RT (2020-05-14). \'Unlawful & invalid\': Wisconsin Supreme Court strikes down state\'s stay-at-home order. rt.com Measures purportedly enacted to stop the spread of coronavirus in Wisconsin have been overturned by the state\'s Supreme Court, which ruled that the orders violate the law and cannot be enforced. | The state\'s highest court issued a 4-3 ruling describing the restrictions as \"unlawful, invalid, and unenforceable.\" The decision comes after Republican lawmakers sued Department of Health Services Secretary-designee Andrea Palm, after she unilaterally extended the state\'s \"Safer at Home\" emergency order in mid-April. The measures were first implemented in March and were set to expire on May 26. | Wisconsin has alrea…

Adriaan Alsema (2020-05-14). Despite pandemic, Colombia\'s public hospitals still granted to politicians\' buddies. colombiareports.com While Colombia\'s Supreme Court is investigating at least 11 governors for corruption with coronavirus emergency funds, at least nine public hospitals fell in the hands of friends and allies of…

Sue Davis (2020-05-14). Trump v. birth control case heard by Supreme Court. workers.org A March 2016 demonstration in support of birth control coverage in the Affordable Care Act in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, Washington, D.C. Health care is the most pressing issue in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. So it\'s in keeping with the Trump administration\'s overall right-wing agenda to . . . |

Ruth Conniff (2020-05-14). Hell No, You Can\'t be Safer at Home. progressive.org Wisconsin Supreme Court, in act of \'blatant . . . judicial activism,\' strikes down state rules meant to curb spread of COVID-19.

Prof. Marjorie Cohn (2020-05-14). Don\'t Expect to See Trump\'s Tax Returns Before the Election. globalresearch.ca Donald Trump claims that while he is president, his pre-presidency financial records can\'t be subpoenaed and he can\'t even be investigated for criminal conduct. The Supreme Court will decide by the end of June whether Trump is indeed beyond the …

Caitlin Johnstone (2020-05-14). Why \"Obamagate\" Will Never Lead To Anything Of Significance. thealtworld.com thrust into mainstream attention by the concerted efforts of Trump and his surrogates after new details on the early days of the Trump-Russia collusion investigation emerged. These details include Obama officials (including Joe Biden) requesting the

Staff (2020-05-14). When Patients Die Alone, How Do Families and Health Workers Cope, Relieve Suffering? democracynow.org We look at the tremendous emotional toll the coronavirus is taking on families when loved ones are forced to battle COVID alone in hospitals or at home, with Dr. Diane Meier, director of the Center to Advance Palliative Care and a professor of geriatrics and palliative medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She helped start a 24-hour palliative care hotline for COVID-19 patients in New York City that served nearly 900 people in a four-week period.

Staff (2020-05-14). Headlines for May 14, 2020. democracynow.org World Health Organization Says Novel Coronavirus \"May Never Go Away\", Whistleblower Warns U.S. Faces \"Darkest Winter\" Without Urgent Action on COVID-19, Trump Calls Dr. Anthony Fauci\'s Warning on COVID-19 and Schools \"Not an Acceptable Answer\", Wisconsin Stay-at-Home Orders Struck Down, Threatening New Wave of COVID-19 Deaths, Fed Reserve Chair Warns of Long Recession as Unemployment Claims Hit 36 Million, Trump Calls Democrats\' Coronavirus Relief Bill \"Dead on Arrival\", Native Americans Make Up Half of New Mexico Coronavirus Deaths; New Orleans Sanitation Workers Strike, China to Test 11 Million Wuhan Residents…

Staff (2020-05-14). Coronavirus Pandemic Prompts Global Mental Health Crisis as Millions Feel Alone, Anxious & Depressed. democracynow.org Is the coronavirus pandemic generating a mental illness crisis? Millions face isolation, poverty and anxiety. We speak with psychology professor and author Andrew Solomon, as the United Nations calls on governments to put mental health \"front and center\" in their response to the crisis.

Editor (2020-05-14). Exigencias socialistas para la crisis del COVID-19. workers.org A medida que la pandemia de COVID-19 continúa extendiéndose, la respuesta del gobierno a la crisis ha sido criminalmente negligente, mientras que los capitalistas prefieren arriesgar la salud de los trabajadores que detener la producción con fines de lucro. A medida que la clase dominante se muestra incapaz de abordar . . . |

Jesse Jackson (2020-05-14). Our Continuing Terror: the Murder of Ahmaud Arbery. counterpunch.org Today there is a national outcry about the murder of Ahmaud Arbery. The public condemnation has forced a belated response. Those accused of his murder finally have been arrested. His murder has become a global embarrassment for whites. For blacks, however, it is another humiliation, a continuing terror. It is the normal silence, however, that condemns

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-05-14). EU Offers West Balkans ‚Ǩ3.3 Billion as Forgiveness for Coronavirus Snub. globalresearch.ca The European Union promised ‚Ǩ3.3 billion to the West Balkan countries and provinces of Serbia, Montenegro Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro and North Macedonia. In return, the European Union is demanding loyalty and renunciation of close ties with Moscow and Beijing. …

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-05-14). Obamagate Shows Biden Is Inadequate in Challenging Trump. globalresearch.ca Former U.S. President Barack Obama is coming under increasing pressure, led by what President Donald Trump is calling \"Obamagate.\" This comes as Mexico has requested to finally clarify the affair with the secret sale of American weapons to Mexican drug …

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-05-14). Will Turkey Contract Its Militarism Because of Its Economic Problems? globalresearch.ca A report by

Andrew Korybko (2020-05-14). India Is Intensifying Its U.S. Backed Hybrid War on China. globalresearch.ca Whether it\'s India\'s latest clashes with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), its selective embrace of \"economic nationalism\" to \"poach\" foreign companies from the People\'s Republic, or its forthcoming leadership of the World Health Assembly (WHA) where it …

Raul Diego (2020-05-14). Massachusetts Contact Tracing Program Handed to Clinton-Linked NGO with Questionable Past. mintpressnews.com A new contact tracing program was recently unveiled in Massachusetts in partnership with Partners in Health, an NGO with links to US regime change operations, big pharma and the Clinton Foundation.

Francisco Dominguez (2020-05-14). US Imperialism\'s Decomposition Accelerates: Outsourcing \'Regime Change\'. Mercenary Incursions into Venezuela. globalresearch.ca On May 3rd a bunch of mercenaries, led by Rambo-like US soldiers of fortune attempted to disembark on the coastal town of Macuto in the La Guaira state in Venezuela\'s Caribbean coast, in a so-called Operation Gedeon. | Their leader, \'contractor\' …

en.mehrnews (2020-05-14). Iran names Palestine most significant issue in Muslim World. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 14 (MNA) — Iran\'s Foreign Ministry has released a statement on the occasion of the Nakba Day, which marks the anniversary of the establishment of the illegitimate Zionist regime of Israel, naming Palestine the most important issue in the Muslim world.

RT (2020-05-14). WHO warns Covid-19 may \'never go away\' as Trump clashes with Fauci over US reopening. rt.com US President Donald Trump has pushed for reopening schools, against the advice of his chief epidemiologist. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization has warned that the coronavirus may become endemic and never really disappear. | After meeting with governors of Colorado and North Dakota in the White House on Wednesday, Trump said he won\'t consider any state fully open until the schools are back up and running. | \"I think you should absolutely open the schools. Our country has got to get back and it\'s got to get back as soon as possible, and I don\'t consider our country coming back if the schools are closed,\" T…

The Canary (2020-05-14). More than £30,000 raised for family of rail worker who died after being spat at. thecanary.co A fundraising campaign for the family of a rail worker who died with coronavirus after being spat at on a station concourse has topped £30,000 as her union issued demands over staff safety.The gofundme initiative has received more than 1,700 individual donations following the shocked reaction to the death of Belly Mujinga.British Transport Police has launched an investigation after Mujinga died a fortnight after the incident at London\'s Victoria station.(Gofundme/PA)The Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) said many of its members were now fearful for their safety.Officials contacted Mujinga\'s emplo…

Mark Gruenberg (2020-05-14). Transit union leaders, system heads seek further aid. peoplesworld.org NEW YORK—Saying U.S. mass transit systems are essential both to move \"essential\" workers to jobs now, and to economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and its subsequent forced closures, transit union leaders and top transit managers seek $32 billion-$33 billion to keep the buses, subways and commuter railroads going through the end of 2021. House …

RT (2020-05-14). Russia fills coffers with gold & adds $2.5 billion to forex reserves during coronavirus peak. rt.com Russian gold and foreign currency holdings have hit $566 billion as of May 1, according to the latest data released by the country\'s central bank. International funds grew by $2.53 billion, or 0.4 percent, last month. | The regulator said that currency holdings decreased by 0.8 percent in April, to $440 billion. At the same time, the value of monetary gold rose by 5.2 percent, amounting to over $126 billion. | The state\'s international reserves are highly liquid foreign assets comprising stocks of monetary gold, foreign currencies and Special Drawing Right (SDR) assets, which are at the disposal of the Central…

RT (2020-05-14). China\'s politburo: Task to prevent rebound in local coronavirus cases \'remains arduous\'. rt.com China\'s task to prevent rebound in local coronavirus cases remains arduous, the Communist Party\'s politburo said on Thursday. | The government should step up targeted prevention and control measures for clusters coronavirus cases in northeastern Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces, a state television report said, citing the politburo meeting chaired by President Xi Jinping. | China will also take more flexible measures to prevent imported coronavirus cases, the statement added. | The country will step up Covid-19 testing and screening to prevent a rebound of the coronavirus epidemic, the National Health Commissio…

RT (2020-05-14). Beijing signals harsh counter-sanctions for US lawmakers & STATES targeting China over Covid-19 outbreak. rt.com China will not submit to US lawsuits and legislation aimed at blaming Beijing for the coronavirus crisis, state media has warned, suggesting that counter-sanctions against officials and entire states are already in the works. | Numerous members of Congress and other officials will be put onto China\'s sanctions list for their involvement in efforts to demonize China for its alleged responsibility for the pandemic, the Global Times The \"painful\" countermeasures will likely target Senator John Haw…

RT (2020-05-14). \'Don\'t give 2 rats\' a**es about your cops\': NYC police unions call on health commissioner to resign after refusal to provide masks. rt.com Unions representing New York City police officers have demanded the dismissal of the city\'s health commissioner after she scoffed at a request to provide the force with surgical masks amid the coronavirus pandemic. | Dr. Oxiris Barbot refused to provide the city\'s police with 500,000 masks as Covid-19 began to spread in March, telling a high-ranking law enforcement official, NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan: \"I don\'t give two rats\' asses about your cops.\" The conversation, first reported by the New York Post, was confirmed to the media by the NYC Health Department. Barbot has since apologized to Monaha…

RT (2020-05-14). Japan\'s plan to end emergency for 39 prefectures accepted by experts — minister. rt.com A panel of experts has accepted the Japanese government\'s plan to end the state of emergency for 39 prefectures, Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said on Thursday. The 39 prefectures in which the emergency is expected to be lifted account for 54 percent of Japan\'s population. | Japan was expected to lift the state of emergency across a large part of the country on Thursday but the capital, Tokyo is likely to remain under restrictions until there is a convincing containment of the coronavirus. | The world\'s third-largest economy declared a nationwide state of emergency a month ago, urging citizens to reduce…

RT (2020-05-14). Japan lifts coronavirus-related state of emergency in most regions, Tokyo not included. rt.com Most of Japan\'s prefectures, except Tokyo and seven others, will be lifting emergency restrictions imposed to battle the novel coronavirus outbreak, effective Thursday. | The decision comes as the number of new cases of infection has consistently fallen in 39 provinces, prompting Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to say that the pandemic is \"currently not spreading widely.\" The regions mentioned account for 54 percent of Japan\'s total population. | Also on rt.com | | Japan declar…

RT (2020-05-14). More than 70 servicemen who helped to tackle coronavirus in Italy return to Russia. rt.com Il-76 planes belonging to the Russian Aerospace Forces have brought home more than 70 Russian servicemen who helped to tackle the novel coronavirus outbreak in Italy, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Thursday. \"Starting from May 8, more than 70 servicemen and 19 pieces of special-purpose military equipment, have been brought from… the Verona Villafranca Airport,\" it said. | A total of 10 Russian planes have already arrived from Verona. From March 22 to May 7, Russian specialists working with Italian military personnel fully disinfected care homes for elderly people and other facilities in around 100 comm…

The Canary (2020-05-14). Strong typhoon slams into pandemic-hit Philippines, making social distancing \'almost impossible\'. thecanary.co A strong typhoon has hit the Philippines after authorities evacuated tens of thousands of people while trying to avoid the coronavirus (Covid-19) risks of overcrowding emergency shelters.The first typhoon to hit the country this year rapidly gained force as it blew from the Pacific then barged ashore in San Policarpio town in Eastern Samar province around noon local time, weather agency administrator Vicente Malano said.The typhoon came as the Philippines is trying to fight Covid-19 outbreaks largely by locking Filipinos in their homes and prohibiting gatherings that can set off infections. More than 11,600 infec…

RT (2020-05-14). Bitcoin could \'easily\' reach $10 TRILLION market cap, similar to that of gold — investment strategist on RT\'s Keiser Report. rt.com Billionaire investor Paul Tudor Jones said recently he was betting on bitcoin as the best hedge against inflation in the age of coronavirus. The cryptocurrency reminds him of gold in the 1970s, he added. | RT\'s Max Keiser spoke to Raoul Pal of Global Macro Investor and Real Vision Group about those statements and whether or not they will spur interest from the larger hedge fund investors. They discussed gold\'s current market capitalization, which is around $9 trillion, while bitcoin\'s market cap sits at $117.8 billion. | Talking about bitcoin\'s valuation over time, Raoul said: \"If it becomes an eco-system, and…

David Ruccio (2020-05-14). The jungle—pandemic edition. mronline.org Like nursing homes, the U.S. meatpacking industry has become one of the hotspots of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

RT (2020-05-14). Global energy demand will collapse again if coronavirus makes a comeback, IEA warns. rt.com A Second wave of Covid-19 cases is a major risk for the energy market, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned. The agency raised its outlook for oil demand, which will still see a record drop this year. | In its key monthly report published on Thursday, the Paris-based energy watchdog said it expects global oil demand to fall by 8.6 million barrels per day (bpd). That\'s around 700,000 bpd more than the IEA said in its previous report. | \"Major uncertainties remain. The biggest is whether governments can ease the lockdown measures without sparking a resurgence of Covid-19 outbreaks,\" the report said.

The Canary (2020-05-14). Health leaders say it will take months for NHS services to fully resume. thecanary.co It will be months before the NHS is able to fully restart services in the face of coronavirus (Covid-19), health leaders say. | Experts from the Health Foundation, the King\'s Fund and the Nuffield Trust will tell MPs on 14 May of the significant challenges facing the health service as it tries to create a \"new normal\". | It comes as NHS waiting list data is due to be published which is expected to show the number of people waiting for treatment has swollen during the pandemic. | The waiting list for planned treatment stood at around 4.4 million before the coronavirus outbreak but is now expected to be much higher…

RT (2020-05-14). Hungary\'s govt could end emergency powers in late June, ease curbs in Budapest next week. rt.com Hungary\'s government could end emergency powers obtained to fight the coronavirus pandemic in late June, Prime Minister Viktor Orban\'s chief of staff said on Thursday. The move will depend on the evolution of the pandemic, Gergely Gulyas added. | The government is considering an easing of restrictions in Budapest from next week due to a decline in infections, the official told an online press briefing. | The easing measures, which Gulyas did not specify, would take effect from Monday after discussions with the mayor of Budapest. Hotels outside the capital would be allowed to reopen from next week, Reuters quot…

RT (2020-05-14). Russian aviation industry gets government lifeline to stay afloat during pandemic-related flight restrictions. rt.com The Russian government has allocated 23.4 billion rubles ($316 million) to support domestic airlines, which are suffering tremendous losses as a result of coronavirus-related restrictions. | The subsidies were unveiled on the government website early Thursday following Russian President Vladimir Putin\'s call to support the troubled sector. | According to the document, air carriers will have to use at least 60 percent of the funds on wages for their employees. The rest can be spent on leasing payments (30 percent at most), payments for aircraft parking, as well as other operating activities. The companies will…

RT (2020-05-14). Philippines evacuates 200,000 people as Typhoon Vongfong makes landfall. rt.com Authorities in Philippines started moving 200,000 people away from their homes in coastal and mountainous areas because of fears of flooding and landslides as Typhoon Vongfong made landfall on Thursday. | The typhoon, the first to hit the country this year, slammed into the eastern Philippines packing winds of 155kph and gusts of up to 190kph, according to the state weather bureau. | Social distancing measures to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus are likely to complicate efforts to move thousands of people into evacuation centers, such as classrooms and school gymnasiums. | The Philippines has reported…

Adriaan Alsema (2020-05-14). Unless Duque changes course, Colombia could be heading for collapse. colombiareports.com It took the 1918 Spanish Flu less than a month to collapse Bogota. A lockdown prevented the immediate collapse of Colombia by the coronavirus in March, but not indefinitely. President…

Mirinda Crissman (2020-05-14). U.S. global prison model: white supremacy on display. workers.org The United States has institutionalized white supremacist violence at home and abroad through its use of police and prisons. This does not come as revelation, but as a call to action. Whether we examine photographs coming out of El Salvador\'s prisons, or surveillance software used by U.S. police and Immigration . . . |

A. Majumdar (2020-05-14). PDF download of May 14 issue. workers.org Download entire 12-page PDF here. Justice for Ahmaud Arbery. Kent State and Jackson State. Also: COVID‚Äë19: capitalism\'s end stage; workers resist. Editorial: Changing narrative in Michigan. World: China, Vietnam, Haiti, Ecuador. Tear down prisons: victory in PA; San Quentin caravan; No cages for migrants; Global prisons & white supremacy; Solidarity . . . |

RT (2020-05-14). British journo branded \'vile\' after saying teachers should \'step up\' & show \'same bravery\' as health workers amid Covid-19 crisis. rt.com British journalist Isabel Oakeshott has provoked a fiery backlash after claiming teachers must \"step up\" and show the \"same bravery\" as health workers by returning to school to educate kids as Covid-19 lockdown measures are eased. | Oakeshott — who famously co-authored \'Call Me Dave\', the unauthorised biography of former British PM David Cameron — took to Twitter on Thursday. She urged teachers who may take part in the weekly \'clap for our carers\' to return to their schools as \"millions of children\" need them, claiming: \"The risk in schools is nothing like the risk in hospitals.\" | Tonight thousands…

RT (2020-05-14). How dare you… use CHINESE drones!? US lawmakers \'grill\' feds over spying on lockdown-violating Americans. rt.com A group of House Republicans has called on federal agencies to shed light on drones used by police across the country to surveil and enforce Covid-19 lockdowns, arguing that Chinese devices could compromise \"sensitive US data.\" | The 14 GOP representatives, all on the House Judiciary Committee, penned

David Cavendish (2020-05-14). Turning point: What will be the post-pandemic \'new normal\'? peoplesworld.org Historians have long discussed the concept of \"turning points\" in history—that is a moment when things change in a significant way from what they had been. Over the centuries, scholars have described periods of human development and assigned dates for their beginning and end. Therefore, dates such as 1492, 1776, 1865, 1877, 1929, and 1945 have …

David Ruccio (2020-05-14). Reserve army—pandemic edition. mronline.org In particular, the existence of a reserve army serves to discipline labor, keeping its wage demands in check, since employed workers are forced to compete with unemployed and underemployed workers for the available jobs.

RT (2020-05-14). Beijing opposes \'US slander\' after it says \'China-linked hackers breaking into Covid-19 research\'. rt.com China\'s Foreign Ministry, asked about alleged China-linked hackers breaking into US Covid-19 research, said Beijing opposed what it called slander from the US. | Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian added on Thursday that any action online to sabotage efforts against the disease should be condemned. | In a joint statement on Wednesday, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security said China-linked hackers are breaking into US organizations carrying out such research. | The FBI is investigating digital break-ins at US organizations by China-linked \'cyber actors\' that it had monitored \"a…

RT (2020-05-14). Your money, your right? France disputes PRIVILEGED ACCESS to Covid-19 vaccine for US. rt.com Pharmaceutical giant Sanofi should not give the US first access to its Covid-19 vaccine, Secretary of State for Economy Agnes Pannier-Runacher has said, urging that the firm make the treatment available to all countries. | Headquartered in Paris, Sanofi received funding from the US government to develop a vaccine for Covid-19. As a result, the United States has \"the right to the largest pre-order because it\'s invested in taking the risk,\" the company\'s CEO, Paul Hudson, told Bloomberg News. | The French government has disputed this line of reasoning, insisting that no nation should be given priority once the v…

RT (2020-05-14). Global investments pour into China as Covid-19 turmoil grips financial markets. rt.com China has seen more capital flow into its stock markets as a result of market dislocations caused by the Covid-19 crisis. According to some strategists, this is part of a longer-term trend. | Allocation to Chinese stocks among more than 800 global funds reached nearly a quarter of their almost $2 trillion in assets under management, according to data from EPFR, a company which provides fund flow and asset allocation information to financial institutions around the world. That\'s up from about 20 percent a year ago. | The data covers funds that break down holdings into nine categories of stocks listed in mainlan…

RT (2020-05-14). It will \'take months for EU travel to return to normal,\' says Irish PM Varadkar. rt.com It will be a matter of months, not weeks, before Covid-19 restrictions are lifted and travel around the European Union returns to normal, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said on Thursday. | Ireland is part of a Common Travel Area with the United Kingdom but is not a member of the European Union\'s Schengen free travel area. The country is considering strengthening public health requirements for visitors from abroad, Varadkar told parliament. | \"While it is our policy to resume normal travel for business, leisure, study and visits to friends and relatives (around the EU) as soon as it is safe to do so… it wi…

RT (2020-05-14). FBI serves search warrant, seizes Sen. Richard Burr's phone amid probe into insider trading before Covid-19 market crash — reports. rt.com Federal agents have seized the private cell phone of Republican Senator Richard Burr, reportedly serving him with a search warrant amid a Justice Department probe into suspicious stock trades he made soon after Covid-19 hit the US | The North Carolina senator was presented with the warrant at his Washington-area residence on Wednesday night, the LA Times The move comes as the DOJ intensifies…

Liberation Staff (2020-05-14). Bay Area car caravan: Stop state executions by COVID-19! liberationnews.org More than 80 cars drove around San Quentin prison in Marin County, California on Sat. May .

RT (2020-05-14). DOZENS of babies born to Ukrainian surrogate mothers left stranded in Kiev hotel due to Covid-19. rt.com It has emerged that nearly 50 infants waiting to be delivered to their foreign would-be parents are stuck in Ukraine\'s capital due to border closures, adding to worries about the country becoming a supplier of surrogate babies. | The news, broken by a handful of local media outlets, revolves around a video appeal issued by Biotexcom, which describes itself as a \"center for human reproduction.\" It shows 46 newborn babies lying in their cradles at a hotel called \'Venice\' or being taken care of by the clinical staff. | Foster parents, the clinic lamented, \"do not have the opportunity to pick up their newborns\" as…

Erik Edstrom (2020-05-14). Celebrated to Death: the Betrayal of the American Soldier. counterpunch.org \"Every day is a copy of a copy of a copy.\" That meme, from the moment when Edward Norton\'s character in Fight Club offers a 1,000-yard stare at an office copy machine, captures this moment perfectly — at least for those of us removed from the front lines of the Covid-19 crisis. Isolated inside a

RT (2020-05-14). Investigation opened after photos of HITLER & HIMMLER uploaded to Russian online WWII victory celebration. rt.com Russia\'s Investigative Committee has initiated a criminal case after pictures of Adolf Hitler and Heinrich Himmler were found on the website Immortal Regiment Online, celebrating Soviet veterans of World War II. | Every May 9, Russia celebrates the triumph over Nazism in the Second World War with fireworks, ceremonies, and parties. Another tradition, introduced in 2012, is the

RT (2020-05-14). Fearsome storm ravages Siberian city, ripping roofs from buildings, tossing cars down street (VIDEOS). rt.com A powerful storm has battered the Siberian city of Chita, raining roof tiles and lumber down upon the city streets while tossing cars and mobile garages alike down the road with terrifying ease. At least three people were injured. | The Ministry of Emergency Situations reported that winds of between 25 and 30 meters per second upended trees and crushed multiple vehicles with a barrage of flying debris, with the tempest eventually causing a citywide power outage. | Eyewitness footage shows the sheer ferocity of the wind as beleaguered residents sought shelter wherever they could. | Thankfully no-one was c…

RT (2020-05-14). Gunpoint diplomacy: US to \'snap back' all UN sanctions on Iran if expiring arms embargo isn\'t renewed. rt.com Two years after spectacularly exiting the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, the US has threatened to trigger a return of all UN sanctions — once lifted under those accords — if it doesn\'t renew an arms embargo set to expire in October.

Ian Angus (2020-05-14). 3.5 billion people may face \'unlivable\' heat in 50 years. mronline.org Every degree of global warming will push a billion people out of the human survival zone.

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-14). Why Xi Won\'t Repeat Ming Dynasty Mistakes. strategic-culture.org China has learned from its own rich history and is applying those lessons to re-emerge as a major 21st century power | Pepe ESCOBAR | With hybrid warfare 2.0 against China reaching fever pitch, the New Silk Roads, or Belt and Road Initiative, will continue to be demonized 24/7 as the proverbial evil communist plot for economic and geopolitical domination of the \"free\" world, boosted by a sinister disinformation campaign. | It\'s idle to discuss with simpletons. In the interest of an informed debate, what matters is to find the deeper roots of Beijing\'s strategy — what the Chinese learned from their own rich…

Olujimi Alade (2020-05-14). You have to experience everything. workers.org My life today is completely different than it was four years ago: I am a college graduate and now a member of the workforce — although that could change. Sitting here in the early months of 2020, it is clear to see that we are headed toward a crisis that . . . |

Saul Foster (2020-05-14). The 1930s and now: Looking back to move forward. mronline.org While there are great differences between the crises and political movements and possibilities of the 1930s and now, there are also important lessons that can be learned from the efforts of activists to build mass movements for social transformation during the Great Depression. My aim in this paper is to illuminate the challenges faced and …

RT (2020-05-14). US sails guided-missile destroyer near Taiwan, a week before presidential inauguration. rt.com The US Navy said on Thursday it had sailed a guided-missile destroyer through the sensitive Taiwan Strait, a week before Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen is inaugurated for a second term in office. | The US Pacific Fleet said in a statement on its Facebook page that the USS McCampbell had traversed the narrow strait that separates Taiwan from mainland China on Wednesday. Taiwan\'s defense ministry said the ship had sailed south on what it termed an \"ordinary mission,\" Reuters reports. | In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said China \"paid close attention\" to the passage of the US ship. \"We hope t…

Makasi Motema (2020-05-14). Working class democracy and centralism. workers.org Painting shows V. I. Lenin speaking to soldiers and civilians. We are taught in school that the United States is a democracy, but this claim is completely divorced from the reality of class struggle. The wealthy ruling class, which owns the greater proportion of our economy through the stock market . . . |

Adriaan Alsema (2020-05-14). US further complicates prospects for peace in Colombia. colombiareports.com The United States government further complicated the future of peace in Colombia on Wednesday, adding Cuba to its list of non-cooperative countries in counter-terrorism efforts for not extraditing ELN peace…

Michael Molitch-Hou (2020-05-14). Paramilitary Panda: WWF Land Grabs Rooted in Covert Apartheid History. indybay.org According to a BuzzFeed News series, the WWF has been tied to paramilitary violence in third world countries. What they completely ignored was that the WWF was previously involved in the murder of 6,000 anti-apartheid activists in South Africa a part of an \"anti-poaching\" mission in the 1980s. All evidence seems to suggest that the WWF was used as cover for an MI6 operation on behalf of powerful business interests in South Africa.

teleSUR (2020-05-14). El Salvador: Pot-Banging Against Bukele\'s Pandemic Management. telesurenglish.net In San Salvador city\'s upper-class neighborhoods, residents banged pans and honked car horns on Wednesday to protest against RELATED: | Through social networks, citizens called to protest against the situation of people confined in containment centers, the arrests of t…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-05-14). Slovenian Left protests amendments to Nature Conservation Act. peoplesdispatch.org The amendments proposed by the Slovenian government make it more difficult for organizations to attain the status of a nature conservation organization in public interest. This is believed to be a step towards the sale of the country\'s resources…

en.mehrnews (2020-05-14). Brian Hook threatens to trigger return of UN sanctions on Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 14 (MNA) — In line with Washington\'s hawkish policies, US special envoy for Iran, Brian Hook, has publicly threatened to trigger a return of all United Nations sanctions on the Islamic Republic if the UN Security Council does not extend an arms embargo on Tehran that is due to expire in October under the 2015 nuclear deal.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-14). Number of Covid-19 confirmed Cases in world surpasses 4.43mn. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 14 (MNA) — On Thursday, the global death toll from the coronavirus pandemic reached 298,180, while 4,430,123 cases of the infection have been detected.

imperial.ac.uk (2020-05-14). COVID-19 Response Fund: Cutting-edge technologies advance coronavirus fight. imperial.ac.uk Imperial researchers are driving forward the fight against coronavirus with new healthcare innovations and data insights.

Gabriel Leà£o (2020-05-14). Brazilian Indigenous Peoples Confront Double Threat of COVID-19 and Bolsonaro\'s Policies. counterpunch.org After six days of fighting for his life in an intensive care unit in a Amazonas state hospital, a 15-year-old Yanomami teenage boy died in April 9 from complications caused by the novel coronavirus. The boy\'s death sounded the alarm for Brazil\'s Indigenous peoples who now face the fear of the virus alongside the stress of increasing criminal activities by land grabbers, illegal loggers, gold diggers, poachers, drug traffickers, hitmen and questionable \"guests\" like missionaries and tourists in their lands. Add to that the prospect of another potentially devasting dry season like last year\'s, which saw more than 8…

WSWS (2020-05-14). Trump attacks Dr. Fauci for cautioning against the premature opening of the country. wsws.org President Trump went on the offensive to denigrate Dr. Fauci, a respected member of his coronavirus task force, for his candid assessment at Tuesday\'s Senate hearing.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-14). Covid-19 infects 114,533 in Iran: health min. spox. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 14 (MNA) — Iran\'s Health Ministry Spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said on Thursday that the number of coronavirus cases has hit 114,533 in the country, while 90,539 have recovered from the disease.

Poor People\'s Campaign & MoveOn (2020-05-14). We Can\'t Go Back to Normal: A Moral Respnse to Coronavirus Town Hall (PPC). indybay.org Online via livestream…

Peter Bolton (2020-05-14). We shouldn\'t mourn the loss of high street fashion giants. They represent some of the worst aspects of globalization. thecanary.co On both sides of the Atlantic major retail clothing chains have been struggling in the midst of coronavirus-related (Covid-19) shutdown measures. Economic commentators have been

Sasha Abramsky (2020-05-14). Undocumented Workers in Coronavirus Crisis. thenation.com Undocumented Workers in Coronavirus Crisis…

Alex Lawson (2020-05-14). Trump\'s Advisers Have a Brazen Plot to Gut Social Security. counterpunch.org In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the policy Donald Trump is fixated on has nothing to do with ramping up testing, getting protective equipment to workers, or sending resources to nursing homes where tens of thousands of seniors are dying of COVID-19. Instead, he\'s obsessed with cutting payroll taxes, Social Security\'s dedicated revenue. Now,

Adriaan Alsema (2020-05-14). Colombia\'s economic reactivation accelerated coronavirus infections. colombiareports.com The gradual reactivation of the economy has accelerated the spread of the coronavirus in Colombia, according to the country\'s National Health Institute (INS). Since April 27, the number of confirmed…

William Hughes (2020-05-14). The Timeliness of Albert Camus\' \"The Plague\" counterpunch.org We live in dangerous times! The number of people who have been infected and died from the Coronavirus Pandemic proves it. Our America is running at half-speed at the moment. As of today, over 80,000 deaths, and 1.3 million inflections have been reported by the authorities. The comments about the lethal virus have run from

Makia Freeman (2020-05-14). April 2020 Rockefeller Foundation Paper Urges Testing and Tracing Entire US Population. globalresearch.ca A 2020 Rockefeller Foundation Paper now proposes the next phase of the solution to the coronavirus crisis — after the

en.mehrnews (2020-05-14). Army Forces in Lorestan stage \'Equality and Sincere Assistance Maneuver\'. en.mehrnews.com KHORRAMABAD, May 14 (MNA) — Under the framework of \'Equality and Sincere Assistance Maneuver\', Army Forces in Lorestan province distributed 1,000 livelihood assistance packages among the needy people of Ardebil Province with the aim of helping those in need during the coronavirus pandemic.

Karim Sharara (2020-05-14). COVID-19: Why Iran Is Doing Better Than You Think. counterpunch.org So Iran\'s going through its worst year and is hiding the true numbers of Coronavirus victims? It seems it\'s also been digging mass graves because it can\'t handle the increasing number of deaths, and people are collapsing on the street left and right because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Not only that but apparently the evil

Brenda Norrell (2020-05-14). Pine Ridge locks down for 72 hours after two Lakotas test positive for coronavirus. indybay.org The Oglala Sioux Nation locked down on Monday night for 72-hours after two Lakotas in Wounded Knee District tested positive for the coronavirus. In the bordertown of Rapid City, a WalMart employee tested positive for coronavirus.

Danny Sjursen (2020-05-14). What on Earth is the U.S. Doing by Bombing Somalia? counterpunch.org The Trump administration has quietly ramped up a vicious bombing—and covert raiding—campaign in Somalia amid a global coronavirus pandemic. Neither the White House nor the Pentagon has provided any explanation for the deadly escalation of a war that Congress hasn\'t declared and the media rarely reports. At stake are many thousands of lives. The public

WSWS (2020-05-14). German companies plan layoffs, attacks on wages and benefits amid coronavirus pandemic. wsws.org The German government\'s response to the pandemic was conditioned from the outset by the interests of the major corporations and banks.

Lynda Carson (2020-05-14). Confirmed known Covid-19 cases for 2,818 federal inmates. indybay.org Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic…

Gregg Gonsalves (2020-05-14). Reopening: A Chronicle of Needless Deaths Foretold. thenation.com Reopening: A Chronicle of Needless Deaths Foretold…

WSWS (2020-05-14). After COVID-19 infection discovered, 300 workers walk out of Mississippi pillow factory. wsws.org Concern over a possible plantwide spread of the virus was mounting for days when a worker at the plant told supervisors that her husband—also employed at the factory—had tested positive for coronavirus.

Brenda Norrell (2020-05-14). Wearing \'smallpox blankets\' Lakota Dakota oppose casinos reopening. indybay.org Wearing \'smallpox blankets,\' Standing Rock Lakota and Dakota opposed the plan to re-open casinos. This comes as two coronavirus cases were reported after group testing at Standing Rock.

Daniel Fernandez (2020-05-14). There Is Only One Way to Prevent Mass Deaths in Prisons: Let Them Out. thenation.com There Is Only One Way to Prevent Mass Deaths in Prisons: Let Them Out…

en.mehrnews (2020-05-14). Tehran, Moscow discuss economic ties amid Covid-19 pandemic. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 14 (MNA) — In a phone talk between Iranian envoy to Moscow Kazem Jalali and Deputy Minister of Energy Anatoly Tikhonov, the two sides discussed expansion of mutual economic ties under the coronavirus pandemic.

Brian Cloughley (2020-05-14). A World Health Crisis? So Ramp Up Confrontation and Deploy Nuclear Bombers against China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. globalresearch.ca The Pentagon is excelling itself in its enthusiastic march to war. There are countless thousands suffering from the effects of the Covid-19 virus, including hundreds of members of the U.S. armed services, while the world\'s despots are relishing their freedom …

Staff (2020-05-14). Adventures in Digital Organizing With Mariame Kaba. truthout.org Kelly Hayes talks with Mariame Kaba about storytelling and building power. | Note: This a rush transcript and has been lightly edited for clarity. Copy may not be in its final form. | TRANSCRIPT: | Kelly Hayes: Welcome to movement memos, a Truthout podcast about things you should know if you want to change the world. I\'m your host, Kelly Hayes. Today\'s guest is Mariame Kaba. Mariame is an abolitionist organizer, educator, and curator whose groundbreaking work has helped free countless people from jails, prisons a…

Adriaan Alsema (2020-05-14). UN economic commission backs guaranteed minimum income in Colombia. colombiareports.com The United Nations\' Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) supports an urgent guaranteed minimum income (GMI) as proposed in Colombia\'s senate. The proposal was coined by some…

Michael Doliner (2020-05-14). The Venezuela Kerfuffle and the Secret Team. counterpunch.org The recent snafu of the covert Venezuela operation echoes the account of the Bay Of Pigs fiasco in Col L. Fletcher Prouty\'s repressed book, The Secret Team: The CIA and Its Allies in Control of the United States and the World first published in 1973. After good early sales,100 positive reviews and a printing of

John McEvoy (2020-05-14). Revealed: Secretive British Unit Planning for \'Reconstruction\' of Venezuela. globalresearch.ca Documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act have exposed a secretive Foreign Office unit aimed at the \'reconstruction\' of Venezuela. The files also reveal private discussions between Venezuelan opposition figures and UK officials, detailing proposals for the promotion of …

Jeff Abbott (2020-05-14). The Other Americans: Trump is Spreading the Virus. progressive.org Deportations of migrants are exacerbating already weakened health care systems in Latin America.

teleSUR (2020-05-14). Africa: Lesotho Reports First COVID-19 Case. telesurenglish.net Lesotho Health Minister Nkaku Kabi announced on May 13 the first COVID-19 positive case in his nation. Lesotho is the latest African country to report the virus outbreak. | RELATED: | According to Kabi, 81 people were tested given their recent traveling chart. The positive patient is a Lesothan student who returned from Saudi Arabia via South Africa, with no visible symptoms. The health authorities decided to isolate…

Ulson Gunnar (2020-05-14). The COVID-19 Chronicles: USA. globalresearch.ca The US is claimed to be hardest hit by COVID-19 with, at the time of writing, over 80,000 deaths attributed to the virus. The nation is also suffering from socioeconomic disaster as lockdowns have driven millions of Americans into not …

WSWS (2020-05-14). Over 90,000 health care workers worldwide have been infected with COVID-19. wsws.org The International Council of Nurses estimates that over 260 health care workers have died from the virus, while acknowledging that the figures are a severe underestimate due to the refusal of governments worldwide to adequately track this data.

RT (2020-05-14). RT\'S 2020 KHALED ALKHATEB AWARDS FOR WAR JOURNALISM OPEN FOR ENTRIES. rt.com MOSCOW, MAY 14 — RT is now accepting entries for the 2020 Khaled Alkhateb Memorial Awards, an annual international competition that recognizes the best journalism from conflict zones. The competition, now in its third year, was established in honor of RT Arabic freelancer, Khaled Alkhateb, who died in 2017 while reporting from the frontlines in Syria. |

WSWS (2020-05-14). India\'s calamitous COVID-19 lockdowns leave more than 120 million jobless. wsws.org Egged on by big business, the BJP government is now pushing for a return to work, and cynically citing the suffering its lockdown has inflicted on India\'s working people to justify making them risk infection and death.

WSWS (2020-05-14). Fed chief calls for more money for Wall Street and corporations. wsws.org Powell\'s remarks effectively poured water on the claim that once lockdowns are lifted, as being demanded by the \"return to work\" advocates, the American economy will immediately snap back in a so-called V-shaped recovery.

WSWS (2020-05-14). UK: Johnson government readies post-lockdown onslaught against working class. wsws.org The offensive is being prepared as the government is attempting to force millions back to work in unsafe conditions.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-14). Depite delay, consignment of Iranian-made COVID-19 test kits sent to Turkey: Jahanpour. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 14 (MNA) — In a tweet on Thursday, Kianoush Jahanpour, spokesman for the Iranian Health Ministry, reiterated that a consignment of 40,000 Iranian-made COVID-19 test kits has been sent to Turkey, although with a delay caused by transportation restrictions amid the pandemic, days after Turkish sources denied that the delivery had been made.

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-14). America\'s Newest Wedge Issue and the Tale of the Bizarre 2020 Presidential Elections. strategic-culture.org The Covid-19 pandemic continues to dominate the news and life of the American Republic. With currently no end in sight it is not paranoid to wonder if and how the pandemic will affect the presidential elections coming up in November. Two World Wars, The Civil War, The Great Depression and the Spanish Flu were not enough to stop voting for some congressmen and the top executive of the United States as planned. Now for the first time there are

WSWS (2020-05-14). Mounting worker opposition to Quebec\'s reckless back-to-work drive. wsws.org Quebec\'s rightwing populist CAQ government is spearheading the drive of Canada\'s business elite to force a precipitous return to work amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

WSWS (2020-05-14). Iran destabilised by US amid COVID-19 pandemic. wsws.org US sanctions have shattered the country\'s economy and blocked access to critical food, pharmaceutical and industrial supplies, making it more difficult for Iran to respond to the pandemic.

WSWS (2020-05-14). Stranded by COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of cruise ship workers suffer under horrifying conditions. wsws.org While companies have since begun to slowly enact measures to repatriate their remaining employees in accordance with governmental guidelines, the conditions facing those workers still stuck on board has grown untenable.

Dean Baker (2020-05-14). Corruption and the Pandemic Bailout. cepr.net (This piece was originally posted on my Patreon page.) Neil Irwin had an interesting New York Times piece on how concerns about moral hazard in the bailout may damage the recovery. The gist of the article is that the fear that bad actors will be wrongly rewarded will prevent us from spending enough money to …

Dean Baker (2020-05-14). Falling Consumer Prices, Except for Food. counterpunch.org Food prices rose 2.6 percent in April, reflecting a large increase in store-bought food. The overall Consumer Price Index (CPI) fell 0.8 percent in April, driven again by large price declines in sectors that were hit hard by pandemic-related shutdowns. Gas prices fell 20.6 percent, following a drop of 10.5 percent in March. They are

Brasil de Fato (2020-05-14). To combat \"hunger pandemic\" MST has donated more than 600 tons of food. peoplesdispatch.org The \"We\'ll Need Everybody\" campaign, organized by diverse social movements in Brazil including the Landless Rural Workers\' Movement (MST), has already distributed more than 40,000 food baskets to poor neighborhoods. | These Just like the Landless Rural Workers Movement (MST), which…

teleSUR (2020-05-14). Argentine Senate Approves Government Decree to Face Pandemic. telesurenglish.net Argentina\'s Senate approved on Wednesday a group of decrees issued by the government of President Alberto Fernández to address the Covid-19 pandemic. | RELATED: | For the first time in history, the Senate held a virtual session this Wednesday. According to the reports, 71 out of 72 senators participated in the session, which was led by the Speaker of the Upper House, Vice President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.

Staff (2020-05-14). Pandemic Policing Is Expanding the Use of Surveillance Technology. truthout.org Last week\'s viral images of New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers handing out masks to crowds of white park-goers while A breakdown…

WSWS (2020-05-14). UK: COVID-19 confirmed among ASOS warehouse workers. wsws.org The largest on-line fashion retailer in the UK has been allowed to keep its non-essential business open throughout the pandemic, including at its main warehouse and distribution centre in Barnsley, South Yorkshire…

Staff (2020-05-14). Ousted Vaccine Agency Director Will Testify That Our \"Darkest Winter\" Is Ahead. truthout.org Rick Bright, the former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), is testifying before Congress today, and it\'s going to be 40 miles of bad road for Donald Trump. It is also going to be the hard, unvarnished truth the entire country needs to hear. | Earlier in the week, Trump had to suffer through the congressional testimony of his hostage, Anthony Fauci, who contradicted Trump\'s lethal happy talk about reopening the country while the COVID pandemic still…

Dan Bacher (2020-05-14). Delta Tunnel Forges Ahead in Pandemic: Agreement in Principal Reached for SWP Contract Amendment. indybay.org It is very clear that the Department of Water Resources and water contractors don\'t really care what the public and the people most impacted by the Delta Tunnel think, based on their obsession with pushing the tunnel project through at this time.

WSWS (2020-05-14). Illinois reports record COVID-19 death toll as businesses and politicians prepare to \"reopen\" wsws.org Record rates of infection and death are announced as state and local officials and business leaders are preparing to phase out shelter-in-place, sending workers back to their jobs in order to finance the bailout of Wall Street and the super-rich.

Orfilio Peláez (2020-05-14). Cuban Interferon Proven Effective Against COVID-19. globalresearch.ca Since the appearance, March 11, of the first cases of COVID-19 in Cuba, the country\'s Ministry of Public Health (Minsap) has reported that the inclusion of Recombinant Human Interferon Alpha 2b in treatment protocols for these patients has shown positive …

Laura Flanders (2020-05-14). The Future is Up for Grabs. counterpunch.org When it comes to cashing in on Covid-19, the race has just begun. Whether you\'re talking about education or contact tracing or medicine or mind control, an anti-democratic, dystopian future is being charted while we the people are locked down, locked up and locked out. Naomi Klein\'s latest piece, \"Screen New Deal\" in the Intercept,

imperial.ac.uk (2020-05-14). Imperial MBBS medics deliver action plans for London GPs and local communities. imperial.ac.uk Third-year medical students have partnered with community, voluntary, health & social care leaders to respond to local needs in the era of COVID-19.

WSWS (2020-05-14). Australian Labor Party leader revives bogus \"fair go\" call. wsws.org Albanese\'s post-COVID-19 \"vision statement\" came as workers are being ordered back into workplaces despite the Australian government saying further outbreaks are inevitable.

Guy Verhofstadt (2020-05-14). Is COVID-19 Killing Democracy? globalresearch.ca Global media are so consumed by the public-health and economic consequences of COVID-19 that they have failed to pay adequate attention to growing political and institutional risks. In fact, if we are not careful, the biggest casualty of COVID-19 could …

Ryan Cristián (2020-05-14). AI-Powered Medical \"Pre-Crime\" Is Officially Here To \"Fight COVID-19\" 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 (5/13/19). 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 …

ACLU Northern California (2020-05-14). ACLU of California Legislative Webinar: COVID-19, Current Bills, & Building Community. indybay.org Online via Zoom…

WSWS (2020-05-14). COVID-19: Mélenchon offers national unity with France\'s banks. wsws.org Mélenchon hails the Sacred Union between the far-right and social democracy in World War I as a model to keep social cohesion despite mass COVID-19 deaths.

Santa Cruz Police News (2020-05-14). 21-Year-Old Dies in Santa Cruz County Jail. indybay.org The Santa Cruz Sheriff\'s Office says on Sunday evening, May 10, correctional officers discovered 21-year-old Tamario Smith was unresponsive in his cell at the County Jail. At about 6pm, paramedics administered medical aid, however Smith was pronounced deceased at the scene. According to the Sheriff\'s Office, Smith did not share a cell, and foul play is not suspected. The Sheriff\'s Office states there were no signs of trauma or visible injuries, and that Smith did not show signs of COVID-19 symptoms.

Congressional Progressive Caucus Ctr & others (2020-05-14). Dispatch from the Frontlines: Gender Inequality and COVID-19 (CPCC). indybay.org Online livestream & Zoom…

Unidos US (2020-05-14). The Frontline Response: Local Latino Leaders Address COVID-19 (town hall). indybay.org Online via Zoom: unidosus.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_8vJrGBs4SJuzlwnme6PktQ…

teleSUR (2020-05-14). Southeast Asia Witnesses Significant Rise in COVID-19 Cases. telesurenglish.net The Southeast Asia region has reported a significant rise in COVID-19 related cases, as several countries, including many densely populated nations, have announced several infections among its people. | RELATED: | Bangladesh reported 1,041 new COVID-19 cases, dipping slightly from Wednesday\'s high of 1,162, bringing the total number of the cases in the country to nearly 19,000. | The Afghan health authorities recorded 413 new COVID-19 cases across the country, the…

Poor People\'s Campaign, Climate Reality Proj. (2020-05-14). Intersection of the Climate Crisis & Social Justice Webinar (PPC & CRP). indybay.org Online via Zoom…

WSWS (2020-05-14). German armed forces deploy 300 soldiers to EU mission \"Irini\" in Mediterranean. wsws.org The mission\'s mandate includes stopping and searching ships suspected of transporting weapons to Libya.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-14). FM spox chides US claims on Iran\'s non-cooperation in fighting terrorism. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 14 (MNA) — In a tweet on Thursday, Spokesperson of Iranian Foreign Ministry Seyyed Abbas Mousavi reacted to the US accusation of Iran about non-cooperation in fighting against terrorism, naming the US as the founder and funder of terrorist groups.

Abayomi Azikiwe (2020-05-14). US Government Fails to Prevent a Worsening Economic Downturn. globalresearch.ca As leaders of the Democratically-controlled House of Representatives in the United States attempt to pass new legislation introduced on May 12 costing $3 trillion which is aimed at providing assistance to state and local governments, households and healthcare workers, the …

WSWS (2020-05-14). Former Georgian President Saakashvili becomes advisor to the Ukrainian government. wsws.org The political return of the vociferously anti-Russian and cartoonish Saakashvilli to Ukraine is a sign of a profound crisis of the Ukrainian oligarchy.

IFCSS (2020-05-14). U.S. Sanctions: The Weaponization of the Global Financial System. indybay.org Zoom Meeting ID: 873 3950 1810 | Password: 795705 | Join Zoom meeting: | us02web.zoom.us/j/87339501810?pwd=cXJtNkwzYTBUUjI3eEphOW1BejZhZz09 | Call in: +1 669-900-9128 | Look up int\'l numbers: zoom.us/u/kcOFhaNgyn…

Staff (2020-05-14). McConnell\'s PATRIOT Act Expansion Would Hand Barr Unprecedented Spy Powers. truthout.org Sen. Ron Wyden was joined by privacy advocates Wednesday in forcefully condemning a new proposed amendment to the PATRIOT Act put forward by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that would greatly expand the U.S. attorney general\'s surveillance powers under FISA. | McConnell\'s amendment, which the Senate began debating Wednesday as lawmakers took up the reauthorization of the 2001 PATRIOT Act, would explicitly permit the FBI to collect records of Americans\' internet search and browsing histori…

MISH (2020-05-14). Beginning of the End of German Support for NATO. globalresearch.ca Make way for the Greens and the Leftists. They do not want US nuclear weapons on German soil. |

| Three Consequences | Germany …

Ian Dunt (2020-05-14). Unholy Shambles: Johnson\'s COVID Response Falling Apart at the Edges. globalresearch.ca As soon as they had to do anything, the whole thing fell down. From the slogan, to the statement, to the guidance, it is an unholy shambles, a near-ceaseless demonstration of cack-handed inadequacy. | It\'s not like they didn\'t have time …

Lucas Leiroz de Almeida (2020-05-14). Germany Split on Banning US Nuclear Weapons on Its Territory. globalresearch.ca NATO has a \"sharing\" treaty with Berlin where it delivers to Germany dozens of nuclear warheads, which are deposited in Buchel, at Ramstein Air Force Base. | The presence of these weapons in German territory has been controversial for a long …

en.mehrnews (2020-05-14). Headlines of Iranian dailies on May 14. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 14 (MNA) — Mehr News takes a look at the headlines of Iranian dailies on Thursday, May 14.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-14). VIDEO: Iranian brown bears. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 14 (MNA) — This video depicts an Iranian brown bear and her cubs. Iran is a vast country with an area of 1,623,779 km2 in which there are 164 mammal species including the Asiatic black bear and brown bear.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-14). US reacts to Iran Navy vessel\'s mishap. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 14 (MNA) — The US Central Command (CENTCOM) has reacted to the accident for an Iranian naval vessel in southern waters, which lead to the martyrdom and wounding of a number of Iranian sailors.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-14). Rouhani underscores improvement in economy, Iranians\' lives, hope for future. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 14 (MNA) — In a Thursday meeting of the Government\'s Economic Coordination Board, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani underlined that all efforts must be to improve the economy, people\'s lives, and the hope for future.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-14). Iranian coastguards detain 4 trawlers, 8 foreign nationals in Hormozgan. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 14 (MNA) — Coastguards of southern Hormuzgan province have seized four trawlers and arrested eight foreign nationals on board at Bandar Abbas territorial waters in the Persian Gulf, provincial Judiciary official Ali Salehi said on Thursday.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-14). Iran marks National Day of Ferdowsi, father of modern Persian language. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 14 (MNA) — Ordibehesht 25 in the Persian calendar corresponding with May 14 is National Commemoration Day of the renowned poet Ferdowsi, the influential Persian poet and author of the Persian epic, Shahnameh.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-14). Front pages of Iranian intl. dailies on May 14. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 14 (MNA) — Here are the front pages of Iran-based international newspapers on Thursday, May 14.

Charles Pierson (2020-05-14). Greenlighting War: Iran and Yemen. counterpunch.org On May 7, Republicans proved yet again that most of them are perfectly happy allowing President Donald Trump unchecked discretion to make war. Senate Joint Resolution 68, introduced on January 9 by Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), Hillary Clinton\'s 2016 running mate, invoked the 1973 War Powers Resolution in an attempt to prohibit President Trump from

en.mehrnews (2020-05-14). JCPOA none of US, Brian Hook\'s business: Zarif. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 14 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has reacted to the US officials\' baseless claims and accusations about JCPOA and UN Resolution 2231, noting that JCPOA is none of US\' or Brian Hook\'s business since the Americans have pulled out of the deal.

Jonah Raskin (2020-05-14). Michael McClure: Beat Poet and Playwright Helped Thaw Cold War American Culture. counterpunch.org \"I put mammalian consciousness into Beat literature. I expressed the biological aspect of humans. At the Six Gallery, I read about the slaughter of whales.\" — Michael McClure Of the five American poets who performed their work at the Six Gallery in San Francisco in 1955 only one of them—Gary Snyder—is still alive and he\'s

The Commonwealth Club (2020-05-14). Nuclear Weapons: Stopping the War That No One Wants (livestream). indybay.org Online via livestream…

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-14). Toothless Congress Fails to Limit Presidential War Powers. strategic-culture.org Some weeks ago, the world woke up to the fact that World War III had just started without anyone being invaded or shots fired. It began when American President Donald J. Trump

Erin Schwartz (2020-05-14). \'God Friended Me\' Was the Strangest Show on TV. thenation.com \'God Friended Me\' Was the Strangest Show on TV…

WSWS (2020-05-14). ASOS worker in UK speaks on unsafe conditions in warehouse. wsws.org \"It all looks good on the outside (one-way system, tents with thermo-cameras), but inside they care less and less every day.\"

The hills are alive (2020-05-14). Speak out against oil drilling in Brentwood. indybay.org Powerdrive Oil & Gas Company, LLC has submitted an application to drill for oil on agriculturally zoned land in unincorporated Brentwood. Contra Costa County officials have made an preliminary determination against requiring an EIR (Environment Impact Report).

Anthony Ravlich (2020-05-14). Ethical Human Rights: China criticizes New Zealand for supporting Taiwan. indybay.org If my book was less suppressed the UN may well take a more positive view of Taiwan\'s wish to gain formal recognition in the World Health Organization. The UN seems to be following China\'s \'One-China policy\' by excluding Taiwan.

WSWS (2020-05-14). Local county officials in California bow before billionaire\'s demand to reopen Tesla factory. wsws.org Earlier this week, Tesla CEO Elon Musk reopened his 10,000-employee factory in defiance of the orders of Alameda County health officials.

WSWS (2020-05-14). Fruit pickers, garment workers strike as opposition grows to reopening US economy. wsws.org Migrant workers in the state of Washington and garment workers at a Mississippi pillow-making factory are striking as the number of job actions demanding safe conditions surpasses 200.

WSWS (2020-05-14). Sixteen migrant workers killed by goods train. wsws.org The workers, aged between 20 and 35, were attempting to return to their home state of Madhya Pradesh, having previously worked at a steel plant in Maharashtra.

WSWS (2020-05-14). Sri Lanka\'s pseudo-left FSP and its phony defence of democracy. wsws.org The working class can combat threat of a dictatorship only by the independent mobilisation of its political strength, not by pleading for \"reconvening parliament.\"

George Ochenski (2020-05-14). Political Fantasies Versus Economic and Health Realities. counterpunch.org Late last week in an article titled \"When are the jobs coming back?\" Joseph Brusuelas, the chief economist at consulting firm RSM, blew up the blather of election-year politicians, saying: \"We have to be utterly realistic about this because there is political fantasy out there and then there is economic reality. It is going to

True Publica (2020-05-14). Britain\'s Political-media Complex in the COVID-19 War. globalresearch.ca It is not as if the battle of information warfare has not been going on for some time now. It was amply demonstrated in the runup to Brexit, throughout the three years to last December and is now fully deployed …

Global Research News (2020-05-14). Selected Articles: More on COVID-19, Economic Crisis and NATO. 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 …

Denijal Jegiƒá (2020-05-13). In banning Hezbollah, Germany responds to far-right, U.S. and Israeli pressure — not any security threat. thegrayzone.com Hezbollah has never been charged with any crimes in Germany nor does it have an official presence in the country….

Alan MacLeod (2020-05-13). Wall Street Will Likely Be the Only Winners in the Pandemic Housing Crisis. thealtworld.com For most Americans, the $1,200 stimulus check didn\'t even cover rent and a third of American renters have even paid rent yet this month, meaning an ongoing de facto rent strike is likely already taking place. | MPN— The coronavirus pandemic and the shutdown it has precipitated is having a profound effect on the economy of the United States and the rest of the world. Roberto Azevedo, Director-General of the World Trade Organization

Alan Macleod (2020-05-13). American Weapons Manufacturers Are Thriving Even as the US Economy Suffers. mintpressnews.com The economy has crashed. A nationwide pandemic that has (officially) claimed some 84,000 Americans has also resulted in an estimated

teleSUR (2020-05-13). Russia Ready to Assist the US in the Taliban Peace Agreement. telesurenglish.net Russia\'s RELATED: | \"We salute the agreement, although we warn of the importance of involving neighbors more actively so that thei…

Vijay Prashad (2020-05-13). The U.S. Military is hell-bent on trying to overpower China. mronline.org The absence of a strong world peace movement with the capacity to prevent this buildup by the United States is of considerable concern for the planet. The need for such a movement could not be greater.

Ramzy Baroud (2020-05-13). From Lebanon to Syria, the Arab World is Failing Palestinian Refugees. mintpressnews.com Heinous racism. That is how the Geneva-based Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor described a recent decision by Lebanese authorities to bar Palestinian refugee expats from returning to Lebanon. | Lebanon\'s restrictions on its Many were ta…

Staff (2020-05-13). Headlines for May 13, 2020. democracynow.org Dr. Anthony Fauci Warns Senators Reopening Too Soon Will Cause \"Suffering and Death\", House Democratic Leaders Unveil New $3 Trillion Coronavirus Relief Package, Tesla CEO Elon Musk Defies Lockdown Order, Reopens California Auto Plant, L.A. Extends Lockdown for 3 Months as Cal State Cancels In-Person Fall Classes, CDC Estimates 5,000+ More New York City Coronavirus Deaths Than Officially Reported, Progressive Lawmakers Call on World Bank, IMF to Cancel Poor Countries\' Debts, Brazil Records Its Highest Daily COVID-19 Death Toll, London Transit Worker Dies After Man Claiming to Have COVID-19 Spits on Her, Aide to R…

Staff (2020-05-13). Screen New Deal: Naomi Klein on How Companies Like Google Plan to Profit in High-Tech COVID Dystopia. democracynow.org In her new report for The Intercept on the \"Screen New Deal,\" Naomi Klein looks at how the coronavirus pandemic is more high-tech than previous disasters — and how the future we\'re being rushed into could transform our lives into a \"living laboratory for a permanent — and highly profitable — no-touch future.\" She joins us to discuss what she found, and says, \"I think we\'re going to see very incomplete so-called solutions … that massively benefit private tech interests.\"

Staff (2020-05-13). Naomi Klein: Healthcare Industry Sees \"Potential Bonanza\" of Profits in COVID-19 Crisis. democracynow.org As the top infectious disease expert testifies to the Senate that needless death and suffering could result from reopening too quickly, author and journalist Naomi Klein says a \"pandemic shock doctrine\" is beginning to emerge. \"The fact that a large sector of the economy, the healthcare industry, sees a potential bonanza here … that\'s a win for them.\"

Staff (2020-05-13). The Health Care Industry Could Profit From the COVID-19 Crisis. truthout.org As the top infectious disease expert testifies to the Senate that needless death and suffering could result from reopening too quickly, author and journalist Naomi Klein says a \"pandemic shock doctrine\" is beginning to emerge. \"The fact that a large sector of the economy, the healthcare industry, sees a potential bonanza here … that\'s a win for them.\" | TRANSCRIPT | : | This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form. | AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The Quaranti…

Speak Out Now (2020-05-13). COVID-19: Global Pandemic & Climate Disruption With Mike Davis. indybay.org Online Zoom meeting, see details here: speakoutsocialists.org/townhall-davis-5-16/…

WSWS (2020-05-13). Jeremy Corbyn discovers the class struggle—and opposes it. wsws.org The Socialist Campaign Group acknowledge the \"class war\" only in order to complain that Johnson is waging it rather than acting in the \"national interest.\"

Ricardo Vaz (2020-05-13). [UPDATED] Venezuelan Oil Sector Continues Slump Amid Pandemic, US Sanctions. venezuelanalysis.com The Maduro government is working to repair refineries with Chinese and Iranian assistance to tackle fuel shortages.

teleSUR (2020-05-13). Secret UK Plan to Intervene in Venezuelan Politics Revealed. telesurenglish.net U.K. news portal The Canary published this Wednesday an investigation by journalist John McEvoy which reveals a secret unit between the British Foreign Ministry and the Venezuelan opposition to overthrow Venezuela\'s Constitutional President Nicolas Maduro. | RELATED: | According to documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, journalist McEvoy points out that in the last 16 months, the British Govern…

South Front (2020-05-13). A Close Look at Efforts of Pro-NATO Propaganda Units Behind the Scenes of South Front Censorship. globalresearch.ca Pro-NATO propaganda units have broadcasted a new episode of their censorship excuse series. | On May 5th, the Atlantic Council\'s Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab), published a new piece designed to label SouthFront as official Russian propaganda. (

Jesse Jackson (2020-05-13). The Murder of Ahmaud Arbery—And Our Continuing Terror. commondreams.org People stand six feet apart before participating in a 2.23 mile walk for Ahmaud Arbery on May 8. Arbery was shot and killed while running in Brunswick, Georgia on Feb. 23. (Photo: Nicole Hester/Mlive.com) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/screen_shot_2020-05-13_at_12.06.02_pm.png …

Stephen Lendman (2020-05-13). The Longterm Social Impacts from Economic Collapse and COVID-19 Outbreaks. globalresearch.ca Economic collapse that\'s harming most ordinary people in the US, West, and elsewhere — that\'s likely to be long-lasting — is far more serious than numbers of COVID-19 infections and their aftermath. | Hundreds of thousands of small and medium-sized businesses …

Andrew Korybko (2020-05-13). Soros Thinks That Germany Is A Greater Threat To His Plans Than COVID, Trump, Or China. thealtworld.com Billionaire philanthropist and infamous Color Revolution financier George Soros recently elaborated on his views of International Relations in the midst of World War C during an interview with the UK\'s \"Independent\", unexpectedly concluding that Germany\'s recent court ruling against the European Central Bank\'s purchase of national bonds poses an \"existential threat\" to the bloc and therefore also to his \"precious\" vision of an \"open society\", even more so than the alleged ones posed by COVID, Trump, or China that he previously fearmongered about. | International Relations are in the midst of multitudinous paradig…

Staff (2020-05-13). Trump Administration Won\'t Guarantee Universal Access to COVID-19 Vaccine. truthout.org Despite hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars flowing to private drug companies for vaccine development, top health officials coordinating the Trump administration\'s COVID-19 response indicated to Congress on Wednesday that they cannot guarantee universal access to vaccines for the highly contagious disease once they are developed. | Speaking remotely over videoconference during a widely anticipated Senate health committee hearing, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) pressed the officials to guara…

Francisco Dominguez (2020-05-13). Outsourcing \'regime change\': US imperialism\'s decomposition accelerates. peoplesdispatch.org On May 3rd a bunch of mercenaries, led by Rambo-like US soldiers of fortune attempted to disembark on the coastal town of Macuto in the La Guaira state in Venezuela\'s Caribbean coast, in a so-called Operation Gedeon.

Julia Conley, staff writer (2020-05-13). Vowing to Be \'Fully Accountable\' to Movement, Ocasio-Cortez Joins Biden\'s Climate Crisis Task Force. commondreams.org Following her call for former Vice President Joe Biden to reach out to progressives in order to win the 2020 general election against President Donald Trump, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez accepted an invitation to co-chair the Biden campaign's \"unity task force\" on the climate. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1209895367_1.jpg …

Elijah Magnier (2020-05-13). Iraq in the balance between Iran and the USA. thealtworld.com Iran and the US have been at war since 1979, when the \"Islamic Republic\" took power. This war will continue as long as the US seeks to defeat Iran, which in turn seeks to force the US out of the Middle East. Occasionally, the war manifests as direct clashes between the two countries, but usually it takes place on the territory of Iran\'s allies. These allies are becoming stronger and powerful enough to be reckoned with. This growth is imposing Iran as a regional power with influence in several countries around the Middle East—from Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen to Iraq, where direct US-Iran confrontati…

Rima Najjar (2020-05-13). The \"Zionist Virus\" and the Future of Palestine. globalresearch.ca To me, an American-Palestinian, the world tainted by the corona virus is analogous to Israel tainted by the evil it contains. | Every day for the past few days, I have been listening to New York Governor Cuomo give his daily …

RT (2020-05-13). US anti-ISIS chief says his goal in Syria is to create a \'quagmire\' for Russia, not battle terrorism. rt.com James Jeffrey, the US special envoy for Syria and defeating the Islamic State, has made quite a frank confession of how he sees his job and that of US troops there: to create a new Vietnam or Afghanistan for Moscow. | \"Our military presence, while small, is important for overall calculations. So we urge the Congress, the American people, the president to keep these forces on, but again this isn\'t Afghanistan, this isn\'t Vietnam, this isn\'t a quagmire,\" Jeffrey said on Tuesday, during a video event hosted by the Hudson Institute. | My job is to make it a quagmire for the Russians. | Asked why the American publ…

Elijah Magnier (2020-05-13). L\'Irak dans la balance entre l\'Iran et les USA. thealtworld.com L\'Iran et les USA sont en guerre depuis 1979, lorsque la ´ République islamique ª a pris le pouvoir. Cette guerre se poursuivra tant que les USA chercheront à vaincre l\'Iran, qui voudrait bien pour sa part forcer les USA à quitter le Moyen-Orient. Cette guerre se manifeste parfois par des affrontements directs entre les deux pays, mais elle se déroule généralement sur le territoire des alliés de l\'Iran. Ces alliés ont maintenant acquis suffisamment de force et de puissance pour être pris au sérieux. Cette montée en force impose l\'Iran comme une puissance régionale dont l\'influence s\'étend à plusieurs p…

RT (2020-05-13). Lifting lockdowns may cause new Covad-19 spike, but now we know how to respond — WHO envoy to RT. rt.com Countries should be able to swiftly identify and quarantine coronavirus hotspots instead of putting their whole societies on lockdown, but people must accept this \'new reality\' for it to work, said WHO\'s envoy to Russia. | \"I do believe that there might be a surge [in Covid-19 cases], but we\'ll be able to respond to it much quicker, having all the experience that we\'ve got, unfortunately, over the last four months,\" Dr Melita Vujnovic, who represents the World Health Organization in Russia, told RT when asked about the impact of the gradual lifting of lockdowns — that has begun in many countries — on…

PAI (2020-05-13). Beep! Beep! Union car caravan to demand Vegas casinos open safely. peoplesworld.org LAS VEGAS (PAI)—Beep! Beep! That will be the sound of dozens of horns honking from union members\' cars to be driven down the Las Vegas Strip at 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 14, demanding the city\'s hotels and casinos reopen safely as they start up again from coronavirus-caused shutdowns. So far, the hotels and casinos …

RT (2020-05-13). Czech Republic could open borders with Austria, Slovakia in June — Prague. rt.com The Czech Republic, Slovakia and Austria could open their mutual borders as soon as June 8, allowing residents of the three countries to travel between them, PM Andrej Babis said in Prague on Wednesday. | The neighbors are thinking about how to open their borders at the start of the summer tourist season after making similar progress in controlling the coronavirus pandemic, Babis said. | \"I think it could somehow work out that on June 8 or 15, our three countries would open together,\" Babis said in an online interview with the Blesk newspaper website. | The three states are among at least 17 members of the Sch…

RT (2020-05-13). Assange\'s extradition: September 7 set for resumption of delayed hearing, WikiLeaks says. rt.com \"A date of September 7 has been set for the resumption of Julian Assange\'s delayed extradition hearing,\" WikiLeaks tweeted on Wednesday. A court location has yet to be determined, it said. | A London court said on May 4 that the US extradition case against WikiLeaks founder Assange would resume in September. It had been postponed from later this month because of the coronavirus outbreak. | Assange is wanted by US authorities to stand trial for conspiring to hack government computers and espionage. The extradition case began in February for a week before being adjourned until May 18 for another three weeks of a…

Scott Tucker (2020-05-13). Class Struggles and Social Distancing. counterpunch.org On the day after armed protestors stormed the Capitol building in Michigan to demand that the whole economy be re-opened, the news included reports that Michigan has the highest current death rates in the United States from the novel coronavirus. That is a serious problem. Voluntary good will in avoiding risks of infection during a

RT (2020-05-13). Tunisia relaxes curfew after 3 days without new coronavirus cases. rt.com Tunisia has announced a reduction of its nightly curfew hours after three consecutive days without recording any new coronavirus cases, state media reported on Wednesday. | The North African democracy imposed the curfew in March in a bid to slow the spread of the virus, combined with a lockdown that shuttered all but key shops and services. President Kais Saied has cut the curfew hours to 11pm to 5am instead of 8pm to 6am, 10 days after the start of a gradual reopening of the bureaucracy and economy. | The government announced that no new coronavirus cases have been recorded for three days in a row, with 1,032…

RT (2020-05-13). 6,000 more children could die EVERY DAY in areas least fit for battling Covid-19 — UN & Johns Hopkins study. rt.com Over a million of under-5s could succumb to preventable causes within the next six months as long as the brewing Covid-19 epidemic keeps weakening countries they dwell in, UNICEF and Johns Hopkins believe. | The gruesome prediction came after Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health looked at how the coronavirus crisis could impact 118 low- or middle-income countries around the globe. | Johns Hopkins researchers, who

RT (2020-05-13). \'Example of infodemic\': Moscow slams FT & NYT reports that put Russian Covid-19 death toll 70 percent higher than official data. rt.com Russia\'s Foreign Ministry will send letters to the Financial Times and New York Times demanding they retract reports which claim the actual death toll from Covid-19 in the country is much higher than the official figures. | The editors-in-chief of those outlets will be handed the letters on Thursday through the Russian embassies in the UK and the US, ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said during a briefing. | Moscow will also address the UN, OSCE and UNESCO on the situation, as the reports in the FT and NYT represent \"an example of that very \'infodemic\' that the UN General Secretary, Antonio Guterres, urged…

Tom Coburg (2020-05-13). Even the mainstream media\'s now suggesting UK death toll could surpass 50,000. thecanary.co The BBC has published an article suggesting that the number of coronavirus (Covid-19) related deaths in the UK could be \"nearly twice as high\" as the official figure. This follows similar analysis by the Financial Times (FT). | Both media outlets expose the blatant dishonesty of the daily figures quoted by Boris Johnson\'s government. | More than 50,000 deaths?: | The government,

RT (2020-05-13). \'They will not silence us\': Michigan activists undeterred after Facebook removes anti-lockdown group with 380,000 members. rt.com Facebook has shuttered a popular group for Michiganders who oppose their governor\'s extreme lockdown measures, fueling debate about free speech during the coronavirus crisis. | \'Michiganders Against Excessive Quarantine\' had more than 380,000 members, with media reports describing it as one of the largest anti-lockdown groups in the nation. It\'s not clear if Facebook has provided an explanation for the group\'s removal. Visiting the page gives the following message: \"Sorry, this content isn\'t available right now.\" | Garrett Soldano of Mattawan, Michigan created Michiganders Against Excessive Quarantine in Apri…

RT (2020-05-13). Swedish PM says face masks for Covid-19 offer \'false sense of security\' to wearers. rt.com The Prime Minister of Sweden Stefan Lofven has advised against wearing face masks to ward off Covid-19, as they may lead people to assume they are safe from the virus when there is still a risk of transmission. | Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Lofven said donning masks could lead the wearer to neglect social distancing guidelines and become complacent about safety precautions. | \"There is a risk of a false sense of security, that you feel you can\'t be infected if you have a face mask,\" he said. He advised those displaying even very mild symptoms to stay at home, stay socially distant, and to cont…

RT (2020-05-13). UK\'s Health Ministry says confirmed Covid-19 death toll has risen by 494 to 33,186. rt.com A total of 33,186 people who tested positive for the new coronavirus have died in the United Kingdom, a rise of 494 in a 24-hour period, the Health Ministry said on Wednesday. | Those figures reflect the situation as of 5pm (1600 GMT) on May 12. Including deaths due to suspected cases, Britain\'s fatality count is over 40,000, according to Reuters. | Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday that increasing rates of infection in other countries which have relaxed some rules to tackle the coronavirus outbreak were a warning to Britain not to move too fast. | \"It is very notable that in some other countries…

The Canary (2020-05-13). Pharmacist Boots looking to recruit hundreds of unpaid Covid-19 testers. thecanary.co High street pharmacist Boots is advertising to recruit an army of hundreds of unpaid volunteers to test people for coronavirus.An advert on the company\'s website said it is looking for 1,000 current staff and volunteers to work at least 32 hours a week as Covid-19 swab testers across the UK.The advert has sparked criticism with unions saying it took the \"notion of volunteering way too far\".It emerged as coronavirus testing dropped below the government\'s key 100,000 a day target, despite hitting it again on Sunday.Business Secretary Alok Sharma told the daily Downing Street press briefing on Tuesday that 85,293 te…

Janine Jackson (2020-05-13). \'Our Food System Is Very Much Modeled on Plantation Economics\' – CounterSpin interview with Ricardo Salvador on the coronavirus food crisis. fair.org Janine Jackson interviewed the Union of Concerned Scientists\' Ricardo Salvador about the coronavirus food crisis for the Media…

Denis Campbell (2020-05-13). Lockdown Will Kill an Additional 18,000 Cancer Patients That Wouldn\'t Have Died Otherwise, Cancer Doctors Calculate. anti-empire.com Almost 18,000 more people with cancer in England could die after the coronavirus pandemic led hospitals to suspend treatment and deterred patients from seeking NHS care, research has found. |

Mark Gruenberg (2020-05-13). Democrats\' $3 trillion stimulus includes hazard pay, PPE; Republicans say no. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—House Democrats released a new $3 trillion stimulus bill on May 12, designed to cope with the continuing economic collapse that coronavirus-caused closures have caused. There\'s money for protective personal equipment (PPE), hazardous duty pay for front-line workers, and a number of other pro-worker provisions. The 1,815-page measure is tentatively scheduled for a May 15 …

RT (2020-05-13). Lifting lockdowns may cause new Covid-19 spike, but now we know how to respond — WHO envoy to RT. rt.com Countries should be able to swiftly identify and quarantine coronavirus hotspots instead of putting their whole societies on lockdown, but people must accept this \'new reality\' for it to work, said WHO\'s envoy to Russia. | \"I do believe that there might be a surge [in Covid-19 cases], but we\'ll be able to respond to it much quicker, having all the experience that we\'ve got, unfortunately, over the last four months,\" Dr Melita Vujnovic, who represents the World Health Organization in Russia, told RT when asked about the impact of the gradual lifting of lockdowns — that has begun in many countries — on…

RT (2020-05-13). Lockdown\'s silver lining? NYC marks record-breaking 58 straight days without pedestrian deaths. rt.com New York City\'s stay at home order has been criticized as unsustainable, but the policy has one apparent benefit: it has helped reduce the number of pedestrian deaths to zero for nearly 60 days in a row. | Like many other cities across the world, the Big Apple chose to close non-essential businesses and prohibit most outdoor activity in a bid to reduce the spread of coronavirus, which has struck New York particularly hard. While there is still debate about the effectiveness and sustainability of such measures, keeping people indoors has resulted in 58 consecutive days since a pedestrian was fatally struck by a…

The Canary (2020-05-13). We are vulnerable and scared, say tragic railway worker\'s colleagues. thecanary.co Colleagues of railway worker Belly Mujinga have described feeling \"scared\" and \"vulnerable\" after the Victoria station staff member died with coronavirus a fortnight after being spat at while on duty.It came as the government was urged to extend its coronavirus compensation scheme, offering £60,000 to families of NHS frontline staff and social care workers who die from the disease during the pandemic, to the transport sector.A police investigation is under way, launched more than a month after Mujinga and a colleague were attacked by a man claiming to be infected with Covid-19 on the concourse at the London…

The Canary (2020-05-13). Hundreds of workers report employers for furlough fraud. thecanary.co Hundreds of workers have reported their employers over claims that they are fraudulently taking furlough money from the government. | HMRC confirmed it has received 795 reports of potential fraud related to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. | It said it will now be \"assessing\" these cases in line with its usual procedures. | The scheme was introduced from March, with the government pledging to pay 80% of the wages of workers affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, in a bid to protect jobs. | On Tuesday, chancellor Rishi Sunak outlined plans to extend the furlough scheme until the end of October. | One stipulation…

Tim Libretti (2020-05-13). We call frontline workers \'heroes,\' but do we value them like heroes? peoplesworld.org On one level, the coronavirus pandemic holds out the potential to shift America\'s dominant cultural mentality to finally rethink—indeed come to terms with—how our political, economic, and moral systems value the work on which our lives most depend. Presumably, the pandemic conditions are making clear to us Americans what kinds of work are most essential, …

Tim Libretti (2020-05-13). We call frontline workers \"heroes,\" but do we value them like heroes? peoplesworld.org On one level, the coronavirus pandemic holds out the potential to shift America\'s dominant cultural mentality to finally re-think—indeed come to terms with—how our political, economic, and moral systems value the work on which our lives most depend. Presumably, the pandemic conditions are making clear to us Americans what kinds of work are most essential, …

RT (2020-05-13). Travel giant TUI plans to axe 8,000 jobs despite government bailout. rt.com Multinational travel firm TUI Group has announced that it will slash 10 percent of its workforce worldwide in an effort to cut costs amid the coronavirus pandemic. | In its half-year financial results presented on Wednesday, the company said it will have to reduce operational costs to cope with the fallout from the pandemic, \"the greatest crisis the tourism industry and TUI has ever faced.\" | \"We are targeting to permanently reduce our overhead cost base by 30 percent across the entire Group. This will have an impact on potentially 8,000 roles globally that will either not be recruited or reduced,\" CEO Fritz J…

RT (2020-05-13). \'What are those white crosses?\' Badges to \'scare off\' coronavirus cause dress-code debate in Russian parliament. rt.com With the Russian State Duma in session despite the Covid-19 pandemic, some MPs went beyond the obligatory face masks and rubber gloves, leaving their colleagues and citizens baffled by unusual means to fend off the virus. | \"For several sessions in row, I\'ve seen MPs wearing white crosses on their chests,\" Igor Molyakov of the Fair Russia party said on Wednesday, asking his colleagues to clarify the unusual accessory. State Duma deputies usually wear an official badge, which is shaped as a Russian tricolor. | Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin stepped up to educate his colleague and dispel the \"white cross\" mystery fo…

RT (2020-05-13). Poland to reopen hairdressers, restaurants on May 18 as \'epidemic contained to some extent\'. rt.com Poland will reopen restaurants and hairdressers on May 18 as it begins easing coronavirus-linked restrictions, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Wednesday. | \"At least to some extent we have contained the epidemic, therefore we can gradually unfreeze the economy,\" Morawiecki told reporters. | The statement came a day after Poland saw its largest spike in coronavirus cases in a single day, Reuters reported. | Schools will partially reopen to provide day care for children in the first three years of primary school, the prime minister added.

RT (2020-05-13). Row erupts between BoJo and Labour, as Covid-19 guidance saying care homes \'unlikely\' to become infected re-emerges. rt.com Downing Street and the Labour Party have become embroiled in a spat over official UK government guidance issued in February over the risk Covid-19 poses to care homes, with each side accusing the other of misleading the public. | During PMQs in the House of Commons on Wednesday, Labour leader Keir Starmer quoted from the Public Health England (PHE)

RT (2020-05-13). Beijing denounces \'immoral\' US Senate bill threatening China with sanctions over Covid-19. rt.com Beijing has lashed out at US legislation which seeks to impose sanctions on China if it fails to cooperate with Washington\'s investigation into the coronavirus pandemic. | The bill would require the president to notify Congress within 60 days that China had \"provided a full and complete accounting\" to any US-led probe into the coronavirus outbreak. The rule would also apply to investigations carried out by American allies and UN agencies such as the World Health Organization (WHO). | The legislation also demands that China shutter all \"wet markets\" which can pose a risk to human health. It also calls for the i…

RT (2020-05-13). Pennsylvania Health Sec under fire after moving own mum OUT of nursing home while sending sick Covid-19 patients INTO them. rt.com As Pennsylvania\'s health secretary faces harsh criticism and calls to resign over her policy ordering Covid-19 patients to return to nursing homes after leaving hospital, she has admitted to moving her own mum out of a care home. | Dr Rachel Levine revealed when asked by reporters that her mother was moved out of her personal care home when the pandemic began — though she defended herself by saying that she was simply following the wishes of the 95-year-old woman, who wanted to move. | WATCH: PA Secretary of Heath admits own mother left senior facility while coronavirus swept nursing homes. Gov Wolf nowhe…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-05-13). Violent evictions in Bogotá, Colombia amid the coronavirus pandemic. peoplesdispatch.org Many question the motivation of the city government to evict the community amid the pandemic as they have been occupying the land for the last 20 years…

RT (2020-05-13). FDA orders Bill Gates-funded program to HALT at-home Covid-19 self-testing. rt.com The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ordered a Seattle-based Covid-19 testing project funded by Bill Gates to stop screening for the virus, putting the program on ice as it provided hundreds of at-home test kits each day. | The billionaire Microsoft icon announced the initiative in a

RT (2020-05-13). \'What are those white crosses?\': Badges to \'scare off\' coronavirus cause dress-code debate in Russian parliament. rt.com With the Russian State Duma in session despite the Covid-19 pandemic, some MPs went beyond the obligatory face masks and rubber gloves, leaving their colleagues and citizens baffled by unusual means to fend off the virus. | \"For several sessions in row, I\'ve seen MPs wearing white crosses on their chests,\" Igor Molyakov of the Fair Russia party said on Wednesday, asking his colleagues to clarify the unusual accessory. State Duma deputies usually wear an official badge, which is shaped as a Russian tricolor. | Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin stepped up to educate his colleague and dispel the \"white cross\" mystery fo…

RT (2020-05-13). Flynn \'unmasking\' documents show involvement of senior Obama administration officials, including Joe Biden. rt.com A newly published list of US officials who were interested in National Security Agency (NSA) records on Trump adviser Michael Flynn includes President Barack Obama\'s chief of staff, as well as Vice President Joe Biden. | Biden is listed as requesting the unmasking on January 12, 2017, the same day the Washington Post published a story claiming that Flynn had misreported his conversations with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, based on leaked NSA information. | Flynn unmasking documents f… by

RT (2020-05-13). Biden campaign reacts to Flynn unmasking revelations by attacking journalist & denouncing Republicans. rt.com After Democrat presidential nominee Joe Biden was named as one of the Obama administration officials who asked for NSA information on General Michael Flynn, his campaign first targeted the messenger, then lashed out at the GOP. | The bombshell list of more than a dozen officials who asked the US spy agency for information about Flynn between the 2016 election of President Donald Trump and his inauguration included President Barack Obama\'s chief of staff, as well as Biden. It was a troubling disclosure for the candidate who has just denied any knowledge of the Flynn investigation, in a TV interview on Tuesday.

Gabriel Kuhn (2020-05-13). Who Are You Kidding? The Democratic Party and the Joe Biden Fiasco. counterpunch.org The accusations against the projected Democratic Party presidential nominee, Joe Biden, trouble and confuse U.S. liberals. As a result, they say surprising and, at times, outrageous things. I suppose this is the consequence of deeming Joe Biden to the most likely candidate to oust Donald Trump from office, something so important that you\'re ready to sacrifice both reason and compassion.

Joshua Cho (2020-05-13). Corporate Media don\'t think Americans paid to invade Venezuela Count as mercenaries. mronline.org When an attempted invasion of Venezuela launched from the shores of Colombia was foiled on May 3, after armed commandos were intercepted at Venezuela\'s coastline of La Guira, it seemed undeniable that the heavily armed men, possessing satellite phones and uniforms with the U.S. flag emblazoned on them, had been paid to take part in …

RT (2020-05-13). Was it worth it? Pompeo dons fashionable flag-themed mask at Israel airport… then takes it off for meetings. rt.com US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo emerged from his plane after touching down for a flying visit to Israel sporting an especially patriotic red, white and blue striped mask — but the novelty didn\'t last long. | Pompeo disembarked from his plane at Ben Gurion Airport wearing the colorful face gear, which many news outlets described as a \"US flag\" mask. Upon closer inspection, however, it appears the face-covering could have been a creative mash-up of the US and Israeli flags, given the addition of blue and white stripes and blue stars. | @IsraeliPM

RT (2020-05-13). Ex-army chief Ashkenazi to become Israel\'s FM — Blue and White alliance. rt.com Former Israeli Army chief Gabi Ashkenazi, who spent nearly four decades in the military, will be nominated as Israel\'s next foreign minister, AFP reported Wednesday, citing his Blue and White alliance. Ashkenazi held talks with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Jerusalem ahead of his \"appointment as minister of foreign affairs this coming Thursday,\" said Blue and White, which is led by the incoming alternate PM Benny Gantz. | A unity government agreed between Gantz and right-wing PM Benjamin Netanyahu is due to be sworn in on Thursday evening, ending more than a year of political deadlock. | Foreign affairs…

RT (2020-05-13). \'Summer cancelled\': Los Angeles County to extend stay-at-home order another 3 MONTHS, stoking fears of civil unrest. rt.com LA County will likely extend its Covid-19 containment measures until the end of July, a top public health official said, triggering a wave of outrage as residents declare \"summer cancelled\" and even predict riots in the streets. | The three-month extension to the county\'s \"safer at home\" order was announced by Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer on Tuesday. Though she stopped short of issuing an official order, Ferrer said the timetable would not shift until officials see a \"dramatic change to the virus and tools at hand,\" stressing the need for increased testing capacity. | Our hope is that by using the dat…

Peter Hitchens (2020-05-13). The Strangling of the Economy Does Threaten the NHS, Life and Health — According to the Government That Strangled It. anti-empire.com For more than six weeks I have been abused and smeared as someone who cares more about money than life, because I have warned that the smashing of the economy by the government was a major threat to the NHS which it claims to be protecting, as well as a general danger to lives and health. | Now, in Paragraph 1.1 of the government\'s new document on \'rebuilding \' the country after smashing it up, you may find the government\'s own admission that I was and am in fact absolutely right: \'The longer the virus affects the economy, the greater the risks of long-term scarring and permanently lower economic activity, with…

Kenneth Surin (2020-05-13). \"Making It Up As They Go Along:\" Boris Johnson and COVID-19. counterpunch.org As I write (the weekend of 9-10 May), the UK\'s death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic has reached 31,855. The UK, unlike the US, has started counting deaths in care homes. This toll is the highest in Europe, and the second in the world after the US. The UK has a fifth of the US\'s population, so translating the UK figure into US terms would amount to 160,000 US deaths from the virus (the US\'s death toll as of this weekend is a little more than 80,000).

Suzan Mazur (2020-05-13). Virologist Luis Villarreal: \"Leery\" of COVID-19 Models, Vaccine Possible Year\'s End. counterpunch.org Somewhat exasperated by the Covid-19 models publicly showcased over the last two months, I decided to ring up virologist Luis Villarreal for his perspective. Luis Villarreal is founding director of University of California, Irvine\'s Center for Virus Research and UCI Professor Emeritus, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry. Villarreal told me he takes these models \"with a

Liz Ford (2020-05-13). 6.3 Million Will Develop Tuberculosis as a Result of COVID-19 Lockdown, 1.4 Million Will Die. anti-empire.com

| The head of a global partnership to end tuberculosis (TB) said she is \"sickened\" by research that revealed millions more people are expected to contract the disease as a result of Covid-19 restrictions. | Up to 6.3 million more people are predicted to develop TB between now and 2025 and 1.4 million more people are expected to die as cases go undiagnosed and untreated during lockdown. This will set back global efforts to end TB by five to eight years. | \"The fact that we\'ve rolled back to 2013 figures and we have so…

Sanket Jain (2020-05-13). In Lockdown, India is No Country for Old Men. counterpunch.org At this time, Shamshuddin Mulla would have been in the fields — repairing engines and pumps. He did step out on March 26, the second day of the lockdown when a despairing farmer from Sulkud village [in Kolhapur district\'s Kagal taluka] came to his house on a bike. \"He took me to his farm, where

RT (2020-05-13). Class divide: Nearly TWO-THIRDS of British working class unable to do jobs from home amid Covid-19 crisis, new data reveals. rt.com New research suggests that the Covid-19 pandemic is exposing the class divide in the UK with almost two-thirds of British working class households unable to do their jobs from home, compared to under 30 percent of middle classes. | Research

RT (2020-05-13). Slack goes down GLOBALLY, crippling remote work amid Covid-19 pandemic. rt.com The chat application and virtual workplace Slack has gone dark, experiencing a major outage worldwide as countless remote workers rushed to check their email inboxes and migrate to other platforms. | The outage was reported by Slack on Tuesday, noting it was investigating the cause of the glitch, though was unable to provide an estimate of when it might be resolved. | So sorry for the trouble! We don\'t have an…

RT (2020-05-13). Germany to keep quarantine requirement in place for non-EU visitors as border control measures relaxed from May 16. rt.com German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has advised his country\'s states to keep quarantine restrictions in place for non-EU visitors as national border control measures are set to ease from May 16. | Berlin will begin relaxing national border controls implemented to curb the spread of Covid-19 from Saturday, with measures expected to be completely lifted by June 15. | As it stands, guidelines from Berlin are that anyone returning to Germany must spend 14 days in self-isolation when they re-enter the country. That rule will now be lifted for EU visitors. | Speaking on Wednesday, Seehofer said border crossings…

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-13). How Huxley\'s X-Club Created Nature Magazine and Sabotaged Science for 150 Years. strategic-culture.org Amidst the storm of controversy raised by the lab-origin theory of COVID-19 extolled by such figures as Nobel prize winning virologist Luc Montagnier, bioweapons expert Francis Boyle, Sri Lankan Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith and the head of Iran\'s Revolutionary Guard, an elaborate project was undertaken under the nominal helm of NATURE Magazine in order to refute the claim once and for all under the report This project was led by a team of evolutionary virologists using a line of reasoning that \"random…

RT (2020-05-13). Pity they don\'t work against Covid-19: US drives RECORD global spending on atomic weapons, report shows. rt.com The world\'s nuclear powers are increasingly pouring money into their atomic arsenals, a new report shows, with Washington leading the way. The US has also exited a major arms control treaty and deployed a new tactical weapon. | Nine nuclear-armed nations spent an estimated $72.9 billion on their 13,000-plus atomic weapons in 2019, according to

Nic Lewis (2020-05-13). Why Herd Immunity to COVID-19 Is Reached Much Earlier Than Thought. anti-empire.com A study published in March by the COVID-19 Response Team from Imperial College (Ferguson20 The \'herd immunity threshold\' (HIT) can be esti…

Judy Greenspan (2020-05-13). At San Quentin: \'No state execution by COVID-19!\'. workers.org May 9 — It was no coincidence or geographical convenience that prisoners\' rights advocates organized a car caravan today to San Quentin State Prison in Marin County, Calif. San Quentin, a mere 11 miles from San Francisco, is the state prison where death row prisoners are incarcerated. It is also . . . |

RT (2020-05-13). Belgium to partially reopen schools, markets, museums & zoos from Monday. rt.com Belgian schools will partially reopen and markets, museums and zoos will also be allowed to operate again from next Monday, PM Sophie Wilmes said on Wednesday. | With a population of 11.5 million, Belgium is among the European nations worst hit by Covid-19, but it began a phased easing of the restrictions at the start of May. Belgium has so far reported 53,981 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 8,843 deaths, according to Reuters. | Wilmes said the reopening of non-food shops this week had proceeded smoothly even if there were now queues outside some stores. \"Improvements are coming, but we must be patient. We can…

RT (2020-05-13). \'Major concern\': Nearly 100 New York children treated for mysterious inflammatory illness thought to be linked to Covid-19. rt.com At least 93 children in New York state have been diagnosed with a rare and poorly understood inflammatory disease thought to be tied to Covid-19, Governor Andrew Cuomo said, suggesting an uptick in the mysterious ailment. | Calling the situation \"truly disturbing,\" on Tuesday Cuomo said state health officials are investigating the spate of new patients who\'ve come down with \"pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome,\" which has already killed three children in New York. | \"New York State is now investigating about 100 cases of an inflammatory illness in children that may be related to Covid-19,\" the governor…

Tanuke Smith (2020-05-13). If we must die, don\'t let it be from COVID-19. peoplesworld.org Not much has changed in the Black community. The strategy of controlling wealth, access to healthcare, and the demise of African Americans is still as calculated as ever. The mainstream media reports daily on the death rate in Black communities, stemming from crime, police brutality, or COVID-19. As April arrived, the cruel face of reality …

RT (2020-05-13). Russia BANS usage of ventilators suspected of causing deadly fires killing six Covid-19 patients. rt.com Russia has indefinitely suspended the usage of Aventa-M artificial lung ventilation machines. The recently produced ventilators are suspected of causing two deadly fires in the past week, killing six people. | The ventilators, made in Ural\'s Instrument Making Plant, have been manufactured since April 1, 2020, in response to Russia\'s ever-growing number of Covid-19 patients. | According to Russia\'s health watchdog Roszdravnadzor, the ventilators were used to provide medical care to patients at the S. I. Spasokukotsky City Clinical Hospital in Moscow and St. George\'s Hospital in St. Petersburg, where fires occur…

RT (2020-05-13). Oops! FBI accidentally reveals name of Saudi diplomat who helped 9/11 hijackers after years of \'national security\' stonewalling. rt.com The FBI has accidentally revealed the name of a Saudi official believed to have aided two Al-Qaeda hijackers involved in the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon, after going to absurd lengths to keep it secret for years. | The name was unintentionally left unredacted in a court filing unsealed last week in the ongoing lawsuit by 9/11 victims\' families against the Saudi government, which they accuse of complicity in the terrorist attacks. The \'error\' was reported by Yahoo News on Tuesday — at which point the Justice Department withdrew the filing, refusing to comment on how the mistake had been made. | Also on rt.

RT (2020-05-13). NASA quietly buys additional Soyuz seat as SpaceX prepares for historic manned space flight. rt.com NASA has inked a deal with Russia\'s space agency Roscosmos to allow a US astronaut to travel into space aboard a Soyuz rocket in the fall, even as SpaceX gears up for its first manned launch later this month. | \"A contract was signed today on providing a seat for a US astronaut onboard a Soyuz MS manned spaceship to be launched to the ISS in the autumn of 2020,\" Roscosmos told Tass on Tuesday. | Though the agency refused to disclose the sum Washington paid for the seat, calling it \"a commercial secret,\" NASA spokespeople told reporters the deal was valued at $90.25 million, which includes the cost of the fligh…

RT (2020-05-13). US \'knocks on closed door\' seeking to extend arms embargo against Iran — Russia\'s UN envoy. rt.com The US cannot demand the extension of an arms embargo against Tehran since it is no longer a party to the Iran nuclear deal, Russian UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told reporters via a video link-up. | \"I do not see any reasons why [an] arms embargo should be imposed on Iran. It expires on 18 October. It was temporary,\" TASS quoted Nebenzia as saying. \"It was not in fact even an embargo. It is the provision where Iran is allowed to export/import armaments on the consent of the [UN] Security Council,\" he noted. | Two years ago, the US \"proudly announced\" that it withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Act…

RT (2020-05-13). Russian Arctic sea route shipping exceeds 10 million tons in Q1. rt.com Freight transportation via Russia\'s Northern Sea Route (NSR) grew 4.5 percent year-on-year from January to April, exceeding 10 million tons, the Federal Agency for Maritime and River Transportation, Rosmorrechflot, said. | The agency\'s representative, Nikolai Monko, earlier told TASS that the growth of freight transportation would be moderate in 2020. | According to Rosmorrechflot, 31.5 million tons were transported in 2019, up from 21.1 million tons in the previous year. Transit carriages rose by almost 41.9 percent last year to 697,200 tons. Cargo handling was mainly conducted at the ports of Sabetta (20.5 m…

RT (2020-05-13). Chechen leader Kadyrov BANNED from Instagram AGAIN, loses account with 1.4 MILLION followers. rt.com For many in the 21st century, losing social media access would be a devastating blow. However, for Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, it\'s just another day. For the third time in three years, Kadyrov has been banned from Instagram. | According to Instagram\'s owners, Facebook, the ban was in relation to US sanctions against the Chechen leader. | Since 2017, Kadyrov has been sanctioned by the United States under the terms of the Magnitsky Act. Signed by President Barack Obama in 2012, and later expanded in 2016, the Magnitsky Act enables the US government to sanction foreign government officials implicated in allege…

RT (2020-05-13). Break or retirement? Russia\'s \'Angelina Jolie\' of curling Anastasia Bryzgalova puts competitive career on hold. rt.com Russian curling stunner Anastasia Bryzgalova who became a viral hit during the 2018 PyeongChang Games, drawing comparisons with Angelina Jolie, has put her competitive career on ice. | The 27-year-old curling star who is taking a break from competitions will focus on training mixed-double duets serving as a second team coach in the Russian national team. | \"I wanted to take a break right after the Winter O…

RT (2020-05-13). Merkel cites \'hard evidence\' she was victim of \'Russian hackers\', says it doesn\'t help mend ties with Moscow. rt.com Germany\'s chancellor has lamented what she claimed was irrefutable proof of a Russian \"hacking attack\" on her Bundestag office but said she is working day and night to fix relations with Moscow despite the \"painful\" incident. | Chancellor Angela Merkel accused Russia of carrying out an online intrusion into her Bundestag constituency office back in 2015, as she spoke to MPs on Wednesday. | \"I can honestly say that it hurts me,\" she

Dianne Mathiowetz (2020-05-13). A 21st century lynching: Justice for Ahmaud Arbery! workers.org May 11— In the early afternoon of Feb. 23, shots rang out on the tree-lined streets of Satilla Shores, a predominantly white neighborhood bordering the port city of Brunswick on Georgia\'s Atlantic coast, some 40 miles north of Jacksonville, Fla. Afterward, a 25-year-old Black man, Ahmaud Arbery, lay dead on . . . |

Dianne Mathiowetz (2020-05-13). A 21st century lynching: Justice for Ahmaud Arbery! workers.org May 11— In the early afternoon of Feb. 23, shots rang out on the tree-lined streets of Satilla Shores, a predominantly white neighborhood bordering the port city of Brunswick on Georgia\'s Atlantic coast, some 40 miles north of Jacksonville, Fla. Afterward, a 25-year-old Black man, Ahmaud Arbery, lay dead on . . . |

RT (2020-05-13). Senate votes down anti-surveillance amendment, as both parties back warrantless spying on Americans' browser history. rt.com The US Senate has voted down an amendment that would limit surveillance of Americans\' internet records. Apparently, the true divide in Washington is not between Democrat and Republican, but those for or against the police state. | The US Senate met on Wednesday to debate the reauthorization of some provisions of the USA Freedom Act, an expansive domestic surveillance bill that expired in March. As Majority Leader Mitch McConnell brought the Act to the floor, a bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced an amendment that would explicitly bar law enforcement from snooping on Americans\' internet browsing and search…

Don Fitz (2020-05-13). Can we simultaneously oppose Bayer/Monsanto\'s biotechnology and support Cuba\'s Interferon Alpha 2B? mronline.org Technology reflects social factors throughout its development and use. Genetically engineered crops allow mega-corporations to patent seeds, lure farmers into buying them with visions of high yields, and then destroy small farmers. Cuba\'s drugs are shared throughout the world. Making a distinction between the biotechnology of agro-industry and Cuba requires understanding the difference between bioimperialism …

Joshua Hanks (2020-05-13). China reacts with zero tolerance for racist incidents. workers.org Reports surfaced in April of cases of discrimination against African workers in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong as pictures appeared on the internet of a sign refusing service to Africans at a McDonald\'s restaurant and allegations that Africans were being evicted from hotels. Ambassador Liu Yuxi, head of Mission . . . |

RT (2020-05-13). Does China need US or does US need China? RT\'s Boom Bust finds out. rt.com As part of the \'phase one\' trade deal, Beijing on Tuesday issued a new list of US products to be exempt from trade tariffs. This came as the US threatened to terminate the deal if China fails to meet its purchase commitments.

RT (2020-05-13). New clues on formation of life found in traces of fluid inside space rock 4.5 BILLION years old. rt.com A team of researchers are peering into what the solar system may have looked like in its earliest stages, unlocking answers about the formation of amino acids — and ultimately life as we know it — by analyzing ancient space rocks.

Jack Rasmus (2020-05-13). Low-Balling the Unemployed in the Era of the 2020 Great Recession. counterpunch.org This past Friday, May 8, the US Labor Dept. released its latest jobless figures. The official report was 20 million more unemployed and an unemployment rate of 14.7%. Both mainstream and progressive media reported the numbers: 20 million more jobless and 14.7%. But those numbers, as horrendous as they are, represent a gross under-estimation of

Lisa Chiu (2020-05-13). Zimbabwean president: Our doctors can learn from China\'s experience. america.cgtn.com Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa said Tuesday that his country could learn from China\'s experience in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic to a visiting medical team from China who shared knowledge and experience battling the virus.

Jim Spellman (2020-05-13). Restaurants reopening in West Virginia. america.cgtn.com Two months ago, most businesses in the state of West Virginia closed as COVID-19 spread in the U.S.. Rich Schaffer is the owner of the Rabbit Hole restaurant. Schaffer says he received 110-thousand dollars from the federal government, but that money is running out. West …

Global Research News (2020-05-13). Selected Articles: COVID-19: An Ocean of Fears and Lies. globalresearch.ca By The US federal and state governments are now hiring \"Contact Tracers\" t…

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-13). Something About Julian Assange You Should Know. strategic-culture.org It is not just our family who suffers from the infringement of Julian\'s rights. If our family and Julian\'s lawyers are not off-limits, then nothing is. The person responsible for allegedly ordering the theft of Gabriel\'s DNA is Mike Pompeo, who last month threatened the family members of lawyers working at the International Criminal Court.

Staff (2020-05-13). Michigan Anti-Lockdown Protesters Spread COVID-19 to Rural Areas. truthout.org Some protesters who

Nithin Coca (2020-05-13). What\'s Next for Asia\'s Social Movements? thenation.com What\'s Next for Asia\'s Social Movements?

Tanya Wadhwa (2020-05-13). Bolivian coup regime deploys military to suppress anti-government protests. peoplesdispatch.org Since May 11, hundreds of Bolivians have been mobilizing against the coup-installed government led by far-right Jeanine àÅñez and its mismanagement of the health and economic emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, the de-facto government has deployed police and military forces in the working-class neighborhoods of La Paz, El Alto and Cochabamba to suppress these anti-government protests. | Former Bolivian President Evo Morales has condemned the interim government for this extreme measure. \"Tanks in the streets, military in the neighborhoods, warplanes in our skies, exposing soldiers to the…

teleSUR (2020-05-13). El Salvador: White Cloths to Protest Hunger. telesurenglish.net Salvadoran communities are demanding the government provide food and medical aid due to the economic problems caused by the Covid-19 impact in the Central American nation. | RELATED: | The residents of Tonacatepeque and Ilopango communities hung white cloths on the facades of their homes as a sign of protest due to food scarcity. | El Salvador\'s President, Nayib Bukele, decreed and emergency quarantine on March 2…

Leon Kunstenaar (2020-05-13). San Quentin Gets Car Caravan Protest. indybay.org Protesters demand end to \"Covid-19 death camps.\"

Donald Monaco (2020-05-13). Fifty Years Ago: The Lessons of Kent State. Open Fire on Unarmed Student Anti-War Protesters. globalresearch.ca May 4, 2020 was the 50th anniversary of the Kent State University massacre that saw Ohio National Guardsmen open fire on a group of unarmed student anti-war protestors killing 4 and injuring 9 on campus. Not satisfied with the …

en.mehrnews (2020-05-13). Trade exchange vol. between Iran, Germany to hike by 15% in coming months. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA) — It is predicted that trade volume exchange between Islamic Republic of Iran and Germany will rise by 15% in the coming months.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-13). Iranian photographer goes to Kharkiv Fest in Ukraine. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 14 (MNA) — The Deputy of Art and Cinema in the Department of Culture and Islamic Guidance in Bushehr announced that the work of Babak Mansurian has reached the final stage of the Kharkiv International Festival of Arts in Ukraine.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-13). Iran delivers homegrown corona diagnostic kits to Germany: IRICA. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA) — Spokesman for the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA) said that COVID-19 serology diagnostic kits, made by the Iranian scientists, were delivered to Germany over the past two days.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-13). Iranian embassy calls on Japan to support UNSCR 2231. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA) — Referring to the friendly and traditional relations between Iran and Japan, the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Tokyo called on the Japanese government to support the UNSCR 2231.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-13). Iran, Georgia seek improvement of customs coop. amid coronavirus pandemic. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA) — In a trilateral video call among Iran\'s Ambassador to Georgia Javad Ghavam Shahid, Head of Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA) Mehdi Mirashrafi and an official from Revenue Service of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia the two countries conferred on improving customs cooperation under the coronavirus pandemic.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-13). Russia may start talks with Iran in future over selling armament to country: Kabulov. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA) — The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry\'s Second Asia Department Zamir Kabulov said Wednesday that Russia may commence talks with the Islamic Republic over selling weaponry to the country after the removal of Iran\'s arms embargo, i.e. October 2020.

Jastra Ilic (2020-05-13). Survey on COVID-19 Economic Impacts: More than 50% of German Companies Expect Major Revenue Drop in 2020. globalresearch.ca The coronavirus outbreak has caused a significant impact on European companies, confronting them with the worst market declines in the last few decades. As one of the most-affected countries in Europe, Germany is set to witness a significant collapse in …

Binoy Kampmark (2020-05-13). Patriotic Vaccines: The Divided Coronavirus Cause. counterpunch.org When it comes to the politics of medicine and disease, the United States has always attempted to steal the limelight, while adding the now faded colouring of universal human welfare. In 1965, Washington pledged financial and technical support to the international effort to eradicate smallpox, though the initiative had initially been spurred by the Soviet

en.mehrnews (2020-05-13). Iran, Russia stress coop. in fight against coronavirus. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA) — Iranian Minister of Health and Medical Education Saeed Namaki and his Russian counterpart Mikhail Murashko held a videoconference on Tuesday, stressing cooperation between two countries in the fight against coronavirus.

teleSUR-ag-la (2020-05-13). Ecuador Faces Wave of Corruption Amid Pandemic. telesurenglish.net Amid the coronavirus crisis, Ecuador, one of the South American countries most affected by the pandemic, faces the corruption virus that takes advantage of the difficult situation. | RELATED: | The Prosecutor\'s Office recorded that masks are being sold in the country for $12 USD, when they should have cost $4 USD. The same is happening with body bags, which are being sold for more than $148 USD and should be worth $12 USD. | M…

en.mehrnews (2020-05-13). Tehran, Kuala Lumpur ready to exchange experiences on Covid-19. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA) — In a phone conversation between Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yasin on Wednesday, the two sides discussed various issues including sharing experiences on the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

Ashley Curtin (2020-05-13). Border wall construction ramps up during coronavirus pandemic. nationofchange.org \"The Sierra Club is joining its partners in the borderlands to call for the immediate halt of border wall construction during the coronavirus pandemic.

Timothy Alexander Guzman (2020-05-13). Return of the Brown Shirts? US Federal and State Governments to Hire Contact Tracers to \'Hunt Down New Covid-19 Cases. globalresearch.ca The US federal and state governments are now hiring \"Contact Tracers\" to track those who are infected with the Coronavirus. The Daily Beast, a liberal online news site claims that in order to reopen businesses and institutions, the government needs …

teleSUR (2020-05-13). Lebanon Shuts Down Activities Due to New Coronavirus Outbreak. telesurenglish.net Lebanon will begin an almost total shutdown on Wednesday afternoon in the face of growing contagion from COVID-19, which raises fears of a second wave of the pathogen. | RELATED: | The country recorded 11 new infections according to figures released on Tuesday, bringing the number of people infected to 870 with 26 deaths. | Meanwhile, the number of people on the streets wearing transparent masks to prevent infection is growing. | T…

William Walter Kay (2020-05-13). The Boston-Newark Megalopolis: Death Certification Agencies are Jacking-up their C-19 Body-counts. globalresearch.ca On January 9, 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) alerted authorities worldwide of a potential novel coronavirus outbreak. Three weeks of investigations and conferences later (January 30) WHO declared a global public health emergency. Regions which subsequently posted extraordinarily high …

WSWS (2020-05-13). White House Coronavirus Task Force member warns of \"really serious\" consequences of premature reopening. wsws.org The testimony was a devastating indictment of Trump\'s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and made clear that the back-to-work campaign risks countless lives.

Abdel Bari Atwan (2020-05-13). Egypt and Ethiopia: Could it be war? thealtworld.com A showdown over Nile waters is looming as the world looks the other way | While the world is diverted by the coronavirus crisis, Ethiopia is just weeks away from starting to fill the reservoir of its Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile, to the great dismay of Egypt whose vital supply of water stands to be severely reduced. | Last week, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri sent a letter to all members of the UN Security Council setting out the country\'s perspective on developments in the long-running dispute over the dam, detailing its efforts to reach an equitable solution, and warning of t…

en.mehrnews (2020-05-13). Night of Decree observed in Yazd amid pandemic. en.mehrnews.com YAZD, May 13 (MNA) — The rituals of the Night of Decree (Laylat al-Qadr) was held in Yazd on Tuesday night by observing health protocols amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Renee Parsons (2020-05-13). HR 6666: The Testing, Reaching and Contacting Everyone (TRACE) Act. Towards a Totalitarian State? globalresearch.ca And so it begins with the first Congressional effort to codify what may be the first of many unconstitutional legislative attempts to create a totalitarian One World Government under the guise of attacking the coronavirus COVID 19. | Some weeks ago …

Mary Retta (2020-05-13). The Coronavirus Is Hitting Tribal Schools Hard. thenation.com The Coronavirus Is Hitting Tribal Schools Hard…

WSWS (2020-05-13). New York City education department, backed by teachers union, downplayed virus threat. wsws.org An exposé in the journal the City demonstrates that New York City officials systematically downplayed the threat of the coronavirus to New York City students and educators…

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-13). Why you need to keep your child\'s vaccine schedule during COVID-19. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Millions of children may be at risk of missing or delaying their routine childhood vaccines due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Tina Ardon, a Mayo Clinic family medicine specialist, says she understands being thoughtful about taking your children outside the home for doctor\'s visits during this time. \"The current situation with the novel coronavirus shows us how scary …

Staff (2020-05-13). Was Jared Kushner Testing the Waters for Cancelling Elections in November? truthout.org Jared Kushner created a stir on Tuesday evening when an interview with him was published online in which he expressed how the Trump administration was possibly considering delaying the 2020 presidential election date due to the coronavirus pandemic. | \"I\'m not sure I…

Tony Cartalucci (2020-05-13). Holding Healthcare Hostage: The Making of a Ventilator Crisis. globalresearch.ca When coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) began dominating headlines, it was accompanied by fears of potential shortages of critical medical equipment including personal protective equipment (PPE) and ventilators. | Nations like Russia had large stockpiles of affordable ventilators on hand — so …

teleSUR (2020-05-13). Mexico Records Its Most Deadly Day Since the Start of COVID-19. telesurenglish.net Mexico recorded on Tuesday its most deadly day since the start of the pandemic by confirming the death of 353 people due to the coronavirus. | RELATED: | The total number of deaths from Covid-19 in the country rose to 3,926. | The number of people infected rose to 38,324, with 1,997 new cases recorded in the last 24 hours. | The largest number of cases of Covid-19 is concentrated in Mexico City, with 10,529, almost…

imperial.ac.uk (2020-05-13). Coronavirus will have bigger impact on world\'s most disadvantaged and vulnerable. imperial.ac.uk The coronavirus pandemic will have a greater impact on the world\'s most disadvantaged and vulnerable populations, according to an Imperial report.

imperial.ac.uk (2020-05-13). The economic impact of coronavirus: analysis from Imperial experts. imperial.ac.uk Academics and researchers from Imperial College London have provided analysis of the economic impact of COVID-19.

teleSUR (2020-05-13). COVID-19 May Never Go Away, WHO Warns. telesurenglish.net Speaking at a briefing Wednesday, WHO emergencies director Dr. Mike Ryan warned against trying to predict when the virus would disappear. | RELATED: | He added that even if a vaccine is found, controlling the virus will require a \"massive effort\". | Almost 300,000 people worldwide are reported to have died of coronavirus, and more than 4.3m cases recorded. | \"It is important to put this on the table: this virus may become ju…

Lillianna Byington (2020-05-13). As Coronavirus Spreads in Meat Plants, Nearly 200 USDA Inspectors Test Positive. globalresearch.ca As coronavirus has spread rapidly among meat plants across the country, it\'s not just the workers that are getting infected. Many people have

en.mehrnews (2020-05-13). \"World Telecommunication Day\" to be held online amid COVID-19. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 14 (MNA) — Information Technology Organization of Iran said that \"World Telecommunication and Information Society Day\" will be held online this year due to the outbreak of coronavirus global pandemic, COVID-19.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-13). Trump ally Lindsey Graham seeks China sanctions over coronavirus probe: report. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA) — A leading US Republican senator proposed legislation on Tuesday that would authorise the US president to impose far-reaching sanctions on China if it fails to give a full account of events leading to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

Lynda Carson (2020-05-13). HUD allocates relief funds to protect public housing & Section 8 tenants. indybay.org Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic…

Brenda Norrell (2020-05-13). Oglala Lakota enforce coronavirus border checkpoints after South Dakota Governor\'s threats. indybay.org On Pine Ridge, Oglala Lakota Police and Lakota warriors are manning protective roadblocks at the tribal border entrances today on Mother\'s Day, as South Dakota State threatens Native Nations over their coronavirus roadblocks.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-13). Lavrov slams US\' baseless accusations against Russia, China amid coronavirus pandemic. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA) — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov slammed on Wednesday Washington\'s accusations against Russia and China as baseless, stressing that unilateral sanctions could only hinder humanitarian assistance amid the coronavirus pandemic.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-13). Night of Destiny rituals observed in Tehran\'s Modarres hospital. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA) — Laylat al-Qadr [Night of Destiny] was observed in Modarres Hospital in Tehran on 19th of the holy month of Ramadan by observing \'social distancing\' and health protocols recommended by the National Coronavirus Combat and Prevention Headquarters.

Brenda Norrell (2020-05-13). Cheyenne River Lakota won\'t back down at checkpoints after South Dakota Gov\'s threats. indybay.org Cheyenne River Lakota Chairman Harold Frazier said the South Dakota Governor never contacted him, but made fiery statements in the media. Regardless of the threats, Lakota here maintain their checkpoints and are focused on saving lives and halting the spread of coronavirus.

WSWS (2020-05-13). German politicians and media laud right-wing demonstrations against coronavirus restrictions. wsws.org The ruling elite is now mobilising the right-wing dregs of society in the \"corona\" demonstrations to intimidate the population and enforce their back-to-work campaign.

Staff (2020-05-13). Trump Pressures CDC to Lower COVID Death Count by Changing Calculation Method. truthout.org President Donald Trump has privately expressed doubts about the coronavirus death toll in the United States, telling aides he believes the number is too high and overcounted. | Earlier this month, \"The numbers ha…

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-13). Authoritarians Using Coronavirus Fear to Destroy America. strategic-culture.org Ron PAUL | A Fresno, California waffle restaurant dared to open its doors for business this weekend to the delight of a long line of customers, who waited up to two hours for the \"privilege\" of willingly spending their money in a business happy to serve them breakfast on Mother\'s Day. This freedom of voluntary transaction is the core of what we used to call our free society. But in an America paralyzed by fear — ramped up by a mainstream media that churns out propaganda at a level unparalleled in history — no one is allowed to enjoy themselves. | Thankfully everyone carries a smartphone these days and…

José Orduña (2020-05-13). Scenes From a Pandemic: 7. thenation.com Scenes From a Pandemic: 7…

Lucas Leiroz de Almeida (2020-05-13). Mysterious Murder of Coronavirus Chinese Scientist in US Leaves Many Questions Unanswered. globalresearch.ca Last week, Chinese scientist Bing Liu was shot and killed inside his home in Ross Township, Pennsylvania, USA. The researcher was a doctor of computer science at the National University of Singapore and lived and worked in the US, more …

Lucas Leiroz de Almeida (2020-05-13). Cybersecurity Companies Selling Hyper-control Technology to Governments to \"Prevent Pandemics\" globalresearch.ca The fear that the global pandemic of the new coronavirus will be used to justify a new world order based on a hyper-surveillance system becomes increasingly real. All over the world, multiple projects abound to build a global surveillance and …

commondreams (2020-05-13). Afghanistan: Pregnant Women and Babies Attacked in Kabul Hospital. commondreams.org ______________________________…

en.mehrnews (2020-05-13). India\'s 2nd ship of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan docks at Shahid Beheshti port. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA) — India\'s second consignment of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan has arrived in Chabahar\'s Shahid Beheshti Port, said the director-general of Sistan and Baluchestan Ports and Maritime Department.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-13). Iran, Afghanistan to comment joint investigations on Herat incident. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA) — Afghanistan ministry of foreign affairs announced on Wednesday that Tehran and Kabul will start mutual investigations on Herat incident; the tragic deaths of a number of Afghan migrants near the Iran-Afghanistan border in Early May, as of Thursday.

teleSUR (2020-05-13). Venezuela Denounces US at UN Security Council. telesurenglish.net Venezuela denounced on Wednesday, before the Security Council and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the armed terrorist attacks against the nation. The attack carried out on May 3 off the coast of La Guaira, was organized and financed by mercenaries and protected by the Governments of Colombia and the United States, announced the Minister of Foreign Relations, Jorge Arreaza. | RELATED: | Earlier in the day, S…

Adriaan Alsema (2020-05-13). Colombia\'s health workers unprotected, patients without treatment: watchdogs. colombiareports.com Colombia\'s inspector general and ombudsman on Tuesday urged government action to protect health workers and continue providing healthcare to patients not suffering Covid-19. The watchdogs confirmed healthcare organizations\' complaints that…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-05-13). Communities violently evicted in Colombia amid lockdown. peoplesdispatch.org Altos de la Estancia is a park area in the Ciudad Bolívar district which is occupied by homeless locals, migrants, peasants, indigenous people and unemployed workers. Nearly 700 poor families live in precarious conditions in the slums built on the land.

Jonathan Cook (2020-05-13). Why is Mike Pompeo risking a One-day Trip to Israel Amid the Pandemic? dissidentvoice.org As part of its battle against Covid-19, Israel has closed it borders to foreigners and imposed a two-week quarantine on anyone entering the country. There are also strict requirements to wear masks in public places. Israel, however, has thrown the rules — and caution — to the wind in approving the arrival on Wednesday of …

Azhar Azam (2020-05-13). Trump\'s Political Hoax Won\'t Revive US Economy, Retrieve Jobs. globalresearch.ca The US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was a hardliner Republican before Trump appointed him the head of American premier civilian intelligence service, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and later on to serve as the top US foreign diplomat. | Although …

en.mehrnews (2020-05-13). White House hosting worst US administration, Pompeo knows nothing about ABC\'s of politics. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA) — In his remarks during Wednesday Cabinet Meeting, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that the White House is hosting the worst American administration and the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo does not know ABC\'s of politics.

John Whitehead (2020-05-13). Contact Tracing, Immunity Cards and Mass Testing: Are We on The Fast Track to a National ID? mintpressnews.com CHARLOTTESVILLE ( That\'s the message being broadcast 24/7 with every new piece of government propaganda, every new law that criminalizes otherwise lawful activity, every new policeman on the beat, every new surveillance camera casting a watchful eye, every sensationalist news story that titillates and distracts, every new prison or detention center built to house troublemake…

John McEvoy (2020-05-13). Revealed: Secretive British unit planning for \'reconstruction\' of Venezuela. thecanary.co Documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act have exposed a secretive Foreign Office unit aimed at the \'reconstruction\' of Venezuela. The files also reveal private discussions between Venezuelan opposition figures and UK officials, detailing proposals for the promotion of British business after a planned coup.UK support for coup attempt in Venezuela: Over the past 16 months, the UK government has consistently

teleSUR (2020-05-13). Venezuela Arrests Another Man Involved in Failed Incursion Plan. telesurenglish.net Venezuelan security forces reported the capture on Wednesday of another mercenary involved in the failed incursion into the South American country, called Operation Gideon, on May 3. | RELATED: | The capture was made in the mountainous area of Petaquirito, in the state of La Guaira, by members of the Eighth Brigade of Sea Commands of the Bolivarian Navy (AB), one of the five components of the Bolivarian National…

Carly Larsson (2020-05-13). What\'s Changed Since the Virus Arrived? thenation.com What\'s Changed Since the Virus Arrived?

en.mehrnews (2020-05-13). 89,428 Iranians recover from Covid-19. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA) — The total number of COVID-19 cases in Iran presently stands at 112,725 of whom 6,783 have lost their lives to the deadly virus but 89,428 have recovered from it.

Ceng Jing (2020-05-13). The Mind-blowing History at Fort Detrick. globalresearch.ca Since the Trump administration declared national emergency in mid-march over the rapid spread of COVID-19, the task of developing a vaccine has fallen on the U.S. Army\'s top virus research lab in Fort Detrick, located in suburban Maryland some 50 …

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-13). Mayo Clinic\'s comprehensive COVID-19 research. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org \"At Mayo, we\'ve developed a comprehensive research portfolio, or what we call a COVID-19 research task force, in order to respond to every area that we need to learn more about this virus. We have scientists doing research in epidemiology. We have people doing research in immunology and vaccine development, in virology, in translational work, in …

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-13). Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: Possible neurological effects of COVID-19. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Originally identified as a respiratory disease, some COVID-19 patients exhibit neurologic symptoms including stroke, loss of consciousness, headache, and even the loss of taste and smell. What\'s unknown is whether these are direct effects of the virus entering the nervous system, or consequences of the disease\'s effect on the body. On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, …

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-13). Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: COVID-19 research at Mayo Clinic. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Thanks to its combination of practice, education, and research, Mayo Clinic has a strong foundation to respond quickly to a medical crisis such as COVID-19. As the SARS-CoV-2 virus spread worldwide, a research task force was formed at Mayo Clinic to review and approve research proposals related to the virus and the disease it causes. …

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-13). Mayo Clinic expert discusses potential neurological effects of COVID-19. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can take a severe toll on the respiratory system. However, recent research suggests that the virus may also infect the nervous system. A study of patients with COVID-19 out of Wuhan, China found that possible neurological signs and symptoms caused by COVID-19 can include loss of taste and smell, …

en.mehrnews (2020-05-13). Conflict between Russia, Iran over Syria psychological war: Nasrallah. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA) — Secretary General of Lebanese Resistance Movement Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah told reports on the conflict between Russia and Iran over Syria is part of the psychological warfare against Syria and its allies.

Marwa Osman (2020-05-13). Iraq\'s New Government—MES EP.53. thealtworld.com Iraq\'s parliament has approved a new government, after six months without one, as parties bickered until the last minute over cabinet seats in backroom deals. Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, Iraq\'s intelligence chief and a former journalist, will head the government but will begin his term without a full cohort of ministers after several candidates were rejected. To discuss this issue with us from Beirut is Mohamad Obeid, political commentator. | In the meantime, The Syrian Arab Army and their allies from the National Defense Forces squared off with ISIS terrorists in the Al-Mayadeen District of Deir Ezzor, re…

WSWS (2020-05-13). New Zealand government removes more COVID-19 restrictions. wsws.org The Labour Party-led government is moving to appease big business and ignoring calls from scientists for an extension of lockdown measures.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-05-13). Lebanon reimposes lockdown after spike in COVID-19 cases. peoplesdispatch.org The country recorded over hundred fresh cases within three days this week. It had recorded zero new cases last week, which had led the government to relax lockdown norms imposed since March 15…

WSWS (2020-05-13). Failure to halt COVID-19 spread leads to mass deaths in Swedish elder care homes. wsws.org Sweden\'s high fatality rate is due to official opposition to a lockdown and mass testing, and to decades-long austerity policies that devastated health care and other key services.

Staff (2020-05-13). Why Are \"Progressive Democrats\" Siding With Amazon in Seattle? truthout.org Right now in Seattle, Washington, Amazon — arguably the company positioned to No…

WSWS (2020-05-13). Democrats and unions seek to suppress resistance by Amazon workers. wsws.org Seeking to contain the outrage of workers over deadly working conditions, the Democratic Party and trade unions have embarked on a campaign among \"essential\" workers.

WSWS (2020-05-13). Sri Lankan president \"reopens economy\" despite pandemic. wsws.org The Rajapakse regime is seeking to overcome the economic crisis at the expense of the health and lives of working people.

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-13). Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: Cancer treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Because cancer treatments can weaken the immune system, cancer patients are at increased risk of complications from COVID-19. Despite these concerns, cancer patients often still need treatment, including going to the clinic or to the hospital, and many have questions about whether cancer should be treated differently during the COVID-19 pandemic. On the Mayo Clinic …

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-13). Packing on pounds during COVID-19 and how to turn it around. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org If you\'ve gained weight during the COVID-19 pandemic, you aren\'t alone. The \"Quarantine 15\"

WSWS (2020-05-13). New York police brutality continues unabated in midst of pandemic. wsws.org Sections of the Democratic Party and the media in New York City are attempting to portray brutal attacks by the NYPD on workers and youth exclusively in racial terms.

WSWS (2020-05-13). New York state to begin reopening in certain regions this weekend. wsws.org Three regions within New York state are set to resume some economic activity May 15, under a plan that leaves significant room for a deadly second wave of the pandemic.

Sarah Anderson (2020-05-13). A For-Profit Postal Service Would Slam Small Businesses. counterpunch.org Like most Americans, Julie Buckles, the owner of Honest Dog Books in tiny Bayfield, Wisconsin, has had to be flexible in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. \"Overnight, we went from hosting music, literary discussions, and poetry readings to shipping books all over the country,\" she told me. With her bookstore shuttered, Buckles is now

WSWS (2020-05-13). UK: Exercise Cygnus leak confirms Tory government\'s criminal inaction over pandemic threat. wsws.org The publication of a version of the report in the Guardian makes clear that the Johnson government tried to hide evidence of its criminal lack of preparation.

WSWS (2020-05-13). Australian university union agrees to unprecedented pay and job cuts. wsws.org The agreement shatters the NTEU\'s claim that it volunteered sacrifices of wages and conditions to \"protect jobs\" from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-13). Masking your kids during COVID-19. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Do you or don\'t you wear a mask? If you do, what material is best? And what about children? Questions around masks during the COVID-19 pandemic abound, especially in light of the recent recommendation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that all Americans wear masks in public settings. \"The direction around face masks has …

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-13). Spring cleaning takes on a new importance during COVID-19 pandemic. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released reopening guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting public spaces, workplaces, businesses, schools and homes. Dr. Gregory Poland, a Mayo Clinic infectious diseases expert, suggests taking a practical approach to spring cleaning. If no one in your household has been infected, he says standard spring cleaning practices …

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-13). What COVID-19 does to your lungs. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org m __________________________________________________ For the latest updates on the COVID-19 pandemic, check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. For more information and COVID-19 coverage, go to the Mayo Clinic News Network and mayoclinic.org.

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-13). Science Saturday: Regenerative approaches could foster healing from COVID-19. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Regenerative Medicine aims not only to repair or restore the function of cells, tissues or organs, but also the whole person. The latter is particularly important amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Regenerative approaches draw on the body\'s natural abilities to heal, focus on establishing the healing environments and building new, healthy ways of functioning. These aspects of regenerative …

commondreams (2020-05-13). Imposing Sanctions Is A War Crime Amid Pandemic. commondreams.org ______________________________…

WSWS (2020-05-13). 33 London bus drivers killed by COVID-19: \"We are expendable like diesel\" wsws.org Workers fear infections will soar following Sunday night\'s \"phased exit\" announced by the Johnson government…

True Publica (2020-05-13). The World Order Is Rapidly Changing. globalresearch.ca As every day reveals yet another failure of the state to tackle the COVID-19 crisis and it merges into the next, it is becoming apparent that this government does not really understand the scale of damage being done to the …

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-13). Mayo Clinic launches radio campaign to encourage recovered patients of COVID-19 to donate plasma. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Mayo Clinic is collaborating with Entercom Communications to launch a radio campaign that raises awareness in Detroit, New York City, Miami and Chicago of the federally-sponsored national Expanded Access Program (EAP) for Convalescent Plasma. The Food and Drug Administration announced Mayo Clinic as the lead site for the EAP program to speed access and increase availability of investigational convalescent plasma for hospitalized patients …

Sarah Lahm (2020-05-13). Billionaires Are the Biggest Threat to Public Schools. progressive.org For education \"disruptors\" like Bill Gates and Betsy DeVos, COVID-19 isn\'t a crisis—it\'s an opportunity.

Dr. Pascal Sacré (2020-05-13). COVID-19: An Ocean of Fears and Lies. globalresearch.ca \"If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.\" — Lao Tzu | Are you too waiting for the second wave? | What type of waves are we talking about? | Your eyes are riveted perhaps on a …

teleSUR (2020-05-13). Africa: COVID Crisis Could Lead to Increase in AIDS Deaths. telesurenglish.net WHO and UNAIDS representatives warned on May 12 that an AIDS treatment could increase the total sum of HIV-related deaths by up to 500,000 in Africa. | RELATED: | According to the UNAIDS modeling group preclusion, the COVID-19 crisis could cause antiretroviral drug scarcity and treatment to cease if African HIV patients are not prioritized during the COVID spread. UN and WHO forecasts show a possible half million peo…

en.mehrnews (2020-05-13). Confirmed worldwide Covid-19 death toll passes 293,000. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA) — Worldwide, the number of confirmed infections stands above 4.3 million, with 293,037 deaths and approximately 1.6 million recoveries.

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-13). Mayo Clinic receives $26 million from BARDA for COVID-19 convalescent plasma expanded access program. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Mayo Clinic was awarded a $26 million contract today from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The financial support is for the Expanded Access Program (EAP) for convalescent plasma to fight COVID-19. …

Staff (2020-05-13). Trump\'s \"Lightning Fast\" COVID-19 Test May Be Seriously Flawed, New Study Shows. truthout.org President Donald Trump has frequently bragged about the amount of testing being conducted across the United States in response to COVID-19 — but a recent study from New York University suggests that the testing going on within the White House itself is faulty. | The White House utilizes a testing kit from Abbott Laboratories called the ID NOW test, administering COVID-19 tests on everyone who might come into contact with the president, including governors, lawmakers, reporters and other…

Dr. Pascal Sacré (2020-05-13). PSY-OP COVID-19: Under House Arrest! globalresearch.ca Are we lab rats? Milgram-Asch-Laborit | In this article, I refer to the experience of countries that are confined in an authoritarian and arbitrary manner, with more than 3 billion human beings under the authority of a few people and under …

Prof. Joseph H. Chung (2020-05-13). The COVID-19 Crisis in the U.S.: How Many More Innocent People Have to Die? globalresearch.ca The COVID-19 is sweeping the U.S. land leaving behind mountains of dead bodies. This is just incredible. Soon, millions of persons may be inflicted. God knows how many more lives will be sacrificed. | What is frightening is the disorderly easing …

WSWS (2020-05-13). California nurses denounce lack of access to PPE. wsws.org \"We don\'t know how many medical workers have died here because of COVID-19 because neither the hospital nor the union tells us.\"

WSWS (2020-05-13). With Brazil on course to become new COVID-19 epicenter, Bolsonaro escalates back-to-work campaign. wsws.org Auto factories have already restarted production even as every region in the country is breaking daily records of cases and deaths.

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-13). Connecting Patients: COVID-19 and transplant patients. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Mayo Clinic Connect is an online community where you can share your experiences and find support from people like you. You can also read Mayo Clinic expert blogs and take part in educational events. COVID-19 and Transplant Patients \"As a kidney transplant recipient I have been extra vigilant/worried about protecting myself as COVID-19 spreads. Like …

Mark Hertsgaard (2020-05-13). The Covid-19 Stimulus Debate Is a Pivotal Climate Story. thenation.com The Covid-19 Stimulus Debate Is a Pivotal Climate Story…

Staff (2020-05-13). The HEROES Act Is a Vital Step Toward Ending COVID, So of Course It Is Doomed. truthout.org There are two ways the COVID-19 story ends for the United States. | The nation can embrace scientific and medical facts as the way back home, make business secondary to life and health, and use our vast financial resources to support the populace even as we roll out a comprehensive testing program to speed a return to whatever passes for normal in this thundercloud of a country. | Or we can burn on the pyre of heedlessly rapacious capitalism. It really, truly is just that simple. As it stands…

WSWS (2020-05-13). UK COVID-19 related deaths top 60,000, according to Financial Times. wsws.org Yesterday, the government reported another 627 deaths in its daily briefing, taking the manipulated official fatalities toll to 32,490.

The Canary (2020-05-13). Results of tens of thousands of Covid-19 tests disappear into \'black hole\'. thecanary.co The results of tens of thousands of Covid-19 tests carried out by the government\'s network of testing centres are not being shared locally, stalling efforts to control the outbreak, it has emerged. | A leaked email, seen by the Health Service Journal (HSJ), said data from a new testing programme of non-NHS labs — managed by consultancy firm Deloitte — is not available. | Sent at the weekend from a regional NHS incident centre, the email said: \"No new national testing programme (NTP) data will be reported in this brief from 4 May until further notice. | \"This is due to the NTP testing numbers increasin…

teleSUR (2020-05-13). Floods Leave at Least 237 Dead and 807,000 Displaced in Kenya. telesurenglish.net Kenya\'s Decentralization Minister Eugene Wamalwa Thursday reported that at least 237 people have died and 807,000 residents have been forced to flee their homes due to flooding from the heavy rains that have been falling for the past four weeks. | RELATED: | \"So far, 237 Kenyans have lost their lives because of the floods. That is a very high number compared to the 40 people who have died due to COVID-19,\" Wamalwa s…

Thomas Knapp (2020-05-13). Republicans Can\'t Seem to Make Up Their Minds About Mail and Voting. counterpunch.org One laudable side effect of the COVID-19 panic is a nationwide effort to promote \"vote by mail\" as a universal alternative to standing in line at polling places. One reason that effort is laudable is that it would likely decrease vote fraud. Yes, I said \"decrease.\" And Republicans were saying the same thing until recently.

WSWS (2020-05-13). Kawasaki-like disease afflicting young children and teens after infection with SARS-CoV-2. wsws.org Around 100 children in New York may have been afflicted by complications of COVID-19 infection, now called Pediatric Multi-system Inflammatory Syndrome, with possibly five dead.

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-13). National Nurses Day: Not all heroes wear capes. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Photo and article are courtesy of Mayo Clinic News Center andMayo Clinic Employee Facebook. Not all heroes wear capes. Some wear scrubs, protective equipment and step out in difficult times to be there for others. As COVID-19 continues to spread and people heed notices to socially distance themselves and hunker down in their homes, there …

WSWS (2020-05-13). Right-wing Facebook groups threaten to assassinate Michigan Governor Whitmer. wsws.org Extreme right-wing members of private Facebook groups have made threats to assassinate the Michigan governor in response to her \"stay home, stay safe\" executive order.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-13). Iranian, Turkish researchers carry out 22 joint projects. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA) — Iranian and Turkish researchers are conducting some 22 projects under the agreement inked between Iran\'s Ministry of Science, Research and Technology and Iran-Turkey Scientific Cooperation Working Group at Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey [TàúBƒ∞TAK].

Aidan O\'Brien (2020-05-13). German Foreign Policy Is a CIA Front. globalresearch.ca On March 30 Germany declared the important Lebanese political group, Hezbollah, to be a \"terrorist\" organization and banned it from German soil. By doing so it gratuitously increased the tension in the eastern Mediterranean and exposed Berlin\'s lack of credibility …

teleSUR (2020-05-13). Cuba Rejects US Terrorism Accusations, as Habana Blacklisted. telesurenglish.net Cuba rejected on Wednesday accusations of terrorism by the United States, as President Donald Trump blacklisted the Caribbean island, claiming that it had not fully cooperated against terrorism. | RELATED: | While the U.S. Department blacklists Cuba with countries that do not cooperate in the fight against terrorism, it does not prevent or condemn the terrorist attack of April 30 on our embassy in Washington, Cuba\'s Foreign…

en.mehrnews (2020-05-13). Ulyanov reacts to US allegations of Moscow\'s support for JCPOA. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA) — Russia\'s Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov has reacted sarcastically to the US allegations of Moscow\'s support for JCPOA and prevention from the extension of Iran\'s arms embargo.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-13). Iran to give harsh response to any military escapade by US: Envoy. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA) — Iran will give a harsh response to any military escapade that US President Donald Trump may resort to, Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali has said in an interview, commenting on Trump\'s veto of a congressional resolution limiting his ability to conduct military operations against Iran without congressional approval.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-13). Russia, S Arabia agree to stabilize oil market. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA) — Russia and Saudi Arabia\'s energy ministers agreed to stabilize the oil market.

Justinas Baltrusaitis (2020-05-13). Only Three Countries Control Over 80% of Global Diamond Reserves. globalresearch.ca Only three countries are in control of more than three quarters of the world\'s diamond reserves globally. Data gathered and calculated by Learnbonds.com indicates that Russia, Congo, and Botswana combined account for at least 80.6% of the world diamond reserves….

Dr. Binoy Kampmark (2020-05-13). Australia: Greasing the Revolving Door: Palantir Recruits Down Under. globalresearch.ca When

John W. Whitehead (2020-05-13). The Worst Is Yet to Come: Contact Tracing, Immunity Cards and Mass Testing. globalresearch.ca \" No one is safe. | No one is immune. | No one gets spared the anguish, fear and heartache of living under …

Pepe Escobar (2020-05-13). Why China\'s President Xi Won\'t Repeat Ming Dynasty Mistakes. globalresearch.ca With hybrid warfare 2.0 against China reaching fever pitch, the New Silk Roads, or Belt and Road Initiative, will continue to be demonized 24/7 as the proverbial evil communist plot for economic and geopolitical domination of the \"free\" world, boosted …

Adeyinka Makinde (2020-05-13). History of Ghana: The Tragedy of One-time Military Ruler Ignatius Acheampong: Visionary and Kleptocrat. globalresearch.ca \"Beloved Ghana, born with a deep sense of pride, nurtured with unshakeable courage, has said goodbye forever to reaction, to timidity and hypocrisy in Government, and to the suppression of the interests and welfare of the people. Together we shall …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-05-13). IndustriALL questions violations of worker rights by Shell in Nigeria. peoplesdispatch.org 82% of oil giant Shell\'s workforce in Nigeria is sourced through labor contractors. As per IndustriALL, the workers \"live in poverty with no job security, poor healthcare and little regard for health and safety.\"

en.mehrnews (2020-05-13). UNICEF dispatches dressings for EB patients in Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 13 — The United Nations Children\'s Fund (UNICEF) has dispatched dressings for Iranian children suffering from Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB).

en.mehrnews (2020-05-13). Al-Kazemi calls for Iran\'s help to overcome Iraq\' economic challenges: envoy. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA) — Iranian Ambassador to Iraq Iraj Masjedi said on Wednesday that the New Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kazemi has asked Iran to help Iraq overcome its economic challenges.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-13). Iran approves to grant a five-year residence permit to foreign investors: official. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA) — Babak Dinparast Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs and Regional Development of the Ministry of Interior announced on Wed. that groundwork has been laid for the issuance of a five-year residence permit to foreign investors and depositors investing in the country.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-13). Police busts one ton of drugs in Saravan County. en.mehrnews.com Zahedan, May 13 (MNA) — The anti-narcotic forces of Sistan and Baluchestan province, southeastern Iran, have captured one tone of different illicit drugs in a single operation in Saravan county.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-13). Front pages of Iran international dailies on May 13. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA) — Here are the front pages of Iran-based international newspapers on Wednesday, May 13.

Ellis Howard (2020-05-13). Watch as Ellis Howard breaks down, then tears apart, Boris Johnsons \"stay alert\" announcement. thecanary.co Watch more from Ellis, as well as other great Canary TV content, on our By

WSWS (2020-05-13). Elon Musk and the economics of class war. wsws.org With his decision to illegally restart production at Tesla\'s factory in Fremont, California, Musk is forcing 10,000 workers to return to work under unsafe conditions.

MDAEFG (2020-05-13). #WearOrange for National Gun Violence Awareness Day 2020 (virtual). indybay.org Social media…

Ellis Howard (2020-05-13). Watch as Ellis Howard breaks down, then tears apart, Boris Johnson\'s \"stay alert\" announcement. thecanary.co Watch more from Ellis, as well as other great Canary TV content, on our By

teleSUR (2020-05-13). 78 Percent of Mountain Areas Are Undergoing a Snow Decline. telesurenglish.net Italy\'s applied research center EURAC holds that the snow surface of the world\'s mountain areas has decreased by 78 percent as a result of global warming. | RELATED: | Using data from 2000 to 2018, this scientific institution created a map of global snow coverage using high-resolution satellite imagery, field measurements, and simulation models. | The result reveals a worrying situation because the duration of the snow s…

WSWS (2020-05-13). US agencies drum up allegations of Chinese hacking of vaccine research. wsws.org The claims of Chinese hacking of vaccine research are not only part of the Trump\'s anti-China propaganda war but will be used to justify US cyber warfare against Beijing.

Jim Hightower (2020-05-13). Trump Blasts Into a New Frontier…for War. commondreams.org If all this seems like silliness from a satirical sitcom, it is. (Photo: Chris Millter/@chrizmillr) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/spaceforce.jpg …

Edward Hunt (2020-05-13). U.S. Officials Chart a Course for Greenland\'s Future. progressive.org Trump\'s talk of buying the island fits a broader pattern of efforts to keep the island under U.S. influence.

The People\'s Collective (2020-05-13). Essential For Survival: The Need Of Global Solidarity. indybay.org People are dying, every day. Many people are dying too early. People are dying through war, poverty, disease, lack of healthcare or lack of food. People are dying of starvation. Now, in the year 2020, a new disease is spreading around the globe, killing hundreds of thousands and affecting everybody\'s life.

WSWS (2020-05-13). Anger simmers over restart of production by Detroit automakers. wsws.org The reckless attempt to restart the North American auto industry is meeting with determined resistance by workers unwilling to risk their lives for corporate profits.

teleSUR (2020-05-13). US: Twitter Announces Work-From-Home Strategy Extension. telesurenglish.net Twitter chief executive officer Jack Dorsey announced on May 12 Company allowed employees to work indefinitely from home. | RELATED: | \"We were uniquely positioned to respond quickly and allow folks to work from home given our emphasis on decentralization and supporting a distributed workforce capable of working from anywhere,\" Twitter representatives stated. | The social network administration was one of the first t…

teleSUR (2020-05-13). Poverty Forces Chileans to Cook in \'the Common Pot\'. telesurenglish.net Chile\'s economic crisis unleashed by RELATED: | Thousands of people living in poor neighborhoods eat ev…

teleSUR (2020-05-13). Florida College Student Arrested After Mass Shooting Threats. telesurenglish.net A 36-year-old student from the University of Florida was arrested after threatening to carry out a mass shooting at the Virginia State Polytechnic University campus. | RELATED: | James Robert Kelly threatened to perform the attack if a journalist for the Independent Florida Alligator college newspaper made no changes to an article about him. | According to that publication, Kelly presented an ultimatum to society and threatened…

Lisa Chiu (2020-05-13). The Global Guardians: I am the happiest seeing my patients smile. america.cgtn.com See what it\'s like for a nurse working on the coronavirus frontlines in Turkey.

Patrick Cockburn (2020-05-12). Iraq Will be Hit Harder by Falling Oil Prices Than COVID-19 or ISIS. counterpunch.org The shadowy figures of well-armed Isis gunmen can be seen making an attack in the plains of northern Iraq on an outpost held by paramilitary fighters loyal to the Iraqi government. Some four of the latter are killed by a roadside bomb. Isis specialises in publicising its successful military actions online to show that it remains a force to be feared, despite the destruction of the so-called caliphate and the killing last year of its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2020-05-12). Fake Coronavirus Data, Fear Campaign. Spread of the COVID-19 Infection. globalresearch.ca Do not let yourself be misled by the fear campaign, pointing to a Worldwide coronavirus calamity with repeated \"predictions\" that hundreds of thousands of people are going to die. | According to the WHO, the death rate pertaining to Seasonal Influenza globally is between 6 to 12 times higher than COVID-19.

Caitlin A. Johnstone (2020-05-12). Syria spinmeisters fumble attempts to narrative manage OPCW leaks. mronline.org It\'s been over 72 hours since The Grayzone published new leaks further exposing how the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has been lying about its investigation into an alleged chemical attack in Douma, Syria two years ago.

Staff (2020-05-12). Justice Thomas Said Forcing Trump to Release His Taxes Weakens the President. truthout.org The United States Supreme Court heard two different cases on a single matter: who may (or may not) have the legal right to access President Donald Trump\'s financial and tax records. | The District Attorney from Manhattan, Cyrus Vance Jr., is seeking to obtain…

RT (2020-05-12). President Ghani orders Afghan troops to switch to \'offensive mode\' after new attacks. rt.com Afghan President Ashraf Ghani ordered the military to move to \"offensive mode\" on Tuesday, shifting away from a defensive stance it had taken as part of efforts to reduce violence as the US tries to broker peace talks. | \"In order to provide security for public places and to thwart attacks and threats from the Taliban and other terrorist groups, I am ordering Afghan security forces to switch from an active defense mode to an offensive one and to start their operations against the enemies,\" Ghani said in a televised speech. | The comments followed a violent day in which gunmen killed 16 people at a maternity cl…

Vijay Prashad (2020-05-12). The US military is hell-bent on trying to overpower China. peoplesdispatch.org On April 1, Admiral Philip Davidson—the head of the US Indo-Pacific Command—told the US Congress that he would like $20 billion to create a robust military cordon that runs from California to Japan and down the Pacific Rim of Asia. His

Staff (2020-05-12). Los New Yorkers: Essential, Underprotected Undocumented Immigrants Struggle to Survive in Epicenter. democracynow.org As the coronavirus continues to devastate New York City communities, we hear the voices of undocumented New Yorkers about how they are surviving the pandemic. Their stories are told in a new ProPublica story headlined \"Los New Yorkers: Essential and Underprotected in the Pandemic\'s Epicenter.\" We speak with one of the story\'s reporters, Adriana Gallardo.

Staff (2020-05-12). Headlines for May 12, 2020. democracynow.org Dr. Fauci to Warn Lawmakers of \"Needless Suffering and Death\" If Lockdowns End Too Soon, European Countries Report New Spikes as They Reopen Economies, Trump Makes False Claim About Testing Capacity, Tells Reporter Weijia Jiang to \"Ask China\" About Coronavirus, PA Plant Canceled Trump Visit over Concern for Worker Health, New Study Finds Hydroxychloroquine Does Not Help COVID-19, Can Cause Heart Attacks, China Threatens \"Countermeasures\" for U.S. Journalist Visa Restrictions, Meatpacking Union Condemns Reopening of Factories Amid Pandemic, India Starts to Ease Lockdown as Cases Mount, Coronavirus Cases Mount in W…

Staff (2020-05-12). \"Losing the Fabric of the City\": COVID-19 Took Chicago Black Lives First & Exposed Structural Racism. democracynow.org We look at the coronavirus pandemic\'s disproportionate toll on African Americans through the story of Chicago\'s first 100 recorded deaths. A report by ProPublica found that 70 of the first 100 people to die were African American. Black people account for 30% of Chicago\'s population and 72% of COVID-19 deaths. We speak with ProPublica reporter Adriana Gallardo, who contributed to the report \"COVID-19 Took Black Lives First. It Didn\'t Have To.\" She says the story paints a picture of \"sophisticated structural racism\" in Chicago.

F. William Engdahl (2020-05-12). Coronavirus and Dodgy Death Numbers. globalresearch.ca Not only are the coronavirus models being used by WHO and the most national health agencies based on highly dubious methodologies, and not only are the tests being used of wildly different quality, that only indirectly confirm antibodies of a …

teleSUR (2020-05-12). President Maduro Extends State of Alarm in Venezuela. telesurenglish.net The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, signed this Tuesday the renewal of the decree of the state of constitutional alarm for 30 more days \"to continue protecting our people\" from Covid-19. | RELATED: | The president stressed that the quarantine could not be relaxed in the country to avoid a Covid-19 outbreak, as has happened in other countries. In Venezuela, food production will be maintained as a priority of…

Eugene E Ruyle (2020-05-12). The Bernie Sanders Movement, Its Historical Antecedents, and Its Legacy. indybay.org Online ZOOM Meeting. | LOG-IN INFORMATION AT OUR WEBSITE | ICSSMARX.ORG | OR EMAIL CUYLERUYLE [at] MAC.COM…

South Front (2020-05-12). Video: Al-Qaeda Launches Large-scale Attack in Northwestern Hama Under Cover of Ceasefire Deal. globalresearch.ca The southern part of the Idlib zone has once again turned into a hot point with the Syrian Army and al-Qaeda militants openly clashing with each other. | On May 10, fierce clashes erupted between the Syrian Army and forces of …

Stephen Lendman (2020-05-12). Trump Regime Hardliners Want Social Security and Medicare Eliminated. globalresearch.ca Social Security and Medicare are insurance programs, not welfare — funded by equal worker-employer payroll tax deductions. | Self-employed workers pay what\'s called the Self Employment Contributions Act (SECA) tax. | Both programs are federally established contractual obligations to eligible recipients, the …

Stephen Lendman (2020-05-12). Strained China-US Relations. Renewed Trade War Ahead? New Cold War? globalresearch.ca Sino/US relations are more dismal than at any time since Nixon\'s 1972 meeting with Mao during his weeklong visit to China. | Are bilateral differences irreconcilable? Is the breach between both countries too great to restore more cooperative relations? | Is a …

Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers (2020-05-12). Pivot To Peace Must Replace US Pivot To War With China. dissidentvoice.org US and Chinese Fists and Weapons face-off (from the Financial Times) The Trump administration, in seeking to divert attention from its bungled response to the COVID-19 pandemic and mishandling of the economic collapse, is escalating the bipartisan anti-China policy, which has a long history. This increases the potential of military conflict and economic war between …

Andrew Korybko (2020-05-12). Germany Wants to Replace Poland\'s \"Patriotic Government\" with \"Europhile Puppets\"? globalresearch.ca The former Polish Minister of Defense accused Germany of conspiring with a few other foreign actors to replace the patriotic Polish government with Europhile puppets, arguing that the country\'s latest political controversy over the date of its presidential elections is …

WSWS (2020-05-12). Bernie Sanders\' interview with the Washington Post: The thin gruel of Democratic Party politics. wsws.org Sanders glossed over the reality of the health and economic catastrophe facing millions of workers and made no mention of the corporate bailouts for which he has voted in the Senate.

M. K. Bhadrakumar (2020-05-12). US lowers threat perception on Iran. iranian.com The drawdown of US military presence in the Middle East, especially from Saudi Arabia, may not be an automatic open sesame — to borrow the magical phrase in the story of \"Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves\"— leading to the hidden treasure of regional peace and stability, but it does open up a tantalising vista that is …

Fight Back (2020-05-12). Leaders from sanctioned countries condemn U.S. sanctions amid COVID-19 pandemic. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – Over 1000 people attended an online panel hosted by the United National AntiWar Coalition, May 9. In a panel entitled, \"U.S. Sanctions During the COVID-19 Pandemic, a Global Threat\" leaders representing six countries facing harsh U.S. sanctions highlighted the leading role of the United States in undermining the healthcare infrastructure of sovereign states in order to foment regime change. | U.S. imposed economic sanctions currently impact 39 countries, representing one third of the global population. These sanctions result in chronic shortages of basic necessities and have inhibited the abilit…

Andre Vltchek (2020-05-12). On May Day, the \"Opposition\" Again Acted Foolishly and Irresponsibly. dissidentvoice.org May Day in Hong Kong, and here it happened again! Several media outlets reported that \"hundreds of protesters did gather in small groups at a shopping mall in the town of Sha Tin, chanting slogans and holding protest flags\". A few other groups of rioters were spotted at various other locations in the city. They …

Philip Giraldi (2020-05-12). Israel to Annex the United States. globalresearch.ca As the Beatles once put it, \"I read the news today, oh boy…\" One might argue that the \"oh boy\" has been part and parcel of one\'s morning media review ever since 9/11, but depending on one\'s own inclinations, the …

Eds. (2020-05-12). Genocide and Military Occupation: The five most important keys to the Guaidó-Silvercorp contract. mronline.org Finally, the complete content of the contract signed by Juan Guaidó, Sergio Vergara and J.J. Rendón with the American mercenary firm Silvercorp, led by former military officer Jordan Goudreau, has been released.

RT (2020-05-12). College forced to apologize after trying to CENSOR professor over \'offensive\' questions about \'Islamic terrorism\'. rt.com A public college in Arizona has been forced to backtrack on plans to censor a professor\'s quiz content on \'Islamic terrorism\' which had \"offended\" students, after a legal warning was sent by an academic freedom organization. | The uproar began when Professor Nicholas Damask, who chairs the political science department at Scottsdale Community College (SCC) and teaches a module called \'Islamic Terrorism\', included questions on a quiz about how terrorism is justified by some in the Islamic faith — and about where in Islamic doctrine and law they take these justifications from. | The quiz prompted a complaint…

RT (2020-05-12). Suicide blast at funeral of Afghan police commander in Nangarhar \'kills, wounds dozens\' — reports. rt.com Some 40 people are believed \"to have been killed or wounded\" in a suicide blast on Tuesday at the funeral of a police commander in Afghanistan\'s eastern province of Nangarhar, according to Attaullah Khogyani, a spokesman for the local government. The attacker detonated his explosives in the middle of the ceremony, Khogyani said. | At least 10 people were killed in the attack, TASS said, citing a report by Afghanistan\'s Ariana News TV channel. | No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. Nangarhar, a province near the Pakistan border, has long been a stronghold for both Islamic State (IS, former…

The Alternative World (2020-05-12). British propaganda efforts in Syria may have broken UK law. thealtworld.com Ian Cobain, Alice Ross- Internal assessment concluded UK government\'s covert support of \'moderate opposition\' was shallow, lacked coherence and cost lives | MEE- The UK\'s covert propaganda programmes in war-torn Syria were poorly planned, probably illegal and cost lives, according to a scathing internal review of the initiative that has been seen by Middle East Eye. | Using news agencies, social media, poster campaigns and even children\'s comics, communications companies working under contract to the British government attempted to undermine both the Assad government and the Islamic State group and bolster elemen…

RT (2020-05-12). 'I don't think you are the end-all': Rand Paul calls out Fauci over Covid-19 policy based 'one wrong prediction after another'. rt.com Republican Senator Rand Paul has challenged National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Dr Anthony Fauci on the nation\'s Covid-19 policy, suggesting the US is waiting too long to reopen. | Paul, who also has a medical degree, called for \"a little bit of humility in our belief that we know what\'s best for our economy,\" questioning Fauci\'s support for a prolonged economic shutdown during a Senate hearing on the government\'s coronavirus response on Tuesday. | Sen. Paul argues school decisions should be made district by district, tells Dr. Fauci: \"I don\'t think you\'re the end all.\" | Fauci: \"I\'

RT (2020-05-12). US reports record $738 BILLION budget deficit in April due to Covid-19. rt.com The US Treasury Department has announced a budget deficit of $737.9 billion in April thanks to spending measures put in place to battle the economic effects of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. | Emergency relief spending by the US government has reached around $3 trillion, with $2.3 trillion approved in late March by Congress for a relief package for US citizens. | The latest deficit figure is another bad sign for the US economy as April is typically a month which sees a surplus, thanks to US citizens filing their taxes on April 15. However, that filing deadline was extended into the summer because of the pan…

RT (2020-05-12). 2nd virus wave in Denmark is \'unlikely\' says expert, as govt plans increased testing. rt.com Denmark is \"very unlikely\" to be hit by a second wave of coronavirus, the country\'s chief epidemiologist said on Tuesday. Kare Molbak made the statement after the government laid out plans for increased testing and a contact tracing system. | The Nordic country, which has suffered 533 coronavirus-related deaths, was the first in Europe to relax its coronavirus lockdown almost a month ago. The infection rate and the number of deaths have continued to drop. Denmark began the second phase of relaxing its lockdown this week, which will include reopening restaurants and shopping malls. | \"No country has seen an act…

RT (2020-05-12). New study says herd immunity is a myth and countries relying on it, including Sweden, chose the wrong strategy. rt.com Herd immunity may be an unrealistic tactic for dealing with Covid-19, new research has warned, calling into question the strategy of several countries — such as Sweden — who shied away from quarantine measures in its favor. | Europe is a long way from reaching the levels of exposure required for herd immunity, according to a new study published by the Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI). Belgium tops the list, with just 6.2 percent of its population exposed to Covid-19 so far, and Sweden — with no enforced lockdown measures — is even lower down the list at just 2.

RT (2020-05-12). Singapore plans coronavirus tests for all migrant workers as some businesses reopen. rt.com Singapore plans to test all 323,000 migrant workers living in cramped dormitories that have become a hotbed for coronavirus in the city-state, the government said on Tuesday. The island\'s tally of 24,671 infections is one of Asia\'s highest, with the vast majority among migrant workers squeezed into often unsanitary dormitories. | \"The taskforce has drawn up a plan to allow migrant workers residing in the dormitories… to be progressively cleared so they can be safely returned to work when the time comes,\" Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said. | Infections in the dormitories had \"stabilized,\" Gan added, with the…

RT (2020-05-12). Russian border may not open fully UNTIL 2021 — Tourism Union. rt.com With countries around the world beginning to loosen their anti-coronavirus measures, many people are starting to ask one thing: when can I travel again? If you\'re planning to come to Russia, you might need to wait until next year. | According to a letter written by President of the Russian Tourist Industry Union (PCT) Andrey Ignatiev and President of the Russian Hotel Association (RGA) Gennady Lamshin, it might take until January 1, 2021 for passage through Russia\'s border to get back to normal. | The letter, which was sent to Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov and the head of Russia\'s Federal…

RT (2020-05-12). Spanish govt orders 2-week quarantine for incoming travelers on May 15-24. rt.com The government in Madrid has ordered a two-week quarantine for all travelers coming into Spain from May 15 in a bid to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. | Incoming travelers will have to remain indoors and will only be allowed to go outside for grocery shopping, health center visits and in \"situations of need,\" according to an official order published on Tuesday. | The quarantine has been enforced for all travelers entering the country between May 15 and at least May 24, when the state of emergency is due to end. | The quarantine order can be extended jointly with possible state of emergency extensions…

Combined Sources (2020-05-12). Even White House documents show Trump is lying. peoplesworld.org As President Trump publicly claims that the numbers of COVID-19 infections are \"going down almost everywhere,\" documents from his own White House suggest that infection rates are dramatically increasing in areas that form the base of his political support. A Coronavirus Task Force report from May 7 obtained by NBC suggests that cases are mounting …

RT (2020-05-12). Fire erupts at Saint Petersburg Covid-19 hospital after ventilator malfunctions, 5 dead. rt.com Five patients have perished in a major fire at a Saint Petersburg hospital on Tuesday morning with 150 people evacuated to safety. The facility has been designated to treat patients with coronavirus. | Emergency services were alerted to the blaze at the Saint George Hospital in Russia\'s second city at around 6: 30am local time. Plumes of smokes were observed coming from the building\'s sixth floor. | Officials told local media that there were five fatalities. Citing sources, local reporters said the victims were receiving artificial lung ventilation. | The institution was repurposed to care for coronavirus su…

RT (2020-05-12). Lebanon to be \'fully shut down\' from Wednesday evening to Sunday — govt. rt.com The government in Beirut on Tuesday decided to fully shut down the country from Wednesday evening until Monday morning at the recommendation of the health minister. The move comes in the wake of the biggest spike in weeks in the numbers of coronavirus cases. | \"The general lockdown measures will include exceptions as in the first phase,\" Interior Minister Mohammed Fahmi told reporters after a Cabinet session at the presidential palace in Baabda. \"We will carry out a reevaluation on Sunday and the expat repatriation process will continue.\" | Information Minister Manal Abdul Samad said \"the full lockdown will be…

RT (2020-05-12). Restaurants could go bust & leave millions without jobs if government fails to help, award-winning chef tells Boom Bust. rt.com Restaurants are one of the hardest-hit sectors by the coronavirus pandemic and even after the outbreak is over the industry will still struggle to survive, according to restaurateur Andrew Zimmern. | Despite some operators — who managed to continue working for delivery and to go orders amid lockdowns in the US — making a profit, the virus is a disaster for the industry which is the second largest employer in America right behind the Defense Department, according to the award-winning chef. | However, working for delivery is \"a drop in a bucket\" and not a viable solution for most restaurants as they ca…

Robin McDowell, Margie Mason (2020-05-12). Crime doesn\'t pay but prison does, even amidst a pandemic. peoplesworld.org MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — As factories and other businesses remain shuttered across America, people in prisons in at least 40 states continue going to work. Sometimes they earn pennies an hour, or nothing at all, making masks and hand sanitizer to help guard others from the coronavirus. Those same men and women have been cut off …

RT (2020-05-12). Antibody tests show Ohio had first Covid-19 cases as early as JANUARY — state health director. rt.com There were at least five coronavirus infections in Ohio as far back as January, the state\'s health director said, suggesting the illness began spreading there weeks earlier than previously thought. | The five early cases — believed to have emerged across five Ohio counties between January 7 and 27 — were announced on Monday by Department of Health Director Dr Amy Acton, who said the previously unknown infections were picked up amid ramped up antibody testing. | \"We actually have a new date of onset. We have found five cases now when the date of onset of symptoms was in January,\" Acton told a statehou…

RT (2020-05-12). Trump lawyer brands CNN\'s Stelter \'propagandist\' as pair clash over fiery Covid-19 press conference. rt.com US President Donald Trump abruptly ending a Covid-19 press conference after tense exchanges with journalists provided fuel for supporters and critics alike, with his lawyer firing strong verbal barbs at a critical CNN host. | One of Trump\'s most vocal supporters following his contentious Monday press conference has been Jenna Ellis, the president\'s senior legal adviser. Liberal critics have meanwhile gone after Trump for his treatment of the press, with some even screaming racism over an exchange with CBS News\' Weijia Jiang. | After Jiang asked what is the importance of saying the US is first in Covid-19 testi…

RT (2020-05-12). Oil giant Saudi Aramco profits crash amid coronavirus-driven energy market rout. rt.com Falling crude prices amid an unprecedented global demand slump have taken a big bite out of Saudi Aramco\'s net income in the first three months of this year, according to the financial results released by the oil giant. | In a release published Tuesday, Saudi Aramco reported that its net income plunged to 62.5 billion riyals ($16.6 billion) in the first quarter of 2020 from 83.3 billion riyals ($22 billion) a year earlier. The results are below analysts\' estimates, who expected the company to report a $17.8 billion profit. | Aramco said the drop was mainly caused by lower crude oil prices, \"as well as declinin…

RT (2020-05-12). \'Humans are not herds\': WHO thrashes \'brutal arithmetic\' of herd immunity to beat Covid-19 pandemic. rt.com In the absence of a vaccine, the increasingly discussed idea of beating the novel coronavirus pandemic through achieving so-called herd immunity could be a disastrous miscalculation, a senior WHO official has warned. | \"This is a really dangerous, dangerous calculation,\" Michael Ryan, head of the World Health Organization\'s health emergencies program, This idea that maybe countries that had lax measures and haven\'t done anything will all of a sudden magically reach some herd i…

RT (2020-05-12). \'Europe needs a break\': EU may open borders closed by Covid-19 lockdowns for tourism as industry faces \'grave danger\'. rt.com The European Union is considering opening borders for tourists as part of a plan to roll back coronavirus-related lockdown measures. But leisure travel will be allowed only between states with similar Covid-19 situations. | On Wednesday, the EU is expected to present a three-phase plan — which has been seen and leaked by

Stephen Cooper (2020-05-12). U.S. Dishonors Navajo with Death Penalty. counterpunch.org Amidst the coronavirus devastation, it\'s important not to overlook the fact that, at the end of April, two federal appellate judges called out the U.S. government for continuing to dishonor the Navajo Nation — the second largest Indigenous tribe in America — through its pursuit of the death penalty for Lezmond Mitchell.

RT (2020-05-12). Russia becomes world's second hardest-hit country with 230,000+ confirmed Covid-19 cases, surpassing Spain & UK. rt.com With 10,899 more coronavirus infections reported across the country on Tuesday morning, Russia now trails only the United States in terms of people known to have contracted Covid-19. | Nationwide, 232,243 confirmed cases have been discovered since the start of the outbreak, national disease response officials said. This figure is higher than those recorded by Spanish (227,436), British (224,332) and Italian (219,814) authorities. | However, it\'s worth noting that Russia has over twice the population of those countries and has carried out far more tests. | At the same time, Russia has had considerably fewer dea…

Ramesh Thakur (2020-05-12). Wrecking Entire Economies: Lockdowns May Be Causing More Harm Than Good Worldwide, and Especially in India. anti-empire.com

| Locking up healthy people in their homes and putting wholesale populations under house arrest is perverse. Coronavirus panic merchan…

RT (2020-05-12). Canada teams up with Chinese scientists to co-produce potential Covid-19 vaccine and test it on humans. rt.com The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) has struck a deal with a Chinese biotechnology company developing one of the \"most advanced\" vaccine candidates against the novel coronavirus to produce and test in Canada. | A vaccine named Ad5-nCoV, which may prove effective against Covid-19, has been developed by China\'s CanSino Biologics company together with the Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, part of the Chinese Academy of Military Medical Sciences. It was already approved for the first phase of clinical trials in China in mid-March and is now expected to be tested in Canada too. | Also on rt.com | | <...

Nina Eichacker (2020-05-12). Learning All the Wrong Lessons From the 2008 Financial Crisis – NYT should not fixate on debt as governments respond to the coronavirus pandemic. fair.org I recently wrote a piece for FAIR (

RT (2020-05-12). Shock at low US confidence in Trump\'s coronavirus narrative ignores decades of governments abusing Americans\' trust. rt.com Just over a third of Americans trust President Donald Trump\'s information about the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a new poll. But given decades of crises mishandled by the government, the only surprise is that it isn\'t lower. | A CNN poll showing that just 36 percent of Americans trust Trump for reliable information about the coronavirus was held up triumphantly by the president\'s critics on Tuesday as proof his credibility is circling the drain. But it\'s more likely to be the fallout not just from Trump, but from the two preceding presidential administrations\' misrepresentation of crises, that has created e…

RT (2020-05-12). No HEROES here: Democrats seek tax breaks for rich donors & lobbyists in $3 TRILLION Covid-19 wishlist bill. rt.com House Speaker Nancy Pelosi\'s proposed $3 trillion coronavirus aid bill contains massive tax breaks for wealthy Democrat donors and lobbyists but precious little for working Americans, and has an odd preoccupation with cannabis. | Dubbed the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act, the

RT (2020-05-12). Norway dipping into its massive piggy bank to battle Covid-19 crisis. rt.com Norway is set to withdraw $41 billion from its sovereign wealth fund to cushion the blow to the economy from the coronavirus crisis that has resulted in falling oil prices and the highest unemployment in the country in 75 years. | Known officially as the Government Pension Fund, it is the world\'s biggest wealth fund, worth over $1 trillion. The government announced on Tuesday that it will have to sharply increase spending from the fund, to avoid \"sharper downturn and to help healthy companies through the crisis.\" | According to the Finance Ministry\'s mid-year fiscal review, the revised budget calls for the use…

Emily Apple (2020-05-12). A Cornish charity helping Grenfell survivors is responding brilliantly to the coronavirus crisis. thecanary.co A Cornish charity Cornwall Hugs was set up to provide free holidays in Cornwall, matching people in need with holiday homes. Since the

RT (2020-05-12). Police officer rants about \'tyrannical\' & \'unconstitutional\' Covid-19 measures… gets in trouble for \'insubordination\' (VIDEOS). rt.com A US police officer has urged fellow cops to stop enforcing coronavirus lockdown measures, slamming them as \"unconstitutional.\" While his call to action landed him in trouble, other officers have started to speak out as well. | Port of Seattle Officer Greg Anderson was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation after he appeared in a viral video last weekend arguing the lockdown measures are violating the US Constitution and \"trampling on people\'s liberties,\" questioning the restrictions and whether enforcing them is \"the right thing\" to do. | I want to remind you that regardless of where you stan…

RT (2020-05-12). Biden says \'responsible\' journalists have duty to investigate Reade claims… yet will not authorize opening his archives. rt.com \"Women should be believed,\" Joe Biden said in a new interview, while insisting Tara Reade\'s allegations against him are totally unfounded. He also wants journalists to \"investigate\" — but refuses to open sought-after archives. | The former vice president joined Good Morning America on Tuesday to once again deny the allegations of sexual assault brought against him by former staff assistant Reade. \"I think women should be believed,\" Biden said. \"They should have an opportunity to have their case and state it forthright, what their case is.\" | The presumptive presidential nominee for the Democratic Party…

W. T. Whitney Jr. (2020-05-12). U.S. hand in recent assaults on Cuba, Venezuela. peoplesworld.org Secretary of State Pompeo loudly condemns Iranian border guards who abused Afghans crossing into Iran. He castigates China\'s supposed failings with the COVID-19 pandemic. He and President Trump rail against dictatorship they see in Venezuela. They protest Cuba\'s \"slave doctors\" — who actually \"defend health care as a human right,\" according to Cuba\'s foreign minister. …

RT (2020-05-12). 'Is it Kylie Jenner?' Mexico star accidentally posts NAKED snaps with topless model (PHOTOS). rt.com LA Galaxy midfielder Jonathan Dos Santos posted a naked photo of himself and 21-year-old Greek-Ecuadorian model Amanda Trivizas on Instagram, swiftly deleting the racy shot from his story after fans had captured the evidence. | Trivizas kissed Dos Santos\'s shoulder between the sheets in the saucy photo seen by some of the former Barcelona player\'s following of more than 2.3 million on the site, where Trivizas leaves little to the imagination for her audience of more than 823,000. | The Los Angeles-based model has been linked to American playboy Dan Bilzerian but said she could not talk about her relationship w…

Betsey Piette (2020-05-12). Sanctions = Health terrorism. workers.org A timely international webinar, sponsored by SanctionsKill.org on May 9, featured representatives from Cuba, Iran, Nicaragua, Syria and Venezuela, plus a statement from Zimbabwe addressing the deadly impact of U.S. sanctions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 1,000 people from nearly every continent, including multiple U.S. cities, viewed the event. The . . . |

RT (2020-05-12). \'It couldn't have happened,\' says head of Chinese lab accused by US of leaking Covid-19. rt.com A Chinese virologist in charge of the lab pinpointed by US officials as the likely source of the Covid-19 pandemic says he is certain no virus could have escaped from his facility. | \"Our lab not only has a high level of biosafety infrastructure, we also have established a set of rigorous biosecurity protocols to ensure the lab operates safely and efficiently,\" Yuan Zhiming the head of the National Biosafety Laboratory (NBL), told a Chinese newspaper. | The NBL operates several laboratories including the so-called \'Wuhan P4 Lab\', which was completed in 2015 in cooperation with France and is the only publicly k…

Daniel Wighton (2020-05-12). Switzerland Bends the Knee to Swedish Model, Dismantles Lockdown a Month Ahead of Schedule. anti-empire.com The Swiss government brought forward a plan to ease lockdown restrictions in the country meaning pubs, restaurants gyms and other sites can reopen sooner than expected so the country \"can learn to live with the virus.\" | In a press conference on Wednesday, Prime Minister Simonetta Sommaruga and Health Minister Alain Berset While some of these had been announced previously,…

Dr. Steven Shapiro (2020-05-12). Chief Medical Officer for 40-Hospital UPMC Network Trashes the Case for Continued Lockdown in Senate Hearing. anti-empire.com Dr. Steven Shapiro, UPMC\'s chief medical and scientific officer, participated in a virtual roundtable convened by U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee Subcommittee on Health Care, on May 6 to explore the issue of reopening the economy. Following are his remarks: | I would like to thank Senator Toomey and the committee members for the opportunity to share a typical health care experience of COVID-19 through the lens of UPMC, whose hospitals span urban, community and rural areas comprising the largest academic health system in the country and a health plan with 3.8 million su…

Philipp Bagus (2020-05-12). The Lockdown Crisis Is Driving the EU to the Brink. anti-empire.com The eurozone is a gigantic machine of monetary More specifically, the European Central Bank (ECB) may buy eurozone government bonds directly from market participants or accept them as collateral in its lending operations, effectively increasing the monetary base. Through this monetization, a government can externalize the costs of its deficit partially onto the citizens of other eurozone countries…

RT (2020-05-12). Oil is back in demand as drivers return to the roads. rt.com Oil demand is on the rise as countries across the globe begin easing lockdown restrictions and commuters head back to work. | From China and Spain to the United States, people are gradually returning to driving their cars as countries and US states re-open for business. People feel safer commuting in their own vehicles than they do using public transportation as social distancing is still on their minds despite the re-opening of economies.The uptick in commuter driving and expectations of increased road trips at the expense of flying for vacations this summer is set to support a gradual recovery of oil demand…

The Canary (2020-05-12). How the four UK nations and Ireland are approaching lockdown. thecanary.co Despite the UK government\'s preference for a \"four nations approach\" towards softening the lockdown, clear differences have emerged between the countries. | The devolved governments in the north of Ireland, Scotland and Wales have diverged from England, notably in keeping the \"stay at home\" slogan after prime minister Boris Johnson unveiled his new \"stay alert\" message on Sunday. | Here is a look at how the four UK nations — and the Republic of Ireland — differ in their approach to exiting the restrictive regime which was imposed across the board on 23 March. | — England | Everyone has a role to…

RT (2020-05-12). \'I feel terrible\': Bill Gates says he warned Trump of pandemic threat in 2016, regrets not doing more. rt.com Microsoft founder and multi-billionaire Bill Gates said he tried to warn President-elect Donald Trump of the dangers of a major viral outbreak soon after the 2016 race, but feels guilty for not being more vocal. | \"I chose, when I met with people all the way up to the top, in Europe, in the US, around the world, to talk about this pandemic risk,\" he told the Wall Street Journal in an interview published on Monday, explaining that he even made the case to the US president during a December 2016 meeting at Trump Tower. | I feel terrible. The whole point of talking about it was that we could take action and minim…

Dean Baker (2020-05-12). The Pandemic\'s Catastrophic Hit to the Labor Market. counterpunch.org Temporary layoffs make up 78.3 percent of unemployment. As expected, the April jobs report showed a catastrophic hit to the labor market stemming from the pandemic. The economy lost another 20,500,000 jobs in April after losing 870,000 jobs in March. This is an order of magnitude higher than any previous two-month decline on record. The

Mark Gruenberg (2020-05-12). COVID-19 deaths among nurses: U.S. 91, Canada zero. Why? peoplesworld.org OAKLAND, Calif.—There\'s a yawning gap between the number of U.S. nurses the viral pandemic has killed so far in the U.S. and the number of Canadian nurses killed. The count as of May 11: U.S. 91, Canada, zero. That prompted National Nurses United President Zunei Cortez, RN, of California and her Canadian counterpart, Linda Silas, …

Alexander W. Salter (2020-05-12). The Fed Wants to Become a Financial Central Planner, Will Be Selecting Winners and Losers on a Grand Scale. anti-empire.com

| Of all the policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Reserve\'s is the most extraordinary. Many people are unaware of the Fed\'s recent behavior. Monetary policy is not the most visible of government actions, after all. But this time, the public cannot afford to ignore what the Fed is doing. In short, the US central bank has compl…

Staff (2020-05-12). Trump Is Using COVID-19 As An Excuse To Let Polluters Destroy The Earth. therealnews.com Trump\'s former coal lobbyist EPA administrator is letting oil, gas, and coal take advantage of the global pandemic.

Bahia Mahmud Awah (2020-05-12). Saharawi political prisoner Bachir Khada: \"I only dream of my freedom\" peoplesdispatch.org The story of Saharawi journalist Bachir Khada, political prisoner condemned to more than 20 years in Morocco because of his participation in the struggle to free Western Sahara. Today he is one of the thousands of prisoners that demands to be freed amid the pandemic…

Dan Kovalik (2020-05-12). Finding Hope in Times of Despair: New World is Possible. counterpunch.org \"For me, I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else.\" — Winston Churchill We are living in seemingly very dark times. I don\'t need to tell you that. You know. We are all living through a pandemic, the likes of which few of us, if any, have ever seen

RT (2020-05-12). Black US journalists & public figures shamed into dropping out of Huawei-sponsored Covid disinfo panel. rt.com Chinese tech giant Huawei\'s \'woke\' PR stunt has ended up in a disaster after the host and all the announced participants of its panel on Covid-19 misinformation dropped out under a barrage of mockery and shaming. | The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) was scheduled to host a webinar on Wednesday aimed at discussing whether Covid-19 disinformation disproportionately affects ethnic minorities in the US. But many online social justice warriors saw red over the fact that the Chinese telecommunication company Huawei would be the sponsor. | Long before the Covid-19 pandemic originated in China, Huawe…

Mark Gruenberg (2020-05-12). COVID-19 deaths among nurses: U.S. 91, Canada 0. Why? peoplesworld.org OAKLAND, Calif.—There\'s a yawning gap between the number of U.S. nurses the viral pandemic has killed so far in the U.S. and the number of Canadian nurses killed. The count as of May 11: U.S. 91, Canada, 0. That prompted National Nurses United President Zunei Cortez, RN, of California and her Canadian counterpart, Linda Silas, …

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 …

RT (2020-05-12). Test or 2-week quarantine: Iceland plans to ease restrictions on international visitors\' arrivals. rt.com Iceland expects to start easing restrictions for visitors arriving from overseas no later than June 15, the government said on Tuesday. | Under a plan still being developed by the authorities, travelers would be given a choice between a test for Covid-19 upon arrival in Iceland or a two-week quarantine, Reuters reported. | \"Iceland\'s strategy of large-scale testing, tracing and isolating have proven effective so far,\" Tourism Minister Thordis Kolbrun Reykfjord Gylfadottir said in a statement. | Iceland has reported three new Covid-19 infections in May.

Matt Sedlar (2020-05-12). Etazini vle depà≤te yon gwo asasen an Ayiti. cepr.net ayiboPost Al gade nan atik sou sit orijinal la An Anglè Pandan pandemi COVID-19 la, prèske tout fwontyè ak ayewopà≤ nan mond lan fèmen men avyon Imigrasyon leta Ameriken (ICE) kontinye vole. Chak 2 a 3 semèn, yon và≤l depà≤tasyon konpayi Swift Air, LLC opere, ateri nan ayewopà≤ Pà≤toprens. Apre youn nan và≤l sa yo …

CP Editor (2020-05-12). Trump Is Using COVID-19 As An Excuse To Let Polluters Destroy. counterpunch.org …

RT (2020-05-12). China to test ENTIRE POPULATION of Wuhan for Covid-19 after disease reemerges. rt.com Chinese authorities plan to test all of Wuhan\'s 11 million residents for Covid-19 in a little over a week. After more than a month without newly-recorded cases, the disease has suddenly reappeared in the city. | All districts in the city were ordered to submit a plan on how they will conduct testing of all residents in their areas within 10 days, local media reported, citing a document from the authorities. The officials were told to prioritize the testing of vulnerable groups and places like residential compounds. | The measure was announced as a response to the six new locally-transmitted cases that were rec…

Prabir Purkayastha (2020-05-12). Disease capitalism and COVID-19: Hunger in the belly of the beast. mronline.org For capital, profits come from disease, not peoples\' health. COVID-19 shows the consequence of disease capitalism in a globalized world, the rich—countries or individuals—will not be spared either.

RT (2020-05-12). \'Current health crisis revealed ideological bankruptcy of our leaders\': Marine Le Pen slams govt as France eases quarantine. rt.com The head of the French right-wing opposition party National Rally, Marine Le Pen, has blasted the government for its \"series of failures\" as it began to relax the Covid-19 quarantine restrictions. | \"This health crisis has revealed the ideological bankruptcy with which our leaders have been leading our country: the bankruptcy of the profit logic in public policy, the bankruptcy of ultra-liberalism, Europeanism, and globalism,\" Le Pen told RFI radio. | We\'ve seen an uninterrupted series of inconsistencies and failures since the start of the crisis, and this is still the case with transport management! But that…

Lauren Kuhlik (2020-05-12). During COVID-19 Crisis, We Must Prioritize the Release of Pregnant People. aclu.org This piece was first published on

Staff (2020-05-12). Stir Crazy! Episode #32: Don\'t Make Us Regret This! therealnews.com On today\'s show: TRNN climate reporter Aman Azhar, co-host of \"By Any Means Necessary\" Jacqueline Luqman, and TRNN managing editor Marc Steiner. Hosted by Kim Brown.

RT (2020-05-12). Turkey says 5 states forming \'alliance of evil\' as they denounce Ankara\'s policies in E. Mediterranean, Libya. rt.com Turkey accused Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, France and the United Arab Emirates of seeking to form an \"alliance of evil\" on Tuesday, after they issued a joint declaration denouncing Ankara\'s policies in the eastern Mediterranean and Libya. Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said the five countries were pursuing \"regional chaos and instability.\" | The foreign ministers of the five countries held a teleconference on Monday to discuss the situation in the eastern Mediterranean — where Turkey has been drilling for potential hydrocarbon deposits in an offshore area where Cyprus has exclusive economic righ…

RT (2020-05-12). Six big lies you have been told about \'Russiagate\'. rt.com Russian \'meddling\' in the 2016 US presidential election has become an article of faith, not just among Democrats but many Republicans as well, thanks to the endless repetition of vague talking points, none of which hold water. | It all began with the Democratic National Committee (DNC) claiming in June 2016 that Russia hacked their computers, after

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-12). The \'See-No-Evil\' Phase of Russiagate. strategic-culture.org The media spinfest following the collapse of this conspiracy theory suggests our troubled republic simply cannot accept its errors, leaving us unable to learn from them. | Patrick LAWRENCE | The long, destructive conspiracy theory known as Russiagate, the mother of them all, at last evaporates into thin air. No shred of it remains as of back-to-back disclosures over the past couple of weeks. Where does this leave us? What is to come of this momentous turn of events? | Among those not inclined toward hysteria or copious quaffs of Democratic Party Kool—Aid, it has long been a question how those who concocted…

RT (2020-05-12). Six big lies you have been told about Russiagate. rt.com \'Russian meddling\' in the 2016 US presidential election has become an article of faith, not just among Democrats but many Republicans as well, thanks to the endless repetition of vague talking points, none of which hold water. | It all began with the Democratic National Committee (DNC) claiming in June 2016 that Russia hacked their computers, after

RT (2020-05-12). PROPAGANDA has diminished the Soviet Union\'s role in victory over fascism — Russian foreign minister. rt.com The White House shocked the internet on May 8 when it posted a now-infamous tweet declaring the USA and the UK as the victors of World War II, omitting the USSR. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov believes propaganda is to blame. | Speaking at a press conference, Lavrov recalled how, at the Holocaust Forum in January, US Vice President Mike Pence forgot that the Soviets liberated Auschwitz. | \"To be frank, it doesn\'t surprise me to hear such things,\" he said, following an online meeting of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers. \"It\'s not because we suspect that any particular politician is deliberately obscuring hi…

RT (2020-05-12). China lifts tariffs on US goods despite Trump\'s threat to rip up trade deal. rt.com A new list of US products to be exempt from trade tariffs has been announced by China\'s finance ministry on Tuesday. It said the new waivers will take effect on May 19 and expire on May 18, 2021. | The exemptions cover 79 products in total, including rare earth mineral ores, aircraft radar equipment, semiconductor parts, medical disinfectants, and a range of precious metals, chemical and petrochemical products. | Importers in China will have to apply to the General Administration of Customs within six months of the announcement to be considered for waivers, which are effective from May 19. | The first batch of…

Dennis Broe (2020-05-12). \'Home Before Dark\' and fading patriarchal power. peoplesworld.org It\'s the first masterful series from Apple TV+, after a horrible slip out of the gate with the clumsy, awkward The Morning Show. Home Before Dark details the efforts of a nine-year-old reporter to get to the bottom of a disappearance and supposed murder that has wracked a small town in the state of Washington. …

Evaggelos Vallianatos (2020-05-12). The War Against the Wolves of Alaska. counterpunch.org Southeast Alaska is home to the Tongass National Forest, the largest national forest of north America. Tongass has old-growth and temperate rainforests, which shelter abundant wildlife and biodiversity. However, both the forests of Tongass and wildlife have been under attack for decades. Loggers, miners, and developers and corrupt state and federal agencies look at these ancient trees and see primarily dollars. These are the same people who practically extinguished the old-growth forests of northern California. These are the same people who are the enemies of the natural world and welcomed Trump to the White Hous…

RT (2020-05-12). Bitcoin ready for \'big bull run & best is yet to come,\' director of business development tells RT\'s Keiser Report. rt.com Bitcoin has undergone its latest \'halving\' event, which occurs every four years and reduces the reward miners receive for mining new coins to help control inflation. It\'s the third halving in the cryptocurrency\'s 11-year history. | Keiser Report spoke to Dan Held of Bitcoin was purpose-built to be a new sound money, says Held, noting: \"That message resonates really loudly with this sort…

RT (2020-05-12). Gunmen attack MSF-backed hospital in Kabul, witnesses report suicide bombing & civilians trapped inside. rt.com Explosions and gunfire have been heard from inside a hospital in western Kabul, where Doctors Without Borders (MSF) operates a maternity ward. Medical staff are said to be trapped inside as the battle rages on. | The 100-bed hospital is located in the Dasht-e-Barchi area of the Afghan capital. At least two powerful explosions have been heard at the scene, TOLO News reported. | The Afghan Interior Ministry said a special police unit has arrived at the scene. Security troops have encircled the site, media reports said. | ⁄Øÿ≤ÿßÿ±ÿ¥‚ÄåŸ&aa…

RT (2020-05-12). Yemen govt forces \'to confront armed rebellion\' in south after separatists declared self-rule. rt.com Yemen\'s forces will confront an \"armed rebellion\" by separatists in the south, the government said Tuesday. it said that the group had refused to de-escalate the situation after declaring self-rule last month. The Southern Transitional Council (STC) declared self-rule in Aden and nearby areas on April 25, threatening to renew a conflict with the Saudi-backed government, its nominal ally in a coalition fighting Yemen\'s Houthis. | Foreign Minister Mohammed al-Hadhrami said the STC had refused calls from the government and the international community to reverse its declaration. The army will do \"everything necess…

RT (2020-05-12). Android apps with more than 4.2 BILLION downloads leaked user data through Google\'s Firebase — study. rt.com Some 24,000 Android applications have been leaking sensitive data — including mobile phone numbers and passwords — through improperly configured storage on Google\'s Firebase development platform, a new study has found. | The critical lack of security was

Teresa Gutierrez (2020-05-12). Political Prisoners Teach-In: Mumia, migrant rights and cages. workers.org These slightly edited remarks were made April 24 at the \"U.S. Empire vs. Political Prisoners\" teach-in webinar sponsored by Mobilization4Mumia and held in honor of the 66th birthday of political prisoner and revolutionary Mumia Abu-Jamal, incarcerated for 39 years by the U.S. state. Teresa Gutierrez First of all, happy . . . |

Robert Hunziker (2020-05-12). The Wet-Bulb Peril Has Arrived… Way Too Early. counterpunch.org The human body has limits. If \"temperature plus humidity\" is high enough, even a healthy person seated in the shade with plentiful water to drink will suffer severely or likely die. It\'s the Wet-Bulb Temperature WBT effect. There is an upper limit to human capacity to adapt to excessive global heat when combined with excessive

Dave Welsh (2020-05-12). Survival of our public postal service threatened. workers.org Fifty years ago, wildcatting postal workers shut down the U.S. mail for a week in the 1970 Great Postal Strike over poverty-level wages. President Nixon tried to use Army and National Guard soldiers to break the strike — without success. The strike resulted in creation of an independent U.S. Postal . . . |

Susan Price (2020-05-12). Ecuador\'s neoliberal war on public sector worsens COVID-19 catastrophe. greenleft.org.au

Susan Price (2020-05-12). Tax-havened companies bailed out while poverty doubles amidst pandemic. greenleft.org.au

Vanessa Beeley (2020-05-12). SND Live with Vanessa Beeley. thealtworld.com Independent journalist and complete badass, Vanessa Beeley, joins us from Damascus to discuss her recent work shedding light on how the West\'s response to Covid is providing cover for further atrocities in Syria. We also discussed the continuing genocide in Yemen and the UN\'s role in facilitating it, what hybrid warfare is, and who is determining the roll out of the UK\'s \"new normal\".

Ajamu Baraka (2020-05-12). Trump wins! Completing Obama\'s Pivot to Asia and the Confrontation with China. dissidentvoice.org Even before becoming the 45th president of the United States, Donald Trump had one consistent foreign enemy — China. Partly fueled by his intrinsic white supremacy and his antipathy for the liberal elite \"globalists\" who evoked his personal inferiority complex, Trump has never waivered from his fierce opposition to what he saw as the \"yellow …

Adriaan Alsema (2020-05-12). Duque used Colombia\'s peace funds to pay for presidential approval poll. colombiareports.com Colombia\'s President Ivan Duque used money meant for the implementation of peace policies to pay for a poll over public approval of his peace policy, local media reported on Monday….

Orinoco Tribune (2020-05-12). Cuba Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize for Its Fight Against COVID-19. globalresearch.ca The French organization Cuba Linda has recommended awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to Cuban medical brigades for their efforts to eradicate COVID-19. | \"The international community is witnessing the solidarity of health professionals who leave their country to provide services and …

sputniknews (2020-05-12). NATO Chief Urges Berlin to \'Protect Peace and Freedom\' by Stationing US Nukes. sputniknews.com The appeal comes as leaders from the SPD, Germany\'s second-largest party and member of Chancellor Merkel\'s governing coalition, demand the withdrawal of US nuclear weapons from the country\'s airbases.

ISDBICC (2020-05-12). [Research Paper] Mapping of variations in child stunting, wasting and underweight within the states of India: the Global Burden of Disease Study 2000—2017. thelancet.com CGF indicators have improved in India, but there are substantial variations between the districts in their magnitude and rate of decline, and the inequality between districts has increased in a large proportion of the states. The poor correlation between the national surveys for CGF estimates highlights the need to standardise collection of anthropometric data in India. The district-level trends in this report provide a useful reference for targeting the efforts under NNM to reduce CGF across India and meet the Indian and global targets.

teleSUR (2020-05-12). Bolivia Police Repress Protesters That Can\'t Afford Lockdown. telesurenglish.net Hundreds of people were violently repressed by security forces Monday in the Bolivian K\'ara K\'ara community located in Cochabamba city, as they took to the streets to demand that the de facto government eases the COVID-19 lockdown as they cannot afford it anymore. | RELATED: | Videos circulating on social media showed demonstrators fiercely attacked by the police and army who did not hesitate to use tear gas and rubber bullets, inj…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-05-12). Unions in UK protest bid by P&O Ferries to lay off 1,100 workers. peoplesdispatch.org P&O Ferries, owned by Dubai-based DP World, has announced plans to cut 1,100 jobs in the UK citing the crisis in the ferry industry due to the COVID-19 lockdown…

John Buell (2020-05-12). Why Unemployment under Trump is way worse than Numbers Suggest. zcomm.org \"If the protesters really wanted to protect workers, wouldn\'t they be demanding laws that replaced lost wages? Other developed countries have passed exactly those sorts of measures, putting their economies into a holding pattern as the pandemic passes.\"

teleSUR (2020-05-12). Bolivia: Inmates Riot Due to COVID Outbreak in Prison. telesurenglish.net Bolivian police forces repressed May 11 an inmate riot in Palmasola prison, in Santa Cruz city. Convicts protested due to a Covid-19 outbreak among the prison population. | RELATED: | The authorities at the Palmasola penitentiary said two inmates who died last week after presenting respiratory distress. Local news media reported first deceased autopsy revealed he was COVID positive and was buried acco…

Project Censored (2020-05-12). Kent State 50th with Mickey Huff. projectcensored.org 50 years have passed since Ohio National Guard troops opened fire on Kent State University students protesting the Vietnam War. Four students were killed and nine wounded. On this week\'s…

teleSUR (2020-05-12). Germany: Far-Right Encourages Radical Anti-Confinement Protests. telesurenglish.net Germany\'s Julius Gumbel Research Center (EJGF) Director Gideon Botsch Tuesday warned that far-right groups are benefiting from the potential radicalization of protests against confinement and physical distancing measures. | RELATED: | \"While the mobilization effect goes far beyond the far-right\'s world, the Alternative for Germany party (AfD) is a major promoter of radical protests,\" Botsch said. | \"The warming dynamic has been…

en.mehrnews (2020-05-12). World Council of Churches calls for lifting US sanctions against Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 12 (MNA) — In a letter to the chairman of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization Ebrahimi Torkaman World Council of Churches (WCC) Acting General Secretary Ioan Sauca said that WCC calls for the lifting of sanctions against the Iranian people.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-12). Leader condoles on martyrdom of navy sailors. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 12 (MNA) — Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on Tue. offered his deep condolences on the martyrdom of a number of Navy members in the southern territorial waters.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-12). Serbian president calls for expanding economic relations with Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 12 (MNA) — Serbian President received the credential of Iran\'s new ambassador to Belgrade Rashid Hassanpour on Tuesday and emphasized on promoting cooperation with the Islamic Republic in various fields, especially economy and trade.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-12). VIDEO: 1,100 foodstuff packages distributed in Quchan. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 12 (MNA) — Some 1,100 foodstuff packages as part of the \'Equality and Sincere Assistance Maneuver\' have been distributed among needy people amid the coronavirus pandemic in Quchan in Khorasan Razavi province.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-12). View Intl. Quds Day\'s rally online via Instagram program, other social platforms in English from S. Africa. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 12 (MNA) — This year\'s International Quds Day will be held online through Instagram program as well as other social networks in English language from S Africa due to the outbreak of coronavirus, COVID-19.

Omer SB, Malani P, del Rio C. (2020-05-12). The COVID-19 Pandemic in the US: A Clinical Update. jamanetwork.com This Viewpoint provides a summary update of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the US, discussing case-fatality rates, interpretation of polymerase chain reaction test results, duration of immunity, reinfection, and more.

Staff (2020-05-12). COVID-19 Took Chicago Black Lives First and Exposed Structural Racism. truthout.org We look at the coronavirus pandemic\'s disproportionate toll on African Americans through the story of Chicago\'s first 100 recorded deaths. A report by ProPublica found that 70 of the first 100 people to die were African American. Black people account for 30% of Chicago\'s population and 72% of COVID-19 deaths. We speak with ProPublica reporter Adriana Gallardo, who contributed to the report \"COVID-19 Took Black Lives First. It Didn\'t Have To.\" She says the story paints a picture of \"sophisticated struct…

WSWS (2020-05-12). Rising number of COVID-19 deaths in Germany\'s retirement and care homes. wsws.org As the German government is effectively ending its coronavirus lockdown, reports about people dying of COVID-19 in retirement and care homes are increasing.

Sinha A. (2020-05-12). King Lear Under COVID-19 Lockdown. jamanetwork.com This Arts and Medicine feature draws lessons from William Shakespeare\'s King Lear about our collective disorientation and obligations to each other in the midst of the first-wave coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Lynda Carson (2020-05-12). During COVID-19 pandemic the California Guitar Trio releases a new music video. indybay.org Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic…

Sanders JM, Monogue ML, Jodlowski TZ, et al. (2020-05-12). Pharmacologic Treatments for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). jamanetwork.com This narrative review summarizes what is currently known about how SARS-CoV-2 infects cells and causes disease as a basis for considering whether chloroquine, remdisivir and other antivirals, or other existing drugs might be effective treatment for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Roger Harris (2020-05-12). Biden Ridin\' the Pandemic to the White House, Trump to Take Hit for Neoliberalism\'s Failures. counterpunch.org The world is amidst the COVID-19 crisis and in our corner of the planet a presidential campaign is reduced to a single issue: Trump/not Trump. Pick your poison. At a time that calls for national leadership or least debate on the issues, Congress unanimously passed the two-trillion-dollar Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act

en.mehrnews (2020-05-12). Kremlin spokesman tests positive for coronavirus. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 12 (MNA) — Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has confirmed that he has contracted COVID-19, a disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-12). Worldwide COVID-19 infections climbs to 4.2mn. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 12 (MNA) —According to the latest reports on Tuesday, the number of people around the world confirmed to have the coronavirus has risen to 4,256,579, and 287,354 have lost their lives, while 1,527,789 people have recovered.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-12). UNICEF ships fifth cargo of protective supplies to Iran amid COVID-19 outbreak. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 12 (MNA) — The United Nations Children\'s Fund (UNICEF) has delivered the fifth consignment of supplies to Iran to help the country in the fight against the coronavirus, according to Iran\'s deputy health minister.

WSWS (2020-05-12). Biden attacks Trump for \"hampering\" the reopening of business. wsws.org In an op-ed column by Joe Biden posted on the Washington Post\'s website on Monday, the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate criticizes Donald Trump\'s handling of the coronavirus pandemic entirely from the standpoint of disaffected sections of business.

Belle Chesler (2020-05-12). Covid-19 Has Made Our Broken School System Worse. thenation.com Covid-19 Has Made Our Broken School System Worse…

WSWS (2020-05-12). While coronavirus spreads, lockdowns lifted across Europe. wsws.org The mass return to work underway across Europe is in line with the criminal policy being pursued by the Trump administration in the United States.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-12). Coronavirus may put an end to EU: George Soros. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 12 (MNA) — The billionaire George Soros has said that the coronavirus could bring about the end of the EU for it is what he called \'an incomplete union\'.

teleSUR (2020-05-12). Lebanon to Enter 4-Day Lockdown After Jump in COVID-19 Cases. telesurenglish.net Lebanon will reimpose a four-day nationwide stay at home order, the government announced Tuesday, after a jump in coronavirus cases over the past week. | RELATED: | The lockdown will go into force Wednesday and end Monday authorities said, while the country\'s information minister Manal Abdel-Samad said that all businesses will be closed, with the exception of those in the medical, industrial, and agricultural sectors.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-12). Iran coronavirus updates: 1,401 new coronavirus cases, 48 deaths. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 12 (MNA) — Iranian Health Ministry announced on Tuesday that 1,401 new COVID-19 infections have been identified in the country during the past 24 hours.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-12). Iranian researchers attain knowledge of producing corona drugs. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 12 (MNA) — An official with the Health Ministry said that Iranian researchers managed to attain the technical knowhow and knowledge of producing the novel coronavirus drugs.

Bauchner H, Sharfstein J. (2020-05-12). Medical Students and Public Health Service for the COVID-19 Pandemic. jamanetwork.com Over the next few months it is likely that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that has surged in New York City, Seattle, New Orleans, and Detroit will move from city to city and state to state. After the initial peak, absent highly effective medical interventions, the US will likely experience outbreaks of lingering disease for months and potentially years to come. As the US enters the next phase of COVID-19, critical questions will involve the nation\'s capacity to respond to outbreaks, protect high-risk populations, and limit community spread.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-12). Eid al-Fitr prayers to be held in Tehran if permitted: governor. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 12 (MNA) — Tehran Governor-General Anoushirvan Mohseni-Bandpei announced on Tuesday that the Eid al-Fitr (fasting feast) prayers will be held in the Iranian capital in case the National Committee on Combating Coronavirus issues the permit.

teleSUR (2020-05-12). Nicaragua Requests OAS Lift Sanctions Due to COVID Crisis. telesurenglish.net Nicaragua\'s representative to the Organization of American States (OAS) demanded on May 11 that sanctions cease against Cuba, Venezuela, and his nation. | RELATED: | Nicaraguan diplomat Luis Alvarado participated in the first session of the Weekly Forum on the Challenges Facing Inter-American Law in the Time of the Coronavirus. He referred to COVID-19\'s social and economic worldwide impact. Alvarado stated solidarity and cooperation are paramount to cope with sequels…

en.mehrnews (2020-05-12). Iran sends 1st medical aid to Tajikistan to fight coronavirus. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 12 (MNA) — Iran has sent the first medical aid to Tajikistan to help the country in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday.

Farooque Chowdhury (2020-05-12). COVID-19 Pandemic: Time for Bold programs from the Left to Help the People. dissidentvoice.org Fred Magdoff, Professor Emeritus of plant and soil science at the University of Vermont and author of many articles and books on ecology, agriculture and economy, frequent Monthly Review contributor and closely associated with struggles of the working people, discusses the coronavirus pandemic in light of capitalism and agriculture in the following interview conducted on …

The Canary (2020-05-12). Empowering local services is key to fighting virus, says public health expert. thecanary.co A leading public health expert has urged the government to drop its top-down \"command-and-control\" response to coronavirus (Covid-19) to give the UK the best chance to fight future spikes in infections. | Andrew Lee said empowering local services is the key to tackling the further outbreaks he expects as the country learns to live with Covid-19, but said these surges will be geographically specific. | Dr Lee, who is reader in global public health at Sheffield University, said the key to controlling these outbreaks is speed of response and the current centralised system is too slow to react. | He said: \"We just ha…

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-12). America\'s Percentage of World\'s Coronavirus Cases Is Now Declining, but America\'s libertarian policies on coronavirus remain catastrophic. strategic-culture.org Eric ZUESSE | At At the start of the day on May 10th, the U.S. had

Tom Tomorrow (2020-05-12). The Media Is \'Both-Sides\'-ing the Coronavirus Disaster. thenation.com The Media Is \'Both-Sides\'-ing the Coronavirus Disaster…

Lynda Carson (2020-05-12). Mosser Company is among the landlords facing a rent strike in Oakland. indybay.org Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic…

en.mehrnews (2020-05-12). Coronavirus restrained in many parts of Iran: health min. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 12 (MNA) —Iranian Minister of Health and Medical Education Saeed Namaki said on Tuesday that coronavirus has been restrained in many parts of Iran.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-12). Israeli regime acting against Iran\'s interests amid Covid-19 pandemic: MP. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 11 (MNA) — Chairman of the Iranian Parliament\'s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Mojtaba Zonnour said on Tuesday that while the world is distracted with the coronavirus pandemic, the Zionist regime is doing its best to put Iran\'s interests at risk.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-12). Iran unveils nano-test kit for coronavirus. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 12 (MNA) — In a ceremony participated by Vice President for Science and Technology Sorena Sattari in Shiraz, Fars province, domestically produced nao-test kit for coronavirus was unveiled for the first time in the world.

WSWS (2020-05-12). Australian Labor Party exploits pandemic to scapegoat foreign workers. wsws.org Labor\'s call for immigration cuts lines up directly behind the drive by governments around the globe, personified by US President Trump, to promote toxic nationalism.

teleSUR (2020-05-12). Hondurans Stranded in Spain Ask to Return to Their Country. telesurenglish.net At least 235 Honduran citizens with few economic resources are trapped in Spain and living in a very critical situation. | RELATED: | \"Most came to work in Spain but lost their jobs because their immigration status was irregular,\" Honduran Pablo Jose Perez said on behalf of the group. | \"They have been without pay for more than two months and they no longer have money. They need to return to Honduras because they have their families…

Fight Back (2020-05-12). Minneapolis vigil honors Carlos Ernesto Escobar-Mejia, first person to die of COVID-19 in ICE detention. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – After dark on Monday, May 11, the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) held a candlelight vigil at the Minneapolis Federal Courthouse to remember Carlos Ernesto Escobar-Mejia. He is the first person reported to die of COVID-19 while in jail detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The speakers at the vigil called on people to remember Carlos and called on government officials to free all ICE detainees. | Because of COVID-19, all vigil participants wore a mask and maintained social distance. | During the vigil, Escobar-Mejia\'s name was also projected on a large wall o…

Tom Conway (2020-05-12). Why America Cannot Afford to Let the U.S. Postal Service Go Bankrupt. counterpunch.org Bill Boone was a fresh-faced 23-year-old in 1952 when he cast his first ballot for U.S. president, while proudly serving aboard an aircraft carrier off the coast of Korea. The U.S. Postal Service carried that vote untold miles to the election board in Boone\'s hometown of Benton, Arkansas, and he\'s considered \"the mail\" an essential

teleSUR (2020-05-12). At Least 14 People Killed in Afghanistan Hospital Attack. telesurenglish.net The Dasht-e-Barchi hospital in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, suffered a terrorist attack that killed at least 14 people and injured 15 others. | RELATED: | The attack was carried out by armed men wearing military camouflage fatigues who entered the hospital after an initial detonation by a suicide bomber. | According to the authorities, some of the attackers were cornered inside the hospital and allegedly started th…

en.mehrnews (2020-05-12). Deadly suicide attack targets funeral in Afghanistan\'s Nangarhar. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 10 (MNA) — A suicide bomber in eastern Afghanistan killed and wounded at least 50 men on Tuesday in an attack on the funeral of a police commander attended by government officials and a member of parliament, officials said.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-12). Afghanistan\'s Ghani, Abdullah reach power-sharing agreement: report. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 12 (MNA) — Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, his political rival, have reached a deal to form a unity government, a source in the presidential palace said on Monday.

Michael K. Smith (2020-05-12). Joe Biden Suffers Massive Stroke! dissidentvoice.org Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden suffered a massive brain hemorrhage today as he practiced reciting the days of the week for upcoming debates with President Trump. Campaign staff members say it will not affect his work, and insist he has no plans to withdraw from the presidential contest, unless \"something serious happens.\" \"We\'ve been through …

Adriaan Alsema (2020-05-12). Colombia\'s farmers claim government lifting import tariffs puts domestic food production at risk. colombiareports.com Colombia\'s farmers\' organizations said Monday that an emergency decree lifting import tariffs on corn and soy is threatening domestic food production. The organizations called on the State Council to declare…

Adriaan Alsema (2020-05-12). Colombia considering guaranteed minimum income as famine looms. colombiareports.com Almost half of Colombia\'s senators signed off on a proposal to urgently implement a guaranteed minimum income for more than 70% of the population. The radical proposal would temporarily guarantee…

Mike Adams (2020-05-12). Hundreds of Children Brain Damaged by the Swine Flu Vaccine to Receive $90 Million in Financial Compensation from UK Government. globalresearch.ca First published in April 2015. The H1N1 vaccine fiasco ordered by the (corrupt) WHO Director General is of relevance to the current debate on a COVID-19 vaccine. | **** | The 2009 swine flu vaccine caused severe brain damage in over 800 …

Raul Diego (2020-05-12). No Stimulus for the Weary: The US is Now Sitting on an Inflation Time Bomb. mintpressnews.com The White House budget office doesn\'t know if the $2.2 Trillion-dollar stimulus package and Trump\'s $1,200 stimulus checks might cause an inflationary spiral. But many economists have no doubt it will.

Maria Paez Victor (2020-05-12). What If Armed Terrorists Threatened the Prime Minister of Canada? counterpunch.org Fortunately, Canada is not a country that has suffered continuous threats of coup d\'etats as Venezuela has these last 21 years. The Motive Be that as it may, as a matter of clarification and discernment, let us imagine the following: suppose a powerful foreign power — let\'s call it Statesland — intent on taking over

WSWS (2020-05-12). Democratic Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf begins unsafe reopening of 37 counties. wsws.org Wolf, presented as a more rational leader than his Republican counterparts, is restarting the economy as the virus is still killing workers across the state in nursing homes, food-processing plants and warehouses.

Bharat Dogra (2020-05-12). How pandemics are related to ecological crises. peoplesdispatch.org In recent years, many new diseases have been linked to transmission of microbes from animals, birds and other forms of life to human beings, in ways that the virus will cause severe disease among them. Diseases such as MERS, SARS, the avian flu and swine flu are examples of such diseases, called zoonotic diseases, and COVID-19 is yet another instance of this. | While the growing frequency of zoonotic diseases is widely debated, one important reason for their spread almost certainly relates to the ecological crisis and biodiversity loss that has been exacerbated across the plant. According to the United Nations…

Dr. Russell Blaylock (2020-05-12). Face Masks Pose Serious Risks to the Healthy. globalresearch.ca \"By wearing a mask, the exhaled viruses will not be able to escape and will concentrate in the nasal passages, enter the olfactory nerves and travel into the brain.\" — Russell Blaylock, MD | Researchers found that about a third of …

teleSUR (2020-05-12). Brazil: Native Communities Face Rise in COVID-Related Deaths. telesurenglish.net Brazil\'s Coordination of Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon (COIAB) reported a COVID-19 related cases. | RELATED: | According to COIAB communication, Amazon indigenous communities register over 200 positive cases and about 16 deaths due to the virus. Besides, the organization reports 23 native groups are under pandemic harm and requires governmental assistance. | \"We don\'t have the structure to cu…

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-12). A World Health Crisis? — So Ramp Up Confrontation and Deploy Nuclear Bombers. strategic-culture.org The Pentagon is excelling itself in its enthusiastic march to war. There are countless thousands suffering from the effects of the Covid-19 virus, including hundreds of members of the U.S. armed services, while the world\'s despots are relishing their freedom to persecute minorities, and the poor and downtrodden are dying in hideous misery because of starvation and lack of medical care. But the propaganda war against China continues, concurrent with ramping up of anti-China confrontation by Washington in its ongoing deployment of nuclear attack warships and bombers to the Western Pacific and the South China Sea.

Ian Cobain (2020-05-12). \"Operation Volute\": Covert UK Propaganda Efforts in Syria May Have Broken UK Law. globalresearch.ca The UK\'s covert propaganda programmes in war-torn Syria were poorly planned, probably illegal and cost lives, according to a scathing internal review of the initiative that has been seen by Middle East Eye. | Using news agencies, social media, poster campaigns …

Johanna Ross (2020-05-12). UK Government Causes Widespread Confusion with New COVID-19 Guidelines. globalresearch.ca It was a moment the UK public had been waiting for days, ever since it was reported in several British newspapers that lockdown restrictions were to be lifted from Monday. But although people may be weary after seven weeks of …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-05-12). Workers\' lives at risk Tesla to resume production in defiance of lockdown rules. peoplesdispatch.org Elon Musk, the chief executive office of US electric car maker Tesla, even dared the authorities to arrest him and threatened to shift the factory outside Fremont, California…

Mark Taliano (2020-05-12). COVID-19 Scientific Statements Contradict Government Lockdown Policies. globalresearch.ca There exists a huge disconnect between publicly available real scientific evidence and government policy surrounding the Covid crisis. Consider the following scientific \"admissions\" and how they contradict government \"lockdown\" policies: | In the first video, the UK\'s Chief Medical Officer (CMO), …

WSWS (2020-05-12). Nigeria: COVID-19 compounds economic recession provoked by oil price slump. wsws.org Medical and other experts are against the easing of restrictions, with the National Medical Association and the Federal Capital Territory Youth Task Force on COVID-19 both asking Buhari not to ease the lockdown.

graham (2020-05-12). Over 5 million people now suffering food insecurity in lockdown. truepublica.org.uk The UK has been in official COVID-19 lockdown since March 23 and, just like in other countries, the disruption to the economy has hit people already in a more vulnerable position the hardest. These include people on low incomes or in precarious work situations; or who are dealing with long-term physical or mental health conditions. This issue of …

Finian Cunningham (2020-05-12). France\'s Earlier Detection of COVID-19 Raises Questions on Global Origin. thealtworld.com Determining the origin of Covid-19 will not be made by politicized probes that presume China\'s fault for the pandemic. | The emergence of Covid-19 was first reported by the authorities in China on December 31, as acknowledged by the World Health Organization. But that emergence does not necessarily mean the pandemic originated in China. | By January 30, 2020, a WHO situation report

teleSUR (2020-05-12). Covid-19: Russia Is Second Most Affected Country in the World. telesurenglish.net The COVID-19 pandemic recorded more than 10,000 cases in Russia in the last 24 hours, for a total of 232,000 people who tested positive for the illness, making Russia the second most affected country in the world in terms of the number of infections. | RELATED: | The number of infections in Russia is only exceeded by the United States, according to the Johns Hopkins University balance sheet, updated on Tuesday. | \"In the last…

teleSUR (2020-05-12). Women, Migrants & Blacks Most Affected by COVID-19 in Latam. telesurenglish.net The COVID-19 pandemic will make a bad economic situation worse for women, Indigenous, black people and migrants in Latin America, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) warned Tuesday. | RELATED: | The agency of the United Nations said in a report that unequal access to potable water, sanitation, healthcare, and housing could also mean higher rates of infection and death among these…

NationAction (2020-05-12). Fight Mass Incarceration Amidst the Pandemic. thenation.com Fight Mass Incarceration Amidst the Pandemic…

en.mehrnews (2020-05-12). Trump administration\'s incompetence putting intolerable burden on nurses. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 10 (MNA) — The Iranian foreign ministry spokesman lambasted the administration of US President Donald Trump for incompetency in protecting its frontline nurses in the battle against COVID-19 pandemic.

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-12). Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: Maintaining routine vaccine schedules during COVID-19. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the World Health Organization(WHO) says more than 117 million children in 37 countries may be missing out on the lifesaving measles vaccine. The WHO had issued some guidelines to help countries sustain immunization activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Tina Ardon, a Mayo Clinic …

The Canary (2020-05-12). Herd immunity for Covid-19 is a \'dangerous\' concept says World Health Organisation. thecanary.co The World Health Organisation (WHO) has condemned the \"dangerous\" concept of herd immunity for Covid-19. | Herd immunity is an epidemiological term usually reserved to describe how the population as a whole is protected from a disease depending on the levels of people vaccinated. | For instance, when 90%-95% of the population is vaccinated against measles, this should be enough to protect others who are unable to get an inoculation — such as babies before they reach the age at which they can be immunised. | Asked about the concept being applied to the Covid-19 pandemic, the WHO said \"no-one is safe until ev…

WSWS (2020-05-12). US nursing students discuss impact of the pandemic on medical education. wsws.org With overwhelmed hospitals and the immense pressures now exerted on health care workers, the quality of the education of medical and nursing students has been greatly affected.

Dean Baker (2020-05-12). Pandemic Causes Loss of 20,500,000 Jobs, Unemployment at 14.7 Percent. zcomm.org The good news here is the large percentage of workers who expect to be called back by their employer, but the steps by the government to contain the pandemic and support the recovery are less encouraging…

WSWS (2020-05-12). World Health Organization warns premature return to work risks resurgence of pandemic. wsws.org World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reiterated his warnings Monday that a premature return to work without adequate measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic risks a second wave of infections.

Matt Sedlar (2020-05-12). Consumer Price Index Plunges 0.8 Percent, Core Falls 0.4 Percent. cepr.net Food prices rose 2.6 percent in April, reflecting a large increase in store-bought food. The overall Consumer Price Index (CPI) fell 0.8 percent in April, driven again by large price declines in sectors that were hit hard by pandemic-related shutdowns. Gas prices fell 20.6 percent, following a drop of 10.5 percent in March. They are …

Salimah Valiani (2020-05-12). South Africa: COVID-19 Crisis Unmasks Dangers of Profit Oriented Healthcare. globalresearch.ca The pandemic has shown the need for medical care and interventions that have nothing to do with profit. But not even SA\'s proposed National Health Insurance would fit the bill. | *** | Covid-19 has been linked to a number of truth …

Corey Robin (2020-05-12). The Pandemic is the Time to Resurrect the Public University. zcomm.org Sending students, professors, and workers back to campus, amid a pandemic, because colleges and universities need the cash, is a statement of bankruptcy more profound than any balance sheet could ever tally…

teleSUR (2020-05-12). Universal Basic Income to Help Most Affected by COVID-19: ECLAC. telesurenglish.net The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) said Tuesday that to face the socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, governments must guarantee immediate temporary monetary transfers to satisfy basic needs, sustain the consumption of households and achieve a solid and relatively rapid recovery in the region. | RELATED: | ECLAC\'s Executive Secretary Alicia Barcena presented at a vi…

Dr. Judy Mikovits (2020-05-12). Video: Plandemic Documentary: The Hidden Agenda Behind COVID-19. globalresearch.ca Humanity is imprisoned by a killer pandemic. People are being arrested for surfing in the ocean and meditating in nature. Nations are collapsing. Hungry citizens are rioting for food. The media has generated so much confusion and fear that people …

Anish R (2020-05-12). We don\'t need empty praise: Nurses\' unions demand better protection, rights. peoplesdispatch.org May 12 is globally observed as International Nurses Day. The day marks the birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale, who revolutionized healthcare and introduced modern nursing. This year, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses have come out to tell us that they have been left behind. | A virtual press conference held by Public Services International (PSI), on the eve of the Nurses Day, had unions from different parts of the Asia-Pacific region talk about the monumental challenges during the pandemic. According to the South-East Asian Regional Office (SEARO) of the World Health Organization, at this time, the Asia-P…

NationAction (2020-05-12). Fight Mass Incarceration Amid the Pandemic. thenation.com Fight Mass Incarceration Amid the Pandemic…

Fight Back (2020-05-12). Minnesota Nurses Association plans to march on the State Capitol to demand safety for nurses. fightbacknews.org St. Paul, MN – As cases of COVID-19 continue to rise across Minnesota, members of the Minnesota Nurses Association have announced that they will march on May 20 from Allina Health United Hospital to the Minnesota State Capitol to demand that management of United Hospital and other hospitals provide proper PPE, training, and safety, as well as transparency to keep nurses and other healthcare workers safe. They will also be delivering a petition with over 10,000 signatures to the Minnesota Department of Health demanding a Pandemic Bill of Rights to keep Minnesotans safe. Social distancing guidelines will be followe…

WSWS (2020-05-12). UK COVID-19 death rate far higher in working class. wsws.org Millions of workers employed in what the ONS terms \"elementary\" jobs, including cleaners and low-skilled construction workers, had the highest risk of death.

teleSUR (2020-05-12). Spain to Close Sea and Air Borders within the Schengen Area. telesurenglish.net Spain\'s government announced the closure of the sea and air borders from next Friday, according to an order signed by the Interior\'s Minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska. | RELATED: | The decision is part of the measures taken to control the Covid-19 epidemic in the country. | It will last until May 24th. During the restriction, only Spanish citizens, cross-border workers, and those who can prove, with documents, causes of…

teleSUR (2020-05-12). Italy Includes 11 Women in Its Main COVID-19 Advisory Teams. telesurenglish.net Italy\'s RELATED: | This incorporation is the consequence of the harsh criticism the Italian government has received because of the low number of women…

Thierry Meyssan (2020-05-12). The Transformation of Societies on the Occasion of Covid-19 Heralds the Militarisation of Europe. thealtworld.com