Oil slips 6% after OPEC+ meeting delay as Trump vows ‘very substantial tariffs’ if Saudis & Russia fail to reach output cut deal
rt.com | 2020-04-06
US President Donald Trump has promised to impose “very substantial tariffs” on imported oil, unless Saudi Arabia and Russia reach a deal to push crude prices up, just as oil skidded again following last week’s rally. | Both Brent and WTI crude futures dived over 9 per cent at the Asian session opening, before bouncing back to around $32.6 and $26.6 a barrel respectively. The drop comes after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-member partners abruptly delayed their emergency meeting until Thursday, apparently due to standing disagreements between Saudi Arabia and Russia. | Crud…
rt.com/business/485046-oil-saudi-russia-…

US Weaponizing COVID-19 Against Venezuela, Iran: Oliver Stone
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-05
“As a number of religious scholars have warned, ‘plagues expose the foundations of injustice’ in our societies,” film director Oliver Stone wrote in an op-ed Saturday exposing the United States (U.S.) government “profound lack of human decency” amid the new coronavirus pandemic. | RELATED: | ‘The US Has Become a Force of Evil’: Oliver Stone | In the piece published by the New York Daily News, Stone denounces the U.S. government for refusing to remove murderous sanctions on Iran and Venezuela…
telesurenglish.net/news/Oliver-Stone-Sla…

Venezuelan Leader Pens Open Letter to US Public
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-05
In a letter issued on Sunday, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro warned the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump against making any unwise military decisions against the Bolivarian Republic. | RELATED: | Nearly 600 Venezuelans Return to Their Country From Colombia | Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza read a letter on Sunday that Venezuelan President Maduro sent to the people of the United States, following Washington’s recent threats toward the Bolivarian Republ…
telesurenglish.net/news/Venezuelan-Leade…

Israeli Forces Detain Palestinian Governor of Jerusalem
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-05
Israel has detained Sunday the Palestinian Authority (PA) Governor of Jerusalem Adnan Ghaith over “illegal” activities and imprisoned him for the seventh time in the previous 18 months period. | RELATED: | High Population Density Challenge for Gazans to Fight COVID-19 | “Adnan Ghaith was detained this morning for Palestinian activity in Jerusalem, which is illegal,” police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told AFP. | Ghaith’s lawyer, Rami Othman, said his client, who was taken for q…
telesurenglish.net/news/Israeli-Forces-D…

Greece: Migrant Camp Quarantined After COVID-19 Case Confirmed
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-05
Greece has quarantined a migrant installation about 40 km northeast the capital Athens after a 53-year-old Afghan asylum seeker tested positive for COVID-19, the ministry of migration announced Sunday. | RELATED: | First Case of COVID-19 in a Refugee Camp in Greece | The man lives with his family in the Malakasa camp where hundreds of asylum seekers are housed. He was transported to a hospital in Athens and tests on people who were in contact with him are being held as the authorities are…
telesurenglish.net/news/Greece-Migrant-C…

COVID-19 Is Turning Prisons Into “Kill-Boxes”
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-04-05
“Our prisons are about to be utterly transformed by tragedy on a grand scale.” So concludes “COVID-19 And Indiana Prisons,” a 13-page blueprint to save the lives of thousands of people locked up in the cages of the Indiana Department of Corrections. | Written through a collective process involving more than 600 formerly incarcerated women, the report calls for the release of 5,662 people

A Simple “Democratic Transition” Framework for Venezuela: End All “Sanctions”
Nino Pagliccia | globalresearch.ca | 2020-04-05
On March 31 the US Secretary of State issued a press statement proposing a “pathway” by which all Venezuelans would live happily ever after. At least that is what Mike Pompeo seems to wish. He “call[s] on all Venezuelans, whether …
globalresearch.ca/simple-democratic-tran…

COVID-19 Depression: Trump Needs a War
Kurt Nimmo | globalresearch.ca | 2020-04-05
It is seriously astounding how fast the economy is crumbling. No infusion of funny money will save the American people from the historically severe depression now evolving. | State and federal governments are becoming more authoritarian in response to serious influenza …
globalresearch.ca/covid-19-depression-tr…

Mayo Clinic expert puts grim COVID-19 projections into perspective
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-05
This week, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious diseases expert, shared sobering estimates that COVID-19 could kill 100,000 to 240,000 Americans. Top government scientists warn that the death toll could be even higher if Americans don’t follow the strict guidelines put in place to slow the spread of the virus. Dr. Gregory Poland, a …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/ma…

By Refusing to Cancel In-Person Voting, Wisconsin GOP Weaponizes Coronavirus
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-04-05
Despite warnings from public health experts and legal challenges by voting rights groups, the Democratic primary and state and local elections are set to go forward on Tuesday after Republican state legislators refused to take up a proposal to cancel most in-person voting in light of the coronavirus pandemic. | After Democratic Gov. Tony Evers ordered la…
truthout.org/articles/by-refusing-to-can…

No-one’s buying Matt Hancock’s excuse for more draconian restrictions on our lives
Emily Apple | thecanary.co | 2020-04-05
Health secretary Matt Hancock appeared on The Andrew Marr Show on 5 April. He warned that unless people follow the rules on essential travel and social distancing then tougher restrictions would be introduced. Hancock stated that: I don’t want to have to take away exercise as a reason to leave home… if too many people are not following the rules. | If you don’t want us to take the next step and ban exercise… then the message is very clear… you have to follow the rules.
thecanary.co/trending/2020/04/05/no-ones…

One NATO country is using the coronavirus as a weapon of war
Emily Apple | thecanary.co | 2020-04-05
Across the world, countries are struggling to deal with coronavirus (Covid-19). But one NATO country, Turkey, is using the pandemic as a weapon of war and a tool of repression. | Both domestically and in its war in the North East of Syria (aka Rojava), the Turkish state is seizing the opportunity of coronavirus to continue its war against majority Kurdish communities. | Cutting off water supplies during a pandemic: | On 3 April, Kurdistan 24 reported that: Shelling by Turkish-backed armed groups on Thursday caused severe…
thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2020/…

Switching Focus: From the Coronavirus Crisis to the Cuban Missile Crisis
Shane Quinn | globalresearch.ca | 2020-04-05
With the world’s attention directed towards the coronavirus it may be worth changing focus, and analysing another international incident, the Cuban Missile Crisis. This hugely significant event occurred almost 60 years ago, officially from the 16th to the 28th of …
globalresearch.ca/coronavirus-crisis-cub…

Working toward a COVID-19 vaccine
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-05
The push to create a vaccine that prevents people from contracting SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, continues. Dr. Stacey Rizza, a Mayo Clinic infectious diseases specialist, says developing a vaccine takes research, money and time. “Everyone wants to have a vaccine ready right now,” says Dr. Rizza. “Researchers around the globe and at Mayo …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/wo…

Big Brother in the Age of Coronavirus: 100+ Groups Warn Against Exploiting Pandemic to Permanently Expand Surveillance State
Jessica Corbett | globalresearch.ca | 2020-04-05
As the number of COVID-19 cases climbed toward a million worldwide on April 2, over 100 human rights groups issued a joint statement warning that governments’ response to the coronavirus pandemic “must not be used as a cover to usher …
globalresearch.ca/big-brother-coronaviru…

Peru Announces Economic Plan for People Affected by COVID-19
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-05
“What we want, on the one hand, is to minimize the damage that social isolation has been causing to the economy,” he stressed, adding that it is important to aid companies because “behind them, there are a significant number of workers who have to continue, as far as possible, with their work.”
telesurenglish.net/news/Peru-Announces-E…

Brazil, Chile, Ecuador Report Highest Number of COVID-19 Cases
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-05
Brazil, Chile and Ecuador are currently reporting the highest number of COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases in the entire Latin America region, the latest reports revealed on Sunday morning. | RELATED: | Bots Made 55 % of Pro-Bolsonaro Tweets About COVID-19 | According to data from the Brazilian Ministry of Health, the death toll from coronavirus increased to 432, with 73 deaths reported in the last 24 hours. | The figure of 73 deaths is the highest for a single day since the first cas…
telesurenglish.net/news/Brazil-Chile-Ecu…

Coronavirus in Albania and the Presence of Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK) in Tirana
Robert Fantina | globalresearch.ca | 2020-04-05
Following the outbreak of coronavirus in Italy, more than 120,000 Albanians residing in Italy returned to their country. Albania, with a population under 3,000,000, has, as of this writing, 243 cases of coronavirus. That is 84 cases per 1,000,000 people. …
globalresearch.ca/mek-coronavirus/570868…

The Billionaires Putting Their Wealth Above Public Health Amid the Pandemic
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-04-05
While millions are facing health and financial uncertainty and unemployment rolls are reaching record levels due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, a small group of wealthy elites are thriving. Not only do the rich and powerful seem to have access to otherwise near-impossible to obtain COVID-19 testing and enjoy better access to healthcare, they are also self-isolating at swanky vacation esta…
truthout.org/articles/the-billionaires-p…

Spain’s Sanchez Calls for New ‘Marshall Plan’ in Europe
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-05
Spanish President Pedro Sánchez, told the nations of the European Union (EU) that they will fail as a community if forceful measures are not taken to face the coronavirus pandemic. | RELATED: | Spain: Bio-Engineers Find Drug That Blocks Effects of COVID-19 | In an article published on Sunday in more than a dozen European newspapers, in different languages, Sánchez appealed for solidarity between EU countries to get ahead in the face of the health emergency that is hitting the co…
telesurenglish.net/news/Spains-Sanchez-C…

First Person Killed in the Philippines for Violating Quarantine
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-05
A 63-year-old man was shot dead Thursday in the Philippines after threatening village officials and police, becoming the first reported case of a police shooting a civilian for refusing to follow quarantine amid the COVID-19 pandemic. | RELATED: | Philippines President Tells Police to Kill Quarantine Violators | “The suspect was cautioned by a village health worker … for not wearing a face mask,” the police report informed on Saturday, adding that “the suspect got angry, ut…
telesurenglish.net/news/First-Person-Kil…

US Seizes Ventilators Destined for Barbados
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-05
The United States government seized 20 ventilators destined for Barbados, the island’s Minister of Health and Wellness Jeffrey Bostic informed Sunday. | RELATED: | The US Hinders Exports of Medical Supplies to Other Countries | “They were seized in the United States. Paid for, but seized, so we are trying to see exactly what is going to transpire there,” Bostic said, explaining that the ventilators donated to the Barbados government were barred from exportation. | “Ventilators…
telesurenglish.net/news/US-Seizes-Ventil…

China mourns loss of life in pandemic, sends aid to NYC
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2020-04-05
April 4 was a day of national mourning in the People’s Republic of China as millions paused to mark the lives lost in the pandemic. | According to a report from New China News Agency (Xinhua), “President Xi Jinping led the national mourning, which paid tribute to martyrs who sacrificed their lives fighting the outbreak and fellow Chinese who died.” Xi also serves as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China. | In addition to public mourning ceremonies, the report stated “Subway trains in big cities, including Beijing and Shanghai, briefly suspended operations. Passengers stood up in subway cars. Stat…
www.fightbacknews.org/2020/4/5/china-mou…

A shocking video exposes the devastating impact of the coronavirus crisis in Bangladesh
Chris Jarvis | thecanary.co | 2020-04-05
On the face of it, Bangladesh appears not to have been hit hard by the new coronavirus (Covid-19). Official statistics show that | ‡¶Ü‡¶&AElig…
thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2020/…

Boastful Pay Cuts: The Coronavirus Incentive
Dr. Binoy Kampmark | globalresearch.ca | 2020-04-05
It has become a source of pride. Highly salaried executives

Coronavirus Pandemic Will Inevitably Cause Food Crisis
Lucas Leiroz de Almeida | globalresearch.ca | 2020-04-05
The coronavirus crisis will not end anytime soon. Day after day, news about the catastrophe becomes increasingly frightening and alarming. The numbers do not indicate any sign of a truce and we cannot see improvements in the world scenario in …
globalresearch.ca/coronavirus-pandemic-w…

COVID-19: The tale of 1 virus and 2 testing methods
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-05
When a new virus emerges that infects and sickens humans, the wheels of innovation start turning quickly in the world of health care and biomedical research. Teams versed in different aspects of laboratory medicine work together to better understand the virus and develop tests to identify those who are infected or have been exposed to …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/co…

COVID-19 and food safety
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-05
Social distancing, hand-washing not touching your face and disinfecting surfaces are some ways to avoid contracting SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. But what about the food you eat? Can you get sick with COVID-19 by eating contaminated fruits, vegetables or other foods? Dr. Abinash Virk, a Mayo Clinic infectious diseases specialist, says the risk …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/co…

Mayo Clinic Q&A: Poor lung health appears to play a role in deaths related to COVID-19
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-05
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Why is COVID-19 so harmful to the lungs? Are smokers more at risk of the virus causing damage? As a smoker, should I be taking more precautions than the average person? ANSWER: COVID-19 can significantly affect the lungs. People whose lung health is affected by factors such as lung disease or smoking …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/ma…

COVID-19 expert answers questions on how the virus makes people sick and more
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-05
Experts continue to learn more about SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and how it behaves. Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and director of Mayo Clinic’s Vaccine Research Group, is answering questions about how the virus makes people sick, how it compares to influenza, and how the COVID-19 pandemic response is affecting the …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/co…

Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: How does SARS-CoV-2 make people sick?
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-05
A novel coronavirus is a new strain that has not been seen before in humans. SARS-Co-V2 is a novel virus, causing the disease COVID-19. Because COVID-19 is a new disease, much is still being learned about how it spreads and the severity of illness it causes. On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Gregory Poland, …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/ma…

COVID-19 expert explains what soap does to SARS-CoV-2 virus
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-05
Health experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continue to drive home the message that excellent hand-washing is the most effective way to prevent illnesses, such as COVID-19. Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and director of Mayo Clinic’s Vaccine Research Group, explains what soap does to SARS-CoV-2, and other viruses …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/co…

New York State Pays Up to 15 Times the Normal Prices for Medical Equipment
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-04-05
With the coronavirus outbreak creating an unprecedented demand for medical supplies and equipment, New York state has paid 20 cents for gloves that normally cost less than a nickel and as much as $7.50 each for masks, about 15 times the usual price. It’s paid up to $2,795 for infusion pumps, more than twice the regular rate. And $248,841 for a portable X-ray machine that typically sells for $30,000 to $80,000. | This payment data, provided by state officials, shows just how much the shortage of…
truthout.org/articles/new-york-state-pay…

Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: The ‘unprecedented challenge’ of fighting COVID-19
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-05
The ongoing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic has heavily burdened front-line health care providers. “Our nation and our medical community is facing an unprecedented challenge,” says Dr. Elie Berbari, chair of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Mayo Clinic. On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Berbari discusses how Mayo Clinic is minimizing exposure to …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/ma…

Tips for connecting to Mayo Clinic using Patient Online Services
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-05
ROCHESTER, Minn. ? Telehealth is becoming more important as a way of delivering health care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Video appointments are one form of telehealth that is seeing an increased usage. Patients also can take advantage of the telehealth offerings available through patient portals. Mayo Clinic’s patient portal, Patient Online Services, offers its patients several …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/ti…

Autonomous shuttles help transport COVID-19 tests at Mayo Clinic in Florida
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-05
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. ? For the first time in the U.S., autonomous vehicles are being used to transport medical supplies and COVID-19 tests at Mayo Clinic in Florida. At a time when health care resources and staff are stretched thin, the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) has partnered with Beep and NAVYA to use autonomous vehicles to …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/au…

Radiology, Engineering investigating ways to help Mayo Clinic during COVID-19 response
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-05
ROCHESTER, Minn. ? A supply shortage of critical materials, such as ventilators, face shields and masks, is possible in the U.S. In response, several Mayo Clinic teams have reached out to colleagues to assess their current and expected needs. These teams also are determining how they could print critical medical supplies as part of the …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/ra…

Six ways home-based cardiac rehab keeps patients safe, healthy during COVID-19
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-05
ROCHESTER, Minn. ? COVID-19 presents evolving challenges to health care, in part because it is a new viral disease. People do not have natural immunity and a vaccine hasn’t yet been developed. Patients with heart disease are at increased risk of cardiac-related complications and death, and are more likely to develop severe complications from COVID-19. …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/si…

What you need to know about spring allergies and COVID-19
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-05
In many parts of the U.S., spring is in full bloom. And with the arrival of spring comes an increase in seasonal allergies and now questions about increased risk related to COVID-19. “Currently, there is no data to substantiate those patients with allergies and asthma are at an increased risk for contracting COVID-19,” says Dr. …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/wh…

Covid-19: Have “Real Journalists” Forgotten the H1N1 Scandal They Reported On?
Tony Cartalucci | globalresearch.ca | 2020-04-05
Overreaction and big-pharma profiteering from Covid-19 is a repeat of the 2009 H1N1 “Swine Flu” scandal. Why has the corporate media that would eventually expose the 2009 scandal failed to inform readers today that the same corrupt interests are leading …
globalresearch.ca/covid-19-have-real-jou…

Mayo Clinic Research in the news around the world
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-05
In this unconventional time, we are going to offer an unconventional article, really a collection of the previous week’s news stories related to Mayo Clinic Research. Our plan – to share a brief excerpt and link to stories written by journalists around the world. Most will likely be about COVID-19, some may report findings that change …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/ma…

Mayo Clinic joins community efforts urging people to #StoptheSpread during COVID-19 pandemic
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-05
Jeff Bolton, Mayo Clinic’s chief administrative officer, joins other community leaders in Rochester, Minn., in sharing the message that the best defense against COVID-19 is for people to stay home. ROCHESTER, Minn.

Mayo Clinic in Florida expands specimen testing and processing capabilities for COVID-19
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-05
JACKSONVILLE, Fla.

COVID-19: Advice for caring for people with Alzheimer’s disease, mild cognitive impairment
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-05
With the COVID-19 pandemic at the forefront of daily life, how much information should you share with a loved one who has Alzheimer’s disease, dementia or mild cognitive impairment? And how do you explain the necessary precautions and social distancing requirements? Dr. Joseph Sirven, a Mayo Clinic neurologist, says it depends on the person’s exact …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/co…

Tips to stay mentally healthy while staying at home
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-05
Social distancing guidelines in the U.S. have extended until April 30 and many states now have stay-at-home orders to protect the nation during the COVID-19 pandemic. But isolation and loneliness can affect people’s emotional health, especially older adults. “Social interaction and emotional health are definitely intertwined, and during this time when social interaction can’t be …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/ti…

Latinos and Asian Americans hit hardest by early COVID-19 job losses
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2020-04-05
San José, CA – The headline news that the unemployment rate for March jumped by almost a full percentage point, to 4.4%, was bad enough. The actual unemployment rate was much higher by the end of March, given that the more 10 million people who lost their jobs and filed for unemployment insurance benefits in the last two weeks of March were not counted. Adding in these workers would have increased the unemployment rate by more than 6%, raising the total rate at the end of March to about 10.5%. | The official government unemployment rate also understates the number of jobless workers, as you have to be out of work…
www.fightbacknews.org/2020/4/5/latinos-a…

$1,200 Only Goes So Far. It’s Time to Abolish Debt
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-04-05
Silence fills New York City like ancient ruins. Stores are closed. Restaurants are closed. Behind shut doors, millions are panicking. Calls to suicide hotlines have spiked. My phone vibrates with constant anxious texts: “All my work shifts are canceled,” “Mom is in the hospital,” and “How can I pay rent?” | The U.S. is in free fall. The…
truthout.org/articles/1200-only-goes-so-…

Pipelines Are Still Being Built as the Rest of the Economy Shuts Down
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-04-05
Governors of at least 37 U.S. states and the District of Columbia have issued strict orders for residents providing “non-life-sustaining” services to remain inside. All but five states have at least some form of shelter-in-place policies underway, such that millions of workers deemed “non-essential,” like teachers, therapists and community organizers, are clocking hours on Instagram and Zoom from living roo…
truthout.org/articles/pipelines-are-stil…

‘Profound lack of human decency’: Oliver Stone tears into US govt over Iran & Venezuela sanctions amid Covid-19 crisis
rt.com | 2020-04-05
The United States government has revealed its contempt for human compassion and global solidarity by refusing to lift draconian sanctions on Iran and Venezuela during the Covid-19 crisis, director Oliver Stone has argued. | Iran has suffered immensely from the virus, Stone noted in an op-ed published by the New York Daily News, but due to US sanctions the Islamic Republic is “reportedly the only country in the world that cannot buy medicines needed to fight the pandemic.” | The outspoken Hollywood legend similarly condemned Washington’s decision to maintain

Spanish PM says EU survival is at stake in war against coronavirus as Spain becomes Europe’s most infected nation
rt.com | 2020-04-05
As Spain becomes Europe’s most infected country, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has sent a forceful message to Brussels, warning that the European Union will fail if it gets its handling of the Covid-19 crisis wrong. | In a piece published in the Guardian on Sunday, the Spanish leader said that the outlook of his “fervently” pro-European government is being tested by the bloc’s handling of the pandemic to date. | Sanchez called for solidarity between membe…
rt.com/news/485006-spain-prime-minister-…

‘Better days will return’: Queen Elizabeth compares Covid-19 fight to WWII, but reassures Brits, as coronavirus deaths near 5,000
rt.com | 2020-04-05
Adapting her wartime message for the present, Queen Elizabeth II has assured the UK that by remaining “united and resolute” it will beat the coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile, the virus claimed another 621 lives overnight. | In what was only her fourth special broadcast since her coronation in 1953, the queen thanked healthcare workers “who selflessly continue their day-to-day duties outside the home in support of us all.” | Her Majesty The Queen addresses the UK and the Commonwealth in a special broadcast recorded at Windsor Castle. pic.twitter.com/HjO1uiV1Tm– The Roy…
rt.com/uk/485036-queen-elizabeth-covid-p…

Covid-19 cases in Moscow near 4,000 as mayor says capital is country’s ‘HIGHEST RISK’ region
rt.com | 2020-04-05
Moscow’s mayor has warned that the growing number of coronavirus infections in the city means tough self-isolation measures are still needed. The capital reported more than 500 new cases on Sunday from a national total of 658. | It means the overall number of confirmed infections in the capital is now 3,893, up by 536, and more than two-thirds of Russia’s nationwide tally of 5,389, according to official figures. Authorities have recorded 45 deaths. | Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said on Sunday that Moscow is considered to be at the “highest risk” because of the number of people that have have traveled through the cit…
rt.com/russia/485002-russia-moscow-coron…

Easier said than done? Trump says major US leagues ‘have to get back’ but Covid-19 carnage could mean long waiting game
rt.com | 2020-04-05
US President Donald Trump says that the nation’s various sports leagues could resume by the end of the summer but experts warn that any such move could come in direct contrast to coronavirus safety measures. | The US has joined the majority of the rest of the world in shutting down practically all sporting events in the country indefinitely as surge they past 300,000 cases of Covid-19, but with the Trump administration apparently keen to return to a state of ‘business as usual’ they have signposted a resumption of sports in time for the kick-off of the NFL season in early September as a target. | The NBA, whic…
rt.com/sport/485018-trump-sports-coronav…

Some good news! Number of people who’ve RECOVERED from Covid-19 passes quarter of a million
rt.com | 2020-04-05
Perhaps the most under-reported statistic in the entire coronavirus pandemic passed an important milestone on Sunday as 250,000 were marked as having recovered from the illness. | The onward march of the death toll and number of confirmed cases has prompted countless hours of media coverage, as the virus spread around the globe. However, the number of people who are officially recorded as having recovered from the disease receives far less attention. | The important stat climbed past the quarter of a million barrier (to 252,478) on Sunday, as more than 20 percent of confirmed carriers of the virus have officia…
rt.com/news/485027-recovered-from-corona…

Saudi stocks open higher as deal to save oil market looms
rt.com | 2020-04-05
The main stock index of Saudi bourse rose nearly two percent despite a delay in talks between the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and major oil producers. | The Saudi Tadawul market lost some gains less than one hour after the trading week started in the Gulf states on Sunday, but was still up around half a percent. | Stock in other countries in the region were mixed, with the premier index of Boursa Kuwait gaining around one percent, and the Bahrain stock market was also slightly up. Stock markets in both Qatar and Oman were slightly down, losing around 0.1 percent each. | Also on rt.
rt.com/business/485001-gulf-stocks-opec-…

‘Low-risk’ businesses in Iran will start operating within a week, Rouhani says
rt.com | 2020-04-05
Some commerce and industries in Iran will likely be able to resume activities in a week’s time, President Hassan Rouhani has announced, signaling that the Islamic Republic has survived the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic. | “Under the supervision of the Health Ministry, all those low-risk economic activities will resume from Saturday,” Rouhani said in a televised meeting. | He added that two-thirds of Iranian government employees will work from their offices starting next weekend, adding that the easing of anti-coronavirus measures does not conflict with the country’s health advisories. | Businesses deemed “hig…
rt.com/news/485000-iran-businesses-coron…

Magic bullet for Covid-19? Scientists look to century-old plasma treatment, but there are some big ‘BUTS’
rt.com | 2020-04-05
As the world seeks a Covid-19 panacea, treating patients with plasma harvested from those who have recovered from the virus is being touted as a possible cure

Not quite piracy? Berlin senator CORRECTS story of US ‘snatching’ Germany-bound masks
rt.com | 2020-04-05
A Berlin senator who accused the US of “piracy” by diverting a shipment of protective masks bound for the German capital has backtracked, and now says that no American firm was involved in the mix-up. But the masks remain missing. | According to Berlin’s Senator for the Interior, Andreas Geisel, a shipment of protective masks left a 3M factory in China last week and arrived in Bangkok, Thailand, from where they were due to be shipped to Berlin’s police force. However, the masks never arrived. | Geisel claimed on Friday that they had been rerouted by 3M to the US, after President Donald Trump threatened the Ame…
rt.com/news/485045-germany-corrects-mask…

Scottish health chief RESIGNS after police tells her off for breaking Covid-19 lockdown rules
rt.com | 2020-04-05
Dr Catherine Calderwood is stepping down from…
rt.com/uk/485041-scottish-health-chief-r…

Spain registers fewer than 700 new coronavirus-related deaths as daily fatalities show signs of slowing
rt.com | 2020-04-05
Spain’s death toll from Covid-19 has risen by 674 in the last 24 hours, the country’s Health Ministry reported, marking fewer deaths than in previous days. The number of newly-confirmed cases has also fallen by around 1,000. | The daily number of registered cases is also showing signs of decline. Cases rose to 130,759 from 124,736 on Sunday

Market speculations, not real demand, sank Russian oil to 20-year lows
rt.com | 2020-04-05
The swings in the oil market are mainly caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the lack of a deal between the OPEC and major exporters of crude. However, some analysts believe that there are more factors behind the market rout. | The price for Russian Urals oil blend fell to $10.54 per barrel (CIF Rotterdam) on April 2, the weakest level since March 1999. Despite having managed to rebound since then, the rally could be short-term and just a reaction to a possible big oil deal, independent economic analyst Narek Avakyan told RT, explaining that demand is still going to fall amid the pandemic and worldwide boost…
rt.com/business/484971-oil-falls-market-…

‘What do you have to lose?’ Trump touts anti-malaria drug as Covid-19 cure, urges India to lift export ban
rt.com | 2020-04-05
Praising the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as a potential cure for Covid-19 and claiming he would take a pill himself, if infected, US President Donald Trump has urged Indian PM Narendra Modi to lift a ban on its exports. | The federal government has already accumulated some 29 million doses of hydroxychloroquine in its national stockpiles, and is seeking to acquire more, even though the drug’s effectiveness against Covid-19 is still being tested and remains questionable. | “After a call today with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is giving serious consideration to releasing the hold it put on…
rt.com/news/484998-trump-modi-hydroxychl…

‘Social distancing breach’: Man City set to punish Kyle Walker over ‘lockdown sex party’ with call girls
rt.com | 2020-04-05
Manchester City have confirmed they are investigating reports that defender Kyle Walker paid two call girls to visit his home last week for a “sex party” despite coronavirus lockdown advice being in place in the UK. | Walker, 29, is reported to have invited two escorts – a 21-year-old Manchester student and a 24-year-old Brazilian woman – to his luxury apartment in Cheshire last Tuesday, paying them £2,200 (US$2,700) for a three-hour romp along with a male friend. | Just hou…
rt.com/sport/485030-man-city-punish-kyle…

TIGER tests positive for Covid-19 as 5 more big cats develop ‘dry cough’ at Bronx Zoo
rt.com | 2020-04-05
Bronx Zoo has announced that one of their big cats tested positive for Covid-19, apparently infected by a caretaker. Three other tigers and three lions developed a dry cough, but are expected to recover. | “Our cats were infected by a person caring for them who was asymptomatically infected with the virus or before that person developed symptoms,” the Wildlife Conservation Society, which manages the zoo, said in a statement. | We tested the cat out of an abundance of caution and will ensure any knowledge we gain about COVID-19 will contribute to the world’s continuing understanding of this novel coronavirus.
rt.com/usa/485042-tiger-coronavirus-bron…

Covid-19 hotspot Italy rolls out plan for ‘living with the virus’ once peak has passed
rt.com | 2020-04-05
Rome is set to cautiously relax some of its lockdown restrictions when the pandemic slows down or stops its spread, while at the same time boosting health services to keep coronavirus at bay. | Italian Health Minister Roberto Speranza has outlined a five-step plan to allow his Covid-stricken country to outlast the fatal disease, which has claimed 15,362 lives to date. “There are difficult months ahead. Our task is to create the conditions to live with the virus,” he was quoted as saying by La Repubblica newspaper. | Italy, the worst-affected country in Europe in terms of Covid-19 deaths, will exit the nationwi…
rt.com/news/485024-italy-ease-coronaviru…

Foul-mouthed JESUS arrested in Moscow for violating self-isolation rules, becomes instant meme fodder online
rt.com | 2020-04-05
Saying harsh things to police when you think you’re being unlawfully detained may be understandable… but not when your name is Jesus. The internet has gone crazy over a bizarre Covid-19 arrest made by the Moscow police. | A man walking his dog in the centre of the capital

‘We will WHIP YOU’: Police employ no-nonsense measures to force Covid-19 lawbreakers to self-isolate in Zambia (VIDEO)
rt.com | 2020-04-05
Some people just don’t get it when it comes to bans on partying and loitering amid the Covid-19 pandemic

Scottish medical chief WITHDRAWN from briefings after flouting lockdown rules to visit holiday home
rt.com | 2020-04-05
Scotland’s chief medical officer will no longer attend press briefings after coming under fire for twice flouting the UK’s lockdown rules in order to visit her holiday home on the coast. | Dr Catherine Calderwood was publicly imploring Scots to adhere to the ‘stay at home’ measures, while privately she was travelling to the east coast of Scotland to visit her second home at weekends. | The medical chief was photographed with her family near a coastal retreat in Earlsferry and the images were published in The Scottish Sun late on Saturday. | EXCLUSIVE: Fury as Scots chief medic flouts own coronavirus lockdown r…
rt.com/uk/485032-scotland-medical-chief-…

Trump brandishes tariff stick at ‘illegal OPEC cartel’ & vows to do ‘whatever it takes’ (but no US oil cuts!)
rt.com | 2020-04-05
Calling on Russia and Saudi Arabia to urgently resolve the global oil output crisis, President Donald Trump said he will do whatever it takes

‘Reckless’: Chaos Expected in Tuesday’s Elections After Wisconsin Republicans Refuse to Cancel In-Person Voting
Julia Conley, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2020-04-05
Despite warnings from public health experts and legal challenges by voting rights groups, the Democratic primary and state and local elections are set to go forward on Tuesday after Republican state legislators refused to take up a proposal to cancel most in-person voting in light of the coronavirus pandemic. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
commondreams.org/news/2020/04/05/reckles…

US Government’s Handling of Coronavirus Crisis Has Likely Led to Severe Undercounting of Deaths, Public Health Officials Say
Julia Conley, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2020-04-05
Decision-making by the U.S. government early on during the coronavirus outbreak has likely led to the country severely undercounting the number of deaths from the coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, according to public health experts. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
commondreams.org/news/2020/04/05/us-gove…

‘This President Has Blood on His Hands’: Trump Again Urges Public to Take Anti-Malaria Drug for Coronavirus, Despite Reports of Danger
Julia Conley, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2020-04-05
The nation’s top expert on infectious diseases was forced once again on Sunday to negate President Donald Trump’s latest claim that an anti-malaria drug can treat coronavirus, which the president made at his Saturday evening press conference. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
commondreams.org/news/2020/04/05/preside…

Tory incompetence revealed as Hancock admits NHS may not hit ventilator target before virus peak
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-04-05
The health secretary has said the government is on track to meet its goal of ventilator capacity for 18,000 patients. However, he also admitted that may not be in place before the expected peak of the virus.Matt Hancock said the virus is expected to peak within a week to 10 days but said the ventilator capacity will likely be below 18,000 by then.He defended the government’s handling of the outbreak and said the army is now helping to get personal protective equipment (PPE) to the NHS front line.He also said now is “not the time” to be discussing a pay rise for nurses, but said he was “sympathetic” to calls for t…
thecanary.co/uk/news/2020/04/05/tory-inc…

Colleagues pay tribute to NHS staff who have died during Covid-19 crisis
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-04-05
Tributes have flooded in for NHS staff known to have died after contracting Covid-19.Two nurses

‘I’m only a van driver,’ says one man on the front line, ‘but everyone’s going above and beyond’
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-04-05
As a delivery driver for the NHS, Dave Holt is experiencing the most intense working conditions of his professional life.In the first of a series of profiles looking at workers on the front line of the battle against Covid-19 in the UK, the 49-year-old from Farnborough tells the PA news agency what life is like right now.What was a normal working day like before coronavirus?: I work for Berkshire Surrey Pathology Services. We serve all the surgeries around the South East of England. All the pathology departments of these hospitals work together. We go out and collect specimens, drop off mail, absolutely an…
thecanary.co/uk/news/2020/04/05/im-only-…

UK PM Admitted to Hospital Over COVID-19 Symptoms
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-05
The United Kingdom’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been admitted Sunday to the hospital for further tests and as a “precautionary step,” 10 days after testing positive for COVID-19, the British government announced. | RELATED: | British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is Covid-19 Positive | “On the advice of his doctor, the prime minister has tonight been admitted to hospital for tests,” a Downing Street spokeswoman said, adding that “this is a precautionary step, as the prime minis…
telesurenglish.net/news/UK-PM-Admitted-t…

How Deadly Is the Coronavirus? It’s Still Far from Clear
John Lee | globalresearch.ca | 2020-04-05
In announcing the most far-reaching restrictions on personal freedom in the history of our nation, Boris Johnson resolutely followed the scientific advice that he had been given. The advisers to the government seem calm and collected, with a solid consensus …
globalresearch.ca/how-deadly-coronavirus…

Video: Syrian Soldiers Killed in Turkish Strikes in Idlib. Kurdish Rebels Attack Turkish Proxies in Afrin
South Front | globalresearch.ca | 2020-04-05
The Afrin Liberation Forces carried out a series of attacks on Turkish-backed militants in northern Aleppo. According to the group, its fighters stormed positions of Turkish proxies near Omra killing three of them on March 26. On April 1, the …
globalresearch.ca/video-syrian-soldiers-…

Angola 3 Newsletter: DECARCERATE!!!!
ICFA | indybay.org | 2020-04-05
We dedicate this newsletter to the men, women and children in detention centers, jails and prisons, where they are unable to social distance or sanitize–leaving them to anxiously wait for the virus to take hold in their facilities. Please encourage your local governments to take action before the virus hits.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/04/02/1883207…

Updates from Santa Cruz’s Struggling Benchlands Meal & Santa Barbara’s Peter Marin
Robert Norse | indybay.org | 2020-04-05
Santa Barbara activist Peter Marin blasts Santa Barbara’s “Let ‘Em Die: ” Lack of Services. Santa Cruz Food Not Bombs activist Keith McHenry Calls for More Volunteers, Warns Local Authorities Violate CDC Safeguards for Those Outside…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/04/04/1883210…

Correcting the Sentinel’s Latest Errors
Robert Norse & Keith McHenry | indybay.org | 2020-04-05
Food Not Bombs activist Keith McHenry corrects errors, omissions, and distoertions in Sentinel writer Jessica York’s recent story “Santa Cruz County launches joint homelessness task force in coronavirus pandemic; Food Not Bombs expands food distribution” (4 PM, April 4th) at www.santacruzsentinel.com/2020/04/04/san… .
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/04/05/1883211…

Webinar: Racial Justice has no Borders: War & Militarization in the time of Pandemic
MoveOn.org, Veterans For Peace, others | indybay.org | 2020-04-05
Online (go to link below)…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/04/03/1883209…

Toward A Complete Dr. Martin Luther King Legacy
Michael Harris | indybay.org | 2020-04-05
MLK Library Sacramento | 24th Street Bypass | Sacramento, CA. 95822…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/04/03/1883210…

Livestream: Democracy and COVID-19: What Happens Next?
The Commonwealth Club | indybay.org | 2020-04-05
Online via livestream…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/04/02/1883207…

We’re Not Paying Rent: Here’s Why
Oakland Rent Strike | indybay.org | 2020-04-05
While there has long been a housing crisis in Oakland

California Apartment Association is afraid of coronavirus rent strikes
Lynda Carson | indybay.org | 2020-04-05
With millions in California losing their jobs, income, food, and healthcare, while being ordered to shelter-in-place as a result of the coronavirus pandemic spreading across the state and the nation, it seems reasonable to many that a rent strike not only seems feasible, but necessary.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/04/04/1883210…

Oakland Rent Strike: Food Not Rent
capitalism is the virus | indybay.org | 2020-04-05
An organized group of tenants in Oakland are beginning a rent strike. We call on others to join us.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/04/02/1883207…

Oakland & Alameda County: Call Now to Demand Housing for Our Unsheltered Neighbors
COVID-19 Safety for All | indybay.org | 2020-04-05
Alameda County and the City of Oakland have millions of dollars in emergency funds available for COVID-19 relief efforts, yet they have NOT provided the emergency housing needed for the thousands of homeless residents residing in our communities.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/04/02/1883206…

California regulators approve new fracking permits during COVID-19 epidemic
Dan Bacher | indybay.org | 2020-04-05
The increase in oil and gas drilling permits in recent years, including fracking operations

A Tale of Two Stockpiles
Brian Terrell | commondreams.org | 2020-04-05
The United States Strategic National Stockpile of essential medical supplies maintained by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, seems unable to respond to the present COVID-19 crisis.
commondreams.org/views/2020/04/05/tale-t…

Efficiency vs. Resilience
Jill Richardson | commondreams.org | 2020-04-05
“Your grocery store probably did not have a warehouse full of toilet paper backstock sitting around somewhere when their customers bought out their entire supply. It would be expensive and inefficient to keep a huge supply of toilet paper on hand in the unlikely chance it would ever be needed.”
commondreams.org/views/2020/04/05/effici…

Will the Media Help Elect Trump? Again?
Robert Freeman | commondreams.org | 2020-04-05
In the 2016 election the media gave more than $2 billion of free publicity to Donald Trump. It was voyeurism of his biting-off-the-heads-of-chickens campaign style. The nation had never seen anything like it, and it was, regrettably, newsworthy.
commondreams.org/views/2020/04/05/will-m…

COVID-19 and Black Workers
Margaret Kimberley | commondreams.org | 2020-04-05
The gross inequalities and declining standards of life in the US are magnified by the corona crisis, pushing already marginalized populations to the brink.
commondreams.org/views/2020/04/05/covid-…

[Editorial] COVID-19 will not leave behind refugees and migrants
The Lancet | thelancet.com | 2020-04-04
Never has the “leave no one behind” pledge felt more urgent. As nations around the world implement measures to control the spread of SARS-CoV-2, including lockdowns and restrictions on individuals’ movements, they must heed their global commitments. When member states adopted the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, they promised to ensure no one will be left behind. Chief among the world’s most vulnerable people are refugees and migrants. The COVID-19 crisis puts these groups at enormous risk.
thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PI…(20)30758-3/fulltext?rss=yes

Trump sends gun boats to Venezuela while the World partners to fight a deadly pandemic
Vijay Prashad | mronline.org | 2020-04-04
On April’s Fools Day, U.S. President Donald Trump gave a press conference where he announced a new “counter-narcotics effort” by U.S. Southern Command. “We’re deploying additional Navy destroyers, combat ships, aircrafts and helicopters, Coast Guard cutters…doubling our capabilities in the region,” he said…
mronline.org/2020/04/04/trump-sends-gun-…

It’s Impossible to “Distance” in ICE Detention. Doctors Say Free All Detainees
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-04-04
René Escobedo González has a cough. He’s got a fever and trouble breathing. Eight of the 24 other people in his cell do as well. Locked in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention in the Jefferson County Jail in Texas, the men have asked for medical evaluation

[World Report] 2020 Canada Gairdner Award winners announced
Talha Burki | thelancet.com | 2020-04-04
On March 31, the Gairdner Foundation announced the winners of its annual prizes in biomedical science and global health. Talha Burki spoke with the laureates.
thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PI…(20)30789-3/fulltext?rss=yes

[Correspondence] Education and research are essential for lasting peace in Yemen
Fathiah Zakham, Olli Vapalahti, Hilal A Lashual | thelancet.com | 2020-04-04
Yemen, known to many as the land of Sheba, and Manhattan of the desert, is now referred to only as one of the poorest countries on Earth. The name Yemen has become synonymous with cholera, famine, death, instability, and war. The war continues to erase the lives, history, and the future of Yemenis, and meaningful aid and peace have yet to reach Yemen.
thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PI…(20)30162-8/fulltext?rss=yes

[Department of Error] Department of Error
thelancet.com | 2020-04-04
Biswal S, Borja-Tabora C, Martinez Vargas L, et al. Efficacy of a tetravalent dengue vaccine in healthy children aged 4–16 years: a randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial. Lancet 2020; published online March 17. dox.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30414-… appendix of this Article has been corrected as of April 2, 2020.
thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PI…(20)30682-6/fulltext?rss=yes

[Comment] The COVID-19 pandemic in the USA: what might we expect?
Gerardo Chowell, Kenji Mizumoto | thelancet.com | 2020-04-04
As of March 19, 2020, 191‚Äà127 cases of, including 7807 deaths attributed to, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been reported worldwide.1 The incidence of reported cases in China has dramatically reduced to tens per day as a result of strict social distancing measures; however, the pandemic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is now generating sustained transmission in many countries including the USA. In The Lancet, Isaac Ghinai, Tristan D McPherson, and colleagues2 report details of the first known human-to-human transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the USA, which was…
thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PI…(20)30743-1/fulltext?rss=yes

[Comment] A planetary health perspective on COVID-19: a call for papers
Alastair Brown, Richard Horton | thelancet.com | 2020-04-04
It is natural during the unfolding coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to focus on emergency response planning, including containment, treatment procedures, and vaccine development, and nobody would doubt the need for these measures. However, an emergency can also open a window of opportunity for reflection and learning. We live in increasingly global, interdependent, and environmentally constrained societies and the COVID-19 pandemic exemplifies these aspects of our world. We would therefore be wise to take a broad integrated perspective on this disease, the impacts of which are already spilling over in…
thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PI…(20)30742-X/fulltext?rss=yes

[Editorial] Redefining vulnerability in the era of COVID-19
The Lancet | thelancet.com | 2020-04-04
What does it mean to be vulnerable? Vulnerable groups of people are those that are disproportionally exposed to risk, but who is included in these groups can change dynamically. A person not considered vulnerable at the outset of a pandemic can become vulnerable depending on the policy response. The risks of sudden loss of income or access to social support have consequences that are difficult to estimate and constitute a challenge in identifying all those who might become vulnerable. Certainly, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, vulnerable groups are not only elderly people, those with ill health and comorbidities, or…
thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PI…(20)30757-1/fulltext?rss=yes

[Correspondence] Authoritarianism and the threat of infectious diseases
Juan M Pericà s | thelancet.com | 2020-04-04
Punitive social policy, encompassing the dismantling of the welfare state with the expansion of the penal state and its associated institutions, as nicely stated by Elias Nosrati and Michael Marmot in their Perspective,1 might indeed be considered an upstream social determinant of health. Nosrati and Marmot’s analysis relates to the findings described by Navarro and colleagues,2 linking political ideology with policies aimed at reducing social inequalities such as welfare state and labour market policies.
thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PI…(19)32595-4/fulltext?rss=yes

[Perspectives] Face transplants as surgical acts and psychosocial processes
Fay Bound Alberti | thelancet.com | 2020-04-04
In 2017 the face of Katie Stubblefield made headlines. Not the face she was born with or the face that emerged after 22 reconstructive surgeries. This was another face altogether: a transplant that Stubblefield would receive from Adrea Schneider. There have been 46 recorded face transplants in history. Katie’s was the 40th–only the third to have taken place at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, which also undertook the first face transplant in the USA, on Connie Culp, in 2008. According to the Cleveland Clinic, it took 11 surgeons and staff from 15 specialties more than 31 hours to transplant Stubblefield’s new…
thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PI…(20)30684-X/fulltext?rss=yes

[World Report] Developing antibody tests for SARS-CoV-2
Anna Petherick | thelancet.com | 2020-04-04
Laboratories and diagnostic companies are racing to produce antibody tests, a key part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Anna Petherick reports.
thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PI…(20)30788-1/fulltext?rss=yes

[Research Paper] Clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients undergoing surgeries during the incubation period of COVID-19 infection
Shaoqing Lei, Fang Jiang, Wating Su, Chang Chen, Jingli Chen, Wei Mei, Li-Ying Zhan, Yifan Jia, Liangqing Zhang, Danyong Liu, Zhong-Yuan Xia, Zhengyuan Xia | thelancet.com | 2020-04-04
In this retrospective cohort study of 34 operative patients with confirmed COVID-19, 15 (44 ∑1%) patients needed ICU care, and the mortality rate was 20 ∑5%.
thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PI…(20)30075-4/fulltext?rss=yes

[Obituary] Philip Leder
Geoff Watts | thelancet.com | 2020-04-04
Molecular geneticist and genetic code breaker. He was born in Washington, DC, USA, on Nov 19, 1934, and died from complications of Parkinson’s disease in Chestnut Hill, MA, USA, on Feb 2, 2020, aged 85 years.
thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PI…(20)30685-1/fulltext?rss=yes

[Editorial] Open versus endovascular repair of aortic aneurysms
The Lancet | thelancet.com | 2020-04-04
When the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) released draft guidelines on the diagnosis and management of abdominal aortic aneurysms in May, 2018, it caused outcry. By recommending that endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) of unruptured aneurysms should not be offered–even in patients for whom open surgical repair was contraindicated–critics said that many patients would be denied life-saving treatment and that the guidelines were unworkable.
thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PI…(20)30759-5/fulltext?rss=yes

[Correspondence] Mass drug administration: time to consider drug pollution?
Gorka Orive, Unax Lertxundi | thelancet.com | 2020-04-04
Mass drug administration is the strategy recommended by WHO to control or eliminate many neglected tropical diseases that cause devastating consequences worldwide. This strategic approach, which has produced unquestionable benefits, consists of treating every person, infected or not, living in a defined geographical area at approximately the same time.1 In 2017, more than 1 ∑7 billion treatments (mainly albendazole, mebendazole, ivermectin, azithromycin, and praziquantel) were delivered to 1 ∑04 billion individuals.
thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PI…(20)30053-2/fulltext?rss=yes

[Correspondence] Chagas disease: still a neglected emergency?
Renato D Lopes, Claudio Gimpelewicz, John J V McMurray | thelancet.com | 2020-04-04
10 years after highlighting the health consequences for millions of people infected with Trypanosoma cruzi, a 2019 report from the Pan American Health Organization concluded that there has been little progress in the prevention and treatment of Chagas disease, a problem that now extends beyond Latin America.1…
thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PI…(20)30171-9/fulltext?rss=yes

[Department of Error] Department of Error
thelancet.com | 2020-04-04
Mease PJ, Rahman P, Gottlieb AB, et al. Guselkumab in biologic-naive patients with active psoriatic arthritis (DISCOVER-2): a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial. Lancet 2020; 395: 1126–36–In this Article, the following sentence from the Participants section has been corrected as follows: “Patients were permitted, but not required, to continue stable use of selected standard treatments, including NSAIDs or other analgesics up to the regional marketed dose approved; oral corticosteroids (‚â§10 mg/day of prednisone or equivalent dose); or non-biologic DMARDs (limi…
thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PI…(20)30741-8/fulltext?rss=yes

Ecuadorians protest bodies of COVID-19 victims being left in the streets
wsws.org | 2020-04-04
Desperate families and neighbors have flooded social media with videos and reports of corpses rotting in their living rooms, sidewalks and parks for days.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/04/ecua…

Bolivians Unable to Quarantine, Protest All Over the Country
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-04
While the quarantine in Bolivia was extended until April 15, several poor neighborhoods across the country continue to protest the de-facto government’s inability to meet the demands of the most vulnerable regions. | RELATED: | Bolivia: People Break Quarantine to Protest for Lack of Food | On Saturday, videos of protests –in the middle of the quarantine– that took place in the Plan 3000 neighborhood in the city of Santa Cruz, circulated through social networks where re…
telesurenglish.net/news/Bolivians-who-ca…

Democratic National Convention changes date, so does planned march on the DNC
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2020-04-04
Milwaukee, WI – A new date is being announced for the March on the Democratic National Convention: Monday, August 17. Organizers are going ahead with the march by discussing ways to make the protest safe and taking into account health guidelines. Due to the coronavirus crisis, the Democratic Party recently changed their dates, as they continue to discuss limiting participation at the convention. | …
www.fightbacknews.org/2020/4/4/democrati…

Russian doctors, nurses protest against horrifying conditions in hospitals
wsws.org | 2020-04-04
Nurses and doctors have walked off their jobs, pleading for medical and personal protective equipment, and renovations of dilapidated hospital buildings.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/04/russ…

Western media unlocked: Hypocrisy behind COVID-19 reports
Eds. | mronline.org | 2020-04-04
Why did apparently stigmatizing names like Chinese virus or Wuhan virus keep making headlines? How have the Western media shaped the narrative of China’s response to the novel coronavirus? As the virus continues to wreck havoc, China Daily investigates how the Western version of propaganda plays out in the global battle against coronavirus.
mronline.org/2020/04/04/western-media-un…

Sanders Calls for Boldest Legislation in Modern History to Halt COVID-19 Crisis
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-04-04
Sen. Bernie Sanders on Friday released his demands for six key priorities that he said must be included in the next round of federal economic relief for suffering Americans as the coronavirus pandemic cripples the country’s healthcare system and eviscerates the economy. | “We are in the midst of a COVID-19 pandemic that could lead to the death of hundreds of thousands of Americans and infect millions of others, and we are entering an economic downturn that could be worse than the Great Depre…
truthout.org/articles/sanders-calls-for-…

ECLAC Urges the U.S. to Lift Sanctions Against Venezuela, Cuba
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-04
The UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) Friday urged the United States to lift its blockade against Cuba and Venezuela. It is a necessary action at a time when the COVID-19 is deteriorating the prospects of all Latin American economies. | RELATED: | President Maduro Sends Solidarity to Colombia and Ecuador | “It is soli…
telesurenglish.net/news/ECLAC-Urges-the-…

Ecuador Reports 3,465 COVID-19 Infections, 172 Deaths
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-04
The Ecuadoran Ministry of Public Health on Saturday raised the number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus to 3,465, with 172 deaths. | RELATED: | President Maduro Sends Solidarity to Colombia and Ecuador | Vice Minister of Health Ernesto Carrasco stated that in the last 24 hours, 97 new cases and 27 new deaths were reported. | Carrasco noted that of the total number of confirmed cases nationwide, 2,402 have been reported in the southwestern province of Guayas, the epicenter…
telesurenglish.net/news/Ecuador-Reports-…

Amid India’s calamitous lockdown, Modi seeks to censor coronavirus reports
wsws.org | 2020-04-04
India’s Supreme Court has ordered media outlets to publicize “official” government-authored coronavirus reports, and threatened prosecution if they disseminate “fake news.”
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/04/inco…

Amid war threats, Washington blocks UN resolution demanding end to sanctions
wsws.org | 2020-04-04
The Trump administration has brushed aside calls for an end to punishing sanctions against Venezuela and Iran, threatening both countries with military aggression.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/04/unsa…

Iran Expands Its Hospital Capacity to Treat Over 55,000 Cases
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-04
Iran’s Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi reported that his country continues to expand its hospital capacity as a preventive measure against a possible worsening of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed 3,452 people so far. | RELATED: | US Senators Request to Ease Sanctions Against Venezuela, Iran | In the last 24 hours, 2,560 new cases and 158 deaths have been confirmed, bringing the total count to 55,743 infected, of whom 4,103 are in serious condition. So far, 19,736 pati…
telesurenglish.net/news/Iran-Expands-Its…

The US Hinders Exports of Medical Supplies to Other Countries
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-04
On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump deployed the Defense Production Act (DPA) to block exports of surgical masks manufactured by the 3M company to Canada. | RELATED: | US Economy Lost 701,000 Jobs in March, Figures Will Rise | By implementing this Korean War-era national security law, the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Manag…
telesurenglish.net/news/The-US-Hinders-E…

US jobless numbers head toward Depression levels
wsws.org | 2020-04-04
The official March data, showing job losses of 701,000, are a significant underestimation since they are based on surveys conducted before widespread lockdowns were in place.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/04/jobs…

Ireland woefully unprepared for COVID-19 onslaught
wsws.org | 2020-04-04
The European Centre for Disease Control warns that the intensive care system in Irish hospitals will not be able to cope with rising numbers of coronavirus patients in critical condition.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/04/irel…

Letter from a Caterpillar worker in Illinois: “This is class biological warfare”
wsws.org | 2020-04-04
A Caterpillar worker writes about the dangerous conditions workers face during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the complicity of the United Auto Workers union.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/04/catw…

Turkish workers strike as bosses keep them at work despite COVID-19
wsws.org | 2020-04-04
As of Friday night, Turkey had passed 20,000 cases and 400 deaths in the global coronavirus pandemic.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/04/turk…

Working-class Londoners risk their lives fighting COVID-19 as the city’s billionaires decamp
wsws.org | 2020-04-04
While the super-rich complain of being bored in their gated mansions, masses of workers in London have lost their jobs or are forced to work in unsafe conditions.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/04/lond…

UK corporations scramble for coronavirus bailout funds
wsws.org | 2020-04-04
The £350 billion bailout is an unprecedented financial handout to UK corporations, conducted without even the rubber stamp of a parliamentary vote.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/04/bail…

Canadian government’s bailout increases banks’ control over economy and state
wsws.org | 2020-04-04
Canada’s Liberal government is funnelling hundreds of billions of dollars to the banks and major corporations to guarantee the wealth of the capitalist elite.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/04/caba…

Nearly 600 Venezuelans Return to Their Country From Colombia
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-04
The Venezuelans, who voluntarily decided to leave the national territory of Colombia for Venezuela, arrived in the city of Cúcuta in more than 20 buses in two different groups. | The first of them made up of 50 people, including six minors, who arrived in the city of Cúcuta late last night from the town of Soacha. | The second group arrived in the morning of today from the city of Bucaramanga. This group included 337 men, 167 women, and 35 children and adolescents. | #FOTOS | Desde el paso fronterizo en San Antonio del Táchira, el Gob…
telesurenglish.net/news/Nearly-600-Venez…

Bots Made 55 % of Pro-Bolsonaro Tweets About COVID-19
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-04
Bots sent half of…
telesurenglish.net/news/55-of-Tweets-Pro…

Argentina: Fernandez Criticizes Bank Opening Amid Quarantine
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-04
Argentina’s President Alberto Fernandez Saturday expressed feeling “angry, worried and annoyed with the banks” after thousands of pensioners and people receiving public financial aid queued long lines at banks amid confinement measures decreed to stop the COVID-19. | RELATED: | Second Medical Flight Arrives in Argentina From Cuba | He made a call to comply with…
telesurenglish.net/news/Argentina-Fernan…

First COVID-19 Death Reported in Asia’s Largest Slum, Dharavi
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-04
Asia’s largest slum located in India’s financial capital of Mumbai has reported its first COVID-19 fatality, according to local reports. | RELATED: | Amid COVID-19, India Buys $116M Worth Of Weapons to Israel | The patient, a 56-year-old man, had no travel history and was admitted to a local hospital with a fever on Sunday and tested positive for the new coronavirus on Wednesday, an official of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said, according to Al Jazeera. | The aut…
telesurenglish.net/news/First-COVID-19-d…

Spanish singer-songwriter Luis Eduardo Aute dies at 76
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-04
Singer-songwriter Luis Eduardo Aute, a leading light of modern Spanish song, died this Saturday at the age of 76 in a Madrid hospital, local media reported. | RELATED: | Bill Withers, Soulful Singer of ‘Ain’t No Sunshine,’ Dead at 81 | Aute, a multifaceted artist – he was a painter, filmmaker, sculptor, poet – had been retired from the stage since he suffered a severe stroke in 2016, which kept him in a coma for two months. | After several stays in hospitals, including one Cuban, t…
telesurenglish.net/news/Spanish-singer-s…

Africa’s confirmed cases rise to 7,600, as 314 die from the coronavirus
wsws.org | 2020-04-04
The response of African governments has been to ramp up the powers of the state and impose brutal lockdowns with virtually no mass testing, contact tracing or isolation taking place.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/04/afri…

As infections and deaths soar, Georgia governor issues “stay-at-home” directive
wsws.org | 2020-04-04
Governor Brian Kemp claimed that “he did not know until the last 24 hours” that persons infected with the coronavirus but showing no symptoms could infect others.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/04/geor…

Trump Endangers Lives by Feuding With Governors and Withholding Health Insurance
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-04-04
As U.S. COVID-19 deaths start to spike, at least 11 of the 13 states with their own health insurance exchanges have reopened enrollment, so as to allow residents to access affordable health care. “We’re not going to be able to control the virus unless we get everyone covered and able to get tested and access the treatment they need,” Anthony Wrig…
truthout.org/articles/trump-endangers-li…

Trump Is Preparing the Ground for a Totalitarian Dictatorship
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-04-04
We’re all going to know someone who has died of the coronavirus when this is over. The tragic news is all over Facebook and Twitter already. My friend Patricia Bosworth, the actress and biographer, died on Friday of the virus. Everyone has friends and acquaintances who have the virus, family members who have died, favorite musicians or actors and friends of friends who are sick and dying. The virus has taken them from us, but so has Donald Trump with his inaction and lying and childish finger-pointing and f…
truthout.org/articles/trump-is-preparing…

Nepal: Masses confront enormous hardships from coronavirus pandemic
wsws.org | 2020-04-04
Nepal’s government has made no serious effort to ensure that the country’s overwhelmingly poor population will have daily essentials, medicine and health safety equipment.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/04/nepa…

UK: Elderly will be left to die as coronavirus plunges care sector into crisis
wsws.org | 2020-04-04
It is estimated that up to a fifth of all COVID-19 deaths in the UK have occurred in care homes, hospices, and individual households.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/04/care…

Coronavirus crisis: Hunger and malnutrition spread in Germany
wsws.org | 2020-04-04
Research indicates some 13 million people in Germany are living in poverty or confront hunger, malnutrition and social misery due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/04/hung…

Pandemic accelerates union-government-employer collaboration in Australia
wsws.org | 2020-04-04
ACTU leader Sally McManus is being feted by the corporate media as a “star” of the deepening coronavirus crisis.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/04/aust…

Why coronavirus could spark a capitalist supernova
John Smith | mronline.org | 2020-04-04
There is no magic money tree

Unemployment surges in Europe amid COVID-19 pandemic
wsws.org | 2020-04-04
The catastrophe now unfolding in Europe is rooted not in the biological properties of the coronavirus, but in the political bankruptcy of European capitalism.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/04/euro…

Government failings mean the UK is set to overtake Italy and Spain for coronavirus deaths
Tom Coburg | thecanary.co | 2020-04-04
The latest data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDPC) indicates that the UK will likely overtake Italy and Spain for coronavirius (Covid-19) deaths. This follows significant delays by the UK government to organise ventilators, personal protective equipment (PPE), and wide-scale testing. | More deaths than Italy and Spain: | A Financial Times graph published on 3 April 2020, based on data from the ECDPC, indicates that in regard to coronavirus deaths, the UK is now on a steeper trajectory than Italy was at t…
thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2020/04/04/gove…

To Survive Systemic Failure Induced by COVID-19, We Need Mutual Aid
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-04-04
If one thing has become clear over the last few weeks, it’s that our current state-sponsored capitalist system is manifestly incapable of dealing with a crisis on the scale of the global coronavirus pandemic. Not only are municipal, state and federal authorities failing to address the many unique challenges posed by the novel coronavirus, but as we continue to watch the economy freefall, it’s apparent that the market system is not up to the task either. | It’s in the face of this systemic failure that…
truthout.org/articles/to-survive-systemi…

This weekend is our chance to prove we can make a difference to the coronavirus pandemic
Emily Apple | thecanary.co | 2020-04-04
The sun is shining and many of us have been cooped up inside for weeks. The urge to get out, see friends, and resume our normal lives is tempting beyond belief. But this weekend is our chance to prove that every single one of us can make a difference in the fight against coronavirus.Invisible enemy: It can be hard fighting an invisible enemy. For those of us who aren’t key workers, our fight isn’t on the frontline. We’re not being called up to the beaches or the battlefield. And in some ways, it would be easier if there was a visible enemy we could fight. It would be easier if it didn’t feel like the best…
thecanary.co/opinion/2020/04/04/this-wee…

The recession has begun – will this be a depression?
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2020-04-04
San José, CA – On Friday, April 3, the U.S. Department of Labor reported that businesses cut more than 700,000 jobs last month. This report was based on surveys from the first half of March, before the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic hit. This ended the longest streak of job gains – almost nine and a half years – and almost certainly marked the beginning of a recession. | The official word on when recessions start, and end, comes from the National Bureau of Economic Research or NBER. The NBER uses four factors: employment, personal income, business sales and industrial production. While the monthly reports…
www.fightbacknews.org/2020/4/4/recession…

Massachusetts veterans hospital investigated for COVID-19 catastrophe
wsws.org | 2020-04-04
As of Friday, 21 residents at the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke, Massachusetts were confirmed to have died from COVID-19 in a span of only 10 days.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/04/vets…