Boris Johnson announces closure of all UK pubs and restaurants

Source: The Guardian

Boris Johnson took the extraordinary step of ordering pubs, clubs and restaurants across the UK to close on Friday, and announced an unprecedented wage-support scheme to try to prevent a consequent tsunami of job losses.

Announcing the decision in the fight against the coronavirus, the prime minister said he realised that it went against what he called “the inalienable free-born right of people born in England to go to the pub”.

The chancellor, Rishi Sunak, revealed that the taxpayer would meet 80% of the wage costs of workers “furloughed”, or temporarily sent home, by firms hit by the crisis.

Johnson had come under increasing pressure to take more stringent action, as social distancing measures announced on Monday – including avoiding all unnecessary social contact – were being flouted.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/20/london-pubs-cinemas-and-gyms-may-close-in-covid-19-clampdown

Does this count as a cat video?

Trump halts most traffic on U.S. border with Mexico

Source: Seattle Times

The U.S. and Mexico have reached an agreement to restrict all non-essential travel across their shared border in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus, President Trump said Friday, adding that he was invoking the Defense Production Act to increase output of badly needed medical supplies.

The tax filing deadline has been extended from April 15 to July 15, Trump added, noting that people who have refunds due can still file early.

“Both our countries know the importance of working together to limit the spread of the virus and to ensure the commerce that supports both our economies keeps flowing,” Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo said after announcing the agreement with Mexico. The new restrictions will take effect on Saturday, he said.

Under the new rules, the Border Patrol will begin returning all undocumented immigrants directly to Mexico or Canada when they are caught at the border, rather than detaining them in the U.S., Chad Wolf, the acting secretary of Homeland Security announced.

Read more: https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation-politics/trump-halts-most-traffic-on-u-s-border-with-mexico/

Just to be clear: this is NOT a "Shelter in Place" rule in NYS...

The new rule applies only to workers in non-essential businesses. It does not (as with California) require everyone to stay home except for food and medical visits.

Cuomo mandates all non-essential NY workforce stay home

A friend is flying back to the USA from Mexico today...says a border closing announcement is imminen

The British Political Model: Shadow Cabinets

In Great Britain the opposition Party establishes a "Shadow Cabinet" of subject experts, with the expectation that they will become the Cabinet Ministers if the opposition Party wins. Biden should, to the extent possible, pre-announce his cabinet to run as a team and provide a strong contrast to the yes-men surrounding Trump.

Will there be another Primary?

Will Alaska, Hawaii and Wyoming vote later this month? Or will all Primaries be pushed off as late as possible (basically June)

What it's come to...

GREY'S ANATOMY, NEW AMSTERDAM and other medical TV shows are donating their prop masks and surgical gowns to real hospitals to help with the supply crisis.

Coronavirus: Deaconess asks public to sew CDC-compliant face masks for staff