(2020-04-23). Puerto Rico, Protest, Prison: Johanna Fernández and Jose Saldaña Talk About The Young Lords. counterpunch.org Johanna Fernández, child of immigrants from the Dominican Republic and professor at New York's Baruch College, has just published The Young Lords: A Radical History, a book about the 1960s Puerto Rican activist group. The Young Lords began as a Chicago street gang; then, inspired by the Black Panther Party, morphed into a militant rights
(2020-04-23). Libertarian Activist Organizes "Re-Open" Santa Cruz March, Calls Pandemic a Hoax. indybay.org Libertarian activist Sean Cutler is organizing a march to Santa Cruz City Hall on April 24 in support of re-opening the "local economy". An event listing posted to social media by Cutler promises "speeches" at City Hall, however it is unclear if the event is real or a stunt, as only one person is listed as attending. The event post for the march demands "an end to the tyrannical quarantine" and encourages participants to "bring flags, banners, posters, and the loving spirit of freedom". On March 16, Cutler posted on social media that the COVID-19 pandemic was, "overblown, childish, and insane". The pandemic is "s…
(2020-04-23). Merchants of death: Multibillion-dollar bailout for arms industry amid rising COVID-19 toll. wsws.org Workers in arms plants, classified as "essential infrastructure," have protested and struck against the coronavirus threat that confronts the entire working class amidst the drive for a return to work.
(2020-04-23). Amazon Workers Hold Nationwide Strikes As COVID-19 Sweeps Warehouses. zcomm.org Fired Amazon employee Chris Smalls says workers will protest until they feel protected, while Amazon-owned Whole Foods is ranking stores where employees are most likely to unionize…
(2020-04-23). Demonstrators Demand Santa Cruz Provide Hotel Vouchers for the Homeless. indybay.org Community members in Santa Cruz organized a "physical distancing" protest today to demand the City and County of Santa Cruz provide hotel vouchers for the homeless during the COVID-19 Pandemic. The demonstration was organized following California Governor Gavin Newsom's statements made during a press conference on April 18 that cities and municipalities that are blocking the State's effort to provide hotels for the homeless will be "judged" by history.
(2020-04-23). Talking Points for the "End the Shutdown" Protesters. counterpunch.org Just some helpful, encouraging ideas for the heroes who rally in defense of the dying system, enjoying the rebellious rush of imbibing one another's mucosal droplets in shouted sessions in classic settings. Some thoughts to discuss with friends and supporters, especially with the devout religious people leading the movement: *Pontius Pilate washed his hands after
(2020-04-23). Incarceration is Now a Potential Death Sentence. counterpunch.org This week, the New York Times featured the story of how the coronavirus savaged the Federal Correctional Complex in Oakdale, Louisiana. On March 28, Patrick Jones, 49, serving a 27-year sentence for possession of crack cocaine with the intent to distribute, became the first federal inmate to die of the virus. Barely three weeks later,
(2020-04-23). Our Revolution or Our Capitulation? counterpunch.org Seeing Bernie Sanders sitting on camera side by side with Joe Biden, demanding nothing, made me want to… Bernie Sanders gave up without hardly a whimper! No wonder that many of his supporters are fuming and stating that they will not vote for Biden in November. See "Say It Ain't So, Joe: The Latest Neoliberal
(2020-04-23). After Bernie: It's Time to Start Talking About a Democratic Socialist Party. counterpunch.org We all felt a deep sadness as Bernie Sanders announced the end of his campaign, along with gratitude for all his work fighting for socialist policies. The COVID-19 pandemic brutally underlines just how necessary Bernie's policies are. It's painful to even contemplate the presidential race being between the Wall Street Democrat Joe Biden and the
(2020-04-23). Marxism in an age of catastrophe — capitalism created an era of plagues. mronline.org 
We live in an era of plagues because of capitalist development, argues socialist author Mike Davis. But he also says coronavirus has exposed the gap between a tiny rich elite and the rest of us—and creates space to put forward socialist ideas…
(2020-04-23). 150 years after the birth of V.I. Lenin: Long Live Leninism! fightbacknews.org On April 22, 1870 the great Russian revolutionary Vladimir Ilyich Lenin was born in a small city of Simbirsk near the Volga River. Lenin stood at the forefront of Russia's revolutionary movement, at the helm of the world's first socialist country, and simultaneously brought into being the modern international communist movement. Lenin's thinking and the movement he helped create shook the world, and with our collective efforts, will shape the future. | Lenin's practical and theoretical contributions are legion. He was a profoundly practical person, who made major contributions to Marxist theory. In fact, Lenin to…
(2020-04-23). Trump failed on Coronavirus, now wants to "shoot down" tiny Iranian Skiffs. zcomm.org I doubt that Trump's tweet will last longer than his memory of calling the coronavirus a hoax has. He's just seeing if he can get a rise from his base by … acting like a scoundrel.
(2020-04-23). 'I strongly disagree': Trump says Georgia lifting Covid-19 lockdown 'too fast,' but governor REFUSES to back down. rt.com 
US President Donald Trump said Georgia is scaling back its coronavirus lockdown measures too quickly, voicing disapproval for the state's aggressive timetable for reopening, but Governor Brian Kemp held firm to his plan. | "I told the governor of Georgia that I disagree strongly with his decision to reopen certain facilities… which are in violation of the federal phase one guidelines," Trump told reporters at a White House briefing on Wednesday, adding that the state should "wait a little longer." | Although the president took issue with the Republican governor's decision, which has drawn major backlash from…
(2020-04-23). Fauci 'CONVINCED' US should brace for return of coronavirus in fall, says scale depends on 'response'. rt.com 
A top member of the White House Covid-19 task force, Dr Anthony Fauci, said there is practically no chance the virus would leave the nation for good, predicting a resurgence in the fall which may overlap with the flu season. | "We will have coronavirus in the fall. I am convinced of that, because of the degree of transmissibility that it has, the global nature," Fauci said at Wednesday's White House briefing, adding that while the next outbreak will be "complicated by influenza season," the country will be "much, much better prepared to do the kind of containment compared to what happened to us this winter."
(2020-04-23). Vietnam says accusations it hacked China center for Wuhan virus info 'baseless'. rt.com 
A report which said Vietnamese government-linked hackers had attempted to break into Chinese state organizations at the center of Beijing's effort to contain the coronavirus outbreak is "baseless," the Foreign Ministry in Hanoi said on Thursday. | US cybersecurity firm FireEye said the previous day that the hackers had tried to compromise the personal and professional email accounts of staff at China's Ministry of Emergency Management and the government of Wuhan, the Chinese city at the center of the pandemic. | "The accusation is baseless," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ngo Toan Thang told reporters. "Vietnam fo…
(2020-04-23). ‚ÄãCoronavirus is not an enemy rather a courier. mronline.org 
A Perspective from Chinese Dao thinking…
(2020-04-23). UN chief warns that coronavirus pandemic is becoming a 'human rights crisis'. thecanary.co 
UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres has said the coronavirus pandemic is "a human crisis that is fast becoming a human rights crisis".The UN chief issued a video message warning there is discrimination in the delivery of public services to tackle coronavirus (Covid-19) and there are "structural inequalities that impede access to them".He said the pandemic has also seen "disproportionate effects on certain communities, the rise of hate speech, the targeting of vulnerable groups, and the risks of heavy-handed security responses undermining the health response".He warned that with "rising ethno-nationalism, populi…
(2020-04-23). China to donate additional $30mn to WHO for fight against Covid-19. rt.com 
Beijing will donate an additional $30 million to the World Health Organization (WHO) to support the global fight against Covid-19, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Thursday. Hua tweeted the donation was aimed in particular at strengthening developing countries' health systems and added that China had already donated $20 million to the WHO in March. | The pledge comes about a week after US President Donald Trump suspended funding to the WHO and accused the Geneva-based organization of promoting Chinese "disinformation" about the virus, which emerged in the central city of Wuhan last yea…
(2020-04-23). Hungary's lockdown rules to be in effect until May 3, as govt plans 'restart of economy'. rt.com 
The Hungarian government will decide next week on the future of lockdown measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus, as Budapest prepares for a restart of the economy, Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff said on Thursday. | Current lockdown rules will be in effect until May 3, and a new set of rules will be implemented thereafter to incrementally allow the economy to get back to normal, Gergely Gulyas said. | The new set of restrictions after May 3 will ensure that those who are the most endangered by the virus are protected when economic activity is recommenced, Gulyas said. The restart of the…
(2020-04-23). Indian refineries slash Middle East oil imports as storage fills up. rt.com 
Due to plummeting fuel demand and overflowing storage capacity, at least three oil refiners in India have asked for lower crude oil imports for May from the Middle East, including from the world's top exporter Saudi Arabia. | Two oil refiners will be cutting their crude oil imports from Saudi Arabia by between 66 percent and 80 percent for May, as India — population 1.3 billion people — went into a nationwide lockdown at the end of March. The lockdown has since been extended to May 3. | Due to the lockdown and to India's struggles to contain the spread of the coronavirus, fuel demand in the world's t…
(2020-04-23). 'Can't offer help with one hand & smother with the other': Russia slams West & its allies after anti-sanction draft fails at UNGA. rt.com 
Moscow has blasted the decision by a group of countries, including the US, to block a draft resolution calling for an end to unilateral sanctions on developing countries gripped by the coronavirus pandemic. | The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) rejected two draft resolutions on Wednesday, aimed at supporting the battle against the Covid-19. Both of the Russia-sponsored and the Riadh-championed drafts received at least one "nay" after they were circulated among the body's members on Wednesday. A single objection is enough for a draft to be defeated in line with the special voting protocol in effect at th…
(2020-04-23). Media fail to identify xenophobia as Biden says Trump 'rolled over for Chinese'. mronline.org 
Rather than respond by focusing blame for the crisis squarely where it belongs—on Trump's incompetent, reckless and self-centered management—and working to beat back the dangerously rising anti-Asian sentiment in this country, Biden and some of his supporting super PACs are choosing to adopt rather than challenge the anti-China premise of the attacks.
(2020-04-23). US warships will be DESTROYED if they threaten ANY Iranian vessel — Iran's Revolutionary Guards chief. rt.com 
Iran will not hesitate to retaliate against the US Navy if it attacks any Iranian vessel, Tehran's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander has warned, responding to a similar threat by Trump. | "I have ordered our naval forces to destroy any American naval force in the Persian Gulf that threatens the security of Iran's military or non-military ships," Major-General Hossein Salami said on Thursday, as cited by Tasnim News Agency. | Salami was responding to US President Donald Trump, who said that he had issued an order on Wednesday to "destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our shi…
(2020-04-23). From COP-21 To COVID-19: The Collapse Of "Predictive Models" and the Return to Actual Thinking. dissidentvoice.org 
American Surgeon General Jerome Powell's recent announcement that America would begin using real data and real trends instead of the World Health Organization-Bill Gates driven 'predictive models' came as a breath of fresh air for many who were beginning to lose hope that reason had been banished from world policy. When compared with reality, the WHO/Gates-funded narrative …
(2020-04-23). A crisis like no other: social reproduction and the regeneration of capitalist life during the COVID-19 pandemic. mronline.org 
As the COVID-19 health crisis deepens, it looks increasingly clear that the short-term collapse in global output is likely to exceed that of any recession in the last 150 years—that is, in the entire history of capitalism. The ILO estimates that the crisis will lead to the destruction of 195 million jobs. Hence, after discussing …
(2020-04-23). German court opens first Syria torture trial. yenisafak.com Two suspected members of President Bashar al-Assad's security services had charges of torture and sexual assault read out against them on Thursday in a German court, in what lawyers say is the first trial for war crimes by Syrian government agents.Anwar R., a former intelligence officer who applied for asylum in Germany six years ago after leaving Syria, is charged with 58 murders in a Damascus prison where prosecutors say at least 4,000 opposition activists were tortured in 2011 and 2012.Grey haired, with a bald patch and wearing a moustache, glasses and a dark sweater, he sat calmly behind a glass cubicle erect…
(2020-04-23). Immigration Freeze: COVID-19 Provides 'Window of Opportunity' for Key Trump Policy – Prof. sputniknews.com On Wednesday evening US President Trump announced that he had signed an executive order putting a hold on the entry of immigrants to the country for at least 60 days.
(2020-04-23). Nobody Will Survive if Pandemic Spreads in Iraq's IDP Camps – Official. sputniknews.com Iraq's internally displaced persons might have survived Daesh*, but they have zero chances of completely fighting off the COVID-19 pandemic that continues to spread throughout the war-torn country, warns an official who has been working with IDPs since 2016. Certain obstacles make matters worse, but IDPs are determined to keep the virus at bay.
(2020-04-23). Ex-Concentration Camp Prisoners Ask Investigation Committee to Deal With Actions of Finnish Invaders. sputniknews.com Former prisoners of Finnish concentration camps in Karelia have asked Alexander Bastrykin, the head of the Investigation Committee, to look into the actions of the occupation authorities during the Great Patriotic War.
(2020-04-23). Iran Summons Swiss Ambassador Representing US to Lodge Protest Against Trump's Threats. sputniknews.com The US president said he had "instructed" the country's Navy to shoot and sink Iranian gunboats if they start harassing American war vessels in the Persian Gulf. Head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Hossein Salami later cautioned Washington against such step warning that Tehran will shoot back.
(2020-04-23). UK starts testing potential Covid-19 vaccine on humans. rt.com 
Over 500 brave volunteers began the process of receiving the first doses of the UK's efforts to create a Covid-19 vaccine as clinical trials got under on Thursday. | The vaccine has been developed by teams at the University of Oxford's Jenner Institute and Oxford Vaccine Group, and work began on it as recently as January. This short time-frame has led some to raise questions about the extraordinary speed at which the potential pandemic panacea has been developed. | A total of 510 healthy volunteers between the ages of 18 and 55 will take part in the clinical trials as the UK joins only the US and China in begi…
(2020-04-23). Brent crude recovers as military spat between US and Iran overshadows investors' fears over storage exhaustion. rt.com 
The price of a barrel of Brent crude oil has climbed by more than nine percent to $22.25 (ICE) on Thursday amid renewed military tensions between the US and Iran. | Brent crude prices had fallen by more than 50 percent over the last week, reaching its lowest level since June 1999. The dramatic drop came as concerns mounted that crude storage tanks are running out of space. | On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump had warned that the US Navy would attack Iranian gunboats if they "harass our ships at sea," reigniting fears of a conflict in the Persian Gulf. | West Texas Intermediate (WTI) had similarly plunged…
(2020-04-23). US unemployment headed for 27 MILLION as pandemic erases all new jobs created since 2008 financial crisis. rt.com 
With the US Labor Department set to reveal the number of weekly jobless claims on Thursday, economists expect another 4.5 million Americans to have applied for unemployment benefits for the week ending April 18. | A slight decrease on the previous week's 5.2 million claims, it will bring the total number to around 27 million in a month. The number is greater than all the 23.3 million jobs created in the US since the 2008-2009 financial crisis. Economists broadly expect the figure to steadily decline going forward. | "Claims have moved passed the peak more visibly now, but the cumulative number is still rising…
(2020-04-23). Moon's geology revealed in greater detail than ever before in first all-inclusive map (PHOTOS, VIDEO). rt.com 
For the first time in history, the entire lunar surface has been mapped and the geology classified, paving the way for safer future Moon landings and reminding us to look upwards once more. | Scientists from the USGS Astrogeology Science Center, in collaboration with NASA and the Lunar and Planetary Institute, have produced the 'Unified Geologic Map of the Moon,' at 1: 5,000,000 scale, marking the culmination of decades of work. | | © NASA/GSFC/USGS | "People have always been fascinated by the Moon and when we might return," said current USGS director and former NASA astronaut Jim Reilly. "So, it's wonde…
(2020-04-23). Working dead? Seoul says 'no unusual signs' from North Korea & Kim carrying on duties despite reports of 'grave illness'. rt.com 
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un apparently keeps up a busy schedule, penning letters to foreign leaders — that is, despite being placed on his death bed by some media, but Seoul says it has yet to detect any "unusual signs." | An official with South Korea's Ministry of Unification — founded to improve ties with Pyongyang — brushed aside the rumors on Thursday, according to the Yonhap news agency, noting that the government had seen nothing out of the ordinary with North Korea's leader. | "No unusual signs have been detected," the ministry official said, adding: "We are monitoring North Korean m…
(2020-04-23). Indonesia: Regional health systems and COVID-19. greenleft.org.au 
(2020-04-23). Earth Day: How to Get Ships Off Fossil Fuels (webinar). indybay.org Online via Zoom…
(2020-04-23). Pandemics, Climate Crisis and the Turbulent Future. zcomm.org We must learn from the history of past efforts at systemic change which have floundered because they were male-dominated, monochromatic instead of consciously multi-racial, led too often by white men who too often got wrapped up in ego and power…
(2020-04-23). The car industry and the climate crisis. indybay.org The car companies should now be converted into providers of mobility needs based on socio-ecological sustainability. Reduction of working hours – short full time of an average of 30 hours/4 days per week for all – is part of the neceesary radical change to save human lives amid plutocratic neoliberalism.
(2020-04-23). Taking care of your skin with increased hand-washing. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org One of the best defenses against the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is hand-washing. But frequent rubbing and scrubbing can take its toll, depleting the skin of its natural moisture and oils. So what should you do if your hands are becoming raw, dry and irritated with constant washing? WHEN WASHING YOUR …
(2020-04-23). The Heartbreaking Choices Faced by Child Care Providers on the Front Lines. thenation.com The Heartbreaking Choices Faced by Child Care Providers on the Front Lines…
(2020-04-23). Inequality and the Coronavirus: How to Destroy American Society From the Top Down. counterpunch.org My mom contracted polio when she was 14. She survived and learned to walk again, but my life was deeply affected by that virus. Today, as our larger society attempts to self-distance and self-isolate, my family has texted about the polio quarantine my mom was put under: how my grandma fearfully checked my aunt's temperature
(2020-04-23). Australia Post announces major restructure threatening thousands of jobs. wsws.org The government and management are utilising the coronavirus pandemic to implement longstanding plans for mass sackings and privatisation.
(2020-04-23). Mayo Clinic Q and A: Myths and facts about COVID-19. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I have read many conflicting things about COVID-19, including how it spreads from person to person and how I might be able to reduce my risk of getting sick. Can you help me understand whether some things I've heard are myth or fact because I do not want to spread the virus …
(2020-04-23). EU lambasts US opposition of Iran's loan request from IMF in battling COVID-19. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 23 (MNA) — EU Foreign Policy Chied Josept Borrell expressed his deep regret over the US opposition of Iran's loan request from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the fight against the novel coronavirus, COVID-19.
(2020-04-23). Who's Responsible for America's Coronavirus Fiasco? counterpunch.org Donald Trump said that he would make America number one again. And now the United States leads the world in coronavirus infections and COVID-19 deaths. It is a dubious achievement. How could this have happened? The United States is supposed to have one of the best medical systems in the world. The Center for Disease
(2020-04-23). Iran's coronavirus death toll hits 5,481 on Thu. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 23 (MNA) — The total number of COVID-19 cases in the country has reached 87,026, of whom 5,481 have lost their lives to the deadly virus, according to Iran's Health Ministry Spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said on Thursday.
(2020-04-23). National Guard deployed to Pennsylvania nursing home stricken by COVID-19 outbreak. wsws.org Deaths in nursing homes make up the majority of coronavirus fatalities in the state.
(2020-04-23). Mayo Clinic Q and A: Combating allergies, asthma during COVID-19. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I have significant pollen allergies and asthma. In the spring, I usually have sneezing, coughing and an occasional sore throat that coincides with the trees blooming. With COVID-19 concerns, I am wondering if I am at any increased risk for the virus or need to be concerned that I should be tested? …
(2020-04-23). What people living with hepatitis C need to know about COVID-19. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Hepatitis C?infections tripled in the U.S. from -2009-18, prompting the?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)?to update?screening recommendations?that include all adults and pregnant women. This increase is especially concerning, since people who have existing chronic medical issues may be at higher risk of serious illness from?COVID-19.? "Hepatitis C is another RNA virus, actually not that …