2020-04-01: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these ‘POSTEES’ on social media!

“Chinese Virus” Rhetoric Shows Ineptness of U.S. Politicians
Andre Vltchek | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-04-01
The Western mass media is extremely busy frightening its own citizens and the entire world with statements like: A leaked government document has suggested up to 500,000 people could die from coronavirus if the disease is able to infect up to 80 per cent of the country. That’s what The Independent wrote on 26 February …
dissidentvoice.org/2020/03/chinese-virus…

COVID-19: The Capitalist Emperor has no Clothes
Ajamu Baraka | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-04-01
As the capitalist emperor strolls down the avenue of U.S. public opinion butt-naked but for the first time since the 1930s, more and more people are starting to realize that they were not crazy. The brutal failures of the capitalist system that they saw were not a figment of their imagination or a diversion from …
dissidentvoice.org/2020/03/covid-19-the-…

Trump’s Mass Negligent Homicide Doesn’t Let Democratic Leaders Off the Hook
Norman Solomon | counterpunch.org | 2020-04-01
In the last few days, New York and Pennsylvania postponed voting in presidential primaries from April until June. A dozen other states have also rescheduled. Those wise decisions are in sharp contrast to a failure of leadership from Joe Biden and the Democratic National Committee. Just two weeks ago, the party establishment was vehemently pushing…
counterpunch.org/2020/04/01/trumps-mass-…

Death Camps in the Making: New York’s Prisons During a Time of Pandemic
Frances Madeson | counterpunch.org | 2020-04-01
Every day, says Donna Robinson, a bucket of bleachy water is delivered to a ward in Bedford Hills to be used by the sixty women housed there, her own daughter among them. That’s the extent of the supplies they receive to keep their area sanitized from COVID-19. The women are in bunk beds with no…
counterpunch.org/2020/04/01/death-camps-…

Guatemalan Water Protectors Persist, Despite Mining Company Threats
Jen Moore | counterpunch.org | 2020-04-01
The hard work of protecting water and land from the long-term harms associated with gold and silver mining takes place daily on the frontlines of tenacious struggles throughout Latin America and around the world. Indigenous people and affected communities face many reprisals for their resistance, including a mounting number of arbitration suits against their governments…
counterpunch.org/2020/04/01/guatemalan-w…

India’s Top Court Holds Govt Accountable Over Migrant Crisis
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-01
India’s top court on Monday sought a report from the government over the steps taken for tens of thousands of migrant laborers as they try to return home after losing jobs following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s nationwide lockdown to contain the coronavirus outbreak. | RELATED: | Rohingyas in India Abandoned to Fate in Face of Pandemic | The Supreme Court was hearing two petitions through a video-conferencing as the situation turned grim amid reports of more than 20 migrant laborer…
telesurenglish.net/news/Indias-Top-Court…

SPLC, partners seek temporary restraining order to prevent immigration courts from becoming public health hazard
splcenter.org | 2020-04-01
splcenter.org/news/2020/04/01/splc-partn…

Brazilian stadium turned into field hospital as ruling class closes ranks behind corporate bailouts
wsws.org | 2020-04-01
Shocking images of stadiums transformed into concentration camps for the sick and dying stand in stark contrast to Bolsonaro’s criminal denial of the seriousness of the pandemic.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/01/braz…

Pompeo’s ‘transition’ plan tells Venezuela to suffer into submission
Aaron Maté | thegrayzone.com | 2020-04-01
Declaring that “Nicolas Maduro will never again govern Venezuela,” Mike Pompeo unveils a so-called “transition” plan that tells Venezuelans to…
thegrayzone.com/2020/04/01/pompeos-trans…

Another New Peace
Scott Owen | counterpunch.org | 2020-04-01
It’s not easy to write in the middle of a tsunami or a pandemic either for that matter. It seems like a good opportunity, one might think, all the bars are closed and people’s usual activities like dating, eating-out and shopping aren’t options at all, but it’s just hard to focus when you’ve got too…
counterpunch.org/2020/04/01/another-new-…

UK warehouse and distribution workers protest exposure to COVID -19
wsws.org | 2020-04-01
Britain’s new “Satanic Mills” are a byword for low pay, casualisation and sweat shop conditions, which have only worsened as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/01/ware…

“Whose University? Our University!” The Struggle for a COLA at UC Berkeley
Jack Wareham, Dylan Burgoon | counterpunch.org | 2020-04-01
On March 5th, in the midst of a campus-wide march and rally, a student protester at UC Berkeley walked into the bustling Free Speech Movement Café, a study spot that borrows its name from Cal’s legendary 1960s anti-war protests. “Fellow students!” she shouted, climbing on top of the counter.
counterpunch.org/2020/04/01/whose-univer…

The Speech Trump Must But Cannot Give
Ted Rall | counterpunch.org | 2020-04-01
Some of my commentary about politics is presented in the form of “advice” to the ruling classes. Please understand: I don’t really expect them to take my advice. My advice is not really directed toward them. It is a theoretical exercise. I am really speaking to you, the people. My goal is to set a…
counterpunch.org/2020/04/01/the-speech-t…

Coronavirus Aid for Regime Change: Washington’s 13 Point Plan for Venezuela
Alan Macleod | mintpressnews.com | 2020-04-01
The State Department released what it called its “democratic transition framework for Venezuela” yesterday; a 13-point plan for the removal of Nicolas Maduro and a radical overhaul of the country’s political system. The principal and most fundamental change Washington proposes is to “restore all powers to the National Assembly,” the one branch of government the right-wing pro-U.S. opposition coalition currently holds. This would place the entire country under the…
mintpressnews.com/coronavirus-aid-washin…

Daily Telegraph rails against socialist revival due to coronavirus crisis
wsws.org | 2020-04-01
The fears of the ruling class internationally that the coronavirus crisis is leading to opposition to capitalism on a mass scale are expressed in the commentary in Britain’s Telegraph.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/01/tele…

ran Covid-19 Deaths Rival US as Trump Blockade blocks Medical Supplies
Juan Cole | zcomm.org | 2020-04-01
The European Union has activated the Instex trading mechanism for the purpose of sending medicine and medical supplies to Iran to fight the coronavirus outbreak…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/ran-covid-19-death…

New York Mobilizes Rikers Island Prisoners To Dig Mass Graves for Coronavirus Victims
Alan Macleod | mintpressnews.com | 2020-04-01
Rikers Island itself is on the verge of near collapse, over 300 inmates and staff have tested positive and human rights campaigners warn conditions in the notorious prison are dire.
mintpressnews.com/new-york-mobilizes-rik…

Washington harnesses coronavirus pandemic to promote Venezuela coup
wsws.org | 2020-04-01
The so-called “Democratic Transition Framework” is a patent attempt to weaponize the global pandemic as a means of installing a puppet regime in Caracas.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/01/vene…

Lessons From Africa: Military Intervention Fails to Counter Terrorism
Elizabeth Schmidt | counterpunch.org | 2020-04-01
Late last year, President Trump provoked a furor when he declared his intent to withdraw some 1,400 US troops from West Africa, where he claimed they had quelled the terrorist threat. He sparked a similar firestorm when he announced that the U.S. would (eventually) pull 14,000 troops from Afghanistan, where they were engaged in an…
counterpunch.org/2020/04/01/lessons-from…

What Does COVID-19 Have to Do With Industrial Pollution?
George Ochenski | counterpunch.org | 2020-04-01
The industry lobbyists were lined up at the trough last week grabbing hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars from the corporate-heavy giveaways in the Senate’s $2.2 trillion ($2,200,000,000,000) “relief” bill while average Americans get a relative pittance. That’s no surprise considering it came from the Senate’s Republican majority and Trump’s Treasury Secretary and former Goldman…
counterpunch.org/2020/04/01/what-does-co…

Financial turbulence continues to grow
wsws.org | 2020-04-01
While COVID-19 was the trigger it was not the underlying cause, as the financial system was set to crash due to the dizzy rise of the markets divorced from the real economy.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/01/fina…

Police given new guidance on enforcing coronavirus lockdown after backlash
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-04-01
Police forces have been told people should not be punished for travelling a “reasonable distance” to exercise following criticism of heavy-handed tactics used to enforce the Covid-19 lockdown.The new guidance, issued by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and the College of Policing on Tuesday night, also states road checks on every vehicle are “disproportionate”.It comes after Derbyshire Police faced a backlash for filming walkers with drones to deter visitors to the Peak District, while North Yorkshire Police stopped motorists at “checkpoints” last week.The new guidance states: “Use your judgement and co…
thecanary.co/uk/news/2020/04/01/police-g…

As COVID-19 Rages, Trump Refuses to Reopen ACA Enrollment to Help Uninsured
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-04-01
As millions of people across the United States lose their jobs

As Detroit surges past 2,000 cases, COVID-19 pandemic spreads throughout Michigan
wsws.org | 2020-04-01
Given that there is no systematic and mass testing of the public for the presence of the virus, the reported numbers of confirmed cases are very deceptive.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/01/detr…

Covid-19 pandemic poses gravest threat to world’s poorest countries
wsws.org | 2020-04-01
Hundreds of millions of people across the globe live in homes that were detrimental to their health and safety even before the onset of the coronavirus.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/01/poor…

COVID-19 pandemic leads to mass sackings in Australia
wsws.org | 2020-04-01
Unemployment is likely to rise above 15 percent as hundreds of thousands of workers lose their jobs.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/01/aujo…

With 30,000 dead in Europe from COVID-19: Workers strike to demand safe working conditions
wsws.org | 2020-04-01
The most basic health and safety measures are being flouted by employers throughout the continent.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/01/euro…

Spain Nationalized Private Clinics To Fight COVID-19
Sebastiaan Faber | zcomm.org | 2020-04-01
Spain faced the second worst infection rate in Europe, and took control of the country’s private health care companies to improve its response. What does this mean for Spain’s public health care system going forward?
zcomm.org/znetarticle/spain-nationalized…

How the Pandemic Will End
Ed Yong | zcomm.org | 2020-04-01
The U.S. may end up with the worst COVID-19 outbreak in the industrialized world. This is how it’s going to play out…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/how-the-pandemic-w…

Pandemic Reveals Limits of Education System to Assist Students and Families
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-04-01
The COVID-19 pandemic is unfolding fast, with each day’s missives giving us new, and sometimes contradictory, information about the virus. Schools

Bangladesh: Garment workers strike over safety amid COVID-19 crisis
wsws.org | 2020-04-01
The anger of Bangladeshi factory workers is mounting because they are unable to practice “social distancing” in their plants or during transit.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/01/bang…

Tenants Organize Strikes, Demand Rent Relief as COVID-19 and Unemployment Surge
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-04-01
Today is April 1, and millions across the country don’t have the money to pay rent. But despite eviction moratoriums and relief on mortgage payments in hard-hit states like California, Washington and New York, no rent freeze has been ordered. In response, tenants around the country are calling for immediate rent cancellation. Some are planning to “rent strike.” Meanwhile, many workers who lost their income due to the pandemic haven’t even been able to file for unemployment in New York state, w…
truthout.org/video/tenants-organize-stri…

Coronavirus deaths in US nearing 4,000 as Trump washes his hands of responsibility
wsws.org | 2020-04-01
More than 800 people died Tuesday of COVID-19 in the United States, the highest death toll so far, with nearly 25,000 new cases.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/01/usco…

The UK and Covid-19 Crisis
Kenneth Surin | counterpunch.org | 2020-04-01
BoJo, though not the proverbial rocket scientist, is much better informed generally (and less demented!) than his orange-hued American counterpart, and so, for instance, knows that hospitals caring for COVID-19 patients need more than 2 ventilators each, and that making egregious suggestions regarding possible “cures” for the virus is best left to those better trained in science and medicine!
counterpunch.org/2020/04/01/the-uk-and-c…

Chomsky: Ventilator Shortage Exposes the Cruelty of Neoliberal Capitalism
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-04-01
COVID-19 has taken the world by storm. Hundreds of thousands are infected (possibly many times more than the confirmed cases), the list of dead is growing exponentially longer, and capitalist economies have come to a standstill, with a global recession now virtually inevitable. | The pandemic had been predicted long before its appearance, but actions to prepare for such a crisis were barred by the cruel imperatives of an economic order in which “there’s no profit in preventing a future catastroph…
truthout.org/articles/chomsky-ventilator…

Minnesota: Nurses at M Health hospitals vote “No confidence” on COVID-19 response
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2020-04-01
Minneapolis, MN – Union nurses represented by Minnesota Nurses Association at five hospitals voted overwhelmingly that they have “no confidence” in M Health management’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The hospitals where the votes took place are Fairview Southdale, St. Joseph’s, St. John’s, Bethesda, and the University of Minnesota Medical Center. | The nurses are calling for proper personal protection equipment and information on reassignments. Nurses are working in units where they not being given the proper training on precautions to stay safe and do not have the necessary equipment to protect th…
www.fightbacknews.org/2020/3/31/minnesot…

“The Coronavirus is Man-Made:” the Conspiracy Theory Trap
Danny Shaw | counterpunch.org | 2020-04-01
In this trying time, have you heard some of your friends say that the U.S. government created this pandemic or that the pandemic is not real at all? It is worth responding to these outlandish claims because in times of social tumult, there are no lack of conspiracy theorists irresponsibly tossing these ideas around. It…
counterpunch.org/2020/04/01/the-coronavi…

Quebec tries to extort concessions from health care and other public sector workers
wsws.org | 2020-04-01
By offering their “full cooperation” to the CAQ government during the coronavirus pandemic, the unions have opened the door for an intensified state attack on public sector workers.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/01/quep…

Chicagoans Readying for Rent Strike
Ariel Cheung | zcomm.org | 2020-04-01
Calling on city and landlords to provide relief amid coronavirus pandemic: ‘The hammer is going to drop’…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/chicagoans-readyin…

Unprecedented police and military powers implemented in Australian pandemic response
wsws.org | 2020-04-01
Lockdown measures that have become necessary to try to contain the coronavirus are being enforced in the most heavy-handed manner.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/01/poli…

The White House and the CDC are United in Stupidity
Clark T. Scott | counterpunch.org | 2020-04-01
On Saturday, I received a postcard of guidelines from the white house and the Centers for Disease Control

Peruvian president authorizes military to use lethal force to enforce the national quarantine
wsws.org | 2020-04-01
A new law shows that Peru’s ruling oligarchy, in anticipation of widespread unrest, is preparing the army to carry out repression with absolute impunity.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/01/peru…

Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. issue shelter-in-place orders
wsws.org | 2020-04-01
The shutdown of nonessential travel affects over 15 million residents, with the Maryland Governor warning residents not to leave the state unless “absolutely necessary.”
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/01/shel…

Review: The Far Right Today by Cas Mudde
Dawn Foster | zcomm.org | 2020-04-01
The far right thrives on ‘economic anxiety and cultural backlash’…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/review-the-far-rig…

These Songs Kill Fascists
Chris Time Steele | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-04-01
These Songs Kill Fascists, my latest album, is an ode to Woody Guthrie, a call to fight fascism outside and internally. Featuring Mick Jenkins, Psalm One, Denver jazz legend Ron Miles, and platinum producer DJ Pain 1, the album tackles issues such as the murder of Heather Heyer, Denver’s history with the KKK, gentrification, rape …
dissidentvoice.org/2020/03/these-songs-k…

No Pandemic-Related Pause? VA Privatization Leaves Veterans Waist Deep in Another Big Muddy
Steve Early, Suzanne Gordon | counterpunch.org | 2020-04-01
Under the guise of giving VA patients more “choice” and speeding up their doctor appointments and hospital treatment, the Trump Administration has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on private sector providers, while refusing to fill an estimated 44,000 to 50,000 vacancies among VA care-givers.
counterpunch.org/2020/04/01/no-pandemic-…

Netflix’s Pandemic: How to Prevent an Outbreak
wsws.org | 2020-04-01
As the US became an epicenter of the current pandemic last week, the series jumped into the top ten most-viewed on Netflix.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/01/pand…

Airlines, auto companies cut pay even as US government bails out corporations
wsws.org | 2020-04-01
While prepared to pocket tens of billions of dollars in federal bailout money, US airlines and automakers are imposing pay cuts and furloughs on employees.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/01/cuts…

Apocalypse, Now and Forever
Robert Jensen | counterpunch.org | 2020-04-01
Notes from an Apocalypse: A Personal Journey to the End of the World and Back is a thoughtful, engaging book that ends in failure. But Mark O’Connell shouldn’t take that assessment too personally. His book fails in the way that his culture–the modern, cosmopolitan, left/liberal, individualist culture–routinely fails in the face of multiple, cascading ecological crises. That…
counterpunch.org/2020/04/01/apocalypse-n…

Former WHO Director: 8-Week Suppression Strategy Could Stop US COVID Crisis in Its Tracks
Nafeez Ahmed | counterpunch.org | 2020-04-01
“We know we can get this under control,” says Dr Anthony Costello, a former Director at the World Health Organization (WHO) where he headed up maternal, child and adolescent health. “The problem is that Europe has been too slow to act compared with Asia; and America is now facing a huge crisis.” Costello, who is…
counterpunch.org/2020/04/01/former-who-d…

What’s the Hang Up on Releasing Adult Lobos?
Greta Anderson | counterpunch.org | 2020-04-01
On March 9, a colleague from Endangered Species Coalition and I published this op-ed in the Albuquerque Journal, identifying Arizona and New Mexico as major stumbling blocks to wolf recovery, “[B]ecause both are allowing the Fish and Wildlife Service only to conduct cross-fostering in their states.” We called out the urgency with which the New…
counterpunch.org/2020/04/01/whats-the-ha…

The Quiet and Lethal Wars Against Iran
Ted Snider | iranian.com | 2020-04-01
Some wars are fought with bombs and bullets. These are the wars in Syria and Iraq, in Afghanistan and Yemen. Then there are quieter wars executed by drone. These cowardly wars also kill people, but not our people. These quieter wars accomplish what the more cacophonous wars accomplish without the public outcry and condemnation. Medical …
iranian.com/2020/03/31/the-quiet-and-let…

Iranian foreign ministry’s “SANCTION” graphic beamed tonight on Azadi Tower in Tehran
The Iranian | iranian.com | 2020-04-01
iranian.com/2020/03/31/iranian-foreign-m…

Russia sees drop in new Covid-19 cases, but cause for alarm as almost half of newly infected in Moscow are under 45
rt.com | 2020-04-01
A total of 440 more people have tested positive for coronavirus over the last 24 hours, in Russia, a drop from the previous day’s 500. The nationwide death toll has risen by seven to 24. Moscow remains the disease’s main hotspot. | …
rt.com/russia/484659-russia-coronavirus-…

Spain surpasses 100,000 Covid-19 infections, records 5th consecutive day with 800+ deaths
rt.com | 2020-04-01
Spanish authorities have confirmed that the total number of coronavirus infections in the country has surpassed 100,000, while the daily death toll reached over 800 fatalities for the fifth consecutive day. | The total number of infections in the country now stands at 102,136, of which 5,872 are being treated in intensive care units across the country. For the second day running, authorities announced a record death toll, with 864 new fatalities. The increase was lower than previous days in terms of percentage, however, despite being a record in absolute terms. | At least 9,053 people have died in total during…
rt.com/news/484661-spain-surpasses-10000…

‘We will go to the governor’s door’: Fired Amazon walkout leader vows BIGGER protest if Covid-19 safety demands not met
rt.com | 2020-04-01
The leader of an Amazon warehouse walkout will take his fight for a safe workplace to the New York governor’s office if needed, he told RT. City authorities are investigating whether he was fired in retaliation for the protest. | Chris Smalls, the Amazon associate who led Monday’s walkout at the megacorporation’s mammoth Staten Island warehouse, believes he was fired over his leadership of the protest, but he told RT he isn’t done fighting for the safety of what were until recently his fellow employees. “My plan of action is to continue to fight until the buildings are closed down,” he said. “They got rid of m…
rt.com/usa/484631-amazone-covid-19-sick-…

Migrant protests take place in Sweden’s Gothenburg despite coronavirus gathering ban
rt.com | 2020-04-01
Sweden has banned gatherings of more than 50 people in a bid to tackle the coronavirus spread. The seemingly strict ban, however, was immediately put under a stress test and apparently failed it. | The ban came into force on Sunday and those who violate it are facing fines or a jail term of up to six months. | The restriction, however, has had little to no effect on migrants and pro-migrant activists, who have been protesting in the city of Gothenburg for weeks already. | The activists gathered again both on Monday and Tuesday, defying the coronavirus restrictions. While the gatherings were exceeding the new 5…
rt.com/news/484700-sweden-migrant-protes…

Iran coronavirus death toll rises to over 3,000
rt.com | 2020-04-01
A total of 3,036 coronavirus patients have died in Iran, with 138 deaths in the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry reported on Wednesday. | The ministry’s spokesman, Kianush Jahanpur, said the country now has a total of 47,593 people infected, with 2,987 new cases in the past 24 hours, while 15,473 people have recovered. | Speaking on Wednesday in a televised cabinet meeting, President Hassan Rouhani said that the coronavirus crisis is “a great opportunity for Americans to apologize… and to lift the unjust and unfair sanctions on Iran.” | One of the worst hit countries in the region, Iran has urged the inter…
rt.com/news/484665-iran-coronavirus-deat…

US stocks dive amid dire government warnings about spread of deadly pandemic
rt.com | 2020-04-01
Wall Street opened lower on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump prepared Americans for a surge in coronavirus infections in the country with a death toll that could reach 240,000. | The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped over 600 points after the opening bell. The S&P was trading over three percent lower, while the Nasdaq Composite is down over two percent. | The markets are digesting dire warnings from the White House that deaths from Covid-19 over the next two weeks are projected to reach between 100,000 and 240,000, with coronavirus fatalities peaking over this period. | “This could be a hell of a b…
rt.com/business/484684-us-markets-down-c…

Cruise ships ordered by US Coast Guard to remain at sea & prepare to treat coronavirus-stricken passengers themselves
rt.com | 2020-04-01
The US Coast Guard has warned cruise ships stuck at sea that they could be “sequestered” indefinitely during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, and must be equipped to take care of ill passengers on board until permitted to dock. | The new directive released on March 29 was signed by Coast Guard Rear Admiral Eric Jones, whose district includes Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Puerto Rico. The measure applies to all ships

Stick to the ‘chain of command’! Pentagon rejects aircraft carrier captain’s plea to save crew as 100+ sailors contract Covid-19
rt.com | 2020-04-01
US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said it was too soon to evacuate an aircraft carrier where over 100 sailors were infected with Covid-19, despite the unusual plea by the ship’s captain to quarantine the entire crew. | Asked about removing over 4,000 sailors aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt

Germany to extend coronavirus lockdown and social distancing to April 19
rt.com | 2020-04-01
Chancellor Angela Merkel revealed the measures brought in to stop the spread of the deadly Covid-19 pandemic in Germany would last until after Easter. A tracking app to help tackle the spread is also being considered, Merkel said. | Following talks with the country’s 16 state governors, the chancellor committed to keeping the social distancing measures for another 14 days before they are reviewed. Just over a week ago, Europe’s biggest economy banned gatherings of more than two people to slow the spread of Covid-19. | And now it is simply “too soon” to talk about easing those measures and that Germany was far…
rt.com/news/484708-germany-coronavirus-l…

European markets sink as US coronavirus death toll rises
rt.com | 2020-04-01
European stock markets are falling at the start of trading on Wednesday, beginning the new quarter with fresh losses, as the death toll in the United States from Covid-19 continues to climb. | Germany’s DAX plunged by over three percent during early trading, while British and French stock markets have dropped by over four percent. Spain’s IBEX and Italy’s FTSE MIB are both down over two percent. | The losses are led by shares in Britain’s banks which dropped heavily at the start of trading after they froze last year’s dividends and vowed not to pay any for this year. HSBC has plunged eight percent, followed by…
rt.com/business/484642-european-markets-…

In search of a coronavirus killer: Can existing drugs really turn the tide in the Covid-19 pandemic?
rt.com | 2020-04-01
With confirmed cases approaching one million and no vaccine yet available, the Covid-19 virus has sparked worldwide panic

Morning Joe claims ‘everybody saw’ coronavirus coming in early Jan, except almost no one, including Joe, actually saw it coming
rt.com | 2020-04-01
MSNBC host Joe Scarborough claims the Trump administration should have seen the Covid-19 threat coming in early January, but reports show he and others weren’t even aware of the threat at that time. | “The fact is, everybody saw this coming. Everybody saw this coming in early January,” Scarborough said of the coronavirus pandemic on his show Wednesday morning. His words were a rebuke to repeated claims by President Donald Trump that the virus is an “unforeseen” problem that “nobody saw coming.” | Despite saying “everybody” recognized the threat of the virus months ago, critics have already piled on Scarborough…
rt.com/usa/484697-morning-joe-coronaviru…

Kiwi police to whoever stole Covid-19 testing tent: Please return it… and get tested ASAP
rt.com | 2020-04-01
The derogatory term ‘covidiot’ has been given a new flair in New Zealand, where somebody went to the effort of cutting off a Covid-19 testing tent bolted to the concrete and stealing it. Police now urge the thieves to be tested. | …
rt.com/news/484693-kiwi-coronavirus-tent…

France likely to unwind lockdown gradually, PM Philippe says
rt.com | 2020-04-01
Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said on Wednesday that France is likely to unwind its nationwide coronavirus lockdown gradually rather than in one go. | The government has ordered people to stay confined in their homes except for essential outings from March 17 until at least April 15. | “It is likely that we are not heading towards a general de-confinement in one go and for everyone,” Philippe told parliament by videoconference. He did not indicate when the government might start to ease or lift the lockdown. | Authorities also reminded Parisians that trying to escape the city for a holiday – as the school br…
rt.com/newsline/484719-france-lockdown-g…

Tokyo 2020 organizers pass Olympic flame to Fukushima after Games postponement
rt.com | 2020-04-01
Organizers of Tokyo 2020 left the Olympic flame in the hands of Fukushima Prefecture on Wednesday. It will be there on display in a lantern for the next month after the Games were postponed for a year due to the coronavirus outbreak. | The handover took place at a subdued ceremony at the J-Village National Training Center in Fukushima, which was originally set to be the starting point of the torch relay. | Of the organizing committee, only Tokyo 2020 COO Yukihiko Nunomura made the trip north, Reuters reported. “This is a [symbol of] hope for the world to celebrate the best of human beings through Tokyo 2020 af…
rt.com/newsline/484653-tokyo-olympic-gam…

Erdogan warns Turkey may tighten measures if ‘voluntary quarantine’ ignored
rt.com | 2020-04-01
Turkey will have to take additional measures if the coronavirus outbreak grows and people don’t abide by a “voluntary quarantine,” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday. | “We may have to take much more advanced measures if the pandemic spreads and our citizens don’t stay at home,” Erdogan told a meeting of his AK Party provincial heads in a televised video conference. | Erdogan has stopped short of announcing a full lockdown across Turkey, mainly for economic reasons, despite growing pressure to do so after cases of coronavirus surged to more than 13,000 in just three weeks, with 214 deaths, Reuter…
rt.com/newsline/484695-erdogan-turkey-vo…

Japan expands entry ban to 73 countries, all visitors to be quarantined
rt.com | 2020-04-01
Japan’s government is expanding a ban on the entry of non-Japanese people to cover 73 countries, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Wednesday. | The number of countries was increased by 49, including the United States, China and South Korea, he said. | Everyone entering the country, including Japanese nationals, will be asked to go into a voluntary two-week quarantine, Reuters reports. Both measures, adopted to contain the coronavirus outbreak, will be effective from Friday. | The prime minister added that he has asked airlines to curb the number of international flights.
rt.com/newsline/484675-japan-expands-ent…

‘Life goes on’: Bayern Munich star Jerome Boateng survives horror crash after plunging Mercedes into motorway barriers in Germany
rt.com | 2020-04-01
Days after visiting a foodbank and offering fans tips to stay fit and healthy during the coronavirus crisis, former World Cup winner Jerome Boateng crashed his car after skidding off the side of a motorway in Germany. | Bayern Munich defender Boateng suffered a car crash that left his luxury Mercedes dangling over a barrier on a snowy German motorway after being surprised by a hailstorm on his way back from visiting his son. | The 31-year-old, who once claimed the German public were “instantly jealous” of players who drove luxury cars, skidded on the stretch between Leipzig and Munich in an early morning smash…
rt.com/sport/484672-jerome-boateng-car-c…

Russia resumes natural gas supplies to China via Power of Siberia pipeline
rt.com | 2020-04-01
Russian energy giant Gazprom announced on Wednesday the restart of natural gas deliveries to China following the completion of regular maintenance at the Power of Siberia pipeline. | The pipeline had been shut since mid-March as Gazprom and China’s CNPC agreed that it would undergo a maintenance check-up twice a year (every spring and autumn). | “Gas supplies to Chinese consumers have been resumed and are going as usual,” Gazprom’s press service said. | The Power of Siberia pipeline was launched in December, delivering 328 million cubic meters of gas to China. The 3,000-kilometer (1,864 miles) pipeline is set…
rt.com/business/484682-power-of-siberia-…

‘Ask the government’: Former Celtics star claims NBA season could resume at classified US Air Force site Area 51
rt.com | 2020-04-01
Having held the 2019 Summer League at the University of Nevada, NBA chiefs could find a novel solution to ending the season at a less conventional base in the state

Jeremy Corbyn sends a bold letter to Boris Johnson, demanding better for frontline workers
Ed Sykes | thecanary.co | 2020-04-01
On 4 April, a new Labour Party leader will replace Jeremy Corbyn. But far from leaving quietly, Corbyn has remained a true leader to the very end. | On 31 March, Corbyn wrote to Boris Johnson about his coronavirus response. He called for much greater support for workers, especially those on the frontline. Some critics have called…
thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2020/04/01/jere…

UPS Workers Say Company Not Prioritizing Safety as Employees Test Positive
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-04-01
The White House is now estimating 100,000 to a quarter of a million people could die from the coronavirus pandemic. Some of those most concerned about exposure to the highly infectious virus are workers on the frontlines of grocery stores and delivery services. On Monday, Amazon warehouse workers in Staten Island walked off the job, and the company fired one of them in response. At least three employees at a large UPS facility near Boston have tested positive, and two dozen more have been quaranti…
truthout.org/video/ups-workers-say-compa…

“Profit Over People”: UPS Workers Say Company Not Prioritizing Safety as Workers Test Positive
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-04-01
The White House is now estimating 100,000 to a quarter of a million people could die from the coronavirus pandemic. Some of those most concerned about exposure to the highly infectious virus are workers on the frontlines of grocery stores and delivery services. On Monday, Amazon warehouse workers in Staten Island walked off the job, and the company fired one of them in response. At least three employees at a large UPS facility near Boston have tested positive, and two dozen more have been quarantined. Details about the infections were shared by the workers’ union because they said the company refused to provide t…
www.democracynow.org/2020/4/1/ups_worker…

Amazon, Whole Foods, and Instacart workers strike against hazardous conditions
wsws.org | 2020-04-01
Gig economy workers are entering into struggle against dangerous working conditions that threaten a wider spread of the pandemic.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/01/amaz…

The working class, socialism and the fight against the pandemic
wsws.org | 2020-04-01
The wildcat strikes and protests by Instacart, Amazon and Whole Foods workers are in response to the criminal subordination of workers’ safety to corporate profits.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/01/pers…

Trump’s Mass Negligent Homicide Doesn’t Let Democratic Leaders Off the Hook
Norman Solomon | indybay.org | 2020-04-01
Failures of leadership in a time of coronavirus…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/30/1883194…

Threat of ICE Detention Centers Turning Into Death Camps, Groups Rallying to Free Families
Eoin Higgins | indybay.org | 2020-04-01
ICE is making the pandemic more dangerous for everyone.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/04/01/1883200…

Honk for Justice, SF
Lis Cox | indybay.org | 2020-04-01
As Covid-19 increases exponentially, Never Again Action and allied organizations joined in SF and across the Country to form Car Caravans to Demand that the Camps be closed. 3 minute video.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/31/1883199…

Innovative COVID-19 Safe Protest in San Francisco
Protest News | indybay.org | 2020-04-01
Boisterous Car Rally Honks for Justice for ICE Detainees…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/31/1883197…

Watsonville Community Hospital Nurses to Hold Shift Change Actions To Demand Protections When Treating Patients With COVID-19
California Nurses Association | indybay.org | 2020-04-01
To protest the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) and preparedness for frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, registered nurses at Watsonville Community Hospital will hold a silent vigil and solidarity stand on Monday, March 30, 2020. Registered nurses are calling on Watsonville Community Hospital to reverse its decision to weaken personal protective equipment standards and cancel staff rather than preparing for a surge of COVID-19 patients.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/30/1883194…

Livestream: COVID-19 and Climate Implications for Public Health
The Commonwealth Club | indybay.org | 2020-04-01
Onlin via livestream…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/30/1883195…

COVID-19 & SF DPH SEIU 1021 Community Healthcare Centers Workers Under Attack
Labor Video Project | indybay.org | 2020-04-01
San Francisco DPH community center healthcare workers are being forced into dangerous positions without proper PPE protection that may contaminate them with COVID-19. SEIU 1021 SF DPH Community Healthcare Center Chapter VP Cheryl Thornton speaks out.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/30/1883195…

Grad Students Continue Withholding Grades During Covid-19 Pandemic
Spread The Strike! | indybay.org | 2020-04-01
Email from graduate student to UCSC Chancellor and Executive Vice Chancellor on the day Winter quarter grades are due.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/30/1883194…

Dominican Hospital’s (mis)treatment of (disabled) homeless people
John Colby | indybay.org | 2020-04-01
As an advocate for (disabled) homeless people who blogs about this advocacy (thus I’m an independent journalist), I’ve come across numerous incidents of discrimination by Dignity Health’s Dominican Hospital against (disabled) homeless people. I obtained a media statement about how Dignity Health’s Dominican Hospital will (equally) serve homeless COVID-19 victims. Please report non-compliance to me.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/04/01/1883200…

The economy in the times of the coronavirus
R Hickel, Ingar Solty & Daniel Stelter | indybay.org | 2020-04-01
Most people’s thinking is determined by the development of the Covid-19 crisis, the return of “the hour of executive power” (Gerhard A. Ritter), i.e. state of exception legislation, and the fears which it evokes as well as the economic measures which appear to be in response to the health crisis.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/31/1883196…

Webinar: Disability Justice in the Time of Coronavirus (Women’s March)
Women’s March | indybay.org | 2020-04-01
Online via zoom…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/31/1883196…

Trump’s IRS makes it difficult for seniors to receive coronavirus $1,200 stimulus checks
Lynda Carson | indybay.org | 2020-04-01
Surprise, surprise, yesterday the IRS sent out a shocking release that states, “The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service today announced that distribution of economic impact payments will begin in the next three weeks and will be distributed automatically, with no action required for most people. However, some seniors and others who typically do not file returns will need to submit a simple tax return to receive the stimulus payment.”
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/31/1883200…

Coronavirus pandemic in Oakland: Crisis, What Crisis?
Lynda Carson | indybay.org | 2020-04-01
Coronavirus pandemic in Oakland: Crisis, What Crisis? | Then I spotted a group of people (7-10 people) hanging out in a yard drinking, smoking, chatting, and having a Bar-B-Q.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/30/1883195…

War Commentary Issue #2
War Commentary | indybay.org | 2020-04-01
Our latest issue, formatted for easy printing at home. Print out a stack of 20 and leave them at your local corner store, grocery, or gas station. Good luck, stay healthy. Long live anarchy!
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/31/1883197…

Stop The Theft Of Our Water! Fighting Constellation Brands Brewery In Mexicali, Mexico
Labor Video Project | indybay.org | 2020-04-01
The New York based. Constellation Brands has illegally built a $1.5 billion brewery in Mexicali, Mexico. that will steal water from the Colorado river. This will divert water from agriculture. and. the people. A. popular voted opposed. it and are demanding be stopped.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/30/1883193…

Congress Must Reject Weakened Medicaid Protections in Next COVID-19 Bill
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-04-01
States received a significant temporary increase in federal Medicaid funding in the bipartisan Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which was signed into law on March 18. In exchange for this increase in federal funding, they can’t impose new Medicaid eligibility restrictions, or take away people’s coverage, during the public health emergency. Now, some policy…
truthout.org/articles/congress-must-reje…

We Need the Military Out: Bollywood Veteran Calls for Emergency Response to COVID-19
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-01
New Delhi (Sputnik): India is currently going through a national lockdown to contain the spread of Coronavirus, which has infected over 1,200 people in the country and cost 35 lives so far, according to the latest data released by the nation’s Health and Family Welfare Ministry.
sputniknews.com/india/202004011078785596…

Mike Davis on the Politics of Coronavirus
CP Editor | counterpunch.org | 2020-04-01
counterpunch.org/2020/04/01/mike-davis-o…

#CancelRent: Tenants Demand Rent Relief & Organize Strikes as Unemployment Surges Due to COVID-19
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-04-01
Today is April 1, and millions across the country don’t have the money to pay rent. But despite eviction moratoriums and relief on mortgage payments in hard-hit states like California, Washington and New York, no rent freeze has been ordered. In response, tenants around the country are calling for immediate rent cancellation. Some are planning to “rent strike.” Meanwhile, many workers who lost their income due to the pandemic haven’t even been able to file for unemployment in New York state, with the unemployment website continually crashing and phone lines jammed. Seven-point-eight million people called the New…
www.democracynow.org/2020/4/1/coronaviru…

With Hospitals Reaching Breaking Point, Pregnant People Face Additional Uncertainty During Pandemic
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-04-01
New York hospitals cannot force pregnant people to give birth without a chosen support person. That’s what an executive order released by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo Sunday revealed. The order comes in response to a move by the NewYork-Presbyterian and the Mount Sinai hospital systems to bar partners from labor and delivery rooms, causing widespread outrage. But how are pregnant people coping with new hospital guidelines and uncertain conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic? We speak with freelance journalist Amy Littlefield, who focuses on the intersection of religion and healthcare, about what she is confron…
www.democracynow.org/2020/4/1/amy_little…

Domestic violence is a contagious disease set to get worse
pip.hinman | greenleft.org.au | 2020-04-01
Feminism Chloe de SilvaIssue 1259 Australia COVID-19 domestic and family violenceApril 1, 2020Life under COVID-19 just got scarier for many women. Isolation at home is not the safest choice for…
greenleft.org.au/content/domestic-violen…

Macron and France in the deluge
Susan Price | greenleft.org.au | 2020-04-01
Healthcare John MullenIssue 1259 France COVID-19 ParisApril 1, 2020The COVID-19 epidemic in France has already claimed 2000 lives, and it is early days yet. | Two presidential speeches, on March 12 and 16, have trans…
greenleft.org.au/content/macron-and-fran…

Wharfies stood down after refusing to breach quarantine
pip.hinman | greenleft.org.au | 2020-04-01
Workers & unions Kerry SmithIssue 1259 Australia COVID-19 Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) sackingsApril 1, 2020Wharfies at D…
greenleft.org.au/content/wharfies-stood-…

COVID-19: when pandemic and precarious work intersect
pip.hinman | greenleft.org.au | 2020-04-01
Workers & unions Leo CrnogorcevicIssue 1259 Australia COVID-19 casual workers Fair Work Act 2009April 1, 2020VI Lenin famousl…
greenleft.org.au/content/covid-19-when-p…

Senior Officials Who Visited Coronavirus Hospital With Putin Testing Regularly – Kremlin
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-01
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – All members of the Russian government and President Vladimir Putin who visited the hospital for COVID-19 patients in Moscow are regularly tested for the coronavirus, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday…
sputniknews.com/russia/20200401107878878…

Mitch McConnell Blames Trump’s Failed COVID-19 Response on Impeachment
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-04-01
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., blamed the Trump administration’s delayed response to the coronavirus outbreak on impeachment, even though the president ignored numerous early warning signs and sought to downplay the crisis long after he was acquitted in a trial. | McConnell told radio host Hugh Hewitt on Tuesday that the federal gov…
truthout.org/articles/mitch-mcconnell-bl…

Mossad Member: Global Race Underway to Scoop Up Ventilators for COVID-19 Patients
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-01
There are currently 76 coronavirus patients on ventilators in Israel; the country is estimated to have between 1,400 and 2,800 machines, and Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has ordered the Mossad to take over the national effort to import more equipment from abroad.
sputniknews.com/middleeast/2020040110787…

Three Get Buried in Snow While Trying to Avoid COVID-19 Lockdown in Jammu and Kashmir
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-01
New Delhi (Sputnik): Amid the 21-days lockdown in the country, several hundred poor and migrant labourers have started walking towards their homes due to the lack of available transport.
sputniknews.com/india/202004011078788955…

Huawei Warns Beijing Will Take US Companies Down if Trump Agrees to New Chip Sanctions
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-01
Earlier, US media reported that the Trump administration had put together new restrictions to try to cut Huawei off from the global chip supply industry, with the rule requiring companies using US-made chip-making-technology to get licenses before selling certain chips to the Chinese tech giant.
sputniknews.com/business/202004011078787…

Experts Predict Oil Market ‘Apocalypse’ With $10 per Barrel Price and Plummeting Consumption
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-01
In March 2020, global oil prices have significantly dropped following uncertainty created by an ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the collapse of OPEC+ deal amid disagreements between Russia and Saudi Arabia over oil production cuts. Some believe that the trend will only worsen in April.
sputniknews.com/world/202004011078788187…

‘Star Wars’ Actor Andrew Jack Dies at 76 Two Days After Testing Positive for COVID-19
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-01
Despite his role in the Star Wars saga, Andrew Jack was mostly known as a British dialect coach. He had worked with Hollywood stars like Robert Downey Jr., Hugh Jackman and Chris Hemsworth, and crafted the accents for the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
sputniknews.com/world/202004011078788319…

IDF Converts Tank Factory to Make Weapons Against COVID-19 – Photos
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-01
Israel has nearly 5,600 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and has joined countries around the world in going into lockdown mode to try to curb the virus’s spread.
sputniknews.com/military/202004011078789…

Russian Doctors Set Up Clinic in Bergamo for COVID-19 Patients – Defence Ministry
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-01
BERGAMO, Italy (Sputnik) – Russian medical teams together with their Italian counterparts have begun setting up a hospital for COVID-19 patients in the Lombardy city of Bergamo, one of the hotbeds of the novel coronavirus epidemic in Europe, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Wednesday.
sputniknews.com/europe/20200401107878861…

‘Not at Any Cost’: Muslim Cleric Rejects Idea of Cremation Floated by Hindu Group Amid COVID-19
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-01
New Delhi (Sputnik): As COVID-19 death toll rises across the globe, several countries have turned to cremation as an alternative to burial. The nature of COVID-19 means the virus dies with the host but it is feared that traces may remain on the body.
sputniknews.com/world/202004011078788571…

Hospital for COVID-19 Patients Opens in London’s ExCel Centre – Video
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-01
According to Johns Hopkins University, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the United Kingdom currently stands at 25,499, with 1,793 fatalities.
sputniknews.com/uk/202004011078787673-ho…

COVID-19: Lockdown Abrupt, India should Print Notes to Fight Pandemic, Says Nobel Laureate Banerjee
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-01
New Delhi (Sputnik): Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a complete national lock-down to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on 24 March for a period of 21 days. Though the economic cost of the health crisis has not been estimated by the federal government, some media sources have put it at $115 billion.
sputniknews.com/india/202004011078785680…

Russian Scientists Use Cold Plasma to Help Combat COVID-19 Spread – Report
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-01
While the new invention can reportedly be used as a cheap and effective disinfectant, it remains to be seen whether it will be effective against the particular strain of coronavirus mankind is currently facing.
sputniknews.com/science/2020040110787885…

Trump Ally Accuses WHO of ‘Spreading Chinese Propaganda’ as Beijing Blasts West’s Cover-Up Claims
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-01
China has dismissed as ‘nonsense’ recent media reports about its alleged attempts to cover up the true scale of fatalities in Hubei

Goat Scare! Herd of Kashmiri Sheep on Rampage in Deserted Streets of UK Town Amid Lockdown – Video
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-01
New Delhi (Sputnik): Kashmiri goats are prized in Britain for their fur, from which cashmere wool is derived. With non-essential businesses shuttered due to ongoing coronavirus scare, the fuzzy creatures seem to be taking full advantage of their newfound freedom.
sputniknews.com/world/202004011078785317…

Russian An-124 Aircraft Carrying Medical Equipment Heads for US – Video
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-01
According to Johns Hopkins University, the United States has registered more than 188,000 cases of coronavirus, with over 3,900 deaths.
sputniknews.com/world/202004011078787621…

All Equal Before Virus: World Politicians Wearing Face Masks
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-01
When it comes to politicians, we often say that they wear masks to win the support of potential voters and hide their true selves. But now, amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, we all have to wear masks – literally – and world leaders are no exception.
sputniknews.com/photo/202004011078787424…

Fifth of Small UK Companies Could Collpase in Weeks Due to Coronavirus Lockdown
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-01
The shock figures were produced by a network of accountants serving over 12,000 small and medium-sized businesses across the UK.
sputniknews.com/uk/202004011078789975-fi…

‘I’m a Cheerleader’: Trump Says He Knew Coronavirus Could be ‘Horrible’ but Wanted to Stay Positive
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-01
The United States currently leads the global charts for the number of coronavirus cases recorded around the world, with more than 189,000 infected patients, according to Johns Hopkins University data. These numbers stand in contrast to Donald Trump’s late February promise that there would soon be almost “zero” coronavirus cases in the US.
sputniknews.com/us/202004011078789552-im…

‘This is Taxpayers’ Money’: Dissent Over £78 Bln UK Government Scheme To Furlough Workers Grows
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-01
Britain has had 25,150 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 1,789 have died. The UK government has responded by ordering most workers to stay at home and closing pubs, restaurants, shops, offices and some factories.
sputniknews.com/business/202004011078788…

Northern Ireland Blogger Says He Was Only Trying To ‘Get The Truth Out’ About £1.2 Bln NAMA Scandal
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-01
The National Asset Management Agency was set up in the Republic of Ireland in 2009 to acquire and then dispose of 77 billion euros ( £68 billion) of distressed loans following the financial crisis. Of those loans, 1.35 billion euros ( £1.2 billion) were for land or property in Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK.
sputniknews.com/uk/202004011078776946-no…

Recipe for Success: How Iran’s F-14 Tomcats Stay Relevant
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-01
The old school US supersonic fighter aircraft Grumman F-14 Tomcat was retired by the US Navy on 22 September 2006, yet remains in service with Iran’s air force, having been exported to the country in 1976.
sputniknews.com/military/202004011078788…

Sri Lankan SEP to hold online event: “COVID-19 pandemic and capitalist barbarism”
wsws.org | 2020-04-01
The event will be live-streamed through the SEP’s official Facebook page.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/01/slmt…

Covid-19 Shows America’s Class Divide Is Untenable
Shuja Haider | thenation.com | 2020-04-01
Covid-19 Shows America’s Class Divide Is Untenable…
thenation.com/article/society/covid-19-w…

When Confronting the Coronavirus, Federalism Is Part of the Problem
Richard Kreitner | thenation.com | 2020-04-01
When Confronting the Coronavirus, Federalism Is Part of the Problem…
thenation.com/article/politics/federalis…

What the Pandemic Looks Like in Rural New York
Karen Rothmyer | thenation.com | 2020-04-01
What the Pandemic Looks Like in Rural New York…
thenation.com/article/society/rural-amer…

The Risks of Being A Woman During the Pandemic
Rebecca Gordon | thenation.com | 2020-04-01
The Risks of Being A Woman During the Pandemic…
thenation.com/article/society/coronaviru…

Trump’s Cuts to Food Stamps Almost Made the Pandemic Worse
Arvind Dilawar | thenation.com | 2020-04-01
Trump’s Cuts to Food Stamps Almost Made the Pandemic Worse…
thenation.com/article/politics/trump-foo…

Scenes From a Pandemic: 1
Debbie Nathan | thenation.com | 2020-04-01
Scenes From a Pandemic: 1…
thenation.com/article/politics/pandemic-…

UN dispatches humanitarian aid to Syria
yenisafak.com | 2020-04-01
The United Nations dispatched 45 truckloads of humanitarian aid to Idlib, a northwestern Syrian province, on Wednesday.Trucks passed through the Cilvegozu border gate in Hatay, Turkey’s southern border province with Syria, and aid will be distributed to residents in Idlib, as well as the surrounding countryside which have been subjected to years of devastating attacks by the Assad regime and its allies, triggering a wave of 1 million refugees.The war in Syria started in early 2011 when the regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests.Hundreds of thousands of people have since been killed and more than 10 million…
yenisafak.com/en/world/un-dispatches-hum…

Russia confirms 440 new coronavirus cases
yenisafak.com | 2020-04-01
Russia confirmed on Wednesday 440 new cases of the novel coronavirus in 24 hours, bringing the total to 2,777.The country has reported a total of 24 COVID-19-related deaths so far, with seven additional fatalities since yesterday, emergency officials said in a statement.”To date, 2,777 cases of coronavirus infection have been registered in 75 regions of the Russian Federation. During the day, 69 people were discharged, and 190 people recovered during the entire period. Seven fatal cases were registered during the day,” it said.The coronavirus is spreading particularly quickly in the capital Moscow, accounting for…
yenisafak.com/en/world/russia-confirms-4…

Malaysia extends anti-COVID-19 measures until April 14
yenisafak.com | 2020-04-01
Malaysia on Wednesday extended anti-coronavirus measures by another two weeks, until April 14, to stem the spread of the deadly infection, local media reported.”The second phase of the Movement Control Order [MCO], which begins today, is a critical period for Malaysians to determine whether efforts to break the COVID-19 chain of infection are successful or not,” reported state-run Bernama news agency.The government has asked people to adhere strictly to the measures taken against the coronavirus.Malaysia has so far confirmed 2, 908 cases of the coronavirus, with 45 fatalities. As many as 645 people have also reco…
yenisafak.com/en/world/malaysia-extends-…

Spain: COVID-19 cases over 100,000, deaths reach 9,053
yenisafak.com | 2020-04-01
In total, Spain has confirmed 102,136 cases of COVID-19, and 9,053 fatalities, according to data released by the Spanish Health Ministry on Wednesday.Over the last 24-hour period, 864 people lost their lives

Turkish TV heartthrob Kƒ±vanàß Tatlƒ±tuƒü hospitalized on Covid-19 suspicion
yenisafak.com | 2020-04-01
Turkish television star Kƒ±vanàß Tatlƒ±tuƒü was hospitalized on Wednesday on Covid-19 suspicion after the actor started showing symptoms of the respiratory disease that has taken over the world.In a tweet, the actor said he started showing symptoms after he had been self-isolating with his wife at home for 15 days, after which he reported to a nearby hospital and has since been under observation as he awaits his test results.”I’m doing well and am waiting for my test results. Please don’t worry about me. Stay healthy,” the tweet read.After originating in Wuhan last December…
yenisafak.com/en/life/turkish-tv-heartth…

Oman reports its first COVID-19 death
yenisafak.com | 2020-04-01
The Omani Health Ministry on Wednesday confirmed the country’s first coronavirus death, along with 18 new confirmed cases.”The total number of infections recorded in the Sultanate increased to 210, after recording 18 new infections,” the ministry said in a statement cited by the official Oman News Agency.The ministry noted that 34 people have so far recovered from the virus. On Tuesday, the Omani government allowed civil servants to work remotely as part of measures to fight the outbreak.After originating in Wuhan last December, the virus known as COVID-19 has spread to at least 180 countries and regions across t…
yenisafak.com/en/news/oman-reports-its-f…

Russia’s atomic agency reports four coronavirus cases
yenisafak.com | 2020-04-01
Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom has confirmed four coronavirus cases among its employees, including one case in Hungary, the Interfax news agency cited the company’s CEO Alexei Likhachev as saying on Wednesday.Russia has so far recorded 2,777 cases of the virus and 25 coronavirus-related deaths.
yenisafak.com/en/world/russias-atomic-ag…

Doctors say contact lens wearers should switch to glasses
yenisafak.com | 2020-04-01
Contact lens wearers would do well to switch to glasses for now, during the coronavirus pandemic, according to medical experts.Wearing contacts could put you at greater risk of contracting coronavirus as well as conjunctivitis

‘There’s no better present’: Chinese businesses send masks to European clients
yenisafak.com | 2020-04-01
With a dire shortage of protective face masks in Europe, even for health workers, a senior manager at a Spanish furniture store group was surprised to hear business partners and staff in China offering to send him masks.The starting point of the coronavirus pandemic, and for weeks its epicenter, China has seen new cases fall over the past weeks.The death toll from the respiratory disease is now higher in Europe, particularly in Italy and Spain, causing a rush to find protective gear.”I worked in China for several years. When you’re there, they give you things like tea, liquor or cookies. But up until now the supp…
yenisafak.com/en/news/theres-no-better-p…

Erdogan says Turkey may need further measures if citizens ignore voluntary quarantine
yenisafak.com | 2020-04-01
Turkey will have to take additional measures if the coronavirus outbreak widens and citizens don’t abide by a voluntary…
yenisafak.com/en/news/erdogan-says-turke…

Muslim charity ensures lonely Australian pensioners don’t starve | amid lockdown
yenisafak.com | 2020-04-01
Struggling to cope with the extreme stress of shielding themselves from the highly infectious disease, the elderly are most vulnerable in face of the spread of the deadly coronavirus.A Muslim charity in coronavirus-stricken Australia brought relief to self-isolating lonely pensioners, expressing that they are not alone in this fight.Elderly residents lacking a support network were driven to tears after receiving care packages filled with essential goods.”It’s quite heartbreaking because most of them never expected something like this would happen. One person yesterday – he was in tears – he was like, who are you?
yenisafak.com/en/life/muslim-charity-ens…

Russian plane takes off for US with coronavirus help onboard
yenisafak.com | 2020-04-01
A Russian military transport plane took off from an airfield outside Moscow early on Wednesday and headed for the United States with a load of medical equipment and masks to help Washington fight coronavirus, Russian state TV reported.President Vladimir Putin offered Russian help in a phone conversation with President Donald Trump on Monday, when the two leaders discussed how best to respond to the virus.The flight, which was organised by the Russian Defence Ministry, is likely to be unpopular with some critics of Trump who have urged him to keep his distance from Putin and who argue that Moscow uses such aid as…
yenisafak.com/en/world/russian-plane-tak…

Turks baking more than usual during virus lockdown
yenisafak.com | 2020-04-01
More and more Turks are staying home in line with the government’s social distancing measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus.To kill time, households have started baking

Turkey’s crude steel output surges 12.7% in Jan-Feb
yenisafak.com | 2020-04-01
Turkey’s crude steel production hit 5.9 million tons in January-February, rising 12.7% from the same period last year, a trade group data showed on Wednesday.The country’s steel products exports volume fell 4.9% year-on-year to 3.6 million tons in the first two months of this year, the Turkish Steel Producers’ Association (TCUD) said.Turkey’s earnings from steel exports stood at $2.5 billion, down 9.6% during the same period.The steel imports posted a 40.4% annual rise, reaching 2.6 million tons from January to February. In terms of value, crude steel imports rose 16.3% year-on-year to $1.8 billion.Citing World S…
yenisafak.com/en/economy/turkeys-crude-s…

Ukraine passes IMF-backed land reform bill, social cuts as coronavirus spreads
wsws.org | 2020-04-01
The policies of the Zelensky government threaten the working class with a social and medical disaster of immense proportions.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/01/ukra…

Venezuelan Attorney General Summons Juan Guaido Over Coup Plot
telesurenglish.net | 2020-03-31
The Attorney General of Venezuela, Tarek William Saab, announced on Tuesday that the Public Ministry of the Bolivarian Republic issued an official summons to the self-proclaimed ‘president’ Juan Guaidó to appear before the court this Thursday at 9: 00 a.m. (local time). | RELATED: | Chinese Specialists Arrive in Venezuela to Combat Coronavirus | The objective is for him to appear before the prosecutor who is handling the case for the attempted coup d’état and assassination of gov…
telesurenglish.net/news/Venezuelan-Attor…

FROM THE FIELD: Humanitarians on the frontline in COVID-19 fight
news.un.org | 2020-03-31
Humanitarian workers in developing countries are on the front lines and taking “urgent action” in the fight against the spread of the deadly new coronavirus, COVID-19, according to the United Nations.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2020/03/1…

Coronavirus Cemetery to Be Built in Ecuador
telesurenglish.net | 2020-03-31
Ecuadorean President Lenin Moreno announced Monday the construction of a burial ground for the COVID-19 victims in Guayaquil. This measure is a contingency solution for sanitary emergencies due to the virus spreading in the South American nation. | RELATED: | Ecuadorian-Colombian Indigenous Alone Against COVID-19 | Guayaquil’s administration informed about the test bought and medicines for the ones in need but many Ecuadorean citizens denounced the medical supplies that hav…
telesurenglish.net/news/covid-19-cemeter…

Many immigrants left out of pandemic aid acts
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2020-03-31
San José, CA – Many immigrants won’t be able to get help from the bipartisan COVID-19 pandemic aid bills passed by Congress and signed by President Trump. More than 4 million undocumented immigrants who are paying taxes with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, or ITIN, will not qualify for the $1200 per person benefit because they have no Social Security number. Another 5 million American citizen children with undocumented parents also will not get the $500 per child benefit. | Legal immigrants and naturalized citizens tend to have lower incomes than native-born Americans. People whose income is low en…
www.fightbacknews.org/2020/3/31/many-imm…