DHS waives more regulations to speed construction of border wall

The Trump administration took another step toward expediting construction of a border wall, announcing it is waiving federal contracting regulations to fast track construction in four states, including Arizona.

The targeted regulations, dealing with contracting, pricing and wage regulations, need to be waived “to ensure the expeditious construction of barriers and roads” to stop drugs at the border, Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said in a notice set to be published in the Federal Register.

A Department of Homeland Security statement said the agency will “waive procurement regulations in six high-traffic border sectors to build an additional 177 miles of new border wall system.” The waivers will affect six areas, including projects in Yuma and Tucson.

“The United States remains in a border emergency,” DHS spokeswoman Heather Swift said in the statement, adding that the department is “building more wall, faster than ever before.”

This announcement comes just weeks after the agency was criticized for blasting sections of border without consulting local tribes about culturally significant sites. Critics say the administration invoked Section 102 of immigration law to waive more than 40 federal regulations in pursuit of border wall construction

https://www.westvalleyview.com/news/dhs-waives-more-regulations-to-speed-construction-of-border-wall/article_faa619d6-58bb-11ea-bdd0-f3a9ad3ee0ba.html

Bothell High School closing Thursday for cleaning due to coronavirus concerns

BOTHELL, Wash. — Bothell High School is closed Thursday "out of an abundance of caution" after a staffer's family member was placed in quarantine for possible coronavirus, according to Northshore School District superintendent Michelle Reid.

Reid said a staff member at Bothell High School returned to work Monday after a week of international travel. The staffer said a family member traveling with them became sick Tuesday and was taken to the hospital. The family member is being treated, monitored and quarantined at the hospital for possible coronavirus. '''The test results for the sicked family member may take 5-7 days.

Reid said the school staffer is not sick, but remains in self-quarantine at their home.'''

The high school will be cleaned and disinfected Thursday while students remain at home, she said. The district has not decided whether students will return Friday to school.

The Washington Department of Health issued a letter Wednesday afternoon that said the risk to students and staff is minimal. The department said the situation does not warrant closing Bothell High School, but the superintendent opted to close the school as a precautionary measure.

https://komonews.com/news/local/bothell-high-school-closing-thursday-due-to-coronavirus-concerns

Israeli company develops kit for precise coronavirus diagnosis

The diagnosis is done in less than an hour.

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/489553

Of Countries With Confirmed Coronavirus Cases, U.S. Has Fewest Per Capita

CNSNews.com) – Of the 16 countries reporting the highest number of confirmed cases of the China-originated coronavirus COVID-19, the United States has the smallest number in proportion to its population.

President Trump on Wednesday attributed the relative success thus far in containing the outbreak at home to a decision early on to impose travel restrictions from China, a move which he said had prompted accusations of racism from his critics.

https://cnsnews.com/article/national/patrick-goodenough/countries-confirmed-coronavirus-cases-us-has-fewest-capita?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cns&utm_campaign=a-USFewestCasePerCapitaCoronavirus&fbclid=IwAR0VE9oWsNny8nA-Lv9TwD9ZjaldexsuSW9kGM1Tb5XKd3Y3

>>8264205

In order of the highest number of cases per capita, the ranking is: China (0.00560 percent of the national population), South Korea (0.00243 percent), Bahrain (0.00172), Singapore (0.00146), Italy (0.00051), Kuwait (0.00040), Japan (0.00013), UAE (0.00013), Iran (0.00011), Australia (0.00009), Malaysia (0.00006), Thailand (0.00005), Germany (0.00002), Britain (0.00002), France (0.00001), and the United States (0.00001).

>>8264221

All your beasts are belong to us