RT (2020-03-13). Global stock markets' wild ride continues after historic collapse. rt.com Equities around the world traded wildly on Friday after suffering one of the worst crashes of all time as global panic over the coronavirus outbreak spread to investors. | Asian stock markets were mixed with Indian and Australian stocks showing the biggest rebound with gains of over four percent. China's Shanghai Composite Index and Hong Kong's Hang Seng were down over one percent, while Japan's Nikkei was closed after dropping over six percent on Thursday. | After suffering the worst crash in history, with losses of 10 to 12 percent, European markets opened mixed on Friday with the London FTSE up over two per…

RT (2020-03-13). Coronavirus fears '50% panic,' could be over by summer — top Russian scientist. rt.com While some countries are experiencing a scramble for toilet paper and certain prominent politicians are calling the pandemic a hoax, the real experts are a bit more rational about Covid-19. | In Russia, one senior scientist believes the crisis could have stabilized by the middle of summer. | "It can be predicted that the spread in the world will subside by June-July. In China, the peak incidence rate passed on February 2," says Alexander Shestopalov, head of the experimental modeling and pathogenesis department of infectious diseases at the Federal Research Center for Fundamental and Translational Medicine.

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2020-03-13). COVID-19ÂÜ Áä∂ÁóÖÊØí"ÂÅá"§ßʵÅË°åÔºöÊó∂Èó¥Ë°®ÂíåÂàÜÊûê. globalresearch.ca 2020Âπ¥1Êúà30Êó•Ôºå‰∏ñÁïåÂç´ÁîüÁªÑÁªáÔºàWHOÔºâÂÆ£Â∏ɉ∫ÜÊúâÂÖ≥‰∏≠ÂõΩË¢´ÂΩíÁ±ª‰∏∫ÁóÖÊØíÊÄßËÇ∫ÁÇéÁöÑ&Ecirc…

RT (2020-03-13). Flares & crazy moves: Russia's Little Big disco-inspired Eurovision clip becomes most viewed among all contenders (VIDEO). rt.com Disco vibes, flare pants, a chorus in Spanish and serious faces, while performing the freakiest of dance moves — Russia's rave-pop-punk hooligans Little Big have impressed the Eurovision crowd with a clip for its contest song. | Little Big, often described as "a Russian mental patient's answer to Die Antwoord," sure know how to make a hit. Two years ago their song, called 'Skibidi,' became a viral sensation, gaining 23 million views on YouTube in just 1 week. Since then it was seen by almost 370 million people, while the dance routine from the clip became a meme. | The Saint Petersburg band's entry for t…

RT (2020-03-13). Moscow BATTERED by strong winds — one dead. rt.com Russia's capital has so far avoided a coronavirus death, but its more traditional foe, the weather, caused havoc on Friday with strong winds up to 25m/s, killing at least one man and hospitalizing others. | Speaking to news agency RIA Novosti, a spokesman for the emergency services said that a driver died in the east of Moscow after wind caused a tree to fall on the car. Other reports suggest that the vehicle, a Mazda, continued a few meters before colliding with two other automobiles. | "Near number 20, on 1st Myasnikovskaya Street, a tree fell on a passing passenger car. The driver died," he said. | Another…

RT (2020-03-13). Turkey, Russia agree on details of Idlib ceasefire, joint patrols to begin on Sunday — Ankara. rt.com Turkey and Russia have agreed on the details of a ceasefire in Syria's Idlib region after four days of talks in Ankara, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Friday. Joint patrols along a key highway will begin on Sunday as planned, Reuters quoted Akar as saying. | Ankara and Moscow, which back opposing sides in Syria's war, agreed on March 5 to halt hostilities in the country's northwest. | Under the agreement, Turkish and Russian forces will carry out joint patrols along the M4 highway linking Syria's east and west, and establish a security corridor on either side of it. A Russian delegation arrived in Ankara…

RT (2020-03-13). Russia restricts air travel to EU over coronavirus, leaving only select few flights open. rt.com Russia is limiting flights to and from EU member countries, Norway and Switzerland over the COVID-19 pandemic now raging in Europe, exempting only regular flights from Moscow to their capital cities and charter evacuation trips. | Temporary flight restrictions will go into effect starting March 16, said the government's center for combating the spread of the infection. | However, regular flights to capitals of EU member nations, as well as Oslo and Geneva, will continue through Terminal F of Moscow's Sheremetyevo international airport. Charter flights bringing Russians back to the homeland and repatriating the…

RT (2020-03-13). 'Where was your patient zero?' Chinese official speculates AMERICANS may have infected Wuhan at army games & calls to 'come clean'. rt.com Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lijian Zhao has demanded US authorities reveal what they're hiding about the origins of Covid-19, going as far as to suggest the coronavirus may have been brought to China by the US military. | Pointing to a video of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director Robert Redfield apparently admitting the US had several deaths from Covid-19 before they were able to test for it, Zhao called on the American watchdog to come clean in a tweet posted on Thursday. | 2/2 CDC was caught on the spot. When did patient zero begin in US? How many people are infected? What are…

RT (2020-03-13). Europe now center of coronavirus pandemic, death toll has passed 5,000 — WHO chief. rt.com The death toll from the coronavirus pandemic has surpassed 5,000 worldwide and Europe has become the epicenter of the outbreak, the head of the World Health Organization has said. | WHO director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said at Friday's daily briefing that the death toll has passed the "tragic milestone". He told the virtual press conference that Europe has become the epicenter of the outbreak and the continent has more cases and deaths than the rest of the world combined, apart from China. | "More cases are now being reported every day than were reported in China at the height of its epidemic," he…

RT (2020-03-13). 'Lies in the media': Bolsonaro's son lashes out at reports, says Brazil president's coronavirus test NOT yet complete. rt.com Eduardo Bolsonaro, son of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, has accused the media of peddling "too much lies and little information," after a report claimed the Brazilian leader tested positive for the Covid-19 coronavirus. | UPDATE: After Bolsonaro's press secretary Fabio Wajngarten tested positive for the virus on Thursday, the Brazilian president entered self-isolation and was tested for the deadly illness himself. With the…

RT (2020-03-13). A tale of two headlines: Daily Mail front pages show drastic escalation in UK coronavirus stance. rt.com Life comes at you fast, especially in the midst of a global pandemic, and nowhere was this more evident than the front pages of the Daily Mail newspaper, which displayed a neck-breaking 180 in mood in less than 24 hours. | Thursday's front page was devoted to extolling the virtues of "New Tory star" Chancellor Rishi Sunak aka "Dr Feelgood" and his £30 billion cash economic stimulus package, dubbed a 'vaccination,' which would stave off the worst economic effects of the coronavirus. | "Cash for sick workers" and "Shops' taxes slashed" were the breathless (pardon the pun) yet genius solutions to the corona…

RT (2020-03-13). Japan's Olympics chief 'not considering' canceling Games after Trump calls for 1-year delay. rt.com The Japanese Olympics minister shot down suggestions that the international sporting event would be shuttered over fears of the coronavirus on Friday, stating that the move was not under consideration despite US President Donald Trump's call to postpone the games for one year. | "I'm aware of President Trump's remarks," the minister, Seiko Hashimoto, told reporters, adding: "The IOC [International Olympic Committee] and 2020 organizers are not at all considering canceling or postponing the Games," and that planners were "proceeding with preparations" for the event, which opens on July 24. | Trump, who spoke wi…

RT (2020-03-13). No word on test: Trudeau tells Canadians he has 'no symptoms & feeling good' after wife tests positive for Covid-19. rt.com Canadian PM Justin Trudeau has not confirmed whether he had been tested for Covid-19, but said he has no symptoms of the virus and is "feeling good" as he spoke from self-quarantine after his wife tested positive for the virus. | Trudeau addressed the nation from self-isolation at Rideau Cottage on Friday, where he had quarantined himself with his sick wife. Sophia Gregoire Trudeau reportedly began displaying symptoms on Wednesday night after returning from a trip to the UK and promptly sought testing. | Pressed by a reporter as to why he had not been tested for coronavirus, Trudeau said he was told that as lo…

RT (2020-03-13). France bans gatherings of over 100 people as government battles to stem coronavirus outbreak. rt.com French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has announced that all gatherings of more than 100 people are now prohibited in France in an attempt to delay a spike in the Covid-19 pandemic. | PM Phillipe said on Friday that the latest government measure was being implemented to try to slow down the spread of the deadly virus. He warned that more measures could follow. | It's because we are at the beginning of the acceleration that we take measures to slow it down. Our aim is to postpone as long as possible the spike and we have hope. | The move comes a day after President Emmanuel Macron announced that all schools wo…

John Bachtell (2020-03-13). People's World can't exist without you. peoplesworld.org Dear People's World readers, We live in uncertain and frightening times. In addition to the global peril posed by the climate crisis, humanity faces an immediate coronavirus pandemic and what looks like a global economic crisis. As a People's World reader, you value the truth and a radical, working-class perspective to get you through the …

Ian Goodrum (2020-03-13). Coronavirus epidemic responses reveal differences in capitalist and socialist values. peoplesworld.org BEIJING—The world has a Public Enemy No. 1, and it's the novel coronavirus. Capable of causing severe pneumonia among those it infects, the virus first wreaked havoc on the city of Wuhan in China's Hubei province and has since spread at an alarming rate. At present, thousands have died and over 100,000 have been infected …

RT (2020-03-13). PM Abe gets emergency powers from Japan parliament to tackle coronavirus outbreak. rt.com Japan's parliament on Friday approved a bill giving PM Shinzo Abe emergency powers that will let him close schools, halt large gatherings and requisition medical supplies, as Japan tries to slow the coronavirus outbreak. | The bill amends a 2012 law drawn up following a flu epidemic in 2009. It was approved by upper house lawmakers after the lower house passed the legislation on Thursday. The PM would have to declare a state of emergency in order to use the new powers. | Abe has requested schools to close and organizers of events to cancel large gatherings, but so far has not had the power to make them comply.

RT (2020-03-13). PM Johnson postpones May's elections in England including London mayor till 2021 to avoid clash with coronavirus peak. rt.com The UK government has announced that local and mayoral elections scheduled for May are to be postponed for one year due to the Covid-19 epidemic to avoid the expected peak of the virus in late spring. | Voters in England were scheduled to go to the polls on May 7 — including for the London Mayoral contest — but just hours after the PM's spokesperson said they were "working to facilitate" the elections, they have now been taken off the 2020 political calendar. | Responding to the move, London Mayor Sadiq Khan —who was up for re-election— has taken to Twitter to insist that he "will continu…

RT (2020-03-13). NBA will not penalize coronavirus-hit player Gobert after video of him DELIBERATELY wiping hands on mics sparks outrage — report. rt.com Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert will reportedly face no disciplinary action over antics at a recent press conference, where he mocked coronavirus fears by touching reporters' microphones — immediately before testing positive himself. | Gobert — who has incurred the wrath of NBA fans and media professionals for making light of the virus and potentially exposing many others to the disease with his stunt — will likely be spared any punishment, Yahoo Sports's Chris Haynes reported, citing league sources. | This is the video of Rudy Gobert touching all the microphones and potentially infecting innocent…

RT (2020-03-13). Bio-war-of-words: US summons Chinese ambassador over 'disinformation campaign' about coronavirus origin. rt.com China's ambassador to Washington Cui Tiankai was summoned to the State Department after a spokesman for the foreign ministry in Beijing tweeted that the deadly coronavirus could have been seeded in Wuhan by the US military. | Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs David Stilwell summoned Cui on Friday over what he called a "blatant, global" disinformation campaign about the Covid-19 coronavirus. The ambassador was filmed leaving Foggy Bottom after the meeting, without answering questions shouted by US reporters. | Chinese Ambassador Cui Tiankai leaving State. He was summoned earlier this mornin…

RT (2020-03-13). Iranian security forces to clear streets & impose nationwide lockdown within 24 HOURS as Tehran struggles to contain Covid-19. rt.com A senior Iranian general has announced that security forces are deploying across the country to close down shops and roads, in what essentially amounts to a nationwide lockdown as the Islamic Republic reels from coronavirus. | Security personnel will be charged with emptying all "shops, streets and roads" in Iran with the next 24 hours, Major General Mohammad Bagheri said in televised remarks reported by state media. | Iranians have been ordered to stay at home and comply with all directives issued by health authorities. | According to Tasnim News, Iran also plans to add some 1,000 stationary and mobile clinic…

RT (2020-03-13). Brazil's Bolsonaro, who met Trump last week, tests 'POSITIVE' for Covid-19, local report claims. rt.com Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro has tested positive for Covid-19, a Brazilian paper is claiming citing sources in the presidential palace. All eyes are now on US President Donald Trump, who met Bolsonaro on Saturday. | UPDATE: Bolsonaro and his delegation met with Trump at the president's Mar-A-Lago resort in Florida. On Thursday, Bolsonaro's press secretary, Fabio Wajngarten, was diagnosed with the coronavirus. | According to…

The Canary (2020-03-13). Even Jeremy Hunt is 'concerned' by the UK's coronavirus strategy. thecanary.co The Government's approach to tackling coronavirus is "concerning", former health secretary Jeremy Hunt has said as new measures to delay the spread of the virus come into effect.Hunt, chair of the House of Commons Health select committee, questioned the Government's decision not to cancel large gatherings after Boris Johnson warned many more families would "lose loved ones before their time".Asked on BBC Newsnight what he thought about the decision not to cancel large gatherings, Hunt said: "I think it is surprising and concerning that we're not doing any of it at all when we have just four weeks before we get to…

RT (2020-03-13). Czech govt bans most travel in & out of country to fight coronavirus outbreak. rt.com The Czech government has imposed a ban on foreigners entering the country and Czechs traveling abroad starting Monday, as it tries to curb the coronavirus outbreak, Prime Minister Andrej Babis said on Friday. | "We issue a ban on entry for all foreigners as of midnight from Sunday to Monday, except those with residency or short-term permits of over 90 days," Babis told a televised news conference. The statement came after an extraordinary government session, Reuters said. | On Thursday, the government in Prague declared a 30-day state of emergency. It banned public events of more than 30 people and ordered the…

RT (2020-03-13). Europe is now the center of coronavirus pandemic, death toll has passed 5,000 — WHO chief. rt.com The death toll from the coronavirus pandemic has now surpassed 5,000 and Europe has become the center of the outbreak, the head of the World Health Organization has said. | WHO director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the death toll passed the "tragic milestone" at Friday's daily briefing. | Tedros noted that Europe has become the center of outbreak and warned world governments that a raft of measures are needed to tackle the disease. He said that any country that thinks it could not fall victim to a large outbreak of the Covid-19 illness is making a "deadly mistake". | DETAILS TO FOLLOW…

RT (2020-03-13). Trump declares national emergency over coronavirus pandemic, unlocking $50bn in funding. rt.com US President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency over the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, unlocking additional powers and funding for disaster response and getting FEMA involved in the efforts to curb the disease. | "To unleash the full power of the federal government," Trump said in an address from the White House Rose Garden on Friday, "I am officially declaring a national emergency." Trump said that the declaration will free up $50 billion in funding to tackle the spread of the illness. | Trump added that he is "asking every hospital in the country" to activate their emergency preparation plans, a…

RT (2020-03-13). Romania's interim PM Orban to enter quarantine after coronavirus contact. rt.com Romania's Interim Prime Minister Ludovic Orban will place himself in quarantine, after coming into contact with one of his party's senators who was later confirmed Covid-19-positive. | Orban, the leader of the Liberal Party, was supposed to attend consultations with Romanian President Klaus Iohannis later on Friday in a new attempt to form a government and get parliament's approval next week, Reuters reported. | Orban, his cabinet and Liberal Party leaders were entering self-quarantine and testing was underway, he said. | Earlier this month, Romania shut down all schools and suspended flights to and from Italy…

RT (2020-03-13). Beijing won't disown spokesman's theory of US hand in coronavirus outbreak. rt.com China has declined to distance itself from the accusations made by a foreign ministry spokesman alleging US involvement in the coronavirus epidemic, arguing that opinions vary on how the health crisis started. | Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang wouldn't comment on Friday about remarks made by colleague Zhao Lijian. Instead, the ministry official stated that the international community had differing opinions about the origin of the Covid-19, Reuters reported. Geng also chose not to discuss whether Zhao's theory — that it may have been the US military that brought the deadly disease to Wuhan…

RT (2020-03-13). Australia's home affairs minister tests positive for coronavirus. rt.com Australia's minister for home affairs, Peter Dutton, has announced that he has contracted coronavirus. The senior Australian official said that he has been hospitalized. | In a statement posted to his official Twitter page, Dutton explained that he was tested for COVID-19 after waking up with a "temperature and sore throat." | Dutton was hospitalized after the test returned positive. The minister said that he "feels fine" and will provide updates as they become available. | Australia will ban all public gatherings of more than 500 people starting on Monday, as the government attempts to stop toe spread of the…

RT (2020-03-13). Sports stars vs coronavirus: What are famous athletes doing amid the pandemic? (PHOTOS, VIDEO). rt.com After swathes of international sports events were canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak, sport stars have taken to social media to share videos to battle the doom and gloom caused by the pandemic. | Many athletes whose competitive schedule has been seriously affected by the spread of the deadly Covid-19 disease continue to train in the hopes that the pandemic will be over soon. |

RT (2020-03-13). 'We'll come through this': Homebound residents across Italy sing together to stave off virus lockdown blues (VIDEO). rt.com The prospect of a coronavirus-induced lockdown is a truly daunting one but, through the magic of the internet, we have seen some truly inspirational moments, including beautiful, communal singalongs from across an Italy in crisis. | With more than 1,000 killed and 12,400 infected, Italy has been the country hardest hit by Covid-19 outside China. The country has been on lockdown since March 10, with police patrolling the streets to ensure the rate of infection slows as people self-isolate. | To stave off boredom and cabin fever, Italians across the country have taken to their balconies and begun singing to and…

RT (2020-03-13). Denmark & Poland close borders to combat coronavirus. rt.com Denmark and Poland said they will close their borders to all non-citizens in a bid to curb the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus. | The move comes as Denmark recorded its 800th case of the deadly illness on Friday, and Poland its 68th. Elsewhere in Europe, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Ukraine have closed their borders to foreigners, while a number of other countries – the latest among them Albania – have restricted travel to and from virus hotspots like Italy and Spain. Cyprus joined the list on Friday, denying entry to non-Europeans. | Germany and France, however, have stuck by their commitment to keep…

RT (2020-03-13). North Korea's Kim shows no panic appearing WITHOUT protective gear, surrounded by ALL-MASKED officers during military drills. rt.com North Korean leader Kim Jong-un apparently found it unnecessary to take anti-coronavirus precautions while supervising recent military drills, setting himself apart from his face-mask-clad senior officers. | In a photograph released by the country's Korean Central News Agency, Kim is seen in a camouflaged trench as he observes artillery exercises. Wearing a black leather coat and a hat, the North Korean leader is conspicuously without any protective gear — in sharp contrast to his aides, who are all sporting black medical masks. | There are no confirmed reports of coronavirus in the hermit state, but its…

RT (2020-03-13). Louisiana becomes 1st state to postpone Democratic primary, delaying for 2 months due to coronavirus outbreak. rt.com Louisiana has postponed its 2020 presidential primaries, initially scheduled for next month, until June 20 a spokesman for the secretary of state told CNBC, citing concerns over the coronavirus epidemic. | The state becomes the first to postpone its primaries amid worries over the virus, which has caused schools and businesses to shut down across the nation. The presidential primary was originally scheduled for April 4. | Municipal elections, scheduled for May 9, will also be postponed until July 25. | "We want to protect the health and safety of all Louisianans by doing our part to prevent the spread of this…

Staff (2020-03-13). "We Are Way, Way Behind": U.S. Lags on Coronavirus Testing & Medical Experts Warn "No One Is Immune" democracynow.org It has been seven weeks since the first case of the new coronavirus was reported in the United States. President Trump is claiming, "Anybody that needs a test gets a test," but this is simply untrue. There have been just 11,000 tests so far throughout the United States since the coronavirus outbreak began, compared to nearly 20,000 tests for coronavirus every day in South Korea alone. We spend the hour looking at how the Trump administration has failed to account for what may be thousands of infections because of ongoing problems with access to testing, and how other countries have responded. We also discuss meas…

Marshall Auerback (2020-03-13). Coronavirus Reveals the Cracks in Globalization. counterpunch.org The coronavirus will eventually pass, but the same cannot be said for the Panglossian phenomenon known as "globalization." Stripped of the romantic notion of a global village, the ugly process we've experienced over the past 40 years has been a case of governmental institutions being eclipsed by multinational corporations, acting to maximize profit in support

RT (2020-03-13). Trudeau's wife tests POSITIVE for coronavirus, Canada's PM has "no symptoms" but remains in self-isolation. rt.com Canadian PM Justin Trudeau's wife, Sophia Gregoire Trudeau, has tested positive for Covid-19 after she showed flu-like symptoms upon return from the UK. The PM, who has been in self-quarantine, is said to be "in good health." | The PM's other half began displaying symptoms consistent with those reported by patients who developed pneumonia due to the novel coronavirus on Wednesday night, which prompted her to seek the help of a doctor and she was tested for the virus. | The tests came back positive, the PM's office reported on Thursday night. | Following medical recommendations, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau was test…

RT (2020-03-13). Israeli PM Netanyahu calls for unity govt with rival 'for limited period'. rt.com Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for the formation of an emergency government to confront a growing crisis over Covid-19, offering a potential way out of political deadlock. | Netanyahu made the offer in a nationally televised address on Thursday. "It will be an emergency government for a limited period," he said, adding that politics should be put aside. | His chief rival, former military chief Benny Gantz, said he was willing to discuss the possibility of a national unity government and that his party will do "everything in our power to see it move forward," AP reports. | The conciliatory…

RT (2020-03-13). Fourth OPCW whistleblower says staff 'frightened into silence' as watchdog brought into 'shameful disrepute' over Douma probe. rt.com A fourth whistleblower has come forward to defend two senior OPCW inspectors who revealed the watchdog tried to cover up evidence in the Douma chemical weapons probe, saying that other employees were "frightened into silence." | In a statement to the Grayzone, the latest whistleblower said they were "horrified" but "unsurprised" by recent events within the organization, describing the "mistreatment" of "two highly regarded and accomplished professionals" as "abhorrent." | The employee wrote that he is "one of many who were stunned and frightened into silence by the reality how the organization operates," and t…

RT (2020-03-13). Baghdad summons US & British envoys after condemning their strikes on Iraqi targets as 'violation of sovereignty'. rt.com Iraq's military has denounced American airstrikes on several targets inside the country that allegedly killed 3 Iraqi soldiers. Baghdad has also summoned US and British envoys to answer for the attacks. | The Iraqi foreign ministry said Friday that it had demanded an audience with the US and British ambassadors over the incident, which Iraq says killed six people and wounded twelve. | Iraq's Joint Operations Command said in a statement issued on the same day that the strikes had been carried out using a "false pretext" and would lead to "escalation" rather than helping to bring stability to the war-torn countr…

Andrew Levine (2020-03-13). Biden's Victory: A Blessing in Disguise? counterpunch.org It has been years since I last saw the great Alain Resnais film "La Guerre Est Finie" (The War Is Over, 1966), starring Yves Montand and Ingrid Thulin, in which, decades after the anti-fascists lost, a Communist veteran of the Spanish Civil War, still fighting the good fight, confronts the moral and political ambiguities of

RT (2020-03-13). Frontex agency sends more guards to Greece to help protect EU's border. rt.com The European border protection agency, Frontex, says it has deployed another 100 guards to Greece to help protect the EU's frontier there from the pressure of migrants. | Warsaw-based Frontex said on Friday the deployment of guards from 22 member states is part of a rapid border intervention requested by Athens. The assistance will also include vessels, maritime surveillance aircraft and thermal-vision Vehicles, for the Frontex maritime Rapid Border Intervention task, Aegean 2020, AP reports. | Greece has been trying to stop a massive wave of migrants pushing in from Turkey, in a crisis that erupted last month…

RT (2020-03-13). Chelsea Manning showed 'moral strength' by choosing imprisonment over collaboration with US govt — Snowden. rt.com Chelsea Manning's decision to sit in jail rather than cooperate with the US government's prosecution of WikiLeaks is a testament to her character and unwavering principles, NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden has said. | Commenting on Manning's newly-won freedom, Snowden noted that the former Army analyst-turned-whistleblower had been "cast into a dungeon" by the United States for refusing to work with the government to criminalize the publication of classified materials. | They offered to let her out in exchange for collaboration, but she chose her principles instead. | For Snowden, Manning's unwillingness to ex…

RT (2020-03-13). Pentagon hands out contracts for PORTABLE nuclear reactors… yet another gold vein for cash-savvy military? rt.com There's no shortage of hefty defense deals awarded by the US Department of Defense, but the $40 million contract for micro-reactors definitely stands out, as it hides safety risks and raises doubts over its economic efficiency. | The nuclear device that the DoD strategists want must have the capability to be safely and rapidly transported by road, rail, sea or air (sic!) as well as swiftly set up and shut down. The

Nomi Prins (2020-03-13). The Fed, the Virus, and Inequality. counterpunch.org Whether you're invested in the stock market or not, you've likely noticed that it's been on a roller coaster lately. The White House and most of the D.C. Beltway crowd tend to equate the performance of the stock market with that of the broader economy. To President Trump's extreme chagrin, $3.18 trillion in stock market

RT (2020-03-13). 'This is the beginning of the greatest financial crisis in US history': Peter Schiff makes dire predictions to Boom Bust. rt.com After suffering the worst stock market crash since 1987, the US Federal Reserve has announced a $1.5 trillion injection to ease strained capital markets. It is the biggest action by the Fed since the 2008 financial crisis. | RT's Boom Bust is joined by the CEO of Euro Pacific Capital Peter Schiff to find out if the Fed's actions are enough to stop the stock market bloodbath. | "The bull market is clearly over, just look at the numbers," says the veteran stock broker. | "This is the beginning of the greatest financial crisis in US history," Schiff says, adding "The financial crisis of US of 2008 will pale in co…

Joseph Natoli (2020-03-13). A Machine to Beat President Trump. counterpunch.org As different as night from day yet there's one way that Bernie Sanders and President Trump are alike, and Joe Biden is different from both. President Trump runs a one man show with a supporting cast. As we know from very recent history of this presidency, this liege cast either pays homage to President Trump

Bruce E. Levine (2020-03-13). Who Could Have Gotten Deserters from Trump's Three Armies . . . and from Mine? counterpunch.org Taking US national politics too seriously can make you hopelessly stupid, hopelessly cynical, or hopelessly suicidal. Let's see. We had a former Black Panther, Congressman Bobby Rush, endorsing search-and-frisk Bloomberg; while Mike Will Get It Done was making AP headlines: "Bloomberg Once Blamed End of 'Redlining' for 2008 Collapse." We have evangelicals adulterating my I-71

Michèle Brand (2020-03-13). Class Conflict is Stronger than Clan Conflict. counterpunch.org The Democratic party elites have shown that they prefer Trump to Sanders. That is, they prefer the real risk of a second Trump mandate to the real risk of a Sanders presidency. How else can we explain the sudden coordinated rally around Biden, whose weakness and liabilities are obvious to all? No need to recount

Kathleen Wallace (2020-03-13). COVID-19 Side Effects: Reality and Clarity. counterpunch.org The fragility of our American system is about to be laid bare. A foundation built on corporate welfare without any notion of a common welfare for the citizens can't withstand an onslaught of reality. The corona virus has no interest in false economies or nonsensical patriotism. It can't tell if it's chomping into a billionaire