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/2020/04/02/18832077.php
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
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
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/santa-cruz-county-launches-joint-homelessness-task-force-in-coronavirus-pandemic .
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/04/05/18832118.php
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/2020/04/04/18832103.php
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/2020/04/03/18832098.php
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-Leader-Pens-Open-Letter-to-US-Public–20200405-0003.html
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-killed-turkish-strikes-idlib-kurdish-rebels-attack-turkish-proxies-afrin/5708661
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/2020/04/02/18832068.php
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-19-and-black-workers?cd-origin=rss
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-journalists-forgotten-h1n1-scandal-reported/5708693
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/2020/04/05/one-nato-country-is-using-the-coronavirus-as-a-weapon-of-war/
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-resigns-coronavirus/
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-Calls-for-New-Marshall-Plan-in-Europe-20200405-0004.html
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
'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-hydroxychloroquine-coronavirus/
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-coronavirus-100-groups-warn-against-exploiting-pandemic-permanently-expand-surveillance-state/5708681
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-warning-eu-coronavirus/
'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-pandemic-address/
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-coronavirus-lockdown/
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-Economic-Plan-for-People-Affected-by-COVID-19-20200405-0001.html
'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
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-coronavirus-infections-sobyanin/
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-trump-needs-war/5708662
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-and-asian-americans-hit-hardest-early-covid-19-job-losses
'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-a-van-driver-says-one-man-on-the-front-line-but-everyones-going-above-and-beyond/
'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-coronavirus-open-shutdown/
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-coronavirus-passes-250000/
'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
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
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
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-putting-their-wealth-above-public-health-amid-the-pandemic/
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-putting-their-wealth-above-public-health-amid-the-pandemic/
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-Ecuador-Report-Highest-Number-of-COVID-19-Cases-20200405-0002.html
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
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
Livestream: Democracy and COVID-19: What Happens Next?
The Commonwealth Club | indybay.org | 2020-04-05
Online via livestream…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/04/02/18832076.php
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-two-stockpiles?cd-origin=rss
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-to-Hospital-Over-COVID-19-Symptoms-20200405-0005.html
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‡¶Æ…
thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2020/04/05/a-shocking-video-exposes-the-devastating-impact-of-the-coronavirus-crisis-in-bangladesh/
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
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
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-coronavirus-return/
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-speculation/
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-transition-framework-venezuela-end-all-sanctions/5708687
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-mourns-loss-life-pandemic-sends-aid-nyc
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-media-help-elect-trump-again?cd-origin=rss
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-will-inevitably-cause-food-crisis/5708678
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-cuban-missile-crisis/5708670
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-far-clear/5708697