Margie Mason, Robin McDowell (2020-04-28). Parents fear for their children\'s safety as coronavirus hits juvenile jails. peoplesworld.org Nicole Hingle wasn\'t surprised when the call came. Frustrations had been building inside juvenile detention centers nationwide as the number of coronavirus cases continued to climb. Now, her 17-year-old son Jace was on the phone telling her around 40 kids had rioted at his facility in Louisiana—the same state where more than a dozen youths …

Sasha Abramsky (2020-04-28). The Federalist Fight Against Fascism. thenation.com The Federalist Fight Against Fascism…

James Phillips (2020-04-28). COVID-19 and Central America: a Learning Moment? counterpunch.org The countries of Central America are indeed central to the foreign and domestic policies of the United States in many ways, most obvious of which is immigration. But the current COVID19 pandemic has exposed significant differences in the responses of Central American countries and examples of gross disaster opportunism and the double standard applied to

Brett Heinz (2020-04-28). US Deportations Are Exporting COVID-19 to Nations Unprepared for a Pandemic. cepr.net On April 22nd, President Trump signed an Executive Order putting a 60-day halt on the issuance of new green cards to immigrants admissible for permanent residency in the United States. This measure, coming on the back of other government measures restricting legal immigration, ostensibly seeks to protect the US from imported cases of COVID-19. But …

Jake Johnston (2020-04-28). Exporting COVID-19: ICE Air Conducted Deportation Flights to 11 LAC Countries, Flight Data Shows. cepr.net There were 232 likely ICE Air deportation flights to Latin America and Caribbean countries between February 3, 2020 and April 24, 2020, CEPR analysis shows. In 2019, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported 267,258 individuals — 96 percent of whom were from the Latin America and Caribbean region. Though much of the media focus has …

en.mehrnews (2020-04-28). Iran FM expresses deep concern over conditions of migrants in US detention center. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 28 (MNA) — Iran Foreign Ministry has expressed deep concern over the conditions of 1,500 migrants in the US detention center.

WSWS (2020-04-28). Assange extradition hearing delayed following defence appeal. wsws.org Assange\'s legal team insisted that a hearing could not proceed under the current circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic…

Binoy Kampmark (2020-04-28). Pandemic Delays: Postponing the Assange Extradition Hearing. dissidentvoice.org Mr Assange will be facing a David and Goliath battle with his hands tied behind his back. — Edward Fitzgerald QC, lawyer for Julian Assange, April 27, 2020 Julian Assange must have had time amidst cramped and hostile surrounds, paper work, pleas and applications, to ponder what circle of Dante\'s Hell he finds himself in. …

Medea Benjamin (2020-04-28). During Coronvrius: Cuba to the rescue, but don\'t tell the American people. mronline.org Anti-Cuba zealots in the Trump administration have been enticing Cuban doctors working overseas to defect, paying journalists to write negative stories, slapping sanctions on Cubans in charge of the program, and strong-arming countries to expel Cuban doctors.

The Grayzone (2020-04-28). Exclusive: OPCW insiders slam \"compromised\" new Syria chemical weapons probe. thegrayzone.com Current and former staff members of the OPCW have denounced the organization\'s IIT report alleging Syrian government sarin use at…

The Grayzone (2020-04-28). Exclusive: OPCW insiders slam \'compromised\' new Syria chemical weapons probe. thegrayzone.com Current and former staff members of the OPCW have denounced the organization\'s IIT report alleging Syrian government sarin use at…

Ajamu Baraka (2020-04-28). Video: Venezuela and the Struggle Against Empire: Ajamu Baraka. globalresearch.ca Black Alliance for Peace National Organizer Ajamu Baraka discussed the role of U.S. activists in stopping the U.S. war machine during \"An Inside View of Resistance to US Imperialism in Venezuela and How to Build International Solidarity,\" a webinar co-hosted …

Howie Hawkins (2020-04-28). Ranked-Choice Voting: An Idea Whose Time Has Come. counterpunch.org Climate activist Bill McKibben took to the New Yorker recently to advise me and the Green Party to stand down our presidential campaign and instead work for ranked-choice voting (RCV) so we don\'t \"spoil\" the election for Joe Biden (\"Instead of Challenging Joe Biden, Maybe the Green Party Could Help Change Our Democracy,\" April 15).

graham (2020-04-28). World economy faces a $5 trillion hit, like losing UK AND France. truepublica.org.uk The coronavirus pandemic is set to rob the global economy of more than $5 trillion of growth over the next two years, greater than the annual output of Japan or both the UK and France combined That\'s the warning from Wall Street banks as the world plunges into its deepest peacetime recession since the 1930s, …

RT (2020-04-28). WATCH: Lebanese citizens vent their ire by TORCHING bank, army vehicle, as at least 1 protester shot dead. rt.com A protester has been shot and killed in the Lebanese city of Tripoli, as the country\'s financial and economic crisis worsens under the additional pressure of the coronavirus pandemic. | The Lebanese pound has collapsed amid soaring inflation and unemployment worsened by the shutdown of the economy, exacerbating the pre-existing financial crisis which has plagued the country since October. | #ÿߟÑÿ≠ŸÖÿ±ÿßÿ° – #ÿ®Ÿä&yuml…

Repost (2020-04-28). April 25, 2020: Nationwide Cancel Rents Protests. indybay.org We face a second rent day, May 1, when at least one third of renters nationwide will not be able to pay the rent due to the pandemic lockdown. Yet no governor, Democrat or Republican, has demanded that the rent be cancelled since the renters who live from paycheck to paycheck face immediate eviction when the lockdown ends as they cannot pay any back rent.

WSWS (2020-04-28). Protests in Somalia after police killing during pandemic lockdown. wsws.org The protests reflect a broader anger towards the brutal methods utilized by the security forces during the curfew…

RT (2020-04-28). Gunshots ring out and cars are set ablaze in Haiti as police officers protest against government corruption (VIDEO). rt.com Rioting cops stormed the Finance Ministry in the capital over complaints about their pay and working conditions, as Covid-19 rips through the impoverished Caribbean nation. | Videos from the scene show cars set ablaze and government buildings being stormed, as Haitian police took to the streets of Port au Prince on Monday. | Officers went out to protest their pay, working conditions, and government corruption against the bleak backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has put further strain on the country\'s dire economic situation. | Rioting cops, calling themselves \'Fantomes 509\' (Ghosts 509) exchanged gunf…

en.mehrnews (2020-04-28). Over 170 doctors protest against inhumane US sanctions amid COVID-19. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 28 (MNA) — More than 170 physicians and surgeons in various fields from around the world in a letter addressed to the UN Secretary General António Guterres protested against inhumane and cruel US sanctions.

Barbara Boland (2020-04-28). Is Trump Using the U.S. Military for Regime Change in Venezuela? globalresearch.ca U.S. policy towards Venezuela has been a head-spinning series of contradictions lately, with no end in sight. From placing a bounty on the heads of President Nicolas Maduro and a dozen current and former Venezuelan officials, to upping sanctions and …

Alan MacLeod (2020-04-28). Both Sides-ing Bleach Injection – Media in the era of an incompetent president. fair.org Vox ( You probably saw Donald Trump\'s ridiculous, false and deadly claim last week: that ingesting chemical cleaners could cure humans of the coronavirus. At a White House press briefing on Thursday (

en.mehrnews (2020-04-28). \'Resistance to give crushing response to Israelis\' occupation of West Bank\'. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 28 (MNA) — Iranian Parliament Speaker\'s Special Aide for International Affairs warned that any move by the Israeli regime to occupy parts of Palestine\'s West Bank will await the Resistance Movement\'s crushing response.

Ramzy Baroud (2020-04-28). Will the Coronavirus Change the World? zcomm.org It is us, the people, and our true authentic voices – the \'organic intellectuals\', not the celebrity philosophers – who have the right and the moral legitimacy to rise up to reclaim our democracy…

David Swanson (2020-04-28). How Are You Gonna Pay For It? Stop Giving Money to Israel. mintpressnews.com Israel is not a poor country. It is certainly not the poorest in the world. So why is it the top recipient of US military \"aid?\"

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-04-28). Corruption Scandals Could See Bolsonaro Removed from Power Quicker than One Could Expect. globalresearch.ca The Brazilian government was shaken by a new controversy on Friday after the General Director of the Federal Police, Maurício Valeixo, was sacked by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Following threats made on Thursday, the Minister of Justice and Public …

Dilip Hiro (2020-04-28). The COVID-19 Chronology From Hell. counterpunch.org Historically, in hyper-crises, local and global systems can change fundamentally. Before the coronavirus pandemic hit first China and then the rest of the globe, the question of whether the American imperial era might be faltering was already on the table, amid that country\'s endless wars and with the world\'s most capricious leader. When humanity emerges

RT (2020-04-28). Egypt\'s president extends 3-year state of emergency by 3 months amid virus & security fears. rt.com Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi ordered a three-month renewal for the long-running state of emergency in the country on Tuesday, citing health and security concerns. Egypt has been under a state of emergency since April 2017, when twin church bombings claimed by an Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) affiliate group killed dozens of people. | The new extension comes as the government battles to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the Arab world\'s most populous country. | The Health Ministry has so far recorded 4,782 coronavirus cases among the population of 100 million. Of those, 337 have d…

RT (2020-04-28). Driver who rammed police motorcyclists in Paris pledged allegiance to ISIS, prosecutor says. rt.com A letter pledging allegiance to Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) was discovered in the car of the man who rammed his vehicle into two police motorcyclists in the suburbs of Paris on Monday, seriously injuring both officers. | The note was discovered along with a knife, France\'s anti-terrorism prosecutor (PNAT) said in a statement. Due to the finding, an investigation of \"attempted murder of government officials in connection with the membership of a terrorist organization\" has been launched, the office added. | In the letter, the driver pledged allegiance to IS and promised to sacrifice his life for the goal…

yenisafak (2020-04-28). Lebanon: one person killed in protests over price hikes. yenisafak.com A Lebanese protestor on Tuesday succumbed to his wounds he sustained in clashes between army forces and demonstrators in Tripoli city, said a health NGO.The Islamic Medical Association identified the protestor as Fawaz al-Samman. It also said 22 protestors and five soldiers were injured in the clashes that took place late Monday at Al-Nour Square during which live bullets, rubber bullets and molotov cocktails were used.Despite the spread of the novel coronavirus, Lebanese protesters took to the streets late Monday in a number of cities to protest deteriorated living conditions and spiraling food prices amid the c…

Staff (2020-04-28). In Her Own Words: Fiona Apple on New Album \"Fetch the Bolt Cutters\" & Acknowledging Indigenous Lands. democracynow.org In a broadcast exclusive, world-renowned singer-songwriter Fiona Apple joins Democracy Now! for the hour to discuss her critically acclaimed new album, \"Fetch the Bolt Cutters,\" which was released early amid the pandemic. \"I\'ve heard that it\'s actually making people feel free and happy,\" Apple says, \"and it might be helping people feel alive or feel their anger or feel creative. And that\'s the best thing that I could hope for.\" Her record includes an acknowledgment that the album was \"Made on unceded Tongva, Mescalero Apache, and Suma territories.\" We also speak with Native American activist Eryn Wise, an organiz…

The Canary (2020-04-28). New Zealand eases lockdown as coronavirus tamed in Australasia. thecanary.co New Zealand has eased a strict lockdown amid hopeful signs coronavirus (Covid-19) has been all but vanquished in Australasia for the moment.But elsewhere, Brazil is emerging as a potential new hotspot for infections, and fresh doubts have been raised over whether Japan would be able to host the already postponed Olympic Games next year.Europe and some US states are also continuing to gradually ease limits on movement and commerce as they try to restart their economies.But in a reminder of the virus\'s increasing toll, president Donald Trump said the numbers of deaths could reach 70,000 in the US, after putting the…

RT (2020-04-28). Israeli police \'shoot & neutralize\' assailant who stabbed Kfar Saba woman in suspected terror attack. rt.com A woman has been stabbed in Israel\'s central city of Kfar Saba, in what police are investigating as a potential terror attack. The woman, 62, was taken in a moderate-to-serious condition to a nearby hospital, the Times of Israel reported on Tuesday, citing medics. | The assailant was shot and \"neutralized,\" the Zaka emergency service said. It did not specify whether he is still alive. | Police officers are working at the scene of the attack. They have shut down nearby roads, according to the report.

RT (2020-04-28). \'Did Biden\'s lawyer write this?\' WaPo receives \'Noble\' for \'embarrassing\' attempt to obfuscate sexual assault claim in headline. rt.com The Washington Post was lambasted on social media after running a bizarrely tortured headline that took great pains to avoid direct mention of sexual assault allegations dogging Joe Biden, the presumptive 2020 Democratic nominee. | \"Developments in allegations against Biden amplify efforts to question his behavior,\" read…

RT (2020-04-28). No more delays: Postponed Tokyo Olympics to be CANCELLED if coronavirus not under control by 2021, organizing committee head says. rt.com If the global coronavirus crisis isn\'t brought under control by next year, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics — already re-scheduled for July 2021 — will be cancelled, the president of the organizing committee said in an interview. | Speaking to Japan\'s Nikkan Sports daily, Organizing Committee President Yoshiro Mori In th…

RT (2020-04-28). Contact-tracing app will be \'key part\' of UK government\'s Covid-19 \'surveillance programme\' — Johnson spokesman. rt.com The controversial NHS contact-tracing app will be a \"key part\" of the British government\'s Covid-19 \"surveillance programme\" going forward, a spokesman for PM Boris Johnson has confirmed. | The app, which has been designed to notify people if they were in close contact with a person who tested positive for the coronavirus, could be available within weeks — but privacy campaigners have warned that it could see the public \"coerced\" into sharing personal data about their movements. | Johnson\'s spokesman said the primary focus while waiting for the app to be ready is ensuring continued social distancing in or…

RT (2020-04-28). A cautious reopening, but gatherings still off the cards: How Europe is lifting its lockdown. rt.com Across Europe, leaders have made tentative steps toward easing their countries\' coronavirus lockdowns. However, a return to total normality has been all but written off for the year. | The Austrian government announced on Tuesday that the spread of the coronavirus has slowed to a point where restrictions can now be lifted. Health Minister Rudolf Anschober said that Austrians may freely leave their homes from May 1, with public gatherings to follow in the near future. Though social distancing rules will still apply, businesses like hairdressers will reopen, followed two weeks later by cafes and restaurants, and…

RT (2020-04-28). Most Americans will ditch live events until a Covid-19 vaccine is found — poll. rt.com In a potential major blow to the US\' economy, arts scene and social life, a poll has found that more than half of Americans would not consider attending a live arts or sporting event before a Covid-19 vaccine is made available.

Prabir Purkayastha (2020-04-28). Public Health and Private Profits Under COVID-19 Pandemic. counterpunch.org During an interview with Jonas Salk, the creator of the polio vaccine, CBS newsman Edward R. Morrow asked who owned the patent for the vaccine. \"Well, the people, I would say,\" said Salk. \"There is no patent. Could you patent the sun?\" This is what drives science and scientists like Salk: that science must be for the public good and not the private profit of companies.

RT (2020-04-28). \'Just trying to do my job\': Scotland\'s Sturgeon rejects claims she\'s trying to embarrass UK govt with Covid-19 face coverings call. rt.com Scotland\'s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has hit back at claims she\'s trying to \"embarrass Westminster\" following her announcement that Scots will now be advised to wear face coverings in enclosed spaces amid the Covid-19 crisis. | During the daily coronavirus media briefing on Tuesday, Sturgeon revealed that her government\'s new guidance recommends that the Scottish public wear non-medical face coverings in spaces where social distancing is difficult to achieve, such as in shops and on public transport. | It echoes calls from London Mayor Sadiq Khan and, somewhat controversially, marks a direct shift from th…

RT (2020-04-28). \'What\'s the US hiding?\' Beijing slams Washington\'s Covid-19 response & \'desperate\' attempts to pin blame on China. rt.com Beijing has called on Washington to address the concerns of its own citizens about the US response to the Covid-19 pandemic, while condemning American politicians for shifting blame for the crisis squarely onto China\'s shoulders. | Asked to comment on a series of American media reports on the US government\'s slow and often inept response to the health crisis on Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang relayed some of the questions raised by the reporting, asking whether Washington may have swept information about the virus under the rug. | \"Recently there have been many voices in the United States that q…

Mark Gruenberg (2020-04-28). As coronavirus still rages, debate over post-virus future heats up. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—Even as the coronavirus pandemic still rages through the U.S., the debate over the shape of society and the economy, post-virus, is heating up. On one side, with the weight of wealth, clout, and the ruling Republican White House, are corporate and right-wing interests that want to take the country back to the days of …

The Canary (2020-04-28). Britons want coronavirus fully contained before economy reopens, survey says. thecanary.co Britons do not believe the economy and businesses should open if coronavirus is not fully contained, according to a new study.In an Ipsos Mori poll of more than 28,000 people in 14 countries, Britons were the least likely to believe restarting the economy was the right approach as ministers face continued questions over the UK\'s plan for lifting its coronavirus lockdown.Britons had the strongest views against opening up the economy if the virus is not fully under control, with 70% of those surveyed saying they felt this way.The same 70% figure of disapproval was noted in Canada, while similar sentiments were reco…

RT (2020-04-28). \'We must learn to live with Covid-19\': French PM says lockdown easing over risk of economic collapse, \'2nd wave\' still possible. rt.com France\'s Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has announced that the country will begin to ease its lockdown on May 11, adding that the country has never before faced such a situation — even in wartime. | Speaking in parliament on Tuesday, Philippe said people will need to be cautious as the strict national lockdown ends to avoid setting off a second wave of infections which he said would \"strike a weakened hospital fabric\" and impose a \"re-confinement\" that would ruin progress made during the initial restriction period. | He said the country cannot be locked down for \"too long\" and that France had never expe…

RT (2020-04-28). Portugal to lift state of emergency from May 3, reopening of economy will be \'slow process\'. rt.com Portugal\'s lockdown will be lifted from May 3 but the reopening of the economy will be a slow and gradual process, the country\'s president said on Tuesday. | \"What matters in this new phase is that the Portuguese know that containment remains important so we must take small steps and constantly evaluate [the situation],\" President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa told a news conference. He announced that Sunday will mark the end of a state of emergency first imposed last month, Reuters reported. | Most non-essential services were shut on March 18 to contain the spread of the coronavirus in the country.

RT (2020-04-28). Italy's Covid-19 daily death toll JUMPS as number of cases passes 200,000 milestone. rt.com Italy suffered a jump in Covid-19 fatalities on Tuesday as the illness claimed 382 more lives. It comes as the total number of people infected since the outbreak began in the Mediterranean country topped the 200,000 mark. | Tuesday\'s total was an increase of 49 on Monday\'s figure and represented the highest number of deaths from the disease in four days. The number of new confirmed cases also increased on Tuesday, and the tally of 2,091 was enough to push Italy past the 200,000 milestone. | The coronavirus has wreaked havoc in Italy since it first emerged there on February 21. With 27,359 fatalities the countr…

RT (2020-04-28). \'Barefaced lies\': Beijing accuses US politicians of \'shifting blame\' for Covid-19 outbreak. rt.com The US has failed to accept responsibility for the coronavirus pandemic, Beijing is claiming in the latest development in the ongoing war of words between the two countries. | Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang had to comment on the matter during a press briefing, after multiple US politicians directly accused China of mishandling the coronavirus outbreak. US President Donald Trump threatened to seek damages from China for not reporting the virus early enough and displaying a lack of transparency at the early stages of the outbreak.Geng dismissed these accusations as an attempt to \"shift the bla…

RT (2020-04-28). China calls India\'s criticism of coronavirus test kits \'irresponsible\'. rt.com Beijing has criticized India\'s decision to stop using Chinese coronavirus test kits due to quality issues as unfair and irresponsible. The Indian Council of Medical Research said on Monday it planned to return the kits for antibody tests procured from two Chinese firms because of poor accuracy. | The Chinese embassy said on Tuesday it was deeply concerned by India\'s decision and Chinese authorities had validated the equipment. | \"It is unfair and irresponsible for certain individuals to label Chinese products as \'faulty\' and look at issues with preemptive prejudice,\" embassy spokeswoman Ji Rong said in a state…

Mark Gruenberg (2020-04-28). Workers Memorial Day: OSHA failing to protect people during pandemic. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON— Donald Trump\'s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is deliberately failing to force firms nationwide to protect their workers — and the public at large — against the coronavirus pandemic, a panel of speakers say. And the result, they add, is needless deaths and illnesses not just among the workers themselves, but in the …

RT (2020-04-28). Putin prolongs nationwide paid leave and partial lockdown until May 11 as daily Covid-19 infections surge. rt.com Russians will have to self-isolate until May 11, President Vladimir Putin has said, as the country braces itself for the peak of the Covid-19 epidemic, which has infected over 95,000 people nationwide. | The move, which Putin announced during a closely watched address, comes as the previous April 30 deadline was set to expire. That date was set on April 2, and involved a combination of partial lockdowns and paid holidays for all Russians working in non-essential roles. | The gradual removal of the coronavirus lockdown measures will begin from May 12, Putin said, giving the government a week to come up with rec…

The Canary (2020-04-28). Care home deaths will be published daily as well as hospital toll from Wednesday. thecanary.co The number of deaths involving Covid-19 in care homes and other settings will be published daily as well as the hospital death toll, the health secretary said.Matt Hancock said that, in an effort to \"bring as much transparency as possible\" to the death figures, \"from tomorrow we will be publishing not just the number of deaths in hospital each day, but the number of deaths in care homes and the community too\".\"This will supplement the ONS [Office for National Statistics] and CQC [Care Quality Commission] weekly publication and all add to our understanding of how this virus is spreading day by day, and it will hel…

Richard D. Wolff (2020-04-27). Capitalism Can\'t Be Repaired, Coronavirus Shows Its Huge Weaknesses. counterpunch.org Consider this absurdity: The U.S. government\'s policy in the face of the current capitalist crash is to \"return the economy to the pre-coronavirus normal.\" What? In that \"normal\" system, private capitalists maximized profits by not producing the tests, masks, ventilators, beds, etc., needed when coronavirus hit. Profit-driven capitalism proved extremely inefficient in its response to the virus

RT (2020-04-27). Julian Assange's extradition hearing postponed amid Covid-19 pandemic, earliest available date November. rt.com WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange\'s US extradition hearing in London has been delayed, potentially till November, due to the coronavirus pandemic with his defense arguing it made the proceedings \"medically dangerous.\" | Assange\'s extradition case has been delayed again after his defense lawyers said the coronavirus outbreak made his trial \"impossible\" and \"medically dangerous.\" | A hearing, held by video link at Westminster Magistrates Court, heard that the case could be postponed until as late as November 2, the earliest date where three consecutive weeks are available. | Judge Vanessa Baraitser vacated the…

WSWS (2020-04-27). Application for delay in Assange extradition hearing as COVID-19 sweeps through UK prisons. wsws.org The vindictive suspension of the COVID-19 prisoner release programme demonstrates the criminal disregard of the British ruling class for the lives of prisoners.

Glenn Greenwald (2020-04-27). The Ongoing Travesty of the Attempted Extradition of Julian Assange. zcomm.org The indictment pertains solely to those widely celebrated 2010 disclosures that revealed rampant war crimes, systemic corruption and official deceit by numerous governments around the world…

Colonel Ann Wright (2020-04-27). Video: The Criminal Indictments against Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning. globalresearch.ca Last year we met in Florence on the 7th of April, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the founding of NATO. The theme of our conference last year was NATO EXIT. | On April 25, 2020, Commemorating the Liberation of Italy. …

Ben Norton (2020-04-27). Dissident British ex-diplomat Craig Murray indicted for blog posts in Kafkaesque case. thegrayzone.com Craig Murray, a former UK diplomat turned anti-war activist, has been charged with contempt of court for writing blog posts….

Kevin Zeese (2020-04-27). The Era of Mass Strikes Begins on May 1, the First Day of General Strike Campaign. globalresearch.ca On Friday, May 1, an ongoing General Strike campaign begins. This campaign could become the most powerful movement in the United States and reset the national agenda. It comes when the failures of the US political system have been magnified …

Staff (2020-04-27). Headlines for April 27, 2020. democracynow.org Global Coronavirus Deaths Top 207,000 as Hard-Hit European Nations Start Relaxing Lockdowns, States Prepare to Reopen Economies as Cases Continue to Mount, Doctors See Rise in Strokes Caused by Coronavirus; CDC Expands List of Possible Symptoms, Oakland Police Tackle and Detain Unhoused Outreach Workers, Poison Control Center Calls Spike After President Trump Suggests Injections of Disinfectant, WHO Warns Against Issuing \"Immunity Passports\", Activists Hold \"Cancel the Rent\" Protests Around the Country, Coronavirus Outbreak Reported at Tyson Foods Meat Processing Plant, \"Larry King Live\" Tape from 1993 Supports T…

Dimitris Konstantakopoulos (2020-04-27). Giulietto Chiesa (1940-2020): An Intellectual of Action. globalresearch.ca It is with great sorrow that we learned yesterday, April 26th, that Giulietto Chiesa has passed away. One of the most remarkable European intellectuals — activists of our times, deeply enshrined in the \"Leninist\" tradition of action before …

Rick Baum (2020-04-27). The Likely Democratic Party Candidate for the Senate Opposing McConnell is a Militarist Who is Not Much of an Alternative. counterpunch.org Given the 2018 election results, one might expect a wave of more liberally-minded peace candidates. In one race for the senate, that is definitely not happening. I live in California. A couple of weeks ago, I received a fundraising letter from Amy McGrath who is running for the Kentucky seat in the U.S. Senate against

RT (2020-04-27). Annual global military spending hits highest point in a decade — SIPRI. rt.com The US continues to be the driving force behind the surge in global military expenditure, spending $732bn last year, with China far behind in second place and India rounding out the top three, according to data provided by SIPRI. | Newly-released data by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)

Staff (2020-04-27). Local-Level Fossil Fuel Fights Face Violent Retaliation From Industry. truthout.org Fighting fossil fuel companies can be dangerous business. The people of County Mayo, Ireland, found that out when they rose up against Shell Oil in the early 2000s. The uprising lasted 15 years. Protesters were beaten and jailed. But they delayed the refinery\'s opening by 10 years, cost Shell billions of dollars and caused the company a public relations nightmare, as a new book by Fred Wilcox,

Staff (2020-04-27). Incarceration Is Killing Us. truthout.org Kelly Hayes talks with Alan Mills about COVID-19, prisons and making bold demands. | Note: This a rush transcript and has been lightly edited for clarity. Copy may not be in its final form. | 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. | Tensions are high in the U.S. as lockdowns continue in some states, while others have begun to ease restrictions. Gun-toting right-wing protesters have staged astroturf protests, demanding the economy be reo…

Cassie Miller (2020-04-27). Anti-Lockdown Rallies Are Providing an Opening for the Proud Boys and Other Far-Right Extremists. splcenter.org Protests against state-imposed stay-at-home orders have exploded across the country and attracted a wide array of right-wing supporters, including the Proud Boys.

Alan Macleod (2020-04-27). A Soft Power Ploy? Cuba Continues to Aid the Poorest and Least Influential Nations. mintpressnews.com As the coronavirus pandemic grows worse in many countries, Cuba has answered an urgent South African request for aid, sending 217 medical personnel to the country.

Alan MacLeod (2020-04-27). America\'s Super-Rich See Their Wealth Rise by $282 Billion in Three Weeks of Pandemic. thealtworld.com America\'s billionaires have accrued more wealth in the past three weeks alone than they made in total prior to 1980. | MPN— A

RT (2020-04-27). Syrian air defenses repel \'Israeli aggression\', down several \'hostile\' missiles over Damascus — state media. rt.com Syrian missile defenses responded to an attack by Israeli warplanes, intercepting several missiles over Damascus launched from Lebanese airspace, Syria\'s SANA news agency reported. | A video has emerged online purportedly showing the Syrian missile shield being activated to shoot down missiles, reportedly fired by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) from Lebanese airspace. | Syrian air defense active over

RT (2020-04-27). \'Possible terrorism\': Car RAMS French motorcycle police, seriously injuring two officers. rt.com Two police officers in a Paris suburb have been seriously injured after they were rammed by a car, apparently on purpose. The driver has been arrested and authorities are investigating the possibility it was a terrorist attack. | A BMW drove into two mounted officers and proceeded to crush one of their vehicles against another police car in Colombes, just northwest of Paris, on Monday afternoon. | Photos of the scene quickly surfaced on social media. | Deux motards de la

Miko Peled (2020-04-27). How Israel Legitimizes the Abuse of Palestinian Political Prisoners. mintpressnews.com Each year Palestinian Prisoners Day comes and goes while the prisoners remain in their cells and their conditions worsen. The destructive effects that Israel\'s imprisonment of thousands of Palestinians has on society cannot be overstated. Israel justifies its treatment of these prisoners with false claims that the Palestinian men, women, and children who languish in its jails are terrorists. These false claims must be rejected in their entirety. Palestinian prisoners are political prisoners, they are prisoners of conscience and must be viewed and treated as such by the international community. | Israeli claims th…

RT (2020-04-27). Do Russian grain export limits threaten global food security? The answer is no. rt.com With the coronavirus crisis already triggering concerns over food security, some saw the depletion of Russian export quotas for grain as a new and alarming signal. | What happened? | Earlier this month, the Russian government approved seven-million-ton caps on exports of certain crops. The restrictions, intended to secure the domestic food market, apply to such essential crops as wheat and maslin, rye, barley and corn. | The new quotas are effective from April 1 to June 30, and members of the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union are excluded from the restrictions. These allowances have been used up rapidly and w…

Eds. (2020-04-27). It is not just propaganda: What the U.S. anti-China campaign is looking for. mronline.org The Trump Administration has spread the conspiracy theory that the new coronavirus came out of the Wuhan Institute of Virology. This accusation, which seeks to transfer responsibility for the pandemic to the Asian giant, has been rejected by the Chinese authorities for being without foundation.

RT (2020-04-27). Israel may reopen some schools on Sunday, Gaza allows restaurants to reopen. rt.com Israel will begin a staggered reopening of schools next week if the latest health data does not warn of a heightened coronavirus risk, PM Benjamin Netanyahu\'s office said on Monday. The country closed schools and kindergartens in mid-March, worsening an economic lockdown as parents were forced to stay at home. With unemployment peaking at 27 percent and contagion rates waning, Israel is now easing its curbs. | Netanyahu\'s office said children in the first three years of primary school would resume studies, in reduced class sizes of no more than 15 pupils. Kindergartens and nurseries will reopen, with children…

Steve Topple (2020-04-27). The MailOnline photoshopped an Olympian to look like he broke coronavirus distancing rules. thecanary.co The MailOnline has generally set a fairly low benchmark for its accuracy and standards of reporting. But it plumbed new depths on Sunday 26 April. Because it quite literally photoshopped a picture of an Olympian to make it look like he had broken coronavirus (Covid-19) social distancing rules.Feel free not to click any of the MailOnline links. Unless you enjoy funding the right-wing corporate press.Former Olympic rower and gold medallist

RT (2020-04-27). World should have \'listened carefully\' to WHO coronavirus advice back in January, says director-general. rt.com Countries that ignored the WHO\'s advice at the end of January have been less successful in tackling the Covid-19 pandemic, its director warned, as both the organization and world leaders face criticism for mishandling the crisis. | \"On January 30 we declared the highest level of global emergency on Covid-19 […] During that time, as you may remember, there were only 82 cases outside China. No cases in Latin America or Africa, only 10 cases in Europe. No cases in the rest of the world. So the world should have listened to the WHO then carefully,\" World Health Organization Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghe…

RT (2020-04-27). Thailand to extend state of emergency until end of May, considers easing restrictions. rt.com Thailand will extend a state of emergency over the coronavirus until the end of May, but will consider easing some restrictions on businesses and public activities due to the improvement in the number of cases, the government said. | The country on Monday reported nine new coronavirus cases and no new local virus transmission in Bangkok for the first time since the outbreak began in January. It has reported 2,931 cases in total and 52 fatalities, while 2,609 patients have recovered, Reuters said. | The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand also extended a ban on all incoming international passenger flights, int…

The Canary (2020-04-27). Boris Johnson is back and brimming with warlike language. thecanary.co The UK is at the point of \"maximum risk\" in its battle with coronavirus, Boris Johnson said as he acknowledged frustrations over the continuing lockdown but insisted he would not risk a second peak in the disease by relaxing restrictions too quickly.As the prime minister returned to take charge of the government\'s response to the coronavirus crisis following his recovery from Covid-19, he said there are signs that the UK is \"passing through the peak\" of the outbreak and \"coming now to the end of the first phase of this conflict\".Comparing the disease to a mugger, he said: \"This is the moment when we have begun, t…

RT (2020-04-27). What pandemic? German minister blasted for wearing NO MASK to receive Covid-19 supplies AND flouting social distancing rules. rt.com Germany\'s defense minister seems to have missed the memo on \'social distancing\' and compulsory mask-wearing, showing up to receive a shipment of pandemic supplies wearing nothing on her face but a smile, prompting ridicule online. | Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer appeared at Leipzig/Halle Airport on Monday, flanked by aides and army personnel (in surprisingly close proximity) and surrounded by a huddle of tightly-packed reporters — almost as if there was no global pandemic to be worried about. | AKK (as she is known in Germany) was there to greet the Bundeswehr-chartered Antonov An-225 cargo plane as it touc…

RT (2020-04-27). Saudi-led coalition urges Yemen\'s separatist group to rescind self-rule declaration. rt.com The Saudi-led coalition currently engaged in Yemen urged on Monday for a leading separatist group that has declared self-rule in the south to rescind its move. The decision of the separatist Southern Transitional Council threatens to renew conflict between the STC and the Saudi-backed government — nominal allies under the coalition that is fighting the Houthis — as the UN tries to secure a permanent nationwide ceasefire amid the coronavirus pandemic. | Yemen\'s internationally recognized government warned of \"catastrophic consequences\" after the STC declared emergency rule in some southern governorate…

yenisafak (2020-04-27). COVID-19: UN expert urges US to free detained migrants. yenisafak.com The US must urgently use available alternatives for the detention of migrants held in overcrowded and unsanitary administrative centers in order to counter the risk of a novel coronavirus outbreak, a UN human rights expert said Monday.\"It is very difficult to keep the necessary physical distance in overcrowded detention facilities,\" said the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, Felipe Gonzalez Morales.\"Significantly reducing the number of detained migrants by releasing them into alternative settings can easily solve this,\" he said in a statement.Gonzalez Morales said that UN human rights expert…

sputniknews (2020-04-27). Judge\'s Decision to Postpone Julian Assange\'s Extradition Case is \'Very Wise\', His Father Says. sputniknews.com Julian Assange\'s lawyers renewed their application to adjourn the second part of his extradition proceedings on the basis that it would be impossible to have a fair hearing without the lawyers and the defendant being physically present in court as due to their inability to consult with their client during the COVID-19 lockdown.

RT (2020-04-27). Coronavirus infections top 3 MILLION cases worldwide — Johns Hopkins University. rt.com The global coronavirus count has just surged past three million, according to newly released statistics by Johns Hopkins University. The US, with nearly one-third of all Covid-19 infections, still remains the hardest-hit country. | The number of registered cases of Covid-19 around the world stands at 3,002,303 as of Monday, April 27, according to the database maintained by the Baltimore, Maryland-based university. The global death toll has risen over 208,100. | | © Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center | Nearly a third of those confirmed coronavirus cases are in the US alone, along with j…

RT (2020-04-27). \'Counterproductive & unfair\': Russian FM defends WHO after US attacked organization, stopped financing. rt.com Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has defended the World Health Organization (WHO) against allegations that it is to blame for how the novel coronavirus pandemic unfolded. | Lavrov, during an online conference with students, called the attempts to place blame on the WHO \"counterproductive and unfair,\" adding that he believes that the organization acted \"professionally\" at all stages of the crisis. | Hailing the efforts of international organizations, including the UN, Lavrov cautioned governments against using moments of deep crisis such as this pandemic to further their own interests. The Russian FM sugg…

RT (2020-04-27). Volkswagen resumes production at Europe\'s largest car factory after Covid-19 shutdown. rt.com The world\'s largest carmaker, Volkswagen, resumed work on Monday at its biggest factory in Wolfsburg, Germany, amid eased coronavirus lockdown rules. VW says it wants to give workers time to adapt to new hygiene measures. | After a month-long shutdown, around 8,000 workers in Wolfsburg started building cars again on Monday. The factory is planning to build 1,400 cars this week, and 6,000 vehicles during the first two weeks after reopening. | Production capacity at the plant will be at around 10 to 15 percent to begin with, said Andreas Tostmann, VW brand\'s board member responsible for production. It will reach…

RT (2020-04-27). Covid-19 mortality in French intensive care units THREE to FOUR TIMES HIGHER than official figures — report. rt.com The number of people dying of the novel coronavirus in French intensive care units could be between three and four times higher than the figure provided by the French government, Le Monde newspaper reports, citing a new study. | Between 30 and 40 percent of all Covid-19 patients, who are transferred to intensive care units and are put on ventilators in France, are dying, a new study by the European Research Network on Artificial Ventilation (REVA) suggests. This figure is several times higher than the data revealed by Jerome Salomon, the director general for health, a high-ranking official within the French in…

Staff (2020-04-27). \"Unconscionable\": Planned Parenthood Pres. Condemns States Using Pandemic to Limit Abortion Access. democracynow.org As much of the U.S. remains on lockdown, abortion rights are under attack nationwide. We get an update on the fight for abortion access with Alexis McGill Johnson, acting president and CEO of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. \"Our bodies have literally been deemed essential,\" she says, \"and yet the control of our bodies and the right to control our own bodies has not.\"

RT (2020-04-27). Fasten your seatbelt: Boeing CEO warns it could be \'years\' before aviation industry recovers from Covid-19 financial turbulence. rt.com Boeing CEO David Calhoun told an online meeting of the aviation giant\'s shareholders it would be \"a while before the dividend comes back,\" describing the situation as \"like nothing we have ever experienced.\" | \"It will be years before this returns to pre-pandemic levels. We are in an unpredictable and fast-changing environment, and it is difficult to estimate when the situation will stabilize,\" Calhoun warned. | On top of that, he

RT (2020-04-27). \'Even you can\'t defend that!\' Piers Morgan slams conservative CNN pundit over Trump\'s \'dangerous\' Covid-19 disinfectant comments. rt.com Piers Morgan unleashed on long-time friend Donald Trump over controversial comments about using \"something like\" disinfectant to beat Covid-19, sparring with a conservative CNN commentator over the \"dangerous\" remark. | While the Good Morning Britain host has often been a staunch defender of Trump, Morgan hasn\'t been reluctant to slam the US president over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. | In a heated segment on Monday, Morgan told CNN contributor Ben Ferguson that the crisis has brought \"all the worst traits of Donald Trump\" to the fore and that his handling of the outbreak has been \"terrible.\" Morg…

Fréa Lockley (2020-04-27). UK drops bombs during coronavirus crisis, defying global ceasefire it claims to support. thecanary.co On 25 April, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) quietly \"The fury of the virus illustrates the folly of war\": | On 23 March, UN secretary-general António Guterres

RT (2020-04-27). US House Speaker Pelosi endorses Biden for president. rt.com US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi has endorsed Joe Biden for president. The endorsement of the Democratic Party presidential candidate follows that of US Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Al Gore. | In a video statement released on Monday, Pelosi cited Biden\'s experience in government, including his role in passing the Affordable Care Act. She said Biden is well-positioned to lead the country amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. \"As we face coronavirus, Joe has been a voice of reason and resilience, with a clear path to lead u…

RT (2020-04-27). NYC tenant groups plan 1 million-strong RENT STRIKE as end of eviction moratorium looms with no amnesty in sight. rt.com New York City tenant groups have joined a growing movement for a statewide rent strike as the continued coronavirus shutdown makes working — and paying — impossible. The state\'s eviction moratorium expires in June. | The majority of tenants in the Cosmopolitan Houses complex in Woodside, Queens have joined a rent strike that hopes to enlist upwards of one million New Yorkers, set to begin May 1, organizers told the Wall Street Journal on Monday. Strikers have pointed to the impossibility of making the steep monthly payments as the economy remains in suspended animation due to the coronavirus pandem…

RT (2020-04-27). Australia rejects Beijing\'s \'economic coercion\' threat amid planned probe into pandemic origin. rt.com Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne has cautioned China against attempts at \"economic coercion\" as Australia pushes for an investigation into the coronavirus pandemic. Beijing\'s ambassador to Australia, Cheng Jingye, said in a newspaper interview on Monday the \"Chinese public\" could avoid Australian products and universities. | Payne said in a statement on Monday that Australia had made a \"principled call\" for an independent review of the Covid-19 outbreak which started in the Chinese city of Wuhan, Reuters reports. \"We reject any suggestion that economic coercion is an appropriate response to a call for…

RT (2020-04-27). Do Russian grain export limits threaten global food security? rt.com With the coronavirus crisis already triggering concerns over food security, some saw the depletion of Russian export quotas for grain as a new and alarming signal. | What happened? | Earlier this month, the Russian government approved seven-million-ton caps on exports of certain crops. The restrictions, intended to secure the domestic food market, apply to such essential crops as wheat and maslin, rye, barley and corn. | The new quotas are effective from April 1 to June 30, and members of the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union are excluded from the restrictions. These allowances have been used up rapidly and w…

RT (2020-04-27). We have begun to wrestle it to the floor: PM Johnson is \'back in the driving seat,\' and he is in for a bumpy ride. rt.com British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has re-emerged following a weeks-long battle with Covid-19, but the \"war\" on the coronavirus is far from being won. Johnson faces numerous challenges, most notably when to reopen the economy. | Earlier on Monday morning, junior health minister Edward Argar vowed that Johnson \"will be back in the driving seat\" and \"getting on with the job.\" Johnson has declined to give any specific dates regarding the easing of lockdown restrictions or a return to work for the world\'s fifth-largest economy. | Johnson expressed concern about \"a new wave of death and disease as well as an econ…

RT (2020-04-27). Shock new development as children fall ill with syndrome similar to severe Covid-19. rt.com Children have largely been spared from the coronavirus. But now British GPs have warned of youngsters being hit by a mysterious virus-like syndrome that may be an offshoot of the virus, or a new infectious pathogen. | An \"urgent alert\" has been issued to British doctors as what seems to be a serious coronavirus-related syndrome that affects children emerges in the population. | On Monday, the Health Service Journal

RT (2020-04-27). Russia OVERTAKES China in number of coronavirus cases. rt.com Almost three months after the first confirmed cases of coronavirus in Russia, the number of infections in the world\'s largest country has overtaken China, the first nation to report an outbreak of Covid-19. | Official Russian numbers on Monday morning confirmed 6,198 brand new cases of Covid-19, bringing the country\'s overall total to 87,147. | The number has now surpassed China\'s official figures which are reported to be 82,830.As Russia\'s daily new infections continue to be in the several thousands, China\'s latest government figures state that the country saw just three new cases in the past day. | However,…

RT (2020-04-27). French MPs from ruling party say their govt withdrew vote on \'StopCovid\' tracing app. rt.com Lawmakers from France\'s ruling party accused their own government on Monday of withdrawing a vote on a planned coronavirus tracing app, saying they had been robbed of a chance to raise privacy concerns. Last week, the government bowed to pressure and promised a vote on the \'StopCovid\' smartphone software. It is designed to warn users if they come into contact with infected people. | Over the weekend, PM Edouard Philippe wrote to the lower house speaker that he wanted to broaden the debate scheduled for April 28-29 to cover the government\'s entire strategy on ending coronavirus lockdowns. | A government source…

Staff (2020-04-27). Scientific American: As Trump Touts Dangerous Cures, Here\'s What We Know About COVID-19 Drug Tests. democracynow.org President Trump dangerously suggested injecting disinfectants could help patients sick with the coronavirus, then said he was being \"sarcastic.\" But his remarks led to a spike in calls to helplines about taking disinfectants. We look at \"What We Know About the Most Touted Drugs Tested for COVID-19\" with Tanya Lewis, associate editor for health and medicine at Scientific American.

RT (2020-04-27). \'It\'s a national catastrophe\': BoJo ridiculed upon return after claiming many are looking at UK\'s \'APPARENT SUCCESS\' on Covid-19. rt.com British PM Boris Johnson drew widespread criticism on his official return to work following his illness, after suggesting the UK\'s response to the Covid-19 crisis will be the envy of \"many people\" around the world. | During his public address to the nation outside 10 Downing Street on Monday, Johnson ostensibly attempted to quell people\'s anxieties by reeling off a number of UK \'achievements\' concerning coronavirus statistics, tempered by an insistence that lockdown measures — which have been in place since March 23 — cannot be lifted just yet. | However, what riled many on social media was his rathe…

Anita Lekic (2020-04-27). A Small-Town Pharmacy in Europe\'s Westernmost Country Confronts Covid-19. counterpunch.org Portugal, a country roughly equivalent in size to Pennsylvania with a population of 10,276,617, registered its first coronavirus case on March 2. The country imposed a state of emergency on March 2. By April 23, 785 people died and 21,982 have been infected with the virus.

RT (2020-04-27). 'Where's the truth, who to believe?': Russian curler Sidorova ponders 'unanswered' coronavirus questions. rt.com Russian Olympic curler Anna Sidorova has urged people to listen to the coronavirus experts while pondering a series of \"unanswered questions\" about the pandemic. | Sidorva, who skippered her country at the Sochi 2014 Games and who has a host of World and European Championship medals to her name, took to Instagram to ask the big questions that appear to be bothering her as the world grapples with Covid-19. | \"Where is the truth? Who to believe?!\" Sidorova began the message, which was accompanied by a picture of herself gazing thoughtfully out of the window as a bath robe slips from her shoulder. | \"On TV th…