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from China Global Television Network (CGTN)
LEFT, MIXED, Chinese Communist Government News and Propaganda
Given that some major U.S. media and politicians made groundless claims that the novel coronavirus originates in China, blamed and slandered China, even asked for an apology from China, then I have every reason to ask 10 questions for the United States about its origin too. Better still, unlike the U.S., I did a lot homework and will base my questions on international media coverage of COVID-19.
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from CNN
Trump signs coronavirus relief legislation into law
President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed into law a coronavirus relief package that includes provisions for free testing for Covid-19 and paid emergency leave. The Senate had earlier Wednesday approved the House-passed bill. The move allowed the upper chamber to devote its full attention to passing the next relief package in response to the coronavirus crisis. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other Senate Republicans had been critical of the House-passed legislation, but emphasized that it is urgent to get relief to the American people amid the coronavirus crisis.
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OF THE PLAGUE THAT STALKS IN THE DARKNESS: WHAT CORONAVIRUS TAUGHT ME ABOUT FAITH AND FEAR
Sickness and its disrupting effects reminds us that, even as modern people, the we are dependent on something outside of ourselves and that we desperately need a Savior. But recognizing our inability to save ourselves never means that we should give into Evil. On the contrary: we have a Savior who gave His very life to free us from the Powers of Sin and Death, and we are called to resist them at every turn. The point is not to give up the fight, but to recognize that we cannot win it on our own, and to put all our trust in the One who can. To ask Him for the strength to fight another day. Once I realized this, my stance on the suspension of worship services changed. For Christians, Death is always the enemy. While we cannot control or stop this disease, we may be able to slow it enough to save lives. Everyone of us who does not get sick saves a hospital bed, ventilator, and medical staff for someone who will. I go to church so that I can love God and my neighbor more. During this season, I will stay home out of love of neighbors I have never met. Every life saved is a blow to the Adversary. To fight to save lives, even if it means temporarily closing the doors of the church, is not an act of cowardice, but of resistance.
How the Amazon became popular in the Third Reich
In the 1930s, a zoologist used funds from the Nazi regime to travel through the Brazilian Amazon. The expedition inspired a movie, a book and left behind a massive cross with a swastika in the jungle.
Coronavirus drugs: Can antibodies from survivors help?
Aside from a Covid-19 vaccine, antibodies from recovered patients could provide a short-term "passive immunization" to the disease. A German immunologist saved thousands of lives with the method 100 years ago.
Yuval Noah Harari: the world after coronavirus
Humankind is now facing a global crisis. Perhaps the biggest crisis of our generation. The decisions people and governments take in the next few weeks will probably shape the world for years to come. They will shape not just our healthcare systems but also our economy, politics and culture. We must act quickly and decisively. We should also take into account the long-term consequences of our actions. When choosing between alternatives, we should ask ourselves not only how to overcome the immediate threat, but also what kind of world we will inhabit once the storm passes. Yes, the storm will pass, humankind will survive, most of us will still be alive — but we will inhabit a different world.
Amid coronavirus toilet paper shortage, experts warn against using ‘flushable’ wipes
KDVR Denver: Amid the coronavirus toilet paper shortage, sewer experts say more folks are using flushable wipes. However, those wipes are wreaking havoc on some Colorado sewer systems.The packaging says “flushable,” but sewer inspectors say that is misleading because the wipes don’t break down. “I think people are trusting the packaging that it says flushable and what people need to understand is these things are physically flushable -- they’ll go down your toilet -- but then they will stop somewhere,” Lisa Wilson, communications content supervisor with the city of Thornton said.
Pandemics & Propaganda: How Chinese State Media Shapes Conversations on The Coronavirus
Vanessa Molter, Stanford Internet Observatory
Chinese state media is not unique in evolving its narratives, or in spreading misinformation or omitting facts to cast itself in the best light possible for a global audience. In the U.S. media environment, the Fox News network has also dramatically shifted their coverage of the coronavirus disease in response to political considerations, adjusting their coverage to make the U.S. executive branch leadership look like leaders. This tone change was so brazen that the Washington Post labeled it “a petri dish for misinformation.” While we did not include far left or far right U.S. media sources in our data set for the above analysis, other US news outlets also downplayed the threat. In the latest activity from the U.S. media, there is now a dichotomy in coverage: many conservative outlets are accusing the Chinese government of causing a global pandemic due to the significant missteps in their early response, and deflecting blame from the Trump Administration's own failures. The other side is reporting on the problematic response in the United States, while highlighting later successful Chinese containment efforts. The blame game will not be helpful. It is both true that the Chinese government made strikingly bad decisions in its early response to the virus - and also that the United States will suffer from its own lack of preparation. Meanwhile, amid the bungled U.S. COVID-19 response - including a lack of coordination even with close allies - the Chinese government is supporting hard-hit countries by sending supplies and medical experts, garnering praise from around the world. As Western democracies struggle to land on effective COVID-19 responses, experts expect a more aggressive narrative to come from Beijing.
To Avoid Amnesty, Agricultural Immigration Reform Must Address This Issue
Agricultural immigration reform shouldn’t include amnesty. This should be a given. Unfortunately, some legislators seem to disagree, as evidenced by the agricultural immigration legislation the House passed last year and legislation recently introduced by Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla. It’s not always easy to define amnesty, but this much is clear: Allowing illegal agricultural workers to remain in the United States as they secure legal status is amnesty. Illegal agricultural workers shouldn’t be treated more favorably than these other workers, but that’s exactly what would happen under these bills.
from Hot Air RIGHT BIAS, MOSTLY FACTUAL
from CommonDreams
LEFT BIAS, HIGH, U.S. based progressive news website
Here Are the 51 Republican Senators Who Just Voted Against Expanding Paid Sick Leave to All Workers
Republican senators on Wednesday teamed up to kill an amendment introduced by Democratic Sen. Patty Murray that would have expanded paid sick leave to millions of U.S. workers left out of a bipartisan coronavirus relief package. Every Republican present for the vote, 51 in total, voted against the amendment while every Senate Democrat voted in favor. Sens. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) were the only senators who did not vote on the amendment, which would have guaranteed two weeks of paid sick leave as well as 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave to all U.S. employees and independent contractors.
Republican senators on Wednesday teamed up to kill an amendment introduced by Democratic Sen. Patty Murray that would have expanded paid sick leave to millions of U.S. workers left out of a bipartisan coronavirus relief package. Every Republican present for the vote, 51 in total, voted against the amendment while every Senate Democrat voted in favor. Sens. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) were the only senators who did not vote on the amendment, which would have guaranteed two weeks of paid sick leave as well as 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave to all U.S. employees and independent contractors.
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from Conciliar Post
Sickness and its disrupting effects reminds us that, even as modern people, the we are dependent on something outside of ourselves and that we desperately need a Savior. But recognizing our inability to save ourselves never means that we should give into Evil. On the contrary: we have a Savior who gave His very life to free us from the Powers of Sin and Death, and we are called to resist them at every turn. The point is not to give up the fight, but to recognize that we cannot win it on our own, and to put all our trust in the One who can. To ask Him for the strength to fight another day. Once I realized this, my stance on the suspension of worship services changed. For Christians, Death is always the enemy. While we cannot control or stop this disease, we may be able to slow it enough to save lives. Everyone of us who does not get sick saves a hospital bed, ventilator, and medical staff for someone who will. I go to church so that I can love God and my neighbor more. During this season, I will stay home out of love of neighbors I have never met. Every life saved is a blow to the Adversary. To fight to save lives, even if it means temporarily closing the doors of the church, is not an act of cowardice, but of resistance.
________
from DW News (Deutsche Welle)
Broadcasting & Media Production Company in Bonn, Germany
In the 1930s, a zoologist used funds from the Nazi regime to travel through the Brazilian Amazon. The expedition inspired a movie, a book and left behind a massive cross with a swastika in the jungle.
Aside from a Covid-19 vaccine, antibodies from recovered patients could provide a short-term "passive immunization" to the disease. A German immunologist saved thousands of lives with the method 100 years ago.
________
from Financial Times
LEAST BIASED, HIGH, business and economic newspaper in London, UK
Humankind is now facing a global crisis. Perhaps the biggest crisis of our generation. The decisions people and governments take in the next few weeks will probably shape the world for years to come. They will shape not just our healthcare systems but also our economy, politics and culture. We must act quickly and decisively. We should also take into account the long-term consequences of our actions. When choosing between alternatives, we should ask ourselves not only how to overcome the immediate threat, but also what kind of world we will inhabit once the storm passes. Yes, the storm will pass, humankind will survive, most of us will still be alive — but we will inhabit a different world.
________
from Fox News (& affiliates)
Amid coronavirus toilet paper shortage, experts warn against using ‘flushable’ wipes
KDVR Denver: Amid the coronavirus toilet paper shortage, sewer experts say more folks are using flushable wipes. However, those wipes are wreaking havoc on some Colorado sewer systems.The packaging says “flushable,” but sewer inspectors say that is misleading because the wipes don’t break down. “I think people are trusting the packaging that it says flushable and what people need to understand is these things are physically flushable -- they’ll go down your toilet -- but then they will stop somewhere,” Lisa Wilson, communications content supervisor with the city of Thornton said.
________
from Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (StanfordFSI)
Vanessa Molter, Stanford Internet Observatory
Chinese state media is not unique in evolving its narratives, or in spreading misinformation or omitting facts to cast itself in the best light possible for a global audience. In the U.S. media environment, the Fox News network has also dramatically shifted their coverage of the coronavirus disease in response to political considerations, adjusting their coverage to make the U.S. executive branch leadership look like leaders. This tone change was so brazen that the Washington Post labeled it “a petri dish for misinformation.” While we did not include far left or far right U.S. media sources in our data set for the above analysis, other US news outlets also downplayed the threat. In the latest activity from the U.S. media, there is now a dichotomy in coverage: many conservative outlets are accusing the Chinese government of causing a global pandemic due to the significant missteps in their early response, and deflecting blame from the Trump Administration's own failures. The other side is reporting on the problematic response in the United States, while highlighting later successful Chinese containment efforts. The blame game will not be helpful. It is both true that the Chinese government made strikingly bad decisions in its early response to the virus - and also that the United States will suffer from its own lack of preparation. Meanwhile, amid the bungled U.S. COVID-19 response - including a lack of coordination even with close allies - the Chinese government is supporting hard-hit countries by sending supplies and medical experts, garnering praise from around the world. As Western democracies struggle to land on effective COVID-19 responses, experts expect a more aggressive narrative to come from Beijing.
________
from The Heritage Foundation
RIGHT BIAS, MIXED American conservative think tank based in Washington, D.C.
RIGHT BIAS, MIXED American conservative think tank based in Washington, D.C.
To Avoid Amnesty, Agricultural Immigration Reform Must Address This Issue
Agricultural immigration reform shouldn’t include amnesty. This should be a given. Unfortunately, some legislators seem to disagree, as evidenced by the agricultural immigration legislation the House passed last year and legislation recently introduced by Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla. It’s not always easy to define amnesty, but this much is clear: Allowing illegal agricultural workers to remain in the United States as they secure legal status is amnesty. Illegal agricultural workers shouldn’t be treated more favorably than these other workers, but that’s exactly what would happen under these bills.
________
Conservative American political blog founded by Michelle Malkin
Anti-Trump Republicans Run Ad Comparing Trump To Coronavirus
Last December a group of Never Trump Republicans announced the formation of the Lincoln Project. The group has a single goal – to work for the defeat of President Trump in November. The names of the people behind this effort will likely be familiar to you if you keep up with Republican politics or are active on Twitter. These are blue check Never Trumpers.
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from HumanProgress.org
Education Website
This week, our hero is Jeremy Bentham, an 18th century English philosopher, enlightenment thinker and social reformer. Bentham is regarded as the founder of utilitarianism – a philosophy that holds that the most ethical choice in any given situation is the one that will produce the greatest good for the greatest number of people. Throughout his life, Bentham advocated for many things, including the separation of church and state, individual and economic freedoms, women’s suffrage, the right to divorce, decriminalization of homosexuality and freedom of expression. He is also widely regarded as one of the earliest proponents of animal rights.
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from Medium
LEFT-CENTER BIAS, MIXED, online social journalism publishing platform
LEFT-CENTER BIAS, MIXED, online social journalism publishing platform
Strong coronavirus measures today should only last a few weeks, there shouldn’t be a big peak of infections afterwards, and it can all be done for a reasonable cost to society, saving millions of lives along the way. If we don’t take these measures, tens of millions will be infected, many will die, along with anybody else that requires intensive care, because the healthcare system will have collapsed.
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RIGHT-CENTER BIAS, MIXED
The Global Economy Won't Bounce Back Soon
In February, the general consensus between large investment banks and supranational entities was that there would be a one-time hit to GDP in the first quarter due to the impact of the coronavirus, followed by a stronger, V-shaped recovery. The IMF expected a modest correction of global GDP of 0.1 percent, and the largest cut on estimates for 2020 growth was 0.4 percent. Those days are gone. The latest round of global growth revisions includes a slash of growth estimates for the first and second quarters and a very modest recovery in the third and fourth. Average GDP estimates are now down 0.7 percent, and JP Morgan expects the eurozone to enter a deep recession in the next two quarters (–1.8 percent and –3.3 percent in the first and second quarters), followed by a very poor recovery that would still leave the full-year 2020 estimate in contraction. The investment bank also assumes US slumps of 2 percent and 3 percent, respectively, but a modest full-year growth. Capital Economics estimates a hit to the US economy for the full year that would cut 0.8 percent off previous estimates though still predicting growth, but a larger impact on the eurozone, with full-year 2020 growth at an avergae of –1.2 percent, led by a –2 percent prediction for Italy. This, unfortunately, looks like just the beginning of a downgrade cycle that adds to the issue of an economy that was already slowing in 2019. It is very likely that the shutdown of major developed economies will be followed by a shutdown of emerging markets, creating a supply shock as we have not seen in decades.
The Fed Is a One-Trick Pony
In slashing its key interest rate to zero in response to the economic calamities imposed by all levels of government ostensibly to fight the coronavirus, the Federal Reserve System is trying to regenerate the crashing stock market. At opening bell right afterward, however, the market continued to crash, and those results perhaps should be telling us that the Fed’s one-trick solution to economic crises is just that: a trick. Printing up paper money—which is the Fed's solution to nearly everything— will not bring about a miraculous replacement of the lost goods and services or repair broken supply chains.
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from ProPublica
LEFT-CENTER BIAS, HIGH, Non-profit newsroom in New York
Soon after he offered public assurances that the government was ready to battle the coronavirus, the powerful chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Richard Burr, sold off a significant percentage of his stocks, unloading between $628,000 and $1.72 million of his holdings on Feb. 13 in 33 separate transactions.
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from The Spokesman-Review
Newspaper in Spokane, Washington
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