The Washington Post - 14 03 2020

2020·23.24 MB·English

ABCDE
Prices may vary in areas outside metropolitan Washington. su V1 V2 V3 V4
Partly sunny, cooler 58/42 • Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy 53/39 B8 Democracy Dies in Darkness SATURDAy, MARCH 14, 2020 . $2
Trump declares a national emergency
Pandemic takes a dramatic toll Economic aid deal brokered amid
as institutions, routines shut down expanding nationwide tumult
BY KATIE ZEZIMA, out like almost any other and BY ANNE GEARAN dergo testing for the coronavirus
JOEL ACHENBACH, ending in a way few can compre- AND TOLUSE OLORUNNIPA after coming into contact with an
TIM CRAIG hend. infected man.
AND LENA H. SUN President Trump declared the President Trump declared a na- “The action I am taking will
virus a national emergency Fri- tional emergency to confront the open up access to up to $50 billion
Much of life in America, and day, which can be helpful for spread of the coronavirus Friday of very important and a large
across the globe, has ground to a marshaling resources, and Con- as his administration reached an amount of money for states and
near halt in recent days as the gress reached a deal on a broad agreement with House Democrats territories and localities,” he said,
coronavirus spreads, closing relief package. Governors in on a bipartisan economic relief adding that he had reached a new
schools, thwarting travel, forcing Pennsylvania and Virginia closed package for Americans affected by partnership with private compa-
employees to telework and shut- schools, bringing the total to 12 the global pandemic. nies to “vastly increase and accel-
tering beloved institutions. Au- states and the District. Iconic Trump made the emergency an- erate our capacity to test for the
thorities now believe the out- events including the Masters golf nouncement during a news con- coronavirus.”
break could fundamentally up- tournament and the Boston Mar- ference in the Rose Garden in But in the hours after Trump
end society for months. athon were canceled. A rash of which he repeatedly praised his concluded his remarks, questions
The sweeping, unprecedented panic buying emptied shelves na- bill o’leAry/tHe wAsHington post handling of the crisis, denied re- began to be raised about the new
shutdown of activity in the Unit- tionwide as people hoarded fro- president trump leads a news conference on the coronavirus sponsibility for his administra- programs he described and what
ed states accelerated in seeming- zen food, toilet paper, bottled outbreak at the White House on Friday. Among the initiatives the tion’s missteps and said for the he was looking for out of Congress.
ly no time, with the week starting see VIrus on A10 president announced was accelerated testing for the virus. first time that he would likely un- see trump on A12
Food supply Preparations and precautions Experts
challenges: expect a surge
Hoarding and like Italy’s
sick workers across Europe
BY ABHA BHATTARAI BY LOVEDAY MORRIS
AND LAURA REILEY AND WILLIAM BOOTH
berlin —
As the coronavirus pandemic some of the world’s
intensifies, the companies that top experts tracking the spread
feed America and provide basic of the novel coronavirus predict
staples are bracing for labor that in a matter of weeks, much
shortages, which could leave of europe could be facing a surge
them without enough workers to in cases similar to the one that
produce, deliver and unpack gro- has locked down Italy, over-
ceries in stores in the coming whelmed its hospitals in the
months. micHAel sHort for tHe wAsHington post mArAnie stAAb/reuters north and brought the country of
Amid the virus’s spread, super- 60 million to a standstill.
markets and distribution centers Mathematical models devel-
face a difficult choice: how to oped by epidemiologists to track
keep shelves stocked with essen- the virus show a sharp trajectory
tials while keeping their workers of infections in spain, Germany,
safe. France and Britain. spain, which
Already, some chains are ra- declared a state of emergency
tioning products as shelves emp- Friday, showed particularly con-
ty of pasta, rice and frozen vegeta- cerning exponential growth, ex-
bles and anxious customers wait perts said.
in long lines for toilet paper and The modelers in europe say a
bottled water — in scenes similar similar arc is likely in the United
to those seen before a hurricane, states, but anticipating the
yet this time unfolding on a spread is made more difficult by
national scale. the lack of widespread testing.
In the District, hundreds of U.s. officials are working with 50
people waited in lines that academic modeling groups, but
snaked far into stores and some- no forecasts have been released
times onto sidewalks at Walmart, by the Centers for Disease Con-
Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s this micHAel s. williAmson/tHe wAsHington post courtlAnd wells/VicKsburg post/AssociAted press trol and Prevention or the White
week as consumers stocked up on House’s coronavirus task force.
supplies including canned tuna CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Kaiser Permanente clinicians take swabs at a drive-through testing station one model, for the American
and cartons of premade soups. Hospital Association, projects a
Thursday in San Francisco; Syracuse University students say goodbye as they leave the New York campus Friday;
Cases of chicken, beef and worst-case scenario of hundreds
frozen vegetables were largely Regina Jones disinfects a school bus in Vicksburg, Miss.; and shoppers stock up at a Costco in the District. of thousands of deaths.
wiped out at a Whole Foods near “Italy is about two weeks ahead
American University in the Dis- of Britain and the rest of europe,”
trict’s northwest. At the Trader No facet of university life The thin line between said Francois Balloux, director of
Joe’s in Tampa, the pasta and the Genetics Institute at Univer-
tomato sauce aisle was empty sity College London.
is untouched by crisis prudence and panic
Friday afternoon, and the salty observations by epidemiolo-
snacks were depleted (there was gists show that if unchecked, the
still plenty of $3 chardonnay on number of infections doubles ap-
offer, however). BY NICK ANDERSON, rest of the school year. BY MARC FISHER ing across the planet has trig- proximately every five days, with
Food producers and supply SUSAN SVRLUGA “I don’t want to go home,” gered little in the way of visible infected individuals capable of
chain managers say there is gen- AND LAUREN LUMPKIN said Rebecca Gibbons, a fresh- In fictional imaginings of a public panic. In the District, far passing the virus to an average of
erally enough nonperishable food man from the eastern shore lethal pandemic, a visceral pan- from ostracizing those who may about 2.5 people.
see grocerIes on A17 Colleges run on routines and studying chemical engineering ic often sweeps through fright- be vectors for the bug, people see europe on A9
rituals. at the University of Maryland. ened crowds and leads to decid- have rallied around the church
students and parents watch she was among the stunned edly uncivilized behavior. where the city’s first case ap-
More coverage the calendar from drop-off day students packing up this week In “World War Z,” the 2006 peared. In the seattle area, so far Dow Jones industrial average
through graduation, one term without any idea of when novel that became a top-gross- the hardest-hit U.s. region, sto- 23,500 Wednesday
relief: the House moves toward after another. Midterms come they’ll return to College Park. “I ing movie, a virus that spreads ries abound of neighbors help- closing 23,185.62
approval of an economic deal. A12 and go, and spring break offers just know that being in class from China turns half the ing one another. And in Italy, 23,553.22
a respite before the last push to and being able to ask questions world’s population into zom- where the government has tak-
panic on study abroad: turmoil
final exams and summer. and being able to physically see bies. People do not react well. en extraordinary measures to 22,500
for u.s. students in europe. A14
The coronavirus pandemic the professor writing down ev- Mayhem — a “Great Panic” of shut down public life, calm has
testing: private sector to partner smashed all the routines this ery step is important. It’s just looting, crime and mass migra- prevailed even as hospitals con-
on drive-up sites, trump says. A16 week, forcing hundreds of thou- going to be very difficult.” tion — ensues. similar chaos sider harsh decisions to ration
sands of undergraduates to on Friday, the fast-moving erupts in the long-running TV medical care to people with the 21,500
south Korea: publishing patients’ scatter from campuses around crisis rocked another public series “The Walking Dead,” best chances to survive.
Trump’s news
movements raises concerns. A18 the country, return from study flagship. The University of Tex- “Panic in the streets” (1950) Certainly, some degree of
conference begins
abroad and hunker down at as shut down abruptly, just and “Contagion,” the 2011 film panic has been evident in the
local actions: metro will cut back Thursday Friday
home. They will still be taking before spring break, because it that is suddenly a streaming severe sell-off on Wall street and
service; all schools to close. b1
classes, but remotely, with cell- had its first confirmed case of hit. the rush to stock “pandemic Capping a tumultuous week
new normal: our way of life is phones and laptops for at least covid-19. In real life, however, the coro- pantries,” as Americans in some stocks surge after the president’s
being upended. for how long? C1 a few weeks and perhaps the see colleges on A15 navirus pandemic now spread- see pAnIc on A11 emergency declaration. A6
IN SUNDAY’S POST Inside
∠∠A keen eye In India, a Alda time At 84, A lan Alda reAl estAte tHe world
renting to own u.s. defends attacks
photographer captures the — who made a career out of
the benefits of moving in now, but the united states and iraq
ever-shifting essence of her playing the smart guy — h as
buying later, have begun to spark wrangled over airstrikes to avenge
homeland, across all decades of wisdom to share. interest among some shoppers. fallen coalition soldiers. A5
segments of society, moment Most of all, he wants to teach
tHe world tHe dIstrICt
by moment. Magazine people how to better shrouded in secrecy racine to run again
You’re going where? communicate with each A year after attacks on new the city’s first elected attorney
Zealand mosques, suppression general will seek a third term, but
other. Arts & Style
California’s Palm Springs, orders mask evidence. A4 hasn’t ruled out a mayoral run. b2
long the desert-resort darling
of Los Angeles, is also busIness news...............................................A6 CONTENT © 2020
236 ComICs.............................................................C5 The Washington Post / Year 143, No. 100
drawing far-off fans for its $ opInIon pAges...............................................A19
lotterIes.........................................................b3
range of charms. Travel obItuArIes......................................................b6
teleVIsIon.......................................................C3
rAnitA roy for tHe wAsHington post jesse ditmAr for tHe wAsHington post world news....................................................A4
A2 eZ sU THE WASHINGTON POST .SATURDAy, MARCH 14, 2020
Omar’s wedding puts McGahn,
In CAse YoU mIsseD It
some reports that you may have
missed. read more at focus on payments border wall
washingtonpost.com.
cases will
Xi visits Wuhan after
coronavirus outbreak Since 2018, Omar’s campaign
Criticism over campaign paid about $586,000 to E Street be reheard
Chinese leader Xi Jinping Group for a range of services that
went on a carefully money that went to her included digital advertising,
choreographed victory lap now-husband is renewed fundraising consulting, digital
around Wuhan, the epicenter of communications and design. The BY SPENCER S. HSU
the novel coronavirus outbreak, campaign also paid $7,000 to
on Tuesday as the number of new Mynett directly for fundraising The full U.S. Court of Appeals
infections in the country has BY MICHELLE YE HEE LEE consulting before hiring his con- for the D.C. Circuit will reconsider
plummeted. sulting firm. the dismissal of two lawsuits
washingtonpost.com/world Rep. Ilhan Omar’s marriage to Payments to the firm in the brought by House Democrats to
a political consultant has drawn 2019-2020 cycle for Omar’s reelec- enforce a congressional subpoena
Feds charge dozens renewed focus on her campaign’s tion campaign comprised 40 per- sAlwAn georges/tHe wAsHIngton Post for President Trump’s former
payments to her now-husband cent of total campaign expenses, A complaint with the Federal Election Commission was filed in White House counsel Donald Mc-
in racehorse doping and his firm, which are at the federal filings show. August against the campaign of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.). Gahn and to challenge funding for
center of a pending complaint Representatives for Omar’s the president’s border wall.
More than two dozen horse with the Federal Election Com- campaign and Mynett’s firm said that the payments went toward trani wrote. The court’s decision marks at
racing industry employees, mission. this week that there was nothing legitimate campaign work. He In its August complaint, the least a temporary victory for House
including trainers and Omar (D-Minn.) on Wednesday improper about the payments be- said most of the advertising-relat- National Legal and Policy Center Democrats and Speaker Nancy
veterinarians, were charged announced on Instagram that she cause they were made for legiti- ed payments had been passed on alleged that the campaign failed Pelosi (D-Calif.) over the weighty
Monday with participating in “a had married Timothy Mynett, and mate work. to vendors, as is the case with to disclose that payments to the question of whether the judiciary
widespread, corrupt” scheme to the couple filed their marriage But as news of the alleged affair most advertising work. firm “must be considered person- has authority to resolve separation-
manufacture, distribute and license in Washington that same unfolded, the conservative non- The firm has about 18 employ- al in nature” due to the reported of-powers disputes between the
administer performance- day. profit National Legal and Policy ees and “on any given day, eight or relationship between its partner White House and Congress. Any
enhancing drugs to racehorses, Following Omar’s marriage an- Center filed an FEC complaint in more people could be touching and the candidate. outcome, to be decided after an
the latest black eye for the nouncement, conservative critics August alleging Omar’s campaign her account at some point, be- “If Ilhan for Congress reim- April 28 hearing, will likely be ap-
troubled sport. raised concerns about payments had violated a prohibition on can- tween design, digital ads, social bursed Mynett’s LLC for travel so pealed to the Supreme Court.
washingtonpost.cm/sports by her campaign to E Street didates using campaign money media, email content creation, that Rep. Omar would have the Both cases concern the com-
Group, which is run by Mynett. for personal use. high-dollar fundraising, political benefit of Mynett’s romantic com- mon question of whether the
D.C. sniper Malvo “Taxpayers funded her cam- Campaign funds cannot be support and many other things panionship, the expenditures House has legal standing to sue
paign. Now they’re funding her used for personal purposes, in- that we provide for the campaign, must be considered personal in the president. In one case, the
is married in prison marriage. How is this not an FEC cluding paying for a candidate’s Hailer said. “Similar to what we nature,” the complaint read. House wants to check the presi-
violation?” conservative activist rent or any personal membership provide for countless other clients The FEC lost its voting quorum dent for allegedly overstepping
Lee Boyd Malvo, now 35, half Charlie Kirk tweeted Thursday. fees. across the country.” shortly after the complaint was his power by diverting billions
of a two-man sniper team that Citing an “irretrievable break- Federal laws allow candidates Hailer said he and Mynett be- filed, and it is unable to take any intended for other purposes to pay
terrorized the Washington down” in her marriage, Omar to use campaign funds to pay gan working for Omar’s campaign official enforcement action on the for the border wall. In the other
region and killed 10 people in filed for divorce from her previous family and friends, as long as the after years of political experience pending complaint. case, the House seeks to enforce
October 2002, was married last husband in October amid allega- money is used for a legitimate in her district and in Minnesota. “As far as the nuptials, I think oversight through investigation
week in a ceremony at Red tions that she was having an affair campaign expense and paid at fair Omar campaign attorney Da- this event underscores the prob- and impeachment by demanding
Onion State Prison in Virginia, with Mynett, a consultant for her market value. vid Mitrani echoed that point in a lems we cited in our complaint,” testimony or information from
two people close to Malvo congressional campaign. Two “Generally, the rationale is, as Thursday memo, which the cam- Peter Flaherty, chairman of the the executive branch.
confirmed Tuesday. They did not months prior, Mynett’s then-wife long as they’re doing real work, paign provided to The Washing- National Legal and Policy Center, In rehearing the McGahn case,
identify the woman. had filed for legal separation, al- you can pay them as you’d pay ton Post on Friday, saying that the said on Friday. the court also overturned a three-
washingtonpost.com/local leging Mynett was “romantically anyone else. You can’t overpay firm provided bona fide campaign “You have a member of Con- judge panel’s ruling Feb. 28 that
involved” with Omar. them. It can’t be a no-show job or services at fair market value. gress paying a close friend and Congress cannot sue to compel
Asked at the time by the CBS a low-show job. You have to actu- “There is simply nothing un- now-husband the bulk of her cam- testimony by White House aides.
affiliate in Minneapolis whether ally do the work,” said Daniel usual about the services that E paign spending,” Flaherty added. In a two-page order issued Fri-
KLMNO she was dating anyone, she said, Petalas, formerly the FEC’s acting Street Group provides to Ilhan for “It still raises the question of day, the D.C. Circuit announced a
“No, I am not,” and declined to general counsel and head of en- Congress — and nothing inappro- whether it is to facilitate a person- majority of nine judges voted to
discuss personal matters. Mynett forcement. priate with a vendor being reim- al relationship or whether Tim vacate and reconsider the 2-to-1
neWsPAPer DeLIVerY
had denied that he was leaving his A partner at E Street Group, bursed for travel for bona fide Mynett is the best possible vendor ruling that McGahn can defy the
For home delivery comments
marriage for Omar or that he was Will Hailer, who co-founded the services — even if that vendor is for all these possible activities.” subpoena issued by the House Ju-
or concerns contact us at
washingtonpost.com/subscriberservices or in love with her. firm with Mynett, said on Friday run by a candidate’s spouse,” Mi- [email protected] diciary Committee in its impeach-
send us an email at ment inquiry. Two other circuit
[email protected] or call judges, both Trump appointees
202-334-6100 or 800-477-4679 who served in his administration,
did not participate in the decision.
to sUBsCrIBe DIGest
In McGahn’s case, a split three-
800-753-Post (7678)
judge panel agreed with the Jus-
to ADVertIse tice Department argument that
washingtonpost.com/mediakit
courts should stay out of political
classified: 202-334-6200
disputes between the two elected
display: 202-334-7642
branches of government.
mAIn PHone nUmBer In dissent, Judge Judith W. Rog-
202-334-6000
ers said the high court has long
to reACH tHe neWsroom recognized Congress’s power to
Metro: 202-334-7300; investigate and subpoena infor-
[email protected] mation, and warned the ruling
national: 202-334-7410; undermines legislative oversight.
[email protected] The court’s opinion, she wrote,
business: 202-334-7320; “all but assures future presiden-
[email protected] tial stonewalling of Congress, and
sports: 202-334-7350; further impairs the House’s ability
[email protected] to perform its constitutional du-
reader Advocate: 202-334-7582; ties.”
[email protected] The third judge on the panel,
Karen LeCraft Henderson, agreed
to reACH tHe oPInIon PAGes
with Griffith’s overall judgment
letters to the editor:
but rejected a Trump administra-
[email protected] or call
tion claim that top White House
202-334-6215
opinion: aides enjoy “absolute immunity”
[email protected] from compelled testimony.
Published daily (Issn 0190-8286). House Democrats went to court
PostMAster: send address changes to last year after Trump blocked Mc-
the washington Post, 1301 K st. nw, washington,
Gahn’s testimony, saying the ad-
d.c. 20071.
Periodicals postage paid in washington, d.c., and viser could not be forced to answer
additional mailing office. questions or turn over documents.
The House committee subpoe-
naed McGahn in August before
the start of formal impeachment
CorreCtIon
proceedings that focused on
Trump’s actions regarding
the washington Post is committed to Ukraine. Lawmakers said Mc-
correcting errors that appear in the Gahn was the “most important”
newspaper. those interested in witness on the question of wheth-
contacting the paper for that purpose er Trump obstructed justice in
can:
special counsel Robert S. Mueller
email: [email protected].
gerAld Herbert/AssocIAted Press III’s Russia investigation. Mc-
Call: 202-334-6000, and ask to be
connected to the desk involved — People walk on a pier while carrying fishing poles as the sun rises on the Gulf of Mexico, in Orange Beach, Ala., on Friday. Gahn left the White House in 2018.
national, Foreign, Metro, style, sports, Before Trump was acquitted in
business or any of the weekly sections. the Senate on Feb. 5, House lawyers
comments can be directed to the said McGahn’s testimony was still
Post’s reader advocate, who can be PennsYLVAnIA inside the house had a gun. 850 injured. a report that he was terrified. critical to establish a pattern of al-
reached at 202-334-7582 or Officer killed while Krasner later said that Elliott and Department officials — Associated Press leged misconduct by the president.
[email protected]. a second person wanted in the confirmed Hendrex’s “McGahn was a key eyewitness
serving warrant March 2019 murder were in reinstatement in a s tatement that GeorGIA to these events whom President
custody and expected to be declined additional comment. Trump tried to enlist in this
Court backs new trial
A Philadelphia police officer charged in that case. Body-camera video showed wrongdoing. President Trump has
was shot and killed early Friday as O’Connor, a married father of Hendrex, a Las Vegas officer since over DNA tests countered that McGahn is lying.
he served a homicide warrant at a two, had been an officer for 23 2007, leading a rookie officer and The Committee must hear from
home, and several people were years and served on the high- three Mandalay Bay security Georgia’s highest court ruled McGahn directly,” the House ar-
arrested, including the fugitive stakes SWAT unit for 15 years. His officers on the 31st floor of the Friday that an inmate serving a gued in a 17-page appeal.
being sought, officials said. father retired after 40 years with hotel, one floor below where the life sentence for a slaying 43 years Blocking the McGahn subpoe-
Cpl. James O’Connor, 46, was the department, and his son gunman was firing, and stopping ago deserves a new trial after na, the House argued, is “sorely
shot around 5:45 a.m. in the city’s serves on it now, the police union when they heard volleys of recent DNA tests cast “significant misguided” because it under-
Frankford section, officials said. said. His daughter serves in the gunfire during a three-minute doubt” on his guilt. mines Congress’s constitutional
He was shot in the shoulder above Air Force. span. Johnny Lee Gates, 63, was authority to check a president’s
his bulletproof vest when officers — Associated Press Upstairs, Stephen Paddock, 64, convicted of murder, rape and powers and encourages presiden-
entered the home, and two people a former accountant and high- robbery in the November 1976 tial stonewalling by future execu-
in the home were wounded by neVADA stakes video poker player, was fatal shooting of 19-year-old tives who can rest secure knowing
return fire from another officer, using a cache of assault-style Katharina Wright in a Columbus that “direct, wide-scale noncom-
Police officer fired over
officials said. weapons he had amassed to rain apartment where she lived with pliance” is irremediable.
O’Connor was taken to a shooting reinstated bullets for more than 10 minutes her husband, an Army soldier at The circuit also agreed to re-
hospital, where he was from the windows of a 32nd-floor Fort Benning. Wright’s hands hear as a full court a House appeal
pronounced dead. A veteran Las Vegas police suite into a country music festival were bound with the white belt of a lower court’s dismissal last
Download the The two wounded people were officer who was fired for filled with 22,000 people. Most of from her bathrobe, and black June of its lawsuit to block spend-
Washington Post app stable, and they did not appear to hesitating in a casino-hotel the rifles were fitted with rapid- neckties were used as a gag and ing on Trump’s plan to build a wall
have life-threatening injuries, hallway in October 2017 while a fire “bump stock” devices and blindfold. at the border with Mexico. The
stay informed with award-winning authorities said. Their names gunman upstairs carried out the high-capacity magazines. The state Supreme Court’s case was argued last month but
national and international news, were not released. deadliest mass shooting in Paddock killed himself with a ruling upholds a January 2019 remains pending before another
PlUs complete local news Several people were arrested, modern U.S. history has been handgun before police used decision by a lower court three-judge panel.
coverage of the d.c. metro area. including Hassan Elliott, the 21- reinstated to his job, authorities explosives to blast through his ordering a new trial for Gates, At issue in the border wall case is
scan top headlines for must-read year-old fugitive wanted in a said Friday. door and find him more than an citing testing that showed Gates’s whether the president’s diversion
robbery and slaying last year not Officer Cordell Hendrex is due hour later. DNA was not on the fabric used to of funds to pay for the wall is an
stories. get fresh perspectives on
far from the scene, District to return to work March 21 Hendrex’s group remained in bind Wright. The judge also found illegal act that violates the constitu-
the world from Post bloggers.
Attorney Larry Krasner’s office following an arbitrator’s ruling in the hallway for about five minutes that prosecutors at Gates’s trial tional separation of powers be-
save articles for offline reading in
said. Elliott was not among those his bid to get his job back, before Hendrex led them halfway purposely excluded black jurors, tween branches of the government.
My Post. Free to download on the
injured, Police Commissioner according to the head of the city’s up a stairwell toward the 32nd but said that evidence came too [email protected]
App store and Play store,
Danielle Outlaw said. police union. floor. They remained there for at late for consideration as grounds
subscribers enjoy unlimited
Krasner’s spokeswoman, Jane The Oct. 1, 2017, shooting left least 15 minutes. for a new trial. Ann e. Marimow contributed to this
access.
Roh, said more than one person 58 people dead and more than Hendrex later acknowledged in — Associated Press report.
SATURDAy, MARCH 14, 2020 . THE WASHINGTON POST eZ m2 A3
Politics & the Nation
Outbreak threatens to put presidential primaries in disarray
BY ELISE VIEBECK poned. Under federal law, it must
AND ISAAC STANLEY-BECKER take place on the Tuesday follow-
ing the first Monday in November.
The rapid spread of the novel The Constitution also mandates
coronavirus across the United that the new Congress be seated on
States put the outbreak on a colli- Jan. 3 and presidential terms be-
sion course with the presidential gin on Jan. 20.
primaries, threatening to disrupt Marc Elias, a leading Democrat-
the process at a pivotal moment ic attorney who specializes in vot-
for Democrats as they select their ing rights, said he knew of no
nominee. special powers that would allow
Louisiana announced Friday Trump to change the date of a
that it would delay its White House general election, even in case of a
primaries from April 4 to June 20, national emergency.
becoming the first state to re- In states with upcoming prima-
schedule because of covid-19. ries, local election officials are now
Shortly after, the four states set to racing to figure out how to miti-
vote Tuesday said jointly that their gate potential health risks of cast-
contests would proceed as ing a ballot.
planned, referring to guidance In New York, a critical state
from public health officials who where voters will weigh in on the
have declared voting safe if best presidential nominating contest
practices are followed. on April 28, state elections board
But a rush of developments Co-chairman Douglas A. Kellner
heightened pressure on elections said board officials have been coor-
officials already struggling to min- dinating with Gov. Andrew M.
imize risks to voters and injected a Cuomo’s (D) office, as well as with
sense of deep uncertainty about legislative leaders, to discuss alter-
how the 2020 race will unfold native voting options.
amid the growing pandemic. A move to delay April’s presi-
By the end of the week, the dential primary is “possible given
presidential campaigns had gone the circumstances,” he said. In the
virtual: Former vice president Joe meantime, Kellner said, some lo-
Biden invited voters in Illinois to a cal counties were making changes
videoconference town hall Friday, to their absentee voting proce-
while Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) dures that exceeded their authori-
scheduled daily news conferences ty.
from Burlington, Vt., and Presi- JUlIA rendlemAn for THe WAsHIngTon PosT “Two counties have gone rogue
dent Trump temporarily suspend- Voters cast ballots March 3 in Richmond. Because of the covid-19 outbreak, Louisiana is moving its primary from April 4 to June 20. and taken it upon themselves to
ed his rallies. take emergency actions that aren’t
As the president declared a na- text conversations between his would be paid $200 rather than Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin and instead encourage voters to authorized by law,” he said.
tional state of emergency Friday, chief of staff and the top aides to $130 for Election Day and $15 per said elections were delayed in participate by mail, dropping off Erie County had altered the ap-
colleges shuttered and cities Arizona Secretary of State Katie hour instead of $10 per hour dur- 2005 and 2008 after hurricanes. ballots on March 28 and April 4. plication form to include the novel
across the country banned large Hobbs, Florida Secretary of State ing early voting. He said his thought of postponing The Nevada Democratic Party coronavirus as an excuse for re-
gatherings, there was building Laurel Lee and Illinois Elections In Ohio, amid a statewide cam- the primaries had unanimous sup- also canceled its county conven- questing an absentee ballot, he
worry about the outbreak’s impact Board Chairman Charles Scholz. paign to recruit poll workers, the port in across leaders in state gov- tions and the state party in Iowa said.
on the voting process. The United “My chief of staff was reaching state auditor offered employees a ernment, both Democrats and Re- postponed similar gatherings. Jeremy J. Zellner, an elections
States currently has 2 ,151 corona- out to the other [top staffers] and paid day off if they sign up. publicans. The prospect of a delayed nomi- commissioner in Erie County, said
virus cases, with 48 deaths. saying, ‘Hey, listen, we need to And in Maricopa County, Ariz., “We spent most of yesterday nation process drew concern from it was the commissioners’ job “to
Fear about exposure was ex- push back on this so it doesn’t officials took the unusual step of working as a team, looking for the Democratic campaigns. make sure people are not disen-
pected to lower in-person turnout become a disinformation thing or preparing to mail ballots to eligi- ways to try to carry out the elec- “Our elections can be conduct- franchised, and we believe very
for Tuesday’s contests in Arizona, a misinformation thing,’” LaRose ble voters who were not on the tion. We kept running into barrier ed safely in consultation with pub- strongly we do have the authority
Florida, Illinois and Ohio, when said. permanent early-voting list, a de- after barrier. . . . When I contacted lic health officials,” K ate Beding- to do this based on the governor’s
577 delegates are up for grabs — a “This is about pushing calm, cision that echoed recommenda- the governor’s office, I think that field, Biden communications di- emergency declaration and the ill-
potential risk for Biden as he seeks accurate, decisive information out tions from vote-by-mail advocates. there was some relief in us coming rector, said in a written statement. ness provision in state election
to lock up the Democratic nomina- there where there is too much non- But the move was blocked on Fri- to that decision,” Ardoin said at a She encouraged people who feel law.”
tion. The former vice president has sense churning on social media day by a superior court judge, who news conference Friday. healthy, are not exhibiting symp- [email protected]
had strong support from older vot- causing people anxiety,” he added. ordered Maricopa County Record- In addition to Louisiana’s deci- toms and don’t believe they’ve isaac.stanley-
ers, who are more at risk to suffer Still, in local jurisdictions, elec- er Adrian Fontes not to mail out sion, the Wyoming Democratic been exposed to the virus to vote [email protected]
serious health issues if they con- tion officials struggled to keep up the ballots after the state’s attorney Party announced that it would do Tuesday.
tract covid-19. with an onslaught of calls from general, Mark Brnovich (R), filed away with the in-person portion of Experts said there was no risk of Colby Itkowitz, Chelsea Janes and Amy
“We’ve just never had a situa- concerned residents and the prac- an emergency motion to block the its caucuses, scheduled for April 4, the general election being post- e. gardner contributed to this report.
tion like this before,” said Michael tical demands of obtaining guid- action. In the filing, the attorney
McDonald, a political scientist at ance from election, public health general argued that the county of-
the University of Florida, who said and other leaders at every level of ficial lacked authority to mail bal- STOREWIDE RUG SALE
Biden could suffer if seniors stay government. lots to voters who had not request-
home, while Sanders could see his “It is a difficult situation for ed them, and that the move risked
support diminish if students being everyone,” said Adam Johnson, “creating a swarm of illegal ballots
sent home from college campuses chief deputy clerk in DuPage and immense voter confusion.” Spectacular Savings of 25%-50% on1000’s of
are unable to participate. County, Ill. “We are actively reach- Fontes said he was trying to help
“It’s so hard to predict,” he said. ing out and trying to get the infor- people fearful for their safety to in-stock rugs from 2’x3’ to 12’x15’!
The joint statement from the mation as quickly as people have it, participate in the primary.
chief elections officials in the four but we understand that everyone “The ballots were at the door of
states voting Tuesday came amid is responding in real time to this the warehouse,” he said in an inter-
worries that fears about the coro- situation.” view Friday evening. “My job is to 8x11 RUGS
navirus would keep people from Under guidance from state and help voters vote. Especially in a
showing up at the polls. local health departments, election time of a global pandemic, it’s un- SALE $299
The statement noted that voting officials around the country took fortunate that politics intervened.”
involves “people from a nearby action this week to increase their Taking a different approach,
community coming into and out of personnel and lower health risks, Louisiana announced that the best Sizes approximate. Original $599
the building for a short duration,” often by moving hundreds of poll- way to protect public health —
Our Kashbah collection ofrugsoffersa
as opposed to the kinds of large ing places out of nursing homes including the health of its elderly
gatherings that are now banned in and stockpiling supplies to disin- poll workers — was to use a special timelessdesignthatisavailablein
many jurisdictions. fect voting equipment. emergency provision in state law variouscolor combinations.These rugs
Ohio Secretary of State Frank In DuPage County, officials an- to delay its primaries until the
feel luxuriously soft underfoot,but have
LaRose said it came about after nounced Friday that volunteers summer.
been wovendenselyfor durability.A
trulyperfectrug at an unbeatablevalue!
RNC agrees to stop using the word
5'3"X 7'6" SALE $179
6'7"X 9'6" SALE $269
‘census’ in mailers, online advertising
8' X11' SALE $299
10' X13' SALE $579
BY TARA BAHRAMPOUR sending out such mailers, refer- census material.
ring to a law passed after similar The RNC letter was dated the
The Republican National Com- material was sent out around the same day Maloney and Rep. Anna
mittee said Thursday that it would 2010 census. G. Eshoo (D-Calif.) introduced
stop using the word “census” on “The RNC should not invoke two bills prohibiting deceptive
mail solicitations and digital ad- the official U.S. Census as a means census mailings.
vertising, a practice Democratic to confuse and deceive recipients Postcards from the Census Bu-
lawmakers have called deceptive, of the mailer into opening it, reau were sent to all households in
especially during a decennial cen- thinking they are complying with the country this week, inviting
sus year. their civic duty,” the letter said. recipients to respond to the de-
In a letter dated March 12, the Oversight committee members cennial census online, by phone or
RNC’s chief counsel, J. Justin Rie- had previously pressed Census by mail. Data from the 2020 Cen-
mer, denied that the use of the Bureau Director Steven Dilling- sus will determine $1.5 trillion
term “census” was unlawful or ham to investigate the RNC mail- annually in federal funding, along
misleading but agreed not to con- ers. with congressional apportion-
tinue using it. Maloney’s letter also referred to ment and redistricting.
“The clear and conspicuous dis- Trump campaign ads posted on “I’m pleased the Republican
claimer plainly indicates that the Facebook that mimicked the cen- Party agreed to stop producing
mailing is ‘Paid for by the Republi- sus; Facebook removed the ads and distributing fake Census com-
can National Committee,’ (and) after an outcry, saying they violat- munications that could harm the
includes all other language re- ed their policy against misleading accuracy of the 2020 Census,” Ma-
quired by law.” census references. Facebook had loney said Friday. “I hope the RNC
However, it said the RNC would vowed in December to remove will follow through with its com-
“use words other than ‘census’ in content that misleads people mitment and take all the neces-
future RNC mailings and digital about the U.S. census; the Census sary steps to avoid further inter-
advertising.” Bureau is also working with ference with the census.”
The RNC has sent out surveys Google and Twitter to block false [email protected]
or solicitations with the word
“census” in the title since at least
2014. One dated Feb. 12, 2020, and SALE$299 Our Eternityrug collectionofferschicdesigns SALE$899 Our Peshawar collection is handknotted
titled “Official 2020 Congressio- available in fashionablecolorcombinations in 100% woolwithan ultra-softfeel and
nal District Census,” asked recipi- Size 5’x7’6" Reg.$599 including grey-taupe,rust-orange,and blue-grey. Size 5’x8’ Reg.$1799 a rich,silkysheen. An instantheirloom.
ePnretss idtoe nwt eTigruhm inp ’so nim ipsseuaecsh mfreonmt OpTenh uSrusn-S-aWt e1d0 -190-8 TwinRberdo oLkin Set’sa tion 2'X3'6" SALE$79 6'7" X9'6" SALE$499 4'X6' SALE$499 8'X10' SALE$1799
to the role of the media to adding a secondstorybooks.com [phone] 2'6"X8' SALE$159 8'X11' SALE$659 6'X9' SALE$1199 9'X12' SALE$2399
citizenship question to the census. 50% 4'X5'3" SALE$179 9'2" X12'6" SALE$999 2'6" X20' SALE$1499 10'X14' SALE$2999
In a letter last week to RNC OFF ALL BOOKS Visit our18,000 sq.ft.rug showroom with over 2,000 rugs
Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, in-stock year round.It’s the area’s largest all-rug showroom!
House Oversight and Reform Only at 12160 Parklawn Dr, Rockville, Md
Committee Chairwoman Carolyn 5928 Leesburg Pike,Falls Church,VA 22041
B. Maloney (D-N.Y.) and three oth- March 28th Appraisal Day Canceled 703-931-0900 www.BakersfieldRugs.com
er Democratic lawmakers called Hours: Mon-Fri:10am-7pm Sat:10am-7pm Sun:12pm-6pm www.BakersfieldRugs.com
upon the organization to stop
A4 EZ RE THE WASHINGTON POST .SATURDAy, MARCH 14, 2020
The World
CARL COURT/GETTY IMAGES
Flowers and tributes are left in Christchurch, New Zealand, on March 19, 2019, after the massacre of worshipers at two mosques. The incident was the worst mass shooting in New Zealand’s history.
Inquiry into New Zealand
BY EMANUEL STOAKES bringing the probe into disrepute. the inquiry process may not be as
“This level of suppression of open to challenge as it should be,
CHRISTCHURCH, New ZealaNd evidence and correspondence ap- she said. “The suppressions and
— A year after a gunman slaugh- pears unprecedented,” he wrote. the limited terms of reference
attacks shrouded in secrecy
tered 51 worshipers at two New He declined to comment for this mean that we can’t access any
Zealand mosques, the nation’s article. testimony and challenge it, or say
quest for answers about how the A spokeswoman for the com- whether or not it fits with our
killer was able to carry out the mission said investigators had experience. There is definitely a
A year after mosque massacres, suppression orders mask evidence in case
attacks is unfolding largely in “conducted a private process for power imbalance here, but that’s
secret, fueling concerns among good reasons, including needing not the fault of the commission —
some experts and in the Muslim make public. With Tarrant’s hear- ful to avoid publicly saying things not a whitewash, a watered-down to protect [Tarrant’s] fair trial it’s on the government.”
community. ing approaching, authorities say that would suggest that Brenton overview that does not attribute rights, national security and al- A spokesman for New Zea-
The March 15 massacre in they need to prevent public dis- Tarrant is guilty,” said Graeme Ed- specific blame at the systemic, lowing people to come forward land’s intelligence agencies said
Christchurch prompted a top-lev- closure of details that could jeop- geler, a Wellington-based lawyer institutional or individual levels,” and provide evidence freely.” the commission’s scrutiny was
el inquiry, known as a royal com- ardize a fair trial or the prospect and legal commentator. said Paul Buchanan, an Auck- The inquiry, led by a senior vital for the victims’ families and
mission, and sweeping change in of a conviction. Suppression orders cover evi- land-based consultant and com- judge and former diplomat, was for maintaining public confi-
New Zealand’s security landscape “The general approach is that dence given to the inquiry by New mentator on security affairs who “working on the assumption that dence in intelligence work. “We
through an expansion of surveil- criminal charges should be tried in Zealand’s police, intelligence and has worked with U.S. national after the report has been made must learn from this tragedy, and
lance, the banning of assault court, not in the media, and New other state agencies, leading to security agencies. public, evidence and information we will,” he said, adding that
weapons and a government gun Zealand doesn’t have U.S.-style worries this balancing act pro- In a letter to the inquiry last gathered will be made public un- intelligence officials were cooper-
buyback. questioning of jurors in high-pro- vides scope for officials to conceal year, New Zealand’s former race less it is subject to issues of priva- ating with the process despite
The attacks revealed a “cata- file cases, instead limiting what missteps. relations commissioner, Joris de cy, confidentiality, natural justice being restricted in what they
strophic failure of security intelli- information can be made public. “There is a distinct possibility Bres, criticized the secrecy provi- or national security,” she said. could say publicly.
gence” akin to “our version of The royal commission will be care- that the inquiry report will be, if sions and warned that they risked The offices of Ardern and Jus- Police, too, said they had been
September 11,” said Alexander tice Minister Andrew Little did working closely with the commis-
Gillespie, a law professor at Wai- not respond to requests for com- sion.
kato University. As a result, he ment. Little has said that in the Without a U.S.-style constitu-
said, security agencies will face months before the massacre, offi- tional guarantee of free speech,
questions during the inquiry that cials had been discussing closer constraints on reporting in New
“will go to the heart of a lot of monitoring of far-right extrem- Zealand can be wider than would
their processes, to which secrecy ism. be allowed under U.S. law, said
will be justified in some parts.” There is frustration in the Mus- Andrew Geddis, a professor of
Yet with much of the inquiry’s lim community over alleged fail- law at the University of Otago.
deliberations shielded from pub- ures by the authorities in the Despite the secrecy, Abdul
lic view, New Zealanders lack firm lead-up to the mosque slaughter. Aziz, a survivor of the attacks,
answers about whether state A submission to the inquiry by said he had faith in the process.
agencies missed warning signs or the Islamic Women’s Council of “I’m sure the government are
failed to investigate tips about New Zealand contends that if doing their best; not everything
accused gunman Brenton Tar- officials had acted more rigorous- can be made public yet,” he said.
rant. It is still unknown whether ly in response to Muslims’ calls “Once the [Tarrant] case is fin-
the Australian national, who fac- for protection from elements ished, I expect the government
es trial in June on murder and threatening their community, the will lift restrictions.”
terror charges, had help or en- gunman would likely “never have Security remains a live issue
couragement in planning his al- got to the door of the mosques.” for New Zealand’s Muslim com-
leged attacks or had links with Aliya Danzeisen, a council munity. This month, a man was
violent white-supremacist net- member who sits on the Muslim arrested in connection with an
works. reference group to the inquiry, alleged threat against one of the
The inquiry’s recommenda- has said that just a day before the mosques attacked in
tions are due next month, and attacks in Christchurch, she Christchurch.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s signed a police statement con- “I’m over apologies from the
center-left government — which cerning a threat against her com- government,” Danzeisen said. “I
faces elections in September — CARL COURT/GETTY IMAGES munity. want to see change.”
will determine how much to Posters erected in the aftermath of the attack are seen in Christchurch on March 21 last year. But the secrecy has meant that [email protected]
DIGEST
EUROPEAN UNION Luxembourg and Portugal have houses collapsed on them. was caused by a series of errors Kosovo not ready to lift tariff on against Kosovo’s recognition as a
5 countries to take in offered to take them in, and Since the rains hit late and not political corruption. Serbian, Bosnian goods: Kosovo country.
Johansson said that at least two Wednesday and early Thursday, Northern Ireland’s Catholic- will not lift its 100 percent tariff
1,600 migrant children other countries expressed an social media has been inundated Protestant power-sharing on goods from Serbia and Bosnia South African police arrest
interest in getting involved with images and video showing administration collapsed in any time soon because the traditional king for ax attack: A
A group of European Union during a meeting Friday of E.U. flooded roads and villages as well January 2017 because of coalition government could not controversial king of South
countries has agreed to take in at interior ministers. as water-filled apartments in wrangling between the political agree on whether the taxes Africa’s AbaThembu, the
least 1,600 migrant children in — Associated Press some of Cairo’s richest parties over the Renewable Heat should be phased out or traditional clan of founding
Greece traveling without their neighborhoods. Incentive, a program that abolished at once, the country’s president Nelson Mandela, was
parents, with the first EGYPT Chaos always accompanies rewarded business and farmers prime minister said Friday. arrested after allegedly attacking
unaccompanied minors likely to bad weather in Egypt, raising for using environmentally Prime Minister Albin Kurti said family members with an ax at
Toll at 21 as storms,
find homes in Luxembourg as questions about the country’s friendly fuel. Flaws in the his left-wing Self-Determination their royal homestead. South
soon as next week, E.U. Home flooding enter 2nd day poor infrastructure and scheme meant subsidies for the Movement, or Vetevendosje, African police confirmed Friday
Affairs Commissioner Ylva dilapidated sewage and drainage wood-pellet fuel were higher wanted to lift the tariff in phases, that King Buyelekhaya
Johansson said Friday. Thunderstorms and flooding systems. than their cost, making it starting Sunday with raw Dalindyebo has been charged
There are more than 42,000 around Egypt entered a second — Associated Press profitable to heat empty materials imported from Serbia, with malicious damage to
migrants living in crowded day Friday, interrupting daily life buildings to earn more money. as a goodwill gesture. The party’s property and assault by threats.
camps in the Greek islands, in much of the country, including Corruption didn’t cause Retired judge Patrick Coghlin, main governing partner, the He allegedly attacked his son
including about 5,500 the capital Cairo, as the death Northern Ireland eco-scandal, who led the inquiry, said Democratic League of Kosovo, or Azenathi, who had been acting
unaccompanied minors. toll rose to 21, authorities said. judge finds: A public inquiry “corrupt or malicious activity” LDK, wants the import taxes on his behalf while he was in
According to the police agency Most of the victims were in concluded Friday into whether a was not responsible for the dropped completely. Kurti wants prison for assaulting some
Europol, about 10 percent are rural areas and slums. At least green-energy scandal that design flaws that saw applicants abolishment of the tariffs made members of his clan and setting
younger than 14. six children died either from triggered the breakdown of “perversely incentivized” to burn conditional on Serbia stopping their homes alight.
Finland, France, Germany, electrocution or when their Northern Ireland’s government excess heat to turn a profit. an international campaign — From news services
SATURDAy, MARCH 14, 2020 . THE WASHINGTON POST eZ re A5
U.S. defends
attacks that Iraq
calls ‘treacherous’
But in Iraq, the strikes were met
American targeting of with condemnation and risked in-
tensifying the pressure on U.S.-led
militiamen killed Iraqi coalition troops to leave the coun-
forces, Baghdad says try. The Iraqi military described
the action as “treacherous,” and
Iraqi President Barham Salih de-
scribed it as a “violation of nation-
BY L OUISA LOVELUCK, al sovereignty.”
DAN LAMOTHE Leading military and political
AND MUSTAFA SALIM figures said three soldiers and two
policemen were killed in the at-
london —
The United States and tacks, along with a civilian who
Iraq on Friday wrangled over the was working in an airport that was
impact of airstrikes carried out to under construction. In a state-
avenge the deaths of coalition sol- ment early Friday, another Iran-
diers this week, with a top U.S. aligned militia said that further
general saying the munitions hit strikes could prompt retaliation
military targets while officials in involving an “eye for an eye.”
Baghdad insisted that Iraqi troops It was unclear whether any mi-
and a civilian were among the litiamen were killed in the air-
dead. strikes, although McKenzie said
The U.S. military said it had he expected fatalities.
launched “defensive precision Tensions between the United
strikes” early Friday morning States and Iran have soared in the
against targets linked to the Iran- years since President Trump with- AlAA Al-MArjAnI/reuters
backed group Kataib Hezbollah, drew from a landmark nuclear Members of the Iraqi security forces in the city of Karbala inspect damage at a civilian airport that was hit in a U.S. airstrike. The strike
calling them a proportional re- deal involving the two nations, was targeting militia forces in retaliation for a rocket attack that killed two American soldiers and a member of the British military.
sponse to a rocket attack that and Iraq has emerged as one of
killed one British and two Ameri- their most volatile proxy battle- ately. The locations were “clearly within the state apparatus. tration. The death of a U.S. con- They were Army Spec. Juan
can service members Wednesday. grounds. terrorist bases,” McKenzie added, The militias often help enforce tractor in a rocket attack late last Miguel Mendez Covarrubias, 27, of
Marine Gen. Kenneth “Frank” Authorities in charge of Karba- and if Iraqi military forces were Tehran’s interests, staging attacks year set in motion escalating tit- Hanford, Calif., and Air Force Staff
McKenzie Jr., the chief of U.S. Cen- la International Airport said that there, “it’s probably not a good against a protest movement that is for-tat strikes that brought Wash- Sgt. Marshal D. Roberts, 28, of
tral Command, said the strikes one of their facilities had been hit idea to position yourself with critical of them or against the U.S. ington and Tehran to the brink of Owasso, Okla. Mendez Covarrubi-
were carried out by manned air- and that a civilian working there Kataib Hezbollah in the wake of a forces that Iran wants to expel. But war after Trump ordered the kill- as was a member of the 1st Cavalry
craft and hit five weapon storage had been killed. At his briefing strike that killed Americans and security experts say Iran’s overall ing of renowned Iranian military Division’s 1st Air Cavalry Brigade
facilities believed to be used by Friday, McKenzie acknowledged coalition members.” control of these militias remains commander, Maj. Gen. Qasem So- at Fort Hood, Tex., and Roberts
Kataib Hezbollah south and west that one of the strike sites was at a The strikes risk compounding unclear. leimani. Iran hit back with a wave was a member of the Oklahoma
of Baghdad. civilian airport. tensions between the U.S.-led co- In the briefing Friday, McKen- of ballistic missiles that injured Air National Guard’s 219th Engi-
“We assessed that each location The facility has been under con- alition and an array of political zie insisted that the Karbala air- more than 100 U.S. soldiers. neering Installation Squadron.
stored weapons that would enable struction since 2017. Iraqi state and armed forces that want West- port site had been used to store Tensions have ebbed since Jan- The British government identi-
lethal operations against U.S. and television channels showed a di- ern forces to leave Iraq. Kataib weapons. uary, but U.S. and European offi- fied its fatality as Lance Cpl. Bro-
coalition forces in Iraq,” he said. lapidated building with windows Hezbollah has threatened Iraqis “It may have been on the air- cials say Iran-backed militias have die Gillon, 26, a reservist and com-
“We also assessed that the destruc- blown out. Peeling off above the working with the U.S.-led coali- field. I can’t tell you what else was continued to launch rockets at bat medical technician deployed
tion of these sites will degrade door was blue lettering that read tion and told them to distance in there, but I know it was being Iraqi military bases hosting coali- with the Irish Guards.
Kataib Hezbollah’s ability to con- “Karbala International Airport” themselves before March 15 or used for purposes of targeting us. tion troops and on the U.S. Embas- [email protected]
duct future strikes.” and “Site Offices.” face attack. That’s the reason we struck it,” he sy in Baghdad. [email protected]
McKenzie said the U.S. military U.S. officials are still assessing Iran backs a handful of power- said. On Friday morning, the Penta- [email protected]
was “very comfortable with the the target sites, McKenzie said, in ful militias in Iraq, including Trump has made it clear that gon released the identities of the
level of damage that we were able part because bad weather had Kataib Hezbollah, and representa- the death of American personnel U.S. troops killed in the rocket lamothe reported from Washington;
to achieve” at those sites. made it difficult to do so immedi- tives of each group hold positions in Iraq is a red line for his adminis- attack Wednesday on Camp Taji. salim reported from Baghdad.
Coronavirus outbreak prompts
a potential political thaw in Israel
BY STEVE HENDRIX begin consulting with parliamen- ly Haaretz and author of a recent
tary parties Sunday, the next step biography of Netanyahu. “It’s a
jerusalem — Israel’s political to naming Gantz or Netanyahu as whole flock of black swans.”
gridlock has been unbreakable the person allowed a first chance Previous attempts to form a
through three brutal elections, at assembling a governing coali- unity government — a power-
endless grandstanding and tion. sharing agreement in which rival
countless back-channel negotia- There is no guarantee the coro- parties agree to divvy up the
tions. Now, the novel coronavirus navirus-inspired talk will actually cabinet ministries among them —
could finally give the country its lead to Israel’s first functioning faltered after the most recent
first government in more than a government since the Knesset, election. Rivlin tried to broker
year. the parliament, was dissolved in such a deal between Netanyahu’s
As the virus outbreak — and late 2018. Observers say the Likud party and Gantz’s Blue and
Israel’s response to it — swelled moves are as much about politics White, but they could not agree
frighteningly in recent days, the as public health: Netanyahu, on which leader would get to hold
warring factions have softened whose trial on corruption charges the top job first.
their rhetoric and embraced, ten- is slated to begin next week, is Netanyahu would like to hold
tatively, the possibility of coming eager to remain in power; Gantz on to office not only to extend his
together in an emergency coali- may have little choice but to already record-breaking 13 years
tion. acquiesce in a moment of nation- of rule. He reportedly sees re-
At the end of a televised ad- al emergency. maining in power as a way to fend
dress Thursday in which he an- Already, however, the sides are off his looming prosecution, ei-
nounced the closing of all Israeli bickering about the role Arab ther by having the trial delayed or oDeD BAlIltY/AssoCIAteD Press
schools, Prime Minister Benja- Israeli Knesset members might securing formal immunity. The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Petah Tikva last weekend. After another inconclusive
min Netanyahu extended an offer play in the arrangement; Gantz prime minister faces multiple election, he and rival Benny Gantz are weighing an emergency coalition to address the coronavirus.
of partnership to his opponent, seemed to insist they participate, counts of bribery, fraud and
Benny Gantz. while Likud politicians have breach of trust stemming from government with outside support all international arrivals to self- dent of the Shoresh Institution
“It will be an emergency gov- called them “terrorists in suits.” his relationship with wealthy from the group of Arab Israeli quarantine, shuttering schools for Socioeconomic Research at
ernment for a limited time, and But there is no doubt the roar- supporters. politicians, which won 15 seats for six weeks — and the political Tel Aviv University.
together we will fight to save the ing emergence of the pandemic, Since the March 2 election running as the Joint List. That tone grew more sober. Politically, the change of sub-
lives of tens of thousands of citi- which has closed Israel’s schools failed again to give either side a prospect seemed to collapse Israel has reported at least 150 ject may have helped Netanyahu,
zens,” Netanyahu said. and all but sealed its borders, has majority, the rancor between the when a member of one of his cases of the infection and no who has smoothly shifted from
Gantz, in a statement, respond- upended the political dynamic as two politicians has grown even partner left-wing parties refused deaths. But officials fear for an brawling politician to soothing
ed in kind. “Given the circum- nothing else has during months uglier. Gantz, a former Israeli to participate with Arab support, already overtaxed national health crisis manager.
stances, we are willing to discuss of stalemate. Covid-19 may not army chief of staff, dug in on his leading to speculation that she system. Some Israeli hospitals, “This is moment he’s been
the possibility of establishing a heal the country’s stark political pledge to never serve in a coali- had cut a deal for a role in a which have the highest occupan- waiting for all his life, to be
broad national emergency gov- divisions, but it might prove to be tion with Netanyahu. Netanyahu Netanyahu government. cy rate of any developed country, Israel’s Churchill,” Pfeffer said.
ernment,” he said. the kind of bolt from the blue railed that Gantz was trying to But as the familiar carousel of were already known to park pa- Whatever the motivations in
By the end of the day, the needed to break the logjam. steal the election by pushing for a recrimination, betrayal and false tients in corridors when beds run finally forming a government,
adversaries had talked by phone “None of us could have in any law blocking an indicted prime starts turned and turned, corona- short. plenty of Israelis, dreading the
and consulted with Israeli Presi- way predicted this coronavirus minister from forming a govern- virus headlines began to domi- “The degrees of freedom that prospect of yet a fourth election,
dent Reuven Rivlin, according to thing changing circumstance like ment. nate. Officials layered on restric- Israel has to deal with a deadly may celebrate if a natural disaster
a statement from Gantz’s office. this,” said Anshel Pfeffer, a colum- It briefly looked as if Gantz was tions — sending tens of thou- infectious disease are extremely helps to end the political one.
The president is scheduled to nist for the English-language dai- in reach of forming a minority sands into quarantine, requiring low,” said Dan Ben-David, presi- [email protected]
She had a loud, nonstop
crunching noise in her head…
Read “Medical Mysteries,” Tuesdays in Health & Science.
wapo.st/medicalmysteries
4
x
6
7-
3
1
0
S
A6 EZ RE THE WASHINGTON POST .SATURDAy, MARCH 14, 2020
Economy & Business
○ DOW 23,185.62 ○ NASDAQ 7,874.88 ○ S&P 500 2,711.02 ○ GOLD $1,516.70 ○ CRUDE OIL $31.73 ○ 10-YEAR TREASURY CURRENCIES
DOWN $15.40 PER $1,000, 0.97%
UP 1,985.00, 9.4% UP 673.07, 9.4% UP 230.38, 9.3% DOWN $73.60, 4.6% UP $0.23, 0.7% $1= 108.04 YEN, 0.90 EUROS
YIELD
BY WILL ENGLUND government’s Strategic Petro- U.S. oil producers That suggests a loss of jobs and as Intermediate Crude was just
leum Reserve, in a bid to prop up income for all the companies that below $33 as the workday drew to
American oil producers are prices and confidence. But it’s rely on oil production — from a close Friday.)
slashing their budgets for new unlikely to change the trajectory slash spending suppliers to field servicers to It’s an altogether different pic-
operations for the rest of this of a week’s worth of furious calcu- truckers to railroads to trailer ture for Pennsylvania natural gas
year, which means far fewer new lations by executives and analysts camp operators to diners — that producers: Fewer oil wells in
rigs, a painful downturn for doz- as they look at the year ahead. could extend onward for months North Dakota and Texas mean
ens of oil field services companies It was only last week that the to come. less “associated gas,” which is
Companies brace for layoffs and loss of income
and the certainty of layoffs, from Saudis announced they would About 90,000 workers depend extracted along with the petro-
Texas to North Dakota. raise their output by several hun- on the oil business in North Dako- leum. That could dent the natural
Worldwide, the coronavirus dred thousand barrels a day, io, the firm said, there could be a Oasis and Ovintiv. ta, said Ron Ness, head of the gas glut and prop up prices for the
pandemic has kneecapped the sending the price crashing for 950,000 barrel-a-day decrease in But the slowdown in oil pro- North Dakota Petroleum Council; Pennsylvania shale companies.
petroleum business, sparking a most of this week before showing global demand. By Friday, Gold- duction will significantly lag the 35,000 directly and 55,000 in Anne Swedberg Robba, an ana-
price war that the Saudis signs of life Friday. man Sachs was predicting that, in downturn in demand. The rigs indirectly wouldn’t exist without lyst with S&P Global Platts, wrote
launched last weekend against U.S. oil producers — slow to any scenario, the falloff in Ameri- that are operating will generally the industry. in an email that if oil remains at
the Russians, each side promising move when the Saudis launched can production alone would be a keep pumping. The Goldman “Commodity markets have $30 a barrel, the slowdown in
to pump more oil even as the an earlier price war five years ago, million barrels. Sachs study suggests that the their ups and downs,” he said production that would follow
virus causes demand to tumble. uncertain of the Saudi commit- In between those predictions, a biggest declines in production with a sigh. “You’ve got to be an could mean an opportunity for
U.S. companies are directly in the ment — showed no such hesita- Goldman Sachs study released will occur at the end of this year optimist.” Pennsylvania operators. To fill the
line of fire of what Goldman tion this week. Friday showed, American firms and the beginning of next, pri- If the price of oil doesn’t get gap in natural gas, they might be
Sachs analysts call “a swift and On Monday, Claudio Galimber- moved to cut capital spending by marily in the Bakken region of the back above $35, which it passed able to increase production by as
violent rebalancing.” ti, an analyst with S&P Global 30 percent. Leading the way were Northern Plains and in the Eagle heading downward this week, he much as four or five percentage
President Trump on Friday an- Platts, predicted that “March and such companies as Occidental Ford fields of South Texas. And said, “we would see significant points. Gas futures, in fact, are up
nounced a plan to buy 90 million April demand would be brutally Petroleum, Apache Corp., Mara- they are expected to continue on impacts. It’s a very serious matter this week.
barrels of oil to be stored in the curtailed.” In a worst-case scenar- thon Oil, Continental Resources, into the second half of 2021. to us.” (The benchmark West Tex- [email protected]
U.S. markets surge to end a frantic, angst-filled week
Emergency declaration
lifts stocks nearly 10%
after two days of dread
BY THOMAS HEATH
AND TAYLOR TELFORD
Stocks surged Friday to end a
tumultuous week marked by
some of the biggest extremes in
trading history. Heading into the
weekend, most investors are
stranded deeply in the red for
2020 and trying to sort through
the economic unknowns of the
coronavirus.
The Dow Jones industrial aver-
age shot to its biggest point gain
ever. The blue chips closed the
day up 1,985.00 points, or 9.4 per-
cent, at 23,185.62. The Standard &
Poor’s 500-stock index jumped
9.3 percent and the Nasdaq was
up 9.4 percent on the day. It was
Wall Street’s biggest rally since
2008.
The gains arrived after two
days of misery, with the Dow
losing 1,464 points on Wednesday
and 2,352 on Thursday, its worst
day since the 1987 crash. The
sell-off came despite central
banks around the world moving
to shore up the economy against
the novel coronavirus fallout,
which has battered global mar-
kets for weeks.
Investors ended the week flat-
tened, with no end to the turmoil
in sight. A month ago, the 11-year
bull market was still reigning and
the Dow, S&P and Nasdaq were
resting on their record highs. But
then the coronavirus struck, and
within a few weeks, the bull mar-
ket was over and all three indexes
were down 20 percent. ANDREW KELLY/REUTERS
The S&P lost 8.8 percent on the Shoppers had plenty of room at Saks Fifth Avenue in Manhattan on Friday. Even with big gains Friday, major market indexes still ended the week with severe losses.
week and is down 19.9 percent in
the 17 days since its all-time high. play all week, caused by investor
The Dow lost 10.4 percent this anxiousness over the coronavi- the stock market gains since ing, which was just demand.” out the United States and upend- starting April 1. Even Mickey
week and is 21 percent off its rus. Even before the trading bell Trump’s election in November Asian markets were gutted Fri- ed daily life for the foreseeable Mouse was sidelined, with Disney
all-time high, according to S&P rang, S&P 500 futures had spiked 2016. At its Feb. 12 peak, the Dow day, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 shed- future. closing theme parks through the
Dow Jones Indices. For 2020, the 5 percent, triggering the New had climbed more than 61 per- ding more than 6 percent and Many states have shuttered end of this month.
Dow is down 18 percent, the S&P York Stock Exchange’s “limit up” cent; by Thursday’s close, that Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index public schools, leaving parents to “At this point, almost everyone
is down 16 percent, and the tech- brake designed to temper exces- number had been shaved to closing down about 1.1 percent. find child care or miss work. The in the country who is paying
heavy Nasdaq is 12 percent in the sive optimism and ensure orderly roughly 11 percent. That number But European markets shared in NCAA canceled its March Mad- attention knows about the prob-
hole. trading at the open. improved Friday but is far off the the rebound after one of their ness championship basketball lem, knows about the risks, and
“Investors don’t know what to Emergency action by the Fed- high of a month ago. worst days in history, boosted by tournaments, its premier annual knows in some detail about what
do,” David Donabedian, chief in- eral Reserve to free up $1.5 tril- Some analysts argue that a intervention plans from the Euro- showcases, disappointing mil- to do to mitigate those risks. We
vestment officer with CIBC Pri- lion to smooth operations of the recession is already underway pean Central Bank. The bench- lions of fans. Major League Base- are at maximum public aware-
vate Wealth Management, wrote massive U.S. Treasury market and and that the market swoon has mark Stoxx 600 index finished ball and the National Hockey ness — and probably at least close
in commentary Friday. “People an Oval Office speech from Presi- further — some say much further Friday up 1 percent, a big rebound League placed their seasons in to maximum public fear,” Brad
are casting about so the period of dent Trump outlining the begin- — to go. from its 11 percent loss Thursday. limbo joining the National Bas- McMillan, chief investment offi-
extraordinary volatility is proba- ning of the White House’s re- “The coronavirus likely tips us Earlier this week, the World ketball Association, which acted cer at Commonwealth Financial
bly not over. Until we see more sponse to the U.S. outbreak sent into a recession because we were Health Organization designated one day earlier. Network, wrote in commentary
calm in the market, and better investors into panic Wednesday, hit with a one-two punch from the the coronavirus a global pandem- Musicians are postponing Friday. “Given this maximum
news on the path of COVID-19, a resulting in a 10 percent decline virus,” said Dan Niles of Alpha- ic. The virus has sickened more tours or canceling them. Public awareness, I would suggest we
sustained recovery in markets is for the Dow and the week’s sec- One Capital Partners, a San Fran- than 135,000 worldwide and tours of the White House have may also be close to maximum
unlikely.” ond forced halt to trading. cisco hedge fund. “It is both de- killed over 5,000. And after been canceled and the U.S. Capi- economic and market impact.”
Friday’s chaos was in line with Wall Street’s meltdown over mand and supply destruction, un- months of edging closer, the coro- tol and congressional office build- [email protected]
the hyperactive trading on dis- the past month has erased most of like 9/11 or the tech bubble burst- navirus has taken root through- ings will be off limits to tourists [email protected]
DIGEST
ECONOMY contagious virus is seen by in January. been waging a bitter battle with Icahn bought about 88.6 Xerox Holdings said it will pause
financial markets as the catalyst In the 12 months through Occidental’s board over its million shares for $2.21 billion, its pursuit of HP Inc. amid a
U.S. import prices
that will derail the longest February, import prices declined $38 billion acquisition of raising his stake in Occidental to global sell-off in the markets after
declined in February economic expansion on record, 1.2 percent after rising 0.3 Anadarko Petroleum, calling it a nearly 10 percent from 2.53 the outbreak of the coronavirus.
now in its 11th year. percent in January. misplaced bet based on percent at the end of last year, an “Xerox needs to prioritize the
U.S. import prices fell by the “Lower oil prices weighed on — Reuters expectations of higher oil prices. SEC filing on Thursday showed. health and safety of its
most in six months in February as U.S. import prices in February but Icahn has also repeatedly — Reuters employees, customers, partners
the cost of petroleum products it will be an even larger weight in ENERGY called upon Occidental to disclose and affiliates over and above all
dropped, and economists said March,” said Ryan Sweet, a senior if it had received any takeover ALSO IN BUSINESS other considerations, including
Occidental aims
they could decline further economist at Moody’s Analytics offers while looking to buy SoftBank Group plans to spend its proposal to acquire HP,” Xerox
because of the coronavirus in West Chester, Pa. “The drop in to counter Icahn Anadarko, and said on Thursday up to $4.8 billion buying back as CEO John Visentin said in a
pandemic and an oil price war energy prices should prompt the he expects strong bids to emerge much as 7 percent of its shares, statement Friday. Norwalk,
between Saudi Arabia and Russia. Fed to be even more aggressive at Occidental Petroleum said on once U.S. crude prices recover in taking a step advocated by Conn.-based Xerox intends to
The import price deflation and its March meeting.” Friday it will implement a “poison the near-to-medium term. activist investor Elliott restart its pursuit of HP when
the novel coronavirus are The Labor Department said on pill” that aims to stop investors Occidental said on Friday it Management to boost markets stabilize, according to a
expected to subdue inflation in Friday import prices slipped 0.5 from amassing more than 15 will issue one right for each share stockholder value. The person familiar with the matter,
the months ahead, which percent last month after an percent in the oil producer, a day outstanding at the close of March repurchases will run from March who spoke on the condition of
economists say could embolden upwardly revised 0.1 percent gain after activist investor Carl Icahn 23 and that right will be 16 through March 15, 2021, and anonymity because the matter
the Federal Reserve to in January. Import prices, which disclosed a nearly 10 percent exercisable if a person or group the shares will be retired, the isn’t public.
aggressively cut interest rates exclude tariffs, were previously stake. acquires at least 15 percent of the company said Friday. — From news services
again next week. The highly reported to have been unchanged The billionaire investor has company’s shares.
SATURDAy, MARCH 14, 2020 . THE WASHINGTON POST eZ re A7
The coronavirus outbreak
Small firms hit
especially hard by
social distancing
consulting firm. “Small and medi-
Rise in remote work um-sized firms, these are the
firms that are most likely going to
hurts shops that rely on need temporary bridge financing
foot traffic, gatherings . . . to survive a sharp, albeit
transitory, decline in economic
activity.”
The Small Business Adminis-
BY JEANNE WHALEN tration has said it’s ready to pro-
vide low-interest loans of up to
The District is starting to shut $2 million to small firms hurt by
down over coronavirus, and the coronavirus outbreak. “These
small-business owners are wor- loans may be used to pay fixed
ried. debts, payroll, accounts payable
Coffee shops and lunch spots and other bills that can’t be paid
near the K Street corridor say because of the disaster’s impact,”
business is down by as much as the SBA said in a statement.
40 percent as office workers stay In a televised address Wednes-
home. Catering orders have evap- day night, President Trump called
orated as embassies and think on Congress to devote an addi-
tanks cancel events. Fewer cus- tional $50 billion to the SBA loan
tomers are dropping off suits and program.
shirts at dry cleaners. Small businesses employing
Raj Kapoor, owner of the Ital- fewer than 500 people contribut-
ian Gourmet Deli on L Street, says ed about 44 percent of the coun-
the catering collapse means he’s try’s gross domestic product and
losing a third of his revenue. employed about 48 percent of the
“We are very worried about U.S. workforce in 2014, according MelInA MArA/tHe WAsHIngtOn POst
being in business next week,” to the SBA and U.S. Census Bu-
Kapoor said as an employee reau. Businesses with fewer than Small-business owner Raj tell my employees not to come to are “public-facing,” she said. But rants, they go to shows, the buses
wrapped a sub for one lonely 20 workers employed 18 percent Kapoor says he has lost all of work because I want them to be NFIB also has heard from other do rest stops, they are buying fuel
customer during the Thursday of American workers that year. his catering business and able to provide for their families,” businesses reporting impact, all along the road. Things wear out
lunch hour. Brusuelas estimated that the almost half of the walk-in said. “But I can’t have people across the country. on buses and you’ve got to buy
Public health officials are urg- disruption tied to social distanc- breakfast and lunch customers come in and do nothing,” he A plastics manufacturer in parts,” he said. “It’s going to have
ing Americans to help slow the ing will last eight to 10 weeks, at his restaurant, Italian added. In is considering asking Pennsylvania says a conference a real ripple effect on the econo-
spread of the novel coronavirus based on outbreaks in South Ko- Gourmet Deli, in downtown his landlord for a discount on his its employees were supposed to my.”
through social distancing, lead- rea and Italy. But no one knows Washington. rent. attend was canceled at the last After the Sept. 11, 2001, terror-
ing to isolation measures unseen for sure, and the uncertainty is At Peregrine Espresso on 14th minute, costing the company ist attacks, business dried up for
in recent times. Cultural and rattling entrepreneurs. Street, customer traffic is down money and work time. The owner about three weeks, and then
sporting events are being can- “The plan is changing by the by a third this week, said barista of a parking lot near an airport things rebounded, Bailey said.
celed across the country, univer- minute for us,” said Hugh Grant- Jennifer Henry. At Leon, a nor- said business is down. “With this one, there’s no end
sities are shutting down, and Chapman, a server at Mikko, a mally popular lunch spot near John Bailey, the owner of a date,” he said.
large office buildings are empty- Nordic restaurant in Dupont Cir- Farragut Square, the emptying charter-bus company employing David Wilcox, an economist at
ing out so staff can work from cle in Washington. People were out of nearby office buildings 50 people in York, Pa., said 50 the Peterson Institute for Inter-
home. Following the lead of sev- still coming in to dine this week, killed a promotional event Thurs- groups have canceled trips in the national Economics, said hourly
eral states, D.C. schools are set to but the catering business that day meant to introduce new past week, with more sure to workers at small businesses could
close Monday. contributes most of Mikko’s reve- menu items. follow suit in coming weeks as be in for considerable pain. Their
All of that separation is vital for nue has been “destroyed,” he said. “There were supposed to be 30 college sports, schools and uni- shifts and income may be cut, but
public health but terrible for So many events have been can- people here. We have two people,” versities shut down. He antici- they won’t technically be out of
business at all levels of the econo- celed at the last minute that the said marketing manager Carlen pates the disruption will cost his work and eligible for unemploy-
my — first and foremost for entre- kitchen is full of prepared food no Dickerson, motioning toward company hundreds of thousands ment benefits.
“We’re cutting back
preneurs who rely on foot traffic one wants, he said. “I just saw empty tables. “A lot of the offices of dollars. And without paid sick leave in
and social gatherings to make them throw away a whole thing of around here are remote now.” On a conference call with many parts of the country, some
ends meet. lentils,” he said. “We’re cutting hours for everyone. The Holly Wade, director of re- members of the Pennsylvania Bus employees will feel pressured to
“We’re about to conduct a back hours for everyone. The search at the National Federation Association on Friday, Bailey show up for work even if they feel
grand experiment in the United catering team has nothing to do.” catering team has of Independent Business, or heard plenty of other dire stories. unwell or have a loved one to care
States. We’re going to figure out A few doors down, Swift Dry NFIB, said the same scenes are A hotel owner said tour groups for.
exactly every task that’s part of Cleaners is “struggling,” said nothing to do.” playing out across the country. were canceling into mid-May. “It’s “It’s going to be a very tough
work that can be done remotely,” owner Daniel In. “If you’re not The problems are particularly not just the hotel room that gets experience for the bottom half of
said Joe Brusuelas, chief econo- working, you don’t need dry Hugh Grant-Chapman, server at acute in restaurants, catering canceled,” Bailey said in an inter- the job ladder,” Wilcox said.
mist at RSM, an auditing and cleaning,” he said. “I don’t want to Mikko in downtown Washington groups and any businesses that view. Tour groups “eat in restau- [email protected]
tHe MArKets
6 Monitor your investments at washingtonpost.com/markets Data and graphics by
DOW JONES NASDAQ COMPOSITE INDEX STANDARD & POOR'S
Close 29,560 Close 9,900 Close 3,390
'19 '19 '19
23,185.62 7,874.88 2,711.02
5D%Change 5D%Change 5D%Change
-10.4% -8.2% -8.8%
25,380 8,500 2,930
YTD%Change YTD%Change YTD%Change
-18.8% -12.2% -16.1%
21,200 7,200 2,480
M A M J J A S O N D J F M M A M J J A S O N D J F M M A M J J A S O N D J F M
DowJones30Industrials RATES S&P500IndustryGroupSnapshot
Company Close 5DCh%g ChYgT%D Company Close 5DCh%g ChYgT%D B4an.2kP5rim%e 330.-Y9rF4ixe%dmtge '19 1Yi0e-lydr:note IndustryGroup W%eeCkhlgy -64.4% Chg%1Yr +64.4%
3MCo 141.68 -7.8 -22.7 JPMorgan 103.91 -3.9 -28.7 0.97% Software -2.9
AmerExpCo 99.60 -8.0 -23.8 McDonald's 177.13 -10.9 -12.3 FederalFunds 15-YrFixedmtge Computers&Peripherals -4.7
AppleInc 277.97 -3.8 -7.3 Merck&Co 76.75 -6.6 -16.7 1.25% 3.18% 5-yrnote DiversFinancialSvcs -4.7
Boeing 170.20 -35.1 -49.2 Microsoft 158.83 -1.7 -2.2 Yield: AirFreight&Logistics -5.4
Caterpillr 99.64 -17.9 -34.9 NIKEInc 75.58 -14.5 -26.6 LIBOR3-Month 1-YrARM 0.71% Food&StaplesRetailing -5.7
0.74% 3.32%
Chevron 83.42 -12.5 -36.8 PfizerInc 32.71 -6.6 -18.5 EnergyEquipment&Svcs -34.0
CiscoSys 37.64 -5.1 -25.1 Prcter&Gmbl 114.07 -6.2 -11.2 2-yrnote LeisureEquipment&Prod -24.4
Coca-Cola 48.47 -12.3 -12.4 TravelersCosI 107.45 -13.9 -24.8 ConsumerRates Yield: Oil,Gas,ConsumableFuel -23.4
DowInc 25.69 -34.1 -55.0 UnitedTech 105.40 -16.7 -30.8 MoneyMarketNatl 5YrCDNatl 0.48% PowerProdct&EnrgyTrdr -22.7
0.44 1.15
ExxonMobil 38.12 -20.1 -47.8 UntdHlthGr 272.04 -4.2 -10.9 Metals&Mining -21.0
GldmanSchs 177.17 -8.1 -26.0 VerznComm 54.17 -4.7 -13.6 6MoCDNatl NewCarLoanNatl 6-monthbill
GainersandLosersfromtheS&P1500Index
HomeDepot 205.67 -10.0 -9.1 VisaInc 175.83 -4.6 -10.4 0.65 4.42 Yield:
5D% 5D%
IBM 107.95 -15.5 -22.3 Walgreens 46.19 -8.6 -25.1 1YrCDNatl HomeEquityLoanNatl 0.35% Company Close Chg Company Close Chg
IntelCorp 54.43 -2.4 -13.2 Walmart 114.10 -2.7 -8.1 0.91 6.26 GulfportEnergyCorp 2.74446.3 Valarisplc 0.82 -64.5
J&J 134.29 -5.4 -10.6 WaltDisney 102.52 -11.1 -31.8 DiamondOffshDrlng 3.76 82.5 CoreLaboratoriesNV 8.49 -64.4
CurrencyExchange EQTCorp 9.53 49.1 PennVirginiaCorp 4.10 -62.4
CypressSemiconductor 23.11 41.2 USSilicaInc 1.26 -61.6
COMMODITIES
EU€ Japan¥ Britain£ BrazilR$ Canada$ Mexico$
SouthwesternEnergyCo 1.77 35.1 NaborsIndustries 0.37 -61.5
Futures Close 5D%Chg Futures Close 5D%Chg 0.90 108.00 0.81 4.86 1.38 21.88
CNXResourcesCorp 6.72 30.7 ApacheCorp 8.07 -61.0
Copper 2.46 -3.8 Silver 14.50 -16.0
ExterranCorp 8.50 29.2 OceaneeringIntl 3.23 -60.5
CrudeOil 31.73 -23.1 Sugar 11.70 -10.1 INTERNATIONAL STOCK MARKETS
PDCEnergyInc 18.00 27.7 TivityHealthInc 4.36 -60.0
Gold 1516.70 -9.3 Soybean 8.49 -4.8
Markets YTD%Chg OraSureTechnologies 7.54 27.4 MatadorResourcesCo 2.64 -59.7
NaturalGas 1.87 9.4 Wheat 5.06 -1.9
Weekly EmergentBioSolutions 68.76 17.2 OilStatesIntl 2.42 -59.2
OrangeJuice 0.99 2.1 Corn 3.66 -2.7 Americas Close %Chg -28.6% +28.6% GameStopCorp 4.59 17.1 NorwegianCruiseLine 11.10 -59.0
BRAZILIBOVESPAINDEX 82677.90 -15.6 OasisPetroleumInc 1.00 16.3 HelixEnSolGrp 2.13 -59.0
$1000investedover1Year $1000investedover1Month S&P/TSXCOMPOSITEINDEX 13716.33 -15.2 CabotOil&GasCorp 18.37 12.2 TETRATechnologies 0.42 -58.4
S&P/BMVIPC 38085.05 -8.0 DigitalRealtyTrust 143.34 11.8 NewparkResources 1.25 -57.8
TitanInternational 1.86 11.4 ApergyCorp 6.66 -57.0
Exchange-Traded Europe -31.2% +31.2%
$515 $1149 CenteneCorp 63.57 8.6 Dave&Buster'sEnt 13.27 -54.8
(Ticker) 5D%Chg STXE600(EUR)Pr 299.16 -18.4
Coffee(COFF.L) -1.0 CAC40INDEX 4118.36 -19.9 RangeResourcesCorp 2.82 7.6 ChartIndustriesInc 24.04 -52.3
Copper(COPA.L) -3.1 DAXINDEX 9232.08 -20.0 FTIConsultingInc 120.40 6.9 MurphyOilCorp 7.60 -52.1
Corn(CORN.L) -2.5 FTSE100INDEX 5366.11 -17.0 RRDonnelley&SonsCo 1.70 6.9 RedRobinGrmtBrgrs 9.17 -50.4
Cotton(COTN.L) -3.4 MolinaHealthcare 146.35 5.9 RoyalCaribbeanCrss 32.33 -50.3
AsiaPacific -26.4% +26.4%
CrudeOil(CRUD.L) -24.6
S&P/ASX200INDEX 5539.30 -10.9
Gasoline(UGAS.L) -35.8 CSI300INDEX 3895.31 -5.9 Dataandgraphicsby: Nraottee,:wBhainchkcparinmvearisyffrroomm1th0emfeadjeorrablatnakrgse.tFreadteer.aLlIFBuOnRdsisrtahteeLisotnhdeonmarket
Gold(BULL.L) -8.4 HANGSENGINDEX 24032.91 -8.1 Bloomberg InterbankOfferedRate.ConsumerratesarefromBankrate.Allfiguresasof
NaturalGas(NGAS.L) 8.7 4:30p.m.NewYorktime.
NIKKEI225 17431.05 -16.0
Silver(SLVR.L) -14.6
Home delivery starts your day off right. 1-800-753-POST washingtonpost.com/subscribe
SF
A8 eZ sU THE WASHINGTON POST .SATURDAy, MARCH 14, 2020
The coronavirus outbreak
Trump is still shaking hands, and he hasn’t been tested
Actions, despite possible
exposure, are at odds
with health directives
BY DAVID A. FAHRENTHOLD,
ANNE GEARAN
AND MICHELLE YE HEE LEE
President Trump said Friday
that he has not yet been tested for
the novel coronavirus, even as
three people who were with him
at the Mar-a-Lago Club last week-
end have now tested positive.
Trump said he would be tested
“fairly soon. We’re working on
that. We’re working out a sched-
ule.”
In one televised event, Trump
seemed to defy two basic practices
that the rest of his government
has been urging Americans to
follow to prevent the spread of the
virus. People who were exposed to
an infected person are urged to
quarantine themselves and seek
testing. And everyone — exposed
or not — should stop shaking
hands.
But at a Friday news conference
on efforts to combat the coronavi-
rus, Trump continued to shake
hands with other speakers, many
of whom are members of the
White House Task Force charged
with trying to stem the disease.
Trump and many of the speakers
took part in backslapping and
adjusting the shared microphone.
Trump also said he will not
self-quarantine, as members of
Congress and Canadian Prime
Minister Justin Trudeau have cho-
sen to do after known exposures. Alex BrAndon/AssoCIAted Press
“No. We have no symptoms Three people who were with President Trump at his Mar-a-Lago Club, above, in Palm Beach, Fla., last weekend have tested positive for the coronavirus.
whatsoever,” Trump said.
In his case, Trump suggested and, at 73, is in a high-risk age personal health. According to an But another person who met with tion’s customers, however, have to eat dinner at the club on both
the risk of exposure from a Brazil- group. account of the Sunday lunch, the visiting Brazilian delegation begun to cancel upcoming events. Saturday and Sunday.
ian official was low, even though On Friday, the Brazilian Em- shared with The Post by one at- — Miami Mayor Francis Suarez — A group of Texas bankers had “They certainly wouldn’t want
the two had posed for a photo bassy in Washington said that its tendee, Trump even joked about also later tested positive, accord- canceled a reception planned for anything to happen to any of the
together. Trump said he had ambassador, Nestor Forster — getting the virus — referring to a ing to a spokesperson for Suarez. Trump’s hotel in Washington, members or the employees,” Gold-
posed for so many photos, and who sat at Trump’s table during a donor in the room who Trump At Mar-a-Lago itself, one of the D.C., and a conference for the smith said. She is also a patron of
shaken so many hands, that he did dinner Saturday night at Mar-a- said had shaken hands with him biggest events of the winter social auto-repair industry had been Trump International Golf Club in
not remember the man. Lago — had tested positive for the twice. The man was a doctor, season — a 700-person lunch ti- postponed at Trump’s Doral re- nearby West Palm Beach.
“I take pictures and it lasts for coronavirus. Forster is the second Trump said, and his hands were tled “Wine, Women and Shoes” — sort outside Miami. “I’m almost thinking that
literally seconds. I don’t know the Brazilian official who visited Mar- oddly clammy. Trump said that, was postponed on Friday, a day At Mar-a-Lago, the club had Trump International and Mar-a-
gentleman that we’re talking a-Lago that night and then was after they shook, sweat from the before it was supposed to occur. already lost at least one other Lago are the safest places to eat
about. I have no idea who he is,” diagnosed with the fast-spreading man’s hand was left behind on his The brunch’s sponsor, an ani- event — a private party scheduled right now,” Goldsmith said.
Trump said. “I take sometimes virus: Fabio Wajngarten, the com- own. mal shelter called Big Dog Ranch for Wednesday — according to an But on Friday, several other
hundreds of pictures a day and munications secretary for Brazil- “If you hear any bad things Rescue, said they were heeding a email sent to club members. people associated with the club
that night, I was taking hundreds ian President Jair Bolsonaro, test- about the health of our president, warning from Florida Gov. Ron But the club told members it said they felt left in the dark about
of pictures. So, I just don’t know.” ed positive on Wednesday. Wajn- there’s the guy,” Trump said, ac- DeSantis (R) to avoid large gath- was making only minor changes. the Brazilian official’s test — won-
Trump’s words and behavior garten had posed for a photo with cording to the account. “The pres- erings. In a message to members on dering if they should be tested
seemed to signal that he still may Trump; Forster, the newly diag- ident’s not looking good? Get that “The well-being of our incredi- Thursday, which was obtained by themselves, with no guidance
be underestimating the diseases’s nosed ambassador, seems to have doctor. Find out who the hell that ble supporters, vendors and staff The Post, the club said its seafood from the club.
threat to the country — and even been in even more prolonged guy was.” is paramount,” the shelter’s buffet had been canceled — re- “Until now, the atmosphere
to his own health. As thousands of close contact with the president. The audience laughed. Repub- founder, Lauree Simmons, said in placed with an Italian dinner over there has been business as
schools close, sports leagues sus- On Friday, Republican officials lican officials say the attendee a statement. She also cited reports served “a la carte.” usual, in the same kind of ultra-
pend games, and American cities also said a guest of a donor who who tested positive was in the of two people testing positive in “Instead of having the buffets, optimistic front that [Trump’s]
retreat into an eerie emptiness in attended a Sunday luncheon at audience but did not have person- surrounding Palm Beach County. they’ll be plating all dinners,” said been putting out on every level,”
the name of limiting the disease’s Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club had lat- al contact with Trump at the But Mar-a-Lago itself remained Mar-a-Lago member Suzi Gold- said one person familiar with the
spread, the president’s actions er tested positive for the virus. lunch, which was attended by open to members. The Trump Or- smith — a founder of a group of club, who spoke on the condition
seemed out of step. “As you may have had contact about 1,000 people. ganization — which operates ho- Trump superfans called the Trum- of anonymity to avoid alienating
Public health and medical ex- with this individual, please con- The White House declined to tels, golf clubs and resorts in 11 pettes USA. “That’s the only Trump’s company officials.
perts have urged people to stop tact your medical provider if you comment on Trump’s remarks at states — does not appear to have change. On Tuesdays we have a “That’s the prevailing atmosphere
shaking hands, touching their fac- or any of your loved ones is ill” or the gathering. closed any of its properties. prime rib buffet, and on Wednes- there. Nobody’s going to ring any
es, limit large gatherings and self- shows symptoms like fever or The same weekend, Trump met “The safety of our members days it’s the seafood buffet. But bells until he allows that.”
isolate if they have come into shortness of breath, donors were with the visiting Brazilian delega- and guests are of our utmost im- rather than doing the buffets, it [email protected]
contact with a confirmed case of told, according to a copy of the tion — posing for a photo with portance,” the Trump Organiza- will be regular plated dinners.” [email protected]
the coronavirus because the dis- warning obtained by The Wash- Bolsonaro’s communications sec- tion wrote in a statement. “We are Goldsmith said the club had [email protected]
ease spreads easily. Trump has ington Post. retary, Fabio Wajngarten, who lat- monitoring all of our businesses not notified members about the
continued to shake hands even At the time, Trump did not er tested positive for the virus. closely and are following the Brazilian visitor’s positive test. Josh dawsey and Yasmeen Abutaleb
though he has come into close seem to believe the coronavirus On Friday, Bolsonaro said he guidelines provided by the CDC.” Still, Goldsmith said she felt in Washington and lori rozsa in Palm
contact with a number of people could pose much of a risk to his had tested negative for the virus. Some of the Trump Organiza- well-protected and was planning Beach, Fla., contributed to this report.
Enjoy coffee with
a view.
Own your favorite Washington Post photos.
Buy online or just browse for brilliant news
photography you’ll want for your own.
PRINTS | CANVAS | CARDS | PRODUCTS | DOWNLOADS
washingtonpost.com/buyphotos
77
Picture mugs available in two sizes. 3-F 6x3-F 6x
99
33
00
MM
SATURDAy, MARCH 14, 2020 . THE WASHINGTON POST eZ re A9
The coronavirus outbreak
Many older Americans
unconvinced of threat
plan trips around the country and
At retirement community abroad each year, often spending
many thousands of dollars each
in Florida, some worry
on their adventures.
while others wave it off “Travel is really the top aspira-
tion of older Americans,” said Bill
Walsh, an AArP vice president. “It
means a lot to them, and it means
BY DARRYL FEARS a lot to the travel industry as well.
AND BRADY DENNIS But these are not normal times we
are living in.”
At her home in The Villages, a At road Scholar, a Boston-
sprawling central florida retire- based educational travel tour
ment community that overlaps company that caters largely to old-
three counties, Alicia Przybylow- er adults, most trips are going
icz still greets neighbors with a big forward for now, aside from those
smile and an outstretched hand. to countries where authorities
“I’m a hand-shaker. I think I will have restricted travel.
always be a hand-shaker and a “Because things are evolving so
hugger,” the 64-year-old said. Wor- rapidly, we’ve put together a task
ries about the coronavirus aren’t force that meets daily to assess the
going to stop that. “It seems that situation,” Stacie fasola, a road
it’s been blown out of proportion.” Scholar spokeswoman, said in an
Not far away, at a house in the email. She noted that the compa-
same community, Judy Nieman, ny has been posting updates on-
66, said that attitude is alarming. line that provide travelers the
“We don’t know how this is going most current advice to help them
to spread in this community,” she decide what to do.
said. “We’re all older here. This Despite resistance from many
place is full of people who go on older Americans to curtailing
cruises all the time. They go on their activities, other seniors said
safaris. And I don’t see them cur- they are fine exactly where they
HAYoung Jeon/ePA-eFe/sHuTTersToCK tailing their activities as much as I are — at home. At the Greenspring
Members of the German parliament sit apart from each other during Thursday’s session amid fears of the spread of the coronavirus. would.” retirement community in Spring-
Nieman is playing it safe, order- field, Va., Wanda Hill, 92, was
ing groceries online and popping gladly heeding the call for older
European nations bracing for ‘the Italian scenario’ open her car trunk at Walmart for residents to hunker down: “I’m
workers to stuff it with bags. Be- very comfortable.”
fore entering another store to buy Hill praised the administrators
beef and ribs, Nieman cleans the who have put out robocalls and
euroPe from A1 Total confirmed cases of covid-19 report they are battling out-of- shopping-cart handle with a sani- appeared on the community’s lo-
Italy control transmission. tizing wipe. cal TV station with updates each
“What we are seeing is not 12,462 Earlier, a group of Italian doc- As the coronavirus continues day. for example, she said, resi-
rocket science,” Balloux said. 12,000 tors sent out an appeal to their its spread across the world and the dents were asked not to invite
“You have two cases, then four, colleagues working in intensive- Centers for Disease Control and family members or friends to visit
then eight, then 16.” care units in Europe. Prevention warns that older if they have recently traveled out-
Epidemiologists say that deci- 10,000 “Get ready,” they wrote. Americans are among those who side the country. When her son
sive action is required to change Angelo Pan, head of infectious face the highest risk of hospital- came from New York for a recent
the rate of infection and “flatten diseases at a hard-hit hospital in ization and death, retirees from visit, he was asked about his trav-
8,000
the curve.” That reality appeared Cremona, Italy, warned that with- florida to Alaska are weighing els before being allowed past the
The U.S. has a
to sink in for some political out effective containment mea- whether to continue living their front gate.
similar number
leaders in the United States and sures, a similar scenario could be normal lives or do whatever it The community’s several res-
6,000 of coronavirus
Europe this week, as countries ahead for france, Germany and takes to preserve them. taurants have remained open, as
cases as Italy
closed schools, encouraged work- possibly the United States. The Villages is one of the largest have its pharmacy and grocery
ing from home, banned large 4,000 had 8 days ago, “It’s just a matter of time,” he retirement developments in the store. Church services and bingo
on March 3
gatherings and imposed new said. “I think we are just maybe 10 United States, with 125,000 resi- games still draw crowds. resi-
travel restrictions. french Health 2,502 U.S. days ahead.” dents living on more than 15,000 dents continue to learn Spanish
2,384
ministry Director-General 2,000 Benjamin maier, who is Brock- acres. When asked on the “Villag- and play pickleball. But that could
Jérôme Salomon said france First U.S. First Italian mann’s research partner at the es friendly folks” facebook page change, and Hill knows it.
must prepare itself for “the Ital- case cases robert Koch Institute, has plot- how they were managing the coro- “I’ve got a television and DVDs.
ian scenario.” 0 ted the infection curves of coun- navirus, a majority of people sided The Post has gotten so big that it
Still, some experts worry that JAN. FEB. MARCH MARCH 11 tries in Europe and Asia that have with Przybylowicz, saying the cri- takes me two hours to read that
governments aren’t doing seen outbreaks. sis is being overblown. every day,” she said. “I’m perfectly
Data as of March 12
enough to reduce rates of trans- Spain is showing galloping ex- Against mounting advice from happy to spend the whole day
Source: Johns Hopkins CSSE THE WASHINGTON POST
mission so cases don’t soar expo- ponential growth, he said, while federal and private health experts, right here in my apartment.”
nentially and overwhelm health Britain, Germany and france are many expressed a determination other aging Americans are pre-
Effects of social distancing on 1918 flu deaths
systems. A lack of urgency in still on a steep trajectory. to move forward with travel excur- paring, as well.
previous weeks may have wasted “You can see that many coun- sions, such as cruises. But that is In Alaska, which saw its first
valuable time, they say. 250 As the first cases of the 1918 flu tries will follow Italy’s example if getting harder to do. coronavirus case Thursday, the
on friday, the director-general deaths per were reported in Philadelphia in they don’t follow strict and strict- In recent days, the industry staff at the 35,000-square-foot An-
of the World Health organiza- 100,000 people September 1918, authorities er measures,” maier said. bowed to a federal directive forc- chorage Senior Activity Center is
tion, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreye- played down the significance and Those measures can have a ing passengers 70 and older to preparing for what might come.
sus, said, “Europe has now be- 200 allowed public gatherings to significant impact on how many provide a doctor’s note proving The community hub bustles with
come the epicenter of the pan- continue. Closures in Philadelphia cases develop. Brockmann and their fitness to sail. multiple daily classes, a fitness center, so-
demic, with more reported cases were only enacted once the virus maier examined the epidemio- cruise operators suspended oper- cial events, a library and a restau-
and deaths than the rest of the had spread. The first cases in logical curves of the outbreak in ations because of the coronavirus. rant.
world combined, apart from Chi- St. Louis were reported in early China. Although Hubei province on Wednesday night, as Presi- rebecca Parker, the executive
150
na.” October, with measures to contain initially had an exponential dent Trump was announcing a director, said in an interview that
Irish doctors on friday warned the spread enacted two days later. growth rate, the government’s travel ban from Europe to the the center recently switched to
in a letter to the British medical Social This resulted in a slower spread massive containment effort, in- United States, hundreds of resi- disposable paper products in the
Journal that the country is “exact- distancing and lower mortality rate. volving mandatory behavior dents at The Villages freely restaurant to cut down on poten-
ly 14 days behind Italy.” T hey said 100 interventions changes, managed to slow the roamed the sprawling property. tial transmission. Employees are
only stringent measures could first enacted, rate of infection. Partygoers danced to the live mu- wearing gloves. Hand sanitizer
head off a medical crisis like Oct. 3 Philadelphia South Korea, which has carried sic presented nightly, ignoring the has been added throughout the
First case in St. Louis, Oct. 5
Italy’s and produce a more man- out widespread testing, has iden- warnings of the CDC to practice building, and impossible-to-miss
ageable outbreak like South Ko- 50 First case in Social distancing tified nearly 8,000 cases, but the social distancing — “remaining signs hang on doors and mirrors
rea’s. Philadelphia, enacted Oct. 7 numbers of new infections are out of congregate settings, avoid- reminding visitors to wash their
At the beginning of an out- Sept. 17 tapering off. Singapore, malaysia ing mass gatherings” and main- hands long enough to sing “Happy
break, experts say, viral spread St. Louis and Japan also have seen flatter taining a distance of about six feet Birthday” twice.
can be contained by isolating growth. to guard against infection. But there are more intimate
0
individuals and tracing those in for those countries facing “We’re living the last third of changes at the center, which is the
contact. But when cases begin to SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. steep increases in coming weeks, our lives,” Sal Gentile, 70, wrote in heart of its members’ social life,
emerge where the infection 1918 all is not lost, said Alexander response to a Washington Post where they see friends and loved
source is unknown, as they have Kekulé, a German virologist who inquiry. “We’re bolder, not older. ones. “There are some people who
Sources: Data derived from “Public health interventions and epidemic intensity during the
in parts of Europe and the United heads the institute of medical Time to be mindful. Take a deep still want to hug. I hug them, but I
1918 influenza pandemic” by Richard J. Hatchett, Carter E. Mecher, Marc Lipsitch,
States, mass behavioral changes Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, May 2007. microbiology at the University of breath and enjoy life. We worked don’t expect everybody to,” Parker
and social distancing appear to Halle. many decades to now have the said. “And I probably need to step
be the better strategy. TIM MEKO/THE WASHINGTON POST Acting in advance, rather than privilege of being older. … Yep, I back a little myself.”
Italy is one country that has in reaction to numbers that lag have a pacemaker and recent fu- Back at The Villages, Barbara
had to accept quickly the need for the time it may take for the virus contain the epidemic,” said Gio- behind the picture on the ground sion; however my love for quality St. Lawrence Combs is also inch-
drastic action. Just three weeks to cause symptoms and for pa- vanni rezza, director of the Infec- by weeks, he said, can make a of life is more important to me ing back, little by little.
ago, it did not have much of a tients to be tested and diagnosed. tious Disease Department at the huge difference. than being rattled by a TV station.” “We are told in The Villages that
coronavirus problem. Now it has Britain’s chief science adviser, Italian National Institutes of “This really decides if you win When her book club canceled we live ‘in the bubble,’ ” she said.
had more than 15,000 confirmed Patrick Vallance, said Thursday Health. the battle, or you lose it,” he its cruise to the western Caribbe- “That would be great, but we
cases. Prime minister Giuseppe that the United Kingdom had 600 “We are applying very tough added. for weeks, Kekulé has an, with one of the 10 club mem- know better when watching the
Conte extended a lockdown on a confirmed cases, which he said measures” in Italy, he said. “But publicly urged Germany to act bers worried about getting sick news about this scare.” for now,
handful of small villages to wide means that 5,000 to 10,000 peo- in other countries where the inci- more swiftly with measures to and others worried about getting she is taking only a few precau-
swaths across northern Italy on ple there probably are infected. dents of the disease are increas- ban mass events, close schools stuck at sea amid a potential out- tions, “fist-bumping instead of
Sunday morning and then to the If the virus continues to infect ing, it’s like they are not looking and test everyone who has flu- break, Przybylowicz was a little hugging and shaking hands with
entire country monday night. on people at its current rate, which is at Lombardy,” he added, referring like symptoms. miffed. our friends,” Combs said. “We are
Wednesday, he went even further, not a certainty, a European coun- to Italy’s worst-hit region. But China’s swift and drastic “for me, that would’ve just ex- in our 70s and are healthy but
with the announcement of a shut- try such as Spain, with 3,000 “for the other countries action is more of a challenge in tended my vacation,” she said. “As don’t want to take any chances.” A
down of most commercial activi- cases, could see 250,000 infected around us, we should be a lesson. Western democracies. long as someone was feeding me planned family trip to Key West
ty. individuals in about a month, They know the virus is there, so Politicians in Europe have and changing my bed, I would be was canceled because of the
Italy may have been particular- based on doubling times of five they should act more promptly,” been slow to make proactive deci- fine.” She said she thinks the ships crowds there.
ly hard hit in part because the days. rezza said. sions that could be lifesaving are sanitized and safe. “There’s no Nieman said she was less wor-
virus spread in the community “Those are the numbers that for the United States, rezza until the danger has sunk in for reason we can’t go,” she said. “Peo- ried about herself — “when I go to
for several weeks unchecked, and epidemiologists are expecting,” said, there was still a “window of the public, said Kekulé, meaning ple are too worried. The flu has the doctor, I get a clean bill of
the government has had to play said roy Anderson, professor of opportunity” to try to contain the they are reacting, rather than killed more people than the coro- health most every time” — but her
catch-up. infectious disease at Imperial virus, given the large geographi- getting ahead of the curve. navirus, and people haven’t been next-door neighbors are in their
Dirk Brockmann, a professor College London. cal area and isolated outbreaks. The fact that German Health as concerned over the flu.” 80s. She is afraid of getting infect-
at Humboldt University in Berlin “I think it’s highly likely we all Infectious-disease specialists minister Jens Spahn recom- A significant number of other ed by the coronavirus and unin-
who does infectious-disease mod- go the way of Italy” in the coming say it is possible the case numbers mended events with more than residents said they were heeding tentionally spreading it to friends
eling for Germany’s robert Koch weeks, he said. in the Northern Hemisphere will 1,000 people be stopped on the experts’ advice and canceling who are even more vulnerable.
Institute, the federal agency Whether the caseloads explode soar in march and then begin to same day that the first German cruise reservations, or at least “I’m real protective of them,”
tasked with disease control, said will depend in part on public go down if the coronavirus proves national died was no coincidence, waiting to see whether cruise lines she said. “I don’t want anything to
looking at the number of con- health controls, decisions by gov- to be seasonal, like common flu, he said. would do so. Nearly 50 million happen to them.”
firmed cases at a particular mo- ernments and businesses, and which produces less infection in “It’s always the problem of a Americans are 65 or older, accord- She wonders why her friends
ment can be misleading — if individual actions, the disease the warmer summer months. democratic system; you have to ing to the census, and how aging who say they will be fine aren’t
people think it is just a few modelers say. The British government, espe- explain yourself to your voters on retirees alter their plans and hab- thinking beyond themselves
thousand cases here and there. “If governments do nothing, or cially, appears to be hoping the why this measure has to be tak- its will affect almost every corner when they travel and return.
“It’s almost like taking a still do things that are not effective, infection rate drops in April and en,” he said. “You have to wait of the economy, particularly in the “They go everywhere.” Nieman
picture of cars on a highway; it and the population does nothing, may, but so far, there is no until it’s hurting.” travel industry. said. “Viking cruises, safaris, huge
doesn’t tell you anything,” he then you certainly could see evidence to support the opti- [email protected] AArP estimates that Ameri- trips all over the world. And I
said. “It’s about how the numbers 60 percent of a population infect- mism. [email protected] cans age 50 and over spend more worry about being around all
change.” ed,” Anderson said. In northern Italy, where the than $149 billion each year on that.”
The current snapshot may be Some European countries ap- wards are running out of beds for Morris reported from Berlin and leisure travel. According to the [email protected]
as much as two weeks old, given pear to be “renouncing efforts to all the covid-19 patients, doctors Milan. Booth reported from London. group, large numbers of boomers [email protected]
A10 eZ re THE WASHINGTON POST .SATURDAy, MARCH 14, 2020
The coronavirus outbreak
Pollution is plummeting in locked-down Italy, data shows
BY CHRIS MOONEY, Nitrogen dioxide concentration, two-week average crises, he said, the pandemic ulti-
JOHN MUYSKENS, mately could trigger the most sig-
BRADY DENNIS Less NO More NO nificant reduction of greenhouse
AND ANDREW FREEDMAN 2 2 gas emissions of the past century.
Jan. 1 to Jan. 15 Feb. 26 to March 11 While the ongoing crisis has
first, it happened in China. drastically slowed emissions in
Now, Italy. G E R M A N Y G E R M A N Y China, Italy and potentially else-
The coronavirus struck hard, F R A N C E F R A N C E where, that has offered little cause
and authorities responded with for celebration.
sweeping interventions to keep S W I T Z . A U S T R I A H U N G A R Y S W I T Z . A U S T R I A H U N G A R Y “It is, of course, not a good
people from spreading the disease thing,” Valentini wrote. “This is
further. As citizens hunkered not the way to reduce emissions!”
down at home, businesses and Climate advocates agree, say-
roads suddenly fell empty and ing the current catastrophe is not
silent. one startling result: a de- Milan B O S N I A Milan B O S N I A the way any reasonable person
cline in air pollution and green- would envision the world lower-
S E R B I A S E R B I A
house gas emissions. ing its carbon footprint. In addi-
The Washington Post this week I T A L Y I T A L Y tion, the outbreak has halted
analyzed data from the European meetings to plan for public pro-
Space Agency’s Sentinel-5P satel- tests for climate action in the
Rome Rome
lite, which can measure concen- coming months, as well as the
trations of greenhouse gases and global push to get nations to com-
Naples Naples
other pollutants in the lower at- mit to more ambitious emission
mosphere. It shows that between reduction plans at a key U.N. sum-
Jan. 1 and march 12, concentra- mit scheduled for this fall.
tions of nitrogen dioxide, or No2, moreover, the drop in emis-
fell drastically, especially over sions is expected to be temporary.
hard-hit northern Italy. “This will have just a minor effect
Nitrogen dioxide is not one of of global concentrations of Co2,
the major greenhouse gases unless it leads to a really long
linked to climate change. But it is depression of the world economy,”
produced from combustion — by massetti said.
cars, power plants, and other in- 200 MILES Italy has been a world leader in
Mediterranean Sea Mediterranean Sea
dustrial sources. So it serves as a its reductions of greenhouse gas-
200 KM
proxy for other emissions that es in recent years. Carbon dioxide
warm the atmosphere. It also is a Source: Sentinel-5P satellite data via the European Space Agency JOHN MUYSKENS/THE WASHINGTON POST emissions in the country declined
pollutant that can increase the by over 30 percent between 2004
risk of asthma, inflammation of northern Italy.” Greenhouse gas emissions in ty in rome, said in an email. “I He added that Italy’s troubles and 2018. Last year, Italy an-
the lungs and other harmful That shift is little comfort, of the country also have plummeted would expect that to become true could potentially soon extend nounced that it planned to be-
health conditions. Several experts course, to a region in the grips of a in recent years. That’s one reason for the whole country in the next throughout the region and to oth- come the first country to make it
told The Post that the changing deadly outbreak, wrestling with massetti said he thinks the emis- few days.” er parts of the globe. “We are the mandatory for schoolchildren to
concentrations probably reflect an overwhelmed health system sions decline mainly represents a riccardo Valentini, a professor first E.U. country to get the epi- learn about climate change and
the decline of driving in particu- and understandably focused on steep decrease in the driving of at Italy’s University of Tuscia and demic outbreak, but numbers are sustainable development.
lar, in a country in which more the crisis at hand rather than the diesel vehicles. The transporta- director of the impacts division of increasing in Spain, france and Italian education minister
than half of cars burn diesel. long-term effects of climate tion sector produces more than 70 the Euro-mediterranean Center Germany, plus the others,” Valen- Lorenzo fioramonti said at the
“I guess this is mostly diesel change. At the same time, the percent of all nitrogen dioxide on Climate Change, said in an tini wrote, adding, “The real im- time that beginning this Septem-
cars out of the road,” Emanuele stark changes offer yet another emissions in milan, according to a email that the country’s aggres- pact on climate policies could ber, teachers in all state schools
massetti, an expert on the eco- example of the impact humans recent analysis by the European sive measures to contain the virus vary country by country depend- and all grades would dedicate 33
nomics of climate change at Geor- have on the environment — and Commission’s Joint research have had a profound effect on ing on the size of the containment hours per year — nearly an hour
gia Tech University who has stud- how swiftly emissions can vanish Center. everyday life — and by extension, measures.” per week of instruction — to is-
ied Italy’s climate policies, said in when humans drastically reduce “This makes a lot of sense espe- on emissions. In the United States, for exam- sues related to climate change
an email. the burning of fossil fuels. cially since it shows that the high- “Nobody can go out from ple, school closures, event cancel- and environmental sustainability.
“I expect pollution to drop even Despite the wide use of diesel est decrease in concentration has homes unless for precise working lations and work-from-home poli- for now, however, all schools in
further as the particles in the engines, Italy’s electricity sector happened in Lombardy, where duties and/or food purchase or cies will mean millions of people Italy remain closed.
atmosphere (concentration) get doesn’t burn a massive amount of the most stringent choices were health emergency,” he said. “for are no longer commuting by car [email protected]
either dispersed or absorbed,” he coal, massetti said — rather, it is taken first,” Edoardo marcucci, sure, there has been a decline of during rush hour, resulting in pol- [email protected]
continued. “In a few days, they driven largely by natural gas and who directs the Transport re- car traffic everywhere. This ex- lution declines here, too. Beyond [email protected]
will enjoy the cleanest air ever in renewable energy. search Lab at roma Tre Universi- plains the Nox emission decline.” the public health and economic [email protected]
Closures accelerate as states attempt to contain spread, o∞cials sound alarms
VIrus from A1 does when he’s flying. they were angry that the CDC
“There was no guidance and provided detailed guidance on
water and cleaning products for now everyone is just trying to do when to close schools just on
what some expect could be what they think is right, but now Thursday afternoon.
lengthy isolation within homes you can’t contain it,” he said, Short-term closure of schools
from coast to coast. noting that the closures of Broad- during the early stages of a
There are now more than 2,100 way and Disney mean restaurants spreading disease is unlikely to
confirmed cases of covid-19, the don’t have people in them and stem the problem, according to
disease caused by the virus, tourism declines — an impact he the guidance. Instead, it causes
across the country, with reports can see. “I think people are less significant disruption for fami-
in nearly every state. forty-eight concerned about the virus and lies, schools and those who might
deaths in the United States have more concerned about the finan- be responding to outbreaks in
been linked to the virus, 25 of cial impact of not having a job.” health-care settings. The CDC
them in the Life Care Center of New York saw its number of also said it could increase the
Kirkland nursing home in subur- coronavirus cases in the state impact on older adults who care
ban Seattle, including three an- grow by 96 in just one day. The for grandchildren and for chil-
nounced friday. Health officials state now has 421 confirmed cas- dren whose parents and family
in Kansas said friday that an es, including 154 in New York City. members are hourly and low-
elderly man who died this week of Cuomo said he is expecting thou- wage workers. other options in-
coronavirus was a resident of the sands of cases to be confirmed in clude staggering recess and can-
Life Care Centers of America fa- coming weeks. He worries that celing assemblies.
cility in Kansas City, Kan. the state’s hospital capacity will Longer closures, such as four
The national strategy for bat- become overwhelmed, and non- weeks, could result in more stu-
tling the coronavirus has shifted urgent surgeries will be post- dents gathering outside of school
dramatically in the past 48 hours: poned. and increase the risk to older
It was a public health crisis for “It was here before you knew it, adults or others who are more
weeks, a societal disruption in it was wider spread in the past vulnerable, including those with
recent days and only became an than you know, and it will spread underlying medical conditions.
official national emergency on more than you think,” Cuomo “It’s not necessary to take ag-
friday afternoon. Strategies to said. “Nobody is going to be im- gressive actions in areas where
combat its spread have been ap- mune from this.” there isn’t spread of this virus or
plied in a patchwork way, with many people who are sick and there’s not been sustained com-
some communities and states far seeking to be tested for the coro- munity spread,” said one federal
more aggressive in closing work- Andrew Kelly/reuters navirus have been turned away official involved in the response,
places and pushing for social dis- A woman wears a face mask on the subway as the coronavirus outbreak continued in New York City. because they don’t meet strict who spoke on the condition of
tancing, while others have done New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo warned that the disruption to daily life could continue for months. testing criteria. officials an- anonymity to speak candidly.
next to nothing. nounced friday that there will be But for many state and local
Shutdown America came as a choice but to shut schools and have seen workplaces closing and pandemic coming from some- drive-through testing facilities officials, decisions are often made
recognition that the nation’s ear- manage as best we can the very employees telecommuting. But where with some kind of virus, so opening in New rochelle, N.Y., that are based on more than just
lier, disparate strategies could not substantial disruption to our many employees, including those we should not be shocked and which is seeing one of the worst CDC guidance.
block the virus at the border or families and communities,” Lic- in low-wage service-sector jobs, surprised that the time has come,” outbreaks in the nation, and San “You have to look at what is
bottle it up in the places where it cardo said. must still show up at work to get Collins said. Antonio, where cruise ship evacu- happening to us locally,” said mi-
initially seeded. It signaled a na- The strategic shift toward try- paid. What happens next depends ees were transferred to a nearby chael fraser, chief executive of
tional resignation that the virus ing to impede the virus through Two of America’s most iconic on how robustly the public health Air force base. ASTHo, the association that rep-
has taken hold and hijacked nor- social distancing is a calculated, if places: Broadway and Disney systems can respond to the crisis. In California, routines were resents state health directors.
malcy, replacing it with fear and highly disruptive, attempt to slow World, are closed, but nightlife in Hospitals typically operate at being scrambled by a cascade of “Parental pressure to close is ex-
uncertainty. down its spread by limiting the places like New orleans has con- nearly full capacity, even without closures. more than 670,000 stu- tremely high. folks are so wor-
“Thinking you are going to potential chains of transmission: tinued unabated. In florida, a major contagion. This pandem- dents will stay home in Los Ange- ried.”
escape coming in contact with people closely interacting with where some 5 million people are ic will test the ability of thousands les. To compensate, the district others seem to be taking the
this, it’s not going to happen,” other people. The United States over the age of 60 and potentially of hospitals and medical facilities said it would open dozens of mammoth disruptions more in
New York Gov. Andrew m. Cuomo remains in the early stages of its vulnerable to a more serious to handle a surge of critical cases. “family resource centers” where stride. Scott Sleigh, a 47-year-old
(D) said friday. one of his daugh- fight with the virus and is now covid-19 illness, many seniors this Some public health leaders are children will be able to get meals project manager from Santa
ters had been in a precautionary trying to keep sick and infected week continued their normal rou- urging the government to take and parents can get a break from Clara, Calif., said he had been
14-day quarantine due to possible people from passing it on to those tines, including dance parties. aggressive steps to help people child care. teleworking for the past week —
exposure. “I understand fully the who are healthy, or at least to slow “The best thing we can do now who feel they have to go to work San Diego, which has the and expected to do so for several
anxiety of people … but you can’t the transmissions enough to pre- to try to get through a very tough even if sick. state’s second-largest school dis- more. He also had to cancel a trip
control it. Who knows where the vent a crush on the public health period is to try to slow the passage “There are huge equity issues trict, also is shutting schools. In a to Disneyland after the theme
cabdriver was, who knows where system. from one person to the next so here. There are millions of people joint statement, the leaders of the park said Thursday it would be
the person who sits next to you on Governors of numerous states, that we don’t overwhelm our in America who are unable to stop two districts acknowledged that temporarily shutting down.
the bus was, who knows who your including California, ohio and health-care system,” francis Col- working if they’re sick,” said rich- efforts to stop the virus from That’s inconvenient, he said
buddy was with last night?” New York, have barred large-scale lins, the director of the National ard Besser, president and CEo of entering their communities had while shopping at a Walmart in
“I don’t think this is going to be gatherings, as have officials in Institutes of Health, said in an the robert Wood Johnson foun- failed and that a fresh approach is Santa Clara, but it’s for a greater
a short-term issue,” Cuomo said. Washington state. officials in interview friday. dation and a former acting direc- needed. good.
“I think this could be a six, seven, Santa Clara County, Calif., on Collins said he is “very wor- tor of the Centers for Disease “California has now entered a “They’re trying to prevent the
eight, nine-month affair.” friday announced even more re- ried” about the virus and warned Control and Prevention. “We critical new phase in the fight to spread,” he said.
As the closures accelerated fri- strictive rules, banning gather- that if no action is taken the don’t want to force people to stop the spread of the covid-19 [email protected]
day, San Jose mayor Sam Liccardo ings of more than 100 people and United States could end up like choose between paying the rent, pandemic,” wrote L.A. superin- [email protected]
blamed the national shortage of decreeing that whenever 35 peo- Northern Italy, where covid-19 is putting food on the table and tendent Austin Beutner and San [email protected]
test kits, a complaint that has ple get together, they must have at spreading unabated, more than protecting their health and the Diego superintendent Paul [email protected]
emerged in several jurisdictions. least six feet of distance from 1,000 people have died and doc- health of others.” Gothold. “There is evidence the
“In the absence of adequate others. tors are making unfathomable Dez Phil, a 49-year-old flight virus is already present in the Craig reported from new york. Annie
resources in the U.S. for testing The vast retreat into homes has choices about who lives and dies. attendant heading into a super- communities we serve, and our Gowen in Kansas City, Kan., Arelis r.
that would enable local commu- occurred in spotty fashion. major “We have all been saying for market in the Bronx, said he now efforts now must be aimed at Hernández in san Antonio, Griff witte
nities to mitigate the spread of cities, including Washington D.C., years, maybe decades, that we worries more about catching the preventing its spread.” in san Francisco and william wan
covid-19, we are left with little San francisco and Los Angeles, were overdue for this kind of coronavirus on the street then he Some state health officials said contributed to this report.