(2020-04-07). French state covered up mass COVID-19 deaths in retirement homes. wsws.org Over the weekend, the reported daily COVID-19 toll in France nearly tripled from earlier levels as deaths of the elderly were finally reported.
(2020-04-06). Pentagon orders US military personnel to wear face coverings made from… '–°LEAN T-SHIRTS' & other household items. rt.com 
All US military personnel must cover their faces in situations where they are unable to adhere to social-distancing guidelines, the Pentagon has announced. However, a shortage of masks means troops will have to get creative. | The new anti-coronavirus protocol — which applies to military and civilian personnel, along with family members, contractors and guests on military bases — calls for wearing "cloth face coverings" when individuals are unable to keep at least six feet away from each other. | Personal protective equipment such as N95 respirators will be reserved for "appropriate personnel" –…
(2020-04-06). US braced for '9/11 moment' as parts of Europe see glimmers of hope. thecanary.co 
The United States is braced for one of its darkest weeks in living memory amid the coronavirus pandemic, as some hard-hit European areas were seeing glimmers of hope.Italy, Spain and France saw signs that they are flattening the Covid-19 pandemic curve, but still reported hundreds of people dying each day.(PA Graphics)Leaders cautioned, however, that any gains could easily be reversed if people did not continue to adhere to strict social distancing measures and national lockdowns.In Washington, US surgeon general Jerome Adams offered a stark warning about the expected wave of deaths."This is going to be our Pearl…
(2020-04-06). New Zealand to stick with tough Covid-19 curbs amid 'early signs of improvement'. rt.com 
New Zealand will stick to its tough curbs to combat the coronavirus, despite some early signs that the spread of the illness has been stabilizing. "Our actions for the remainder of the period in level four will be about doubling down to ensure the gains made in the first half are not squandered in the second," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told reporters in Wellington on Monday. | The country's 67 new infections were the lowest in five days, taking its tally to just over 1,100. New Zealand has reported one death, Reuters said. | Level-four curbs allow people to take walks or go to supermarkets for essentials,…
(2020-04-06). Japan's PM to declare state of emergency. thecanary.co 
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said he will declare a state of emergency for Tokyo and six other prefectures as early as Tuesday to fight the coronavirus outbreak but there will be no hard lockdowns.Abe also told reporters his government will launch a 108 trillion yen economic stimulus package to help counter the economic impact of the pandemic, including cash payouts to households in need and support to protect businesses and jobs.The prime minister said experts on a government-commissioned task force urged him to get a state of emergency ready as the Covid-19 outbreak is rapidly expanding in major citie…
(2020-04-06). Israel to mass produce beard-friendly masks for the follicled faithful. rt.com 
Israeli authorities have announced that they will produce custom-made face masks to protect the religious in the country, who sport beards as part of their faith, from the coronavirus. | In a move that will no doubt come as a relief to Israel's religious faithful, there will be no orders issued by government to mow down their mutton chops, or curtail their chin curtains. | Israeli authorities have asked the public to cover their mouths and noses in public, but this provides somewhat of a challenge to pious proponents of pogonotrophy; Jewish, Muslim and Christian groups in the country all wear beards as a sign…
(2020-04-06). Singapore quarantines migrant workers, unveils 'unprecedented budget for extraordinary times'. rt.com 
Singapore has put nearly 20,000 foreign workers under quarantine for two weeks after a growing number of coronavirus infections were detected in their dormitories. Authorities reported 120 new virus cases Sunday, the highest jump for the country in a single day, with many linked to foreign workers' dorms, AFP said. | Many workers, particularly from parts of South Asia, come to Singapore to work in construction and are typically housed in large dormitory complexes. | On Monday, the city-state announced S$5.1 billion ($3.55 billion) in additional economic spending, such as wage support, waiver of levies and one-…
(2020-04-06). Russia confirms biggest one-day spike in new Covid-19 cases, as almost 1000 reported on Monday. rt.com 
A week after most of the country went into a strict partial lockdown, Russia reported 954 new Covid-19 infections on Monday. A sharp increase on the previous days tally and a sign the fight against coronavirus is intensifying. | The total number of cases nationwide now stands at 6,343, with 47 dead. Over two-thirds (4,484) of known cases are concentrated in Moscow, Europe's largest city and the country's main transport hub. | However, there are worrying signs that Covid-19 is also spreading to more far-flung provinces, with infections now recorded in 80 of Russia's 85 federal subjects. On Monday, the first dea…
(2020-04-06). Merkel plans not to run for 5th term as chancellor haven't changed — aide. rt.com 
Angela Merkel's chief of staff said on Monday that he did not think the chancellor's plans not to run for a fifth term in office had changed. Bild newspaper last week raised the question of whether she might. | "I don't think this is any time to discuss something like that," Helge Braun told German broadcasters RTL/n-tv. "She has said that this is her last term in office and I believe nothing has changed about that." | Merkel has led Germany for 15 years and has stated previously that she will not seek re-election in autumn 2021. | Germany's confirmed coronavirus infections rose by 3,677 in the past 24 hours t…
(2020-04-06). Czech Republic reports slowest daily rise in confirmed Covid-19 cases. rt.com 
The Czech Republic reported its slowest daily percentage rise in confirmed coronavirus cases on Monday, the Health Ministry said. The country had 4,591 cases as of Sunday midnight, up 2.6 percent from the previous day, the lowest percentage increase since early March, when there was a handful of known infections. | This followed increases of 282 on Saturday, 332 on Friday and 269 on Thursday, and was the lowest absolute daily increase since March 22. There were 4,710 tests done on Sunday, down from a record 6,889 on Friday but still up by nearly 2,000 from a week ago, when the daily number of detected infectio…
(2020-04-06). A Department of Actual Defense in a Time of Coronavirus. counterpunch.org 
When a few thousand people were murdered on September 11, 2001, I was actually stupid enough — I kid you not — to imagine that the general public would conclude that because massive military forces, nuclear arsenals, and foreign bases had done nothing to prevent and much to provoke those crimes, the U.S. government would
(2020-04-06). European stocks jump as Covid-19 deaths slow across hardest-hit areas. rt.com 
Stock markets gained on Monday on the positive news that the coronavirus pandemic may be slowing down in some parts of the world, giving hope to investors that global business will resume. | German stocks lead European gains with the DAX index growing more than four percent. France's CAC 40 was up three percent, while Britain's FTSE 100 rose over two percent. | Stock markets also rose strongly across Asia, finishing higher in Japan, Australia, Hong Kong and South Korea. Markets in mainland China were closed for a public holiday. | "Like the rest of the world, financial markets are searching for any slivers of…
(2020-04-06). India's PM Modi, lawmakers agree 30% salary cut as govt deals with coronavirus outbreak. rt.com 
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top government figures will take a 30 percent salary cut this year, cabinet minister Prakash Javadekar said on Monday. | Modi has imposed a three-week lockdown to halt the spread of the virus. The move has left millions without jobs and many of the more vulnerable sections of society struggling for food and shelter, Reuters said. | The federal cabinet has approved a decree under which Modi, along with President Ram Nath Kovind, state governors and members of parliament, will take the salary cut as part of their social responsibility, according to Javadekar.
(2020-04-06). Flowers of gratitude: Georgians save desperate farmer from going broke & shower medics fighting Covid-19 with HUNDREDS of tulips. rt.com 
The coronavirus pandemic calls for self-distancing, but people can still come together to do a good deed — one Georgian farmer and a group of local medics can vouch for that. | Kako Jeiranashvili was in despair. The 63-year-old man had been growing tulips on his lot in Georgia's eastern Kakheti region for years. The beautiful red flowers, which he sent to capital Tbilisi every spring, have always been a reliable source of income for him. | But the coronavirus pandemic has delivered a massive blow to the market as few are eager to spend cash on flowers when they need face masks. This put the farmer on the…
(2020-04-06). Japan to declare month-long state of emergency in Tokyo, 6 other prefectures, PM Abe says. rt.com 
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says Japan will declare a state of emergency in Tokyo and six other prefectures as early as Tuesday in a bid to stop the coronavirus. Abe made the announcement in remarks to media televised live. | More than 3,500 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in Japan and 85 have died, Reuters reported. The numbers have been rising with particular alarm over the spread in Tokyo, which has more than 1,000 cases, including 83 new ones on Monday. | An emergency, which Abe said would last about a month, will give governors authority to call on people to stay at home and businesses to close, bu…
(2020-04-06). Moscow & Riyadh 'very, very close' to striking oil deal — Russia's sovereign wealth fund. rt.com 
Russia, Saudi Arabia, the United States, and other countries need to bring stability to the markets as the world faces "probably the greatest recession ever," said Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF). | He told CNBC that Moscow and Riyadh are very close to striking a deal on oil production cuts."I think the whole market understands that this deal is important and it will bring lots of stability, so much important stability to the market, and we are very close," said Dmitriev. | The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-member partners were expected to di…
(2020-04-06). Oil slips 6% after OPEC+ meeting delay as Trump vows 'very substantial tariffs' if Saudis & Russia fail to reach output cut deal. rt.com 
US President Donald Trump has promised to impose "very substantial tariffs" on imported oil, unless Saudi Arabia and Russia reach a deal to push crude prices up, just as oil skidded again following last week's rally. | Both Brent and WTI crude futures dived over nine percent at the Asian session opening, before bouncing back to around $32.6 and $26.6 a barrel respectively. The drop comes after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-member partners abruptly delayed their emergency meeting until Thursday, apparently due to standing disagreements between Saudi Arabia and Russia. | Cr…
(2020-04-06). Swedish minister's 'Russian trolls' fanning 5G fears turn out to be… anti-radiation activists led by local granny. rt.com 
Sweden's digitization minister blamed a flurry of anti-5G comments on the usual suspect — "Russian trolls" — but a closer look revealed that a local granny opposed to wireless radiation was behind the campaign. | The controversy dates back to late-December 2019, when Anders Ygeman, the Swedish energy and digital development minister, lamented that he had fallen victim to some "Russian trolls." Who else could flood his Facebook page with hundreds of comments demanding that he backpedal on the introduction of 5G networks in Sweden? | "There is a Russian political interest in disrupting and hindering…
(2020-04-06). Firefighters work to contain forest fires near Chernobyl nuclear site. thecanary.co 
Ukrainian firefighters worked overnight trying to put out two forest blazes in the area around the Chernobyl nuclear power station.The area was evacuated because of radioactive contamination after the 1986 explosion at the plant.Ukraine's emergencies service said one of the fires, covering about five hectares, had been localised. | It said the other fire was about 20 hectares.The head of the state ecological inspection service, Yehor Firsov, earlier said the fires had spread to about 100 hectares.Firsov said radiation levels at the fire were substantially higher than normal.But the emergencies service said radiat…
(2020-04-06). Covid-19: What is the UK's exit strategy from lockdown? thecanary.co 
Thoughts are turning to how the UK will end its period of lockdown and start the transition back to normal life.— What is the UK's exit strategy?No precise exit strategy has yet been formed, though Professor Neil Ferguson, from Imperial College, who is advising the government, said experts are looking at it in detail this week.Ending the lockdown will rely on a substantial slowdown in the epidemic of Covid-19 — the so-called "flattening the curve" — and a downward trend, which has not yet happened in the UK.The number of deaths is also still rising as the UK moves towards the peak of its epidemic,…
(2020-04-06). The University of California Strike Enters Its 4th Month. thenation.com 
Amid the Covid-19 outbreak, graduate student workers' living conditions are now their working conditions—and more than ever, we need them to be safe.
(2020-04-06). BoJo will stay 'in charge' of UK govt as he undergoes MORE Covid-19 tests after night in hospital — housing secretary. rt.com 
Boris Johnson will continue to lead the UK government despite spending the night in hospital due to his Covid-19 infection, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has said. The PM will also undergo a series of tests later in the day. | Although Johnson is in the hospital, he is still leading the UK government, Jenrick said on Monday. | "He's been working extremely hard, leading the government and being constantly updated, that's going to continue," Jenrick told BBC TV. He stressed that Johnson would "continue to be kept informed as to what's happening and to be in charge of the government." | The UK leader is not th…
(2020-04-06). 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.
(2020-04-06). San Diego "Honk for Justice" Calls for the Release of people in ICE Detention. indybay.org Author Pedro Rios serves as director of the AFSC's U.S./Mexico Border Program and has been on staff with AFSC since 2003. He is a steering committee member of the Southern Border Communities Coalition, which brings together over 60 organizations along the Southern border working to support migrants and border communities.
(2020-04-06). San Francisco: Mayor Breed Opts for Mass Indoor Camps. indybay.org While hundreds of advocates have been desperately contacting Mayor London Breed imploring her to place homeless people in hotel rooms and vacant units, it seems she has her own plan for addressing poverty during the pandemic: opening indoor camps to further concentrate vulnerable people.
(2020-04-06). As it releases thousands of prisoners, UK government keeps Julian Assange locked-up in danger. wsws.org The WikiLeaks founder is currently held on remand pending extradition to the US, not charged with any crime or serving any sentence, in Belmarsh maximum security prison.
(2020-04-06). The Pandemic Makes the Bernie 2020 Campaign More Vital Than Ever. zcomm.org There's no doubt that Bernie Sanders will do all he can to help defeat Donald Trump…
(2020-04-06). 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 .
(2020-04-06). US opinion is shifting in favor of the Nordic model — can activists keep up? zcomm.org In recognition of the pandemic crisis, big-city, mainstream newspapers are calling for actual system change. Activists need to be ready to answer the invitation…
(2020-04-06). 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…
(2020-04-06). Webinar: Racial Justice has no Borders: War & Militarization in the time of Pandemic. indybay.org Online (go to link below)…
(2020-04-06). Strikes, protests continue against unsafe working conditions amid coronavirus pandemic. wsws.org Workers are asserting their own interests with increasing forcefulness, while capitalist governments are preoccupied with how quickly they can restart production and renew the flow of profits.
(2020-04-06). This week in history: April 6-12. wsws.org 25 years ago: One-day strike in RussiaOn April 12, 1995, more than 1 million Russian workers carried out a one-day strike protesting nonpayment of wages and calling for the resignation of the government of President Boris Yeltsin. It was the most widespread strike action in Russia since the 1989 coal miners' walkouts.
(2020-04-06). "He's Got Eight Numbers, Just Like Everybody Else" counterpunch.org On April 4, 2020, my friend Steve Kelly will begin a third year of imprisonment in Georgia's Glynn County jail. He turned 70 while in prison, and while he has served multiple prison sentences for protesting nuclear weapons, spending two years in a county jail is unusual even for him. Yet he adamantly urges supporters
(2020-04-06). Nurses across the US demand equipment for protection against COVID-19. wsws.org In a show of unity, nurses at hospitals in several states are protesting against the lack of personal protective gear, ventilators and other life-saving equipment.
(2020-04-06). Australian Committee for Public Education holds successful online meeting on pandemic crisis. wsws.org The Socialist Equality Party's (US) candidate for vice president, Norissa Santa Cruz, brought greetings to the meeting which was attended by more than 70 people.
(2020-04-06). Neither Pandemic Nor Economic Collapse is Going to Be a Short-Lived Crisis. counterpunch.org On Thursday, April 2, the bottom fell out of the US economy, as the US Department of Labor reported that an unprecedented 6.6 million more workers in the US had been laid off and had filed claims for unemployment compensation payments with their state Unemployment Offices last week. That stunning news followed the already shocking
(2020-04-06). Trump's 7 Pro-Contagion Reversals Increase the Coronavirus Toll. counterpunch.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. Here's a brief look at Trump's pro-contagion activities that leave Americans defenseless in the face of the virus, implemented
(2020-04-06). EPA Is Jamming Through Rollbacks That Could Increase Coronavirus Deaths. zcomm.org The EPA has been proceeding with a rule that would severely limit the use of epidemiology, or the study of how disease is distributed throughout populations…
(2020-04-06). 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 …
(2020-04-06). 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.
(2020-04-06). African continent in social and economic chaos as official COVID-19 cases hit 10,000. wsws.org The coronavirus crisis has exposed African governments' lack of preparation for the pandemic, which was both foreseeable and foreseen.
(2020-04-06). 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 …
(2020-04-06). Faith in Experts Is As Unwarranted as Faith in Angels. thenation.com Faith in Experts Is As Unwarranted as Faith in Angels…
(2020-04-06). Wall Street Wins, Again: Bailouts in the Time of Coronavirus. counterpunch.org To say that these are unprecedented times would be the understatement of the century. Even as the United States became the latest target of Hurricane COVID-19, in "hot spots" around the globe a continuing frenzy of health concerns represented yet another drop down the economic rabbit hole. Stay-at-home orders have engulfed the planet, encompassing a majority of Americans, all of India, the United Kingdom, and much of Europe. A second round of cases may be starting to surface in China. Meanwhile, small- and medium-sized businesses, not to speak of giant corporate entities, are already facing severe financial pain.
(2020-04-06). "The Soul Syndicate members dem, dem are all icons": an Interview with Tony Chin. counterpunch.org On February 26, before coronavirus disrupted normal rhythms of life all over the world, I spoke for twenty minutes with my friend, legendary guitarist Tony Chin, at the Dub Club in Los Angeles; only a few hours later, in a spirited, sizzling performance, Tony would headline a memorable show there with fellow legendary members of the
(2020-04-06). The New Symbols of Our Crisis. thenation.com Rola Khayyat, The Nation, The Magnum Foundation The New Symbols of Our Crisis…
(2020-04-06). Was the Fed Just Nationalized? counterpunch.org Mainstream politicians have long insisted that Medicare for All, a universal basic income, student debt relief and a slew of other much-needed public programs are off the table because the federal government cannot afford them. But that was before Wall Street and the stock market were driven onto life-support by a virus. Congress has now
(2020-04-06). Authoritarian Leaders Rejected the Danger of a COVID-19 Pandemic Because It Challenged Their Image. counterpunch.org A Brazilian government official (r) posing for a photo next to President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence at Mar-A-Lago who tested positive for the 2019 novel coronavirus. In the current coronavirus pandemic authoritarian-oriented leaders, whether communist or capitalist, initially portrayed the virus as an insignificant danger. Once they could no longer ignore the
(2020-04-06). 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 …