Washington Post

The White House has just confirmed, no doubt unintentionally, that the US government’s premier international broadcaster, Voice of America, is independent from the Trump administration. A shrill commentary posted on the White House website April 10 assailed VOA for “promoting propaganda” of the Chinese government about the novel coronavirus epidemic. The evidence? A tweeted video showing residents of Wuhan watching a light show following the lifting of that city’s lockdown, and another tweet showing that the covid-19 death toll in the United States “exceeds the official China tally.

Congressional leaders and the White House are converging on the need for a new assistance package to try to contain the coronavirus pandemic’s economic devastation, fearful that a $2 trillion bailout law enacted in March will have only a limited effect. Democratic Reps are eyeing a package of spending increases that would “easily” cost more than $1 trillion, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said.

Despite some problems, the Internet overall is handling unprecedented surges of demand as it keeps a fractured world connected at a time of global catastrophe. The Internet, born as a Pentagon project during the chillier years of the Cold War, has taken such a central role in 21st Century civilian society, culture and business that few pause any longer to appreciate its wonders — except perhaps, as in the past few weeks, when it becomes even more central to our lives. “Resiliency and redundancy are very much a part of the Internet design,” explained Internet pioneer Vinton Cerf, whose passi