| Trump plan 'historic', peace deals crucial: Israel foreign minister Posted: 18 May 2020 10:50 AM PDT  Israel's new foreign minister said Monday that US President Donald Trump's Middle East peace proposal offered an "historic opportunity" but that regional peace deals must be maintained during its implementation. Gabi Ashkenazi, who became the Jewish state's top diplomat when a new unity government was sworn in on Sunday, made the comments at a transition ceremony in Jerusalem. "The plan will be promoted responsibly and in coordination with the United States, while maintaining peace agreements and the strategic interests of Israel," Ashkenazi said according to a copy of his remarks seen by AFP.
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| FBI: US naval base attack 'motivated by al-Qaeda' Posted: 18 May 2020 06:08 PM PDT  The Saudi Air Force officer who killed three Americans in Florida spoke to the terror group in Yemen.
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| U.S. Supreme Court heaps more damages on Sudan in embassy bombing cases Posted: 18 May 2020 07:21 AM PDT  The U.S. Supreme Court dealt a legal setback to Sudan on Monday, ruling that the African nation cannot avoid punitive damages in lawsuits accusing it of complicity in the 1998 al Qaeda bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania that killed 224 people. Siding with hundreds of people hurt and relatives of people killed in the bombings, the justices ruled 8-0 to throw out a lower court's 2017 decision that had freed Sudan from punitive damages awarded in the litigation in addition to about $6 billion in compensatory damages. Justice Brett Kavanaugh did not participate in the case.
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| Tropical Storm Arthur, the First Named Storm of the Season, Gathers Speed as It Approaches North Carolina Posted: 17 May 2020 07:19 AM PDT  The first named storm of hurricane season—Tropical Storm Arthur—formed off of Florida's east coast Saturday and is strengthening as it approaches North Carolina's outer banks.
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| A report circulating in Congress, which claims that China covered up a virus leak from a Wuhan lab, has been debunked Posted: 18 May 2020 04:03 AM PDT  The Sierra Nevada Corporation claimed a "hazardous event" occurred at the Wuhan Institute of Virology last year. The theory is popular but unverified.
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| In Michael Flynn case, Judge Sullivan's gross overreach turns justice into mob rule Posted: 18 May 2020 02:28 PM PDT  The case against Micheal Flynn is abusive and should be dismissed, as the Justice Department requests. But Judge Emmet Sullivan has other ideas.
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| Coronavirus: Hospitals in Brazil’s largest city near collapse amid huge spike in cases, mayor says Posted: 18 May 2020 03:57 AM PDT  The healthcare system in Brazil's largest city is on the verge of collapse due to coronavirus, its mayor has said.
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| Appeals court clears way for execution of Missouri inmate Posted: 18 May 2020 06:07 AM PDT  A federal appeals court has cleared the way for a Missouri death row inmate to be executed Tuesday and ordered his petition for post-conviction relief dismissed, despite questions raised about evidence used to convict him. The Sunday decision by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacates a 30-day stay of execution granted Friday to Walter Barton by a federal judge. Barton, 64, is set to die by lethal injection for the 1991 killing of 81-year-old trailer park operator Gladys Kuehler.
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| Health secretary: No spike in coronavirus in places reopening Posted: 17 May 2020 10:43 AM PDT  Authorities are not seeing spikes in coronavirus cases in places that are reopening but are seeing increases in some areas that remain closed, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said on Sunday.
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| 31 Best Low-Light Indoor Plants and How to Care for Them Posted: 18 May 2020 07:50 AM PDT |
| Pelosi sees negotiations on new $3 trillion coronavirus legislation: CBS Posted: 17 May 2020 08:21 AM PDT  U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Sunday there will be negotiations on the new $3 trillion coronavirus relief legislation passed by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives and that Democrats have "no red lines." Asked if there has been a Republican response or counteroffer to begin negotiations on the bill passed late on Friday, Pelosi said, "No bill that is proffered will become law without negotiations, so, yeah." The Democrats' measure, passed late on Friday, was likely to trigger new talks with congressional Republicans and President Donald Trump's administration, who have been talking about the need for new business liability protections in the age of coronavirus, or additional tax cuts.
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| He thought the coronavirus was 'a fake crisis.' Then he contracted it. Posted: 18 May 2020 09:32 AM PDT  Brian Hitchens said he thought that the coronavirus "is a fake crisis" that was "blown out of proportion" and "wasn't that serious."
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| Huge fentanyl haul seized in Asia's biggest-ever drugs bust Posted: 18 May 2020 03:47 AM PDT  Myanmar police say they have seized a huge haul of liquid fentanyl - the first time the dangerous synthetic opioid that is ravaging North America has been found in Asia's Golden Triangle drug-producing region. In a sign that Asia's drug syndicates have moved into the lucrative opioid market, more than 3,700 litres of methylfentanyl was discovered by anti-narcotics police near Loikan village in Shan State in northeast Myanmar. The seizure of the fentanyl derivative was part of Asia's biggest-ever interception of illicit drugs, precursors and drug-making equipment, including 193 million methamphetamine tablets known as yaba. At 17.5 tonnes, that is almost as much yaba as has been seized during the previous two years in Myanmar. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said the scale of the bust was unprecedented and Myanmar's anti-drug authorities had "dismantled a significant network" during a two-month operation involving police and military. Also seized were almost 163,000 litres and 35.5 tonnes of drug precursors - substances that can be used to produce drugs - as well as weapons. There were more than 130 arrests.
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| It's too early to look at Georgia's coronavirus cases and declare that reopening works Posted: 17 May 2020 06:49 PM PDT  It's tempting to celebrate the data as a sign that reopening Georgia won't worsen its COVID-19 outbreak, but it's still early to draw that conclusion.
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| Israel court convicts settler of Palestinian arson murders Posted: 18 May 2020 08:14 AM PDT  An Israeli court Monday found a Jewish settler guilty of three murders in an arson attack that killed a Palestinian toddler and his parents -- a verdict that did little to ease the bereaved family's pain. Amiram Ben-Uliel, 25, from the West Bank settlement of Shilo, was also convicted of two counts each of attempted murder and arson, along with conspiracy to commit a hate crime in the 2015 attack. Hours after the verdict, the Palestinian family devastated by the attack told AFP that justice was incomplete, having long insisted that there were several attackers.
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| Jet doing flyover to salute frontline workers crashes, killing 1 Posted: 18 May 2020 03:00 PM PDT  Another person was seriously injured in the wreck, the Royal Canadian Air Force said.
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| Burkina Faso unveils 'corrected' Thomas Sankara statue Posted: 18 May 2020 05:02 AM PDT  A new monument to the African nationalist hero is unveiled after parts of the original "melted".
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| Barr says FBI discovered 'significant ties' between Pensacola shooter and Al Qaeda Posted: 18 May 2020 09:04 AM PDT  Department of Justice officials announced Monday the FBI has obtained evidence linking the gunman who shot and killed three people and wounded eight at Pensacola, Florida's Naval Air Station last year to Al Qaeda.CNN and The New York Times on Monday reported that investigators discovered ties between the Pensacola shooting suspect, Mohammed Alshamrani, and Al Qaeda after breaking through his iPhones' encryption, and Attorney General William Barr and FBI Director Christopher Wray subsequently confirmed the development in a news conference."The phones contained information previously unknown to us that definitively establishes Alshamrani's significant ties to Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, not only before the attack, but before he even arrived in the United States," Barr said.The Department of Justice in January called the Pensacola shooting an "act of terrorism," saying that Alshamrani, a Royal Saudi Air Force member, was motivated by "jihadist ideology." On Monday, Wray said Alshamrani had been "connecting and associating with a number of dangerous" Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula operatives and talked with AQAP in the months prior to the attack. Wray also called the shooting the "brutal culmination of years of planning and preparation by a longtime AQAP associate."The Justice Department previously asked Apple for help in decrypting the shooter's two iPhones, but Wray on Monday said that the FBI received "effectively no help from Apple" and that "unfortunately, the technique that we developed" to access the phones "is not a fix for our broader Apple problem" because of its "pretty limited application."More stories from theweek.com Trump is hemorrhaging older voters, polls show J.C. Penney to close 242 stores McConnell chooses Rubio to lead Senate Intelligence Committee amid Burr investigation
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| 2020 Watch: Battleground map taking shape for Biden, Trump Posted: 18 May 2020 02:28 AM PDT  President Donald Trump is traveling more, determined to model the confidence he believes the nation needs to return to normal. Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, continues a virtual campaign from his Delaware residence, determined to heed public health recommendations he says are the first steps toward a national recovery.
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| Taiwan says it did not receive WHO meeting invite, issue off the table for now Posted: 17 May 2020 11:48 PM PDT  Despite strong efforts Taiwan did not get invited to this week's meeting of a key World Health Organization (WHO) body due to Chinese pressure, its foreign minister said on Monday, adding they had agreed to put the issue off until later this year. The decision drew prompt condemnation from the United States, which has been blaming China for covering up the early days of coronavirus outbreak and for refusing to share data about the virus with the rest of the world. Non-WHO member Taiwan had been lobbying to take part in a meeting later on Monday of WHO's decision-making body, the World Health Assembly, saying that to lock it out was to create a gap in fighting the coronavirus pandemic.
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| Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warns China over interference with US journalists in Hong Kong Posted: 17 May 2020 09:25 PM PDT  US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday he believed China had threatened to interfere with the work of US journalists in Hong Kong, and warned Beijing that any decision impinging on Hong Kong's autonomy could affect the US assessment of Hong Kong's status. "These journalists are members of a free press, not propaganda cadres, and their valuable reporting informs Chinese citizens and the world," Mr Pompeo said in a statement. Britain returned Hong Kong to China in 1997, and the territory was promised a "high degree of autonomy" for 50 years. The system formed the basis of the territory's special status under US law, which has helped it thrive as a world financial centre. Mr Pompeo announced on May 6 that the State Department was delaying a report to Congress assessing whether Hong Kong enjoyed sufficient autonomy from China to continue receiving special treatment from the United States. He said at the time the delay was to allow the report to account for any actions Beijing might contemplate in the run-up to China's May 22 National People's Congress.
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| The shortest flight route in the US is now a 29-mile American Airlines trip connecting two of Colorado's most wealthy resort towns Posted: 18 May 2020 10:15 AM PDT  American Airlines' 35-minute flight, spurred by funding conditions in the CARES Act, connects super-wealthy Colorado enclaves Vail and Aspen.
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| Georgia's coronavirus data made reopening look safe. The numbers were a lie Posted: 18 May 2020 11:37 AM PDT  Georgia officials bungled the data in a way that's hard to believe wasn't on purpose.
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| Huawei says 'survival' at stake after US chip restrictions Posted: 18 May 2020 03:32 AM PDT  Huawei on Monday assailed the latest US move to cut it off from semiconductor suppliers as a "pernicious" attack that will put the Chinese technology giant in "survival" mode and sow chaos in the global technology sector. The Commerce Department said on Friday it was tightening sanctions on Huawei -- seen by Washington as a security risk -- to include denying it access to semiconductor designs developed using US software and technology. "The decision was arbitrary and pernicious and threatens to undermine the entire (technology) industry worldwide," Huawei said in a statement.
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| 70 cases of COVID-19 at French schools days after reopening Posted: 18 May 2020 12:14 PM PDT  The affected schools are being closed immediately.
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| How greater diversity in the cockpit could help airlines avoid a looming pilot shortage Posted: 18 May 2020 05:15 AM PDT  Before the new coronavirus hit, the airline industry was bracing for a severe pilot shortage. But just as the pandemic has forced school closures across the country, it's also disrupting aviation training programs, which could mean even fewer pilots are trained to fly tomorrow's fleet of commercial aircraft.There are many reasons for the anticipated shortage, including increased regulation, growing demand for air travel and an aging workforce, coupled with a mandatory retirement age of 65. But there's one cause that also offers a solution: The industry has long struggled to recruit women, people of color and members of other marginalized groups.As a scholar of aviation education and policy, I believe a stronger focus on attracting a diverse workforce and embracing a more inclusive culture is pivotal to ensuring there are enough pilots as Americans return to the skies in record numbers after this crisis passes. Lack of diversityUpon entering the field of aviation in 2014, it took me about a year on the job before I fully grasped that I was, more often than not, the only woman in the room – and frequently the youngest to boot.Eventually, I had the opportunity to critically examine the systemic problems that have led to a lack of diversity in both the academic aviation world and the broader industry it reflects. I found that women, people of color and members of the LGBTQ community were significantly underrepresented, yet their mere presence was often used to symbolize progress in diversifying the industry. And little has changed.A review of the latest Civil Airmen Statistics indicates that a little over 4% of Airline Transport Certificate holders – the required certification to fly for a major carrier – are women. No major U.S. carrier hired a female pilot until 1973. The situation is even worse for African Americans, who were not hired to pilot a commercial airplane until the 1960s. Things changed only because of a six-year battle against Continental Airlines waged by Marlon Green, who filed a discrimination complaint against the carrier. In 1963, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled in his favor, paving the way for the first black pilot, David Ellsworth Harris, whom American Airlines hired in 1964. Green would follow suit at Continental in 1965.But even today there are few African American pilots. Sociologists Louwanda Evans and Joe Feagin estimate that the number in 2012 was fewer than 700 – less than 1% of all commercial pilots. Fewer than 20 were black women. Pilot shortageI believe this lack of inclusion has contributed to the looming pilot shortage the industry has worried about for several years.Every few years, Boeing releases a report forecasting the number of professionals that the aviation industry will need in the coming years, from pilots and maintenance technicians to cabin crew. In its most recent report, Boeing estimates that North America is short 212,000 pilots through 2038.One of the problems is the field's high barrier for those who lack resources and support. The cost of a flight education at a traditional four-year institution can range from US$50,000 to upwards of $100,000, in addition to rising tuition fees.Another issue is a culture that isn't very inclusive.For an ongoing research project, I've been interviewing African American women in a variety of positions in the aviation industry about the challenges pursuing a successful career in the field. I've found that the lack of mentors, access to the industry, resources and "people who look like you" have all been barriers to entry and retention in the industry. There is also a perception problem, where women are not seen as authoritative enough for positions like captain of an aircraft.In a recent CNN article, aviation writer Kathryn Creedy put part of the blame on work rules that "haven't changed in 50 years." A sexist work environment is the subject of an ongoing lawsuit against Frontier Airlines, which is accused of discriminating against pregnant and breastfeeding women. Beyond tokenismIn the various months devoted to recognizing historically marginalized groups such as women, African Americans and LBGTQ people, the aviation industry joins the chorus of group that use the calendar to highlight historic diversity firsts.For example, you'll often see articles in February showcasing the "first African American pilot" or the "first all LGBTQ flight crew." Unfortunately, those firsts did not spark a significant change that led to real diversity in the cockpit, which continues to be dominated by white men. The problem with celebrating diverse talent only during the designated month is that this approach does not require the industry to reflect on why it needs diversity and inclusion policies in the first place. In her 2013 book, "Cabin Pressure: African-American Pilots, Flight Attendants, and Emotional Labor," sociologist Louwanda Evans writes about how mere representation can't paper over entrenched discrimination. And this problem, in turn, is contributing to the looming pilot shortage. The principles of justice and equity should be enough to convince carriers to make their policies and practices more equitable and inclusive to individuals who have not typically been drawn to the industry. But if they need more convincing, the clear economic imperative should do the job. [Expertise in your inbox. Sign up for The Conversation's newsletter and get a digest of academic takes on today's news, every day.]This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts.Read more: * How do you stay safe now that states are reopening? An expert explains how to assess risk when reconnecting with friends and family * Coronavirus murals: inside the world of pandemic-inspired street artShannon McLoughlin Morrison is affiliated with The Ohio State University, and has volunteered for the National Gay Pilots Association and Women in Aviation
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| Elizabeth Warren says her brother's death from coronavirus 'feels like something that didn't have to happen' Posted: 17 May 2020 08:13 AM PDT  Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) reflected on the death of her oldest brother, Donald Reed Herring, from the coronavirus in an interview excerpt published by The Atlantic.Herring, who was 86, died earlier this year after contracting COVID-19, which has killed nearly 89,000 people in the United States since February.Warren has been open about the affect her brother's death has had on her, placing a particular emphasis on the fact that she and her other siblings weren't able to be by his side — as is the case with so many people who have lost loved ones around the world — because of the infectious nature of the virus. "It's hard to process things things like this because everything is happening at a distance," she told The Atlantic. "And human beings — we're not set up for that. We're wired to be with each other."The senator also said her brother's death, which she said occurred after it seemed like he "rallied" and might come home soon, "just feels like something that didn't have to happen." Read the full excerpt at The Atlantic.More stories from theweek.com Trump is hemorrhaging older voters, polls show J.C. Penney to close 242 stores McConnell chooses Rubio to lead Senate Intelligence Committee amid Burr investigation
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| Swiss president opens WHO assembly with praise for chief Posted: 18 May 2020 03:47 AM PDT  Switzerland's President opened the World Health Organization's annual assembly in Geneva on Monday, pledging her country's "full support and cooperation" to its leader as it coordinates the global response to the coronavirus pandemic. "Director-General as you go through this crisis be assured that you have the Switzerland's full support and cooperation," Simonetta Sommaruga told the online World Health Assembly, referring to Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the Geneva-based body "irreplaceable" and said it needed greater resources to provide support for developing countries.
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| Liberal media does 180 on FBI abuses after bureau goes after Trump team Posted: 18 May 2020 04:11 AM PDT  The liberal press used to denounce FBI abuses until the Trump administration; former deputy assistant director of the FBI's counterterrorism division Terry Turchie weighs in.
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| Police in China, Dubai, and Italy are using these surveillance helmets to scan people for COVID-19 fever as they walk past and it may be our future normal Posted: 17 May 2020 01:19 AM PDT  Temperature-scanning $7,000 helmets can catch people running a fever. But experts are skeptical about how helpful temperature scanning will really be.
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| Xi defends China's virus response, offers vaccine when ready Posted: 18 May 2020 06:58 AM PDT  Chinese President Xi Jinping said Monday Beijing has been "transparent" throughout the coronavirus crisis, and offered to share a vaccine as soon as one was available -- as well as $2 billion in aid. Governments including the US and Australia have called in recent weeks for an investigation into the origins of the virus, which has become a flashpoint in deteriorating tensions between Washington and Beijing. Both US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have accused China of a lack of transparency over the issue, and repeatedly pushed the theory that the virus leaked from a Chinese maximum-security laboratory.
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| Coronavirus live updates: Trump says he takes hydroxychloroquine as U.S. death toll tops 90,000 Posted: 18 May 2020 06:02 PM PDT  Here are the latest coronavirus updates from around the world.
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| SARS antibodies can block COVID-19 infection: study Posted: 18 May 2020 07:47 AM PDT  An antibody from a patient who recovered from SARS has been shown to block COVID-19 infection in a laboratory setting, researchers said Monday in another potential breakthrough in the search for coronavirus treatment. Scientists based in Switzerland and the United States previously isolated the antibodies from the patient in 2003, following the SARS outbreak that killed 774 people. The researchers identified eight antibodies that could bind to both COVID-19 and the infected cells.
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| Mob storms Saudi-owned channel in Iraq following show Posted: 18 May 2020 08:19 AM PDT |
| Coronavirus: Trump taking unproven drug hydroxychloroquine Posted: 18 May 2020 06:38 PM PDT  The president says hydroxychloroquine is harmless, but regulators warn it may cause heart problems.
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| 'Who is that money helping?': Congress asks why Treasury, Fed have spent little of $500B for coronavirus Posted: 18 May 2020 03:23 PM PDT  Congress approved $500 billion to help businesses and local governments weather the economic catastrophe of coronavirus, but little has been spent
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| Pakistan police arrest three over 'honour killing' of teenage sisters Posted: 18 May 2020 10:49 AM PDT |
| More than 100 countries are calling for an independent investigation into the coronavirus crisis Posted: 18 May 2020 05:52 AM PDT  The two-day, virtual World Health Assembly meeting has begun as more than 100 countries back a resolution calling for a probe into the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.A resolution at the annual assembly calls for an investigation into the global response coordinated by the World Health Organization to the coronavirus crisis, per NBC News. A draft mentioning the need for an "impartial, independent and comprehensive evaluation" of the response to COVID-19 is being supported by 116 countries out of 194, including Australia, Britain, Russia, and members of the European Union, Reuters reports. The European Union is presenting the resolution, which also mentions identifying "the zoonotic source of the virus and the route of introduction to the human population."Chinese President Xi Jinping in a remote speech at the assembly on Monday claimed the country has acted "with openness and transparency" during the crisis, saying any investigation should only occur after the virus is under control, BBC News reports.President Trump last month announced funding to the World Health Organization would be put on hold "while its mismanagement of the coronavirus pandemic is investigated," accusing the organization of having a "dangerous bias towards the Chinese government." When Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison called for a coronavirus inquiry last month, Axios notes that China "accused Australia of doing the United States' political bidding." The resolution that has the support of more than 100 countries, though, doesn't actually name China, The Washington Post notes.The United States, Reuters reports, appears likely to back the resolution at the World Health Assembly, with U.S. Ambassador Andrew Bremberg saying, "My hope is that we will be able to join consensus."More stories from theweek.com Trump is hemorrhaging older voters, polls show J.C. Penney to close 242 stores McConnell chooses Rubio to lead Senate Intelligence Committee amid Burr investigation
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| Uber confirms it will lay off thousands more employees and close 40 offices to further cut costs Posted: 18 May 2020 09:07 AM PDT  The ride-hailing company has seen its core business hit the skids as the coronavirus pandemic forced most of the world to stay home.
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| Republican apologizes for likening Covid-19 curbs to Nazis' persecution of Jews Posted: 18 May 2020 06:00 AM PDT  Alaska state representative Ben Carpenter told to 'Keep your Holocaust jokes to yourself' after objecting to virus screeningAntisemitic and Nazi-sympathizing comments made by a Republican state representative in Alaska, who likened Covid-19 safety measures at the state capitol to the treatment of Jewish people in Nazi Germany, brought widespread rebuke and, eventually, an apology. Alaska's legislature is due to return on Monday and representatives were told by email they would be asked to undergo screening as they entered the building. Those who are screened will be given a sticker to show completion. Those who refuse will not be given a sticker. In an emailed reply to the new measures that was obtained by the Alaska Landmine, Ben Carpenter, a Republican wrote: "If my sticker falls off, do I get a new one or do I get public shaming too? Are the stickers available as a yellow Star of David?"The reply drew instant rebuke from colleagues in the house."This is disgusting. Keep your Holocaust jokes to yourself," replied Grier Hopkins, a Democrat.Carpenter initially declined to apologize and in an interview with the Anchorage Daily News made remarks that appeared to show Nazi sympathies. "Can you or I – can we even say it is totally out of the realm of possibility that Covid-19 patients will be rounded up and taken somewhere?" he said."People want to say Hitler was a white supremacist. No. He was fearful of the Jewish nation, and that drove him into some unfathomable atrocities." On Sunday, facing a national backlash, Carpenter apologized in an op-ed for a local paper."I take my responsibility as the voice of the people who elected me very seriously," he wrote. "I also hold the Jewish people in the highest regard."I do not take myself so seriously that I cannot recognize that the words I wrote, and those attributed to me, do not adequately reflect the esteem I hold for either group of people. I hope to correct that error now."
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| Cuomo: Increase in coronavirus cases expected as New York reopens Posted: 18 May 2020 03:34 AM PDT  "You're going to see an increase in the numbers, but you don't want to see a spike," Cuomo said at his daily coronavirus briefing.
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| Martin Shkreli: 'Delusional' jailed 'pharma bro' denied early release from prison to find coronavirus cure Posted: 17 May 2020 07:37 AM PDT  A judge has rejected a request by disgraced pharmaceutical executive Martin Shkreli to be released from prison amid the coronavirus pandemic.Shkreli, known as the "Parma Bro", is serving a seven-year sentence after being convicted in 2017 for lying to investors about the performance of two hedge funds he was running, as well as defrauding investors in a drug company.
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| NYC parks filled with people as police patrol social distancing Posted: 17 May 2020 07:33 AM PDT  As more testing was implemented between New York City and CityMD, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Sunday two indicators were down and one unchanged.
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| Donald Trump reveals he is taking hydroxychloroquine, the drug he touts as coronavirus treatment Posted: 18 May 2020 01:34 PM PDT  Donald Trump has revealed he has started taking hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malarial drug he has repeatedly touted as a possible coronavirus treatment despite concerns about dangerous side-effects. The US president said he had been taking the drug daily in pill form for around 10 days and had discussed it with the White House doctor before doing so. Mr Trump said many front line workers were using hydroxychloroquine to prevent getting Covid-19, citing a letter he had received from a doctor talking up the possible benefits. "All I can tell you is so far I seem to be okay," the president said. He stressed he had no coronavirus symptoms, suggesting he was taking the drug to somehow avoid infection. Mr Trump also said in passing that he had been taking zinc - another drug that has been loosely discussed as having possible remedial benefits when it comes to coronavirus. Neither hydroxychloroquine nor zinc have been proven to help prevent or treat coronavirus. Research remains on-going about whether they could be beneficial. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has actually warned against using hydroxychloroquine to treat Covid-19 outside of a hospital or clinical trial over fears it causes heart problems.
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| US Presses Forward with Afghan Withdrawal Plan Despite Spate of Horrific Attacks Posted: 18 May 2020 05:50 AM PDT  The U.S. still plans to draw down 8,600 troops in Afghanistan by July.
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| Two arrested in US for cross-border kidnap plot that left two dead Posted: 18 May 2020 05:57 PM PDT  A US woman and her boyfriend have been arrested and are facing federal charges for their alleged part in a plot in which three California residents were recently kidnapped while in Mexico and two were killed. Leslie Briana Matla, 20, a US citizen who lives in Mexico, was arrested last Thursday and Juan Carlos Montoya Sanchez, 25, of Tijuana, was arrested on Sunday, the US Department of Justice said. Authorities said Matla crossed the border from Mexico into the United States on three occasions in April and March to collect ransom payments from the families of the kidnap victims, who were residents of San Diego, Norwalk and Pasadena.
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