COVID continues global decline: https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-pandemics-united-nations-269660a4236ad73527d057fd6b74d816 .
But BA2 continues to double each week in the US: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2022-03-01/cdc-data-ba-2-or-stealth-omicron-cases-doubling-every-week-in-the-u-s .
WSJ: And hospital staffing issues remain: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-hospitalizations-are-down-but-nurse-shortages-stretch-hospitals-11646217000 .
White House’s new pandemic plan: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/white-house-roll-new-roadmap-address-covid-rcna18268 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-unveils-new-covid-19-strategy-for-next-phase-of-response-11646237143 .
WSJ: China looks to move past Zero COVID: https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-weighs-methods-for-relaxing-zero-covid-19-grip-bubbles-drugs-and-new-messaging-11646230580 .
EpiPen takes a $264 million shot in the shorts: https://www.aol.com/finance/viatris-settle-epipen-antitrust-litigation-110646492-155702375.html . Oh hell yes! Drug companies make way too much money even without resorting to illegal behavior.
WSJ: The money fight over CRISPR: https://www.wsj.com/articles/crispr-patent-gene-editing-dispute-11646187911 . Prestige is nice, but you can’t spend it.
WSJ: Fed will raise interest rates in March: https://www.wsj.com/articles/powell-says-fed-is-on-track-to-raise-rates-in-two-weeks-11646227811 .
Has Kherson fallen to the Russians?: https://news.yahoo.com/major-ukrainian-city-has-reportedly-fallen-to-russian-troops-220551453.html . Here in a nutshell is the problem Putin faces. Ukrainian cities will fall to Russian troops. However, partisan resistance looks to be immense. Russian troops are likely to suffer casualties from sharpshooters. Apparently, Russia currently has problems supplying its own troops. How will the populace be fed? Also, there are widespread reports of Russians abandoning equipment and surrendering to the Ukrainians.
Photos from Ukraine: https://news.yahoo.com/photos-russia-targets-ukraine-civilians-183123295.html . Great job, Yahoo! Russia bombing Syria flat (Aleppo) was horrific. To repeat this behavior in Ukraine is beyond appalling. The world does need to see this. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukraine-resists-russian-forces-11646066409 .
A no-fly zone for Ukraine?: https://www.axios.com/ukraine-no-fly-zone-biden-parliament-3a4ca7a9-4968-4305-ba4e-1c56f7c7ebfe.html . Her comments are quite understandable, and I am sympathetic. However, enforcing a no-fly zone means shooting down Russian MIGs. It cannot be done without Allied losses. The US cannot do it alone. I don’t think NATO can do it alone. The only workable coalition I see is NATO plus China, and China will not join. They are Russian allies, and would not mind the two sides taking mutual losses. More: https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/02/world/china-russia-ukraine-invasion-olympics-western-intel/index.html . Note that Liu Pengyu lies to keep his job because (1) that is his job; and (2) it keeps him in Washington and out of China.
Russia-Ukraine talks to resume: https://www.opb.org/article/2022/03/02/russia-ukraine-conflict-both-sides-ready-for-more-talks/ . These talks continue to look like show. However, this is more promising: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/china-holds-talks-with-ukraine-further-edging-away-from-russia/ar-AAUu6qw?ocid=hponeservicefeed . China’s involvement could give Putin a way out. China would love to enhance its international standing and take the focus off Taiwan.
WSJ: Is China learning from Ukrainian resistance?: https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-eying-taiwan-gets-lesson-from-ukraines-stiff-resistance-11646226559 .
A horrifying assessment from a former CIA station chief in Moscow: https://news.yahoo.com/putin-is-determined-to-burn-down-ukraines-house-former-cia-operative-says-141203665.html . Sadly, this looks spot on. Putin has backed himself into a corner. So he will try to escape with crimes against humanity.
One small positive has emerged. Americans are fortunate that Orange Julius was sufficiently restrained by the US system that the incompetent moron was at the controls for four years and didn’t manage to plunge us into World War III. Relative to OJ’s ability, Putin is indeed a genius.
Someone who knows says the West’s sanctions are 9.5 out of 10: https://news.yahoo.com/bill-browder-grade-on-russian-sanctions-221944367.html . Browder’s analysis looks quite strong to me. More: https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/sanctions-will-cause-a-russian-depression-bill-browder-204906566.html . Also, the unity shown in taking Putin’s finances down is a powerful warning to China about Taiwan and Hong Kong. Abide by the rules of the international community. But cross the line and you are isolated. In a global economy, that is a backbreaker.
Russians banned from international skating competition: https://www.aol.com/sports/russian-figure-skaters-banned-world-203709265.html . So how does Putin explain this one to the Russian people? The ban comes from his “peacekeeping” mission.
Experts inspect their navels for lint: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/why-the-enormous-scale-of-financial-pain-being-inflicted-on-russia-worries-some-in-the-west/ar-AAUxvE4 . To Mr. Hufbauer: Really? The Ukrainian people are being bombed out of their homes. About the oligarchs: The oligarchs get it. The proof? Chelsea is being sold by Roman Abramovich, the proceeds going to Ukrainian war victims: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/mar/02/chelsea-swiss-billionaire-hansjorg-wyss-says-offered-chance-buy-club-roman-abramovich . And this: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/wanted-dead-or-alive-russian-tycoon-puts-1m-bounty-on-putin-s-head/ar-AAUwRyZ?ocid=hponeservicefeed . And also: https://theweek.com/russo-ukrainian-war/1010849/germany-has-reportedly-seized-russian-billionaire-alisher-usmanovs-600 . To Mr. Lukin: Yes, exactly. Thanks for reading this newsletter.
Corporate response – the UK perspective: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-60571133 . More from the US, via The Washington Post: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/russia-boycott-a-list-of-global-campaigns-that-are-underway-in-support-of-ukraine/ar-AAUwznp . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukraine-war-leads-to-more-global-business-disruption-11646173915 .
Locating the Russian superyachts: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/at-least-5-superyachts-belonging-to-russian-billionaires-are-anchored-in-or-cruising-around-the-maldives-amid-sweeping-sanctions-report/ar-AAUxGUR?ocid=hponeservicefeed .
Russian stocks in the UK lose 98% of their value: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/430billion-wipeout-russian-stocks-crash-98-on-london-indexes-as-sanctions-bite/ar-AAUvWd9?ocid=hponeservicefeed . This is what getting hammered looks like. Companies who declare bankruptcy often do better than this.
The fan just hit OJ’s s**t: https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-crime-donald-trump-united-states-presidential-elections-d6f316446682ea36e85e2fc4e0581a87 . We can be sure that the Select Committee is not blowing smoke. So Eastman finds himself in a pickle. The question is whether the Committee has a good-faith belief in OJ’s criminal behavior, which it undoubtedly does. Appeals are unlikely to succeed. So the run-out-the-clock strategy is in real trouble here.
January 6 insurrectionist commits suicide before sentencing: https://www.yahoo.com/news/jan-6-rioter-pleaded-guilty-173338497.html . Essentially, he ruined his life, admitted it, and chose not to go to prison. Note that he also committed witness tampering. So to be clear, these people are insurrectionists, not just rioters. Following orders from the Orange Furor is not an excuse, as was established at Nuremberg.
January 6 defendant pleads guilty to seditious conspiracy: https://www.wsj.com/articles/jury-set-for-opening-of-first-jan-6-criminal-trial-11646234704 . So this plea deal is a significant win, as the defendant is cooperating with prosecutors against other Oath Keepers.
Another GOP congressman caught with his pants down: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/texas-congressman-ends-reelection-bid-after-isis-bride-affair-surfaces/ar-AAUwTXe?ocid=hponeservicefeed . Still, this clown was only barely in a run-off, as Republicans gave him 49% of the primary vote. But it is Texas, where clowns like indicted Attorney General Ken Paxton also lead in their fight for GOP nomination.
Something more amusing from Texas: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/george-w-bush-recounts-the-time-vladimir-putin-dissed-his-dog/ar-AAUwMn1?ocid=hponeservicefeed . Note that Dubya made the Canadian prime minister the star of his story. But by the way, FDR was the president with the famous Scottie.
DeMentis burnishes his jackass credentials: https://news.yahoo.com/please-take-them-off-de-santis-scolds-students-for-wearing-face-masks-200256803.html . The students have every right to protect themselves in a group setting during a pandemic. Freedom means not being bullied by an ass performing a political stunt, Ron.
My thanks to readers: It’s writing this newsletter that has led me to dive deeper on the Ukraine situation. I’ve learned quite a bit, shared here every day. So thank you for pushing me to educate myself about this world-changing event. But don’t forget – we’re looking at maybe 7 million Ukrainian refugees. A major COVID outbreak surges in Ukraine (as well as Russia). So this war will affect the pandemic’s course in Europe.