Daily Archives: May 17, 2020

2020-05-17: News Headlines

South Front (2020-05-17). Russia's COVID Game of Elites. globalresearch.ca Implementing President Putin's directives, Russian federal authorities intensified their efforts to contain both the economic and social impact of the nation-wide coronavirus lockdown, and also some local authorities' overzealous efforts. This move was impatiently awaited by the Russian society for …

South Front (2020-05-17). Video: Syrian Army Suffers Casualties in Daraa. Militants Attack Russian-Turkish Patrol. globalresearch.ca The security situation has been escalating in southern Syria. Over the past 24 hours, at least 3 pro-government fighters and a civilian have been killed in attacks by gunmen in al-Musayfrah and Saida-al-Taebah. The attacks followed the March 14 and …

Adriaan Alsema (2020-05-17). The sad story of Colombia's Supreme Court judge who only accidentally gets people in legal trouble. colombiareports.com Colombia's Supreme Court magistrate Cristina Lombana seems to have a special gift to accidentally get her allegedly criminal former army buddies in legal trouble. Since President Ivan Duque swore in…

Peter Koenig (2020-05-17). China's New Crypto-Currency — First Step to Full Dedollarization? globalresearch.ca 'We'll cut off the whole relationship' — Trump threatened China in a recent Fox-Business interview, suggesting he may cut diplomatic relations with China and thereby saving US$ 500 billion. He didn't say how, though. | Mr. Trump's anger referred to what …

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-17). Why East Beat West on COVID-19. strategic-culture.org East Asia has handled and contained the pandemic far better than the West on nearly all metrics | Andrew SALMON | Perhaps the most startling trend visible in the global Covid-19 pandemic is the vast differential separating East Asia from the West when it comes to the disease's impact. | The chasm is visible — indeed, is impossible not to notice — when examining infection and death rates in either gross or percentage terms. | Very clearly East Asia, defined as the Sinic or Sinic-influenced nations of China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam, has done better than the West on virus management. | Why…

The Canary (2020-05-17). Johnson's ratings plummet and he's warned early lockdown will 'fracture' UK. thecanary.co Boris Johnson has been warned he may cause a fracturing of national unity if he fails to listen to regional concerns about the easing of lockdown restrictions.Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham spoke out as a poll reported public support for the UK government's handling of the coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis had slipped.Meanwhile, only 39% of Britons approve of the Government's response — down from 48% a week ago — according to an Opinium survey of 2,005 adults on Wednesday and Thursday.Those saying they disapproved rose from 36% to 42%.Burnham said Johnson did not inform civic leaders of his easing of…

RT (2020-05-17). Bloomberg changes headline YET AGAIN amid backlash over article on why Covid-19 'didn't kill more Russians'. rt.com Bloomberg has yet again had to correct the title of an article, after rolling out a report about why Covid-19 hasn't "killed more Russians." Moscow has argued that Western media distort Russia's fight against the disease. | US-based Bloomberg News had published the story, originally titled "Experts Want to Know Why Coronavirus Hasn't Killed More Russians," on Wednesday. The news piece was ostensibly about how Russia's relatively low death toll from Covid-19 "puzzles health experts," especially since the nation has the second-highest number of officially-recorded cases of the disease, trailing only behind the…

ahtribune (2020-05-17). If You Think the Coronavirus Lockdown Is Worse Than the Disease, You Don't Understand the Disease. ahtribune.com It's no accident that one of the world's great morons—he who thinks injecting disinfectants and shining bright lights into bodily cavities will save the world from COVID-19—should be cheering on one the world's most moronic public health policy choices. | The novel coronavirus—aptly dubbed the stealth virus—is highly infectious, if not peerlessly contagious. People can be infected by the virus—and spread the disease to others—for up to two weeks before showing symptoms. Or they can experience symptoms so mild that they're not aware they're ill. If we believe it's now safe to…

RT (2020-05-17). 'Contradicting the idea of solidarity': France slams Italy for unilateral plan to reopen borders to tourists. rt.com Italy shouldn't have moved to reopen its borders without coordinating with other EU member states first, French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said, as a non-uniform Covid-19 pandemic response tests the bloc's unity. | Following more than two months of statewide lockdowns, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced on Saturday that the country will allow entry to European tourists, while the mandatory 14-day quarantine will be scrapped from June 3. France immediately slammed its neighbor for undermining the idea of European solidarity. | "It's very important for us to coordinate our decisions on th…

RT (2020-05-17). Coronavirus to burn out 'naturally' BEFORE vaccine? Former top WHO oncologist Karol Sikora says there's 'REAL CHANCE' of that. rt.com Covid-19 could be "petering out by itself" before the world comes up with any vaccine, a leading academic, formerly the World Health Organization's (WHO) top oncologist has said. | "There's a real chance that the virus will burn out naturally before any vaccine is developed," Karol Sikora, the dean of the University of Buckingham's medical school, We're seeing a roughly similar pattern everywhere — I suspect we have more immunity than estimated. We need to keep slowing the virus,…

The Canary (2020-05-17). A hospital pharmacist says lockdown has been eased too soon. thecanary.co As a pharmacist working in a busy London hospital, Arvinder Sarai is concerned that the public needs to be "vigilant" about the spread of the coronavirus.As well as maintaining her usual post as a pharmacist at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, Sarai has been campaigning for free transport for NHS staff continuing to work throughout the pandemic.In a series of profiles looking at workers on the front line of the battle against coronavirus (Covid-19), Sarai told the PA news agency about her experiences.How has it been, personally and emotionally, working on the front line?: You can read a patient's notes, t…

RT (2020-05-17). Coronavirus to burn out 'naturally' BEFORE vaccine? Former WHO oncologist says there's 'REAL chance' of that. rt.com Covid-19 could be "petering out by itself" before the world comes up with any vaccine, a leading academic, formerly the World Health Organization's (WHO) top oncologist has said. | "There's a real chance that the virus will burn out naturally before any vaccine is developed," Karol Sikora, the dean of the University of Buckingham's medical school, We're seeing a roughly similar pattern everywhere — I suspect we have more immunity than estimated. We need to keep slowing the virus,…

RT (2020-05-17). 'Questioning EU's ability': Eurocrat accuses Russian media of spreading Covid-19 'CONSPIRACIES,' offers no examples. rt.com An EU Commission spokesperson alleged, giving no details, that the Russian media and "Kremlin-friendly" sources push conspiracy theories about Covid-19. The news comes on the heels of anti-lockdown protests in Germany and the UK. | Not mincing his words, Peter Stano

RT (2020-05-17). Coronavirus brings diamond sales to an almost complete halt. rt.com A leading global diamond producer, Russia's ALROSA, is reporting that its sales were down tenfold in one month alone, as the impact of Covid-19 ripples through the global economy and supply chains. | In April, ALROSA sold a total of just $15.6 million-worth of rough and polished diamonds. This is down from over $152 million a month earlier and from $400 million in sales in the beginning of the year. | "Restrictions imposed to fight the coronavirus and a decline in demand for diamond jewelry have minimized the trade in rough and polished diamonds across the world," Evgeny Agureev, Deputy CEO of ALROSA, said in…

RT (2020-05-17). Boozing by letter: Alcohol sales rationing based on SURNAMES could soon be a thing in South Africa as it eases its 'dry' law. rt.com South Africa, which has some of the toughest Covid-19 restrictions, is set to relax them, including a ban on alcohol sales. To avert a feared onslaught of booze buyers, retailers are proposing what seems an outlandish scheme. | Alcohol is expected to rain on the arid market of South Africa from June 1, when the government is set to partially lift its coronavirus-related restrictions. The blanket ban on alcohol and tobacco sales was implemented late in March. | The government draft plan would allow liquor stores to operate from Monday to Wednesday between 8am and 12pm. Retailers, however, fear that the stores m…

RT (2020-05-17). 'Guard of dishonor': VIDEO shows nurses & doctors giving ICY welcome to Belgian PM over govt's Covid-19 response. rt.com Belgium's PM Sophie Wilmes has visited one of the nation's hospitals battling the pandemic — but the medical staff literally turned their backs on her to show that her "display of support" for frontline workers was not enough. | Prime Minister Wilmes faced a cold welcome at the Saint-Pierre hospital in the Belgian capital Brussels, where the doctors and nurses found a novel way to show their dissatisfaction with the government's policies amid the novel coronavirus epidemic. The nation has had one of the highest Covid-19 mortality rates in Europe. | Footage obtained by RT's video agency Ruptly shows do…

RT (2020-05-17). DHS & FBI fear more attacks on 5G infrastructure fueled by Covid-19 conspiracies. rt.com The Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies are worried that conspiracy theories, bizarrely linking the Covid-19 pandemic to the 5G technology rollout, could inspire more vandalism and violence in the US. | The DHS, FBI and the National Counterterrorism Center issued a joint warning to US law enforcement officials about the growing threat this week, while a separate DHS intelligence report,

RT (2020-05-17). 'EYE' in the sky: Russia's National Guard launches BLIMP to spot Covid-19 lockdown violators… to mixed reviews (VIDEO). rt.com Russia's National Guard has added a steampunk vibe to the coronavirus dystopia as it launched a blimp to monitor how the lockdown is being observed in Moscow Region. Not everyone was impressed, though. | Equipped with the OKO ("eye") surveillance system, the air balloon was deployed to hover several hundred meters above the ground, allowing servicemen to observe an area of around five square kilometers. | The blimp's prime task is to monitor the park and forest areas during the quarantine. Data gathered by the OKO system is transferred to patrols on the ground in real time, who are then dispatched to disperse…

Adriaan Alsema (2020-05-17). Coronavirus begins spiralling out of control in Colombia's major cities. colombiareports.com Colombia's third largest city, Cali, and port city Cartagena rang the alarm as the country's healthcare system appears to slowly be falling apart because of the coronavirus pandemic. An explosive…

Jim Naureckas (2020-05-17). Grading the States' Coronavirus Control. fair.org I recently wrote a Twitter thread ( The good idea, which appears on the Times' "Coronavirus in the US"

RT (2020-05-17). NO PROOF to support 'Russian assassin' story, Czech govt concedes — yet minister claims suspicions are still 'credible'. rt.com The Czech interior minister has admitted that Prague has no evidence against a Russian diplomat branded by media as a poison courier in an alleged assassination plot. It didn't stop the minister pushing the theory further, though. | An acting head of the Russian foreign aid agency's office in the Czech Republic, Andrey Konchakov, has recently found himself at the center of a scandal, after local media identified him as a suspected "spy" supposedly involved in a plot to assassinate several local officials. | Now, Czech Minster of the Interior Jan Hamacek is explaining that expelling the man could prove complica…

RT (2020-05-17). Chinese envoy to Tel Aviv found dead at his residence, Israeli foreign ministry confirms. rt.com China's ambassador to Israel, Du Wei, was found dead at his home on Sunday morning, Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and police have confirmed. | Du, 57, was found dead at the apartment in the city of Herzliya, north of Tel Aviv, Israeli Police spokesperson Micky Rosenfeld told AFP. The report of Du's death was also confirmed by Israel's foreign ministry. | Israeli media said earlier that Du's body was discovered in his bed with no signs of violence, and that police are investigating the cause of his death. It was also reported that the initial indications were that the diplomat had died in his sleep of na…

ahtribune (2020-05-17). Dropshipping for Beginners – What Exactly is Dropshipping? ahtribune.com If you are looking to start making money through dropshipping, this overview will get you prepared to start succeeding in this type of market. Before we begin, it's important to understand what exactly it means to dropship items. | This particular business model allows entrepreneurs to tap into the ecommerce market and sell items without having the actual stock yourself. Instead of you physically shipping the item, a third party has your listed item shipped directly to the customer on your company's behalf. Sometimes even under your company's name as if it came from your own warehouse. All of this is done with…

ahtribune (2020-05-17). How Israel Instructed Its Worst Nightmare in the Art of War. ahtribune.com "We were Hezbollah trainers. It is an organization that learns quickly. The Hezbollah we met at the beginning (1982) is different from the one we left behind in 2000". This is what the former Chief of Staff and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gabi Ashkenazi, said twenty years after the Israeli "For the first time we met a non-conventional army, but also an ideological organization with deep faith: and this faith triumphed over us. We were more powerful, more technologically advanced and better…

Adriaan Alsema (2020-05-17). Operation Baton: Colombia's most epic military corruption probe in history? colombiareports.com Colombia's army is so corrupt, one general was even selling classified information to guerrillas, a counterintelligence operation discovered before its findings mysteriously disappeared. Operation Baton was meant to purge the…

RT (2020-05-17). Prophetic? EU once paid for a comic book that showed how it BOTCHED response to PANDEMIC (yet took all the credit anyway). rt.com A pandemic has claimed a million lives despite a vaccine sent from the future, yet EU officials are patting themselves on the back for a good job and mull even more bureaucracy. That is how a comic book published by the EU ends.

RT (2020-05-17). Putin calls Russia a 'distinct civilization' that needs to be SAVED with homegrown high-tech. rt.com President Vladimir Putin has compared his multi-ethnic and multi-faith nation to an entire civilization, saying that if Russia is to maintain its independent status, it has to develop its own cutting-edge technologies. | In an I…

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-05-17). Normalized Relations with Russia Can Improve Baltic Economies During Pandemic. globalresearch.ca In 2020, Lithuania's and Latvia's gross domestic product (GDP) will decrease by seven per cent, according to a European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Staff (2020-05-17). Big Oil Takes $1.9 Billion in CARES Act Tax Breaks Intended for Small Businesses. truthout.org Sen. Bernie Sanders was among critics outraged that the fossil fuel industry is using tax breaks in the CARES Act meant to help businesses keep workers employed to avoid paying millions of dollars in taxes — and then delivering that money to executives. | "Good thing President Trump is looking out for the real victims of the coronavirus: fossil fuel executives," Sanders tweeted sarcastically Friday. | t.co/4sj6gT53f9 | — Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) Stephen Lendman (2020-05-17). Trump Regime Aims to Block Legal Cooperation Between Iran and Venezuela. globalresearch.ca The US is at war by hot or others means against all nations unwilling to subordinate their sovereign rights to its interests. | Russia and China top its regime change target list, Iran and Venezuela close behind. | The Islamic and Bolivarian …

Stephen Lendman (2020-05-17). Trump and GOP Oppose New House Economic Stimulus Measure. globalresearch.ca On Friday, the Dem-controlled House narrowly passed a new $3 trillion stimulus package — by a 208 — 199 majority. | Fourteen House Dems opposed the measure. Republican Peter King, representing New York's hard-hit 2nd district, supported the so-called Health …

en.mehrnews (2020-05-17). 'Yalda, A Night for Forgiveness' to vie in PyeongChang Intl. Peace Filmfest. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 17 (MNA) — The feature film 'Yalda, A Night for Forgiveness' by Iranian director Masoud Bakhshi, has been accepted into the competition program of the 2nd Pyeongchang International Peace Film Festival in South Korea.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-17). 'War and Peace' to go on screen in Italian film festival. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 17 (MNA) — Iranian short film 'War and Peace' directed by Ehsan Mirzaie will take part in the 9th Tracce Cinematografiche Film Fest International Short Film in Rome, Italy.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-17). China was, is, will be peace builder and promoter in ME: Chinese amb. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 17 (MNA) — Chinese ambassador to Tehran Chang Hua in an interview with Mehr News agency criticized the US baseless accusations over the outbreak of coronavirus, adding "China was, is and will be peace and stability builder and promoter in the region."

Leon Kunstenaar (2020-05-17). Protest at Fort Mason Against CCSF Cuts. indybay.org People young and old protest CCSF cuts in programs that benefit seniors, immigrants and working people.

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-17). America's Newest Wedge Issue and the Tale of the Bizarre 2020 Presidential Elections. strategic-culture.org The answer to 1776 is not 1984 and if anything needs to be protested it would be any efforts by the government to make elections "go digital". Ironically such a move would actually be the way that the Chinese and Russians could actually get the guy they want in the Oval Office.

Jean-Jacques Tuech, Lilian Schwarz (2020-05-17). [Letter] Can we operate our patients without fear during the period of COVID-19 infection? thelancet.com We read the paper by Shaoquin LEI and colleagues [1] with great interest. The authors reported 34 patients in whom the infection was revealed after surgery was performed. In this group of patients 15 (44.1%) needed ICU care and 7 (20.5%) died. This retrospective cohort study is the first one to describe the outcome of operative patients with SARS-Cov-2 infection.

Gary L Ross (2020-05-17). [Letter] Clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients undergoing surgeries during the incubation period of COVID-19 infection. What are the implications for the commencement of elective surgery? thelancet.com

Alison P. Galvani, Alyssa S. Parpia, Abhishek Pandey, Charlotte Zimmer, James G. Kahn, Meagan C. Fitzpatrick (2020-05-17). [Commentary] The imperative for universal healthcare to curtail the COVID-19 outbreak in the USA. thelancet.com The COVID-19 outbreak in the United States is growing steeply and spreading widely. As of March 26, national incidence surpassed every other country, and as of April 28 has reported over a million cases. The COVID-19 crisis is exposing the systemic frailties in our healthcare system. More than 78 million people in America do not have access to adequate health insurance [1]. Given that health insurance in the US is typically provided by employers, millions more are at risk of losing their healthcare coverage as unemployment surges.

SANA (2020-05-17). Video: Three ISIS-Daesh Terrorists Confess to Perpetrating a Number of Operations in Cooperation with US. globalresearch.ca Three Daesh terrorists confess to perpetrating a number of operations in cooperation with US occupation forces in al-Tanf. …

Renee Parsons (2020-05-17). Section 230: Protecting Internet Speech, The Censors and Censorship. globalresearch.ca With a better world on the horizon, the old order is desperately asserting its last vestige of power. What the perpetrators of the coronavirus event were not counting on was that the pandemic would usher in a new era of …

Lucas Leiroz de Almeida (2020-05-17). Pandemic Scales Up Cases of Mental Illnesses. globalresearch.ca The global pandemic of the new coronavirus worsens day after day worldwide, bringing with it a series of harms for humanity. As it is known, in addition to the simple infection by the virus, the pandemic causes problems in society …

Derrick Broze (2020-05-17). How Big Wireless Lobbied Governments to Build 5G for Citizen Data Collection and Surveillance. globalresearch.ca While selling 5G technology to the public as a means for faster downloads, Big Wireless — comprising a web of telecom companies, lobbyists and law firms— is spending millions to lobby governments the world over to implement the next generation …

Najwan Simri (2020-05-17). Jews to Palestinian Whose Home They Occupy: What Do You Want? globalresearch.ca "On the anniversary of the

Global Times (2020-05-17). Chinese Ridicule Trump's China 'Cut-Off' Threat. globalresearch.ca "Is Trump totally insane?" Experts and the international community couldn't help but ask this question after US President Donald Trump threatened to "cut off the whole relationship" with China on Thursday in an interview with FOX Business. Observers said that …

Eric Sommer (2020-05-17). China Declares the U.S. an Enemy: Sea-Change in World Affairs. globalresearch.ca For a long period the Chinese regime has vacillated between seeking accommodation with the U.S.-led imperialist forces to 'do business' with the western world, and defending itself against the attempted economic, political, and military encirclement and strangulation of China by …

Edward Curtin (2020-05-17). The Online Double-bind. "Digital Revolution, …. Many More People are Crazy" globalresearch.ca The trap was set at least twenty-five years ago and the mice jumped at the smell of the cheese. I am referring to the introduction of the computer as a mass necessity and the Internet that followed. I was slow …

Pepe Escobar (2020-05-17). How Biosecurity Is Enabling Digital Neo-Feudalism. globalresearch.ca Italian master thinker Giorgio Agamben has been on the — controversial — forefront examining what new paradigm may be emerging out of our current pandemic distress. | He recently called

Basma Qaddour (2020-05-17). ISIS Terrorists Confess that They Have Carried Out Many Operations in Coordination with US Occupation Forces in Al-Tanf Base. globalresearch.ca During a security operation carried out with the help of the Syrian Badia's residents, an ambush was set up against an ISIS terrorist group composed of 6 members where 3 of them were killed and the remaining ones were arrested….

Ulson Gunnar (2020-05-17). The COVID-19 Chronicles: China. globalresearch.ca With the US spiraling downward, a downward trajectory merely steepened by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, we'd expect other nations to suffer likewise. | But China, where we are told the virus first appeared, has already bounced back. While it …

2020-05-17: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these 'POSTEES' on social media! (Copy the text of the postee below, then paste it on social media and the story images will also appear.)

Why U.S. Must Be Prosecuted for Its War Crimes Against Iraq
Eric Zuesse | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-17
The reason why the U.S. Government must be prosecuted for its war-crimes against Iraq is that they are so horrific and there are so many of them, and international law crumbles until they become prosecuted and severely punished for what …
globalresearch.ca/why-u-s-must-prosecuted-war-crimes-against-iraq/5713149

Big Oil Takes $1.9 Billion in CARES Act Tax Breaks Intended for Small Businesses
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-05-17
Sen. Bernie Sanders was among critics outraged that the fossil fuel industry is using tax breaks in the CARES Act meant to help businesses keep workers employed to avoid paying millions of dollars in taxes

Bloomberg changes headline YET AGAIN amid backlash over article on why Covid-19 'didn't kill more Russians'
rt.com | 2020-05-17
Bloomberg has yet again had to correct the title of an article, after rolling out a report about why Covid-19 hasn't "killed more Russians." Moscow has argued that Western media distort Russia's fight against the disease. | US-based Bloomberg News had published the story, originally titled "Experts Want to Know Why Coronavirus Hasn't Killed More Russians," on Wednesday. The news piece was ostensibly about how Russia's relatively low death toll from Covid-19 "puzzles health experts," especially since the nation has the second-highest number of officially-recorded cases of the disease, trailing only behind the…
rt.com/news/488893-bloomberg-story-russia-covid19/

The sad story of Colombia's Supreme Court judge who only accidentally gets people in legal trouble
Adriaan Alsema | colombiareports.com | 2020-05-17
Colombia's Supreme Court magistrate Cristina Lombana seems to have a special gift to accidentally get her allegedly criminal former army buddies in legal trouble. Since President Ivan Duque swore in…
colombiareports.com/the-sad-story-of-colombias-supreme-court-judge-who-only-accidentally-gets-people-in-legal-trouble/

Trump and GOP Oppose New House Economic Stimulus Measure
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-17
On Friday, the Dem-controlled House narrowly passed a new $3 trillion stimulus package

Trump and GOP Oppose New House Economic Stimulus Measure
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-17
On Friday, the Dem-controlled House narrowly passed a new $3 trillion stimulus package

Trump Regime Aims to Block Legal Cooperation Between Iran and Venezuela
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-17
The US is at war by hot or others means against all nations unwilling to subordinate their sovereign rights to its interests. | Russia and China top its regime change target list, Iran and Venezuela close behind. | The Islamic and Bolivarian …
globalresearch.ca/trump-regime-aims-block-legal-cooperation-between-iran-venezuela/5713152

Trump Regime Aims to Block Legal Cooperation Between Iran and Venezuela
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-17
The US is at war by hot or others means against all nations unwilling to subordinate their sovereign rights to its interests. | Russia and China top its regime change target list, Iran and Venezuela close behind. | The Islamic and Bolivarian …
globalresearch.ca/trump-regime-aims-block-legal-cooperation-between-iran-venezuela/5713152

Remembering Palestine on Nakba Day: Use the Hashtag COVID1948
Philip Giraldi | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-17
Palestinians worldwide have an annual day of remembrance called Nakba Day. Nakba comes from the Arabic al-Nakbah and means "disaster" or "catastrophe." It takes place on May 15th, the day after the Gregorian calendar date for Israeli …
globalresearch.ca/remembering-palestine-nakba-day/5713135

Remembering Palestine on Nakba Day: Use the Hashtag COVID1948
Philip Giraldi | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-17
Palestinians worldwide have an annual day of remembrance called Nakba Day. Nakba comes from the Arabic al-Nakbah and means "disaster" or "catastrophe." It takes place on May 15th, the day after the Gregorian calendar date for Israeli …
globalresearch.ca/remembering-palestine-nakba-day/5713135

Russia's COVID Game of Elites
South Front | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-17
Implementing President Putin's directives, Russian federal authorities intensified their efforts to contain both the economic and social impact of the nation-wide coronavirus lockdown, and also some local authorities' overzealous efforts. This move was impatiently awaited by the Russian society for …
globalresearch.ca/russia-covid-game-elites/5713171

Russia's COVID Game of Elites
South Front | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-17
Implementing President Putin's directives, Russian federal authorities intensified their efforts to contain both the economic and social impact of the nation-wide coronavirus lockdown, and also some local authorities' overzealous efforts. This move was impatiently awaited by the Russian society for …
globalresearch.ca/russia-covid-game-elites/5713171

Video: Syrian Army Suffers Casualties in Daraa. Militants Attack Russian-Turkish Patrol
South Front | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-17
The security situation has been escalating in southern Syria. Over the past 24 hours, at least 3 pro-government fighters and a civilian have been killed in attacks by gunmen in al-Musayfrah and Saida-al-Taebah. The attacks followed the March 14 and …
globalresearch.ca/video-syrian-army-suffers-casualties-daraa-militants-attack-russian-turkish-patrol/5713174

Video: Syrian Army Suffers Casualties in Daraa. Militants Attack Russian-Turkish Patrol
South Front | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-17
The security situation has been escalating in southern Syria. Over the past 24 hours, at least 3 pro-government fighters and a civilian have been killed in attacks by gunmen in al-Musayfrah and Saida-al-Taebah. The attacks followed the March 14 and …
globalresearch.ca/video-syrian-army-suffers-casualties-daraa-militants-attack-russian-turkish-patrol/5713174

Normalized Relations with Russia Can Improve Baltic Economies During Pandemic
Paul Antonopoulos | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-17
In 2020, Lithuania's and Latvia's gross domestic product (GDP) will decrease by seven per cent, according to a European Bank for Reconstruction and Development report published only days ago. Estonia's GDP is projected to decline by six percent. A six …
globalresearch.ca/normalized-relations-russia-can-improve-baltic-economies-pandemic/5713165

Normalized Relations with Russia Can Improve Baltic Economies During Pandemic
Paul Antonopoulos | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-17
In 2020, Lithuania's and Latvia's gross domestic product (GDP) will decrease by seven per cent, according to a European Bank for Reconstruction and Development report published only days ago. Estonia's GDP is projected to decline by six percent. A six …
globalresearch.ca/normalized-relations-russia-can-improve-baltic-economies-pandemic/5713165

Latin America Sees Rise in COVID-19 Cases as Economies Reopen
teleSUR-la | telesurenglish.net | 2020-05-17
Latin American countries on Saturday reported a further increase in COVID-19 cases and deaths, as some are gradually reopening their economies. | RELATED: | Puebla Group Discusses Peace in Colombia and Pandemic Crisis | Brazil reported a total of 15,633 deaths from COVID-19 and 233,142 confirmed cases, after 816 more patients died of the disease and 14,919 infections were detected in the past 24 hours, according to the Health Ministry. | Sao Paulo, the most populous state, was h…
telesurenglish.net/news/Latin-America-Sees-Rise-in-COVID-19-Cases-as-Economies-Reopen-20200517-0001.html

Latin America Sees Rise in COVID-19 Cases as Economies Reopen
teleSUR-la | telesurenglish.net | 2020-05-17
Latin American countries on Saturday reported a further increase in COVID-19 cases and deaths, as some are gradually reopening their economies. | RELATED: | Puebla Group Discusses Peace in Colombia and Pandemic Crisis | Brazil reported a total of 15,633 deaths from COVID-19 and 233,142 confirmed cases, after 816 more patients died of the disease and 14,919 infections were detected in the past 24 hours, according to the Health Ministry. | Sao Paulo, the most populous state, was h…
telesurenglish.net/news/Latin-America-Sees-Rise-in-COVID-19-Cases-as-Economies-Reopen-20200517-0001.html

China was, is, will be peace builder and promoter in ME: Chinese amb
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-05-17
TEHRAN, May 17 (MNA)

Afghanistan: Rivals Ghani and Abdullah Sign Power-Sharing Deal
telesurenglish.net | 2020-05-17
Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani and his rival Abdullah Abdullah signed Sunday a power-sharing deal, ending months of political deadlock since the September 2019 polls. | RELATED: | Pompeo Arrives in Afghanistan to Revive Faltering Peace Talks | "We will share the burden and our shoulders, God willing, will be lighter," Ghani said at the signing ceremony, adding the day is "historic" as the agreement was reached without any international mediation. | With the deal, Abdullah…
telesurenglish.net/news/Afghanistan-Rivals-Ghani-and-Abdullah-Sign-Power-Sharing-Deal-20200517-0005.html

'War and Peace' to go on screen in Italian film festival
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-05-17
TEHRAN, May 17 (MNA)

'Yalda, A Night for Forgiveness' to vie in PyeongChang Intl. Peace Filmfest
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-05-17
TEHRAN, May 17 (MNA)

[Letter] Can we operate our patients without fear during the period of COVID-19 infection?
Jean-Jacques Tuech, Lilian Schwarz | thelancet.com | 2020-05-17
We read the paper by Shaoquin LEI and colleagues [1] with great interest. The authors reported 34 patients in whom the infection was revealed after surgery was performed. In this group of patients 15 (44.1%) needed ICU care and 7 (20.5%) died. This retrospective cohort study is the first one to describe the outcome of operative patients with SARS-Cov-2 infection.
thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(20)30126-7/fulltext?rss=yes

[Letter] Clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients undergoing surgeries during the incubation period of COVID-19 infection. What are the implications for the commencement of elective surgery?
Gary L Ross | thelancet.com | 2020-05-17
thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(20)30129-2/fulltext?rss=yes

[Commentary] The imperative for universal healthcare to curtail the COVID-19 outbreak in the USA
Alison P. Galvani, Alyssa S. Parpia, Abhishek Pandey, Charlotte Zimmer, James G. Kahn, Meagan C. Fitzpatrick | thelancet.com | 2020-05-17
The COVID-19 outbreak in the United States is growing steeply and spreading widely. As of March 26, national incidence surpassed every other country, and as of April 28 has reported over a million cases. The COVID-19 crisis is exposing the systemic frailties in our healthcare system. More than 78 million people in America do not have access to adequate health insurance [1]. Given that health insurance in the US is typically provided by employers, millions more are at risk of losing their healthcare coverage as unemployment surges.
thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(20)30124-3/fulltext?rss=yes

'Questioning EU's ability': Eurocrat accuses Russian media of spreading Covid-19 'CONSPIRACIES,' offers no examples
rt.com | 2020-05-17
An EU Commission spokesperson alleged, giving no details, that the Russian media and "Kremlin-friendly" sources push conspiracy theories about Covid-19. The news comes on the heels of anti-lockdown protests in Germany and the UK. | Not mincing his words, Peter Stano told German paper Bild am Sonntag: "Our observations show that various official and state-backed sources from Russia

America's Newest Wedge Issue and the Tale of the Bizarre 2020 Presidential Elections
Andrey Areshev | strategic-culture.org | 2020-05-17
The answer to 1776 is not 1984 and if anything needs to be protested it would be any efforts by the government to make elections "go digital". Ironically such a move would actually be the way that the Chinese and Russians could actually get the guy they want in the Oval Office.
strategic-culture.org/video/2020/05/17/americas-newest-wedge-issue-and-tale-bizarre-2020-elections/

Protest at Fort Mason Against CCSF Cuts
Leon Kunstenaar | indybay.org | 2020-05-17
People young and old protest CCSF cuts in programs that benefit seniors, immigrants and working people.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/05/15/18833052.php

Coronavirus to burn out 'naturally' BEFORE vaccine? Former top WHO oncologist Karol Sikora says there's 'REAL CHANCE' of that
rt.com | 2020-05-17
Covid-19 could be "petering out by itself" before the world comes up with any vaccine, a leading academic, formerly the World Health Organization's (WHO) top oncologist has said. | "There's a real chance that the virus will burn out naturally before any vaccine is developed," Karol Sikora, the dean of the University of Buckingham's medical school, wrote on Twitter. | We're seeing a roughly similar pattern everywhere

If You Think the Coronavirus Lockdown Is Worse Than the Disease, You Don't Understand the Disease
ahtribune.com | 2020-05-17
It's no accident that one of the world's great morons–he who thinks injecting disinfectants and shining bright lights into bodily cavities will save the world from COVID-19–should be cheering on one the world's most moronic public health policy choices. | The novel coronavirus–aptly dubbed the stealth virus–is highly infectious, if not peerlessly contagious. People can be infected by the virus–and spread the disease to others–for up to two weeks before showing symptoms. Or they can experience symptoms so mild that they're not aware they're ill. If we believe it's now safe to…
ahtribune.com/world/covid-19/4163-lockdown-understand-the-disease.html

Export of goods from Bazargan customs up 56% despite COVID-19
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-05-17
TEHRAN, May 17 (MNA)

The COVID-19 Chronicles: China
Ulson Gunnar | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-17
With the US spiraling downward, a downward trajectory merely steepened by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, we'd expect other nations to suffer likewise. | But China, where we are told the virus first appeared, has already bounced back. While it …
globalresearch.ca/covid-19-chronicles-china/5713169

COVID-19 Exposes Systemic Devaluation of Elderly and Dementia Patients
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-05-17
I hold my breath when I see my friends from the nursing home have texted. How many cases today? Are there any new fatalities? | I left the nursing home nearly six years ago, but I worry about my friends who still w…
truthout.org/articles/covid-19-exposes-systemic-devaluation-of-elderly-and-dementia-patients/

COVID-19 vaccine secures new government investment
imperial.ac.uk | 2020-05-17
Imperial researchers have received a further £18.5 million in government support as they develop a coronavirus vaccine.
imperial.ac.uk/news/197573/covid-19-vaccine-secures-government-investment

Music-Mix Parade In The Era Of Coronavirus Covid-19 Pandemic
Lynda Carson | indybay.org | 2020-05-17
The Era Of The Coronavirus Covid-19 Pandemic…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/05/17/18833094.php

People of Shiraz observe Night of Decree in personal cars amid pandemic
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-05-17
SHIRAZ, May 17 (MNA)

Salvadoran Officials Reject Quarantine Extension
telesurenglish.net | 2020-05-17
The President of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, extended the state of emergency in the country on the grounds of stopping the spread of Covid-19. | RELATED: | El Salvador: Pot-Banging Against Bukele's Pandemic Management | The state of emergency, approved on April 30 by the Legislative Assembly, expired on Saturday night, so, under the protection of an article of the Civil Protection Law, the government extended it for another month. | The decree empowers the government to use funds f…
telesurenglish.net/news/Salvadoran-Officials-Reject-Quarantine-Extension-20200517-0002.html

'Guard of dishonor': VIDEO shows nurses & doctors giving ICY welcome to Belgian PM over govt's Covid-19 response
rt.com | 2020-05-17
Belgium's PM Sophie Wilmes has visited one of the nation's hospitals battling the pandemic

Covid-19 Outbreak Reported in Bolivia's Largest Prison
telesurenglish.net | 2020-05-17
Authorities from the Santa Cruz department in eastern Bolivia confirmed an outbreak of coronavirus in the Palmasola prison on Saturday, reporting that 25 inmates tested positive for the disease. | RELATED: | Bolivia: Añez Backs Down, Annuls Decree Against Speech Freedom | "A total of 25 people deprived of liberty have tested positive for Covid-19. Having an epidemiological outbreak inside the Palmasola prison, we are going to establish two isolation centers: one for suspects and…
telesurenglish.net/news/Covid-19-Outbreak-Reported-in-Bolivias-Largest-Prison-20200517-0003.html

DHS & FBI fear more attacks on 5G infrastructure fueled by Covid-19 conspiracies
rt.com | 2020-05-17
The Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies are worried that conspiracy theories, bizarrely linking the Covid-19 pandemic to the 5G technology rollout, could inspire more vandalism and violence in the US. | The DHS, FBI and the National Counterterrorism Center issued a joint warning to US law enforcement officials about the growing threat this week, while a separate DHS intelligence report, obtained by ABC News, noted that the widening online "misinformation…
rt.com/usa/488881-dhs-fbi-5g-attacks-coronavirus/

Johnson's ratings plummet and he's warned early lockdown will 'fracture' UK
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-05-17
Boris Johnson has been warned he may cause a fracturing of national unity if he fails to listen to regional concerns about the easing of lockdown restrictions.Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham spoke out as a poll reported public support for the UK government's handling of the coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis had slipped.Meanwhile, only 39% of Britons approve of the Government's response

Why East Beat West on COVID-19
Andrey Areshev | strategic-culture.org | 2020-05-17
East Asia has handled and contained the pandemic far better than the West on nearly all metrics | Andrew SALMON | Perhaps the most startling trend visible in the global Covid-19 pandemic is the vast differential separating East Asia from the West when it comes to the disease's impact. | The chasm is visible

United We Dream: Immigrants, COVID-19, Jobs & Healthcare Virtual Town Hall
United We Dream | indybay.org | 2020-05-17
Online…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/05/16/18833087.php

BMJ damns UK government for mishandling coronavirus outbreak and ignoring science
Tom Coburg | thecanary.co | 2020-05-17
An editorial in the prestigious British Medical Journal (BMJ) condemns the Johnson-led government for the way it has handled the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic and for ignoring the science. It amounts to possibly the most damning criticism of the government's management of the pandemic so far. | Moreover, a set of slides seen by The Canary reveals that the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) referenced a document, issued in 2019, that provided detailed projections for a major UK epidemic. Yet, this doesn't seem to have informed the government's response to the crisis. | Early failings: | The…
thecanary.co/discovery/2020/05/17/bmj-damns-uk-government-for-mishandling-coronavirus-outbreak-and-ignoring-science/

Coronavirus to burn out 'naturally' BEFORE vaccine? Former WHO oncologist says there's 'REAL chance' of that
rt.com | 2020-05-17
Covid-19 could be "petering out by itself" before the world comes up with any vaccine, a leading academic, formerly the World Health Organization's (WHO) top oncologist has said. | "There's a real chance that the virus will burn out naturally before any vaccine is developed," Karol Sikora, the dean of the University of Buckingham's medical school, wrote on Twitter. | We're seeing a roughly similar pattern everywhere

Palestinian causes not to be fallen into oblivion by COVID-19: MP
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-05-17
TEHRAN, May 17 (MNA)

Indian pilgrims stranded in Iran go back home
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-05-17
TEHRAN, May 17 (MNA)

A hospital pharmacist says lockdown has been eased too soon
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-05-17
As a pharmacist working in a busy London hospital, Arvinder Sarai is concerned that the public needs to be "vigilant" about the spread of the coronavirus.As well as maintaining her usual post as a pharmacist at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, Sarai has been campaigning for free transport for NHS staff continuing to work throughout the pandemic.In a series of profiles looking at workers on the front line of the battle against coronavirus (Covid-19), Sarai told the PA news agency about her experiences.How has it been, personally and emotionally, working on the front line?: You can read a patient's notes, t…
thecanary.co/uk/news/2020/05/17/a-hospital-pharmacist-says-lockdown-has-been-eased-too-soon/

Boozing by letter: Alcohol sales rationing based on SURNAMES could soon be a thing in South Africa as it eases its 'dry' law
rt.com | 2020-05-17
South Africa, which has some of the toughest Covid-19 restrictions, is set to relax them, including a ban on alcohol sales. To avert a feared onslaught of booze buyers, retailers are proposing what seems an outlandish scheme. | Alcohol is expected to rain on the arid market of South Africa from June 1, when the government is set to partially lift its coronavirus-related restrictions. The blanket ban on alcohol and tobacco sales was implemented late in March. | The government draft plan would allow liquor stores to operate from Monday to Wednesday between 8am and 12pm. Retailers, however, fear that the stores m…
rt.com/news/488910-alcohol-lines-surnames-south-africa/

'Contradicting the idea of solidarity': France slams Italy for unilateral plan to reopen borders to tourists
rt.com | 2020-05-17
Italy shouldn't have moved to reopen its borders without coordinating with other EU member states first, French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said, as a non-uniform Covid-19 pandemic response tests the bloc's unity. | Following more than two months of statewide lockdowns, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced on Saturday that the country will allow entry to European tourists, while the mandatory 14-day quarantine will be scrapped from June 3. France immediately slammed its neighbor for undermining the idea of European solidarity. | "It's very important for us to coordinate our decisions on th…
rt.com/news/488879-italy-france-border-coronavirus/