China’s risk for COVID subvariants: https://apnews.com/article/science-health-china-covid-306b688d84e31a9462f82d0ead1f4584 . There’s no new information in this article. We already know that the subvariant risk goes up in tandem with increases in the global viral load.
COVID overwhelms Chinese hospitals: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2022-12-26/the-icu-is-full-medical-staff-on-frontline-of-chinas-covid-fight-say-hospitals-are-overwhelmed .
One million new COVID cases daily in one Chinese province: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/china-s-zhejiang-has-1-million-daily-covid-cases-expected-to-double/ar-AA15Ecs9?cvid=fa6c7715406a44a9b6b1ca077433c5a3 .
WSJ: China short-circuits daily COVID reporting: https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-stops-issuing-daily-covid-data-ahead-of-outbreaks-peak-11671971450 . So this takes a page in the Florida playbook, known as the DeMentis shuffle.
WSJ: Millions of Medicaid recipients poised to move to Obamacare: https://www.wsj.com/articles/millions-poised-to-move-off-medicaid-after-omnibus-bill-passage-11671898465 .
Changes to US retirement plans passed by Congress: https://news.yahoo.com/heres-whats-in-the-new-53-b-retirement-bill-now-headed-to-president-bidens-desk-201537512.html .
Global economy meets tech layoffs: https://news.yahoo.com/tech-layoffs-uprooting-entire-families-immigration-lawyer-explains-202030445.html . To fuel the growth of technology in the US, many companies have brought in well-educated foreigners on work visas. However, with 150,000 layoffs in that industry (and 50,000 in just the past month), foreigners in this situation must find other work or leave. Still, finding new work in a shrinking employment situation is a difficult task for most. Also, many have brought their families here, on the assumption their children would be raised in America. As such, the entire family faces significant disruption.
The pandemic rapidly accelerated the use and acceptance of remote work, which can come from almost anywhere in the world. Will this sharply curtail visa use? If so, the US will lose a significant source of desirable immigrants.
Buffalo storm death total at 16: https://abc7ny.com/buffalo-snow-storm-snowfall-dead/12613603/ . WSJ: Less: https://www.wsj.com/articles/deep-freeze-envelops-u-s-for-another-day-11671982084 . Also, the Journal report came after the ABC report.
WSJ: Zelensky, Putin continue war of words: https://www.wsj.com/articles/zelensky-urges-ukrainians-to-persevere-as-putin-says-moscow-ready-for-long-war-11671970240 .
China provokes Taiwan to express displeasure with US defense bill: https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-politics-china-7ca84c323b8ed15253c9cb5c04789805 . This seems so childish.