Tunisia seeks greater EU support

Prime minister meets EU leaders and says his country urgently needs more help.

Tunisia’s prime minister has urged the EU to speed up efforts to help his country make the transition to democracy.  

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Hamadi Jebali said his country “urgently” needed the EU’s help to address social problems caused by widespread youth unemployment. “Tunisia is really in need,” Jebali said after talks with José Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission.

He said current financial aid from the EU “is not sufficient” and urged Barroso and other EU leaders to do more to spur Tunisia’s economic growth.  

Jebali called on the EU to adopt a “micro-Marshall Plan” for his country. He said Tunisia wanted to improve relations in a number of areas, including trade, technology, cultural exchanges and transport.  

Barroso said the two sides agreed to pursue negotiations on a “privileged partnership” that would give Tunisia closer economic and political ties, including access to the EU’s single market. The plan is to come up with a final deal on the partnership by the end of the year.  

He said the Commission had raised the amount of aid for Tunisia in the 2011-13 period from €240 million to €400m. “This co-operation is meant to help social-economic efforts in Tunisia,” Barroso said.  

Barroso said the two sides had agreed other measures including the promotion of European investment opportunities in Tunisia, closer co-operation on migration issues and bringing Tunisian industrial products into line with EU standards.  

Jebali, who heads Tunisia’s transitional government, was on his first trip abroad as prime minister. He also held talks with Herman Van Rompuy, the president of the European Council, and Martin Schulz, the president of the European Parliament. Jebali told the EU leaders that his coalition government would draft a new constitution within the next year and hold elections soon afterwards.

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HEALTH AGENCY ATTACKED: The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) was attacked by hackers over the weekend as the agency worked to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. 

The cyberattack, first reported by Bloomberg News, involved hackers accessing HHS’s systems on Sunday night. According to Bloomberg, they were not able to steal anything, and the goal was to slow down systems. 

HHS spokesperson Caitlin Oakley told The Hill in a statement that the agency was “fully operational” and investigating the cybersecurity incident.

“HHS has an IT infrastructure with risk-based security controls continuously monitored in order to detect and address cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities,” Oakley said. “On Sunday, we became aware of a significant increase in activity on HHS cyber infrastructure and are fully operational as we actively investigate the matter.”

She noted that “early on while preparing and responding to COVID-19, HHS put extra protections in place. We are coordinating with federal law enforcement and remain vigilant and focused on ensuring the integrity of our IT infrastructure.”

HHS Secretary Alex Azar played down the hacking incident during a press conference later on Monday. 

“We have extremely strong barriers, we had no penetration into our networks, no degradation of the functioning of our networks, we had no limitation on the ability or capacity of our people to telework, we’ve taken very strong defensive actions,” Azar told reporters at the White House.

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Read more on the attack here.

 

SCHOOLS MOVE ONLINE: A group of 16 Democratic Senators sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Monday urging it to free up funds for schools to provide internet for students as more classes have to shift online because of coronavirus.

The lawmakers are asking for the FCC to determine how much of the E-Rate program, which has a $4 billion yearly cap, can be used for one-time discounts to schools attempting to loan out Wi-Fi hotspots or enable internet access on other devices.

“The E-Rate program is, and has been for over two decades, an essential source of funding to connect the nation’s schools and libraries to the internet,” the lawmakers, led by Sens. Ed MarkeyEdward (Ed) John MarkeyHillicon Valley: HHS hit by cyberattack amid coronavirus outbreak | Senators urge FCC to shore up internet access for students | Sanders ramps up Facebook ad spending | Dems ask DHS to delay Real ID deadline Rep. Kennedy uses campaign email list to raise money to combat coronavirus Democratic senators urge FCC to let schools use funds for student internet access MORE (D-Mass.), Michael BennetMichael Farrand BennetHillicon Valley: HHS hit by cyberattack amid coronavirus outbreak | Senators urge FCC to shore up internet access for students | Sanders ramps up Facebook ad spending | Dems ask DHS to delay Real ID deadline Democratic senators urge FCC to let schools use funds for student internet access Biden proposes 0B housing plan MORE (D-Colo.) and Brian SchatzBrian Emanuel SchatzHillicon Valley: HHS hit by cyberattack amid coronavirus outbreak | Senators urge FCC to shore up internet access for students | Sanders ramps up Facebook ad spending | Dems ask DHS to delay Real ID deadline Democratic senators urge FCC to let schools use funds for student internet access Democratic senators ask prison operators for answers on coronavirus plans MORE (D-Hawaii), wrote to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai.

“We believe that the FCC can use its emergency powers to temporarily waive relevant E-rate program rules and allow its beneficiaries to utilize universal service funding to provide home wireless service to existing school devices and hotspots for students who lack internet access at home. This swift, immediate action would help ensure that all students can remotely continue their education during the current public health emergency.”

The letter comes as schools across the country are shuttering in an attempt to quell the spread of the coronavirus.

That has moved many classes online, highlighting the millions of students in American who do not have internet access at home.

Read more here.

 

BERNIE RAMPS UP SPENDING: Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersThe Hill’s Morning Report – Trump shifts his tone on coronavirus Voters to head to primary polls despite coronavirus pandemic Hillicon Valley: HHS hit by cyberattack amid coronavirus outbreak | Senators urge FCC to shore up internet access for students | Sanders ramps up Facebook ad spending | Dems ask DHS to delay Real ID deadline MORE (I-Vt.) has ramped up spending on Facebook ads in states holding primaries this week, as he faces an increasingly steep climb to winning the Democratic presidential nomination.

The Vermont independent more than doubled Facebook spending by his Democratic rival, former Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenThe Hill’s Morning Report – Trump shifts his tone on coronavirus Voters to head to primary polls despite coronavirus pandemic Hillicon Valley: HHS hit by cyberattack amid coronavirus outbreak | Senators urge FCC to shore up internet access for students | Sanders ramps up Facebook ad spending | Dems ask DHS to delay Real ID deadline MORE, in Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio from March 5-11, according to data compiled by crowdfunding technology platform Booster that was first shared with The Hill.

Ohio’s governor on Monday called for postponing the state’s primary elections until June due to the worsening coronavirus outbreak.

Sanders spent $525,239 on Facebook advertising in the four states, capturing 67 percent of the spending between the two candidates. Biden spent a little more than $217,000 in those states.

Biden slightly outspent Sanders in overall Facebook ad spending, $1.25 million to Sanders’s $1.24 million. A significant chunk of Biden’s ad budget has gone toward states that have already voted, suggesting his campaign is already shifting its focus to the general election.

For example, 12 percent of Biden’s Facebook ad budget was focused on fundraising in California, which held its primary on March 3.

Read more here.

 

FRENCH FINE: France’s competition agency, the Autorité de la Concurrence, announced Monday it is fining Apple a record $1.2 billion for artificially keeping prices high.

The regulator claims Apple and two top resellers, which were also each fined between 60 million and 80 million euros, agreed to align prices for products including the iPad.

“In the course of this case, the Autorité untangled the very particular practices that had been implemented by Apple for the distribution of its products in France (excluding iPhones), such as iPad,” agency President Isabelle de Silva said in a statement.

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The agency claims Apple engaged in three anti-competitive practices.

First, Apple and its two wholesalers — Tech Data and Ingram Micro — allegedly agreed not to compete. Second, the agency claims Apple stopped the “premium” resellers from being able to lower their prices. Third, Apple is accused of treating those resellers unfairly, in some instances limiting their supply.

Read more here.

 

HOLD UP:  Three Democratic chairmen of relevant House committees sent a letter Monday to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) asking for the implementation of the Real ID Act to be delayed, citing the rapid spread of the coronavirus.

The law’s implementation plan stipulates that on Oct. 1, 2020, people will need Real ID-compliant identification in order to board commercial flights, enter federal buildings or gain access to American nuclear plants.

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie ThompsonBennie Gordon ThompsonHillicon Valley: HHS hit by cyberattack amid coronavirus outbreak | Senators urge FCC to shore up internet access for students | Sanders ramps up Facebook ad spending | Dems ask DHS to delay Real ID deadline House Dems ask DHS to delay Real ID deadline Hillicon Valley: Internet providers vow to maintain service amid coronavirus | Pentagon looks to revisit ‘war cloud’ decision | Gates steps down from Microsoft board MORE (D-Miss), and Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security Chairman Lou CorreaJose (Lou) Luis CorreaHouse committee advances medical marijuana bills for veterans Democrats press TSA chief on coronavirus protections for agents Dems unlikely to subpoena Bolton MORE (D-Calif.) wrote in their letter that the deadline should be pushed back.

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“While we recognize the administration’s commitment to ensuring the nation’s full compliance with the REAL ID Act, the challenges presented by the coronavirus outbreak and its impacts on the aviation industry must lead DHS to delay the October 1 implementation deadline,” they wrote.

“For implementation to go smoothly, DHS would need tens of millions of Americans to get new identifications over the next several months. Creating lines at Departments of Motor Vehicles would be foolish during a pandemic,” they added.

Read more here.

 

TELEWORKING TARGETS: Experts are warning of a new wave of cyberattacks targeting Americans who are forced to work from home during the coronavirus outbreak.

There is increasing evidence that hackers are using the concerns over the virus to prey on individuals and that working outside secure office environments opens the door to more cyber vulnerabilities.

“There are nation-states that are actively taking advantage of the situation, particularly our Cold War adversaries, and we need to be keenly aware that they are aware of the lack of security that is presented by everyone telecommuting,” Tom Kellermann, who served on a presidential cybersecurity commission during the Obama administration, told The Hill on Friday.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Department of Homeland Security’s cyber agency, underlined Kellermann’s concerns by issuing an alert on Friday pointing to specific cyber vulnerabilities around working from home versus the office.

CISA zeroed in on potential cyberattacks on virtual private networks (VPNs), which enable employees to access an organization’s files remotely. 

These networks may make it easier to telecommute, but, according to CISA, they also open up a tempting way for hackers to get in. 

“As organizations use VPNs for telework, more vulnerabilities are being found and targeted by malicious cyber actors,” CISA wrote. “Update VPNs, network infrastructure devices, and devices being used to remote into work environments with the latest software patches and security configurations.”

The agency also underlined the importance of flagging suspicious emails, noting that “malicious cyber actors may increase phishing emails targeting teleworkers to steal their usernames and passwords.”

CISA urged that organizations keep their systems updated and patched and be transparent with employees about the dangers of malicious emails, particularly those that use coronavirus fears to tempt individuals to click on them and download computer viruses. 

Read more here.

 

NEW DATA RULES: Critics are sounding the alarm over new rules introduced by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) this week to give Americans more control over their health data.

They warn that while more access to health data for patients and small, consumer-focused companies, could be hugely beneficial, there are not enough protections in the rules to safeguard sensitive information or stop big tech companies from acquiring the data.

The two new rules were issued by the HHS Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

The ONC rule, which implements certain portions of the 2016 21st Century Cures Act, requires health providers to allow patients to electronically access their health data for free.

The CMS “Interoperability and Patient Access” rule focuses on securing the exchange of health information and requires third-party groups to provide information on their data privacy policies before information is shared with them. 

Moving health data from hospitals and electronic health record companies — also known as EHRs — to patients is a significant shift in how America treats medical information.

Supporters of the new rules say they will empower patients, allowing them to use their health data to access better or different treatments more easily. Patients have always been able to request data from their providers, but the process can be time-consuming and come with potentially prohibitive fees.

“[The rules are] particularly helpful for complicated patients, patients that have chronic disease that have to see a lot of specialists, if they have to transfer their records from one system to another, the way the system is set up really segments care, making data more interoperable will fix a lot of those existing problems,” Olivia Webb, a policy analyst at the newly formed anti-monopoly organization the American Economic Liberties Project, told The Hill.

Read more here.

  

DELAYED DELIVERIES: Amazon warned of delayed deliveries and items going out of stock as the coronavirus outbreak continues to spread.

The online retailer said the increase in people shopping online is having a short-term impact on how it serves customers. 

“In particular, you will notice that we are currently out of stock on some popular brands and items, especially in household staples categories,” Amazon said in a blog post updated Saturday. 

The retailer added that promised deliveries will take longer than usual. 

“We are working around the clock with our selling partners to ensure availability on all of our products, and bring on additional capacity to deliver all of your orders,” the post added. 

Amazon included a note at the top of its website telling customers “inventory and delivery may be temporarily unavailable due to increased demand. Confirm availability at checkout.”

Items such as toilet paper, hand sanitizer and hand soap were listed as out of stock on the website Sunday. 

Read more here.

 

FREE ONLINE CLASSES: Scholastic is offering free online courses for children as school closures sweep the nation amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The company’s digital learning hub is accessible on all devices, including smartphones, and requires no sign-up, the company announced Friday. 

The Scholastic Learn At Home program offers three hours of learning per day with up to four weeks of instruction. Users are asked to choose a grade level, separated into pre-K and kindergarten, first and second grade, third through fifth grade, and sixth grade and above. 

The courses span the subjects of English language arts; STEM; science; social studies; and social-emotional learning.

The aim is for the program to help keep children academically active amid the massive school closures, said Lauren Tarshis, senior vice president and editor-in-chief/publisher of Scholastic Classroom Magazines.

“We designed Scholastic Learn At Home knowing that administrators and teachers need to create extensive virtual learning plans, quickly, and that students need uplifting and engaging experiences,” Tarshis said in the announcement. “Our hope is that even though daily routines are being disrupted and students may not have valuable time in school with their educators, together we can support meaningful learning at home while it is necessary.”

Read more here.

   

A LIGHTER CLICK: Palate cleanser

 

AN OP-ED TO CHEW ON: Cyber operations already impacting coronavirus response

 

NOTABLE LINKS FROM AROUND THE WEB:

Zoom conquered video chat — now it has even bigger plans (Protocol / David Pierce)

So We’re Working From Home. Can the Internet Handle It? (New York Times / Davey Alba and Cecilia Kang)

The ‘Surreal’ Frenzy Inside the US’ Biggest Mask Maker (Wired / Paris Martineau)

False coronavirus rumors surge in ‘hidden viral’ text messages (NBC News / Ben Collins)

Iran warned on Sunday that its health facilities could be overwhelmed by coronavirus cases.

The country, which has the third-most recorded cases and deaths, reported another 113 deaths on Sunday, pushing its death toll to 724, The Associated Press reported. Iran has confirmed 14,000 cases. 

“If the trend continues, there will not be enough capacity,” said Ali Reza Zali, who is leading the Iranian campaign against the outbreak, the state-run IRNA news agency reported, according to the AP.

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The country is believed to have 110,000 hospital beds, with 30,000 in the capital, Tehran, but authorities said they will develop mobile clinics as needed. 

Zali also said “many” of the people who have died from the virus were otherwise healthy, which strays from other statements from local officials who say the disease only impacts those who are older and/or sick. About 55 percent of the people who died were in their 60s, while 15 percent were younger than 40. 

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday that the country would not be implementing a general quarantine and would continue to work to keep its borders open, according to the AP.

Iran is experiencing the worst outbreak in the Middle East. Several senior officials, including Cabinet ministers, members of Parliament, Revolutionary Guard members and Health Ministry officials have tested positive for the virus. 

 

The U.S., which implemented sanctions against Iran after pulling out of the 2015 nuclear deal, said it has offered to give humanitarian aid, but Tehran denied it. 

Most people who contact the disease experience mild or moderate symptoms and recover, while older adults and people with existing health problems are more at risk.

Happy Monday and welcome to Overnight Defense. I’m Rebecca Kheel, and here’s your nightly guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. CLICK HERE to subscribe to the newsletter.

 

THE TOPLINE: The coronavirus pandemic is bringing changes to the Pentagon, as it has for nearly every aspect of American life at this point.

On Monday, the Pentagon said it’s creating a “bubble” around Defense Secretary Mark EsperMark EsperOvernight Defense: Pentagon cancels more exercises | Defense secretary, deputy to be separated as precaution | Officials say troops in Afghanistan have access to virus tests | Pompeo warns Iraq after militia attacks Overnight Energy: Military sees surge in sites contaminated by ‘forever chemicals’ | USDA closes office wing due to coronavirus | Watchdog raises concerns over Trump energy regulator Military sees surge in sites with ‘forever chemical’ contamination MORE and Deputy Defense Secretary David Norquist by keeping them separated.

“Starting today, the secretary and the deputy secretary are remaining physically separated,” Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said at a briefing.

“They and their staffs will only interact via teleconference,” Hoffman added.

By the numbers: At the briefing, officials also provided an update on the number of coronavirus cases for Pentagon-connected people.

As of early Monday morning, there were 37 confirmed cases of COVID-19: 18 active-duty service members, three civil servants, 13 dependents and three contractors. 

Earlier: Late Friday, the Pentagon announced that all domestic travel is off limits until May 11 for service members, civilian employees and their family members.

Commanders can make exceptions for “compelling cases where the travel is mission-essential, for humanitarian reasons, or warranted due to extreme hardship,” the Pentagon said Friday night.

The Pentagon also announced Friday night that all unofficial visits to the Pentagon – to include personal guests and friends of DOD personnel and contractors – are “suspended” as of Monday, as are visits from international partners and visitors.

More exercise changes: U.S. Africa Command (Africom) announced on Monday that African Lion 2020 was canceled out of “an abundance of caution.”

It added that the decision was made “based on international travel restrictions associated with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and to minimize the risk of exposure to U.S. and partner nation service members.”

Africom had previously said African Lion, its largest exercise, would be scaled back.

U.S. European Command (Eucom) also announced Monday that its Defender-Europe 20 exercise is changing in “size and scope.”

Movement of personnel and equipment to Europe stopped Friday, and several exercises that were linked to Defender-Europe “will not be conducted,” Eucom said.

“There are many details still being worked and discussed with our allies and partners,” Eucom added. “Changes are anticipated to the deployment timelines of soldiers currently in Europe, redeployment of U.S.-based equipment and the next Atlantic Resolve rotation.”

Balancing act: Over the weekend, The Hill’s Ellen Mitchell took a look at how the Pentagon is balancing its response to coronavirus with continued threats from global hotspots such as Iran and North Korea.

Among concerns lawmakers have raised is the availability of coronavirus tests for troops in war zones such as Afghanistan.

At its Monday briefing, the Pentagon pushed back on reports that troops in Afghanistan don’t have access to testing.

Tests are readily available, but the machine to process them is not in Afghanistan, the senior health officials for the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. Therefore, the tests must be shipped to the nearest military lab in Germany.

“I’m not aware of any lack of tests. I believe there’s been some concern about the fact that the equipment to run the tests, that specific machine, is not in Afghanistan and that’s true,” Joint Staff Surgeon Air Force Brig. Gen. Paul Friedrichs told reporters at the Pentagon. 

“What we do with any lab that we can’t perform in a deployed environment is we fly it or ship it to the nearest lab that can perform it,” he said. “That doesn’t mean that they’re not getting tested, we’re doing the swabs, we’re just not running the test itself in Afghanistan.”

Beyond the Pentagon: President TrumpDonald John TrumpThe Hill’s Morning Report – Trump shifts his tone on coronavirus Senators balance coronavirus action with risks to health Coronavirus adds new element to rising US-Iran tensions MORE on Monday urged Americans to avoid traveling and gathering in public spaces in an effort to blunt the spread of the coronavirus, saying the outbreak could last into July or August.

“If everyone makes this change, or these critical changes and sacrifices now, we will rally together as one nation and we will defeat the virus,” Trump said in the White House briefing room. “We’re going to have a big celebration all together.”

Trump announced the new guidelines during a press briefing Monday afternoon. Officials also recommend that Americans avoid gatherings of more than 10 people; avoid discretionary travel; avoid eating in bars, restaurants and food courts; and engage in schooling from home when possible.

“We’d much rather be ahead of the curve than behind it,” Trump said.

The president’s comments on Monday marked his most direct appeal yet for Americans to take the virus seriously and avoid public settings where the coronavirus can be easily spread.

Biden calls for mobilizing military: Former Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenThe Hill’s Morning Report – Trump shifts his tone on coronavirus Voters to head to primary polls despite coronavirus pandemic Hillicon Valley: HHS hit by cyberattack amid coronavirus outbreak | Senators urge FCC to shore up internet access for students | Sanders ramps up Facebook ad spending | Dems ask DHS to delay Real ID deadline MORE said Sunday he would mobilize the military to respond to the coronavirus outbreak, calling it a “national emergency” that requires the U.S. to react as if it is a time of war.

“I would call out the military now,” Biden said at the Democratic presidential debate in Washington, D.C. “They have the ability to provide this surge that hospitals need. … They have the capacity to build 500 hospital beds and tents that are completely safe and secure. It’s a national emergency, and I would call out the military.”

“We’re at war with the virus,” Biden added.

Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersThe Hill’s Morning Report – Trump shifts his tone on coronavirus Voters to head to primary polls despite coronavirus pandemic Hillicon Valley: HHS hit by cyberattack amid coronavirus outbreak | Senators urge FCC to shore up internet access for students | Sanders ramps up Facebook ad spending | Dems ask DHS to delay Real ID deadline MORE (I-Vt.) said he would mobilize the National Guard, as New York has done, to address the health crisis.

“We use all of the tools that make sense,” Sanders said. “And using the National Guard … that has to be done.”

MEANWHILE … IN IRAQ: The situation in Iraq remains tense after last week’s tit-for-tat between the United States and an Iran-backed militia.

Over the weekend, the U.S. military said there was another rocket attack at Camp Taji that injured three U.S. troops and two Iraqi troops.

The attack happened at the same base where two U.S. troops were killed in a rocket strike Wednesday, leading to U.S. airstrikes on five Kataib Hezbollah weapons storage facilities in Iraq.

Pompeo’s warning: Secretary of State Mike PompeoMichael (Mike) Richard PompeoThe Hill’s Morning Report – Trump shifts his tone on coronavirus Overnight Defense: Pentagon cancels more exercises | Defense secretary, deputy to be separated as precaution | Officials say troops in Afghanistan have access to virus tests | Pompeo warns Iraq after militia attacks USAID administrator announces departure amid coronavirus pandemic MORE told the Iraqi prime minister that the U.S. is prepared to act in self-defense if attacked in Iraq, according to a readout of a call between the two officials released on Monday.

Pompeo spoke with Iraq’s Prime Minister Adil Abd al-Mahdi on Sunday and called on the Iraqi government to fulfill its obligations protecting coalition troops working in the country to defeat ISIS and identify and hold accountable the groups responsible for a rocket attack last week that injured three U.S. service members.

“These actions will not be tolerated and the groups responsible must be held accountable by the Government of Iraq,” Pompeo wrote on Twitter.

US leaving smaller bases: The U.S.-led coalition in Iraq is leaving some smaller military bases in the country, the coalition said Monday, with most troops redeploying to elsewhere in Iraq.

Despite the timing of the announcement, the coalition framed the move as a result of the Iraqi military’s successes, not the recent rocket attacks.

“As a result of the success of Iraqi Security Forces in their fight against ISIS, the coalition is re-positioning troops from a few smaller bases. These bases remain under Iraqi control and we will continue our advising partnership for the permanent defeat of Daesh from other Iraqi military bases,” the coalition said.

NBC News, which first reported the changes, said the affected bases include joint bases at al-Qaim near the Syrian border, Qayyarah Airfield West near Mosul and possibly K-1 Air Base in Kirkuk. 

 

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Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) announced late Monday that his administration will order that polls be closed on Tuesday due to a health emergency, capping a day of mixed messages and confusion over whether the state’s primary would proceed as planned.

“During this time when we face an unprecedented public health crisis, to conduct an election tomorrow would force poll workers and voters to place themselves at an unacceptable health risk of contracting coronavirus,” DeWine said in a statement.

He said Dr. Amy Action, director of the Ohio Department of Health, would issue the order and that Secretary of State Frank LaRose would then seek a remedy through the courts to extend voting options to Ohio residents. 

The announcement came at the end of a day marked by disputes over whether Ohio’s presidential primary would be delayed amid a coronavirus outbreak that has spread throughout the U.S., prompting federal, state and local officials to recommend against large gatherings.

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DeWine announced earlier Monday that he would support a lawsuit to postpone the primary until June, saying that the state shouldn’t force voters to pick between “their health and their constitutional rights and duties.”

But a Franklin County judge later that evening, after many poll workers had reportedly been told the election was off, rejected the suit, ruled that it would be a “terrible precedent” for a judge to change the date and rules 12 hours before the election takes place. 

Health officials have warned that elderly people and those with underlying conditions are more susceptible to contracting the novel coronavirus and that they should avoid public areas. Pointing to those warnings, LaRose and DeWine said in a joint statement ahead of the governor’s announcement that “it simply isn’t possible to hold an election that will be considered legitimate by Ohians.”

“They mustn’t be forced to choose between their health and exercising their constitutional rights,” he said, echoing DeWine. 

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The Ohio Department of Health has confirmed 50 cases in the state and 14 hospitalizations. State officials have predicted that there are more than 100,000 cases in the state. DeWine has also ordered all restaurants and bars to remain closed amid the outbreak. 

Arizona, Florida and Illinois still plan to hold their elections Tuesday. Several states, including Louisiana, Georgia and Kentucky, have postponed their elections amid the outbreak.

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Italy on Sunday reported its biggest one-day increase in cases and deaths during the coronavirus outbreak.

Italy recorded 3,590 cases and 398 deaths in a 24-hour period, Italy’s Civil Protection chief, Angelo Borrelli, announced Sunday, The Associated Press reported. In total, the country has confirmed more than 24,700 cases and more than 1,800 deaths. 

The country, which has been on lockdown since last week, reports that almost 2,000 people have recovered from the coronavirus in the nation.

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Italy’s previous record number of deaths in a 24-hour period was 250, which was announced Friday.

Italy’s national health institute chief, Silvio Brusaferro, said it is unclear if Italy is reaching its peak number of cases, meaning it could soon decline, according to the AP. 

The World Health Organization has said most people will recover from the virus, and almost 74,000 have, mostly in China, where the virus is believed to have originated. 

The coronavirus has infected more than 156,000 people and killed more than 5,800, leading several countries such as the U.S. to encourage so-called social distancing to avoid the spread of the virus.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CBS on Sunday morning that Italy left the virus “to its own devices,” leading the number of cases to “go way up.”

“That’s not going to happen if we do what we’re attempting to do and are doing,” he said on “Face The Nation.”

Secretary of State Mike PompeoMichael (Mike) Richard PompeoThe Hill’s Morning Report – Trump shifts his tone on coronavirus Overnight Defense: Pentagon cancels more exercises | Defense secretary, deputy to be separated as precaution | Officials say troops in Afghanistan have access to virus tests | Pompeo warns Iraq after militia attacks USAID administrator announces departure amid coronavirus pandemic MORE told the Iraqi prime minister that the U.S. is prepared to act in self-defense if attacked in Iraq, according to a readout of a call between the two officials released on Monday.

Pompeo spoke with Iraq’s Prime Minister Adil Abd al-Mahdi on Sunday and called on the Iraqi government to fulfill its obligations protecting coalition troops working in the country to defeat ISIS and identify and hold accountable the groups responsible for a rocket attack last week that injured three U.S. service members.

“These actions will not be tolerated and the groups responsible must be held accountable by the Government of Iraq,” Pompeo wrote on Twitter.

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Sunday’s call came after U.S. and Iraqi service members were wounded in a Katyusha rocket attack on Camp Taji base, north of Baghdad, which hosts coalition forces engaged in the fight against ISIS.

Three U.S. service members were wounded, the Department of Defense said on Sunday, adding that two of them were seriously injured and were being treated at a U.S. military hospital in Baghdad.

The Department of Defense said Iraqi forces made an initial arrest following an investigation into the attack and are working in coordination with U.S. officials, although no military group has been identified as responsible for the rocket strike.

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Iran-backed militias operating in Iraq, however, have launched dozens of attacks on bases housing U.S. troops.

On Sunday, the Department of Defense also said it had earlier carried out strikes against the Iran-backed militia Kataeb Hezbollah in retaliation for a rocket attack on March 11 that killed two U.S. service members and a British medic.

Kataeb Hezbollah is also responsible for the death of an American contractor in Iraq late last year that set off a chain of escalating violence between the Iranian-backed militias and the U.S.

The U.S. and Iran managed to step back from the brink of open conflict  following the targeted killing of Iran’s top general, Qassem Soleimani, in Baghdad on Jan. 3.

The U.S said it launched the strike, which occurred following provocations by Iran-backed militias breaching the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad, to prevent an imminent attack on its interests in the region.

–This report was updated at 12:07 p.m.

The military now has at least 651 sites that have been contaminated with cancer-linked “forever chemicals,” a more than 50 percent jump from its last tally.

The information was released Friday in a report from the Department of Defense (DOD), part of a task force designed to help the military remove a class of chemicals known as PFAS from the water supply near numerous military bases.

PFAS, used in a variety of household products as well as an “AFFF” fire fighting foam relied on by the military, has been deemed a forever chemical due to its persistence in both the environment and the human body. The military has been under increasing pressure to clean up its contaminated sites, previously estimated to be at 401 locations. 

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“This report also makes it clear that we are still learning the full extent of the impact on our communities. The identification of over 250 new sites where PFAS was potentially released is astonishing,” House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam SmithDavid (Adam) Adam SmithOvernight Energy: Military sees surge in sites contaminated by ‘forever chemicals’ | USDA closes office wing due to coronavirus | Watchdog raises concerns over Trump energy regulator Military sees surge in sites with ‘forever chemical’ contamination Stock market plunge should incentivize firms to develop a coronavirus cure MORE (D-Wash.) said in a statement.

“It is critical that the department provide communities with timely assessment of these sites, communicate transparently with impacted households, and quickly act to protect civilians and service members alike from these forever chemicals.”

Defense Secretary Mark EsperMark EsperOvernight Defense: Pentagon cancels more exercises | Defense secretary, deputy to be separated as precaution | Officials say troops in Afghanistan have access to virus tests | Pompeo warns Iraq after militia attacks Overnight Energy: Military sees surge in sites contaminated by ‘forever chemicals’ | USDA closes office wing due to coronavirus | Watchdog raises concerns over Trump energy regulator Military sees surge in sites with ‘forever chemical’ contamination MORE started the PFAS task force on his first day in office in July. 

“We must approach the problem in an aggressive and holistic way, ensuring a coordinated DOD-wide approach to the issue,” Esper wrote in a memo establishing the task force.

The 651 figure is current as of October and includes only sites where DOD is known to be the source of PFAS contamination. 

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The military has provided bottled water and filters to the affected areas and is prepared to ramp up blood testing for those that may be affected.

“No one — on or off base — is drinking water above EPA’s [health advisory] level of 70 parts per trillion [ppt] where DoD is the known source of PFOS and PFOA,” the agency wrote in the report, referring to guidelines set by the Environmental Protection Agency.

However, those voluntary EPA standards are in the process of being replaced with a mandatory drinking water regulation —something that may fall below the 70 ppt currently being used by DOD.

Many critics have argued that the 70 ppt figure is too high to protect health and have advocated for setting the standard at a lower number, following the move of many states who have more aggressive PFAS regulations than the federal government.

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A clash between the mayor of Washington, D.C. and a restaurant group over the city’s ban on large gatherings is highlighting the tensions between government officials and businesses as the coronavirus outbreak disrupts life across the country.

When D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on Sunday announced restrictions on restaurants and bars, many applauded the move as a prudent step to slow the spread of coronavirus. But one major restaurateur balked. 

The Hill Restaurant Group, which owns seven eateries around D.C. including some popular Capitol Hill locations, vowed to defy the public health measure. Business would “continue to operate as normal,” the group said.

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“We will not bow down to pressure from the Mayor’s Office or any group for that matter who covertly is attempting to shut us down,” read a statement that appears to have been shared on Facebook and was highlighted by a Washingtonian food editor.

Bowser, though, delivered a sharp warning to the group, saying it “must comply with the DC Health notice” and vowing to bring the “full force” of the city’s agencies to ensure that.

Within 24 hours of the mayor’s announcement, the restaurant group backtracked, saying on Monday that it would comply. Tom Johnson, the managing partner of the group, told The Washington Post, they would be shutting down several restaurants and laying off staff.

In the shadow of the Capitol, where lawmakers are scrambling to address the outbreak, the short-lived fight over D.C.’s restrictions offered a glimpse at the fraught tensions playing out between public health authorities and businesses as the coronavirus upends the economy.

In the absence of binding federal restrictions, a patchwork of regulations has emerged across states and local jurisdictions, with every governor having now declared a state of emergency.

As restrictions have set in, similar vows of defiance by business owners have been reported in Illinois, Nashville and outside Philadelphia.

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Those standoffs are likely to increase as governments flex their regulatory muscle to force temporary closures and social distancing to combat the global pandemic. But experts say it’s a losing fight for businesses, and one that could cost them customers or, in the case of a particularly obstinate business owners, their freedom.

The United States has seen some 4,200 cases across virtually every state and 73 deaths since tracking began in late January. So far, the federal government’s response within the U.S. has been to recommend that large gatherings be stopped, while state and local governments have taken the lead in implementing mandatory health orders.

Peter Susser, a partner in the global employment and labor law firm Littler Mendelson, said most of the clients he’s heard about are trying to comply with the new restrictions. 

In the food and beverage industry, some restaurants have chosen to stop in-house service, banning people from eating within their restaurant while continuing with carry-out or delivery services.

“That’s been a common approach, at least with big restaurants,” he said.

As the industry suffers from a dropoff in customers, with a nearly 50 percent reduction since last year according to data from Open Table, the big players are much better positioned to absorb the financial blow than their smaller counterparts.

“Mom and pop operations may not have an easy time,” Susser said.

But industry and legal experts say there is little businesses can do to push back against the restrictions. Companies that defy public closure orders not only risk reprimands from public health authorities, but they could also alienate their customer base as public anxieties over the outbreak continue to rise.

“It’s going to be hard to resist those guidelines,” Susser said, “from a public image and branding standpoint.” 

Michelle Mello, a professor of law and medicine at Stanford University, said “naming and shaming” noncompliant businesses could be a powerful tool in times of public health crises.

“Our cultural response to COVID-19 is evolving with incredible rapidity,” she said, “and this may well be enough to snap someone to attention who has not kept up with the increasingly dire news.”

That appears to be the playbook Bowser employed in response to the Hill Restaurant Group’s defiance. In her tweets, warning the group to comply, the mayor addressed them by name.

“Hill Restaurant Group — While I recognize that all of us have been stressed beyond our immediate understanding of how coronavirus has so quickly upended our daily lives and personal and business existence — you must comply with the DC Health notice,” her March 16 tweet read.

When the restaurant group decided to comply, they also provided an apology on their website.

“Due to the restrictions set forth by the Mayor’s Office, it has made it impossible for us to continue to stay open for business so we will be closing all of our restaurants to reevaluate our situation,” the message read. “We apologize for the post on district industry- it was not meant to be selfish. We just felt it was unfair for the Mayor’s office to mandate such harsh restrictions without any notice or consultation with business owners.” 

Legal experts also said that businesses that try to remain open despite public health orders are unlikely to get relief in the courts. 

Almost every jurisdiction across the country has the power to regulate what the law considers to be a “public nuisance” that poses a danger to the public’s health, said Lawrence Gostin, a law professor at Georgetown University and public health expert.

“Imagine if a food establishment had a poor hygiene record or food contamination or animal droppings,” Gostin said. “It is clear the health department could shut them down. This is exactly the same.”

Public health authorities have a variety of sanctions to ensure compliance, Gostin said. That includes stiff fines, forced closure by police — and even jail time.

“Business owners and business associations must obey the law and must safeguard the health of their patrons,” he said.

“This is an easy call for the health department or mayor.”

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A calmer summit, but the crisis still dominates

Sarkozy claims the crisis is now under control as Spain puts new fiscal rules under strain.

Second term for Van Rompuy

Syrian regime ‘must be held accountable’

Dutch hold firm on Schengen enlargement

Support for Serbia’s EU candidacy

Is the worst of it over? This question seemed to reverberate around the European Council as leaders looked back wearily to the eurozone turmoil before last summer, reflected on the huge amount of turbulent water that had flowed under the bridge since then, and took a long deep breath.

If the worst of it is over and if, as Nicolas Sarkozy, France’s president, claimed, the eurozone is moving from crisis to a manageable malaise, many remain unconvinced.

True, sovereign-bond yields in the eurozone periphery are at reassuringly low levels for the first time since last summer, but, as Sarkozy himself acknowledged, sometimes “one crisis can conceal another”, and things could flare up all over again.

The leaders could not really agree on how to answer the question. Yes, the worst of it is over, said Sarkozy, after what might turn out to be his last European Council. With less than two months before the first round of France’s presidential elections, the incumbent was determined to show voters that his hard work on the European stage had paid off.

The eurozone was “turning a page”, he said, from urgent crisis-management to long-term solution-finding. The strategy he and his fellow leaders had pursued was “beginning to bear fruit”. It was, he said, the first European Council since August 2011 that had had a normal agenda rather than one dominated by financial fire-fighting.

‘A fragile situation’

Despite a perceptible mood of self-congratulation, not all leaders agreed. Not even Angela Merkel, Germany’s chancellor, who for so long has been trying to deliver the same message as Sarkozy and has promoted his re-election.

“It would be wrong to say that this was a totally normal Council just because we finished before midnight,” she said. “We are not yet in a completely normal situation; we are still in a fragile situation. The crisis has not at all been overcome.”

Fact File

Greek bail-out

Leaders decided at the European Council to postpone their approval of more than half of Greece’s €130 billion bail-out because they said that Greek authorities had not yet met all conditions.

They agreed to give money to re-capitalise Greek banks and provide them with additional liquidity, as well as a €30bn lump-sum meant to act as a ‘sweetener’ to private banks to encourage them to swap the Greek bonds that they hold for new ones with longer maturities and lower rates of interest.

About €70bn was held back by eurozone member states as they showed their determination to ensure that every piece of legislation that they have demanded – related to economic reform and spending cuts – is implemented in full by Greece’s government.

Private investors had until today (8 March) to sign up to the bond-swap. For the deal to be a success, about two-thirds of bondholders have to agree to take part. The new bonds that investors get in exchange will start being traded on Monday (12 March).

On Monday evening, the eurozone’s 17 finance ministers will meet in Brussels to discuss the outcome of the bond-swap and the latest progress made by Greece’s government.

On Tuesday, all 27 finance ministers of the EU meet in Brussels. Germany has called for further discussion about the European Commission’s proposal for a financial transaction tax. Ministers will also debate macro-economic imbalances and could adopt conclusions on the first alert mechanism report from the Commission under new economic governance legislation. They will also consider recommending that Hungary take steps to correct its excessive deficit or risk losing cohesion funds.

In purely symbolic terms, this Council was all about the signing by the leaders of 25 participating member states of the fiscal pact – the intergovernmental treaty that is supposed to bring about greater budgetary discipline.

But there was enough uncertainty around over the two days to make Sarkozy’s statements sound premature.

This was displayed not only in Ireland’s announcement that it will hold a referendum on the treaty, but also in disagreement over how to promote economic growth, as well as the continuing difficulties surrounding the restructuring of Greek debt.

And then there was Spain, which, no sooner than the ink was dry on the fiscal pact, announced that it was likely to test the new rules by missing its deficit target. Mariano Rajoy, Spain’s prime minister, said that the 2012 target was no longer realistic because the country was suffering an economic downturn more severe than expected.

Rajoy said that the deficit in 2012 was likely to be 5.8% of gross domestic product (GDP), significantly higher than the 4.4% agreed with the European Commission. As if to hint at the way that disputes could take shape over the coming months, he said that deciding not to hit the deficit target was a “sovereign decision”.

Merkel was unimpressed. She said that it did not make sense “that the goals to reduce deficits now no longer have any validity”, adding that every country “should now do everything to implement fiscal measures as ambitiously as possible”.

But is anyone listening any more? If this summit suggested anything about the post-crisis European Union it is that no one can say for certain what shape it will take. As recently as December, the UK looked isolated as the only country to refuse to approve treaty change. Now, it could have garnered enough support to be leading a liberal economic backlash against the Merkel-Sarkozy power-base.

Single-market action

Before this summit, David Cameron, the British prime minister, and leaders from 11 other countries sent Herman Van Rompuy and José Manuel Barroso, the presidents of the European Council and European Commission, a letter calling for swifter action to deepen the single market and liberalise services. Sarkozy and Merkel remained unmoved – France’s president said that he disagreed with “about 10% of it” and that he particularly rejected the push for liberalisation and more de-regulation.

But support is coming from unlikely sources. The countries of southern Europe, with their struggling economies, could be about to help set the new tone in a post-crisis phase. It is no longer just the traditionally pro-free market northern European member states behind this push. “What is different is having the Italian prime minister, the Spanish prime minister and the Portuguese prime minister very sympathetic too,” said Cameron.

Not everyone is going as far as Sarkozy to claim victory over the turmoil just yet. But a period of calm is allowing for a change in focus. And, after months of dominance by France and Germany, it is a period of calm that might just allow other member states to re-assert themselves.

If this was indeed Sarkozy’s last Council, the next one might see power shift away from Germany.

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