Devex: U.S. State Department connecting dots between conflict and COVID-19
“The U.S. State Department is using its internal data platform to measure the impact COVID-19 is having on conflict around the world. Launched by the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations in September 2019, the Instability Monitoring and Analysis Platform — or IMAP — provides centralized, real-time data on conflict indicators. Santiago Stocker, director of CSO’s Office of Advanced Analytics, said using IMAP to monitor conflict trends as the coronavirus impacts life in every country around the world is ‘very new territory’…” (Welsh, 7/7).

Washington Post: Bipartisan group of former government officials demand science-based approach to pandemic
“Fifty-seven former government scientists and public health officials of both parties called on Monday for a science-based approach to the coronavirus pandemic and criticized the Trump administration for marginalizing science and expertise in its response. Officials from the Trump, Obama, and George W. Bush administrations all signed the statement, underscoring the widespread concern over Trump’s response to a pandemic that has claimed the lives of more than 127,000 Americans so far…” (Abutaleb, 7/6).

Washington Post: Trump and Biden campaigns shift focus to coronavirus as pandemic surges
“The Trump and Biden presidential campaigns now see the coronavirus response as the preeminent force shaping the results of November’s election, prompting both camps to try to refocus their campaigns more heavily on the pandemic, according to officials and advisers of both campaigns…” (Abutaleb/Dawsey, 7/6).

Additional coverage of the Trump administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic is available from The Hill, POLITICO (2), and Roll Call (2).