(2020-05-07). The Fight for Bernie Delegates Is Escalating — and Could Help Beat Trump. zcomm.org "Bernie's campaign has suspended, but the movement to fight for the Bernie platform must go on"
(2020-05-07). On the Brink of Starvation: COVID-19 and the Global Food Chain with Raj Patel. indybay.org This is an online townhall. For links and information on how to join the Zoom call visit here: | speakoutsocialists.org/townhall-05-09-20/…
(2020-05-07). COVID-19 & the Economy. zcomm.org Interview on COVID-19 politics, the global economy and the environment…
(2020-05-07). Thoughts on the Liberation of Saigon and the end to America's Genocidal War Against the Vietnamese People. counterpunch.org The following are recollections from several members of the ThisCantBeHappening! about their anti-war movement struggles and the day of final triumph in Vietnam 45 years ago. A Day in the Park Like No Other When the US war on Vietnam ended on April 30 with the Vietnamese liberation forces marching into Saigon, a victory celebration
(2020-05-07). Johnson compared to Chamberlain in protest video on White Cliffs of Dover. thecanary.co 
Boris Johnson's response to the coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis has been compared to Neville Chamberlain's "peace for our time" moment, in a giant projection beamed on to the White Cliffs of Dover.The Kent landmark was lit up with a mock-up of the prime minister holding a scrap of paper saying "Highest death toll in Europe".The stunt was the brainchild of Led By Donkeys, a group of activists famed for their giant billboards of politicians' tweets.The group said the black and white creation is a comment on the government's "profound failure" and compares Johnson's conduct to Chamberlain's appeasement policy in the l…
(2020-05-07). Kadhimi takes office as Iraq's PM amid fiscal & coronavirus crises. rt.com 
Mustafa al-Kadhimi took office as Iraq's prime minister early Thursday after breaking months of political deadlock. The former intelligence chief will have to tackle a staggering economic crisis, a health pandemic and the specter of renewed protests. | Observing social distancing, lawmakers gathered at parliament in masks and gloves around 9: 00pm local time, but the vote was delayed to make last-minute edits to ministerial posts. | Kadhemi soon received a congratulatory call from US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who announced a 120-day waiver extension on US sanctions to let Iraq buy gas from neighboring Ira…
(2020-05-07). 'Worst case' scenario: Second coronavirus wave could come as early as July, top doctor in Germany warns. rt.com 
Another wave of coronavirus infections could hit Germany as early as this summer, the vice president of the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases has warned. Health officials say they are preparing for all possibilities. | Case numbers in Germany are falling but the situation could change if people do not adhere to social distancing guidelines, Lars Schaade said at a news conference. A worst-case scenario would be a surge in cases returning in late July or early August, he added. | Germany began easing its nationwide lockdown two weeks ago. Although the number of new cases continues to drop, Helge Brau…
(2020-05-07). Famous VR artists recreate kids' drawings from World War II in virtual animation (VIDEO). rt.com 
RT's multimedia project #VictoryPages presents 'War: Kids' drawings in VR animation,' a series of children's drawings from the collection of the State Museum of the History of St. Petersburg interpreted by famous artists in VR. | For many decades, the Museum of the History of St. Petersburg has kept about 700 unique children's drawings that were created during the Siege of Leningrad (September 8, 1941 — January 27, 1944). These drawings, collected by workers in kindergartens, orphanages and schools, reflect a child's view of wartime events, exposing their feelings and ideas. Almost every drawing has an ac…
(2020-05-07). Dutch to begin easing lockdown measures next week, watchdog to review govt performance. rt.com 
The Dutch Safety Board said on Thursday it would conduct an independent investigation and review of the country's preparedness and government performance during the coronavirus outbreak. | Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Wednesday announced a three-month roadmap toward relaxing lockdown measures imposed in mid-March, including opening schools and some businesses. The review will look at "the preparation for a pandemic, the crisis management and the measures taken, as well as the phasing out of those measures." | Easing restrictions in the Netherlands will be rolled out over the next four months. They could be cur…
(2020-05-07). Shipment of 400,000 gowns from Turkey impounded over safety standards. thecanary.co 
A shipment of 400,000 medical gowns from Turkey has been impounded in a warehouse after falling short of UK standards.The personal protective equipment (PPE) was flown into the UK by the RAF last month but has not been released to NHS staff after inspectors deemed the gowns unsafe for guarding against coronavirus (Covid-19) when treating patients.Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said the gowns turned out to "not be of the quality that we feel is good enough for our frontline staff".The ministerial confirmation of the decision to impound the imported goods is another blow in what has proved an embarrassing…
(2020-05-07). 'When clowns purchase gowns': UK govt skewered after ALL 400,000 items of PPE bought from Turkey fail inspection. rt.com 
A highly-publicized shipment of urgently-needed personal protective equipment (PPE) for health workers fighting Covid-19 has backfired spectacularly for Downing Street, after the items were deemed unfit for use. | British ministers used the arrival of 400,000 protective gowns flown in from Turkey last month as evidence of the government's pro-active approach to overcoming the health crisis. Some two weeks later, the British public has learned that the PPE shipment has been impounded after being deemed unsuitable by UK standards. Unsurprisingly, people are fuming. | Speaking to Sky News about the scandal, Mayor…
(2020-05-07). 'I guess we did': Simpsons writer admits 2020 pandemic clairvoyance as murder hornets clip goes viral. rt.com 
The Simpsons is widely known for predicting the future with eerie accuracy, but things are starting to get ridiculous; after apparently predicting the coronavirus, it now appears the show saw the murder hornets coming too. | Like an animated Nostradamus for the noughties, the animated TV show has a number of oddly accurate predictions already on the books over the course of its 30 years on air. | It apparently foresaw Disney buying Fox nearly 20 years ago, the invention of smart watches, the US winning an Olympic medal in curling and, of course, also predicted that Donald Trump would one day become president o…
(2020-05-07). ALL of China declared 'low Covid-19 risk' as daily infections approach zero. rt.com 
The first nation to step into the battle against Covid-19 earlier this year, China is also the first to report that the risk of the outbreak is now "low", as no fresh domestic cases have been recorded during the past few days.
(2020-05-07). Japan's state of emergency could be lifted early in some areas — minister. rt.com 
The state of emergency imposed because of Covid-19 could be lifted early in some areas of Japan that have seen a decline in new infections, Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said on Thursday. He told reporters it was possible the emergency powers would be removed in those regions from May 14. | On Monday, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe extended the nationwide state of emergency to May 31, saying the infection rate had yet to drop enough to justify ending lockdown measures. | Tokyo reported just 38 cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, marking a fifth straight day of declining numbers of new infections, Reuters said…
(2020-05-07). China's exports return to growth in April, but imports tumble. rt.com 
China says that its exports rebounded last month, beating most expectations of a sharp decline. However, the drop in the country's imports accelerated as the coronavirus continues to crush demand. | Data released by the General Administration of Customs shows that April's exports surpassed $200 billion. This is a 3.5 percent rise from the previous year. Last month's results reversed the 6.6 percent fall in March, as well as the collapse recorded at the beginning of the year. China's exports are also much better than some economists polled by various media predicted, with the expected decline varying between 10…
(2020-05-07). US unemployment expected to pass 33 MILLION, marking worst economic downturn since Great Depression. rt.com 
Another three million Americans are expected to have filed for unemployment benefits during the week ending May 2, which brings the total claims over the seven weeks of the Covid-19 lockdown to 33 million. | Some 3.839 million initial jobless claims have been registered in the past week. Florida saw the highest number of initial filings, at an estimated 432,000 on an unadjusted basis, from 507,000 in the week prior. | California reported 328,000 claims — down from 528,000 in the previous week. Meanwhile, Georgia reported an estimated 265,000 and Texas 254,000. | "Initial jobless claims continued to modera…
(2020-05-07). 'Unprecedented in modern times': New research shows 1 in 5 children in US face food insecurity amid Covid-19 lockdowns. rt.com 
A new study has found that children in the United States are suffering the highest rate of food insecurity ever recorded in the country, as tens of millions of Americans are barred from working under coronavirus-induced lockdowns. | Food insecurity for American children was significantly worse in April than during any year since 2001, before which point no comparable data is available, according to "Looking ove…
(2020-05-07). Stigma or precaution? DoD memo lists Covid-19 as 'permanently disqualifying' for survivors seeking to join army. rt.com 
New guidelines for US military recruiters severely limit the chances for survivors of the coronavirus to join the ranks of the armed forces, banning them from service outright unless they obtain a special waiver. | A memo penned by the US Military Entrance Processing Command (MEPCOM) laying out guidelines for staffers who screen applicants for military service has been circulated online. The authenticity of the document — which effectively makes the coronavirus a black mark, excluding survivors from the pool of potential recruits — was confirmed by Pentagon spokeswoman Jessica Maxwell on Wednesday, a…
(2020-05-07). Merkel's aide says pandemic 'to last at least for rest of year'. rt.com 
The coronavirus pandemic will last for at least the rest of this year, German Chancellor Angela Merkel's chief of staff said on Thursday. | "We are not living after the pandemic now — rather we are living in the middle of a pandemic, one that will be with us for a while — at least for this year and that's being very optimistic," Helge Braun told Deutschlandfunk radio. | Merkel announced steps on Wednesday to ease the coronavirus lockdown in Germany. At the same time, she launched an "emergency brake" mechanism allowing for renewed restrictions in case infections pick up again. | A senior German healt…
(2020-05-07). Polish MPs approve law allowing presidential election to be held by postal ballot. rt.com 
The Polish lower house of parliament, the Sejm, approved on Thursday government-sponsored legislation that would allow the presidential election to go ahead by postal ballot, according to voting records. | The presidential election was scheduled to take place on Sunday. The ruling party wants to hold it by postal ballot, due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, opposition parties strongly oppose the plan, saying the election would be neither transparent nor fair. | Although lawmakers have in principle approved a postal ballot, the deputy prime minister said on Thursday that June was now the earliest date the…
(2020-05-07). No smoke without fire? Trump nominates new envoy to Venezuela, first in 10 YEARS after denying US involvement in failed incursion. rt.com 
The White House has tapped a new ambassador to Venezuela, the first in a decade, even as relations with the country's government hit all-time lows. The appointment comes as the US continues to deny any role in a recent coup plot.
(2020-05-07). FROM THE FIELD: Protecting the displaced in the time of COVID-19. news.un.org Refugees and displaced people living in camps are amongst the most vulnerable communities across the world and more likely to catch COVID-19 than others, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
(2020-05-07). #WorkerRightsNow: Day of Action for Essential Worker Bill of Rights. indybay.org Online and/or phone call actions…
(2020-05-07). "Blood Money & Murder On The Job" Amazon 2020 On May Day. indybay.org New York MTA TWU 100 steward John Ferretti and Amazon worker Chris Smalls are interviewed about May Day and why they were protesting at the Amazon JFK8 Staten Island warehouse.
(2020-05-07). Far Right Group Behind Boston's "Straight Pride" Also Organized "Reopen" Protest. zcomm.org If the federal government actually starts helping people, Trump and his allies fear that capitalism will lose its stranglehold on the nation…
(2020-05-07). The Rohingya in Malaysia: Coronavirus and Alibis for Paranoia. counterpunch.org Rounding up undocumented workers, migrant and refugees is part of a brutal order of things in Malaysia. When matters economic are going well, authorities turn the blindest of eyes. The money pours in; development goals are being met. During times of crisis, the eye sharpens in the search for scapegoats. With the enervating effects of
(2020-05-07). A Good Time: Civilization Hits the Pause Button. counterpunch.org Think of all the times you were on hold, waiting for a response, something to take place, like a decision about a school or financial aid application, a job interview, a submission to a publication, or even a marriage proposal. Did you simply sit on your thumbs, immobilized, until some far-off entity decided your fate?
(2020-05-07). Renters demand more assistance during the pandemic. greenleft.org.au 
(2020-05-07). Brazil: As COVID-19 death toll spirals out of control, Bolsonaro pursues strategy of 'permanent radicalisation'. greenleft.org.au 
(2020-05-07). Daesh/ISIS increases attacks in Iraq amid virus. yenisafak.com The Daesh/ISIS terror group has increased its attacks in Iraq, especially in rural areas, amid political instability and security weakness in the country as well as the US-led coalition forces' withdrawal due to the coronavirus outbreak.Daesh has been trying to strengthen its operational capability in rural areas since mass protests against Iraqi government erupted in October in the capital Baghdad and southern provinces.Iraq has been roiled by mass protests since early October over poor living conditions and corruption, forcing Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi to resign.At least 496 Iraqis have been killed and 17…
(2020-05-07). COVID-19 and the High Cost of Dying. counterpunch.org Put down the Clorox. Remdesivir may not be the effective coronavirus treatment the world desperately needs, but it has to be better than President Donald Trump's idea about ingesting disinfectants. One strong point in remdesivir's favor: the MAGA crowd hates it. Remdesivir, which is administered intravenously, is an antiviral drug developed by Gilead Sciences, Inc. which patented it in 2017. It has just been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for emergency use in treating cases of Covid-19.
(2020-05-07). What Not to Do During a Pandemic: Business-As-Usual on Trade Negotiations. counterpunch.org Reduce governments' ability to respond to the needs of citizens and prioritize foreign investors. Constrain developing countries from investing in small-scale fisheries. Hand over control of more aspects of citizens' lives, and data, to Google and Amazon. These are not proposals you would think governments would be eager to negotiate in international treaties during the
(2020-05-07). COVID-19 Comes to Nezahualcóyotl: a Mexican City Confronts a Pandemic. counterpunch.org One of the cities most vulnerable to Covid-19 in Mexico is Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl, often known simply as Neza, which is adjacent to the east side of Mexico City and specifically to the boroughs of Iztacalco and Iztapalapa. The latter has the highest Covid infection rate in the capital city. Nezhualcóyotl is named for "the poet
(2020-05-07). Time for an Emergency Charity Stimulus. counterpunch.org We are living through a time of unprecedented challenges: a major public health crisis and a deepening recession. Congress has already authorized trillions in stimulus funds. But millions of Americans are still relying on the support of local nonprofits such as food banks and human services. These nonprofits are going to need major infusions of
(2020-05-07). Two Truths from the Pandemic No One Is Mentioning. counterpunch.org Two truths at least are certain in this post-pandemic world: 1) Humans have so dominated the world, destroying much of non-human life and systems in the process, that the world has struck back in recoil and seeks to readjust the balance. 2) Human sustenance systems are far too large and unwieldly to be effective and
(2020-05-07). "What the Hell Do You Have to Lose?" counterpunch.org The coronavirus does not care whether we are Republican or Democrat; mainline or evangelical Christian; Jew, Muslim or Hindu; white, black or brown; Chinese, Italian, Iranian, Russian, African or American, richer or poorer, older or younger. We are all human and subject to the same illnesses. Our nationality, faith, race, class, location or age does
(2020-05-07). Conserving Politics or Conserving Nature? counterpunch.org Imagine a world in which conservation decisions were based on ethics and aesthetics, that including the interdependence of all the earth's organic and inorganic elements. Imagine a northern Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem in which the science of ecology, the science of conservation biology, were inextricable and uncompromising parts of those decisions. Imagine a Gallatin Range from
(2020-05-07). How Many People Will Patent Monopolies Kill This Pandemic? counterpunch.org No one wants to die, but hey, who wouldn't be willing to sacrifice their life to protect someone's patent monopoly? That is a question that is implicitly raised in this New York Times piece on the race to develop an effective vaccine against the coronavirus. Near the beginning the piece tells readers: "In an era
(2020-05-07). Online Education in a Time of Grave Danger. counterpunch.org I taught a college course online. I used a program that was accepted at that level of education as the standard for teaching. The program took several sessions of individual instruction at the community college's tech center and lots of off-site practice to become competent in meeting students online for one class out of four
(2020-05-07). Freedom of Press Under Attack by Trump. counterpunch.org Sunday was World Press Freedom Day and although it's far from a national holiday, freedom of the press is a right granted to all Americans. Unfortunately, this critical freedom, which has survived and served our nation well for nearly two and a half centuries, is under attack by Donald Trump and his benighted administration. Our
(2020-05-07). The Great Divorce: the People of Colorado v. the State. counterpunch.org When I was a boy, my dad took me and my twin sister and brothers to see the demolition of the Omaha-Grant Smoke Stack in Globeville. At the time it was among the tallest smokestacks in the world. It stood 350 feet high, with brick walls 12 feet thick. It was said to contain enough
(2020-05-07). Genocidal Disease, as it is Happening in Amazonia. counterpunch.org Back in 2009 with a Fulbright Foreign Scholarship and as a Visiting Professor at the Universidade Federal do Amazonas (UFAM), I conducted ethnographic fieldwork in the Amazonian and Brazilian city of Manaus of over two-million people among urban Amerindians there. The urbanized Native peoples living in Manaus, the capitol of Amazonas State, may number as
(2020-05-07). Oakland has more COVID-19 cases than Fremont, Hayward and Livermore combined. indybay.org Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic…
(2020-05-07). Global stocks prediction: 50 percent wipeout. truepublica.org.uk Paul Singer, the hedge-fund billionaire behind Elliott Management, warned last month that the ultimate path of global stock markets is a drop of at least 50% from February highs. What's an investor to do in the face of such a grim outlook? Load up on gold, perhaps. After all, according to a report this week from the Financial …
(2020-05-07). RT SPECIAL VICTORY DAY PROGRAMMING TO AIR AND STREAM WORLDWIDE IN SIX LANGUAGES. rt.com MOSCOW, MAY 7 — On May 9 RT will run special programming dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the allied victory in the Second World War and Soviet victory in the Great Patriotic War in English, German, Spanish, French, Arabic and Russian. Since the beginning of 2020, RT has launched multiple Victory Day projects, including a film recreating the circumstances surrounding the capture of the iconic May 1945 photograph "Raising a Flag over the Reichstag." | On May 9, RT will air the full version of the documentary series under the title #VictoryAlphabet: from Brest to Reichstag, which tracks the Red Army's…
(2020-05-07). Bank of England: Unemployment to double. truepublica.org.uk The Bank of England has warned the British economy could shrink by 14% this year and unemployment more than double by next spring as the coronavirus causes the deepest recession in modern history. Leaving interest rates on hold at a record low of 0.1% as the economic crisis unfolds, the central bank said economic activity across …
(2020-05-07). Mayo Clinic receives $26 million from BARDA for COVID-19 convalescent plasma expanded access program. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Mayo Clinic was awarded a $26 million contract today from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The financial support is for the Expanded Access Program (EAP) for convalescent plasma to fight COVID-19. …
(2020-05-07). US in no position to raise issues about JCPOA: Foreign Ministry. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 07 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Ministry reminded the world of American officials' habit of breaking promises and violating agreements.
(2020-05-07). Headlines of Iranian dailies on May 7. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 07 (MNA) — Mehr News takes a look at the headlines of Iranian dailies on Thursday, May 07.
(2020-05-07). Zarif congratulates Iraqis for formation of government. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 07 (MNA) — Iranian FM Mohammad Javad Zarif on Thursday extended congratulation to Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kazemi on approval for…