#10836

>>8463348 FBI pausing election public record requests due to coronavirus

>>8463439 While William Barr “Goes After The Deep State,” He’s Working With Them On Gun Confiscation

>>8463450 New Natational Guard Tweet

>>8463498 Office of Personnel Management chief abruptly resigns

>>8463775 WHO Needs to Be Held Responsible! US Coronavirus Numbers Including Asymtomatic Patients Shows Mortality Rate 0.2% to 0.8% and Not 3.4% as Reported by WHO

>>8463794 Italian Health Ministry Confirms ONLY TWELVE or 3% of Coronavirus Fatalities in Study Did Not Have Other Serious Health Complications

>>8463814 Trump Invokes Defense Production Act In Coronavirus Response, Deploys FEMA In All Regions

>>8463848 Defying Beijing, Donald Trump doubles down on use of ‘Chinese virus’ label for Covid-19

>>8463909 Putin signs law on acquisition of Sberbank’s ordinary shares by government

NOT NOTABLES

Philadelphia Ends Jail for ‘Non-Violent’ Criminals Because of Coronavirus Crisis

The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Police Department is implementing a new policy where accused criminals deemed “non-violent” will be quickly released after their arrests in light of the coronavirus crisis.

Police officials confirmed to CBS Philadelphia that accused criminals charged with non-violent crimes will be processed and released so as not to fill up city jails. Police officials said those accused criminals considered to be violent will not be released.

Police officials said in a statement:

It should be noted that if a police officer believes that releasing an individual would pose a threat to public safety, the officer will notify a supervisor, who will review the totality of the circumstances, and in the interest of public safety, utilize discretion in determining the appropriate course of action.

Non-violent criminals will be re-arrested later in the year.

Police officials confirmed the authenticity of an internal memo that states that those arrested for crimes like burglary, auto theft, vandalism, prostitution, and theft will not be held in jail. Instead, they will be released back into the general public after their arrest.

The new arresting procedure comes as crime is up in Philadelphia, especially in categories deemed “non-violent” offenses but that still leave victims in their wake.

For instance, compared to this time last year, retail theft in Philadelphia is up 64 percent. Likewise, commercial burglary has increased eight percent, motor vehicle tag theft is up 26 percent, theft from a person is up 16 percent, theft is up 14 percent, and auto theft is up 20 percent.

There are at least 18 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Philadelphia.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/03/17/philadelphia-ends-jail-for-non-violent-criminals-because-of-coronavirus-crisis/

5.7 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Utah’s Salt Lake City Area

A 5.7 magnitude earthquake shook Utah’s Salt Lake City area on Wednesday morning, causing roughly 55,000 people to lose power.

The earthquake, which hit both Salt Lake County and Utah County, caused several aftershocks ranging from 2.5 to 3.9 magnitude, according to the United States Geological Survey.

“It didn’t feel like a small earthquake at all. I heard things in my kitchen falling,” Michael McCarlie, a Salt Lake City resident, told Desert News.

Authorities closed roads to Salt Lake International Airport and officials urged people not to travel to the airport.

“Please stay away from the downtown area while crews assess damage. Unless you work in public safety, or are an essential employee, remain at home or telework,” Utah Gov. Gary Herbert (R) tweeted.

The earthquake is Utah’s most powerful one since 1992 when a 5.9 earthquake struck St. George, according to Utah Emergency Management.

Earthquakes in Utah that are larger than 5.0 occur once every decade and those more powerful than 6.0 happen once every 50 years, notes USGS.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/03/18/5-7-magnitude-earthquake-hits-utahs-salt-lake-city-area/

U.S. Forces Withdraw From Key Base Near Syrian Border. More Rocket Attacks On US Targets In Iraq

Late on March 17, at least three rockets struck the area near the US embassy in Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone. This was the fourth such attack in the span of a week. A day earlier, a pair of rockets struck the Besmaya base south of Baghdad. This military facility is the second largest military base operated by the US-led coalition in Iraq after Camp Taji.

The threat of rocket attacks already forced the US military to announce that it is evacuating some of its bases in the country. The al-Qaim base, near the Syrian-Iraqi border, is among them. The al-Qaim facility has been an important logistical and operational hub employed by US forces for operations in western Iraq and eastern Syria. Its presence there, as well as in Syria’s al-Tanf, has allowed the US to project its power along the Syrian-Iraqi border more effectively and to support Israeli military actions against Iranian-backed forces in the area.

Al-Qaim is located on the highway between the Iraqi capital of Baghdad and the Syrian city of Deir Ezzor. The town of al-Bukamal, which Israeli and US media often label as a stronghold of Iranian-backed forces, is located on the Syrian side of the border.

The withdrawal from al-Qaim is a signal that the US has been forced to admit that its attempts to cut off the land link between Syria, Iraq and Iran have failed. Washington was seeking to prevent a free movement of troops, weapons and other supplies from one country to another.

Meanwhile in Syria, the Idlib zone remains the main focus of tensions. Idlib armed groups and their supporters continue blocking efforts to create a security zone along the M4 highway in southern Idlib, as had been agreed by Turkey and Russia. These actions are accompanied by a fierce war propaganda campaign against the Damascus government, Iran and Russia. If the situation develops in this direction and further, the only remaining option to implement the new de-escalation deal and neutralize the terrorist threat will be a new military operation.

https://southfront.org/u-s-forces-withdraw-from-key-base-near-syrian-border-more-rocket-attacks-on-us-targets-in-iraq/

Townsfolk claim all children are missing from town, military presence

"It's just strange cause people are talking like they notice it… would they notice if their cousin's kids are missing or their neighbors? They are telling us to stay in our houses so we don't notice these people missing."

PIKE COUNTY (INTELLIHUB) — Several residents in the small Missouri town of Aberdeen came forth in a YouTube vlog on Monday in which they expressed their concern over the fact that no children have been seen in their town of about 5,000 in recent days and documented a military presence.

“There’s still no children,” one of the women in the video said. “…and it’s not being announced for whatever reason.”

The two women can be seen in the video driving around town to various subdivisions where children are usually present and see nothing. The streets are bare despite the fact that residents have not been ordered to stay inside.

One of the women said that there has been a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the nearby town of Amory in which a woman suddenly collapsed inside a grocery store after coming in contact with someone who took a cruise to Italy.

We have seen two children and we have been driving around all morning,” the driver said. “Where’s the rest of the kids?”

“Schools are closed. daycares are closed, people are out and about,” the passenger explained. “Where are the rest of the kids?”

“And don’t tell me that they are all staying in the house. These are good ole boys here — these are people that aren’t scared of sh*t.”

“This town is poor — not everyone has Internet and T.V. to even be updated to what’s going on in the world.” the driver explained. “They wouldn’t be aware of it because they’re not announcing it.”

“The checkout lady [at the grocery store] said everyone is missing and no one is talking about it [they are] just acting like it’s normal,” she explained. “That’s strange to me — now the checkout lady is talking about it.”

Additionally, the woman said that the Head Start bus was even looking for kids that they were supposed to be picking up.

“We are going down random roads and we are not seeing any children down any of these roads so where are they? She questioned. “We are not trying to sound paranoid but this is just too odd… no children… none.”

Moreover, the women discovered more af a National Guard presence in town and newly imported heavily armored equipment.

https://www.intellihub.com/townsfolk-claim-all-children-are-missing-from-town-military-presence/

[Updated] Comparison of Italy, USA, California, and New York Confirmed COVID-19 numbers

California AND New York numbers are included in USA numbers. Thanks to the kindness of others, I have been made very aware that they are not separate countries.

Already US numbers have increase to 4252 : coronavirus.1point3acres.com/en

Sources: coronavirus.1point3acres.com/en

www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

First post:

www.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/fiun99/oc_comparison_of_italy_usa_and_california_covid19/

And again originally inspired by u/dev_theyromboneguy’s post:

www.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/fhykic/oc_this_chart_comparing_infection_rates_between/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

https://www.investmentwatchblog.com/updated-comparison-of-italy-usa-california-and-new-york-confirmed-covid-19-numbers/

This is End Game’s Long Range Goal–You Heard It Here First

In a week to two weeks time, when all the business have been forced to close down; when kids have been home from school without any recourse to daycare; when nobody ventures outside due to fear and uncertainty; when all the industries that cater to hospitality, service, and travel are forced to lay off their work force because no one is patronizing them any more…

When individuals finds themselves unable to pay for food, their mortgage or rent, or utilities or bills of any kind; no one buys movie tickets, cars, or vacations, then it will be the corporations too that will find themselves unable to maintain their operations and ability to function.

At this point everything from:

• utility companies (telephone, internet),

• communication (cell phone service providers),

• entertainment (movie studios, television conglomerates),

• logistics and transportation (air, land, sea),

• energy companies (oil refineries),

• social services (hospitals, firefighters),

• education (for profit universities),

• food production (Tyson, Archer-Daniel Midland):

THE ENTIRE GAMUT OF EVERY ASPECT OF MODERN LIFE IN THE GLOBAL CURRENT WORLD ORDER

will collectively cry out for a reprieve as both the poorest and the richest, the largest and the smallest–all being now so inextricably linked–will with one voice shout that the only way to save the ENTIRE WORLD will be to reset the ENTIRE ECONOMIC SYSTEM.

Then, this happens:

This is when and where all the streams of conspiratorial “theories” all run into the same great ocean.

If you want to:

• stay in your home,

• keep your lights on–nay keep electricity itself on (from the point of view of the electric companies)

• feed your families,

• make a living,

in other words, return to “normalcy,” then you will have no choice but to take the New Economic Dollar:

• a cashless, connected to the internet, always track-able and traceable;

• replete with a micro-chipped population (because coronavirus);

• with the new owners of the organs of modern tech and industry overseeing the entire enterprise as they will have bought out all that collapsed for pennies on the dollar.

https://www.investmentwatchblog.com/this-is-end-games-long-range-goal-you-heard-it-here-first/

International Criminal Court Approves First Ever War Crimes Investigation Of US Forces, CIA

The US is promising retaliation after top judges at the International Criminal Court gave the approval to move forward with the first ever war crimes investigation into the conduct of the US military and the CIA in Afghanistan.

The US is now firing back, after top judges at the International Criminal Court gave the green-light to move forward with a war crimes investigation into US conduct in Afghanistan. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the US does not recognize the ICC’s authority over American citizens, and has no plans to cooperate.

“This is a truly breathtaking action by an unaccountable political institution masquerading as a legal body,” Pompeo said. “It’s all the more reckless for this ruling to come just days after the United States signed a historic peace deal on Afghanistan, which is the best chance for peace in a generation.”

Pompeo’s comments follow a decision from ICC appeals judges earlier Thursday, which confirmed that the investigation will target all sides in the conflict, including the US Military and the CIA.

“The Appeals Chamber considers it appropriate to amend the appealed decision to the effect that the prosecutor is authorized to commence an investigation in relation to alleged crimes committed on the territory of Afghanistan in the period since 1st May, 2003, as well as other alleged crimes that have a nexus to the armed conflict in Afghanistan.”

The US invaded Afghanistan less than one month after 9/11 with the promise of defeating the Taliban. And while the Taliban is now stronger than it has been at any point since the war began, members of the ICC have attempted to call attention to the atrocities people in the country have faced throughout the war with an investigation that looks at all sides in the conflict.

Back in 2017, the Office of the Prosecutor claimed it had evidences proving that from 2003 to 2004, members of the US armed forces and members of the CIA “committed acts of torture, cruel treatment, outrages upon personal dignity, rape and sexual violence against conflict-related detainees.”

Last year, the ICC tried to move forward with an investigation. But the Trump Administration responded by revoking the visa of the ICC’s chief prosecutor after repeated threats from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, claiming Washington would do anything possible to stop the court from investigating the US.

And the threats appeared to work briefly, as judges from the ICC ruled last April that there was no point in moving forward with an investigation if they couldn’t guarantee there would be cooperation. However, that decision has now been overruled.

Pompeo has previously threatened economic sanctions against the International Criminal Court if they do move forward with investigating the US for war crimes, so now it remains to be seen if he will follow through with that threat.

There are likely major concerns about what a potential war crimes investigation could uncover, especially when looking at nearly two decades of war where countless civilians have been killed, injured and displaced at the hands of the US and its allies.

The bombings have also drastically increased in recent years. The United Nations confirmed that in 2018, Afghanistan saw the highest number of civilian casualties in a decades. And in 2019, the US and its allies killed more civilians than the Taliban.

The war in Afghanistan has continued under three administrations, and there have been numerous accusations of corruption—the latest of which came in the form of the Afghanistan Papers. Released late last year, they documented interviews with top military generals who revealed that the US government has been lying about the war for years.

Even though the latest peace agreement promises to bring American troops home, the latest round of bombings from the US raises new questions about whether the longest war in US history will truly come to an end anytime soon.

https://rachelblevins.com/2020/03/05/international-criminal-court-war-crimes-investigation/

Hungary Announces Successful Isolation of Coronavirus

Hungary’s chief medical officer Cecília Müller announced Tuesday that researchers at the national security lab of the National Centre for Public Health (NNK) have successfully isolated the Wuhan coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

Müller said in a press conference that the isolation of the pathogen, achieved by a team led by virologist Zoltán Kiss, will allow scientists to begin developing a vaccine against the coronavirus as well as testing various antiviral therapies.

The chief medical officer also said that the lab will provide live and non-live samples of the virus to both Hungarian and foreign researchers to expedite the development of a vaccine.

Hungary currently has just 58 confirmed cases of coronavirus but Müller noted that the number of those infected is expected to reach the hundreds in the coming days, in accord with NNK’s projections. At the moment, two are in a serious condition, requiring respirators.

To date, two have recovered from the disease and one has died.

Müller said that there is a sufficient number of ventilators in the country, but that more are being purchased.

Hungary’s Interior Minister Sándor Pintér was tested for the coronavirus after coming in contact with Moroccan transport minister, Abdelkader Amara, who has the virus. The test came back negative.

Müller noted that more than forty of the minister’s contacts have also tested negative.

https://www.breitbart.com/health/2020/03/18/hungary-announces-successful-isolation-of-coronavirus/

Your Identity is Being Sold for Billions in a Massively Unregulated Market…

https://www.investmentwatchblog.com/your-identity-is-being-sold-for-billions-in-a-massively-unregulated-market/

Fugitive Charged with Child Molestation Arrested at Texas Border

Laredo Sector Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers arrested a U.S. citizen wanted in Dallas, Texas, for indecent sexual contact with a child as he attempted to re-enter the United States from Mexico.

CBP officers assigned to the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge observed a commercial bus approaching for inspection. During the initial immigration interviews, the officers referred a 72-year-old U.S. citizen from Dallas to a secondary inspection area, according to information obtained from Laredo Sector CBP officials.

During the secondary inspection, the officer conducted a biometric background investigation including a query of the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) centralized database of criminal information. The database search found an active warrant from Dallas. The man is charged with indecent sexual contact of a child, officials stated.

The officers arrested the man after confirming the warrant is still active and turned him over to Webb County Sheriff’s Office deputies in Laredo. He will be held in the Webb County jail pending transfer to Dallas County.

“CBP recognizes the significance of bringing those charged with serious sex crimes to justice,” Port Director Gregory Alvarez, Laredo Port of Entry, said in a written statement. “We give these types of cases our utmost attention, hoping to give the victim and their family comfort, knowing the alleged attacker is now in custody.”

“The National Crime Information Center (NCIC) is a centralized automated database designed to share information among law enforcement agencies including outstanding warrants for a wide range of offenses,” CBP officials said. “Based on information from NCIC, CBP officers have made previous arrests of individuals wanted for homicide, escape, money laundering, robbery, narcotics distribution, sexual child abuse, fraud, larceny, and military desertion.”

https://www.breitbart.com/border/2020/03/18/fugitive-charged-with-child-molestation-arrested-at-texas-border/

Latest message I received from YouTube, prepare for content purge:

Message from YouTube:

“IMPORTANT: Due to COVID-19, we will conduct fewer human reviews to protect the health of our extended workforce. Unfortunately, as a result we may remove content that does not violate our Community Guidelines”

https://www.investmentwatchblog.com/latest-message-i-received-from-youtube-prepare-for-content-purge/

‘Zionist’ Biden in His Own Words: ‘My Name is Joe Biden, and Everybody Knows I Love Israel’

“I am a Zionist. You don’t have to be a Jew to be a Zionist,” current Democratic Presidential candidate, Joe Biden, said in April 2007, soon before he was chosen to be Barack Obama’s running mate in the 2008 elections.

Biden is, of course, correct, because Zionism is a political movement that is rooted in 20th century nationalism and fascism. Its use of religious dogmas is prompted by political expediency, not spirituality or faith.

Unlike US President, Donald Trump, or Bernie Sanders, Biden’s only serious opponent in the Democratic primaries, Biden’s stand on Israel is rarely examined.

Trump has made his support for Israel the cornerstone of his foreign policy agenda since his inauguration into the White House in January 2017. The American President has basically transformed into Israel’s political genie, granting Tel Aviv all of its wishes in complete defiance of international law.

Sanders, on the other hand, came to represent the antithesis of Trump’s blind and reckless support for Israel. Himself Jewish, Sanders has promised to restore to the Palestinian people their rights and dignity, and to play a more evenhanded role, thus ending decades of US unconditional support and bias in favor of Israel.

But where does Biden factor into all of this?

Below is a brief examination of Biden’s record on Palestine and Israel in recent years, with the hope that it gives the reader a glimpse of a man that many Democrats feel is the rational alternative to the political imbalances and extremism of the Trump administration.

August 1984: Palestinians and Arabs are to Blame

Biden’s pro-Israel legacy began much earlier than his stint as a Vice-Ppresident or presidential candidate.

When Biden was only a Senator from Delaware, he spoke at the 1984 annual conference of "Herut Zionists of America." Herut is the forerunner of Israel’s right-wing Likud Party.

In his speech before the jubilant right-wing pro-Israel Zionist crowd, Biden derided the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Arab governments, for supposedly derailing peace in the Middle East.

Biden spoke of "three myths (that) propel U.S. policy in the Middle East" which, according to the American Senator, are, "the belief that Saudi Arabia can be a broker for peace, the belief that King Hussein (of Jordan) is ready to negotiate peace, and the belief that the Palestine Liberation Organization can deliver a consensus for peace."

April 2007: ‘I am a Zionist’

Time only cemented Biden’s pro-Israel’s convictions, leading to his declaration in April 2007 that he is not a mere supporter of Israel – as has become the standard among US politicians – but is a Zionist himself.

In an interview with Shalom TV, and despite his insistence that he does not need to be Jewish to be a Zionist, Biden labored to make connections with the ‘Jewish State’, revealing that his son is married to a Jewish woman and that "he had participated in a Passover Seder at their house," according to the Israeli Ynet News.

https://original.antiwar.com/ramzy-baroud/2020/03/17/zionist-biden-in-his-own-words-my-name-is-joe-biden-and-everybody-knows-i-love-israel/

Ohio Jail Releases Hundreds To Protect Them from Coronavirus Despite No Known Cases

Do you know what we need during a national emergency? More alleged criminals out on the streets.

This is apparently the lesson we’re supposed to take away from officials in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, the jurisdiction in which the city of Cleveland is located. Ohio’s second-most populous county has decided to release hundreds of inmates from the Cuyahoga County jail over COVID-19 fears.

Here’s the thing — not a single person in the jail was known to be infected.

According to WJW-TV, judges on the Cuyahoga County Court were concerned that the virus might quickly spread in the facility.

“Judges held a special Saturday morning session to settle cases with guilty pleas, release inmates, send them to prison or release them on house arrest,” WJW reported.

Earlier in the week, Administrative Judge Brendan Sheehan told the station many of the inmates were in poor health, which he said made it a potential breeding ground for COVID-19.

According to CNN, more than 200 inmates were released from the jail out of a population of 1,970.

Almost any kind of inmate was up for release as well.

“You gotta remember, the goal of this is to protect the community and the safety of the inmates,” Sheehan said.

“If someone’s a serious violent person, well, we’re using our discretion to make sure the community’s safe also,” he said.

Sheehan also said he was making room for a possible quarantine.

“We are trying to make as much room as possible, so when this virus hits our jail, the jail can deal with these people, quarantine them and deal with it instead of letting them sit there and infect the whole entire jail,” he said.

http://www.womensystems.com/2020/03/ohio-jail-releases-hundreds-to-protect.html

Alex Jones Prepares Lawsuit Against Trump Administration to Stop Potential Interstate Travel Ban

Alex Jones, the popular conspiracy theorist who founded Infowars, is preparing a lawsuit against the Trump administration in order to stop a possible interstate travel ban, as the U.S. inches toward martial law.

Although President Trump has not announced an interstate travel ban yet, he has said that it could be in the works if he feels it is necessary to stop coronavirus. Jones, who is one of Trump’s most prominent backers, feels this would be crossing the line.

“In our view, while the COVID-19 crisis does present a real and present danger to public health, there is also something significant at stake, and that is our fundamental freedoms and rights as Americans,” lawyer Norm Pattis said while appearing on The Alex Jones Show Monday. “We have drafted a lawsuit titled Alex Jones v. Donald Trump, naming a number of Trump’s Cabinet officials, in the event that President Trump announces an interstate travel ban or something like it.”

“We will go immediately into a District of Columbia court and ask for injunctive declaratory relief,” he added. “In other words, a ruling from a judge that the action is unlawful, and an order from the judge barring implementation of it. If that judge rejects our claim, we we’ll go to the D.C. Court of Appeals. If that court rejects our claim we will seek a hearing in the United States Supreme Court.”

Jones makes it clear that he is not doing this out of spite or malice, but rather to protect American constitutional liberties while the country is in a very precarious state.

“When I do this, it’s not because it’s President Trump, I like President Trump. The globalists definitely hate him, but they’ve maneuvered him into this impossible choice, this rock and a hard place, because if he doesn’t respond, they’ll just trigger riots and other crises, and the media will trigger hysteria. Either he comes in with the clampdown or the globalists do it and brush him aside and make him irrelevant. The left has celebrated it. We said ‘Trump, look out! They’re setting you up.’ We were absolutely right,” he said.

President Trump issued a press conference on Monday urging people not to gather in groups larger than 10 people in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

“We have an invisible enemy,” Trump said. “This is a bad one. This is a very bad one.”

“Each and every one of us has a critical role to play in stopping the spread and transmission of the virus,” Trump added. “If everyone makes this change or these critical changes and sacrifices now, we will rally together as one nation, and we will defeat the virus, and we’re going to have a big celebration altogether. With several weeks of focused action, we can turn the corner and turn it quickly.”

Jones has the lawsuit prepared and will issue it against the Trump administration if they announce an interstate travel ban.

https://governmentslaves.news/2020/03/18/alex-jones-prepares-lawsuit-against-trump-administration-to-stop-potential-interstate-travel-ban/

Netanyahu Gives Himself Broad Phone Tapping Powers To Fight "Invisible Enemy" Coronavirus

Over the weekend we noted with alarm that the Israeli government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is now tapping counter-terror forces and technology to fight the "invisible enemy" of the coronavorus - as Netanyahu put it in a Saturday address.

“We will very soon begin using technology… digital means that we have been using in order to fight terrorism,” Netanyahu had said. Among these new "emergency measures" include broader domestic phone tapping powers as part of the counter-terror technology initiative, as AP reports:

Netanyahu’s Cabinet on Sunday authorized the Shin Bet security agency to use its phone-snooping tactics on coronavirus patients, an official confirmed, despite concerns from civil-liberties advocates that the practice would raise serious privacy issues. The official spoke on condition of anonymity pending an official announcement.

Ironically enough the outbreak scare has emboldened Netanyahu to admit that much of his plan will “entail a certain degree of violation of privacy.” This extreme overstep action comes as Israel has reached over 200 confirmed Covid-19 cases and has thousands in mandated quarantine.

The technology, which according to the prime minister has "never been used on civilians" - a highly doubtful claim - will help track an infected person's history of past interactions as well as current whereabouts, ensuring they don't break isolation, according to the plan.

“They are not minor measures. They entail a certain degree of violation of the privacy of those same people, who we will check to see whom they came into contact with while sick and what preceded that. This is an effective tool for locating the virus,” Netanyahu said.

Well at the very least he was honest about taking Israeli society down the road of Orwellian police state in the name of "protection" from the pandemic. However, we would note that it's the first we've heard of a country openly touting its counter-terror technology and domestic spying as being used to fight the virus, with the exception of China.

Netanyahu said these are “means that until today I have refrained from using among the civilian population.”

This is not the Purge, but policemen arrest a man who disobeyed to his quarantine orders in Tel Aviv#CoronaVirusUpdate pic.twitter.com/usnUCsliFS

— Guy Elster (@guyelster) March 14, 2020

In a clear understatement, yet deeply disturbing nonetheless, one opposition party leader from Meretz party, Nitzan Horowitz noted that tracking citizens “using databases and sophisticated technological means are liable to result in a severe violation of privacy and basic civil liberties.”

Meanwhile, former US special forces soldier and now journalist Jack Murphy put it more bluntly:

https://www.blacklistednews.com/article/76530/netanyahu-gives-himself-broad-phone-tapping-powers-to-fight-invisible-enemy.html

Yemen’s Houthis Report They’ve Seized Province on Saudi Border

Jawf seized, Houthis turn sights on Maarib

Yemen’s Shi’ite Houthi movement has reported on Tuesday that they have taken control of nearly the entire Jawf Province, a northern province bordering Saudi Arabia. This is one of the biggest gains reported by the Houthis in months.

Controlling more of the border is always useful, but indications are that this is just the start of a broader push, with the Houthis seeking to turn south into Maarib Province. That province is where Yemen’s valuable, albeit limited oil and gas industries are located.

Tuesday already saw some very heavy fighting in Maarib, with 38 reported killed. Both sides claimed to have the advantage there, but as with most central Yemen provinces it tends to be very stalemated, and fighting is probably going to continue to rage there.

This suggests a large push by the Houthis concentrated on valuable territory. It’s not clear why, but this might represent a desire to have more territory in hand when peace talks advance, giving them a better bargaining position. The Saudis have been trying to get the talks going, but Yemen’s Saudi-backed government has resisted anything short of total victory.

https://news.antiwar.com/2020/03/17/yemens-houthis-report-theyve-seized-province-on-saudi-border/

US Imposes New Iran Sanctions, Complicating Coronavirus

Pompeo accuses Iran of being 'an accomplice' to the virus

Last week, Iranian officials emphasized that US sanctions are making their reaction to the coronavirus outbreak much more difficult, leading to both Iran and China to urge the US to put those sanctions on hold for humanitarian reason.

Not going after Iran for humanitarian reasons, needless to say, isn’t a policy that the administration considers, and the US announced more sanctions against Iran on Tuesday, saying they are part of the ongoing ‘maximum pressure campaign.’

But it wouldn’t be the Trump Administration if they didn’t rub it in. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo followed this up by declaring “The Wuhan virus is a killer and the Iranian regime is an accomplice,” arguing that Iran is being incompetent in reacting to the pandemic.

Iran isn’t being successful in controlling the outbreak, of course, but US sanctions are preventing them from buying a lot of medicine or equipment to treat the sick. The US military had some officials openly presenting this as part of the US strategy, believing that sick and dying Iranians would slow their ability to make decisions that threaten the US.

https://news.antiwar.com/2020/03/17/us-imposes-new-iran-sanctions-complicating-coronavirus/

Israel seals its borders to all foreigners amid coronavirus outbreak

Israeli citizens, permanent residents still allowed in, but non-nationals, even those who can quarantine, now barred; border crossings with Egypt, Jordan sealed

Israel announced Wednesday that it was barring all foreigners from entering the country to curb the spread of COVID-19.

As of March 12, only non-Israeli nationals who could prove an ability to self-quarantine in accordance with Health Ministry directives have been allowed into the country. Under the new ban, which took effect immediately, even those able to self-quarantine will be denied entry to Israel.

The Population Immigration and Border Authority, which announced the new policy, said the entry ban was recommended by the Health Ministry and will apply to all international border crossings.

“After receiving the recommendation of the Health Ministry, it was decided that beginning today, the entry of foreigners who are not Israeli citizens or [permanent] residents will not be allowed,” the authority said in a statement.

It said an exception would be made for non-nationals whose “center of life is in Israel,” without elaborating.

The new entry ban appeared to be one of the strictest yet adopted by any country since the first cases of COVID-19 emerged in China in December before spreading across the globe.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-closes-borders-to-all-foreigners-amid-coronavirus-outbreak/

New White House Plan Would Now Send Up To $2,000 To Each American

Washington Post reporters Erica Werner and Jeff Stein just broke a new story that means all Americans could be getting upwards of $2,000 instead of $1,000 as originally thought.

According to their report on TheHour.com, the White House wants to send two checks of $1,000 to every American to help them financially during this economic crunch.

Here’s more from their report:

WASHINGTON – White House officials are working with congressional Republicans on an emergency stimulus package that could send two $1,000 checks to many Americans and also devote $300 billion towards helping small businesses avoid mass layoffs, according to two senior administration officials.

No final decisions have been made and talks with Republican leaders remain fluid, but the growing scale of the $1 trillion rescue plan is coming into sharper focus.

The White House will still need backing from Democrats before any plan can be pushed into law, but many Democrats have said they would support sending cash payments to Americans who are struggling to pay bills because of the virus’s economic impact. Still, multiple levels of negotiations remain.

https://thedcpatriot.com/breaking-new-white-house-plan-would-now-send-up-to-2000-to-each-american/

Trump says US, Canada to close border to 'non-essential traffic' amid coronavirus

Specifics of the closure were not immediately available, but the new restrictions are likely to affect non-citizens traveling between the two countries. Trump and the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau discussed the situation on Wednesday morning, officials said.

"You can only be vigilant and very professional, but it’s not pertaining at this moment to trade between the two countries," Trump told reporters at a news briefing on Wednesday afternoon.

The Department of Homeland Security is expected to implement the changes.

Trump hinted on Tuesday that a potential border closure with Canada and Mexico was being discussed at the White House as officials seek to further limit the transmission of the coronavirus.

Trump's tweet on Wednesday made clear that trade between the two nations will not be impacted. The president last week caused significant confusion when he initially said that trade with Europe would be halted due to travel restrictions, forcing him to issue a correcting tweet.

The U.S. has restricted travel from large swaths of the world in an effort to curb the number of non-citizens entering the country who may be carrying COVID-19. Trump previously issued orders to stop flights into the country from China, South Korea and all of Europe.

The total number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus worldwide surpassed 200,000 on Wednesday, according to data tracked by Johns Hopkins University. There are more than 6,500 cases in the U.S., and more than 100 Americans have died from the virus.

Canada has roughly 600 confirmed cases, according to Johns Hopkins, and fewer than 10 deaths as of Wednesday morning.

Trudeau has been quarantined in his home in recent days after his wife tested positive for the virus.

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/488194-us-to-restrict-border-with-canada-amid-coronavirus

Liberal Globalized Order Is Collapsing Under Pressure from Coronavirus

U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to cancel flights between Europe and his country, with the exception of the United Kingdom, and to impose a 14-day quarantine before entry can be made was an unpleasant surprise for Europe as Washington announced the decision without warning and coordination. The restriction has been introduced for an initial period of 30 days and is caused by the coronavirus pandemic declared by the World Health Organization. Although Europe found the action to be excessive, the European Union completely failed in dealing with the coronavirus and such actions are fully in line with measures taken by many countries, including Israel and Australia. In Israel, everyone who arrives from abroad must do a two-week quarantine at home, with authorities not allowing hotel stays – effectively there is no tourism. Although Australia has imposed a 14-day quarantine on new arrivals to the country, hotel stays are allowed.

Because of this, the increasing number of movement restrictions introduced by many countries due to coronaviruses are seriously affecting both national economies and the very idea of ​​globalization itself. Along with the U.S., Israel and Australia, Russia also decided to end flights with Italy, Germany, France and Spain with a few exceptions. Some other countries that have tightened their visa regime are India, Thailand and Sri Lanka, with the list likely to expand. As the coronavirus gets out of control in some European Union countries, many Ukrainians are returning home which could create an outbreak in the country that already has a strained healthcare system.

International and national meetings and events are being cancelled, including perhaps the most important, the World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference, which was supposed to take place in Kazakhstan. The World Figure Skating Championships is no longer being held in Canada and the U.S. are refusing to host the World Cup stages in skiing. Although the World Trade Organization cancellation is the biggest event to be the victim to the coronavirus, later this year the Tokyo Summer Olympics are to be held, with the torch ceremony beginning just a few days ago in Greece. The fate of the Tokyo Olympics is not yet determined, which would be a devastating loss considering it is the world’s biggest event this year. The International Olympic Committee and Japan are still determined to hold the famous sporting event, which is understandable since a delay or cancellation of it would be a devastating financial blow to the Asian country.

https://theduran.com/liberal-globalized-order-is-collapsing-under-pressure-from-coronavirus/

To ease global virus test bottleneck, Israeli scientists suggest pooling samples

Technion and Rambam Hospital set to publish research showing testing the samples of 32 or 64 patients at a time can quickly rule out entire groups

Rambam Medical Center and the Technion in Haifa say they have come up with a faster and more efficient way to test people for the coronavirus, by pooling samples.

According to the hospital, by testing the samples of up to 32 or even 64 people at a time, it can quickly establish if any have the virus. Only in cases where the virus is found in the group of samples will the individuals in the pool need to take their own tests to determine who is carrying COVID-19.

The scientists say this could ease the bottleneck at coronavirus testing labs worldwide, and potentially take millions of people out of unnecessary quarantine.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/to-ease-global-virus-test-bottleneck-israeli-scientists-suggest-pooling-samples/