Sanders Ends Bid, Biden Remains as Likely Nominee

AP

On Wednesday, April 8, Sen. Bernie Sanders ended his presidential bid making Joe Biden the presumptive Democratic nominee. 

Sanders told supporters that “the path toward victory is virtually impossible.” Adding that if he believed there was a feasible path to the nomination he would continue the campaign. 

Sanders exceeded expectations in recreating his 2016 presidential bid but could not convert support from progressives into a viable path to the nomination. Questions were raised about how general election voters would react to his democratic socialist ideology.

He did not offer Biden an explicit endorsement and said that his name would remain on the ballot in states that have not yet held primaries. This is so Sanders can gain more delegates and “exert significant influence” over the Democratic party’s platform. 

The coronavirus outbreak had frozen the campaign as Sanders could no longer hold large rallies that had become a trademark for his campaign. 

Biden is set to challenge President Donald Trump in the November general election against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Pandemic Forces Pause of Plastic Bans 

Many plastic bans, including plastic shopping bags, have come under fire across the U.S. for fears of the virus clinging to reusable bags, cups and straws. 

The rise in takeout and the ban on reusable cups and straws worries environmentalists who fear COVID-19 will set back their efforts to tackle plastic pollution. 

Governors in Massachusetts and Illinois have banned or strongly discouraged the use of reusable grocery bags. Oregon has suspended its new ban on plastic bags and many other cities have announced breaks on plastic bag bans. 

One restaurant owner in Seattle is using biodegradable containers for now, however, these cost up to three times more than plastic, and are getting harder to find. 

In response, the plastics industry has been lobbying to overturn bans on single-use plastics arguing they are the safest option amid the current crisis. They are joined by grocery worker unions that are calling for bans on reusable bags. The argument that has been made is that those with reusable bags do not regularly wash them. 

Some stores, such as Trader Joe’s and Target, are letting customers use their own bags if they bag their groceries themselves. Many stores have run out of paper bags given the current run on groceries. 

A study by the U.S. National Institutes of Health found that the novel coronavirus can remain on plastics and stainless steel for up to three days. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that it's possible for a person to get COVID-19 by touching a surface that has the virus on it, then touching their mouth, nose or eyes.

Saudi Officials Announces Yemen Cease-Fire 

Officials in Saudi Arabia announced that Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen will begin a cease-fire beginning Thursday, April 9. 

Yemen has been engaged in civil war since 2014. The Houthis took control of the northern part of the country including the capital, Sanna. A military coalition, led by the Saudis, intervened against the Houthis. After relentless Saudi airstrikes and a blockade of Yemen, the war has been stalemated. 

It was reported that this decision was in response to U.N. calls to halt hostilities amid the coronavirus pandemic. The case-fire will be two weeks long during which Yemen’s current internationally recognized government will support U.N. efforts to bring both parties to the table for peace talks. 

This announcement comes as fighting between pro-government forces and Houthis has killed more than 270 people in the past 10 days. A U.S.-backed, Saudi-led coalition that supports the internationally recognized Yemen government has carried out more than 370 airstrikes against the Houthis in the last two weeks.

Officials commenting on the fighting spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to brief the media or feared reprisals. The conflict in Yemen has killed over 10,000 people and created the world’s worst humanitarian crisis in modern day. 

The Associated Press contributed reporting. Contact Emma Pollans at epollans@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.