New Omicron subvariants emerge in China: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/china-finds-new-omicron-subtype-near-shanghai-as-zero-covid-plan-falters/ar-AAVO7p8?li=BBnb7Kz . Swell.
UK COVID infections at record levels: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2022-04-02/covid-in-uk-at-record-levels-with-almost-5-million-infected . As readers know, the UK has generally been an excellent predictor of where the US would be in 2 to 3 weeks. So this is not good news, either for the UK or for us.
China sends military, medical staff to Shanghai to test all 26 million residents: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2022-04-03/china-sends-military-doctors-to-shanghai-to-test-26-million-residents-for-covid . Meanwhile, despite the lockdown, cases continue to rise: https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-china-shanghai-wuhan-ab6e4fd3cfd587a76e32f29b6800378c . WSJ: China continues to separate children from parents in Shanghai outbreak: https://www.wsj.com/articles/in-shanghai-strict-covid-rules-separate-children-from-parents-11648961849 . The suggestion that they were fine-tuning their Zero COVID policy is bull. The Chinese refuse to admit that the low efficacy of their vaccines is a problem. Also, around half of the elderly population is not vaccinated. This is just utter incompetence.
The Shanghai lockdown makes Tesla unable to restart production tomorrow: https://money.usnews.com/investing/news/articles/2022-04-02/tesla-plans-to-resume-production-at-its-shanghai-plant-from-april-4-sources . The hits to China’s economy will just keep on coming.
German fake vaccination card scam: https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2022-04-03/man-in-germany-gets-90-covid-19-shots-to-sell-forged-passes .
WSJ: More on the Amazon unionization: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-amazon-workers-in-new-york-became-first-to-unionize-11648998000 .
WSJ: Taliban outlaw poppy cultivation: https://www.wsj.com/articles/afghanistans-taliban-ban-poppy-cultivation-11649003599 .
Departing Russian troops leave evidence of more war crimes against civilians: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-zelenskyy-europe-a6b76e7d4682f9a566955a1f0114b52a . Independent observers agree: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/russia-committed-apparent-war-crimes-human-rights-watch-says/ar-AAVOnV0?li=BBnb7Kz . As to command and control, the Russians have very undisciplined troops right now. More on Bucha: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-zelenskyy-kyiv-europe-evacuations-665fd06b92852547d7b27627b99509a6 . Germany says more sanctions are coming: https://www.aol.com/news/ukraine-demands-russia-sanctions-over-125908044-151506563.html .
(Dear Readers: In case you were wondering, fewer and fewer news stories are being filed on Saturday and Sunday.)