COVID lab breeds conspiracy theories: https://www.aol.com/news/covid-19-conjecture-soars-latest-141737597.html . Just to clarify the situation, the current argument is over the source of the initial outbreak: was it the Wuhan food market or was a lab worker accidentally infected at the lab and then attended the food market? The lab virus would be a specimen collected from the wild; the theory that this virus was genetically engineered in the lab is no longer considered credible.
Novavax may fold after poor COVID sales results: https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2023-02-28/novavax-raises-doubts-about-its-ability-to-remain-in-business .
Competition heats up on RSV vaccine race: https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2023-02-28/pfizer-gets-fda-panels-backing-in-rsv-vaccine-race .
WSJ: Colorectal cancer hits younger Americans: https://www.wsj.com/articles/more-young-people-are-getting-colorectal-cancers-and-doctors-dont-know-why-e5b51ca9 . A first guess would be dietary changes.
Cancer fight over Louisiana plant: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/justice-department-to-compel-denka-plant-reduce-emissions-rcna72685 . Any company that emits carcinogens in “Cancer Alley” has to expect heavy EPA scrutiny. However, how was the baseline cancer risk established here? Many minority communities near chemical plants have elevated cancer levels, but some of that has to do with significant poverty in these areas.
WSJ: Eli Lilly cuts insulin prices: https://www.wsj.com/articles/eli-lilly-to-cut-prices-of-insulin-drugs-by-70-c554f516 .
US intelligence officials discount “Havana Syndrome” as a foreign attack: https://news.yahoo.com/us-intel-officials-very-unlikely-that-foreign-adversary-caused-havana-syndrome-192844970.html . If you have followed this over the past few years, many of our diplomatic staff serving abroad reported very serious illnesses. While the government has found no evidence of foreign involvement, I doubt we have heard the end of this. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/havana-syndrome-symptoms-11626882951 .
WSJ: Gas stove investigations continue: https://www.wsj.com/articles/federal-commission-says-it-seeks-data-on-gas-stoves-health-impact-cede3b64 .
China sees flu overtake COVID: https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3211970/covid-19-wanes-seasonal-influenza-cases-are-surging-china . Uh-huh. So how many of these flu cases are actually COVID cases?
WSJ: China production strengthens: https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-post-covid-bounce-has-arrived-53715f53 . Uh-huh. It’s one month’s data. I don’t trust their COVID reporting. Also, according to the previous article, China is already setting up its flu excuse. More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-economy-seen-emerging-from-zero-covid-shadow-96360179 .
WSJ: US Treasury yields keep rising: https://www.wsj.com/articles/10-year-treasury-yield-tops-4-for-first-time-since-november-d043cc .
Ukraine troops may pull out of Bakhmut: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-bakhmut-drone-attacks-c0e33e89b027c3604f585166a349c457 . Such a withdrawal would have a significant psychological impact on both sides. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/russia-presses-attempt-to-encircle-eastern-ukraines-bakhmut-7b195080 .
WSJ: China could affect the balance in the Ukraine war: https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinese-weapons-could-sustain-russias-war-effort-in-ukraine-65ca4163 . This seems foolish, but not out of the question.
Finland building fence on border with Russia: https://abcnews.go.com/International/finland-begins-construction-barrier-wall-border-russia/story?id=97548905 .
Man arrested after bomb materials found in checked luggage: https://abcnews.go.com/US/man-stopped-airport-explosive-concealed-checked-luggage/story?id=97562616 . At least TSA caught this. As the man left the airport after his name was paged, it is unclear if he intended to board the flight.
DOJ-FBI showdown before the Mar-a-Lago document raid: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/showdown-before-the-raid-fbi-agents-and-prosecutors-argued-over-trump/ar-AA185mOL?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=2b3e74c5147046feafbeff57fefc43e7&ei=28 . This detailed Washington Post reporting clarifies the internal struggles over how to handle Orange Julius’ aggressive retention of classified documents.
DeMentis works to return Florida to the 1600’s: https://www.aol.com/ron-desantis-revamped-college-florida-174825748.html . Woke? These people are more like the Walking Dead. By the way, when the 13 colonies rebelled against England, there were two other colonies that did not: East Florida and West Florida: https://fcit.usf.edu/florida/lessons/trnsfer/trnsfer1.htm .
Orange Julius’ strategy forces him to become more extreme: https://www.rawstory.com/trump-2659485062/ . There is more than a little truth to this analysis. However, DeMentis’ drop in the polls suggests that many people are tiring of this “all aggression all the time” style. Joe Biden is a nice guy. But the GOP no longer has anybody remotely fitting that description.
WSJ: Alex Murdaugh trial: Closing arguments begin: https://www.wsj.com/articles/alex-murdaugh-murder-trial-e4645f37 .
Favorable feedback on the pitch clock: https://sports.yahoo.com/back-to-the-future-mlbs-pitch-clock-is-a-triumph-because-it-blasts-baseball-forward-into-a-form-from-its-past-132625128.html . This is just talk now. Let’s see what happens when the regular season opens. The fan reaction will be determinative of the fate of this rule change.