(2020-04-05). 'Profound lack of human decency': Oliver Stone tears into US govt over Iran & Venezuela sanctions amid Covid-19 crisis. rt.com 
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 — and in some cases, increase — its economi…
(2020-04-05). 'Low-risk' businesses in Iran will start operating within a week, Rouhani says. rt.com 
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…
(2020-04-05). Covid-19 cases in Moscow near 4,000 as mayor says capital is country's 'HIGHEST RISK' region. rt.com 
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…
(2020-04-05). Covid-19 cases in Moscow near 4,000 as mayor says residents are at 'HIGHEST RISK' compared to other regions. rt.com Moscow has over 500 new coronavirus cases, with the total number of infections in the capital approaching 4,000. The city's mayor has warned that residents remain at risk and that's why tough measures are still needed. | The Russian capital registered 536 new infections on Sunday, increasing the city's total case count to 3,893, according to official figures. The latest data lists 5,389 cases nationwide, resulting in 45 deaths. | Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said on Sunday that Moscow is at "highest risk" because of the number of people that have have traveled through the city or returned from abroad. The large numbe…
(2020-04-05). Coronavirus lockdowns shave off almost 30 percent of entire US economy — Moody's. rt.com 
As stay-at-home orders to battle the coronavirus are effective in most states, the virus-related restrictions have already shed 29 percent of US daily output, Moody's Analytics warns as cited by the Wall Street Journal. | The full scale of economic disaster stemming from almost countrywide closures of businesses in various industries — from entertainment to retail — will not be seen for years. However, the first estimates have already started to emerge, and the picture is quite gloomy. | According to Moody's study, which was carried when 41 states shut down non-essential businesses, California alon…
(2020-04-05). Spoken Word Poetry — 'this world we live in'. mronline.org 
TheTamim is a young and very passionate boy who writes about his upmost emotions and feelings, not only towards the world but also distintive individuals across history.
(2020-04-05). Some good news! Number of people who've RECOVERED from Covid-19 passes quarter of a million. rt.com 
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…
(2020-04-05). 'Better days will return': Queen Elizabeth compares Covid-19 fight to WWII, but reassures Brits, as coronavirus deaths near 5,000. rt.com 
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.
(2020-04-05). Easier said than done? Trump says major US leagues 'have to get back' but Covid-19 carnage could mean long waiting game. rt.com 
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…
(2020-04-05). Spanish PM says EU survival is at stake in war against coronavirus as Spain becomes Europe's most infected nation. rt.com 
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 Sanchez called for solidarity between membe…
(2020-04-05). China's exports of key medical supplies rise to $1.5 BILLION amid global shortage of anti-virus gear. rt.com 
As the coronavirus landed in Europe and the US, the former epicenter of the outbreak, China, has exported to other countries medical supplies worth $1.45 billion (10.2 billion yuan) to battle the deadly pandemic. | The key supplies, including billions of masks, millions of protection suits and infrared temperature detectors, as well as 16,000 units of ventilators, were sent overseas in one month from March 1 to April 4, the country's General Administration of Customs announced on Sunday. | According to Chinese Ministry of Commerce, exports of medical supplies have been increasing and the government is not goin…
(2020-04-05). Saudi stocks open higher as deal to save oil market looms. rt.com 
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.
(2020-04-05). Spain registers fewer than 700 new coronavirus-related deaths as daily fatalities show signs of slowing. rt.com 
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 — an increase of 6,023 — down from 7,000 new infections the previous day. | New infections grew just five percent over the past day, which is the lowest rise since the health crisis began, El Pais reported. Total deaths stand at 12,418, with daily fatalities decre…
(2020-04-05). 'I'm only a van driver,' says one man on the front line, 'but everyone's going above and beyond'. thecanary.co 
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…
(2020-04-05). Covid-19 hotspot Italy rolls out plan for 'living with the virus' once peak has passed. rt.com 
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…
(2020-04-05). UK ministers 'no longer discounting' theory that Covid-19 leaked from Wuhan lab — report. rt.com 
Senior members of the UK government have become less skeptical of the fringe theory that the coronavirus pandemic came from a lab in Wuhan, China, the original epicenter of the outbreak, high-ranked sources told the Daily Mail. | A member of Cobra, the emergency committee led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, told the papaer that while it's still believed that the virus originated from animals, intelligence reports have not ruled out the possibility that the deadly illness was man-made. | "There is a credible alternative view [to the zoonotic theory] based on the nature of the virus. Perhaps it is no coincidenc…
(2020-04-05). Market speculations, not real demand, sank Russian oil to 20-year lows. rt.com 
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…
(2020-04-05). Scottish medical chief WITHDRAWN from briefings after flouting lockdown rules to visit holiday home. rt.com 
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…
(2020-04-05). Colleagues pay tribute to NHS staff who have died during Covid-19 crisis. thecanary.co 
Tributes have flooded in for NHS staff known to have died after contracting Covid-19.Two nurses — both young mothers — five doctors and two healthcare assistants have contracted the coronavirus and died since the start of the outbreak.Nurse Areema Nasreen, 36, died just after midnight on April 2 in intensive care at Walsall Manor Hospital in the West Midlands — the hospital where she had worked for 16 years. | Richard Beeken, chief executive of Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, paid tribute to her, saying: "Any death is devastating but losing one of our own is beyond words."He said Nasreen had started…
(2020-04-05). Magic bullet for Covid-19? Scientists look to century-old plasma treatment, but there are some big 'BUTS'. rt.com 
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 — but big challenges still remain, scientists say. | It's been months since the novel coronavirus started to rage across China, spilling over to other countries and infecting more than a million people around the world, but there is still no clinically tested vaccine or medication. However, one possible treatment that has been around for over a century is attracting attention, with some scientists suggesting it could be a game-changer — provid…
(2020-04-05). 'We will WHIP YOU': Police employ no-nonsense measures to force Covid-19 lawbreakers to self-isolate in Zambia (VIDEO). rt.com 
Some people just don't get it when it comes to bans on partying and loitering amid the Covid-19 pandemic — you've certainly heard of this type in your country. Zambia's police just found a "creative" way to force them to comply.
(2020-04-05). Scottish health chief RESIGNS after police tells her off for breaking Covid-19 lockdown rules. rt.com 
Dr Catherine Calderwood is stepping down from…
(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…
(2020-04-05). 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). Tory incompetence revealed as Hancock admits NHS may not hit ventilator target before virus peak. thecanary.co 
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…
(2020-04-05). 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.
(2020-04-05). 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…
(2020-04-05). Correcting the Sentinel's Latest Errors. indybay.org 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/santa-cruz-county-launches-joint-homelessness-task-force-in-coronavirus-pandemic .
(2020-04-05). COVID-19 Is Turning Prisons Into "Kill-Boxes" truthout.org "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 — 21 percent of the state prison population — and lays out a process to use funds from the state's share of the f…
(2020-04-05). Webinar: Racial Justice has no Borders: War & Militarization in the time of Pandemic. indybay.org Online (go to link below)…
(2020-04-05). Venezuelan Leader Pens Open Letter to US Public. telesurenglish.net 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: | 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…
(2020-04-05). Video: Syrian Soldiers Killed in Turkish Strikes in Idlib. Kurdish Rebels Attack Turkish Proxies in Afrin. globalresearch.ca 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 …
(2020-04-05). Why The Mainstream Media Suggests Lifting Sanctions Against Iran While Not Saying Anything About Venezuela ‚Ä®. zcomm.org No other country in the world is being subjected to the type of regime change strategy that the Trump administration is applying to Venezuela…
(2020-04-05). Remembering MLK, Jr. on the Anniversary of his Murder in a Pandemic Year. zcomm.org "I am convinced that if we are to get on to the right side of the world revolution, we as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values"
(2020-04-05). Big Brother in the Age of Coronavirus: 100+ Groups Warn Against Exploiting Pandemic to Permanently Expand Surveillance State. globalresearch.ca As the number of COVID-19 cases
(2020-04-05). Toward A Complete Dr. Martin Luther King Legacy. indybay.org MLK Library Sacramento | 24th Street Bypass | Sacramento, CA. 95822…
(2020-04-05). More Democracy or Less? Elections in a Pandemic. zcomm.org The GOP's decade-long war on voting rights is making it harder to hold fair elections as COVID-19 spreads…
(2020-04-05). No-one's buying Matt Hancock's excuse for more draconian restrictions on our lives. thecanary.co 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 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.
(2020-04-05). COVID-19 Depression: Trump Needs a War. globalresearch.ca 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 …
(2020-04-05). By Refusing to Cancel In-Person Voting, Wisconsin GOP Weaponizes Coronavirus. truthout.org 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
(2020-04-05). Efficiency vs. Resilience. commondreams.org "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."
(2020-04-05). Earth hurtling towards catastrophe worse than dinosaur extinction. zcomm.org Earth's next mass extinction is avoidable — if carbon dioxide emissions are dramatically curbed and we develop and deploy technologies to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere…
(2020-04-05). ICE Eases Threat but "Essential" Immigrant Farmworkers Struggle to Feed Themselves. zcomm.org Immigrant farm workers have long been essential to the United States. But they have never been recognized, respected or properly rewarded for their labor…
(2020-04-05). Switching Focus: From the Coronavirus Crisis to the Cuban Missile Crisis. globalresearch.ca 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 …
(2020-04-05). What the Coronavirus Pandemic Can Teach Us About the Climate Emergency. zcomm.org The climate change lessons of Covid-19 are to heed the warnings of scientists, do everything possible to minimize the hazards they predict, and prepare to cope with the impacts that remain…
(2020-04-05). The Billionaires Putting Their Wealth Above Public Health Amid the Pandemic. truthout.org 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
(2020-04-05). Will the Media Help Elect Trump? Again? commondreams.org 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.
(2020-04-05). A Simple "Democratic Transition" Framework for Venezuela: End All "Sanctions" globalresearch.ca On March 31 the US Secretary of State issued a
(2020-04-05). Coronavirus in Albania and the Presence of Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK) in Tirana. globalresearch.ca 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. …
(2020-04-05). Covid-19: Have "Real Journalists" Forgotten the H1N1 Scandal They Reported On? globalresearch.ca 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 …