Cut to the News
Cut through the clutter to today's top news
May 21, 2020
Good morning
Welcome to today's top news.
Leading the News . . .
CDC says coronavirus does not spread easily via contaminated surfaces . . . The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now says the novel virus “does not spread easily” from "touching surfaces or objects" — but experts warn that doesn’t mean it’s no longer necessary to take "practical and realistic" precautions in stopping the spread of COVID-19. Though it’s not exactly clear when, the federal health agency appears to have
recently changed its guidelines from early March that simply said it “may be possible” to spread the virus from contaminated surfaces. The CDC now includes "surfaces or objects" under a section that details ways in which the coronavirus does not readily transmit. Other ways in which the virus does not easily spread is from animals to people, or from people to animals, the federal agency said on its updated page. Fox News
Worldwide coronavirus cases pass 5 million . . . Global coronavirus cases surpassed 5 million on Wednesday, with Latin America overtaking the United States and Europe in the past week to report the largest portion of new daily cases globally. It represents a new phase in the virus’ spread, which initially peaked in China in February, before large-scale outbreaks followed in Europe and the United States. Latin America accounted
for around a third of the 91,000 cases reported earlier this week. Europe and the United States each accounted for just over 20%. Reuters
Lockdown delays cost at least 36,000 lives . . . If the United States had begun imposing social distancing measures one week earlier than it did in March, about 36,000 fewer people would have died in the coronavirus outbreak, according to new estimates from Columbia University disease modelers. And if the country had begun locking down cities and limiting social contact on March 1, two weeks earlier than most people started staying home, the vast majority of the nation’s deaths — about 83 percent — would have been avoided, the researchers estimated. Under that scenario, about 54,000 fewer people would have died by early May. New York Times
US spends $1 billion to fund Oxford vaccine . . . The U.S. threw its weight behind one of the fastest-moving experimental solutions to the coronavirus pandemic, pledging as much as $1.2 billion to AstraZeneca to help make the University of Oxford’s Covid vaccine. Beset by criticism of his response to the coronavirus pandemic, President Donald Trump is pushing his way toward the front of the line to secure a shot to protect
Americans from the outbreak and allow business to resume. The U.S. has backed projects underway at Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, and France’s Sanofi, fueling concerns that other parts of the world could fall behind. Bloomberg
Australian study suggests virus was made in Chinese lab . . . A forthcoming Australian scientific study concludes that the coronavirus causing the global pandemic contains unique properties suggesting it was manipulated in a Chinese laboratory and was not the result of a natural occurrence. Five scientists who conducted the study discovered an unusual ability of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, as the pathogen behind COVID-19 is called, to easily infect
humans. The scientists said there is no sign so far that the virus can be found in other animals, including bats or the exotic wildlife sold for fresh meat at a market in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the virus was first identified and where China maintains a major laboratory studying such viruses. Washington Times
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FBI offered to pay Steele "significantly" to dig up dirt on Flynn . . . An FBI offer to pay former British spy Christopher Steele to collect intelligence on Michael Flynn in the weeks before the 2016 election has been one of the more overlooked revelations in a Justice Department inspector general’s report released in December. The reference to the FBI proposal, which was made in an Oct. 3, 2016, meeting in an
unidentified European city, has received virtually no press attention. But it might have new significance following the recent release of government documents that show that Steele peddled an unfounded rumor that Flynn had an extramarital affair with a Russian woman in the United Kingdom. It is not clear how and when Steele came across the rumor, or if it was the result of the FBI asking him to look into Flynn. Daily Caller
Biden: Coronavirus a chance to "remake the world" and "rewrite the social contract" . . . My God, who got ahold of his teleprompter, Friedrich Engels?Obviously, Joe Biden has opened the door of his campaign to some serious leftist ideologues. What happened to Democrats just saying we need to spend more money on schools and electric vehicles? Now they want to overturn the most successful society in history.I doubt Biden has any idea what
he’s talking about. But people on his staff sure do. And they'll be running the country while he's fed oatmeal from a spoon. White House Dossier
Hillary Clinton raking in millions for Biden . . . Hillary Clinton collected $2 million for Joe Biden's new joint fundraising committee with the Democratic National Committee this week — an enormous one-night haul for the once cash-strapped campaign. Biden’s campaign, which once had trouble raising money, has begun raking in serious money lately. He almost matched Trump’s fundraising last month. But Trump and his operation, which include affiliated joint fundraising committees, has significantly more money stored away in bank accounts. Politico
Hillary Clinton? Big cash raiser? Are they paying money NOT to see her?
Kamala Harris pushes bill condemning term "Chinese virus" as racist . . . Sen. Kamala Harris (D., Calif.) introduced a bill last week that would malign people as racists for using the term "Chinese Virus," connecting it to hate crimes. Senate Resolution 580 condemns "all forms of Anti-Asian sentiment as related to COVID-19," citing "Chinese Virus," "Wuhan Virus," and "Kung Flu" as inaccurate rhetoric perpetuating anti-Asian
stigma. The bill calls on public officials to denounce such rhetoric in any form. It also calls on law enforcement officials to investigate, document, and prosecute the perpetrators of hate crimes against Asian Americans. Washington Free Beacon
Harris to also introduce bill banning use of term "First Amendment"
White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany: I answer to God, not my critics . . . “That I know the person I am and I know what I stand for. And I stand as a Christian woman, someone who believes in equality and truth, and loyalty and honesty, and it’s the values I’ve lived by my whole life. It’s the values I’ll continue to live by and people will malign you, it comes with the job. But I know who I’m ultimately working for. And it’s
the big guy upstairs and my mission in life is that when I pass that He will look at me and say, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’ And if I can end my life that way, it doesn’t matter what the people say on the way there.” White House Dossier
Obama's man in China now China's man in Washington . . . As the novel coronavirus wreaks havoc across the world, the Obama administration's ambassador to China has found a second lease on life as a pro-China talking head on regime propaganda outlets. Former ambassador Max Baucus has given at least four different interviews to Chinese propaganda outlets in the last two weeks, repeatedly comparing the U.S. rhetoric about China to both
the McCarthy era and Nazi Germany. "Joe McCarthy [and] Adolf Hitler … rallied people up, making people believe things that were really not true," Baucus said during a May 12 interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), a regime mouthpiece. Washington Free Beacon
The word in Washington has always been that the telegenic Baucus, a former Democratic senator from Montana, would have become president if he wasn't such an idiot.
Trump threatens to hold up funds for Michigan, Nevada after vote-by-mail moves . . . President Trump on Wednesday threatened to withhold money to Michigan and Nevada if they forge ahead with plans to expand voting-by-mail options amid the coronavirus pandemic. “Breaking: Michigan sends absentee ballots to 7.7 million people ahead of Primaries and the General Election. This was done illegally and without authorization by a rogue
Secretary of State. I will ask to hold up funding to Michigan if they want to go down this Voter Fraud path!” the president said on Twitter. Trump later criticized Nevada, which is sending all active registered voters an absentee ballot for the state’s June 9 primary. “I can hold up funds to the State. Sorry, but you must not cheat." Washington Times
Pelosi: Trump is like a child with "doggy-doo" on his shoes . . .
The escalating war of words between President Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has gotten increasingly moronic. But I will say, I think she has figured out how to get under his skin. She said during a press conference Wednesday that Trump’s inappropriateness “is almost a given,” saying: "It’s like a child who comes in
with mud on their pants or something if they are outside playing with it. He comes in with doggy-doo on his shoes, and everyone who works with him has that on their shoes too for a very long time to come." White House Dossier
Trump-supporting Democrat joins primary against AOC . . . Pastor Ruben Diaz Sr., a Trump-supporting Democrat on the city council in New York’s 18th Congressional District, has raised the concern of progressive party members after tossing his hat in the ring to run for the 15th district’s open House of Representatives seat. Dias is a flamboyant, cowboy hat-wearing New York City councilman who immediately distinguished his views when he
announced his run in 2019, saying “I am the opposite of AOC in the South Bronx. Breitbart
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China warns US arms sales to Taiwan a risk to regional peace . . . China has lodged "solemn representations" with the U.S. government over the proposed sale of American torpedoes to Taiwan—a deal that Beijing claims will threaten regional peace. The U.S. government notified Congress Wednesday of the planned sale of advanced torpedoes worth $180 million, prompting protests from Beijing—which does not recognize Taiwan as an
independent nation.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters at a briefing Thursday that Beijing had lodged "solemn representations" with the U.S. to complain about the planned sale. Zhao said Beijing firmly opposes arms sales to Taiwan, and warned that the deal could undermine both U.S.-China relations and regional
stability. Newsweek
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Scores dead after cyclone ravages India and Bangladesh . . . The most powerful cyclone to strike eastern India and Bangladesh in over a decade killed at least 82 people, officials said, as rescue teams scoured devastated coastal villages, hampered by torn down power lines and flooding over large tracts of land. The full extent of the casualties and damage to property would only be known once communications were restored,
officials said. In the Indian state of West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Thursday that at least 72 people had perished - most of them either electrocuted or killed by trees uprooted by winds that gusted up to 115 miles per hour. In neighbouring Bangladesh, the initial toll was put at 10. Reuters
Brazil might soon have the second highest number of COVID-19 cases . . . Brazil’s coronavirus outbreak worsened on Wednesday and the South American nation could soon have the second-highest number of cases in the world as the Health Ministry reported 888 new deaths and nearly 20,000 new infections in a single day. Brazil might soon trail only the United States in the number of coronavirus cases. Russia currently has the second-highest number of
cases. Brazil’s coronavirus death toll is 18,859. Reuters
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Backlogs, second wave of layoffs keep jobless claims high . . . Millions more Americans likely filed for unemployment benefits last week as backlogs continue to be cleared and disruptions from the novel coronavirus unleash a second wave of layoffs, pointing to another month of staggering job losses in May. The Labor Department’s weekly jobless claims report on Thursday, the most timely data on the economy’s health, could also
offer some early clues on how quickly businesses rehire workers as they reopen and of the success of the government’s Paycheck Protection Program. Reuters
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Hate crimes against Asian Americans are on the rise . . . In California’s Alameda County, a Chinese American man was screamed at while mowing his lawn. The local prosecutor said the man was told to get out of America. In neighboring Santa Clara County, a Vietnamese couple was threatened while in a grocery store. Officials said the man turned his hand into the shape of a gun. In New York City, people of Asian
descent were assaulted, kicked, pushed and accosted on subway trains. The theme: This virus is your fault. People of Asian descent have reported being shunned, verbally abused, name-called, coughed and spat on, even physically assaulted as the coronavirus pandemic continues to upend American life. USA Today
More than 1,200 Calfironia pastors to defy state order and hold services . . . More than 1,200 pastors in California plan on resuming in-person religious services on May 31, in defiance of Gov. Gavin Newsom's temporary ban on religious gatherings to limit the spread of coronavirus. Robert Tyler, an attorney representing a church in Lodi that sued Newsom last month, said the large group of pastors signed a “declaration
of essentially” asserting their churches were essential and should be allowed to open. It detailed their plan to reopen on May 31 -- with or without the governor's permission -- while observing physical distancing and other virus precautions. Fox News
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Death Angel drummers says he met Satan in Coronavirus coma . . . Will Carroll, drummer of the thrash metal band Death Angel, said he went to hell and met Satan while in a coronavirus coma.Carroll, 47, was comatose on a ventilator in critical condition at the California Pacific Medical Center for two weeks in March after coming back from a European tour. In his nightmares, he dreamed a female devil rebuked him for sloth and transformed him
into a “Jabba the Hutt-like-monster” who vomited blood until he had a heart attack. San Francisco Chronicle
Russian nurse wears bra and panties beneath clear protective suit . . . A Russian nurse is facing disciplinary actions after she wore just her bra and panties under a clear protective suit while treating COVID-19 patients. The unnamed nurse is reportedly in her twenties and had previously complained that her regular uniform was “too hot” under the additional protective gear required to treat patients with coronavirus. Her photo was taken
as she wore what appeared to be either a bathing suit or simply a bra and panties under her suit as she treated patients in an all-male COVID ward. Daily Caller
Okay, maybe it's against the rules, but are more of her male patients surviving?
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Keith
Keith Koffler
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