Louisiana ends two-year-long COVID emergency declaration: https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-business-congress-john-bel-edwards-fb7eb2856b6d14e3c5cb58830faa8d81 .
Germany faces record COVID surge: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/germany-raises-alarm-as-covid-infections-surge-to-record-levels/ar-AAV1OI3?li=BBnb7Kz . This is a natural consequence of relaxing COVID restrictions over the last month. How many times will governments make the same mistake? Hint: The US is doing the same thing right now: https://www.cnbc.com/video/2022/03/14/u-s-could-see-covid-uptick-over-next-couple-weeks-says-dr-scott-gottlieb.html .
COVID explodes in China: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2022-03-12/china-daily-local-symptomatic-covid-cases-more-than-triple . To repeat, Zero COVID is not an effective long-term strategy. More: https://apnews.com/article/covid-business-health-china-taiwan-d2d2a0e6635a90270cfd746854cdd856 . The Chinese outbreak is driven by Omicron subvariant BA2.
Merck COVID pill in wide use as Pfizer’s Paxlovid in short supply: https://www.wsj.com/articles/mercks-covid-19-pill-heavily-used-so-far-despite-concerns-11647250200 .
VA recommends closing 3 medical centers: https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/598190-va-moves-to-close-three-medical-centers-as-part-of-system-overhaul . This appears to be a thoughtful review of the VA mission. We’ll have to see how politics chews it up.
WSJ: US Treasury bond yields at highest level since 2019: https://www.wsj.com/articles/treasury-yields-rebound-to-new-multiyear-highs-11647273561 .
US astronaut coming home on Russian spacecraft: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-space-launches-kazakhstan-spacex-space-exploration-3591a4d11641ab823dc4ecd7b6a5877e .
“Comparing Putin to Stalin is unfair – to Stalin”: https://news.yahoo.com/russia-is-the-global-enemy-fallout-from-ukraine-invasion-could-last-for-years-200040659.html . This comes from Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter. While this is over-the-top rhetoric (Stalin ordered hundreds of thousands of executions and presided over famines that killed millions), Putin has declared himself morally bankrupt and will always be so remembered: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excess_mortality_in_the_Soviet_Union_under_Joseph_Stalin . (This is a lousy use of the term “excess mortality”. Much of this was murder.)
Author predicts outright defeat for Russia: https://www.americanpurpose.com/articles/preparing-for-defeat/ . This is a lovely hope. Russia’s war plan was inadequate, and morale has suffered. However, the army still looks fully capable of razing Ukraine, city by city. The Ukrainians will not surrender. But again, the only apparent exit strategy for Putin is to capture Kyiv, install a puppet government, declare victory and exit. Now, that puppet government may well fall quickly. However, Russia simply cannot pacify this populace. Zelensky’s survival still looks questionable. It would be far better if he survives, departs and forms a government in (temporary) exile.
Zelensky to address Congress Wednesday: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/598081-zelensky-to-make-virtual-address-us-congress . This story broke over the weekend, but there were conflicting reports as to the date (Tuesday or Wednesday).
WSJ: Ukraine peace talks paused amid no progress: https://www.wsj.com/articles/talks-to-end-ukraine-war-resume-as-russias-offensive-grinds-on-11647255976 .
The China question: https://www.thedailybeast.com/china-is-about-to-make-a-big-mistake-by-supporting-russia . US officials are apparently convinced that China will increase its backing of Russia. I still think China will let Putin become a client-state of China without “throwing in” with him. This will allow them to dominate Asia, which by any calculation is a vastly more important prize than Taiwan. The resource control alone will expand China’s power in the world. WSJ: Meanwhile, China dances: https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-reluctance-to-distance-itself-from-russia-limits-its-role-on-ukraine-11647265212 .
Russia wants China’s armed drones: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/us-warns-europe-that-russia-wants-armed-drones-from-china/ar-AAV3RxY?li=BBnb7Kz . The (very specific) reason is that the Ukrainians are flying armed Turkish drones against Russian tanks and armored vehicles to great effect.
Clarence Thomas’ wife attended January 6 rally: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/wife-of-supreme-court-justice-thomas-admits-to-attending-trumps-jan-6-rally/ar-AAV37k6?li=BBnb7Kz .
January 6 trials slowed by mountain of evidence: https://www.aol.com/news/jan-6-trials-hold-why-120017181.html .