buzzfeednews--2020-06-13--Joe Biden Says He’s A “Bridge” To The Future. What Does That Even Mean?

“ I think the real key to it is to radically upend your notions of a typical life experience — not just because he ’ s the former vice president , but because of what a young person is facing today.
” The idea of Joe Biden for president requires squaring his past with the future .
The Senate votes that aged poorly , the eulogies that would be unthinkable if he delivered them in 2020 , the fact he ’ ll be 78 years old on inauguration day — all of these tie into tensions that hampered him at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now that Biden is the presumptive nominee , they are a reminder that the problems of the present could well outlive him .
So it mattered in early March when Biden shared a stage with Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer and Sens .
Cory Booker and Kamala Harris and told a Detroit crowd that the trio of Generation X-ers represented the future .
“ I view myself as a bridge , ” Biden said , “ not as anything else.
” It was a moment of self-awareness for a candidate who said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ torch ” when a millennial rival prevailed on him to pass it during a debate the previous summer .
After a half-century in public life , Biden was now claiming a responsibility to elevate new voices and to empower new leaders .
In doing so , he created more questions than he answered .
Biden sees himself as a transitional figure .
But as a transition to what ?
Which leaders , with what ideas ?
Does his view of a bridge mean those who practice similarly moderate politics but of a different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a transformational gateway into the ideas of the young left ?
When Biden talks about the next generation , does he mean Cabinet roles for younger leaders , or trying to appeal to younger voters ?
Does he mean a vice president ?
He has promised to pick a woman , and Harris , 55 , and Whitmer , 48 , are among those being considered .
He also has signaled that he ’ s approaching the choice like Barack Obama did before selecting Biden to be his running mate in 2008 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ then , no one saw him on the other side of the generational bridge that Obama , a young Baby Boomer , seemed to represent at the time .
The COVID-19 pandemic and the recent nationwide protests that serve as a demand to address systemic racism give these questions about the direction of Biden ’ s potential presidency — its aims and possibilities — even more urgency and weight .
Interviews with more than a dozen Democratic officeholders and activists , most of them under 40 and many of them leaders of color @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hopes but no overarching consensus .
( Most spoke with BuzzFeed News in the days before the death late last month of George Floyd , an unarmed Black man whose neck was crushed under the knee of a white Minneapolis police officer . )
To some , Biden ’ s eight years under Obama , and the fact that he ’ s not President Donald Trump , who has exacerbated racial tensions , are a sturdy foundation — the promise of a return to moral and dignified leadership , if not the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offered during the primaries .
“ He ’ s a good man , ” Randall Woodfin , the 39-year-old mayor of Birmingham , Alabama , who endorsed Biden before the first caucuses and primaries , told BuzzFeed News .
“ I think he can rightset some of the things that have happened.
” To others , being Not Trump is not enough .
“ If that ’ s really what he is , a bridge , then he really needs to be setting the groundwork , so whoever comes next can get these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Sarah Audelo , 36 , who served as Hillary Clinton ’ s millennial vote director in 2016 and is now the executive director of the progressive voter mobilization group Alliance for Youth Action .
“ Not being Trump should be a low threshold for us.
” As the pandemic has continued and especially since Floyd ’ s death , Biden has shown an interest in being more .
In a nationally televised speech last week , he spoke of leading the next generation to reverse systemic racism .
He has begun pondering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agenda .
And he ’ s been using words like “ revolutionary , ” an unsubtle flare that invoked the message of Sen. Bernie Sanders , a dispatched rival with a devoted following among young liberal voters .
“ I don ’ t think Biden ’ s age has to necessarily be the limitation on him being a transformational leader , but it ’ s going to be up to the decisions he makes and those directing him make , ” said Chokwe Lumumba , the 37-year-old mayor of Jackson , Mississippi , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s primary .
“ We can ’ t play it safe and assume the energy around Donald Trump will go away.
” During a New York fundraiser one year ago this month , Biden boasted of his working relationships with two segregationist senators .
Ten days later , at the first Democratic debate in Miami , Kamala Harris turned Biden ’ s fond memory into a two-fisted attack that included Biden ’ s opposition to federally mandated busing as a means to integrate schools in the 1970s .
“ I do not believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with you when you commit yourself to the importance of finding common ground , ” Harris , who is Black and was 8-years-old when Biden was first elected to the Senate , told her then-rival .
“ But I also believe — and it ’ s personal — it was hurtful to hear you talk about the reputations of two United States senators who built their reputations and career on the segregation of race in this country .
It was not only that , but you also worked with them to oppose busing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California who was part of the second class to integrate her public schools and she was bused to school every day .
And that little girl was me.
” Biden fumbled his way through a response before cutting himself off mid-thought : “ Anyway , my time is up.
” The exchange was a flashpoint of the summer and for a while seemed like a deep , perhaps insurmountable , difference between Biden and Harris .
The Democrats have since become allies — she is considered a strong contender for the vice presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Biden ’ s record endures .
The crises of Biden ’ s own generation revolved around the civil unrest , racism , and political assassinations of the 1960s , the Vietnam War , and Watergate .
The crises of the last 20 years have landed harshly and urgently on today ’ s youth : 9/11 , two wars , the 2008 financial collapse , rampant gun violence and school shootings , the unanswered threat of climate change , the deteriorating relationship between police and communities of color , and now a pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a matter of months .
And the young leaders now are even antsier than Biden was then .
Elizabeth Brown , 36 , is a member of the city council in Columbus , Ohio , a rising Democratic star in the state , and a second-generation public official .
( Her father , Sen. Sherrod Brown , briefly entertained a run for president last year . )
“ I think the real key to it , ” she said , “ is to radically upend your notions of a typical life experience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the former vice president , but because of what a young person is facing today.
” Biden ’ s campaign is trying to activate younger voters through the recently launched League 46 , an organization of students , young professionals , and young officeholders supporting him .
The initiative has prompted some snickers , from its baseball metaphors and imagery — baseball is not a sport that ’ s particularly popular among millennials or Gen Z-ers — to the cohorts involved .
“ Every time I think about League 46 , I just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the youth voting activist .
“ It ’ s so frustrating .
It makes me worry they are only surrounding themselves with people from those groups.
” Pete Buttigieg , the 38-year-old former mayor of South Bend , Indiana , is among those who have participated in League 46 events .
In his own presidential bid , Buttigieg proved himself to be one of the party ’ s most talented fundraisers and a thoughtful observer of political history .
He saw his candidacy in the mold of Jimmy Carter and Obama — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And when Buttigieg endorsed Biden in March , barely 24 hours after deciding to end his campaign , he quickly earned the highest praise Biden could offer .
“ I don ’ t think I ’ ve ever done this before , but he reminds me of my son , Beau , ” Biden , with Buttigieg at his side , told a crowd gathered that night at a fried chicken restaurant in Dallas .
“ If Pete had been around another six years , I wouldn ’ t be standing here , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ d be endorsing Pete.
” Biden ’ s comparison of Buttigieg to his elder son — a former Delaware attorney general and heir to the Biden torch before he died of brain cancer in 2015 — was “ extremely touching , of course … knowing how Beau ’ s memory is present in everything that he does and in his campaign , ” Buttigieg said in an interview .
The moment also reflected how Biden ’ s vision of the future is often rooted around people more than policies , a vision more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Buttigieg promised generational change while often reflecting on past political eras and wrestling with his own place on the ideological spectrum .
His moderate positions on several policy issues aligned him more closely with Biden than with Sanders or Warren .
( Despite his youth , Buttigieg also polled better among older voters . )
He believes Biden , given the crises of today , could have a mandate for more progressive action .
“ Moments of extreme pain or extreme inequality have often led to a progressive period , certainly the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last time we saw this level of inequality , and in some ways the ‘ 60s , which is the last time we saw this level of upheaval , ” Buttigieg said .
“ One friend described what we ’ re going through as a country as the universe sort of punishing us for ever telling our parents we envied them living in the ‘ 60s and all the excitement from that period , ” he added .
“ The truth is those moments of upheaval , you know we look back on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ awful in many ways .
I think that ’ s what we ’ re seeing now.
” Millennial and Gen Z voters , born between 1981 and 1999 , were more partial to Sanders , 78 , and Warren , 70 , not because they were from a younger generation , but in part because they responded to a younger generation ’ s calls for free college and health care and an aggressive approach to climate change .
“ ‘ Big Structural Change ’ is probably pretty nerdy , ” said Brown , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s campaign slogan when asked what she hopes to see from Biden .
“ But I have to tell you , that makes my heart sing.
” Biden hasn ’ t gone quite so far , at least not yet .
Since March , though , he has tiptoed to the left on college affordability , an issue that resonated with Sanders and Warren backers .
First , he reversed his long opposition to a Warren plan that would forgive student loan debt for people in bankruptcy .
And after becoming the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relieving undergraduate student loan debt for those making less than $ 125,000 a year if they attended a public college or university , or a school that primarily serves people of color .
He also has endorsed tuition-free college for families with annual incomes up to $ 125,000 .
“ To me , if you really want to build that bridge , you do it around three or four issues that animate the people who expect to be living through them over the next 50 to 60 years , ” said PG Sittenfeld @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cincinnati who initially supported Warren and listed climate change , college affordability , criminal justice reform , and gun violence as the most pressing issues facing his generation .
After Sanders dropped out and quickly endorsed Biden , the former rivals created “ unity task forces ” in several policy areas .
One cross-generational alliance features Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , the 30-year-old Sanders acolyte pushing for a Green New Deal , and John Kerry , the 76-year-old former secretary of state , as co-chairs of the climate committee .
It ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and insider — and a sign that Biden is willing to outsource policymaking in a way that draws from different experiences and pleases rival party factions .
What this leads to or results in is another question entirely .
If there ’ s an ideological impasse , or a disagreement that breaks down along generational lines , does Biden try to split the difference and call it a compromise ?
Will these task forces lead to anything at all ?
Several young Democrats said they have been encouraged by Biden ’ s outreach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ representative in Pennsylvania and early Biden supporter and surrogate , cited an authenticity factor — and Biden ’ s well-documented ability to emote .
“ I say all the time that Joe Biden ’ s superpower is to empathize , ” Kenyatta said .
“ What all communities are looking for , in particular younger communities , is for someone who actually gives a fuck about them.
” Jason Kander , 39 , the former Missouri secretary of state who lost a US Senate bid in 2016 , said he found Biden humble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ What I think is laudable , and what I think is going to connect with millennials , is he hasn ’ t been afraid to say when he doesn ’ t know something , and that ’ s a big contrast with Trump , ” said Jason Kander , 39 , the former Missouri secretary of state who lost a US Senate bid in 2016 .
“ Vice President Biden is a white man in his 70s and he doesn ’ t pretend , therefore , that he understands the experiences @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Buttigieg understands the tension among progressive factions in the party .
“ We have been pinned between two kinds of incomplete models for where we want America to go , ” he said .
“ One is looking across the Atlantic to European social democracy and wanting the outcomes that many Europeans enjoy to exist for Americans , too , but I think we see why it won ’ t be the same here .
And then the other model is to look at the past , look to the New Deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and see how much of that can be recovered .
But neither of those is totally going to meet the moment here .
We need something that ’ s uniquely American , and we need something that ’ s uniquely 2020.
” Of Biden ’ s vice presidential prospects , only Rep. Val Demings of Florida agreed to be interviewed for this story and discuss what a bridge to the future means to her .
Demings , 63 , borrowed a line from Rep. James Clyburn , 79 , a Biden ally in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ VP search .
“ It ’ s about making this country ’ s greatness accessible to everyone , ” she said .
“ It ’ s about not leaving 99 % of the people out , certainly not leaving our youth out .
I think there ’ s only one person who wants to be president who believes that.
” “ We need to include young people in big decisions , ” Demings added .
“ We need to hang out with them , learn from them , listen to them.
” Hanging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though .
“ What you will find from a younger generation of leadership is they do n't want to only be in the car , they want to take a leg of the drive , ” said Lumumba , the Jackson mayor .
“ They want to hold the wheel.
” And yet , Biden might not need young voters to beat Trump .
He ’ s not doing much worse than Clinton did with them in 2016 , though Clinton of course lost the Electoral College .
But he doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Z-ers who believe in the policies advanced by Sanders and Warren .
“ We ’ ve got to make sure that this crisis does n't rob them of the opportunities that they 've been working so damn hard for , ” he said during a virtual fundraiser in late April .
This month , during a League 46 virtual town hall with young voters hosted by the actor Don Cheadle , who is 55 , Biden tied the recent crises together and talked of turning anguish into purpose .
A moment later , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Your generation , ” Biden said , “ has gotten a real kick in the teeth.
” ●

The idea of Joe Biden for president requires squaring his past with the future.
The Senate votes that aged poorly, the eulogies that would be unthinkable if he delivered them in 2020, the fact he’ll be 78 years old on inauguration day — all of these tie into tensions that hampered him at points during the Democratic primaries. And now that Biden is the presumptive nominee, they are a reminder that the problems of the present could well outlive him.
So it mattered in early March when Biden shared a stage with Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Sens. Cory Booker and Kamala Harris and told a Detroit crowd that the trio of Generation X-ers represented the future. “I view myself as a bridge,” Biden said, “not as anything else.”
It was a moment of self-awareness for a candidate who said he was “still holding on to that torch” when a millennial rival prevailed on him to pass it during a debate the previous summer. After a half-century in public life, Biden was now claiming a responsibility to elevate new voices and to empower new leaders. In doing so, he created more questions than he answered.
Biden sees himself as a transitional figure. But as a transition to what? Which leaders, with what ideas? Does his view of a bridge mean those who practice similarly moderate politics but of a different generation, or would his presidency be a transformational gateway into the ideas of the young left?
When Biden talks about the next generation, does he mean Cabinet roles for younger leaders, or trying to appeal to younger voters? Does he mean a vice president? He has promised to pick a woman, and Harris, 55, and Whitmer, 48, are among those being considered. He also has signaled that he’s approaching the choice like Barack Obama did before selecting Biden to be his running mate in 2008. But given Biden’s age even then, no one saw him on the other side of the generational bridge that Obama, a young Baby Boomer, seemed to represent at the time.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the recent nationwide protests that serve as a demand to address systemic racism give these questions about the direction of Biden’s potential presidency — its aims and possibilities — even more urgency and weight. Interviews with more than a dozen Democratic officeholders and activists, most of them under 40 and many of them leaders of color, yielded a range of expectations and hopes but no overarching consensus. (Most spoke with BuzzFeed News in the days before the death late last month of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man whose neck was crushed under the knee of a white Minneapolis police officer.)
To some, Biden’s eight years under Obama, and the fact that he’s not President Donald Trump, who has exacerbated racial tensions, are a sturdy foundation — the promise of a return to moral and dignified leadership, if not the “Big Structural Change” Sen. Elizabeth Warren offered during the primaries. “He’s a good man,” Randall Woodfin, the 39-year-old mayor of Birmingham, Alabama, who endorsed Biden before the first caucuses and primaries, told BuzzFeed News. “I think he can rightset some of the things that have happened.”
To others, being Not Trump is not enough. “If that’s really what he is, a bridge, then he really needs to be setting the groundwork, so whoever comes next can get these policies over the finish line,” said Sarah Audelo, 36, who served as Hillary Clinton’s millennial vote director in 2016 and is now the executive director of the progressive voter mobilization group Alliance for Youth Action. “Not being Trump should be a low threshold for us.”
As the pandemic has continued and especially since Floyd’s death, Biden has shown an interest in being more. In a nationally televised speech last week, he spoke of leading the next generation to reverse systemic racism. He has begun pondering aloud the need for a more aggressive agenda. And he’s been using words like “revolutionary,” an unsubtle flare that invoked the message of Sen. Bernie Sanders, a dispatched rival with a devoted following among young liberal voters.
“I don’t think Biden’s age has to necessarily be the limitation on him being a transformational leader, but it’s going to be up to the decisions he makes and those directing him make,” said Chokwe Lumumba, the 37-year-old mayor of Jackson, Mississippi, who endorsed Sanders before his state’s primary. “We can’t play it safe and assume the energy around Donald Trump will go away.”


buzzfeednews--2020-06-13--This Woman Was Attacked By Her Partner During Quarantine — Days After Mexico’s President Said Domest

This Woman Was Attacked By Her Partner During Quarantine — Days After Mexico’s President Said Domestic Violence Calls Are “Fake”

MEXICO CITY — On May 22 , M.F .
walked out of the doctor ’ s office into the bright afternoon sun and told her partner she wanted to be alone for a while .
His insults and dirty looks had been particularly intense that day .
But he wouldn ’ t have it .
As their two young daughters watched , he pulled M.F .
by the hair into a waiting taxi .
She fought back and he started to choke her .
M.F.
, who asked that only her initials be used for fear of retaliation by her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who had started to crowd around the car .
One of them called the police .
After a standoff with her partner , who threatened to take their eldest daughter , 5 , with him , the cops took M.F .
and the girls to a shelter for victims of domestic violence in Central Mexico .
“ I didn ’ t even have a peso , ” said M.F.
, who lost her job at a garden nursery last month , during a telephone interview .
“ I didn ’ t know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women in Mexico , the pandemic has meant a double threat : the risk of getting infected by the coronavirus , and the danger of being quarantined at home with an abusive partner .
Many have been forced to flee .
And yet , President Andrés Manuel López Obrador — whose government last year was forced to backtrack on a planned budget cut for domestic violence shelters after criticism from human rights groups — has dismissed reports of rising rates of violence , saying last month that 90 % of 911 calls by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there were 26,171 calls to 911 related to violence against women , a record high since the hotline was launched .
And Línea Mujeres , a support program for women in the capital city , recorded 2,338 calls between March and May — when the quarantine was already in place in Mexico — up from 735 during the same period in 2019 .
It ’ s not just calls .
The number of women who traveled to the 60 locations that make up the National Network of Shelters to seek help during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % compared to the same period last year , according to the network ’ s director , Wendy Figueroa .
As confinement measures are extended , Figueroa said that women affected by domestic violence are less likely to seek help as their abusers prevent them from communicating with friends and family .
“ When lockdown is lifted , we are expecting a huge demand in shelter services , ” said Figueroa .
M.F .
and her partner began dating six and half years ago .
But when she got pregnant , “ the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started with shoves but soon escalated to kicks , straight into her belly .
It only got worse from there .
Last year , M.F .
went to the police to report him .
The cops took down her statement and waved her away .
They didn ’ t mention the option of leaving him and going to a shelter .
She wasn ’ t sure if she ’ d ever hear from the authorities again .
So M.F .
sought refuge with her parents .
Her partner came to her parents ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he had attacked her .
He “ complained that I hadn ’ t been cleaning often enough , that the girls were dirty , that I wasn ’ t serving him properly , ” said M.F .
“ They believed him .
They defended him .
They gave me back to him.
” According to the United Nations , violence against women is a “ shadow pandemic , ” preceding the coronavirus , with 243 million women and girls ages 15–49 sexually or physically abused by an intimate partner around the world between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year .

MEXICO CITY — On May 22, M.F. walked out of the doctor’s office into the bright afternoon sun and told her partner she wanted to be alone for a while. His insults and dirty looks had been particularly intense that day.
But he wouldn’t have it. As their two young daughters watched, he pulled M.F. by the hair into a waiting taxi. She fought back and he started to choke her.
M.F., who asked that only her initials be used for fear of retaliation by her partner, yelled for help at the people who had started to crowd around the car. One of them called the police. After a standoff with her partner, who threatened to take their eldest daughter, 5, with him, the cops took M.F. and the girls to a shelter for victims of domestic violence in Central Mexico.
“I didn’t even have a peso,” said M.F., who lost her job at a garden nursery last month, during a telephone interview. “I didn’t know where to go.”
For thousands of women in Mexico, the pandemic has meant a double threat: the risk of getting infected by the coronavirus, and the danger of being quarantined at home with an abusive partner. Many have been forced to flee.
And yet, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador — whose government last year was forced to backtrack on a planned budget cut for domestic violence shelters after criticism from human rights groups — has dismissed reports of rising rates of violence, saying last month that 90% of 911 calls by women are “fake.”
In March, there were 26,171 calls to 911 related to violence against women, a record high since the hotline was launched. And Línea Mujeres, a support program for women in the capital city, recorded 2,338 calls between March and May — when the quarantine was already in place in Mexico — up from 735 during the same period in 2019.
It’s not just calls. The number of women who traveled to the 60 locations that make up the National Network of Shelters to seek help during March and April was up by 77% compared to the same period last year, according to the network’s director, Wendy Figueroa.
As confinement measures are extended, Figueroa said that women affected by domestic violence are less likely to seek help as their abusers prevent them from communicating with friends and family.
“When lockdown is lifted, we are expecting a huge demand in shelter services,” said Figueroa.
M.F. and her partner began dating six and half years ago. But when she got pregnant, “the little happiness we had ended.” It started with shoves but soon escalated to kicks, straight into her belly. It only got worse from there.
Last year, M.F. went to the police to report him. The cops took down her statement and waved her away. They didn’t mention the option of leaving him and going to a shelter. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever hear from the authorities again.
She didn’t.
So M.F. sought refuge with her parents.
Her partner came to her parents’ house a month later, explaining why he had attacked her. He “complained that I hadn’t been cleaning often enough, that the girls were dirty, that I wasn’t serving him properly,” said M.F. “They believed him. They defended him. They gave me back to him.”
According to the United Nations, violence against women is a “shadow pandemic,” preceding the coronavirus, with 243 million women and girls ages 15–49 sexually or physically abused by an intimate partner around the world between April 2019 and the same month this year.


buzzfeednews--2020-02-03--A Site Tied To Steve Bannon Is Writing Fake News About The Coronavirus

A website that published two false coronavirus claims , which painted China in a negative light , previously had a contract with former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon and was created by an exiled Chinese billionaire and critic of the ruling Communist Party .
On Jan. 25 , G News published a false story saying the Chinese government was preparing to admit that the coronavirus originated in one of its labs .
It did not , but the article still racked up over 19,000 tweets and 18,000 Facebook engagements , according to social tracking website BuzzSumo .
The story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The website also published a questionable document that fed a conspiracy that the Chinese military spread the disease deliberately .
That document , which seems to have come from G News originally , has been popular on anonymous message boards like 4chan and 2chan .
G News is part of Guo Media , a project funded by Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui , also known as Miles Kwok and Miles Guo .
He fled China in 2014 and has been accused of bribery , money laundering , and fraud by the mainland government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling them politically motivated , and has become a vocal critic of Beijing .
In August 2018 , Guo ’ s organization signed what Axios reported to be a $ 1 million contract with Steve Bannon , former White House strategist and former chair of the hyperpartisan news site Breitbart .
The contract required Bannon to make introductions to “ media personalities ” and advise on “ industry standards , ” according to Axios .
Guo and Bannon frequently appear together in videos on G News that attack the Chinese government .
Bannon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be reached .

A website that published two false coronavirus claims, which painted China in a negative light, previously had a contract with former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon and was created by an exiled Chinese billionaire and critic of the ruling Communist Party.
On Jan. 25, G News published a false story saying the Chinese government was preparing to admit that the coronavirus originated in one of its labs. It did not, but the article still racked up over 19,000 tweets and 18,000 Facebook engagements, according to social tracking website BuzzSumo. The story was debunked by Facebook fact-checking partner PolitiFact.
The website also published a questionable document that fed a conspiracy that the Chinese military spread the disease deliberately. That document, which seems to have come from G News originally, has been popular on anonymous message boards like 4chan and 2chan.
G News is part of Guo Media, a project funded by Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui, also known as Miles Kwok and Miles Guo. He fled China in 2014 and has been accused of bribery, money laundering, and fraud by the mainland government. He has denied the charges, calling them politically motivated, and has become a vocal critic of Beijing.
In August 2018, Guo’s organization signed what Axios reported to be a $1 million contract with Steve Bannon, former White House strategist and former chair of the hyperpartisan news site Breitbart. The contract required Bannon to make introductions to “media personalities” and advise on “industry standards,” according to Axios. Guo and Bannon frequently appear together in videos on G News that attack the Chinese government.
Bannon declined to comment, and Guo could not be reached.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-13--This Elderly Couple Got Evacuated From The Grand Princess — And Still Can’t Get Tested For The Coron

This Elderly Couple Got Evacuated From The Grand Princess — And Still Can’t Get Tested For The Coronavirus

Four days after the Grand Princess cruise ship docked , passengers now under quarantine in California expressed frustration that they have still not been tested for the coronavirus .
The Grand Princess ’ s ill-fated voyage sparked international alarm when 21 people on board tested positive for the virus , causing the ship to be held for days off the California coast en route back to San Francisco from Hawaii .
Not long before , the coronavirus had spread through another cruise ship , the Diamond Princess , eventually infecting more than 700 people and killing eight .
Before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and crew members finally docked in Oakland on Monday , officials announced plans to take the US residents to four military bases for quarantines and screening .
“ We will be testing everyone on the ship , ” Vice President Mike Pence said late last week .
“ We will be quarantining as necessary.
” But as the end of this week approached , some passengers said their repeated requests for testing have gone nowhere , making them anxious about whether they have the disease that has so far afflicted more than 128,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week was declared an official pandemic .
These passengers are among many Americans struggling to get diagnosed .
The nation has been unable to get a handle on the crisis due to a calamitous shortage in COVID-19 tests , despite promises by various Trump administration officials that tens of thousands of tests would become available this month .
Cases in the US have so far exceeded 1,600 , including 40 deaths .
In a phone interview Thursday night , Salli Spoon of Crockett , California , said that passengers were first told they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We initially were told that the testing would be before we got off the Princess , '' Spoon , a 72-year-old retired Amtrak employee , told BuzzFeed News .
“ That did not happen.
” Then , Spoon said , they were told they would be tested at Travis Air Force Base in northern California , where she and others were bused over for a 14-day quarantine .
Other passengers were taken to Miramar Naval Air Station in San Diego , Joint Base San Antonio Lackland in Texas , and Dobbins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on which states they lived in .
But upon arrival at their quarantine zone , the Spoons and their friends weren ’ t tested , either .
Since then , Spoon said , staff have been coming by twice a day to take their temperatures , a way to monitor for the fever that is the hallmark of the disease .
When she asked Wednesday when she would be tested , she was told she had to request it .
So she did .
On Thursday , a case manager told her by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ two to three days , ” offering no other specifics .

Four days after the Grand Princess cruise ship docked, passengers now under quarantine in California expressed frustration that they have still not been tested for the coronavirus.
The Grand Princess’s ill-fated voyage sparked international alarm when 21 people on board tested positive for the virus, causing the ship to be held for days off the California coast en route back to San Francisco from Hawaii. Not long before, the coronavirus had spread through another cruise ship, the Diamond Princess, eventually infecting more than 700 people and killing eight.
Before the ship’s more than 3,000 passengers and crew members finally docked in Oakland on Monday, officials announced plans to take the US residents to four military bases for quarantines and screening. “We will be testing everyone on the ship,” Vice President Mike Pence said late last week. “We will be quarantining as necessary.”
But as the end of this week approached, some passengers said their repeated requests for testing have gone nowhere, making them anxious about whether they have the disease that has so far afflicted more than 128,000 people in a global outbreak that this week was declared an official pandemic.
These passengers are among many Americans struggling to get diagnosed. The nation has been unable to get a handle on the crisis due to a calamitous shortage in COVID-19 tests, despite promises by various Trump administration officials that tens of thousands of tests would become available this month. Cases in the US have so far exceeded 1,600, including 40 deaths.
In a phone interview Thursday night, Salli Spoon of Crockett, California, said that passengers were first told they’d get tested prior to disembarking. “We initially were told that the testing would be before we got off the Princess," Spoon, a 72-year-old retired Amtrak employee, told BuzzFeed News. “That did not happen.”
Then, Spoon said, they were told they would be tested at Travis Air Force Base in northern California, where she and others were bused over for a 14-day quarantine. Other passengers were taken to Miramar Naval Air Station in San Diego, Joint Base San Antonio Lackland in Texas, and Dobbins Air Force Base in Georgia, depending on which states they lived in.
But upon arrival at their quarantine zone, the Spoons and their friends weren’t tested, either.
Since then, Spoon said, staff have been coming by twice a day to take their temperatures, a way to monitor for the fever that is the hallmark of the disease. When she asked Wednesday when she would be tested, she was told she had to request it. So she did. On Thursday, a case manager told her by phone she’d be tested in “two to three days,” offering no other specifics.
“I’m very skeptical,” Spoon said.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-13--Here's How The Remaining Primary States Are Handling The Coronavirus Threat

Louisiana will postpone its presidential primaries , scheduled for early next month , until June because of the coronavirus outbreak , state officials said Friday .
Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin said at a press conference that the decision was made in accordance with the state 's election code .
`` Today I have certified that a state of emergency exists and requested that the governor issue an executive order postponing the elections this spring , '' he said .
`` We have requested postponing the April 4 primary to June 20 . ''
Ardoin said the governor agreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Louisiana Gov .
John Bel Edwards told the Advocate that the move was an “ extraordinary measure but one we feel is prudent . ''
The decision was the first by a state government to delay a scheduled presidential primary .
But it was not the last .
On Saturday state officials in Georgia announced that the March 24 primary was officially moved to May 19 , according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution .
“ At the end of the day , the average poll worker is 70 or 72 years old , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fuchs previously told BuzzFeed News .
“ We have a duty to protect their health.
” The Alaska Democratic Party told BuzzFeed News it had no plans to suspend in-person voting yet , also scheduled for April 4 , but that it is encouraging voters to vote by mail .
`` We are paying close attention for guidance from local health authorities , and urge people — especially those in high-risk groups — to consider any and all exposure to public places and continue taking proper precautions , '' Jeanne Devon , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in an email .
`` We will continue to assess our plans on a daily basis . ''
Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders , the two remaining top Democratic presidential candidates , are coming out of a stretch of primaries in the last two weeks that have seen Biden begin to build a large and potentially insurmountable delegate lead .
The primaries scheduled for this coming Tuesday in Ohio , Florida , Illinois , and Arizona could virtually close the path for a Sanders comeback .
BuzzFeed News has reached out to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scheduled between now and April 4 to determine if those states plan to continue their plans .
Ohio officials said a delay of the state ’ s Tuesday primary is unlikely .
Early balloting has been underway since last month .
The Columbus Dispatch reported Friday that county elections boards in the state are rushing to line up additional poll workers before the vote .
Officials in Arizona , Florida , and Illinois also told BuzzFeed News their states ’ voting on Tuesday will continue as planned .
Top elections administrators from those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ release stating they `` are working closely with our state health officials to ensure that our poll workers and voters can be confident that voting is safe . ''
`` Unlike concerts , sporting events or other mass gatherings where large groups of people travel long distances to congregate in a confined space for an extended period of time , polling locations see people from a nearby community coming into and out of the building for a short duration , '' the release — issued by Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Florida Secretary of State Laurel Lee , and Illinois Elections Board Chair Charles Scholz — stated .
`` Americans have participated in elections during challenging times in the past , and based on the best information we have from public health officials , we are confident that voters in our states can safely and securely cast their ballots in this election , and that otherwise healthy poll workers can and should carry out their patriotic duties on Tuesday . ''
Delaware State Election Commissioner Anthony Albence said he is still planning to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April 28 primary .
He said poll workers are being trained to wipe down the voting machines with disinfectant after each vote is cast .
In-person voting as part of the Wyoming caucuses , scheduled for April 4 , will also be suspended , the state party there said in a release on their website .
The decision was made Thursday night , Nina Hebert , a spokesperson for the Wyoming Democratic Party , told BuzzFeed News .
“ Our priority is ensuring that people are healthy and safe .
Holding public events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so this is the responsible course of action , ” the statement from the Wyoming Democratic Party said .
The party is encouraging people to vote by mail , and voters are able to pick up ballots beginning March 28 and drop them off April 4 .
Hebert said in an email that they are consulting with public health officials to “ ensure the safety of voters on ballot drop off days.
” Biden and Sanders have both radically scaled back their campaigns in the last day to try to prevent the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they would ask staff to work from home , limiting the large public events and person-to-person interaction that is core to traditional campaigning .
Instead , both Biden and Sanders have spoken at length about the virus in televised remarks ; each one is making a case for their platform and candidacy based on how they would handle the outbreak as president and contrasting their proposals with the actions of the Trump administration .
`` Voting is at the very heart of who we are as a democracy , ” Biden campaign spokesperson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ As election officials working with public health officials are demonstrating throughout the country , our elections can be conducted safely in consultation with public health officials .
If voters are feeling healthy , not exhibiting symptoms , and don ’ t believe they 've been exposed to COVID-19 , please vote on Tuesday .
If voters are members of an at-risk population , exhibiting symptoms , or have been exposed to a diagnosed case of COVID-19 , we encourage them to explore absentee ballots and vote by mail options . ''

Louisiana will postpone its presidential primaries, scheduled for early next month, until June because of the coronavirus outbreak, state officials said Friday.
Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin said at a press conference that the decision was made in accordance with the state's election code. "Today I have certified that a state of emergency exists and requested that the governor issue an executive order postponing the elections this spring," he said. "We have requested postponing the April 4 primary to June 20."
Ardoin said the governor agreed with the decision. A spokesperson for Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards told the Advocate that the move was an “extraordinary measure but one we feel is prudent."
The decision was the first by a state government to delay a scheduled presidential primary. But it was not the last. On Saturday state officials in Georgia announced that the March 24 primary was officially moved to May 19, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
“At the end of the day, the average poll worker is 70 or 72 years old,” Georgia Deputy Secretary of State Jordan Fuchs previously told BuzzFeed News. “We have a duty to protect their health.”
The Alaska Democratic Party told BuzzFeed News it had no plans to suspend in-person voting yet, also scheduled for April 4, but that it is encouraging voters to vote by mail.
"We are paying close attention for guidance from local health authorities, and urge people — especially those in high-risk groups — to consider any and all exposure to public places and continue taking proper precautions," Jeanne Devon, the Alaska Democratic Party's communications director, said in an email. "We will continue to assess our plans on a daily basis."
Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, the two remaining top Democratic presidential candidates, are coming out of a stretch of primaries in the last two weeks that have seen Biden begin to build a large and potentially insurmountable delegate lead. The primaries scheduled for this coming Tuesday in Ohio, Florida, Illinois, and Arizona could virtually close the path for a Sanders comeback.
BuzzFeed News has reached out to local officials in the states with primaries scheduled between now and April 4 to determine if those states plan to continue their plans.
Ohio officials said a delay of the state’s Tuesday primary is unlikely. Early balloting has been underway since last month. The Columbus Dispatch reported Friday that county elections boards in the state are rushing to line up additional poll workers before the vote. Officials in Arizona, Florida, and Illinois also told BuzzFeed News their states’ voting on Tuesday will continue as planned.
Top elections administrators from those four states later issued a joint news release stating they "are working closely with our state health officials to ensure that our poll workers and voters can be confident that voting is safe."
"Unlike concerts, sporting events or other mass gatherings where large groups of people travel long distances to congregate in a confined space for an extended period of time, polling locations see people from a nearby community coming into and out of the building for a short duration," the release — issued by Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, Florida Secretary of State Laurel Lee, and Illinois Elections Board Chair Charles Scholz — stated.
"Americans have participated in elections during challenging times in the past, and based on the best information we have from public health officials, we are confident that voters in our states can safely and securely cast their ballots in this election, and that otherwise healthy poll workers can and should carry out their patriotic duties on Tuesday."
Delaware State Election Commissioner Anthony Albence said he is still planning to go through with his state’s scheduled April 28 primary. He said poll workers are being trained to wipe down the voting machines with disinfectant after each vote is cast.
In-person voting as part of the Wyoming caucuses, scheduled for April 4, will also be suspended, the state party there said in a release on their website. The decision was made Thursday night, Nina Hebert, a spokesperson for the Wyoming Democratic Party, told BuzzFeed News.
“Our priority is ensuring that people are healthy and safe. Holding public events right now would put that in jeopardy, so this is the responsible course of action,” the statement from the Wyoming Democratic Party said.
The party is encouraging people to vote by mail, and voters are able to pick up ballots beginning March 28 and drop them off April 4. Hebert said in an email that they are consulting with public health officials to “ensure the safety of voters on ballot drop off days.”
Biden and Sanders have both radically scaled back their campaigns in the last day to try to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Both campaigns announced they would ask staff to work from home, limiting the large public events and person-to-person interaction that is core to traditional campaigning.
Instead, both Biden and Sanders have spoken at length about the virus in televised remarks; each one is making a case for their platform and candidacy based on how they would handle the outbreak as president and contrasting their proposals with the actions of the Trump administration.
"Voting is at the very heart of who we are as a democracy,” Biden campaign spokesperson Kate Bedingfield said in a statement Friday. “As election officials working with public health officials are demonstrating throughout the country, our elections can be conducted safely in consultation with public health officials. If voters are feeling healthy, not exhibiting symptoms, and don’t believe they've been exposed to COVID-19, please vote on Tuesday. If voters are members of an at-risk population, exhibiting symptoms, or have been exposed to a diagnosed case of COVID-19, we encourage them to explore absentee ballots and vote by mail options."


buzzfeednews--2020-03-13--A Map Of The Coronavirus Exposures In Trump’s Orbit In Just Two Weeks

A growing number of people in President Donald Trump ’ s orbit have been in contact with someone known to be infected with COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus — with a few testing positive themselves .
BuzzFeed News has mapped these connections using social media and news articles .
It ’ s by no means comprehensive .
What it shows is how fast the virus has spread among people in Trump ’ s orbit in approximately two weeks of the US outbreak .
Close aides and family members have come in contact with people who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group includes a Brazilian official who tested positive for the virus after meeting Trump and his family at Mar-a-Lago in Florida over the weekend ; Australia 's Home Affairs minister , Peter Dutton , who tested positive and was admitted to the hospital days after a meeting in Washington , DC , with the president ’ s daughter Ivanka Trump , Attorney General Bill Barr , and other White House officials ; and an anonymous male who tested positive after attendinng the Conservative Political Action Conference ’ s annual meeting , where Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were present , some of whom directly interacted with him .
After declaring the outbreak a national state of emergency on Friday , Trump said he might get tested but would not self-isolate .
He then proceeded to shake many people ’ s hands , which health officials have recommended against to prevent possibly spreading the virus .
Trump has previously said he has had little to no contact with any infected individuals , despite at least one photo of him standing directly next to a known infected person .
Later Friday evening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acknowledging a previously unknown exposure of the president , but declined to have him self-isolate or be tested .
Then , in a surprise announcement at a press conference on Saturday , Trump announced that he ’ d taken a test and was awaiting results .
Others in the administration and Republicans in Congress have not been taking their cues from the president , however ; they have chosen to seek advice from the CDC , self-isolate , and even get tested after learning about possible exposures .
BuzzFeed News has reached out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Except where indicated , they did not respond to a request for comment .
The Conservative Political Action Conference ’ s annual meeting , which bills itself as the largest gathering of grassroots conservatives on the planet , took place Feb. 26–29 in Maryland .
Trump spoke on Saturday .
The guest who tested positive for COVID-19 has not been named , but it seems he came in contact or suspected contact with many of CPAC ’ s high-profile attendees .
Matt Schlapp , the chair of the American Conservative Union , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shook hands with Trump and Vice President Mike Pence , among others .
Several Republican members of Congress consulted with medical professionals , got tested for the virus , or chose to self-quarantine following news of their possible exposure at the event .
Australia 's home affairs minister , Peter Dutton , said on March 13 that he tested positive for the coronavirus , less than a week after meeting at the White House with Attorney General Bill Barr and senior White House adviser Ivanka Trump .
It is unknown if Ivanka has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home on Friday and will not be getting tested after consulting with the CDC , a Department of Justice spokesperson told BuzzFeed News in an email .
Dutton had also met with Kellyanne Conway , counselor to the president , and Joe Grogan , director of the Domestic Policy Council , during his trip to the US in early March .
It is unknown whether Conway or Grogan were tested .
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham also met with Dutton and has announced he ’ s self-quarantining and awaiting test results .
Reps. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were exposed to the infected individual at CPAC , later met at the White House with Trump .
Only after the White House visit did they learn of their exposure ; both chose to self-quarantine .
Meadows tested negative .
Over the weekend of March 7 , Trump dined with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro at Mar-a-Lago , his Palm Beach resort .
Ivanka and Jared Kushner also attended .
Days later , Bolsonaro 's press secretary , Fabio Wajngarten , who also attended , tested positive for the coronavirus .
Bolsonaro himself has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contradicting earlier reports that he had tested positive .
Other politicians who came into contact with the Brazilian delegation in Florida — Sens .
Rick Scott of Florida and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina — said they weren ’ t experiencing any symptoms but chose to self-isolate anyway .
“ His doctors still believe that he is at a low risk and getting tested is unnecessary as long as he ’ s not experiencing symptoms .
But we ’ re constantly reevaluating the situation , ” a spokesperson for Scott told BuzzFeed News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s office confirmed he ’ s awaiting test results .
Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Giménez and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez both said they were self-isolating after being near or coming into contact this week with Wajngarten and Bolsonaro .
On Friday , Giménez and Suarez said they both tested positive for the coronavirus .
“ I feel completely healthy and strong , ” Suarez said in a statement sent to BuzzFeed News on Friday .
“ However , I am doing the responsible thing by working with the County ’ s Health Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not only my family is healthy , but everyone I have come in contact with is healthy as well.
” Another person that attended a Sunday luncheon at Mar-a-Lago has since tested positive , according to the Washington Post on Friday .
Trump gave remarks at the event , but it ’ s unknown if he came into direct contact with the infected person , whose identity has not been revealed .
On Friday evening , Trump 's doctor acknowledged the president had been exposed to yet another infected person in Florida , @ @ @ @ @ @ @

A growing number of people in President Donald Trump’s orbit have been in contact with someone known to be infected with COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus — with a few testing positive themselves.
BuzzFeed News has mapped these connections using social media and news articles. It’s by no means comprehensive. What it shows is how fast the virus has spread among people in Trump’s orbit in approximately two weeks of the US outbreak. Close aides and family members have come in contact with people who are confirmed to have the virus.
This group includes a Brazilian official who tested positive for the virus after meeting Trump and his family at Mar-a-Lago in Florida over the weekend; Australia's Home Affairs minister, Peter Dutton, who tested positive and was admitted to the hospital days after a meeting in Washington, DC, with the president’s daughter Ivanka Trump, Attorney General Bill Barr, and other White House officials; and an anonymous male who tested positive after attendinng the Conservative Political Action Conference’s annual meeting, where Trump and a number of other prominent Republicans were present, some of whom directly interacted with him.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-12--Trump Is Suspending Travel From Europe To The United States As The Coronavirus Continues To Spread

The US is suspending travel from much of Europe to the United States for at least 30 days in an effort to stop new clusters of the novel coronavirus from sprouting across the country .
President Donald Trump announced the new sweeping travel restrictions during an address Wednesday night from the Oval Office .
The rules go into effect at 11:59 p.m. Friday , according to a White House spokesperson .
`` To keep new cases from entering our shores , we will be suspending all travel from Europe to the United States for the next 30 days , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questions Wednesday night , and administration officials later clarified the travel restrictions would only apply to foreign nationals who had been present in 26 European countries during the two weeks prior to their arrival to the US .
The restrictions will not apply to US citizens , legal permanent residents , and their family members — and in spite of what Trump said during his address — trade and cargo will also not be affected .
Acting DHS secretary Chad Wolf applauded the president 's actions in a statement , saying that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The actions President Trump is taking to deny entry to foreign nationals who have been in affected areas will keep Americans safe and save American lives , '' Wolf said .
He said the ban , which was instituted through a presidential proclamation , would suspend entry to “ most foreign nationals ” who have been in certain European countries — Austria , France , Germany , Greece , Italy , and many others — in the last 14 days prior to their arrival to the US .
The UK is not included @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , more than 1,200 people in the US have tested positive for COVID-19 , the disease caused by a novel coronavirus first identified late last year in Wuhan , China , and 36 have died .
Though the virus originated in China , it has become a global pandemic .
The virus has been spreading within US communities for weeks , causing large conferences , concerts , and other events to be canceled , forcing schools to close , and leading to quarantines of communities .
“ This is the most aggressive and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in modern history , '' Trump said .
During his remarks , Trump placed blame on the European Union for the increase in cases in the US .
A widespread outbreak in Italy has forced government officials there to lock down the entire country until at least April 3 .
On Wednesday , the government said it would temporarily close all nonessential commercial services and shops , including restaurants , bars , and hairdressers .
`` The European Union failed to take the same precautions and restrict travel from China and other hot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As a result , a large number of new clusters in the United States were seeded by travelers from Europe . ''
The proclamation states that the US government can not `` effectively evaluate and monitor '' all travelers arriving from the Schengen Area , an area comprised of 26 European countries , including Austria , France , Germany , Spain , and Italy .
The area currently has the largest number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 outside of China , according to the proclamation .
`` The potential for undetected transmission of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enter the United States from the Schengen Area threatens the security of our transportation system and infrastructure and the national security , '' the document states .
Immigration experts quickly criticized the move , saying that the government 's focus should be at home .
“ The virus is here in the US .
The focus needs to be on taking action here — treating people and testing people — this seems to be pointless , '' John Sandweg , a former senior Department of Homeland Security official in the Obama administration , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not going to be terribly effective and distracts from where the focus needs to be . ''
Sandweg said the move may lead to some confusion , adding that enforcement would be `` a challenge . ''
“ Sealing off one country from another is next to impossible , '' said Sarah Pierce , an analyst at Migration Policy Institute .
`` If the Europe ban is similar to the bans on nationals from Iran and China , it will have large exceptions , because it is legally , morally , and logistically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this globalized world . ''
Pierce described the restrictions as `` the biggest and most comprehensive '' travel ban in response to a public health threat in US history .

The US is suspending travel from much of Europe to the United States for at least 30 days in an effort to stop new clusters of the novel coronavirus from sprouting across the country.
President Donald Trump announced the new sweeping travel restrictions during an address Wednesday night from the Oval Office. The rules go into effect at 11:59 p.m. Friday, according to a White House spokesperson.
"To keep new cases from entering our shores, we will be suspending all travel from Europe to the United States for the next 30 days," Trump said.
Trump's announcement prompted questions Wednesday night, and administration officials later clarified the travel restrictions would only apply to foreign nationals who had been present in 26 European countries during the two weeks prior to their arrival to the US. The restrictions will not apply to US citizens, legal permanent residents, and their family members — and in spite of what Trump said during his address — trade and cargo will also not be affected.
Acting DHS secretary Chad Wolf applauded the president's actions in a statement, saying that it would protect the American people.
"The actions President Trump is taking to deny entry to foreign nationals who have been in affected areas will keep Americans safe and save American lives," Wolf said.
He said the ban, which was instituted through a presidential proclamation, would suspend entry to “most foreign nationals” who have been in certain European countries — Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, and many others — in the last 14 days prior to their arrival to the US. The UK is not included in the ban.
As of Wednesday, more than 1,200 people in the US have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by a novel coronavirus first identified late last year in Wuhan, China, and 36 have died.
Though the virus originated in China, it has become a global pandemic. The virus has been spreading within US communities for weeks, causing large conferences, concerts, and other events to be canceled, forcing schools to close, and leading to quarantines of communities.
“This is the most aggressive and comprehensive effort to confront a foreign virus in modern history," Trump said.
During his remarks, Trump placed blame on the European Union for the increase in cases in the US.
A widespread outbreak in Italy has forced government officials there to lock down the entire country until at least April 3. On Wednesday, the government said it would temporarily close all nonessential commercial services and shops, including restaurants, bars, and hairdressers.
"The European Union failed to take the same precautions and restrict travel from China and other hot spots," Trump said. "As a result, a large number of new clusters in the United States were seeded by travelers from Europe."
The proclamation states that the US government cannot "effectively evaluate and monitor" all travelers arriving from the Schengen Area, an area comprised of 26 European countries, including Austria, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy. The area currently has the largest number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 outside of China, according to the proclamation.
"The potential for undetected transmission of the virus by infected individuals seeking to enter the United States from the Schengen Area threatens the security of our transportation system and infrastructure and the national security," the document states.
Immigration experts quickly criticized the move, saying that the government's focus should be at home.
“The virus is here in the US. The focus needs to be on taking action here — treating people and testing people — this seems to be pointless," John Sandweg, a former senior Department of Homeland Security official in the Obama administration, told BuzzFeed News. "This is not going to be terribly effective and distracts from where the focus needs to be."
Sandweg said the move may lead to some confusion, adding that enforcement would be "a challenge."
“Sealing off one country from another is next to impossible," said Sarah Pierce, an analyst at Migration Policy Institute. "If the Europe ban is similar to the bans on nationals from Iran and China, it will have large exceptions, because it is legally, morally, and logistically impossible to close off our borders in this globalized world."
Pierce described the restrictions as "the biggest and most comprehensive" travel ban in response to a public health threat in US history.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-13--Americans Returning From Europe Will Be Forced To Land In 13 US Airports For Screening

The Trump administration will force American travelers flying from more than two dozen European countries to land in 13 airports across the United States starting Saturday , according to a federal notice posted by the Department of Homeland Security on Friday .
The notice comes two days after new restrictions , which block travel for foreign nationals who had been present in 26 European countries during the two weeks prior to their planned visit to the US , were announced by the Trump administration .
The rules go into effect at 11:59 p.m. Friday .
While those travel restrictions will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ permanent residents , and their family members , those who do fly from the European countries will be forced to land at the following 13 airports : John F. Kennedy International Airport ( JFK ) , New York ; Chicago O ’ Hare International Airport ( ORD ) , Illinois ; San Francisco International Airport ( SFO ) , California ; Seattle-Tacoma International Airport ( SEA ) , Washington ; Daniel K. Inouye International Airport ( HNL ) , Hawaii ; Los Angeles International Airport , ( LAX ) , California ; Hartsfield-Jackson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Georgia ; Washington-Dulles International Airport ( IAD ) , Virginia ; Newark Liberty International Airport ( EWR ) , New Jersey ; Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport ( DFW ) , Texas ; Detroit Metropolitan Airport ( DTW ) , Michigan ; Boston Logan International Airport ( BOS ) , Massachusetts ; and Miami International Airport ( MIA ) , Florida .
The rules forcing American travelers to land in certain airports apply to those who “ recently traveled from , or otherwise been present within ” the countries within 14 days of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they have traveled to the Schengen Area , which includes Austria , France , Germany , Greece , and Italy , among other countries .

The Trump administration will force American travelers flying from more than two dozen European countries to land in 13 airports across the United States starting Saturday, according to a federal notice posted by the Department of Homeland Security on Friday.
The notice comes two days after new restrictions, which block travel for foreign nationals who had been present in 26 European countries during the two weeks prior to their planned visit to the US, were announced by the Trump administration. The rules go into effect at 11:59 p.m. Friday.
While those travel restrictions will not apply to US citizens, legal permanent residents, and their family members, those who do fly from the European countries will be forced to land at the following 13 airports: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), New York; Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Illinois; San Francisco International Airport (SFO), California; Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), Washington; Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), Hawaii; Los Angeles International Airport, (LAX), California; Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Georgia; Washington-Dulles International Airport (IAD), Virginia; Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), New Jersey; Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Texas; Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW), Michigan; Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), Massachusetts; and Miami International Airport (MIA), Florida.
The rules forcing American travelers to land in certain airports apply to those who “recently traveled from, or otherwise been present within” the countries within 14 days of the date of their arrival in the US if they have traveled to the Schengen Area, which includes Austria, France, Germany, Greece, and Italy, among other countries.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-12--How Millennials Are Talking To Their Boomer Relatives About The Coronavirus

Anita ’ s 72-year-old mom is immunocompromised , but she volunteers regularly at a hospital .
That means she ’ s both more likely to come into contact with the coronavirus and , if she does , more likely to suffer from a severe case of the disease it causes , COVID-19 .
But despite her daughter ’ s pleas , she refuses to stop .
“ She doesn ’ t want to be inconvenienced or change her life , ” Anita said .
“ But she wants the ‘ older folks ’ she knows to ‘ be careful , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ MOM , THAT IS YOU.
’ ” Jessica ’ s stepfather is 65 , has multiple sclerosis , and recently underwent lung cancer surgery .
His job as a truck driver takes him all along the I-5 corridor on the West Coast , including through the Seattle area .
His company hasn ’ t issued any advisories on how to mitigate risk or change behaviors , and he ’ s laughed off attempts to encourage him to stock up on his medications , or even just get some hand sanitizer for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s fine , ” Jessica said , “ and makes bad jokes like , ‘ The safest thing is just not to breathe !
’ ” She keeps texting him with updates and easy-to-understand articles , but thus far , it ’ s been of little use .
“ I don ’ t know what else to do , ” she said .
Nichole ’ s grandmother is in her nineties and has been in poor health for some time .
The family expects her to die within the next week and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We ’ ve got a huge family , with all of her siblings over 80 and most of her kids ( my aunts and uncles ) over 60 , ” Nichole said .
“ And I have been trying to gently suggest we don ’ t have a big funeral and fly from all over the country right now.
” She tried to coordinate with a few cousins to suggest a different option — to not have “ a giant Catholic Mass with people from 14 states ” — but the older @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it “ the right way.
” “ There ’ s a general attitude that we are making a big deal out of nothing , ” Nichole said .
“ A lot of ‘ we deal with the flu every year.
’ ” Right now , America seems to be divided into two general groups .
There are the people who are taking the threat of the spread of COVID-19 seriously , and are doing their best to prepare and socially distance themselves from others , regardless of their current health or vulnerability .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for whatever reason , are resolute in their belief that the disease won ’ t affect them in a meaningful way , that the media is overblowing the threat , or that everyone just needs to calm down .
There are multiple reasons for this split in approach , from general disposition ( preparedness-minded to I ’ ll-deal-with-it-when-I-have-to ) to one ’ s primary source of news and information .
Add in inconsistent messaging from the government and differing “ recommendations ” from state to state , and it ’ s easy to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attitudes about how to proceed in their daily lives .
There ’ s so much that ’ s unknown about how exactly the spread of the coronavirus will impact the United States , save to observe what ’ s happened in places that immediately launched extensive testing and quarantine efforts ( like Hong Kong and South Korea , both of which have significantly mitigated the disease ’ s spread ) and those that took longer ( Italy and Iran ) .
But here ’ s what is clear : Even though many people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flulike symptoms , 15 % to 20 % will develop serious , life-threatening symptoms that demand hospitalization .
The statistics from the outbreak in China are incredibly useful in figuring out who ’ s most at risk : “ older adults ” ( anyone over 60 ) ; anyone with heart disease , diabetes , or lung disease ; and anyone who is “ immunocompromised ” ( a group that includes about 10 million people in the US , including those with cancer , HIV , and organ transplant recipients ) .
Some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s advice .
They ’ re stockpiling their medication and several weeks ’ worth of food , and limiting their interactions with the outside world as much as possible .
They ’ re canceling vacations and cruises and visits to grandchildren .
They ’ re opting out of church and volunteer activities .
And if they still work — as many in the at-risk population do — and can work from home , they ’ re trying to figure out ways to do so .
But so many — so many !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of them are our parents and grandparents , convinced that , despite their age or health condition , they ’ re not vulnerable to the virus ’ s most severe and life-threatening effects .
So why are so many of these high-risk boomers not listening — and how can we convince them to ?
At this point , the resistance seems to be divided into three overarching areas : misinformation , disidentification , and general stubbornness .
Like other types of contemporary misinformation , inaccurate and fake stories about COVID-19 has been spreading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as my colleague Craig Silverman has pointed out , older people are often purposefully targeted by sites and pages trafficking in hyperpartisan rhetoric and straight-up falsehoods .
One person who ’ s been trying to get his grandfather to take the threat of COVID-19 seriously sent me a screenshot of his latest text , which featured a picture that he ’ d taken of an image on his own computer .
The photo is of a whiteboard , with the dates of previous epidemics , and the caption “ POSTED AT A DOCTORS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the image has been widely circulating across Facebook and Twitter , but has been officially debunked . )
“ I don ’ t think you have to be afraid of the coronavirus , ” the grandfather said .
“ As this post says , diseases appear every year to disrupt the voting process .
It is good to be cautious but I believe it ’ s just another of Satan ’ s tactics to prevent people from following Jesus.
” Other media figures with massive followings have been telling viewers information that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Limbaugh said that “ it ’ s just like the common cold , ” and “ all this panic is just not warranted ” ; Infowars ’ Alex Jones is has told his viewers that they can cure COVID-19 by buying his toothpaste ; Fox News ’ chief medical correspondent has repeatedly assured viewers that the coronavirus is “ at worst ” comparable to the flu , calling the officials at the World Health Organization “ a bunch of alarmists.
” ( On March 11 , the government ’ s leading infectious disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is “ 10 times more lethal ” than the seasonal flu . )
Anyone who ’ s attempted to combat the spread of misinformation — about a political candidate , or school shooting , or pretty much anything — can tell you just how difficult a proposition it is .
As one woman put it to me , “ my parents and grandparents are on an IV drip of Fox News directly to their brains and believe COVID-19 is a hoax being used as a weapon against the president.
” In these scenarios @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is to table the political dimension — at least for now — and appeal to their sense of self-preservation .
Fox News is emphasizing that older populations and those with existing medical conditions are more vulnerable .
Most recently , Tucker Carlson has countered many of his fellow Fox hosts , calling the pandemic a “ terrifying situation.
” If there ’ s a news source you know they do trust , send them information from there — whether that ’ s NPR , Joe Rogan ( who recently hosted an epidemiologist ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You can also attempt to show , not tell : Show what ’ s happening in Italy and how the hospitals are overwhelmed , despite full quarantine measures .
Explain that if the same thing happens here , they ’ ll need to be prepared : with meds , with food , with supplies .
( Then offer to help them get their hands on those items , as many might be reticent to navigate new systems , like online grocery ordering ; one person told me it took an hour to complete @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because she was specifying items like “ five green bananas , ” but it was worth it : She wasn ’ t going to the grocery store . )
Disidentification is equally — if differently — hard to combat , because it involves convincing someone to reconceptualize the kind of person they are .
The so-called aging population is usually considered to be those over 65 , just shy of the United States ’ official retirement age .
That population , largely made up of boomers , has exploded .
But so , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ living over the age of 85 , which has grown from 2.2 million ( 1980 ) to 6.3 million ( 2018 ) .
Many boomers , even retired ones , think of those people as old and at risk — not themselves .
This seems to be especially true of boomers who consider themselves healthy , or pride themselves on being particularly fit or in better shape than others their age .
Caroline ’ s dad , who ’ s 64 and a freelancer , feels “ invincible.
” “ He tells me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life being afraid of everything because anything could kill you , ’ ” she said .
“ That ’ s his general outlook.
” One person told me that the thing that worked on her similarly invincible-feeling father was sending him a vivid testimonial from a previously healthy 48-year-old about how the virus hit : Then , he said , the illness hit him “ like a hurricane.
” He struggled to breathe .
His lungs filled with fluid , and nurses in hazmat-style suits had to drain them every two hours .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the feeling of choking .
“ You feel like you ’ re asphyxiating , and you ’ re panicking because you can ’ t breathe.
” He kept telling himself , “ Just get through the next hour , the next hour , the next hour.
” At one point , he was aware that a priest in protective gear was about to administer last rites .
He wrote a note to his wife saying that if his lungs collapsed , he did not want to be put on life support .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he told the WSJ on Tuesday .
“ It ’ s alarming when I hear people minimize it as a simple cold , ” he said .
“ It almost killed me.
” The news about Tom Hanks contracting the virus — someone whom a lot of boomers think of as their age — might also help .
Another option is appealing to their sense of care and compassion for those people they consider “ old ” — especially if they ’ re related to them .
“ I tried to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of protecting my 94-year-old grandmother , ” one woman said , “ because it seemed to be an impossible task to have them just take it seriously for themselves , even though they are 69 and 67.
” Some who are older and particularly vulnerable due to medical conditions are resistant to precautionary measures because they ’ re sick of conceiving of themselves in constant relation to their illnesses .
A woman named Courtney told me that she ’ s been trying , and failing , to convince her mom — who has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to come home from a road trip .
“ She ’ s scared of losing her job , ” Courtney said .
“ But she ’ s also had this lung disease for about four years and tried all the treatments .
I think she ’ s just so tired of thinking of herself as sick.
” Courtney ’ s halfway across the country and feels like all she can do is keep calling — and convince her 21-year-old brother “ to stop going out to raves ” which could “ bring COVID @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like she ’ s finally making some progress : Today , her mom agreed to at least look into leave options at work .
“ My dad , who has cancer , is trying to make sure she can , ” Courtney said .
“ It ’ s just miserable.
” Others also seem to be responding to pleas to protect their grandchildren — even though current data suggests children ( at least ones without asthma ) are actually far less at risk for developing severe symptoms .
“ I waited to FaceTime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ baby ( his first grandchild ) up from a nap , when he looks all sleepy and pathetic , ” a new mom named Kelsey told me .
“ Then , instead of talking about his health , I talk about how worried I am about her .
‘ They say kids are okay , but there ’ s no data on infants.
’ ” “ I don ’ t feel that great exploiting my child to manipulate my father , ” she continued .
“ But you know , desperate times.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ d had little trouble convincing her parents ( in their sixties ) to take preventative measures , but her 88-year old grandparents were incredibly resistant : They ’ re volunteering , hugging people at church , and keeping themselves as busy as possible .
“ I ’ m immunocompromised , ” Jaime said .
“ I ’ ve found the best strategy is telling my grandparents they would be protecting people like me — which has at least convinced them to stop hugging literally everyone during the passing of the peace at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others ( and their autonomy ! )
than their own health.
” That tactic might also help with general parental and grandparental stubbornness .
A lot of that stubbornness makes sense : Many of our elders believe they ’ ve made it this far in life , so they must be doing something right .
Alternately , they have developed routines that , as they ’ ve aged , have provided them with comfort and community , whether through church , or volunteering , or getting their hair done , or simply meeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve looked forward to traveling across the country to visit you ( or attend a reunion , or go on a vacation , or a cruise ) for months .
One man told me that his mom is about to turn 70 and spends all day every Monday as a volunteer chaplain at a women ’ s prison .
She then comes home to her mountain community , filled with retirees , and goes to choir practice .
“ She and my dad have a packed weekend coming up , filled with volunteering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they have tickets for , and church , ” he told me .
“ She ’ s a very selfless person and interacts with vulnerable communities all the time , but doesn ’ t see the selfish act in continuing like nothing is wrong , just because she likes to stay busy.
” Upsetting routine , and replacing it with social isolation for an unspecified amount of time — something that many older people work so hard to counteract — is incredibly difficult to stomach .
You can make that easier by promising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and offering to show their friends how to do the same .
One woman who works for a public health organization told me that she gradually seeded information to her grandparents and parents , getting them used to the idea of future self-quarantine , before they actually decided to take action .
“ My dad was harder , ” she explained .
“ I had to emphasize just how much of a risk he was being to my mom by going out .
And eventually I just told him that I know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and just generally thinks he ’ s immune to things , but that I had never really asked him for a favor , and that I was now .
I needed him to listen to me , even if he didn ’ t want to.
” “ My mom told me , ‘ We are not going to stop living , ’ and I said , “ That is the point !
’ ” In some cases , the only thing that will make people take action is others forcing them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t stop volunteering at the hospital contacted me again today .
“ The hospital sent all the older volunteers home , ” she said .
“ My mom was a little sad about it , but we had a good conversation about safety and being around for her grandkids.
” Our parents and grandparents have spent their lives being the ones giving us advice and telling us what to do .
Reversing that dynamic can feel incredibly unnatural .
But even if your parents or grandparents aren ’ t listening now , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later .
Keep trying , keep talking — and , if all else fails , appeal to their parental instincts .
“ Telling my parents I ’ m scared has been helpful , ” a woman named Mary told me .
“ They ’ re way more incentivized to protect me from the fear.
” ●

Other media figures with massive followings have been telling viewers information that is either misleading or flat-out incorrect: Rush Limbaugh said that “it’s just like the common cold,” and “all this panic is just not warranted”; Infowars’ Alex Jones is has told his viewers that they can cure COVID-19 by buying his toothpaste; Fox News’ chief medical correspondent has repeatedly assured viewers that the coronavirus is “at worst” comparable to the flu, calling the officials at the World Health Organization “a bunch of alarmists.” (On March 11, the government’s leading infectious disease official testified before Congress that the coronavirus is “10 times more lethal” than the seasonal flu.)
Anyone who’s attempted to combat the spread of misinformation — about a political candidate, or school shooting, or pretty much anything — can tell you just how difficult a proposition it is. As one woman put it to me, “my parents and grandparents are on an IV drip of Fox News directly to their brains and believe COVID-19 is a hoax being used as a weapon against the president.”
In these scenarios, the best way to get through is to table the political dimension — at least for now — and appeal to their sense of self-preservation. Fox News is emphasizing that older populations and those with existing medical conditions are more vulnerable. Most recently, Tucker Carlson has countered many of his fellow Fox hosts, calling the pandemic a “terrifying situation.” If there’s a news source you know they do trust, send them information from there — whether that’s NPR, Joe Rogan (who recently hosted an epidemiologist), or the local television station.
You can also attempt to show, not tell: Show what’s happening in Italy and how the hospitals are overwhelmed, despite full quarantine measures. Explain that if the same thing happens here, they’ll need to be prepared: with meds, with food, with supplies. (Then offer to help them get their hands on those items, as many might be reticent to navigate new systems, like online grocery ordering; one person told me it took an hour to complete her 96-year-old great-grandmother’s order, because she was specifying items like “five green bananas,” but it was worth it: She wasn’t going to the grocery store.)
Disidentification is equally — if differently — hard to combat, because it involves convincing someone to reconceptualize the kind of person they are. The so-called aging population is usually considered to be those over 65, just shy of the United States’ official retirement age. That population, largely made up of boomers, has exploded. But so, too, has the number of people living over the age of 85, which has grown from 2.2 million (1980) to 6.3 million (2018). Many boomers, even retired ones, think of those people as old and at risk — not themselves.
This seems to be especially true of boomers who consider themselves healthy, or pride themselves on being particularly fit or in better shape than others their age. Caroline’s dad, who’s 64 and a freelancer, feels “invincible.” “He tells me, ‘You can’t live life being afraid of everything because anything could kill you,’” she said. “That’s his general outlook.” One person told me that the thing that worked on her similarly invincible-feeling father was sending him a vivid testimonial from a previously healthy 48-year-old about how the virus hit:
Then, he said, the illness hit him “like a hurricane.” He struggled to breathe. His lungs filled with fluid, and nurses in hazmat-style suits had to drain them every two hours. The worst part, he said, was the feeling of choking. “You feel like you’re asphyxiating, and you’re panicking because you can’t breathe.” He kept telling himself, “Just get through the next hour, the next hour, the next hour.” At one point, he was aware that a priest in protective gear was about to administer last rites. He wrote a note to his wife saying that if his lungs collapsed, he did not want to be put on life support. “I was one inch from death,” he told the WSJ on Tuesday. “It’s alarming when I hear people minimize it as a simple cold,” he said. “It almost killed me.”
The news about Tom Hanks contracting the virus — someone whom a lot of boomers think of as their age — might also help. Another option is appealing to their sense of care and compassion for those people they consider “old” — especially if they’re related to them. “I tried to make them think of it in terms of protecting my 94-year-old grandmother,” one woman said, “because it seemed to be an impossible task to have them just take it seriously for themselves, even though they are 69 and 67.”