Hospitals flooded with Covid patients . . . More than 41,000 people are currently hospitalized with the coronavirus in the United States, a 40 percent rise in the past month, and cooler weather that pushes more people indoors is threatening to expand the outbreak still more. At least 14 states saw more people hospitalized for the virus on a day in the past week than on any other day in the pandemic, according to the Covid Tracking Project. Seven more states are nearing their peaks. The sharply rising numbers now are deeply worrisome, in part, because they are testing the limits of smaller hospital systems. New York Times

 

Factors revealed that could lead to long-term Covid issues . . . COVID-19 patients who experience at least five symptoms early on are more likely to suffer from lingering issues from the virus, researchers said. Researchers at King’s College London published a  study that found, “Having more than five different symptoms in the first week was one of the key risk factor.” They also found that age was another factor, with about 10 percent of the 18- to 49-year-old demographic reporting long-term symptoms. That climbed to 22 percent for those over 70. One in seven patients feel ill for at least four weeks, while around one in 20 experience symptoms for at least eight weeks, the outlet reported. New York Post

 

Ex-Hunter Biden business associate says former VP was in on China business . . . Hunter Biden's ex-business partner Tony Bobulinski confirmed on Thursday that he met with former Vice President Joe Biden regarding his son's business dealings and alleged that someone involved with the controversy had warned him about coming forward. "I was told this past Sunday by somebody who was also involved in this matter that if I went public, this information -- it would 'bury all of us, man,'" Bobulinski alleged.  Bobulinski went on to accuse the former vice president of lying about his involvement with his son's business dealings, and indicated that his family sought to conceal his activities. Bobulinski alleges he met with the former vice president on May 2, 2017, introduced by his son, Hunter and brother, Jim. "At my approximately hour-long meeting with Joe that night we discussed the Bidens' history, the Bidens' family business plans with the Chinese, with which he was plainly familiar, at least at a high level," Bobulinski said. Fox News

 

 

Senate Judiciary panel subpoenas Twitter, Facebook CEOs over Hunter Biden story . . . The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday authorized subpoenas for Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to compel testimony about their companies’ blocks of news reports about the Hunter Biden email scandal that threatens his father’s presidential run. The committee voted 12-0 to authorize the subpoenas. None of the committee’s Democratic senators was present. Washington Times

 

 

Biden punts, says that he will appoint a commission on Court packing . . . In an interview to be aired on 60 Minutes, Joe Biden said he will appoint a supposedly bipartisan commission to study Court packing. No why didn’t he thing of this before? He’s been a swamp creature for half a century, and a “commission” is the greatest tool of the swamp. “If elected, what I will do is I’ll put together a national commission of — bipartisan commission of scholars, constitutional scholars, Democrats, Republicans, liberal, conservative,” Biden said. He added: “The last thing we need to do is turn the Supreme Court into just a political football — whoever has the most votes gets whatever they want.” White House Dossier
 

 

 

Bernie Sanders wants to be Biden Secretary of Labor . . . Sen. Bernie Sanders is hoping to be a part of Joe Biden’s potential administration and has expressed a particular interest in becoming Labor secretary, two people familiar with the conversations tell POLITICO. “I can confirm he's trying to figure out how to land that role or something like it,” said one person close to the Vermont senator. “He, personally, does have an interest in it.” Politico

 

 

 

Putin threatens alliance with China . . . Russian president Vladimir Putin has said a military alliance between Russia and China could be forged in the future. An alliance between the two nations with the second and third biggest militaries in the world would be far more powerful than the US Army in a number of key areas. Putin's statement on Thursday signalled deepening ties between Moscow and Beijing amid growing tensions in their relations with the United States. Daily Mail

 

Second Covid wave destabilizes European recovery . . . The second wave of the coronavirus now sweeping Europe is threatening to halt the region’s economic recovery, leaving many of its businesses and workers uncertain about their future and prolonging the time it will take for the continent to heal from the worst economic crisis in decades. European governments have responded to the sharp rise in coronavirus infections with new restrictions on people and businesses, but have stopped short of the draconian lockdowns of the spring, hoping to protect the region’s economic recovery. Wall Street Journal
 

Model indicated US already in recession . . . The novel coronavirus has spurred what will likely be the worst recession in generations as the U.S. economy grinds to a halt and millions lose their jobs.

Three quarters of MS-13 gang members charged were in US illegally . . . Seventy-four percent of MS-13 gang members charged by federal prosecutors between 2016 and 2020 were in the country illegally, according to a Wednesday Justice Department report. The report details law enforcement agencies' efforts to take down MS-13, one of the world's most violent gangs, during President Donald Trump's term.The department charged 749 MS-13 members between 2016 and 2020. Of those charged, only 11 percent were legally present in the United States. Eight percent were U.S. citizens, and the other 3 percent were otherwise in the country legally. Washington Free Beacon

 

Psychic able to summon dead Drew Barrymore relative — because he's alive . . . . A psychic stunned viewers of Drew Barrymore’s talk show by summoning the spirit of one of the actress’ dead relatives on-air. And none could have been more stunned than the relative in question — who turns out to be alive and well in Boston. Now Barrymore’s ex-husband is calling the medium “a submental hack.” Psychic Anna Raimondi gave her a reading on the show last week, and said she sensed the aura of a “judge.” Barrymore burst into tears, identifying the judge as David — a relative of her ex-husband Will Kopelman — whom she said had died. The psychic stoked Barrymore’s emotions, saying the presence of Kopelman’s family was evidence that “you are … a part of that family — it doesn’t matter [that] the two of you are not together anymore.”

A small problem with the revelation: Judge David Kopelman is 82 and doing just fine. New York Post

 

Maybe at least this psychic can contact my kids and get them out of their rooms.