veteranstoday--2020-02-28--JCPOA and INSTEX: The Alice in Wonderland story continues

[ Editor ’ s Note : I wish I could count the times we have published on the JCPOA .
What a roller coaster it has been for all of us .
And I say that especially for Mr. Zarif , Iran ’ s energizer bunny foreign minister that never gives up .
Of course neither do the EU JCPOA cohorts with their on going mantra of “ It ’ s coming , it ’ s coming , just one more tweak and its coming ” .
But I don ’ t see how they are ever going to arrange @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already if they had a work around .
Who would have ever believed that we would see the EU held completely hostage by a US threat of blocking its entities from the banking system with sanction threats ?
But we now have a new fly in the ointment , the threat of a recession that might be kicked off by the new virus scourge triggering a domino effect of business closures and bankruptcies , large numbers of bank collapses , laid off workers , and cascading defaults on car loans , credit cards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for an ugly primary and anyone ’ s guess as to who an unhappy public going through another economic crunch will be blamed for the misery that may be roaring down the train tracks toward the washed out bridge .
Add to that our finally getting to see Trump ’ s tax files disclosed to reveal what was has been behind the curtain all this time on his “ empire ” .
It ’ s going to be quite a ride… Jim W. Dean ] Jim 's Editor ’ s Notes are solely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ research , field trips , Heritage TV Legacy archiving & more .
Thanks for helping .
Click to donate > > Iran and the EU discuss ways to strengthen and expand the INSTEX financial mechanism introduced to circumvent US sanctions .
Following a Joint Commission meeting in Vienna , Iran ’ s deputy foreign minister says Iran appreciates that Europe is trying its best to save the nuclear deal but the lack of ability is obvious .
Homa Lezgee reports .
Click on the video to go full screen

Iran, EU discuss ways to strengthen INSTEX financial mechanism
by Jim W. Dean, VT editor, …with Press TV, Tehran
[ Editor’s Note: I wish I could count the times we have published on the JCPOA. What a roller coaster it has been for all of us. And I say that especially for Mr. Zarif, Iran’s energizer bunny foreign minister that never gives up.
Of course neither do the EU JCPOA cohorts with their on going mantra of “It’s coming, it’s coming, just one more tweak and its coming”.
But I don’t see how they are ever going to arrange the payment process or they would have already if they had a work around.
Who would have ever believed that we would see the EU held completely hostage by a US threat of blocking its entities from the banking system with sanction threats?
But we now have a new fly in the ointment, the threat of a recession that might be kicked off by the new virus scourge triggering a domino effect of business closures and bankruptcies, large numbers of bank collapses, laid off workers, and cascading defaults on car loans, credit cards, and mortgages.
It would make for an ugly primary and anyone’s guess as to who an unhappy public going through another economic crunch will be blamed for the misery that may be roaring down the train tracks toward the washed out bridge.
Add to that our finally getting to see Trump’s tax files disclosed to reveal what was has been behind the curtain all this time on his “empire”. It’s going to be quite a ride… Jim W. Dean ]
Jim's Editor’s Notes are solely crowdfunded via PayPal
Jim's work includes research, field trips, Heritage TV Legacy archiving & more. Thanks for helping. Click to donate >>
– First aired … February 27, 2020 –
Iran and the EU discuss ways to strengthen and expand the INSTEX financial mechanism introduced to circumvent US sanctions.
Following a Joint Commission meeting in Vienna, Iran’s deputy foreign minister says Iran appreciates that Europe is trying its best to save the nuclear deal but the lack of ability is obvious. Homa Lezgee reports.
Click on the video to go full screen


veteranstoday--2020-02-28--Scotland Seeks Racketeering Designation for Trump, Says Golf Resorts Bought with Mob Cash

BBC : Scotland ’ s first minister has been urged to use unexplained wealth orders to investigate how Donald Trump paid for his Scottish golf resorts .
Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said the US Congress had heard concerns about possible money laundering involving some of the president ’ s business deals .
He claimed there were “ big questions ” over Mr Trump ’ s dealings in Scotland .
Mr Trump ’ s son Eric said the claims had “ no basis in fact ” .
He accused Mr Harvie of making “ disgusting statements ” that were “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ member of the Scottish Parliament ” .
• What are Trump ’ s links to Scotland ?
And he said the Green politician had “ long expressed deep-seated animus to the Trump Organisation ” , which he said had “ invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Scotland while creating thousands of jobs ” .
Donald Trump opened his controversial golf course on the Menie estate in Aberdeenshire in 2012 , before purchasing the Turnberry golf resort in Ayrshire in 2014 – into which the Trump Organisation claimed to have invested about £150m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inquiry by the House of Representatives into allegations about possible links between Mr Trump and Russia heard allegations that Turnberry may have been used for money laundering – a claim that Mr Trump has always strongly denied .
What is an unexplained wealth order ?
An unexplained wealth order ( UWO ) is a type of order issued by a UK court to compel someone to reveal the sources of their unexplained wealth .
It was introduced to target suspected corrupt foreign officials who have potentially laundered stolen money through the UK .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2018 to Zamira Hajiyeva , the wife of Jahangir Hajiyev , the former chairman of the International Bank of Azerbaijan , who spent £16m in Harrods .
The media has sometimes nicknamed UWOs “ McMafia laws ” – after the BBC crime drama about a Russian crime family living in London .
Speaking in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday , Mr Harvie said the purchase of Menie and the Turnberry golf resort were part of Mr Trump ’ s “ huge cash spending spree in the midst of a global financial crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House of Representatives had heard testimony which stated : “ We saw patterns of buying and selling that we thought were suggestive of money laundering ” – with particular concern expressed about Mr Trump ’ s golf courses in Scotland and Ireland .
He added : “ Trump ’ s known sources of income don ’ t explain where the money came from for these huge cash transactions .
“ There are reasonable grounds for suspecting that his lawfully obtained income was insufficient .
“ Scottish ministers can apply via the Court of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tool designed for precisely these kinds of situations.
” The orders can be issued by the courts to compel their target to reveal the source of funding , and are often used to tackle suspected international money laundering .
Mr Harvie said seeking the order would “ make it clear that Scotland is not a country where anyone with the money can buy whatever land and property they want , no questions asked ” .
Ms Sturgeon responded by saying that “ Scotland is not that kind of country and should never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but that she did not want to give Mr Harvie answers without the full information in front of her .
She added : “ I think most people here would recognise that I am no defender of Donald Trump , of his politics or any of his other dealings.
” Ms Sturgeon ’ s spokesman later said that the decision on whether to apply for a unexplained wealth order is made on behalf of Scottish ministers by the Civil Recovery Unit , which reports to the lord advocate .
He said the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaigners seeking an order , which it had passed to the Lord Advocate on that basis .
Sarah Malone , executive vice president of Trump International , Scotland , described Mr Harvie ’ s comments as “ utterly baseless and malicious ” and called on him to retract them .
She added : “ This attention seeking behaviour is not what is expected of a responsible elected member of Scottish Parliament .
“ Is this seriously how Scotland treats its inward investors ?
The Trump Organization has invested hundreds of millions of dollars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ garbage is seriously harmfully to future inward investment .
”

BBC: Scotland’s first minister has been urged to use unexplained wealth orders to investigate how Donald Trump paid for his Scottish golf resorts.
Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said the US Congress had heard concerns about possible money laundering involving some of the president’s business deals.
He claimed there were “big questions” over Mr. Trump’s dealings in Scotland.
Mr. Trump’s son Eric said the claims had “no basis in fact”.
He accused Mr. Harvie of making “disgusting statements” that were “reckless, irresponsible and unbecoming for a member of the Scottish Parliament”.
What are Trump’s links to Scotland?
And he said the Green politician had “long expressed deep-seated animus to the Trump Organisation”, which he said had “invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Scotland while creating thousands of jobs”.
Donald Trump opened his controversial golf course on the Menie estate in Aberdeenshire in 2012, before purchasing the Turnberry golf resort in Ayrshire in 2014 – into which the Trump Organisation claimed to have invested about £150m within the first two years.
An inquiry by the House of Representatives into allegations about possible links between Mr. Trump and Russia heard allegations that Turnberry may have been used for money laundering – a claim that Mr. Trump has always strongly denied.
What is an unexplained wealth order?
An unexplained wealth order (UWO) is a type of order issued by a UK court to compel someone to reveal the sources of their unexplained wealth.
It was introduced to target suspected corrupt foreign officials who have potentially laundered stolen money through the UK.
The first unexplained wealth order was issued in 2018 to Zamira Hajiyeva, the wife of Jahangir Hajiyev, the former chairman of the International Bank of Azerbaijan, who spent £16m in Harrods.
The media has sometimes nicknamed UWOs “McMafia laws” – after the BBC crime drama about a Russian crime family living in London.
Speaking in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday, Mr. Harvie said the purchase of Menie and the Turnberry golf resort were part of Mr. Trump’s “huge cash spending spree in the midst of a global financial crisis”.
Mr. Harvie said that the House of Representatives had heard testimony which stated: “We saw patterns of buying and selling that we thought were suggestive of money laundering” – with particular concern expressed about Mr. Trump’s golf courses in Scotland and Ireland.
He added: “Trump’s known sources of income don’t explain where the money came from for these huge cash transactions.
“There are reasonable grounds for suspecting that his lawfully obtained income was insufficient.
“Scottish ministers can apply via the Court of Session for an unexplained wealth order, a tool designed for precisely these kinds of situations.”
The orders can be issued by the courts to compel their target to reveal the source of funding, and are often used to tackle suspected international money laundering.
Mr Harvie said seeking the order would “make it clear that Scotland is not a country where anyone with the money can buy whatever land and property they want, no questions asked”.
Ms Sturgeon responded by saying that “Scotland is not that kind of country and should never be that kind of country”, but that she did not want to give Mr Harvie answers without the full information in front of her.
She added: “I think most people here would recognize that I am no defender of Donald Trump, of his politics or any of his other dealings.”
Ms. Sturgeon’s spokesman later said that the decision on whether to apply for an unexplained wealth order is made on behalf of Scottish ministers by the Civil Recovery Unit, which reports to the lord advocate.
He said the government had last year received a report from campaigners seeking an order, which it had passed to the Lord Advocate on that basis.
Sarah Malone, executive vice president of Trump International, Scotland, described Mr. Harvie’s comments as “utterly baseless and malicious” and called on him to retract them.
She added: “This attention-seeking behavior is not what is expected of a responsible elected member of the Scottish Parliament.
“Is this seriously how Scotland treats its inward investors? The Trump Organization has invested hundreds of millions of dollars into our economy and this sort of garbage is seriously harmfully to future inward investment.”
Source: Trump Wealth Order Probe Urged Over Scottish Golf Resorts


veteranstoday--2020-02-27--Anna News Agency:  Syria Report Feb. 27, 2020

Syria .
Kafr Awaid City Released ANNA News correspondents report that Syrian forces liberated Kafr Awaid , located in the southern part of Idlib province .
For a day from Kafr Nabeul , the 25th division passed strictly west more than 15 kilometers .
The height of Klekel was taken .
SANA also reports that government forces returned another 15 villages in the vicinity of Kafr Awaid within 24 hours , defeating gangs of terrorists from the Jebhat al-Nusra group .
Syrian troops have begun clearing neighborhoods and clearing streets .
Syria .
Fights for Sarakib Information from some Turkish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Syrian “ moderate opposition ” of the city of Sarakib in Idlib province is untrue .
It is reported by TASS with reference to a military source .
SANA reports that the units of the Syrian army are fighting fiercely with gangs that “ with great force ” attack the defensive lines of government troops in order to return the strategic city under control .
The militants from the Jebhat al-Nusra terrorist group ( banned in the Russian Federation ) and armed opposition brigades provide fire support to Turkish troops .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ intensive strikes on advancing gangs , in their ranks there are dozens of dead and wounded , several armored vehicles of the enemy were destroyed .
Earlier , Reuters , citing representatives of illegal armed groups , reported that armed groups of the so-called Syrian opposition , supported by Turkey , claim that they were able to regain control of the strategically important city of Sarakib .
USA .
US will not return to Syria US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said that the US does not plan to return its troops to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part in the conflict in Syria .
The head of the US Chief of Staff Committee , Mark Milli , added that the US ’ s primary concern remains the fight against the Islamic State terrorist group ( banned in the Russian Federation ) in eastern Syria .
“ We have neither the intention nor the plans to again take part in the civil war in Syria or to return our forces to the Syrian-Turkish border , ” Milli emphasized .
Syria .
US equipment in Syria The Fars Iranian agency , citing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of trucks with building materials and equipment to strengthen its bases in northeastern Syria .
Agency reports that in two days at least 300 American trucks crossed the Iraqi-Syrian border at the Al-Walid border checkpoint and headed to the northeastern Syrian provinces of Hasek and Deir ez-Zor .
Some vehicles arrived in the area of Tell Birak and Tell Baidar in Hasek .
Another piece of material was delivered to the Al Omar oil field , next to which the United States also intends to create a fortified zone .
Russia .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ President ’ s press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that President Putin ’ s plans for March 5 do not include a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan .
Peskov also said that in the schedule of the president for March 5 there is no trip to Istanbul .
Peskov noted that there is a dialogue between Russia and Turkey at the expert and working levels .
“ First of all , to discuss the crisis around Idlib.
” Earlier , plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 5 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Turkish resident Recep Tayyip Erdogan .
Qatar .
US agreement with the Taliban .
Sohail Shahin , an official representative of the Qatari Taliban political office , said the agreement between the United States and the radical Taliban movement ( banned in the Russian Federation ) will be signed on Saturday , February 29 .
This was reported by The Khaama Press .
The signing ceremony will be held in the capital of Qatar , Doha .
Foreign ministers and special representatives from 26 countries are invited to the ceremony .
Russia will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the President of the Russian Federation for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov .
The Taliban will sign the agreement with Mullah Abdul Gani Baradar .
._._._._._._._._._._._._._._ .
ANNA-News Agency is a volunteer project .
ANNA-News volunteers report on events , shoot videos and publish analytical articles on the national security of Russia and its allies in modern military-political conditions .
ANNA-News is the latest and latest news from war zones .
More information on the website.http : //anna-news.info To help the project financially : http : //anna-news.info/pomoshh-agentst …

Syria. Kafr Awaid City Released ANNA News correspondents report that Syrian forces liberated Kafr Awaid, located in the southern part of Idlib province. For a day from Kafr Nabeul, the 25th division passed strictly west more than 15 kilometers. The height of Klekel was taken.
SANA also reports that government forces returned another 15 villages in the vicinity of Kafr Awaid within 24 hours, defeating gangs of terrorists from the Jebhat al-Nusra group. Syrian troops have begun clearing neighborhoods and clearing streets.
Syria. Fights for Sarakib Information from some Turkish media about the seizure by the troops of the Syrian “moderate opposition” of the city of Sarakib in Idlib province is untrue.
It is reported by TASS with reference to a military source. SANA reports that the units of the Syrian army are fighting fiercely with gangs that “with great force” attack the defensive lines of government troops in order to return the strategic city under control. The militants from the Jebhat al-Nusra terrorist group (banned in the Russian Federation) and armed opposition brigades provide fire support to Turkish troops.
It is reported that Syrian artillery inflicts intensive strikes on advancing gangs, in their ranks, there are dozens of dead and wounded, several armored vehicles of the enemy were destroyed. Earlier, Reuters, citing representatives of illegal armed groups, reported that armed groups of the so-called Syrian opposition, supported by Turkey, claim that they were able to regain control of the strategically important city of Sarakib.
The USA will not return to Syria US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said that the US does not plan to return its troops to the Turkish-Syrian border and to take any part in the conflict in Syria. The head of the US Chief of Staff Committee, Mark Milli, added that the US’s primary concern remains the fight against the Islamic State terrorist group (banned in the Russian Federation) in eastern Syria.
“We have neither the intention nor the plans to again take part in the civil war in Syria or to return our forces to the Syrian-Turkish border,” Milli emphasized. Syria. US equipment in Syria The Fars Iranian agency, citing sources, reports that the US sent hundreds of trucks with building materials and equipment to strengthen its bases in northeastern Syria.
Agency reports that in two days at least 300 American trucks crossed the Iraqi-Syrian border at the Al-Walid border checkpoint and headed to the northeastern Syrian provinces of Hasek and Deir ez-Zor. Some vehicles arrived in the area of Tell Birak and Tell Baidar in Hasek. Another piece of material was delivered to the Al Omar oil field, next to which the United States also intends to create a fortified zone.
Russia. Putin’s meeting with Erdogan Russian President’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that President Putin’s plans for March 5 do not include a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Peskov also said that in the schedule of the president for March 5 there is no trip to Istanbul. Peskov noted that there is a dialogue between Russia and Turkey at the expert and working levels.
“First of all, to discuss the crisis around Idlib.” Earlier, plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 5 in Istanbul were announced on February 26 by Turkish resident Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Qatar. US agreement with the Taliban. Sohail Shahin, an official representative of the Qatari Taliban political office, said the agreement between the United States and the radical Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) will be signed on Saturday, February 29. This was reported by The Khaama Press. The signing ceremony will be held in the capital of Qatar, Doha. Foreign ministers and special representatives from 26 countries are invited to the ceremony. Russia will be represented by the Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov. The Taliban will sign the agreement with Mullah Abdul Gani Baradar.
About Author: ANNA-News Agency is a volunteer project. ANNA-News volunteers report on events, shoot videos and publish analytical articles on the national security of Russia and its allies in modern military-political conditions. ANNA-News is the latest and latest news from war zones.


veteranstoday--2020-02-27--Christie on Colbert: The Dem Debates (video-worthwhile)

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The former governor of New Jersey sits down with Stephen Colbert to discuss the performance of Democratic presidential candidates after the latest debate in Charleston, South Carolina.
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veteranstoday--2020-02-27--Bio-Weapon Covid-19 (update): 26 dead in Iran, 17 in Italy. Iran’s VP infected with others 245. Lomb

Bio-Weapon Covid-19 (update): 26 dead in Iran, 17 in Italy. Iran’s VP infected with others 245. Lombardy’s Governor in Quarantine and 650 Italians contagious

There is nothing to comment on the new dramatic numbers about dead and infected : we have only to remember a disturbing and authoritative prophecy .
The Center for the Study of Existential Risk ( CSER ) of the University of Cambridge in an August report highlighted the dangers of technology in the war field because « a bio-weapon could be built to target a specific ethnic group based on its genomic profile » defining this eventuality « extremely harmful and potentially unstoppable » .
Iranian ’ s vice president for women and family affairs , Masoumeh Ebtekar , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including Iran ’ s deputy health minister , were already known to be infected .
“ Ms .
Ebtekar showed signs of infection with coronavirus and was tested .
The results came back positive , ” IRNA quoted a spokesperson for the vice president as saying .
Earlier in the day , the head of the parliamentary security and foreign relations commission Mojtaba Zonnour said he had also tested positive for the virus .
Iran is enduring a large coronavirus outbreak ; 26 people have died from the disease , while over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour .
Iran ’ s Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi has tested positive for coronavirus , Iranian state media has reported .
Harirchi has been at the forefront of the country ’ s response to the outbreak .
A spokesperson for Iran ’ s health ministry confirmed in a television interview on Tuesday that Harirchi has been infected and is under quarantine .
Schools have been closed across much of the country for the last two days and five of Iran ’ s seven neighbors have closed their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broke out between protesters and security forces at the weekend , over Tehran ’ s handling of the country ’ s outbreak , local media reported .
Infected are raised at 139 persons , dead at 19 according to official sources .
But there are suspicions that the number is higher… The Head of Civil Protection , Angelo Borrelli updated the coronavirus situation in Italy by meeting journalists .
“ Good news : in Lombardy there are 37 people recovered out of 305 infected ” .
So Borrelli wanted to start .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronaviruses in Lombardy , there are also three patients discharged in Lazio and two in Sicily , added Borrelli .
The governor of Lombardy has chosen to put himself in voluntary quarantine after one of his collaborators has tested positive .
The governor of Lombardy Attilio Fontana in voluntary quarantine after a collaborator of his staff resulted positive at CoronaVirus .
Then the commissioner for the emergency on coronavirus drew a picture of the global situation in our country : over 528 the infected , 474 in assistance ; 278 in home isolation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in intensive care .
The detail region by region is this : Lombardy : 305 people infected .
Veneto : 98 .
Emilia-Romagna : 97 .
Liguria : 11 .
Lazio : 3 .
Sicily : 3 ( 2 healed ) .
2 in Tuscany , Campania , Piedmont .
1 in the province of Bolzano .
1 in Abruzzo .
The deaths : 14 , also expect the results of the ISS checks for official status .
Last report 650 infected , 17 dead .
Meanwhile , especially in Lombardy , supermarkets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarantine and the shelves of fresh foodstuffs are starting to be almost empty in numerous stores .
If the good news comes from Austria that the railway connections with Italy blocked yesterday at the Brenner border have been restored , the CoronaVirus catastrophe appears more and more like a military attack studied in detail ( by the CIA according to our intelligence sources as highlighted in the survey published Sunday 23 February ) .
In Italy , there was the fourth victim in Bergamo and the fifth in Albettone ( Vicenza ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In fact , the pandemic hit first of all China , the uncomfortable economic rival of the USA , with almost 80 thousand infected and over 2300 dead : useless to write the exact number because it grows every half hour .
Morbidity has been so devastating in the Wuhan outbreak area that there have been thousands of SARS-CoV-2 victims despite the low mortality rate of 2 % .
While , if the data on the infected in Iran are real and not intentionally contained by the authorities to avoid panic , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shiites , bitter enemy of the White House allied with the Sunnis of Saudi Arabia and Qatar , is even equal to 20 % and in a few days from the presence of the virus it has already killed 8 people , among 43 infected or perhaps more since the IRNA ( Islamic Republic National Agency ) also releases updates with the dropper .
The main outbreak is in Qom , the site of the most important Shiite mosque and the most powerful military nuclear power plant , where 7 infected were registered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2 in Gilan , 1 in Markazi and another in Tonekabon .
The data released by the Iranian Ministry of Health are however to be taken with the benefit of inventory as it could be an extremely provisional and partial budget .
The mortality of 8 people out of 43 infected is , in fact , equal to about 20 % : or almost ten times that found in China , settled around 3 % , and that of other countries such as Italy at 2 % ( 3 out of 150 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signed the decree to re-establish a Special National Committee for the health emergency .
In Italy , on the other hand , the Civil Protection Crisis Unit has already been working for days in close collaboration with the Prime Minister , which is increasingly placing restrictions on the movement of people and places of mass attendance in various Regions .
Finally , we come to Italy where CoronaVirus killed 5 people and brought the number of infected and hospitalized patients to 219 : 167 cases in Lombardy , 27 in Veneto , 18 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3 in Lazio .
The Milan Cathedral has been closed and the historic Carnival of Venice has been interrupted .
In 72 hours , the infected thus far exceeded those of Japan ( yesterday 135 ) , affected by the epidemic since the end of January .
Now Italy is the third country in the world for the dead ( after China and Iran ) and also for contagious .
And it has already ascertained a third of the infected of South Corea ( 603 ) , the country most affected by proximity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other enemy of the United States , that first opened to accuse the Pentagon of having used a biochemical weapon , such as he then did the Chinese Communist Party ( see previous post ) .
If the increasingly well-founded thesis of the biogenetic weapon is accepted , the motives for a chemical attack can be identified in three factors .
Firstly , a warning to the first European country that signed the Silk Road trade agreement with Beijing , secondly , the restarted dialogues between Italy and Iran on Artificial Intelligence , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Luigi Di Maio , Minister of Foreign Affairs , at the height of tensions between Tehran and Washington ( lol ) … Finally , this pandemic is a powerful signal to the vast NO-VAX community that contested the Lorenzin law ( 2017 ) on the 10 mandatory vaccines of the experimental health plan wanted by the American administration of President Barack Obama , within the 40 countries participating in the Global Health Security Agenda , and implemented by the Italian health and pharmaceutical institutions in collaboration with the Anglo-American multinational Glaxo Smith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report about CoronaVirus , Just GSK is now helping the University of Queensland to develop the vaccine on behalf of the British Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations ( CEPI ) .
Australia , a member of the FIVE EYES international intelligence committee ( with the USA , the United Kingdom , Canada , and New Zealand ) has just announced that it has already found the vaccine but that it will now obviously need to be tested first .
read more VEGETAL THERAPY FOR LIKELY DEFENSE FROM VIRUS Could a solution for scientists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at high risk of death , as guinea pigs , as mortality is becoming threatening and morbidity is growing unstoppably and exponentially ?
There are many ways to impose geopolitical-military colonialism : the pharmaceutical one is certainly the most sneaky , cowardly and horrifying …

by Fabio Giuseppe Carlo Carisio for VT Italy
After the Governors of Lazio and Piedmont regions also the top officer of the Italian Army has been found positive to COVID-19. The Chief of Major State, General Salvatore Farina, resulted yesterday infected by a coronavirus. It is he himself who makes it known.
I underwent the Coronavirus test, proving positive – he explains – I’m fine, I am in isolation in my accommodation, in compliance with the directives issued by the government authorities and with the health protocols envisaged; on the basis of which we are proceeding to verify the contacts we had in the last few days.
I will continue to perform my duties and will be replaced by General Federico Bonato for the activities I cannot take part in. I extend a warm greeting and heartfelt thanks to the women and men of the Army who work to deal with this emergency in the operational, logistics and healthcare sectors».
CoronaVirus has now infected more than 100,000 people worldwide and has killed over 3,000 in a dramatic report very hard to update. The total cases have risen to total cases thus rise to 9.172 in our country, 1,797 more than yesterday. Among these, 7,985 are currently positive, 724 the total healed (+102 over yesterday) and 463 the victims (+97).
The whole of Italy has been declared a “red zone” by the government with all the restrictions on travel and public gatherings already in force in Lombardy and in 14 provinces. In the final document, there are generalized limitations for all of Italy, including the stop to pubs, discos, game rooms, and cinema and theater events and other much more rigorous.
There is no longer a red zone but all of Italy will be a protected area – explains Prime Minister Conte – Here until April 3 – to give just two examples – the movements will be limited, save the possibility of returning to your home, and the bars and restaurants will have to close at 18 and for the rest of the day guarantee distances of at least one meter. Those with a fever of 37.5 are invited to stay at home, those in quarantine are strictly prohibited from going out.
Iran has been the worst-hit country in the Middle East, and the third in the world after China and Italy, with a total of 237 deaths and 7,161 infection cases.
POSTED ON MARCH, 3
Technically, this is already a pandemic. The pandemic declaration is only a formal fact: when the international emergency started, the WHO activated the necessary tools to mobilize member states. If the WHO were to choose this path, on the basis of the data collected, absolutely nothing will change for citizens. But the WHO will ask the wealthy states for the money needed to control the virus in poor countries, which risks more.
This was stated by epidemiologist Pierluigi Lopalco, professor of Hygiene and preventive medicine at the University of Pisa, highlighting the exponential growth of this virus which is arousing the strong concern of the World Health Organization, especially in some countries.
For this reason, WHO has for some days raised the global level of the risk of contagion from “high” to “very high”, until a few days ago so reported only in China, where the number of new cases of CoVid-19 (or Sars Covid -2) is decreasing.
The number of cases in China continues to decline. Yesterday, China reported 206 cases of COVID-19 to WHO, the lowest since the 22nd of January. Only 8 cases were reported outside Hubei province yesterday. Outside China, a total of 8739 cases of COVID-19 have been reported to WHO from 61 countries, with 127 deaths» dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesussaid, World Health Organization’s general director said in a press conference on March 2.
In the last 24 hours there were almost 9 times more cases reported outside China than inside China. The epidemics in the Republic of Korea, Italy, Iran and Japan are our greatest concern. I would also like to inform you that a WHO team arrived in Iran this afternoon to deliver supplies and support the government in the response. A WHO staff member in our Iran country office has now tested positive for COVID-19. He has mild disease WHO DG added.
But it’s impossible to release a real update because in Italy and Iran dead and contagious raise again much more every hour: the thesis of the biogenetic weapon is becoming more concrete…
This virus is not influenza (flu-ed). We are in unchartered territory. We have never before seen a respiratory pathogen that is capable of community transmission, but which can also be contained with the right measures. If this was an influenza epidemic, we would have expected to see widespread community transmission across the globe by now, and efforts to slow it down or contain it would not be feasible. But containment of COVID-19 is feasible and must remain the top priority for all countries. With early, aggressive measures, countries can stop transmission and save lives Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesussaid highlighted.
We appreciate that people are debating whether this is a pandemic or not. We are monitoring the situation every moment of every day, and analyzing the data. I have said it before and I’ll say it again: WHO will not hesitate to describe this as a pandemic if that’s what the evidence suggests. But we need to see this in perspective.
Of the 88,913 cases reported globally so far, 90% are in China, mostly in one province. Of the 8739 cases reported outside China, 81% are from four countries. Of the other 57 affected countries, 38 have reported 10 cases or less, 19 have reported only one case, and a good number of countries have already contained the virus and have not reported in the last two weeks. More than 130 countries have not detected any cases yet.
The vaccine and treatment to treat coronavirus may be available starting in late summer, early autumn, said American Vice President Mike Pence, who coordinates the US government’s response to the emergency that caused the former. two victims.
Australia (as reported below) also reported that the vaccine has passed laboratory tests. Pence has made it known in the meantime that the United States will implement 100% of the checks on all direct flights arriving from Italy and South Korea in the next 12 hours.
UPDATE 1 MARCH 2020
The numbers State by State China: 2,870 victims and China and 79 thousand positives mainly in the province of Hubei Hong Kong: 94 cases and two deaths Macau: 10 cases South Korea: 3,736 cases, 21 deaths Italy: 1,128 positive, 29 victims. Japan: 951 cases, including those of the Diamond Princess, and 12 dead Iran: 54 dead and 978 infected. Singapore: 102 positive. France: over 100 cases and two deaths Germany: 66 positive. United States: 70 positive and one dead Spain: 46 cases Kuwait: 45 cases Thailand: 42 positives and one victim. Taiwan: 39 cases, one death. Bahrain: 38 cases. Malaysia: 29 positives. Australia: 22 cases and one victim. United Kingdom: 35 positive and one victim. United Arab Emirates: 21 positives. Canada: 20 cases. Vietnam: 16. Norway: 15. Iraq: 19 positives. Sweden: 13 cases. Switzerland: 10. Greece: 7. Lebanon: 7. Netherlands: 7 positive. Croatia: 7. Oman: 6 cases. Austria: 5 cases Israel: 5 positive Russia: 5 positive. Mexico: 4 Pakistan: 4 positive. Finland: 3 cases. India: 3 cases Philippines: 3 positive. Romania: 3. Czech Republic: 3. Brazil: 2. Denmark: 2. Algeria: 1. Afghanistan: 1. Armenia 1. Azerbaijan: 1. Belarus: 1. Belgium: 2. Cambodia: 1. Ecuador: 1. Egypt: 1 case. Estonia: 1. Iceland: 1. Ireland: 1. Lithuania: 1. Monaco: 1. Nepal: 1. New Zealand: 1. Nigeria: 1. North Macedonia: 1. Qatar: 1. San Marino: 1. Sri Lanka: 1. Dominican Republic: 1. RAI News source
There is nothing to comment on the new dramatic numbers about dead and infected: we have only to remember a disturbing and authoritative prophecy.
The Center for the Study of Existential Risk (CSER) of the University of Cambridge in an August report highlighted the dangers of technology in the war field because «a bio-weapon could be built to target a specific ethnic group based on its genomic profile» defining this eventuality «extremely harmful and potentially unstoppable».
IRAN
Iranian’s vice president for women and family affairs, Masoumeh Ebtekar, has contracted the coronavirus. Three high-ranking officials, including Iran’s deputy health minister, were already known to be infected. “Ms. Ebtekar showed signs of infection with coronavirus and was tested. The results came back positive,” IRNA quoted a spokesperson for the vice president as saying. Earlier in the day, the head of the parliamentary security and foreign relations commission Mojtaba Zonnour said he had also tested positive for the virus.
Iran’s Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi has tested positive for coronavirus, Iranian state media has reported. Harirchi has been at the forefront of the country’s response to the outbreak. A spokesperson for Iran’s health ministry confirmed in a television interview on Tuesday that Harirchi has been infected and is under quarantine.
Schools have been closed across much of the country for the last two days and five of Iran’s seven neighbors have closed their borders with the Islamic Republic. Clashes broke out between protesters and security forces at the weekend, over Tehran’s handling of the country’s outbreak, local media reported.
ITALY
The governor of Lombardy has chosen to put himself in voluntary quarantine after one of his collaborators has tested positive. The governor of Lombardy Attilio Fontana in voluntary quarantine after a collaborator of his staff resulted in positive at CoronaVirus.
ITALIANS INFECTED FOR FIVE-EYES’ VACCINE…
If the good news comes from Austria that the railway connections with Italy blocked yesterday at the Brenner border have been restored, the CoronaVirus catastrophe appears more and more like a military attack studied in detail (by the CIA according to our intelligence sources as highlighted in the survey published Sunday 23 February).
In Italy, there was the fourth victim in Bergamo and the fifth in Albettone (Vicenza), a 60-year-old farmer, then the sixth… In fact, the pandemic hit first of all China, the uncomfortable economic rival of the USA, with almost 80 thousand infected and over 2300 dead: useless to write the exact number because it grows every half hour.
Morbidity has been so devastating in the Wuhan outbreak area that there have been thousands of SARS-CoV-2 victims despite the low mortality rate of 2%.
While, if the data on the infected in Iran are real and not intentionally contained by the authorities to avoid panic, the mortality index in the country of the Shiites, bitter enemy of the White House allied with the Sunnis of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, is even equal to 20% and in a few days from the presence of the virus it has already killed 8 people, among 43 infected or perhaps more since the IRNA (Islamic Republic National Agency) also releases updates with the dropper.
The main outbreak is in Qom, the site of the most important Shiite mosque and the most powerful military nuclear power plant, where 7 infected were registered on Sunday, another 4 in Tehran, 2 in Gilan, 1 in Markazi and another in Tonekabon. The data released by the Iranian Ministry of Health are however to be taken with the benefit of inventory as it could be an extremely provisional and partial budget.
The mortality of 8 people out of 43 infected is, in fact, equal to about 20%: or almost ten times that found in China, settled around 3%, and that of other countries such as Italy at 2% (3 out of 150).
Iranian President Hassan Rohani has signed the decree to re-establish a Special National Committee for the health emergency. In Italy, on the other hand, the Civil Protection Crisis Unit has already been working for days in close collaboration with the Prime Minister, which is increasingly placing restrictions on the movement of people and places of mass attendance in various Regions.
Finally, we come to Italy where CoronaVirus killed 5 people and brought the number of infected and hospitalized patients to 219: 167 cases in Lombardy, 27 in Veneto, 18 in Emilia-Romagna, 4 in Piedmont, 3 in Lazio.
The Milan Cathedral has been closed and the historic Carnival of Venice has been interrupted. In 72 hours, the infected thus far exceeded those of Japan (yesterday 135), affected by the epidemic since the end of January. Now Italy is the third country in the world for the dead (after China and Iran) and also for contagious.
And it has already ascertained a third of the infected of South Corea (603), the country most affected by proximity to China and North Korea, the other enemy of the United States, that first opened to accuse the Pentagon of having used a biochemical weapon, such as he then did the Chinese Communist Party (see previous post).
If the increasingly well-founded thesis of the biogenetic weapon is accepted, the motives for a chemical attack can be identified in three factors. Firstly, a warning to the first European country that signed the Silk Road trade agreement with Beijing, secondly, the restarted dialogues between Italy and Iran on Artificial Intelligence, taken up by that “baby-genius” of Luigi Di Maio, Minister of Foreign Affairs, at the height of tensions between Tehran and Washington (lol)…
Finally, this pandemic is a powerful signal to the vast NO-VAX community that contested the Lorenzin law (2017) on the 10 mandatory vaccines of the experimental health plan wanted by the American administration of President Barack Obama, within the 40 countries participating in the Global Health Security Agenda, and implemented by the Italian health and pharmaceutical institutions in collaboration with the Anglo-American multinational Glaxo Smith Kline.
As highlighted in the first report about CoronaVirus, Just GSK is now helping the University of Queensland to develop the vaccine on behalf of the British Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).
Australia, a member of the FIVE EYES international intelligence committee (with the USA, the United Kingdom, Canada, and New Zealand) has just announced that it has already found the vaccine but that it will now obviously need to be tested first.
read more VEGETAL THERAPY FOR LIKELY DEFENSE FROM VIRUS
Could a solution for scientists be to use seriously ill Italians, at high risk of death, as guinea pigs, as mortality is becoming threatening and morbidity is growing unstoppably and exponentially?
There are many ways to impose geopolitical-military colonialism: the pharmaceutical one is certainly the most sneaky, cowardly and horrifying …
© 2020 – Fabio Giuseppe Carlo Carisio – no reproduction without authorization – Gospa News original version


veteranstoday--2020-02-27--Military Maps of George III: An Armchair General

These Newly Digitized Military Maps Explore the World of George III He was a world traveler who rarely left home , yet he plotted a course through history for Britain .
George III , who reigned from 1760 to 1820 , was a pathbreaking monarch and an armchair general whose thirst for knowledge led him to collect more than 55,000 maps , charts , prints and manuals to savor in his private library .
To mark the bicentennial of his death , the Royal Collection Trust has digitized George ’ s colorful cache of military maps and documents , some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the 1500s .
Some represent rough sketches .
Other items include highly polished engravings , vivid orders of battle and finely drawn landscapes that depict bygone theatres of peace and war .
The maps also reveal a tantalizing new portrait of the king , reflecting what he knew of the world beyond Windsor Castle , and the making of a very modern military mind .
While the American Revolution marked a turning point for empire and colonies alike , it ’ s worth knowing that much of George ’ s life was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through decades of fighting with European and Asian powers , George heeded the history of each win or loss .
His universes of interests—astronomy and art , science and culture—all collided in ..read more :

by Sara Georgini/Smithsonianmag.com
He was a world traveler who rarely left home, yet he plotted a course through history for Britain. George III, who reigned from 1760 to 1820, was a pathbreaking monarch and an armchair general whose thirst for knowledge led him to collect more than 55,000 maps, charts, prints, and manuals to savor in his private library.
To mark the bicentennial of his death, the Royal Collection Trust has digitized George’s colorful cache of military maps and documents, some of which date back to as early as the 1500s. Some represent rough sketches.
Other items include highly polished engravings, vivid orders of battle and finely drawn landscapes that depict bygone theatres of peace and war.
The maps also reveal a tantalizing new portrait of the king, reflecting what he knew of the world beyond Windsor Castle and the making of a very modern military mind. While the American Revolution marked a turning point for empire and colonies alike, it’s worth knowing that much of George’s life was marked by war.
As Britain battled through decades of fighting with European and Asian powers, George heeded the history of each win or loss. His universes of interests—astronomy and art, science and culture—all collided in


veteranstoday--2020-02-27--Geomagnetic Storms May Affect Gray Whale Migrations

How Storms on the Sun Interfere With Whale Migration In recent years , gray whales have gotten stranded on beaches more frequently—possibly driven by a combination of disease , starvation , naval sonar and seismic air guns used for oil exploration .
Now , researchers may have identified another unexpected factor that leads gray whales to shore : solar storms .
Solar storms , also called geomagnetic storms , happen when the sun lets loose a burst of intense radiation and charged particles .
These events manipulate the Earth ’ s magnetosphere , which usually deflects most of what the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mess with Earth ’ s magnetic field , causing disruptions to radio communications and GPS satellites .
Likewise , animals—like songbirds , sea turtles and spiny lobsters—that rely on the magnetic field to navigate is affected by these solar tantrums .
Gray whales migrate mostly by sight , but some scientists suspect they could also navigate by magnetism—though evidence to support this theory is inconclusive , reports Douglas Main for National Geographic .
In a study published this week in the journal Current Biology , researchers may have found a link between gray @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may warrant further investigation into gray whales ’ abilities to sense Earth ’ s magnetic field .
But doing so is easier said than done .
To tell whether …read more :

by Theresa Machemer/Smithsonianmag.com
In recent years, gray whales have gotten stranded on beaches more frequently—possibly driven by a combination of disease, starvation, naval sonar and seismic air guns used for oil exploration. Now, researchers may have identified another unexpected factor that leads gray whales to shore: solar storms.
Solar storms, also called geomagnetic storms, happen when the sun lets loose a burst of intense radiation and charged particles. These events manipulate the Earth’s magnetosphere, which usually deflects most of what the sun emits. Intense storms can even mess with Earth’s magnetic field, causing disruptions to radio communications and GPS satellites. Likewise, animals—like songbirds, sea turtles and spiny lobsters—that rely on the magnetic field to navigate is affected by these solar tantrums.
Gray whales migrate mostly by sight, but some scientists suspect they could also navigate by magnetism—though evidence to support this theory is inconclusive, reports Douglas Main for National Geographic. In a study published this week in the journal Current Biology, researchers may have found a link between gray whale strandings and solar storms, which may warrant further investigation into gray whales’ abilities to sense Earth’s magnetic field.
But doing so is easier said than done. To tell whether


veteranstoday--2020-02-27--Cockroaches: 99 Million-Year-Old Pair Found in Myanmar Cave

Cockroaches—among the hardiest of insects—may be among the species guaranteed to outlive us all .
But perhaps even more intriguing than the future of these persistent pests is their unusual past .
A pair of 99-million-year-old roaches are now the oldest known animals that unambiguously adapted to life in caves , according to a study published this month in Gondwana Research .
The discovery earns the bugs the unique honor of being the only cave dwellers ever described from the Cretaceous , the period spanning 66 to 145 million years ago and the final era of the non-avian dinosaurs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hukawng Valley in Myanmar , the two newly described species , Mulleriblattina bowangi and Crenocticola svadba , both belong to the Nocticolidae family , a lineage whose members still scuttle around Earth ’ s caves today , according Nature News .
Boasting a pale body , stunted eyes and wings , and legs that lacked protective spines , Mulleriblattina was “ clearly a cave inhabitant , ” study author Peter Vršanský , a zoologist at the Slovak Academy of Sciences , tells Michael Marshall at New Scientist .
The roach , he explains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that were no longer useful in the cramped , dimly lit cave environment .
In their place , however , the insect …read more :

by Katherine J. Wu/Smithsonianmag.com
Cockroaches—among the hardiest of insects—may be among the species guaranteed to outlive us all. But perhaps even more intriguing than the future of these persistent pests is their unusual past. A pair of 99-million-year-old roaches are now the oldest known animals that unambiguously adapted to life in caves, according to a study published this month in Gondwana Research.
The discovery earns the bugs the unique honor of being the only cave dwellers ever described from the Cretaceous, the period spanning 66 to 145 million years ago and the final era of the non-avian dinosaurs.
Preserved in lumps of amber from the Hukawng Valley in Myanmar, the two newly described species, Mulleriblattina bowangi and Crenocticola svadba, both belong to the Nocticolidae family, a lineage whose members still scuttle around Earth’s caves today, according Nature News.
Boasting a pale body, stunted eyes and wings, and legs that lacked protective spines, Mulleriblattina was “clearly a cave inhabitant,” study author Peter Vršanský, a zoologist at the Slovak Academy of Sciences, tells Michael Marshall at New Scientist. The roach, he explains, presumably stopped investing in certain traits that were no longer useful in the cramped, dimly lit cave environment. In their place, however, the insect…


veteranstoday--2020-02-29--CDC Update on COVID-19

CDC Update on COVID-19

Health Editor ’ s Note : Take time to listen to the telebriefing or read the transcript .
This is an update released today , Friday/February 29 2020…Carol Transcript of CDC Telebriefing Update on COVID-19 Follows : TBenjamin Haynes : Thank you all joining us for this briefing .
We ’ re joined today by the director of CDC ’ s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Disease , Dr. Nancy Messonnier .
At this time Ii will turn the call over .
Dr. Nancy Messonnier : Good afternoon , thank you for joining us today .
Since I last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new case of COVID-19 detected through the U.S. public health system .
As has been widely reported , at this time we don ’ t know how or where this person became infected .
This brings the number of confirmed cases of person-to-person spread in the United States to 3 .
We also have confirmed 2 more people who have tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19 among U.S. citizens repatriated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship .
That brings the total number of people with COVID-19 to 44 among this group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to share with you some additional information about the U.S. case CDC confirmed on Wednesday .
CDC officials first heard from public health colleagues in California about this patient last Sunday , February 23rd .
California reported a severely ill person who had not recently traveled abroad or had contact with a known case of COVID-19 .
CDC recommended testing for COVID-19 that day .
We received samples on February 25th and confirmed the results with public health officials in California the day they were finalized , on February 26th .
As I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is unknown .
It ’ s possible this could be the first instance of community spread – meaning the illness was acquired through an unknown exposure in the community .
It ’ s also possible , however , that a thorough investigation may show that the patient had exposure through contact to a returned traveler who was infected .
CDC has sent a team to support the California Department of Health and the local health departments in investigating this case .
We are working hard to find and identify how the patient was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who were exposed or might have been exposed to this patient .
Like you , we are thinking about the wellbeing of this patient , this family , and this community .
People who were exposed to this person during their infection are at some level of risk depending on their exposure .
Based on what we know about how this virus behaves , we expect that we will find additional people who have had contact with this patient , especially those who have had close , prolonged contact .
This of course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers who cared for the patient .
There has been some confusion about whether this person met CDC ’ s criteria for testing of COVID-19 .
Let me comment briefly on how we have set our PUI criteria , which has been evolving as all of our guidance has to meet the needs of this rapidly evolving situation .
You can look for these updates online at www.cdc.gov/covid19 .
CDC ’ s definition of a person under investigation , or PUI , from the beginning has been broad , for travelers especially , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being introduced from another part of the world .
We have been looking for people with fever , cough , or trouble breathing .
Fever and cough are pretty broad parameters , especially during flu season , and we ’ ve had to rule out many people who had other respiratory illnesses .
At this point in our investigation , we are most focused on symptomatic people who are closely linked to confirmed cases or had travel history .
But our criteria also allows for clinical discretion .
As public health professionals , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the astute clinician on the frontlines of patient care .
Our clinical team working with state and local health departments to assess PUIs has not said no to any request for testing .
So , on the topic of PUIs , I want to say that as we ’ ve been watching the increased spread of this virus across the world , we have been working with our partners on an updated PUI definition .
That was posted online yesterday .
The updated PUI definition takes into account the new geographic spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of affected areas with widespread or sustained community spread .
This list is dynamic and will change as our travel guidance is revised .
I would now like to share an update on our progress to get all state and local public health labs the capacity to test for this virus .
That is CDC ’ s role in testing for this illness .
As I ’ ve said before , this has not gone as smoothly as we would have liked .
We have been working simultaneously on a couple of possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say today that both have delivered .
Right now , labs can start testing with existing CDC test kits .
States that were able to validate their kits should continue to test in this manner .
States that were able to validate only the two components specific to novel coronavirus can test using only these two using revised instructions developed at CDC .
We have established that the third component , which was the cause of the inconclusive results , can be excluded from testing without affecting accuracy .
We have been working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approach .
While we ’ re working to amend the existing EUA , we have discretionary authority from FDA to proceed in this manner .
This will increase testing capacity at state and local health departments .
All positive test results will continue to be confirmed by CDC for some time .
Additionally , CDC has manufactured brand new test kits that will only include the two components that are specific to novel coronavirus .
Those test kits are at the International Reagent Resource , where orders can be placed .
We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get CDC test kits to state and local public health authorities .
However , during any infectious disease response there is a great need for test manufacturers to rapidly make testing available in clinics , in hospitals , and at the bedside .
This is part of a huge effort within the US government led by HHS .
States will now start testing for this virus .
You may start hearing from states directly .
As always , their case counts will be the most up-to-date .
CDC will continue to report case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Our priority continues to be getting accurate diagnostic capacity—and doing so quickly—because we know public health surveillance is critical to our fight against this novel coronavirus .
To date , our strategies have been largely successful .
As a result , we have very few cases in the United States .
And while we may be confronting the first instance of community spread , we are working very hard with our state and local public health partners to find out more .
I want to recognize that people are concerned about this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking this threat seriously and continuing to seek information about how to be prepared .
As always , President Trump ’ s and our number one priority is the health and safety of the American people .
Our mission includes providing you with clear information that allows you to make decisions about how best to protect yourself and your family .
While the immediate risk to the general American public remains low , and the U.S. government is doing everything we can to keep it low .
CDC is constantly monitoring what is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are likely to be interim and subject to change as we learn more .
We will continue to keep you updated .
I would be happy to take questions now .
Haynes : We ’ re ready to open up for questions .
Operator : If you would like to ask a question please press star 1 .
Record your name , if you would like to withdraw your question , press star 2 .
Please wait a moment while we way for questions to queue .
Our first question comes from Helen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Helen Branswell : Now that test kits — state and local labs can test more broadly , how soon will you be able to get the surveillance project that you were talking about earlier with the six cities up and running ?
Dr. Messonnier : Thank you for that question .
It is increasingly important to be able to do not just surveillance focused on the PUIs , but broader community level surveillance .
And we ’ re moving rapidly to go from those six sights to national surveillance .
We expect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next week and we hope to be able to rapidly move from six to all 50 states .
This is part of a layered approach with that first component that you ’ re talking about but multiple other systems that we ’ re modifying .
we can modify them to be able to also test for this coronavirus .
Operator : Our next question comes from Rob Stein at NPR .
Rob Stein : Could you be a little more specific on the testing ?
How many states are testing now ?
How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing let ’ s say next week , and sort of what is the timeline that you ’ re projecting for that ?
Dr. Messonnier : I ’ m not going to give a specific number because throughout the day today we expect additional states to stand up and we expect that to be happening for the next week .
Our goal is to have every state and local health department online doing their own testing by the end of next weekend and doing everything we can to continue that .
Operator : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at CNN , your line is open .
Elizabeth Cohen : Thank you for taking my question .
When the CDC and the local state departments have been doing contact tracing , are they tracing contacts while they were symptomatic , or only while they were asymptomatic but presumably infected ?
And has that been the system the entire time or is that a new policy or was that the old policy ?
Dr. Messonnier : Because there have been such a small number of cases in the United States , CDC has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state and local health departments , to be very aggressive in our contact tracing , that is true from the first case and it remains true now .
We have been broad in terms of our evaluations of the potential contacts of cases , and I remind you that so far before this most recent case all but two of our cases were travelers , and the two cases we had that were person to person spread were quite close contacts of cases , they were spouses .
While we have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those cases were actually in very close contacts .
Reporter Issam Ahmed at AFP : Hi , thank you for this .
About what you were saying about the California patient , it seems to be at odds with what Representative Berra ( ? )
said in Congress yesterday , he said the patient was brought in on the 19th of February , and it wasn ’ t until five days – and doctors immediately asked for a test , and it wasn ’ t until Sunday the 23rd that federal authorities agreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wondering if you could speak to that ?
And another question is that given the US situation with its public health system with 27.5 million people uninsured , do you think that this could be a problem if it takes root in this community and spread and people will be reluctant to approach their health care providers because of the cost involved ?
Thank you .
Dr. Messonnier : According to CDC records , the first call we got about this patient was on Sunday , February 23rd .
The second question is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the case count in the United States is really low and that is a reflection of the aggressive containment efforts of the US government .
There is certainly the possibility of additional cases .
We will continue to work aggressively to try to keep that number low .
The spread we hope will be limited , and any disease in the U.S. will be mild , our focus on public health is on those issues .
Operator : Our next question comes from Craig at KNX CBS .
Your line is now open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case count being low , how do we reconcile that with the fact that here in California the most populous state , the governor yesterday said only a couple hundred testing kits .
The case count will be low because it sounds like there is not enough tests that could reflect it .
It seems like the issue the math on that seems to be a low count .
Dr. Messonnier : Yes , thank you for the opportunity to talk about that .
We need to remember that this situation is taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of cases have been in California .
A few weeks ago we found an increase in cases around the world .
And again this week we have seen an increase in cases globally .
Because of the aggressive U.S. efforts at our border strategy the number of cases have been low .
And we have been able to focus our efforts on travelers and their close contact based on our evaluation of who is at highest risk .
We will continue to modify our approach .
In terms of diagnostic testing , additional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kits are on their way now .
Operator : Our next question comes from Michelle Cortez , at Bloomberg News , your line is now open .
Michelle Cortez : I think what a lot of us are grappling with a little bit is the idea that China has been able to do tens of thousands of tests .
Korea has been able to do thousands of tests .
And here in the US , in our local we have done about 500 in our local patients and then plus another 2,000 patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we just don ’ t have the numbers they do .
Can you explain that to us how others aer able to do thousands and thousands of tests , that we have not been able to do that yet ?
Dr. Messonnier : I think there are two answers to that question .
One is that the epidemiological situation in China and other countries is really different from the U.S. We acted incredibly quickly before most other countries .
Aggressively controlled our borders and we were able to slow the spread into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US strategy with the goal of allowing us to control our efforts , so we have focused surveillance for those at highest risk .
And again , that is why the number of patients that were identified as PUIs in the US has been smaller .
I guess i would also direct you back , the CDC role was in rapidly developing a diagnostic and focusing on the front line on getting that out to the public .
But our solution , a larger part of the any such infectious disease is getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hospitals , and to the HHS and to the front lines , and that is part of a U.S. government strategy that is a huge priority with HHS leadership right now .
CDC has always had the capacity to test from the time rapidly when the sequence was available and that is two labs at the CDC doing the testing , and we have been testing aggressively the patients that state health departments have referred to us .
Reporter Mike Stobbe , AP : Hi , thank you for taking my call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new cases from the Diamond Princess , can you tell us about them and where they are and can you tell us more about the testing , why was three needed in the first place and was there problems with one of the other two ?
I heard reports that might have been the case .
And finally in the change of the testing criteria , are there potential downsides to that ?
Thank you .
Dr. Messonnier : First question , those are two additional cases among the U.S. are repatriated , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In terms of three to two , please remember that our laboratories developed this test kit before there were US cases .
We developed it based on the posted genetic sequencing , and it was this test kit that allowed us , to identify the first cases in the United States .
As more cases have been identified and more cases have been available it is clear that two of the three reactions , we actually are appropriately sensitive and specific in identifying cases .
That is why after being able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreed and there is a new protocol , and that ’ s what we ’ re talking about when we ’ re talking about the change from three to two .
In terms of we signed that that is what we ’ re talking about .
In terms of test criteria , I think you ’ re referring to the PUI definition .
What I would say about that is that the situation has evolved and it continues to evolve very quickly and therefore we need to continue to evolve our PUI definition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take lightly .
We take ramifications from this .
That is why any such decision involves not just CDC , but all of our local and state health departments and partners who have a stake in this , and we ’ ll see the impact of it .
It was certainly not a decision we made without a lot of consultation .
Our goal is and remains to do everything we can to help the American people .
Haynes : We have time for two more questions , please .
Operator : Okay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Laura Johnson at CBN News .
Laura Johnson : I was wondering what is your reaction to the fact that the new cases in China have been lower if many days in a row and the death rate outside of China is lower than inside of China , and what is your opinion of the anti-viral medication remdesivir as a possible treatment and also the possibility of immune-therapy drugs as possible treatments .
Thank you .
Dr. Messonnier : Thank you , I think it is really good news that the case counts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re watching that closely and we hope that is a trend that continues both for the good of the citizens in China who have been through quite an outbreak , and also in the hopes that it will help us learn what we can better do in the United States to continue to control it right here .
In terms of the case fatality ratio , I think there is a whole bunch of data from China and from other countries around the world on the ratios , and there is a variety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that data , and hoping that it will — and working together to better understand it and use it to better analyze what we might expect elsewhere including in the United States .
What I can say is that in the U.S. our cases have been doing very well .
We will continue to do everything we can .
They have a product that has been used in some of these cases .
It is something that NIH has been going for and those questions are better answered by NIH .
Operator : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from New York Times .
Roni Rabin : If states are able to do these testing , they still need to have a confirmatory test by the CDC , does that mean there is a 48-hour delay for the patient getting that information ?
And can you comment on the whistleblower report and tell us what kind of precautions were taken and was CDC involved in the visits to Travis Air Force Base .
I also want to know how often you ’ ll hold these briefings , Can you give us a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you for actually allowing me to sort of speak specifically about this issue .
Which is that there are procedures that we ’ re working through with the states and FDA in terms of confirmatory testing .
More important than the confirmatory language , is what is actionable from a public health perspective at a state and local health department .
So it is possible , for example , that there might be presumptive positives that are waiting confirmation , but others which state and local health departments will be able to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important and we ’ re working through those labels now and we ’ ll have more information as we figure out that piece .
In terms of the whistle-blower investigation , let me say that CDC takes the health and safety of our employees very seriously .
We ’ re aware of the HHS whistle-blower complaint , but I defer any other questions on this matter to HHS .
And in terms of the telebriefings , we will continue to routinely provide information when we can .
Haynes : Thank you all for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , please check the CDC.gov/COVID19 website .
If you have more questions please call the media line 404-639-3286 or e-mail media @ cdc.gov .
Thank you .

Health Editor’s Note: Take time to listen to the telebriefing or read the transcript. This is an update released today, Friday/February 29, 2020…Carol
Transcript of CDC Telebriefing Update on COVID-19 Follows:
TBenjamin Haynes: Thank you all joining us for this briefing. We’re joined today by the director of CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Disease, Dr. Nancy Messonnier. At this time Ii will turn the call over.
Dr. Nancy Messonnier: Good afternoon, thank you for joining us today. Since I last briefed you, there has been one new case of COVID-19 detected through the U.S. public health system. As has been widely reported, at this time we don’t know how or where this person became infected. This brings the number of confirmed cases of person-to-person spread in the United States to 3.
We also have confirmed 2 more people who have tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19 among U.S. citizens repatriated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship. That brings the total number of people with COVID-19 to 44 among this group of people.
I’d like to share with you some additional information about the U.S. case CDC confirmed on Wednesday. CDC officials first heard from public health colleagues in California about this patient last Sunday, February 23rd. California reported a severely ill person who had not recently traveled abroad or had contact with a known case of COVID-19. CDC recommended testing for COVID-19 that day. We received samples on February 25th and confirmed the results with public health officials in California the day they were finalized, on February 26th.
As I said, the patient’s exposure is unknown. It’s possible this could be the first instance of community spread – meaning the illness was acquired through an unknown exposure in the community. It’s also possible, however, that a thorough investigation may show that the patient had exposure through contact to a returned traveler who was infected.
CDC has sent a team to support the California Department of Health and the local health departments in investigating this case. We are working hard to find and identify how the patient was exposed as well as tracing back people who were exposed or might have been exposed to this patient. Like you, we are thinking about the wellbeing of this patient, this family, and this community.
People who were exposed to this person during their infection are at some level of risk depending on their exposure. Based on what we know about how this virus behaves, we expect that we will find additional people who have had contact with this patient, especially those who have had close, prolonged contact. This of course includes family members and potentially among healthcare workers who cared for the patient.
There has been some confusion about whether this person met CDC’s criteria for testing of COVID-19.
Let me comment briefly on how we have set our PUI criteria, which has been evolving as all of our guidance has to meet the needs of this rapidly evolving situation. You can look for these updates online at www.cdc.gov/covid19.
CDC’s definition of a person under investigation, or PUI, from the beginning, has been broad, for travelers especially, because this was a disease that was being introduced from another part of the world. We have been looking for people with fever, cough, or trouble breathing.
Fever and cough are pretty broad parameters, especially during flu season, and we’ve had to rule out many people who had other respiratory illnesses. At this point in our investigation, we are most focused on symptomatic people who are closely linked to confirmed cases or had travel history. But our criteria also allow for clinical discretion.
As public health professionals, we know that there is no substitute for the astute clinician on the frontlines of patient care. Our clinical team working with state and local health departments to assess PUIs has not said no to any request for testing.
So, on the topic of PUIs, I want to say that as we’ve been watching the increased spread of this virus across the world, we have been working with our partners on an updated PUI definition. That was posted online yesterday.
The updated PUI definition takes into account the new geographic spread of the virus and includes a list of affected areas with widespread or sustained community spread. This list is dynamic and will change as our travel guide is revised. I would now like to share an update on our progress to get all state and local public health labs the capacity to test for this virus. That is the CDC’s role in testing for this illness. As I’ve said before, this has not gone as smoothly as we would have liked.
We have been working simultaneously on a couple of possible solutions and I’m happy to say today that both have delivered.
Right now, labs can start testing with existing CDC test kits. States that were able to validate their kits should continue to test in this manner. States that were able to validate only the two components specific to novel coronavirus can test using only these two using revised instructions developed at CDC.
We have established that the third component, which was the cause of the inconclusive results, can be excluded from testing without affecting accuracy. We have been working with the FDA and they agree with our approach. While we’re working to amend the existing EUA, we have discretionary authority from the FDA to proceed in this manner. This will increase testing capacity at state and local health departments. All positive test results will continue to be confirmed by the CDC for some time.
Additionally, CDC has manufactured brand new test kits that will only include the two components that are specific to novel coronavirus. Those test kits are at the International Reagent Resource, where orders can be placed. We are working as quickly as we can to get CDC test kits to state and local public health authorities. However, during any infectious disease response there is a great need for test manufacturers to rapidly make testing available in clinics, in hospitals, and at the bedside. This is part of a huge effort within the US government led by HHS.
States will now start testing for this virus. You may start hearing from states directly. As always, their case counts will be the most up-to-date. CDC will continue to report case counts on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Our priority continues to be getting accurate diagnostic capacity—and doing so quickly—because we know public health surveillance is critical to our fight against this novel coronavirus. To date, our strategies have been largely successful. As a result, we have very few cases in the United States. And while we may be confronting the first instance of community spread, we are working very hard with our state and local public health partners to find out more.
I want to recognize that people are concerned about this situation. We appreciate that Americans are taking this threat seriously and continuing to seek information about how to be prepared. As always, President Trump’s and our number one priority is the health and safety of the American people. Our mission includes providing you with clear information that allows you to make decisions about how best to protect yourself and your family.
While the immediate risk to the general American public remains low, and the U.S. government is doing everything we can to keep it low. CDC is constantly monitoring what is happening abroad. Our guidelines and advice are likely to be interim and subject to change as we learn more. We will continue to keep you updated.
I would be happy to take questions now.
Haynes: We’re ready to open up for questions.
Operator: If you would like to ask a question please press star 1. Record your name, if you would like to withdraw your question, press star 2. Please wait a moment while we way for questions to queue. Our first question comes from Helen Branswell, your line is now open.
Helen Branswell: Now that test kits — state and local labs can test more broadly, how soon will you be able to get the surveillance project that you were talking about earlier with the six cities up and running?
Dr. Messonnier: Thank you for that question. It is increasingly important to be able to do not just surveillance focused on the PUIs, but broader community level surveillance. And we’re moving rapidly to go from those six sights to national surveillance. We expect the first site to do testing by next week and we hope to be able to rapidly move from six to all 50 states. This is part of a layered approach with that first component that you’re talking about but multiple other systems that we’re modifying. we can modify them to be able to also test for this coronavirus.
Haynes: Next question, please.
Operator: Our next question comes from Rob Stein at NPR.
Rob Stein: Could you be a little more specific on the testing? How many states are testing now? How many states do you think will be testing let’s say next week, and sort of what is the timeline that you’re projecting for that?
Dr. Messonnier: I’m not going to give a specific number because throughout the day today we expect additional states to stand up and we expect that to be happening for the next week. Our goal is to have every state and local health department online doing their own testing by the end of next weekend and doing everything we can to continue that.
Haynes: Next question, please?
Operator: Our next question comes from Elizabeth Cohen at CNN, your line is open.
Elizabeth Cohen: Thank you for taking my question. When the CDC and the local state departments have been doing contact tracing, are they tracing contacts while they were symptomatic, or only while they were asymptomatic but presumably infected? And has that been the system the entire time or is that a new policy or was that the old policy?
Dr. Messonnier: Because there have been such a small number of cases in the United States, CDC has been able to supplement the activities of the state and local health departments, to be very aggressive in our contact tracing, that is true from the first case and it remains true now. We have been broad in terms of our evaluations of the potential contacts of cases, and I remind you that so far before this most recent case all but two of our cases were travelers, and the two cases we had that were person to person spread were quite close contacts of cases, they were spouses. While we have been aggressive and broad where we have found those cases were actually in very close contact.
Reporter Issam Ahmed at AFP: Hi, thank you for this. About what you were saying about the California patient, it seems to be at odds with what Representative Berra (?) said in Congress yesterday, he said the patient was brought in on the 19th of February, and it wasn’t until five days – and doctors immediately asked for a test, and it wasn’t until Sunday the 23rd that federal authorities agreed to do that test. I was wondering if you could speak to that? And another question is that given the US situation with its public health system with 27.5 million people uninsured, do you think that this could be a problem if it takes root in this community and spread and people will be reluctant to approach their health care providers because of the cost involved? Thank you.
Dr. Messonnier: According to CDC records, the first call we got about this patient was on Sunday, February 23rd. The second question is we need to remember that right now the case count in the United States is really low and that is a reflection of the aggressive containment efforts of the US government. There is certainly the possibility of additional cases. We will continue to work aggressively to try to keep that number low. The spread we hope will be limited, and any disease in the U.S. will be mild, our focus on public health is on those issues.
Haynes: Next question, please?
Operator: Our next question comes from Craig at KNX CBS. Your line is now open.
Reporter: You talk about the case count is low, how do we reconcile that with the fact that here in California the most populous state, the governor yesterday said only a couple hundred testing kits. The case count will be low because it sounds like there is not enough tests that could reflect it. It seems like the issue the math on that seems to be a low count.
Dr. Messonnier: Yes, thank you for the opportunity to talk about that. We need to remember that this situation is taken place rapidly. By far the majority of cases have been in California. A few weeks ago we found an increase in cases around the world. And again this week we have seen an increase in cases globally. Because of the aggressive U.S. efforts at our border strategy, the number of cases has been low. And we have been able to focus our efforts on travelers and their close contact based on our evaluation of who is at the highest risk. We will continue to modify our approach. In terms of diagnostic testing, additional labs are coming on-line and additional test kits are on their way now.
Operator: Our next question comes from Michelle Cortez, at Bloomberg News, your line is now open.
Michelle Cortez: I think what a lot of us are grappling with a little bit is the idea that China has been able to do tens of thousands of tests. Korea has been able to do thousands of tests. And here in the US, in our local, we have done about 500 in our local patients and then plus another 2,000 patients or so that have been repatriated — we just don’t have the numbers they do. Can you explain that to us how others are able to do thousands and thousands of tests, that we have not been able to do that yet?
Dr. Messonnier: I think there are two answers to that question. One is that the epidemiological situation in China and other countries is really different from the U.S. We acted incredibly quickly before most other countries. Aggressively controlled our borders and we were able to slow the spread into the United States. That was an intentional US strategy with the goal of allowing us to control our efforts, so we have focused surveillance for those at the highest risk. And again, that is why the number of patients that were identified as PUIs in the US has been smaller. I guess I would also direct you back, the CDC role was in rapidly developing a diagnostic and focusing on the front line on getting that out to the public. But our solution, a larger part of any such infectious disease is getting the test kit out more broadly to the hospitals, and to the HHS and to the front lines, and that is part of a U.S. government strategy that is a huge priority with HHS leadership right now. CDC has always had the capacity to test from the time rapidly when the sequence was available and that is two labs at the CDC doing the testing, and we have been testing aggressively the patients that state health departments have referred to us.
Reporter Mike Stobbe, AP: Hi, thank you for taking my call. You mentioned is there are two new cases from the Diamond Princess, can you tell us about them and where they are and can you tell us more about the testing, why was three needed in the first place and was there problems with one of the other two? I heard reports that might have been the case. And finally, in the change of the testing criteria, are there potential downsides to that? Thank you.
Dr. Messonnier: First question, those are two additional cases among the U.S. are repatriated, that can be available on our website. In terms of three to two, please remember that our laboratories developed this test kit before there were US cases. We developed it based on the posted genetic sequencing, and it was this test kit that allowed us, to identify the first cases in the United States. As more cases have been identified and more cases have been available it is clear that two of the three reactions, we actually are appropriately sensitive and specific in identifying cases. That is why after being able to share that data with FDA, they agreed and there is a new protocol, and that’s what we’re talking about when we’re talking about the change from three to two. In terms of
we signed that that is what we’re talking about. In terms of test criteria, I think you’re referring to the PUI definition. What I would say about that is that the situation has evolved and it continues to evolve very quickly and therefore we need to continue to evolve our PUI definition. This is not something that we take lightly. We take ramifications from this. That is why any such decision involves not just CDC, but all of our local and state health departments and partners who have a stake in this, and we’ll see the impact of it. It was certainly not a decision we made without a lot of consultation. Our goal is and remains to do everything we can to help the American people.
Haynes: We have time for two more questions, please.
Operator: Okay, next we have a question from Laura Johnson at CBN News.
Laura Johnson: I was wondering what is your reaction to the fact that the new cases in China have been lower if many days in a row and the death rate outside of China is lower than inside of China, and what is your opinion of the anti-viral medication remdesivir as a possible treatment and also the possibility of immune-therapy drugs as possible treatments. Thank you.
Dr. Messonnier: Thank you, I think it is really good news that the case counts in China are decreasing. We’re watching that closely and we hope that is a trend that continues both for the good of the citizens in China who have been through quite an outbreak, and also in the hopes that it will help us learn what we can better do in the United States to continue to control it right here. In terms of the case fatality ratio, I think there is a whole bunch of data from China and from other countries around the world on the ratios, and there is a variety of mathematical models that are looking at that data, and hoping that it will — and working together to better understand it and use it to better analyze what we might expect elsewhere including in the United States. What I can say is that in the U.S. our cases have been doing very well. We will continue to do everything we can. They have a product that has been used in some of these cases. It is something that NIH has been going for and those questions are better answered by NIH.
Haynes: Last question, please.
Operator: Our last question comes from Roni Rabin from the New York Times.
Roni Rabin: If states are able to do these testing, they still need to have a confirmatory test by the CDC, does that mean there is a 48-hour delay for the patient getting that information? And can you comment on the whistleblower report and tell us what kind of precautions were taken and was CDC involved in the visits to Travis Air Force Base. I also want to know how often you’ll hold these briefings, Can you give us a regular schedule?
Dr. Messonnier: Thank you for actually allowing me to sort of speak specifically about this issue. Which is that there are procedures that we’re working through with the states and FDA in terms of confirmatory testing. More important than the confirmatory language, is what is actionable from a public health perspective at a state and local health department. So it is possible, for example, that there might be presumptive positives that are awaiting confirmation, but others which state and local health departments will be able to take action and that is what is most important and we’re working through those labels now and we’ll have more information as we figure out that piece. In terms of the whistle-blower investigation, let me say that CDC takes the health and safety of our employees very seriously. We’re aware of the HHS whistle-blower complaint, but I defer any other questions on this matter to HHS. And in terms of the telebriefings, we will continue to routinely provide information when we can.
Haynes: Thank you all for joining us from today’s briefing, please check the CDC.gov/COVID19 website. If you have more questions please call the media line 404-639-3286 or e-mail media @cdc.gov. Thank you.


veteranstoday--2020-02-29--Ancient Humans May Have Lived Through a ‘Volcanic Winter’

Ancient Humans May Have Survived Supervolcano Eruption Nearly 74,000 Years Ago About 74,000 years ago , a volcanic eruption rocked in Indonesia .
For a long time , experts thought that the ash from the eruption of Mount Toba threw the Earth into a “ volcanic winter ” that threatened the survival of the human species .
Researchers estimate that the blast was about 5,000 times larger than Mount St. Helen ’ s in the 1980s .
It might sound apocalyptic , but new evidence found in north central India , which would have been coated in Toba ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s effects have been overstated—and ancient hominids were resilient enough to adapt and survive .
The research , published Wednesday in Nature Communications , looks at a progression of stone tools from between 25,000 to 80,000 years ago found in Middle Son Valley near Dhaba .
The work builds on research done in 2007 at a different archaeological site in southern India , where some of the same archaeologists also found stone tools from before and after the eruption .
“ The big theory out there was that the Toba supereruption created a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ glaciation , it re-sculpted ecosystems , [ and ] it had tremendous impacts on the atmosphere and landscapes , ” Max Planck Institute anthropologist Michael Petraglia tells Lorraine Boissoneault at National Geographic .
But the Dhaba site ….read more :

by Theresa Machemer/Smithsonianmag.com
About 74,000 years ago, a volcanic eruption rocked in Indonesia. For a long time, experts thought that the ash from the eruption of Mount Toba threw the Earth into a “volcanic winter” that threatened the survival of the human species. Researchers estimate that the blast was about 5,000 times larger than Mount St. Helen’s in the 1980s.
It might sound apocalyptic, but new evidence found in north-central India, which would have been coated in Toba’s ash, suggests that the volcano’s effects have been overstated—and ancient hominids were resilient enough to adapt and survive.
The research, published Wednesday in Nature Communications, looks at a progression of stone tools from between 25,000 to 80,000 years ago found in Middle Son Valley near Dhaba. The work builds on research done in 2007 at a different archaeological site in southern India, where some of the same archaeologists also found stone tools from before and after the eruption.
“The big theory out there was that the Toba supereruption created a volcanic winter, so it led to glaciation, it re-sculpted ecosystems, [and] it had tremendous impacts on the atmosphere and landscapes,” Max Planck Institute anthropologist Michael Petraglia tells Lorraine Boissoneault at National Geographic. But the Dhaba site…