Global COVID death toll 18 million: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/very-sobering-global-deaths-from-covid-may-be-more-than-3-times-higher-than-official-toll-study-says/ar-AAUUaXj?li=BBnb7Kz . As readers know, I believe analysis of excess deaths is the most accurate way to assess the global death toll, particularly internationally. Further, there is considerable evidence that India has massively undercounted its death toll. Therefore, this analysis is welcome and is the most thorough analysis published so far. Here is a similar result of a 3 times multiplier for COVID deaths in South Africa: https://fortune.com/2022/03/10/covid-19-deaths-south-africa-triple-official-rate/ .
At 18 million, COVID deaths now exceed the lower end of estimates of deaths from the 1918 influenza pandemic, although the commonly accepted estimate for that pandemic is 50 million: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_flu . Of course, the current pandemic is not over: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/11/covid-declared-a-pandemic-two-years-ago-health-experts-warn-its-still-not-over.html .
WSJ: Ongoing minority vaccine outreach: https://www.wsj.com/articles/health-workers-plan-for-years-of-covid-19-vaccine-outreach-to-black-people-11646917200 .
WSJ: Travel masking extended another month: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-to-extend-travel-mask-mandate-by-another-month-11646933141 .
Hong Kong’s Zero COVID policy collapses as deaths hit new records: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/9/in-zero-covid-hong-kong-deaths-smash-global-records .
Deltacron is not gaining traction: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/there-may-be-a-new-covid-variant-deltacron-heres-what-we-know-about-it/ar-AAUSuZi?li=BBnb7Kz . There is nothing approaching meaningful transmission of the few cases identified so far.
WSJ: Anthem spends your health care dollars on rebranding: https://www.wsj.com/articles/blue-cross-blue-shield-owner-anthem-seeks-to-change-name-to-elevance-health-11646910000 . Great. What the hell is Elevance? Sounds more suited for Otis Elevator than Anthem. More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/truist-us-were-naming-experts-11646926754 .
WSJ: US Census blues: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-census-undercounted-blacks-hispanics-in-2020-11646942878 . This major undercount of course traces back to Orange Julius’ ongoing attempts to undermine the count to favor whites and the GOP. The Journal is just unable to tell the obvious truth, as its readers don’t want to hear facts. An 18.8 million undercount is really a horrific result, and the crap data has already been used in the reallocation of House seats.
February annual inflation rate is 7.9%: https://news.yahoo.com/consumer-price-index-cpi-inflation-february-2022-203614415.html . Fed rate increases will not control this problem, and the numbers will get worse with increasing fuel costs. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/us-inflation-consumer-price-index-february-2022-11646857681 .
WSJ: Weekly jobless claims edge up to 227,000: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-jobless-claims-edged-higher-last-week-11646919806 .
News summary on world reaction to Russia’s invasion: https://www.aol.com/ukrainians-flee-russian-occupied-towns-085509276.html . I would just note that 190,000 troops are wholly inadequate to pacify a country of 44 million people. Putin will have to declare victory and withdraw at some point. I remain greatly concerned for President Zelensky, who already has made himself the hero of Ukraine for all of time.
Also note that the famous 40-mile convoy has split up. I would guess this involves support of the Russian plan to encircle Kyiv. However, this will make their resupply problems worse. More: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/11/satellite-images-show-russian-army-convoy-near-kyiv-re-deployed . Estimates of Ukrainian refugees leaving the country are now at 2.3 million, with the majority children. An additional 1.7 million Ukrainians are internally displaced. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukraine-refugees-war-11646758280 . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/waves-of-ukrainian-refugees-overwhelm-poland-11646856187 .
Several sources estimate Russian casualties so far at 5,000 to 6,000 dead and triple that number wounded. Ukrainian military casualties are estimated at 2,000 to 4,000; civilian casualties are much higher.
Today’s invasion vocabulary word: Rasputitsa: https://news.yahoo.com/logistics-the-hidden-challenge-for-putins-military-155316923.html . So one of the Four Horsemen of Putin’s apocalypse is Field Marshall Mud. This invites more comparisons of Putin to Hitler.
WSJ: Meanwhile, Lavrov lies his ass off about the maternity hospital shelling, and no one is buying it: https://www.wsj.com/articles/russia-ramps-up-attacks-after-deadly-hit-on-maternity-hospital-11646907696 .
Putin’s targets after Ukraine: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-putin-business-georgia-estonia-bc7d887d4a8bb59f58906459543b1fbe . This article adds Georgia, Bosnia and Kosovo to the potential target list. But the quagmire in Ukraine makes additional targets safer with each passing day.
Biden to ramp up pressure on Russia’s economy: https://news.yahoo.com/biden-call-end-normal-trade-032334656.html . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-to-call-for-revoking-normal-trade-relations-with-russia-11646971099 .
More on the consequences of a Russian debt default: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/11/what-happens-if-russia-cant-pay-its-debts-after-western-sanctions .
The international companies still operating in Russia: https://news.yahoo.com/here-are-the-companies-still-doing-business-in-russia-undeterred-204129620.html . Can you say “boycott”? These companies better have that word in their vocabulary. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-companies-have-pulled-back-from-russia-11646425481 . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/western-union-suspends-operations-in-russia-belarus-11646938348 .
McDonald’s departure from Russia will cost them $50 million per month: https://news.yahoo.com/mc-donalds-suspending-operations-russia-cost-162459655.html . Now that’s putting your money where your mouth is. Will this increase Russian life expectancy? Not if the replacement is vodka, beets and potatoes.
UK sanctions Abramovich and blocks sale of Chelsea soccer club: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/chelseas-billionaire-russian-owner-slapped-with-sanctions-that-bar-him-from-selling-his-dollar3-billion-soccer-club-and-place-severe-restrictions-on-the-team/ar-AAUSED5?li=BBnb7Kz . These restrictions would seem to make team operations a losing proposition. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/roman-abramovich-sanctions-chelsea-russia-ukraine-oligarchs-11646938048 . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/chelsea-fc-owner-roman-abramovich-is-sanctioned-by-u-k-government-11646904912 .
Destabilizing Russia will move Central Asian countries toward China: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/russias-war-in-ukraine-spells-disaster-for-neighboring-central-asia/ar-AAUUf60?li=BBnb7Kz . But it may also create destabilization within China, as the article explains.
WSJ: The Chinese really aren’t that smart: https://www.wsj.com/articles/nickel-market-to-stay-closed-until-at-least-next-week-amid-ukraine-war-11646930989 . The world’s largest nickel producer loses $8 billion on a hedge position on nickel? Wow.
Smollett sentenced to 150 days in prison for staged hate crime: https://www.aol.com/entertainment/jussie-smollett-sentenced-150-days-010546255.html . WSJ: What sentence?: https://www.wsj.com/articles/jussie-smollett-trial-what-to-know-11638335216 . (They may update this story by the time you get this link, but as is often the case with WSJ, hours have passed since the sentencing with no update.)