| As coronavirus cases increase, Defense Secretary Mark Esper places new restriction on Pentagon Posted: 23 Mar 2020 12:40 PM PDT  Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Monday he is again raising the protection condition on the Pentagon, which will further restrict access to one of the world's largest office buildings. The Pentagon will now be at Level C, the second highest of the military's five health protection conditions.
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| 9 escape from S. Dakota jail where there was a positive coronavirus test Posted: 24 Mar 2020 11:44 PM PDT  Four of the women have been captured since breaking out of the minimum-security unit of the Pierre Community Work Center.
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| Americans are still confident the U.S. will limit the coronavirus outbreak within a few weeks, poll shows Posted: 23 Mar 2020 11:45 AM PDT  There's no doubt Americans are worried about the novel coronavirus pandemic. A new poll from Monmouth University released Monday reveals that 57 percent of those surveyed consider it their biggest concern right now, well ahead of related things like job security and health care costs, indicating that health in and of itself is the top priority. But, at the same time, many people still believe the U.S. can limit the scale of the outbreak before too long.Of those polled, 25 percent said they were "very confident" the country will achieve some of its goals in the next few weeks, while 37 percent said they were somewhat confident. That means 36 percent are either "not too" confident, or not confident at all. Still, it seems optimism is winning out, as cities and states around the country impose restrictive measures in the hopes of turning the tide, but the numbers are also split along party lines with Republicans predicting a rosier outlook than Democrats.It looks like a lot of that hope stems from a positive opinion of the country's governors, who have a 72 percent approval rating for how they've dealt with the crisis. Per the poll, though, people are less satisfied with how their peers are handling things — only 38 percent of those surveyed gave a thumbs up to the American public's response.> Per Monmouth poll, Coronavirus job performance > > Your state governor 72% good/ 18% bad > Federal health agencies 65/24% > Trump 50/45% > Congress 42/37% > Media 45/43% > American public 38/45%> > — Steve Kornacki (@SteveKornacki) March 23, 2020The Monmouth University poll was conducted via telephone between March 18 to 22, surveying 851 adults in the United States. The margin of error is 3.4 percentage points. See the full results of the poll here.More stories from theweek.com Britney Spears calls for wealth redistribution, general strike on Instagram Coronavirus task force doctor declines to back up Trump's timeline for easing social distancing guidelines Trump's false choice about coronavirus
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| A man accused of licking deodorants in a Missouri Walmart after asking 'Who's afraid of the coronavirus?' was charged with making a terrorist threat Posted: 25 Mar 2020 05:16 AM PDT  The CDC says people can get COVID-19 by touching an object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth.
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| Kuril Islands earthquake: 7.5 magnitude earthquake triggers tsunami warning Posted: 24 Mar 2020 08:53 PM PDT  A 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck in the northern Pacific on Wednesday and forecasters said tsunami waves were possible for the nearest shores. A brief tsunami watch for Hawaii was cancelled. The quake struck 136 miles south-southeast of Severo on Russia's far eastern Kuril Islands, the US Geological Survey said. It was 37 miles deep. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre initially warned hazardous waves were possible in parts of the Kurils, but later said based on further analysis that waves of less than 30 centimeters above tide level were possible in the northern Pacific. It noted that the wave height and potential hazard may vary by geography and other local features. A tsunami watch issued for Hawaii was halted shortly afterwards. The Japan Meteorological Agency said the quake was a stronger 7.8 magnitude and may cause a slight change of sea levels around Japanese coasts.
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| Hawley, Stefanik Introduce Bill to Investigate China for Coronavirus Coverup Posted: 24 Mar 2020 08:09 AM PDT  Senator Josh Hawley (R., Mo.) and Representative Elise Stefanik (R., N.Y.) on Tuesday introduced a bicameral resolution to condemn the Chinese Communist Party for its initial handling of the coronavirus outbreak, and called for an international investigation to determine how the coverup hastened the emergence of a global pandemic."Since day one, the Chinese Communist Party intentionally lied to the world about the origin of this pandemic. The CCP was aware of the reality of the virus as early as December but ordered laboratories to destroy samples and forced doctors to keep silent," Hawley, who first called for an investigation last week, said in a press release."There is no doubt that China's unconscionable decision to orchestrate an elaborate coverup of the wide-ranging and deadly implications of coronavirus led to the death of thousands of people, including hundreds of Americans and climbing," Stefanik added. "This Resolution calls for China to provide compensation for the harm, loss, and destruction their arrogance brought upon the rest of the world. Simply put China must, and will, be held accountable."The bill calls the international community to "quantify the harm caused" by China's actions and to "design a mechanism for delivering compensation" from the CCP to those affected.Reports have detailed how Wuhan laboratories in December discovered that coronavirus was related to the deadly SARS virus which broke out in 2002-2003, but were subsequently gagged by government authorities, who ordered them to turn over or destroy evidence.China has also promoted a propaganda campaign to push a conspiracy theory that the virus originated in the U.S., which experts have called "a counteroffensive" and "a kind of blame-shifting."
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| Palestinians leave jobs in Israel, citing coronavirus risk Posted: 25 Mar 2020 07:08 AM PDT  JERICHO/RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - The Palestinian government has ordered home Palestinian laborers in Israel and in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, saying their jobs exposed them to risk of the coronavirus. The edict, announced late on Tuesday by Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, could effectively shut down Israel's construction industry, heavily reliant on Palestinian labor. Israel had made special arrangements for many of the about 100,000 Palestinians who typically cross daily from the West Bank to instead stay overnight in Israeli cities before shutting the border on Sunday to curb the spread of the virus.
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| Trump downplays coronavirus threat again, even as number of cases in U.S. surges Posted: 23 Mar 2020 05:13 PM PDT  President Trump continued to downplay the exponential spread of the coronavirus in the United States on Monday, comparing the rising death toll to the number of Americans killed in car crashes and by the seasonal flu.
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| Spanish army finds dead bodies in nursing home Posted: 24 Mar 2020 09:05 AM PDT  Spanish army troops disinfecting nursing homes have found some residents living in squalor among the infectious bodies of people who authorities suspect have died from the coronavirus.
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| The Best New Teapots, According to AD's Market Editor Posted: 25 Mar 2020 05:00 AM PDT |
| Lori Vallow saw her now-missing kids Joshua and Tylee as 'zombies,' court docs say Posted: 24 Mar 2020 10:36 AM PDT  Joshua, 7, and Tylee, 17, have not been seen since September. A court filing claims their mother and her husband thought the "children had been possessed and had become zombies."
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| Senate Democrats block Republicans' coronavirus stimulus bill 2nd time around Posted: 23 Mar 2020 11:33 AM PDT  Senate Democrats have yet again blocked Republicans' "phase three" coronavirus economic stimulus bill.In a 49-46 vote on Monday, Democrats voted almost unanimously against pushing Republicans' $1.8 trillion package to a floor vote, putting it far short of the 60 votes it needed to proceed. They said they're still negotiating with the Trump administration over the bill, though Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said earlier Monday he was "hopeful" they'd "reach a deal today."The Monday vote came after lengthy debate on the floor of the Senate, during which Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), one of the most conservative Democrats in the body, slammed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) for being "worried more about the economy than we are the health care and the wellbeing of the people of America." Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.), who's up for a tough re-election race this fall, meanwhile switched his vote to side with Republicans, saying he was "embarrassed" by the political gaming over the bill.Senate Democrats similarly blocked the bill in a 47-47 procedural vote on Sunday. It would provide $1,200 checks to individual Americans and more to families, but also contains industry bailouts Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) characterized as a "slush fund" for corporations.More stories from theweek.com Britney Spears calls for wealth redistribution, general strike on Instagram Trump claims he 'canceled' Congress' coronavirus deal Monday night Pence again touts chloroquine as coronavirus treatment after it's linked to deaths
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| U.S. sanctions on Iran hinder global coronavirus response: Iranian U.N. ambassador Posted: 25 Mar 2020 04:00 AM PDT  The people of Iran are not immune to the ravages of this virus and we need help.
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| U.S. could be next 'virus epicenter' as India locks down, global recession looms Posted: 24 Mar 2020 05:06 AM PDT  GENEVA/NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The United States could become the global epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday, as India announced a full 24-hour, nationwide lockdown in the world's second-most populous country. India joined the ranks of Britain and other countries clamping down to hold back the virus as business activity collapsed from Japan to the United States at a record pace in March. The highly contagious coronavirus has caused entire regions to be placed on lockdown.
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| Hubei residents rush to leave China virus epicentre as lockdown lifts Posted: 25 Mar 2020 07:21 AM PDT  Huge crowds jammed trains and buses in Hubei province on Wednesday as people seized their first chance to travel after two months under lockdown at the epicentre of China's coronavirus outbreak. At a railway station in the city of Macheng, AFP reporters saw long lines of people lugging suitcases in the rain as they queued for trains. "I have been at home in Hubei for more than two months," he said.
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| Joe Biden makes virtual campaign trail debut after several days of public absence Posted: 23 Mar 2020 10:16 AM PDT  Former Vice President and Democratic frontrunner Joe Biden made his first video address after four days of cable news silence to address the coronavirus pandemic from his family home in Wilmington, Del.
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| US Sen. Cramer apologizes for offensive term about Pelosi Posted: 25 Mar 2020 06:14 AM PDT |
| Cho Ju-bin: South Korea chatroom sex abuse suspect named after outcry Posted: 25 Mar 2020 03:58 AM PDT  At least 10,000 people used the chatrooms, with some paying up to $1,200 (£1,000) for access.
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| New Orleans is a center of coronavirus. Mardi Gras could be to blame, doctors say. Posted: 24 Mar 2020 02:11 PM PDT  As of Tuesday afternoon, New Orleans had 567 of Louisiana's 1,388 cases of the coronavirus and 20 of the state's 46 deaths.
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| Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick thinks grandparents should be willing to sacrifice their lives to save the economy Posted: 23 Mar 2020 07:16 PM PDT  Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) seems to think that if given the choice, Americans 70 and over would be willing to risk getting coronavirus and possibly dying if it means stores re-open and the economy rebounds.On Fox News Monday night, Patrick lamented not being asked how he would balance protecting some of the people most at-risk for contracting coronavirus -- adults 65 and over -- while keeping businesses up and running. "No one reached out to me and said, as a senior citizen, are you willing to take a chance on your survival in exchange for keeping the America that all America loves for your children and grandchildren?" he said. "If that's the exchange, I'm all in."The 69-year-old kept going, saying that "those of us who are 70 plus, we'll take care of ourselves, but don't sacrifice the country." This declaration "doesn't make me noble or brave or anything like that," Patrick said, "I just think there's lots of grandparents out there like me ... what we all care about and what we love more than anything are those children and I want to live smart and see through this, but I don't want the whole country to be sacrificed, and that's what I see."Host Tucker Carlson asked Patrick for clarification, wanting to make sure he really was saying that "this disease could take your life, but that's not the scariest thing to you, there's something that would be worse than dying." Patrick paused, possibly realizing that he just volunteered as tribute in The Hunger Games: Coronavirus Edition, then responded, "Yeah." Watch the video below. > Tx Lt Gov Dan Patrick says grandparents would be willing to die to save the economy for their grandchildren pic.twitter.com/wC3Ngvtsbj> > -- Andrew Lawrence (@ndrew_lawrence) March 24, 2020More stories from theweek.com Britney Spears calls for wealth redistribution, general strike on Instagram Congress, White House reach agreement on $2 trillion coronavirus economic rescue bill Trump says governors 'have to treat us well' if they want assistance during coronavirus pandemic
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| Bill Gates said the US missed its chance to avoid a coronavirus shutdown and recommended businesses stay closed for 6 to 10 weeks Posted: 24 Mar 2020 01:25 PM PDT  Gates admitted a mandated shutdown could be "disastrous" for the economy, but said the US didn't act fast enough to avoid it.
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| Russian President Putin dons hazmat suit as Moscow mayor says coronavirus outbreak is worse than it looks Posted: 24 Mar 2020 11:33 AM PDT  Russian President Vladimir Putin wore a hazmat suit and respirator on Tuesday during a visit to a hospital treating coronavirus patients, and the mayor of Moscow said the outbreak in the Russian capital was much worse than official figures showed.
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| Iran fears second wave of coronavirus as death toll rises to 2,077 Posted: 25 Mar 2020 02:57 AM PDT  Iran may face a second outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, a government spokesman said on Wednesday, as the Islamic Republic banned internal travel and traditional gatherings in parks during the Persian New Year holiday period. "Unfortunately some Iranians have ignored advice from health ministry officials and traveled during the New Year holidays ... This could cause a second wave of the coronavirus," spokesman Ali Rabiei said, according to state TV. President Hassan Rouhani has banned any new trips between cities, Rabiei said, and "violators will be confronted legally".
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| Cuomo calls on Trump to invoke Defense Production Act in fight against coronavirus Posted: 24 Mar 2020 01:56 PM PDT  President Trump has been reluctant to use the Cold War-era Defense Production Act, which allows the president to pressure or even force private industries to produce products deemed necessary for the nation's defense.
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| Italy new virus infections drop to lowest point in crisis Posted: 24 Mar 2020 12:12 PM PDT  Italy on Tuesday received more reassuring evidence that its coronavirus infection rate was slowing thanks to a painful lockdown that other nations are starting to apply at great economic cost. Italy's 743 new deaths broke two days of successive declines that had taken the number down to 601 on Monday. "The measures we took two weeks ago are starting to have an effect," civil protection service chief Angelo Borrelli told the daily La Repubblica before Tuesday's toll came out.
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| Pence’s Idea Is a Good Way to ‘Kill Hundreds & Thousands,’ Expert Says Posted: 23 Mar 2020 04:51 PM PDT  The White House coronavirus task force on Sunday dangled new CDC guidance that might suggest some Americans with exposure to the 2019 novel coronavirus could return to work wearing a mask.Vice President Pence on Sunday said the guidance "will make it possible for people that have been exposed to return to work more quickly with—by wearing a mask for a certain period of time." He suggested it would be spelled out in more detail this week.When asked about the potential guidance on Monday, Pence said it was still in the works, and might be targeted at a small subset of workers deemed critical."We're specifically looking at people that work in critical infrastructure—people in law enforcement, people in critical transportation," he said. "The guidance we're looking for unpacking is how the people who may have come into contact with someone who tested positive for coronavirus, if they have no symptoms, [may] be able to return to work [and] wear a mask for a certain period of time."Pence said the proposed guidance would be before the president and possibly even before the public on Tuesday. But experts had already begun to blast Pence's floated proposal as a dangerous one.William Haseltine, president of the global health think tank ACCESS Health International, who recently chaired the U.S.-China Health Summit in Wuhan, called the potential guidance "deadly, deadly advice" as U.S. cases of the virus climbed to more than 40,000 infections and more than 500 deaths.What Happens When All the Doctors Get Sick?Most Americans have been told by federal agencies to avoid large gatherings—even if they have not been exposed to the deadly virus. Orders to stay inside except for essential needs like grocery runs and trips to the pharmacy have also been issued in a slew of states."That is so bad," said Haseltine, of the prospect of the guidance. "If you want to really spread this infection like crazy, that's what to do. It's near insanity." "No health expert would have ever told them that, unless it's a Trump sycophant," continued Haseltine. "If you want to kill hundreds and thousands of Americans, he's found a good way to do it."Pence's idea, if it came to fruition, would also surely raise eyebrows considering the widely reported nationwide shortage of key supplies for medical professionals, including surgical masks. But even if there were enough to provide to every American who might be exposed, they aren't a cure-all for contagiousness.Masks aren't perfect for preventing exposure, mainly because of user error, according to Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, an adjunct professor of epidemiology at the University of California Los Angeles who previously worked for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He noted that someone who is infected and paying close attention may still, without thinking, touch their mouths or nose.Klausner said "true exposure" should be met with a quarantine and then a test, for which access is improving "every single day.""That's basic public health 101—that someone who has been exposed to a contagious disease be quarantined," said Klausner. "That's a much more scientifically rigorous approach."Still, it was clear from the briefing Monday the president remained fixated on the prospect of long-term damage to the economy. Just how that might impact future guidance from the nation's leading health authority remained to be seen."It would be much better and scientifically sound to test people before they return back to work, particularly if they're in a work setting where they may come into close contact with other individuals," said Klausner. "My concern with the masking is just that it's not an evidence-based, scientifically sound approach."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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| Teens reportedly coughed near grocery store produce for video, Virginia police say Posted: 23 Mar 2020 10:20 AM PDT  Police in Virginia said the teens admitted to getting close to other patrons and coughing into their own sleeves, while filming on their phones.
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| Can blood from coronavirus survivors treat the newly ill? Posted: 24 Mar 2020 08:20 AM PDT  Hospitals are gearing up to test if a century-old treatment used to fight off flu and measles outbreaks in the days before vaccines, and tried more recently against SARS and Ebola, just might work for COVID-19, too: using blood donated from patients who've recovered. Now a network of U.S. hospitals is waiting on permission from the Food and Drug Administration to begin large studies of the infusions both as a possible treatment for the sick and as vaccine-like temporary protection for people at high risk of infection. "We won't know until we do it, but the historical evidence is encouraging," Dr. Arturo Casadevall of Johns Hopkins University's school of public health told The Associated Press.
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| 5 members of Missouri family test positive for coronavirus Posted: 24 Mar 2020 06:06 PM PDT  "I did not expect myself to test positive ... but it can happen to anybody," said Ryan Weinhaus, 32. "It's not just elderly individuals."
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| California scrambles to avoid Covid-19's worst-case scenario: 'It will take a heroic effort' Posted: 24 Mar 2020 06:33 PM PDT  State has more than 2,500 cases and faces a shortage of protective equipment and hospital beds * Coronavirus – latest US updates * Coronavirus – latest global updates * See all our coronavirus coverageLeaders in California are scrambling to prepare the state amid a shortage of hospital beds, limited access to masks and ventilators and a patchwork approach to testing, as a surge of cases in New York provides a warning of how quickly the coronavirus crisis could spiral out of control.The number of cases in New York state had soared by Tuesday morning, with 25,665 confirmed infected and 210 deaths. "We are now, in New York City, the epicenter of this crisis in the United States of America," Mayor Bill de Blasio said Sunday. "The worst is yet to come."Three thousand miles west in California, where a statewide stay-at-home order took effect Friday, California's governor, Gavin Newsom, was readying the state for a 90-day surge in cases, a demand that would require adding 50,000 hospital beds to the state's portfolio. Tuesday saw the death of a patient under the age of 18 in Los Angeles, who is believed to be the nation's first child to have died from the virus.Newsom has projected a growing need for hospital beds over the past week as the governor has used Facebook Live to hold near-nightly press conferences. Newsom said on Monday night the state was also hoping to secure 1,000 beds in hotels to shelter the unhoused during the outbreak.The number of coronavirus cases in California surged had surpassed 2,500 by Tuesday afternoon, with 50 deaths reported statewide, according to tracking by the San Francisco Chronicle.The Bay Area remains the hardest hit so far, with more than 800 confirmed cases across four counties. But Los Angeles is climbing the list, with 662 cases and 11 deaths, including the patient under 18. An LA health official said it was "a devastating reminder that Covid-19 infects people of all ages"."It underscores the enormity of the challenge in front of us and how it can impact anybody," Newsom said about the teenager's death. Half of all positive cases in California fell in the 18-to-49 age range, Newsom said in a news conference Tuesday evening. "Young people can and will be impacted by this virus," he said.> California Gov. Newsom says 50% of the state's current confirmed coronavirus cases are people between the age of 18 to 49. "This disease impacts everybody," Newsom said.> > — Jon Passantino (@passantino) March 25, 2020The governor hopes a navy hospital ship bound for Los Angeles and two army field hospitals opening in Riverside and Santa Clara counties will help meet the need for hospital beds.The state also faces a scarcity of protective equipment that has forced state officials to turn to leaders in private industry, including Tesla's Elon Musk and Apple's Tim Cook, to assist in production.California is sprinting to get hold of about 1bn sets of gloves and hundreds of millions of gowns, surgical masks and face shields, he said at a press conference late Monday."It's going to take an heroic effort" to obtain enough personal protective equipment to deal with a sudden surge in coronavirus cases, Newsom said.A steep rise in hospitalizations related to the coronavirus in Los Angeles county may be an early warning sign of what's to come. As of 6 March, five people in the county had been hospitalized with the coronavirus at some point, according to the Los Angeles Times. By Monday, two weeks later, that number had climbed to 90, with officials reporting that 536 people in Los Angeles county have tested positive for the virus.Doctors and hospital administrators are hurrying to draft policies on how to handle decisions on triage and hospital beds in the coming weeks."We don't have much time," a Los Angeles emergency room physician, Dr Marc Futernick, told the LA Times. "These are decisions that we need to make really soon before we are in the throes of the tsunami."California's patchwork response to testing has also left it struggling to keep pace with the virus, and the state is now looking to establish a coordinated approach. At least 22 state laboratories, seven hospitals and two private outfits are conducting tests in California, but it remains hazy how testing at those sites is being tracked."We are cobbling together various approaches," Susan Butler-Wu, an associate professor of clinical pathology at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine, told the LA Times. "The whole thing is badly discombobulated ... I think 100% that the system is broken."About 26,400 tests in California had been conducted by Monday afternoon. New York, which has half as many residents and the nation's largest number of cases, had conducted 91,200 tests, according to the Covid Tracking Project, an independent group.Numbers from that group put California below the national average of about 90 tests performed for every 100,000 residents.When asked by reporters about the state's lack of testing, Newsom said that states had different ways of counting the figures, adding that some test protocols in California were under way but not reflected in the total numbers.Newsom has implored residents to observe restrictions and stay at home to curb the spread of the virus. After beaches and state parks over the weekend saw an expected crush of visitors hiking and jogging – activities still permitted under the California lockdown – Newsom yesterday closed parking lots at dozens of such areas."Normally that would light up my heart to see tens of thousands of people congregating down in Malibu and other parts of our beautiful state," Newsom said. "One cannot condemn that, but one can criticize it. We need to practice common sense and socially distance."Local officials had already moved to close parking at popular beaches in Malibu, Santa Monica, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. Parks in scenic Marin county, north of San Francisco, were closed and access was restricted to many of the trails in the Santa Monica Mountains that run through Los Angeles county.As Donald Trump voiced his desire to get Americans back to normality by Easter, Newsom had a more sober outlook on the shutdown situation in California on Tuesday. "We're trying to bend that curve but we haven't bent it," he said. "Early April, that would be misleading to represent, at least for California."If the state continues to follow the current protocols for the next six to eight, or even the next eight to 12 weeks, "we'll be in a very different place than we are today", he said. "But I think April for California will be sooner than any of the experts that I talk to would believe is possible."Vivian Ho and agencies contributed reporting
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| 25 killed as Islamic State gunman takes hostages in Kabul Sikh temple Posted: 25 Mar 2020 12:41 AM PDT  At least 25 worshippers at a Sikh religious complex in the Afghan capital of Kabul were shot dead when a lone Islamic State group gunman rampaged through temple. The attacker held hostages and battled Afghan security forces as they tried to clear the building alongside British troops. At one point some 200 people were feared to be trapped and when the incident came to an end the ministry of interior said at least 25 people inside the temple had been killed, including at least one child. The SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks militant postings and groups, said IS claimed responsibility for the attack on the group's Aamaq media arm. At a Kabul hospital, Mohan Singh, who was in the Gurdwara when the attack began, said he first heard the sound of gunshots and ran for cover under a table. Later he heard the sounds of explosions, adding that he believes they were hand grenades. He was injured when parts of the ceiling fell on him. In photographs shared by the Interior Ministry, about a dozen children were seen being rushed out of the Gurdwara by Afghan special forces, many of them barefoot and crying. Earlier, as the news of the attack broke, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed tweeted that the Taliban were not involved. Earlier this month, Afghanistan's IS affiliate struck a gathering of minority Shiite Muslims in Kabul, killing 32 people. Sikhs have suffered widespread discrimination in the conservative Muslim country and have also been targeted by Islamic extremists. Under Taliban rule in the late 1990s, they were asked to identify themselves by wearing yellow armbands, but the rule was not enforced. In recent years, large numbers of Sikhs and Hindus have sought asylum in India, which has a Hindu majority and a large Sikh population. In July 2018, a convoy of Sikhs and Hindus was attacked by an Islamic State suicide bomber as they were on their way to meet Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in the eastern city of Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province. Nineteen people were killed in that attack. ReplyForward Sikhs are a small religious minority in Afghanistan with numbers fewer than 300 families. In 2018, a suicide bombing targeting the Sikh community and claimed by the Islamic State militant group killed more than a dozen people in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad. The United States last month struck a deal with the Taliban on the withdrawal of U.S.-led international troops but the agreement does not include Islamic State militants.
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| Coronavirus cases in Russia reach 658 after biggest daily rise: government Posted: 25 Mar 2020 01:59 AM PDT  The number of recorded coronavirus cases in Russia reached 658 on Wednesday, a day after the mayor of Moscow told President Vladimir Putin that the real scale of the problem in the Russian capital far exceeded official figures. The number of cases in Russia increased by 163 overnight, the biggest one day rise so far, the government's official coronavirus website showed. Most cases, 410, were in Moscow.
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| Trump's desire to restart the economy alarms officials in states hit hard by coronavirus Posted: 24 Mar 2020 12:40 PM PDT  For the past three days, President Trump has publicly embraced the view that the measures taken to slow the spread of the coronavirus outbreak should not come at the expense of the U.S. economy.
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| Coronavirus: 'Avoid using microwave to get faster internet' Posted: 25 Mar 2020 02:32 AM PDT  With millions of people working from home, media watchdog Ofcom issues tips to boost internet speed.
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| Military Prepares 60-Day Coronavirus Ban on Troops Coming Home From the Mideast Posted: 25 Mar 2020 07:41 AM PDT  The novel coronavirus outbreak has prompted the U.S. military to consider ordering troops scheduled to return home from the Middle East to stay where they are for the next 60 days, three sources tell The Daily Beast. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which is in charge of U.S. military operations in the Mideast, had prepared a limited order on the pause that exempted service members returning from Afghanistan. But a U.S. defense official said Wednesday morning that CENTCOM's order was upended by a late-breaking order from the Pentagon that paused movement even more broadly. "The CENTCOM order has been superseded by higher authorities," the defense official said. Pentagon officials have yet to respond to The Daily Beast's questions, and it's unknown how wide-ranging the halt to movements will be. Sources anticipated it would hit the pause button on many rotations while defense officials deal with the impact of the pandemic.It is not clear what the new order would mean for service members scheduled to leave Iraq. With training missions for the Iraqi Security Forces paused during the COVID-19 outbreak, commanders had anticipated sending about 200 U.S. trainers back home. Service members in Afghanistan were going to be allowed to transit through Kuwait for a maximum of 72 hours before returning home.In Kuwait, a logistical hub for service members transiting in and out of the Mideast war zones, confusion and frustration mounted among people who expected to go home after their rotations ended. "It is pretty awful here. We are rationing food. Lines are pretty long. Cannot go anywhere. Everything is closed down except the DFAC [dining facility] and a couple stores," a U.S. service member at Kuwait's Camp Arifjan told The Daily Beast. CENTCOM said in a Wednesday statement that it has paused U.S. service member deployments into the Mideast and South Asia. When, at an unspecified point, deployments resume, service members must first undergo a 14-day quarantine at their home station, CENTCOM said. "Some units and service members [in the] U.S. Central Command area of responsibility will be temporarily held on station while their replacements are quarantined, but this policy is not intended to otherwise delay or prevent the flow of service members or units out of the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility," CENTCOM said in the statement. "This policy is also not expected to delay the drawdown in forces from Afghanistan as part of the U.S. agreement with the Taliban."It's the latest upheaval for the U.S. military as it scrambles to deal with a global pandemic that respects neither borders nor fortifications. Back in the U.S., commanders on Army bases like Fort Hood and Fort Bliss in Texas are dealing with the logistical and health challenges of implementing quarantines for service members returning from overseas. The Pentagon ordered those quarantines on Mar. 12. In February, CENTCOM canceled travel and restricted movement within the Middle East as a precaution against COVID-19.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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| Pence again touts chloroquine as coronavirus treatment after it's linked to deaths Posted: 24 Mar 2020 10:40 AM PDT  Vice President Mike Pence touted a potentially unsafe COVID-19 treatment on Tuesday even after it had been linked to deaths.Pence, who's been leading the White House's response to the new coronavirus, appeared for a Fox News town hall on Tuesday. That's where Dr. Mehmet Oz asked him about the malaria drug chloroquine that's been discussed as a potential treatment for the new coronavirus, and Pence seemed more than hopeful about the drug's prospects."There's no barrier to access chloroquine in this country. We're looking to add to that supply," Pence said of the drug. "We are engaging in a clinical trial" with the intent to make chloroquine available "for off-label use." But when asked if he'd take chloroquine if he became infected with COVID-19, Pence only said he'd follow the advice of his physician, even after repeated prodding from Oz. That cautious part of Pence's response was left out of a clip shared by the Trump campaign.Pence's chloroquine confidence comes after President Trump repeatedly touted the drug's potential in a Monday night press conference. After that, Nigeria reported two fatal overdoses of chloroquine and implored its citizens not to use the drug, which "will cause harm and can lead to death." A man in Arizona died and his wife was hospitalized after ingesting a form of chloroquine that's used to clean fish tanks. The woman said she got the idea from Trump.More stories from theweek.com Britney Spears calls for wealth redistribution, general strike on Instagram Why is Trump promising to quickly reboot an economy he hasn't shut down? 3 theories. New Oxford study suggests millions of people may have already built up coronavirus immunity
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| Mexico's coronavirus fight has just begun. Doctors say they're already running out of masks Posted: 24 Mar 2020 04:15 PM PDT  As coronavirus cases rise, Mexican doctors are protesting over a lack of basic supplies that they say endangers them
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| Chicago woman gets 50 years for beating death of 5-year-old son Posted: 24 Mar 2020 11:17 AM PDT  A woman from Chicago has been sentenced to 50 years in prison on charges stemming from the beating death of her 5-year-old son in Iowa.
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| West Virginia governor rambles, mixes messages on virus Posted: 23 Mar 2020 04:35 PM PDT  As the coronavirus raged across the nation, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice wondered why people were looking to him for answers. Justice, a billionaire Republican with no previous political experience leading a particularly high-risk state, has rambled through mixed messages on the virus, diminishing his credibility with some West Virginians who have said it's been a struggle to discern exactly what he wants them to do.
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| Taiwan anger over China military drills during virus outbreak Posted: 25 Mar 2020 01:28 AM PDT  Anger is rising in Taiwan over China continuing to buzz the island with fighter jets and warships even as they both fight the global coronavirus pandemic. The self-ruled democratic island has had to scramble its own fighter jets in response to recent Chinese manoeuvres, designed to show that Beijing's military might remains unbowed by the health crisis. "As the world grapples with the severity of the COVID19 pandemic, China's military manoeuvres around Taiwan have continued unabated," President Tsai Ing-wen said in a tweet late Tuesday accompanied by pictures of her visiting troops.
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| Thai lockdown sparks exodus of 60,000 migrant workers: ministry official Posted: 25 Mar 2020 01:17 AM PDT  About 60,000 migrant workers living in Thailand have fled the country since authorities shut malls and many businesses at the weekend to curb the spread of the coronavirus, a Thai interior ministry official said on Wednesday. Thailand's latest measures have left many without jobs and prompted a mass exodus of a large number of the country's four or five million migrant workers, mainly from Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia. Thailand has closed its land borders, told people to stay at home, and shuttered most businesses in an effort to suppress the virus.
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| ‘Not Helpful’: Fauci Calls Out Media for ‘Pitting’ Him Against Trump Posted: 24 Mar 2020 07:41 AM PDT  Dr. Anthony Fauci slammed the media for spinning a narrative that he was butting heads with President Trump over the country's coronavirus response, calling it "really unfortunate" and "not helpful" that there are stories "pitting" him against the president."I would wish that that would stop, because we have a much bigger problem here than trying to point out differences," Fauci told WMAL's Mornings on the Mall on Tuesday. "Really, fundamentally at the core, when you look at things, there are not differences."Fauci, the nation's leading expert on infectious diseases and member of the White House's coronavirus task force, also praised Trump for his incorporation of advice from the task force into crafting the administration's response."The president has listened to what I have said and to what the other people on the task force have said, when I have made recommendations he has taken them, he's never countered or overridden me, the idea of just pitting one against the other is just not helpful," Fauci stated. "I wish that would stop and we'd look ahead at the challenge we have to pull together to get over this thing."Multiple outlets reported that Trump was attempting to overrule his health experts by pushing for a back-to-work plan, following a "frank" interview Fauci gave to Science Magazine.> Trump's Monday coronavirus news conference illustrated how he's prioritizing his reelection hopes over advice from public health advisers https://t.co/CgBKLmp3m2> > -- Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 24, 2020When asked how he has managed "to not get fired," Fauci admitted that Trump, "to his credit, even though we disagree on some things, he listens. He goes his own way. He has his own style. But on substantive issues, he does listen to what I say."
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| Rand Paul says amid criticism that more Americans should be able to get tested for coronavirus Posted: 23 Mar 2020 11:14 AM PDT  "I believe we need more testing immediately, even among those without symptoms," Paul said.
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| California governor says hospitals in the state need 50,000 more beds and are on the brink of a medical-gear shortage Posted: 24 Mar 2020 01:20 PM PDT  California is scouring the globe to find more medical equipment to avoid a shortage of supplies that would jeopardize health care workers' safety.
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| COVID-19 closures could hit historically black colleges particularly hard Posted: 24 Mar 2020 05:16 AM PDT  As the COVID-19 crisis forces many schools to close their campuses and move all courses online, some worry that the pandemic could have a bigger negative impact on the nation's historically black colleges and universities, than for other campuses. Here, The Conversation US has assembled a panel of experts to forecast what's in store for HBCUs. How is the outbreak is affecting HBCUs?Marybeth Gasman, professor of education at Rutgers University: I am worried about the technology demands on HBCUs, given how few IT specialists many smaller HBCUs have as well as the costs of managing online classes. I'm also worried about students not having access to Wi-Fi at home or laptops – 75% of HBCU students are eligible for Pell Grants for students from low- to middle-income families. I'm happy to see some HBCUs – Paul Quinn College, in Dallas, Texas, for example – lending students laptops for the rest of the semester.HBCUs rely a lot on tuition and have smaller endowments than other schools. If these HBCUs get into financial trouble, they risk losing their accreditation since financial stability is one part of what it takes to remain accredited. Without accreditation, it is nearly impossible to recruit students.Ivory Toldson, professor of counseling psychology at Howard University: In 2008, during the Great Recession, The New York Times published an article that mentioned an old saying: "When America catches a cold, African-Americans catch the flu." This applies to HBCUs. Disruptions in enrollment and fundraising efforts, as well as closed dorms, prorated rebates, and lost revenue from food services and university bookstores will short-circuit normal streams of revenue for all universities. But HBCUs might see worse effects because they have less money to begin with.The challenge of abruptly moving to a virtual learning environment may adversely impact HBCUs more than other schools. Most do not have the technical capacity to deliver quality online classes. Even those with the technical capacity will have challenges if their students do not have adequate computers and broadband at home.Gregory Price, professor of economics, University of New Orleans: To the extent that HBCUs, relative to other schools, owe more debt tied to their dorms, the absence of students in residential on-campus housing could constitute a severe revenue shock. Perhaps an extreme example of this is the case of Bethune Cookman. The private historically black university in Daytona Beach, Florida is obligated to spend about US$306 million to pay off debt it took on to build a new dorm. If the outbreak continues, many of Bethune Cookman's dorm rooms could wind up empty, as enrollment was already declining before this pandemic began. If that happens, it would reduce revenues to pay off the debt on the housing.In general, I believe that prolonged closures could make it harder to pay off debt for new student housing at many HBCUs, which could move them closer to the financial brink. Do HBCUs have rainy day funds?Gasman: No. Because HBCUs have small or relatively small endowments and because they educate some of the most socioeconomically vulnerable students, they face a disproportionately high level of risk right now. HBCUs are similar to families without substantial savings. HBCUs are funded heavily by tuition. Any drop in enrollment, which could happen by way of students not returning next year or not enrolling next year, will be devastating. Keep in mind that, with few exceptions, HBCUs have rarely gotten large donations. When institutions have a long history of being underfunded, they can't build the same foundations as those that do. What, if anything, should the federal government do to help HBCUs now?Gasman: HBCUs are vitally important to African Americans and other students as well. Their outsized contributions in STEM, in the preparation of students for graduate school and in medicine are essential to the representation of African Americans across these areas. Without HBCUs, we would see an immediate drop in the number of new black scientists, black professors and black doctors.In my view, the federal government could and should support a stimulus package for HBCUs to help them through this dire time. Rep. Alma Adams, a Democrat from North Carolina, is already working with input from the United Negro College Fund and Thurgood Marshall College Fund, two organizations that support students at HBCUs, on an initiative along these lines.I'd like to see the federal government invest in HBCU infrastructure, technology and institutional aid so that HBCUs can attract more students.Toldson: I think the federal government should provide emergency relief for revenue loss from unexpected closures, including the cost of having to reschedule commencements. The government should also provide support to students who had to spend money to relocate once their campuses closed.Price: A coronavirus stimulus package could include giving $1,000 for every enrolled student at an HBCU per academic year. For a private institution like Bennett College, in Greensboro, North Carolina – with approximately 500 students – this would translate into approximately $500,000 to offset declines in housing revenue. Can HBCUs rely on private philanthropy during this emergency?Gasman: No. Some big donors and foundations give to HBCUs but not in a way that will help them survive this crisis. In addition, HBCU alumni – for the most part – can't afford to give in the ways that are needed. The average African American family has roughly $5,888 in assets compared to the average white family's $88,000. Being wealthier makes people feel more free to give.Price: Probably not, as philanthropy targeted at HBCUs continues to lag significantly behind other schools. In 2019, the top seven predominantly or historically white colleges landed $2.94 billion in donations, versus just $43 million for the nation's 100 or so HBCUs. Are any HBCUs in danger of permanently closing?Gasman: Yes, but only those that were already in dire straits. And I'm not even convinced that they will close in those cases. I began doing research related to HBCUs in 1994, and I have listened to people say over and over that HBCUs are going to close. Someone will predict the imminent closure of 30-40 about every five years. They are always wrong. A few have closed but not many. Many colleges are closing and so yes, some HBCUs are in danger, but most HBCUs are incredibly resilient.Toldson: In my opinion, only the HBCUs that had – to borrow a phrase commonly used throughout this pandemic – preexisting conditions. HBCUs that are under-enrolled or financially impaired, with infrastructural issues, such as unfilled leadership positions, accreditation issues and subpar facilities, could have serious problems rebounding.Price: Yes, private HBCUs who are unable to withstand the declines in enrollment and the associated revenue similar to those that led to the closure of St. Paul's College, in Lawrenceville, Virginia, in 2013. Currently, several HBCUs have been placed on probation by their regional accreditor for financial instability reasons. If the coronavirus continues to keep their dorms empty, the revenue shock from the pandemic could conceivably cause those in a financial situation similar to St. Paul's College to close their doors.[You need to understand the coronavirus pandemic, and we can help. Read our newsletter.]This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts.Read more: * Historically black colleges give graduates a wage boost * Why historically black colleges and universities matter in today's AmericaIvory A. Toldson is affiliated with Howard University. Marybeth Gasman is a member of the board of trustees at Paul Quinn College. Gregory N. Price does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
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