- U.S.Yahoo News
Former head of pandemic response team speaks out: 'I'm frankly scared'
The official who oversaw epidemic preparedness for the National Security Council under President Obama said the absence of public guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during the COVID-19 pandemic leaves her “frankly scared” — and that eliminating her position weakened the American response to the coronavirus when it emerged 18 months later. Beth Cameron, who served as senior director for global health security and biodefense on the NSC until early 2017, was interviewed on the Yahoo News “Skullduggery” podcast. “I'm frankly scared that our CDC is not out in front talking about this,” Cameron said.
- WorldBusiness Insider
Oxford scientists working on a coronavirus vaccine say there is now only a 50% chance of success because the number of UK cases is falling too quickly
YouTube/University of Oxford Oxford scientists working on a coronavirus vaccine say the chances of success are now 50%. They say that's because the number of people with the virus in the UK is falling too quickly. "At the moment, there's a 50% chance that we get no result at all," scientist Adam Hill said this weekend.
WorldAFPRussian prosecutors seek 18 years for ex-US marine in spy trial
Russian prosecutors on Monday called for a former US marine charged with spying to be sentenced to 18 years in prison, after a closed-door trial denounced by Washington and his family. Paul Whelan, 50, was detained in Moscow in December 2018 for allegedly receiving state secrets, but he insists he was framed when he took a USB drive from an acquaintance thinking it contained holiday photos. His trial, which caused tensions between Moscow and Washington and sparked speculation of a prisoner swap, concluded with closing arguments on Monday.
- WorldAssociated Press
New Zealand leader carries on with TV interview during quake
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern barely skipped a beat when an earthquake struck during a live television interview Monday morning. She interrupted Newshub host Ryan Bridge to tell him what was happening at the parliament complex in the capital, Wellington. We're just having a bit of an earthquake here Ryan, quite a decent shake here,” she said, looking up and around the room.
- WorldReuters
Palestinians easing coronavirus restrictions in West Bank
Mosques, churches and businesses in the occupied West Bank will reopen on Tuesday in an easing of coronavirus restrictions, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said on Monday. The Palestinian Authority declared a health emergency in March and imposed lockdowns after the first cases of the novel coronavirus were confirmed in the West Bank town of Bethlehem. Shtayyeh said that government ministries and offices would reopen on Wednesday and that checkpoints set up to limit traffic between West Bank cities would be removed.
WorldYahoo News VideoFormer head of pandemic response team at the NSC speaks out: 'I'm frankly scared'
The official who oversaw epidemic preparedness for the National Security Council under President Obama said the absence of public guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during the COVID-19 pandemic leaves her “frankly scared. She also believes and that eliminating her position weakened the American response to the coronavirus when it emerged 18 months later.
- U.S.NBC News
Two dead in severe storms in Carolinas; thousands without power
Heavy rains and strong winds knocked down trees and power lines, leaving over 45,000 homes and businesses without power on Saturday morning. Emergency workers also responded to a deadly crash in Lancaster County, South Carolina, where strong winds uprooted a tree and utility pole that fell onto a pickup truck, killing the driver. Authorities identified the deceased driver as 57-year-old Joe Dale Humphries.
- WorldBBC
Coronavirus in South Africa: President Ramaphosa says outbreak will get worse
The president of South Africa has warned that the country's coronavirus outbreak is going to get much worse, while announcing that lockdown measures are to be eased. Cyril Ramaphosa said a third of the country's more than 22,000 cases had been recorded in the last week. Mr Ramaphosa was speaking after a mining company in South Africa said 164 workers at a gold mine near Johannesburg had tested positive for coronavirus.
- PoliticsThe Guardian
Joe Biden forced to make his fundraisers fully virtual – bar the price tag
The coronavirus pandemic may have driven Joe Biden into his basement and forced his campaign online, but one crucial factor is still the same: his run for the White House still needs to raise giant amounts of money. A fundraising invite for a 14 May event for the New Hampshire Republican congressional candidate Matt Mowers featuring the former New Jersey governor Chris Christie starts at $250 for the “individual” level and goes all the way to $1,000 for the chair level.
- U.S.Politico
Key swing state warns of November election 'nightmare'
Less than two weeks away fromPennsylvania's primary, some state election officials said they lack the funding and staff needed to handle the massive influx of mail-in ballots they've received for that race. They also said the fact that they legally can't start counting those ballots until the morning of Election Day is complicating matters. In addition to delaying a final tally, the chaos and confusion could sow distrust ahead of the general election and give fodder to those seeking to discredit its results.
- WorldBusiness Insider
Russia records its highest daily death toll from the coronavirus as its number of new cases appears to decline
Lev Fedoseyev\TASS via Getty Images Russia recorded 8,599 new cases 153 new deaths on Sunday linked to the coronavirus, raising its overall death toll to 3,541. The country has recorded 344,481 coronavirus cases and is the third-worst hit country in its total number of coronavirus cases behind Brazil and the US, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. While its daily death toll continues to increase, its number of new daily cases appears to be on the decline.
- WorldCBS News
Muslims finding new ways to celebrate Eid amid coronavirus
Muslim communities across America are finding new ways to celebrate this weekend's Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramandan. The three-day holiday after a month of fasting from dawn to sunset is traditionally one that brings families and friends together for large and intimate gatherings, but this year, Muslims are relying on Zoom calls, live-streamed sermons and drive-through celebrations. "Not being able to be with the larger community for Eid is actually really affecting people, especially the younger members of our community," said Rami Nsour, a religious scholar and community leader in the San Francisco Bay Area.
- WorldAssociated Press
Venezuela celebrates docking of tanker with Iran gasoline
Venezuelan authorities celebrated Monday as the first of five Iranian tankers loaded with gasoline docked in the South American country, delivering badly needed fuel to the crisis-stricken nation that sits atop the world's largest oil reserves. The gasoline shipments are arriving in defiance of stiff sanctions by the Trump administration against both nations and they mark a new era in the burgeoning relationship between Venezuela and Iran, which is expanding its footprint in the Western Hemisphere. “We keep moving forward and winning,” Venezuela's Minister of Energy Tareck El Aissami tweeted.
- WorldReuters
Thai researcher eyes affordable, accessible coronavirus vaccine for SE Asia
A researcher leading Thailand's push to manufacture a coronavirus vaccine says its aim is to make it cost-effective and accessible to Southeast Asia, and play a part in preventing a supply shortage globally. Thailand's government announced last week its plans to have a vaccine ready for deployment next year after researchers at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University successfully conducted trials on mice. Kiat's group has partnered with scientists and biotech companies in North America and wants to mass produce the vaccine in Thailand, at a price more affordable there and in nearby markets like Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar.
WorldAFPConfusion, jitters as Indian domestic flights resume
Domestic flights resumed in India on Monday even as coronavirus cases surge, while confusion about quarantine rules prompted jitters among passengers and the cancellation of dozens of planes. India had halted all flights within the country, and departing and leaving for abroad, in March as it sought to stop the spread of coronavirus with the world's largest lockdown. But desperate to get Asia's third-largest economy moving again, the government announced last week that around 1,050 daily flights -- a third of the usual capacity -- would resume on Monday.
- WorldThe Daily Beast
COVID-19 Has Turned Paradise Into a Privacy Nightmare
In recent weeks, Hawaii has rolled out the so-called “Safe Travels System,” giving officials information on how travelers comply with the state's 14-day quarantine requirement. On its face, the plan mirrors those imposed at a growing number of national borders—the U.S. included—in the face of the coronavirus outbreak. For jurisdictions with few COVID-19 cases, forcing newcomers to quarantine in hopes of containing the spread of a deadly illness can be a perfectly rational public policy.
- U.S.The Week
Former FDA commissioner expects people can 'enjoy some semblance' of normal life in summer months
Former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said Sunday that the coronavirus outbreak hasn't been "contained yet," but he did tell CBS's Margaret Brennan that he believes there will be a "seasonal effect" that may allow Americans to "enjoy some semblance of the lives they want to enjoy" particularly in the summer months of July and August as cases go down. Of course, people will need to continue practicing good hygiene and modified social distancing.
- U.S.NBC News
Coronavirus live updates: U.S. death toll nears 100,000 on muted Memorial Day weekend
Memorial Day weekend is not anything like years past. As the U.S. death toll creeps towards 100,000, according to an NBC News tally, home care professionals and nurses said the coronavirus pandemic shows how crucial the industry is.
- PoliticsThe New York Times
Trump Sows Doubt on Voting. It Keeps Some People Up at Night.
In October, President Donald Trump declares a state of emergency in major cities in battleground states, like Milwaukee and Detroit, banning polling places from opening. A week before the election, Attorney General William Barr announces a criminal investigation into the Democratic presidential nominee, Joe Biden. After Biden wins a narrow Electoral College victory, Trump refuses to accept the results, won't leave the White House and declines to allow the Biden transition team customary access to agencies before the Jan. 20 inauguration.
- BusinessBusiness Insider
The private jet version of the Boeing 787 can cost more than $200 million and fly over 18 hours. Take a look at some its most luxurious designs.
The Boeing Business Jet 787 is the private jet version of Boeing's bestselling 787 Dreamliner. The Dreamliner kicked off a next-generation revolution with its fuel-efficient engines and aerodynamically-friendly features. The 787 Dreamliner is one of Boeing's most popular twin-engine wide-bodies thanks to its fuel efficiency, lower operating costs, and passenger-friendly amenities, which have proven to be endearing qualities for airlines and private owners alike.
- LifestyleCBS News
The Statue of Liberty as you've never seen her before
Last summer, architect Paul Davidson spent ten nights inside of the Statue of Liberty. From 6 p.m. to 7 a.m., he and his team carried out a first-of-its-kind laser scan of Lady Liberty, capturing the statue's interior during the hours when it wasn't packed full of tourists. Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty are currently closed to all visitors, shut down due to COVID-19.
- ScienceAssociated Press
NASA astronauts go back to the future with capsule launch
SpaceX's Dragon crew capsule outshines NASA's old Apollo spacecraft in virtually every way. This fresh take on a vintage look will be on full display Wednesday when SpaceX plans to launch NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken to the International Space Station — a first for a private company.
- WorldReuters
China says opposes all U.S. restrictions on Chinese airlines
China said on Monday it opposes all U.S. restrictions imposed against Chinese airlines, responding to a report that the U.S. Transportation Department has demanded Chinese carriers file their schedules and other flight details by May 27. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said flight restrictions imposed by Beijing treated all airlines equally and were due to efforts to curb COVID-19 related risks. The U.S. government late on Friday accused the Chinese government of making it impossible for U.S. airlines to resume service to China.
PoliticsFOX News VideosDemocrats, media dismiss Biden's 'you ain't black' remark
Tezlyn Figaro, political analyst and former social justice director for Sen. Bernie Sanders' 2016 campaign, reacts.
- WorldBBC
India coronavirus: Chaos at airports as domestic flights resume
Long queues and chaos greeted passengers at Indian airports as flights resumed two months after they were halted to help stop the spread of coronavirus. Maharashtra state, which has India's highest number of Covid-19 cases, said it would only allow only 50 flights a day, leading to several cancellations. Several fliers also took to Twitter to complain that Air India, the national carrier, had not informed them of cancellations, and had mixed up departure schedules.
