An Ignoble Experiment: Virus cases in Florida spike by nearly 950%

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Monday 01.03.22

Well, it looks like none of us are waking up as multimillionaires. No one won the weekend's Powerball drawing, so tonight's drawing has shot up to a massive $522 million. Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On With Your Day.

By AJ Willingham

Cars lining up last week at a Covid-19 testing site in Orlando, Florida.

Coronavirus

Further clarification is coming soon on the CDC's Covid-19 isolation guidelines, Dr. Anthony Fauci says. Last week, the CDC shortened its recommended isolation times from 10 to five days for people who aren't exhibiting symptoms, igniting some confusion and concern among the public. Fauci told CNN's Dana Bash yesterday that getting people back to work quicker was a factor in the decision — but so was scientific evidence that the move would be safe. Meanwhile, Covid-19 case numbers are exploding due to the highly contagious Omicron variant. In Florida, cases have risen 948% over the past 14 days. The US is also facing a Covid-19 test shortage. The Biden administration promised to send out 500 million free tests to American households, but it's unclear when those tests would arrive.

Capitol riot

Members of the House select committee investigating the attack on the US Capitol say they have solid testimony that former President Donald Trump was urged to respond to the insurrection as it was happening. Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney told ABC News yesterday that the panel has "firsthand testimony" that Trump's daughter and senior adviser Ivanka Trump asked him to intervene, and Chairman Bennie Thompson told CNN the panel has "significant testimony" that the White House "had been told to do something." It's a big week for the committee as the US approaches the one-year anniversary of the attack. Democrats are also trying to figure out how to approach the topic of the insurrection on the campaign trail leading up to this fall's midterm elections.

Sudan

Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has resigned as the country continues to be racked by violence and political discord. Sudan has been ruled by a tense coalition of military and civilian groups since strongman President Omar al-Bashir was ousted in 2019. However, in October, military forces took control and dissolved some parts of the joint government. They also temporarily detained Hamdok, but reinstated him in November as part of a deal between military and civilian leadership. Since the coup in October, Sudanese citizens have gathered for several mass demonstrations protesting military rule. At least 57 people have been killed by security forces during the protests, including three on Sunday. When announcing his resignation, Hamdok praised the public for their resistance, and for demanding "freedom and justice."

Ukraine

President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke on a call yesterday to discuss their diplomatic relationship and the looming threat of further aggression by Russia toward its neighbor. Biden told Zelensky that the US would "respond decisively if Russia further invades Ukraine." As many as 100,000 Russian troops remain at Ukrainian border despite warnings from Biden and European leaders, and US intelligence findings have estimated that Russia could begin a military offensive in Ukraine "as soon as early 2022." Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a call last week, during which Biden said he told Putin there would be a "heavy price to pay" if Russia invades -- which could include intense economic sanctions.

The CEOs of AT&T and Verizon Communications have rejected a request from the Federal Aviation Administration to delay the planned introduction on Wednesday of new 5G wireless services over aviation safety concerns. 5G networks run on a high frequency spectrum called C-Band, and the FAA and the aviation industry have raised concerns about potential interference with sensitive aircraft electronics. The FAA and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg proposed 5G exclusion zones around priority airports and asked the companies for a short commercial deployment delay. AT&T and Verizon said they will hold off on deploying 5G around airports for six months, but rejected broader limitations. Some aviation trade groups have called on the Federal Communications Commission to halt 5G deployments around many airports, and have threatened legal action if the agency doesn't intervene.

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8.5 million

That's how many gallons of raw sewage spilled into a storm drain in Carson, California, near Los Angeles. The massive spill led to the temporary closure of all swimming areas at beaches in the city of Long Beach, and is the largest spill on record for the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts.

At the centre of a brewing storm, we found ourself in a critical situation.

-- a statement from independent Hong Kong news site Citizen News, which announced it will be shutting down in order to protect its staff in the face of a deteriorating media environment in the city. Citizen News was the largest remaining independent news outlet in Hong Kong after Stand News was raided by police and shuttered last Wednesday.

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