| Coronavirus truthers prey on the anxiety of the moment Posted: 16 Mar 2020 11:55 AM PDT  As the global coronavirus outbreak continues to shutter businesses and schools across America and upend the stock market, a number of commentators on the right have been busily floating conspiracy theories about what's behind the outbreak.
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| Nine-year-old Florida girl's remains found four years after she vanished Posted: 17 Mar 2020 11:14 AM PDT  A friend of Diana Alvarez's family made "admissions" that put him with her on the morning she went missing. He also told investigators that he had a sexual relationship with the girl.
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| Mexico, former swine flu hub, tests nerves with coronavirus strategy Posted: 17 Mar 2020 04:02 PM PDT  Mexican officials are dragging their feet on border closures and coronavirus containment measures, in what critics call a high risk strategy driven by bad memories of a shutdown a decade ago that deepened the country's recession during the swine flu epidemic. The United States and neighbors in Latin America have suspended flights, banned public gatherings and closed schools. In Mexico City, however, tens of thousands of music fans rocked out to Guns and Roses at a festival at the weekend.
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| There's reportedly 'a lot of pressure' on Biden to pick Warren as running mate Posted: 17 Mar 2020 02:50 PM PDT  One thing is clear about former Vice President Joe Biden's potential running mate: he's going to pick a woman. But there are several candidates for the job that present intriguing arguments for his campaign advisers, Politico reports.Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), for example is an oft-touted name, as she would appeal to African American voters, who have carried Biden's campaign into the driver's seat. Plus, the two get along well, despite clashing in earlier debates when Harris was still campaigning herself.Another former contender, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), could make sense because she could help reel in the sought-after Rust Belt votes that are likely to be so crucial in the November election.But there's also Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) It's no secret Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) both desperately want Warren's endorsement, but it may be somewhat of a surprise to hear that Biden's team is facing "a lot of pressure" to add her to the ticket, an adviser said. Warren and Biden don't line up too precisely on policy — the former tends to veer more in the progressive lane — but Biden has made some overtures recently, including supporting her bankruptcy reform plan, so it's possible she's under legitimate consideration for the opening. Read more at Politico.More stories from theweek.com The conservatives who would sacrifice the elderly to save the economy Trump says he knew coronavirus was a 'pandemic long before it was called' one. Two weeks ago he called it a 'hoax.' The economy is crashing again. This time, let's bail out ordinary Americans.
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| Durham Probe Expected to Conclude in Summer, May Be Delayed by Coronavirus Outbreak Posted: 17 Mar 2020 05:47 AM PDT  U.S. Attorney John Durham, the head of a criminal probe into the origins of the Russiagate investigation, is expected to wrap up his investigation by the end of the summer.Durham's work could wrap up anywhere from July to September, and could be slowed by the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S., Fox News reported Monday. Another source told Fox News last month that Durham has yet to interview former CIA Director John Brennan and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R., Ohio) said last week that Durham's investigation "is due to be completed sometime this summer." Last month, Representative Doug Collins (R., Ga.) said that Durham will not be releasing a report, like former special counsel Robert Mueller, but will likely use indictments to signal his conclusion."When he's ready to charge people, he'll charge people," Collins told Fox News. "And that's when we'll know."Attorney General William Barr said in December that Durham "is looking at all the conduct both before and after the election.""He's not just looking at the FBI, he's looking at other agencies, and departments, and also private actors, so it's a much broader investigation," Barr stated. The comments came after Durham released a rare public statement to say his team did "not agree with" DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz's conclusions regarding the origins of the FBI's 2016 Russia probe.Part of Durham's focus is a 2017 intelligence community assessment that detailed Russian interference in the 2016 election, and stated that Vladimir Putin "ordered an influence campaign" that "aspired to help" Trump and discredit Clinton.Former National Security Agency director and retired Admiral Michael Rogers, who was the "lone exception" in giving moderate confidence to the IC's report — compared to the CIA and FBI's high confidence — reportedly "has cooperated voluntarily" with Durham's probe.
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| A 2nd Navy sailor on a US warship has tested positive for the coronavirus — this time aboard a destroyer Posted: 17 Mar 2020 02:41 PM PDT  Protecting Navy warships, tight spaces filled with military personnel, from the coronavirus poses a daunting challenge for the service.
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| Masks, gloves don't stop coronavirus spread: experts Posted: 17 Mar 2020 09:30 AM PDT  Wearing masks and gloves as a precaution against coronavirus is ineffective, unnecessary for the vast majority of people, and may even spread infections faster, experts said Tuesday. While near-total lockdowns have been imposed in Italy, Spain and now France, the World Health Organization's advice has remained unchanged since the start of the global outbreak: wash your hands, don't touch your face, and keep your distance. The WHO says it is advisable to wear a protective mask in public if you suspect you are infected or someone you are caring for is, in which case the advice is to stay home whenever possible.
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| White House warning to millennials: Stay out of the bars Posted: 17 Mar 2020 12:00 PM PDT  The scientific community's message to young Americans about the coronavirus got more pointed on Tuesday: Stay out of bars. Fauci said he too felt invulnerable when he was a young man, but he emphasized that young people need to help constrain the spread of the coronavirus by staying out of bars and restaurants.
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| US Forces-Korea says combat approach to COVID-19 is working Posted: 17 Mar 2020 02:27 PM PDT  The Army's combat approach to attacking the virus is working, U.S. Forces-Korea leaders say.
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| Trump wants to send Americans $1,000 checks to cushion virus economic shock Posted: 17 Mar 2020 09:52 AM PDT  U.S. President Donald Trump announced a plan on Tuesday to send money to Americans immediately to ease the economic shock from the coronavirus crisis and said military-style hospitals will likely be deployed to virus hot zones to care for patients. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, appearing with Trump in the White House press briefing room, said he was talking with congressional leaders on a plan to send checks immediately to displaced Americans. Trump said some people should get $1,000.
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| ‘No Words’: Seven Family Members Found Dead in Suspected Murder-Suicide Posted: 16 Mar 2020 01:54 PM PDT  A North Carolina man killed six of his family members over the weekend before turning the gun on himself, authorities said Monday.The Chatham County Sheriff's Office said Larry Don Ray, 66, fatally shot six relatives at multiple homes on the same property Sunday afternoon in Moncure.The six family members who died have been identified as Jeanie Ray, 67; Helen Mason, 93; Ellis Mansfield, 73; Lisa Mansfield, 54; John Paul Sanderford, 41; and Nicole Sanderford, 39. Two teenage sons who lost their parents in the shooting survived the slaying, the sheriff's office said. Authorities do not believe the event was random, but are still working to determine a motive behind the grisly incident that occurred in the unincorporated community about 30 minutes outside of Raleigh with a population of just over 700. Mom: Daughter and I Killed Our Family in Murder-Suicide Pact"Our hearts go out to the families and friends of the victims of this terrible tragedy," Chatham County Sheriff Mike Roberson said in a statement obtained by The Daily Beast. "To lose any family member is devastating, but to lose several at once to unexpected violence is unimaginable. There are no words to describe the sense of loss we feel as a community in the wake of this terrible event."Authorities said deputies responded to a call of "shots fired" shortly after 5:30 p.m. on Sunday. The seven people were found shot in multiple homes around the property. Roberson described the community as "quiet" and "close-knit, where violence is out of the norm." "In Chatham County, when one of us hurts, we all hurt, and we pull together," he said. "We can't undo what has happened, but we can surround this family and each other with love and support as we decide where to go from here."'Killing on Demand': German Crossbow Mystery May Be Murder-Suicide PactAccording to The News & Observer, several family members gathered Monday morning across the street from the scene."Right now, they're still in shock, and they don't want to talk to anybody," Mark Childress told the local paper, adding that he was there to support his brother and his brother's family. Childress told the outlet that his brother's son-in-law, mother-in-law, and daughter were among the victims in Sunday's slaying.The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is also assisting with the criminal probe.If you or a loved one are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.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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| Coronavirus: What are your rights if working from home? Posted: 17 Mar 2020 09:14 AM PDT  Self-isolation and home working are rising, but what are the pay and conditions rights of those urged to do it.
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| Trump rates his coronavirus response a 10 Posted: 16 Mar 2020 01:39 PM PDT  President Trump on Monday rated his response to the growing coronavirus outbreak in the United States a 10.
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| Democrats vote in Florida and more: What polls show for Biden, Sanders Posted: 17 Mar 2020 05:54 AM PDT  Amid the coronavirus pandemic, three states are casting ballots in what could be the Vermont senator's last chance to stop the former VP.
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| French people ignored officials' warnings to isolate themselves because of the coronavirus. Now they need a form to leave the house. Posted: 17 Mar 2020 04:26 AM PDT  People in France must have a document justifying why they're outside, even just for a walk or to go to a shop, after they refused to stay indoors.
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| The 20 Best Gifts for Mom on Mother’s Day Posted: 17 Mar 2020 12:18 PM PDT |
| Paid sick leave could be a sticking point as Senate considers coronavirus relief bill Posted: 16 Mar 2020 06:35 AM PDT  The Senate is expected this week to pass a coronavirus relief bill that has President Trump's approval, but it could potentially be held up a bit.The House of Representatives early on Saturday passed an economic relief bill negotiated between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Trump said he "fully" supports the bill, which provides free coronavirus testing and requires companies with fewer than 500 employees provide paid sick leave. The Senate is expected to pass the coronavirus bill after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) canceled a planned recess. But Bloomberg reports that action could be delayed "up to several days" as the bill is "running into resistance from some Republicans worried about the impact of a temporary paid sick leave provision on small businesses."Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) is one of those senators objecting paid sick leave provision, saying he hopes the Senate passes a "bill that does more good than harm — or, if it won't, pass nothing at all." Bloomberg notes that "Senate rules allow any one senator to delay a final vote for days." Mnuchin said over the weekend said "we'll work with the Senate on whatever minor changes we need."In addition, Bloomberg reports the House has to "pass technical corrections to the bill, which was drafted on the fly," which "adds another wrinkle that could slow final action in the Senate."More stories from theweek.com The economy is crashing again. This time, let's bail out ordinary Americans. The conservatives who would sacrifice the elderly to save the economy Coronavirus is exposing America's shameful selfish streak
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| 'People Are Dying Left and Right.' Inside Iran's Struggle to Contain Its Coronavirus Outbreak Posted: 17 Mar 2020 09:41 AM PDT  Iran's overwhelmed health system is already finding echoes around the world
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| Trump says coronavirus pandemic could bring on a recession Posted: 16 Mar 2020 02:49 PM PDT  Asked whether the country was heading for an economic recession, the president said "it may be," although he also said he expected the economy to recover quickly once the health emergency passes.
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| Former California congressman Hunter gets 11 months in corruption case Posted: 17 Mar 2020 02:44 PM PDT  Former U.S. Representative Duncan Hunter, who pleaded guilty to a charge of campaign finance fraud, was sentenced on Tuesday to 11 months in federal prison in a corruption case that ended the California Republican's once-promising political career. Hunter, 43, whose conviction set off a scramble within the Republican Party to succeed him while seemingly boosting Democrats' chances to gain his seat, was ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons on May 29. Following completion of his 11-month term behind bars, Hunter is to remain under supervised release - the federal equivalent of probation - for three years, U.S. District Judge Thomas Whelan in San Diego ruled.
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| Uncooperative coronavirus patients: Man in Kentucky guarded by cops, woman gave false name in N.J. Posted: 17 Mar 2020 01:23 PM PDT  A woman in New Jersey and a man in Kentucky who reportedly tested positive for coronavirus presented challenges for local authorities this week.
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| Venezuela seeks emergency $5 billion IMF loan to fight virus Posted: 17 Mar 2020 11:50 AM PDT  Venezuela said Tuesday it is seeking an emergency $5 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund, appealing to an institution it has long vilified to cope with the fallout from the new coronavirus on its already collapsed oil economy. The request came in a letter to IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva signed by President Nicolás Maduro. Venezuela is believed to be the first country to try to tap the $50 billion in financing the IMF has available to help developing nations deal with the virus, and the appeal underscores the precarious state of the socialist government's finances.
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| Joe Biden Just Sealed the Deal Posted: 15 Mar 2020 08:24 PM PDT  I get that the news out of the debate is that Joe Biden committed to picking a woman vice president. That's a big deal. But there were a couple non-news things that were important too.The first one is that Biden is not senile, does not have dementia, had no trouble in this debate uttering six or even seven sentences in a row that make sense, and handled himself fine. I suspect that any chance Bernie Sanders had to turn the tables in the way he was hoping ended in the first five minutes, by which time it was pretty clear that Biden was fully compos mentis and wasn't going to start quoting Jack Benny routines to drive home his point.This was really different from those early debates when he was ambushed from all sides. Then, he was verbally drowning half the time. Tonight, he was totally calm. He did maybe miss an opportunity to try to reach out to Sanders voters, but overall, he was in control of himself. It ought to make people feel more comfortable picturing him on a stage opposite Donald Trump.Biden: Virus Means It's Time for War, Not RevolutionBut he was also just personable. You know how people like me are always parsing the details, like hey, didn't he use a slightly different figure on that issue in a previous debate? Well, that kind of thing is way too wonky-weedsy. It wouldn't surprise me if Biden's most memorable tonight was that bit about 35 minutes in when Dana Bash asked about what they're doing personally to protect against the coronavirus, and Bernie Sanders talked about official, campaign-y things, but Biden made it personal and said "I'm taking all the precautions everyone else should be taking. I wash my hands God knows how many times a day. I carry with me, in my bag outside here, hand sanitizer. I don't know how many times a day I use that. I make sure I don't touch my face and so on. I'm taking all the precautions we're telling everybody else to take." He was just being a guy there, a person, a regular, um, Joe, in a way Sanders chooses never to do.So that was the first thing. The second was more substantive, and it was that Biden more or less managed to defend his much spottier record against Sanders' attacks.The three big issues here were Social Security, an old bankruptcy bill, and same-sex marriage. And I guess the Iraq war, that's always in there.On all these issues, Biden has real vulnerabilities. He did used to talk about certain small cuts to Social Security benefits (although a Politifact analysis rated Sanders' attacks on Biden as "mostly false"). On bankruptcy, well, he was a senator from Delaware. And Sanders was right that Biden did vote for the Defense of Marriage Act (a Clinton-era measure that said marriage was between a man and a woman) while he, Sanders, opposed it.But here's the thing about all that. Well, a) it's the past, and in our new state, it seems a little less relevant than before. Nobody thinks today's Joe Biden is going to cut Social Security. But the main thing is this:Biden and Sanders show us two models of senator-hood that are as opposite as they could be. Biden, from early on in his career, was a super-duper inside player. He got his fingers into all kinds of pies. He did stuff. Plus, he was elected from a state where he obviously had to accommodate himself to certain interests. If he didn't, those interests would have seen to getting rid of him after one term.Sanders has spent 30 years in Washington not really trying to do much of anything, reveling in his stance as the outsider. And he was elected from a state where he never faced any pressure to compromise on anything (he used to face one form of pressure, on guns, and he actually buckled on that until he was secure in his incumbency). Indeed, the vast majority of the pressure he faced, if it can even be called pressure, was to vote the orthodox lefty line on every issue (I don't doubt his votes were sincere). Whereas the vast majority of Democratic senators faced pressure to support the Iraq war, Vermonters might have thrown Sanders out if he'd voted for it.This enables him to sound pure today, and sounding pure is of great advantage in primary contests. It has helped him a great deal thus far. But it didn't work so well in this debate. He kept trying to press the point that his record was more consistent, but he was doing so in such a way that you could tell he was straining to convince viewers that it was important.Biden had OK answers on most of these things, and more than OK on same-sex marriage, when he said "I was the only major player" who backed same-sex marriage, which is basically true—remember how he endorsed it before the 2016 reelection, before Barack Obama did or wanted to. Biden could have put it more effectively: "Bernie, yes, you cast a good vote from your seat in the bleachers. But I did more than anybody to make same-sex marriage reality."They were very different kinds of senators. One kept his hands clean and assembled a faultless (from a left point of view) voting record. The other got his hands dirty. Democratic voters are making it very clear which model they prefer, and tonight seems not to have done anything to change that.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Boeing burned through $13.8 billion of loans in just over a month as coronavirus derails its 737 Max recovery Posted: 17 Mar 2020 02:34 PM PDT  The company is actively lobbying for "tens of billions" in federal aid, Reuters reported, as the entire aviation sector faces a liquidity crisis.
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| The most 'chaotic classes' might not even be in the classroom. They'll be online. Posted: 16 Mar 2020 02:56 PM PDT  "You can't simply snap your fingers," one advocate said. "It takes planning and training, and we don't have time for that."
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| Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe 'so happy' for temporary release due to coronavirus Posted: 17 Mar 2020 09:49 AM PDT  Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe on Tuesday described being "so happy" after being temporarily released from the "hell" of Iranian prison she has been confined in for four years as part of emergency measures to curb the country's raging coronavirus epidemic. Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian mother of one from north London who has been incarcerated since 2016 on charges of trying to overthrow the regime, was released on a two-week furlough from Tehran's Evin prison on Monday afternoon as authorities sought to clear crowded jails where the virus could spread. She is obliged to wear an electronic tag and her movements will be restricted to 300m from her parents' Tehran home, where she will spend the next fortnight. "I am so happy to be out. Even with the ankle tag, I am so happy. Being out is so much better than being in – if you knew what hell this place is. It is mental. Let us hope it will be the beginning of coming home," she said in a statement released by her family. "My thinking is that they want to keep me, but outside of prison until they sort out this thing. But to be honest, I just want to go home. I think they are showing a good gesture, as they are hoping to strike a deal. So they want to keep me out. If the deal won't happen, then they will drag me back in. But if it does, then they will let me go from here." Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary said: "While this is a welcome step, we urge the government now to release all UK dual nationals arbitrarily detained in Iran, and enable them to return to their families in the UK." It is unclear whether the move to grant furlough to Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe heralds a readiness to allow her to return home. Her family have previously been wary of offers of furlough in case it could be used by authorities as a tool to apply psychological pressure. The last time it was granted, for three days in in August 2018, she was subjected to harassing telephone calls from her interrogators and then denied a promised extension and returned to prison at short notice. Monday's decision followed months of back-and forth diplomacy and appears to be have been subject to weeks of internal debate inside the Iranian government.
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| 'We have a responsibility': Fox News declares coronavirus a crisis in abrupt U-turn Posted: 17 Mar 2020 12:24 PM PDT  Hosts encourage viewers to practice social distancing after weeks of downplaying the pandemic as an attack on the presidentFox News, the rightwing channel that is a favorite of Donald Trump and conservatives across the US, spent the first weeks of the Covid-19 outbreak downplaying the threat of the virus.Hosts often claimed that those warning of the danger were "panic pushers", or engaged in "mass hysteria". Some on Fox News even claimed it was all an effort to try to bring down the president.But in recent days Fox News has performed an abrupt U-turn, and declared coronavirus a crisis.On Tuesday, the three hosts of Fox & Friends, Fox News' flagship morning program and a known favorite of Trump, co-hosted the show while practising social distancing, appearing on a split screen instead of their usual format of sitting together on a couch."We have a responsibility to slow down this virus and to think of other people during this time," Ainsley Earhardt told viewers. "So if you can keep your distance, and prevent someone from getting close to you that might be sick, you can save your family, you can save the elderly, and help our country as a nation."Three days earlier, Earnhardt struck a different tone, when she suggested people should take advantage of the crisis to take a trip."It's actually the safest time to fly," Earhardt had said. "Everyone I know that's flying right now, terminals are pretty much dead – ghost towns."In minimizing the threat, Earhardt and her colleagues had been echoing Trump's own response to coronavirus, which initially was to repeatedly downplay its impact. Yet one by one, Fox News hosts and personalities have fallen in line with doctors, health experts and science, in judging the coronavirus outbreak to be severe.On 10 March Sean Hannity, Fox News' most-watched host and a personal friend to Trump, accused the left of creating "hysteria". He attempted to downplay Covid-19 by comparing it to the flu, and also suggested the Democratic frontrunner, Joe Biden, was using it as an excuse to cancel rallies.Hannity's outlook had changed by last Friday."This virus is serious," Hannity said. "We've been telling you that from day one. We need to take the flu seriously. We need to take cancer seriously, this virus seriously. Of course, we all need to prepare accordingly."There are signs that the shift is supported, or mandated, by Fox News executives. On Friday, Trish Regan's show on Fox Business, which is owned by Fox News Media and echoes the conservative tone of the Fox News channel, was suspended after Regan offered a particularly strident avalanche of misinformation on air.As the graphic: "Coronavirus impeachment hoax" appeared on screen, Regan claimed Democrats had created "mass hysteria to encourage a market sell-off".Regan added: "Many in the liberal media [are] using [the] coronavirus to demonize and destroy the president."She also claimed the left was using "melodrama" in its response, and questioned why there was not the same response to Sars and Ebola, which she said were "far more deadly". While they did have a higher mortality rate, only 8,000 people contracted Sars and 33,500 Ebola. As of Monday, 167,000 people have contracted Covid-19, in at least 150 countries."Why the melodrama?" she asked. "I'll give you two words: Donald Trump."In a development that illustrates the strange times we find ourselves in, usually-controversial conservative host Tucker Carlson has been credited as one of the few Fox News personalities to treat the coronavirus seriously.Carlson, who in the past has demonized immigrants and described white supremacy as a hoax, criticized those making light of coronavirus more than a week ago, describing it as a "major event"."People you trust, people you probably voted for, have spent weeks minimizing what is clearly a very serious problem," Carlson told viewers on 9 March, at the same time other Fox News hosts, and Trump, were doing that very thing."It's just partisan politics, they say: 'Calm down. In the end, this is just like the flu and people die from that every year. Coronavirus will pass, and when it does, we will feel foolish for worrying about it.'"That's their position. But they're wrong."The median age of a prime-time Fox News viewer is 66, meaning many viewers fall into the most at-risk category for complications from the coronavirus.Carlson, who with Hannity makes up a cadre of Fox News hosts-cum-informal Trump advisers, reportedly took his concerns straight to the president earlier in March. Trump finally seemed to acknowledge the seriousness of the coronavirus on Monday, just as Fox News did the same. Whether the same sober tone lasts over the coming months remains to be seen.
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| India shuts Taj Mahal; Pakistan cases rise after quarantine errors Posted: 16 Mar 2020 09:56 PM PDT  MUMBAI/KARACHI (Reuters) - India closed the Taj Mahal, its principal tourist site, and the financial hub of Mumbai ordered offices providing non-essential services to keep half their staff at home in increased measures to curb the coronavirus in South Asia. Mumbai, a metropolis of 18 million people, also authorised hospital and airport authorities to stamp the wrists of those ordered to self-isolate with indelible ink reading "Home Quarantined" and displaying the date the quarantine ends. There have been concerns that over-stretched health systems in India and the region could struggle to handle a surge in cases.
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| Biden says he wants a female running mate. Who? Posted: 16 Mar 2020 04:28 PM PDT  Joe Biden says he'll name a woman as his running mate. A small handful of Democratic senators lead the list of the most likely candidates.
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| House Democrats just passed another version of their coronavirus bill that significantly scales back paid sick leave Posted: 17 Mar 2020 07:52 AM PDT  The new bill tightens eligibility for extending sick pay beyond two weeks. Businesses had warned of running out of cash to pay workers.
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| A New York Department of Correction employee has died from the coronavirus Posted: 16 Mar 2020 02:22 PM PDT  David Perez, who had preexisting health conditions, died Sunday, according to the New York Daily News.
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| Limbaugh Guest Host: San Francisco Ordering Coronavirus Lockdown Because It’s a ‘Big Gay Town’ Posted: 17 Mar 2020 12:13 PM PDT  Filling in for President Donald Trump's most recent Medal of Freedom honoree Rush Limbaugh on Tuesday, conservative radio host Mark Steyn claimed that the reason why San Francisco announced a "shelter-in-place" order to contain the coronavirus outbreak is because it's a "big gay town."On Monday, Northern California officials revealed that the nearly 7 million residents in the Bay Area would be required to remain in their homes as much as possible until April 7. "We know these measures will significantly disrupt people's day-to-day lives, but they are absolutely necessary," San Francisco Mayor London Breed said.Reacting to the news, Steyn told millions of Limbaugh listeners that the real reason why San Francisco was the first major city to take such measures is because of the city's large homosexual population."Why are they doing that?" Steyn asked, in comments first spotted by Media Matters. "Why is San Francisco the first to do that? Because they've got all the gay guys there.""It's a big gay town, San Francisco, and they're the ones with all the compromised immune systems from all the protease inhibitors and all the other stuff," he continued. "And they don't want all the gays dropping dead on the San Francisco mayor's watch. So that's why they've got all that sheltering in place there."The frequent Fox News guest went on to assert that if "there was a big gay apocalypse" then "Trump would get blamed for it," adding that liberal critics would claim it was due to the president's "homophobia" that San Franciscans died."So that's why they've all been ordered to stay home," Steyn concluded. "And it's not easy staying home."Steyn's inflammatory remarks come on the heels of Limbaugh's homophobic attacks on former Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg. Last month, just days after the president bestowed the nation's highest civilian award on the radio host, Limbaugh said "Mr. Man" Trump would "have fun" with "gay guy" Buttigieg kissing his husband in public. Steyn, meanwhile, had been somewhat praised earlier this week for taking the viral pandemic more seriously on-air than Limbaugh, who has repeatedly likened it to the "common cold." Filling in for Limbaugh on Monday, Steyn kicked off the program by delivering a "wake-up call" on the dangers of COVID-19 to Limbaugh's listeners.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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| Cost of upgrading Arleigh Burke destroyers may not be worth it, says US Navy Posted: 17 Mar 2020 12:24 PM PDT  The U.S. Navy says upgrading the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers may not be worth the money, but the move has support in Congress.
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| Mexico rejects El Salvador accusation it let coronavirus patients board plane Posted: 16 Mar 2020 03:30 PM PDT  Mexico rejected an accusation by Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele on Monday that it had allowed a dozen people with coronavirus to board a flight to San Salvador, saying medical staff had found no evidence of the virus on the travelers. Earlier, Bukele abruptly suspended all passenger flights to San Salvador after making his assertion on Twitter, describing Mexican authorities as "irresponsible." The Salvadoran president did not provide evidence for the claim, which Mexican Deputy Health Minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell said turned out to be "totally false."
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| 'Virus at Iran's gates': How Tehran failed to stop outbreak Posted: 16 Mar 2020 11:11 PM PDT  Appearing before the cameras coughing and sweating profusely, the man leading Iran's response to the new coronavirus outbreak promised it was of no danger to his country. "Quarantines belong to the Stone Age," Iraj Harirchi insisted. Harirchi's story is a microcosm of what has happened in Iran amid the coronavirus pandemic.
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| Satoshi Uematsu: Japanese man who killed 19 disabled people sentenced to death Posted: 16 Mar 2020 06:33 PM PDT  Satoshi Uematsu said disabled people who could not communicate well had no human rights.
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| 'Americans need cash now': Mnuchin outlines emergency funding amid virus Posted: 17 Mar 2020 10:08 AM PDT  Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Tuesday that the Trump administration recognizes that "Americans need cash now" as he discussed emergency funding amid the coronavirus crisis.
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| Mitt Romney just unveiled a plan to send every American adult a $1,000 check during the coronavirus outbreak Posted: 16 Mar 2020 10:58 AM PDT  The plan to send $1,000 checks echoes similar actions undertaken by President George W. Bush before the 2008 financial crisis.
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| Trump admits coronavirus is looking 'very bad,' economy may be headed toward recession Posted: 16 Mar 2020 01:24 PM PDT  President Trump is starting to sound worried about the coronavirus.During a White House press briefing on the pandemic, the president — who has faced criticism over what many believe to be his casual response to COVID-19 — said "this is a very bad one" because of its "sort of record-setting type contagion," and he's even discussed the severity of it with one of his sons.> Trump says he's actually spoken with his son (didn't say which one) about this, who has asked him "how bad is this," and he has responded, "It's bad. It's bad."> > Very much a change in tone and substance from Trump so far today.> > — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) March 16, 2020He also sounded more pessimistic about the economy than usual, acknowledging that "it may be" heading toward a recession.Trump also addressed a few other key questions during the briefing — such as why the House coronavirus bill exempts companies with 500 employees or more from the paid sick leave requirement, to which he replied the Senate may address changing that when they vote on the bill.He also said he expects restrictions on daily life, like the government's recommendation people limit gatherings to no more than 10 people, to be the "new normal" until July or August or even later, but Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, stepped in to provide a little clarity that those specific guidelines will be reviewed after a 15 day trial. The July or August timeframe, he said, applies to the effects the virus may have on Americans more generally.More stories from theweek.com The conservatives who would sacrifice the elderly to save the economy Trump says he knew coronavirus was a 'pandemic long before it was called' one. Two weeks ago he called it a 'hoax.' The economy is crashing again. This time, let's bail out ordinary Americans.
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| Mom accused of killing 9-month-old when she fell asleep with her kids Posted: 17 Mar 2020 09:28 AM PDT  Authorities found that Heather Hall had four types of drugs in her system after she fell asleep with her legs pinning her 9-month-old child face down on the bed.
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| California governor approves $1 billion in emergency coronavirus funds Posted: 17 Mar 2020 05:00 PM PDT  California's governor on Tuesday authorized the use of about $1 billion in emergency funds to help the state's people deal with the coronavirus outbreak. Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, said the money would be used to increase hospital capacity, provide services to Californians isolating or quarantined at home and provide shelter for the homeless. Lawmakers in California's legislature on Monday approved the bill, which appropriates $500 million from the state's general fund and makes an equal amount available if needed.
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| Iran warns virus could kill 'millions' in Islamic Republic Posted: 17 Mar 2020 12:52 AM PDT  Iran issued its most dire warning yet Tuesday about the new coronavirus ravaging the country, suggesting "millions" could die in the Islamic Republic if people keep traveling and ignore health guidance. A state TV journalist who also is a medical doctor gave the warning only hours after hard-line Shiite faithful on Monday night pushed their way into the courtyards of two major shrines that were finally closed due to the virus. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a religious ruling prohibiting "unnecessary" travel.
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| Joe Biden’s Plan to Shut Down the Firearms Industry Posted: 17 Mar 2020 03:30 AM PDT  As Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders continue to trade blows over who is more equipped to supposedly deliver a knockout punch to the firearms industry, the former vice president has zeroed in on the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) — the law preventing frivolous lawsuits that seek to blame members of the firearms industry for the criminal misuse of legal, lawfully sold, non-defective firearms.Biden is swinging wide to do this, making wild and false claims. Before the debate in South Carolina, he told the state's gun manufacturers, "I'm coming for you, and I'm taking you down." He liked the tough talk enough that he reiterated from the debate stage, "And I want to tell you, if I'm elected . . . gun manufacturers, I'm going to take you on and I'm going to beat you."Biden's end goal is ultimately to repeal the 2005 PLCAA. This law, passed with overwhelming bipartisan support and signed by President George W. Bush, ended the politically driven lawsuits aimed at bankrupting the firearms industry. Biden and Sanders want to revive the tactic as they pursue the White House, and they're using disproven and false claims to make their case.The PLCAA stopped a series of "public nuisance" lawsuits by activist mayors in big cities against firearms manufacturers over the crimes committed by individuals. That law doesn't grant immunity, but it prevents others from shifting the blame from criminals to a manufacturer. The firearms manufacturer is no more liable for the crime committed by an individual than Home Depot would be if someone committed murder with a hammer. The PLCAA does nothing more than defend an industry that has been targeted by a series of baseless, politically motivated lawsuits.Yet Biden still falsely claims that this gives firearms manufacturers blanket immunity. Both manufacturers and firearms retailers can be, and are, held responsible for harm caused by defective products, breach of contract, criminal misconduct, or other actions for which they are directly responsible, the same as any other product manufacturer.Jonathan Turley, the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University, underscored this when he wrote, in an op-ed for The Hill, "Product liability and tort actions against manufacturers have uniformly and correctly been rejected by the courts. Guns are lawful products, and holding companies liable for later misuse of such products is absurd. You might as well sue an axe manufacturer for the Lizzy Borden murders."Biden claims, as Hillary Clinton falsely tried to claim before him in 2016, that these protections are unique. In fact, manufacturers of medical devices, the airline industries, and even online service and content providers are protected from frivolous lawsuits when defamatory information is posted by others. Biden attacks the PLCAA knowing full well that individuals who commit crimes are responsible for them. His argument is just a façade for gun control that he can't achieve through legislation.The sad part is that Biden chose to attack an industry that has grown 171 percent since 2008 and currently employs more than 312,000 Americans from all walks of life in communities across the nation. He's coming after firearms manufacturers that paid $6.8 billion in total taxes and had a total economic impact of more than $52 billion.He's claiming that the men and women who work in the factories, those who produce the firearms not just for law-abiding Americans to exercise their rights but also for our U.S. Armed Forces and law-enforcement officials, are enemies of our society. He argues that he's the champion of the blue-collar worker, yet he wants to destroy a growing industry that provides over $15.7 billion in worker wages. He insists that he wants to restore America, but he mocks and denigrates the more than 100 million law-abiding Americans who own, carry, and use their guns frequently without incident.Biden and the Democrats who endorse him all know that the PLCAA doesn't offer firearms manufacturers unique protections. The law that prevents them from driving politically motivated lawsuits is rock solid. Biden's anger is reflective of his frustration that the courts won't allow him to bankrupt an industry to prove his political bias against Second Amendment freedoms.
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