Good morning, I’m Tim Walker with today’s essential stories.
Trump tells US ‘we’re doing great’ as expert says worst to come
Donald Trump has urged Americans to refrain from panic buying, but appeared to again downplay the coronavirus crisis during a press conference on Sunday, saying: “Relax, we’re doing great”. The comments were in contrast to his lead virus expert, Dr Anthony Fauci, who said in the same briefing that the worst is still ahead. As states start shutting down schools and restaurants, Americans are being urged to avoid gatherings of 50 or more people. We are keeping track of the spread of the disease in the US here.
The number of worldwide Covid-19 infections and deaths has overtaken those inside China, where the outbreak began. But the Chinese economy has already taken a bigger hit than during the global financial crisis. And the Fed’s attempts to prop up the US economy have failed to halt further losses in the financial markets.
California. Governor Gavin Newsom has directed all bars, wineries, nightclubs and brewpubs in the golden state to close, and called for those over the age of 65 to self-isolate.
New York. New York City will on Monday close its public school system, the largest in the US, sending more than 1.1 million children home in an effort to halt the spread of the virus.
Water shutoffs. Almost 90 cities and states across the US have suspended water shutoffs for residents unable to afford their bills, but just one in five water departments have agreed to reconnect households currently without running water.
Biden pledges to pick woman as running mate
Joe Biden pledged to pick a woman as his running mate should he secure the Democratic presidential nomination, as he and Bernie Sanders met for their first head-to-head TV debate on Sunday. The candidates’ differences were on show in their response to the coronavirus crisis. As Richard Wolffe puts it, “Biden spoke like a man who had worked in the Situation Room to marshal the forces of the federal government. Sanders spoke like a man who wanted to build a new federal government.”
Who won? Our expert panel share their views on whether the debate was an “embarrassing squabble” or “a first step to bringing the Democratic party together”.
Tony Blair. The former UK prime minister has warned the Democrats against nominating Sanders, comparing his candidacy to that of Britain’s election-losing Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn.
Trump ‘strongly considering full pardon’ for Flynn
The president has said he is “strongly considering a full pardon” for his first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with the Russian ambassador before Trump took office. Flynn took a plea deal as part of Robert Mueller’s Trump-Russia investigation, having been fired by the Trump administration after just 24 days in his role, which has since been filled by five other people.
‘Bad faith’. Flynn, who faces possible prison time, sought in January to withdraw his guilty plea after hiring a Fox News pundit as his lawyer, citing “the government’s bad faith”.
Cheat sheet
The international travel industry is facing meltdown as a result of the coronavirus crisis, with American Airlines – the world’s second largest carrier – announcing a phased suspension of almost all long-haul routes, and major cruise lines mothballing their ships.
King Felipe VI of Spain has renounced his personal inheritance from his father Juan Carlos, after it was reported Felipe would receive millions of euros from an offshore fund linked to Saudi Arabia and set up by his father in 2008.
Florida’s former felons will on Tuesday be permitted to vote for the first time in the presidential primary following the passage of the state’s amendment 4 in 2018 – returning the right to vote to an estimated 1.4 million people.
Supposed fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls – bought for millions by the family that owns Hobby Lobby to be displayed at their Museum of the Bible in Washington – are worthless fakes likely made from old shoe leather, experts have confirmed.
Must-reads
‘Anchor babies’: a ludicrous immigration myth
More than 4 million US-citizen children lived with undocumented parents in recent years, disparaged by anti-immigrant groups as “anchor babies”. But the idea that people give birth to stay in the US has no basis in reality, as Alexandra Villarreal reports.
The ridiculous Disney mermaid row
When Disney unveiled R&B singer Halle Bailey as the star of its live-action Little Mermaid remake, the online backlash included a petition claiming a black mermaid was “a betrayal of Ariel’s original creator”. In fact, it’s a much-needed update, writes Monique Roffey.
How Haiti curbed cholera
Just months after Haiti suffered a devastating earthquake in 2010, the country faced a cholera epidemic that would eventually sicken 800,000 people – almost 10% of its population – and kill 10,000. Now, against all odds, that crisis appears to be over, finds Jacob Kushner.
Hundreds of thousands flee Burkina Faso violence
Burkina Faso, a landlocked nation of 19 million people in the heart of west Africa,was celebrated only a few years ago as a stable, vibrant young democracy. Today hundreds of thousands have been driven from their homes by a campaign of indiscriminate killings. Michael Safi reports from Kaya and Ouagadougou.
Opinion
Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett overcame debilitating health anxiety after a period of ill health, so she well understands the worry that is paralyzing so many people amid the coronavirus crisis. She offers advice that may give comfort to those who are struggling.
Seeking reassurance can make you feel calmer for a little while, but in my experience, it is always temporary. Your brain creates a feedback cycle where you become increasingly reliant on reassurance, which only serves to reinforce the anxiety.
Sport
Nine migrant labourers working on the stadiums for the 2022 soccer World Cup in Qatar died in 2019, bringing the death toll in the six years since construction began to 34.
NFL players have come to a collective bargaining agreement with the league that could pave the way for an increase in salaries, an increase in the number of games per season from 16 to 17, and an increase in the playoff field from 12 to 14 teams.
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