2020 election news, candidates, polls and issues

Un avion de chasse russe abat un drone américain au-dessus de la mer Noire - Numerama
▻https://www.numerama.com/cyberguerre/1303888-un-avion-de-chasse-russe-abat-un-drone-americain-au-dessus-de-la-m

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Un avion de chasse russe a déversé du carburant sur un drone de combat américain, endommageant l’appareil au-dessus de la mer Noire. L’engin a fini dans les eaux internationales.
[…]
L’armée de l’air américaine a publié une déclaration accusant l’avion russe d’avoir agi « de manière imprudente, non respectueuse de l’environnement et non professionnelle », selon le général James B. Hecker, commandant des forces aériennes américaines en Europe et en Afrique.

Opinion: What the US can learn from how African countries handled Covid - CNN
▻https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/03/africa/africa-coronavirus-lessons-opinion-intl/index.html

https://cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/201102055011-restricted-bus-station-rwanda-0603-super-tease.jpg

Epidemiologists had expected weak health systems in Africa to crumble under the weight of Covid-19. Eight months into the pandemic, Africa with a population of 1.3 billion, reported nearly 1.8 million Covid infections, while the US, on its way to its third peak, has reported more than nine million cases.

While some of this low reporting could be attributed to poor testing, Africa as a continent appears to have handled the pandemic more effectively than the US has. (…) Rwandans are now allowed to travel to Europe, while Americans remain prohibited.

Très discrètement le CDC étasunien vient de renoncer à tester les sujets contacts, sans même donner de consignes de mise en quarantaine.

Carl T. Bergstrom sur Twitter : “Without explanation, the CDCGov made remarkable and troubling changes to their guidelines on coronavirus testing this week. They’ve gone from indicating testing for all close contacts to suggesting that testing is not necessary for close contacts of known cases.” / Twitter
▻https://twitter.com/CT_Bergstrom/status/1298432375219580928

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Coronavirus immunity offers perils and promise - CNN
▻https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/21/health/coronavirus-immunity-frieden-opinion/index.html

https://cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/200717020431-dr-frieden-town-hall-super-tease.jpg

L’auteur de l’article est un ancien directeur du CDC étasunien ,

Our schools and universities need to be extraordinarily careful. In most of the country, we need to keep our bars closed, indoor dining closed, and avoid closed indoor spaces with lots of people present. There may be light at the end of the tunnel, but immunity is definitely not just around the corner!

L’ONU rejette la résolution américaine visant à prolonger l’embargo sur les armes en Iran
▻https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2020/08/15/l-onu-rejette-la-resolution-americaine-visant-a-prolonger-l-embargo-sur-les-

Les Etats-Unis, qui font pression pour isoler l’Iran, ont dénoncé un vote « inexcusable ». De son côté, Téhéran a salué ce vote, estimant que Washington n’a « jamais été si isolé ».

Washington ne se faisait pas d’illusion mais espérait paraître moins seul dans sa stratégie de lutte contre le nucléaire iranien. Ça n’a pas marché. Le Conseil de sécurité des Nations unies (ONU) a rejeté, vendredi 14 août, une résolution américaine visant à prolonger l’embargo sur les ventes d’armes à l’Iran qui expire en octobre, suscitant la colère des Etats-Unis qui ont dénoncé un vote « inexcusable ».

Le projet de Washington n’a été approuvé que par deux pays, a annoncé l’Indonésie, qui préside actuellement cette instance. Deux autres, la Russie et la Chine, ont voté contre et les onze membres restants du Conseil se sont abstenus, parmi lesquels la France, le Royaume-Uni et l’Allemagne, alliés européens des Etats-Unis.

Seul soutien : la République Dominicaine
Abstentions : France, Royaume-Uni, Afrique du Sud, Allemagne, Belgique, Estonie, Indonésie, Niger, Saint-Vincent et les Grenadines, Tunisie, Vietnam

US defense officials contradict Trump : No indication yet of attack in Beirut
▻https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/04/politics/defense-officials-contradict-trump-beirut/index.html

Three US Defense Department officials told CNN that as of Tuesday night there was no indication that the massive explosion that rocked Beirut on Tuesday were an “attack,” contradicting an earlier claim from President Donald Trump.

[…]

But the defense officials, who declined to be identified so they could speak freely, said they didn’t know what the President was talking about.

One official said that if there were indications anyone in the region pulled something off of this scale, it would trigger automatic increases in force protection for US troops and assets in the region — if for no other reason than worry about retribution attacks.

That official noted that none of that has happened so far.

Florida #Covid-19 cases in children: Hospitalizations among kids jump 23% - CNN
▻https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/27/health/florida-covid-children-hospitalizations/index.html

https://cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/200724025226-us-coronavirus-0721-super-tease.jpg

#enfants #états-unis

Head of NYPD union gives Fox News interview with QAnon mug in background
▻https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/17/us/head-nypd-union-qanon-mug/index.html

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The head of the New York Police Department’s second-largest police union gave a television interview Friday afternoon while sitting in front of a mug emblazoned with QAnon imagery and slogans.

The mug was positioned behind Ed Mullins, president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association, during a roughly seven-minute interview on the Fox News show “Your World with Neil Cavuto.”

Followers of the QAnon conspiracy believe there is a “deep state” within the US government that is controlled by a cabal of Satan-worshipping pedophiles. According to the conspiracy, the cabal is largely run by Democratic politicians and liberal celebrities — and President Donald Trump is trying to take them down. The baseless theory has been linked to several violent incidents.

Declining eyesight can be improved by looking at red light, pilot study says - CNN
▻https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/30/health/declining-eyesight-red-light-scn-wellness/index.html

The study was small, a pilot study to test the concept. Researchers recruited 12 men and 12 women, whose ages ranged from 28 to 72. Each participant was given a small handheld flashlight that emitted a red light with a wavelength of 670 nanometers. That wavelength is toward the long end of the visible spectrum, and just short of an infrared wavelength, which tends to be invisible to the human eye.

They spent three minutes each day looking into the light over a period of two weeks.

#santé #vision

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Two hairstylists who had #coronavirus saw 140 clients. No new infections have been linked to the salon, officials say - CNN
▻https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/11/us/missouri-hairstylists-coronavirus-clients-trnd/index.html

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The clients and the stylists all wore face coverings, and the salon had set up other measures such as social distancing of chairs and staggered appointments, the Springfield-Greene County Health Department said this week.

Deux coiffeurs s’occupent de 140 clients alors qu’ils ont le coronavirus - Capital.fr
▻https://www.capital.fr/entreprises-marches/deux-coiffeurs-soccupent-de-140-clients-alors-quils-ont-le-coronavirus-13724

Pour Clay Goddard, directeur de la Santé du Comté, « il s’agit d’une nouvelle excitante sur la valeur du port du masque pour prévenir le #Covid-19 ». « Nous étudions de plus près les détails de ces expositions, y compris les types de masques portés et les autres précautions prises pour aboutir à ce résultat encourageant », a-t-il ajouté.

#masques

Migrants arriving at US borders largely barred from humanitarian relief - CNNPolitics
#Covid-19#migrant#migration#US#fermeture#aide

▻https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/22/politics/migrants-barred-humanitarian-relief/index.html

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(CNN)Migrants seeking refuge in the US have been largely barred from humanitarian relief in the wake of stringent border control measures the Trump administration put in place during the coronavirus pandemic.

California is now offering support to undocumented immigrants, in the first relief fund of its kind - CNN
#Covid-19#migrant#migration#US#aide#sanspapier

▻https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/18/us/california-undocumented-immigrants-relief-fund-trnd/index.html

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(CNN)Starting today, undocumented immigrants in California can begin applying for financial assistance to support them during the coronavirus pandemic — in the first relief fund of its kind.

Stephen Miller: The campaign to cut immigration to the United States amid the coronavirus pandemic - CNNPolitics
#Covid-19#migrant#migration#US#politique_migratoire

▻https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/08/politics/stephen-miller-immigration-coronavirus-white-house/index.html

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(CNN)In a late-night tweet last month, President Donald Trump teased a sweeping executive order that would suspend immigration to the United States due to the coronavirus pandemic, building up anticipation among allies who for years have urged Trump to reduce levels of immigration. But the text of the proclamation, released days later, fell far short of the President’s promise.

Uber to offer drivers 14 days sick leave if sicked or quarantined due to coronavirus - CNN
▻https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/07/tech/uber-coronavirus-sick-leave/index.html
Da geht noch was. Mal sehen, welche Zusagen eingehalten werden. In Deutschland haben es die „ridesharing Anbieter“ leichter. Hierzulande sollten alle Fahrer über die gesetzliche Krankenversicherung und die Sozialleistungen abgesichert sein. Die so oft von den disruptiven Konzernen kritisierten und vermiedenen Nebenkosten zahlen sich also auch für sie aus.

Da die örtlichen Uber-Partner die Einkommen ihrer Fahrer häufig nur teilweise bei Finanzamt und Sozialversicherung anmelden, reichen den Angestellten die Unterstützungsleistungen jedoch oft nicht zu überleben. Dann ist der Gang zum Jobcenter angesagt.

Eigentlich wäre die Corona-Krise eine gute Gelegenheit, den schwärzesten Schafen im Gewerbe auf die Schliche zu kommen, aber bisher ist davon nichts zu hören.

9.3.2020 - New York (CNN Business)Uber said it will offer drivers and delivery people 14 days of paid sick leave if they fall ill with coronavirus or are placed in quarantine.

It’s a change in policy for the ride-share service, which largely views such workers as independent contractors not eligible for benefits.
“We are supporting drivers and delivery people who are diagnosed with COVID-19 or placed in quarantine by a public health authority,” Andrew Macdonald, senior vice president of Rides and Platform, said in a statement Saturday. “Drivers and delivery people in these situations will receive compensation for a period of up to 14 days. This has already begun in some markets and we are working to implement mechanisms to do this worldwide. We believe this is the right thing to do.”

The company did not say how much money workers who need to take sick leave will receive. The policy shift comes as coronavirus cases exceed 100,000 worldwide and continue to rise in the United States.
...
No federal law requires companies to provide paid sick leave, and almost a quarter of all US workers don’t get it, according to 2019 government data.
On-demand companies like Uber (UBER) and Lyft (LYFT) previously sent out guidance that encouraged washing hands and sanitizing vehicles. Both companies said they have teams devoted to the issue.
Lyft said in a statement Saturday it “will provide funds to drivers should they be diagnosed with COVID-19 or put under individual quarantine by a public health agency.” The company did not elaborate.

#Uber #Arbeit #covid-19

ICE detention and coronavirus: Doctors warn Congress - CNN
#Covid-19#migrant#migration#US#ICE#protection#sante#centrederetention

▻https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/20/health/doctors-ice-detention-coronavirus/index.html

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Two doctors who are medical experts for the Department of Homeland Security are sending a warning to members of Congress.

Oil prices turned negative. Hundreds of US oil companies could go bankrupt - CNN
▻https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/20/business/oil-price-crash-bankruptcy/index.html

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The American oil industry is facing a doomsday scenario.

The coronavirus pandemic has caused oil demand to drop so rapidly that the world is running out of room to store barrels. At the same time, Russia and Saudi Arabia flooded the world with excess supply.
That double black swan has caused oil prices to collapse to levels that make it impossible for US shale oil companies to make money. US crude for May delivery turned negative on Monday — something that has never happened since NYMEX oil futures began trading in 1983. It was easily the oil market’s worst day on record.
US crude for June delivery is still trading above $20 a barrel — but even that’s disastrous.

“$30 is already quite bad, but once you get to $20 or even $10, it’s a complete nightmare,” said Artem Abramov, head of shale research at Rystad Energy.

Many oil companies took on too much debt during the good times. Some of them won’t be able to survive this historic downturn.
In a $20 oil environment, 533 US oil exploration and production companies will file for bankruptcy by the end of 2021, according to Rystad Energy. At $10, there would be more than 1,100 bankruptcies, Rystad estimates.

“At $10, almost every US E&P company that has debt will have to file Chapter 11 or consider strategic opportunities,” Abramov said.

The most stunning part of the record low in oil prices is that it comes after Russia and Saudi Arabia agreed to end their epic price war after President Donald Trump intervened. OPEC+ agreed to cut oil production by a record amount.
Trump said the OPEC+ agreement would save countless jobs and much-needed stability to the oil patch.
“This will save hundreds of thousands of energy jobs in the United States,” Trump tweeted on April 12. “I would like to thank and congratulate President Putin of Russia and King Salman of Saudi Arabia.”

Contrairement aux affirmations à l’emporte-pièce de...

....la CNN...
Remdesivir : Covid-19 patients recovering quickly after getting experimental drug - CNN
▻https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/16/health/coronavirus-remdesivir-trial/index.html

... et Bret Stephens (New York times)...
Opinion | The Story of Remdesivir - The New York Times
▻https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/17/opinion/remdesivir-coronavirus.html

...les résultats partiels d’une étude en cours (connus grâce à une « fuite »- qui a fait bondir la valeur en bourse de la compagnie pharmaceutique mère...) ne prouvent nullement l’efficacité du #remdesivir, comme expliqué ci-dessous :

What’s Happening With Remdesivir ? | In the Pipeline
▻https://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2020/04/17/whats-happening-with-remdesivir

But now that it’s out there, let’s talk about what’s in the leak. Gilead stock jumped like a spawning salmon in after-market trading on this, and one of the reasons was that that 113 of the 125 patients were classed as having “severe disease”. People ran with the idea that these must have been people on ventilators who were walking out of the hospital, but that is not the case. As AndyBiotech pointed out on Twitter, all you had to do was read the trial’s exclusion criteria: patients were not even admitted into the trial if they were on mechanical ventilation. Some will have moved on to ventilation during the trial, but we don’t know how many (the trial protocol has these in a separate group).

Note also that this trial is open-label ; both doctors and patients know who is getting what, and note the really key point: there is no control arm . This is one of the trials mentioned in this post on small-molecule therapies as being the most likely to read out first, but it’s always been clear that the tradeoff for that speed is rigor. The observational paper that was published on remdesivir in the NEJM had no controls either, of course, and that made it hard to interpret. Scratch that, it made it impossible to interpret. It will likely be the same with this trial – the comparison is between a five-day course of remdesivir and a ten-day course, and the primary endpoint is the odds ratio for improvement between the two groups.

Et ce d’autant plus que la « fuite » survient juste après l’annonce de l’arrêt avant-terme de deux études chinoises sur le remdesivir (ce qui avait eu un mauvais effet sur la cotation en bourse...)

More Small Molecule Clinical Data Against Covid-19, As of April 16 | In the Pipeline
▻https://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2020/04/16/more-small-molecule-clinical-data-against-covid-19-as-of-april-16

I refer to trials of Gilead’s remdesivir in China, one for moderate cases and one for severe ones, both of which were updated yesterday to “suspended” on ClinicalTrials.gov. That took people by surprise, and Gilead’s stock dropped in response.

#mic-mac #manipulations # #sars-cov-2 #coronavirus #covid-19 #pharma

UK may have to rethink its relationship with migrant workers due to coronavirus - CNN
#Covid-19#migrant#migration#RoyaumeUni#politique
▻https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/17/europe/migrant-workers-uk-coronavirus-gbr-intl/index.html

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London (CNN)Coronavirus travel restrictions have led to a labor crisis for British agricultural sectors that traditionally rely on seasonal migrant workers from Europe, forcing some employers to bring workers in on charter flights.

US expels more than 6,000 migrants using new pandemic rules - CNNPolitics
#Covid-19#migrant#migration#US#expulsion
▻https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/09/politics/southern-border-coronavirus/index.html

https://cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/200106161520-02-us-border-patrol-agent-super-tease.jpg

Beijing tightens grip over coronavirus research amid US-China row on virus origin - CNN
▻https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/12/asia/china-coronavirus-research-restrictions-intl-hnk/index.html

Hong Kong (CNN)China has imposed restrictions on the publication of academic research on the origins of the novel coronavirus, according to a central government directive and online notices published by two Chinese universities, that have since been removed from the web.

Under the new policy, all academic papers on Covid-19 will be subject to extra vetting before being submitted for publication. Studies on the origin of the virus will receive extra scrutiny and must be approved by central government officials, according to the now-deleted posts.
A medical expert in Hong Kong who collaborated with mainland researchers to publish a clinical analysis of Covid-19 cases in an international medical journal said his work did not undergo such vetting in February.

The increased scrutiny appears to be the latest effort by the Chinese government to control the narrative on the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed more than 100,000 lives and sickened 1.7 million people worldwide since it first broke out in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December.
Since late January, Chinese researchers have published a series of Covid-19 studies in influential international medical journals. Some findings about early coronavirus cases — such as when human-to-human transition first appeared — have raised questions over the official government account of the outbreak and sparked controversy on Chinese social media.
And now, Chinese authorities appear to be tightening their grip on the publication of Covid-19 research.

A Chinese researcher who spoke on condition of anonymity due to fear of retaliation said the move was a worrying development that would likely obstruct important scientific research.
“I think it is a coordinated effort from (the) Chinese government to control (the) narrative, and paint it as if the outbreak did not originate in China,” the researcher told CNN. “And I don’t think they will really tolerate any objective study to investigate the origination of this disease.”
CNN has reached out to China’s foreign ministry for comment.(...)

However, parts of Chinese social media and even the country’s government appear to have launched a concerted campaign to question the origin of the virus.
Chinese officials and state media have repeatedly stressed that there has been no conclusion on the exact origin of the virus. Last month, Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, promoted a conspiracy on Twitter that the virus had originated in the US and was brought to China by the US military.
In China, research papers on the coronavirus are already subjected to layers of vetting after they are submitted to Chinese academic journals, according to an editor at a Chinese medical journal.
Wang Lan, the editorial director of the Chinese Journal of Epidemiology, said all Covid-19 papers have to go through an approval process for “major topics” after being submitted to her journal.
“It has always been the case,” she told CNN. “They have to be approved by three levels of organizations. It’s a long process.”
The Chinese researcher who requested anonymity said under the new restrictions, however, coronavirus research that contradicted the official narrative could be suppressed by Beijing.
“I think the importance is that the international scientific community must realize that any journal or manuscripts from (a) Chinese research institution has kind of been double-checked by the government,” said the researcher. “It is important for them to know there are extra steps between independent scientific research and final publication.”
CNN’s Steven Jiang and Alexandra Lin contributed reporting.

#recherche #story_telling