WSWS (2020-04-18). Washington D.C. legislature endorses limited rent relief, bars assistance to undocumented immigrants. wsws.org The city\'s government left it up to representatives of the city\'s tourist industry to provide assistance to undocumented workers.

sputniknews (2020-04-18). Stuck Behind Bars, Inmates & Immigrants Are Sitting Ducks for COVID-19. sputniknews.com $1.7T giveaway to millionaires tucked in CARES Act; Virus poses serious risk to detained immigrants; Activists call to empty jails amid crisis…

WSWS (2020-04-18). Intensive CIA spying on Assange targeted his infant child. wsws.org As the US government finalised its bogus charges against Assange, it oversaw dirty tricks operations targeting his partner and their infant child.

Vijay Prashad (2020-04-18). Without a country in which to live, a field to plant, a love to cherish or a voice to sing, one is dead. mronline.org Local communities have demonstrated remarkable generosity, but cannot cope anymore. National capacities are overwhelmed. The approaching lean season, coupled with the armed conflict and the COVID-19, will generate further dramatic situations and displacements of populations. The clock is ticking; we have little time left.

Staff (2020-04-18). Portland\'s Rental Crisis Created an Opening for Democratic Socialist Candidates. truthout.org When tenant activist Margot Black had her first \"no-cause\" eviction in which she was forced out of her apartment simply because she was not bound by a lease, she was 19 and a single mother of a 6-month-old daughter. When she saw her second no-cause eviction in 2012, Portland, Oregon, was an even less hospitable place. Housing prices had soared as tech jobs came in, and Portland was branded as the next hip place for urban professionals to relocate to — making the city increasingly unli…

Mt. Diablo Peace & Justice Center (2020-04-18). 2020 Youth Activist Grant. indybay.org Mt. Diablo Peace and Justice Center | 1035 Carol Lane | Lafayette, CA 94549…

Brian Terrell (2020-04-18). COVID-19 and the Wasting Disease of Normalcy. zcomm.org From his prison cell in a year of mass movements to end the war in Vietnam and mobilizations for nuclear disarmament, Daniel Berrigan diagnosed normalcy as a disease and labeled it an obstacle to peace…

Mt. Diablo Peace & Justice Center (2020-04-18). 2020 Art & Writing Challenge. indybay.org Mt. Diablo Peace and Justice Center | 1035 Carol Lane | Lafayette, CA 94549…

350.org Bay Area & many others (2020-04-18). #ClimateStrike: Virtual Protest Against Chase Bank to #Stop The Money Pipeline. indybay.org Online protest actions…

RT (2020-04-18). \'Fire Fauci, let us work\': No social distancing as Alex Jones joins hundreds in rally against Covid-19 lockdown measures in Texas. rt.com Texans flocked to the state\'s Capitol in Austin to protest Covid-19 lockdown measures, refusing to practice social distancing and cheering for Dr. Anthony Fauci to be fired by President Donald Trump. | In attendance at Saturday\'s \'You Can\'t Close America\' Rally were InfoWars founder Alex Jones and host Owen Shroyer, who led the crowd of some 200 people in chants against the mainstream media and officials like Fauci. | Shroyer, who referred to the doctor as \"fascist Fauci,\" asked the crowd: \"Do you think Anthony Fauci should be fired?\", before leading them in chants of \"Fire Fauci.\" | Lots of protest speakers s…

WSWS (2020-04-18). Brazilian nurses strike over deadly conditions as COVID-19 deaths mount. wsws.org This week, after a rapid rise in COVID-19 cases in Brazil, protests and work stoppage spread to hospitals and other health care units.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-04-18). US right-wing protesters, supported by Trump, organize against stay-at-home orders. peoplesdispatch.org Different States in the United States are faced with threats of armed resistance from right-wing and conservative groups who are opposing measures to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. So far, Michigan and a few others States have had or are set to have thousands of protesters defying stay-at-home orders passed by their respective governments. Unsurprisingly, president Donald Trump has come out in support of such dangerous acts. | On April 17, president Donald Trump tweeted in support of these right-wing protests in the States which are led by Democratic governors. The tweets include content like \"LIBERATE MICHIGAN\",…

Cinzia Arruzza & Felice Mometti (2020-04-18). Governance and Social Conflict in a Time of Pandemic. zcomm.org Source: Viewpoint Magazine On Monday March 29th, General Electric factory workers staged a protest against the thousands of layoffs announced by the company\'s management, demanding the reconversion of production and asking a simple question: \"If GE trusts us to build, maintain, and test engines which go on a variety of aircraft where millions of lives

Robert Mackey (2020-04-18). If Trump Thinks It\'s Safe for Followers to Gather at Protests, Why Won\'t He Attend One? zcomm.org From a very safe distance on Friday, Donald Trump urged his supporters to risk infection with the deadly coronavirus by attending in-person protests to \"liberate\" Minnesota, Michigan, and Virginia from stay-at-home orders issued by their Democratic governors.

WSWS (2020-04-18). Trump tweets support for far-right protests against social distancing orders. wsws.org Having announced his plan for the state-by-state reopening of the economy, Trump is seeking to mobilize his far-right base to press for a rapid lifting of barriers to corporate profit-making.

sputniknews (2020-04-18). Trump Plans for Economic Reopening While Protests Over Lockdown Grow. sputniknews.com On this episode of Fault Lines, hosts Garland Nixon & Lee Stranahan talked with guests about recent positive and negative news in the ongoing novel coronavirus crisis, the nature of organizing during the lockdown, and inquired into our country\'s economic foundations and political dichotomies.

Noam Chomsky (2020-04-18). \"Gangster in the White House\" zcomm.org Interview on COVID-19, WHO, China, Gaza and Global Capitalism…

sputniknews (2020-04-18). Venezuela Blasts Trump After Central Bank Assets Quietly Transferred to Guaido\'s Fed Account. sputniknews.com The Trump administration quietly ordered the transfer of some $342 million in funds from a Venezuelan central bank account at Citibank to an account controlled by opposition leader and self-proclaimed Venezuelan \'president\' Juan Guaido at the New York branch of the US Federal Reserve.

RT (2020-04-18). Wary of US? Peru keeps Covid-19 medical shipment route SECRET over CONFISCATION fears. rt.com Peru is being \"cautious\" in not disclosing the flight path of a plane loaded with Covid-19 testing kits, its disease response chief has said, with the US accused of \"confiscating\" supplies meant for other nations. | Pilar Mazzetti, who leads Peru\'s operational center for Covid-19 response, told Reuters that a plane carrying masks and 300,000 testing kits is due to arrive in the country from China on Monday or Tuesday next week. | However, the aircraft\'s route is being kept \"secret\" out of fear that the vital shipment could be \"confiscated\" midway and diverted to a third country, she said. | \"Logically speaking…

RT (2020-04-18). Senior Peru health official says Covid-19 medical shipment route kept SECRET over CONFISCATION fears. rt.com Peru is being \"cautious\" in not disclosing the flight path of a plane loaded with Covid-19 testing kits, its disease response chief has said, with the US accused of \"confiscating\" supplies meant for other nations. | Pilar Mazzetti, who leads Peru\'s operational center for Covid-19 response, told Reuters that a plane carrying masks and 300,000 testing kits is due to arrive in the country from China on Monday or Tuesday next week. | However, the aircraft\'s route is being kept \"secret\" out of fear that the vital shipment could be \"confiscated\" midway and diverted to a third country, she said. | \"Logically speaking…

Eds. (2020-04-18). Decades of science denial related to climate change has led to denial of the coronavirus pandemic. mronline.org After the fossil fuel industry spent hundreds of millions of dollars undermining climate science, it\'s easy to see how epidemiology came next.

RT (2020-04-18). Indian naval base enters \'total lockdown\' as 20+ sailors test positive for Covid-19. rt.com A number of Indian sailors based on shore in Mumbai have contracted the lethal coronavirus, prompting the naval base to impose a strict quarantine as fears grow that the fast-moving pathogen could soon find its way onto warships. | At least 20 sailors at the INS Angre logistical support base in Mumbai tested positive for the virus, the Navy

RT (2020-04-18). 4,785 new Covid-19 cases registered across Russia, Moscow remains top hotspot. rt.com In the past 24 hours, 4,785 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in Russia, the nation\'s disease response team reported on Saturday. The increase in newly-recorded cases is higher than that of the previous day — 4,070. | Overall, there are 36,793 confirmed cases of Covid-19 across the country, with more than 20,750 reported in Moscow and more than 3,950 in the area surrounding the capital. | Officials said that 40 more patients have died, raising the nationwide death toll from Covid-19 to 313. | Since Wednesday, residents have required digital passes to travel by public and private transportation thro…

RT (2020-04-18). Neither \'lab\' nor \'wet market\'? Covid-19 outbreak started months EARLIER and NOT in Wuhan, ongoing Cambridge study indicates. rt.com The novel coronavirus may have first passed to humans somewhere in southern China months before the outbreak in the city of Wuhan, a new study found, cutting against widely held theories about the origins of the pandemic. | Mapping a \"network\" of coronavirus genomes and tracing mutations over time, a team of researchers led by a Cambridge University geneticist determined the first Covid-19 infection may have come as early as September in a region south of Wuhan, noting the pathogen could have been carried by humans well before it mutated into a more lethal form. | \"The virus may have mutated into its final \'hu…

RT (2020-04-18). \'Journos like everyone else\': CNN's Brian Stelter goes on Twitter Covid-19 breakdown. rt.com CNN host Brian Stelter claimed through Twitter that he \"hit a wall,\" \"crawled in bed\" and \"cried for our pre-pandemic lives,\" but many aren\'t buying into the Covid-19 breakdown. | \"Disturbed by the [government\'s] shortcomings\" and \"dismayed by political rhetoric that bears no resemblance to reality,\" Stelter says it was all too much to bear for him on Friday night. | The journo cried \"tears that have been waiting a month to come out\" over worries about \"friends who are losing jobs; kids who are missing school; and senior citizens who are living in fear.\" | The \'Reliable Sources\' host said on Saturday he was mo…

RT (2020-04-18). New York sees lowest Covid-19 death toll in April, but reopening would require \'ARMY\' for contact tracing and more tests. rt.com New York had its lowest death toll from Covid-19 since April 1, but Governor Andrew Cuomo warned a lot is still required before the state can start to reopen, including an \'army\' of tracers and more coronavirus tests. | Though announcing 540 new Covid-19 deaths at his daily press briefing represents a fairly sharp decline from past weeks, Cuomo warned the numbers are still \"soul-crushing,\" and coronavirus hospitalization rates remain steady at about 2,000 new patients a day. | Remember: We still have about 2,000 new COVID hospitalizations daily. | And we lost 540 New Yorkers yesterday. | That is a soul-crushin…

The Canary (2020-04-18). 7,500 feared to have died with coronavirus in care homes. thecanary.co As many as 7,500 people are feared to have died after contracting coronavirus (COVID-19) in care homes, according to a leading industry body.Care England, which represents independent care firms, said it had collected data which suggested fatalities are far higher than those released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). ONS recorded 217 care home deaths from the virus until 3 April.Care England\'s chief executive Martin Green told the Telegraph: If we look at some of the death rates since 1 April and compare them with previous years\' rates, we estimate a figure of about 7,500 people may have died as a resul…

RT (2020-04-18). Wuhan lab origin of Covid-19 \'seems to make sense\', Trump says as Fauci douses cold water on \'man-made virus\' conspiracy. rt.com A top expert on the White House Covid-19 task force shot down the notion that the coronavirus was created in a Chinese lab, arguing the theory is not backed by science, as the US president continues to blame Beijing regardless. | Asked about the possibility that the lethal pathogen was \"man-made\" in a laboratory at Friday\'s White House briefing, Dr. Anthony Fauci, a leading member of the task force, brushed the speculative theory aside, stating the coronavirus in all likelihood passed naturally from animals to humans. | The mutations that it took to get to the point where it is now are totally consistent with…

Nathan Tankus (2020-04-18). Avoid austerity to prevent a state and local coronavirus depression. mronline.org Local budget cuts enacted a decade ago left states and cities dangerously unprepared for COVID-19. We shouldn\'t make those same mistakes again.

RT (2020-04-18). Bathtub ballet: Synchronized swimmer Svetlana Romashina shows off her skills in the bath during COVID-19 lockdown (VIDEO). rt.com The world of sport may be at a standstill, but Russian synchronized swimmer Svetland Romashina was able to show off her elite-level skills in a somewhat smaller pool than usual as she strutted her stuff in the bath. | The graceful starlet of the swimming pool hopped into her bathtub to perform a miniature version of the routine. | Also on rt.com | | The five-time Olympic champion has also earned 21 gold m…

RT (2020-04-18). Control goes automatic: Manned checking of digital passes in Moscow to be replaced by electronic systems. rt.com Moscow\'s roll-out of digital passes to limit non-essential travel had a rocky start this week. Now the city has announced the checks will remain in place, but in automatic form. | This week the Russian capital introduced \'digital passes\' to reduce travel in the city and thus slow the spread of Covid-19. Non-essential workers were limited to two trips a week, and everyone taking a ride had to apply for a pass — a string of numbers and letters — beforehand. | But enforcement of the new measures didn\'t get off to a smooth start. Long queues of commuters formed at the entrances of Moscow Metro, the city\'

RT (2020-04-18). Trump slams 'rude & nasty' Dems admitting Covid-19 cooperation bad between parties. rt.com Donald Trump slammed Democrats for a \"rude and nasty\" phone call with the vice president over the Covid-19 pandemic, and theorized nothing will satisfy them as they try to \"fool\" America in November\'s election. | \"No matter what you do for the Do Nothing Democrats, no matter how GREAT a job you are doing, they will only respond to their Fake partners in the Lamestream Media in the negative, even in a time of crisis,\" Trump tweeted on Saturday. | He added that his working relationship with Democrats during the Covid-19 pandemic has been \"even worse\" than before and revealed senators held a \"rude and nasty\" conf…

RT (2020-04-18). Israel to reopen some businesses, allow more movement for citizens in Covid-19 lockdown easing. rt.com Tel Aviv will gradually lift certain coronavirus measures starting from Sunday, PM Benjamin Netanyahu said. Easing the lockdown includes allowing some businesses to reopen, as well as relaxing control over movement of citizens. | \"Our good results enable us today to start taking steps in the opposite direction — not a tightening, but an easing,\" the PM said in a televised speech Saturday. | Israel was put under partial lockdown on March 14, and since then the restrictive measures have been gradually growing. The country boasts low coronavirus figures, having just over 13,000 confirmed cases including some…

RT (2020-04-18). Possibly \'deepest since Great Depression\': UN chief Guterres warns about pandemic-induced economic downturn. rt.com UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said that the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic will massively increase poverty worldwide, as the number of confirmed cases continues to grow. | Guterres has held a virtual meeting with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). For the teleconference, the UN presented the secretary-general\'s policy brief, in which he said the depth of the current global recession could be \"the deepest since the Great Depression.\" | In his brief, Guterres cited a grim report from the IMF from earlier this week, which noted that the worldwide economic downturn makes the \"G…

RT (2020-04-18). Russia sought China\'s APPROVAL for missile test, US diplomat claims. His proof? They didn\'t come to his Twitter to deny it. rt.com Ignoring one\'s tweet can apparently not only spell the end to a teenage romance, but it can also be proof for high-profile geopolitical assertions. That is, at least, according to a high-ranking US diplomat. | The recent secretive test of a Russian — presumably — anti-ballistic missile weapon has seemingly caused quite a stir in the US. Apart from prompting the Pentagon to play some solid \'Russians are coming\' tunes straight from the 1950s, it caused Robert Wood, the US Ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament (CD), to hit a new high — or rather, low — in producing baseless allegations a…

RT (2020-04-18). At least 2 troopers killed in militant attack on paramilitary police in Indian-controlled Kashmir. rt.com At least two paramilitary police have been killed by unknown assailants in the Indian-controlled Kashmir region, local media reported. The attackers fled the scene, prompting a manhunt. | Unidentified militants reportedly opened fire on a joint patrol of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and local police in the Sopore area of north Kashmir\'s Baramulla district on Saturday, wounding a number of troopers. | The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital, where at least two CRPF personnel were pronounced dead on arrival. Other media reports indicate that the third trooper died at the hospital shortly afterwar…

RT (2020-04-18). US quietly recalls ALL B-52 bombers from Guam just DAYS after staging \'show of force\'. rt.com All five nuclear-capable B-52 strategic bombers departed their forward base on the Pacific island of Guam just days after taking part in an \'elephant walk\' show of force. The US Air Force says it wants to be more unpredictable. | The B-52H Stratofortresses departed Guam on Thursday, ending the Continuous Bomber Presence Mission that began in 2004, according to the

Steven Powers (2020-04-18). \"All gas no mask!\": In life and death situation, inmates rebel amid pandemic. liberationnews.org Spontaneous prison actions of resistance have become increasingly regular in the face of the Coronavirus pandemic.

RT (2020-04-18). Cash for Clunkers 2.0? Car industry will need incentives to help recovery, analysts tell Boom Bust. rt.com Many auto majors are reopening their facilities after long shutdowns triggered by the coronavirus pandemic, but the demand for cars might not pick up as quickly as they hope amid a dire economic situation. | \"Believe me, they want to sell cars and there\'s gonna be incentives to get these cars sold because people are gonna be getting check stimulus around the world. And they\'re hoping and praying that they are going to use that to purchase a vehicle,\" auto industry expert Lauren Fix told RT\'s Boom Bust. | However, the $1,200 checks the US government provided as part of its massive program to keep the economy af…

RT (2020-04-18). This Easter is different: WATCH Holy Fire descend in Jerusalem amid coronavirus lockdown. rt.com As Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter this weekend, the descent of the Holy Fire — a crucial part of the rituals — occurred in Jerusalem without the usual crowds of pilgrims. | The ceremony in Jerusalem\'s Church of the Holy Sepulchre was performed by a handful of Orthodox clerics wearing face masks. The descent of the Holy Fire is a miracle believed by Orthodox Christians to occur every year on Great Saturday. The fire is then taken to Greece, Russia, and other countries where the church has a large presence. | The usual large, iconic crowds of the faithful — both local Christians and pil…

Alfredo Saad-Filho (2020-04-18). Coronavirus, crisis, and the end of neoliberalism. mronline.org Suddenly, we find ourselves in a transformed world. Empty streets, closed shops, unusually clear skies, and climbing death tolls: something unprecedented is unfolding before our eyes.

RT (2020-04-18). Recon & combat missions: Iran showcases strike drone addition to fleet. rt.com Iran\'s top military brass introduced the latest additions to the country\'s drone fleet on Saturday, including a long-range unmanned jet aircraft that can be used for reconnaissance or strike missions. | The drones were presented to the public by Iran\'s Defense Minister Amir Hatami. Flanking him were the commanders of the Air Force and the Air Defense of the Iranian Armed Forces. | Multirole combat unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were delivered to the

RT (2020-04-18). Russia could suspend grain exports next month if export quota is reached. rt.com Russian grain exports may reach the limits introduced by the government much ahead of schedule, bringing the shipments to a temporary halt till the end of June, the country\'s agriculture ministry has said. | \"The quota was introduced for the period from April 1 to June 30, 2020. After it is depleted, the supplies outside the Eurasian Economic Union will be stopped for this period,\" Deputy Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut said on Friday. | Given the current pace, exports will be suspended in mid-May, the official said. As of Saturday, less than 4.2 million tons of grain remained available from the 7-million-ton…

RT (2020-04-18). Watch Dagestan-born IMMAF superstar Muhammad Mokaev's epic trilogy with Reo Yamaguchi in LIVE IMMAF watch party (VIDEO). rt.com Recap three epic fights featuring one of the biggest stars of amateur MMA, Dagestan-born Muhammad Mokaev, in a live IMMAF live watch party at 8am ET / 2pm CET, and you can watch it right here on RT Sport. | Nineteen-year-old Mokaev was born in Buynaksk, Dagestan but moved to Manchester, England with his family as a 12-year-old. | The Russian-English star is riding an unbeaten 23-fight win streak and is considered to be one of the hottest young prospects in the sport. | Mokaev hasn\'t yet turned professional, but there are sure to be a host of potential suitors for his signature, with the Bellator ONE Championsh…

RT (2020-04-18). RECAP: Watch Dagestan-born IMMAF superstar Muhammad Mokaev's epic trilogy with Reo Yamaguchi (VIDEO). rt.com Recap three epic fights featuring one of the biggest stars of amateur MMA, Dagestan-born Muhammad Mokaev, as he took on Japanese rival Reo Yamaguchi in IMMAF competition. | Nineteen-year-old Mokaev was born in Buynaksk, Dagestan but moved to Manchester, England with his family as a 12-year-old. | The Russian-English star is riding an unbeaten 23-fight win streak and is considered to be one of the hottest young prospects in the sport. | Mokaev hasn\'t yet turned professional, but there are sure to be a host of potential suitors for his signature, with the Bellator ONE Championship, Cage Warriors and BRAVE CF all…

RT (2020-04-18). Saudi Arabia may sell one of its highest volumes of oil to US before OPEC deal comes into effect — reports. rt.com Before the historic oil cuts agreed by major producers come into force in May, Saudi Arabia could sell around 600,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude to its overseas ally the US, Bloomberg reported. | The daily volume sold by the kingdom to the US during April could be the highest for a year, the report said, citing a Saudi industry official familiar with allocations to American refiners. | An earlier report put Riyadh\'s massive exports even higher. According to CNBC, Saudi shipments more than doubled from February to March (rising from 366,000 bpd to 829,540 bpd). Thus March shipments of crude reached 25 milli…

Eds. (2020-04-18). The parched West is heading into a global warming-fueled megadrought that could last for centuries. mronline.org Warmer temperatures and shifting storm tracks are drying up vast stretches of land in North and South America.

The Canary (2020-04-18). Even senior Tories think the government\'s exit plan secrecy is \'just wrong\'. thecanary.co Ministers are underestimating the public by refusing to discuss exit strategies for ending the coronavirus lockdown, senior Tory MPs have warned.The government has set out what needs to happen before it will consider lifting the measures, but there has been no detail on how the easing of restrictions will take place.Tory backbenchers and former ministers say there needs to be \"strategic clarity\" and that the argument put forward by the government about not wanting to \"confuse the message\" is not the right way forward.Former Brexit secretary David Davis told the PA news agency: \"Other countries have been very open…

Peter Koenig (2020-04-18). Bill Gates and the Depopulation Agenda. Robert F. Kennedy Junior Calls for an Investigation. globalresearch.ca For over twenty years Bill Gates and his Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) have been vaccinating foremost children by the millions in remote areas of poor countries, mostly Africa and Asia. Most of their vaccination program had …

Staff (2020-04-18). COVID-19 Exposes the Delicate Economic Balance We All Live in Under Capitalism. truthout.org We live on a crisis-struck planet where surplus lives are struggling to survive in the wastelands of a rapidly shrinking economic order. The specter of a wageless life now befalls the billions. | COVID-19, just beginning its rampage, is battering our feeble institutions, revealing and exacerbating preexisting social and racial vulnerabilities, and laying bare the inadequacies of even the most robust social safety nets. The U.S. is staring at its sharpest unemployment rise in history. | As <...

RT (2020-04-17). Denver Broncos star linebacker Von Miller tests positive for COVID-19. rt.com One of the biggest defensive stars of the NFL has been struck down by the coronavirus with the news that Denver Broncos\' star outside linebacker Von Miller has tested positive for COVID-19. | Miller told Denver news station 9News on Thursday that he had picked up symptoms linked to the global virus, which has left the sporting world at a virtual standstill throughout the past month. | Read more | | \"I\'ve just been here in the…

Medea Benjamin, Leonardo Flores (2020-04-17). Threatening Military Intervention in Venezuela During a Pandemic? counterpunch.org Unbeknownst to most Americans, as we are grappling with this terrifying pandemic, the Trump administration is currently carrying out the largest military operation in Latin America in 30 years, and has made it clear that alleged Venezuelan \"narco-terrorism\" is the target. It\'s worth noting that the last deployment of a similar size took place at

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2020-04-17). Towards A New World Order, The Global Debt Crisis and the Privatization of the State. globalresearch.ca There is a serious health crisis which must be duly resolved. And this is a number one priority. | But there is another important dimension which has to be addressed. | Millions of people have lost their jobs, and their lifelong savings. …

RT (2020-04-17). Bolsonaro fires health minister, calls for reopening of Brazil\'s economy. rt.com Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has fired his health minister after clashing with him over how to fight the new coronavirus. On Thursday, the president once again called for states to end stay-at-home orders that he said were hurting the economy. | Bolsonaro has described the virus, which has killed nearly 2,000 Brazilians, as \"a little flu\" and criticized state governors for imposing restrictions, Reuters said. Health experts and the popular outgoing minister, Luiz Henrique Mandetta, have supported the curbs. | In televised remarks met with pot-banging protests in several major cities, Bolsonaro said Mande…

350.org Bay Area & many others (2020-04-17). #ClimateStrike: Virtual Protest Against Chase Bank to #Stop The Money Pipeline. indybay.org Online protest actions…

Bill Van Auken (2020-04-17). Pentagon Escalates Tensions with Iran in Persian Gulf. globalresearch.ca The US Navy charged Wednesday that 11 Iranian vessels had \"repeatedly conducted dangerous and harassing approaches against multiple US naval ships operating in international waters.\" | The protest, issued by the command of the US Navy\'s Fifth Fleet, represented a further …

Staff (2020-04-17). Frontline Medical Workers Protest New NYC Policy Demanding Doctor\'s Notes When They Are Sick. democracynow.org A new policy at New York City\'s public hospitals requires medical workers who call in sick to produce a doctor\'s note. \"We know that people just need a mental health day,\" says Sean Petty, a registered nurse at a public hospital in the Bronx who is organizing a protest against the policy. \"Thousands of us have been exposed. Health workers are the least tested group of people in this city.\" Petty is a member of the board of directors of the New York State Nurses Association.

Staff (2020-04-17). \"Gangster in the White House\": Noam Chomsky on COVID-19, WHO, China, Gaza and Global Capitalism. democracynow.org We continue our conversation with world-renowned political dissident, linguist and author Noam Chomsky. He responds to President Trump\'s cuts to U.S. support for the World Health Organization and the surge in deaths in the United States to another record high, and discusses conditions in Gaza, the rise of authoritarianism around the world, and the progressive response. \"This is typical behavior of autocrats and dictators. When you make colossal errors which are killing thousands of people, find somebody else to blame,\" say Chomsky. \"In the United States, it\'s unfortunately the case, for well over a century, centu…

Roger Harris (2020-04-17). Bernie Sanders Tests the Limits of the US Political System. counterpunch.org The Great Gray Hope has bowed out of the presidential primary race, leaving tottering Joe Biden as the last Democrat standing. What Bernie Sanders accomplished electorally was remarkable, revealing both how far a progressive can venture and the limits proscribing further advancement to the left within the Democratic Party. Sanders pushes the limits of the

Roger D. Harris (2020-04-17). The Great Gray Hope: Bernie Sanders Tests the Limits of US Political Systems. mintpressnews.com For all his remarkable accomplishments, Sanders\' legacy in 2020 will likely be that of 2016, which was to be the sheepdog that herded progressives into the Democratic Party and got nothing in return.

Steven Salaita (2020-04-17). Sanders and Palestine: a Post Mortem. counterpunch.org Let me start with a story about the Democratic primary. Now, I\'m no operative, so this story has nothing to do with voting choices or electability. It\'s about how Palestine disappears in US electoral discourses, even when people who identify as Palestinian purport to make it visible. Sometime ago, I was added to an online

Staff (2020-04-17). Headlines for April 17, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. COVID-19 Deaths Surge to New Record High as 4,500+ People Die in 24 Hours, New York COVID-19 Death Toll Surpasses 12,000 While Hospitalizations Continue to Fall | , CDC Investigating SD Pork Processing Plant, Single Biggest COVID-19 Hot Spot in U.S. | , Nurses Suspended in CA for Refusing to Treat COVID-19 Patients Without N95 Masks | , $349B Paycheck Protection Program for Small Businesses Exhausted | , USAA Will No Longer Seize Stimulus Checks; ProPublica Finds Landlords Violated Eviction Ban, NY Gov. Cuomo Rules Out Relief for Undocumented Residents | , UnitedHealth Group Profits Surge as Coronavirus Spre…

Jeffrey St. Clair (2020-04-17). Roaming Charges: Bernt Offerings. counterpunch.org + You\'d better stock up on those Marvin Gaye stamps while you can because the stamps for Trump\'s privatized mail service will feature Jim Fisk, Jay Gould, PT Barnum, JP Morgan, Andrew Mellon, Charles Ponzi, old man Rockefeller, Roy Cohn, Michael Milkin, Ken Lay, Bernie Madoff and, of course, Trump himself… + So does Trump

South Front (2020-04-17). Video: US-trained Militants Surrender to Syrian Army. Israel Tries to Assassinate Hezbollah Commanders. globalresearch.ca On April 15th, 27 members of Maghawir al-Thawra, a militant group in the Al-Tanf zone, which is both funded and trained by the US-led coalition, surrendered to the Syrian Army with all of their weapons and equipment. These …

graham (2020-04-17). Spanish workers furious as forced \"back to work\" in COVID-19 pandemic. truepublica.org.uk By Alejandro López: Working-class anger is rising against the Socialist Party (PSOE)-Podemos government, which forced millions of nonessential workers back to work on Monday as thousands continue to fall ill each day from the raging COVID-19 pandemic. The measure, enforced by the unions, threatens to lead to hundreds of thousands of more infections and tens …

RT (2020-04-17). Medicine not missiles: Iran celebrates Army Day with unique parade to promote healing amid coronavirus crisis (VIDEO). rt.com Iranian authorities opted to forego the usual display of military might befitting the country\'s national Army Day, opting instead to pay tribute to the men and women fighting on the frontlines of the country\'s coronavirus crisis. | Missiles, armored vehicles and fighter jet flyovers were swapped out for disinfection trucks, mobile hospitals and soldiers dressed as doctors and nurses in hazmat suits displaying lifesaving medical equipment during Friday\'s demure \'Defenders of the Homeland, Helpers of Health\' army parade. | The normally massive crowds were nowhere to be seen, as the more restrained affair was…

RT (2020-04-17). German health minister says coronavirus outbreak is now \'manageable again\'. rt.com The coronavirus outbreak in Germany has become manageable again, Health Minister Jens Spahn said on Friday. The number of patients who have made a recovery has been higher than the number of new infections every day this week, the minister noted. | \"The outbreak has — as of today — become controllable and manageable again,\" Spahn told reporters, adding that the health care system had \"at no time been overwhelmed so far.\" | Earlier, Spahn said a coronavirus contact tracing app will be ready for Germans to download and use on their smartphones in three to four weeks. Berlin has been more cautious than…

RT (2020-04-17). Austria to let museums, some cultural spaces reopen from mid-May. rt.com Austrian museums and some other cultural spaces will be allowed to reopen from mid-May as part of the step-by-step loosening of its coronavirus lockdown, Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler said on Friday. A specific date has not yet been set, Kogler told reporters, adding that large events involving many people close together, such as festivals, would remain banned until August 31. | On Tuesday, the Alpine republic started loosening its lockdown, letting DIY stores, garden centers and smaller shops reopen. Larger shops and hairdressers are due to follow from May 1. | The country will be on the lookout for any accel…

RT (2020-04-17). China\'s Wuhan death toll spikes by 50% as authorities report 1,290 \'delayed & omitted\' fatalities. rt.com The Chinese city of Wuhan — ground zero for the coronavirus pandemic — has revised its fatality count, increasing the total by just shy of 1,300 deaths, which officials say went unreported due to \"delays\" and \"omissions.\" | Authorities in Wuhan added another 1,290 deaths to the city\'s death toll on Friday, putting the overall figures at 50,333 infections and 3,869 fatalities in the virus\' first epicenter. The revision was necessary to \"address incorrect reporting, delays and omissions of cases,\" city officials said, with the new numbers increasing Wuhan\'s death tally by 50 percent. | \"In the early…

RT (2020-04-17). Putin & Macron discuss minimizing negative economic consequences of pandemic in telephone conversation. rt.com Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron have discussed by telephone measures aimed at minimizing the negative socio-economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, the Kremlin\'s press service said on Friday. | During the conversation, which was initiated by the French side, the two leaders spoke about measures which are being taken in Russia and France. Macron thanked Putin for \"helping France with the return of French citizens to their homeland and ensuring conditions for shipments of medical supplies and equipment through Russia to France,\" the press service said. | Int…

RT (2020-04-17). Japan\'s Abe tells G7 he backs WHO on coronavirus response, in contrast with Trump. rt.com Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed support on Friday for the role of the World Health Organization (WHO) in the campaign against the coronavirus, in contrast with President Donald Trump who has vowed to cut US funding to the agency. | Abe said at a news conference he had told fellow Group of Seven leaders on Thursday that \"the international community, centering on the WHO, must cooperate to fight this infectious disease, which is having a global impact\" and Japan would \"firmly\" support it. | \"There\'s only the WHO that can serve as an international institution\" to address the pandemic, Abe said. He di…

The Canary (2020-04-17). UK could have the highest death rate in Europe because government was \'too slow\', doctor warns. thecanary.co Britain will face \"further waves\" of coronavirus and will probably have the highest death rate in Europe because the government was \"too slow\" to act, a leading physician has warned.Professor Anthony Costello, of University College London\'s Institute for Global Health, told a committee of MPs that the \"harsh reality\" is that \"we were too slow with a number of things\".\"If we\'re going to suppress the chain of transmission of this virus in the next stage we all hope that the national lockdown and social distancing will bring about a large suppression of the epidemic so far — but we\'re going to face further wave…

RT (2020-04-17). 'Devastated': England World Cup-winner Norman Hunter dies from COVID-19 at the age of 76. rt.com Norman Hunter, the defender who won the World Cup with England and was instrumental in Leeds becoming champions of England twice during a 14-year spell at the club, has died from COVID-19 at the age of 76. | Issuing a statement confirming Hunter\'s death on Friday morning, the club said his passing would leave a \"huge hole\" at Elland Road, where the former England regular had a lounge named after him and was a familiar presence, attending the Championship clash with Huddersfield last month. | Leeds United are devastated to learn of the passing of club legend Norman Hunter at the age of 76— Leeds United (@…

RT (2020-04-17). US Federal Reserve \'put the world on its back\' with $2.3 TRILLION injection, chief research analyst tells Boom Bust. rt.com As organizations like the IMF and the UN warn that this is the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, the US central bank has once again decided to pump trillions of dollars into the economy. | RT\'s Boom Bust talks to the CEO of Transformity Research, Tobin Smith, who has been sounding the alarm lately, saying that the economic downturn in the United States is not due to the coronavirus pandemic. | \"Let\'s bear in mind that up until eight days ago we were in a free fall and then the Fed put the United States on its back and it really put the world on its back. It basically said that the world is too…

RT (2020-04-17). Sadiq Khan\'s call for compulsory face masks on London transport provokes both fury and praise. rt.com London Mayor Sadiq Khan has urged the UK government to make wearing face masks on public transport in the capital compulsory during the Covid-19 crisis, putting him at odds with UK health advisers and dividing public opinion. | During an interview with Sky News on Friday, the mayor of London claimed that \"the evidence around the world is that this [face masks] is effective.\" He referenced countries such as the USA, Canada, Germany and South Korea, all of whom are currently advising their citizens to wear face masks during the coronavirus pandemic. | What I\'m lobbying for is for when it comes to those circumsta…

Missy Comley Beattie (2020-04-17). \"There Is No Hope, But I May Be Wrong\" counterpunch.org We compose our opinion pieces, writing anywhere from 400 to 1000 words. Most of us use \"we must\" and \"we should\" and \"we need\" and conclude with a paragraph that offers hope. Well, I\'m pretty fucking far from hopeful. It\'s this virus, COVID-19, that\'s changing nearly every aspect of our waking hours, dictating who, what,

RT (2020-04-17). Worst three months in decades: China\'s economy plunges almost 7% amid coronavirus battle. rt.com The world\'s second largest economy, China, took a huge hit due to the Covid-19 outbreak, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics. It showed a 6.8 percent drop in the first quarter of 2020 from a year earlier. | That is the first such contraction since Beijing began reporting its quarterly gross domestic product in 1992. | Data showed that industrial production declined 8.4 percent in Q1, though March only saw a drop of 1.1 percent. Retail sales crashed 19 percent in the first quarter. Sales of consumer goods dipped by 15.8 percent in March, while online sales of physical goods rose almost six…

Ramzy Baroud (2020-04-17). Spreading the Virus of Occupation: Spitting as a Weapon in the Hand of Colonial Israel. counterpunch.org Spitting at someone is a universal insult. In Israel, however, spitting at Palestinians is an entirely different story. Now that we know that the deadly coronavirus can be transmitted through saliva droplets, Israeli soldiers and illegal Jewish settlers are working extra hard to spit at as many Palestinians, their cars, doorknobs, and so on, as

RT (2020-04-17). Montreux Jazz Festival canceled for 1st time since 1967 — Swiss organizers. rt.com The Montreux Jazz Festival will not be held in July due to the coronavirus pandemic, marking the first time the Swiss summer festival has not taken place since its launch in 1967. | As the government is keeping most hygiene and social distancing measures in place for now, it is impossible to consider holding an event on such a scale, organizers said on Friday. | The two-week festival along Lake Geneva draws nearly 250,000 people. \"The program planned for this summer will be partly carried over to next year\'s festival, which will take place from 2 to 17 July 2021,\" the statement said, according to Reuters. | Th…

Marshall Auerback — Jan Frel (2020-04-17). The New Fault Lines in a Post-Globalized World. counterpunch.org The coronavirus pandemic has upended the global economic system, and just as importantly, cast out 40 years of neoliberal orthodoxy that dominated the industrialized world. Forget about the \"new world order.\" Offshoring and global supply chains are out; regional and local production is in. Market fundamentalism is passé; regulation is the norm. Public health is

RT (2020-04-17). Israeli TV says US intel warned IDF & NATO of coronavirus threat in NOVEMBER 2019, doubling down on claims dismissed by… US intel. rt.com American intelligence passed an early warning about the coronavirus to Tel Aviv and NATO as far back as November, Israel\'s Channel 12 claims, even after a top US medical intel officer dismissed a similar report just last week. | The broadcaster aired a story on Thursday alleging that the US intelligence community shared classified information about a new viral outbreak in China with the Israeli military and senior NATO officials. With nobody willing to go on record to confirm the report, however, the story is based on murky anonymous sourcing, leaving it a mystery where the claim originated. | \"Still in Novemb…

RT (2020-04-17). Almost HALF of French Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier group tested positive for Covid-19. rt.com Some 1,081 servicemen of the 2,300-strong Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier group have tested positive for Covid-19, the French defense minister said. France\'s only carrier was forced to return to port after the outbreak. | The Charles de Gaulle coronavirus tally surged by over 300 confirmed cases on Friday when the country\'s military revealed new official figures. | Speaking to the country\'s National Assembly via video link, Defense Minister Florence Parly said that 2,010 tests had been carried out within the carrier group and 1,081 sailors tested positive. Some 545 of them have shown symptoms and 24 remain…

Howie Wolke (2020-04-17). Wilderness Protects Biological Diversity. counterpunch.org In the current election cycle, three things are clear. First, it is apparent that for the next four years, the President will, like me, be an old white guy (hopefully not named Trump). Second, the global biodiversity crisis, unfortunately, is not a campaign issue. And third, neither is human overpopulation — 7.8 billion and counting

Paul Street (2020-04-17). Danger Clown and the Return to American Normalcy. counterpunch.org Recently in an online urban studies discussion, a young white man expressed his desire for his fellow Chicagoans and Americans more generally to get over all this COVID-19 trauma and \"return to normal life in my great city and country.\" I was a little surprised and disappointed he didn\'t use Warren Harding\'s made-up word \"normalcy.\"

John McMurtry (2020-04-17). The Unconscious System Plague: Will Covid-19 Finally Awaken Us? counterpunch.org Like others, I have thought from the first day of the Covid-19 pandemic that it was forcing us to awake from exponential life-system destruction by corporate \'business as usual\' to our common life-ground. In the words of the formerly neo-liberal Governor Cuomo of New York, \"It is a test of our humanity over the economy

Tamara Pearson (2020-04-17). The Self-Centered Rich Country Response to Pandemics and Crises is Wrecking Poor Countries. counterpunch.org I\'m squatting on a round piece of concrete, and a 72-year-old man is sitting in the gutter, his walking stick beside him. He tells me that after being deported from the United States, he has been hiking the streets of Mexico City trying to find somewhere to stay. But all the refuges are closed due to the pandemic, including the one we\'re sitting outside of, where I volunteer. He has run out of insulin for his diabetes and says he can\'t walk any more.

T.J. Coles (2020-04-17). The Global Fragmentation of Public Health Systems. counterpunch.org In many countries, what should have been a serious problem—COVID-19—quickly escalated into a crisis. Tracking and tracing capabilities were impaired or absent, central coordination was lacking, decisive actions were not taken, and lower-level staff were tasked with making life-or-death choices. This is a reflection of the US-British-led neoliberal form of capitalism that has infected the

Ron Jacobs (2020-04-17). The Sixties in the City of the Fallen Angels. counterpunch.org Authors Mike Davis and Jon Weiner borrowed the title of their new history of Los Angeles from the Doors song \"Light My Fire.\" Titled Set the Night on Fire: A History of LA in the Sixties, it is a history of social movements for social and economic justice and against imperial war. Indeed, given the

Pete Dolack (2020-04-17). Will the Pandemic Finish Trump or Give his Régime an Escape? counterpunch.org Amidst all the talk about if the global Covid-19 pandemic will lead to an opening for socialism, or at least a reduction in the grip of neoliberalism, in the wake of capitalism\'s failures, a more immediate question is if there is to be a reversal of the march of the Right in electoral politics. Elections

RT (2020-04-17). WHO first? It\'s time to revamp global institutions and prepare for a new post-Covid world order. rt.com With the WHO under attack for alleged complacency in dealing with Covid-19, the roles of other international organizations could be put under the spotlight, too. Is this a chance to rethink how global institutions should function? | When he cut funding for the World Health Organization earlier this week, US President Donald Trump accused the health body of being \"China-centric,\" of propagating \"false information about transmission and mortality\" and generally of mishandling the pandemic, which has taken 135,000 lives and seen two million people infected globally. | Trump\'s decision to cut US funding to the WHO…

RT (2020-04-17). China denies covering up Covid-19 severity, says revision increasing deaths by 50 percent \'common practice\'. rt.com The correction of Wuhan\'s Covid-19 death toll, which rose by 1,290 and now stands at 3,869, was part of a statistical verification process and is a common international practice, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said. | Zhao Lijian rejected claims that the Chinese government had engaged in a cover-up of the severity of the outbreak, saying at a daily briefing that Beijing would not allow such a thing. | The claim has been pushed, among others, by US President Donald Trump, who froze funding for the World Health Organization (WHO) this week after accusing it of conspiring with China to mislead the w…

RT (2020-04-17). \'It would be like martial law. You choose\': Philippines leader Duterte threatens to deploy troops to enforce Covid-19 quarantine. rt.com President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte has said that police and the military will step in to control social distancing and curfew if citizens continue to violate the Covid-19 quarantine rules. | Duterte has sent out his warning in a televised speech. \"I am asking for your discipline, because if you don\'t want to [follow the rules], the military and police will take over. I am ordering them now to be ready,\" he said, as cited by local media. | The police and the military will enforce social distancing and curfew. It would be like martial law. You choose. | The president said that he could hand down the or…

RT (2020-04-17). Anti-Corbyn Labour Party staff tried to stifle anti-war sentiment from new members, banned use of word \'warmonger\' — report. rt.com Labour Party officials who opposed Jeremy Corbyn denied or revoked membership to people who criticized the war policies of former PM Tony Blair and who used phrases like \"warmonger\" to describe him, a leaked report said. | The information was revealed in an 860-page internal The in-depth report found that anti…

RT (2020-04-17). Major automakers to jump start European production from next week. rt.com After a month-long shutdown due to Covid-19, major car manufacturers will gradually reopen plants in Europe. The outbreak has been a huge blow for the auto industry, sending it into the worst tailspin since the financial crisis. | Germany\'s Volkswagen (VW) which employs about 490,000 people in Europe (the majority of its global workforce of around 670,000) said that production of its passenger car brands will resume at plants in Zwickau, Germany and Bratislava, Slovakia starting the week of April 20. Other plants in Germany, Portugal, Spain, Russia and the United States will restart production the following we…

RT (2020-04-17). Oil market will not start to see recovery before June despite historic production cuts. rt.com Major oil-producing nations struck a historic deal this month aimed at curbing global output in a bid to stabilize the market. RT spoke to experts to find out whether the deal could really solve the falling demand. | The agreement reached by members of OPEC+ and their allies, including Russia and Mexico, represents a drop in production of 9.7 million barrels per day in May and June — the deepest cut ever agreed to by the world\'s oil producers. After that, the group will steadily ramp up production until the agreement expires in April 2022. | Despite the record reduction, oil prices continued to slide, wit…

RT (2020-04-17). 'There were polar bears on the street': Did former England captain John Terry's DAUGHTER scupper 2018 move to Spartak Moscow? rt.com John Terry rejected a move to Spartak Moscow at the last minute after his daughter voiced her fears that polar bears roamed the streets and the Chelsea legend would \"never return\", Italian agent Marco Trabucchi has revealed. | Terry had completed a medical with Spartak in Rome at the start of the 2018/19 season before a family summit made the free agent decide that a switch to Russia was \"not the right move\". | He had been expected to sign a lucrative two-year contract to join his first club outside of the UK at the age of 37, but later issued a public apology to Spartak chairman Leonid Fedun in an about-turn…

RT (2020-04-17). Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft with 3 crew members lands safely after completing mission on International Space Station (VIDEO). rt.com Russian cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka and NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Andrew Morgan returned from the International Space Station (ISS) and landed safely in Kazakhstan. | All three space explorers were part of the Expedition 62 aboard the ISS. Skripochka and Meir arrived at the space station in September of last year, while Morgan had been working at the ISS since July 2019. | –ï–°–¢–¨ –ü–û–°–ê–î–ö–ê! | ´–°–∞—Ä–º–∞—&Ccedil…

RT (2020-04-17). What a pane! Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher SMASHES window during at-home practice session (VIDEO). rt.com With the sporting world currently on lockdown, professional athletes around the world are being forced to work out at home and get creative as they look to stay in shape during the COVID-19 pandemic. | One such athlete is Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Joe Kelly, who set up a special target in his back yard in order to practice his array of pitches. | Also on rt.com | | Unfortunately for Kelly, his attempt at a change-up p…

The Canary (2020-04-17). Emergency services hold minute\'s silence for pregnant nurse who died of Covid-19. thecanary.co Dozens of emergency service workers rallied round to pay tribute to Mary Agyeiwaa Agyapong, a pregnant nurse who died of Covid-19.On its Twitter account, the fire service posted a video of its deputy chief fire officer Andrew Hopkinson giving a speech to commemorate Agyapong who worked at the Luton and Dunstable University Hospital for five years. | She died on Sunday and her baby daughter was delivered successfully by Caesarean section.Hopkinson told well wishers: \"We are taking the opportunity to remember and appreciate a wonderful young woman and nurse who\'s made a huge contribution to this NHS trust and to th…

RT (2020-04-17). Double trouble: BAD INTERNET connection rules darts ace Gary Anderson out of online PDC tournament. rt.com Sports stars often bemoan illness and injury as reasons for being unable to compete in major competitions, but in 2020, in the new age of COVID-19, a new issue has arisen. | Former Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) darts world champion Gary Anderson was all set to compete in the organization\'s first home-based event, but has found his hopes dashed — by an unreliable internet connection. | Read more | | The PDC, in a bid to pro…