10 pm MDT
What Will Happen to the Most Vulnerable Student Populations During the COVID-19 Public Health Crisis?
Over the last few days, hundreds of colleges and universities have decided to encourage students to move out as soon as possible and handle the remainder of the academic semester online. While major precautions are necessary to help avoid making this public health crisis any worse, the announcements have made one thing clear: institutions assume that students will be able to figure out where to live, how to eat, and how to finish the semester in a matter of days.
Decide For Yourself About TSU Presidency
With all due respect to Dr. Walter M. Kimbrough and his opinion piece, “A Warning to Anyone Thinking About Being the Next TSU President,” Texas Southern University (TSU) is an outstanding educational institution and does not have a Board of Regents that needs to be wiped out by our governor.
El informe de evaluación del impacto sustentable del TLC entre la UE e Indonesia y por qué es tan difícil de encontrar
bilaterals.org - 11 hours ago
12-Mar-2020 El informe sobre la evaluación del impacto sustentable del Tratado de Libre Comercio entre la Unión Europea e Indonesia no es fácil de encontrar.Y no obstante, algunas de sus conclusiones son bastante preocupantes.
India exploring nuts and bolts of possible FTA with Australia
bilaterals.org - 11 hours ago
12-Mar-2020 Trade Ministers of both countries are working on what they can offer each other.
Investor–State Dispute Settlement using the ECOWAS Court of Justice: An analysis and some proposals
bilaterals.org - 11 hours ago
12-Mar-2020 Given the present widespread dissatisfaction with investor–State dispute settlement, the ECOWAS Court can provide an alternative to arbitration that is already up and running.
The ISDS reform process: The missing development agenda
bilaterals.org - 11 hours ago
12-Mar-2020 For developing countries, governing foreign direct investment through IIAs and ISDS corresponds to a policy model discredited by years of social and economic failures.
AfCFTA's first deal to go ahead, despite virus complications
bilaterals.org - 11 hours ago
12-Mar-2020 While meetings to rubber stamp details of the African trade area agreement have been affected, its first trade is still scheduled for July 1.
ICSID Tribunal dismisses claims against the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
bilaterals.org - 11 hours ago
12-Mar-2020 The tribunal dismissed the claimants' invocation of the UK-Sri Lanka BIT on jurisdictional grounds.
TDM call for papers: The African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA)
bilaterals.org - 11 hours ago
12-Mar-2020 TDM call for papers for a special issue on the African Continental Free Trade Agreement ("AfCFTA").
US urges Australia to expand Pacific push to South-East Asia to counter China's expansion
bilaterals.org - 11 hours ago
12-Mar-2020 The Trump Administration has called on the Morrison Government to extend its "step-up" strategy in the Pacific to South-East Asia, as Washington grapples with China's rising regional influence.
Graphs Chart The Spread Of The Virus In The US, Europe And The World Since November 2019
(*Click on Image to Enlarge*) Graphs chart the spread of the virus in the US, Europe and the world since November last year when the first cases were reported in China (*Click on Image to Enlarge*) The number of coronavirus cases in the US have soared in the last 10 days and are continuing to rise
Joint Russia-Saudi Oil Price Move Could Crush a Fragile Fracking Industry in U.S.
*21WIRE* | U.S. producers are now having to tighten their belts, but can they survive the oil global glut?
Justin Trudeau Stays at Home After Wife’s Flu-Like Symptoms
The Canadian Prime Minister is self-isolating and working from home "out of an abundance of caution."
US Capitol Closing to Public Until April Amid Coronavirus Outbreak
Only lawmakers, staff, journalists and visitors with official business will be permitted to enter the buildings.
Was Tom Hanks Given a Wilson Volleyball in Coronavirus Quarantine?
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson truly did announce they had tested positive for the new coronavirus in March 2020.
No Evidence ‘Global Warming’ Was Rebranded as ‘Climate Change’
Climate change deniers are often known to misrepresent innocuous facts and use those misrepresentations to their advantage.
Psych Evaluation Ordered for Man Who Sought Trial by Combat
An Iowa judge has ordered a psychological evaluation of a Kansas man who asked the judge to let him engage in a sword fight with his ex-wife and her attorney so that he can “rend their souls” from their bodies.
Ilhan Omar Announces New Marriage, Months After Affair Claim
U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota has announced her remarriage, just four months after her marriage fell apart following an allegation she was having an affair with her political consultant.
Is This a Photo of an American Revolutionary War Vet?
Conrad Heyer played a role in the founding of the United States and in the history of early photography.
Is The Media Coverage Of The Covid-19 Coronavirus Pandemic And The Political Reaction To It Overblown?
Characteristics of 2009 H1N1 Influenza April 15, 2009 to April 10, 2010 (CDC ) *WNU editor:* The best way to answer this question is to compare it to the Swine Flu pandemic of 2009 - 2010. From *VeryWellHealth* .... *H1N1 was first detected in April 2009 in a 10-year-old girl in California. It was declared a global pandemic in June 2009 by the World Health Organization (WHO) and was finally over in August 2010.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that swine flu infected nearly 61 million people in the United States and caused 12,469 deaths. Worldwide, u... more »
DOGMA SPREADS: Linskey executes a flip!
*THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020Dogma feels so good:* When Elizabeth Warren left the race, the dogma aggressively spread. Peaches and Herb were once "reunited"—and it had "felt so good." So it was as mainstream reporters and liberal pundits rushed to spread the preferred tribal tale all around. According to that tribal tale, the defeat of a giant like Candidate Warren simply had to stem from some nefarious cause. How else could a campaign which started with six female candidates possibly have ended up as a battle between "two old white men?" The children stampeded into print and onto ca... more »
Syrian Army discovers militant prison and court in western Aleppo
The Syrian military have discovered a prison and a court, where terrorists sentenced locals to death for even the smallest of infringements in the town of Al Qasimiyah in Aleppo province. The prison was located in a former ice cream factory. “This was their prison. There are several cells — both big and small. Even […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Russia slams Israel over recent attacks in Syria
BEIRUT, LEBANON (5:00 P.M.) – The Russian Foreign Ministry’s Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova denounced the arbitrary Israeli airstrikes in Syria, claiming that they are contributing to heightening tensions in the region. “Israel’s continued unilateral aerial bombardment of Syrian territory is a violation of the sovereignty of the neighboring Arab countries and a cause for concern,” Zakharova […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Syria will recover after oil fields are retaken from US: ambassador
BEIRUT, LEBANON (2:10 P.M.) – The Syrian Ambassador to Russia, Riyad Haddad, said on Thursday that the United States of America controls all the Syrian oil fields in the northeastern part of the country. Haddad’s comments came during an interview on the channel “Russia 24”, in which he considered that liberating these oil areas from […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Love and Greed In the Time of Coronavirus
The tipping point finally arrived on Wednesday. It was the day most people realized that the coronavirus pandemic is not a minor, "this too shall pass" inconvenience, or the kind of economic downturn amenable to the usual massive government bailouts of the rich and the comfortable, and punishments for everyone else. This time is different. It was only a couple of days ago that the rich were still smugly kvelling that yes indeed, they are different from you and me. That famous observation by F. Scott Fitzgerald and its retort, allegedly by Ernest Hemingway - "yes, they have more mone... more »
Middle East Update: Under Cover of Covid19 - USrael taking a Shit-Kicking in ME
*Map of USrael Military Presence in Iraq* As my mother used to say..."*It's an ill wind that doesn't blow somebody some good".* In the case of the dreaded Covid19 False Flag Hoax virus...it has been an excellent distraction from the humiliating to the extreme shit kicking that USrael has been taking lately in the Middle East. This post will list and analyse briefly some of the highlights...or lowlights...of this shit kicking. But first we have the recent advances that Syria and its Russian and Iranian allies have been making in regaining "every square inch" of sovereign Syrian Te... more »
Should The U.S. Declare A State Of Emergency?
*WNU Editor:* If the stock market continues to crash. Panic buying and hoarding is widespread. And more importantly .... the numbers of Americans infected with the Covid-19 Coronavirus continues to grow exponentially. The pressure from politicians, the media, and the public to declare one will be massive.
Disgraced Movie Mogul Harvey Weinstein Sentenced to 23 Year in Prison for Sex Crimes
faces additional charges in an upcoming trial in Los Angeles. More than 80 women accused Weinstein of sexual assault and harassment.
Federal Reserve to Offer $270-Billion in Loans to Wall Street This Week
The Fed’s repo loans to Wall Street banks that began on September 17, 2019, will deliver another $270-billion in loans at unprecedented low interest rates. Congress has no control over any of this.
Innocent Teens Detained, Fined $3,000 for Riding Dirt Bikes On Their Own Property
[image: own property]Four MA teens were kidnapped and extorted by “Environmental Police” for not buying the extortion permits before riding their motorcycles on their own property.
OPEC's Number 3, Abu Dhabi, Set To Boost Oil Production
*Another combatant in this most recent oil war... * *Why a race to the bottom? Knocking shale out of the game? Aiding Iran in circumventing sanctions? Weakening Saudi Arabia? Weakening the US? Russia flexing it's oil muscle?* *Why? And, why now? Isn't the over hyped corona virus doing enough global financial damage? Banks and oil companies walk hand in hand. What role is this special relationship playing in everything that is ongoing? * * Thoughts?* *OilPrice.com- & Link* *OPEC’s third biggest producer, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is entering the oil price war as the Abu Dh... more »
US now openly admits its goal in Syria is to make it 'difficult' for Moscow and Damascus to defeat terrorists
[image: undefined] The State Department’s special envoy for Syria has just admitted that the US aims to defend jihadist militants in Idlib against ‘Russian aggression,’ proving once again that the swamp in Foggy Bottom is alive and well. Russia and the Syrian government “are out to get a military victory in all of Syria,” Ambassador James Jeffrey told reporters on a conference call out of Brussels on Tuesday. Our goal is to make it very difficult for them to do that by a variety of diplomatic, military, and other actions. To illustrate these methods, Jeffrey cited the US threat to... more »
Ukraine: Things Fall Apart
[image: undefined] At least that’s the way it used to be. Now reality is leaving comedy behind as it veers off in a distinctly nightmarish direction. Zelensky’s troubles have been mounting since the fall when he found himself caught in the middle of a Washington psychodrama over whether Donald Trump tried to pressure him into investigating Joe Biden after a Ukrainian oligarch hired Biden’s son, Hunter, for a high-paid, no-show job. Zelensky got himself into more hot water a few weeks later by coming out in favor of special elections in the Ukrainian east where a pro-Russian revolt ... more »
Fake News Starts in Washington: Perception Management and Influence Operations Manipulate Public Opinion
[image: undefined] It is perhaps unusual to have a government that has as much disregard for what most would consider to be the truth as does the current group of rascals running the United States of America. To be sure, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is as shameless a liar as has ever been seen on any public platform while the president himself appears to make things up as he goes along, particularly if a certain embellishment makes him look good. Nevertheless, it is important to recognize that lying and government have a long history, possibly going back to when the first cave dwe... more »
An Invisible Hand In The Miraculous Resuscitation Of The Comeback Codger?
Yesterday, Bernie told the media that "what has become more and more apparent, with each passing primary, is that while we are currently trailing in the delegate count, we are strongly winning the debate about the future of our country. In poll after poll after poll, including exit polls, a strong majority of the American people support our progressive agenda. The American people are deeply concerned about the grotesque levels of income and wealth inequality in this country. The American people believe it is time for the wealthy and profitable corporations to be paying their fai... more »
Congress Is Shutting The Capitol To The Public Until April. White House Tours Closed Until Further Notice
*WNU Editor: *From the AP .... *US Capitol closing to public until April amid virus outbreak* (AP). The White House and the Pentagon are doing the same .... *White House, Pentagon shutting down tours amid coronavirus outbreak *(The Hill).
Coronavirus – 4,033 new cases, 144 new deaths
12 March 2020 – Total reported coronavirus cases: 129,771 5,711 reported in serious or critical condition. (This number has declined on 11 of the last 12 days.) Total reported deaths: 4,751 Total reported recovered: 68,672 A total of 7,869 cases in South Korea A total of 10,075 cases in Iran Unknown total of cases in Italy. (Italy ... Read more Coronavirus – 4,033 new cases, 144 new deaths The post Coronavirus – 4,033 new cases, 144 new deaths appeared first on Ice Age Now.
Snow cyclone stuck over Sakhalin region
Roads closed. Flights cancelled. Several settlements lose electricity. The regional department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations extended until the evening of Thursday, March 12, emergency warning of weather danger for almost all settlements in the region. The cyclone brought with it heavy snowfall and an almost hurricane wind. Service on the Kholmsk-Vanino ferry line ... Read more Snow cyclone stuck over Sakhalin region The post Snow cyclone stuck over Sakhalin region appeared first on Ice Age Now.
Bank of England Panics, Wall Street Explodes: Will Trump Listen to the Wise Words of Lyndon LaRouche?
[image: President Trump addresses the nation Wednesday night on the status of the COVID-19 pandemic.] UPDATE: The following paragraph was added after the original story was written. *President Donald Trump spoke for ten minutes Wednesday night. All travel from Europe (other than the U.K.) is restricted as of Friday, March 13, 11:59 EDT, for 30 days. The European Union failed to take the immediate measures we did in closing travel with China, and they are paying the consequences. As China and South Korea recover, there will be consideration of lifting restrictions. Nursing homes are... more »
The 25th Amendment and Coronavirus
Here's an issue that the White House may soon confront. Suppose the President contracts the virus. He is feeling OK but must self-quarantine for two weeks. Should he then invoke Section 3 of the 25th Amendment and hand over the presidency to Mike Pence until the self-quarantine ends? The President can do most of his job under self-quarantine, of course. He can just call people, use email, or tweet. In a crisis, though, having a President who cannot meet people face-to-face poses a problem. Woodrow Wilson contracted the Spanish Flu while he was disabled by a stroke, but that was prio... more »
Chaos At European Airports As Americans Scramble To Get Home
Paris Charles de Gaulle airport, France: People wearing protective face masks line up at the Air France ticketing desk inside Terminal 2E at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport in Roissy on Thursday *Daily Mail:* *Desperate Americans spark 'bedlam' at European airports: Fliers pay up to $20,000 for flights from Paris to get back home before Trump's travel ban kicks in* * Hundreds of travelers, confused as to whether they will be let back home, rushed to airports Wednesday * Trump announced a ban on travel to the U.S. from Europe to start Friday to slow the spread of the coronavirus *... more »
This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 12
1921 Start of Cairo Conference where Britain decided on its future MidEast policy with Mesopotamia being a centerpiece Colonial Secretary Churchill’s main concern at Cairo Conference was cutting costs for London Said British troops would be withdrawn in Mesopotamia as quickly as possible Air power would be used instead for control Sir Percy Cox and Gen Haldane objected to Churchill’s troops reduction plan saying soldiers still needed in Mesopotamia Royal Air Force said it would need another year to set up in Mesopotamia Meant Churchill could not withdraw British troops as quickly a... more »
Poll: Top China cannabis supply chain threat amid coronavirus?
With nearly all hardware for marijuana vape products sourced from China, the coronavirus outbreak highlights how delicate the supply chain is for marijuana businesses in the sector. Industry analysts estimate 90%-95% of all components that comprise a cannabis vaporizer are manufactured in factories in Shenzhen, China, and of the remaining 5%-10% of supplies that may […] Poll: Top China cannabis supply chain threat amid coronavirus? is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs
The snark, it burns . . . !
Readers will doubtless recall Democratic Party presidential candidate Joe Biden's mixed-up, confused harangue about assault weapons a few days ago. Amongst other errors and inanities, he mis-identified the commonly available AR-15 rifle as the AR-14 - a weapon designation that doesn't exist. Palmetto State Armory, never slow on the uptake (and with a sense of humor to match their business acumen), have rectified that situation. You can now buy an AR-15 lower receiver labeled according to Joe Biden's specifications! *PSA "ANGRYJOE-14" AR-14 STRIPPED LOWER RECEIVER$ 49.99* *Thi... more »
The Leiter-Caplan Socialism Debate
Last night, I debated the University of Chicago’s Brian Leiter on “Capitalism, Social Democracy, and Socialism” at the University of Wisconsin. Leiter wrote the precise resolution: “Social democracy is preferable to market capitalism, but ultimately America will need to move towards a socialist system.” Here’s my opening statement; I’ve debated Elizabeth Bruenig and John Marsh […] The post The Leiter-Caplan Socialism Debate appeared first on Econlib.
Canadian Supreme Court Allows Corporate Liability for International Law Violations
The Supreme Court of Canada building in Ottawa, Canada. (By: Gordon E. Robertson, https://tinyurl.com/sa73oj3: CC BY-SA 3.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en) On Feb. 28, the Supreme Court of Canada rendered a landmark judgment in the case of *Nevsun Resources Ltd. v. Araya*. This case raised a largely unexplored question in Canadian law: whether plaintiffs can bring civil claims in Canada for human rights violations committed abroad. As Justice Rosalie Abella wrote in the opening of her majority judgment, this appeal involved “the application of modern inte... more »
House Oversight Committee Questions Government Response to Coronavirus
CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield (left) and NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci (right), who both testified before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday, visiting the NIH on June 12, 2018. The House Committee on Oversight and Reform convened a hearing on March 11, 2020, to discuss the government’s preparations and response to the novel coronavirus. Top federal health officials discussed existing efforts to constrain the coronavirus and warned Americans that extensive measures will be required to prevent further spread. In a hearing that often struck a combative tone, the Oversi... more »
Harvey Weinstein Sentenced to 23 Years In Prison For Sex Crimes
*Tyler Durden* - "I am totally confused."
Scientists Predict the Amazon Rainforest May Disappear Within the Next 50 Years
*Mandy Froelich* - The team recalled that the Amazon rainforest was recently crippled by a wildfire that engulfed 906,000 hectares, or 2.2 million acres, of the forest.
Two Super-Rare White Giraffes, Including World’s Only Known Female, Killed by Poachers in Kenya
*Elias Marat* - The Kenya Wildlife Society, the main conservation body in the East African state, said it was investigating the killings.
10 Mistakes Couples Make In Long Term Relationships And How To Avoid Them
*Maria Ruszel* - Through researching, I found some strategic points to help prevent further relationship disasters.
Supply and Demand, Hoarding, Price Gouging — and the Coronavirus
[image: supply-and-demand-hoarding-price-gouging-and-the-coronavirus] As the saying goes, “Nothing is certain but death and taxes.” I would add, “and anti-price gouging legislation in times of crisis.”
Looking for a Private School? Choose Wisely!
[image: looking-for-a-private-school-choose-wisely] There are many good private schools throughout the country, including religious ones. But parents beware: Many are not what they are advertised to be.
Air Travel Ban for Unvaccinated Being Proposed
Well, we knew this was coming – it was only a matter of time before this idea began to be discussed. The Conversation reports: Airlines could require vaccination for passengers, or at least make them show a medical exemption as to why they cannot be vaccinated. Perhaps now is the time to consider this. Right … The post Air Travel Ban for Unvaccinated Being Proposed appeared first on OYE Alternative News.
Could This Be The Greatest Coverup in History – Coronavirus
The post Could This Be The Greatest Coverup in History – Coronavirus appeared first on OYE Alternative News.
Your Freedom is on the Brink of Extinction
The post Your Freedom is on the Brink of Extinction appeared first on OYE Alternative News.
30,000 US Soldiers Arrive In Europe With No Precautions Against The Covid-19 Coronavirus Pandemic
Soldiers from 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division board a plane at Hunter Army Airfield, Ga. U.S. Army/Spc. Jordyn Worshek *Zero Hedge/VoltaireNet*: *30,000 US Soldiers Arrive In Europe Without Masks* The United States are demonstrating their power by organising the largest transfer of their troops in Europe on the occasion of the Defender Europe 20 exercises. This country, which only a few years ago sacrificed its soldiers without warning in its nuclear tests, is taking no precautions for its soldiers faced with the coronavirus epidemic. The United States have ... more »
COVID-19; there is no need to panic
If you're under 50 the COVID-19 virus is nothing to panic about. If you're over 50 it's a cause of concern but your odds of dying from it are very small. Given that the vast majority of people with it won't die society will not collapse. Your tap water will keep flowing and your lights will stay on. It's not a zombie apocalypse, the Black Plague 2.0, or Ebola. Everyone should take reasonable precautions, especially folks over 50 or those with pre-existing conditions. But that's true every year when the flu season hits. In China new infections per day are down from 4000 to 20. Whi... more »
N. Atlantic 2020 Surprise
Originally posted on Science Matters: RAPID Array measuring North Atlantic SSTs. For the last few years, observers have been speculating about when the North Atlantic will start the next phase shift from warm to cold.The way 2018 went and 2019 followed,suggested this may be the onset. However, 2020 is starting out against that trend. First…
Ilhan Omar marries again: Misuse of campaign funds?
Ilhan Omar has married the man she said she wasn't dating. She apparently wasn't going to announce it but a story in the Daily Mail forced her to. It's apparently a legitimate wedding, unlike the one to her brother which was done as part of some immigration scheme, but it raises serious issues because her new husband is the head of a company that her campaign pays a fortune to. If some of that money went to ensure that her husband to be could travel with her that would be a violation of campaign finance laws. Normally the private life of politicians should be off limits but in this... more »
Editor's Note On The Covid-19 Coronavirus Pandemic And How I Will Be Blogging From Now On
I make it as a rule to put up exactly 27 posts a day. The exception are weekends because that is when I spend quality time with my family and friends. But during the week I take the time to aggregate news stories on a particular topic, and post them together so that the readers of this blog can read what news services/websites around the world are reporting on a particular story. But because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the flood of news that is now coming in by the minute/hour, I find that what I have taken the time to gather together is obsolete when I post it. So what this blog i... more »
Time to Pay Attention: Elite Reportedly Fleeing to Doomsday Bunkers Amid Covid-19 Outbreak
[image: rich]According to the Guardian 'Self isolate’ for some of world’s richest means Covid-19 tests abroad, personal medics and subterranean hideouts.
While Trump moves to protect us Democrats are working to make it harder for him to do so
Trump put a travel ban on China way before leftists, Democrats, and the #FakeNews media had a clue. He's just put a travel ban on Europe where the virus is becoming prevalent. Both steps are making it more likely that the US will avoid a major outbreak like Italy is seeing. What are Democrats doing? They're trying to pass a law which would make it harder for the President to ban travel the way that he is doing. That's right they're trying to make it easier for people with a future version of the WuHu Flu to enter the US and unintentionally sicken Americans. 219 Democrats in the H... more »
Paid sick days? Let’s not get too radical here
News 1. Province House Yesterday, Jennifer Henderson went to Province House to, among other things, ask Premier Stephen McNeil about the province’s legal costs in Alex Cameron’s defamation lawsuit. Click here to read “Last year, Stephen McNeil said he’d provide the province’s legal bill in the “conquered people” case; now he won’t.” This article is […]
Trading Halted on Wall Street After Stocks Plunge 7% at Open
An early plunge of 7% on Wall Street triggered a trading halt as a sell-off slamming global markets continued.
Israel Just Declared War on the Coronavirus
*Seth J. Frantzman* *Security, * Israel announced that it would set aside special funds for medical equipment as its large army prepares to deal with the coronavirus outbreak that is rippling across the Middle East. The country plans to spend $14 million on medical equipment for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the Ministry of Defense said on March 11. This new development comes amid continued tension with Hamas in Gaza and Iranian-backed forces in Syria and Lebanon. Israel announced that it would set aside special funds for medical equipment as its large army prepares to deal w... more »
Sunk: How China's Man-Made Islands Are Falling Apart and Sinking Into the Ocean
*David Axe* *Security, Asia* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2016%3Anewsml_S1AETZUWWSAA&share=true] Shoddy construction plus climate change equals unstable islands. *Key point: *Bejing quickly built human-made artificial islands to seize disputed territories. But now it looks like their greed and speed are coming back to haunt them. China’s island outposts in the China Seas might have a major weakness. Since 2013 the Chinese government has dredged and mostly destroyed ecologically delicate reefs in disputed waters in order to build seven major ... more »
Hacked: How the F-15 Fighter Can Be Taken Own by a Cyber Attack
*David Axe* *Security, Americas* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2018%3Anewsml_RC130F47BBE0&share=true] Is there anything that can be done? *Key point:* Thankfully the hackers were friendly as it was all just a test. However, these experiments exposed real vulnerabilities in the F-15. A team of hackers in early August 2019 gained access to an F-15 fighter in an eye-opening U.S. military test. The successful hack underscores U.S. forces’ vulnerability to electronic intrusion. *This first appeared in 2019 and is being reposted due to reader intere... more »
Now There Are Two of Them: Meet China's Crazy Fast Hypersonic Missiles
*David Axe* *Security, Asia* [image: Reuters] Well that's no good. *Key point: *Bejing is racing ahead to ensure it has the best hypersonic weapons on the planet. Towards that end, it is testing not one, but two different missiles. China is testing two hypersonic surface-to-surface missiles and not one as previously reported, state media claimed. If true, the development of a second munition capable of traveling at least five times the speed of sound while maneuvering could weigh on the balance of power in the Pacific region. *This first appeared earlier in 2019 and is being re... more »
Bernie Sanders Is a Foreign Policy Disappointment
*Ted Galen Carpenter* *Security, * A Sanders presidency would likely have been a major disappointment to Americans who want a more restrained and sensible foreign policy. Although he resists announcing the end of his candidacy, Bernie Sanders has almost no chance of becoming the Democratic Party nominee for president following his weak performances on both Super Tuesday and the six primaries the subsequent week. The impending demise of his presidential bid may come as a disappointment to some Americans who held out hope that a Sanders presidency would usher-in a more peaceful U... more »
State Power Solution: China Has a New Power Flex Due to Its Attempts to Contain the Coronavirus
*Dionysios Stivas, Nicholas Ross Smith* *Health, Asia* [image: Reuters] Rather than downplaying the seriousness of the issue, the authorities have now started building the virus up as an unprecedented threat for China, one which can only be solved by an extraordinary form of politics. China’s response to the recent coronavirus outbreak has been heavily scrutinised in terms of whether it has been effective or not. But most analyses have overlooked the broader impact that the evolving response to virus might have for the way government works in China. The introduction of extraordi... more »
Donald Trump's Decision To Kill Qassem Soleimani Could Come Back To Bite America
*Brandon C. Patrick* *Security, Middle East* Iran's revenge has not been had. *Key point: *To believe that Iranian anger over Soleimani’s death and their hopes for revenge were sated by the destruction of several U.S. drones and sheds would be a major miscalculation; their long-term response will be deadly, destabilizing and well within the gray zone of conflict. When news first emerged of the U.S. drone strike, which killed Iranian General Qasim Soleimani, many were taken aback. As a U.S. military veteran and student of world affairs, drone strikes are nothing new to me, but thi... more »
This World War II P-40 Pilot Barely Escaped With His Life (Thanks to the Sharks Below)
*Patrick J. Chaisson* *History, Asia* [image: United States Army Air Force Curtiss P-40 Warhawk] Don Lee realized he would never make it home in this aircraft. As he prepared to bail out, the 23-year-old pilot coolly evaluated his chances of survival in the perilous waters off Cape Ward Hunt. They were not good. Even if he survived the jump, man-eating sharks and enemy patrol boats lurked everywhere. Could friendly rescue craft reach him in time? The four Curtiss P-40 Warhawks plummeted 10,000 feet over NewGuinea’s coastline to ambush their quarry. Flight leader 1st Lt. Donald F.... more »
Higher CO2 Levels Make Plants Less Nutritious for Insects (And Could Kill Them)
*Ellen Welti* *Environment, America* [image: Reuters] These grasshoppers, like many insects around the world, are declining. *The big idea* Grasshopper populations, like those of many other insects, are declining. My colleagues and I identified a new possible culprit: The plants grasshoppers rely on for food are becoming less nutritious due to increased levels of carbon dioxide in the air. Ever-increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere tend to promote plant growth by supplying them with extra carbon. But all that added carbon is squeezing out other nutrients that p... more »
This Is How I Ended Up in Conversion Therapy
*David J Kinitz* *Health, Americas* [image: Reuters] The social pressures to be ‘straight’ and ‘cis’ can be overwhelming for LGBTQ+ people, especially youth. Adding conversion therapy to the criminal code of Canada is a good first step toward supporting them. The Trudeau government introduced legislation this week to amend the Criminal Code to ban conversion therapy, a controversial practice that aims to change the sexual orientation, gender identity or expression of LGBTQ+ people. The move marks the first concrete step towards the fulfilment of a Liberal election promise. A fed... more »
U.S. Air Force F-35s Nearly Clashed With Enemy Air-Defenses
*David Axe* *Security, * Two U.S. Air Force F-35 stealth fighter had a close encounter with a mobile air-defense system during combat operations over the Middle East. Two U.S. Air Force F-35 stealth fighter had a close encounter with a mobile air-defense system during combat operations over the Middle East. The encounter underscores the stealth fighter’s potential as a platform for suppressing enemy air-defenses, a service official said. A dozen F-35s from the 388th and 419th Fighter Wings in April 2019 traveled from their home station at Hill Air Force Base in Utah to Al Dhafra ... more »
Australia’s Privacy Watchdog Will Square Off With Facebook in Court
*Katharine Kemp, Kayleen Manwaring* *economy, Eurasia* [image: Reuters] In 2014, Facebook users were offered an app called “This is Your Digital Life”, which paid users to take a personality quiz. The app harvested the data not only of the person taking the quiz but also of their Facebook friends, who had no knowledge of the app or the data collection. On Monday, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) brought proceedings against Facebook in the Federal Court, asking the court to impose financial penalties for serious interference with the privacy of more tha... more »
New Research Says Massive Ecosystems Could Die in Just 50 Years
*John Dearing, Greg Cooper, Simon Willcock* *Economics, World* [image: Reuters] The messages are stark. Humanity now needs to prepare for changes in ecosystems that are faster than we previously envisaged through our traditional linear view of the world. We know that ecosystems under stress can reach a point where they rapidly collapse into something very different. The clear water of a pristine lake can turn algae-green in a matter of months. In hot summers, a colourful coral reef can soon become bleached and virtually barren. And if a tropical forest has its canopy significantl... more »
The F-35 Stealth Fighter Still Has Hundreds of Flaws
*David Axe* *Security, * Expert: “The program is currently dealing with 883 unresolved design flaws — and has no plan for correcting over 160 of them." It was an impressive sight when a brand-new F-35A stealth fighter roared down the runway at Lockheed Martin’s factory airfield in Fort Worth, Texas, on March 10, 2020. Sporting a fresh silvery coating of radar-absorbing material and the unique, black markings of the Alaska-based 354th Fighter Wing, the F-35 flew a test sortie to verify its systems ahead of its planned delivery. But the $85-million F-35’s striking appearance belie... more »
This Crazy Looking Flying Thing Is the U.S. Navy's Future
*Charlie Gao* *Security, * It's amazing. *Key point: *One key ability that the CMV-22B brings to the COD role is the ability to bring a replacement F-35 engine on board. On Feb 10, 2020, the U.S. Navy received its first tiltrotor CMV-22B aircraft. The CMV-22B is the Navy’s version of the V-22 currently in use by the US Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force. While the V-22 was primarily designed for the Marine Corps to accelerate ship-to-shore airborne transport, its unique tiltrotor characteristics have potential boons for the Navy as well. However, the primary mission of the CMV-22B... more »
The Biggest Threat To Russia's Su-57 Comes From... Within The Russian Air Force?
*Mark Episkopos* *Security, Europe* The Su-35 is too good. *Key point: *The Su-35S continues to occupy the upper echelons of Russian aerospace design as the VKS’ top air superiority fighter. “A unique machine, a deadly aerial fist,” is how the official television channel of the Russian Ministry of Defense introduced the Su-35S superiority fighter earlier this week. TV Zvezda’s *three-minute* clip of a recent Su-35S training sortie over Syria provides close-up shots of the fighter jet being prepped for flight, taking off, cruising over the Syrian coast, and firing flares. On thei... more »
Wall Street halts trade for second time in a week after shares plunge over US travel ban
Just In - 13 hours ago
Trading on the US stock exchange is briefly suspended for the second time in a week after shares plunged 7 per cent soon after Thursday's open.
Parramatta Eels claim gritty NRL win over Canterbury Bulldogs in season opener
Just In - 13 hours ago
It wasn't pretty, but the Eels did enough to get past the battling Bulldogs with a tight 8-2 win, as the 2020 NRL season gets underway.
PM moves to reassure Australians about coronavirus in national address — as it happened
Scott Morrison delivers his first televised national address as Prime Minister as the Federal Government tries to handle the coronavirus pandemic. Look back at how the day unfolded in our blog.
Coronavirus update: Australian Grand Prix could be cancelled over virus
Just In - 13 hours ago
Formula One's season-opening Australian Grand Prix is set to be called off due to the coronavirus outbreak, multiple reports say.
Trump's Chernobyl
Brian Klass writes that the coronavirus is Donald Trump's Chernobyl: On Saturday, April 26, 1986, the No. 4 reactor at Chernobyl power station exploded just outside the town of Pripyat in the Soviet Union. During the crucial early hours of the disaster, a cascading series of mistakes exacerbated the emergency. Subordinates who feared their superiors kept quiet. Superiors who feared contradicting the prevailing mythology of the state — and its leader — bent and broke reality. They made a series of smaller lies to protect the big lie: that the Soviet Union had everything under contr... more »
The Historical Background Of The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (II)
Part I The UK’s three promises about the Middle East during WWI A Holy Land of Palestine became since the turn of the 20th century a battlefield of competing for territorial pretensions and political-national interests between two regional Semitic peoples – the Arab Palestinians and the Judaist Jews.[1] That was […]
Fed Injects $198 Billion Via Repos To Unfreeze Paralyzed Funding Markets
Fed Injects $198 Billion Via Repos To Unfreeze Paralyzed Funding Markets by Tyler Durden, https://www.zerohedge.com/ Update: shortly after the Fed injected $95BN in liquidity via two term reports (a 2-week and the first 1-month op), it also announced $103.1BN injected via the overnight operation, which means that the Fed has injected a combined $198BN in liquidity as funding …
European Stock Markets Collapse!!
https://www.investing.com/indices/major-indices
Lima to host the sixth round of India-Peru FTA negotiations
bilaterals.org - 13 hours ago
12-Mar-2020 In an effort to conclude the special Free Trade Agreement (FTA) during the FY 2020-21, the sixth round of India-Peru Trade talks are scheduled for April, as both countries are making efforts to expand their trade basket.
RCEP deal expected to be signed late 2020: ASEAN secretary general
bilaterals.org - 13 hours ago
12-Mar-2020 The RCEP deal is expected to be signed at the end of this year, ASEAN Secretary-General Dato Lim Jock Hoi said on the sideline of the 26th Meeting of ASEAN Economic Ministers Retreat.
When Safety Measures Lead to Riskier Behavior by More People
How safety measures can backfire.
Trump Proclamation: Bans Entry of People from Schengen Area Europe (with Exceptions Listed); Schengen Map; Map of US Cases
https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/borders-and-visas/visa-policy/schengen_visa_en https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/borders-and-visas/schengen_en The Schengen area of Europe is the free movement of people area. It isn’t a perfect overlap with … Continue reading →
Worst is Yet to Come WHO Warns, After Declaring Coronavirus Outbreak a Pandemic
Because of reporting delays the US map, below, is already dated. Mississippi, Arkansas, North Dakota, Wyoming, for instance, have now … Continue reading →
UK Jr. Health Minister Contracts Coronavirus, Germany Warns of Possibility of Eventual 58 Million Infections
“Coronavirus Outbreak British Minister Contracts Coronavirus, Germany Warns of 58 Million Infections By Henry Ridgwell March 11, 2020 03:10 PM … Continue reading →
Trading On The Dow Jones And S&P 500 Have Been Halted For Fifteen Days
*CNBC*:* S&P 500 drops 7%, triggering NYSE ‘circuit breaker’ trading halt for 15 minutes* U.S. stocks fell sharply once again on Thursday after an address from President Donald Trump failed to quell concerns over the possible economic slowdown from the coronavirus. The S&P 500 dropped 7% shortly after the open, triggering a 15-minute “circuit breaker,” which temporarily halts trading at the New York Stock Exchange. The broad index also joined the Dow Jones Industrial Average in bear market territory. The 30-stock Dow slid more than 1,600 points, or 7.%. The Nasdaq Composite dropp... more »
It’s Cloudy with a Chance of Iron Rain at Hot, Faraway World
That's the otherworldly forecast from Swiss and other European astronomers who have detected clouds full of iron droplets at a hot Jupiterlike planet 390 light-years away.
Most Coronavirus Patients Recover, Still Anxiety, Fear Loom
Amid all the fears, quarantines and stockpiling of food, it has been easy to ignore the fact that more than 60,000 people have recovered from the coronavirus spreading around the globe.
The Crash of Wall Street Banks and Insurers this Week is Blamed on the Coronavirus, but the Real Cause is Decades of Money Creation by the Fed
Headlines about the virus did not appear in the US until January of 2020, but the Federal Reserve began making hundreds of billions of dollars in loans to Wall Street’s banks on September 17, 2019. The Fed was creating money to keep banks afloat a little longer, and the cost was passed to the consumer.
Plagues follow bad leadership in ancient Greek tales
Joel Christensen, Associate Professor of Classical Studies, Brandeis University at Politics + Society – The Conversation - 14 hours ago
Greek epics remind audiences that leaders need to be able to plan for the future based on what has happened in the past. They need to understand cause and effect.
WATCH: Cops Chase Man Down Over an Open Beer, Execute Him With a Bullet to the Head
[image: beer]A stop to extort a man over a can of beer ended when that man was chased down and shot in his head with a police-issued bullet.
The Government, the Press, and Our Shared Diagnosis
For the Symposium on Helen Norton, The Government's Speech and the Constitution (Cambridge University Press, 2019). Sonja R. West It just so happened that my reading of Professor Helen Norton’s fascinating new book, *The Government’s Speech and the Constitution*, coincided with the arrival in the United States of Covid-19 (aka the “novel coronavirus”). The growing coronavirus crisis, it turned out, was a fitting backdrop for taking in Norton’s thorough and deft exploration of the many effects that flow from the government’s use (and abuse) of its communicative powers. As I read, th... more »
After years of cuts – this is all it will take to completely overwhelm the NHS
On the last quarter of last year, nearly 90,000 full-time jobs for NHS were advertised. Hospital beds are now half what they were 30 years ago. The government is stating it will give to the NHS ‘whatever it takes’ to cope with the impending virus and yet even the very lowest of expected numbers mean the NHS will be totally submerged in serious CoVid-19 virus cases within about 6 to 8 weeks.
Capitalist agriculture and Covid-19: A deadly combination
A socialist biologist explains the tight links between new viruses, industrial food production, and the profitability of multinational corporations.
“It’s Getting ‘The Ugly'” – What Can We Really Do About Covid-19?
IT’S GETTING "THE UGLY" A few weeks ago we published a special report on Covid-19 which projected four scenarios for the virus’s economic and market impact: “The Bad”, “The Worse”, “The Ugly”, and “The Unthinkable”.
Dragon Storm hits Egypt : Live updates
This is how the stormy clouds were looming over my house in Giza at 1 PM Egypt is hit by a storm called Dragon storm “ do not dare to ask what that name is because I do not have an answer. Things look more biblical in the outskirts of Cairo and Giza. We have had frequent water and power outage. Heavy rain, strong wind and thunder as well as lightening are here since late night and yet the peak of the storm has not reached yet. It will continue on Friday. The Egyptian government took the best decision in 20 years or more on Tuesday when it decided to give the day off to most employ... more »
The High Cost of Controlling COVID-19
While China appears to have the novel coronavirus outbreak under control, this has come at a heavy cost to China's citizens. Let's start with this video courtesy of the United Kingdom's Channel 4 (the key part starts at the 1 minute mark): In order to enter an apartment building, public market, office building or take mass transit (among other things), Chinese citizens must use their smartphones to scan a QR code using a mini-app powered by Alibaba's popular payment application Alipay. Users of the mini-app called Alipay Health Code must supply their name, government ID number and... more »
Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. - Amy Goodman and Denis Moynihan write about the U.S.' choice between health care for all, or the spread of disease as people can't afford to seek medical treatment. - David Dayen highlights how the coronavirus is likely to expose the weaknesses of an economy build on debt and precarity. Mandy Pipher reminds us that far too many workers can't afford to stay home even when containment is essential at a social level. And Liz Alderman points out how Europe's comparatively strong social safety net offers far more capacity for people to avoid ma... more »
New video shows suspected US warplanes attacking Iraqi and Iranian forces in Syria
Footage, depicting an alleged air raid in Syria appeared on social media. The short and shaky video shows some explosions in the distance and suggests that bombs detonated in the night. The clip, however, does not allow a precise conclusion about the region and the circumstances of the alleged air attack. #BREAKING: Unidentified jets have targeted #Iran-backed […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Militant sleeper cell carries out new attack against Syrian Army in Daraa
BEIRUT, LEBANON (12:10 P.M.) – A militant sleeper cell carried out a surprise attack against the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in the Dara’a countryside on Thursday, a field report from the governorate read this morning. According to the report, a group of militants ambushed a Syrian Arab Army checkpoint inside the town of Da’el, north […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Israel plans ahead for future war along Lebanese border
BEIRUT, LEBANON (11:45 A.M.) – According to the Israel-based Channel 20 network, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) are planning ahead for a future war along the Lebanese border. The Channel 20 report said Israel’s “Operation Northern Shield” has led to several new developments along the Lebanese border. The network reported that the Israeli military, in […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Assad-Erdogan meeting is ‘not possible’ with Turkey in Syria: Shaaban
BEIRUT, LEBANON (11:20 A.M.) – The media and political adviser to the Syrian President, Buthaina Shaaban, said in an interview with Lebanon’s Al-Mayadeen TV that it is “not possible” to hold a meeting between Bashar Al-Assad and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. “It is not possible to hold a summit meeting between President Assad and […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Cancel U.S. Arrogance Towards China, Glass-Steagall Must Be Part of Emergency Measures
Cancel U.S. Arrogance Towards China, Glass-Steagall Must Be Part of Emergency Measures Video of Cancel U.S. Arrogance Towards China, Glass-Steagall Must Be Part of Emergency Measures While we are cancelling everything here in the west to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, let's cancel the arrogance of many people in the United States who think we have nothing to learn from China! Also, emergency measures must include Glass-Steagall, we cannot begin bailing out zombie entities as part of "saving" the economy. Don't give a blood infusion to a corpse! Every weekday morning Ha... more »
Darwinianism Versus Classical Liberalism
Darwin’s theory of evolution is a challenge to the classical liberal movement. Instead of defining progress as the existence of free individuals in an environment of brotherhood and happiness, Darwinianism hypothesizes that progress entails the purge of all the unfit forms of life. If the Darwinian model of life on earth is true then we may draw the conclusion that all individuals are not equal or fit and that the purge of the individuals that are deemed unfit by the forces of nature is the very means by which space gets created for the rise of new types of species.
WE'RE AT RISK NOT BECAUSE TRUMP IS AN EGOMANIAC, BUT BECAUSE HE'S AN INEPT EGOMANIAC
I don't have to tell you that President Trump is egomaniacal -- but that's not why the coronavirus pandemic is being mishandled by his administration. The problem is that Trump is *bad* at bring an egomaniac. Other people with big egos actually learn how to do something well and center their egomania on that. Trump is bad at everything (except possibly showmanship and Twitter), and he pursued the presidency despite having no applicable skills or experience. Egocentric people frequently surround themselves with subordinates who are smart, competent, and hardworking, then take credi... more »
"Saudi Arabia's Archenemy Is Taking Advantage Of The Oil War" This Would Be Iran
*Interesting read from Simon Watkins @ OilPrice.com * *"Iran is positioning itself to benefit from the fallout from Saudi Arabia’s latest disastrous handling of the global oil markets. The Kingdom’s ability to metaphorically shoot itself in the foot has been well-documented by OilPrice.com and is perhaps nowhere better illustrated than by its recent announcement that oil and gas giant, Aramco, has been given the go-ahead to launch the Jafurah shale gas field project. Saudi Arabia trumpeted this as the biggest shale gas development outside the U.S. and one which will allow the Kingd... more »
"Economic Market Snapshot AM 3/12/20"
*AM 3/12/20, Updated as available.* ◆ *Perfect storm: "*A perfect storm is an event in which a rare combination of circumstances drastically aggravates the event. The term is used by analogy to an unusually severe storm that results from a rare combination of meteorological phenomena." Coronavirus consequences precipitate total global economic collapse... ◆ *03/12/2020 - 08:43:* "FuBEAR! Stocks Crash into Bear Market Faster than 1929!" *March 12, 2020: *"Boeing Crashes: $43 Billion in Share Buybacks Turn into Existential Threat" *Mar 12, 2020 07:49: *"The Entire Western World Is St... more »
"It Is Dangerous..."
"For it is dangerous to attach one’s self to the crowd in front, and so long as each one of us is more willing to trust another than to judge for himself, we never show any judgement in the matter of living, but always a blind trust, and a mistake that has been passed on from hand to hand finally involves us and works our destruction. It is the example of other people that is our undoing; let us merely separate ourselves from the crowd, and we shall be made whole. But as it is, the populace, defending its own iniquity, pits itself against reason. And so we see the same thing happen... more »
"We Have An Expectation..."
“It goes against the American storytelling grain to have someone in a situation he can't get out of, but I think this is very usual in life. There are people, particularly dumb people, who are in terrible trouble and never get out of it, because they're not intelligent enough. It strikes me as gruesome and comical that in our culture we have an expectation that man can always solve his problems. This is so untrue that it makes me want to cry - or laugh.” - Kurt Vonnegut
Last year, Stephen McNeil said he’d provide the province’s legal bill in the “conquered people” case; now he won’t
Premier Stephen McNeil was asked (again) yesterday when he would “make good” on his promise given July 25, 2019 to release the cost of hiring outside lawyers from Toronto to appeal the Nova Scotia top court’s decision to the Supreme Court of Canada in the “Conquered People’s” case. Here is part of the audiotaped exchange […]
Overnight, U.S. Gov’t and Corps Announce Coronavirus Lock-down Measures
*21WIRE* | In just 24 hours, Washington's reaction to the crisis has sent shock waves through the global economy - with more announcements expected in the coming days.
At Least Two Ongoing Pandemics
This short post is a crowd-sourcing inquiry. In its story on the World Health Organization declaring Covid-19 a pandemic (“Coronavirus Declared Pandemic by the World Health Organization,” March 11, 2010), the Wall Street Journal, usually a serious, prudent, and skeptical newspaper, writes: The WHO generally defines a pandemic as a disease that has become widespread […] The post At Least Two Ongoing Pandemics appeared first on Econlib.
Telefônica and TIM Negotiate Joint Purchase of Oi Group’s Mobile Business
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - In market announcements, Telefônica - owner of Vivo- and TIM reported that the two companies have The post Telefônica and TIM Negotiate Joint Purchase of Oi Group’s Mobile Business appeared first on The Rio Times.
Lessons From the Past: How the Spanish Flu Impacted the Economy (Like Coronavirus Will)
*Chris Colvin, Eoin McLaughlin* *Economics, World* [image: Reuters] Here are three lessons from the past. As news of the global spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) emerged, global financial markets reacted pessimistically and behaved in ways not seen since the 2008 financial crisis. But fully understanding the potential future economic impact of the virus which leads to this disease remains difficult – because spread of a disease on this scale is unprecedented in the modern world. The closest parallel is the 1918 influenza pandemic, popularly known as the Spanish flu (beca... more »
Newborn Babies Weigh Less Today Than They Did in the Past
*Andrea Tilstra* *Health, North America* Is it because of the increased popularity of cesarean sections and induced labor? The decline in U.S. birth weight has been somewhat of a puzzle for public health researchers. Between 1990 and 2017, average birth weight declined from 7.36 pounds to 7.19 pounds. There was some speculation about what might explain the decline in birth weight. Some thought it might be the fact that the average U.S. mother is now older. Other research suggested that the decline in average length of pregnancies might play a role. Sociologist and demographer R... more »
Coronavirus Question: Do All Those Masks and Handwashing Have a Big Downside?
*Alex Horenstein, Konrad Grabiszewski* *Health, * Setting aside the fact that public health experts say healthy people get no benefit from wearing masks, there’s another major issue to consider: Wearing a face mask and constantly sanitizing hands could lead to worrisome changes in behavior as people recalibrate their sense of risk. Coronavirus fears triggered a recent surge in sales of protective masks, as well as disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer. Now there’s a shortage and concern that even health care providers who must wear face masks won’t be able to get the gear they ne... more »
Could Skype Doctor Visits Help Contain the Coronavirus?
*Matt Mason, Peta-Anne Zimmerman* *Health, Eurasia* [image: Reuters] Australia is taking a different approach to combating the deadly virus. The Australian government today announced new telehealth consultations will be covered under the Medicare Benefits Schedule. This will mean people who are isolated due to the coronavirus can access medical services from home by audio or video, an important step to protect other patients and health-care workers from being infected. Health-care workers are perhaps our most valuable asset in an outbreak situation, but can be at high risk when ... more »
Meet China's Curtis LeMay: The Admiral Who Wants To Sink Two U.S. Aircraft Carriers
*Michael Peck* *Security, * If Chinese like Admiral Lou are right, then America is finished as a major power. *Key point: *Sinking an American carrier would be an act of war, period. Admiral Lou Yuan is China’s Curtis LeMay. LeMay, the U.S. Air Force general who torched Japanese cities and later headed Strategic Air Command, was notorious for his bellicosity. In the 1950s and during the Cuban Missile Crisis, he tried to get the U.S. to launch a nuclear first strike against the Soviet Union: during the Vietnam War, he urged bombing North Vietnam “back to the Stone Age.” Now come... more »
Coronavirus Market Chaos: Could the Economy Get Worse than the Great Recession?
*Ian Crowther* *economy, Americas* Market confidence is weak and asset prices are very unstable – witness the latest rebounds on March 10 after sharp declines the day before. Until recently, investors were enjoying substantial gains from a strong bull market in securities that essentially began in the depths of the financial crisis of 2007-09. With world markets now in serious turmoil, COVID-19 has probably brought this trend to an end. This atypical leftfield event has put its vicelike grip around the windpipes of stock market bourses and commodity markets across the world, and... more »
Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Worry about Pets Spreading Cornavirus
*Sarah L Caddy* *Health, Americas* [image: Reuters] We know that SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted by droplets, so it’s possible that dogs could act as dirty tissues, or “fomites”, that walk the virus around if adequate hygiene is not maintained. A Pomeranian dog in Hong Kong grabbed the international media’s attention this week after scientists found traces of coronavirus in the canine. Following confirmation that the dog’s owner was positive for the virus causing COVID-19, the dog was taken from Hong Kong Island to a nearby animal quarantine facility. Subsequent tests performed on swab... more »
China is In Denial About Coronavirus—Here's What You Should Know
*Fred Lucas* *Politics, Asia* [image: Chinese President Xi Jinping learns about the hospital's operations, treatment of patients, protection for medical workers and scientific research at the Huoshenshan Hospital in Wuhan, the epicentre of the novel coronavirus outbreak, Hubei province, China] COVID-19 or "Chinese coronavirus"? Before MSNBC personalities were calling it “racist” and “astoundingly gross” to note the origin of the new coronavirus, NBC News reported in January on what it called the “Wuhan coronavirus.” In recent days, the Chinese government has sought to cast doubt... more »
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