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Man, that was quite an evening
The news flowed like a mighty river last night. It was wild, and abundant, and all seemed to happen within about 45 minutes. In short:
President Donald Trump announced a one-month ban on travel from most of Europe to the United States. “We will be suspending all travel from Europe,” Trump said, but the Department of Homeland Security later clarified that it’s not quite that harsh: the ban doesn’t apply to US citizens or their immediate family, or US legal permanent residents, and it’s not a ban for all of the continent, just the 26 countries in Europe’s common travel Schengen Area.
The NBA suspended its season. It happened in extremely dramatic fashion: a game between the Utah Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder was about to begin when the players were whisked off the court and announcers told the crowd the game was postponed. “You’re all safe. Take your time in leaving the arena,” they said over the loudspeakers — here’s video of the moment.
It then emerged that Rudy Gobert, the star Jazz player, had tested positive for coronavirus. Players from the five teams the Jazz have played against in the last 10 days have been told to self-quarantine.
And Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, currently in Australia, announced they have both tested positive for the virus. “We felt a bit tired, like we had colds, and some body aches," Hanks wrote on Instagram. "To play things right, as is needed in the world right now, we were tested for the Coronavirus, and were found to be positive."
And in other breaking news from last night, former Alaska Governor and 2008 Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin was revealed to be the Masked Singer, and give a stirring rendition of Sir Mix-A-Lot’s “Baby’s Got Back”.
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson. Leon Bennett / Getty Images CORONAVIRUS UPDATE People inside the country’s first coronavirus containment zone in New Rochelle, just north of New York City, are confused and angry. Albert Samaha visited the city and residents have questions, including: why is it still so hard to get tested? And why are most of the schools still open?
Seattle’s biggest public school district is shutting all its schools for at least two weeks. Seattle has been hit hard by the outbreak; district officials told parents the move was necessary to "disrupt widespread infection."
European diplomats say they were shocked by the travel ban announced by Trump last night. They received no prior warning; the European Commission said confronting the global outbreak “requires cooperation rather than unilateral action.”
New York’s St. Patrick’s Day parade has been cancelled. It has been held every year since 1762. Parades in Chicago and Dublin have also been canceled.
SNAPSHOTS Clearview AI gave its controversial facial recognition technology to a former Trump staffer, a notorious internet troll, and conservative think tanks. The company has previously said its tool is only for use by law enforcement.
Kamala Harris spoke out yesterday about how she was covered as a black presidential candidate. “We had to constantly explain who we are as people, and our character,” she said.
The US women’s national soccer team protested their employer by wearing their jerseys inside out at the beginning of a game yesterday. The protest was in reaction to US Soccer arguing in court earlier this week that the women should not be paid equally to the men’s team because they are less skilled.
Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison. Women in Hollywood are celebrating.
AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter HOW TO BE A GOOD PERSON Yes, you actually can do something about the coronavirus You might not personally suffer from the coronavirus, but your community almost certainly will, Anne Helen Petersen writes in this lovely essay. She offers a different way of thinking about staying safe during the outbreak — one focused on facing this danger together. I thought I’d include a few of her thoughts here, although the entire piece is very much worth reading:
“We can channel some of our anxious energy away from reading articles on the internet and toward thinking about who in our lives and in our communities will need help or assistance.
Who can you talk to now to make a plan to help them later? (With supplies, with groceries, with caring for their pets or children or parents.) Can you start a group text now with your neighbors to keep up on one another’s health and needs? If you’re able, can you donate to your local food bank, which will be supplying families whose income is curtailed, or donate additional supplies to the homeless shelter? Can you buy things from local businesses, restaurants, and artists now (or buy a gift card!) so that things might be less lean for them in the months to come?
If you’re someone who’s at high risk, how can you be honest with yourself and others about it? If you’re able to work from home and still pull your normal salary, can you commit to still paying someone who provides you with a service (a housecleaner, a hairdresser, a babysitter, a yoga teacher, a manicurist) even if they have to stay home? If you know someone who might lose their job or see their hours cut back, can you ask them how to help?
Can you understand how making the next few months better for as many people as possible will also, by extension, make it better for you?”
The world needs people like you today,
Tom P.S. If you like this newsletter, help keep our reporting free for all. Support BuzzFeed News by becoming a member here. (monthly memberships are available worldwide) 📝 This letter was edited and brought to you by Tom Gara and BuzzFeed News. You can always reach us here.
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