COVID causes Chinese government insanity: WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/articles/beijing-calls-for-measured-science-based-response-to-its-covid-outbreak-11672327491 . China closed its doors to foreigners for 3 years but now objects to the same behavior by other countries? At the same time China is committing mass murder on its citizens by reopening while failing to use effective vaccines? China’s behavior is bizarre and irresponsible. It is not science-based. And by the way, the markets are behaving as if the current tsunami of cases will be a one-and-done wave. The US is still running 125,000 deaths annually, 3 years later. Why would the Chinese experience be different? If anything, the Chinese experience will be worse.
Chinese antiviral pill outperforms Paxlovid: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/new-covid-antiviral-pill-trial-advantages-paxlovid-rcna63546 .
BioNTech tests herpes vaccine: https://www.salon.com/2022/12/29/herpes-vaccine-tests-underway-by-company-that-made-19-vaccines/ .
BioNTech tests malaria vaccine: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/biontech-starts-malaria-trial-in-new-test-for-mrna-vaccines/ar-AA15AUOJ?cvid=486cc35e715741a28c66fad1389c2e00 .
WSJ: Ohio measles outbreak slows: https://www.wsj.com/articles/measles-outbreak-in-ohio-begins-to-slow-11672351476 .
Congress slams FDA’s Aduhelm approval: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/congressional-report-u-s-fda-broke-own-protocols-in-approving-biogen-alzheimer-s-drug/ar-AA15Nc5K?cvid=5367a247c2c8423793a39dbaa7e3e038 . More: https://apnews.com/article/politics-health-us-food-and-drug-administration-medication-dementia-8a4dea09ba183d7f047ee5eb10224289 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-jobless-claims-edged-higher-last-week-11672321590 .
US sues AmerisourceBergen over opioids: https://www.npr.org/2022/12/29/1145997677/doj-amerisourcebergen-alleged-opioid-violations . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/amerisourcebergen-hit-with-federal-lawsuit-over-opioid-crisis-11672331980 .
WSJ: Weekly US jobless claims edge up to 225,000: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-jobless-claims-edged-higher-last-week-11672321590 .
Biden signs government spending bill: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/biden-signs-17t-government-spending-bill-ensuring-funding/story?id=95934378 . However, this ongoing drama merits cancellation. The approval of a budget should result in a default lapse in future years to the prior budget plus inflation if Congress fails to act.
WSJ: US dollar weakens: https://www.wsj.com/articles/an-epic-dollar-rally-goes-into-reverseand-investors-expect-further-declines-11672307459 .
Russian bombardment of Ukraine continues: https://abcnews.go.com/International/live-updates/russia-ukraine/?id=88905005 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/russia-launches-fresh-missile-barrage-at-targets-across-ukraine-11672311694 .
George Santos faces more pressure to resign: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/3791917-santos-should-resign-say-lawmakers-in-lgbtq-equality-caucus/ . Santos insists he will be sworn in on Tuesday, and he appears close enough in time to get there. However, there is increasing interest in his financial representations. As we have been saying, Follow the money. Something is wrong there.
Supreme Court considers barring use of acquitted conduct in sentencing: https://apnews.com/article/ketanji-brown-jackson-politics-indiana-state-government-legal-proceedings-ruth-bader-ginsburg-d1456a59284403c6783df774113acedd . This may seem like a slam dunk, but the Supreme Court specifically authorized this conduct in 1997. This outrageous practice should always have been considered unconstitutional. It violates due process and the right to trial.
WSJ: Buffalo blizzard death toll now 39: https://www.wsj.com/articles/buffalo-lifts-driving-ban-as-city-reopens-from-winter-storm-11672329189 . However, authorities anticipate the death toll will rise as the melt continues.
Pele, Brazil’s soccer legend, passes at 82: https://apnews.com/article/pele-soccer-star-dead-f2c5f7d2771b96dbd854cb025ab2563a . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pele-global-soccer-star-who-led-brazil-to-three-world-cup-wins-dies-at-82-11672340921 . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/from-obama-to-neymar-tributes-to-pele-pour-in-from-across-the-globe-11672349238 .