Ravenna

Nearly two-thirds of voters expect Trump to win reelection in November, poll finds

Opinions on the race appear to be firmly set for most voters, with 63% saying they know how they will vote no matter who is the Democratic nominee.

10,000 mourn victims of racist shooting rampage in Germany

Around 10,000 protesters marched through the central German town of Hanau on Sunday to mourn the nine people who were killed by an immigrant-hating gunman four days ago. “These days and hours are the blackest and darkest our town has ever experienced during peace times,” Hanau mayor Claus Kaminsky told the somber crowds, according to the German news agency dpa. Five of the victims were reported to be Turkish citizens.

Coronavirus challenges $45 billion cruise industry

'Business is soft, people are scared to travel,' said Frank Del Rio, CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line.

Mike Bloomberg's social media strategy is under fire as Twitter suspends 70 pro-Bloomberg accounts for platform manipulation

A Twitter spokesman said the identical posts violated its policy against manipulation and spam that was created in response to the 2016 election.

Greyhound will stop allowing immigration checks on buses

Greyhound, the U.S.’s largest bus company, said on Friday that it will stop allowing Border Patrol agents without a warrant to board its buses to conduct routine immigration checks.

Here Comes 1984: China's Regime Is An Existential Threat to the World

One expert tells you why.

South Korea Signals Unprecedented Steps to Contain Outbreak

(Bloomberg) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in raised the country’s infectious-disease alert level to the highest and signaled the potential for unprecedented steps to contain a coronavirus outbreak that has killed six and infected hundreds.The government ordered that schools delay resuming lessons after a holiday break as more than 600 people were confirmed to have been infected, a 20-fold surge in reported cases over five days. More than half are linked to members of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, an opaque religious sect, while almost an entire hospital psychiatric ward of over 110 patients and staff tested positive for the virus.The worsening outbreak may add further pressure on South Korean assets. The won recorded its biggest five-day drop in more than four years last week when the number of infections jumped. Government bonds could extend gains as the economic fallout from the outbreak bolsters the case for the central bank to ease policy again.The quick spread in South Korea has triggered travel advisories around the world. Israel is closing its borders to foreign nationals who live in or have visited South Korea in the past two weeks, while the U.S. and the U.K. also raised their alert levels for travel in the Asian country.South Korea was last on red alert in 2009, during the H1N1 virus outbreak that resulted in 250 deaths in the country. At the red level, the government has the power to stop military personnel from going on vacation leave, control the activities of aircraft, suspend public schools from restarting, as well as impose stricter measures to bar foreigners from entering the country, the DongA Ilbo newspaper reported, citing an official.A day after the prime minister asked citizens to stop mass religious activities for safety reasons, President Moon said the government could take “powerful measures like never before without being tied to regulations” to contain the outbreak. He emphasized that shutting down Shincheonji facilities was a safety measure, not a suppression of religion.Daegu, the southeast Korean city where the Shincheonji group is located, has deployed some 600 police officers to track down members who have been unreachable, according to the Maeil Business newspaper. There are about 670 people who have been uncontactable, the paper said.Health officials in that city have a list of residents who are members of the sect, and are getting in touch to explain self-quarantine measures. Authorities have stationed a total of about 500 military personnel at two hospitals in Daegu to implement stricter measures for patients who are confirmed to be infected.Daegu is one of two cities, along with nearby Cheongdo, subject to a U.K. travel advisory on Saturday. Britain’s Foreign Office advised against “all but essential travel” to the two locations. The U.S. separately raised its guidance to Level 2 -- “exercise increased caution” -- for the country as a whole. That level warns of sustained community transmission and calls for “precautions for high-risk travelers,” such as those with chronic medical conditions.Israel took sterner measures after from a group of Catholics from South Korea who went on a Holy Land Pilgrimage of religious sites was confirmed to have the virus.South Korea’s CDC said 18 people out of the 39 who went on the tour in Israel were confirmed to have the virus. Authorities are conducting further tests on the remaining 21. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Andong has halted all masses and assemblies until March, the CDC said in the statement.(Updates with markets in third paragraph)\--With assistance from Liau Y-Sing.To contact the reporter on this story: Jihye Lee in Seoul at jlee2352@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Shamim Adam at sadam2@bloomberg.net, Christopher AnsteyFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

US accuses Russia of huge coronavirus disinformation campaign

US officials say thousands of social media accounts linked to Russia are part of a coordinated effort to spread disinformation about the new coronavirus.The campaign allegedly aims to damage the US’s image and spread unfounded conspiracy theories that it is behind the outbreak which has infected nearly 78,000 globally and killed over 2,500 people.

Trump administration backs off sending coronavirus patients to Alabama -governor

The news came as worry grew over the spread outside China of the sometimes fatal virus, with a spike in the number of cases found in South Korea, Iran and Italy. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey tweeted that she had thanked Trump during a separate phone call.

‘We're alive and we're coming back’: Joe Biden stakes presidential bid on crucial South Carolina primary

"I think we're going to go, we're going to win in South Carolina, and then Super Tuesday and we are on our way," the former vice president said to a cheering crowd in Las Vegas Saturday.

Police: Couple forced boys off road, angered by Trump flags

A northwestern Indiana couple allegedly used a car to force two teenage boys off a road, angered that the twin brothers were riding bicycles adorned with flags supporting President Donald Trump, before ripping one of the sibling's flag from his bike, police said Friday. Hobart police said Snapchat videos helped officers secure charges against Kyren Gregory Perry-Jones, 23, and Cailyn Marie Smith, 18, in connection with a July 22 incident. Police Capt. James Gonzales said the Hobart couple are accused of driving in their car, running the 14-year-old boys off of the road, and making threats toward them.

The Vegas way: Buttigieg backer pulls winning card to break tie at Nevada caucus

That's how Democrats settle matters in the state that's home to the nation's most famous gaming mecca.

Malaysia in turmoil as Anwar denounces bid to bring down govt

Malaysian politics was in turmoil Monday after leader-in-waiting Anwar Ibrahim denounced a "betrayal" by coalition partners he said were trying to bring down the government, two years after it stormed to victory. Anwar's "Pact of Hope" alliance was thrown into crisis after his rivals within the coalition and opposition politicians met at the weekend reportedly to try to form a new government. Speculation is mounting that Anwar, who had been the presumptive successor to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed, and his lawmakers would be left out of any new coalition, ending his hopes of becoming premier any time soon.

Coronavirus: Could It Takedown China's Communist Party?

It's up to Xi himself.

N.Y. Gov. Cuomo compares the 'virus of hate' to the coronavirus after bomb threats were emailed to 19 Jewish community centers in one single morning

"People are worried about the Coronavirus, which we're watching in this state – there's also a virus of hate, and it's spreading," Cuomo said.

White House reportedly to ask Congress for coronavirus funds but the amount may not be enough

The White House is about to turn to Congress and request emergency funds in an attempt to curb the coronavirus outbreak, four people with knowledge of the request told Politico.So far, the vast majority of cases of the respiratory virus are in China where it originated, but it has been spreading across the globe, and over 30 people are infected in the United States. Because scientists know so little about the virus, including its incubation time, they're worried an outbreak could eventually hit the U.S.But it looks like the amount the White House plans to ask for — $1 billion — might be lower than some public health officials consider necessary, per Politico. If that's all there is, it could reportedly be exhausted swiftly by vaccine development, lab tests, and other investments. For comparison, the Obama administration requested $6 billion to fight Ebola in 2014 and received $5.4 billion.One White House official told Politico the amount is still subject to change, however. Read more at Politico.More stories from theweek.com Conservative activists are reportedly sending Trump lists of 'disloyal' government officials to fire CNN analyst: Republicans 'may regret' hoping Sanders wins nomination The stunning Southern Baptist controversy over Donald Trump and Russell Moore, explained

Fear of coronavirus pandemic grows but China eases curbs as new infections fall

BEIJING/SEOUL (Reuters) - Fears of a coronavirus pandemic grew on Monday after sharp rises in new cases reported in Iran, Italy and South Korea but China relaxed restrictions on movements in several places including Beijing as its rates of new infections eased. The surge of infections outside mainland China triggered steep falls in Asian shares and Wall Street stock futures as investors fled to safe havens such as gold. South Korea's fourth-largest city Daegu became more isolated due to a rapid increase in cases of infection, as Asiana Airlines and Korean Air suspended flights there until next month.

'Frankly it's bulls***': CNN anchor boils over in interview with corrupt politician pardoned by Trump

In a fiery CNN segment, host Anderson Cooper called out an unrepentant Rod Blagojevich, on his third day out of prison following the commutation of his sentence by Donald Trump.Mr Blagojevich, the former Democratic governor of Illinois, imprisoned in late 2011 following convictions in 17 out of 20 corruption charges, claimed that he was a “political prisoner” not dissimilar to Nelson Mandela and made excuses as to why he should not have been in prison.

Outcry after MSNBC host compares Sanders’ Nevada win to Nazi invasion

* Calls for firing of Chris Matthews after widespread anger * Sanders, a self-proclaimed democratic socialist is JewishMSNBC host Chris Matthews compared Bernie Sanders’ victory in the Nevada caucuses on Saturday to the Nazi invasion of France, spurring calls for his firing.“I was reading last night about the fall of France in the summer of 1940 and the general, Reynaud, calls up Churchill and says, ‘It’s over,’” Matthews said on air on Saturday night.“And Churchill says, ‘How can that be? You’ve got the greatest army in Europe. How can it be over?’ He said, ‘It’s over.’”“So I had that suppressed feeling,” Matthews also said.Sanders, a senator from Vermont and self-proclaimed democratic socialist, is Jewish.He won the Nevada caucuses easily, helping solidify his status as the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination in a primary split between moderates and progressives. Sanders’ win came in the wake of a strong showing in Iowa and victory in New Hampshire.> MSNBC’s Chris Matthews likens Sanders victory in Nevada to Nazi Germany overrunning France in 1940: “It’s too late to stop him … it’s over” pic.twitter.com/6GJetLoDkq> > — Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) February 22, 2020Matthews’ words prompted widespread anger.“Bernie is Jewish and his family was killed by the Nazis,” tweeted David Sirota, a Sanders speechwriter and former Guardian contributor. “None of this is OK.”“This is absolutely disgusting on [Matthews’] part,” tweeted Parker Molloy, editor-at-large at Media Matters for America. “Retire, get fired, whatever. Bottom line is that Matthews needs to be out of a job.”On air, Matthews said Republicans would disclose opposition research on Sanders that would “kill him” in the general election against Donald Trump.“It looks like Bernie Sanders is hard to beat,” Matthews said of the primary, adding: “I think it’s a little late to stop him, and I think that’s the problem.”MSNBC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Indian authorities scramble to give Trump mega-rally

The city of Ahmedabad in India was jostling with activity on Sunday as workers cleaned roads, planted flowers and hoisted billboards featuring President Trump, a day ahead of his maiden two-day visit to India after Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised him a lively public reception.

Haiti police exchange fire with troops near national palace

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haitian police officers exchanged gunfire for hours Sunday with soldiers of the newly reconstituted army outside the national palace, in a dangerous escalation of protests over police pay and working conditions. At least three police officers were wounded, fellow officers told The Associated Press. Haiti's raucous three-day Carnival celebration was to have started Sunday afternoon in Port-au-Prince and other major cities but the government announced Sunday night that Carnival was cancelled in the capital “to avoid a bloodbath.” Police protesters and their backers had burned dozens of Carnival floats and stands at recent protests, saying they did not believe the country should be celebrating during a crisis.

Nevada caucus results delayed for hours, Buttigieg camp claims 'irregularities'

Buttigieg's campaign raised questions about the results of Saturday's contest.

Grave of slain Iraq commander, a new anti-US magnet

Clad in black, they joined wailing women and men beating their chests in grief at Wadi al-Salam (valley of peace), an ever expanding cemetery. All eyes were on the grave of Iraqi paramilitary commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. Killed alongside top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in a US drone strike in Baghdad on January 3, Muhandis is now revered as a martyred icon of anti-American resistance.

CDC is preparing for the 'likely' spread of coronavirus in the US, officials say

While coronavirus has not spread in the United States, CDC officials said they're preparing for the coronavirus to become a pandemic.

I Live in South Korea Where Coronavirus Cases are Rising. Not Much Has Changed

It is important to keep perspective. There are fifty-three million people in South Korea. Only four hundred thirty or so of them have corona, and only two have died. The sensationalism of disease outbreak coverage does not help. We have all seen too many movies, and overwrought invocations of Contagion or zombie apocalypse movies generate paranoia and unnecessary anxiety. South Korea is safe.

Joe Biden says he was arrested in South Africa on a visit to see Nelson Mandela. He has never mentioned the arrest before.

Former Vice President Joe Biden, 77, has mentioned at three campaign events about being arrested while trying to visit Nelson Mandela in the 1970s.

Judge won’t bow out of Roger Stone case

Amy Berman Jackson accuses the defense of abusing the court’s docket with claims of bias.

20-Year-Old Woman, Boyfriend Arrested Over Rental Dispute Triple Homicide

A 20-year-old woman and her 18-year-old boyfriend were arrested in Las Vegas on Thursday after the woman’s three roommates were found dead inside their shared home in Hemet, California.Hemet police Chief Eddie Pust on Friday told reporters that Jordan Destinee Guzman, and her boyfriend, Anthony Damion McCloud, were apprehended in connection to the triple homicide—which allegedly stemmed from a dispute over the rental agreement. The three victims—46-year-old Wendy Araiza, her 21-year-old daughter Genesis Araiza, and Trinity Clyde, the 18-year-old girlfriend of Wendy’s son—were found dead Wednesday evening after officials received a call about a woman lying in a pool of blood.According to KABC, officials said they died of blunt force trauma and strangulation. Stabbing was also present, but it’s unclear if a knife was used.The father of one of the victims reportedly walked into the home while Guzman and McCloud were still there—but the pair fled the scene in Clyde’s car, which was also found in Las Vegas.A family member of Araiza, Cheryl Mead, said they were trying to get Guzman to move out of the house. “I guess that this is how she retaliated, which is pretty horrific,” Mead told KABC.Pust told reporters that police still didn’t know if the “horrific, egregious” crime was “interrupted” or if Guzman and McCloud were going to continue their alleged killing spree. According to news station KCAL 9, he said the investigation was still active.Guzman’s mother said the women let her stay in the home so her daughter could get back on her feet, and claimed Guzman was scared of McCloud. She also told KCAL 9 that her daughter was previously asked to leave other homes and did so without incident. “We can’t be more sorry to the families that have lost their family members,” she said.Guzman and McCloud face three counts of murder and are currently being held on $2 million bail at a Nevada jail. Police say they will soon be extradited to Riverside County, California.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

France's Macron says 'intolerable' rights violations taking place in Cameroon

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday "intolerable human rights violations" were taking place in Cameroon, a week after 22 people were killed by gunmen in military fatigues in a village at the heart of a separatist insurgency. "I will call President Biya next week and we will put maximum pressure so that the situation ends," Macron said. When France says a leader has not been democratically elected, Africans tell us: why are you meddling?

Man drives Jeep off 6-story roof of Los Angeles-area garage

A man drove his Jeep off the the sixth floor of a Los Angeles-area parking garage early Sunday and was taken to a hospital in critical condition, authorities said. When officers arrived shortly after midnight, they found the destroyed vehicle up against a McDonald's restaurant across the street from the garage in Santa Monica, police said. Firefighters extricated him from the wreckage and took him to a local trauma center, where he was listed in critical condition, the Santa Monica Fire Department said.

Clyburn thinks Sanders may make it tougher for Democrats to keep House majority

Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) thinks that even if Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) proves himself to be the preferred candidate of the Democratic Party nationwide, his win could have consequences down the line.During an appearance on ABC's This Week, host George Stephanopoulos asked Clyburn if a victory from Sanders, who describes himself as a Democratic Socialist, could harm the Democrats' chances of maintaining its majority in the House. Clyburn said it will likely add an "extra burden" in some places — like the more moderate and conservatives districts in South Carolina — where Democrats pulled upsets in the last midterm election. Clyburn said it'll be a challenge to hold on to those districts if candidates have to advocate for a democratic socialist."South Carolinians are pretty leery about that title 'socialist,'" he said.> “A lot of people think so,” Rep. Jim Clyburn tells @GStephanopoulos when asked if Sanders being the nominee could put the House majority in danger.> > “I think that that would be a real burden for us in these states,” he says, pointing to "socialist" label. https://t.co/erJgQTZHM7 pic.twitter.com/eQiU1ORA6L> > — ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) February 23, 2020Clyburn also said he'll finally make an endorsement this coming Wednesday, the morning after Tuesday's debate in South Carolina. Clyburn serves as the majority whip, and his support will likely go a long way in the Palmetto State, though it seems unlikely Sanders will get the nod.More stories from theweek.com Conservative activists are reportedly sending Trump lists of 'disloyal' government officials to fire CNN analyst: Republicans 'may regret' hoping Sanders wins nomination The stunning Southern Baptist controversy over Donald Trump and Russell Moore, explained

Conservatives claim victory in Iran polls after record low turnout

Iran's conservatives claimed victory Sunday in a general election marked by the lowest turnout since the 1979 Islamic Revolution amid public anger against the government, an economic downturn and the disqualification of half the candidates. A conservative resurgence would heap pressure on beleaguered President Hassan Rouhani and signal a shift from four years ago when reformists and moderates won a slender majority in parliament. "Victory for the anti-American candidates, a new slap for Trump," crowed the ultra-conservative Kayhan newspaper.

Charter bus rollover kills 3, injures 18 outside San Diego

A charter bus swerved on a rain-slicked Southern California highway and rolled down an embankment Saturday, killing three people and injuring 18 others, authorities said. Several passengers were thrown from the bus, and one of the dead was trapped under the vehicle after it landed on its roof shortly after 10 a.m. off Interstate 15 in Pala Mesa, an unincorporated community about 45 miles (72 kilometers) north of San Diego, North County Fire Protection District spokesman John Choi said. “There were no seat belts on this bus,” Choi said.

Coronavirus updates: Italian towns locked down as almost 150 test positive

As Italy experiences a surge in coronavirus cases, here is the latest for Sunday, Feb. 23.

How China Is Humiliating Pakistan

Pakistan sees itself as a major regional power but recent events show that Beijing considers Pakistan little more than a subordinate colony to be exploited but not heard.

Wave of racist attacks against Asian Americans in wake of coronavirus outbreak

Misinformation and exaggeration about the coronavirus have led to a wave of racist attacks on Asian Americans across the US.The attacks are both physical and verbal, and there are also cases of people either from East Asia, or of East Asian descent, being turned away from businesses.

What the Jury's Note Could Mean for the Weinstein Deliberations

NEW YORK -- The jurors in the Harvey Weinstein trial sent out a tantalizing note during their lunch hour Friday afternoon before they were scheduled to break for the weekend.The note, posed as a question to the presiding judge, Justice James Burke, suggested that they might have reached a verdict on some of the lower charges in the case -- rape and forced oral sex -- but were unable to decide on the more serious charges of predatory sexual assault.Here is some background on the charges Weinstein is facing and what the jury's note may mean.The judge can accept a partial verdict.While partial verdicts are never a desirable result, especially in high-profile matters like the Weinstein trial, they are not uncommon. Typically, judges accept partial verdicts only after they strongly urge the jury to reach a consensus and determine that the panel is hopelessly deadlocked on some of the charges.If a judge takes a partial verdict, then prosecutors can retry the defendant on the remaining charges with a different jury.After receiving the note, Burke gave the jury a standard order to continue its deliberations. With court scheduled to end early Friday -- at 3 p.m., not 4:30 p.m. as usual -- the jurors went home for the weekend and will continue their deliberations Monday morning.Weinstein is facing five felony charges.Two of those charges -- first-degree rape and third-degree rape -- are based on the account of Jessica Mann, a onetime aspiring actress who testified that Weinstein sexually assaulted her at a hotel in midtown Manhattan in March 2013.A third charge -- criminal sexual act -- is based on the account of Miriam Haley, a former production assistant for the reality television show "Project Runway," who testified that Weinstein forced oral sex on her at his apartment in Manhattan's Tribeca neighborhood in July 2006.But Weinstein also faces two counts of predatory sexual assault, the most severe charges in the indictment. Those charges are particularly complex, requiring prosecutors to prove that Weinstein attacked at least two different victims.To prove the predatory sexual assault charges, prosecutors introduced the testimony of a third accuser, Annabella Sciorra, an actress from "The Sopranos" who claimed that Weinstein raped her at her Gramercy Park apartment in the winter months of 1993 or 1994.One of the predatory sexual assault charges is based on the combined accounts of Mann and Sciorra; the other is based on the combined accounts of Haley and Sciorra. That means that a conviction on either of those charges depends on proving one of the lower charges, plus Sciorra's rape allegation.Does the note suggest that jurors believe he is guilty?Not necessarily, but it does suggest that they may have reached a guilty verdict on at least one of the lower charges involving Mann or Haley.If the jurors are following the complicated charging sheet correctly, their note indicates that they are at least mulling a guilty verdict on one or more of the charges of rape and criminal sex act.Technically speaking, the jurors could not be deadlocked on the higher charge of predatory sexual assault without having first decided that Weinstein was guilty of a lower charge, legal experts said.Said a different way, if the jurors had decided to acquit Weinstein on the charges involving Mann and Haley, they would not need to continue deliberating on the charges involving Sciorra.Although Sciorra's rape allegation is too old to be charged as a separate crime under state law, it can be used to prove the sexual predator charge.There is one caveat here, said Mark Bederow, a Manhattan defense lawyer. It is possible that some of the jurors have concluded that Mann and Haley are not to be believed and are looking to convict Weinstein based on Sciorra's testimony alone.In this scenario, the note may be an effort by the others on the jury to have the judge step in and instruct their fellow panelists that that is not a viable legal option.The jury can find Weinstein guilty of the lower charges, but not the more serious charges.Weinstein can be convicted on all or some of the charges that accuse him of raping Mann and forcing oral sex on Haley, even if the jurors do not believe that he raped Sciorra.But the opposite is not true. To convict Weinstein of predatory sexual assault, the jury has to find that he committed a serious crime against either Mann or Haley -- or both -- and that he committed a crime against Sciorra.The defense suggested it would accept a partial verdict.Weinstein's lawyers quickly indicated in court Friday that they were willing to accept a partial verdict and take the jury's decision on only the lower charges, not the higher ones, which remained undecided.The move suggested that the lawyers may have been looking to reduce Weinstein's possible sentence. The two top charges of predatory sexual assault carry the stiffest penalty: a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison.The lower charges carry penalties that range from a conditional discharge (the equivalent of unsupervised probation) to 25 years in prison.So Weinstein's lawyers might have calculated that if the jury was deadlocked on the two most serious charges and was leaning toward convicting on one of the lesser charges, the best strategy would be to stop the trial and cut their losses. They did not comment on the proceedings.This article originally appeared in The New York Times.(C) 2020 The New York Times Company

Harry Dunn's family want Julian Assange's extradition blocked

The family of Harry Dunn has called for Julian Assange not to be extradited as long as the US refuses to send the suspect in the teenager's death back to the UK. They have accused the American government of "demonstrating an extraordinary amount of hypocrisy" in seeking the extradition of the Wikileaks founder, despite rejecting a request for Anne Sacoolas to return to Britain. Mr Dunn, 19, died when his motorbike collided with a car outside RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire on August 27. Ms Sacoolas, 42, the wife of an intelligence official based at the US military base, claimed diplomatic immunity and was able to return to her home country, sparking an international controversy. The US refused an extradition request for Ms Sacoolas last month.

Bernie’s Bros Say He Will Boost Turnout to Beat Trump

Bernie Sanders has a succinct and biting response to all the establishment Democrats who are freaking out over the prospect of a cranky socialist leading the party into battle this November. They are wrong, he says. Indeed, only he can be the savior of the party.“The only way that you can beat Trump is by having an unprecedented campaign, an unprecedentedly large voter turnout,” he says. Faiz Shakir, his campaign manager, claims that Sanders has such a great appeal to young people and alienated voters that they “will vote in percentages that they have never voted before.”That’s just swamp gas, counters James Carville, the now retired Louisiana political consultant who helped engineer Bill Clinton’s 1992 election by summarizing his strategy as “It’s the economy, stupid.” Carville isn’t mincing words when he says that Sanders is peddling a turnout theory akin to a belief in unicorns. “If you’re voting for him because you think he’ll win the election, because he’ll galvanize heretofore sleepy parts of an electorate, then politically, you’re a fool,” he told MSNBC on Saturday as Sanders was sweeping Nevada.Ruy Teixeira, a voting specialist at the Center for American Progress, agrees. “It is truly magical thinking to believe that, in a highly polarized situation, only your side gets to increase turnout,” he wrote in the Washington Post this month.Indeed, a new study of non-voters by the Knight Foundation looked at 12,000 “chronic non-voters in America, across the country, and in key battleground states.” They concluded that if they all went to the polls, Democrats would increase their popular-vote margin and lose the Electoral College even more decisively than they did in 2016. Most of the untapped vote in such states as Pennsylvania, Virginia, Florida, and Arizona consists of white voters who have little to no college education. Many like Trump’s blowtorch rhetoric and anti-elitist attitude and are suspicious of left-wing social planners.Bernie supporters say that all of this is theory; on their side, they cite the 2018 midterm elections, which saw the highest voter turnout of any off-year election since 1914. Democrats gained control of the House by winning 40 seats, and they captured then–GOP governorships in swing states that Trump had carried, including Michigan, Wisconsin, and Maine.But Teixeira says this analysis is electoral fool’s gold. “The overwhelming majority of the Democrats’ improved performance” in the midterms did not come from “fresh turnout of left-of-center voters,” he wrote. Catalist, a respected liberal data center, found instead that 89 percent of the improved performance by Democrats came from Trump voters who switched to their side. But they switched their vote to Democrats not because they favored radical change but because they didn’t like Trump’s “tax cuts for the rich” and attempt to gut Obamacare.“Sanders’s bouquet of unpopular positions hardly seems likely to help the Democrats make up ground among these voters,” Teixeira concluded.The problem that establishment Democrats face in making the argument that Sanders would lose to Trump is simple. Bernie’s base of supporters simply can’t bring themselves to accept that their guy’s positions on issues could be less popular than those of Trump The Fascist. “Even if people give credit on the economy to Trump, his personality disorder will draw people to Bernie,” Alice Charters, a New Hampshire Democrat told me this month.The problem with that is that a lot of Americans think that Bernie Sanders has a personality problem, too. He comes across as an irritable, red-faced scold, waving his arms while he calls for revolution, sort of the crazy uncle of American politics. Trump may come across as the neighborhood bully, but that persona is probably more appealing for many voters as long as they think he will protect their interests.I am inclined to welcome a matchup between Sanders and Trump, not because I’m enamored of either of them but because the campaign would be fought over an important issue: Should America move rapidly toward socialism? That’s an important debate to have, and in between the name-calling, perhaps the country would render a useful and definitive answer.

Klobuchar congratulates herself for 'exceeding expectations' as early Nevada results show her in distant 5th

Sen. Amy Klobuchar's (D-Minn.) 2020 momentum may be sputtering, but she doesn't seem to notice.While the Democratic presidential candidate turned out a surprising third place finish in New Hampshire's Democratic primary earlier this month, that luck hasn't seemed to extend to Nevada's caucuses. Still, Klobuchar delivered a self-congratulatory speech on Saturday where she praised her team for having "exceeded expectations," despite early results showing her in a distant fifth place.With four percent of caucuses reporting Saturday, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) had secured more than 6,000 votes to former Vice President Joe Biden's 2,700 and Klobuchar's 1,068. That put Klobuchar in the bottom half of candidates as Saturday's results came in, and entrance polls taken earlier in the day didn't show a more positive future. Still, Klobuchar thanked her team while thousands of miles away from Nevada, saying "as usual, I think we have exceeded expectations," Klobuchar said. "A lot of people didn't even think that I would still be standing at this point," or at several other points in her campaign, she continued.> WATCH: Amy Klobuchar speaks to supporters as Nevada caucus results come in https://t.co/4xhlHorGDS pic.twitter.com/NJk2beSLw6> > — CBS News (@CBSNews) February 23, 2020Former Vice President Joe Biden's Saturday speech sounded even more victorious, though even his second-place standing at the time he spoke was tenuous. Former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg had only about 250 votes less than Biden, but Biden said he could still "win this state outright" when speaking in Nevada. Ironically, NBC News cut away from Biden's speech to project that wasn't happening.More stories from theweek.com Conservative activists are reportedly sending Trump lists of 'disloyal' government officials to fire CNN analyst: Republicans 'may regret' hoping Sanders wins nomination The stunning Southern Baptist controversy over Donald Trump and Russell Moore, explained

For Virginia Tech parents, new gun laws a long struggle

When Virginia lawmakers pass sweeping new gun control laws in the coming days, it will mark the culmination of nearly 13 years of often thankless work for two parents whose children were shot in one of the country's worst mass shootings. Lori Haas and Andrew Goddard started pressing lawmakers to enact new gun laws shortly after a gunman killed 32 people and wounded more than a dozen others at Virginia Tech in 2007. Haas and Goddard have been Virginia's most visible gun-control lobbyists for years, but until recently had little to show for their work.

South Korea on frontline as coronavirus spreads

The deadly coronavirus epidemic spread further outside China on Monday with a surge of infections in South Korea making it the biggest hotspot abroad, while authorities in Europe and the Middle East battled worsening outbreaks. The number of fatalities in China also continued to soar, with 150 more confirmed deaths taking the official death toll to nearly 2,600. Chinese authorities insist they are making progress in containing the virus, citing slowing infection rates thanks to unprecedented travel lockdowns and quarantines in or near the outbreak's epicentre.

Russia's Relationship With China Is Growing Despite Setbacks

What are the strategic implications of Moscow and Beijing working closely together in a sensitive domain?

Couple who disappeared during California getaway found alive

A couple who vanished during a getaway in the woods of Northern California was found Saturday by search-and-rescue workers who spent almost a week looking for them.

Girl, 11, gave birth to baby allegedly fathered by brother

The 17-year-old boy told police he had sex with his sister about 100 times but did not know she was pregnant, according to charging documents.

The military's 'war for talent' is affecting what the Navy's future ships will look like

The Navy needs not only enough people but the right people, and appealing to them is influencing the design of its future ships.