(2020-05-09). Goldman Sachs: Oil demand could exceed supply by end-May. rt.com 
Oil demand could rebound enough to exceed supply by the end of this month, Goldman's head of commodities Jeffrey Currie told Barron's Market Brief. | He noted that this would be in no small part because of the production cuts implemented by all major producers. | However, there are some 1.2 billion barrels in storage, Currie added, that would need to be drawn down before prices improve for more than a couple of hours. This, according to Currie, will happen in three stages. | The first oil in storage to go would be the millions of barrels in floating storage. It is the most expensive kind of storage, so it woul…
(2020-05-09). No options: The choice between Trump & Biden is meaningless & proves US democracy is a 'sham,' Roger Waters tells RT. rt.com 
With US President Donald Trump preparing to square off with presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden in the 2020 race, Americans might as well be choosing between Orwell and Huxley, Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters told RT. | Though the current US president is a "failed landlord" who somehow managed to become "the most powerful man in the Western world," Biden, his likely rival, does not present a better option, Waters said in an interview with Rafael Correa, the former president of Ecuador who now hosts a show on RT Spanish. | "There's no choice to be made by the American people, this is why the idea that t…
(2020-05-09). 'India is an important force': US Afghanistan envoy Khalilzad calls for direct talks between New Delhi and Taliban. rt.com 
Washington's special envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad has called on New Delhi to directly engage with the Taliban, asking India to play a "more active" part in the Afghan peace process and the fight against terrorism. | In an exclusive interview with the Hindu on Friday, Khalilzad stressed India's "significant" role in Afghanistan's development, citing "historic ties" between the two countries and shared concerns over terrorist groups active there. | "India is an important force in Afghanistan, and it would be appropriate for [India-Taliban] engagement to take place," Khalilzad said, adding that "it would…
(2020-05-09). Top German politician wants to 'urgently' reopen French border despite Berlin's reluctance to ease Covid-19 travel restrictions. rt.com 
The head of Germany's most populous state has called for the reopening of the country's French border to be fast-tracked. The federal government earlier warned that such actions risk launching a new wave of Covid-19 infections. | "We urgently need to open the border with France," Armin Laschet, minister president of the country's North Rhine-Westphalia state, which borders France, told German media. | The lockdown there ends on May 11. That would be a good time to send a signal to our neighbors that we are striving for a common European response to the pandemic. | Laschet suggested that the German government s…
(2020-05-09). Russia's mightiest military aircraft buzz over Moscow to mark 75th anniversary of Nazi defeat (PHOTO, VIDEO). rt.com 
Defying clouds in the sky and Covid-19 on the ground, Russia's deadliest bombers, nimblest fighter jets and strongest transport aircraft flew over the capital in celebration of Soviet victory over Nazi Germany 75 years ago. | V-Day is one of the most important national holidays in Russia, and this year was supposed to have seen massive celebrations throughout the country. But Covid-19 and its lockdowns threw a wrench into the plans, forcing…
(2020-05-09). War & peace: Vincent Bal creates 'Shadowology' tributes to WW2 victory. rt.com 
As part of RT's #VictoryPages, artist Vincent Bal is creating call-to-peace illustrations using shadows cast by toy soldiers. His unique technique is an art form in itself, which he refers to as "shadowology." | "What better way to spread peace than to make people smile?" says the Belgian director and illustrator, commenting on his tribute to the Allied victory in World War II. | For the series 'Toy Soldiers: War and Peace,' Bal created several illustrations using shadows from toys made in…
(2020-05-09). WaPo in league with Maduro? Venezuela's Guaido says US mercenary contract is fake, even after own allies give full doc to US media. rt.com 
Opposition leader Juan Guaido continues to deny any link to a failed armed incursion into Venezuela, despite his own allies handing over a lengthy contract to American media naming him as the commander of the operation. | The opposition figurehead and self-declared "interim president" of Venezuela denied again on Friday that he had anything to do with the ill-fated mission, which by most accounts was set up by a Florida-based security company, Silvercorp USA, and its American CEO, Jordan Goudreau. | "We reiterate once again that the interim government has no link, commitment or responsibility to Silvercorp or…
(2020-05-09). Forgetting someone? WH attributes victory over Nazis to 'America & UK' in bizarre VE-Day message, gets schooled on Twitter. rt.com 
The White House has marked the victory over Nazi Germany in a tweet hailing the role of the US and the UK, while leaving out the nation that sacrificed the most — the Soviet Union. Netizens were quick to provide a history lesson.
(2020-05-09). Eyewitness: Russia's 70th V-Day. liberationnews.org 
In addition to beautiful parades, fireworks and concerts, I was able to witness multitudes of people sharing with each other something wholly priceless: the gratitude of being alive thanks to those who fought fascism.
(2020-05-09). Pandemic has hastened capitalism's end stage; the rest is up to us! — an analysis. workers.org 
Last week workers celebrated International Workers' Day 2020. There has been no other time in our lives when the message of May Day — global workers' solidarity in the struggle against capitalism — has been more urgent. We have entered a decisive period. The scope of the world class struggle . . . |
(2020-05-09). Student and staff safety is paramount, education unions warn government. thecanary.co 
Unions have sent a list of key measures to the government which they say must be met before pupils in England can safely return to their desks.It includes extra money for deep cleaning and personal protective equipment (PPE) and local powers to close schools if clusters of coronavirus (Covid-19) infections break out in a particular area.Last week, an NHS chief warned the government it should be wary about reopening schools too early as scientists do not fully understand the extent of coronavirus transmission between children.The joint union statement was sent to education secretary Gavin Williamson on Friday by b…
(2020-05-09). Censors crack down on 'Plandemic' conspiracy documentary. What's so dangerous about it? rt.com 
Pulled from YouTube, censored in internet searches, and denounced by every single mainstream media outlet, what kind of information could make everyone so mad about 'Plandemic'? We watched it to find out. | A 23-minute teaser clip of the documentary went viral on Wednesday evening, notching up tens of millions of views across multiple platforms. However, a media outcry soon followed, with mainstream media outlets deploying their 'fact-checkers' to debunk its claims, and Facebook and YouTube removing the video, citing their new rules on Covid-19 "misinformation." | Yet censorship is also a sure-fire way to gene…
(2020-05-09). Why China is better prepared than other economic powers for any global crisis. rt.com 
While the world's second-largest economy, China, has suffered its first contraction on record due to the Covid-19 pandemic, some experts argue the country has been preparing for a possible crisis for a long time. | RT talked to economists to find out if Beijing may have foreseen the economic crash and about the Chinese government's response to it. | "Nobody, including Beijing, could have foreseen the depth and gravity of this pandemic, specifically the cryptic transmission parameters by which the Covid-19 virus spreads. It is truly a once-in-100-year pandemic event," said Sourabh Gupta, senior fellow at the In…
(2020-05-09). War of words over actual war? US BLOCKS UN resolution on global Covid-19 ceasefire over its support for WHO. rt.com 
A dispute between the US and China scuttled a proposed UN resolution calling for a global ceasefire during the Covid-19 pandemic, after Beijing insisted on support for the World Health Organization and Washington vetoed it. | All 15 members of the UN Security Council agreed in principle with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' call for a global ceasefire, made on March 23, but have wrangled over the wording of the resolution ever since. China has insisted on including support for the WHO and the agency's role in dealing with the pandemic, while the US demanded removal of all references to the WHO and insertion…
(2020-05-09). On the frontlines: Red Army veteran Moritz Mebel talks about his battles against fascism. peoplesdispatch.org 
On the 75th anniversary of Victory Day, which commemorates the surrender of Hitler's Germany in World War II, we bring you the recollections of Red Army veteran Moritz Mebel who took part in grueling campaigns against the Nazis from the gates of Moscow to the Czech Republic…
(2020-05-09). Storming of Berlin: Rare HD WW2 photos from May 1945 colorized for the first time. rt.com 
#VictoryPages presents rare historical footage of the Battle of Berlin for the first time in color as part of RT's tribute to the 75th anniversary of the defeat of fascism. | Brazilian artist Marina Amaral, famous for colorizing historical photos, gave these photographs a second life, adding color to one of the greatest battles of the Second World War. Her incredible work brings the viewer closer to history, allowing one to feel the scale of events unfolding in 1945 in the center of the defeated Third Reich. | | © RT / Marina Amaral | For the 75th anniversary of victory in World War II, we are publishin…
(2020-05-09). The Bernie Sanders Movement, Its Historical Antecedents, and Its Legacy. indybay.org Online ZOOM Meeting. | LOG-IN INFORMATION AT OUR WEBSITE | ICSSMARX.ORG | OR EMAIL CUYLERUYLE [at] MAC.COM…
(2020-05-09). Top 5 Reasons Trump's West Wing May be Emerging as a Coronavirus Epicenter. zcomm.org Trump wouldn't even wear a mask when he toured an Arizona Honeywell factory that makes masks, and where all the employees were wearing them…
(2020-05-09). Solidarity with Ohio prisoners. workers.org Over 200 people demonstrated outside the state prison in Marion, Ohio, May 2 to protest the conditions inside and demand prisoners who meet certain criteria be released. The prison drew national attention after 80 percent of the prisoners tested positive for COVID-19. Prisoners' family members demonstrate outside Marion, Ohio, state . . . |
(2020-05-09). Peru extends quarantine as COVID-19 deaths continue to climb. wsws.org As immigrants to the capital make desperate efforts to return to their places of origin, overcrowded prisons have become a hotbed for propagation of the virus.
(2020-05-09). Olang Forest in Iran's Shahroud. en.mehrnews.com SHAHROUD, May 9 (MNA) — Olang Forest, located in Semnan province, 40 kilometers north of Shahroud, is one of the famous tourist destinations in Iran. The heavenly forest offers a peaceful space for families to spend a weekend or two with exciting opportunities for paragliding and different camping.
(2020-05-09). #WorkerRightsNow: Day of Action for Essential Worker Bill of Rights. indybay.org Online and/or phone call actions…
(2020-05-09). Episode 83 — Shelter-in-Place Protests; Implicit Bias and Medical Schools During COVID-19 with Robin Andersen and Colleen Sweeney. projectcensored.org Along the Line, is a member of the Demcast network, brought to you by the Media Freedom Foundation. On today's episode hosts Nicholas Baham III (Dr. Dreadlocks), Janice Domingo, and…
(2020-05-09). Prodded by Right Wingers, Santa Cruz Businesses Operate Outside of Health Restrictions. indybay.org The "Committee to Reopen Santa Cruz," a group founded recently by right wing extremists who believe the COVID-19 Pandemic is a hoax, is prodding local businesses to open early. The group has announced that the Om Gallery on Pacific Avenue is opening to two shoppers at a time from 1-5pm on Friday, May 8, by appointment. The Committee to Reopen Santa Cruz also plans to do "guerrilla yoga" at a studio that will secretly open its doors for the group. "Some studios are opening the back door for the cool kids club. No Snitches," a flyer for a May 8 "Freedom Friday" protest states. On May 6, the Santa Cruz County Health…
(2020-05-09). Protests erupt over police violence and state cover-up of murder in Indiana and Georgia. wsws.org Protests erupted over police killings in Indianapolis and the ten-week cover-up of the murder of Ahmaud Arbery by a former officer and his son in Brunswick, Georgia.
(2020-05-09). Rushing to Reopen, Restaurants in Peril, Europe's Economic Tactics. sputniknews.com Bernie Sanders supporters were maligned as sexists, toxic trolls and worse. Where's the ire for Joe Biden supporters targeting Tara Reade?
(2020-05-09). Did Russia Steal DNC Emails? No Proof, According to New Transcripts. sputniknews.com On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Aaron Maté, a journalist with The Grayzone and The Nation, and host of the podcast Pushback with Aaron Maté.
(2020-05-09). UK Experiences Record-Breaking Number of Illegal Migrant Crossings Over English Channel – Report. sputniknews.com Nationwide frustration with the British government's apparent inability to stop the rising number of illegal migrants attempting to reach the UK's shores has hit boiling point, with the country's Home Secretary requesting that France do more to stop the flow.
(2020-05-09). Haftar militia shells Tripoli's Mitiga airport: 2 dead. yenisafak.com Haftar's forces fired several rounds of rockets at residential neighborhoods in the vicinity of Mitiga airport, the government-led Operation Volcano of Rage said in a statement.The statement said several other people were injured in the attacks, but without giving an exact number.Saturday's attacks came hours after the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) condemned the indiscriminate attacks on civilians in Tripoli, saying the attacks "may amount to war crimes."Haftar, the leader of illegal armed forces in eastern Libya, intensified attacks on civilians since the beginning of May as the Libyan government army rec…
(2020-05-09). Vulnerable S.Sudanese get Ramadan aid from Turkish charity. yenisafak.com Vulnerable South Sudanese received food aid packages during the holy month of Ramadan from the Turkish Red Crescent Society.Recipients included 500 families in the capital of Juba, Red Crescent representative Halim Sertac Acici told Anadolu Agency."These families came to Juba after the peace deal and food is very important to human lives," said Acici, in reference to a peace deal signed in 2018. "With this time of the [Muslim] holy month [Ramadan] and other difficulties facing them, we decided to give them food to support them."Rice, sugar, flour, biscuits and cooking oil were among the items each family receive…
(2020-05-09). Protesters' Calls to Return to Normal Are Acts of White Supremacy. zcomm.org The protests are a form of white privilege in action as the virus disproportionately infects and kills African Americans and people of color…
(2020-05-09). Locals Protest With Bodies of Kin Near South Korean Factory Seeking Its Closure – Video. sputniknews.com New Delhi (Sputnik): As many as 12 people lost their lives and several others were hospitalised due to a hazardous styrene gas leak at a South Korean factory in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh on Thursday.
(2020-05-09). [Correspondence] The Global Kidney Exchange programme. thelancet.com In their favourable review of the ethics of the Global Kidney Exchange (GKE), Francesca Minerva and colleagues1 gloss over a key point: the absence of transparency in the selection of the compatible donor—recipient pairs in the low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). It is precisely this transparency and the promotion of ethical and effective organ donor and allocation that the Council of Europe's Committee on Organ Transplantation2 and the Declaration of Istanbul Custodian Group3 strive to attain.
(2020-05-09). [Articles] Monotherapy with a P2Y12 inhibitor or aspirin for secondary prevention in patients with established atherosclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. thelancet.com Compared with aspirin monotherapy, P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy is associated with a risk reduction for myocardial infarction and a comparable risk of stroke in the setting of secondary prevention. The benefit of P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy is of debatable clinical relevance, in view of the high number needed to treat to prevent a myocardial infarction and the absence of any effect on all-cause and vascular mortality.
(2020-05-09). [Comment] Aspirin for secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. thelancet.com The antithrombotic efficacy of low-dose aspirin is well established. Its primary clinical effect is mediated by inhibition of platelet cyclooxygenase-1, which reduces thromboxane A2 formation and inhibits platelet aggregation. Over the course of recent decades, aspirin administration has shown a favourable risk—benefit ratio for reducing the risk of adverse events in patients with known atherosclerotic disease.1,2 By contrast, in patients without known atherosclerotic disease who are at risk of cardiovascular disease, the overall benefits of aspirin in terms of primary prevention of atherothrombotic events…
(2020-05-09). [Comment] Reconnecting for our future: The Lancet One Health Commission. thelancet.com The evolution and sustenance of our planet hinges on a symbiotic relationship between humans, animals, and the environment that we share—we are interconnected. However, this past century has seen human dominance over the biosphere, manifest in technological innovations, accelerated mobility, and converted ecosystems that characterise industrialisation, globalisation, and urbanisation.1 These developmental trajectories have advanced human health in unprecedented ways. However, they also make humans increasingly vulnerable to contemporary global health challenges, such as emerging and re-emerging infectious d…
(2020-05-09). [Comment] Offline: Independent science advice for COVID-19—at last. thelancet.com "Is the government's objective to suppress infection or to manage the infection?", asked Sir David King at the first press conference of a newly formed independent Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), held last week. The UK now has two SAGEs. The officially constituted SAGE has seen its reputation collapse during the past 3 months. Partly, this loss of credibility arose out of the group's unwillingness to be transparent about its membership and its proceedings. At a moment of national emergency, SAGE's secrecy simply became unacceptable.
(2020-05-09). [Perspectives] Celebrating Florence Nightingale's bicentenary. thelancet.com For the many admirers of Florence Nightingale (1820—1910), the bicentenary of her birth on May 12, 2020, has been long anticipated. Few of us could have foreseen that this birthday would come at a time when a swathe of new temporary hospitals bearing her name had been set up in the UK—the NHS Nightingale Hospitals, intended to support the response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). No other name could have been as suitable. 200 years after her birth, the work and concerns of Nightingale are as relevant today as they ever were.
(2020-05-09). [World Report] Chile plans controversial COVID-19 certificates. thelancet.com Chile's contentious scheme to provide certification of past COVID-19 infection is aimed at reassuring patients about the risk of reinfection or infecting others. Barbara Fraser reports.
(2020-05-09). [World Report] New Zealand eliminates COVID-19. thelancet.com An aggressive approach has enabled New Zealand to end community transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Sophie Cousins reports.
(2020-05-09). [Correspondence] The Global Kidney Exchange programme. thelancet.com Francesca Minerva and colleagues1 recently presented an ethical solution to kidney failure, in response to the low numbers of transplantations in high-income countries (HICs) and low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). It is the Global Kidney Exchange (GKE) programme, which matches donor—recipient pairs across HICs and LMICs.
(2020-05-09). [Correspondence] The Global Kidney Exchange programme — Authors' reply. thelancet.com Marta López-Fraga and Beatriz Domínguez-Gil make their point about our Health Policy on the ethics of the Global Kidney Exchange (GKE) programme1 by asking us to imagine that Alyson, an Ohio farmer, is willing to donate a kidney to her daughter but unable to afford the surgery. Medicare pays for kidney transplantation surgery in the USA, even for people younger than 65 years, so there is no way in which GKE could prevent Alyson's daughter from receiving a kidney from her mother. Kidney transplantations are covered by national health services or insurance in every other high-income country (HIC) too.
(2020-05-09). [Comment] Psoriatic arthritis: still room for improvement. thelancet.com Psoriatic arthritis is a complex and heterogeneous inflammatory disease, characterised by diverse clinical manifestations. Patients might have musculoskeletal manifestations—ie, peripheral or axial arthritis, enthesitis, dactylitis, and tendinitis—but non-musculoskeletal involvement is also prevalent—eg, nails, gut, and eyes, in addition to latent or manifest psoriasis.1 Additionally, patients with psoriatic arthritis have increased risk of cardiovascular, psychological, and metabolic comorbidities.
(2020-05-09). [Correspondence] The Global Kidney Exchange programme. thelancet.com We read the Health Policy about the Global Kidney Exchange programme by Francesca Minerva and colleagues1 with interest.
(2020-05-09). [Correspondence] Unfortunate distinction or corporate protectionism by design? thelancet.com We commend the Editors for bringing to readers' attention the "unfortunate distinction" of Canada's otherwise laudable publicly funded Medicare.1 The effects of this distinction on health, such as poor adherence, poor health outcomes, and avoidable hospital admissions, are well documented.2,3…
(2020-05-09). [Editorial] COVID-19 in Brazil: "So what?" thelancet.com The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic reached Latin America later than other continents. The first case recorded in Brazil was on Feb 25, 2020. But now, Brazil has the most cases and deaths in Latin America (105‚Äà222 cases and 7288 deaths as of May 4), and these are probably substantial underestimates. Even more worryingly, the doubling of the rate of deaths is estimated at only 5 days and a recent study by Imperial College (London, UK), which analysed the active transmission rate of COVID-19 in 48 countries, showed that Brazil is the country with the highest rate of transmission (R0…
(2020-05-09). Hashd al-Sha'abi targets ISIL's bases in N Iraq. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 09 (MNA) — Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units, also known as Hashd al-Sha'abi forces, have targeted ISIL's bases in the eastern province of Saladin with large-scale artillery attacks.
(2020-05-09). Iranians more creative under US sanctions: govt. spox. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 09 (MNA) — In a note on the occasion of US withdrawal from JCPOA, Iranian Government Spokesman Ali Rabiei announced that US sanctions have made the Iranian nation more creative and the nation will eventually defeat the American embargoes.
(2020-05-09). FM Zarif writes to UN chief Guterres on US deal breaking. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 09 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote a letter to the United Nation Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on US deal breakings and sanctions against Iran.
(2020-05-09). FM Zarif elaborates on US deal-breaking in letter to UN chief. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 09 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote a letter to the United Nation Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on US deal breaking and sanctions against Iran.