(2020-03-20). Poverty in the Time of Corona: Victims of a Sickness That is Yet to Exist. counterpunch.org 
In the days on COVID-19, also known as coronavirus, we sometimes forget that the virus is not a "natural disaster," nor does it affect all people equally. While we can all get sick (which is why there is so much attention on COVID-19), the virus is in no way an equal opportunity perpetrator, meaning that
(2020-03-20). Covid in the Web Of Generations: A Faint Hello From the "Only" Ones. counterpunch.org 
The coronavirus has exposed the vulnerabilities in our world order, just as medical tests reveal vulnerabilities in our bodies. COVID-19 has bombarded this system with a kind of radiation. It's some planetary imaging scan, illuminating every vessel and wire, every channel where blood and electricity should flow. But the flow is blocked. The prognosis is bad. This is the rest result you knew was coming. This system is dying, infected with a contagion as old as humanity: greed.
(2020-03-20). Nature's Revenge: Climate Change and COVID-19. counterpunch.org 
The corona virus pandemic is no accident. Like past global epidemics, it's a warning that nature has had it with the ecocidal proclivities of man. These outrageous actions are changing climate and are warming and threatening planet Earth. Nature (the Earth) is fighting back. Climate change is sowing pandemic diseases. Corona virus in America No
(2020-03-20). Manifesting Radical Feminism. counterpunch.org 
Webster's defines a manifesto as "a written statement declaring publicly the intentions, motives, or views of its issuer." In her recently published book Burn it Down! Feminist Manifestos for the Revolution, editor Breanne Fahs notes that although the manifesto form began with nobles and kings who used them to tell their subjects how things were,
(2020-03-20). If Neoliberalism is Crumbling, What Will Follow? counterpunch.org 
The biggest problem with the future is that you can't know what it will be. When Ronald Reagan was elected United States president in 1980, we did not at the time realize a new era of capitalism had begun; that the ascension of Reagan in the U.S. and Margaret Thatcher in Britain a year earlier
(2020-03-20). America's Commandos Deployed to 141 Countries and "Criminal Misconduct" Followed. counterpunch.org 
Last October, a group of eight Apache attack and CH-47 Chinook helicopters carrying U.S. commandos roared out of an airfield in Iraq. They raced through Turkish airspace and across the Syrian border, coming in low as they approached a village just north of Idlib Province where Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, his bodyguards, and
(2020-03-20). Triggering a Global Financial Crisis: COVID-19 as the Last Straw. counterpunch.org 
Whether a black swan or a scapegoat, Covid-19 is an extraordinary event. Declared by the WHO as a pandemic, Covid-19 has given birth to the concept of the economic "sudden stop." We need extraordinary measures to contain it. Initially referred to as the novel coronavirus 2019, the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) originated late in 2019 in Wuhan,
(2020-03-20). Death at the Greek Border: Syrian Refugees Should Not Be Used as Political Pawns. counterpunch.org 
In a surprising move, Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, announced on February 29 that he will be re-opening his country's border to Europe, thus allowing tens of thousands of mostly Syrian refugees into Greece and other European countries. Expectedly, over 100,000 people rushed to the Ipsala border point in the Edirne province separating Turkey from
(2020-03-20). Reading Camus' The Plague in a Time of Pandemic. counterpunch.org 
"Each of us has the plague within him, no one, no one on earth is free from it. We must keep endless watch on ourselves lest in a careless moment we breathe in somebody's face and fasten the infection on him." — Albert Camus, The Plague, 1947 Like millions of other "shut-ins" in northern California, where
(2020-03-20). Examine Your Own Cultural Practices, Senator Cornyn. counterpunch.org 
Senator John Cornyn told reporters it's "no coincidence" COVID-19 originated in China, given "cultural practices there." What cultural practices did the senator list? "People eat bats and snakes and dogs and things like that. These viruses are transmitted from the animal to the people, and that's why China has been the source of a lot
(2020-03-20). Fighting COVID 19 in Cuba, China and the United States. counterpunch.org 
Governments, according to Thomas Jefferson, are supposed to guarantee people's rights to "life liberty and the pursuit of happiness." COVID 19 has out people's lives and health in the spotlight now. What kind of tools do governments have at their disposal to protect lives and health? Cuba has the advantages of forward-looking leadership, well-orchestrated state
(2020-03-20). The Kushner Family Could Be Getting Very Rich Thanks to the Coronavirus. mintpressnews.com 
The Kushner family's ties to for-profit healthcare companies underscore the myriad of conflicts of interests that billionaire businessmen have, making them particularly unsuited to holding public office.
(2020-03-20). Oil price crash not catastrophic for Russian economy — Kremlin. rt.com 
The current turmoil on the global oil market is not disastrous for Russia, Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Friday, noting the country has a safety cushion. | Russia holds vast gold and foreign exchange reserves to stabilize the economy in times of economic uncertainty. The country's total gold holdings amounted to 73.2 million troy ounces (2,276.8 tons) as of February 1, and are worth around $116 billion, while the country's total reserves have recently eclipsed $580 billion, according to the latest data from the Central Bank of Russia. | "Certainly, the price situation is unpleasant… But…
(2020-03-20). From Cluster Bombs to Toxic Waste: Saudi Arabia is Creating the Next Fallujah in Yemen. mintpressnews.com 
From dumping toxic waste into the sea to littering Yemen's farms with tons of unexploded cluster bombs, Saudi Arabia is creating a legacy so toxic in Yemen that experts believe it could take a century to undo.
(2020-03-20). Russia's gold & near-zero debt give it best chance of thriving in post-coronavirus apocalypse — Max Keiser. rt.com 
The coronavirus pandemic has popped a quadrillion-dollar financial bubble and we can expect a very deep and prolonged period of adjustment, RT's veteran business commentator Max Keiser believes. | The financial crisis, which many believe we have just entered, stems from the times of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, with the establishment of 'neoliberal' policies "that enriched bankers and destroyed workers by giving bankers free reign to borrow and speculate without oversight or accountability," Keiser told RT. Now, governments will have to adjust to a new reality, and having a low debt and massive reserve…
(2020-03-20). New statue of WWII hero Marshal Zhukov near Red Square stuns Muscovites, but officials say it's temporary. rt.com 
Marshal Georgy Zhukov was the most famous Nazi hunter of them all, leading the Red Army all the way to Berlin as it crushed the Germans in WWII. However, his Moscow monument has long been considered a tad lame. | Erected in 1995 by order of then-president Boris Yeltsin to mark the 50th anniversary of the victory, it was initially planned to place the statue in Red Square, but this idea fell through as the entire area is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. | The statue has been repeatedly criticized for being poorly proportioned and featuring an inaccurate representation of a horse. Those familiar with…
(2020-03-20). Top Doctor at Moscow's leading disease hospital says current Covid-19 crisis will likely last SIX MONTHS. rt.com 
Coronavirus panic is already threatening a worldwide economic disaster, as millions are forced to live under lockdown. This has left many people wondering how long we can expect these circumstances to endure. | "When I call my parents, I say jokingly: 'see you in September,'" Denis Protsenko has told RT. He's the head doctor of Moscow's main disease hospital in Kommunarka. | Protsenko believes that while the pandemic may slow in summer, it's more like it will be autumn before the siege will be lifted. If the country has a similar experience to China, then the spread will decline in May or June, he believes, bu…
(2020-03-20). Stanford Professor Michael McFaul dunks on Khamenei… by puzzling over why Iran doesn't use Gregorian calendar. rt.com 
Ex-ambassador Michael McFaul has taken to Twitter to express astonishment over the start of the Iranian New Year, leading to speculation that he might not know that there are non-Gregorian calendars out there. | The former US envoy to Russia and current Stanford academic found it fitting to mock Iran's supreme leader for commenting on the start of the Iranian (or Persian) New Year, Nowruz. In his tweet, Ali Khamenei had congratulated his country for becoming more self-reliant in the face of US sanctions, but urged for further production boosts in 1399 to help the Islamic Republic recover from Washington's econ…
(2020-03-20). Coronavirus KO: Russia's Kovalev shares protective suit training video days after Barrera fight canceled (VIDEO). rt.com 
The outbreak of COVID-19 hasn't just left the sporting calendar decimated, it has also made it far more difficult for top level athletes to train – with certain exceptions. | Golden Boy Promotions announced on Tuesday that they were to cancel the April 25 boxing card at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California, which was to feature Sergey Kovalev taking on Sullivan Barrera as more and more regions within the United States crack down on public gatherings in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. | It was to be the Russian former world champion's first bout since losing by 11th-round knockout to Canelo…
(2020-03-20). Senator Burr enabled Russiagaters for years; now they're accusing him of insider trading & coronavirus lies. rt.com 
Richard Burr, chair of the US Senate Intelligence Committee, has been accused of deceiving the public about the coronavirus outbreak and seeking to profit from it by dumping stocks that are crashing due to the pandemic. | Burr (R-North Carolina) found himself under attack from two directions on Thursday. Early in the day, National Public Radio ran a story based on "secret recordings" from a speech he gave in North Carolina in late February, when he gave oddly specific warnings about Covid-19 to an elite group of donors, while keeping the rest of the American public in the dark. | SCOOP: Secret recording obtain…
(2020-03-20). Russia testing MULTIPLE prototype Covid-19 vaccines. rt.com 
Russia's research center of virology and biotechnology, known as the Vector Institute, is testing multiple different vaccine prototypes against Covid-19 in a race to find a cure for the virus behind a global pandemic. | This week, it "began immunogenicity studies in sensitive laboratory animals… of all developed vaccine prototypes," The composition, dose, route of administration of the future vaccine will be determi…
(2020-03-20). 'Utter contempt for human life': Iranian FM Zarif slams US for hitting Tehran with new sanctions amid Covid-19 crisis. rt.com 
Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif accused the US of taking its policy of "maximum pressure" on Tehran to a "new level of inhumanity" by imposing new sanctions on Iran as it struggles to cope with a huge surge of Covid-19 cases.
(2020-03-20). Pakistan's PM Khan calls for lifting of Iran sanctions amid global virus crisis. rt.com 
Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan called on Friday for the lifting of US-led sanctions on neighboring Iran, so Tehran can better deal with its novel coronavirus crisis. The comments came after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani wrote to Khan, asking for help in dealing with the novel coronavirus outbreak that has now killed at least 1,433 people in the Islamic republic, AFP reported. | "I would stress and insist to the international community to lift the sanctions on Iran," Khan told reporters. "It is very unjust they are dealing with such a large outbreak on one side, and on the other they are facing interna…
(2020-03-20). International Atomic Energy Agency exposed to Covid-19 as staff member tests positive. rt.com 
A case of the novel coronavirus has been identified in a staff member at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, the United Nations has said. | The IAEA implemented measures last week allowing personnel at the Vienna center to work remotely from March 16 in line with guidance from Austrian authorities. | The IAEA said earlier this month it would provide diagnostic kits, equipment and training in nuclear-derived detection techniques to countries in need of assistance as the virus spreads rapidly around the world. | There are currently more than 240,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 worldwide and…
(2020-03-20). Erdogan orders all events in Turkey postponed until end-April. rt.com 
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a decree on Friday postponing all events related to science, culture and the arts, as the country seeks to contain a surge in coronavirus cases. | Turkey's Covid-19 death toll has reached four, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Thursday. The number of confirmed cases in the country has surged since the first case was announced last week, reaching 359 on Thursday. The cases have roughly doubled every day since Sunday, Reuters reports. | Erdogan's decree, published in the Official Gazette on Friday, said all meetings and activities, indoors or outdoors, related…
(2020-03-20). Capitalism is killing us. We have to destroy it. mronline.org 
COVID-19 has challenged humanity: on what principles do you organise your society? The pandemic could have been defeated by cooperation, planning, transparency, and social solidarity. But instead, it was born into a society based on competition, secrecy, lies, and greed. |
(2020-03-20). –°hina reports record number of imported Covid-19 cases from US & Europe as global death toll exceeds 10,000. rt.com 
China may have managed to contain the coronavirus at home, but it's not over the hump yet. There's danger of a return of the deadly disease as the number of infected travelers entering the country reaches record levels. | The Chinese authorities have done huge work since the Covid-19 pandemic broke out in Wuhan in late December. The blow was hard as 3,248 have died and 80,967 were infected, but for the last two days there was not a single domestically transmitted coronavirus case in the country. | But as the situation improved, many Chinese expatriates, including students, rushed back home to escape the corona…
(2020-03-20). Solidarity Not Charity: Mutual Aid & How to Organize in the Age of Coronavirus. democracynow.org 
As lockdowns and layoffs sweep the U.S., mutual aid groups are forming to protect and provide for the vulnerable, including the elderly, incarcerated, undocumented and unhoused. We look at the incredible community networks across the country that are coming together to protect their neighbors during the coronavirus pandemic — and how you can get involved. From Washington state to the Bay Area, Arizona, Colorado, Minnesota and New York City, thousands of mutual aid efforts are aimed at building solidarity, not charity. We speak with two longtime mutual aid organizers and activists in two hot spots of the pan…
(2020-03-20). 'You are NOT invincible': WHO chiefs give desperate warning to world's youth about Covid-19. rt.com 
Though coronavirus has disproportionately affected the elderly and infirm, the chief of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has issued a stark warning to younger generations: "You are not invincible." | "Data from many countries clearly show that people under 50 make up a significant proportion of patients requiring hospitalization," the agency's director-general said at a press briefing on Friday. | He then urged young people directly to take the threat of Covid-19 seriously: "This coronavirus could put you in hospital for weeks, or even kill you." | Tedros added that even if younge…
(2020-03-20). Finland scoffs at WHO's coronavirus testing protocol, suggests organization doesn't understand how pandemics work. rt.com 
A senior Finnish health official has dismissed a World Health Organization (WHO) advisory to test as many people as possible for coronavirus, arguing that such a measure would be completely illogical when combating a pandemic. | Finland's head of health security, Mika Salminen, took aim at the notion that stopping the spread of Covid-19 requires testing on a mass-scale. | "We don't understand the WHO's instructions for testing. We can't fully remove the disease from the world anymore," she said, adding: "If someone claims that, they don't understand pandemics." | Citing limited supplies, Finland has narrowed c…
(2020-03-20). Bavaria on lockdown: First German state to 'shut down public life almost completely' for 2 weeks in bid to stop Covid-19. rt.com 
Bavaria will introduce tight restrictions on movement for two weeks in the hope of containing the Covid-19 pandemic that has seized Europe, making it the first German state to introduce a lockdown. | The strict measures include the closure of restaurants and bars, and bans large gatherings. People are urged to not leave their homes unless they are going to work, visiting the doctor, or buying groceries and medicine. Limited outdoor activity is still allowed but only alone or with a family member. | Minister Markus Soeder said on Friday that the lockdown, which begins at midnight, was not an "easy" decision to…
(2020-03-20). Germany seizes medical supplies headed to Switzerland as Europe scrounges for resources to fight coronavirus — report. rt.com 
German customs has reportedly seized face masks and other supplies destined for Switzerland, as European states struggle against the coronavirus pandemic with their limited medical equipment. | Authorities seized high-quality respiratory masks and other protective clothing for doctors and the general population during an inspection of a distribution center in Juechen, North Rhine-Westphalia, the Rheinische Post reported. US-based company 3M was reportedly planning on exporting the medical supplies to Switzerland. | Germany imposed export bans on such goods at the start of March, as part of the country's anti-c…
(2020-03-20). 'I don't think so': Trump skeptical of national coronavirus lockdown. rt.com 
US President Donald Trump says he doesn't believe a total national lockdown of the US over the coronavirus pandemic will 'ever' be necessary, after California and New York told everyone to hole up at home. | A national lockdown would not make sense in places like the Midwest, where there have been far fewer cases of Covid-19 so far, and where the bulk of food and industrial production is concentrated. | "I don't think so," Trump said during a Friday press conference, when asked about nationwide lockdown. "I don't think we'll ever have to do that." | President Trump is asked about the possibility of a national…
(2020-03-20). Lawmakers to HUD, landlords: Evictions make coronavirus pandemic worse. peoplesworld.org 
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(2020-03-20). Senators use advance coronavirus knowledge to enrich selves; hospitals becoming desperate. peoplesworld.org 
The American people's confidence in the ability of their national leaders to steer the country through the coronavirus pandemic was shattered further today when it was revealed that several top U.S. senators on the intelligence committee used advance knowledge of the coming coronavirus disaster to dump stock they owned and rake in huge profits before …
(2020-03-20). Covid-19: Social distancing could be needed 'for at least most of a year'. thecanary.co 
Social distancing measures will need to be in place for most of a year at least in order to control the spread of Covid-19, scientists advising the government have agreed.The Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling agreed on Monday that, while the severity of measures could alternate during the period, "stricter" measures would need to be enforced for at least half of the year in order to keep cases at a level the NHS can cope with.The Government published the papers on Friday — a day after prime minister Boris Johnson said he expects the tide to be turned in the fight against Covid-19 within 12 wee…
(2020-03-20). Doctor: As Coronavirus Cases Spike Worldwide, We Need Global Cooperation to Halt Spread. democracynow.org 
As the worldwide death toll from the coronavirus pandemic has topped 10,000, with over 250,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, we speak with Stanford University's global health expert Dr. Michele Barry, an infectious disease doctor. Italy has surpassed China in coronavirus deaths, and cases are rising in the Middle East, Africa and Latin America, as the governor of California has ordered all 40 million residents to shelter in place.
(2020-03-20). Germany's leading health official says decision on curfew is 'up to authorities'. rt.com 
The health official leading Germany's fight against coronavirus urged people on Friday to keep their distance to curb the pandemic. | However, Lothar Wieler, president of the Robert Koch Institute, also said it was up to the authorities to decide whether to impose a curfew to force people to follow official guidelines. | "We recommend keeping maximal distance. It is up to the authorities to decide on the measures needed to achieve that," Wieler told reporters. | He spoke after the number of German cases of Covid-19 rose by 2,958 overnight to 13,957. The number of fatalities rose by 11 to 31, according to Reute…
(2020-03-20). Germany to block foreign takeovers, protect domestic companies — top politicians. rt.com 
Germany will protect domestic firms from foreign takeovers, two leading politicians said on Friday, after company valuations in Europe's largest economy have been hammered by the coronavirus pandemic. Ministers have already promised liquidity support to businesses, and introduced measures making it easier to reduce working hours rather than lay off workers. | Germany's blue-chip DAX index, which comprises the country's 30 largest listed corporations, has plunged by more than a third over the past month. This has increased the risk of foreign companies snapping up rivals at a discount. | "We will avoid a sell-o…
(2020-03-20). EasyJet to ground most of its fleet, as coronavirus slaughters airline industry. rt.com 
British budget airline EasyJet will ground the majority of its fleet, in response to a wave of travel restrictions across Europe. The airline industry as a whole has been pummeled by the global Covid-19 pandemic. | In a statement on Friday, the company said that the majority of its 300-plus fleet will be grounded from Tuesday onwards. After finishing up its remaining schedule of rescue and repatriation flights, EasyJet said it will operate a minimum schedule of essential flights on some UK routes. | These flights will account for only 10 percent of the airline's usual capacity, the statement read. | Also on rt…
(2020-03-20). Farnborough Airshow CANCELED due to 'unprecedented' Covid-19 pandemic. rt.com 
The world famous Farnborough International Airshow in England — which gives a platform to the aerospace and military industries — has been forced to cancel this summer's event due to the coronavirus crisis. | Confirming the scrapping of the event via social media on Friday afternoon, organizers said that they understood the news would come as a blow to the international aerospace industry, but the health and safety of attendees came first. It was scheduled for July 20, but will now be pushed back to 2022. | After very careful consideration, the unprecedented impact of the global Coronavirus pandemi…
(2020-03-20). European stocks surge as governments mount efforts to mitigate economic impact of coronavirus pandemic. rt.com 
European stock markets opened sharply higher on Friday as more central banks adopted monetary and fiscal measures to deal with the economic downturn as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak. | Stocks in London jumped in early trading with the FTSE 100 index rising over five percent. Germany's DAX is gaining over six percent, while French stocks are also up by over six percent. |
(2020-03-20). Illinois goes on coronavirus lockdown days after holding 'fine & safe' Democratic primaries. rt.com 
Having insisted on holding Democratic presidential primaries just days earlier, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has now placed the state on "shelter-in-place" regime over the Covid-19 pandemic, following California and New York. | The measure will go into effect on Saturday evening, March 21. All non-essential businesses — not including hospitals, doctors' offices and grocery stores — are to be closed indefinitely, Pritzker announced after consulting with experts. | To avoid the loss of tens of thousands of lives we must order an immediate shelter-in-place. | Pritzker admitted the state does not have…
(2020-03-20). Virtue-signaling celebs preaching to the poor to stay home from their mansions is just as insufferable as COVID19. rt.com 
A spurious pandemic that caused suffering to many the world over is spreading – that's right, the 'woke' screen celebrities have infected sports stars with their condescending virtue-signaling to the poor from their mansions. | The infectious smugness emanating from Hollywood's gaggle of where-do-I-know-that-face-from guardian angels has yet again infected the internet. | Th…
(2020-03-20). Tokyo 2020 must be postponed, senior Japanese Olympic Committee member says. rt.com 
The Tokyo Olympics should be postponed, a senior member of the Japan Olympic Committee said. Kaori Yamaguchi, a JOC executive board member, added her voice to a growing chorus calling for Tokyo 2020 to be delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. | "It should be postponed under the current situation where athletes can't be well prepared," Yamaguchi told the Nikkei daily in an interview published on Friday. | Yamaguchi won a bronze medal for judo at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. She is the first JOC board member to openly call for a postponement of the Tokyo Games, AFP reported.
(2020-03-20). 'The Purge has begun': Sirens mark beginning of national quarantine in Argentina in most ominous way possible (VIDEOS). rt.com 
A global pandemic is enough to put most people on edge, but authorities in Argentina decided to make matters worse by marking the start of a nationwide lockdown using an ominous siren taken straight from the Purge movie franchise. | As darkly humorous comments on eyewitness videos show, following a televised countdown, Argentinians were warned that the quarantine had officially begun with the spine-tingling wail of sirens. | si a las 00.00 no suena la alarma de la purga esta cuarentena total ya arranca mal
(2020-03-20). "Chinese virus?" Trump's petty name game puts lives at risk. peoplesworld.org 
What's in a name? Quite a lot, it turns out—and President Donald Trump knows it. He's invoked a great deal of anger by deliberately calling the novel coronavirus spreading throughout the world a "Chinese virus" or "China virus" in recent statements. This was preceded by the use of "Wuhan virus" or "Chinese coronavirus" by several …
(2020-03-20). Fighting COVID-19 in Cuba, China, and the United States. peoplesworld.org 
Governments, according to Thomas Jefferson, are supposed to guarantee people's rights to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." COVID-19 has put people's lives and health in the spotlight now. What kinds of tools do governments have at their disposal to protect lives and health? Cuba has the advantages of forward-looking leadership, well-orchestrated state planning, …
(2020-03-20). Silent streets: The homeless, the financially desperate, and essential services carry on. peoplesworld.org 
This is the second installment of a two-part series featuring interviews with the workers in the service, health, and other sectors who are still going to their jobs each day during the coronavirus crisis—the ones keeping our society functioning. Part 1 can be read here. ST. LOUIS—They speak with their eyes. Who are they? The …
(2020-03-20). Martial law? Lombardy enlists military to enforce lockdown as Italy's hardest-hit region continues to reel from Covid-19. rt.com 
Lombardy has announced that the Italian military will work to ensure that residents are complying with a quarantine to stop the spread of coronavirus. Efforts to contain the virus have been unsuccessful, officials said. | Regional president Attilio Fontana told a news conference on Friday that the military had accepted his request to help enforce the lockdown, and that 114 soldiers tasked with keeping people indoors will be "on the ground throughout Lombardy." | He lamented that the number of military personnel was "still too little" but that it was nevertheless a positive development. | Lombardy's government…