FRSO online forum: A people’s response to the coronavirus crisis
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2020-03-25
Minneapolis, MN – The world is the midst of a once-in-a-century disease pandemic. COVID-19 is a natural phenomenon that is quickly becoming a human disaster. | Steff Yorek, political secretary of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) states, “We know that all the politicians serve the interests of the rich. We need to demand and win concessions that benefit poor and working people. This will be literally a life or death situation and will fall on those with the least resources the most.” | Join us for an on-line forum addressing how capitalism fails to address the public health crisis, brings impending e…
fightbacknews.org/2020/3/24/frso-online-…
Coronavirus and the Prison Industrial Complex
Dr. Binoy Kampmark | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-25
The legacy of the coronavirus pandemic, at least in so far as responses are concerned, is thickening by the day. Behavioural changes are being urged, language is rapidly evolving (spot the “covidiot” amongst you) and the policy of health surveillance …
globalresearch.ca/coronavirus-prison-ind…
Venezuela’s Coronavirus Response Might Surprise You
Leonardo Flores | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-25
Within a few hours of being launched, over 800 Venezuelans in the U.S. registered for an emergency flight from Miami to Caracas through a website run by the Venezuelan government. This flight, offered at no cost, was proposed by President …
globalresearch.ca/venezuelas-coronavirus…
Suspending the US Constitution: Police State Uses Crises to Expand Its Lockdown Powers
John W. Whitehead | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-25
“That was when they suspended the Constitution. They said it would be temporary. There wasn’t even any rioting in the streets. People stayed home at night, watching television, looking for some direction. There wasn’t even an enemy you could put …
globalresearch.ca/suspending-constitutio…
China’s Wuhan reports ZERO new cases of coronavirus as US sees deadliest day yet with 160+ fatalities
rt.com | 2020-03-25
The city of Wuhan is coming back online, with no new cases of Covid-19 reported in the virus’ first epicenter and residents resuming business as usual. But as China recovers, the US has seen its worst day yet, tallying 163 deaths. | …
rt.com/news/484011-wuhan-zero-cases-coro…
No corona for you: French local authority bans ALCOHOL sales amid virus lockdown
rt.com | 2020-03-25
Residents of the French department of Aisne are heading for a truly harsh coronavirus lockdown, as local authorities have imposed a blanket ban on alcohol sales. The move is for their own good, officials argue. | Announcing the decision on Tuesday, Prefect of the department Ziad Khoury pointed out that alcohol abuse often goes hand in hand with domestic violence – which, many fear, is bound to surge under the lockdown. | “Excessive consumption of alcohol is likely to create increased disturbances and violence, especially within the family” | Khoury also banned shops from working past 8pm
The Folly of Denying Online Purchases to Food Stamp Recipients
Carol Polsgrove | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-24
A California friend on food stamps has alerted to me to the fact that in most states, recipients on food stamps cannot use them for online purchases of food. The exceptions are the few states in a pilot program allowing online purchases from designated companies. California is not among those states. At a time when…
counterpunch.org/2020/03/24/the-folly-of…
Will Rikers Island Free More People After Over 60 Test Positive for COVID-19?
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-03-24
As COVID-19 begins to spread in the U.S. prison system, calls are growing in the New York City epicenter of the pandemic to release people from Rikers Island, the second-largest jail system in the country. At least 39 prisoners and 21 staff at Rikers Island have tested positive. Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday the city had released 75 people, but advocates are calling for the release of thousands more. We speak with Dr. Homer Venters, former chief medical officer for New York City’s Correctiona…
truthout.org/video/will-rikers-island-fr…
Austerity Has Weakened Our Ability to Fight the COVID-19 Pandemic
Patrick Cockburn | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-24
“I have delivered food parcels to four families this morning,” says Paula Spencer, who runs the community centre in Thanington, a deprived district on the outskirts of Canterbury. Two of the families had called for help because they had symptoms of the coronavirus, and two simply needed food to eat. There are no signs of…
counterpunch.org/2020/03/24/austerity-ha…
An Emergency Response to the Coronavirus Pandemic
Bernie Sanders | zcomm.org | 2020-03-24
We must begin thinking on a scale comparable to the threat, and make sure that we are protecting working people, low-income people, and the most vulnerable communities, not just giant corporations and Wall Street…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/an-emergency-respo…
Palestinians face humanitarian catastrophe from coronavirus
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
This foreseeable and foreseen disaster comes after Israel’s 13-year-long siege that has rendered Gaza almost uninhabitable.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/pale…
EPA Proposes to Restrict Applied Public Health Scientific Research in Midst of Coronavirus Pandemic
Michael Halpern | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-24
The Environmental Protection Agency moved today to restrict the types of research that can be used in public health protection decisions and scientific assessments. In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the agency is recklessly giving the public just 30 …
globalresearch.ca/epa-proposes-broad-sci…
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ message to warehouse workers: Keep working despite coronavirus threat
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
After strikes by US and European Amazon workers over the danger to their health, the company’s billionaire CEO feigned concern while insisting that workers keep pumping out profits.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/bezo…
Jeff Bezos, World’s richest man, wants your donations to help Amazon employees
Alan MacLeod | mronline.org | 2020-03-24
A man worth over $100 billion, who makes, on average, $230,000 per minute calling on the public to help his own impoverished employees was not met well by many.
mronline.org/2020/03/24/jeff-bezos-world…
Julian Assange to apply for bail amid coronavirus dangers in British prisons
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
A press release issued by WikiLeaks stated that Assange’s lawyers “will argue that he is vulnerable to the COVID-19 outbreak in the prison where he is on remand.”
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/assa…
Global Humanitarian and Political Cooperation Essential for Mitigating COVID-19 Pandemic
Sarah Abed | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-24
Just as the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic starts to slow down in China, where no new domestic cases have been reported in the past three days, other parts of the world are seeing their numbers spike. With over 328,000 COVID-19 …
globalresearch.ca/global-humanitarian-po…
The Not-So-Shocking Report on Israeli Weapons Exports
Ramzy Baroud | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-03-24
The Middle East region, battered by wars and adjoining humanitarian crises that have left millions of people stateless, hungry and diseased, is in urgent need for peace, security and reconstruction. Thanks to the US, Russian, French, Israeli and other weapons manufacturers, however, it is now the dumping ground for military hardware, an ominous sign for …
dissidentvoice.org/2020/03/the-not-so-sh…
US Shortage of Ventilators for Patients and Protective Gear for Healthcare Workers
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-24
The US has no shortage of missiles, bombs, bullets, or chemical, biological, radiological, and other banned weapons to use against targeted adversaries at home and abroad. | That’s not the case when it comes to providing vital healthcare for its citizens, …
globalresearch.ca/us-shortage-ventilator…
Venezuela announces 6-month rent suspension, guarantees workers’ wages, bans lay-offs
Paul Dobson | peoplesworld.org | 2020-03-24
MÉRIDA, Venezuela (venezuelanalysis.com)–The Venezuelan government announced a series of measures on Sunday in attempts to protect the population from the economic effects of the coronavirus crisis. Speaking on a live televised address, President Nicolás Maduro instructed that all commercial and residential rent, as well as all capital and loan interest payments, are to be suspended …
peoplesworld.org/article/venezuela-annou…
An often overlooked region of India is a beacon to the world for taking on the coronavirus
Vijay Prashad | mronline.org | 2020-03-24
In a pandemic, a rational person would much rather live in a society governed by the norms of socialism than of capitalism, a society where people rally together to overcome a virus; than to live in a society where fear pervades and where stigmatization becomes the antidote to collective action.
mronline.org/2020/03/24/an-often-overloo…
Cuba saves Italians from coronavirus despite US blockade
Anya Parampil | thegrayzone.com | 2020-03-24
Red Lines host Anya Parampil provides a coronavirus update, highlighting the heroic work of Cuban doctors who have traveled to…
thegrayzone.com/2020/03/24/cuba-italians…
Power in a Time of Coronavirus
Norman Solomon | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-24
Every day now we’re waking up into an extreme real-life nightmare, while responses are still routinely lagging far behind what’s at stake. Urgency is reality. The horrific momentum of the coronavirus is personal, social and political. In those realms, a baseline formula is “passivity = death.” The imperative is to do vastly better. Consistent individual…
counterpunch.org/2020/03/24/power-in-a-t…
OAS head Luis Almagro’s new term promises more corruption, cronyism and coup-plotting
The Grayzone | thegrayzone.com | 2020-03-24
The shocking story of the most incompetent, unethical and imperial-minded Secretary General in the history of the Organization of American…
thegrayzone.com/2020/03/23/oas-luis-alma…
Social movements in times of pandemic: another world is needed
Donatella della Porta | zcomm.org | 2020-03-24
Faced with the glaring need for radical and complex transformation, social movements in times of crisis act differently from protests…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/social-movements-i…
Under pressure from online protests over coronavirus concerns, GameStop shutters California stores
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
The half-measure concessions, which went into effect Sunday, also included keeping stores in the rest of the United States operating with “delivery-to-door” service.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/game…
Video: Coronavirus Treatment: New York Doctor Vladimir Zelenko Finds 100% Success Rate in 350 Patients Using Hydroxychloroquine with Zinc
Jim Hoft | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-24
GR Editor’s Note | This is a “potential” slap in the face to the CDC, the US media and Big Pharma which is developing a multibillion dollar vaccination program. | Big Pharma’s intent -with the support of the Western media- is to …
globalresearch.ca/video-ny-doctor-vladim…
Israel Controls 95 Percent of Occupied Jordan Valley: Official
telesurenglish.net | 2020-03-24
Saeb Erekat, secretary general of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee stated on Tuesday that Israel is now controlling 95 percent of the West Bank’s Jordan Valley. | RELATED: | Israel’s Palestinian Inmates to Hunger Strike, Due to Poor COVID-19 Response | He said in an emailed press statement that 12,700 Israeli settlers exploit 95 percent of the territory, while 55,000 Palestinians are living in the remaining 5 percent. | “Intensifying settlement in the…
telesurenglish.net/news/Israel-Controls-…
NATO Exercises Defying Coronavirus Reveal Desperation
Paul Antonopoulos | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-24
The planned NATO military exercise in Europe, “Defender 2020,” will be held on a reduced scale because of the coronavirus pandemic. Defender 2020 will have the participation of 18 NATO countries, cover 4,000 kilometers of convoy routes and rely on …
globalresearch.ca/nato-exercises-defying…
From Hong Kong to Chile in 8 Days With COVID-19 on My Tail
Andre Vltchek | mintpressnews.com | 2020-03-24
Santiago ( 21st Century Wire)
8-Day Journey from Hong Kong to Chile, COVID-19 on My Tail
Andre Vltchek | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-24
Imagine that you are in Hong Kong, in a city where “you are actually not supposed to be”, in the first place. You are ready to go home, to South America. But just two days before your departure, via Seoul …
globalresearch.ca/8-day-journey-hong-kon…
Sanctions: Unilateral Coercive Measures for Regime Change in Venezuela
Nino Pagliccia | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-24
In discussing the issue of “sanctions” there are two main points that need to be made. One is the use of the correct terminology when referring to the government actions that the US, Canada and the EU take in order to achieve regime change. The second is of course the impact that those actions have.
counterpunch.org/2020/03/24/sanctions-un…
Sanders and “The Squad” on COVID-19: Spend whatever it takes to support workers
John Bachtell | peoplesworld.org | 2020-03-24
“This is an unprecedented moment in history, and we need to act in unprecedented ways, no matter what it costs,” declared Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). “We need to guarantee to every American they will not be left hanging,” and that they have the health care, food, and housing they need during this crisis. Sanders, who …
peoplesworld.org/article/sanders-and-the…
Coronavirus: Punishing America’s Enemies
Philip Giraldi | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-24
Much remains to be learned about the coronavirus, though it is quite possible that it will not be possible to determine how it developed if the various governments that might be involved prove to be uncooperative. The Chinese carefully controlled …
globalresearch.ca/punishing-america-enem…
Technology of Death: The Not-So-Shocking Report on Israeli Weapons Exports
Ramzy Baroud | mintpressnews.com | 2020-03-24
SIPRI and Amnesty International are right in exposing Israel’s thriving weapons exports market while emphasizing the fact that much of these weapons proliferate freely among human rights violators.
mintpressnews.com/technology-of-death-sh…
COVID-19 Green New Deal
Nick Rabb | zcomm.org | 2020-03-24
The COVID-19 mitigation effort presents an unexpected blueprint for what rapid change in the face of a climate crisis might look like. In fact, the current situation should give us hope in our ability to cope with rapid change and encourage us to recognize our resilience…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/covid-19-green-new…
There’s a mind-blowing detail in the global response to Italy’s coronavirus outbreak
Tracy Keeling | thecanary.co | 2020-03-24
Italy is suffering through one of the worst outbreaks of the new coronavirus (Covid-19). By 23 March, the country had reported 5,476 fatalities out of 59,138 confirmed infections. That’s a higher mortality rate than China, where the global outbreak first appeared. | As a result, Italy is now the recipient of support from other countries. But there’s a mind-blowing detail in that global response, one that should give many pause for thought. | Emergency help: | As The Cana…
thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2020/…
Trump, putting Profit Motive and Reelection over Public Health
Juan Cole | zcomm.org | 2020-03-24
How Trump is Undermining Coronavirus Social Distancing Strategy…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/trump-putting-prof…
Twenty-three die in Colombia prison revolt over coronavirus conditions
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
Amid fears of the rapidly spreading pandemic, prison riots erupted across Colombia and were brutally suppressed by prison guards.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/colo…
Florida residents on COVID-19 pandemic: “There is no way we can go longer than a month at this rate.”
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
Workers and students spoke with the WSWS about lack of supplies, limited testing, and growing concerns over the economic, social, and health impact on their families and friends.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/flco…
Stand Up America urges lawmakers to pass measure to extend vote-by-mail during coronavirus pandemic
Ashley Curtin | nationofchange.org | 2020-03-24
“Lawmakers must act immediately to provide emergency funding to the states to ensure that every eligible voter can cast their ballot this fall.”
nationofchange.org/2020/03/24/stand-up-a…
The Pandemic Surveillance State
Binoy Kampmark | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-24
In anticipation of…
counterpunch.org/2020/03/24/the-pandemic…
Ecotourism suspended to protect mountain gorillas from Covid-19
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-03-24
Conservationists have backed moves to limit contact with endangered mountain gorillas to protect them from the coronavirus pandemic. | Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo has halted mountain gorilla tourism until June 1 following scientific advice that primates, including gorillas, are likely to be susceptible to complications arising from the Covid-19 virus. | Rwanda’s Development Board has suspended tourism and research activities with primates around the Gishwati-Mukura, Nyungwe, and Volcanoes national parks. | Conservation efforts to help mountain gorillas in two areas in the Democratic…
thecanary.co/discovery/news-discovery/20…
Legalization for All Statement: Covid19 and DACA
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2020-03-24
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Legalization for All Network. | The Legalization for All (L4A) Network is a coalition of various individuals and organizations from around the U.S. who fight to win legalization for all undocumented and Temporary-status peoples in the U.S. The need for full equality has never been clearer than in the face of a global pandemic, like Covid-19. Trump and the ruling-class have nothing stopping them from making changes that could devastate the undocumented, as the majority of people are preoccupied with the very real danger of Coronavirus. | Putti…
fightbacknews.org/2020/3/23/legalization…
POSTPONED: 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games move to 2021
Al Neal | peoplesworld.org | 2020-03-24
Well, it finally happened, and much sooner than the four-week timeline announced Sunday, March 23. The 2020 Tokyo Olympic games have been postponed until the summer of 2021. The International Olympic Committee announcement came early Tuesday and ended all speculation the games would go on as planned despite the COVID-19 global pandemic. The IOC’s decision …
peoplesworld.org/article/postponed-2020-…
AFT’s Weingarten, union nurses: Force firms to produce life-saving devices
Mark Gruenberg | peoplesworld.org | 2020-03-24
WASHINGTON–The federal government must use its emergency powers to step in and force companies to produce life-saving devices–testing kits, N95 masks and respirators, patient care beds, and temporary hospitals among them–“now” to combat the coronavirus pandemic, Teachers President Randi Weingarten declares. And if companies try to make a profit off those devices, take them over, …
peoplesworld.org/article/afts-weingarten…
Trump continues to spend billions on border wall construction amid coronavirus pandemic
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
Rather than marshal all available resources to fight the pandemic, huge sums of money are being directed to construct of 150 miles of border wall in Arizona, New Mexico and California.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/bord…
Teamsters concerned about UPS response to COVID-19 pandemic
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2020-03-24
Lansing, MI – In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the world, UPS Teamsters are concerned about the lack of safety precautions taken by the company. While UPS workers were deemed essential workers, there has been little to no effort on the part of UPS to make the workplace safe from the virus. There has been no scale-back of operations to only essential or critical packages, there have been no additional jobs created for cleaning and sanitizing work spaces, and any efforts to supply the work force with cleaning and hygiene supplies has been at the discretion of local managers and supervisors on a case-by…
fightbacknews.org/2020/3/24/teamsters-co…
Message from big business on coronavirus pandemic: Save profits, not lives
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
As the death toll from the coronavirus soars and hospitals fill up, the White House and the US media are insisting that the profits of the corporate-financial elite must take precedence over the lives of millions.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/pers…
Beware Wall Street During a Pandemic
Erika Taylor | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-24
We have entered uncertain times. The novel coronavirus has upended life around the globe, and none of us knows exactly how long the outbreak or its ramifications will last. But daily reminders of how much we can’t control shouldn’t stop us from seizing upon those things we can. We may not know if the United…
counterpunch.org/2020/03/24/beware-wall-…
Business as Usual: Coronavirus, Iran and US Sanctions
Binoy Kampmark | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-03-24
Never discount the importance of venality in international relations. While pandemics should provide the glue for a unified front in response
Trump on coronavirus: Time for Americans to get back to work
John Wojcik | peoplesworld.org | 2020-03-24
As the number of coronavirus cases skyrockets across the country, Donald Trump is saying the country should reopen the economy in weeks, not months. Without citing a shred of evidence, he is claiming that the shutdown can cause more deaths than the pandemic itself. His claims sharply contradict everything the public health experts are saying. …
peoplesworld.org/article/trump-on-corona…
A Pandemic Comes to the U.S
Lawrence Davidson | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-24
Part I–Uncomprehending and Unprepared On 10 March 2020 U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters in reference to the novel Coronavirus (Covid-19), “It will go away, just stay calm.” He added, “It’s really working out. And a lot of good things are going to happen.” (This is also the president’s attitude toward global warming.) When soon…
counterpunch.org/2020/03/24/a-pandemic-c…
New Zealand health workers speak out on lack of preparation for COVID-19 pandemic
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
One nurse told the WSWS: “All the health workers are just going to get infected themselves, and then there’s going to be nobody to look after anybody.”
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/intv…
UK’s youngest MP sets a bold example for her colleagues with her response to the coronavirus crisis
Ed Sykes | thecanary.co | 2020-03-24
Nadia Whittome is the UK’s youngest MP. Her response to the coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis sets a powerful example for her parliamentary colleagues. | Before entering parliament, Whittome was a care worker. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, she’s returning to the job part-time. She’ll donate her salary from this role to a local coronavirus support fund. | Whittome will be making food and feeding people at a
thecanary.co/trending/2020/03/24/uks-you…
US officials use economic fallout from pandemic to slash school funding
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
Even as school districts deliver free meals to millions of low-income students, state governments have already begun slashing school spending and reneging on promised pay raises to teachers.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/food…
How a Police State Will Deal With the COVID-19 Pandemic
John W. Whitehead | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-24
counterpunch.org/2020/03/24/120744/
Population Confused and Paralyzed by Coronavirus: Psychological Remarks on the All Too Human Reflex of Obedience: “Silence Is Not Philosophical”
Dr. Rudolf Hà§nsel | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-24
At the moment large parts of the population are confused and paralyzed by the declared coronavirus pandemic and its serious social and economic consequences. Are they quickly prepared to accept the very drastic, sometimes questionable restrictions of basic rights guaranteed …
globalresearch.ca/psychological-remarks-…
Video: How Dr. Wolfgang Wodarg Sees the Current Corona Pandemic
Dr. Wolfgang Wodarg | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-24
Dr. Wolfgang Wodarg is the first specialist we met to understand the current crisis about the coronavirus. Please support us so that we can investigate further in making a 90min cinema documentary. | We will meet multiple personalities with different …
globalresearch.ca/video-how-dr-wolfgang-…
Police State Uses Crises to Expand Its Lockdown Powers
John W. Whitehead | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-03-24
You can always count on the government to take advantage of a crisis, legitimate or manufactured. This coronavirus pandemic is no exception. Not only are the federal and state governments unraveling the constitutional fabric of the nation with lockdown mandates that are sending the economy into a tailspin and wreaking havoc with our liberties, but …
dissidentvoice.org/2020/03/police-state-…
Spain: Over 500 Coronavirus Deaths Reported in Last 24 Hours
telesurenglish.net | 2020-03-24
In the last 24 hours, Spain recorded 514 deaths from the COVID-19 (coronavirus), the highest figure since the pandemic began in the country. | RELATED: | Ecuador: Guayaquil Prevents Plane From Landing Due to COVID-19 | The hundreds of deaths represent a jump of 24% of the number of deaths the country recorded on Monday. | Spain, on Monday, recorded 462 deaths, which was also the highest figure in the country so far. | Madrid, the capital, continues to be the most affected by the…
telesurenglish.net/news/spain-highest-de…
Cuba Implements Important Measures to Confront COVID-19
telesurenglish.net | 2020-03-24
Given the progress of COVID-19 in Cuba, and the increase in positive cases of the disease, the island’s authorities have expanded and taken important measures to contain the pandemic in the country. | RELATED: | Cuba Restricts Entry of Foreigners Due to Coronavirus | Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz announced on Monday that among the measures adopted by the government is “regulating the departure of Cuban citizens and residents abroad.” | During the Mesa Redonda television prog…
telesurenglish.net/news/cuba-expands-and…
Glastonbury donates hand sanitiser, gloves and masks to emergency services
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-03-24
Glastonbury Festival has donated thousands of litres of hand sanitiser, gloves and face masks to frontline emergency services responding to the coronavirus pandemic.The supplies were due to be used during the now-postponed 50th anniversary of the music festival, which was scheduled to take place in June.Michael and Emily Eavis, the event’s organisers, previously confirmed that tickets for this year will roll over into 2021.The equipment will go to frontline health staff (Avon and Somerset Police)Avon and Somerset Police posted images on Twitter showing a tractor placing supplies into a van, as well as a police ve…
thecanary.co/uk/news/2020/03/24/glastonb…
The quiet before the surge: US physicians speak on the COVID-19 pandemic
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
The WSWS spoke to three physicians as the coronavirus pandemic continues to escalate in the United States.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/doct…
Netflix’s ‘Tiger King’: Showcasing how profit-driven greed destroys nature
Chauncey K. Robinson | peoplesworld.org | 2020-03-24
“5,000 to 10,000 tigers live in captivity in the United States. Fewer than 4,000 tigers remain in the wild.” In the midst of a global pandemic the streaming service Netflix has released a new documentary series that could be seen as a nice distraction. Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness on the surface doesn’t appear …
peoplesworld.org/article/netflixs-tiger-…
UK: NHS frontline staff and patients at risk through government negligence over pandemic
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
NHS doctors and nurses have been battling against the government’s refusal to provide testing and adequate Personal Protective Equipment.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/ukco…
With the public distracted, Interior Department moves full speed ahead on oil and gas leases
Eds. | mronline.org | 2020-03-24
We are currently in a state of national emergency thanks in no small part to the Trump administration’s muzzling of public health experts and slow response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
mronline.org/2020/03/24/with-the-public-…
Tampa UPS Teamsters demand gloves, hand sanitizer to prevent COVID-19 spread
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2020-03-24
Tampa, FL – UPS preloaders held a demonstration March 24 demanding disposable gloves, hand sanitizer and other personal protective equipment (PPE) amid the global COVID-19 pandemic. The demonstration was part of an ongoing local and national fight by UPS employees to get the PPE they need to safely perform their job and prevent the spread of the virus to customers and the public. | The fight for proper PPE in Tampa began weeks ago when part-timers and drivers began asking management for gloves, hand sanitizer and regular sanitizing of high use areas like clock-in areas and delivery vehicles. These requests were…
fightbacknews.org/2020/3/24/tampa-ups-te…
Exploiting Coronavirus pandemic, Canada’s Trudeau closes border to asylum seekers
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
Just days after reiterating that barring “irregular entrants” from seeking asylum would violate Canadian and international law, the Trudeau Liberal government has done just that.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/refu…
Trump’s attack on the Affordable Care Act shows he’s out of touch. And it’s backfiring spectacularly
Peadar O’Cearnaigh | thecanary.co | 2020-03-24
Despite being in the grip of a global health pandemic, US president Donald Trump is attacking US healthcare. He’s reaffirmed his intention to challenge the Affordable Care Act ( ACA
Trump and the Virus: It’s All About the Base
John Peeler | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-24
In confronting the coronavirus pandemic, it is striking that President Trump, who normally likes to be seen as The Man in Charge, driving events, has instead dragged his feet when pressed to take decisive, radical measures that most experts argue are necessary to avert the most catastrophic infection and death rates. For months he downplayed…
counterpunch.org/2020/03/24/trump-and-th…
Olympics in Tokyo to Be Held in 2021 Due to Covid-19 Pandemic
telesurenglish.net | 2020-03-24
Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach agreed Tuesday to postpone the Olympic games until the summer of 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. | RELATED: | Olympics in Tokyo to Be Held in 2021 Due to COVID-19 | “Based on the information provided by the World Health Organization, the IOC President an…
telesurenglish.net/news/Olympics-in-Toky…
King David’s Ancient Road: How Israeli Archaeologists Are Aiding the Theft of Silwan
Miko Peled | mintpressnews.com | 2020-03-24
Claiming “science” as their reason and in total disregard for the wellbeing of the population, tunnels are dug under Palestinian homes in Silwan, destroying foundations and forcing residents to flee.
mintpressnews.com/how-israel-archeologis…
Exotic Species Trafficking on the Internet Increases, WAP Warns
telesurenglish.net | 2020-03-24
World Animal Protection (WAP) warned that the growing wildlife trade through the Internet encourages the acquisition of endangered animals with a devastating impact on their survival and with potentially catastrophic effects on human societies. | RELATED: | China Adopts Decision to Ban Trade, Consumption of Wildlife | Every year, millions of wild animals are either captured or bred in captivity to be traded on the multi-billion dollar exotic pet market. | This means “a bomb wh…
telesurenglish.net/news/Exotic-Species-T…
Brazilian President’s Son Creates Diplomatic Crisis Between Brazil and China
Lucas Leiroz de Almeida | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-24
Federal deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro, son of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, has started a serious diplomatic crisis between Brazil and China. On March 18, the congressman published on a social network: | “Whoever watched Chernobyl will understand what happened. Replace | …
globalresearch.ca/brazilian-president-so…
US soon to pass Italy and China in coronavirus cases
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
The total number infected in the United States is approaching 50,000, with nearly 600 dead.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/usco…
China: Wuhan City to Lift Covid-19 Quarantine on April 8
telesurenglish.net | 2020-03-24
Wuhan municipal authorities announced the quarantine imposed on January 23 will be lifted on April 8. In other Hubei province’s cities, travel restrictions will be lifted from Wednesday. | RELATED: | China Approves Human Trials of Covid-19 Vaccine | Meanwhile, Wuhan’s inhabitants will be able to leave their city if they obtain a green health QR code, which is given to people who have not had contact with anyone infected or who are not suspected of having the disease. | On January 23, the Wuha…
telesurenglish.net/news/China-Wuhan-City…
Bolivian Regime Rejects Cuba’s Offer to Help Fight Coronavirus
telesurenglish.net | 2020-03-24
Bolivian presidential candidate Luis Arce and his campaign partner David Choquehuanca requested the de facto president Janine àÅñez accept Cuba and China’s medical help to help stop Covid-19 from spreading in the Andean nation. | RELATED: | Bolivia: Electoral Tribunal Suspends Elections Due to COVID-19 | The representatives of the Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS) Party asked the right-wing president to accept the medicines and specialists from Cuba and China, which they cal…
telesurenglish.net/news/bolivia-mas-repr…
Will COVID-19 be Known as “the Chinese Virus” or “the Trump Virus”?
Allen Yu | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-24
President Trump and his Administration officials have made an emphatic point of calling the COVID-19 virus the “Chinese Virus’. When pushed on the racist overtone of his rhetoric, Trump retorted, “Cause [the virus] comes from China. It’s not racist at all, no, not at all. It comes from China, that’s why. I want to be accurate.”
globalresearch.ca/covid-19-chinese-virus…
The Conquerors of America
Manuel García, Jr. | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-24
Patrick Weidhaas, a colleague of mine from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and also a colleague from the union group there (Society of Professional Scientists and Engineers) sent me a note saying: You may remember Ben Santer from the Lab, one of the foremost climate scientists. He just published an article in the online Scientific…
counterpunch.org/2020/03/24/the-conquero…
After tugging, Congress and Trump agree on $2 trillion stimulus bill
Mark Gruenberg | peoplesworld.org | 2020-03-24
WASHINGTON–After tugging and hauling, shouting matches on the Senate floor, and days of round-the-clock closed-door talks, congressional Democratic leaders and representatives of GOP President Donald Trump apparently reached an agreement at midday March 24 on a $2 trillion stimulus bill to try to counter the job losses, work shutdowns and other economic impacts of the …
peoplesworld.org/article/after-tugging-c…
What the federal government needs to do as crisis deepens
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2020-03-24
San José, CA – The U.S. Senate has failed twice to pass a Republican-backed economic stimulus bill worth over a trillion dollars ($1,000,000,000,000). Opposition to the bill comes from its top-down (or in the 1930’s Great Depression term, ‘trickle down’) approach. The bill would provide hundreds of billions of loans to corporations that would not have to be paid back, just as in the loans made to U.S. auto makers after the financial crisis in 2008. It would also give direct cash handouts, with almost half of all households getting half of what middle and higher income households would get. | But rather than baili…
fightbacknews.org/2020/3/24/what-federal…
US Congress moves toward massive bailout of big business
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
The wrangling between Democrats and Republicans in Washington is political theater to disguise the highway robbery being carried out by corporate America.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/bill…
Trump Will Not Require Manufacturers to Make Vital Medical Equipment
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-03-24
President Trump has refused to use a wartime law to require major manufacturers to make vital equipment to combat the new coronavirus, reportedly after corporations successfully lobbied his top adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner. | Last week, Trump signed the Defense Production Act, a Korean War-era law that allows the federal government to force American companies to ensure the availability of…
truthout.org/articles/trump-will-not-req…
Cashing in on Degrading Public Lands: How Welfare Ranchers Reap a Beef Bonanza From Weeds They Caused
Katie Fite | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-24
Gutting the Grazing Regulations BLM is preparing an EIS to eviscerate the already weak and often toothless public lands grazing regulations, strip nearly all controls from grazing permits, and add new grazing categories that will increase the livestock burden on public lands and the planet. Current BLM regulations are already heavily weighted towards satisfying the…
counterpunch.org/2020/03/24/cashing-in-o…
New Zealand government warns tens of thousands could die, imposes lockdown
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
Medical professionals have warned that the country is unprepared for a significant outbreak of coronavirus and New Zealand “will look like Italy or the US” without extreme measures.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/nzld…
Observing Elites Manipulate Our Fear: COVID-19, Propaganda and Knowledge
Robert J. Burrowes | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-24
While humans stand on the brink of precipitating our own extinction, with the prospects of now averting this remote
21 Years Since NATO’s War of Aggression against Yugoslavia
Živadin Jovanović | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-24
21 years ago, acting on its own and without the UN Security Council approval, NATO carried out an armed aggression against Serbia, in gross violation of the UN Charter, the OSCE Helsinki Final Act, a series of other international conventions …
globalresearch.ca/21-years-since-nato-ag…
The Washington Post Admits Crimeans Are Happy Russians
Tony Cartalucci | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-24
The Washington Post
Europe’s coronavirus death toll passes 10,000
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
The coronavirus crisis has exposed how Europe’s health and social care services face collapse after decades of being underfunded, privatised and de-staffed.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/euro…
COVID-19 Patients Should Not Face Surprise Medical Bills
Eileen Appelbaum, Roesmary Batt | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-24
In the crush of news over the explosive spread of COVID-19, Congress has moved aggressively to pass the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. While imperfect, this bill will do much to provide free COVID-19 testing and extended paid sick leave for many but not all workers. But it doesn’t cover hospitalization or care needed for…
counterpunch.org/2020/03/24/covid-19-pat…
As economies grapple to pay for the financial cost of the coronavirus, we’re reminded of unpaid corporation tax
Peadar O’Cearnaigh | thecanary.co | 2020-03-24
The European Commission found that Apple’s tax benefits in Ireland were illegal in August 2016. The Commission said that tax rulings in Ireland artificially reduced Apple’s bill over two decades. This meant the tech giant owed the Irish taxpayer up to ‚Ǩ13bn plus interest. | But the Irish government insisted the Commission ‘did not understand Irish law’ and that its rul…
thecanary.co/trending/2020/03/24/as-econ…
Gove U-turns over coronavirus travel for children with separated parents
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-03-24
Senior Cabinet minister Michael Gove caused confusion about the government’s coronavirus restrictions after suggesting children with parents living apart should not travel between them. | Gove was forced to correct his remarks to confirm that children under 18 were permitted to move between their parents’ homes. | The official government guidance states: “Where parents do not live in the same household, children under 18 can be moved between their parents’ homes.” | ‘Children should stay in the household that they are currently in. We should not have children moving between households.’ | Michael Gove clarifies w…
thecanary.co/discovery/news-discovery/20…
Coronavirus May be Linked to Meat Industry as Global Cases Accelerate
Shane Quinn | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-24
With the days moving on, global coronavirus cases are significantly increasing in rate, as the neoliberal world grinds to a halt with dire implications for the international economy. Altogether, the number of official coronavirus detections is now fast approaching 400,000, …
globalresearch.ca/coronavirus-linked-mea…
Texas Lt. Governor Says Seniors Should Risk Dying of COVID-19 to Protect Economy
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-03-24
Dan Patrick, the Republican lieutenant governor of Texas, told Fox News’ disproportionately older audience Monday night that he and other American seniors would be willing to risk dying from the coronavirus in order to ensure that the economy doesn’t slide into a serious recession. | “If that’s the exchange, I’m all in,” Patrick said of the choice between risking infection a…
truthout.org/articles/texas-lt-governor-…
Former Tory adviser uses 130,000 austerity deaths to argue against coronavirus shutdown
Ed Sykes | thecanary.co | 2020-03-24
Steve Hilton helped to kickstart Britain’s austerity era. As David Cameron’s ” closest adviser” until 2012, the Independent once called him “the advertising wizard who packaged and marketed” Cameron to the public. But now, Hilton has used the deadly austerity regime he nurtured into power as an argument against taking strong action to deal with the coronavirus (Covid-1…
thecanary.co/trending/2020/03/24/former-…
Boeing closes Seattle-area plants after worker’s coronavirus death
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
Two weeks after the first emergence of a coronavirus infection in its Everett, Washington, plant, Boeing has shut down production in the region.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/boei…
COVID-19 hits Nevada: Catastrophic job losses coupled with woefully inadequate health care infrastructure
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
Hundreds of thousands of workers have been laid off and Nevada’s sparse health care infrastructure is buckling as community spread of coronavirus takes hold.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/lvcv…
A Debt Jubilee Is the Only Way to Avoid a Depression
Prof Michael Hudson | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-24
Even before the novel coronavirus appeared, many American families were falling behind on student loans, auto loans, credit cards and other payments. America’s debt overhead was pricing its labor and industry out of world markets. A debt crisis was inevitable …
globalresearch.ca/debt-jubilee-only-way-…
Argentina Observes Memory Day, This Time From Social Networks
telesurenglish.net | 2020-03-24
Argentina remembered on Tuesday, via social media, the victims of the military dictatorship of Jorge Rafael Videla (1976-1983). | RELATED: | Deserted Streets, Online Dancing as Argentina Goes in Lockdown | For the first time in 37 years, Argentina will not be the protagonist of the usual march on this date, nor will there be flags or drums in the Plaza de Mayo. The new coronavirus forces the people to remember the National Day of Memory from every house in the country. | Howeve…
telesurenglish.net/news/argentina-rememb…
Trump: “Life Is Fragile and Economies Are Fragile”
telesurenglish.net | 2020-03-24
U.S President Donald Trump said in a press conference March 23 that the economic consquences caused by the Covid-19 could be worse than past years and his administration plans to stimulate the economy soon. | RELATED: | US States Release ‘Low-Risk’ Inmates Over COVID-19 Spread | The U.S. President expressed his administration’s plan to re-open enterprises and businesses to recover economic losses. Trump also suggested that coronavirus’s economic impact could derive in social distensi…
telesurenglish.net/news/trump-life-is-fr…
Irish politician urges legal action over ‘thugs’ taking part in ‘Corona Challenge’
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-03-24
A Fianna Fail TD (MP) has called for legal action to be taken against people joking about having coronavirus while deliberately coughing into others’ faces. | Kildare North TD James Lawless said “thugs” are taking videos of themselves coughing into people’s faces and posting them online as part of the so-called Corona Challenge. | The party’s spokesperson on science, technology, research and development said it is a serious offence to cause another person to believe they have become infected with a disease. | t.co/ir4PQiglo4 |
Prescription for Disaster
George Monbiot | zcomm.org | 2020-03-24
In the UK, the US and Australia, governments built on dirty money cannot be trusted to protect us from the coronavirus.
zcomm.org/znetarticle/prescription-for-d…
Flood victims face lockdown away from homes
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-03-24
Flood-affected residents in East Yorkshire could spend weeks in lockdown in caravans and hotel rooms as coronavirus delays their return home.Around 100 homes in Snaith and East Cowick were inundated after the River Aire burst its banks and spilled out of its normal washlands at the end of February.And families who were forced out of their homes by the water could now face an even longer wait before they are able to repair their properties.But the Rev Eleanor Robertshaw, the vicar in Snaith, said the community spirit, which saw teams of volunteers sorting food donations and filling and distributing sandbags during…
thecanary.co/uk/news/2020/03/24/flood-vi…
The Coronavirus Crisis Is a Monster Fueled by Capitalism
Mike Davis | zcomm.org | 2020-03-24
Pandora’s Box is open, and our ruthless economic system is making everything far worse…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/the-coronavirus-cr…
Corona Debt Jubilee
Michael Hudson | zcomm.org | 2020-03-24
The coronavirus outbreak is serving as a mind-expansion exercise, making hitherto unthinkable solutions thinkable. Debts that can’t be paid won’t be. A debt jubilee may be the best way out.
zcomm.org/znetarticle/corona-debt-jubile…
Even Under US Sanctions, Cuba Sends Doctor Brigade to Italy
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-03-24
As Italy’s death toll soars past 6,000, Cuba has sent medical brigades to combat COVID-19. Cuba has also deployed doctors to Venezuela, Nicaragua, Jamaica, Suriname and Grenada. “The arrival of a medical brigade from Cuba to Italy is pretty historic. You have a leading European nation accepting support in the form of a medical team from a small Caribbean island,” says our guest, Peter Kornbluh, director of the Cuba Documentation Project at the National Security Archive at George Washington University. “It just go…
truthout.org/video/even-under-us-sanctio…
States Should Designate Grocery Workers as “Essential Personnel” Without Delay
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-03-24
Over the past week, Michigan, Minnesota and Vermont have reclassified grocery workers as “essential personnel.” The country’s main retail union, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) is pushing California and several other states to follow their lead. | Essential personnel designation means, among other things, that grocery workers are entitled to free child care services to allow them to continue to work. All states should follow the example of these three states without delay…
truthout.org/articles/states-should-desi…
Time to Rein in the Potent Virus Called “The Super Rich”
Philip A Farruggio | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-24
The question is how long can working stiffs, who make up perhaps most of the 99+% of us, tolerate the other, almost as potent virus called ‘The Super Rich’? Does anyone realize that these ‘less than 1/4 of one percent …
globalresearch.ca/time-rein-super-rich/5…
5G Wireless Radiation: A Serious Health Crisis in Ireland
Electromagnetic Sense Ireland | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-24
While we are in the middle of a serious health crisis with Covid-19, the way is being paved for another one. | While we are home from work and school, out of work, self-isolating, cocooning, worrying about our health and the …
globalresearch.ca/serious-health-crisis/…
It Is Not Only the COVID-19 Virus that Is Dangerous. It Is How Our Body Reacts to It. Belgian Family Physician
Dr. Eric Beeth | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-24
Children survive the Covid-19 virus well. | A doctor’s urgent appeal to look at blocking excess PAF-aceter and strengthening the capillary bed in adults to diminish morbidity of the SARS-CoV-2. | *** | Many of my patients are anxious, and some of them | …
globalresearch.ca/not-only-covid-19-viru…
Covid-19 Global Lockdown
CJ Hopkins | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-24
Let’s try a little thought experiment. Just for fun. To pass the time while we’re indefinitely locked down inside our homes, compulsively checking the Covid-19 “active cases” and “total death” count, washing our hands every twenty minutes, and attempting not …
globalresearch.ca/covid-19-global-lockdo…
The Decade of Transformation Is Here: Remaking Health Care
Margaret Flowers | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-24
We’ve been writing for a while that the 2020’s would be a decade when multiple crises would come to a head and we would have an opportunity for major transformations if we were organized to mobilize and demand them. The …
globalresearch.ca/remaking-health-care/5…
The 2020 Great Recession 2.0 –Or Worse!
Dr. Jack Rasmus | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-24
The US will lose 2 million jobs just in March (Bloomberg News). US GDP will fall by -24% to -30% in second quarter (Goldman-Sachs & Morgan-Stanley Banks). Jobless rate could rise to 30% (Fed St. Louis Governor, Bullard). Federal Reserve …
globalresearch.ca/2020-great-recession/5…
The 2020 Great Recession 2.0–Or Worse
Jack Rasmus | zcomm.org | 2020-03-24
They fear economic collapse and their loss of incomes more than the virus and its destruction of American lives…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/the-2020-great-rec…
Germany: Appalling lack of protective equipment in COVID-19 outbreak
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
It is still virtually impossible to be tested for the life-threatening virus and there is a lack of protective marks and other urgently needed equipment for health care workers.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/geco…
Military, Trump administration ready plans for domestic crackdown as virus spreads across US
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
The Justice Department has asked Congress to suspend habeas corpus and due process, even as the military develops plans to deploy troops on US soil to suppress “riots” and “civil disobedience.”
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/just…
Canada: Gov’t Insures Agriculture Against COVID-19 Impacts
telesurenglish.net | 2020-03-24
Canada’s government announced economic measures to help farmers and food producers during this volatile economic situation due to the Covid-19. | RELATED: | Trump: “Life Is Fragile and Economies Are Fragile” | On his Official Twitter page, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that his government would protect and guarantee producers, agribusinesses and food processors during the difficult economic situation caused by the virus. | Marie Claude Bibeau, Canada’s Minister of Agricult…
telesurenglish.net/news/canada-governmen…
Covid-19 as symptom: Notes on the production of a virus
Fabio Vighi | mronline.org | 2020-03-24
These days we hear a lot about the symptoms of Covid-19 (dry cough, high fever, etc.). Conversely, there is much less discussion of the virus as a symptom. To intervene on the symptoms of the virus it is necessary not only to have specific scientific knowledge, but also to put in place a serious reflection …
mronline.org/2020/03/24/covid-19-as-symp…
Five Ways Using Stimulus Funds for Energy Efficiency Would Reduce Inequality and Protect the Planet
Basav Sen | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-24
I am getting some serious 2008 flashbacks these days. Our economy is going into what could become a serious recession, and our political overlords want to use it as an excuse for even more handouts to big banks, big oil, big airlines, and assorted other industries who already have too much. Meanwhile, communities and workers…
counterpunch.org/2020/03/24/five-ways-us…
My Birthday Memory of Waldo Jeffers and “The Gift”
Clark T. Scott | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-24
Back in the late 1960s, the Velvet Underground created a spoken word song called “The Gift.” Back then, I thought this song was an absurdly fascinating and dreadful fantasy and was one of the most creative performances of those times. It is peculiar that, as I awoke on my birthday (and the day after the…
counterpunch.org/2020/03/24/my-birthday-…
The Case for an Indictment of the US Government for Criminal Negligence for its Bungled Response to COVID-19
Kary Love | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-24
The charge is criminal negligence. Criminal Negligence exists as follows: “Everyone is criminally negligent who in doing anything, or in omitting to do anything that it is his duty to do, shows wanton or reckless disregard for the lives or safety of other persons.” Failure to defend the lives of the people against a known…
counterpunch.org/2020/03/24/the-case-for…
The New Federal Reserve as Garbage Can for All Capitalist Debt
Jack Rasmus | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-24
Yesterday, the Federal Reserve crossed its latest liquidity free money Rubicon. It announced it will provide unlimited credit–and assume the bad debts, not just of banks, shadow banks, and wealthy investors but for what it called ‘Main St.’ But by ‘Main St.’ it doesn’t mean consumers or households. It means that virtually any capitalist financial…
counterpunch.org/2020/03/24/the-new-fede…
The Nez Perce-Clearwater Forest Plan Has No Accountability
Brett Haverstick | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-24
The Forest Service is currently accepting public comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the forest plan revision on the Nez Perce and Clearwater National Forests. The comment deadline is April 20. The National Forest Management Act (1976) mandates all national forests to have a resource management plan or forest plan. Forest plans dictate…
counterpunch.org/2020/03/24/the-nez-perc…
Death By Tweetstorm: a Win-Win for Trump
John Galbraith Simmons | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-24
For lack of respirators, patients with severe respiratory distress from COVID-19 will die as the epidemic unfolds. A drug to treat the disease is urgently needed. But the US press subjected news about hydroxychloroquine, a potential treatment, to an excess of caution in response to a Trump tweetstorm. Journalists and health care professionals alike were whipsawed by the president’s irresponsible ballyhooing of the drug amid deprecatory assertions of “anecdotal” evidence by Anthony Fauci at the CDC.
counterpunch.org/2020/03/24/death-by-twe…
Risk of wider outbreak of COVID-19 remains high in South Korea
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
Workers are being kept on the job, exposing themselves and their communities to greater risks.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/skor…
Why lifting tariffs during the COVID-19 crisis is bad for America’s long-term health
Tom Conway | nationofchange.org | 2020-03-24
Congress must leave the steel and aluminum tariffs in place and redouble efforts to find new uses for American products.
nationofchange.org/2020/03/24/why-liftin…
UPS workers: What you need to know during the COVID-19 crisis
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2020-03-24
Chicago, IL – This past week, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) won expanded protections for all its members at United Parcel Service (UPS). The mid-contract negotiations were in direct response to the Trump administration’s designation of UPS as an essential service during the COVID-19 crisis, meaning that workers will continue to work throughout the duration of this health emergency. | If you contract COVID-19: | Any union worker at UPS will receive up to ten days of paid sick leave at the worker’s guaranteed daily hours (eight hours for full-time, 3.5 for part-time) if they: | 1) have…
fightbacknews.org/2020/3/24/ups-workers-…
‘We Need to Not Just Slow Down the Disease, but Stop It’ – CounterSpin interview with Jim Naureckas on COVID-19
Janine Jackson | fair.org | 2020-03-24
Janine Jackson interviewed FAIR’s Jim Naureckas about COVID-19 for the March 20, 2020, episode of CounterSpin. This is a lightly edited transcript. | Media…
fair.org/home/we-need-to-not-just-slow-d…
El Salvador Remembers Saint Romero of the Americas
telesurenglish.net | 2020-03-24
Latin America today remembers El Salvador’s Monsignor Oscar Arnulfo Romero, the “Voice of the Voiceless”, who was assassinated on March 24, 1980, while holding a mass. | RELATED: | Salvadoran Assembly Passes Law of Reconciliation | “After his death, Romero’s profile grew, shedding light on the dramatic situation in San Salvador. Romero was killed like a martyr: he had not left the country to save his own life, as he had been advised. He was venerated by the poor; he was a revolutionary hero…
telesurenglish.net/news/El-Salvador-Reme…
Covid-19 cases in Germany surge by 4,700+ in one day, with 28 new deaths
rt.com | 2020-03-24
A total of 4,764 new cases of Covid-19 were recorded across Germany, with 28 deaths, the federal Robert Koch Institute (RKI), which releases daily monitoring of the disease, announced on Tuesday. | Overall, the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus grew from 22,672 to 27,436 within one day, RKI reported. There have been 28 new deaths, bringing the nation’s death toll to 114. | Germany has a relatively low death rate from Covid-19 compared to other nations, but remains among the hardest-hit countries in terms of people infected. | Several German states, including Bavaria and Saxony, introduced quarantine mea…
rt.com/news/483912-germany-coronavirus-c…
Assange lawyer Baltasar Garzon hospitalized with coronavirus
rt.com | 2020-03-24
Famous Spanish jurist Baltasar Garzon has been admitted to a hospital in Madrid after testing positive for Covid-19. He has provided legal counsel to WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange, among other things. | Garzon, 64, was admitted to the Ruber clinic in Madrid on Tuesday, after five days of high fever at home. He tested positive for the coronavirus and was given the prognosis of respiratory failure, Spanish media reported. | The former judge of the National Court had self-isolated at his home after complaining about a fever and chest pains, before the symptoms worsened. | Spanish media is reporting that the…
rt.com/news/483990-baltasar-garzon-spain…
Coronavirus…or not? Greta Thunberg says it is ‘extremely likely’ she contracted dreaded disease despite NOT being tested
rt.com | 2020-03-24
The Swedish teenage climate activist said she started experiencing ‘symptoms’ similar to those caused by Covid-19 after touring Central Europe. Still, she could only guess it was coronavirus since she could not get a test. | In mid-March Thunberg called on climate activists to stage yet another “school strike” online instead of hitting the streets
200,000+ coronavirus cases in Europe – AFP tally
rt.com | 2020-03-24
The number of coronavirus cases in Europe has surpassed 200,000, AFP reports citing its own tally. Italy and Spain have been hit worst by the pandemic on the continent. | Earlier the World Health Organization warned that the pace of the disease spread was increasing worldwide. It took just four days for the number of global cases to grow from 200,000 to over 300,000. | …
rt.com/news/483951-200000-coronavirus-ca…
Fiat currencies may be gone by end of this year, Alasdair Macleod tells Keiser Report
rt.com | 2020-03-24
Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, global stock markets have been on a dizzying rollercoaster ride and, according to experts, that is likely to continue. | RT’s Keiser Report was joined by Alasdair Macleod, head of research for Goldmoney.com, to discuss the increasingly unstable markets and ask whether or not they are a sign of the end of the fiat currency regime. | “We have come up with a very real crisis,” Macleod said, explaining that for decades, the US Federal Reserve has been trying to maintain a…
rt.com/business/483954-fiat-currencies-g…
Tokyo 2020 Olympics POSTPONED: Japanese Prime Minister Abe agrees to reschedule Olympic Games
rt.com | 2020-03-24
After weeks of uncertainty over its future amid the global coronavirus pandemic, it has been agreed that the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will be delayed until the summer of 2021 at the latest. | The news comes after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and IOC President Thomas Bach held a telephone conference at 11: 00am GMT on Tuesday, where it was agreed that the best route forward was to postpone the Games. | After that call, Abe confirmed to reporters in a media briefing that he had agreed with Bach’s suggestion that the Games be delayed until next year, with the Tokyo Olympics now set to be held by the summer o…
rt.com/sport/483924-tokyo-2020-olympic-g…
Olympic torch will not be held by runners in Japan, flame will be carried in lantern
rt.com | 2020-03-24
Breaking with decades of tradition, authorities in Japan revealed on Monday that the Olympic torch will not be carried by relay runners, but in a lantern with a more conservative display case. | The unveiling will take place at an event on Thursday in Japan’s Fukushima prefecture, a government official is reported as saying. | Authorities in Fukushima have opted to forego the usual ceremony
HANTAVIRUS the next big killer… really? Twitter spreads groundless MASS PANIC as man in China dies from little-known disease
rt.com | 2020-03-24
Reports about a Chinese man dying from a rare illness at a time when the international community is struggling to stem the spread of Covid-19 has caused panic on social media. But should we be worried? | People around the world have been closely following the developments around the coronavirus pandemic that has seen hundreds of thousands being infected and claimed more than 16,000 lives. Now, they have been startled by more worrying news about a man in China dying from something called hantavirus. | China’s state Global Times newspaper reported that a person from the southern Yunnan province died after testin…
rt.com/news/483978-coronavirus-twitter-h…
‘It is not a matter of weeks, but days’: IOC approaching decision on Tokyo 2020 Olympics amid coronavirus pandemic
rt.com | 2020-03-24
The key powerbrokers involved in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games are set for key discussions as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) pushes for a definitive decision on the future of the summer Games amid the coronavirus crisis. | According to news agency Reuters Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and IOC President Thomas Bach will hold a conference call on Tuesday to discuss a firm plan for the Games, which are scheduled to take place from July 24. | But the global spread of the coronavirus pandemic has led to growing opposition to the IOC and Tokyo 2020 organizers’ insistence that the Games can go ahead as…
rt.com/sport/483925-tokyo-2020-olympic-g…
Coughing but winning: Russia’s ‘unwell’ Nepo destroys Chinese rivals & surges into World Chess Candidates lead
rt.com | 2020-03-24
Ian Nepomniachtchi has beaten two Chinese rivals to forge ahead at the World Chess Candidates in Ekaterinburg, despite suffering from a persistent cough. The event may be called off if the Russian tests positive for Covid-19. | The 29-year-old Nepomniachtchi (known as ‘Nepo’ by fans) played his moves in double-quick time to beat China’s Ding Liren in dramatic fashion in round 6 of the Candidates Tournament, opening up a full 1-point lead at 4.5/6 over his nearest rival, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France. If Nepo can retain his lead and win the event, he will challenge Norwegian world champion Magnus Carlsen for…
rt.com/sport/483928-world-chess-candidat…
President Rouhani says about half of Iran’s state workers are staying home
rt.com | 2020-03-24
Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday about half of all government employees were staying at home as part of measures to contain the coronavirus outbreak. | Another measure to contain the outbreak, the temporary release of prisoners, will be extended until the end of the current Iranian month of Farvardin, about April 18, he said, according to state TV. | Iran is one of the hardest hit countries outside China. The country’s death toll from the coronavirus outbreak increased by 122 in the past 24 hours to 1,934, Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said on Tuesday. | The total number of people…
rt.com/newsline/483931-rouhani-iran-stat…
Beijing to quarantine & test ALL foreign arrivals for Covid-19 as outbreaks accelerate outside China
rt.com | 2020-03-24
China’s capital city has stepped up measures to detect and contain those carrying the coronavirus, isolating all travelers arriving from other countries and testing them for the lethal pathogen, the state-run Beijing Daily newspaper reported on Tuesday. | Starting on March 25, Beijing health authorities will require anyone traveling to the capital from overseas to enter centralized quarantine and undergo an RNA test for the virus, part of enhanced containment measures adopted as Covid-19 hotspots flare up across Europe, the Americas and elsewhere in Asia. | Those who arrived in China over the past 14 days will…
rt.com/newsline/483906-beijing-test-quar…
Recipe for failure from British journo: Tweet ‘Made in China should be a badge of shame’ from Chinese-made iPhone
rt.com | 2020-03-24
A Telegraph writer has been widely mocked and accused of xenophobia after tweeting from her Chinese-made iPhone that once the Covid-19 crisis is over, owning any products ‘Made in China’ should be seen as “a badge of shame.” | Columnist Allison Pearson tweeted the incendiary remarks on Monday night, just hours after British PM Boris Johnson ordered a three-week nationwide lockdown of the UK in an attempt to counter the spread of the deadly coronavirus. | The irony of Pearson’s seemingly anti-Chinese sentiments…
rt.com/uk/483966-telegraph-journalist-ch…
China’s first locked-down province of Hubei, where coronavirus originated, to reopen on March 25
rt.com | 2020-03-24
Beijing is lifting travel restrictions on Hubei Province on Wednesday, as China’s fight against Covid-19 is yielding positive results. Even constraints on the city of Wuhan, where the virus first emerged, will be lifted in April. | Residents will once again be allowed to travel in and out of the country’s central Hubei Province starting from March 25, the regional health commission announced on Tuesday. Travel bans in the region’s capital, Wuhan, where the coronavirus outbreak started, will be lifted on April 8. | Wuhan was the first city in China to be quarantined, and along with several of Hubei’s other majo…
rt.com/news/483909-china-to-lift-hubei-l…
US markets bounce back on government rescue promise & Fed vow to PRINT MORE MONEY
rt.com | 2020-03-24
The main American stock indexes surged on optimism that the huge government rescue bill to save the economy from the coronavirus is close to being passed, and an unlimited stimulus promise from the Federal Reserve. | The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped over 1,400 points higher after the opening bell on Tuesday, gaining over seven percent. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite were up around six percent. | Top US Senate and White House officials have neared a $2 trillion deal to rescue the American economy from the coronavirus crisis. US President Donald Trump suggested he wants to urge businesses to reopen…
rt.com/business/483957-us-markets-bounce…
Dow surges 11.3 percent on hope for coronavirus stimulus in biggest one-day percentage gain since 1933
rt.com | 2020-03-24
The Dow Jones Industrial Average had its best one-day percentage gain in nearly 90 years, soaring 2,093 points by the time markets closed on Tuesday as investors braced for Congress to finally pass the coronavirus stimulus bill. | The increase represented the index’s largest one-day surge since 1933, and was matched by similarly spectacular recoveries in the S&P 500 and Nasdaq. The S&P was up 9.4 percent, its best rally since October 2008, and the Nasdaq leapt 8.1 percent, the best day it has seen in weeks. | Stocks surged in anticipation of legislators reaching an agreement on the $2.5 trillion coronavirus st…
rt.com/business/484000-dow-surges-corona…
Albert Uderzo, legendary artist behind ‘Asterix and Obelix’ comics, dies aged 92
rt.com | 2020-03-24
The co-creator of ‘The Adventures of Asterix’ comic book series, Albert Uderzo, has died aged 92 at his home, his family announced. He passed away from a heart attack in his sleep, after several weeks of weakness. | The death was not related to the coronavirus epidemic currently ravaging France, Uderzo’s son-in-law told AFP. | Asterix is an iconic French comic book series focused on the ancient Gauls standing up to the war machine of the Roman Empire
Scale of current economic downturn unprecedented since 1929 Great Depression, French economy minister says
rt.com | 2020-03-24
France is facing an economic crisis that can only be compared to the Great Depression of 1929, the minister of the economy and finance, Bruno Le Maire, warned as he laid out government plans to mitigate the damage. | The French government will not “allow the flagships of our industry… to go up in smoke just because there is an economic crisis of a magnitude unprecedented since the 1929 Great Depression in the West,” Bruno Le Maire said in an interview with France Info on Tuesday. | The minister was discussing ways French businesses can be assisted to traverse the economic slowdown aggravated by the Covid-19…
rt.com/news/483922-great-depression-fren…
‘Why did we vote?’ French election officials sick a week after controversial ballot held amid Covid-19
rt.com | 2020-03-24
Holding a nationwide election during an epidemic may not seem like the wisest move, but France went along with it. Fast forward a week, and some people who made the voting possible report they have contracted the coronavirus. | The first round of municipal elections in France took place on March 15, even as the government was shutting down non-essential public venues and calling on people to stay at home
UN envoy calls for ceasefire in Syria to tackle virus threat
rt.com | 2020-03-24
The United Nations envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, called on Tuesday for a nationwide ceasefire to allow for a better response to the threat of the novel coronavirus. The government in Damascus has so far reported one case of Covid-19, but fears are high that the virus could spread rapidly among the war-battered country’s most vulnerable communities, AFP said. | “Syrians are acutely vulnerable to Covid-19. Healthcare facilities have been destroyed or are degraded,” Pedersen said. “There is a shortage of key medical equipment and health professionals.” | “To confront this danger, the long-suffering Syrian peopl…
rt.com/newsline/483986-un-envoy-ceasefir…
Putin discusses measures to fight coronavirus spread in Russia at meeting with officials
rt.com | 2020-03-24
President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with officials on Tuesday to discuss measures to fight the spread of the coronavirus in Russia. Moscow has been affected the most, he noted. The city has “some 500 coronavirus cases,” Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said, adding that “some of them have not been confirmed yet.” | “Aware of the dynamic,” the authorities have started taking additional measures, including increasing hospital capacities and testing. Nine labs were opened, which have tested 3,000 people and “will do another 13,000 tests by the end of the week,” according to Sobyanin. “We are testing all the samples we r…
rt.com/newsline/483952-putin-measures-co…