foreignpolicy--2020-03-19--China Tries to Cast Itself as Global Savior While U.S. and EU Focus on Virus at Home

China Tries to Cast Itself as Global Savior While U.S. and EU Focus on Virus at Home Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic was emotional as he gave a press conference on the global coronavirus pandemic this week , bluntly naming which countries Serbia could count on for support—and which ones it couldn ’ t .
At the top of the list wasn ’ t any European country , despite Serbia ’ s long-standing goal to join the European Union , but China , the country where the new coronavirus originated .
“ By now you all understand that great international solidarity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not exist , ” Vucic said .
“ It was a fairy tale on paper .
Today I sent a special letter , ” he paused briefly and swallowed audibly , “ to the only ones who can help , and that is China.
” He then said he had asked Chinese President Xi Jinping “ not only as a dear friend , but as a brother ” to provide Serbia sorely needed medical supplies denied by the EU .
Vucic ’ s words amounted to a stinging rebuke of how the European @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus outside its borders .
But it also served as a warning sign to Western leaders that China is on the soft power offensive , scrambling to refurbish its image after botching the initial coronavirus response .
The Chinese government ’ s mishandling of the coronavirus outbreak that began in Wuhan province—initially trying to cover it up , including arresting doctors who raised early alarm bells—helped lead to the global spread of the pandemic .
But now , as cases within its own borders begin to ebb , Beijing is shipping sorely needed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Italy and Iran , two of the countries hit hardest by the virus outside of China .
[ Mapping the Coronavirus Outbreak : Get daily updates on the pandemic and learn how it ’ s affecting countries around the world . ]
That has led to a combination of praise , mistrust , and criticism from top Western officials and experts who see China ’ s pandemic response as reflective of its growing global clout , especially in the face of what critics characterize as stumbling responses by the EU and United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sending supplies to Italy and Iran and impacted areas .
… I think that ’ s a humanitarian effort , but they don ’ t do anything without the propaganda component , ” Rep. Michael McCaul , the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee , told Foreign Policy in an interview .
“ Remember , they covered this up for about two months where they could ’ ve been containing it better , and now the world is at risk , ” he said .
“ I do think they need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Chinese government is trying to “ establish itself as a global hero that saved many people both in and outside China , ” Lee Seong-hyon , the director of the Center for Chinese Studies at the Sejong Institute in Seoul , told Foreign Policy .
“ China ’ s coming out strong with its PR , sensing , correctly , that this global epidemic is also a great opportunity to burnish China ’ s soft power credentials with Europe and [ others ] .
On the other hand , America is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allies and friends , and not investing enough in this narrative war.
” “ China is very good at grasping any opportunity to move forward and showing they ’ re doing the right thing when other countries are distracted , ” said Jean-Pierre Cabestan , a professor of government and international studies at Hong Kong Baptist University .
U.S. officials have sought to keep the spotlight on China ’ s mishandling of the coronavirus outbreak as the root cause of the global pandemic—and rebuking Beijing for launching a campaign of misinformation and booting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The Chinese Communist Party didn ’ t get it right and put countless lives at risk as a result of that , ” U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Fox News in an interview .
After scrambling to contain the outbreak within its own borders for months , China is now beginning to focus outside its own borders .
“ China is able to put its head back up and look around the world and find these opportunities to give support , ” said John Delury , a professor of Chinese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ So , it looks like China ’ s out there helping the world , whereas the United States is in ‘ America First ’ mode , ” he added .
Besides Serbia , Italy , the nation currently hardest-hit besides China , has seen Chinese gear and experts arrive .
Jack Ma , the billionaire founder of the Chinese e-commerce site Alibaba , has sent test kits and masks to both the United States and African countries .
The narrative war started on Twitter when Zhao Lijian , a Chinese foreign ministry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military for bringing the virus to Wuhan , a myth that is in stark contrast to the generally accepted story of the virus originating in one of the city ’ s many wet markets , which sell meat and live animals .
This all came in response to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo ’ s use of the controversial phrase “ Wuhan virus ” to describe the novel coronavirus .
The two sides continue to level accusations at each other .
“ This is a time where we need a lot more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that China is sharing their expertise .
That ’ s actually the travesty of this narrative war , because it can impede the kind of real cooperation that desperately needs to occur , ” Delury said The U.S. response has exacerbated relations with Europe , already under strain for years under Trump , said Rachel Rizzo , an adjunct fellow at the Center for a New American Security , a Washington-based think tank .
Trump blindsided his counterparts across the Atlantic when he announced travel restrictions to Europe on March 12 .
Several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matter say European ambassadors in Washington were given no advance warning of the announcement .
It came as the Trump administration quietly tried to acquire a German company developing a vaccine to the virus for exclusive U.S. access , angering European officials .
“ Trust in the U.S. has waned even further in the last couple of weeks , especially after the announcement of the travel restrictions that took European leaders by surprise , ” Rizzo said .
Still , no matter how many medical supplies Beijing sends abroad or how much it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t shake off the blame that it botched the initial handling of the virus , contributing to its global spread .
Any goodwill the Chinese have bought “ is temporary , ” said Rizzo .
“ I think no matter how much China tries to help Europe , or anyone else for that matter , there will be a sense of resentment and anger , ” Rizzo said .
“ I think this will reverberate and could have broad implications for the relationship between China and Europe going forward.
” Some European nations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Serbia has already pivoted toward China for a while now , and Belgrade ’ s streets are filled with facial recognition cameras created by the Chinese tech giant Huawei .
Cabestan , the Hong Kong Baptist University professor , also said Italy has stood apart from other EU members by embracing China ’ s Belt and Road Initiative , and that Spain is standing in line to receive Chinese supplies and expertise when the epidemic there reaches a critical mass .
“ Sending a team of experts to Italy might get China some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waiting list , so some Southern Europe countries might be more friendly to China .
But they are not going to convince Brussels or London , ” he said from his office in Hong Kong .
Cabestan is also concerned about Beijing ’ s ulterior motives for sending experts to Europe .
“ There ’ s another thing that shouldn ’ t be overlooked , the fact that China is in a battle for putting together a vaccine or a drug to treat COVID , and that ’ s one of the reasons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see how the virus has evolved , to gather data , ” he said .

Morten Soendergaard Larsen and Robbie Gramer

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic was emotional as he gave a press conference on the global coronavirus pandemic this week, bluntly naming which countries Serbia could count on for support—and which ones it couldn’t. At the top of the list wasn’t any European country, despite Serbia’s long-standing goal to join the European Union, but China, the country where the new coronavirus originated.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic was emotional as he gave a press conference on the global coronavirus pandemic this week, bluntly naming which countries Serbia could count on for support—and which ones it couldn’t. At the top of the list wasn’t any European country, despite Serbia’s long-standing goal to join the European Union, but China, the country where the new coronavirus originated.
“By now you all understand that great international solidarity does not exist. European solidarity does not exist,” Vucic said. “It was a fairy tale on paper. Today I sent a special letter,” he paused briefly and swallowed audibly, “to the only ones who can help, and that is China.” He then said he had asked Chinese President Xi Jinping “not only as a dear friend, but as a brother” to provide Serbia sorely needed medical supplies denied by the EU.
Vucic’s words amounted to a stinging rebuke of how the European Union has handled its response to the coronavirus outside its borders. But it also served as a warning sign to Western leaders that China is on the soft power offensive, scrambling to refurbish its image after botching the initial coronavirus response.
The Chinese government’s mishandling of the coronavirus outbreak that began in the city of Wuhan—initially trying to cover it up, including detaining doctors who raised early alarm bells—helped lead to the global spread of the pandemic. But now, as cases within its own borders begin to ebb, Beijing is shipping sorely needed medical supplies and doctors worldwide, including to Italy and Iran, two of the countries hit hardest by the virus outside of China.
[Mapping the Coronavirus Outbreak: Get daily updates on the pandemic and learn how it’s affecting countries around the world.]
That has led to a combination of praise, mistrust, and criticism from top Western officials and experts who see China’s pandemic response as reflective of its growing global clout, especially in the face of what critics characterize as stumbling responses by the EU and United States.
“I commend them for sending supplies to Italy and Iran and impacted areas. … I think that’s a humanitarian effort, but they don’t do anything without the propaganda component,” Rep. Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Foreign Policy in an interview.
“Remember, they covered this up for about two months where they could’ve been containing it better, and now the world is at risk,” he said. “I do think they need to be held accountable and responsible.”
The Chinese government is trying to “establish itself as a global hero that saved many people both in and outside China,” Lee Seong-hyon, the director of the Center for Chinese Studies at the Sejong Institute in Seoul, told Foreign Policy. “China’s coming out strong with its PR, sensing, correctly, that this global epidemic is also a great opportunity to burnish China’s soft power credentials with Europe and [others]. On the other hand, America is not investing enough resources to help its traditional allies and friends, and not investing enough in this narrative war.”
“China is very good at grasping any opportunity to move forward and showing they’re doing the right thing when other countries are distracted,” said Jean-Pierre Cabestan, a professor of government and international studies at Hong Kong Baptist University.
Listen Now: Don't Touch Your Face A new podcast from Foreign Policy covering all aspects of the coronavirus pandemic Learn More
U.S. officials have sought to keep the spotlight on China’s mishandling of the coronavirus outbreak as the root cause of the global pandemic—and rebuking Beijing for launching a campaign of misinformation and booting out U.S. journalists from the country. “The Chinese Communist Party didn’t get it right and put countless lives at risk as a result of that,” U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Fox News in an interview.
After scrambling to contain the outbreak within its own borders for months, China is now beginning to focus outside its own borders. “China is able to put its head back up and look around the world and find these opportunities to give support,” said John Delury, a professor of Chinese studies at Yonsei University in Seoul.
“So, it looks like China’s out there helping the world, whereas the United States is in ‘America First’ mode,” he added.
Besides Serbia, Italy, the nation currently hardest-hit besides China, has seen Chinese gear and experts arrive. Jack Ma, the billionaire founder of the Chinese e-commerce site Alibaba, has sent test kits and masks to both the United States and African countries.
The narrative war started on Twitter when Zhao Lijian, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, tried to blame the U.S. military for bringing the virus to Wuhan, a myth that is in stark contrast to the generally accepted story of the virus originating in one of the city’s many wet markets, which sell meat and live animals. This all came in response to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s use of the controversial phrase “Wuhan virus” to describe the novel coronavirus.
The two sides continue to level accusations at each other. “This is a time where we need a lot more international cooperation, and it is good that China is sharing their expertise. That’s actually the travesty of this narrative war, because it can impede the kind of real cooperation that desperately needs to occur,” Delury said
The U.S. response has exacerbated relations with Europe, already under strain for years under Trump, said Rachel Rizzo, an adjunct fellow at the Center for a New American Security, a Washington-based think tank.
Trump blindsided his counterparts across the Atlantic when he announced travel restrictions to Europe on March 12. Several current and former officials familiar with the matter say European ambassadors in Washington were given no advance warning of the announcement. It came as the Trump administration quietly tried to acquire a German company developing a vaccine to the virus for exclusive U.S. access, angering European officials.
“Trust in the U.S. has waned even further in the last couple of weeks, especially after the announcement of the travel restrictions that took European leaders by surprise,” Rizzo said.
Still, no matter how many medical supplies Beijing sends abroad or how much it touts international cooperation, it can’t shake off the blame that it botched the initial handling of the virus, contributing to its global spread. Any goodwill the Chinese have bought “is temporary,” said Rizzo.
“I think no matter how much China tries to help Europe, or anyone else for that matter, there will be a sense of resentment and anger,” Rizzo said. “I think this will reverberate and could have broad implications for the relationship between China and Europe going forward.”
Some European nations might be more welcoming, though. Serbia has already pivoted toward China for a while now, and Belgrade’s streets are filled with facial recognition cameras created by the Chinese tech giant Huawei.
Cabestan, the Hong Kong Baptist University professor, also said Italy has stood apart from other EU members by embracing China’s Belt and Road Initiative, and that Spain is standing in line to receive Chinese supplies and expertise when the epidemic there reaches a critical mass.
“Sending a team of experts to Italy might get China some new friends. Spain is on the waiting list, so some Southern Europe countries might be more friendly to China. But they are not going to convince Brussels or London,” he said from his office in Hong Kong.
Cabestan is also concerned about Beijing’s ulterior motives for sending experts to Europe. “There’s another thing that shouldn’t be overlooked, the fact that China is in a battle for putting together a vaccine or a drug to treat COVID, and that’s one of the reasons for sending teams outside of China, to see how the virus has evolved, to gather data,” he said.


foreignpolicy--2020-03-19--Amazon Workers Struggle to Stay Safe as Company Swells

When the world finally emerges from the coronavirus it will look very different .
Many people , especially the elderly , will be dead .
Economies will be in a deep hole , comparable to the aftermath of the stock market crash of 1929 .
Governments , impacted by the economic knock-on effects , will fall .
Some things will stay the same , however .
One of those is Amazon .
The world ’ s most valuable multinational company will accrue even more power during the crisis as increasing numbers of us stay at home and rely on remote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already experienced a surge in online orders as populations begin to isolate themselves .
In order to cope this with increased demand , the company says it intends to hire 100,000 extra warehouse and delivery staff in the United States alone .
Workers in Amazon ’ s U.K. distribution centres have been ordered to work overtime to tackle increased demand caused by the pandemic .
Much like other ongoing news stories , Amazon ’ s response to the coronavirus feels like a sideshow to the main event .
Yet it has important implications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and for its consumers , which increasingly means almost everyone in the West—especially as other businesses falter and Amazon ’ s power as a monopoly grows .
[ Mapping the Coronavirus Outbreak : Get daily updates on the pandemic and learn how it ’ s affecting countries around the world . ]
The first is the safety of the workers themselves .
Amazon employs more than 750,000 people worldwide , and some of its workers in the United States and Europe have already tested positive for the coronavirus .
In response to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ center employees who test positive for coronavirus or are quarantined “ up to two weeks of pay.
” Meanwhile , salaried managers have been offered the opportunity to work from home .
Individual Amazon workers will be able to apply for grants of between $ 400 and $ 5,000 per person as part of a $ 25 million fund available to delivery drivers , seasonal employees , and nonemployees .
The fund will cover up to two weeks of a worker ’ s pay .
Those who contract the virus have also been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off and will not be punished for it .
This is the line from the top—but workers themselves are uneasy about the sincerity of even these concessions .
A petition set up by Amazonians United NYC , a New York-based group of Amazon warehouse workers , criticized the company ’ s “ lack of protective measures ” against the coronavirus .
So far it has gathered more than 1,500 signatures .
The petition calls on Amazon to provide all employees with paid sick leave ( “ not simply extending our unpaid leave ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time for handwashing , the shutdown of facilities when a worker tests positive for coronavirus , as well as child care pay and subsidies .
“ While Amazon has made some limited coronavirus accommodations , it needs a comprehensive plan to ensure the safety of all of its workers and the larger public , ” the petition states .
Moreover , the petition criticizes Amazon for increasing productivity quotas to meet surging customer demand .
“ In places like Italy where the coronavirus is further advanced , our fellow Amazon workers faced increased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facilities where workers tested positive !
” Workers at the warehouse near Milan have gone on strike in protest at the company ’ s handling of the crisis .
While some of the announcements made by Amazon are welcome , workers at the company are right to be angry , judging by Amazon ’ s past behavior .
Up to now two Amazons have existed : the face the company presents to the world and the reality of life as an “ associate ” inside one of its distribution sheds .
As demand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are being given even more stringent productivity targets .
During my stint undercover at Amazon in 2016 , I found a company that was obsessed with productivity at the expense of employee well-being .
Workers were disciplined for taking days off sick ( even with a note from a doctor ) , toilet breaks were frowned upon , and even fit and healthy workers such as myself struggled to keep up with draconian productivity targets .
Amazon has gone out of its way to deny that these things were taking place in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I and others had repeatedly exposed them .
The fear among workers now is that targets imposed by the company will provide insufficient time for appropriate hygiene measures to keep everyone safe—including recipients of deliveries .
The world ’ s most valuable multinational , headed by one of the world ’ s richest men , is keeping its purse strings tight during a crisis .
Amazon could easily afford to give employees unlimited sick pay during the coronavirus outbreak .
Instead , by offering workers “ up to two weeks of pay , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be forced to choose between turning up to work sick and staying home without money .
The stinginess coming from the top was epitomized by Whole Foods , which has been owned by Amazon since 2017 .
Last week Whole Foods CEO John Mackey emailed store employees with the suggestion that they “ donate ” their paid time off to workers facing a “ medical emergency.
” As with Amazon , workers who test positive for the coronavirus will receive up to two weeks paid leave and unlimited unpaid leave , but Whole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers who contract the coronavirus .
The power Amazon wields in the retail sector means that any decisions it takes reverberate across tens of thousands of small businesses .
The company ’ s announcement that it is suspending all shipments of nonessential items to its warehouses as consumer demand for household staples surges will hit these companies hard .
Small businesses who sell through Amazon ’ s storage and delivery network will no longer be able to ship nonessential items through Amazon , at least until April .
Our societies will emerge from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months .
By that time Amazon will have accrued even more power .
As the coronavirus puts most developed nations into lockdown , consumers will be feeding the Amazon behemoth with increased orders .
Workers at the company were already paying a price for our insatiable appetite for convenience .
As the coronavirus tightens its grip , front-line Amazon workers may be putting themselves in actual danger in order to satiate the demands of housebound consumers .

When the world finally emerges from the coronavirus it will look very different. Many people, especially the elderly, will be dead. Economies will be in a deep hole, comparable to the aftermath of the stock market crash of 1929. Governments, impacted by the economic knock-on effects, will fall.
When the world finally emerges from the coronavirus it will look very different. Many people, especially the elderly, will be dead. Economies will be in a deep hole, comparable to the aftermath of the stock market crash of 1929. Governments, impacted by the economic knock-on effects, will fall.
Some things will stay the same, however. One of those is Amazon. The world’s most valuable multinational company will accrue even more power during the crisis as increasing numbers of us stay at home and rely on remote delivery of everyday essentials. Amazon has already experienced a surge in online orders as populations begin to isolate themselves.
In order to cope this with increased demand, the company says it intends to hire 100,000 extra warehouse and delivery staff in the United States alone. Workers in Amazon’s U.K. distribution centres have been ordered to work overtime to tackle increased demand caused by the pandemic.
Much like other ongoing news stories, Amazon’s response to the coronavirus feels like a sideshow to the main event. Yet it has important implications for those who work for the company and for its consumers, which increasingly means almost everyone in the West—especially as other businesses falter and Amazon’s power as a monopoly grows.
The first is the safety of the workers themselves. Amazon employs more than 750,000 people worldwide, and some of its workers in the United States and Europe have already tested positive for the coronavirus. In response to the growing pandemic, Amazon has offered distribution center employees who test positive for coronavirus or are quarantined “up to two weeks of pay.” Meanwhile, salaried managers have been offered the opportunity to work from home.
Individual Amazon workers will be able to apply for grants of between $400 and $5,000 per person as part of a $25 million fund available to delivery drivers, seasonal employees, and nonemployees. The fund will cover up to two weeks of a worker’s pay. Those who contract the virus have also been told that they can take unlimited time off and will not be punished for it.
This is the line from the top—but workers themselves are uneasy about the sincerity of even these concessions. A petition set up by Amazonians United NYC, a New York-based group of Amazon warehouse workers, criticized the company’s “lack of protective measures” against the coronavirus. So far it has gathered more than 1,500 signatures. The petition calls on Amazon to provide all employees with paid sick leave (“not simply extending our unpaid leave”), longer breaks to give adequate time for handwashing, the shutdown of facilities when a worker tests positive for coronavirus, as well as child care pay and subsidies.
“While Amazon has made some limited coronavirus accommodations, it needs a comprehensive plan to ensure the safety of all of its workers and the larger public,” the petition states.
Moreover, the petition criticizes Amazon for increasing productivity quotas to meet surging customer demand. “In places like Italy where the coronavirus is further advanced, our fellow Amazon workers faced increased rates to meet demand — including in facilities where workers tested positive!” Workers at the warehouse near Milan have gone on strike in protest at the company’s handling of the crisis.
While some of the announcements made by Amazon are welcome, workers at the company are right to be angry, judging by Amazon’s past behavior. Up to now two Amazons have existed: the face the company presents to the world and the reality of life as an “associate” inside one of its distribution sheds.
As demand surges, there are reports that workers are being given even more stringent productivity targets. During my stint undercover at Amazon in 2016, I found a company that was obsessed with productivity at the expense of employee well-being. Workers were disciplined for taking days off sick (even with a note from a doctor), toilet breaks were frowned upon, and even fit and healthy workers such as myself struggled to keep up with draconian productivity targets. Amazon has gone out of its way to deny that these things were taking place in the company’s fulfillment center even after I and others had repeatedly exposed them.
The fear among workers now is that targets imposed by the company will provide insufficient time for appropriate hygiene measures to keep everyone safe—including recipients of deliveries.
The world’s most valuable multinational, headed by one of the world’s richest men, is keeping its purse strings tight during a crisis. Amazon could easily afford to give employees unlimited sick pay during the coronavirus outbreak. Instead, by offering workers “up to two weeks of pay,” those already on low incomes may be forced to choose between turning up to work sick and staying home without money.
The stinginess coming from the top was epitomized by Whole Foods, which has been owned by Amazon since 2017. Last week Whole Foods CEO John Mackey emailed store employees with the suggestion that they “donate” their paid time off to workers facing a “medical emergency.” As with Amazon, workers who test positive for the coronavirus will receive up to two weeks paid leave and unlimited unpaid leave, but Whole Foods expects workers to effectively subsidize fellow workers who contract the coronavirus.
The power Amazon wields in the retail sector means that any decisions it takes reverberate across tens of thousands of small businesses. The company’s announcement that it is suspending all shipments of nonessential items to its warehouses as consumer demand for household staples surges will hit these companies hard. Small businesses who sell through Amazon’s storage and delivery network will no longer be able to ship nonessential items through Amazon, at least until April.
Our societies will emerge from the coronavirus shutdown not for perhaps 18 months. By that time Amazon will have accrued even more power. As the coronavirus puts most developed nations into lockdown, consumers will be feeding the Amazon behemoth with increased orders. Workers at the company were already paying a price for our insatiable appetite for convenience. As the coronavirus tightens its grip, front-line Amazon workers may be putting themselves in actual danger in order to satiate the demands of housebound consumers.


foreignpolicy--2020-03-19--Iran Knows Who to Blame for the Virus: America and Israel

Iran Knows Who to Blame for the Virus : America and Israel If one is to believe the official numbers , Iran lags only China and Italy in the severity of its coronavirus outbreak , but Tehran continues to downplay the scale of the crisis .
As of Wednesday , Iran has confirmed 17,361 cases and 1,135 deaths , but many sources suggest the actual totals could be much higher .
In Qom , one of the centers of the outbreak , satellite photos appear to show mass graves being dug for virus victims .
Several prominent members of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are either sick or already dead .
As if to follow the dictum never to waste a good crisis , the regime ’ s ideological army—the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps ( IRGC ) —has seized the pandemic as an opportunity to burnish its tarnished image by presenting itself and its Islamist ideology as the nation ’ s savior .
But whether out of callousness or outright cynicism , the IRGC ’ s propaganda activities aren ’ t only not helping , but have helped spread the virus among Iran ’ s population .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s ideological army in 1979 , the IRGC has been the ruling clergy ’ s principal mechanism for enforcing its theocracy at home , and exporting its Shiite Islamist ideology abroad .
The Guard ’ s constant presence in Iranian life plays a crucial role in sustaining the regime and its ideology across every sector in society , using a toxic mix of violence and propaganda .
In the past few months , however , Iran ’ s aging ayatollahs have been unnerved by a new wave of hostility against the IRGC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traditional support base .
The Guard has been blamed for the deaths of 1,500 Iranian civilians during anti-regime protests in November , and it was responsible for downing a Ukrainian passenger plane in January , killing all 176 people on board—an atrocity the regime only admitted to after several days of silence .
Videos recently posted online show Iranians in cities such as Tehran and Isfahan chanting a new slogan that compares the IRGC to the Islamic State .
The mood on Iranian streets suggests domestic support for the Guard has reached an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Outbreak : Get daily updates on the pandemic and learn how it ’ s affecting countries around the world . ]
Desperate to regain credibility , the ruthlessly opportunistic Guard has jumped on Iran ’ s coronavirus crisis in an attempt to resuscitate its appeal and ideology .
As news of coronavirus cases in Iran spread , the IRGC quickly developed a narrative for the disease .
It portrayed the virus as a conspiracy orchestrated by the United States , in an attempt to rejuvenate the anti-Americanism that lies at the heart of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Salami , the commander of the Guard , has suggested the coronavirus may be an “ American biological invasion , ” leading some of the regime ’ s defenders to call for a retaliatory response .
Indeed , a deeper look at IRGC-linked communications networks reveals a systematic propaganda campaign to seize the pandemic as an opportunity to vilify not only the United States , but also the regime ’ s other traditional ideological enemy , Israel , as well .
The propaganda includes claims that the virus is a “ Zionist biological @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previous allegations that the so-called Zionist regime has conducted “ 12 bioterrorist attacks against the people of Iran.
” The conspiracy theories have been supported by the IRGC ’ s own “ experts ” on biotechnology and genetics .
Ali Karami , a professor at the IRGC-run Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences , appeared on Iranian state television to describe coronavirus as a “ biological ethnic weapon ” specifically created by the “ Americans and Zionist regime ” to target Iranian DNACoronavirus has been described on state television as a “ biological ethnic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Zionist regime ” to target Iranian DNA.—which , in Karami ’ s view , also explains the high coronavirus mortality rate in Iran .
Karami , who also serves in the IRGC ’ s Basij militia , also claimed that the explanation for Iran and Italy both having a high number of coronavirus fatalities is that “ the genetics of the Italian people are very similar to the Iranian people.
” Conspiracy theories such as these have themselves spread among the leadership like a virus , with figures including President Hassan Rouhani @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plot .
After more than 40 years , however , the regime ’ s reflexive anti-American and anti-Israeli rhetoric seems to have lost traction among the Iranian people , who by and large blame the regime for their domestic ills .
That is why Iranians , at recent demonstrations , adopted another new slogan : “ Our enemy is right here , they lie telling us it ’ s America.
” Besides trying to blame the United States and Israel for the virus , the IRGC ’ s propaganda machine has also sought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to it .
Just as the IRGC branded its fighters in Syria as “ defenders of the holy Shiite shrines ” instead of protectors of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad , the IRGC now refers to its members as “ defenders of health , ” with the aim of portraying the organization as the nation ’ s savior .
The Guard has even adapted old propaganda images and posters from the Iran-Iraq War to show IRGC fighters side-by-side with medical professionals to battle the disease , a transparent attempt to coopt public sympathy for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is simply the new battleground against Iran ’ s enemies , according to one of these posters .
The most cynical aspect of the IRGC ’ s virus-related propaganda has been its blatant attempt to hide the regime ’ s incompetence at battling the epidemic behind religious rhetoric—by glorifying death from coronavirus as religious martyrdom .
The glorification of martyrdom is at the heart of the Guard ’ s Islamist ideology ( the Guards ’ own internal training manuals teach recruits to actively welcome death ) , but has penetrated every level of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recommendation by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education , Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has proclaimed martyr status for doctors and nurses who die from coronavirus .
Since martyrs ’ families receive state benefits , this is also a way to ward off some of the anti-regime dissent that may arise from its mismanagement of the crisis .
The Ministry of Health and Medical Education ’ s incompetence and failure to respond adequately to the virus has created an opportunity for the IRGC to intervene .
At a time when most countries are implementing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the IRGC has deployed 300,000 of its “ defenders of health ” to go door-to-door in coronavirus hotspots in a show of strength .
The IRGC has also threatened doctors should they disclose details on the true scale of the pandemic in Iran in a bid to prevent any damage to the regime ’ s image .
The IRGC ’ s increasing command over Iran ’ s pandemic response has been bolstered by Khamenei ’ s appointment of Mohammad Bagheri , Guard commander and chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ base ” to fight coronavirus , rather than anyone from the health ministry or government .
Reinforcing the Guards ’ narrative that coronavirus was a foreign attack , Khamenei called the establishment of this unit a “ biological defense exercise.
” Most Iranians aren ’ t buying the IRGC ’ s coronavirus propaganda .
In fact , many blame the outbreak in their country on the Guard itself—because the IRGC-run airline , Mahan Air , continued to operate flights to China during the peak of the crisis .
As ever , it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most from the IRGC ’ s actions .
Once again , the regime in Iran has prioritized its ideological and propaganda interests over the welfare of its people .
Instead of treating this crisis as a domestic and global threat to public health , the regime has focused on the pandemic as an opportunity to rejuvenate its anti-American and Islamist ideology .
This has dire consequences even outside Iran .
As the international community , including the World Health Organization , looks to engage with Iran as an epicenter of the pandemic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the IRGC ’ s singular focus on propaganda and shoring up the regime will severely limit the ability to work with Tehran .
The international community needs to recognize that this crisis has created an opportunity for the IRGC to promote its ideologically driven conspiracy theories .
The real priority driving Tehran is sustaining the regime and its Islamist ideology—not the health and welfare of the Iranian people .

If one is to believe the official numbers, Iran lags only China and Italy in the severity of its coronavirus outbreak, but Tehran continues to downplay the scale of the crisis. As of Wednesday, Iran has confirmed 17,361 cases and 1,135 deaths, but many sources suggest the actual totals could be much higher. In Qom, one of the centers of the outbreak, satellite photos appear to show mass graves being dug for virus victims. Several prominent members of the Iranian government, parliament, and clergy are either sick or already dead.
If one is to believe the official numbers, Iran lags only China and Italy in the severity of its coronavirus outbreak, but Tehran continues to downplay the scale of the crisis. As of Wednesday, Iran has confirmed 17,361 cases and 1,135 deaths, but many sources suggest the actual totals could be much higher. In Qom, one of the centers of the outbreak, satellite photos appear to show mass graves being dug for virus victims. Several prominent members of the Iranian government, parliament, and clergy are either sick or already dead.
As if to follow the dictum never to waste a good crisis, the regime’s ideological army—the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)—has seized the pandemic as an opportunity to burnish its tarnished image by presenting itself and its Islamist ideology as the nation’s savior.
But whether out of callousness or outright cynicism, the IRGC’s propaganda activities aren’t only not helping, but have helped spread the virus among Iran’s population.
Since its founding as the Iranian regime’s ideological army in 1979, the IRGC has been the ruling clergy’s principal mechanism for enforcing its theocracy at home, and exporting its Shiite Islamist ideology abroad. The Guard’s constant presence in Iranian life plays a crucial role in sustaining the regime and its ideology across every sector in society, using a toxic mix of violence and propaganda.
In the past few months, however, Iran’s aging ayatollahs have been unnerved by a new wave of hostility against the IRGC, even among the regime’s traditional support base. The Guard has been blamed for the deaths of 1,500 Iranian civilians during anti-regime protests in November, and it was responsible for downing a Ukrainian passenger plane in January, killing all 176 people on board—an atrocity the regime only admitted to after several days of silence. Videos recently posted online show Iranians in cities such as Tehran and Isfahan chanting a new slogan that compares the IRGC to the Islamic State. The mood on Iranian streets suggests domestic support for the Guard has reached an all-time low.
[Mapping the Coronavirus Outbreak: Get daily updates on the pandemic and learn how it’s affecting countries around the world.]
Desperate to regain credibility, the ruthlessly opportunistic Guard has jumped on Iran’s coronavirus crisis in an attempt to resuscitate its appeal and ideology.
As news of coronavirus cases in Iran spread, the IRGC quickly developed a narrative for the disease. It portrayed the virus as a conspiracy orchestrated by the United States, in an attempt to rejuvenate the anti-Americanism that lies at the heart of the regime’s ideology. Hossein Salami, the commander of the Guard, has suggested the coronavirus may be an “American biological invasion,” leading some of the regime’s defenders to call for a retaliatory response. Indeed, a deeper look at IRGC-linked communications networks reveals a systematic propaganda campaign to seize the pandemic as an opportunity to vilify not only the United States, but also the regime’s other traditional ideological enemy, Israel, as well. The propaganda includes claims that the virus is a “Zionist biological terrorist attack,” in line with previous allegations that the so-called Zionist regime has conducted “12 bioterrorist attacks against the people of Iran.”
The conspiracy theories have been supported by the IRGC’s own “experts” on biotechnology and genetics. Ali Karami, a professor at the IRGC-run Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, appeared on Iranian state television to describe coronavirus as a “biological ethnic weapon” specifically created by the “Americans and Zionist regime” to target Iranian DNACoronavirus has been described on state television as a “biological ethnic weapon” created by the “Americans and Zionist regime” to target Iranian DNA.—which, in Karami’s view, also explains the high coronavirus mortality rate in Iran. Karami, who also serves in the IRGC’s Basij militia, also claimed that the explanation for Iran and Italy both having a high number of coronavirus fatalities is that “the genetics of the Italian people are very similar to the Iranian people.” Conspiracy theories such as these have themselves spread among the leadership like a virus, with figures including President Hassan Rouhani referring to the pandemic as an enemy plot.
After more than 40 years, however, the regime’s reflexive anti-American and anti-Israeli rhetoric seems to have lost traction among the Iranian people, who by and large blame the regime for their domestic ills. That is why Iranians, at recent demonstrations, adopted another new slogan: “Our enemy is right here, they lie telling us it’s America.”
Besides trying to blame the United States and Israel for the virus, the IRGC’s propaganda machine has also sought to present the Guard as the solution to it. Just as the IRGC branded its fighters in Syria as “defenders of the holy Shiite shrines” instead of protectors of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, the IRGC now refers to its members as “defenders of health,” with the aim of portraying the organization as the nation’s savior.
The Guard has even adapted old propaganda images and posters from the Iran-Iraq War to show IRGC fighters side-by-side with medical professionals to battle the disease, a transparent attempt to coopt public sympathy for poorly equipped doctors and nurses. Coronavirus is simply the new battleground against Iran’s enemies, according to one of these posters.
The most cynical aspect of the IRGC’s virus-related propaganda has been its blatant attempt to hide the regime’s incompetence at battling the epidemic behind religious rhetoric—by glorifying death from coronavirus as religious martyrdom. The glorification of martyrdom is at the heart of the Guard’s Islamist ideology (the Guards’ own internal training manuals teach recruits to actively welcome death), but has penetrated every level of the regime. In response to a recommendation by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has proclaimed martyr status for doctors and nurses who die from coronavirus. Since martyrs’ families receive state benefits, this is also a way to ward off some of the anti-regime dissent that may arise from its mismanagement of the crisis.
The Ministry of Health and Medical Education’s incompetence and failure to respond adequately to the virus has created an opportunity for the IRGC to intervene. At a time when most countries are implementing quarantines, lockdowns, and social distancing, the IRGC has deployed 300,000 of its “defenders of health” to go door-to-door in coronavirus hotspots in a show of strength. The IRGC has also threatened doctors should they disclose details on the true scale of the pandemic in Iran in a bid to prevent any damage to the regime’s image.
The IRGC’s increasing command over Iran’s pandemic response has been bolstered by Khamenei’s appointment of Mohammad Bagheri, Guard commander and chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces, as head of a “medical base” to fight coronavirus, rather than anyone from the health ministry or government. Reinforcing the Guards’ narrative that coronavirus was a foreign attack, Khamenei called the establishment of this unit a “biological defense exercise.”
Most Iranians aren’t buying the IRGC’s coronavirus propaganda. In fact, many blame the outbreak in their country on the Guard itself—because the IRGC-run airline, Mahan Air, continued to operate flights to China during the peak of the crisis.
As ever, it will be the Iranian people that will suffer most from the IRGC’s actions. Once again, the regime in Iran has prioritized its ideological and propaganda interests over the welfare of its people. Instead of treating this crisis as a domestic and global threat to public health, the regime has focused on the pandemic as an opportunity to rejuvenate its anti-American and Islamist ideology.
This has dire consequences even outside Iran. As the international community, including the World Health Organization, looks to engage with Iran as an epicenter of the pandemic and help slow the spread of the virus, the IRGC’s singular focus on propaganda and shoring up the regime will severely limit the ability to work with Tehran. The international community needs to recognize that this crisis has created an opportunity for the IRGC to promote its ideologically driven conspiracy theories. The real priority driving Tehran is sustaining the regime and its Islamist ideology—not the health and welfare of the Iranian people.


foreignpolicy--2020-03-19--U.S. Adds More Iran Sanctions Despite Coronavirus Crisis

U.S .
Adds More Iran Sanctions Despite Coronavirus Crisis Here is today ’ s Foreign Policy brief : U.S. adds more Iran sanctions , the European Central Bank announces major stimulus , Italy ’ s coronavirus death toll grows , and the U.S.-Canada border closes .
If you would like to receive Morning Brief in your inbox every day , please sign up here .
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced further sanctions on Iran on Wednesday , citing the recent rocket attacks in Taji , Iraq , that killed two U.S. service members .
According to a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nine entities and three inviduals ” mostly from Iran ’ s petrochemical industry that “ provide revenue to the regime that it may use to fund terror and other destabilizing activities.
” On the eve of the Persian New Year , Nowruz , Foreign Minister Javad Zarif called on the international community to end the “ collective punishment ” brought on by U.S. sanctions , saying it was “ virtually impossible ” to buy medicine and medical equipment .
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders , who trails former Vice President Joe Biden in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called for immediate relief for Iran , “ As a caring nation , we must lift any sanctions hurting Iran ’ s ability to address this crisis , including financial sanctions , ” he said on Twitter .
How bad is Iran ’ s coronavirus crisis ?
Iran ’ s health ministry puts the coronavirus death toll at 1,135 .
However , World Health Organization official Rick Brennan said that figure is likely five times higher , citing lack of adequate testing in Iran .
If such figures are being underreported , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toll from the pandemic—so far the worst-hit country outside China .
How do sanctions restrict medical supplies ?
As Esfandyar Batmanghelidj and Abbas Kebriaeezadeh argued in Foreign Policy earlier this month , Iran produces many key products domestically , but “ The Iranian companies producing medicine , disinfectants , and protective clothing also have a supply-chain problem ; they are dependent on imported ingredients and materials.
” And even if they can overcome that obstacle , “ U.S .
secondary sanctions have restricted humanitarian trade with Iran by scaring off most banks from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a chance of easing sanctions ?
Speaking to Reuters on Monday one unnamed U.S. official outlined the feeling within the Trump administration , “ The regime can ’ t be trusted to channel whatever money it would gain from the easing of pressure toward humanitarian activity .
The likelihood is the elites will steal it and/or funnel it toward malign activity , ” the official said .
According to reporting in The Guardian , the United Kingdom is working behind the scenes to persuade the U.S. government to roll back sanctions .
Could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Foreign Policy on Tuesday , Robert Malley and Ali Vaez of the International Crisis Group argued that Iran ’ s coronavirus crisis is a diplomatic opportunity for both sides to dial down tensions and show goodwill , while also achieving some of their diplomatic objectives .
U.S.-Canada border closes .
U.S. President Donald Trump and his counterpart Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have agreed to close the U.S.-Canada border to non-essential travel as both countries manage the spread of the coronavirus .
In a joint statement , the two leaders said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , regardless of travel restrictions.
” Italy considers exercise ban as death toll rises .
Italy is considering banning outdoor solitary exercise as it struggles under the weight of its coronavirus epidemic , the worst in Europe .
Italy is in a de facto lockdown and police have already stopped 1 million residents for breaking the newly enforced restrictions .
“ I believe that in the coming hours we will have to consider the possibility of a complete ban on outdoor activities , ” Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora told the state broadcaster .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ last 24 hours , its largest death toll increase yet .
Brazil ’ s Senate leader tests positive .
Davi Alcolumbre , the head of Brazil ’ s Senate , has tested positive for the coronavirus , although his office said his symptoms are mild .
Alcolumbre is the latest in a string of Brazilian officials to contract the virus .
The results of President Jair Bolsonaro ’ s second coronavirus test have not been reported .
Kosovo government on edge .
Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has fired Interior Minister Agim Veliu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a state of emergency over the coronavirus pandemic .
Veliu publicly backed Kosovo ’ s president Hashim Thaci , who has urged the government to make the declaration .
A member of a coalition party in Kurti ’ s government said they would withdraw their support for the prime minister if he did not reinstate Veliu , opening the possibility of a collapse in government less than two months since its formation .
Kosovo has 19 confirmed cases of coronavirus , with no recorded deaths .
U.S. envoy urges Afghan prisoner release .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ peace in Afghanistan , has called for prisoner releases agreed under the February 29 Taliban peace deal to begin “ as soon as possible , ” citing the urgency of the coronavirus pandemic .
As part of the agreement , 5,000 Taliban prisoners were to be released before the group and the Afghan government were to continue peace talks .
President Ashraf Ghani initially announced he would release the prisoners in stages , a move the Taliban condemned .
Waziristan clash .
Four members of Pakistan ’ s security forces were killed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Waziristan , according to a statement from Pakistani officials .
Seven militants were also killed in the raid , which recovered caches of bombs and ammunition .
Life under lockdown .
Foreign Policy ’ s Keith Johnson reports from his home in Madrid , and gives a preview of what life in a locked down country can be like—including run-ins with police while taking out the trash .
Also in FP , Laurie Garrett says it ’ s time to prepare for a total lockdown in the United States .
As world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ World War II , a wartime echo is reverberating in the United Kingdom : rationing .
Major grocery stores are restricting purchases in bulk , allowing customers to buy only three of each item .
The online delivery service Ocado temporarily shut down its website due to overwhelming demand .
Supermarkets are also closing salad bars and deli counters to cut down on waste .
Despite the wave of panic buying , British companies say that food supply chains are functioning as normal .
For more from FP , visit foreignpolicy.com , subscribe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other newsletters .
Send your tips , comments , questions , or corrections to morningbrief @ foreignpolicy.com .

Here is today’s Foreign Policy brief: U.S. adds more Iran sanctions , the European Central Bank announces major stimulus, Italy’s coronavirus death toll grows, and the U.S.-Canada border closes.
Here is today’s Foreign Policy brief: U.S. adds more Iran sanctions, the European Central Bank announces major stimulus, Italy’s coronavirus death toll grows, and the U.S.-Canada border closes.
If you would like to receive Morning Brief in your inbox every day, please sign up here.
As Iran Adds More Coronavirus Cases, U.S. Adds More Sanctions
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced further sanctions on Iran on Wednesday, citing the recent rocket attacks in Taji, Iraq, that killed two U.S. service members. According to a statement by Pompeo, the sanctions target “nine entities and three inviduals” mostly from Iran’s petrochemical industry that “provide revenue to the regime that it may use to fund terror and other destabilizing activities.”
On the eve of the Persian New Year, Nowruz, Foreign Minister Javad Zarif called on the international community to end the “collective punishment” brought on by U.S. sanctions, saying it was “virtually impossible” to buy medicine and medical equipment.
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who trails former Vice President Joe Biden in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, called for immediate relief for Iran, “As a caring nation, we must lift any sanctions hurting Iran’s ability to address this crisis, including financial sanctions,” he said on Twitter.
How bad is Iran’s coronavirus crisis? Iran’s health ministry puts the coronavirus death toll at 1,135. However, World Health Organization official Rick Brennan said that figure is likely five times higher, citing lack of adequate testing in Iran. If such figures are being underreported, it would outpace even Italy’s death toll from the pandemic—so far the worst-hit country outside China.
How do sanctions restrict medical supplies? As Esfandyar Batmanghelidj and Abbas Kebriaeezadeh argued in Foreign Policy earlier this month, Iran produces many key products domestically, but “The Iranian companies producing medicine, disinfectants, and protective clothing also have a supply-chain problem; they are dependent on imported ingredients and materials.” And even if they can overcome that obstacle, “U.S. secondary sanctions have restricted humanitarian trade with Iran by scaring off most banks from facilitating the necessary payments.”
Is there a chance of easing sanctions? Speaking to Reuters on Monday one unnamed U.S. official outlined the feeling within the Trump administration, “The regime can’t be trusted to channel whatever money it would gain from the easing of pressure toward humanitarian activity. The likelihood is the elites will steal it and/or funnel it toward malign activity,” the official said. According to reporting in The Guardian, the United Kingdom is working behind the scenes to persuade the U.S. government to roll back sanctions.
Could the crisis be an opportunity? Writing in Foreign Policy on Tuesday, Robert Malley and Ali Vaez of the International Crisis Group argued that Iran’s coronavirus crisis is a diplomatic opportunity for both sides to dial down tensions and show goodwill, while also achieving some of their diplomatic objectives.
What We’re Following Today ECB announces stimulus. The European Central Bank announced Wednesday night that it will begin an economic stimulus program worth €750 billion ($815 billion). It includes a temporary asset purchase program to ease the economic disruption of the coronavirus outbreak and should last until the end of 2020. The ECB intends to buy both public and private securities. “Extraordinary times require extraordinary action,” ECB chief Christine Lagarde wrote on Twitter. “There are no limits to our commitment to the euro. We are determined to use the full potential of our tools, within our mandate.”
U.S.-Canada border closes. U.S. President Donald Trump and his counterpart Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have agreed to close the U.S.-Canada border to non-essential travel as both countries manage the spread of the coronavirus. In a joint statement, the two leaders said they would “preserve supply chains and trade, regardless of travel restrictions.”
Italy considers exercise ban as death toll rises. Italy is considering banning outdoor solitary exercise as it struggles under the weight of its coronavirus epidemic, the worst in Europe. Italy is in a de facto lockdown and police have already stopped 1 million residents for breaking the newly enforced restrictions. “I believe that in the coming hours we will have to consider the possibility of a complete ban on outdoor activities,” Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora told the state broadcaster. Italy reported 475 coronavirus-related deaths within the last 24 hours, its largest death toll increase yet.
Brazil’s Senate leader tests positive. Davi Alcolumbre, the head of Brazil’s Senate, has tested positive for the coronavirus, although his office said his symptoms are mild. Alcolumbre is the latest in a string of Brazilian officials to contract the virus. The results of President Jair Bolsonaro’s second coronavirus test have not been reported.
Keep an Eye On
Kosovo government on edge. Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has fired Interior Minister Agim Veliu after a dispute over whether to declare a state of emergency over the coronavirus pandemic. Veliu publicly backed Kosovo’s president Hashim Thaci, who has urged the government to make the declaration. A member of a coalition party in Kurti’s government said they would withdraw their support for the prime minister if he did not reinstate Veliu, opening the possibility of a collapse in government less than two months since its formation. Kosovo has 19 confirmed cases of coronavirus, with no recorded deaths.
U.S. envoy urges Afghan prisoner release. Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. envoy for peace in Afghanistan, has called for prisoner releases agreed under the February 29 Taliban peace deal to begin “as soon as possible,” citing the urgency of the coronavirus pandemic. As part of the agreement, 5,000 Taliban prisoners were to be released before the group and the Afghan government were to continue peace talks. President Ashraf Ghani initially announced he would release the prisoners in stages, a move the Taliban condemned.
Waziristan clash. Four members of Pakistan’s security forces were killed in a raid on a Pakistani militant group in Waziristan, according to a statement from Pakistani officials. Seven militants were also killed in the raid, which recovered caches of bombs and ammunition.
Life under lockdown. Foreign Policy’s Keith Johnson reports from his home in Madrid, and gives a preview of what life in a locked down country can be like—including run-ins with police while taking out the trash. Also in FP, Laurie Garrett says it’s time to prepare for a total lockdown in the United States.
Odds and Ends
As world leaders compare the battle against coronavirus to World War II, a wartime echo is reverberating in the United Kingdom: rationing. Major grocery stores are restricting purchases in bulk, allowing customers to buy only three of each item. The online delivery service Ocado temporarily shut down its website due to overwhelming demand. Supermarkets are also closing salad bars and deli counters to cut down on waste. Despite the wave of panic buying, British companies say that food supply chains are functioning as normal.
That’s it for today.
For more from FP, visit foreignpolicy.com, subscribe here, or sign up for our other newsletters. Send your tips, comments, questions, or corrections to morningbrief@foreignpolicy.com.


foreignpolicy--2020-03-18--Coronavirus in the Corridors of Power

Coronavirus in the Corridors of Power

One question is how many of them have been contracting it from each other .
U.S. President Donald Trump raised eyebrows at a press conference on March 13 , shaking hands and mingling with other members of the coronavirus task force despite having come into direct contact with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro ’ s press secretary , who tested positive for the virus last week .
Experts currently advise against hand-shaking and recommend that people who have come into contact with people known to have the virus to self-quarantine for up to 14 days .
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was found to have the coronavirus .
Here is a list of some of the world leaders , politicians , and senior officials who have contracted the virus .
This list is updated every weekday , but , due to the rapid spread of the coronavirus , it is not exhaustive .
[ Mapping the Coronavirus Outbreak : Get daily updates on the pandemic and learn how it ’ s affecting countries around the world . ]
Peter Dutton , above , Australian home affairs minister , was found to have the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He had recently returned from Washington , where he met with Attorney General William Barr , Trump ’ s daughter Ivanka Trump , and other White House officials .
Susan McDonald , a senator from the Liberal National Party in Queensland , is the second federal official in Australia to have tested positive for the coronavirus .
The third is Andrew Bragg , a senator of the Liberal Party of Australia from New South Wales , who traced his contraction of the coronavirus back to a wedding he attended on March 6 where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Bragg told Sky News he called multiple people to warn them when he found out he had the coronavirus , “ All those people have been notified now .
Very unpleasant phone calls to make.
” Three other members of parliament he may have come into contact with have since quarantined themselves .
Fabio Wajngarten , above , the press secretary of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro , tested positive for the coronavirus just days after attending a dinner hosted by Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida .
The Brazilian president announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negative for the virus .
Augusto Heleno , Brazil ’ s national security advisor , announced on Twitter that he had tested positive for the coronavirus despite showing no symptoms .
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ’ s wife , Sophie Grégoire Trudeau , tested positive for the coronavirus last week , shortly after returning from a trip to the United Kingdom .
She and her husband went into a 14-day period of self-isolation .
Minister of Culture Franck Riester , above , was diagnosed with the coronavirus earlier in March , becoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus .
Brune Poirson , the secretary of state to the minister of ecological and inclusive transition , has tested positive for coronavirus .
Several lawmakers from the French National Assembly have also contracted the virus .
The politician Friedrich Merz , one of the leading candidates to take up the helm of Germany ’ s Christian Democratic Union party , has tested positive for the coronavirus .
In a statement posted on Twitter , Merz said that his symptoms were mild to moderate .
Iran has been one of the countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus has spread rapidly among the country ’ s political elite and religious figures .
According to the Jerusalem Post , at least 24 members of parliament have contracted the virus , and two have died : Fatemeh Rahbar , from Tehran , and Mohammad Ali Ramezani , from Gilan .
Others reported to have contracted the virus , according to the United States Institute for Peace , include : • Mohammad Reza Ghadir , director of Qom ’ s state medical university and head of coronavirus management in the city • Mostafa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minister of the interior • Reza Rahmani , Minister of Industry , Mines and Business ( has since recovered from the virus ) • Reza Salehi Amiri , president of the National Olympic Committee of Iran Jeremy Issacharoff , above , Israel ’ s ambassador to Germany , tested positive for the coronavirus and according to Al Jazeera was reported to have contracted the virus after a meeting with a deputy from the German legislature .
The deputy ’ s name has not been revealed yet .
Nicola Zingaretti , above , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is part of the ruling coalition , became the first leading politician in Italy to test positive for the virus .
Roberto Stella , the president of the Order of Doctors in Varese in the Lombardy region , the epicenter of Italy ’ s outbreak , died at age 67 of respiratory failure after contracting the coronavirus .
The Palace of Monaco has announced March 19 that Prince Albert , the country ’ s reigning monarch , has tested positive for the coronavirus .
In an address made the day before , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country as an attempt to lessen the spread of COVID-19 .
Torbjorn Roe Isaksen , above , the Norwegian minister of labor and social inclusion , tested positive for the coronavirus after his deputy was confirmed as having the virus .
Gen. Jaroslaw Mika , the general commander of Poland ’ s armed forces , tested positive for the coronavirus after returning from a military conference in Germany , which was also attended by top U.S. Army Europe leaders .
He is now in self-isolation .
Michal Wos , Poland ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he had tested positive for coronavirus .
Begoña Gómez , the wife of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez , has tested positive for the coronavirus and is now quarantining with her husband in their residence in La Moncloa Palace in Madrid .
Irene Montero , Spain ’ s equality minister , was the first of Spain ’ s cabinet to test positive for the coronavirus and has been quarantined along with her partner Pablo Iglesias , deputy prime minister and leader of the Podemos party .
Javier Ortega Smith , the secretary-general @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive on March 10 , causing the lower house of the Spanish parliament to be suspended .
All of the party ’ s members of parliament and their teams went into self-isolation , Politico reported .
Santiago Abascal , the leader of the Vox party , also tested positive for the coronavirus .
Quim Torra , the leader of the Spanish region of Catalonia , announced on Monday that he had contracted the virus and was going to self-isolate in a government building .
Pere Aragones , the Catalan deputy head of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive for the coronavirus one day before Torra confirmed he had COVID-19 .
Health Minister Nadine Dorries , above , became the first British politician to contract the coronavirus .
A test later revealed that Dorries had passed on the virus to her 84-year-old mother .
Florida Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart , above , announced March 18 that he tested positive for the coronavirus , becoming the first member of the U.S. Congress to contract COVID-19 .
Later in the day , U.S. Rep. Ben McAdams , a Utah Democrat , announced that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Both members noticed symptoms on March 15 shortly after they attended a vote on the House floor , a session in which 400 other members of Congress are noted to have attended .
Both had been in self-quarantine since then , Diaz-Balart in Washington and McAdams in Utah .
Two members of the New York State Assembly , Helene Weinstein and Charles Barron , have both tested positive for the coronavirus , according to New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo .
The state ’ s capitol building and legislative offices were closed for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diagnosed .
Mayor of Miami Francis Suarez tested positive for the coronavirus late last week , and he has been video blogging about his experience on Twitter .
His immediate family has tested negative for the virus , according to the South Florida radio station WLRN .

The coronavirus knows no borders, and no continent—except for Antarctica—has been spared. The virus has also made its way into the corridors of power, and scores of national and local politicians around the world have announced that they have contracted the bug. In Iran, at least a dozen current and former officials, politicians, and religious figures have died after contracting the virus.
One question is how many of them have been contracting it from each other. U.S. President Donald Trump raised eyebrows at a press conference on March 13, shaking hands and mingling with other members of the coronavirus task force despite having come into direct contact with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s press secretary, who tested positive for the virus. Experts advise against hand-shaking and recommend that people who have come into contact with people known to have the virus to self-quarantine for up to 14 days. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau went into self-quarantine after his wife was found to have the coronavirus.
Here is a list of some of the world leaders, politicians, and senior officials who have contracted the virus. This list is updated every weekday, but, due to the rapid spread of the coronavirus, it is not exhaustive.
Australia
Peter Dutton, above, Australian home affairs minister, was found to have the coronavirus after being admitted to a hospital. He had recently returned from Washington, where he met with Attorney General William Barr, Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump, and other White House officials.
Susan McDonald, a senator from the Liberal National Party in Queensland, is the second federal official in Australia to have tested positive for the coronavirus.
The third is Andrew Bragg, a senator of the Liberal Party of Australia from New South Wales, who traced his contraction of the coronavirus back to a wedding he attended on March 6 where at least six guests also tested positive. Bragg told Sky News he called multiple people to warn them when he found out he had the coronavirus, “All those people have been notified now. Very unpleasant phone calls to make.” Three other members of parliament he may have come into contact with have since quarantined themselves.
South Australian Sen. Rex Patrick became the fourth federal politician to test positive for the coronavirus. He was tested at one of Australia’s drive-thru clinics.
Belgium
Belgian Prince Joachim tested positive for the coronavirus in Spain and was later criticized for attending a party that breached Spain’s pandemic regulations banning gatherings of 15 or more people. The Spanish police launched an investigation into the party.
Brazil
Fabio Wajngarten, above, the press secretary of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, tested positive for the coronavirus just days after attending a dinner hosted by Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. The Brazilian president announced on March 13 that he had tested negative for the virus.
Augusto Heleno, Brazil’s national security advisor, announced on Twitter that he had tested positive for the coronavirus despite showing no symptoms.
Davi Alcolumbre, the head of Brazil’s Senate, has also tested positive for coronavirus and has criticized the country’s President Jair Bolsonaro for his slow response to the pandemic. Bolsonaro has been slow to close public spaces and events, and he has accused the media of blowing the pandemic out of proportion, which has worried many in the country that the government will act too slowly to stop an outbreak.
Bento Albuquerque, Brazil’s mines and energy minister, became the second Brazilian cabinet member to test positive for the coronavirus.
Burkina Faso
Four government ministers in Burkina Faso have tested positive for the coronavirus. Minister of Mines Oumarou Idani, Minister of Education Stanislas Ouaro, and Interior Minister Simeon Sawadogo all confirmed their diagnoses on Facebook. Minister of Foreign Affairs Alpha Barry announced on Twitter that he had been infected after media reports had speculated about his health, saying, “The rumour has become reality … I have just been notified that I have COVID-19.”
Rose Marie Compaoré, Burkina Faso’s first vice president of its National Assembly, became the country’s first reported death from COVID-19.
Burundi
Denise Nkurunziza, the outgoing first lady of Burundi, was admitted to a Nairobi hospital with the coronavirus and was unable to be there when her husband, the longtime president of Burundi, died of a heart attack on June 8.
Canada
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, tested positive for the coronavirus last week, shortly after returning from a trip to the United Kingdom. She and her husband went into a 14-day period of self-isolation.
European Union
Michel Barnier, above, the European Union’s chief negotiator for Brexit, announced via video message from his home in France that he has the COVID-19 respiratory illness that the coronavirus has been known to cause. Barnier last met the British Brexit negotiator, David Frost, in the first week of March, when the two attempted to reach an agreement on British-EU cooperation on everything from trade to security.
France
Minister of Culture Franck Riester, above, was diagnosed with the coronavirus earlier in March, becoming the first French government minister to contract the virus.
Brune Poirson, the secretary of state to the minister of ecological and inclusive transition, has tested positive for coronavirus.
Several lawmakers from the French National Assembly have also contracted the virus.
Germany
The politician Friedrich Merz, one of the leading candidates to take up the helm of Germany’s Christian Democratic Union party, has tested positive for the coronavirus. In a statement posted on Twitter, Merz said that his symptoms were mild to moderate.
Cem Özdemir, a member of the Bundestag and the chairman of the Committee on Transport, announced on Twitter that he had tested positive for the coronavirus.
Guinea
Amadou Salif Kébé, the chairperson of Guinea’s election body, was confirmed by the Independent National Electoral Commission to have died on April 17. According to the French online news portal Jeune Afrique, his death was due to COVID-19. The publication cited a person who said that Kébé had contracted the coronavirus during the country’s elections last month.
Sékou Kourouma, secretary-general of the government and a relative of President Alpha Condé, became the country’s second high-profile death related to the coronavirus.
Guinea-Bissau
Prime Minister Nuno Gomes Nabiam announced on Facebook on April 29 that he had tested positive for the coronavirus and was quarantining himself at his home.
Three other government ministers were also reported to have tested positive for the coronavirus, including Interior Minister Botche Cande, Secretary of State for Regional Planning and Integration Mónica Buaro, and Secretary of State for Public Order Mario Fambe. The three ministers were immediately quarantined at a hotel in the country’s capital of Bissau. The prime minister also said that multiple members of the inter-ministerial coronavirus committee had also tested positive.
Honduras
In a televised statement, Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández announced that he and his wife, Ana García—who tested positive but was asymptomatic—had been diagnosed with the coronavirus. It was determined that he could continue to work remotely.
India
Sanjay Jha, the national spokesperson for the Indian National Congress party, announced on Twitter that he had tested positive for the coronavirus, although he was asymptomatic.
Chintala Ramachandra Reddy, a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the southern state of Telangana, was admitted to a hospital after displaying symptoms of COVID-19.
Jyotiraditya Scindia, a leader and candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party, has tested positive for the coronavirus along with his mother, Madhavi Raje Scindia.
Iran
Ali Larijani, the then-speaker of the parliament of Iran, tested positive for the coronavirus in early April, becoming the most senior member of the Iranian parliament to do so.
Iran has been one of the countries hardest-hit by the coronavirus, and the virus has spread rapidly among the country’s political elite and religious figures. According to the Jerusalem Post, at least 24 members of parliament have contracted the virus, and two have died: Fatemeh Rahbar, from Tehran, and Mohammad Ali Ramezani, from Gilan.
Others reported to have contracted the virus, according to the United States Institute for Peace, include:
• Iraj Harirchi, deputy health minister
• Masoumeh Ebtekar, vice president for women and family affairs
• Ali Akbar Velayati, foreign-policy advisor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei
• Fatemeh Rahbar, member of parliament, Tehran
• Mohammad Ali Ramezani, member of parliament, Gilan
• Mojtaba Rahmanzadeh, local mayor of Tehran’s District 13
• Mahmoud Sadeghi, member of parliament, Tehran
• Mohammad Reza Ghadir, director of Qom’s state medical university and head of coronavirus management in the city
• Pirhossein Kolivand, director of Iran’s emergency medical services
• Eshaq Jahangiri, above, first vice president
• Ismail Najjar, chief of Iran’s Crisis Management Organization
• Mostafa Pourmohammadi, former minister of justice and minister of the interior
• Reza Rahmani, Minister of Industry, Mines and Business (has since recovered from the virus)
• Ali Asghar Mounesan, minister of cultural heritage, handicrafts, and tourism
• Reza Salehi Amiri, president of the National Olympic Committee of Iran
• Mojtaba Zonnour, chairman of parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee
• Masoumeh Aghapour Alishahi, member of parliament from East Azerbaijan province
• Zohreh Elahian, member of parliament from Tehran
Ireland
The leader of the major Irish political party Sinn Fein, Mary Lou McDonald, received a positive diagnosis for the coronavirus on April 14 after being tested in March 28. Earlier in the month, she had said that a pupil in her children’s school had contracted the coronavirus.
Israel
Yaakov Litzman, above, Israel’s health minister, tested positive for the coronavirus along with his wife and has forced the majority of Israel’s leaders who are heading the country’s struggle with the virus into quarantine. After he tested positive, an epidemiological investigation used his phone to track his recent location and find individuals he came into contact with and may have infected.
Jeremy Issacharoff, Israel’s ambassador to Germany, tested positive for the coronavirus and according to Al Jazeera was reported to have contracted the virus after a meeting with a deputy from the German legislature. The deputy’s name has not been revealed yet.
Italy
Nicola Zingaretti, above, the head of the Italian Democratic Party, which is part of the ruling coalition, became the first leading politician in Italy to test positive for the virus.
Roberto Stella, the president of the Order of Doctors in Varese in the Lombardy region, the epicenter of Italy’s outbreak, died at age 67 of respiratory failure after contracting the coronavirus.
Giorgio Valoti, the mayor of Cene, a municipality in Italy’s most affected region of Lombardy, died at age 70 on March 13 from complications due to the coronavirus.
Monaco
The Palace of Monaco has announced March 19 that Prince Albert, the country’s reigning monarch, has tested positive for the coronavirus. In an address made the day before, the prince had announced total isolation in the country as an attempt to lessen the spread of COVID-19.
Nigeria
Abba Kyari, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari’s chief of staff, above, has caught the coronavirus, according to the Nigerian publication Sahara Reporters. The media reported that he contracted the virus after attending meetings in Germany and Egypt. UPDATE: The Nigerian President’s Office announced on April 18 that Kyari had died the previous day due to complications from the coronavirus.
Gov. Bala Mohammed, the leader of Nigeria’s Bauchi state, was also confirmed to have the coronavirus and to be in quarantine on March 24.
The public television station Télé Sahel reported that the minister of employment and labor, Mohamed Ben Omar, died from complications due to coronavirus on May 3.
Norway
Torbjorn Roe Isaksen, above, the Norwegian minister of labor and social inclusion, tested positive for the coronavirus after his deputy was confirmed as having the virus.
Pakistan
Mian Jamshed Uddin Kakakhel, a member of the provincial parliament in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, died of COVID-19 on June 3 just few days after testing positive for it with his son and entering intensive care in the capital, Islamabad.
On June 2, Ghulam Murtaza Baloch, a provincial minister for human settlement for the region of Sindh, died of COVID-19. Munir Orakzai, a member of the National Assembly, who had apparently recovered from COVID-19 in early May, died on June 2 of cardiac arrest.
On May 20, two provincial lawmakers died after testing positive for the coronavirus. Shaheen Raza, a provincial assembly member in the eastern Punjab province, died in the province’s capital of Lahore. Syed Fazal Agha, a former governor of Baluchistan and a member of the Baluchistan legislature, died in Karachi the same day.
The central secretary-general of the Awami National Party, Mian Iftikhar Hussain, began displaying symptoms of COVID-19 after attending the funeral for his brother, who had died after testing positive for the coronavirus.
Two members of Pakistan’s ruling Tehreek-e-Insaf party have announced that they have tested positive for the coronavirus. The first was Imran Ismail, the governor of Sindh. The second was Asad Qaiser, the current speaker of the National Assembly. Qaiser’s son and daughter are also reported to have caught the coronavirus.
Philippines
Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, a member of the Senate of the Philippines, became the first Filipino official to test positive for the coronavirus on March 16.
Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III became the second member of the Senate to test positive for the coronavirus. He was denounced for breaching strict infection and containment protocols when he brought his wife to a hospital’s delivery room and entered the room itself.
Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara tested positive for the coronavirus in late March. A month later, it has been announced that he contracted the virus again after recovering from it initially.
Poland
Gen. Jaroslaw Mika, the general commander of Poland’s armed forces, tested positive for the coronavirus after returning from a military conference in Germany, which was also attended by top U.S. Army Europe leaders. He is now in self-isolation.
Michal Wos, Poland’s environment minister, announced in a tweet that he had tested positive for coronavirus.
Russia
Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, above, became the highest-profile politician to test positive for the coronavirus in the country. Through decree, President Vladimir Putin appointed Andrey Belousov to the role in an acting capacity.
Construction and Housing Minister Vladimir Yakushev became the second member of the Russian cabinet to test positive for the coronavirus.
Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova became the third member of the cabinet to test positive for the coronavirus. She is continuing to participate in video calls with other officials from her home.
Dmitry Peskov, the spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, told Russian state news agencies on May 12 that he had been hospitalized with the coronavirus. He said he last saw his boss over a month ago.
Saudi Arabia
Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, a senior royal and governor of Riyadh, was admitted to intensive care with the coronavirus. Several other members of the royal family were also reported to have been infected, which caused several hospitals to prepare as many as 500 beds for an expected influx of royals and those in their circle.
Somalia
Khalif Mumin Tohow, the justice minister of Somalia’s autonomous Hirshabelle state, died on April 12, a day after he tested positive for the coronavirus. He became the second death in the country.
Abdiqani Mohamed Wa’ays, Somalia’s ambassador to Egypt, who also had diabetes, died after contracting the coronavirus in early May.
South Africa
The Rev. Kenneth Meshoe and Steve Swart, the leader and whip, respectively, of the African Christian Democratic Party, tested positive for the coronavirus after attending a prayer breakfast with international visitors.
South Sudan
South Sudan’s Minister of Defense Angelina Teny and Vice President Riek Machar, who are married, have both tested positive for the coronavirus. Some of their bodyguards and other staff have also tested positive. Machar was also part of an anti-coronavirus task force.
Spain
Begoña Gómez, the wife of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, has tested positive for the coronavirus and is now quarantining with her husband in their residence in La Moncloa Palace in Madrid.
Irene Montero, Spain’s equality minister, was the first of Spain’s cabinet to test positive for the coronavirus and has been quarantined along with her partner Pablo Iglesias, deputy prime minister and leader of the Podemos party.
Javier Ortega Smith, the secretary-general of the far-right Vox party, tested positive on March 10, causing the lower house of the Spanish parliament to be suspended. All of the party’s members of parliament and their teams went into self-isolation, Politicoreported. Santiago Abascal, the leader of the Vox party, also tested positive for the coronavirus.
Quim Torra, the leader of the Spanish region of Catalonia, announced on Monday that he had contracted the virus and was going to self-isolate in a government building.
Pere Aragones, the Catalan deputy head of the government, announced that he had tested positive for the coronavirus one day before Torra confirmed he had COVID-19.
Spain’s Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo tested positive for the coronavirus in a second test after previously testing negative.
Ukraine
Serhiy Shakhov, a member of the Ukrainian parliament, became the first public figure in the country to announce that he had tested positive for the coronavirus. While he initially denied he had it on March 18, two hours later he posted a video on Facebook announcing that he had contracted it.
United Kingdom
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, above, announced on March 27 that he had tested positive for the coronavirus, making him the first major world leader to contract the virus. In a video posted to Twitter, Johnson said he was tested after experiencing mild symptoms and would continue to lead the country’s response in the fight against the coronavirus, working from home in self-isolation.
Prince Charles the next in line to the British throne, has tested positive for the coronavirus and is now self-isolating with his wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall—who has tested negative—in Scotland. It is unclear how he contracted the virus, because he attended a high number of engagements in recent weeks. According to the New York Times, officials at the palace said that the last time he met with his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, was on March 12, and the earliest he could have contracted the virus was the day after.
Health Minister Nadine Dorries became the first British politician to contract the coronavirus. A test later revealed that Dorries had passed on the virus to her 84-year-old mother.
Matthew Hancock, Britain’s health secretary, announced on March 27 that he had contracted the coronavirus.
United Nations
David Beasley, the executive director of the United Nations World Food Program, announced on March 19 that he had tested positive for the coronavirus, five days after he began exhibiting symptoms and self-quarantined himself. He is now working to notify those he may have been in contact with and plans to continue to work remotely from his home in South Carolina while in self-isolation.
United States
U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, above, became the first U.S. senator to test positive for the coronavirus. Other senators and aides have expressed anger at Paul for not self-quarantining sooner after he continued to interact with other U.S. lawmakers despite having attending a black-tie event two weeks earlier in Louisville, Kentucky, of which several attendees have since tested positive.
Florida Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart announced March 18 that he tested positive for the coronavirus, becoming the first member of the U.S. Congress to contract COVID-19. Later in the day, U.S. Rep. Ben McAdams, a Utah Democrat, announced that he too had a confirmed diagnosis. Both members noticed symptoms on March 15 shortly after they attended a vote on the House floor, a session in which 400 other members of Congress are noted to have attended. Both had been in self-quarantine since then, Diaz-Balart in Washington and McAdams in Utah.
Two members of the New York State Assembly, Helene Weinstein and Charles Barron, have both tested positive for the coronavirus, according to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The state’s capitol building and legislative offices were closed for a deep cleaning after the pair were diagnosed.
State Sen. Brandon Beach from Georgia began feeling symptoms of the coronavirus as early as March 10 and has since announced that he tested positive for the virus. His diagnosis caused Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan and House Speaker David Ralston to call on all 236 Georgia state lawmakers to quarantine themselves after it was revealed that Beach had attended a special legislative session on March 15 while exhibiting symptoms.
Mayor of Miami Francis Suarez tested positive for the coronavirus late last week, and he has been video blogging about his experience on Twitter. His immediate family has tested negative for the virus, according to the South Florida radio station WLRN.