Wednesday, March 11, 2020

World News Briefs -- March 11, 2020



Reuters: WHO calls coronavirus a pandemic as Britain, Italy shore up defenses

GENEVA/LONDON (Reuters) - The World Health Organization described the coronavirus outbreak as a pandemic for the first time on Wednesday as Britain and Italy announced multi-billion-dollar war chests to fight the disease.

The United States also said it was considering new steps to battle the virus that emerged in China in December and has spread around the world, halting industry, grounding flights, closing schools and forcing events to be postponed.

“We are deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity and by the alarming levels of inaction,” Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva.

Read more ....

MIDDLE EAST

News agency: Iran VP, 2 Cabinet members have new virus.

Saudi, UAE open oil taps as they wage price war.

Saudi to boost oil output capacity by 1 mn barrels per day: Aramco.

Syrian whistleblower presses US Congress for Assad accountability.

Turkey will not shy from military action in Syria's Idlib if words not kept.

Ten rockets hit Iraq base housing US troops.

Vowing to keep border open, Turkey's Erdogan compares Greeks to Nazis.

Palestinian teenager killed in West Bank clash.

Netanyahu rival set for official protection after threats.

UN experts demand Iran ceases harassing BBC Persian staff.

ASIA

China’s coronavirus outbreak has ‘passed its worst,’ says UBS.

India cancels all tourist visas, closes Myanmar border as regional coronavirus cases rise.

Coronavirus could delay Tokyo Olympics by up to two years, Japanese official suggests, but IOC says Games preparations continue.

Afghanistan peace talks stall over planned prisoner exchange.

North Korea ramps up missile testing.

China slams US for warship sail-by in disputed waters.

Fresh blow to India opposition as Madhya Pradesh leader joins BJP.

AFRICA

Sudan: Frustration grows over fuel, bread shortages. Arrests in Sudan after PM survives assassination attempt.

Suspected military supplies pour into Libya as UN flounders.

Cameroon violence: Ambazonia group claims deadly attacks.

Guinea delays referendum for a second time.

Burundi ex-president's 'shock' over election ban.

Top Sierra Leone ex-rebel arrested in Finland.

Zambia: boy arrested for allegedly defaming president on Facebook.

Two rare white giraffes killed by poachers, Kenyan conservancy says, leaving only one left on Earth.

EUROPE

Coronavirus panic spreads across Europe: Five developments.

Facing recession, Europe grasps for ways to limit damage.

Greece condemned over ill-treatment of refugees held on ship.

Greek civilian militias patrol border amid migrant and refugee crisis.

Only C MINUS grade: Putin rates Russia-US relations as more bad than good.

Russia's Duma passes reforms allowing Putin to seek re-election.

Half a million seats and a spoiler virus: A guide to France’s municipal elections.

AMERICAS

Pelosi to unveil virus aid as GOP signals possible support.

US budget deficit up 14.8% for first 5 months of fiscal year.

Sanders vows to stay in Democratic race after Biden secures lead.

US lawmakers seek Xinjiang import ban over forced labor.

More than 100,000 have fled violence in Nicaragua, U.N. report says.

Venezuela protest: Opposition clashes with police.

Woman in Russian 'sex spy' scandal fights deportation from Canada.

Harvey Weinstein sentenced to 23 years in prison on rape conviction.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

Efforts to combat violent extremist groups in Sahel region are ‘not getting the job done,’ says AFRICOM leader.

Afghan government to release Taliban prisoners as U.N. backs push to end war.

Macron presides over ceremony to honour victims of terrorism.

Lockerbie bombing: Megrahi appeal bid allowed.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

G7 foreign minister meeting to be held via teleconference.

Saudi Arabia and Russia intensify 'pretty aggressive' oil price war with commitment to increase production.

Boeing to draw down billions in loan cash as pressure builds.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed his tightly guarded political plans Tuesday and supported a constitutional amendment that would allow him to seek reelection in 2024 by restarting the term count.

The constitutional change would pave the way for the 67-year-old Putin to stay in office until 2036, if he desires.

A lawmaker who is revered in Russia as the first woman to fly in space proposed either scrapping Russia’s two-term limit for presidents or stopping the clock so the law wouldn’t apply to Putin’s time in office.

Anonymous said...

Donald Trump will address the nation tonight and FINALLY promises 'to use the full power of the federal government' to tackle coronavirus as WHO declares a pandemic and markets plunge

Trump tweeted repeatedly about the coronavirus response Wednesday
He said in a meeting with bankers he would be making a statement tonight
He announced his team was putting in place a policy to deal with the disease and create a vaccine
He was expected to speak to the nation from the White House at prime time
He called for unity and attacked Democrats saying the disease 'doesn't care what party you are in'
'I am fully prepared to use the full power of the Federal Government to deal with our current challenge of the CoronaVirus!'
People who are infected in the U.S. topped 1,000
Wall Street entered a bear market as the Dow was off 20 per cent from its peak
Six lawmakers under self-quarantine

Anonymous said...

23 years for Weinstein? OK admittedly I didn't follow the details but isn't it a bit excessive? Even at 14 years old I knew about the casting couch. Will the women give back all the money they made with the career they got by sleeping with him? Or were they really raped like with force? (If so I'd hope there's evidence for this because just because he looks like it doesn't mean he did it and I'd even question the motive. .why the risk and the moral downside to use force if he had so many women to choose from..
Again. .didn't follow details but on first glance 23 years for something we (and the women)knew happened and the deal was you get a career (a hooker gets less. M usually just money..no fame. .no health insurance. .no book deal and me2 movement making you a hero and victim afterwards)

Just so weird. OK I'll read details now and then come back :D

Anonymous said...

"The judge imposed 20 years for a first-degree criminal sex act for forcing oral sex on a production assistant, Miriam Haley, in 2006."

So what wait what what

The forced bj (I wanna see evidence for a BJ 20 years back) got him 20 (!!!) Years. The casting couch stuff 3 more years wtf. Murder (!) On average gives you 18 years. He got 20. Is this justice?

Women have such power over men..they turn is on. .they can send us to prison at any time. .are more voters than us yet if their candidate looses call us sexist and on top want to earn as much as us without doing the dangerous jobs and flip out if we ask anything. Or our questions are mean and offending. Or we are toxic. Etc etc

Where can I get a gender change again? I'm starting to see the advantages. ..

And would you give a woman 20 (!!) years in prison for (allegedly) orally having her way with you? 20 years. He might die in prison. Not a nice prison either he'll go to. He will raped hundred times over before he's find.is this justice?

I know this guy sucks and is repulsive and the casting couch sucks and all that but everyone in the business knows it. I hope they give their careers back

Anonymous said...

OK so apparently he (Weinstein) did this many, many times over just was never convicted (i.e. he remained "innocent" under our system).. BUT "the judge had his wrap over those years and knew more than even the jury".. mhhhkay.. so we have some secret knowledge by the judge of all these prior crimes (he was not convicted for) and they were called "transactions" in the legal context.. and for the judge looked at his entire prior sex life basically, saw the pattern of rape and convicted him for the prior crimes (it is really weird.. I sort of like it because he seems to be an ass.. but also, are we judging him too harshly because of the me2 movement? THe me2 movement - just think of Judge Kavanaugh, was wrong quite often before and very hysterically so - just don't want a repeat or be subjected to some "secret knowledge" that not even the jury sees.. like wtf.. our legal system is so weird.. to tilted to the rich and powerful, until the public doesn't like them anymore (or doesn't want a career out of them)..