Trump and Beijing agree on the coronavirus crisis: It's someone else's fault

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/17/asia/trump-chinese-virus-tweet-intl-hnk/index.html

 

On Twitter, Zhao claimed -- without evidence -- that "it might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan" and demanded the US "Be transparent! Make public your data! US owe us an explanation!" Zhao also retweeted another Twitter user claiming baselessly that Redfield's statement "supports the claims made by Japanese scientists that the virus originated from the US but was covered up."

Zhao and his Foreign Ministry colleagues have refused to provide evidence for their claims, but they don't need to in order to achieve their goal. Creating confusion or disagreement over the origin of the virus could help push the blame away from China for its initial handling of the outbreak, just as Trump and other US officials' blaming of China helps move the conversation away from their own, highly criticized, response.

Ironically, just as he was boosting conspiracy theories about the virus' origin, Zhao also tweeted perhaps the best advice for all government officials in all countries, quoting a Chinese saying: "Turn inward (and) examine yourself when you encounter difficulties."

Fox Business host Trish Regan on hiatus after coronavirus comments

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2020-03-13/fox-business-host-trish-regan-on-hiatus-after-virus-comments

The Fox Business show hosted by Trish Regan is going on hiatus after controversial comments she made on the air Monday about the coronavirus.

The hiatus also applies to another host, Lisa “Kennedy” Montgomery, who has her own program on the Fox Corp.-owned network. That move was related to staffing needs.

 

One dangerous coronavirus 'self-check test' is circulating on social media. Here's why you should avoid it.

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/16/us/coronavirus-myths-debunking-holding-breath-10-seconds-trnd/index.html

 Contrary to what some may think, not everything on social media is rooted in fact.

Case in point: A recent viral coronavirus "simple self-check test," which medical experts say is completely inaccurate.

Written on what appears to be the iPhone notes app, the three-part post falsely claims that people can find out whether they have coronavirus simply by holding their breath for more than 10 seconds. If they can hold their breath without coughing, the test claims they don't have the virus.

Public transportation to stop early every night, won’t operate on weekends

https://www.timesofisrael.com/public-transportation-to-stop-early-every-night-wont-operate-on-weekends/

The Transportation Ministry announced Tuesday it was reducing public transportation to combat the coronavirus following the new Health Ministry directive that all Israelis remain at home unless absolutely necessary.

Public transportation (buses, trains and light rail) will cease operating at 10 p.m. Tuesday before resuming at its usual time Wednesday morning. Starting on Wednesday, public transportation will stop at 8 p.m. each evening.

 

Lawrence: Trump Gave Republicans False Hope On Coronavirus | The Last Word | MSNBC

Dramatic Shift In Tone From The White House | Morning Joe | MSNBC

Health Ministry: Don't leave home for non-essential reasons

 http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/277412

Israel's Health Ministry on Tuesday issued new guidelines which require Israelis to remain at home other than for necessary outings. These guidelines include:

1. Do not leave home, other than for situations which require it (work in accordance with the guidelines, purchasing food, medication, medical services, and other necessary services).

2. Do not leave home to visit parks, playgrounds, beaches, pools, libraries, museums, nature reserves and parks, or other public spaces, other than children leaving with their families only, or with pets (in an individual fashion).

3. Do not hold extracurricular activities, even with a minimum number of participants. This includes sports and gyms, as well as group activities publicly or privately provided. Unorganized exercise activities of up to five people are allowed, so long as participants can keep a distance of two meters from each other.

4. Keep in contact with friends via technology, and avoid hosting friends and family who do not live in your home.

5. Those who are at increased risk of complications, such as the elderly or those who suffer chronic illness or long-term respiratory issues, including: asthma, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular diseases, immune disorders or diseases, cancer patients and patients who are immunocompromised, must avoid leaving their homes as much as possible, other than for necessary services. Instead, they should request the aid of family and friends in keeping their homes supplied with what they need.

6. The following tools should be used to limit outings:
1. Telecommuting, including video calls and conference calls
2. Each employer must be sure to provide a space of two meters between employees and ensure personal and environmental hygiene.
3. Deliveries will be placed outside the door.
4. Dentist appointments should be delayed as much as possible, and only crucial and emergency situations should be handled.

7. While leaving home due to situations which require it, contact between people should be limited, and a distance of two meters between people should be kept.

As coronavirus suspends life in America, Fox changes its tone

Why Fox's coverage is so important

Given that Republicans largely turn to Fox for their news, it's likely the network's previous dismissive coverage has affected how Republicans view the crisis. A Gallup poll published Monday found that "political party identification reflects the starkest differences in levels of worry about coronavirus exposure."

According to the poll, "Democrats (73%) are the most worried of any group, and their level of worry has increased the most out of any group. Meanwhile, less than half of Republicans (42%) report having this level of concern -- the lowest of any group Gallup measured." Hopefully things will change with the network's shift in tone...

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/17/media/fox-news-coronavirus-reliable-sources/index.html

Coronavirus: UK changes course amid death toll fears

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-51915302

Change course or a quarter of a million people will die in a "catastrophic epidemic" of coronavirus - warnings do not come much starker than that.

 

Trump, finally, takes the coronavirus emergency seriously

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/17/politics/white-house-donald-trump-coronavirus-emergency/index.html

This version of Donald Trump will save lives.

The President offered Americans something they have rarely seen from him in his latest and most somber press conference yet on the coronavirus pandemic on Monday.

He dispensed unimpeachable information based on fact. He called for national unity and seemed like he meant to help forge it. And he ditched his normal habit of hyping the best possible outcome to a situation with improbable superlatives -- instead communicating the gravity of a fast-worsening crisis.

Entire Dead Sea Scroll Fragment Collection at Washington, D.C.'s Museum of the Bible Is Fake, Investigation Reveals

https://www.newsweek.com/entire-dead-sea-scroll-fragment-collection-washington-dc-museum-bible-fake-1492470

"After an exhaustive review of all the imaging and scientific analysis results, it is evident that none of the textual fragments in Museum of the Bible's Dead Sea Scroll collection are authentic," Loll concluded in a report describing the findings of the investigation. "Moreover, each exhibits characteristics that suggest they are deliberate forgeries created in the twentieth century with the intent to mimic authentic Dead Sea Scroll fragments."

New White House Coronavirus Guidelines Tell Older People to Stay Home, All Ages to Avoid Groups of More Than 10

https://time.com/5804402/white-house-coronavirus-guidelines/

President Donald Trump, employing a newly somber tone about the crisis enveloping the globe, urged all older Americans to stay home and everyone to avoid crowds and eating out at restaurants. The president for the first time acknowledged that the pandemic may send the economy into a recession and suggested that the nation may be dealing with the virus until “July or August.”