| In coronavirus, the 'stable genius' confronts a 'brilliant enemy' Posted: 12 Apr 2020 11:05 AM PDT  President Trump tries to explain antibiotic resistance on the part of coronavirus, "a brilliant enemy."
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| Coronavirus may give President Trump a long-sought chance to privatize the Postal Service Posted: 12 Apr 2020 10:32 AM PDT  Amid a cash crunch threatening to put the postal service out of business, President Trump is being accused of blocking bipartisan efforts to fund the agency as part of an effort to privatize mail delivery.
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| 6 people were shot at a 'large party' held in California despite the state's social distancing order Posted: 12 Apr 2020 06:55 AM PDT  Police said they have not made any arrests in the case. All victims were treated at a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
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| Florida church fills the pews on Easter weekend – with photos of members staying at home Posted: 12 Apr 2020 08:36 AM PDT  Faith leaders find new ways to connect with their congregation during a time of social distancing to stop the COVID-19 pandemic.
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| Widow of 25-year-old NHL player Colby Cave mourns his death in heartbreaking post Posted: 13 Apr 2020 05:02 AM PDT  "You are and will always be my person, my hero," Emily Cave wrote. Her husband, Edmonton Oilers player Colby Cave, died on Saturday.
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| Biden tells Sanders in endorsement live stream, 'You don't get enough credit, Bernie' Posted: 13 Apr 2020 12:45 PM PDT  Former Vice President Joe Biden praised Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in a live stream Monday after officially securing his endorsement, telling the Vermont senator he doesn't "get enough credit."Sanders remotely joined Biden for a live stream after Sanders announced last week he was suspending his campaign for president. Sanders offered Biden his endorsement, something Biden called a "big deal" while telling Sanders "you just made me" the Democratic nominee and heaping praise on his former primary competitor."You've been the most powerful voice for a fair and more just America," Biden told Sanders. "...You don't get enough credit, Bernie, for being the voice that forces us to take a hard look in the mirror and ask ourselves, 'Have we done enough?' And we haven't."Biden, who during the stream said it's not "good enough" to go "back to the way things were before" after the coronavirus crisis, also embraced Sanders' 2020 campaign slogan of "not me, us" and asked the senator's supporters to join him."Thank you for being so generous," Biden told Sanders. "I give you my word, I'll try my best not to let you all down."After the live stream, the Trump campaign in a statement said this endorsement news is "further proof that even though Bernie Sanders won't be on the ballot in November, his issues will be." Meanwhile, Briahna Joy Gray, former national press secretary for the Sanders campaign, tweeted that because Biden doesn't support issues like Medicare-for-all, "With the utmost respect for Bernie Sanders, who is an incredible human being and a genuine inspiration, I don't endorse Joe Biden." > NEW: Joe Biden praises Bernie Sanders: "You don't get enough credit, Bernie, for being the voice that forces us to take a hard look in the mirror and ask ourselves: 'Have we done enough?' And we haven't." https://t.co/35Zg7cQ9nU pic.twitter.com/Ebb5UAlTTS> > -- ABC News (@ABC) April 13, 2020More stories from theweek.com Trump adviser Peter Navarro made a bad bet 60 Minutes didn't cover pandemic preparedness under Obama Trump might fire the one person in the White House who knows what he's doing Bats probably aren't more likely to spread viruses to humans than other animals, study suggests
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| Russian border becomes China's frontline in fight against second virus wave Posted: 12 Apr 2020 08:44 PM PDT  China's northeastern border with Russia has become a frontline in the fight against a resurgence of the coronavirus epidemic as new daily cases rose to the highest in nearly six weeks - with more than 90% involving people coming from abroad. Having largely stamped out domestic transmission of the disease, China has been slowly easing curbs on movement as it tries to get its economy back on track, but there are fears that a rise in imported cases could spark a second wave of COVID-19. A total of 108 new coronavirus cases were reported in mainland China on Sunday, up from 99 a day earlier, marking the highest daily tally since March 5.
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| Scientists are collecting blood samples from 10,000 healthy people to figure out how much the coronavirus has really spread in the US Posted: 13 Apr 2020 09:55 AM PDT  Researchers at the NIH will test people's blood to see if they might have had the coronavirus without even knowing it.
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| South Korea to ship coronavirus tests to US this week: report Posted: 13 Apr 2020 01:40 AM PDT  In contrast South Korea was once the hardest-hit country outside China, but appears to have brought its outbreak under control with a huge "trace, test and treat" strategy. It has tested more than half a million people in a process free to anyone referred by doctors or those who have links to a confirmed case. After a phone conversation with him last month, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Trump had asked for test kits.
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| Coronavirus upends Putin’s political agenda in Russia Posted: 12 Apr 2020 11:44 PM PDT  Spring is not turning out the way Russian President Vladimir Putin might have planned it. A nationwide vote on April 22 was supposed to finalize sweeping constitutional reforms that would allow him to stay in power until 2036, if he wished. The holiday has become the most important on Russia's calendar, and this year is the 75th anniversary, with world leaders invited to a celebration highlighting the country's exceptional role in history.
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| 'Rice ATM' feeds Vietnam's most vulnerable population during virus lockdown Posted: 13 Apr 2020 09:55 AM PDT  A Vietnamese entrepreneur in Ho Chi Minh City has invented a 24/7 automatic dispensing machine providing free rice for people out of work following an ongoing nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.
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| Not everyone is getting a $1,200 coronavirus stimulus check. Here's who will be left out. Posted: 13 Apr 2020 06:37 AM PDT  Millions of Americans will be left out when the Internal Revenue Service starts distributing $1,200 coronavirus stimulus checks next week.
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| Easter Sunday churchgoers in Kentucky are refusing to observe a police-mandated self-quarantine after violating social distancing guidelines Posted: 13 Apr 2020 08:18 AM PDT  Worshipers at Maryville Baptist Church in Kentucky told the Courier Journal they had no intention of following state orders to quarantine.
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| Biden beats Sanders in Wisconsin primary held during coronavirus pandemic Posted: 13 Apr 2020 03:11 PM PDT  Joe Biden has beaten Bernie Sanders in the Wisconsin primary, which was held during the COVID-19 pandemic over Democrats' objections.
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| 7 Great Online Learning Platforms to Develop New Skills Posted: 13 Apr 2020 01:31 PM PDT |
| U.S. sailor from coronavirus-hit aircraft carrier dies after contracting virus Posted: 13 Apr 2020 06:42 AM PDT  A U.S. Navy sailor died on Monday after contracting the coronavirus aboard the U.S. aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, whose captain was fired after warning his crew would die unnecessarily unless strong action was taken. The sailor, the first active-duty U.S. servicemember to die from coronavirus complications, was admitted to intensive care on April 9 after being found unresponsive in his quarters. The sailor had tested positive exactly two weeks ago on March 30, the Navy said.
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| Coronavirus could 'decimate' Latino wealth, hammered by the Great Recession Posted: 12 Apr 2020 02:22 PM PDT  The crisis has either erased or is threatening to erase Latinos' decade-long climb back to financial stability.
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| Pope Francis says it might be 'time to consider a universal basic wage' in Easter letter Posted: 12 Apr 2020 10:41 AM PDT  "This may be the time to consider a universal basic wage which would acknowledge and dignify the noble, essential tasks you carry out," The Pope said.
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| New Delta Air Lines boarding procedures aimed at preventing spread of coronavirus Posted: 12 Apr 2020 11:38 AM PDT  The carrier boards flights from back to front. Passengers are asked to stay seated in the waiting area until their row is announced.
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| Two men arrested for murder of Miami girl over Adidas Yeezy shoes Posted: 13 Apr 2020 10:30 AM PDT  The captain of her school dance team was murdered last week during a botched shoe robbery.
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| Alaska Dems says they received twice as many ballots than in 2016 Posted: 11 Apr 2020 07:47 PM PDT  Joe Biden is the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee after Sanders suspended his campaign earlier this week, although Sanders remained on the ballot in Alaska.
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| India's air quality has improved so much since the country went on coronavirus lockdown citizens can now see the Himalyas for the first time in 30 years Posted: 13 Apr 2020 12:48 PM PDT  Residents in the northern Indian state of Punjab say they're seeing the Himalayas for the first time in decades while on coronavirus lockdown.
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| Israel closes off Jerusalem's ultra-Orthodox areas to stem coronavirus spread Posted: 12 Apr 2020 07:08 AM PDT  Israel locked down mainly ultra-Orthodox Jewish areas of Jerusalem on Sunday to try to contain the spread of the coronavirus from the densely populated neighbourhoods where the infection rate is high. Residents of the restricted neighbourhoods in Jerusalem can still shop close to home for essentials. The neighbourhoods are home to large families living in close quarters.
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| Starving, angry and cannibalistic: America's rats are getting desperate amid coronavirus pandemic Posted: 13 Apr 2020 04:14 AM PDT  "A new 'army' of rats come in, and whichever army has the strongest rats is going to conquer that area," said Bobby Corrigan, an urban rodentologist.
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| Trump Uses Coronavirus Briefing to Play Batshit Campaign Ad Attacking Press Posted: 13 Apr 2020 03:19 PM PDT  President Donald Trump took over Monday's White House task force briefing to lash out at critics and the press with a bizarre video that amounted to a campaign ad, before later declaring his authority is "total" if governors disagree with him during the coronavirus pandemic. Monday's unprecedented press briefing began to go off the rails with the video, but before the end, the president was falsely trumpeting definitive authority during the health-care crisis that has already led to the deaths of more than 23,000 Americans. The briefing almost immediately devolved into the president airing widespread grievances against his critics, from his likely 2020 general election opponent Joe Biden to governors and reporters who have dared to call his virus response into question over the last few weeks as American life has ground to a halt during the pandemic.In a mash up of clips and audio that amounted to a campaign ad, Trump lashed out at critics and returned to his favorite pastime of going after reporters. The video began with a white screen saying "the media minimized the risk from the start." At one point, it showed news clips of different governors giving kind remarks about the president's response to the pandemic. Trump Didn't Like Azar's Warnings. So He Disappeared Him.An agitated and indignant president pointed at the seated press corps, telling them that while he'd answer some questions after airing his montage of coronavirus praise that maybe "I'll ask you some questions because you're so guilty."Both CNN and MSNBC, which have wavered between airing the increasingly antagonistic briefings, both cut away during the multi-minute campaign ad. The networks, however, came back to broadcast the performance after a short break.The president's reaction to the pandemic has attracted widespread criticism, and Trump has shown a growing sensitivity to public rebukes of his response. "It's very sad when people write false stories," Trump said after the clip ended, before lambasting The New York Times. "If you had libel laws they would have been out of business even before they'll end up going out of business," Trump said of one of the most credible news sources in America. When a reporter pressed him about the video resembling a campaign ad, Trump said it was done in the office. "We're getting fake news and I'd like to have it corrected," he said. The president also claimed that White House Director of Social Media Dan Scavino created the video, prompting reporters to question the fact that he had government employees put together what was essentially a campaign advertisement."I would not say produced, I would say clips," Trump nonsensically explained. "That is to keep you honest. I do not think it will work, have any impact. You heard the clips, heard what I said."Media Matters noted on Twitter that press clips featured in the first part of the video also appeared in the same sequence during a March 26 episode of the Fox News show Hannity.Trump, visibly angry, continued to defend his response to the pandemic during the presser, insisting, "everything we did was right." The Democratic party quickly attacked the president's words and how they played out in the backdrop of a health crisis. "More than 20,000 Americans have died, hospitals and states still can't get the supplies they need, testing is failing, and instead of updating Americans on the coronavirus pandemic, Trump commandeered the briefing to run campaign propaganda to sooth his small ego and pathetically try to cover up for his own failed response," DNC Deputy War Room Director Daniel Wessel said in an emailed statement. "It won't work, and the American people deserve better."The president, meanwhile, went on to insist he has absolute power when it comes to governors' stay-at-home orders during the crisis. Asked on Monday how he would respond if a governor issued a stay-at-home order in conflict of his national wishes, Trump insisted his power as president is "total.""When somebody is the president of the United States, the authority is total and that is the way it's gonna be," Trump bellowed. "It's total. It's total. And the governors know that."The president reiterated that assertion throughout the rest of the marathon briefing. After CNN's Kaitlin Collins pushed back, saying it wasn't true that Trump's authority is total, the president said they were "going to write papers on this" but that it won't be necessary because the governors "need us one way or the other because ultimately it comes with the federal government."When further asked if any governors had agreed that he has the authority to force them to reopen, Trump said that he didn't ask anybody because, "I don't need to."Even before Trump began the briefing Monday, the last 24 hours were a whirlwind for the White House. On Sunday, Trump quote tweeted a social media post with the FireFauci hashtag, boosting fringe criticisms about Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The social media post came on the heels of Fauci apparently confirming key aspects of a recent Times report during a CNN appearance, namely that many in the Trump administration had resisted calls by himself and other public health experts to institute strict social distancing guidelines weeks before Trump finally pulled the trigger.Fauci: We 'Could Have Saved Lives' by Acting Earlier on CoronavirusThe top infectious disease expert, however, began Monday's briefing by walking back his comments and, what almost certainly delighted the president, snapping at a reporter.After Fauci said he used a "wrong choice of words" when he told CNN that there was "pushback" within the administration to start shutdowns, a reporter asked if he was doing this "voluntarily.""Everything I do is voluntarily," he fumed. "Please. Don't even imply that."Fauci's lengthy and esteemed career has established him as a key foil to the president's wandering answers during coronavirus task force briefings over when to reopen the country amid the health-care crisis. Trump's retweet on Sunday prompted the White House to issue a statement that attacked the media while declaring that the president has no intention of firing Fauci. As the briefing continued to run amok from its actual purpose for the American public, Trump declared he likes Fauci. When reporters asked Trump quote tweeting the post with the FireFauci hashtag, he brushed it off saying, "I retweeted somebody, I don't know." "It doesn't matter," he added. When he was pressed about he noticed the context of the tweet, Trump said, "I notice everything." He then made clear he was not firing Fauci. As the briefing went on, Trump continued to champion his administration's response, then turned to the governors, noting that some are Democrats, before adding that "many of them didn't do their jobs.""I'll let you know someday, let's see what happens," Trump said. Still, even with the U.S. death count continuing to climb higher, the president's main focus continued to be owning liberals and trying to re-shift focus to his displeasure with news coverage. And numerous Trump allies and staffers were delighted for the chance to capitalize on Trump's tantrum. Mid-briefing, a senior Trump campaign official told The Daily Beast that they were already brainstorming ways to fundraise off of the president's performance at the Monday press briefing."Trump brought his A game tonight. He's on the offensive and 'media' melts," tweeted Laura Ingraham, a Fox News host and informal Trump adviser."CNN can't handle the truth," Jenna Ellis, a senior legal adviser to Trump and his 2020 campaign, enthusiastically posted to Twitter during the televised briefing.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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| America could be 'perilously close' to meat shortages, as slaughterhouses shut down and hundreds of workers test positive for COVID-19 Posted: 13 Apr 2020 06:46 AM PDT  A Smithfield Food plant that supplies up to 5% of the pork in the US closed indefinitely after 293 workers were diagnosed with COVID-19.
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| Scientists have found oil from the Deepwater Horizon blowout in fishes' livers and on the deep ocean floor Posted: 13 Apr 2020 05:16 AM PDT  Over the decade since the Deepwater Horizon spill, thousands of scientists have analyzed its impact on the Gulf of Mexico. The spill affected many different parts of the Gulf, from coastal marshes to the deep sea.At the Center for Integrated Modeling and Analysis of the Gulf Ecosystem, or C-IMAGE at the University of South Florida, marine scientists have been analyzing these effects since 2011. C-IMAGE has received funding from the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative – a broad, independent research program initially funded by a US$500 million grant from BP, the company held principally responsible for the spill.Our findings and those of many other academic, government and industry researchers have filled two books. These works seek to quantify the past and future impacts of oil spills, and to help prevent such accidents from ever happening again. Here are some important findings on how the Deepwater Horizon disaster affected Gulf of Mexico ecosystems. Oil in fish and sedimentsBefore the spill, baseline data on oil contamination in fishes and sediments in the Gulf of Mexico did not exist. This kind of information is critical for assessing impacts from a spill and calculating how quickly the ecosystem can return to its previous, pre-spill state. Oil was already present in the Gulf from past spills and natural seeps, but the Deepwater Horizon was the largest accidental spill in the ocean anywhere in the world. C-IMAGE researchers developed the first comprehensive baseline of oil contamination in the Gulf's fishes and sediments, including all waters off the United States, Mexico and Cuba. Researchers spent almost 250 days at sea, sampling over 15,000 fishes and taking over 2,500 sediment cores. Repeated sampling from 2011 through 2018 of the region around the spill site has produced estimates of how quickly various species are able to overcome oil pollution; impacts on the health of various species, from microbes to whales; and how fast oil stranded on the bottom has become buried in sediments. Importantly, no fish yet sampled anywhere in the Gulf has been free of hydrocarbons – a telling sign of chronic and ongoing pollution in the Gulf. It is not known if similar findings would result from ecosystem-wide studies elsewhere because such surveys are rare.Many commercially important fish species were affected by the Deepwater Horizon disaster. Researchers found skin lesions on red snapper from the northern Gulf in the months after the spill, but the lesions became less frequent and severe by 2012. There is other evidence of ongoing and increasing exposures to hydrocarbons over time in economically and environmentally important species like golden tilefish, grouper and hake as well as red snapper. Increasing concentrations of hydrocarbons in liver tissues of some species, such as groupers, suggest these fish have experienced long-term exposure to oil. Chronic exposures have been associated with the decline of health indices in tilefish and grouper. To complement field studies, scientists created an oil exposure test facility at Florida's Mote Aquaculture Research Park to assess how contact with oil affected adult fishes. For example, southern flounder that were exposed to oiled sediments for 35 days showed evidence of oxidative stress, a cellular imbalance that can cause decreased fertility, increased cellular aging and premature death. Fishes that live in deeper waters, from depths of about 650 to 3,300 feet (200 to 1,000 meters) were also affected. These fish are especially important because they are a food source for larger commercially relevant fish, marine mammals and birds. Researchers found increased concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons – chemicals that occur naturally in crude oil – in fish tissues after the spill. In 2015-2016, PAH levels were still higher than pre-spill levels. Evidence indicates that the main sources of this contamination are through fishes' diets and transfers from female fish to their eggs. Oil on the sea floorMuch of the oil released in the spill created huge slicks at the water's surface. But significant quantities of crude oil also were deposited at the bottom of the deep sea. It was carried there by marine snow – clumps of plankton, fecal pellets, biominerals and soil particles washed into the Gulf from land. In a process that occurs throughout the world's oceans, these particles sink through the water column, transporting large quantities of material to the sea floor. In the Gulf, they attached to oil droplets as they descended. During the spill, responders set parts of the massive surface slick on fire in an effort to prevent it from reaching beaches and marshes. Crude oil contains thousands of different carbon compounds that become more toxic after they are burned. Post-spill studies showed that these compounds can be trapped in marine snow, covering the seabed and harming organisms that live there.Researchers coined the term MOSSFA (marine oil snow sedimentation and flocculent accumulation) to describe this mechanism for deposition of significant oil on the seabed. Thanks to this research, MOSSFA has been incorporated into models that U.S. government agencies use for oil spill response. C-IMAGE researchers have also developed methods to predict the intensity of MOSSFA if a similar-sized oil spill occurs anywhere in the world.Post-spill studies found that levels of oil compounds on the seafloor in the area affected by the spill were two to three times higher than background levels elsewhere in the Gulf. Sediment cores taken from around the wellhead showed that the density of minute single-celled organisms called foraminifera, which are abundant throughout the world's oceans and are a food source for other fishes, squids and marine mammals, declined by 80% to 90% over 10 months following the event, and their species diversity declined by 30% to 40%.Oxygen levels in these sediments also decreased in the three years following the spill, degrading conditions for organisms living at the sea floor. As a result of changes like these, researchers project that it will take perhaps 50 to 100 years for the deep ocean ecosystem to recover. More transparency from the oil industryScientists are still assessing key questions about the Gulf's ecological health, such as how long it will take for deep ecosystems to recover and what the lasting impacts are of episodic pollution events on top of chronic exposure. But here are some steps that would make it easier to measure both chronic effects of oil pollution and impacts from large-scale spills. Today, the only discharge that offshore oil and gas producers are required to measure is from "produced water" – natural water that comes up from beneath the sea floor along with oil and gas. And they are only required to report its hydrocarbon concentrations, even though the water can contain metals and radioactive material. In our view, they should also be required to routinely monitor oil contaminants in water, sediments and marine life near each platform, just as wastewater treatment plants periodically gather data on what they are discharging. This would provide a baseline for analyzing impacts from future spills and for detecting leaks hidden from the surface. Researchers would also like to see more transparency in data sharing about the industry – including routine equipment failures, other discharges such as drilling muds and other operational details – and greater U.S. engagement with Mexico and Cuba on oil exploration and spill response. As oil and gas production moves into ever-deeper waters, the goal should be to respond faster, more effectively and with a better understanding of what's happening in real time.[You're smart and curious about the world. So are The Conversation's authors and editors. You can read us daily by subscribing to our newsletter.]This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts.Read more: * A decade after the Deepwater Horizon explosion, offshore drilling is still unsafe * Fish larvae float across national borders, binding the world's oceans in a single networkSteven Murawski receives funding from the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Tampa Bay Estuary programSherryl Gilbert receives funding from the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative and the Tampa Bay Estuary Program through the University of South Florida.
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| Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: Army officer hanged for murder of Bangladesh's founding president Posted: 12 Apr 2020 02:56 AM PDT  Abdul Majed spent 25 years on the run after he was found guilty of murdering Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
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| Governors respond to President Trump’s assertion that it’s up to him to decide when to loosen coronavirus restrictions Posted: 13 Apr 2020 12:45 PM PDT  At a press conference on Monday, six governors announced a council of states to coordinate the loosening of stay-at-home orders and other restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo responded to questions about President Trump's assertion that it is up to him to decide when those orders are to be rolled back.
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| Abe fuels anger; more recovered South Koreans test positive Posted: 12 Apr 2020 09:44 PM PDT  A "stay home" message tweeted by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has fueled anger and accusations that he is insensitive toward people who cannot remain at home because the government's social distancing measures are voluntary and don't provide compensation. The one-minute video released Sunday shows Abe sitting at home patting his dog, reading a book, sipping from a cup and clicking on a remote control. Abe declared a state of emergency in Tokyo and six other prefectures last Tuesday and broadened it nationwide on Saturday.
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| Nigeria to extend coronavirus lockdowns for 14 more days: President Buhari Posted: 13 Apr 2020 11:34 AM PDT  Initial 14-day lockdowns in the three areas began on March 30. Buhari said it was crucial to extend the lockdown due to an "alarming" increase in positive cases in a number of states. "It is a matter of life and death," Buhari said of the nation's response.
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| An Indian TikToker who said to trust God over face masks is reportedly the first person in his district to test positive for COVID-19 Posted: 13 Apr 2020 11:30 AM PDT  Local reports say the man, aged 25, was the first person from the Sagar district to test positive for the coronavirus, and had his phone confiscated.
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| Top US Navy official who resigned under pressure was reportedly angry at an aircraft-carrier crew's emotional send-off of the captain he had fired Posted: 12 Apr 2020 06:00 PM PDT  The carrier's captain was removed after his letter pleading for Navy leaders to help with a coronavirus outbreak was leaked to the press.
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| China is reportedly giving 'extra scrutiny' to any research on the coronavirus' origins Posted: 13 Apr 2020 05:08 AM PDT  China is reportedly requiring academic research into the origin of the novel coronavirus to receive additional scrutiny and approval by the government.Academic papers on COVID-19 under a new policy from China "will be subject to extra vetting before being submitted for publication," and research on the virus' origins will "receive extra scrutiny and must be approved by central government officials," CNN reports.A directive from the Ministry of Education specifies that "academic papers about tracing the origin of the virus must be strictly and tightly managed." Papers must reportedly undergo vetting from a State Council task force after being sent to the Education Ministry. The novel coronavirus first emerged in Wuhan, and since then, CNN notes that some research into questions like when there was first human-to-human transmission of the virus have called the Chinese government's account into question. A Chinese diplomat recently pushed a conspiracy theory that the virus originated in the United States, and the U.S. intelligence community has reportedly concluded that China has underreported its number of coronavirus cases.One Chinese researcher who spoke to CNN characterized these restrictions as part of "a coordinated effort from [the] Chinese government to control [the] narrative, and paint it as if the outbreak did not originate in China," adding, "I don't think they will really tolerate any objective study to investigate the origination of this disease."More stories from theweek.com Trump adviser Peter Navarro made a bad bet 60 Minutes didn't cover pandemic preparedness under Obama Trump might fire the one person in the White House who knows what he's doing Bats probably aren't more likely to spread viruses to humans than other animals, study suggests
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| Michelle Obama initiative backs expanding vote-by-mail for 2020 Posted: 13 Apr 2020 09:30 AM PDT  An initiative co-chaired by Michelle Obama has announced support for expanding access to vote-by-mail during the coronavirus pandemic.
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| Tourists forced to write 'sorry' 500 times over India lockdown breach Posted: 12 Apr 2020 07:57 AM PDT  Ten foreigners who broke a coronavirus lockdown in an Indian town made famous by the Beatles, were forced to repent by writing "I am so sorry" -- 500 times, officials said Sunday. The nationwide lockdown was imposed near the end of March, with residents permitted to leave their homes only for essential services such as buying groceries and medicine. The travellers -- from Israel, Mexico, Australia and Austria -- were caught taking a walk in Rishikesh, where the Beatles sought spirituality at an Ashram in 1968.
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| Liberal beats Trump-endorsed conservative for Wisconsin Supreme Court seat Posted: 13 Apr 2020 03:04 AM PDT  Karofsky was projected by the Associated Press to have upset conservative incumbent Dan Kelly, who was endorsed by Republican President Donald Trump, for a court seat that could help decide future voting rights and redistricting issues in Wisconsin, a vital general election battleground. The Supreme Court race highlighted a slate of thousands of elections held last week for state and local offices, as well as a presidential primary. The release of the results was delayed by a court order that extended the deadline for receiving mailed absentee ballots until Monday.
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| Child sex abuse in Pakistan's religious schools is endemic Posted: 12 Apr 2020 11:06 PM PDT  Muhimman proudly writes his name slowly, carefully, one letter at a time, grinning broadly as he finishes. Earlier this year, a cleric at the religious school he faithfully attended in the southern Punjab town of Pakpattan took him into a washroom and tried to rape him. Muhimman's aunt, Shazia, who wanted only her first name used, said she believes the abuse of young children is endemic in Pakistan's religious schools.
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| Doctor reunites with wife and new baby after work with coronavirus 'dirty team' Posted: 12 Apr 2020 06:47 AM PDT  "We are quite overwhelmed with all the parenting stuff, but I guess that's normal," Dr. Alfred Wong told NBC News.
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| Deadly olive tree disease across Europe 'could cost billions' Posted: 13 Apr 2020 03:41 PM PDT  A deadly pathogen affecting Europe's olive trees could cost over €20 billion.
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| Black people account for 72% of COVID-19 deaths in Chicago while making up less than a third of city's population, mayor says Posted: 12 Apr 2020 11:56 AM PDT  "The answer that we believe is right is because of the underlying conditions that people of color, and particularly black folks, suffer from."
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| As world turns to China for PPE, U.S. buyers risk knock-offs Posted: 13 Apr 2020 07:00 AM PDT  In China, PPE factories are popping up overnight and some are faking U.S. government approvals.
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| 'It would cripple us completely': Coronavirus takes toll on rural police agencies Posted: 12 Apr 2020 05:38 PM PDT  In rural police departments, even a few coronavirus cases could pack a wallop. Small agencies don't have budgets to fill in for sick patrol officers.
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| Libya unity government seizes strategic cities from rival Haftar Posted: 13 Apr 2020 12:26 PM PDT  Forces backing Libya's unity government captured two coastal cities west of Tripoli on Monday in a new blow to military commander Khalifa Haftar a year after he launched an offensive on the capital. "Our forces took control of Sorman and Sabratha and are pursuing(Haftar's forces)," said a statement by Mohammed Gnunu, spokesman for the forces of the United Nations-recognised Government of National Accord. An AFP video journalist saw pro-GNA forces in pick-up trucks mounted with machine guns celebrating in central Sabratha, around halfway between Tripoli and the Tunisian border.
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