Comment: See also: Starvation sanctions are worse than overt warfare

Comment: Despite US attempts at sabotage Russia has constructed gas pipelines to Europe to enable it to have all the gas it needs, at a competitive price, and it's much cleaner than US fracking-derived LNG, taken together it's pretty clear that the US is bitter that it isn't in an equally strong position:

• Massive social difficulties loom as worldwide job losses from coronavirus lockdown and economic downturn expected to reach 25 million
• Russia's economy in for the long haul, low oil prices no concern for now
• Krone collapse: Norway loses a fifth of its oil wealth

Comment: Russia has had just one death from a confirmed case of Covid-19: ONE! Seems they know what they're doing, especially since they share a border with China. Their decision to maintain stability among their population is commendable. It's almost remarkable to see how propagandists like RFE/RL are upset that Russia isn't slamming the panic button like all of Western media.

Comment: See also:

• Iraq's Hezbollah accuses high-ranking officials of working with US to assassinate Qassem Soleimani
• US-Iran covert war continues: US again strikes Iraqi forces aligned with Iran, possibly taking out another senior IRGC commander
• NYT says 'Iran-backed militia' attack that provoked Soleimani murder was possible ISIS false flag

Comment: Trump is damned if he do, damned if he don't with the liberal media, so it's not hard to understand his frustration. Thankfully Trump is being smart, saying he doesn't think a national lockdown is necessary. Meanwhile the rest of the world continues its descent into coronavirus hysteria...

On Saturday the US-Mexico border will close and "last as long as necessary," according to Sec. of State Mike Pompeo. Some 2,600 US troops and military staff based in Europe have been ordered into quarantine after at least 35 of them tested positive for Covid-19. The head doctor of Moscow's main disease hospital thinks that the coronavirus crisis will last six months (very unlikely).

Not content to scaremonger just the elderly, the WHO warned the youth that "you are not invincible." The war of words between Washington and Beijing continues, as the Foreign Ministry in China hit back at the reference to the outbreak as the "Wuhan Flu" by saying that Trump and others "attempt to stigmatize China's fight against the epidemic and shirk its responsibility to China." A staffer for Mike Pence has tested positive for the virus, but reports are that the staffer did not have close contact with Trump.

The UK has further shut down society, as Boris Johnson ordered all restaurants, cafes, and pubs to close. A London hospital has declared a "critical incident" over the number of patients requiring a high level of care, saying they don't have the space for all the people who need care (thank those austerity cuts!). Sirens blared throughout Argentina marking the beginning of a national quarantine, which surely must have made people feel like they were living in a dystopian science-fiction movie. Italy has reported a record number of deaths from coronavirus in one day - although exactly how that's being done and whether the deceased have pre-existing health issues is something that is left out of such dire proclamations.

But hey, there's good news! Goldman Sachs is giving their CEO a 20% raise even as it predicts an economic crash. The head of the WHO says there's actually hope as there have been no new cases announced in Wuhan on Thursday. Cuba is helping repair its image by allowing a British cruise ship to dock on its shore despite there being 5 cases of Covid-19 and others showing symptoms. The US refused the same request, but Cuban health officials are showing that they are not so terrified. Good for them.