Big Time News Blog: 02/24/20

Monday, February 24, 2020

Iran Prepares to Suffer the Wrath of the Coronavirus

Iran has sought to deny that the coronavirus is spreading within its borders. Now, the Middle East is facing a new type of crisis—one that could further exacerbate tension in the region.

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UN calls for 'two state' solution to be respected in Middle East

The UN Security Council made a rare show of unity Monday when it called on all parties to maintain their support for a two state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict. "Council Members reiterated their support for a negotiated two state solution ... where two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders," said a statement released by Belgium, which holds the rotating presidency, and supported by all 14 other members, including the United States. "All parties should refrain from undermining the viability of the two states solution in order to maintain the prospects for a just, comprehensive and lasting peace," the statement added, an allusion to Israel's recent threat to build thousands more homes in East Jerusalem, in an area claimed by the Palestinians.

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‘I have never seen him eat a vegetable’: With steak off the menu, officials scramble to feed fussy eater Trump in India

Donald Trump has embarked on his first presidential visit to India, the world’s largest democracy – and home to the world’s largest population of vegetarians. Since Mr Trump is a noted beef-eater, in particular a lover of steak and burgers, gastronomically speaking, the visit will prove one of his most challenging.It’s not all bad news for Mr Trump. India’s reputation for overwhelming vegetarianism is overstated, and it’s thought that more families eat beef at home than generally admit it.

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The coronavirus death toll is still rising, but US interest in the outbreak is plummeting

Serious outbreaks outside of China have been reported in Italy, Iran, and South Korea in the last week.

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Bloomberg Derides Sanders for Remarks Praising Castro

Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg on Monday criticized fellow 2020 contender Bernie Sanders over comments Sanders made praising the regime of the late Cuban Communist leader Fidel Castro.“Fidel Castro left a dark legacy of forced labor camps, religious repression, widespread poverty, firing squads, and the murder of thousands of his own people. But sure, Bernie, let’s talk about his literacy program,” Bloomberg wrote in a tweet that included a clip of Sanders praising Castro during a 60 Minutes interview.Bloomberg's statement came after CBS aired comments Sanders made during the 1980s, in which the Vermont senator claimed that part of the reason the Cuban people did not help the U.S. overthrow Castro's regime was because the authoritarian leader provided them with health care and education.“He educated their kids, gave them health care, totally transformed the society, you know?” Sanders said in the decades-old clip.“We’re very opposed to the authoritarian nature of Cuba, but, you know, it’s unfair to simply say everything is bad,” Sanders said Sunday on 60 Minutes when confronted with those older comments. He went on to praise Castro's “massive literacy program,” saying, “Is that a bad thing even though Fidel Castro did it?”He was, however, careful to clarify that he denounces Castro's practice of imprisoning political opponents.“Unlike Donald Trump, let’s be clear: I do not think that Kim Jong-un is a good friend,” Sanders said. “I don’t trade love letters with a murdering dictator. Vladimir Putin [is] not a great friend of mine.”

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Probe into abuse at America's oldest deaf school finds 'appalling truths'

Officials apologized for the "inexcusable actions" of staff and faculty members and the "fact that the school did not prevent or stop them."

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Harvard scientist predicts coronavirus will infect up to 70 percent of humanity

Harvard University epidemiologist Marc Lipsitch is predicting the coronavirus "will ultimately not be containable" and, within a year, will infect somewhere between 40 and 70 percent of humanity, The Atlantic reports. But don't be too alarmed. Many of those people, Lipsitch clarifies, won't have severe illnesses or even show symptoms at all, which is already the case for many people who have tested positive for the virus.That's precisely why he doesn't think the virus can be stopped. Viruses like SARS, MERS, and the avian flu were eventually contained in part because they were more intense and had a higher fatality rate. In other words, if you were infected by the virus that caused SARS, chances were you weren't out and about. But because the current coronavirus, known as COVID-19, can be asymptomatic, or at least very mild, there's a better chance people will likely go about their day as normal. The down side, though, is that it becomes harder to trace and prevent. In that sense it's similar to the flu, which can also be deadly, but often passes without the infected person seeking medical care.The Atlantic reports Lipsitch is definitely not alone in his prediction. There's an emerging consensus that the outbreak will eventually morph into a new seasonal disease, which, per The Atlantic, could one day turn "cold and flu season" into "cold and flu and COVID-19 season." Read more at The Atlantic.More stories from theweek.com The coronavirus recession? The real third way in 2020 Top member of Trump's coronavirus task force asks Twitter for help accessing map of virus

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'Truth still matters': Judge sentences Roger Stone to 3 years in prison for obstructing Congress' Russia investigation

The sentence caps a tumultuous 10 days for the Justice Department. Prosecutors originally recommended seven to nine years, but they were overruled.

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Virus 'peaked' in China but could trigger global pandemic: WHO

The World Health Organization on Monday said the new coronavirus epidemic had "peaked" in China but warned that a surge in cases elsewhere was "deeply concerning" and all countries should prepare for a "potential pandemic". WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the peak in China occurred between January 23 and February 2 and the number of new cases there "has been declining steadily since then". "This virus can be contained," he told reporters in Geneva, praising China for helping to prevent an even bigger spread of the disease through unprecedented lockdowns and quarantines in or near the outbreak's epicentre.

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'I want to be brave like you': A 9-year-old boy asked Pete Buttigieg how to tell people he is gay

"Would you help me tell the world I'm gay, too? I want to be brave like you," Zachary Ro asked Buttigieg.

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30 of the Best Stainless Steel Kitchen Faucets

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New Virginia sentencing law ends high court's DC sniper case

Lee Boyd Malvo, the Washington, D.C., area sniper, and Virginia agreed Monday to dismiss a pending Supreme Court case after the state changed criminal sentencing law for juveniles. Under the new law, signed by Gov. Ralph Northam earlier in the day, people serving life terms for crimes they committed before they turned 18 can be considered for parole after serving at least 20 years. The two sides agreed that Malvo's life term would remain in effect, though he will have a chance at parole early in 2024.

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14 products dermatologists recommend for soothing redness and rosacea

These products help soothe skin, minimize redness and prevent flare-ups of rosacea.

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Bernie Sanders Wants a Universal, Federally Financed Childcare Plan

This is an addition to Sander’s current platform of Medicare for All (which would provide publicly funded healthcare to all residents of the United States), the Green New Deal, free admission to public colleges, and the cancellation of all student debt.

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U.S. Democrats want Russia sanctions over 2020 election interference

Senior U.S. Democrats said on Monday that President Donald Trump's administration should immediately impose sanctions on Russia after U.S. intelligence officials told members of Congress that Russia appeared to be trying to influence this year's U.S. election.