UPDATE: USGS says earthquake near Carson was a 4.5; sheriff says only minor damage reported
Sam Gross, Reno Gazette Journal 
Update, 7:46 p.m. 3/21/2020

Sheriff Ken Furlong said the only damage from a magnitude 4.5 earthquake on the outskirts of Carson City Friday evening appears to be minor. 
Some damage to items on shelves inside stores has been reported and gas to one building was shut off as a precaution.

Update, 7:40 p.m. 

The 4.5 magnitude quake that struck near Carson City on Friday has been pinpointed to near the Indian Hills, a rocky outcrop on the southern edge of Nevada's Capitol, according Ken Smith, seismic network manager for the University of Nevada, Reno's Nevada Seismological Lab. 

It's a frequent place for earthquakes to strike. 

"As a matter of fact, we've been having earthquakes in this location on and off for several years," Smith said. "It appears this may be part of that." 

Aftershocks have continued to rattle off following the 4.5 Friday evening temblor. So far, Smith has counted 10-15 aftershocks, and that figure will likely grow. 

None of those aftershocks have risen above a magnitude 2.5 so far, low enough energy that it would be difficult to feel. 

Right now, Smith is working to determine exactly which fault the temblor occurred on. The Carson City area — and really the entire eastern edge of the Sierra — is a patchwork of faults. 

It's not yet clear if Friday's earthquake is related to the nearby Genoa Fault, with runs along the eastern foot of the mountains that separate Carson City and Lake Tahoe.

That fault is one of the largest in the region. The last time it ruptured was about 600 years ago, Smith said — a relatively short time ago.

"We don't want an earthquake along a major fault here," he said.

Nevada averages about one 5.0 magnitude earthquake a year. The state is considered the third-most seismically active state in the nation.
Scientists record about 12,000 to 15,000 earthquakes a year here, a smaller number than what actually occur, Smith said. 

"There's always the possibility of having another event follow something like this, the background probabilities are very low," Smith said. "But there's a slight increase in probability (of a larger earthquake), just based off statistics." 

Friday's 4.5 magnitude quake that hit Nevada's capital is notably smaller than the one that hit Utah's capital, Salt Lake City, on Wednesday. 

Utah's quake was a 5.7, over a full magnitude stronger than the one in Carson City today. 

Update, 7:16 p.m.

The USGS has updated the magnitude of the earthquake to 4.5. So far, just shy of 2,200 people have reported feeling it. 

Original story 

The United States Geological Survey is reporting a 4.5 magnitude earthquake in Indian Hills, a few miles away from Carson City. So far, nearly 2,200 people have reported feeling the quake

Graham Kent, director of the Nevada Seismological Laboratory at the University of Nevada, said his team is working to verify the quake and more precisely pinpoint the depth and location. 

Kent said people in the area need to be prepared for potential aftershocks. 

There's also the possibility this could have been a foreshock, he added, but the odds are low. Worldwide, quakes of this magnitude are foreshocks to larger temblors about 5 percent of the time. 

Here, in our seismic zone — known as the Walker Lane — there's evidence that the percentage is slightly higher. 

"The likelihood is still low, but relative to just a normal day, it's much (more likely) to have a large earthquake now," Kent said, adding that the odds of a larger quake happening will stay elevated for several weeks. 

Several other famous earthquakes in the region have come in pairs. This includes the recent strong earthquake in Ridgecrest, California last year. 

In that instance, the primary 7.1 magnitude earthquake was proceeded by a 6.4 magnitude foreshock. 

The earthquake was originally reported to be a 5.0 but was downgraded shortly thereafter to 4.5

This article originally appeared on Reno Gazette Journal: UPDATE: USGS says earthquake near Carson was a 4.5; sheriff says only minor damage reported


QUAKEBOT REPORT

Magnitude 3.2 earthquake hits Carson City, Nev.

The location and shaking intensity of a magnitude 3.2 earthquake Saturday evening in Carson City, Nev.

(Los Angeles Times)

By QUAKEBOT

MARCH 21, 2020

9:14 PM

A magnitude 3.2 earthquake was reported Saturday at 7:53 p.m. Pacific time in Carson City, Nev., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The earthquake occurred 12 miles from Gardnerville Ranchos, Nev., 15 miles from South Lake Tahoe, Calif., 18 miles from Reno, Nev., and 24 miles from Truckee, Calif.

In the last 10 days, there has been one earthquake of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby.

An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes 3.0 to 4.0 occur per year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three-year data sample.

The earthquake occurred at a depth of 5.03 miles. Did you feel this earthquake? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS.

Even if you didn’t feel this small earthquake, you never know when the Big One is going to strike. Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit.

This story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published. If you’re interested in learning more about the system, visit our list of frequently asked questions.

 CARSON CITY, Nev. (CBS Sacramento) — A 4.5 magnitude earthquake was reported in Indian Hills, just southeast of Carson City, Nevada at 6:33 p.m. Friday.

The quake had a depth of slightly more than 5 miles and residents in Sacramento and Stockton reported feeling it.

Minor damage was reported, according to the Carson City sheriff, who spoke to the Reno Gazette-Journal Friday night. Gas to one building was shut off as a precaution, according to the paper.

Did anyone else feel that earthquake? USGS reports a moderate 5.0 earthquake located 3.1 miles east of Indian Hills, Nevada. We felt it at the office for a second. Here is a link to the USGS site. https://t.co/Z3M9OV9H0r #CAwx

— NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) March 21, 2020

Ken Smith, a manager at the Nevada Seismology Lab, said the region was known to be active and has been struck by several quake swarms.

“The earthquake is in an area that has experienced earthquake swarm behavior, on-and-off, for several years,” he said. “There have been about two dozen ongoing small aftershocks.”

UPDATE: USGS says earthquake near Carson was a 4.5; sheriff says only minor damage reported

Sam Gross, Reno Gazette Journal
Update, 7:46 p.m. 21/3/2020

Sheriff Ken Furlong said the only damage from a magnitude 4.5 earthquake on the outskirts of Carson City Friday evening appears to be minor.

Some damage to items on shelves inside stores has been reported and gas to one building was shut off as a precaution.

The 4.5 magnitude quake that struck near Carson City on Friday has been pinpointed to near the Indian Hills, a rocky outcrop on the southern edge of Nevada's Capitol, according Ken Smith, seismic network manager for the University of Nevada, Reno's Nevada Seismological Lab.

It's a frequent place for earthquakes to strike.

"As a matter of fact, we've been having earthquakes in this location on and off for several years," Smith said. "It appears this may be part of that."

Aftershocks have continued to rattle off following the 4.5 Friday evening temblor. So far, Smith has counted 10-15 aftershocks, and that figure will likely grow.

None of those aftershocks have risen above a magnitude 2.5 so far, low enough energy that it would be difficult to feel.

Right now, Smith is working to determine exactly which fault the temblor occurred on. The Carson City area — and really the entire eastern edge of the Sierra — is a patchwork of faults.

It's not yet clear if Friday's earthquake is related to the nearby Genoa Fault, with runs along the eastern foot of the mountains that separate Carson City and Lake Tahoe.

That fault is one of the largest in the region. The last time it ruptured was about 600 years ago, Smith said — a relatively short time ago.

"We don't want an earthquake along a major fault here," he said.

Nevada averages about one 5.0 magnitude earthquake a year. The state is considered the third-most seismically active state in the nation.

Scientists record about 12,000 to 15,000 earthquakes a year here, a smaller number than what actually occur, Smith said.

"There's always the possibility of having another event follow something like this, the background probabilities are very low," Smith said. "But there's a slight increase in probability (of a larger earthquake), just based off statistics."

Friday's 4.5 magnitude quake that hit Nevada's capital is notably smaller than the one that hit Utah's capital, Salt Lake City, on Wednesday.

Utah's quake was a 5.7, over a full magnitude stronger than the one in Carson City today.

Update, 7:16 p.m.

The USGS has updated the magnitude of the earthquake to 4.5. So far, just shy of 2,200 people have reported feeling it.

Original story

The United States Geological Survey is reporting a 4.5 magnitude earthquake in Indian Hills, a few miles away from Carson City. So far, nearly 2,200 people have reported feeling the quake

Graham Kent, director of the Nevada Seismological Laboratory at the University of Nevada, said his team is working to verify the quake and more precisely pinpoint the depth and location.

Kent said people in the area need to be prepared for potential aftershocks.

There's also the possibility this could have been a foreshock, he added, but the odds are low. Worldwide, quakes of this magnitude are foreshocks to larger temblors about 5 percent of the time.

Here, in our seismic zone — known as the Walker Lane — there's evidence that the percentage is slightly higher.

"The likelihood is still low, but relative to just a normal day, it's much (more likely) to have a large earthquake now," Kent said, adding that the odds of a larger quake happening will stay elevated for several weeks.

Several other famous earthquakes in the region have come in pairs. This includes the recent strong earthquake in Ridgecrest, California last year.

In that instance, the primary 7.1 magnitude earthquake was proceeded by a 6.4 magnitude foreshock.

The earthquake was originally reported to be a 5.0 but was downgraded shortly thereafter to 4.5

This article originally appeared on Reno Gazette Journal: UPDATE: USGS says earthquake near Carson was a 4.5; sheriff says only minor damage reported

Wild video: Tornado with 135 mph winds strikes Abilene prisons

An Olympic Showdown: The Rising Clamor to Postpone the Tokyo Summer Games
Andrew Keh, Matt Futterman, Tariq Panja and Motoko Rich
3/21/2020

On July 24, as far as the organizers of the Olympics are still concerned, thousands of athletes will march as scheduled into the national stadium in Tokyo for the opening ceremony of the biggest sporting event on the planet. The Summer Olympics.

© Jae C. Hong/Associated Press Tokyo has been preparing for the Summer Olympics since winning the bid in 2013.

Is this a vision of reality or just a mirage?

While the international sports calendar has been wiped almost clean by the spread of the coronavirus, the organizers of the 2020 Olympics — seemingly unwilling to meddle just yet with years of planning and billions of dollars in television rights and other anticipated revenue — insist the Games can go on.

Yet now, in a showdown over public safety, the organizers are facing a remarkable groundswell of criticism and pushback from their own athletes, fans and national Olympic officials, who are increasingly and unusually vocal in calling for a postponement

One of the biggest cracks in the usual solidarity behind the Games came Friday when U.S.A. Swimming, which governs the sport in the United States and regularly produces stars at the Games like Katie Ledecky and Simone Manuel, called for a postponement because of the growing obstacles to training amid practical restrictions imposed by the virus. The following day, U.S.A. Track & Field, which along with swimming has produced the most medals for the United States, also requested a delay.

© Aris Messinis/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images The traditional torch-lighting ceremony went off as planned on March 12 in Olympia, Greece.

Norway’s national Olympic committee, in a statement on Friday, became the first to clearly state a preference for the Olympics to be delayed until the global pandemic can be brought under control. The Brazilian Olympic committee on Saturday also endorsed postponing the Games until 2021.

There were signs of pressure within Japan, with a member of its Olympic committee coming out in favor of postponing the Games.

“Opening the Olympics at a time when athletes could not train as much as they wanted to runs counter to the motto of ‘athletes first,’” Kaori Yamaguchi, a member of the Japanese Olympic committee board who won a bronze medal in judo in the 1988 Seoul Olympics, said in an interview with The Asahi Shimbun. “The Games should be postponed.”

Hayley Wickenheiser, a six-time Canadian Olympian and a member of the I.O.C. Athletes’ Commission, has denounced the plan to go forward. “I think the IOC insisting this will move ahead with such conviction is insensitive and irresponsible given the state of humanity,” she wrote Tuesday on Twitter.

Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee, said in an interview Thursday that the Games would not be canceled. And while he left open the possibility of postponing them, he said a decision did not have to be made soon.

© Jean-Christophe Bott/EPA, via Shutterstock Thomas Bach, the president of the I.O.C., has told athletes to proceed “full steam ahead” with their training.

“Nobody today can tell you what the developments are tomorrow, what they are in one month, not to mention in more than four months,” Bach said, justifying the wait-and-see approach.

But in reality the organizers may not have that much time, and in many ways, outside forces could be making the decision for Bach.

Japan has travel bans and strict quarantining measures imposed on visitors from scores of countries, and a recent national poll showed that a large majority of people there did not believe the Games could proceed as planned.

Broadcasters and marketers are fretting about a sports calendar already upended by cancellations and postponements involving nearly every other league and major event in the world — which, among other challenges, would make it difficult for marquee athletes like N.B.A. superstars to come to Tokyo. Even NBC, the American broadcaster that has great sway with the organizers, has prepared for the possibility that the Games will be shifted to next year or farther down the road.  

© Carl Court/Getty Images Olympic banners already hang on Tokyo streets.

And then there is the negotiating partner that cannot be reasoned with: the Covid-19 virus itself, which has torn an uncontrollable, unpredictable path across the global map, yielding a cascade of consequences that have altered the fabric of daily life.

© Wang Zhao/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Brian Roberts, the chief executive of Comcast, which owns NBC, said the network had insurance to protect it from losses in the event of a postponement.

The modern Olympics are a multibillion-dollar, made-for-television extravaganza that serve as an investment vehicle for scores of sponsors and media partners and as a source of entertainment for millions of fans.

© Agence France-Presse, via Jiji Press/Afp Via Getty Images Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan recently seemed to signal an understanding that the Tokyo Games may have to be delayed.

But the heart of the Games remains the athletes, and so it was no surprise that the calls for postponement only seemed to gain traction in recent days, as their cries and concerns grew louder and more explicit.

The outcry arrived almost simultaneously with a rash of restrictions on movement and public gatherings and a sharp rise this week in coronavirus cases in Europe and North America — all of it clashing with Mr. Bach’s advice that athletes should train “full steam ahead,” as if the Games would still occur in late July and early August.

© Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters In a recent poll by a Japanese news service, about 70 percent of respondents said they did not expect the Tokyo Games to go on as planned.

Many found the I.O.C.’s stance tone deaf. Not only have athletes in affected countries struggled to maintain their elite-level training routines, but stubbornly trying to do so might exacerbate the spread of the virus.

“I recognize they’re treading a light line: They’re conscious of the brands, they’re conscious of the impact on the Japanese economy, and they’re in a precarious position,” Iñaki Gómez, a member of the Canadian Olympic Athletes’ Commission, said of the I.O.C. “But for me, I think that all has to go out the window. We’re trying to contain something that’s unprecedented in the last 100 years.”

Some American gymnasts, who tend to be a centerpiece of the Games, are also openly calling for a postponement.

“For all of those athletes in the U.S., but also globally, like in Italy and in China, who are on complete lockdowns, I think it would make it a fairer competition in Tokyo if the Olympics were postponed to give everyone the time they need to be ready,” said Laurie Hernandez, a 2016 gold medal winner who has been scrambling to find a place to train since her gym in California closed its doors on Thursday night because of the state’s shelter-in-place order.

The president of U.S.A. Gymnastics, Li Li Leung, said Friday that the organization would survey its athletes before deciding whether to take a position on postponing the Games.

The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, however, said it would continue to endorse the I.O.C.’s wait-and-see approach. That decision provoked the ire of athletes, and hours later U.S.A. Swimming added its voice to those calling for postponing the Games.

“Pressing forward amidst the global health crisis this summer is not the answer,” Tim Hinchey, the chief executive of U.S.A. Swimming, wrote in a letter to the U.S.O.P.C.

Mr. Bach had acknowledged the day before that in some corners of the I.O.C.’s headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, alternative plans were being weighed.

Given that canceling the Games entirely was ruled out this week by the I.O.C., many analysts now believe that the most logical decision would be to wait a year, when it is hoped the world will have emerged from the worst of the pandemic.

That could disrupt other big events, including world championships for swimming and for track and field that are scheduled in 2021.

Whatever decision is made, Mr. Bach has repeatedly insisted that it would not be driven by financial interests. Still, I.O.C. executives have been in constant contact with leading sponsors and broadcast executives.

The I.O.C. derives roughly half of its revenues from its media partners, and about 75 percent of those come from NBC, which in 2014 agreed to pay $7.75 billion for all the U.S. media rights to the Olympics through 2032. (That is an average of $1.29 billion for each Games from 2022 to 2032, 17 percent more than the average fee of $1.1 billion the NBC committed for the 2014-2020 Games.)

Brian Roberts, the chief executive of Comcast, which owns NBC, said at a conference in San Francisco this month that the company had insurance to guarantee it would incur “no losses” should the Games be postponed this year.

At this point, in fact, pushing ahead with the Olympics this summer could cause scheduling conflicts for NBC.

The network televises the N.H.L. and England’s Premier League, both of which are on hiatus but intend to finish their seasons. Their rescheduled games may ultimately conflict with the Olympics, which NBC shows on several channels through its parent company, NBCUniversal.

In a statement, NBC promised to “continue to do the best we can to be prepared to stand behind any decision made by the I.O.C., the Japanese government and the world health officials with whom they are working regarding the 2020 Olympics.”

Every media agreement is different, but Neal Pilson, the former president of CBS Sports and a former media consultant to the I.O.C., said many deals are set up so that the broadcaster partners do not have to pay the bulk of the fees for each Olympics until just before the Games actually begin. That means the I.O.C. would have to wait for its money in the event of a postponement.

Pilson said the idea of staging the Olympics with just athletes and no spectators — effectively making it a global television event — would not solve the central problem of how many people are required simply to run the Games. NBC alone is expected to take roughly 2,000 people to Japan. In addition, the Olympics typically require more than 50,000 workers, support staff and volunteers.

“Delaying to October doesn’t really work, because you don’t really know how much better things will be then,” Mr. Pilson said. “That brings you back to the idea that postponing for a year is probably the best solution.”

Michael Lynch, the former director of global sponsorship marketing for Visa who now consults with Olympic sponsors, said the uncertainty surrounding the Games had put companies that spent $100 million or more to partner with the I.O.C. in a bind at a difficult moment for all businesses. All have advertising, promotions, retail engagements, hospitality and other events planned for Tokyo during the Games. All typically spend one to three dollars supporting those efforts for every dollar they devoted to buying Olympic sponsorship rights.

“How do you invite people to the Games at this time?” Mr. Lynch said.

While Mr. Bach said the I.O.C. had no cash-flow issues, there are other entities that rely on payments from the Olympics to finance their operations, including the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee. The U.S.O.P.C. has a revenue-sharing arrangement with the I.O.C. that gives it about 12 percent of the fees from NBC and roughly 20 percent of the I.O.C.’s sponsorship revenue.

The broadcast payments alone, which totaled $169 million from the Summer Games in 2016 and $121 million from the Winter Games in 2018, account for about half of the U.S.O.P.C.’s revenues. Because the payment is not made until after the Games have occurred, a delay could cause a serious financial shortfall for the organization.

Even if the I.O.C. does decide that the Olympics should be postponed, it must find some harmony with the wants and needs of the host nation.

It was four years ago, at the closing ceremony of the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, that Japan assumed control of the Summer Olympics spotlight. That night, Shinzo Abe, the prime minister of Japan, emerged from a green drainpipe dressed as Super Mario, the popular video game character. For the normally staid politician, the appearance signaled in colorful terms the depth of his commitment to what could be the defining project of his legacy.

Since being awarded the Games in 2013, Japan has invested tens of billions of dollars as the partner of the I.O.C. Navigating the current crisis, then, has become a test of pride for the country’s government and its Olympic committee officials, and in the current predicament over possible postponement, they hold many of the cards.

Until recently, their public statements reflected a show-must-go-on mentality, but within the last two weeks, cracks have started to appear.

On March 10, Haruyuki Takahashi, a member of the local organizing committee, suggested that a delay of one or two years would be the most prudent option if the Olympics could not be held as planned. Though he was forced to apologize, a shift seemed to have begun.

Mr. Abe, in a video conference call Monday with the leaders of the Group of 7 countries, said, “I want to hold the Olympics and Paralympics perfectly, as proof that the human race will conquer the new coronavirus, and I gained support for that from the G-7 leaders.”

The fact the prime minister did not specifically mention holding the Games in 2020 signaled to some that he was starting to accept the idea of a delay.

Speaking in Parliament two days later, Mr. Abe’s deputy, Taro Aso, who is also the finance minister, referred to prior Olympics that were disrupted by world events, including the 1940 Games, which were canceled because of World War II, and the 1980 Moscow Olympics, boycotted by 65 nations including the United States and Japan.

“This time, it doesn’t make sense if others cannot attend from other countries, even if Japan alone will become all right,” Mr. Aso said.

“As the prime minister said, it’s desirable to hold the Olympics in an environment where everyone feels safe and happy,” Mr. Aso added. “But that’s not something Japan alone can decide.”

Close watchers of the government said that a decision most likely had not yet been made, but that Mr. Abe was signaling a willingness to consider options.

His recent comment to the Group of 7 “is a strategic ambiguity,” said Kunihiko Miyake, a former Japanese diplomat now teaching at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto. “In these cases, what is not said is the most important.”

Even though the Olympic flame arrived in Japan from Greece on Friday, the Japanese public already seemed farther along in accepting a postponement than the government. In a poll released Monday by Kyodo News, a Japanese news service, close to 70 percent of respondents said they did not expect the Tokyo Games to go on as scheduled.

Amid all this, the hunger for the Olympics remains strong.

Mr. Abe and Mr. Bach have both alluded to the fact that the Games could have the power to bring people together and help the world heal after the horrors of the pandemic.

“Tokyo could end up staging the greatest Olympics ever,” Michael Payne, a longtime former marketing director at the I.O.C., said. “It would be the celebration of the world having come through this very difficult time.”

But the almost impossible task, now, is somehow ensuring that such a celebration would not be premature.

Juliet Macur, Makiko Inoue and Ben Dooley contributed reporting.

#NOOLYMPICS2020 

#NO2020OLYMPICS 

#NOTOKYOOLYMPICS2020

CHINA 

Virus whistleblower doctor punished 'inappropriately': Chinese probe


AFP
3/21/2020

Police in China's virus epicentre Wuhan acted "inappropriately" by punishing a doctor who blew the whistle on the outbreak that has now killed more than 9,000 worldwide, a Chinese government investigation found Thursday.

© Mark RALSTON A memorial for Li Wenliang outside the UCLA campus in California

Li Wenliang, one of a group of doctors in Wuhan who shared posts on social media warning of a SARS-like virus spreading in the city in December, was reprimanded by police for sharing the information and made to sign a statement agreeing not to commit any more "law-breaking actions."

Li's death from the virus in February prompted a national outpouring of grief as well as anger at the government's handling of the crisis, and bold demands for freedom of speech.

The police issued an apology after the result of the investigation was published, drawing a new round of criticism on Twitter-like Weibo, with people saying it was too little, too late.

A central government investigation initiated after Li's death found that Wuhan police "acted inappropriately by issuing a disciplinary letter" and took "irregular law enforcement procedures," state broadcaster CCTV reported Thursday.


The investigators also found that Li's colleagues had repeatedly attempted to resuscitate the 34-year-old before he was declared dead because he was "very young," CCTV said.

State media said Li's colleagues told investigators, "as long as there was a bit of hope we were unwilling to give up, at the time there were no other factors."

The central government investigators "suggest" that Wuhan authorities "supervise and rectify the matter," and urged local police to revoke the disciplinary statement issued to Li, according to CCTV.
Wuhan police later issued a statement saying that the disciplinary statement had been "wrong" and they were revoking it, and that they "apologise to his family for the mistake".

The deputy director of the Zhongnan Road police station was given a "demerit" on his record and the officer on duty was handed an "administrative warning", it added.

- 'This apology is too late' -

It is rare for Chinese authorities to admit such wrongdoing, but Beijing has sought to direct criticism over the mishandling of the virus outbreak onto provincial officials, with several of the region's top Communist Party and health officials sacked.

Tens of thousands commented on the police's Weibo post, with some saying it was not good enough.



"Go and apologise in front of the person's grave," said one user.

Another wrote: "This apology has come too late, Wenliang can't hear it."

Li's death had initially been reported by state media before their reports were quickly deleted. Wuhan Central Hospital only confirmed Li's death hours later, after saying he was undergoing emergency treatment.

Social media users who immediately took to Weibo in droves to mourn Li -- before posts related to his death were scrubbed by censors -- had accused hospital authorities of inappropriately attempting to resuscitate Li after he had already died.

China reported zero domestic COVID-19 infections for the first time on Thursday, even as nations across the world have shut down in a desperate effort to contain the pandemic.

China's central government has sought to distance itself from the origins of the disease, initially by sacking local officials blamed for allowing the virus to spread, and recently by supporting the conspiracy theory that COVID-19 originated in the US.

tjx-mk-lth/mtp

BIDEN MIA
Bernie Sanders is considering several options as he ponders his campaign’s future

At 78, Sanders, a democratic socialist who long toiled on the fringes of the national political debate, might well be in his final national campaign. Unlike four years ago, when there was a clear incentive to keep running against Clinton and build a still-budding movement, he came into this race as a known entity with a proven following — making his current political aspirations less clear.

After suffering decisive losses in three more primaries Tuesday, and standing almost no chance of catching Biden in the race for the Democratic nomination, Sanders decided to return home to Vermont last week to assess his future.

The senator is expected to reach a decision about the way forward in consultation with his wife and closest adviser, Jane Sanders. Campaign officials have signaled that he is not in any rush.

In a sign of how close Sanders is keeping his deliberations, even longtime friends and associates have said in recent days that they have little idea of where he will come down. Those with knowledge of the private discussions said the conversations have been substantive and thoughtful and that they reflect how intensely the senator is grappling with his options.

Outside supporters have publicly suggested a range of different options, underlining the dilemma Sanders is confronting.

Larry Cohen, a close ally who helms a nonprofit aligned with the senator, is advocating that Sanders do three things: Push for mail-in balloting for the remaining primaries to curb the risk to voters from the coronavirus; stay in the race to accumulate enough delegates to influence the party platform; and forge a working conversation with Biden that acknowledges that the former vice president, not him, has the path to a majority of pledged delegates.

“Just a dialogue with Biden, not attacks,” said Cohen.

RoseAnn DeMoro, a close Sanders friend and former nurses’ union head, said Sanders should not approach the race as a done deal and ought to treat a come-from-behind victory in future contests as a possibility given the volatility of the times.

“I think there’ll be openings that we don’t know” about, said DeMoro, warning that it would be foolish to concede to Biden.

Biden has made entreaties to Sanders and his supporters, embracing policies the senator has championed and nodding to his youthful movement in recent speeches. Aides from the two campaigns have been in close touch over the coronavirus, officials from both sides said recently, outlining a potential path for negotiations that could lead to an exit more acceptable to Sanders.

It’s not clear he would take it, however. Sanders appears as keen as ever on using his platform to advance his own ideas about how to combat the impact of the coronavirus, as he did Friday evening when he convened a virtual discussion.

“This a moment that history will look back on and say: How did the people of the United States respond?” Sanders said in his opening remarks. He has put forward a plan that draws on his longtime calls for a universal health care system and calls for sweeping new protections for working-class people.

On Saturday, Sanders continued to focus his campaign’s energy on the coronavirus. As he took to social media to renew his calls for $2,000 emergency cash payments to help Americans cope with economic setbacks, the campaign broadcast online a live “teach-in” on the virus.

The campaign also announced that its robust fundraising operation was still churning, collecting more than $2 million in 48 hours for five charities trying to mitigate the effect of the virus.

Those close to the senator say that in recent days he has immersed himself in finding ways to address the crisis. Many of his supporters point to the economic and public health problems arising from it as justification for the far-reaching reforms he has long advocated.

In other words, they say, it’s a moment that calls out for Sanders to stay onstage, not exit.

Some in the senator’s orbit pointed out another potential thicket: the disconnect between the officials spearheading the campaign and the legions of fans who have powered a movement that started when he rose to prominence in the 2016 campaign.

The two domains don’t always operate on the same wavelength, and in this case, some feel, there is far more passion among average supporters for him to stick around than there is among the campaign professionals around him.

On Saturday, Sanders was sounding like a candidate who was not yet ready to relinquish his platform to promote his ideas.

“Suspend evictions, foreclosures, and utility shut-offs nationwide,” he tweeted.

sean.sullivan@washpost.com

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/bernie-sanders-is-considering-several-options-as-he-ponders-his-campaign-s-future/ar-BB11uRUv

Pesticide seed coatings are widespread but underreported

by Pennsylvania State University

Seed-coated pesticides, such as neonicotinoids, are increasingly used in the major field crops, but are underreported, in part, because farmers often do not know what pesticides are on their seeds, according to an international team of researchers. Credit: Alyssa Collins

Pesticide-coated seeds—such as neonicotinoids, many of which are highly toxic to both pest and beneficial insects—are increasingly used in the major field crops, but are underreported, in part, because farmers often do not know what pesticides are on their seeds, according to an international team of researchers. The lack of data may complicate efforts to evaluate the value of different pest management strategies, while also protecting human health and the environment.


"We reviewed existing evidence, as well as proprietary and novel government data, on seed treatment usage and found that many farmers either did not know what pesticides were on their seeds or falsely assumed that seed treatments did not include certain pesticides," said Paul Esker, assistant professor of epidemiology and crop pathology, Penn State. "This lack of knowledge could lead to overuse of pesticides, which could harm the environment and farmers' health."

The team analyzed proprietary data from Kynetec, a third-party global marketing and research firm that maintains one of the most comprehensive datasets on pesticide use in the United States, collected from 2004-2014. They found that the use of seed treatments in the U.S. grew over the past decade, particularly in corn and soybean production. In the 2012 to 2014 period, 90 percent of corn acres and 76 percent of soybean acres were grown with treated seeds. Of the insecticides applied to seeds, neonicotinoids accounted for roughly 80%.

Next, the researchers analyzed farmers' responses to questions about pesticide-coated seeds documented in the Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS)—the U.S. Department of Agriculture's primary source of information on the production practices, resource use and economic well-being of America's farms and ranches. Specifically, they examined farmer responses to the ARMS for cotton in 2015, corn in 2016, wheat in 2017 and soybean in 2018.

They found that around 98% of farmers were able to provide the names of the field-applied pesticides used on their cotton, corn, wheat or soybean crops. By contrast, only 84% of cotton growers, 65% of corn growers, 62% of soybean growers, 57% of winter wheat growers and 43% of spring wheat growers could provide the name of the seed-treatment product on their crops. The rest either did not answer the survey question or specified that they did not know.

The researchers also found that, in 2015, cotton growers reported that 13% of total acreage was not treated with an insecticide and 19% was not treated with a fungicide, while simultaneously reporting the use of products containing those types of pesticides on that acreage.


The results appear today (March 17) in the journal BioScience.

"One of the most important findings of this study is that farmers know less about pesticides applied to their seeds than pesticides applied in other ways," said Margaret Douglas, assistant professor of environmental studies, Dickinson College. "This is likely because seed is often sold with a 'default' treatment that contains a mix of different pesticide active ingredients, and the treated seed is exempt from some labeling requirements. Without knowing what is on their seeds, it is nearly impossible for farmers to tailor pesticide use to production and environmental goals."

Seed-coated pesticides, such as neonicotinoids, are increasingly used in the major field crops, but are underreported, in part, because farmers often do not know what pesticides are on their seeds, according to an international team of researchers. Credit: Alyssa Collins

According to the study's lead author Claudia Hitaj, research and technology associate, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, the lack of information on the use of pesticidal seed treatments means that a significant portion of pesticide use, particularly for active ingredients that are applied almost exclusively as seed treatments, is not captured in existing pesticide-use datasets.

"Reliable data on pesticide use is needed by regulators, farmers, and researchers to increase agricultural production and profitability and to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of pesticides," she said.

By comparing the data Kynetec collected during the 2004-2014 window to that collected in 2015, when Kynetec stopped offering information on seed treatments, the team found a significant drop in pesticide use for a number of pesticides known to be used as seed treatments. The researchers used clothianidin as an example of what can happen as a result of poor tracking of pesticide-treated seed use.

"The removal of data on treated seed makes clothianidin use appear to drop from more than 1.5 million kg/year in 2014 to less than a tenth of a million kg/year in 2015," said Aimee Code, pesticide program director, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. "Clothianidin is currently undergoing review by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, so the lost data makes it difficult to ensure accurate risk assessment."

The team concluded that farmers, researchers and regulators could benefit from improved labelling of pesticide-treated seeds and posting of information about the active ingredients contained in treated seed products on public websites. In addition, information could be collected through sales data from seed retailers and other companies. And information about the planting location of treated seeds could help in assessing pest resistance and the local effects of pesticides on the environment.

"The lack of knowledge by farmers about the pesticides applied to seed is an example of why it is important to maintain a strong university extension system that can provide up-to-date information about different seed treatments, what these treatments do, and what the empirical data shows," said Esker. "This is also an opportunity for further collaboration among different disciplines, like agronomy, plant pathology, entomology, economics and environmental science, to address farm issues from a whole-system perspective."


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Rapid increase in neonicotinoid insecticides driven by seed treatments
Journal information: BioScience

10 countries are now tracking phone data as the coronavirus pandemic heralds a massive increase in surveillanceIsobel Asher Hamilton

REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton


As coronavirus sweeps across the globe, governments are stepping up surveillance of their citizens.

A new live index from digital rights group Top10VPN is documenting which countries are introducing new measures to track people's phones.

Some countries are collecting anonymized data to study movement of people more generally, while others are providing detailed information about individuals' movements.



Governments across the world are galvanizing every surveillance tool at their disposal to help stem the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Countries have been quick to use the one tool almost all of us carry with us — our smartphones.

A new live index of ramped up security measures by Top10VPN details the countries which have already brought in measures to track the phones of coronavirus patients, ranging from anonymized aggregated data to monitor the movement of people more generally, to the tracking of individual suspected patients and their contacts, known as "contact tracing."

Other countries are likely to follow suit. The US is reportedly in talks with Facebook and Google to use anonymized location data to track the spread of the disease — although Mark Zuckerberg subsequently denied this. And the UK's top scientist has endorsed the use of contact tracing.

Samuel Woodhams, Top10VPN's Digital Rights Lead who compiled the index, warned that the world could slide into permanently increased surveillance.


"Without adequate tracking, there is a danger that these new, often highly invasive, measures will become the norm around the world," he told Business Insider. "Although some may appear entirely legitimate, many pose a risk to citizens' right to privacy and freedom of expression.

"Given how quickly things are changing, documenting the new measures is the first step to challenging potential overreach, providing scrutiny and holding corporations and governments to account."

While some countries will cap their new emergency measures, otherwise may retain the powers for future use. "There is a risk that many of these new capabilities will continue to be used following the outbreak," said Woodhams. "This is particularly significant as many of the new measures have avoided public and political scrutiny and do not include sunset clauses."
Here's a breakdown of which countries have started tracking phone data, with varying degrees of invasiveness:


South Korea gives out detailed information about patients' whereabouts.

South Korean soldiers in protective gear sanitize a shopping street in Seoul, South Korea, March 4, 2020. Reuters

South Korea has gone a step further than other countries, tracking individuals' phones and creating a publicly available map to allow other citizens to check whether they may have crossed paths with any coronavirus patients.

The tracking data that goes into the map isn't limited to mobile phone data, credit card records and even face-to-face interviews with patients are being used to build a retroactive map of where they've been.

Not only is the map there for citizens to check, but the South Korean government is using it to proactively send regional text messages warning people they may have come into contact with someone carrying the virus.

The location given can be extremely specific, the Washington Post reported a text went out that said an infected person had been at the "Magic Coin Karaoke in Jayang-dong at midnight on Feb. 20."

Some texts give out more personal information however. A text reported by The Guardian read: "A woman in her 60s has just tested positive. Click on the link for the places she visited before she was hospitalised."

The director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Jeong Eun-kyeong, acknowledged that the site infringes on civil liberties, saying: "It is true that public interests tend to be emphasized more than human rights of individuals when dealing with diseases that can infect others."

The map is already interfering with civil liberties, as a South Korean woman told the Washington Post that she had stopped attending a bar popular with lesbians for fear of being outed. "If I unknowingly contract the virus... that record will be released to the whole country," she said.

The system is also throwing up other unexpected challenges. The Guardian reported that one man claiming to be infected threatened various restaurants saying he would visit and hurt their custom unless they gave him money to stay away.


Iran asked citizens to download an invasive app

A man wears a protective face mask as he takes a picture of blossom trees, ahead of the Iranian New Year Nowruz, March 20, at Mellat Park, in Tehran, Iran March 19, 2020. WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Ali Khara via REUTERS

Vice reported that Iran's government endorsed a coronavirus diagnosis app that collected users' real-time location data.

On March 3, a message went out to millions of Iranian citizens telling them to install the app, called AC19, before going to a hospital or health center.

The app claimed to be able to diagnose the user with coronavirus by asking a series of yes or no questions. The app has since been removed from the Google Play store.


Israel passed new laws to spy on its citizens

A man wears a face mask as he walks along a main street in Tel Aviv, Israel, Sunday, March 15, 2020. AP Photo/Oded Balilty

As part of a broad set of new surveillance measures approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on March 17, Israel's Security Agency will no longer have to obtain a court order to track individuals' phones. The new law also stipulates all data collected must be deleted after 30 days.

Netanyahu described the new security measures as "invasive" in an address to the nation.

"We'll deploy measures we've only previously deployed against terrorists. Some of these will be invasive and infringe on the privacy of those affected. We must adopt a new routine," said Netanyahu.

Singapore has an app which can trace people within 2m of infected patients

An old woman wears a surgical mask while buying flowers on the eve of Chinese New Year in Singapore, January 24, 2020. Maverick Asio/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Singapore's Government Technology Agency and the Ministry of Health developed an app for contact tracing called TraceTogether which launched on March 20.

Per the Straits Times, the app is used: "to identify people who have been in close proximity — within 2m for at least 30 minutes — to coronavirus patients using wireless Bluetooth technology."

"No geolocation data or other personal data is collected," TraceTogether said in an explanatory video.

Taiwan can tell when quarantined people have left the house

People pray at the popular Longshan Temple in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, March 12, 2020. Chiang Ying-ying/AP Photo

Taiwan has activated what it calls an "electronic fence," which tracks mobile phone data and alerts authorities when someone who is supposed to be quarantined at home is leaving the house.

"The goal is to stop people from running around and spreading the infection," said Jyan Hong-wei, head of Taiwan's Department of Cyber Security. Jyan added that local authorities and police should be able to respond to anyone who triggers an alert within 15 minutes.


Austria is using anonymized data to map people's movements

Police officers speak to a visitor in Stadtpark as they patrol on a sunny spring day during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Vienna, Austria March 20, 2020. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner

On March 17 Austria's biggest telecoms network operator Telekom Austria AG announced it was sharing anonymized location data with the government.

The technology being used was developed by a spin-off startup out of the University of Graz, and Telekom Austria said it is usually used to measure footfall in popular tourist sites.

Woodhams told Business Insider that while collecting aggregated data sets is less invasive than other measures, how that data could be used in future should still be cause for concern.

"Much of the data may remain at risk from re-identification, and it still provides governments with the ability to track the movement of large groups of its citizens," said Woodhams.


Belgium is using anonymized data from telcos

A passenger on a metro in Brussels after Belgian government imposed a coronavirus lockdown in an attempt to slow down the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Brussels, Belgium March 19, 2020 REUTERS/Yves Herman

The Belgian government gave the go-ahead on March 11 to start using anonymized data from local telecom companies.


Germany is modeling how people are moving around

An unusually empty scene in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin on March 13, 2020. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse

Deutsche Telekom announced on March 18 it would be sharing data with the Robert Koch Institute (Germany's version of the CDC).

"With this we can model how people are moving around nationwide, on a state level, and even on a community level," a spokesperson for Deutsche Telekom told Die Welt.


Italy has created movement maps

A man wearing a face mask walks on a deserted street in Venice, Italy, on March 18, 2020 during the country's lockdown due to the coronavirus crisis. Andrea Pattaro/AFP via Getty Images

Italy, which has been particularly hard-hit by the coronavirus outbreak, has also signed a deal with telecoms operators to collect anonymized location data.

As of March 18 Italy had charged 40,000 of its citizens with violating its lockdown laws, per The Guardian.


The UK isn't tracking yet but is considering it

 A commuter covers her face in London, Monday, March 16, 2020. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Associated Press

While nothing official has been announced yet, the UK is in talks with major telecoms providers including O2 and EE are in talks to provide large sets of anonymized data.

Like other European democracies, the UK doesn't seem to be exploring the more invasive method of contact tracing. However, it is considering using aggregated data to track the wider pattern of people's movements.

25 organizations call on Trump administration to loosen crippling sanctions regime on Iran

"With hospitals overrun and Iranian doctors struggling to procure necessary equipment, the U.S. must be part of the solution rather than part of the problem."

By Ashley Curtin-March 20, 2020 SOURCE NationofChange


As Iran continues to combat the coronavirus pandemic, 25 organizations urged the Trump administration to ease sanctions against the country and instead, aid the Iranian people’s fight against the virus. According to a press release, NIAC Action—a grassroots, civic action organization committed to advancing peace and championing the priorities of the Iranian-American community—and combined groups representing millions of Americans recommend suspending many of the sanctions imposed by the administration since May 2018 for 120 days.

The open letter reads “COVID-19 is a shared threat, requiring global solutions. Easing sanctions is one simple step that can be taken to serve the interests of the Iranian people and public health across the globe.”

With Iran an “epicenter for the outbreak,” hospitals are overrun and Iranian doctors struggle to procure necessary equipment as more than 20,000 Iranians have become infected. The open letter from the combined groups calls on the U.S. to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

“As COVID-19 rips through country after country, Iran’s experience has been particularly devastating,” Jamal Abdi, executive director of NIAC Action, said. “While advanced medical systems across Western Europe seem to be collapsing under the weight of patients infected with the virus, Iranians have had to contend with both their own government’s negligence and crushing sanctions that slow the response and punish ordinary Iranians.”

The groups advocating for Iranians said easing sanctions will offer significant relief to “secure basic goods and services to weather the crisis” at a critical time.

“Humanitarian assistance shouldn’t come with strings attached, and we are all at risk from the pandemic regardless of nationality,” Abdi said. “We call on the administration to ease its sanctions policy so that all resources are available to fight the pandemic in this dark hour for the Iranian people.”


March 20, 2020

Dear President Trump, Sec. Mnuchin and Sec. Pompeo

Containing the deadly COVID-19 pandemic will require a global effort with nations deploying all available resources at their disposal. Iran has become an epicenter for the outbreak, with 1,433 deaths and nearly 20,000 infected. To help stem the continued spread of the virus inside Iran and beyond, we urge you to issue a time-bound suspension of those U.S. sanctions that make it harder for ordinary Iranians to secure basic goods and services to weather the crisis. Doing so would not just serve U.S. interests in helping contain the further spread of the virus, but would also be a powerful humanitarian gesture to the more than 80 million Iranians suffering under the pandemic.

We appreciate that some limited steps have already been taken, including licensing humanitarian trade with the Central Bank of Iran and encouraging foreign banks and governments to establish humanitarian channels with Iran. Yet, sanctions have harmed the public health sector in Iran by slowing or entirely blocking the sale of medicine, respirators, and hygienic supplies needed to mitigate the epidemic, and broad sectoral sanctions continue to negatively impact ordinary Iranians by shuttering civilian-owned businesses and decimating the value of the rial, making it harder to procure food, medicine, and other basic needs.

As a result, we recommend suspending many of the sanctions imposed by your administration since May 2018 for a period of at least 120 days, including those sanctions affecting Iran’s financial and oil sectors and its civilian industries. Doing so would offer significant relief for the Iranian people at a critical time.

COVID-19 is a shared threat, requiring global solutions. Easing sanctions is one simple step that can be taken to serve the interests of the Iranian people and public health across the globe.

Sincerely,

American Friends Service Committee
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)
CODEPINK
Council for a Livable World
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)
Defending Rights & Dissent
Demand Progress Education Fund
Foreign Policy for America
Friends Committee on National Legislation
Greenpeace USA
Institute for Policy Studies, New Internationalism Project
J Street
Just Foreign Policy
MoveOn
Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC)
National Iranian American Council Action (NIAC Action)
Peace Corps Iran Association
Physicians for Social Responsibility
Ploughshares Fund
Presbyterian Church (USA)
Progress America
Project South
Project Blueprint
Truman Center for National Security
Win Without War
Women’s Action for New Directions (WAND)

Trump administration’s attempt to log largest national forest in US denied by federal judge

“This is a huge win for wildlife, climate, and all people’s voices on the most biologically diverse and vulnerable island in the Alaska Tongass National Forest.”


By Amanda Mills -March 19, 2020 SOURCE NationofChange


A federal judge has recently rejected the Trump administration’s plan to open logging in part of Alaska’s Tongass National Forest.

If it had been approved it “would have been the largest timber sale on any national forest in 30 years, allowing for 164 miles of new road construction and the logging of enough trees to equal a forest three times the size of Manhattan, or 67 square miles,” says EarthJustice.


This decision only affects a part of the national forest called Prince of Wales Island.


Alaskan Judge Sharon Gleason ruled the project’s approval violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA). Both acts look at environmental factors on federal projects.


“By not developing actual site-specific information, the Forest Service limited its ability to make informed decisions regarding impacts to subsistence uses and presented local communities with vague, hypothetical, and over-inclusive representations of the project’s effects over a 15-year period,” wrote Gleason.


According to The Hill, this decision delays U.S. Forest Service plans to open logging in more than 1.8 million acres over the next 15 years, a project that would have also green-lit the construction of 164 miles of road through the forest.


“This is a huge win for wildlife, climate, and all people’s voices on the most biologically diverse and vulnerable island on the Tongass National Forest. This ruling protects ancient forests that are crucial to mitigating climate change impacts in Alaska and across the globe,” says Natalie Dawson, executive director of Audubon Alaska.


Back in October of last year, the Trump administration was working to exempt the Tongass from the 2001 “Roadless Rule” which would prevent logging by banning any road construction and timber harvesting in federal forests. “Alaska’s use of federal grant funds to help lobby on changes to the Roadless Rule is now under investigation by the inspector general at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the Forest Service,” continues The Hill.