| Trump's acting Homeland Security chief was excoriated by a GOP senator as he stumbled over basic questions on coronavirus preparation Posted: 25 Feb 2020 02:42 PM PST  "You're supposed to keep us safe. And the American people deserve some straight answers on the coronavirus," GOP Sen. John Kennedy said to Wolf.
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| Lori Vallow's niece knows where missing kids are, is involved in doomsday cult, ex alleges Posted: 25 Feb 2020 12:01 PM PST  The Idaho mom's niece is a member of a "cult" whose members were "killed off like flies," ex claims. Vallow has also been accused of holding doomsday beliefs.
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| Trump official says coronavirus death rate same as flu – despite it being 100 times worse Posted: 25 Feb 2020 02:34 PM PST  In congressional testimony today, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf claimed that the mortality rate for coronavirus is similar to the flu, both at about 2 per cent.In response, Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana asks: "Are you sure of that?"
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| Italian hikers rescued in Alaska after visiting infamous bus Posted: 24 Feb 2020 03:04 PM PST  An Italian man suffering from frostbite and four other tourists were rescued in the Alaska wilderness after visiting an abandoned bus that has become a lure for adventurers since it was featured in the "Into the Wild" book and movie. Alaska State Troopers say the five Italians were rescued Saturday from a camp they set up after visiting the dilapidated bus on the Stampede Trail near the interior town of Healy. The hikers were found 13 miles from the trailhead, Trooper spokesman Tim DeSpain said.
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| Fake News or Reality? Did F-35s from Israel Fly Over Iran? Posted: 25 Feb 2020 01:30 AM PST  Could that be true?
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| U.S. Supreme Court turns away religious bias claim against Walgreens Posted: 24 Feb 2020 06:52 AM PST  The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday handed a victory to Walgreens, turning away an appeal by a fired former Florida employee of the pharmacy chain who asked not to work on Saturdays for religious reasons as a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The justices declined to review a lower court ruling in Darrell Patterson's religious discrimination lawsuit that concluded that his demand to never work on Saturday, observed as the Sabbath by Seventh-day Adventists, placed an undue hardship on Walgreens. Patterson, who had trained customer service representatives at a Walgreens call center in Orlando, was fired in 2011 after failing to show up for work on a Saturday for an urgent training session.
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| Acting DHS secretary falsely claims flu is just as deadly as the coronavirus Posted: 25 Feb 2020 02:35 PM PST  He was just a little bit off on that one.During Senate testimony Tuesday, Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf was grilled by Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) about the United States' preparedness for a potential coronavirus outbreak. At one point Kennedy asked Wolf about the virus' fatality rate, which Wolf said was likely somewhere between 1.5 and 2 percent. He then veered off course by telling Kennedy that the flu's fatality rate is in the same ballpark, which is not correct or even particularly close.> WATCH: Acting DHS Sec. Wolf tells Sen. Kennedy that the mortality rate for the coronavirus is "right around" the same percentage as the flu.> > As of Feb. 19, the coronavirus mortality rate within China is 2.3%, WHO says. > > Flu mortality rate in America is 0.1%, according to CDC. pic.twitter.com/hOZr4tR6nT> > — NBC Politics (@NBCPolitics) February 25, 2020Kennedy didn't seem convinced, but opted not to press Wolf more on the flu stats. That didn't mean he let him off the hook generally, however. The senator was not pleased with Wolf's answers to a number of his questions and reportedly grew visibly irate at times, The Hill reports.The Trump administration as a whole has taken some criticism for what some perceive to be a lackadaisical, overly-optimistic response to the outbreak. More stories from theweek.com Harvard scientist predicts coronavirus will infect up to 70 percent of humanity CDC warns Americans to prepare for coronavirus outbreak Trump praises Modi's record on 'religious freedom' as violence breaks out over citizenship law
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| Trump Says No Country Has Helped Him Win Elections, Slams Schiff Posted: 25 Feb 2020 07:27 AM PST  (Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump said he doesn't want help from any country to win re-election and accused House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff of leaking news that U.S. authorities believe Russia is trying to help Bernie Sanders win the Democratic nomination."I don't want help from any country," Trump said at a news conference in New Delhi on Tuesday, concluding a two-day trip to India. "And I haven't been given help from any country."The remarks suggested that the president still disputes official U.S. conclusions that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to help secure his election. In June, he said in an interview with ABC News that he would at least listen to foreigners who claimed to have damaging information on his political opponents.Sanders, a Vermont senator, confirmed last week that American intelligence officials had briefed him in January on Russian efforts to help his campaign. He didn't reveal the briefing until after the Washington Post reported Friday that Trump and other lawmakers on Capitol Hill had been informed of the Russian interference in the campaign.Trump suggested that Democrats led by Schiff leaked news of the briefing in order to keep Sanders from winning the party's nomination."I think it's disgraceful, and I think it was leaks from the Intelligence Committee, House version, and I think that they leaked it. I think probably Schiff leaked it," he said Tuesday, without citing any evidence for his claim.Schiff previously has denied Trump's assertion."Bernie is probably winning and it looks like he's winning, and he's got a head of steam, and they maybe don't want him for obvious reasons," Trump said. "So they don't want him, so they put out a thing that Russia is backing him."Trump has long disputed the U.S. intelligence community's finding that Russia sought to covertly boost his campaign in 2016. "I get it, I get the game better than anybody," he said.(Updates with Schiff tweet in seventh paragraph.)To contact the reporters on this story: Justin Sink in Washington at jsink1@bloomberg.net;Jordan Fabian in Washington at jfabian6@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Alex Wayne at awayne3@bloomberg.net, Joshua GalluFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| San Francisco's mayor has declared a state of emergency as the coronavirus continues to spread Posted: 25 Feb 2020 03:42 PM PST  Mayor London Breed said the city was "taking the necessary steps to protect San Franciscans from harm."
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| A rare, 'cryptic' rainbow snake was spotted in a Florida forest for the first time since 1969 Posted: 25 Feb 2020 07:13 AM PST  A rainbow snake, also known as an "eel moccasin," was spotted in Florida's Ocala National Forest for the first time in five decades.
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| New Mexico governor to sheriffs: Enforce gun law or resign Posted: 25 Feb 2020 03:14 PM PST  New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a red-flag gun bill Tuesday that will allow state district courts to order the temporary surrender of firearms, and she urged sheriffs to resign if they still refuse to enforce it. Flanked by advocates for stricter gun control and supportive law enforcement officials at a signing ceremony, Lujan Grisham said the legislation provides law enforcement authorities with an urgently needed tool to deter deadly violence by temporarily removing firearms from people who pose a threat to themselves or others. "If they really intend to do that, they should resign as a law enforcement officer and leader in that community," she said.
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| The Deadly Reason Why Nuclear Missile Submarines Are Called "Boomers" Posted: 24 Feb 2020 03:00 PM PST  Vessels of death.
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| Valet accidentally shot in the face by Boston police at Brigham and Women's Hospital Posted: 25 Feb 2020 12:23 PM PST  Police were responding to a call of a person with a gun. The gun was later determined to be a replica and the suspect was fatally shot.
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| Secretary of State Pompeo appeared to coordinate with Giuliani on Ukraine, new documents show Posted: 24 Feb 2020 12:59 PM PST  A trove of documents released on Friday by the State Department to American Oversight make clear that Rudy Giuliani — who was acting as Trump's personal attorney — pressed American diplomats to consider the information he'd unearthed in Kyiv about corruption. Though the documents released amount to fewer than a dozen pages of emails, they nevertheless show aides to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo unambiguously receptive to Giuliani's overtures.
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| Egypt executes eight men over church bombings: sources Posted: 25 Feb 2020 03:52 AM PST  Egypt has executed eight men sentenced to death over deadly attacks claimed by the Islamic State group on churches and a police checkpoint, judicial and medical sources said Tuesday. The convicts, whose final appeal against the death penalty was denied in May last year, were put to death at dawn on Monday, the sources said.
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| Tom Steyer has paid more than $40,000 to rent a property owned by Jim Clyburn's daughter Posted: 24 Feb 2020 06:49 AM PST  Billionaire Tom Steyer is facing some criticism over his spending in South Carolina, a state where his Democratic presidential campaign is making some legitimate headway.Some people have even accused him of trying to buy votes from the state's African-American voters, which Steyer and many others have adamantly denied, The New York Times reports. One thing that's been particularly scrutinized is the Steyer campaign's rental agreement with a company owned by Jennifer Clyburn Reed, the daughter of Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), the highest-ranking African American in Congress whose endorsement is considered key in South Carolina. Since October, the Steyer campaign has paid more than $40,000 to the company to rent one of its properties as its state headquarters in Columbia, South Carolina. A California-based bank founded by Steyer, meanwhile, has loaned $1 million to a Columbia-based bank that has one of Clyburn's sons-in-laws on its board.The campaign has brushed off the accusations of trying to procure political favor from the Clyburn family, arguing Steyer is simply committed to hiring local organizers and investing in local businesses to get his grassroots operations running. "The question isn't why Tom is doing this," Steyer spokesman Benjamin Gerdes said in a statement. "The real question is why isn't every other candidate doing it?"The politically-active Reed called the accusations of vote-buying "disturbing" and seemed a bit annoyed that people think she merely serves as a surrogate for her father. "I'm an adult," she told the Times. "There is no connection. My father has his business and I have mine. We do not vote the same way."Besides, it's probably all a moot point — both Reed and Clyburn seem likely to back former Vice President Joe Biden. Read more at The New York Times.More stories from theweek.com Harvard scientist predicts coronavirus will infect up to 70 percent of humanity Children seem remarkably resilient to coronavirus The Trump administration is reportedly fighting over coronavirus spending
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| Trump and his entourage fail to eat anything from special vegetarian menu prepared for them on India trip Posted: 25 Feb 2020 04:28 AM PST  Donald Trump and his entourage reportedly failed to eat a single item of a special vegetarian feast prepared for him during his trip to India.The American president and his wife, Melania, were presented with the menu during their visit to Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad, one of the former homes of the Indian independence hero.
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| An official leading South Korea's battle against COVID-19 says he's a member of a doomsday cult where a virus 'super-spreader' event occurred Posted: 24 Feb 2020 02:14 PM PST  "If we have another Daegu in this country, I can't imagine what would happen," a professor said since medical resources are being stretched thin.
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| Swing District Dem Says ‘No One’ Left in the Presidential Race Will Be ‘Helpful’ in Her Reelection Posted: 25 Feb 2020 08:44 AM PST  Representative Lauren Underwood (D., Ill.) said at an event on Monday that "no one" running for the Democratic presidential nomination would be helpful to her in the 2020 general elections."Some people are neutral and some people are not and no one in my opinion that's running on the Democratic ticket is helpful to me in my race," Underwood told an audience at the City Club of Chicago, responding to a question about whether the rise of Senator Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) would hurt down-ticket Democrats in November. Underwood's response drew a murmur from the crowd."I guess that's controversial," Underwood said when she perceived the audience's reaction. "I view [the] presidential candidates as neutral at best or very difficult at worst."Underwood represents Illinois's 14th congressional district, which traditionally votes Republican. The freshman representative managed in 2018 to unseat three-term incumbent Representative Randy Hultgren, a Republican, by five percentage points.Sanders, the most progressive candidate in the Democratic primaries, is leading the race after winning the Nevada Caucuses and New Hampshire Primary, while taking a close second place in the Iowa Caucuses. The Vermont senator's rise in the primaries is worrying more moderate Democrats who feel President Trump will defeat him in the November elections.Sanders has also caused controversy among Florida Democrats following his repeated praise of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. Florida has one of the largest concentrations of Cuban immigrants in the U.S., many of them refugees who fled the communist country."I find Senator Bernie Sanders' comments on Castro's Cuba absolutely unacceptable. The Castro regime murdered and jailed dissidents, and caused unspeakable harm to too many South Florida families," Representative Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D., Fla.) tweeted on Monday. "To this day, it remains an authoritarian regime that oppresses its people, subverts the free press, and stifles a free society."
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| CDC Issues Warnings on Virus; Markets Take Hit: Virus Update Posted: 25 Feb 2020 01:30 PM PST  (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Americans to prepare for a coronavirus outbreak at home that could lead to significant disruptions of daily life, though the warnings were downplayed by the White House. Congress was told that there's shortage of masks needed for health workers if one occurs.New cases were reported in Europe, prompting worries of a widening outbreak there. Iran reported a total of 15 deaths, the most fatalities outside China, and a top health official tested positive. Chinese President Xi Jinping said his country was confident of limiting the impact, though new cases continue to be identified elsewhere in Asia.Stocks fell and bonds rose as worries mounted in the market over the virus. Airline stocks were hit particularly hard.Key DevelopmentsChina death toll 2,663, up 71; total mainland cases at 77,658Italy cases rise to 322; Austria reports two infectionsUnited Air abandons profit goal, Mastercard cuts forecastU.S. stocks head for a fourth straight decline; bond yields fallClick VRUS on the terminal for news and data on the coronavirus and here for maps and charts. For analysis of the impact from Bloomberg Economics, click here.Airline Stocks Fall Over Concerns on Travel Impact (4 p.m. NY)U.S. airlines posted the biggest two-day drop since 2016 on worsening fears that the spread of the coronavirus will further stymie travel.American Airlines Group Inc. led the decline, tumbling to the lowest since its 2013 merger with US Airways. President Donald Trump's administration is considering whether to adopt more restrictions on air travel because of the outbreak, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Tuesday.Read the full story here.Kudlow Urges Calm After CDC Virus Warning (1:40 p.m. NY)White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow called for calm after U.S. health officials said that an outbreak inside the U.S. could cause significant disruptions to daily life if emergency plans were put into place."I think people should be as calm as possible in assessing this," Kudlow said at the White House. "Emergency plans don't necessarily mean they'll have to be put into place."There have been fewer than 20 coronavirus cases diagnosed in the U.S., though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said it expects the pathogen to eventually spread locally."We have contained this, I won't say airtight, but pretty close to airtight," Kudlow said. He called it a human tragedy because of the toll in China, but said it was not an economic one.Cases Grow in Italy and Across Europe (1:02 p.m. NY)Italy saw its 10th casualty from the coronavirus outbreak, with 322 confirmed cases nationwide, as the infection began to appear across Europe and threatened to further disrupt tourism and business. Health ministers in Germany, France, Italy and other neighboring countries vowed to keep Europe's borders open and to improve information-sharing about travelers to and from areas with infections.Spain's authorities held about 1,000 guests and workers at a seaside hotel on Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, after an Italian tourist there initially tested positive for the virus. Croatia and Switzerland reported their first cases, and Austria confirmed two more. All the patients had links to Italy.CDC Warns Americans to Prepare for Outbreak (12:53 p.m. NY)The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Americans should prepare for school closings, cancellations of sporting events, concerts and business meetings if the coronavirus spreads in the U.S."We expect we will see community spread in this country," Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said on a call with reporters Tuesday. "It is not a matter of if, but a question of when, this will exactly happen."The outbreak is "rapidly evolving and expanding," she said. "Now is the time" for businesses, schools and hospitals to begin preparing. She said that Americans should prepare for the coronavirus epidemic on our shores and to assume it will be bad.U.S. Is Short on Masks in Case of American Outbreak (11:30 a.m. NY)The U.S. has far fewer protective masks than it would need in the case of a major outbreak of the coronavirus in the country, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told Congress Tuesday.The U.S. has about 30 million stockpiled N95 masks that can help stop a person from inhaling infective particles, Azar said, but would need as much as 300 million for health workers in an outbreak. U.S. health officials have said they're preparing for the coronavirus to eventually begin spreading locally.Gilead Drug Being Tested on Evacuees in Nebraska (11:20 a.m. NY)Gilead's antiviral drug remdesivir will be tested on coronavirus patients at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, which is housing people who were evacuated from a virus-infested cruise ship in Japan, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said.Although remdesivir has been administered to some patients with the virus, "we do not have solid data to indicate it can improve clinical outcomes," said Anthony S. Fauci, director of the institute, said in a statement.The first trial participant is an American who was repatriated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship that docked in Japan. So far, 11 of the 13 patients who were repatriated from the ship to the Nebraska hospital have been confirmed to have the coronavirus.Remdesivir is also being tested in trials in China and Japan, said U.S. Heath and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar at a Senate hearing Tuesday.Pompeo Criticizes China, Iran Reponse (10 a.m. NY)U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo criticized China and Iran's response to the coronavirus, saying that suppression of information about the infection may have made the outbreak worse or put other countries on the back foot."The United States is deeply concerned that the Iranian regime may have suppressed vital details about the outbreak in that country," Pompeo said at a press conference in Washington. At least 15 people in Iran are dead, authorities there have said, though there are reports of higher numbers and hundreds of potential cases.Pompeo also criticized Chinese authorities, after the government said it would expel three Wall Street Journal reporters. In the province of Hubei, where the outbreak began, some early warnings of a new virus were initially suppressed."Expelling our journalists exposes once again the government's issue that led to SARS, and now the coronavirus -- namely censorship. It can have deadly consequences. Had China permitted its own and foreign journalists and medical personnel to speak and investigate freely, Chinese officials and other nations would have been far better prepared to address the challenge."Senators Say Administration May Request More Virus Funds (9:45 a.m. NY)Several U.S. senators emerging from a classified briefing on Capitol Hill Tuesday said they expected the Trump administration to ask for more money to combat a potential coronavirus outbreak, depending on how the situation plays out in the U.S.Senators were told, "Let's see how it evolves and then we can put more dollars in," said Bill Cassidy, a Republican from Louisiana. The administration has requested $2.5 billion -- half new money, half repurposed from other efforts -- from Congress to deal with the virus.U.S. Will Test Experimental Gilead Drug in NIH Trial (8:44 a.m. NY)The U.S. government will oversee an international trial of Gilead Sciences Inc.'s experimental drug remdesivir, which is already being tested in China as a potential treatment for the coronavirus there.The trial is being run by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, and seeks to sign up about 400 people in the U.S. and at foreign sites. It's expected to be completed by April 1, according to information about the trial posted on the ClinicalTrials.gov registry.Drugmakers and governments are working on vaccines and therapies to use against the virus. On Tuesday, the U.S. drug developer Vir Biotechnology Inc. and Shanghai-based WuXi Biologics announced they would work together to find other potential new therapies.China Pledges Cheap Credit, Tax Cuts to Aid Small Firms (7:50 a.m. NY)The People's Bank of China will offer $71.2 billion of relending and rediscounting funding to commercial lenders for loans to small companies and the agricultural sector, Central China Television reported.Catastrophe Bonds Signal Virus Nearing Pandemic Status (7:49 a.m. NY)The World Health Organization says the coronavirus isn't yet a global pandemic. Bonds that insure against just such a catastrophe say that it probably is. The bonds, sold in 2017 by the World Bank to raise money for poor countries in a global pandemic, are quoted as much as 40% below their face value following coronavirus outbreaks in countries such as Iran and Italy, according to investors who own the securities.Moderna Rallies on Quick Vaccine Turnaround (7:33 a.m. NY)Moderna Inc., the biotechnology company developing an experimental coronavirus vaccine in collaboration with the U.S. government, said it shipped a first batch of the inoculation to begin human testing. The stock jumped as much as 25%.The experimental vaccine was sent to the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and is to be used in an early stage study to test its safety. It will likely take months of testing to determine whether or not the vaccine can successfully stop infections, and more time to roll it out if it does work.Top Iranian Health Official Tests Positive (7:32 a.m. NY)A top Iranian health official has been diagnosed with coronavirus in another sign the disease may be spiraling out of control in the country. Iraj Harirchi, a deputy health minister who has been the face of the government's campaign against the virus, said he tested positive for it late Monday, the day he gave a press briefing on efforts to combat the outbreak.Separately, Tehran lawmaker Mahmoud Sadeghi tweeted that he had tested positive. Sadeghi is a prominent reformist who was barred from participating in the latest parliamentary elections.Earlier on Tuesday, Iran reported 34 new cases, with the death toll rising to 15. Bahrain reported nine new cases, while Kuwait has an additional three and Oman another two. So far, there are about 140 confirmed cases in the Middle East, all of them linked to Iran.The U.A.E. has banned travel to all cities in Iran and has already suspended all flights to and from China, except Beijing. Kuwait, which has already stopped flights to Iran, on Monday suspended travel to South Korea, Thailand, Italy and Iraq. Separately, a Turkish Airlines flight from Tehran bound for Istanbul made an unscheduled landing in Ankara, according to Turkey's Haberturk television.Italy Infections Rise, Austria Reports Two Cases (7:00 a.m. NY)Italy reported 283 cases, up from 229. The death toll was unchanged at seven.Separately, Austria confirmed two cases, APA said. Croatia reported its first case earlier on Tuesday -- a man who recently returned from Milan in Italy has mild symptoms and was hospitalized in Zagreb.Tenerife Hotel in Lockdown (6:25 a.m. NY)An Italian staying on the Spanish island of Tenerife tested positive for the virus and a second test to confirm the case will be carried out in Madrid, the government said. The case would be Spain's third and the first on the island. Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands, attracted more than 5.7 million tourists last year.The tourist, a doctor, had come from Lombardy, a region of northern Italy that is a focus of an outbreak of the virus, Efe news service reported. Spain's two previously confirmed patients no longer have the infection.About 1,000 guests and hotel workers won't be able to leave pending definitive results of the test expected later on Tuesday, a person familiar with the situation said.Luxury Sales Could Drop by $44 Billion (6:20 a.m. NY)A survey showed that industry executives expect a severe fallout from the coronavirus. The impact of the outbreak is likely to reduce industry sales by as much as 40 billion euros ($43.5 billion) in 2020, according to the survey of 28 top executives undertaken by Boston Consulting Group and Sanford C. Bernstein. China is a key market for most luxury firms, and signs that the virus has been spreading more widely are causing jitters to increase.Sino Biopharm Drug Included in China Guidelines to Treat Virus (6 a.m. NY)A drug developed by a subsidiary of Sino Biopharmaceutical was put in Chinese government guidelines as a supportive treatment for mild and common cases of coronavirus infection. The drug, Magnesium Isoglycyrrhizinate, has the brand name Tianqingganmei.Singapore to Ban Visitors from Daegu, Cheongdo (6:41 p.m. HK)Singapore will ban all short-term visitors with recent travel history to Cheongdo county and Daegu city, which are central to the coronavirus outbreak in South Korea, effective Feb. 26.Earlier, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Americans to avoid all non-essential travel to South Korea. The level 3 warning, the CDC's highest, matches the caution it previously placed on China. The CDC previously issued lower-level alerts for Italy, Iran and Japan, telling travelers to take extra care and consider postponing non-essential travel.Beijing 'Getting it Under Control,' Trump Says (6:29 p.m. HK)President Donald Trump said U.S. markets "took a hit yesterday" because of concerns surrounding the coronavirus, but said Beijing was "getting it under control more and more."Trump, said he believed things would "work out fine" in the U.S. and that his administration was "spending a tremendous amount of money" to prevent the spread of the disease and assist other countries. He noted the White House had requested $2.5 billion in supplemental funds to fight the virus.Chinese Cities Curb Travel From Other Countries (6:28 p.m. HK)Some Chinese cities have begun to restrict arrivals from overseas, as growing outbreaks elsewhere prompt the country to enact curbs similar to those facing its own travelers. The moves signal that the epidemic's momentum has shifted outside of China.The coastal city of Weihai said all people arriving from Japan and South Korea would be required to undergo 14-day quarantines in designated hotels. The adjacent city of Yantai said those who've entered China for short-term business and tourism visits would be required to stay in selected hotels.China customs is closely monitoring the coronavirus epidemic in other countries.HK Leader's Approval Rating Plunges (6:16 p.m. HK)Carrie Lam's approval rating has sunk to a new low of just 9.1% as her government faces criticism over its handling of the coronavirus outbreak. The government has come under fire from some groups for not doing enough to ward off a public health crisis as the number of confirmed virus cases continues to climb. The virus first emerged in central China in December, piling pressure on Lam after months of often-violent demonstrations in Hong Kong.Singapore Eases Rules for Chinese Workers in More Sectors (6 p.m. HK)Singapore will loosen restrictions on Chinese work-permit holders in the country to help businesses in manufacturing and services industries that have been hit by labor disruptions during the coronavirus outbreak.For six months beginning March 2, the Ministry of Manpower will allow companies in those sectors to hire Chinese workers who are already in the country, with the agreement of their existing employers. Currently, businesses can only hire Chinese work-permit holders once they have left Singapore.Thailand's Tourism Income Tumbled in January (5:55 p.m. HK)A slump in Thailand's foreign tourism income underlines the damage being inflicted on its economy. Receipts tumbled 3.6% in January from a year earlier to $6 billion), dragged down by a 10% slide in outlays by Chinese visitors.HK Exports Slid Most in Decade in Jan. Ahead of Virus (5:26 p.m. HK)Hong Kong's exports plummeted the most in more than a decade in January, as the government warned of further weakness in the coming months with the full force of disruptions from the coronavirus outbreak still ahead. Exports sank 22.7% in January from year-ago levels to HK$269.4 billion ($34.6 billion), the most since February 2009.European Corporate Bond Market in Deep Freeze (4:50 p.m. HK)Global borrowers shunned Europe's corporate debt market for a second day as a cluster of new coronavirus cases in Italy sent yields sharply higher, bringing sales of new bonds to a near standstill.ING Groep's downsized debt offering is the only deal priced so far this week, which had been expected to deliver more than 20 billion euros ($22 billion) of sales, according to a Bloomberg News survey. Non-financial borrowers are nowhere to be seen, with Spain the only sovereign issuer braving the market so far on Tuesday.Gilead's Drug Leads Global Race for Treatment (3:40 p.m. H.K.)China will release results on April 27 of a clinical trial of Gilead Sciences's remdesivir drug that the World Health Organization said may be the only effective treatment so far for the disease. The trials of the experimental medication involved 761 patients in Wuhan, the city where the virus originated.\--With assistance from Yasna Haghdoost, Daniel Flatley, Bill Faries, Nick Wadhams and Robert Langreth.To contact Bloomberg News staff for this story: Adveith Nair in London at anair29@bloomberg.net;Drew Armstrong in New York at darmstrong17@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Stuart Wallace at swallace6@bloomberg.net, Adveith Nair, Mark SchoifetFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| No checkout needed: Amazon opens cashier-less grocery store Posted: 25 Feb 2020 05:46 AM PST  Amazon wants to kill the supermarket checkout line. The online retailing giant is opening its first cashier-less supermarket, where shoppers can grab milk or eggs and walk out without waiting in line or ever opening their wallets. It's the latest sign that Amazon is serious about shaking up the $800 billion grocery industry.
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| 'D.C. Sniper' Malvo can seek parole after change in Virginia law Posted: 24 Feb 2020 12:46 PM PST  Lee Boyd Malvo, who was 17 when he took part in the deadly 2002 "D.C. Sniper" shooting spree in the Washington area, will get a chance to seek parole in Virginia following a change in state law enacted on Monday, preempting a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the matter. The change, signed by Democratic Governor Ralph Northam, allows people like Malvo, now 35, who were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for offenses committed before age 18 to ask for release after 20 years. Malvo, who is incarcerated in a supermax state prison in Virginia's Wise County, and an older accomplice, John Allen Muhammad, were convicted in the shootings in which 10 people were killed.
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| Sunk: How Sweden Sent America's USS Ronald Reagan to the Bottom of the Sea Posted: 24 Feb 2020 05:00 PM PST  (In a simulation.)
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| Arizona congressional candidate suspends campaign after overdosing on heroin: 'I'm not going to hide from this' Posted: 24 Feb 2020 08:02 PM PST  A Republican running for Congress in Arizona announced on Monday he is suspending his campaign following a heroin overdose last week.Chris Taylor is an Army veteran who served two tours in Afghanistan and a member of the City Council in Safford. He has a history of opioid addiction dating back to his high school years. "I'm not going to hide from this," Taylor told The Arizona Republic. "I'm not ashamed of what happened. I wish to sincerely apologize to the amazing people who have supported me."Taylor told NBC News he is seeking treatment for substance abuse, having relapsed "after having so many solid years in sobriety. I have to figure out where I went wrong. Thankfully I have every resource available to me through the Veterans Affairs Administration and I have the strongest support system one could dream of. The only thing I can do is face this head on in complete humility and put one foot in front of the other so that I can get the help needed to be the father and husband that my family deserves."Taylor was running in Arizona's 1st Congressional District, hoping to unseat Rep. Tom O'Halleran (D). In his campaign ads, Taylor promised to support President Trump, cut taxes, and defend the Second Amendment.More stories from theweek.com Acting DHS secretary falsely claims flu is just as deadly as the coronavirus Harvard scientist predicts coronavirus will infect up to 70 percent of humanity CDC warns Americans to prepare for coronavirus outbreak
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| Rush Limbaugh is under fire for claiming the coronavirus is a 'common cold' being 'weaponized' to bring down Trump Posted: 25 Feb 2020 07:59 AM PST  Limbaugh accused China of bioterrorism, claiming it was using the coronavirus to destroy the US economy.
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| Pete Buttigieg appears to mimic Barack Obama almost exactly in campaign speech video comparison Posted: 25 Feb 2020 02:31 AM PST  Presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg has been accused of plagiarising Barack Obama in several campaign speeches.In a compilation video featuring side-by-side comparisons of the two men's speeches, Mr Buttigieg is shown using almost the exact same words as Mr Obama on multiple occasions.
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| It looks like people with no real interest in Bloomberg are signing up to be grassroots campaigners because he pays $2,500 a month Posted: 24 Feb 2020 04:46 AM PST  Mike Bloomberg's social-media army, who can command payments of $2,500 a month, have variable levels of commitment.
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| Crackdown on immigrants using public benefits takes effect Posted: 24 Feb 2020 10:04 AM PST  With new rules taking effect on Monday that disqualify more people from green cards if they use government benefits, droves of immigrants, including citizens and legal residents, have dropped social services they or their children may be entitled to out of fear they will be kicked out of the United States.
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| Pakistani woman accused of blasphemy seeks asylum in France Posted: 25 Feb 2020 04:38 AM PST  A Christian woman acquitted of blasphemy after spending eight years on death row in Pakistan, and who faced death threats from Islamic extremists, said she is going to request asylum in France. Asia Bibi will receive her diploma Tuesday as a Citizen of Honor of the city of Paris, a title she was awarded in 2015. Bibi has lived in Canada since she was released by Pakistan last year.
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| A Wrongfully Convicted Kansas Man Who Spent 23 Years in Prison Is Awarded $1.5 Million Posted: 25 Feb 2020 10:02 AM PST  Lamonte McIntyre was convicted and sentenced to two terms of life in prison for the murder of Donald Ewing and Doniel Quinn back in 1994. The two victims had been shot in the middle of the day while they sat in their car
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| A British Tank Army Expected to Last Just a Few Days Against the Russians Posted: 25 Feb 2020 02:30 AM PST  A cold war horror story: "We would have fought and probably all died," tweeted Nigel Price, a Cold War veteran of 3 Armored Division. "But we would have fought. And the enemy knew it. Deterrent worked."
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| Australian special forces probed for alleged Afghan war crimes Posted: 24 Feb 2020 09:32 PM PST  Australia is investigating more than 50 alleged war crimes by the country's special forces in Afghanistan, including the killing of civilians and prisoners, the military watchdog said Tuesday. An annual report by the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force said 55 separate incidents were being investigated as part of a years-long probe into allegations Australian soldiers committed war crimes while serving in Afghanistan. The probe was launched in 2016 in response to what the watchdog called "rumours" of "very serious wrongdoing" over more than a decade by members of Australian special forces in Afghanistan.
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| Girl, 11, brings AR-15 to Idaho gun hearing Posted: 24 Feb 2020 12:52 PM PST  An 11-year-old girl holding a loaded AR-15 assault weapon appeared at a gun legislation hearing in Idaho on Monday with her grandfather, who is supporting legislation that would allow visitors to Idaho who can legally possess firearms to carry a concealed handgun within city limits.
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| Coronavirus updates: Senior Iranian health official tests positive as pandemic fears grow Posted: 25 Feb 2020 03:13 PM PST  As 500 new cases were reported across mainland China, here is the latest for Tuesday, Feb. 25.
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| United Airlines dished out $10,000 each to 9 passengers who were forced to downgrade from business class to 'Premium Plus' Posted: 25 Feb 2020 07:34 AM PST  United offered $10,000 travel vouchers to nine passengers who agreed to sit in "Priority Plus" rather than business class during an 11-hour flight from New Jersey to Hawaii.
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| Bernie Sanders' media critics and opponents are suddenly focusing their attacks on the new frontrunner Posted: 25 Feb 2020 09:30 AM PST  Sanders' political opponents are stepping up their attacks on the Vermont senator ahead of Tuesday night's debate in South Carolina.
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| Kenya shuts slaughterhouses over loss of donkeys to China Posted: 25 Feb 2020 09:51 AM PST |
| US Supreme Court upholds death sentences of Arizona man Posted: 25 Feb 2020 07:15 AM PST  A sharply divided U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the death sentences for an Arizona inmate who was convicted of killing two people in home burglaries nearly 30 years ago and now wants a jury to consider abuse he suffered as a child. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, writing for the court's conservative justices, rejected the arguments of James Erin McKinney that he deserved a new sentencing hearing so a jury could decide whether he should face death or life in prison. McKinney also argued that courts have not fully considered the horrific physical abuse he suffered as a child.
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| ACLU files suit to block "sanctuary cities" from outlawing abortion Posted: 25 Feb 2020 03:06 AM PST  In its filing, the ACLU claims the ordinances violate the constitution and mislead residents "as to whether individuals can in fact exercise their right to access abortion. "
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| The Navy’s Decision to Stop Buying P-8 Poseidons Is a Mistake Posted: 25 Feb 2020 10:35 AM PST  Russian and Chinese submarines along with underwater threats from North Korea and Iran are only multiplying. Why stop purchasing one proven system that can mitigate this growing threat?
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| Senate Rejects 20-Week Abortion Ban Posted: 25 Feb 2020 02:13 PM PST  The Senate on Tuesday rejected two Republican abortion bills, one that would outlaw abortions after 20 weeks and another that would attempt to raise the standard of care for newborns born alive after botched abortions.Senators voted 53 to 44 against a motion to proceed to debate on the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, failing to reach the 60 votes required to overcome the Democratic filibuster against the measure.The bill, sponsored by Senator Lindsey Graham, would have made illegal all abortions performed after 20 weeks of pregnancy -- the point at which pro-life advocates argue science determines a fetus can feel pain -- with exceptions for when the life of the mother is in danger and for victims of rape and incest."There are only seven countries that allow wholesale abortions at the 20-week period, including China and North Korea," Graham said in a tweet before the vote. "The United States should NOT be in that club."President Trump voiced his support for the legislation in his State of the Union address last month."To defend the dignity of every person, I am asking Congress to pass legislation to prohibit the late-term abortion of children who can feel pain in the mother's womb," Trump said. "Let us work together to build a culture that cherishes innocent life."Also on Tuesday, Senate Democrats blocked a request by Republicans to vote on a separate bill, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which would require abortion providers to attempt to "preserve the life and health" of a fetus born alive after a botched abortion. The upper chamber voted 56 to 41 against ending the filibuster."I urge my colleagues to picture a baby that's already been born, that's outside the womb gasping for air," said the bill's sponsor, Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska, arguing that "nothing in this bill touches abortion access" and it is solely about protecting "babies that have already been born."
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| Trump news — live: President mocked and markets slide as CDC issues grave warning over potential coronavirus pandemic Posted: 25 Feb 2020 08:24 AM PST  A Donald Trump press conference in India descended into a bitter row with CNN reporter Jim Acosta on Tuesday after the president criticised the journalist's network and the latter replied: "I think our record on delivering the truth is a lot better than yours sometimes."Trump has meanwhile secured a lucrative arms deal with the fellow superpower's prime minister Narendra Modi, a venture he risked putting in jeopardy by refusing to eat any of the vegetarian delicacies – notably broccoli samosas - laid out for him at the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad on Monday afternoon.
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| Former AG Loretta Lynch to lead investigation into Syracuse University police Posted: 24 Feb 2020 08:25 AM PST  Lynch will lead the investigation as the school has been rocked by a series of racist incidents and a call by some students to disarm campus cops.
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| Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line are taking a financial beating from the coronavirus — here's how much the companies predict it will hurt earnings this year Posted: 25 Feb 2020 10:03 AM PST  Carnival Corp., Royal Caribbean Cruises, and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings have predicted that the coronavirus will hurt their earnings this year.
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