WSWS (2020-04-18). Washington D.C. legislature endorses limited rent relief, bars assistance to undocumented immigrants. wsws.org The city's government left it up to representatives of the city's tourist industry to provide assistance to undocumented workers.

sputniknews (2020-04-18). Stuck Behind Bars, Inmates & Immigrants Are Sitting Ducks for COVID-19. sputniknews.com $1.7T giveaway to millionaires tucked in CARES Act; Virus poses serious risk to detained immigrants; Activists call to empty jails amid crisis…

WSWS (2020-04-18). Intensive CIA spying on Assange targeted his infant child. wsws.org As the US government finalised its bogus charges against Assange, it oversaw dirty tricks operations targeting his partner and their infant child.

Vijay Prashad (2020-04-18). Without a country in which to live, a field to plant, a love to cherish or a voice to sing, one is dead. mronline.org Local communities have demonstrated remarkable generosity, but cannot cope anymore. National capacities are overwhelmed. The approaching lean season, coupled with the armed conflict and the COVID-19, will generate further dramatic situations and displacements of populations. The clock is ticking; we have little time left.

Staff (2020-04-18). Portland's Rental Crisis Created an Opening for Democratic Socialist Candidates. truthout.org When tenant activist Margot Black had her first "no-cause" eviction in which she was forced out of her apartment simply because she was not bound by a lease, she was 19 and a single mother of a 6-month-old daughter. When she saw her second no-cause eviction in 2012, Portland, Oregon, was an even less hospitable place. Housing prices had soared as tech jobs came in, and Portland was branded as the next hip place for urban professionals to relocate to — making the city increasingly unli…

Mt. Diablo Peace & Justice Center (2020-04-18). 2020 Youth Activist Grant. indybay.org Mt. Diablo Peace and Justice Center | 1035 Carol Lane | Lafayette, CA 94549…

Brian Terrell (2020-04-18). COVID-19 and the Wasting Disease of Normalcy. zcomm.org From his prison cell in a year of mass movements to end the war in Vietnam and mobilizations for nuclear disarmament, Daniel Berrigan diagnosed normalcy as a disease and labeled it an obstacle to peace…

Mt. Diablo Peace & Justice Center (2020-04-18). 2020 Art & Writing Challenge. indybay.org Mt. Diablo Peace and Justice Center | 1035 Carol Lane | Lafayette, CA 94549…

350.org Bay Area & many others (2020-04-18). #ClimateStrike: Virtual Protest Against Chase Bank to #Stop The Money Pipeline. indybay.org Online protest actions…

WSWS (2020-04-18). Trump tweets support for far-right protests against social distancing orders. wsws.org Having announced his plan for the state-by-state reopening of the economy, Trump is seeking to mobilize his far-right base to press for a rapid lifting of barriers to corporate profit-making.

WSWS (2020-04-18). Brazilian nurses strike over deadly conditions as COVID-19 deaths mount. wsws.org This week, after a rapid rise in COVID-19 cases in Brazil, protests and work stoppage spread to hospitals and other health care units.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-04-18). US right-wing protesters, supported by Trump, organize against stay-at-home orders. peoplesdispatch.org Different States in the United States are faced with threats of armed resistance from right-wing and conservative groups who are opposing measures to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. So far, Michigan and a few others States have had or are set to have thousands of protesters defying stay-at-home orders passed by their respective governments. Unsurprisingly, president Donald Trump has come out in support of such dangerous acts. | On April 17, president Donald Trump tweeted in support of these right-wing protests in the States which are led by Democratic governors. The tweets include content like "LIBERATE MICHIGAN",…

RT (2020-04-18). 'Fire Fauci, let us work': No social distancing as Alex Jones joins hundreds in rally against Covid-19 lockdown measures in Texas. rt.com Texans flocked to the state's Capitol in Austin to protest Covid-19 lockdown measures, refusing to practice social distancing and cheering for Dr. Anthony Fauci to be fired by President Donald Trump. | In attendance at Saturday's 'You Can't Close America' Rally were InfoWars founder Alex Jones and host Owen Shroyer, who led the crowd of some 200 people in chants against the mainstream media and officials like Fauci. | Shroyer, who referred to the doctor as "fascist Fauci," asked the crowd: "Do you think Anthony Fauci should be fired?", before leading them in chants of "Fire Fauci." | Lots of protest speakers s…

Robert Mackey (2020-04-18). If Trump Thinks It's Safe for Followers to Gather at Protests, Why Won't He Attend One? zcomm.org From a very safe distance on Friday, Donald Trump urged his supporters to risk infection with the deadly coronavirus by attending in-person protests to "liberate" Minnesota, Michigan, and Virginia from stay-at-home orders issued by their Democratic governors.

Cinzia Arruzza & Felice Mometti (2020-04-18). Governance and Social Conflict in a Time of Pandemic. zcomm.org Source: Viewpoint Magazine On Monday March 29th, General Electric factory workers staged a protest against the thousands of layoffs announced by the company's management, demanding the reconversion of production and asking a simple question: "If GE trusts us to build, maintain, and test engines which go on a variety of aircraft where millions of lives

sputniknews (2020-04-18). Trump Plans for Economic Reopening While Protests Over Lockdown Grow. sputniknews.com On this episode of Fault Lines, hosts Garland Nixon & Lee Stranahan talked with guests about recent positive and negative news in the ongoing novel coronavirus crisis, the nature of organizing during the lockdown, and inquired into our country's economic foundations and political dichotomies.

Noam Chomsky (2020-04-18). "Gangster in the White House" zcomm.org Interview on COVID-19, WHO, China, Gaza and Global Capitalism…

RT (2020-04-18). Senior Peru health official says Covid-19 medical shipment route kept SECRET over CONFISCATION fears. rt.com Peru is being "cautious" in not disclosing the flight path of a plane loaded with Covid-19 testing kits, its disease response chief has said, with the US accused of "confiscating" supplies meant for other nations. | Pilar Mazzetti, who leads Peru's operational center for Covid-19 response, told Reuters that a plane carrying masks and 300,000 testing kits is due to arrive in the country from China on Monday or Tuesday next week. | However, the aircraft's route is being kept "secret" out of fear that the vital shipment could be "confiscated" midway and diverted to a third country, she said. | "Logically speaking…

RT (2020-04-18). Wary of US? Peru keeps Covid-19 medical shipment route SECRET over CONFISCATION fears. rt.com Peru is being "cautious" in not disclosing the flight path of a plane loaded with Covid-19 testing kits, its disease response chief has said, with the US accused of "confiscating" supplies meant for other nations. | Pilar Mazzetti, who leads Peru's operational center for Covid-19 response, told Reuters that a plane carrying masks and 300,000 testing kits is due to arrive in the country from China on Monday or Tuesday next week. | However, the aircraft's route is being kept "secret" out of fear that the vital shipment could be "confiscated" midway and diverted to a third country, she said. | "Logically speaking…

RT (2020-04-18). Recon & combat missions: Iran showcases strike drone addition to fleet. rt.com Iran's top military brass introduced the latest additions to the country's drone fleet on Saturday, including a long-range unmanned jet aircraft that can be used for reconnaissance or strike missions. | The drones were presented to the public by Iran's Defense Minister Amir Hatami. Flanking him were the commanders of the Air Force and the Air Defense of the Iranian Armed Forces. | Multirole combat unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were delivered to the

Eds. (2020-04-18). Decades of science denial related to climate change has led to denial of the coronavirus pandemic. mronline.org After the fossil fuel industry spent hundreds of millions of dollars undermining climate science, it's easy to see how epidemiology came next.

RT (2020-04-18). Saudi Arabia may sell one of its highest volumes of oil to US before OPEC deal comes into effect — reports. rt.com Before the historic oil cuts agreed by major producers come into force in May, Saudi Arabia could sell around 600,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude to its overseas ally the US, Bloomberg reported. | The daily volume sold by the kingdom to the US during April could be the highest for a year, the report said, citing a Saudi industry official familiar with allocations to American refiners. | An earlier report put Riyadh's massive exports even higher. According to CNBC, Saudi shipments more than doubled from February to March (rising from 366,000 bpd to 829,540 bpd). Thus March shipments of crude reached 25 milli…

RT (2020-04-18). Russia sought China's APPROVAL for missile test, US diplomat claims. His proof? They didn't come to his Twitter to deny it. rt.com Ignoring one's tweet can apparently not only spell the end to a teenage romance, but it can also be proof for high-profile geopolitical assertions. That is, at least, according to a high-ranking US diplomat. | The recent secretive test of a Russian — presumably — anti-ballistic missile weapon has seemingly caused quite a stir in the US. Apart from prompting the Pentagon to play some solid 'Russians are coming' tunes straight from the 1950s, it caused Robert Wood, the US Ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament (CD), to hit a new high — or rather, low — in producing baseless allegations a…

RT (2020-04-18). Neither 'lab' nor 'wet market'? Covid-19 outbreak started months EARLIER and NOT in Wuhan, ongoing Cambridge study indicates. rt.com The novel coronavirus may have first passed to humans somewhere in southern China months before the outbreak in the city of Wuhan, a new study found, cutting against widely held theories about the origins of the pandemic. | Mapping a "network" of coronavirus genomes and tracing mutations over time, a team of researchers led by a Cambridge University geneticist determined the first Covid-19 infection may have come as early as September in a region south of Wuhan, noting the pathogen could have been carried by humans well before it mutated into a more lethal form. | "The virus may have mutated into its final 'hu…

RT (2020-04-18). Possibly 'deepest since Great Depression': UN chief Guterres warns about pandemic-induced economic downturn. rt.com UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said that the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic will massively increase poverty worldwide, as the number of confirmed cases continues to grow. | Guterres has held a virtual meeting with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). For the teleconference, the UN presented the secretary-general's policy brief, in which he said the depth of the current global recession could be "the deepest since the Great Depression." | In his brief, Guterres cited a grim report from the IMF from earlier this week, which noted that the worldwide economic downturn makes the "G…

RT (2020-04-18). 4,785 new Covid-19 cases registered across Russia, Moscow remains top hotspot. rt.com In the past 24 hours, 4,785 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in Russia, the nation's disease response team reported on Saturday. The increase in newly-recorded cases is higher than that of the previous day — 4,070. | Overall, there are 36,793 confirmed cases of Covid-19 across the country, with more than 20,750 reported in Moscow and more than 3,950 in the area surrounding the capital. | Officials said that 40 more patients have died, raising the nationwide death toll from Covid-19 to 313. | Since Wednesday, residents have required digital passes to travel by public and private transportation thro…

RT (2020-04-18). Bathtub ballet: Synchronized swimmer Svetlana Romashina shows off her skills in the bath during COVID-19 lockdown (VIDEO). rt.com The world of sport may be at a standstill, but Russian synchronized swimmer Svetland Romashina was able to show off her elite-level skills in a somewhat smaller pool than usual as she strutted her stuff in the bath. | The graceful starlet of the swimming pool hopped into her bathtub to perform a miniature version of the routine. | Also on rt.com | | The five-time Olympic champion has also earned 21 gold m…

RT (2020-04-18). Wuhan lab origin of Covid-19 'seems to make sense', Trump says as Fauci douses cold water on 'man-made virus' conspiracy. rt.com A top expert on the White House Covid-19 task force shot down the notion that the coronavirus was created in a Chinese lab, arguing the theory is not backed by science, as the US president continues to blame Beijing regardless. | Asked about the possibility that the lethal pathogen was "man-made" in a laboratory at Friday's White House briefing, Dr. Anthony Fauci, a leading member of the task force, brushed the speculative theory aside, stating the coronavirus in all likelihood passed naturally from animals to humans. | The mutations that it took to get to the point where it is now are totally consistent with…

Nathan Tankus (2020-04-18). Avoid austerity to prevent a state and local coronavirus depression. mronline.org Local budget cuts enacted a decade ago left states and cities dangerously unprepared for COVID-19. We shouldn't make those same mistakes again.

RT (2020-04-18). Israel to reopen some businesses, allow more movement for citizens in Covid-19 lockdown easing. rt.com Tel Aviv will gradually lift certain coronavirus measures starting from Sunday, PM Benjamin Netanyahu said. Easing the lockdown includes allowing some businesses to reopen, as well as relaxing control over movement of citizens. | "Our good results enable us today to start taking steps in the opposite direction — not a tightening, but an easing," the PM said in a televised speech Saturday. | Israel was put under partial lockdown on March 14, and since then the restrictive measures have been gradually growing. The country boasts low coronavirus figures, having just over 13,000 confirmed cases including some…

RT (2020-04-18). 'Journos like everyone else': CNN's Brian Stelter goes on Twitter Covid-19 breakdown. rt.com CNN host Brian Stelter claimed through Twitter that he "hit a wall," "crawled in bed" and "cried for our pre-pandemic lives," but many aren't buying into the Covid-19 breakdown. | "Disturbed by the [government's] shortcomings" and "dismayed by political rhetoric that bears no resemblance to reality," Stelter says it was all too much to bear for him on Friday night. | The journo cried "tears that have been waiting a month to come out" over worries about "friends who are losing jobs; kids who are missing school; and senior citizens who are living in fear." | The 'Reliable Sources' host said on Saturday he was mo…

RT (2020-04-18). Trump slams 'rude & nasty' Dems admitting Covid-19 cooperation bad between parties. rt.com Donald Trump slammed Democrats for a "rude and nasty" phone call with the vice president over the Covid-19 pandemic, and theorized nothing will satisfy them as they try to "fool" America in November's election. | "No matter what you do for the Do Nothing Democrats, no matter how GREAT a job you are doing, they will only respond to their Fake partners in the Lamestream Media in the negative, even in a time of crisis," Trump tweeted on Saturday. | He added that his working relationship with Democrats during the Covid-19 pandemic has been "even worse" than before and revealed senators held a "rude and nasty" conf…

RT (2020-04-18). Control goes automatic: Manned checking of digital passes in Moscow to be replaced by electronic systems. rt.com Moscow's roll-out of digital passes to limit non-essential travel had a rocky start this week. Now the city has announced the checks will remain in place, but in automatic form. | This week the Russian capital introduced 'digital passes' to reduce travel in the city and thus slow the spread of Covid-19. Non-essential workers were limited to two trips a week, and everyone taking a ride had to apply for a pass — a string of numbers and letters — beforehand. | But enforcement of the new measures didn't get off to a smooth start. Long queues of commuters formed at the entrances of Moscow Metro, the city'

RT (2020-04-18). Indian naval base enters 'total lockdown' as 20+ sailors test positive for Covid-19. rt.com A number of Indian sailors based on shore in Mumbai have contracted the lethal coronavirus, prompting the naval base to impose a strict quarantine as fears grow that the fast-moving pathogen could soon find its way onto warships. | At least 20 sailors at the INS Angre logistical support base in Mumbai tested positive for the virus, the Navy

The Canary (2020-04-18). 7,500 feared to have died with coronavirus in care homes. thecanary.co As many as 7,500 people are feared to have died after contracting coronavirus (COVID-19) in care homes, according to a leading industry body.Care England, which represents independent care firms, said it had collected data which suggested fatalities are far higher than those released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). ONS recorded 217 care home deaths from the virus until 3 April.Care England's chief executive Martin Green told the Telegraph: If we look at some of the death rates since 1 April and compare them with previous years' rates, we estimate a figure of about 7,500 people may have died as a resul…

RT (2020-04-18). New York sees lowest Covid-19 death toll in April, but reopening would require 'ARMY' for contact tracing and more tests. rt.com New York had its lowest death toll from Covid-19 since April 1, but Governor Andrew Cuomo warned a lot is still required before the state can start to reopen, including an 'army' of tracers and more coronavirus tests. | Though announcing 540 new Covid-19 deaths at his daily press briefing represents a fairly sharp decline from past weeks, Cuomo warned the numbers are still "soul-crushing," and coronavirus hospitalization rates remain steady at about 2,000 new patients a day. | Remember: We still have about 2,000 new COVID hospitalizations daily. | And we lost 540 New Yorkers yesterday. | That is a soul-crushin…

RT (2020-04-18). RECAP: Watch Dagestan-born IMMAF superstar Muhammad Mokaev's epic trilogy with Reo Yamaguchi (VIDEO). rt.com Recap three epic fights featuring one of the biggest stars of amateur MMA, Dagestan-born Muhammad Mokaev, as he took on Japanese rival Reo Yamaguchi in IMMAF competition. | Nineteen-year-old Mokaev was born in Buynaksk, Dagestan but moved to Manchester, England with his family as a 12-year-old. | The Russian-English star is riding an unbeaten 23-fight win streak and is considered to be one of the hottest young prospects in the sport. | Mokaev hasn't yet turned professional, but there are sure to be a host of potential suitors for his signature, with the Bellator ONE Championship, Cage Warriors and BRAVE CF all…

Eds. (2020-04-18). The parched West is heading into a global warming-fueled megadrought that could last for centuries. mronline.org Warmer temperatures and shifting storm tracks are drying up vast stretches of land in North and South America.

RT (2020-04-18). At least 2 troopers killed in militant attack on paramilitary police in Indian-controlled Kashmir. rt.com At least two paramilitary police have been killed by unknown assailants in the Indian-controlled Kashmir region, local media reported. The attackers fled the scene, prompting a manhunt. | Unidentified militants reportedly opened fire on a joint patrol of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and local police in the Sopore area of north Kashmir's Baramulla district on Saturday, wounding a number of troopers. | The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital, where at least two CRPF personnel were pronounced dead on arrival. Other media reports indicate that the third trooper died at the hospital shortly afterwar…

RT (2020-04-18). US quietly recalls ALL B-52 bombers from Guam just DAYS after staging 'show of force'. rt.com All five nuclear-capable B-52 strategic bombers departed their forward base on the Pacific island of Guam just days after taking part in an 'elephant walk' show of force. The US Air Force says it wants to be more unpredictable. | The B-52H Stratofortresses departed Guam on Thursday, ending the Continuous Bomber Presence Mission that began in 2004, according to the

RT (2020-04-18). Cash for Clunkers 2.0? Car industry will need incentives to help recovery, analysts tell Boom Bust. rt.com Many auto majors are reopening their facilities after long shutdowns triggered by the coronavirus pandemic, but the demand for cars might not pick up as quickly as they hope amid a dire economic situation. | "Believe me, they want to sell cars and there's gonna be incentives to get these cars sold because people are gonna be getting check stimulus around the world. And they're hoping and praying that they are going to use that to purchase a vehicle," auto industry expert Lauren Fix told RT's Boom Bust. | However, the $1,200 checks the US government provided as part of its massive program to keep the economy af…

Alfredo Saad-Filho (2020-04-18). Coronavirus, crisis, and the end of neoliberalism. mronline.org Suddenly, we find ourselves in a transformed world. Empty streets, closed shops, unusually clear skies, and climbing death tolls: something unprecedented is unfolding before our eyes.

Steven Powers (2020-04-18). "All gas no mask!": In life and death situation, inmates rebel amid pandemic. liberationnews.org Spontaneous prison actions of resistance have become increasingly regular in the face of the Coronavirus pandemic.

RT (2020-04-18). This Easter is different: WATCH Holy Fire descend in Jerusalem amid coronavirus lockdown. rt.com As Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter this weekend, the descent of the Holy Fire — a crucial part of the rituals — occurred in Jerusalem without the usual crowds of pilgrims. | The ceremony in Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre was performed by a handful of Orthodox clerics wearing face masks. The descent of the Holy Fire is a miracle believed by Orthodox Christians to occur every year on Great Saturday. The fire is then taken to Greece, Russia, and other countries where the church has a large presence. | The usual large, iconic crowds of the faithful — both local Christians and pil…

RT (2020-04-18). Russia could suspend grain exports next month if export quota is reached. rt.com Russian grain exports may reach the limits introduced by the government much ahead of schedule, bringing the shipments to a temporary halt till the end of June, the country's agriculture ministry has said. | "The quota was introduced for the period from April 1 to June 30, 2020. After it is depleted, the supplies outside the Eurasian Economic Union will be stopped for this period," Deputy Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut said on Friday. | Given the current pace, exports will be suspended in mid-May, the official said. As of Saturday, less than 4.2 million tons of grain remained available from the 7-million-ton…

RT (2020-04-18). Watch Dagestan-born IMMAF superstar Muhammad Mokaev's epic trilogy with Reo Yamaguchi in LIVE IMMAF watch party (VIDEO). rt.com Recap three epic fights featuring one of the biggest stars of amateur MMA, Dagestan-born Muhammad Mokaev, in a live IMMAF live watch party at 8am ET / 2pm CET, and you can watch it right here on RT Sport. | Nineteen-year-old Mokaev was born in Buynaksk, Dagestan but moved to Manchester, England with his family as a 12-year-old. | The Russian-English star is riding an unbeaten 23-fight win streak and is considered to be one of the hottest young prospects in the sport. | Mokaev hasn't yet turned professional, but there are sure to be a host of potential suitors for his signature, with the Bellator ONE Championsh…

The Canary (2020-04-18). Even senior Tories think the government's exit plan secrecy is 'just wrong'. thecanary.co Ministers are underestimating the public by refusing to discuss exit strategies for ending the coronavirus lockdown, senior Tory MPs have warned.The government has set out what needs to happen before it will consider lifting the measures, but there has been no detail on how the easing of restrictions will take place.Tory backbenchers and former ministers say there needs to be "strategic clarity" and that the argument put forward by the government about not wanting to "confuse the message" is not the right way forward.Former Brexit secretary David Davis told the PA news agency: "Other countries have been very open…

sputniknews (2020-04-18). Venezuela Blasts Trump After Central Bank Assets Quietly Transferred to Guaido's Fed Account. sputniknews.com The Trump administration quietly ordered the transfer of some $342 million in funds from a Venezuelan central bank account at Citibank to an account controlled by opposition leader and self-proclaimed Venezuelan 'president' Juan Guaido at the New York branch of the US Federal Reserve.

Peter Koenig (2020-04-18). Bill Gates and the Depopulation Agenda. Robert F. Kennedy Junior Calls for an Investigation. globalresearch.ca For over twenty years Bill Gates and his Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) have been vaccinating foremost children by the millions in remote areas of poor countries, mostly Africa and Asia. Most of their vaccination program had …

Dr. Annie Bukacek (2020-04-18). Video: How COVID-19 Death Certificates Are Being Manipulated. Montana Physician Dr. Annie Bukacek. globalresearch.ca First published by GR on April 8, 2020 | Dr. Annie Bukacek is a longtime Montana physician with over 30 years experience practicing medicine. Signing death certificates is a routine part of her job. | In this brief video, Dr. Bukacek blows …