freedomdaily--2020-04-15--Coronavirus may wane this summer, but don’t count on any seasonal variation to end the pandemic

Will SARS-CoV-2 , the virus that causes COVID-19 , fade away on its own this summer ?
After all , other viruses – including influenza and respiratory syncytial virus ( RSV ) , which causes bronchiolitis in little children – are mostly seen in the winter .
The National Academies ’ Standing Committee on Emerging Infectious Diseases and 21st Century Health Threats recently addressed the question of whether SARS-CoV-2 will follow the same pattern .
The group of experts corralled the research that ’ s been done so far – much of it not yet peer-reviewed – to assess the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hope that things may get better as the weather warms up , there is plenty of reason for the U.S. to keep its guard up .
Are heat and humidity reason for hope ?
Although the U.S. is early in the course of the pandemic , there is evidence from other countries that SARS-CoV-2 spreads more rapidly in cold , dry weather .
One preprint study of 30 Chinese provinces showed that the number of COVID-19 cases went down by between 36 % and 57 % for every 1.8 degree Fahrenheit increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the low 40s F , the number of cases went down between 11 % and 22 % with each 1 % increase in relative humidity ( how much water is in the air ) .
A larger preprint study looking at 310 regions in 116 countries found that 11 % more cases were reported when the temperature went down 9 degrees , the relative humidity went down 10 % and when the wind speed went up .
Laboratory research also suggest that the virus survives longer in cold conditions .
One study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 40 F in lab media but is gone after one day at 98.6 F. These and other studies suggest that warm , humid weather may slow the spread of this virus , although not all commentators agree .
New research on this topic appears almost daily , and scientists are watching to see what happens as summer comes to the Northern Hemisphere .
COVID-19 is already spreading in many parts of the world where it ’ s hot , including Australia and South America , demonstrating that high temperatures are not enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important reason to be concerned about ongoing spread is the fact that this is a brand new virus for humans , so almost everyone is susceptible to being infected .
In fact , weather actually appears to play a minor role in the rate at which this virus spreads .
Other influences on infection rates include individual behaviors , cultural practices , geography , income and living conditions .
Public health practices such as social distancing , the intensity of testing for infection , contact tracing , quarantine of people who are exposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infected also play a big role in how the coronavirus spreads .
The news from other viral diseases is not encouraging either .
The two most serious coronavirus diseases that are closely related to COVID-19 , the first SARS outbreak and MERS , did not vary with the seasons after they emerged .
In fact , MERS is still found year-round in the Middle East , where it is hot and dry .
Pandemic influenza infections have emerged at different times of the year as well .
What should we do ?
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ develop a safe and effective vaccine .
This work is proceeding at unprecedented speed , but it will still take anywhere from months to a few years and will require trials involving thousands of people and massive international leadership and collaboration .
Until there ’ s a vaccine , prevention will require avoiding exposure to people who can spread the virus .
Communities need to test people to find out who is contagious and engage in serious contact tracing , quarantine and isolation .
Scientists need to learn more about how to determine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immunity lasts , a big open question at the moment .
As individuals , each of us will need to follow expert scientific advice about good hygiene practices and distancing .
SARS-CoV-2 is likely to keep circulating until the human population has widespread immunity , which hopefully will come not from an unchecked pandemic but from developing and deploying a safe and effective vaccine .
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freedomdaily--2020-04-15--Intelligence Officials Are Taking A Serious Look At The Possibility Coronavirus Leaked From Wuhan La

Intelligence Officials Are Taking A Serious Look At The Possibility Coronavirus Leaked From Wuhan Lab

The U.S. intelligence community is seriously considering the possibility that the novel coronavirus could have been accidentally released from biochemical research labs in Wuhan , according to a report Tuesday .
“ It ’ s definitely a real possibility being bandied about at the high levels of the administration , ” one unnamed source with knowledge of China and national security told Yahoo News .
“ It ’ s absolutely being looked at very closely at the highest levels , ” another source told with knowledge of the investigations told the outlet .
Citing the accounts of nine current and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with investigations into the coronavirus , Yahoo News reported that the U.S. intelligence community is exploring all possible avenues the virus could have been unleashed into the human population , including the possibility that it spread naturally from a Wuhan wet market and the possibility that the virus could have been unintentionally released from research facilities that were known to be studying bat-based coronaviruses in Wuhan .
“ We are actively and vigorously tracking down every piece of information we get on this topic and we are writing frequently to update policymakers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the intelligence community “ has not come down on any one theory.
” However , the theory that the coronavirus is a man-made bioweapon has been largely discounted by the intelligence community , Yahoo News reported .
The lab leak theory has picked up steam in media , academic circles and the government in recent weeks .
Washington Post columnist Josh Rogin reported on Tuesday that U.S. Embassy had sent two official warnings to Washington D.C. warning about inadequate safety at a Wuhan research lab that was studying bat-based coronaviruses after visiting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ebright , a professor of chemical biology at Rutgers University , previously told the Daily Caller News Foundation in no uncertain terms that he believes it ’ s possible that the coronavirus could have been unleashed due to a leak from the Wuhan Institute of Virology .
After all , China ’ s top virologist on bat-borne viruses , Shi Zhengli , said in March that she frantically searched for evidence that any of her records in that lab were mishandled when she first learned of the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan in late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from her lab ?
” she recalled thinking , according to the Scientific American .
“ I had never expected this kind of thing to happen in Wuhan , in central China , ” Shi added .
Shi now furiously denies that the novel coronavirus could have leaked from her lab at the Wuhan Institute of Virology .
Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas , who was largely ridiculed in the press in February for suggesting that research labs in Wuhan could be connected to the virus ’ s exposure to the human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was a reasonable question to ask given China ’ s record of dishonesty on it ’ s handling of the coronavirus outbreak “ After concealing the virus for many weeks in December and then minimizing its severity for most of January , they then peddle an origin story about the food market in Wuhan , ” Cotton said .
“ Given their dishonesty and the proximity of these labs , which we know were working with coronaviruses , it is only reasonable and responsible for us to ask the question and demand @ @ @ @


freedomdaily--2020-04-15--75% Of Migrants On One Deportation Flight To Guatemala Had Coronavirus, Health Minister Says

Guatemala ’ s health minister is claiming that the majority of migrants on a single deportation flight to his country carried COVID-19 , and blamed deportation flights for a spike in cases .
Seventy-five percent of the migrants on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) repatriation flight to Guatemala tested positive for coronavirus , Health Minister Hugo Monroy claimed on Tuesday .
Their government is claiming that a total of four Guatemalan nationals deported from the U.S. tested positive for the virus , according to ABC News .
“ There are really flights where the deportees arrive … @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they get on the planes that way , ” Monroy stated .
“ We automatically evaluate them here and test them and many of them have come back positive.
” The health minister is also blaming the U.S. for a recent spike in cases — Guatemala ’ s Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance has reported a total of 180 cases , including five deaths .
While Monroy is claiming that 75 % of deportees on a single flight had coronavirus , he said he was unable to go into further detail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , ICE Air Operations is continuing to execute repatriation flights across the world .
Central American governments — and Guatemala in particular — have urged the Trump administration to momentarily halt these flights , but they are under immense pressure to keep accepting them .
President Donald Trump issued a memo on Friday , ordering acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf to notify the State Department of any government that refuses to accept deportees from the U.S .
Governments that refuse to accept deportees risk visa sanctions , making it nearly impossible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
These deportations have also served as a major resource in the Trump administration ’ s efforts to rescue Americans stranded abroad .
ICE has so far rescued more than 1,000 U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents stuck abroad , taking them aboard on return flights back home .
Per ICE policy , every migrant is screened before boarding a repatriation flight .
“ Any ICE detainee who fails to pass screening by a flight medical provider and/or is suspected of having a health-risk condition potentially contagious to other detainees , staff and/or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and referred to an ICE approved facility for screening , ” the agency ’ s guidelines read .


freedomdaily--2020-04-15--Graham Slams ‘Incompetent’ WHO, Supports Trump’s Decision To Cut Funding

Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham slammed the World Health Organization as “ incompetent ” and support President Donald Trump ’ s decision to cut WHO ’ s funding .
Graham discussed POTUS ’ s decision in a Wednesday statement after the president officially cut off United States funding for the WHO Tuesday over WHO ’ s contributions to China misinformation on the coronavirus pandemic .
The U.S. has been the WHO ’ s largest donor for many years .
“ The WHO ’ s reliance on China ’ s disclosures likely caused a twenty-fold increase in cases worldwide , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , ” Trump said Tuesday when he announced the decision .
“ The WHO has not addressed a single one of these concerns nor provided a serious explanation that acknowledges its own mistakes , of which there are many.
” “ Cutting off funding at this time is the right move , ” Graham said in his Wednesday statement .
“ This is a critical time for worldwide public health and we can not afford China apologists running the WHO .
I support a suspension of funding by the United States until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The South Carolina senator noted that he has “ a lot of respect ” for Bill Gates and Gates ’ work int he public health arena , but said that “ Gates ’ decision to defend the performance of the WHO during the coronavirus crisis and current WHO leadership ignores overwhelming evidence of China bias and incompetence.
” “ If someone like Bill Gates were in charge of the WHO I would gladly support increased funding .
But I have lost all confidence in the current WHO leadership and capabilities , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a competent WHO , ” he added .
“ But the days of throwing money at an incompetent organization are over under President Trump ’ s leadership.
” Most other Republicans are on board with Trump ’ s decision to cut WHO ’ s funding , and many Republican lawmakers have called for the president to do so .
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freedomdaily--2020-04-15--Los Angeles to Hand Out Taxpayer-Funded Pre-Paid Debit Cards To Illegal Aliens

The city of Los Angeles will be doling out pre-paid debit cards to residents who have faced economic hardship due to the coronavirus lockdown , and living in the country illegally won ’ t disqualify you from getting the cash .
Los Angeles officials have begun accepting applications for a no-fee debit card that provides cash to residents who were already living under the poverty line before the coronavirus crisis began and have since had their incomes dramatically reduced because of the outbreak , local media reported .
The “ Angeleno Cards ” will be loaded with $ 700 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the income and size of each household .
How does one qualify for such cards ?
An applicant must live within the city limits , already have been living under the federal poverty line before the COVID-19 crisis began , and have seen their income fall by at least 50 % because of the viral outbreak , according to the application website .
Being an illegal alien has no bearing on one ’ s eligibility , Democratic Mayor Eric Garrett made clear .
“ Applicants will not be asked anything about their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Monday when discussing the program .
“ We are all Angelenos.
” City residents appear to be dire needs of the funds .
When the government began accepting applications on Tuesday morning , the site crashed due to heavy traffic volume , and people who chose to apply over the phone reported extremely long wait times .
“ HCIDLA requests your patience while we improve the site capacity .
Our site is overwhelmed by the thousands of ppl attempting to access the app simultaneously .
We apologize for the inconvenience , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Los Angeles on Tuesday .
“ Try again later , ” it added .
Depending on how many eligible applicants apply , officials may have to randomly select who gets a card .
Unlike other city-wide initiatives for victims of the economic lockdown , this program is not being funded by taxpayers .
Instead , it ’ s a partnership between the nonprofit Mayor ’ s Fund for Los Angeles and Mastercard ’ s City Possible .
The funds are expected to be doled out to recipients by April 20 .
Other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — are providing coronavirus relief to illegal aliens .
However , California stands out as one state that is a major proponent of such efforts .
Democratic Gov .
Gavin Newsom already established a relief fund for businesses in the state that are run by illegal aliens – employers who are not covered by the federal bailout for small businesses – and earlier this month he confirmed that he is working with Democrats in the California state legislature on a “ Disaster Relief Fund ” for illegal aliens .


freedomdaily--2020-04-15--Lack of data makes predicting COVID-19’s spread difficult but models are still vital

Editor ’ s note : The question everyone in the world wants answered is how far the new coronavirus will spread and when the pandemic will begin to ebb .
To know that , epidemiologists , public health authorities and policymakers rely on models .
Models are not meant to predict the future perfectly – yet they ’ re still useful .
Biomedical mathematician Lester Caudill , who is currently teaching a class focused on COVID-19 and modeling , explains the limitations of models and how to better understand them .
Mathematical models of how infections spread are simplified versions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mimic the main features of real-world disease spread well enough to make predictions which can , at least partly , be trusted enough to make decisions .
The COVID-19 model predictions reported in the media come from mathematical models that have been converted into computer simulations .
For example , a model might use a variety of real world data to predict a date ( or range of dates ) for a city ’ s peak number of cases .
Why is modeling the spread of COVID-19 challenging ?
In order for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the model must accurately reflect how the infection progresses in real life .
To do this , modelers typically use data from prior outbreaks of the same infection , both to create their model , and to make sure its predictions match what people already know to be true .
This works well for infections like influenza , because scientists have decades of data that help them understand how flu outbreaks progress through different types of communities .
Influenza models are used each year to make decisions regarding vaccine formulations and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the current COVID-19 outbreak is much more challenging , simply because researchers know very little about the disease .
What are all the different ways it can be transferred between people ?
How long does it live on door knobs or Amazon boxes ?
How much time passes from the moment the virus enters a person ’ s body until that person is able to transmit it to someone else ?
These , and many other questions , are important to incorporate into a reliable model of COVID-19 infections .
Yet people simply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because the world is in the midst of the first appearance of this disease , ever .
Why do different models have different predictions ?
The best modelers can do is assume some things about COVID-19 , and create models that are based on these assumptions .
Some current COVID-19 models assume that the virus behaves like influenza , so they use influenza data in their models .
Other COVID-19 models assume that the virus behaves like SARS-CoV , the virus that caused the SARS epidemic in 2003 .
Other models may make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must all assume something , in order to make up for information that they need , but that simply does not yet exist .
These different assumptions are likely to lead to very different COVID-19 model predictions .
How can people make sense of the different – sometimes conflicting – model predictions ?
This question gets at , perhaps , the most important thing to know about mathematical model predictions : They are only useful if you understand the assumptions that the model is based on .
Ideally , model predictions like , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. ” would read more like , “ Assuming that COVID-19 behaves similar to SARS , we expect 80,000 COVID-related deaths in the U.S. ” This helps place the model ’ s prediction into context , and helps remind everyone that model predictions are not , necessarily , glimpses into an inevitable future .
It may also be useful to use predictions from different models to establish reasonable ranges , rather than exact numbers .
For instance , a model that assumes COVID-19 behaves like influenza might predict 50,000 deaths in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prediction to believe – which is an impossible task – it may be more useful to conclude that there will be between 50,000 and 80,000 deaths in the U.S. Why do the same models seem to predict different outcomes today than they did yesterday ?
As COVID-19 data becomes available – and there are many good people working tirelessly to gather data and make it available – modelers are incorporating it so that , each day , their models are based a little more on actual COVID-19 information , and a little less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can see this process unfold in the news , where the major predictive COVID-19 models provide almost daily revisions to their prior estimates of case numbers and deaths .
Can a model that ’ s ( probably ) not accurate at predicting the future still be useful ?
While models of infections can provide insights into what the future might hold , they are far more valuable when they help answer , “ How can policies alter that future ?
” For instance , a baseline model for predicting the future number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the effects of , say , a stay-at-home order .
By running model simulations with the order , and comparing to model simulations without the order , public health authorities may learn something about how effective the order is expected to be .
That can be especially useful when comparing the associated costs , not only in terms of disease burden , but in economic terms , as well .
One step further , this same model could be used to predict the consequences of ending the order on , say , June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the stay-at-home order in Virginia – and compare them to model predictions for ending the order on , say , May 31 or June 30 .
Here , as in many other settings , models prove to be most useful when they ’ re used to generate different scenarios which are compared to each other .
This is different than comparing model predictions to reality .
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Lester Caudill does not work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article , and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment .


freedomdaily--2020-04-15--Screens are keeping us connected now – but they’re still disruptive to in-person communication

Digital technology has been a lifeline during the COVID-19 health crisis .
Yet , its impact on human relationships remains complex .
It allows for work and connection in many domains , but does so in ways that are often intrusive , exhausting and potentially corrosive to face-to-face relationships .
The debate about technology ’ s effect on overall mental health rages on .
Some researchers claim smartphones have destroyed a generation , while others argue screen time doesn ’ t predict mental health at all .
After years of research on the topic , I have come to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fundamental aspect of our human experience – paying attention to one another ’ s eyes .
Smartphones , even more than older technologies like television , have been aggressively designed to control and capitalize human attention throughout the day by drawing people ’ s fingers and eyes down to a screen and away from one another .
Increasingly , people can ’ t look away .
It ’ s all in the eyes Human beings are unique among animals – including closely related primates – in our ability to share meaning and collaborate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gaze .
From the earliest days of life , babies tune into their caregivers ’ eyes to find comfort and decipher emotion .
As they grow , people build on these skills and learn to lock eyes with social partners to communicate and collaborate .
The whites around human eyes are large , making them highly visible to partners .
The result is humans are able to track the direction of each other ’ s gaze with exquisite accuracy .
Some argue this evolutionary adaptation was fundamental to Homo sapiens ‘ advancement as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ubiquity of mobile technology , visual synchrony between people is frequently disrupted .
Are humans becoming strangers to each others ’ eyes – and does it matter ?
My colleagues and I studied this question by repeating an experiment developed over 40 years ago called the Still Face .
In the experiment , parents freely play with their young children , but then are instructed to be unresponsive by holding their faces still and inexpressive for a few minutes .
This still face period is followed by a period of repair called the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The three-part experiment – play , still face , reunion – creates a microcosm in which researchers study the broader effects of parental withdrawal and document the importance of repairing social disconnection .
This classic experiment inspired us to conceptualize the impact of screens on the parent-child relationship as one big naturally occurring Still Face .
In our study , we modified the still face period so that parents , instead of keeping their faces still , were unresponsive while using a smartphone – looking down , with eyes locked on screens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two minutes .
We also asked parents to report on how much time they typically spent on screens at home .
Children became distressed and despondent when they could not connect with their parents .
If parents reported spending high levels of time on screens at home , children showed less emotional resilience and greater difficulty reconnecting with parents once the two-minute period was over .
‘ Phubbing ’ – snubbing someone for your phone In a second study , yet to be published , we looked at the power of shared gaze @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We assigned pairs of adults to work together on a difficult puzzle task .
One of the adults in the pair – a research assistant , posing as a participant – continually interrupted the joint work by breaking eye contact , texting and talking on their phone .
In the control group , the pair worked together to solve the puzzle without interruption .
Like the study with parents and children , the effects of breaking reciprocity and connection through eye contact were far from trivial .
Adults not only found being “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be rude , they also showed less happiness , more anxiety and heightened attention to negative rather than positive information in an assessment immediately following the experiment .
Screens are not poison , but should be recognized as the interlopers and disrupters they are .
Put phones away when with others .
Consider it the height of rudeness to have a device out during conversations , meals , meetings or in the middle of family game night .
Human beings have evolved to rely on social cues like eye gaze to learn about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communicate and collaborate effectively throughout our lives .
Ubiquitous phone use is a threat to this very essential component of our humanity , even in these extraordinary times .
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Tracy Dennis-Tiwary receives funding from The National Institutes of Health .


freedomdaily--2020-04-15--Wildfire smoke worsens coronavirus risk, putting firefighters in extra danger

As summer approaches , two forces of nature are on a collision course , and wildland firefighters will be caught in the middle .
New research suggests that the smoke firefighters breathe on the front lines of wildfires is putting them at greater risk from the new coronavirus , with potentially lethal effects .
At the same time , firefighting conditions make precautions such as social distancing and hand-washing difficult , increasing the chance that , once the virus enters a fire camp , it could quickly spread .
As an environmental toxicologist , I have spent the last decade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exposure impacts human health .
Much of my current research is focused on protecting the long-term health of wildland firefighters and the communities they serve .
‘ Camp crud ’ and the dangers of air pollution People have long understood that the air they breathe can impact their health , dating back more than 2,000 years to Hippocrates in his treatise on Air , Water , and Places .
Today , there is a growing consensus among researchers that air pollution , specifically the very fine particles called PM2.5 , influences risk of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tiny fraction of the width of a hair and can travel deep into the lungs .
Italian scientists reported in 2014 that air pollutants can increase the viral load in the lungs and reduce the ability of specialized cells called macrophages to clear out viral invaders .
Researchers in Montana later connected that effect to wood smoke .
They found that animals exposed to wood smoke 24 hours before being exposed to a pathogen ended up with more pathogen in their lungs .
The researchers showed that wood smoke exposure decreased the macrophages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Now , new evidence suggests that long-term exposure to PM2.5 air pollution , which is produced by sources such as wildfires , power plants and vehicles , may make coronavirus particularly deadly .
Researchers from the Harvard T.H .
Chan School of Public Health conducted a nationwide study of county-level data and found that even a small increase in the amount of PM2.5 from one U.S. county to the next was associated with a large increase in the death rate from COVID-19 .
While small increases in PM2.5 also raise the risk of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the magnitude of the increase for COVID-19 was about 20 times greater .
The results were released last week , before the usual peer review process was conducted , to help warn people of the risks .
Taken together , these findings suggest that air pollution , including wood smoke , could increase the risk that wildland firefighters will develop severe COVID-19 symptoms .
They ’ re already familiar with “ camp crud , ” a combined upper and lower respiratory illness accompanied by cough and fatigue that has become common in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Group , in its guidance on infectious disease , has pointed out that “ the close , overlapping living conditions of an incident command post lends itself to rapid spreading of contagious microorganisms , as witnessed by the common outbreaks of ‘ camp crud.
’ Outbreaks also have a history of spreading from incident to incident as people are reassigned.
” So , what can be done to avoid the spread of COVID-19 among wildland firefighters and prevent them from being vectors in the communities they serve ?
In some areas , officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brush-clearing operations that would normally be underway now .
But while that might protect firefighters from exposure right now , it can be put off for only so long .
Wildfires have already broken out in several states , and delaying controlled burns leaves more fuel when fires get out of control .
The National Wildfire Coordinating Group ’ s guidance on infectious disease encourages planning ahead so personal protective equipment is available and maintaining records of symptoms so illnesses can be tracked and stopped from spreading .
The guidance also calls for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical care , making isolation possible and coordinating cross-agency communication about the public health risks .
Firefighter camps are not typically well outfitted to promote good personal hygiene .
Improving those conditions could help prevent a virus ’ s spread , such as by adding hand-washing stations and possibly mobile shower units .
Single-person tents would allow for more effective social distancing .
Camp personnel should also have access to thermometers and coronavirus test kits .
Protocols for quarantining and removing infected firefighters from the field should not only be implemented but practiced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coordinating Group ’ s guidance are policies on traveling to and from training sites , working within communities and traveling from camp .
Social distancing may not always be possible , so protective gear , such as face masks , should be made available and their use encouraged .
A recent paper from Belgium suggests that even some of the ways firefighters operate in the field should be reconsidered to protect against the virus ’ s spread .
It shows how droplets released when a person exhales can travel farther than six feet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that could mean walking farther apart and in a V-shaped delta formation , rather than a traditional line , to reach the fire .
It is also important to consider that frontline firefighters are often younger and could be asymptomatic but still able to spread the virus , so their contact with with rural community members , such as volunteer firefighters and ranchers , should be considered .
Finally , a system for cross-state communication should be engaged to facilitate sharing of best practices and lessons learned .
It also could help track @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The safety of rural western communities depends on the wildland firefighters and their ability to respond to emergencies .
Protecting their health helps protect public health , too .
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Luke Montrose does not work for , consult , own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article , and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment .


freedomdaily--2020-04-15--No, CBD is not a miracle molecule that can cure coronavirus, just as it won’t cure many other maladi

No, CBD is not a miracle molecule that can cure coronavirus, just as it won’t cure many other maladies its proponents claim

The claims for CBD ’ s alleged healing powers have been so exaggerated that it ’ s no surprise that a CBD maker was recently warned by the New York attorney general for claiming that the molecule can fight COVID-19 .
There are no credible animal or human studies showing CBD has any effect on SARS-CoV-2 or the course of COVID-19 infection .
As professor and chair of the Department of Pharmacy Practice at the University of Connecticut , I ’ ve investigated many claims of vitamin cures for various illnesses over the decades , including CBD .
Antioxidant vitamin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the nutrition world .
The cocktails , with vitamin E , beta-carotene and vitamin C , supposedly reduced the risk of heart disease , stroke and cancer .
That story – derived from single-cell and small-animal studies – was captivating .
Imagine taking a vitamin pill to halt free radical damage or keep your arteries from hardening .
Next up was soy and resveratrol , so-called superfoods that could lower rates of heart disease and cancer ; then coenzyme Q10 , touted to prevent statin-induced muscle damage .
All fell from grace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the CBD hype is in a class by itself , as the misinformation for this cannabis-derived molecule exploded after one drug containing cannabidiol – or CBD – received Food and Drug Administration approval in 2018 – for treatment of seizures associated with two rare forms of epilepsy .
How strong is the CBD data ?
On behalf of the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology , I recently conducted a review that evaluated the evidence supporting the use of CBD .
There is strong evidence that CBD may do some good for some people .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ two rare diseases , Lennox-Gestaut and Dravet syndrome .
CBD consistently shows benefits when used before an anxiety-provoking event , like public speaking ( although not as effective as clonazepam , an FDA-indicated drug for performance anxiety ) .
Limited studies show promising initial findings for other conditions , although more research is needed .
CBD might help with inflammation of the joints or skin , sleep disturbances , chronic anxiety , psychosis and behavioral issues associated with Fragile X syndrome .
But natural alternatives already exist that offer much more evidence for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with sleep , kava for chronic anxiety and the curcumin extract of turmeric for general inflammation or fatty liver disease .
CBD has been shown ineffective for treating symptoms of Parkinson ’ s and Crohn ’ s disease .
Data on treating pain and muscle spasms is poor .
As for preventing cancer , rosacea or the dozens of other things it ’ s supposed to fix , that ’ s pure speculation .
CBD is a drug .
The FDA allows it to be sold as a cosmetic and prescription product , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a prescription .
But just because it ’ s in lots of things ( seltzer , cupcakes and beer , to name a few ) does not mean it ’ s risk-free .
In the largest evaluation , high doses of CDB induced mild liver damage in 17 % of the people taking it .
Severe or irreversible damage would have occurred had researchers not stopped the subjects from taking more .
If you ’ re taking CBD at home , without medical supervision , you would not know about the liver damage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug interactions too .
Add CBD to other drugs you ’ re taking and it might produce unexpected side effects , or cause those drugs to be less efficient .
I wouldn ’ t take CBD without checking with my doctor or pharmacist to assure me there were no risky drug interactions .
Because CBD is a seizure medication , the FDA is concerned it could promote suicidal thoughts , as some other seizure medications do .
Although no data supports that concern , CBD hasn ’ t been studied long-term .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sleepiness and diarrhea , which happens in one-third of users , and vomiting and fever , which happens in 15 % .
You take additional risks if the CBD product is not certified by an outside laboratory .
Without that , bacterial , fungal or heavy metal contamination of the CBD becomes more likely – so does mixing of the CBD with synthetic drugs .
Many independent evaluations already show many products do not contain the amount of CBD they claim ; some provide much less .
Conversely , a few of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for THC .
This places you at risk of arrest for marijuana possession .
There are also other unhappy scenarios : You might have used a subpotent product and took 500 mg to get the desired benefits .
Then after switching to a better-quality product , you take the same 500 mg and accidentally overdose .
CBD is neither a miracle or snake oil .
So far , the evidence – or lack of it , for most ailments – suggests the risks may outweigh the benefits .
Eating a balanced diet , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maintaining a healthy body weight and managing stress are the basis of good health .
Nowhere in there is a recommendation to adopt every health fad that comes along .
But people are psychologically attracted to health fads because they are novel , they sound plausible ( at least on the surface ) and they ’ re easy to use .
What ’ s more , there ’ s the bandwagon effect : Nobody wants to be left out .
But it ’ s a mistake to believe that studies of cells in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s a mistake to believe testimonials from customers in television commercials .
For that matter , it ’ s a mistake to believe much of the content in these advertisements .
Some make false claims , some are selective in the information they provide and some suppress negative information about the product .
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C. Michael White does not work for , consult , own shares in or receive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would benefit from this article , and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment .


freedomdaily--2020-04-15--A Florida Sheriff Freed Inmate Over COVID-19 Concerns. He Allegedly Murdered A Man The Next Day

A Florida man is accused of murdering a man hours after being released from jail last month over concerns about the coronavirus pandemic .
Joseph Edwards Williams , 26 , was arrested Monday in Tampa on charges of second-degree murder in connection with a March 20 homicide .
He also faces charges of felony firearm possession , heroin possession , and resisting arrest .
Hillsborough County arrest records show that Williams was released from jail on March 19 after a week in custody on charges of possession of heroin and drug paraphernalia .
WFLA reports that Williams was one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s office released early in order to slow the spread of coronavirus at the county jail .
Jails across the country have released inmates in order to prevent large scale outbreaks of coronavirus .
Judges have also granted reprieve to prisoners and inmates whose underlying health conditions make them vulnerable to coronavirus .
“ We want to protect our employees here .
We want to protect the remainder of the jail population .
We also feel these low-level , non-violent offenders will be better served at home with their families , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time of the mass inmate release .
Williams has a lengthy criminal record .
He was arrested earlier this year , on Jan. 4 , on a failure to appear charge , according to jail records .
He was released on Feb. 7 after serving 32 days of a 60-day sentence .
“ There is no question Joseph Williams took advantage of this health emergency to commit crimes while he was out of jail awaiting resolution of a low-level , non-violent offense , ” Chronister said in a statement Tuesday , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I call on the State Attorney to prosecute this defendant to the fullest extent of the law.
” He asserted that judges , prosecutors and sheriffs across the U.S. “ are facing difficult decisions during this health crisis with respect to balancing public health and public safety.
” “ Sheriffs in Florida and throughout our country have released non-violent , low-level offenders to protect our deputies and the jail population from an outbreak .
Our commitment as an agency is to keep this community safe and enforce the law.
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freedomdaily--2020-01-07--Universal coverage, single-payer, ‘Medicare for All’: What does it all mean for you?

Collectively , health care is our biggest industry .
And , health care has long been one of the most politically contested issues .
Partisan wrangling over health reform has perhaps been the most acrimonious issue in Americans politics , exemplified by the failed Clinton health reform efforts in the 1990s and the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010 .
Most Americans are befuddled by it , and the political debate surrounding it only makes it more confusing .
You have no doubt heard these terms bandied about : Universal coverage , public option , “ Medicare for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these terms mean , and why do they matter going into the Presidential race in 2020 ?
Universal coverage refers to health care systems in which all individuals have insurance coverage .
Generally , this coverage includes access to all needed services and benefits while protecting individuals from excessive financial hardships .
Most Western nations fall into this category .
The U.S. serves as the notable exception , with millions of Americans remaining uninsured .
The Obama administration touted the passage of the Affordable Care Act as a step toward “ near universal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clinton ’ s proposal in the 1990s which made covering all Americans a centerpiece .
Practically , there is no single pathway to universal coverage .
Countries that have achieved it have done so in diverse ways .
This includes approaches ranging from private to public insurance and delivery systems , or hybrids of both .
From a policy perspective , achieving universal coverage is a worthwhile goal .
There is ample evidence that insurance coverage generally improves the health of individuals .
Perhaps equally important , insurance coverage serves as an important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insurance coverage does not necessarily entail having access to health care services , since travel distances or wait times may impede care .
Moreover , regulatory loopholes currently expose many individuals with insurance coverage to large out-of-pocket bills .
“ Single-payer ” refers to the financing a health care system by making one entity , most likely the government , solely and exclusively responsible for paying for medical goods and services .
It is only the financing component that is necessarily socialized .
However , single-payer should not be necessarily equated with socialized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and operated by government .
Single-payer systems are often hailed by advocates for their administrative simplicity .
Moreover , single-payer systems include everyone in the same risk pool .
That is , there is no segregation of individuals based on their medical status .
Crucially , single-payer systems are able to use their absolute market and budgeting power to hold down costs .
Government is often the dominant but not sole payer .
Even in the United Kingdom , whose National Health Service is famously popular , private insurance coverage and private pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limited single-payer system could be confined to providing catastrophic coverage only .
However , this would clearly restrict its ability to realize its full market power .
Finally , it is important to note that single-payer systems should not be confused with so-called all-payer systems , like those in existence in Germany .
Here , a number of private entities band together to establish common prices for health care services and benefits .
Medicare in name only : ‘ Medicare for All ’ The most talked-about Democratic health reform proposal , Medicare for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insurance program that covers most of America ’ s seniors .
However , simply expanding Medicare to all Americans would lead to a rude awakening for most .
Traditional Medicare benefits are rather limited and often carry with them large out-of-pocket payments .
For example , Medicare does not include dental and vision coverage .
A premium-based prescription drug benefit was not included until 2003 .
And it came with the infamous Part D donut hole that exposed many seniors to significant out-of-pocket costs for their prescription drugs .
In essence then , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Medicare name while implementing a single-payer system in the United States .
As proposed by its two most ardent advocates , Senators Bernie Sanders , D-Vt. , and Elizabeth Warren , D-Mass.
, Medicare for All would eliminate all private insurance .
It would also come with a very generous benefit package , and very limited , if any , out-of-pocket costs .
One particular stumbling block for implementing Medicare for All is that it makes the overall cost of health coverage an obvious focal point .
Of course , costs for expanded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as compared to the status quo .
It would also like increase health care utilization .
However , most detrimental from a politics perspective , Medicare for All unifies all of the country ’ s exorbitant health expenditures , roughly US $ 60 trillion from 2022 to 2031 , in one single budget .
This creates the misperception of being overly costly , while mostly just illustrating current costs .
It will also entail a major realignment of the health sector with potentially substantial job losses particularly in the insurance sector .
Not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the American health care system .
Another set of presidential candidates are arguing for an expansion of the Affordable Care Act .
Led by former Vice President Joe Biden , these proposals largely retain the existing structure of the health care system .
The proposals include the creation of a “ public option.
” This type of approach first gained traction during the debate over the Affordable Care Act .
Then , Progressive Democrats sought to include a government-run insurer in the ACA marketplaces .
This government entity would have competed with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , providers and benefits for those purchasing insurance on their own .
Yet the Public Option 2.0 is significantly more progressive than its ACA cousin .
It would be open to every American , whether they purchase their own insurance or receive it from their employer .
This public insurer would also be using its market power to negotiate better prices .
Over time , it would likely also function as a wedge to conduct further and more progressive reforms .
A potential final outcome might be a single-payer system .
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Simon F. Haeder is Fellow in the Interdisciplinary Research Leaders Program , a national leadership development program supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to equip teams of researchers and community partners in applying research to solve real community problems .


freedomdaily--2020-01-07--An Earth-sized planet found in the habitable zone of a nearby star

A few months ago a group of NASA exoplanet astronomers , who are in the business of discovering planets around other stars , called me into a secret meeting to tell me about a planet that had captured their interest .
Because my expertise lies in modeling the climate of exoplanets , they asked me to figure out whether this new planet was habitable – a place where liquid water might exist .
These NASA colleagues , Josh Schlieder and his students Emily Gilbert , Tom Barclay and Elisa Quintana , had been studying data from TESS ( Transiting Exoplanet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may be TESS ’ first known Earth-sized planet in a zone where liquid water could exist on the surface of a terrestrial planet .
This is very exciting news because this new planet is relatively close to Earth , and it may be possible to observe its atmosphere with either the James Webb Space Telescope or ground-based large telescopes .
The host star of the planet that Gilbert ’ s team discovered is called TESS of Interest number 700 , or TOI-700 .
Compared to the Sun , it is a small , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the size , only about 1/50 of the Sun ’ s brightness and is located about 100 light-years from Earth in the constellation Dorado , which is visible from our Southern Hemisphere .
For comparison , the nearest star to us , Proxima Centauri , is 4.2 light-years away from Earth .
To get a sense of these distances , if you were to travel on the fastest spacecraft ( Parker Solar Probe ) to reach Proxima Centauri , it would take nearly 20,000 years .
There are three planets around TOI-700 : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is Earth-size , within the star ’ s habitable zone and orbits TOI-700 every 37 days .
My colleagues wanted me to create a climate model for Planet d using the known properties of the star and planet .
Planets b and c are Earth-size and mini-Neptune-size , respectively .
However , they orbit much closer to their host star , receiving 5 times and 2.6 times the starlight that our own Earth receives from the Sun .
For comparison , Venus , a dry and hellishly hot world with surface temperature of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sunlight of Earth .
Until about a decade ago , only two habitable zone planets of any size were known to astronomers : Earth and Mars .
Within the last decade , however , thanks to discoveries made through both ground-based telescopes and the Kepler mission ( which also looked for exoplanets from 2009 to 2019 , but is now retired ) , astronomers have discovered about a dozen terrestrial-sized exoplanets .
These are between half and two times larger than the Earth within the habitable zones of their host stars .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ exoplanet discoveries to date , the majority of stars are between 600 to 3,000 light-years away from Earth – too far and dim for detailed follow-up observation .
Why is liquid water important for habitability ?
Unlike Kepler , TESS ’ mission is to search for planets around the Sun ’ s nearest neighbors : those bright enough for follow-up observations .
Between April 2018 and now , TESS discovered more than 1,500 planet candidates .
Most are more than twice the size of Earth with orbits of less than 10 days .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ days to orbit around our Sun .
As a result , the planets receive significantly more heat than Earth receives from the Sun and are too hot for liquid water to exist on the surface .
Liquid water is essential for habitability .
It provides a medium for chemicals to interact with each other .
While it is possible for exotic life to exist at higher pressures , or hotter temperatures – like the extremophiles found near hydro-thermal vents or the microbes found half a mile beneath the West Antarctic ice sheet – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to directly probe those extreme environments .
They would not have been detectable from space .
When it comes to finding life , or even habitable conditions , beyond our solar system , humans depend entirely upon remote observations .
Surface liquid water may create habitable conditions that can potentially promote life .
These life forms can then interact with the atmosphere above , creating remotely detectable bio-signatures that Earth-based telescopes can detect .
These bio-signatures could be current Earth-like gas compositions ( oxygen , ozone , methane , carbon dioxide and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of ancient Earth 2.7 billion years ago ( mostly methane and carbon dioxide , and no oxygen ) .
We know one such planet where this has already happened : Earth .
Therefore , astronomers ’ goal is to find those planets that are about Earth-size , orbiting at those distances from the star where water could exist in liquid form on the surface .
These planets will be our primary targets to hunt for habitable worlds and signatures of life outside our solar system .
To prove that TOI-700 d is real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirm using data from a different type of telescope .
TESS detects planets when they cross in front of the star , causing a dip in the starlight .
However , such dips could also be created by other sources , such as spurious instrumental noise or binary stars in the background eclipsing each other , creating false positive signals .
Independent observations came from Joey Rodriguez at Center for Astrophysics at Harvard University .
Rodriguez and his team confirmed the TESS detection of TOI-700 d with the Spitzer telescope , and removed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ genuine planet .
My student Gabrielle Engelmann-Suissa and I used our modeling software to figure out what type of climate might exist on planet TOI-700 d. Because we do not yet know what kind of gases this planet may actually have in its atmosphere , we use our climate models to explore possible gas combinations that would support liquid oceans on its surface .
Engelmann-Suissa , with the help of my longtime collaborator Eric Wolf , tested various scenarios including the current Earth atmosphere ( 77 % nitrogen , 21 % oxygen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the composition of Earth ’ s atmosphere 2.7 billion years ago ( mostly methane and carbon dioxide ) and even a Martian atmosphere ( a lot of carbon dioxide ) as it possibly existed 3.5 billion years ago .
Based on our models , we found that if the atmosphere of planet TOI-700 d contains a combination of methane or carbon dioxide or water vapor , the planet could be habitable .
Now our team needs to confirm these hypotheses with the James Webb Space Telescope .
Strange new worlds and their climates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ completed suggest that an Earth-like atmosphere and gas pressure isn ’ t adequate to support liquid water on its surface .
If we put the same quantity of greenhouse gases as we have on Earth on TOI-700 d , the surface temperature on this planet would still be below freezing .
Our own atmosphere supports a liquid ocean on Earth now because our star is quite big and brighter than TOI-700 .
One thing is for sure : All of our teams ’ modeling indicates that the climates of planets around small and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what we see on our Earth .
The field of exoplanets is now in a transitional era from discovering them to characterizing their atmospheres .
In the history of astronomy , new techniques enable new observations of the universe including surprises like the discovery of hot-Jupiters and mini-Neptunes , which have no equivalent in our solar system .
The stage is now set to observe the atmospheres of these planets to see which ones have conditions that support life .
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freedomdaily--2020-01-06--Ratcliffe Says Comey, Brennan Gave ‘Conflicting Testimony’ About Steele Dossier

Rep. John Ratcliffe said Sunday that he has seen documents indicating that former FBI Director James Comey and former CIA Director John Brennan have given “ conflicting testimony ” regarding the Steele dossier .
In an interview on Fox News ’ “ Sunday Morning Futures , ” Ratcliffe said that he believes U.S. Attorney John Durham is looking into Comey and Brennan ’ s statements regarding who pushed to include the Steele dossier in an intelligence community assessment about Russian meddling in the 2016 election .
“ Brennan says Comey was pushing the Steele dossier to be included in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was Brennan that was pushing it .
They both testified under oath , before Congress and to investigators , to that fact , ” said Ratcliffe , a Republican on the House Intelligence Committee .
“ They both can ’ t be telling the truth.
” “ Those are the things that John Durham is focusing on , ” Ratcliffe continued .
Durham , the U.S. attorney in Connecticut , has for months been investigating FBI and CIA activities related to the Trump campaign and the investigation into Russian interference in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last month that Durham has requested Brennan ’ s emails and call logs from the CIA .
Brennan has not been accused of any wrongdoing , and there is no indication of what exactly Durham is looking for .
A Justice Department inspector general ’ s report released on Dec. 9 said that Comey and Andrew McCabe , who served as deputy director of the FBI , pushed to include the dossier in the intelligence community assessment .
Intelligence community officials ultimately decided to include a summary of the unverified document in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report said that CIA analysts considered the dossier , authored by former British spy Christopher Steele , to be nothing more than “ internet rumor.
” The inspector general ’ s report said that the FBI made numerous “ significant ” errors and omissions regarding the dossier in applications to obtain surveillance warrants against Trump campaign aide Carter Page .
The FBI failed to disclose that a primary source for Steele disputed much of the information published in the dossier .
Steele himself told FBI agents in early October 2016 that a sub-source @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and “ embellisher.
” Ratcliffe did not specify what Comey and Brennan have said to investigators about the dossier .
Brennan , who is now an MSNBC analyst , has long denied that the dossier was not a factor in the intelligence community assessment , which was released to the public on Jan. 6 , 2017 .
“ It wasn ’ t part of the corpus of intelligence information that we had .
It was not in any way used as a basis for the Intelligence Community assessment that was done , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a House Intelligence Committee hearing on May 23 , 2017 .


freedomdaily--2020-01-06--A new way to identify a rare type of earthquake in time to issue lifesaving tsunami warnings

Just a few times in a century , somewhere on the globe , a rare “ tsunami earthquake ” occurs .
These are mysterious because , while they ’ re just medium-sized as earthquakes go , they cause disproportionately large and devastating tsunamis .
This type of midsized earthquake is very different than an event like the 2004 earthquake in Sumatra – a very big magnitude 9.2 event which unsurprisingly produced a huge tsunami .
The most recent tsunami earthquake happened in 2010 .
A magnitude 7.8 earthquake off the Mentawai Islands in Indonesia set off a tsunami that was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ places – much greater than seismologists would predict based just on the earthquake ’ s size .
509 people were killed , and 15,000 more were displaced or left homeless .
Tsunami earthquakes are particularly destructive and dangerous because the massive tsunami waves can hit local coastal communities within just five to 15 minutes – before officials can issue a warning .
But based on our analysis of previously unavailable closeup observations of the 2010 Mentawai event , my colleagues and I think there is a way to determine that an event is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people that an unexpectedly large wave is on the way .
The Earth ’ s surface is made up of floating tectonic plates that fit together like a slightly imperfect jigsaw puzzle .
These plates are moving next to , under or away from each other .
In a subduction zone , one tectonic plate is sinking beneath another .
This builds up stresses over time and will eventually create an earthquake .
Most typical subduction-zone earthquakes occur roughly 10 to 30 miles down , in an area where the rocks are rigid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two tectonic plates .
Meanwhile , the shallowest area of a subduction zone , closest to the seafloor , is made up of soft sediments that are not very strong .
Earthquakes rarely occur only here , because stresses mostly don ’ t build up in these soft , weak rocks .
Geoscientists define an earthquake ’ s overall size with its magnitude .
Earthquake magnitude describes how much “ work ” is accomplished by the earthquake moving the fault – more work for either more movement , or for moving more rigid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the magnitude 9 Tohoku earthquake in Japan in 2011 , are so big that they break the deeper part of the subduction zone , but also continue upwards to break the shallow part of a subduction zone .
This rapid earthquake motion moves the seafloor and creates a tsunami .
“ Tsunami earthquakes ” are strange in that they happen almost entirely in the soft , weak section of the fault .
Because tsunami earthquakes break such soft rock , they happen slower , and create much more movement on or near the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earthquake of the same size that happens in rigid rock .
This in turn creates a much larger tsunami than expected .
A tsunami earthquake might have the same magnitude as an earthquake that occurs in rigid rock but produces much less of what seismologists call high-frequency energy .
Think of breaking a thick slab of concrete – which is strong and would produce an audible bang with both low and high-pitched noise – versus breaking a loaf of bread , which makes almost no sound at all .
In the Earth , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel under your feet .
The soft bread break is like a tsunami earthquake that doesn ’ t release a lot of high-frequency energy , and thus doesn ’ t create as much shaking as we would expect for its magnitude .
Currently , officials rely on knowing an earthquake ’ s magnitude and location to issue tsunami warnings within tens of minutes .
But this doesn ’ t work in the case of tsunami earthquakes , because the earthquake ’ s magnitude doesn ’ t match up with the size of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ figure out whether an earthquake is in fact a tsunami earthquake , scientists compare its seismic magnitude measured from afar with the amount of high frequency radiated energy it produced , as recorded by far away stations .
If the ratio of energy to magnitude is very low , it ’ s a tsunami earthquake – basically , its shaking was far too weak for its magnitude because it was breaking soft rock .
Instead , its energy is of the low-frequency type : Rather than strong shaking , its energy goes into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ensuing tsunami .
The problem is that in the past , scientists had never recorded one of these elusive earthquakes closeup in what we call the near-field – within about 180 miles ( 300 kilometers ) or so .
Instead , scientists have had to find an earthquake ’ s energy-to-magnitude ratio using seismic waves that have traveled all the way from the epicenter of the earthquake across the world to where researchers can measure them .
This process is relatively slow , so we haven ’ t been able to identify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in time , before the wave hits the coast .
Now my colleagues and I have for the first time analyzed data recorded by seismic stations that happened to be near the epicenter of the 2010 Mentawai earthquake .
We think we have figured out a new way to identify the danger of a future tsunami earthquake , faster .
Our new study used the same concept of comparing the energy released by an earthquake to its seismic magnitude – but based on data from geographically close to the event .
Instead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distance , we used two proxies .
To look directly at how much the ground shook , we used seismic stations onshore near the epicenters of 16 earthquakes , including the Mentawai one in 2010 .
Because the amount the ground accelerates when seismic waves pass through illustrates how much high frequency energy is in the earthquake , this information was a stand-in for the data we would traditionally get from the far-flung teleseismic stations .
Low accelerations mean little high frequency energy .
For the normal earthquakes we looked at , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what we ’ d expect for each earthquake ’ s magnitude .
In comparison , the 2010 Mentawai earthquake ’ s accelerations were closer to what we would expect for a magnitude 6.3 earthquake – whereas the earthquake was actually a magnitude 7.8 , and produced a tsunami we ’ d expect for an event of greater than magnitude 8 .
We also looked at GPS stations close to the earthquakes .
They can show us how much the ground actually moved or was displaced , and measure the earthquake magnitude itself .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ compare the amount of energy in the earthquake with respect to its magnitude – without waiting for the seismic waves to travel across the globe .
Instead , we would have been able to identify a tsunami earthquake immediately by looking at how low the accelerations were on local seismometers in comparison to the magnitude of the earthquake based on GPS readings .
We think our finding is really promising because these near-field measurements are available immediately – even while an earthquake is happening .
Seismologists could use this approach in the future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after it happens , and provide warning to the nearby coast before the tsunami wave arrives .
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Valerie Sahakian does not work for , consult , own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article , and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment .


freedomdaily--2020-01-06--Republican AGs Say Bloomberg Is Secretly Embedding An Army Of Anti-Trump Attorneys Inside State Offi

Republican AGs Say Bloomberg Is Secretly Embedding An Army Of Anti-Trump Attorneys Inside State Offices

Republican attorneys general are arguing that billionaire Michael Bloomberg is using his vast wealth to embed an army of lawyers into state offices for the purpose of taking on oil companies and President Donald Trump .
Bloomberg Philanthropies financed a group that is planting private attorneys into state attorneys general offices for the explicit purpose of pushing back against Trump ’ s regulatory rollbacks .
“ What ’ s problematic is the arrangement through which a private organization or individual can promote an overtly political agenda by paying the salaries of government employees , ” Indiana Attorney General ( AG @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told the Daily Caller News Foundation , citing a common criticism of New York University ’ s State Energy and Environmental Impact Center ( SEEIC ) .
Bloomberg ’ s philanthropy supported the center with a $ 6 million grant .
The NYU School of Law launched the group in 2017 to “ identify and hire NYU Law Fellows who serve as special assistant attorneys general in state attorney general offices , focusing on clean energy , climate and environmental matters , ” according to the NYU Law website .
Bloomberg , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 , is effectively weaponizing attorneys general offices for his own purposes , Republicans say .
SEEIC said in a December 2019 report that state attorneys general had taken 300 “ significant ” actions since the start of the Trump administration in early 2017 .
The report fleshed out work AGs are doing to combat Trump ’ s climate policies .
There are roughly 18 SEEIC law fellows holding down positions in 11 Democratic attorney general offices , including in Washington , D.C. ; Delaware ; Connecticut ; Illinois ; Maryland ; Massachusetts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York ; Oregon and Washington , according to NYU ’ s website .
“ We are an energy producing state that believes in safety and accountability , ” New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas told the DCNF , noting also that his office accepts fiscal help from the Department of Justice .
New Mexico is a major natural gas producer .
None of the other AGs who have taken advantage of SEEIC ’ s program responded to requests for comment .
Neither Bloomberg Philanthropies nor Bloomberg ’ s campaign responded for comment .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ what is ethically acceptable .
“ And all of the government employees being compensated in this manner are lawyers working for Democratic attorneys general , according to NYU ’ s website .
This whole scenario raises obvious ethical and legal concerns , ” he said .
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has also been a vocal critic of Bloomberg ’ s group .
“ The ethical problems with this scheme are obvious , ” Paxton , a Republican , said in a December 2019 statement .
“ Democratic state AG offices are taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ radical liberal Democratic Presidential primary candidate , ” he said before suggesting the special assistants “ wield state police power ” to lay the ground work for Bloomberg ’ s climate agenda .
Republican Georgia AG Christopher Carr is also expressing concerns about the optics of such a mission .
“ AG Carr has serious concerns about this program and the ability of these lawyers to represent a state in an unbiased manner , ” Katie Byrd , a spokeswoman for Carr ’ s office , told the DCNF .
Georgia doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such assistants , she noted .
Other officials inside the Republican ecosphere want media to do more to flesh out Bloomberg ’ s work .
Bloomberg ’ s willingness to dump money on groups is effectively crowding out media criticism of his work at the SEEIC , according to Republican Attorney General Association ( RAGA ) Executive Director Adam Piper .
“ These folks are the definition of mercenaries , ” he told the DCNF , referring to the SEEIC fellows .
“ Imagine if Donald Trump in 2012 … decided to put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bunch of sources inside Republican attorneys general offices , ” Piper said , noting what he believes is the media ’ s poor coverage of Bloomberg ’ s donations .
RAGA ’ s sole mission is to elect Republican attorneys general .
New York ’ s attorney general ’ s office work with SEEIC came to light after a DCNF report in 2018 revealed that one of the attorneys attached to the group was heavily involved in a state lawsuit targeting ExxonMobil ’ s supposed contribution to climate change .
Gavin McCabe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , signed an amicus brief in June 2018 supporting New York City ’ s yearlong climate lawsuit against Exxon and Chevron .
He made himself a part of a lawsuit demanding energy companies compensate the city for the damage related to global warming .
U.S. District Judge John Keenan dismissed the case in 2018 after months of arguments .
At least one state reportedly worked to prevent attorneys general offices from accepting Bloomberg ’ s legal fellows .
Republicans in Virginia ’ s General Assembly approved an amendment to a budget proposal in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the AG ’ s office must be employees of Virginia .
Carr , Hill and other Republican AGs are speaking up as reports show Bloomberg secretly founded a tech company called Hawkfish in 2019 to help collect data on voters and promote his run for president .
Hawkfish was also designed to help Democratic candidates in Virginia and elsewhere win congressional seats in 2018 .
Democrats retook the U.S. House of Representatives that year .
Reports on Hawkfish , as well as Paxton ’ s criticisms regarding SEEIC , also come as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporters will not conduct investigative reporting on any of the Democratic presidential candidates , including Bloomberg himself .
The outlet “ will continue to investigate the Trump administration , ” Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait wrote in a note to staffers in November , the month Bloomberg announced his bid .
He also said two of Bloomberg News ’ s top opinion editors , Tim O ’ Brien and David Shipley , would join their boss ’ s presidential campaign .


freedomdaily--2020-01-06--Fact Check: Customs And Border Protection Has Not Been Ordered To Detain Iranians

Customs and Border Protection ( CBP ) is denying that it has been ordered to detain and deny entry to Iranian-Americans , refuting claims that have been promulgated by Democratic lawmakers and others on social media .
CBP , the agency within the Department of Homeland Security tasked with managing immigration into the U.S. , released a statement Sunday evening , declaring reports that claim its agents have been directed to detain and deny entry to Iranian-Americans are “ false.
” “ Social media posts that CBP is detaining Iranian-Americans and refusing their entry into the U.S. because of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that DHS/CBP has issued a related directive are also false , ” the agency said in a statement on Sunday .
The statement follows massive circulation on social media that CBP has been detaining individuals of Iranian origin at the Canadian border .
“ BREAKING : US CUSTOMS & BORDER PROTECTION NATIONALLY HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO DETAIN & ‘ REPORT ’ ALL IRANIANS ENTERING THE COUNTRY DEEMED POTENTIALLY SUSPICIOUS OR ‘ ADVERSARIAL ’ REGARDLESS OF CITIZENSHIP STATUS .
60+ Iranis held last night at the US/Canada border for 11+ hrs / thread , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a self-described political fashion writer .
Katebi ’ s tweet , at the time of this article ’ s publication , has received over 27,000 retweets and over 35,000 “ likes.
” As proof of her claim , Katebi issued a press release alongside the Council on American-Islamic Relations ’ ( CAIR ) Washington state chapter .
The press release claimed that it was assisting more than 60 Iranians and Iranian-Americans who were being detained and questioned at the Peace Arch Border Crossing in Blaine , Washington.
, while others were refused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within CBP , the CAIR press release went on to claim the Department of Homeland Security “ issued a national order to CBP ” to “ detain anyone with Iranian heritage entering the country who is deemed potential suspicious or ‘ adversarial.
’ ” These claims went viral , and appeared to attract public statements from at least two Democratic lawmakers .
“ Deeply disturbed by reports that Iranian Americans , including U.S. citizens , are being detained at the Canadian border with WA State , ” tweeted Washington state Democratic Rep. Pramila @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received more than 10,000 retweets .
“ People of Iranian descent — including American citizens & green card holders — are reportedly being detained by CBP officials .
We can ’ t let this stand , ” tweeted California Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee on Sunday .
Her tweet received more than 12,000 retweets .
Both lawmakers encouraged the public the contact their offices if they had more information .


freedomdaily--2020-01-06--Virginia Amendment Would Allow Inmates To Vote, Potentially Flooding Rural Areas With Democrat Voter

Virginia Amendment Would Allow Inmates To Vote, Potentially Flooding Rural Areas With Democrat Voters

Democratic lawmakers in Virginia , who recently won control of the state ’ s legislature , have proposed altering the state ’ s constitution to allow prisoners and the mentally handicapped to vote .
The national debate has previously focused on whether felons should be able to vote after they have served their time .
Only two other states allow inmates to vote .
But unlike in Maine and Vermont , the language of the Virginia proposal suggests that inmates could vote as residents of the jurisdiction where the prison is .
Virginia ’ s largest state prisons are in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could exert significant influence on local government .
A former Republican member of the Virginia Board of Elections , Clara Belle Wheeler , told the Daily Caller News Foundation that could lead to the inmates running the asylum .
“ It ’ s completely unreasonable to think it ’ s fair or equitable that a prison population that contributes nothing to the betterment of the locality would be allowed to vote on local issues , such as commonwealth attorneys , ” she said .
In some states , felons register as Democrats more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a 2013 academic study published in the American Academy of Political and Social Science found .
It also cited another study that found that 73 % that turn out for presidential elections vote Democrat .
“ They know that .
That ’ s exactly why that bill ’ s there , ” Wheeler said .
Senate Joint Resolution 8 , which is slated to be offered Jan. 8 , would “ Amend Section 1 of Article II of the Constitution of Virginia as follows : ” “ The only qualifications of voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shall be a citizen of the United States , shall be eighteen years of age , shall fulfill the residence requirements set forth in this section , and shall be registered to vote pursuant to this article … The residence requirements shall be that each voter shall be a resident of the Commonwealth and of the precinct where he votes.
” It strikes the following : “ No person who has been convicted of a felony shall be qualified to vote unless his civil rights have been restored by the Governor or other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , no person adjudicated to be mentally incompetent shall be qualified to vote until his competency has been reestablished.
” The bill was sponsored in the Senate by Mamie E. Locke , a Democrat from Hampton , and in the House by Kaye Kory , a Democrat from Falls Church .
Neither lawmaker responded to questions from the DCNF .
A DCNF analysis found that if Virginia allows prisoners to vote from the location of their prison and if they follow the trend , then inmates could be a powerful bloc .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inmates in Lunenburg County , which has 12,369 residents and voted for Donald Trump in 2016 with a margin of 980 votes .
The county is represented by a mix of Democrats and Republicans in downballot offices .
• Indian Creek Correctional Center houses 1,002 inmates in Chesapeake , which has a population of 243,000 and narrowly voted for Trump with a margin of 1,444 votes .
• Lawrenceville Correctional Center houses up to 1,555 prisoners in Brunswick County , which has 16,435 residents .
The county is represented by a mix of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hillary Clinton for president in 2016 by a margin of 1,428 , with 58.5 % of the vote .
If all prisoners voted in the Democratic primary , they could make up one-third of the electorate that chooses the candidates who would go on to win the general election .
• River North Correctional Center houses up to 1,024 prisoners in Grayson County , which has a population of 15,708 .
It is represented by Republicans in the U.S. House , the state house , and the state senate .
It voted for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 4,186 votes .
Clinton received 1,407 votes .
That means prisoners , if they all voted for Democrats , could nearly double the Democratic base in the county .
In 2016 , then-Virginia Gov .
Terry McAuliffe , a Democrat , sought to allow all the state ’ s estimated 200,000 felons to vote after they ’ d served their time .
State courts said the governor was not able to change policy but could grant exceptions in individual cases .
McAuliffe employed a loophole by using a mechanical pen to automatically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McAuliffe served as chairman of Clinton ’ s 2008 presidential campaign .
He said he had “ no idea ” how felons would vote and said he had never thought about it .
Virginia ’ s 2014 U.S. Senate race was decided by only 17,000 votes , while the 2013 attorney general ’ s race came down to 165 votes .
Wheeler said the state previously made a change to allow college students to vote from either the jurisdiction where their college is or where they ’ re from , allowing Democrats from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in more conservative areas with colleges .
“ Abermarle County had a $ 32M bond referendum on the table two years ago , ” she said .
“ I was against it but the students voted for it and it passed .
Well , the students aren ’ t going to pay off that bond , they ’ re going to go home.
” With their new control of both chambers , Virginia Democrats could rapidly pass many sweeping bills when they convene in January .
Matthew Truong , a Republican running for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immigrant , told the DCNF that Democrats are more concerned with changing the voter base to gain political power rather than helping people .
He drew a comparison to another Virginia bill that seeks to promote “ affordable housing ” in every neighborhood by allowing multi-family housing in all suburban neighborhoods currently reserved for single-family houses .
Its sponsor , Del .
Ibraheem Samirah , previously said suburbanites were “ mostly white and wealthy ” and “ living in a bubble , ” and that suburban neighborhoods amount to “ modern-day redlining.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enable more public housing in the suburbs .


freedomdaily--2020-01-04--Trump Campaign Strikes Back At Biden Over Iran Comments: ‘He Even Opposed Taking Out Osama Bin Laden

Trump Campaign Strikes Back At Biden Over Iran Comments: ‘He Even Opposed Taking Out Osama Bin Laden’

President Donald Trump ’ s campaign struck back at 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden Friday after the former vice president said that the Obama administration “ solved ” the Iran issue .
Biden spoke Friday morning at a campaign event in Iowa where he asserted that the Trump administration ’ s actions have put an “ extremely dangerous problem that our administration had solved and put on the back burner back on the table.
” Trump campaign Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Matthews said in a statement to the Daily Caller News Foundation that “ it ’ s a joke ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything .
“ President Trump acted decisively to prevent further attacks and defend American lives and interests , ” Matthews told the DCNF .
“ The world is a safer place today because of it.
” “ It ’ s a joke to say that Joe Biden helped ‘ solve ’ anything because , to use the words of Obama ’ s former Secretary of Defense Bob Gates , Biden ‘ has been wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades.
’ He even opposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she added .
Biden ’ s comments come after the Thursday death of top Iranian General Qasem Soleimani .
The Pentagon confirmed that Trump ordered a U.S. military airstrike that killed Soleimani , the leader of Iran ’ s elite Quds Force .
The airstrike also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis , who is the leader of Kata ’ ib Hezbollah , the group that attempted to storm the U.S. embassy in Baghdad on Dec. 31 , 2019 .
The Biden campaign did not respond to the DCNF ’ s request for comment .
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freedomdaily--2020-01-04--Ex-CIA Deputy Director Predicts Iran Will Kill Senior American Official As Retaliation For Soleimani

Ex-CIA Deputy Director Predicts Iran Will Kill Senior American Official As Retaliation For Soleimani Death

Former CIA acting and deputy director Michael Morell predicted Friday that the Iranian government will kill a senior American government official and American civilians , perhaps within days , as retaliation for airstrikes that killed Qasem Soleimani , the commander of Iran ’ s Quds Force .
“ The world is a better place without him .
The problem is that comes at a very high cost , ” Morell said on CBS News , noting that Soleimani was “ an evil genius ” who had “ a lot of American blood on his hands.
” The Pentagon said Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mahdi al-Muhandis , the head of Kata ’ ib Hezbollah , a terrorist group , in a strike near Baghdad ’ s airport .
The Pentagon said that Soleimani was plotting attacks against Americans and American forces in Iraq , and that he had approved an attack Dec. 29 , 2019 , against the American embassy in Baghdad .
In April , the State Department said Soleimani and the Quds Force was responsible for the deaths of 603 American service members in Iraq since 2003 .
Soleimani ’ s death is certain to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Donald Trump ’ s supporters praised the decision to take out Soleimani , while his detractors asserted that the airstrike amounted to an act of war against Iran .
“ This sets a precedent … that senior officials are fair game in this hybrid , not-yet-at-war kind of scenario that we ’ re in with Iran , and that ’ s a dangerous precedent to set , ” said Morell , who served at CIA until 2013 .
“ There will be dead Americans , dead civilian Americans , as a result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next few days in any place where Iran has its proxies , Iraq is the most likely place , but also Lebanon , Bahrain , other places in the Middle East , ” he said .
Morell predicted Iran will not carry out a traditional military operation as part of its retaliatory push .
Instead , Iran will use proxies in the Middle East to stage attacks against U.S. interests .
“ At a time and place of their choosing , they ’ re going to conduct a terrorist strike that kills a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ And that could be anywhere in the world .
”


freedomdaily--2020-01-03--Biden Says Iran Is An Issue ‘Our Administration Had Solved And Put On the Back Burner’

2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden described the situation in Iran as an issue that “ our administration had solved and put on the back burner.
” The former vice president spoke Friday at a campaign event in Iowa where he touched on the Thursday death of top Iranian General Qasem Soleimani .
The Pentagon confirmed that President Donald Trump ’ s Defense Department ordered a U.S. military airstrike that killed Soleimani , the leader of Iran ’ s elite Quds Force .
The airstrike also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis , who is the leader of Kata ’ ib Hezbollah , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. embassy in Baghdad on Dec. 31 , 2019 .
Biden spoke of the Obama administration ’ s goals in Iran , “ to deter regional oppression and negotiate a better nuclear deal.
” “ Thus far , they have badly failed on both accounts , ” Biden said .
“ Now the administration has said that the goal of killing Soleimani was to deter future attacks by Iran .
But the action almost certainly will have the opposite impact .
This morning we could be on the brink of a new kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Biden asserted that the Trump administration ’ s actions have put an “ extremely dangerous problem that our administration had solved and put on the back burner back on the table.
” The former vice president touted the Obama administration ’ s Iran nuclear deal , which was signed on July 14 , 2015 .
Less than a year after this deal was signed , Iran test-fired two missiles marked with the words “ Israel must be wiped out ” in Hebrew in what was described as “ in a show of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was in Jerusalem when this incident occurred .
In January 2016 , Iranian military forces seized two U.S. Navy boats containing 10 American sailors off Iran ’ s Farsi Island in the Persian Gulf .
That same month , former Obama administration Secretary of State John Kerry admitted in 2016 that some of the money Iran received from the United States as sanctions relief would go to terrorism .
“ I think that some of it will end up in the hands of the IRGC or other entities , some of which are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 2016 interview .
“ You know , to some degree , I ’ m not going to sit here and tell you that every component of that can be prevented.
” The Biden campaign did not respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation .


freedomdaily--2020-01-07--Breaking News: U.S. AirBase in Iraq Under Rocket Attack

Multiple reports say that the U.S. Al-Asad Airbase in Iraq is currently under attack as multiple rockets have been fired @ @ @ @ @ base houses U.S. , Iraqi and other coalition troops and is located in the Western @ @ @ @ @ .
The attack comes just two days after the U.S. military killed Iran ’ s @ @ @ @ @ news and will be updated as events warrant .
Content created by Conservative Daily News @ @ @ @ @ CDN is available for re-publication without charge under the Creative Commons license .
Visit our @ @ @ @ @ requirements .
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freedomdaily--2020-01-07--Walls Work: 3 Illegal Aliens Captured While Stuck at Top of Border Wall

Due to the vigilance of several Border Patrol agents , three people were rescued after trying to scale the new border wall in San Diego on Sunday evening .
The event began at approximately midnight on January 5 , when agents on patrol near Otay Mesa saw three people in a precarious situation .
A man and two women , under the cover of dense fog , tried to enter the U.S. illegally by climbing San Diego Sector ’ s new 30-foot , steel bollard wall .
The trio became stuck at the top of the wet , slippery wall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the danger of the situation , agents requested the assistance of the San Diego Fire Department ( SDFD ) in order to get them down safely .
SDFD used their ladder truck to remove the three people from the wall without injury .
Once on the ground , agents questioned the group about their nationality and all three were Mexican nationals illegally present in the U.S .
The individuals , a 36-year-old male , a 20-year-old female , and an 18-year-old female were transported to a nearby Border Patrol station for processing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ not have fallen from the top of the wall which could have resulted in serious injury or death , ” said San Diego Sector ’ s Acting Chief Patrol Agent Aaron Heitke .
“ These dangers are not important considerations to smugglers , who place an emphasis on profits over safety.
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freedomdaily--2020-01-07--NATO Temporarily Suspends Training Mission in Iraq

Although NATO is committed to the training mission in Iraq , the alliance has suspended training operations in the country , NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in Brussels today .
” In everything that we do , the safety of our personnel is paramount , ” Stoltenberg told the media after a meeting of the North Atlantic Council .
” As such , we have for the time being suspended our training on the ground , and we are taking all precautions necessary to protect our people .
We are keeping the situation under close review.
” NATO and all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coalition to Defeat ISIS , and NATO ’ s mission in Iraq is an important contribution to the coalition ’ s effort .
The mission is a noncombat role for NATO personnel .
The alliance is in the country at the invitation of the Iraqi government to train Iraqi forces to prevent the return of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria , Stoltenberg said .
That mission did not end with the killing in Iraq of Gen. Qassem Soleimani , head of Iran ’ s Quds Force – part of the Islamic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the United States as a terrorist organization .
” NATO is prepared to continue our training and capacity building when the situation permits , ” the secretary general said .
” We remain strongly committed to the fight against international terrorism.
” Stoltenberg said U.S. officials briefed the allies on the regional situation following the killing of Soleimani .
” For years , all allies have expressed concern about Iran ’ s destabilizing activities in the wider Middle East region , ” he said .
” We agree Iran must never acquire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about Iran ’ s missile tests , and we are united in condemning Iran ’ s support for a variety of different terrorist groups.
” Stoltenberg said the allies called for restraint and de-escalation .
” A new conflict would be in no one ’ s interest , ” he said .
” So , Iran must refrain from further violence and provocations.
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freedomdaily--2020-01-08--MSNBC Airs Baseless Iranian Propaganda About Dead US Soldiers

MSNBC gave airtime to baseless Iranian propaganda alleging the Islamic Republic had killed 30 American military members in missile attacks Tuesday night .
Iran launched missile attacks on two Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops on Tuesday , in retaliation for the U.S. killing notorious Iranian terrorist Qasem Soleimani .
At the time this article was published , there were no known American casualties in Tuesday night ’ s attacks , but that didn ’ t stop MSNBC from giving oxygen to Iranian propaganda claiming otherwise .
MSNBC host Chris Matthews brought in NBC News Tehran bureau chief Ali Arouzi , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s national audience .
“ We ’ ve just gotten report that a second wave of rocket launches .
The IRGC was saying that Ayatollah Khamenei , the supreme leader of this country , was in the control center coordinating these attacks .
This is , uh , this bit I ’ m not sure about , ” Arouzi said , before sharing the unverified propaganda claims , “ but Iran state media is claiming that 30 U.S. soldiers have been killed in this attack .
Now , this is not confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media , but we have just stepped over the precipice , Chris.
” MSNBC did not immediately return a request for comment on the decision to air the Iranian propaganda claim .
At almost the exact same time that MSNBC aired the Iranian claims about U.S. casualties , CNN cited a U.S. official in reporting that there were zero known American casualties at the time .
As of the time this article was published , there were still no known U.S. casualties — much less 30 .
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freedomdaily--2020-01-08--FLASHBACK: Biden Once Said Iranian Attacks Were An ‘Act Of War’

Former Vice President Joe Biden once said that Iranian attacks were “ an act of war.
” The 2020 presidential @ @ @ @ @ ’ s decision to take out top Iranian General Qasem Soleimani .
But Biden said @ @ @ @ @ States can take “ whatever action it deems appropriate ” against Iran .
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freedomdaily--2020-01-08--Supreme Court Orders Fast Response In Obamacare Challenge

Topics in this post : Obamacare The Supreme Court of the United States The Supreme Court ordered the Trump administration and a coalition of red states to respond by Friday to a petition asking the justices to immediately take up a challenge to the Affordable Care Act ( ACA ) .
Setting the case on an expedited timeline ensures the justices can hear the case during the current term if they so choose .
A coalition of blue states defending Obamacare asked the high court to resolve the appeal by June , given the stakes of the litigation .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the petition and hear argument in the ordinary course…there is little chance that it would resolve this dispute for at least another year , ” the blue states wrote in a motion to expedite consideration of their petition .
“ In the meantime , participants in our healthcare system would have to make critical choices — indeed , life-changing ones — without knowing whether important provisions of the ACA will be invalidated.
” “ By expediting its consideration of the petition and resolving the case this Term , this Court would allay that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the future of the healthcare sector , ” the motion adds .
Time is pressing because the Supreme Court generally finalizes its docket for a given term in mid-January .
On occasion , the justices will take urgent appeals after that deadline , as they did with the 2019 dispute over the Trump administration ’ s bid to add a citizenship question to the census form .
The justices will meet in private conference three times in January to discuss pending appeals and make decisions as to which cases they will hear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all parties in the ACA dispute will submit legal filings in time for the court to consider the dispute during a January conference .
After the January meetings , the justices won ’ t meet in private conference again until Feb. 21 .
If the high court takes the case , it will likely hear arguments in April or during a special sitting in May .
A decision would follow by late June .
The 5th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals struck down Obamacare ’ s individual mandate in December , saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tax grounds .
The 2017 tax reform bill zeroed out the financial penalty for failing to purchase health insurance .
Since the individual mandate is no longer raising revenue , the 5th Circuit said it can not be considered a tax .
The 5th Circuit provided the Supreme Court with something of an off-ramp , however .
They sent the case back to a federal trial judge in Texas for further proceedings as to whether the entire statute ought to be struck down .
The justices may wish for the trial court to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case themselves .
Following that course could take several years .
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freedomdaily--2020-01-08--‘She Should Send Them Over’: Senate Democrats Want Pelosi To End Stalemate Over Impeachment Articles

A growing number of Senate Democrats are breaking with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi over her handling of articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump .
Seven Democrats — Sens .
Dianne Feinstein , Doug Jones , Chris Murphy , Joe Manchin , Richard Blumenthal , Jon Tester , and Chris Coons — told various news outlets on Wednesday that they are ready for Pelosi to transmit the articles so that the Senate can move forward with Trump ’ s trial .
Angus King , an Independent from Maine , also said he supported passing the impeachment baton to the Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do it , she should send them over .
I don ’ t see what good delay does , ” Feinstein , the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee , told Bloomberg .
“ I think the time has past .
She should send the articles over , ” Murphy told The Washington Post .
“ We were ready on the day the articles were voted , to conduct the trial , ” Blumenthal told Politico .
“ At some point it ’ s appropriate to send them and in effect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to continue to insist on witnesses and documents.
” The House of Representatives impeached Trump on two separate articles — for abuse of power and obstruction — on Dec. 18 .
Democrats accused Trump of abusing his office by pressuring the Ukrainian government to open up politically-charged investigations in exchange for concessions from the administration .
Pelosi has refused to send the articles to the Senate in hopes of forcing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to commit to allowing witnesses to be called at Trump ’ s eventual trial .
Democrats ideally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration officials like Mick Mulvaney , the acting White House chief of staff , and John Bolton , the former national security adviser .
Mulvaney was reportedly directly involved in discussions regarding U.S. military aid to Ukraine .
Bolton reportedly voiced concerns to other officials regarding the administration ’ s actions towards Ukraine .
Pelosi ’ s strategy crumbled on Tuesday when McConnell told his fellow Republicans on Tuesday that he had enough votes to proceed with the trial without committing to calling witnesses .
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