Free Republic

Several months before the coronavirus pandemic began, the Trump administration eliminated a key American public health position in Beijing intended to help detect disease outbreaks in China, Reuters has learned.

Mexico has shut down the operations hub of the country’s most powerful drug families — a remote ranch with a lake full of gators and lions on the prowl. The Monte Rico compound, in the state of Veracruz, was registered to brothers Jacinto and Alberto Rodríguez of the infamous the Los Piñas Cartel. The twosome turned their land into a place where they tortured their rivals, officials said.

An 88-year-old Holocaust survivor suffering from coronavirus reportedly became the first person in Israel to die from the illness. Arie Even, who immigrated to Israel from Hungary in 1949, contracted the virus while staying in an assisted living facility where several of the residents have tested positive for COVID-19, according to Haaretz. “He was a beloved and dear man, lived a full life, was dedicated to his family, and showed strength until his very last moments,” his son said in a statement to the newspaper.

Less than a week after being ordered to close all dining room service and focus solely on takeout, eateries are pulling the plug on that business, too. Takeout and delivery orders in the face of crescendoing coronavirus contamination fears just aren’t pulling in enough dough to keep the lights on. Plus, it’s not safe, restaurateurs say. Cristina Castaneda on Saturday shuttered her last two remaining restaurants, including Mexican restaurant El Mitote and Mediterranean eatery Ella Social, after deciding she couldn’t continue to sell food without endangering her and her staff’s health. “I worked there all day and just couldn’t find...

"The Chinese government was the first to know of this risk to the world, and that puts a special obligation to make sure that data, the data, gets to our scientists, our professionals. This is not about retribution, this matter is going forward; we're in a live exercise here..."

The “Donald Trump/Mike Pence Prayer Vigil” and “Pray for our American Heroes" Prayer Thread have Combined to Form the AMERICA PRAYER VIGIL Prayer Thread! Join with Fellow FREEPERS to Pray for our PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP/VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE and AMERICA: Government, Family, Military, Business, Education, Churches, and the Media. 'And this is the Confidence that we have in Him, that, if we Ask Anything According to His Will, He Heareth us.' 1 John 5:14 Religion Forum Threads Labeled [Prayer] are Closed to Debate of Any Kind. Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore Come Boldly unto the Throne of Grace, That we...

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced new measures Sunday to help fight the spread of the coronavirus in L.A., as well as speed up testing for high-risk residents. While many Californians have been adhering to stay at home orders and social distancing guidelines, like keeping six feet distance from other people, far too many are not, the mayor said. "This weekend we saw too many images of too many people crowding beaches or canyons beyond their capacity. Too many people, too close together, too often," Garcetti said. "The longer we do that, the more people will get sick, and the...

A double masted sailboat has grounded off Waikiki on March 22. The Coast Guard and other agencies worked on the best way to remove the 35-foot vessel. There are no reports of pollution, but they say there are diesel, oil, and marine batteries on board. According to the Coast Guard, the “Steady Beat” ran aground on Saturday afternoon, March 21, about 50 yards offshore of the Waikiki Reef Hotel after its anchor failed. The two people on board were not injured.

“One hundred years after the lethal 1918 flu we are still vulnerable,” warned Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), at a Smithsonian seminar on the 1918 pandemic. “Without a universal vaccine, a single virus would result in a world catastrophe.” Could a 1918 scenario could repeat itself? “It’s clear that we have a much greater capacity to respond, and we would expect to respond more effectively to a 1918-like virus, but we could have [a strain] more transmissible and more severe,” Daniel Sosin, the CDC’s deputy director for preparedness said at a recent...

Neighbors cheered and sirens wailed in the distance as the couple exchanged vows in front of a parked vehicle and sealed their union with a kissNew York couple Reilly Jennings and Amanda Wheeler had a feeling that the coronavirus pandemic was going to derail their wedding plans. So with the help of a friend, they improvised. The two tied the knot on a sidewalk of a residential street in the city. Their pal, Matt Wilson, performed their short wedding ceremony from his fourth-floor apartment window. Neighbors cheered and sirens wailed in the distance as the couple exchanged vows in front...

With only 20% of normal lung capacity, Sien Lagae was extremely wary of viruses before anyone in Belgium heard of the coronavirus — and has long relied on caregivers to help her get dressed, clean her house and provide home health care services. Then one of her caregivers mentioned she had just paid 10 euros ($10.67) for a mask to protect herself and others from the virus. Lagae’s hobbies happen to include sewing — and inspiration struck. “I suddenly had the idea to make some face masks for my physiotherapist so that she could protect herself and her patients better,”...

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived Monday in Kabul on an urgent visit to try to move forward a U.S. peace deal signed last month with the Taliban, a trip that comes despite the coronavirus pandemic, at a time when world leaders and statesmen are curtailing official travel. Since the signing of the deal, the peace process has stalled amid political turmoil in Afghanistan, with the country’s leaders squabbling over who was elected president. President Ashraf Ghani and his main rival in last September’s presidential polls, Abdullah Abdullah, have both declared themselves the country’s president in dueling inauguration ceremonies...

A new website has been designed to help with the toilet paper crisis amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The site, called “HowMuchToiletPaper.com,” reports its average user has 500% more toilet paper than they need during quarantine. The website is simple to use. First, go to the website, then users can enter how many rolls of toilet paper they have and how many times they visit the bathroom.

HONOLULU (KHON2) — Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell announced that he signed an emergency order which involves Oahu residents to stay at home and work from home. This will go into effect on Monday, March 23, at 4:30 p.m. and will end on April 30 at 4:30 p.m. The mayor says that the April 30 date can be extended even further, or shortened, depending on the situation or shortened. “I believe that in all likelihood that it’ll be extended beyond April 30,” he said. This is with the exception of essential activities. The mayor says that these activities include: Tasks essential...

An estimated 80,000 Americans died of flu and its complications last winter, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This means it was the deadliest season in more than four decades -- since 1976, the date of the first published paper reporting total seasonal flu deaths, said CDC Spokeswoman Kristen Nordlund. In previous seasons, flu-related deaths have ranged from a low of about 12,000 during the 2011-2012 season to a high of about 56,000 during the 2012-2013. Flu caused an estimated 80,000 deaths last fall and winterThe 2017-18 season ranks as the deadliest in more than four...

DALLAS (KRLD) - Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins has issued a shelter-in-place order for all residents in the county beginning at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, March 23. The stay-at-home order will last until April 3.

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that President Donald Trump has approved California’s request, submitted earlier today, for a presidential Major Disaster Declaration to bolster California’s COVID-19 emergency response efforts.“Earlier today we requested a presidential Major Disaster Declaration and this afternoon we got it,” said Governor Newsom. “The declaration will supplement our state’s comprehensive COVID-19 surge planning and make vital resources available. We appreciate the quick response and partnership from the White House.”The Major Disaster Declaration makes federal funding available to state, tribal and local governments for emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, and makes funding available for crisis counseling for...

An Israeli doctor working in the coronavirus epicentre of northern Italy said medics are no longer allowed to give respirators to anyone aged over 60. Dr Gal Peleg - who works in Parma, Italy - said artificial respiratory machines are so low in numbers access must be limited. The coronavirus death toll in Italy's worst-hit region has surpassed 3,450 in the last 24 hours after a rise of 360 fatalities in Lombardy. Dr Peleg said his department makes sure terminally-ill coronavirus patients can say goodbye to their loved ones despite strict quarantine rules, N12 reports.

At least four state pharmacy boards have taken steps to limit prescriptions of potential coronavirus treatments touted by U.S. President Donald Trump that are in short supply as demand has surged with the rapid spread of the outbreak.