Monday morning news - April 12, 2021

Defense Sec. Austin meets with Israeli counterpart in Tel Aviv » Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin traveled to Tel Aviv on Sunday where he met with his Israeli counterpart, Defense Minister Benny Gantz.

AUSTIN: During our meeting, I reaffirmed to Minister Gantz, our commitment to Israel is enduring and it is ironclad. 

Austin’s visit comes as the Biden administration renews its efforts to rejoin the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran. And Gantz said Israel will work closely with the United States to try to ensure that a new nuclear deal does not threaten Israel.

GANTZ: The Tehran of today poses a strategic threat to international security, to the entire Middle East and to the State of Israel

As Austin visited Tel Aviv, Iran reported that its underground Natanz atomic facility lost power just hours after starting up new advanced centrifuges.

The Iranian government claimed it was the victim of—quote—“nuclear terrorism.”

But did not immediately blame anyone directly.

Flying overnight from Washington, Austin arrived in Tel Aviv in the tense aftermath of the country’s fourth inconclusive election in the past two years. Israel’s president last week gave embattled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the difficult task of trying once again to form a new government.

COVID-19 cases surge in Michigan » New COVID-19 cases and hospital admissions are still ticking upward in the United States. But in the state of Michigan, new cases are spiraling upward. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer told CBS’ Face the Nation …

WHITMER: We are seeing a surge in Michigan despite the fact that we have some of the strongest policies in place: mask mandates, capacity limits, working from home. We have asked our state for a two-week pause. So despite all that, we are seeing a surge because of these variants. 

Infections have increased roughly sevenfold since late February in the Wolverine State.

Whitmer said she’s asking the Biden administration to push more vaccine doses into the state of Michigan. Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said the White House should say yes.

GOTTLIEB: It’s a request that’s been made for weeks now, and I think we should have done it weeks ago. And it’s not just additional vaccine, but it’s the resources to actually get the vaccine into arms. Some of the federal resources that FEMA has. 

Gottlieb said the federal government should consider allocating resources according to need rather than by population.

On Friday, health officials recorded more than 85,000 cases nationally. It was the first time new infections have hit that number since the middle of February.

Maryland lawmakers override governor’s veto of broad police reforms » Maryland lawmakers voted over the weekend to override GOP Gov. Larry Hogan’s vetoes of multiple far-reaching police reform bills.

Supporters said the new measures are needed to make law enforcement more accountable and restore public trust.

But opponents said the measures went too far. Harford County, Maryland Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler:

GAHLER: Oh, it’s going to be devastating to the men and women of law enforcement under the guise of police reform. It’s not police reform, it’s the guise of police reform. 

Gog. Hogan said the measures will further erode police morale and community relationships.

One of the measures repeals job protections in the police disciplinary process that critics say get in the way of accountability. Maryland approved the nation’s first Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights in 1974. About 20 states have adopted similar laws setting rules for investigating police misconduct.

Maryland is the first to repeal those laws, replacing them with new procedures that give civilians a role in the police disciplinary process.

Royal family mourns loss of Prince Philip » Prince Andrew said Sunday that his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, and the rest of his family are left with a “huge void” after the death of his father, Prince Philip.

ANDREW: It’s a great loss. I think the way I would put it is we’ve lost almost the grandfather of the nation. And I feel very sorry and supportive of my mother who is probably feeling it, I think, more than everybody else. 

Prince Philip died on Friday at the age of 99.

Andrew’s brother, Prince Edward, told reporters,

EDWARD: It’s been a bit of a shock. However much one tries to prepare oneself for something like this, it’s still a dreadful shock, and we’re still trying to come to terms with that, and it’s very, very sad. 

Their sister, Princess Anne, praised Philip’s work with many charities, and his ability to—quote—“treat every person as an individual in their own right with their own skills.”

Hundreds of well-wishers continued to leave floral tributes on Sunday outside the gates of royal residences.

(Frank Augstein/Associated Press) People view flower tributes at Cambridge Gate, at Windsor Castle, one day after the death of Britain’s Prince Philip, in Windsor, England, Saturday, April 10, 2021.

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