinc sulfate could create a more effective treatment. The research by the NYU Grossman School of Medicine was posted on a medical preprint site on Monday, meaning it hasn't yet been peer reviewed. Records of about 900 COVID-19 patients were reviewed in the analysis, with roughly half given zinc sulfate along with hydroxychloroquine and the antibiotic azithromycin.
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| Trump's lawyer says he is 'himself a branch of government' and 'not to be treated as an ordinary citizen' in blockbuster Supreme Court case over Trump's financial records Posted: 12 May 2020 11:56 AM PDT  The Supreme Court is President Trump's last hope to stop the public from gaining access to his tax returns and financial records.
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| WHO Says It Cannot Invite Taiwan to Annual Summit after China Says Participation Would ‘Severely Violate the One-China Principle’ Posted: 11 May 2020 02:15 PM PDT  The World Health Organization said it could not invite Taiwan to an upcoming international health summit, despite pleas from the U.S. and its allies, due to "divergent views," after China said it "deplores and opposes" efforts to include Taipei in the gathering.WHO principal legal officer Steven Solomon explained to reporters on Monday that the WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom could not invite Taiwan — which is not a member of the WHO — to participate in the annual meeting of the World Health Assembly (WHA) if members of the international body disagreed."To put it crisply, director-generals only extend invitations when it's clear that member states support doing so, that director-generals have a mandate, a basis to do so," Solomon explained. "Today however, the situation is not the same. Instead of clear support, there are divergent views among member states and no basis there for — no mandate — for the DG to extend an invitation."Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said last week that Tedros should include Taiwan in the upcoming WHA meeting, saying "he has the power to do, and as his predecessors have done on multiple occasions." The proposal was supported by New Zealand, Canada, Australia, and Germany, but China disparaged the claim, saying that those supporting it "severely violate the one-China principle."Last month, Tedros himself accused Taiwan of racist "attacks" over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, an allegation that Taiwan denied as "unprovoked and untrue." Tedros's claim came after Taiwan said in March that the organization had ignored its December warnings that human-to-human transmission of coronavirus was possible. The WHO tweeted on January 14 that "Preliminary investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission."
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| Coronavirus: India announces $264bn economic rescue package Posted: 12 May 2020 05:41 PM PDT  Narendra Modi announces financial support for farmers and small businesses hit by the virus shutdown.
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| Ahmaud Arbery: Man who recorded deadly shooting says he was in 'complete shock' Posted: 11 May 2020 06:25 AM PDT  A man who who recorded the viral video that showed a white father and his son allegedly shooting a black 25-year-old named Ahmaud Arbery while he was jogging has spoken out about the fatal incident.William Roddie Bryan said in a new interview he was in "complete shock" when he witnessed the shooting in Brunswick, Georgia that took place on 23 February, and has received threats since the video he recorded drew national media attention.
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| South Dakota governor demands tribes remove travel checkpoints on Indian reservations Posted: 12 May 2020 08:14 AM PDT  South Dakota Indian tribes have set up checkpoints on reservations restricting travel during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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| Russia examines ventilator type sent to U.S. after fires kill six Posted: 11 May 2020 11:08 PM PDT  Moscow has begun investigating the safety of a Russian-made medical ventilator, some of which have been sent to the United States though not used, after six people died in hospital fires reported to involve two such machines. Five people died at Saint George's Hospital in St Petersburg on Tuesday, including four in a coronavirus intensive care unit, according to a local lawyer. A source told the TASS news agency that the blaze erupted after a ventilator, used to help severely ill COVID-19 patients breathe, burst into flames in the ward.
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| Isabel dos Santos says Angola faked evidence to freeze assets Posted: 12 May 2020 09:25 AM PDT  Isabel dos Santos, the billionaire daughter of Angola's ex-president Jose Eduardo dos Santos, on Tuesday accused the government of resorting to forgery to freeze her assets last year. The 47-year-old tycoon and her Congolese husband Sindika Dokolo are accused of syphoning off more than one billion dollars from Angolan state companies. Dos Santos claimed in a statement that a copy of a fake passport -- bearing the signature of late martial arts film star Bruce Lee -- was part of the evidence submitted to the court.
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| Biden slams Trump for not giving Americans the 'same necessary protections he has gotten for himself' Posted: 11 May 2020 08:09 AM PDT  Former Vice President Joe Biden has penned an op-ed calling for ramped up coronavirus testing and condemning the White House as those around President Trump are tested for COVID-19 daily.In an op-ed for The Washington Post published on Monday, Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, argues Trump "isn't up to the task" of providing states with "the tools, resources and guidance they need from the federal government to reopen safely and sustainably," saying "we need widespread testing" to do so.Biden noted that that Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and White House officials are now receiving COVID-19 tests every day, writing, "They knew exactly how to make the Oval Office safe and operational, and they put in the work to do it. They just haven't put in that same work for the rest of us." He says Trump "should be working to get Americans the same necessary protections he has gotten for himself."Several people in Trump's orbit have tested positive for COVID-19, including Katie Miller, a spokesperson for Pence. After Miller tested positive, Trump claimed, "this is why the whole concept of tests aren't necessarily great. The tests are perfect, but something can happen between a test, where it's good, and then something happens."Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and member of Trump's task force, said late last month that everybody who needs a test for COVID-19 should hopefully be able to get one by the end of May or beginning of June. Trump previously asserted in early March that "anybody that wants a test can get a test" already, which Biden slams as a "a baldfaced lie when he said it, and it still isn't remotely true." Trump is set to hold a press briefing focused on coronavirus testing on Monday afternoon.More stories from theweek.com The dark decade ahead 1 of these 7 women will likely be Joe Biden's running mate GOP Sen. Lamar Alexander stresses U.S. needs 'millions' more coronavirus tests after Trump declares 'we have prevailed'
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| Virus symptoms multiply as pandemic deepens Posted: 11 May 2020 06:44 AM PDT  Every week, it seems, the list of coronavirus symptoms -- ranging from disagreeable to deadly, from "COVID toes" to toxic shock -- grows longer. What began as a familiar flu-like cluster of chills, headaches and fever has rapidly expanded over the last three months into a catalogue of syndromes affecting most of the body's main organs. The new coronavirus can also push the immune system into overdrive, unleashing an indiscriminate assault on pathogens and their human hosts alike.
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| Ryanair, one of the world's biggest airlines, plans to run 40% of its flights in July — with people needing to ask permission to use the bathroom Posted: 12 May 2020 03:08 AM PDT  Ryanair has outlined new safety measures meant to keep passengers distanced. It has resisted calls to consider not using the middle seat.
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| Militants storm maternity clinic in Afghan capital, kill 16 Posted: 12 May 2020 12:16 AM PDT  Militants stormed a maternity hospital in the western part of Kabul on Tuesday, setting off an hours-long shootout with the police and killing 16 people, including two newborn babies, their mothers and an unspecified number of nurses, Afghan officials said. While the battle was underway, Afghan security forces struggled to evacuate the facility carrying out babies and frantic young mothers, according to images shared by the Interior Ministry. The clinic is supported by the aid group Doctors Without Borders, according to UNICEF, the U.N. children's agency.
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| India's most wanted man Nirav Modi stole vast sums of money by claiming he was buying pearls, court hears Posted: 11 May 2020 08:52 AM PDT  India's most wanted man, who was tracked down by the Telegraph to a London flat, stole "eye watering" sums of money by claiming they were needed to buy a consignment of pearls, a court heard. Nirav Modi, 49, fled the country while suspected of perpetrating a £1.5 billion bank fraud, the largest in Indian history, on the state-run Punjab National Bank (PNB). The billionaire diamond dealer was arrested in March last year after the Telegraph traced him to an address occupying half a floor in Centre Point tower, where rent is estimated to cost £17,000-a-month, and to an office around the corner in Soho Square. An extradition hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court heard Modi was able to swindle £1.5 billion from the bank by using insiders and threatening to kill witnesses in an international "Ponzi scheme". Modi also allegedly glued low-grade diamonds onto jewellery so they could be repackaged and sold at a higher price to con lenders, the court heard. Modi has previously protested his innocence through lawyers in court hearings in India. Currently residing at HMP Wandsworth, the 49-year-old appeared via video-link wearing a white shirt and black suit at the first of five scheduled hearings which will decide whether he is to be extradited to India. Helen Malcolm QC, for the Indian government, said the fraud had been orchestrated by fiddling MOUs (memorandums of understanding) - a loan used by businesses to import foreign goods at a cheaper rate. Modi allegedly persuaded corrupt workers within the PNB to sign off MOUs under the pretence that they were being used to pay off exporters on a consignment of pearls from Hong Kong, the court heard. But the "eye-watering" sums of money were instead distributed across other businesses in the Modi empire to pay off a backlog of earlier debt in a "Ponzi scheme of borrowing," it was said. The magnate then used several "dummy" directors as figureheads to distance himself on paperwork from the companies involved while maintaining control. Ms Malcolm said the PNB caught wind of the scheme in 2018. The court heard Modi and his brother "set out on a campaign to frighten witnesses" when the fraud was discovered. One witness was said to be "threatened with death and implication in a theft", while mobile phones belonging to a number of people were allegedly destroyed in order to get rid of evidence. The extradition hearing continues.
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| Two feuding Texas families shoot at each other, leaving six wounded, police say Posted: 11 May 2020 05:13 AM PDT |
| Release of Iranian scientist in doubt as US official 'calls BS' Posted: 11 May 2020 10:23 AM PDT  Homeland security questions whether Tehran wants return of Sirous AsgariA potential deal to release a renowned Iranian scientist from a US jail and return him to Iran appears to be in danger of breaking down after a senior US official questioned whether Tehran really wanted him returned.Iran's foreign minister, Javad Zarif, claimed on Monday that Sirous Asgari had been freed by US authorities and would be able to return to Iran immediately if he tested negative for coronavirus.But his remarks were dismissed as "BS" by a senior US Department of Homeland Security official, who accused Iran of slow-walking a deal.A well-regarded materials scientist, Asgari was acquitted on charges of stealing US trade secrets but remains in immigration detention where he contracted the coronavirus.Zarif said on Monday that Asgari "has been acquitted of false charges and we have been very active in preparing the ground for his return. If his coronavirus is negative he could return on the first flight".Zarif's statement was reported on the margins of an Iranian parliament foreign and security committee meeting in Tehran.Speaking generally about the return of Iranian prisoners held in the US, Zarif said: "The Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to exchange all Iranian prisoners in the United States and other countries, imprisoned under American pressure, with American prisoners in Iran."He repeated Iran's position that further talks with the US were not necessary for a prisoner swap between Iran and the US.But the US deputy secretary for homeland security, Ken Cuccinelli , accused Zarif of stalling over Asgari, tweeting: "We have been trying to return Sirous Asgari and you suddenly wake up and say you actually want him back. You say you want all your citizens back, I call BS. How about you put your money where your mouth is? We have 11 of your citizens which are illegal aliens who have been trying to return to your country."He proposed Zarif charter a plane and then the US would send all 11 Iranians back.He added: "If you have really been speaking the truth these last few weeks and you really want your citizens back then stop stalling and send the plane. The world is watching and expecting the usual outcome namely you will do nothing except keep talking."Asgari arrived in the US in 2017 with his wife and with valid passports and visas, but upon arrival he discovered he was being prosecuted by the US government for alleged violations of sanctions law.After his acquittal, he was kept in jail on the basis that his visa had expired. He had offered to buy his own flight ticket home, and it looked as if he was being held until the Iranians agreed to release Americans in Iranian custody.The US has been trying to secure the full release of a US Navy veteran, Michael White, who contracted coronavirus in jail and was then transferred to the Swiss embassy in Tehran. There was no direct swap of Asgari and White on the cards, but the progress on the cases is seen as entangled.In an interview with the Guardian in March, Asgari accused the US immigration authorities of leaving inmates to contract coronavirus in overcrowded and dirty prisons. He said: "The way Ice [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] looks at these people is not like they are human beings, but are objects to get rid of."A professor at the Sharif University of Technology, a public university in Tehran, said: "The way that they have been treating us is absolutely terrifying. I don't think many people in the US know what is happening inside this black box."
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| China calls for coronavirus vigilance, warns against complacency Posted: 12 May 2020 12:57 AM PDT  Chinese health authorities called on Tuesday called for vigilance to be maintained against the novel coronavirus as new clusters emerge, even though the peak of the epidemic has passed in the country where it first appeared. The reappearance of clusters suggested that counter-epidemic measures could not be relaxed, Mi Feng, spokesman at the National Health Commission, told a media briefing. As of Monday, mainland China had 115 current confirmed cases, while 5,470 people were under medical observation for signs of novel coronavirus infection.
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| In Brazil, gyms and hair salons are 'essential' businesses Posted: 11 May 2020 07:21 PM PDT  In Brazil, exercising at the gym and getting a haircut are essential activities -- so says President Jair Bolsonaro, who claims that COVID-19 is just a weak case of flu. In a decree published in a special edition of the government gazette, Bolsonaro included gyms and hair salons on a list of "essential" businesses allowed to open in states and cities currently under lockdown due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. "Because health is life, today I put gyms, beauty salons and barbers on the list of essential activities," he told reporters late Monday.
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| Turkey says nations forming 'alliance of evil' Posted: 12 May 2020 10:36 AM PDT  Turkey on Tuesday accused Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, France and the United Arab Emirates of seeking to form an "alliance of evil" after these countries issued a joint declaration denouncing Ankara's policies in the eastern Mediterranean and Libya.
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| Supreme Court battle over Donald Trump's finances carries risks for all three branches Posted: 12 May 2020 07:03 AM PDT  The high-stakes battle could result in historic rulings on a president's immunity from invesigation while in office and Congress' oversight powers.
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| Russia now has the 2nd most coronavirus cases in the world Posted: 12 May 2020 08:50 AM PDT  Russia now has the second most confirmed coronavirus infections in the world, though its 232,000-plus confirmed cases is still far fewer than the United States.The country's cases continue to rise significantly day-to-day, although the rate is mostly stable. BBC News notes that there have now been 10 consecutive days with new infections above 10,000, most of which are in Moscow, which is home to around 12 million people.Despite the high number of cases, Russia has reported only 2,116 COVID-19 fatalities, giving the country a low death rate. The Kremlin attributes that success to a mass testing program, but many people are skeptical of the figure, believing the true total to be much higher, BBC reports.There are some high profile cases within the government, including President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who is hospitalized with the virus.None of this news has deterred Putin from beginning to ease lockdown measures, however — factory and construction workers were allowed back on the job Tuesday, although the president granted regions the authority to set their own restrictions depending on their status. Read more at BBC News.More stories from theweek.com 1 of these 7 women will likely be Joe Biden's running mate How Trump lost his Electoral College edge to Biden Progressives may block Democrats' coronavirus bill after it leaves out payroll funding for small businesses
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| Counterfeit masks reaching frontline health workers in US Posted: 12 May 2020 10:15 AM PDT  On a day when COVID-19 cases soared, healthcare supplies were scarce and an anguished doctor warned he was being sent to war without bullets, a cargo plane landed at the Los Angeles International Airport, supposedly loaded with the ammo doctors and nurses were begging for: some of the first N95 medical masks to reach the U.S. in almost six weeks. An Associated Press investigation has found those masks were counterfeits — as are millions of medical masks, gloves, gowns and other supplies being used in hospitals across the country, putting lives at risk. Before the pandemic, federal trade law enforcement agencies were focused on busting knockoffs such as luxury goods and computer software, mostly from China.
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| Grenell Declassifies Names of Obama Officials Behind Michael Flynn Unmasking, Asks Barr to Release Them Posted: 12 May 2020 05:48 AM PDT  Acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell has declassified a list of Obama administration officials who were behind the "unmasking" of former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn.Multiple reports have cited U.S. officials who say Grenell has handed over the list to attorney general Bill Barr, who could release it "at any time." Last week, the Justice Department dropped its case Flynn — who pled guilty in 2017 to lying to the FBI — citing "newly discovered and disclosed information,"American citizens whose communications are incidentally picked up by the intelligence community during surveillance are protected by law. But they can be unmasked by a select number of U.S. officials, and it is illegal to leak unmasked information or use it for political gain.Former NSA director Admiral Mike Rogers testified in June 2017 that requests to unmask a U.S. citizen must be made "in writing" and "on the basis of your official duties."In March 2017, then-House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R., Calif.) warned that he had seen intelligence showing that "on numerous occasions, the intelligence community incidentally collected information about U.S. citizens involved in the Trump transition.""Details about U.S. persons associated with the incoming administration; details with little or no apparent foreign intelligence value were widely disseminated in intelligence community reporting," Nunes explained. " . . . I have confirmed that additional names of Trump transition members were unmasked."A week after Nunes's claims, former national security adviser Susan Rice told MSNBC in an interview that it was "absolutely false" the Obama administration utilized the reports for "political purposes," but admitted that the Obama presidential daily briefing contained unmaskings."I received those reports, as did other officials, and there were occasions when I would receive a report in which a 'U.S Person' was referred to — name not provided, just 'U.S. Person,'" Rice explained. "And sometimes in that context, in order to understand the importance in the report – and assess its significance, it was necessary to find out or request, who that U.S. official was."Official stats from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence show that the National Security Agency, which monitors overseas communications, unmasked an American's identity approximately 9,200 times in 2016 and 9,500 in 2017. There were about 17,000 such actions in 2018 and 10,000 in 2019.
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| Germany's daily coronavirus case count has nearly tripled as regions consider an 'emergency brake' to reinstate harsher lockdowns Posted: 12 May 2020 04:23 AM PDT  Germany's Robert Koch Institute announced 933 new coronavirus cases early Tuesday. The country's departure from lockdown has not been smooth.
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| In one Florida school district, virtual school is not a virtual vacation Posted: 12 May 2020 04:10 AM PDT  Broward County, outside Miami, has used daily attendance as a tool to quickly find students who were unable to participate in online classes because their households lacked laptops or internet access. "A lot of kids are in home situations that are even more stressed than they have ever been," said Robert Runcie, superintendent of the district, the sixth-largest in the United States, with 330 schools and 270,000 students. The district closed its school buildings on March 16 and launched online classes on March 30.
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| Hong Kong risks new unrest with China anthem bill: opposition Posted: 12 May 2020 03:31 AM PDT  Hong Kong's government risks reigniting last year's political unrest by pushing ahead with a controversial bill outlawing insults to China's national anthem, opposition lawmakers said Tuesday. Pro-democracy lawmakers warned history was repeating itself, noting that the fast-tracking of a bill last year to allow extraditions to the authoritarian mainland was the spark that lit seven straight months of pro-democracy protests. On Tuesday Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam -- a pro-Beijing appointee -- said the national anthem bill would now be "given priority".
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| More checks? A payroll tax cut? Trump and Congress split on next coronavirus relief plan Posted: 11 May 2020 01:37 PM PDT  Another round of relief checks? A payroll tax cut? Republicans and Democrats have pitched a number of ideas for the next coronavirus relief package.
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| A Coronavirus Mystery Explained: Moscow Has 1,700 Extra Deaths Posted: 11 May 2020 11:58 AM PDT  MOSCOW -- Ever since the coronavirus took hold globally, researchers have been puzzled by Russia's mortality rate of only about 13 deaths per million, far below the world average of 36 in a country with an underfunded health system.With the arrival of data for April, however, the mystery appears to be clearing up.Data released by Moscow's city government Friday shows that the number of overall registered deaths in the Russian capital in April exceeded the five-year average for the same period by more than 1,700. That total is far higher than the official COVID-19 death count of 642 -- an indication of significant underreporting by the authorities.A similar picture has been observed in many other countries. In neighboring Belarus, for example -- where the authoritarian leader Aleksandr G. Lukashenko has rejected calls for a lockdown as "frenzy and psychosis" -- the reported death rate is about 10 per million. In Mexico, officials have recorded more than three times as many deaths in the capital as the government has acknowledged."Mortality figures in Moscow seem to be much higher than average for Aprils over the last decade," said Tatiana N. Mikhailova, a senior researcher at the Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration in Moscow. "One thing is clear: The number of COVID-19 victims is possibly almost three times higher than the official toll," she said in an interview, adding that additional calculations needed to be made to come up with a precise number.The new figures contrast sharply with the line that has been peddled by the Kremlin.Speaking to President Vladimir Putin at the end of April, Anna Popova, the head of Russia's consumer rights and human well-being watchdog, boasted that the country's mortality rate was "among the lowest in the world." Russian state-run television channels have been relentlessly advertising the country's effort to fight the virus as superior to Western nations'.On Monday, claiming success at slowing the spread of the coronavirus despite a sharp rise in infections, Putin ordered the end of a nationwide "non-working period" in force since late March.Putin, speaking on state television shortly after health authorities reported the biggest one-day rise in infections, acknowledged that the pandemic had not yet been defeated but said it was now up regional governors to decide whether to lift or strengthen restrictions in their territories.While the official number of deaths attributed to the coronavirus in Russia stood at 1,124 for Moscow and 2,009 nationwide as of Monday, arriving at a more accurate estimate will be highly complicated.Thousands of people have left Moscow since the city government declared a lockdown in March, an exodus that would lower the number of deaths in the city. And many people could have died of other causes as at least 37 Moscow hospitals have been converted to treat only coronavirus patients.Overall, about 70% of coronavirus-related deaths have not been reported in Moscow and about 80% in the country's regions, said Aleksei I. Raksha, an independent demographer in Moscow. He was among the first to spot the April data, buried in an obscure government statistics website, as he has been studying mortality rates in the Russian capital and the country's regions and comparing them with official death tolls.The lower numbers, according to Raksha, can be attributed to the way that causes of death are registered in Russia."For most deaths, the registered cause will be the disease of the organ that directly caused it," he said in an interview. "This is the way the system has worked for a long time," he said, adding that he believes it is highly likely that the authorities at some level are manipulating this system to yield the result they want.Speaking to the Echo of Moscow radio station last week, Georgi A. Frank, a senior Russian coroner, acknowledged that health officials have wide leeway in registering causes of death."In a number of cases, COVID-19 might not be the main cause of death -- sometimes it can be just a background to the main disease," Frank said. "Of course, there can be some manipulations, but decent doctors never allow it."Russia reported its first coronavirus death March 19, when a 79-year-old woman died in Moscow. Shortly afterward, the death was reclassified as having resulted from a blood clot and the case was removed from the official COVID-19 death toll.More than 11,800 people died in Moscow this April, far more than during any other April since 1995, when Russia was engulfed in a post-Soviet economic crisis worse than the Great Depression. The number was posted by the Moscow government, which collects reports from the city's civil registration offices that record vital events, such as births, marriages and deaths.The death toll will be updated by the Russian State Statistics Service by the end of this month but is unlikely to change much. On average, the Russian capital has about 10,000 deaths each April.Being by far the busiest point of entry into the county, Moscow has been the first area in Russia to be hit by the coronavirus. Still, it has lagged behind most other European capitals, registering only a few deaths before the middle of April.Russian regions, in turn, have lagged behind Moscow. As of Monday morning, Moscow accounted for 52% of all reported coronavirus cases in Russia, with more than 109,000 people infected.An even clearer picture of the true coronavirus death toll is likely to be revealed in the mortality data for May, when the virus began to grip Russia in earnest, experts said. About 45 deaths and more than 5,000 new cases have been registered in Moscow daily over the past week.This article originally appeared in The New York Times.(C) 2020 The New York Times Company
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