2020-05-23: News Headlines

Juan Cole (2020-05-23). Climate-Driven Monster Cyclone, Coronavirus hits Thousands in India,Bangladesh. zcomm.org Oceans have been heated by greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane, which trap the heat of the sun\'s rays and prevent them from radiating back out into outer space…

Richard Horton (2020-05-23). [Comment] Offline: Health in the unhappy time of COVID-19. thelancet.com It was a tragedy for anyone hoping to see COVID-19 become a catalyst for international solidarity. On the first day of the first-ever virtual World Health Assembly, held during the worst acute global health crisis since WHO\'s creation in 1948, Alex Azar, US Secretary of Health and Human Services, further damaged the credibility of the US Government as a constructive member of the international community. \"We must be frank\", he began. What followed was an astonishing series of unsubstantiated allegations.

T.P. Wilkinson (2020-05-23). Faschion: Dressing for Obedience. dissidentvoice.org Asset Deals: John Paul II and his successor ex-Hitler Youth and Roman Grand Inquisitor Joseph Ratzingen, Benedict XVI1 In 2015 I argued that the purpose of the CIA war against Vietnam was two-fold. First of all the company was charged with preserving the now US interest in what had been French business in Indochina. The …

Beau Peters (2020-05-23). The Importance of Compensating Veterans for Trauma. dissidentvoice.org Image Source: Unsplash Since the United States was established, veterans have put their lives on the line to fight for freedom and so much more. From the deadly battles of the Civil War to uniting with allies in World War I and II, to fighting against terrorism in more recent years, our military has never …

Nathan Tankus (2020-05-23). What are the three concurrent crises of the coronavirus depression? mronline.org The Keynes crisis, the Minsky crisis and the Means crisis…

Scott Williams (2020-05-23). A historic crossroads: Socialism or Fascism? workers.org The following is a slightly edited talk given during the Workers World Party webinar \"What Road to Socialism?\" on May 16. We are at a great crossroads in the history of humanity. With the pandemic and the social and economic crises caused by it, this is the most significant moment . . . |

Federico Fuentes (2020-05-23). Mercenaries, pandemic and riots in Venezuela: A grassroots perspective. mronline.org Venezuela is confronting COVID-19 amid foreign sanctions and mercenary incursions. Complicating matters further is the explosive combination of deep recession and a nationwide lockdown, which has triggered incidents of looting and riots.

Minnie Bruce Pratt (2020-05-23). Workers World: A communist newspaper, a collective organizer. workers.org This is a slightly edited version of a talk given during the \"What Road to Socialism?\" webinar held by Workers World Party on May 16. When I first started writing for Workers World/Mundo Obrero newspaper, longtime comrade Leslie Feinberg said to me that older comrades always told hir, \"Remember, no . . . |

WSWS (2020-05-23). Bernie Sanders threatens delegates with removal if they criticize Biden. wsws.org Since ending his second bid for the presidency, Sanders has worked to browbeat his supporters into backing Joe Biden.

news.un (2020-05-23). Policing the pandemic: how UN Police are maintaining law, order, and public health. news.un.org In several countries afflicted by years of armed conflict, The UN assists with law and order issues, including policing expertise. This work is being challenged, as never before, by the COVID-19 pandemic. In this interview with UN News, Luis Carrilho, head of the UN Police Division, describes how the virus is affecting the ability of his colleagues to keep the peace.

WSWS (2020-05-23). Representatives from Germany\'s parliamentary parties support far-right protests against coronavirus policies. wsws.org The far-right demonstrations in Germany are being used to drum up support for the dangerous policy of easing coronavirus pandemic restrictions and intimidate all opposition.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-05-23). Cyclone Amphan\'s death toll crosses 100, citizens protest over lack of facilities. peoplesdispatch.org The total damage is estimated to be in the range of USD 15 billion. Protests broke out in cities in the Indian State of West Bengal as normalcy has not been restored three days after the cyclone…

Birgit Sawitzki, Paul N Harden, Petra Reinke, Aurélie Moreau, James A Hutchinson, David S Game, Qizhi Tang, Eva C Guinan, Manuela Battaglia, William J Burlingham, Ian S D Roberts, Mathias Streitz, Régis Josien, Carsten A Bà∂ger, Cristiano Scottà , James F Markmann, Joanna L Hester, Karsten Juerchott, Cecile Braudeau, Ben James, Laura Contreras-Ruiz, Jeroen B van der Net, Tobias Bergler, Rossana Caldara, William Petchey, Matthias Edinger, Nathalie Dupas, Michael Kapinsky, Ingrid Mutzbauer, Natalie M Otto, Robert àñllinger, Maria P Hernandez-Fuentes, Fadi Issa, Norbert Ahrens, Christoph Meyenberg, Sandra Karitzky, Ulrich Kunzendorf, Stuart J Knechtle, Josep Grinyó, Peter J Morris, Leslie Brent, Andrew Bushell, Laurence A Turka, Jeffrey A Bluestone, Robert I Lechler, Hans J Schlitt, Maria C Cuturi, Stephan Schlickeiser, Peter J Friend, Tewfik Miloud, Alexander Scheffold, Antonio Secchi, Kerry Crisalli, Sang-Mo Kang, Rachel Hilton, Bernhard Banas, Gilles Blancho, Hans-Dieter Volk, Giovanna Lombardi, Kathryn J Wood, Edward K Geissler (2020-05-23). [Articles] Regulatory cell therapy in kidney transplantation (The ONE Study): a harmonised design and analysis of seven non-randomised, single-arm, phase 1/2A trials. thelancet.com Regulatory cell therapy is achievable and safe in living-donor kidney transplant recipients, and is associated with fewer infectious complications, but similar rejection rates in the first year. Therefore, immune cell therapy is a potentially useful therapeutic approach in recipients of kidney transplant to minimise the burden of general immunosuppression.

Angus W Thomson, Amit D Tevar (2020-05-23). [Comment] Kidney transplantation: a safe step forward for regulatory immune cell therapy. thelancet.com On the basis of promising animal studies and following the translational path of immune cell therapy in oncology,1 the field of organ transplantation has begun preliminary investigations of infusing regulatory immune cells into graft recipients. These early trials aim to reduce patients\' immunosuppressive drug burden and promote drug-free transplant tolerance. The ONE Study was established in 2011 as a multicentre collaborative effort (centres in France, Germany, Italy, the UK, and the USA) to compare the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of regulatory cell-based medicinal products (CBMPs) when combined with redu…

David Agren (2020-05-23). [World Report] Mexican President López Obrador draws doctors\' ire. thelancet.com President López Obrador later apologised after his comments were denounced by Mexican medical associations amid the COVID-19 pandemic. David Agren reports from Mexico City.

Angela Saini (2020-05-23). [Perspectives] Stereotype threat. thelancet.com Among the disturbing statistics to have emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic has been the disproportionate impact in terms of death and severe illness on ethnic minorities in the UK and the USA. On April 7, 2020, it was reported that in the US city of Chicago, where the black population is roughly 30%, nearly 70% of COVID-19 deaths were in this demographic. A report released by the UK Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre on April 17, 2020, showed that 34% of patients in the UK receiving advanced respiratory support were non-white, despite the non-white population nationally being about 14%.

The Lancet (2020-05-23). [Editorial] The plight of essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. thelancet.com The COVID-19 pandemic has vividly highlighted how much society depends upon essential workers. Praise for the heroic work being done by health-care workers to save lives worldwide in dangerous, exhausting conditions is everywhere. But those same workers are often left unprotected by governments and systems that have failed to supply them with enough personal protective equipment (PPE), supplies, and resources to do their jobs. In April alone, there were an estimated 27 COVID-19-related health worker deaths in the USA, 106 in the UK, and 180 in Russia, with tens of thousands of infections.

Richard Lane (2020-05-23). [Perspectives] Helena Legido-Quigley: proponent of health systems strengthening. thelancet.com As Associate Professor in Health Systems at Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at the National University of Singapore, Helena Legido-Quigley was able to observe at first-hand how the country responded to its first COVID-19 outbreak earlier this year. \"It was striking how well Singapore was prepared, a legacy from the SARS era, with a dedicated infectious diseases hospital and 6 months of supplies of personal protective equipment and ventilators. The public health response was fast and efficient with good governance and effective health-risk communication\", she says.

Staff (2020-05-23). Can Sex Workers Survive COVID-19 When The Government Won\'t Give Aid? therealnews.com Sex Workers\' rights advocates have been demanding decriminalization of their work, but now under the pandemic regulations even legal forms of sex work like strip clubs have been targeted by the federal government and alienated from government aid.

Toby Blomé (2020-05-23). Memorial Day Peace Caravan. indybay.org Sponsored by CODEPINK | All invited to join Peace Caravan, with cars decorated with anti-war relevant signs and colorful visuals. We\'ll travel across the Golden Gate Bridge, thru the Presidio, and end up at Sen. Dianne Feinstein\'s SF Home for: Rally, Press Conference and Memorial Altar.

Charlotte Casey (2020-05-23). Memorial Day Car Caravan for Peace. indybay.org Stevens Creek & Winchester Blvds, San Jose…

Leon Kunstenaar (2020-05-23). Life Model Art Rally to Protest Fort Mason Arts Campus Closure. indybay.org Awareness Raising Drawing Session protests cuts to much loved CCSF Arts resource.

Declaration for American Democracy (2020-05-23). #Protect Our VOTE: Car & Tailgate Protest in Contra Costa County. indybay.org Pleasant Hill: RSVPs will be sent exact location to participate…

RT (2020-05-23). Car rental giant & pioneer Hertz files for bankruptcy protection as Covid-19 dries up businesses. rt.com Hertz, one of the world\'s largest vehicle-rental companies, has sought bankruptcy protection after business nosedived as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic severely impacting demand.
| Hertz, one of the world\'s largest vehicle-rental companies, has sought bankruptcy protection after business nosedived as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic severely impacting demand. | Corporations worldwide have struggled to stay afloat during the health crisis. The company announced o…

RT (2020-05-23). Still looking for a bogeyman? Moscow slams US State Dept after it posts $250,000 grant to \'expose Russian health disinformation\'. rt.com Instead of casting grudges aside to fight the coronavirus, anti-Russia elements in the US are striving to make the Kremlin a scapegoat, Moscow has said, decrying the new US grant to \"expose Russian health disinformation.\"
| Instead of casting grudges aside to fight the coronavirus, anti-Russia elements in the US are striving to make the Kremlin a scapegoat, Moscow has said, decrying the new US grant to \"expose Russian health disinformation.\" | The Russian Foreign Ministry…

RT (2020-05-23). NBA legend Patrick Ewing in hospital after testing positive for Covid-19. rt.com Basketball icon Patrick Ewing, 57, has revealed he has tested positive for the coronavirus, urging fans \"not to take the virus lightly\" as he received treatment in hospital.
| Basketball icon Patrick Ewing, 57, has revealed he has tested positive for the coronavirus, urging fans \"not to take the virus lightly\" as he received treatment in hospital. | The current head coach of Georgetown University men\'s team sent out a statement on Twitter that revealed his result alongsid…

RT (2020-05-23). \'Someone dropped the ball\': Suspect in beating of 75yo nursing home patient was moved to facility AFTER contracting Covid-19. rt.com The 20-year-old man accused of beating an elderly patient in a Detroit nursing home — captured in a shocking viral video — was inexplicably moved to the facility after testing positive for Covid-19.
| The 20-year-old man accused of beating an elderly patient in a Detroit nursing home — captured in a shocking viral video — was inexplicably moved to the facility after testing positive for Covid-19. | The young man, who has not been named, was trans…

RT (2020-05-23). Trump's team considered 1st NUCLEAR TEST since 1992 as show of strength to Russia & China — reports. rt.com US authorities considered whether to carry out a \"rapid\" nuclear test — the first for almost three decades — to use as a bargaining chip in dealing with Russia and China, according to media reports.
| US authorities considered whether to carry out a \"rapid\" nuclear test — the first for almost three decades — to use as a bargaining chip in dealing with Russia and China, according to media reports. | The proposal to cause a controlled nuclear explosion is \"very much…

RT (2020-05-23). World\'s ONLY floating nuclear power plant project goes fully operational in Russia (PHOTOS, VIDEO). rt.com A one-of-a-kind floating nuclear power plant, designed and built by Russia, has become the most northerly nuclear facility in the world, as it begins commercial operations in a remote region in the Arctic.
| A one-of-a-kind floating nuclear power plant, designed and built by Russia, has become the most northerly nuclear facility in the world, as it begins commercial operations in a remote region in the Arctic. | The Akademik Lomonosov, in a small town called Pevek in the far…

RT (2020-05-23). BBC blasted after political editor jumps to defend PM adviser Cummings following cross-country lockdown breach. rt.com The revelation that Boris Johnson\'s top adviser traveled over 250 miles to his parents as he had Covid-19 symptoms has unleashed outrage in the UK. The BBC is also under fire after its political editor jumped to defend the move.
| The revelation that Boris Johnson\'s top adviser traveled over 250 miles to his parents as he had Covid-19 symptoms has unleashed outrage in the UK. The BBC is also under fire after its political editor jumped to defend the move. | News of Domin…

Geoff Watts (2020-05-23). [Obituary] Robert McCredie May. thelancet.com Physicist turned ecologist and UK Chief Scientific Adviser. He was born in Sydney, NSW, Australia, on Jan 8, 1936, and died of pneumonia in Oxford, UK, on April 28, 2020, aged 84 years.

Timothy Riddles, Nivene Saad, Helen Benham (2020-05-23). [Clinical Picture] Alternative causes of ankle pain in a patient with enthesopathy and X-linked hypophosphataemia. thelancet.com A 43-year-old Australian-born, white man was referred to our unit because of increasing pain in both his ankles. The pain had developed approximately 7 days earlier. 3 days before the pain started, he had been admitted to hospital with cellulitis of his upper arm; he had been treated for septicaemia and acute kidney injury caused by an infection with Streptococcus pyogenes.

Kjell Tullus, Nader Shaikh (2020-05-23). [Review] Urinary tract infections in children. thelancet.com Urinary tract infections (UTIs) in children are among the most common bacterial infections in childhood. They are equally common in boys and girls during the first year of life and become more common in girls after the first year of life. Dividing UTIs into three categories; febrile upper UTI (acute pyelonephritis), lower UTI (cystitis), and asymptomatic bacteriuria, is useful for numerous reasons, mainly because it helps to understand the pathophysiology of the infection. A single episode of febrile UTI is often caused by a virulent Escherichia coli strain, whereas recurrent infections and asymptomatic bacteriur…

Talha Burki (2020-05-23). [World Report] England and Wales see 20‚Äà000 excess deaths in care homes. thelancet.com PPE shortages, lack of testing, and a vulnerable population have seen care homes in England and Wales become hotspots of the COVID-19 epidemic. Talha Burki reports.

WSWS (2020-05-23). South America a \"new epicenter\" of COVID-19 pandemic, WHO warns. wsws.org The number of new deaths on the continent is surpassing Europe, and Brazil is rapidly overtaking Russia as the country with the second most infections after the US.

Binoy Kampmark (2020-05-23). Patterns of Compromise: The EasyJet Data Breach. dissidentvoice.org It has been a withering time for the airlines, whose unused planes moulder in a gruelling waiting game of survival. The receivers are smacking their lips; administration has become a reality for many. Governments across the globe dispute what measures to ease in response to the coronavirus pandemic; travel has been largely suspended; and the …

WSWS (2020-05-23). Wealth of US billionaires soars as pandemic expands, nearly 40 million unemployed. wsws.org The class logic at play in the homicidal push to reopen the US economy before the spread of the coronavirus has been controlled is becoming increasingly clear.

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-23). COVID-19: Tips for going out again. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org If coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) stay-at-home restrictions are easing in your community, you might wonder how to visit public places and protect your health. Here\'s what you need to know. Before you head out Follow guidance where you live. In the U.S., activity restrictions vary among cities and states. Before you head out, check your …

WSWS (2020-05-23). Hospitals overwhelmed in California and Alabama as national death toll approaches 100,000. wsws.org The spike in cases in such divergent areas of the country is another indication that, contrary to official policy, the spread of the coronavirus pandemic is not slowing but increasing.

WSWS (2020-05-23). UK Local councils face financial collapse due to pandemic. wsws.org Social care spending could face a shortfall of £3.5 billion, placing up to 225,000 adult social care places at risk in the coming year.

Steve Gillis (2020-05-23). Role of a revolutionary party in an union. workers.org This is a slightly edited version of a talk given during the\"What Road to Socialism?\" webinar held by Workers World Party on May 16. United Steelworkers Local 8751 has three advantages during this pandemic when going to work on the frontlines is a daily exercise in confronting the life-or-death realities . . . |

WSWS (2020-05-23). US Agriculture Department outlines program to aid farmers hit by pandemic. wsws.org The design of the program will inevitably lead to a disproportionate share of funding flowing to large firms.

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-23). Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: Convalescent plasma program. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Government is supporting a national Expanded Access Program to collect and provide convalescent plasma to patients in need across the country (uscovidplasma.org). Convalescent plasma refers to blood plasma collected from people who have recovered from COVID-19. That plasma, which contains antibodies against the virus, is then used …

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-23). Mayo Clinic Q and A: Skin protection with excessive hand-washing, masking. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Dear Mayo Clinic: Frequent hand-washing and cleaning during the COVID-19 pandemic has made my hands so dry that my skin in cracking. With recommendations for everyone to now wear a face mask while in public, I\'m concerned about the mask rubbing across my face and irritating the skin. What is the best way for me …

WSWS (2020-05-23). Australian governments fully reopen schools despite intense opposition. wsws.org The danger of sending up to a million children back full-time in New South Wales during the COVID-19 pandemic is compounded by the public transport crisis.

Philip Farruggio (2020-05-23). Right off the right wing radar screen!! nationofchange.org What we have here in this, the middle of an \'Era changing\' pandemic, is the use of power by this administration and its Republican Party cohorts going right off the radar screen!

Yadul Krishna (2020-05-23). Combating Covid Through Peoples\' Collectives‚Ä®. zcomm.org The Indian state of Kerala has gained successful control over the pandemic with its people-centric policies and the role of participatory governance…

WSWS (2020-05-23). Detroit, Michigan teacher speaks on public education during the pandemic. wsws.org Michigan is threatening mass layoffs of teachers and existential cuts to public schools while planning to reopen schools in the fall despite lack of COVID-19 safety measures.

WSWS (2020-05-23). The US opioid crisis in the era of COVID-19. wsws.org According to a report from the American Medical Association, over 20 states have reported an increase in opioid-related mortality since the official declaration of the pandemic.

Norman Stockwell (2020-05-23). Global Crisis Spurs Global Activism. progressive.org The COVID-19 Global Solidarity Coalition launches a manifesto for change.

WSWS (2020-05-23). Three UK meat processing workers die of COVID-19. wsws.org The three died in different sections of Cranswick Convenience Foods factory in Wombwell, Barnsley.

WSWS (2020-05-23). Auto companies continue opposition to mass testing as COVID-19 spreads in factories. wsws.org As more confirmed cases of COVID-19 are discovered at auto plants, the drive to restart production is being exposed as a reckless course of action that will inevitably lead to the needless deaths of workers.

WSWS (2020-05-23). New Zealand unions enforce school returns, mass layoffs and wage cuts. wsws.org Unions are helping to implement deep inroads into jobs, wages and conditions and to ensure the reopening of businesses and schools regardless of safety risks from COVID-19.

David Bacon (2020-05-23). Washington Farmworkers Become COVID-19 Guinea Pigs. zcomm.org \"Workers are trying to call attention to the danger to the whole community\"

WSWS (2020-05-23). Sri Lankan government understates COVID-19 figures to recklessly reopen economy. wsws.org The low number of infections in Sri Lanka is because few COVID-19 tests are being conducted—an average of less than 600 per day between February 18 and May 20.

WSWS (2020-05-23). Oppose the Trump administration\'s deportation of 1,000 immigrant children! wsws.org International laws and statutes that once offered special protections for immigrant youth seeking asylum have been made a dead letter by the Trump administration.

Alison Weir (2020-05-23). US Senate Quietly Approves $38 Billion for Israel Amid Historic Economic Downturn. mintpressnews.com S.3176 was passed without being named, debated, or even discussed, even though it would set into law the largest such aid package in US history.

Raul Diego (2020-05-23). Wayback Machine Latest Victim of Big Tech Consolidation and Censorship. mintpressnews.com The promise of an internet modeled around democratized access to information is quickly eroding before our very eyes as the Wayback Machine falls prey to censorship creep and major tech sector consolidations take us to the point of no return…

Zephyr Teachout (2020-05-23). Cuomo is Letting Billionaires Plan New York\'s Future. zcomm.org The New York governor is replacing elected representatives with private, unaccountable monopolists, and lawmakers across the US are doing the same thing…

Lynda Carson (2020-05-23). The death camp known as Gateway Care & Rehabilitation Center in Hayward. indybay.org Coronavirus Covid-19 Pandemic…

Swords to Plowshares Now (2020-05-23). Police State Terrorism for Memorial Day Weekend. indybay.org On the eve of a war holiday, Memorial Day weekend, recognized as the beginning of summer, Friday, May 22, 2020, the police state was out in full force wasting our tax dollars while we have 100,000 unemployed in San Francisco and 40 million unemployed nationwide, and perhaps 20,000 homeless in San Francisco and perhaps 1 million homeless nationwide.

Lynda Carson (2020-05-23). Has coronavirus Covid-19 turned local skilled nursing facilities into death camps? indybay.org Coronavirus Covid-19 Pandemic…

Keith McHenry (2020-05-23). Food Not Bombs Marks its 40th Anniversary by Responding to the Global Pandemic. indybay.org The shock of COVID 19 and economic crisis is not the way I imagined Food Not Bombs would be marking our fourth decade. The vision of free concerts in cities all over the world has vanished and now we find ourselves rushing to support the food and safety needs of people who were already marginalized before the crisis.

The Commonwealth Club (2020-05-23). Climate Change and the 2020 Election during the Pandemic. indybay.org Online via livestream…

Poor People\'s Campaign (2020-05-23). Poor People\'s Campaign: Virtual Mass Meeting on Poverty Amidst Pandemic. indybay.org Online via livestream…

en.mehrnews (2020-05-23). FM spox felicitates anniversary of Khorramshahr liberation. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 23 (MNA) — Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi congratulated the Iranian nation on the anniversary of the liberation of the city of Khorramshahr from Iraq\'s Ba\'ath forces in 1982.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-23). Iran to respond to any US aggression against its oil tankers: Rouhani. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 23 (MNA) — In a telephone conversation with Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned that the Islamic Republic will respond to any possible US aggression against Iranian oil tankers in the Caribean Sea or any other point in the world.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-23). Iranian fuel tankers approach Caribbean: report. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 23 (MNA) — A flotilla of five tankers carrying Iranian fuel for Venezuela is approaching the Caribbean, with the first vessel expected to reach the South American country\'s waters on Sunday.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-23). VIDEO: FM Zarif\'s full speech on occasion of Intl. Quds Day. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 23 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif delivered a speech on Friday live on Instagram for a Johannesburg-based online conference. Here is the full video of his speech as published by the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-23). Kyrgyz President felicitates Iran on Eid al-Fitr. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 23 (MNA) —In a Saturday message to his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani, Sooronbay Jeenbekov President of Kyrgyzstan congratulated Iran and the Iranian nation on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr (May 24).

sputniknews (2020-05-23). Senior Tory Says Boris Johnson \'Lost His Edge\' After Battle With COVID-19 – Report. sputniknews.com The comments come as Boris Johnson finds himself flanked by a series of challenges to his premiership, including widespread criticism of his response to the coronavirus and an increasingly popular opposition leader.

sputniknews (2020-05-23). \'Tremendously Bright\' Radio Bursts Not Necessarily Caused by Aliens, Research Suggests. sputniknews.com New astronomic findings seem to have dealt a blow to persistent alien radio communication theories, or at least provided food for thought when it comes to super-distinct signals from outer space.

yenisafak (2020-05-23). Eid preparation horde may worsen pandemic in Bangladesh. yenisafak.com People in Bangladesh, especially women, have been massively gathering for the Eid al-Fitr shopping, violating social distancing rules, which a medical doctor dubbed destructive amid the country\'s rising records of coronavirus.Until Friday, the South Asian state of 165 million people registered 432 deaths from the fatal virus while the tally of infections surpassed 30,000 mark.The virus has already reached to the country\'s all of 64 districts and the fatality rate is on rise for the last couple of days.The government imposed countrywide lockdown on March 26 to stem the spread of the COVID-19 virus that has also pa…

yenisafak (2020-05-23). UK govt under fire as top adviser flouts lockdown rules. yenisafak.com British government has come under fire from all opposition parties as they demand a top adviser to resign after reports that he flouted official directives weeks ago during the coronavirus lockdown and traveled hundreds of miles after developing symptoms. | Local media reported that Dominic Cummings, the chief aide to Premier Boris Johnson, visited his parents in Durham, north England around six weeks ago when he had the symptoms and had to self-isolate for two weeks in line with the official government advice. | Cummings travelled with his wife to Durham while she was also unwell, according to reports by the Gua…

yenisafak (2020-05-23). NBA legend Ewing contracts coronavirus. yenisafak.com NBA\'s legendary player Patrick Ewing has tested positive for the new coronavirus.\"I want to share that I have tested positive for COVID-19. This virus is serious and should not be taken lightly. I want to encourage everyone to stay safe and take care of yourselves and your loved ones,\" Ewing, 57, said on Twitter early Saturday.Ewing was a New York Knicks star, playing for the franchise for 15 seasons (1985-2000).He has been coaching Georgetown University men\'s basketball team Georgetown Hoyas since 2017.Before the 1985 NBA draft, Ewing had played for Georgetown while in college.The Knicks\' ex-center appeared in t…

yenisafak (2020-05-23). Turkey boasts 3rd-largest number of Blue Flag beaches. yenisafak.com This year 23 more Turkish beaches got the Blue Flag, an international label from the International Foundation for Environmental Education recognizing high standards of cleanliness, pristine waters, and other parameters, said Turkey\'s Culture and Tourism Ministry on Friday.Turkey has a total of 486 beaches, 22 marinas and seven yacht docks bearing the coveted flag, behind only Spain and Greece, according to the Danish-based group.The number of Blue Flags in Turkey\'s Mediterranean tourist hotspot of Antalya rose to 206, while Mugla has 105, Aydin 35, Izmir 52, Balikesir 31, Samsun 13, and Istanbul two.Other beaches…

yenisafak (2020-05-23). UK charges 5 with murder of Muslim woman in shooting. yenisafak.com Three more men were charged on Friday night with the murder of Aya Hachem, a Muslim woman shot dead in broad daylight in Blackburn, England on Sunday.Lancashire Police said Uthman Satia, 28, Judy Chapman, 26, and Kashif Manzoor, 24, were charged for 19-year-old Hachem\'s murder.The police announced earlier on Friday that two men had been charged: Feroz Suleman, 39, and Abubakir Satia, 31.The total number of people charged is now five.They will be charged for Hachem\'s murder as well as the attempted murder of a man who was not the intended target in the incident. Police said two shots were fired, one hit a building…

Lucas Koerner (2020-05-22). Trump Claims to Have Venezuela \'Surrounded\' as Iranian Tankers Approach. globalresearch.ca US President Donald Trump issued new threats against Venezuela on Wednesday. | \"We\'ve got it [Venezuela] surrounded, it\'s surrounded at a level that nobody even knows but they know. We are watching to see what happens,\" he …

F. William Engdahl (2020-05-22). Seeds of Destruction: The Diabolical World of Genetic Manipulation. globalresearch.ca \"Control the oil, and you control nations. Control the food, and you control the people.\"* -Henry Kissenger | \"

Max Blumenthal (2020-05-22). \'Los amigos americanos\': Nuevos documentos revelan el espionaje de la CIA contra Julian Assange y el papel del financista de Trump. thegrayzone.com Una investigación exclusiva de The Grayzone revela nuevos detalles sobre el papel crítico que la compañía Las Vegas Sands del…

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2020-05-22). England Falsifies COVID Data: More than A Hundred Thousand Coronavirus Tests were \"Double-counted\" globalresearch.ca According to \"Tens of thousands of

Andrew Korybko (2020-05-22). Poland is America\'s Main Partner in Europe: The Talk About US Nukes in Poland Proves that Warsaw Trumps Berlin for Washington. globalresearch.ca It\'s unimportant whether US nukes will eventually be deployed to Poland or not since the very fact that this scenario is seriously being discussed by both American and Russian diplomats proves that Warsaw trumps Berlin for Washington and that Poland …

Staff (2020-05-22). Inside America\'s Cash-Hungry Plainclothes Police Units. therealnews.com Breonna Taylor, an EMT, was shot eight times in a botched no-knock drug raid. PAR interviews an ex-cop who tells the truth about drug raids, warrants, and asset forfeiture, and speaks with cop watcher Laura Shark.

Vijay Prashad (2020-05-22). The Bouficha appeal against the preparations for war. mronline.org On 23 March, the UN Secretary General António Guterres called for a ceasefire. \'The fury of the virus\', he said, \'illustrates the folly of war\'. In a recent report, the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) wrote that the \'call for a global ceasefire has not had the desired result\'.

Yves Smith (2020-05-22). The lockdown protestors are not working class. mronline.org Sarah Jones, in The Coronavirus Class War in New York Magazine, does a neat, tidy job of kneecapping the notion that the anti-lockdown protests are manned by workers who want to get back to their jobs so they can start making money again.

Mark Gruenberg (2020-05-22). McCOVID protest combo: McDonald\'s workers PPE strike hits stores, shareholders meeting. peoplesworld.org OAK BROOK, Ill.—Lack of protection against the ravages of the coronavirus, including no masks, no paid sick leave, and no hazardous duty pay, led thousands of McDonald\'s workers from coast to coast undertake a \"virtual strike\" of their giant fast-food employer on May 20. And pickets—spaced six feet apart to prevent spread of the virus—actually …

Staff (2020-05-22). Can Public Education Survive COVID-19? therealnews.com The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted apartheid conditions in US public schools.

Vijay Prashad (2020-05-22). How the United States Government failed to prepare for the Global Pandemic. mronline.org On March 20, just after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global pandemic on March 11, the U.S. National Security Council (NSC) sent a cable to U.S. State Department instructing officials how they should speak about China and the novel coronavirus, according to the Daily Beast, which obtained the cable.

Tony Murphy (2020-05-22). Why socialist countries take lead in fighting COVID-19. workers.org This is a slightly edited version of a talk given during the\"What Road To Socialism?\" webinar held by Workers World Party on May 16. The coronavirus crisis has made it clear that society is run by workers. Our party is called Workers World Party precisely because those who produce the . . . |

Michael Biesecker, Jason Dearen (2020-05-22). Conservatives recruit \'pro-Trump\' doctors to deliver only good news about reopening. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON (AP)—Republican political operatives are recruiting \"extremely pro-Trump\" doctors to go on television to prescribe reviving the U.S. economy as quickly as possible, without waiting to meet safety benchmarks proposed by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. The plan was discussed in a May 11 …

V.P. Franklin (2020-05-22). Georgetown Students Demonstrate How Reparations Can Be Made to African-American Students. aclu.org This spring, something extraordinary and worthy of imitation occurred on Georgetown University\'s campus in Washington, D.C., , On April 11, two-thirds of the undergraduate student body who took part in a referendum

Jeffery Robinson (2020-05-22). America, It Is Time to Talk About Reparations. aclu.org We are two months away from the 400th anniversary of the first enslaved people arriving in what would become the United States of America. It is time to renew the public discussion about reparations to descendants of Africans who were enslaved as our country was forming and growing rich. , , First as colonies and then as a nation, America has existed longer with slavery (1619-1865: 246 years) than without it (1865-2019: 154 years). And the reality of the institution of enslaving people is not the \"good food and a decent place to live\" narrative of Bill O\'Reilly on Fox News and others who minimize the horror of…

CounterSpin (2020-05-22). Diane Ravitch on Pandemic School Privatization. fair.org Media…

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (2020-05-22). Will the Democrats\' HEROES stimulus bill rescue farmers? peoplesworld.org As farmers and communities across the country continue to struggle to adapt to the new normal that is life amidst a global pandemic, Congress set the stage this week for the fourth round of federal aid to combat this crisis. And while previous aid packages have addressed some of the most urgent relief, our nation\'s …

Alan Macleod (2020-05-22). The Power of Propaganda: Americans Think Trump\'s COVID-19 Performance Better than China\'s. mintpressnews.com Americans rate their own government\'s response, along with that of the UK and Italy, higher than that of China despite those countries having much higher death and infection rates.

Eds. (2020-05-22). Venezuelan Army to escort Iranian tankers bringing gasoline to Venezuelans blockaded by U.S. sanctions. mronline.org This was announced by the Minister for Defense, Vladimir Padrino López, this Wednesday. \"We have established contact with the Minister of Defense of Iran. All these ships, when they enter our exclusive economic zone (370Km), will be escorted by ships and planes of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB), to welcome them and say to …

Ahmed Abdulkareem (2020-05-22). Yemen: Aden Succumbs to COVID-19 as Saudi Coalition Infighting Distracts From Relief Efforts. mintpressnews.com The lives of civilians in Aden are being pushed into the abyss not only due to epidemic, disease, and fallout from flash floods but because of violent clashes between opposing factions of the Saudi-led Coalition.

Raul Diego (2020-05-22). North Dakota Governor Delivers Testing Ground for Mass Tracking Tech. mintpressnews.com Privacy advocates are raising the alarm over the North Dakota governor\'s cozy ties to Bill Gates and big tech as the state deploys new mass surveillance tech under the auspices of limiting COVID-19.

Joe Piette (2020-05-22). Car caravan: Free Our Youth! workers.org As states across the U.S. took steps to stop the spread of COVID-19 — closing schools and workplaces, canceling events and shifting to supporting children in their homes and communities — one group of young people is being left behind: the nearly 50,000 youth locked up across the country. Releasing . . . |

Miko Peled (2020-05-22). The Palestinian Legacy of East Jerusalem\'s Sheikh Jarrah Neighborhood Cannot Be Erased. mintpressnews.com The rich history and historical significance of Sheikh Jarrah, an East Jerusalem neighborhood dating back to the times of Salahaddin, endures despite the best efforts of Israeli authorities.

Chauncey K. Robinson (2020-05-22). \'Mossville: When Great Trees Fall\' exposes environmental and racial terror of capitalism. peoplesworld.org \"When great souls die, the air around us becomes light, rare, sterile. We breathe, briefly. Our eyes, briefly, see with a hurtful clarity.\" — Maya Angelou A piece of American history, showcasing the perseverance of a people despite centuries of oppression and enslavement, is on the verge of being lost forever due to greed, negligence, and …

Staff (2020-05-22). \'Children Are Infected, Inmates Are Dying\'. therealnews.com Maryland\'s largest public sector union staged a socially-distanced protest to demand more PPE, testing, and safer working conditions.

Deirdre Griswold (2020-05-22). What is a Marxist-Leninist party? workers.org This is a slightly edited version of a talk given during a discussion with members and candidates of Workers World Party on May 17. Many parties calling themselves Marxist and Leninist have come and gone. WWP is here and growing, after more than 60 years of struggle. This is due . . . |

Arielle Robinson (2020-05-22). Why I joined Workers World. workers.org This is a slightly edited version of a talk given during the\"What Road To Socialism?\" webinar held by Workers World Party on May 16. Arielle Robinson speaking during What Road to Socialism Webinar, May 16. I was introduced to Workers World Party when I first moved to Atlanta from Derry, . . . |

Monica Moorehead (2020-05-22). Imperialism and the right to self-determination. workers.org This is a slightly edited version of a talk given during the\"What Road To Socialism?\" webinar held by Workers World Party on May 16. One of the five features V.I. Lenin, leader of the Russian Revolution, laid out in his 1916 book, \"Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism,\" was the . . . |

Staff (2020-05-22). FBI Says It Will Investigate Breonna Taylor Shooting Death as Police Chief Announces Retirement. democracynow.org We speak with Ben Crump, attorney for the family of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old aspiring nurse who was shot to death by police inside her own apartment. Her family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Louisville Metro Police Department that details how police shot Taylor at least eight times after they burst into her apartment, unannounced, with a search warrant. The man police were looking for did not live in Taylor\'s apartment and was reportedly already detained by police when officers arrived at Taylor\'s residence on the night of March 13. At the time of her killing, Taylor had been working as an e…

Staff (2020-05-22). Mike Davis: Workers Face \"Sophie\'s Choice\" Between Income & Health as 50 States Reopen Amid Pandemic. democracynow.org All 50 states will be at least partially reopened this Memorial Day weekend, as the U.S. death toll from the COVID-19 outbreak tops 95,000 and some states prepare for a surge in cases. We\'re joined by historian and writer Mike Davis, who says in Jacobin that \"Reopening the Economy Will Send Us to Hell.\"

Staff (2020-05-22). \"Diarrhea, Dehydration, Hunger, Exhaustion\": India\'s Rural Poor Suffer Most Under Lockdown. democracynow.org India just saw its biggest spike in coronavirus cases in 24 hours with 6,000 new reported infections, as an estimated 3 million seek shelter from a powerful cyclone and tens of thousands have no work or food. We go to Mumbai for an update from renowned journalist P. Sainath, founder of the People\'s Archive of Rural India.

Staff (2020-05-22). Third White Man Arrested for Murder in Ahmaud Arbery Shooting as DOJ Considers Hate Crime Charges. democracynow.org Authorities have arrested a third white man for the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, this one charged with felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment. We speak with civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump about how William Bryan filmed Arbery jogging down a narrow road in Brunswick, Georgia, in broad daylight, before he was confronted by two armed white men — retired police officer Gregory McMichael and his son Travis — who shot him three times. \"This was never about any trespassing or burglary,\" Crump says. \"This was always about profiling Ahmaud Arbery because of the color of his skin.\"

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-22). Why the West Is Not the Best When It Comes to COVID-19. strategic-culture.org East Asia fares significantly better in terms of the impact of COVID-19 than the West. Although the virus is believed to have originated in East Asia, as of May 22, 2020 no East Asian nation was among the first ten countries in number of total cases of COVID-19. No matter what type of rule — democratic or autocratic — the numbers of total cases and deaths per 1 million of population in East Asian countries are significantly lower than in the West despite huge population density.

The Canary (2020-05-22). As government eases lockdown, local councils are urging people to keep away from UK beaches over bank holiday weekend. thecanary.co Local councils are urging the public to stay away from beaches over the bank holiday weekend, when England is expected to bask in dry, sunny weather.Pictures of crowds flocking to beaches in Brighton and Southend in recent days have raised fears over social distancing. Councils with responsibility for beauty spots around England are therefore warning people to stay away.The Canary has

The Canary (2020-05-22). Downing Street feeling the heat as pressure grows on PM to sack Cummings. thecanary.co Lockdown questions continue to bombard the government going into the bank holiday weekend as the prime minister faces pressure to sack his closest aide, Dominic Cummings. Pressure has mounted following reports Cummings broke coronavirus (Covid-19)-related travel restrictions. | Police have confirmed Dominic Cummings and his wife attended the family property in County Durham. This was after allegations emerged that Cummings travelled more than 260 miles from his London home during the lockdown that his boss put in place across England. | Political leaders have piled pressure on Johnson to sack the 48-year-old stra…

The Canary (2020-05-22). Number of deaths in UK involving coronavirus passes 45,000, according to latest data. thecanary.co The number of deaths involving coronavirus (Covid-19) in the UK has passed 45,000, according to the latest available data.Figures published on 22 May by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency showed that 664 deaths involving Covid-19 had been registered in Northern Ireland up to 20 May.On 20 May, figures from the National Records of Scotland showed 3,546 deaths involving Covid-19 had been registered in Scotland up to 17 May.And the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics, published on 19 May, showed 39,071 deaths involving Covid-19 occurred in England and Wales up to May 8 (and had bee…

The Canary (2020-05-22). Three more charged over murder of law student in drive-by shooting. thecanary.co Another three people have been charged over the murder of a law student and the attempted murder of their intended target in a drive-by shooting, Lancashire Police said.Innocent passer-by Aya Hachem, 19, was gunned down as she walked to a supermarket near her home in Blackburn on Sunday.The first of two shots fired from a passing vehicle hit a building but the second fatally struck the teenager in the chest.: Aya Hachem was a 19-year-old law student (Lancashire Police/PA): Blackburn residents Uthman Satia, 28, Kashif Manzoor, 24, and Judy Chapman, 26, from Great Harwood have been charged with the mu…

RT (2020-05-22). No, there is not a parallel universe in Antarctica where time runs backwards. rt.com Mixed reports surrounding the possible discovery of a parallel universe in Antarctica have found their way into global news outlets in recent weeks. The initial stories were incorrect, so how did so many outlets get it wrong?
| Mixed reports surrounding the possible discovery of a parallel universe in Antarctica have found their way into global news outlets in recent weeks. The initial stories were incorrect, so how did so many outlets get it wrong? | The actual…

RT (2020-05-22). \'You ain\'t black\' if you support Trump over me — Joe Biden to BLACK radio host. rt.com Joe Biden seems to have appointed himself the US\' top racial scientist, telling a prominent black radio host that if he considers voting for Donald Trump instead of himself, then he \"ain\'t black.\" | In a bizarre and often contentious interview, Joe Biden sat down with \'The Breakfast Club\' host Charlamagne Tha God to discuss all things African-American, including the rumor that he\'s considering choosing a black female running mate for this year\'s election. | Charlamagne grilled Biden from the outset. An outspoken supporter of Bernie Sanders, he has previously hounded Biden for \"avoiding\" a sit-down interview on…

RT (2020-05-22). Biden apologizes for telling black DJ he \'ain\'t black,\' but his supporters were already making excuses for him. rt.com Joe Biden has apologized for questioning the blackness of a black radio host, saying he \"shouldn\'t have been such a wiseguy.\" His earlier remarks caused an outcry, but the former VP\'s supporters were already covering for him.
| Joe Biden has apologized for questioning the blackness of a black radio host, saying he \"shouldn\'t have been such a wiseguy.\" His earlier remarks caused an outcry, but the former VP\'s supporters were already covering for him. | In a radio interview with \'The Bre…

RT (2020-05-22). 'It was terrifying': Wife of former Russia international Pogrebnyak speaks of fears as striker & family catch coronavirus. rt.com Glamorous Russian reality TV star Maria Pogrebnyak-Shatalova has confessed her fears to her Instagram following of almost 2 million after her husband caught Covid-19 and their family suffered fevers and vomiting.
| Glamorous Russian reality TV star Maria Pogrebnyak-Shatalova has confessed her fears to her Instagram following of almost 2 million after her husband caught Covid-19 and their family suffered fevers and vomiting. | The chic fashion fanatic, who shot to fame when sh…

RT (2020-05-22). Forget figures, American views of Covid-19 reflect media narratives, with deep partisan divide — but unity against China. rt.com Americans are sharply divided about almost every aspect of the coronavirus pandemic, except for overwhelming mistrust of information coming from China, a new poll shows, aligning with the mainstream media coverage of the outbreak. | One phrase keeps coming up repeatedly in the results of a new American Trends poll,

RT (2020-05-22). Haftar\'s army spokesman accuses Turkey of sending arms & militants to Libya in violation of UN embargo. rt.com Turkey has been violating the UN embargo by sending arms and militants from Syria to Libya, a spokesman for Khalifa Haftar\'s Libyan National Army (LNA) claimed as he showed videos that allegedly proved Ankara\'s violations.
| Turkey has been violating the UN embargo by sending arms and militants from Syria to Libya, a spokesman for Khalifa Haftar\'s Libyan National Army (LNA) claimed as he showed videos that allegedly proved Ankara\'s violations. | Turkey \"continues its aggressi…

RT (2020-05-22). Hollywood producer charged with defrauding Covid-19 aid program, stealing from studio. rt.com Prosecutors in New York and Los Angeles have charged William Sadleir, former chair of Aviron Pictures, with defrauding both studio investors and the federal government\'s Paycheck Protection Program to pay for personal expenses. | Sadleir took more than $25 million from Aviron to buy a $14 million mansion in Beverly Hills, California and pay for other personal expenses, according to a criminal indictment in New York. Another case, brought against him in Los Angeles, accuses the producer of taking $1.7 million in PPP loans — intended for small businesses to survive the Covid-19 pandemic — and using the…

RT (2020-05-22). Gamer training platform that uses AI & cognitive science secures big investment while lockdown makes esports hot. rt.com Cash might be tight for many industries amid the Covid-19 pandemic, but not when it comes to the ever-evolving esports industry. Take Statespace, a platform that trains gamers which has raised $15 million in Series A funding.
| Cash might be tight for many industries amid the Covid-19 pandemic, but not when it comes to the ever-evolving esports industry. Take Statespace, a platform that trains gamers which has raised $15 million in Series A funding. | Launched in 2…

RT (2020-05-22). New hydrophobic membrane could hold key to combating global mask shortage. rt.com While shortages of protective equipment against Covid-19 are still common worldwide, researchers have created a hydrophobic membrane that makes the surgical grade N95 mask, used globally in hospitals, reusable and more effective.
| While shortages of protective equipment against Covid-19 are still common worldwide, researchers have created a hydrophobic membrane that makes the surgical grade N95 mask, used globally in hospitals, reusable and more effective. | Populations have…

Anand Naidoo (2020-05-22). The Heat: COVID-19 in Mexico and Global Impact. america.cgtn.com Latin America is seeing a surge in cases with Mexico emerging as one of the hotspots. More than 54,000 people have been infected and over five thousand people have died.

Eds. (2020-05-22). The role of the state in Venezuela. mronline.org Venezuelan former Vice President Elias Jaua calls for the government to rebuild the state and retake the reins of the economy.

Staff (2020-05-22). Headlines for May 22, 2020. democracynow.org Unemployment Claims Reach 38.6 Million in Worst U.S. Economic Crisis Since Depression, As Millions Lose Jobs, the Billionaire Class Sees Wealth Soar by $434 Billion During Pandemic, COVID Cases Spike in Brazil, Mexico, India & Indonesia as Outbreak Grows in Global South, World Bank: 3 Billion People Don\'t Have Access to Clean Water & Soap, U.S. COVID Death Toll Tops 95,000, Trump Refuses to Wear Mask in Front of Media at Ford Plant in Michigan, Report: Striking Racial Divide Found in Nursing Homes Impacted by COVID Outbreak, COVID Racial Data Tracker Documents How Pandemic Is Devastating Communities of Color, Pol…

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-05-22). Dramatic Increase in Global Poverty Generated by Coronavirus Crisis. No Scaling Back of US Militarism. globalresearch.ca The World Bank warns that there is a global poverty increase as tens of millions of people have fallen back into poverty because of the pandemic. Up to 60 million people worldwide may fall into extreme poverty due to the …

IMEMC & Agencies (2020-05-22). Arab League Supports Palestine Against Israeli Annexation Plans. imemc.org The League of Arab States, comprising of 22 Arab countries, expressed, on Thursday, its full support for the Palestinian leadership, in the latter\'s defiance of Israel\'s plans, including the plan to annex parts of the West Bank and the Jordan Valley area of Al-Aghwar. Said Abuali, Under-Secretary General of the …

Marwa Osman (2020-05-22). Palestine — Quds Day 2020: Marwa Osman. thealtworld.com TeleSur English- Political Commentator Dr. Marwa Osman joins Camila on From the Lebanon to discuss the history and significance of Quds Day and analyzes today\'s geopolitical context. Dr. Osman discusses the U.S. and Israeli regime\'s intensifying threats against the Palestinian people within the context of the \"deal of the century\" saying the \'deal\' constitutes the imprisonment of Palestinians. Blockaded Palestine has much in common with other blockaded nations included Iran and Venezuela.

World Socialist Web Site (2020-05-22). Trump issues new threats as Iranian tankers approach Venezuela. iranian.com In a telephone conference with right-wing Hispanic supporters in the United States Wednesday, President Donald Trump issued new threats against Venezuela, bragging about the US military siege that has been mounted against the embattled South American country. Referring to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Trump declared,\"We have surrounded him at a level that no one knows, …

Paul Street (2020-05-22). How Obama Could Find Some Redemption. counterpunch.org What would redemption look like for Barack Obama? First, it would entail admitting something unpleasant: his own deep complicity in the deadly ascendancy of the neofascist Donald Trump, who Noam Chomsky aptly calls \"the most dangerous criminal in human history.\" To no small extent, Trump owes his disastrous and malevolent presidency to the silver-tongued Obama\'s eight years of White House service to the rich and powerful.

Richard D. Wolff (2020-05-22). An Old Story Again: Capitalism vs. Health and Safety. counterpunch.org The U.S. president recently ordered meatpacking employees back into workplaces plagued by coronavirus. He did not order the employers to make their slaughterhouses safe. GOP-proposed legislation exempts employers from lawsuits by employees sickened or killed by coronavirus infections at workplaces. The GOP is mostly silent about requiring employers to maintain safe or healthy workplaces. Employers

Whitney Webb (2020-05-22). As Moderna\'s COVID-19 Vaccine Takes the Lead, The Issue of \"Gene-editing Vaccines\" globalresearch.ca More and more frequently, government officials, political pundits and self-appointed \"global health experts\" like billionaire Bill Gates have been instructing the public that mass gatherings and any semblance of \"normalcy\" will not return until a vaccine for the novel coronavirus …

commondreams (2020-05-22). ACLU Asks Supreme Court to Deny Bureau of Prisons Request to Block Order That Will Save Lives. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Brasil de Fato (2020-05-22). Brazilian President Bolsonaro confesses to intervening in Police in order to protect his family. peoplesdispatch.org A video that surfaced today Friday May 22 revealed that far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro intervened in the Federal Police in order to protect his and his families\' interests. In the video, which was released during a court proceeding against the president in the Supreme Court, Bolsonaro, in a meeting of ministers, expresses his attempt to intervene in the Federal Police (PF) in order to protect his family. | \"We have not had the strategic aspect. And forgive me, but the information service is ours, everyone, it is a…they are an embarrassment, an embarrassment. They don\'t tell me anything! And I cann…

Stephen Lendman (2020-05-22). Deal Breaking Trump Regime Abandons Open Skies Treaty (OST). globalresearch.ca Throughout his time in office, Trump proved he\'s more a deal breaker than observer of international law, treaties and agreements. | He abandoned the landmark 1987 INF Treaty with Russia, the 2016 Security Council adopted JCPOA, the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, …

Andrea Germanos, staff writer (2020-05-22). Cuomo Order That Sent Estimated 4,300 Covid-19 Patients to Nursing Homes Denounced as \'Single Dumbest Decision Anyone Could Make\'. commondreams.org www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/cuomo-covid.jpg

South Front (2020-05-22). Video: Turkey Supported GNA Confronts Libya\'s LNA: Turkish Drones Destroy LNA Pantsir Systems. globalresearch.ca Over the past days, forces of the Government of National Accord (GNA) and Syrian militants supported by the Turkish military continued developing momentum against the Libyan National Army (LNA) in northern Libya. | After capturing the Watiya Air Base from the …

Jeffrey St. Clair (2020-05-22). Roaming Charges: Shallà≤: 120 Days of COVID. counterpunch.org As the USA approaches an official tally of 100,000 dead from COVID-19, let us recall that this bracing toll is still 467,000 fewer deaths than the number of Iraqi children who died as a result of the Bush/Clinton economic sanctions (not to mention the ongoing war itself.)

Stan Cox (2020-05-22). Creating a Climate for Real Change. progressive.org The Green New Deal is only a starting point toward a sustainable future.

CJPME (2020-05-22). Canada Must Oppose Israel\'s Annexation Plans. globalresearch.ca Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) urges the Canadian government to take a strong stand against Israel\'s planned annexation of huge swaths of Palestinian territory in the West Bank. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-05-22). Indian trade unions protest attack on workers\' rights. peoplesdispatch.org Ten central trade unions in India issued a nationwide protest call against the changes being made to labour laws. On Friday, May 22, unions across the country took to the streets to stage demonstrations against the attack on workers\' rights. The protestors were peaceful and followed physical distancing and other safety norms. Still, multiple instances of repression and detentions took place.

Staff (2020-05-22). We Can\'t Afford to Be Bystanders During a Pandemic, Says Activist Linda Sarsour. truthout.org Linda Sarsour has become one of the most celebrated intersectional movement leaders to disrupt the economic, political and racist paradigms in the United States. Her

IMEMC & Agencies (2020-05-22). Israeli Troops Suppress Weekly Kufur Qaddoum Protest, Cause 5 Inhalation Injuries. imemc.org Three Palestinian children were reportedly injured, on Friday, due to tear gas inhalation, after Israeli troops fired tear-gas canisters against protestors at the weekly protest of Kufur Qaddoum village, east of the northern West Bank city of Qalqilia. The protest, staged on Fridays, in protest of Israel\'s Apartheid Wall, settlements …

Robert F. Kennedy Jr (2020-05-22). Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.: Moderna\'s \"Clinical Trial Results for Its Groundbreaking COVID Vaccine Could Not Be Much Worse\" globalresearch.ca The Warp Speed Timeline — is what Dr. Fauci, NIAID / NIH and Bill Gates called the Covid-19 vaccination program that should have started in a few weeks (\'should have\' — hopefully now it won\'t). | The world should know about …

Bob Dreyfuss (2020-05-22). Trump Has No Secret Intel on the Coronavirus\'s Origins. thenation.com Trump Has No Secret Intel on the Coronavirus\'s Origins…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-05-22). South African teachers\' unions warn against reopening schools without proper precautions. peoplesdispatch.org Five unions in the education sector have advised their members to not return to schools unless PPE is provided and the premises are sanitized. Classes are set to resume in South Africa on June 1 and teachers have to report for duty on May 25…

Meaghan Beatley, Sam Edwards (2020-05-22). Is Mexico\'s \'Mayan Train\' a Boondoggle? thenation.com Is Mexico\'s \'Mayan Train\' a Boondoggle?

news.un (2020-05-22). Yemen: Coronavirus transmission likely widespread, decimating \'collapsed\' health system, UN warns. news.un.org War-torn Yemen\'s health system has \'in effect, collapsed\" under the strain of a widening COVID-19 outbreak, with epidemiologists estimating that the virus could spread faster and more widely than in many other countries, the UN warned on Friday.

Rob Urie (2020-05-22). Why Russiagate Still Matters. counterpunch.org A thought experiment with a purpose is to ask: if a group of former Directors of the CIA, NSA and FBI put forward a story about a malevolent foreign power acting against the U.S. without providing evidence that their story is true, who would believe them? While this wasn\'t precisely the setup for Russiagate, all

Dr. Paul Craig Roberts (2020-05-22). America is Drowning in Problems: Washington is Picking Another Fight With China. globalresearch.ca Washington is picking yet another fight with China. On top of the trade war we now have the coronavirus war. China is accused of being responsible for the virus by withholding information about it. Some in Washington want to make …

Calvin Gladney (2020-05-22). U.S. Economy Needs to Reset, not Restart. progressive.org The COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to reset the rules and take bold actions. Let\'s not lose that boldness going forward.

Paul Craig Roberts (2020-05-22). America Is Drowning in Problems. thealtworld.com Washington is picking yet another fight with China. On top of the trade war we now have the coronavirus war. China is accused of being responsible for the virus by withholding information about it. Some in Washington want to make China pay for the cost of the virus by reneging on US debt held by China in the form of US Treasuries. | What information about coronavirus is China supposed to have withheld? | That China was doing coronavirus research? How could this information have been withheld when the US State Department knew about it, the N.I.H. was funding it, and US scientists were complaining about the danger?

Katitza Rodriguez, Svea Windwehr (2020-05-22). International Proposals for Warrantless Location Surveillance To Fight COVID-19. commondreams.org While location surveillance is problematic at any time, the coronavirus crisis has led to a rapid uptick in its use; many measures to facilitate it have been passed by fast-tracked legislative procedures during national state of emergencies. (U.S. Air Force photo by Steve Kotecki) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/screen_shot_2020-05-22_at_11.15.31_am.png

Marc Levy (2020-05-22). On Meeting Bao Ninh: \"These Good Men Meant as Much to Me as Yours Did to You\" counterpunch.org Three years after the Americans abandoned Vietnam, in the depths of the Jungle of Screaming Souls, NVA veterans search for the remains of men and women killed in combat. So begins The Sorrow of War, by Bao Ninh. In 1995, when reading my paperback copy, I would fall into a trance, feel as if I were floating above my bed. What was happening, I did not know. Several months later, traveling in Southeast Asia, I invented reasons not to locate Bao Ninh.

Sandipan Talukdar (2020-05-22). Tropical cyclones become stronger as Earth warms. peoplesdispatch.org Super cyclone Amphan has just passed, devastating large parts of India and Bangladesh. In India, large parts of the State of West Bengal, including the capital Kolkata, faced its wrath. Just a year ago, Cyclone Foni had wreaked havoc in the eastern coast of India. Large and very intense storms have become an almost yearly phenomenon in different parts of the globe. Every year, super cyclones in the tropics take a heavy toll on human lives and properties. | For at least the past two decades, a very significant question in cyclone and hurricane research is whether there is already a discernible trend of stronger wi…

graham (2020-05-22). Tories making redundancies at HQ in cash crisis. truepublica.org.uk Rob Woodward: There are a lot of stories floating around the newsrooms of just how badly Boris Johnson\'s government are doing in the pandemic. What we see publicly and what happens behind closed doors are entirely different. Publicly, we see the Tories boycotting media organisations that dare to challenge their actions, blatantly lying about their …

Kelly Trout (2020-05-22). 5 Reasons We Must Act Now to End Oil and Gas Production. commondreams.org A return to \"normal\" in governments\' policies towards fossil fuel production—which were largely still enabling its expansion—is out of the question. To \"build back better,\" governments must exit the unstable boom-bust cycles of extraction, and instead manage its phase-out in a predictable, people-centered, and Paris-proof way. (Photo: Pixabay.com) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/oil_gas.png

Heather Gray — Jonathan King (2020-05-22). Coronavirus and Other US Health Threats? Fund Public Health Not Foreign Wars. counterpunch.org How is it that in the richest nation on Earth we don\'t have enough masks, gowns, virus tests, and ventilators to serve our front-line healthcare providers in this coronavirus pandemic? Part of the answer is that the nation\'s wealth has been mis-allocated between military and civilian needs over the past four decades. All of the

Michael Payne (2020-05-22). Watch out Trump: Here comes the team of Biden, Obama, Sanders, and Bloomberg. nationofchange.org It will be so interesting and very exciting to watch this formidable team in action. Many, many Americans will be tuning into their radios and TV channels to listen to what they say about Trump to take him down and out.

Mitchell Plitnick (2020-05-22). Key Biden Adviser Offers Little Hope for Palestinians. commondreams.org Speaking in a web broadcast organized by the so-called Democratic Majority for Israel, Blinken stated bluntly that Biden \"would not tie military assistance to Israel to any political decisions it makes, full stop.\"(Photo: Matt Smith Photographer / Shutterstock) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/screen_shot_2020-05-22_at_9.42.21_am.png

Prof. Lynn Wolfe (2020-05-22). Coronavirus and the Constitution: Entering the Not-So-Brave New World. globalresearch.ca Two months have passed since the lockdown began, and statistics indicate that the coronavirus death toll hasn\'t risen as high as we might have supposed. Yet already we hear rhetoric of a \"post-COVID world,\" hauntingly reminiscent of the \"post-9/11 world.\" …

Robert P. Alvarez (2020-05-22). A Simple Solution for the Coronavirus Crisis in Prisons. commondreams.org We\'ve got over a million people in prison, nearly a million more in jail, and half a million in immigrant detention. (Photo: Shutterstock) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/mask.jpg

Mike Gecan (2020-05-22). Recovery Will Take More Than Money. thenation.com Recovery Will Take More Than Money…

Bill Sardi (2020-05-22). COVID-19 Coronavirus: Scripted by the CDC in 2003? Dead Zone Plague. globalresearch.ca Deadzone (2003, Screenplay Stephen King, Jeffrey Boam): When Johnny Smith (Christopher Walken) awakens from a coma caused by a car accident, he finds that years have passed, and he now has psychic abilities. Heartbroken that his girlfriend (Brooke Adams) has …

David A. Schultz (2020-05-22). America and the Rise of the Chinese Century. counterpunch.org News of America\'s global supremacy and victory as well as demise are often premature. In 1942 journalist Henry Luce described the coming years as the American Century. And it looked like he was right despite some setbacks. Yet coming out of the coronavirus and the Trump presidency, this time maybe the end of the American

Sasha Abramsky (2020-05-22). Here\'s What We\'re Doing With Your Check, Donald. thenation.com Here\'s What We\'re Doing With Your Check, Donald…

IMEMC News (2020-05-22). Israeli Troops Abduct A Palestinian Mother And Her Teenage Daughter Near Jenin. imemc.org Israeli soldiers invaded, Friday, the town of Ya\'bad, south of the northern West Bank city of Jenin, before invading and ransacking a home, and abducted a mother and her teenage daughter. Media sources in Jenin said that invasion into the town was carried out by more than 15 military vehicles, …

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (2020-05-22). H.R. 40 Is Not a Symbolic Act. It\'s a Path to Restorative Justice. aclu.org For nearly three decades, my former colleague Rep. John Conyers of Michigan would introduce

commondreams (2020-05-22). ACLU and Partners Challenge Michigan Absentee Ballot Deadline. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Eunice Cho (2020-05-22). ICE\'s Lack of Transparency About COVID-19 in Detention Will Cost Lives. aclu.org Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, Immigration and Customs Enforcement\'s (ICE) detention system was marked by its

Ishmael Reed (2020-05-22). Alex Azar Knows About Diabetes. counterpunch.org As soon as the Administration got into trouble because it failed to respond to the plague, it began hunting around for scapegoats. Trump\'s calling it a \"Chinese virus\" put heat on the entire Asian American community because the average American can\'t distinguish between members of 38 culturally distinct groups. This gave the Trump Shirts an

Andrew Levine (2020-05-22). If Nancy Pelosi Is So Great, How Come Donald Trump Still Isn\'t Dead in the Water? counterpunch.org To hear Democratic Party propagandists and anti-Trump Republicans on the cable networks tell it, Nancy Pelosi is the shrewdest, most politically savvy Democrat in living memory. MSNBC is the worst, and Rachel Maddow is the worst of the worst, but, in effect, they all speak with one voice, and they all agree that the woman

CP Editor (2020-05-22). Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time. counterpunch.org

Pete Dolack (2020-05-22). Work is Inevitable But its Organization is Not. counterpunch.org All human societies, from the most primitive to the most modern, have an important commonality — the need to work. Water, food, shelter and other basics of life don\'t arrive as gifts. Work is required to secure them and to raise the next generation. So fundamental is this basic principal of human life that generations

Matthew Stevenson (2020-05-22). Our Friend Eugene Schulman. counterpunch.org Our friend Gene Schulman died today. He was in his ninetieth year. Mercifully, he was only critically ill for less than twenty-four hours. Yesterday he had an aneurysm; last night he refused heroic, life-saving surgery on his heart; and today he is dead. He would rather still be with us, I am sure, but at

Kenn Orphan (2020-05-22). A Pandemic and a Plague of Absurdity. counterpunch.org At a certain point in an age of absurdity the normalization of madness becomes so common that it is almost indiscernible to most in the thick of it. Indeed, late capitalism, the stage which is undoubtedly preceding complete barbarism, has produced an endless stream of absurdities which not only insult the senses of those who

Joseph Natoli (2020-05-22). Will Things Fall Apart Now or in November? counterpunch.org \"[T]he Republican fraud drumbeat could lay the groundwork for Mr. Trump and his supporters to reject the election results should he lose.\" — Michael Wines, \"Republicans to Pursue a Crackdown on Voting,\" The New York Times, May 19, 2020. Bill Maher has been asking this question for a long time now: \"How will we get

Brian Cloughley (2020-05-22). Don\'t Be Black in America. counterpunch.org Brown and blue and white and black, All one color on the one-way track. — Bob Dylan The musical \'West Side Story\' was produced over sixty years ago, and the lyrics by Stephen Sondheim still strike a chord, most notably in the song \'America\' in which Puerto Ricans look at both social sides of their

Louis Proyect (2020-05-22). What Stanford University and Fox News Have in Common. counterpunch.org On April 21, Fox News\'s Laura Ingraham, one of Donald Trump\'s most vociferous supporters, spoke to Stanford University physician-professor John Ioannidis about COVID-19. She prefaced the interview with reference to the pandemic as a nothing-burger: And new antibodies testing on the West and East Coast shows that the true infection rate may be 55 times

Fight Back (2020-05-22). 3.6 million more applied for unemployment last week. fightbacknews.org San José, CA – On Thursday, May 21, the U.S. Department of Labor reported that 2.4 million more people have applied for state unemployment insurance, or UI, in the week ending May 16. In addition, about 1.2 million people applied for the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, or PUA, set up by the recent CARES act for the self-employed. This increase of 3.6 million applications for unemployment benefits means that a total of more than 47 million people have lost their livelihood in the last eight weeks. | Where is the good news? Well for the second week in a row, new claims for state unemployment benefits drop…

Richard Gale (2020-05-22). Fast-Tracking a COVID-19 Vaccine: Why Should We Worry? globalresearch.ca The CoV-19 pandemic is now exposing the hidden agendas and motives of the powers that be in government, in the pharmaceutical industry and Wall Street, and in the media. Despairingly opponents of vaccine mandates are largely divided. Many Trump supporters …

news.un (2020-05-22). Experts underscore COVID-19 threat to global progress on child immunization. news.un.org Global experts in health and child welfare have again highlighted how the COVID-19 pandemic is disrupting access to routine immunization services worldwide, putting millions of young lives at risk of killer diseases such as diphtheria, measles and pneumonia.

graham (2020-05-22). Wave of global brands file for bankruptcy. truepublica.org.uk The COVID-19 pandemic has been a nightmare for countless industries — especially companies in the travel sector. The aviation industry is now littered with companies that are either bankrupt or on state-aid to stave it off. There are very few able to withstand many more weeks of having grounded planes. But economies all over the …

Jules Boykoff (2020-05-22). Why We Should Commandeer Hotels to House the Homeless. commondreams.org A homeless man walks down the street in the Montclair district of Oakland, Calif., on Monday, May 18, 2019. Unhoused people across the U.S. are among the most vulnerable to the pandemic, but there are ways to ease their burdens amid the crisis—and for the long term. (Photo: Jane Tyska/Digital First Media/East Bay Times via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/gettyimages-12256966631.jpg

news.un (2020-05-22). Build back better and preserve biodiversity after COVID-19 pandemic: UN chief. news.un.org Recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic must also lead to countries uniting to preserve the natural world, in line with global commitments to achieve a better future for all people and the planet, top officials with the United Nations said on Friday, the International Day for Biological Diversity.

commondreams (2020-05-22). U.S. Unprepared for Nuclear Accident During Pandemic. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Pepe Escobar (2020-05-22). China: one country, two sessions, three threats. thealtworld.com Getting back to domestic business quickly is essential for a renewed push on the grand chessboard | The key takeaways of the Two Sessions of the 13th National People\'s Congress in Beijing are already in the public domain. | In a nutshell: no GDP target for 2020; a budget deficit of at least 3.6% of GDP; one trillion yuan in special treasury bonds; corporate fees/taxes cut by 2.5 trillion yuan; a defense budget rise of a modest 6.6%; and governments at all levels committed to \"tighten their belts.\" | The focus, as predicted, is to get China\'s domestic economy, post-Covid-19, on track for solid growth in 2021. | Al…

IMEMC News (2020-05-22). Israeli Concussion Grenades Burn 120 Olive Trees Near Jenin. imemc.org Israeli soldiers fired, Friday, dozens of concussion grenades into Palestinian orchards, west of Jenin, in northern West Bank, resulting in burning at least 120 olive trees. The head of Thaher al-\'Abed Village Council, said the soldiers are stationed at the military gate of the illegal Annexation Wall, which was built …

IMEMC News (2020-05-22). Israeli Colonists Burn Palestinian Farmlands Near Nablus. imemc.org Several illegal Israeli colonists burnt, Friday, large areas of Palestinian agricultural lands, south of Nablus, in the northern part of the occupied West Bank. Ghassan Daghlas, a Palestinian official who monitors Israel\'s illegal colonialist activities in northern West Bank, said the colonists invaded farmlands owned by residents of \'Orif and …

IMEMC News (2020-05-22). Israel To Confiscate 100 Dunams Of Palestinian Lands In Qalqilia. imemc.org The Israeli government and its so-called \"Civil Administration Office,\" the executive branch of the illegal occupation of the West Bank, has approved plans for the confiscation of 110 Dunams of Palestinian lands in Ezbet at-Tabib village, east of the northern West Bank city of Qalqilia. The Palestinian TV has reported …

Ali Salam (2020-05-22). Settlers Attack Palestinian Farmers near Ramallah, Fatah Member among Injured. imemc.org The Secretary of the Fatah movement, Qusi Diab Thiyab al-Tamimi, along with the young Ziyad al-Tamimi, were attacked, on Friday, northwest of Ramallah, the Palestinian WAFA News Agency reported. Al-Tamimi was reportedly injured while fighting off a group of illegal settlers who were attacking Palestinian farmers, near the village of …

Ali Salam (2020-05-22). Israel Cuts Palestinian Water Supply in West Bank. imemc.org The Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) stated, on Thursday, that Israeli authorities drastically cut the amount of water allocated to the West Bank districts of Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah and Hebron, in recent days, Palestinian WAFA News Agency reported. The sudden drop interrupted the water supply to the public, and caused irregular …

PCHR (2020-05-22). PCHR: Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (14 — 20 May 2020). imemc.org Palestinian Centre for Human Rights Israeli Violations of Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (14 — 20 May 2020) Summary This week, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian man alleging that he rammed soldiers with his car in Hebron; and continued its attacks on Ya\'bad village, arresting civilians in a …

Martin Sieff (2020-05-22). How the British Empire Created and Killed George Orwell. globalresearch.ca The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), happily amplified by the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) in the United States which carries its World News, continues to pump out its regular dreck about the alleged economic chaos in Russia and the imagined miserable …

Lucas Leiroz de Almeida (2020-05-22). US Militarizes the Caribbean Sea to Surround Venezuela. globalresearch.ca Recently, the number of American ships and planes in the Caribbean Sea has increased exponentially. The most likely hypothesis so far is that there will be an attempt to block Venezuela, as the military flow in the region began to …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-05-22). Venezuela sends military to escort Iranian fuel tankers over US threats. peoplesdispatch.org Officials in the Trump administration have told the press that the US will consider mobilizing its forces in the Caribbean against Iranian shipment of petrol en route to Venezuela…

Amber Colón Núñez (2020-05-22). Covid-19 Profiteers Are Making a Killing. commondreams.org Amazon head Jeff Bezos appears at a company event Sept. 25, 2019. Thanks to Covid-19's sales boosts, in the first quarter of 2020 Bezos made back the $10 billion he lost in 2019 more than twice over. Photo: Andrej Sokolow/dpa (Photo: Andrej Sokolow/picture alliance via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/jeff_bezos_covid_profits_850_578.jpg

Nicholas Johnson (2020-05-22). Schools Will Need Help to Recover. progressive.org States need to find ways to protect education funding in the age of COVID-19.

Newsclick (2020-05-22). COVID-19 and the race for the vaccine. peoplesdispatch.org There are over 100 candidate vaccines that are currently being developed in labs across the world. Human trials have begun for three potential vaccines developed by the University of Oxford, Moderna Pharmaceuticals and the Wuhan Institute of Biological Products. Who might get there first and how affordable is it going to be?

Vyshakh T (2020-05-22). The human toll of COVID-19 in Brazil. peoplesdispatch.org The corona crisis has also brought to the forefront the crisis in Brazil\'s healthcare system. The Sistema àönico de Saúde – SUS -, Brazil\'s publicly funded health system has been facing dire budget cuts over the past several years while the private system has been steadily growing.

Ed Augustin (2020-05-22). Cuba Has Sent 2,000 Doctors and Nurses Overseas to Fight Covid-19. thenation.com Cuba Has Sent 2,000 Doctors and Nurses Overseas to Fight Covid-19…

Luciana Tellez-Chavez (2020-05-22). This Year\'s Forest Fire Season Could Be Even Deadlier. commondreams.org In addition to contributing to climate change, forest fires present a more immediate and very grave threat to public health. (Photo: Shutterstock) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/amazon-fires-walmart-cargill-blackrock-brazil-bolsonaro.jpg

news.un (2020-05-22). Victims of intercommunal violence in South Sudan deserve \'justice, truth and reparations\': Bachelet. news.un.org The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Friday condemned a fresh wave of intercommunal violence in the world\'s youngest nation, South Sudan, that has left hundreds dead across 28 villages in Jonglei State, according to local authorities.

Michael Sfard (2020-05-22). Land Grab and Deportation: A Leading Israeli Lawyer\'s Annexation Prediction. globalresearch.ca Almost 53 years after it occupied the West Bank, Israel is closer than ever to annexing parts of the Palestinian territory. |

Niles Niemuth (2020-05-22). US Unemployment Insurance Claims Approaches 40 Million… globalresearch.ca The United States Department of Labor reported on Thursday that more than 2.4 million Americans applied for unemployment insurance last week, bringing the total number of new claims to 38.6 million since mid-March, when social distancing measures and statewide stay-at-home …

Project Censored (2020-05-22). Episode 85 — ATL Recommendations: What to Watch, Read, and Listen Too in Quarantine. projectcensored.org Along the Line, is a member of the Demcast network, brought to you by the Media Freedom Foundation. On today\'s episode hosts Nicholas Baham III (Dr. Dreadlocks), Janice Domingo, and Nolan…

Tanya Wadhwa (2020-05-22). Bolivians continue their struggle against the coup regime. peoplesdispatch.org Since May 11, thousands of Bolivians have been mobilizing, against hunger and to demand the resignation of self-appointed president Jeanine àÅñez and for democratic elections in the country…

Julia Conley, staff writer (2020-05-22). \'A Misbegotten, Warped Freedom Obsession Is Killing Us\': Video of Trumpian Anti-Mask Jerks Goes Viral. commondreams.org On social media Friday, author Anand Giridharadas shared what he called an \"end-of-empire\" video featuring a number of people refusing to wear face masks in public places, coughing on others, and claiming their \"freedom\" is being trampled by public health guidance. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1214261292_1.jpg

Eoin Higgins, staff writer (2020-05-22). As Warnings Mount of So-Called \'Second Wave\' of Covid-19, Trump Says He Won\'t \'Close the Country\' Again. commondreams.org \"We are witnessing the complete breakdown of the United States government.\" | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/nyc_corona_1.jpg

Eoin Higgins, staff writer (2020-05-22). Michigan Flood, Says Group, Shows US Unprepared for \'Nightmarish\' Threat of Nuclear Disaster Combined With Pandemic. commondreams.org \"The prospect of a nuclear disaster prompting a mass evacuation during a viral pandemic reinforces the need for an energy policy focused on safe, clean and affordable renewable energy.\" | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/flood_3.jpg

Julia Conley, staff writer (2020-05-22). Oil Companies Can Set Their Own Rates for Royalties From Drilling on Public Lands Thanks to Trump: Report. commondreams.org \"Oil and gas corporations already pay pennies compared to what they make in profits from plundering public lands—land that belongs to the American people—and now they'll pay even less.\" | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/15780703314_3db549560f_o_1.jpg

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2020-05-22). Fridays for Future Europe Calls for Transforming Agricultural Policy to Tackle the Climate Crisis. commondreams.org As the world recognized the International Day for Biological Diversity on Friday, the youth-led Fridays for Future movement sent an open letter to European Union leaders demanding a transformation of the economic and political coalition's agricultural policies to tackle the intertwined biodiversity and climate crises. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-12144089421.jpg

The Canary (2020-05-22). Investigation needed after Serco shared email addresses of contact tracers. thecanary.co The Government has been urged to launch an investigation after the email addresses of almost 300 new recruits to its coronavirus contact-tracing programme were shared by mistake. | The error prompted an apology from outsourcing firm Serco which said it would \"review its processes\" following the incident in which it had emailed new trainees to tell them about training. | A total of 296 addresses were included in a CC (carbon copy) section of an email rather than BCC (blind carbon copy), meaning they were visible to recipients. | The company are helping to sign people up to support efforts to track and trace cases…

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-22). U.S. Warplane Profits Scramble Over Germany\'s Anti-Nuclear Push. strategic-culture.org When Germany\'s Social Democrats — the junior governing coalition partner — renewed long-standing calls for withdrawing U.S. nuclear bombs from the country, the backlash from Washington was fast and furious. | Richard Grenell, the U.S. ambassador to Berlin, wrote an

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-22). Aiming Missiles at Viruses: a Plea for Sanity in a Time of Plague. strategic-culture.org Hugh IGLARSH | The point I am trying to make here is a simple and obvious one, or would be in a society not burdened with a two-pronged ideology of extreme militarism and extreme individualism. It is this: In feeding the military-industrial complex so richly at this time, we are starving ourselves of many vital things and weakening ourselves as a society, perhaps to the point of suicide. We are in effect sacrificing our future on the altar of American imperialism, which like some dark god of the past, is ever hungry and can be assuaged only by human life. | The coronavirus plague now sweeping the globe — si…

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-22). America the Terrified: What Makes This Superpower So Sensitive? strategic-culture.org They want to meet me not because I\'m Mike from Kansas, because I represent the greatest nation in the history of civilization. | I want everyone to be reminded that America remains the world\'s leading light of humanitarian goodness as well amidst this global pandemic. | …no greater privilege and no greater hono…

Staff (2020-05-22). FBI Says It Will Investigate Breonna Taylor Shooting Death. truthout.org We speak with Ben Crump, attorney for the family of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old aspiring nurse who was shot to death by police inside her own apartment. Her family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Louisville Metro Police Department that details how police shot Taylor at least eight times after they burst into her apartment, unannounced, with a search warrant. The man police were looking for did not live in Taylor\'s apartment and was reportedly already detained by police when officers arrived at Ta…

Staff (2020-05-22). Corporations\' COVID Response Is Class War Waged From the Top. truthout.org Journalists aren\'t supposed to \"bury the lede.\" But when death is the topic and corporate power is the culprit, the connection routinely goes unmentioned. | Class war — waged methodically from the top down — is so constant and pervasive that it might seem unremarkable. The 24/7 siege to make large companies more profitable and the wealthy more wealthy is going on all around us. In the process, it normalizes avoidable death as a cost of doing business. | Overall, news media are part of that normali…

Staff (2020-05-22). Medicaid Providers Are Last in Line for Federal COVID Funding. truthout.org Casa de Salud, a nonprofit clinic in Albuquerque, New Mexico, provides primary medical care, opioid addiction services and non-Western therapies, including acupuncture and reiki, to a largely low-income population. | And, like so many other health care providers that serve as a safety net, its revenue — and its future — are threatened by the COVID-19 epidemic. | \"I\'ve been working for the past six weeks to figure out how to keep the doors open,\" said the clinic\'s executive director, Dr. Anjali T…

Staff (2020-05-22). Chicago Passed Police Torture Reparations 5 Years Ago. Were They Implemented? truthout.org This month, the movement against Chicago police violence celebrated the fifth anniversary of the passing of the

Charles Pierson (2020-05-22). Is the US-Saudi Alliance Headed Off a Cliff? counterpunch.org Can the US-Saudi alliance endure? Should it? World oil prices crashed in March during a price war between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and rival oil producer Russia. Disregarding the advice of his ministers, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman (\"MBS,\" as he is known to friends and foes), the kingdom\'s de facto ruler, turned the

Fight Back (2020-05-22). UNAC denounces any attempts by the US to stop shipments of Iranian fuel to Venezuela. fightbacknews.org Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC). | Last week, an Iran-flagged tanker passed the Suez Canal, reportedly bound for Venezuela with a shipment of refined fuel. Despite having the largest proven oil reserves in the world, Venezuela\'s refining capacity has been damaged by the U.S. embargo, greatly hindering its economy US officials have claimed that Venezuela has begun to purchase fuel from Iran directly with gold, thereby bypassing U.S. controlled imperialist trade mechanisms. | Four additional Iran-flagged tankers loaded with refined fue…

Pam Martens, Russ Martens (2020-05-22). The Fed\'s Chair and Vice Chair Got Rich at Carlyle Group, a Private Equity Fund With a String of Bankruptcies and Job Losses. counterpunch.org Private equity funds have been variously called \"merchants of debt,\" \"vultures,\" or \"corporate raiders.\" What a private equity fund typically does is to buy up companies by piling debt on the balance sheet, selling off valuable assets like real estate, extracting giant dividends for the private equity partners to the detriment of workers and customers,

Joan Roelofs (2020-05-22). Greening the Old New Deal. counterpunch.org New bills in Congress \"Pandemic Response and Opportunity Through National Service Act\" (H.R. 6702 and S. 3624) invoke the 1930s recovery programs as precedents: More than 80 years ago, the Nation rose to the challenge of the Great Depression with the creation of citizen service programs like the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and the Works Progress Administration (WPA).

Fight Back (2020-05-22). Tampa students say no to attack on video game club by USF administration. fightbacknews.org Tampa, FL – Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) hosted an email-in on Wednesday, May 20, fighting back against the University of South Florida\'s administration. Under the panic of the COVID-19 crisis, USF administration has defunded, suspended and effectively disbanded the Video Game Club (VGC) at USF. The student organizers demanded the reinstatement of the VGC, in addition to maintaining students\' prior demands of refunds for \'distance learning fees\' and all activity and service fees, as the mandatory off-campus learning gives the fees no reason to be charged. | The suspension of student-run Vide…

Andrew Korybko (2020-05-21). The Real UkraineGate Scandal: There\'s No Longer Any Question that Joe Biden Carried Out a Cover-Up in Ukraine. globalresearch.ca Trump stands vindicated for accusing Biden of trying to cover up his son\'s corruption in Ukraine after one of that country\'s lawmakers released audio recordings of the former Vice President\'s numerous conversations with former President Poroshenko to that effect, proving …

Staff (2020-05-21). \'Students Have Fallen Off The Face Of The Planet\'. therealnews.com Remote learning has created huge barriers to learning for low income communities of color, where four in ten families lack high speed internet access.

Staff (2020-05-21). What Impact Has Coronavirus Had On Policing? therealnews.com Racial bias in policing has always existed, with tragic results for some. But has the coronavirus had an impact, or has it merely exposed just how deeply biased policing always was?

Eds. (2020-05-21). Pandemic: How big banks and big AG share blame. mronline.org Here in the U.S., agribusiness lines up with pharmaceutical and military contractors in terms of being a political force to be reckoned with and, in effect, help run the country. Their needs are protected so that these pathogens have the best lawyers on the planet.

John Whitehead (2020-05-21). COVID-19: The Slippery Slope to Despotism is Paved with Lockdowns, Raids and Forced Vaccinations. mintpressnews.com Until now, the police state has been more circumspect in its power grabs, but this latest state of emergency has brought the beast out of the shadows.

Eds. (2020-05-21). The proximal origin of SARS-CoV-2. mronline.org Infections with SARS-CoV-2 are now widespread, and as of 11 March 2020, 121,564 cases have been confirmed in more than 110 countries, with 4,373 deaths.

Staff (2020-05-21). The Proposed Nile Dam Is A Wedge Between Egypt, Ethiopia, And Sudan. therealnews.com The plan to build a giant hydroelectric dam on the Nile River is a cornerstone in Ethiopia\'s economic development strategy, but is fiercely opposed by President Abdel Fatah Al-Sisi in Egypt.

Ramzy Baroud (2020-05-21). Why Israel Fears the Nakba: How Memory Became Palestine\'s Greatest Weapon. mintpressnews.com On May 15, thousands of Palestinians in Occupied Palestine and throughout the \'shatat\', or diaspora, participated in the commemoration of Nakba Day, the one event that unites all Palestinians, regardless of their political differences or backgrounds. | For years, social media has added a whole new stratum to this process of commemoration. #Nakba72, along with #NakbaDay and #Nakba, have all trended on Twitter for days. Facebook was inundated with countless stories, videos, images, and statements, written by Palestinians, or in global support of the Palestinian people. | The dominant Nakba narrative remains &#150…

Liberation Staff (2020-05-21). La Riva designated presumptive Peace & Freedom Party presidential nominee in California. liberationnews.org The following statement was originally published by the Peace and Freedom Party.

pip.hinman (2020-05-21). Medical professionals: \'COVID-19 in institutions is a significant risk\'. greenleft.org.au

Staff (2020-05-21). Study Warns 1.1 Million Children Could Die as Pandemic Interrupts Access to Food & Medical Care. democracynow.org A new report finds 1.1 million children under 5 could die the next six months from secondary impacts of the pandemic, like disruptions to health services and access to food. Mothers are also imperiled. We speak with Tim Roberton, lead author of the study and assistant scientist in the Department of International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and with infectious diseases pediatrician Dr. Beate Kampmann.

Staff (2020-05-21). From Syria to U.S.-Mexico Border, Refugees Worldwide Face Hunger & Deprivation as COVID-19 Spreads. democracynow.org We look at the coronavirus threat to millions of refugees across the globe, where social distancing is often impossible and healthcare is extremely limited. We\'re joined by Dr. Miriam Orcutt, executive director of Lancet Migration.

Staff (2020-05-21). Crowded & Desperate: Rohingya in World\'s Largest Refugee Camp Face Dual Crises of Cyclone & COVID-19. democracynow.org A major cyclone hits India and Bangladesh amid the pandemic, displacing 3 million people and unleashing heavy rain on Cox\'s Bazar, home to 1 million Rohingya refugees, where the first cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed. We get an update from Steven Corliss, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees representative in Bangladesh, and speak with Tun Khin, a Rohingya activist, president of the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK.

The Canary (2020-05-21). Track and trace strategy coming late in the day, NHS leaders warn. thecanary.co The government has defended its position on track and trace, after NHS leaders warned that action to control the future spread of coronavirus (Covid-19) is coming late in the day.Security minister James Brokenshire said he remains \"confident\" that a test, track and trace system will be in place by 1 June — the earliest date by which primary schools in England and some non-essential shops could reopen.However, Brokenshire admitted the NHS app would not be ready in time and suggested \"technical issues\" were behind its hold-up, just over a week after health secretary Matt Hancock said it would be rolled out acr…

The Canary (2020-05-21). Police watchdog rejects criminal probe into PM over public money and access given to Jennifer Arcuri. thecanary.co Boris Johnson will not be the subject of a criminal investigation by the police watchdog over allegations that he used his position while London mayor to benefit and reward US businesswoman Jennifer Arcuri.The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said on 21 May that it would not be launching a probe into the prime minister following claims of misconduct in public office, which he denies.But the London Assembly said it will resume its own investigation into allegations that Arcuri received thousands of pounds in public money and privileged access to three foreign trade trips led by Johnson when he headed C…

The Canary (2020-05-21). The lockdown achieved a 35% reduction in emissions from British power production. thecanary.co The lockdown has seen an impact on carbon pollution, with emissions from British power production falling 35% on the same period last year. Meanwhile, renewables generated more than 40% of Britain\'s power in the first three months of the year — overtaking fossil fuels for the first time, analysis shows.Wind farms were vying for top spot with gas in the electricity mix, generating 30.5% of power, just behind fossil fuels which contributed 30.6% between January and March.Severe winter storms in the wettest and windiest February since records began helped make it the first month on record when more electricity…

RT (2020-05-21). Paying for priority? US forks out over $1.2 billion for 300 MILLION doses of University of Oxford\'s Covid-19 vaccine. rt.com The US government has secured nearly one third of the anticipated production of a vaccine for coronavirus under development by AstraZeneca, after pledging more than $1 billion to fund the project. | The US Department of Health will dole out $1.2 billion for 300 million doses of the vaccine, which is being created in conjunction with the University of Oxford. Health Secretary Alex Azar described the deal as a \"major milestone\" in US President Donald Trump\'s program to fast-track a Covid-19 vaccine, dubbed Operation Warp Speed. | AstraZeneca, based in Cambridge, England, says it will be able to manufacture aroun…

RT (2020-05-21). Hand sanitizers can cause FIRE if left in car on hot summer\'s day. rt.com Hand sanitizers, the new liquid gold sought after and rationed in the times of the Covid-19 pandemic, may cause even more harm than the virus itself if left unattended under the burning summer sun, firefighters have warned. | While vigorously trying to protect yourself from the coronavirus, which has already infected more than five million people around the globe and killed over 328,000, you could find your vehicle and even life in danger from the means to fend off the virus. | A Wisconsin fire department posted a photo of a destroyed car door on its Facebook page. It looks as if it was fired upon from a shotg…

RT (2020-05-21). The more you know? Over a third of Americans apprehensive about Covid-19 vaccine, citing rushed development & trust issues. rt.com As the Trump administration pushes for Covid-19 vaccine development on an ever-shrinking timetable and companies report lackluster early trials, 35 percent of Americans are less than thrilled about getting the shot. | Operation Warp Speed, the Trump administration\'s unprecedented drive to create and roll out a vaccine for the coronavirus pandemic by the end of the year, may be doing more harm than good, at least where Americans\' trust is concerned. Between the shockingly abbreviated timetable and the lack of long-term safety testing, almost one in four Americans (24 percent) said they were not interested in th…

RT (2020-05-21). What does Trump\'s new spy director think of Russia and China? rt.com John Ratcliffe has been confirmed as the US\' new director of national intelligence. As he gears up to oversee seventeen intelligence agencies, how will he use these organizations to work with, or against, America\'s adversaries? | The Senate confirmed Rep. Ratcliffe to the position on Friday, in a 49-44 vote along party lines. President Trump had previously tipped the Texas Republican for the role last year, before urging him to withdraw his application due to \"months of slander and libel\" from the \"lamestream media.\" The supposed slander centered around Ratcliffe\'s defense of Trump during Special Counsel Rober…

Anand Naidoo (2020-05-21). The Heat: China\'s Two Sessions Preview. america.cgtn.com China\'s political season gets underway. What can we expect in the wake of COVID-19?>

Zero Hedge (2020-05-21). Regime Change Back In Focus: Pompeo Targets Iran, Cuba & Venezuela In Epic Tweet Thread. iranian.com Given the very noticeable rise in threatening rhetoric focused on Iran over the past week, it seems thoughts of regime change in Tehran are once again top of the agenda. Or perhaps simultaneously the administration needs a significant distraction of sorts amid the coronavirus pandemic, and the persistent national reopening question and agenda. On Wednesday, Secretary …

Mnar Muhawesh (2020-05-21). Podcast: Aaron Mate Debunks RussiaGate and Discusses How Liberals Came to Love Bush-Era Neocons. mintpressnews.com Investigative journalist Aaron Mate unpacks four years of Russiagate propaganda and how it was the gift that kept on giving for both the Trump administration and the Democratic Party.

Staff (2020-05-21). Headlines for May 21, 2020. democracynow.org Global Coronavirus Cases Top 5 Million as WHO Records Record One-Day Spike, Brazilian Mayor Fears \"Genocide\" from COVID-19, Accuses Bolsonaro of \"Crime Against Humanity\", Disease Modelers Say Delays in U.S. Lockdowns Cost Tens of Thousands of Lives, Pro-Trump Doctors to Promote Reopening States Despite CDC Warnings, Millions Flee as Cyclone Batters India and Bangladesh, Dam Disaster in Michigan Threatens to Flood Toxic Sites, Trump Threatens to Cut Funding to Michigan, Nevada over Mail-in Voting, McDonald\'s Workers Strike to Demand Personal Protective Equipment, Striking New Orleans Sanitation Workers Replaced by…

Ellie Rushforth (2020-05-21). Abortion Rights are on the Line in New Mexico\'s Primary. aclu.org Abortion is still legal in all 50 states, but if the past year has taught us anything, there is no guarantee it will stay that way. Should Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion, be overturned, several states — including New Mexico — still have abortion bans on the books that could go back into effect. In the case of New Mexico, a 1969 law that is mostly unenforceable could make abortion care a felony in almost every case. , , This old abortion ban would require patients — including survivors of rape and incest — at any stage of pregnancy to beg for permission t…

Stephen Lendman (2020-05-21). \"KievGate\" and the November 2020 Presidential Elections. Biden and Poroshenko Colluded in Ukraine. globalresearch.ca Money-controlled US elections are farcical when held — world\'s apart from what democracy in action is supposed to. | It\'s a notion long abhorred by both right wings of the one-party state — the war party, the money party, the anti-peace, …

Reese Erlich (2020-05-21). Foreign Correspondent: Michael Flynn\'s Forgotten Turkish Connection. progressive.org Before Russiagate, the former national security advisor was an operative for Turkey, tilting foreign policy against the Kurds.

Tracy Keeling (2020-05-21). Wuhan\'s latest anti-pandemic measure is a bold move in an essential direction. thecanary.co The coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic started in Wuhan, China. Although China is still

Ed Rampell (2020-05-21). The History of the Peace Corps on Film. progressive.org A new documentary looks into the tensions that shaped the aid agency\'s role.

Dean Baker (2020-05-21). The Sure Way to End Concerns About China\'s \"Theft\" of a Vaccine: Make it Open. cepr.net In the last couple of weeks both the New York Times and National Public Radio have warned that China could steal a vaccine against the coronavirus, or at least steal work in the U.S. done towards developing a vaccine. Both outlets obviously thought their audiences should view this as a serious concern. As I wrote …

Augie Lindmark (2020-05-21). Covid-19 Isn\'t the Only American Health Epidemic. thenation.com Covid-19 Isn\'t the Only American Health Epidemic…

John Ranson (2020-05-21). While parts of lockdown are like going back to the 70s, the Tories want to drag us back to the 40s. thecanary.co The coronavirus (Covid-19) lockdown has made me even more grateful that I live in the arse end of nowhere. Or Norfolk, to give it its correct title. I\'ve lived elsewhere, even on the fringe of That London for a few years. But now I\'m two doors away from the house in which I grew up. The village has changed a lot in the *mumble* years I\'ve known it. It\'s louder now, faster moving, more transitory. The shop has gone. The two women that I used to see daily, cycling slowly back from their work picking fruit and veg at one of the nearby farms, are probably just pictures in an album. | Lockdown hasn\'t brought the shop…

Kester Kenn Klomegah (2020-05-21). COVID-19 Hits Hard, but Challenges BRICS. globalresearch.ca By and large, the coronavirus pandemic has taken a huge toll on Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) since it was declared late January by the World Health Organization (WHO). It allegedly originated (yet to be proved) from …

Andrew McCormick (2020-05-21). How the Covid-19 Lockdown Is Reshaping Uighur Activism. thenation.com How the Covid-19 Lockdown Is Reshaping Uighur Activism…

graham (2020-05-21). Blaming Russia, China, Iran — to profit from Covid-19 vaccine. truepublica.org.uk By Craig Murray: On 5 May, the British security services released to their pet media the claim that Russia, China and Iran were attempting to hack into British research institutes conducting coronavirus research. The BBC reported it. Britain\'s shameful copy and paste media all, without exception, just copy and pasted the government press release. …

Ryan Cristián (2020-05-21). Bob Langer The Coronavirus \"Common Denominator\" Tied To Charles Lieber & Israel\'s NY \"Smart Cities\" thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (5/20/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Ryan Cristián (2020-05-21). Israel Uses COVID To Further Infiltrate US Cybersecurity & US Gov Sets Fire To Wheat Crops In Syria. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (5/21/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

David Cole (2020-05-21). The Absurd Attacks on the ACLU. aclu.org On May 19, the National Review editors condemned the ACLU\'s \"absurd\" lawsuit against Education Secretary Betsy DeVos\'s new Title IX regulations, which govern sexual harassment and assault at schools that receive federal funding. They argue that we had sacrificed our principles by seeking to \"weaken\" due process standards. President Trump promptly retweeted it, though showed no evidence that he actually read it. But the National Review\'s criticism bears no relation to the lawsuit we actually filed. Our suit challenges provisions letting schools ignore serious claims of sexual harassment altogether. It does not…

Kathleen Wong (2020-05-21). A Lesson From COVID-19: A History of Racism and Disease in Hawai\'i. aclu.org As someone of Chinese descent who lives in the multicultural mixing pot that is Hawai\'i, I find myself thinking about the fact that May is Asian and Pacific Islander (API) Heritage Month, and how the opportunity to reflect on API heritage in the United States could not have come at a better time. In some ways, what\'s happening today with COVID-19 is history repeating itself. As the disease has spread, there has also been a rise in anti-Asian sentiment and xenophobic attacks on Asian people throughout the country. These attacks are provoked and encouraged by the dangerous and inaccurate rhetoric spewed by the…

news.un (2020-05-21). UN agencies join forces to protect forcibly displaced during pandemic. news.un.org To strengthen and advance public health services for millions of forcibly displaced people globally, two United Nations signed an agreement on Thursday to better protect some 70 million from COVID-19.

news.un (2020-05-21). Danger awaits migrant children returned to Mexico and Central America during pandemic. news.un.org Migrant children forcibly returned from the United States to Mexico and Central America are facing danger and discrimination aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the UN Children\'s Fund (UNICEF).

Bill Lueders (2020-05-21). Comment: Trump\'s Pandemic of Ignorance. progressive.org The United States is in the midst of a full-blown health care crisis, headed by a man who is not just monumentally unfit to lead, but actually deranged.

news.un (2020-05-21). Somalia looks to first full elections in 51 years, despite COVID-19 crisis. news.un.org The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic are acute for Somalia, but the Horn of Africa nation is doing what it can with the resources it has, even as it looks ahead to its first direct elections in a half-century, the top UN official in the country said on Thursday.

news.un (2020-05-21). Asia-Pacific nations commit the whole region to \'defeat\' COVID-19. news.un.org Gathering together at the top UN intergovernmental body in Asia and the Pacific on Thursday, countries of the vast region of more than four billion people, urged greater measures that reinforce global solidarity in ending the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tanya Wadhwa (2020-05-21). Ecuadorians vow to resist Moreno\'s latest neoliberal economic measures. peoplesdispatch.org On May 20, several Ecuadorian social movements, Indigenous organizations and trade unions called for a national mobilization on May 25, against the neoliberal economic policies imposed by President Lenín Moreno in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The People\'s Front, the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE), the Indigenous and Peasant Movement of Cotopaxi (MICC), the Unitary Front of Workers (FUT), among others, are the organizations behind the call for national mobilization. | On May 19, Moreno announced a new set of austerity measures, involving a budget cut of 4 billion USD in public…

Ricardo Vaz (2020-05-21). US Blocks UNSC Draft Resolution Denouncing Paramilitary Incursion into Venezuela. venezuelanalysis.com Russia, China and other countries criticized violations of Venezuelan sovereignty.

Ali Salam (2020-05-21). Former Prisoners, Minors among the 28 Palestinians Arrested by Israeli Forces. imemc.org Twenty eight Palestinian civilians were arrested by Israeli troops during large scale arrest campaigns, overnight Wednesday, while two Palestinians were reportedly shot and wounded by the Israeli army in Qalqilia, and the town of Beit Rima during those campaigns. The Palestinian Prisoners\' Society (PPS) said that occupation forces arrested six …

Jake Johnston (2020-05-21). ICE Confirms More than 100 Deportation Flights to 13 Countries in an Eight-Week Period. cepr.net On Tuesday, in a comment to CEPR\'s Americas Blog, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spokesperson confirmed that the agency had run 112 deportation flights to 13 countries during an eight-week period beginning in early March. This is the first on-the-record comment from ICE confirming the extent of the agency\'s deportations. Since late April, CEPR …

C. J. Hopkins (2020-05-21). Brave New Normal (Part 2). dissidentvoice.org My columns haven\'t been very funny recently. This one isn\'t going to be any funnier. Sorry. Fascism makes me cranky. I don\'t mean the kind of fascism the corporate media and the fake Resistance have been desperately hyping for the last four years. God help me, but I\'m not terribly worried about a few hundred …

Dr. Pascal Sacré (2020-05-21). The WHO and the EU Want a Covid Vaccine for the Entire Planet, What About Water and Food… globalresearch.ca COVID-19: 324,990 deaths recorded worldwide … | Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, has launched a Global Telethon to speed up the delivery of a corona vaccine for all. | Deaths attributable to lack of access to water …

Project Censored (2020-05-21). Zooming Past Equity in Higher Education: Technocratic Pedagogy Fails Social Justice Test. projectcensored.org By Nolan Higdon and Mickey Huff The response to COVID-19 by governing institutions has altered the lives and practices of people across the nation, including the students, faculty, and staff…

Nadia Bazuk (2020-05-21). Politics and Religion: Why Is Constantinople Reluctant to Resolve the Conflict Between the Antioch and Jerusalem Patriarchates? globalresearch.ca The world is slowly beginning to return to a normal way of life. Shops, cafes, restaurants, and government offices are opening. Church life is also returning to its usual course. It would seem that the pause and problems caused by …

Fight Back (2020-05-21). California Gov. Newsom calls for 10% state worker pay cuts. fightbacknews.org San José, CA – On May 14, Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom laid out his plan to deal with a projected $54 billion budget deficit for the state of California. Included in the plan was to save almost $3 billion by cutting state workers\' pay by 10%. | Eleven years ago, California state workers were furloughed for one to two days a month as part of the effort to cut spending after a large budget deficit developed with the deep recession and financial crisis. While the unions tried to fight this, the courts ultimately sided with the state government. The furloughs continued for five years, even though the recession ende…

Global Research News (2020-05-21). Selected Articles: Warmongering Amid COVID-19. globalresearch.ca To say that the public has become disillusioned and wary of constant doomsday media reports and news coverage is a gross understatement — people see their world changing and they want to understand what is happening, and why. They want …

Sputnik News (2020-05-21). Venezuelan Military to Escort Iranian Tankers Delivering Fuel — Defense Minister. iranian.com Venezuela\'s military will escort Iranian tankers delivering fuel to the country when they enter Venezuela\'s exclusive economic zone, the country\'s Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino revealed Wednesday. In a state television interview, Padrino said the escort would \"welcome them in and thank the Iranian people for their solidarity and cooperation,\" Reuters reported. Padrino also said that …

Tehran Times (2020-05-21). Iran\'s population growth drops to less than 1% for first time. iranian.com The country\'s population growth rate has decreased to less than one percent for the first time over the past four decades, Seyed Hamed Barakati, deputy health minister for family and school population has said. The marriage rate in the country has dropped by 40 percent since 10 years ago, which is an alarm that threatens …

graham (2020-05-21). Indoor pollution — Another slow-burning scandal. truepublica.org.uk By George Monbiot: Everything gets buried by something (Brexit and Covid-19)— that, after all, is the point. It\'s the great disrupter and the great distractor. Under the cover of chaos, essential public protections are destroyed. Take the scandal that should be creating headlines everywhere: the toxic flame retardants now penetrating the lives of everyone in …

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-21). A Vaccine Might Mitigate COVID-19, but What About the Plague in Its Wake That\'s Not Novel and Is Spreading. strategic-culture.org RAIN | \"Nobody\'s seen this I would say since 1917, which was the greatest of them all, the greatest of this kind of battle,\" the self-dubbed \"wartime president\" said. It\'s reassuring, no doubt, to a grateful nation on course to lose over 100,000 of its citizens to COVID-19 by month\'s end, to know that their health and wellbeing is the hands of a \"wartime president\" who once stated that avoiding STDs was the equivalent of the tour of duty he never did in

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-21). Who Is \'Essential\' to Our COVID-19 World. strategic-culture.org A Military Spouse\'s Perspective on Fighting This Pandemic | Andrea MAZZARINO | \"When he first came home, it was tough.\" So

The Canary (2020-05-21). Police urged to review over 14,000 coronavirus fines after review reveals an \'outbreak of injustice\'. thecanary.co Civil liberties groups and lawyers are calling for a review of more than 14,000 police fines for alleged breaches of coronavirus (Covid-19) lockdown rules over fears some have been \"wrongly issued\". | Police chiefs and prosecutors last week apologised after admitting that dozens of people have been wrongly charged under new coronavirus laws. | It followed a Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) review of all 231 prosecutions under the legislation in England and Wales to the end of April, which have either been stopped or ended in a conviction. | All 44 charges brought under the Coronavirus Act — which allows offi…

imperial.ac.uk (2020-05-21). Potential US COVID-19 resurgence modelled as lockdowns ease. imperial.ac.uk Increased mobility in the United States as lockdown measures lift could result in a surge of coronavirus infections and deaths.

imperial.ac.uk (2020-05-21). Imperial\'s international networks of scientists tackling coronavirus pandemic. imperial.ac.uk Imperial\'s work to lead the response to the coronavirus pandemic has brought together some of the world\'s best scientists and institutions.

imperial.ac.uk (2020-05-21). World can likely capture and store enough carbon dioxide to meet climate targets. imperial.ac.uk The world is currently on track to fulfil scenarios on diverting atmospheric CO2 to underground reservoirs, according to a new study by Imperial.

Walensky RP, del Rio C. (2020-05-19). From Mitigation to Containment of the COVID-19 Pandemic. jamanetwork.com This Viewpoint discusses public health strategies necessary for the US to relax its mitigation strategies—most notably expanded testing, isolation, and contact-tracing in ways that avoid stigmatization of vulnerable populations—and proposes investing returns from a reopened economy to finance testing and public health infrastructure.

Dehority W. (2020-05-19). Infectious Disease Outbreaks, Pandemics, and Hollywood—Hope and Fear Across a Century of Cinema. jamanetwork.com This Arts and Medicine feature tallies the appearance of infectious disease outbreaks in cinema since 1914, and identifies common themes, such as stigmatization and physician heroism, that characterize the films.

jamanetwork (2020-05-19). The Bubonic Plague in San Francisco. jamanetwork.com We have always regarded the plague as something very distant and impossible, and have read of its ravages in India and China with much the same feeling of composure and security that we read about an uprising of the natives in Madagascar. Or perhaps we have considered it as a matter of historic interest on account of the fearful epidemics which in pre-sanitary days used to sweep over Europe, devastating countries and hardly leaving enough people behind to keep up the archives and records of the state. Even now that it is among us, and in America for the first time, there seems to be a tendency to underrate its im…

Kuehn BM. (2020-05-19). Studies Explore HIV Treatment and Prevention in Pregnant Women. jamanetwork.com Taking dolutegravir along with a single pill containing emtricitabine (FTC) and tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF) is the safest, most effective option for pregnant women with HIV and their infants, according to a large international study presented recently at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI).

Paul Kawika Martin (2020-05-12). Action Alert: Call Your Rep to Cut Pentagon Spending. peaceaction.org ‚òéÔ∏èüó£Call your Reps. to ‚úÇ Pentagon spending Over the last few weeks, we\'ve alerted you that the Pentagon is trying to direct funds for COVID-19 relief into its own bloated coffers. In the last three years alone — during a time of relative peace — we have already increased annual Pentagon spending by more than …

Jeff Jurgens (2020-05-07). Once Again Trump Scoffs Congressional War Powers with Republican Help. peaceaction.org Once Again Trump Scoffs Congressional War Powers with Republican Help Washington, D.C. — May 7, 2020 — In response to the veto by President Trump yesterday of a bill (S.J.Res.68) to reclaim congressional war powers in regards to Iran and the anticipated failure today of the Senate override vote, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for …

Jeff Jurgens (2020-05-06). U.S. Reverses Policy On Use of Landmines. peaceaction.org On May 6, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) headed a congressional oversight letter with 107 other members of Congress to Secretary of Defense Mark Esper expressing disappointment to the Trump Administration\'s reversal of the policy limiting the use of antipersonnel landmines to the defense of South Korea, and seeking answers to …

Jeff Jurgens (2020-04-30). Take Action: Keep COVID Stimulus $$ Away From the Pentagon. peaceaction.org Congress is putting together additional and much needed stimulus packages in response to COVID-19. That\'s the good news. The bad news is that the Pentagon is trying to weasel billions of dollars out of these stimulus bills! All just to keep the mega-profits rolling for weapons dealers and the military-industrial complex. As people here at …

Jeff Jurgens (2020-04-30). U.S. Organizations React to Global Military Spending Report. peaceaction.org Joint Statement: U.S. organizations react to global military spending report April 27, 2020 Our diverse group of 39 think-tanks, non-profits, faith-based organizations, and advocacy groups based in the United States find the exorbitant amount of money spent on militaries worldwide to be an irresponsible and harmful use of global wealth. The Global Military Expenditures Report …

Jon Rainwater (2020-04-23). A Myriad of Ways to Wage Peace During These Times. peaceaction.org As we shelter in our homes to protect ourselves from this global pandemic, we wanted to share some of the many ways you can remain active and impactful in the work for a more peaceful world. Peace Action has long been a leader in organizing international conferences, marches, and rallies around the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty …

Jeff Jurgens (2020-04-15). Peace During Pandemic — Support the Global Ceasefire. peaceaction.org \"The fury of the virus illustrates the folly of war.\" That\'s is what United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres exclaimed as he delivered an appeal to warring parties around the world to lay down arms in a global ceasefire. The United States, which is currently engaged in war hostilities on nearly every continent of the world, …

Lilly Dragnev (2020-03-20). Peace Action Supports Wyden-Klobuchar Bill to Protect Democracy and Ensure Safe Elections. peaceaction.org Statement of Jon Rainwater, Executive Director, Peace Action, on the introduction of the Natural Disaster and Emergency Ballot Act (NDEBA) by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). This bill would help ensure that elections can take place in a safe and secure way throughout the pandemic and beyond. March 19, 2020 Peace Action …

Lilly Dragnev (2020-03-13). Latest U.S. Military Strikes Are as Reckless as they are Cruel. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — March 12, 2020 — In response to reports that the U.S. has carried out five airstrikes on Iranian-backed militia sites in Iraq, Jon Rainwater, Executive Director of Peace Action, released the following statement: \"At a time of one of the greatest global challenges of our lifetimes, it is shocking that the Trump …

Paul Kawika Martin (2020-03-11). Congress Sends Bipartisan Bill to Trump Rebuking Iran War. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — March 11, 2020 — In response to the House passing the bipartisan bill — S.J.Res.68 — that would thwart President Trump from going to war with Iran and end any current hostilities, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: \"Both chambers and …