(2020-04-05). Mayo Clinic expert puts grim COVID-19 projections into perspective. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org 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 …
(2020-04-05). Working toward a COVID-19 vaccine. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org 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 …
(2020-04-05). Radiology, Engineering investigating ways to help Mayo Clinic during COVID-19 response. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org 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 …
(2020-04-05). Mayo Clinic Q&A: Poor lung health appears to play a role in deaths related to COVID-19. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org 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 …
(2020-04-05). Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: The 'unprecedented challenge' of fighting COVID-19. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org 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 …
(2020-04-05). Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: How does SARS-CoV-2 make people sick? newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org 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, …
(2020-04-05). Mayo Clinic in Florida expands specimen testing and processing capabilities for COVID-19. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org JACKSONVILLE, Fla.
(2020-04-05). Tips to stay mentally healthy while staying at home. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org 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 …
(2020-04-05). Mayo Clinic Research in the news around the world. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org 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 …
(2020-04-05). What you need to know about spring allergies and COVID-19. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org 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 COVID-19. And there's nothing …
(2020-04-05). Six ways home-based cardiac rehab keeps patients safe, healthy during COVID-19. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org 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. "Until …
(2020-04-05). COVID-19 expert explains what soap does to SARS-CoV-2 virus. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org 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 …
(2020-04-05). Tips for connecting to Mayo Clinic using Patient Online Services. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org 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 …
(2020-04-05). COVID-19: Advice for caring for people with Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org 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 …
(2020-04-05). Mayo Clinic joins community efforts urging people to #StoptheSpread during COVID-19 pandemic. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org 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.
(2020-04-05). COVID-19: The tale of 1 virus and 2 testing methods. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org 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 …
(2020-04-05). Autonomous shuttles help transport COVID-19 tests at Mayo Clinic in Florida. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org 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 …
(2020-04-05). COVID-19 expert answers questions on how the virus makes people sick and more. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org 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 …
(2020-04-05). Trump brandishes tariff stick at 'illegal OPEC cartel' & vows to do 'whatever it takes' (but no US oil cuts!). rt.com 
Calling on Russia and Saudi Arabia to urgently resolve the global oil output crisis, President Donald Trump said he will do whatever it takes — except for cutting the US' own oil production, apparently — to protect American jobs. | "I will do whatever it takes to protect US oil jobs," Trump told reporters at a daily Covid-19 task force press briefing. "We are the number one producer in the world right now… I am a big believer in our great energy business, and we are going to take care of our energy business." | If I have to level tariffs on all imported oil coming into this country, I will. | "I'
(2020-04-05). 'What do you have to lose?' Trump touts anti-malaria drug as Covid-19 cure, urges India to lift export ban. rt.com 
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…
(2020-04-04). [Editorial] COVID-19 will not leave behind refugees and migrants. thelancet.com 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.
(2020-04-04). Trump sends gun boats to Venezuela while the World partners to fight a deadly pandemic. mronline.org 
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…
(2020-04-04). Pet fostering takes off in US as coronavirus keeps people at home. thecanary.co 
Animal shelters across the US said they have placed record numbers of dogs, cats and other animals as people suddenly find themselves stuck at home amid the coronavirus pandemic.A shelter in Denver said it now has a waiting list of 2,000 people wanting to foster, while the Animal Rescue League of Iowa got 160 applications within 12 hours after it put out a call for temporary homes for 80 cats.The Simeon family were heading home to Omaha from a Smoky Mountains holiday when Kim Simeon spotted a social media post from the Nebraska Humane Society, pleading with people to consider fostering a pet amid concerns about h…
(2020-04-04). Western media unlocked: Hypocrisy behind COVID-19 reports. mronline.org 
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.
(2020-04-04). This weekend is our chance to prove we can make a difference to the coronavirus pandemic. thecanary.co 
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…
(2020-04-04). Why coronavirus could spark a capitalist supernova. mronline.org 
There is no magic money tree — the 'rescue packages' aim to rescue a rotten system, and won't work.
(2020-04-04). It's Impossible to "Distance" in ICE Detention. Doctors Say Free All Detainees. truthout.org 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 — but instead of a COVID-19 test, Escobedo González says they've been given a "pill for pain and sleep." On a call with Truthout, he said the people inside are terrified, and completely unprepared to weather a deadly glob…
(2020-04-04). [Comment] A planetary health perspective on COVID-19: a call for papers. thelancet.com 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…
(2020-04-04). [World Report] Developing antibody tests for SARS-CoV-2. thelancet.com Laboratories and diagnostic companies are racing to produce antibody tests, a key part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Anna Petherick reports.
(2020-04-04). [Perspectives] Face transplants as surgical acts and psychosocial processes. thelancet.com 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…
(2020-04-04). [Correspondence] Mass drug administration: time to consider drug pollution? thelancet.com 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.
(2020-04-04). [Comment] The COVID-19 pandemic in the USA: what might we expect? thelancet.com 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…
(2020-04-04). [Correspondence] Authoritarianism and the threat of infectious diseases. thelancet.com 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.
(2020-04-04). [Correspondence] Education and research are essential for lasting peace in Yemen. thelancet.com 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.
(2020-04-04). [Correspondence] Chagas disease: still a neglected emergency? thelancet.com 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…
(2020-04-04). [Research Paper] Clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients undergoing surgeries during the incubation period of COVID-19 infection. thelancet.com 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%.
(2020-04-04). [Editorial] Redefining vulnerability in the era of COVID-19. thelancet.com 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…
(2020-04-04). [Editorial] Open versus endovascular repair of aortic aneurysms. thelancet.com 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.
(2020-04-04). [World Report] 2020 Canada Gairdner Award winners announced. thelancet.com 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.
(2020-04-04). Russian doctors, nurses protest against horrifying conditions in hospitals. wsws.org Nurses and doctors have walked off their jobs, pleading for medical and personal protective equipment, and renovations of dilapidated hospital buildings.
(2020-04-04). Ecuadorians protest bodies of COVID-19 victims being left in the streets. wsws.org Desperate families and neighbors have flooded social media with videos and reports of corpses rotting in their living rooms, sidewalks and parks for days.
(2020-04-04). Bolivians Unable to Quarantine, Protest All Over the Country. telesurenglish.net 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: | 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…
(2020-04-04). The future will be socialist — or it will not be at all. zcomm.org We are shackled by a system that has outlived its usefulness. COVID-19 paves the way for radical systemic change and a transition to a socialized economy…
(2020-04-04). Sanders Calls for Boldest Legislation in Modern History to Halt COVID-19 Crisis. truthout.org 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…
(2020-04-04). Amid India's calamitous lockdown, Modi seeks to censor coronavirus reports. wsws.org India's Supreme Court has ordered media outlets to publicize "official" government-authored coronavirus reports, and threatened prosecution if they disseminate "fake news."
(2020-04-04). The Bigger Picture is Hiding Behind a Virus. dissidentvoice.org Things often look the way they do because someone claiming authority tells us they look that way. If that sounds too cynical, pause for a moment and reflect on what seemed most important to you just a year ago, or even a few weeks ago. Then, you may have been thinking that Russian interference in …
(2020-04-04). Amid war threats, Washington blocks UN resolution demanding end to sanctions. wsws.org The Trump administration has brushed aside calls for an end to punishing sanctions against Venezuela and Iran, threatening both countries with military aggression.
(2020-04-04). US jobless numbers head toward Depression levels. wsws.org 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.
(2020-04-04). Ireland woefully unprepared for COVID-19 onslaught. wsws.org 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.
(2020-04-04). The US Hinders Exports of Medical Supplies to Other Countries. telesurenglish.net On Friday, RELATED: | By implementing this Korean War-era national security law, the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Manag…
(2020-04-04). Letter from a Caterpillar worker in Illinois: "This is class biological warfare" wsws.org A Caterpillar worker writes about the dangerous conditions workers face during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the complicity of the United Auto Workers union.
(2020-04-04). Unemployment surges in Europe amid COVID-19 pandemic. wsws.org The catastrophe now unfolding in Europe is rooted not in the biological properties of the coronavirus, but in the political bankruptcy of European capitalism.
(2020-04-04). Ecuador Reports 3,465 COVID-19 Infections, 172 Deaths. telesurenglish.net 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: | 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…
(2020-04-04). First COVID-19 Death Reported in Asia's Largest Slum, Dharavi. telesurenglish.net Asia's largest slum located in India's financial capital of Mumbai has reported its first COVID-19 fatality, according to local reports. | RELATED: | 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…
(2020-04-04). Deaths from COVID-19 in New York double in three days. wsws.org While New York is the most seriously hit, many other regions in the United States are facing a similarly catastrophic situation.
(2020-04-04). Bots Made 55 % of Pro-Bolsonaro Tweets About COVID-19. telesurenglish.net Bots sent half of…
(2020-04-04). Working-class Londoners risk their lives fighting COVID-19 as the city's billionaires decamp. wsws.org 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.
(2020-04-04). COVID-19: Tips to reduce migraines for those susceptible to stress. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Schools and workplaces are closed. Social distancing requirements are in place. And people in many cities are being urged to stay home to prevent further spread of COVID-19. The global pandemic has greatly disrupted everyone's lives, creating a lot of stress and anxiety. Patients with chronic neurologic conditions, and migraines in particular, are especially susceptible …
(2020-04-04). Massachusetts veterans hospital investigated for COVID-19 catastrophe. wsws.org 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.
(2020-04-04). Science needs to guide us, says Mayo Clinic's Dr. Gianrico Farrugia on "Face the Nation" newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org ROCHESTER, Minn. ? Mayo Clinic President and CEO Gianrico Farrugia, M.D., shared his perspective on next steps to address the COVID-19 pandemic on CBS News' "Face the Nation" program that aired Sunday. Mayo Clinic President and CEO Gianrico Farrugia, M.D. In his interview with "Face the Nation" moderator Margaret Brennan, Dr. Farrugia said the focus …
(2020-04-04). To Survive Systemic Failure Induced by COVID-19, We Need Mutual Aid. truthout.org 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…
(2020-04-04). Government failings mean the UK is set to overtake Italy and Spain for coronavirus deaths. thecanary.co 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
(2020-04-04). How the virus that causes COVID-19 differs from other coronaviruses. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that can cause illnesses such as the common cold, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). So what makes those coronaviruses different from SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19? Dr. Clayton Cowl, a pulmonologist and chair of Mayo Clinic's Division of Preventive, Occupational and Aerospace Medicine, …
(2020-04-04). Trump Endangers Lives by Feuding With Governors and Withholding Health Insurance. truthout.org As U.S. COVID-19 deaths start to spike, at least 11 of the 13 states with their own health insurance exchanges
(2020-04-04). Turkish workers strike as bosses keep them at work despite COVID-19. wsws.org As of Friday night, Turkey had passed 20,000 cases and 400 deaths in the global coronavirus pandemic.
(2020-04-04). Iran Expands Its Hospital Capacity to Treat Over 55,000 Cases. telesurenglish.net 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: | 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…
(2020-04-04). UK: Elderly will be left to die as coronavirus plunges care sector into crisis. wsws.org 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.
(2020-04-04). Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: Point-of-care manufacturing to help fight COVID-19. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org When it comes to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, Mayo Clinic is relying not only on clinicians, but also engineers. Supply chain management and manufacturing capabilities are being readied to help in the fight against COVID-19. On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Jonathan Morris, co-director of Mayo Clinic's 3D Anatomic Modeling Lab, and Mark Wehde, chair …
(2020-04-04). Coronavirus crisis: Hunger and malnutrition spread in Germany. wsws.org 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.
(2020-04-04). Australian airline exploits pandemic in an attempt to sink rivals. wsws.org Qantas CEO: "This will be a survival of the fittest and Qantas is one of the fittest and most dynamic airlines in the world."
(2020-04-04). Pandemic accelerates union-government-employer collaboration in Australia. wsws.org ACTU leader Sally McManus is being feted by the corporate media as a "star" of the deepening coronavirus crisis.
(2020-04-04). Coronavirus Pandemic Makes the Case for Criminal Justice Reform. zcomm.org "We need to think of our jails and our prisons as part of our community"
(2020-04-04). Nepal: Masses confront enormous hardships from coronavirus pandemic. wsws.org 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.
(2020-04-04). In Time of Pandemic Praise for the UN. zcomm.org What the WHO and the SG of the UN have so far done during the health crisis, while worthy of headlines, posed no direct challenge to sovereignty or geopolitics…
(2020-04-04). No Fennel in the Sausage, No $600 for the Jobless. zcomm.org In plagues past and pandemic present, the wealthy exude the same contempt for those without wealth…
(2020-04-04). Africa's confirmed cases rise to 7,600, as 314 die from the coronavirus. wsws.org 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.
(2020-04-04). UK corporations scramble for coronavirus bailout funds. wsws.org The £350 billion bailout is an unprecedented financial handout to UK corporations, conducted without even the rubber stamp of a parliamentary vote.
(2020-04-04). As infections and deaths soar, Georgia governor issues "stay-at-home" directive. wsws.org 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.
(2020-04-04). Trump Is Preparing the Ground for a Totalitarian Dictatorship. truthout.org 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…
(2020-04-04). ECLAC Urges the U.S. to Lift Sanctions Against Venezuela, Cuba. telesurenglish.net The RELATED: | "It is soli…
(2020-04-04). Treasury Secretary Mnuchin Is Trying to Destroy Airline Workers' Job Protections. truthout.org America's aviation workers won a huge victory in the CARES Act. In the bill, Congress created a grants program that funds paychecks and benefits for two million hourly workers who were going to lose their jobs while planes are grounded. This isn't a no-strings-attached corporate bailout for airlines. The money goes directly to flight attendants, pilots, mechanics, cleaners, caterers, and wheelchair attendants, so that we can stay on the job, on our healthcare, and out of the unemployment l…
(2020-04-04). Argentina: Fernandez Criticizes Bank Opening Amid Quarantine. telesurenglish.net Argentina's RELATED: | He made a call to comply with…
(2020-04-04). Spanish singer-songwriter Luis Eduardo Aute dies at 76. telesurenglish.net 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: | 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…
(2020-04-04). Canadian government's bailout increases banks' control over economy and state. wsws.org 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.
(2020-04-04). Despite Threats From Management, Amazon Warehouse Workers in Chicago Strike to Demand Better Coronavirus Precautions. commondreams.org Days after leaked email correspondence revealed Amazon executives' plan to publicly attack a Staten Island warehouse employee for organizing a protest over unsafe working conditions amid the coronavirus pandemic, workers at an Amazon facility in Chicago staged a walkout to demand protections from the virus. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-04-04). WATCH: Bernie Sanders to Host Livestream Detailing Priorities for Worker-Focused Coronavirus Relief Bill. commondreams.org Sen. Bernie Sanders will host a livestream Saturday regarding the coronavirus pandemic and his priorities for a sweeping relief package which would center the needs of working Americans. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-04-04). 'Pure Retaliation, Retribution, and Reprisal': Trump Fires Inspector General Who Sounded Alarm About Ukraine Whistleblower Complaint. commondreams.org Democratic lawmakers and government watchdogs on Saturday condemned President Donald Trump's abrupt dismissal of Michael Atkinson, the intelligence community inspector general who informed Congress last year of the whistleblower complaint which kicked off Trump's eventual impeachment proceedings. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-04-04). 'A Mockery of Independence': Trump to Nominate White House Lawyer to Oversee $4.5 Trillion Coronavirus Relief Bill. commondreams.org A late Friday announcement regarding President Donald Trump's nominee to oversee the implementation of the $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill was regarded by government watchdogs as the president's latest attempt to protect the interests of powerful corporations while Americans are focused on the coronavirus pandemic. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-04-04). Not Even Online Sex in Self-Isolation! UK Prostitutes Suffer From Hardship During Pandemic. sputniknews.com Many British sex workers have been hard hit by the current pandemic due to their inability to entertain patrons. Given the meagre prospects offered by webcam work, some have been forced to rely on a group set up by their fellow prostitutes to make it through.
(2020-04-04). Call of the indigenous peoples, afro-descendants and peoples' organizations of Latin America. mronline.org 
The crisis that COVID-19 has provoked globally presents a crossroads to the peoples of Abya Yala — Latin America. The popular organizations are the first line of resistance against the worst expressions of the decomposing system.
(2020-04-04). Trump Sends Gunnboats to Venezuela While World Partners to Fight Pandemic. zcomm.org The indictment against Venezuelan officials is bizarre. There is no footprint for it in any DEA document that is available…
(2020-04-04). Russian national wealth fund covers half of expenses for coronavirus medical aid sent to New York. rt.com 
The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) has announced it is investing in production of testing systems, medicine, and medical equipment necessary to battle the spread of Covid-19. | Russia has recently delivered personal protective and medical equipment supplies to New York, which has become the worst coronavirus-affected US city. The Russian plane carrying the vital cargo arrived in the US on April 1. | Also on rt.com | | "RDIF paid half of the cost of medical supplies for clinics, hospital…
(2020-04-04). Tariffs ALWAYS an option! Trump hopes Russia & Saudis reach oil deal 'fair' for US as Putin seeks cooperation from ALL sides. rt.com 
US President Donald Trump hinted at the possibility of imposing tariffs on oil imports, due to a 'massive excess' supply on the global market created by the Saudi-Russian price war and exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. | "There's too much oil, there's a glut," Trump said at a White House press conference on Friday, when asked what he discussed with oil industry executives earlier in the day. While lower gas prices at the pump were a good thing for Americans impacted by the economic shutdown over the pandemic, they were also hurting the US energy sector, he said. | It's a free market, they'll figure it out.
(2020-04-04). Master-class on social distancing: Russian cosmonauts share tips on how to cope with coronavirus isolation with RT. rt.com 
Social distancing and self-isolation may be new concepts for people on Earth, but it's nothing new for residents of the International Space Station. Two Russian cosmonauts gave some advice on how to spend time indoors. | Fifty-five-year-old cosmonaut Andrei Borisenko is quite familiar with being confined to tight quarters for long periods of time, after making two flights into space and spending a total of 337 days in orbit. He told RT Russia that the best antidote to depression in such situations is to keep yourself busy. | Occupy yourself with something… Reread your favorite books. My parents live in St. P…
(2020-04-04). Saudi Arabia denies trying to kill US shale, shifts blame for oil supply glut on Russia. rt.com 
Having boosted its oil output to historic records, Saudi Arabia denied that it seeks to "get rid of" US shale oil producers, after Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Riyadh of aggressively targeting competitors. | Rejecting the accusation as "fully devoid of truth," Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud insisted that the Kingdom is and has always been "seeking to reach more cuts and achieve oil market equilibrium for the interest of shale oil producers." | Despite pumping oil at a record pace of 12 million barrels per day and offering its customers unprecedented discounts, Riyadh reject…
(2020-04-04). OPEC+ emergency meeting to be held on April 9. rt.com 
The members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and their allies willing to support the tumbling oil market have postponed their emergency talks till Thursday. | The delay was confirmed by the Azerbaijan Energy Ministry to Russian media on Saturday, one day after it had announced that the talks were set to be held on April 6. | Also on rt.com | | While it was earlier reported that the delegations needed more time to figure out how to b…
(2020-04-04). VIDEO shot seconds after massive gas explosion in Moscow region apartment building. rt.com 
The harrowing aftermath of a gas leak that destroyed several floors of an apartment building outside of Moscow was caught on film seconds after the explosion. | One clip shows a massive plume of dust and smoke spreading into the street as a car passes by. Other social media users filmed people gathering around the scene of the accident, with mountains of debris in front of the partially-destroyed apartment building. | The blast took place on Saturday afternoon in Orekhovo-Zuyevo, a town of 118,000 people around 80km from the Russian capital. Emergency services have been dispatched to the scene. Officials sa…
(2020-04-04). Saudi Arabia uses low oil prices to force US to cut shale production, but damage to all countries may prompt talks. rt.com 
A fall in oil prices intensified by Saudi Arabia's actions has dealt a deadly blow to US shale oil companies, but "counterproductive" measures that harm all oil producers may force Riyadh, Washington and Moscow to finally talk. | The so-called 'Shale Revolution' in the US in recent years has deprived the Saudis of a huge chunk of the American oil market, but Riyadh is now using the coronavirus crisis to win back its lost position. | After failing to find common ground with Russia on how to respond to the pandemic, Saudi Arabia began pumping oil at such an intense rate that the prices saw the sharpest drop, uns…
(2020-04-04). Deadly knife attack in south of France investigated by anti-terrorism prosecutor. rt.com 
The man accused of killing two people and injuring five in the southeastern French town of Romans-sur-Isere had the aim of "seriously disturbing public order by intimidation or terror," the anti-terrorism prosecutor's office said. | The suspect is a Sudanese man in his 30s, who lamented living in a country of "unbelievers," according to handwritten documents found in his home. The alleged perpetrator went on a stabbing spree on Saturday morning when the town's residents who are in lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak were out shopping for groceries. | First, he went to a tobacco shop where he attacked the…
(2020-04-04). UK suffers deadliest Covid-19 day so far as 708 new deaths recorded. rt.com 
The death toll from the coronavirus in the UK jumped by 20 percent to 4,313 on Saturday as 708 new deaths were confirmed by health officials. | The health ministry said that 41,903 people have tested positive for the virus in the UK and a total of 183,190 people have been tested. | The surge in deaths comes after a top epidemiologist warned on Saturday that the infection rate in the UK will remain high for "weeks and weeks" if people flout social distancing rules this weekend. | Professor Neil Ferguson, from Imperial College London, said that while the epidemic was expected to plateau in the next 10 days, peop…
(2020-04-04). 'There'll be a lot of death': Trump sends 1,000s of troops to Covid-19-hit states for 'toughest 2 weeks'. rt.com 
US President Donald Trump has warned that the next two weeks will be the toughest and there will be a lot more deaths, promising additional military deployments to help the states contain the Covid-19 outbreak. | Trump announced the deployments of "thousands" of soldiers and military personnel to help states across the country. At least 1,000 additional troops are being deployed to New York City alone. | We are going to be adding a tremendous amount of military to help | The number of Covid-19 cases across the United States exceeded 300,000 on Saturday, nearly a half of them in New York and New Jersey. Over 8,…
(2020-04-04). 'There will be a lot of death': Trump sends 1,000s of troops to help Covid-19-hit states through 'toughest 2 weeks'. rt.com US President Donald Trump has warned that the next two weeks will be the toughest and there will be a lot more deaths, promising additional military deployments to help the states contain the Covid-19 outbreak. | Trump announced the deployments of "thousands" of soldiers and military personnel to help states across the country. At least 1,000 additional troops are being deployed to New York City alone. | Some of the states that have not been hit as hard yet are demanding much more supplies than needed, Trump added. To avoid shortages, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Health…
(2020-04-04). Iran develops homegrown AI software to speed up coronavirus tests. rt.com 
Tehran has unveiled new artificial intelligence software to speed up detection of the Covid-19 virus. With US sanctions restricting access to testing kits, necessity forced one of the region's hardest-hit countries to innovate. | The software was revealed by government officials in Tehran on Saturday. Developed by a consortium of Iranian universities in only one month, it uses artificial intelligence to analyze computed tomography (CT) scans of potentially infected lungs, allowing doctors to upload images and instantly receive results. | Wearing a face mask at the press conference, Iranian Vice President for S…
(2020-04-04). Covid-19 unites Democrats & Republicans: Most voters want primaries postponed. rt.com 
With the US leading in the number of coronavirus cases, American voters say they would feel uncomfortable going to the polls for the primaries, not matter of their political preferences, a survey has revealed. | More than two thirds of registered voters believe that the decision to postpone the primaries over Covid-19, made by over a dozen US states, was the right thing to do, according to a survey by Pew Research Center. This stance was shared by 71 percent of those, who support the Democrats, and 64 percent of those on the Republican side. | Visiting a polling station to cast their ballot amid a pandemic wou…
(2020-04-04). A glimmer of hope in Italy, as fewer patients in intensive care for the first time & daily death toll declines. rt.com 
The number of coronavirus patients in intensive care has fallen in Italy for the first time since the outbreak began, while the number of new deaths also declined slightly, but remains high at 681 cases in 24 hours. | The number of Covid-19 patients requiring intensive care in Italy fell by 74 between Friday and Saturday, marking the first time that number has declined since the pandemic reached the country in mid-February. Just under 4,000 patients in Italy are now in a serious or critical condition. | The country remains one of the hardest-hit in Europe, though authorities are beginning to see some faint ray…
(2020-04-04). Dubai goes on lockdown amid spike in coronavirus cases in UAE. rt.com 
The UAE's wealthiest emirate, Dubai, has announced a two-week-long lockdown, starting from 8pm (1600 GMT) on Saturday, in order to carry out large scale disinfection and stem the spread of Covid-19. | Mobility in Dubai will be restricted and legal action will be taken against violators, local news agency WAM said. The supermarkets and pharmacies will continue operating as normal. | The number of coronavirus cases has been on the rise in the UAE in the first days of April, with more than 1,500 people infected and ten fatalities so far.
(2020-04-04). Pointing fingers won't beat coronavirus, former UN head Ban Ki-moon tells RT. rt.com 
Former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has criticized leaders in Washington and London for "pointing fingers" at China during the coronavirus pandemic. "Not a single country" has the capacity to fight the virus alone, he told RT. | Politicians in London suggest that China will face a "reckoning" from Britain after the Covid-19 pandemic subsides, due to its initial attempts to downplay the threat of the virus. Speaking on RT's Going Underground, Ban Ki-moon said that "pointing fingers" during a time of crisis hampers a true international response to the crisis. | "Not a single country, however powerful… has…
(2020-04-04). LISTEN: China pays tribute to Covid-19 victims with 3 minutes of silence, air raid sirens & car horns. rt.com 
China has held a nationwide day of mourning for those who lost their lives to coronavirus, with the country observing three minutes of silence — and some cities opting for a much louder way of paying their respects. | The Chinese flag was at half-mast across the country on Saturday as citizens paid silent tribute to more than 3,300 people in the mainland who died from coronavirus. At least 13 infected doctors and nurses were reported to have died while fighting on the frontline against the virus. | Not all the commemorations were quiet, however. RT's video agency Ruptly published footage from Beijing…
(2020-04-04). US reports record 1,300+ Covid-19 deaths & 30,000+ new cases in 24hrs as New York braces for 'D-Day'. rt.com 
With little sign of the curve flattening, the US has confirmed over 1,300 Covid-19 deaths in a single day, as well as more than 30,000 new cases, as New York City sounds alarms that its hospitals will soon run out of ventilators.
(2020-04-04). 'White monopoly capital': Anti-white South African radicals scorn massive donations that could help black businesses. rt.com 
White billionaires giving money to help struggling South Africans during the Covid-19 economic slump have faced a barrage of insults from anti-white radical politicians. | Leading the outcry is the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) parliamentary party, which went off half-cocked when it
(2020-04-04). 'Govt sends us NAKED against Covid-19′: RT speaks to French nurse from caregivers' undressing flashmob. rt.com 
French caregivers battling Covid-19 are appallingly underequipped and overloaded with fresh cases, a local nurse said, explaining a recent action which saw medics posing naked to show their vulnerability to the deadly contagion. | The unorthodox demonstration kicked off earlier this week, with dozens of nurses undressing in a silent protest against the government "sending us naked to face this pandemic," as Melina Dufraigne-Laflechelle, one of the nurses behind the flashmob, put it on RT France. | Using the hashtag #apoilcontrelecovid (naked against the Covid), the silent protest featured medics of all ages po…
(2020-04-04). Bodies of Covid-19 victims pile up in streets of Ecuador as residents beg authorities for help. rt.com 
As the coronavirus pandemic rips through Ecuador, some cities are struggling to cope with a deluge of fatalities, pushing residents to make harrowing pleas for help as the bodies of loved ones accumulate in the streets. | The port city of Guayaquil, around 260 miles south of the capital, Quito, has been hit especially hard in the outbreak, leaving hospitals and morgues utterly overwhelmed in a flood of new patients and deaths. With local authorities unable to keep up with the influx of casualties, President Lenin Moreno has created a task force to tackle the problem, tapping Jorge Wated, board chairman at BanE…
(2020-04-04). Pakistani man SETS HIMSELF ON FIRE in front of PM Khan's office in protest of police & government. rt.com 
A man in Pakistan self-immolated outside of Prime Minister Imran Khan's office in the capital city, leaving a note stating that officials failed to act on a series of complaints he filed, police told local media. | The man, named as Faisal Mehmood, 45, set himself on fire near the PM's office in Islamabad on Friday, leaving a letter behind explaining his motives, police said. In the hand-written missive, Mehmood argued that local law enforcement had ignored a spate of complaints submitted through the Prime Minister Secretariat, and had instead taken action against him in retaliation. | Dousing himself with a c…
(2020-04-04). Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer named new Labour leader. rt.com 
Labour Brexit policy chief Keir Starmer has become the party's new leader, replacing Jeremy Corbyn who has stepped down after five years at the helm. | In a statement released after his victory was announced, Starmer noted that "coronavirus has brought normal life to a halt," and that Labour must take constructive action to hold the current Tory government accountable. | Under my leadership we will engage constructively with the government, not opposition for opposition's sake. Not scoring party political points or making impossible demands. But with the courage to support where that's the right thing to do.
(2020-04-04). Zoom privacy debacle shows the danger of our reliance on Big Tech during coronavirus lockdown. rt.com 
Security vulnerabilities with video conferencing app Zoom have revealed the danger of putting blind faith in Big Tech's coronavirus solutions. Zoom was riddled with privacy issues for years, and its competitors aren't much better. | With more than half of humanity under some form of lockdown, those lucky enough to keep their jobs have got to grips with video conferencing apps, with Zoom the
(2020-04-04). Downsizing, but no departure: US military leaves another base in Iraq. rt.com 
US and coalition troops have left a military base near Baghdad in Iraq, handing control of the facility over to Iraqi forces. The withdrawal is not the first in recent weeks, yet the US presence in Iraq will continue. | Located 50 miles (80km) west of Baghdad, al-Taqaddum Air Base has hosted coalition troops since 2015. On Saturday, the 500 coalition troops there prepared to move out, handing the keys to the base, along with $3.5 million worth of equipment, over to the Iraqi government. | The US military said as many as four bases were transferred to Iraq during the last month. Coalition forces have already le…
(2020-04-04). [Comment] Offline: COVID-19—what countries must do now. thelancet.com How should countries plan for the approaching health crisis caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)? In the UK, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, himself struck down with infection, has written to every household warning that, "we know things will get worse before they get better". The UK Government is right to prepare the public for the coming human catastrophe. All governments have a responsibility to do the same. But this advice does not go far enough. Here are five critical actions that need to be considered immediately.
(2020-04-04). After Corbyn Departure, BoJo Calls Upon Party Leaders to 'Work Together' on COVID-19 Response. sputniknews.com Jeremy Corbyn had consistently ruled out the possibility of joining forces with Boris Johnson to come up with a response to the COVID-19 crisis. Now, it appears that following the end of Corbyn's tenure as Labour leader, Mr Johnson is reaching out to the newly elected replacement.
(2020-04-04). U.S. gig and informal workers strike demanding better protection during COVID-19 outbreak. mronline.org 
Workers at Amazon, Instacart and Whole Foods protested on March 30 and 31 over concerns about unsafe working conditions, inadequate safety measures and lack of enough pay.
(2020-04-04). Chicago Amazon workers demonstrate to demand protection from COVID-19. wsws.org Amazon workers walked out yesterday to demand worker protections and that the facility be shut down for two weeks after two workers tested positive for COVID-19.
(2020-04-04). Angola 3 Newsletter: DECARCERATE!!!! indybay.org 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.
(2020-04-04). Updates from Santa Cruz's Struggling Benchlands Meal & Santa Barbara's Peter Marin. indybay.org 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…
(2020-04-04). Webinar: Racial Justice has no Borders: War & Militarization in the time of Pandemic. indybay.org Online (go to link below)…
(2020-04-04). As Delta smelt nears extinction, CDFW issues incidental take permit for endangered fish. indybay.org The incidental take permit was issued as the Delta smelt, once the most abundant species on the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, continues its steep slide towards extinction. For the second year in a row, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in its annual fall midwater trawl survey in 2019 found zero Delta smelt during the months of September, October, November and December.
(2020-04-04). Toward A Complete Dr. Martin Luther King Legacy. indybay.org MLK Library Sacramento | 24th Street Bypass | Sacramento, CA. 95822…
(2020-04-04). Livestream: Democracy and COVID-19: What Happens Next? indybay.org Online via livestream…
(2020-04-04). We're Not Paying Rent: Here's Why. indybay.org While there has long been a housing crisis in Oakland — and throughout California— COVID-19 makes the issue particularly dire because so many people are out of work and people are being told to stay at home to combat the spread of the virus.
(2020-04-04). Oakland & Alameda County: Call Now to Demand Housing for Our Unsheltered Neighbors. indybay.org 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.
(2020-04-04). Rent Strike and Anti-Capitalist Graffiti Pops Up in Oakland! indybay.org As the COVID19 pandemic has made it difficult or impossible for many of Oakland's tenants to pay rent, "rent strike" and anti-capitalist graffiti, signs and banners have been appearing throughout West Oakland, Lake Merritt, and along Grand Avenue.
(2020-04-04). California Apartment Association is afraid of coronavirus rent strikes. indybay.org 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.
(2020-04-04). Navajo Nation cases of coronavirus increase to 214 with seven deaths. indybay.org The Navajo Nation has 214 cases of coronavirus, 40 new cases in the past 24 hours, and seven deaths. The Navajo President said they are in urgent need of more test kits. Doctors on the Navajo Nation said they need more critical care nurses, ventilators and masks.
(2020-04-04). Oakland Rent Strike: Food Not Rent. indybay.org An organized group of tenants in Oakland are beginning a rent strike. We call on others to join us.
(2020-04-04). UK could relax some coronavirus lockdown rules in weeks, says top epidemiologist. yenisafak.com Britain could relax some social-distancing measures in a matter of weeks if the spread of the coronavirus eases and testing steps up, a leading professor of mathematical biology at Imperial College London said on Saturday."I'm hopeful that in a few weeks' time we will be able to move to a regime which – will not be normal life, let me emphasize that – but will be somewhat more relaxed in terms of social-distancing and the economy but rely more on testing," Neil Ferguson he told BBC Radio.
(2020-04-04). More supermarkets step up to reward staff working through the coronavirus pandemic. thecanary.co 
John Lewis has become the latest shop to reward its staff working through the coronavirus pandemic.All frontline workers at the department store and Waitrose supermarkets will get an extra £25 for each week they work in April and May.Grocery sales rose by 20.6% in the last four weeks, and 7.6% in the last 12 and one expert said shops have been even busier than at Christmas. Supermarkets dealt with record levels of demand in March, according to figures released earlier this week.Many are now passing on profits to employees. Staff at Morrisons have been told to expect a £1,000 bonus as their earnings wi…
(2020-04-04). Corporate Media Ignore International Cooperation as Shortcut to Coronavirus Vaccine. commondreams.org When Dr. Jonas Salk was asked in a legendary interview about who owned the patent on the effective polio vaccine he and his team had developed, he acknowledged that their achievement belonged to "the people," and likened efforts to profit off their innovation to be as unethical as trying to patent the Sun.
(2020-04-04). Coronavirus Failures Show Trump Is Clear and Present Danger to the United States. commondreams.org Trump ridiculed, then minimized, then delayed the federal government's response to the coronavirus for weeks. Then finally he wrapped his boastful, confused ego around reality. But Trump is actively pushing programs that will endanger more Americans.
(2020-04-04). Disparity Ideology, Coronavirus, and the Danger of the Return of Racial Medicine. commondreams.org A man wearing and selling masks for 5 dollars along Adams Blvd and Figueroa St. during the Coronavirus Pandemic in Los Angeles on Thursday, April 02, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-04-04). From Free CovidCare to Medicare For All: The Time is Now to Provide Health Care as a Public Good for All. commondreams.org The coronavirus pandemic is exposing the deadly failings of market-driven health care. It takes all of us to protect our health, yet our health system is divided and unequal.
(2020-04-04). [Correspondence] Obsolete medical law in Japan harms doctors' health. thelancet.com Japan has achieved one of the most successful health-care systems in the world.1 Under the nation's insurance scheme, Japanese citizens have taken for granted that anyone can choose any health-care facility and receive the most advanced medical care across the nation. However, little attention has been paid to the fact that such a health system is supported by dedicated and self-sacrificing medical professionals. Such overloaded expectation is especially high in rural areas where the number of doctors remains low.
(2020-04-04). Russia Approves Energy Policy Until 2035, Allots $7.4Mln for Anti-Coronavirus Measures. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The Russian cabinet said on Saturday that it had approved the draft of the country's energy policy for the period until 2035 and allocated over 562 million rubles ($7.4 million) from its reserve fund to be paid to agencies on the frontline of tackling the COVID-19 outbreak.
(2020-04-04). Russian Historian Reveals Which Puppet Ally Hitler Was Ready to Sacrifice Berlin For. sputniknews.com 75 years ago, from January to May 1945, the Allies began the final push for the heart of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich, knocking down one puppet regime after another and counting down the days to the Nazis' surrender.
(2020-04-04). Moscow to Introduce System For Self-Isolation Control in Case of Quarantine Violations. sputniknews.com The day before, Moscow's authorities stated that they had launched a system for monitoring patients diagnosed with COVID-19.
(2020-04-04). Two Teams of Russian Specialists to Stay in Belgrade, 5 to Be Sent to Other Cities to Fight COVID-19. sputniknews.com Earlier, the Russian Defence Ministry said it would send 87 military epidemiologists and medics, as well as protective gear and disinfectant to Serbia on 11 flights starting Friday.
(2020-04-04). Sales of Vodka in Russia May Drastically Increase Amid Coronavirus Pandemic. sputniknews.com As the COVID-19 pandemic has already disrupted supply chains around the world, Russian media reported earlier that Russia may face shortages in the supply of imported alcohol.
(2020-04-04). First Video From The Scene: Apartment Building Partially Collapses After Explosion in Moscow Region. sputniknews.com Authorities say the building was rocked by a gas explosion on the third floor.
(2020-04-04). 'Everything's Going as Planned': Russia Ships First of Dozens of Ansat Helicopters Ordered by Mexico. sputniknews.com Russian Helicopters and their Mexican partner — the Craft Avia Center announced plans to form a partnership to market the Ansat multi-purpose helicopter in Mexico several years back, with the Mexican side opening a service center earlier this year.
(2020-04-04). Watch: Two 'Artificial Structures' Spotted on Mars, Alien Buff Claims. sputniknews.com Scott C. Warring, the founder of the UFO and paranormal news blog ET Data Base, believes he has found evidence of intelligent life on Mars: a pyramid with a door and a weird elongated "building".
(2020-04-04). People Take Part in Self-Isolated Virtual Run For 'Golden Toilet Paper Roll' Award – Video. sputniknews.com Though it may be difficult to overcome the stress of self-isolation as the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread around the world, people are keeping their chins up and trying different ways to entertain themselves.
(2020-04-04). Covid-19: India Curbs Export of Diagnostic Kits With Immediate Effect. sputniknews.com New Delhi (Sputnik): The Covid-19 pandemic has claimed 68 lives in India, and as of today there are at least 2,650 active cases.
(2020-04-04). COVID-19 UK Lockdown Measures Could be Loosened Within Weeks – Gov't Adviser. sputniknews.com Many Brits are looking for a glimmer of hope as the number of recorded deaths in their country from COVID-19 (3,605) surpasses that of even China (3, 326).