Minnesota meatpacking plant closes after two dozen workers test positive for COVID-19
wsws.org | 2020-04-25
JBS USA, the largest meat processing company in Minnesota, shut down its pork plant in Worthington on Monday, resulting in the layoff of 2,000 workers, many of whom are immigrants.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/25/meat-a25.html

After the Lockdown: A Global Coronavirus Vaccination Program
Prof Michel Chossudovsky | globalresearch.ca | 2020-04-25
The tendency is towards a Worldwide lockdown spearheaded by fear and media disinformation. Currently, hundreds of millions of people Worldwide are under lockdown. | What is the next step in the evolution of the COV-19 Crisis? A multibillion dollar coronavirus vaccination program to be implemented in the wake of the Lockdown.
globalresearch.ca/after-the-lockdown-a-global-coronavirus-vaccination-program/5706547

Fake Coronavirus Data, Fear Campaign. Spread of the COVID-19 Infection
Prof Michel Chossudovsky | globalresearch.ca | 2020-04-25
Do not let yourself be misled by the fear campaign, pointing to a Worldwide coronavirus calamity with repeated "predictions" that hundreds of thousands of people are going to die. | According to the WHO, the death rate pertaining to Seasonal Influenza globally is between 6 to 12 times higher than COVID-19.
globalresearch.ca/fake-coronavirus-data-fear-campaign-spread-of-the-covid-19-infection/5708643

US elites use Russiagate playbook to blame China and promote hostility
Aaron Maté | thegrayzone.com | 2020-04-25
The US establishment is demonizing China over the COVID-19 crisis with a familiar Russiagate playbook of specious claims, fear-mongering, and…
thegrayzone.com/2020/04/25/us-elites-use-russiagate-playbook-to-blame-china-and-promote-hostility/

Hong Kong arrests prominent pan-democrat activists
wsws.org | 2020-04-25
Washington is attempting to exploit the arrests to further whip up tensions with Beijing and paint China as a threat.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/25/hong-a25.html

European Union Urges Libya Truce, Resumption of Peace Talks
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-25
The foreign affairs ministers of Germany, France, Italy, and the European High Representative for Foreign Affair made a joint call Saturday for a humanitarian truce in Libya, urging all sides must resume peace talks. | RELATED: | UAE Companies Allegedly Violated Libyan Arms Embargo: Report | "We call on all the Libyan actors to get inspired by the spirit of the Holy Ramadan, engage in resuming talks for a genuine ceasefire," said the statement, signed by the EU's Josep Borrell, Fr…
telesurenglish.net/news/European-Union-Urges-Libya-Truce-Resumption-of-Peace-Talks-20200425-0006.html

'Let me go to work!' Hundreds of protesters demand removal of fence on Polish-German border amid Covid-19 lockdown (VIDEO)
rt.com | 2020-04-25
Protesters have demanded the reopening of the border between Poland and Germany, which was closed due the Covid-19 pandemic. The quarantine rules have left them unable to commute to work and see their families. | Hundreds gathered at both sides of the border crossing between the Polish town of Zgorzelec and the German town of Goerlitz on Friday. Protesters held signs saying 'Let me go to work!' and 'Let me into my home', demanding the removal of the border fence erected after the countries closed their borders in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus. They also urged the Polish government to end the…
rt.com/news/486865-polish-german-border-protests/

VIDEO: Protesters leave body bags outside Trump Hotel in Washington
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-04-25
TEHRAN, Apr. 25 (MNA)

Food delivery workers in Brazil join international strikes against unsafe conditions
wsws.org | 2020-04-25
Over the past week, there have been strikes and protests in Brazil and other Latin American countries, including Ecuador and Argentina, as well as Spain.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/25/braz-a25.html

'Can't erase history': Putin & Stalin mosaic for military cathedral is 'appropriate,' church says amid furor
rt.com | 2020-04-25
President Vladimir Putin and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin will both make a surprise, if minor, appearance inside the main cathedral of the Russian Armed Forces, which is being decorated with historical scenes of the nation's glory. | Photos showing an incomplete mosaic with the likenesses of Putin, other key government figures, and seemingly random people celebrating with national flags made quite a stir in Russia after being leaked to the media on Friday. The artwork is reportedly part of the grandiose church under construction in Patriot Park near Moscow, which is to become the main place of worship for the R…
rt.com/russia/486856-army-church-putin-stalin-mosaic/

'Can't erase history': Putin & Stalin TEMPLE MOSAIC is 'appropriate,' church says amid furor over Russian military cathedral decor
rt.com | 2020-04-25
President Vladimir Putin and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin will both make a surprise, if minor, appearance inside the main cathedral of the Russian Armed Forces, which is being decorated with historical scenes of the nation's glory. | Photos showing an incomplete mosaic with the likenesses of Putin, other key government figures, and seemingly random people celebrating with national flags made quite a stir in Russia after being leaked to the media on Friday. The artwork was linked to the grandiose church being built in Patriot Park outside Moscow, which is to become the main temple of the Russian military. | &nda…
rt.com/russia/486856-army-church-putin-stalin-mosaic/

A Green New Deal Can Create Jobs and Livelihoods
Noam Chomsky | zcomm.org | 2020-04-25
On Labor, Climate, and the Long Way Forward…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/a-green-new-deal-can-create-jobs-and-livelihoods/

Can We Trust the WHO?
F. William Engdahl | globalresearch.ca | 2020-04-25
The most influential organization in the world with nominal responsibility for global health and epidemic issues is the United Nations' World Health Organization, WHO, based in Geneva. What few know is the actual mechanisms of its political control, the shocking …
globalresearch.ca/can-we-trust-who/5708576

Amid warnings of famine and unrest in Venezuela, Maduro renews talks with US-backed opposition
wsws.org | 2020-04-25
The timing of the renewed talks makes it clear that any settlement with US imperialism would be centrally aimed against a challenge from below.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/25/vene-a25.html

"Sanctioned Countries" Are Now Leading the World in the Fight Against Coronavirus
Alan MacLeod | globalresearch.ca | 2020-04-25
After weeks of dismissing it as a liberal "hoax" designed to unseat the president, brushing the virus off as no big deal and under control, the Trump administration is clearly floundering in its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite …
globalresearch.ca/sanctioned-countries-leading-world-fight-against-coronavirus/5710675

As the dust settles over the Corbyn and Sanders era, we must remember one crucial reality
Peter Bolton | thecanary.co | 2020-04-25
It seemed almost celestially ordained that Corbyn's term as leader of the Labour Party in the UK and Bernie Sanders' 2020 presidential run in the US would come to an end on almost exactly the same date. There were multiple similarities between the two men and the political movements they spearheaded…
thecanary.co/opinion/2020/04/25/as-the-dust-settles-over-the-corbyn-and-sanders-era-we-must-remember-one-crucial-reality/

Iran exports products to 128 world countries despite sanctions: IRICA
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-04-25
TEHRAN, Apr. 25 (MNA)

'Iran will never initiate any conflict in the region,' Rouhani says amid raging tensions with US
rt.com | 2020-04-25
Tehran will not be the instigator of hostilities with the US in the region, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has said. The countries traded military threats earlier this week. | Rouhani made his comments during a phone call with the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, on Saturday. "The Islamic Republic of Iran closely monitors and tracks the activities and movements of the Americans, but will never initiate any conflict or tension in the region," he said. | At the same time, Rouhani reiterated that Tehran considers the US sanctions against the country illegal under international law, and said that they are…
rt.com/news/486879-iran-rouhani-diplomatic-row/

The moral side of the epidemic
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-04-25
TEHRAN, Apr. 25 (MNA)

Example of Russia-US cooperation: Putin & Trump release rare JOINT statement on Elbe Day 75th anniversary
rt.com | 2020-04-25
Russia's President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump have released a rare joint statement, marking the 75th anniversary of the historic meeting between Soviet and American troops on the Elbe River. | The meeting that occurred on April 25, 1945 "heralded the decisive defeat of the Nazi regime," which was ultimately destroyed a couple weeks after. But most importantly, it clearly showed how the two nations can cooperate, the statement reads. | The 'Spirit of the Elbe' is an example of how our countries can put aside differences, build trust, and cooperate in pursuit of a greater cause. | On Elbe…
rt.com/news/486899-putin-trump-elbe-day/

Global coronavirus death toll tops 200,000 fatalities
rt.com | 2020-04-25
The global death toll from the Covid-19 pandemic reached over 200,000 on Saturday, with confirmed cases expected to top three million in the coming days. | More than half of the worldwide fatalities have come from the United States, Spain, and Italy. Eight percent of cases in the United States have resulted in death, with 10 percent of infections in Italy and Spain proving fatal. | Also on rt.com | | Doubled in 10 days: Coronavirus deaths in US pass 50,000 mark | It took 91 days for the global death toll to top 100,000, but only another 16 for…
rt.com/news/486898-global-coronavirus-death-toll/

Millions of People Will Face Stimulus Check Delays Simply Because They Are Poor
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-04-25
Last week, a group of angry and desperate Citi Tax Financial customers gathered outside the company's storefront in Augusta, Georgia. Millions of Americans had received a big deposit from the IRS in their bank accounts, but they had not. The IRS website told them their coronavirus stimulus checks were deposited in an account they didn't recognize. | With an officer from the…
truthout.org/articles/millions-of-people-will-face-stimulus-check-delays-simply-because-they-are-poor/

'Just wash your damn hands!' Golf influencer Tisha Alyn's dance video warns fans to NOT DRINK BLEACH to 'cure' COVID-19 (VIDEO)
rt.com | 2020-04-25
Following news that a host of Americans have been taken ill after drinking disinfectant after US President Donald Trump's comments about killing COVID-19, golf influencer Tisha Alyn has issued her own public service announcement. | Alyn hopped onto her Instagram to warn her followers not to drink bleach and antibacterial products, using a rework of the DJ Casper hit, "Cha Cha Slide" to remind people to wash their hands instead. | "This is a PSA – reminder that ingesting disinfectant/bleach is BAD for you. Just wash your damn hands!" she declared. | "Bringing out the Filipino in me with the line dances and m…
rt.com/sport/486880-golf-influencer-tisha-alyn-dance-video-warns-fans-coronavirus/

UK: Millions of pounds donated to the National Health Service as coronavirus crisis continues
wsws.org | 2020-04-25
A fundraising page for the NHS, set up by 99-year-old war veteran Captain Tom Moore, received overwhelming public support, raising more than £28 million in two weeks.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/25/capt-a25.html

Senator hands outrage culture a win, apologizes for wearing Confederate flag face mask after defending it only a day earlier
rt.com | 2020-04-25
A Michigan state senator gave in to triggered critics by apologizing for wearing a mask resembling the Confederate flag. A day earlier he ardently defended it, saying history should be taught so as not to repeat itself. | Republican Dale Zorn was photographed wearing the mask while in the Michigan state chamber on Friday to vote on bills seeking to limit the emergency powers of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. | pic.twitter.com/uTOaBzweTO– Bryan Newland (@RealBNewland) April 25, 20…
rt.com/usa/486901-michigan-senator-confederate-mask/

India eases Covid-19 lockdown, allowing some shops to reopen on limited basis as Modi preaches virtues of 'self-reliance'
rt.com | 2020-04-25
New Delhi has given the green light for small shops across India to open their doors under certain conditions, as the country begins to relax far-reaching lockdown measures brought to stop the spread of Covid-19. | The Ministry of Home Affairs issued an order late on Friday night granting permission to "non-essential" shop owners to get back to work starting on Saturday, asking only that they continue to abide by social distancing guidelines and don masks and gloves in public to limit transmission of the lethal virus. | "All registered shops under the Shops and Establishment Act …including shops in residenti…
rt.com/news/486864-india-relax-coronavirus-lockdown/

COVID-19 pandemic pushes UK charity sector into crisis
wsws.org | 2020-04-25
Charities set to lose up to £4 billion over a 12-week period because of the coronavirus pandemic.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/25/char-a25.html

Can pandemic catalyze diplomacy to end conflicts?
yenisafak.com | 2020-04-25
Governments in Yemen, the Philippines, Thailand, and Colombia and armed groups have heeded to the call of a cease-fire by the UN amid the coronavirus pandemic. But the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir is a far cry from peace.The New People's Army, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, announced a cease-fire in its 50-year war in late March, to ensure that all citizens can access testing and treatment.In Colombia, a left-wing armed group, the National Liberation Army (ELN) declared a month's cease-fire starting on April 1. In southern Thailand, local armed groups decided to postpone hostili…
yenisafak.com/en/world/can-pandemic-catalyze-diplomacy-to-end-conflicts-3517873

NYT Reusing Russiagate Playbook on China
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-25
Target workers announce strike actions; NYT reusing Russiagate playbook on China; Activists call for an end to prison imperialism…
sputniknews.com/radio_by_any_means/202004251079086507-nyt-reusing-russiagate-playbook-on-china/

Finnish Media Justify Creation of Concentration –°amps in East Karelia During World War II
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-25
The Investigative Committee of Russia has launched a criminal probe into the mass atrocities committed against the Karelian population in the territory of the Karelo-Finnish Soviet Socialist Republic, which was controlled by the Finnish army during 1941-44, which according to the organisation, can be classified as "genocide".
sputniknews.com/europe/202004251079089442-finnish-media-justify-creation-of-concentration-samps-in-east-karelia-during-world-war-ii/

Coronavirus to change forms of intl. hegemony: gov. spox
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-04-25
TEHRAN, Apr. 25 (MNA)

'Science Doesn't Back a COVID-19 Immunity Passport' WHO Holds
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-25
The World Health Organization (WHO) Saturday confirmed that scientific evidence does not provide certainty that a patient recovered from COVID-19 is protected against a second infection, which leaves no support for the idea of granting "immunity passports." | RELATED: | 'Coronavirus Did Not Come out of a Laboratory', WHO Holds | Some governments have claimed th…
telesurenglish.net/news/Science-Doesnt-Back-a-COVID-19-Immunity-Passport-WHO-Holds-20200425-0004.html

Coronavirus sweeps through Russian medical facilities
wsws.org | 2020-04-25
Hospitals and clinics in several cities have been placed under quarantine, as COVID-19 infects staff and patients alike.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/25/ruco-a25.html

UN Chief Says There's a Bigger Threat than Coronavirus
Ryan Heath | zcomm.org | 2020-04-25
In Earth Day speech, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres challenges President Donald Trump on fossil fuel subsidies and climate change…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/un-chief-says-theres-a-bigger-threat-than-coronavirus/

Cummings' presence at Sage may have led to 'flawed' advice on the coronavirus crisis
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-04-25
A more transparent approach is needed towards the scientific group convened to advise the government in times of emergency, scientists and policy experts say. One warned that recent revelations could mean Sage potentially gave "flawed" advice. | The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) became embroiled in controversy on 24 April, when it emerged Boris Johnson's chief adviser Dominic Cummings had attended meetings. | Sage is intended to provide technical and scientific advice and remain strictly politically neutral during national crises. | It does not disclose the names of the scientists involved beyo…
thecanary.co/discovery/science/2020/04/25/cummings-presence-at-sage-may-have-led-to-flawed-advice-on-the-coronavirus-crisis/

Our Turn to Act: RT launches live map connecting volunteers & those needing help amid coronavirus
rt.com | 2020-04-25
RT's charity project 'Our Turn to Act' has launched a live map that brings together potential volunteers and those struggling to cope with coronavirus lockdowns on their own. | The live map makes it easier for people

St. Petersburg's Russian Museum marks 125th anniversary with empty halls… & RT's Ruptly gives you an exclusive tour (VIDEO)
rt.com | 2020-04-25
The State Russian Museum whose grand collection ranges from medieval icons to Kazimir Malevich's squares and circles is marking its 125th anniversary with empty halls due to Covid-19. But this Ruptly video takes you on a tour. | The largest depository of Russian fine arts was founded back in 1895 by Russia's last Emperor Nicholas II. Located in the grandiose Mikhailovsky Palace in St. Petersburg, the museum is used to seeing droves of tourists daily but like many establishments worldwide it is currently closed due to the deadly coronavirus pandemic. | Ruptly has peeked into the empty halls of the museum, and a…
rt.com/news/486887-russian-museum-anniversary-tour/

Empty hotel rooms in Iran under Covid-19 panemic
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-04-25
TEHRAN, Apr. 25 (MNA)

Russian legislators rush to get tested after two fellow MPs contract coronavirus
rt.com | 2020-04-25
At least two Russian legislators have contracted the dreaded Covid-19 disease. While mandatory coronavirus testing is not expected for MPs, many of them have already been checked voluntarily after their colleagues fell ill. | Read more | | Don't plan foreign travel this year, advises top Russian politician amid Covid-19 spread | Top Russian officials had largely been spared by the coronavirus pandemic so far, but that situation changed on Saturday when two MPs were diagnosed with coronavirus. | Leonid Kalashnikov, head of the State Duma's committe…
rt.com/russia/486888-russian-legislators-get-coronavirus/

COVID-19 has changed lifestyle: Pres. Rouhani
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-04-25
TEHRAN, Apr. 25 (MNA)

Coronavirus test slots for key workers run out for second day in a row
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-04-25
Coronavirus tests for key workers through the government's new booking website have run out in England and Wales for a second day in a row.More than 10 million key workers and their households are now eligible for Covid-19 tests as officials race to hit their 100,000-a-day testing target by 30 April.However, home testing kits were listed as "unavailable" on the government's booking website just 15 minutes after it reopened on Saturday morning, according to the BBC.(PA Graphics)It was also not possible to book tests at drive-through regional sites in England, Wales and Northern Ireland by 10am on 25 April.Accordin…
thecanary.co/uk/news/2020/04/25/coronavirus-test-slots-for-key-workers-run-out-for-second-day-in-a-row/

Coronavirus: the need for a progressive internationalist response
Eds. | mronline.org | 2020-04-25
This pandemic health crisis exposes the injustices of the global economic order. It must be a turning point towards creating the systems, structures and policies that can always protect those who are marginalised and allow everyone to live with dignity.
mronline.org/2020/04/25/coronavirus-the-need-for-a-progressive-internationalist-response/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=coronavirus-the-need-for-a-progressive-internationalist-response

Global COVID-19 death toll surpasses 197,000
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-04-25
TEHRAN, Apr. 25 (MNA)

Coronavirus has already killed more British people than the Blitz
Kerry-anne Mendoza | thecanary.co | 2020-04-25
The UK government only reports deaths from coronavirus (Covid-19) that happen in hospitals. New research shows that the true number of people dying is more than double government reports. Figures prepared by the Financial Times (FT) show that 45,000 people have likely died from Covid-19. To put that in perspective, 43,000 died in the Blitz. Coronavirus has killed more Bri…
thecanary.co/discovery/analysis-discovery/2020/04/25/coronavirus-has-already-killed-more-british-people-than-the-blitz/

Building on the Bernie Movement in Coronavirus Time
Robert l. Borosage | zcomm.org | 2020-04-25
Sanders won't let the people who power the movement he started waste their votes…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/building-on-the-bernie-movement-in-coronavirus-time/

'It's kind of a rule of thumb': Adviser reveals UK govt's 2-meter coronavirus distance instruction based on 'muddy science'
rt.com | 2020-04-25
The British public cannot be expected to just do as they're told by the government for long, since the guidelines are very disruptive and not as scientifically sound as officials make them seem to be, a government adviser said. | One example would be the instruction for people to keep two meters apart from other people to reduce the risk of infection, advice which was "conjured out of nowhere," according to professor Robert Dingwall. | "There's never been a scientific basis for two meters, it's kind of a rule of thumb. But it's not like there is a whole kind of rigorous scientific literature that it is founded…
rt.com/uk/486881-uk-guidelines-rule-thumb/

Why corona lock-down did not bring Tehran cleaner air?
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-04-25
TEHRAN, Apr. 24 (MNA)

Coronavirus: the need for a progressive internationalist response
Eds. | mronline.org | 2020-04-25
This pandemic health crisis exposes the injustices of the global economic order. It must be a turning point towards creating the systems, structures and policies that can always protect those who are marginalised and allow everyone to live with dignity.
mronline.org/2020/04/25/coronavirus-the-need-for-a-progressive-internationalist-response/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=coronavirus-the-need-for-a-progressive-internationalist-response

Peru: 1,300 Police Officers Are Infected With Coronavirus
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-25
Peru's President Martin Vizcarra Friday appointed Gaston Rodriguez as Interior Minister to replace Carlos Moran, who admitted that no less than 1,300 police had contracted the SARS-CoV-2 virus and 20 officers had died since the mandatory quarantine began on March 16. | RELATED: | Peru: Poor People Undertake Exodus to Their Home Towns | In the last week, the Peruvian Police carried out som…
telesurenglish.net/news/Peru-1300-Police-Officers-Are-Infected-With-Coronavirus-20200425-0001.html

As coronavirus cases climb, Chicago city council expands mayor's emergency powers
wsws.org | 2020-04-25
After a procedural delay, a vote to approve the measure that gives Lightfoot substantial sway over the city budget took place Friday.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/25/chic-a25.html