The first American death from Coronavirus was announced this week. The lady in her fifties was reported to be a medically high risk individual.
The President addressed a news conference. Where he updated the media on the situation saying: there are still four people very ill, but 15 are on the way to recovery or have recovered. However the President warned more cases are expected.
The President announced greater travel restrictions to south east Asia, Iran and Italy. He also did not rule out tighter border controls along the Mexican border.
Coronavirus continues to spread globally with Italy and Iran being particularly hard hit outside of China. Little is still known about the virus. But it appears that for 3 out of every 4 cases the patient will have mild to moderate flu like symptoms. However there are those people for whom the virus requires hospital treatment. Those at greatest risk of death are the elderly, the very young, and those with pre-existing medical conditions.
In an interview over the weekend Bernie Sanders was asked how much his various plans would cost- he didn’t know.
Cooper: Do you know how all — how much though? I mean, do you have a price tag for — for all of this?
Sanders: We do. I mean, you know, and — and– the price tag is — it will be substantially less than letting the current system go. I think it’s about $30 trillion.
Cooper: That’s just for “Medicare for All,” you’re talking about?
Sanders: That’s just “Medicare for All,” yes.
Cooper: Do you have — a price tag for all of these things?
Sanders: No, I don’t. We try to — no, you mentioned making public colleges and universities tuition free and canceling all student debt, that’s correct. That’s what I want to do. We pay for that through a modest tax on Wall Street speculation.
Cooper: But you say you don’t know what the total price is, but you know how it’s gonna be paid for. How do you know it’s gonna be paid for if you don’t know how much the price is?
Sanders: Well, I can’t — you know, I can’t rattle off to you every nickel and every dime. But we have accounted for — you — you talked about “Medicare for All.” We have options out there that will pay for it.
In a memo by Democrate group Third Way, published last week the authors pointed out:
“Experts estimate that Sanders’ major proposals would cost a staggering $60 trillion and would double the size of the government (while his tax plans fall $27 trillion short of paying for it). There’s a reason that, when pressed on the cost of his plans, Sanders simply refuses to answer, saying he actually has no idea and ‘no one does.'”
Harvey Weinstein has been found guilty of third-degree rape, as well as a criminal sex act during the assault of Mimi Haley. The trial in Manhattan, New York saw large crowds gathering outside the court and journalists lining up, sometimes before sunrise, to secure a place on the press benches.
The series of allegations against the Hollywood producer sparked the Me Too Movement, which sent shock waves through Hollywood.
Weinstein could now spend the rest of his life behind bars, and is still awaiting trial in Los Angeles where he faces more charges.
Disney- Pixar’s latest movie, to be out in March, will have a lead female character who will be a lesbian.
“Onward” is set in a modern fantasy world, with a female Cyclops cop who is gay. The character will be voiced by gay actress Lena Waithe.
Disney have already had LGBT characters in shows for the small screen. With the Disney Channel’s series Andi Mack featuring a gay teenage couple.
It has been reported that Sony are planning to release a Spider-verse movie where they want to unite Tom Holland with previous Spidermen: Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, saying they are “particularly keen on getting Garfield back, as they want to portray his version of the hero as bisexual and give him a boyfriend in the film.”
Univision TV host Jorge Ramos wrote in the New York Times, under the headline “Trump Got His Wish. Mexico Is Now the Wall”:
Mexico has effectively turned into an extension of Mr. Trump’s immigration police beyond American territory. And this is the case on multiple fronts: On the southern border with Guatemala, they prevent Central American migrants from coming into Mexico; on the northern one, they block those seeking entry to the United States from leaving. The decision of Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, also known as AMLO, to follow this approach is misguided. He should let migrants continue their journey north….. Everything changed because of Donald Trump. By mid-2019, a number of Central American caravans were traveling across Mexico. The president, comparing them to an invasion, warned Mexico that they should do something to stop them, and that he would slap tariffs on all Mexican imports if it didn’t…..
That’s why I am surprised by the indifference shown by so many Mexicans over the abuses of the National Guard and the vicious attacks on social media aimed at Central Americans. Those xenophobic comments remind me of those I have been hearing for decades here in the United States, and of the appalling mistreatment of Mexican immigrants in recent years. Such abuses should not be forgotten or used to justify a similar treatment of migrants in Mexico.
Secretary of State Pompeo has said in a recent address that the Chinese are seeking to infiltrate and influence state and local politics.
“While there are places we can cooperate, we can’t ignore China’s actions and strategic intentions. If we do, we risk the important components of our relationship that benefit both countries,” Pompeo said. “The Chinese Government has been methodical in the way it’s analyzed our system, our very open system, one that we’re deeply proud of. It’s assessed our vulnerabilities, and it’s decided to exploit our freedoms to gain advantage over us at the federal level, the state level, and the local level.”
President Trump has been acquitted of all charges in the impeachment.
His re-election campaign said in a statement: “President Trump has been totally vindicated and it’s now time to get back to the business of the American people.
“The do-nothing Democrats know they can’t beat him, so they had to impeach him.” It said “this terrible ordeal” and “nonsense” was merely a Democratic campaign tactic
The statement added: “This impeachment hoax will go down as the worst miscalculation in American political history.”
Following the trial Trump’s personal approval ratings hit an all time best of 49%.
Actor Kirk Douglas passed away aged 103. The actor was famous for films such as Spartacus and The Vikings.
His son Michael Douglas paid tribute to his father: “To the world, he was a legend, an actor from the golden age of movies who lived well into his golden years, a humanitarian whose commitment to justice and the causes he believed in set a standard for all of us to aspire to.
“Kirk’s life was well lived, and he leaves a legacy in film that will endure for generations to come, and a history as a renowned philanthropist who worked to aid the public and bring peace to the planet,”