Germany Shuts Down Far-Right Clubs That Deny the Modern State

THE NEW YORK TIMES: In a first, the federal government banned two clubs with allegiance to the old German Reich. Police raids on members’ homes found weapons, propaganda and narcotics.

BERLIN — The German government on Thursday banned two clubs linked to an anti-Semitic movement that refuses to recognize the modern German state, with the Interior Ministry ordering raids on the homes of the groups’ leaders in 10 states as part of a crackdown on Germany’s far right.

“We relentlessly continue the fight against right-wing extremism even in times of crisis,” Horst Seehofer, Germany’s interior minister, said in a statement. “We are dealing with an association that distributes racist and anti-Semitic writings and thus systematically poisons our liberal society,” Mr. Seehofer added.

After years of focusing on threats from Islamist extremists, the German authorities have started to train their resources on combating homegrown far-right extremists. There have been three major attacks in the last nine months, including the killing of a politician, a failed attack on a synagogue and the killing in February of nine Germans with immigrant backgrounds, all three of which were carried out by far-right extremists.

“Far-right terror is the biggest threat to our democracy right now,” Christine Lambrecht, the country’s justice minister, said after the February attacks. On Thursday, she said the decision to ban the clubs brought the fight against far-right extremism and racism to the “highest political level.” » | Christopher F. Schuetze | Thursday, March 19, 2020

The President Is Lying About Coronavirus

A Message from Her Majesty The Queen

The Queen has just shared this message to the country:

As Philip and I arrive at Windsor today, we know that many individuals and families across the United Kingdom, and around the world, are entering a period of great concern and uncertainty.

We are all being advised to change our normal routines and regular patterns of life for the greater good of the communities we live in and, in particular, to protect the most vulnerable within them.

At times such as these, I am reminded that our nation’s history has been forged by people and communities coming together to work as one, concentrating our combined efforts with a focus on the common goal.

We are enormously thankful for the expertise and commitment of our scientists, medical practitioners and emergency and public services; but now more than any time in our recent past, we all have a vitally important part to play as individuals - today and in the coming days, weeks and months.

Many of us will need to find new ways of staying in touch with each other and making sure that loved ones are safe. I am certain we are up to that challenge. You can be assured that my family and I stand ready to play our part.

ELIZABETH R

Read it here »

Billionaire Petition

Coronavirus Outbreak in Belgium: "Brussels, a Very Quiet City"

Coronavirus in Belgium: FRANCE24's correspondent in Brussels Dave Keating tells us more about the situation of the pandemic in the country.

Calls for UK Basic Income Payment to Cushion Coronavirus Impact

THE GUARDIAN: MPs, peers and others say the money for all citizens would help them through crisis

The government is facing cross-party calls from MPs, charities and thinktanks to start paying swathes of the population a basic income to cushion the economic shock of the coronavirus outbreak.

The former Conservative business secretary Greg Clark urged the government to act immediately to prevent mass job losses by allowing the taxpayer to subsidise companies’ wage bills. Forty-six opposition MPs and peers also wrote to Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak demanding a basic income payment for all citizens to see them through this crisis. » | Robert Booth and Heather Stewart | Thursday, March 19, 2020

France May Refuse Entry to Britons If No Strict Lockdown Is Imposed in UK

THE GUARDIAN: French PM says UK citizens may not be allowed in as part of measures to fight coronavirus

France has warned it may start turning travellers from Britain away unless the UK adopts a similar near-total lockdown to those in place in other European countries.

With EU governments including Italy, Spain and France requiring citizens to stay at home to curb the coronavirus, and Rome threatening to tighten restrictions further, the French prime minister, Édouard Philippe, has said that if the UK does not follow suit soon, arrivals from Britain could be refused entry.

“Everyone in the EU must adopt logical methods and processes to fight against the epidemic,” Philippe said. “It’s obvious that if neighbouring states like the UK leave it too long, we would have difficulty allowing British citizens who are moving freely around their country to come to France.” » | Jon Henley, Europe correspondent, and Kim Willsher | Thursday, March 19, 2020

Corona-Krise: Merkel: Es ist ernst!

Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel fordert die Menschen in Deutschland auf, beim Kampf gegen die Ausbreitung des Coronavirus mitzuhelfen. „Es ist ernst. Nehmen Sie es auch ernst“, sagt Merkel in einer Fernsehansprache. „Seit dem Zweiten Weltkrieg gab es keine Herausforderung an unser Land mehr, bei der es so auf unser gemeinsames, solidarisches Handeln ankommt.“ Außerdem: „Wir müssen das Risiko, dass der eine den anderen ansteckt, so begrenzen wie wir können.“ Alle sollen sich an die Abstandsregeln halten, bittet sie die Bevölkerung. Zwar hätte Deutschland ein gutes Gesundheitssystem: „Aber auch unsere Krankenhäuser wären völlig überfordert, wenn in kürzester Zeit zu viele Patienten eingeliefert würden, die einen schweren Verlauf der Coronainfektion erleiden."

Es ist das erste Mal in ihrer Amtszeit, dass sich Merkel außerhalb der Silvester-Ansprache im Fernsehen direkt an die Bevölkerung wendet.

Coronavirus Update: Europe Starts Closing Down Borders | DW News

Travel into Europe, the current epicenter of the coroanvirus pandemic, is being severely restricted. European Union leaders have agreed on a 30-day ban on travellers entering the bloc. The decision will affect most non-citizens and non-residents of the European Union - with some exceptions. It will be up to each member state to implement the new regulations. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the EU would do what's necessary to protect the public's health and the economy. European countries aren't the only ones clamping down on their borders. The United States and Canada, which share the world's longest land frontier, are working out the details of banning all non-essential travel between the two countries. Australia has declared its first-ever 'human biosecurity emergency.' Prime Minister Scott Morrison has advised Australians not to travel abroad. Saudi Arabia, which holds the rotating chair of G-20 countries, says it will convene a video summit next week to coordinate the coronavirus response among the world's biggest economies. And Japan's deputy prime minister says holding the Summer Olympics would make 'no sense' if countries can't send athletes.

Europe Shuts Out Visitors to Slow Coronavirus

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Even as European countries erect barriers between one another, the E.U. announced a coordinated ban on nearly all travelers from the rest of the world.

BRUSSELS — European leaders agreed on Tuesday to close off their territory to almost all visitors, shutting the door to most travelers for at least 30 days as they struggled to arrest the rapid spread of the coronavirus on the continent.

The leaders, meeting by teleconference, agreed to close off a region encompassing at least 26 countries and more than 400 million people — setting out on a long stretch of isolation unlike almost anything seen in modern European history.

Exceptions will be made for European citizens and residents coming home, although some countries were asking them to self-isolate for two weeks, in some cases away from their families. Medical professionals and scientists will also be exempt.

Britain said it was not planning to participate in the measure, said the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. » | Matina Stevis-Gridneff | Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Trump Now Claims He Always Knew the Coronvirus Would Be a Pandemic

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The president tried to rewrite his history with advising Americans about the coronavirus. His own words prove him wrong.

WASHINGTON — For weeks, President Trump has minimized the coronavirus, mocked concern about it and treated the risk cavalierly. On Tuesday he took to the White House podium and made a remarkable pronouncement: He knew it was a pandemic all along.

“I felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic,” Mr. Trump told reporters.

Here is what Mr. Trump actually said from the beginning of the pandemic. » | Katie Rogers and Maggie Haberman | Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Who can lie like Trump? What a load of BS this is! – Mark

Donald Trump, l’anti-européen

LE MONDE: Editorial. Le président américain a décidé, jeudi 12 mars, d’interdire l’accès aux Etats-Unis pendant un mois aux personnes venant des 26 pays membres de l’espace Schengen, sous prétexte d’empêcher la propagation du coronavirus. Une décision aberrante.

Editorial du « Monde ».Le coronavirus a permis à Donald Trump de réaliser enfin son rêve : mettre l’Europe en quarantaine. En décidant, jeudi 12 mars, de fermer la porte du territoire des Etats-Unis pendant un mois aux personnes venant des 26 pays membres de l’espace Schengen, sous prétexte d’empêcher la contamination de ses compatriotes par ce qu’il appelle « un virus étranger », le président américain a trahi, une fois de plus, son hostilité viscérale à l’égard de l’Union européenne.

Cette décision est pitoyable à plusieurs égards. Dans sa forme, d’abord : prise sans la moindre concertation avec les gouvernements des pays concernés et mise en œuvre dans un délai de moins de quarante-huit heures, elle a semé le chaos dans les aéroports, les compagnies aériennes, déjà lourdement mises à l’épreuve, les représentations consulaires, sur les places boursières et parmi des centaines de milliers de voyageurs. » | Samedi 14 mars 2020

Macron Declares France ‘at War’ With Virus, as E.U. Proposes 30-Day Travel Ban

THE NEW YORK TIMES: President Emmanuel Macron commanded the French to stay at home for at least 15 days, joining other European leaders who are taking measures never before seen in the postwar West.

BRUSSELS — Adopting martial language, President Emmanuel Macron ordered the French to stay at home for at least the next 15 days, as France put in place some of the most severe measures in Europe to try to curb the raging coronavirus.

The aggressive move by France came as other countries in the region introduced measures that their leaders described as unprecedented in postwar Europe, and as the European Union proposed a 30-day shutdown of all nonessential travel into the bloc from other countries.

The movement of French citizens will be tightly restricted, starting from midday on Tuesday and lasting through at least the end of the month, with people expected to stay home, leaving only for essential activities like food shopping. Anyone violating the order faces punishment.

“We are at war," Mr. Macron said in an address to the nation Monday night. “The enemy is invisible and it requires our general mobilization.”

The French army will deploy to transport the sick to hospitals, and a military hospital with 30 intensive care beds will be set up in the eastern region of Alsace, where one of the largest infection clusters has erupted.

Mr. Macron was responding to severe warnings from doctors about an increasingly dire situation. Jérôme Salomon, a top official at France’s health ministry, told France Inter radio on Monday that the situation in France was “deteriorating very quickly.” » | Steven Erlanger | Monday, March 16, 2020

Coronavirus: How Spaniards Aren't Going to Let Life under Lockdown Get Them Down

Spaniards were ordered into lockdown this weekend as the country struggled to control a spiralling coronavirus outbreak – but residents weren’t going to let it get them down.

Told they would only be allowed to leave their homes for essential business – such as to buy food or medical supplies – for the next 15 days, people sprung [sic] into action to keep neighbourhood morale high.

Videos circulated online showed neighbours performing music to each other from their balconies, playing bingo between windows, and even offering exercise tutorials from their courtyards.

Historic: New York Grinds to a Halt

New York, New Jersey and Connecticut have ordered the closure of bars, restaurants and movie theaters in an attempt to stem the growing number of COVID-19 coronavirus infections. The once-teeming streets of New York City have become still. RT America’s Trinity Chavez reports from coronavirus-stricken New York City.

Boris Johnson Tells UK Public to Avoid Non-essential Contact and Travel

Prime Minister Boris Johnson updates the UK on the latest coronavirus advice after a Cobra meeting.

Jetzt live: Schweiz: Bundesrat erklärt Notstand, riegelt das Land ab, mobilisiert Armee

TAGES ANZEIGER: Die Landesregierung informiert in diesen Minuten über den aktuellen Stand in Sachen Coronavirus. Wir berichten laufend.

Bundespräsidentin Simonetta Sommaruga hat sich mit klaren Worten an die Bevölkerung gewandt. «Wir müssen jetzt, sofort, handeln.» Es müsse ein Ruck durch Land gehen, ansonsten könne die Ausbreitung des Virus nicht verlangsamt werden.

Das Umsetzen der drastischen Massnahmen sei «im Interesse von uns allen», sagte Sommaruga am Montagabend vor den Bundeshausmedien. Jeder Einzelne müsse sich daran halten. Wenn es keine Reaktion gebe, wenn zu viele Menschen erkrankten, dann komme es in den Spitälern zu einem Engpass. » | red/sda | Montag, 16. März 2020

Coronavirus Update: Spain on Lockdown, Germany Shuts Borders | DW News (15.03.20)

Galloway | Is MBS's Public Executing & War Funding Not Enough to Stop Leaders from Bowing to Him?

Galloway’s take on Saudi Arabia’s atrocities, as well as Western politicians’ habit of looking the other way.

Notstand in Spanien: Ausgangssperren gelten ab Montag

Der Notstand gilt ab Montagmorgen und dauert zunächst 15 Tage an. Bürger dürfen dann das Haus nur noch verlassen, um zur Arbeit zu gehen oder um lebensnotwendige Besorgungen zu machen. Viele Straßen und öffentliche Orte in Spanien waren aber schon am Samstag weitgehend leergefegt.

Spaniens Ministerpräsident Pedro Sánchez stellte die einzelnen Vorkehrungen am Samstagabend auf einer Pressekonferenz vor: Das öffentliche Leben wird stark eingeschränkt, Menschen sollen ihr Haus nur verlassen, wenn sie einkaufen, zur Apotheke, zum Geldautomaten oder zum Arzt müssen. Auch der Weg zum Arbeitsplatz und zurück nach Hause ist erlaubt. Allerdings sind die Menschen angehalten, nach Möglichkeit von zu Hause aus zu arbeiten. Einen Spaziergang machen oder Freunde besuchen, ist damit tabu. Nur Besuche bei Älteren und Minderjährigen, körperlich geschwächten Personen und Behinderten sind erlaubt. Spanien hat in den vergangenen Tagen einen besonders dramatischen Anstieg der Infektionen erlebt. Nach offiziellen Angaben waren bis Samstag mehr als 6000 Menschen am Coronavirus erkrankt, mehr als 190 sind an den Folgen der Krankheit gestorben.

The Sick Joke of Donald Trump's Presidency Isn't Funny Any More

THE GUARDIAN: The coronavirus outbreak has revealed the full stupidity, incompetence and selfishness of the president to deadly effect

For three long years the world has been treated to the sick joke of Donald Trump’s presidency. Some days were more sick than others. But now the joke is over.

So is the entire facade of the Trump White House: the gold-plated veneer of power and grift will be stripped bare by a global pandemic and recession.

Of all the obituaries we’ll read in the next several weeks, every one will be more meaningful than the political end of a former reality-TV star.

But make no mistake. The humanitarian crisis about to unfold will consume what’s left of this president and the Republican party that surrendered its self-respect and sense of duty to flatter his ego and avoid his angry tweets.

Trump was right about one thing, and only one thing, as the coronavirus started to spread across the world. The sight of thousands of dead Americans will hurt him politically. It will also hurt many thousands of Americans in reality. » Richard Wolffe | Friday, March 13, 2020

Coronavirus : les « lieux recevant du public » non essentiels fermés dès minuit

LE POINT: Edouard Philippe a annoncé samedi soir la fermeture dès minuit et « jusqu'à nouvel ordre » de tous les « lieux recevant du public non indispensables à la vie du pays », appelant les Français à « plus de discipline » face à la pandémie de coronavirus. Restaurants, bars, discothèques, cinémas sont appelés à fermer leurs portes. Les commerces sont aussi touchés, à l'exception des magasins alimentaires, pharmacies, banques, bureaux de tabac ou encore stations-essence, a précisé le Premier ministre. En revanche, le premier tour des élections municipales se déroulera dimanche « comme prévu ». Le directeur général de la Santé Jérôme Salomon a annoncé que 830 nouveaux cas de patients infectés par le nouveau coronavirus avaient été détectés en France, pour un total de 4 500 depuis le début de l'épidémie qui a fait pour l'heure 91 morts dans le pays. » | Par LePoint.fr (avec AFP) | Samedi 14 mars 2020

Be Careful. Trump May Exploit the Coronavirus Crisis for Authoritarian Ends

THE GUARDIAN: When he no can longer lie or deny, he’ll blame immigrants, journalists, people of color, liberals and other enemies

Donald Trump’s Oval Office address on coronavirus was terrifying because it revealed a man completely unmatched to the moment. Even though he was reading from a teleprompter, the president got the details of his major policy announcements wrong. He attempted no emotional connection with or comfort of the tens of millions of Americans whose lives are being upended by the threat of the disease. He didn’t even have anything useful to say about what his own top scientist has described as America’s “failing” testing regime, which has screened about as many people all year as South Korea does in a day. In a presidency accustomed to lows, this one was quite literally sickening. » | Andrew Gawthorpe* | Saturday, March 14, 2020


* Andrew Gawthorpe is a historian of the United States at Leiden University

Coronavirus: US to Extend Travel Ban to UK and Ireland

BBC: The US is to extend its European coronavirus travel ban to include the UK and Republic of Ireland.

The ban will begin at midnight EST on Monday (04:00 GMT Tuesday), Vice-President Mike Pence announced. » | Saturday, March 14, 2020

Italians Sing Patriotic Songs from Their Balconies During Coronavirus Lockdown

THE GUARDIAN: Neighbours from Naples to Tuscany make harmonies across empty streets to lift spirits and pass the time during quarantine

Italians have been singing from their balconies across the country, in an effort to boost morale during its nationwide lockdown that began this week, due to Covid-19.

Videos of Italian neighbours singing together have been appearing on social media after Italy’s prime minister Giuseppe Conte announced the restrictions that shut down virtually all daily life, and leftonly grocery stores, banks, and pharmacies open. » | Christine Kearney | Saturday, March 14, 2020



Italians Cope with Quarantine by Singing on Their Balconies »

Rom zu Zeiten von Corona - "La Dolce Vita" in Quarantäne | ARTE

Der Coronavirus breitet sich weiter aus. Immer mehr Städte sind in Quarantäne. Rom in Zeiten von Corona: Einen Espresso im Bistro zu bestellen, ist in Italien zu einem Akt des Widerstandes geworden. Denn um die Covid-19 Epidemie einzudämmen, hat der Ministerpräsident drastische Maßnahmen ergriffen: Schulen und Geschäfte wurden geschloßen, Fußballspiele und andere Menschenansammlungen abgesagt. Der italienische Alltag beschränkt sich fortan (fast) auf die eigenen vier Wände. Mit unserem Korrespondenten tauchen wir in das Leben unter Quarantäne ein.

Switzerland Imposes Sweeping Measures to Contain Coronavirus

SWISS INFO: Switzerland has closed schools throughout the country and imposed a ban on public gatherings of more than 100 people. The government pledged CHF10 billion ($10.6 billion) in emergency aid to support the economy and re-introduced in principle border checks with neighbouring countries.

The package of measures was announced at a news conference attended by four of the seven government ministers on Friday.

The ban on gatherings will last until at least the end of April while schools will be closed until April 4 (some cantons have bans until April 30). The border with Italy will remain open but further restrictions will be applied. Furthermore, border controls with other European countries have been tightened with a suspension of the single border agreement. Switzerland is not a member state of the European Union but is included in the Schengen zone.

The CHF10 billion ($10.6 billion) aid package is aimed at helping companies survive the economic downturn caused by coronavirus. » | Urs Geiser and Matthew Allen | Friday, March 13, 2020

Coronavirus: US Travel Ban on Europe Begins as Many Countries Step Up Containment

THE GUARDIAN: Saudi Arabia suspends all international flights, New Zealand introduces quarantine for almost all arrivals

The travel ban from Europe to the United States has come into force, as a growing number of countries across the world ramp up their efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

President Trump’s travel ban on the 26 countries of the Schengen area began as part of stepped up efforts by his administration to tackle the growing Covid-19 outbreak, including the declaration of a national emergency, freeing up $50bn in federal funding and promising a screening website and drive-through tests.

The travel ban excludes the UK and Ireland, but Donald Trump has said the UK could be added to the list of European countries included.

Many other countries also stepped up their fight against the virus, including Saudi Arabia which suspended all international flights for two weeks, starting on Sunday. The period will be considered as an exceptional official holiday for citizens and residents who are unable to return due to the suspension of flights or if they face quarantine after their return to the Kingdom, state news agency, SPA, cited the official as saying. The country has reported 86 coronavirus cases.

In New Zealand, the prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, announced that she would introduce “the widest-ranging and toughest border restrictions of anyone in the world”, also from midnight on Sunday. » | Rebecca Ratcliffe | Saturday, March 14, 2020

Will the Coronavirus Pandemic Cause a Global Recession? I Inside Story

Stock markets around the world have had a turbulent week with some of the worst losses in over 30 years. It's the world's biggest health emergency. The coronavirus outbreak is now a pandemic, and there are fears it can lead to a catastrophic global economic crisis.

Sweeping containment measures have disrupted markets around the world - including in the US. A travel ban on 26 European countries came into effect on Friday and the unprecedented move sent stocks crashing to their worst losses in over 30 years.

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average sank 10 percent on Thursday -- its biggest plunge since the Black Monday crash of 1987. While European markets showed some signs of recovery on Friday. So, what's the economic fallout?

Presenter: James Bays | Guests: Pedro Da Costa - Senior Reporter at Market News International; Hosuk Lee-Makiyama - Director of the European Centre for International Political Economy; Gareth Leather - Senior Economist who specialises in Asian and emerging markets at the firm Capital Economics

Coronavirus: WHO Accuses Governments of 'Alarming Levels of Inaction' | DW News

The World Health Organisation has declared the coronavirus a pandemic and accused governments of "alarming levels of inaction". The WHO says it hopes using the word 'pandemic' will shock lethargic governments into taking more decisive measures. One of the worst-hit countries, Italy, has announced another wave of restrictions. Now, all shops, except food stores and pharmacies, will be closed to try to halt the spread of the disease. US President Donald Trump has banned nearly all travel from Europe to the United States starting at midnight on Friday. The ban will last for 30 days, but excludes the UK and Ireland and a few other countries outside the Schengen passport-free travel area. Trump said clusters of coronavirus infections in the US were traceable to people coming from Europe. He blamed the European Union for failing to act quickly enough to prevent the spread of the disease.

Emmanuel Macron : Adresse aux Français

Gleich richtet sich die Kanzlerin an alle Deutschen | BILD Live

In der Corona-Krise kommt jetzt eine Ansprache von Kanzlerin Merkel an alle in Deutschland.

Trump Calls COVID-19 “Foreign Virus” as Lack of Universal Healthcare Makes the Pandemic Worse

After downplaying the threat of coronavirus for days, President Donald Trump addressed the nation Wednesday from the Oval Office, calling COVID-19 a “foreign virus” and announcing an unprecedented travel ban from most of Europe to the U.S. He also said he will expand sick leave. This comes as Senate Republicans blocked paid sick leave legislation. Robert Pollin, distinguished university professor of economics and co-director of the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, says the lack of universal healthcare in the U.S. is exacerbating the coronavirus crisis due to “the absurdity that people cannot feel confident that they are going to get medical treatment” when they need it most. In 2018, Pollin co-authored a paper titled “Economic Analysis of Medicare for All.” His forthcoming book, co-authored with Noam Chomsky, is “The Climate Crisis and the Global Green New Deal: The Political Economy of Saving the Planet.”

Everyone Questioning Biden's Mental Fitness

Joe Biden’s mental fitness is a huge concern. Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian, hosts of The Young Turks, break it down.

Trump’s Re-election Chances Suddenly Look Shakier

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Weeks ago, his advisers were counting on a strong economy and a Democratic opponent easily portrayed as too far left. But the political landscape has sharply shifted.

President Trump faces the biggest challenge yet to his prospects of being re-elected, with his advisers’ two major assumptions for the campaign — a booming economy and an opponent easily vilified as too far left — quickly evaporating.

After a year in which Mr. Trump has told voters that they must support his re-election or risk watching the economy decline, the stock market is reeling and economists are warning that a recession could be on the horizon because of the worsening spread of the coronavirus.

And instead of elevating Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, as Mr. Trump made clear was his hope, Democrats have suddenly and decisively swung from a flirtation with socialism to former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., who has run a primary campaign centered on a return to political normalcy.

“Biden’s success in the suburbs makes him an acceptable alternative to Trump,” said Scott Reed, the top political adviser for the United States Chamber of Commerce. “His turnout in the suburbs threatens the Republican Senate.” » | Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Martin | Thursday, March 12, 2020

Sanders Presses Biden on Key Issues

Trump Delivers National Address on Coronavirus (Full Video)

Richard Wolff: Banks Are Trembling!

Economist and founder of Democracy at Work Dr. Richard Wolff and broadcasting legend Larry King join Rick Sanchez to weigh in on Wall Street's terrifying Monday plunge, the worst since 2008. They explain the link between oil exploration and extraction and the debt that fuels it. They also discuss the role of the coronavirus outbreak in the economic crisis and its likely influence on US politics.

A Fumbled Global Response to the Virus in a Leadership Void

THE NEW YORK TIMES: While world leaders are at last speaking out about the gravity of the pandemic, their voices are less a choir than a cacophony, with the United States absent from its traditional conductor role.

LONDON — In Frankfurt, the president of the European Central Bank warned that the coronavirus could trigger an economic crash as dire as that of 2008. In Berlin, the German chancellor warned the virus could infect two-thirds of her country’s population. In London, the British prime minister rolled out a nearly $40 billion rescue package to cushion his economy from the shock.

As the toll of those afflicted by the virus continued to soar and financial markets from Tokyo to New York continued to swoon, world leaders are finally starting to find their voices about the gravity of what is now officially a pandemic.

Yet it remains less a choir than a cacophony — a dissonant babble of politicians all struggling, in their own way, to cope with the manifold challenges posed by the virus, from its crushing burden on hospitals and health care workers to its economic devastation and rising death toll.

The choir also lacks a conductor, a role played through most of the post-World War II era by the United States.

President Trump has failed to work with other leaders to fashion a common response, preferring to promote his border wall over the scientific advice of his own medical experts. » | Mark Landler | Wednesday, March 11, 2020, updated Thursday, March 12, 2020

A Room With a View • O Mio Babbino Caro • Kiri Te Kanawa

Soundtrack/theme music from the 1985 James Ivory film "A Room With A View" with Helena Bonham Carter, Daniel Day-Lewis, Julian Sands, Maggie Smith, Denholm Elliot, Judi Dench, Simon Callow & Rupert Graves. Based on the novel by EM Forster. "O Mio Babbino Caro" ("Oh My Beloved Father") is a soprano aria from the opera Gianni Schicchi (1918) by Giacomo Puccini.

US Primary Election Results: Game Over for Sanders? | DW News

Joe Biden appears to have cemented his position as the front-runner in the US Democratic presidential race. The former vice president has scored big wins in four of six states holding contests in the race to select the Democratic nominee, including the largest prize Michigan. The results are a blow to Biden's rival for the nomination, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.

Joe: It Is Critical Trump Get His Arms around This Virus | Morning Joe | MSNBC

The panel discusses the president's bids to downplay the severity of the coronavirus outbreak and the need for the president to be realistic about the dangers from the virus. Aired on 03/09/2020.

Prince Andrew Won't Voluntarily Cooperate in Epstein Inquiry, Prosecutor Says

THE GUARDIAN: Despite public offer to help with investigation Andrew has ‘completely shut the door’, and New York attorney general is now considering other options

Prince Andrew has “completely shut the door” on cooperating with US investigators in the Jeffrey Epstein case and they are now “considering” further options, a New York prosecutor said on Monday.

Andrew was a friend of Epstein, the wealthy financier and convicted sex offender whose death in custody while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges in New York last year was ruled a suicide.

Andrew denies all claims of sexual misconduct relating to the Epstein case but has stepped back from public duties as a result of his connection to it.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Manhattan US attorney Geoffrey Berman said: “Contrary to Prince Andrew’s very public offer to cooperate with our investigation into Epstein’s co-conspirators, an offer that was conveyed via press release, Prince Andrew has now completely shut the door on voluntary cooperation and our office is considering its options.” » | Martin Pengelly and Kenya Evelyn in New York | Monday, March 9, 2020

Saudi Crackdown Widens amid Reports of Further Arrests of Royals

A fourth senior prince is reported to have been detained in Saudi Arabia. US media reports say the former head of army intelligence, Prince Nayef bin Ahmed, is among those now being held. But there has not been any official response from the government. Al Jazeera's Alexi O'Brien reports.

Is Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Consolidating Power? – Inside Story

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman has had a controversial rise to power, and he appears to be tightening his grip even further.

Media reports suggest at least 20 Princes, officials and army officers have been arrested in the Kingdom's latest purge. They include former Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Nayef and the King's last-surviving full brother, Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz.

The Saudi government hasn't officially responded to reports that the princes were accused of a coup plot. In just three years, Mohammed Bin Salman has silenced nearly all voices of dissent at home, with critics jailed, even killed. So, what are the implications of this crackdown?

Presenter: Jonah Hull | Guests: Roxane Farmanfamaian - Lecturer on Middle East Politics at the University of Cambridge; David Hearst - Editor in Chief of the online publication ‘Middle East Eye’; Ali Al-Ahmed - Director of the Gulf Affairs Institute and a former Saudi political prisoner.

Saudi Crackdown: King Salman's Brother and Nephew Detained

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has reportedly detained high-profile members of the royal family. That includes former crown prince Mohammed bin Nayef, as well as Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the younger brother of the Saudi King.

Reports suggest that they have both been accused of treason. Saudi guards have also arrested one of Mohammed Bin Nayef's brothers. They are now likely under threat of life imprisonment or possible execution. Both could have been rivals to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the throne when King Salman dies.

Al Jazeera’s Jamal Elshayyal explains what these detentions mean for the kingdom and their impact on Saudi politics. We are also joined by Khalil Jahshan, the executive director of Arab Center Washington, DC.

Wall Street 1929: The Great Crash