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2020-03-24: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these 'POSTEES' on social media!

Jewish Activists Demand Governor Newsom Release Detainees In Light of Covid-19 Outbreak
Leon Kunstenaar | indybay.org | 2020-03-24
In a March 21 press release, Never Again Action Bay Area calls on Governor Newsom to take immediate steps to release migrants from unsanitary, overcrowded "death camp" detention centers…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/21/18831710.php

Julian Assange to apply for bail amid coronavirus dangers in British prisons
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
A press release issued by WikiLeaks stated that Assange's lawyers "will argue that he is vulnerable to the COVID-19 outbreak in the prison where he is on remand."
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/assa-m24.html

After the Lockdown: A Global Coronavirus Vaccination Program
Prof Michel Chossudovsky | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-24
The tendency is towards a Worldwide lockdown spearheaded by fear and media disinformation. Currently, hundreds of millions of people Worldwide are under lockdown. | What is the next step in the evolution of the COV-19 Crisis? | A coronavirus vaccine program was …
globalresearch.ca/after-the-lockdown-a-global-coronavirus-vaccination-program/5706547

Power in a Time of Coronavirus
Norman Solomon | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-24
Every day now we're waking up into an extreme real-life nightmare, while responses are still routinely lagging far behind what's at stake. Urgency is reality. The horrific momentum of the coronavirus is personal, social and political. In those realms, a baseline formula is "passivity = death." The imperative is to do vastly better. Consistent individual…
counterpunch.org/2020/03/24/power-in-a-time-of-coronavirus/

Power in a Time of Coronavirus
Norman Solomon | indybay.org | 2020-03-24
Fighting against intentional neglect and greedy stupidity…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/23/18831742.php

OAS head Luis Almagro's new term promises more corruption, cronyism and coup-plotting
The Grayzone | thegrayzone.com | 2020-03-24
The shocking story of the most incompetent, unethical and imperial-minded Secretary General in the history of the Organization of American…
thegrayzone.com/2020/03/23/oas-luis-almagros-corruption-cronyism-coup-plotting/

The Not-So-Shocking Report on Israeli Weapons Exports
Ramzy Baroud | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-03-24
The Middle East region, battered by wars and adjoining humanitarian crises that have left millions of people stateless, hungry and diseased, is in urgent need for peace, security and reconstruction. Thanks to the US, Russian, French, Israeli and other weapons manufacturers, however, it is now the dumping ground for military hardware, an ominous sign for …
dissidentvoice.org/2020/03/the-not-so-shocking-report-on-israeli-weapons-exports/

California Nurses Association protest in Oakland against lack of protective gear
Lynda Carson | indybay.org | 2020-03-24
Last Friday, I watched around 4 first responders from a fire truck in Oakland respond to the needs of someone that was hauled off to the hospital. I was shocked that the first responders were not wearing any protective gear or N95 respirators. Barely three days later, nurses from the California Nurses Association and National Nurses United held a protest Monday evening March 23, in front of Kaiser Permanente in Oakland. They protested against the lack of protective gear and weakening of standards by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) needed to protect them from getting sick during the coronavirus COVID-19 pand…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/24/18831760.php

Under pressure from online protests over coronavirus concerns, GameStop shutters California stores
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
The half-measure concessions, which went into effect Sunday, also included keeping stores in the rest of the United States operating with "delivery-to-door" service.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/game-m24.html

Social movements in times of pandemic: another world is needed
Donatella della Porta | zcomm.org | 2020-03-24
Faced with the glaring need for radical and complex transformation, social movements in times of crisis act differently from protests…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/social-movements-in-times-of-pandemic-another-world-is-needed/

Austerity Has Weakened Our Ability to Fight the COVID-19 Pandemic
Patrick Cockburn | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-24
"I have delivered food parcels to four families this morning," says Paula Spencer, who runs the community centre in Thanington, a deprived district on the outskirts of Canterbury. Two of the families had called for help because they had symptoms of the coronavirus, and two simply needed food to eat. There are no signs of…
counterpunch.org/2020/03/24/austerity-has-weakened-our-ability-to-fight-the-covid-19-pandemic/

Trump, putting Profit Motive and Reelection over Public Health
Juan Cole | zcomm.org | 2020-03-24
How Trump is Undermining Coronavirus Social Distancing Strategy…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/trump-putting-profit-motive-and-reelection-over-public-health/

Sanctions: Unilateral Coercive Measures for Regime Change in Venezuela
Nino Pagliccia | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-24
In discussing the issue of "sanctions" there are two main points that need to be made. One is the use of the correct terminology when referring to the government actions that the US, Canada and the EU take in order to achieve regime change. The second is of course the impact that those actions have.
counterpunch.org/2020/03/24/sanctions-unilateral-coercive-measures-for-regime-change-in-venezuela/

An Emergency Response to the Coronavirus Pandemic
Bernie Sanders | zcomm.org | 2020-03-24
We must begin thinking on a scale comparable to the threat, and make sure that we are protecting working people, low-income people, and the most vulnerable communities, not just giant corporations and Wall Street…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/an-emergency-response-to-the-coronavirus-pandemic/

COVID-19 Green New Deal
Nick Rabb | zcomm.org | 2020-03-24
The COVID-19 mitigation effort presents an unexpected blueprint for what rapid change in the face of a climate crisis might look like. In fact, the current situation should give us hope in our ability to cope with rapid change and encourage us to recognize our resilience…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/covid-19-green-new-deal/

COVID-19 hits Nevada: Catastrophic job losses coupled with woefully inadequate health care infrastructure
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
Hundreds of thousands of workers have been laid off and Nevada's sparse health care infrastructure is buckling as community spread of coronavirus takes hold.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/lvcv-m24.html

Risk of wider outbreak of COVID-19 remains high in South Korea
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
Workers are being kept on the job, exposing themselves and their communities to greater risks.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/skor-m24.html

Honduras's Deadly Water Wars
Jared Olson | thenation.com | 2020-03-24
Honduras's Deadly Water Wars…
thenation.com/article/world/honduras-mine-conflict/

Twenty-three die in Colombia prison revolt over coronavirus conditions
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
Amid fears of the rapidly spreading pandemic, prison riots erupted across Colombia and were brutally suppressed by prison guards.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/colo-m24.html

The Conquerors of America
Manuel García, Jr. | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-24
Patrick Weidhaas, a colleague of mine from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and also a colleague from the union group there (Society of Professional Scientists and Engineers) sent me a note saying: You may remember Ben Santer from the Lab, one of the foremost climate scientists. He just published an article in the online Scientific…
counterpunch.org/2020/03/24/the-conquerors-of-america/

Online Event: Invisible Threats: COVID-19 and Climate Change (live stream)
The Commonwealth Club | indybay.org | 2020-03-24
Online live stream event…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/23/18831746.php

All Marin Parks to be Closed Amid COVID-19 Spread
LKPMCPR | indybay.org | 2020-03-24
Ignoring epidemic rules, crowds seeking recreation fill Marin's open areas. Food workers in delis and markets endangered.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/22/18831734.php

China's first locked-down province of Hubei, where coronavirus originated, to reopen on March 25
rt.com | 2020-03-24
Beijing is lifting travel restrictions on Hubei Province on Wednesday, as China's fight against Covid-19 is yielding positive results. Even constraints on the city of Wuhan, where the virus first emerged, will be lifted in April. | Residents will once again be allowed to travel in and out of the country's central Hubei Province starting from March 25, the regional health commission announced on Tuesday. Travel bans in the region's capital, Wuhan, where the coronavirus outbreak started, will be lifted on April 8. | Wuhan was the first city in China to be quarantined, and along with several of Hubei's other majo…
rt.com/news/483909-china-to-lift-hubei-lockdown/

'Why did we vote?' French election officials sick a week after controversial ballot held amid Covid-19
rt.com | 2020-03-24
Holding a nationwide election during an epidemic may not seem like the wisest move, but France went along with it. Fast forward a week, and some people who made the voting possible report they have contracted the coronavirus. | The first round of municipal elections in France took place on March 15, even as the government was shutting down non-essential public venues and calling on people to stay at home

COVID-19 Patients Should Not Face Surprise Medical Bills
Eileen Appelbaum, Roesmary Batt | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-24
In the crush of news over the explosive spread of COVID-19, Congress has moved aggressively to pass the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. While imperfect, this bill will do much to provide free COVID-19 testing and extended paid sick leave for many but not all workers. But it doesn't cover hospitalization or care needed for…
counterpunch.org/2020/03/24/covid-19-patients-should-not-face-surprise-medical-bills/

Beijing to quarantine & test ALL foreign arrivals for Covid-19 as outbreaks accelerate outside China
rt.com | 2020-03-24
China's capital city has stepped up measures to detect and contain those carrying the coronavirus, isolating all travelers arriving from other countries and testing them for the lethal pathogen, the state-run Beijing Daily newspaper reported on Tuesday. | Starting on March 25, Beijing health authorities will require anyone traveling to the capital from overseas to enter centralized quarantine and undergo an RNA test for the virus, part of enhanced containment measures adopted as Covid-19 hotspots flare up across Europe, the Americas and elsewhere in Asia. | Those who arrived in China over the past 14 days will…
rt.com/newsline/483906-beijing-test-quarantine-foreigners/

Scale of current economic downturn unprecedented since 1929 Great Depression, French economy minister says
rt.com | 2020-03-24
France is facing an economic crisis that can only be compared to the Great Depression of 1929, the minister of the economy and finance, Bruno Le Maire, warned as he laid out government plans to mitigate the damage. | The French government will not "allow the flagships of our industry… to go up in smoke just because there is an economic crisis of a magnitude unprecedented since the 1929 Great Depression in the West," Bruno Le Maire said in an interview with France Info on Tuesday. | The minister was discussing ways French businesses can be assisted to traverse the economic slowdown aggravated by the Covid-19…
rt.com/news/483922-great-depression-french-minister/

The Case for an Indictment of the US Government for Criminal Negligence for its Bungled Response to COVID-19
Kary Love | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-24
The charge is criminal negligence. Criminal Negligence exists as follows: "Everyone is criminally negligent who in doing anything, or in omitting to do anything that it is his duty to do, shows wanton or reckless disregard for the lives or safety of other persons." Failure to defend the lives of the people against a known…
counterpunch.org/2020/03/24/the-case-for-an-indictment-of-the-us-government-for-criminal-negligence-for-its-bungled-response-to-covid-19/

Coughing but winning: Russia's 'unwell' Nepo destroys Chinese rivals & surges into World Chess Candidates lead
rt.com | 2020-03-24
Ian Nepomniachtchi has beaten two Chinese rivals to forge ahead at the World Chess Candidates in Ekaterinburg, despite suffering from a persistent cough. The event may be called off if the Russian tests positive for Covid-19. | The 29-year-old Nepomniachtchi (known as 'Nepo' by fans) played his moves in double-quick time to beat China's Ding Liren in dramatic fashion in round 6 of the Candidates Tournament, opening up a full 1-point lead at 4.5/6 over his nearest rival, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France. If Nepo can retain his lead and win the event, he will challenge Norwegian world champion Magnus Carlsen for…
rt.com/sport/483928-world-chess-candidates-ian-nepomniachtchi/

Five Demands for Emergency COVID-19 Survival
Dave Id | indybay.org | 2020-03-24
With the Bay Area and now all of California on coronavirus lockdown, millions going without paychecks and health insurance, prisoners and unsheltered folks at great risk of contracting the virus, wheatpaste posters have gone up in Oakland making five reasonable demands to increase our collective chance at survival.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/22/18831726.php

Death By Tweetstorm: a Win-Win for Trump
John Galbraith Simmons | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-24
For lack of respirators, patients with severe respiratory distress from COVID-19 will die as the epidemic unfolds. A drug to treat the disease is urgently needed. But the US press subjected news about hydroxychloroquine, a potential treatment, to an excess of caution in response to a Trump tweetstorm. Journalists and health care professionals alike were whipsawed by the president's irresponsible ballyhooing of the drug amid deprecatory assertions of "anecdotal" evidence by Anthony Fauci at the CDC.
counterpunch.org/2020/03/24/death-by-tweetstorm-a-win-win-for-trump/

Covid-19 cases in Germany surge by 4,700+ in one day, with 28 new deaths
rt.com | 2020-03-24
A total of 4,764 new cases of Covid-19 were recorded across Germany, with 28 deaths, the federal Robert Koch Institute (RKI), which releases daily monitoring of the disease, announced on Tuesday. | Overall, the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus grew from 22,672 to 27,436 within one day, RKI reported. There have been 28 new deaths, bringing the nation's death toll to 114. | Germany has a relatively low death rate from Covid-19 compared to other nations, but remains among the hardest-hit countries in terms of people infected. | Several German states, including Bavaria and Saxony, introduced quarantine mea…
rt.com/news/483912-germany-coronavirus-cases-increase/

New Zealand health workers speak out on lack of preparation for COVID-19 pandemic
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
One nurse told the WSWS: "All the health workers are just going to get infected themselves, and then there's going to be nobody to look after anybody."
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/intv-m24.html

Covid-19 Global Lockdown
CJ Hopkins | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-24
Let's try a little thought experiment. Just for fun. To pass the time while we're indefinitely locked down inside our homes, compulsively checking the Covid-19 "active cases" and "total death" count, washing our hands every twenty minutes, and attempting not …
globalresearch.ca/covid-19-global-lockdown/5707087

Modolva, COVID-19 & Lessons With Former Federal OSHA Investigator Darrell Whitman
Labor Video Project | indybay.org | 2020-03-24
Former Federal OSHA WPP investigator and lawyer who is now in Moldova reports on how this poor Eastern European country is grappling with the coronavirus unlike the panic in the US.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/23/18831736.php

Tele-Town Hall on Covid-19 for Santa Clara County (call-in event)
MCISCC | indybay.org | 2020-03-24
Telephone town hall call-in event…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/23/18831749.php

The quiet before the surge: US physicians speak on the COVID-19 pandemic
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
The WSWS spoke to three physicians as the coronavirus pandemic continues to escalate in the United States.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/doct-m24.html

Trains and buses disinfected in Wuhan & checkpoints removed as city prepares to end lockdown (VIDEOS)
rt.com | 2020-03-24
Disinfection teams have been deployed to transport hubs in the Chinese city of Wuhan

How a Police State Will Deal With the COVID-19 Pandemic
John W. Whitehead | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-24
counterpunch.org/2020/03/24/120744/

Legalization for All Statement: Covid19 and DACA
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2020-03-24
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Legalization for All Network. | The Legalization for All (L4A) Network is a coalition of various individuals and organizations from around the U.S. who fight to win legalization for all undocumented and Temporary-status peoples in the U.S. The need for full equality has never been clearer than in the face of a global pandemic, like Covid-19. Trump and the ruling-class have nothing stopping them from making changes that could devastate the undocumented, as the majority of people are preoccupied with the very real danger of Coronavirus. | Putti…
fightbacknews.org/2020/3/23/legalization-all-statement-covid19-and-daca

Jubilee USA Urges Immediate IMF Covid-19 Action
Kate Zeller | indybay.org | 2020-03-24
Religious Development Group Proposes Solutions for Pandemic Economic Impacts…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/23/18831740.php

At Port of Oakland, ILWU Tells SAA We Want Health/Safety Protection from COVID-19
Labor Video Project | indybay.org | 2020-03-24
ILWU Local 10 and 34 leaders and rank and file had a press conference in front of SSA in Oakland demanding that they have proper health and safety in their port jobs. Tra-Pack was forced to clean the equipment and they are demanding the same action from SSA. They also discussed the issue of the conditions of the Grand Princess Crew docked in Hunters Point…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/20/18831694.php

France to close open-air markets, crack down on JOGGING to stop coronavirus spread
rt.com | 2020-03-24
France is set to tighten its coronavirus lockdown rules, closing open-air markets and limiting outdoor workouts, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has said. Stricter rules come as the nation's Covid-19 death toll continues to mount. | Speaking to TF1 TV on Monday, Philippe announced he was about to sign a new decree, imposing stricter lockdown in the country. The restrictions, he noted, might be in force for "several more weeks." | A lot of citizens want normalcy to return, but it's not happening soon | The new measures, expected to take effect on Tuesday, include closure of the majority of open-air markets acro…
rt.com/news/483893-france-ban-jogging-coronavirus/

Germany: Appalling lack of protective equipment in COVID-19 outbreak
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
It is still virtually impossible to be tested for the life-threatening virus and there is a lack of protective marks and other urgently needed equipment for health care workers.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/geco-m24.html

Ramsey Orta denied basic safety measures in Solitary Confinement as COVID-19 virus spreads
WeCopwatch | indybay.org | 2020-03-24
Ramsey Orta and other inmates in the New York State Prison system are extremely vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus. If Governor Cuomo does not act now, it will be blood on his hands.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/22/18831721.php

A Pandemic Comes to the U.S
Lawrence Davidson | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-24
Part I–Uncomprehending and Unprepared On 10 March 2020 U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters in reference to the novel Coronavirus (Covid-19), "It will go away, just stay calm." He added, "It's really working out. And a lot of good things are going to happen." (This is also the president's attitude toward global warming.) When soon…
counterpunch.org/2020/03/24/a-pandemic-comes-to-the-u-s/

Devil in the details: Media jumps to blame Trump for death of man who self-medicated with FISH TANK CLEANER containing chloroquine
rt.com | 2020-03-24
An Arizona man has died after consuming a substance used to clean aquariums

Florida residents on COVID-19 pandemic: "There is no way we can go longer than a month at this rate."
wsws.org | 2020-03-24
Workers and students spoke with the WSWS about lack of supplies, limited testing, and growing concerns over the economic, social, and health impact on their families and friends.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/24/flco-m24.html

Business as Usual: Coronavirus, Iran and US Sanctions
Binoy Kampmark | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-03-24
Never discount the importance of venality in international relations. While pandemics should provide the glue for a unified front in response

Cashing in on Degrading Public Lands: How Welfare Ranchers Reap a Beef Bonanza From Weeds They Caused
Katie Fite | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-24
Gutting the Grazing Regulations BLM is preparing an EIS to eviscerate the already weak and often toothless public lands grazing regulations, strip nearly all controls from grazing permits, and add new grazing categories that will increase the livestock burden on public lands and the planet. Current BLM regulations are already heavily weighted towards satisfying the…
counterpunch.org/2020/03/24/cashing-in-on-degrading-public-lands-how-welfare-ranchers-reap-a-beef-bonanza-from-weeds-they-caused/

Last Process: 50 Postees: 2020-03-24 14:37 GMT (10:37 EST)

2020-03-23: News Headlines

The Canary (2020-03-23). Coronavirus: Latest updates from across the world. thecanary.co Covid-19 has infected hundreds of thousands of people across the globe.Here are the latest updates: — IRANIran has reported another 127 coronavirus-related deaths, bringing its toll to 1,812 amid 23,049 confirmed cases.Iran is battling the worst outbreak in the Middle East, and has faced criticism for not imposing stricter quarantine measures early on. It is also suffering under severe American sanctions imposed after President Donald Trump withdrew the US from Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.(PA Graphics)— SWITZERLANDThe World Health Organisation (WHO) said criminals are increasingly posing…

RT (2020-03-23). Spain's coronavirus death toll spikes by 462 fatalities overnight, 4,500+ new cases. rt.com The Spanish Health Ministry has confirmed that an additional 462 people died overnight bringing the country's total loss of life during the coronavirus crisis to 2,182. | Spain was among the first European countries to initiate a nationwide lockdown protocol as infection rates soared. The total number of coronavirus cases in the country rose from 28,572 to 33,089 on Monday, despite the best efforts of authorities to impose strict social distancing. | Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned Saturday that "the worst is yet to come," as the nation's beleaguered health system struggles to turn the tide of infe…

RT (2020-03-23). US must lift sanctions if they truly want to help Iran fight against coronavirus pandemic — Rouhani. rt.com Washington's offers to help Tehran against the deadly Covid-19 disease are disingenuous, because it is the US sanctions that undermine people's access to medical care, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has said. | "When the Americans say they are ready to help Iran against the coronavirus, it is one of the greatest lies in history," Rouhani said on Monday, urging Washington to "stop getting in the way of Iranian people doing business." | If they want to help Iran, all they need to do is to lift sanctions. | Rouhani blamed the sweeping US sanctions for exacerbating unemployment and "creating problems with the sup…

RT (2020-03-23). US unemployment rate may skyrocket to 30% amid 'huge shock' to economy. rt.com The United States is expected to see an unprecedented 50 percent drop in gross domestic product in the second quarter due to coronavirus outbreak, says Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis President James Bullard. | According to his projections, the US unemployment rate could hit 30 percent in Q2 as a result of massive shutdowns to combat the virus. | Bullard has called for a powerful fiscal response to replace the $2.5 trillion in lost income to assure a strong eventual US recovery. He said that the Fed should be poised to do more to ensure markets function during a period of high volatility. | "This is a planne…

RT (2020-03-23). US in lockdown: The biggest threat to the oil industry ever? rt.com The impact of border closures, travel restrictions, restaurant closures and more is already wreaking havoc on the US oil industry, and it is likely to get much worse. | The SARS CoV2 virus that is behind the COVID-19 pandemic has finally ravaged the United States, and cities and states are reacting to its brutality by shutting stuff down. As the United States continues to increase measures to isolate the sick and slow the spread, the oil industry is bracing for harder times ahead. Just how bad could it get, and what would a full quarantine mean for US oil? | The effects of US border closures, travel restrictio…

RT (2020-03-23). 'We want to hold the Olympics, but we're not so stupid to expect people to come amid pandemic' — Japan's Olympic chief. rt.com Japan does not intend to simply ignore the Covid-19 pandemic and hold the Olympic Games as other nations refuse to send delegations, but canceling them altogether is not on the table for now, the nation's Olympic chief said. | "I'm not so foolish as to insist that the Olympics go ahead as initially planned," Yoshiro Mori told journalists on Monday, as cited by Reuters. He acknowledged there was a lot of concern in the Olympic movement over holding the Games amid a global health crisis. | Shortly before that, Canada and Australia said they won't be sending their teams to the Games due to coronavirus concerns.

RT (2020-03-23). Qatar announces $150mn in aid to Gaza to support UN programs, efforts in fight against Covid-19. rt.com Qatar has announced $150 million in aid to the Gaza Strip over a period of six months. The decision was taken to support United Nations humanitarian programs in the Palestinian territory as well as efforts to contain the coronavirus outbreak there, the state-run Qatari Committee to Rebuild Gaza tweeted on Monday. | The densely populated Gaza Strip reported its first cases on Sunday, Reuters said. | Authorities announced stay-at-home orders in the occupied West Bank as Palestinian health officials are trying to limit contagion.

RT (2020-03-23). Germany already FLATTENING the curve of Covid-19 infections, says public health chief. rt.com The head of Germany's public health institute claims that the rate of new coronavirus infection in the country is showing signs of flattening, highlighting the success of social distancing measures adopted nationwide. | "We are seeing signs that the exponential growth curve is flattening off slightly," said Lothar Wieler, head of the Robert Koch Institute. "But I will only be able to confirm this trend definitively on Wednesday." | Germany was among the first European nations to introduce a raft of emergency response measures including school closures and the severe curtailment of public gatherings. | Wieler s…

RT (2020-03-23). Hong Kong to ban all tourist arrivals, may suspend alcohol sales. rt.com Hong Kong is banning all tourist arrivals to the global financial center amid a spike in imported cases of the coronavirus. The move comes as Hong Kong joins cities worldwide in the battle to contain the spread of the disease. | The government also said it was studying whether to suspend the sale of alcohol in licensed bars and restaurants in the city. It has 318 confirmed cases of coronavirus and four deaths, Reuters reported. | Hong Kong last week toughened curbs on travelers, ordering 14 days of quarantine for arrivals and advising against all non-essential travel. University entrance exams will be postpone…

RT (2020-03-23). European markets tumble as global health crisis takes toll on economy. rt.com Stock markets around the world are starting the week mostly lower as the spread of the coronavirus continues to drag down the global economy, | The FTSE index is down over four percent at the start of trading in London, while Germany's DAX and France's CAC have plummeted almost five percent. The pan-European Stoxx 600 dropped 4.5 percent at the opening bell on Monday, with industrials nosediving six percent to lead the losses. | pic.twitter.com/kyzOribwWW— Holger Zschaepitz (@Schuldensuehner) March 23, 2020

RT (2020-03-23). 'The world is not in such a condition': Japanese PM Abe suggests for first time that Tokyo Olympics could be postponed. rt.com Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says that this summer's Tokyo Olympics may need to be postponed as numerous countries have expressed reservations about participating in the games due to the coronavirus pandemic. | After both Canada and Australia announced that they will not send athletes to any Olympics Games hosted this summer, along with reports that various individual athletes are expressing concern, Abe told a Japanese parliamentary meeting that the event will likely need to be rescheduled and said that he will hold talks with International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach regarding the matt…

AFSCME en Español (2020-03-23). Las proveedoras de cuidado infantil no reciben el apoyo necesario. peoplesworld.org En el jardín infantil Little Blossoms Child Care en Chula Vista, California, los niños y sus cuidadoras hablan sobre gérmenes todos los días. Esto siempre ha sido una prioridad para la dueña y gerente Miren Algorri, pero desde que empezó la pandemia del coronavirus ha abordado el tema con un mayor enfoque. Como proveedora de …

RT (2020-03-23). All jury trials in England & Wales on hold over coronavirus fears. rt.com The lord chief justice, Lord Burnett, has announced that no new jury trials will be held in England and Wales, and any ongoing ones will be paused as the coronavirus crisis continues. | In a statement on Monday, Burnett said that arrangements were being made to conduct as many regular hearings remotely as possible using phones, video and other technology though jury trials cannot be conducted remotely. | "A review of the arrangements in our courts is called for. I have decided that we need to pause jury trials for a short time to enable appropriate precautions to be put in place," Burnett said. | Also on rt.co…

RT (2020-03-23). 2nd Egyptian military official dies of coronavirus — report. rt.com A senior Egyptian military official died from coronavirus on Monday, state newspaper Al-Ahram said. The previous day, state media announced the death of another senior military official. | Major General Shafie Abdel Halim Dawoud "died while fighting the coronavirus," state television said, without giving any details. The country's official media said on Sunday that Major General Khaled Shaltout had died of the same cause. | Egypt has so far registered 327 cases of the respiratory disease caused by the virus, including 14 fatalities, Reuters cited officials from the Health Ministry as saying on Sunday.

IWOC Oakland (2020-03-23). Santa Rita Jail Solidarity During the Coronavirus Pandemic. indybay.org As businesses, schools, and institutions close to reduce the transmission of COVID-19, many people are wondering how to support people in jails, prisons, and immigration detention centers.

Leon Kunstenaar (2020-03-23). Jewish Activists Demand Governor Newsom Release Detainees In Light of Covid-19 Outbreak. indybay.org In a March 21 press release, Never Again Action Bay Area calls on Governor Newsom to take immediate steps to release migrants from unsanitary, overcrowded "death camp" detention centers…

WSWS (2020-03-23). Immigrants at New Jersey ICE detention center launch hunger strike over COVID-19 threat. wsws.org Detainees at the Newark, New Jersey jail used by ICE are protesting filthy conditions that increase their risk of infection by the coronavirus and are demanding to be released.

Norman Solomon (2020-03-23). What the Coronavirus Emergency Has to Do with Biden vs. Sanders. indybay.org Tepid adjustments vs. truly transformational agendas…

Norman Solomon (2020-03-23). Power in a Time of Coronavirus. zcomm.org To fight like hell for the living

Graham Peebles (2020-03-23). Death of the "Usual": Economic Evolution and the Emergence of the New. dissidentvoice.org Humanity is faced with a series of self-made, interrelated crises, from the environmental catastrophe to poverty, inequality, the absence of peace and an unprecedented level of displaced persons, among other pressing issues. All have been brought about by the negative behaviour of mankind, by the pervasive modes of living, the corrosive values and ideologies that …

news.un (2020-03-23). Reaching 'beyond the possible' in Hawaii to meet sustainability goals. news.un.org The people and government of the US state of Hawaii will reach "beyond the possible" to make the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) a reality; The SDGs are a set of targets agreed by countries around the world to reduce poverty, protect the planet and ensure peace and prosperity for all, by 2030. Hawaii introduced its own initiative, Sustainable Hawaii, in 2016 in support of the SDGs.

Mike Garrity (2020-03-23). When is a Logging Road "Not a Road"? counterpunch.org war is peace freedom is slavery ignorance is strength How does the Forest Service justify bulldozing new roads where they are not supposed to be? Only by saying, "this feature is not a road." These are the official slogans of the Party as inscribed at the Ministry of Truth in George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984. The

WSWS (2020-03-23). "Four Corners" program exposes Australian war crimes in Afghanistan. wsws.org The actions revealed in the program, including the execution of unarmed civilians, have doubtless been known by successive governments, Labor and Coalition alike.

Stephen Lendman (2020-03-23). Is Martial Law Coming to the US? globalresearch.ca Crises are opportunities for ruling authorities to institute policies not easily introduced during normal times. | Post-9/11 and at other extraordinary times, the public is willfully deceived to believe that by sacrificing personal freedoms, greater security is possible — not realizing …

Ralph Nader (2020-03-23). For America's Urgent Health and Safety, Trump Needs to Resign! counterpunch.org Leaning on sober-minded experts in infectious diseases at his daily news conferences, Trump is frantically trying to look good. But the old delusionary Trump keeps resurfacing. On Monday, he rated his coronavirus performance at a perfect ten. On Tuesday, he lied to the public about his knowing it was a pandemic "long before it was

Gareth Porter (2020-03-23). Pompeo and Netanyahu Paved a Path to War with Iran, and They're Pushing Trump Again. globalresearch.ca Though it narrowly averted war with Iran this January, the Trump administration is still pushing for all-out military conflict. The architects of the drive to war, Mike Pompeo and Benjamin Netanyahu, have relied on a series of cynical provocations to …

Richard Becker (2020-03-23). U.S. and Iraq: The Hidden History. globalresearch.ca "You have given Iraq the opportunity to stand on its own," President Barack Obama told hundreds of cheering U.S. troops in Baghdad on April 7, 2009, his first visit to the country after being elected. He added that now, "Iraqis …

Paul Street (2020-03-23). The Pathogenic Profits System: Beyond Begging, Praying, and Capital. counterpunch.org We live in an age of Orwellian untruth where falsehood is the norm. One key falsehood worth unmasking is the claim that the current COVID-19 stock market decline, soon to usher in a full-on recession, is a "black swan" — an unpredictable (and supposedly unpredicted) "surprise" event with great and negative consequences outside the normal operations of capitalism. Nonsense. The new coronavirus is not really a surprise to those who know anything about the history of disease. Epidemics, like financial crises, have been a recurrent occurrence in the record of human civilization. Hundreds of epidemics have kille…

WSWS (2020-03-23). United Parcel Service forcing employees to work without protection amid COVID-19 pandemic. wsws.org "There has been no serious talk about this disease" at UPS, a warehouse worker in Baltimore, Maryland, told the World Socialist Web Site.

James Fortin — Jeff Mackler (2020-03-23). COVID-19 Threatens the Lives of Billions: Statement of Socialist Action National Committee. counterpunch.org As the devastating novel coronavirus (COVID-19) literally threatens the lives of billions of the earth's people, two truths about the contagion remain unchallenged: All nations are ill prepared for the arrival of the virus and once it lands, despite herculean efforts in some cases, little can be done to stop its spread. The World Health

Ricardo Vaz (2020-03-23). IMF Rejects Venezuela COVID-19 Emergency Fund Appeal. globalresearch.ca The International Monetary Fund has rejected a Venezuelan appeal for an emergency US $5 billion loan to face the Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza revealed on Tuesday afternoon that President Nicolas Maduro had sent a letter to IMF …

Nino Pagliccia (2020-03-23). The IMF Abandons Venezuelans to the Threat of the COVID-19 Pandemic. counterpunch.org No government that had to bow to the power of a financial institution like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) knows the harsh consequences to which it will have to submit. That includes the Venezuelan government. And yet last March 15 president Nicolas Maduro filed a formal request to the IMF for a financing facility of

John Buell (2020-03-23). Why Americans Should Stop Talking About 'China Flu' and Learn From China. commondreams.org A medical staffmember walks out of an aisle in a hospital in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province Monday, Jan. 27, 2020. (Photo: Feature China/Barcroft Media/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/coronavirus_0.jpg …

WSWS (2020-03-23). Coronavirus total in US skyrockets as testing expands. wsws.org The United States now leads the world in new cases and is second only to China and Italy in the number of patients infected with COVID-19.

Xinhua (2020-03-23). Spotlight: U.S. Politicians' Use of the Term "Chinese Virus" Widely Condemned. globalresearch.ca The recent re-labeling of the novel coronavirus with xenophobic undertones by some U.S. politicians to stigmatize China has drawn widespread criticism. | As the international community works together to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, a few American politicians are shifting blame to …

Take Back Your Power (2020-03-23). Are 5G / Biometric Systems Being Covertly Installed During the Lockdown, Where You Live? globalresearch.ca In recent days a couple videos have begun circulating on social media with evidence of apparent installations of 5G and/or biometric systems while children are home due to the COVID-19 lockdown. | We now have the opportunity to confirm (or debunk) …

Ernest Owens (2020-03-23). Inside a Murder Trial in Krasner-Era Philadelphia. thenation.com Inside a Murder Trial in Krasner-Era Philadelphia…

Sam Pizzigati (2020-03-23). How to Wage War, FDR-Style, on the COVID-19 Pandemic. counterpunch.org The United States, President Donald Trump is now proclaiming, stands at "war." We are facing, in the novel coronavirus, "an invisible enemy" that could claim the lives of more Americans than every shooting war America has ever fought. But that sort of terrible toll, public health people have been working so hard to remind us,

WSWS (2020-03-23). Catastrophic worldwide medical ventilator shortfall despite years of warning. wsws.org World productive capacity of medical ventilators is far below peak requirements during the coronavirus outbreak.

Mel Gurtov (2020-03-23). Derelict Leadership on Health Security. counterpunch.org If one event shows both Trump's flawed character and his ineptitude, it would have to be his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. It is all about him, claiming superior knowledge of the medical issues while constantly downplaying the extent and seriousness of the virus, ignoring early warning signs, and withholding vital information from the scientific

WSWS (2020-03-23). South Africa's ANC government suppressed report showing thousands could die from COVID-19. wsws.org The Ramaphosa government's response to the pandemic has been exactly what the study warned against—slow and virtually nonexistent.

Christopher Black (2020-03-23). Coronavirus and The Age of Anxiety Redux. globalresearch.ca In 1948 the poet, W.H. Auden, published a long poem he titled, The Age of Anxiety, in which four characters express their anxiety about their place in a world that has been destroyed by two world wars and was threatened …

Sam Pizzigati (2020-03-23). How to Wage War, FDR-Style, on Our Pandemic. commondreams.org President Donald Trump looks on next to Anthony Fauci, director of the NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, during a meeting at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland on March 3, 2020. (Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/donald_trump_29_0.jpg …

WSWS (2020-03-23). Coronavirus crisis in New York: As doctors warn of "our Chernobyl," state government plans Medicaid cuts. wsws.org Governor Andrew Cuomo, who has been calling for the deployment of the military, warned on Sunday that between 40 and 80 percent of the population of New York state (roughly 19.5 million people) would be infected.

Erin Schwartz (2020-03-23). The Beautiful, Baffling Mysteries of Paolo Sorrentino's Vatican. thenation.com The Beautiful, Baffling Mysteries of Paolo Sorrentino's Vatican…

WorkWeek (2020-03-23). WorkWeek On SF Housing With Dean Preston, ILWU Port Safety & UCSF AFSCME Cancer Cluster. indybay.org WorkWeek interviews SF Supervisor Dean Preston about the housing crisis and the fight against evictions. Next WorkWeek hears about UAW auto worker wildcats over the failure to protect the health and safety of auto workers. We interview UAW 551 Chicago Ford worker Scott Houldierson. | Next WorkWeek hears about the conditions of Bay Area Longshore workers who are members of ILWU Local 10 with Trent Willis, president of the Local. | Last, WorkWeek interviews Stella Miranda, the wife of a UCSF AFSCME 3299 worker whose worksite was on radioactive contaminated land at the Hunters Point shipyard. | She talks about what…

Annelle Sheline (2020-03-23). The Coronavirus Exposes the Foolishness of the US Sanctions Policy. thenation.com The Coronavirus Exposes the Foolishness of the US Sanctions Policy…

news.un (2020-03-23). 'Count every drop, every drop counts': UN weather agency calls for better water data on World Meteorological Day. news.un.org Floods, extreme rainfall, droughts and melting glaciers…many of the major signs of climate change involve water. On this year's World Meteorological Day, the UN weather agency (WMO) is reinforcing the message of World Water Day, by focusing on the links between climate and water, and calling for better water-related data.

WSWS (2020-03-23). No corporate bailouts! Direct financial resources to the working people, not the capitalist elite! wsws.org The ruling class is seeking to exploit this crisis to engineer another multitrillion-dollar redistribution of wealth, on a scale even greater than the 2008 bank bailout.

Peter Mayo (2020-03-23). Higher Education in the Time of COVID-19. counterpunch.org Desperate attempts to curtail the spread of the Corona Virus are turning many localities in different parts of the world into phantom cities. Universities and other higher education institutions have not been immune to this process. They are closed institutions, with academics urged, if not compelled, irrespective of their training for this purpose, to place

Last Process: 50 Citations: 2020-03-23 14:04 GMT (10:04 EST)